Friday, October 01, 2004
Thoughts about people, places and events
The U.S. Presidential Election (November 2nd). What a pleasant surprise! Three national polls, following the first debate on September 30th, reflected the consensus that Kerry was the winner. While Kerry's appearance and delivery was clearly superior I didn't expect the American voters to agree with his position. Bush seemed to be nervous and fidgety at the beginmning but settled down as the debate progressed. But he hemmed and hawed-----and sighed a few times. Bush played the terrorist threat card more than once. It has worked for
him and he will continue to use it. At the end, it was the body language that tipped the scale in Kerry's favor.
The second debate on October 8th at St. Louis, MO, should give Kerry another chance to gain
on Bush. The "town hall" format of the debate would mean questions from the audience. The President is known to be uncomfortable without a teleprompter. Dealing with hard questions on
policy matters is not his forte.
There seems to be no end to the violence in Iraq. The massacre of children (reported to be 34)
on September 30th was especially tragic. The children went to the opening of a new water treatment plant in Baghdad because it was announced that American soldiers were giving away
sweets. According to BBC, a group under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was responsible for setting off
the bombs. How do they sleep at night?
As of September 26th the official toll of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq: 1,046
Estimates (unofficial) of Iraqi civilian deaths range from 10,000 to as high as 37,000.
"we don't do body counts". U.S. General Tommy Franks
Here, in the Silicon Valley, it is an overcast morning. Temperature 69 degrees F (21 C).
Gasoline prices rising at the pumps as the per barrel price for crude getting close to $50.00. Still, we pay much less than motorists in many other countries.
Bach's Goldberg Variations on the CD player. It is the 1955 recording of Glenn Gould's performance. A soothing sound.
*******************
"War, Your Grace, is watching the dice roll.
Lucky today; tomorrow---a black hole"
----The Song of the Siege of La Rochelle
him and he will continue to use it. At the end, it was the body language that tipped the scale in Kerry's favor.
The second debate on October 8th at St. Louis, MO, should give Kerry another chance to gain
on Bush. The "town hall" format of the debate would mean questions from the audience. The President is known to be uncomfortable without a teleprompter. Dealing with hard questions on
policy matters is not his forte.
There seems to be no end to the violence in Iraq. The massacre of children (reported to be 34)
on September 30th was especially tragic. The children went to the opening of a new water treatment plant in Baghdad because it was announced that American soldiers were giving away
sweets. According to BBC, a group under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was responsible for setting off
the bombs. How do they sleep at night?
As of September 26th the official toll of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq: 1,046
Estimates (unofficial) of Iraqi civilian deaths range from 10,000 to as high as 37,000.
"we don't do body counts". U.S. General Tommy Franks
Here, in the Silicon Valley, it is an overcast morning. Temperature 69 degrees F (21 C).
Gasoline prices rising at the pumps as the per barrel price for crude getting close to $50.00. Still, we pay much less than motorists in many other countries.
Bach's Goldberg Variations on the CD player. It is the 1955 recording of Glenn Gould's performance. A soothing sound.
*******************
"War, Your Grace, is watching the dice roll.
Lucky today; tomorrow---a black hole"
----The Song of the Siege of La Rochelle
