Friday, April 02, 2004

Posted here Friday, April 02, 2004 at 4:37:59 PM     small world.. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/02/business/media/02nbc.html Former White House Aide to Take Post at NBC Published: April 2, 2004 Anna Perez, who recently directed communications at the National Security Council, will become chief communications executive for NBC, the network announced yesterday. Ms. Perez will take up the post of executive vice president for communications, but her duties will expand when NBC becomes NBC-Universal after the expected completion of the network's merger with entertainment units of Vivendi Universal. The deal is expected to be approved by June. Ms. Perez will start at NBC on May 1. She left the White House in December, where her titles included counselor for communications to President's Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice. Ms. Perez also worked in the White House for the first President Bush, as Barbara Bush's press secretary. In the mid-1990's she was head of communications at the Creative Artists Agency in Hollywood, when it was led by Michael S. Ovitz and Ron Meyer. Mr. Meyer is now the head of Universal Studios, a job he is expected to retain after the NBC merger.  "I love the television business," Ms. Perez said. "I have no expertise in it so I will have a bit of learning curve. But I can't remember the last time I didn't have a learning curve when I took a new job.'' ********

Posted here Friday, April 02, 2004 at 3:38:51 PM     It is crucially important to remember what is done to each and every person . Some people get caught up in crosscurrents and are damaged in ways where fault is probably absent , certainly in the sense of malicious action by someone towards the hurt person . But sometimes the events are deeply malicious and lacking in basic human compassion . You have already about the man who was arrested at Guantánamo for passing secrets . That case has now been dropped but the path there was deeply destructive and pathetic. After three months of investigation, it was decided that the charges that had warranted keeping Captain Yee in solitary confinement couldn't be proven. Defeated but not beaten, the prosecutors went from the sublime to the ridiculous. Their search of Capt. Yee's computer produced two pieces of evidence of criminal misconduct under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. On November 26, 2003, to the charges of mishandling classified information were added the charges of storing pornography on a government computer and committing adultery. On December 8 pre-trial proceedings began and at that trial Captain Yee's wife and 4-year-old daughter were in the courtroom. It was there that Captain Yee's wife heard testimony describing her husband's relationship with Lt. Karyn Wallace. Lt. Wallace testified that she and the captain had sexual encounters about 20 times. As a reward for her testimony Lt. Wallace was granted immunity from prosecution. At the conclusion of Lt. Wallace's testimony the prosecution asked that the matter be continued until a future date so the prosecution could try to decide if the information on the computer was classified, something it had been unable to do in the months since his arrest. http://www.counterpunch.org/ Even here it is important to understand that the people playing the worst roles are carrying out orders by others to get results (hint, what ever it tkes). The humanness of each peron in the existing constraints is understandable. What is also clear is that the spirit of the law should prevent this. ********

Posted here Friday, April 02, 2004 at 10:08:44 AM     One way to frame the future: given the market/government synergy, with consequences for wealth, wars and environmental collapse, is there an alternative? Put in other words, the hegemony of  technology and money, government and status has long ago obsessive proportions, out of balance with other institutions in society, family, individual, community, arts, local political participation, grandparents. Or even simpler, techno-reality vs human feeling - what are we doing? We have a much better grasp, from Buck Rogers, Star wars, and other techno fantasies, what the tech centered authoritarian world will be like. We are much weaker on imagining an alternative. i think back to William Morris, and the American craftsman movement. Failed attempts. My serious suggestion: be sure to join in the community of artists, make it a part of your constant thinking. ********

Posted here Friday, April 02, 2004 at 8:36:38 AM       Security, for individuals, is sought in religion economics government local community family specialized networks, such as scientific, artistic or sports Anxiety is destructive and people cope with it by deepening their commitments to "omnipotent" organizations, where non members are seen as outsider-enemies. Given the high state of the real conditions for realistic anxiety this can provide some understanding of the tendency of people in the US to "hold on" to existing dependencies, and year for ones thought to have existed. The challenge for Kerrey will be to open up a realistic expectation of a more normal life of economic, social life free from threats of violence. This requires a new economic story a new community story a new security story a new sense of religious and or spiritual security A new government story I believe there  are plausible stories, give our current difficult reality Bush is not entrepreneurial, small business, technical innovation oriented. If we combine a sense of urgency - environment, energy, food, water- we can crate the conditions where a highly viable technical innovation based innovative economy can emerge, crating jobs, responding to real conditions, crating new companies.. This combined with lowering incentives for old ways (energy, food) and raising incentives for new ways (emissions regulations that are tough), can help make this essential transition. Communities should be thinking about local business initiatives, tied to schools and adult learning. The new president should talk vigorously about local and regional developments, with pride, optimism and hope. Security for Americans is created by the same for those in other countries : realistic hope, education, environmental health, dignity. The aim of the US will be to create a healthy society free from want or coercion, both at home and encouraging it in the rest of the world. All dangers that are beyond social remediation must be dealt with by multilateral, multi stakeholder associations that target the most egregious cases. A deeper sense of history must inform the efforts in order to not produce disturbances that otherwise may be running their course. Iraq is an example. Security also goes to the issue of localcrime and the use of prisons.Twomillion in jail isstupidand expensive.We need a new sense of justice and the use of all our knowledge to create as much return to normalcy and productive life for as many people as possible. America was founded by those who sought to exercise belief. Individual and community development are core to the American experience. Affirmation of the role of the individual  seeking meaning in experience and the universe and human affairs are to be made the obvious center of the American hope, life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, where "happiness" means - looking at Jefferson's sources, high levels of participation with multiple outlets for each, based on engaging their talents in fruitful activities. Government needs to think of service, with a continual sense of simplification and innovation,taking on new complexiites, but only when current needs mandate. People assume that more money for current government does not mean more service, but only more distance.We need a dual cimmitment to smaller government and a more issue oriented service oriented goverment responding to real needs. We need less regulationthat serves largecorporatins ad more that supportssmallefforts (window energy standards work against local producers,food regulations enahnce the power of large organizations that can force self serving standards.) Government should be a terrific place to work, with good working conditons and modest salaries. we should be able to be proud of our government in all its details. In short,we want a vital social and individual life ,based on a sane fair economy,with deep respect for beleif's and a high commitment to education, reasnable use of the military in multi-lateralnetworks, with a government we feel is resposive and service oriented,that deals with real issues for the good of society. ********