Mike Wolf

The war in Vietnam has had a profound impact on the United States both internally and around the world.  It was costly, long and ended in a humiliating defeat.  What went wrong?  And what are the lessons for the future?

As for reading, there are so many views and so much literature on the war in Vietnam that it’s not easy to find a good summary article.  But the documentary currently running on PBS by Ken Burns is a good memory-jogger, especially since most of us lived through this period in US history and doubtless many have read such books as Fire In The Lake, Bright Shining Lie, or Robert McNamara’s In Retrospect or H.R. McMaster’s Dereliction of Duty.

But the documentary currently running on PBS by Ken Burns is a good memory-jogger, especially since most of us lived through this period in US history and doubtless many have read such books as Fire In The Lake, Bright Shining Lie, or Robert McNamara’s In Retrospect or H.R. McMaster’s Dereliction of Duty.

Suggested by Dick M.

If you’ve missed any of the episodes on PBS, you can stream the broadcast versions for free, at least for a while. They released five the first week, and I think all ten episodes are available now.

This alternate site has versions in several languages, including  Spanish subtitles, Vietnamese subtitles, and a language called “explicit language.” I tried googling to find out what “explicit language” was but I could not discover what the f*** kind of language it is. Perhaps one of you knows.

I tried googling to find out what “explicit language” was but I could not discover what the f*** kind of language it is. Perhaps one of you knows.

Bob asked for our topic for next week and after none of the group that was polled remembered one, I asked Bob for a suggestion. Bob’s Dutch visitor (who will be there, I expect) proposed “pro’s and con’s of ” referenda/citizen initiative” system.” So unless there’s something that people remember and/or want more, that’s the topic.

We have our own experience in Maine, (Wikipedia, Ballotpedia) and we know of referenda in other states and countries gone wrong (or right, according to your political views)  here’s a good overview of the pros and cons.

Switzerland, according to this article, holds about a quarter of the world’s referenda. They vote four times a year.

I won’t be there (still in Boston recovering from knee replacement) but I will be there in spirit, and will I’ll post any links that people send me by email, or you can comment on this post.

Article on Venezuela by Juan Manuel Santos, President of Columbia, on his relationship with Chavez and the current government.

BBC Article “What’s behind the turmoil in Venezuela”

Al Jazeera article “Venezuela’s crisis, explained from the beginning”

New York Magazine “What the hell is happing in Venezuela”

Wikipedia article “Shortages in Venezuela” relatively balanced view of what is going on.

Wikipedia article “Constituent assembly”

Wikipedia: Change in Agricultural production in Russia. From 1990 to 2005

40% of food in Russia from Dacha gardens (probably low)

Raw data from Russian State Statistics Service

Agricultural production by types of enterprise
(at constant prices; percent of total)

Statue of “Traitor” George Washington in Trafalgar Square     Also here.

The Lost Cause of the Confederacy is a set of revisionist beliefs that describes the Confederate cause as a heroic one against great odds despite its defeat. The beliefs endorse the virtues of the antebellum South, viewing the American Civil War as an honorable struggle for the Southern way of life,^[1] while minimizing or denying the central role of slavery. While it was not taught in the North, aspects of it did win acceptance there and helped the process of reunifying American whites.

Boston Free Speech permit issued for 100!! people