http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:25:09 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. 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Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/21/152509.php Preston ParkhurstReligious fulfillment through political policy or just bad judgement?Not long ago, Condoleeza Rice stated that the U.S. foreign policy for the past 50 years has been a mistake and that the U.S. needs to break from its support of even complacent dictatorships and pursue the instilment of Democracy throughout the world.This is a noble concept for most people; I mean who in America would argue that Democracy is not a grand thing that has brought a level of enlightenment to our society that much of the world only aspires to? It is this democratic model, which works so well for us, that is being used to justify much of America's foreign policy today. But is this from genuine want to improve the lives of other people in the world or justification of a modern crusade wrapped in a pill that most Americans can swallow?Lately we have been subjected to constant repetition of "spreading democracy" much like we heard the term "weapons of mass destruction" during the lead up to the invasion of Iraq. This notion of spreading our democracy is reaching an almost rapturous pitch that often closer resembles a sermon from a Baptist Minister than the formulated policy of a powerful nation. One has to wonder, why the sudden shift in view of our foreign policy that has kept its general outline for five decades, and was it the right thing to do?In the past, the United States has often supported non-democratic societies and even tin pot dictators because the truth of the matter is that it is the economically and strategically effective way to manage our interest abroad. When you are supporting a dictator or like government, the amount of people and funds needed to sway interest in that nation is quite manageable. However, should you support a democracy in a nation where the general population views you with vile contempt, the cost and effort to maintain influence over that nation rises to huge proportions if you can manage to have any influence at all.In the case of the Middle East, you might think it a grand idea to instill democracy; however, the consequences of such actions are just now coming to light. Haamas has recently won a stunning victory in open and free democratic elections, yet the United States and Israel are reeling over the implications of this. What if all of Israel's neighbors were to become democracies where the vast majority of the people are willing to strap a bomb on their bodies and claim revenge? There very well may be war by sundown.Trying to bring democracy to much of the Middle East is more likely to bring to power radical Islamic clerics who have great contempt for the west and towards the United States and Israel in particular. It has been said that, if Saudi Arabia were to hold free open democratic elections, Osama Bin Laden would end up a write-in candidate and would win in a landslide. Is this what we are trying to accomplish in the Middle East?What has become almost laughable of late is the denouncement of Hugo Chavez, the populist and leftist President of Venezuela. Chavez has been elected not once, not twice, but three times in open elections, as well as the people coming to his aid when the military attempted a coup. It was the people of Venezuela that pulled Chavez' butt out of the fire, yet Condoleeza Rice has the audacity to say that the United States needs to encourage democracy in Venezuela. Is this woman serious or is she just jealous at the level of support Chavez musters from his ludicrous and often humorous remarks towards this administration?The case of Haamas is nearly as laughable since Israel has rejected many of the grievances of the Palestinian people based upon their lack of effective and legitimate democratic government, yet now that they have elected a government through this process, we find that what Israel and the United States really meant was "their approved democracy." Does the saying, "be careful what you ask for, you just might get it," ring a bell?China, on the other hand, is far from democracy and although it is moving forward, it is moving closer to the old Soviet style of Socialism than anything else. This, however, does not seem to bother the Bush administration who were more than happy to stand in front of the world, put their arm around Hu Jintao, and denounce the democratic efforts of Taiwan.Are we now only supporting democracy in the Middle East, and then only supporting democracy to selected states, and then are we only accepting democratically elected governments that have our seal of approval? When we look at the broader implementation of this democratization policy, it smacks more of a holy war wrapped in the guise of a political package than anything else. Then again, maybe this was the plan all along?Preston Parkhurst Politics43921@blogcritics.org Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:25:09 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/28/060802.php Preston ParkhurstThe sound that emanates from this three-man Canadian band is one that has captured the imagination and the hearts of fans around the world for 30 years and has again delivered. From the complex rhythms of Geddy's bass, to the wild licks of Alex's guitar, to the seemingly impossible beats of Neil's drums, this anniversary edition DVD set from Rounder Records is simply a must-have for both the casual music lover and the devout Rush fan. This compilation of music and interviews spans the bands history from their humble beginnings with a microphone on a lamp stand to sold-out stadiums across the globe.This set includes band interviews spanning from 1979 to current, musical excerpts from the past 30 years, the full 30th anniversary concert in Germany, a photo book, and signature guitar picks from Geddy and Alex. All this packaged in a quality set that would honor any bookshelf but deserves first place in the DVD player.From the first interview in 1979 with Geddy Lee, one gets a sense of a band trying to find its own style and beat in a sea of cookie cutter rock bands that permeated that era. It was a group that from day one was a little unlike any other band of its day, a band that would go on to create an entire niche and devout fan base that others would attempt to merely mimic. Always with a hint of mysticism and social statement, Rush's music has grown, changed, and matured over the years and this DVD set captures this growth and change, leaving one with a renewed sense of respect of what Rush has accomplished throughout its history. Unlike many bands that have succumbed to the old adage of "Sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll" and band members growing weary of their group, Rush has managed to not only to stay together but thrive in a way that gives one the sense that the trio are really but a single entity, both on and off the stage.To music fans I say, this is a must have work of one of the greatest rock and roll bands of our era as no music collection should be without, period!To Alex, Geddy, and Neil, thanks for all the years of traveling down your own path and bringing to the world such wonderful music that is sure to resonate for years to come. What a great ride it has been so far! ed/pub:NBEditor's note: This work of yours now has another venue for success - and more eyes - at the Advance.net Web sites, a site affiliated with about 12 newspapers.One such site is here. Music40139@blogcritics.org Mon, 28 Nov 2005 06:08:02 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/03/183258.php Preston ParkhurstBeing a bit of a pessimistic centrist, I see this whole Libby, Plame, Cheney, CIA, blah blah blah scandal getting buried soon. Why? Because of Supreme Court nominee Alito.All the hubbub lately about Democrats using filibuster to try and block the nomination of Alito is very well likely to detract from the pressure that needs to be exerted on the current administration over its actions to take America to war with Iraq.I have been doing some research on Mr. Alito and to be frank, I don't see this man as the diabolical ideologist that many seem to. Personally I would prefer a more conservative type mindset sitting on the bench so long as they remain judges instead of preachers.Considering how ineffectual the Democratic leadership has been over the past three years, this latest move to invoke Article 21 was pretty smooth and about the only thing they could do in order to keep this issue in the forefront. However the resonance that this has at the moment won't last as many of the anti-war folks remember the Democratic leadership tucking tail and heading out of town when they marched on the Capital.While trying to be as effective as they can while they have everyone's attention, they will likely try to address too many issues under the same umbrella instead of staying focused on the Plame scandal that has wounded the White House. In doing so they are more than likely to lose the little bit of effectiveness they have left.A suggestion to give to the Democratic leadership would be to let the Alito nomination go and stay focused on the issue of the evidence to take the United States to war with Iraq. Alito is all but in anyway, so put forth the effort into the greater need. If it is found that the Bush administration deliberately falsified the evidence used to take us to war, then the grave injustice that has been done to the American people and our reputation as a nation must dealt with first and in the more harsh of manners.Remember, America suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder and has all but forgotten about the Downing Street memos. Don't make the same mistake again and fail to put out a full court press in order to drive home the importance of the Fitzgerald investigation. Focus, man, focus.Ed/Pub:LisaM Politics39005@blogcritics.org Thu, 3 Nov 2005 18:32:58 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/01/133945.php Preston ParkhurstThis past week in the in the Senate, while everyone was fixated on the indictment of Libby, a vote took place which reminded me of a scene from a Mel Brooks movie. That movie of course was History of the World Part I, and the scene was during the Roman era and the Senate was in session deciding what to do with revenues. The choice was, "Shall we continue to build palace after palace for the rich, or give to the needy and the poor", where by then the Senate stood up in unison and said in a most vulgar manner "F*ck the poor!"Well, I doubt any Senators stood up and said exactly that, but one could certainly envision them doing it. In a 51 to 49 vote, the Senate decided against raising the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.25 for the working stiffs. Now I am not one of those people who think that raising the minimum wage is going to be the answer to a growing financial crisis, but there has not been an increase to the minimum wage since 1997. Meanwhile, during that same period of time, the Senate had no problem giving themselves several pay raises that amounted to about 28,000 dollars a year.For the fifth straight year, the poverty level in America has risen and it looks like this year, the blue collar folks will just have to suck it up again. To those 37 million Americans who are below the poverty level, I guess look on the bright side, the price of gas dropped .04 cents this past week; Exxon must be a little guilty.Considering what Senators do, their salary of $162,100 dollars and all those wonderful perks that ride along with it, are not really too outrageous. On the other side of that coin, not raising the basic minimum wage so that it at least keeps up with the cost of living in over eight years is outrageous.Just keep that in mind, people, as the mid term elections roll around.Ed:LisaM Politics38878@blogcritics.org Tue, 1 Nov 2005 13:39:45 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/01/064256.php Preston ParkhurstDegunking Windows, Second Edition is a great companion book for those computer users who are beginners or are entering the intermediate level. This book is a very quick and easy read, providing the details of how to maintain a computer that is free from the daily gunk that accumulates with use. It discusses how to keep your files organized for ease of use, how to clean up the clutter associated with internet surfing, and the often unknown clutter from installing and deleting programs in Windows that build up over time. In addition to how to keep your Windows computer clean and free from gunk, it discusses the need for firewalls, antivirus, and anti-spyware that have become the modern-day scourge of web surfing. In combination, the safe practices of better securing your computer system and the benefit of keeping it free of gunk help speed up your system and offer a greatly reduced risk of infection from spyware, viruses, Trojans, hackers and script kiddies.However, Degunking Windows attempted to discuss some things such as editing the Windows registry in a manner that was for the beginner, yet failed to go into any detail on the structure of registry keys or their function. Instead, it offered a cursory discussion into one of the most complex aspects of the Windows operating system, then suggested the use of third party software as a means of cleaning it. For the beginner or slightly advanced user, I personally don't suggest even mentioning the editing of the registry due to the consequences that a simple mistake can have.This book also suggests the use of third party software to aid in cleaning and degunking Windows, which for many beginners is the best route to go. However some of the software they mention are memory resident programs that will only add to the clutter of the Windows, resulting in a counter-productive outcome.I consider myself a Windows power user, so from this perspective this book fell well short of what I expected. The book failed to detail that third party software can be of great benefit as well as a great hindrance when addressing portions of the Windows operating systems that were not addressed by Windows themselves.However, for the beginner or slightly advanced user, this book is very well written and details many great suggestions that I not only endorse but that I myself use on a daily basis. So if you are a user that is at a level who is comfortable with changing Windows default settings and wants to learn how to keep it clean and healthy, then this book will not disappoint you. ed/pub:NB Edited: PC Sci/Tech38835@blogcritics.org Tue, 1 Nov 2005 06:42:56 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/10/28/221627.php Preston ParkhurstVice President Cheney's Chief of Staff, I. Lewis Libby, has now been indicted on five counts of perjury, obstruction of justice and making false statements to the grand jury, by the federal grand jury investigating the outing of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame.It has been reported that a last minute deal has given Karl Rove a reprieve for the time being concerning this investigation. The continued investigation into Karl Rove's involvement hangs over the White House casting a deepening shadow over the rest of this administration's term. Sources close to the investigation say the probe will continue, and is likely to expand to include other elements, including forged documents that purported to show Iraq had sought uranium from Niger. As this investigation of key White House officials is taking place, little mention is made of the fact that Cheney's National Security Adviser John Hannah and his Middle East advisor David Wurmser are cooperating in Fitzgerald's probe. Both David Wurmser and John Hannah are now working for UN ambassador John Bolton and are said to have played a role in disseminating Plame Wilson's name to the press.Concerning the origins of the forged Niger documents, Patrick Fitzgerald's office has recently received information and documents relating to this case from the Italian government. Yet there has been almost no investigation into some of the key players such as Rocco Martino, the Italian "security consultant" who attempted to sell the forged documents to a reporter in Rome in late 2002. Rocco Martino has yet to be interviewed by the FBI because they claim that the Italian government has not allowed them to interview him, yet Mr. Martino has traveled to the United States twice in 2004 and still the FBI has not attempted to interview him.One thing that is more baffling than FBI's failure to investigate what should be a key person in this case is that few people in the media are tying together the Plame investigation with the forged Niger documents or the broader scope of how this all ties together with the Downing Street Memos and a little known place called the OSP or Office of Special Plans.The Downing Street Memos, as we all know, are the minutes from a meeting that show how the Bush administration used certain pieces of information to back up the reasons for going to war with Iraq. Part of this evidence is the forged Niger documents that our own intelligence agencies deemed unreliable and likely to be false.It was the Office of Special Plans that was responsible for getting this information used, and in fact Dick Cheney used the basis of these forged documents on three occasions as evidence of Iraq seeking nuclear material for weapons. It was Dick Cheney's staff at the OSP that overruled the CIA and State officials that the famous 16 words remained in the State of the Union address. As Bush later blamed the CIA for giving him "bad intelligence", it was in fact the Office of Special Plans that was responsible for the intelligence. Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, who at the time worked in the Office of Special Plans and stated that they made up the facts and then reported them as "intelligence.", seems to be validated. She went on to state that if one wanted to know why the State of the Union address kept the famous 16 words or why the post-Iraq invasion has been one of confusion and of false steps one need look no further than the process inside the Office of the Secretary of Defense.She was referring to Rumsfeld's aide, Douglas Feith, who deliberately altered the methods of intelligence communication that the Pentagon routinely sent to State and CIA. She also stated that between Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, information and critical issues were decided upon outside the normal bureaucracy. This of course reinforces the Downing Street Memos minutes.The first indictment of Lewis Libby is a mere drop in the bucket to what is growing into a much broader look into a Presidential administration that has put itself above the principles and laws of this nation. This issue of the Plame leak is only one aspect of a government that manipulated information in order to get Congress to vote on the authority to go to war. The time for accountability for this administration is at hand, the music has stopped, and there are no chairs left. Time to tell the soldiers in Iraq, the families of the fallen, and the American people the truth.Ed/Pub:LisaM Politics38710@blogcritics.org Fri, 28 Oct 2005 22:16:27 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/10/27/093554.php Preston ParkhurstLet us never forget that "those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - George Santayana228 years ago, a great experiment was undertaken that has since shaped the world in a way never thought possible by mankind. A small group of colonists decided to break away from their king and empire and declare themselves an independent nation and free from the tyranny and unjust treatment of that empire. What started out from most humble beginnings would eventually encompass the globe with its power and influence. Like all empires before it, it too will one day cease to remain at the height of its glory and will eventually succumb to its excesses and egocentric view. When looking at past empires one must of course look to the ancient past and see that Rome has some striking parallels to our own current empire. The Roman Republic began as what historians call a "Hegemonic Empire." This early beginning was one where Rome used its military legions to control small areas of land directly. The surrounding regions became client states. The client state system worked well because in exchange for trade and tribute to the empire, the client states received the protection of Rome and its military legions and were for the most part left to govern themselves with little more than guidelines. As Rome entered into its zenith, it surprisingly kept its legion strength fixed at 28 legions for the sake of economics It often ignored advice from some of its more brilliant intellectuals and former legion commanders, such as Gaius Cornelius Tacitus. The brilliance of Tacitus, regarding the use of the military and the need to keep it flexible and adaptable in accordance with the growth of the empire, was later largely ignored. In addition to changes in its military structure, the leadership in Rome was struck with constant infighting, corruption, and paranoia that led to a succession of leaders who, along with their citizenry, began to hoard money, leading to severe deficits and lack of economic circulation. By the time of Antoninus Pius, who ruled from 138 to 161 AD, the Roman bureaucracy was all-encompassing. Naturally, too, as benevolent paternalism and bureaucracy took over, personal freedom tended to disappear. All the while, the middle class was squeezed out of existence by a constant rise in taxation in order to bear the burdens of civil projects, and the poor were made into serfs both leading to dissent among the populace. In addition to the Roman empire, when we look to the Spanish colonial empire of the 16th and 17th centuries, as Spain grew increasingly dependent upon external supplies of wealth from its colonies. This dependence on external wealth led to a decrease in domestic production and technology, that when added to its increasing levels of consumption, eventually resulted in the collapse of the Spanish empire.Then with the Soviet empire of the late 20th century, an exceedingly disproportionate amount of the economy was placed into military expenditures that led to diminishing social condition, a spiraling debt, and a reliance on militarism. In addition to its inflexible domestic policy which placed greater hardship on the people; an expansionist foreign policy and war with smaller states outside its borders led to further social and economic decline. The failure of the Soviets to predict the resistance of bloc states to assimilation is something that should be noted in the current examples with the wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Like empires of the past, the United States is indeed an empire in both scale and influence. Unlike any other empires before it, however, the United States is one that spans the globe and even reaches out into space. The reasons that our nation has risen to such power and influence in such a short time scale are many and varied, but a few need to be noted in particular, as they are some of the key elements of our nation that have been the most changed.The system of government in the United States was born out of great deliberation and effort, borrowing ideas and concepts from several previous systems of governing and government that eventually culminated into what we see today. A framework that denotes the citizenry as the primary focus is one that is both bold in concept and noble in principle. We enjoy a system of economy that was meant to benefit and encourage forward thinking, hard work, and freedom from most governmental control. We were the first nation that by our very design has encouraged not only a melting pot of cultures, but a mix of ideas that would eventually result in the world's greatest system in nearly every aspect of how a civilization is measured.Unlike the empires of Rome and the former Soviet Union, the United States does not rely upon satellite states for the purpose of buffering from invasion or as its primary means of economic well being. However the United States does most certainly have a de facto system of host states. It should be noted that, according to a publication from the Department of Defense [i], the United States currently has a military presence in 192 nations and troops stationed in 135 of them. This means the United States has a military presence in just over 70% of the world's nations, making the United States far more influential and widespread than any empire before it.The 2006 United States military budget is slated at 441.6 billion dollars which is as much as that of the next 17 largest nations combined. This means that the United States has spent nearly as much money as the entire rest of the world on military expenditures and six times as much as Russia, which is the world's second largest military budget. This does not include the additional "supplemental" monies already requested by President Bush for Iraq and Afghanistan to the tune of 81 billion dollars. Nor does it include money in the budget devoted to military spending for Defense/Civil programs ($44.5 billion);, Homeland Security ($33.3 billion);, and Veterans Affairs ($68.3 billion), all pushing the total closer to 668.7 billion dollars. In addition when we add in the fact that a good deal of this money is borrowed and comes with interest, which of course is rarely considered publicly in budget requests, this adds approximately 130 billion to the bill, making a round about figure of 799 billion dollars. In essence the United States is realistically spending about 30% of its total government funding on the military, which is a little higher and more realistic than the published 17% in the budget report.[ii] Despite these huge amounts of monies being spent on the military, we are bogged down in another series of guerilla style wars against people who by most western standards are still just a notch above third world status, which makes one take serious note of the prudence of our endeavors. It would appear for the time being the world will be engaged in a series of small scale regional bouts of warfare instead of the global scale of warfare such as WWII and that of the Cold War. This also makes one think about the large sums of money that are spent on the maintenance of our nuclear arsenal that is intended to deter other nations against warring with the United States, but which has little effect in our current global climate.As the face of global warfare changes it seems that for once the United States is lagging behind, not because we have the world's largest military but in spite of it. The future of global warfare is not one of bullets but one of dollars. This is one commodity we are starting to fall behind in as we are financially leveraged all the way up to our grandchildren. As the economies of the European Union, Russia and especially of China are surging forward with greater and greater growth, the United States is running up trade and budget deficits that offset a greater portion of our own growth. Using history as a guide, it becomes very clear that the United States, like many empires before it, has turned to militarism as a means to cling to its current hegemony. Aside from the focus on the military aspects of our society today, we also should look at the parallels between our economic views and practices and those of former empires. Of particular interest here we should look at our level of consumption as opposed to our level of production and specifically how it has changed since Word War II. In the years following the Second World War, the United States produced approximately 53% of the manufactured goods purchased worldwide, which is a stark contrast to today where we only produce about 9.6%, second behind Germany. [iii] As America has switched from a manufacturing economy to a service based economy, the numbers speak for themselves. Manufacturing jobs have decreased from 34% in 1950 to just 13% currently, in contrast, service based jobs have increased from 59% to 82% during the same time period.[iv] Industries hardest hit by this change in our economic base have been the textile and steel manufacturing sectors which have been traditional staples of the US economy. Boeing has been surpassed by Airbus as the worlds leading manufacture of aircraft. Ford and Chevy stocks have been relegated to junk status as Toyota now leads the world in the manufacture of automobiles. The United States is once again poised to become a net importer of food, something that has not been the case for over 50 years.Our consumption in relation to the rest of the world is well documented. The United States, with less than 5 % of the global population, uses about a quarter of the world's fossil fuel resources--burning up nearly 25 % of the coal, 26 % of the oil, and 27 % of the world's natural gas. As of 2003, the U.S. had more private cars than licensed drivers, and gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles were among the best-selling vehicles. New houses in the U.S. were 38 % bigger in 2002 than in 1975, despite having fewer people per household on average.[v] According to an article in Scientific American, if the rest of the world were to rise to the same level of consumption as that of the United States it would require the resources of four more planet Earths. During this decline in the US manufacturing base, and our subsequent change to a service based economy, countries such as China, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia have all taken greater shares of the general manufacturing sector. Meanwhile the European Union, (mainly Germany and France) and Russia have increased their share of manufactured durable goods and technology products, including such things as steel and textiles. The decrease in US manufacturing and the continued rise in consumption are leading America in an ominous direction. US budget and trade deficits are often scoffed at as meaningless items because the United States economy is so massive that it can absorb massive debts and expenditures. This is true to some degree, but it is a fatalistic view as debt burden has been one of the leading causes of failure in nearly every previous empire before us. As private and public debt expansion keep increasing faster than growth levels, it only becomes a matter of when, not if, the system will no longer be able to sustain itself. The debt further burdens our growth and ability to compete in a tightening global market place and the effects of this are being felt by most middle and lower class Americans as we speak.The standard of living in the United States has declined as a direct result of our continued globalization efforts through our economic and foreign policies, and that of the world banking system. As a growing number of other nations begin to compete for of resources, materials, and technology, their standards of living have risen, and as a direct result ours has declined as there are only a finite amount of resources available globally. To use a metaphor, "Water seeks its own level", and ours is currently pouring into Asia.The social condition of the United States at current has begun to resemble that of previous empires in the respect that the views of those who govern and those who are governed are growing further apart. Over the last several administrations, our government has been plagued with a growing number of scandals, investigations into impropriety and misuse of power, and general lack of morals and ethics. At the same time, and like previous empires, the middle and lower classes are being required to bear a greater portion of the financial burden of the nation. In addition, the very fundamental rights guaranteed to its citizenry are slowly diminishing. The current administration in office has been one of the nation's most prolific violators of the very principles of what the nation was founded upon. We now have a government in place that by its own admission will keep to its course of actions regardless of the will of its people. A great number of people in these United States now have a sense of hopelessness that their voice no longer matters and that their vote no longer counts. This is reflected in the numbers of voters who turn up to cast their ballot, which is one of the lowest among western nations. As the voices of the people call out for changes in our nation's direction, they are falling on deaf ears; and in a slow but growing manner the people are becoming more angry as theirs voices are ignored.In comparison to nearly all previous empires, the United States has fallen into a nearly identical pattern of diminished self-reliance, massive consumption, huge debt burdens, poor leadership, militarism, decreasing rights of the citizenry, and ultra-nationalism. Yet in spite of all these things, we still believe that the past fate of others will not befall us. It is this very denial of facts, and our belief that we are somehow superior to every other nation or culture before us, that will ultimately lead to our demise as the world's sole superpower. The inevitable fall of the United States empire will not be the last chapter of its history but a fresh start to the next era. Because of our size, our technology base, the education of our people, and our capacity to be prodigious producers as well as consumers, we will not fall into complete destitution. Although the transition into the next phase of our society's future will be tumultuous at best, we will also have the benefit of our past experiences to better guide our future. Considering the global nature and scale of the world today, I can no longer see a future where a sole empire or nation will come to dominate the landscape. Instead I see a more balanced structure to the global community, where by the next era will be shared between the United States, the European Union, Russia, and China respectively. I also have taken note that Asia, South America, and the Middle East have been moving towards a more unified position, much in the same way Europe has in the past ten years, but in varying degrees. When we look to the past or to the natural order of the world around us, we are reminded daily of its cyclical nature. As every single empire before ours has risen, peaked, then declined or fell, so too will ours, as we are subject to the same set of circumstances that led to the demise of others. Many will scoff and rebuke at such a notion, as many in the past have done, and I suspect that it is this disbelief in our own fallibility that will further along the process of decline. This may well happen within our lifetime as a great many of the things that have led to the fall of other empires are currently in place. The fact we have maintained a hold on our power and influence for this long in a modern and complicated world is a testament to our tenacity. Hopefully we will approach the future with the same fortitude that lead to our rise and greatness, but tempered with the wisdom of experience that led to our fall.[i] Department of Defense publication: Department of Defense ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL STRENGTHS BY REGIONAL AREA AND BY COUNTRY (309A) September 30, 2003[ii] Highlights of House Armed Services Committee Action on the Fiscal Year 2006 Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 1815) May 24, 2005[iii] I. World Trade Organization, World trade in 2003 - Overview[iv] USA TODAY, Money/Economy By Barbara Hagenbaugh [v] World Watch Institute, The Rise and Spread of the Consumer ClassEd/Pub:LisaM Politics38588@blogcritics.org Thu, 27 Oct 2005 09:35:54 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/10/26/162033.php Preston ParkhurstWritten for the professional Photoshop retoucher in a production environment, the goal of this book is to help photographers and artists who are under a tight deadline turn out superior work using advanced techniques developed by Glenn Honiball. This is not a book for someone new to Photoshop CS2, but instead a very detailed manual for those who already have some proficiency in using its advanced features. Honiball, a long time veteran of the graphical environment, has compiled a no-nonsense approach that has been developed over the past 20 years, saving the production artist or photographer many hours of trial and error. This book goes into great detail on how to use shadowing, color management, lighting, and effects to produce some truly awesome and realistic work on both the Windows and Mac platforms. In addition to various techniques used to speed up and streamline the work load in order to let one's creativity prevail, this book also discusses setting up your equipment in a manner to better manage your work and get more accurate results when it comes time to print. So for those of you in the digital darkroom who are looking for a way to improve your bitmap manipulation skills and take them to the next level in creating images that don't look "touched" then this is a must have book for you! Books38568@blogcritics.org Wed, 26 Oct 2005 16:20:33 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/10/11/205251.php Preston ParkhurstThe eBay Survival Guide is a very well-written and comprehensive book that is sure to please both beginners and expert users alike. This written by Michael Banks, a man with over twenty years of writing skill to his credit, and it shows from page one of his book. The book is very detailed, yet it is written in such a manner that even beginners can understand and appreciate it. In addition to its easy and quick-to-read pages, it places pictures that coincide with the text in a very thoughtful and clear manner. If you are already consider yourself an avid eBay user, this book offers not only a good review of what you may already know. but also good advice that you probably just didn't think of. From page one, this book makes it evident that the author is speaking from practical experience that only comes from someone who has been involved with the online auction process for a good many years. The culmination of many years of practice have led to tips and practices for buyers and sellers to get the very most from their eBay experience and to avoid some of its pitfalls. Everything from how eBay works, to buying and selling, marketing your products, completing a sale, and how to avoid getting taken by a scam, are covered in these pages. I was particularly impressed with the sections dealing with avoiding the scams and bad practices that you may encounter on eBay. This valuable information alone makes this book worth every penny, and may save you from losing your shirt.This is a must-have book for anyone who may be thinking about using eBay, and I not only recommend it, but I will keep my own copy handy for future reference. Preston Parkhurst Edited: PC Books37771@blogcritics.org Tue, 11 Oct 2005 20:52:51 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/09/28/041057.php Preston ParkhurstFinally the first rumblings of criticism from the Republican party in regards to the Bush administrations fiscal suicide. Maybe this could be a sign that the Republican Party has been slapped in the face by a storm that uncovered the one of the biggest expansions of government and government spending in our nation's history. Maybe there is some life after all in those who see the importance of a conservative fiscal policy.When we exclude even military spending and that which is being set aside for the rebuilding in the wake of hurricane Katrina, government yearly spending has increased 300 billion dollars in the past four years making the national debt grow by more than two trillion dollars. The recent release of the transportation bill that is loaded with over 6,200 pork-barrel projects and it seems like our government is spending as though it were waiting to cash its winning lotto ticket.Bush has recently asked Americans to drive only when needed and to conserve our nation's fuel supplies, which reminded me of when former President Jimmy Carter asked Americans to put on a sweater to save energy. Someone suggested that the Bush administration seek to suspend the government's tax on fuel for a few weeks, since it sees tax cuts as the holy grail of economic stimulus, a notion that was of course deemed "ludicrous". So instead we will curtail the education of America's children which is already ranked only 9th worldwide in order to keep the pistons of economy pumping.In case you were watching the news about hurricane Rita's addition to the national deficit you may have missed Greenspan's recent warnings about the spiraling deficits and how they will affect the long term. Now when Greenspan raises and eyebrow this is near the equivalent of somebody else jumping up and down, and Greenspan all but slammed his fist on the desk. What was most startling about his most recent comments was his attack upon fiscal discipline that has since been in decline after the budget surpluses of the latter 1990's. National debt in addition to the falling dollar left Greenspan to finally trumpet what only two years ago he barely ever mentioned.During his speech on rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast areas, Bush wore the face of Ronald Reagan, yet he spoke like FDR and the only thing he left out was how he intended to pay for it all. One might at first think of rolling back tax cuts particularly those for the wealthy, but that was not to be the case. One might also think that trimming the fat from the budget would the primary focus, but that is not the case either. The current solution, pass the cost to our children, after all the current administration and Congress will no longer be in office to take the heat. The now cliché' saying of "borrow and spend in favor of tax and spend" is probably the most irresponsible handling of economics of our time.It will not be the war in Iraq, nor will it be the cost to rebuild from recent hurricanes that may doom the US economy in the course of the next decade but they will add to a much greater erosion that is taking place. These things if nothing else have helped to bring to light a fiscal policy that is indicative of this administrations failure to accept responsibility in the here and now. This policy of passing on to future generations that which we have sown through reckless and arrogant abandonment will ultimately be the mark this administration leaves to history. This sure isn't the fiscally responsible party of Republicans I remembered from days of old.Preston Parkhurst Politics36951@blogcritics.org Wed, 28 Sep 2005 04:10:57 EDT