Re: On defense of Mr Hastings and my interest in Project PM
Subject: Re: On defense of Mr Hastings and my interest in Project PM
From: Clark Robinson <robinsonchicago@gmail.com>
Date: 6/27/10, 19:39
To: karibunch@yahoo.com
CC: Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com>

Hi, Kari,

My name's Clark Robinson; I am working with Barrett Brown on Project PM.  Barrett is the founder, and I am a retired lawyer helping him with administrative tasks. I am also copying Scott Mintz, who is our finance expert.

Here is a link to our group blog, http://workshoppm.blogspot.com/ , which is a forum for those of us interested in developing Project PM. I will also send you separately an invitation to author status on the blog.  You will need to open a Google mail account to accomplish the latter. It's free.  Prior to getting involved in Project PM I was using yahoo mail, but I find I like Google mail better, although it takes a while to get accustomed to the bundling of the messages. I recommend you get author status on the workhop blog, even if you don't think you will use it immediately.

If you click back into the "older posts," you will find a list of links to various articles Barrett has written which provide interesting background for the project.  A couple of these links also give a foretaste of his book coming out later this summer (the ones with the names of NYT pundits in the link). If you want more to read, you can get Michael Hastings book, I Lost My Love in Bagdad, from Amazon.  Barrett's first book is out of print, but you can get a Kindle edition for $5, and a Kindle reader for your PC or Mac can be downloaded very quickly for free.  (I just checked to make sure these statements are still true and I see they have somewhat hidden the free Kindle download down at the bottom of the page, the rascals--hoping you will go for the newly lowered price on the Kindle device I guess). A blog I read is Unreported, by Allison Kilkenny, who focuses on stories not getting the attention they deserve in other media. Some other writers I read on True/Slant, where Barrett blogs, are Mark Adomanis, who is gaining stature as an expert on Russia, and Charles Johnson, who reports on the activities of the extreme right. All these writers have expressed interest in joining Project PM when it starts up later this year.

You will also see on the blog that we are talking about applying the underlying concepts of Project PM to charitable work and to journalism about science, and some of the posts on the workshop blog relate to those sub-projects.

We have been paying attention to how we work as a group, and e-mail appears to be the interaction tool of choice for some of us, so don't hesitate to send us mail.

I'd like to learn more about your expertise and interests are, so we can consult you or enlist you to work in those areas as we go along.

Barrett is freelance, so he is glad to receive communications from you at any time, and I am retired which allows me to be responsive.

Clark Robinson
Chicago
217 722-8680


On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 12:17 PM, Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com> wrote:
Kari-

Sorry for the delay in responding, I've been travelling and actually will be in Dallas tomorrow (born and raised there, just got in to Texas after a stint in NYC). Thanks for your note and contribution; I'll get back to you at further length soon. I've also cc'd my associate Clark Robinson on this, as he's instrumental in organizing for Project PM.

On Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 6:49 PM, Kari Bunch <karibunch@yahoo.com> wrote:

Well done. Your article did me much good. You have quality, sir.  Because I’m going through my introspective phase usually experienced by American teenagers, instead of 45 year old Dallas women,  I found it highly interesting that I, a mere wannabe writer, chose to comment on an article commenting on the Story, rather directly on the Story itself—just like you did.  You can see my post here: http://havothsthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/06/general-mcchrystals-folly.html ...and yes it’s my tiny bloglet.  It’s not special or unusal, just crap…crap…crap…GOLD…crap…crap. Hey, I’m learning.

 

And now I’ve gone and researched/joined/logged in to Project PM. And donated to you. So I have a history of putting my money (even though it’s not a large amount) where my opinions are.  By the way, the main reason I donated to you is for what you wrote here: I smoke Top rolling tobacco, which goes for around $3 a package and is sold in many prison commissaries. I eat oatmeal for breakfast rather than endangered condor eggs dipped in wasabi-infused veal compote like Christopher Hitchens does. Anyway, the tobacco is necessary for my work…” As it is for my work as well. And yes, because Christopher Hitchens is far too uppity to meet me at the local Waffle House and discuss healthcare or fashion or politics or other vanities.

Please tell me what else you’d like me to do to contribute to the Project PM – does PM stand for Pundits(-try) Managed(-ment)? Because I work as a consultant in Property Management and Project Management and I’m starting to wonder what is my fetish with the letters P and M…?

 

Although I do wish Mr. Hastings had used more quotes directly attributable to General McChrystal, that expressed the sentiments his staff seemed to reflect, I found his article to be completely and utterably believable.  I think Gen. McChrystal also has shouldered his responsibility as well, although I can’t help but wonder if he wanted this to happen so he could get out of the quagmire of Afghanistan with his reputation as a fighting general intact. After all he’s resigning/getting fired for comments his staff made, not how he ran things. 

 

 I used to subscribe to the National Review. About 1999 or so, it became obvious to me that the personality of the magazine had started to confine its opinions to dubious, albeit comfortable conventional wisdoms,  that shortly netted us George W. Bush and not-so-neo-cons in the 2000 election.  As for Thomas Friedman, well, let’s just say that I do not recognize him anymore. 20 years ago he had great language AND integrity.  I trust the journalistic integrity of Jon Stewart on the Daily Show more for consistency. And I’m 45, white, educated female, not the typical Comedy Channel demographic.

 

I used to subscribe to the Rolling Stone, but after about 2002-03, it seemed that they had given up trying to expose or opine faithfully or with demonstrable facts upon anyone’s politics and stuck to the music/video/pop culture/infotainment world as the only safe topics to pander to the readers, with only occasional coverage of hard news. It was understandable what with Cheney, the wars, 9-11, Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act, loss of Habeas Corpus, and pretty much, the scariest White House Administration ever visited upon this nation in terms of devastation to the environment, the economy, the Constitution and the confidence in the American Republic for which it stands.  I must admit, I’ve only checked in with them a few times since about pre-election period of 2008.  Other than the economic crisis coverage it seemed that RS was getting comfy with the new guy in the White House, before getting back on its course of outstanding journalism.

 

Mr. Hastings has renewed my faith in the Journalist as the beacon of integrity.  So I renewed my subscription to Rolling Stone today.  I’ve taken Vanity Fair all along…

 

If you can pass my praise on to Mr. Hastings, I’d be much obliged. Can’t seem to locate his email address…

 

Kari Bunch

469.321.1586 (cell)

972-220-9580 (office)

817.977.6630 (fax)

mailto:karibunch@yahoo.com


 “Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; & suddenly you are doing the impossible.” St. Francis of Assisi

 




--
Regards,

Barrett Brown
Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302