Thursday, July 24, 2003

Another three soldiers died in Iraq today. Does anyone get the feeling that the administration is hiding a terrible secret in plain sight and we're just too blind, numb or dumb to see it?

I do not understand the situation on the ground in Iraq so I won't criticize the military leadership for its inability to snuff out the shadowy cabal of anti-American killers who're operating there. But I do criticize the Bush administration - especially Paul Wolfowitz - for not having the foresight to plan for the protection of our troops once the 'war' was concluded. The outcome was wholly predictable, Saddam and his ilk would be ousted and, as has happened, they would escape and plot counter-actions from their lairs, or they would be captured and/or killed.

Now we have small bands of Iraqis (or are they?) plinking away at our troops with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, killing one, two or three at a time and undermining the morale of our soldiers. It seems to me that military leaders have very likely given the administration guidance on how to proceed with eradicating these guerillas and, given that scenario, the administration is ignoring that guidance for political reasons.

It's disheartening and aggravating, to say the least! However, I looked at the clock and noticed it's almost time for an appointment I have. So I'll return to this subject in a bit.

Have a nice day.

Saturday, July 19, 2003

Credibility? What credibility? "What we have here is a failure to communicate." Bush's crediblity is based solely on the fact that 9/11 opened the door for carte blanche actions unprecedented in our history as a nation.

Never has the United States government enjoyed so much unilateral freedom to probe individuals, businesses, corporations and nations than it enjoys today. And because of a terrible tragedy perpetrated by a man whom we seem unable to find - I still question why that is given our intelligence apparatus and the linkages with European intelligence agencies worldwide - Bush '43 was given imperialistic powers without so much as a murmur of doubt from the media, let alone the voting public. Lift the veil thrown over our collective eyes by the images of jets flying into the World Trade Center buildings and the ensuing collapse of those fantastic towers, and one can readily see that things are going wrong. Bush and his cronies - Wolfowitz, Cheney and Condie Rice primarily - are pulling off the biggest coup since the republic sprang from the Revolutionary War.

Unlike that war, however, Bush's agenda is not one that leads to freedom and democracy and a share of the dream that is America. No, his agenda leads to a quasi-dictatorship cloaked by our flag and backed by the military industrial complex (does that phrase ring a bell?).

And now that we've effectively claimed Iraq as our 51st state, and don't fool yourself, we'll be in Iraq 50 years from now if Bush's imaginings are pursued to their obvious conclusion, we're going to have to bear the deaths of hundreds of soldiers each month, with a consistently rising casualty rate. And the financial cost, about $4 billion per month now, is going to spiral outward to infinity if we're to see Bush's goal of creating a democracy in the Middle East realized. The whole scenario rouses nightmares for me, and I'm not alone.

So hold on to your hats and grab a parachute quickly because we're on a flight through rough weather and it's just begun!

Where is the press? Well, apparently all the reporters who have any integrity, curiousity and backbone have relocated to Britain because the American press is certainly not doing even a half-ass job of covering the goings-on inside The Beltway. But keep your eyes open and your head low and watch as the truth trickles ever-so-slowly into the arena of public opinion. You do remember that place don't you?

Friday, July 18, 2003

Green, which represents the renewal of the planet and its component parts, e.g. air, water, dirt, stone, et al. Don't ask me what I'm getting at here because I haven't a clue. It's just that I haven't posted anything on this particular blog for a while and thought, "it's time to post something to this blog." Exciting stuff eh?

I wonder how well Appleworks 6.2 works for creating Web pages - anyone have info on that point? If you've created a Web page using Appleworks please e-mail me with a few details and/or tips for doing it right, K?


You can reach me at micwilgaf51@sbcglobal.net, but please don't send me any worms, viruses or other hacker pranks, PLEASE.

Meantime, I cannot figure out how one balances one's girlfriend's wants/needs with one's girlfriend's parent's wants/needs. Especially when one is caught in the middle of a disagreement and one would prefer to disappear at that moment but one is unable to perform that Hollywood feat.

So, that about does it for now since the clock is ticking and I told said girlfriend I would call at 2 p.m. (it's 2:10 p.m. ...).

I'll be working late tonight and, likely, tomorrow night as well. So think not ill of me. Nay. Rather think fragrant and uplifting thoughts when referencing my person, OK.

And don't worry about the Bush/Blair fiasco vis a vis Iraq and all that weapons of mass destruction stuff. It will all be smoothly swept under the rug soon as a sacrificial lamb is slaughtered - which should be very soon, indeed!

Meantime, have a good weekend, whatever 'good' means to you. And to my friend Mike (whol's expecting a baby next month), "Hi amigo. I trust that all is well and happiness, like a wide, wide river, flows through your household.

Ciao for now.

Thursday, July 03, 2003

Am I blue? Indeed, aren't you? Well, here it is, the eve of our nation's 4th of July, Independence Day observance. Thousands, nay, millions I daresay are preparing their barbecue grills and slapping their meat with various secret sauces and marinades to tickle the tongue of their usual guests and hangers-on.


More, I'm guessing of course, are loading up the old bass boat and heading for a lake where they can guzzle brews and dangle a line in the water to catch their dinner.


And families from Maine to California are loading the coolers of all sizes and shapes with ice, sodas, sandwiches and other munchibles, as well as the obligatory brewskis, in preparation for an evening out among the mosquitoes and moths to watch a dazzling (one hopes) fireworks display.


And me? Well, I'll be inside four walls reading copy from a computer screen and juggling ideas for page layouts. Sound like fun? It's not! Not really. But it pays the bills, don't you know.


At this moment, I'm about to shower, shave and get dressed for work (I'm due in at 2 p.m.) and I'll do it all in 15 minutes so I can arrive at my baby's (girlfriend's knucklehead) house by 1 p.m.


Here's wishing you and yours a Happy 4th of July. May everyone have a wildly good time and arrive home safely when it's all said and done.


Here's another blog 'o mine if you'd care to check it out