For Lawyers, Scientists & Other Inquisitives

An America watcher's observations about "life": Science, Law, Politics, Education, Humor, . . .

From Fighting Terrorists to Fighting Corruption: It is getting “curiouser and curiosier” in the Land of Afghans

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U.S. Debates Karzai’s Place in Fighting Corruption

We need to fight the mid-week blues. Unfortunately, like phantom leg pain in amputees, even the unemployed go into this Wednesday funk. So, let us , as a diversion, imagine that Hamid Karzai loudly proclaims that he wants to root out corruption in the United States. Everybody in Afghanistan will laugh and all the camels there will, quite likely, miss the humor. Let us laugh with the Afghans – after all, we are trying to help them. If nothing, laughter might alleviate the Wednesday depression without the annoying side-effects of SSRIs.

Democrats “wimping”, again

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In Ad Wars, Democrats Shy From Ties to Own Party

These three instant thoughts crossed my mind, when I read the “. . . Shy[ing] . . .” headline:

1. “Your greatest strength is the weakness of your convictions” (line from the TV sitcom The Golden Girls)
2. Cowards die a thousand deaths . . . (from Indian stories on Rajput bravery)
3. It is such Democratic wimping that gave us 8 years of George W. Bush and 2 wars (based on my 40+ years as an American observer)

Obama appears to have lost his “fire”. I agree he should have done more for Main Street than for Wall Street, but he is our best bet, compared to the Republicans -especially the “ideas-bankrupt-John -A.- Boehner” types who are gleefully looking for an American train wreck. Come this November, if he becomes the Speaker of the House, then we Americans would have spoken quite unwisely.
[By way of full disclosure, I am an independent (I prefer “rationalist”, but that would require a lengthy explanation) who is more sympathetic to the current Democratic administration/Congress and think that, at least, they are weakly trying/trying weakly to help the declining middle class and the growing poor.

A look back to days of the American Revolution

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We are still at war in/with 2 countries, though the Obama administration says that the war in Iraq is over. Our stated goal is to change/capture the “hearts and minds “ of the peoples there. If that is not war, I do not what is.
To put things in perspective about the elitist ruling class, the following quote from Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” (page 79, paper back edition) is quite illuminative:“ Ruling elites seem to have learned through the generations – consciously or not – that war makes them more secure against internal trouble.”

Are we aiding and abetting this minister? Silence, I say is best

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The 5 Percent Doctrine

By the outrage expressed by Presidents(s), the Pope, General(s), Editorialist(s) at this proposed irrational act by a religious fanatic, are we saying that burning the Koran by such an idiot is a true insult to muslims? Are we provoking others to to indulge in such silly acts to get attention? The rational muslims (most them are) will understand that this single act is not an attack of the religion of Islam because this country allows its own flag to be burned. As for the irrational ones, no amount of appeal will influence them. They will always find something to foment violence. I would suggest silence is the best way to deal with such events. Let our Constitution speak for itself.