The Useless Tree

Politics

  • Bush Lost the War….

    ….pass it on From Kay:    Continue reading

  • Bush Lost the War – Pass it on

    AND MORE: Several other blogs have posted: Signs of Insanity, Be Lambic or Green, and 95% Certain.  Best of all Songs of Unforgetting  created a picture!  Check out her side bar. I’ve posted it up top. ANOTHER UPDATE:  Two more… Continue reading

  • President Giuliani? Confucius Would Say “No”

         Rudy Giuliani’s personal life – especially his very public second divorce – is getting a lot of attention: Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia, said that a messy personal life can raise questions about… Continue reading

  • Why Put Off Democracy?

          Premier Wen Jiabao wrote an article that has attracted some attention: The Communist Party cautioned China’s increasingly impatient reformers and intellectuals Tuesday that political liberalization and democracy are still a long way off despite the rapid pace of… Continue reading

  • LA

       I have fallen a bit behind in posting.  Yesterday, the combination of my class schedule (I had one regular class and then two tutorial sessions back to back to back) and some family issues (my aunt is back in… Continue reading

  • Idaho Taoists

         Yes, we’re on a Taoist roll here at The Useless Tree this week – and maybe next week as well.  That’s what a tutorial will do to you: close reading of the text brings out lots of possibilities… Continue reading

  • Thinking of War, Again

         Just as a report comes out reminding us of the "inappropriate" uses of intelligence in the run up to the Iraq war, we hear that the same people, using the same methods, are thinking about war against Iran. … Continue reading

  • Mr. Libby Lied

         Reading accounts of the trial of I. Lewis Libby, the former right hand man of Vice President Cheney, I am coming to the conclusion that he will be found guilty of perjury.  The prosecutor has done a masterful… Continue reading

  • Tuesday I Ching Blogging: Another President Clinton?

         Eleven months ago I consulted the I Ching about Hillary Clinton’s presidential prospects.  The oracle came back with what I took to be a cautious response.  I thought the time was ripe, and the political context sufficiently different,… Continue reading

  • Back to the I Ching: In US Politics, Republican Heads Will Roll

         It’s been a while since I have consulted the I Ching.  With the US midterm elections behind us, I thought it was a good moment to cast the coins.  To recall: back in February, I asked the oracle… Continue reading