In our lives we face many big questions.  We are peppered every day with questions, yet only handfuls in our lifetimes stand out as BIG ones.

We might even be well-prepared to answer them; it’s not the preparedness that marks the size of the question.

Like your significant other’s proposal, for example; you already have a pretty good idea how you’ll respond at any given time.

It’s not even the timing that marks these questions as momentous, in most cases.  It probably didn’t matter at what hour the doctor asked you whether you wished to know the sex of your child upon the confirmation of your pregnancy.

There are questions that are simply big by virtue of their context, their portent, their inherent nature.

Like this one:  Mom, what’s a period?

You might have the books ready, the speech prepared, the charts at hand.  But your breath is still checked, drawn imperceptibly inward; you can feel your eyes dilate in automatic response.

There are equally big and bigger questions ahead. 

I can hardly wait…

3:25:13 PM    comment []

"...There is consensus in these reports that U.S. public diplomacy is in crisis. Missing are strong leadership, strategic direction, adequate coordination, sufficient resources, and a culture of measurement and evaluation. America's image problem, many suggest, is linked to perceptions of the United States as arrogant, hypocritical, and self-indulgent. There is agreement too that public diplomacy could be a powerful asset with stronger Presidential leadership, Congressional support, inter-agency coordination, partnership with the private sector, and resources (people, tools, structures, programs, funding). Solutions lie not in short term, manipulative public relations. Results will depend on fundamental transformation of strategic communication instruments and a sustained long term, approach at the level of ideas, cultures, and values.

The number and depth of these reports indicate widespread concern among influential observers that something must be done about public diplomacy. But so far these concerns have produced no real change. The White House has paid little attention."

But I didn't have to.

The Pentagon did.

Wonder when Rummy will commence with staff terminations?

(Warning: link above to a PDF file, takes forever to open and site may be besieged by traffic.)

1:26:08 AM    comment []