Today's Bike Ride

Beautiful day today. Pink streaky clouds over Mt Hood. Geese and Mallards on the Willamette. Finally getting the gravel swept up from last monts 'storm of the century'.

Class was cancelled, which was good as I used the time to go to the Library and spend a good three hours reading. I have felt out of sorts witht he readings this term. Each book has been a struggle to maintain focus and steady progress. Today I feel caught up on the reading, but with papers to work in over the weekend. And grants, financial aid, for Conor & myself.

Three Good Omens

Leaving home 2/3 of the way through Barrack Os innauguration speech I was struck by how quiet it was in NE Portland. Not a sole on the street except for those few who had to be. Crossing the Broadway Bridge, a immature Bald Eagle was sporting off the bridge, just 25 feet away from me. Snap rolled under the bridge and headed upstream. Then, right in front of the Benson Hotel was the Oscar Mayer Weiner mobile. Awesome!

Grad School

Europeon Union as a Peace System

Historical Context of WWII My Notes for Class on the reading packet:


Agression in the 1930s

Japanese Agression and Chinese Response
Japan Siezes Manchuria (p240)
Japan Attacks China (p241)
United Front (p242)
China during the War (p243)
U.S. Moves toward Confronting Japan (p244)

NAZI Threat to Peace & Allied Response
German Remilitarization of the Rhineland
“If the French had then marched into the Rhineland, we would have had to withdraw” (p245)
Soviet Response to Japanese & German Agression
Franco triumphs in Spain
Leftist support to the Spanish Government not as effective as that given by Italy and Germany to Franco (p247)
German Agression: March 1938 to March 1939
Anschluss should be a German goal (p247)
Poland & Hungary sieze parts of Czechoslovakia (p249)
March 1939 Hitler takes the rest of Czecho, moves on Lithuania, Poland (p249)
The U.S. Remains Neutral
Congress forbids U.S. vessels from transporting war material to belligerents, prohibited loans to belligerents, declared U.S. neutral in Spanish civil war, & forbade U.S. citizens to travel on belligerent ships. Effect of the Neutrality Acts was to strengthen Hitler, Mussolini and Franco, Togo. (p250)
Europe on the Eve of War
Stalin deals with Hitler

World War II

Hitler’s conquests in Europe
Poland again disappears from Europe (p254)
Hitler chooses same spot & railcar where Armistice signed in 1918 (p256)
Soviet Union consolidates in Eastern Europe (p256)
Great Britain stays in the War (p257)
Hitler’s ‘New Order’ & the Holocaust
Autumn 1941 - Greater German Nation
The Final Solution, genocide: a systematic process to destroy a particular national, ethnic, or racial group (p258)
Jews sent to special extermination camps (p258)
Anne Frank “courage and cheerfulness” (p260)
6M Jews, 75% Europe’s Jewish population (p261)
Jews nationalists support independant Jewish state in Palestine. Jew would control the government, rather than a minority group (p261)
The U.S. and European Affairs
U.S. Neutrality Legislation aid to G.B. buy and import U.S. goods & G.B. blockade Germany (p261)
U.S. public hope for peace, U.S. leaders prepare for war (p261)
Confrontation Between U.S. & Japan
Embargo on aviation fuel & scrap metal, general trade continues (p262)
Summer 1941 U.S. freeze Japanese assets, Dutch, British, mutual defense
December 1941 Japan attacks Dutch, British in Asia, U.S. at Hawaii (p262)
Japan Conquests in Asia-Pacific
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, alienated local peoples
‘Grand Alliance’ Against the ‘Axis’
halt agression, not to gain foreign teritory. 1942-1945 Churchill, Stalin Roosevelt (p264)
2nd Front, post-war Europe, soft underbelly
Industrial Mobilization For Total War
Industrial and agricultural output of the U.S. equipped 12 million troops, plus G.B., S.U., other allies; 300,000 airplanes, 88,000 tanks, 2.5M trucks, 20M rifles, 315,000 artillary, 3000 ships, farmers increased production by 1/3, double the combined output of the Axis (p266)
Government, Industry, Military Alliance of Total War (p266)
When WWII ended the citizens of the Western democracies had become conditioned to function in a national environment in which the government was thoughoughly integrated into economic and social life (p266)
Women in the workforce (p266)
The Sea War
German U-boats, British Blockade, U.S. code breakers, Japanese shipping (p267)
The Air War
Strategic bombardment of the enemy’s economic and military installations, terror bombing, shoot down German planes faster than they could be replaced (p268)
New Technologies - Jet Plane & Guided Missle
Pacific War U.S. positining to bomb Japan
Allies Defeat the Axis
Soviet Victories and Nazi Defeat
Nazi atrocities united ethnic groups (p269)
Summer 1943 Soviet armaments, 6M troops, double the German Army, 3:1 in planes, tanks, artillary (p270)
D-Day and Final Phases
Summer 1944 Normandy Beachhead
Autumn 1944 Germany Borders
Spring 1945 Cross Rhine, Vistula
May 1945 Surround Berlin (p270)
Campaign against Japan 1942-1945
Summer 1944 Regular Bombardment of Japanese cities, Phillipines reconquered (p271)
The Atomic Bomb: Climax of Total War
200,000 deaths & radiation long after explosions (p271)
shaping of post war era, quick end, surrender August 1945 (p272)

News Hour

Tuned in Late...Cheney!!! Exit Interview...Osama Bin Laden not important, Al Queda was. Abu Z...dead. Other Senior Leadership...dead!!!11!

Jim Lehrer: Most powerful Vice President in the most failed Presidency?
Dick Cheney: Dead wrong. [follows with long list of 'successes']

JL: Domestic?
DC: Tax Cuts! Sad. '08 problems, but not just U.S. problem, worldwide. TARP!
JL: Success??
DC: Don't blame GWB!!
JL: No prevention or forwarning?
DC: Sad. No foresight.
JL: Poor rating, bad as Quayle.
DC: Polls?? Hah! Some questioned the legitimacy of our Administration, et cetera. [Ugh] Ford looked great for pardon 30 years later.
JL: Govern for the present?
DC: That's what elections are for. Tough, Jim. [Tough three times] better than loved? Who cares about polls?
JL: Leaving with disapproval?
DC: When I get out people love me.
JL: Dick Cheney. Changed?
DC: No, no, no. 9/11 changed. Protect the Homeland! Now Urban Nuke Threat!! [the threat was less before your reign] I read the Intell reports.
JL: Lessse?
DC: Joe Liberman my kind of Democrat agrees with me.
JL: Sue Crawford says mistakes were made.
DC: These techniques were fully authorized by the Justice Department. Probably a misunderstanding over Degee of Difficulty, not Form.. I still give the traetment a 10. Justice Department Approved!!
JL: Not a mistake?
DC: Like Abe Graib, bad apples, bad treatment. Policy, Legal Department O-kay, Results [wha...tell me more].
JL: Policy?
DC: Ab-So-Lute-Ly.
JL: Health?
DC: Heart Attack? Phush! I'm 68! Stressed! It's cool. My Health Care is great. [Phush!]
JL: President Cheney?
DC: No way! No regrets.

Hard to even comment, so I won't. Good Riddence.

Barrack O's appointee Tim G tax and Housekeeper issue.

Paul S asks about 2009. Hamster Wheel.

News Hour

Host: Jim L

Bush's Last Presser: Manic Depression! Bi Polar!! Angry Bush, Funny Bush.

Talking Heads hosted by Judy W.

Trudy Rubin - Philly Inq. Surge? Rummy? Going well?!!? The whole region has suffered from Bush's attack on Iraq, which sqandered the good will earned in Afganistan. Harsh. Ouch!! Keep Punching!!! Gee Trudy, now I can see why you didn't last long at the Oregonian.

Byron York - National Review. No Mistake in Iraq!!11!!!1

Ruy Texiera - Century Foundation. Wrecked the country, did nothing domestic, no reform Health Care, Education, Worse in every area.

Michael Gerson - Wash Post. Surge Success!!11!! Babbleling!!11!! Iraq a Giant Eclipse on Mr Sun, Sun, Mr Golden Sun, Bush Shinola on me!!!11!

Lebanon looks at Gaza. Jeffery B in Beirut. Rami Khouri characterizes Hamas Sunni - Hezb'allah Shia. Fighting the Opressor always looks good, even if the goals of the group fighting the oppressor are repugnent. Whaleed Jamblatt's family tradition is to be assasinated, him not yet. The violence in Gaza will "wash away the Moderates" in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon. Nasrallah denounces the violence, but does not open a Nortern Front against Isreal. Comments on how this may show weakness. All other political parties in Lebanon now respect Hezb'allah only for thier violence.

Obama meets with Calderon. Drugs go North, Guns go South.

N.F.L.

Yow! Philly looked great in totally dominateing the N.Y. Giants. Arizona played great and totally stuffed Carolina. I think Philly goes to the Super Bowl..

Steelers also played better than the Chargers and deserve to host the Ravens, who took the game away from Tennesee. I think Steelers are going to the Super bowl.

Foriegn Exchange

Daljit Dhaliwal

Independent Diplomat - Will coach groups lacking diplomatic corps -groups must commit to Diplomacy, Dialogue, Civil Rights, Rule of Law.

Women's Work - Men depopulated after massacres forced women to take control of family coffee farms. Discover they are better farmers than thier husbands and fathers and grandfathers. Women make up 1/2 the Parlement. There is yearly Reconciliation remembreence ceremonies.

Global Super Class - Author David Rothkopf. 2% [people] controls 50% [property, wealth]; 50% [people] control 1% [property, wealth]. 6% of the Power Elite are Women, worldwide Women in Government is 17%. C.E.Os after WWII made 30X the base worker's pay, now the rate is 350X the base worker's pay.

Comments on the Amazon Rain Forest, who owns it? Brazil concerned about interference.

Washington Week

Gwen Iffil
John Harwood, CNBC; Jeanne Cummings, Politico; Marc Mazzetti, N.Y. Times; Michael Duffy, TIME.

Econ Meltdown. D.C. Who's insider? Bailout vs. Recovery...Spending vs. Investment...Gwen I quotes The Onion: Black Man Given Worst Job in the World. C.I.A., Panetta, Inside, Outside. Illinois...Abyssmal, Minnesota...Lawsuits, New Mexico...Pay to Play.

Friday Nite Talking Heads

News Hour Jim L Host

Mention of Florida Gators at end of summery.

Rey S on the jobs report.

Judy W on the Rescue Plan. Former Sen Sununu, over site panel on how bailout money spent. Rep Barney F shows what is needed to get Legislation thru Congress.

Paul S Goes to National Economists Conference in San Francisco, and asks why didn't you warn us. Self-correcting market. People protect themselves. Lizard Brain. Drug culture - Inebreation. Risk Blind in S.F. re: Earthquake.

Sheilds and Brooks: Econ Plan
Brooks: Too complicated, Obama trying to move agenda with/as stimulus.
Shields: Consulting with Congress, who need to watch ougt for the off year elections. Needs to explain, Be instrument of change.
Brooks: Whoa! Slow Down, Ya move too fast!!! Paul K agrees with Me! Blue Dogs! Important! Repubs! Important. Don't wanna get those groups anrgy!!
Shields: Solemn. Sober. Serious. True B Obama is patience.
Brooks Tax Cuts!
Sheilds: The Joys of Ballet.
Panetta @ C.I.A.
Sheilds: Great guy known sice my Proxmire days, great polititian.
Brooks: Agree.
Burris @ Senate
Shields: Waiting the game.
Brooks: Seated.


Last segment on Gaza Isreal violence. 800 dead Gazans, 1/2 Civilian, many children. 50? 15? I missed it dead Isrealis, 3 Civilians. No cease fire. U.S. abstains from U.N. vote.

No U.S. War dead announced.

News Hour

Host Jim L

Barack O's Economic Plan

Retailers worst Xmas in 40 Years

Isreal Gaza

Weather in the Northwest. True, My bike ride this morning was a wet one. I-5 closed, and just after 'the storm of the century'.

Daschle at Health & Human Services

Electoral College results certified by the President of the Senate, Richard Cheney. "245 votes for Barrak Obama of Illinios for President. 245 votes for Joseph Biden of Delaware for Vice President."

Missouri - Kit B retires

Illinois - Blago

Afganistan - U.S. relied on short term goals with no real understanding of the Afgan people.

The topics for further attention:

Pelosi Interview
Economic Stimulus package
Health Care

News Hour

Missed the lead-ins.

The deficit, how big will it go?

Health Care. Small business that used to offer health benefits fot its workers find they can no longer afford it too.

5 Pesidents meet, not a funeral.

Chinese unemployment.

Media music downloads. iTunes now #1 retailer of music.

Today's Mood: First Class of the Term

Feelin Good. Until we went through the syllybus and I remembered how much home work Harry assigns. We will be examining the European Union as a Peace Building System. There's a talker in the back of the room. Rats. We looked at three quotes out of context, redacted for anonimity, then attempted to identify the authors - 20th century leaders on variing degrees of nationalism and violence. The talker jumped in with Chrchhill for door number two, probably right, someone else said the Kaiser, and it did sound very officious and German. I offered Teddy Rooseveldt as Harry wanted more names. Hitlerwas named for quote 1 among many others. the last was definately more of a revolutionary than a government or establishment figure as 1 & 2. Quote three was Gamel Nasser showing remorse for shooting a man in assasination, then waking after a bad nights sleep to look for the paper hoping that his victim was alive. Most guesses on this quote were Russian revolutionary unnamed so I said Trotsky, the spanish civil War came up so I said Orwell.

Informed Comment

News Hour

Monday 05 January 2009

Host: Jim L

O-man: Economic Plan, Intell appiontment Leon P, meeting with Nancy P, and then bipartisan meeting, John B looking like a plump tomato next to his pasty faced collegues, Bill R out at Commerce.

Domestic and Japanese auto sellers, worst December ever.

Illinois Senate seat, Harry R boxed into a corner, He is however a former boxer, so he'll be swinging.

Minnisota Senate seat, Al F up by 225 votes, out of 3 million cast. This one the republicans will fight, vs. abovwhere they will try to acerbate the train wreck.

Lsreal-Gaza violence. Independent Television News clip.

Bagdad Embassy opens, largest, expensive, et cetera.

Bernie Madoff.

Followups on: Barrack O to D.C.
Isreali government vs. Hamas government. Civilians used as pawns by both governments.
Healthcare.
Bernie M.

N.F.L.

Good 2nd game. I called the Baltamore victory. Defense scored and then forced the game. Baltamore looks good, I don't think I have seen them play a whole game on T.V. this year. Good year for Miami, kicking both N.Y.Jets, and the Pats aside.

Philly looked good. Close call next week with N.Y. Giants. I think Giants at home, barely. But if Philadelphia gets up early, could be a stuffing. The ground game.

Today's Mood: Back to School

So feels good to not have to rush off to make it to my cube by 8:00 am. It is just much more civilized to get my peeps out the door, get my stuff ready and be able to sit down and write abit. I will still ride in to school today though I don't have any classes. I will work some customer service, and go to the grad lab. Talk to Amanda if she is in. I will go to the Library and find one reference for my reasearch paper.

Later.

Football

Looked good today for Arizona, they played a little better than Atlanta thus deserved to win. The San Diego game was good, thought the Chargers had given it away one too many times. All the way throught he game D. Sproles was one stepa wy from busting it. He looked tired on the firsy few plays of over time, and I thought that was it. But he did cored before when he does score. Good for all those people who have been told 'Kid,. you're too little to play tackle football.'

Tomorrow I like the Dolphins, but if Baltamore's defense scores some points, it is had to come back against them. Philly I think is a better team than Minnesota.

Today's Mood: Another Snow Day

More snow in Portland overnite. Wierd.

Happy New Year 2009

We had a great party last night.  All our best friends and one family came over for our Fish Fry.  Our tradition is to have a big fish dinner Christmas Eve while waiting for Santa to arrive.  This year we missed as we were driving thru the storm of the century to go skiing in Canada.  

This is how we do our fish fry.  The crucial first step is turning on the deep fat fryer.  You can save your old oil in the fridge, filter thru cheese cloth.  Canola oil is good, you will need to supplement oil with each use.  All of this group of friends and family included vegans and glutenfree eaters.  Use corn flour for dredging any fish or vegies that seem to call for it.  This morning as I sat down to type I relized I forgot onion rings!  Arrrg.  The vegies we used last nite were potatoes, yams, zuccini; they can be sliced into french fry shape or chip shape.  The fish was some beautiful halibut steaks, which I cut into 1x4 or 5 inch strips, leaving the skin and fat layer on.  This is making my mouth water again typing about it.  Dover Sole, gutted, cleaned, but with the bone in, cut into thirds or quarters.  Sea scallops, quartered.  

Matt brought Trout from Billy Chinook, this we slow fryed in a cast iron skillet with garlic, onions and sweet pepper.  

Salad, wine, garlic bread, cheese.  Juice and Coffee.  Then stand around the Fryer cooking different things for a couple of hours, dipping them in sauces, and eating.  The trout needed no condiments.  

We cheered the New Year every hour, as it was possible some of us would be asleep at midnite Oregon time.  

Today's Mood: Feelin Good