The Infinite Echo

Christianity is not at war with Islam

2010-09-08T14:34:00.002-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

As the ninth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, one of the great myths of the World Trade Center attacks is the commonly held belief the attacks were somehow intended as an assault on Christianity.

For reasons seemingly fomented by fear and ignorance, many otherwise sensible Americans persist in pursuing this unfounded rationale. As you may recall, the attacks on 9/11 were aimed at the U.S. White House, The Pentagon, and the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan, all icons of American power and wealth. It would seem clear, the impetus for the attacks was rooted in politics, not religion.

Disturbing as it may be, far too many Americans accept the perceived religious connection, and thus the growing anti-Islam sentiment among many. This unfortunate intrusion of errata seems not to concern the religious conspiracy theorist as much as it agitates their sensibilities. These practitioners of falsehoods may believe they mean well, and perhaps deep in their hearts, some actually do, but let’s not kid ourselves. Apposing a mosque because of it’s approximate location or burning the Quran does not equate to a search for the truth, but rather, a blind quest, hell-bent on religious cleansing.

May I point out to my readers that no religious centers were targeted by terrorists on that sunny Monday morning on September 11th, 2001. No synagogues or churches were attacked, nor were any low flying, hi-jacked aircraft re-directed toward the Vatican. The motives for the 9/11 attacks were clearly not religious. Why then, are so many otherwise rational Americans willing to buy such a red herring?

It certainly doesn’t bode well for world perception of our good ’ol US of A intellect. We can’t really be tormented by so much self loathing as to allow ourselves to blame an entire religion for the actions of a handful of radicals.

And radical, indeed they were. Twenty grown men were willing to give their lives to thrust this atrocity upon America. As can be expected when traveling by air, one would be terrorist missed his flight. The rest, however, found the glory and infamy they sought in a fiery hot ball of flame and debris.

What didn’t happen on that tragic day, however, has somehow become the story. Fact: on September 11th, 2001, after being slammed by two commercial aircraft, the World Trade Center collapsed, killing nearly three thousand people. Yes, some were indeed, Christians. And many were not. Let’s not allow ourselves to fall victim to that which we fail to understand. The Christian faith is not at war with Islam. This should be self evident.

We are presented an opportunity, America. This should be a time of tolerance, a time when we can reflect on the folly of man, and pray our children learn from our mistakes as well as our triumphs. The tragedy of 9/11 will forever be a dark page in American history, but let's not allow ourselves to forever blemish the very values that made this country great.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Artisan tackles restoration of historic copper school doors

2010-09-07T09:06:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

When renowned copper sculptor George Green caught wind the town of Bisbee Arizona intended to pay an out-of-state company to restore the historic, seventy-five year old copper clad Lowell school doors, Green, a Bisbee resident, contacted the local school board with a better idea. By George, just have Green do it!

Green is one of many talented artisans who call the scenic town of Bisbee home. In recent years, the former turn-of-the-century mining town has become somewhat of an artist’s enclave. Green, who moved to Bisbee from phoenix to be near his family a few years ago, speaks fondly of Bisbee and is eager to contribute to the town he loves.

So when Green learned the Lowell school board was preparing to pay a San Diego firm $26,000 to restore the massive ten-foot by five-foot doors, Green stuck his foot in the door, offering to restore the copper laden doors for about half the price. “It seemed to me a large sum of money for the school board to raise”, Green remarked of the original $26,000 price tag when interviewed for this article. “I just thought I could do the job a lot cheaper, and perhaps better.“ The Lowell school board agreed.

The historic doors were moved to Mr. Green’s basement, where the artist has begun the process of meticulously disassembling the copper plates, careful to document and preserve as much original detail as possible. Green, who has a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts, is being assisted with the restoration by two other prominent local artisans. Chris Flager is handling repairs to the door’s heavy wooden cores, while Steve Wilkes assists with the bending and straightening of the copper.

Green calls the restoration process painstaking, predicting it will take months to complete, but no one seems in a hurry. The School board is actively seeking financial contributions to offset the cost of the process, including hosting a fundraiser billed as ‘Copper Pennies for the Copper Doors’. So far, about two thousand dollars has been raised for the project.

As can be expected, the aging doors have endured seventy-five years of abuse and neglect. Two years ago, the massive doors, weighing nearly five hundred pounds, were removed from their hinges and placed in storage. Long time Bisbee residents are thrilled with the prospect of having the unusual copper-plated doors swinging back into action. Most expect the restoration to be well worth the wait.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Unplug the television and walk away...

2010-08-11T10:50:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

What is it about television programming that so often causes to us to regret our time invested, and yet it’s hypnotic glow beacons us back, show after mundane show, night after mundane night, wreaking havoc upon our otherwise dependable sensibilities.

If ever there existed an intellectual pool of thought on the matter, it has long since been drained, revealing enormous cracks in our foundation and plugs in our plumbing. In layman’s terms, we waste too much time watching television. We have become a culture of voyeurs, rather than participants, satisfied to watch others humiliate themselves in H.D.

The introduction of so-called ‘reality television’ has only served to further blur our perception. It may be reality, but at best, it’s someone else’s reality. Chances are, if you’re real lucky, it will remain someone else’s reality. Real housewives? How did we get here?

Imagine if a camera crew appeared in your driveway every time you dragged your lawnmower from the garage, checked your mailbox or carried the trash to the curb. Are you feeling a tad punked yet? Do you develop a rash at the very mention of Lindsay Lohan or Heidi Montag?

Perhaps it’s time to cut the strings that bind you. Shut the blasted thing off! Unplug it if you have to. Cancel your service and kill the brain… the body will soon follow. There is so much more we could be doing with our valuable time.

I’m not even going to pretend to know what’s good for you. Only you can decide what to do with your new found wealth of time once you wean yourself from television addiction.
For starters, the lawn needs mowing and the aforementioned trash has taken on a life of it’s own.

Of course, your options are endless. Television can be an endless source of information and entertainment, and obviously, not all programming is bad. Still, it is not beyond the pale to get up and go for a walk, stare up at the stars or read a good book. Give it some thought, and then take your new imagination for a test drive. Don’t let some television programmer do your thinking for you. You have a wonderful mind of your own… put it to use.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The War Prayer

2009-11-09T09:49:00.003-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

"O Lord our Father,
our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle –
be Thou near them! With them – in spirit – we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe.

O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with hurricanes of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it – for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts.
Amen."

Mark Twain 1905

Dedicated to the victims of the Fort Hood massacre.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Book Collecting

2009-04-24T05:12:00.002-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

There is an intrinsic quality to holding an old book in your hands. An unmistakable quality, of life, of knowledge and perhaps of understanding. I'm a book collector, and I seek satisfaction accordingly, one bound volume at a time.

I suppose I could forgo the unmitigated pedantic verbosity, but it is with an obsessive mind with which I seek these aged tomes. The madness is not mine alone, but is in fact, shared by many. So many are afflicted by this madness in fact, that for centuries, books have been collected, by the young and the aged, the intellectual, the clever, and the crooked. In simpler words, collecting books can be for anyone, even the insipid.

So where can one locate such literary jewels? I like to start by reminding everyone that your local library is a wonderful place to find a good book, providing you are willing to return it in a reasonable manner. Don't overlook your local library.

As for collecting antique books for the keeping, one can start nearly anywhere used books are sold. Yard sales, flea markets, and the like are usually productive sources. Most antique dealers carry at least a small supply of old books. In such cases, the books are generally in very good, if not excellent condition. Ditto for used book stores, but that seems somewhat obvious.

Personally, I favor the thrift stores, many in my area which have half price day every other Saturday. Over a period of six years, I have built up a rather impressive collection of antique and classic books in this manner. I have amassed everything imaginable, from Bronte to the Official Report of the Warren Commission (the official report on the assassination of US president John F. Kennedy.)

Of course, these days there is probably no greater source for information than the internet. Antique books are available in countless locations throughout the net, including eBay, Amazon and others. I have purchased many used and antique books over the internet, and have never been displeased by the product I received, however, I would recommend researching your purchase thoroughly before laying down the big bucks. Needless to say, but I will anyhow, some things are not always as advertised. Just use a little common sense and by all means, enjoy the process. Collecting old books may sound kind of geekish, and you know, perhaps it is. Still, it is a rewarding hobby that can bring more hours of entertainment and satisfaction than you'll ever find time for.

There are numerous buyers guides available to help you in your search. Some are pricey, but all are informative. Some buyers rely a great deal on these little gems. Others find pleasure in simply seeking out the gems on their own terms.

Of course, even book collecting is not without peril. I am reminded of an out of the way place just off the interstate in western Arizona. In most respects, I suppose it's much like any other used book store, book cases crawl upward toward the rafters, loaded down with ceaseless piles of books. Magazine racks stretch and yawn, with endless copies of Arizona Highways, and old copies of Life Magazine. But it isn't the building or the books that catches ones attention upon entering the establishment. It's the proprietor, and ancient astronaut of sorts. Perhaps a product of the sixties, or perhaps simply not interested in time, (or clothing) it seems, a fact that becomes apparent only after one has already entered the store, your eyes forever scarred by the sight of the weathered old timer, wearing nothing more than a very, very tiny strap of leather. It's a price I am personally unwilling to pay in my quest to find old books. You have been duly warned.

So with that off my chest, (so to speak) happy hunting, and hopefully you'll find time to read some of those great works you find. Collecting books is a hobby that will bring you a lifetime of knowledge and enjoyment. Now get out there and start looking.

Coming Soon!
More books reviews, including Candide- Voltaire, The Sun Also Rises- Ernest Hemingway, Of Mice and Men and Cannery Row- John Steinbeck.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Cuba Allows Digital Access to Hemingway Documents

2009-01-07T15:33:00.004-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The Cuban Heritage Council has announced it will allow access to thousands of pages of documents once belonging to American novelist Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway wrote many of his greatest works while living on the island, which he called home for more than twenty years.

Ada Rosa Alfonso Rosales, director of the Museo Ernest Hemingway, located in Havana, answered questions about the documents. "We are talking about 3,194 pages of documents, close to 2,000 plus of documents, some already digitalised," Rosales stated. "For practically the first time, this is being made available to students and researchers," she added.

Hemingway spent much of his adult life in Cuba, where he lived with his wife on a fifteen acre estate called the `Finca Vigia` approximately fifteen miles from downtown Havana. There he wrote some of his most memorable novels, including the literary classic ‘The Old Man and the Sea”

The archive is purported to include coded messages Hemingway is believed to have sent while drunkenly pursuing German submarines operating just off the coast of Cuba. The collection also includes photographs, letters and manuscripts, as well as an unpublished epilogue to Hemingway's novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls.

An additional thousand or so documents have yet to be scanned and added to the archive, but will be made available upon completion. Academics and researchers can request electronic copies of the rare documents from Cuba's Heritage Council.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Goodbye Mr. Bush, and Good Riddance!

2008-12-31T15:33:00.003-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The day has finally arrived!

Our last New Years Eve with George W. Bush, warmonger and prince of fools. May he choke on a pretzel on his way out the door.

Bush will be remembered for many things. Nothing good, mind you. This is a president who has driven the country right into the ground. And it won't just be George W. Bush they'll be pointing the finger at. History won’t have anything positive to say about those who defended this intellectual abomination, either. It is neither noble, nor patriotic to guard the door whilst the fox raids the hen-house.

Oh, we will indeed remember George W. Bush. No question about it. How can we ever forget? He was a many of many words, most of which, like everything he touched, he butchered…

"America better beware of a candidate who is willing to stretch reality in order to win points." George W. Bush, aboard his campaign plane, Sept. 18, 2000

"We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers." George W. Bush, Houston, Texas, Sept. 6, 2000

"I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris. I've read I understand reality. If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do." George W. Bush on abortion, MSNBC's "Hardball," May 31, 2000

"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?" George W. Bush, Concord, N.H., Jan. 29, 2000

"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2000

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000

"If you don't stand for anything, you don't stand for anything! If you don't stand for something, you don't stand for anything!" George W. Bush, Bellevue Community College, Nov. 2, 2000

"I'm not really the type to wander off and sit down and go through deep wrestling with my soul." George W. Bush, as quoted in Vanity Fair, October 2000

"Never again in the halls of Washington, D.C., do I want to have to make explanations that I can't explain." George W. Bush, Portland, Oregon, Oct. 31, 2000

"They said, 'You know, this issue doesn't seem to resignate with the people.' And I said, you know something? Whether it resignates or not doesn't matter to me, because I stand for doing what's the right thing, and what the right thing is hearing the voices of people who work." George W. Bush, Portland, Ore., Oct. 31, 2000

No doubt. History will not soon forget George W. Bush.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Barack the Magic Negro?

2008-12-29T16:43:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Barack the Magic Negro?

You must be kidding me? This story is offensive on so many levels. How could a high ranking Republican with aspirations within the party possibly arrive at such an abominable conclusion?

Let me bring you up to speed. Chip Saltsman, candidate for Republican National Committee Chairman, has chosen to distribute a satirical CD containing racist material about Barack Obama as a Christmas gift. Not one copy, mind you, sent to a friend, but a rather substantial number of copies, sent to a number of prominent Republicans.

The offending CD is titled: ‘We Hate America, and is obviously the product of an amateur. His name is Paul Shanklin and he is neither clever nor funny on this collection of politically incorrect ditties. This is the kind of trash one might find offered up at a trailer park yard sale for a nickle.

Here’s a quote from the lyrics of the song in question:

“Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper said,
He made guilty whites feel good,
They’ll vote for him and not for me,
‘Cause he’s not from the hood”

Watch out, Slim Shady. This guy is after your job.

This sort of thing only qualifies as satire in an academic sense. Satire, Spirit and Art, by George A. Test describes Satire in the following manner:

"The emotions that are thought to give rise to satire are generally acknowledged to be the least admirable human emotions-anger, malice, hatred, indignation. The emotions that satire are said to evoke are likewise emotions that make most people uncomfortable- shame, anger, guilt, anxiety. The view of humanity in satire is a negative one- tumultuous, crowded, aggressive, cynical, pessimistic."

Obviously, Shanklin is within his Constitutional rights on this issue, and if he and Mr. Saltsman want to distribute this vile nonsense, it is certainly their prerogative. Still, I am surprised the Republican hopeful would find this CD a useful tool for rehabilitating the GOPs already heavily damaged image. Who knows? Maybe Mr. Saltsman actually finds this stuff funny. How sad.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Happy Holidays!

2008-12-21T11:07:00.010-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The transcendent aroma of hot coco permeates the air as a plump cat sleeps away the morning in front of the fireplace. Today is winter solstice, and Christmas is only days away. Many presents have yet to be purchased, let alone wrapped and distributed. Thankfully I can always count on Santa to bear the brunt of the load.

Happy Holidays!

This year we acquired our Christmas tree in the prerequisite manner, and from the usual suspects, dark skinned young men speaking fluent Spanish huddled around a small bonfire in a dimly lit parking lot. This year however, required the assistance of a close friend, one with a truck. Over the summer, my wife and I traded in our aging SUV for a new PT Cruiser convertible. Fortunately, we had the foresight to do the deal back in July when the getting‘ was still good. We certainly couldn’t do that same deal today. Still, I miss that truck, especially on occasions like this.

The smell of fresh cut evergreen hung heavy in the cool night air. We negotiated the keen shadows, shaking branches curiously and horse-trading in our best broken Spanish. We settled on a fine tree. The gentle mannered attendant then proceeded to secure the tree to the roof of our truck with about forty feet of heavy rope, strong enough, I presume, to secure an angry bison to the rooftop. No extra charge.

As we pulled away from the unpaved parking area adjoining the unlit tree lot, we were greeted by the most unusual sign. 'NO REFUNDS OR RETURNS' the sign portended. They must be on to us, we mused, as we drove away, singing carols in our best broken Spanish.

Happy Holidays,

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Book Review - Illusions, the Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

2008-12-20T10:53:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Illusions, the Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, written by Richard Bach (not to be confused with Richard Bachman) who is perhaps best known for having penned the now classic Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Illusions, the follow-up, almost seems to pick up where it's predecessor left off. Just where exactly that might be, is somewhat up in the air.

The bulk of this story is about the lighthearted adventures of two barnstormers during the heyday who meet by chance in the fields of America's heartland. The hero of the story, or the reluctant messiah, as the title suggests, is flier, Donald Shimoda, and his aerial accomplishments. Shimoda, is a barnstormer.

For those unfamiliar with the term, barnstorming refers to a form of aerial acrobatics performed by pilots primarily during the wildly exciting 1920's. Often a pilot would land his aircraft in a farm field or pasture where heart stopping rides were then pitched to the brave, usually for around two bits. Stunt aircraft of the period were able to perform breathtaking maneuvers at very low altitude, sometimes only inches above the crowds. Wing-walking was also a popular event with spectators. America was mesmerized, and barnstorming soon took the Midwest by, well, by storm, of course.

Illusions is a classic, feel-good adventure story, and at just under one hundred-fifty pages, it reads very quickly. For myself, I was most intrigued by the story within the story, written on an apparent note pad with a bad felt tip pen, found prefaced at the beginning. It's a short fantasy, touching on the simplicity of our basic survival instincts, based on the every day existence of tiny creatures clinging to a rock on the bottom of a river. Here's a brief passage:

"Each creature in it's own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current what each had learned from birth."

I think you get where Bach is going with this, but it is well worth the read. The book's title portends a sense of impending dork factor, but fear not, it's really all good, comforting fun. I would highly recommend this book to older children and adults of all ages.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Another Black Eye For the Bush Administration

2008-12-16T13:30:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

President Bush may have dodged an attack by incoming shoes during last weekend’s now infamous Iraq press conference, but it seems White House Press Secretary Dana Perino was somewhat less fortunate. According to reports (hers included) Perino sustained a black eye when a US Secret Service agent (code named ‘Keystone Cop’) toppled a microphone stand during the subsequent melee.

What, Me Worry?

As is customary with this president, George Bush just shrugged it all off. What’s another pair of shoes for a man who has cost so many innocent people their legs? What’s another black eye? Bush is without conscience. Why should he care if a stranger tosses their shoes in his direction? He did, after all, encourage ‘them’ to “bring it on”, didn’t he? I just don’t think he was anticipating a size 10 wingtip. Nonetheless, the old adage stands… if the shoe fits, wear it.

As for Perino, her physical wounds will heal soon enough. It is the black eye to her own legacy with which she should be most concerned. Her days as mouthpiece for the lamest of all ducks are quickly drawing to a close. When that chump of a duck limps out of the Oval Office for the last time on January 20th, Dana Perino will find herself left to the wolves. Just ask Scott McClellan. He could write a book on the subject.

Of course, Perino’s own snide demeanor has undoubtedly left many with reason to dream of knocking black circles around her beady little eyes. Irony has not been lost on the fact that it came down to the Secret Service to accomplish the dirty deed. What a long, strange trip it has truly been. The truth hurts, I guess, or at least in this instance, it smarts a little. My advice to Dana? Just do what you always do… ignore it and it will go away.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The Infinite Echo Lists the Top Twenty Best Novels of All Time

2008-12-10T11:17:00.009-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

As the year draws to an end, it seems an appropriate time to present our current list of the top twenty novels of all time. I’m certain many readers will feel we have left out books that belong in the list and included some that don’t. You are welcome, and in fact, encouraged to compile your own list and send it to us. We will post all lists submitted, providing of course, the content of your list is appropriate for posting. Enjoy.

Moby Dick
Herman Melville -1851

The Fountainhead
Ayn Rand -1943

The Iliad
Homer -800 BCE

War and Peace
Tolstoy -1865

The Cider House Rules
John Irving -1985

Light in August
William Faulkner -1932

A Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens -1859

True at First Light
Ernest Hemingway -1953

The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck -1939

Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe -1852

The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger -1951

Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand -1957

Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut -1969

Something Wicked This Way Comes
Ray Bradbury -1962

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Mark Twain -1876

The Sun Also Rises
Ernest Hemingway -1926

A Prayer For Owen Meany
John Erving -1989

Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte -1847

1984
George Orwell -1949

The Sound and the Fury
William Faulkner -1929

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The War Prayer

2008-11-28T06:56:00.002-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T14:19:00.005-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

With Thanksgiving upon us, America is facing crisis on a number of fronts. The troubled economy is first and foremost in the minds of most, but our problems go well beyond our current economic woes. Much like the children’s story about a certain Mr. Dumpty, our nation is experiencing fractures from the impact of a great fall, and we’ll need more than a new king and his henchmen to piece this thing back together.

Of course, I mean no slight to the president elect. Obama has assembled an impressive team of respected minds to lead us out of this mire. Still, they will have many obstacles set before them in coming months. The situation is both dire, and ugly.

Talking Turkey

On a lighter note…
Here along the home front, the turkey is in the oven, and a fresh pot of coffee is on the way. Earlier this morning, the power was off for an hour or so, which wasn’t so bad, really. We all climbed out of bed, placed lit candles in strategic locations, and proceeded to heat water on our gas stove for the purpose of hot coco. As it turns out, hot coco by candlelight at six in the morning is a wonderful way to start thanksgiving day.

It has been raining for hours, but the sun is beginning to poke through the clouds from time to time. At sixty-eight degrees, we are not discussing global warming today. It’s just too nice out… it wouldn’t seem prudent. It’s for weather like this, after all, that people move to the valley in the first place.

You may have noticed I haven’t been posting as often as I would like, but hopefully I’ll get a few more posts up in the coming days. There has been much to write about, but my attention has been elsewhere. I just wanted to take a few moments of my time, (and perhaps a few minutes of yours) to count my blessing contemplate the future. Hopefully, I’ll see you there.

Until next time, happy Thanksgiving, and may your turkey (and your thoughts) be both tasteful and tender.

Brad

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Book Review: The Garden of Eden - Ernest Hemingway

2008-11-20T18:44:00.006-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The Garden of Eden, though incomplete at the time of Ernest Hemingway’s death, contains some of the author’s most brilliant writing. Unfortunately, the brilliance is pinned beneath a steady current of mundane, meaningless pretense. This could have been a classic example of the ‘Lost Generation’s' literary contributions. Unfortunately, it is not.

It is the story of American novelist David Bourne and his intellectually inclined, but emotionally challenged bride, Catherine. Together, they spend an endless summer in the Mediterranean swimming, and dining, and drinking, and sleeping it off. And waking and showering, and oh yeah, they spend an unusual amount of time kissing and frolicking naked, even for hormonally motivated newlyweds.

Catherine quickly bores with their new routine, and decides she can spice up the relationship with a deeper tan and matching haircuts. More drinking ensues, as does more sex and more sleeping it off. Not enough, you ask?

Enter Marita. Well, needless to say, this new girl complicates matters in untold ways.(told, actually). What transpires is as sordid and predictable as only any average reader can imagine. (I’ll kindly leave the details of the affair unresolved). In fact, a reader could probably skip chapters two through fifteen and never miss a step.

The meat and potatoes of the story comes during chapter sixteen, disguised as a side dish. It’s a story within a story, about a boy and his father on safari in Africa. Here, Hemingway shines as only Hemingway can. His words flow from the proverbial pen with grace and passion, with intense focus and purpose. From these innermost (and far less trivial) thoughts, we are finally witness to the genius that was Ernest Hemingway.

David Bourne and his new wife are seriously flawed figures. There is little to like about either of them. Still, I can’t help but sense this story might have been somewhat auto-biographical. Bourne and Hemingway have much in common, including an insatiable appetite for absinth and alcohol. Africa seems almost incidental in comparison.

I can’t say I recommend The Garden of Eden, unless swimming and dining and drinking, and then even more drinking, tends to be your thing. All others might want to steer clear.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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De Re Metallica Revisited - The Medieval Book of Mining and Metallurgy Pt. Two

2008-08-25T18:28:00.008-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Originally published in 1556, Georgius Agricola's groundbreaking book De Re Metallica remained the leading scientific journal of mining and metallurgy for over two hundred years. It was the first book about mining to be based on field research and observation. The massive tome was also the first to offer detailed illustrations of the various, highly specialized mining techniques, relevant to the period.

Agricola was born March 24th, 1494, arriving on the threshold of the Renaissance. De Re Metallica contains an unprecedented volume of material on alluvial mining, surveying, smelting, alchemy and more, and provides an otherwise unavailable glimpse into the world of medieval mining.

Georgius Agricola passed away on November 23rd, 1555 at the age of 61. Agricola had completed writing De Re Metallica by 1550, but the book did not go to press until 1553. Ironically, Agricola did not live to see his masterful volume published.

In 1912, Herbert Hoover and his wife Lou Henry Hoover translated De Re Metallica from it's original Latin text into English. This new edition was made available only in very limited copies, and was quickly bought up by libraries, historians and book collectors. Long out of print, this rare edition has itself grown in value. In 1950, the book was once again published in hardback, including all 289 of the original woodcut illustrations. These unusual, and highly detailed drawings offer a glimpse into the daily lives of medieval mining communities, and the curious devices they contrived.

Much credit is due Agricola, as his contributions to the sciences of the ages is without precedent. He is credited with advancements in Geology, Mineralogy, Mining Engineering and much more. Agricola was a scientist. He had little use for alchemy, and those who would be alchemists. He explored soil mechanics, tunneling procedures, and even expounded on a simple but profound understanding of potential dangers permeating the ground, and the release of deadly gasses, which he referred to as exhales.

The world has changed dramatically since the first publishing of De Re Metallica, as has the science of mining and metallurgy. Still, Agricola's work remains an irreplaceable scientific journal and indeed, one of a kind. The book is highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of medieval mining. The book can be difficult to find, but don't fret, copies are available. If you have trouble locating one right away, you just may need to do a little digging.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The World According to Garp - John Irving - Book Review

2008-08-13T10:51:00.002-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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John Irving, iconic American novelist, born March 2, 1942, garnered critical acclaim in 1978 with the release of his fourth tomb, The World According to Garp, a dark, but gripping tale of love and loss, of friendship and of loneliness.

Sex and promiscuity return as the central theme in this modern tale of dysfunction, as Irving presents the reader with an array of colorful but sensitive characters. The central protagonist, Garp, as he is referred to, grows up in a world compromised by lust and betrayal. As an adult, little changes in his disturbing world but the names, as Garp confronts good intentions with disastrous results.

As is nearly always the case with an Irving novel, we learn to love his most dysfunctional characters the most. We grow as they grow, we suffer as they suffer, and ultimately, we die silent deaths in the shadows of these tragic people and the events which shape their lives.

The antagonist in The World According to Garp seems to shift from one chapter to the next, but in fact remains metaphorically consistent with John’s implied intent. The real antagonist is ourselves, always and forever in contrast with our own moral and ethical self loathing. It is we, who are the enemies of our souls. “In the World According to Garp,” a young Donald Witcomb would write, “we are obliged to remember everything.”

The novel ends as tragically and as ironically it begins, leaving the reader with a real sense of loss. It is an art form Irving has mastered, and continues to share with great passion. His novels are timeless statements on humanity, and although perhaps not suitable for young readers, I strongly recommend his work to adults of all ages.

Irving, who studied under the Late Kurt Vonnegut at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop during the sixties, continues to live and write in his home state of New Hampshire. Other novels by John Irving include: Setting Free the Bears, The Water-Method Man, The 158-Pound Marriage, A Prayer For Owen Meany, The Hotel New Hampshire and Cider House Rules. For further information on John Irving and his novels, visit your local library or book store.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Book Review -John Steinbeck-Tortilla Flat

2008-07-31T18:25:00.002-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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John Steinbeck, the voice of American conscience, and a true literary genius. His work has grown increasingly important in these modern times, these devoid of his ceaseless grace and passion. His words hang like crystal chandeliers in a world inhabited by shadows. John Steinbeck is more than a novelist. He is our reflection.

Tortilla Flat represents Steinbeck’s first critical and popular success as a novelist. Comprised of seventeen ‘episodes, Tortilla Flat documents the events surrounding a group of ‘paisanos living on the fringes of society in the fishing community of Monterey, California nearly a century ago.

It is a story of Danny’s house, and Danny’s friends. It is a story of loss and redemption, and more loss. It is a tale of meaningless triumph, of alcoholism, of loneliness and of friendship. Steinbeck warns the reader of such impending peril, and delivers with great sadness. Such is the fabric of Tortilla Flat.

Ultimately, Tortilla Flat confronts the basic tenets of morality, steeped in a shadowy broth. Sometimes humorous, but always painful in it’s analysis, the story tumbles and slides down the slopes of humanity. Blood and wine are equally spilled, and the loss is communally shared.

The story ends as it begins, full circle, cryptic and proverbial. It is Danny’s house and these are Danny’s friends. Like the candle that burns in the evening, and by morning, was never there, Tortilla flat tells us of a world that existed once, but only within the bounds of it’s own jurisdiction. With Tortilla Flat, John Steinbeck does not create a world we wish to share, but instead shares a world with us created by others. A world created by Danny and his friends.

Born February 27th, 1902 John Steinbeck grew up in Salinas California, and much of his writing is centered around these peoples of the coast. Perhaps best known for his depression era masterpiece, Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck wrote several unforgettable novels, including Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, East of Eden and The Pearl. Steinbeck passed away on December 20th, 1968, but his writing lives on.

“Now it is over”, remarks Pilon, friend of Danny’s and fellow resident of Tortilla Flat. “Now the great times are done. Thy friends will mourn, but nothing will come of their mourning.” Perhaps Pilon was correct all along.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Welcome to the Paradigm

2008-07-15T08:49:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Welcome to the paradigm.
Publishing, as we know it, will never be the same.

With the explosion of the internet, information of all nature has become available at the touch of a finger-tip. Conversely, newspapers, magazines, and other print medium have seen a sharp decrease in circulation, as more and more households go online. For aspiring writers and journalists anxious to break into the business, it is understandable there would be uncertainly as to which team one should hitch their wagon.

The answer of course, is quite simple. Diversify. Each project should be approached individually. Just as a painter might use multiple brushes, it is reasonable to consider your options.

Obviously, the internet provides endless opportunity for writers of all styles, with few of the stumbling blocks normally associated with an established publishing house. An author can reach a large audience immediately, and can interact with readers in a way not available to print authors. However, having your work published online should not be the end all. Publishing is still a business, and as such, your writing must retain a high level of quality if you wish to be taken seriously.

As a freelance writer, I have found the internet to be artistically satisfying, but financially less appealing. A six hundred word article written for the Daily Planet usually pays in the neighborhood of fifty cents to a buck per word. Online publishers however, often pay little if anything.

As with any endeavor, success is determined by work ethic. There is no free lunch. As such, one can only expect to receive as much as one is willing to give. Creative writing is indeed, a gift to be shared, but as with any craft, one must constantly be learning and practicing, or risk atrophy.

Enter online publishing. Think of the internet as the shallow end of the publishing pool. Jump in, get your feet wet. It's really not so bad, once you get a feel for it. You'll know when your ready for deeper waters.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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William Faulkner, American Literary Icon

2008-07-14T19:04:00.004-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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William Faulkner is without question, one of the most unique and influential American literary voices of the last century. His works have influenced many of the giants, including literary legends John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway. Still, no-one would be taken aback more by all the fuss than William Faulkner himself, who wrote to live, and lived to write.

Underwood Universal Portable typewriter,
similar to those used by William Faulkner.

Faulkner, Born William Cuthbert Falkner, September 25th, 1897, cranked out literally hundreds of short stories, novels and novellas during the 1920s and 30s. He was a tireless writer, wearing out countless Underwood Universal Portable typewriters, which he purchased second hand. Still, he remained virtually unknown until 1949, when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature. Although his real last name was spelled without the u', a misprint (typo) by his first publisher led him to adopt the new spelling. Faulkner wasn't one for formality. For William Faulkner, it was all about the characters and the story line. Let the critics say what they may.

Just as John Steinbeck wrote of the west during the depression era, Faulkner preferred to write about his home of Mississippi, whose people and culture he understood all too well. His tales of the south's soft underbelly, the hapless pursuits of the poor and the poorly educated, are piqued together through pride and prejudice. They leave behind haunting and perhaps painful shadows with which the reader must cope. Faulkner stands tall alongside other monumental writers of the south, including Tennessee Williams, Flannery O'Connor, and Mark Twain. Faulkner's legacy is one for the ages.

Faulkner is perhaps best known for his novel, Sanctuary, a classic tale of betrayal and tragedy, steeped in a surly broth. Violence seems not so much tolerated in this story, as accepted, almost as a form of currency. And human life, or any form thereof, is rendered incidental, as is exemplified by the child behind the stove. Some things cannot be explained, so much as indemnified. These were dark days for the south. Dark days, indeed!

"Better for her if she were dead tonight, Horace thought, walking on. For me too. He thought of her, Popeye, the woman, the child, Goodwin, all put into a single chamber, bare, lethal, immediate and profound: a single blotting instant between the indignation and the surprise."

William Faulkner died July, 6th, 1962 at age 64. He was buried in Byhalia Mississippi. His works are too numerous to list here. See Wikipedia for a more complete listing of his works.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Condoleezza Rice - A Trail of Failure

2008-06-01T08:16:00.003-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

For Condoleezza Rice, her years as Secretary of State have been nothing if not Catastrophic. The once rising star of the Bush administration has proven herself inept at a multitude of levels, unable to cope, let alone demonstrate even a modicum of palpable intellect or diplomacy. She has been an embarrassment to herself and the Bush administration.

Since Rice assumed the position January of 2005, the White House agenda to promote freedom and democracy worldwide has resulted in monumental failure. Under her watch the crisis in the Middle East has been severely exacerbated. The US has already suffered the loss of over 4500 lives fighting an un-winnable war against an un-definable enemy.

As for Condoleezza, her demeanor has gone from swagger to stammer. She has lost her confidence. She has lost her nerve. She has lost her credibility.

It must be painful to watch helplessly as one's reputation implodes under scrutiny. Her jingoistic prediction of pending mushroom clouds were accepted as fact by millions of good Americans and right about now many of those same Americans feel deceived. True to form, Condi has never publicly expressed remorse for the lies.

Condoleezza's trail of failure runs long. Victories have been few and insignificant at best.In nearly every notable instance, her style has led to a deterioration in diplomatic relations.

North Korea, Iran, Syria, Lebanon; take your pick. All have seen their relationship with the US languish under the Bush administration. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has taken an ugly turn for the worse, while the ongoing genocide in Darfur has been all but ignored. The situation is grim.

Still, don't any real shift in administration policy as long as Bush remains in the White House. George W. Bush chose to be a war president. Indeed, war will be his legacy and failure his longest shadow. As Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice has contributed in no small way to the undoing of this administration. Hers is a trail of failure, a trail that can only lead to a dead end.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Sex and the Sordid Details

2008-05-28T19:22:00.002-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

C’mon guys,
Is this really necessary?

Another day, another scandal. Forget the new 'Sex in the City' movie. Leave the yet to be released 'Brittany Sex Tapes’ for another day. This is the week polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs takes center stage. How does this happen in America? Gosh, I hope to hell I’m being rhetorical, cause it’s a question to which I’d rather not learn the answer.

According to CNN, Jeffs, age 52, is in a Utah prison, serving two consecutive terms of five years to life, following conviction on two charges of being an accomplice to rape in connection with a marriage he performed in 2001. He also faces trial in Arizona on eight additional charges, including sexual conduct with a minor, incest and conspiracy.

It’s not the kind of story this grown man even cares to read about, but I must admit, I was caught off guard by the photos of Jeffs making kissy-mouth with little girls. I certainly would not associate with a man who conducted himself in such a manner around children. Shouldn’t there have been flyers up in the post office warning parents Jeffs lived in the neighborhood?

In the real world, Warren Jeffs is considered by most to be a pedophile, not a prophet. He may see it differently, but then, it is the intent of the pathological mind to overlook the obvious. Mission accomplished, I suppose.

So now the media is awash with these outrageous photos, and for once, Brittany will get a few days out of the headlines, whether she likes it or not.

My real concern, of course, is for the children. Most of us more or less start off on the right track, but it’s a difficult road ahead. I can only imagine what these kids are going through. I would like to believe the majority of them will pull through just fine, but this is far from my line of expertise, and thus the source of my anxiety.

Children of the future, unite. In doing so, please rest assured not all adults are bad. Some of us however, may be more than just a tad confused. It is not always easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys, either. You just sort of learn as you go along. Don't worry though, little one's... us adults will be keeping an eye on you, and hopefully, with any luck at all, none of us will be leering.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Harry and the Monologue

2008-05-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

It’s only Tuesday, and already, it’s been quite a week. I have been working away on a monologue I am set to deliver this Saturday at Flower Street Station in Phoenix.

As you might guess, listening to a monologue and delivering a monologue are quite different, and composing this first monologue has not proven a simple task. For several days now, I have shouldered the burden of great anxiety over the content, you know, just trying to find the right words to share on such a momentous occasion.

In fact, it has begun to adversely effect my sleep to the point where I am experiencing nightmares. Usually I don’t recall my dreams, but one in particular continues to haunt me.

In this dream, I’m sitting in the front row of what begins as a typical show here at Flower Street station, but then suddenly morphs into a large, exquisite auditorium, complete with orchestra pit, and an entire orchestra, with a pair of cellists sitting just below me, perhaps no further than three or four feet away. In this dream, I am so close to the musicians, I can see the eyes as they follow along with the dots on the sheets of music before them, strange, as I should have been staring at the backs of their heads. May I remind you, it was, of course, only a dream.

On stage is a large, pearl white grand piano. Playing that piano is none other than singer, songwriter, Marc Cohn, known primarily for his one big hit, Walking in Memphis released back in 1991. In fact, Mr. Cohn is performing a rather moving rendition of Walking in Memphis, and is just about to admit to being a Christian of convenience, when out of the blue, in swings Terrible Ted Nugent, high above the crowd, one hand grasping a rope, the other a cross-bow. Terrible Ted is quite old in my dream. He appears to be in his late seventies, perhaps older. Like many his age he has little body fat… he is all skin and muscle, and he is wearing nothing more than a deer skin G-string and a camouflage-colored military style beret that makes him appear as though he is wearing camel genitalia on his forehead. It is not a pretty sight, mind you, and it’s about to get downright ugly.

Just as the song is reaching it’s dramatic crescendo, Ted aims with precision, discharging his trusty cross-bow. Ted, as you know, is a master marksman and bow hunter. He scores a direct hit, striking Mr. Cohn in the center of his heart, which explodes on impact, sending a stream of blood gushing onto the pearl white grand piano, and covering the nearly naked Nugent. As Ted reaches up to wipe the blood from his eyes, he looses grip of the rope and falls into the orchestra pit below, impaled on a cello. There he lies, obviously mortally wounded, poked through the middle like a shish kabob.

I react as any man would. I lean over the orchestral pit, and I ask the mortally impaled Ted if he is alright. Of course, he isn’t alright, and I believe he would have said as much if he hadn’t been so delirious. Ted is in shock now, and his time on this Earth slipping away. Again, I speak to the dying man, asking if he has any last words before moving on to that great used car lot in the sky. He looks at me with a kind of a look only a nearly dead Ted Nugent can conjure up, and with his final breath, mutters the words,,, Harry Bedurchy.

Harry Bedurchy, and then he just slumps back on the cello and dies. Harry Bedurchy, I repeat, as the house lights come on and the crowd begins to shuffle out. Harry Bedurchy, indeed, and with that I awakened from my dream. Even now, I have no idea what may have prompted this nightmarish scenario. I can only wonder.

Well, I suppose it’s time to wrap up this, my first of monologues. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, and I hope the next time you hear the song Walking in Memphis, you think of an aged Ted Nugent sporting camel genitalia. I know I will. Good night everyone. Oh and by all means, Harry Bedurchy.

Brad

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Book Review - TimeQuake by Kurt Vonnegut

2008-03-29T12:46:00.004-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

“Ten years of déjà vu all over again!” At least that is what Kurt Vonnegut would have wanted us to believe when he penned what would ultimately be his last full length novel, Time Quake. It’s all classic Vonnegut, as we live and ultimately relive ten years with our aging, bag lady of a protagonist, Kurt’s alter ego, Kilgore Trout.

Of course, it’s always fun and games where Vonnegut is concerned, providing you appreciate his particular political leanings. Vonnegut survived the bombing of Dresden while being held captive by the Germans during WW11. The experience left him bitter and resentful toward the powers that wage war, and rightfully so.

"Many years ago, I was so innocent I still considered it possible that we could become the humane and reasonable America so many members of my generation used to dream of. We dreamed of such an America during the Great Depression, when there were no jobs. And then we fought and often died for that dream during the Second World War, when there was no peace.

But I know now that there is not a chance in hell of America's becoming humane and reasonable. Because power corrupts us, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Human beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power. By saying that our leaders are power-drunk chimpanzees, am I in danger of wrecking the morale of our soldiers fighting and dying in the Middle East? Their morale, like so many bodies, is already shot to pieces. They are being treated, as I never was, like toys a rich kid got for Christmas".

Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt knew Time Quake would be his last full length work, and he takes the opportunity to share his wit in true Vonnegut style. It isn’t always pretty, but then it isn’t always meant to be. Indeed, a world without Vonnegut is a world without his stubborn moral conscience.

Time Quake asks us the proverbial question: What if we could go back ten years and do it all over again? Would we make changes? What if we were forced to turn the clock back ten years, only to repeat the same mistakes we were destined to make the first time? Does man really learn from his mistakes, or do platitudes simply come cheap?

When Kurt past away April 11th, 2007, he left the world a wealth of absurdities. He left us Bokononism and Ice Nine, and more than a handful of unforgettable novels. Time Quake may not have been Kurt’s best work, but it leaves the reader satisfied and longing.
Longing for the days when we could count on Kurt Vonnegut to spin a yarn so wide and so deep, only the U.S. Marines could save us from the quagmire. God bless you, Kurt Vonnegut. Time waits for no man.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Lake Wobegon Days - by Garrison Keillor - Book Review

2008-03-28T15:36:00.003-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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“Dogs don’t lie, and why should I?
Strangers come, they growl and bark.
They know their loved ones in the dark.
Now let me, by night or day,
Be just as full of truth as they.”

Garrison Keillor
Lake Wobegon Days

For those not familiar with the work of Garrison Keillor, Lake Wobegon Days represents an ideal place to get acquainted. The reader accompanies Keillor as he reminisces about the good old days, through his eyes, those of a timid observer, rather than active participant. It’s a ruse, of course. One designed to draw the reader in, similar to the way a fisherman gently tightens the drag just before giving a firm tug on the line. Before you have a opportunity to react, your hooked. Come to think of it, I suspect Garrison would appreciate the fishing metaphor.

Garrison may have dreamed-up the sleepy town of Lake Wobegon, but he certainly didn’t imagine the setting. Lake Wobegon represents any one of perhaps thousands of small towns and lakes for which Minnesota is known.
Keillor shares with us Wobegon’s most memorable residents, living and otherwise.

Keillor serves as the narrator, and it’s all in good fun, as we meet the neighbors, an array of aunts and uncles and many distant relatives of varied sorts. We tour their living rooms, we attend their church services and we even meet the ministers wife. We sit it the freshly painted pews, and on occasion, we tell a few dirty jokes. Well, actually, Garrison does. It’s a feel good experience from cover to cover, and one that leaves the reader longing for rutted back roads, and a slow drive past the old alma mater.

Lake Wobegon days is packed full of colorful people, and the stories of their equally colorful lives, and in some cases, deaths (RIP Wally Bunson). Sometimes we laugh when we shouldn’t , but I guess that is part Garrison’s mastery, cajoling laughter from dark corners.

Finally, Lake Wobegon Days is therapy for the weary of heart. Oh, and it’s an easy read, a pleasant stroll around the old spur. I think Sister Arvonne put it best. “They’ll never remember it“, said Sister Brunnhilde. “It’s too complicated”. “It’s beautiful”, said Sister Arvonne. “Besides, everybody knows the story anyway”. She was right of course.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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House of Sand and Fog - by Andre Dubus lll - Book Review

2008-03-27T11:17:00.003-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

House of Sand and Fog, a dark tragedy of loss and relentless crisis, as two families from divergent cultures struggle for sociological integrity in a system void of compassion. Our antagonist and protagonist are one and the same, as each steamroll forward on an antagonizing and ultimately fatal collision course.

The author, Andre Dubus lll walks the reader through the process of tax foreclosure and the damage it inflicts on it’s victims. He reminds us that time and again that when dignity becomes cheap, a man can do things never imagined. Meet Colonel Behrani, former man of wealth turned struggling immigrant:

“After cutting the grasses, I thought of phoning the gentleman at the county tax office who supervised the auction, perhaps make an inquiry of this woman, but I was not able to pick up the telephone; if there is no snake at your feet, do not lift rocks at the side of the road.”

The woman of which he writes is the former home owner, Kathy Nicolo, who has lost everything, and now stands to lose her house as well. It is a fight she cannot win. Meanwhile, a love story of sorts develops, but only as fodder for greater and greater disruption and disillusionment. At times the tension becomes readily palpable.

The writing is exceptionally well crafted. House of Sand and Fog flows from page to page with great ease, the heart pounding harder with each passage. I won‘t give it away, but predictably, the story does not conclude with a happy ending. Quite to the contrary, I’m afraid, leaving the reader exasperated, and perhaps more than a tad empty. House of sand and Fog may well be remembered as a literary classic for the ages, but a feel-good story it isn’t. Dubus carves his ground carefully. The subsequent scars run deep.

I wouldn’t recommend this novel to just any reader, as the subject matter is at times, jarring. This is highbrow literature at it’s finest and we would be wise to expect more extraordinary works from Dubus in the future. Still, House of Sand and Fog is a cautionary tale, and was not written with the light hearted in mind.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

2008-03-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

"The further you are from the last big earthquake, the nearer you are to the next". - Perry Byerly, Department of Seismology, University of California.

Everyone knew it was coming. Still, no-one could be certain when the next great earthquake would arrive. It did arrive. At precisely 5:12 a.m. on the morning of April 18th, 1906.

The city of San Francisco was devastated by the massive quake. The Earth ripped and buckled. It bucked and swayed. Throughout the city, church bells clanged with unbridled urgency, as damaged structures collapsed in a tempest. From Russian Hill to the Mission district, destruction reigned, unstoppable, as man and beast alike searched for sanctuary among the ruins.

Then came the fires.

Enrico Caruso was awakened from his sleep by the violence of the quake, which shook his room at the Saint Francis Hotel like a rag-doll in the jaws of a bulldog. The legendary tenor had performed brilliantly only the night before. The Opera House, by morning, now a victim of the destructive forces of nature. In the hours ahead, Caruso's life would change forever, as would the city of San Francisco.

Perhaps the subsequent fires could have been prevented, but such was not the case. What began as the Ham and Eggs Fire' soon spread, touching off other fires, quickly engulfing the city in flames. Backfires were set and entire neighborhoods dynamited in an effort to slow the advancing inferno, resulting in greater and greater devastation.

Looters and law-breakers were often shot on sight. The military, more ruthless than precise, demonstrated little compassion for the citizens they were sworn to protect. With every hour, the city was increasingly becoming bedlam. Streets were strewn with the living and the dead alike. Rats, formerly stealth in nature, now gathered in great numbers, bringing with them fears of plague.

And still, the fires burned.

Earthquakes unleash a certain type of destruction. Fires another. When the two happen together, in succession, the results are nearly indescribable. Photographs from the disaster reveal a beaten but resolute society, scraping the soot from their shoes, as they set about the task of rebuilding their city.
Even the very shape of the San Francisco was different now. The shoreline had changed as well, whipped mercilessly by a sudden shift in a fault-line hundreds of miles in length.

Market Street was reduced to rubble. Kearney Street, also lie in ruin, the Hall of Justice, a monument to the destruction. Within hours, much of what did not fall, would burn. Even the Palace Hotel, in all it's splendor, could not be saved. Total loss of life has been estimated at between seven hundred and two thousand lives.

Today, the city of San Francisco waits, as yet another devastating earthquake approaches. When it arrives is anyone's guess, but it will arrive, and with equally devastating results. Is this great city on the coast ready for such a cataclysmic event? Can San Francisco survive another monumental quake like the one that struck in April of 1906? One can only wait and wonder.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Ernest Hemingway, American Literary Icon

2008-02-24T06:36:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

"In Africa a thing is true at first light, and a lie by noon and you have no more respect for it than for the lovely, perfect weed-fringed lake you see across the sun-baked salt plain. You have walked across that plain in the morning and you know that no such lake is there. But now it is there absolutely true, beautiful and believable."
-Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway, an American literary icon, whose life, was as extraordinary as his writing. Born in July of 1899, Hemingway is credited by many with having changed the voice of literature in twentieth century America. His passion was ever present, his words revealing. An avid outdoorsman and adventurer, Ernest brought his world into our world, he brought his adventures into our living rooms, and together we shared the pain and loss dominant in his writing.

He wrote many unforgettable novels, including A Farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and the fictional memoir, True at First Light, but it was his classic novella, The Old Man and the Sea, which earned him his Pulitzer Prize in 1953, defining Hemingway and his unique style of writing.

Ernest Hemingway always seemed to be searching for something, a search which would lead him to France in his youth and later Africa, where he hunted wild game, finding inspiration for some of his most intriguing stories. While on safari, Hemingway contracted dysentery, which nearly cost him his life. He was seriously mauled lion hunting, survived two plane crashes, and once shot himself in the foot while deep-sea fishing.

Unfortunately, the one killer Hemingway could not overcome was mental illness. Years of alcoholism and a lifetime of self abuse eventually took its toll, ravaging his body and his mind. Mental illness is a lonely road, and one which Ernest was increasingly unable to navigate. On July 2nd, 1961 Hemingway ended his life with a shotgun. At age sixty-one, Ernest Hemingway was gone.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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John McCain, Ronald Reagan and Other Disturbing Thoughts

2008-02-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

This shouldn’t surprise any of you, but I grew up in Arizona. As such, I know crashing your fighter jet onto the deck of an aircraft carrier does not make you a hero. That’s just what John McCain did. I can still recall the images of the carnage there on the deck of the Intrepid. McCain was unable to match the damage done previously by Japanese Kamikaze pilots, but he certainly gave it the ol’ college try. Just a little straight talk.

If that wasn’t disturbing enough, he then managed to get “shot down”. I wasn’t there when it happened, so I won’t dispute the details, but if I were looking for someone to pilot something as important as our country, I certainly wouldn’t turn to John McCain based on his flight record. The man was an iffy pilot. Oh, and by the way… he hasn’t been much of a senator either.

However, in defense of McCain, I understand why he is on the outs with the neo- conservatives. You see, John McCain sometimes lives in Arizona. Not nearly as much as most residents, but he has spent some time in the valley. In fact, his office is just up the street from mine.

That’s 16th Street, a major artery running through downtown Phoenix. It is one of the oldest roads in the valley. When I was a kid, 16th was lined with large ditches, dug by Mexican laborers over a century ago. The ditches are gone now. The Mexicans are not. Oh, this may be a big deal to some idiot jackass racist Republican, but to me, they are my neighbors.

As you may know, I attended an appearance by Bill Clinton at Grady Gammage Auditorium on the ASU campus in downtown Tempe last week. What you probably don’t know is that the auditorium was built above the ruins of an old Mexican village called San Pablo.

In simple words, this was all part of Mexico not too many years ago. When some fool pops off about “sending them home” I can’t stop laughing. I ‘d be willing to bet any of you idiots my neighbors bloodline goes back further than yours does. This is home for these people, and has been for centuries. Your relatives picked up and left home. They’re relatives did not. Now you want them to leave? Kiss my ass!

And such is the rub for John McCain. He has lived in Arizona long enough, and represented these people long enough to know that every word I’ve written is true.

The problem is further compounded when Ronald Reagan is brought into the picture. You see, the neo- cons love the ‘Gipper, but isn’t he most heralded for urging the so called ‘bad guys to “tear down that wall”? How can a good ‘Reagan republican’ support the building of another Iron Curtain, this one in our own back yard? No really, I kid you not… right through back yards. Right through gardens and neighborhoods. Right through towns. Just like the Iron Curtain in Russia, with one distinct difference. Like the dicks we are, ours will be bigger.

As predicted, the Mexicans are beginning to pack up and "go home". The apartments, once full of Mexicans, lay vacant. No more tenants, no more tamale lady, no more customers buying cerveza and lottery tickets from the bodega on the corner. The local economy has bellied up, thank you very much! And this is just the beginning, mi amigos. If the Republicans have it their way, it won’t be long until Phoenix can’t afford a bano to piss in.

But what does some dork who flunked geography care? He thinks the Mexicans are taking away jobs. He thinks he should have the option to pick onions for a living. Now he does. Flunky has no concept. Flunky has never even been to a border town. He just hates Mexicans. In fact, I’ve met plenty of people like Flunky. Most have little if any understanding. They are ignorant trash.

So what is John McCain to do? Supplicate the neo- cons who already despise him? A real war hero would stick to his guns, and McCain may have the ammo to take on his detractors. Still, it’s apt to get downright nasty, if it hasn’t already. John McCain is in the fight of his life… against his fellow republicans.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Book Review: John Irving - The World According to Garp

2008-01-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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John Irving, iconic American novelist, born March 2, 1942, garnered critical acclaim in 1978 with the release of his fourth tomb, The World According to Garp, a dark, but gripping tale of love and loss, of friendship and of loneliness.

Sex and promiscuity return as the central theme in this modern tale of dysfunction, as Irving presents the reader with an array of colorful but sensitive characters. The central protagonist, Garp, as he is referred to,
grows up in a world compromised by lust and betrayal. As an adult, little changes in his disturbing world but the names, as Garp confronts good intentions with disastrous results.

As is nearly always the case with an Irving novel, we learn to love his most dysfunctional characters the most. We grow as they grow, we suffer as they suffer, and ultimately, we die silent deaths in the shadows of these tragic people and the events which shape their lives.

The antagonist in The World According to Garp seems to shift from one chapter to the next, but in fact remains metaphorically consistent with John’s implied intent. The real antagonist is ourselves, always and forever in contrast with our own moral and ethical self loathing. It is we, who are the enemies of our souls. “In the World According to Garp,” a young Donald Witcomb would write, “we are obliged to remember everything.”

The novel ends as tragically and as ironically it begins, leaving the reader with a real sense of loss. It is an art form Irving has mastered, and continues to share with great passion. His novels are timeless statements on humanity, and although perhaps not suitable for young readers, I strongly recommend his work to adults of all ages.

Irving, who studied under the Late Kurt Vonnegut at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop during the sixties, continues to live and write in his home state of New Hampshire. Other novels by John Irving include: Setting Free the Bears, The Water-Method Man, The 158-Pound Marriage, A Prayer For Owen Meany, The Hotel New Hampshire and Cider House Rules. For further information on John Irving and his novels, visit your local library or book store.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Book Review - John Steinbeck - Tortilla Flat

2008-01-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Public Appearance

2008-01-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Greetings!
For those interested, I’ll be making a brief public appearance this afternoon at: Jennerisms, 810 Valley St. in Prescott between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. I don’t believe there is any admission fee, so please feel welcome to drop by.

B. Thomas Cooper

I’ll be performing two brief sets on my acoustic, and I’ll make myself available afterward for questions, etc. I hope to meet some of you there!

Brad
B. Thomas Cooper

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

The Broken Promise

2008-01-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Bush has really done a number on America. In fact, his irresponsible conduct has done more damage to the United States than bin Laden and Saddam Hussein combined. So then, why shouldn’t Bush also swing from the neck? He should, of course.

There is no longer any doubt George W. Bush and his administration lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The result has been devastating! There is little question the invasion of Iraq was avoidable. We shouldn’t even be there.

The consequence has been the deaths of thousands of innocent people, none which happened to be Americans, by the way. Innocent people don’t occupy foreign countries. Still, some very horrible Americans support that war. Those are some sick people, scumbags to the last man. You wanted blood, you got it!

Bush has less than a year in office, but it’s already too late. The damage is done. Americas reputation is shot. The U.S. is no longer land of the free nor home of the brave. It is however, the mother lode of self serving, shit for brains. Bush says history will judge his administration accordingly, but history is now! Let the judgment begin.

The Republicans want us to believe the soviet Union collapsed as a result of a few stupid remarks made by the Gipper. Bad science from bad people. The last thing they want to admit is that the USSR was really brought down by bin Laden, especially since he is now targeting us.

Republicans don’t like to be reminded of the thousands of innocent people whose deaths they are responsible for. They don’t like to admit this entire Iraq affair is about greed and pride. No, of course not!

I’ve seen the way Republicans act when they think no-one is looking. Out come the clown suit and the handgun, first opportunity. Out goes common sense. After all, you never know when you might have to shoot a child, so away they go, stalking anyone they can point a gun at, children included. Republicans are just that kind of stink. They wreak cowardice.

History is now, folks. We need not wait until all of us are dead before measuring the crimes of the Bush administration. It is neither noble nor patriotic to guard the door whilst the fox raids the henhouse. Blessed are the peacemakers, not the warmongers.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

The Fall of the Aztec Empire

2008-01-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The fall of Aztec civilization has long been the subject of much debate. However, this much is clear, the Aztec were an extraordinary people, steeped in myth and mayhem. Their impact is still felt throughout Mexico.

The Aztec Empire collapsed quickly, lasting no more than a century. Some have blamed the collapse on Cortes, and the invading Spaniards, but in fact, disease and regional discord also played major roles.

In the year 1427, the Aztecs, under the rule of Itzcoatl, and with the assistance of surrounding communities successfully conquered the Tepanecs, thus gaining control of the Valley of Mexico'. However, unlike other warring nations, the Aztec were primarily interested in occupation of new territory, seeking offerings, human and otherwise, for sacrifice to their unusual Gods.

Existing community temples were burned or destroyed, replaced with Aztec alters. Residents were instructed to worship their new God, Huitzilopochtli.
Aztec religion was represented through numerous deities, most which appear on the Aztec calendar. These deities were believed responsible for blessing or cursing Aztec life. Such practices were unacceptable to many regional communities, who often found themselves or their neighbors victims of Aztec atrocities.

Around 1521, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan became infected with the small-pox virus. The subsequent epidemic wiped out nearly half the population of the city, leaving it vulnerable to attack from outside forces. Soon after, Cortes mobilized nine thousand of his own troops and nearly a hundred-fifty thousand regional troops, bringing down the Aztec Empire forever. By August of 1521, the Aztec were all but decimated, and in their wake, began the era of Spanish rule throughout Mexico.

Descendants of the Aztec continue to live throughout Mexico, and much about Aztec culture remains. Previously unknown ruins have recently been documented and excavated, leading to much new information about these amazing people. Still, like their relatives, the Mayan and the Toltec, the Aztec left behind a curious and troubling legacy, some mysteries of which we shall never fully understand.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Criminal Probe Announced in CIA Torture Cover-Up

2008-01-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Just over a year remains for the Bush administration, an administration long caught in the grip of pathos. These have been lean years for integrity in the Oval Office. George W. Bush isn’t just dishonest, he is indeed, downright pathological.

We all have our critics. I certainly have mine. Unfortunately, this goes way beyond critical commentary. George W. Bush has violated US and international law, including the Geneva Accord. He is a war criminal. He is a radical, lawless extremist.

George W. Bush stood before the nation and denied the use of ‘water-boarding‘. Of course, few believed him and judging by past performance, with good reason. The doubt was soon justified when the truth again slipped through the cracks. Bush, the pathological liar, had struck again.

With no sign of remorse, Bush lied to the nation, and to the international community as a whole. In doing so, he obstructed justice, and compromised the integrity of the country and his position of authority, an act of treason.

I’ll not mince words. Only an absolute fool would continue to defend or support the transgressions of this administration. It is neither noble nor patriotic to guard the door whilst the fox raids the henhouse. Wake up and smell the coffee, America. We have been taken for the ride of our lives, and the mileage is beginning to wear this country thin.

Today the US Justice Department announced it was opening a criminal probe into the destruction of video recordings destroyed in violation of court order. These videos are purported to have been taken during interrogations of terror suspects being held in secret prisons abroad.

"The Department's National Security Division has recommended, and I have concluded, that there is a basis for initiating a criminal investigation of this matter, and I have taken steps to begin that investigation," Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said in a statement released January 2nd, 2008.

The investigation is yet another horrible black eye for this formerly great country of ours. A scar perhaps, long to heal, if ever. This has been a sad, sad period for America. Let’s just all hope these next twelve months pass quickly. The best we can ask is that we are able to put this darkest of disasters behind us, and move forward with dignity. It won’t be easy, America. Rest assured, it will not go gently into that good night.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Seasons Greetings!

2007-12-24T08:38:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Season's Greetings!

The holiday candles are burning, my friends. Christmas is only days away. Many presents have yet to be purchased, let alone, wrapped and distributed. Thank the good lord above (thanks be to Allah, etc.) I can always count on Santa to bear the brunt of the load.

Yes, the holiday season is again upon us. Rest assured good old Saint Nick knows who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, no matter what George W. Bush or Dick Cheney may say to the contrary. I recommend two lumps a piece. Of coal that is, but then I assume you knew where I was going with this.

Ah, but I digress.

We acquired our Christmas tree in the usual manner, and from the usual suspects, whom we have ascertained use the proceeds to fund a covert children’s hospital in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. Mum is the word.

The parking lot was dimly lit. Actually, it was not lit at all. It was dark! We peered through the shadows, shaking branches curiously and horse-trading in our best broken Spanish. We settled on a fine tree. The gentle mannered attendant then secured the tree to the roof of our truck with about forty feet of heavy rope I assume was strong enough secure an angry bison to our rooftop. No extra charge.

As we pulled away from the unpaved parking area adjoining the unlit tree lot, we were greeted by the most unusual sign. 'NO REFUNDS OR RETURNS' the sign portended. They must be on to us, we mused, as we drove away, singing carols in our best broken Spanish.

More later,
Eggnog and fudge await.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Donald Rumsfeld, The Man Who Lost The War

2007-12-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Many in Washington share the blame for US failures in Iraq, but none more so than Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. From the beginning it has been his baby, and his battle plan, As Secretary of Defense, he alone shoulders the responsibility for the endless parade of disasters in Iraq. Donald Rumsfeld stands front and center. He is without question, the man who lost the war.

US ground troops prepared for the invasion of Iraq by racing their Hummers across the Nevada desert. They did not prepare for an insurgency, as they were told not to expect one. Instead, they were told they would be greeted as liberators. Rumsfeld now steadfastly insists that no-one at the time could have predicted the size or intensity of the current insurgency. A grave error indeed. Rumsfeld ignored the first rule of combat… never underestimate your opponent.

The dead keep piling up. Iraqi hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties, and still no running water or reliable electricity. Violence continues to escalate, with August of 2006 proving to be the deadliest month in Iraq since the invasion began. There are no victories, no winners. According the US Pentagon, the streets of Baghdad were safer than the streets of our own nations capital prior to the invasion. Sadly, such is obviously no longer the case.

Still, Rumsfeld continues to willfully send our young men and women into a hostile environment to be maimed or possible murdered. He has shown little remorse the mess he has made. True to form, he refuses to appear weak, when in fact, his conduct has been nothing less than cowardly. Indeed, failure in Iraq is not an option, it’s a fact. One need not strain to hear the fat lady sing. She is well through the second refrain of her swan song. Through acts of arrogance and pride, the cause is lost. There will be no victory, nor vindication. The situation cannot be salvaged, and for that, you can thank US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Or perhaps it would be more accurate if we simply refer to him as the man who lost the war.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Is George Bush Losing it?

2007-12-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

There has been much speculation as of late in regards to George W. Bush’s mental health. Questions began arising as far back as 2004, but in light of recent developments, it seems appropriate to address this very serious issue again. Let there be no mistake, George W. Bush has threatened to start World War III if he doesn’t get his way. Of course, he lays the blame at the feet of others, but the facts are clear. George Bush wants war.

George W. Bush has, and continues to threaten to bomb Iran for a weapons program it does not have. The bombing of course, would be done with real bombs the US does indeed have, rather than the make believe ones Iran has been accused of seeking.

We’ve been through this before, folks, and it’s nasty business. This is the exact same rhetoric Hitler used to justify the invasion of France. Then again, why should the excuses for World War III be any different than the excuses for World War II?

It is not unusual for world leaders to suffer from grandiose delusions, but this goes deep into the redline. Bush has his finger on the button, and he is just itching to push it before his term expires. If the president has mental health issues, it would be better to consider them now, rather than later. For instance:

“Aides report “In meetings with top aides and administration officials, the President goes from quoting the Bible in one breath to obscene tantrums against the media, Democrats and others that he classifies as "enemies of the state."

White House Aides paint a picture of an administration under siege, led by a man who declares his decisions to be "God's will" and then tells aides to "fuck over" anyone they consider to be an opponent of the administration."

“Senior aides describe Bush as increasingly “edgy” or “nervous” or “unfocused.” They say the President goes from apparent coherent thought one moment to aimless rambles about political enemies and those who are “out to get me.”

“It’s worse than the days when Ronald Reagan’s Alzheimer’s began setting in,” one longtime GOP operative told me privately this week. “You don’t know if he’s going to be coherent from one moment to the next. What scares me is if he lapses into one of those fogs during a public appearance.”

Aides say Bush, who has always had trouble focusing during times of stress, is increasingly distant during meetings, often staring off into space during discussions on the nation’s security and other issues.”

This represents only a fraction of the information I was able to find on the subject. If you are interested in learning more, simply type the criteria into your favorite search engine. I typed in “George W. Bush mental health” In the past, I have been accused of making this stuff up, but rest assured, I am neither that good, nor that vindictive. The president's mental stability is quickly becoming a real issue, one that we would all be best served if it just went away quietly.

…to a padded cell.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Black Friday, it’s All About the Green!

2007-11-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

The holiday shopping season officially begins in earnest today, as millions of anxious shoppers spend long hours jostling for parking spaces among throngs of irritable, but willing participants in this annual ritual. Black Friday, yes, it’s tradition now. Up goes the brilliantly illuminated but obviously artificial Christmas trees, standing testament to what’s really behind this seasonal cash-letting frenzy. It’s all about the cash, my friends. Black Friday is all about the green!

Ah, tis the season. Our new plasma, wide-screen televisions are just jumping with adorable digital images of ice-skating bears, and beer bottles going for the field goal. None of it’s real of course. Not even the fat, jolly guy who get’s all the credit for what many of us will still be paying for next year at this time. The fat guy did it! I’m a victim of identity theft.

And you really feel alright about letting your three year old site on this guys lap? I’d swear, without the hat and beard, he looks like that sex offender who just moved in across the street from the comic book store. You don’t suppose?

And should Santa care who’s been naughty? Isn’t the holiday supposed to be about sharing? If we didn’t share with those who have been naughty, we would have the whole world to ourselves. Correction, you would.

List or no list, I would undoubtedly fall into the ‘naughty’ category, primarily, because I am categorically naughty. You know the bit. Sometimes, when I am angry or impatient, I speak in tongues. I go into fits, slurring and flailing about like some madman, spewing vindictive even the Bible wouldn’t repeat.

In fact I suspect a lot more people can relate than care to admit. Furthermore, I would be willing to be all the money that changes hands this holiday season, thousands, if not millions are speaking in similar tongues at this very moment, shouting, and slurring, as they drive endless circles through endless parking lots in search for a lone space, any space, in a sea of cars and humanity, all in quest of a green tinted nirvana. Black Friday, if you prefer.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

If I Were President and Other Bad Ideas

2007-11-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

If I were president…
A question pondered by many, but one that can only be answered by a select few. What would I do, you ask? Well for starters…

As president of the United States, I’d probably spend much of my time in the White House rose garden, hanging with the gardener. I would undoubtedly seek his advice on a variety of subjects, starting with perennials. I might even appoint him (or her) to the Supreme Court should the opportunity arise. (After all, it almost worked with Harriet Miers).

If I were president, I would use my executive powers to insist upon the completion of the Mount Rushmore busts, which have been left unfinished for over a half a century. (Let’s see the Taliban try to destroy these busts).

I would hire an architect to install some corners in the Oval Office. I would fire Richard Cheney, and replace him with a lawn sprinkler. Actually, I don’t think it really matters what I replace Cheney with, just as long as I replace him.

I would take cooking lessons from the White House chef, and demonstrate my exquisite taste to foreign dignitaries. I would have a Taco Bell installed next to the Lincoln Bedroom. I would stay up late at night watching Conan, and fall asleep on the couch with a mouthful of pretzels.

Come to think of it, I probably wouldn’t make the best president. Then again, who would? Some of us were simply never cut out for the roll of President of the United States, and frankly, the current administration is going to be a tough act to follow.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Online Publishing

2007-11-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Welcome to the paradigm.
Publishing, as we know it, will never be the same.

With the explosion of the internet, information of all nature has become available at the touch of a finger-tip. Conversely, newspapers, magazines, and other print medium have seen a sharp decrease in circulation, as more and more households go online. For aspiring writers and journalists anxious to break into the business, it is understandable there would be uncertainly as to which team one should hitch their wagon.

The answer of course, is quite simple. Diversify. Each project should be approached individually. Just as a painter might use multiple brushes, it is reasonable to consider the various options.

Obviously, the internet provides endless opportunity for writers of all styles, with few of the stumbling blocks normally associated with an established printing house. An author can reach a large audience immediately, and can interact with readers in a way not available to print authors. However, having your work published online should not be the end all. Publishing is still a business, and as such, your writing must retain a high level of quality if you wish to be taken seriously.

As a freelance writer, I have found the internet to be artistically satisfying, but financially less appealing. A six hundred word article written for the Daily Planet usually pays in the neighborhood of fifty cents to a buck per word. Online publishers, however, often pay little if anything.

As with any endeavor, success is determined by work ethic. There is no free lunch. As such, one can only expect to receive as much as one is willing to give. Creative writing is indeed, a gift to be shared, but as with any craft, one must constantly be learning and practicing, or risk atrophy.

Enter online publishing. Think of the internet as the shallow end of the publishing pool. Jump in, get your feet wet. It’s really not so bad, once you get a feel for it. You’ll know when your ready for deeper waters.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Bonfire of the Bushisms

2007-11-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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For those of you somehow still unfamiliar with the president’s unique elocution, perhaps this post will assist in bringing you up to snuff. Fair warning dear readers, this stuff is as disturbing as it is funny.

So grab yourself a fresh cup of coffee, and enjoy a few Bushisms. If you find them as funny as I do, you can read a whole bunch more at: http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushisms2000.htm

With that having been said…
Ladlies and Gentlemums,
Let’s Rumble!

"America better beware of a candidate who is willing to stretch reality in order to win points." —George W. Bush, aboard his campaign plane, Sept. 18, 2000

"We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers." —George W. Bush, Houston, Texas, Sept. 6, 2000

"I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris. I've read — I understand reality. If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do." —George W. Bush on abortion, MSNBC's "Hardball," May 31, 2000

"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?" —George W. Bush, Concord, N.H., Jan. 29, 2000

"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2000

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." —Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000

"If you don't stand for anything, you don't stand for anything! If you don't stand for something, you don't stand for anything!" —George W. Bush, Bellevue Community College, Nov. 2, 2000

"I'm not really the type to wander off and sit down and go through deep wrestling with my soul." —George W. Bush, as quoted in Vanity Fair, October 2000

"Never again in the halls of Washington, D.C., do I want to have to make explanations that I can't explain." —George W. Bush, Portland, Oregon, Oct. 31, 2000

"They said, 'You know, this issue doesn't seem to resignate with the people.' And I said, you know something? Whether it resignates or not doesn't matter to me, because I stand for doing what's the right thing, and what the right thing is hearing the voices of people who work." —George W. Bush, Portland, Ore., Oct. 31, 2000

Now then, wasn’t that fun?
It’s just such a tragic shame it’s true.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Richard Cheney Takes the Bull by the Horns

2007-10-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Meet Richard Cheney.
When it comes to dishonesty, Mr. Cheney wrote the book.

All truth be told, it’s more of an instructional manual really, aptly titled ‘The Art of Untruth, a Practitioners Guide to Deception’. The book contains a plethora of technique and advice, all gleaned from Mr. Cheney’s illustrious experience as the world’s pre-imminent teller of lies.

Chapter headings include ’When Honesty is Not the Best Policy’ ’Fear Mongering for Fast Results’, ‘Inaccuracies and Misdirection’, ‘Lies for Fun and Profit’ and includes a finely researched collection of some of Mr. Cheney’s more sensational quotes. Here’s just a sample of what goes on in the mind of this disingenuous buffoon, a man some refer to as the most powerful war profiteer in modern history.

"In Iraq, a ruthless dictator cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. He gave support to terrorists, and had an established relationship with al Qaeda" - Nov. 7, 2003

"We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons." - March 16, 2003

"My belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators." - March 16, 2003

“The plan was criticized by some retired military officers embedded in TV studios. But with every advance by our coalition forces, the wisdom of that plan becomes more apparent.”

"I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency." - on the Iraq insurgency, June 20, 2005

“The Iraqi forces are conducting the Mother of all Retreats“.

"Go f*ck yourself." - to Sen. Patrick Leahy, during an angry exchange on the Senate floor about war profiteering by Halliburton, June 25, 2004

“I’m the Vice President, and they’re not” - January 2007

There are many more disturbing quotes attributed to our heartless vice president. After all, Dick Cheney has been telling whoppers since long before I was born. Mr. Cheney doesn’t just bend the truth, he revels in his lies. He has in fact, elevated his dishonesty into an art form…The art of untruth.

Now before you go order a copy of the book from Amazon, I should probably come clean, something Mr. Cheney has never done. You see, other than the quotes I made the whole thing up. There is no book. It was all one big lie.

Mr. Cheney would be proud of me.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Secret Torture Memo Bloodies Bush Administration

2007-10-04T10:06:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Have you ever considered the source of the phrase ‘caught red handed’?

It’s no cryptic secret, of course. It means precisely what is implied…to be caught with blood on ones hands… caught in the act, so to speak.

That having been said, it is rather obvious the Bush administration has been caught red handed. Unfortunately, it doesn’t involve a cookie jar… it involves the degradation of humane principles upon which this once great nation of ours was founded. Contrary to law, and anything Dana Perino might have said otherwise, the Bush administration has gone to unimaginable lengths to circumvent laws prohibiting torture.

We have learned that in 2005, under the leadership of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the US Justice Department secretly authorized the “use of painful physical and psychological tactics against terror suspects, including simulated drownings and freezing temperatures“, according to Thursdays New York Times.

The Bush administration has adamantly denied allegations of torture in the past, but then, Bush and company are experienced liars. What’s a little nose-bleed among these bloody bastards? What’s that you say? They are all innocent human beings until proved otherwise in a court of law? You don’t say?

Well, Bush certainly doesn’t. He has repeatedly demonstrated a disregard for the sanctity of human life. George often speaks of his closeness to God, but he has never gone to any real lengths to describe to us precisely who that God might be? A Christian God that authorizes torture? Clean up… isle nine!

I could go on and on, but I’m afraid that would be torture in and of itself. Who wants to be reminded of all the dirty little secrets that keep popping up in this administration? Don’t worry though, it will all be over soon enough. Just lie back, close your eyes, and endure each and every unspeakable act committed upon you in the name of justice. After all… isn’t that what America is all about?

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Inside the 9/11 Report

2007-09-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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I've been reading through the 9/11 Commission Report, and it really doesn't do much to address some of the hard questions. It seems almost unconscionable to suggest the Bush administration could have been complicit in the events of 9/11, and yet, a great many Americans believe it to be true. Then again, one need not be a physicist to realize the official version of the story simply doesn't stack up.

Much like a house of cards, both towers tumbled to the ground in a matter of minutes, defying the laws of physics. The impact of the aircraft, and the subsequent explosion of jet fuel has been blamed for compromising the integrity of the structures, but leaves us with more question than answers. If indeed, the towers fell due to structural failure, why then would building seven also fail, as it was not struck by aircraft, nor was it built in the same manner as the towers. How does a building three blocks long collapse from a localized debris fire? Obviously, it doesn't.

Perhaps you are not familiar with the World Trade Center complex prior to 9/11. As such, it would be easy to overlook the obvious contradictions concerning the event. Throughout history, no other buildings have failed in a similar manner, and yet, we are expected to believe that this fluke of physics occurred not once, but three times, in a single location.

Could the Bush administration have somehow been involved in orchestrating these events? Frankly, the jury is out. We know for a fact, however, that the administration of Dwight Eisenhower drew up plans for similar attacks on US soil to bolster support for invasions of the USSR and Cuba. The covert operation, known as Operation Northwoods' was wholly rejected by subsequent administrations, but a precedent had been set. The US government had proven beyond doubt, a capability to kill innocent Americans.

Could 9/11 be another Operation Northwoods'? Unfortunately, it appears entirely possible. Just as the North tower was beginning to list to one side, a series of explosions occurred at street level, causing the building to buckle from beneath, bringing it straight down. These explosions could not have been the result of exploding fuel, as heat rises. Furthermore, we watched in terror as the jet fuel erupted into flames. What then, could have caused the explosions at street level?

We may never know the truth about 9/11, but we certainly know the official explanation is flawed and unacceptable. Could George W. Bush and his administration have knowingly murdered thousands of Americans? One can only wonder.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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A Quick Fix, Before You Go

2007-08-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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“We have fixed what was not working, and we have listened to those who know best: our military commanders -- and the Iraqi people“.
George W. Bush, December 14th, 2005 (the day before the Iraqi elections).

Fixed it. All better now.

Bush supporters are so damn stupid! All I can figure is that none of them can read. The economy is tanking hard, the housing market has already collapsed, and for the want of common sense, the war in Iraq is lost. Still, Bush supporters remain adrift in denial. They would rather die painful, humiliating deaths than admit they were wrong. Ignorance is bliss!

So go ahead, hold the course, and take your mindless lemmings with you. You can run but you can’t hide. Oh, and by the way, you can send your own children off to die, because I would personally whup all of you before I would let my son run off to fight an unjust war. I pick my fights smartly.

Offended? I certainly hope so! It is my intention to shake the fruit from the branches, although I am well aware the grapes have rotted on the vine. You Bush supporters are beyond help. You're just pathetic.

Bush hate? Perhaps. The term is subjective by nature. Still, I don’t deny loving my family and country too much to stand around and do nothing while the Bush administration destroys our country. Bush should have been stopped long ago. He should never have been re-elected. Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, shame on me!

Don’t tell me impeachment is not an option. Of course it is! Don’t tell me September 11th changed everything. Of course it didn’t! The bottom line has not changed. George W. Bush has participated in war crimes, crimes against humanity and war profiteering. Halliburton is profiting billions of dollars, while more and more lives are being lost. And what for? You tell me. Bush has changed his excuses so many times his word is worthless.

Yes, stupid is indeed, as stupid does. Just ask any marine. The Iraqi elections were a joke back in December of 2005, and they remain a joke today. A very, very sad joke.

Wake up, Bush supporters… the joke is on you!

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Karl Kalls it Kwitz

2007-08-15T07:25:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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So Karl Rove has announced he is stepping aside, come September 1st. Gosh, Karl, so soon? I guess it’s reasonable to assume a lame duck and a beached “whale” have little chance of a future together. So be it, and good riddance. Rove has pottied in the pool too often already. It’s time for the little “turd blossom” to pack his bags and get out of Dodge.

Karl Rove has been called the most powerful presidential sidekick since Harry Truman dropped the bomb. He has also been referred as Bush’s brain, although that is hardly a compliment. Karl Rove played a major roll in disseminating the lies leading up to the invasion of Iraq. He is also believed by many to have been instrumental in the outing of former CIA agent Valerie Plame. He will certainly not be missed by Americans with even the slightest ethical fabric.

I must admit, find his expiration date more than just a tad curious. How odd that Bush would insist those still with his administration on the first of September are somehow obligated to stick around the rest of his term. Unless of course, George Bush is expecting the entire busload of bozos to take a turn for the worse shortly thereafter. Understandably, I am becoming increasingly anxious about the up-coming Iraq progress report, and I suspect Bush and Rove are, as well.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reports, "On Tuesday, several White House officials acknowledged with unusual candor that with just 17 months remaining in Mr. Bush's final term, there is little time for new ideas. Nor is there much time to realize the long list of unaccomplished presidential proposals."

Yes, Karl is kalling it Kwitz, and as the ‘Turd Blossom’ special waddles into the sunset, it’s hard to imagine a Bush White-House without him.
Lord knows, I’m trying.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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An Age of Steel and Steam

2007-08-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Editors Note:
This article was originally prepared for Helium.com.
Enjoy.

It was an age of steel and steam. It was a time of great power and wealth. Soon the world would be forever changed by this new mechanical marvel, the steam locomotive, the driving force behind the industrial revolution.

For centuries, man had understood the potential of steam as an energy source, but it took until 1803 before Samuel Homfray was able to successfully harness that energy with his invention of the steam engine. The first successful railway followed soon after, when on March 25th, 1807, England began passenger service between Swansea and Mumbles.

Across the pond, America was developing it’s own railway, and by 1869, eighteen hundred miles of track connected Omaha, Nebraska with Sacramento, California. The resulting improvement of trade routes was felt throughout the world. Within a decade, the industrial revolution was on a roll.

By 1893, the U.S. had completed five transcontinental trunk lines and no less than 260,000 miles of track. Monopolies flourished. A brilliant engineer named Theodore Judah successfully persuaded Washington to pony up ten to twenty square miles of land and at least $48,000 for every mile of track completed. The track was laid by armies of imported Chinese ’coolies’, laborers who toiled relentlessly while rail barons were popping champagne corks and charging glasses in celebration.

Enter, Andrew Carnegie, philosopher and opportunist, and in later years, philanthropist. At age 18, Carnegie caught the eye of Pennsylvania rail baron Tom Scott, becoming his personal secretary and telegraph operator. Carnegie however, had great plans for the future. The unbreakable grip of the iron industry was about to give way to steel.

By the turn of the century, William McKinley was president, and in 1903, New York State enacted legislation prohibiting the operation of steam locomotives south of the Harlem river, thus ushering in the era electrified tracks. The first use of internal combustion engines began in 1913, and was quickly superseded by the invention of the diesel locomotive, which proved more effective. The times, they were a changing.

During the great depression, the railroad became symbolic of the American struggle. Today we look back on these amazing machines as products of a bygone era. The mighty iron horse has been put to pasture. Or has it?

The steam engine may be a thing of the past, but today, light rail tracks and monorails are springing up in greater numbers. Perhaps these are not the romantic machines made famous by daring engineers like Casey Jones, but they provide safer, if not more efficient service. Meanwhile, thousands of miles of railway still grace the countryside, as modern locomotives pull seemingly endless processions of freight cars, hauling lumber, cattle, and virtually everything in between.

Away in the distance, a whistle blows. Tonight, perhaps further in the distance than in recent memory. The age of steel and steam has passed, but the dreams of those who dared make it happen, remain. An era, vanishes in a puff of smoke. A new era begins.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Obama Loses It

2007-06-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Not that anyone cares, but Barack Obama has lost it.
He has lost my respect, that is, and along with it went my support. In truth, I have not decided who I’ll be voting for in the Democratic primary, but I know it won’t Obama. He, along with Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and John Edwards have already been eliminated from consideration.

So what has Senator Obama done to betray my confidence? I don’t care for politicians who dick the dog, and I can think of no better words to describe what he has done. You see, he has publicly stated that he does not support the impeachment of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney. Now, I am willing to listen to reason, but his explanation was wholly dog-shit! He says, and I quote,

"There's a way to bring an end to those practices, you know: vote the bums out, that's how our system is designed."

It doesn’t require much brains to figure out what is disingenuous about that remark. Neither Bush nor Cheney are up for re-election, so you can’t very well throw them out at the polls, now can you. His statement has no veracity.
It is the kind of comment one can expect from a coward, not from a world leader. The system is in fact designed to allow us to “throw the bums out”. It’s called impeachment.

So I have concluded as much, and will not support the little coward another minute. Obama can go to hell for all I care. I’m throwing my support behind Bill Richardson, until he says something equally stupid, which I doubt.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The Power of Satire

2007-06-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Have you ever read Robert Elliot's book, The Power of Satire?
Neither have I, but this morning I began reading a book by an author who claims he has. The name of the author is George A. Test. His book is titled: Satire (Spirit and Art).

I hadn't even completed reading the introduction before my heart filled with trepidation. Here are the first three sentences in their entirety. I leave nothing to the imagination.

"The emotions that are thought to give rise to satire are generally acknowledged to be the least admirable human emotions-anger, malice, hatred, indignation. The emotions that satire are said to evoke are likewise emotions that make most people uncomfortable- shame, anger, guilt, anxiety. The view of humanity in satire is a negative one- tumultuous, crowded, aggressive, cynical, pessimistic."

I have a confession to make. I fear I may be a satirist.

Not all the time, mind you. Still, I find this of great concern. Consider the following, culled from the first sentence of the second paragraph:

"It is not surprising then, that satirists have been the most persecuted of artists- exiled, silenced, sued, physically attacked."

Do you see what I mean? This is indeed, a disturbing development. Thank the good Lord; my dear old mother didn't live to read this. It would have worried her to death!

For some inexplicable reason, I am reminded of that guy at the carnival who sits upon a seat suspended above a tank of water, hurling insults and expletives at all who passes by. We in turn, attempt to dump him into the icy drink by hurling baseballs at a shiny red button, activating a latch on his seat. We are willing to shell out our hard earned cash to participate in this cruel ritual, and folks seem to enjoy themselves.

Thus is the thrust of humanity. Pity the poor satirist who is fool enough to put it all into perspective for us. So be it, I suppose. Indeed, I should attempt to address the issue at greater length when time allows, but I must wrap it up for now. It has come to my attention an angry mob is forming in my driveway and I feel the need to bolt my door.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Colin Powell, Please Stand Up!

2007-06-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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There was a time, not too long ago mind you, when I held Colin Powell in the highest regard. Powell had repeatedly gone the extra mile. He was a soldier’s soldier and a man among mice. Time after time, he stood strong in the face of adversity. He was pragmatic and measured when others were not.

Oh, Colin Powell, we knew him well.

As the story goes, Mr. Powell sold his soul to the devil for dimes on the dollar. Pocket change. A man of such great integrity, and in the blinding of a moment, it was all gone. There he was, standing before the entire world, uttering despicable lies. It might have been different had he not known, but he knew. He knew the truth, and still he told the lies.

That was then, this is now. Powell has since gone out of his way to put some distance between himself and the Bush administration. Always outspoken, he remains so, but this time he has something to prove. I for one don’t doubt his sincerity for a moment. If I had snarkled the snake as bad as Powell did, I too would be seeking redemption.

So then, I ask,
Will Colin Powell please stand up?

We hear ya loud and clear there, good buddy, but yer preaching to the choir. Those within earshot already know. People will listen to you, providing of course you tell it straight. You can start by urging underprivileged Americans to please stop feeding their offspring to the war pigs. Our children are priceless. Iraqi children are priceless. This war is not, nor has it ever been, of a noble cause.

Drip, drip, drip.

The sound of blood spilling endlessly. You hear it too, don’t you, Mr. Powell. I sat in front of my television and listened helplessly, knowing your words were lies. I felt terrible because I couldn’t stop you. There you were, and for a moment, you were as demonstrous as the lies you told. That’s the part of you I no longer trust.

A man is only as good as his word, Mr. Powell. The time is nigh for you to get out there and represent. It’s something you must do. You may not earn an Oscar for your efforts like Al Gore, or a Nobel Peace prize like Jimmy Carter, but you’ve got something far more important riding on this. For you Mr. Powell, this is about the redemption of your very soul.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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When Cotton Was King

2007-06-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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White blossomed, white bolled, short staple cotton. It is the stuff of which dreams are made, and wars are fought. If you think the US Civil War was about the abolition of slavery, perhaps you may wish to reconsider.

During the late 1850’s and right up through the US Civil War, Cotton was indeed an economic powerhouse, not just in the southern United States, but throughout the world. “Dare not make war on cotton,” presaged Senator James Henry Hammond in 1858. “No power on earth dares make war upon it. Cotton is King."

Economists agreed with the Senator from South Carolina. Cotton was the driving force behind a period of great prosperity in the south, creating an elitist upper class dependant on the success of the crop. Slavery in the US was on the wane until Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin in 1779. Unfortunately, the success of his invention brought new demand for slave labor. By 1804, the cotton crop was eight times greater than in the previous decade, and the demand for slaves was rising.

This new Southern aristocracy resulted from the ownership of land and slaves and the surest way to obtain both was to grow cotton. Its impact was long reaching. New roads were constructed and businesses sprang up along endless processions of wagons hauling the crop to various ports. Cotton’s new kingdom extended well into Texas and north another six hundred miles up the Mississippi River valley. Rest assured, where there was cotton, there was money to be made. Even smaller farms, who generally planted only for sustenance, often set aside a few acres of cotton for trading.

Caught in diplomacy.

By 1860, the South was annually exporting two-thirds of the worlds cotton, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. During the Antebellum Period, cotton was indeed king, dominating international relations with the Confederacy, a policy referred to by many as “cotton diplomacy.” This period would see the South in a new light. However, James Henry Hammond was far from accurate in his assessment. Cotton would rule under a pall of darkness, perhaps the darkest period in American history. Still, it was not cotton that was to blame for the folly of man, but man himself, who was to blame for the rise and fall of a mighty king, King Cotton.

References:

King Cotton, the Fiber of Slavery. Author or authors unknown.
Bleeding Kansas and the Enduring Struggle for Freedom, National Heritage Area Feasibility Study. Author or authors unknown.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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George W. Bush, Piltdown Man of La Mancha

2007-05-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Confused?
Don't worry, it'll all make sense soon enough.

You see, George W. Bush would like us to believe history will remember him as a man who stood by his convictions. Much like Don Quixote, who rose up against a perceived evil, only to find he was chasing the unobtainable, Bush sees his cause as a noble one, even if it was all based in pure fantasy.

In doing so, Bush the younger drew his sword and spilt the blood of thousands. His little game of shoot em up has escalated into a full scale mash-up of Hell meets high-water. I don't care for the word "quagmire". The definition falls way short of describing how bad the situation in Iraq really is.

In truth, I doubt George W. Bush has ever ventured near La Mancha. Had he done so, he would have soon learned it was not inhabited by dragons. Still, I digress.

Lets move on to "Piltdown Man." The reference may seem somewhat left field for those not familiar with the story, so here's the set-up.

Until the invasion of Iraq, Piltdown Man represented perhaps the most extraordinary hoax in modern history. As the story goes, a pair of archaeologists claimed to find a human skull in a gravel pit near the town of Piltdown, purported to be the five hundred thousand year old missing link between man and monkey. The skull was in fact constructed from parts of several different skulls, including the jaw of an orangutan. Varnish was then applied to give the finished product a look of consistency. Amazingly, it took the scientific establishment forty years to catch on.

Does this scenario sound at all familiar? Indeed it does!

George W. Bush wants us to believe that in forty years or so, history will recall his presidency as strong and steadfast. He sees himself riding off into the sunset mounted upon his trusty steed, the White Knight, the enemy of evil.

I, however don't see it happening that way. I suspect history will be far more accurate, and much less flattering. At best, George W. Bush will be regarded as the Don Quixote of presidents. Mission accomplished, the windmill is dead, Jim.

More likely, George W. Bush will be remembered as the reigning Piltdown Man, an unmitigated fraud that has pushed America back into the stone age.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Confronting the Violent Truth

2007-04-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Early Monday morning, an emotionally disturbed student brandishing two handguns methodically shot and killed thirty-two of his fellow students at Virginia Tech before turning one of the guns on himself. It is believed to be the worst shooting spree in US history, and president George W. Bush expressed deep sadness.

Meanwhile in Baghdad…
On Wednesday, four separate car bombs detonated throughout the city, killing at least 190 persons, and injuring dozens more. George had no comment.

However, it was the same George W. Bush who recently claimed violence was decreasing throughout Baghdad, further suggesting the drop in violence was the result of his so called “troop surge”.

What Bush doesn’t mention is the fact that prior to the invasion of Iraq, Baghdad had a lower violent crime rate than Washington DC, our nations capital, and a stones throw from Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech.
A nation mourns the loss of thirty-two promising lives. Make that thirty-three. The flag of our nation has been lowered in their honor. We are grief stricken.

Baghdad.
Citizens clean up after a day in which 190 persons died violently in the streets. This particular day was unusually deadly for Iraqis. The average daily death count in Baghdad is around one hundred. But 190 in one day? Why, that’s nearly six times the single worst shooting massacre in US history.

Forgive me, as it is not my intent to marginalize the loss suffered by so many as a result of the Virginia Tech massacre. It was a terrible event, and it has effected every American.

But how can we still be clinging to the notion that we have somehow improved the quality of life for the average Iraqi?

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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God Bless You, Kurt Vonnegut

2007-04-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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"Many years ago, I was so innocent I still considered it possible that we could become the humane and reasonable America so many members of my generation used to dream of. We dreamed of such an America during the Great Depression, when there were no jobs. And then we fought and often died for that dream during the Second World War, when there was no peace.

But I know now that there is not a chance in hell of America’s becoming humane and reasonable. Because power corrupts us, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Human beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power. By saying that our leaders are power-drunk chimpanzees, am I in danger of wrecking the morale of our soldiers fighting and dying in the Middle East? Their morale, like so many bodies, is already shot to pieces. They are being treated, as I never was, like toys a rich kid got for Christmas".

Kurt Vonnegut
1922 - 2007

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Bush Backs Gonzales

2007-04-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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George W. Bush says attorney general Alberto Gonzales is an honest man,
but he has yet to produce any evidence supporting his claims. After all, who is Bush to talk?

Let’s not be foolish with the facts. It just wouldn’t be prudent. This is the same George W. Bush who lied about wmd, yellowcake, mobile chem labs, etc. Only an absolute fool would believe he is now somehow compelled to tell the truth. Bush is not an honest man. Oh, and neither is that ambulance chaser he appointed attorney general. Birds of a feather, so to speak.

It’s tragic, really. How many times have we caught these scumbags lying about one thing or another? On the other hand, how many times have we caught either of them telling the truth? Do the math, you shouldn’t need a calculator for this one.

The answer is obvious. Only an absolute fool would continue to support George Bush at this juncture. He and his cronies have done more damage to this formerly great country of ours than bin Laden and Saddam Hussein combined. The US is morally and financially bankrupt. Our glory days are behind us.

Are you ready to impeach the son of a bitch? You better be…
Unless you are looking forward to another twenty-one months of downward spiral. If you think things are bad now, just keep doing nothing about it. Trust me on this one. If we don’t act soon, the situation will get far worse, and that, I’m afraid, is the honest to God truth.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

America Is Dead!

2007-03-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

A Nation Mourns.
Captain America is dead, gunned down by an assassins' bullets, a sad ending for a man who dedicated his life to the pursuit of dangerous criminals. America, aka Steve Rogers was facing life in prison at the time of the shooting, although he will most likely be remembered for his high ethical standards, and blinding dedication to his work.

Rogers had fallen upon difficult times of late, including his well publicized dust-up with the federal government. Still, few had expected such a rapid decent, comparable in scope, only to that of the late Britney Spears. Captain America will be dearly missed. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

George W. Bush, King of Cowards

2007-03-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Face the facts folks; if you’re a Bush supporter, you’re probably a coward.

It’s true, you know. I’ve never met a Bush supporter who wasn’t.
Denial changes nothing.

As Patrick Henry proclaimed, “Give me liberty, or give me death” He was right of course. Life without liberty is no bonanza.

Take the Patriot Act, for instance.

The Patriot Act is salve for the weak of spirit. As Ben Franklin stated “All human situations have their inconveniences. We feel those of the present but neither see nor feel those of the future; and hence we often make troublesome changes without amendment, and frequently for the worse”.

Oh, you mean like the Patriot Act?

It was also Franklin who stated: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Yep… that would most certainly include the Patriot Act. In fact, The Patriot Act is anything but the work of patriots. It is indeed, the folly of fools and cowards. You won’t find a quote by a brave man who disagrees, which brings us full circle…
If you are a Bush supporter, you’re probably a coward.

Indeed, I have met my share of Bush supporters and all have been cowards to the man. Not one brave soul amongst them. It is neither noble nor patriotic to guard the door while the fox raids the henhouse. Anyone who would allow another man to fight and die rather than speak up against a bad war is indeed a coward.

You’ll know a man by his actions, as Christ stated, and he was against war. It’s amazing how many Americans claim to be Christians, but ignore the teachings of Christ outright. How Christianly.

So listen up, Bush supporters,
Drink the cool-aid and go to hell! You can run but you can’t hide. The truth will indeed be your longest shadow. Here’s the deal, and I know Patrick Henry would agree. You can shoot me dead with your little guns and I will die with my boots on. You, on the other hand, will still be a coward.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Cheney Feeling the Heat

2007-02-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Could vice president Richard Cheney soon find himself under increased legal scrutiny for his personal role in the Valerie Plame scandal? Experts say yes. Indeed, the heat is always highest closest to the flame and Mr. Cheney is already experiencing meltdown.

Cheney has never really demonstrated any palpable respect for his position as vice president, or for the laws of our government. His is about him and nothing else. The unlawful invasion of Iraq has proven to be a massive debacle for the Bush administration, costing tax payers billions in un-accounted for US dollars… much of which vanished while under the care of Cheney’s cronies and fellow war profiteers, Halliburton. Cheney has nothing to say about the missing dough. Perhaps he doesn’t actually think it’s missing. The vice president doesn’t have much to say about his spurious ‘Energy Task Force’ these days either. After all, a quick glance at the available task force documents tell a sad tale indeed. America has been taken for a ride.

The ‘outing’ of Valerie Plame was business as usual for this administration. Dick Cheney does not react favorably when his motives are questioned, a fact I can personally attest to. It is nothing new for him to set the dogs after anyone he believes may be interloping. Richard Cheney does not play nice, nor does he play fair. By all accounts, the man is simply not a straight shooter.

Still, the heat is on, and Mr. Cheney is starting to get a little crispy around the edges. Speaking from both sides of his mouth, he touts the British pullout from Iraq as a positive sign of improved conditions, while at the same time claiming a similar pullout by US troops would embolden the enemy, as though every angry Iraqi thinks with a singular mind. The man isn’t stupid… he is criminally dishonest. My guess is that a pullout of British troops will not adversely affect the bottom line at Kellogg Brown and Root, where-as any pullout of US troops would cut overall funding, and Halliburton’s ever so lucrative cash cow would cease to milk. Don’t kid yourself… Richard Cheney butters his bread with the blood of the fallen.

Still, like any heartless vampire, lonesome Dick cannot survive long under direct illumination, and as such he can be expected to do whatever he deems necessary to assure his activities are conducted among the shadows. Nonetheless, Dick Cheney is feeling the heat, a rather ironic twist for a man who has made a career out of scorching the ground beneath his feet.

Editors note:
Richard Cheney and members of his staff are regular readers of National Newswire, although it’s supposed to be a secret. As a consequence, I expect to be ‘outed’ for one thing or another before this administration packs it in. Actually, I’m flattered. One would think with the war and all, those fellows would have more important matters on their minds

Que Sera, Sera, I suppose.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

The Curse of War

2007-02-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

When we are asked to support our troops in Iraq, I can’t help but wonder precisely which troops, and under what circumstance? Obviously not every US soldier serving in Iraq deserves my unwavering support.

As with any conflict of this nature, bad things can happen to good people, and sometimes good people do bad things. I don’t lack compassion for our young men and women who have been unjustly thrust into chaos, but I have equal compassion for the residents of Iraq who are suffering as a result of the occupation, which may I remind you, remains an international war crime.

We Americans love to believe we are the world’s police, welcome or not. Our arrogance has long overshadowed our sense of reason. Indeed, if the US is the world’s police, we entered Iraq without a search warrant, killing innocent people in the process.

Obviously, when German soldiers were slaughtering the Jews they were following orders.
They indubitably believed what they were doing was necessary, no matter how blatantly evil. I can’t imagine they thought much about the heinous nature of their crimes; after all, such would have amounted to treason.

Right about now, I predict many of my readers are understandably aghast at my comparisons. I don’t blame you. Here’s a suggestion: wake up and smell the coffee!

You see, I have no reason to believe every Nazi who participated in the holocaust was born to kill Jews. It was a deplorable idea, thrust upon them by desperate, deranged superiors. I don’t condone their actions by any means. What happened was wrong and that is precisely why I feel compelled to compare the holocaust to the invasion of Iraq. The Iraqi’s are not better off now than before the invasion. Quite to the contrary, Iraq is smack dab in the middle of it’s very own holocaust, one of our making.

Whatever.

Call it a civil war if you must. In fact, call it whatever you damn well please; a rose is a rose by any other name. I doubt very seriously Iraqi mothers who must bury their dead children every day, really feel inclined to debate semantics.

I am and will remain a patriotic American, but I’m not blinded by the misdirected rhetoric. I know better than to pretend every US soldier in Iraq is behaving heroically.

So where then should I draw the line? Should I support those who participated in the Haditha massacre? Should I support the soldiers who gunned down innocent lives, destroyed schools and hospitals, looted museums, tortured captives, raped and murdered children in front of their families?

If right now you are attempting to justify such conduct with some platitude, think again.
War is hell? Collateral damage? The spoils of war?

How about crimes against humanity?

Face it folks, good people are dying in Iraq. Some of them are Americans. Likewise, some very bad things have been done in Iraq and like it or not, some of it, by Americans.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

An Open Letter to President George W. Bush

2007-02-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Mr. Bush,

With each passing day it becomes increasingly obvious your administration lied to the world about key evidence leading up the invasion of Iraq. The invasion was in clear violation of US and international law, including the Geneva Accord, and has resulted in the destruction of Baghdad and the deaths of nearly a half a million Iraqis.

As president of the United States, you and you alone shoulder the ultimate responsibility
for crimes committed by members of your administration, including war crimes. Under your command, bombs were dropped on mosques and hospitals, civilians were murdered in cold blood while they slept, and innocent people were repeatedly tortured and beaten.

Saddam Hussein was hung by the neck for similar crimes, but in fact, the invasion has already resulted in a greater number of deaths. Why then should not yourself and other members of your administration face similar charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity?

Should you in fact find yourself charged with such crimes, will you voluntarily co-operate with the international criminal courts, or will you become a fugitive of justice? Furthermore, in the event that you are found guilty of these crimes, a very real possibility, will you accept the authority of the courts? And what if you are sentenced to death?

Do you really believe you are above the law? Do you really think you deserve to get away with what you have done?

I don’t.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Slander Becomes Us

2007-02-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Do you recall back in the day,
When every country station in the USA,
Spent the better part of every radio hour,
Deriding anyone and everyone with the good sense,
To appose a bad war?

Americans are truly a pathetic lot. Slander becomes us.
Quick to demonize others, we stubbornly resist accountability for our own transgressions.
When the Bush administration was selling its case for invading Iraq, most Americans never questioned the glaring inconsistencies, choosing instead to embrace nationalist jingoism, demonizing anyone and everyone who expressed opposition. At best, it was profoundly foolish. Unfortunately, it was also criminal.

The Bush administration never possessed compelling evidence about Saddam’s wmd capacity. In fact, international weapons inspectors repeatedly warned the Bush administration about their rush to judgment, only to get the bums rush themselves. Bush wasn’t interested in truth or accuracy. He wanted war and he got what he wanted.

Apparently, Bush and his cronies believed the larger the lynch mob, the more difficult it would be to hold anyone accountable down the road. Countries who refused to participate in the lynch mob found themselves ridiculed and marginalized. French Fries became Freedom Fries; the United Nations was characterized as corrupt and cowardly and much of Europe soon found themselves referred to by Bush cronies as “Old Europe”, out of touch and out of the loop.

Home grown dissenters fared no better. I’m sure you all remember what happened to the Dixie Chicks. Well, I’ve got news for you… The Dixie Chicks were right.

And so was John Kerry when he warned our young men and women about the perils of getting “stuck in Iraq”. Denial won’t make it less so. No matter how insulted you may have been by Kerry’s remarks, his words were sincere, and accurate. Face the facts; Iraq is no place for a good man to die.

How often have you heard the story about a judge who gives some kid a choice between going to jail or joining the army? The obvious implication being the judge in his infinite wisdom has determined the kid is unsuitable for society, but is somehow suitable for the armed services, where he’ll be given a loaded gun, and encouraged to embrace the consequences.

So go ahead, demonize John Kerry for telling the truth. Denial changes nothing. Iraq remains a quagmire and our soldiers continue to die. Oh, and be sure to trash the Dixie Chicks while your at it. After all, that’s what Americans do.

So go now, be offended. Failure in Iraq is not an option, it’s a fact. Victory is out of the question. The longer we stay, the worse the situation will become.

John Kerry’s only mistake was in backing down from his statement. I on the other hand, will do no such thing. In fact, I will wrap this up with a piece of advice:

Bring it on!

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Meet Mr. Cheney - All Bull, No Horns

2007-02-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Meet Richard Cheney.
When it comes to dishonesty, Mr. Cheney wrote the book.

All truth be told, it’s more of an instructional manual really, aptly titled ‘The Art of Untruth, a Practitioners Guide to Deception’. The book contains a plethora of technique and advice, all gleaned from Mr. Cheney’s illustrious experience as the world’s pre-imminent teller of lies.

Chapter headings include ’When Honesty is Not the Best Policy’ ’Fear Mongering for Fast Results’, ‘Inaccuracies and Misdirection’, ‘Lies for Fun and Profit’ and includes a finely researched collection of some of Mr. Cheney’s more sensational quotes. Here’s just a sample of what goes on in the mind of this disingenuous buffoon, a man some refer to as the most powerful war profiteer in modern history.

"In Iraq, a ruthless dictator cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. He gave support to terrorists, and had an established relationship with al Qaeda" - Nov. 7, 2003

"We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons." - March 16, 2003

"My belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators." - March 16, 2003

“The plan was criticized by some retired military officers embedded in TV studios. But with every advance by our coalition forces, the wisdom of that plan becomes more apparent.”

"I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency." - on the Iraq insurgency, June 20, 2005

“The Iraqi forces are conducting the Mother of all Retreats“.

"Go f*ck yourself." - to Sen. Patrick Leahy, during an angry exchange on the Senate floor about war profiteering by Halliburton, June 25, 2004

“I’m the Vice President, and they’re not” - January 2007

There are many more disturbing quotes attributed to our heartless vice president. After all, Dick Cheney has been telling whoppers since long before I was born. Mr. Cheney doesn’t just bend the truth, he revels in his lies. He has in fact, elevated his dishonesty into an art form…The art of untruth.

Now before you go order a copy of the book from Amazon, I should probably come clean, something Mr. Cheney has never done. You see, other than the quotes I made the whole thing up. There is no book. It was all one big lie.

Mr. Cheney would be proud of me.

B. Thomas Cooper is a freelance journalist and historian with a keen sense of satire. His writings are available online.

The Infinite Echo

Barack Obama, the Anti-Bush

2007-01-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Barack Obama is everything George Bush is not. He is good looking, he is brilliant, and yes he is multi-ethnic. More importantly, Mr. Obama is a man of great integrity, a candidate who will stand with the people, a far cry from the paranoid doom merchant currently occupying the oval office.

Can Obama capture the White House in 2008 the way he has captured the hearts of so many Americans in recent months? I think he can, and you never know… he just might.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch in Crawford Texas…

Original post from - National Newswire

I am pleased to hear so many voices of late apposing the Bush administration’s blind arrogance, an arrogance which has already caused the loss of over three thousand American lives in Iraq.

Bush wants to feed more soldiers into the fire. A surge, as he prefers to call it, but a tragic sacrifice of lives and a monumental strategic disaster by any account. Bush simply doesn’t give a rats nickel. He is more concerned with winning a bad war than solving a bad problem. George Bush and his administration are not listening to America. They are not listening to reason.

The surge has already begun. More than three thousand additional troops shipped out before congress was ever notified. Bush is the decider, as he says. Like it or not, he has made his decision. He has decided to sacrifice more American lives in a last ditch attempt to save face. As they say, no-one likes a loser, and that is not how George W. Bush wishes to sail into history. A “Last chance to win in Iraq? Forget it George, that ship has sailed.

The Infinite Echo

Hubris and Folly (Revisited)

2007-01-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Hubris and Folly.

Just two of the words used by Thomas E. Ricks, senior Pentagon correspondent for The Washington Post to describe the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq and its management of the war and subsequent occupation.

And those were the nice words.

In his book, Fiasco, Ricks also accuses George Bush of being misguided, and incompetent, providing a plethora of disturbing detail, guaranteed to cause the reader great anxiety.

“President George W. Bush’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003 ultimately may come to be seen as one of the most profligate actions in the history of American foreign policy,” Mr. Ricks warns. “The consequences of his choice won’t be clear for decades, but it already is abundantly apparent in mid-2006 that the U.S. government went to war in Iraq with scant solid international support and on the basis of incorrect information — about weapons of mass destruction and a supposed nexus between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda’s terrorism — and then occupied the country negligently. Thousands of U.S. troops and an untold number of Iraqis have died. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent, many of them squandered. Democracy may yet come to Iraq and the region, but so too may civil war or a regional conflagration, which in turn could lead to spiraling oil prices and a global economic shock.”

Indeed!

Sectarian violence is all the rage now, and the afore-mentioned “regional conflagration” is warming up backstage. This as members of Congress prepare to battle the president over his determination to increase US troop levels in Iraq by twenty-one thousand, at a time when the majority of Americans would like to see the troops brought home.

Saddam has gone to the gallows, but violence in Iraq continues. Yesterday, 70 people were killed, and another 170 wounded as a result of a deadly attack on Mustansiriya University, north of Baghdad. Scores were killed or wounded in other attacks throughout the region. Iraqi civilians continue to die in huge numbers. Over thirty-four thousand Iraqi citizens were killed as a result of the violence in 2006 alone. So far 2007 is shaping up much the same.

The situation in Iraq is dire indeed and no-one suffers more from the carnage than the Iraqi’s themselves. I certainly hope they have enjoyed their brief dance with Democracy.

The Infinite Echo

George W. Bush, a Legacy of Lies

2007-01-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Go ahead, admit it.
The manner in which George W. Bush has conducted his administration during the past six years has been nothing less than shocking. I doubt anyone, including myself, could have predicted the level of arrogance and hubris demonstrated by these individuals. Good ol’ boys, indeed! Good-fellas is more like it!

And that’s just for starters. No other administration in our nations history comes even remotely close to the shear volume of shameless, unrepentant lies, as those foisted upon the American populace by George Bush and his cronies. When it comes to dishonesty, this administration takes the cake, and then lies about it.

Unfortunately, far too many Americans are still willing to turn a blind eye, having chosen to either ignore the lies entirely, or write them off as business as usual. There-in lies the rub. Perhaps the endless parade of disinformation streaming from the oval office is, as some insist, business as usual, but it most certainly shouldn’t be tolerated, nor should it be ignored.

Wake up, America!
The Bush administration has serious integrity issues. These guys would lie about the weather. In fact, they already have. Just ask one of them about global warming.

And the lies just keep rolling in. Try typing “George Bush” and “Lies” into Google, and see what you get. The results are staggering. Yes, every administration buries it’s folly under a mountain of untruth, but presidential scholars have concluded no other administration in US history has ever told so many obvious whoppers with such blatant disregard for the ramifications.

These are not little white lies, mind you. I can’t help but believe there is a substantial difference between a semen stain on a dress, and bloodstains on a flag draped coffin. Bush apparently sees no such distinction.

George Bush still claims we invaded Iraq for all the right reasons, although those reasons have now changed. He claims leaving Iraq too soon will only embolden the enemy, an enemy who’s country George W. Bush invaded, and destroyed. He claims the media isn’t showing the progress in Iraq, but I have yet to see a new Starbucks open in Baghdad. Take a good look at the carnage, my friends. If that is reconstruction in progress, then I must be the Lindbergh baby.

Yes, George Bush claims a lot of things, many which simply aren’t true. His lies have already led to the untimely deaths of over three thousand Americans in uniform. Predictably, he claims their deaths are difficult for him.
He often talks of their sacrifice. He talks of meeting with the families of the fallen and how he feels their pain. And yet, I can’t help but wonder if it’s all just another lie.

The Infinite Echo

Happy New Year, & You Can Quote Me On That!

2007-01-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Happy New Year
And You Can Quote Me On That

I’m taking the day off today. I hope you are too!
In the spirit of good will, I have collected a few of my favorite quotes for you to ponder during the next three-hundred sixty-five days. Read on.

“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on occasions, that I wish it always be kept alive”

“The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government,
And to protect it’s free expression should be our first object.”

“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty,
than to those attending to small a degree of it.”

“Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, it’s necessary consequence.”

Thomas Jefferson

“All wars are follies… very expensive, and very mischievous ones.”

“There was never a good war or a bad peace.”

“Wars are not paid for during wartime. The bill comes later.”

And of course, the oft referenced…

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain temporary security, deserve neither and will lose both.”

Ben Franklin

“Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war.”

John Adams

“Loyalty to the country always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it.”

“An inglorious peace is better than a dishonorable war.”

George Washington

“If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator."

“I’m the commander, see… I don’t need to explain. I do not need to explain why I say things. That’s the interesting thing about being president.”

“There are such things as roving wiretaps. Now, by the way… any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap it requires, a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way… when we’re talking about chasing down terrorists, we’re talking about getting a court order before we do so. It’s important for our fellow citizens to understand, when you think patriot act, constitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protecting our homeland, because we value the Constitution.”

George Bush

“Next the statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation which is attacked, and every man will be glad for those conscience- soothing falsities, and will study them, and will refuse to examine any refutations of them, and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self deception.”

“Our country, right or wrong. Have you not perceived that that phrase is an insult to the nation?”

Mark Twain

“In order for a lie to be effective, it need not be accepted as truth…
It need only be accepted.”

“Information is a unique currency. It possesses an intrinsic value and is instantly redeemable. It can be transferred, stolen, manipulated, diluted…
even hoarded.”

“Ignorance is bliss, providing one happens to be ignorant.”

“It is neither noble, nor patriotic to guard the door, while the fox raids the henhouse.”

"It is truly pathetic, the extent to which fear has caused our leaders to betray our core values, and allow the wholesale destruction of our basic civil liberties."

“May the truth be your longest shadow.”

B. Thomas Cooper

Have a wonderful 2007,
and you can quote me on that!

Brad

The Infinite Echo

Failing the Course of Gravity

2006-12-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

“The world of fools has such a store,
That he who would not see an ass,
Must abide at home, and bolt his door,
And even break his looking glass.”

-Unknown

Honey, I’m home!

So then, have you ever read Robert Elliot’s book, The Power of Satire?
Neither have I, but this morning I began reading a book by an author who claims he has. The name of the author is George A. Test. His book is titled: Satire (Spirit and Art).

I hadn’t even completed reading the introduction before my heart filled with trepidation. Here are the first three sentences in their entirety. I leave nothing to the imagination.

“The emotions that are thought to give rise to satire are generally acknowledged to be the least admirable human emotions-anger, malice, hatred, indignation. The emotions that satire are said to evoke are likewise emotions that make most people uncomfortable- shame, anger, guilt, anxiety. The view of humanity in satire is a negative one- tumultuous, crowded, aggressive, cynical, pessimistic.”

I have a confession to make. I fear I may be a satirist.

Not all the time, mind you. Still, I find this of great concern. Consider the following, culled from the first sentence of the second paragraph:

“It is not surprising then, that satirists have been the most persecuted of artists- exiled, silenced, sued, physically attacked.”

Do you see what I mean? This is indeed, a disturbing development. Thank the good Lord, my dear old mother didn’t live to read this. It would have worried her to death!

For some inexplicable reason, I am reminded of that guy at the carnival who sits on a seat suspended above a tank of water, hurling insults and expletives at all comers. We in turn, attempt to dump the bastard into the icy drink by hurling baseballs at a shiny red button that activates the latch on his seat. We are willing to shell out our hard earned cash to participate in this cruel ritual, and folks seem to enjoy themselves.

Thus is the thrust of humanity. Pity the poor satirist who is fool enough to put it all into perspective for us.

So be it.

I suppose I should attempt to address this issue at greater length when time allows, but I must wrap it up for now. I need to go bolt my door. An angry mob is forming in my driveway.

The Infinite Echo

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Happy Holidays to All!

I’ll begin by apologizing to those of you who have been waiting patiently for me to report. Some of you have gone so far as to call my residence to voice your concern. Fear not, for I have responded. I have received more mail in my absence than I normally receive for a standard six hundred word tirade. I thank you, and I urge you to seek professional help immediately.

Don’t get all teary eyed. We have much catching up to do, and the candle is burning, my friend. Christmas is now but a few days away. Many presents have yet to be purchased, let alone, wrapped and distributed. Thank the good lord above (thanks be to Allah, etc.) I can always count on Santa to bear the brunt of the load.

Yes, the holiday season is again upon us. Rest assured good old Saint Nick knows who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, no matter what Scooter Libby or Dick Cheney may say to the contrary. After all, it certainly isn’t nice to shoot your hunting buddy in the noggin, accident or no accident. I recommend two lumps a piece. Of coal, that is, but then I assume you knew where I was going with it.

Ah, but I digress.
Christmas rapidly approaches, and I fear I am ill prepared. We acquired our Christmas tree in the usual manner, and from the usual suspects, whom we have since ascertained use the proceeds to fund a covert children’s hospital in a bad neighborhood. Or so we’ve been told. Mum is the word.

While inspecting the available stock, I spotted an elderly man nearby, ringing a bell. I suspect he may have been in on it as well. Personally, I doubt his snow white beard was even real. One can never be certain of such things. Still, the strangest was yet to come.

We settled on a fine tree, and the kindly attendant secured it to our truck with twine. As we pulled away from the unpaved parking area adjoining the tree lot, we were greeted by the most unusual sign. NO REFUNDS OR RETURNS. They must be on to us.

More later,
Fudge awaits.

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

Searching For Sasquatch

2006-11-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

All stories are not created equal. Some stories are less believable. Some are simply not believable at all. This story falls into the latter category. Take my word for it.

Most stories start at the beginning, but in this instance, the beginning is yet unknown. Unlike the moth-man sightings near Clendenin, West Virginia in mid November of 1966, no one can really be certain when the first sighting of the Letchworth Sasquatch occurred.

The Seneca Indian was perhaps among the first inhabitants of the Letchworth region, a spectacular seventeen mile stretch of canyon in western New York State. The Seneca have many legends about the area. The elders still tell stories of loss and great suffering, of ghosts who scream from beneath the thunder of the great falls. Of voices that echo along the mighty canyon walls, carried by the wind, in search of absolution. Oddly, none of their stories ever mentions a Sasquatch.

This unexplainable omission should not be overlooked.

According to official reports provided by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, Sasquatch have long been sighted throughout the US and Canada. The word ‘Sasquatch’ is itself of Indian origin. One can only wonder why these Indians would create a name for a creature they never encountered.

In fact, nearly every culture has their own version of the Sasquatch phenomenon. The Malaysian villagers of Endau-Rompin refer to the large, hairy biped as the 'snaggle-toothed ghost'. For many, the stealth and timid creature is known only as Bigfoot.

Could so many be wrong?

Probably not. The evidence seems to suggest that Bigfoot is real. A living, warm-blooded mammal, equipped with feet seventeen inches in length, and a multitude of hair. How could the Seneca not be aware of such an unusual creature in their presence? Certainly, the enormous footprints should have piqued their curiosity. I suspect a darker explanation.

Imagine if you will, the following scenario:

As my research progressed, this whole Letchworth-Seneca-Sasquatch-pseudo-persona non-grata story was making increasingly less sense. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Many tireless days and many sleepless nights were to follow, until I could no longer concentrate. When at last I was able to sleep, sleep came suddenly, and with little warning.

I am unsure of how long I lay slumped over my steering wheel before a traffic cop, a large man of, you guessed it, Native American descent, awakened me. Consciousness’ was approaching in waves. I was drifting in and out of a dream-like state, and for a moment, I thought I was being visited by that Indian ghost fellow from the Jim Morrison movie (No One Gets out Alive). I don’t remember actually asking the officer about his experiences with Sasquatch, but I knew he was hiding something big when he called for back up. I remember him saying something about me having a right to remain silent, but that proved not to be an issue, as I slept most of the way downtown.

I do recall having awakened at one point. I was on the floor of the back seat of the patrol car, but I’d swear I heard the officer warning me not to stick my nose where it didn’t belong. Perhaps he was referring to something entirely different. Perhaps I misunderstood him. I have reached a different conclusion.

I believe the Seneca Indian tribes of western New York State are hiding something. Presumedly, with really big feet. I don’t blame them. If your history was awash in stories and legends in which a Sasquatch featured predominantly, would you list it on your resume?

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

Throw Out the Trash Pt. Two

2006-10-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Somewhere in the halls of Washington, a stench hangs heavy in the air. It is the stench of corruption and incompetence, and like no other in our grand history. But fear not America, we can overcome this. The answer is simple. When the trash begins to stink, it’s time to throw it out.

Of course, there are always bad actors in both parties. Regardless of party affiliation, we should never be afraid to purge our government of those who have abandoned their posts. Indeed, the Republican controlled congress has done just that, repeatedly playing the terror card whenever their motives are brought into question. Meanwhile, the US Constitution lies in ruin.

According to the governments own reports, George Bush’s invasion of Iraq has already cost America the lives of over three thousand soldiers, but instead of making us safer as promised, it has actually increased the threat of terrorism at home.

Still, it’s not Mr. Bush who is up for re-election in two weeks. It’s those scallywags in Congress who must prepare to face the wrath of angry voters.

And it’s not about congressman Foley, or Iraq, or Gitmo, or even Jack Abramoff. It’s about the kind of leadership that would allow these scandals to become the rule, rather than the exception.

This week we learned George Bush has jettisoned his “stay the course” mantra. Why now Mr. President? The US has already lost more lives in Iraq and Afghanistan than on 9/11.

And it’s not about “cut and run”. Ideally, we would turn security of Iraq over to the Iraqi government sooner, rather than later, but leaving too soon might leave the Iraqi security forces ill prepared to deal with a crisis we created.

Face the facts, kiddies. This is our own fault. We cannot blame our jingoistic foolishness on a handful of dead hijackers. We played along eagerly. We need to face our failures.

So what’s the solution?
Well, for starters, we can go to the polls in November, and show those scallywags in Congress who really calls the shots in this country!

We can kick the trash to the curb.

B. Thomas Cooper

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

Gitmo Prisoner Abuse Continues

2006-10-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper

President George W. Bush says the US does not conduct acts of rendition, but of course, it does. It has repeatedly been caught red handed. Bush knows his assertions are untrue. He cares not. He is a blatant liar.

George Bush denies any knowledge of detainee abuse by US soldiers, but he knows. Damn straight he knows. He simply has no respect for the truth.

George W. Bush also knows that thousands of innocent people are dying for all the wrong reasons, but he simply doesn’t care. He has always been willing to murder anyone who stands between him and his twisted ideals, and nothing has changed except the number of dead that lie in his wake.

Only an absolute fool would defend or support the transgressions of the current administration. The Bush legacy will be measured in spilled blood.
He has isolated the US from the rest of the world. We are now the bane of the international community. We are the wolf at the door.

Reports of detainee abuse at Gitmo continue to surface. A Marine who recently visited the Guantanamo Bay detention center alleges guards at the prison bragged about routinely abusing prisoners. One guard admitted to intentionally slamming a cell door on a detainees head.

In truth, countless US and international laws are being ignored. Human rights violations have become systemic. With no clear exit strategy, US troops in Iraq have become disillusioned and desperate. We are witness to America's darkest hour.

Bush and his cronies continue to insist that it’s all about protecting the homeland. He claims we are taking the fight to the terrorists before they can bring it to us. He admittedly doesn’t even know who or where they are, but he’s determined to kill them anyway. It’s all in the pursuit of freedom and justice…

nod, nod… wink, wink

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

The Man Who Lost The War

2006-10-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper

Many in Washington share the blame for US failures in Iraq, but none more so than Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. From the beginning it has been his baby, and his battle plan, As Secretary of Defense, he alone shoulders the responsibility for the endless parade of disasters in Iraq. Donald Rumsfeld stands front and center. He is without question, the man who lost the war.

US ground troops prepared for the invasion of Iraq by racing their Hummers across the Nevada desert. They did not prepare for an insurgency, as they were told not to expect one. Instead, they were told they would be greeted as liberators. Rumsfeld now steadfastly insists that no-one at the time could have predicted the size or intensity of the current insurgency. A grave error indeed. Rumsfeld ignored the first rule of combat… never underestimate your opponent.

The dead keep piling up. Iraqi hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties, and still no running water or reliable electricity. Violence continues to escalate, with August of 2006 proving to be the deadliest month in Iraq since the invasion began. There are no victories, no winners. According the US Pentagon, the streets of Baghdad were safer than the streets of our own nations capital prior to the invasion. Sadly, such is obviously no longer the case.

Still, Rumsfeld continues to willfully send our young men and women into a hostile environment to be maimed or possible murdered. He has shown little remorse the mess he has made. True to form, he refuses to appear weak, when in fact, his conduct has been nothing less than cowardly. Indeed, failure in Iraq is not an option, it’s a fact. One need not strain to hear the fat lady sing. She is well through the second refrain of her swan song. Through acts of arrogance and pride, the cause is lost. There will be no victory, nor vindication. The situation cannot be salvaged, and for that, you can thank US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Or perhaps it would be more accurate if we simply refer to him as the man who lost the war.

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

Throw Out The Trash!

2006-09-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

It’s time to kick the garbage to the curb.

I’m referring to the corrupt Republicans who currently dominate both the House of Representatives and the US Senate. The situation has become increasingly untenable. The stench of corruption and incompetence hangs heavy in the atmosphere. The answer is simple. When the trash begins to stink, it’s time to throw it out.

Of course, there are plenty of bad actors in the Democratic party, but they cannot be held to blame for the Bush administrations obvious manipulation of Pre-war intelligence, nor the subsequent parade of failures both at home and abroad. According to the governments own reports, George Bush’s illegal, immoral invasion of Iraq has already cost America the lives of over three thousand soldiers, and has increased the threat of terrorism on the home front, yet Bush continues to do what he does best… he lies about it.

Bush insisted Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, even after weapons experts determined to the contrary. Bush blames bad intelligence sources.

Bush claimed Saddam Hussein was attempting to procure “Yellow Cake”, but in fact, he wasn’t. Again, Bush blamed everyone but those in his own administration for the false information.

Bush claimed he spoke directly with God prior to the invasion of Iraq, and God assured him the US would suffer no casualties as a result of said invasion. I suppose God provided Bush with bad intelligence. It’s the only way to explain why casualties have been so high. God lied to George Bush.

George Bush claims the terrorists “hate freedom”, and that is why it is so necessary to dig a trench around Baghdad and lock down the entire city with travel restrictions and a radical curfew. Those darned terrorists just can’t stand the concept of freedom. That is why Bush and cronies insist on violating US and international law through acts torture and rendition. That is why it has become so important for the US to hold suspects in dog cages for extended periods of time without due process. Because it is important for the US to demonstrate to the rest of the world the value of freedom and democracy.

So there you have it. Right about now it should be abundantly obvious to even the most casual observer that the horrible odor permeating the fabric of our nation is coming from Washington. It’s the stench of failure.

So what next?

Americans hate to admit when they are wrong. Americans are not keen to admit when they have been duped. Americans aren’t comfortable accepting failure.

I suppose we can do as the Bush administration has insisted, and “stay the course”. The US has already lost more lives in Iraq and Afghanistan than on 9/11. What’s a few thousand more? We could “cut and run”, but that would embolden the enemy, an enemy that has clearly whupped our sorry ass. We could turn Iraq over to the Iraqi government, but of course, the situation in Iraq is now far worse than prior to the invasion.

Face the facts, kiddies.
This is our own fault. We cannot blame our foolishness on a handful of dead hijackers. Our willingness to accept the lies and transgressions of the most corrupt administration in US history is a weakness we must now deal with. Rest assured, we have not seen the worst of it. Failure in Iraq is not an option. It’s a fact!

So what’s the solution?
For starters, we can kick the trash to the curb.

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

The Great Pretenders

2006-09-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

The Great Pretenders

Some people never learn. Some never even try.
There’s always someone who can’t resist temptation. You know the guy. He’s the one who hangs around backstage, acting like a big shot, when in fact, he doesn’t know jack shit. In the music biz, these guys are a dime a dozen. Just another pretender, looking to steal his share of the pie.

The internet has opened the door for a whole new breed of scam artists, determined to make a quick buck off some poor sucker. Back in the day, they hawked their wares, knock-off watches and bootleg Lp’s from the trunk of their car, in some dimly lit jack alley somewhere. Perhaps they scalped concert tickets, or God only knows. Well, times they are a changing’ and a good con artist goes where the money is. For a short while, it seemed the quick cash was in internet domain squatting (read story here). These days the trend seems to be returning to that old standby… piracy.

It can be enough to drive an honest man right off the track. Who really wants to go round and round with these guys anyway? I suppose it goes with the territory. Still, these guys aren't that hard to spot. The stench can usually be traced back to the source.

Con artists are certainly nothing new. Remember that story about the boy who traded a cow for magic beans? Jack and the Bean-stock, I believe it was called. Of course, the boy in the story wasn’t exactly conned, so to speak. He got what he bargained for, a hand full of beans. I suppose little Jack could have cut his losses and asked for his cow back, but then, it just wouldn’t be an interesting story, would it.

Brad

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

Say What, Again, Mr President?

2006-08-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

I have just returned from two weeks in New York, during which time I managed to do very little writing. I didn’t write about Iraq, nor Iran. I wrote not a word on Lebanon. In fact, I seldom turned my laptop on.

Having purged such dribble, I would like to begin by addressing a new Zogby poll that concluded most American adults are more familiar with the Seven Dwarves and the Three Stooges than the Supreme Court and our three branches of government. This goes a long way toward explaining why George w Bush managed to get elected president twice. Most Americans are indeed, poorly informed at best. Around these parts, them folks are commonly referred to as idiots, but for purely political reasons, I will abstain from using the term at present. Still, one must wonder how in Gods green Earth these chuckleheads ever got through the fourth grade.

So then, without further distraction, I present to you, the reader, a whole new collection of DubyaSpeak to share with your neighbors, although, you may need to read it to them, as I suspect they may be unable to read it themselves.

At any rate, this should be good for a few laughs.

REPORTER: Is the tide turning in Iraq?
George W. Bush: I think -- tide turning -- see, as I remember -- I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of -- it's easy to see a tide turn -- did I say those words?
June 14, 2006

"We shouldn't fear a world that is more interacted." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 27, 2006

President Bush: "Peter. Are you going to ask that question with shades on?"
Peter Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times: "I can take them off."
Bush: "I'm interested in the shade look, seriously."
Wallsten: "All right, I'll keep it, then."
Bush: "For the viewers, there's no sun."
Wallsten: "I guess it depends on your perspective."
Bush: "Touche.
--An exchange with legally blind reporter Peter Wallsten, to whom Bush later apologized, Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006

"Trying to stop suiciders -- which we're doing a pretty good job of on occasion -- is difficult to do. And what the Iraqis are going to have to eventually do is convince those who are conducting suiciders who are not inspired by Al Qaeda, for example, to realize there's a peaceful tomorrow."
George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 24, 2006

"If people want to get to know me better, they've got to know my parents and the values my parents instilled in me, and the fact that I was raised in West Texas, in the middle of the desert, a long way away from anywhere, hardly. There's a certain set of values you learn in that experience."
George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006

"I was not pleased that Hamas has refused to announce its desire to destroy Israel."
George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 4, 2006

“I can look you in the eye and tell you I feel I've tried to solve the problem diplomatically to the max, and would have committed troops both in Afghanistan and Iraq knowing what I know today." --George W. Bush, Irvine, Calif., April 24, 2006

Wow!
There you have it. Proof that reality is stranger than fiction. You just can’t make this stuff up. You just have to sit back and let it roll off his tongue. Obviously, Mr. Bush has been diligent in his determination to butcher the English language, but what the hell, no-one with a modicum of sense is listening to him anymore, anyway.

By the way, if you find these Bushisms neither funny, nor alarming, chances are, you may be one of those there aforementioned idiots I respectfully declined to mention earlier on. I suggest you remove your blinders before proceeding with life.

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

Hubris and Folly

2006-07-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

Just two of the words used by Thomas E. Ricks, senior Pentagon correspondent for The Washington Post to describe the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq and its management of the war and subsequent occupation.

And those were the nice words.

In his new book, Fiasco, Ricks also accuses George Bush of being misguided, and incompetent, providing a plethora of disturbing detail, guaranteed to cause the reader great anxiety.

“President George W. Bush’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003 ultimately may come to be seen as one of the most profligate actions in the history of American foreign policy,” Mr. Ricks warns. “The consequences of his choice won’t be clear for decades, but it already is abundantly apparent in mid-2006 that the U.S. government went to war in Iraq with scant solid international support and on the basis of incorrect information — about weapons of mass destruction and a supposed nexus between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda’s terrorism — and then occupied the country negligently. Thousands of U.S. troops and an untold number of Iraqis have died. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent, many of them squandered. Democracy may yet come to Iraq and the region, but so too may civil war or a regional conflagration, which in turn could lead to spiraling oil prices and a global economic shock.”

Indeed!

This as members of Congress prepare to sue the president over his liberal use of so called ‘Signing Statements, believed by many, including myself, to be in direct violation of constitutional restraints preventing erosion of the balance of power.

Meanwhile, Iraqi civilians continue to die at an average rate of one hundred per day, as has been the case since early May. I certainly hope they all enjoyed their brief dance with Democracy.

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

A Lie By Noon

2006-07-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

“In Africa a thing is true at first light and a lie by noon, and you have no more respect for it than for the lovely, weed-fringed lake you see across the sun baked plain. You have walked across that plain in the morning and you know that no such lake is there. But now it is there, absolutely true, beautiful and believable.”

-- Earnest Hemingway

A brilliant observation.

Perhaps it is instinctive for man to see only what he wishes to see. The truth always seems so illusive, when in fact, it is we who are eluding the truth. Humanity tends to paint with a broad brush. Generally, too broad.
We often speak of the finer things in life, yet seldom do we pursue them.

Lord, how we rail against injustice, as if we give a rat’s ass. In practice, we would be willing to punch granny in the nose before allowing her to take the choice parking spot in the shade. Suddenly, she’s someone else’s problem, as our beer is getting warm. Let’s all take a bow for humanity.

Believe me, I have witnessed the smartest people doing the stupidest things… usually on purpose. I would be a liar myself, if I claimed to be immune to such behavior. Stupid is as stupid does.

Perhaps Yogi Berra said it best: “We may be lost, but we're making good time.”

So where do we go from here, when we are unwilling to acknowledge the gravest of error? You heard what the man said…you break it, you fix it. Right?

Frankly, I don’t believe that we as a nation, nor as a people, have the fortitude to right our wrongs. In fact, I know we don’t. I’ve seen the way we stand up for ourselves. It’s all just one game after another. True at first light, and a lie by noon.

The Infinite Echo
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/

Dancing Bradley Mackwards, Revisited

2006-07-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor

As of last, you may recall, I was off to distant Whackasnakeistan, in pursuit of aforementioned real-estate bonanza, unaware of the shear magnitude of remodeling currently being undertaken in the region.

I shall pass for now.

Meanwhile, I almost hate to post over the Bushisms blog, as it was good for a lot of laughs. It doesn’t vanish, of course. If you haven’t read it yet, you really might want to check it out:http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/2006/07/say-what-mr-president.html

Unfortunately, while we here at InfiniteBradBlah were yukkin’ it up, Bush and his cronies were hard at work, searching out new ways to butcher the English language.

On the other hand, I promised delivery, and indeed, I have delivered. I have created additional blogs for your enlightenment, whatever that may mean. These blogs wreak propaganda of the most vitriolic nature, so if you are easily offended, go immediately… opportunity awaits!

Here’s where to start your journey:

http://destinationarizona.blogspot.com/
http://nationalnewswire.blogspot.com/
http://dealingwithdad.blogspot.com/
http://skatetherazor.blogspot.com/

Go now…
Be offended.

The Infinite Echo 2006
http://theinfiniteecho.blogspot.com/