Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Pat Metheny's The Way Up has been in the disc player in the car for a week or so now. A well reviewed disc, it has a really nice melody that is presented and elaborated on in the second section, and which recurs throughout. I'm really enjoying the music and note that it bears many listenings, even one after another, to tease out what's there. Nice disc.
The Middle East continues to make me shake my head, but there's not a lot I can say about it that isn't written all over the place. If for nothing but to chronicle my own sometimes shifting opinions on the matter I'll note this: I don't see how Hezbollah -- as well as the Syrian and Iranian backing -- can be viewed as equivalent to Israel. To me there are enough hard facts to preclude this to any reasoning person. And I by no means think they -- or anyone else for that matter -- are perfect: They're not. But as I've heard it said: If the Arabs put down their guns the war stops. If the Israelis put down their guns they cease to exist. A struggle to eradicate someone (the involved Arabs' stated goal is to destroy Israel) is simply not the same as the struggle to prevent that same action. One interesting article by Victor Davis Hanson on the matter offers an explanation.
I've been working out at a climbing gym lately in preparation for a trip over Labor Day weekend with an old friend. I can feel my forearms coming back to life a little bit. It's fun to not feel quite so out of shape.
The Middle East continues to make me shake my head, but there's not a lot I can say about it that isn't written all over the place. If for nothing but to chronicle my own sometimes shifting opinions on the matter I'll note this: I don't see how Hezbollah -- as well as the Syrian and Iranian backing -- can be viewed as equivalent to Israel. To me there are enough hard facts to preclude this to any reasoning person. And I by no means think they -- or anyone else for that matter -- are perfect: They're not. But as I've heard it said: If the Arabs put down their guns the war stops. If the Israelis put down their guns they cease to exist. A struggle to eradicate someone (the involved Arabs' stated goal is to destroy Israel) is simply not the same as the struggle to prevent that same action. One interesting article by Victor Davis Hanson on the matter offers an explanation.
I've been working out at a climbing gym lately in preparation for a trip over Labor Day weekend with an old friend. I can feel my forearms coming back to life a little bit. It's fun to not feel quite so out of shape.
# posted by goldpython @ 8:26 AM 
