Live Free or Die
Not exactly the attitude from
some young French students (via
Stephen Green).
On the eve of D-Day ceremonies, an association dedicated to the memory of Saint-Lô as it was before the destruction of the city organized a debate in the local theater involving two veterans, survivors of the bombing of the city and high school students aged 15 to 17.
The title of the debate, suggested by questions from the students, was "The Battle of Normandy, Invasion or Liberation?" It was the first troubling sign of the deterioration of the knowledge and understanding of the past.
The questions from the students were even worse. It was clear they were reading D-Day through the filter of Iraq. Their conversation with the survivors of the bombing of the city was most revealing. How could you welcome Americans as liberators, asked the young boys and girls, after they had reduced your city to ashes? Because "it was a sacrifice for France," replied their elders, shocked by the question.
For a generation that does not understand what the absence of freedom and peace may mean, such questions may come naturally. But one takes the present for granted all the more easily if one ignores the past.
Wow. At least it presents a clearer view into how easy it was to get some to join the Vichy in France.
Ignoring Advice Not Given
Returning to the subject of the
Colorado Football scandal. I made my thoughts and feelings clear that I thought Barnett and the AD should have been fired. That didn't happen. All reports and recommendations to the University of Colorado powers that be, refused to actually say that anyone should actually lose their jobs. So, the President of the University didn't fire anyone.
Now, after the decision was made. You have the various people who made the reports have come forward to complain that no one was fired. Like the panel that made the big report
finding all sorts of problems.
Five of the eight members of an independent commission that investigated the football recruiting scandal at the University of Colorado said top administrators should have been fired, a newspaper reported Sunday.
The panelists told The Denver Post they stopped short of making that recommendation in their report because they wanted unanimous support.
So they couldn't bring themselves to express their opinions based on their investigation until afterwards. Real bold.
Or
this.
A liaison hired to examine the University of Colorado athletics department because of a football recruiting scandal says he recommended hiring a new athletic director, advice that was ignored.
John DiBiaggio said he stopped short of recommending to university President Elizabeth Hoffman and Boulder campus Chancellor Richard Byyny that Dick Tharp be fired. But he did suggest changing Tharp's duties.
...
Byyny told the Rocky Mountain News that DiBiaggio made no specific personnel recommendations. He said DiBiaggio's chief concern was whether the university was serious about making changes.
DiBiaggio said he did not recommend that Tharp be fired.
Just plain old ass-covering and after-the-fact pandering. These people didn't say anything until a week after the decision was made. All they want to do now, is try and make themselves look better than their actual reports did.
Kind of like Democrats that voted to authorize Bush to wage war in Iraq and then complained when he actually did.
Sunday Sojourn
The family went to Pittsburgh yesterday. Official reason, to pick up my mom who is staying with us for the week leading up to Angie's 2nd birthday. Help out as we get thigs set up and just get to spend time with her granddaughter.
She took the train from the Harrisburg station. And yes, there is a train station in Cleveland but there is no connecting train between Pittsburgh and Cleveland (I don't even want to discuss how much a one-way ticket to Cleveland cost). Yes, that's right, Amtrak does not run a train between the 2 cities. You can book passage to Cleveland but what they do is stick you on the Greyhound for the final leg. I can't do that to my mom. My dad will come out at the end of the week, and they'll drive back together.
Besides, we were able to make a full day of it. Had lunch with some friends, let Angie run around the
Commons in the
Cathedral of Learning at
Pitt and in the big grassy areas outside. Then drove downtown and spent some time at the
Three Rivers Art Fest. Turned out to be a very full day.
Picked up mom around 4, drove back and had dinner at the
Willoughby Brewing Co. You can never go wrong with their Willoughby Wheat, but they had an Oatmeal Stout that was delicious. full, rich taste with the slightest hint of coffee and chocolate. If you get the chance, I highly recommend it.
Angie was full of energy even after we got home (of course, she slept in the car). The wife and I were wiped. Thankfully, grandma had enough energy to play with her. The wife and I just sat around and hoped they'd stay back in Angie's room long enough for us to finish watching
Coupling.
