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Guess Who? by KT: Yes, Yet Again, We get Pat's Perspective
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Charles Krauthammer-Editorial-
A stunning setback for Israel- January 6:
The stroke suffered by Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could prove to be one of the great disasters in the country's near-60-year history. As I write this, Sharon's condition remains uncertain, but the severity of his stroke makes it unlikely that he will survive, let alone return to power. That could be disastrous because Sharon represented, indeed embodied, the emergence of a rational, farsighted national idea that seemed poised in the coming elections to create a stable governing political center for the first time in decades.
Evangelical Leaders Criticize Pat Robertson
By Larry B. Stammer, LA Times:
The Rev. Ted Haggard, president of the National Assn. of Evangelicals, said that Robertson no more spoke for evangelicals than "Dr. Phil," the television show host, spoke for psychologists.
The concerns voiced by evangelical leaders Friday came as the White House sharply criticized the televangelist's remarks as "wholly inappropriate and offensive."
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(AFP/Getty Images/File)
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Geez, even Ted Haggard (a mega church guy) disagrees with Pat Robertson. Robertson said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for "dividing God's land."
Let's Reflect. Is Robertson's dementia also a divine punishment? It is certainly regrettable that a Christian broadcaster like Pat Robertson decided to make another stupid comment. What is more regrettable, however, is that the news media gives any ink to his statements. In my opinion, Robertson is a mean man; and, if I were not a Christian, this guy would convince me that I would not want to be.
Robertson knows how to work the media for his fundraising advantage. He is nothing more than a mean-spirited, bigoted, blowhard like most of the conservative talk show windbags. What I keep hoping for is that Robertson will fade into oblivion.
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E-mail From General Lee's Hometown
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Have been rereading the Gen. Lee Book. Nice to feel that I'm really getting to know him. No way that I can truly understand it all from the military standpoint, but love the personal side of the book.
Things that stand out to me: Paratroopers are volunteers: The Warning - I can just feel the fear and excitement - being the first - all the different requirements - unmarried - so different from today. Another standout to me: Lee remains behind.
So sad that he didn't get to lead the Airborne into combat. And, his death: you'd think I would remember some of this even as a child, but, don't. In noticing the date of his death - June, l948 - he died just a couple of months before my mother died. I don't know why that jumped out at me. I enjoyed reading all the telegrams from such famous people. bjcb
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Suicide bombers targeted Shiites in the South and Iraqi Police in central Baghdad and a roadside bomb killed 5 US soldiers. Another 4 US soldiers died yesterday bringing the death toll to at least 139 in Iraq, Thursday, January 05. 2005.
(Reuters; Associated Press)
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(AFP/Qassem Zein)
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I get up every morning at 5, turn on the news; and, when I hear what is going on in Iraq, I get mad all over again. There is no doubt that Bush is going to go down in history as one of the worst presidents.
The only words he knows are "stay the course;" without those he would be asking Cheney what to say next.
He will never get through his dumb head that there will be no winning in Iraq. How is he going to explain to a mother or wife that their son or daughter was killed in a war that was started on lies?
When people start talking to me about what a great fellow Bush is, I walk off; because, if I stayed and listen, I would hit him in the mouth. Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.
wp
I am definitely on the same sheet of music as the above writer. We can't beat these people, just can't happen. How can you reason with people who are willing to die in a cause; even, if it is to us, incredibly stupid and beyond the pale; and, even worse to kill innocents? The answer: you cannot.
mp
In adding to the above, the greater mystery to me are those I know: intelligent, well-educated people who blindly continue to support this man. I think that it is a form of ignorance that is almost beyond what we can know. I see it in people that I consider very smart. They bought into Bush; and now, even they, maybe in the inner recesses of their hearts and souls, have doubts and refuse to back down. And, a person who will not admit that he or she is wrong ever simply mystifies me. Oh well...
aj
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| Movie Review: Memoirs of a Geisha (Review by contributing writer)
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| Movie Review: Munich -A Steven Spielberg Film
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Munich is an interesting film, that has a slow start and is almost predictable, but then takes a couple of interesting turns. Spielberg obviously had some emotional investment, but took a very open approach.
The story is based on the 11 Israeli athletes killed at the 1972 Olympics. The basic plot line revolves around the Jews hunting down the perpetrators. I can still see the TV pictures, the terrorists walking out on the porch, masked, and the world wondering, "Who are these people?" I remember it distinctly and the first time that the world really saw terrorism and the desperation of the Palestinians.
There are a few scenes with ideological dialogue which seem a little far-fetch. This type of dialogue works well in a book, but not so well in person, it seems too contrived.
One thing I definitely like about the movie is that it does not create a bunch of super achiever heroes, but creates an ordinary man type with a mission. The mission happens to be hunting down and killing those who were responsible. One very interesting aspect of the movie is the affects of the escalation of violence on the characters in the film. This affect is similar to the post traumatic stress syndrome from Vietnam and surely from the war in Iraq which we are yet to see.
Munich is a very violent film. A Jewish friend who attended with me said that there was too much gratuitous violence in the film. I saw it another way: the subject was violence and we might as well accept it. Wait for the video.
Two parachutes at best.
Dan Foster
Quote from Trailer For Munich:(Golda Meir: Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values.)
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 Now Available: Newly revised paperback General Lee:Father of the Airborne. Order from Amazon.
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