Obama Effect?

The New York Times is reporting that Obama is inspiring African American youth to better academic improvement.

A New Time

I haven't posted since last August. I wanted to watch Obama's election and rise to the Presidency. It was a thrilling ride. Now I've got the bug to start spouting off, since I started spouting off on Facebook to my friends, who are probably getting tired of it. So let's expand it, and keep going!

Andrew Bacevich on Bill Moyers Journal

One of the best interviews I've seen on Moyers in a while! Here's a taste:

BILL MOYERS: Here is one of those neon sentences. Quote, "The pursuit of freedom, as defined in an age of consumerism, has induced a condition of dependence on imported goods, on imported oil, and on credit. The chief desire of the American people," you write, "is that nothing should disrupt their access to these goods, that oil, and that credit. The chief aim of the U.S. government is to satisfy that desire, which it does in part of through the distribution of largesse here at home, and in part through the pursuit of imperial ambitions abroad." In other words, you're saying that our foreign policy is the result of a dependence on consumer goods and credit.

ANDREW BACEVICH: Our foreign policy is not something simply concocted by people in Washington D.C. and imposed on us. Our foreign policy is something that is concocted in Washington D.C., but it reflects the perceptions of our political elite about what we want, we the people want. And what we want, by and large - I mean, one could point to many individual exceptions - but, what we want, by and large is, we want this continuing flow of very cheap consumer goods.

We want to be able to pump gas into our cars regardless of how big they may happen to be, in order to be able to drive wherever we want to be able to drive. And we want to be able to do these things without having to think about whether or not the book's balanced at the end of the month, or the end of the fiscal year. And therefore, we want this unending line of credit.

Saddleback Forum

Ok, so I'll be posting about politics a lot. Here's my take on Saddleback forum with Rick Warren.

I thought John McCain came off as a dangerous war mongering simpleton. His war stories are like listening to grandpa tell the same POW stories over and over. He didn't answer the questions, he gave pat answers. But he did it "decisively". Decisiveness is why the US is on the brink of disaster.

This was McCain's crowd: $2000 a head, rich, Orange County evangelicals. For Obama to get any applause at all was a major achievement. I thought his answers were very good. However, he's going to have to tone down his brain to appeal to "low information" voters - a euphemism for stupid voters.

I thought the format was good, and I liked Rick Warren in the first hour. However it became clear that he's a snake oil salesman in the second hour. They had clearly given the questions to McCain in advance. He was answering them with rehearsed answers even before the questions were asked.

So kudos to Obama for at least trying to score a few points with this evil bunch.

Politics

I'll get into some politics here as well. In fact since everyone seems to have an opinion, I suppose I should too.

So anyway, I'm predicting right here right now that Obama is going to win this thing without too much trouble. The Republicans are trying to do their usual smear, but it just seems lame and half-hearted this time. They know they're going to get their butts kicked in the fall, and so they're putting on a brave face.

It's been thirty years in the making since Ronald Reagan, but finally I think Americans are actually saying, "Hmmm maybe electing Republicans hasn't worked out so well.

The Neighborhood

It's a beautiful summer evening here in the neighborhood. The unique and special characters out in force this evening. I went over to the Tasty Delight to think about getting that stuff that resembles ice cream that they sell here. There was a guy in a wheelchair doing the old doorman scam. He holds the door open for you and on your way out he berates you if you don't give him some change. Clever.

Of course the woman who went out before me was having none of it, and so they got into a bit of an argument which carried on down the street.

I decided to get some Ben and Jerry's at the convenience store across the street.

The first post

Welcome to all who may read my musings. In this the first post I guess I should tell you what I'm going to be blogging about. I'll probably talking a lot about politics, but also something of life here in NYC. Feel free to comment, disagree or add something.