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bfoulkrod1

Listed below are comments made by bfoulkrod1 between Sunday, 28th June 2009 and Monday, 3rd August 2009.

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Space, youth and hope 04:05am on 03 Aug 2009 We did interservice field day competitions twice a year (one at the defense Language Institute in Monterey, the other at the DLI San Fran. Both have hills that could almost cause a front end collision with a cross street on the way down, by SF has public transport that is much easier than trying to drive that terrain. The DLI SF was sold off in the first round of base closure back when, and somebody got a real steal. Prime location with the Golden Gate Bridge spanning right outside your door and the city and all its wonders belows just a jump away.

As for the Frost piece, calling something racist years after the fact in a PA rewrite misses it (your take was better). A comparison to a laid back, ancient culture that has no use for our ways isn't racist, it's merely a comparison and a statement on our differences in life and expectations. A revisit to its theme is timely in the midst of a global recession the west blames on export driven eastern economies, and the east blames on western models.
Too European? 03:50am on 03 Aug 2009 As usual, a simple subject is perverted into a free fall of "nothing to do with the subject at hand".

Jimmy is correct: any systematic order that leaves any group out of the loop is taking talent and energy away from society, and is a huge negative. Even if one cares nothing about the personal impacts, it's foolish to throw away possible friendships, employees, representatives, researchers (and on and on) based on having the person deemed "acceptable".

I would rather work with/for, follow or share the company of a orange and yellow checkered mule if it were the most qualified than have my choices limited. It's fair to the other involved, and a huge benefit to me. Any church, government or social group that asks any less from and for me has no claim of my support.
Why America deserves three cheers 01:15am on 15 Jul 2009 We've stumbled in every era (with some different ethical and moral issues, some recurring) just like every other nation. The world does like we've done ourselves. Admire the ability to stare down the faults and look for change, while condemning hypocrisy (usually well after the fact, but still...).

The world both admires our strength of leadership and hates our abuse of its position. We admire our history of continual progress towards "a more perfect union" while struggling with changes that are harder to make in a system that resists change the longer it is in place.

The best part of the U.S. is its historic and future symbolism of all that is great and possible. The worst part is the bits we haven't accomplished yet.

We're a work in progress, and as long as the work continues, progress eventually follows, even after the hardest of times. To borrow the coaches line to a running back, we just have to "keep our feet moving".
Chrome - living in a Google world? 01:24am on 09 Jul 2009 I recently (couple weeks back) installed Fedora 9 on a friend's 7 year old PC, and had Fedora 6 running just fine on a Pentium I PC. If that is easily doable, a notebook is a picnic. Oh...these were complete (user) installs, including all programming languages and dependencies, full range of graphic apps...the whole kit and caboodle. Not pat of a system, or just a kernel that relies on servers out of my control.

They're both fighting to get a system to operate within the limitations of a netbook, when I've poured an entire system into far less. I'm stuck using Windows for some things that others use Windows-only apps to do.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I use Windows for windows only applications (with which its developers give no other option). Even then, my system is gutted of all "came with" security, browser, office and email garbage, and replaced with open source that does a better job.

When Windows can do what I get Linux, I'll be the first to no longer cringe at the added expense of a system I'm only forced to use in a monopolized computer universe. When Google makes a complete system that is superior, and doesn't require I use their apps on their servers (since I may want to, oh, work offline), I'll consider it.
'Obama is a Quaker' 1:56pm on 06 Jul 2009 Politicians (and parties) that hide behind holy books and flags are if not an evolutionary dead end, they should be. Nobody likes to be honest about the simple truth: Even though McCain was outspent by truckloads in the primary (just as when Bush Jr. spent tons slinging mud and outright lies to win the primary eight years earlier), he WON. He refused to cater to the religious right and brought their wrath upon him, along with all the money they could spend to shoot him down.

He screwed up and picked a right wing running mate...and the MAJORITY in the party who nominated McCain were faced with another extremist stealing the party banner. There are conservative Republicans who understand the meaning (dictionary, that is, and not spin) of the word. Extreme views of any kind (religious, economic, social) can not by definition fit into that group.

So Palin's gone. Good riddance. Since we only get a shot at a third party in this century if an egotistical billionaire wants to buy his place in history, the only alternative is for either the Democrats to become unattached from the extreme left, or the Republicans to become attached from the extreme right.

I'd love to see a Congress with a three party split and a junior coalition member party to keep the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore a bit more on the level. Folks whine for term limits, how about a no confidence vote and new elections 6 months in if they can't seem to do anything but lie with a straight face. Campaign contributions of any amount won't help you there.
Brown reassured 09:55am on 01 Jul 2009 Isn't the time to be worried about national governments having to put up money *before* you've already done it in spades?
Where is Obama? 07:48am on 30 Jun 2009 Every president spends "the first 100 days" making the grand statements and gestures. Then they twist arms behind closed doors and privately use the bully pulpit with Congressmen and Senators in the oval office and through capital hill meetings. Then...if they haven't made "progress", they either use the media to take it to the public, or shrink into making deals.

Any new laws or changes to the established landscape *do* require the vote of the House and Senate (unless there's been a change to the constitutional balance of powers while I was out of town).

And you thought this new president could or would fare any better?
Lisbon: A Pandora's box 12:57pm on 28 Jun 2009 I also forgot the bit of Brit and French support for the Confederacy in the civil war too...

In fairness, though, I've spent over 15 years in Europe and have no trouble telling a fellow American where we've lost our minds on occasion.

Insanity is an equal opportunity annoyer, after all (chuckle).
Lisbon: A Pandora's box 11:31am on 28 Jun 2009 4: "Just who do these people think they are, Americans? Small wonder European governments have been bashing America and inciting their populations against it for 233 years."

I was unaware we have been "rebelled against" for 233 years. Last I checked the U.S. was born in rebellion against one European nation who was at the time (and for some time after) too busy engaged with ongoing wars with other European nations to effectively stop the revolt.

Meanwhile, the French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, the Hansiatic League, Sweden (and on and on) happily opened diplomatic and trade relations while we patiently argued for compensation for civilian ships and cargo seized at (almost everybody's) ports while warring nations tried to control any assistance reaching their enemy of the month.

Since then, this "rebellion" took the form of asking us to fight in two wars, mop up the mess of post colonialism (and being brow-beaten for mistakes made, while trying to learn to do things differently than the rules of the game the Europeans passed on, and the Soviets happily took up from the failed policies of Zsarist Russia).

Today, the "rebellion" amounts to looking to the U.S. for guidance, while conveniently manipulating events where possible, but staying far enough out of the light to be able to avoid part of any blame. (Of course, claiming equal credit for every success...)

A new political system (like post revolutionary France and post confederate U.S. are works in progress that mean all must compromise and have guarantees they are not compromising the farm. Let the EU nations figure out their path, and leave out the usual "blame the U.S.". We have enough problems to answer for without being asked to accept responsibility for every issue on the planet.

Tell you what...I promise not to send you G.W. Bush in return for not being blamed because Ireland is concerned with the details of a complete political makeover.
Reaching out to foreign media 10:38am on 28 Jun 2009 Sanford has made himself an irrelevant historical footnote. Next subject...

Every U.S. president ends up talking to foreign media, since the "When the U.S. sneezes, the world catches a cold" axiom requires even those unable to vote for the U.S. president still be allowed to be informed and ask questions where our policies are concerned.

...at least I would hope allies and friends would want to be well informed and interested participants...

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