Use of contractors as James Bond in Pakistan & Afghanistan

NY Times comment on report of contractors being used to gather

intelligence and possibly kill targets in Pakistan and Afghanistan

by the military. March 15, 2010

The CIA should have had a byline on this story. But, clearly, the

network described is attributable to the eight years of Cheney

and Rove at the helm of the totalitarian government they created.

Any tool, any resource, used in any way required to pursue their

private and personal agenda. Hopefully the roles and missions of

the various intelligence gathering agencies of the military and the

government can be coordinated and managed to good of our

nation. We cannot afford to have it otherwise, financially or

strategically. The rule of law and common sense must prevail.

Leave the Keystone Cops in Hollywood. Too much is at stake.

The Decline and Fall of Ancient Israel: A Lesson For America?

The Talmud tells us that Israel prospered from the time of King
David, 1000 BCE until 586 BCE when it was defeated, the First
Temple was destroyed and its residents were taken into captivity
in Babylon. What precipitated the decline was, according to the
stories, man's inhumanity to man, selfishness, greed, lack of
compassion, and groundless hatred.

Is there a lesson here for the great but faltering USA? As we
look at the disgusting course of a national healthcare program
through the halls of our government, have we heard the question
asked: Am I my brothers keeper? as a criterion for the leaders
who are addressing this question? I have not. Nor has the
Almighty. We have seen what happened to ancient Israel,
ancient Rome, ancient Greece; I don't think He has changed
the rules. Can we expect a similar outcome? Can this be the
link between our shameful lack of concern for our fellowman
and our self-destructing economy, destruction directly related
to greed and self-interest. Democracy is still a great experiment;
not all experiments succeed. Those who profess to be working
for a great religious cause had better go back to their books and
relate their actions to those teachings; there seems to be a great

disconnect. Their fiddles are woefully out of tune.

Radical Islamists and Radical Republicans: partners

Dick Cheney,Karl Rove, George H.W.Bush and the radical Republican right are the best tools of the Radical Islamists who's goal it is to bring our great nation to its knees. The radical right Republicans have succeeded in distrupting andundermining the process of government in a way that must please the hearts of our enemies and detractors world wide. They see their work being done for them without one bomb, one suicide bomber or one act of mass destruction since theWorld Trade Center catastrophe. Have we no mechanismin our great nation by which we can recognize and holdaccountable those who's skulduggery, obfuscation andlying have negated hundreds of years of sacrifice and hardwork which built our republic? The Republican right hastaken an axe and a long saw to the very foundations ofour political and economic structure. In reality, they have become the suicide bombers of the Jihadists since they are bringing destruction down on our nation including themselves. And they have used the very tools which created it to attempt to destroy it: free speech, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, pursuit of happiness and respect for free will. Using the tools available to us, including every legal and journalistic devise, we can and must repel this attack and hold accountable those who are really aiding and abetting our enemies.

There is no difference between the politicians, broadcasters and writers who have corrupted our democratic processes to bring down our nation and those against whom Homeland Secruity is working. Indeed, Homeland Secruity officials should recognize the threat posed by the Jihadist's allies within our borders and call them to task. The Republican goons who have disrupted polling recount offices and who have undermined our Supreme Court have meticulously designed and implemented battle plans to bring down this country. No foreign force could have ever been so tenacious and successful in doing this. The number of victims of 9/11 has been doubled by the partners of its perpetrators who we allow to operate freely and without restraint. Their goals are the same. Mindless and irrational destruction of our great nation. And both in the cause of their respective ideas of religious expression. And, in this nation, the additional element of economic selfishness and greed.

Japan refuses Blue Fin Tuna regulations

Given Japan's intransigence on the consumption of endangered species such as tuna and whales and its wanton slaughter of porpoises it might be time to consider a boycott of their products and visits there until they understand our concern and revulsion at their attitude and actions. Economcis underlies everything and it will be the only tool to achieve their attention and cooperation.

Letter to the Editor NYTimes: President Obama has re-written the Democratic Party Platform

In his speech last night and during his presidency, President Obama has re-written and re-characterized the platform of the Democratic Party. He has also abandoned his role as the leader of the Party and created his own, parallel organization. Two of the most glaring platform changes are with energy and schools. The president's advocacy of nuclear and safe-coal are in direct opposition to the spirit and the letter of the Party platform. Nuclear energy is the most expensive and problematical source of energy available. Wall Street will not finance it; it must be financed on the back of consumers. It is 20th century technology in the 21st century. The cost of solar is dropping like a rock as the technology is advancing logarithmically. New models for creating decentralized solar energy, including home and business based production as in the Gainesville model, offer creative options. Also wind offers many innovative and clean, safe energy prospects; energy efficiency and energy conservation are the vernacular of those informed on current energy alternatives. Hydro-electric and geothermal are other available options. Before his election President Obama offered a rebuilding of the economy based partly on the solar and wind energy industries; how does his current advocacy of nuclear and clean-coal, an oxymoron if ever there was one, as outlined in his State of the Union address square with his original energy based economic recovery plan? One can only assume that he has sold out to the opposition on energy and abandoned the fundamental values of his party base. He does this at his political peril. The Democratic Party base at the time of November, 2009 election advocated public schools; it did not advocate or condone charter schools. Now it condones charter schools, without vouchers. The First Ammendment is precious to the Democratic Party base and most of those members see charter schools as a circumventing of the Ammendment. When you see the base abandoning Mr. Obama this will be one of the reasons. And his advocating of "clean coal" is another irritating and offensive straw on the camel's back. President Obama has drawn the wagons around his office and is working behind his fortress walls with the same team that put him in office. He apparently has not noticed that the election is over and it is time to include the Democratic Party and a wider circle of opinions and ideas in his mix of advisors and thinkers. Somebody must tell the emporer about his clothes; he is in dishabille.

NYTimes Comment on Napolitano

The most disturbing aspect of Ms. Napolitano's statement that the system worked is that it reveals a spin mind set. Why even make such a statement? Only if you are coming from an environment dedicated to stonewalling and excluding input from the outside, as the Obama administration seems to be, could you be so disoriented and self consumed to say that. Mr. Obama has provided no real mechanism for new ideas and suggestions from outside of his brain trust, even from his strongest supporters, relying, as he has his whole political life, on his own counsel. Unfortunately, this provides a myopic view when a biopic one is required. Mr. Obama better find a way of letting in objective reality checks or he and his team will continue to not address fundamental core issues such as getting our national security people on the same page and setting aside inter-departmental bickering and turf fights. Similarly, the quest for universal healthcare has seen only an insurance based solution when focusing on delivery of services might have been more productive but never was considered. A business model which asks repeatedly what is our mission?, what is our goal? must be adopted by the administration; their cards are being held to close too their chests. Let in some light, some fresh air, some new thinking Mr. Obama or this Achilles heel will continue to haunt you.

Message for Tiger Woods/NY Times post

As a registered mental health counselor it is distressing to see how quickly many people judge and reject others when their behavior only reflects inner conflict and need for resolution. We like to think that we have full control over our actions but we do not. The challenge for each of us is to recognize, understand and manage internal and pre-programmed demands and criteria which are controlling our goals, judgement, behavior and interaction with others. Professional therapists can help. Tiger, please find one. If you do, it is recommended not to make any life changes until you have made some progress in therapy. Don't divorce. Wait. You can and most likely will make progress in therapy and be able to change your behavior. Give up a little ego now and you will get your wife, your family and your self-respect and the respect of others back. We are not divine or infallible, even with a billion dollars.