Friday, October 09, 2009

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

There has been a lot of surprise, excitement, shock and criticism since the Nobel committee announced the Peace Prize for this year.  The chief criticism seems to be that the President has not accomplished enough to win.  Since nominations were required on February 11, and he had been in office for just 11 days when he was nominated, I imagine that accomplishment may not have been the message the committee was sending.  I tend to agree with the President’s own assessment, that the award is sometimes given in recognition of accomplishment, and sometimes to offer momentum to a movement.  When Theodore Roosevelt won, it was for almost literally forcing the Japanese and Russians to sign a peace agreement and end their war (using his prestige as President, not military threat).  That was an accomplishment - a result, or outcome.  I imagine that the President hopes very much that the award will give some added 'wind to his sails' as he attempts to turn the promise of change into a program that creates the desired results - or, accomplishment

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Is the U.S. Preparing to bomb Iran? - ABC News

There have been so many pourings of tea, and reading of tea leaves in the last five years over whether, when, how and could the US or Israel destroy the capability of Iran to build nuclear weapons.  I admit that I have read as many of them as I have come across, and this article particularly caught my attention.  I can’t say that I think that this will prove to be prophetic, though well may it, but it strikes me as just the sort of way that we might come to some inkling of an attack.  A very interesting article from ABC News:

Is the U.S. Preparing to bomb Iran? - ABC News

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

The Ballad of The 2009 Seattle Seahawks: It Could Happen To You | Bleacher Report

This is one of the best analysis I’ve seen trying to make sense of the wave of injuries that have plagued the Seahawks in 2009.  Oh, and in 2008 it was just as profound in impact as it has been this year.  Looking at it as a hypothetical with other teams is a really great and insightful way to wrap one’s arms around just how much the Hawks are struggling to overcome.  A great read:

The Ballad of The 2009 Seattle Seahawks: It Could Happen To You | Bleacher Report

Sunshine on Discovery Bay

Sunshine on Discovery Bay
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