Sunday, November 30, 2008
Bush's faulty math?
In a recent interview, George Bush said he'd like to be remembered, among other things, "as somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace..."
What 50 million is he talking about? Iraq has a population estimated at 28 million. So that's not it. Afghanistan has an estimated population of 32 million. So that's not it either. And of course, combining the two countries gives us 60 million, not 50. It's not like George Bush to cheat himself out of 10 million, so something else must be the right answer.
One possibility is that the 10 million difference is Bush accounting for all the dead from: defending their country against criminal foreign invaders, terrorist attacks, collateral damage, road side bombs, suicide bombers, victims of private security contractors, genocide, sectarian violence, torture, revenge killings, drastically reduced quality of health care, etc. This would make sense, since for an Old Testament type guy this massive amount of destruction would be something to be proud of.
Another possibility, since there is no peace and liberation still eludes many in those two countries, is that George Bush is just speaking from his fantasy world.
Am I missing any other explanation?
What 50 million is he talking about? Iraq has a population estimated at 28 million. So that's not it. Afghanistan has an estimated population of 32 million. So that's not it either. And of course, combining the two countries gives us 60 million, not 50. It's not like George Bush to cheat himself out of 10 million, so something else must be the right answer.
One possibility is that the 10 million difference is Bush accounting for all the dead from: defending their country against criminal foreign invaders, terrorist attacks, collateral damage, road side bombs, suicide bombers, victims of private security contractors, genocide, sectarian violence, torture, revenge killings, drastically reduced quality of health care, etc. This would make sense, since for an Old Testament type guy this massive amount of destruction would be something to be proud of.
Another possibility, since there is no peace and liberation still eludes many in those two countries, is that George Bush is just speaking from his fantasy world.
Am I missing any other explanation?
Honor Killings in Iraq: Getting Worse
News from the city of Basra are truly disturbing (emphasis mine):
So far this year, 81 women in the city have been murdered for allegedly bringing shame on their families. Only five people have been convicted.
The figures come despite international outrage which followed The Observer's coverage of the death of 17-year-old Rand Abdel-Qader, who was murdered by her father last April in an 'honour killing' after falling in love with a British soldier in Basra... She was suffocated by her father then hacked at with a knife. Abdel-Qader Ali was subsequently arrested and released without charge.Rand's mother, Leila Hussein, who divorced her husband after the killing, went into hiding but was tracked down weeks later and assassinated by an unknown gunman. Her husband had told The Observer that police had congratulated him for killing his daughter.
Seven months after the murders, the problem of these killings in Basra has become worse, according to lawyers.
Nine of the 12 voluntary organisations helping women in Basra have closed down since the US-led invasion.
Clearly we're not responsible for what is a disgusting tradition fueled by fanatical religious fucks, but I wonder if when George Bush and his sympathizers talk about "Mission Accomplished," "victory," and "liberation" relative to Iraq, they are proud of turning their backs on the women of Iraq.
Success in Iraq really shouldn't be measured just by the flow of oil.
The real conservative gene
Wow... this article by Neal Gabler was a real eye-opener to me. He suggests that the father of modern day conservatism is not Barry Goldwater, but Joe McCarthy:
The "McCarthy to Nixon to Bush and possibly now to Sarah Palin" connection sure does answer a lot of questions. Conservative pigs!
the real father of modern Republicanism is Sen. Joe McCarthy, and the line doesn't run from Goldwater to Reagan to George W. Bush; it runs from McCarthy to Nixon to Bush and possibly now to Sarah Palin. It centralizes what one might call the McCarthy gene, something deep in the DNA of the Republican Party that determines how Republicans run for office, and because it is genetic, it isn't likely to be expunged any time soon.This makes so much sense. It explains my visceral hate for all things and people representing the American conservative movement even thought I have a positive view of the likes of Goldwater, Reagan, Buckley (I didn't agree with them but never hated them).
The basic problem with the Goldwater tale is that it focuses on ideology and movement building, which few voters have ever really cared about, while the McCarthy tale focuses on electoral strategy, which is where Republicans have excelled.
The "McCarthy to Nixon to Bush and possibly now to Sarah Palin" connection sure does answer a lot of questions. Conservative pigs!
Technorati Tags: father of conservatism, republican dna
Promising Energy Technology
This report of a promising idea is the sort of thing that we should be working on. Even if this particular solution doesn't pan out, it signals that we're getting closer:
This is a good example of why we pay taxes and how we (through our representative government) should fund research that can enhance the lives of people instead of helping the very wealthy afford more yachts or apartments in the French Riviera.
A revolutionary device that can harness energy from slow-moving rivers and ocean currents could provide enough power for the entire world, scientists claim.If this is the kind of thing we are doing with the minimal attention of the current administration, just imagine how much further along we could be to solving our energy needs with safer and cleaner solutions if our government puts major muscle behind it, as Barack Obama has promised.
The system, conceived by scientists at the University of Michigan, is called Vivace, or "vortex-induced vibrations for aquatic clean energy".The new device, which has been inspired by the way fish swim, consists of a system of cylinders positioned horizontal to the water flow and attached to springs.
As water flows past, the cylinder creates vortices, which push and pull the cylinder up and down. The mechanical energy in the vibrations is then converted into electricity.
[The scientists] work, funded by the US Department of Energy and the US Office of Naval Research, is published in the current issue of the quarterly Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering.
This is a good example of why we pay taxes and how we (through our representative government) should fund research that can enhance the lives of people instead of helping the very wealthy afford more yachts or apartments in the French Riviera.
Technorati Tags: vivace, clean energy, government funding, ocean current energy
Bobby Jindal: The Republican what?!
The Washington Post has a story about Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of Louisiana, and how Republicans see in him the leading candidate for president in 2012, even including the insulting proposition that Jindal may be their (Republicans') version of Obama.
Jindal appeals to Republicans because of:
Jindal appeals to Republicans because of:
his steadfast opposition to abortion without exceptions; his disapproval of embryonic stem cell research; his and his wife Supriya's decision in 1997 to enter into a Louisiana covenant marriage that prohibits no-fault divorce in the state; and his decision in June to sign into law the Louisiana Science Education Act, a bill heartily supported by creationists that permits public school teachers to educate students about both the theory of "scientific design" and criticisms of Darwinian evolutionary concepts.On the claim that Republicans think Jindal may be their version of Obama, I like this comment by a visitor in the Huffington Post:
Does this mean the GOP sees Jindal as an unpatriotic, inexperienced, socialist, closet mu.sl.im who pals around with ter.ro.ri.sts?Considering Jindal's fundamentalist conservative views, his convertion from Hinduism to Christianity (oh how evangelicals will love that) and notwithstanding his brains -- he is a Rhodes scholar, which might actually play against him in that party -- he sounds like the future of the Republican party.
Technorati Tags: bobby jindal, future of republican party
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Southern whites and the Republican party
Salon.com has an interesting analysis of voting patterns in the South and what they might mean to the future of the Republican party. I find the following points quite interesting:
This election was further proof that the blacker a Southern state, the more Republican its whites.I suppose Salon is being too politically correct. What I gather they're saying is Republicans won't lose the inbred vote but the numbers of the inbred may be declining. Am I getting it right?
... only 14 percent of whites in Louisiana, 11 percent of whites in Mississippi, and 10 percent of whites in Alabama, according to exit polls, voted for Obama. Those shockingly low figures are, by far, the lowest percentages in the United States, where the overall figure for white support of Obama was around 43 percent.
Those white voters with roots in the South seem to be more Republican than those white voters who moved in from out of state.
... the numbers mean that, on the presidential level at least, the solid Republican South may be mortally wounded. The bluing of Virginia and North Carolina shows no signs of abating, and may be spreading to places like Nashville, Tennessee and the Atlanta suburbs.
Help your local economy
The serious financial crisis does pit some of our self-interests against each other. To spend or to save? Do we help to jump-start the economy or do we prepare for tough times ahead?
I really don't know what to but this is good advice, not only for the upcoming holidays, but going forward:
I really don't know what to but this is good advice, not only for the upcoming holidays, but going forward:
if you do decide to spend for the holidays, SPEND THAT MONEY AT LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES - there's no good reason for you to shop at a chain store. I've been spending 2008 trying to wean myself off of Target and some of the other big chains. It's not difficult since their products have become unimaginably crappy, and the money that you spend at a locally owned store puts more money back into the local economy.
1 for 6
Our Royal Highness, president George Bush said that:
I wonder if George Bush will ever run into someone who'll say to him, in a language he can understand: "George, you're so full of shit!"
he wanted to be known “as somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace; that focused on individuals rather than process; that rallied people to serve their neighbor; that led an effort to help relieve HIV/AIDS and malaria on places like the continent of Africa; that helped elderly people get prescription drugs and Medicare as a part of the basic package; that came to Washington, D.C., with a set of political statements and worked as hard as I possibly could to do what I told the American people I would do.”By my count, and limiting myself just to his own list, George Bush was 0ne for six (I know, he could and should have done a lot more about HIV/AIDS, but I'm feeling generous today).
I wonder if George Bush will ever run into someone who'll say to him, in a language he can understand: "George, you're so full of shit!"
Friday, November 28, 2008
Lori Drew trial
On Wednesday, the jury returned a verdict on the Lori Drew case. If you're not familiar with the case and want more details about it, or if you have an opinion about the case, visit our ARGville Forum and discuss it with us.
Technorati Tags: lori drew, megan meier, cyberspace bully, discussion forum
Trampled
Stupid fucking people:
Wal-Mart shoppers... for the most part, the lowest common denominators amongst us.
Just so they can say they saved x% on the worthless piece of shit they bought, which they most likely don't need.A Wal-Mart worker died after being trampled when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island store Friday morning, police and witnesses said.
The 34-year-old worker, employed as an overnight stock clerk, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m.
Witnesses said the surging throngs of shoppers knocked the man down. He fell and was stepped on. As he gasped for air, shoppers ran over and around him.
Wal-Mart shoppers... for the most part, the lowest common denominators amongst us.
Technorati Tags: wal-mart shoppers, trampled to death, pieces of shit
Mental gymnastics
There is one thing I kind of admire about American conservatives: the mental gymnastics it takes to justify their views is quite remarkable. Here's one example of conservatives saying "heads we win, tails you lose":
In an open letter to Barack Obama, Religious Right Tony Perkins said:
But here comes the mental gymnastics: conservatives do not draw the same conclusions about abortions in light of losses by the right -- including one on parental consent in California, a "personhood" amendment in Colorado, and two outright rejections of anti-choice laws in the conservative state of South Dakota.
In an open letter to Barack Obama, Religious Right Tony Perkins said:
the passage of amendments in three states that banned same-sex marriage shows their values have staying power.It's a fair point, even if those amendments have the same feel as preventing blacks and women from voting, or preventing the sale of alcohol across the country, that is, it's just a matter of time before society recognizes the wrongness of its action."This was, I think, more of a referendum on the Republican Party than conservative values," he said. "We focused upon the marriage amendments in the three states ... They passed in two states (California and Florida), which Barack Obama carried handily."
But here comes the mental gymnastics: conservatives do not draw the same conclusions about abortions in light of losses by the right -- including one on parental consent in California, a "personhood" amendment in Colorado, and two outright rejections of anti-choice laws in the conservative state of South Dakota.
So the anti-gay amendments that passed prove that Obama has no "mandate to impose or to advance a liberal social agenda," but conversely nothing at all can be concluded about choice issues even though every such initiative failed just because the anti-choice forces say so?Conservatives deserve a 10 (or whatever that number represents in the new gymnastics scoring system) for how they justify their blatant disregard for reality.
Technorati Tags: conservative views, same sex marriages, christian right, mental gymnastics
Now, life is perfect
Have you ever gone through life knowing that something is missing but you can't quite put your finger on it? Well... check that one something off the list:
The Princess Bride had everything: Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles...(but no action figures) Now, over at ThinkGeek, they have provided some icing on the cake of all fans of the Rob Reiner film which introduced Robin Wright (aka Jenny from Forrest Gump, aka now Sean Penn’s wife) to the world, gave us Peter Falk (aka Columbo) as Fred Savage’s (aka kid from The Wonder Years) grandfather and included a WWF wrestler in a lead role.
Introducing the Dread Pirate Roberts Action Figure...
Technorati Tags: princess bride, dread pirate roberts, action figure
Thursday, November 27, 2008
10 Republican creeps
If there was a god, these 10 Republicans would disappear from the face of the planet. Here's one of the 10, just to wet your appetite:
How "rich" is this list? So much so that these people didn't even make the cut: Ann Coulter, Tom Delay, Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist, Neil Cavuto, Norm Coleman, Ben Stein, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Bachmann... you get the idea.4. Dick Morris
A former Clinton political consultant turned Fox News 'Analyst', Morris made his living selling political imagery to ailing politicians, using his skills in lying, cheating and distortion to their maximum capacity... While defending Morris from his jeering audience, John Stewart deftly put it "In fairness, Dick Morris is a lying sack of Shit".
Thanksviging Message
From Barack Obama's Thanksgiving Day message (emphasis mine):
On Wednesday, I visited a food bank at Saint Columbanus Parish in Chicago. There – as in so many communities across America – folks pitched in time and resources to give a lift to their neighbors in need. It is this spirit that binds us together as one American family – the belief that we rise and fall as one people; that we want that American Dream not just for ourselves, but for each other.That’s the spirit we must summon as we make a new beginning for our nation. Times are tough. There are difficult months ahead. But we can renew our nation the same way that we have in the many years since Lincoln’s first Thanksgiving: by coming together to overcome adversity; by reaching for – and working for – new horizons of opportunity for all Americans.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
That's quite a list
Check out this list of some of the people who didn't take George Bush's criminal and incompetent acts sitting down. They paid a price for it but kept their integrity.
Here are some examples (but do check the whole list):
Here are some examples (but do check the whole list):
Bunnatine ("Bunny") Greenhouse, the top official at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in charge of awarding government contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq, was demoted... After telling congress that one Halliburton deal was "the most blatant and improper contract abuse I have witnessed during the course of my professional career," she was reassigned from "the elite Senior Executive Service... to a lesser job in the civil works division of the corps."The list is long. There are some familiar names (such as Joe Wilson, Valerie Plame, Richard Clarke, Pat Tillman), but most are unsung heroes.John Brady Kiesling: A career diplomat who served four presidents over a twenty year span, he tendered his letter of resignation from his post as Political Counselor in the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece on the eve of the invasion of Iraq. Resigned, February 27, 2003.
John Brown: After nearly 25-years, this veteran of the Foreign Service, he wrote: "I cannot in good conscience support President Bush's war plans against Iraq. Resigned, March 10, 2003.
Frederick A. Black: launched an investigation of top Republican fundraiser and now infamous Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. A day later, a "White House news release announced that Bush was replacing Black". After 10 years on the job, he was demoted to a staff post. The inquiry into Abramoff's activities soon ended. Demoted, November 19, 2002.
Whatever Obama does is OK?
TomP, over at DailyKos, asks that question and asserts that:
1. Forgiving Joe Lieberman. There are times when principled positions are more important than votes. Just ask LJB and the Civil Rights Act. Johnson knew Democrats would lose the South for generations, but he still did the right thing. Lieberman should have paid a price for his disgusting attacks against Democrats.
2. Keeping Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. There is no position Obama took during the campaign that disagreed more with the Bush administration than his stance on Iraq, a stance that the American people largely supports. Nothing would send the message to the world that we mean change than removing those involved with this criminal war. And while Mr. Gates came rather late to the party and has been saner than most in the Bush gang, he's still part of the Bush gang.
Do these two decisions sour me on Mr. Obama? Not at all. I'll be looking for results, not symbolism. And as long as the Democrats stay united and take advantage of their majority, and as long as we wind down the Iraq war as promised (with some leeway), I'll be satisfied.
Now, please mister president-elect, no more Republicans in your administration. Please!
I think Barack Obama is decent person who seeks to do good. But that does not mean he's right on every choice. He has never claimed infallibility. It's okay to criticize decisions he makes that I (or you) disagree with. It really is.I have to say that so far I have the following complaints about Obama:
1. Forgiving Joe Lieberman. There are times when principled positions are more important than votes. Just ask LJB and the Civil Rights Act. Johnson knew Democrats would lose the South for generations, but he still did the right thing. Lieberman should have paid a price for his disgusting attacks against Democrats.
2. Keeping Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. There is no position Obama took during the campaign that disagreed more with the Bush administration than his stance on Iraq, a stance that the American people largely supports. Nothing would send the message to the world that we mean change than removing those involved with this criminal war. And while Mr. Gates came rather late to the party and has been saner than most in the Bush gang, he's still part of the Bush gang.
Do these two decisions sour me on Mr. Obama? Not at all. I'll be looking for results, not symbolism. And as long as the Democrats stay united and take advantage of their majority, and as long as we wind down the Iraq war as promised (with some leeway), I'll be satisfied.
Now, please mister president-elect, no more Republicans in your administration. Please!
Technorati Tags: barack obama, obama not always right, disagreeing with obama, watching obama
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Looters
Bob Herbert:
Once Barack Obama takes charge, more Americans will realize just how bad George Bush and his Republican ship of bandits have really screwed up this country. They will realize all the things that government can and should have been doing but didn't, and all the things that they did that simply harmed this country.The idea that the nation had all but stopped investing in its infrastructure, and that officials in Washington have ignored the crucial role of job creation as the cornerstone of a thriving economy is beyond mind-boggling. It’s impossible to understand.
Impossible, that is, until you realize that bandits don’t waste time repairing a building that they’re looting...
One of the reasons the U.S. is in such deep trouble is that it has stopped being smart — turning its back on excellence, sophistication and long-term planning — in its public policies and corporate behavior. We’ve seen it in Iraq, in New Orleans, in the fiscal policies of the Bush administration, in the scandalous neglect of public education, in the financial sector meltdown, the auto industry and on and on. We’ve lionized dimwits. And now we’re paying the price.
Technorati Tags: bush and republicans, looters, worst president ever, looting a nation
He was so right
This video is about 10 minutes long. It's well-worth watching. This is what's in it:
This video sequence offers a compendium of appearances (covering the 2006-2007 period) by Euro Pacific Capital president Peter Schiff... What astonishes is not just the accuracy of his dour predictions about the economy but the sheer arrogance of every other person appearing on these programs... Every time Schiff says something sensible, the pundits surrounding him snort and howl. They treat him with undisguised contempt and hatred, as though he had just called for ending the laws against homicide or reducing the age of consent to three.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Thank you, Sarah Palin
Private is not better
I have stated here before that the Republican mantra that private business do things better than government is a myth. Really, it's a big lie. The current economic crisis and the troubles so many companies have gotten into because of poor management is one example that justifies my views. Here's another example:
Private health insurance plans, which serve nearly a fourth of all Medicare beneficiaries, have increased the cost and complexity of the program without any evidence of improving care, researchers say in studies to be published Monday...I'll say it again: private businesses are very good at generating revenue but poor at controlling expenses.
two analysts from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Carlos Zarabozo and Scott Harrison, said that growth in private plans had driven up costs because the government pays them 13 percent more on average than what it would spend for the same beneficiaries in traditional Medicare... Payments to health maintenance organizations are, on average, 12 percent higher than what the government would spend for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare, they write, while payments to private fee-for-service plans were 17 percent higher.
Technorati Tags: health care costs, medicare, private medicare plans, medicare advantage
Coleman is a creep
The recount for the Senate seat in Minnesota continues. Norm Coleman, the Republican is challenging ballots where the voter circled John McCain for president and Al Franken, the Democrat, for the Senate. Coleman's logic is that anyone who voted for McCain must have intended to vote for Coleman. I kid you not. That's his logic. Look at the ballots yourself:
I understand fighting hard for your side, but this is so ridiculous, so wrong, so... so... so... well, so Republican.
I understand fighting hard for your side, but this is so ridiculous, so wrong, so... so... so... well, so Republican.
Technorati Tags: norm coleman, al franken, minnesota senate recount
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Most Americans
In his excellent blog, S.W. Anderson says this:
The number of voters who are "craven, cowardly and consumed by fear and resentment" is just simply still too high, as evidenced by Republicans victories over the last several years. And let's not ignore that while they were beaten this cycle by an outstanding candidate who ran a flawless campaign, our opponents did everything possible to lose this race. The election results would have been much closer if not for an economy that blew up at the worst possible time for McCain, and for his miscalculation about Sarah Palin, which removed from McCain the one weapon that could have harmed Obama -- his inexperience.
I'm afraid that the party of stupid, hate, and greed will not go away and will have sufficient number of voters on their side who are "craven, cowardly and consumed by fear and resentment" to augment the religious fanatics, the racists, the xenophobic, the greedy, the homophobic, and the plain stupid, to cause enough harm to other Americans in the years ahead. All they need is a candidate that really knows how to push their buttons.
I hope I'm wrong.
Most Americans, by their nature, aren’t craven, cowardly and consumed by fear and resentment. More than a few can be incited to those things for awhile. A few are that way all the time. But the majority, most of the time, will see through the manipulation.I think that statement is accurate, but much less so if we qualify it this way: "Most American voters..." Then it's a different story.
The number of voters who are "craven, cowardly and consumed by fear and resentment" is just simply still too high, as evidenced by Republicans victories over the last several years. And let's not ignore that while they were beaten this cycle by an outstanding candidate who ran a flawless campaign, our opponents did everything possible to lose this race. The election results would have been much closer if not for an economy that blew up at the worst possible time for McCain, and for his miscalculation about Sarah Palin, which removed from McCain the one weapon that could have harmed Obama -- his inexperience.
I'm afraid that the party of stupid, hate, and greed will not go away and will have sufficient number of voters on their side who are "craven, cowardly and consumed by fear and resentment" to augment the religious fanatics, the racists, the xenophobic, the greedy, the homophobic, and the plain stupid, to cause enough harm to other Americans in the years ahead. All they need is a candidate that really knows how to push their buttons.
I hope I'm wrong.
Technorati Tags: fear mongers, republican party, party of stupid, american voters
It's the brains, stupid
I hope you read Ship of Fools, an article in The Economist. I don't disagree with the basic premise of the article, which you can gather from the selected quotes below:
While it's true that the nation has become, and will continue to be, better educated, the Republican party will continue to appeal to the greedy, the hateful, and the stupid. And there are plenty of those folks around.
There are any number of reasons for the Republican Party’s defeat on November 4th. But high on the list is the fact that the party lost the battle for brains...There's a lot more good stuff in the article, with plenty of poll numbers to justify some of the statements. But, I just don't think the article goes far enough in terms of Republicans' historical, and present, lack of ideas.
The Republicans lost the battle of ideas even more comprehensively than they lost the battle for educated votes, marching into the election armed with nothing more than slogans. Energy? Just drill, baby, drill. Global warming? Crack a joke about Ozone Al. Immigration? Send the bums home. Torture and Guantánamo? Wear a T-shirt saying you would rather be water-boarding. Ha ha. During the primary debates, three out of ten Republican candidates admitted that they did not believe in evolution.
Republicanism’s anti-intellectual turn is devastating for its future... This is happening at a time when the American population is becoming more educated... The Republican Party’s current “redneck strategy” will leave it appealing to a shrinking and backward-looking portion of the electorate.
Why is this happening? One reason is that conservative brawn has lost patience with brains of all kinds, conservative or liberal. Many conservatives—particularly lower-income ones—are consumed with elemental fury about everything from immigration to liberal do-gooders. They take their opinions from talk-radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and the deeply unsubtle Sean Hannity. And they regard Mrs Palin’s apparent ignorance not as a problem but as a badge of honour.
While it's true that the nation has become, and will continue to be, better educated, the Republican party will continue to appeal to the greedy, the hateful, and the stupid. And there are plenty of those folks around.
Technorati Tags: republican party, party of stupid, Republicans hate, Republicans and stupidity
MSL Cup
Today, at 3:30 pm ET, it's New York Red Bulls versus Columbus Crew for the championship of Major League Soccer (MLS). The game will be televised on ABC and Telefutura.
I have mixed feelings about this game. As a New York fan and season ticket holder, I'd like them to win, but on the other hand, a team that finished with more loses than wins during the regular season shouldn't even be participating in this game. They really are a mediocre team.
But... what the heck, considering that all teams in this league are more or less mediocre, I'll take the silverware! GO RED BULLS!
I have mixed feelings about this game. As a New York fan and season ticket holder, I'd like them to win, but on the other hand, a team that finished with more loses than wins during the regular season shouldn't even be participating in this game. They really are a mediocre team.
But... what the heck, considering that all teams in this league are more or less mediocre, I'll take the silverware! GO RED BULLS!
Technorati Tags: new york red bulls, columbus crew, soccer bowl, msl, major league soccer
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Reich to the rescue
This economy mess... Citigroup, GM, bailouts, bankruptcy... I don't know about you, but I find the problem overwhelming and mostly over my head. And I don't trust anyone from the Bush administration, Wall street, or most pundits --too many are just mouth pieces for special interests -- to level with us.
Luckily, there is someone whose integrity and ability to simplify this complex issue I trust: Robert Reich. So, should we save Citigroup or GM? Mister Reich gives us the info to help us form an opinion.
Luckily, there is someone whose integrity and ability to simplify this complex issue I trust: Robert Reich. So, should we save Citigroup or GM? Mister Reich gives us the info to help us form an opinion.
Technorati Tags: robert reich, financial crisis, gm bailout, citigroup bailout
Friday, November 21, 2008
Clintonites and Change
Many political pundits are making an issue of the prospect that Barack Obama will nominate a predominant number of Cabinet and administration staff members from the ranks of the Bill Clinton administration. Their main objection is that such moves do not constitute the change that Barack Obama campaigned on.
I beg to differ.
Naming people connected to Bill Clinton represents a drastic change from the George Bush administration because it means that, for the most part, we'll get qualified, experienced, intelligent, articulate, vetted, competent, dedicated Americans with the integrity to lead us.
Really, the change couldn't be any more glaring.
I beg to differ.
Naming people connected to Bill Clinton represents a drastic change from the George Bush administration because it means that, for the most part, we'll get qualified, experienced, intelligent, articulate, vetted, competent, dedicated Americans with the integrity to lead us.
Really, the change couldn't be any more glaring.
Technorati Tags: clintonites, bill clinton, barack obama, change, obama administration
Republican party: the nuts are in control
Yesterday I posted the results of a Gallup poll showing the Republican party with 61% unfavorable rating. But as Erik Kleefeld points out, the news are even worse for the party of stupid, hate, and greed:
A separate question in the data set showed 59% of Republicans saying the party needs to be more conservative, compared to only 12% who say the party should be less conservative. So not only is the pool of Republican voters shrinking, but the ones who remain are really nuts...
Hmm, can anyone say Palin/Bachmann in 2012?
Technorati Tags: republican party, republican nuts, party of greed
Say it with me: I'm a proud liberal
I've never liked the term "progressive" as a replacement for the word "liberal" and I've never stopped referring to my political views as liberal. I'm not alone:
If the conservative era is over, can liberals come out of their defensive crouch and call themselves liberals again, instead of progressives?In the last two decades, Democratic politicians, including Barack Obama, have abandoned the term "liberal" for "progressive." The theory was that Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush -- and Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Pat Buchanan -- had succeeded in equating "liberal" in the public mind with weakness on defense, softness on crime, and "redistribution" of Joe the Plumber's hard-earned money...Follow this link for Michael Lind's list of reasons why we should use liberal instead of progressive. But for me, this quote from John F. Kennedy is enough reason:
I've always been uncomfortable with this rather soulless and manipulative exercise in rebranding, for a number of reasons.
What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?" If by "Liberal" they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of "Liberal." But if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."
Technorati Tags: liberal, progressive, john f. kennedy
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Merry fucking christmas to you, asshole
Apparently it's not just wacky Bill O'Reilly that worries about the fate of Christmas. Not only will its demise cause the western world to collapse, but according to an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, the current economic crisis is the result of too many Americans not saying "Merry Christmas":
So, let me get this straight: what we need to fix the economic crisis are more people who are totally incensitive to the religion of others or are hypocritical about their non-beliefs. Who knew it would be that simple.
Well... actually, it won't be that simple. Religion has lost the war on Christmas a long time ago.
Notwithstanding the cardboard Santas who seem to have arrived in stores this year near Halloween, the holiday season starts in seven days with Thanksgiving. And so it will come to pass once again that many people will spend four weeks biting on tongues lest they say "Merry Christmas" and perchance, give offense. Christmas, the holiday that dare not speak its name.I know, it sounds like a piece form the Onion, but I assure you, it's not. Check the link.
This year we celebrate the desacralized "holidays" amid what is for many unprecedented economic ruin -- fortunes halved, jobs lost, homes foreclosed. People wonder, What happened? One man's theory: A nation whose people can't say "Merry Christmas" is a nation capable of ruining its own economy.
So, let me get this straight: what we need to fix the economic crisis are more people who are totally incensitive to the religion of others or are hypocritical about their non-beliefs. Who knew it would be that simple.
Well... actually, it won't be that simple. Religion has lost the war on Christmas a long time ago.
Americans say: Republicans suck
Republican party image is the shits:
The Republican Party's image has gone from bad to worse over the past month, as only 34% of Americans in a Nov. 13-16 Gallup Poll say they have a favorable view of the party, down from 40% in mid-October. The 61% now holding an unfavorable view of the GOP is the highest Gallup has recorded for that party since the measure was established in 1992.It's time to pour it on and obliterate the party of stupid, hate, and greed. Let's work on health care reform, energy, Iraq, economy, and environment. And of course, speak in complete sentences.
By contrast, the public's views of the Democratic Party remain as positive after the election as they were just prior to it. More than half of Americans, 55%, currently hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party and only 39% an unfavorable view, highly typical of views toward the Democrats all year.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Is god made of putty?
Some christian right wing nuts won't give up on the idea that Obama wasn't born in the US. And now that Obama has won the election, they are hoping that god interfere and prevent him from taking office. Jane Porter is such a christian right wing nut:
The way these people mold their view of god to suit their political agendas shows an amazing lack of respect for their deity. If he exists, he should strike them dead, or turn them into stone, or drown them, or something biblical like that.
The good news is the real election hasn't taken place yet. The Electoral College d oesn't meet until Dec. 15. That gives us less than a month to find the answers to the looming questions regarding whether Barack Obama meets the constitutional requirements for the office of president ... If God is the same today as He was yesterday, He can still split the sea, raise the dead, stop the sun and reverse the results of the popular vote if the basic requirements of the Constitution are not met in the candidate.If god didn't want Obama to take office, why did he let him win the election? Heck, why didn't he make him a real Muslim? And if Obama does take office, does that mean god can no longer split the sea and raise the dead?
The way these people mold their view of god to suit their political agendas shows an amazing lack of respect for their deity. If he exists, he should strike them dead, or turn them into stone, or drown them, or something biblical like that.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Pink Cows no more
It's a total surprise, but the NY Pink Cows Red Bulls have, for the first time in their miserable history, made it to the final of Soccer Bowl, Major League Soccer's championship game.
Their trip to this event comes after the team finished the regular season under .500 (10 wins, 11 losses), and because of quirky rules, they will represent the west (that's right, a New York team will represent the Western conference -- now that's some rules in need of changing), and from my own personal observations as a season ticker holder, I must confess that this really is a mediocre team, at best.
But none of it matters now. They are facing the Columbus Crew on Sunday. It's one game. The ball is round. And we can win this thing. Yes we can.
Their trip to this event comes after the team finished the regular season under .500 (10 wins, 11 losses), and because of quirky rules, they will represent the west (that's right, a New York team will represent the Western conference -- now that's some rules in need of changing), and from my own personal observations as a season ticker holder, I must confess that this really is a mediocre team, at best.
But none of it matters now. They are facing the Columbus Crew on Sunday. It's one game. The ball is round. And we can win this thing. Yes we can.
A Democratic disappoimtment
So the Democrats in the Senate decided to allow Senator Joe Lieberman to stay in the Democratic caucus and to retain the coveted Homeland Security chairmanship.
I'm disappointed.
It is stuff like this that prevents me from calling myself a Democrat, even if I can't imagine ever voting for a Republican, ever.
Senator Lieberman should not have retained the chairmanship for two reasons: one, he's simply been terrible at it; two, his attacks on Senator Obama and fellow Democrats were simply way over the top.
I'm all against removing him as an act of revenge, and I understand the importance of getting as many votes as possible to pass important legislation. But damn it, there are times when you simply can't allow someone to walk all over you, when you have to send the message that you can't be fucked with, and if you do, there will be consequences.
In my mind, this was an act of weakness.
I'm disappointed.
It is stuff like this that prevents me from calling myself a Democrat, even if I can't imagine ever voting for a Republican, ever.
Senator Lieberman should not have retained the chairmanship for two reasons: one, he's simply been terrible at it; two, his attacks on Senator Obama and fellow Democrats were simply way over the top.
I'm all against removing him as an act of revenge, and I understand the importance of getting as many votes as possible to pass important legislation. But damn it, there are times when you simply can't allow someone to walk all over you, when you have to send the message that you can't be fucked with, and if you do, there will be consequences.
In my mind, this was an act of weakness.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Timetables
-- "Timetables"
-- I do not think that word means what you think it means.
So, it turns out Bush is for timetables in Iraq after he was against them. But does he really have a choice? I don't think so. Mister Bush has simply become the lamest of all lame duck presidents and the world is simply passing him by.
-- I do not think that word means what you think it means.
So, it turns out Bush is for timetables in Iraq after he was against them. But does he really have a choice? I don't think so. Mister Bush has simply become the lamest of all lame duck presidents and the world is simply passing him by.
When will they...
When will Republicans stop repeating the nonsense that private businesses do things better than government? How many large companies must fail for that false notion to dissipate?
This Republican myth is a big one with me because I have worked as a consultant with Fortunate 500 companies for many years to improve their efficiencies and reduce operating costs, and it's appalling how much waste goes on. It's not that the people running these companies are stupid, it's that most corporate executives focus most of their talent and energy on increasing revenue. Reducing costs is a lower priority, one that only gets major attention when the company runs into trouble.
The government doesn't pay for ridiculously high salaries and bonuses, spend on expensive and lavish corner offices, throw parties worthy of Hollywood starlets, live or die based on quarterly financial results and their impact on the price of their shares, and take risks that too often cause thousands of employees to lose their jobs.
I'm not suggesting that government does everything better, far from it, but the blanket statement that private businesses do things better or more efficiently than government is simply a myth. Don't believe me? Go ask employees of Sallie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Lehman Bros, American auto industry workers, Enron, Wang, etc. etc.
Here's another take on that Republican myth:
The best way to stop this myth is to have fewer Republicans.
This Republican myth is a big one with me because I have worked as a consultant with Fortunate 500 companies for many years to improve their efficiencies and reduce operating costs, and it's appalling how much waste goes on. It's not that the people running these companies are stupid, it's that most corporate executives focus most of their talent and energy on increasing revenue. Reducing costs is a lower priority, one that only gets major attention when the company runs into trouble.
The government doesn't pay for ridiculously high salaries and bonuses, spend on expensive and lavish corner offices, throw parties worthy of Hollywood starlets, live or die based on quarterly financial results and their impact on the price of their shares, and take risks that too often cause thousands of employees to lose their jobs.
I'm not suggesting that government does everything better, far from it, but the blanket statement that private businesses do things better or more efficiently than government is simply a myth. Don't believe me? Go ask employees of Sallie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Lehman Bros, American auto industry workers, Enron, Wang, etc. etc.
Here's another take on that Republican myth:
Why is it so horrible when we hear about private sector lay offs, but reducing the number of government employees is seen as progress? Aren't they people too? I mean it's just as devastating to a civil servant to get a pink slip as it is for someone working in the private sector.So when will Republicans stop saying it? They won't stop! That line is fed to them by private businesses and Republicans aren't likely to stop and think before parroting the line.
The bottom line is that the business of government is just as important if not more so than the "private sector" to the economic health of our country. Maintaining the military, constructing and maintaining our transportation infrastructures, and all the other endeavors our government carries out has been the single most significant factor resulting in the prosperity and success of our economy.
The best way to stop this myth is to have fewer Republicans.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
What's with Republicans and stupidity?
If the results of this Rasmussen poll from a few days ago doesn't prove that the Republican party has become a party of the stupid, nothing will:
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republican voters say Alaska Governor Sarah Palin helped John McCain’s bid for the presidency... Only 20% of GOP voters say Palin hurt the party’s ticket... Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable... When asked to choose among some of the GOP’s top names for their choice for the party’s 2012 presidential nominee, 64% say Palin... These findings echo a survey earlier this week which found that Republicans were happier with their vice presidential candidate than with their presidential nominee. Seventy-one percent (71%) said McCain made the right choice by picking Palin as his running mate, while only 65% said the party picked the right nominee for president.
Are these people for real? For crying out loud, this teenage-like crush obsession is dangerous. But on the other hand... Palin v Obama in 2012? Sounds like fun.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Trust the man
I'm not spending much time wondering who Obama is picking for his administration. For one, it's virtually impossible for me to know the qualifications of White House staff, but mainly, I trusted the man with my vote so I trust him now to make the right staff choices.
Some are complaining about all the former Clintonites being chosen. I don't have a problem with that. I'm all for competence and successful track record, and who better than those who work with Clinton to facilitate a return of peace and prosperity? Sure, Obama ran on a theme of "change" but Clintonites offer a massive change from the last eith years, and when it comes to major policy initiatives, Obama will be the driving force.
So, I'm letting the man get the help he thinks will bring success.
Some are complaining about all the former Clintonites being chosen. I don't have a problem with that. I'm all for competence and successful track record, and who better than those who work with Clinton to facilitate a return of peace and prosperity? Sure, Obama ran on a theme of "change" but Clintonites offer a massive change from the last eith years, and when it comes to major policy initiatives, Obama will be the driving force.
So, I'm letting the man get the help he thinks will bring success.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Threats
From the "Sadly, does this surprise anyone?" category:
Threats against a new president historically spike right after an election, but from Maine to Idaho law enforcement officials are seeing more against Barack Obama than ever before... since the Nov. 4 election, law enforcement officials have seen more potentially threatening writings, Internet postings and other activity directed at Obama than has been seen with any past president-electI just hope these guys are working overtime on Obama's security.
Negative campaigns
I don't have a problem with negative campaigns. I think the tone of a campaign says as much about the attacked as it says about the attacker. How the attacked handles the attacks give us a peek into their make-up and helps determine the outcome of the election.
In this sense, I agree with Sarah Palin that she had every right to being up Obama's association with Bill Ayers. The American voters heard her and decided that the attacks were silly, to the point that they even backfired on the McCain/Palin ticket.
So no, I don't have a problem with Mrs. Palin talking up that point; it just puzzles why she continues to do it now, knowing that it reflects negatively on her.
Why is that? Stupidity? Stubbornness? Meanness? Take your pick. Whatever the reason, I just hope she keeps it up.
In this sense, I agree with Sarah Palin that she had every right to being up Obama's association with Bill Ayers. The American voters heard her and decided that the attacks were silly, to the point that they even backfired on the McCain/Palin ticket.
So no, I don't have a problem with Mrs. Palin talking up that point; it just puzzles why she continues to do it now, knowing that it reflects negatively on her.
Why is that? Stupidity? Stubbornness? Meanness? Take your pick. Whatever the reason, I just hope she keeps it up.
Looking down on Bush
How bad have you been when even Vladimir Putin pauses at the thought of being like you? This exchange between Putin and Sarkozy, the president of France, shows just how soiled the American president has become:
With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia's Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. "I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls," Mr Putin declared.
Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. "Hang him?" -- he asked. "Why not?" Mr Putin replied. "The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein."
Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: "Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?" Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: "Ah -- you have scored a point there."
Is it January 20 yet?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Will he aim for the sky?
By VictorM:Considering what has happened to this country as a result of the Republican party's reckless role over the last several decades, I think this paragraph is right on the money:
The greatest risk for Democrats is not that Obama will try to do too much, but that their terror of failure will lead them to waste an historic opportunity. This is not a Clintonian moment. It is more like the moment Lyndon Johnson inherited in 1965, or the one Franklin Roosevelt faced in 1933--a chance to reshape American government. The Democrats have it in their grasp to master the great problems of public life if they can summon their collective nerve. The only thing they have to fear is fear itself.During the Clinton years we had mostly peace and prosperity, but in the overall scheme of things, we pretty much made no major shifts in government, certainly nothing close to the New Deal or the Great Society -- massive government action that forever changed the land. Obama does have the opportunity to strike big.
It's time for massive health care reform, for a drastic change in energy policy, and a giant step into a greener and much safer environment. The kind of stuff that there is no going back on. And as an added perk to me, the kind of stuff that drives right wing nuts bat shit crazy.
The big question is: will Obama and the Democrats go for it?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Music to my ears
By VictorM:These are some of the choice quotes I selected from this article dealing with Barack Obama and his transition team:
Obama has a great respect for expertise. His instinct is that in any field, gather the leading experts and go after them... This is not amateur hour -- this is not crony time... Obama is extremely well-prepared. There is a lot of talk coming out of the Bush administration about a seamless transition. But in many instances, the Obama people know as much about what is happening in the Cabinet agencies as the Bush people do.
And some people wondered if "change" was just a slogan -- it appears it is not!
F.U.
By VictorM:So Joe Scarborough said "fuck you" on a live television program. And it's worth pointing out, as Glenn Greenwald does, that Joe has been extremely critical of others who have done such a thing. But for me, on a list of offensive things the man has said, "fuck you" rests all the way at the bottom.
Anyway, watch it yourself:Monday, November 10, 2008
It's a changing world
Good morning, America!
By VictorM:The results of the election have sunk in, and man oh man, what a great time to be an American. The smell of respecting intelligence, the constitution, science, thought, and caring is in the air. Hope is alive and well, and change is on the way, for real, not just as a slogan.
Someone said it very well: it feels like we got rid of a dictator.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
WOW, just WOW
By VictorM:Did you see president-elect Barack Obama's first press conference? I know this shouldn't be a big deal, but it is: a leader speaking with complete sentences, giving answers with a point and addressing the question, seriousness and light humor at the right times... man, it's just great to have adults back in charge. I just can't wait till January 20th!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Demand their resignation
By VictorM:Of course the following advice for the newly elected president falls into the "it will never happen" category, but I agree with the sentiment:
Notwithstanding the distractive and entertaining theater of expensive electioneering in American politics, the skyscrapers of debt are still on fire, even though the sitting administration chants “lend, baby, lend!”...Much of this alarming and very realistic flop is pegged to the report card of the sitting administration in Washington that, elections notwithstanding, shall have a further three months at the wheel of governance without heed to party politics or worry about reputation...
Hence, the first real step of the president-elect of the United States ought to be for a forceful demand for immediate resignation of the sitting president and his vice president.
We really should brace ourselves for three months of much uncertainty. As long as Bush is still in power, the world is a more dangerous place.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Monsters
By VictorM:I understand that a Barack Obama presidency will be about bridge building with the opposition. I have no doubt he will try. But it won't work. You can't reason with monsters, and as Paul Krugman said, monsters is what they are:
for the past 14 years America’s political life has been largely dominated by, well, monsters. Monsters like Tom DeLay, who suggested that the shootings at Columbine happened because schools teach students the theory of evolution. Monsters like Karl Rove, who declared that liberals wanted to offer “therapy and understanding” to terrorists. Monsters like Dick Cheney, who saw 9/11 as an opportunity to start torturing people.
John McCain and Sarah Palin fit that description as well. They didn't just run a nasty campaign; they embraced the worst of that clan. It's time to slay them all for good.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Now, I wait
By VictorM:I voted on Sunday. This morning, I was at the Barack Obama office at 6:00 am to volunteer. For a couple of hours I helped organize canvassing folders with the proper door hangers. After that, I went out with two turf packets, knocked on 120 houses, left door hangers, met some nice people, one not so nice person (with a Hummer parked outside -- coincidence?), and by 2 pm I was done. Now, I wait. And I hope for the best.
Monday, November 03, 2008
One day to go...
By VictorM:My early vote is in the bag, the Obama excitment isn't weaning, and I truly believe we're heading into a landslide. My predictions are for Obama to get 393 Electoral Votes and 54% of the popular vote. Too optimistic? Maybe, but that's how I'm feeling.
Major polling organizations have published their final polls for this election. Here are the results:
- Gallup: 53 to 42 for Obama
- Pew predicts 52 to 46 for Obama
- CBS News: 54 to 41 for Obama
- NBC/WSJ: 51 to 43 for Obama
The fat lady is going to sound so good tomorrow.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
I voted today
By VictorM:Today I voted in Hollywood, Broward county, Florida. I got in line at 10:25 AM and cast my vote around 5:00 PM. That's right, I stood in line for 6.5 hours. We had sunshine for most of the time, but it rained hard for about 30 minutes. No one left. The mood among the people around me was upbeat and determined.
I didn't vote for Barack Obama. I voted for a better America, to place adults at the helm who respect the Contitution, a better chance for a peaceful world, a fairer tax system, decent health care insurance plan, addressing climate change, decency in our leadership, improved economic conditions, and for a government by the people for the people. Of course, all of that wasn't a choice on the ballot, so I checked the "Obama/Biden" choice instead.
Despite walking away with sore feet, a sore lower back, and a burning desire to pee... I have never felt better.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Nevermind Sarah, John isn't ready
By VictorM:If you want to look for someone who simply isn't qualified to be president, based on a foggy mind or simple ignorance, look no further than John McCain. Steve Bennen offers us a list of items just from this campaign:
McCain thinks the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia was "the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War." He thinks Iraq and Pakistan share a border. He believes Czechoslovakia is still a country. He's been confused about the difference between Sudan and Somalia. He's been confused about whether he wants more U.S. troops in Afghanistan, more NATO troops in Afghanistan, or both. He's been confused about how many U.S. troops are in Iraq. He's been confused aboutwhether the U.S. can maintain a long-term presence in Iraq. He's been confused about Iran's relationship with al Qaeda. He's been confused about the difference between Sunni and Shi'ia. McCain, following a recent trip to Germany, even referred to "President Putin of Germany." McCain isn't even sure if he wants to maintain friendly relations with Spain.
