Sometimes thing appear at the most opportune times. I received this passage today, which is often incorrectly attributed to Nelson Mandela. It was actually written by Marianne Williamson, in A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.
I do not have all of the answers, and envy those who think they do. I struggle every day with issues of politics, policies, conscience and humanity.
So for everyone, in every stage of discovery, this is for you. Read the words carefully. We may not always agree, but take heart. Follow your vision, learning from others along the way:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Shine on, brothers and sisters.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Political Pandering - They All Do It
I guess it depends on the audience.
2004 Senate Campaign:
…Obama declared that it was "time for us to end the embargo with Cuba.... It's time for us to acknowledge that that particular policy has failed."
Speech to the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF) last Friday in Miami:
“I will maintain the embargo,” he said to cheers from CANF members.
So………….which is it, Senator ?
“But for those who desire the elimination of the embargo, we can only hope that, like his cynical denunciations of NAFTA, followed by reassurances to Canada that it was but a primary season pander, Obama is speaking with a forked tongue.” (LINK)
h/t Reason
2004 Senate Campaign:
…Obama declared that it was "time for us to end the embargo with Cuba.... It's time for us to acknowledge that that particular policy has failed."
Speech to the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF) last Friday in Miami:
“I will maintain the embargo,” he said to cheers from CANF members.
So………….which is it, Senator ?
“But for those who desire the elimination of the embargo, we can only hope that, like his cynical denunciations of NAFTA, followed by reassurances to Canada that it was but a primary season pander, Obama is speaking with a forked tongue.” (LINK)
h/t Reason
Temporarily Out of Weed
The town of Weed, California has a population of about 3,000 people. It’s way up north, just 50 miles south of the California-Oregon border. Weed is named for one Abner Weed, a lumber mill owner who bought the land that now comprises the town way back in 1897.
While Weed may be a sleepy little town, local entrepreneur Vaune Dillman is having some unexpected problems in promoting his latest beer, Lemurian Lager. Vaune thought it was a stroke of marketing genius to have bottle caps promoting the town that read, “Try LEGAL Weed”.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau however, had a little problem with this marketing strategy. Instead of business savvy, they have ordered Vaune to stop selling his product with this slogan, which they claim is could “mislead consumers about the characteristics of the alcoholic beverage” and amounted to a “drug reference”. (LINK)
Mr. Dillman was mystified:
"I've never tried marijuana in my life," he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I don't advocate that. It's just our town's name."
After all, the town has a history of using its own name in clever ways. A sign on the way out of town says, “Temporarily Out of Weed”. Another sign reads, “100 Percent Pure Weed”. Visitors to the area clamor to have their pictures taken with the local high school bus, the side of which reads “Weed High”.
Vaune’s appeal is under review.
While Weed may be a sleepy little town, local entrepreneur Vaune Dillman is having some unexpected problems in promoting his latest beer, Lemurian Lager. Vaune thought it was a stroke of marketing genius to have bottle caps promoting the town that read, “Try LEGAL Weed”.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau however, had a little problem with this marketing strategy. Instead of business savvy, they have ordered Vaune to stop selling his product with this slogan, which they claim is could “mislead consumers about the characteristics of the alcoholic beverage” and amounted to a “drug reference”. (LINK)
Mr. Dillman was mystified:
"I've never tried marijuana in my life," he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I don't advocate that. It's just our town's name."
After all, the town has a history of using its own name in clever ways. A sign on the way out of town says, “Temporarily Out of Weed”. Another sign reads, “100 Percent Pure Weed”. Visitors to the area clamor to have their pictures taken with the local high school bus, the side of which reads “Weed High”.
Vaune’s appeal is under review.
Ferraro: Sexism Played a Role
Geraldine Ferraro, former U.S. Representative and Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate, lets it all hang out about the “wounds of sexism” in a Boston Globe Op-Ed today:
“The truth is that tens of thousands of women have watched how Clinton has been treated and are not happy. We feel that if society can allow sexism to impact a woman's candidacy to deny her the presidency, it sends a direct signal that sexism is OK in all of society.”
Really? I just don’t see it. I don’t think Hillary Clinton is struggling because she is a woman. I think she is struggling because she is Hillary Clinton: her policies and her tactics, not her gender is what made Democrats look elsewhere for leadership.
But Ferraro does make one point that I can agree with:
“The reaction to the questions being raised has been not to listen to the message and try to find out how to deal with the problem, but rather to denigrate the messenger. Sore loser, petty, silly, vengeful are words that have dominated the headlines.”
Just look at the comments following DWA blogger Dominque’s recent post. They are too silly to repeat here, but are a prime example of the antipathy and malicious hyperbole that ensues when the subject of the good Senator from New York is brought up.
Ferraro is calling for a study which will determine, among other things, “whether the media treated Clinton fairly or unfairly”, and “whether certain members of the media crossed an ethical line when they changed the definition of journalist from reporter and commentator to strategist and promoter of a candidate.”
Hillary-haters will immediately pounce on this as sour grapes, thus proving Ferraro’s earlier point on the denigration of the messenger. It’s bound to happen.
Near her conclusion, Ferraro states, “That sexism impacted Clinton's campaign, I have no doubt.”
I have my doubts. I think that Hillary Clinton and her handlers need to look inward. They may be surprised at what they find.
“The truth is that tens of thousands of women have watched how Clinton has been treated and are not happy. We feel that if society can allow sexism to impact a woman's candidacy to deny her the presidency, it sends a direct signal that sexism is OK in all of society.”
Really? I just don’t see it. I don’t think Hillary Clinton is struggling because she is a woman. I think she is struggling because she is Hillary Clinton: her policies and her tactics, not her gender is what made Democrats look elsewhere for leadership.
But Ferraro does make one point that I can agree with:
“The reaction to the questions being raised has been not to listen to the message and try to find out how to deal with the problem, but rather to denigrate the messenger. Sore loser, petty, silly, vengeful are words that have dominated the headlines.”
Just look at the comments following DWA blogger Dominque’s recent post. They are too silly to repeat here, but are a prime example of the antipathy and malicious hyperbole that ensues when the subject of the good Senator from New York is brought up.
Ferraro is calling for a study which will determine, among other things, “whether the media treated Clinton fairly or unfairly”, and “whether certain members of the media crossed an ethical line when they changed the definition of journalist from reporter and commentator to strategist and promoter of a candidate.”
Hillary-haters will immediately pounce on this as sour grapes, thus proving Ferraro’s earlier point on the denigration of the messenger. It’s bound to happen.
Near her conclusion, Ferraro states, “That sexism impacted Clinton's campaign, I have no doubt.”
I have my doubts. I think that Hillary Clinton and her handlers need to look inward. They may be surprised at what they find.
Nancy to Iran: "Thanks, Dudes !"
h/t Wolf Howling with an excellent commentary on Pelosi's recent remarks:
"...some of the success of the surge is that the goodwill of the Iranians..."
Uh, did she say "success of the surge" ?
Freedom is Popular
As a commentor suggests, Idaho sounds like a good place to move to.
John McCain has the Republican nomination wrapped up, but Ron Paul isn't going anywhere.
In fact, in Tuesday's little-noticed Republican primary in Idaho, the iconoclastic Texas congressman had his best showing so far, grabbing 24 percent of the vote, nearly 30,000 votes in all.
(LINK)
John McCain has the Republican nomination wrapped up, but Ron Paul isn't going anywhere.
In fact, in Tuesday's little-noticed Republican primary in Idaho, the iconoclastic Texas congressman had his best showing so far, grabbing 24 percent of the vote, nearly 30,000 votes in all.
(LINK)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Denver is Going to Be Gastronomically Wild !
A politically correct menu, with all the colors of the rainbow:
Fried shrimp on a bed of jasmine rice and a side of mango salad, all served on a styrofoam plate. Bottled water to wash it all down.
These trendy catering treats are unlikely to appear on the menu at parties sponsored by the Denver 2008 Host Committee during the Democratic National Convention this summer.
Fried foods are forbidden at the committee's 22 or so events, as is liquid served in individual plastic containers. Plates must be reusable, like china, recyclable or compostable. The food should be local, organic or both.
And caterers must provide foods in "at least three of the following five colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple, and white," garnishes not included, according to a Request for Proposals, or RFP, distributed last week.
The shrimp-and-mango ensemble? All it's got is white, brown and orange, so it may not have the nutritional balance that generally comes from a multihued menu. (LINK)
Tommywonk may want to pack his own grub.
h/t Slublog
Fried shrimp on a bed of jasmine rice and a side of mango salad, all served on a styrofoam plate. Bottled water to wash it all down.
These trendy catering treats are unlikely to appear on the menu at parties sponsored by the Denver 2008 Host Committee during the Democratic National Convention this summer.
Fried foods are forbidden at the committee's 22 or so events, as is liquid served in individual plastic containers. Plates must be reusable, like china, recyclable or compostable. The food should be local, organic or both.
And caterers must provide foods in "at least three of the following five colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple, and white," garnishes not included, according to a Request for Proposals, or RFP, distributed last week.
The shrimp-and-mango ensemble? All it's got is white, brown and orange, so it may not have the nutritional balance that generally comes from a multihued menu. (LINK)
Tommywonk may want to pack his own grub.
h/t Slublog
More We Can Really Believe In
It is admittedly difficult to find good Republican role models these days. I gushed a bit about Bobby Jindal in a previous post. He is a little young yet, but he sure holds the goods as far as experience and integrity are concerned; I hope he can keep the fire burning in his belly long enough to save us in the future. We may sorely need him.
There is someone else that can give the R’s some hope for the future: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
Her personal life is interesting: her husband is a commercial fisherman. She is the mother of five children, the eldest of which joined the Army last year. She most gave birth last month to a son who has Down Syndrome.
Palin served two terms on Wasilla City Council, and later served as mayor for two terms. Served as ethics commissioner on the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, resigning in protest and disgust over improprieties in the commission. She was later vindicated when commissioner Randy Ruedrich was basically forced to resign and had to pay a $12,000 fine for ethics violations.
She won the governorship in 2006 with over 48% of the vote. She holds an approval rating in the 90s, higher than any other governor.
Palin emphasizes fiscal responsibility:
One of her first acts as governor was to fire the Alaska Board of Agriculture. Her ultimate target was the state Creamery Board, which has been marketing the products of Alaska dairy farmers for 71 years and wanted to close down after receiving $600,000 from the state. "You don't just close your doors and walk away," Palin told me. She discovered she lacked the power to fire the Creamery Board. Only the board of agriculture had that authority. So Palin replaced the agriculture board, which appointed a new creamery board, which has rescinded the plan to shut down. (LINK)
She has joined with Democrats in fighting corruption, and is a strong advocate of open government. She fought the good-old-boy mentality in Alaska, and she won.
Palin's tough spending cuts drew criticism from Republican legislators whose pet projects were vetoed. But her popularity doesn't appear threatened. "It's not just that she's pretty and young," says Dittman. "She's really smart. And there's no guile. (LINK)
Governor Palin is rumored to be in the running as John McCain’s Vice-Presidential candidate. I have my doubts on the chances of that; I don’t think the GOP is that brave yet.
But there is hope for the future. This is change we can believe in.
I’m keeping my eye on Sarah Palin.
There is someone else that can give the R’s some hope for the future: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
Her personal life is interesting: her husband is a commercial fisherman. She is the mother of five children, the eldest of which joined the Army last year. She most gave birth last month to a son who has Down Syndrome.
Palin served two terms on Wasilla City Council, and later served as mayor for two terms. Served as ethics commissioner on the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, resigning in protest and disgust over improprieties in the commission. She was later vindicated when commissioner Randy Ruedrich was basically forced to resign and had to pay a $12,000 fine for ethics violations.
She won the governorship in 2006 with over 48% of the vote. She holds an approval rating in the 90s, higher than any other governor.
Palin emphasizes fiscal responsibility:
One of her first acts as governor was to fire the Alaska Board of Agriculture. Her ultimate target was the state Creamery Board, which has been marketing the products of Alaska dairy farmers for 71 years and wanted to close down after receiving $600,000 from the state. "You don't just close your doors and walk away," Palin told me. She discovered she lacked the power to fire the Creamery Board. Only the board of agriculture had that authority. So Palin replaced the agriculture board, which appointed a new creamery board, which has rescinded the plan to shut down. (LINK)
She has joined with Democrats in fighting corruption, and is a strong advocate of open government. She fought the good-old-boy mentality in Alaska, and she won.
Palin's tough spending cuts drew criticism from Republican legislators whose pet projects were vetoed. But her popularity doesn't appear threatened. "It's not just that she's pretty and young," says Dittman. "She's really smart. And there's no guile. (LINK)
Governor Palin is rumored to be in the running as John McCain’s Vice-Presidential candidate. I have my doubts on the chances of that; I don’t think the GOP is that brave yet.
But there is hope for the future. This is change we can believe in.
I’m keeping my eye on Sarah Palin.
The Dark Horse Still Rides
“So I think Obama certainly has the edge. If I had to bet money, I’d bet on Obama. As far as supporting Obama, I wouldn’t be able to, because he has a lot of positions I don’t agree with. His rhetoric is much closer than McCain on foreign policy obviously, but his foreign policy is not a whole lot different than what McCain and the Republicans have. You know, even the leadership in the House, the Democratic leadership has done nothing to really change things since they took over the House in 2006. I wouldn’t expect Obama to really change foreign policy. I still think they’re very much anxious to do something against Iran. Pelosi has been pushing that, and that’s the position of both parties.”
- Ron Paul, in an interview with Wajahat Ali (who describes himself as a ‘Pakastani Muslim American who is neither a terrorist nor a saint’).
- Ron Paul, in an interview with Wajahat Ali (who describes himself as a ‘Pakastani Muslim American who is neither a terrorist nor a saint’).
Prom Night in South Carolina
It was recently prom night for my niece and nephew in South Carolina. This is Amanda Jean, with her date, who picked her up in a '57 Chevy. There was a flurry of family e-mails concerning her neckline, with suggestions ranging from a t-shirt to a suit of armor. Ah, youth. I am so proud of her ! She will be attending the University of South Carolina in the fall.
Ah, and here is my nephew, Jefferson Davis, all duded up for his junior prom. He wants to be an actor, but may go to law school just as a backup. Jefferson, you are so hot !
Curfew for the night was 1:00 A.M. Parents are frantic the entire time. I have to say, I think my sister and her husband did a great job.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
John Bolton to Face Arrest
John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, faces a citizen's arrest when he addresses an audience at the Hay Festival in Wales this evening. (LINK)
Activist, journalist and blogger George Monbiot vows to detain Mr. Bolton as he leaves the stage and charge him with the crime of aggression. Mr. Bonbiot is quoted by ThinkProgress as saying,
“Many people accept that the launching of the Iraq war was an international crime, but no one has yet been prepared to act on it by arresting one of the perpetrators.”
Activist, journalist and blogger George Monbiot vows to detain Mr. Bolton as he leaves the stage and charge him with the crime of aggression. Mr. Bonbiot is quoted by ThinkProgress as saying,
“Many people accept that the launching of the Iraq war was an international crime, but no one has yet been prepared to act on it by arresting one of the perpetrators.”
This is Lame
It may be true that Obama is a neophyte on world issues, but for John McCain to say that he and Obama should visit Iraq together is a bit of election-year showmanship. Just because Obama hasn’t been to Iraq since 2006 doesn’t mean he doesn’t read the newspaper. I’m sure he knows all about what is going on.
In defense of McCain, the suggestion was actually first offered by Senator Graham (SC) on “Face the Nation”.
And then there is the clock on the RNC website that counts the days since Obama visited Iraq. Just seems a tad tacky. Sure, highlight the point, but the graphics seem childish. It may be that the GOP has discovered that Americans have an easier time grasping images than dealing with verbiage.
Maybe I’m just being naïve about politics in general. I guess that is the way it is done. Although the tactics are not blasphemous, and what the Republicans are saying is not wrong, it just seems a little….I don’t know…..too simplistic.
I would probably suck as a campaign manager. Just don't have that killer instinct.
I imagine that tackiness and beyond will be evident from all camps over the next few months.
I fear it.
In defense of McCain, the suggestion was actually first offered by Senator Graham (SC) on “Face the Nation”.
And then there is the clock on the RNC website that counts the days since Obama visited Iraq. Just seems a tad tacky. Sure, highlight the point, but the graphics seem childish. It may be that the GOP has discovered that Americans have an easier time grasping images than dealing with verbiage.
Maybe I’m just being naïve about politics in general. I guess that is the way it is done. Although the tactics are not blasphemous, and what the Republicans are saying is not wrong, it just seems a little….I don’t know…..too simplistic.
I would probably suck as a campaign manager. Just don't have that killer instinct.
I imagine that tackiness and beyond will be evident from all camps over the next few months.
I fear it.
How Green is Obama?
Excerpts from an interview with environmental writer and author Joshua Frank:
"Just take a look at his major campaign contributors if you don’t believe me. Employees of Goldman Sachs have given his campaign over $500,000. JP Morgan Chase over $350,000. Citigroup, $330,000. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Obama opposed a recent attempt to put a cap on credit card interest rates. Seems to me he’s in their back pocket.
When it comes to energy policy, he’s not much better. Employees of Exelon, the largest nuclear power plant operator in the country, and one of the largest employers in Obama’s home state of Illinois, have given Obama’s campaign nearly $230,000. And lo-and-behold, Obama thinks we should consider nuclear energy.
Obama may poke fun at SUV drivers while campaigning in a state like Oregon, but you won’t see the guy calling an end to subsidies that are handed out to oil companies."
"Just take a look at his major campaign contributors if you don’t believe me. Employees of Goldman Sachs have given his campaign over $500,000. JP Morgan Chase over $350,000. Citigroup, $330,000. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Obama opposed a recent attempt to put a cap on credit card interest rates. Seems to me he’s in their back pocket.
When it comes to energy policy, he’s not much better. Employees of Exelon, the largest nuclear power plant operator in the country, and one of the largest employers in Obama’s home state of Illinois, have given Obama’s campaign nearly $230,000. And lo-and-behold, Obama thinks we should consider nuclear energy.
Obama may poke fun at SUV drivers while campaigning in a state like Oregon, but you won’t see the guy calling an end to subsidies that are handed out to oil companies."
Competition for Our Joe?
"At the bottom of the stairs to greet the former British prime minister on Saturday was Sen. John Kerry, looking every part the diplomat.
Four years after a failed presidential bid and amid a race for a fifth Senate term this fall, Kerry's moves have prompted some questions:
Is the Massachusetts Democrat positioning himself to be secretary of state in a potential Barack Obama administration?"
(LINK)
Four years after a failed presidential bid and amid a race for a fifth Senate term this fall, Kerry's moves have prompted some questions:
Is the Massachusetts Democrat positioning himself to be secretary of state in a potential Barack Obama administration?"
(LINK)
A Poor Example
I posted earlier this month about poor Representative Laura Richardson of California. Seems she got a tad behind on the over half-a-million dollar mortgage she was holding (secured with zero money down) and simply strode blithely into the sunset, letting the property fall into foreclosure.
It is now revealed that this has become quite a habit for the good Representative. This was only her humble secondary residence. As of March 31st of this year, she was also nearly $20,000 behind in mortgage payments on her principal residence in Long Beach. It seems as though that has been resolved through a mutual agreement with her lender.
Richardson makes nearly $170,000 as a member of Congress. I am happy that it appears that she will be able to keep at least one of her residences.
It is troubling to think that this person represents us. I can understand where some may have been uninformed about the debt they were incurring when they signed those papers. They confuse the heck out of me, I’ll admit.
But aren’t our politicians supposed to set the standard? Shouldn’t they know better ? And is this an example of someone who is going to be “bailed out” with out tax money?
It is now revealed that this has become quite a habit for the good Representative. This was only her humble secondary residence. As of March 31st of this year, she was also nearly $20,000 behind in mortgage payments on her principal residence in Long Beach. It seems as though that has been resolved through a mutual agreement with her lender.
Richardson makes nearly $170,000 as a member of Congress. I am happy that it appears that she will be able to keep at least one of her residences.
It is troubling to think that this person represents us. I can understand where some may have been uninformed about the debt they were incurring when they signed those papers. They confuse the heck out of me, I’ll admit.
But aren’t our politicians supposed to set the standard? Shouldn’t they know better ? And is this an example of someone who is going to be “bailed out” with out tax money?
Hillary Makes Her Case
From Ben Smith, Clinton’s letter to the super delegates stating why they should support her:
“At this point, we do not yet have a nominee – and when the last votes are cast on June 3, neither Senator Obama nor I will have secured the nomination. It will be up to automatic delegates like you to help choose our party’s nominee…”
“Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections. From Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to West Virginia and beyond, the results of recent primaries in battleground states show that I have strong support from the regions and demographics Democrats need to take back the White House. I am also currently ahead of Senator McCain in Gallup national tracking polls, while Senator Obama is behind him.”
“I am in this race for all the women in their nineties who’ve told me they were born before women could vote, and they want to live to see a woman in the White House. For all the women who are energized for the first time, and voting for the first time. For the little girls – and little boys – whose parents lift them onto their shoulders at our rallies, and whisper in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.” As the first woman ever to be in this position, I believe I have a responsibility to them.”
Read the entire letter HERE.
“At this point, we do not yet have a nominee – and when the last votes are cast on June 3, neither Senator Obama nor I will have secured the nomination. It will be up to automatic delegates like you to help choose our party’s nominee…”
“Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections. From Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to West Virginia and beyond, the results of recent primaries in battleground states show that I have strong support from the regions and demographics Democrats need to take back the White House. I am also currently ahead of Senator McCain in Gallup national tracking polls, while Senator Obama is behind him.”
“I am in this race for all the women in their nineties who’ve told me they were born before women could vote, and they want to live to see a woman in the White House. For all the women who are energized for the first time, and voting for the first time. For the little girls – and little boys – whose parents lift them onto their shoulders at our rallies, and whisper in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.” As the first woman ever to be in this position, I believe I have a responsibility to them.”
Read the entire letter HERE.
Hoe-Down in DC This Saturday?
The much-hyped Democratic National Committee meeting this Saturday is garnering reactions from both the Obama and Clinton camps:
Obama internal campaign e-mail: “We look forward to the meeting proceeding smoothly — and we’re asking our supporters not to show up to demonstrate, passionately as they feel about this campaign.”
From the WomenCount PAC: “They’re coming up on buses, they’re taking the train, they’re Metro-ing, they’re coming up with friends,” said Allida Black, a professor at George Washington University and an event organizer. “We’re trying to flood it.”
The biggest issue for the Democratic leadership is to avoid a meltdown, and to present a face (if not a spirit) of unity.
It could be high drama. If the DNC big-heads have there way, it will be resolved Saturday. If a compromise cannot be reached on the Michigan and Florida issue, it will then go to the Credentials Committee. The worst scenario would be a floor fight at the convention.
Will the discussion be behind closed doors? In all probability, yes. The media is salivating at the prospects of a hoe-down. It does not look to me like anyone will be completely satisfied; the result of this would be anyone’s guess.
“Whatever happens Saturday, I think everybody will be a little unhappy. Which probably means it will be the right solution.”
Obama internal campaign e-mail: “We look forward to the meeting proceeding smoothly — and we’re asking our supporters not to show up to demonstrate, passionately as they feel about this campaign.”
From the WomenCount PAC: “They’re coming up on buses, they’re taking the train, they’re Metro-ing, they’re coming up with friends,” said Allida Black, a professor at George Washington University and an event organizer. “We’re trying to flood it.”
The biggest issue for the Democratic leadership is to avoid a meltdown, and to present a face (if not a spirit) of unity.
It could be high drama. If the DNC big-heads have there way, it will be resolved Saturday. If a compromise cannot be reached on the Michigan and Florida issue, it will then go to the Credentials Committee. The worst scenario would be a floor fight at the convention.
Will the discussion be behind closed doors? In all probability, yes. The media is salivating at the prospects of a hoe-down. It does not look to me like anyone will be completely satisfied; the result of this would be anyone’s guess.
“Whatever happens Saturday, I think everybody will be a little unhappy. Which probably means it will be the right solution.”
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
What Would Jefferson Do?
Author Michael B. Oren reminds us in Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to the Present that we’ve been here before:
“Today, the conventional view is that George W. Bush took the United States on a radical departure when he declared a policy to transform the Middle East and that, as soon as he leaves office, U.S. policy will return to an alleged tradition of realism, rooted in the hard-headed pursuit of tangible national interests. This is both bad history and bad prophecy, as Oren shows in Power, Faith, and Fantasy, a series of fascinating and beautifully written stories about individual Americans over the past four centuries and their contact with Middle Eastern cultures.
As a historian, Oren is more storyteller than grand theorist, so as a study of the complex and contradictory motives of American behavior, his book is a bit thin. Nevertheless, three powerful themes emerge from his tales: that from the Founders onward, Americans have repeatedly tried to transform Arab and Muslim peoples -- politically, spiritually and economically -- to conform to liberal and Christian principles; that since the days of the Puritans, many Americans have been obsessed with the idea of "restoring" Palestine to the Jews; and that from the colonial era to the present, many (and perhaps most) Americans have regarded Islam as a barbaric, violent and despotic religion. Whether these purposes and perceptions have been intelligent or misguided, based on reality or fantasy, Oren shows that they have been the dominant features of our foreign policy tradition in the Middle East.” (from Washington Post’s Book World in a review by Robert Kagan).
And from Michael Weiss, referring to the recent parrying between Obama and McCain:
“Oddly though, in their rush to analogize by way of chivvying each other, neither candidate has actually pulled an example relevant to the region of the globe now under discussion…
….the Philadelphia convention that drafted our national covenant in 1787 was hastened, and its welter of opinions unified, by the Barbary question. As the historian Thomas Bailey wrote ‘In an indirect sense, the brutal Dey of Algiers was a Founding Father of the Constitution.’ “
No ! No ! Please..........Nooooooooo !
Beloved TV comedy stars Rosie O'Donnell and Fran Drescher are developing a new sitcom about two women coping with midlife crises. (LINK)Fran Drescher remarks:
The actress tells Life & Style magazine, "It's kind of Sex and the City but we ain't getting any!”
Arghhhhh ! Middle-aged women everywhere are cringing, lest they see themselves in these “beloved” characters.
I weep.
Mascot Politics?
An interesting perspective from Thomas Sowell in National Review Online:
“For people on the Left, however, blacks are trophies or mascots, and must therefore be put on display. Nowhere is that more true than in politics.
The problem with being a mascot is that you are a symbol of someone else’s significance or virtue. The actual well-being of a mascot is not the point.”
LINK to Article: “Mascot Politics: An Ugly Reality”
“For people on the Left, however, blacks are trophies or mascots, and must therefore be put on display. Nowhere is that more true than in politics.
The problem with being a mascot is that you are a symbol of someone else’s significance or virtue. The actual well-being of a mascot is not the point.”
LINK to Article: “Mascot Politics: An Ugly Reality”
Those Pesky Admin Costs
Why does this not surprise me? Why are we not all outraged?
"Mr. Nelson, a Democrat from Nebraska, later found out that the Department of Agriculture had also withheld about 10 percent of a $222,000 earmark to the university for drought research.
While many of his questions remain unanswered, Mr. Nelson says that federal agencies have been taking a cut from earmarked funds for years, some for unrelated purposes as varied as staff salaries and postage stamps.
Mr. Nelson calls the practice “earmark skimming,” and lately he has become increasingly vocal over what he describes as unaccountable federal bureaucrats diverting millions of dollars into agency “slush funds.”
“They are skimming a percentage of each earmark off the top and failing to disclose what happens to those funds they withhold,” Mr. Nelson said in an e-mail message. "
LINK to NY TIMES STORY
"Mr. Nelson, a Democrat from Nebraska, later found out that the Department of Agriculture had also withheld about 10 percent of a $222,000 earmark to the university for drought research.
While many of his questions remain unanswered, Mr. Nelson says that federal agencies have been taking a cut from earmarked funds for years, some for unrelated purposes as varied as staff salaries and postage stamps.
Mr. Nelson calls the practice “earmark skimming,” and lately he has become increasingly vocal over what he describes as unaccountable federal bureaucrats diverting millions of dollars into agency “slush funds.”
“They are skimming a percentage of each earmark off the top and failing to disclose what happens to those funds they withhold,” Mr. Nelson said in an e-mail message. "
LINK to NY TIMES STORY
A Simple Kiss Could Get You In Trouble
Paragraph 175 of the German Code was rewritten in 1935 to emphasize the criminality of men involved in “indecency”.
Oddly enough, this provision was not abolished until 1994.
The crime of “engaging as the active or passive partner in lewdness with another man is to be punished by imprisonment.” Even those who were expected “with a high degree of probability” to violate Paragraph 175 were targeted. Of course, this persecution included concentration camps. Arrests of homosexuals during this time are estimated at 54,000, with 7,000 dying in concentration camps.
Homosexuals under the Nazi regime apparently did not fit the vision of the master race.
A memorial in Berlin is being dedicated today in memory of those who were persecuted.
“German politicians will dedicate a memorial in Berlin this week to the tens of thousands of homosexuals persecuted during the Nazi regime. Gay activists say the memorial is long overdue.” (LINK)
The text on the memorial is simple:
“A simple kiss could land you in trouble”.
We must never forget, and be ever mindful.
Oddly enough, this provision was not abolished until 1994.
The crime of “engaging as the active or passive partner in lewdness with another man is to be punished by imprisonment.” Even those who were expected “with a high degree of probability” to violate Paragraph 175 were targeted. Of course, this persecution included concentration camps. Arrests of homosexuals during this time are estimated at 54,000, with 7,000 dying in concentration camps.
Homosexuals under the Nazi regime apparently did not fit the vision of the master race.
A memorial in Berlin is being dedicated today in memory of those who were persecuted.
“German politicians will dedicate a memorial in Berlin this week to the tens of thousands of homosexuals persecuted during the Nazi regime. Gay activists say the memorial is long overdue.” (LINK)
The text on the memorial is simple:
“A simple kiss could land you in trouble”.
We must never forget, and be ever mindful.
Gaffe Alert Number 3,492
The Republicans call them “undisciplined messages”. We call it a gaffe.
Whatever word (or euphemism is used), all parties in this election cycle have had their moments.
As a public service, Politico Dot Com has offered its guide to dirty words and phrases that are better left unsaid.
I’m sure, before it’s all over, that there will be additions to this list.
What will be next? Auschwitz, perhaps?
Whatever word (or euphemism is used), all parties in this election cycle have had their moments.
As a public service, Politico Dot Com has offered its guide to dirty words and phrases that are better left unsaid.
I’m sure, before it’s all over, that there will be additions to this list.
What will be next? Auschwitz, perhaps?
The Grim Reaper
The son of a friend of mine, Billy, is serving in the Navy. As any gung-ho 19-year-old would do, he got a tattoo of “The Grim Reaper” on his right forearm right after basic training. He has a number of deployments to the war zone.
His youthful bravado has not faded, but the tattoo has. Billy wants to make a career out of the Navy, and the powers-that-be frown upon visible tattoos, so he had it removed. The story, including a series of pictures showing the progression can be found here.
My friend is quite proud of her son. There were times in his younger days where he was teetering on the edge of taking quite a different path in life. The Navy was for him, and he is for the Navy.
Godspeed in your travels, Billy. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your mother.
Make her proud !
His youthful bravado has not faded, but the tattoo has. Billy wants to make a career out of the Navy, and the powers-that-be frown upon visible tattoos, so he had it removed. The story, including a series of pictures showing the progression can be found here.
My friend is quite proud of her son. There were times in his younger days where he was teetering on the edge of taking quite a different path in life. The Navy was for him, and he is for the Navy.
Godspeed in your travels, Billy. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your mother.
Make her proud !
A First For the Blogosphere
This is a first for the blogosphere. For the first time in the history of blogging, I will be making judgments based not on facts, not on research, not even on a dispassionate weighing of different points of view. In short, the opinions stated here are not based on any substance at all.
I thought that in the midst of the serious discussions surrounding the candidates and the flowering of non-partisanship nirvana that has us all reveling in that kum-bay-ya groovieness of universal understanding and respect, that a little good old-fashioned political nonsense was needed.
After all, we can’t be reasonable all of the time, can we?
So here goes:
John McCain looks wan and sickly.
Barack Obama has Opie ears.
Hillary Clinton is in need of a Thigh-Master.
Ron Paul sounds like Mr. Magoo.
Ralph Nader has crooked eyes.
Bob Barr has a stupid mustache.
Whew ! Got that all out of my system.
Now, back to reasonable blogging. How boring.
I thought that in the midst of the serious discussions surrounding the candidates and the flowering of non-partisanship nirvana that has us all reveling in that kum-bay-ya groovieness of universal understanding and respect, that a little good old-fashioned political nonsense was needed.
After all, we can’t be reasonable all of the time, can we?
So here goes:
John McCain looks wan and sickly.
Barack Obama has Opie ears.
Hillary Clinton is in need of a Thigh-Master.
Ron Paul sounds like Mr. Magoo.
Ralph Nader has crooked eyes.
Bob Barr has a stupid mustache.
Whew ! Got that all out of my system.
Now, back to reasonable blogging. How boring.
Carbon Ration Cards Proposed in Britain
Although it is certainly a long shot to ever come to pass, England’s Environmental Audit Committee has floated a proposal involving “carbon ration cards”.
Under the plan, individuals would be given a carbon dioxide allowance in the form of a debit-like card. Every time you fill up your tank, pay your electric bill, or take a flight your card would be debited in proportion to how many kilograms of CO2 you are using.
Interesting, no? In general, the plan is being criticized for being too expensive and a bureaucratic nightmare, but in these times who knows what sort of plans will come out of the woodwork? It is a good time for smart innovation, and will be interesting to see what the world comes up with.
This plan would also allow people to trade and barter their carbon allowance, calling it “personal carbon trading”. I can see a whole new business cropping up here. I can also imagine it could get quite nasty, with those on the lower end of the economic spectrum selling their credits (in order to purchase other necessities, such as food or housing) to those on the upper-end who may hoard the credits in order to set up a monopoly or secure huge profits in the event of a major crisis.
A fascinating concept. What will they come up with next?
Under the plan, individuals would be given a carbon dioxide allowance in the form of a debit-like card. Every time you fill up your tank, pay your electric bill, or take a flight your card would be debited in proportion to how many kilograms of CO2 you are using.
Interesting, no? In general, the plan is being criticized for being too expensive and a bureaucratic nightmare, but in these times who knows what sort of plans will come out of the woodwork? It is a good time for smart innovation, and will be interesting to see what the world comes up with.
This plan would also allow people to trade and barter their carbon allowance, calling it “personal carbon trading”. I can see a whole new business cropping up here. I can also imagine it could get quite nasty, with those on the lower end of the economic spectrum selling their credits (in order to purchase other necessities, such as food or housing) to those on the upper-end who may hoard the credits in order to set up a monopoly or secure huge profits in the event of a major crisis.
A fascinating concept. What will they come up with next?
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Red, White and Blue Day
The Patriot Guard Riders were invited to attend “Red, White and Blue Sunday” at the First Baptist Church in Georgetown today.Pastor Rod Dufour’s son, Matthew is currently serving on active duty in Iraq. Matthew was a classmate of Lance Corporal Richard James of Seaford who was killed in Iraq on May 13, 2006.
We were honored to participate. Now, mind you, the Baptists and I have very little in common. But this service was to honor those who have served, those who serving now, and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. It was “Red, White and Blue Sunday” after all.
We got up at 5:00 A.M. and met four other bikes at the WalMart on Centreville Rd at 07:00. From there, we rode to the Home Depot in Dover to meet up with Codman and about ten more bikes. We rode on down south to Milford and picked up the rest of the crew at a gas station. We rode into the church about 10:30 A.M. About 25 bikes in all.
The congregation was very welcoming. I guess the good Pastor may have warned them about us in advance. We had a flag line, where the congregation walked through into the church. The service started at 11:00 A.M., and our contingent was given pews in the back rows.
Confession: Chainsaw and Wolfman were going to ditch the service and wait outside. Chainsaw grew up with a little bit o’ that good ole Southern Baptist religion, and I have to say wasn’t too fond of it. Wolfman’s brothers, cousins, and a bunch of other in-laws all found the Lord in some way or another and he was just simply afraid of getting struck by lightening. I grabbed Chainsaw and told him to take his hat off and come on in. I do have SOME say after all. Not much, but I just thought out of respect we should attend the service.
Sgt. 1st Class Duane K.L. France began the service reading a piece called “The Table of One”. I couldn’t find it on the internet anywhere, but it was about a place setting with an empty seat, signifying those who are not with us. A single rose symbolizes the blood that was shed.
The next part was really cool. There were representatives from all five branches of the service: Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marines. They played the song for each of the branches, and as each song was played members of the congregation stood up if they were or had been members of that service or had family members serving in that particular branch. Just about all of the Patriot Guard Members stood up at one time or another. (That pic of the dude with the long blonde ponytail? Marines). As each song was played and the people stood, everyone else clapped long and hard. It was really moving.
The church vocalists sang “It Has Always Been the Soldier”. I remember part of the words were along the lines that it isn’t CNN or FOX or Larry King or Jesse Jackson or anyone else who has given us our freedoms. It is always just the solder. Then a woman stood up and read a poem, “Freedom is Not Free”, accompanied by a gentleman playing taps.
There were people in the congregation who had lost loved ones in war. Each one was named, and went up to receive a plaque of recognition. One woman had lost two sons.
Then Sgt. Major Carragher gave "the message". He is US Army Retired, and is currently Director of Armed Forces Baptist Missions. He was a great speaker, and started off telling military stories and such. He gave a moving story about a fellow soldier who had died during basic training. But dontcha know he started getting into the holy-roller stuff and that made me a little uncomfortable. I respect everyone and whatever beliefs they have but when people start getting all “Amen-y” and stuff, well….that’s just not my style. This one guy in the congregation said “Amen” to everything.
Chainsaw started nodding off, as he has heard the spiel before. He gave me a sideways glance like, “This is when they slip in the Kool Aid”. (Did I mention that Chainsaw was born on Friday the 13th and the last three digits of his SSN are "666" 'Nuff Said). But, in the end, we survived it and nobody got catatonic or fainted in the aisle. Nobody tried to make us join the fold. They are all sincere and loving people; I just happen to disagree with most everything they believe in. Doesn’t make them bad.
They had the retiring of the colors, and everyone went outside. There was a podium out there, and we formed a flag line behind it. Sgt. France did the “roll call” of all Delawareans who have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. A dude with a bagpipe walked around doing “Amazing
Grace”. I love bagpipes, and I always cry at Amazing Grace. Not sure why on either account.
After that, we were dismissed and hauled ass. We stopped for lunch at the Milford Diner, then grabbed Route 9 south of Dover for the ride home. There was a bad accident involving a motorcycle on Route 113. I see in the paper that someone was killed. We went right by it.
I was proud to be a member of Patriot Guard Riders today. A little town, good people of faith who care about their country and those who serve. Their religion isn’t mine, but in the end we are all Americans and want what is best for our country and our citizens. We may have different ideas about how to go about it, but are hearts are there.
I took some video (some from the back of the bike), and once I figure out how to work all this stuff I’ll try to post it.
Trip Stats: 180 miles, 44 MPG.
Oh, and Happy Memorial Day to all. Don’t ever forget what it is all about.
Friday, May 23, 2008
People "Ate It Up"
Congressman Paul Kanjorski (PA) has commented on the disingenuous campaigns of many Democrats in the 2006 election cycle.
From the transcript:
"I'll tell you my impression. We really in this last election, when I say we...the Democrats, I think pushed it as far as we can to the end of the fleet, didn't say it, but we implied it. That if we won the Congressional elections, we could stop the war. Now anybody was a good student of Government would know that wasn't true. But you know, the temptation to want to win back the Congress, we sort of stretched the facts...and people ate it up." (LINK)
This is an honest assessment from Kanjorski, who is a Democrat.
Except for campaign posturing and camera-ready rhetoric, the Democrats have given the President almost everything he wanted.
The Republican administration got us into this mess. The Democrats, despite their lame protestations, have helped to keep us there.
h/t RedState
From the transcript:
"I'll tell you my impression. We really in this last election, when I say we...the Democrats, I think pushed it as far as we can to the end of the fleet, didn't say it, but we implied it. That if we won the Congressional elections, we could stop the war. Now anybody was a good student of Government would know that wasn't true. But you know, the temptation to want to win back the Congress, we sort of stretched the facts...and people ate it up." (LINK)
This is an honest assessment from Kanjorski, who is a Democrat.
Except for campaign posturing and camera-ready rhetoric, the Democrats have given the President almost everything he wanted.
The Republican administration got us into this mess. The Democrats, despite their lame protestations, have helped to keep us there.
h/t RedState
Remember the Fallen
Sgt Brian McGinnis, 23, St. George, 3-30-2003
Spc Ryan Long, 21, Seaford, 4-3-2003
Spc Jarrett Thompson, 27, Dover, 9-7-2003
Lance Cpl Anthony Roberts, 18, Bear, 4-6-2004
Staff Sgt Joseph Garyantes, 34, Rehobeth, 5-18-2004
Lance Cpl Russell White, 19, Dagsboro, 6-20-2004
Lance Cpl Richard Clifton, 19, Broadkill Beach, 2-2-2005
Cpl Stephen McGowan, 26, Newark, 3-4-2005
Major Edward Murphy, 36, Newark (and SC), 4-6-2005
Capt Ralph Harting III, 28, Wilmington (and MI), 4-29-2005
Sgt 1st Class Michael Egan, 36, New Castle, 9-19-2005
Sgt 1st Class James Moudy, 37, Newark, 12-11-2005
Spc Prince Teewia, 27, Newark (and NC), 12-29-2005
Cpl Cory Palmer, 21, Seaford, 5-7-2006
Lance Cpl Richard James, 20, Seaford, 5-13-2006
Pfc Stephen Snowberger, 18, Bear (and PA), 5-11-2006
Staff Sgt Darren Harmon, 44, Newark, 6-3-2006
A1C Carl Ware Jr, 22, Smyrna, 7-1-2006
Sgt Keith Fiscus, 26, Townsend, 12-2-2006
Sr Airman Elizabeth Loncki, 23, New Castle, 1-1-2007
Staff Sgt Travis Griffiin, 28, Dover, 4-3-2008
Spc Ryan Long, 21, Seaford, 4-3-2003
Spc Jarrett Thompson, 27, Dover, 9-7-2003
Lance Cpl Anthony Roberts, 18, Bear, 4-6-2004
Staff Sgt Joseph Garyantes, 34, Rehobeth, 5-18-2004
Lance Cpl Russell White, 19, Dagsboro, 6-20-2004
Lance Cpl Richard Clifton, 19, Broadkill Beach, 2-2-2005
Cpl Stephen McGowan, 26, Newark, 3-4-2005
Major Edward Murphy, 36, Newark (and SC), 4-6-2005
Capt Ralph Harting III, 28, Wilmington (and MI), 4-29-2005
Sgt 1st Class Michael Egan, 36, New Castle, 9-19-2005
Sgt 1st Class James Moudy, 37, Newark, 12-11-2005
Spc Prince Teewia, 27, Newark (and NC), 12-29-2005
Cpl Cory Palmer, 21, Seaford, 5-7-2006
Lance Cpl Richard James, 20, Seaford, 5-13-2006
Pfc Stephen Snowberger, 18, Bear (and PA), 5-11-2006
Staff Sgt Darren Harmon, 44, Newark, 6-3-2006
A1C Carl Ware Jr, 22, Smyrna, 7-1-2006
Sgt Keith Fiscus, 26, Townsend, 12-2-2006
Sr Airman Elizabeth Loncki, 23, New Castle, 1-1-2007
Staff Sgt Travis Griffiin, 28, Dover, 4-3-2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Democratic Race for Governor of Delaware
As a registered Republican, I am unable to vote in the Democratic primary for Governor, but I still have an obligation to familiarize myself with the positions of John Carney and Jack Markell so that I have a basis for my vote in the general election.
I am also in the process of reviewing Mike Protack’s site and will do the same with Bill Lee’s, once it has some content (currently under construction).
In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t vote for a person based on the letter in parentheses next to their name. I vote according to who I think is the best candidate and will make the best decisions based on values that are important to me.
All of us, no matter what we might think to the contrary, approach any evaluation of a candidate with our own set of preconceived notions, preferences and prejudices. It is inevitable that our life experiences give us a certain way of thinking, and it is difficult to try to ignore these in order to make an unbiased decision.
That being said, I think I came into this with two prejudices in the Democratic race for governor, and as I reviewed the respective websites and various news articles I felt these prejudices creep into my psyche. This might not necessarily be a bad thing, but I need to acknowledge that they exist.
The first of these is the fact that Jack Markell appears to have a solid background in business. That sways in his favor in my book. Of course, whether he has forgotten everything he ever learned is another matter.
The second prejudice is that John Carney appears to have spent most of his career as a politician. That’s a negative from my point of view. It is probably not fair, but is nevertheless something in my gut.
A third thing in general that probably influences my thinking is the fact that I have worked for a quasi-governmental agency in Pennsylvania for nearly 15 years. I have an understanding of how government and government agencies work. Or don’t work, for that matter.
Any other preconceived notions or leanings that I may have are not evident to me. I’m not saying that some don’t exist, but if they do they are too engrained in my consciousness for me to even recognize them.
The Democrats are lucky to have two fine men and fine candidates for governor. Both men appear sincere in their agendas and their desire to work for Delaware. They also have both run a civil and high-minded campaign, devoid of cheap shots and animosity. For that they are to be commended.
This same civility may give one the impression that there are really no differences between the candidates. When this happens, it is usually money, advertising, neighbors, friends, and the drunk in the bar that make our decisions for us. Or maybe we glance at a headline or read one line from a two-hour debate.
What’s the difference between the two Democratic candidates? I wanted to find out if there are any by using the information available to me. So, over the next few days I’ll be comparing the issues as presented on their websites, and throwing in some News Journal and blogosphere information into the mix.
And, for what it’s worth, I’ll let you know what I come up with.
I am also in the process of reviewing Mike Protack’s site and will do the same with Bill Lee’s, once it has some content (currently under construction).
In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t vote for a person based on the letter in parentheses next to their name. I vote according to who I think is the best candidate and will make the best decisions based on values that are important to me.
All of us, no matter what we might think to the contrary, approach any evaluation of a candidate with our own set of preconceived notions, preferences and prejudices. It is inevitable that our life experiences give us a certain way of thinking, and it is difficult to try to ignore these in order to make an unbiased decision.
That being said, I think I came into this with two prejudices in the Democratic race for governor, and as I reviewed the respective websites and various news articles I felt these prejudices creep into my psyche. This might not necessarily be a bad thing, but I need to acknowledge that they exist.
The first of these is the fact that Jack Markell appears to have a solid background in business. That sways in his favor in my book. Of course, whether he has forgotten everything he ever learned is another matter.
The second prejudice is that John Carney appears to have spent most of his career as a politician. That’s a negative from my point of view. It is probably not fair, but is nevertheless something in my gut.
A third thing in general that probably influences my thinking is the fact that I have worked for a quasi-governmental agency in Pennsylvania for nearly 15 years. I have an understanding of how government and government agencies work. Or don’t work, for that matter.
Any other preconceived notions or leanings that I may have are not evident to me. I’m not saying that some don’t exist, but if they do they are too engrained in my consciousness for me to even recognize them.
The Democrats are lucky to have two fine men and fine candidates for governor. Both men appear sincere in their agendas and their desire to work for Delaware. They also have both run a civil and high-minded campaign, devoid of cheap shots and animosity. For that they are to be commended.
This same civility may give one the impression that there are really no differences between the candidates. When this happens, it is usually money, advertising, neighbors, friends, and the drunk in the bar that make our decisions for us. Or maybe we glance at a headline or read one line from a two-hour debate.
What’s the difference between the two Democratic candidates? I wanted to find out if there are any by using the information available to me. So, over the next few days I’ll be comparing the issues as presented on their websites, and throwing in some News Journal and blogosphere information into the mix.
And, for what it’s worth, I’ll let you know what I come up with.
Now Playing .... Your White House !
Richard Dreyfuss could soon make the trip to Oliver Stone's White House, entering final negotiations to play Dick Cheney in the provcateur director's upcoming "W."
The role is the last major position in the Bush administration to be filled; the West Wing is already occupied by the likes of Brolin (President Bush) Thandie Newton (Condoleezza Rice) and Elizabeth Banks (Laura Bush).(LINK)Presidential Campaign Contributions from Delaware
Open Secrets has updated the database on personal contributions of $200 or more to presidential campaigns. The data is current as of the end of April.
From the State of Delaware:
Hillary Clinton - 301 donations - $204,370
Barack Obama - 336 donations - $164,584
John McCain - 173 donations - $116,761
Ron Paul - 61 donations - $25,628
Ralph Nader - 18 donations - $3,450
From the State of Delaware:
Hillary Clinton - 301 donations - $204,370
Barack Obama - 336 donations - $164,584
John McCain - 173 donations - $116,761
Ron Paul - 61 donations - $25,628
Ralph Nader - 18 donations - $3,450
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Challenged
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals the lawsuit of Air Force Reservist Margaret Witt who was suspended without pay in 2004 and eventually “honorably discharged” in 2007 after receiving a tip that she was a lesbian.
She was also two years short of eligibility for full retirement benefits.
Her original lawsuit against the Air Force was dismissed by a Texas District Court which asserted the legality of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The Appeals Court disagreed, saying:
"When the government attempts to intrude upon the personal and private lives of homosexuals, the government must advance an important governmental interest ... and the intrusion must be necessary to further that interest."
CBS News reports that,
“Witt joined the Air Force in 1987 and switched from active duty to the reserves in 1995. She cared for injured patients on military flights and in operating rooms. She was promoted to major in 1999, and she deployed to Oman in 2003 in support of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.
A citation from President Bush that year said, ‘Her airmanship and courage directly contributed to the successful accomplishment of important missions under extremely hazardous conditions.’ “
If the government is forced to prove that a person’s sexual orientation is bad for morale, they are going to have a tough time, especially in Reservist Witt’s case. It is about time for this policy to go to the wastebasket where it originally belonged.
She was also two years short of eligibility for full retirement benefits.
Her original lawsuit against the Air Force was dismissed by a Texas District Court which asserted the legality of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The Appeals Court disagreed, saying:
"When the government attempts to intrude upon the personal and private lives of homosexuals, the government must advance an important governmental interest ... and the intrusion must be necessary to further that interest."
CBS News reports that,
“Witt joined the Air Force in 1987 and switched from active duty to the reserves in 1995. She cared for injured patients on military flights and in operating rooms. She was promoted to major in 1999, and she deployed to Oman in 2003 in support of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.
A citation from President Bush that year said, ‘Her airmanship and courage directly contributed to the successful accomplishment of important missions under extremely hazardous conditions.’ “
If the government is forced to prove that a person’s sexual orientation is bad for morale, they are going to have a tough time, especially in Reservist Witt’s case. It is about time for this policy to go to the wastebasket where it originally belonged.
Now THIS is Change We Can Believe In !
I don’t know what his chances are, but I was as happy as all get-out to hear that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is under consideration as John McCain’s running mate. I’ve been following Jindal for a time now, and have been impressed. He is a too much on the conservative side as far as social issues are concerned, but this pales in comparison to what he has done for the state of Louisiana, which Lord knows needed some help.
Let’s look at his background:
Graduated Baton Rouge Magnet High School at age 16.
Graduated Brown University in 1991 with honors in biology and public policy.
Holds a master’s degree in political science from New College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
In 1996, appointed as Secretary of the Louisiana Dept of Health and Hospitals
- during his tenure, the Medicaid program went from a $400 million deficit into three years of surpluses totaling $220 million
In 1998, appointed as executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicine
In 2001, unanimously confirmed on the federal level as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation
In 2003, ran for and won Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District. He served on:
House Committee on Homeland Security
House Committee on Resources
House Committee on Education and the Workforce
House Subcommittee on the Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attacks (vice-chair)
In 2007, announced that he was running for Governor of Louisiana
In 2008, he was sworn in as the youngest sitting governor in the United States (age 36)
Quite a resume. This shows experience and exposure on a variety of issues facing our nation.
Read this account of a policy-wonk session on the future of Medicare, and how Jindal countered Tommy Thompson’s good-old-boy approach:
"In five minutes, Bobby Jindal made the case for free market solutions, for individual liberty, and for health care that caters to what people need, not what unions want. He did what none of the other men in the room were capable of doing. And it seemed as if it was as easy for him as breathing.”
The same article tells the story of how he cut through bureaucratic red tape and practically commandeered a helicopter in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
A take-charge, yet unassuming and affable guy. A guy who can get things done.
I don’t agree with all of Jindal’s beliefs, policies, or even some of his votes in Congress. But I never said he was the Second Coming. Jindal has experience, he has the knowledge, the drive and the ability.
I hope John McCain gives him a good look.
Now THIS is change we can believe in !
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Auto-Erotica ?
There are dude moments, and then there are Dude ! moments:
"A man who claims to have had sex with 1,000 cars has defended his "romantic" feelings towards vehicles." (LINK)
Ummmmm.
"I appreciate beauty and I go a little bit beyond appreciating the beauty of a car only to the point of what I feel is an expression of love," he said.
"A man who claims to have had sex with 1,000 cars has defended his "romantic" feelings towards vehicles." (LINK)Ummmmm.
"I appreciate beauty and I go a little bit beyond appreciating the beauty of a car only to the point of what I feel is an expression of love," he said.
Love comes in all forms.
"Mr Smith, from Washington state in the US, kept quiet about his secret fetish for years, but agreed to be interviewed as part of a channel Five documentary into “mechaphilia”. He is shown meeting other enthusiasts at a rally in California."
That's a new one on me.
h/t Ace of Spades HQ
Even Politicos Are Affected by the Mortgage Crisis
From LA Times via Drudge:
"U.S. Rep. Laura Richardson of Long Beach walked away from the mortgage on her $535,000 Sacramento home, letting the house slip into foreclosure and disrepair less than two years after she bought it with no money down.
While being elevated to Congress in a 2007 special election, Richardson apparently stopped making payments on her new Sacramento home, and eventually walked away from it, leaving nearly $600,000 in unpaid loans and fees."
LINK
"U.S. Rep. Laura Richardson of Long Beach walked away from the mortgage on her $535,000 Sacramento home, letting the house slip into foreclosure and disrepair less than two years after she bought it with no money down.
While being elevated to Congress in a 2007 special election, Richardson apparently stopped making payments on her new Sacramento home, and eventually walked away from it, leaving nearly $600,000 in unpaid loans and fees."
LINK
More of the Same in the Farm Bill
The Food and Energy Security Act (more commonly known as The Farm Bill) is by all accounts more of the same from our tax-and-spend Congress. Despite our budget woes, we have padded this $290 billion boondoggle with outrageous earmarks and loopholes big enough to drive a tank through. Even environmentalists agree.
With billions in subsidies, potential hidden costs of billions more, and earmarks for pet projects, it deserves a Presidential veto. Taxpayers for Common Sense notes that there are no significant reforms in this legislation, and that millionaire farmers will continue to be eligible for payments with some farm subsidies increased over current levels. The Dorgan-Grassley Amendment, which would have put some limits on payments, failed.
“Dorgan also cited an article in the San Francisco Chronicle that Constance Bowles, heiress of a California cattle baron, was the largest recipient of federal cotton subsidies in the state between 2003 and 2005, receiving $1.2 million in payments through her family’s cotton farm in Los Banos.” (LINK)
What do the presidential candidates have to say?
McCain: "It's a bloated piece of legislation that will do more harm than good for most farmers and consumers," he said.
Clinton: “I believe saying no to the farm bill is saying no to rural America."
Obama: (chided McCain and Bush for....) “saying no to America's farmers and ranchers, no to energy independence, no to the environment, and no to millions of hungry people."
Yet in Obama’s own campaign site, he says that benefits should go to family farmers, not corporate conglomerates:
“In the last decade, we've handed out $1.3 billion in federal farm money to people who aren't even farmers. We've even got farm money going to Fortune 500 companies." (LINK)
And....
"It's time for us to make some changes to the Farm Bill so we spend fewer resources subsidizing corporate megafarms and more time and resources supporting family farmers and rural America," said Obama. "Specifically, we should lower the payment limit to $250,000 annually and make sure those payments go to farmers who need them -- not to millionaire farmers who are relying on the American taxpayers to protect their multi-million dollar profits." (LINK)
So what is it, Clinton and Obama? Political expediency over responsibility? A feel-good headline over a policy decision? Rhetoric instead of a good hard look? Promises instead of real action? A soundbite for the moment hoping it will all just go away?
In other words … more of the same ?
With billions in subsidies, potential hidden costs of billions more, and earmarks for pet projects, it deserves a Presidential veto. Taxpayers for Common Sense notes that there are no significant reforms in this legislation, and that millionaire farmers will continue to be eligible for payments with some farm subsidies increased over current levels. The Dorgan-Grassley Amendment, which would have put some limits on payments, failed.
“Dorgan also cited an article in the San Francisco Chronicle that Constance Bowles, heiress of a California cattle baron, was the largest recipient of federal cotton subsidies in the state between 2003 and 2005, receiving $1.2 million in payments through her family’s cotton farm in Los Banos.” (LINK)
What do the presidential candidates have to say?
McCain: "It's a bloated piece of legislation that will do more harm than good for most farmers and consumers," he said.
Clinton: “I believe saying no to the farm bill is saying no to rural America."
Obama: (chided McCain and Bush for....) “saying no to America's farmers and ranchers, no to energy independence, no to the environment, and no to millions of hungry people."
Yet in Obama’s own campaign site, he says that benefits should go to family farmers, not corporate conglomerates:
“In the last decade, we've handed out $1.3 billion in federal farm money to people who aren't even farmers. We've even got farm money going to Fortune 500 companies." (LINK)
And....
"It's time for us to make some changes to the Farm Bill so we spend fewer resources subsidizing corporate megafarms and more time and resources supporting family farmers and rural America," said Obama. "Specifically, we should lower the payment limit to $250,000 annually and make sure those payments go to farmers who need them -- not to millionaire farmers who are relying on the American taxpayers to protect their multi-million dollar profits." (LINK)
So what is it, Clinton and Obama? Political expediency over responsibility? A feel-good headline over a policy decision? Rhetoric instead of a good hard look? Promises instead of real action? A soundbite for the moment hoping it will all just go away?
In other words … more of the same ?
Are Gaffes Important? How Many are Too Many?
I tend to discount minor gaffes or mis-statements by candidates. With all of the speaking they do, they are bound to make a mistake somehere. There are examples on all sides.
From Michelle Malkin on NRO, a story on a "perpetual gaffe machine". Is this important? I don't know. It doesn't seem to have hit the MSM in any way, not that that is a barometer.
The article can be found HERE.
From Michelle Malkin on NRO, a story on a "perpetual gaffe machine". Is this important? I don't know. It doesn't seem to have hit the MSM in any way, not that that is a barometer.
Some of these seem silly. Some not so silly."Obama has as much trouble with numbers as he has with maps. Last March, on the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma, Ala., he claimed his parents united as a direct result of the civil rights movement: “There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Ala., because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born.”Obama was born in 1961. The Selma march took place in 1965. His spokesman, Bill Burton, later explained that Obama was “speaking metaphorically about the civil-rights movement as a whole.”
"Barack Obama — promoted by the Left and the media as an all-knowing, articulate, transcendent Messiah — is a walking, talking gaffe machine. How many more passes does he get? How many more can we afford?"
The article can be found HERE.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Free Searches at Ancestry Dot Com Through 5/31/2008
Ancestry Dot Com is offering free access to its military records database through May 31st. On the home page, click on “U.S. Military Collection”.
I was able to download my great-grandfather’s draft registration for World War I. Harry Smith Vandever, born 12/12/1881, registered on 9/12/1918. He also registered for WW II at the age of 60. What is fascinating about this is that it asks for “complexion”. The choices given are Sallow, Light, Ruddy, Dark, Freckled, Dark Brown and Black.
He described himself as 5 ft 10 ¾ “ tall, 221 lbs., with a Ruddy complexion.
Download images while they are still free !
I was able to download my great-grandfather’s draft registration for World War I. Harry Smith Vandever, born 12/12/1881, registered on 9/12/1918. He also registered for WW II at the age of 60. What is fascinating about this is that it asks for “complexion”. The choices given are Sallow, Light, Ruddy, Dark, Freckled, Dark Brown and Black.
He described himself as 5 ft 10 ¾ “ tall, 221 lbs., with a Ruddy complexion.
Download images while they are still free !
Priorities
We had been planning a day-trip to Elk Neck State Park this Sunday, but something else came up:
From Delaware Patriot Guard Captain “r12guy”:
"Sunday, May 25, 2008 The First Baptist Church Of Georgetown , will be holding Red, White and Blue Sunday.
We have been asked to join them to honor the Families of soldiers serving and who have served in the military. They will also be honoring the 16 lost so far in the Iraqi conflict whom came from Delaware.
We will have three meeting points: one in the north, one in the Dover area and one in Ellendale for the southern end. Times will be posted as we get them.
There will be a flag line starting @1030hrs and we will go inside for the service between 1045 and 1100. The service should last about an hour, and some of it will be held outside.
I will meet at the Ellendale Exxon at the intersection of 113 and Rt 16. The address of the church is; 20304 Dupont Blvd, Georgetown, DE 19947. I would like to meet at the Exxon @ 1000, with KSU no later then 1015 for the 10 minute ride down to Georgetown. Please RSVP to me if you are coming so they know how much room to give us for the bikes to be parked on a hard surface. Times will be posted NLT 22May 2008."
From Delaware Patriot Guard Captain “r12guy”:
"Sunday, May 25, 2008 The First Baptist Church Of Georgetown , will be holding Red, White and Blue Sunday.
We have been asked to join them to honor the Families of soldiers serving and who have served in the military. They will also be honoring the 16 lost so far in the Iraqi conflict whom came from Delaware.
We will have three meeting points: one in the north, one in the Dover area and one in Ellendale for the southern end. Times will be posted as we get them.
There will be a flag line starting @1030hrs and we will go inside for the service between 1045 and 1100. The service should last about an hour, and some of it will be held outside.
I will meet at the Ellendale Exxon at the intersection of 113 and Rt 16. The address of the church is; 20304 Dupont Blvd, Georgetown, DE 19947. I would like to meet at the Exxon @ 1000, with KSU no later then 1015 for the 10 minute ride down to Georgetown. Please RSVP to me if you are coming so they know how much room to give us for the bikes to be parked on a hard surface. Times will be posted NLT 22May 2008."
Monday, May 19, 2008
Is the Size of the Crowd the Measure of the Man?
Much has been made about the size of the crowd at the Obama rally in Washington State this past weekend.
I'm just sayin'.
The Economy: Another Casualty of War
Ron Paul's Weekly Column: Texas Straight Talk
"This week, as the American economy continued to suffer the effects of big government, the House attempted to pass two multibillion dollar "emergency" spending bills, one for continued spending on the war in Iraq , and one increasing spending on domestic and international welfare programs. The plan was to pass these two bills and then send them to the president as one package. Even though the House failed to pass the war spending bill, opponents of the war should not be fooled into believing this vote signals a long term change in policy. At the end of the day, those favoring continued military occupation of Iraq will receive every penny they are requesting and more as long as they agree to dramatically increase domestic and international welfare spending as well.
The continued War in Iraq and the constant state of emergency has allowed Congress to use these so-called "emergency" bills as a vehicle to dramatically increase spending across the board--including spending that does not meet even the most generous definition of emergency. For example, the spending proposals currently being considered by Congress provide $210 million to the Census Bureau and $4 million for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. $4.6 billion is requested for the closing of military bases, but not any of the more than 700 bases overseas – but bases here at home! Another $387 million would go to various international organizations and $850 million more just in international food aid - all this when food prices are skyrocketing here and American families are having a hard time making ends meet. Because this spending will be part of "emergency" measures, it will not count against debt ceilings, or any spending limits set by Congressional budget resolutions, and does not have to be offset in any way.
Explosive growth of government is just another tragedy of this war. The "bipartisan" compromises made in Washington are at the expense of the taxpayer, not in the interest of fiscal responsibility, or peace. The taxpayer loses and government grows.
The bottom line is that our dollar is falling, the economy is in rough shape, and government spending is wildly out of control. Congress argues over relatively minor details, instead of dramatically changing our flawed foreign policy. We need to bring our troops home, not only from Iraq and Afghanistan , but from South Korea , Germany , and the other 138 countries where we have troops stationed. Our foreign policy of interventionism is not only offensive to others, inviting further terrorist attacks, but it is ruining our economy as we tax, borrow and print the money to pay the bills of our empire. The economy and ultimately the American people suffer because Washington is refusing to adopt more sensible and constitutional policies.
Squabbling between those who favor increased welfare and those who favor increased warfare has giving the American people a temporary reprieve from having to bear the burden of yet another dramatic increase in government this week. However, as early as next week a compromise could be reached that expands both government warfare and welfare. As congressional approval ratings drop to 18% according to a recent Gallup poll, the American people are telegraphing that Congress is taking the country in the wrong direction. Our government must stop bankrupting the country so that we can get back on track to a peaceful, prosperous future."
"This week, as the American economy continued to suffer the effects of big government, the House attempted to pass two multibillion dollar "emergency" spending bills, one for continued spending on the war in Iraq , and one increasing spending on domestic and international welfare programs. The plan was to pass these two bills and then send them to the president as one package. Even though the House failed to pass the war spending bill, opponents of the war should not be fooled into believing this vote signals a long term change in policy. At the end of the day, those favoring continued military occupation of Iraq will receive every penny they are requesting and more as long as they agree to dramatically increase domestic and international welfare spending as well.
The continued War in Iraq and the constant state of emergency has allowed Congress to use these so-called "emergency" bills as a vehicle to dramatically increase spending across the board--including spending that does not meet even the most generous definition of emergency. For example, the spending proposals currently being considered by Congress provide $210 million to the Census Bureau and $4 million for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. $4.6 billion is requested for the closing of military bases, but not any of the more than 700 bases overseas – but bases here at home! Another $387 million would go to various international organizations and $850 million more just in international food aid - all this when food prices are skyrocketing here and American families are having a hard time making ends meet. Because this spending will be part of "emergency" measures, it will not count against debt ceilings, or any spending limits set by Congressional budget resolutions, and does not have to be offset in any way.
Explosive growth of government is just another tragedy of this war. The "bipartisan" compromises made in Washington are at the expense of the taxpayer, not in the interest of fiscal responsibility, or peace. The taxpayer loses and government grows.
The bottom line is that our dollar is falling, the economy is in rough shape, and government spending is wildly out of control. Congress argues over relatively minor details, instead of dramatically changing our flawed foreign policy. We need to bring our troops home, not only from Iraq and Afghanistan , but from South Korea , Germany , and the other 138 countries where we have troops stationed. Our foreign policy of interventionism is not only offensive to others, inviting further terrorist attacks, but it is ruining our economy as we tax, borrow and print the money to pay the bills of our empire. The economy and ultimately the American people suffer because Washington is refusing to adopt more sensible and constitutional policies.
Squabbling between those who favor increased welfare and those who favor increased warfare has giving the American people a temporary reprieve from having to bear the burden of yet another dramatic increase in government this week. However, as early as next week a compromise could be reached that expands both government warfare and welfare. As congressional approval ratings drop to 18% according to a recent Gallup poll, the American people are telegraphing that Congress is taking the country in the wrong direction. Our government must stop bankrupting the country so that we can get back on track to a peaceful, prosperous future."
Try Your Hand at Balancing the Federal Budget
From OMB Watch, an alert to an online game called “Budget Hero” where you get a chance to balance the Federal budget.
“Pick your policy priorities and fund them with real-life pay-fors. Or don’t pay for them and see what year your budget goes bust.”
To try your hand at it, click HERE.
“Pick your policy priorities and fund them with real-life pay-fors. Or don’t pay for them and see what year your budget goes bust.”
To try your hand at it, click HERE.
I Just Don't Get It
Bloggers everywhere are weighing in on the recent California Supreme Court decision that a ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional and discriminatory. Not that it matters, but I thought it was interesting to note that this is a Republican-dominated court: only one of the seven is a registered Democrat. So, I doubt that this decision was based on what Dave Anderson describes as “loony liberalism”.
Point-counterpoint was offered, most notably by Steve Newton in the comments, and another post at Delaware Libertarian. As far as the Delaware blogosphere is concerned, both sides of the issue brought up among other things history, morals, ethics, the will of God, and even basic plumbing concerns.
While I find all of this interesting, especially Steve’s historical perspective, I cannot join the debate. I just find it incredible that a debate even exists.
It must be a mark of my incredible political naiveté that I cannot comprehend why this is a matter of discussion. It seems such a very simple truth that same-sex couples should be given the same rights as different-sex couples in regards to both the benefits and tribulations of marriage. I must live in some wide-eyed dream world where the basic rights of human beings are a given, and I simply cannot understand the ardor and righteousness with which some argue against it.
I cannot argue, because it is so self-evident to me. That is a fault of mine: one should, I suppose, garner all the historical, legal, and political ammunition one can when taking a position. In this case, however, one will never convince another, and it seems to me to be an exercise in futility.
If only everyone could take the common-sense view….the humane and rational view….the view the all religions, at least in the very spirit of their teachings if not their worldly practice, would take without blinking an eye.
I just don’t get it.
Point-counterpoint was offered, most notably by Steve Newton in the comments, and another post at Delaware Libertarian. As far as the Delaware blogosphere is concerned, both sides of the issue brought up among other things history, morals, ethics, the will of God, and even basic plumbing concerns.
While I find all of this interesting, especially Steve’s historical perspective, I cannot join the debate. I just find it incredible that a debate even exists.
It must be a mark of my incredible political naiveté that I cannot comprehend why this is a matter of discussion. It seems such a very simple truth that same-sex couples should be given the same rights as different-sex couples in regards to both the benefits and tribulations of marriage. I must live in some wide-eyed dream world where the basic rights of human beings are a given, and I simply cannot understand the ardor and righteousness with which some argue against it.
I cannot argue, because it is so self-evident to me. That is a fault of mine: one should, I suppose, garner all the historical, legal, and political ammunition one can when taking a position. In this case, however, one will never convince another, and it seems to me to be an exercise in futility.
If only everyone could take the common-sense view….the humane and rational view….the view the all religions, at least in the very spirit of their teachings if not their worldly practice, would take without blinking an eye.
I just don’t get it.
The Lighter Side of Eminent Doman
On a particularly lazy evening not long ago, we happened to catch the 1997 Australian move The Castle, a low-budget film made in 11 days, and director Eric Bana’s first production.Once you get used to the Australian accents, this is not only a fine comedy but an excellent view into the inner workings of Australian law and the concept of “compulsory acquisition”, which is their version of eminent domain.
We alternately laughed and were captivated by the family portrayed in the film, as well as their legal woes. The father is the epitome of a naiveté based solely in the incredible confidence about what is right.
I recommend the movie highly, and I imagine our own Ed Osborne would get a real kick if not a wee bit of inspiration from it.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Motorcycle Diaries, 5-17-2008
It was a bit nippy for motorcycle-riding. The temperature was 48 degrees when we headed out of Lancashire Saturday morning at 07:00 for a trip to Gettysburg. But, the weather looked like it would be holding up during the day, so we layered up and headed out. After the usual equipment check (brake lights, turn signals, flashers), we putted out slowly so as not to disturb the neighbors.
We met Boo-Boo and Cowpie at the Cumberland Farms on Route 202. From there we took 48W which turned into Route 41 at the PA line. Going through mushroom country, I was waiting for that sweet smell to hit me, but alas the air was too crisp. Going through Avondale, we passed the colorful El Sombrero Resturant (“2.4 million tamales served), and hit the Perkins Pancake House about 08:00. Skip, Big John, Hacksaw, and Sioux arrived soon after, and we had a hearty breakfast. Seven bikes, eight people. I was the only one riding pillion.We left Perkins at 09:05, and headed down 896 to 372W, through Quarryville. We went over a bridge where we could see the Holtwood Dam, then 74N through Felton and Winterstown. Such beautiful country ! Saturday must be laundry day in the land of the Mennonites, and strings of crisp linens were hanging from barntops and rooftops around every turn. The cows, horses, goats, and various other critters were out roaming and chomping. God, I love this country !
After a short stop, we hit 216W and went through the interesting borough of Glen Rock. A bit later we stopped at Caduras Park and took a few pictures and rested our butts a bit.
>
We hit the Dead Dog Saloon outside of Gettysburg around noon. From there we hit Battlefield Harley-Davidson where there were ceremonies for Armed Forces Day. All sorts of political types were there, and there was a nice presentation by a Gold Star Mother.From there we hit The Livery for burgers. Cheddar-cheese burger? Sorry, we’re out of cheddar. Sweet potato fries? They were low on sweet potatoes, so we got two orders instead of four.
The skies were looking a bit ominous. We decided to head back via the same route. We stopped at The Bullfrog on the way back for a few, and finally rolled back home at 8:30 PM. We had gotten up at 05:00, so you know we were danged tired. From door-to-door, the trip was 13 ½ hours and 250 miles. Yeah, we were tired, but it was a good tired. We managed to dodge the rain. A nice ride with good friends. Nothing special. Just a day.
I made note of the political signs along the way. The count for lawn signs was as follows:
Hillary Clinton – 1
Barack Obama – 1
Ron Paul – 3 (including one huge sign in Quarryville that took up the whole yard)
Friday, May 16, 2008
A Different Conservative View on Gay Marriage
In National Review, Jim Manzi offers thoughts beyond the predictable.
He concludes:
"Americans have a healthy aversion to telling other people how to live. Only about 30 percent of Americans support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Why don’t we try letting people live how they want to live, and let others try to impose uniform national rules on a heterogeneous population of 300 million people?"
He concludes:
"Americans have a healthy aversion to telling other people how to live. Only about 30 percent of Americans support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Why don’t we try letting people live how they want to live, and let others try to impose uniform national rules on a heterogeneous population of 300 million people?"
Sikh Loses Motorcycle Helmet Challenge
(LINK)
BRAMPTON, Ontario, March 6 (UPI) -- A challenge by a Canadian Sikh man to Ontario's law requiring helmets for motorcyclists has been dismissed by a provincial judge.
Baljinder Badesha, 39, challenged a $110 ticket he got in September 2005 for riding wearing only his religious turban in Brampton, northwest of Toronto.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission sided with him, saying he was being discriminated against because of his religion, the Canwest News Service reported Thursday.
But, Ontario Superior Court Justice James Blacklock dismissed the case.
"Given the nature of Mr. Badesha's beliefs, which foreclose him from wearing anything over his turban, and yet the unquestioned safety and related issues, this is one of those cases, which unfortunately, no accommodation appears possible," Blacklock wrote in his ruling.
The provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba allow turban-clad Sikh motorcyclists to forgo mandatory helmets, as do Britain and India, the report said.
Rising Costs Threaten UK Wind Farm
The UK won't meets it targets on renewable energy if offshore wind farm costs continue to spiral, the government has been warned.
Centrica said the chance of making any money from wind farms being set up around the British coast were now only slim.
Rising prices for raw materials, particularly steel and copper, had pushed up the prices being demanded by the handful of companies who make the giant turbines for the offshore fields.
(LINK)
Centrica said the chance of making any money from wind farms being set up around the British coast were now only slim.
Rising prices for raw materials, particularly steel and copper, had pushed up the prices being demanded by the handful of companies who make the giant turbines for the offshore fields.
(LINK)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
On Words
I am active in the biker rights community all over this great country, and we have our newsgroups and such. Today I acted on an item in Louisiana, writing the appropriate legislators, etc., etc., and posted my letter on the relevant forums. I never think much about this until I got this response from a fellow activist today:
“Hot Dam! Shirley’s going to force them to get out the dictionary. Those are some really neat twenty dollar words! Nice one….passing this on to Poet…”.
I don’t intentionally try to use big words or sound all high-falutin’…the way I speak and write is just part of my nature. I get a little embarrassed when people call me out on it, like I’m trying to sound too important or smart or whatever. It’s just the way I am.
I was wondering why I am that way, and I think I know.
When I was in my tweens (14-15), I had a medical issue where I became bedridden for a year. I was tutored (one teacher for math and science, another for the humanities), and all my younger siblings (there were 4 of them) would take turns brushing my hair and exercising my feet. Ah, the days of bedpans…I miss them so !
I don’t remember ever being bored. How odd, I think now. A tween encased in plaster, unable to move. My father rigged up a slat by the side of the bed where I could pull myself up to the side and watch TV, eat, and read. I remember asking my Mom,
“Just bring me the biggest, fattest books you can find”.
And so she did. She must have made good choices. I read and read, probably not knowing much about what I was reading, but absorbing things along the way, I guess. As a freshman at U of D, I immediately declared my major as Philosophy. Alas, the circuitous twists and turns of life led my along other paths. You know how that goes. I don’t regret a minute of it.
I sometimes feel that my style may be stilted, perhaps too businesslike. At times I try to vary it, depending on the audience. But it remains that I am at the age where old habits and instincts die hard.
I kind of like it, because I know it is who I am.
My letter to the Representatives in the state of Louisiana follows:
Honorable Representatives,
A series of spurious and malevolent amendments have been proposed to HB 1295, which provides for the repeal of the motorcycle helmet law. In my view, these amendments are attempts to obfuscate the very merit of the original bill in an attempt to entangle it with uninformed and specious amendments. Time and time again it has been shown that helmet laws do not save lives. That will not change, despite the misguided attempts of others to claim otherwise.
These amendments are also discriminatory and unconstitutional, meant only to prolong debate even in light of their obvious ridiculousness. The blatant use of outrageous amendments in order to condemn a bill to obscurity is a well-known tactic. It certainly does not show Louisiana in a favorable light.
The most egregious of all is perhaps House Floor Amendment 3794, introduced by Representative Morrell which reads in part, "Any person … who is critically injured due to his failure to wear on his head a safety helmet … shall be deemed to have given his authority to be an organ donor pursuant to the Anatomical Gift Act".
Let me get this straight. If a motorcyclist is killed in a motorcycle accident, and was not wearing a helmet, that person is deemed to be an organ donor, regardless of any other wishes of this person to the contrary. This is an absolute outrage on two fronts. "…Critically injured due to his failure to wear…." is nearly impossible to prove. A rider is more than likely critically injured due to the negligence of another driver, not due to the failure to wear a helmet. One would have to prove that the lack of a helmet was directly responsible for the critical injury, or would have to prove a negative: that if the motorcyclist had worn a helmet that the critical injury would not have occurred. Both of these scenarios would snarl the legal system for years, and would have the potential of allowing negligent drivers to get off with minimal penalties irregardless of the nature of their offenses.
Amendment 3794 also claims to make a decision of a most personal nature for a deceased person. It is also contrary to Louisiana law. The Anatomical Gift Act states that a person who is "competent to execute a will" may make an anatomical gift. An option other than a will is any document "signed by the donor, in the presence of two witnesses". Obviously, a deceased person cannot make these decisions and it is the ultimate intrusion and indignity for the State to make this decision for him.
The two other amendments that have been proposed are 3676 and 3754. Both are objectionable for the many of the same reasons. House Floor Amendment 3676 (Abramson) would require that any person who "chooses not to wear a helmet" uninsured motorist and health insurance policies with minimum limits of $500,000 each. House Floor Amendment 3754 (Abramson) denies the motorcyclist the right to sue unless he can prove that the "helmet would not have prevented the injury or death".
Both of these amendments are discriminatory in that they apply only to motorcyclists. If you would apply the same conditions to those who ignore Louisiana's mandatory seatbelt law, you might have some constitutional standing, however imagine the outrage if this was actually proposed. The very nature of these amendments assumes irresponsibility on the motorcyclist's part, assigning accountability to them and them alone, ignoring the fact that the majority of accidents are caused by the negligence of the other driver.
You may wonder why someone from another State would even care what happens in Lousiana. Here in Delaware, we have the freedom to decide. It has been that way since the 1970's. As in all other States, mandatory helmet law or not, in some years the fatality rate goes up and in other years it goes down. The existence of a law has no bearing on the results. As a citizen, I am concerned about what happens in other States because I feel that motorcyclists are being targeted unfairly. This is a matter for all to be concerned with. Who will be next? Those pesky pedestrians?
In this instance, it appears that the actions of a misinformed few, with what appears to be no small amount of malice, are being made in the attempt to disallow the due consideration of this legislation as originally written. It is this kind of legislative tomfoolery that Americans everywhere are becoming quite tired of.
Your own Governor supports the repeal of mandatory helmet law. From what I have read, he has quite a reputation as a good, honest, and measured man. I urge that you take his lead and disregard the attempts of others to inject unconstitutional and discriminatory conditions on legislation that will simply restore the rights and freedoms of motorcyclists in Louisiana.
Sincerely,
“Hot Dam! Shirley’s going to force them to get out the dictionary. Those are some really neat twenty dollar words! Nice one….passing this on to Poet…”.
I don’t intentionally try to use big words or sound all high-falutin’…the way I speak and write is just part of my nature. I get a little embarrassed when people call me out on it, like I’m trying to sound too important or smart or whatever. It’s just the way I am.
I was wondering why I am that way, and I think I know.
When I was in my tweens (14-15), I had a medical issue where I became bedridden for a year. I was tutored (one teacher for math and science, another for the humanities), and all my younger siblings (there were 4 of them) would take turns brushing my hair and exercising my feet. Ah, the days of bedpans…I miss them so !
I don’t remember ever being bored. How odd, I think now. A tween encased in plaster, unable to move. My father rigged up a slat by the side of the bed where I could pull myself up to the side and watch TV, eat, and read. I remember asking my Mom,
“Just bring me the biggest, fattest books you can find”.
And so she did. She must have made good choices. I read and read, probably not knowing much about what I was reading, but absorbing things along the way, I guess. As a freshman at U of D, I immediately declared my major as Philosophy. Alas, the circuitous twists and turns of life led my along other paths. You know how that goes. I don’t regret a minute of it.
I sometimes feel that my style may be stilted, perhaps too businesslike. At times I try to vary it, depending on the audience. But it remains that I am at the age where old habits and instincts die hard.
I kind of like it, because I know it is who I am.
My letter to the Representatives in the state of Louisiana follows:
Honorable Representatives,
A series of spurious and malevolent amendments have been proposed to HB 1295, which provides for the repeal of the motorcycle helmet law. In my view, these amendments are attempts to obfuscate the very merit of the original bill in an attempt to entangle it with uninformed and specious amendments. Time and time again it has been shown that helmet laws do not save lives. That will not change, despite the misguided attempts of others to claim otherwise.
These amendments are also discriminatory and unconstitutional, meant only to prolong debate even in light of their obvious ridiculousness. The blatant use of outrageous amendments in order to condemn a bill to obscurity is a well-known tactic. It certainly does not show Louisiana in a favorable light.
The most egregious of all is perhaps House Floor Amendment 3794, introduced by Representative Morrell which reads in part, "Any person … who is critically injured due to his failure to wear on his head a safety helmet … shall be deemed to have given his authority to be an organ donor pursuant to the Anatomical Gift Act".
Let me get this straight. If a motorcyclist is killed in a motorcycle accident, and was not wearing a helmet, that person is deemed to be an organ donor, regardless of any other wishes of this person to the contrary. This is an absolute outrage on two fronts. "…Critically injured due to his failure to wear…." is nearly impossible to prove. A rider is more than likely critically injured due to the negligence of another driver, not due to the failure to wear a helmet. One would have to prove that the lack of a helmet was directly responsible for the critical injury, or would have to prove a negative: that if the motorcyclist had worn a helmet that the critical injury would not have occurred. Both of these scenarios would snarl the legal system for years, and would have the potential of allowing negligent drivers to get off with minimal penalties irregardless of the nature of their offenses.
Amendment 3794 also claims to make a decision of a most personal nature for a deceased person. It is also contrary to Louisiana law. The Anatomical Gift Act states that a person who is "competent to execute a will" may make an anatomical gift. An option other than a will is any document "signed by the donor, in the presence of two witnesses". Obviously, a deceased person cannot make these decisions and it is the ultimate intrusion and indignity for the State to make this decision for him.
The two other amendments that have been proposed are 3676 and 3754. Both are objectionable for the many of the same reasons. House Floor Amendment 3676 (Abramson) would require that any person who "chooses not to wear a helmet" uninsured motorist and health insurance policies with minimum limits of $500,000 each. House Floor Amendment 3754 (Abramson) denies the motorcyclist the right to sue unless he can prove that the "helmet would not have prevented the injury or death".
Both of these amendments are discriminatory in that they apply only to motorcyclists. If you would apply the same conditions to those who ignore Louisiana's mandatory seatbelt law, you might have some constitutional standing, however imagine the outrage if this was actually proposed. The very nature of these amendments assumes irresponsibility on the motorcyclist's part, assigning accountability to them and them alone, ignoring the fact that the majority of accidents are caused by the negligence of the other driver.
You may wonder why someone from another State would even care what happens in Lousiana. Here in Delaware, we have the freedom to decide. It has been that way since the 1970's. As in all other States, mandatory helmet law or not, in some years the fatality rate goes up and in other years it goes down. The existence of a law has no bearing on the results. As a citizen, I am concerned about what happens in other States because I feel that motorcyclists are being targeted unfairly. This is a matter for all to be concerned with. Who will be next? Those pesky pedestrians?
In this instance, it appears that the actions of a misinformed few, with what appears to be no small amount of malice, are being made in the attempt to disallow the due consideration of this legislation as originally written. It is this kind of legislative tomfoolery that Americans everywhere are becoming quite tired of.
Your own Governor supports the repeal of mandatory helmet law. From what I have read, he has quite a reputation as a good, honest, and measured man. I urge that you take his lead and disregard the attempts of others to inject unconstitutional and discriminatory conditions on legislation that will simply restore the rights and freedoms of motorcyclists in Louisiana.
Sincerely,
The Saga of Senate Bill 174
Senate Bill 174 would require that anyone under the age of 18 must wear a bicycle helmet while operating or riding as a passenger of a bicycle, motorized skateboard, or motorized scooter.
House Amendment 1 (passed), revised the bill in two ways. First, it would extend the requirement to non-motorized skateboards and scooters. Second, it would remove the requirement if the person objected to wearing a helmet due to “personal religious convictions”.
I am familiar with much legislation nationwide concerning helmets. This is the first time I have ever seen a religious element as part of a helmet bill. I find it quite curious.
Senate Amendment 1 (passed) further refined the religious issue, wording it to say that the person who objected to wearing a helmet “is a member of a recognized church or religious denomination and whose religious convictions, in accordance with the tenets and practices of the violator’s church or religious denomination, are against the wearing of a helmet.”
Senate Amendment 2 (PWB) removes the non-motorized skateboard and scooter requirement.
I am against this bill on principle, considering it the responsibility and decision of the parents to decide what safety measures their children should take. Since I do not have children, I did not voice any opposition to the measure, thinking instead that those with a stake in the issue could do so on themselves.
It is also interesting to note that the original bill states that "National Conference on State Legislatures reports that bicycle helmets decrease the risk of head and brain injuries by 85 to 88 percent ....", yet the New York Times reported:
House Amendment 1 (passed), revised the bill in two ways. First, it would extend the requirement to non-motorized skateboards and scooters. Second, it would remove the requirement if the person objected to wearing a helmet due to “personal religious convictions”.
I am familiar with much legislation nationwide concerning helmets. This is the first time I have ever seen a religious element as part of a helmet bill. I find it quite curious.
Senate Amendment 1 (passed) further refined the religious issue, wording it to say that the person who objected to wearing a helmet “is a member of a recognized church or religious denomination and whose religious convictions, in accordance with the tenets and practices of the violator’s church or religious denomination, are against the wearing of a helmet.”
Senate Amendment 2 (PWB) removes the non-motorized skateboard and scooter requirement.
I am against this bill on principle, considering it the responsibility and decision of the parents to decide what safety measures their children should take. Since I do not have children, I did not voice any opposition to the measure, thinking instead that those with a stake in the issue could do so on themselves.
It is also interesting to note that the original bill states that "National Conference on State Legislatures reports that bicycle helmets decrease the risk of head and brain injuries by 85 to 88 percent ....", yet the New York Times reported:
"The number of head injuries sustained in bicycle accidents has increased 10 percent since 1991, even as helmet use has risen sharply, according to figures compiled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. With ridership declining over the same period, the rate of head injuries among bicyclists has increased 51 percent even as the use of bicycle helmets has become widespread.
What is going on here? No one is very sure, but safety experts stress that while helmets do not prevent accidents, they are extremely effective at reducing the severity of head injuries when they do occur. Almost no one suggests that riders should stop wearing helmets, which researchers have found can reduce the severity of brain injuries by as much as 88 percent."
Sometimes you have to read beyond the numbers. A lesson for everyone.
It has been interesting, though, to watch its progress and to see what elements are in and which are out. Which is more important, religion or safety?Interesting, indeed.
Way To Go Senator Cloutier !
I listened with interest to Tyler Nixon on the WDEL Al Mascitti show this morning about Senator McDowell’s attempts to ram SB 263, which appeared for the first time yesterday, through the committee.
It was remarked that Senator Catherine Cloutier “rolled her eyes” at this attempt at legislative tomfoolery. She obviously wasn’t fooled ! It was reported by Tyler that she voiced her concerns about the perceived “rush” to get to this complicated legislation when it hadn’t even been properly introduced.
Good on ya, Senator Cloutier ! I have never met my good Senator, but the more I follow what she does, the more respect I have for here. She also voted against Senate Bill 164 which would essentially disenfranchise voters in Delaware. It sounds as though she does everything in an understated and professional way. How refreshing !
Way To Go, Senator Cloutier !
It was remarked that Senator Catherine Cloutier “rolled her eyes” at this attempt at legislative tomfoolery. She obviously wasn’t fooled ! It was reported by Tyler that she voiced her concerns about the perceived “rush” to get to this complicated legislation when it hadn’t even been properly introduced.
Good on ya, Senator Cloutier ! I have never met my good Senator, but the more I follow what she does, the more respect I have for here. She also voted against Senate Bill 164 which would essentially disenfranchise voters in Delaware. It sounds as though she does everything in an understated and professional way. How refreshing !
Way To Go, Senator Cloutier !
The Killing Fields in Michigan
Michigan is a mandatory helmet law state. Helmets save lives? Just how is that?
5/13/2008 - BIG RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. - A motorcyclist died when he hit a truck as the truck turned in front of the him around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
5/13/2008 - BANGOR TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The 37-year-old motorcyclist was driving west on Midland road when the truck pulled out and hit the cycle head-on.
5/14/2008 - ITHACA - David L. Graham was eastbound on Center on his 2004 Honda motorcycle when a 37-year-old Newark Township resident, westbound on Center, attempted to make a turn onto southbound Jeffrey
5/12/2008 - CASNOVIA TWP. -- A Hesperia motorcyclist and his female passenger were critically injured when a pickup truck driven by a man without a driver's license turned into their path Saturday afternoon
And in today's Business Section of the News Journal, the popularity of motor bikes due to rising gas prices is featured. One new riders exclaims, "...if other drivers can't see me, they're blind."
Oh, really? Welcome to the real world, ma'am.
h/t my friend Rusty
5/13/2008 - BIG RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. - A motorcyclist died when he hit a truck as the truck turned in front of the him around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
5/13/2008 - BANGOR TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The 37-year-old motorcyclist was driving west on Midland road when the truck pulled out and hit the cycle head-on.
5/14/2008 - ITHACA - David L. Graham was eastbound on Center on his 2004 Honda motorcycle when a 37-year-old Newark Township resident, westbound on Center, attempted to make a turn onto southbound Jeffrey
5/12/2008 - CASNOVIA TWP. -- A Hesperia motorcyclist and his female passenger were critically injured when a pickup truck driven by a man without a driver's license turned into their path Saturday afternoon
And in today's Business Section of the News Journal, the popularity of motor bikes due to rising gas prices is featured. One new riders exclaims, "...if other drivers can't see me, they're blind."
Oh, really? Welcome to the real world, ma'am.
h/t my friend Rusty
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Prayer in the News
Merit-Bound Alley posts on people conducting prayer vigils in order to lower gas prices.
Now in Montana, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Fischer is asking people to pray for “whichever candidates will bring the greatest blessing to Montana”:
“Fischer said he would establish a continuous prayer schedule for Montanans 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People would sign up for time slots and pray for the state regularly.”
Whatever works, I guess.
Now in Montana, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Fischer is asking people to pray for “whichever candidates will bring the greatest blessing to Montana”:
“Fischer said he would establish a continuous prayer schedule for Montanans 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People would sign up for time slots and pray for the state regularly.”
Whatever works, I guess.
Health Care, Government-Style
From the other side of the pond:
"Retired dentist and wife 'in suicide pact' after being told they have to move into separate care homes
"Retired dentist and wife 'in suicide pact' after being told they have to move into separate care homes
In almost 60 years of marriage Tom and Nancie Hughes had rarely been apart.
And it seems the prospect of moving into separate care homes for the rest of their lives was simply too much for the devoted couple to bear.
The bodies of the retired dentist and his wife, who were regularly seen holding hands, have been found at the apartment they shared. "
Wales publicly-funded healthcare system (NHS) is Wales’ biggest employer, with over 90,000 employees. The whole system is a huge bureaucracy, with Local Health Boards, regional trusts that cover local “authority areas”and Health Commission Wales, an executive agency of the government.
From the comments to this story:
"Once again Social Services don't give a damn about the needs of others - how unusual!"
"This tragic couple are not the first and will not be the last. The application of the principles of the old Poor Law and the Workhouse culture are embedded in New Labour thinking."
"There is no respect for peoples' 'attachments' to the people they love in the present social service system."
A Fly in the Ointment
Washington University (St. Louis) has announced that Phyllis Schlafly will be one of six individuals to receive an honorary degree at their 147th Commencement ceremony this week.
This has caused a small furor, with 14 of the school faculty asking that the award be rescinded. The letter objects not based on any of her particular ideological or political views, rather:
“Our objection to honoring Ms. Schlafly instead stems from the fact that she has devoted her career to demagoguery and anti-intellectualism in the pursuit of her political agenda….”
As ThinkProgress reports, the letter goes on to note that Ms. Schlafly’s accomplishments include:
“….going after “the gay and lesbian agenda,” calling for the “impeachment” of Supreme Court justices, calling anyone who believes in evolution an “atheist,” and opposing the Violence Against Women Act. She has also claimed that women “are too emotional to handle intellectual or scientific debate” and described sex education as “in-home sales parties for abortions.”
Schlafly responded:
“They are a bunch of bitter women. Get a life. Move on. Try to do something with your life.”
It is ironic that the university’s announcement described her as an “advocate for the role of a full-time homemaker.” Her varied career left little time to knit booties.
Another honorary degree recipient is MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. I’m just sayin’.
This has caused a small furor, with 14 of the school faculty asking that the award be rescinded. The letter objects not based on any of her particular ideological or political views, rather:
“Our objection to honoring Ms. Schlafly instead stems from the fact that she has devoted her career to demagoguery and anti-intellectualism in the pursuit of her political agenda….”
As ThinkProgress reports, the letter goes on to note that Ms. Schlafly’s accomplishments include:
“….going after “the gay and lesbian agenda,” calling for the “impeachment” of Supreme Court justices, calling anyone who believes in evolution an “atheist,” and opposing the Violence Against Women Act. She has also claimed that women “are too emotional to handle intellectual or scientific debate” and described sex education as “in-home sales parties for abortions.”
Schlafly responded:
“They are a bunch of bitter women. Get a life. Move on. Try to do something with your life.”
It is ironic that the university’s announcement described her as an “advocate for the role of a full-time homemaker.” Her varied career left little time to knit booties.
Another honorary degree recipient is MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. I’m just sayin’.
Blast From the Past
Prophecy or irony? Or both?
Source: “The Pentagon Papers: Secrets Lies and Audiotapes (The Nixon Tapes and the Supreme Court Tape)”. National Security Archive.
“Out of the gobbledygook comes a very clear thing: you can’t trust the government; you can’t believe what they say; and you can’t rely on their judgment; and the --- the implicit infallibility of presidents, which as been an accepted thing in America, is badly hurt by this, because it shows that people do things the president wants to do even though it’s wrong, and the president can be wrong.”-- Donald Rumsfeld (as paraphrased by H.R. Haldeman) to President Nixon, June 14th, 1971
Source: “The Pentagon Papers: Secrets Lies and Audiotapes (The Nixon Tapes and the Supreme Court Tape)”. National Security Archive.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
You Gotta Believe ?
Ace of Spades HQ has some commentary on this picture of Barack Obama which ran in an Oregon newspapers endorsement:
"Barack Obama's supporters are even more frenzied, and there are about 20 times more of them, and they actually believe Obama is a god -- or at least sent by God, to deliver them all from evil.
The only consolation I can take is that it will be the crushing disappointment when the "god" Obama cannot manage the miracles his disciples believe him capable of.
Oh, he'll manage some miracles. Losing Iraq, appointing very liberal Supreme Court justices and tilting the courts to the left for the next generation, raising taxes, demolishing the economy.
But bringing "hope" and "change" beyond that? Nope."
It Had To Happen
From Daily Kos, an alert to the site Things Younger Than John McCain. Some of the entries include LSD, Scientology, Spam, The Beav and Pat Buchanan.
I guess it’s kind of mean, but it’s also funny.
I would also think it might be more of a challenge to find things older than John McCain, but that's just me.
I guess it’s kind of mean, but it’s also funny.
I would also think it might be more of a challenge to find things older than John McCain, but that's just me.
Political Doublespeak At Its Finest
“After 58 years, the United States Navy will reactivate the Fourth Fleet, which will be in charge of patrolling Latin American waters.
The fleet had been deactivated following the end of the Second World War, but starting July 1st of this year, U.S. naval forces will have a high level command specifically dedicated to supervising the projects of its units in Latin America and the Caribbean.” (LINK)
The question is, why? Don’t we have enough problems?
The military attempts to allay our fears:
“….this does not imply in itself an increase in U.S. military presence in the region.”
Huh?
“In reality, the U.S. naval forces of the Southern Command have been acting as a fleet, so from the operational point of view in the region, nothing has changed. Basically this is about changing the name of reality.”
Again, I say, Huh?
Another question one would ask: Does South America even want us there?
“Analysts point out that one of the operational challenges confronting the U.S. military forces in the region is the difficulty of obtaining permission to operate bases in Latin America.…it is expected that after 2009, the Ecuadorian government will not renew Washington’s permit to operate there.”
And even scarier:
“For the last few years, the United States was concentrated on Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently now it is trying to return to Latin America…”
Well at least we have a heads up on where we’ll be after Iraq and Afghanistan. At least the climate is a little more welcoming.
The fleet had been deactivated following the end of the Second World War, but starting July 1st of this year, U.S. naval forces will have a high level command specifically dedicated to supervising the projects of its units in Latin America and the Caribbean.” (LINK)
The question is, why? Don’t we have enough problems?
The military attempts to allay our fears:
“….this does not imply in itself an increase in U.S. military presence in the region.”
Huh?
“In reality, the U.S. naval forces of the Southern Command have been acting as a fleet, so from the operational point of view in the region, nothing has changed. Basically this is about changing the name of reality.”
Again, I say, Huh?
Another question one would ask: Does South America even want us there?
“Analysts point out that one of the operational challenges confronting the U.S. military forces in the region is the difficulty of obtaining permission to operate bases in Latin America.…it is expected that after 2009, the Ecuadorian government will not renew Washington’s permit to operate there.”
And even scarier:
“For the last few years, the United States was concentrated on Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently now it is trying to return to Latin America…”
Well at least we have a heads up on where we’ll be after Iraq and Afghanistan. At least the climate is a little more welcoming.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Power Out in Northern New Castle County
....at least in the Marsh/Naamans area. According to Delmarva, we will be without power until 10 PM ! Egad ! This should be a fun evening ... no internet, no TV..... we may be forced to have an actual adult conversation.
Sigh.
Sigh.
Welcome to Paulville
From PoliticoDotCom:
“The founders of Paulville recently announced the purchase of the first 50 acres in West Texas on which they plan to build one of their “gated communities containing 100 percent Ron Paul supporters and or people that live by the ideals of freedom and liberty.
One man who won’t be moving there anytime soon: Ron Paul.” (LINK)
It goes on:
“The community is structured as a co-op; freedom-loving denizens can purchase plots as small as one acre and are not required to use the co-op’s water or energy supply.
But dropping out and creating an isolated community isn’t the answer, says Paul, a congressman from Texas. “You don’t want the ideas to be centered in one place,” he says. “But it shows how desperate people are for freedom.”
Form your own opinion, but I just found this to be a little creepy. I support Ron Paul, but am not sure I’d join a commune-like association. Then again, it kind of reminds of the good old days.
“The founders of Paulville recently announced the purchase of the first 50 acres in West Texas on which they plan to build one of their “gated communities containing 100 percent Ron Paul supporters and or people that live by the ideals of freedom and liberty.
One man who won’t be moving there anytime soon: Ron Paul.” (LINK)
It goes on:
“The community is structured as a co-op; freedom-loving denizens can purchase plots as small as one acre and are not required to use the co-op’s water or energy supply.
But dropping out and creating an isolated community isn’t the answer, says Paul, a congressman from Texas. “You don’t want the ideas to be centered in one place,” he says. “But it shows how desperate people are for freedom.”
Form your own opinion, but I just found this to be a little creepy. I support Ron Paul, but am not sure I’d join a commune-like association. Then again, it kind of reminds of the good old days.
Can You Blame Them?
The situation in Myanmar is tragic. Thousands upon thousand of people have died and many more are suffering.
Much has been said about Myanmar’s initial refusal to allow United States relief efforts into the country.
But really, can you blame them?
We have a long history of prolonging our visits, and like an embarrassing drunk uncle who refuses to leave, we slobber continuously around the dinner table, knocking things over, and making everyone quite uncomfortable. We seem to think we know what is best for everyone.
The problem is, we can’t just express an opinion. We make it a lifestyle.
Much has been said about Myanmar’s initial refusal to allow United States relief efforts into the country.
But really, can you blame them?
We have a long history of prolonging our visits, and like an embarrassing drunk uncle who refuses to leave, we slobber continuously around the dinner table, knocking things over, and making everyone quite uncomfortable. We seem to think we know what is best for everyone.
The problem is, we can’t just express an opinion. We make it a lifestyle.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Everyone Has Limits, Even John Waters
Thanks to my favorite blogger outside of the state of Delaware, I was made aware of This Filthy World, a John Waters monologue on a number of most interesting topics. Thanks to the non-springlike weather we have been having, Chainsaw and I watched it last night and were literally laughing out loud. If you have Showtime On Demand, it is now available. (Hint: Showtime puts things in a weird order. I was looking under either “The” for “This” or “F” for “Filthy”, but in their wisdom they put it under “J” for “John Waters.)
If you are familiar with John Waters, especially his earlier works where the burning question of the day is “Does Divine really eat dog feces?”, you may wonder if there are any limits to his madness. Yes, even John Waters has limits, and he goes into some detail. I was somewhat disconcerted to find that Chainsaw knew exactly what he was talking about. I had to google everything later.
This is a howlingly enjoyable 90 minutes of ruminations by one of the most innovative, dangerous, and radical directors of our time or perhaps even for all time. It is amazing that at one time he was routinely arrested for public indecency; nowadays, he is given the keys to the city when he hangs private parts from trees.
The cultural issues of the day are addressed in Waters’ unique way. Check it out.
Welcome Home 485th Chemical Battalion !
The 485th Chemical Battalion unit of the Delaware Air National Guard returned home yesterday to their loving families. This is the son of one of those happy "Golden Warriors".
The complete album can be found here. Joe Biden was there and is in some of the pictures, as well as Patriot Guard Riders, but first and foremost the friends and families of the 485th.
Welcome Home ! Thank you for your fine service.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
It's Going to be a Bad Hair Day
Despite the threat of afternoon showers (and the general miserableness of the day), we'll be heaing out shortly for the Motorcycle Awareness Day event at Legislative Hall today. We're meeting some folks at the Ches-Del at 09:00 for the ride down. I hope Senator Ennis still makes it !
If you're in Dover around noon with nothing to do, slide on by !
Brrrr. I'm going to get sick, I just know it.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Even Martin Luther King is Made in China
The model for the 28-foot statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. that will be the centerpiece of the King Memorial in Washington, DC is being built, where else?
China. Home of tainted pet food, poisonous toys, and the tethering of Tibet.
There seems to me to be something wrong with this. One of the greatest civil rights leaders of all times with a “Made in China” label attached to his suit jacket?
There is also some flak over the way Dr. King is portrayed, with some saying it makes him appear “too confrontational”, and the Commission of Fine Arts calling the style “Social Realist”, which is apparently a bad thing (LINK to story and picture).
Personally, I think that being confrontational was part of Dr. King’s style. It was part of what made him who he was.
Discussion in the art world is ensuing. Construction in China is being tinkered with. Round and round we will go.
China. Home of tainted pet food, poisonous toys, and the tethering of Tibet.
There seems to me to be something wrong with this. One of the greatest civil rights leaders of all times with a “Made in China” label attached to his suit jacket?
There is also some flak over the way Dr. King is portrayed, with some saying it makes him appear “too confrontational”, and the Commission of Fine Arts calling the style “Social Realist”, which is apparently a bad thing (LINK to story and picture).
Personally, I think that being confrontational was part of Dr. King’s style. It was part of what made him who he was.
Discussion in the art world is ensuing. Construction in China is being tinkered with. Round and round we will go.
Ten Ways to Poison the Debate
There is an excellent piece in the Philadelphia Daily News editorial section today. It is written by Linda S. Wallace who runs Cultural Coach, and writes a blog called Cultural IQ. In “10 Ways to Poison the Debate”, Ms. Wallace is addressing the presidential candidates, however her advice applies to any discourse.
It might do well for some bloggers and commenters to read this article.
The “10 Ways…” are listed below. The column at its original source expounds on each one of them.
1. Instead of seeking a discussion of facts or truth, shut down the conversation right away by announcing you take offense at a remark.
2. Never ask open-ended questions to clarify another speaker's position and promote discovery.
3. Always attach labels to others and throw around words such as elitist, racist, conservative or liberal when describing them.
4. Don't listen with the purpose of understanding another speaker's intent.
5. Call in the media to provide around-the-clock interpretation and analysis.
6. When responding to ideas you don't happen to agree with, never EVER say: "That's an interesting take on the issue. However, I see it a bit differently. May I explain?
7. After a speaker admits making a mistake and offers you an apology, steadfastly refuse to move forward in the conversation.
8. When discussing mistakes, never, ever use yourself as an example.
9. Attack people who aren't in the same room or same place as you.
10. Whenever possible, focus the conversation on what's wrong with 1) the world, 2) your family, 3) your neighbors, or 4) the nation) rather than their strengths.
It might do well for some bloggers and commenters to read this article.
The “10 Ways…” are listed below. The column at its original source expounds on each one of them.
1. Instead of seeking a discussion of facts or truth, shut down the conversation right away by announcing you take offense at a remark.
2. Never ask open-ended questions to clarify another speaker's position and promote discovery.
3. Always attach labels to others and throw around words such as elitist, racist, conservative or liberal when describing them.
4. Don't listen with the purpose of understanding another speaker's intent.
5. Call in the media to provide around-the-clock interpretation and analysis.
6. When responding to ideas you don't happen to agree with, never EVER say: "That's an interesting take on the issue. However, I see it a bit differently. May I explain?
7. After a speaker admits making a mistake and offers you an apology, steadfastly refuse to move forward in the conversation.
8. When discussing mistakes, never, ever use yourself as an example.
9. Attack people who aren't in the same room or same place as you.
10. Whenever possible, focus the conversation on what's wrong with 1) the world, 2) your family, 3) your neighbors, or 4) the nation) rather than their strengths.
Most Popular Content
Kavips has asked that we all post our most popular content.
This is so embarrassing. As requested, I will do so without any spin.
My top three in order are:
Cheech and Chong Score a Victory in Idaho
Prostitute’s Rape Ruled “Theft of Services”
The “What People Like” Phenomenon Continues
Sigh.
This is so embarrassing. As requested, I will do so without any spin.
My top three in order are:
Cheech and Chong Score a Victory in Idaho
Prostitute’s Rape Ruled “Theft of Services”
The “What People Like” Phenomenon Continues
Sigh.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Delaware Voters Disenfranchised?
I am somewhat amused by the fact that Hillary Clinton is characterizing the situation with seating Michigan and Florida at the convention as disenfranchisement. How can that charge be made, especially in Michigan where Barack Obama did not even appear on the ballot?
We have little influence over what the power brokers in the Democratic party leadership ultimately decide. We do, however, have influence in our own State. A threat of the highest order is being attempted here with Senate Bill 164 which will simply toss out any votes for write-in candidates that are not “official” in the all-knowing eyes of the State.
Tyler Nixon gives us the messy details over on Delaware Libertarian:
“Since when is a citizen's absolute sacrosanct right to vote, and have that vote counted, contingent on the regulatory compliance of another citizen over whom they (righteously) have no control. Even if the person for whom they vote is constitutionally ineligible to serve, that still does not affect whether a citizen does and should have the absolute right to cast that vote and have it counted.” (LINK)
The bill passed the Senate 11-9 with 10 Democrats and 1 Republican voting for it.
Read Tyler’s account, and take the action you feel is appropriate. We may not be able to change the world, but we can take action against an increase in the insidious encroachments upon our liberties.
(P.S. Thank you, Senator Cloutier, for voting against this legislation. Now, could you clean out your e-mail in-box? It’s full.)
We have little influence over what the power brokers in the Democratic party leadership ultimately decide. We do, however, have influence in our own State. A threat of the highest order is being attempted here with Senate Bill 164 which will simply toss out any votes for write-in candidates that are not “official” in the all-knowing eyes of the State.
Tyler Nixon gives us the messy details over on Delaware Libertarian:
“Since when is a citizen's absolute sacrosanct right to vote, and have that vote counted, contingent on the regulatory compliance of another citizen over whom they (righteously) have no control. Even if the person for whom they vote is constitutionally ineligible to serve, that still does not affect whether a citizen does and should have the absolute right to cast that vote and have it counted.” (LINK)
The bill passed the Senate 11-9 with 10 Democrats and 1 Republican voting for it.
Read Tyler’s account, and take the action you feel is appropriate. We may not be able to change the world, but we can take action against an increase in the insidious encroachments upon our liberties.
(P.S. Thank you, Senator Cloutier, for voting against this legislation. Now, could you clean out your e-mail in-box? It’s full.)
Sweet Tea
One of my short term goals is to wean Chainsaw off of his hopeless addiction to Diet Dr. Pepper by substituting something healthier and hopefully less expensive. Have you seen the price of soda these days?
I suggested good old sweet tea like my mother used to make. Growing up in the South, he practically overdosed on the stuff, but it’s time for old habits to come back. I’ll be making some sweet tea tonight.
Now this piece of information is not interesting to anyone, but it is a lead-in to something that actually is quite remarkable. Apparently, the people of Georgia take their sweet tea quite seriously, so much so that in 2003 a bill was introduced not only to define what sweet tea is, but also to require that all eating establishments serve sweet tea.
House Bill 819 was summarized as “A BILL to amend Article 13 of Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to food service establishments, so as to define a term; to provide that food service establishments which serve iced tea shall serve sweet tea; to provide for penalties; and for other purposes."
Failure to meet the sweet tea requirement would be “guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature”.
I don’t think the measure ever passed. To tell you the truth, I’m not even that curious enough to find out.
Ron Paul is #1 !
From BusinessWire:
"Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul’s newest book, “The Revolution: A Manifesto,” is number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list for May 18th, 2008. The ranking is yet another of the many successes Dr. Paul has had during his presidential candidacy spreading his message of personal freedom and constitutional government.
Upon its official release on April 30th, “The Revolution: A Manifesto” was the number one bestseller on Amazon.com and remains the number one bestseller in political books. "
My copy arrived yesterday.
"Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul’s newest book, “The Revolution: A Manifesto,” is number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list for May 18th, 2008. The ranking is yet another of the many successes Dr. Paul has had during his presidential candidacy spreading his message of personal freedom and constitutional government.
Upon its official release on April 30th, “The Revolution: A Manifesto” was the number one bestseller on Amazon.com and remains the number one bestseller in political books. "
My copy arrived yesterday.
Reading Last
The Department of Education’s April 2008 interim report on the Reading First program (which is part of No Child Left Behind) concludes:
"On average….estimated impact on student reading comprehension test scores were not statistically significant."
"Average impacts on reading comprehension and classroom instruction did not change systematically over time."
Aside from the complaints of favoritism in awarding contracts, mismanagement and conflicts of interest, and failing to comply with statutory requirements, the Reading First program is implemented at a cost to taxpayers of $1 billion per year.
It don’t work. It be broke. We no nead you, so pleez go bye-bye.
"On average….estimated impact on student reading comprehension test scores were not statistically significant."
"Average impacts on reading comprehension and classroom instruction did not change systematically over time."
Aside from the complaints of favoritism in awarding contracts, mismanagement and conflicts of interest, and failing to comply with statutory requirements, the Reading First program is implemented at a cost to taxpayers of $1 billion per year.
It don’t work. It be broke. We no nead you, so pleez go bye-bye.
Should Bikers be Considered a Protected Class?
h/t to Big Bend Bikers for Freedom:
"Complaints about discrimination against a class of individuals and a lawsuit threat were part of the fallout at Grayslake village hall Tuesday night as a result of Mayor Timothy Perry's decision to cancel a motorcycle show.
Lawyer Pete Naylor said he talked to Khayat for about an hour Tuesday and that he likely will seek a class-action lawsuit against Grayslake on behalf of various businesses that were harmed by the cancellation."
"Complaints about discrimination against a class of individuals and a lawsuit threat were part of the fallout at Grayslake village hall Tuesday night as a result of Mayor Timothy Perry's decision to cancel a motorcycle show.
Lawyer Pete Naylor said he talked to Khayat for about an hour Tuesday and that he likely will seek a class-action lawsuit against Grayslake on behalf of various businesses that were harmed by the cancellation."
If You're Going to Go Green, Why Not Go All the Way?
Thank you Mother Jones for letting us know about green porn:
"There's green lotion, green clothing lines, and even green sex toys. So why not the natural next step, green porn? The Sundance Channel is now hosting "green porno videos" on its website. But lest you think green porn means watching Laurie David and Al Gore getting hot and heavy whilst discussing the Kyoto Protocol, it's not. And thank goodness for that. Instead, it's Isabella Rossellini dressed up as snails, bees, and praying mantids to show how animals mate. Sometimes ridiculous, sometimes horrifyingly graphic, you just have to see it for yourself. Visit the official "green porno" site here."
"There's green lotion, green clothing lines, and even green sex toys. So why not the natural next step, green porn? The Sundance Channel is now hosting "green porno videos" on its website. But lest you think green porn means watching Laurie David and Al Gore getting hot and heavy whilst discussing the Kyoto Protocol, it's not. And thank goodness for that. Instead, it's Isabella Rossellini dressed up as snails, bees, and praying mantids to show how animals mate. Sometimes ridiculous, sometimes horrifyingly graphic, you just have to see it for yourself. Visit the official "green porno" site here."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
I Want to Believe
I want to believe. I really do.
I am in favor of energy alternatives that will benefit the environment. I camp, I fish, I visit and enjoy the State Parks in the region and am careful to leave no footprints.
I have followed, to the best of my ability, the goings on in the Legislature and elsewhere on the Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) between Delmarva Power and Bluewater Wind. The machinations of certain legislators aside, I have been trying to form my own judgment with the learned guidance of kavips and TommyWonk.
An excellent history of the proceedings and analyses of the issues can be found here and here.
One of the things that is bothersome about the entire mess is that, in my opinion, legislators do not have the background, experience, or wherewithal to completely understand such a complicated issue. Even those that may advise them, as well-intended as they may be, have difficulty conveying the subject matter in laymen’s terms. Perhaps there are no laymen’s terms.
The Electric Utility Retail Customer Supply Act of 2006 (HB 6) was enacted in part “To stabilize long-term pricing in the DP&L service territory, the Act provides for a request for proposals through a competitive process to build cost-effective merchant generation in the State..”. That is not a mandate for Bluewater, it is a mandate for the process.
And what a process it was. We all know the history, and most have read the December, 2007 DPSC Staff Report. Putting cost issues aside, I found this report to be less than a ringing endorsement due to the risks involved. This is a huge project, using existing technology in a relatively untested geographic area. Additionally, Bluewater has the right to terminate the contract if (1) pending Minerals Management Service regulations are unfavorable, or (2) the Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) is not extended to cover the construction timeframe.
In other words, without some sort of subsidies, this project would not even be proposed. This is not unusual, as a 2007 study on wind power in Denmark (a leader in the practice) concludes that the without the massive subsidies “the development of wind technology could not have occurred”. I believe that investments should be made for the future well-being of the planet, but how much? And is this the best investment?
Much has been said about the cost of the Bluewater Wind proposal, but little has been said about the benefits. Nowhere have I seen a cost-benefit analysis. Has anyone done a study on the wind data in the area? There are plenty of provisions in the agreement, it appears to me, to allow for the vagaries of the environment, but I am wondering if alternatives have been placed side-by-side in terms of not cost alone, but the associated risks and relative return on the investment. I may not be privy to such analyses if they exist, but take for example the abstract from this 1983 Technical Report in the Energy Citations Database which establishes a methodology for, among other things, “evaluating and comparing total utility system costs, with and without wind plants, and expressing them in terms of wind power plant value and cost.”
Bluewater’s proposal was made based on the assumption that offshore wind power was the answer. Has there been independent research and evaluation of all alternatives that would confirm that offshore wind power is the best solution for Delaware? We can argue back and forth about the megawatts and such and the intricate details of the existing Delmarva/Bluewater PPA, but perhaps we are losing site of the bigger question of whether or not offshore wind power is the best alternative to begin with. This is a huge assumption.
Another thing that bothers me is that advocates for the Bluewater proposal often quote the fact that “90% of Delawareans support it”. The 2006 survey, financed by a Green Energy Fund grant, got 949 responses. That means that approximately 854 people in the State who say they support offshore wind power. With a population of over 850,000, that is 0.10 %. Hardly a mandate. I believe that if I had received that survey in 2006 I probably would have answered mostly in the affirmative. Wind power is just so romantically appealing. But that pesky cost-benefit analysis for all of the alternatives is not fully evaluated. Wishful thinking is not good policy.
I also have great difficulty with the legislature being able to force a contract upon Delmarva Power, simply because it goes against my grain. Both Delmarva and the Independent Consultant hired by the various state agencies involved ranked the Bluewater proposal (actually, twelve variations were submitted) as the second most favorable option, not the first (PSC Staff Report, 12/14/2007). I know quite a bit has happened since then, but the potential for contentiousness probably was ignited at this point. Since then, it has become a point of no return, and if a contract is forced upon Delmarva there is little or no probability of success. It is doomed from the start.
Much of the issue has been obfuscated by assorted power plays, personalities, endless commercials, and at times probably actual personal enmity. Whatever the intrigues may or may not occurred, they cannot be considered. They need to be tossed out completely, and the whole issue of alternative energy needs to be looked at in an unbiased and unemotional way based solely on what is best for the long-term energy future of Delaware. There has been so much water under the bridge that I believe people may become emotionally tethered to their positions.
We need to step back and look at everything anew.
Yes, I want to believe. But I cannot.
Yes, I want an investment in alternative energy in Delaware.
But not this way.
I am in favor of energy alternatives that will benefit the environment. I camp, I fish, I visit and enjoy the State Parks in the region and am careful to leave no footprints.
I have followed, to the best of my ability, the goings on in the Legislature and elsewhere on the Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) between Delmarva Power and Bluewater Wind. The machinations of certain legislators aside, I have been trying to form my own judgment with the learned guidance of kavips and TommyWonk.
An excellent history of the proceedings and analyses of the issues can be found here and here.
One of the things that is bothersome about the entire mess is that, in my opinion, legislators do not have the background, experience, or wherewithal to completely understand such a complicated issue. Even those that may advise them, as well-intended as they may be, have difficulty conveying the subject matter in laymen’s terms. Perhaps there are no laymen’s terms.
The Electric Utility Retail Customer Supply Act of 2006 (HB 6) was enacted in part “To stabilize long-term pricing in the DP&L service territory, the Act provides for a request for proposals through a competitive process to build cost-effective merchant generation in the State..”. That is not a mandate for Bluewater, it is a mandate for the process.
And what a process it was. We all know the history, and most have read the December, 2007 DPSC Staff Report. Putting cost issues aside, I found this report to be less than a ringing endorsement due to the risks involved. This is a huge project, using existing technology in a relatively untested geographic area. Additionally, Bluewater has the right to terminate the contract if (1) pending Minerals Management Service regulations are unfavorable, or (2) the Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) is not extended to cover the construction timeframe.
In other words, without some sort of subsidies, this project would not even be proposed. This is not unusual, as a 2007 study on wind power in Denmark (a leader in the practice) concludes that the without the massive subsidies “the development of wind technology could not have occurred”. I believe that investments should be made for the future well-being of the planet, but how much? And is this the best investment?
Much has been said about the cost of the Bluewater Wind proposal, but little has been said about the benefits. Nowhere have I seen a cost-benefit analysis. Has anyone done a study on the wind data in the area? There are plenty of provisions in the agreement, it appears to me, to allow for the vagaries of the environment, but I am wondering if alternatives have been placed side-by-side in terms of not cost alone, but the associated risks and relative return on the investment. I may not be privy to such analyses if they exist, but take for example the abstract from this 1983 Technical Report in the Energy Citations Database which establishes a methodology for, among other things, “evaluating and comparing total utility system costs, with and without wind plants, and expressing them in terms of wind power plant value and cost.”
Bluewater’s proposal was made based on the assumption that offshore wind power was the answer. Has there been independent research and evaluation of all alternatives that would confirm that offshore wind power is the best solution for Delaware? We can argue back and forth about the megawatts and such and the intricate details of the existing Delmarva/Bluewater PPA, but perhaps we are losing site of the bigger question of whether or not offshore wind power is the best alternative to begin with. This is a huge assumption.
Another thing that bothers me is that advocates for the Bluewater proposal often quote the fact that “90% of Delawareans support it”. The 2006 survey, financed by a Green Energy Fund grant, got 949 responses. That means that approximately 854 people in the State who say they support offshore wind power. With a population of over 850,000, that is 0.10 %. Hardly a mandate. I believe that if I had received that survey in 2006 I probably would have answered mostly in the affirmative. Wind power is just so romantically appealing. But that pesky cost-benefit analysis for all of the alternatives is not fully evaluated. Wishful thinking is not good policy.
I also have great difficulty with the legislature being able to force a contract upon Delmarva Power, simply because it goes against my grain. Both Delmarva and the Independent Consultant hired by the various state agencies involved ranked the Bluewater proposal (actually, twelve variations were submitted) as the second most favorable option, not the first (PSC Staff Report, 12/14/2007). I know quite a bit has happened since then, but the potential for contentiousness probably was ignited at this point. Since then, it has become a point of no return, and if a contract is forced upon Delmarva there is little or no probability of success. It is doomed from the start.
Much of the issue has been obfuscated by assorted power plays, personalities, endless commercials, and at times probably actual personal enmity. Whatever the intrigues may or may not occurred, they cannot be considered. They need to be tossed out completely, and the whole issue of alternative energy needs to be looked at in an unbiased and unemotional way based solely on what is best for the long-term energy future of Delaware. There has been so much water under the bridge that I believe people may become emotionally tethered to their positions.
We need to step back and look at everything anew.
Yes, I want to believe. But I cannot.
Yes, I want an investment in alternative energy in Delaware.
But not this way.
NYPD Releases Stop-And-Frisk Database
From Guerrilla News Network (emphasis added):
"The statistics for the New York City Police Department’s street interrogation practices are in, and they are not good: According to printed reports, between January 2006 and September 2007, NYPD officers stopped and frisked 867,617 New Yorkers – a rate of 1,360 every day, and a startling five times as many procedures as 2002. Almost 90 percent of those stopped were innocent.
The racial disparities are stark: police stopped 453,042 blacks and only 94,530 whites during that period. "
"The statistics for the New York City Police Department’s street interrogation practices are in, and they are not good: According to printed reports, between January 2006 and September 2007, NYPD officers stopped and frisked 867,617 New Yorkers – a rate of 1,360 every day, and a startling five times as many procedures as 2002. Almost 90 percent of those stopped were innocent.
The racial disparities are stark: police stopped 453,042 blacks and only 94,530 whites during that period. "
We Will Decide
A disturbing report by Alexander Bolton of TheHill.com on how superdelegates are leaning. None of the Democrats I work with ever even heard of the concept of superdelegates before this election, and all of them are quite upset with it. This is, after all, a democracy. Isn’t it?
Say what you will about Republicans, but at least our primary system follows the mantra of “let the bestold, balding, white man win”.
“Uncommitted Democratic superdelegates in Congress overwhelmingly say they won’t necessarily back the presidential candidate who wins the most primary delegates. Instead, electability will be very important in their decision.
Of 42 lawmakers interviewed by The Hill, only four said they regarded the primary vote as decisive.”
LINK
Say what you will about Republicans, but at least our primary system follows the mantra of “let the best
“Uncommitted Democratic superdelegates in Congress overwhelmingly say they won’t necessarily back the presidential candidate who wins the most primary delegates. Instead, electability will be very important in their decision.
Of 42 lawmakers interviewed by The Hill, only four said they regarded the primary vote as decisive.”
LINK
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Gild the Voodoolily
I have made cornbread with varying degrees of success in the past, and new recipes always fascinate me. I have a great old iron dutch oven given to us by a friend that needs some action.
I came across the food porn blog Gild the Voodoolily (subtitled Why sauté when you can confit?) by accident as usual, and along with an interesting roasted tomato risotto with rabbit and andouille (jambalaya for the rest of us) was a recipe cornbread as an accompaniment.
.
The blog author, Heather, is in Portland, OR and describes herself as “zealously overcompensating for white trash roots”. That’s good enough for me ! Her writing style is eclectic and entertaining:
“Another fun fact: my mom was kind of a shitty cook. This is primarily because she didn't really like cooking (she was a line cook at a dingy jazz club-cum-sports bar for some years), but also because my family was always really poor. She did make a dish when I was a kid that she called "Shrimp Creole", which featured bay shrimp (she must've made this on the day we got food stamps). She probably learned it in Home Ec and just kept it in her little tin box of recipes. It tasted like the sort of thing American girls in the late 60s were taught to cook in public schools, so that they might one day impress a man and land a husband.”
The pictures are to die for, and the comments are as interesting as the blog. Check her out !
I came across the food porn blog Gild the Voodoolily (subtitled Why sauté when you can confit?) by accident as usual, and along with an interesting roasted tomato risotto with rabbit and andouille (jambalaya for the rest of us) was a recipe cornbread as an accompaniment.
.
The blog author, Heather, is in Portland, OR and describes herself as “zealously overcompensating for white trash roots”. That’s good enough for me ! Her writing style is eclectic and entertaining:
“Another fun fact: my mom was kind of a shitty cook. This is primarily because she didn't really like cooking (she was a line cook at a dingy jazz club-cum-sports bar for some years), but also because my family was always really poor. She did make a dish when I was a kid that she called "Shrimp Creole", which featured bay shrimp (she must've made this on the day we got food stamps). She probably learned it in Home Ec and just kept it in her little tin box of recipes. It tasted like the sort of thing American girls in the late 60s were taught to cook in public schools, so that they might one day impress a man and land a husband.”
The pictures are to die for, and the comments are as interesting as the blog. Check her out !
Recreate 68 in Denver?
Recreate 68 is a group of activists based in Denver who are planning “Days of Resistance” during the Democratic National Convention this August.
From their website:
“This website was created for all the grassroots people who are tired of being sold out by the Democratic Party.
What stands between the people and power are the party machines. The parties were devised as a means to represent the people. Today they represent nobody, not even party members, but only party bureaucracy. The people have been left without appropriate institutions for their representation.”
Sound familiar? Replace “Democrat” with “Republican”. Interchangeable.
While I cannot pretend to agree with their platform in its entirety, I nevertheless admire the basis for it. The American public is getting screwed both ways, and seems to be enjoying it. This group apparently doesn’t.
Recreate 68 intends to hold a festival, bring in speakers, and has not ruled out street protests. That last little item is appearing to cause some concerns, which has prompted the ACLU to sue the city of Denver for refusing to process any applications for parade permits during the Democratic National Convention”.
My, how times have changed since the good old days of Abbie Hoffman and the 1968 convention, where 668 people were arrested, over 700 injuries were reported, and more than 100 people hospitalized.
We’re much more polite now, aren’t we?
Oh, how so very polite we have become.
From their website:
“This website was created for all the grassroots people who are tired of being sold out by the Democratic Party.
What stands between the people and power are the party machines. The parties were devised as a means to represent the people. Today they represent nobody, not even party members, but only party bureaucracy. The people have been left without appropriate institutions for their representation.”
Sound familiar? Replace “Democrat” with “Republican”. Interchangeable.
While I cannot pretend to agree with their platform in its entirety, I nevertheless admire the basis for it. The American public is getting screwed both ways, and seems to be enjoying it. This group apparently doesn’t.
Recreate 68 intends to hold a festival, bring in speakers, and has not ruled out street protests. That last little item is appearing to cause some concerns, which has prompted the ACLU to sue the city of Denver for refusing to process any applications for parade permits during the Democratic National Convention”.
My, how times have changed since the good old days of Abbie Hoffman and the 1968 convention, where 668 people were arrested, over 700 injuries were reported, and more than 100 people hospitalized.
We’re much more polite now, aren’t we?
Oh, how so very polite we have become.
We Are All Gay
You have to hand it to Senator Vince Fumo. He’s been representing South Philly’s 1st Senatorial District for thirty years. This year is his swan song as Senator (choosing not to run in order to deal with some of those pesky indictments).
Last week, during a hearing on a constitutional amendment in Pennsylvania that would outlaw same-sex marriage and civil unions, there was a somewhat contentious exchange with Freedom Christian Bible Fellowship pastor Gilbert Coleman who was testifying in support of the measure:
Fumo: "What you are advocating here is that we take away the rights of a minority. And I don't think that's right…If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass. That doesn't make it right.”
Coleman: "I doubt that sir."
Fumo: "Oh, don't bet on it in this General Assembly……. I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would be almost unanimous."
So, after Fumo had in effect accused the General Assembly of being closet racists, he goes on this week to say,
“You, me, every legislator, every staff member, every visitor to this Capitol, is gay.”
Of course the headline in some Philly publications is “Fumo Calls Everyone Gay”.
But listen as he goes on:
"Because we are all Americans. We are all Pennsylvanians. And when the basic human rights of any group are threatened, then no one's rights are safe."
I have no great love for Vince Fumo. He is the typical Philadelphia politician who serves his constituency with a wink-and-a-nod, but they love him because he does it so well. But I have to hand it to him on both of these statements. They are probably two of the truest things he has ever said in his life, and he has the cajones to say it.
So Vince, good luck on those 139 counts of fraud, conspiracy, and whatnot. I’m sure you’ll get through it intact. In the meantime, keep on telling it like it is. You’ll never have a better stage to do it.
Last week, during a hearing on a constitutional amendment in Pennsylvania that would outlaw same-sex marriage and civil unions, there was a somewhat contentious exchange with Freedom Christian Bible Fellowship pastor Gilbert Coleman who was testifying in support of the measure:
Fumo: "What you are advocating here is that we take away the rights of a minority. And I don't think that's right…If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass. That doesn't make it right.”
Coleman: "I doubt that sir."
Fumo: "Oh, don't bet on it in this General Assembly……. I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would be almost unanimous."
So, after Fumo had in effect accused the General Assembly of being closet racists, he goes on this week to say,
“You, me, every legislator, every staff member, every visitor to this Capitol, is gay.”
Of course the headline in some Philly publications is “Fumo Calls Everyone Gay”.
But listen as he goes on:
"Because we are all Americans. We are all Pennsylvanians. And when the basic human rights of any group are threatened, then no one's rights are safe."
I have no great love for Vince Fumo. He is the typical Philadelphia politician who serves his constituency with a wink-and-a-nod, but they love him because he does it so well. But I have to hand it to him on both of these statements. They are probably two of the truest things he has ever said in his life, and he has the cajones to say it.
So Vince, good luck on those 139 counts of fraud, conspiracy, and whatnot. I’m sure you’ll get through it intact. In the meantime, keep on telling it like it is. You’ll never have a better stage to do it.
Just Another Politician
Wolf Howling reminds us that Senator Obama is, after all, just another politician:
“Obama’s claim that he will clean Washington of special interests is hypocrisy writ on a grand scale. He has pandered to most Democratic special interests during his term as Senator…..”
"And Obama is going to clean up special interests? The divide between Obama’s words and his deeds is not merely a gap, it is an immense canyon. Is there anything that this man has said that is backed by his deeds?"
LINK
“Obama’s claim that he will clean Washington of special interests is hypocrisy writ on a grand scale. He has pandered to most Democratic special interests during his term as Senator…..”
"And Obama is going to clean up special interests? The divide between Obama’s words and his deeds is not merely a gap, it is an immense canyon. Is there anything that this man has said that is backed by his deeds?"
LINK
Monday, May 5, 2008
What Would Noah Do?
I’ve had a little time to look over HR 2764, the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act which was signed into law last December.
What a complete joy to read ! I noted that one phrase appears over and over and over: “to remain available until expended”.
For example, in Section 751 there is a little blurb about the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This agency is under the auspices of the Department of Commerce and does all sorts of things like “promoting performance excellence”. It’s stated mission is “To promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. All good stuff, I’m sure.
Under HR 2764, for their “necessary expenses”, they are allowed $440,517,000 to remain available until expended (their total budget for 2008 is $931 million).
Now, I’m wondering. Just wondering, mind you. What if they didn’t need all of that $440 million? What if they found out that they could “promote excellence” and all the other interesting things they do with, say, $150 million?
Would somebody from NIST stand up and say, “Ya’know, Congress, we really don’t need all that money. We can get the job done with a lot less than that.” Shoot, taking a look at the organizational chart you can see that we don’t have a Director, and we’ve been getting along just fine. Seems to me a little bump-up to the Deputy Director could suffice, then get rid of all that “Deputy” and “Acting” stuff (like the “acting chief scientist’).
But no one will do that. They have their pot of money and they will use it until it is expended.I don’t understand this kind of reasoning.
Look at this way:
Let’s say God, being busy as He was, decided to assign one of his angels to get the deal going with Noah. The angel, not knowing anything about ark construction figures it will cost about $1,000 dollars for the whole deal. Noah on the other hand, being and expert at ark-building, knows he can do it for $200.
So what does Noah do? Well being Noah he would probably let the angel know. However, if Noah worked for the government he would take the $1,000, build the ark, throw a party for his workers, and stash a bit away for himself.
That’s what I’m thinking. And at the rate our government is going and spending, that is the way it is going to stay.
I just don’t see any way out of it, but I certainly don’t understand it.
Transparency in Government Act of 2008 – Democracy in Action
Want to take part in the legislative process? In a new and innovative approach, an effort lead by the Sunlight Foundation, in cooperative with other interests group, has proposed the Transparency in Government Act of 2008. The draft legislation can be found here.
While both branches of Congress have a hodgepodge of bills to address different aspects of government transparency, the Transparency in Government Act of 2008 combines the broad range of issues into one readable and comprehensive document. About one third of the bill is taken from existing pending legislation.
The more significant aspect of this bill is that it is open for public comment. Tim Jones of the Electronic Frontier Foundation comments that “But this system allows citizens to discuss specific bits of the bill at quite a detailed level, which isn’t something that’s happened before.”, and Keith Ashdown of Taxpayers for Common Sense says it is “going to revolutionize the way we look at legislation.”
John Wonderlich of the Sunlight Foundation says that “this system allows citizens to discuss specific bits of the bill at quite a detailed level, which isn’t something that’s happened before.”
I am sure there will fits and foibles and restarts along the way, but I for one applaud this effort and will be excited to watch its progress. Take a look. Make your own comment if you feel so moved. The website is asking for YOUR help to “further shape and refine” the proposal.
As Uncle Sam says, That Means You.
h/t The Hill
While both branches of Congress have a hodgepodge of bills to address different aspects of government transparency, the Transparency in Government Act of 2008 combines the broad range of issues into one readable and comprehensive document. About one third of the bill is taken from existing pending legislation.
The more significant aspect of this bill is that it is open for public comment. Tim Jones of the Electronic Frontier Foundation comments that “But this system allows citizens to discuss specific bits of the bill at quite a detailed level, which isn’t something that’s happened before.”, and Keith Ashdown of Taxpayers for Common Sense says it is “going to revolutionize the way we look at legislation.”
John Wonderlich of the Sunlight Foundation says that “this system allows citizens to discuss specific bits of the bill at quite a detailed level, which isn’t something that’s happened before.”
I am sure there will fits and foibles and restarts along the way, but I for one applaud this effort and will be excited to watch its progress. Take a look. Make your own comment if you feel so moved. The website is asking for YOUR help to “further shape and refine” the proposal.
As Uncle Sam says, That Means You.
h/t The Hill
Green Recession and the Agony of Asparagus
In “The Green Recession”, Eric Englund makes a case for his theory that “…our economy is sinking in direct proportion to the rise of the environmental movement. The greener Americans become, the further our economy falls.”
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE
And, in a related issue, the inalienable rights of plants is brought to our attention by Wesley Smith in his recent article, “The Silent Scream of the Asparagus” where he notes that a Swiss panel of etchics has been commissioned to discuss the “dignity of plants””:
“A farmer mows his field (apparently an acceptable action, perhaps because the hay is intended to feed the farmer's herd--the report doesn't say). But then, while walking home, he casually "decapitates" some wildflowers with his scythe. The panel decries this act as immoral, though its members can't agree why.”
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE
h/t to Lew Rockwell and Ace of Spades HQ
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE
And, in a related issue, the inalienable rights of plants is brought to our attention by Wesley Smith in his recent article, “The Silent Scream of the Asparagus” where he notes that a Swiss panel of etchics has been commissioned to discuss the “dignity of plants””:
“A farmer mows his field (apparently an acceptable action, perhaps because the hay is intended to feed the farmer's herd--the report doesn't say). But then, while walking home, he casually "decapitates" some wildflowers with his scythe. The panel decries this act as immoral, though its members can't agree why.”
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE
h/t to Lew Rockwell and Ace of Spades HQ
PA Open Government Hits a Snag
Granted, the Philadelphia Inquirer may have a vested interest in this issue, but their points may hold some merit:
“In passing a strong open-records bill earlier this year, Pennsylvania lawmakers took a giant step forward in giving the public more access to the people's business.
Now, however, lawmakers in Harrisburg are considering a measure that would limit taxpayers' access to information, and better enable state and local governments to operate in the dark.
The state Senate is considering a bill sponsored by Sen. Robert C. Wonderling (R., Montgomery) that would allow local governments to place legal notices in free community papers rather than in paid circulation daily newspapers across the state.
Supporters of the bill argue the measure will save tax dollars by offering a cheap alternative to newspaper advertising rates. Perhaps. But any savings will come with an unaffordable cost.
This measure aimed at enabling local governments to better conduct the public's business would do so by limiting the public's ability to know what's going on.”
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE
“In passing a strong open-records bill earlier this year, Pennsylvania lawmakers took a giant step forward in giving the public more access to the people's business.
Now, however, lawmakers in Harrisburg are considering a measure that would limit taxpayers' access to information, and better enable state and local governments to operate in the dark.
The state Senate is considering a bill sponsored by Sen. Robert C. Wonderling (R., Montgomery) that would allow local governments to place legal notices in free community papers rather than in paid circulation daily newspapers across the state.
Supporters of the bill argue the measure will save tax dollars by offering a cheap alternative to newspaper advertising rates. Perhaps. But any savings will come with an unaffordable cost.
This measure aimed at enabling local governments to better conduct the public's business would do so by limiting the public's ability to know what's going on.”
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE
Friday, May 2, 2008
More Good News on the Homefront
We Vandevers seem to take our time. I didn't get married until I was 35. Not that I didn't have any offers, mind you.Finally, my little baby brother, at the age of 45, married his long-time significant other Kelly last Saturday at St. Timothy's Lutheran Church in Aston, PA. (She's a Wisconsonian, dontcha know).
He was as nervous as an 18-year-old, but it all went through without a hitch and nobody passed out or threw up. That might be a first in our family.
Congratulations, Harry and Kelly ! It was a lovely wedding. Simple and sweet. Kelly looked beautiful. I'm a little confused about the all-white part, but whatever. (SMILE).
Now, go on out there and make some young 'uns !
A Learning Experience
I’ve referred to my friend, rc before. He’s the author of Big Bend Bikers for Freedom.
I use the word “friend”, but that is mostly just for you non-biker folk. In my world, he is my brother. What does “brother” mean? It’s hard to explain. It isn’t supposed to be explained. But I’ll try anyway.
In the battle for our rights and our freedoms, I am convinced that rc will be the last man standing. When he is there, Good Lord willing, I will be right next to him. A brother is someone who you would give your last dime to. A brother is someone you would take in when the chips are down, no questions asked. And if rc reads this, he’ll probably tell me to shut up already. Tough shit, rc.
I ran across rc probably over a year ago on a bikers’ rights forum. I could tell right away that he was a man after my own heart. I probably developed a bit of a crush on him, but not the kind you may think. I tend to get drawn to people with vision, foresight, tenacity, and honesty. Those who are willing to do the hard work, make the drive, write the letters, and act on only the purest of instincts. There are still people out there like that, believe me. I am only a shadow of what rc is and what he means to bikers and the community at large.
That being said, I wouldn’t want to be married to him. He’s probably a real pain in the ass to live with. He doesn’t play well with others, and runs with scissors. His wife has a special place in heaven, I am sure.
RC is way down Florida way, but I feel his influence every day. Every day, I kick myself in the ass for not doing more. All because of him. That being said, here is one of his recent posts which I am putting out there in its entirety because it’s that damn good. It is titled, A Learning Experience. It's all about Florida politicking, but I think we can relate here in Delaware, can't we?
A friend, I won't mention your name Duct Tape, calls me the other day (yeah occasionally it happens). He was channel surfing when lands on The Florida house hearings. And silly him, he watched some of it. Well he calls like all ballistic asking do you know what them people are doing? Do you know how they are wasting our money? You man we elected these people? These people need to go home and leave us alone.One could only wish.
Theres a saying, "If you don't take an interest in politics, politics will take an interest in you". Well heres the gig, politics is already interested in you whether you care or not. They care about your money (how to get more of it), your liberties (how to take more of them) and whether or not you have "BULL NUTZ" on the back of your pick up truck or not.
Now most folk probably ain't gonna watch cause they think it ain't as exciting as say, "American Idol". But it can be judging by the responses of my friend. I myself was fairly amused at the long arguments they would get into over what the term "quick child" meant. Seems a lot of bills came up with that term in them. Now I never did figure out what it meant as they kept referring to one or more of the billion or so statutes we know nothing about. I just knew it didn't mean motorcycle.
Now I believe a Florida Senators salary (as of 2007) is like somewhere around $30,000.00 per year (keep in mind however it is supposed to be a 60 day year). Judging by some of the suits I've seen walking around the capital I suspect some have alternative sources of income. But stillto put up with all the bull they put up with they are obviously in it for our best interest right?
But then whilst watching the senate session on T.V. as we get close to the end of the session and it gets closer to going home time I watch as they "suspend" the "rules" (yeah they can do that. I read the rules. They got a rule that says they can suspend the rules. Next time a cop stops ya just tell him, hold on a second I'm suspending the rules!) gather up a heap of bills, half of them ain't read, or they had all agreed on before hand (government in the sunshine ya know) would pass and in one vote passed them all. Well now, thats in our best interest isn't it?
Now consider this. Check out the 2006 salaries of a couple lobbyists:
In the first three months of this year alone, Brevard County-based Guy Spearman was paid between $250,000 and $499,999 to lobby the Florida Legislature, according to the reports, which require lobbyists to report their fees only in ranges. Spearman's lengthy client list included the coupon company Valpak (which paid him between $10,000 and $19,999), beer-brewer and SeaWorld Orlando-owner Anheuser-Busch (between $20,000 and $29,999), and tobacco giant Philip Morris (between $30,000 and $39,999).
South Florida lobbyist Ron Book's fees and client list were even larger. The reports show Book was paid more than $1 million between January and March to woo lawmakers, by clients such as BellSouth (between $30,000 and $39,999), Florida Power & Light ($50,000) and hurricane-debris contractor AshBritt ($50,000).
Now in Florida you got 40 Senators and 120 representatives. But as of 2004 there were 2029 lobbyists registered in Florida who spent 121,760,708 My goodness ,whatever do you think they could have spent it on????
Now please do not get me wrong. I am not inferring or suggesting anything nefarious here. My God, look what happened to Bull Frog when he suggested something nefarious. Im just kind of wondering, when you legislators salaries come to something like $4,800,000.00 +/- and lobbyist expenditures are 121,760,708.00 who owns the state gov'ment. Then I wonder just how it is those senators know which bills are going to pass anyway so they may as well just lump em into one basket and say, ok, they passed? Cause I damn sure don't think them lobbyist be worrying about what is in our best interest.
In fact, they even pass laws that they have no idea as to their constitutionality (which leads me to wonder how many have read the constitution) and add a little clause like, if some court somewhere finds this unconstitutional well then never mind. HELLLOOOOOOOOOO!!! YOU got the money for a constitutional challenge ? Nope, I don't either which in my convoluted state of mind leads me to believe an unconstitutional law can stay law just by virtue of economics.
BUT HERE IS THE FUNNY THING, how boring do you think it will be when you wake up one morning and find out you have been bought and paid for? And funnier yet, you financed the sale of your rights, freedom and liberties because you did not wish to be bothered.
Now I wrote this with full knowledge that two maybe three folk would read it. Because there is this funny little thing about denial. Once one knows the truth they have one of two choices. Take action, or turn around and walk away from it with eyes closed and ears shut oblivious to how their lack of action will impact the lives of their progeny. Have a nice day
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