Letters to the Editor
SusanMc
Published Letters: 463 Editor's Choice: 1
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Tuna on Rye
[Read the article: Follow-up on the Col. Steven Boylan e-mail exchange]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]GG:
If someone really is able to replicate emails from high-ranking military officials in Iraq, think about what a serious breach that is. Can the fabricators also send emails to commanders in the field or to political decision-makers in Washington?
I asked my husband, who is former military and currently has a clearance, about this concern. He told me that no military communication from an unclassified computer would be taken seriously, and all such messages are encrypted anyway. If they've got Boylan on blog patrol, he's nowhere near where the real work gets done.
I wouldn't worry about anyone in the military paying attention to our friend Boylan (or his spoof). I'll bet the most important order they put him in charge of is lunch-- and they're probably even a little leery about that.
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@ Prairiefire
[Read the article: Follow-up on the Col. Steven Boylan e-mail exchange]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sorry to disagree with your husband, Susan, but Steven Boylan is very near the 'real work.' The problem isn't so much that the military pays attention to him, but that they expect you and me to pay attention to him, because he is a highly placed and often-used spokesperson.
Actually, my husband's point was that if Boylan's computer is sending emails to bloggers galore on unclassified computers, there's no danger someone could use his account, or computer, to send any message of import to "commanders in the field." We can rest easy about that.
My point was that his emails have already proven him a duplicitous hack (and horrible writer). If "they" expect me to pay attention to him, that is going to be a problem because, based on his on-the-record reasoning skills, I wouldn't trust him to get my sandwich order right.
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Game's Up
[Read the article: Col. Boylan's denial]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Shorter Boylan to E&P: I've been told to stop trying to intimidate Glenn Greenwald.
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Egypt Steve
[Read the article: Col. Boylan's denial]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Apology accepted.
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Bellweather Issues
[Read the article: The Ron Paul phenomenon]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Unfortunately, no matter how "laudable" his views, as a fertile woman with an unshakable belief in her right to control her own body, Paul will never get a penny (nor good word) out of me.
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Locke and Roll
[Read the article: The Ron Paul phenomenon]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]500+ comments!!! I hope you all had fun with the Paul fans today. For myself, the last time I argued with a Libertarian was when I had to try to explain how it was not to my benefit to watch my neighbor's house burn down because they couldn't afford some sort of privately funded Fire Department service. [Fires spread! Plus, I like my neighbors.] When he then tried to convince me we should also let children go unvaccinated [And die. Oh well!] if their parents couldn't afford medical insurance-- I vowed it was the last time I'd try to explain the concept of "social contract" to anyone over the age of 12.
I hope Ron Paul ends up running as an Independent ala Ross Perot.
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Centenial
[Read the article: The Ron Paul phenomenon]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]RMP:
We will make it to 100 pages.
I have no doubt. Is Ron Paul Jewish?
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@ DCLaw1
[Read the article: The Ron Paul phenomenon]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I know firsthand that 90% of "bureaucrats" genuinely care about the work they do and the roles they play in public service.
I have many friends and relatives in various Federal agencies in DC, and I too firmly believe this to be the case.
Many, many career government people could be making much more money for what they do if they moved to the private sector.
As a government worker who could be making a lot more money in the private sector, I thank you for this and your other posts along these lines. I've always liked Robert Reich on this subject as well:
http://robertreich.blogspot.com/
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Animal House
[Read the article: Democrats in big, big trouble because of the Great Iraq War -- again]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]gg:
It's basically akin to someone sitting on their couch and chewing up food and spitting it all over the floor and the walls and the furniture month after month until it piles up and congeals and grows into mold, turning the room into a repulsive, health-threatening mess.
This is wonderful-- although I might picture it more as a food fight in someone else's house, catered by the neocons and lovingly described as a victorious awards banquet by the school newspaper-- thanks for the pungent visual, Glenn!
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Worth a Shot
[Read the article: Dianne Feinstein -- Bush's key ally in the Senate -- to support telecom amnesty]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why can't we recall her? I like the idea of increasing the noise and attention both on her husband's business activities and her betrayal of our interests and ethical problems. I think her promotion of Telecom amnesty has the potential to be a very big deal amongst a disgruntled populace. Hammering on that and how her husband's firm benefited from her actions could build momentum and outrage, and the recall effort could commence. I'd certainly gather signatures and raise money. I've done it for less worthy causes!
Truly. She's not going to pay attention to anything less. You know the CA Repubs would go for this-- wouldn't Arnold get to choose her replacement?
It would be great if one of those rich Hollywood liberals we read so much about would sponsor this effort. Maybe once the writers' strike has ended?
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(OT) The Power of Song
[Read the article: Dianne Feinstein -- Bush's key ally in the Senate -- to support telecom amnesty]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If you need to see something powerful and inspiring and uplifting, the documentary on Pete Seeger is working its way around the country. I can't find a schedule anywhere, and I stumbled across it accidentally in Los Angeles, but if there's an independent theater near you, you could ask them if it's coming your way soon. It's showing in L.A. for another couple of days:
http://www.laemmle.com/viewmovie.php?mid=3296
The trailer:
http://movies.aol.com/movie/pete-seeger-the-power-of-song/30980/video/trailer-no-1/2006873
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@ bebop
[Read the article: Dianne Feinstein -- Bush's key ally in the Senate -- to support telecom amnesty]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Listening and watching Pete Seeger makes me want to storm the barricades-- singing all the way. Steve Martin once observed that you can't be sad and depressed while playing the banjo, and I think that just may be the secret to Seeger's unending optimism.
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Half-a-Bee
[Read the article: Jonah Goldberg's deeply "conflicted" thoughts on war and torture]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]GG:
Is it even possible to ponder the intellectual depravity
I am amazed and grateful that you can make it through their nonsense. I won't even go near the Times' editorial pages as long as Goldberg is there.
"one half of his brain's problem with the debate"
I'd suggest he try using his whole brain for once, but I really don't think we'd notice a difference.