Chaos, pain of 9/11 revealed in recordings, documents
I’m starting to forget...the scabs are coming off but the calluses remain…I don’t even realize it…then a story like this comes along and breathes life into my little bit of pain…it’s a good pain…the type that reminds you that you are emotionally alive.
August 13, 2005
August 12, 2005
Privacy and Garbage
I recently ran across some stories which I found quite interesting. They concern your right to privacy vs the desire of the police to protect us. The stories make for both entertaining and thought provoking reads.
The first story I ran across was on boingboing, which led me to a story from Portland that is three years old, but very interesting. It is entitled...
RUBBISH!
Portland's top brass said it was OK to swipe your garbage--so we grabbed theirs.
BY CHRIS LYDGATE & NICK BUDNICK
My own reaction is one of concern. I’m concerned about privacy and I’m concerned about terrorism and justice for criminals. This underscores for me, the need to elect moral officials that will demand moral excellence from their subordinates. However that desire may fall short of actually preventing abuses to the system, consequently I believe that we do need to reform the Patriot Act, and other laws that infringe on our privacy, but not to the point of leading ourselves wide open to terrorism. There is a very very fine balance to be struck on this matter, and it certainly isn’t easy.
In regards to the story, If I was the police chief, I would have authorized the dumpster diving, and on the other hand, if I was the reporter, I would have definitely taken the garbage…and reported it for all the world to know about.
The first story I ran across was on boingboing, which led me to a story from Portland that is three years old, but very interesting. It is entitled...
RUBBISH!
Portland's top brass said it was OK to swipe your garbage--so we grabbed theirs.
BY CHRIS LYDGATE & NICK BUDNICK
My own reaction is one of concern. I’m concerned about privacy and I’m concerned about terrorism and justice for criminals. This underscores for me, the need to elect moral officials that will demand moral excellence from their subordinates. However that desire may fall short of actually preventing abuses to the system, consequently I believe that we do need to reform the Patriot Act, and other laws that infringe on our privacy, but not to the point of leading ourselves wide open to terrorism. There is a very very fine balance to be struck on this matter, and it certainly isn’t easy.
In regards to the story, If I was the police chief, I would have authorized the dumpster diving, and on the other hand, if I was the reporter, I would have definitely taken the garbage…and reported it for all the world to know about.
August 10, 2005
Two Stories to Every Side
Mike Todd at Waving or Drowning posted the following today. My coment on his blog follows his post.
Two Stories To Every Side
WARNING: Quasi-political post ahead.
I don't really want to get into the whole Bush is doing well / Bush isn't doing well thing, although I saw some numbers yesterday that seem to indicate more people are swinging over to the "not so much" side, at least when it comes to the war.
This paragraph from an op-ed piece from the New York Times this morning summed it up for me.
"Even many Americans who do not share her views about the president - she arrived in a bus bearing the slogan "Impeachment Tour" - share her concerns about his war leadership. President Bush has refused to ask the nation to sacrifice in any way, so the sacrifice gap has never been greater. A few families, like Ms. Sheehan's, have paid the ultimate price. Many more, including National Guard families, are bearing enormous burdens, struggling to get by while a parent, a child or a spouse serves in Iraq. But the rest of the nation is spending its tax cuts and guzzling gas as if there were no war."
It seems to me that this sense of "dualism" in America right now is unprecedented. Sitting up here north of the border I am horribly troubled by it, yet I'd have a hard time telling you exactly why. It seems that for many (most?) in the US, the war has been reduced to an answer to the question "What's on TV?"
Read that paragraph again. I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.
I responded with:
As a former participant in the war, i can't begin to describe my mixed emotions on this, so here are a few random thoughts.
Most soldiers do not feel supported by the "I support the troops but not the war" line.
taking or aiding in the taking of life is absolutely horrible.
Allowing the taking of life (i.e. by Saddam) is also horrible.
As to the lack of solidarity and rationing of goods, what could we do differently? Arguably the cutting of taxes puts more in the coffers of the government to pay for this thing. But that said, I'm with you, where is the sacrifice.
A part of me wants to see a draft on both men and women that can't be avoided by the rich. But the Military wants no part of this, and I can understand why. The quality you get from forced laber stinks.
By most standards this war "isn’t worth it". And that’s how I feel...now. But what if weapons had been found? And the fact that they weren't, dose that mean that when the sanctions lifted, and they would have, he would not have gotten them?
maybe the war is worth it based solely on grounds of justice, freedom and liberation...but I doubt it, and I'm not even a person, American or Iraqi, who has paid with the loss of a limb or loved one...then again, maybe it is, many who have lost loved ones or limbs seem to think so.
You can read more of my musings under An Airman’s Perspective on Just War, listed under Posts of Note.
Two Stories To Every Side
WARNING: Quasi-political post ahead.
I don't really want to get into the whole Bush is doing well / Bush isn't doing well thing, although I saw some numbers yesterday that seem to indicate more people are swinging over to the "not so much" side, at least when it comes to the war.
This paragraph from an op-ed piece from the New York Times this morning summed it up for me.
"Even many Americans who do not share her views about the president - she arrived in a bus bearing the slogan "Impeachment Tour" - share her concerns about his war leadership. President Bush has refused to ask the nation to sacrifice in any way, so the sacrifice gap has never been greater. A few families, like Ms. Sheehan's, have paid the ultimate price. Many more, including National Guard families, are bearing enormous burdens, struggling to get by while a parent, a child or a spouse serves in Iraq. But the rest of the nation is spending its tax cuts and guzzling gas as if there were no war."
It seems to me that this sense of "dualism" in America right now is unprecedented. Sitting up here north of the border I am horribly troubled by it, yet I'd have a hard time telling you exactly why. It seems that for many (most?) in the US, the war has been reduced to an answer to the question "What's on TV?"
Read that paragraph again. I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.
I responded with:
As a former participant in the war, i can't begin to describe my mixed emotions on this, so here are a few random thoughts.
Most soldiers do not feel supported by the "I support the troops but not the war" line.
taking or aiding in the taking of life is absolutely horrible.
Allowing the taking of life (i.e. by Saddam) is also horrible.
As to the lack of solidarity and rationing of goods, what could we do differently? Arguably the cutting of taxes puts more in the coffers of the government to pay for this thing. But that said, I'm with you, where is the sacrifice.
A part of me wants to see a draft on both men and women that can't be avoided by the rich. But the Military wants no part of this, and I can understand why. The quality you get from forced laber stinks.
By most standards this war "isn’t worth it". And that’s how I feel...now. But what if weapons had been found? And the fact that they weren't, dose that mean that when the sanctions lifted, and they would have, he would not have gotten them?
maybe the war is worth it based solely on grounds of justice, freedom and liberation...but I doubt it, and I'm not even a person, American or Iraqi, who has paid with the loss of a limb or loved one...then again, maybe it is, many who have lost loved ones or limbs seem to think so.
You can read more of my musings under An Airman’s Perspective on Just War, listed under Posts of Note.
August 09, 2005
Cool Temp Job
I got a cool temporary job. I’m “alpha testing” software at a company called Get A Head Math. I simply use the software as it is intended to be used and make notes and screen shots of technical problems, or things I don’t think make sense. The people I work with are cool, and it seems that they have a pretty good product. I certainly learned some things while doing 6th grade math all day. : )
VOIP
I'm thinking about getting setting up a VOIP (voice over internet protocol) phone account. Any recommendations? SunRocket looks like the best deal at this point.
August 04, 2005
Bolger on Shenk and Modernity
A quote from one of my profs, Ryan Bolger, who blogs at the BolgBlog, describing one of the men who shaped his life.
"Wilbert Shenk, himself a devoted student of Lesslie Newbigin, went about deconstructing my notions of mission, Christendom, church, evangelism, and the list went on. He demonstrated how my understanding of Christian life was derived more from a culture called modernity than it was from the biblical narratives."
Read the rest here.
"Wilbert Shenk, himself a devoted student of Lesslie Newbigin, went about deconstructing my notions of mission, Christendom, church, evangelism, and the list went on. He demonstrated how my understanding of Christian life was derived more from a culture called modernity than it was from the biblical narratives."
Read the rest here.
August 02, 2005
The Unpretentious Dead
I think I found another aspect of Islam that I appreciate, though I would like to know more about the thoughts behind it.
Some Muslims, namely those of the Wahhabi sect, find it appropriate to bury the dead, no matter how great and powerful in this life, in an unmarked grave, as was the case for King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. (Read story here). You have to hand it to any King willing to be buried in an unmarked grave. There certainly haven't been many of those throughout history.
I like the unassuming manner of this, though I would be concerned if it led to a disregard for history. Fortunately, I think most would agree that by and large the Muslim has no problem remembering her history.
Some Muslims, namely those of the Wahhabi sect, find it appropriate to bury the dead, no matter how great and powerful in this life, in an unmarked grave, as was the case for King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. (Read story here). You have to hand it to any King willing to be buried in an unmarked grave. There certainly haven't been many of those throughout history.
I like the unassuming manner of this, though I would be concerned if it led to a disregard for history. Fortunately, I think most would agree that by and large the Muslim has no problem remembering her history.
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