Hilary Clinton proves the worst about herself

For years before Hilary officially ran for the Dem nomination, I contended that her negatives were too high with the radical right for her to win a general election. (that is of course before the "other choice" became a black man and the far right GOP and Bushies embraced Clinton b/c apparently she's better than a black man in office). When they hated Hilary they claimed she was power hungry and didn't care about making America better as much as she wanted the power and in her efforts to win the Delegates of Florida and Michigan, this side of her has come out.

She and the other candidates agreed not to campaign in Mich/Fla b/c they knowingly broke the rules of the DNC and were warned of the consequences. By not running there, she agreed that they broke the rules, so she can't claim ignorance. The fact that she didn't remove her name from the ballot while others did, is now used by her to claim she has some right to all the delegates and that is extremely distasteful and shows a lack of principle on her part.

She is shouting about disenfranchisement, when she knew in January that this was going to happen when the states violated party rules. Now, that she is losing she has decided that the rules should be changed now to benefit her, even though she agreed to them when she looked like the winner and that is very sad and shows a thirst for power over principle.

I've always liked Hilary, but in this campaign she has reinforced to me what the Clinton-haters used to say...she is power hungry. It appears that she will pander(shots anyone?) and change her principles when it's politically expedient. We've had 8 years of abandoning principle for the sake of securing power, we don't need that any longer.

Michigan and Florida Dem Parties "disenfranchised" their states, not the DNC, not Obama. And lets not forget this isn't "an election", the selection of a nominee is a party matter. The use of Super Delegates, Caucuses and various backroom deals through the years in all parties should make it clear that this is not "an election", it's a party matter. Directly electing the nominee is probably a good thing for the party, but they don't even do that today. The winner of the popular vote is not guaranteed the nomination, which is why there are delegates and super delegates. No one is "disenfranchised" in Florida or Michigan and if Hilary had class and principle she would stop claiming that is happening.

Frankly the DNC should stick to their guns and not seat a single delegate from either state. That is what was threatened, that is what was agreed to and the rules of the game shouldn't change because your team is losing.

America is great IN SPITE of fundementalism and fear of change

This was sent in response to an email about some guy who wishes he lived in the 1950's. Specifically about the California same sex marriage decision.

Everything great that America ever achieved happened by the force of will of free-thinkers challenging the status quo. The Bushies would have you believe in these supposed "American values" of hating change and social evolution (as well as being educated). Fortunately this desire to preserve the status quo has been overridden by those willing to make change happen.
It's those Intelligent open-minded challengers of the status quo that have made America great, while the GOP wants to claim that "real Americans" are those that embrace stasis and hate education. Again, fortunately it's the stupid, lazy and closed-minded that are cast to the dustbin of history.

In a word, "Progress".

Myth of Voter Fraud

The whole political philosophy of the Bushies is based on these myths. The myth of illegal immigrants voting en masse, the welfare mother who has 8 kids so she can get more money, Mexicans stealing jobs from hard working Americans (doing the jobs you wouldn’t do when you lose your job), gay people “recruiting”, suppression of a vast Christian majority in America…on and on it goes.

Just because you continually claim “everybody knows” to make yourself feel less detached from reality, doesn’t make it real. Saying that “people are smarter than this” is another of your rhetorical ticks. “Most people” don’t read newspapers, most people don’t know where Canada is on a map. Most people don’t know shit about voter fraud. But they believe the lies spread by politicians.

They are the imagined bogeymen of the fear mongers and you eat it up. I guess it makes sense b/c the Bushies have spent nearly 8 years trying to scare you into every single thing they want to have happen. Living is fear is a hell of way to live, especially when the fears are not based on the real world.

Chad Johnson is a tool

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23782681/

I hate these prima donna’s who bitch and moan for a long term deal then they complain a year later they want to renegotiate or want to be traded. Let them all rot on the bench. Or better yet, tear up the contract AFTER the player returns all the money under the contract and then the team can pay them at the league minimum for those seasons. Then let them go wherever they want.

America...devolution

Last week some folks ("Christians") were bitching about the attention that the Dalai Lama received in Seattle, they made the claim that Christianity was responsible for ALL of the good of Western Civilization and that NO OTHER religion advanced civilization. I think I blogged about that bullshit at the time, but here's the latest.

http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2008-04-22-voa57.cfm

I’ve been informed by "Christians" that AMERICA RULES in healthcare and yet large parts of America ’s population is getting WORSE in life expectancy? Especially ironic that the geographic areas mention are those in the most “Christian” parts of the country. I believe last week we were informed how Christianity made people live longer and have better everything. So, this can’t be true. Stupid Facts.

Over the last 20 years, life expectancy has either declined or stagnated for one
of out every five women compared with four percent of men. Ezzati finds this a
grim statistic for an industrialized nation. "We don't associate worsening of
health, worsening of life expectancy with something that happens in a developed
high-income country."

Christianity RULES Part III

Did anyone note the irony of these comments with the Pope’s comments at the same time? Is this the “level of civilization” he spoke of?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080417/ts_nm/pope_usa_dc_27

For the third consecutive day of his trip to the United States , Benedict
mentioned the scandal that rocked the Church in 2002 and cost U.S. dioceses $2
billion in damages, demonstrating his resolve to deal with the issue and make
sure it does not happen again.

"No words of mine can describe the pain and harm inflicted by such
abuse," he said in the sermon of a Mass at Nationals Park , a new stadium
hosting its first non-baseball event.

Christianity RULES Part II

Western society advanced DESPITE Christianity. Christian superstition led to Galileo being imprisoned for defying the “God-given truth” that the earth was the center of the Universe. Yet, science advanced despite those impediments imposed by Christianity (both cultural and legal). Even today, as “Christians” try to stop medical research on religious grounds, science marches on.

Western Civilization didn’t thrive b/c of Christianity, it prospered in spite of it.

I did get a chuckle after work when I thought about how much your disdain for the rest of Western Civilization faded away during this here attack on non-Christian societies. You’re always going on and on about how much Canada , France , Germany , etc. all suck.


And South America ? That’s just about as poverty-stricken as N. Africa and the Middle East . What’s up with that?

I guess that goes to show (considering oil-rich Arab countries incredible wealth and “progress”) that economics drive societal prosperity, not religious doctrine. And a few hundred years of colonialism doesn’t do a society any favors either.

Christianity RULES

My Bushie friend hit me with this:

North Africa and the Middle East were part of the Greco-Roman world
and yet did not develop with the rest of Western Civilization.
Explain.

My response:

Saying Western Civilization is Western Civilization b/c it is Christian isn’t an argument.

As for North Africa and Middle East . Have you ever been to Egypt ? Abu Daubi?

How about Gary , Indiana or Detroit , Michigan ? Seems like Christ must hate the Midwest and love UAE.




More eye-rolling at the Dalai Lama from newly merged social-conservative groups...

Given who's on the board, expect to hear more from the newly merged Family Policy Institute of Washington and the Spokane-based Washington Family Foundation.
The two groups will now be known as the Family Policy Institute of Washington, which describes its work as "to introduce and influence Washington state laws and public policy in support of human life and the institutions of marriage and the family." The group will keep its Spokane office and staff, as well as an Eastern Washington Advisory Board.
The group, which is unhappy with the attention the Dalai Lama is getting in Seattle this week, is no stranger to politics. Its board members include:
The group yesterday criticized as "the very height of absurdity" the notion that the visiting Tibetan Dalai Lama should be seen by "liberal Seattle elites, media, politicians and educrats" as a source of spiritual guidance and real-world solutions:
"Never in history has this part of the world achieved a fraction of the sustained level of civilization and prosperity as is commonly found in the Christianized West,"
said the group's executive director, Larry Stickney. He maintains that: "Wherever eastern religions have taken hold, superstition, backwardness, abject poverty and misery has been a common denominator of its practitioners and peoples."

McCain and Clinton call Obama "elitist"

I especially love it when multi-millionaires are calling Obama an “elitist”. McCain sits in his $4 million dollar house (one of 4 they own) and calls Obama elitist. His wife is one of the richest women in Arizona …you can’t buy those kinda balls.

That Bush Magic

My Bushie friend likes to say that “Everyone knows” that things are better now, and we all know that for them “everybody” means those who lives in his house, but apparently America (and the individuals who comprise America that he has little use for) disagree:

Stories below are hyperlinked for your viewing convenience:

We’re worse off than 4 years ago, voters say

WASHINGTON - Are you better off now than you were four years ago?
This has become a fundamental question in presidential elections. And for the first time since 1992, a plurality of voters heading into November’s election answer that question with a resounding no, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
Forty-three percent say that they and their families are worse off, compared with 34 percent who say they’re better off; 21 percent respond that their status is the same. By contrast, strong pluralities or majorities answered that they were better off before entering the general elections in 1996, 2000 and 2004 — when, with the exception of the extremely close 2000 race, the incumbent party held onto the presidency
.
February retail sales worse than expected

Feb. foreclosures up 60 percent over year before
Oil prices touch a new high of $111 a barrel
Stocks tumble as commodity prices soar

Vile

The Bush extortion of American continues.

Bush appears to be saying that the Army’s behavior “could cost American lives”. How’s that for supporting the troops? It should be horrifying that while the Military of America refuses to engage in torture, the civilian executive believes that he should be able to torture. WOW.

Bush: Limiting CIA Interrogations "Could Cost American Lives"

By Paul Kiel - March 8, 2008, 10:33AM

From President Bush's radio address today, where he announced that he'd
vetoed the Senate authorization bill, which would have effectively outlawed
waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation" techniques for the CIA by
limiting the CIA to the Army's guide for interrogations, the Army Field
Manual:

Interesting discussion of "experience"

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/01/17/Worldandnation/Presidential_experien.shtml



http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1717926,00.html?xid=rss-topstories


"there's no such thing as presidential experience outside of the office itself."
James A. Baker III


Wouldn't it be nice if time on the job and tickets punched translated neatly into superior performance? Then finding great Presidents would be a simple matter of weighing résumés. Take a Democrat like Bill Richardson — experienced in Congress, in the Cabinet, as a diplomat and governor — and have him run against Republican Tom Ridge, a former soldier, governor and Director of Homeland Security, with the winner chosen by a blue-ribbon commission of all-purpose elders. The Danforth-Mitchell commission, perhaps, or O'Connor-Albright. But it has never worked that way, which is why Lincoln 's statue occupies a marble temple on the Mall in Washington , while his far more experienced rival William Seward has a little seat on a pedestal in New York City .

…

Richard Nixon served as a Congressman, Senator and Vice President; he watched from the front row as Eisenhower assembled one of the best-organized administrations in history. When Nixon's turn came, though, his core character — insecure, insincere, conspiratorial — led him to create a White House doomed by its own dysfunction.

Lawless

Yeah, but our secret police, spying on our own citizens and general disregard for the law is better than when China, Cuba, and Russia, etc use their secret police, spy on their citizens and have a general disregard for the law. We’re George W. Bush’s America . When our leader says he must violate these laws to protect our country, who are we to argue? After all, when has a leader claiming the violation of laws and the abuse of civil rights is justified by “protecting the state” ever gone wrong? If laws are in place to specifically guard against these types of abuses, what is a leader to do, but ignore them? That behavior has never had bad consequences in the history of the world.

George Bush was elected our leader by nearly a majority of Americans, how can he be expected to be bound by laws established by Congress or a Constitution created by the mental midgets of the 18th Century? It’s not like they knew anything about threats to our nation. They only fought a war for independence and then watched a foreign country burn down the Nation’s capital, what would they knew about threats to the homeland?



More FBI Privacy Violations Confirmed

By LARA JAKES JORDAN Associated Press Writer

The FBI acknowledged Wednesday it improperly accessed Americans' telephone
records, credit reports and Internet traffic in 2006, the fourth straight year
of privacy abuses resulting from investigations aimed at tracking terrorists and
spies.

The breach occurred before the FBI enacted broad new reforms in March
2007 to prevent future lapses, FBI Director Robert Mueller said. And it was
caused, in part, by banks, telecommunication companies and other private
businesses giving the FBI more personal client data than was requested.

Testifying at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Mueller raised the
issue of the FBI's controversial use of so-called national security letters in
reference to an upcoming report on the topic by the Justice Department's
inspector general.

An audit by the inspector general last year found the FBI demanded
personal records without official authorization or otherwise collected more data
than allowed in dozens of cases between 2003 and 2005. Additionally, last year's
audit found that the FBI had underreported to Congress how many national
security letters were requested by more than 4,600.
The new audit, which
examines use of national security letters issued in 2006, "will identify issues
similar to those in the report issued last March," Mueller told senators. The
privacy abuse "predates the reforms we now have in place," he said.

"We are committed to ensuring that we not only get this right, but
maintain the vital trust of the American people," Mueller said. He offered no
additional details about the upcoming audit.

Senators Clinton and Obama

Senators C and O:

GROW UP!. You’re running for the highest office in the land, show some dignity. We’ve had 7 years of partisan bickering and name-calling and the Democrats have the best opportunity to win the WH in decades and you two are going to ruin it with your petty sniping and bickering over little irrelevant junk. Senator Clinton, tell me why I should vote for you instead of Senator Obama because you call him a plagiarist. Honestly, do you think that is the kind of stuff that is going to win you the election? If so, it tells me you don’t deserve it.

Stop the negative name-calling and focus on WHY WE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU. I ask Senator McCain to do the same.

And as for you, the “media” you too could serve America well but not taking these comments and blowing them out of proportion. Look at the headlines you write, why do you sensationalize these comments. Those of you running and those of you reporting owe it to America to grow up. Try to return civility and dignity to American politics. You’re the only ones that can do it, so why don’t you step up and serve America and it’s citizens.

Congress and steroids in sports

Is it any wonder that America holds Congress in such low esteem? Steroids and HGH in baseball? Is this even in the top 100 most pressing issues in America? The Bushies will soon be leaving an intractable war, huge deficits, mortgage "crisis" and the specter of stagflation, does whether Roger Clemens took HGH impact anyone's life? Or what Roger Godell did with the tapes the Patriots created?

No one cared when 80% of MLB was taking speed in the 70's. Steve Howe was a walking drug cartel, but reinstated 6 or 7 times after getting busted for coke.

What a waste of time and resources…

Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com:
THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO
INVESTIGATE WHETHER BASEBALL STAR ROGER CLEMENS LIED DURING HIS
TESTIMONY TO CONGRESS ABOUT PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS

STOP SAYING that a BILLION PEOPLE Watch the Oscars (or any American Television Event)

So, about 30 million people watched the Oscars last night about 1 in 10 Americans. This is America's award show (even if all the awards went to people from other countries) and CONTINUALLY people on the show talked about the "HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS" or even "a BILLION" people watching the telecast.

So, 1 in 7 people in the world watched the Oscars, but only 1 in 10 Americans did and IT WAS ON IN AMERICAN PRIME TIME. Forget that it was middle of the night in Europe and during the work day in Asia, yet somehow everyone with a television in the rest of the world watched our movie award show...JAYSUS I'm so sick of that lie.

How many televisions are out there? Do you really think that half of China and half of India watched our award show?

I am so sick of that lie every single year...THERE SHOULD BE A LAW

Movies about "injustice"

My brother sent me a note from Netflix about "Rules of Engagement". A doc about Waco and the Brand Davidians. His note was somewhat sympathetic to the Davidians, I responded.


I think i may have seen this, but I have seen a bunch of stuff on this and the thing that is often downplayed is the Koresh and his followers killed 4 Federal agents weeks before the government moved in and burned the place. Koresh was a nut job, pedophile and murderer who did EVERYTHING he could to ensure that he and his followers died martyrs (even if it meant shooting them himself or making sure they didn't leave). this wasn't about religion or even about guns. Once you kill multiple federal agents ...I'd say all bets are off. He was given a month and a half to surrender.

If you want to really see a true abuse of Federal Power, check out the Randy Weaver case in idaho.

Everyone groups these two incidents together, but in my mind they are vastly different. They get grouped in the same way Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu Jamal get grouped. The Davidians and Weaver grouped by groups who try to prove that the government hates religion and guns, the militia types. And Mumia and Peltier get grouped by the far left who try to prove the government hates minorities.

Peltier, I think is innocent. Well at least not guilty of what he's been accused of. I've seen the research and there is definetly reasonable doubt there. As for Mumia, and I know you're a fan, all the evidence supporting his "innocence" is that the cops, judge, the world is racist. No shit, but I don't know that I've ever heard him or his followers show that he was somewhere else or actually innocent. Only that the trial was racist. Just like Mark Furman being a racist doesn't mean that OJ is innocent, a racist system doesn't prove you didn't kill someone.

Iraqi's think things were better before

I didn’t ask, but the BBC did: And once again, the Bushie's are wrong:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6451841.stm

MOST IMPORTANTLY read the first set of Charts on the top, specifically the one on the right.

In 2007 about 63% of Iraqis said things were about the same or worse than they were under Saddam. Less than 40% of Iraqis feel that things are somewhat or much better than they were before the war. That is NOT even close to MOST. (about 60% said their own lives were about the same or worse)


Since the end of the war in Iraq , thousands of civilians have died in violence on the streets. Support for the coalition forces based in Iraq is low - with 82% expressing a lack of confidence in them and 69% thinking they had made the security situation worse.

Security remains a key concern. Asked whether they felt safe in their own neighbourhoods, 40% said yes in 2004, 63% in 2005 but only 26% in 2007.

A strong leader is more popular than democracy to 58% of the Sunni population, although most accept Iraq will be a democracy in five years' time. Shia respondents were split 41% to 40% in favour of democracy over an Islamic state, but 52% think Iraq will be a democracy in five years' time.

Why do the Republicans get credit for "keeping America safe"???

It never fails to amaze that Bush allowed 2 terrorists attacks, didn’t bring anyone to justice for either and he’s some superhero. And now that terrorists are only killing American’s overseas that is some vindication of a horrible foreign policy. Since there is no way of knowing if bin Laden (who is still alive remember) had any intention of attacking again, how can the Bushie's say he "kept us safe"? It’s like saying that Bush stopped car theft in America because my car hasn’t been stolen in the past 7 years.

I suppose by Bushie logic Bush has also prevented Tsunami’s from hitting America and kept America safe from Asteroids.

This has got to piss off all those dudes still "fighting" the cold war

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/02/19/castro/index.html

The fact that he’s leaving on his own terms must have Jesse Helms rolling over in his grave …wait, he’s not dead.


I sent this to my Bushie friend. He responded with some mumbo jumbo as expected. I responded:

That’s funny coming from the guy who feels that a couple hundred thousand dead Iraqi’s (or a million Sudanese) is no big deal. Now you get all righteous despite the fact that the US is holding people in Cuba without trial, without lawyers, without charges, in a made up “legal” status b/c they are “enemies of the state”. (which seems to be the same stuff we hate Castro for doing)

Castro could have been ousted 30 years ago, if we had sold Cuba Levi’s and Fords. The far Right’s (led by pissed off Cubans in Miami who liked their dictator better) irrational fear of Castro empowered him for decades. (for an example of how to stay in power using a common enemy of the state, look at Bush’s more subtle efforts to subvert the Constitution over the past 7 years).

Also ironic since Castro came to America for help when first in power before he ever went to Russia, but because he was a socialist all those lives were lost in a senseless pissing contest.

Vista blows or why Microsoft Developers are like Jazz Musicians

So, I bought a Vista laptop 4 months ago and I think I finally have all the patches installed to make it work most of the time. Although I've come to expect a routine editing of the registry that is requried to make Vista recognized that this computer does actually have a CD/DVD drive.

I'm not a supergeek, but I know enough about PCs and MSFTs products, after all I've been using Windows and MS Office daily for 15 years or so. But Vista has been pretty much the worst transition ever and I didn't even upgrade...I bought this PC with Vista on it.

Office 2007 has been a chore. In their infinite wisdom of changing the UI every god-damn time Bill Gates donates another million dollars, the tool bars are completely foreign. I still use Word and Excel (and Visio and PowerPoint and Project and SharePoint) daily at work, but at home I've got this new UI for WOrd and Excel and I can never find anything. (Where the hell is the button to center text? Save As...what the F, where is it?...don't worry i found them).

I just realized that Word now saves files (by default) in a format that is unusable to anyone without Office 2007. That's a neat trick. It doesn't even really make this .docx clear when you save. Look, as I mentioned I use Word daily, so I can't imagine the hassles that my parents would have using this, trying to learn the new UI.

I have a good friend at MS, he's a developer and he will inevitably tell me these are improvements that people want or NEED. And I understand security issues and the need to makes changes for that, but changing the UI serves no purpose other than to say "look how cool we are". Although, it is quite tedious to have to give my computer permission 4 times to open up the progam I clicked to run. I get the reason for that.

I've told my friend that every time MS comes out with new crap, they simply add bloat and features that 98% of users will never use. macros are great, but I'll bet you 95% of Excel users have never heard of a macro let alone written one.

I've heard it said, and belive it to be true that Jazz Musicians are just playing for each other. it's a very self-indulgent music. I think Microsoft Developers are at the same point. They don't develop for their customers. They develop for each other so they can show off how big their programming skills are. in the meantime, you and I have to learn where the damn "Delete Table" button while Vista and Office take up 20 gigs of Harddrive.

And much like Jazz fans (and I like some of it, much like I enjoy the basics of MS's products) I will be told "I just don't get it". Maybe not, but I don't want to. I want to write a party invitation (thanks for the new templates) I don't want to relearn how to use Office every 3 years anymore than I want to hear a 25 minute free-form jazz exploration.

Saudi's kill "witches"...is this what Huckabee has in mind?

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2008/02/15/verjee.saudi.witchcraft.cnn

These are our "best" friends in the middle east?

Is this what we'd see in Mike Huckabee's America? after all he did say that we should change the Constitution to agree with his version of the Christian Bible (just saying there are many versions of the "sacred Word of God" out there). There are lots of "crimes" in the bible that are also punishable by death like eating shellfish and working on the sabbath. Would Huckabee's vision also include beheading witches?

Just askin'

People who can't speak should get punched Vol 1

2 All time pet peeves:

1)People who say

"Samwich"...there is NO M in Sandwich.

2) People who say "literally" when they mean the exact opposite. No asshole, your head did NOT "literally explode". Anyone who does this should get a punch.

Also,
People who say "Pitcher" when the are talking about a Photograph.

I hate "It is what it is". What a lame statement. It means nothing. Generally said when the speaker has nothing intellegent to say. It's the ultimate verbal punt. You might as well say "blah blah blah".

The use of the word "Surreal" is WAYYYY out of hand. Not everything new is surreal. "I went to the DMV and i went to the front of the line, it was so surreal" NO IT WASN'T dumbass. It was unusual, but it wasn't surreal. Meeting a famous person is not surreal, neither are thousands of other things claim are surreal that are no where near it.

There are more, I'm sure.

Jeb more like George than I thought

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/02/11/prison.boss/index.html

I always thought Jeb was the more competent one, but considering his regime’s oversight of Florida ’s Child Welfare system and the Prison system, it’s clear that it’s a genetic pre-disposition toward lawlessness, corruption and incompetence. I don’t remember hearing about how the former head of the Prison system is in Federal Prison for 8 years, but that’s seems appropriate for the Bush family no? Especially after I go back and read the Jeb defended Crosby repeatedly and claimed the initial claims of his improprieties were politically motivated attacks.

Refuting a Bushie or why "experience" doesn't necessarily matter too much

Recently my Bushie friend claimed that "no white candidate with as little experience as Barack Obama had ever been remotely considered" for the office of PResident of the USA. I pointed out that Eisenhower had never held an elected office, but obviously had great leadership skills. Also pointed out various other presidents with no political experience. But then I did some serious research and I came up with the follow.

To be clear, I am comparing nothing but EXPERIENCE of these two men PRIOR to their “consideration” for the nomination of President. I’m not making predictions of what type of President Obama might be nor any judgments of either man’s character, I’m basing this SOLELY on experience prior to consideration.

So, I did this comparison because the parallels are so striking.

Enjoy

Facts

Lincoln, considered by most historians as one greatest Presidents in US history, never attended college or law school, served two more years that Obama in the Illinois Legislature, but fewer years in the US Congress. Professionally, they are probably a wash considering they both worked as lawyers for about the same amount of time.

So, it’s obviously untrue that “No one with Obama’s experience has been remotely considered” when Lincoln, who has the same level or experience (or LESS), was not only considered, but was elected and then saved America.

I’m going to save you some time now , so don’t respond with “you’re comparing Lincoln to Obama?” response. Just like you did with Eisenhower. You’re claim was about experience, I’ve disproved your claim with 5 Presidents now(a couple of guys were only nominees), and proven to you that Lincoln PRIOR TO BE ELECTED President had the same or less experience than Obama has.

Who to vote for?

So it's the day after SuperTuesday and I'm not sure what I think about out next President. I've always liked McCain, but I lost respect for him after he ate all the shit that the Bushies forced on him in South Carolina 8 years ago. He wanted to be Prez so badly that he didn't defend himself or point out the dirty tricks that the Bushies were guilty of. There is that and that he's getting pretty old...oh yeah and he seems to be campaigning on a dead end issue..."let's stay in iraq". What is that? we have one the war didn't we? Saddam is dead, there is no WMD, they held elections. now we're just in the middle of a civil war, excecpt both sides hate us.

Hilary. Never had much against her, but not a lot of love either. I always said she had too many negatives and that if she were the Dem nominee that she would bring out every redneck, evangelical and anyone who lives in the 1930's and think a woman should know her place. Would the Dems affection for her be able to over come that?

It seems that I'm currently rooting for Obama. I was disappointed that yesterday was such a "draw". I think his ideas are very similar to those of Hilary, but he brings a passion and an eloquence that this country desperately needs.

So...at this point, I've got nothing.

Open Letter to Entertainment Weekly

I don’t write letters to magazines and I’m not sure that my comments are worthy of writing this time, but I just had to write after reading another love letter to “Juno”. Let’s get this out of the way. I LOVED the movie; I loved Ellen Page and every other major character. I loved the soundtrack (I bought it the day after I saw the movie). I loved the screenplay. But I must wonder if EW’s incessant cheerleading for Juno has to do more with validating the hire of Diablo Cody as a “columnist” or the quality of the movie. (Do I have to insert the required allusion to Ms Cody’s past as a stripper and sex phone operator or can we stop doing that now?)

I was pretty shocked when I saw that Ms Cody was going to be a columnist, but again after the near weekly references to her in your pages even before Juno hit screens maybe I should have seen it coming. I was also skeptical after months of reading, what amounts to Stephen King’s blog on your last page. But at least Mr. King has decades of cred and is the most famous and successful master of his genre. Ms. Cody has one credit, but her deal with EW pre-dated the arrival of Juno. Hmmm.

So, I must wonder if the constant cheerleading is to drum up legitimacy for your new columnist. Just because someone can write a screenplay doesn’t necessarily mean they can write a column on culture and entertainment. No more than being the world’s best horror writer makes one an entertainment columnist. There are two legitimate culture and entertainment columnists out there while these two cross professional boundaries. I don’t blame EW for this as in America in recent years we’ve come to believe that the only way a person can be an expert on anything is to be a famous participant in what they comment. Honestly, does anyone think Terry Bradshaw provides better analysis of sports than Bob Costas or Mike Tirico? The same goes for EW columnists. Celebrity has replaced competence/merit in America. And EW is no exception. And maybe that should be expected in an entertainment magazine.

The article I just finished (EW #977) made it sound as if Juno is the first strong female character in the history of film, even while your sidebar points out strong young female characters in recent years. Of course Ms Page couldn’t relate to The Breakfast Club, but neither could I and I was in high school at the time it came out. I went to a tiny semi-rural school in, which was a million miles away from the preps and stoners of Hughesian fantasy.

The point of all this? While Juno is a fantastic movie, it didn’t invite the strong female lead. While Diablo Cody has written a fantastic screenplay, she isn’t Orson Welles (or Walter Winchell) yet. I wish her well; in the meantime EW should exhibit a little critical detachment.

Thanks

Movie Review: Devil and Daniel Johnston

Ok, I watched this last night. A good documentary, not great. But I think Mr. Johnston is an example of when self-important hipsters deem someone as the greatest thing ever and that momentum just carries on strictly by word of mouth and legend. If this documentary was supposed to show me his genius…it didn’t. I would assume his finest music was featured but the comparisons to him and Dylan or that he was better than Dylan were laughable. His music is incredibly basic and his lyrics are childish in their simplicity. The rhymes were so often forced, but reminded me of the lyrics of an awkward teen. There was no genius in the words. Sorry. Musically he doesn’t hold Dylan’s jock (listen to Dylan’s guitar instead of the words some time)

I’ve said this before but the guy from DiG (Brian Jonestown Massacre) was a genius. A very similar documentary on the descent into madness that creates great art, but just b/c you’re crazy doesn’t make you great. When the claims that Johnston ’s work are better than “Pet Sounds” are made people lose credibility. Daniel Johnston ain’t Brian Wilson.

At one point, his manager compared his early work to that of Dylan’s first five albums. That’s where they lost me. Dylan’s early work is possibly the greatest streak of music in rock history. (this conversation came about with a former co-work as we tried to come up with a string of albums by any artist that was better than the Stones streak of Beggar’s Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street . Other than Dylan, the Beatles, there really wasn’t anyone else in that neighborhood). Sorry, songs about Casper the Friendly ghost just don’t approach “Highway 61 Revisited” or a “Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”.

Sharpton doing his best to fan the flames, not finding solutions

Reason 213 why Sharpton’s an idiot:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22556443/

If the guy she said it about is ok, then Sharpton should shut the hell up. Apparently, not enough people were paying attention to Al, so he’s got to make sure he gets in the news. I would think he would serve his constituency better by working at the local Rescue Mission as opposed to getting “outraged” over a poorly chosen phrase about a multi-millionaire. Obviously real racism exists in this country, but every time he makes up these “issues” it diminishes instances of real racism. It does a disservice to his cause for the sake of his vanity.

I propose a lifetime moratorium on the phrase “it is what it is”. it si WAY overused these days and often adds nothing to a conversation, often used when the speaker has nothing else to say. A verbal punt, if you will.

This joins “surreal” (the reigning overused/misused phrase for the past 3 years) and “samwich” , among others, on the all time list of annoying.

"best" medical care in the world...if you can get it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22357873/

When actuaries overrule the medical decisions of doctors at UCLA, what chance to any of us have?

Romney gets all Clintonesque or "when seeing is not seeing".

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/20/528873.aspx

The questioning did not relent. "I'm an English literature major," he insisted
at one point. "When we say I saw the Patriots win the World Series, it doesn't
necessarily mean you were there." (He meant the Super Bowl, of course.)

OH YEAH AND WERE IS ALL THE REPUBLICAN OUTCRY THAT THE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS DOESN’T KNOW THAT THE PATRIOTS PLAY FOOTBALL. THEY GAVE ALL KINDS OF SHIT WHEN KERRY MISPRONOUNCED LAMBEAU FIELD. THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER MISS.

Cafeteria Christianity to justify prejudice (and of course pander)

To those who hold to this ridiculous view that our founding fathers were Bible-thumping Baptists in the vein of Pat Robertson, et al.

You need to go back and look at the various religious beliefs of the presidents. Deists and Quakers and Presbyterians don’t share a lot of dogma with Southern Baptists or what passes for “Christian” these days in America . (I’m not going to prove to you again how un-Christian the small but very influential and vocal group of southern Baptists are, nor how unrepresentative they are of Christianity in America ).

And for your very irrelevant shout out to your obsession with gays…the gay marriage issue is a fake issue that you and your sloganeering buddies like to trot out to avoid REAL issues. (I’ve been waiting for you to tell me for years now, why you care who I marry, without trotting out incest and goats, but you’ve got nothing…PROVING how little of an issue it really is).

Did Truman and Kennedy talk about gay marriage? Nope. But then again, Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson didn’t talk very much about Civil Rights, does that mean that rights for blacks are not consistent with “Traditional Values”? The point: you can’t live in the past. Tradition doesn’t make it right. The world moves on. You and your gay-fearing buddies will be tossed on the scrapheap of history along with people who opposed a heliocentric system, suffrage for women and civil rights for blacks. Picking and choosing obscure biblical passages while ignoring the ones right next to it, doesn’t really seem like a “value system”, it seems like cherry-picking to support your prejudice.

"For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him." (Leviticus 20:9)

"Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." (Leviticus 19:27)

"...and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you." (Leviticus 11:7)

"...do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear material woven of two kinds of material." (Leviticus 19:19)

"But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you." (Leviticus 11:10)

"They (shellfish) shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination." (Leviticus 11:11)

Deja Vu all over again

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071203/ts_nm/iran_usa_dc_3

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new U.S. intelligence report says Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and it remains on hold, contradicting the Bush administration's earlier assertion that Tehran was intent on developing a bomb.

Bush disappointed?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071203/ts_nm/venezuela_referendum_dc_32

Now he can’t invade, at least not right now ( I kid, but you know Bush likes to invade countries on little more than a leader saying mean things). But did you read the Constitutional Changes that Chavez wanted to institute, they are the exact type of executive Powers that Cheney has been pushing for. I’ll bet Bush sees a kindred spirit in Hugo. After all he did see into Putin’s soul and look what a good guy Putin turned out to be.

One of the things the Chavez wanted to do was remove legal controls on his actions when a state of emergency exists, one that he would declare. Just like Bush did with his “we are at war” stuff (which we are not b/c only Congress can declare war and that has not happened). Not that it’s a new idea…all executives/royals that wanted to expand their powers did so in “defense of the state/country/homeland”.

The Venezuelans voted AGAINST giving more power to the executive. Too bad America didn’t get to vote before Bush decided he was above the law.

Bloomberg/Hagel?

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/29/hagel-criticizes-arrogant-bush-white-house/


he’s been saying what’s needed to be said for years, but now that he’s not running again he’s really saying what he feels…like every other person that has left this administration.

question about zealotry

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071129/ts_nm/sudan_prophet_dc_21

So, it’s an “insult” to name the bear Mohammed, but aren’t there millions of guys walking around the world of Islamic faith that also have that name? Why isn’t it an insult for a mere mortal/non-prophet to have that name? In fact, isn’t Mohammed the most common name in the world, or maybe that’s just urban legend? If it’s the “most common” wouldn’t it lose its sanctity? Or if its use is honorary, why wouldn’t naming something else also be honorary?

So many questions about religious zealotry…

On the topic of religion, just finished reading a book called “Misquoting Jesus”. Maybe you’ve heard of it, but it’s about how the current version of the bible came to be. Written by Christian biblical scholar, an interesting read telling the story of how the current version went from oral history, through good and bad translations, good and bad copying, and intentional changes supporting various agendas. A little dry in spots, but might be worth a read if you’re so inclined.

Remember this when Fox "News" is losing its mind over "Happy Holidays"

Obviously the degree is different, but the religious zealotry is the same. So, when Gibson and O’Reilly are decrying the end of civilization because the Wal-mart greeter says “Happy Holidays” (which we all know means Thanksgiving, New Years and Christmas and maybe even GOD FORBID, Hanukah) recall what religious zealotry begets.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1687755,00.html?cnn=yes


Or should I just lump this act with those of the Church that goes around to soldiers’ funerals and celebrates their deaths and lump them all together as the “Logical outcome” of Conservative thought?

Bush style Democracy taking hold in Pakistan

A friendly partisan Supreme Court upholds the "election victory" against the will of the people...and I worried that Bush couldn't export his version of Democracy, boy was I wrong:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21925944/

Happy Thanksgiving

Waste, Fraud, and Abuse...fully supported, encouraged and covered up by the Bush WH

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1681265,00.html?xid=site-cnn-partner

Bushies, I would imagine that being former Conservatives, you’d be appalled at this blatant disregard for the effective use of our tax dollars, but your blood should be boiling that those tasked with rooting out this fraud and abuse have been thwarted by the current administration, which leads to even more waste, fraud and abuse.

Shameful

It’s always the guys who never put their own lives in danger by actually entering the military that have such a love for torture and those who’ve actually put their lives on the line for America oppose torture.

I guess it’s easy to support the methods of Stalin, the Gestapo and Pol Pot if you never had to worry about them being used on you. (In 1947, the US tried a Japanese soldier for war crimes for using waterboarding…he was sentenced to 15 years hard labor)

How the hell does Bush claim that America represents democracy, morality and freedom for the world when he directs his minions to behave like a barbarians? The military code still forbids waterboarding explicitly which is why Bush has to make civilians (or goons from other countries who we have on our terrorism list). Oh yeah…and physical torture doesn’t work.

A New Low 07 Nov 2007 09:21 am "Waterboarding is
something of which every American should be proud," - Deroy Murdock, National Review. Have you noticed
that the pro-torture right has gone from saying that torture is abhorrent to
saying that torture isn't occurring to saying that torture is not torture to now
saying that torture is "something of which every American should be proud". And
why not indeed? The Cheney logic is impregnable: the president is not bound by
the law or the Geneva Conventions; torture reveals information that allows the
government to seize individuals who might at some point commit terror attacks;
the president's job is to prevent terror attacks. Torture is thereby a good.
Alas, the American constitution clearly does not say that the president is above
the law; the Geneva Conventions do apply to all captives in wartime and the bar
on mistreatment far less than torture is clear; the only source we have for the
fact that these terror suspects were terrorists is the government that uses
torture against them; torture itself has no way of determining what is true or
what is false and was designed in the first place to produce false confessions.
And the president's first job is to uphold the Constitution.

Then, of course, there is the question of morality. But if you follow
Murdock's reasoning that torture saves lives, and your moral rubric is entirely
utilitarian, then torture itself is obviously an active moral good. I have no
idea why more "conservatives" don't aggressively propose expanding it. And
here's a prediction: after the next terror attack, they will.

More of that Bush restoring ethical behavior to the executive branch

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21589678/

It’s a good thing that Bush was going to restore ethics to the Executive Branch; I can’t imagine how much further they’d extend their unethical behavior if he hadn’t promised to do that.

It’s been lucrative to work for the King in other countries throughout history. Fortunately for the Friends of Bush, he restored Royalty in America (Divine Mandate and being above the law of the land and all) and now all his buddies are really cashing in. It’s not only great to BE the King, it’s great to KNOW the King.

According to our President...this isn't torture

This is not torture, it’s “Aggressive Interrogation” as these techniques would not bring about organ failure or death. So, it’s all good. Nothing illegal here.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21659520/

George W. Bush…Bringing peace and democracy to the Middle East since 2001…

George W. Bush…Bringing peace and democracy to the Middle East since 2001…

At least 28 killed in attack on Afghan lawmakers
5 parliamentarians slain; doctor says toll could be much higher
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21650763/

Pakistan protests met with violent crackdown
Bush calls on Musharraf to relinquish army position, restore democracy
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21609019/

2007 becomes deadliest yet for U.S. in Iraq
Military announces deaths of soldiers and sailor, raising year’s total to 853
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21650614/

Oil prices soar past $97, setting new record
Concerns about bombings in Afghanistan , inadequate U.S. supply
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12400801/

More Bush Lies?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/10/25/quds.force/index.html

Considering the Bushies are doing the same thing with Iran that they did with Iraq (ignore the war they are fighting to start another one without finishing the first; Afghanistan) I'm pretty skeptical of anything they say. Now that they have a hard-on to invade Iran, they will say anything, just like they did with Iraq.

Even without the Bush WH's inability to tell the truth about ANYTHING, you must also consider some facts. Iran hates the Taliban, Iran helped the US overthrow the Taliban in Afghanistan, Afghanistan said they have no evidence that Iran is supplying the Taliban AND 4 months ago the General leading the NATO forces in Afghanistan said there was no evidence that Iran was helping the Taliban.

Oh yeah, and the Bushies lie about everything and they have a hard-on for Iran right now, so let's just say given all the evidence and their pathological aversion to the truth, I would bet this is NOT true. (that's a consequence of lying about everything, even if you are telling the truth NO ONE believes you)

Rudy talking out of his ass

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/25/giuliani.immigration.ap/index.html

Talk about making promises you can’t keep.

I used to like Rudy, but the more he panders, makes ridiculous claims and continues to run solely on 9/11 the less I like him.

War with Turkey?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/10/23/turkey.kurds/index.html


If Turkey invades Iraq (Kurdistan), which was predicted 5 years ago, would the US have to defend Iraq against the invasion. Bush DID disband their army and obviously the Iraqi Army that exists today can’t even keep the country from descending into civil war and chaos (as all you Bushies and Neo-Cons continue to tell everyone is the reason we can’t leave), so it SURELY can’t defend itself against a foreign invasion by a well-armed neighbor.

Does America have to go to war with Turkey or does the US let the Iraqis and Kurds go it alone?

Bush ruining "conservatism"

http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/2007/10/23/conservatism/

Someone asked this question the other day, can’t remember who and it’s probably been said by others: Wouldn’t it be ironic if for all the efforts Bush made (and Bushies whole-heartedly supported) to make the American President above the law and beyond the reach of Congress’s oversight made Hilary Clinton the most powerful President in US history?
Just a thought.

From Esquire

Great (and scary) article from Esquire

This is on Turkey...all of it

It’s well-established that Turkey tried to annihilate the Armenians in the early 20th Century, but Bush doesn’t even want America to acknowledge because of political reasons. Doesn’t that prove that EVERYTHING about his war is political? It’s a meaningless gesture by the Congress, but the WH still opposes it. Turkey opposes it b/c they don’t want to be seen as murderers even if the shoe fits.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21221278/

The proclamation is pretty useless, but for Turkey to be threatening to stop supporting the US in the Middle East is so lame. If you can't do the time don't do the crime.

Also notice how Turkey is working to invade Kurdistan, just as I mentioned here about 5 years ago.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21111931/

Of course Bush wouldn’t want to provide medical care for Children, he has to spend all that money trying to keep the Iraq war going until Jan 2009 so Bushies can blame the inevitable civil war on whoever follows him.

$30 Billion to make children healthy or three months of killing people in Iraq ... obvious Choice for the Compassionate Conservative.

And Bushies…no need to comment, we all know what you’re going to say. Something about Germany in 1939, keith hates America , I love children except if it costs me a nickel, yada yada yada.

"Baseless"? I don't think so

A baseless allegation would be me claiming that you kick puppies. Given what the Iraqi Government, Iraqi Police and Congress have shown to be evidence of what Blackwater has done, these allegations seem to have some “BASE”.

The CEO may dispute the allegations, but to say they are “baseless” is just crap.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21095964/

should Bush be helping?

Oh yeah, I forgot. They have the same problem as Sudan .

Sorry citizens, God didn’t bless you with natural resources the West needs, so you’re freedom and democracy is less important to us. (Oh yeah, I said it)

If we stand for democracy and freedom, shouldn’t Bush be doing something to help these people who are taking up arms against one of the most brutal regimes in the world? These people are fighting for their freedom right now, rising up will result in a certain death for them, shouldn’t America help?

Just asking…

Rush hates soldiers

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

Where is the President’s condemnation of Rush? He is actually attacking soldiers, attacking them. MoveOn.org attacked the political show man for the Bush war, while maybe not the right thing to do, let’s not pretend that Patreaus is anything but a Bush Spokesman now, as never before has a US Military leader been trotted out for such a dog and pony show. Anyway, this is about Rush attacking soldiers. Disgusting, but typical of all the Chicken Hawks.

The sham that is the "sanctity of marriage"

I was looking for an article that caught my eye when I was browsing some news site. Couldn't find it again, but I came across this story from June where the Vatican REVERSED the annulment of Joe Kennedy Jr.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/06/21/vatican_reverses_kennedy_ruling/

It's old news, but this goes to the sham that the sanctity of marriage (and all that tradition and Godly grace CB keeps putting on it) is. You can get married by the Church, then if you're rich and/or powerful enough you can get it "annulled", meaning it was flawed in some way and then they wipe the slate clean. Then they can change their minds again. Seems like if it was such a holy union human beings wouldn't be able to break it and unbreak it so easy, not to mention that such a sacred institution could be "flawed" in some way even with the sanction of the Church.

Proof how little control the Iraqi government has over Iraq

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/21/blackwater/index.html

This goes to show how very little influence and control Iraq ’s so-called government has over Iraq . I'm sure Condi straightened them out after they tried to ban Blackwater. I'm sure she let them know who is REALLY calling the shots in Iraq and that those in "power" shouldn't delude themselves with thinking they are actually governing Iraq themselves. (not that a handpicked and approved slate of politicians "governing" a country that is being policed by the army of another country is really sovereign anyway)

more of that Bush magic

For all of the bitching they do about “the media” not reporting good things, you have to seek out columns like this to understand the truth depth of their incompetence, arrogance and immorality.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20892483/site/newsweek/

Chrisitian-Correctness...always more forceful than Poltical Correctness

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20888502/from/ET/



And before someone points out how under siege straight white Christians are (while their religious doctrine is being put into law all over this country) think about the following and tell me it’s not true. This country will elect a woman, an African America, a Muslim and maybe even a gay person to be President before it EVER elects an Athiest.

The irony of all of this is Griffin was pointing out (in her special way) the very Unchristian way that people ostentatiously thank Jesus for their Emmy, Grammy, Touchdown or Homerun.

As I’m sure you are well aware, the Bible is pretty clear on this ostentatious display of religion/faith:

Matthew 6:1-16

Concerning Almsgiving

6‘Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 ‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.*

Concerning Prayer

5 ‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.*

Concerning Fasting

16 ‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.*

Now what?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/17/iraq.main/index.html

If Blackwater is banned from Iraq , how will Bush keep his troop counts low and more importantly since the death of Blackwater employees don’t count, keep his death toll of American soldiers lower?

That MBA comes in handy ...again

I recall someone going on and on and on about how our President had that very valuable MBA from the Ivy League and how that would be put to good use. Well, once again Bush's administration fails the most basic requirements for running a business. (Although, borrowing extensively so you can spend more while causing a decrease in revenue is the most anti-business thing you can do, but fortunately he's done that too.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20780840/

Ten years after Congress ordered federal agencies to have outside auditors
review their books, neither the Defense Department nor the newer Department of Homeland Security has met even basic accounting
requirements, leaving them vulnerable to waste, fraud and abuse.

And for those people that feel that welfare and social security are so rife with abuse and fraud, like the horrors of paying $1.65 to feed poor kids on the East Side of Seattle, I would think this mismanagement and failure to maintain the most basic of business fundamentals would be appalling.

"miracle" or science?

Bills TE Kevin Everett may very well walk again thanks to quick thinking doctors, the fact that the injury occurred with some fantastic Emergency Responders and trainers literally feet away and due to years of scientific research.

Now, Kevin's mom claims it could be a miracle and I don't begrudge her that. If her son walks again, she can claim whatever she wants.

But what I find most interesting (and ironic) is that the very same people who would claim that his possible recovery is the hand of God, are the very same people who will do everything they can to halt the very types of research that gave him the chance to walk again. Much of the research into spinal cord injuries has occurred in recent years and thanks to the work and focus of Christopher Reeves. A man who called for more money, more research including research into stem cells.

So, don't you find it ironic that those who would claim incredible advances in medical science as "miracles" are the very same people who are doing everything they can to stop medical science progress.

I for one would prefer to rely on medical science and not wait for the miracle if I'm ever in need of medical care. I'll accept any miracles that come my way, but it seems like a better bet to focus on medical research.

The GOP...restoring integrity every single day since 2001

This isn’t a big deal to me, but it just shows how just about every single day a member of the Republican Party that ran on “restoring integrity” is involved in some immoral, illegal, unethical behavior and that they can’t even follow even the lowest standard and that is to abide by House/Senate rules.



http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-wellersep07,1,83079.story?track=rss

Weller, a southwest suburban congressman with a fondness for Latin America, has
sunk a large share of his investment capital into a land development in
Nicaragua . But he didn't declare the extent of his holdings on his required
congressional disclosures, and he indicated dramatically different purchase
prices for the land in American and Nicaraguan
records.

…

What he didn't say was that, while he
publicly pushed CAFTA, Weller privately was pursuing his land development, some
2,000 miles away. The House approved the trade pact in July 2005 by only two
votes, 217-215.Besides not mentioning his Nicaraguan investments during the
CAFTA debate on the House floor, Weller did not give anywhere close to a
complete accounting of them in his required 2005 financial disclosure statement.
House ethics rules require representatives to disclose all property they own
except for their personal residences.

…

The
congressman listed only one Nicaraguan property purchase on his 2005 disclosure
form, but property records in Nicaragua show that he bought or sold at least
eight pieces of land.
…
For example, Weller's first disclosed
purchase in the coastal town of San Juan del Sur appeared on his 2002 financial
filing, listing a lot with a purchase price of between $50,001 and $100,000. But
in property records at the Registrar's office in Rivas, the department seat for
San Juan , Weller is reported paying 78,000 cordobas, or about $4,333, for
four-tenths of an acre in a transaction on Dec. 7, 2002.Records indicate that
Weller sold the same property in February 2005 for about $95,000. That sale does
not appear on Weller's 2005 House disclosure.

SUBJECT: And all along I thought things in Iraq were not going so well.

My response to a friend's email:

SUBJECT: And all along I thought things in Iraq were not going so well.

Now I see how wrong I was.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/


Subject: RE: And all along I thought things in Iraq were not going so well.
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 15:31:51 -0700
FROM:

Well, you see. If you had your head up your butt, you might think things were going well. But those who actually look at the real situation may disagree with this assessment.

The best part of being him, is that he’s never proclaimed what “success” is in Iraq , so that he can just walk around one day and say “we’ve been successful” and call it a win. Even if global terrorism continues to rise, Iraqi’s have no government, no police, no army, no electricity, no water, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi’s are dead, there is a full scale civil war taking place, 3000 Americans are dead, the middle east is more unstable now than it has been since the 70s, Iran is now unchecked, bin Laden is still alive, the Taliban controls 90% of Afghanistan and the war that was going to cost America a few million dollars is going to cost a TRILLION.

For all we know, that may have been his definition of success, and therefore we ARE indeed “kicking ass”.

Lobbyists and Puritans win...children lose

I’m sure this doesn’t surprise anyone, especially Bushies, who would fully support politics over science and lobbyists determining US policy even if it’s to the detriment of America ’s children. (the GOP’s concern for children only extends to election cycles)

The funny thing about this story (and it’s not really in the story, but we all know it’s there) is the GOP’s fear of a women’s naked breast is so overwhelming that they would prefer to ban breast feeding even though it’s better for children. Which is MOST ironic since this same faction that is so fearful of a breast are the same people who use “nature” to defend their hatred of gays. “It’s not natural” they will say about boys kissing, but as soon as a boob comes out, they turn into the Taliban to make sure no one sees a nipple. I’m pretty sure that Nestlé’s formula wasn’t mentioned in the Bible…

I wonder why

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/31/craig.arrest/index.html

is the GOP abandoning him because of: ?
A) He might be gay
B) He appears to have solicited sex in a public restroom
C) He pleaded guilty to a charge he is innocent of without advice from a lawyer (which makes him dumb)

Just wondering. What is the Bushie take on this?

Some more of that GOP morality...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20467347/



I love how the Good Senator, who is a member of the most august body in our land, wasn’t smart enough not to plead guilty even though he was innocent. I think if you’re that dumb you shouldn’t be in the Senate.

Unbelievable.

Strange what the Bushie's new definition of "Victory" is

My Bushie friend saw a report today that claimed Baghdad was safer than it was a few months ago, you would have that it was V-J day from his cheering. So, I posed this to him....he of course ignored me pointing out his obvious low standard for victory here in 2007.

I said:

If I said to you 4 years ago that "In the summer of 2007, nearly 4000
America soldiers will be dead, Iraq as a whole will be near anarchy, there will
be NO oil flowing, no consistent electricity and water in Baghdad, we will spend
nearly a TRILLION dollars and there is no functioning government in Iraq AND the
US is willing to allow ANY form of government as long as Bush can say it’s
“secure enough”, global terrorism will be increasing, bin Laden will still
alive, the Taliban will control most of Afghanistan” You would have said
that was absurd and that we were idiots.

Now, you call that
victory.

Well this clear's up Rudy's contention...he was by no stretch at ground zero very much AT ALL

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/18/rudy_yankees/

Obviously, Rudy is running totally on 9/11, which is sickening to me. Because of most of the GOP he's probably the most likely to get any of my support.

"Conspiracy of Fools"

Currently reading "Conspiracy of Fools"

It sat on my shelf for a long time and I don't even remember buying it, but at over 700 pages it seemed too daunting. Anyway, I started it on my trip to Texas and it is really hard to put down. I think it's the somewhat annoying way the author tells the story, with various anecdotes of things that are happening concurrently. So, each little snippet may only be a half a page, maybe a whole page. Again, while annoying, its hard to stop reading it.

I am surprised to find myself less harsh of Kenny Lay (but some people have said the author is too easy on Lay). Although he was VERY guilty of failing in his fiduciary duty to stockholders (including employees) for being clueless, I'm much more convinced of the guilt of Fastow and Skilling, especially Fastow. That guy was sleezy. As for Arthur Anderson, I used to wonder if they took too much flack, but they weren't just negligent, they were co-conspirators in much of Fastow's schemes.

There were many people who tried to raise flags, but when the CFO is the criminal and has all the power, it's hard to stand up to that. But you have to wonder why NO ONE had the balls to do anything more substantial (maybe it was the rising stock price??)

Does God Love America best?

I recieved this email today showing an American flag with what appears to be a cross in it created by sunlight. It stuck me a bit offensive that this email was saying that God Loves America more than others. Here is my response



Sorry, I had to speak up. This message seems to say that "God Loves America best". Which seems like a short-sighted and possibly a very unChristian thing to say.

Actually, this photo is quite believable and to be expected (see this article on the subject http://www.snopes.com/photos/patriotic/azflag.asp)

1- the cross is a symbol that was created by man to represent Christianity, although some Faiths don't celebrate the cross as much as others. (Not to mention the debate that has been going on in Christianity for 2000 years on what the 10 COmmandments say in regard to "Graven Images". (For an interesting look at just how much man has played a hand in the "Divine Word" read the 2nd commandment as it appears in various versions of the Bible, say King James vs. New Revised...). My point, would God show his existence to the world by tricks of fabric and sunlight? Would God show this in the form of a Cross (a man-made device)?

2- The more offensive part of this email, at least for Christians, should be...that God loves America best. Why would God show a particular allegiance to one country over another. Are Americans better than Canadians? Are Americans better than Italians? Are Americans better by virtue of the location of their birth??? These country affiliations are, again, man-made political boundaries. it would seem that God, having existed for all time, wouldn't have "a favorite team", especially one that has only been around 225 years. For an interesting read on God and Politics, here's a quote from the book of John:

Likewise, the Christian does not become involved in the affairs of earthly governments but represents the heavenly kingdom to them. He is in this world but is not of this world (John 17:16).



-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 10:59 PM
To:
Subject: FW: FW: UNBELIEVABLE PHOTO!!!!!!!]

This is a beautiful photo of a giant American flag in Arizona The photo is authentic, UN-Touched and was taken on regular Kodak 35mm film. The person who took the picture couldn't believe the image created by the suns rays.
Nice of them to share it with the world!
Read what is says under the picture....

For those that prefer to think that God is not watching over us...go ahead and delete this.
For the rest of us...pass this on.

More stuff that must stop

I've spoke of my disgust for people who can't say the word "Sandwich" without putting an "M" in the middle. (SAMWICH) but I've yet to discuss these two other gems.

1- STOP USING THE WORD "SURREAL" TO DESCRIBE EVERY GODDAMN LITTLE THING THAT IS A BIT STRANGE.
Every time some 3rd tier celebrity gets interviewed every thing in their life is "So Surreal". No! It's NOT!. Just b/c the time you walked into the Burger King and Lindsey Lohan was there doesn't make it "Surreal".
http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9379935

"Surreal" - (Mid-20th century. Back-formation surrealism])>from Merriam Websterke



2 - WORLDWIDE BAN ON BANDS WITH NUMBERS IN THEIR NAMES.
The world has had enough. Using a number in your name is just lazy and it's beyond STUPID now. Blink 183, Maroon 5, Three Doors Down, Sum41, and on and on and on. STOP it. Get a real name like "Brian Jonestown Massacre" or hell, even "the Monkees".

The Worst Nightmare

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/20/bush.colonoscopy/

CHeney to run the world for 150 minutes...do you know how much damage a man that evil can do? WOW.

Comedy at the Texas Capital or "That's right, you're not from Texas"

Just returned from Austin and visiting my brother, but there was a little something that happened on our tour of the Capital Building that I must share with you.

We were walking around the building just taking in the history and when we went into the Senate Chamber we came upon a tour group. The guy leading the tour looked very Texas (whatever that means) , about mid 40s, dressed in a suit and quite authoritative on the building and Texas history. So, he going through his stuff about the Senate and then he points out the portraits on the wall. Sam Houston, Stephen F Austin, etc. various state senators. And he points out the HUGE painting of LBJ on the wall. Explains that LBJ is there b/c he was the only President who TRULY called Texas his home and he goes on and on. Finally, he says "you know there are 4 Presidents with ties to Texas, do you know who they are?" Someone says "LBJ and the Bushes". The guy says, "right...of course LBJ, who always called Texas home and was very proud of Texas. And the Bushes, but they were born and raised and educated in New England, not in Texas. They just have had homes here, that's why their portraits are not hung in this room".

DAMNNNNNNN

It was quite obvious that this guy, this expert on Texas and proud Texan was pointing out the fallacy the Bushes are "Texans". And when the guy leading the tour of the building where the former governor's portrait hangs points that out, it was PURE COMEDY. Delicious. I don't think it was a comment on either of their political legacies, it was just that they are not considered Texans by Texans.

btw- turns out Dwight Eisenhower was born in Texas, but moved to Kansas when he was there, so he ain't no Texan either.

It's NOTHING like Clinton

While defending the President's latest lame and pathetic move, his buddies have trotted out the "Well, Clinton did it" excuse...which KILLS me b/c when Bush ran he was going to "repair the damage done to the Office by Clinton", but now he continually defends his actions by saying Clinton did the same thing.

That would just be funny if it weren't so incredibly irrelevant. Clinton's pardon of Rich was for Rich's crimes. the Libby affair still stems from the knowning outing of a secret agent of the CIA, I still say that's treason. and the fact that it came from the Executive branch should be grounds for everyone one of them going to prison, but I'll let that go. Libby committed a crime to further the political aims of the President and the President is letting him get away with it. All this bullshit about damage to reputation (how hard to you think it will be for Libby to get a job with some GOP thinktank????), the bullshit about the fine (he has over $5 million dollars in his defense fund)...so Libby suffers very little consequence. All for doing the President's bidding (well, actually Cheney's we all know ). It's not a stretch to see this all being part of the plan. Libby taking the fall with the pre-arranged deal that he'd NEVER do time.

I also understand that there is a good reason NOT to pardon him completely. from what I've heard Libby would lose his ability to use the 5th amendment b/c he could not incriminiate himself, or more importantly he COULD incriminate Bush, Cheney, et al. Disgusting.

ANd just for some context. EVeryone trots out Clinton's record on pardons...it's nearly IDENTICAL to Reagan's.

Once again, Bush proves he's the worst President we've ever had.

Thanks CNN:
Pardons and Commutations
George W. Bush (2001 - ) Pardons -- 13 Commutations -- 4
Bill Clinton (1993-2001) Pardons -- 396 Commutations -- 61
George H.W. Bush (1989-1993) Pardons -- 74 Commutations: 3
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) Pardons -- 393 Commutations -- 13
Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Pardons -- 534 Commutations -- 29
Gerald Ford (1974-1977) Pardons -- 382 Commutations -- 22
Richard Nixon (1969-1974) Pardons -- 863 Commutations -- 60
Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969) Pardons -- 960 Commutations -- 226
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) Pardons -- 472 Commutations -- 100
Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961) Pardons -- 1,110 Commutations -- 47
Harry Truman (1945-1953) Pardons -- 1,913 Commutations -- 118

New White Stripes...best Zeppelin album since Physical Graffiti

Bought the new White Stripes CD yesterday. I like it well enough. Some songs I really like others...eh...

It does appear that Jack listened to A LOT of Zeppelin before laying this one down. If you've heard Icky Thump you know of what I speak. There are other songs that are very derivative of Zeppelin, even a song with Middle Eastern sounds. Much of the rest is straight up rock and roll.

I would say that this the best Zeppelin CD since Physical Graffiti, even better than Wolfmother's attempt at a Zeppelin CD, but they lose points for sounding a lot like AC/DC too.

It's probably the best rock album in a long time, it's just that Jack has a higher standard to live up to, so at this point after 2 listens, I'd give it a B+.

Why atheists are "better" people

I've been tossing this idea around in my head for a while, so here goes.







Virtue, it is said, is doing the right thing when NO ONE is looking.



Yet, many so-called "Christians" act in a decent way because they believe they will be rewarded for that behavior by entrance into Heaven. Isn't that the same as seeking a reward for your good behavior?



While atheists, the ones I know, are some of the most "christian" in their actions. They do unto others, etc. They live according to the Golden Rule. Not because they seek a reward in the afterlife, but because it's just the right thing to do. Doing the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing, not for gain.



Even if Pascal was correct with his wager, and you behave according to that thinking, atheists are still more "pure" in their actions.



Ironically, enough this occurred to me as I was putting a shopping cart back into the rack of carts at the entrance to a grocery store. I ALWAYS do that, yet as I walked back through the lot I saw dozens of carts left in the middle of the parking lot by those either too lazy or too selfish to walk 20 feet to put them into one of those cart corrals. Carts that will have to be rounded up by an employee, carts that will block parking spots, or dent other cars. Why do people feel so important that they are above fulfilling this little part of the Social Contract with their neighbors? Surely, this is a small, but telling, behavior amongst our fellow citizens.



I understand that people turn to God for all sorts of reasons. To fill emptiness in their lives. For comfort. To remove accountability for their own failures, to have someone to "blame" or to credit. But, I have such a difficult time believing that one religion has it "right". For these Bible thumpers to assume that by the chance of birth (being born into a Christian country as opposed to India or Japan) that they KNOW they have the correct understanding and version of God.



With "religion" existing in countless forms among all people and through time, whether is it Aboriginal Creation myths, Greek mythology, Islam, Jainism or Christianity. Through their existence humans have sought to seek understanding of what they do not know, "what causes thunder?". "How was the earth formed?" I have always found it fascinating that old religions are now called "Mythology" while current religion is gospel, but it seeks the answers to the same questions.

While a Christian finds it laughable that earth was created on the back of a tortoise, it's inconceivable that God did not create earth in 6 days. Genesis is just as likely to be right as the creation stories of Inuits or Buddhists, no? How arrogant is it for anyone to believe that they have the RIGHT version of God? Again, often just by the luck of the location of their birth or who their parents are.



Some people take the Bible as the literal word of God, but it wasn't written by God. it was written by men. and other men EDITED the book, left out whole sections. The people that are most upsetting are the ones who like to quote the Old Testament for justifying their hatreds while they completely ignore the teachings of Christ in the New Testament. Christ (at least he should have for Christians) changed the game. the Bible went from "eye for an eye" to "turn the other cheek", but the most zealous "Christians" are the ones least likely to follow the words of Christ.

That's what I call ironic.

This pisses me off

Before I start...let's be clear. I am saddened that they have lost three children and I hope the other three live.

"We continue to trust in the Lord and are hopeful for a good outcome for
Cadence, Lucia and Sylas," the statement said.

So, tragically, the third of six sextuplets has passed in MN, but the family is going to "continue to trust in the lord". Yet they didn't trust the lord enough to have him help them have a child. No, they turned to science and a science that created 6 babies. Something that God very rarely does on his own. So now that the family has lost half of their children they are going to put it on God?

You wonder why the parents decided to keep all 6 embroyos. I'm sure it was some religous conviction that wouldn't allow them to keep only a more reasonable number of embroyos and carry them to term with a MUCH greater chance of survival and success for the children.

I find it astounding that they will speak of this being in the Lord's hands when they used science to create a litter of children all of whom have a very slim chance of thriving. The human body was not meant to have litters, but science has enabled that. If God has anything to do with conception of every human being, why mess with his process if you're only going to turn to God as your children die.

One of two guys I can get behind

As a Libertarian, Ron Paul is an obvious choice. He says a lot of the things I believe. He'll never get elected or even taken seriously, but hopefully his principled ideas of limited government will get attention by both parties after 8 years of the most invasive, unprincipled, corrupt administration in 100 years, if not ever.

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

I also like Richardson on the other side. If only for his fantastic resume. I don't know if there has been a person with such a varied and complete resume with the skills to run the country (Maybe John Quincy Adams?)

http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/

He's been a Congressman, a Cabinet Secretary, UN Ambassador and Governor (or a border state) and if Immigration is going to be a big issue, a guy who grew up in Mexico City might be in the best position to understand the issue.

Re: Sopranos...shut up

I'm growing weary of all this belly-aching about the Soprano's finale. before I saw the last episode I had low expectations, mostly due to David Chase's own arrogant comments. Basically, he said (I paraphrase) "don't expect tidy endings, b/c life isn't full of tidy endings". So, I expected a finale with NO answers to anything and Chase sitting smugly at his home feeling all full of himself. But my immediate reaction to his comments leading up to the finale are this: "hey Dave, it's a TV show. it's not "life" or "real"". So, I expected some answers and the one that I decided I needed was "who lives: Tony or Phil?"...I got that answer ...repeatedly thru a combo of gun shots and SUV tires.

The last scene in the finale is genius. You've seen Tony making peace with his life both family life and "work" life. His looking off into the distance while raking the leaves showed that contentment. As they sit at the diner later, the family is all together. AJ has his shit together (although the fact that he got "all better" after watching his car go up in flames was one of the most unreal and lame course corrections in the history of the show). Meadow, while a poor parker has her shit together and TOny understands why she wants to go into law ...and maybe even defend Daddy once she passes the bar.

Carmela is fine. She has made her peace with the life she leads. She's had her chances to leave, and surely she has enough reasons, but she likes the nice cars, espresso makers and expensive watches that this life affords, she's going nowhere.

The guy in the Member's Only jacket going to the bathroom bring fantastic tension for anyone who knows The Godfather movies. It's an obvious shout out and there to make you think what could happen.

So, as the screen goes black does Tony look up to see Meadow walk in? Does he see a gun held at him by the guy coming out of the bathroom? Do those kids who walked in right before Meadow create some issue. It's all there, I was literally (and I NEVER use that term incorrectly) on the edge of recliner.

At first, I felt a little ripped off, but after an hour or so, I realized the genius of the ending. It was nearly the exact opposite of how "Six Feet Under" ended with it's litany of what happened to everyone over the next few decades by describing how they died. Chase went exactly the other way.

Your left thinking what you want to believe. If Tony lives on, does Paulie become his number two? Paulie who seemed to be the person most likely to be killed next for about the past 3 years, with his dealings with New York, the tension b/t he and Chris and basically his going bat-shit over the past year. Is this what Tony is left with? How can he hold on to power with such a young crew and no one left but Paul from the old school.

If he is dead, what happens to AJ? Remember how he wanted to avenge his father's shooting by going after Uncle Jun? AJ would surely end up in the family business, if only to avenge his father's death, but AJ too likes the comforts that life brings (remember his complete and instantaneous 180 about caring too much for the pain in the world to loving the new BMW dad bought????).

So many other things to consider, so many what ifs. A brilliant end, to a brilliant series. And a fitting end. It did not cheat fans, it gave enough answers, not all, but enough. Kudos Mr. Chase.

Bushie admits most of this is true

My Bushie friend sent this to me under the sub: line "I'm afraid a lot of this is true"

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/

I responded with:

I agree, especially b/c the Bush tactic of insulting, questioning the intelligence and patriotism of anyone who disagrees with them goes way back. Now that he’s insulting the GOP, you guys are noticing that this tactic is childish and offensive. Bush has NEVER debated or encouraged discussion of his positions. His position is you agree with me or you’re an idiot and unpatriotic. It’s been done by all the Bushies, but now that he’s doing it to you, Peggy and the other faithful are having an epiphany.

So much for being like the "Business World"

Republicans are always going on about how Government should be run like a business (Bush's INCREDIBLE deficits are ignored while they say this...SURPRISE)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18553053/

I can’t speak for your employers, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same way with regard to ethics. You can’t date a subordinate, and you sure as hell can’t bend the rules to get your significant other promotions out of cycle and raises beyond guidelines. That would get you fired at here in about 10 minutes. I’ve seen it happen twice.

Why shouldn’t the president of the World Bank be held to the same ethical standard as the majority of American businesspeople?

I know why, b/c the current administration is absent any sense of morality and ethics. Most of Washington is ethically challenged, but this WH is beyond compare especially since they ran on restoring integrity to the office.

Shameful

More shameful behavior (AND THE MEDIA IGNORES IT)

The behavior of a 2 bit dictator from the third world, not the President of the United States .

Just more of Bush bringing shame upon the Office. Just who is Dick Cheney meeting with? Will we find out the Abrahmoff has been there dozens of times?

It’s like they think we serve him, but he serves America …and you Bushies know damn well if this was a Democrat you’d be losing your shit right now.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/01/cheney.secrecy.ap/index.html

Why is Bush hosting Stalinist Despots at his house?

Well...at Daddy's house...




http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18939032/

Dark Age Candidates

Kansas Sen. Brownback, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo raised their hands when moderator Chris Matthews asked who did not believe in evolution.

Was the follow up: “do you believe in Gravity?”

I would think any member of the Republican party who has an inkling of scientific knowledge (or who was educated beyond the 6th grade) and has moved beyond a world ruled by superstition and witchcraft would cringe at this.

I suppose that belief in biblical rationales for human existence would also preclude one from accepting a heliocentric universe as well, no? The bible is full of some of fantastic explanations, I’d like to know how these guys pick which ones are “true” and which ones are not?