The Eyes of Alan Watts

I wrote about politics for a couple of years. Now that nothing that happens can conceivably be influenced by anything I do or say, I only read about politics.

In the environment of Obama's Presidency, in which we hope for the best, I offer, not politics, but a memory.

Alan Watts, I'm not afraid of your eyes anymore.

(In 1970 I drove to Sausalito where Alan Watts was living in a houseboat, walked into the entrance hall, and when he greeted me was so terrified that I fled. Into a rainstorm. What I saw in his eyes that frightened me was endlessness.)

Spotlight: Honduras

To: letters@time.com
Subject: Spotlight: Honduras

Washington's meddling in Latin American affairs is not a "line" - it's historic fact. (Which you folks have not done a very good job of reporting. I've been reading your magazine for 55 years.)

Latin American leaders are appealing to Obama because they sense that he is different, and that the era of "el coloso del norte" may be over.

And now that you've started writing words like "website" correctly, isn't it time to give up the snarky, condescending tone?

GOP Senators, Stimulus Bill, and Jon Kyl

GOP leaders doubt stimulus bill will pass Senate

Am I missing something here? The Republicans have only 41 Senators, and several of them are moderates who tend to vote with Democrats on important issues. Jon Kyl is one of the most retrogressive members of the Senate and cannot be assumed to speak for all Republican Senators. The stimulus plan doesn't need his support.

Muntazer al-Zaidi

The guy who threw his shoes at Bush is an Iraqi journalist named Muntazer al-Zaidi. He has been imprisoned and not seen in public since the incident.

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"Muntazer had repeated many times that if he had the chance, he would take revenge against the US president," said a colleague. "He held him responsible for the deterioration of the conditions we were living in. He just didn't have the chance before, and being asked to cover the conference was an opportunity for him. I am proud of him because he did what all of us have dreamed of doing, but were too scared to do."

One police officer, who accompanied [Zaidi] to prison, said the journalist, a Baghdad correspondent for the Cairo-based Al-Baghdadia TV, had been subjected to violence throughout the journey. The officer, who asked not to be named, said he witnessed security forces beating Zaidi in the car with such force that his ribs were broken. "I felt sorry when I saw them beating him. His mouth was badly injured and he did not utter a single word throughout until one of the guards hit him in his left eye with a gun. Then he cried out that he couldn't see, and I saw blood inside his eye. I am a police officer but even I have to say I felt proud of what he did."

A doctor called to examine Zaidi said his right arm had been broken and he had haematomas - indicative of internal bleeding - all over his body, particularly on his left leg, shoulders, face and head. The doctor, who also asked to remain anonymous, said specialists called in to treat him warned security guards that they must make sure his eye was protected for fear of a further haemorrhage which could cause him to lose his sight.

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Istanbul shoe producer Ramazan Baydan insists the brown thick-soled shoes [thrown at Bush] are his and currently known as Model 271 but soon to be renamed the Bush Shoe, or the Bye-Bye-Bush Shoe. He has hired an agency to promote them, claims to have taken 300,000 orders since the protest and plans to employ 100 extra staff to meet demand.

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As Zaidi threw the shoes he said:
"This is the farewell kiss, you dog."

Al-Qaeda Endorses McCain

John McCain 'endorsed by al-Qaeda supporters'

Supporters of al-Qaeda have said they would prefer Republican candidate John McCain to win the US election because he is more likely to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a message broadcast on the password-protected al-Hesbah site, the group said they would also welcome a pre-election terror attack on the US because that would make a McCain win more likely.

The group said that if al-Qaeda wants to exhaust the US militarily and economically, the "impetuous" Republican presidential candidate is the better choice.

Troopergate

Complete Troopergate Report

Branchflower Report to the Legislative Council
October 10, 2008

CONCLUSION

Governor Sarah Palin

I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act:

"The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

The mental state required of an executive branch employee like Governor Palin in order to violate a provision of the Ethics Act is "knowingly." This means that an executive branch employee cannot be found to be in violation of the ethics laws when he or she does not at least know that his or her conduct is in violation of the Act, e.g. one cannot negligently or accidentally violate the Act.

The policy underlying Alaska's Ethics Act is to discourage executive branch employees from acting upon personal interests in the performance of their public responsibilities and to avoid conflicts of interest in the performance of duty. The Act makes clear that compliance with the code of ethics creates a burden on each executive branch employee that is personal in nature.

Compliance with the code of ethics is not optional. It is an individual responsibility imposed by law, and any effort to benefit a personal interest through official action is a violation of that trust. The term "benefit" is very broadly defined, and includes anything that is to the person's advantage or personal self-interest.

Bush and Olmert Agree on 'Timetable' for Attack on Iran

Olmert Hints U.S. Action on Iran Nukes is Near

by Gil Ronen
Published: 06/05/08, 11:35 AM

(IsraelNN.com) Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted after his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush Wednesday that U.S. action against Iran is imminent. While he avoided saying anything clear and specific on the matter, Olmert did mention a "timetable" and said action would take place before Bush leaves the White House.

"We reached agreement on the need to take care of the Iranian threat," Olmert said after the meeting. "I left with a lot less question marks [than I had entered with] regarding the means, the timetable restrictions and America's resoluteness to deal with the problem."

"George Bush understands the severity of the Iranian threat and the need to vanquish it, and intends to act on the matter before the end of his term in the White House," Olmert reportedly said after his 90 minute long one-on-one meeting with the American Commander in Chief.

'It is not good to publicize everything'

"With every day that goes by we get closer to stopping the Iranian nuclear plan," Olmert said. He said that meaningful steps were being taken to handle Iran "more effectively" and told reporters: "The Iranian problem requires urgent attention, and I see no reason to delay this just because there will be a new President in the White House seven and a half months from now."