Comments on: War, Peace And Charlie The Tuna http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/ Heronswood Voice - A web log written by George Ball Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:23:01 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ben http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23988 Ben Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:50:33 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23988 Our politicians could learn a lesson from the above civilized exchange of positions. The different thoughts are similar to the pollen unknowingly toted by the feeding bee from bloom to bloom. They ensure a diversity that will best protect the species from extinction. It serves to me how lucky I am to live in this great country and assures me that my children will benefit similarly. Our politicians could learn a lesson from the above civilized exchange of positions. The different thoughts are similar to the pollen unknowingly toted by the feeding bee from bloom to bloom. They ensure a diversity that will best protect the species from extinction. It serves to me how lucky I am to live in this great country and assures me that my children will benefit similarly.

]]> By: George http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23987 George Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:13:48 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23987 Dear Garden Girl – Thank you for your thoughtful post. I believe that President Reagan, in concert with Pope John Paul II, did in fact liberate the people of the former Soviet Union. As you point out correctly, the Soviet Union was disintegrating for years. However, there was always one part of it that was never in any scintilla of decline and that was its military. At its height during the 60s and 70s, the Soviet military was easily the toughest in the world, while their intelligence service was probably twice as effective as ours. This was the focus of Reagan’s foreign policy: to break the back of the military dictatorship. From 1981 to the rise of Gorbachev, who was utterly intimidated by both Reagan and the Pope, the West literally “took it” to the Soviet Union. It was a classic example of my broad metaphor that while Reagan was working on the bad guys, the Pope was inspiring the common people as well as the labor unions, and the individual freedoms they wanted, they were able to take into their own hand. Two climax forests—the Roman Catholic Church and the nation of the USA—overcame one. Putin’s fantasies are just that—there is no turning back. Thank you again for your thoughtful post. I am so happy to have so many people who read my blog who are all so intelligent and kind hearted. Best regards. Dear Garden Girl – Thank you for your thoughtful post. I believe that President Reagan, in concert with Pope John Paul II, did in fact liberate the people of the former Soviet Union. As you point out correctly, the Soviet Union was disintegrating for years. However, there was always one part of it that was never in any scintilla of decline and that was its military. At its height during the 60s and 70s, the Soviet military was easily the toughest in the world, while their intelligence service was probably twice as effective as ours. This was the focus of Reagan’s foreign policy: to break the back of the military dictatorship. From 1981 to the rise of Gorbachev, who was utterly intimidated by both Reagan and the Pope, the West literally “took it” to the Soviet Union. It was a classic example of my broad metaphor that while Reagan was working on the bad guys, the Pope was inspiring the common people as well as the labor unions, and the individual freedoms they wanted, they were able to take into their own hand. Two climax forests—the Roman Catholic Church and the nation of the USA—overcame one. Putin’s fantasies are just that—there is no turning back.

Thank you again for your thoughtful post. I am so happy to have so many people who read my blog who are all so intelligent and kind hearted. Best regards.

]]> By: GardenGirl http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23965 GardenGirl Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:44:30 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23965 If one studies anything of the history of the later decades of the Soviet Union, one can understand that Reagan gets far too much credit for the downfall of the SU, and of European communism. In the big picture, the SU was in social and economic decay, the government corruption entrenched and the general population demoralized. If the leadership of the late 80's had not been open to the reforms and policy changes of the Gorbachev era, Reagan's overtures would simply have lead to deeper Cold War entrenchment. It's rather like giving a doctor full credit for saving the patient, when in truth the tumor was well along in destroying itself when the treatment began. Yes, he helped, but it was not his work alone. While I can agree that there is always a need to stay alert and on guard in world affairs, having seen where acting on emotion got us in the last administration, this is one scientist who is pleased to see a head of state inclined to look (and think) before leaping. If one studies anything of the history of the later decades of the Soviet Union, one can understand that Reagan gets far too much credit for the downfall of the SU, and of European communism. In the big picture, the SU was in social and economic decay, the government corruption entrenched and the general population demoralized. If the leadership of the late 80’s had not been open to the reforms and policy changes of the Gorbachev era, Reagan’s overtures would simply have lead to deeper Cold War entrenchment. It’s rather like giving a doctor full credit for saving the patient, when in truth the tumor was well along in destroying itself when the treatment began. Yes, he helped, but it was not his work alone.

While I can agree that there is always a need to stay alert and on guard in world affairs, having seen where acting on emotion got us in the last administration, this is one scientist who is pleased to see a head of state inclined to look (and think) before leaping.

]]> By: George http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23986 George Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:00:49 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23986 Dear John – Thank you very much. Please post again. Dear John – Thank you very much. Please post again.

]]> By: John Mays http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23964 John Mays Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:11:12 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23964 A beautiful piece. Thank you for sharing. John Mays A beautiful piece. Thank you for sharing.

John Mays

]]> By: George http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23985 George Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:05:17 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23985 Thanks, Becky. Thanks, Becky.

]]> By: Becky http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23962 Becky Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:48:28 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23962 Excellent, and oh so on the mark! Excellent, and oh so on the mark!

]]> By: George http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23984 George Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:30:09 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23984 Thank you very much, Dolores. Thank you very much, Dolores.

]]> By: Dolores http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23960 Dolores Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:21:12 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23960 BRAVO!!! Well said!!! BRAVO!!! Well said!!!

]]> By: George http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/12/war-peace-and-charlie-the-tuna/#comment-23983 George Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:15:11 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=706#comment-23983 Dear Catchy – I am not sure what you mean, since actual gardens were created by mankind. If you are speaking of God then I would certainly agree with you from a Biblical perspective. Thank you. Dear Catchy – I am not sure what you mean, since actual gardens were created by mankind. If you are speaking of God then I would certainly agree with you from a Biblical perspective. Thank you.

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