Commentary Update for October 28, 2003
1. This Week's Show: This week's guest is Oshkosh Northwestern sportswriter
Chuck "Mr
Opinion" Carlson. Chuck pisses off lots of his readers, which is
one reason we like having him on frequently. He's authored several books, including
the most recent (2003) Tales
from the Packers Sidelines: A Collection of the Greatest Stories Ever Told.
2. Another Iraq Tragedy: Paul Wolfowitz literally dodged a bullet in Baghdad last Sunday, but another young Wisconsinite fell victim to Wolfy's Iraq adventure. Nineteen year old Pfc Rachel Bosveld of Waupun, WI died last Sunday in a mortar attack on a police station. Part of the reason she was in the military was for college financial aid. Meanwhile Editor and Publisher reported last week that the press is underreporting the wounded in Iraq.
3. Exclusive Responses To Rummy Memo: By now I'm sure everyone has heard of Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld's leaked memo in which he expresses doubts about the progress made in the War on Terror. The memo was written to Assistant Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz, Under Secretary Doug Feith, General Pete Pace, and General Richard Myers. Near the end of the memo, Rummy asks, "What else should we be considering?" Commentary, in a stunning exclusive, has obtained the Wolfowitz, Feith, Pace, and Myers responses to that question! Here they are:
Wolfowitz: "Invade Syria NOW. Assad can launch a nuclear attack in 45 minutes."
Feith: "Invade Iran NOW. Khatami can launch a nuclear attack in 45 minutes."
Pace: "Invade the West Bank NOW. Arafat can launch a nuclear attack in 45 minutes."
Myers: "Master Donald, I pledge to do a better job of providing cover for your dogmatism and incompetence."
4. Brock on Bush: Writing in the November 1, 2003 Michigan Citizen, Dr. Bernie Brock of Wayne State University says that, "Bush stubbornly clings to fighting the wrong war, in the wrong country, assuming the wrong role, against the wrong enemy and for the wrong reasons."
5. Simile of the Week: Writing in the UK Mirror, Christopher Hitchens laments the UK decision to retire the Concorde: "But the decision to cease supersonic travel is more like that of a Victorian who, hitting on the internal combustion engine, contemplated its beauty and efficiency and then, sighingly, got behind the horse again and connected the reins to the buggy."
6. Shoot 'Em In Secret: Even though Wisconsin's budget problems are far from being settled and the corrupt system that led to the indictment of top legislative leaders is still solidly in place, the legislature somehow found time to pass concealed weapon legislation. Jim The New Democrat Doyle will veto the bill, but it is not yet clear if there are enough votes to override. If Doyle is looking for another reason to veto the bill beyond the ones he has already suggested, he should read this piece by UW Oshkosh professor Ann Frisch. She argues that the bill creates exemptions from the state's open records law that will have the practical effect of creating "secret police forces" in the state.
7. Honduras B'Gosh to end all US Manufacturing: When you tell people that you live in Oshkosh, they often say, "oh, isn't that where they make the baby clothes?" To which I always answer, "no, it's where they have atrocious urban planning, a mediocre Gannett newspaper, and a great university." Seriously, Oshkosh B'Gosh long ago moved production out of Oshkosh, and I suppose it was only a matter of time before all US production ended, as noted in this piece. The article says this company has "fallen on hard times," yet you would never know that by looking at CEO Doug Hyde's compensation.
8. Fighting Bob Fest Photos: I was able to attend part of the September 6, 2003 Fighting Bob Fest in Baraboo, WI. As I get time I will be uploading pictures I took at the event. Here is Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and Matt Rothschild of the Progressive Magazine.
9. Commentary Photos: Jay Heck of Common Cause Wisconsin made his second appearance on Commentary in April of 2003. Earlier this month we were joined by Oshkosh Common Councilors Paul Esslinger and Mark Harris. Over the summer I traveled to Madison and was able to get a photo of Wisconsin Public Radio's Randall Davidson, a wonderful man who has been able to get Commentary broadcast on city of Madison cable access television.
10. Earth Charter Summit Photos: From October 11 - 17 UW Oshkosh hosted an Earth Charter Summit. It was a tremendous and successful event. Here are some photos:
Peace,
Tony