Another Casualty, Another Senseless Tragedy

It started out a fairly typical local crime story. There was a car-jacking at the Grand Canyon. Later it was learned that this was on the heels of an apparent failed suicide attempt by driving into the Canyon. Two days and a cross state police chase later two men were dead.
Then the human side of the tragedy came out. It was collateral damage from the war in Iraq. Former Marine Staff Sergeant Travis N. "T-Bo" Twiggs was one of the dead. Shaun Mullen at Kiko's House has the details:

Twiggs went AWOL from his job at a Marine Corps laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
He and his beloved brother, Willard, 38, drove to the Grand Canyon, where their car was found hung up in a tree in what appeared to be a failed attempt to drive into the chasm.

The brothers then carjacked a vehicle. They ended up several hundred miles away at a southwestern Arizona border checkpoint on May 14 and took off when they were asked to pull into an inspection area. Eighty miles later, the car was sighted on the Tohono O'odham Native American reservation, its tires wrecked by spike strips.

As tribal police and Border Patrol agents closed in, Twiggs apparently fatally shot his brother and then killed himself.

His PTSD was diagnosed, but not effectively treated. He had even met with shrub on behalf of veterans:

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Last month, Marine Staff Sgt. Travis N. "T-Bo" Twiggs went to the White House with a group of Iraq war veterans called the Wounded Warriors Regiment and met the president.

Twiggs had been through four tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan and months of therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in which he said he was on up to 12 different medications.

"He said, `Sir, I've served over there many times, and I would serve for you any time,' and he grabbed the president and gave him a big hug," said Kellee Twiggs, his widow.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hD0tzsn2RZuCtbFu5SdtwUgYZevgD90NGBP81

Making the case even more tragic is that Sgt. Twiggs was trying to get treatment, but the system is inadequate.

"All this violent behavior, him killing his brother, that was not my husband. If the PTSD would have been handled in a correct manner, none of this would have happened," she said in a telephone interview from Stafford, Va.

Travis Twiggs, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1993 and held the combat action ribbon, wrote about his efforts to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder in the January issue of the Marine Corps Gazette.

The symptoms would disappear when he began each tour, he said, but came back stronger than ever when he came home.

He wrote that his life began to "spiral downward" after the tour in which two Marines from his platoon died.

"I cannot describe what a leader feels when he does not bring everyone home," he wrote. "To make matters even worse, I arrived at the welcome home site only to find that those two Marines' families were waiting to greet me as well. I remember thinking, 'Why are they here?'"

Weeks later, Twiggs "saw a physician's assistant who said that was the severest case of PTSD she'd seen in her life," his widow said.

He began receiving treatment, but the Marine wrote that he mixed his medications with alcohol and that his symptoms didn't go away until he started his final tour in Iraq.

When he came home, "All of my symptoms were back, and now I was in the process of destroying my family," he wrote. "My only regrets are how I let my command down after they had put so much trust in me and how I let my family down by pushing them away."

Kellee Twiggs said her husband was "very, very different, angry, agitated, isolated and so forth," upon his return. "He was just doing crazy things."

She said her husband was treated in the psychiatric ward of Bethesda Naval Medical Center and then sent to a Veterans Administration facility for four months.

Most recently, Travis Twiggs was assigned to the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory at Quantico, a job he said helped him "get my life back on track."

"Every day is a better day now," he wrote in the Marine Corps Gazette. "...Looking back, I don't believe anyone is to blame for my craziness, but I do think we can do better."

Twiggs urged others suffering from similar problems to seek help. "PTSD is not a weakness. It is a normal reaction to a very violent situation," he wrote.

Kellee Twiggs said she can't understand why her husband was not sent to a specialized PTSD clinic in New Jersey.

"They let him out. He was OK for a while and then it all started over again," she said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hD0tzsn2RZuCtbFu5SdtwUgYZevgD90NGBP81

This is only one of many tragedies resulting from shrub's Iraq disaster, but one that is growing rapidly. We have more soldiers coming home in need of treatment, but the system is woefully unprepared to meet their needs. Shaun ends his post with a call for volunteers:

If you are not in denial and have some time to spare, there are opportunities to help
returning and troubled veterans at your local VA hospital or military base, or through church and community organizations.

These opportunities include helping fill out paperwork, finding lost forms, acting as a driver for doctors' appointments, and just visiting and listening. Connecting with the right people can be a multi-layered process, so be patient. A good start is to ask for Volunteer Services.

While I support Shaun's call for public help, I strongly believe that it is the Federal Governments responsibility to provide proper treatment to those who've served. It's going to be expensive, but Congress needs to fund PTSD treatment at an unprecedented level. Shrub's misguided war is creating new victims every day. We, as a civilized society, need to help these people in order to prevent future tragedies.

Boobie Time

Happy Friday.

Good Job, California

The California Supreme Court steps up for equal rights. Good for them:

California Supreme Court overturns ban on gay marriage

The California Supreme Court has overturned a gay marriage ban in a ruling that would make the nation’s largest state the second one to allow gay and lesbian weddings.

The justices’ 4-3 decision Thursday says domestic partnerships are not a good enough substitute for marriage. Chief Justice Ron George wrote the opinion.

The city of San Francisco, two dozen gay and lesbian couples and gay rights groups sued in March 2004 after the court halted San Francisco’s month long same-sex wedding march.

The case before the court involved a series of lawsuits seeking to overturn a voter-approved law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Maybe I'm just an old liberal, but I've always seen the gay marriage issue in very simple terms: equal rights. Discrimination is wrong. How consenting adults define their relationships should not be restricted by laws. As with inter-racial marriage decades ago, it's good to see a win for freedom over institutional discrimination.

Do Aliens Believe in Catholics?

I sometimes find "religion", and the whole concept of "believing" perplexing. So the idea of Catholics believing in aliens is confusing me.

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.

The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

"How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as 'a brother,' and 'sister,' why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."

In the interview by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Funes said that such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom, he said.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VATICAN_ALIENS?SITE=FLSTU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

So, do aliens believe in Catholics?

Mountain Weather

Ah, the joys of mountain living. It's the middle of May, and it's snowing. After a string of sunny, breezy spring days, we're back in winter. That sound you're hearing is the wailing of all the local gardeners who spent last weekend planting.

Mom's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all (I'm not a rethug, so I support MD). I talked with my sainted mother this morning (not that that's unusual; we talk most every Sunday), and she's doing well enough. Mom's had some minor health problems lately (nothing serious), and she's none too happy about it. Her main frustration stems from a surgery to remove rectal polyps, which has precluded her from riding her Harley this spring. At 74 years old, Mom is used to doing what she wants when she wants and physical limitations are not a part of her agenda. Her doc told her she'd have to wait another 4-6 weeks before jumping on the bike, to which she said "that's not acceptable", which is a good general reflection of my mother's attitude toward aging. She intends to behave as if she were still 21, and she expects her body to cooperate. Have I mentioned how much I love my mom? From the Dead shows when I was 9 years old to the Harley today, mom has always rocked. Happy Mother's Day!

(and mom, if you happen to read this, go easy on your poor doctor. He's doing the best he can.)

Even Better Than the Boobie

The title of the article is worth the click:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7390109.stm

Getting Out the Boobie

I know that I haven't posted much lately, but I do get the Friday Boobie out.

Emotional Politics

I haven't been posting much lately, and part of the reason is my level of frustration with the current political discourse. I know that a lot of political success is based on emotion, and passion can be a good thing, but lately it's been getting vicious. The divide amongst liberal political blogs between Obama and Clinton is striking, and to my mind petty. I can say this objectively, as I'll support either one but am enthusiastic about neither. Both are too conservative for my taste, but either would be better than any republican. For the record, I voted for Obama in the primary because my preferred candidates had already dropped out.

The media love emotional divides. They draw eyeballs, so any "gotcha" issues become a media obsession. In depth policy discussions don't sell advertising. With a close race, the media looks for the soap opera emotional drama. It sells.

Amongst the most divisive emotional appeals in the current race is the "identity" politics. We get to see the breakdown by "black", "female", "white", "college educated", and "working class" voters analyzed and parsed, as if each demographic group is a monolithic block without any other identity (I'm not sure that I really fit the "middle-aged white guy" profile) and will vote a certain way based on that identity. The republicans love to encourage these divisions, and I fear that in some cases it may be working. I've been told by an avid Clinton supporter that I'm a chauvinist, and by an equally avid Obama supporter that I'm a racist, because I'm not enthusiastically for either.

Sadly, this is the state of politics in America today. Appeal to the emotion at the expense of the intellect. But derision and division are a poor substitute for substantive policy.

A Nation Shamed

Here's the latest evidence of the moral degradation brought about by shrub's embrace of torture. I suppose that the fact that Sami al-Hajj has been freed is a positive. But the condition of the al-Jazeera photographer upon his return to Sudan speaks volumes about the cruel inhumanity of Guantanamo:

Sami al-Hajj had been in US custody for more than six years. He was detained in Afghanistan in 2001. He arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on a US military plane in the early hours of Friday morning.

After a 16-month hunger strike, Mr Hajj grimaced as he was carried off the plane by US military personnel.

"I have been so overwhelmed with happiness that I've been in tears," he said shortly after his arrival.

"I have every right to cry after I've survived these seven horrid years of humiliation, repression and injustice for no fault on my part apart from being a Muslim."

Al-Jazeera showed footage of Mr Hajj being carried into the hospital on a stretcher, looking frail but smiling and surrounded by well-wishers.

"We are concerned about the way the Americans dealt with Sami, and we are concerned about the way they could deal with others as well," said Wadah Khanfar, managing director of al-Jazeera's Arabic service.

"His detention for six years, without the most basic due process, is a grave injustice and represents a threat to all journalists working in conflict areas," said Joel Simon, executive director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.

Mr Hajj was working as a cameraman for al-Jazeera when he was arrested by Pakistani troops near the Afghan border in December 2001 and later handed over to the US military.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7378828.stm

I'm outraged. I'm outraged that my country would treat someone this way in violation of international law. I'm outraged that America would hold a journalist for more than six years without evidence. I'm outraged that an innocent man was tortured and abused.

But as much as all of these, I'm outraged that this story will only be noticed by the rest of the world. The American media will ignore the story of a fellow journalist unjustly incarcerated in favor of the latest celebrity scandal or political horse race sound byte. And they wonder why we're losing respect internationally.

Our current president has brought shame and disgrace upon our nation. For this crime, and countless others, he should stand before an international tribunal and face the consequences determined. I know that will only happen after Satan takes up driving a Zamboni, but it would be the only way to restore America's honor.

May's First Boobie

A nice Red Footed Boobie for Friday.

For the Records

Made me laugh.

What a Long Strange Trip its Been

It's a sad day for all of us aging hippies. Dr. Hofmann has left this plane of existence:

Albert Hofmann, 102, a Swiss chemist and accidental father of LSD who came to view the much-vilified and abused hallucinogen he discovered in 1938 as his "problem child," died April 29 at his home in Burg, a village near Basel, Switzerland, after a heart attack.

...

Lysergic acid diethylamide, thousands of times stronger than mescaline, can give its user an experience often described as psychedelic -- a kaleidoscopic twirling of the mind pulsating with color and movement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/29/AR2008042902738.html

My own experience with LSD may be beyond explanation (but I'll try anyway). I grew up in San Francisco, and first dosed at an age too young to admit. I learned early on that psychedelics were more than a simple "high" to be taken for fun, but rather an opening into areas of the mind that are usually filtered out. Aldous Huxley wrote the best description that I've read in "The Doors of Perception." During my High School and College (and Deadhead) years, I considered "tripping" every so often as necessary for my mental health. It helped that I knew a certain Berkeley chemist and could trust the purity, as there was a lot of questionable chemical compounds that were labeled LSD back in the day. One should always be careful what you put into your brain.
Back in the day there were many scare stories about the dangers of LSD, and I've encountered a number of people who had negative results. But I doubt that I'd be the person I am without psychedelics, and in the right time and place I'll still trip. And I'm still waiting for those "flashbacks" that I was promised.
Dr. Hofmann's impact on history and the world would be hard to quantify, but it was significant. He called LSD his "problem child", and was uncomfortable with it's widespread use:

Dr. Hofmann remained wary of LSD's recreational uses as well as its portrayal in the media.

"I was not surprised that it became a ritual drug in the youth anti-establishment movement, but I was shocked by irresponsible use that resulted in mental catastrophes," he told Playboy magazine in 2006. "That's what gave the health authorities a pretext for totally prohibiting its production, possession and use."

The genie can never be put back into the bottle, and the world was forever changed by his chemical discovery.

Endorsements

St. Sleazy picks up the coveted Marxist Polygamist Terrorists, Inc. endorsement:

While some small-minded sorts might claim that it’s wrong to try to hold a candidate responsible for the statements of an organization he’s specifically condemned, John McCain knows better. He realizes that candidates are 100% responsible for everyone who purports to support them, no ifs, ands or buts (Rev. John Hagee, anyone?).

That is, after all, the straight-talking way.

And we here at Marxist Polygamist Terrorists, Inc. couldn’t agree more! And it is in that very spirit that we hereby proudly announce our enthusiastic and unconditional endorsement of John McCain for President of the United States!

We want to make it very clear where Marxist polygamist terrorists stand in this election! And where we stand is squarely behind John McCain!

So, as Big John McCain would put it himself . . . If Senator McCain is favored by Marxist polygamist terrorists I think people can make judgments accordingly.

http://www.lastchancedemocracycafe.com/?p=1350

Spead the word!
(h/t Gordon for the link)

It Figures

Life is full of minor aggravations and frustrations. By a certain age, we learn to cope with this.

This time it's shrub's tax rebates.

While I think that the rebate plan is really bad fiscal policy, my personal finances can use the help. I've been scraping by over the past few months, but barely, so the extra cash would be welcome. And while I had some guilty feelings about it when shrub announced that the money would be going out early, I was looking forward to the cash.

There's only one minor catch. The rebates are being processed and distributed in the order of the last two digits of your social security number. The last two digits of mine are in the high 90's, so I'm at the end of the list. If the distribution were in alphabetical order, I'd be at the front. It's not a huge deal, as I'm sure that I'll need the money later as much as I do now, but it's an aggravation when you get your hopes up only to have them frustrated.

Not that it's the worst aggravation that I've suffered at the hands of shrub.

Sunny Friday Boobie

It's a beautiful sunny Friday here, so here's a blue footed boobie.

Solving the Big Problems in Iraq

It's nice to see the Iraqi parliament tackling the important issues facing the Iraqi people:

Iraqi lawmakers are working on a bill to ban imports of toy guns and fireworks

Expect this to lead to a major decrease in violence throughout Iraq. Or not. Who needs toy guns and fireworks when AK-47's are so cheap?

Added: What they really need is an amusement park:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article3802051.ece

You can't make this stuff up.

Hey, Happy Earth Day folks....

....and enjoy this big blue ball while we're on it.

Thought for the Day

I like meeting people, but the feeling isn't always mutual.

The Truth About the Lies

The NY Times is now telling us what has been blitheringly obvious to anyone who has been paying attention: the so called "expert military analysts" are a bunch of paid shills, and their "progress" reports are a pack of lies:

Hidden behind that appearance of objectivity, though, is a Pentagon information apparatus that has used those analysts in a campaign to generate favorable news coverage of the administration’s wartime performance, an examination by The New York Times has found.

The effort, which began with the buildup to the Iraq war and continues to this day, has sought to exploit ideological and military allegiances, and also a powerful financial dynamic: Most of the analysts have ties to military contractors vested in the very war policies they are asked to assess on air.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/washington/20generals.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

I know that this is common knowledge among many of us bloggers who follow the actual news from Iraq, but it's nice to see it in mainstream print. Part of my "blogger frustration" stems from hearing their bullshit repeated throughout the American media, and knowing that most of the public isn't aware that they are being manipulated. Maybe this article will open some eyes.

The occupation of Iraq is unwinnable and untenable in it's very conception, and no amount of spin will change this fact. "Surges" and "awakenings" are purely propaganda. Calling Moqtada al-Sadr "radical" and any resistance groups "insurgents" ignores the simple fact that we will never be able to impose our will upon the people of Iraq. The people of Iraq have a proud, albeit tragic, history, but they know that Iraq didn't attack America and they have no desire to become an American colony. They will resist foreign occupation as they have for millenia, and no amount of military effort will change that basic fact. The only real question is how much blood will be spilled before our occupation ends and we leave.

The "analysts" can take all this bullshit and pack it in flowery wrapping with positive bows, but they still are selling a package of bullshit. Sooner or later the public will stop buying it.

A Fresh Boobie

I've gotten a couple of complaints for having recycled boobies on Friday, so here's a new one. Happy Friday.

We Need More Ruins

(photo taken on the San Juan River by Zymurgian)

For Shaun Mullen, should he stop by.

The Pundit Spin

Because I woke up in someone else's bed, I watched some of the Sunday "bobbleheads" this morning. Left to my own devices I never bother to watch them, but due to a variety of inducements it happened. And it was too early to start drinking.
I saw "meet the press" and "this week" in the company of a die hard Hillary supporter, and there was a lot of room for debate, but I was mostly appalled by the triviality of it all. Apparently Obama's "bitter" comments are the most important statements of the campaign season. St. Sleazy can't tell a Sunni from a Shia, but the pundits love him for his "straight talk." Shrub admits that he endorsed torture, but that was awhile ago so it isn't worth talking about. Nope, the pundits know that Obama's "gaffe" is what really matters. Every word must be properly parsed. After all, we can't have a president who "misspeaks" now, can we? If he sounds "arrogant" or "elitist" that might reflect badly on America.
How the hell did these people end up on TV?

Sunday Funny

Saw this over at badtux the snarky penguin, and thought it should be shared. It's almost sadly funny because it's almost true.

This Weeks Boobie

Leave it to Sweaterman to post something I never even thought of. Happy Friday.

4/11: A Momentous Occasion

"I could never do that," murmured Flounder, wide-eyed.

"Sure you could," Bluto said encouragingly. "Why not?"

"I've never been able to throw up, even when I was sick." Flounder looked very worried.

Bluto threw a comradely arm around his shoulders."Mark my words, Flounder: before you leave the Delta House you'll be booting like a pro."

Well, George W. was supposedly a Delta, although not a member of Delta Tau Chi, the fraternity immortalized in "Animal House". But, since George was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon - and thus a Delta - I'd like to think that the roving band of criminals in the White House and the rest of the Administration would act like the Delta house, who have "booted" all over our country, and would like to belt out a chorus for International "Louie, Louie" Day.

This song, the lyrics of which are quoted below, has an immense history, including a 31-month investigation by the Effa-Bee-Eye, and anyone who has been to college (or who has been even the most slightly hip over the past 20 years, has tried their hand at singing the lyrics - sober or drunk - has heard it). I'm not sure what some folks think about the lyrics, but after all this time, I'm willing to believe it's a song about a lonely sailor trying to get home to see his lady. And the fact that approximately 1500 versions of the song have been recorded kind of skews my mind to the idea that it's not a subversive song out to "destroy the fabric of America."

So, in honor of the day, here's the lyrics, as best they can be compiled (but get a beer or some Purple Jesus punch first):

The Kingsmen (1955)

Louie Louie Lyrics

CHORUS:

Louie Louie, oh no

Me gotta go

Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said

Louie Louie, oh baby

Me gotta go

Fine little girl waits for me

Catch a ship across the sea

Sail that ship about, all alone

Never know if I make it home

CHORUS

Three nights and days I sail the sea

Think of girl, constantly

On that ship, I dream she's there

I smell the rose in her hair.

CHORUS

Okay, let's give it to 'em, right now!

GUITAR SOLO

See Jamaica, the moon above

It won't be long, me see me love

Take her in my arms again

Tell her I'll never leave again

CHORUS

Let's take it on outa here now

Let's go!!

Another Reason to Hate the Yankees

Like many baseball fans, I hate the Yankees. Now they've gone too far:

Yankees recall Gonzalez, start him at SS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—While the New York Yankees awaited the return of Derek Jeter and news on Jorge Posada’s shoulder, they put Alberto Gonzalez in the starting lineup at shortstop against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Letting the worst attorney general in history start at shortstop? That's just wrong.

*I know that it's a different Alberto Gonzalez, but I found it amusing.

Added: He's playing well. And to think that he's been having a hard time finding a job...

Walking Through the Park....

...and reminiscing....

So, I'm finally back in school, almost 20 years to the day I left.

It's kind of familiar, but still a new experience, as it seems that many new buildings have gone up, everyone's wired, and, of course, I'm sitting in the (new, to me at least) student union typing this post.

Twenty-five years ago, I would've had to go next door to the Engineering building and get in the computer lab to type this up and email it. And, let's face it, pretty much the only folks I could've emailed it to 20 years ago were my fellow professors and students, who I saw every damn day in the lab anyway, and wouldn't have even bothered.

The times they have done changed. Well, except for the pretty girls in jogging shorts running around the mall. Nowadays, I can snap a picture with my phone (I just did), and send it to my old college roommate up in the Pacific Northwest without a single pause of consideration (although I do wonder if his phone gets pictures).

Like I said, times changed. But, at least the Engineering building is still open and I got to sneak in and see my old T.A.'s office, even if I was leading a dog around with me, and we ignored all the "No Pets" signs. Twenty-five years ago, the Engineering, Computer Science, Architecture, and the Main, Science, and Medical Libraries were the only buildings that were open 24/7/365, and I know, because I spent way too many hours than a human being should writing code at 3 a.m. and eating out of vending machines. I guess some good came out of all that (wireless access for one), but it's still nice to get a look of surprise when I pull a mouse out of my bag to plug into the laptop. "Mouse?, they say. Why not use the trackpad?" Hell, people, when I was your age, we had to build our own mouse out of wooden blocks! A-and, we had punch cards, dammit!"

Wow. Gettin' crotchety in my old age. If'n I don't watch myself, I may go out to the mall area and yell at those young'uns to "Git the hell off my lawn!"

There's still a band playing and some activity going on out on the mall, and Old Main is still a nice place to watch the sunshine. And, some Mensa for high schoolers organization in doing science qualifications (sponsored by Raytheon) all over campus are walking by with the strangest looking experiments (it looks as if someone made a windmill with eggshells for the blades).

But, that's all for the travelogue. I'll try post if I get a chance to go to South Tucson for some real food, but otherwise, sometime when I get back to the homestead.

Enjoy the weekend!

St. Sleazy Needs a (Running) Mate

In the dying light of the last days of my old brewery, we still talk politics. Tonight, we had a bit of fun choosing running mates for St. Sleazy McCain. My choice was Charles Barkley, but Ted Nugent won the straw poll. I have to like the person who put Paris Hilton (who?) on the list. So, who should St. Sleazy McCain (running) mate with?

Another Friday Boobie

Sorry that I haven't been posting much lately. I haven't felt like I've had much to say. So here's the Friday boobie. Enjoy!

Why I Shouldn't Complain

My water is fixed, and I really shouldn't complain. A minor inconvenience, but not a disaster. A day without a shower may be less romantic, but it's really nothing. Other folks have had to deal with hurricanes, tornado's, blizzards, and earthquakes. I've spent days in the wilderness, and liked it. Sometimes we bitch about the smallest things. Thanks for the kind comments.

Is This a Prank?

Today started with a morning aggravation. I went to take a shower...no water. I was pretty sure that the bill was paid, so my immediate suspicion was that one of the housemates was celebrating April 1st. No such luck. Looking outside, the city is tearing up a large chunk of the water main. Dear city of Flagstaff: it would be really nice if you would tell us ahead of time before engaging in such projects. And, as April Fool's jokes go, I didn't find this one amusing.

Baseball and Our Shrub

Zymurgian and I watched last night's season opening Nationals-Braves game (OK, the season actually opened in Japan), and were forced to listen to shrub opining in the announcers booth with Jon Miller and Joe Morgan. While it was painful to listen, I really wish that shrub had stuck with baseball instead of going into politics. His intellectual bankruptcy was mostly harmless when he was screwing up the Texas Rangers rather than the whole country. I love baseball, but I'd happily sacrifice my favorite team if it meant that shrub was safely out of the presidents office. We were a lot better off when he was trading away Sammy Sosa than we are now with him trading away our future.

Neckties

Zymurgian and I are talking about neckties. I admit that I know how to tie a windsor. My father was a politician, so I had to wear a necktie. With my father gone, I haven't worn a tie in more than a decade. But I still know how to tie a Windsor. The necktie is no longer used for it's original purpose, which was to be a knapkin. In an earlier time, this was a valuable skill. To wipe your face, and still look good. Can you tie a tie?

Odd Events in Iraq

One of the many problems with taking sides in the Iraqi power struggles is sorting out the loyalties of various groups of Iraqi people. Take this incident:

It appears that Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's ultimatum to Shiite Muslim militiamen to surrender to the Iraqi government might not be working precisely as he had intended.

When nobody had turned up by Friday, Maliki gave members of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr's Mahdi Army militia 10 more days to turn in their weapons and renounce violence.

Instead, about 40 members of the Shiite-dominated Iraqi army and National Police offered to surrender their AK-47s and other weapons this morning to Sadr's representatives in the cleric's east Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City.

One of the police officers told journalists assembled at Sadr's office that he was heeding a call by an Iraqi cleric based in Iran, Ayatollah Fadhil Maliki, to stop fighting fellow Muslims.

"We came here to tell our brothers, the followers of Sadr, that we will not be against you," said the officer, who was dressed in civilian clothes and had his face covered with a scarf and dark sunglasses.

Sadr's representatives refused to take the men's weapons, saying they belong to the government. Instead, the representatives offered the men olive branches and copies of the Koran.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/03/iraq-not-quite.html

(my bolds)

Part of the army and police are more loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr than they are to Nouri al-Maliki. This is a problem that American soldiers are stuck in the middle of, thanks to the idiocy of our shrub.

Late Boobie

Sorry I'm late, and the boobie takes a bow.

Iraq's Getting Worse

I really haven't felt like posting on the latest increase in violence in Iraq. I've been depressed enough, so thinking about impending disaster isn't high on my agenda. But what I'm seeing appears quite ominous, and the media is (as usual) clueless.
The cease-fire with Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi army appears to be over. While Sadr's militia is lightly armed and (mostly) poorly trained, they number in the 60,000 to 80,000 range and have the support of several million Shia. al-Sadr had been content to avoid confrontation and await the end of the American occupation before pushing for more power, but his tacit control of Basra may have been too great a challenge to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Basra is the key to the oil:



al-Maliki's hold on power is tenuous at best, but he does have the support of both America and Iran. As usual, read Juan Cole for more in depth analysis, but here are a few bad signs:

Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that members of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq
(ISCI, formerly SCIRI, led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim); the Da'wa Party led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki; and the Badr Corps paramilitary of ISCI have fled their HQs in Basra and Kut, because of the threat that they will be stormed by Mahdi Army militiamen [seeking revenge for the current offensive], In fact, some such buildings already have been attacked.

Eyewitnesses reported clashes on Tuesday in Sadr City, east Baghdad, led by Mahdi Army militiamen against American and Iraqi forces. The latter had encircled Sadr City, while the Mahdi Army roamed its streets within. The sound of gunfire could be heard, and helicopter gunships were seen hovering above.

http://www.juancole.com/

This could turn into a very bloody escalation very quickly:

BAGHDAD — With the United States providing air cover and embedded advisers, the Iraqi government on Wednesday expanded its offensive against Shiite Muslim militias from the port city of Basra to the capital of Baghdad — and many of the provinces in between.

The day saw street battles in Baghdad and Basra, mortar attacks by Shiite rebels against Baghdad's Green Zone, bombing by U.S. aircraft and encounters that left government tanks in flames. More than 97 people were reported killed and hundreds were wounded since the operation began early Tuesday.

In Baghdad's Shiite Sadr City neighborhood, clashes between the Mahdi Army and Iraqi security forces supported by U.S. forces left at least 20 dead and 115 were injured. By early afternoon, people took to the streets in protest of the Iraqi government.

Mortar rounds crashed into the heavily fortified Green Zone for the third straight day, injuring three U.S. government employees, all U.S. citizens, said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo.

Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, who's directing the operation from Basra, gave the armed groups 72 hours to give up their weapons and surrender without consequences, warning that they'd be treated as outlaws if they didn't.

But al Sadr demanded that Maliki leave Basra and send a parliamentary delegation to hold a dialogue. Maliki immediately rebuffed the demand.

Maliki appears to be taking a huge risk in confronting the volatile city, which is dominated by the Mahdi Army.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/31662.html

Of course, the "success in Iraq" crowd are already spinning events. Check out this headline:

"New Iraq fighting arises from surge's success, Pentagon says"

I had to read that twice, just to be sure I wasn't hallucinating. They really are saying this:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Pentagon on Wednesday said an eruption of violence in southern Iraq, where US-backed government forces were battling Shiite militias, was a "by-product of the success of the surge."

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said it showed that the Iraqi government and security forces were now confident enough to take the initiative against Shiite extremists in the southern port of Basra.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080326/pl_afp/iraqunrestuspentagon

Whether this is propaganda or delusion I'll let you decide, but it's flat out wrong. The potential civil war that has been simmering in Iraq is now much closer to boiling over, and the American occupation forces are too small to contain it if it does. This could be a very bloody spring in Iraq.

Bhutanese Democracy

Back on New Year's day, I posted on Bhutan's move to democracy (http://pygalgia.blogspot.com/2008/01/starting-year-with-positive-news.html). Today, we have the results:

THIMPHU, Bhutan - Long known as a quirky holdout from modernity, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan ended a century of absolute monarchy Monday by electing a staunch royalist as its first prime minister. So it goes in Bhutan, possibly the first country in history where a king had to convince his people that democracy was a good idea.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080324/ap_on_re_as/bhutan_elections

Well, it's a step. They voted to replace the monarcy with royalists. Compared with the rest of the world, Bhutan looks pretty sane.

As the Toll Passes 4,000

A sad milestone, the number 4,000. 4,000 soldiers dead in a needless and pointless war. 4,000 families who've lost a loved one for no good reason. 4,000 reasons we never should have invaded Iraq, and 4,000 reasons we need to end the occupation as soon as possible.

Round numbers seem to have a symbolic impact. 4,000 stirs an emotional response that the prior number of 3,996 did not. Round numbers are easier to grasp as "statistics" when a long, slow process is grinding on. The individual numbers don't get much attention until they total up into a round number.

For the Iraqi's there aren't any round numbers to mark. The death toll has been so overwhelming that the world has stopped counting. We only get "estimates", as if Iraqi's don't really count. Some tragedies don't get quantified.

Today four more families are grieving as a result of the horrible misguided policies of the administration. They join 3,996 families before them. They don't feel like "statistics" or a part of a round number. They feel the pain of losing a loved one.

And for what? Iraq was never a threat to the United States, despite the administration's scary rhetoric. The invasion was an exercise in imperial hubris, and the ongoing occupation is the result of a stubborn refusal to face reality. It was morally wrong to use military force in an attempt to impose our will on Iraq, and was doomed to failure from the start. The ongoing disaster of occupation is, and will remain, morally wrong; therefore it is also doomed to failure. A variety of statistics may be reported, but that doesn't change the most basic fact: the occupation is morally wrong.

Brave and honorable soldiers are losing their lives for no good reason. They are not statistics, but good people who are serving the country. My thoughts and sympathies go out to they and their families. But for the administration that chose to waste their lives I have nothing but anger and contempt. The administration should be prosecuted for their criminal actions, including the deaths of 4,000 soldiers.

We need to end this war.



Added: More here:

Iraq war's 4,000 fallen

Last Dregs Of The Blue Palace

Hi! This is Zymurgian, signing on. May be my last post on this here blog, as the times they are a changing, for me, lately. I'm contemplating being a rent-free forest dweller for a few weeks, for to save for a bus ticket someplace amiably different. Could be Duluth, Lake Mary Road, New Paltz, Doney Park, Seychelle Isles, Gethsemane or Cleveland... Anyway, methinks it's just about time to step upon the on-ramp, metaphorically speaking, maybe.
All the other contributers to this blog are all about politics and economics and such heady stuff. Such topics bore me completely. Sorry. So I guess that makes me the stupid one. I love extravagant, original, wildly chaotic intricate prose. I brew my ales that way too!
i just bottled my latest batch of homebrew. She, I have dubbed OAKED WEE-HEAVY INDIA PALE ALE. For the initiated, diastatic and proteolytic enzymes were manifested; activated, mashed, predomitably through 15 lbs of Maris Otter, at 153.5 degrees F plus one lb dom Crys 120 lovibund , 120 minute mash, a great deal of Columbus, 90 min roiling boil in two cauldrons, one set to carmelize. Force chilled .Edinburgh Ale Yeast, started day before in erlenmeyer, plugged Cascade, plenty of it, dry hopped in primary, with oak chips, Irish moss, gypsum, isinglas. Racked twice. Anyway, I really think the gods smile on this batch, folks!
The man ya'll know as Pygalgia is not only a great housemate, also a dear friend of mine ; teacher of many oeuvres... If he says my homebrew is good, chances are it is. Two weeks from now, hopefully we will read Pygalgia's discourse upon OAKED WEE-HEAVY IPA.
Meanwhile, too much dust on my backpack.
I remain,
Zymurgian

Have A Boobie

It's Friday. Here's a Boobie. The first boobie of spring, I suppose.

Spreading Peace

One of the benefits of being friends with America is that you get cheap weapons. We do this to help spread peace. As Kosovo becomes a new country, we're sending them gifts.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President George W. Bush authorized Wednesday supplying Kosovo with weapons, signaling the establishment of government-to-government relations after recognizing its independence, the White House said.

A senior official said the authorization followed US recognition of Kosovo's independence and was part of the normal process of establishing relations with a new government.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080319/pl_afp/uskosovodefensearmsrussiaserbia

Anybody besides me see something wrong with this mindset in the long run? The weapons industry is one of a few that are making money (the prison industry is doing well) and I guess they need more customers. But how many weapons does the world need?

Well, that was a Nice Rate Cut, Wasn't It?

Given that the market seems to have relatively ignored the 75 basis point cut of yesterday, a little levity is in order before we start seeing executives jumping out of the windows of multi-story offices on the street.

So, shamelessly stealing this from The Big Picture, here's a rewriting of a little ditty:

SING TO THE TUNE OF 'BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY' BY QUEEN

Is this the real price?
Is this just fantasy?
Financial landslide
No escape from reality

Open your eyes
And look at your buys and see.
I'm now a poor boy (poor boy)
High-yielding casualty
Because I bought it high, watched it blow
Rating high, value low
Any way the Fed goes
Doesn't really matter to me, to me

Mama - just killed my fund
Quoted CDO's instead
Pulled the trigger, now it's dead
Mama - I had just begun
These CDO's have blown it all away
Mama - oooh-hoo-ooo
I still wanna buy
I sometimes wish I'd never left Goldman at all.

(guitar solo)

~~~

I see a little silhouette of a Fed
Bernanke! Bernanke! Can you save the whole market?
Monolines and munis - very very frightening me!
Super senior, super senior
Super senior CDO - magnifico

I'm long of subprime, nobody loves me
He's long of subprime CDO fantasy
Spare the margin call you monstrous PB!
Easy come easy go, will you let me go?
Peloton! No - we will not let you go - let him go
Peloton! We will not let you go
(let him go !)
Peloton! We will not let you go - let me go
Will not let you go
let me go (never) Never let you go - let me go Never let me go – ooo
No, no, no, no, No, NO, NO ! -
Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go
S&P had the devil put aside
for me
For me, for me, for me

~~~

So you think you can fund me and spit in my eye?
And then margin call me and leave me to die Oh PB - can't do this to me
Just gotta get out - just gotta get right outta here

Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
No price really matters
No liquidity
Nothing really matters - no price really matters to me
Any way the Fed goes.....

--Attributed to a Bear Stearn guy

A Really Bad Idea Turns Five

On March 19, 2003, the U.S. military entered Iraq. The mission to remove Saddam was probably one of the worst ideas in modern times, given that it was based on lies and a delusional disregard for the consequences. The PNAC crowd that was cheerleading for war had no understanding of Middle East history, and the American public had/has no understanding of Middle East culture. This really bad idea has led to the deaths of almost 4000 American troops, countless Iraqi civilians, and the forced displacement of millions. Al Qaeda, which had no presence in Iraq before the invasion, has a new fertile recruiting center, and the entire region has become increasingly unstable. The Baghdad Bureau from the New York Times reports on what Iraq looks like five years after the beginning of the war. (Note: some of the photos are graphic.)

But many of those in power still refuse to face reality. Shrub and the Cheney are still touting "progress" and the media reports the "success of the surge" any time there are fewer people dead at the end of a week (during those weeks when more people die, the media ignores Iraq in favor of celebrity bowling or some such). All this for the price of 12 billion a month.

And we have St. Sleazy McCain promising to prolong this quagmire for decades. He actually stands a chance of winning the presidency, in spite of his insane disregard for reality. Here's the latest example of his delusions:

Speaking to reporters in Amman, the Jordanian capital, McCain said he and two Senate colleagues traveling with him continue to be concerned about Iranian operatives "taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back."

Pressed to elaborate, McCain said it was "common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well known. And it's unfortunate." A few moments later, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, standing just behind McCain, stepped forward and whispered in the presidential candidate's ear. McCain then said: "I'm sorry, the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda."

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/03/18/a_mccain_gaffe_in_jordan.html

Whether this is propaganda or just a total lack of understanding, it should disqualify him from ever being president. But it wont.

Now the toughest question is how to get out of Iraq without it resulting in genocide. That will be one of the greatest diplomatic challenges ever to face an American president. If St. Sleazy is elected we will postpone facing the challenge of withdrawal, and if a democrat is elected they will be pilloried for any fallout from withdrawing. There are no easy solutions, but perpetual occupation is untenable.

Five years ago I saw the impending invasion as an inevitable disaster. I couldn't bear to watch, so I spent 10 days river rafting. I wish that I could hide from the reality today.

Added: Our shrub is still in "de-nile":

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Wednesday he had no regrets about the unpopular war in Iraq despite the "high cost in lives and treasure" and declared that the United States was on track for a major victory there.

Marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion with a touch of the swagger he showed early in the war, Bush said in a speech at the Pentagon, "The successes we are seeing in Iraq are undeniable."

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1929611920080319

How much more "success" can we stand?

I'll be at an anti-war rally/vigil tonight.

Added added: Fran points out that it's a swarm:

St. Sleazy Slinks into Iraq

As if Iraq didn't have enough problems, St. Sleazy (my new nickname for John McCain, as a retort to the media accolades) decided to sneak in for a visit. Of all the media takes, I really like Jake Tapper's:

"We were informed that John McCain landed in Iraq Sunday morning," Ali al-Moussawi, an official in the office of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, told the AP. "A meeting will take place with the Iraqi government."

Sen. John McCain and the McCainettes (Sens. Lindsey Graham & Joe Lieberman) landed in Baghdad and are set to meet with deputy PM Barham Saleh, Gen. David
Petraeus, and perhaps al-Maliki as well.

McCain's trip abroad will also include visits in the UK with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Stavros Dimas, the European Union's commissioner for the environment; in Paris with President Nicolas Sarkozy; in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Likud leader Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu; and in Amman, with Jordanian King Abdullah.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/mccain-iraqs-an.html

Of course, the trip isn't political. St. Sleazy told the press it wasn't political between fundraisers:

McCain says his trip is as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, not as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. But on Thursday, McCain will hold a fundraiser at Spencer House in London for Americans living abroad -- $1,000-$2,300 per person.

Admitted, the fundraiser is in London. I doubt that St. Sleazy would have as much luck raising money in Iraq (but it's possible). And, of course, we taxpayers get to pay the bill for the trip. I'm really tired of hearing the media portray McCain as a "straight-shooter" when he's been about as corrupt as any member of congress, and more corrupt than most. Using Iraq as part of his campaign strategy is questionable at best (for a variety of reasons), but sneaking in for a quick campaign photo-op on your way to a fundraiser is beyond the pale. Imagine the media reaction if this were [insert democratic senator running for president here] doing the same thing. I know; IOKIYAR. Regardless of the media image McCain truly is St.Sleazy.

A Local Tragedy

OK, it's not really a tragedy, but it feels like one. My favorite local microbrewery is no more. Mogollon has been sold, and will be turning into a typical bar. It's a minor event compared to all the real problems in the world, but it's a real loss in my personal world.






For over ten years, Mogollon has been a fixture in my life. A friendly place where local folk debate politics over beer, and tourists from all over the world are welcome. All the co-bloggers here at Pygalgia are regular patrons. Mogollon always felt more like a community than a bar, having that "Cheers" sense of "everybody knows your name." The funky, rustic decor was a fitting home for a mixed clientele of river runners, laborers, aging hippies, professionals, veterans, artists, and musicians. And Mogollon had another special attraction:




The beer. Put simply, the guys at Mogollon make the finest of hand crafted ales. These are full-bodied brews that are meant to be appreciated. My personal favorite (and official beer of this blog), the "Horny Toad IPA", is about as good an India Pale Ale as you'll ever find. The aggressive hoppiness isn't for the faint of heart, but Zymurgian, Sweaterman, Gandhisxmas, and I are all fans of sophisticated brew. I'm still coming to grips with the very real possibility that this may be the very last batch, as between the changes and the world wide hop shortage, there are currently no plans to brew any more.
Changes happen in our lives. The bar has been sold to new owners who hope to attract a younger, more upscale clientele. The brewing operation is moving and becoming a subsidiary of a major distributor, and will be focusing on larger scale production of fewer styles.
There are other bars and other microbreweries in the neighborhood, and life will go on. But none will be a real substitute. Mogollon has been a special place for more than ten years; a haven of sanity in a time of madness. When the sign comes down at the end of this month it will be the end of a local fixture. I wont be alone in my grief.

A Pair of Boobies

At least I posted the Friday boobies.

Five Years

Next week we'll mark five years of fun and adventure in Iraq. Half a decade wasted on a really bad idea, with no signs of improvement. Real soldiers are still dying:

Guerrillas fired rockets at a US base south of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing 3 US soldiers and wounding 2. An Iraqi civilian was also wounded.

A US soldier was killed and another wounded at Diwaniya on Tuesday by a roadside bomb (that is Shiite territory). So the death toll for Monday through Wednesday was fifteen US troops killed.

If you’re reading these words, you are better informed about US casualties in Iraq than most Americans, for whom it has become a forgotten war. If it is not on television, it does not exist.

http://www.juancole.com/

And here's a brief reminder that this war was started based on lies:

ABC News has requested and obtained a copy of the Pentagon study which shows Saddam Hussein had no links to Al Qaeda.

(READ THE FULL REPORT HERE.)

It's government report the White House didn't want you to read: yesterday the Pentagon canceled plans to send out a press release announcing the report's availability and didn't make the report available via email or online.

Based on the analysis of some 600,000 official Iraqi documents seized by US forces after the invasion and thousands of hours of interrogations of former officials in Saddam's government now in US custody, the government report is the first official acknowledgment from the US military that there is no evidence Saddam had ties to al Qaeda.

The Bush administration apparently didn't want the study to get any attention. The report was to be posted on the Joint Forces Command website yesterday, followed by a background briefing with the authors. No more. The report was made available to those who asked for it, and was sent via overnight mail from Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia.

Asked yesterday why the report would not be posted online and could not be emailed, the spokesman for Joint Forces Command said: "We're making the report available to anyone who wishes to have it, and we'll send it out via CD in the mail."

Another Pentagon official said initial press reports on the study made it "too politically sensitive."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/rapidreport/2008/03/report-shows-no.html

It's easy to understand why the administration wouldn't want the public to be reminded that Saddam had no ties to al Qaeda. What's harder for me to understand is how they keep getting away with it.

I haven't posted much lately in part due to my frustration. I wish I could be "live blogging" impeachment hearings.

Family Values

The story of my corrupt congress crtitter Rick Renzi just keeps getting better:

Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., allegedly defrauded dozens of pro-life organizations for hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund his first congressional bid, according to an analysis of the recent indictment against him, a state insurance claim and an interview with an insurance lawyer involved in the case.

When federal prosecutors indicted Renzi, 49, on 35 felony counts two weeks ago, many reports focused on alleged crimes stemming from a complicated series of land swaps the congressman facilitated.

But the indictment also accuses Renzi, who ran an insurance firm before coming to Capitol Hill, of misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance premiums and using the money to fund his congressional campaign.

Organizations such as Arizona Right-to-Life, the Hope Crisis Pregnancy Center and the Wickenburg Pregnancy Resource Center paid insurance premiums to Renzi's insurance firm, Renzi & Company, but received notices their insurance coverage was going to be cancelled for nonpayment, according to a 2003 complaint filed with the State of Arizona. The complaint was first reported by the Phoenix New Times.

According to the indictment, Renzi funneled those payments -- totaling more than $400,000 -- through various accounts and finally to his campaign.

Nothing says "family values" quite like stealing from your "pro-life" supporters. This should enhance his role in the campaign of "straight shooter" McCain:

For Clinton detractors, Norman Hsu is a huge deal. For Obama detractors, Tony Rezko is incredibly important. But where does Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), a member of Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) National Leadership Team and a co-chair of his Arizona Leadership Team, fit into the mix?

Renzi was, of course, recently indicted on felony counts of extortion, wire fraud, and money laundering, among other transgressions. Despite the charges, McCain hasn’t distanced himself from Renzi at all, saying he doesn’t know the “details” of the indictment, so he won’t criticize his political ally. McCain wouldn’t even comment on whether Renzi would remain a part of his campaign leadership, saying the issue “doesn’t matter.”

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14824.html#more-14824

Rick, your ongoing crimes have earned you another pig:

National Shame

What country did I wake up in today? Shrub is telling the world "yeah, we engage in torture. And we're gonna torture more people." OK, he didn't say it that clearly. Here's what he said:

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Saturday he vetoed legislation that would ban the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods such as waterboarding to break suspected terrorists because it would end practices that have prevented attacks.

"The bill Congress sent me would take away one of the most valuable tools in the war on terror," Bush said in his weekly radio address taped for broadcast Saturday. "So today I vetoed it," Bush said. The bill provides guidelines for intelligence activities for the year and includes the interrogation requirement. It passed the House in December and the Senate last month.

"This is no time for Congress to abandon practices that have a proven track record of keeping America safe," the president said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080308/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_torture

This is an outrage beyond measure. Waterboarding is a violation of international law, and basic human decency. For an American president to embrace and advocate brutality is unthinkable. Yet here we are. Shrub has taken a stand against basic human rights, and it looks like no one is going to stop him. In a just and decent America he would be impeached, arrested, and jailed for crimes such as torture. But he's getting away with it.

Today America is a nation shamed.

Must Be Friday

The Friday boobie.

It's McCain

The 'thugs have their candidate in John McCain, and he's going to have another hug with shrub today. McCain has already picked up the media endorsement, being characterized as the "maverick straight shooter" despite his pandering, corruption, and war mongering. What is really scary is that he stands a very good chance of winning, giving us four years of shrub on steroids.

I admit that I have really strong anti-McCain feelings. He's from my state, so I see a lot of him. I think he's going senile, and the droop of the right side of his face looks like a symptom of a stroke or other brain injury. Given that he's already promised America "more wars", and his commitment to staying in Iraq, he strikes me as the worst possible choice.

And he might win.

(BTW, sorry about the lack of posts lately. I've had a lack of anything original to say or energy to say it. Maybe McCain can motivate me into a state of blogger outrage.)