THE LANNAN NEWSLETTER

News and Commentary from Larry Lannan

Last Updated December 30, 2004

       
HAPPY
2005!
This is the time of year for new year's resolutions.  My resolution this new year is to pay more attention to this Web site.  I've not had time for the weekly updates, with my move and other time pressures.  But I will make a new, concerted effort to keep this site up to date and make a few changes here and there to try and spruced things up.  Thanks for looking at the site.  We are not commercial in any way.  You'll see no ads here.  We're not exactly a blog, but we're close. 

This site started with my failed campaign to run for president of my local union.  Losing that election was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.  I get to spend a lot more time with my family and have a lot less stress and work pressure.  But I have remained active in my local union and have tried to help our current president wherever I can.

        

TSUNAMI IN THE U.S.?
The massive earthquake on the floor of the Indian Ocean has spawned perhaps the worst natural disaster in recorded history.  The tsunami hit areas of Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and a host of other countries with a savagery most of us will not see again in our lifetimes.

One question that is being asked is, could this happen to the U.S.?  The honest answer is, yes, it could.

Click here for more on a possible American Tsunami.

In the meantime, the world will be looking to the Western world and the U.S. in particular to provide immediate aid to the survivors of this catastrophe.  Clean water will be very important to sustain the survivors, or another round of horrible deaths could be around the corner.  Also, authorities will be faced with the awful dilemma of either identifying the massive number od bodies for the sake of their families, or quickly disposing of the dead to prevent massive disease.  It was good to see President Bush stand up and make a clear statement that the U.S. will step forward immediately and provide whatever help is needed.  Long-term, the governments hit by this disaster will be most helped by debt relief which will likely happen. 

Bottom line, the world must come together and provide all the help it can as quickly as possible.  Otherwise, more massive deaths are likely.  The world is being tested as never before by the forces of nature.  Let's see what the world can do.

  



CONSIDER THIS QUOTATION

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."

--Kahlil Gibran


LATE NIGHT LINE OF THE WEEK

In Florida a 96-year-old woman is running for mayor. When asked if she knew who she was running against, she said, "Time."

--David Letterman


FEATURED WEB SITE

USAID has established this Web site for those wishing to contribute to the Tsunami victims.
 
  Click here to link with the featured Web site.
 



BOOK REVIEWS


A PRETEXT FOR WAR by James Bamford.....I was impressed with James Bamford's previous book on the National Security Agency (NSA), an operation the government did not even admit existed for many years.  Bamford has now used his extensive contacts in the intelligence community (remember, there are 15 intelligence agencies in the federal government and the CIA is only one of the them) to produce a damning analysis of Bush administration policy toward Iraq.  It is the fervent belief by most in the U.S. intelligence community that George W. Bush targeted Iraq for invasion long before 9/11/2001, but used the terrorist attack as an excuse to invade and occupy Iraq.  Bamford's sources believe Bush wanted to depose Saddam Hussein only because the dictator tried to assassinate his father.  Bamford makes a very convincing case in this heavily-footnoted book that The Bushies misused the intelligence community to get what it wanted.  This book will disturb you and will not make you feel confident that the current administration is capable of managing our national security issues.    

Click here for Washington Post book reviews (site is free but registration is required)

Click here for New York Times book reviews (free site but registration is required)
   

                 
 
 

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