Tuesday, November 30, 2010

WikLeaks

Call the FBI because I am all for the WikiLeaks.

Personally, I think that one of the most disingenuous arguments is that the leaks are costing American Lives.

Today, in the NY Times, David Brooks, gave his take on the leaks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/opinion/30brooks.html?hp

Now I like to read David Brooks in spite of his right leaning opinions because they are well thought out and excellently argued, free of the demagoguery of Limbaugh, Beck, et. al. Unfortunately, most of the time after arguing that something quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and swims like a duck, he comes to the conclusion that is is one of the prettiest chickens he has ever seen. Today is one of those days.

One paragraph especially sticks out to me.

To quote Mr. Brooks:

"Despite the imaginings of people like Assange, the conversation revealed in the cables is not devious and nefarious. The private conversation is similar to the public conversation, except maybe more admirable. Israeli and Arab diplomats can be seen reacting sympathetically and realistically toward one another. The Americans in the cables are generally savvy and honest. Iran’s neighbors are properly alarmed and reaching out. Some people argue that this diplomatic conversation is based on mechanical calculations about national self-interest, "

I ask you, when the Israeli and Arab diplomats talk civilly to each other while their governments incite and/or permit violence with more Israeli settlements on the West Bank and Islamic fundamentalists suicide bombs killing scores of innocent women and kids, is it not because they are afraid of losing power if they say "Hey Look, they are our enemy, but we can talk"? How many lives are lost because the US is too afraid of losing influence in the MidEast and are backing corrupt governments in Iraq and Afghanistan? How many lives are lost when China, as we now know, is sick of the crap that North Korea is pulling, yet jingoistically beats its chest and threatens military and economic sanctions against anyone who dares threaten NK? How many lives will be lost when Iran gets the "BOMB" because the Arab leaders are too afraid to publicly say anything, yet beg the West to do something to stop Iran?

Yet Brooks, and others, are trying to argue that our KNOWING about the lies are what will kill people and not the self serving lies themselves that the governments tell the citizens in order to foment hate against "them" whoever "them" is.

So, in my opinion, Money talks and Bullshit walks, so anyone who thinks that the government has OUR best interests at heart when keeping us in the dark, can take a hike.

But FBI agents, you really don't have to worry. Even after

the Johnson Tapes came out and we learned that The Gulf of Tonkin incident was on the lines of Aesops Fables, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and god;

and the war in Viet Nam was just a political mistake;

and we now know that Nixon ran on a peace platform while planning the covert, illegal invasions of Laos and Cambodia,

a majority of people still believe that the war kept the Communist Yellow Hoards from conquering every Asian country like a set of dominoes.

So nobody will believe that the lies that the government spoon feeds us are lies because Rush, Glenn, Sarah, AND Obama all say "Don't look at that man behind the curtain"

and the little nobodies, such as myself, don't have to be feared. The truth does not make you free. It's just an annoyance that takes time away from American Idol and XBox.

Transgender traveling

http://www.ru12.org/2010/11/heading-for-the-airport-how-the-tsa-policies-impact-transgender-travelers.html

Yankee Nuclear Power Plant

So I was listening to this big wig who is CEO of the company that owns the Yankee Nuclear Power Plant. From Wikipaedia:

"In February 2010, the Vermont Senate voted 26 to 4 against re-licensing of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant after 2012, citing radioactive tritium leaks, misstatements in testimony by plant officials, a cooling tower collapse in 2007, and other problems.[4] There is an absence of a clear plan to replace the electricity generated by the plant, which has caused concern among some businesses in Vermont.[5]"

Now this guy was trying to defend trying to keep the plant open (after all, not a lot of tritium escaped.) He compared it to an old car that breaks down and needs a lot of maintenance. Hey THAT I can understand. I have an old car that breaks down a lot and needs a lot of maintenance.

The only difference is that my car doesn't glow in the dark when it does break down!!!!