Second Fiddle
by ducadmo
03/25/2008, 11:55 PM #
I had sung first tenor until five years ago when my job took me overseas a lot and the impromptu scheduling made it very difficult for the choir director to manage tonal balance. So with resolve but not without regret, I moved to the second tenor section.
Singing second tenor is much like playing second fiddle - long on work, short on glory. The job of a second tenor is to make the first tenors sound good. Sometimes it would be so easy to just plow right over them when they are at the edge of their range and we're in our sweet spot. It ain't music though. We provide the support upon which their high notes rest. If we sag, they sink and suddenly a perfect third is a perfect nightmare and fosters mutiny and mayhem on the high 'c's. But when it works, it works. I am now a better second tenor than ever I was first. Singing in the choir is never about yourself anyway.
Still, sometimes when we're singing there are notes out there that used to be mine. They are mine. I had them notes, they are a part of me and I was meant to sing them. But I don't because I got a job to do and somebody else has got to sing those those notes. My notes.
As I've said before, there is every reason for Hillary to keep up the good fight. I wouldn't quit if I were her and she is no quitter. But she isn't going to win on pledged delegates without a major stumble by Obama. And that's not going to happen. Michigan and Florida will be seated at the Democratic convention, but that will not give her what she needs, either. And the super-delegates will not give her the nomination if it means the defection of all those that Obama has brought into the tent and all those who remember Gore's loss.
But neither will Obama succeed by leaving empty handed all those who have so fervently and freely supported Hillary Clinton for so many years.
There was a time when I thought Obama was meant to be the Vice President. Young and articulate and patient enough to endure the apprentice role. I would not have been unhappy with that scenario. But he will and should prevail in this primary and that was my hope if not my expectation.
I cannot, however, imagine his path to the Presidency to be anything but the most daunting contest any Democrat has ever faced in my lifetime. But, were Hillary to be the nominee, the challenge would be no less great. This is the path we, as Democrats have chosen.
Though I have an enduring respect for both Clintons, I have never been able to long endure their ability to wrap the Democratic Party up in their own personal ambitions. Hillary's capacity to shed a tear was news, whether it was real or not. She is human, afterall. I, for one, required that confirmation.
The question for many at this point seems to be whether the Clintons would allow any Democrat to become President if Hillary is not chosen. They do have that power. They have the power to literally destroy the Democratic Party. Will they use it?
In the end, I suspect not. These are two people very aware that they are writing history and history will only be as charitable as they themselves manage. But upon finally conceding the nomination, whither goest the better half of this dynasty? A few months ago, I could never have imagined this, but now I see little option for honest reconciliation within the Democratic Party except for Hillary Clinton to be offered the Vice Presidential spot and as utterly uncharacteristic as it may seem - for Hillary, duty bound to the success of the Democratic Party and the United States of America, to accept that sui generis opportunity.
I say this after hearing it from many quarters, but mostly from Democrats I have known who have worked for the Democratic Party for many years and fear its demise if there is no accord. For them, the Presidential race is just another item on the list as they make their phone calls and print out their address checklists. For those people, the turmoil generated in this nominating process could translate into volunteers lost and votes forsaken in important local contests which is the bread and butter of the Democratic organization.
For those of you who think it will not be offered, I offer that Obama has little alternative if he is to truly present himself as a uniter. For those of you who think it will not be accepted, know that both of the Clintons already have a place in history, but it still is up to them to decide what that place looks like.
Second fiddle is a harder job than it looks. This I know.
Showing posts with label ducadmo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ducadmo. Show all posts
25 March 2008
16 June 2005
When You Gitmo Than You Asked For
Subject: When You Gitmo Than You Asked For
From: Ducadmo
Date: Jun 16 2005 11:44AM
This missive was intended as a response to a BOTF post by RWJones, but as it took on a life of its own and the BOTF is again off its life-support system until the courts determine otherwise, I decided to cut it free within this space.
This [fray.slate.msn.com] is by far and away one of the most outstanding examples of what I would consider pure tripe that I have seen on the BOTF. It exemplifies in glorious detail the paucity of truth available to the ardent defenders of this administration and the zealous hypocrisy with which some are still prepared to continue. Allow me to illustrate ...
"They are far too busy apologizing for lynchings, apologizing for slavery, apologizing for winning the cold war, and apoologizing for establishing democracy in Germany, Italy, Japan, and Afghanistan."
Apologizing for lynchings, yes that seems to have been a recent issue. Apologizing for slavery - I think that was some time ago (did we actually say 'I'm sorry, I forgot). But apologizing for winning the cold war (did we?), establishing democracy in these other countries - did anybody really do that? Are these elected members of Congress? Perhaps you were exaggerating a bit, a little poetic license? Or can you not separate your paranoid fantasies from reality? It is so hard to tell sometimes.
"They refuse to protect our borders; it might anger the illegal immigrants. They refuse to demand accountability at the UN; it might upset other members. They refuse to prosecute the war on terror; criticizing Bush and his Administration is so much more satisfying."
I would remind you that this administration has a party majority in both chambers of Congress, something rare in the American political landscape of the past century. There should be little impediment to proceeding with grand visions and noble causes. What is holding you back? Illegal immigrants? They can't vote. The U.N? Fire away, give it your best shot. You have my permission. But refusing to prosecute the war on terror? Ah, therein lies the subject and palette of your post, but you have already framed this as a black and white portrait.
From there you hand things over to a voice even more bellicose than your own. I cannot even begin to address the hallucinatory quality of the remarks - only note that the commentary in no part addresses the issues surrounding Guantanamo but simply seeks to categorically characterize and demonize any detractors of this nation's current policy. Trying as hard as I might, I do not see myself in this portrait, so I will ignore it and focus on the actual subject as that author should have done, for even that author and I agree that you cannot negotiate with terrorists nor reason with idealogues.
In the 'either or' scenario of defeating terrorism, you suggest that we stand and fight or be prepared to live in a high security jail of our own making. You assume these are exclusive conditions. What if they are not? What if a wrongful strategy in fighting terrorism only fosters more terrorism - like fighting a chemical fire with water or Micky's attempt to chop up the spirited and persistent broom in Fantasia? I will come right out and say it:
Terrorism cannot be destroyed
No more than hatred can be destroyed. No more easily than poverty can be eradicated. With no less effort than it would take to remove all disease from this planet. Terrorism has been around for a long time and it will continue.
We may struggle to contain it, to direct its focus away from our soil, deplete its financial support, but ultimately we must realize that as long as the third world is a swamp, it will breed terrorist mosquitoes. Bug-lights and fly swatters will not save you. As long as there is one demented ideological zealot capable of strapping on a little C-4, or who can find a surrogate adolescent, there will be terrorism.
If you want a preview of how the war on terrorism will go, watch the Israelis. They have been fighting terrorism for a half century. Have you read the report card? Therein lies the template for your holy war on terror. Or would you prefer the war on drugs? How's that one going? Are we winning? Is there at least tangible progress?
The so-called war on terror is a dangerous misnomer for it suggests a military solution. There is none. Three years and a couple hundred billion dollars into this adventure, we have not been able to provide an measurable sign of progress. Osama Bin Laden and much of his inner circle remains at large. We have Saddam Hussein, but he was a tyrant, not a terrorist. Even if we had Bin Laden, another would rise in his place. Even if we eradicated Al Qaeda, there are plenty of other organizations waiting to take up the slack and even more waiting to be born. Mosquitoes.
Similar to the effort required in World War II, we cannot simply send our children out to battle the enemy. There are issues of security at home. Issues that require vigilance by our government, our institutions, our corporations and our citizens. So yes, we will stand in lines in front of metal detectors, arrive at airports well before departure and no public gathering will be safe. This is virtually independent of the success of military exploits.
And both situations are virtually independent of the situational limbo now referred to as Gitmo. Sure there was information to be garnered from some of those captured in Afghanistan, but there is also a timeline and the immutable laws of diminishing returns. I question the value of any three-year-old tidbit of data to be extracted from some incarcerated Talibani at this point. More importantly, if released - these prisoners would be free to become mosquitoes again and that should not be permitted. But as it increasingly becomes apparent to the American public that there is no timeframe for this action that we are still calling a war - we become less comfortable with the incarceration of people at the will of the executive branch of this government without reasonable due process.
We are a nation built on due process. We demand it of ourselves for ourselves. We do not like nor trust closed and hidden systems. We have come not only to demand but to expect justice from our nation and cannot accept justice denied within our borders - and therein lies the problem and perhaps the very reason why Gitmo is beyond our borders. Out of sight, out of mind. Whether intentional or not, Gitmo is a test of our very principles - it tests the metal of our own values.
I have little doubt that most of the inmates of Gitmo are enemies of the United States, I suspect many would qualify as evil. But without an open process to examine the merits of each individuals case, we perpetrate an injustice and open ourselves to the possibility of more by silent if not willing acceptance. This invites a greater evil - that of the disregard for our own values and freedoms. If in the name of security, we blindly accept the potential abuse of those who would be our enemy, and show callous disregard for the right of a human being to defend himself from the accusations of terrorism by our nation, we have already submitted ourselves to the enslavement of our own fears.
I do not so much care if there are abuses at Gitmo or not, I care that I have no sure way of knowing. I do not care so much as to their treatment but as to whether there are those among them who we no longer have cause to detain - for what assurance do we have that there is justice here? If we allow injustice to be acted in our name, what God-given right will keep us from our own injustice?
Jail of our own making indeed.
http://fray.slate.msn.com/?id=3936&m=14879115
(my apologies - i can't seem to find the post ducadmo linked to.)
From: Ducadmo
Date: Jun 16 2005 11:44AM
This missive was intended as a response to a BOTF post by RWJones, but as it took on a life of its own and the BOTF is again off its life-support system until the courts determine otherwise, I decided to cut it free within this space.
This [fray.slate.msn.com] is by far and away one of the most outstanding examples of what I would consider pure tripe that I have seen on the BOTF. It exemplifies in glorious detail the paucity of truth available to the ardent defenders of this administration and the zealous hypocrisy with which some are still prepared to continue. Allow me to illustrate ...
"They are far too busy apologizing for lynchings, apologizing for slavery, apologizing for winning the cold war, and apoologizing for establishing democracy in Germany, Italy, Japan, and Afghanistan."
Apologizing for lynchings, yes that seems to have been a recent issue. Apologizing for slavery - I think that was some time ago (did we actually say 'I'm sorry, I forgot). But apologizing for winning the cold war (did we?), establishing democracy in these other countries - did anybody really do that? Are these elected members of Congress? Perhaps you were exaggerating a bit, a little poetic license? Or can you not separate your paranoid fantasies from reality? It is so hard to tell sometimes.
"They refuse to protect our borders; it might anger the illegal immigrants. They refuse to demand accountability at the UN; it might upset other members. They refuse to prosecute the war on terror; criticizing Bush and his Administration is so much more satisfying."
I would remind you that this administration has a party majority in both chambers of Congress, something rare in the American political landscape of the past century. There should be little impediment to proceeding with grand visions and noble causes. What is holding you back? Illegal immigrants? They can't vote. The U.N? Fire away, give it your best shot. You have my permission. But refusing to prosecute the war on terror? Ah, therein lies the subject and palette of your post, but you have already framed this as a black and white portrait.
From there you hand things over to a voice even more bellicose than your own. I cannot even begin to address the hallucinatory quality of the remarks - only note that the commentary in no part addresses the issues surrounding Guantanamo but simply seeks to categorically characterize and demonize any detractors of this nation's current policy. Trying as hard as I might, I do not see myself in this portrait, so I will ignore it and focus on the actual subject as that author should have done, for even that author and I agree that you cannot negotiate with terrorists nor reason with idealogues.
In the 'either or' scenario of defeating terrorism, you suggest that we stand and fight or be prepared to live in a high security jail of our own making. You assume these are exclusive conditions. What if they are not? What if a wrongful strategy in fighting terrorism only fosters more terrorism - like fighting a chemical fire with water or Micky's attempt to chop up the spirited and persistent broom in Fantasia? I will come right out and say it:
Terrorism cannot be destroyed
No more than hatred can be destroyed. No more easily than poverty can be eradicated. With no less effort than it would take to remove all disease from this planet. Terrorism has been around for a long time and it will continue.
We may struggle to contain it, to direct its focus away from our soil, deplete its financial support, but ultimately we must realize that as long as the third world is a swamp, it will breed terrorist mosquitoes. Bug-lights and fly swatters will not save you. As long as there is one demented ideological zealot capable of strapping on a little C-4, or who can find a surrogate adolescent, there will be terrorism.
If you want a preview of how the war on terrorism will go, watch the Israelis. They have been fighting terrorism for a half century. Have you read the report card? Therein lies the template for your holy war on terror. Or would you prefer the war on drugs? How's that one going? Are we winning? Is there at least tangible progress?
The so-called war on terror is a dangerous misnomer for it suggests a military solution. There is none. Three years and a couple hundred billion dollars into this adventure, we have not been able to provide an measurable sign of progress. Osama Bin Laden and much of his inner circle remains at large. We have Saddam Hussein, but he was a tyrant, not a terrorist. Even if we had Bin Laden, another would rise in his place. Even if we eradicated Al Qaeda, there are plenty of other organizations waiting to take up the slack and even more waiting to be born. Mosquitoes.
Similar to the effort required in World War II, we cannot simply send our children out to battle the enemy. There are issues of security at home. Issues that require vigilance by our government, our institutions, our corporations and our citizens. So yes, we will stand in lines in front of metal detectors, arrive at airports well before departure and no public gathering will be safe. This is virtually independent of the success of military exploits.
And both situations are virtually independent of the situational limbo now referred to as Gitmo. Sure there was information to be garnered from some of those captured in Afghanistan, but there is also a timeline and the immutable laws of diminishing returns. I question the value of any three-year-old tidbit of data to be extracted from some incarcerated Talibani at this point. More importantly, if released - these prisoners would be free to become mosquitoes again and that should not be permitted. But as it increasingly becomes apparent to the American public that there is no timeframe for this action that we are still calling a war - we become less comfortable with the incarceration of people at the will of the executive branch of this government without reasonable due process.
We are a nation built on due process. We demand it of ourselves for ourselves. We do not like nor trust closed and hidden systems. We have come not only to demand but to expect justice from our nation and cannot accept justice denied within our borders - and therein lies the problem and perhaps the very reason why Gitmo is beyond our borders. Out of sight, out of mind. Whether intentional or not, Gitmo is a test of our very principles - it tests the metal of our own values.
I have little doubt that most of the inmates of Gitmo are enemies of the United States, I suspect many would qualify as evil. But without an open process to examine the merits of each individuals case, we perpetrate an injustice and open ourselves to the possibility of more by silent if not willing acceptance. This invites a greater evil - that of the disregard for our own values and freedoms. If in the name of security, we blindly accept the potential abuse of those who would be our enemy, and show callous disregard for the right of a human being to defend himself from the accusations of terrorism by our nation, we have already submitted ourselves to the enslavement of our own fears.
I do not so much care if there are abuses at Gitmo or not, I care that I have no sure way of knowing. I do not care so much as to their treatment but as to whether there are those among them who we no longer have cause to detain - for what assurance do we have that there is justice here? If we allow injustice to be acted in our name, what God-given right will keep us from our own injustice?
Jail of our own making indeed.
http://fray.slate.msn.com/?id=3936&m=14879115
(my apologies - i can't seem to find the post ducadmo linked to.)
29 April 2005
Holy Water and Good Vibrations
Subject: Holy Water and Good Vibrations
From: Ducadmo
Date: Apr 29 2005 9:15AM
Part of my fascination with this topic stems from the fact that my grandfather was a respected water dowser [www.dowsersofthewest.org] in his day. Part of it stems from being born into a family of chemists and having spent much of my early adult life in that industry watching with a certain awe the mysteries of crystallization [fray.slate.msn.com]. If you've never seen Lithium Lactate or Urea form crystals, you don't know what you are missing.
But it was watching What the Bleep Do We Know [www.whatthebleep.com] where we first encountered the curious world of Masaru Emoto [www.hado.net]. I found the movie very thought provoking, but was highly sceptical (though intrigued) by his loosely defined research. I can't say that attending one of his seminars last night did a lot to resolve my questions. He seems a dear old man with love and peace in his heart and at the same time a clever New Age snake-oil salesman.
The size of the crowd in attendance impressed me - the Celebrity Theatre was as full as it had been for many of the concerts we had seen there. I'm sure the Starbucks in Sedona was particularly quiet last night. Who knew there were so many hippies left in the world - I had wondered where they all went.
All kidding aside, he made a pretty interesting if not strong case for the effects of music on water. There too, I have a particular bias - for I have nothing but wonderment when it comes to understanding how we appreciate and are emotionally transformed by the sounds we hear. The effect of words, thought, prayer and images was less convincing. Still, he opened up questions for me as to our relationship with the very molecules that compose who we are and in particular that curious chemical we take for granted as water.
Before I can blow it all off as New Age quackery (something a part of me strongly desires to do), I confess that I have never quite understood the practice of baptism, either. It is a part of Christianity I take for granted. What makes Holy Water any different than other water?
The BOTF may not be a suitable place to divine the depths of the relationship between the physical and metaphysical worlds, but I couldn't help but tap the topic for hope springs eternal and if I could whet your appetite for a little out-of-the-box thinking then my cup runneth over.
From: Ducadmo
Date: Apr 29 2005 9:15AM
Part of my fascination with this topic stems from the fact that my grandfather was a respected water dowser [www.dowsersofthewest.org] in his day. Part of it stems from being born into a family of chemists and having spent much of my early adult life in that industry watching with a certain awe the mysteries of crystallization [fray.slate.msn.com]. If you've never seen Lithium Lactate or Urea form crystals, you don't know what you are missing.
But it was watching What the Bleep Do We Know [www.whatthebleep.com] where we first encountered the curious world of Masaru Emoto [www.hado.net]. I found the movie very thought provoking, but was highly sceptical (though intrigued) by his loosely defined research. I can't say that attending one of his seminars last night did a lot to resolve my questions. He seems a dear old man with love and peace in his heart and at the same time a clever New Age snake-oil salesman.
The size of the crowd in attendance impressed me - the Celebrity Theatre was as full as it had been for many of the concerts we had seen there. I'm sure the Starbucks in Sedona was particularly quiet last night. Who knew there were so many hippies left in the world - I had wondered where they all went.
All kidding aside, he made a pretty interesting if not strong case for the effects of music on water. There too, I have a particular bias - for I have nothing but wonderment when it comes to understanding how we appreciate and are emotionally transformed by the sounds we hear. The effect of words, thought, prayer and images was less convincing. Still, he opened up questions for me as to our relationship with the very molecules that compose who we are and in particular that curious chemical we take for granted as water.
Before I can blow it all off as New Age quackery (something a part of me strongly desires to do), I confess that I have never quite understood the practice of baptism, either. It is a part of Christianity I take for granted. What makes Holy Water any different than other water?
The BOTF may not be a suitable place to divine the depths of the relationship between the physical and metaphysical worlds, but I couldn't help but tap the topic for hope springs eternal and if I could whet your appetite for a little out-of-the-box thinking then my cup runneth over.
06 April 2005
Pun-chlines
Subject:oh. i thought it was about making friends.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:24AM
Subject:That may be the net effect of de-bait
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:26AM
Subject:i'd hope it's not just all-lies.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:34AM
Subject:See, hooked already
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:41AM
Subject:seemed pretty fishy, yet, i bit.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:47AM
Subject:Yeah, I coulda used a better line
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:50AM
Subject:you cuda done a lot. but...
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:53AM
i hadn't a whale of a chance.
Subject:I know, hard to write on the fly
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:56AM
Subject:i guess citing mammals is cheating.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:03PM
i otter stick to the reel thing.
Subject:Yup, that seals it
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:04PM
Subject:i was working the wrong angle.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:06PM
Subject:Well, allure doesn't work on me
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:12PM
Subject:it happens when you're just casting about.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:13PM
Subject:Yeah, reel funny
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:15PM
Subject:Oh, darn - I'm disqualified
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:16PM
Subject:i'd give some leeway. but as they say...
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 1:09PM
"spare the rod, spoil the child."
Subject:Ouch!
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 1:14PM
Subject:sorry. not on porpoise.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 2:34PM
Subject:and there i go, singing out of tuna again.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 2:35PM
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:24AM
Subject:That may be the net effect of de-bait
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:26AM
Subject:i'd hope it's not just all-lies.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:34AM
Subject:See, hooked already
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:41AM
Subject:seemed pretty fishy, yet, i bit.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:47AM
Subject:Yeah, I coulda used a better line
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:50AM
Subject:you cuda done a lot. but...
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:53AM
i hadn't a whale of a chance.
Subject:I know, hard to write on the fly
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 11:56AM
Subject:i guess citing mammals is cheating.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:03PM
i otter stick to the reel thing.
Subject:Yup, that seals it
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:04PM
Subject:i was working the wrong angle.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:06PM
Subject:Well, allure doesn't work on me
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:12PM
Subject:it happens when you're just casting about.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:13PM
Subject:Yeah, reel funny
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:15PM
Subject:Oh, darn - I'm disqualified
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 12:16PM
Subject:i'd give some leeway. but as they say...
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 1:09PM
"spare the rod, spoil the child."
Subject:Ouch!
From:Ducadmo
Date:Apr 6 2005 1:14PM
Subject:sorry. not on porpoise.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 2:34PM
Subject:and there i go, singing out of tuna again.
From:kyu
Date:Apr 6 2005 2:35PM
18 February 2005
22 November 2004
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
