The Running of the Newt

Now that the slimy Newt is an announced candidate in the 2012 GOP goat rodeo, we need a good conspiracy theory for him. I demand an investigation!

Happy 80th, Kid

Willie Mays, the "say hey kid", turns 80 today. It is not an exaggeration to call him the greatest baseball player of all time. And certainly one of the classiest.

On afternoon back in May of 1964, I was sitting in a grade school classroom, when my Father showed up. He told my teacher that I had a dentist appointment, and took me out of class. But he didn't take me to the dentist. Instead, we went to Candlestick Park, where my Dad got us center field bleacher seats. My first baseball game. Dad told me to watch Willie, as he was (according to Dad) "the greatest ballplayer you'll ever see." 47 years later, Dad was still right. I've never seen another player who's as good at every facet of the game. Willie Mays remains the greatest baseball player I've ever seen.

If you doubt me, take a look at the Willie Mays page at Baseball Reference. Other players may have been better at one part of the game or another. But Willie was among the best at hitting, power, speed, fielding, and throwing of all time. He was the complete package.

So, Happy Birthday, Willie. Thank you for letting me watch, and learn to appreciate, the greatness of baseball.

5/5

I don't care what day you say it is. I am not putting my mayonnaise in my sink.

Keeping it Simple

Seems like the whole (never) right wing is freaking out that Obama got Osama. They feel that shrub should be getting the credit.
Here's the simple response:
Shrub disbanded the CIA's bin Laden task force in 2005.
Obama reinstated the bin Laden task force shortly after taking office in 2009.
Those are the facts. Deal with it, wingnuts.

Geek Humor

May the Fourth be with you!

A Few More Thoughts on bin Laden's Death

Obviously, this is major news. But like most major news stories, the killing of Osama bin Laden will have ramifications and repercussions that will take time to play out. Still, I have some thoughts that I want to express.

First, a little personal background: I first took interest in bin Laden in the late 1990's after the African Embassy and U.S.S. Cole bombings. I'd been interested in Middle East politics and history for many years, and began trying to learn Arabic in 1995. As I read more of bin Laden's fatwas and began to understand more about Al Qaeda's brand of Wahhabi extremism, I became convinced that his threats were quite real. Osama was a quite complex man, an extremely wealthy, western educated Saudi elite who embraced a primitive fanaticism for an Islamic caliphate coupled with extreme anti-Americanism. In his many fatwas, he was strikingly clear about his plans for jihad against the U.S. and the types of tactics he intended to utilize. When 9/11 occurred, my immediate reaction was "damn, bin Laden pulled it off" (ask Sweaterman, who was stuck listening to my rants hours before the media made the Al Qaeda connection) as it was the type of attack I had been expecting. Really, he told us what he intended to do long before he actually did it, in accordance with Islamic laws of war, but it certainly seemed that the shrub administration ignored his words as the 'ravings of a madman'. Which was a frustrating issue; it was easy to dismiss bin Laden's threats because they sounded 'crazy' to our world view, but I never doubted that he was honest about his intentions nor doubt his capabilities.

Obligatory reading: the much more knowledgeable Juan Cole at Informed Comment has posted his thoughts titled Obama and the End of Al-Qaeda, which has both a very complete history of bin Laden and a thoughtful look at the implications of his death. A small sample:

Then he and his number two man, Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, came to the conclusion that the reason they could not overthrow the governments of Egypt (Hosni Mubarak’s dictatorship) and Saudi Arabia and so forth was that these were backed by the United States. They decided it had been a mistake to hit the “near enemy” first. They decided to hit the “far enemy” on American soil. Bin Laden thought that if only he could entice the US into the Middle East, he could do to it what he thought he had done to the Soviet Union.

http://www.juancole.com/2011/05/obama-and-the-end-of-al-qaeda.html

One salient fact that most Americans don't understand, and would vehemently deny: Osama bin Laden is winning his war. He made quite clear that his strategy was to destroy the American economy, and thereby empire, by dragging us into a prolonged occupation and warfare in the Islamic Middle East. Shrub did exactly what Osama desired by invading Iraq, and the subsequent draining of the American economy has been exactly what he intended to achieve. His death does nothing to change that reality.

After 9/11 and the invasion of Afghanistan, bin Laden ceded all operational control of Al Qaeda. He became a figurehead who hoped to inspire the offspring of multiple regional splinter groups, and again he has been successful. Killing him may seem like a symbolic victory for America, but his martyrdom is also the symbolism he intended. The only way this will benefit America will be if it hastens our withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, and if we change our counter terrorism strategy away from military intervention towards greater intelligence gathering and very carefully targeted operations.

Killing Osama was necessary for the American psyche, but we're still in the same mess today as we were yesterday.

Finally

Interesting that Osama bin Laden has finally met justice. I'm surprised by a few of the details. Near Islamabad. In a mansion. In a firefight. Lengthy intelligence operation.

The media seem to forget that bin Laden issued his Fatwa against America long before 9/11. They do remember shrub saying "dead or alive", but will they notice that it was actually Obama who got Osama? And if what Obama said is anywhere close to the truth, they're actually engaging in useful intelligence. And some old fashioned spywork.

One big factor is that ISI was clearly involved. That will have some serious political implications in both Pakistan and Afghanistan,

Al Queda will still exist, but without bin Laden it will be weaker. So today's news is good.

May Day

Sorry about the paucity of posts. Between 'blogger malaise' and my internet service being down repeatedly, there hasn't been much activity here. Just a brief note to Verizon: 'upgrading' is a term that usually means improving service in some way, not making it crash every other day.

25 years since Chernobyl

Earth Day Boobies

Boobies are one of the nice things about Earth. Also, happy 'above average' Friday.

'More War' McCain

So good ol' St. Sleazy McCain has made his way to Libya, and guess what he thinks should happen there:

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — U.S. Sen. John McCain, one of the strongest proponents in Congress of the American military intervention in Libya, said Friday that Libyan rebels fighting Moammar Gadhafi's troops are his heroes.

The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee made the remark after arriving in Benghazi, a city that has been the opposition capital in the rebel-held eastern Libya.

McCain said he was in Benghazi "to get an on the ground assessment of the situation" and planned to meet with the rebel National Transition Council, the de-facto government in the eastern half of the country, and members of the rebel military.

...

But as the U.S. handed operational control over to NATO — and withdrew U.S. combat aircraft — McCain criticized the administration.

"For the United States to withdraw our unique offensive capabilities at this time would send the wrong signal," McCain said. He said the U.S. must not fail in Libya and said he spoke as someone experienced in a lost conflict, a reference to his time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, where he served as a Navy pilot.

McCain also has pushed for arming the rebels, saying the U.S. and its partners cannot allow Gadhafi to consolidate his hold on one section of the country and create a military deadlock.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1PbaTcWtkYOVonh-uifB9-UePXA?docId=b8d2a3be474641fcb2cbdf92011d8bd2

One would think that his time as a POW would have curbed his enthusiasm for wars, but instead he's taken the opposite view. Which is why we should all be glad that he isn't president. If he were, lord only knows how many wars we'd be in by now.

Surprise! Brewer Does the Right Thing!

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't expect this: Gov. Brewer Vetoes Birther Bill, Guns on Campus. Ol' Jan is usually very right wing and pro gun, so it's significant that the bills coming out of the state legislature went too far for her.

PHOENIX - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has vetoed two controversial bills passed by both the Arizona Senate and House -- the guns on campus bill and the 'birther' bill.

Guns on Campus Bill: SB 1467

- Would've allowed guns to be carried on public rights of way at public university and community college campuses
- Applies only to "rights of way" -- not inside classrooms
- University presidents opposed the bill
- Student support was mixed

"This bill was very sloppily written and drafted... and we can't even find out a definition, what is a right of way? It just wasn't defined to be able to tell the courts or the policeman how they are going to enforce a law like that," Governor Brewer told us.

Sen. Ron Gould is the bill's sponsor. He says he's disappointed.

'Birther' Bill: HB 2177

- Would've required President Barack Obama and other presidential candidates to prove they are U.S. citizens before their names can appear on the state's ballot
- Arizona would've become the first state to require such proof
- 13 other states have considered similar proposals this year. The proposals were defeated in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine and Montana

As for her decision to veto this bill, Gov. Brewer said in part: "I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for President of the greatest and most powerful nation on earth to submit their 'early baptismal or circumcision certificates'… this is a bridge too far. This measure creates significant new problems while failing to do anything constructive for Arizona."

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/politics/state_politics/brewer-vetoes-birther-bill-guns-on-campus-4-18-2011

The state of crazy in Arizona, when Jan Brewer starts looking sane by comparison.

Fresh Boobies

Have a wonderful Friday!

Practical Religion

There are many things about religion that confuse me. But I do understand the urge to pray to a god for intervention when a situation is going badly. So I understand why these folks in Dublin, GA are asking god for help:

A Dublin church group plans to gather pump-side Saturday and pray for the gas prices to drop.

Mabry says he can remember when gas jumped from under $1 to $1.50 and says, now, with prices reaching almost $4, he says he plans to ask God for help.

And this isn't the first time his congregation has gathered at Kroger's gas pumps.

"If it doesn't drop down to nothin' but ten cents, I'm happy with that. But what I really want to believe God to do is drop down $1.50, hey, I'm glad with that, too," says the pastor.

http://www.13wmaz.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=124242

Of course, it isn't going to work. They fail to understand one simple fact: oil companies bought off god a long time ago.

Lovely Spring Weather

And by "lovely spring weather" I mean "winter storm warning" with sleet and overnight snow. Forecast calls for "up to" a foot of snow by tomorrow night (although forecasts don't mean anything around here). Anyway, here's some Boobies.

"Death To The Poor"

We should be making it very clear that the current GOP agenda truly is "death to the poor". The latest example is the very “serious” Ryan budget plan: destroy medicare and medicaid while further cutting taxes for the wealthy. Throw in the impending government shutdown, and the GOP is clear about where their priorities are. One good read: Paul Ryan and the New Politics of Sadism:

The object of his politics is to render political liberty subservient to economic exigencies, to render it an unaffordable luxury item available only to the wealthy, because only the wealthy are competent enough to exercise it. Ryan has come to the unremarkable intellectual conclusion that more people would rather inflict pain — even vicariously, even through his greasy sadist’s smile — than receive it. He has seen that dynamic in action. Even the White House, occupied for the nonce by a putatively progressive Democrat, has signed on in a gentler way to the notion that “austerity” is the way out of our current economic morass, and “austerity” is fairly defined in this context as making other people hurt so you’ll feel better about yourself. Unemployed workers, whose pensions were looted by Wall Street sharpers, rage against the pensions of public workers, not because those pensions are so gloriously lavish, but because they exist at all. Somebody has something you don’t and they must pay for that. Small wonder that Paul Ryan thinks he can grin his way to the dystopic wasteland that he sees when he dreams of a free country.

What is even worse is that Obama and the Dems are reacting with unfettered timidity. They should be screaming about the GOP''s direct assault on the vast majority of the American people, not cowardly attempting to "compromise" with these extremists. The "Ryan budget" should be the biggest political club used to bludgeon the repubs on a daily basis. It's a very simple message: "the republicans want to take money from you and give it to the wealthiest 1%." Sadly, that will not happen. I do have a personal stake in Ryan's attempt to destroy medicare: Ryan propose a voucher system for those currently under age 55, which could be used to get 'private insurance'. I'm currently 52, and while I'm in reasonably good health right now I have a very long list of 'pre-existing conditions' that will only get worse as I get older. In short, the Ryan plan would condemn me (and a huge number of people like me) to an early death. Steven D of Booman Tribune shares his tragic story GOP Wants to Kill Me (and You). I hope you'll read it. It's really beyond time to say "enough is enough" to the GOP's assault on us, the people. If we want American society to survive, we must stand up to the oligarchs efforts to reduce us to serfs.

Seafood

I love seafood. It's literally my favorite food group. So the past year has been really depressing. First the BP oil spill contaminates the gulf, which will impact the food chain for decades. Then we get the radioactive water from Japan's reactor disaster spilling into the Pacific. I'm not an alarmist by nature, but the long term impacts of these two events will be huge. Despite the authorities 'reassurances' that the oil spill 'wasn't that bad' and that the radioactive water will 'disperse', anyone who understands pollution of an ecosystem knows that the total effects from these spills will take years to spread through the food chain. The bottom feeders will be the first contaminated; shellfish and halibut for example. The pollutants will then be spread to larger predator fish like tuna, snapper, and the like. Given that stocks of the 'food' fish were already in decline, safe seafood is well on it's way to scarcity and the price will soar into luxury status. Which really pisses me off. I'm not going to panic yet, but the thought of a future without eating scallops or sushi is depressing.

All Fool's Friday

So here's a...wait a minute. That's not a Boobie!

That's not either. Newt Gingrich may be a boob, but he's not a Boobie.

Ah, that's more like it. Happy Friday!

It's A National Holiday

Yes, it's the opening day of Baseball! It's my second favorite holiday, and I fully intend to celebrate properly. Oh, and my beloved San Francisco Giants are the proud owners of this:

Please Don't

Not as big as the national or world news, but I really didn't need to read that Ann Kirkpatrick is looking to run for congress again:

Former Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, a freshman Democrat ousted in last year's Republican tidal wave, is angling for a rematch against Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. She told AZ/DC Tuesday that she has made the decision to run for her seat again in 2012.

Kirkpatrick, a Flagstaff resident, said she has heard from her former constituents that Gosar, a Flagstaff dentist, is not responsive to the 1st Congressional District's priorities.

"It's clear to me, now that Paul Gosar has a record, that he is toeing the party line rather than serving the district," she said. "The real key for me is the number of people who I've been hearing from in the district -- and this is Democrats, independents, Republicans and even folks who are actively involved in the 'tea party' -- that they feel he is deeply out-of-touch with the district."

Kirkpatrick said she hopes the 2012 political climate will be more hospitable to her candidacy because it is a presidential year and likely will have a bigger turnout.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/azdc/123758

Look, I like you, Ann. But you were totally ineffective during your term in congress. You're not a very good campaigner, which you proved by losing to an absolute whacko Paul Gosar. And I'm not saying this just because you turned me down when I volunteered for your campaign in 2010 due to our previous disagreements. It's that if you run, you will lose again.

We need a stronger candidate in AZ-01 for 2012.