Volume 2 Issue 31
March 17, 2003
Any Day Now...
The US gets ready for war, NYC gets ready to ditch the token, and a really really strange fish
On the road today, so a few quick notes. In fact, I'll just mainly respond to a good e-mail I got today that said in part : "Why is it that the Dixie Chicks or any other band/actor/entertainer need to apologize for their feelings about President Bush/Congress/politics in general? In my view, the whole situation is absurd. The Dixie Chicks aren't policy analysts, nor do they have any experience remotely involved with governance and international relations. Guess what? Neither does Martin Sheen, James Woods, Charlton Heston, or Jay Leno. They're professional entertainers who may or may not dabble in politics on the side. They are not the problem though- it is the fact that people mistake them for legitimate authorities that is the problem.
Americans have developed a major boycott culture. The Dixie Chicks and Jessica Lange oppose the war in Iraq and people who do support it feel they can't listen to their music or watch their movies- ridiculous!
Being a "hawk" or a "dove" in this situation isn't parallel to being a bigot or a thug. If people want to pass by an Eminem album because they think he's a sexist homophobe, fine. If people want to boycott MSNBC because they think Chris Matthews and/or Michael Savage are politically offensive, fine- at least they're political commentators and media sources. Bottom line, don't be angry with the Dixie Chicks because they agree or disagree with the President- be angry that they became they another band to cover "Landslide."
I agree that Americans seem so quick to just boycott anything they disagree with, which actually ends up hurting any good boycotts out there. Take the stupid crap with the French. First of all...those people dumping wine and such into the streets...um, you already paid for it, they already got their money...and even if you just don't buy it...in most cases, the distributor has already sold it to the store...so you're just hurting your store owner. Plus...I don't see anyone ditching their Benz's or BMW's (or Chryslers for that matter), or switching to non-Russian Vodka.
As far as celebrities, I can understand them using their celebrity to advocate for causes they support, you see them testifying about disease research or child protection, or literacy or hundreds of other things all the time. Yes, they aren't policy analysts, but if they go ahead and use their celebrity to make a point, good for them. But, this only applies if they actually know what the hell they're talking about, because far to often they don't. Now, the fact that America is a celebrity-crazed place that listens to them is another issue, but we'll do that another day!
I mean, you can't disagree with someone in peace? It's just another example of how extremism, on both sides, is hurting the nation as a whole. Yes, an issue like this is important and could have long ranging consequences, but I don't see us breaking off diplomatic contact with Russia, France, Germany and China over it. Sometimes people can disagree even on big issues, it doesn't mean they have to hate each other.
Some other notes...the President's speech tonight will apparently be just in the main hallway, not in the Oval Office. The Administration apparently wants to save the Oval Office address for when war begins later in the week.
And Canadian PM Jean Chritean today told the Canadian Parliament that Canadian troops would have no role in Iraq, to great applause. Another one out of the coalition of the willing...
Oh yeah, and really come on, how many more people need to cover "Landslide"? I'm waiting for the Eminem version...
Here We Go: After abandoning the UN today, President Bush will address the nation tonight to lay out the time table for a war with Iraq starting before the end of the week -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/17/international/17CND-NATI.html
The US is now working to prevent a major war from occurring in Northern Iraq between the Turks, Kurds, and Iranians -
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/5409337.htm
Hussein appears to be consolidating his defenses around Baghdad, where a bloody final stand could occur -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/17/international/middleeast/1 7MILI.html
In what is sure to be the first challenge to Tony Blair's government in the coming days, Robin Cook, the former foreign minister and head of the Labour party in the Commons, resigned over Iraq policy today -
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Britain-Iraq.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2857637.stm
But the Dow has taken off today, mainly because the uncertainty in the situation has ended -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38685-2003Mar17.html
Unintended consequence of the war? If gun advocates claim that people have to have guns to prevent the government from becoming too powerful...and every household in Iraq has a gun...how can Iraq still be dictatorship?
http://slate.msn.com/id/2080201/
Warning sign? A Carp being slaughtered at a fish market in New York apparently began to speak in Hebrew, and encourage people to repent as the end was near. Some are saying that it is a result of Bush's war policies -
http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,915125, 00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2854189.stm
New Europe? The tiny nation of Liechtenstein seem to have grudgingly granted him more powers, making him an absolute monarch of the nation of 33,000. Now...a nation of 33,000? So...it has a Parliament and everything? I mean, everyone in the damn country must work for the government!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2853991.stm
As if enough wasn't going on: The mysterious flu-like disease that has killed dozens in Asia may be slowly spreading to Europe and North America. Though no one knows what it is yet, many have suggested it could be a mutant flu bug that could cause a pandemic like that in 1918...which, ironically, was spread by soldiers being moved around the world to fight in World War I -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2856163.stm
The Smart Case: It looks like Elizabeth Smart was affected by Stockholm Syndrome -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/15/national/15ABDU.html
And is trying to return to normal, but has begun to discuss more details of her abduction...and the family is dealing with all the book and movie offers -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/17/national/17UTAH.html
The NYC Subway Token, 1953-2003: The New York City subway token will be no more in just a few short months, marking the end of the cultural icon -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/15/nyregion/15TOKE.html
Well, at least we'll have HBO: The feud between Soprano's star James Gandolfini and HBO is said to be near a resolution -
http://money.cnn.com/2003/03/17/news/companies/hbo_sopranos/ index.htm
When you gotta go... A website compares the best bathrooms in the nation. So when you need to go, and have to go high class -
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/southjersey/m031703h.h tm
And it's still going on...the Iditarod 31 update!
Just 4 mushers still in the race have yet to cross the finish line -
http://www.iditarod.com/2003standings/data/include/details.h tml
The 20-year old rookie of the year has been mushing dogs since she was 7, but won't race in next year's Iditarod -
http://www.adn.com/iditarod/news/story/2773091p-2821261c.html
Due to time today no photos, tomorrow should be the big grand finale for our Iditarod coverage!
Have a great day!
