Who Really Deserves a Silver Star? - The military's unfair awards system. By Owen West

Who Really Deserves a Silver Star? - The military's unfair awards system. By Owen West of Slate

A well reasoned and interesting article, as a former enlisted infantryman, I couldn't help but agree with the assertion made my author. What I found especially profound was Gen. George C. Marshall's remarks to President Roosevelt in a memo on Feb. 3, 1944 explaining the need for the medal :

"The fact that the ground troops, infantry in particular, lead miserable lives of extreme discomfort and are the ones who must close in personal combat with the enemy, makes the maintenance of their morale of great importance ... particularly the infantry riflemen who are now suffering the heaviest losses, air or ground ... and enduring the greatest hardships."

Mr. West gathers up some great points, quotes and details to present a very reasonable approach to the problem that has been simmering under the military surface far too long.

Note : A statistic I found very telling was that support staff outnumber rifleman 6-to-1.

Catastrophic Success - The worse Iraq gets, the more we must be winning. By William Saletan, Slate magazine

Catastrophic Success - The worse Iraq gets, the more we must be winning.

This recent article in Slate by William Saletan focuses on some of the seemingly contradictory actions taken by the current administration, such as "Bush's arguments made the wisdom of cutting taxes unfalsifiable. In good times, tax cuts were affordable. In bad times, they were necessary." where Saletan makes a point how this type of approach covers all of the outcomes. It certainly justifies the tax breaks no matter what the economic conditions are at the time. (except maybe, no tax breaks if the economy is just "so-so")

Aside from the various points he makes about the administration's contradictory statements often within the same paragraph or sentence. What I really find fasinating is the use of the language in the national debate on the Iraqi war, tax breaks, or even evironmental policy. Consider the now popular phrase, "Catastrophic Success" ... if there were ever a contradiction in terms, this would be it. While I think at first glance, these types of word combinations nomially referred to as "oxymorons". I can't help but wonder if perhaps these may be a little different. Maybe, because we are supposed to take them seriously?

Are there other examples in popular culture or current language which are similar? As I collect these types of terms and/or phrases, I will try to post them here.

1. Catastropic Success
2. Malicious Compliance
3. ???

What the heck *is* emo anyway?

What the heck *is* emo anyway?

One of the benefits working at a liberal arts college is the exposure to a variety of new ideas, new concepts, and new music. At least, new terms for musical genres...

I noticed that my college radio station, WWPV, had a show which featured punk, ska & emo. I said "What the heck is emo?"

Well, the web provides. In this case, literally, a web page using my interogative as its title.

Now, some of this stuff does seem familiar from a long time ago but that would be dating himself.

:-)

Article discussing a former Army public affairs officer experiences in Iraq.

Krohn's Rules is an interesting article profiling a retired US Army officer Charles Krohn experiences as deputy chief of public affairs for the Army and spokesman and media adviser for the Program Management Office (PMO) in Baghdad which heads up the Iraqi recontruction effort.

A partisan Republican, an idealist, a Vietnam vet, infantryman and a straight-talking Army officer, I look forward to reading more about his observations and opinions on the Iraqi reconstruction efforts.

I found one of his quotes to be quite reassuring :

"The thought of, 'Let's not tell them the full story,' I won't be part of that. I simply won't. The truth always comes out anyway."

Great Quote & the Upcoming Iraqi Elections

Great Quote & the Upcoming Iraqi Elections

From The Intel Dump blog by Phillip Carter, there is a great quote from Havard President and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers :

"In the history of the world, no one has ever washed a rented car."

While the senitments behind the quote certainly apply to the upcoming Iraqi elections, I just love the quote in general. I can think of a variety of situations where having a feeling of ownership is a critical requirement for a successful enterprises and ventures of nearly any kind. Consider the realm of ethics or community, if people feel vested in a particular area or sphere of interaction, they will more likely behave in an polite and ethical manner. At least, I would hope so.

Baghdad Year Zero (Harpers.org)

Baghdad Year Zero (Harpers.org) is a very interesting article written by Naomi Klein, a well known journalist.

What the do we know?!?! (Update!!)

It is playing in the Burlington area according to the papers and the Roxy Theater website

Booyah!

Bill Moyer's Speech to the Society of Professional Journalists

In Bill Moyer's Speech, "Journalism Under Fire", to the Society of Professional Journalists, Bill Moyers relates how journalism and politics have become inexorably linked.

However, I found his accounts regarding corporate interests, the "Rapture Index", and the current efforts by the current administration to further restrict the flow of information, media consolidation, and many other related topics to be both chilling, mind-numbing and thought provoking.

When you lay out all of the facts like Moyers does in his speech, even if half of them are completely wrong, the state of free & objective journalism is frighteningly close to disappearing or at least not large enough to have the impact it should have. Giving us the information we need to make informed & proper decisions. I have been following the individual points Bill Moyers lays for years, but I never thought to put them in a long essay like he has done.

Moyer relays a great quote from a fellow journalist being asked a college student to define "Real News" ...

“Real news,” said Richard Reeves “is the news you and I need to keep our freedoms.”

He goes on to mention a number of accounts throughout the world where journalists were murdered because of their reporting, because as Moyers puts it "Journalism matters" and the successful nefarious elements of society know it. Nothing disrupts the flow of dirty dealings of governments, organized crime, corporations and privileged individuals like the spotlight of high quality, objective journalism.

I encourage you to read Moyers' speech on the website or download it for printing. Please let me know if you have trouble accessing the website.

The Greenest house on the Block : Rose House

PortlandTribune.com | The greenest house on the block

Wow, talk about being energy conversation, 800 sq ft of house but zero dollars spent on energy. Again, Portland, OR is doing some interesting things.

Winning the Oil Endgame : A proposal to elminate US dependence on Oil

Winning the Oil Endgame-Homepage

I have for countless years felt that our country's dependence on oil & foreign oil is not strategic or advisable long term policy.

Unfortunately, it is a complex issue involving geopolitics, the global economy, the American Culture, and special interests.

You just have to ask yourself one thing, Would you advise someone to save for retirement by buying stock in a single company?

"Winning the Oil Endgame" is but only one proposal. If there are others, please let me know.

What The Bleep Do We Know!? - Spiritual Movies, Quantum Physics, Brain Science, Spirituality

What The Bleep Do We Know?! Home Page

I got to love it when film make a film combing quantum physics, spirituality, neuroscience, cognitive theory and mysticism. I am so there to see this one. According to the movie's website, it will open on Sept. 24 at the Roxy in Burlington, VT. Unfortunately, when I check the Roxy Theater website, there was no mention. Stay tuned.

No automatic gunfire, martial arts or love interests...obviously not mainstream Hollywood fare. It might actually be interesting.

Who says what's old isn't new again!?

43 Folders: Introducing the Hipster PDA

I love this stuff. You want a PDA that boots instantly and doesn't require batteries or power cord. Who says that there isn't room for old-fashioned work habits in our high tech world.

My New Quest : A Recumbent Bicycle for my Short Commute

I rode my bike into work just the other day transforming a 15 minute walk into a 5 minute bicycle ride.

Great, right? Unfortunately, the time improvement was wonderful but the bicycle's seat caused great pains in my seat. Ow...ouch...this just sucks.

My commute is a dream for a bicycle. It is slightly less than a mile, totally flat, and entirely on a sidewalk. I only have to hop one curb. Along the way, there is a Cumberland Farms and Dunkin' Donuts in case of dire needs such as junk food or caffiene. It doesn't get easier than this for the commuter who wants to use a bicycle.

After a very painful and uncomfortable ride, I was thinking about those other bikes. The strange ones where your feet are in front of you and sitting in the relative comfort of web seat. It seems like heaven to me.

My Plan :

• Research Recumbent Bicycles
• What are my requirements?
• Build or Buy?
• New or Used?
• Possible mitigating risk factors.

If anyone has any comments, please let me know. I will keep you up to speed on my progress.

-- jmc.

International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA)Website

International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA)Website

I have begun to research recumbent bicycles for possible use in my daily routine which has led me to a variety of interesting & different websites...the first human-powered helicopter and this website, IHPVA.

Just Great Stuff

The History of the Human Powered Helicopter Project

The History of the Human Powered Helicopter Project

A human powered helicopter...yeah, right.

But yes! Again, this is very interesting stuff.

Didn't the Wright Bros. start out in a bicycle shop?

Colchester School District in Colchester, Vermont (U.S.A.) - Home Page

For those interested in the various calendars, events, and news regarding the various schools in the Colchester, VT school district, please follow the link below.

Colchester School District in Colchester, Vermont (U.S.A.) - Home Page

Colchester High School Open House : Quite impressive...

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Colchester High School (CHS) Open House. I was quite impressed by the administration and faculty efforts to create a supportive, adaptive learning environment which intends to treat the students as responsible participants in the educational process.

During the presenetation, Principal Joyce Stone mentioned that CHS was receiving both regional and national recognition for their progess over the past five years. Of course, this was great news especially when combined with the the improved test results and second lowest drop-out rate in the State of Vermont.

It was a great evening. I left encouraged, informed & excited by my daughter's high school education.

(On a related note, here is a link to the Vermont 2002-2003 High School Completion Report)

Is Microsoft the next Enron? A Financial Fraud Update

Is Microsoft the next Enron? Probably not, however, this dated report makes interesting reading especially when it cites a leading publication like "The Economist" as supporting their assertion.

Microsoft Financial Fraud Update

2004 Kempo Camp Literary Reference : Suzette Elgin's "Native Tongue"

During a lunch table conversation during 2004 MWSDC Kempo Camp, the topic was SF feministic science fiction, linguistics theories & martial arts.

Suzette Elgin’s book, “Native Tongue”, came to mind.

Amazon Link to Elgin's "Native Tongue"

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis :

According to a theory developed by the linguists Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Lee Whorf, language closely governs our experience of reality. Sapir writes in “The status of linguistics as a science”, (Language 1929.)

Human beings do not live in the objective world alone, nor alone in the world of social activity as ordinarily understood, but are very much at the mercy of the particular language which has become the medium of expression for their society. It is quite an illusion to imagine that one adjusts to reality essentially without the use of language and that language is merely an incidental means of solving specific problems of communication or reflection. The fact of the matter is that the “real world" is to a large extent unconsciously built up on the language habits of the group.

I was introduced to this linguistic theory by my study of the theories behind the construction of computer programming languages and the papers by Hoare.

…then…my Lovely Wife said I should read this book…. Anyway, I found the book quite compelling and thought-provoking. Apparently, the book is the first of a series. I had read the first two, “Native Tongue” and “The Judas Rose”. Apparently, the third in the series has been published.

What would these topics come up at a martial arts summer camp? That is an interesting question... :-)

We Are Not in Lake Wobegon Anymore

We are Not in Lake Wobegon Anymore by Garrison Keillor is a yet great piece of writing. Agree, Disagree, it is still good writing worthy of recognition. I would be happy to read good writing from both sides of the aisle but there seems to be a dearth of good, clever, amusing, or thought-provoking writers and satirists in support of the GOP. But ... I would love to learn otherwise.

Good writing educates, challenges, amuses, or inspires. The best writings do all of those things.

I am hopeful to find examples from all perspectives.

--jmc.