I bought a backpack last night and got a car thrown in for free! Most expensive backpack that I’ve ever owned. How cool is that!
OK, so maybe it was the other way around. I bought a Nissan XTerra last night. White with the World Championship Package (which happens to come with a backpack and a First Aid kit among other essentials such as tires).
Although I’m not thrilled about having a car payment for the first time in a number of years, I have a cool new ride to ease my pain.
The audio to the 9-11 Commission hearings are on Audible.com. The audio is absolutely free. You don’t have to be a paid subscriber to the site at all. (You will need to setup an account with basic user id/password information to download the files.)
My friend Angel sent me the link. Thanks, Angel!
Angel asks that anyone who listens to it give us all a brief summary. She doesn’t have any plans to sit through all of it because it makes her crazy. I will second that.
I’m listening to Colin Powell right now. I have never completely agreed with Mr. Powell, but I have always admired him. I have forgotten so much of what happened before September 11, 2001. It is good to be reminded.
And while we are on the topic, NPR has an archive section called America Transformed: NPR Coverage Sept. 11 - Oct. 8, 2001
In light of Richard Clarke’s revelations or “revelations”, depending upon your political persuasion, that the Bush administration was obsessed with Iraq in the early days after 9-11, note the complete lack of public information being broadcast (at least on NPR) about such a connection. Within the first week of the investigation the reporting was solely focused on Osama bin Laden, Al Quada, and Afghanistan. I’d be interested to know at what point attention turned towards Iraq and Saddam. My brain is a little fuzzy on the timeline at the moment.
Today, NPR reported that “90 percent of Americans are aware of former counter-terrorism official Richard Clarke and his new book.”
UPDATE: I thought I would add a few more links to this post.
Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit has a number of links relating to the 9-11 Commission, Richard Clarke, and an assertion by Clarke that there was an Al Qaeda connection to the Oklahoma City bombing.
Also found via Instapundit — The Associated Press reports that the GOP is seeking to declassify two-year-old testimony given by Richard Clarke. It may contain discrepancies with his current report before the 9-11 Commission.
House Intelligence Chairman Porter Goss, R-Fla., who has submitted the declassification request, asks an important question in the article, “We have to dig through this, not only for the continued accuracy and utility of the joint 9-11 report, but now we have this further question: Does this change things, or is it part of a book-selling tour?”
UPDATE: David Brooks’ op-ed piece in the New York Times, See Dick Spin, gives voice to the point which I haven’t been able to completely put into words.
This has not been a good week for American politics. It’s been another week (the 4,000th in a row, I believe) in which serious issues were treated as a soap opera. If you want to live the soap opera, buy Clarke’s book. If you want something serious, read the commission reports. You’ll find them at www.9-11commission.gov.
And while I’m somewhat on the subject, I have to point out this particular product: Jesus Beanies. My goodness, this makes me smile.
He comes with either blue or brown eyes, a tag containing Bible verses, and a note of caution: “These tags should be removed so young children will not eat or swallow them.” This seems like the beginnings of a theological dilemma.
And at the request of the children, each Jesus Beanie comes with attached underwear! All clothing items are sewn on to the Jesus Beanie, so no clothing item should ever come unattached or lost (except for the tag which should be removed for younger children).
And to keep Jesus Beanie company, there’s Moses Beanie! Complete with Beanie Tablets, commandments, and underwear which has been stitched on tight to deter removal and loss, which in my personal opinion is always a good thing.
The 9-11 Commission concluded the second day of testimony from its 8th hearing today. The commission has much information on its website from this hearing and the previous ones.
PBS’s NewsHour has audio, video, and commentary.
The New York Times has a transcript of yesterday’s testimony and a special section called Threats and Responses.
I recently found this letter among my e-mail archive. I found it amusing and thought I would share.
Dear Sir and Madam,
It has come to my attention that you will soon be departing from the Great State of Texas (hereafter referred to simply as “Great State”).
As a duly sworn and appointed agent of the Peachwater District Office of the Texas Immigration, Naturalization, and Umbrella-Deployment Service (PDOTINUDS), I must request that you RELINQUISH and SURRENDER all or any of the following items before crossing into the United States of America from the Great State:
Cowboy hats, belt buckles, cowboys, hats, belts, buckles, lemurs, Chupacabras, assorted livestock, peaches, plums, pears, those little fig newton things that you can get from the store but there are never enough in one package, chickens, goats, dirt, dust, wind, dust in the wind, that’s all we are, just dust in the wind, and any small Central American countries that may be concealed or displayed entirely or in part upon your person or upon any camels that you may be travelling with.
You must also SURRENDER and RELINQUISH the following:
Any Canadian actors, Canadian bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, shiny objects, furry objects, objections, rejections, confections, confessions, obsessions, recessions, regressions, repressions, any other word ending with the sound ’shun’, schwa, vowels, and any extra R’s that may be contained in words such as ‘warshing machine’ (these R’s are not redeemable for cash beyond state lines).
Please note that the words “ya’ll” and “y’all” are commonly and collectively held as trademarks by the Great State and the other Southern States. Do not abuse our trademark or mock it in any fashion.
You must also DECLARE the following:
Items in excess of $400, items purchased in the Caribbean while on vacation, items purchased in poor taste or with very little guidance from your wife or a close loved one, your age, your weight, your IQ, your real weight, how many coconuts am I holding, how many swallows would it take to get them away from me, why do you feel this need to speak about my coconuts, how many fingers am I holding up, are you drunk or am you, and your undying love for me and the Great State.
Failure to relinquish, surrender, or declare the above stated items will result in us not liking you very much. (The enforcement division of our service is not yet fully functional. Please do not take advantage of this fact.)
Our Departure Service offices can be found in four convenient locations along the Texas-U.S. Border: Dalhart, Wichita Falls, Sherman, and Texarkana. Please stop by one of the offices before leaving the Great State of Texas. Thank you!
Ya’ll come back now!
Mr. Ada Catada
Director
Texas Immigration, Naturalization,
and Umbrella-Deployment Service
Peachwater, Texas
In assessing my options for dinner tonight, I realize that I am by no means prepared to weather a natural disaster or provide a fine dining experience for any guests.
Contents of Jeff’s Refrigerator/Pantry
Bottle of ketchup (3/4 full)
Bottle of lemon juice (used only once)
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Sauce (used often)
Miracle Whip (Limited amount)
Thousand Island Dressing (no salad)
One bag of steak fries (french fries; need to buy a baking sheet)
Can of cinnamon rolls (same issue as french fries)
3 eggs
Two 7.5-oz. jars of red jalapenos
One onion
Bread and Butter pickles
Half jar of Salsa con Queso
Ragu sauce (small amount left in jar)
Peanut Butter
Jar of homemade pear jelly
Two tortillas
Two slices of bread
Rice (white and brown)
12 taco shells
Half can of refried beans
One can of water chestnuts
One can of green beans
Three cans of corn
One can of chicken broth
One bag of microwaveable popcorn
Oatmeal
Cream of wheat
Assorted spices, flour, and sugar
Assorted honey and syrup
Assorted oils (vegetable and olive)
It looks like I have a P&J sandwich, two breakfast tacos, and an assortment of snacks to keep me fed before I absolutely have to go to the store.
I could problem get quite a bit of distance out of the rice, oatmeal, and cream of wheat, but not exactly a well-balanced diet.
UPDATE: I found a small bag of fajita meat hiding in the freezer. It was cowering behind the ice. As a resourceful hunter-gatherer of the Walters tribe, I had little to no trouble killing and preparing it for my dinner.
Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit has an assortment of links about Richard Clarke.
My comments and advice on the subject:
• Never take at face value the opinion of a man who is selling you something.
• Never take at face value the opinion of a man who needs your vote.
• The nuances of international politics, in general, are not easily distilled into simple statements.
The issues involved here are complex but are also very important for us to to understand. The reason why can be found here.
I am looking to get a new car. I’m not sure if I will be buying a new or used vehicle (or a “new-to-me” car as my sister calls them). I just need something different. I am currently driving a 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo which just rolled past 174,000 miles this past weekend.
I’d love to get a Jeep Wrangler, but it’s about the most irrational vehicle that I can think of. I like the ruggedness, simplicity, and style. But I don’t think that it is a very good commuter vehicle or day-to-day car. Much more a vehicle for the weekend trip to the lake. Feel free to try to change my mind. I would really like one.
I just started looking at the Nissan XTerra and Ford Escape. I still like the medium-sized SUVs, but I might need to look more at cars with the gas price creeping up above $1.60 per gallon.
Anyone have a suggestion as to what I should buy?
I am here, awake, staring at an unseen ceiling
in a darkened room and wondering if the morning
light will overtake me before the unconsciousness of sleep.
I hear the ticking and tocking of the clock counting
out the seconds until it reaches ever closer to its calling
with alarm to me, the one who has not yet felt the joys of sleep.
I am here, for the last hour or so or more, where I’ve been thinking
about my present life and the past few years and then dreaming
of a future yet to come when I may have the chance to sleep.
I have made a mental note that I will be purchasing
a clock which does not sound out with a ticking or tocking
in the darkness of my room while I wait for sleep.
