Like A Rolling Stone

Podunt---It won't surprise anyone who knows me, that I am an avid reader of Rolling Stone. This past weeks issue (December 9th) is packed full of interesting and intriguing reading.
First of all there's the fact that Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan's scornful, ironic ode to a spoiled woman's reversal of fortune, has been named the greatest song of all time. While that wouldn't have been my choice, I will conceed to those who know the business best. Personally I would have voted for Lennon's Imagine which came in a respectable no. 3. I can live with that.
I was surprised and a bit depressed by the interview with Oliver Stone . Mr Stone seems resigned to the idea that we as a nation appear to be standing on the precipice of taking a giant leap step backwards. He seems to think that the reversal of Roe-v-Wade is not the worst of all worlds. Which I suppose in itself it isn't. It's what and who Roe-v-Wade represents that will be disastrours, should it be overturned. At least in my opinion. His prognosis for the country if Bush keeps on scaring the world is both depressing and frighting. "My deeper fears are that the country will go bankrupt in some way. Well, it already has, but I'm afraid that we'll be called on it, like some third world republic. Like what we did to Argentina." This has been a concern of mine as well. As the value of the dollar continues to shrink worldwide and our debt to countries like Japan, China, and even Saudia Arabia grows. I worry what happens when like any bank, they shut down our line of credit and demand payment or forclosure? I also wonder how many of those who voted Bush back into office even gave a moments consideration to this possibility.
One subject we both agreed on was his assessment of Bush as the ultimate Manchurian Candidate . I especially enjoyed his apprasial of Barbara Bush (the Mother) as "the mother figure-mother hen-mother bitch'".
Over all Mr Stone seemed to personify what most of the people like us (us being liberals and moonbats) are feeling right now.
There are also a couple of really good interviews about the election. Tom Wolfe weighs in with his thoughts, "People are taking this election very hard. It's as if one of their parents just died". Al Franken is reduced to begging, " Please Canadians, move to the US. For God's sake help us." I can't help but agree with him. On the other hand I tend to disagree with Jon Stewart and his comment regarding the ineptness of the media coverage of the election. "Only in the media can you be that wrong that often and have greater job security than before." Hey Jon, did you perchance notice the Presidential election? Not mention the promotion that Condi Rice received after failing dismally at her current job. The media aren't the only ones failing to hold people accountable.
In an effort to make sense of an election who's outcome took even the Presidents closest advisers by surprise, "Rolling Stone met with Ruy Teixeria and Peter Hart, two analysts deeply grounded in public opinion research- and David Gergen, a man considered one of the most dispassionate observers of modern political history." What they have to say about the election and "Why Bush Won", is not only interesting but insightful.
While Rolling Stone is a good read almost anytime, this issue is a must for all of those who are still graveling with their emotions over the events of the past four years and the next four years to come. I'd advise going right out and picking up a copy.
If nothing else you'll know what songs made the top 500 songs of all time!
posted by wanda at 5:03 PM

The Back Door Draft

WASHINGTON — Saying they were duped into enlisting in the armed forces without being told they could be prevented from leaving, eight soldiers filed a lawsuit Monday challenging a policy forcing them to serve in Iraq beyond their terms of enlistment.

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Soldiers challenging 'stop loss' policy

Class-action suit expected against extended service


"The first class-action lawsuit challenging a policy that allows the military to extend soldiers' terms of enlistment involuntarily is expected to be filed today in federal court in Washington."
The Center for Constitutional Rights seeks a hearing this week on a request for an injunction on behalf of soldiers subject to what are known as stop loss orders.
As troop strength is strained by activity in Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of active-duty soldiers and reservists are forced to remain in uniform after fulfilling the terms of their contracts. Many could be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan for second or third tours of combat.
Soldiers and their lawyers have characterized stop loss as everything from a breach of contract to involuntary servitude, from an overstepping of presidential authority to a ''backdoor draft."
"We don't have a draft -- except for people who have volunteered".

So, all that talk about there not going to be a draft was pretty much political military double-speak, right?
Thought to ponder...what happens if they win?
posted by wanda at 10:53 PM

...the battle is lost...
"US admits the war for ‘hearts and minds’ in Iraq is now lost."

"THE Pentagon has admitted that the war on terror and the invasion and occupation of Iraq have increased support for al-Qaeda, made ordinary Muslims hate the US and caused a global backlash against America because of the “self-serving hypocrisy” of George W Bush’s administration over the Middle East.
The mea culpa is contained in a shockingly frank “strategic communications” report, written this autumn by the Defence Science Board for Pentagon supremo Donald Rumsfeld .

On “the war of ideas or the struggle for hearts and minds”, the report says, “American efforts have not only failed, they may also have achieved the opposite of what they intended”."

I'm guessing that we won't see anything more about this in the mainstream media, or on the cable news networks.

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I suppose the real question is, does anyone of those 60+ million people who voted for the man who they think can best protect us, even care?

posted by wanda at 9:29 AM