Bush opens up a can of whoop a$$

[Smart_Alec]

…and say I thought it was a very empowering speech. I think the energy in the room definitely helped but it was powerful and he did well.
To be honest, I was not very fond of Bush previous to the attack but I must say, I think he truly has handled himself well…and after his speech last night,I definitely am in support of him!

Also, just to clarify (lol) not all people from New England drop their r’s and talk like Kennedy’s. I don’t …I may have a hint of an accent but I definitely NEVER say claaam chow-daa!

[Kryswyn]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jumphigh83:
and then modified by moi
I got this email from a friend the other day…

Oh No! A wormhhole! Look out it’s a [B]TIME WARP!!![/B]
""I don’t feel so badly for myself or our generation… we’ll be dead and gone. It’s the properly raised children (like yours) who inherit this morass of nincompoops in charge of everything.

Imagine this Orwellian vision for the future - lots of morons (all with long hair and bell bottom pants and granny glasses), running the country. No values, no character … and naturally, in the future their “heroes” of olden times will be the likes of John and Jackie Kennedy, Bob Dylan, Jack Kerouac, Ralph Nader, and Alvin Tofler … they will never look back at the likes of FDR, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, etc

now doesn’t that make you look forward to heaven, where it will be VERY restful…? almost makes me ready to go tomorrow…LOL""
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kryswyn speaks again I could’ve just as easily gone back to the 40’s or 20’s. Each generation rebels in their teens and 20’s. Each successive generation is the dispair of their parents - well, not their children, but those “wierdos” down the street (that listen to ‘colored’ music, rock n’ roll, heavy metal, rap, hiphop, grunge).

Each generation mellows with time, adapting to the world as it changes. As we grow older and our priorities change. And once your children arrive, it’s MUCH easier to espouse peace and appeasment than to rally round the flag and shout “Death to the tyrants!” when it’s YOUR kid who maybe called up. However, when a nation is attacked (as we were) there is never a shortage of patriotism (even the French resisted - some of them )

All this name calling of Democrats by Republicans on this thread is truly purile. But while you’re pointing out Clinton’s foibles, let me just say two words: RICHARD NIXON

Now be quiet and realize that EVERY party has its poopers and and while Dem’s pooper was almost impeached, the Republican’s had to RESIGN IN DISGRACE and was followed by a man who couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time or walk down a simple flight of stairs, followed by a great leader whose wife was a little too dependant on medications. That’s why it’s called the NANCY REAGAN REHABILTATION CLINIC not the Lady Bird Johnson, or Mrs. Carter, or even Hillary Clinton Rehab clinic. So before you start slammin the Dem’s Ilona,et al look to your own party.

~Kryswyn~
“Always look on the bright side of life, de doo, de doo de doo de doo”

[DMK]

No, Snowbird, insofar as you may be referring to my post, I do not believe those grey things are called fear. I believe most informed people would call them “prudence”. Nor are they “excuses”. They are an understanding of the laws of unintended consequences. They are everything that sits outside the blinkers.

Foreign policy that is made with blinkers on can and will cost lives. Such foreign policy is referred to as “folly” (try Barbara Tuchman sometime - she has this “folly” thing down pat).

As M.O’Connor said, not acting when the ante is so high is also not an option, and is its own sort of folly. But this does not mean that you engage without full knowledge, planning, and options.

And it would behoove people in this country to understand that actions (and the failure to act) have consequences. Some of these consequences may gravely affect us in the future. If we are extraordinarily clever, gifted and lucky, we will limit the number of such consequences.

How can facing reality be called fear? How could one think that by understanding and accepting the possible ramifications of our actions we are looking for excuses? That defies logic, in my mind. Have I somehow failed to understand what you are trying to say, or is that what you meant?

[N_B_T]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
I will not be frowned upon or be looked down upon or be made to keep silent because I have these beliefs and opinions. I thought this country
> allowed me that right.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not just you Ted!

People are entitled to have, and express, different opinions. That means that Ted doesn’t have to keep silent. (BTW, how did anyone “make” him keep silent? Duct tape? )

That also means I am free to “frown upon” or “look down upon” his opinions, and say so.

[Beans]

I guess you job is spelling police - so much for input!

[Inverness]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by magnolia:
Like finding a needle in a haystack.
The witchy witch witch of south central NC.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I heard a defense department spokesperson say this morning that it was more like “finding a needle in a football field.” Afghanistan is roughly double the size of California and Bin Laden has 15 years of experience in getting to know it. We’re going to need lots of luck, good intelligence, and a turncoat or two.

[Natty_Dread]

Natty Dread is:
a: The way Jamaicans say knotty dreadlocks
b: A most excellent Bob Marley song
c: The name of my ever so adorable Norwich

I am gonna miss you all so much this weekend I am already starting to shake from withdrawl. I am off to my big Doggy show in Philadelphia. I think on Sat. its at the Devon show grounds. Wish my little girl luck. No computer this weekend so see you all on Monday. TTFN

P.S. No I don’t have Dreads, wish I did lord knows I don’t shower enough as it is.
P.P.S. Thats not me in the background…phew got that off my chest.

[SLW]

Iverness wrote: <<[5) [iii) if we are to survive, we must promote tolerance, understanding, and acceptance no matter the cost.>>

Heyounags wrote: <<Why do people like me want people like you to stop smoking? Well, 'cause we think you’re wonderful, of course, but also because you’re costing me money. Your health insurance premiums don’t pay for your health care. Everyone’s health insurance premiums pay for our collective health insurance. [Umm, that’s right, isn’t it, DMK?) If you’re engaging in a risky behavior like smoking, you’re demanding more than your share of our collective health insurance resources. [Note: this analogy must never be extended to risky behavior like horseback riding!) Those of us who live relatively low-risk lives are in effect subsidizing your health care, and your husband’s. Smoking isn’t simply a matter of free choice - it indirectly affects all of us. Now, if you’re willing to foot the bill, out of pocket, for all of your and your family’s health care, then maybe I’d find it harder to complain!>>

Am I mixing apples and oranges or is correct to surmise that globally we should tolerate, understand and accept everything no matter what the cost, unless you are an American smoker then you cost us too much money? Sure, the first post was speaking globally and the second about an American but aren�t we part of the global world? What about all the moms, teenage and other, wed and unwed, who bring babies into the world and use Medicaid? What about the non-productive alcoholics who cost us money? The drug addict? The person who contracted HIV by making poor choices and used bad needles or unsafe sex? Are these not also risky behaviors that collectively cost the health insurance industry money? And like HYN mentioned �no horses�, we won�t bring motorcycle riders, jet skis and other risky recreation into the fold, just the risky behaviors.

I am getting a mixed message. Would someone explain it to me.

SLW

To make it horse related, I saw a news clip of Osama Bin Laden riding a black horse.

[moose]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by magnolia:
I don’t believe we need media on the war front. Yes, we need to get the “real” story, but is it worth risking the lives of our military men? I had a cousin serve in the Gulf War. He worked with ordinance (unexploded munitions). Often, reporters would drive onto a base with an unexploded missle or other munitions in their vehicle for my cousins group to check out - which is incredibly dangerous. My cousin was more afraid of their over-eager good intentions than he was of what Hussein would do.
Also, I would think the element of surprise would be a good thing in warfare. It worked great for the terrorists. We need to catch people off their feet! We don’t need the media telling us and the Taliban how effective last nights bombing run was…<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know the great fear now is information via e-mail, internet , media will kill troops, but I think what Walter Cronkite was trying to say was that we must try not to go always from one extreme to another. He said that war time correspondents existed with all troops to record events and the information could be censored for months, even years after the actual event. The key word is censored. He stressed that as a democracy we don’t just have a right to know, but a responsibility to know.

Now we are desperate to succeed in eliminating this organization, but 10-20 years from now, covert operations that are not related to this could become twisted through their own justifications and because of a lack of public knowledge. That is how gov’ts eventually become corrupt. Ironically, we may have become open to such a covert terrorsit attack, partly because we all but removed human intelligence after we learned of atrocities we committed during Viet Nam. It’s a pendulum that keeps swinging back and forth that can only be monitored by the information we’re given and how we vote based on that info.

I respect Walter Cronkites wisdom, he seen more than a few battles to know.

[SLW]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rockstar:
A rough day in DC.

“There is no doubt that we will be attacked again.”

that we’re pretty much totally screwed in the economy department.

There was finding out that a kid I am friends with from school who interns for Daschle was actually in the mailroom opening mail with the other interns when the anthrax letter was found.

It’s so depressing to look ahead and find it hard to see anything in the future except extremely difficult times for us all… individually and as a nation.

But hey, i got on c-span today, so everything is ok . Our conference was aired and I was passing the mike around during our panel q and a sessions. you’re not anybody until you have been on c-span for two seconds, right ???

ughhh.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Rockstar,

Hang in there! An additional attack is certainly possible however I sense that “ordinary” American is paying attention to things now, more than ever before and “we” might be able to stop something before it reaches it’s intended goal.

While the antrax is bothersome more people died yesterday from heart disease, cancer and auto wrecks than antrax, and that will happen again today. It seems to me, the media and politicians are being targeted with the contaminated letters because it guarantees “air time” which plays right into the hands of the domestic, or foreign, people sending the letters. Do be careful but don’t play into panic.

C-Span, way to go! I admit, some nights when sleep escapes me I have been known to turn on C-Span.

Be safe!

How is the clean up and repair going at the Pentagon? That isn’t on the media’s radar screen anymore and I’d like to know.

SLW

[heads_up_to_the_oxer]

I hope you weren’t referring to my post. I think President Bush is doing an outstanding job…it’s our Prime Minister that I think is doing less than a stellar job. However, I do agree that we need to put things into perspective. I personally don’t care that we weren’t mentioned…all I care about is protecting our way of life and getting Bin Laden and his cronies.

[DMK]

IlonaE, I think we are all pretty clear on the fact that you have declared jihad on the democratic party, and all us dems accept the fact that you cannot accept us in your world.

In my self appointed role of the “Middle Ground Spokesperson”, we are cool with that. We think it’s just dandy that we live in a country where you are free to speak your mind. Free to change it too. Of course true believers never do change their minds, and generally scare the hell out of all the people in the middle. Of course we understand Left Leaning True Believers scare the hell out of us too.

So mostly we worry about what would happen if the Middle lost ground to the Fringe Element. It scares us. Some days more than others. Like today.

[N_B_T]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DMK:

I worry that if/when we use Pakistan military bases (or any place in the country) to launch strikes/operations against the Taliban, Al Qa’edah and bin Laden, we run the risk of destabilizing the current Pakistan government. I worry that the Pakistan pro-Taliban insurgents could seize control of the government - by all accounts they are well entrenched in the military and intelligence sectors. A violently anti-american group, who would happily fund anti-american terrorist activities and would control a country that has nuclear weapons. This would raise the stakes considerably, in my opinion.

Another grey area for me is Syria, Saudia Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. All of these countries are allies or at least non-hostile to America. All have terrorist cells (non-sanctioned) within their countries. All battle a strongly anti-american fundamentalist faction within their country. But to get at these terroris cells, we will need the aid and information of local law officials. We will run the risk of creating an enviroment rife for coup and power struggles if we handle it less than perfectly. The room for error on our part is miniscule. Again, I worry about the repercussions if we fail.

It’s not that I don’t think our government is keenly aware of these issues. In fact Colin Powell is probably one of the best people to be Secretary of State at this time. It’s just that we are on a very shaky and tenuous path at this moment in our history. We have no choice but to be on this path - the events of September 11 have clearly shown us that, but that makes it no less dangerous…

So those are the … things that keep me up at night. But yes, I would lead the pack in wishing it was as simple as going in and getting our man, and knowing that after we did, all was right in our world…<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

BINGO!!! And that’s just the beginning, or could be…

[dogchushu]

Calm down. CNN has a statement out on their Website that they have used the word “terrorist” many times in the past and continue to do so.

[N_B_T]

what was a pigeon doing riding a roller coaster??

DMK, please, I love Ferris Bueller!

[Snowbird]

I thought the point was that they were all grown up and resented my speaking because I was old. I didn’t know there was anyone on this “thread” that admitted to being a child or thought they were a child.

[elizabeth]

<<elizabeth peeks around the corner, cringing. it’s like when somebody hits a deer on the highway - you don’t want to look b/c it is too ugly. . . yet there is something that makes you want to look. . . . >>

[Snowbird]

By what criteria do you make that judgement? How do you know he is smarter than your cable repair man?

From my own circle of friends, those who are really intelligent don’t go into politics. Even at the lower levels of politics usually the good lawyers can’t afford to play because the townships and counties just don’t pay enough.

I wouldn’t think a lawyer was very smart if he gets disbarred by his own State where he had been Governor for so long. How smart could Bubba be if he got caught big time. I mean really that makes OJ a genius, he got off. Would you want to hire a lawyer that was disbarred? I think he is slick and that’s not the same as smart. That poor man has never been able to hide anything he does, he always gets caught.

What then could be the reason he had so much trouble with the word “is” and what “is” is?

[This message was edited by Snowbird on Oct. 07, 2001 at 02:43 AM.]

[pinkhorse]

I for one would like to have a sense, uncensored, of what’s going on over there. I spent yesterday with an uneasy feeling of, “Who are we killing over there” especially after the murder of the 4 UN workers by “smarter” “smart” bombs. I have very little faith in the US press right now. With Ari Fleischer telling late night talk show hosts what they can and can not say I imagine the press has a pretty tight rein on a bicycle chain bit right now. Even NPR stopped telling people about the UN killings after ATC that night.

Of course, I got home and my husband had heard an interview with a refugee saying that many of the children in his town had been murdered by US bombs.

What does killing civilians have to do with bringing Osama bin Laden to justice? Can someone answer that for me because I just don’t understand. It seems pretty much like killing the people who worked at the WTC in order to bring down an icon of western civilization.

[Duffy]

Hehe M O’Connor…Health insurance was never my thing (hated it), but what DMK is saying, methinks , is that your health insurance premiums for this next year have already been decided. Nothing that has happened over the past months will affect it for, say, what?, another year or so?

Also, since the anthrax, etc., at least so far, seems to be orginating in the workplace, then the claims from such would be covered from workers compensation liability insurance. I’m sure that made SO much sense, right!?!?!