Tuesday, June 5th, 2007
* fruitcake
* Nagin revises “chocolate city” comment
* Nagin reverses course, suspends N.O. reopening
* Blanco Passes Buck Back to Nagin
Of course, history never repeats itself exactly. Vietnam and Iraq are different conflicts in different times, but there is an important similarity: A point was reached during the Vietnam War when the domestic debate became so bitter as to preclude rational discussion of hard choices. Administrations of both political parties perceived the survival of South Vietnam as a significant national interest. They were opposed by a protest movement that coalesced behind the conviction that the war reflected an amorality that had to be purged by confrontational methods. This impasse doomed the U.S. effort in Vietnam; it must not be repeated over Iraq.
* Katrina: Urban legends, Nagin’s eye openers, etc
Some elementary kids wrote letters to Congressmen in North Carolina requesting that the Lexington Barbecue festival be the “official” BBQ festival of NC. Well, that set some tongues to wagging and articles flying. Barbeque is pretty serious business in NC where everyone minds his, her and everyone elses business (but not in a bad way).
The issue with the que festival request was that there are two styles of BBQ in North Carolina. We’ve got the tomato based barbecue fans and the vinegar sauce fans. And, minds don’t much meet between these two groups.
5/31/2007 - 6:36 pm
Kissinger on the lessons of Vietnam and how they should be applied to Iraq
http://www.bestmp3links.com/musicstyles/new-age-music.php
http://www.bestmp3links.com/musicstyles/negro-spirituals.php
Nixon’s former Sec. of State writes an excellent piece for the LAT on the ‘nam/Iraq comparisons:
We have a culture in this country, which has been molded by the media into a culture of mediocrity. We no longer strive for the best in ourselves. Why? Because we have been told, and taught, by the media that being “average” is good enough! The sad truth is… average nations don’t last long!
Look, this nation is only 231 years old! In the grand scheme of things including the history of nations on this globe, the US is still a child, having not reached puberty yet. And already we are on a downward slide into obscurity, or as Reagan called it the “dust bin of history”. Liberalism has stripped the dignity of self-dependence and hard world from us and made us into a socialist welfare state. Welfare states never, I repeat never, make their mark on world history. They are, forever, simply a note in the margins of history. That is where we are headed and our national leaders are more than happy to grease the skids with their “National Nanny” schemes.
This is why a brief recapitulation of the Indochina tragedy is necessary.