The More Things Change, The More They Look The Same Edition

Once again you will notice that the design of the TGIF is changed. I've been in search of a new scheme for quite sometime and, for the moment, I like this one best. That could always change of course. I've been kind of down the last few weeks. I'm not exactly sure why. Hopefully I can shake out of it, though today I'm really feeling quite ill and it looks like I'm going to miss my Reformation class this evening. At least I can catch up on my reading snice I've got so very much of it to do this semester. I'm progressing well on my big research paper of the spring, but I've also got 4 small ones to write in the interim as well. Luckily those don't require any library sessions. The Super Bowl is Sunday and I can't get a read on the game. I'm leaning to Seattle plus the 3 points since I think they're going to win outright. We'll be going to Shelley's parents house, as we've done I think the last 3 years to watch the game- well Dad Snyder and I will watch the game at least. Two topics jump out this week to comment upon (for those who read the daily LJ you can skip this since it's mostly stuff yoinked from there...give me a break...I'm sick) Remembering Challenger I was a senior in high school. It was late in the day and I was on my way to my computer class. This was way back when computers were new...I mean REALLY new. Before the internet. Before just about everything. I took a class in writing programs. We used the big floppy disks. You kids are so young you have no idea. Anyway I was in the hall and I saw a friend of mine name Jimmy Clark. He said "Did you hear what just happened? The Space Shuttle blew up." Jimmy was kind of a loser and this was just the kind of thing he would say as a joke, so that you would feel gullable in believing him. "Yeah right", I said. He went on to tell me he had just left the library where they were watching it live (since Christa McAuliffe was going up as the first teacher in space it was of course a big deal at school and so they had TVs on in the library like many other schools across the country). I still didn't really believe him but I was wondering if he was telling me the truth. A few minutes after class began they broke in with the announcement over the loudspeaker. We were all incredibly stunned of course. The only other time they'd ever broken in to announce something of a similar nature was in '81 when President Reagan had been shot, but then it happened as we were all sitting on the bus to go home (and we were in 7th grade) so it was a little less of a kick to the gut. This really hit us all though. A hour or so later I got home from school and immediately turned on the TV and of course they replayed those 90 seconds or more over and over again. My parents got home later and I remember my Dad praying for the families. Then there was the memorial service and Reagan gave a moving speech- it was one of his finer moments I felt. A few years ago when the Columbia went down, I had that eerily sick feeling again, though since the cameras never caught the full disaster it muted in a way the devastation. I've been watching From The Earth To The Moon this week as I fall asleep. I'm still so fascinated by (and admiring of) the space program and astronauts. Watching the recreation of Al Shepard's first flight and his return to Earth made me wonder how powerful and frightening it must have been to really not know whether or not he was going to survive that descent, and how each subsequent space shot was really always wrapped in the possibility of tragedy. Growing up so close to Langley, VA where many of the astronauts trained, always made me proud in a way of that part of space history- and the museum is incredible btw in Hampton if you're ever close to there. So 20 years later, with much respect and appreciation, I say thank you and God bless you to Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Greg Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. May your spirit of adventure and discovery always live in our memories. Hamas Election Victory This is the risk we face in ushering democracy into places that have no history of such meaningful responsibilities. And let us be clear, democracy requires vast amounts of responsibility. Perhaps the only thread of hope with the Hamas victory is that they will actually have to govern. They will be forced to choose between the ultimate destruction of their people and cause, and actually dealing with the international community. Of course I don't hold any illusions that they will choose the latter, however the failure will be their own, and in their own hands- for whatever consolation that can be to the rest of us. Also, perhaps this will galvanize the international community into realizing that legitimizing a process while Israel remains under constant attack of militant terrorists is foolish. Yes, the West runs a risk by isolating Hamas, and we must be careful not to read too deeply into their victory which comes as much from the inherent corruption of Fatah as from any loyalty to Hamas. But we must also realize that by coddling Fatah and Arafat for as long as we did, we only encouraged that corruption. It is of course a catch-22 because we can't engage the Palestinian Authority unless they have leadership, but that leadership will always be under the gun (often literally) of the most militant aspects of the Palestinian people. We can't reward terror, but we can't punish them out of it either. In short, there is no short answer- which is why Sharon had decided to unilaterally act vis-a-vis Gaza which only served to embolden the radicals on both sides. Not making the issue any better is the rise again of Netanyahu and Likud as the knee jerk response of Israel, which is only going to grant cover to other Arab and Muslim nations to sit once again on their hands while people they could care less for (the Palestinians) do the dirty work against the people they care even less for (Israel). Until more moderate forces gain control in the Middle East and become cooperative in reining in the militant factions of their peoples, there will never be peace. There is a small and ever closing window (perhaps it is already closed, sadly) to encourage meaningful change, but in reality that change is one only of the heart and no one will clear eyes can look at Hamas and think that is ever going to happen. Short of forcing complete disarmament within the Palestinian territory there is little hope for anything other than a continuation of a long bloody road. The UN is feckless, the Arab states too salivating over Israel's destruction at the hands of others, the EU is appeasing, and the US too burdened by its own history and standing in the Muslim world. Which leaves the situation (and the outcome) solely in the laps of the very people to whom it belongs- the Palestinians themselves. And their decision of last week is a backward step. [See how easy it is to write the TGIF when you just cut can paste material you've written already in the last week or so...try not to take my laziness as a sign that I don't care enough to give you brand new material...to some of you it IS new to YOU...like a used car or as they say now a Previously Owned Vehicle...you have to love semantic games] Also since last we met here, Maria and Andrew did finally have their baby- a girl they named Laila Marie who was born on January 14th, and weighed 6lbs 9oz and was 20 1/2in long. She's such a cutie and had the sweetest little cry. She was so tiny, when I picked her up is was like palming a loaf of bread. Congrats to the new parents and big brother Eric!! I'll have much to write about next time as I'll have the State of the Union address tonight that I'm sure will be grist for this journal mill. Now however it's picture time, not too many this week (lucky you)... Teaching Ginny the beauty of No Limit Hold'Em... Tummy time... Cheeky monkey... Making eyes at Daddy... Till next time.. Cheers