There are many more tough words about our present politics in Kurt Vonnegut's last book "A Man Without a Country," but today's Tom Paine site newsletter recommended the link below -- a wise choice of a talk that hasn't lost relevance since spoken four years ago. Also: AlternativeRadio.org rebroadcast an hour-long interview with KV today, on NPR stations in "better cities." It's also worth another listen, if you heard it when first aired (also in '03). Tapes are available for $15, a transcript sets you back $9. -Richard R. =================== VONNEGUT from T. Paine 1922-2007 Kurt Vonnegut Jr. died yesterday at the age of 84. The brilliant and prolific writer remained an astute social commentator and critic of American politics throughout his life. Read about his re-definition of "shock and awe" here. ================================================= The TomPaine.com listing: http://www.boingboing.net/2003/05/14/vonnegut_on_shock_an.html Wednesday, May 14, 2003 Vonnegut on "Shock and Awe" Kurt Vonnegut's stirring address at Mark Twain house in Connecticut is a wry, sharp indictment of war and the Bush presidency. I note that construction has stopped of a Mark Twain Museum here in Hartford -- behind the carriage house of the Mark Twain House at 351 Farmington Avenue. Work persons have been sent home from that site because American "conservatives," as they call themselves, on Wall Street and at the head of so many of our corporations, have stolen a major fraction of our private savings, have ruined investors and employees by means of fraud and outright piracy. Shock and awe. And now, having installed themselves as our federal government, or taken control of it from outside, they have squandered our public treasury and then some. They have created a public debt of such appalling magnitude that our descendants, for whom we had such high hopes, will come into this world as poor as church mice. Shock and awe. What are the conservatives doing with all the money and power that used to belong to all of us? They are telling us to be absolutely terrified, and to run around in circles like chickens with their heads cut off. But they will save us. They are making us take off our shoes at airports. Can anybody here think of a more hilarious practical joke than that one? Smile, America. You're on Candid Camera. Link Discuss (Thanks, Tom!) (http://us.f832.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?action=welcome&YY=579267362&.rand=4 ccanu6n066te)