Antikythera Mechanism and . . . technology re-sets
Geared clocks appeared in the 1500's; watches with miniaturized, sophisticated gear systems appeared in the 1800's; computers were invented in the 2nd half of the 20th century.
Except for an analog computer that was used in the Mediterranean, about 100-150 years before Christ was born.
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In 1900, the Antikythera Mechanism was discovered in sea wreckage of Atikythera Island at a depth of about 130 feet. The "manual" on its side is inscribed with Greek characters from the era 100-150 BC. The date of the mechanism is not controversial.
How the culture of that time could have obtained such technology is controversial.
The mechanism contains from 30 to 70 gears, has three external dials, and is made of bronze, enclosed in a wood casing only 13 x 7 x 4 inches. On it side is the "manual" with 3,000 Greek characters that describes how to use the device, and which contains references to heavenly bodies.
Professor Michael Edmunds, who led the examination of the device, said:
"This device is just extraordinary, the only thing of its kind. The design is beautiful, the astronomy is exactly right. The way the mechanics are designed just makes your jaw drop. Whoever has done this has done it extremely carefully." and added: "in terms of historic and scarcity value, I have to regard this mechanism as being more valuable than the Mona Lisa."The device is essentially an analog computer, made with gears (the teeth being equilateral triangles, as opposed to the squared teeth that Archimedes attempted). When a date was entered (with a dial or crank), the machine accurately calculated the position of the Sun, Moon, and other heavenly bodies (relative to an observer's position on Earth) and indicated them with hands on the side of the casing. (Do you think that you could construct such a gear system, even given the manuals and information available to you now?) ............ It is difficult to imagine exactly how this machine was used, in view of the fact that science of the time did not understand gravity, much less orbits or planetary motion. Plausible uses of the machine might have included:
1. Calculation of religious dates and festivals. 2. Astrology. 3. Calendar adjustment.Near the area of the wreckage, Rhodes Island had museums with display of other mechanical devices -- about 100 interesting mechanical devices of the time are known to exist, though none with nearly the level of sophistication of the Antikythera Mechanism. Cicero, Archimedes, and others refer to astronomical machines in their writings. Also, it is unlikely that it was built for public display only, because its size and the "manual" on the side clearly imply that it was meant to be used by non-technical travelers. And yet, eclipses of the moon are not important for navigation. ............... See reconstruction at right. This machine -- which is a computer, not a clock -- would have been an incredible accomplishment -- in 1800 A.D. If Thomas Edison had invented it, it might have been one of his greatest achievements. So, here is another case in which we learn that ancient cultures used machines far beyond what we would have expected them to use. The explosion of technology in Western civilization occurred over, relatively, only a few years. It is tantalizing to meditate on the Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek halls of learning and the libraries that could have sprung up over a century or two, and then been sacked and burned by invading conquerors. Yet: why were these super-valuable inventions always destroyed by the kingdoms that appropriated them? That the Greeks came up with surprisingly advanced, non-powered, machines in a few centuries does not seem implausible to me. The interesting question, for me, is this: how did the Greek technology disappear so suddenly and so utterly? ................. If you want a paranormal suggestion (and you didn't say you did), here's mine: the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11) emphatically states that Higher Powers suppressed the advance of technology. The earth bears the marks of having technology suppressed on at least three major occasions: in Egypt, in Babylon and in Greece. This may also have occurred in Central America and in China, if not in other places also (consider Stonehenge, the Nazca lines, etc.). This time around -- in Western culture -- there has been no suppression. We wonder why? Cheers, Jeff ....................... images: http://onter.net/art/antikythera_mechanism.jpg http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Kythera-Dateien/image009.jpg
Thursday Morning Tazoberry
So, save this shtick for Thursday morning. :- ) This is Hiro Nakamura Time-Travel week.
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Q. What do you think of the idea of signing Daniel Cabrera and using him as a closer?
A. I think you all are going to be shocked at the contract that Daniel Cabrera commands. Are you still in the game if it's 4/$40 for Cabrera to close? Considering that he's never done it? Thought not.
And it could go considerably higher than 4/$40.
Cabrera has Randy Johnson-esque potential -- well, almost -- and one or two teams are likely to pay for the upside as though it had already been achieved.
Still and all, if you could somehow parlay this idea into a situation in which both Brandon Morrow and Aaron Heilman start, then it could be worth the outlay. What would Heilman want in an extension?
Supposing you could talk Heilman into a 3-year extension at reasonable money, and supposing you could offload Washburn in some kind of scheme, and supposing D-Cab was willing to close ... it might all net out well for you.
All that's about as likely as finding one of the first three parking slots to the door in a Wal-Mart lot.
Cabrera's healthy, you say? I take it for granted that he'd be lights-out. He's the next Gossage or Mesa or take your pick. The risk isn't likely to be anywhere near worth it, IMHO.
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Q. What about Saito, then?
A. Dr. Naka, as usual, noticed something that nobody else did:
Interesting note is that closer Saito is on the [WBC] roster. Manager Hara mentioned that he took 34 players whose condition are good. So perhaps Saito has a good recovery.Hm. Is it likely that Hara has more information than me, as to Saito's arm? I suppose, in a longshot, he could... Takashi Saito last year had a 60/16 control ratio with 1 -- count it -- homer allowed in 47 innings' relief pitching. It's been a long time since I wrote baseball, but I distinctly remember 60-16-1 being good. As you know, he was hurt the 2nd half, so you're looking at having the doctors image the elbow tissue. What is interesting here is that apparently Hara & co. have done that. Gimme a good MRI on the lad, and I'm in. . Q. Then what do you do in the bullpen? A. If they want out of the Morrow/Heilman Two-Face Coin, they've got to add one or two legit relief guns, either in FA or in trade. It's not an act of Congress to do so. But it's obviously much *easier* to just figure that one of your two thoroughbred swing men is going to close. .......... Q. What do you do about RRS? A. Like we just said, swing man. Probably Bedard isn't ready in April, so RRS starts then, and the moment that he is, RRS pulls the old Ramiro Mendoza flip to the pen. If and when you can deal Washburn, RRS can get back to the rotation by then. If Phillippe Aumont isn't yet the best pitcher in the organization by that time. All clubs need 6 starters, never mind those with David Cone, Pedro Martinez or Erik Bedard. Call RRS the 6. .......... Q. When is Jamie Moyer going to hit the wall? A. He's already hit about four of them. He keeps reinventing himself each time. Right now, he's a rawhide-tough, (barely) league-average lefty who uses command and intelligence. Can a guy in his late 40's gear up enough muscle power to finesse the ball into an area the size of an almond can (4-oz size)? James always says on guys like this, "common sense tells you to let him find his own limits." Stop trying to apply rules to Jamie Moyer. He's a special class of baseball pitcher (a class of which there is one member). Tommy John stopped pitching at 46, probably more from injuries than lack of ability to pitch. And Tommy wasn't in anything like the physical condition that Moyer is. I suspect that Jamie will be able to trick them for another two or three years. ................ Q. Would Moyer get the HOF if he gets 300 wins? A. Everybody with 300 wins gets the HOF. Don't be silly. But that's undoubtedly his only route to the Hall. Writers will, IMHO, remember Moyer as a classy pitcher who wasn't nearly HOF-caliber. It is the year 2009, and Pat Gillick is still supposedly doing dumb shtick as we speak, and Pat Gillick is still better than the next generation. Ain't love grand. BABVA, jemanji ................... image: http://www.bevnet.com/images/reviews/tazo-juiced/tazo-tazoberry.jpg
Moses Smell The Roses!
Regardless of all my attempts to remain otherwise, at times it seems that I have possibly become jaded. Perhaps it was the endless touring, the numerous concerts spent watching opening acts from all over the nation try and prove themselves worthy of attention. Whatever the case, it is rare that I can go to a performance and find myself to be moved by the unknown acts who open the show. Whether it be the smallest of local shows in teen centers and legion halls or at large concert halls and other venues of the sort, I often find myself impatiently dismissing them, eager for the act I am there to see. It is an odd thing for I am normally rabid for discovering new music. Maybe it is the setting, For one reason or another, it is not conductive for me to make such discoveries.
So imagine my surprise, one night in Portland, when an odd little band called Moses Smell The Roses took the stage and held me completely entranced. Their stage set up was odd to say the least. To the right of the basic set up of drums, bass and guitar, were two keyboards, stacked upon one another and a very minimalist set of drums in addition to the full set. There were elaborate curtains donning the stage and when the group took the stage, they were adorned with animal masks: a leopard, a bat, a monkey and a unicorn.
But as I've learned over the years, stage antics and theatrics, do very little to make up for lack of musicianship and I was not prepared for anything but a gimmicky mess of noise by an unremarkable experimental band.
Oh, how I was wrong. The music was all over the place. Fast and discordant stampedes of sound would give way to beautifully melodic sections. Eric Bloombaum, when not adding layers of sound with his innovative keyboard melodies, would take his place behind the other set of drums and engage in incredibly intricate and precise drum duels with Mike Byrne, who at times flew with break neck speed across the skins before him. They did not bother with lyrics, instead allowing for their instruments to weave sound far more interesting than any vocals they could have come up with. James Krutcher and John Sheid did not so much strum their guitars as they did dance across them enticing wicked shrieks and soothing sweeps from one moment to the next. As a unit they could stop on a dime before letting loose once more and between songs held in store brilliant a cappella renditions of Talking Heads songs.
Their self-produced EP Frenemies was decorated quite creatively to look like a bag puppet, complete with dangling arms and legs.; It was very clear that these are young men dedicated to more than just their music, they pay attention to every detail of every aspect of the entity.
It is wild and unpredictable, visually and aurally stunning. And so rare is that in today's homogenized industry.
Antipasto Introducto
Greetings, foodies. If you're here, chances are you have a taste for something excellent, exceptional, or out of the ordinary. We here at The Hungry Blogger are dedicated to bringing you recipes, restaurant reviews and even some culinary history. So, pull up a chair, grab a glass of wine and encourage your appetite.
Let's just go ahead and dive right in. Today, the topic is Beef Carpaccio. This delectable starter is, far and away, my favorite antipasto dish.
Antipasto? It's an Italian term that means, simply and literally, Before (anti) the Meal (pasto). Antipasti are generally light, flavorful dishes that prime a diner's belly for the heavier main courses that make up so much of Italian fare. Best of all, antipasti are designed to be shared. They're pretty, have a banquet-grazing feel to them and they are exceedingly easy to make.
Which is not to say a proper antipasto doesn't require a careful attention to detail. This goes double for carpaccio. Here's what you'll need:
- Beef tenderloin (tip), 10 oz
- Light, leafy greens like arugula, spinach and radicchio, enough to make a good bed
- Olive oil, 1 cup
- Balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup
- Salt, preferably kosher
- Black pepper, preferably fresh-ground
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Teixeira at age 34
Hiro Nakamura tripped on into 2014 for us to check out Mark Teixeira's level of play. As you can see, Tex (pictured right) was still celebrating the occasional base knock.
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Sez the super-dee-dooper sabr-toothed Sandy from Braves'-land, regarding the idea of signing Teixeira a year before you hope to compete:
It's simply a bad ORDER to do things. You get a David Wright and Jose Reyes and Victor Diaz ALL showing *strong* indications of stardom at age 22/23 - then, by all means, go out and sink 6-7 years in a 28-year-old star.Well, in some ways. It certainly isn't the order in which the Braves do things. :- ) It's the way you'd do things if you're wanting a re-load as opposed to re-build, though. The Mariners aren't a small-market team. This position begs the question of whether it should BE a re-build. ................. Sandy kinda blew me away with this one:
The first two years - HIGH probability of great numbers. The last 6 years (assuming 8 year contract), it gets a lot fuzzier. I'd say a REASONABLE expectation is 4 acceptable years, and 4 unacceptable (and declining) years.Wellll....... :wry smile: if the 3rd year on (age 31!) looks fuzzy for THIS dude, I'd say we're not going to agree on much. If you're scared of Teixeira at 31, obviously you're screaming bloody murder at signing him for his age-35 season. ................. I can see the case against, but I trust also that EVERYbody understands that the consensus of baseball GM's is going to be that Mark Teixeira is a sound risk at 8 years. .................. Here are Tex's b-ref.com comps beginning at age 33 -- that is, casting aside the next 4 years' worth of production as valueless for the sake of this discussion. Carlos Delgado had 4 years left of 130 (All-Star) performance left -- at the END of that period. In other words, if you'd given Delgado the 8-year deal at the same age we're proposing here, then at the BACK half of that contract, you'd have had a lefty cleanup hitter. McGriff played 8 more years, after the age of 33 (!). I trust that nobody is saying that the Crime Dog was inherently more talented than Mark Teixeira. Dog was an illustration of just what a great bet it is, when you've got a lefthanded, high-OBP power guy. Remember, he'll be getting 80% good-platoon AB's the rest of his life. *Yeah, I know Tex is a switch. That implies he'll have less, or more, trouble getting around when he's 37?! McCovey played 10 (!!) more years -- after age 33 -- as a star (taking the years as a block). Thome of course has remained a franchise hitter into his late 30's. No, I'm serious here. Show me a LH power guy with huge walks, and I'll show you a guy I'll bet on to age well. Kent Hrbek was one of the few guys who aged early, but Kent was (1) not in these guys' class talent-wise, and (2) never accused of taking care of himself. I'll bet 95% of us would toss Hrbek out as a totally-legit comp in this group. ................... I think that if you're going to doubt Teixeira's age 34-37 seasons, you're going to have to say he's a fundamentally less-talented hitter than McGriff, Delgado, etc. You can say that, but GM's will not. .................... Sometimes I suspect that the problem here is that we stare hard at that 8th season, and we go, "well, what if he's an albatross then?" Well, what if he IS? Virtually ALL GM's will tell you, hey, we knew we might be overpaying late, but we wanted to make that run. It was part of the cost associated. Every time you sign a pitcher, EVERY time, you're taking major risks. Fans have to get the idea of guarantees out of their heads. You're just going to lose your ante all night long and never win a pot. Ask me? As baseball risks go, Mark Teixeira ages 29-36 is a lot more comfortable than a Daisuke Matsuzaka is going to be. Or Felix for his next contract. ................. I could be wrong, but I've got a foam-rubber bat here I'm going to just pummel you with until Tex signs with the Angels. That is: all the smartest baseball shot-callers agree with me. I might be wrong, but I can't be brainless, if Theo Epstein and all them guys agree with me. Disagree with 8 years for Tex if you like, but you dare not call it unreasonable, when all the guys smarter than us, think that it IS reasonable. So take a hike, son. We're signing him. :- ) Cheers, jemanji
Hooray for Cheap Gas!
All I can do when I arrive at the gas pump is smile and look fondly at how low the prices are now for a gallon of gas. A nostalgic, Clinton-era tear whets the corner of my eye, provoked by fond memories of gas that was just about a buck a gallon during the earlier part of this decade. And on the other side of my face streams another tear, rejoicing that my monthly gas bill has effectively dropped from $180+ per month, to well under eighty bucks; more nachos and movies for me this December!
And I think that everybody is with me when I exclaim: thank goodness the gas prices have dropped and there is cheap fuel to be had, because I don’t know how much longer I could afford to pay four bucks or more per gallon at the pump. It felt like highway robbery and indeed it was. Oil production had not slowed. Wells were not going dry at a freakish rate. Heck, even the major oil conglomerates were posting trillion dollar all-time record sales—and meanwhile they were extorting us for our few and far between hard earned dollars.
Some people were even faced with trying to wager buying food or gas; an irony that has several facets if you think about it. You need gas to get to work. You need to go to work to pay the bills, and buy food to eat. But if you can’t afford to buy gas to get to work, then you won’t eat. And if you can’t eat, you can’t go to work to buy gas. You see, it would go back and forth in my head each time I would stare at the desolate grin of the $4.25 gallon marker. And then there were gas stations, not all of them mind you, but a good deal of them, who decided that this would be a great time to tell you hey, “If you use your debit card or credit card to buy gas, we are going to charge you another fee!”
Of course, during all of this, the major oil companies were turning a blind eye to the people while reaping the cash barrels and smoking fancy cigars behind closed doors. And why should they care? Do you think the Hugo Chaves gives a crap how broke we are? He wants us to be broke so we are not an ‘imminent threat’ as he so fondly banters. And do you think that OPEC or the oil rich nations, many who only speak to us because we have made them rich, really care if they charge us more per barrel of crude oil? Exactly!
But they all forget one thing when it comes to cheap gas: if we can’t afford to drive to work, then we can’t afford to eat. And if we can eat, then they won’t make any money whatsoever from us. So after considerable raping, to the tune of a few years, suddenly, the gas prices plummet to record lows, and now I can afford to eat and drive to work again. Thanks big oil guys! Thanks for taking all my money last year. But thank you again for helping me to put food on the table this year! Not! Hydrogen-power anybody?
Stephen Hawking On The Possibility Of Alien Life
Bad news for all who have put stock in the tales and theories revolving around Alien abduction: Steven Hawking, while commenting upon the 50th anniversary of NASA, called such stories the product of "weirdos." Even I will admit to feeling a tad heartbroken at such a remark coming from the revered physicist, thinking at first that he was dismissing the very thought of alien life itself. Not that I have piled all of my chips in said claims, but there have been times in my life when I desperately wanted them to be true.
I grew up in space, not literally of course but in grand works of fiction, both literary and cinematic, that regaled the swashbuckling tales of futuristic heroes and heroines. Now, I also had enough legitimate astronomy texts and an elementary grasp on the physics of space travel to know that tales such as those would likely never happen within my life-time, if ever at all. But I had always hoped that at some point, I'd be able to witness some sort of 'First Contact,' no matter how small it was. Hell, I'd probably have settled for a belligerent attack on our planet if I had gotten too old and desperate.
Then in recent months, all sorts of reports of water on Mars and CO2 on Distant Planets got me excited: Maybe the breakthrough I had always dreamed of is right around the corner. However, if Stephen Hawking is not a subscriber, I do not know if I can be. Bummer.
But wait!
While he did say such disparaging things regarding supposed alien abductions, when asked if he thought we were alone in this massive universe, he responded with a resounding "probably not," and proceeded to give us three scenarios in which he saw the greatest possibilities. One was boring (there is nothing out there), one was exciting (basically alien invasion) and one was middle of the road (most likely primitive life, nothing too far advanced). And which one did he prefer? Why, the last one of course, though that is not the most riveting scenario for my sci-fi riddled mind. And yes, I realize he is just one man and he offered up nothing more than an opinion but it is nice to have an endorsement of such possibilities from someone so respectable for it is the belief in such possibilities that will propel us into the great unknown.
Is it Safe to buy a ‘Big Three’ Car Right Now?
For those of you who find yourselves in the position to purchase a new automobile, you may want to look to another company than an American automaker right now until further headway and progress is made with the fall of the ‘Big Three’ automakers in the United States. Now there are some who would say this is preemptive, and that more Americans need to buy more American made cars and trucks. But from a personal perspective, there is much to consider before you make your decision on whether or not you should hold off on buying that new GM, Ford or Chrysler car.
As of right now, senate has repeatedly shot down any bailout funds for the ‘Big Three,’ making their financial indisposition even more despairing. And, if action is not taken soon, and I mean within the next three months at most, GM and Chrysler could find themselves on the corporate bread line, begging for a handout; not that they are not already begging for a handout from congress to stay afloat.
Why the ‘Big Three’ are Hurting
The major American auto makers are hurting for a number of plausible reasons. One: they overproduced far too many vehicles because of shoddy contracts that hold them financially liable to the United Auto Workers Unions. Two: the economy has slowed consumer spending and purchasing of cars, causing a surplus in inventories. And three: the car makers never slowed down their production of cars, causing an even bigger surplus—this combined with poor management and bad corporate structure has placed the major auto makers into a pretty precarious situation.
What Happens if They Go Out of Business?
If the big three auto makers do fall into the sinkhole where there is no point of return, massive international financial fallout will directly follow in the wake of their demise. Millions of consumers who already own a Ford, GM, or Chrysler made vehicle will wake up and realize that their vehicle now has no warranty, is worth less than half of what it was a day ago, and is nearly impossible to sell.
Imagine a world where you paid thirty thousand dollars for a new Ford truck, and with interest on that loan you will pay back around, say thirty five thousand dollars. Then, you find out that the manufacturer of the car, that you just purchased and are tied to a lengthy auto loan with, has gone out of business. Now your car is worth less than half of what you owe. Even if you pay it off in full, you still lose your butt. And the warranty is useless, so any and all repairs, covered or not, is now your obligation.
Who is Left Holding the Bill?
We the American taxpayers are left footing the bill for this mish mash. Hundreds of thousands of people who are left jobless in the wake of this tragedy will have no other choice but to collect unemployment. The banks lending out on auto loans will have far less business and will layoff employees. And good taxpayers like you and me, will be left with a chunky fat tax bill to pay, one that last a good deal longer than a decade, at best!
Treating a Sprained Ankle
Sprained ankles can be very painful; sometimes more so than an actual break. Be sure that you do in fact know that you are only dealing with a sprained ankle and not a broken one. Chances are if you have sprained your ankle before like I have, you know the difference. While you should still go and see your doctor for x-rays here are some things that you can do at home to treat the ankle. For fast recovery and less painful symptoms take care of your ankle as soon as possible.
Make sure that your ankle is protected. You are going to want to take it easy for a couple days not putting a whole lot of strain on your ankle. Walking on it should be avoided until the swelling and pain starts to subside. While you have your ankle on sick leave you need to reinforce the rule of staying off of it and protecting it. Apply a splint or brace to your ankle. Both of these items as well as an Ace wrap or two can be picked up from any pharmacy if you don't already have them on hand.
Get comfy and elevate your ankle once you have it in a splint or brace using the Ace wrap for compression only when your ankle is not elevated. With your leg and ankle fully supported and up higher than the rest of your body apply some ice. You can apply ice several times throughout the day but be sure not to have the ice on your ankle for more than 20 minutes at a time. More than 20 minutes will actually start to cause more damage. Keeping your ankle iced and elevated appropriately will help keep the swelling down as well as help to reduce some of the pain.
When using an Ace wrap for compression on your ankle remember that you do not want it wrapped too tight. If you wrap it too tight it will decrease circulation and reduce your healing time. The Ace wrap should be snug fitting and can be removed or loosened further when you have it elevated.
Oral medications that you can take to help with pain and swelling can be found in your medicine cabinet or first aid kit. Ibuprofen and Motrin is generally what most doctors will prescribe for a sprained ankle though with their prescription you will get pills that have a higher milligram content per pill than what you can get over the counter.
Instead of taking a normal dose with your sprained ankle call you local pharmacist to figure out how much you should take in accordance with your weight. To just say to take double the recommended dosage isn't a good idea and could result in a major upset stomach and heart burn in addition to your ankle woes, as that amount could be too much for you.
Remember that even though ankle injuries can be simple to fix at home and will heal just fine over time, yours may not be. You can never be 100% sure that your ankle isn't broken or have something more complicated going on with it unless you seek medical care. If it is something more serious than a sprained or twisted ankle you may need much more in depth care to heal properly.
Commentary on an Exit
I can't be the only one who's fascinated by the George W. Bush of the last month. For nearly a year, no one has paid any attention to the man that, believe it or not, is still technically the president of these United States. The reason for that is fairly simple, especially in retrospect. The election was an exciting process, promising to be extremely meaningful regardless of the outcome. Had John McCain been elected, many would have seen it as a conclusive statement of unchanging politics, where others would have seen it as a moment of sobriety and realism. On the other end, the election of either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama would have been hailed as a great moment in history.
But it all really came from a terminal exhaustion. The majority of this country just got exhausted with G.W. Bush and his entire administration. We're officially living in a political age in which nothing's shocking anymore. In the past week, Mr. Bush altered endangered species laws abruptly and for no apparent reason. Did this get the attention of the big news outlets? Yep, for about five minutes. I don't think this is because nobody cares about the conservation of threatened life. I think it's just because we're tired and we don't expect any better from the most disapproved-of president to ever hold office in America. We, and I mean the American people as well as president Bush, have adopted the mindset that the next administration will try to fix it all. I doubt Bush even has an agenda concerning endangered species laws. It was probably something he or one of his constituents developed a long time ago and now is just a political loose end.
This is exactly why this recent, overblown shoe business is so interesting. When Muntadhar al-Zaidi hurled his loafers at the president's head, he did so with a passion I don't think we'll ever see in an American again concerning Mr. Bush. Granted, Bush's policies made life in America less comfortable, whereas his policies brought death and destruction to Iraq. It makes sense that an Iraqi's hatred of Bush would have so much more energy than that of an American's.
None of us Americans are going barefoot with disgust and it seems like Bush knows it. Now that we're getting to watch him slowly pack his things and screw off into the vast expanse of Texas, Bush is interesting enough to do interviews again. The tone he's taking is resigned and nonchalant. He may not be the most articulate or eloquent man to ever hold public office, but it's obvious he's not so dim that he doesn't understand how reviled his presidency has become. Just like us, our sitting president is tired and seems to only hope that things will get better after he's gone.
In a recent interview, George W. Bush said, among other things, "You've got to say I'm a little wiser". I can't help but wonder what the world would be like if G.W. mk. 2009 had been our president from 2000 on. The man seems calm and reflective, seems to be willing to acknowledge where his expertise is limited. As much as I've disagreed with basically every decision Bush has ever made as a president, I can't hate the guy he is today. I'm no shoe thrower, especially in regard to a guy who'll be dodging all manner of non-lethal projectiles all the way to his boring-ass house in the suburbs of the place where he grew up.