The New Republic (TNR) is one of my favorites sites, yet later they more and more fall into pro-Obama stance. What surprises me is not the political view of the writers, but their endless attempts to explain that Obama's failures are really his victories, or that they are not his fault, but that of his subordinates (e.g., Hillary) or his predecessor or his opponents, who refused to play along for the sake of the country.
Isn't it a secret to anyone that denying the obvious is only going to harm his cause? But apparently the majority of readers swallow this. At least, as far as I can judge from the comments. Or, perhaps, I am too right-wing. At least I start to doubt my own sanity after discussions with some of my pro-Obama friends, many of whom are intelligent people.
The latest example is an attempt by TNR to spin Obama's Honduras failure as his victory:
http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-spine/obamas-one-conceivable-foreign-policy-victory-its-honduras-he-wont-acknowledge-it-too
It is inconceivable! a) Denying the obvious the author of this piece presents Obama's attitude to the Zelaya's issue as mute. Wheres, on the contrary, his position was very vocal, especially during his summit with the heads of the Latin American states. b) Something which many already don't remember (as I can see from the posts after the article): Obama's administration claimed that the results of Honduras elections will not be recognized, unless Zelaya reinstated. Finally, c) now that US (i.e. Obama) decided to accept the election results in Honduras, it hardly can be seen as a victory, but only as minimizing the damage caused by previous policy.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Notice
Dear visitors,
I have long ago discontinued the practice of posting anything in this blog. Nowadays I write my posts as short stories. This practice allows me to reach to a greater audience and generate more comments. Some of the stories can be accessed from my web-page, but most of them I distribute via email to grateful readers, and usually in exchange for their "masterpieces". This also allows me to write about the things that I would not want to show to the general public.
Thank you for visiting my web-page.
I have long ago discontinued the practice of posting anything in this blog. Nowadays I write my posts as short stories. This practice allows me to reach to a greater audience and generate more comments. Some of the stories can be accessed from my web-page, but most of them I distribute via email to grateful readers, and usually in exchange for their "masterpieces". This also allows me to write about the things that I would not want to show to the general public.
Thank you for visiting my web-page.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Lost in translation
A sign on the glass door of the physics building says:
"נא לסגור את הדלת" ("ne lisgor et hadelet"). Every time when I read it my built-in Russian language alarm rings: "NE" - "DON'T" - "DON'T close the door!", and only a second later I remember that "ne" in Hebrew is a harmless "Please" - "Please close the door"... But the sign is on the level of my eyes and I cannot prevent myself from reading it every day... and I cannot prevent myself from getting alarmed at seeing "NE" - it is automatic... and I cannot prevent myself from realizing a second later that the meaning is the opposite... I cannot prevent myself from going crazy...
"נא לסגור את הדלת" ("ne lisgor et hadelet"). Every time when I read it my built-in Russian language alarm rings: "NE" - "DON'T" - "DON'T close the door!", and only a second later I remember that "ne" in Hebrew is a harmless "Please" - "Please close the door"... But the sign is on the level of my eyes and I cannot prevent myself from reading it every day... and I cannot prevent myself from getting alarmed at seeing "NE" - it is automatic... and I cannot prevent myself from realizing a second later that the meaning is the opposite... I cannot prevent myself from going crazy...
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sex Addiction
David Dychovny suffers from "Sex Addiction":
"According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms range from rampant promiscuity to spending hours looking at pornography and using sex to escape from problems such as depression or stress. It is often accompanied by secrecy and shame, and sufferers have difficulties with emotional intimacy."
Why don't we replace "sex" by "physics"? This would very precisely describe my symptoms - I could probably even sue the University for compensation, as my "Physics addiction" is a work-related disease... I could also join "Physicist Anonymous Association" to fight my addiction!
On the serious side, I think that the symptoms described above have more to do with the person not knowing what to do with his/her life - not uncommon thing in the US. Addressing the symptoms rather than the meaninglessness of life in American society hardly makes things easier.
"According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms range from rampant promiscuity to spending hours looking at pornography and using sex to escape from problems such as depression or stress. It is often accompanied by secrecy and shame, and sufferers have difficulties with emotional intimacy."
Why don't we replace "sex" by "physics"? This would very precisely describe my symptoms - I could probably even sue the University for compensation, as my "Physics addiction" is a work-related disease... I could also join "Physicist Anonymous Association" to fight my addiction!
On the serious side, I think that the symptoms described above have more to do with the person not knowing what to do with his/her life - not uncommon thing in the US. Addressing the symptoms rather than the meaninglessness of life in American society hardly makes things easier.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Peculiarities of human behavior 1
I noticed that many people visited this page, but no one have ever posted anything. Curious, eh?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Returned from Britain
Just posted some photo that I took during Windsor Summer School, featuring the Cumberland Lodge and some sites in London.
On my way back had a very thorough security check by El Al - they found traces of explosives on my backpack. Of course, there were no explosives, but they could not convince their machine about this, so I had to undergo a very thorough check.
On my way back had a very thorough security check by El Al - they found traces of explosives on my backpack. Of course, there were no explosives, but they could not convince their machine about this, so I had to undergo a very thorough check.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
On coffee cards
August, 2
At BGU coffee shops they give small cards - every time I buy a coffee a girl puts a stamp on my card, so when I have nine stamps I can get one coffee for free.
Usually I keep my card in the wallet, but yesterday it already had nine stamps and, preparing to use it today, I put the card into my jeans back pocket. And this morning I gave this jeans to LAUNDRY! AAAAhhhh!!!!
At BGU coffee shops they give small cards - every time I buy a coffee a girl puts a stamp on my card, so when I have nine stamps I can get one coffee for free.
Usually I keep my card in the wallet, but yesterday it already had nine stamps and, preparing to use it today, I put the card into my jeans back pocket. And this morning I gave this jeans to LAUNDRY! AAAAhhhh!!!!
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