what exactly is right about 'Rights'?

Having been out of the limelight for a few years, Newt Gingrich is back, (probably figuring that his sh*t doesn't stink anymore than any other Republican), and he is taking an up-front position on freedom of speech. Read about it here and here.

My first impression on reading this rather sporadic report is that we are talking not just about speech, but also due process, and other rights that we consider to be fundamental. I even wondered if Mr. Gingrich was aware of what he was proposing. A great deal of what he had to say involved the issue of surveillance, a privacy issue, (we know how much the party values that), and the rules of evidence and self-incrimination. He may have used the term "free speech" just to cover most of the basics. In the same speech, he also assailled the separation of church and state, as impediments to free speech. I guess he doesn't want any competition in the business of enslaving the proletariat.

I think that Mr. Gingrich is still nursing a hangover from his days inside the Washington elite. I believe that he is sincere in these thoughts, but it occurs to me that he is approaching this from one of two perspectives. The first is that of a professional politician who lives in a world insulated from the same realities that his constituents live in. These are people more accustomed to making rules than living with them. The other perspective, one that I have often pushed off as slightly paranoid, is the perspective of a despot, (or despot wannabe).

This is a man who is considering a run for the White House in 2008. I hope that he does run, it will make things a lot clearer for the rest of us.

Shut up and take a walk Newt.

why we lost WW III

We lost because we are irrelevant. We are a nation of consumers rather than producers. Much of our industry is service oriented, that is, it really doesn't do anything, but our financial houses and stock markets can really make it look like we do.

World War III is/was not about ideology, but conquest. The conquest, for the most part, did not involve tanks, helicopters or rockets, it involved raw materials and the establishment of relationships that define how these materials are to be used.

One good example of our situation involves our friend, Kim Jung Il in the DPRK. A few months ago, Kim attempted to test an A-Bomb. There has been no official word on how the test is being seen, (in a technical sense), by the rest of the world, but it was probably a dud, yielding only half a kiloton in explosive energy. The United States immediately lept to the fore of international indignation, stamped its feet, cursed, and proclaimed that this threat would not go unanswered. The ROK, Japan, China, and Russia and the US all banded together to impose sanctions on Kim's regime. So, as winter approaches, where do we stand on this?

We have decided to withhold iPods's from the North Koreans. Thats right, if we get our way, those guys will be struttin down the streets listening to old pirated CD's of Snoop Dog on bulky, worn out Walkmen, rather than the state of the art, (not to mention cool), iPods the Georgie and his staff use. Oh, the horror of it!

The truth is, the world depends on the US for just about nothing. There was a time when we could almost feed the world, (and still could), but we are no longer unique in that respect. We supply nothing, except dollars, to the world, and consume much from them. So, who is powerful and who isn't? Some days, it seems like we have a lot in common with Finland.

The talk around the nation has been the ramifications of the recent elections, and those that will occur two years hence. One of the most serious issues that will confront us in the next decade is what will we contribute to the world? We really can't go on believing our opinions to carry any weight when we are significant only in our buying habits. this is not to push all the other big issues aside, but this one might determine what we have to work with in the coming century...

it had to happen

I am burnt out. Not too much in the way of news to whine, eh, comment about. This may be a delayed reaction to too much Thanksgiving ...

The weather here sucks, rather big time. Freezing rain yesterday, which yielded about a half-inch coating of ice on everything this morning, a big moist air mass moving up from the southwest, a very chilly arctic air mass from the northwest will produce something this afternoon. Too early to tell what, but it is almost 100% certain that that the term "sh*tty" will be an apt adjective to describe it.

The blogsphere seems to have slowed a bit over the past few days, perhaps my feeling of ennui is going around like a cheap flu virus...

As I anticipate some time on my hands, I intend to commit some thoughts to keyboard later today. If any are worth sharing, I will put them up, (I started to say "throw them up"---not the visual I wanted to convey), so check back if you have the time or inclination.

In the mean time, check this blip from special correspondent JB:

"A group called Orgasm for Peace is trying to promote peace by trying to have everyone in the world have an orgasm at the same time on Dec. 22. To prepare for the Dec. 22 orgasm, women are starting now, and men will be told two minutes ahead of time."
--Conan O'Brien

Stay focused. On something....

Where are they when we need them?

I got this in the mail from JB:



For those who remember this guy, a high five, for the rest of you, get back to your rooms!

just what we expected

Now that the mid-term elections are over, the President is engaged in the traditional role associated with lame duck Presidents, spending the sh*t out of taxpayer dollars travelling the globe, hoping to push the interests of Haliburton, eh, I mean the United States everywhere he lands, (as well as catching some great duty-free shopping and authentic exotic cuisine).

(Just you wait, in coming years, he will recount stories beginning with "when i was in Vietnam...").

In any case, having been successful at convincing the American electorate of the virtue of his ideas, he is off to convert the world.

I wish him success.

The focus of his current trip is the situation in the mideast. He will be attending a NATO summit that should address the war in Afghanistan. Later in the week, he will meet with the King of Jordan and the Iraqi Prime Minister to address the status of the war in Iraq. (This week marks a new phase in US coverage of the mideast, drawing a distinction between the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan---the war in Iraq is quickly being termed a civil war---a term that would make it politically more palatable to stage a US pullout). I've said it before but I think it bears repeating, we will see an escalation of sorts in the Afghan conflict, (which will be high profile), coupled with a de-escalation, (lower profile) in Iraq, capped by a declaration of victory as a country with no strategic or economic importance celebrates its freedoms while the oil-producing Persian Gulf falls under the shadow of Iran.

Good show George.

Stay focused. Stay informed. Be vocal.

is this the new frontier of terrorism?

A couple of posts back, I speculated on the death of one Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian expatriate living in Great Britain. Well, not too much more is known, (or at least being reported), and speculation still runs rampant.

What is not being said tells us quite a bit. The apparent poison, Polonium, is an element that one of the products of radioactive decay of natural uranium. It is an alpha emitter, meaning that it too, decays by shedding atmic particles, in the form of neutrons and protons bonded together. The substance is said to be lethal in microgram quantities.

The British authorities seem to be making quite a show in re-tracing Mr. Litvinenko's movements, and have found trace amounts of radioactive material in various locations, but what is not being reported is any inquiry into how it was administered. That alone could give some indication of the origin of the material, which is not easy to come by. In recent years, it has been speculated that US production of this material is about 100 grams per year.

This death, while tragic, is not the point here. I have to wonder if this is the new face of terrorism. Right now, not too many facilities worldwide are equipped to isolate and handle this material, it seems that some authoritive body had to be involved, even if by negligence.

Aside from being a harsh critic of the current Russian administration, Mr Litvinenko was also a facilitator of business deals, including some very large energy deals between entities in Russia and the government in Britain.

While this might not get a lot of play here in the US, it will be interesting to see how or if it develops.

I just have to say this before the Monday news cycle

Anybody who reads this page already knows that I have a burr under my saddle over the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. That isn't news, but this is. If she does not change her general demeanor, and I mean QUICK, she is going to push the party away from a potential White House win in two years. As it stands right now, it appears to me that the GOP plans to link every ill-considered action and utterance on her part, (and in her position, every action and utterance needs to be considered and vetted by her peers), with two things: (1) the image of a far-left west coast agenda and Sen. Hillary Clinton. The two women have not that much in common, but both have been painted with the liberal pink brush of the rightwing media, both are routinely villified by that same element of the press, and both are Democratic politicians. In many feeble minds, that is all that is required to cement a vote for the GOP.

You heard it here first.

Stay focused.

is the Cold War coming back again?

Ahhhh, nothing like a change of pace on a pleasant autumn Sunday afternoon. Today, instead of picking at/on the Iranians, Al Qaida, the GOP, Nancy Pelosi (yet) or Rush Limbaugh, I will take a look at our old friends/enemies, Russia.

Alexander Litvinenko, a former 'operative' for the Soviet era KGB passed away this week in London, apparently the victim of poisoning. During a three week illness, Mr Litvinenko lost his hair, suffered from an accelerated wasting syndrome, and eventually suffered multiple organ failures. A post mortem exam revealed trace amounts of Polonioum in his system. Polonium, an alpha emitter, is considered to be highly toxic.

OK, how did this happen?

Mr. Litvinenko has accused, by name, Soviet President Vladimir Putin of being behind his death. Others has linked this incident to another in October, when a strident anti-Putin journalist was shot to death in her Moscow apartment.

To quote Captain James T. Kirk, "WTF?".

Not to be one that will allow any seamingly trivial occurence in the world to remain so, I have to wonder what is happening with the Russian government and its expatriate opposition? In my opinion, since Mr Gorbachev left office, Russia has tilted back towards the empire building agenda that dominated the second half of the twentieth century, and, to really get inflammatory, Mr Putin reminds me of GW Bush in many ways, but are these incidents really indicative of a resurgeance of the Soviet empire?

Only time will really tell, but I think not. The two killings may be related, and may be a part of a larger anti-government push by somebody, but I don't think that Mr Putin has knowledge of it or is involved. Poisoning by Polonium? This is Lex Luthor stuff, a really high profile way of killing. The act itself draws attention to the killing, and the victim, not what somebody who merely desires to be rid of somebody else wants. If the KGB was behind it, the guy would have disappeared, leaving only scant (disinforming) evidence of some scandal or another.

I have no real stake in this, but I am curious about Mr Litvinenko's health prior to this occurrence. I think that it is possible that he may have done this himself, simply to draw attention to a cause. It sounds far-fetched (from any angle), but the tactic is tried and true in the mideast...

I hope that this isn't a parable...

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. "Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the man.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all of
his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St.Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time for you to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning..... Today you voted."

here we go again...

Just a few holiday season thoughts.

First, Thanksgiving is behind us. For me, it was a bit rushed, as we had many things to do on that particular day, separated by a considerable amount of driving time. But we got through it all. Most of the family, (actually, this is my in-laws), gathered at the home of my wife's dad, in order to compare notes on how things are going and how the immediate future was shaping up. There was talk of school, pre-school, kindergarten, high school and college, (we have a demographic age gap between the youngest grandchild, aged 16 and the oldest great-grandchild, who is about to turn 6. The oldest grandchild is in a Masters program in ancient languages).
Anyway, we gathered, we cooked, we ate, we watched some basketball and some football, went out to the pasture and shot at some skeet, then gradually parted company until the next reunion, about one month hence...

My family and I made the tweo hour trip home in time for the youngest recluse to go and watch the lighting of a rather large Christmastime display in an upscale shopping district, (a local tradition since the late 1940's...). I was told that some 350,000 pedestrians were in that vicinity for the event. My wife, Mrs Recluse and I spent took in what is hoped will be a Thanksgiving tradition, (that is, hoped for by the business entities behind the idea--not me), a semi-pro football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Bronco's. The Chiefs won, the fans were happy, (owing to the large volume of alchohol in the place, I'm sure---had they lost I am sure that the fans would have been complacent and just as drunk). There was a very abbreviated halftime performance by John Fogerty, who appeared enthusiastic, at least from a distance. Didn't get to hear Proud Mary though.

Today is the traditional opening of the Christmas shopping season, the time of year when merchants of all stripes jack up prices and crank down inventory in order to see the fiscal year end on a positive note. I hate this time of year. Hate it. I am thankful for the Christmas season, and what is quaintly known as the Christmas spirit, but this is a lot like walking a tightrope over the Grand Canyon. In sandals. Carrying a couple of suitcases and a steamer trunk. I will be really happy when this holiday passes.....



On the political front, Nancy Pelosi is, by her actions and inactions, turning her party into the new GOP on Capitol Hill. The impression that she is leaving on me, a nominal supporter of that party, is that we are about to see two more years of the same king (or possibly queen) building, political nest-feathering that made Tom DeLay so popular. She is, by many reports, considering using her prerogative as Speaker to bypass the normal rules of the House to elevate a crony to the chairmanship of an influential committee. It hurts all the more that the leading candidate for that chair is Ms Pelosi's political rival, (just not strident enough to suit the speaker-to-be), and this committee nis more than likely going to be the lynchpin of credibility for both parties in the 2008 election, this is a serious issue. I will hold my judgement until this, (among other things) is resolved, but it is quite possible that Ms Pelosi, (in my own view), will turn out to be Newt Gingrich in drag, an anchor on a progressive agenda, and more of the same old crap that we have become accustomed to...

Stay focused.

your Thanksgiving funny, (well, if you aren't his guest)

I wish to all who stray past this page a restful, tranquil, happy Thanksgiving.

I'll only say this once here, but as bad as things are, they could be a lot worse. As the old addage goes, we can't have everything, so, that probably, (statistically anyway), makes us pretty fortunate.

Drive safely, be kind to those you encounter, (it will drive some of em nuts!), eat a lot, watch football, hold a baby or toddler and tell them that it is almost Christmas, (then send them home with nervous parents).



Now, just to keep you in the right frame of mind, this, from special correspondent JB:

Stay focused.

Keep the Mylanta close.....

I'm not sure what to make of this

The comic was rather well timed, wasn't it?


Rep. Charles Rangel, who is slated to be the Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee come January, has put forth the proposition that the military draft should be reinstated, (according to news reports, for men between the ages of 18 & 26).

OK.

I don't know if the man is serious, or is merely trying to drive a wedge between the 'common folk' and those with sufficient money to sty out of the military, (some of the grandstanding I whined about in my last post). It's too early to tell.

Speaking as someone who lottery number was in the low 150's the year I became eligible for conscription, (I probably would have been called, had my last semester of high school and the end of the Vietnam War not intervened...), I think that the issue has some merit and is deserving some discussion, although the incoming Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has already vetoed the notion.

What I want to know is, why just men; and how universal will this be? In other words, who among us will be able to escape this obligation?

I don't believe that the draft will be reinstated, it is too much of a political hot-potato for either party, regardless of any other stance or issue. But consider the idea that, in many cycles of relative peace, such a universal draft would give us sufficient manpower to keep up with a lot of the little jobs that don't seem to get done, it would provide an opportunity for one more tier of practical education, which would have the potential to positively impact a demographic group that, frankly, could use the help.

Just something to talk about.

an inauspicious start

The party on the left is beginning to sense that all might not be well on the road to the next election. As the shows, these problems, though not of their creation, (for the most part, and in the mind of the public), are now theirs to solve.

And they need to get started soon.

Attitude is important, but equally is the public perception of that parties attitude as they begin to dismantle to the product of the last Congress' agenda, and to assenble their own. Though the party has a majority in the House and Senate, it does not have the votes to close debate on any particular bill, thus bringing it to a vote, a recipe for deadlock. They need to be shrewd, and put some pressure on the party on the right. That will not get done with a Speaker and/or Majority Leader who is prone to chest thumping and rubbing things in. Believe it or not, the election is old news, a fact-of-life, and the voters that got the party to the place where it is are expecting not just the first, but quite a few dances in the coming months.

This is the time for a sober and restrained presentation of the party platform. It goes without saying that it is also the time to show some good faith towards the party on the right, (who incidentally, are lining up with their heavy hitters in both chambers), and the production of some quick results. By putting away the usual Democratic bluster and indignation, they can go a long way towards not disguising the coming wave of Republican obstructionism behind the politics-as-usual veneer that serves to hide both fact and nuance so well. Transparency & moderation, as well as, (and I am hesitant to use the word), bipartisanship should be the keys to the agenda for the next two years. The party on the right is preparing to do exactly nothing, and in doing so, keep the new leadership from accomplishing anything. They should be offered respect, some political concessions, upfront, to get a little of their skin in the game. Right now, in the Senate, Mr. Bipartisan, Trent Lott is preparing to tack a little pork onto every order for post-its and paperclips, assuring that the Dem's maintain the reputation of tax-and-spend. In the House, Roy Blunt is prepared to tag every vote for a Democratic initiative as an endorsement of the "San Fransisco" agenda. That's a nice way of saying 'fag'.

That isn't fair and it isn't right, but it is politics. the only response is to talk to the electorate directly, studiously avoid partisan criticism and name calling, and present a moderate plan to the people. If they can do that, they have little to fear from the shouting-as-usual pol's across the aisle. If they can't do that, they, and we, are screwed.

The Dem's won the election because they said little while the opposition said altogether too much, (it matters little that they didn't have a lot to say). If they can manage to stay above the fray that is surely coming, the party of pachyderms may well dig themselves in deeper. If the new Speaker of the House and her idiot cousin in the Senate don't put away the vindictive attitudes and recognize that the public does not hold them in higher regard than the other team, then they are in for a short and rocky term in the majority.

Now is the time to contact your representatives and express your views, invite them to your house for some coffee, (some might actually show up, or at least call), and let them know that you are paying attention.

Stay focused.

NO! Please, more waterboard. MORE WATERBOARD!!

Who knows what to think? It seems that the tactics used by the government on those suspected of being or aiding terrorists has taken a new turn.

Where will it all end?

just what we need

this just in from Special Correspondent JB:




Take two, and check back with the Recluse in the morning....

the FOX Network does it again

OJ Simpson is apparently going to appear on a FOX network 'special' over the Thanksgiving holiday to explain how he might have killed his former wife.

This says a lot about the FOX network, and what they are willing to do for ratings and revenue, try to keep that in mind every time Bill O'Reilly says anything.

Shame on FOX for exploiting this crime. Shame on you if you watch it.



update 1: Bill O'Reilly has weighed in, albeit briefly on this in an article on the FOX news page. He says, among other things that he will not watch the special, buy the book, or buy anything from the sponsors of the broadcast, ever.

IMHO, if he was serious, he would leave FOX immediately and seek employment elsewhere. Mr O'Reilly then ties this to late term abortions, performed in the state of Kansas. This is simply en effort on his part to hitch a favorite Republican theme to a wagon that will be in the spotlight for a few days, just to keep it viable, for when it is needed, in 2008.

Bill O'Reilly can kiss my ass. I am able to think for myself, and have no need of his guidance on these issues.

OK, this might actually work for us

I read today that Al-Jazeera, the Mideastern news channel is launching an english language channel. On the surface of things, my first reaction is "great, just what we need", but after a few moments of thought I came to the conclusion that this may actually be a good thing.

First, I confess that I know little of mideastern journalism, how independent it is from the various political or religious factions that dot the media landscape, nor its ideals. It might be beneficial to keep in mind that the standards that they adhere to may not match the standards that we expect journalists to maintain. Truth is, I just don't know. Another potential bias factor is the notion, (that we sometimes ignore), that the mideast is monolithic in thought and ideology. Not particularly true, just as we as a people are all over the political and ideological map. It might be interesting to try to identify the right and left wingers of the Islamic world, then see whose thinking most compliments ours.

Consider the proposition that a vigorous press is both a potent weapon, as well as a heavy anchor. This will impose some accountability to those powers that influence the content of this effort. Is this to be a going concern, or will it be like a high-tech version of the Peoples Daily, the North Korean mouthpiece?

This could benefit us as it can both illuminate a vision of life and opinion in that region, as well as hold the leaders of the nations in the area to a narrower focus of accountability than what they may be used to.

A truly free press is a lot like having a nuclear weapon. It gives its owner a lot of influence, but it also commits those parties to a path that maintains their standing and credibility.

I wish them well, (and hope that this becomes a free cable channel).

so, now we are gonna try to hang em?

Well, this is really special. A US based human rights organization, (the Center for Constitutional Rights) and at least one European based group are trying to convince prosecutors in Germany to investigate and prosecute Donald Rumsfeld for war crimes in connection with reported incidents in Iraq and in Cuba.

First let me say that I could not give any less of a sh*t about Rumsfeld than I do right now, and don't really care what happens to him or his reputation. That being said, who the f**k are these people? The Center for Constitutional Rights, based here in the US of A, should recognize that the Constitution is applicable to the US government and is enforcable by US courts. They should have the stones to bring this up in a domestic forum. Next, who the hell is Germany to be involved in this? They were not a part of the coalition that went into Iraq, and besides having an opinion and an attitude, they have contributed not one bit either to the war effort or to the humanitarian effort to mitigate the impact of the war on Iraqi citizens. None of the incidents cited took place on German soil or territory. If they choose to go ahead with this, they will succeed only in undermining their own standing in the world, (they really can't do much more damage to us than we have done to ourselves.

Do these folks know that the election is over and the Bush administration got thumped? Now is the time for substantive action to ease the plight of the Iraqi people, without judgement, politics, prosletyzing or finger-pointing, (we have a new Congress for that stuff).

With all due respect, Germany, a nation of much accomplishment, (some of it proud, some not), needs to take the same stance that they took while all this was transpiring. The Center for Constitutional Law needs to take a stand here, where it counts, or just go away.

Today's tune is for Woozie.

what would it take? what would we do then?

Sammyray, who is a regular reader and occasional commenter here put forth the proposition that it is not enough to sweep one party from political hegemony only to sweep another, similarly corrupt party in to replace them. He has said that it is time for revolution in this country. I have entertained that thought myself, and to be blunt, I think that it is coming, but cannot say when. So I ask myself, what would it take to depose the sitting government, its laws and charter? In other words, how do we define the term 'revolution'?

Come now, don't be shy, this is a blatant and shameless solicitation of comments. Try to stay on topic if you can, but I realize that such a broad avenue of thought does encourage some wandering. Is a movement a revolution if it operates outside the existing social and political norms? Is it not a revolution if it accomplishes nothing more than could have been done within the established system? Is it necessary to completely discard the present political system to qualify for the term? Finally, how would you propose to replace the existing government?

I am going to be away this weekend, I may or may not have a chance to look in on this before Monday. I am asking, respectfully, for opinions. Be mindful that while many might agree with you in principle, the devil usually is in the details.

Have some fun with this.

Stay focused.

a pretty good line

Thanks to JB for posting this.


Hi. My name is America, and I've been sober for one day.


best line I've seen on the net tonight!!!!

is it worth it?

If I switch to the new blogger, am I going to avoid all the hassles and traffic jams that I, (and I assume many of you) are experiencing?

This will probably be forced upon us sooner or later, but still I wonder.

Comments?

enough of this creativity crap

Yesterday, I was tagged by Woozie, and charged with the task of creating a bit of free form artwork, and posting it for the benefit of, (and subject to the ridicule and criticism of) all who visit this site.

Now I am a logistics man by nature, and don't consider myself to be the creative type, but, what the hell, I can't keep hammering on election issues forever. (BTW, does anybody know if Rush Limbaugh killed himself?). So, after waking up in the usual manner, with an affectionate female on top of me, I decided to make a quick sketch, using nothing but the back of a piece of used computer paper and a ball point pen.

The female I mention is my dog, who, is always near someone, and is very desiring of attention. In the mornings, I usually stretch myself out on the bed, let my eyes focus on the ceiling, and wait for the dog to climb on me, give me a few quick kisses and look at me, as if to say, "OK, what are we doing next?". As I type, she is at my feet, waiting to spring into action at the thought of going to another room and getting to sit on my lap.

This folks, is unconditional love. It is the second purest form of love known to mankind.

Here she is, rough, to be sure, but all mine.




Now, who to tag? How about:

Anne, (who is a creative genius)

Pud &

Omar, (in honor of his recent visit).

OK folks, on deck, it's showtime!



update 1: Omar wins, the first to post his work. I know not who he is tagging...

a lot of political bullsh*t in the news

I am so glad that the election is all but over, (due respect for friends on the West Coast, Alaska and Hawaii).

There are winners and losers doing a lot of talking today, (not to mention the media whores who surely are on some sort of stimulant); most of what you here from either side is crap.

I would like to mention one noteworthy politician who is no longer in a leadership position, and to offer a word of praise for his demeanor in the aftermath of his undoing.

Following a bitter, divisive episode, he stood and asked for his former constituents to pull together and work as a people, rather than an ideological or political faction; calling on them to shake hands and to forgive each other.

None of this erases the legacy that he left for his constituency while he was in power, or even begins to negate the impact of his tenure in office.

But he is departing, (at least today), with some dignity.

Read about it here.

Just Do It

a lot to think about

Today is the next to the last day of incessant political commercials and phone calls and all that. Then comes the Christmas season.

If you think you are going to watch Monday Night Football for some good old wholesome ripping of somebodies head off, be prepared to endure the last great round of campaign spending as you see more of the politico's than you do of the game.

Yep, one of those days.

Think carefully today, try to decide what is best, and if you reach a decision on a candidate or a ballot issue, stick too it. Don't be influenced by the media, or the internet. Go with what you really believe.

As for myself, I think I will fill all the gas tanks in the household, as I expect that today is the last day of the respite we have been seeing.

don't give up

I will be so damned happy when the election is over.

I sincerely hope that this is not really true, but it is possible that the sensual barrage that we all experience in these seasons, in the form of radio and TV ads, billboards, pop-ups on the internet, and, lest I forget the most obnoxious and insidious of these assualts, the recorded telephone message, may actually be intended to wear us down, to subliminally encourage us not to vote, simply by making us sick of the whole damned thing. The effect of such an effort might be to weed out the undecided voter, shaping a race or issue into a contest of who can get the most committed votes out.

I, like many of you, am pretty alarmed at the way election issues are handled by the media and special interests, (including the major parties). There is no discourse, no nuance or sense that this proposition or that was the product of much deliberation, or that it is limited in its scope to avoid an overly broad solution to a narrow issue, (or vice versa). Everything is a crisis. Everyone is a hero or villian, depending on who is doing the telling (or shouting as the case often is).

There is a situation emerging in Colorado where a nationally known evangelist has been accused of hiring a gay prostitute for sex numerous times over the past three years. Is this disclosure politically motivated? You bet it is. First, the accuser has said that he is trying to illuminate the hypocrisy of the evangelists positions on gay rights. But that may not be the entire story.

Whether you agree with the preacher, or disagree and to whatever extent, consider that this sudden revelation may be intended to negate the appeal of the GOP to some of its constituency, or possibly to diminish the power of that party to persuade in these last few days.

As conservatives or liberals, libertarians or independents, our reaction should be this:

So what?

Whatever this fellow may or may not have done, (and this is a story that will get LOTS of play in the next few days-----the eventual resolution will be on page 96 on some slow news day), this has nothing to do with the war, with tax policy, or any of about a gazillion really significant issues. Let's get over the fact that one man has been called a hypocrite, (whether true or not), and get to what this election is about.

On a similar note, take a quick look at this entry from the Glen Greenwald blog. (Thanks JB, for posting the link). This is good for a pretty good laugh, but consider the ramifications of these speeches, (forget the facts--they are fairly irrelevant). The sole purpose of these presentations was to scare the voting base into line for the next week. The notion of the big lie as originated by a well known German despot, and perpetuated by politicians everywhere, has absolutely nothing on this operation. This is nothing more than a sand colored smoke screen. Keep lookin' for camel shit boys, don't fret the election...



Four days from now, we will settle some of these issues, (for a couple of days anyway). Listen to your heart, then let your mind have its turn. Spend five minutes in a mental quiet spot, justifying to yourself a vote for the candidate that you are not going to vote for. It sounds silly, but it is a surprisingly liberating excercise. It helps to clarify your beliefs, and the thoughts that you produce may be handy after the election, (the other guy just might win).

No matter how things turn out, resist the temptation of falling into a victory high or a defeat funk. There is another significant election in two years, and by that time you might find that the candidate that won is not all that he is cracked up to be. In all cases, be vigilant, and write to your elected rep's regularly, tell them how you feel and that you are watching.

Stay focused.

the tune of the day

there sammy, like this one better?

Like we need this too...

Well, John Kerry just cannot keep his mouth shut. Somebody ought to tell him that he falls someplace just below Joe Lieberman on the list of the most popular Democrat's. Some news sources noted that he is 'considering' another run for the Presidency in 2008. Really? So am I. And I'll bet that I have just as much backing, if not more, than he does.

The Senator reportedly has apologized for whatever remark he made, which by most accounts was attributed to a bad joke. OK, is that bad as in 'not funny' or bad as in inappropriate? Or both? At least he showed the grace and the presence of mind to apologize, thus relieving the press of making this another phony issue.

Senator Kerry is a capable man that has served the party for a long time, but he is no Bill Clinton. In his basic profile, he has a lot in common with the former President, but he lacks that certain trait sometimes called personality. Bill had a teflon coating of sorts, not unlike Reagan's. Senator Kerry comes off as a dork. Next to Kerry, Al Gore is Mr. Charisma. Fair or not, he will always be thought of as the guy who couldn't beat G.W. Bush.

Please Senator, your time has passed. Become an elder statesman and serve your country in that very important role. Discretion here, is the better part of political valor. You are the Dan Quayle of the Democratic party. Keep your job, make some points here and there, build up a little seniority as well as a few extra campaign dollars that you can take with you when you go, and keep your mouth shut.

On another note, here is a dandy commercial from the state of Connecticutt.


Stay focused.