Bret Favre
Bret Favre won one for his father (who died yesterday at age 58) tonight with a QB rating of 154.9 out of a possible 158. Four passing TDs. A real competitor. It's what I love about the guy. And all the Packers stepped up tonight. Twelve of them caught passes from Favre.


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#151

Happy Thanksgiving
Best wishes to all for an enjoyable Thanksgiving with family and friends. To those who must work, including our men and women on active duty, so that others may have a nice holiday, a special thanks for all of you.


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#150

The REAL facts about Judges
Al Hunt says this week's 30-hour GOP talk-a-thon in the Senate about how Democrats are blocking judicial appointments is a bunch of crap. 168 of President Bush's nominees have been confirmed, one more than was confirmed under President Clinton at this exact date - less than three years into the presidencies. Democrats are blocking 5 appointments, Republicans blocked 60 of President Clinton's nominees. (Hunt's throughly researched and detailed remarks are in a Wall Street Journal column, November 13, 2003, pg A19.)
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#149

A Gathering of Spies
On Sunday, November 2, 2003, I finally got into the Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. I would give it a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. It is certainly well done, laid out and stocked with "gadgets." Our tour guide told us they had 750,000 visitors last year (at about $20 a head), so who would have thought spying would become such a cash cow. We arrived at 9:05 and the guide to that phase of the tour consumed the next 20 minutes with background and introductions...Talk about carrying coal to Newcastle. This put us only 40 minutes ahead of the 10 am opening for the general public, including the dozens of Japanese tourists who were on hand trying to learn why they lost WWII. To truly enjoy the place you need more time to look and read all the plaques, displays, etc. at a leisurely pace. But on balance it was time well spent and is worthy of your "places to see" list.

The AFIO (Association of Former Intelligence Officers) November 1-4, 2003, conference and meetings at NRO and the Central Intelligence Agency were, with minor exceptions, all worthwhile. A couple of briefers haven't learned the cardinal rules of briefing - (1) don't read the damn slides - and (2) no one is interested in the organizational chart. A Marine Corps officer referred to something as being as complex and confusing as an "Air Force PowerPoint."

An Air Force Colonel gave a briefing at the end of the day on Monday when everyone was practically numb from sitting and had just endured a briefing from the DEA. From the time he stepped forward it was like Amateur Night at the Improv, only this guy was good. He is ready with his second career: standup comedian. He talked a lot about bombing and blowing things us and killing people, which he said was how one got promoted in the Air Force. He knew his subject, measuring signature intel, and now so do his listeners.

Nigel West and Ron Kessler were on hand flogging their new books and were likewise informative and entertaining. West was our speaker at the Saturday night black tie dinner. We had an hour and half on new literature in the field on Sunday and one of the speakers said he always addressed new officers with the admonition "No man is your friend and every hand can be turned against you - and that is just in headquarters." It was a mix of seriousness and humor.

I was impressed with the NRO complex and can understand why congressmen and women sitting only a few miles away would have been angry and surprised a few years ago when the place was built and equipped and they didn't even know it existed. It is a most beautiful, spacious and accommodating government building I have ever seen in the free world. And no government issue desks. I believe the planner and executor of the building contract must have been at heart a potentate. Remarkable.

The day at the CIA went well, although several of the original speakers cancelled out and sent substitutes. One man on the schedule for after lunch cancelled before lunch and sent no one. Had he known about the fine lunch he might have soldiered on and showed up. After lunch I toured the William Donovan and OSS memorial site and enjoyed it immensely.

The AFIO crowd was primarily a late fifties, early sixties group, with a smattering of young men. I talked with two of them and said they didn't look old enough to be "former". They told me their Dad had brought them and they were trying to get into the work. I wished them well. There were a few who were much older, however, I did not see a couple of men I had hoped would come. One of the guests at my table for Saturday's dinner was the second black man ever to become a Navy SEAL; he is the oldest black man alive to have been a SEAL. Another guest at my table was Air Force General John Singlaub, Ollie North's old buddy. He has slowed in his gate a bit but he looked like he could still do a deal or two.


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#148

Politics and the Red Sox
Al Sharpton (who has absolutely no chance of winning the Democratic presidential nomination) said Saturday night in Detroit that the 2004 race will be a contest between the "Christian Right and the right Christians." On the sports front, the Red Sox declined to pick up Manager Grady Little's contract for next year,.

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#147

The Red Sox
Family comments on the Red Sox after October 16, 2003:
My sister Carol:
Right now, the manager is being tarred and feathered in Boston. This even surpasses Buckner's error in 86. What can we say except this is the bottom of the abyss.

My brother Charles

Abyss is right!

Grady's decision is far worse than McNamara's decision to leave Bucker in the game. Now maybe management will be inclined to replace Grady before next spring. The team and the fans deserve someone new at the helm of this exceptionally talented team. For heavens sake, they out slugged the 1927 Yanks and have better than average pitching with a bullpen that 'rose' to the occasion.

My thoughts:
This is the most "horribilus week" of my young life. First, the Packers on Sunday. Then Grady Little. I was screaming at the TV, "Take him out. Pat him on the ass, but take him out." Unfortunately, my TV doesn't broadcast as far as New York. I believe Charlie you are wrong about replacing "Grady before next spring." What (the hell) is so sacred about Friday afternoon? Job psychologists tell us it is better to fire someone late Friday afternoon and get on with a fresh start on Monday. This is beneath the abyss.
Bud


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#146

Two Years In a Row, More in poverty
"More than a million Americans sank into poverty last year, an annual Census report is expected to show today. It would be the first time in nearly a decade that the number of poor rose two years in a row.

"Experts at the University of Michigan, the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation and the liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said they expected official figures to show the U.S. poverty rate growing from 11.7% in 2001 to around 12.3% in 2002. Their predictions generally are accurate within a few decimal points." (Source: USA Today, September 26, 2003.)

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#145

Hillary and Republicans
In response to a Slate article on the Republicans who want Hillary to run in 2004, I posted this reply: "Subject: Republicans for Hillary
From: Archinsc
Date: Sep 23 2003 1:48AM

Hillary ought to keep her eye on the prize in 2008 and until then continue to invigorate supporters and infuriate the right. She is going to be the first female president of the United States - and in the meantime, Bill ought to stay abreast of world affairs and continue to travel, speak and enjoy the cuisines of the world. He will be needed as Secretary of State in Hillary's administration."

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#144

African Americans in South Carolina
African Americans represent about 30 percent of South Carolina's population of 4 million -- the third-highest percentage among states. They are twice as likely to be unemployed than white workers. The state has the third-highest percentage of black people who rank below the national averages in education and income. Black infants die at twice the rate of white infants, and black men are three times more likely to die from prostate cancer than white men. (Darryl Fears, Staff Writer, The Washington Post, 9/20/03, pg A08)

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#143

Response on "Labor Day"
Very good and appreciated. Would like to let you know in fairness that there was an article in yesterday's Post & Courier on Labor Day and its meaning. I had gotten a call from a reporter who had seen a letter to the editor I had written about a month ago and started to question the meaning behind Labor Day It was on the front page of one of the sections (I think the Life Section) I had sent in an editorial also which they did not print. At the ILA picnic today there were some politicians . I saw the following: Inez Tenenbaum, Mayor Riley, Jimmy Bailey, David Mack, Floyd Breeland, Seth Whipper, Senator Ford, Congressman Clyburn, and reverend Sharpton, and a young man running for CPW. It is also good to read your emails. Thank you and hope you enjoyed your Labor Day.
Erin McKee
Pres. Charleston Labor Council

Dear Arch,

I'm happy to report that, here on the Grand Strand, a community known for its success in keeping the unions out of the hospitality industry and, thus, low wages and minimal benefits, the "Sun News," our local paper, did run a tribute to those of us who work on holidays so others can relax.

Jon

My dad always said labor day was his favorite holiday because it was for the 'working man.'
Our family always celebrated with a trip to the lake or a cookout at home.
Yesterday found me scrubbing and painting a vacant rental unit, but thinking of dad.

Rose Mary

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#142

Labor Day
Today is the day set aside to honor the workers who labored in the multiple vineyards of America from the factories to the fields, from the bridges to the stores, and from the docks to the moon. In so doing these men and women built America into the most prosperous country throughout history. Unfortunately, the true meaning of this day appears to be lost. For most it is just an end-of-summer holiday. Our Republican Governor has not issued any proclamation; not surprising in a state which abhors labor unions. Local politicians are off somewhere, probably the beach enjoying the holiday. The local daily (The Post and Courier) did not have an editorial saluting workers or even mentioning the occasion. Over the weekend, our pastor did not mention workers in his sermon, as others have done in the past. (Remember Reum Novarum?) One union (the longshoremen) will have a picnic in the suburbs. Regardless, we ought to recall the hard labor, long hours, and sacrifices made by workers to build America and the continuing equally hard and challenging tasks today's workers are called upon to meet. Capital and labor go hand in hand in America and it is necessary to give each its due.

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#141

Red Sox Nation
A local doctor wrote an article in today's The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, about the beloved Red Sox and the "Curse of the Bambino." I sent him the following e-mail:

Hello Doctor,
I hope you are some sort of peek-a-boo doctor because if you were my head shrinker I would flee from you. I will be 72 come October and have been a conscious Red Sox believer since the end of World War II. I can recall those heady days when Rudy York, the lumbering, over weight, hard drinking, Detroit-castoff, first baseman almost had a heart attack trying to run out a triple when he belted one off the center-field wall. There was no EMS at the time, but undertakers were starting engines in their meat wagons as the old Indian lumbered around the basepaths. Your story in today's Post & Courier about the Curse of the Bambino and recitation of the horrors suffered over the years was a harsh way to start the day. I may have to forego whatever it was I planned to do and just do something else to pleasure myself and erase the memories of Bucky Dent and Billy Buckner (I really love Billy and think he was treated shabbily by his neighbors). On an upbeat note I do have a favorite memory of the '75 series. My mother (who died a couple of years ago) was visiting at the time here in Charleston. Our children and my wife's relatives were also in the house for a family get together. We had a TV in the bedroom and in the evening I went in and turned on Game Six. In a short while my mother came in and sat on the edge of the bed ( "Just want a glimpse at the action. Have to get back to the guests," she said.) After a few minutes she was sitting up on the bed alongside me with our backs against the headboard and we stayed that way until Fisk's homerun. It was a great Mother/Son moment and one I treasure. No one in the family ever uttered a word of criticism about us being more interested in the Red Sox than with them. It was a moment.

"...if not this year...then surely '04"

Thanks for the memories.

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#140

Why?
If in 2004, Congressman Henry E. Brown (R-1st District SC) is unbeatable in the Republican Primary and won't have credible Democratic opposition in the General Election, why does he continue to raise money? Is there no end to the line of lobbyists and special interests willing to fill the coffer of an incumbent congressman not in need? Why?

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#139

California Here We Are
"Jay Leno's complaint on Monday...that California is the 'laughing stock of the nation' smacked of self-fulfilling prophecy...Other characters [considering entering the race] include nearly 400 Californians - including assorted oddballs, mischief makers and the self avowed 'smut peddler who cares,' Larry Flynt - who have taken out candidacy papers." (Jackie Calmes, The Wall Street Journal, August 7, 2003, pg. A4)
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#138

California Politics
"The [California] public has reacted to these soulless exercises [political campaigning solely on television] with disdainful apathy; Californians tend to be more interested when the state's nutty kernel of political extremists put some hot-button initiative - about race, immigration or taxes, inevitably - on the ballot." (Joe Klein, Time Magazine, August 11, 2003, pg. 21).

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#137

California recall
From The Economist, August 2, 2003, pg. 29: "Californians do not like Mr. [Governor Gray] Davis, but they may also decide that a recall process, originally meant to get rid of crooks not incompetents, has been distorted." Each person who plans to run against Mr. Davis - who pledges to fight like a Bengal tiger - have until August 9 to come up with $3,500 and 65 signatures. The recall election is scheduled for October 7, 2003.


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#136

A word for baseball fans everywhere

New Hampshire's Mary Jo Ray, 108, was at her first Red Sox game on Sunday at Fenway Park. She went to a game last year but it was rained out. The Red Sox have won five World Series in her lifetime, the last in 1918. ...(The Sox won on Sunday!)

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#135

Criticism
“The essence of a free and civilized society is that everything should be subject to criticism, that all forms of authority should be treated with a certain reservation, and … that once you have produced … a totally conformist society in which there were no critics, that would in fact be an exact equivalent of the totalitarian societies against which we are supposed to be fighting a cold war.” (Malcolm Muggeridge in an interview by Mike Wallace, mid 1950s.)


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#134

Strom Thurmond
I do not recall the precise Latin phrase Dean Acheson used when asked to comment on Senator McCarthy's death, but I recall it was translated as, "Of the dead, say nothing but good." Noble sentiments at all times, however, I am inclined to pass along the observation that after 48 years in the United States Senate the late Senator Strom Thurmond's name is not associated with any major legislation benefiting all Americans. What a waste.


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#133

Point to consider
According to Consumer Reports, August 2003, "Hormel Foods needed 65 years to sell 6 billion cans of Spam. It takes marketers less than three days to e-mail the same number of 'spam' messages to America Online customers alone", to say nothing of the millions of other serviced by alternate ISP.


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#132

Home-Friendly Projectors
The projector industry is leaving many of us behind ["Bright Lights, Big Pictures," April]. Remember those 35mm Kodak-style projectors with a carousel of slides and a screen set up in the living room? Where is the new-age portable projector that can be used standing alone, with a remote and a slot for a CD-R/RW or DVD so you can flash the pictures on the old living room screen? This would make life better for many home users.
Francis X. Archibald, Hanahan, South Carolina
(Letters, PCWorld, June 2003, pg 44.)


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#131

Moving On
"There's an old joke in which a couple married 75 years visits a divorce attorney, who asks why they waited so long. The reply, 'We wanted to wait until the children were dead.'" (Quoted by Jeffrey Zaslow, Wall St. Journal, June 17, 2003, pg D1)

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#130

David Brinkley
This eminent reporter, anchor man and host of a widely acclaimed TV Sunday morning news hour died today in Houston, Texas. Mr. Brinkley inspired confidence and trust in his readers and listeners and is one of a very small group of news personalities who will be missed.

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#129

Break out the Advil
Forget about Bush, Israel and Palestine. We Americans have serious stuff on our plates: Sosa caught with a corked bat, Martha Stewart indicted and Barry Manilow broke his nose. Where is the Advil?

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#128

North Korean nukes
A six man congressional team, including Rep. Joe Wilson, (R-SC), had talks last week with North Korean leaders who discussed their intention to increase their nuclear weapons program. I hope one of the Congressmen, perhaps Mr. Wilson, had the presence of mind to inform the North Korean leaders that the first nuclear weapon they fire on America will be the last one fired by North Korea for at least a thousand years.

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#127

About Henry Brown
Came across a new blog of possible interest to South Carolina Lowcountry readers about (click on the name)Congressman Henry Brown. The blog reports on Mr. Brown's record of service, citing chapter and verse, and is not likely to be favorite reading in the congressman's office.

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#126

Saudi litmus test
"I will believe the Saudi rulers are serious about combating terrorism only after we see a few public beheadings in the public square in downtown Riyadh, preferably broadcast live on CNN."
(Letter to the Editor, The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, May 25, 2003)
#125


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Armed Forces Day
Today we recognize Armed Forces Day and pause to say a prayer for the men and women who wear the uniform, defend our country and go in harm's way.


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#124

A dissenting voice
A reform but not a stimulus
"Sadly, Mr. Bush's claims are not convincing. The notion that a tax plan's ten-year price-tag provides any measure of its efficacy as a short-term stimulus is absurd. The central component of Mr. Bush's tax plan—the elimination of dividend taxation—would improve the tax code and, probably, long-term growth, but it would do little to boost the economy now. Mr. Bush's people say that ending dividend taxation would raise share prices, which in turn would boost spending. Most economists reply that the boost to share prices would be fairly undramatic (a 5-15% jump is the consensus guess); and any effect on spending would be small and gradual." (The Economist, May 10, 2003, pg. 26).


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#123

Consequences

Robert Ingersoll said, "In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments - there are consequences." Last night I learned that the hard way. After struggling for two years to clear my backyard pond of algae and clear the water so we might enjoy the fish, I finally succeeded this week. It is not important what all the theories, trials and guesses were over the past two years. Only the consequences matter. During the night a heron or egret visited my pond and ate all but two of my fish. Gone are six two-year old comets and shumukins, as well as two new koi and about ten small gold fish I had introduced a week ago. My wife was up around four this morning for a few minutes and looked out the kitchen window. She saw the bird standing tall at the edge of the pond. Since it was still dark and she was only minutes out of bed she thought it was a new piece of statuary I had purchased. When she later got up for good the bird was gone and we discussed it. An examination of the pond established Ingersoll's insight.


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#122

Doesn't "Andre" sound French?
This week in Columbia, SC, the Lt Gov, Andre Bauer, was held at gunpoint by a cop after the Lt Gov swept through two red lights, was clocked speeding 60 miles an hour in a 35 zone, and jumped out of his car in an aggressive manner that scared the officer. The Lt Gov said later he exercised bad judgement but he was running late on his way to preside at the opening of the Senate (about all a Lt Gov in the Palmetto State has to do). Some sort of weird behavior for a man whose name smacks of the French.

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#121

A gentleman's apology
Hall of Fame apologizes for snubbing Robbins


Sunday, April 20, 2003 at 07:00 JST
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame president apologized Saturday after he was caught in a media firestorm for publicly snubbing stars Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon over their opposition to the war in Iraq.

Dale Petroskey issued a letter in which he admitted making a public relations blunder when he summarily cancelled a screening of the stars' baseball film "Bull Durham" at the prestigious Hall of Fame later this month.

"There was a chance of politics being injected into The Hall during these sensitive times, and I made a decision to not take that chance," he said in the letter posted on the Hall's web site.

"But I inadvertently did exactly what I was trying to avoid. With the advantage of hindsight, it is clear I should have handled the matter differently," he said.

Petroskey however did not directly apologize to Hollywood pair Robbins and Sarandon, who reacted furiously to the Hall of Fame's very public slap in the face, delivered in a letter which was sent to the media.


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#120

A future Secretary of State? Fact, fiction or fantasy?
Although he doesn't discount it totally, Fareed Zakaria, is being touted by two ladies on the net as a future Secretary of State and the first Muslim to hold the job. Who is this Omar Sharif lookalike who speaks like Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady, to quote the impressible Tina Brown (she put the cleavage back in Cosmo) and Marion Maneker writing in NewYorkMetro.com. This is what Newsweek - his principal employer - has to say about him:

Fareed Zakaria was named editor of Newsweek International in October 2000. The magazine reaches an audience of 3.5 million worldwide. He also writes a regular column for Newsweek, which also appears in Newsweek International and often The Washington Post. He is a regular member of the roundtable of ABC News’ "This Week with George Stephanapoulos" as well as an analyst for ABC News.

Zakaria came to the magazine from Foreign Affairs, the widely circulated journal of international politics and economics, where he was managing editor. Prior to joining Foreign Affairs, Zakaria ran a major research project on American foreign policy at Harvard University, where he taught international relations and political philosophy. He has written for such publications as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The New Republic, and the webzine Slate. He is the author of "From Wealth to Power: The Unusual Origins of America’s World Role" (Princeton University Press), which has been translated into several languages, and co-editor of "The American Encounter: The United States and the Making of the Modern World" (Basic Books). His new book, The Future of Freedom, will be published in the spring of 2003 by W.W. Norton.

Zakaria has shared two Overseas Press Club Awards with Newsweek reporting teams and has been nominated for two National Magazine Awards. He won the Deadline Club award for his columns and several honors for his October 2001 Newsweek cover story, "Why They Hate Us." He has received the South Asian Journalists’ Association’s highest honor, the Leadership Award. In 1999, he was named "one of the 21 most important people of the 21st Century" by Esquire Magazine. He has appeared on most major television news programs and has addressed audiences ranging from the World Economic Forum at Davos, to the State Department, to universities in America and abroad.

He received a B.A. from Yale and a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard. He lives in New York City with his wife, son and daughter.


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#119

Finding the WMD
"There is a famous Soviet joke about the impossibility of being right: Workers who arrived early at the workplace were accused of espionage, those who arrived late were guilty of sabotage, and those who got there on time were despised for petty bourgeois conformism.
" As the war in Iraq winds down, something similar is happening in the debate over weapons of mass destruction. An early discovery by coalition forces would have proven that operational intelligence was not provided to international inspectors, late findings would show that evidence had been planted by the CIA, while no discovery of proscribed weapons would ruin the main justification of the war." (Therese Delpech, French commissioner of the U.N. Disarmament commission on Iraq, arguing in an Op-Ed piece that the search must go on for WMD. Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2003, pg. A18.)


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#118

Congratulations to CIA!

ABCNEWS has learned that the CIA assisted in the rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch in Nasiriyah last week by covertly videotaping the former POW as she lay in an Iraqi hospital bed days before her dramatic rescue.

U.S. intelligence sources told ABCNEWS that the CIA, acting on a tip, gave a concealable camera to a paid informant who videotaped the inside of a hospital where Lynch was being held.

The following day, a U.S. special forces team went in knowing exactly where to go and rescued Lynch, said U.S. intelligence sources.

The former POW is recovering from her injuries at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

NOTE: JUNE 7, 2003 -This story appears to be suspect in many regards as new information is coming to light. It may all very well be a piece of propoganda put out by the Pentagon. In any event, it should be treated accordingly.

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#117

Al Sharpton
Several years ago when South Carolina put James Brown behind bars, Jesse Jackson was allowed to visit him in prison. Al Sharpton of New York tried to crash the party but Jesse didn't want him around and it fell to me (as Public Affairs Director) to tell Mr. Sharpton that he could not come in. Apparently all this was before Mr. Sharpton announced, "All my skinfolk ain't my kinfolk."

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#116

The Pianist
Friday night (April 11, 2003) we saw The Pianist. Thought it a very good film and highly worth seeing. It is unfortunate that the director Roman Polanski couldn't keep his dick out of a 13 year old girl or he could be in this country enjoying the fruits of his work.

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#115

Foreign Affairs - Some views
China:
The Chinese government's penchant for secrecy and outright stonewalling on the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) will cause repercussions in the form of foreign investor hesitancy and business and personal travel to China. The recent death of an American who taught English there may be the consequences of a country obsessed with not losing face. (As one who formerly taught English in China, I find the Chinese conduct so typical and foolish, but also so unnecessary.) Wal-Mart has banned employee travel to China and other Asian cities. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning against travel to China.

South Korea:
The U.S. plans to move its military headquarters and some 6,000 troops out of Seoul and further South away from the border with North Korea. This comes at a time when South Korea is worried about (1) "military adventurism" on the part of North Korea and (2) suspicions that the U.S. may move next against North Korea (part of the axis of evil) having dispatched Iraq. South Koreans around Seoul, many of whom demonstrate periodically about something or other American servicemen do or don't do, but who also profit from the presence of these troops may also be thinking of their pocketbooks. The U.S. would like to get its troops out of range of North Korean artillery.

Cuba:
It is difficult not to believe that Cuba moved against almost 80 dissidents while the world was focused so intently on the war in Iraq. Hammering his opponents, Fidel Castro has shown again his own feelings of insecurity. Courts in Cuba sentenced people to jail for 20 years or more for writing, operating independent libraries and associating with foreign (principally American) officials. The U.S. Congress, regardless of complaints from farm states, tourists, Mafia gamblers, and others hoping to score by dealing with Cuba, should shut off all aid and travel to that country unless Castro exercises "executive clemency" and frees political prisoners. Cuba has been a pain in the ass for over 40 years. President Kennedy's promise not to invade Cuba in return for the removal of Soviet Missiles was a good deal at the time, but current American leaders have other cards to play. The relaxing of tensions and turning a deaf ear to trade and travel there have been thrown with contempt in our face.

Responding comments and views solicited.

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#114

Are we being manipulated?
The following was a (unpublished) letter to the editor, The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, submitted March 27, 2003.

Getting into the mind of people everywhere, soldiers on the battlefield and the families at home awaiting their return, is one of the goals of psychological warfare. Getting into people’s minds goes a long way to winning battles – and the war – without the use of bullets. This is not new age psychology; it has gone on as long as there have been wars. America is proficient at this tactic, but so are other nations. Let’s consider the current events in Iraq.

President Bush says Iraq has weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including chemical and biological weapons and the means to deliver them. And so for this (and other reasons beyond this scope of this letter) we have gone to war in Iraq. Preceding the war a massive buildup and positioning of men and equipment – primarily American – took place as the world watched. This out-in-the-open action was no half-hearted measure, and it was designed to send a message: Iraq’s armed forces ought to surrender forthwith and spare themselves. The President and his chief officers put out this message loud and clear. This was psychological warfare at its best.

Our leaders talked about the WMD and considered how they might be used on the battlefield. They talked of measures to be taken to meet and overcome chemical and biological weapons. Equipment was issued to the troops, and training in its use was intensive. Medical staff training was updated and intensified to recognize and treat problems which might arise. This was psychological warfare to reassure soldiers and their families.

A week into the battle, however, such weapons have not been used by the forces of Saddam Hussein, and none have yet by found by our forces. In a hospital in central Iraq, U.S. Marines found 3,000 chemical warfare suits and the discovery was instantly communicated to the American leadership. Following standard military procedures, we must conclude, the find was reported downward and all units and individual soldiers ordered to be on the alert and ready. The people at home got the message over the TV, radio and in their newspapers. This find would re-enforce the original message of our president that Iraq had WMD.

But let’s look at the strange place where the find occurred: in a hospital. Saddam Hussein knows Americans would not knowingly bomb, shell or destroy a hospital. The hospital would be taken, the suits discovered, and fear and anxiety introduced everywhere. What better way to get inside the mind of soldiers on the battlefield and anxious families at home? If Iraq didn’t have WMD, why would they have the suits? Will the weapons be used in the battle tomorrow or the next day? Will they be fired on Israel, or on the Iraqi people? Or, is Iraq showing its proficiency at psychological warfare?


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#113

Dollars on the fly
Around one o’clock this morning one of the several private security trucks leased by South Carolina banks that carry cash to replenish ATM machines around the state was on its way to Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Georgetown when it had a tire blow and the speeding truck rolled three times, the light frame collapsed and the truck ended up on its side. The driver and the technician with the codes to the ATMs were badly bruised and are hospitalized at this time. The authorities will not release the amount of money the truck was carrying. There are, however, 1,347 bank, savings and loan and credit union ATM machines in the three cities (Each pay a proportional share of the costs of servicing their machines.) According to Chamber of Commerce data released last year, each ATM machine holds up to $20,000 when re-filled. Anyway, the point is that the low temperatures in the area at the time were accompanied by high winds and when the truck crashed the money went everywhere. (The money in the truck was stacked and held together only with narrow paper wrappers denoting the denominations and the ATM machine it was intended for.) People have been reported picking up money as far as eighteen miles from the site of the mishap. Continuing high winds are expected and the windologist–trainee on duty at the Charleston weather station said (before being muzzled by her angry supervisors) that the money could be carried on the winds as far south as Beaufort and up to the outer banks in North Carolina. Bank and police officials stress that people must turn the money in (ha, ha), and are subject to federal prosecution under the Bank Robbery statutes enforced by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney if they find it and keep it. A toothpick chewing deputy sheriff, coming off donut break in the area, who spoke on the condition of absolute anonymity, said, “It’s impossible to cover the whole area and the money will never be recovered.” He added, with a chuckle, “Of course, if I find some, I’ll turn it in.”

Just thought you would like to know this. Feel free to pass it on, especially to retired seniors who may have time to cruise about. A good cover story would be, “I was picking up trash along the highway.”

Archie
4/1/2003


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#112

Best wishes to Bill Starr
A friend, Bill Starr, is moving on. Here is part of what he wrote in The State, Columbia, SC, March 23, 2003:

"THE NEXT CHAPTER
"BILL STARR, Staff Writer

"In just a couple of weeks, I'm going to take an early retirement from my newspaper home - well, maybe not all that early - and move to Atlanta, the city of my birth, and the city where my wife lives and works. It will be a pretty dramatic change.
Then again, maybe it won't.

"I'm not going to be leaving the arts behind; that's no longer an option, much less a desirable one. No, I'll be working in a bit of a different area - as executive director of the Georgia Center for the Book - but one that involves many elements of a life spent in the arts. The new assignment will permit me the excitement of discovery. It's going to be very energizing.

"I go with a stash of incredible memories, of course. Thirty years at this newspaper preceded by five years at WIS-TV News and five years at United Press International way back when. Was I ever that young?

"I've been fortunate to have held a series of positions that permitted me to examine and comment on crucial elements in the life and health of the city of Columbia. That's even if not everyone in the city seemed to acknowledge the importance of a thriving arts community at the time."

We will miss Bill and wish him additional success and happiness.


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#111

Return from the Dark Continent
On Thursday last we returned from our two month trip to South Africa. It was a grand time and I will be posting an article on our African adventure in due course. Suffice to say now we are happy to be home again with family and friends. Hope all are well and look forwarding to sharing our adventure with all.

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#110

Books reviewed
A review of Bob Woodward's "Bush at War" and an earlier review of Richelson's "Wizards of Langley" are on the website under Book Reviews. Read and enjoy. Comments solicited.

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#109

2003
Best wishes for a happy, prosperous, error free, enriching, scintillating, exciting, rewarding, and healthy year in 2003! Just enjoy yourself to the maximum!

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#108