Carrot tops

Diligent watering have produced these delicate fronds on the the Hunter-Gatherer’s carrots. I forgot they have those little hairy projections along the main stems.

Actually, I did have a bit of Real Content on my mind. In the NYTimes Week in Review (sorry, I compose this off-line, so no link), David D. Kirkpatrick writes about historical analogy in general, and the use of it by politicians to make what they see (or, in the case of Bush, their handlers see) as a persuasive argument for a particular policy stance. The occasion for this is of course Bush’s comparison of the Middle East situation (two wars, as I recall, but he’s just thinking Iraq), with Vietnam. Kirkpatrick’s observations include

Public officials, political scientists say, usually turn to history to justify policies they’ve already settled on.

and

Historical analogies in public statements are especially suspect.

Yes, and most political rhetoric must actually be considered propaganda, in that its purpose is to convince, and not to be a wide-ranging, well-defended argument. Sound bite over substance.

As a result, we depend on the press and other public outlets for more considered opinions. And on our citizenry to duly consider on their own. But we’re so far from that for most of the citizenry (give me credit for avoiding a rant here!) that I just have to be glad most don’t vote either!

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