Monday, February 27, 2006

Iraq - It's Time to Go

The world is a dangerous place and Iraq has to rank among the most frightening on the planet. I have supported the Bush Administration in the past on the push to find and terminate terrorists. I will support that endeavor in the future in almost any place at any time, but in Iraq - it's time to go.

Now I don't advocate flying in C-5's, C-141's and C-130's and abandoning the place... but I do believe we must make our intentions known that we are departing and tell the Iraqi people to get ready to take care of themselves. If they truly care about their country and what we have done for them, then they will answer the call and begin rooting out the insurgents that are causing the chaos and death.

There are those in the media and those outside of the media that despise President Bush and thus their objectivity of evaluating the circumstances in Iraq was compromised long ago. I on the other hand feel that my initial support, and possible future support, of the president and his policies is more objective. I have seen what has taken place and have evaluated the facts and the mood of the country (from my perspective), and again - it's time to go.

The Bush Administration has made some serious mistakes since taking office, and they have made some great decisions too. No details offered on either assertion - but you cannot be POTUS and have a little of both.

Iraq was a slippery slope from the beginning. The American public had been delivered a preview of what should have happened in Iraq... The Gulf War - sterile and quick. Of course that has not been the case the second time around. Unforeseen events have presented themselves and worse yet, the press went negative... what a shocker. The overwhelming perception delivered 24/7 from the meda... things are out of control in Iraq and American's are dying for no good reason.

Joining most media outlets - practically every member of the Democratic Party. Partisan politics is such a mind blower, and that goes for Republicans who "partisan-up" for their own pet projects and platform standards.

Nothing of true value (i.e. love, respect or DEMOCRACY) ever comes from demand. The Bush White House cannot demand democracy for Iraq. The American Military cannot demand it for Iraq. It has to be earned by the people... OF IRAQ. They have to want it, fight for it and die for it. Every nation must go through this cycle. The world won't recognize it any other way.

It's time to make these things clear to the people of Iraq, and then, it's time to go.

TK

Friday, February 24, 2006

Lost Marathon Weekend

Have you seen this show? This is what I call quality television - seriously! There is so much bad crap on TV that when you come across something that is this intriguing you've got to watch it.

Not since 24 have I seen a program format that is this good and so innovative. (If you have not seen 24 DO IT. The concept in 24 is that there are 24 episodes in the season and that each show is one hour in a 24 hour day. Very cool and of course 24 has received all types of rave reviews.) That's a lot of 24's in one paragraph...

Lost is just as good so far... I say so far because we are not done watching season one and it's in season two. Thanks to my friend Ron Marks who gave me the entire first season on DVD for my birthday, Katie and I are watching it all weekend in San Diego. Seriously.

With "Lost" there is this airplane that crashes on a deserted island and the plot follows the events that follow. What is cool about the format of the show is that each of the characters take shape "on" the island and "off" the island.

Time for dinner... more to come later tonight!

Okay we're back (we went to Lou and Mickey's - awesome filet) and we've now watched 16 episodes and there are only 8 left to go. I bought the first 8 episodes on iTunes and watched them on my laptop... the DVD's are much better.

7 episodes left and it's 10:42pm.

Okay at some time during the night we fell asleep and I don’t recall what episode we were on when we passed out, but we picked things up at 7am. What drama… someone died, a baby was born, a former Iraqi Republican Guard hooked up with a swim suit model (who was in love with her step brother and was conning him for money – lucky for him, he’s the dead guy.)

Well we have four episodes left. I feel exactly how I’ve felt every time I’ve gotten to this same point with “The West Wing.” I know it’s almost over and I don’t want it to end. That’s happened to me FIVE times and I don’t want it to happen again. Luckily, I have already purchased the first 14 episodes of Lost Season Two on iTunes and have installed TIVO at home. Within one week Katie and I will be caught up and watching the show LIVE (when we want to thanks to the DVR.)

Now if only 24 would post its shows up on iTunes I could catch up and find out what terrorist cell Jack’s been whacking!

Just in case you think that we’re really boring people, we’re not, well I am, but Katie is certainly not. We had dinner with Jared and Sylvia, we hit the Hotel Del and we shopped at Nordstrom. What else is there to life…? LOST baby. Lost.

TK

Thursday, February 09, 2006

King Funeral Hijacking


This is a picture of the late Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr. who passed away earlier this month. As a white male, I can only appreciate Mrs. King (and Mr. King) from my own perspective. They were not symbols of any personal cause of mine. I have known no racial wars and have not been the victim of a single racial incident. So it may be a bit odd that I had always been impressed with Coretta Scott King.

Mrs. King always seemed so poised and beautiful when she would end up in the spotlight of the news, usually around February and usually tied to the cause of civil rights. That's it, there is not much more that I can say about her. What a wonderful life she must have had after enduring the incredible tragedy of losing her husband. May her family be comforted and her good works truly do good for other people.

Now to the hijacking...

In my life I have had the opportunity to participate in over a dozen funerals. Babys, children and many older men and women who lived long lives. Everyone of them was a spiritual experience. Everyone of them had two key and identical attributes: 1. They addressed the life of the departed loved one and 2. They addressed the plan of salvation and the concept that there is life after death and that there is opportunity in death, an opportunity for the living who remain to be better men and women.

I listened to President George W. Bush give his eulogy at Mrs. King's funeral and it reminded me of the great burden and difficult task it is to speak at a funeral. He did well. In his less than six minute talk he spoke of Mrs. King's strength and contributions. I learned something about her and her family. I knew she was a Christian woman and that Mr. Bush was a Christian man.

Somehow a sacred service that should maybe last an hour, or perhaps an hour and a half drug on for 6 hours... and turned political. Some of the comments from the people who spoke (including former President Carter) were totally inappropriate, not only for a funeral, but inappropriate when directed at President Bush who was in attendance, sitting directly behind the podium. Zero class on the part of many of the speakers.

If my mother was being laid to rest and this type of crap was going on I would blow a gasket. I wonder which of the King children will be on CNN with Larry King to complain and that their mother's funeral was no place to be talking politics.

Shame on everyone who walked up onto that stage with an agenda or a desire to have attention drawn to themselves in place of Mrs. King.

RIP Coretta.

TK