Cold and rainy in Atlanta this weekend. Dodged any frozen stuff so far. Running here and there trying to get all the stuff done that needs doing before I head back out to Sunnyvale tomorrow. Did get my car back from the repair shop and I must say they did a nice job as I cannot spot any hint of repairs. That's one load off the mind.
Time to start thinking about taxes again and I get riled just thinking about my money going into the Iraq disaster. I am a firm believer in the appropriate taxation but I get real angry when I see it wasted. Be nice if we could "earmark" our taxes and insist it not be used for military or war and other stuff we don't see a need for.
Don't expect anything more from me unless I have some kind of revelation I just must share. I will check in from Calidfonia tomorrow night. Thanks for all the comments and participation, keep it up.
UPDATE #1., Sunday AM; I spoke too soon. Woke up this morning to a light dusting of snow and there are still flurries coming down. Temperature is right at or slightly above freezing so this won't be here long. Hope all you nor'easterners can dig out. I bet my brother in Maine is getting dumped on. Off to the airport soon so see you after the jump.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Give it a Break...Please
It's a little after 9pm here in a snowy and cold Minneapolis and I have to get to bed so I have a hope of some higher function at 3am when I have to be up and head for the airport but I have two quickies.
First, I cannot comprehend why CNN feels it necessary to spend the entire evening flogging the Entwhistle murder/extradition. Jeebus, people are murdered all over the country everyday in all kinds of ways and they usually covered by the local news but rarely make the national news. Yet we have had Larry King spend his entire program on this and now Anderson Cooper is interviewing the same people we just saw on Larry King. While the murder of a mother and her child is horrendous it is hardly deserving of national news coverage 24x7. There are probably hundreds of stories worthy of this air time.
Maybe McClellan's continued lies to the press or perhaps AP'a totaly biased story on Harry Ried and the Mariannas maybe the fires in California or even the lie Bush told today about foiling an attack on LA. I need to stop watching CNN it is just pissing me off.
Second, what kind if fools does the Bush crowd think we are? Evidently they think we are pretty stupid. They foiled a plot to blow up a building in LA with a plane hijacked by someone wearing a shoe bomb? Stop and think a minute. Plot out in your mind the scenario of someone with explosive shoes hijacking a jet liner and flying it into a building. I didn't think so. It is completely and totally fiction meant to keep us off balance and afraid of Osama's boys and believe big strong Bush is fighting the good fight and keeping us safe. We were a lot safer on September 10, 2001 than we are today and if you don't know that in your gut you are a fool.
Bed time....traveling until later tomorrow afternoon. Play nice and write if you get work.
First, I cannot comprehend why CNN feels it necessary to spend the entire evening flogging the Entwhistle murder/extradition. Jeebus, people are murdered all over the country everyday in all kinds of ways and they usually covered by the local news but rarely make the national news. Yet we have had Larry King spend his entire program on this and now Anderson Cooper is interviewing the same people we just saw on Larry King. While the murder of a mother and her child is horrendous it is hardly deserving of national news coverage 24x7. There are probably hundreds of stories worthy of this air time.
Maybe McClellan's continued lies to the press or perhaps AP'a totaly biased story on Harry Ried and the Mariannas maybe the fires in California or even the lie Bush told today about foiling an attack on LA. I need to stop watching CNN it is just pissing me off.
Second, what kind if fools does the Bush crowd think we are? Evidently they think we are pretty stupid. They foiled a plot to blow up a building in LA with a plane hijacked by someone wearing a shoe bomb? Stop and think a minute. Plot out in your mind the scenario of someone with explosive shoes hijacking a jet liner and flying it into a building. I didn't think so. It is completely and totally fiction meant to keep us off balance and afraid of Osama's boys and believe big strong Bush is fighting the good fight and keeping us safe. We were a lot safer on September 10, 2001 than we are today and if you don't know that in your gut you are a fool.
Bed time....traveling until later tomorrow afternoon. Play nice and write if you get work.
Oh No! They're Listening
Via Talkleft
Careful boys and girls and watch what you say. As if we didn't already know they were listening. Maybe we are as forgetful as Osama? I guess now the effort has switched to an attempt to suppress free speech with the threat of "Big Brother" is watching every word you post. Well, "big brother" in the immortal words of Dear Leader "Bring It On!"
The Christian Science Monitor reports on a huge, planned data mining program that will troll news and blogs.
The US government is developing a massive computer system that can collect huge amounts of data and, by linking far-flung information from blogs and e-mail to government records and intelligence reports, search for patterns of terrorist activity.
The system - parts of which are operational, parts of which are still under development - is already credited with helping to foil some plots. It is the federal government's latest attempt to use broad data-collection and powerful analysis in the fight against terrorism. But by delving deeply into the digital minutiae of American life, the program is also raising concerns that the government is intruding too deeply into citizens' privacy.
The "core" of the system is called Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight, and Semantic Enhancement (ADVISE). The Monitor article has more details. Ya gotta love it!
BTW, Do you every wonder how many thousands of dollars and mandays were wasted trying to come with these stupid acronyms. There must be a full time gubmint bureau somewhere tasked with producing these things.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Like a Laser
Glenn Greewald has an excellent post covering, in great detail, all the things dangerous about the current assertions by the administration concerning the powers of the President in a time of war while they attempt to justify their illegal wiretapping of American citizens without a warrant.
While it is a well written post and should be read by everyone concerned about the erosion or in many cases the complete disregard for our rights, it suffers from the fact that only truly interested people will spend the time to read it.
Somehow this very cogent message needs to be distilled into an "elevator speech" that can be related quickly to those too lazy or disinterested to read it or the equivalent.
Here is my submission:
This is serious business and we need to be able to focus like a laser on the meat of this issue. We won't be able to hold the attention of the average American with some long winded explanation of the history of civil rights or what Thomas Jefferson or James Madison said. We need a short and focused message that we can get out in a couple of sentences that captures the essence of the problem and risks of ignoring it.
While it is a well written post and should be read by everyone concerned about the erosion or in many cases the complete disregard for our rights, it suffers from the fact that only truly interested people will spend the time to read it.
Somehow this very cogent message needs to be distilled into an "elevator speech" that can be related quickly to those too lazy or disinterested to read it or the equivalent.
Here is my submission:
The Administration is claiming that Article II grants it the power to do to you, an American citizen, whatever it is allowed to do against our enemies in a war with no oversight from the courts or Congress. This includes wiretaps, imprisonment without habeus corpus, torture and confiscation of all rights protected by the Contitution and Bill of Rights. Do you trust this President and all future Presidents to excercise these powers without restraint? If there is any doubt just look at what Bush has done to Jose Padilla an American citizen.
This is serious business and we need to be able to focus like a laser on the meat of this issue. We won't be able to hold the attention of the average American with some long winded explanation of the history of civil rights or what Thomas Jefferson or James Madison said. We need a short and focused message that we can get out in a couple of sentences that captures the essence of the problem and risks of ignoring it.
Fanning the Flames
I just came in and CNN has its shorts in a knot over an alarm at the Russell Senate Office building on a nerve agent attack. Hello folks, nerve agents are virtually an instaneous weapon. If you are exposed to a nerve agent then the time it takes to show symptoms is minutes and not hours or days. If there was a nerve agent present then we would have people showing symptoms of same. This is pretty obvious a failed detector since secondary tests have proved negative.
This will play well with the Faux news crowd though and raise the tension a little and make people a little more willing to accept intrusions into their privacy.
I hate to be so cynical but the facts speak for themselves. Anyone with any NBC training will see through this as nothing more than fanning the flames of fear.
Fear is the mind killer and stimulates primitive responses in the human mind. Rational thought is supressed and survival instincts take over. This is shameful behaviour on the part of CNN and they know better.
Finally, they are beginning to speculate that this is a false alarm now that they have had some experts expain to them the reality of nerve agents. Probably too late to reach the ones that have already internalized this.
UPDATE #1: It's an hour or so later and we have gone through Paula Zahn and now Larry King and they are still flogging this dead horse. It was a non story from the git go and yet they still are treating it like a major disaster. Appalling.
This will play well with the Faux news crowd though and raise the tension a little and make people a little more willing to accept intrusions into their privacy.
I hate to be so cynical but the facts speak for themselves. Anyone with any NBC training will see through this as nothing more than fanning the flames of fear.
Fear is the mind killer and stimulates primitive responses in the human mind. Rational thought is supressed and survival instincts take over. This is shameful behaviour on the part of CNN and they know better.
Finally, they are beginning to speculate that this is a false alarm now that they have had some experts expain to them the reality of nerve agents. Probably too late to reach the ones that have already internalized this.
UPDATE #1: It's an hour or so later and we have gone through Paula Zahn and now Larry King and they are still flogging this dead horse. It was a non story from the git go and yet they still are treating it like a major disaster. Appalling.
Racist Outrage
Well, well, well it is just so outrageous that people like Jimmy Carter and the most reverend Joseph Lowery would take the opportunity of Coretta Scott King's funeral to bring up politics.
Yesterday John Aravosis was the first I saw to warn us of the coming "swift-boating" and sure enough before his post had cooled GOP shill and hate filled shrew Kate O'Bierne was on MSNBC lecturing the "negroes" on how to behave at a funeral. Evidently DarkSyde at Kos reports that Imus is on the bandwagon this morning over the same issues.
Watching CNN this morning while I get ready and they too are playing exerpts from Carter and Lowery and the whole theme is that somehow this was inappropriate at such an event. Guess what folks...this is exactly why these issues were brought out at the funeral and the more you thrash around and bloviate and replay what you stupidly think is wrong the more the message and intent is fulfilled. Go after it and know you are doing the Lord's work in spreading the word that Martin and Coretta lived for. And oh, by the way, the more you flap your trap over this the more you confirm your racism and bigotry. Go for it.
I would suggest they stop and think for a moment on what this woman and her husband spent their lives doing, believing and dreaming. Where other than in their eulogy can the values that they spent their lives for be honored?
I hereby give anyone permission to politicize my funeral and speak on the things I felt were important.
Yesterday John Aravosis was the first I saw to warn us of the coming "swift-boating" and sure enough before his post had cooled GOP shill and hate filled shrew Kate O'Bierne was on MSNBC lecturing the "negroes" on how to behave at a funeral. Evidently DarkSyde at Kos reports that Imus is on the bandwagon this morning over the same issues.
Watching CNN this morning while I get ready and they too are playing exerpts from Carter and Lowery and the whole theme is that somehow this was inappropriate at such an event. Guess what folks...this is exactly why these issues were brought out at the funeral and the more you thrash around and bloviate and replay what you stupidly think is wrong the more the message and intent is fulfilled. Go after it and know you are doing the Lord's work in spreading the word that Martin and Coretta lived for. And oh, by the way, the more you flap your trap over this the more you confirm your racism and bigotry. Go for it.
I would suggest they stop and think for a moment on what this woman and her husband spent their lives doing, believing and dreaming. Where other than in their eulogy can the values that they spent their lives for be honored?
I hereby give anyone permission to politicize my funeral and speak on the things I felt were important.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Cream Crackers
I had every intention of posting on the proposed Bush budget lie tonight and also comment on a few other things. I have started a couple of times and then discovered that I was asleep. I am not sure why I am so tired and non functional maybe there is something to this jet lag thing.
I can recommend the Mahablog if you want a roundup of the thinking on the Bush budger propsal joke. I mean really, how meaningful is a budget that doesn't include the costs of Iraq and Katrina reconstruction. Actually I believe this budget is some kind if red herring ince it is so unrealistic.
Anyhow, there is no dearth of topic upon which to comment it is just that i cannot seem to stay focused (awake) long enough.
I can recommend the Mahablog if you want a roundup of the thinking on the Bush budger propsal joke. I mean really, how meaningful is a budget that doesn't include the costs of Iraq and Katrina reconstruction. Actually I believe this budget is some kind if red herring ince it is so unrealistic.
Anyhow, there is no dearth of topic upon which to comment it is just that i cannot seem to stay focused (awake) long enough.
Karl is Out There
If you are having positive wishes about the outcome of the Conressional hearings about Bush's illegal spying on Americans don't overlook the reality of who is playing in this puddle.
Via Huffington Post…….
Via Huffington Post…….
The White House has been twisting arms to ensure that no Republican member votes against President Bush in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of the administration's unauthorized wiretapping.Congressional sources said Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has threatened to blacklist any Republican who votes against the president. The sources said the blacklist would mean a halt in any White House political or financial support of senators running for re-election in November.
[Snip]
Over the last few weeks, Mr. Rove has been calling in virtually every Republican on the Senate committee as well as the leadership in Congress. The sources said Mr. Rove's message has been that a vote against Mr. Bush would destroy GOP prospects in congressional elections.
"He's [Rove] lining them up one by one," another congressional source said.
Mr. Rove is leading the White House campaign to help the GOP in November’s congressional elections. The sources said the White House has offered to help loyalists with money and free publicity, such as appearances and photo-ops with the president.
Those deemed disloyal to Mr. Rove would appear on his blacklist. The sources said dozens of GOP members in the House and Senate are on that list.
Poor Prospect
I was all set to post my take on the domestic intelligence hearings last night when blogger went down. I read Glenn Greenwald, Firedoglake, Digby, Dkos, FirstDraft, Talkleft and all the rest.
In a nutshell, I think this is a setup to get the Democratic Senators to follow Specter's lead just far enough down the road to be totally committed before he reveals his GOP toadiness and leaves them hanging out to dry. They will be painted as Osama supporters and unwilling to make the hard choices necessary to defend America from the terrible threat of terrorism.
The Dems lost the initiative when they didn't walk out of the hearings in protest over not having Gonzales sworn in. That was a pivotal moment and perfect for the political theatre needed in this situation. On the whole the Democratic team did all right but not great and even some of the GOP Senators were effective (Sessions et al notwithstanding).
A special point should have been made by all the Dems and continually reinforced that this was not about the war on terror but about the rule of law.
Finally, Darksyde at Kos takes the time to remind us that the constant flaunting of 9/11 by the GOP stooges is stupid when put into its proper perspective. It's a point that we all need to reinforce at every opportunity.
And don't miss Digby's post which says in effect and in a much more polite way that basically the GOP will once again castrate themselves for Bush.
Needless to say I don't hold out much hope for the outcome of these hearings. The American people will not be served and Bush and company will have moved their fascist state forward once again.
In a nutshell, I think this is a setup to get the Democratic Senators to follow Specter's lead just far enough down the road to be totally committed before he reveals his GOP toadiness and leaves them hanging out to dry. They will be painted as Osama supporters and unwilling to make the hard choices necessary to defend America from the terrible threat of terrorism.
The Dems lost the initiative when they didn't walk out of the hearings in protest over not having Gonzales sworn in. That was a pivotal moment and perfect for the political theatre needed in this situation. On the whole the Democratic team did all right but not great and even some of the GOP Senators were effective (Sessions et al notwithstanding).
A special point should have been made by all the Dems and continually reinforced that this was not about the war on terror but about the rule of law.
Finally, Darksyde at Kos takes the time to remind us that the constant flaunting of 9/11 by the GOP stooges is stupid when put into its proper perspective. It's a point that we all need to reinforce at every opportunity.
And don't miss Digby's post which says in effect and in a much more polite way that basically the GOP will once again castrate themselves for Bush.
Needless to say I don't hold out much hope for the outcome of these hearings. The American people will not be served and Bush and company will have moved their fascist state forward once again.
Monday, February 06, 2006
It's Cold
Lucky I made the trip to Minnesota this week it is only 17 right now with a low scheduled at about 5 or so. Next week they are expecting a cold snap!
Safely here in beautiful frozen Maple Grove and snug in the hotel....tired and sleepy and can't even stay awake long enough to check in with all my link buddies. I will do better tomorrow.
Should be an interesting week with Abu Gonzales doing more "chicken dancing" and outright lying to the Congress. Will be interesting to see it develop.
Everyone have a good nights sleep and we'll catch you in the morning sometime.
Safely here in beautiful frozen Maple Grove and snug in the hotel....tired and sleepy and can't even stay awake long enough to check in with all my link buddies. I will do better tomorrow.
Should be an interesting week with Abu Gonzales doing more "chicken dancing" and outright lying to the Congress. Will be interesting to see it develop.
Everyone have a good nights sleep and we'll catch you in the morning sometime.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Too Cheap
Obviously airline tickets are too cheap. Every other person in Atlanta is at the airport this afternoon. You can hardly turn around.
Every plane I have been on this month has been packed and overbooked. This flight to Minneapolis this afternoon is no exception and yet Delta has lost 2 billion and change in the last 9 months. Just makes you wonder what management is doing.
It just seems that every week the crowds get larger. Granted a lot are fellow business travelers but there are a lot of casual travelers as well. If I wasn't a Platinum flyer that let's me expedite security I would be insane. We should maybe look at doubling prices.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Blogger is Fried
This is the first time Blogger has let me on this weekend in the few attempts I have made. Off to the snowy north this afternoon...Minneapolis BRRRR.
Will hope that blogger is feeling more civilized later this evening when I get to the hotel and thaw.
Later,
Will hope that blogger is feeling more civilized later this evening when I get to the hotel and thaw.
Later,
Friday, February 03, 2006
Off the Road Again
The Fallenmonk had journeyed once again across this fair land and now rests wearily in Roswell, Georgia. He has obiviously not missed any earth shaking developments whilst at 33,000 feet.
He is distrissed that Neil Shakespeare has forbidden him access but I must admit that I haven't gushed over his work in the last week. Fair's fair.
Totally "cream crackered" as my Brit freinds would say for I am going to bed with the Mrs.
See you tomorrow.
He is distrissed that Neil Shakespeare has forbidden him access but I must admit that I haven't gushed over his work in the last week. Fair's fair.
Totally "cream crackered" as my Brit freinds would say for I am going to bed with the Mrs.
See you tomorrow.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
He Said What!
Guess who said the following.
“For 40 years we always assumed the left would take care of our civil liberties,” [Guess WHO] said. “If there were problems, the Democrats were the ones who would push back. But now with a Republican Congress and a Republican in the White House, the ACLU can’t get their calls returned.”That's right...good guess... Grover Norquist. Here is the link.
Eating the Seed Corn
This comes via SteveAudio who links to the rather batshit crazy VDare but regardless it is an assessment of the state of the union by Paul Craig Roberts. This links up with some discussion in the comments by Steve Bates and Van from Gulf Coast Progressive on labor progress during the Bush disaster.
An early assessment of Lex Bushusuru II, 2006
An early assessment of Lex Bushusuru II, 2006
Gentle reader, if you prefer comforting lies to harsh truths, don’t read this column.Worth a read in its entirety but it is really depressing.
The state of the union is disastrous. By its naked aggression, bullying, illegal spying on Americans, and illegal torture and detentions, the Bush administration has demonstrated American contempt for the Geneva Convention, for human life and dignity, and for the civil liberties of its own citizens. Increasingly, the US is isolated in the world, having to resort to bribery and threats to impose its diktats. No country any longer looks to America for moral leadership. The US has become a rogue nation.
Least of all did President Bush tell any truth about the economy. He talked about economic growth rates without acknowledging that they result from eating the seed corn and do not produce jobs with a living wage for Americans. He touted a low rate of unemployment and did not admit that the figure is false because it does not count millions of discouraged workers who have dropped out of the work force.
Americans did not hear from Bush that a new Wal-Mart just opened on Chicago’s city boundary and 25,000 people applied for 325 jobs (Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 26), or that 11,000 people applied for a few Wal-Mart jobs in Oakland, California. Obviously, employment is far from full.
Neither did Bush tell Americans any of the dire facts reported by economist Charles McMillion in the January 19 issue of Manufacturing & Technology News:
During Bush’s presidency the US has experienced the slowest job creation on record (going back to 1939). During the past five years private business has added only 958,000 net new jobs to the economy, while the government sector has added 1.1 million jobs. Moreover, as many of the jobs are not for a full work week, “the country ended 2005 with fewer private sector hours worked than it had in January 2001.”
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
The Way its Done
Grace has another special post over at Scriptoids that will demonstrate how a SOTU should go. It is something to wish for and something you should read. If nothing else it will make you feel better about someone's state of the union.
Refreshing
Just spent a very pleasurable time watching Larry King interview Jimmy Carter on CNN. It really brings home the disaster of GW when you get to hear a man like Jimmy Carter answer questions truthfully. You can sense that the weighty issue has circled through his brain and been subjected to reasoned thought and analysis and that his answers truly reflect the way he feels and that there is no hidden meaning in what he says.
It is interesting for me to contrast the emotion I felt last night during the few minutes I watched the SOTU and how I felt watching Mr. Carter.
Net is I felt that I learned something after hearing Carter and that I had been fed the truth. Granted Jimmy is not running for office and is not even required to respond to the press or anyone but you still feel that he earnestly wants to communicate and it is not some necessary evil as our current president.
It was sure a refreshing change from the stream of lies and strutting displayed last night.
It is interesting for me to contrast the emotion I felt last night during the few minutes I watched the SOTU and how I felt watching Mr. Carter.
Net is I felt that I learned something after hearing Carter and that I had been fed the truth. Granted Jimmy is not running for office and is not even required to respond to the press or anyone but you still feel that he earnestly wants to communicate and it is not some necessary evil as our current president.
It was sure a refreshing change from the stream of lies and strutting displayed last night.
No More Telegrams
The end of a major part of American history. It was not a very well publicized change but as of Jan 27 Western Union has stopped doing telegrams. They are going to continue with their primary business which is money transfer and which represents a 3 billion dollar a year business.
I understand the economic pressures that forced this decision what with email and faxes so easy to do, it only makes sense. It is still sad and something depressing about something like telegrams disappearing. This something that has been a part of the fabric of America, and the world for that matter, for 145 years.
The world's first telegram was sent on May 24, 1844 by inventor Samuel Morse. The message, "What hath God wrought," was transmitted from Washington to Baltimore.
There are probably millions of people around the world that still remember a telegram that they recieved. Western Union delivered thousands of messages during WWII that brought the devastating news to families about the fate of their loved ones. Many others probably have happier memories connected with the telegram such as births and marriages.
Even though I haven't sent or received a telegram in 35 years or so it still seems like I have lost something.
I understand the economic pressures that forced this decision what with email and faxes so easy to do, it only makes sense. It is still sad and something depressing about something like telegrams disappearing. This something that has been a part of the fabric of America, and the world for that matter, for 145 years.
The world's first telegram was sent on May 24, 1844 by inventor Samuel Morse. The message, "What hath God wrought," was transmitted from Washington to Baltimore.
There are probably millions of people around the world that still remember a telegram that they recieved. Western Union delivered thousands of messages during WWII that brought the devastating news to families about the fate of their loved ones. Many others probably have happier memories connected with the telegram such as births and marriages.
Even though I haven't sent or received a telegram in 35 years or so it still seems like I have lost something.
More on the SOTU
I didn't watch the whole SOTU(which I haven't done since the Big Dog gave them) there are resources to get the scoop. You can turn to the Washington Post where they do a decent job of fact-checking all the lies meanwhile the New York Times provides a handy chart tracking the frequency with which Bush has used certain key words in his last six SOTUs.
(click on "Graphic: The Words He Used " in the left-hand margin)
They watched it so you didn't have to.
(click on "Graphic: The Words He Used " in the left-hand margin)
They watched it so you didn't have to.
Villaraigosa Does the Job.
Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of L.A. is on CNN right now and he evidently gave the Dem response to the SOTU in Spanish. He is ripping Bush a new one. Nothing positive and hitting every failing of the Bush disaster of a presidency. Very impressive and I can see why he is where he is.
Holy smoke! Why didn't give the English response as well. I will have to go look for the transcript sometime later. He is doing the job that Kaine failed to do last night. I wish I spoke Spanish so I could here his actual response speech. I wonder whether it will be translated and posted anywhere? I'm impressed.
Holy smoke! Why didn't give the English response as well. I will have to go look for the transcript sometime later. He is doing the job that Kaine failed to do last night. I wish I spoke Spanish so I could here his actual response speech. I wonder whether it will be translated and posted anywhere? I'm impressed.
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