“An absurd governing philosophy - Daily Oklahoman” plus 4 more |
- An absurd governing philosophy - Daily Oklahoman
- Obama turning laxity into government philosophy - Asbury Park Press
- Grief and Loss Counseling Resiliency: A Philosophy - YourTango
- Honda’s design philosophy stresses function - KRDO
- PAY ATTENTION CLUELESS BILLS FANS! - CBS Sports
| An absurd governing philosophy - Daily Oklahoman Posted: 01 Jan 2010 10:34 AM PST ©2009 Produced by NewsOK.com. All rights reserved.  Share with a friend
Enter multiple comma-separated email recipients.WASHINGTON — Janet Napolitano — former Arizona governor, now overmatched secretary of homeland security — will forever be remembered for having said of the attempt to bring down an airliner over Detroit: "The system worked." The attacker's concerned father had warned U.S. authorities about his son's jihadist tendencies. The would-be bomber paid cash and checked no luggage on a transoceanic flight. He was nonetheless allowed to fly, and would have killed 288 people in the air alone, save for a faulty detonator and quick actions by a few passengers. Heck of a job, Brownie. The reason the country is uneasy about the Obama administration's response to this attack is a distinct sense of not just incompetence but incomprehension. From the beginning, President Obama has relentlessly tried to downplay and deny the nature of the terrorist threat we continue to face. Napolitano renames terrorism "man-caused disasters." Obama goes abroad and pledges to cleanse America of its post-9/11 counterterrorist sins. Hence, Guantanamo will close, CIA interrogators will face a special prosecutor, and Khalid Sheik Mohammed will bask in a civilian trial in New York — a trifecta of political correctness and image management. And just to make sure even the dimmest understand, Obama banishes the term "war on terror." It's over — that is, if it ever existed. Obama may have declared the war over. Unfortunately al-Qaeda has not. Which gives new meaning to the term "asymmetric warfare." And produces linguistic — and logical — oddities that littered Obama's public pronouncements following the Christmas Day attack. Obama referred to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab as "an isolated extremist." This is the same president who, after the Ford Hood shooting, warned us "against jumping to conclusions" — code for daring to associate Nidal Hasan's mass murder with Islamist ideology. Yet, with Abdulmutallab, Obama jumped immediately to the conclusion, against all evidence, that the bomber acted alone. Obama reassured the nation that this "suspect" had been charged. Reassurance? The president should be saying: We have captured an enemy combatant — an illegal combatant under the laws of war: no uniform, direct attack on civilians — and now to prevent future attacks, he is being interrogated regarding information he may have about al-Qaeda in Yemen. Instead, Abdulmutallab is dispatched to some Detroit-area jail and immediately lawyered up. At which point — surprise! — he stops talking. This absurdity renders hollow Obama's declaration that "we will not rest until we find all who were involved." Once we've given Abdulmutallab the right to remain silent, we have gratuitously forfeited our right to find out from him precisely who else was involved, namely those who trained, instructed, armed and sent him. This is all quite mad even in Obama's terms. He sends 30,000 troops to fight terror overseas, yet if any terrorists come to attack us here, they are magically turned from enemy into defendant. The president said this incident highlights "the nature of those who threaten our homeland." But the president is constantly denying the nature of those who threaten our homeland. On Tuesday, he referred five times to Abdulmutallab (and his terrorist ilk) as "extremist(s)." A man who shoots abortion doctors is an extremist. An eco-fanatic who torches logging sites is an extremist. Abdulmutallab is a jihadist. And unlike the guys who shoot abortion doctors, jihadists have cells all over the world; they blow up trains in London, nightclubs in Bali and airplanes over Detroit (if they can); and are openly pledged to war on America. Any government can through laxity let someone slip through the cracks. But a government that refuses to admit that we are at war, indeed, refuses even to name the enemy — jihadist is a word banished from the Obama lexicon — turns laxity into a governing philosophy. WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUPShare with a friend
Enter multiple comma-separated email recipients.
Leave a CommentNews Photo Galleriesview allFive Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Obama turning laxity into government philosophy - Asbury Park Press Posted: 01 Jan 2010 09:43 AM PST (2 of 2) More jarring still were Obama's references to the terrorist as a "suspect" who "allegedly tried to ignite an explosive device." You can hear the echo of FDR: "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — Japanese naval and air force suspects allegedly bombed Pearl Harbor." Obama reassured the nation that this "suspect" had been charged. Reassurance? The president should be saying: We have captured an enemy combatant — an illegal combatant under the laws of war: no uniform, direct attack on civilians — and now to prevent future attacks, he is being interrogated regarding information he may have about al-Qaeda in Yemen. Instead, Abdulmutallab is dispatched to some Detroit-area jail and immediately lawyered up. At which point — surprise! — he stops talking. This absurdity renders hollow Obama's declaration that "we will not rest until we find all who were involved." Once we've given Abdulmutallab the right to remain silent, we have gratuitously forfeited our right to find out from him precisely who else was involved, namely those who trained, instructed, armed and sent him. This is all quite mad even in Obama's terms. He sends 30,000 troops to fight terror overseas, yet if any terrorists come to attack us here, they are magically transformed from enemy into defendant. The logic is perverse. If we find Abdulmutallab in an al-Qaeda training camp in Yemen, where he is merely preparing for a terror attack, we snuff him out with a Predator — no judge, no jury, no qualms. But if we catch him in the United States in the very act of mass murder, he instantly acquires protection not just from execution by drone but even from interrogation. The president said this incident highlights "the nature of those who threaten our homeland." But the president is constantly denying the nature of those who threaten our homeland. On Tuesday, he referred five times to Abdulmutallab (and his terrorist ilk) as "extremist(s)." A man who shoots abortion doctors is an extremist. An eco-fanatic who torches logging sites is an extremist. Abdulmutallab is not one of these. He is a jihadist. And unlike the guys who shoot abortion doctors, jihadists have cells all over the world; they blow up trains in London, nightclubs in Bali and airplanes over Detroit (if they can); and are openly pledged to war on America. Any government can through laxity let someone slip through the cracks. But a government that refuses to admit that we are at war, indeed, refuses even to name the enemy — jihadist is a word banished from the Obama lexicon — turns laxity into a governing philosophy. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Grief and Loss Counseling Resiliency: A Philosophy - YourTango Posted: 01 Jan 2010 07:49 AM PST I believe strongly in the resiliency of the human spirit. For many years, I have watched human behavior through the lens of a therapist and a human being. I have worked with clients from all walks of life with compelling issues of grief and loss. I have watched them grow and become the amazing human beings they were always meant to be. I had a client in the early 1990's who had a lot of issues with grief and loss. After several months of weekly visits she stated, "I feel as though I have been walking around with a black cloud over me and now, for the first time, can see sunlight." This woman felt that she had a future and had hope that she could feel better. Grief and Loss counseling comes in many shapes and sizes My work with clients deals with their feelings of suffering because of the grief and loss that is part of their life. My hope and experience is that people can heal. People can change and grow. They can learn how to make better choices in their lives. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Honda’s design philosophy stresses function - KRDO Posted: 01 Jan 2010 04:36 AM PST Honda isn't typically singled out for its design expertise. Instead, it is the fun-to-drive and rock-solid aspects of Honda vehicles that usually get top billing. But quietly, Honda has been capturing more and more international kudos for its leading-edge design work, and we were pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Nobuki Ebisawa, the corporate managing director and general manager of styling and design development, to talk about it. Ebisawa stressed two simple and overarching themes for Honda design: dynamism and functionality. He said the company's designers still draw inspiration from the functional designs of the first-generation Civic and first-generation Accord that were drawn in the same nondescript design studio in which Ebisawa and his crew work today. And at the same time, they look back all the way to the 1963 S500 sports car to channel the dynamism that helps set the brand apart. Ebisawa is proud of what he calls "an unbroken chain of dynamism and functionality" that stretches from those earliest models through the legendary Acura NSX sports coupe of the '90s to the Honda Odyssey minivan that transformed its segment. He expects that the upcoming hybrid Honda CR-Z, which was shown in concept form at the recent Tokyo Motor Show, will draw on both aspects of the Honda personality. Functionality will be characterized by the fuel-efficient hybrid drivetrain, and dynamism will be expressed by the car's style and fun-to-drive nature. While the exterior design of Honda vehicles has not always been highly praised, the interior of its vehicles -- and especially their instruments and controls -- have routinely been lauded around the globe. Ebisawa cites his group's intense study of the "man-machine interface" for this, noting that Honda has long relied on the philosophy "Man maximum, machine minimum" in its designs. This means that Honda's controls are intended to be intuitive, not intrusive: to help the driver, not to challenge the driver or to make a design statement for design's sake. An example of this effort is the bi-level instrument panel seen on the current Honda Civic. Intuitive operation and instant recognition were keys in the design, and Ebisawa said that in the "layered construction," perceived space is enhanced and line of sight movement minimized to prioritize information. Special effort goes into achieving natural hand position and create buttons that are easily understood. Ebisawa believes that voice support is the next frontier in making things simpler and more functional. Since 2000, said Ebisawa, Honda design execs made the conscious decision to add emotional appeal to the company's vehicles without compromising functionality. In keeping with the "man maximum, machine minimum" philosophy, space has been intentionally reduced for mechanical components, and interior space with long rooflines has been increased to maximize usable roominess. The Honda CR-Z, which will be launched next year, will encapsulate all these ideas in a vehicle that is functional and emotional, dynamic yet pragmatic. It draws on Honda's long heritage while at the same time presenting a new face and a new heart. The CR-Z will also be the harbinger of even more fascinating products from the carmaker that was once best known for its motorcycles. Tom Ripley Driving Today Contributing Editor Tom Ripley writes frequently about the auto industry and the human condition from his home in Villeperce, France. He is a big fan of the art world. Copyright (c) 2009 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| PAY ATTENTION CLUELESS BILLS FANS! - CBS Sports Posted: 01 Jan 2010 10:12 AM PST I am a bigger Bills fan then most anyone reading this, and you all need to WAKE UP! Most of you are far too irrational to comprehend logic, so I will make this REALLY easy for you "color by numbers" drones to read! A) With the uncertain future of the Bills in Buffalo, we are not going to GET a big name" GM or a "big name" coach like Cowher,etc B) Other than Floyd Reese, Nix is actually one of the best possible choices out there! C) This guy is a direct protege of Bill Pollian, John Butler, and AJ Smith.....3 of the most respected front office names in the entire league in the last 15 years. Nix has had every title under the sun except "GM". He has been doing this way longer than anyone else out there, and quite honestly, has been doing the job BETTER than most, but without the title. D) His philosophy is that of the other teams that have produced prolonged WINNERS in the league, which is "BUILD THROUGH THE DRAFT" Look at the Chargers and Patriots! They build their core through the draft, and fill in pieces as needed. For those of you worried about Ralph getting in the way? Nix will get rid of this idea that adding expensive Free agents will do anything. London Fletcher, Takeo Spikes, Kawika Mitchell, etc etc. The Bills spent $110 million on players this year, whereas the Patriots spent $97 million! Ralph isn't cheap....he is STUPID and put a marketing guy in charge of football personnel, but he has finally woken up! Reward the players you drafted, and fill in the rest! That's his philosophy, and that's what has PROVEN to be successful in he NFL! E) We are NOT getting Bill Cowher, but Marty S is a real possibility! Marty gets his teams to the playoffs, and Nix and Marty have worked together successfully for years! My ideal scenario: Marty comes in to coach....we get Charlie Weis as O-Cord, and Perry Fewell swallows his pride and goes back to D-Cord.....we land either Gerald McCoy or Sam Bradford in the draft, then we watch and wait! It'll take a good season or two to cleanse the filth here, but TRUST ME, you will be GLAD we brough in Nix! Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Philosophy - Bing News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).