Sylvie Guillem

Last night I went to the ballet with one of my favourite daughters. We saw Sylvie Guillem with Russell Maliphant. This solo made a strong impression. The tempo picks up half way through:

Wright and wrong

Man:


and boy:


McCain was right originally to oppose MLK day, but that's another matter.

Bigfoot security

Why did the director of the Secret Service broadcast that John McCain has no Secret Service protection?

McCain, of Arizona, said in November that he would reject Secret Service protection if he won the Republican nomination and possibly even the White House. While he does use private security guards, he called the elaborate security procedures of the Secret Service an “inconvenience” and a “waste of taxpayers’ money.”

The simplest explanation is that the Secret Service is protecting its empire. That SOB should be fired and I trust McCain will do it.

Lest you think this mere bravado by McCain, in fact it's astute risk management. Bigfoot security magnifies risk by projecting the illusion of an unattainable, undesirable security clampdown and de-emphasizes initiative, unpredictability and profiling. It's the contrast between the effective Israeli approach to air travel security and the dumbass UK/USA methods.

"It's the inconvenience," McCain said. "It's the inconvenience it causes people. It's a waste of the taxpayers money. It's just everything I don't like."

McCain admitted that a modern American president can't live without Secret Service protection. But he said presidents have let the protection get out of hand.

He recalled a time during Bill Clinton's presidency, when Clinton and his wife, the first lady, both had events in New York City, each traveling with large security caravans. "The island of Manhattan was gridlocked," he recalled.

The security overkill, he said, causes presidents to work differently than they otherwise might, he said.

How should it work?

"You got a problem up on Capitol Hill? It's 12 blocks away, right?" McCain asked. "Alright. You hop in a car with tinted glass, and maybe one secret service guy with you. And you drive up. Okay? And you get out of the car, you walk into Sen. Harry Reid's office and you say, Harry..."

McCain recalled seeing pictures of Harry Truman walking, almost alone, along the streets of Washington while president.

"I will admit you can't do that," McCain said. "But you don't need 50 cars and SUV's full of people driving along, stopping traffic."

Ahem, excuse me while I clear my throat, I'll just take a sip of water here, ahem...... vote McCain!