Progress in Iraq
Two vocal critics of the Iraq War went to Iraq and have a surprisingly positive take on the war.
VIEWED from Iraq, where we just spent eight days meeting with American and Iraqi military and civilian personnel, the political debate in Washington is surreal. The Bush administration has over four years lost essentially all credibility. Yet now the administration’s critics, in part as a result, seem unaware of the significant changes taking place.
I think all of us should know, at a gut level, that things were not being handled well for a good while. Those of us who support the war, at least most of us who have not bailed, had an equal sense that things would get corrected if given the time.
It appears that this is happening. By most reports the plan is starting to work. The biggest problem is that the media equates the surge with the plan. They are not the same thing. The surge is just one of a large number of tactical changes. And we’re getting results.
Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily “victory” but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with.
This has been one of the Bush administration’s mistakes. We’re not going to have “victory” in Iraq. We are going to make it possible for the Iraqis to stand up and exert positive responsibility.
And that’s a good thing.
My ideal candidate for President
Call this a Sunday night throw away post if you like, but it’s one I’ve been meaning to write. I was doing my usual pre-bed Sunday night routine of standing under the stream of water in the shower thinking about all the things I forgot to do last week and need to do this coming week and remembered this is a post I’ve never written and should have written.
Let me give you my picture of the ideal Republican Presidential candidate. Right now, not one of the people running or contemplating running fits my ideal perfectly.
You see, I agree with Karl Rove that the GOP lost in 2006 more because of corruption than Iraq. Sure the war is in the back of everyone’s mind, but in the front is William Jefferson’s freezer with Denny Hastert standing in front of it next to Duke Cunningham daring anyone to look in the freezer.
The GOP got so used to corruption, they were even aiding and abetting Democrat felons in Congress. And they still are.
Grand Central
I’m trying out a new service, which has required a new phone number.
Christy and I intend to get a new unlisted phone number due to all the work related phone calls I get at home — not to mention the very hostile phone calls I get.
So, I’ve signed up for Grand Central. It’s now given me a new phone number in Macon. When you call it, it will ring my office number in DC, my cell number, and my home number. When I pick up one, it turns the others off. If I don’t pick up, the caller goes to a voice mail box and I get an email.
I can also record calls and listen in when people leave voicemails to see if it is worth me picking up the phone.
I can also set times for when people can get through, regulate whose calls go where, etc.
And it’s free (for now at least).
This will make life much easier.
Behold the Freemarket
It’s power to adapt to opportunities always amazes me. We must be vigilant to avoid Chinese food product lest we die.
Earlier this year, Swiss ingredient maker DSM Nutritional Products launched a “premium” Vitamin C. The marketing gambit: It comes from tidy Scotland instead of sprawling China, which provides 80% of the world’s supply. But it was a tough sell. “We were struggling to get the price we thought was justified by the quality,” says communications chief Alex Filz.No more. Not after contaminated products from China ended up on supermarket shelves. Suddenly, “Not Made in China” has become a major selling point. DSM’s Quali-C brand is flying out of its Scottish factory at more than double the price for bulk Vitamin C. “It’s a tremendous business opportunity for us,” says Filz (see BusinessWeek.com, 7/13/07, “China: Due for a Reality Check?”).
Something tells me the Chicoms won’t be too concerned with American deaths from Chinese food products till it affects their bottom line.
I could have me some money if it weren’t for my mom
Back when I was a senior in high school I got well over $1000.00 in graduation money. I desperately, desperately wanted to open an investment account with A.G. Edwards, something my Uncle George encouraged me to do.
I lined up all the money in a checking account my mom helped me open, filled out all the paperwork, met the broker, and was ready to go. I wanted to throw half of it into Apple Computer, which was and is one of my favorite companies, and then spend a quarter and invest the other quester in other stocks.
My dad worked overseas so my mom had to sign the account for me — I was seventeen at the time.
She refused. She was convinced, despite her and my dad having their worldly savings invested in Dupont stock, that I’d lose all my money in what amounted to gambling.
I could have purchased 83 shares of Apple stock with $500.00. Today it’d be worth over $12,000.00, excluding dividend reinvestment. A pretty good investment for $500.00.
Hey Erick, How Sick Are You?
If you know me well, are a member of my family, etc. you’ll understand how sick I am when I tell you I am taking the liquid cough medicine.
It is unheard of for me to do so. I’d rather die than take the stuff, or at least I said that until the present illness.
I did not know ass was a flavor.
Harry Potter
I’ve followed the phenomenon of Harry Potter for a while and have seen the movies, but never read the books.
They’ll be accompanying me to the beach this year though. I just have not had the time or energy to get into a series of books for sometime, but given the high praise from all but the kookiest of quarters, I intend to start at book 1. Of course I know the outcome already.
Republican Endorsing A Democrat
As the Republican nominee for City Council Ward 5, Post 3 in Macon, let me take this opportunity to endorse Robert Reichert, the Democrat candidate for Mayor of Macon.
Unintended Consequences and All That
Let’s all sing kumbaya, build extreme cheap laptops to give to starving kids in Africa, and they will suddenly figure out how to find food, get educated, and build themselves out of third world status.
Yeah, um, sure they will.
The best laid plans . . .
Novel Cards for a Novel Campaign
I need some business cards for my campaign and, on the assumption I get elected, after I get elected. I wanted something that would stand out, not cost a lot, and would be of good quality — that’s a lot to ask.
But, a good number of friends use Moo Cards. So I’ve decided I would too. They are only 70 mm x 28 mm — small. They are good quality and stand out.
We’ll see how well they work. $20 for 100.