Moment in Time (five posts total)

I intended to stay away from the war, yet I find this an interesting moment in our national history. The following posts are all about some aspect of our nation at this moment.

First:

Why does Hollywood keep churning out anti war movie failure after anti war movie failure? Consider: Rendition; Valley of Elah; Lions for Lambs - spectacular flops all - with Brian DePalma's Redacted (alternate title: "typical American soldiers are rapists") constituting another sure-fire flop which is soon to be released (and boycotted, with some well known bloggers onboard the boycott effort).

Does Hollywood only care about foreign rights? Do they really believe portraying Americans as greedy unprincipled rapists is going to sell domestic tickets?

Bill Katz:

From what I've observed in my own career, there are two reasons these films get made: Parties and employment.

First, Hollywood is social, and it doesn't hurt to take the "correct" point of view if you want to be on the party-circuit A-list.

Second, everyone in Hollywood fears being fired, and most eventually are. You develop a powerful network by going along with the prevailing political winds. If we scratch down deep, we'll find that much of the motivation behind the making of these failing films is personal. The people who approve them, and put dollars behind them, will fail upward, in the great tradition of modern Hollywood.

Why have audiences fled from Hollywood's anti-war movies?

Former soldier and former embedded blogger J.D. Johannes says audiences have fled b/c Hollywood has forsaken the hero who risks his life in a worthy cause. Instead, Hollywood creates movies in which Hallibuton is the enemy, and lawyers, reporters, and activists get to be the heroes. These movies fail, says Johannes, b/c "too many Americans know who the real enemy is." Johannes suspects Hollywood types want to see themselves(activists) as heroes. At some level, Johannes believes Hollywood types are in denial about their own refusal (due to fear) to put their lives on the line for their country.

Former soldier, and current historian and embedded reporter

... Matt Sanchez is risking his life to get the truth to us.

It's hard to explain the shock I got when I finally got into Iraq. Unlike what I had read in the newspapers, I didn't find demoralized troops complaining about a dangerous quagmire in Iraq, and believe me, I asked.
[...]
So often, the business of reporting seemed to deal less with what was happening in Iraq and more with what was happening outside of Iraq.
[...]
To my surprise, most Iraqis knew little or nothing about [Abu Ghraib] and cared even less. The most important topic was security.

A sheik from Ramadi put it best: "We have our own bad people and they are much worse than yours." I was surprised to learn many Iraqis were angry the prison had been closed down, because it showed American weakness.

The big con job the media has inflicted on the American people, by systematically distorting so many details about the conflict in Iraq, does more than skew politics back home; it makes Americans distrust the sources of their information and is an assault on democracy.
[...]
Today, the news from Iraq is increasingly positive – deaths among troops are down by over 70 percent, and Iraqis have largely rejected al-Qaida. But while sectarian violence has plummeted, too many media outlets have stopped reporting on what is, by far, the most defining event of this century.

A free people need a free press, but through omission, exaggeration, bias and just flat-out deceit, the American public has been taken for a ride – and we will all be paying a price.

How often does MSM ignore a major Democrat speech?

Almost never - unless the Democrat in question is Joe Lieberman. Weekly Standard's William Kristol:

If a senator gives a speech, and no major newspaper reports it, does it matter? Joe Lieberman spoke in Washington Thursday on "the politics of national security." The next day, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today ignored his talk. Most Democrats will ignore it.

The End Zone provides news the MSM will not! Joe Lieberman, Thursday, making a speech which was solid gold:

Iraq has become the singular litmus test for Democratic candidates. No Democratic presidential primary candidate today speaks of America's moral or strategic responsibility to stand with the Iraqi people against the totalitarian forces of radical Islam
[...]
Even as evidence has mounted that General Petraeus' new counterinsurgency strategy is succeeding, Democrats have remained emotionally invested in a narrative of defeat and retreat in Iraq, reluctant to acknowledge the progress we are now achieving. . . .
[...]
[T]here is something profoundly wrong--something that should trouble all of us--when we have elected Democratic officials who seem more worried about how the Bush administration might respond to Iran's murder of our troops, than about the fact that Iran is murdering our troops.

There is likewise something profoundly wrong when we see candidates who are willing to pander to this politically paranoid, hyper-partisan sentiment in the Democratic base--even if it sends a message of weakness and division to the Iranian regime.

For me, this episode reinforces how far the Democratic Party of 2007 has strayed.

Sheiks from Iraq's Anbar Province visit Vermont

to personally thank the Vermont National Guard for fighting with their tribes against Al Qaeda:

(Host) Sheik Ahmed Abu Risha spoke through a translator. He said his province has overcome terrorists and insurgents.

(Abu Risha) (voices shift back and forth from Arabic to English) ``Today in this state ... we present this victory ... to the families of the victims of the soldiers in Iraq ... and specifically express our appreciation to the state of Vermont.''

Also:

The Iraqi delegation, fresh off meetings in Washington with President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, declared they had achieved victory over al-Qaida insurgents during a visit with Vermont veterans at Norwich University Thursday afternoon.
[...]
"We have defeated al-Qaida in this very large province of Al Anbar as a result of our cooperation with your forces," Mamoon S. Rashid Al-Alwani, governor of Al Anbar, said through an interpreter. "This victory came as a result of our cooperation with your forces and our bloods have spilled together."

I am struck by the tactically intelligent action of getting these Sheiks into America. Not only does it help get the word of victory out to the American people; it also helps get the word of modern possibility out to the Sunni tribes of Iraq; and the word of the near invincibility of America out to those who would militarily oppose America.

Sunni sheiks are businesspersons. They are not religious fundamentalists. It is very, very good for them to see American society with their own eyes. Let them see airports, our seat of government, and shopping malls. Sunni sheiks are smart, ambitious businesspersons. Their visit to America is good for business.

Happy Veterans Day

This is worth watching.

Baseball rumors

via Lone Star Ball:

I was starting to link some of the popular rumors making the rounds, but I can summarize: everyone will sign or be traded to the Yankees, Angels or Mets.

Karzai: Freedom saved 89,000 Afghan children this year

When you hear someone say:

"War is not good for children or other living things,"

you can know that person is being an idiot. When a public schoolteacher teaches your 8 year old:

"War is not good for children or other living things,"

have your 8 year old ask their schoolteacher about this:

"KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Close to 90,000 children who would have died before age 5 in Afghanistan during Taliban rule will stay alive this year because of advances in medical care in the country, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday.

The under-5 child mortality rate in Afghanistan has declined from an estimated 257 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2001 to about 191 per 1,000 in 2006, the Ministry of Public Health said, relying on a new study by Johns Hopkins University.

The U.N. and aid agency Save the Children both hailed the advances in health care in Afghanistan."

When your leftist aunt says: "I just want there to be no war," say: So, you are in favor of the Taliban killing 90,000 Afghan children every year?

B/c I criticize the U.N. sometimes, I wish to point out the U.N. is doing a good job aiding and abetting medical care in Afghanistan.

Look at the little girl in the beautiful red and gold outfit ... she is not happy to be hanging out with Hamid Karzai.

Echoes

Michael Yon titles his post Thanks and Praise:
"A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from 'Chosen' Company 2-12 Cavalry to the church, where I videotaped as Muslims and Christians worked and rejoiced at the reopening of St John’s, an occasion all viewed as a sign of hope.

The Iraqis asked me to convey a message of thanks to the American people. 'Thank you, thank you,' the people were saying. One man said, 'Thank you for peace.' Another man, a Muslim, said 'All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother.' The men and women were holding bells, and for the first time in memory freedom rang over the ravaged land between two rivers."

My comment: The Marines at Iwo Jima were planting the flag to say: "Mount Suribachi belongs to America." The additional, unstated message was "Mount Suribachi is free."

The Iraqi planting the cross is saying "This place belongs to Iraqis" - i.e. "I will place this cross if I choose to. This place belongs to me." The additional, unstated message is "This is a place of peace."

The linkage between the images is obvious. The symbolic power of the image of the Iraqi planting the cross is immense.

Wretchard:
"It is strange that in history every true victory is about the same thing -- not territorial expansion or power -- but the affirmation of the essential equality and brotherhood of man.
[...]
In the War against extremism, as in Iwo Jima, the worst may be yet to come. But it's good to take a deep breath and remember what the journey is all about."


Michael Yon is offering his photo, free of charge, to all news outlets. I wonder if any will take him up on his offer?

Seems an interesting moment to put up, L to R: Speaker Pelosi, Sen. Feingold, Rep. Murtha, and Maj. Leader Reid.

Why do you believe in Christianity?

instead of believing in another religion?

So asked Rachel Lucas in a blogpost titled
"This should turn out really, really well."
[Correction: Rachel is not an atheist. She believes in God, yet does not self-identify with any religion.]

Her opening sentence:
"Sometimes I get in the mood to debate Christians. WHY? Dunno."

It's a credit to Rachel that civilized Blog Comments discussion broke out over the ensuing 24 hours, and has yet to abate.

Rachel's question is a gift. It motivates valuable reflection about one's most intimate beliefs.


My first comment (slightly edited):

First:
The wisdom of the Christian Gospels clunks deep inside my soul. It is profound. I find it illogically conspiratorial to believe uninspired men dreamed that wisdom up — whether in the interests of self-aggrandizement, or even in the cause of doing good. I do not believe men created the lessons of the Gospels - inclu. the Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees - on their own initiative.

Second:
Watergate figure Chuck Colson’s writing affected me. Colson focused on Jesus’ resurrection. If the resurrection didn’t happen, Christianity is a lie. Colson focused on the Apostles. After the resurrection, the Apostles spent the remainder of their lives travelling the land, preaching the news about Jesus. This was not materially beneficial to the Apostles. They suffered for their actions. They left behind their families, and their former material prospects. They suffered threat of death and imprisonment. If Jesus had merely died; if the Apostles had not witnessed His resurrection, their subsequent actions are illogical.

Third:
Compared to Christianity, I find other religions shallow and wanting.

For instance: Part of Buddhism’ shallowness is that it is largely about avoiding pain. I believe pain exists for eternal purpose.

Hinduism: Many Gods? No.

Islam: Purports legal rules for governing + Allah has freedom to act in unreasonable fashion. No.

Judaism: I love Judaism. However, I believe Jesus updated Judaism(perfecting it, natch). As an example, there is no modern day purpose for keeping certain foods separated from each other.

However, I don’t discount Judaism on the basis of nitpicks. I’m not certain I hang on every single word of the New Testament, either. The main reason I am not Jewish is that I believe in the Christian Gospels.

Fourth:
Most atheists refuse to acknowledge truth which cannot be explained via Earthbound logic. This is where most atheists fail to comprehend religion and spirituality. Our existence is not merely about our time on Earth, and our existence is not merely about what humans can logically, horizontally understand and conceive.




My second comment:

I have read or skimmed all of these comments. Most non Christian comments are focused on Earthbound logic. Most Christian comments are focused on truth the Christian commenters can sense, yet cannot explain via Earthbound logic and language. This separation between Earthbound logical understanding vs. Christian spiritual understanding is the gap which must be breached if one is to make the leap from non Christian to Christian.

I know what it is like to stand on the non Christian side of this gap. From there, the Christians look like illogical idiots. I can only say, if you are standing on the non Christian side of this gap: as a Christian, I believe there is more to existence than what can be explained and understood via human words. There is tangible truth which does not exist at a level of understanding definitions and concepts. This truth only exists at a level of experiencing it; of interacting with it; of living it. One cannot understand a Christian unless one is a Christian. Christianity is either experienced, or not understood.

People who have life after death experiences frequently say the same thing:
“I suddenly understood everything. There are not human words to describe what I understood.”

The Christian experience is somewhat like that.

When commenters use descriptions such as “inspired”, or “faith”, they are trying to describe what cannot be described, and what can only be experienced. There have been outstanding, educational comments which have been blessings to me. Rather than those, I have picked out some comments which focus on the unexplainable:

Mighty Samurai @ 10:15 pm: you are basically asking them [Christians] to explain that which is fundamentally inexplicable.

Bob(a nonbeliever) @ 4:25 pm: Subjective experiences…evidence that was sufficient to convince him… but for him, his “faith” was a rational thing supported by the evidence of his own senses.

Jacob @ 5:07 pm: I choose to believe based on personal, subjective experience. I feel a connection with God, a certain peace or joy, when I pray. There’s simply no better way to put it.

Cosmo @ 6:05 pm: So why do I practice my Latter-day Saint faith today? It has less to do with what I’ve read as it does with what I feel. That’s the sticky item with things spiritual. I believe, based on personal experience, that God reveals his truths to those who seek him….

abd @ 6:11 pm: I forget who wrote this, but I remember a quote that went something like, “I was an atheist until I looked at my sleeping child and admired his ear. The perfection and beauty of the ear made me believe in God.” (Not the exact words.) I’ve had similar experiences. When I’ve been at my lowest, such as when I wanted to kill myself about ten years ago, I remember praying as a last resort, because everything else I tried didn’t help me feel better. After I prayed, I felt more calm and at peace. When I have specifically asked God for help in dealing with a difficult situation, there has been an “answer” for me in that I feel what’s “right.” There is a feeling that I have experienced from time to time, and it’s the proof I need.

Chris @ 8:30 pm is a scientist who spends many words on logical evaluation. Yet, his Christianity finally comes down to unexplainable conception which is guaranteed to drive most atheist readers crazy:
I became a Christian as an adult… I have never questioned that decision, because I know it to be right. I cannot debate it, or argue it, but I know it to be right just the same. I have on numerous occasions wondered whether I was wrong, or whether I really believed, but when I examine myself, I know that what I believe is true.

Richtermarc @ 10:42 pm: I demand logical arguments and proof. And yet, every so often, the Creator of the Universe will break through and show me something so freaking amazing that I have no choice but to fall down and worship Him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.

Wondering Woman @ 10:05 am: I wish I could give you something concrete because I know exactly what you’re asking because your words were mine not so long ago…. You know the pictures you have to stare at for awhile and then they suddenly pop into 3D and after that you can never see them any other way …. I think that’s why Christians have such a hard time explaining how they know — you just do.

How good is Adrian Peterson?

Seriously. How good? At this moment, no one knows the answer ... not even Adrian.

It's not like the Chargers were desperately trying to stop Brooks Bollinger's passing game. Whillakers.

Look at the muscle definition in Adrian Peterson's arm. An OU Asst. Coach, interviewed on radio, said Adrian Peterson is a force of nature in workouts. Gives no quarter, ever. LIKES contact in workouts. Seeks it out. Got mad when he had to wear a "don't hit this player" jersey in practice. Won every single conditioning sprint during his entire stay in Norman. Every one. Every practice. How good is this guy?


Changing subject: How bad were the uniforms in that game?

Ten or so years ago, the Chargers turned maybe the best uniform in NFL history into a still beautiful dark blue jersey uniform. Now, the Chargers have turned a still beautiful uniform into a pedestrian uniform. Uniform-wise, the organization is going backwards. For the good of the league, and the nation, Roger Goodell should step in with a heavy hand. If the Chargers put on some gold pants, or a dynamic shade of California sky-blue pants, all would be forgiven.

On the other side of the scrimmage line, the Vikings have turned a classically simple uniform into a clown suit. The Vikings helmet emblem has clean lines. The clean helmet clashes with the clamorous uniform. Blegh.

Last: Consider the RBs who have come through Norman:

Billy Vessels (Heisman Trophy)
Prentice Gautt (College Football Hall of Fame)
Steve Owens (Heisman Trophy)
Joe Washington
Greg Pruitt (College Football Hall of Fame + 5 NFL Pro Bowls)*
Billy Sims (Heisman Trophy + on periphery of "best ever in NFL" argument)
David Overstreet
Marcus Dupree (on periphery of "best ever" argument)
Adrian Peterson

6 of the 9 RBs are from Texas, exceptions being Vessels and Gautt - Oklahoma, and Dupree - Mississippi.


*was impetus for NCAA banning use of tear-away jerseys: "The Greg Pruitt Rule". In a 10 game 1971 season, sharing carries in a 3 back Wishbone Option, Greg Pruitt rushed for 1665 yards, averaging 9.4 yards per carry. Take a moment to let that sink in.

Blogworld in Madison, WI

Yahoo's outstanding blogger about business and entrepreneurship, and Madison resident: Penelope Trunk

Not that I really know what my husband is doing, though, because we are barely talking. We are doing what I imagine lots of couples do when things fall apart: Acting totally normal at events where normal families show up as families, and then pretending we don’t know each other at home.
[...]
So we are interviewing babysitters
[...]
While I was conducting an interview, my husband was scurrying around getting camp lunches ready for the next day. This is an endearing thing about my husband - he is the king of details, and I am terrible with them. Every time there is something wrong in the lunchbox, my son comes home and asks if I could please not pack his lunch anymore.

So my husband was running around the house and he bumped into me. A normal thing to do would be to say I’m sorry. But we are not talking to each other. And the babysitter saw that an opportunity to be normal was somehow missed.

I needed to say something to explain the weirdness, because good babysitters do not work in homes of messed up families. I thought a little story might make things feel like I have some control. So I said, “Um. My husband and I are, uh. Well. We are…”

And the babysitter said, “Oh, don’t worry. I know. I read your blog.”

Business Time

I thought about putting this up last week. Now, in the last few days, I've seen "Business Time" referenced on Sportscenter, and in my local sports section(in case you had any doubt how I spend my time).

So - to Wikipedia! Where I found that the duo "Flight of the Conchords...Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo... now has a show on HBO, also titled Flight of the Conchords."

Grace in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Gerard Van der Leun:

As I got up to leave the family of six at the long table across from me was served with the quick flourish and satisfied air of presentation that is the style of serving these days. The was food steaming in front of them, but none of them made a move towards it. Instead, they talked quietly amongst themselves and seemed to come to a decision. They made their selection from among them. It was to be one of the daughters, a girl of about 17 I guessed. The din in the restaurant rose and fell, but the family of six sat quietly and then bowed their heads as one. Then they said grace.

I stood motionless at my table. I had, I thought, never seen this before in a restaurant. I'd seen it in private homes to be sure, but upon reflection I realized that I'd not seen it there in quite sometime. And I was quite sure this was, for me, a rare event. I'd probably not been paying attention since it no doubt went on all the time, but still it was a startling moment. Perhaps I'd just been too long in Seattle, where the only manifestations of spirit are flimsy; where the invocations are raised to a watery Buddhism or bloodless Unitarianism where God is impossibly distant if at all extant. Be that as it may, this simple act of saying grace did not so much shock me as still me. I paused to listen in. And the daughter did not disappoint.

Her's was no gestural grace -- "Bless this food. Amen. Let's eat." -- but an extended meditation on the good fortune to find oneself among family and before a rich selection of food; an acknowledgment of an unusual level of being blessed by God, and a calling down of God's grace on members of the family present and not present, and ending with a wish that God continue to bless the family, the community, the state and the country. Then, and only then, was "Amen" spoken and the meal begun.

Outside along the Asheville streets, it was a balmy evening. Down the block another restaurant offered "Exceptional International Vegetarian Food," and a shop on the corner sold items imported from Africa whose purchase was purported to help suffering children here and there in that blighted continent. A local freebie paper picked off a stack had decided that a photo of a tribal protest in Santiago, Chile on the Dia de la Raza was important information for the citizens of this part of town. Down in the Asheville hipster-dopester-homeless gulch at a more cut-rate vegetarian restaurant, citizens with shaved heads, "message" t-shirts, multiple facial piercing and full-body tattoos were climbing the stairs in search of a bran muffin, bitching about George Bush, global warming, and their personal collection of STDs while complaining of residual racism in a city that seems more white than Seattle.

The road back to the house in the hills was dark and winding and you had to take it slow. Going back it was nice to know that somewhere, somehow, and for reasons that sometimes challenge all understanding, there were people still asking God to bless America.

For now, that's the big headline news of the day here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Blog Vacation is over!

However, at this time, I don't want to blog 5 days a week.

For at least a couple of months, I want to be more quiet. I want to let things marinate a bit more, without consistently dashing off commentary. I want to see, from a quieter place, what is interesting. I suspect this will result in quirkier, nerdier posts.

For most of my life, and for most of this blog, I've wondered:
If we're all going to die, why do anything? Why make any effort? Why be virtuous? (1)

For the first time, ever, I'm pretty satisfied with my understanding of the why of existence:

First: There's obviously purpose to existence, as God is not a random prankster. Yet, humans are incapable of ultimate understanding of that purpose. Our consciousness are not profound enough to fully comprehend.

I like a scene in "The Legend of Baggar Vance." Golf caddie Baggar Vance represents God come to Earth. Baggar gives the boy narrator a lesson on putting, and the lesson doubles as a lesson about life.

Since you know you want to know, the condensed lesson is: Find your true swing, in harmony with all that is, and let it flow. Get out of your own way.

Baggar patiently answers all the child's questions, until the very end, when Baggar makes a final profound statement and the child asks "Why?". Baggar Vance doesn't answer. Instead, after patiently answering question after question, Baggar abruptly walks away, whistling a happy tune.

This scene cracks me up. God will not answer "Why?" He did not design us to comprehend the ultimate answer. (2).

Second: That life has purpose is not necessarily enough to motivate me to virtuous action. What if my designed purpose is to commit constant unvirtuous action? Why wouldn't it be? Somebody has to do it! Why not me? Why am I not designed for a life free of virtue; and filled only with pleasure-seeking and avoidance of discomfort? What if my eternal purpose is all about failure and hedonism?

Therefore, again: why try? Why put up with pain and discomfort in service of any virtuous action whatsoever? Seems a bad bet.

Short, humanly comprehendable answer: It makes us happy. It's who we are. In this way, our life is about seeking pleasure: doing our best is simply more fun, and more pleasurable, than the alternative.

God acts for eternally useful purpose. We are designed in God's image. Therefore, we are designed to act for eternally useful purpose, and doing our best is a natural part of that. It is fulfilling our highest purpose. It is our happiness. It is our self-actualization. Also, it is a familiar place. Our souls know and love that place.

To do less than our best is to cast ourselves into a hostile wilderness, with only a snow-cone for comfort. Misery is closing in on all sides, and all we've got is this drippy, melty, disintegrating snow-cone. (3,4)

Third: I'm now okay with the design of existence. The difficult stuff strikes me as being interdependent with the pleasurable and good stuff, similar to the way in which we cannot have a front of the hand without an interdependent back of the hand. Consider: Can we have pleasure without pain? Comfort without discomfort? Significant moments without certain eventual death?

There's purpose in difficult circumstance. I'm now okay that discomfort and difficult circumstance will inevitably and consistently happen to me. I'm now okay that I will never make it to a place from which I will be free of pain and discomfort. Hunger always returns. Body and mind always need exercise and sleep. Habit and momentum always need respecting. I'm now okay with all that stuff. It's all good. I shall not fight or lament the design of existence as much as before. I shall find my true swing, in harmony with all that exists, and let it flow. More than ever before, I shall get out of my own way.(5)

Fourth, shifting topic: When I started blogging, I had a passion to learn about, and to express myself about: politics, conservative governing philosophy, media, and Iraq.

At this point, I've attained excellent understanding of these subjects, and I've fully expressed what I've understood:

• Politics is messy - including Republican politics.
• Democracy is the worst form of government, except for every other form of government.
• Leftists are foolish narcissists in denial.
• Free markets work better than chosen smart people practicing market manipulation.
• True compassion resides in seeking equality of freedom and opportunity, as opposed to seeking equality of outcome.
• Media reporting is hugely biased, though media doesn't comprehend the full extent. They do understand they are advocating a liiittle bit, even as they are loath to admit advocating anything at all.
• Iraqis have won Iraq, mainly b/c Iraqis are finally getting it: a) U.S. are the good guys, and b) representative government is better than totalitarian government. Iraq is now a big job which needs finishing. The Iraqi government will no longer have a national policy of encouraging terrorists to attack America.
• Afghanistan: I don't know what to think, except it's good the evil Taliban are not running the government in Kabul.

For a while, I don't want to comment on politics, the left(6,7), Conservative thought, media, or Iraq. I've explored those subjects to my satisfaction. Now, I'd rather read about the greatest athletes ever to wear every uniform number. I'd rather point to the Dallas Cowboys' outrageous domination of all-time uniform numbers in the low seventies.