Archive for May, 2016

A War On War? (May 30, 2016)

Posted in Military, War on May 30, 2016 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “We have prosecuted the War on Drugs and the War on Crime and the War on Women and the War on Terror and the War on Poverty and the War on Religion, but not the War on War.”

J          “And we have lost every one of the Wars except the War on Women.  War is a drug.  The resources committed to the War on Drugs should be deployed to fight the War on the Drug known as War.”

. . .

K          “What we must consider is a Peace on War.  However, the Military-Congressional-Industrial-Complex makes too much money on War.  The only viable resolution may be a thoughtful and thought-provoking compromise.  The U.S. government must agree to buy one hundred billion dollars of war toys a month and then pile them up in the desert and blow them up.  Rinse and repeat.”

J          “Hard on the desert.  Yet selling the movie rights could partially fund the undertaking.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “The Flag May 31, 2010)” and “O’Bama Revisited (January 17, 2011)” for a note on Eisenhower’s warning.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

“The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and large nations.”  David Friedman

“To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.”  Winston Churchill

I grew up in a rough neighborhood . . . Vietnam

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Arctic High School Court (May 23, 2016)

Posted in Courts, Due Process, Hypocrisy, Judges, Judicial Arrogance, Judiciary, Justice, Perjury, Perjury/Dishonesty on May 23, 2016 by e-commentary.org

. . .

_          “Affirming cases that should be reversed.”

_          “Reversing cases that should be affirmed.”

_          “Construing the rules to promote the most unjust, protracted and expensive determination of a matter.”

_          “Denying requests for oral argument and thus violating the most fundamental tenet of due process.”

_          “Contending dishonestly and fraudulently that the lawyer has waived an argument when the lawyer clearly and unambiguously has not waived and would not under any circumstances waive an argument.”

_          “Spewing an order as ‘Entered at the direction of an individual justice’ without stating the name of the ‘Just-us’ so that one is unable to determine and track the whims, inclinations and peccadillos of the Justice.  And usually an order that allows the Justice and the Court not to do any work and to go home early.”

_          “Dismissing the most meritorious and novel argument by demeaning and dissing it as ‘absolutely without merit’ because it would require reflection and intellect to appreciate.”

_          “Disregarding the law.”

_          “Making up the law.”

_          “Disregarding the facts.”

_          “Making up the facts.”

_          “Developing the reputations of friends and destroying the reputations of non-friends.”

_          “Embarrassing an attorney at every opportunity to perpetuate the most institutionalized system of bullying in America.”

_          “Adopting the most arrogant resolution of a matter.”

_          “Taking far too long to address a matter and then getting it wrong.”

. . .

This bill of particulars is inspired in part by the example in the Declaration of Independence that enumerates the grievances that underpinned the decision to declare independence from George The Third.  Now may be the time to declare independence from a legal system that is not working.

Bumper stickers of the week:

Arctic Supreme Court > Arctic High Court > Arctic High School >>>>>>>> Arctic High School Court

Our Motto:  Petty, Personal, Political

Appalling, Disgusting, Revolting

Grade (very low standards; grade inflation):  D+

You can say with a high degree of confidence that the Arctic High School Court will more likely than not reach the wrong decision.

Hotel Arctic High School:  You can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave!  We are all swirling in the high school vortex writ large.

If the shoe fits, you’ve got to indict.

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Graduation Advice:  Wear Hearing Protection; Listen Attentively (May 16, 2016)

Posted in Awards / Incentives, Graduation Advice, Journalism, Newspapers, Press/Media, Pulitzer, Pushitzer on May 16, 2016 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “Wear hearing protection.”

. . .

K          “Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’16 . . . wear hearing protection . . . if I could offer you only one tip for the future, hearing protection would be it. . . .  Wear hearing protection . . . and listen attentively.”

. . .

K          “You are surrounded every day by noise.  Nail guns, guns, chop saws, generators, ice augers, pressure washers, snow mobiles, atvs, planes, boats, vacuum cleaners, power drills and ads by the underwriters on public radio and then when you return from your cabin are assaulted and assailed by the din and cacophony of daily life.  Protect your hearing; hear what needs to be heard.” 

. . .

K          “But trust me on the hearing protection.”

. . .

J          “I hear you.”

. . .

[See the “Sunscreen Column”, the Wikipedia article “Wear Sunscreen” and listen to “Everbody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).”]

Bumper stickers of the week:

“Wear hearing protection; listen very attentively.”

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”  Mary Theresa Schmich, the author of “Everbody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” and a most deserving recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2012 and a recipient of the Pushitzer Prize for Commentary nunc pro tunc to 2012.

Be kind to your knees, you will miss them when they are gone.  Be very, very kind to your knees.  Be even more kind.

Floss.

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First Annual “Cameo In Courage” Award For 2016 (May 9, 2016)

Posted in Awards / Incentives, Cameo In Courage Award, Journalism, Newspapers, Press/Media, Profile In Courage Award on May 9, 2016 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “This year, the Awards Committee for the Cameo In Courage Award is bestowing a special lifetime achievement award to . . . Mr. Edward Joseph Snowden of the United States.”

J          “Great choice.  Long overdue.”

. . .

K          “This year, the annual Cameo In Courage Award for 2016 is given to Ms. Carmen Segarra . . . of the United States.”

J          “Great choice.  Due.”

. . .

K          “And a special lifetime achievement award to Daniel Berrigan.”

J          “Do.”

. . .

J          “As I recall, the Cameo in Courage Award is given to the person on the planet who showed real courage at great sacrifice to himself or herself.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “Hero or Traitor? (June 10, 2013),” “Profile In Cowardice Award (May 12, 2014),” “Profile In Courage Award, 2015 (May 11, 2015) and “Chelsea And Ed:  Time For “Con” “dign” Treatment (November 30, 2015).”]

Bumper stickers of the week:

The World’s Most Prestigious Award For Individuals Courageously Serving The Public Good.

Larry Wilmore is an Honorable Mention recipient for the Cameo In Courage Award for 2016 for his performance and presentation at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.  The Cameo in Courage Award is not limited to the powerful and the beautiful in government.  The Cameo In Courage Award is often given to those who confront the powerful when they are not so beautiful.

 

Dear John:

Thank you very much for submitting a nomination for the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.  We are grateful for your participation and we appreciate your dedication to the ideal of principled public service.

Nominations for the Profile in Courage Award are accepted year-round.  Every nomination we receive remains active for two years.  If your nomination is submitted on or before February 15, it will be considered for the Profile in Courage Award presented in May of the same calendar year, and again the following year.  If your nomination is made after February 15, it will be considered during the following two calendar years.

A confirmation of your submission appears below.  On behalf of everyone at the Kennedy Library Foundation, thank you for your nomination for the Profile in Courage Award.

With best wishes,

The Profile in Courage Award Committee

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Nomination

Your Information

First Name:  John Q.
Last Name:  Public
Street Address:  [Street Address]
Apartment or Suite:  [Apartment or Suite]
City, State and ZipCode:  [State] [ZIP Code]
Country:  [Country]
Email Address:  JohnQPublic@johnqpublic.net

Nominee Information

Nominee First Name:  Edward Joseph
Nominee Last Name:  Snowden
Positions currently or formerly held by your nominee:  Government Bureaucrat
Public accomplishments and contributions:  Exposing government surveillance and corruption at considerable risk and cost to himself
Links to publicly available information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Snowden
How you heard about the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award:  Newspaper, television, radio, Internet, general public discourse

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Announcing The First Annual Noble Prize In Eco-nomics (May 2, 2016)

Posted in Awards / Incentives, Economics, Economics Nobel, Nobel Prize, Noble Prize on May 2, 2016 by e-commentary.org

. . .

          “This year, the first annual Noble Prize in Eco-nomics is to be awarded to the individual or individuals who have made the greatest contribution to the understanding of eco-nomics and the operation of the eco-nomy.  To be announced on the second Monday each October and this year on October 11, the award is established and endowed with a prize purse of $250.  Nominations are accepted through the last Friday each August and this year on August 26.”

. . .

[Send a nomination and a supporting letter to e-ssay@gci.net by August 26, 2017 and send the entry fee to your favorite charity.]

[See the e-commentary at “From e-con-omics to eco-nomics? (August 1, 2011)” and “Skip the Nobel in Economics (October 6, 2009).”]

[See “The Beauty (Pageant?) of Economics.”]

Bumper sticker of the week:

If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion.

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