11 February 2008
11 February 2008
FROM THE SANDBOX…
1200 by Jeff Hess
RN Clara Hart: “Will you please stop kicking me!” I scolded the soldier standing next to me. “I’m going to report you for nurse abuse if you don’t!” He stood there and with a look of “Who me?” on his face. “They’d never believe you. They’d take one look at me and cart you off.” “Yeah, you’re right,” I said. “But, really now, QUIT KICKING ME!” Giving up, I shared a…
11 February 2008
FROM MY DAD… ANIMALS WEEK PART I…
0800 by Jeff Hess
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. This week he brings you some amazing animal photography: From My Dad.
11 February 2008
IS TED CROW CHANNELING GEORGIA O’KEEFE…?
0752 by Jeff HessCheck out the illustration in today’s Plain Dealer at the bottom of page D1.
11 February 2008
GOOD AFTERNOON MYANMAR…
0430 by Jeff Hess
The most important story coming out of Myanmar continues to be the announcement on Saturday that the generals will allow a constitutional referendum in May and elections in 2010 to return the country to civilian, democratic, rule. Equally important are the mixed reactions from people and governments around the world.
From The International Herald Tribune:
[G]iven the junta’s numerous broken promises of reconciliation with its opponents in recent years – the generals have devoted most of their energy to quashing dissent with crackdowns – the unexpected announcement that they would restore democracy within two years has been met with deep skepticism among experts on Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
“I don’t see a genuine willingness to go back to democracy,” said Win Min, a lecturer in contemporary Burmese politics at Payap University in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. “If they wanted to go toward democracy they wouldn’t have to keep arresting democracy activists. And they would release Aung San Suu Kyi.”
From The Guardian:
[C]ritics claim the long-delayed road map is designed to perpetuate military rule, not promote democracy. And at tea shops in Yangon, where morning news and gossip is traditionally exchanged, many seemed unimpressed with the developments.
“I am not interested in their referendum because the results are known already,” said 48-year old noodle salad seller Mar Mar Aye, echoing the popular belief that the government is confident its constitution will be approved.
Several people said they were unsure what the referendum was, noting the language describing it was similar to that used for the stage-managed mass rallies the government frequently holds to show the public supports its policies. Myanmar’s last constitutional referendum took place in 1973.
From the Khaleej Times:
Thailand-based Myanmar analyst Win Min said the junta was trying to defuse both international pressure and lingering domestic tensions by announcing its timetable.
The junta ‘may worry about possible mass movements again, so this is to cool down the people not to do demonstrations,” he said.
The official New Light of Myanmar newspaper devoted its front page Sunday to a warning from senior junta leader Than Shwe.
He accused unnamed ‘destructive elements” of trying ‘to constantly hinder and sabotage our development tasks,” and also urged the public to ‘always remain vigilant against these elements and ward off the dangers posed by them.”
In Yangon, a 31-year-old businessman was enthusiastic about the referendum and the planned elections, but voiced frustration at the lack of information offered by the junta.
‘I think everyone will welcome the elections. But I know little about it because the government did not provide any details,” said the man, who declined to be named.
And from Reuters:
People in Myanmar welcomed the military government’s promise of multi-party elections in 2010 on Sunday as an opportunity to be seized, despite deep skepticism from opposition politicians and abroad.
“Just get on whatever horse you can catch. Then try to find better ones gradually,” a retired professor said four months after the army crushed monk-led, pro-democracy protests, killing at least 31 people.
Roadside food vendor Aung Min, 28, was positively excited. “I can’t wait to vote in an election,” he said. But, he added: “The most important is all major parties should be allowed to run in it.”
Which horse do you think the people of Myanmar ought to ride?
11 February 2008
FROM MY CHAPBOOK…
0400 by Jeff Hess
My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.
This is a passage I copied from Midrash and Literature edited by Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick.
“The Freedom and Restraint of Haggadah” by Judah Goldin. When the principal components of the Oral Law are listed in Midrashic-Talmudic literature, three terms are employed: midrash, being what is legitimately derivative from study and interpretation of the Scriptures; halachot, those handed-down Halachic rulings formulated and assembled independently; and aggadot, best defined as non-Halachic discourse and instruction.
11 February 2008
11 February 2008
TIME POWER: TODAY…
0001 by Jeff HessToday, as I go about my tasks, I’ll think about: Nine steps in the delegation process:
Select the people who have the ability to do the job.
See that the people you select understand what you expect.
Let your associates know that you sincerely believe in their ability to carry our their tasks.
Negotiate deadlines.
Secure your associates” commitment to follow through.
Let your associates know in the beginning that you are going to follow up and then do it.
Provide latitude for your associates to use their imagination.
Do do the job for them; allow them to reserve the right to make mistakes.
Reward your associates commensurately with the results they produce.p. 123-5
10 February 2008
GOOD MORNING MYANMAR…
2030 by Jeff HessAs I noted earlier, the generals in Myanmar announced their intent to hold a constitutional referendum in May of this year and to allow democratic elections in 2010. The Government of Thailand, which only recently underwent its own military-to-civilian government transition, seems impressed. Australia’s government is not.
From the Bangkok Post:
Singapore said Sunday Burma’s plan to hold a constitutional referendum in May and general election in 2010 was a positive development.
The city-state, which holds the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, expressed the hope that the political process results in “peaceful national reconciliation,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The Burmese military junta, target of international criticism for its failure to turn over power to a democratically elected government in 1990, said Saturday the referendum would be held to approve a new constitution in May and democratic elections would be held in 2010.
From the Camden Advertiser:
Australia has described as a sham claims by Burma’s military regime that it plans to hold multi-party elections within three years.
Burma’s military rulers made a surprise announcement at the weekend on an election timetable, indicating a constitutional referendum in May would set the stage for elections in 2010.
But it remains unclear whether detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party will be allowed to take part.
The NLD won a landslide victory in 1990 – the last ballot held – but the military junta refused to accept the result, leaving the nation one of the poorest and most isolated in Asia.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is highly sceptical of the latest exercise by Burma.
“We’re frankly very sceptical, we’re not persuaded that this is anything more than a cynical sham,” he told AAP.
“Any genuine movement towards democracy or respect for human rights can only be done in cooperation with the international community and also with the political leaders in Burma.
2010 is too far away to begin discussion for ending sanctions now based upon a promised event two years from now.
Which view do you side with?
10 February 2008
MUCKING OUT THE BLOGPILE…
1400 by Jeff Hess
I’m constantly tossing interesting websites into what I call my blogpile. Some of them find their way here in the form of regular posts, but more often than not they languish and get buried deeper in the pile. The end result is that I have to go back and do a bit of shoveling. Today’s item is Fighting for Justice, Even at His Own Peril.
10 February 2008
10 February 2008
FROM THE SANDBOX…
1200 by Jeff HessGruntshit: The last couple of days have found us pretty busy. Today we were able to take a break and tend to maintenance with the vehicles and other annoying shitty admin things that have to be taken care of. The Iraqis are celebrating Ashura right now. I don’t know if “celebrating” is the right term, maybe “mourning” the Ashura. Essentially the Ashura is “a…
10 February 2008
FROM MY DAD… ANIMALS WEEK PART I…
0800 by Jeff HessI could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. This week he brings you some amazing animal photography: From My Dad.
10 February 2008
GOOD AFTERNOON MYANMAR…
0430 by Jeff HessCould there be movement in Myanmar? Would the generals act to bring democracy to their country? Is it possible for military dictators to peacefully hand over the reins of government to a democratically elected government. History, particularly Myanmar’s history says no. But 2010 is not 1990 and maybe the generals are sincere.
Or not.
From The Associated Press:
Myanmar’s military government, a target of sharp international criticism for failing to hand over power to a democratically elected government, announced Saturday that it will hold elections in 2010.
The junta also said a national referendum to approve a new constitution will be held in May.
“The time has now come to change from military rule to democratic civilian rule,” official announcement announcements on state radio and television said.y
The country’s last election was in 1990, but the military refused to hand over power when Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won. Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner, has been in prison or under house arrest for more than 12 of the past 18 years.
It was the first time the government has set dates for stages of its so-called road map to democracy.
I do want to believe in the possible here. But I can sense political maneuvering worthy of the ShÅgun.
10 February 2008
FROM MY CHAPBOOK…
0400 by Jeff HessMy name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.
This is a passage I copied from Midrash and Literature edited by Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick.
Much of aggadic exegesis is… a kind of parable or allegory. The aggadists do not mean so much to clarify difficult passages n the Biblical text as to take a stand on the burning questions of the day, to guide the people and to strengthen their faith.
10 February 2008
10 February 2008
TIME POWER: TODAY…
0001 by Jeff HessToday, as I go about my tasks, I’ll think about: Make decisions at the lowest level where necessary information and judgment are present, and have those answering to you bring answers, not problems. p. 121
9 February 2008
GOOD MORNING MYANMAR…
2030 by Jeff HessThursday evening I wrote about Thailand’s announcement that it considered democracy and human rights to be internal affairs of Myanmar and that it would not, individually, interfere with its neighbor. I was not alone in expressing my disappointment. Mizzima News asks what Thailand has to gain.
Burmese political activists including members of the main opposition party – the National League for Democracy – contend that by maintaining a policy of noninterference on Burma and calling democracy and human rights internal affairs, Thailand is not serving its own interest as problems arising from a neighbouring failed-state would remain a burden.
Thailand’s newly elected government on Thursday said democracy and human rights are domestic issues of Burma and that it will maintain a policy of noninterference on the military-ruled country.
In his first press briefing Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said while Thailand will work within the framework of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, it will not interfere in domestic issues and will respect Burma’s sovereignty, a stand ASEAN has maintained.
“If working through an ASEAN framework can help Burma’s democracy flourish, we will do it,” Noppadon was quoted as saying by the AP. “We are not a headmaster who can tell Burma to do this or that.”
The ASEAN gambit is weak. Given the continuing opposition of the Philippines president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, it is that ASEAN will take any meaningful actions soon, if ever.
Do you think Noppadon is right?
9 February 2008
MUCKING OUT THE BLOGPILE…
1400 by Jeff HessI’m constantly tossing interesting websites into what I call my blogpile. Some of them find their way here in the form of regular posts, but more often than not they languish and get buried deeper in the pile. The end result is that I have to go back and do a bit of shoveling. Today’s item is 100 Free Podcasts from the Best Colleges in the World.
