1776

The next book I read was a historical novel which detailed the early generalship of George Washington and the beginning of his struggle against the British. 1776 was written by David McCullough, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his Truman biography in 1993 and again for John Adams in 2002.

This is one of the better histories I've read. The writing style and action reads more like a novel than a deeply researched historical piece. Yet the book is heavily annotated with documents drawn from the period, including the memoirs and letters of the principals involved. He deftly touches on both sides of the war, with the feelings of the British Parliament given some weight as well as those of the founding fathers. He then turns to some very detailed military action, running through Washington's notes as well as those of his adversaries. What you come away with is how badly beaten back the newly formed Continental Army was, and how close to a military catastrophe it so often came. If I had one complaint about the book it is that, at under 300 pages, it is too brief, only really covering the year of its title. I found myself wanting to read more when it ended. Perhaps he'll cover subsequent years in future books. In the meantime, it makes a terrific read for anyone interested in that period or military history in general.

Rif

It seems like it's been a while since I've posted something that wasn't simply a cut and paste from an email I received from someone else, so I figured I'd put something in that I actually took the time to type out.

Over the holidays (formerly known as 'Christmas') I received several books as gifts. I hadn't actually sat down and read a book in a while and so with these books on hand I decided to go ahead and enjoy them. I'd forgotten how long it had been since I'd read a good book and how much I missed the whole process.




The first one I'd read was the 2002 Hugo and Nebula award winner for best novel by Neil Gaiman, the same author as the Sandman graphic novel series.

American Gods is a very good read. In a nutshell, all the old Gods, led by Odin, have fallen on hard times as their followers have all died off or drifted away. The New World is not a suitable breeding ground for them and they find themselves prey to the 'new' Gods-the internet and the onslaught of mass media. They carry out their feud in good old fashioned shootings and mafia-style hits. While the story's main protagonist isn't what you'd call a well fleshed out character, the concept is so well done that you find yourself seeking what happens next. Recommended if you like your fantasy a little gritty and find yourself drawn to the concept as I was.

No problem. Just move to Iraq. There's plenty of US money there.

WP: Two-thirds of Katrina donations exhausted

Six months after Hurricane Katrina laid waste to the Gulf Coast, charities have disbursed more than $2 billion of the record sums they raised for the storm's victims, leaving less than $1 billion for the monumental task of helping hundreds of thousands of storm victims rebuild their lives, according to a survey by The Washington Post.

Strategery

BUSH VOWS TO ALIENATE REMAINING POCKETS OF SUPPORT

President Determined to Drive Approval Rating Down to Zero

In a nationally televised address from the White House last night, President George W. Bush announced several bold new initiatives designed specifically to alienate his remaining pockets of support.

Acknowledging that his approval rating currently hovers around forty percent, the president told his national television audience, 'I will not rest until I have driven that number down to zero.'

Mr. Bush said that his recent decision to let a company based in the United Arab Emirates take control of key American ports was 'an important step' in alienating the few Americans who still support him.

But the president said he began implementing his plan to drive away millions of supporters three years ago, with the invasion of Iraq: 'Based on the approval numbers I now have, all I can say is, mission accomplished.'

He added that naming Michael Brown to head up the Federal Emergency Management Agency was another crucial decision in his plan to alienate supporters: 'When it comes to driving down your approval rating, Brownie did in fact do a heck of a job.'

The president said that he was considering several new initiatives to alienate his remaining pockets of support, such as naming outgoing Harvard University President Larry Summers to a new Cabinet post, Secretary of Alienation.

'When it comes to alienating people, Larry Summers makes me look like a rank amateur,' Mr. Bush said.

Cheney says shooting of fellow hunter was based on faulty intelligence

Believed Shooting Victim Was Zawahiri, Veep Says

Vice President Dick Cheney revealed today that he shot a fellow hunter while on a quail hunting trip over the weekend because he believed the man was the fugitive terror mastermind Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Mr. Cheney acknowledged that the man he sprayed with pellets on Saturday was not al-Zawahiri but rather Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old millionaire lawyer from Austin, blaming the mix-up on 'faulty intelligence.'

'I believed I had credible intelligence that al-Zawahiri had infiltrated my hunting party in disguise with the intent of spraying me with pellets,' Mr. Cheney told reporters. 'Only after I shot Harry in the face and he shouted 'Cheney, you bastard' did I realize that this intelligence was faulty.'

Moments after Mr. Cheney's assault on Mr. Whittington, Mr. al-Zawahiri appeared in a new videotape broadcast on al-Jazeera to announce that he was uninjured in the vice president's attack because, in his words, 'I was in Pakistan.'

An aide to the vice president said he believed that the American people would believe Mr. Cheney's version of events, but added, 'If he was going to shoot any of his cronies right now it's a shame it wasn't Jack Abramoff.'

At the White House, President George W. Bush defended his vice president's shooting of a fellow hunter, saying that the attack sent 'a strong message to terrorists everywhere.'

'The message is, if Dick Cheney is willing to shoot an innocent American citizen at point-blank range, imagine what he'll do to you,' Mr. Bush said. "

Super Bowl Champs!

One for the thumb!