He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
HAD I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with the golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams beneath your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams...
William Butler Yeats
Last Wednesday (February 12) Robert Byrd of West Virginia delivered a
powerful speech from the Senate floor, a piece of oratory that Americans would do well to read and heed. However, in keeping with the theme of his talk, major media outlets seem to have completely neglected it.
* * *
by US Senator Robert Byrd
Senate Floor Speech
We Stand Passively Mute
Wednesday 12 February 2003
>"To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human
>experiences. On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink
>of battle, every American on some level must be contemplating the
>horrors of war.
>
>Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously,
>dreadfully silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay
>out for the nation the pros and cons of this particular war. There is
>nothing.
>
>We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our
>own uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events. Only
>on the editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive
>discussion of the prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular
>war.
>
>And this is no small conflagration we contemplate. This is no simple
>attempt to defang a villain. No. This coming battle, if it
>materializes, represents a turning point in U.S. foreign policy and
>possibly a turning
point in the
>recent history of the world.
>
>This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary
>doctrine applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time. The
>doctrine of preemption -- the idea that the United States or any other
>nation can legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently
>threatening but may be threatening in the future -- is a radical new
>twist on the traditional idea of self defense. It appears to be in
>contravention of international law and the UN Charter. And it is being
>tested at a time of world-wide terrorism, making many countries around
>the globe wonder if they will soon be on our -- or some other nation's
>-- hit list. High level Administration figures recently refused to take
>nuclear weapons off of the table when discussing a possible attack
>against Iraq. What could be more destabilizing and unwise than this
>type of uncertainty, particularly in a world where globalism has tied
>the vital economic and security interests of many nations so closely
>together? There are huge cracks emerging in our time-honored alliances,
>and U.S. intentions are suddenly subject to damaging worldwide
>speculation. Anti-Americanism based on mistrust,
misinformation,
>suspicion, and alarming rhetoric from U.S. leaders is fracturing the
>once solid alliance against global terrorism which existed after
>September 11.
>
>Here at home, people are warned of imminent terrorist attacks with
>little guidance as to when or where such attacks might occur. Family
>members are being called to active military duty, with no idea of the
>duration of their stay or what horrors they may face. Communities are
>being left with
less
>than adequate police and fire protection. Other essential services are
>also short-staffed. The mood of the nation is grim. The economy is
stumbling.
>Fuel prices are rising and may soon spike higher.
>
>This Administration, now in power for a little over two years, must be
>judged on its record. I believe that that record is dismal.
>
>In that scant two years, this Administration has squandered a large
>projected surplus of some $5.6 trillion over the next decade and taken
>us to projected deficits as far as the eye can see. This
>Administration's domestic policy has put many of our states in dire
>financial condition,
under
>funding scores of essential programs for our people. This
>Administration
has
>fostered policies which have slowed economic growth. This
>Administration has ignored urgent matters such as the crisis in health
>care for our
elderly.
>This Administration has been slow to provide adequate funding for
>homeland security. This Administration has been reluctant to better
>protect our long and porous borders.
>
>In foreign policy, this Administration has failed to find Osama bin
>Laden. In fact, just yesterday we heard from him again marshaling his
>forces and urging them to kill. This Administration has split
>traditional alliances, possibly crippling, for all time, International
>order-keeping entities like the United Nations and NATO. This
>Administration has called into
question
>the traditional worldwide perception of the United States as
>well-intentioned, peacekeeper. This Administration has turned the
>patient art of diplomacy into threats, labeling, and name calling of
>the sort that reflects quite poorly on the intelligence and sensitivity
>of our leaders, and which will have consequences for years to come.
>
>Calling heads of state pygmies, labeling whole countries as evil,
>denigrating powerful European allies as irrelevant -- these types of
>crude insensitivities can do our great nation no good. We may have
>massive military might, but we cannot fight a global war on terrorism
>alone. We need the cooperation and friendship of our time-honored
>allies as well as
the
>newer found friends whom we can attract with our wealth. Our awesome
>military machine will do us little good if we suffer another
>devastating attack on our homeland which severely damages our economy.
>Our military manpower is already stretched thin and we will need the
>augmenting support of those nations who can supply troop strength, not
>just sign letters cheering us on.
>
>The war in Afghanistan has cost us $37 billion so far, yet there is
>evidence that terrorism may already be starting to regain its hold in
>that
region.
>We have not found bin Laden, and unless we secure the peace in
>Afghanistan, the dark dens of terrorism may yet again flourish in that
>remote and devastated land.
>
>Pakistan as well is at risk of destabilizing forces. This
>Administration has not finished the first war against terrorism and yet
>it is eager to
embark
>on another conflict with perils much greater than those in Afghanistan.
>Is our attention span that short? Have we not learned that after
>winning the war one must always secure the peace?
>
>And yet we hear little about the aftermath of war in Iraq. In the
>absence of plans, speculation abroad is rife. Will we seize Iraq's oil
>fields, becoming an occupying power which controls the price and supply
>of that
nation's
>oil for the foreseeable future? To whom do we propose to hand the
>reigns of power after Saddam Hussein?
>
>Will our war inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks
>on Israel? Will Israel retaliate with its own nuclear arsenal? Will the
>Jordanian and Saudi Arabian governments be toppled by radicals,
>bolstered by Iran which has much closer ties to terrorism than Iraq?
>
>Could a disruption of the world's oil supply lead to a world-wide
>recession? Has our senselessly bellicose language and our callous
>disregard
of the
>interests and opinions of other nations increased the global race to
>join the nuclear club and made proliferation an even more lucrative
>practice for nations which need the income?
>
>In only the space of two short years this reckless and arrogant
>Administration has initiated policies which may reap disastrous
>consequences for years.
>
>One can understand the anger and shock of any President after the
>savage attacks of September 11. One can appreciate the frustration of
>having only a shadow to chase and an amorphous, fleeting enemy on which
>it is nearly impossible to exact retribution.
>
>But to turn one's frustration and anger into the kind of extremely
>destabilizing and dangerous foreign policy debacle that the world is
>currently witnessing is inexcusable from any Administration charged
>with the awesome power and responsibility of guiding the destiny of the
>greatest superpower on the planet. Frankly many of the pronouncements
>made by this Administration are outrageous. There is no other word.
>
>Yet this chamber is hauntingly silent. On what is possibly the eve of
>horrific infliction of death and destruction on the population of the
>nation of Iraq -- a population, I might add, of which over 50% is under
>age
15 --
>this chamber is silent. On what is possibly only days before we send
>thousands of our own citizens to face unimagined horrors of chemical
>and biological warfare -- this chamber is silent. On the eve of what
>could possibly be a vicious terrorist attack in retaliation for our
>attack on Iraq, it is business as usual in the United States Senate.
>
>We are truly "sleepwalking through history." In my heart of hearts I
>pray that this great nation and its good and trusting citizens are not
>in for a rudest of awakenings.
>
>To engage in war is always to pick a wild card. And war must always be
>a last resort, not a first choice. I truly must question the judgment
>of any President who can say that a massive unprovoked military attack
>on a nation which is over 50% children is "in the highest moral
>traditions of
our
>country". This war is not necessary at this time. Pressure appears to
>be having a good result in Iraq. Our mistake was to put ourselves in a
>corner so quickly. Our challenge is to now find a graceful way out of a
>box of our own making. Perhaps there is still a way if we allow more
>time."
It's true, unnaturally precocious, Soul 2 Soul laid it all down in their "club classics", and I'm living it now. I was spent after one month of travel.
In the moment I never realize how tiring it is to be tuned into the minutae of day-day life. Makes you feel alive, for sure, but also uses a fair amount of energy. Paradoxically, returning to habit can also be liberating... maybe I've freed up some processing power to think about some of the more introspective or long-term things which are returning to me now.
T
After completing the drive along the big Sur back to LA, I finally got some QT with Omer and we went out to an amazing restaurant one block from his house, which proved to be of a quality warranting no less than 5 appetizers and 3 entrees for the two of us. Spectacular! After good conversation and some happy times, we crashed back it his place, and then I met up with Arik and Laura on Friday.
They are doing great. I can't believe how nice a house becomes when you get married. I guess suddenly you pass a threshold of investing in your life together, including acquiring such wonderful amenities as paintings, pictures, cookware, etc... They made me feel totally welcome, and of all the places I've been over the last month, this felt most homey.
I can't believe what a mushy soft-shell I'm turning out to be: I guess you can't stay a hermit crab forever!
We spent a few days touring around LA, catching up, and yep, watching movies! I also saw Christina on Saturday after a year or so - it was fun seeing her again.
After some more coffees and movies (LA is _really_ into both), I am now perfectly ready to go back.
T
Tuesday was a long day of driving out to Hoover dam, and then up to San Fran/Napa valley. The dam was big, no question, and it looks like they get a lot of electricity out of that sucker! I wanted to continue on into Arizona, but these distances are pretty big, and I am surprised to find I don't have enough time to see all this stuff and still get back to LA for the weekend.
I arrived at Napa in the evening - extremely happy for the existence of my cell phone handsfree for talking to Anna and my mobile Ipod setup which protected me from some pretty fanatical religious radio programs that would no doubt have freaked me out in the foggy dark. The Fog was thicker than I've ever seen - visibility was down to about 10 feet, so the last couple hours were an interesting drive; right on the edge.
When I finally got there, I realized I should have done just a little bit of research before arriving, since the only places I could find to stay were a comfort inn and a Hawthorne inn, which were both on the nasty side (I was treated to watching the police arrest someone at gunpoint in the parking lot of the "comfort" inn), though I was sure there were hundreds of beautiful quaint country places all around... I just couldn't see or find them. I eventually stayed at the Hawthorne inn around 3 in the morning, gripped by an unshakable ludicrous fear that some Psycho-like scene would unfold and a killer would do me in in the shower.
***
Today I checked out a few vineyards in Napa, and then did half of the big Sur drive to overnight at Cambria. I was disappointed by the vineyards. I was expecting something like Stellenbosch/Franshoek in South Africa, and this made me nostalgic without delivering! I could almost taste the wines of Thelema on my lips as I was driving around, but the relatively lesser beauty, higher commercialization, and outrageous prices made me balk a little. What a spoilt child I am sometimes - I must learn to appreciate every day even more! Cambria was wonderful, however. Anna booked me into a wonderful B&B and I had a great seafood dinner at the local hotspot (along with some more 60+ers!).
There is a beautiful boardwalk along the beach, and I strolled along after dinner, and spoke to Anna, Boaz and Grisy. They did their best of making me miss New York, and succeeded exceedingly. I think I'll be back before too long.
T
The drive out to Vegas was a blast. I realize I have barely been alone this whole last month, and sitting in a car for 5 hours is extremely theraputic.
The scenery is not bad either... what a huge country! I have been neglecting North America in my travels - look at all this stuff: Yellowstone; Yosimete; Grand Canyon; Baja, Mexico... definitely worth a few months down here in the summer, and no airfare to buy either!
Vegas looks like an adult Disneyland. Everything has a theme or a spin... including the "Tropicana" where I am staying, after the Bellagio kindly informed me rooms were $300 a night! Sheesh - I thought these guys all charged pennies for the room because they want to encourage you to stay at their hotel and gamble!
Maybe because it's an off day (Monday), it seems as if there are only older people here. I am alarmed I keep finding myself in places / doing things where the only other people are 60+. Yachting, B&B's, safari, tennis, wine tasting, shows and now... Vegas - all seem to be activities teeming with an elder generation. What does that mean about me? Am I precocious? Am I "over the hill"? What will I be doing when I'm 60+?
It's silly I know, but I don't really gamble on casinos. It's a foregone conclusion - I lose every time, and get pretty bored! I spend my evening checking out the various casinos and seeing Cirque du Soleil in "O". Gorgeous staging, and they did some cool stuff with the pool in this one.
T
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I think this was the most beautiful new year I have ever experienced - check out the photos of sunrise in the photo section - the harbor cruise was loud, boozy and festive as expected, but the real treat was lying on Bondi beach watching the sunrise with Boaz and Grisy - it was a gentle moment.
This last week in Oz was spent mostly on the beach and hanging at Blake's great pad. We tried out surfing - pretty damned hard... it feels like I imagine a boxing match to be - the waves pummel you every few seconds and stomach muscles that were well on the road to atrophy were called back in for a surprise rally. I think you learn how to move with the surf better after awhile - it was already easier the second day. By and large, it was a challenging experience in all ways - frustrating, tough, and tantalizingly just beyond my grip the entire time. I'm thinking of a future trip to some serious surf country (Hawaii?) in order to become good enough so that I am not completely humiliated every time I go out there.
I did manage to change my odds with fishing: we went out on a small launch and I caught many a fish (~10 including the ones thrown back).. it was a welcome change from the BOI where I had been anticipating snapper for dinner every evening, but somehow managed to miss every fish in the ocean. We brought back about 10 big ones and grilled them for dinner.
It was also a week of expensive loss: Glenn's camera disappeared along with some good memories, and the beloved Mr. Purple - after a well decorated first tour of duty liberating our prop free of two ropes, our dingy of a fishing line, and a couple wine bottles of their corks, somehow disappeared into the ether. Unbelievable! My cell phone also didn't turn up, which had the downside of costing a lot of money, but the upside of prompting the happy purchase of a Nokia worldphone in Oz that I am now loving dearly. Now that it is gone, I can finally admit that Ericsson phones just do not work as well as Nokia's. Anna and I have been fighting this battle for a long time, but ironically as I admit defeat, she now has an Ericcson, so the confrontation continues. I'll put some tech notes up on a gadget page for all you enquiring minds.
It was sad to see Boaz/Grisy, then Aman leave after this fun escape together. It was even sadder to watch myself leave! Blake's place was very groovy - it had the beach feel and yet was also comfy, spacious, and equipped.Thanks Blake!
The flight back was fine - I slept the whole way, and then happily went from one beach to another; Omer has this great place on Hermosa beach that greatly eased the jarring anguish of returning to (cold) North America.
Everyone in LA I am supposed to see is busy for the next few days, so I am going to Vegas and/or up the Big Sur to San Fran. I've heard about these places too often without seeing them.
T
Though my intention was to post daily, sadly my technological world came crashing to a halt by my laptop's power supply which turned out to be the weakest link. That didn't stop me from enjoying myself a great deal over the past couple weeks, which I'll summarize here and write more about when I get the brick back up and running.
New Zealand was great. The weather was unexpectedly colder than I could have imagined, about 10 degrees cooler than Oz, but the scenery was incredible and the friends made legendary company. After Glenn arrived in Oz we flew out the same evening to Auckland on different flights, he arriving about 4 hours before I, and there was quite a debacle as all hotels were booked and for some reason Vodaphone NZ has decided it will not play with any other Vodaphone, including Vodaphone AU. Glenn took a hit for the team here and walked the streets to find accommodation for us that evening, then came back to the airport to meet me since there was no way for us to communicate.
Anna arrived the next day, and we hung out with Pommy and Bereket a little, but mostly took it easy from the collective travel grind. The next morning we flew down to Christchurch and began a 5 day trip across Arthur's pass in South Island, down the west coast, ending in Queenstown.
The weather was incredibly foggy going through Arthur's pass, though the place managed to look beautiful anyhow. The highlight of the drive for me was definitely the helicopter trip we took up to the top of Fox Glacier to hike around through the ice for a few hours. Breathtakingly beautiful, and a wonderful experience to Don crampons and ice-picks and trek around.
We meandered through various small towns and villages that had nothing of note going on, but lots of lush scenery to look at. I realized that this is really a country to see by foot. Car pace is definitely too fast, and though the drive is beautiful, the destinations are not as interesting as the forests, streams, cliffs, passes, etc. along the way.
Queenstown was good fun. It seems to be true to its tourist label of "adventure sports capital of the world". We tried to hook up sky diving, but couldn't get a booking and ended up settling for hang gliding instead. Good fun - I got to try my hand at it. I was surprised at how gentle a touch it takes to fly, and also at how quickly the glider descends. Landing is also *really* fast in order to give extra control, which is quite a rush since your face is inches from the grass as you come in.
After Queenstown we flew up to Auckland to meet Boaz, Grisy, Aman, Pommy and Bereket for the journey up to Bay of Islands. B&G almost didn't make it.. they were bumped off their flight.. but in the end all got up to BOI on the 22nd.
The boat was what you might expect from a luxury cruising cat. Spacious - 4 ensuite double berths + 2 front quarter berths and a convertable double berth in the salon. We were 8, so we had plenty of space. Compared to the 4700, this one had slightly less deck space, but the interior seemed better laid out. We set out for a short sail to Russell that evening, and had quite a botched experience of Anchoring as we forgot to stow one of the mooring lines and it got knocked free as the dinghy was being moved around, fouling the starboard prop... made for quite an excitable first landing, and we ended up picking up one of the private moorings since darkness had set by the time we sorted it all out, and it was difficult to see what was going on.
The next morning started with Boaz diving down to defoul the prop, using my beloved leatherman tool we christened Mr. Purple, and displaying a mussad-like level of detachment from body as it took him about 1/2 hr, and the water there is no BVI let me tell you.
The following days were less eventful and quite relaxed, though we did manage to foul another prop on a windsurf painter, and break our jib halyard in some decent winds. Moorings staff seemed unimpressed by our attempts to break the boat in. I believe the comment our mechanic Bill had was "Is that all you can do?".
Anna sadly had to leave on Xmas day, and we all hated to see her go... I was "morose Skipper" that day, but we managed to have some really good fun on the 26 and 27 as well - Aman Glenn and I went out into 20+kt winds and happily managed to eke out 10.5 knot Vmax, though again the moorings guys seemed unimpressed. They're hard to impress, sailing the boats from Capetown where they are made all over the world and whatnot. I think it's going to be time to sail the high seas at some point soon... maybe I should join their delivery crews and learn a thing or two.
After the BOI trip, we returned to Auckland and I had a great time hanging out and partying with our gang + two friends of Pommy's: Andrew and Steve who were fabulous guys and solid partiers. We went out hard in AKL, and also did some fun stuff like take a couple helicopters over to a vineyard for some wine tasting.
I'm back in Oz now, hanging out with a gang of 12 or so people Glenn/Aman know who have come to congregate for Xmas. Sydney is a large city (5MM) and feels sort of like New York crossed with San Fran.
Happy new year's to all - going on some harbor cruise this evening to see the fireworks, and I'm angling to take a trip out of Syd before I leave, so more on that later.
My cell phone has gone AWOL, so you can try reaching me on Glenn's if you need to: +61 404 104 164.
Take care.
T
Seafood here is quite marvelous. Gil and I had a good dinner in Bondi on Blake's recommendation, and I made the call *not* to go partying all night since Glenn will be getting here mighty early and will probably be desirous of more entertainment than I could provide after a booze cruise until sunrise.
We're going to NZ tomorrow, which I'm quite excited about. I'm hoping it is more accesible and welcoming than Sydney has been thus far. Maybe what I'm experiencing here is a rather British conservatavism... I get the feeling people want to be introduced to you before they waste any effort talking to you.
Sydney is quite beautiful, and the people here are very "fit". I imagine I would be surfing, rock climbing, and maybe even the dreaded running and swimming before too long if I lived here.
T
