Chris Tune's Blog

Daily Kos :: Political Analysis and other daily rants on the state of the nation. Kos writes in early December (still bitter about the Kerry defeat) that Shrum should. . .woulda. . .coulda. . . Well maybe the reason that Kerry couldn't really go there was due to the facts laid out in "Compromised - Clinto, Bush (referring to the elder) and the CIA Really re-opening BCCI would lead to embarrassment for both George HW Bush and Bill Clinton, as well as the CIA. Although nobody seems to worry as much today about the CIA, it still is a formidable organization. This book by Terry Reed and John Cummings (a pretty well known author) is also headed " The Confluence of IRAN-CONTRA and WHITEWATER". Which is kind of a misnomer unless you simply define "Whitewater" as "any Clinton-esk scandal". Then the blurb makes sense. Look for this book on Amazon. It may not be published any more by Clandestine Publishing (Penmarin Books), but you may get

The BCCI Affair Interesting report on BCCI the scandal-plagued bank. This bank was apparently involved in international espionage. This report seems particularly useful in covering the "how they did it" aspect of BCCI. For example, BCCI set itself up in selected geographic jurisdictions such that no substantial banking regulator could get a good grasp upon the exact extent and nature of its operations. There are many books out there that cover the political aspects of this "BCCI Affair" and should be read in conjuntion with this report. One reason why BCCI was handled the way it was is that it embarrasses both Republican AND Democrat and does so at a fairly high political level. The committee producing this document and its work, is one reason that Kerry somtimes claimed to have accomplished the feat of exposing BCCI and rooting out " whatever " from there. . . Really, in the end, it appears that money laundering is the only offense indicted. . .pe

Now With LINKS!: I've added images and links now as I learn more about blogging. This is quite fun. I've put links to the California Academic Decathlon, where I've been working, and to my own personal web page, which I've had for years and have been updating. You can find more images over at www.christune.com Looking forward to much more blogging and keeping the blog quite up to date. Just today things are a bit slow. . .did some gardening and went to church, of course, but mostly a slow day. . .EXCEPT IN BAGHDAD! Boy are Iraqis quite happy and excited about really voting. . .in most instances this is the first time ever voting in any meaningful way. For the American Citizen Iraqi this is the first time voting as an Iraqi. I am sure they are very excited and optimistic now. I wish them well.

Direct from Vegas, The Rat Pack! The previous posted picture is the setting for "Direct from Vegas - The Rat Pack!" This is a hilarious and entertaining show, recreating the great shows with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. Our cast and band and everybody involved had a great time touring Canada. We all sure hope we can return there again soon. I even got a little chance to practice my rusty French.

This is the stage setup used for the tour of Canada last year by our Rat Pack group. This is in one of the larger venues we toured in September 2003. From Vancouver, BC across Canada through Winnipeg, Tortonto and on to Ottowa. I particularly enjoyed the charm of London, ON - which boasts a "Thames River" and several other British themed places and features.

California Academic Decathlon Website MY TEMP ASSIGNMENT Here is the website for the California Academic Decathlon. This is a pretty darn good thing. The organization allows high school students all over California to compete in an academic setting (thus the "decathlon" designation). This phenomenon is so prevalent that most states are involved and there is a National Academic Decathlon. It's interesting to see how well our high schools do in a pure competitive environment. It will be interesting also, to see if more and more high schools become involved in this institution. You can visit the CAD site and see some winning teams. As of now, I will be helping manage the website for CAD and our current project is to put up documents to allow the paper work for teams in the decathlon to proceed a bit easier. I'm sure there are lots of wonderful things that could be done on the CAD website to better serve the Academic Decathlon community. Chris

Here is an interesting photo: this is jazz trumpeter Bob Summers playing a little prank backstage in Toronto, Canada. Bob took a sticker from his "many-stickered" trumpet case and added it to the "many-stickered" locker of one of the Toronto Symphony musicians.  

This is part of my study. . .I really like Lava Lamps and similar visually interesting Goodies 

Chris Tune's Blog I'm just so happy that Iraq is finally beginning the process of electing it's own political officials. I know the process won't be without glitches, but, as one voter said: "Freedom comes with a price." Freedom marches on. This is very powerful stuff. Chris

Chris Tune's Blog Never a savory dish, we find much of great distaste in the former USSR that reminds us of why this former command and control economy ultimately "ran out of gas". Now we hear of extensive anti-semitism in this "wonderful" country. I'm not surprised. Those persons who are using their "bigotry" muscles more than the muscles in their heads. . .well, they will continue to do that until better persons come along to replace them. . .that's what free market economies are about. . .and that's what free societies do politically. All we have to remember is that we, the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA support, via the first amendment, freedom of political discourse. If Jews want to say something, they should, if those opposed to them want to say something, they should. . . . Of course that's the way it goes here in the U.S. Elsewhere. . .jury is out on that one. . . .and in the blogosphere these words will be insta

It seems everybody is talking about "Blogs". Well, ALMOST talking. I call talking where you actually COMMUNICATE! Everybody has the word "Blog" on their lips. The current issue of FORTUNE magazine has the faces of important people in the so-called "World of Blogging" on the cover. . .and yadda, yadda, yadda, etc. etc. What's evident to me is that there are millions of people who are beginning to realize that web logs could be a very interesting, important thing. . .IF ONLY THEY KNEW WHAT THE HELL THEY ARE........... This is a weblog. The weblogs that have mattered most in the recent past are the Political Weblogs. Ones like Little Green Footballs and so forth. Conservative Radio Talk Show Hosts are trying to create weblogs and "keep up with the Joneses" of Internet Journalism. And some are "evangelists" for weblogging, or "Blogging". I usually try to use the Internet to just Goof Off in an intellectual way. I f