If 6 Was 9

Is one of the few Jimi Hendrix songs that I listen to. Just the beginning and then I get bored. I was looking up the lyrics this morning (forty years later and still bitingly accurate) and found another link for my blogroll. Good stuff.

Then I tripped over this article on LSD. Did you know that the CIA tried to slip it to Castro before a speech? Or that Albert Hoffman, the biochemist who discovered it, is still alive at the grand old age of 100?

Considering the paranoia of the administration, I don't know how long this link from the Army Times remains viable. It seems that all those changes at Walter Reed are going to be for the purpose of preventing any further word to get out. Daily inspections. In a medical setting? Absolutely stinking BS. 120 permanent duty troops to "take control". What, are the amputees and brain injured patients having too good a time enjoying their new found freedom from wholeness? These aren't improvements, they're damage control and future leak prevention. Those troops are probably from Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo.

The world really is turned upside down.

Knotted Knickers

Okay, I'm pretty liberal, I admit it. I'm also a health care professional and passionate about my personal space. What I'm not, is dictatorial. It seems that no matter which side you're on, they can both go off the deep end. While I may like Santa Cruz because they have a really cool breakfast restaurant that lets me bring my dog, they occasionally go off the deep end and today was no exception.

As a result of the supervisors' decision, visitors will not be allowed to possess, use or dispose of cigarettes, pipes, chew or any other tobacco products on park property. Those caught with tobacco will be asked to hand it over or leave the premises, and could be fined $92 and charged with a misdemeanor.

I don't smoke and I don't appreciate smelling the crap, but perfume bothers me even more. Cigarettes have never sent me to the emergency room, unlike perfume. Stuff feels like it's coating my lungs and I feel like I'm drowning but nobody thinks that's worth a fine. Whatever.

Prince Charles joined the supervisors in the deep end of the fantasy pool with his pronouncement that McDonald's should be banned. I don't think it qualifies as food either, but it is not my responsibility to restrict what people buy to eat. Or drink. Education, not legislation, is the key. Exercise wouldn't hurt either. Using his logic, every fast food place and convenience store would have to banned and that isn't going to happen. For a variety of reasons. $$$$

Dental care. For those who have it, they have no idea what it's like not to be able to avail yourself of capable help. To those on a limited income; rent, food, utilities, transportation and clothing are the expenses that you do your best to take care of in a timely manner. Vision and dental? Not unless it is an emergency and then, it can be too late. Pennywise and pound foolish. As usual.

Bombs, Boredom And BS

Lots of bombs going off, mostly killing innocent children and US troops in Iraq and missing their intended target in Afghanistan. That's all I'm going to say about that, not particularly interested in going to jail, but somebody let the secret out. Somebody with authority and it wasn't in the press pool that was sworn to secrecy. The Taliban have more spies to help them than we have to help us. Not that the crew without a clue could have predicted that.

Before the internet, there were books. Thank goodness, because I was pretty bored for most of my life. Since being connected to the internet eleven years ago, I haven't been, way too much information to find and enjoy. I can't say that I'm much of a risk taker, substance abuser or have a short attention span and focus might as well be my middle name. The iPod makes any repetitive activity endurable, including reading long reports or doing taxes. I always found doing taxes to be soothing (the process, not the result) and rooting around in my template code and fiddling with stuff just fascinates me. No one would call me creative (unless I'm cooking), but I love to tweak things. If none of these things are available, the boredom is so intense that it is almost unbearable. Plus, I stopped a car with my head when I was three. Why don't I fit the profile?

For many years, television was completely unwatchable, so I didn't have one which made watching Babylon 5 very difficult. Then the tv collected dust for many years. Along came 24 which was different as were the brilliant first seasons of Lost and Desperate Housewives. Now there's Heroes, which rocked, absolutely rocked, last night. The artful use of George Takei is greatly appreciated and expanded the storyline by leaps and bounds. Where did they find the little kid who looked like Masi Oka shrunk down to five year old size? Like I've always said, no matter how well you think you've hidden a secret, it will always reveal itself. At the most inopportune moment in time which will cause the most damage. Walking out of an exploding radioactive building and healing in front of a crowd is a big reveal. Big. And we all know her biological father would be totally incapable of taking a bullet to protect his Claire bear.

Nathan probably went to college between 1982 and 2006, because he's definitely the most narcissistic character on the show and his NPI score would probably be at the top. Not a good trait in a hero and definitely not a good trait for the youth of today who will become the leaders of tomorrow.

My best to Steve, I hate it when western medicine can't be honest. This isn't an episode of House (can't stand the show and I love Hugh Laurie), it's his life. Open heart surgery, again. Good luck.

He should have titled the article "Why I hate myself" not "Why I hate blacks". This guy has serious emotional problems and needs intervention. It's nice to know that I automatically hate Asians on sight. Now, exactly why do I eat a majority of Asian food and have a degree in Chinese Medicine? Very few blacks hate Asians without cause, but if you keep up that behavior you will make your wish come true.

Update: A late addition to the BS portion of the post. Every day that goes by, it becomes more obvious that this administration has no respect for women. Barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen is their ultimate goal. Health care for women is not a priority, neither is funding research. Wonder what would happen if women only had girl babies from this point on, would they research then? These people are so stupid that if women were the only ones capable of surviving a new disease, they would autopsy every one of us until they figured out how to protect themselves.

Quiet Monday

Blogs, blogs, they're everywhere and they have the same things in common. The right wing is concerned with the same things everywhere. Illegal immigration, gun control and nationalism. I wonder what the translation of some of their blog titles would be? I'm not funny enough to come up with equivalents of lgf or Instapundit.

25 reasons to smoke pot, with documentation. Some are repetitive and number 24 isn't valid. If all your friends (no matter how famous) jump off a cliff, are you going to jump too? Numbers 9, 10,16, and 17 are pretty good, it would have to be some mind blowing stuff to make number 20 true.

Hello! I didn't watch the Oscars last night but I heard about the commercial. I'm pretty sure I recognize almost all the people and can identify most of the movies. I wonder if Deb Lipp is going to have a contest?

No money, no doctor, no problem. Until it's too late.

Jenna And NotJenna: The Early Years

IMG_1569 girls email, originally uploaded by sandye72.

Practicing the vacant stare, the vapid smile and the royal wave came easily to the twins. It was the walking and talking they had difficulty with, a family trait.

Random Flickr Blogging explained here.

Random Thougts

Heaven forbid that we should discuss something of substance instead of rehashing ten year old drama. This probably hasn't occurred to those whose whole life revolves around the 2008 elections, but most Americans have heard quite enough about the former President's personal life. If anything, that period showed what a classy woman Hillary is and the restraint she showed under the most trying of circumstances. If it had been me, the fact that he was President wouldn't have stopped me from exacting some type of painful and likely life altering revenge for embarrassing me in front of the whole world. But she didn't. As much as she isn't my favorite candidate, she has proved that she exhibits grace under pressure. Her husband's mistakes are his, she upheld fine Christian values by standing by her man. Isn't that what a good wife is supposed to do?

So, we aren't planning to go war with Iran. Somehow that doesn't give me comfort since the crew without a clue never plans anything. They skulk and they meddle, then they scurry back into their warrens until the next time they feel the need to destroy another country and Seymour Hersh has very informative article on that very subject. I've been a little confused by which sect belongs to the bad guys. It seems the bad guys are mostly Sunnis, but we aren't "planning" to go to war with the Shiites.

Sunni = Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Palestinians, Syria, Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda, insurgents attacking US troops

Shiite = Hezbollah, Bahrain, Moqtada al-Sadr, Nuri al-Maliki, Iran, a majority of Iraq and Lebanon, the militias trying to help us keep order in the current debacle

And we are rattling our sabers at who? Oh yeah, Iran. That makes sense. To someone, somewhere, but it isn't me. So, like everything else with this administration, there has to be a hidden agenda.

Flynt Leverett, a former Bush Administration National Security Council official, told me that “there is nothing coincidental or ironic” about the new strategy with regard to Iraq. “The Administration is trying to make a case that Iran is more dangerous and more provocative than the Sunni insurgents to American interests in Iraq, when—if you look at the actual casualty numbers—the punishment inflicted on America by the Sunnis is greater by an order of magnitude,” Leverett said. “This is all part of the campaign of provocative steps to increase the pressure on Iran. The idea is that at some point the Iranians will respond and then the Administration will have an open door to strike at them.”

Nope, we aren't planning at all.

Still, the Pentagon is continuing intensive planning for a possible bombing attack on Iran, a process that began last year, at the direction of the President. In recent months, the former intelligence official told me, a special planning group has been established in the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, charged with creating a contingency bombing plan for Iran that can be implemented, upon orders from the President, within twenty-four hours.

In the past month, I was told by an Air Force adviser on targeting and the Pentagon consultant on terrorism, the Iran planning group has been handed a new assignment: to identify targets in Iran that may be involved in supplying or aiding militants in Iraq. Previously, the focus had been on the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities and possible regime change.

Two carrier strike groups—the Eisenhower and the Stennis—are now in the Arabian Sea. One plan is for them to be relieved early in the spring, but there is worry within the military that they may be ordered to stay in the area after the new carriers arrive, according to several sources. (Among other concerns, war games have shown that the carriers could be vulnerable to swarming tactics involving large numbers of small boats, a technique that the Iranians have practiced in the past; carriers have limited maneuverability in the narrow Strait of Hormuz, off Iran’s southern coast.) The former senior intelligence official said that the current contingency plans allow for an attack order this spring. He added, however, that senior officers on the Joint Chiefs were counting on the White House’s not being “foolish enough to do this in the face of Iraq, and the problems it would give the Republicans in 2008.”

Sigh. The crew without a clue has to depend on the Air Force and the Navy, because the Army, Marines, National Guard and Reserves are tapped out. But since it's about the oil, we press on.

The split between Shiites and Sunnis goes back to a bitter divide, in the seventh century, over who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad. Sunnis dominated the medieval caliphate and the Ottoman Empire, and Shiites, traditionally, have been regarded more as outsiders. Worldwide, ninety per cent of Muslims are Sunni, but Shiites are a majority in Iran, Iraq, and Bahrain, and are the largest Muslim group in Lebanon. Their concentration in a volatile, oil-rich region has led to concern in the West and among Sunnis about the emergence of a “Shiite crescent”—especially given Iran’s increased geopolitical weight.

Just think. If we had spent half the money on alternative methods, we wouldn't be dependent and our troops wouldn't be dying in a war that has no benefit to the majority of Americans.

3Bs

Much Harm, No Foul

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble doesn't begin to cover the stupidity of not accomplishing the biggest promise of Bush's career. From dead or alive to

"So we get him, and then what?" asked Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the outgoing Army chief of staff, at a Rotary Club of Fort Worth luncheon. "There's a temporary feeling of goodness, but in the long run, we may make him bigger than he is today.

"He's hiding, and he knows we're looking for him. We know he's not particularly effective. I'm not sure there's that great of a return" on capturing or killing bin Laden.

You aren't sure that there's that great of a return on capturing the man who was supposedly responsible for every excuse the administration uses to destroy the Constitution, declare the Bill of Rights null and void, to remove habeas corpus and causes Americans to panic at the least little thing? Exactly what kind of return do you want? What about justice?

The crew without a clue wants the death penalty for just about everything, except for the most heinous mass murderer this country has experienced. To date. If you don't believe me, you and your friends go out and knock over a grocery store, the security guard shoots at you, one of your companions fires back and kills him and an innocent bystander with a gun you didn't know he had. The police chase you down and you have a little pot on you. Oh, and you're black. Goodbye world.

Much better to have people commandeer some airplanes, fly them into a couple of buildings which causes a massive loss of life and causes the whole country to throw common sense to the wind, laugh about it for the next six years and then find out you aren't much of a priority.

And yes, I know that there will be others to take his place, goodness knows we have given them enough incenctive, but that isn't the point. Timothy McVeigh was prosecuted and executed with less evidence and definitely less loss of life by those entrusted to hunting him down.

What kind of incentive do you think it will be for the terrorists to know that they can get away with murder? The mass kind. Sounds like they might ratchet up the revenge, and why not, since there isn't a penalty.

Big Brass Blog

It's A Shame

On this day in 1803, Marbury v. Madison was decided by a unanimous (only because two of them had no part of the proceedings) vote of the Supreme Court. Why is this important? A little something called Judicial Review.

Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 is unconstitutional to the extent it purports to enlarge the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court beyond that permitted by the Constitution. Congress cannot pass laws that are contrary to the Constitution, and it is the role of the Federal courts to interpret what the Constitution permits.

Not being a lawyer, I'm left wondering about habeas corpus and the determination to eliminate it for those at Guantanomo and any other illegal combatant. We're definitely on a slippery slope and it looks like we're headed downhill. And the brakes are giving out.

Here in America we supposedly honor and cherish our children. We have people who want to protect them from everything from spanking to preventing them from seeing the appropriate word for a female dog or an external sac of skin (and a type of dinosaur!) in the private area. Hoohah monologues? Get a grip. It's too bad we don't have the same attitudes of respect and compassion towards the children of the other countries.

Iraqi children are playing their version of cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, police and terrorists or Shiite vs Sunni insurgents with the biggest toy guns they can find. They even use uniforms and imitation rocket launchers. Somehow I think this is going to have repercussions that will come back to haunt us since it is only a matter of time before they start playing insurgents vs soldiers.

I almost feel sorry for Boston, but it's difficult. I agree that this most recent advertising stunt was stupid and not well thought out, but the city does have a history of overreacting.

Well, at least someone is looking for Osama been Forgotten. Probably have the same rate of success as the spy agencies. Nada.

Oh great, so Americans overall knowledge of science is higher than the Japanese and the Europeans. Sounds good until you realize that 20 percent of Americans think that the sun revolves around the earth. Not good.

18,000 people made the same mistake. In the same district. On the same day. For the same candidate. Okey dokey, smokey.

The judicial bloodbath continues. This administration really believes that politics is the most important thing, not doing a job correctly with decency, honor and competence. Protecting their buddies who have harmed more people than any criminal that they want put to death is their top priority. So much for the oath to serve the Constitution. Or the people.

Benefit of the doubt should apply to all wounded veterans. They shouldn't have to prove that they were injured in Iraq and then have the government decide that it was a preexisting condition. Repairing the buildings at Walter Reed is a good start, ensuring that injured troops don't have to negotiate mountains of paperwork and declaring them injured right away, would be extremely helpful.

The Good, The Bad, And The Visually Frightening

Oops! Now that's a bummer, having to close your original restaurant. The reasons are logical, but it still has to suck.

Oh, looky here. The MSM has decided to shine a little light on a sensitive subject. So to speak.

Tell me it isn't so. Please. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case I only needed one. If I had only stuck to reading the headlines in Google Reader.

I'm sure the "suck it up" brigade of the 101st Fighting Keyboarders will jump on this. See, there is a bright side to being made a paraplegic at the behest of your government. Since you can't kill insurgents or innocent civilians anymore, your quality of life might improve by bringing home a medal for the United Stats at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Paralympic division. Sort of like the technical Oscars, but held the week after the main festivities. The ultimate in consolation prizes.

Hanging my head in shame. We can't really be that clueless.

Friday Quickie

So, Gates finds the conditions at Walter Reed "unacceptable" and that Bush was "understandably concerned and emphatic". I'll just bet he was. Must have been a very interesting meeting. It's not like his standing can take many more hits. It's awfully hard to run around saying you support the troops when it's obvious to the whole world that it wasn't really a top priority. First New Orleans and now Walter Reed. At what point will the American people have had enough of incompetence, cronyism, corruption and indifference? I hope it's soon.

Oh good grief! When I was a little kid I thought it was pretty cool that I could say one cuss word, under the right circumstances, and get away with it. People need to get a sense of humor. They also need to realize that they can't protect their kid from everything and language should be one of the least of their worries. Protecting them from having a closed mind would be infinitely more constructive.

Speaking of closed minds, what the heck was this guy thinking? Berating a grieving, recently bereaved woman. Shameful.

What Do You Want From Life?

Well, you can't have that, but if you're an American citizen you can ...expect to live in some type of poverty at some point in your life. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or get worse. This report on poverty from McClatchy Newspapers lays it out in gory detail.

From about 1998 to 2001, I saw a decrease in the amount of homeless people pushing carts. The freeway exits were clear of people holding signs and begging for money. Nobody asked me for change. Now, it's almost an everyday occurrence and the stats themselves are disturbing. Severe poverty is on the rise.

One of the most disturbing points was the extreme poverty in our nation's capital. How our representatives can drive around, oblivious to te devastation around them, and then go vote on legislation that increases the chances of poverty and decreases the chances to escape, I will never understand. I guess by staying in their social enclave, hobnobbing with the political elite, the poor of the world don't exist. They also avoid the evidence of increasing poor within their own districts.

The McClatchy analysis found that the number of severely poor Americans grew by 26 percent from 2000 to 2005. That's 56 percent faster than the overall poverty population grew in the same period. McClatchy's review also found statistically significant increases in the percentage of the population in severe poverty in 65 of 215 large U.S. counties, and similar increases in 28 states. The review also suggested that the rise in severely poor residents isn't confined to large urban counties but extends to suburban and rural areas.

The plight of the severely poor is a distressing sidebar to an unusual economic expansion. Worker productivity has increased dramatically since the brief recession of 2001, but wages and job growth have lagged behind. At the same time, the share of national income going to corporate profits has dwarfed the amount going to wages and salaries. That helps explain why the median household income of working-age families, adjusted for inflation, has fallen for five straight years.

These and other factors have helped push 43 percent of the nation's 37 million poor people into deep poverty - the highest rate since at least 1975.

Keep on outsourcing those jobs so the corporations can save money for their shareholders, who won't be able to afford the stock in a few years. They will have had to sell it in order to pay for their health care, their variable rate mortgage or to send one of their children to college. The shortsightedness of those who have, is staggering.

It's interesting to note that when the politicians talk about poverty, how "those people" just need to work more and that their new requirements will improve the abuse, the news always runs to the ghetto. They find the most obese black woman, with either missing or gold capped teeth, fake fingernails and five kids hanging off of her, very little command of the English language, and ask her what she thinks. The public goes along with this farce and screams to have their taxes cut because they don't want to support "those people". Meanwhile, back in the real world.

Nearly two out of three people (10.3 million) in severe poverty are white, but blacks (4.3 million) and Hispanics of any race (3.7 million) make up disproportionate shares. Blacks are nearly three times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be in deep poverty, while Hispanics are roughly twice as likely.

Keep slicing those "benefits" in an effort to make "those people" go away. The poor of the Appalachians and those down on the farm, really appreciate it.

Oh Well

It's back to regular visitor traffic, now that the Walter Reed brouhaha has died down. It was cool having all those visitors. I'm still trying to figure our why somebody would look at 169 pages in a little less than nine minutes and not leave a comment or a question.

Because an A doesn't mean what it used to, it's actually the new C but nobody realizes it. Grade inflation helps no one and the student least of all.

It was just a matter of time. Coordinated attacks, blowing helicopters out of the sky, chlorine bombs. We taught them well, didn't we? The longer we stay, the more sophisticated their tactics will become. And if we can rape their women or children, why can't they?

Evangelicals go just a little too far. Every time. This is no exception. As if their religion treats women any better.

Women are going to get the same prize money as men at Wimbledon. Finally.

Geeky Thursday

Did you know that 197 is a Keith number? That 40 is the only number that is in alphabetical order? Or that 137 is the smallest prime with 3 distinct digits that remains prime if one of its digits is removed and that 223 won't? Neither did I, but this handy website (that I spent way too much time at) can tell you what's special about any number from 0 to 9999, with just a few gaps. It's really easy to research, everything is in numerical order.

Isnt it a shame that it will have taken fifty years to get back to the moon? Popular Mechanics weighs in on the difficulties of getting into space, as we reinvent the wheel. But it's safer now, like that was the point. If we used that reasoning, the West would never have been explored much less settled, and the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria would never have set sail.

The Digg comments were quite interesting. For a change.

Wednesday Observations 2/21/07

Have you ever wondered when to replace common household items? I posted the condiment link previously and now here's another great way to tell when some items have outlived their usefulness.

Have you seen the George Takei public service announcement for Tim Hardaway? Chocolaty head, glazed with man sweat? Priceless. H/T to Stealthbadger.

I loved Jim Carrey's impression of David Caruso the other night. This might be where he got his inspiration. One right after another.

Sex toys are not like prostitution. For several reasons that don't need to be enumerated. This country and it's relationship with sex is strange. Very strange.

Of course, our preoccupation with not getting older is rather interesting, and futile in the end. I guess it's all about the appearance of youth, without the trauma.

I doubt it, for reasons that I stated before.

Who Crowned Him King?

Have I mentioned lately how sick I am of Kos? He does not speak for me and probably never will. I do not link to him, I do not read him and if I accidentally click on a link that takes me to one of his pages, I'm gone as soon as I see the orange. I read him in the beginning, but then I grew up. He is an arrogant know it all who has grown way too big for his britches. Today's article in the WaPo did nothing to disabuse me of that notion. And yes, I am a Liberal, except for when I'm not.

There are plenty of problems that need to be addressed and trying to take down a representative that has done so much good, but disagrees with you on one issue is a foolish waste of time and money. It is extremely shortsighted in that we need to move past one issue voting. Has she done the job that her district elected her to do? Yes. Did she vote the way I think (and wish) she should have voted on some important issues? No. Does every candidate vote the way I want them to, all the time? No. Has she admitted she made a mistake? Yes. The whole picture needs to be considered, otherwise we will end up with the same type of one trick pony representatives like Ted Stevens or Jim Inhofe and the country is a little tired of that.

Let's devote our energy to something constructive such as acting like grownups and ensuring that the 2008 election truly represents a majority of the people, not just the privileged few, left or right. We don't want to exchange one master for another. We need balance. Which I believe was the original idea behind the Constitution.

According To The Saying

You should never argue with a fool or a drunk, it's difficult for the people watching to tell the difference. I've written several posts on the Walter Reed situation and had a rogue commenter who was determined that the debacle was the result of minority contractors, incompetent civilian help because that's all that was available in the local area or that it wasn't in the budget. Whatever.

Why is it that people fail to realize that budget cuts, outsourcing of traditionally held jobs and cronyism at the top would have consequences in the real world?

Walter Reed's commander, Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, said in an interview that the Army leadership had assured him that all the staff increases he had requested would be met. "This is not an issue," he said. "This is their number one priority."

He said the Army has agreed to fund what he called a "surge plan" that has been designed for the likelihood that the 21,500-person troop increase underway in Iraq will result in more casualties.

Weightman said case managers have been ordered to call each of the 700 outpatients to ask about problems they may be encountering. He has also put half a dozen senior enlisted officers from the hospital in charge of the outpatients' companies normally in the hands of lower-level platoon sergeants. Also, a medic will be stationed 24 hours a day at the Mologne House, the largest residence on the 113-acre post, to help soldiers with medical or psychological problems.

It does make one wonder what wouldn't have happened if the Pulitzer deserving reporters of the Washington Post hadn't written their series, doesn't it? It's the little things that help to make life bearable.

The Post series documented tattered conditions at Building 18, including mold, rot, mice and cockroaches, but also a larger bureaucratic indifference that has impeded some soldiers' recovery.

At Building 18 yesterday, platoon sergeants with clipboards went from room to room inspecting for mold, leaks and other problems. A broken elevator was repaired, and snow and ice were cleared from the sidewalks.

Wow, who would have thought that amputees and wounded people would want an elevator and a safe area to walk around the hospital. The nerve.

Jeff Miller (Fla.), the ranking Republican on the House Veterans' Affairs subcommittee on health, said: "The neglect being experienced by some wounded service members is outrageous. The Defense Department is never shy about asking for supplemental funds for operations and equipment; I cannot imagine why housing for recuperating wounded would not be a similarly high priority."

Oh, and Mr. Goldberg, Geraldo doesn't need to investigate to make sure that the WaPo isn't making this stuff up, and I don't care if it's one service member who's complaining, that's one too many. Less trivialization and more constructive effort will get more done than trying to one up a fellow blogger. Of course, I'm assuming that you want to support the troops, not play politics. I'm sorry if I'm wrong.

It's Good To Be The Queen

Did anybody really think that the Queen was going to let the third in line for the throne, go to Iraq? The people wanted the troops home and this was probably the straw that broke the camel's back. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for the recent conversations between the Queen and the Poodle, I mean Prime Minister.

It's good to be the Queen.

The Walter Reed Saga Continues

It has been so long since we've had a blockbuster series of investigative reporting, but the Walter Reed travesty definitely qualifies. Dana Priest, Anne Hull and Julie Tate have done an outstanding job. This morning's WaPo continues the sad saga of the injured troops and the people who were supposed to have their best interests at heart. But didn't.

I've really tried to keep this from being political, I've tried not to say things like "rotting from the top down", but unfortunately, this situation calls for it. I still believe that placing blame is not going to fix the basic problem, but this is a good start.

For the last few years our troops have been used like pawns on a chessboard, as if they were disposable, as if they were just a photo op. They aren't. They haven't even been replaceable, but that hasn't stopped the abuse. Cutting veteran's services and freezing their budget while calling for a surge, shows a complete lack of respect and a corresponding inability to plan for the future. A hallmark of the present administration. Unfortunately.

How much more incompetence can our troops endure?

Shedding Light On The Other Walter Reed

Seems to have worked. Like gangbusters. Now one hopes that they are serious about repairing the damage and aren't just waiting until the spotlight gets turned off. Absolutely amazing all the changes they have planned, and in such a short period of time.

Walter Reed and Army officials have been "meeting continuously for three days" since the articles began appearing, he said. A large roundtable meeting with Army and defense officials will take place at the Pentagon early tomorrow morning to continue talks about improvements in the outpatient system, he added.

Weightman said the medical center had received an outpouring of concern about conditions and procedures since the articles appeared and had taken other steps to improve what soldiers and their families described as a messy battlefield of bureaucratic problems and mistreatment.

Bureaucracy, just another way of saying you don't want to do it. Until you have to. Fascinating how quickly things can get done, if the right people find out. In this case, the American people.

Aren't we great?

The New Plan For Iraq

IMG_6754, originally uploaded by jose_.

Following the successful implementation of political overlords, Sheridan's plan to set up the Shadows and the Vorlons by using false radio broadcasts seemed like such a good plan that the administration once again decided that fantasy trumps reality.

If only the White Stars were real.

So concludes this week's entry in the Random Flickr Blogging Project.

Supporting The Troops, Continued

Yesterday's post on the Walter Reed debacle was quite well received, it got linked to by The Moderate Voice, Memeorandum and this morning has included many visitors from Pajamas Media. Thank you.

The general response has been to place blame. That wasn't the intent when I wrote it, and it isn't my intent now. I have been most aware of the deterioration of the medical corps within the military since I have been involved with it from the day I was born until mom's last surgery on base in 1993. I remember what it was like when I was active duty and how little resemblance there is too that level of care nowadays.

The military had been downsizing its medical care since the 1980s and was totally unprepared to go to war, much less two wars. Simultaneously. Long term care is not what they are set up for, but due to the nature of the injuries, they have been forced to try and provide that care. Obviously they have been failing. Miserably.

This is one of those problems that will never be solved by placing blame, the only way it will be solved is if enough people demand change, some sort of accountability. It doesn't matter if you are a Democrat, Republican, Liberal, Conservative or a purple haired people eater, it is past time for the citizens of this country to get off their couches and demand that their representatives do something constructive instead of passing, or not passing, nonbinding resolutions (How many do we need? It's all they've done for 6 years.) or running for office. Do the job they were elected to do instead of the one they have their eye on.

The troops deserve better and they just aren't getting it. From being sent in without a plan, without appropriate armor, without properly protected vehicles, to coming home to with debilitating physical and mental injuries to little or no support reintegrating into society, the veterans of the last six years are paying the price. And what an ugly little price it is.

Yes, I want the budget balanced. I just don't want it balanced on the backs of the only people who have been asked to sacrifice. Neither should you.

Boom! Boom! Sunday

Sixty dead at a Baghdad market, at least four dead in a spree across Thailand, several injured at a McDonald's in Russia, and that was in the first seven headlines on the Reader. Wow! The level of violence on Sunday is phenomenal. Gung hay fat choy, indeed.

And the toll continues. To increase. Why didn't we take care of the problem the first time? Did we want to give them time to learn and plan? If so, we did a very good job.

Yes, the press conferences are predictable. Why should the President study? When you think you know the answers, the questions don't really matter. 42 looks good to me. And probably a lot closer to reality than the questions the President stumbled over. You know why you study? So you don't look like a bumbling idiot at test time. I guess it isn't really important when you're the Decider. Heh, heh.

Condieliesalot. Gets caught a lot. And keeps on trucking.

Five tips for performing good deeds. I like number five, everyone could use more friends.

Supporting The Troops, Pt. 2

By the time I read the article, 96 other blogs had posted on the ridiculous frakking bushit that is called outpatient treatment for our injured troops at Walter Reed. As you can imagine, my blood is boiling, my head is pounding and my teeth are gritted.

How can this situation be tolerated? Why are our recovering soldiers living in conditions that rival the ghetto? In a third world country. I am deeply ashamed that we have failed those who did as they were ordered, giving life and limb for their country, only to be treated as annoyances and inconveniences upon their return. The Paris Hilton method of loyalty. Once broken, no longer needed.

I love this country, but lately have become concerned about our lack of human decency, of our inability to empathize with others, our bizarre belief that those who are not "perfect" deserve to suffer. For the last week, this country and its media have been riveted by the story of one dead woman. As tragic as that may be for her family and friends, many others have suffered the same fate since then and have not been accorded one iota of attention. Many other families have been irrevocably altered by the events in Iraq and barely get a mention on their local news. Meanwhile, CNN and ABC want us to know that Britney's drapes now match the carpet. What's up with that?

Supporting the troops means more than a bumper sticker on your car. It means that you bug your Representatives, your Senators and your Governors until the troops get competent help. Perhaps the obstructionist Republicans will finally hear the people who elected them and start working with other members of Congress to do something constructive, instead of posturing and pandering about a war that is not supported by their constituents.

One other thing about the article disturbed me. Why are the National Guard and Reserves separated from the so called "regular" Army? Injuries incurred in the defense of your country, or even in our current predicament, should be covered equally. Neither the Iraqis or the Taliban see a difference, why should we?

3Bs

Silly Saturday

Hmm, I guess I'm making up for somebody, because I have bought more than 22 songs off of iTunes. Then there are the tv shows. And I still have 20 GB of free memory left. My first computer only had a 5 GB hard drive ...and was much bigger.

Teaching children to go outside and play, what a concept. I didn't know kids needed to be taught, what a shame. On the other hand, it also shows what a good influence the media can have on lifestyle. Sportacus inspired a 22% increase in the purchase of fruits and vegetables. Now, that's impressive, also quite ingenious.

Carl, at Simply Left Behind, has a great snark on the passing of the co-creator of the remote control. Then there are the people who fail to use the most important power of the remote. The ability to skip the commercials.

Eminence Front

Well they can't charge him with resisting arrest, they are just trying to justify the amount of time, money and manpower that was wasted on someone who didn't even know they were there. Two SWAT teams?

As time goes one, more of the ramifications of war make their appearance. The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath. Ever since I first heard that lyric, it has resonated with me. Every time I see a yellow ribbon on someone's car, I want to walk up and ask them "exactly what are you doing to support the troops?" Because once again, a valuable ball has been dropped. We have become a nation that abides by ridiculous rules and regulations which fly in the face of common sense and compassion.

When a single parent is killed in the debacle of Iraq, someone back at home has to take up the responsibilities of raising their child. It's almost always the grieving parents and we have nothing in place to help their families. All in the name of fraud prevention. The morality of the people who took the life insurance and left the child with nothing, boggles my mind. A child should never be left with nothing. As a nation we can't take a child's parent and then leave the child penniless. But we do.

I love science, it fascinates me and it didn't require that I write papers when I was in school I used to pick my classes by whether or not they had writing assignments. You would never guess it now, but I hate to write papers. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I took an astronomy course that sparked my interest in chemistry. Since the course was at 12 noon we didn't spend too much time looking at the sky. It was book learning, something I've always enjoyed. With the advent of the internet, I can get pictures. Lots and lots of spectacularly beautiful pictures from space. That are only appreciated by the few, the proud, the geeks. We prefer stats and facts to people and gossip. Which seems to make us another minority in America.

Does anybody really think that the administration has this country's best interests at heart? If you do, you are sadly mistaken.

I'm not the only one wondering if Cheney can be Agnewed. I posited the same question, twice. These are interesting times that we live in. Very, very interesting and I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Joke of the Day 2/15/07

I received this and just had to share it.

Subject: Tough Love

Most of America's populace think it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of "those moments."

One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk.

They usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together.

I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

Sincerely,


A Friend







I love Photoshop, even though I don't have it and have never used it.

This N' That Thursday

Gee, why didn't I think of that? Limpballs once again displays his ignorance and suggest that if Obama doesn't like being black, he should just decide to be white. He's biracial, whats the problem? Well, he's just as black as I am. And just as white, but society doesn't see it that way.

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked what my nationality is by people who have just made my acquaintance. I say American and watch them twitch. Then they say, "No, you know what I mean. Where are your parents from? You look Oriental (which is also racist and should be Asian) or exotic." I love that one. Exotic. If I'm waiting for service in a good restaurant, I'm waiting a long time. Just a few months ago I waited for twenty minutes in a somewhat empty restaurant before I gave up and left. Why should I give them my money?

You can't just decide to be white and be treated that way. It's much easier to be white and pretend to be black than it is to reverse the process. Our society seems to work on visual cues, with blond hair and blue eyes being the preferred norm, which probably explains the Eminem worship. It's still not music to me.

Joe Rogan vs. Carlos (Ned) Mencia. Very informative and I agree with Joe. I used to work for the VP of comedy development at Universal and she had a lot of friends in the business. I was doing my riff one day on men, and had a somewhat famous female comedian cracking up. Imagine my surprise when almost my whole five minute routine appeared in a movie and her stand up act. Stealing is stealing, it doesn't matter if it's money, music or jokes. You should give others their due.

So, we're surging in Afghanistan. Not really, just extending the tour of duty for the troops already over there. Then we're going to send fresh troops (?) to relieve them and make sure tha Taliban don't return. No mention of that pesky Osama guy.

We're still throwing good money after bad, billions of dollars worth, and it could get worse. The next time a house burns down because the nearest firehouse was closed for budget cuts, the next time your state has a national emergency and no Guard or equipment to help with the situation, the next time we are attacked on our home soil because something was shipped in, remember that the crew without a clue aren't suffering. They have private security in neighborhoods that have the best equipment, enough money to keep them warm and getaway homes that aren't in the States.

It's hard to sell a house when nobody around you has a job.

I hate traffic and last night I got stuck on the flyover from the 280 to the 87. For twenty minutes. What a stupid design. Then I read this story, and it's cold there.

I'm Cranky

In case the two previous posts didn't give it away. I've been fighting a cold (and losing) for the past few days. My head is pounding, my nose is running, my ear aches and my throat is sore. Other than that, I hurt. Worst of all, I can taste anything. I hate that.

If there's one thing I hate more than being sick (there are a few), it's stupidity. My tolerance level drops as my symptoms increase. Today was Valentine's day and the President said we could kiss his derrière. He would have said that, except three syllable words, much less from another language, confuse him.

I want the new Kenny Wayne Shepherd album. It sounds great. The dude can play. Extremely well. I'd love to hear him and Robert Randolph guitar it out. That would cure the blues. Man, I hope Verizon doesn't cancel me for listening.

VD is almost over, thank goodness. Love stinks. You're breaking my heart by the dashboard light and that's the way I've always heard it should be. Love hurts, but I'm already gone. It's all over now, can you name the fifty ways to leave your lover? You oughta know, it's the song for the dumped. Happy loving couples. Riight. Well, that won't be funny for very long.

JurassicPork goes on the most magnificent rant about the blogger brouhaha. Love that man, a good thinker always turns me on.

Which is probably why the Iraq war gets my knickers in a knot faster than one can say boo. There was no good thinking before we invaded a sovereign country that was no threat to us and had nothing to do with September 11. These guys are right about as often as the local weatherman, almost never.

I think I'll go to bed before my head explodes.

3Bs

Slipping The Bonds Of Reality

I'm surprised he didn't say what a national tragedy it was that Anna Nicole Smith was still dead. Every time he opens his mouth, Bush continues to show his continuing disconnect from reality, while thinking that everything will get better because he made a decision. If everybody else would just understand, if they would just try harder, if they would offer more support. If, if, if. If my aunt had balls, she would be my uncle. If I had an aunt.

He and members of his administration have heard voices.

I've listened to a lot of voices; people in my administration heard a lot of voices.

Really? Too bad it wasn't the American people's voice. Remember them? Support the troops sounds so good, but what have you actually done besides "make a decision"? They don't have the armor or the vehicles, they have had to fight the same battles over and over again, and now you have proposed to cut the benefits for them when they get out. War takes a heavy toll on the individual who is actually in the trenches, not the one that gets to sleep in the beautiful White House. Surrounded by guards and living in luxury that the average American will never know.

Q Do you believe it's a civil war, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: I can only tell you what people on the ground, whose judgment -- it's hard for me, living in this beautiful White House, to give you an assessment, firsthand assessment. I haven't been there; you have, I haven't. But I do talk to people who are and people whose judgment I trust, and they would not qualify it as that. There are others who think it is. It is, however, a dangerous situation, thereby requiring action on my part.

Listen, I considered several options -- one, doing nothing, and that if you don't believe the situation was acceptable, then you should do something. And I didn't believe the situation was acceptable. Secondly, I could have listened to the advice of some and pulled back and hoped for the best. I felt that would be extraordinarily dangerous for this young democracy, that the violence in Baghdad could escalate mightily and then spill out across the country, creating chaos, vacuums into which extremism would flow; or make the decision I made, which is to reinforce the troops that were on the ground, to help this Iraqi government and security force do what they're supposed to do.

The people being isolated by their government's actions, are Americans. My father served this country for over twenty years and my mother supported him every step of the way.

Q As you know, a growing number of troops are on their second, third or fourth tour in Iraq. There have been a growing number of reports about declining morale among fighting men. I spoke personally to an infantry commander -- tough guy, patriot -- who says more and more of the troops are asking, questioning what they're doing here. Does this come as a surprise to you? Are you aware of this? Is it a minority opinion, is it a growing opinion, and does it concern you?

THE PRESIDENT: I am -- what I hear from commanders is that the place where there is concern is with the family members; that our troops, who have volunteered to serve the country, are willing to go into combat multiple times, but that the concern is with the people on the home front. And I can understand that. And I -- and that's one reason I go out of my way to constantly thank the family members. You know, I'm asking -- you're obviously talking to certain people, or a person. I'm talking to our commanders. Their job is to tell me what -- the situation on the ground. And I have -- I know there's concern about the home front. I haven't heard deep concern about the morale of the troops in Iraq.

I grew up with my father on isolated tours of duty, I know what these family members are feeling. Shame on you Mr. President for belittling their agony and their contribution. How dare you? Perhaps they are tired of having their loved ones come home in a box. Or wheelchair.

You can have your press conferences, you can pretend that you believe another country poses a threat to us, you can act like you think you are correct in all circumstances even when there is evidence to the contrary, but you don't act like a person with a grip on reality or one with a sense of accountability. You think you're funny, when you're not. You think you're capable, when you're not. You think you have made a decision the whole world will abide by, just because you made it. You decided it would be all better in Iraq because you decided it.

Well, I've decided that you are unfit to lead this country anywhere except to hell in a handbasket. At the rate you're going, we should arrive there soon. In pieces and wondering what the heck happened. Probably find you in a corner, cackling maniacally.

Do the American people a favor and decide to get professional psychological help. It's pretty bad when a whack job from across the globe can tell you have serious emotional problems.

3Bs

Well, Nobody Asked Me

I am against torture, under all conditions. I am against the death penalty, under all conditions. While many people may deserve the ultimate punishment, it is never applied equally. How one can rationalize that Charles Manson or Sam Berkiowitz are still alive, but some seventeen year old kid who killed a convenience store clerk and has been dead at the state's hand for years, I will never understand.

Torture is not an effective method of extracting true and useful information, no matter what you see on television. The Spanish Inquisition (waterboarding was popular back then too) was a good example of power out of control.

That more than one person felt rape was okay, really disturbs me. Without a trial, without a determination of guilt, people are willing to violate another person in ways that are supposedly abhorrent to civilized society. There is never an excuse for rape. Never. Ever. Ever. Not under any conditions. It wasn't right with Abner Louima, and it certainly wasn't right with fourteen year old Abeer Hamza Qassim.

Our national identity, our psyche has been severely damaged in ways that are becoming frighteningly apparent. We are willing to give up all trappings of civilization, to rescind our humanity, all in the foolish pursuit of a perceived bogeyman. We search in all the wrong places and all the wrong ways and in the process are confirming to the world that we, as a nation, are a fear based society, not a rational one.

We used to be a beacon of light and hope to the world, but now we act like scared little children, afraid of the dark and imagining that there is a bad man under every bed and in every closet. We no longer think, we react. To the littlest things. The big picture has escaped us as we descend into our collective madness, thinking that television reflects real life. Survivor, Big Brother, 24, they aren't real and never will be. They are not models on how to deal with life's problems and challenges. Betraying your friends, stabbing your neighbor in the back or shooting him in the face are all inappropriate ways to manage the daily aggravations of trying to get ahead. But not to us, torturing those who are probably innocent is A-OK.

What are we protecting if we have to use lies, threats and torture? The American way? What is that exactly? As the war drums increase their frenetic beat, in search of another false enemy, it would be wise to contemplate the fate of recent regimes that espoused terror and torture in an effort to control the populace. Stalin, Hitler, and Pol Pot all went the way of the Dodo. We should make sure that we don't follow.

3Bs

Tuesday's Oddities

When you think your life really sucks, you can always find someone that can make you feel grateful for what you have. Someone should help this guy out. He shouldn't be allowed to die because of a technicality. He won the money and some kind of arrangement should be made. He isn't a criminal, he shouldn't be on death row. Our healthcare system needs revamping. Immediately.

I don't care that another politician has thrown his hat into the ring. He hasn't a snowball's chance of getting my vote. And it has nothing to do with his faith.

Kansas is still trying to make its way out of the Dark Ages. Good luck, and welcome to the present.

The dumbing down of the American Mind. So true.

I love StumbleUpon, I should post there more often. I don't have a Wii, and the terms of my Verizon contract supposedly prevent me from using too much of my unlimited bandwidth, but videos that have been vetted by the community have to be better than randomly clicking on video links.

VA data is missing. Again. My data was included in the last breach that I was told not to worry about. The FBI lost laptops. How can these agencies track terrorism, much less provide adequate service, if they can't keep track of their own equipment?

I rely on my hearing for quite a bit and fortunately mine is really good. I make judgments based on engine noise, it lets me know if drivers are accelerating or decelerating. I used to be able to tell the make of car by how it started. Long before I knew they were related, I thought that Porsches and VWs sounded the same on startup. If a hybrid is silent, that removes information that a pedestrian uses to gauge safety. Especially the blind. What good is it to make walk signals emanate tones if hybrids are silent at slow speeds? The California stop is way too popular for that. Maybe there should be some type of sound?

I watched the first hour of 24 last night and then switched to Heroes. I'll download the second half this afternoon. This is the first time I haven't liked Peter MacNichol in a role. 24 spends too much time on trying to depose the President. They tried it in season 2, blew his replacement out of the sky in Season 3, killed a former President in season 5, and are talking about the same type of treason again. I thought this was supposed to be a conservative show? It must be today's conservatives because the Constitution doesn't seem to exist in their world.

Meanwhile, over on Heroes, poor Claire. You realize that your birth parents really don't want you and then find out your mom is no longer herself. Too much mind manipulation from the Haitian. Sylar is batting goofy eyes in order to find more victims to kill, Jessica is the cleanest murderer on the planet (never gets a drop of blood on her), Hiro is locked in a room while Ando is being snookered by what looks like a crossdresser and Matt took the diamonds. I wonder if he's going to take them to Linderman? Nathan's a true politician, isn't he? Illegitimate child, an affair with another woman and willing to sacrifice his brother in order to be elected. Sounds like he's qualified.

Now That Everyone's Gone Home

I've finally got a post up. Wow! I can just imagine what the expletive was, mine would have rhymed with yuck. Which is one of the many reasons I don't jump out of perfectly good airplanes. 84 revolutions with a sudden stop at the end, and lived to tell about it.

Robbing Peter to pay Pell. That's a great quote, and it points out the truth. College is once again going to be the province of the elite, which won't make them any less humble. The ratty, tatty school system isn't going to be capable of helping the underprivileged earn scholarships. Cutting children's programs so they will have more money for college, ensures that they won't need it because they won't have the skills and the money can stay in the treasury for people who didn't need it in the first place.

So, use a bigger hammer would be normal behavior for chimps. I guess bombs count as bigger hammers.

Pot eases pain. Officially. What I found amazing about this study is that they used Federal pot, which is notoriously weak and ineffectual. And it still worked.

I can't decide if these guys are serious. Billy Gibbon's (ZZ Top) Bus Ball.

Now What Do I Do?

IMG_1610, originally uploaded by Changa_Lion.

How do I get down from here? Guys, guys, this isn't funny. What's up with the music? Why do you do have those long sticks? Are you putting a blindfold on?

Another Random Flickr Blogging attempt.

Random Thougts

I'm watching 60 Minutes, the Obama story, and I think to myself "if you are going to admit to inhaling, you might as well say that you enjoyed it". It really is the only acceptable explanation for the second time, or the third. Because you were lost and didn't know who you were is ...weak. And the first absolutely non-truthful thing he said.

The Grammys. Wow, it turned into a concert show. Lots of entertainment, very few speeches. Maybe next year the audience can choose which awards they want to see. It would be nice if the West Coast mattered. Geez, we even get left out of voting for an award that was awarded earlier than the show aired. Did that make sense to anybody outside of the West Coast? They don't trust us with elections or who gets to sing with Justin. Heh, heh.

This is really starting to, shall I be blunt, piss me the eff off. We have been at war for four years and we STILL don't have enough armor for the Humvees? Wasn't there enough money to be made by protecting the troops? What the heck are we surging with? Our imagination? That won't save our troops as an explosive device rips through their vehicle, ending life after wasted life. Why are we still having this conversation? If this had happened during World War II, we would sprechen sie Deutsche.

Less than half of the up-armored Humvees have the proper equipment and are "planning" to get it in the next six months. If we started bringing the troops home now, we wouldn't need to spend all that money to ship the armor to Iraq. As if supporting the troops has ever been the point. Or the goal.

Sunday Night Musings

Technology is a wonderful thing, except for when it isn't. Surrounded by sensors and cameras that aren't obvious to the average person doesn't sound like a recipe for freedom. This stuff sounds great when it's on a tv show or scifi movie, not so great in practice. Tiny little motes. Not the Mote in God's Eye, but a threat nonetheless.

This really isn't funny. The more cute animated movies we have, the more the real life stars from the animal kingdom die off or are endangered at a phenomenal rate. Now, it's the honeybee's turn. I guess I'll stock up on honey since it doesn't go bad. Ever.

I'm barbecuing half a chicken for dinner tonight. Just thought I'd throw that out there, since we were supposed to have this big, bad rainstorm for the weekend. Griiled asparagus and a sun-dried tomato risotto. Yum.

I think, therefore I'm single. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. And yes, I do hate Valentine's day. Always have. It's an even more artificial holiday than Christmas, and that takes some doing.

The Iran farce continues. Instead of proof, show pictures of what you think the evidence looks like. My favorite quote comes from Main and Central. "Show them a picture of a Romulan sub-atomic disruptor." I love good snark almost as much as I like good blogging.

Lazy Sunday Morning

So, the scent of a man is important? Wow, you learn somethng new everyday. Usually as the result of spending good money to confirm something that anyone with common sense would have told you for free. One quick word of advice, keep it fresh. Please.

Skippy has added me to his blogroll, courtesy of BlogRoll Amnesty. So, now I'm an official member of blogtopia (Skippy coined that phrase!) The last time he highlighted me, I was in the midst of my first blog redesign. What a long strange trip it's been. Thanks, Skippy.

And they wonder why nobody likes us. In his first major speech since becoming Defense Secretary, Robert Gates has admonished the President of another country, urged other countries to not let a war that we abandoned, be for nothing because it would be "a mark of shame", and tries to justify Guantanamo's existence with the same old "dangerous and committed terrorists" line. The Times makes it look so good, doesn't it? Makes his bluster sound like it passed muster. By way of Yahoo! we get a little more information on some of the more aggressive statements. Definitely winning friends and influencing people. But for who?

When the going get tough, the tough ...abandon all principles in the foolish pursuit of a goal that has eluded them in this lifetime. And they called Kerry a flip-flopper. McCain, the train has left the station, it's too late to buy a ticket. He's definitely a politician, the man has no shame.

Duck! Cheney is playing three card monte with the "powers" of his office. He claims executive powers when he wants to, and the Founding Fathers determined that the Office of the Vice President is part of the Executive branch, not the Legislative branch of office. Does he plan on claiming to be part of the Judicial branch if the Libby case singes his coattails? Does he know what he wants to be when he grows up?

Why didn't (and still doesn't do it very well) the press do a better job of investigating and reporting before the Iraq war began? Inquiring minds want to know, and they aren't all bloggers. The American people deserve a better press corps. Somehow the idea of reporting the news has been replaced with regurgitating press releases. Or reporting the latest entertainment scandal. News, not so much. We have to depend on comedians for that.

Isn't that funny?

Rainy Saturday Morning

Not really, it's more of a drizzle. Just enough to make everyone drive really stupidly. As if physics doesn't apply to them.

Geek alert! Do you want something unusual for that special honey in your life but can't find anything that expresses your personality? How about the Binary wedding ring? You can personalize it with a message that very few people will understand. Isn't that special?

Ooh, ooh, another on the long list of people I'm probably not going to vote for in 2008. If these guys wore hats, the ring would be full and not everyone has added their bonnet.

Mark over at Biomes sent me on pet adventure this morning. I learned more than I wanted to know about what went into my dog's food. Oh well, she isn't fond of the skin formula she's on now.

I would appreciate it if Putin could differentiate Bush and his actions from the average US citizen, just as I separate Putin's actions from Russian citizens. We've made it perfectly clear that we want to go in a different direction and Bush has made it perfectly clear that he doesn't care what the citizens want. If blame were to be placed where it belongs, we might reach a peaceful solution a little sooner. In a perfect world.

I hope so.

Enough Already!

Will this story never end? I can't believe that CNN is doing Anna Nicole non-stop. Another missing blond woman. As sorry as I feel for her, there are more important things happening in the world. First Gavin, then Nowak and now Smith. Infotainment at its worst. CNN is standing by breathlessly for the autopsy report of the modern day "Marilyn Monroe". Good grief, Marilyn had talent.

The Middle East is heating up again. Religion is supposed to be at the core of this flare-up, but power, arrogance and control probably have great influence. Violence doesn't solve problems, it just creates more of them.

CNN is actually advertising all of the Anna Nicole stuff from their website. I am forced to watch this travesty of news reporting because of where I am and I can't leave. She's still dead, and is likely to stay that way. Oh great, this story is going to go on for days. Subtle finding in the heart and intestines. Whoopee!

Women, War And Warbles

Supporting the troops has never been a priority of the Bush Administration. To the crew without a clue, they are just pawns in a make believe game of Risk. If they considered them to be valuable, they would have attended a few funerals. At least of the officers. Talk is cheap, much cheaper than providing adequate armor, bullets and a successful plan.

Cheap talk comes from Mr. Gates, who believe that we have good evidence that Iran has been supplying weapons and technology to Iraqi insurgents.

Offering some of the first public details of evidence the military has collected, Gates said, "I think there's some serial numbers, there may be some markings on some of the projectile fragments that we found," that point to Iran.

What, no slam dunk? If there are serial numbers, would they also show who the original seller was? Like the US? You either have the evidence or you are making it up as you go along. Inquiring minds want to know how much smoke you are trying to blow up our rear orifices.

My favorite snark article of the year, so far. The dogs of warp line cracked me up, but there are many others in this LA Times eidtorial about the Pelosi plane problem. As they helpfully point out, the crazy train has left the station.

Yes, it definitely has. Will Bunch from Attytood has a great piece on the sudden, tragic death of a young woman. Much more important than the one you are thinking of.

So much for the ridiculous theory that women and science don't get along. Two blows in one week. What was Lawrence Summers smoking when he let that piece of stupidity fly out of his mouth? You have to get to the next to last paragraph before you realize that Dr. Hau is a woman. Who figured out how to drop the speed of light to zero and then reproduce it somewhere else.

24: ATHF. Good for a few snickers, the haha kind.

I love music, it is almost always on. Since I got the iPod, I have even more opportunities to listen to music. Some songs have always evoked a stronger emotion in me than others. I love Flight of the Bumblee and my favorite rendition is by YoYo Ma and Bobby McFerrin. Great stuff. What I find interesting about my favorites, is that they are almost all instrumentals, which is interesting for a classic rocker such as myself. So, in no particular order of preference, just the way they popped out of my memory, are ten of my favorite songs.

1. Marooned by Pink Floyd, possibly one of the loneliest songs I've ever heard
2. Classical Gas by Mason Williams, always makes me feel good when I hear it
3. In The Mood by Glenn Miller, gets me moving every time, great calorie burner
4. Town Without Pity by Ronnie Montrose, another in the lonely category
5. Got To Give It Up by Marvin Gaye, another moving song
6. Miracles by Jefferson Starship, a love song
7. Europa by Gato Barbieri, very romantic
8. Love is Blue by Paul Mariat, romance again
9. Shine on You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd, no comment
10. Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 by Pink Floyd, great in your face song

and two more because I really, really like the lyrics:

11. War by Edwin Starr, hello! how long before we learn?
12. Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult, same as above.

This N' That Thursday

I have the ForecastFox extension that sits in my FireFox toolbar and shows me the upcoming weather for the next few days. For the last two days, the graphics has shown rain as imminent. As in any minute. WeatherDock (Mac only)? The same. The newspapers, radio and television have encouraged this attitude. Reality so far? Just misting around. Why weather is a top story when nothing has happened, is beyond me. Why weatherpersons get paid for being wrong more often than Baghdad Bob, really makes me wonder.

There are always different points of view. Human, Vulcan and now, Klingon.

The Big Bang revisited. On our planet? Why? Have they considered that there may be effects tht they can't control? The results might be bigger than anticipated. Besides, I thought there was another explanation for the beginning of the Universe. Something about "let there be light", I believe.

Brain fitness. I play Sudoku on the web and I got the game for the iPod. It's fun. I don't know about the other games, learning something new sounds like the most fun.

The HooHah Monologues. Give me a break. This nation is nuttier than a fruitcake. I loved the comment about titty cancer.

Indiana Jones and the Quest For Profit will be opening May 22, 2008. I'm going to miss Denholm Elliott. I wonder if John Rhys-Davies will make a reappearance?

I'm not all that happy to be considered a senior netizen. I thought fifty was the new thirty. Like I want to go through that crap again.

Wherever You Go

There we are. The NBC Nightly News sign-off or famous line from a cult classic?

A plan to fail from those who failed to plan. Everybody except the crew without a clue knows that the "surge" will only bring an increase in death and destruction, mostly of our troops, with the Iraqis thrown in as collateral damage.

Now is the time to finally defeat the Taliban. No, it isn't. That time should have been five years ago, before we were hoodwinked into invading a country that had nothing to do September 11, so the real culprits could continue to recover and regroup. Better late than never is not an effective military strategy. The offensive should be our offensive. Brilliant, just brilliant.

Now we're worried about creating martyrs. Cheez 'n rice! And we're worried about the appearance of interference in the Iraqi legal system? The Bush administration doesn't want someone hanged. I would be impressed except for the fact that they seem to have no problem with executing Americans on flimsier evidence.

Helicopters seem to be falling out of the sky with increasing frequency in our effort to bring democracy to Iraq. It was just a matter of time before they had the equipment and decided to use it. Another unforeseen circumstance, which is what happens when you make yourself a target and treat everybody like they are a bunch of savages.

I got caught up on 24 last night. Those Bauer genes are powerful. It seems to be a family trait to be able to withstand torture and to kill without remorse. Hard as it seems to believe, Jack is the most compassionate member of the family. Before this season, nobody would have thought that. Did Kim still live in Valencia? Her cousin looks a lot like her. Does anybody realize that Magic Mountain is no more? And the oranges!

As I've stated many times, find a different job if your religious beliefs prevent you from providing appropriate health care to your patients. One of the biggest problems with medicine could be solved if it was practiced for the benefit of helping people, not the practitioner's wallet.

Joke of the Day Extra

Enjoy! This was too good to pass up.


Last Tuesday, as President Bush got off the helicopter in front of the White House, he was
Carrying a baby piglet under each arm.

The squared away Marine guard snaps to attention, salutes, and says: "Nice pigs, Sir."

The President replies "These are not pigs. These are authentic Arkansas Razorback Hogs. I got one for Senator Hillary Clinton and I got one for Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi."

The squared away Marine again snaps to attention, salutes, and says, "Excellent trade, Sir."

Joke of the Day 2/7/07

Have a great day!

Teaching Math In 1950

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1960

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1970

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20 Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In 1990

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living?

Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes?

(There are no wrong answers.)

Teaching Math In 2006

Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100. El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantas tortillas se puede comprar?

Wednesday Morning Wanderings

But I don't want to play video games. On the other hand, my eyesight isn't getting any better and the idea of rewiring my brain is attractive and I liked Sudoku after I tried it, maybe I'll find a copy of Halo or some other game that requires my eyeballs to focus in different directions in a hurry.

Who watches the watchers? Neighborhoods would be safer if people knew their neighbors, crime would probably go down if people had decent paying jobs and the opportunity to improve their lives and a well placed electrical blackout wouldn't disable the whole surveillance system. Don't these guys watch movies? No matter how smart people think their security is, someone always finds a way around it that wasn't anticipated. Automating sounds good but is subject to manipulation, something like a video, photoshopped in to the feed. Just a matter of time.

You may walk like an Egyptian in New York, but someone doesn't want you to listen to it while walking through a crosswalk. A proposed $100 fine for using your mobile phone or Ipod in a crosswalk. What's next, monitoring which way one loads the toilet paper roll?

Another helicopter is down in Baghdad. Doesn't it seem like the longer we are in Iraq, the more the insurgents learn about warfare?

A patent has been submitted for an iris scanner that can scan you without your knowledge. Or permission. Somehow, given the current mentality of this country, I don't think it is going to be used for targeted advertising. Targeted harassment, definitely.

I lost the diamond out of my ring. I was driving and saw a dark empty space where it used to be. This ring originally belonged to my grandmother as her wedding ring and to my mother as a promise ring from my dad. I can't tell you how bummed I am. It wasn't big, but it meant quite a bit to me. Very depressed.

O'Lielly is scared to say anything because he might offend black people? Since when? And Mr. Beck, you don't have a lot of African American friends for several reasons, none of which have to do with you worrying about saying the wrong thing. I can't walk down the street without a cloud of suspicion and an extremely increased chance of being stopped by the police because of my permanent tan and you worry about what a nightmare it would be if you said something offensive? You guys get more disconnected from reality every day. What a long strange trip it's been, I doubt you will ever find your way back to reality.