Dr. Keim's New Flu Test

Little ol' Flagstaff is about to be a big player in flu testing. Dr. Paul Keim's lab has invented a new, fast test that determines the type of flu, and it's drug resistance:

Flagstaff researchers have developed a single test for all flus that could help health care workers diagnose patients faster and give them the most effective medicines.

This comes as state labs are overrun with requests for more complex swine flu tests, creating a significant lag time between patients with symptoms and confirmation of their illnesses. A half-dozen researchers with the Translational Genomics Research Institute office in Flagstaff headed by NAU biology professor Paul Keim have created a nasal-swab type of test that can tell whether a patient has swine flu (H1N1) or seasonal flu, and whether that flu is resistant to the main drug used to treat it, Tamiflu.

The swab still must be sent out to a lab for a reading, but the turnaround time is likely to be faster because the lab does not need specialized equipment.

...

"Because there's a big push on this now, to start doing rapid testing for swine flu ... we also want to get to that next step and give information to the clinician about whether or not there's resistance to the drugs they're giving those patients," said researcher David Engelthaler

http://azdailysun.com/articles/2009/10/30/news/20091030_front_206547.txt

This could be a huge boon to health care providers and patients, allowing a quick diagnosis and treatment plan by taking some of the guesswork out of the flu.
When I worked for the University, I had many interactions with Dr. Keim (involving Anthrax, mostly) and I have the highest respect for him as a brilliant biologist. If he says the test works, I'm inclined to believe him.

Spooky Boobies

They have their Halloween masks on.

Whirlled Series

The Baseball World Series begins. I have always hated the Yankees, so you know who I'm rooting for. Heck, I'd root for a team of republican congressmen over the Yankees (although reluctantly). So, go Phillies!
(BTW: Interesting trivia test: The last time the Yankees played the Phillies in the World Series was in 1950. It was the last World Series where what occured? Answer will appear in the comments tomorrow)

Snowing Outside

Damn, but summer ended way too soon. We're only forecast to get around an inch of snow, so it's not a big deal. And this isn't the earliest snow I've seen here. But I'm not enthused about sweaters, heavy coats, or wool sox.
Pass the Brandy, will ya?

Criminal Advice

The rethuglican gang of criminals defined: if you've been convicted of lying to congress, our congress critters want your advice:

House Republicans have a new foreign policy adviser with a controversial pedigree: Oliver North.

North, an aide on Ronald Reagan's National Security Council who is best known for his role in the Iran-Contra scheme to sell arms to Iran and divert the funds to Nicaraguan revolutionaries in the 1980s, was the special guest at a House Republican Conference meeting on Tuesday. North was convicted on three counts related to the Iran-Contra scandal and his efforts to cover it up, but the convictions were later overturned.

North’s mission: Relay his insights into the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, where he recently visited.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28808.html

So, for advice on Afghanistan, let's ask someone who illegally sold arms to Iran...

I'm speechless.

Football Bounces Strangely

(non-Football fans feel free to ignore this post)
Somewhere in the brain trust of rich white men (Roger Goodell) who run the NFL it was decided that it would be a good idea to play a game in London, England's Wembley Stadium. OK; that's not such a bad idea, in and of itself. But the game that was chosen to try to sell the Brit's on American Football? The New England Patriots versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; a truly awful matchup. Tampa Bay hasn't won a game yet this year, although in fairness they've actually looked worse than that. New England won their last game 59-0, but it wasn't really that close; the Pats took the second half off. So this game may be the most one sided battle since Godzilla vs. Bambi.
But my real question is which marketing genius consulted his history textbook and thought it would be a good sales pitch to send the "New England Patriots" to London? I know the British love satire, but I doubt this game will have the subtlety to qualify as "humor".
(and on that note, I'm off to my local pub to watch my beloved 'niners take on some texans. Kinda early for a beer, but I'll manage)

The Party of Fiscal Responsibility

The GOP has a website. And they got it for a bargain price:

The Republican National Committee shelled out $1.4 million dollars over the last six months for Web sites and services, much of which was spent on GOP.com, the party’s major Web presence that was unveiled this month, new Federal Election Commission expense reports show.

The figure is far higher than what experts estimate it should have cost, and five times the amount its Democratic counterpart spent to host and maintain Democrats.org.

The biggest disparity seems to be bandwidth costs–the RNC paid Smartech Corp., a Republican-focused hosting firm, more than a million dollars, plus $22,000 to Eloqua, compared to the DNC’s $203,000 to Sprint, Switch and Data and Servint Corp.–despite the fact that the two sites’ traffic, which determines bandwidth usage and, largely, hosting costs, was the same.

But the design of the site itself was costly, too. In the months prior to the October 13 launch of GOP.com, the committee paid $328,000 to 11 firms for Web development. (The Democrats, which did not completely overhaul their site during that time period, spent $45,000 on Web development.)

And when the GOP’s graphics-laden product was unveiled, many of the main sections appeared missing or broken, including one advertised as listing future party leaders, which showed up blank.

http://realtime.sunlightprojects.org/2009/10/23/entering-digital-age-an-expensive-proposition-for-gop/

And St. Sleazy McCain wants to regulate the internet? What a great plan!

Seriously, web pages designers are cheap these days. There are about 25 brazillion of them out there. But the GOP finds the most expensive incompetent on the market who fails to create a working page. Just think what would happen if they tried to run the country...oh, wait...we know what happened.

F-16's Overhead

Well, that was interesting. As part of the local universities homecoming celebration, a flight of F-16's did a flyover ahead of the football game.
Which seems rather strange, as the game is being played in a domed stadium.
(BTW: F-16's are really loud. The sound drowned out a train horn.)

Another Pair of Boobies

Friday already? This week slipped right by me.

Birds Don't Understand Baseball

Watching the Baseball playoffs with Griselda, I've come to the conclusion that she really doesn't understand the game. Every time the Yankees scored a run, I'd say "damn", and she would squawk loudly, but that's how she reacts to most things I say. She does watch the ball on the TV screen, but it's the same way she watches anything that moves on the screen. I doubt that she grasps how truly evil the Yankees are.

(dang, is this really the first thing I've posted since Monday? I'm slacking as a blogger.)

Another Step Toward Sanity

Sometimes small issues show clearly how much better Obama is for the country than shrub ever was. For example, law enforcement:

The Obama administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws, under new policy guidelines to be sent to federal prosecutors Monday.

Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state laws.

The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.

Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/10/19/2009-10-19_obama_administration_medical_marijuana_users_suppliers_wont_be_prosecuted_as_lon.html

Yeah, it's a very small step, but by accepting medical marijuana in states that have legalized it Obama has ended a hateful and inhumane position of the shrub administration, and a total waste of government resources. I'm one of those liberals who would like to see all marijuana legalized, as a matter of personal freedom, but medical marijuana shouldn't even be debatable for humanitarian reasons.

So, one good (albeit small) step.

The Owl I Saw

Appears to be a Saw-Whet Owl.
The story: Late on the second night of the trip, I awoke with a need to urinate (the predictable result of drinking beer by the campfire prior to crawling into my sleeping bag). I opened my tent flap, and this little guy was sitting on a branch about ten feet away (those are my river pants drying out in the branch to the left). Luckily, I was able to reach my camera and snap a couple of pics before he/she flew away, even though I was too 'pressured' to get a good focus. 'Twas a unique incident on the trip.


(click for larger view)

Back in Civilization

I'm back. Nine days away from civilization can be quite refreshing, but nine days on the river is even beyond that. I am rather tired, however. I'll try to post more pics and stories soon.
Damn, what are all those people doing out there?

Our Friday Boobie

is nowhere near as compelling as the 6-year-old-in-the-shiny-balloon story that so captivated our useless media, but it will have to do. But on the positive side, at least it's Friday!

Our Friday Boobie

This boobie is supposedly a fine looking brown-footed specimen, although to my eyes his feet are a strange pale lime-green color.

As Py is away on the river for awhile, I will try my damndest to bring some posts to the place, although it has been awhile since I've done so.

River Trip Time

Tomorrow morning, I depart on a nine day trip on the San Juan river. My first major river trip since breaking my humerus, and I'm really looking forward to it. Packing for the trip has been a challenge, as we're trying to travel light due to low water but also be prepared for all the various weather that October brings. Over the course of nine days, it's gonna get cold.

During my absence I hope that Sweaterman will throw up a few posts. He's been up to some interesting activities over the past month, and I hope he'll share them with you.

Whitewater is calling me, and I must be on the river.

Eight Years in Afghanistan

Eight years ago, we invaded Afghanistan to pursue Al Qaida after the 9/11 attacks (and by extension the Taliban that enabled them). It sounded rather straight forward at the time, but Afghanistan has never been a good place to invade. After eight years, it's unclear what we've accomplished, what we hope to accomplish, our how the hell we're going to finish whatever we're attempting to accomplish.
When we first invaded Afghanistan, I felt it was justified in order to go after Al Qaida. But I also feared the potential for disaster, based on history and the absolute incompetence of the shrub administration. At the time I stated "I fear that we've just stuck our foot in a very large bear trap." And, sadly, this has proven to be true.
The largest mistake, obviously, was the invasion of Iraq which was completely unjustified and also removed the resources needed to defeat Al Qaida. Afghanistan was left to muddle along as a forgotten war.
So what do we do now? There are no good options and the status quo isn't working. Obama's right to want a clear strategy, with clear goals, before allocating more resources. But those goals have to be realistic. And looking at the history of Afghanistan, "realistic" is somewhere between "really bad" and "absolutely horrible." Every option is going to be bloody and expensive.
Getting out of Afghanistan is a lot harder than getting in.

Renzi: Five More Charges

My corrupt former congress critter Rick Renzi has been doing everything he can to delay his trial on 36 charges of corruption and embezzlement. Now prosecutors are adding 5 more charges:

The Justice Department has expanded its case against former Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), adding five new corruption charges. Prosecutors added insurance fraud and racketeering accusations in a second superseding indictment filed in late September. It is the second time the government has added charges to the original indictment, first filed in February 2008.

The government added a conspiracy to commit insurance fraud charge to the indictment. Explaining the charge, the government argued that Renzi, co-defendant Dwayne Lequire and others willfully embezzled funds and premiums from a risk retention company called Spirit Mountain to pay Renzi’s “substantial personal expenses.” Lequire helped conceal the embezzlement by transferring other funds into accounts of Renzi’s insurance company, Patriot Insurance, including proceeds from a line of credit and the real estate deal at the heart of the corruption case against him, the prosecutors allege.

Renzi is accused of telling executives for Resolution Copper Mining that he would not support a land swap bill unless they bought his former business partner’s property. Another company agreed to the deal, and Renzi pocketed more than $700,000 from it, according to the indictment.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/61723-feds-expand-case-against-renzi

So keep it up, Rick. The longer you stall, the more of your crimes will come to light. If you succeed in postponing your trial to January, you might be facing 50 charges or more.

(the tattoo'd pigs are a Pygalgia tradition for all things Renzi)

Twins! (or extra baseball)

Nothing like 'bonus' baseball, is there? The Tigers and Twins needed to play an extra game to decide their season. So it is only apropos that they would go into extra innings.
I was (mildly) rooting for the Twins, due to a very dear lady friend being a diehard Twins fan (and that my team is already out). And they won.
Now, if only they can beat the hated Yankers.

Rewrite

This is just too funny to ignore. Some whacked out conservatives have a problem with the bible, so they want to rewrite it and eliminate liberal "bias". Go read...it's as crazy as you think.
Not that this is a new idea. The bible has been rewritten many time, leading to the multiple versions seen today. But in all of them, Jesus is a pretty liberal fellow. That whole "love thy neighbor" thing will have to go.
But I wonder how this will be received by strict biblical literalists, who believe that every word was 'divinely inspired' by 'god'. Wouldn't a new version of the bible be seen as blasphemy?

Making a Simple Statement

From The Ostroy Report, this simple statement:

Republicans' 2010 Campaign Message: Vote For Us Because Obama Can't Magically Fix in a Year What it Took Us Eight Years to Destroy

Wish I said that.

Really Bad Technology

Voice activated telephone answering systems are the most annoying new technology I've yet to run across. Attempting to refill my prescriptions, I encountered the pharmacies answering system, and I'm ready to slowly torture the designer to death. The voice system seemed programmed to default to "I'm sorry; I didn't understand" to every thing I said, even "yes" or "no". Which is funny, because I have very good diction, thanks to years of theater. If it couldn't understand my voice, I can only imagine how a less clearly spoken person would fare. Of course, the last thing the system wants you to do is to speak to an actual human being, so it doesn't offer that as an option.

But I figured out a way to defeat the system, after multiple tries. If you repeat a ridiculous word enough times, it finally gives up and transfers you to a person. So I answered every question by saying "pomegranate" over and over again, and it gave up.

I'm convinced that these things were created by republicans. Or microsoft. They're the only ones with ideas that bad.

Helen's Still Swinging

Have I mentioned that I love Helen Thomas? She's been a thorn in the side of every president since Kennedy. The dictionary definition of "tenacious" should have her picture.

Helen Thomas is 89 years old and requires some assistance to get to and from the daily White House briefing. Yet her backbone has proved stronger than that of the president she covers.

On Thursday afternoon, Thomas gave a clinic in fortitude to President Obama's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, during the briefing. "Has the president given up on the public option?" she inquired from her front-row-middle seat.

The press secretary laughed at this repetition of a common Thomas inquiry, but this questioner, who has covered every president since Kennedy, wasn't about to be silenced. "I ask it day after day because it has great meaning in this country, and you never answer it," she said.

"Well, I -- I -- I apparently don't answer it to your satisfaction," Gibbs stammered.

"That's right," Thomas snarled.

"I -- I'll -- I'll give you the same answer that I gave you unsatisfactorily for many of those other days," Gibbs offered. "It's what the president believes in --"

"Is he going to fight for it or not?" Thomas snapped.

"We're going to work to get choice and competition into health-care reform" was Gibbs's vague response.

Thomas took that as a no. "You're not going to get it," she advised.

"Then why do you keep asking me?" Gibbs inquired.

"Because I want your conscience to bother you," Thomas replied. The room erupted; Gibbs reddened.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/01/AR2009100104303_pf.html

89 years old, and still speaking truth to power. When Helen says "you're not going to get it" Mr. Gibbs (and by extension, Mr. Obama) would be wise to listen.

Another Rethug Idiot on Health Care

OK, it's not news, but Rep. Broun sinks to a new low:

One of the most radical opponents of health care reform is Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA). He has said that a public option would “kill people.” Last Tuesday, Broun was confronted by a constituent at a health care town hall who explained that he has has gone into debt because he can’t afford insurance for his major depressive disorder. In response to his constituent’s story, Broun said that “people who have depression, who have chronic diseases in this country…can always get care in this country by going to the emergency room.” That comment prompted boos from the crowd. Towards the end of Broun’s answer, a constituent yelled, “That’s why we need a public option!” which brought cheers from the audience. (video at link)

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/01/broun-emergency-room/

As a former mental health counselor who's suffered bouts of depression myself, I'm outraged at this. Chronic depression (like all chronic diseases) requires long term treatment. Ideally, a combination of counseling and medications are used, but currently it's mostly just medications. They're cheaper. Emergency treatment of depression usually comes as a result of a suicide attempt or serious suicidal ideation. So the congressman was basically saying "go attempt suicide, and you can get treatment". If you survive.
Perhaps the most stunning part of the whole health care debate is how blatant the rethugs have been about there lack of compassion for their fellow human beings. It's one thing to be a cold heartless bastard, another thing to proudly publicly proclaim it.

Party in Rio

Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympics. Sounds like a great choice, since the Olympics have never been in South America. Rio beat out Madrid, another really fun city. And, no offense Chicago, but Rio knows how to throw a party.
Of course, the right-wing will celebrate Barack's failure to secure Chicago's bid. It's what they do.

A Flying Boobie

Looking good!

Nose Blowing

So, I'm just sitting with the bird and I start having a minor case of rhinorhea. So I grab a tissue, and blow. Grizelda reacts like I've just fired off a shotgun. She's currently hiding in her (open) cage.
I didn't know that I blew my nose that hard.

Jimmy Carter turns 85

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter addresses the crowd during the museum's Oct. 1 grand reopening as Carter Library and Museum Director Jay Hakes looks on. Watch the ceremony >

Former President Jimmy Carter turned 85 today. Most analysts consider Carter's presidency a failure, as he only lasted one term and was unable to pass much of his agenda while in office, but his humanitarian work since leaving office has been magnificent.
I've always felt the Carter was the kindest and smartest president of my lifetime, but that he was a very ineffective politician. I wonder how history might have been different if Jimmy had gotten his alternative energy program passed.

The PRC Turns 60

China 'celebrates' 60 years of communist rule today:

President Hu Jintao inspected China's defense forces in Beijing on Thursday, as the country held celebrations to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

About 200,000 soldiers and civilians -- from veterans and athletes to space heroes and young people -- gathered in Tiananmen Square for the National Day military and mass parade showcasing achievements of the last 60 years, Xinhua reported.

The packed square resembled a carnival as colorful crowds marched, cheered and waved. A 60-cannon salute rang out as the nation's flag swept over the square.

The army showed off its latest weapons, which officials touted as made in China. Weapons on display included China's new generation of tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite communication devices, Xinhua said.

More than 150 fighter jets, bombers, helicopters and other aircraft were to fly over the square, including a fly-past by China's first batch of female fighter pilots, state-run media said.

A 1,300-member military band were also to make an appearance, according to Xinhua.

http://edition.cnn.hu/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/30/china.anniversary/index.html?iref=hpmostpop

China's history is rather unique in the world. Now a manufacturing and economic behemoth, China is a very different place from the one Mao declared 60 years ago. One could even question whether China today is truly "communist", given the amount of business enterprise going on. But the evolution over the past 60 years has been bloody and brutal, and the regime is still repressive.
History is prone to taking strange turns, and the history of relations between the PRC and the USA is a story with many twists. From the cold war and the Korean war, to Nixon's opening of relations (one of the few good things Nixon ever did), to Tiananmen Square, to their current status as America's underwriters.
Of course, from a historical perspective, 60 years is a very short time for the Chinese. Compared to some of the Dynasties, the Communist regime is just a pup.
additional story: China 60 years on: From Mao to today

Take Your Guns to the Bar Day

Starting today, you can take your guns into bars in my home state of Arizona, unless the bar has specific signs prohibiting firearms:

Starting Wednesday, those carrying concealed weapons are allowed to enter Arizona's roughly 5,300 establishments licensed to sell alcohol, as long as they don't drink. If those bar and restaurant owners don't want guns on the property, they must post a sign indicating that they are not allowed.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2009/09/29/20090929gunlaw0929.html

My favorite watering hole put up the "no firearms" signs weeks ago. As the owner said "are they nucking futs?". In fairness, the law prohibits consuming alcohol while carrying a firearm. But the key word "concealed" makes that rather difficult to enforce. Knowing some of my fellow Arizonans attitude toward gun laws in general, I have a feeling that the "no alcohol" provision will frequently be ignored. As may be the "no firearms" signs.
Mind numbingly stupid, if you ask me (and I'm a gun owner). Guns and alcohol don't mix well (although I do have a great story of the time I got drunk and went target shooting with Doc Thompson) and I don't see this ending well. Strange the things we legalize, while marijuana is still illegal.

Electricity

Or rather, the lack thereof. Lost power to half of my little grotto on Sunday. Resetting the circuit breaker didn't work, nor did replacing it. So yesterday the landlord sent a real electrician (which I certainly am not). Four hours later, he identified that there's a short deep inside my walls. Since the wiring in my little dump is from the Ben Franklin era, he's coming back today to basically rewire the whole place (I'm running off a long extension cord right now), so my world is going to be disrupted today.
The joys of modern living.
(added: the electrician said he'd be here at 9:00 am, called to say he'd be here by 10:00, and it's now 12:30...and...no electrician. What is wrong with these people?)
Double added: it's all fixed now. Nice guys tore my place apart, but they did their best to put it back together. Bottom line: it works.

Yeah, But Can She Hit?

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will throw out the first pitch at today's Red Sox-Yankees game:

NEW YORK -- United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a lifelong Yankees fan who grew up not far from Yankee Stadium, is set to take the mound on Saturday afternoon for a ceremonial first pitch.

The Bronx native will take the mound on Saturday, prior to the Yankees' 4:10 p.m. ET game against the Red Sox on FOX.

Sotomayor, 55, has been dubbed as "the judge who saved baseball." In 1995, as a federal trial judge, Sotomayor issued a preliminary injunction that helped end the Major League Baseball strike of 1994-95.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090925&content_id=7148974&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Hit the strike zone, judge!

(photo added)

(I'm guessing she could over rule the umpires call anyway)

More on the Anglo-Saxon Treasure Find

I posted a couple of days ago on the man with a metal detector in the UK finding a huge cache of gold and silver artifacts, but the story is even cooler.

The "Staffordshire Hoard" is about 1,500 items, and is thought to be the largest archaeological find of Anglo-Saxon artifacts in history.

The items appear to date from around 700 AD, likely from the Kingdom of Mercia, but there's still some debate.

Of course, in keeping with human nature, there's already a dispute about ownership between the treasure hunter and the owner of the property where it was found.

Anyway, it's a really cool piece of Archeology. Those of us with Anglo-Saxon ancestors should enjoy the history.

A larger gallery is here: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/gallery/2009/09/anglo-saxon-hoard.php?img=1&ref=fpb

Stopping Terrorists

What a difference a new administration makes. Compare how Obama's team handles the arrest of accused terrorists to how shrub and crew acted:
The FBI has apparently disrupted a terror plot centered on Najibullah Zazi of Colorado; it conducted a sting operation that led to the arrest yesterday of a man charged with attempting to blow up a Dallas skyscraper; and it conducted another sting that led to the arrest of a Muslim convert in Illinois who allegedly tried to detonate what he believed was a bomb outside a federal courthouse.
But where are the huge press conferences with the Attorney General calling the accused "enemy combatants"? Where's the color coded fear mongering? Where's the suspension of Habeaus Corpus?
Instead, we're seeing criminal charges in courtrooms as a result of solid FBI/Police work. And an administration quietly going about conducting their jobs.
The Cheney said Obama was making us 'less safe", but the facts prove otherwise. Which is just another reason that no one should ever listen to the Cheney.

Here Are Boobies

Looking up on Friday.
Go to Girls Are Pretty and you will be told what to do.

These Things Never Happen To Me

I've played around with a metal detector on some beaches, but this is cool:

A man using a metal detector in a rural English field has uncovered the largest Anglo-Saxon gold hoard ever found -- an "unprecedented" treasure that sheds new light on history, archaeologists said Thursday.

The hoard includes 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of gold and 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) of silver. That is more than three times the amount of gold found at Sutton Hoo, one of Britain's most important Anglo-Saxon sites, said the local council in Staffordshire where the latest haul was found.

It's an "incredible collection of material -- absolutely unprecedented," said Kevin Leahy, an archaeologist with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, a voluntary group that records finds made by members of the public. "We've moved into new ground with this material."

Because the find is so large and important, experts haven't been able to say yet how much it is worth. They hope to make a valuation within 13 months, Staffordshire Council

The hoard was discovered in July by Englishman Terry Herbert, who was using a metal detector he bought more than a decade ago in a jumble sale for only a few pounds (dollars). He belongs to a local metal detecting club in Staffordshire and was just out enjoying his hobby when he made the find.

There was so much gold at the site that Herbert said he was soon seeing it in his sleep.

"Imagine you're at home and somebody just keeps putting money through your letterbox. That's what it was like," Herbert told Britain's Press Association. "As soon as I closed my eyes I saw gold patterns. I didn't think it was ever going to end."

Herbert found 500 items before he called in experts, who then found a further 800 articles in the soil. Officials aren't saying exactly where the gold was found, other than to say it was in Staffordshire, in north-central England.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/09/24/staffordshire.uk.gold.hoard/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Just the history alone would make me happy.
But all that gold...would make a person...very rich.
(h/t to Zandar http://zandarvts.blogspot.com/, who's being added to the roll)

On the World Stage

Barack Obama presides over a UN security council meeting on nuclear weapons. Photograph: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP

Although I'm sometimes disappointed in President Obama, there are times that I'm quite glad that we have him. One area that I feel he's handling very well is international diplomacy. Today:

Barack Obama today hailed a UN security council resolution on disarmament and non-proliferation as a milestone along the way to "a world without nuclear weapons".

Obama, the first US president to preside over a security council session, said the next twelve months would be "absolutely critical" in ensuring whether the resolution would succeed in reversing the spread of nuclear weapons and setting the world along the path of multilateral disarmament.

He said he had no illusions about the difficulties ahead, but he added "there will also be days like today" when the world came together for the common goal of disarmament and countering proliferation.

Today's resolution calls for the nuclear weapons states to ratify a ban on nuclear testing - something the US senate has yet to do - and negotiate a new treaty to stop the production of fissile material. It also calls for on them to join the disarmament process being led by the US and Russia, who account for more than 90% of the world's nuclear weapons between them.

The document also endorses a string of measures intended to strengthen the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), ahead of a major review conference next May.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/24/nuclear-weapons-un-security-council

I can't imagine shrub engaging the nuclear proliferation issue, or getting any support if he had attempted to. It's nice to have an articulate President who other world leaders listen to with respect.
I know we're a long way from a nuke free world, but as a child of the cold war 'duck and cover' drills, it's nice to see the world getting a little safer.

California's Celebrity Politics

For political junkies (like me), no other state offers as much entertainment as California. Which celebrity will run for office this time? Having actors as governors and congress persons has become traditional for California.
But I'm seeing a new trend in celebrity candidates this time: the rethugs are turning to female former CEO's of high tech corporations. Meg Whitman of ebay fame is running for Governor, and Carly Fiorina from HP is running for the senate. Both are quite wealthy, so they should have no problem getting their message (government=bad; taxes=bad; wealth=good) out.
We'll see how they do with actual voters, but they certainly represent something new in celebrity politics.

Autumnal Equinox

Ah, the changing of the seasons. Summer ends, fall begins. And here locally, Ma nature is taking the change literally. Today is about 10 degrees cooler than yesterday, and there's a freeze warning for tonight. Summer was much too short.

A New Rule

The Baucus bill now has 564 amendments proposed. I'll propose a new rule, where any bill that gets more than "X" number of proposed amendments must be rewritten. "X" could be 200 or 300 or whatever, but at some point we need a good bill without hundreds of changes.

Boris, That's Why We Have Delivery

This story made me chuckle:

In a new book recounting 79 taped interviews with President Clinton while he was in office, author Taylor Branch has bestowed us with some gems, such as this one about Boris Yeltsin's drinking:

Yeltsin was visiting Washington in 1995 when, late at night, Secret Service agents found the Russian president stripped to his underwear and trying to hail a cab on Pennsylvania Avenue. He wanted a pizza, he slurred.

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/from-the-clinton-interviews-a-drunken-boris-yeltsin-on-pennsylvania-ave.php?ref=fpblg

I hope they explained to Mr. Yeltsin how to call for delivery. That's what Americans do when we're drunk, in our underwear, and want a pizza.

Happy Rosh Hashanah

Shana Tovah to all my Jewish readers.
Growing up, the day meant getting the day off from school and going to my Jewish Grandmother's for apples dipped in honey. Fond memories.

A Pretty Pair of Boobies

Shall we dance?

A (Very) Brief Bit of History

A short history lesson for the right wing screamers: "Czars" were not communist. In fact, Czar Nicholas had a real problem with the communists.
These people have killed irony so many times.

Dropping Missile Defense

In a rare victory for common sense, President Obama has dropped the (shrub) planned missile defense system that was to be based in Poland and the Czech Republic. Shrub's missile defense plan was one of his greater boondoggles; spending billions on a system that didn't work to defend against a threat that didn't exist marketed by a dishonest rationale. Pure Shrub.
Originally, the system was purported to be a defense of Europe against the threat of Iran's nuclear 'threat'. Among the minor flaws with this idea are:
1) Iran doesn't have any nukes, nor do they look to have any in the near future.
2) Iran doesn't have long range missiles, nor do they appear to be getting any anytime soon.
3) Nobody sane could think of any reason why Iran would drop a nuke anywhere in Europe.
The standard neocon paranoia fantasy is that Iran would use a nuke on Israel is absolutely crazy, and won't happen, but simply looking at a globe shows that missile defense in Eastern Europe would do nothing to prevent such an attack.
The real, but unstated, reason for the missile defense system was to piss off the Russians. The old 'cold-warriors' in the shrub administration were still stuck on the old battle with the 'commies', and were more than happy to shovel billions to the defense industry for that reason alone. But we're in a very different world now. The cold war is over and Russia is a global trading partner. They're not going to be nuking Europe any time soon.
I'm sure that the (never) right-wing will attack Obama for "weakening America's defense" and "surrendering to the Russians" by killing the program, but here in reality all he's doing is ending the waste of billions on a really bad idea. An expensive defense system that doesn't work to defend against a threat that doesn't exist is a prime example of the shrub legacy. Killing the boondoggle is an act of common sense.

Dissecting the Baucus Bill

Feel free to dissect it all you like. Because it's dead. Carve it up into tiny pieces. It's going no where.
Six months trying to assemble a bipartisan zombie have only created a cadaver.
The rethugs won't support it. Progressive dems won't support it. The public won't support it.
I'm not sure what sort of reform will eventually come out of the congressional sausage making process, but I'm quite certain that this isn't it.

Decorum

The house will vote on a resolution of "disapproval" of Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson, Sr. for his shouting "you lie" during President Obama's address last week. In all the media debate of the politics behind the resolution, nobody seems to point out (as I did last week) the simple fact: Wilson's outburst was clearly in violation of the house rules of decorum. Rule #4:

"Refrain from speaking disrespectfully of the Speaker, other Members, the President or Vice President."

http://rules.house.gov/archives/house_decorum.htm
Maybe it's the old baseball umpire in me, but I do believe that "the rule IS the rule". It's right there, and every member signs an agreement to abide by the rules prior to being seated. There are four levels of penalties the house can impose: Expulsion; Censure; Reprimand; or Disapproval, with 'disapproval' being the mildest penalty. But, regardless of the politics, the rules need to be enforced, or there are no rules.
(when I umpired Little League Baseball, I acquired a reputation for having a very quick thumb; I tossed anyone who used any obscenity. You could argue with me as loud as you liked, but I refused to tolerate foul language. It's what the rule book said. I'm funny that way.)

added: the wrist has been duly slapped. text of the resolution

When the Shuttle Takes a Leak

http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=10&month=09&year=2009

What looks like a comet at first, is actually the space shuttle Discovery dropping "liquid waste" prior to last weeks landing. That's right; that beautiful image is the result of a "massive urine release."
A fine way to start the day.

Retro Debates

Everything old is new again; nostalgia isn't a new phenomenon. And the health care debate is another echo from the past:

Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- The debate is about health care. The threat is of a march toward “socialism.” The words come from a famous voice. Not Sarah Palin in 2009. It was Ronald Reagan in 1961.

“From here, it’s a short step to all the rest of socialism,” Reagan, then an actor, warned in a 1961 record sponsored by the American Medical Association after President John F. Kennedy created a commission that laid the foundation for Medicare.

Many of the arguments against President Barack Obama’s overhaul effort are refrains from previous debates over health- care policy and Social Security dating to Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman.

“There are substantial echoes of the past rhetoric in what we’re hearing today,” said presidential historian Robert Dallek.

In 1945, the AMA helped portray Truman’s proposal for national health insurance as a creep toward communism. Three years later, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce produced a pamphlet, “You and Socialized Medicine.” In 1993, the health-insurance industry tried to scuttle President Bill Clinton’s proposed overhaul by funding ads featuring a fictional couple who decried a “government takeover” of health care.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=ayd_OJxPgHII

Time to try some new arguments, people.

Debating With Dunces

These are the people that we're up against on health care reform. As you can see, they're well "infromed".

And they know America!

They oppose the "pubic" option; only liberals like "pubic" choices.

And they really, really hate "politians"; in fact, they're never, ever going to be "polite". They want new "dipers", too.

"Literacy" is a liberal concept, and they're doing everything they can to destroy it.

It's simply not possible to have a rational debate about something as complex as health care with people who're this intellectually vacuous. Although they are making a very strong case for education reform.

So, here's my suggestion, Mr. Obama: push for a public option, but with an exemption for idiots.

The Reality of Shrub's Legacy

Not that facts seem to matter anymore, but the numbers are out on the impact from shrub's domestic policies, and they're dismal. This is no surprise to those of us who paid attention:

On every major measurement, the Census Bureau report shows that the country lost ground during Bush's two terms. While Bush was in office, the median household income declined, poverty increased, childhood poverty increased even more, and the number of Americans without health insurance spiked. By contrast, the country's condition improved on each of those measures during Bill Clinton's two terms, often substantially.

The Census' final report card on Bush's record presents an intriguing backdrop to today's economic debate. Bush built his economic strategy around tax cuts, passing large reductions both in 2001 and 2003. Congressional Republicans are insisting that a similar agenda focused on tax cuts offers better prospects of reviving the economy than President Obama's combination of some tax cuts with heavy government spending. But the bleak economic results from Bush's two terms, tarnish, to put it mildly, the idea that tax cuts represent an economic silver bullet.

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/09/closing_the_book_on_the_bush_legacy.php

Along with two wars, and assorted other disasters, this is shrub's legacy. This is what Obama is trying to fix. But the media will fixate on Tea-baggers, liars, and the assorted beltway "tut-tutters". The actual economic realities of real people aren't "news".

Friday? Have a Boobie

This Friday's Boobie might be a commie. Notice the red feet.

Disney Joke

Stolen fair and square from the aristocrats :

Mickey and Minnie mouse are in court getting a divorce.
The judge asks "Mr Mouse. Do really expect the court to grant you a divorce on the grounds that your wife is crazy?"
Mickey says "Your honor, I never said she was crazy. I said she was fucking Goofy!"

I think it's funny. You?

Driving America to the Left

In a surprise announcement, President Obama called for a change in American driving:
"For far too long, this country has been driven too far to the right, by driving on the right. Because I'm a left-handed leftist, I'm hereby ordering that, beginning next month, America will begin driving on the left side of the road. Now, I know, some folks will not like this. But we have been driven so far to the right that we've driven over a cliff. So, it's time to drive on the left. It's time for America to move further left, driven by the left, by driving on the left. Think how many jobs we can create, just by turning around all those 'one way' signs, and also bailing out the auto-repair industry". The President added "hey, it worked in Samoa, and look how their economy is doing."
Overall reaction was tepid, but all the mainstream pundits agreed that a more "bi-partisan, centrist" plan is needed. David Broder said "I intend to keep driving down the middle of the road, and I hope the rest of America will follow me".
There will, of course, be an exemption for trucks and vehicles over 8,000 lbs. GVW. The 'so-called' "hummer exemption" should cause only minimal problems, as trucks have never followed lane rules, anyway.
(none of this is true)

Speech Reactions, and the Really Bad Analogy

Overall, I thought Obama's speech was pretty good, but not a "game changer". Because I watched it in the company of about 50 local democrats (who were very enthusiastic), plus the usual mix of bar patrons (who were more subdued), the audience reaction I saw skewed to the positive. I'm not sure the overall population reaction will be as upbeat.


While we already knew that Obama is a very strong orator (especially compared to the last guy), he again showed his ability to speak to the public as adults. He didn't shy away from articulating complex issues. That's good.


He did push for the "public option", but no where near as forcefully as I had hoped for. I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed. He's still trying to sound "bi-partisan", but that train left the station a long time ago. I think he was trying to be polite to the repubs.


Which wasn't reciprocated. The outburst by Rep. Wilson (R-S.C.) has garnered a lot of media attention, but the reaction is mostly negative. Wilson is now a prime example of republican obstructionism, and rude to boot. (BTW; his outburst was clearly a violation of House rules on decorum. This isn't the House of Commons.)Added: specific rule: " Refrain from speaking disrespectfully of the Speaker, other Members, the President or Vice President."http://rules.house.gov/archives/house_decorum.htm


But the part that bothered me the most was the really bad analogy: comparing health insurance to car insurance. Simple fact: not everybody has to have a car, but everybody does have to have a body. I've been "car free" for over twelve years, and I have no plans to get a car in the foreseeable future. But I do have a (albeit aging) body, and it requires health care. I choose not to have a car. I didn't 'choose' to break my shoulder, and treatment was not an "option" (unless I wanted to be permanently disabled). Comparing health insurance to car insurance is like comparing apples to lobsters.

Overall, I think Obama's speech moved health care forward, but only by a small step. I'm convinced will get some kind of reform, but at the end of the sausage making process, I'm not sure how significant it will be.

Beer and Health Care

Tonight Obama will give his "really important" health care speech to congress, and the county democratic party is holding a viewing party at my favorite bar. Wednesday is also $2.00 pint special, so this might be an amusing time. The bar regulars include a number of political junkies of various stripes (I'm the one on the far left), and we've already had some great debates on health care. Throw the local democratic activists into the mix, and this could be as entertaining as a football game.
I don't actually expect all that much from Obama's speech, but I really hope he comes out strong on the public option. I fear he's already lost the momentum on health care, and to actually achieve meaningful reform is going to take more back room arm twisting than fancy speeches. But a good speech won't hurt. We'll see what we get.
I'll be getting the $2.00 Lagunitas Hop Stoopid; that much I know.

09/09/09

No special meaning. I just like the symmetry of it.
(Numerologists, please feel free to find any meaning you like).

Even Ms. Xanax Gets It

The world of politics can be very strange. For example, I never expected Laura "Mrs. Shrub" Bush to be a voice of sanity from the right:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former first lady Laura Bush is defending President Obama's decision to address the nation's school children, telling CNN Monday that it is "really important for everyone to respect the President of the United States."

"I think that there is a place for the President of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children, and I think there are a lot of people that should do the same," she told CNN's Zain Verjee, in an interview set to air Monday on The Situation Room. "And that is encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dream that they have."

The former first lady added that she thought both Obama and her successor, Michelle Obama, had done good jobs since moving into the White House.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/07/laura-bush-defends-obama-school-speech/

Let's face it, Laura was never thought of as an intellectual heavyweight. During her tenure as First Lady she often seemed a walking advertisement for benzodiazepines. But she did always support education, and it's good to see that she still does. It's just a little weird finding her on our side.

Gaining a Bird

Due to multiple twists of fate (trust me; you don't want to know), I've become "the people" for a beautiful female grey cockatiel. She's very friendly, but she's been "lost" and "rescued", so a little traumatized.
I've had many birds in my life, and she seems like a good one.

But I need a good name for her.

Any suggestions?
Added: She seems to think that the 'best perch in the world' is on top of my head. Even when I'm trying to cook. My hair tie fascinates her. We're working on this relationship.
Added added: She likes chicken quesadilla's way too much. Back to the cage with you, until I'm done eating.

Update: We've settled on the name "Griselda", meaning "Grey Maiden Warrior". She seems to respond well to the name.

Happy "Labor Less" Day

The Holiday to honor unions and worker's rights, established in 1884, at a time when the 'American Worker' is in really bad shape. Unemployment near 10%, union membership falling, and real wages in a continuing decline, at least most get the day off. I suppose that's something to celebrate.
The Labor Day weekend also marks the end of "summer" in many ways. Congress returns tomorrow, and we all know how much fun that is. Potential political snark opportunities upcoming.
So enjoy the day. Throw some flesh on the grill, crack a beer, and share a few laughs. Real life shall resume tomorrow.

How to Feel Old

In a bar conversation, I said that Obama needs to be "more LBJ", and a young lady who was part of the discussion said "what's an LBJ?'. She thought I meant something like a "PBJ', but with an "L" instead of peanut butter. Maybe "liverwurst".
It made me feel old.

My Congress Waffle

My congresswoman, Ann Kirkpatrick, is a really nice person. I mean that; I've talked with her many times, and she's always warm and genuine. That said, she's also rather useless. Some "highlights" from her town hall in Holbrook (which I didn't attend):

A crowd of about 150 was relatively subdued Thursday night as U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Flagstaff, took questions on health care reform at a Holbrook high school.

Questions about cost remained among the top issues, both for the crowd and for Kirkpatrick, who said she didn't know the proposed cost, but that she couldn't support a proposal that would increase the national debt or add taxes on small businesses.

"Cost is a big concern of mine and we don't have a complete answer," Kirkpatrick said.

In questions after, she declined to give any measures she might support to fund better health care for veterans and children -- two changes she said she wanted.

Kirkpatrick responded that she was "skeptical of government"

-- What about a government-provided insurance option?

Kirkpatrick: She supports it. "It appears that what we need is some sort of baseline and standard to control costs."

Kirkpatrick: Yes. "I think that people should be able to go to the doctor if they want to. What do you think?"

Mostly, Kirkpatrick stuck to some of the same points she made in a telephone conference with the public last month: People with pre-existing conditions should be covered, the reformed health system should be "uniquely American," fraud and abuse in Medicare should be eliminated and there should be no time limit for passing legislation.

"We may not always agree on everything," she said, "but at least you'll know where I stand."

http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/09/04/news/20090904_front_203083.txt

(emphasis mine)
Yes, Ann, I guess we do know where you stand. You support the "marshmallow" plan. And you like puppies.
Here's my basic problem with Ann: she doesn't have a strong position on anything. On health care, she's a typical wishy-washy Democrat, unwilling to fight for real reform. She'll support the "vaguely positive", as long as she doesn't offend anybody by doing so.
Don't get me wrong; she's a big improvement over the corrupt and evil Rick Renzi, who she replaced. But she is a clear example of what is wrong with our Democrats in congress.

September's First Boobie

Happy Friday!

Odds or Ends

Stuff in my life:
Arguing with my local "libertarian", who doesn't want government "control". But he does want all those things that government actually does. He actually said "we need a better health care system" and "we don't need government messing with health care" in the same 2 minute conversation. He had no answers, except "no government". He's actually a nice guy, but we don't quite see the same world.
When the last person you had a sexual relationship with calls and says "I may have an STD", and you can't quite remember if you may have forgotten a condom once, it's nice to hear "the test came back negative".
My friends "T" and "S", who I wished a 'Happy Anniversary' last week (I performed the wedding), were celebrating in Cabo San Lucas. Somebody called "Jimena" crashed the party, but they are fine, and having fun by helping the locals (they're like that).
The next person who offers me "holistic" health advice for my shoulder is going to get punched (the left is still solid). I've looked at the MRI. The labrum is inflamed from over work. I need to back off and let it heal. All your herbs and reicki and "healing hands" are very nice. But it's still a matter of time, and me holding myself back.
That's what's on my mind. What's on yours?

Biden States the Obvious

The Vice-President talks about health care (finally):

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Joe Biden promised Thursday that President Obama will delve into specifics when he tackles health care reform in a highly anticipated speech to a joint session of Congress next week.

"I think the prospects for success are high," he said. "We're going to get something substantial ... [but] it's going to be an awful lot of screaming and hollering before we get there."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/03/health.care/index.html?eref=rss_politics&iref=polticker

(emphasis mine)

Uh, Joe; we've had a lot of "screaming and hollering" already. What we need is a clear, solid plan.
I have been wondering where Biden was in the health care reform effort. The main blockade is the Senate, where Mr. Biden has a long history and a lot of connections. He would seem to be in the best position to act as "arm-twister-in-chief" for the administration. But until now, I'd heard nothing from him. That doesn't mean that he hasn't been active behind the scenes, but I've seen no evidence that he has.
If we're really going to get meaningful health care reform, the administration is going to have to use every tool they have to push it through. A little more "LBJ" and less "Jimmy Carter".

Justice Stevens Planning to Retire?

Pure speculation, but it looks like Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens may be set to retire after this court term. As the oldest Justice at 89, it wouldn't be that much of a surprise. The cause of the speculation is that Stevens has hired fewer clerks than he usually would:

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has hired fewer law clerks than usual, generating speculation that the leader of the court's liberals will retire next year.

If Stevens does step down, he would give President Barack Obama his second high court opening in two years. Obama chose Justice Sonia Sotomayor for the court when Justice David Souter announced his retirement in May.

Souter's failure to hire clerks was the first signal that he was contemplating leaving the court.

Stevens, 89, joined the court in 1975 and is the second-oldest justice in the court's history, after Oliver Wendell Holmes. He is the seventh-longest-serving justice, with more than 33 years and eight months on the court.

In response to a question from The Associated Press, Stevens confirmed through a court spokeswoman Tuesday that he has hired only one clerk for the term that begins in October 2010. He is among several justices who typically have hired all four clerks for the following year by now. Information about this advance hiring is not released by the court but is regularly published by some legal blogs.

Stevens did not say whether he plans to hire his full allotment of clerks or whether he will leave the court at the conclusion of the term that begins next month. Retired justices are allowed to hire one clerk.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jp9jrwkjig6vQnONc-Zyk9lChX8wD9AF1GS02

One of the major factors in my support for Obama over McCain was Supreme Court appointments. While Obama's replacement for Stevens wouldn't alter the courts balance (still 5-4 conservative), a McCain appointee would further skew the court to the right. Knowing that there would be openings on the court (although Souter's retirement was less expected) due to Stevens age and Ruth Bader-Ginsburg's cancer (although she's stated her intent to remain on the bench), I saw it as imperative to have a Dem as President. I'm not all that happy with Obama, but I'm much more comfortable with him making appointments than McCain. That would have been scary.

A Paucity of Posts

Sorry that I haven't posted much lately. It's because...

Well, I have no good excuse. I haven't been that busy, and there are plenty of issues to rant about.

But I can't figure out what I want to say. The political discourse has become so absurd that a logical response is almost pointless and impossible.

Somehow, providing health care to Americans has become a threat our freedom. The rethugs are protecting our right to die if we're not profitable, because providing treatment to poor people will kill Grandma. Or something like that. (here are the five biggest lies)

Torture is a good solid American value, as long as it's done to Muslims. And prosecuting crimes after the fact (how do you prosecute them before the fact?) must be politically motivated.

Spending trillions on wars is good fiscal policy, but investing in a better America will increase the deficit.

Screaming and waving guns are good Christian acts, but "love your neighbor" doesn't apply if your neighbor loves the wrong way.

Obama is the new "Hitler", whereas shrub and the Cheney never tried to expand government authority (except for our own good).

And on and on...

It was all so much easier during the shrub administration. I knew exactly what I was ranting against. But the Obama administration has acted like a soggy waffle, and the right wing is full blown batshit crazy (but still taken seriously). Common sense is nearing extinction, along with reasoned debate. Facts and logic have become irrelevant.

Lately, when I have the urge to add my 1.5 cents to the discourse, I end up overwhelmed with a sense of "why bother?" The folks who agree with me already know, and the rest aren't going to listen. It's rather frustrating.

Hopefully I'll regain some motivation soon. I still have plenty of opinions. But my current feeling is:

Dan Schorr

Turned 93 today. And he's still working.