Turn around is fair play

Okay so I just referenced Obama getting bitch slapped by the CIA and lo' and behold suddenly the President decides it's NOT in the countries best interest to dig around in the past...
In a dramatic and high-profile reversal for his young administration, President Barack Obama is seeking to block the release of 44 photographs depicting abuse of detainees in U.S. military custody in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Justice Department had already agreed to release the photos by May 28 in response to a lawsuit, but Obama is shifting course.

“Last week, the President met with his legal team and told them that he did not feel comfortable with the release of the DOD photos because he believes their release would endanger our troops, and because he believes that the national security implications of such a release have not been fully presented to the court,” said a White House official who asked not to be named.

“At the end of that meeting, the President directed his counsel to object to the immediate release of the photos on those grounds,” the official said.

Truly funny but sadly revealing as to the presidents uncertainty. Apparently he doesn't realize that making declarations and such actually create the judicial situation that will eventually get his decision over turned. The president can't say one thing one day and another the next without causing rocking the foundations of his authority.

I wonder what the NPR staff think about this after their long news article touting the President's debates and how he had his cabinet divide up into groups and debate the pros and cons of releasing the photos. Than he weighed the options and decided to release. whoops guess that was a bad call.

Color me not that surprised

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs today indicated that President Obama will not intervene to keep gay servicemembers from being dismissed from the military, despite his vow to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

Gibbs said "the policy isn’t working for our national interests," but added that ending it will "require more than the snapping of one's fingers."

"To get fundamental reform in this instance requires a legislative vehicle," Gibbs said. "The president made a promise to change this policy; he will work with the Joints Chiefs of Staff, the administration and with Congress to ensure that we have a policy that works for our national interests."

Noted a reporter at the briefing: "He is the Commander-in-Chief. I mean, if the president and the Secretary of Defense can bring about a new leadership in Afghanistan, replace the commanding general there, couldn't the president and the secretary of defense delay any more people getting fired under 'don't ask, don't tell'?"

Responded Gibbs: "Well, there have been discussions about the best way to move forward, and the only sustainable way to do that is through -- sustainable and durable way -- is through legislation, which the president has promised and has continued to work for."

No of course he won't get involved, he doesn't trust himself in a battle with the Pentagon, and and has already been smacked about by the State Department when he sold the CIA down the river over torture. It's just not that big an issue to him.

The New Old Star Trek

First of all it was a great movie, fast paced, well acted, cheesy and great graphics. I think everyone involved should be congratulated. Except JJ Abrams, after mulling it over for three days I have to say that creating an alternate universe Star Trek is a cheap way of clearing the slate and allowing his characters a shot at doing whatever. The one thing I loved about Star Trek was the history, it had a clearly delineated time line and huge blank spots where people could do anything they wanted. Remaking the crew of the Enterprise is a bunch of cheap hollywood flim flam to cover the fact that they can't think of anything new.
But this all goes back to my problem with the current string of "re-imaginings" is it so hard to come up with a new idea when an entire universe already exists and quite literally they have a galaxy to play in. What about a new ship? what about covering an aspect of the Federation that does something other than fly around and deal with the romulans? I have the same issue with the new Dr Who, an absolute great series stuck in a rut and unable to imagine new opponents, time troubles or even why all the time lords died but the daleks seemed to have come through just fine, MULTIPLE TIMES!!!

But this should not be thought of as a denouement of the current star trek movie, it's really good, everything you could ask for in a summer flick, except originality.

Tales of the new Sun

Read this book!
The Book of the New Sun

I think the premise and the execution are better than almost anything I've read in a decade.

That is all.

Plus drop the friend who recommended it to me a line and tell him to post again!