Comments: Visual Version - 2005-01-20 16:12:26 citizens country story America nation American commitment courage promise character children civility communit(ies) duty freedom ideals interest(s) power principle(s) purpose responsibilit(ies) birth compassion everyone faith generation(s) God Government history justice life lives place President schools spirit time times way(s) work world angel cause century challenge choice Clinton conscience day democracy dignity economy good hope humanity Jefferson laws leaders love nations poverty problems public service society storm things trust values whirlwind years abandonment abuse accomplishment acts aggression allies ambitions apathy arrogance attacks author authority backgrounds balance battle beginnings beliefs blessing blood bonds call calling care chance changes chaos charity child Church circumstances citizen citizenship civil comfort concern contest continent convictions course creed cynicism dangers dealing debates decency Declaration of Independence defenses depression destruction differences direction dream effort end enemies enterprise eternity example fairness fathers fault forgiveness friend fulfillment gifts goal goodwill Gore grace guests health hearts horrors hurts ideal idealism ignorance image immigrant inauguration Jericho John Page knowledge liberator liberty Medicare mistake momentum mosque mothers need needs neighbor oath opportunity options order others ourselves peace people person plans pledge politics prayer prejudice priorities prisons program proliferation race reforms resolve respect rights risk road rock root sacrifice safety saint scapegoats sea search seed sentiment servant side Social Security soil souls spectators stakes statesman strangers strength struggles subjects substitute suffering synagogue tactic tasks taxes themes touch traditions transfer traveler union unity Vice President views vulnerable war weakness weapons wind wrong * * * * * * * * * * * * scott - 2005-01-20 17:09:49 if this whole process didnt give me a headache before,.............. * * * * * * * * * * * * scott - 2005-01-20 17:10:28 if this whole process didnt give me a headache before,.............. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-20 18:21:28 The speech was well-written in parts but didn't really hang together. There was no unifying theme. It was full of the doughty, purplish sentence structures peculiar to speeches. The whole thing was a bit on the slick side for my tastes. * * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2005-01-20 18:44:29 Used to be, newspapers printed speeches the next day. Reading is different than electronic hearing. Used to be, speeches were exercises in delivering an individual's ideas. What's now? What's going on? If I find a copy of what was said, I'll try to read it. I missed the hoopla on television. Meanwhile, imagine the expression on the teacher's face in Mister Bush's Speech 101 class. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-20 19:03:46 Raymond, the speech was posted (I put a link to it in the front-page post) before he even read it, which I found somewhat odd. Yes, you had the feeling listening to it that it was the product of some speech-writing committee's alchemy, with no trace of Bush's actual wishes or plans in it. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-20 19:15:05 From the speech: "And this is my solemn pledge: I will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity. "I know this is in our reach because we are guided by a power larger than ourselves who creates us equal in His image." Little confused here at that pronoun "His"'s lack of an antecedent. Is he referring to Krishna? Allah? Not the Buddha, surely. * * * * * * * * * * * * Erin Ptacek - 2005-01-20 19:22:05 Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Long time reader, first time commentor. Commenter? Commentator? * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-20 19:38:43 Welcome to the blog, Erin, and thank you for your very kind and nice comment. Glad you commented as a first-time...um, person who leaves a comment. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-20 19:41:23 Those last 6 words in the "visual version," above, seem to sum things up since 9/11: "vulnerable war weakness weapons wind wrong" * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-20 21:09:45 It is interesting to note that the term "United States" appears nowhere in the inaugural speech. The term "America" seems to secrete a mythic power that the dry "United States" does not. And how many countries have more than one name, anyways? Weird. * * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-01-21 00:46:36 I think all government communications should be rendered this way. It makes the true intent just that much clearer. "War Crusade Conquest Oil Money Judgement God Dissent Jail" * * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-01-21 00:47:56 I think all government communications should be rendered this way. It makes the true intent that much clearer. "War Crusade Conquest Oil Money Judgement God Dissent Jail" * * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-01-21 00:49:20 Sorry, don't know why it posted twice... * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-21 08:19:12 Thanks for your comment Dan. That's a telling excerpt you make. * * * * * * * * * * * * farlane - 2005-01-21 15:30:33 Brilliant! It's like Refridgerator Poetry Magnets of the Apocolypse... * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-21 15:32:27 I'm not as brilliant as you people keep saying, trust me. This is probably the high point of 2005. Enjoy it while it lasts. But thank you, farlane, for a kind comment. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-21 15:33:49 --and farlane's phrase "refrigerator poetry magnets of the apocalypse" is well put. * * * * * * * * * * * * farlane - 2005-01-21 16:56:08 High point of 2005? Bit early for that. Besides, I assume you'll apply the same algorithm to the State of the Union address later this year... btw, your blog is excellent. I don't really have close ties to the A2 area (other than maize & blue blood), but I heartily enjoy the blend of happenings, history & commentary. Thanks! * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-21 18:24:41 Thank you, farlane, for your very kind comment. I'm glad you stopped by, and you just made my day with your thoughts. Thank you. I checked out your site--that's quite a big project you have going. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-21 19:04:07 And that's a good idea, to apply the same process to the State of the Union coming up. Think I'll do so, just out of curiosity. Thanks for the tip, farlane. * * * * * * * * * * * * farlane - 2005-01-21 19:15:09 It is pretty big but I had ALLL this free time and lots of shiny php code laying around and I thought I'd get a few friends together and see if we could build something neat. I will be staying tuned for the State of the Union (will Iraq even merit a -4 font?) ... as well as early stories of yipsi. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-21 19:53:25 Kind of you to do so. Now that you mention it, Iraq wasn't even mentioned once in the inaugural. Guess that blood-soaked mess doesn't fit too tidily into the soaring myth. * * * * * * * * * * * * Susan - 2005-01-21 20:13:48 Very cool! * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-01-22 11:43:58 Welcome to the blog, Susan (I don't recall seeing your name before) and thank you for your nice comment. * * * * * * * * * * * * passion flower suggestion - 2005-10-12 06:47:23 Please take a look at the pages dedicated to shop shop http://www.flower4us.com/blue-flowers.html http://www.flower4us.com/blue-flowers.html ... Thanks!!! * * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: your name: your email: your url: back to the entry - Diaryland