Captains Log

Stardate 072007.100

Paul Abrams hits the nail on the head as to why our Neocon Foreign Policy will never work.
Neocon foreign policy will never work because their assumptions are wrong and because neocons are not willing to make the required commitments. They will not pay more taxes, they will not lead by volunteering to risk their own lives, they will not support a draft. They are willing only to lead the US astray by pretending the challenges are imagined, and then accusing everyone else
Bruce has an interesting assessment in regards to his link to comments made by former President Jimmy Carter's blunt assessment of U.S. policy towards Palestine as Criminal. It's the second post on his blog.
The Islamic world has clearly exposed the foreign policy of the most powerful "Christian nation" in the world as nothing more than the law of the jungle -- "might makes right." America preaches democracy, but we practice "social darwinism.
"In the eyes of the non-Christian world, nothing could discredit both democracy and Christianity more than an American President who launches pre-emptive wars under false pretenses, authorizes the secret rendition and torture of prisoners, and then lectures the world about the virtues of both faith and democracy. And nothing could discredit the Church more than the fact that this President can still boast that his most loyal support comes from the ranks of the most publicly fervent and vocal proponents of the Christian faith.

Robert Sutton has interesing thoughts on emotional detatchment in the workplace.
I have argued for years that learning when not care, what not to care about, and how to not care is just as important to career success and personal well-being as being passionate. I especially think that it is an essential skill for people who are trapped in asshole-infested workplaces and can't get out -- at least for now. If people treat you like dirt, they don't deserve your passion and best efforts. And, as I say in The No Asshole Rule, going through the motions without letting the creeps that surround you touch your soul is, unfortunately, the best - or least bad -- option at times.

Bill Shur explains what the boo's during Hillary Clinton's speech were all about. I would be booing too.
"They jeered the Democratic presidential hopeful when she blamed the Iraqi government for the continued violence that has bogged down U.S. troops."...
That the progressive grassroots, being serious about foreign policy and national security, wanting a fundamental change in our foreign policy away from blundering occupation and towards steely multilateral diplomacy, viscerally reacted to a blatant mischaracterization of what's happening abroad.

Now I'm off to the golf course. The only civilized place to be at the moment.