Hi ho, hi ho

It's off to work I go.

Actually, already there. In case you're wondering at my remarkable lack of blathering of late, I've been wicked busy working on a case I'm taking to trial next week. So free time has been at a premium, and spent more with my wife and dog than with you.

Sad, but true.

Right now, I'm in my office, taking a short break from my business to pop in and give you some of my recently-promised opinionations.

LONDON BOMBINGS
This is sad. Very sad.

It makes me look back to the fairly recent past, to the history of terrorist actions that really mattered to us, and in viewing those I see where this may lead.

In September, 2001, we were attacked on four fronts by terrorists in our homeland. Two planes were steered into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, one pierced the Pentagon, and a fourth was, fortunately, brought down by brave passengers in a field in Pennsylvania, where it did little damage except the catastrophic devouring of the lives of the men and women on board.

That attack galvanized us to war. To wars, in fact. That attack led us to spring into Afghanistan, in the name of taking down a terrorist-harboring regime and searching out the people who'd done this to us. It led us into springing into action at home, taking a long, suspicious look at many aspects of our own citizenry as we eroded some of our freedoms in the name of protecting the greater good. And, right or wrong, it led us into Iraq, where the anti-terrorist fervor and fear of the next big thing was leveraged to bring our collective will to bear on extending ourselves in a siege upon old enemies.

It's clear that the 9/11-inspired war on terror has resulted in a mixed bag. On the good side, we've apparently created some form of pseudo-democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, although both governments are not yet truly able to carry their own weight. We've clamped down hard on known terrorists, and knocked the wind out of the sails of many others, by creating an atmosphere that, although not entirely capable of stopping them, inhibits them to a large degree. We've escaped another attack on our soil. And Saddam Hussein and his evil regime are being held to task for their misdeeds.

On the bad side, America is divided on many fronts, as we continue to battle with eachother not just in terms of what wars we should be fighting as we battle terror, but also how they should be fought. People tear at eachother's idealogical throats, both sides finding different ways to smear the other with the label of "unpatriotic," which has replaced the age-old "C" word (not communist, thinking much more crass) as the ultimate disparagement. Men and women are dying on foreign soil at the hands of some of the very people they are trying to help, and at the hands of others who would attack their own countrymen simply to kill two or three of us.

And governments that have helped us have paid a price as well.

I was in Italy when the Madrid train bombings occurred. I recall the intense reaction in Europe, and I recall watching the elections in Spain swing far from the expected as people reactedto what had occurred in exactly the way it is assumed the terrorists wanted. They threw out the current government, elected a new, pacifist regime, and shortly after Spain announced its impending withdrawal.

Of course, the US and Britain used the Madrid bombings as a rallying opportunity. A further justification for action. And the capital provided by that event has helped in the pursuit of the War on Terror, as America's collective recollection of our seething anger has faded in the 4 years since the WTC was brought down.

Now, England has joined the club. Britain is used to terrorist acts, but these seem to have a different feel to them. Whereas classic British terrorism revolves around a home-grown idealogical rivalry based, at least nominally, on the oppression in various places of certain "Christian" groups (I'm probably over-simplifying, here), this new terrorism is meant to strike at all British people, simply to shock them into inaction or withdrawal.

I'm willing to bet that a very frank national discussion will be held there, and a flurry of diplomacy between the US and Britain will ensue as we try to keep them in the war, even as their people start to question whether the outcome in Iraq and elsewhere is worth the price paid at home.

Whatever the outcome, this much is clear to me: the war on terror must be fought. It will either be fought on our soil or someone else's. It is being fought on both right now. What is key is to ensure that we don't create new terrorists while destroying the old ones. American (and British) goodwill must be dolled out in equal or greater doses than American vengeance. People must understand that we are only doing what is necessary for our good and the good of all others, but at the same time we truly care about those we're fighting among, and will do everything we can to improve their lives while we are with them.

I am Pollyanna.

By the way, am I the only one to notice each attack consisted of four targets? What, if anything, does that mean?

BLAZERS COACH
I was shocked to hear that the Blazers were able to lure Nate McMillan away from Seattle. Of course, deep pockets will do that for you.

At first, I didn't know what to think. Wasn't this the same old problem over again? We'd just rid ourselves of a "players' coach", a former player who'd taken the next step, and struggled along the way, in Mo Cheeks. Nate McMillan is another former guard who is known to identify with players and to work well with them.

This same concern was why I was convinced that, as likeable as he is, Terry Porter wasn't going to be our next coach. Nor should he be. Terry, in my opinion, still needs to develop. I'd personally like to see him as an assistant on our bench.

I have to admit I was hoping the McMillan deal would fall through so that we'd get Marc Iavaroni. Although he doesn't have NBA head-coaching experience, his reputation as a teacher, and the fact he's always approached the game from a coaching standpoint and not a player standpoint, were both important plusses to me. And coming from the Spurs speaks highly of him.

Anyway, when I first heard about McMillan, I was puzzled. It didn't help that I've been in a conference all week, and was unable to really gather any details. But last night and today, I've reflected on the hire and I like it.

Sure, McMillan has been up and down as a coach. I look, though, at what he did last year with a difficult roster, and it's clear that something clicked. Maybe it was just in him; maybe it was between him and his squad. Whatever. It's clear that this guy can coach.

Further, although he's an ex-player, having someone who's known as a tough disciplinarian is a plus with our current squad. I look forward to seeing how Zach and Darius, my least favorite players, react. Either we'll see a whole-sale turnaround in one or both of them, or the implosion will be spectacular and provide me with great fodder for future posts.

Either way, there's definitely reason to be excited about the coming season.

Now, it remains to be seen what changes are made on the roster. Damon's gone. Shareef's gone. Van Exel will be gone. With this hire, it looks like Patterson will be salvaged, meaning (in my opinion) that Derek Anderson will be dumped under the new CBA's amnesty provision. So, our team basically looks like this:

C: Przybilla; Ratliff; Ha
PF: Randolph
SF: Patterson; Miles; Khryapa
SG: Outlaw; Webster; Monya
PG: Telfair; Jack

Once at a log-jam at PF, we now clearly need to pick one up. I'm in favor of bringing in Brian Grant for the vet's minimum as a back-up, if all pans out and the Lakers waive him. But we'll need another warm body there for the inevitable break-down of Randolph in the early-to-mid season and the late-season break-down in Grant. And we could use some experience at the PG to help our back-court players develop.

Should be an interesting month or two.

WHAT'S IN MY POCKETS?
That was actually a joke. However, since you asked, today I have a wallet, my inhaler, some keys, $2.75, my MP3 player, my cell phone, and a digital camera.

I've spent too too much time on this post. Hope to hear what, if anything, you have to say.

Catch ya later.