Merry Christmas, And Such

Hope you all are having wonderful holidays, Christmas or otherwise. Mine has been quite nice. Anyway, wishing the best to all of you, and thanks for stopping by.

A Day For Joy

Happy Winter Solstice (depending on where you are), and I hope you'll also celebrate Global Orgasm for Peace Day today.

Craziness

I think maybe I chose the wrong year to try being sane. For reasons that aren't really clear, I read This, which lead me to this article:

This incident with Iran getting one of our top secret military drones, has been puzzling me since it happened. It's vaguely reminiscent of the alleged killing of Osama Bin Laden, with no evidence shown to the American people. ( Personally, I think he's been dead since around 2003, have seen no evidence otherwise, and think Obama staged the incident just so he could take credit. People prove they're alive by showing up, and he hadn't shown up in any way, in years. )

But we've been hearing reports recently, that socialists and gangs have been infiltrating our military now. So this leaves two very disturbing possibilities left.

One, that Obama passed down direct orders through a trusted chain of command, to land this drone in Iran, possibly sparking a war with Iran, and handing over our top secret military technology to them and their Russian and Chinese allies.

Or it may have been the act of a lone traitor who was operating the drone and decided to do this act on their own.

So then I read Larry Klayman, who claimed that Obama gave Iran the drone because the Iranian government was financing his presidential campaign:

Barack Hussein Obama was complicit in this treasonous act. By allowing the radical Islamic mullahs in Iran, China and Russia to have our highest technology when he simply could have ordered the destruction of the drone once it went down, Obama cemented my strong belief that he is a traitor. That's why I call Obama the "mullah in chief." . Bill Clinton and his criminal wife, Hillary, were the "Manchurian Candidates," but Obama and Hillary are now the "Islamic Iranian Candidates," an analogy the movie that depicted how Chinese communists infiltrated the highest reaches of our government. The primary explanation for Obama and Clinton rolling over for the Iranian Islamist mullahs is that they were paid off, that is, bribed

Now, everyone enjoys a good conspiracy theory. But this is virgin on the re-dick-u-luss. Of course, my sanity may be questioned based on the simple fact that I read these lunatics, and chose to post about it. Not the craziest thing I've ever done, but not the sanest, either.

Added: I am now composing a screed explaining how Obama conspired with Kim-Jong-Un to cause the power outage that delayed the 49ers-Steelers Monday Night Football game.

And So It Ends

The war in Iraq has officially come to a close, as the last convoy of American troops crosses the border into Kuwait.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The last convoy of U.S. soldiers pulled out of Iraq on Sunday, ending nearly nine years of war that cost almost 4,500 American and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives and left a country grappling with political uncertainty.

The war launched in March 2003 with missiles striking Baghdad to oust President Saddam Hussein closes with a fragile democracy still facing insurgents, sectarian tensions and the challenge of defining its place in an Arab region in turmoil.

The final column of around 100 mostly U.S. military MRAP armored vehicles carrying 500 U.S. troops trundled across the southern Iraq desert from their last base through the night and daybreak along an empty highway to the Kuwaiti border.

After Obama announced in October that troops would come home by the end of the year as scheduled, the number of U.S. military bases was whittled down quickly as hundreds of troops and trucks carrying equipment headed south to Kuwait.

Only around 150 U.S. troops will remain in the country attached to a training and cooperation mission at the huge U.S. embassy on the banks of the Tigris river.

At the height of the war, more than 170,000 U.S. troops were in Iraq at more than 500 bases. By Saturday, there were fewer than 3,000 troops, and one base - Contingency Operating Base Adder, 300 km (185 miles) south of Baghdad.

news.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/last-us-troops-leave-iraq-ending-war.php?ref=fpa

Well, I guess we should all be glad that it's over, and that Obama kept his promise on Iraq.

Such a stupid and tragic waste. A war begun on lies, whose toll in blood and treasure has yet to be fully paid. The carnage inflicted upon the Iraqi people will linger for decades. And for what? To remove one brutal but impotent dictator from a world with dozens of other brutal dictators, and inflict chaos as a result.

There were never any 'weapons of mass destruction', despite all the right wing media hype. Saddam was never a 'threat' to the United States; only a minor inconvenience with a lot of oil.

We spent (at least) 4,474 American soldiers lives, and well over a trillion dollars destroying Iraq. When it comes to 'weapons of mass destruction', we're by far the world leaders. Meanwhile, we're letting our own country fall into disrepair and decay, citing austerity and budget deficits. Demolishing Iraq's infrastructure took priority over repairing our own. As someone who has worked jobs in both demolition and construction, I know that demolishing things is more fun than building them. But the results are no where near as satisfying.

Have we learned a lesson from our arrogance and hubris? Sadly, I think not. All the republican presidential candidates except Ron Paul are advocating for military action against Iran. The neocons and the military industrial complex continue, their bloodlust unsated. And Dick "the dick" Cheney is still alive, so the world still isn't safe from madmen bent on destruction.

The Latest Medical Miracle

While reading the headlines this morning, and this article caught my eye:

We have created the ultimate hangover cure in a pill (just in time
for Christmas), claim U.S scientists

Wow, that's great! Medical science that we can really use, right? Then I read the actual article to find out more about this great discovery. Uhm:

Hailed as a miracle cure by its maker, the pill contains 500 milligrams of aspirin, 60 milligrams of caffeine and an antacid to soothe upset stomachs.

Yup, that's quite the 'miracle' cure you've invented there. Nobody ever tried treating a hangover with aspirin, caffeine, and antacid before, right?

Jesus Christ on toast, but it don't take much to qualify for miracle status these days.

'Here' is not 'There'

While the move to Minnesota has been good for the most part, there are a number of things that I do miss about Flagstaff. Mostly, friends and the community. I got a reminder of this in the comments, when my old buddy (oops, he's not that "old") Bill said:

You missed sampling my brine soaked and smoked wild turkey at Maker's Monday. It got rave reviews!

Dang! Sorry I missed that. Although I have gotten to enjoy the results of one of my housemates having success with deer hunting season. In fact, Venison is on the menu for dinner tonight, so I'm not suffering too badly.

But it is really cold here now. Which means it's time for a truly Minnesota form of insanity: Ice Fishing! Most of the folks I know around here (including the woman I live with, who has a sanity deficiency and two fishing poles) are excitedly gearing up for this. I am not. I have plenty of ice in the freezer, and no one can convince me that 'free range, wild caught' ice is that much better than the domestic commercially produced form. While there are rumors that sometimes people accidentally catch fish along with the ice, everyone clearly agrees that the most prevalent feature is still "ice", which is by nature fornicating cold. So I'm not enthused about this activity.

Maybe if my old buddies like Bill, Urland, Sweaterman, Maverick, Teeter, Bliss!, and the rest of the gang all came up (and Zymurgian came down) for an ice fishing excursion, I could generate some enthusiasm. Otherwise, I'd rather stay warm inside with my boring freezer made ice.

Added: Actually, Bill is enough of a crazy outdoor adventure type that he might enjoy ice fishing.

Playoffs!

Yes, my beloved San Francisco 49'ers are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2002! This makes me quite happy, as it has been a while since the glory years of Montana and Young (I grew up a Niners fan back when John Brodie was the quarterback). Needless to say: Go Niners!

Obscene Weather

The weather gods are after me! Notice how the snow front stretches all the way from my old home in Flagstaff all the way to my new home in Minnesota.

(Commercial break:)
Authoritative voice: "Do you suffer from Spontaneous Combustion? Ask your firefighter if water is right for you!
(End commercial.)

I'll be hiding under my blankets and indulging all my paranoid fantasies now.

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!

Hope y'all have plenty of football in the oven and food on the TV. Enjoy the celebration, and thanks for stopping by!

Too Strange To Satirize

Amish terrorists.

'Sam Mullet is evil': Sect leader and six Amish 'beard cutters' charged with hate crimes after FBI raids compound

A beard cutting cult with a leader named "Mullet."

I got nothin'...

11/22

11/22/1963 is a date when the history of America was profoundly changed for the worse.

Battle Lines Being Drawn

(yeah, every blogger on the left has posted this picture)

I admit that I haven't participated in the Occupy protests nearly as frequently as I would have liked. 'Real Life' has a way of keeping so many of us busy, which is why I believe that the Occupy protests actually represent a much larger segment of the population than the physical number of participants. 98% of the 99% sympathize with the cause, but they're too busy dealing with being the living symptoms of the disease to actively confront the source of their suffering.
That could start changing real soon.
Taking a look at the bigger picture: the Occupy protests have gotten large enough that the 1%'ers are getting very nervous and striking back. A few examples: 18 cities coordinated police crack downs on Occupy protests, the police are busting heads, beating up pregnant women, old ladies, judges, legal observers (and see this), reporters, skinny students and military heroes. And they’re using military weapons on the American people (militarization of the police has been ongoing for decades). For example, police have been using military sound cannons on protesters. Indeed, police reportedly used a sound cannon to interrupt and disperse protesters peacefully singing the National Anthem.
And now, as further proof the 1%'ers are getting scared, they're deploying their favorite weapon: lobbyists!

A well-known Washington lobbying firm with links to the financial industry has proposed an $850,000 plan to take on Occupy Wall Street and politicians who might express sympathy for the protests, according to a memo obtained by the MSNBC program "Up w/ Chris Hayes."

The proposal was written on the letterhead of the lobbying firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford and addressed to one of CLGC's clients, the American Bankers Association.

CLGC's memo proposes that the ABA pay CLGC $850,000 to conduct "opposition research" on Occupy Wall Street in order to construct "negative narratives" about the protests and allied politicians....
Two of the memo's authors, partners Sam Geduldig and Jay Cranford, previously worked for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.../
nomoremister.blogspot.com/2011/11/gulling-zillionaire-rubes-i-cant-tell.html#links

Funny, I thought the corporate media was already doing their masters bidding. But I guess sometimes you have to elevate the propaganda even further. So remember: "protester" is another word for "dirty fucking hippie", and being poor is a sign that you're just lazy. Make sure that all the "real Americans" hate and fear the 'radicals', lest they join into some sort of rebellion.
Our current reality is a direct result of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision. Our democracy went up for sale to the highest bidder, and naturally, the richest were able to buy the most politicians to run the government for their benefit. Historically, free elections inoculated America against revolution, as we could 'throw the bums out' every couple of years. But the game is now thoroughly rigged: the rich own all the candidates, control the airwaves, and are well on their way to disenfranchising the most oppressed parts of the population.
I doubt this is going to end well...

Invading Australia

As I'm sure you've heard (sarcasm), America will soon be deploying Marines to Australia. OK, the deployment doesn't involve any fighting, but it is another example of how out of whack our priorities are:

President Obama and Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia announced plans on Wednesday for the first sustained American military presence in Australia, a relatively small deployment that is still a major symbol of American intentions to use regional alliances to counterbalance a rising China...

The first 200 to 250 Marines will arrive next year, with forces rotating in and out and eventually building to 2,500-strong, the two leaders said.
www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/world/asia/obama-and-gillard-expand-us-australia-military-ties.html?_r=2&hp

Let's see...Sec. of Def. Panetta recently screamed at the thought of any defense budget cuts possibly coming from the 'congressional super committee', but we have plenty of money to send Marines to Australia, as some sort of message to China. A very cunning plan...I guess.

Thought of the day

I wouldn't mind the fact that the news drives me to drink if it would at least pay the tab and drive me home afterwards.

The Latest Circus

Not that I really wanted to post anything about Ol' Hermie Cain, but...I mean, the guy ran a chain that made one of the worst fast food pizzas imaginable, and now he's running for president? New rule: if ya' can't make a decent pizza, ya' can't be president ( I am assuming Barack can pull it off).
Now Ol' Hermie's got himself a 'sex scandal', which is a guaranteed way to get yourself a lot of media attention. And on a few rare occasions, some actual consequences (ask John Edwards). The media know that old marketing axiom: sex sells. It sells much better than politics, no matter how simple you make your slogan.
Which is why we'll get lots and lots of air time on this "scandal", but the very real nationally damaging historic crimes committed by The Cheney never caught the media's interest. Ol' Hermie is just the latest act to be thrust on stage.

Powered By The People

It's such a simple idea: people can generate power. The Occupy movement grasps the concept. And when Mayor Bloombulbug took away the gas powered generators, bicycle generators fired up:

Having lost their gas-powered generators, the protestors at Occupy Wall Street are turning to a more eco-friendly alternative: pedal power.

Keegan Stephan, a bike mechanic and environmentalist at the Zuccotti Park site of the protest in New York, has been pedaling a stationary bronze Schwinn bicycle to provide energy for the protesters' encampment.

"People get really excited when they see these bikes," George Pingeon, a bike tour guide involved with the effort, told the New York Times.

How does the contraption work? The bike is connected to a flywheel, which in turn connects to a dynamo, the Times explains. That dynamo creates energy, which flows through a motor and a one-way diode to charge a black battery.

news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/power-people-occupy-wall-street-uses-bikes-generate-141853827.html

Generating electricity is really rather simple: spin the reverse of an electric motor, and electricity comes out. Spinning a generator by using a bicycle is not a new concept. But, hey, you've got a lot of people; let them make their own power.

Now all we need to do is translate this into the political process.

Suggested Reading

I highly recommend that you go read our old blog buddy Badtux's piece Occupy Wall Street in one picture. Sample:

60% of Americans own less than 5% of America. I.e., they're flat broke, lacking the fundamental capital to do anything at all to improve their economic position. Meanwhile, 5% of Americans own 59.4% of America. The top 5%, and especially the top 1%, have set up an anti-capitalist system where they are the rulers, and the bottom 60% are their serfs. This isn't capitalism. This is neo-feudalism.

...

This is not sustainable in a democracy. It isn't. OWS is just a canary in the coal mine here. The amount of pressure building down below is enormous and when it blows... nothing good will happen, guaranteed. Nothing good.

I can only agree, and wish that I could explain it so clearly.

Ending the Disaster

The absolute worst mistake in the history of American foreign policy is coming to an end as Obama has announced the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. I suppose this is a good thing, pursuant to the first rule of holes: when you're in one, stop digging. But nothing 'good' has or will come out of our horrible misadventure that was the invasion of Iraq. The price paid will be beyond measure, but here's a quick look at some of the costs:

8 years, 260 days since Secretary of State Colin Powell presented evidence of Saddam Hussein’s biological weapons program

8 years, 215 days since the March 20, 2003 invasion of Iraq

8 years, 175 days since President George W. Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” speech on the USS Abraham Lincoln

4,479 U.S. military fatalities

30,182 U.S. military injuries

468 contractor fatalities

103,142 – 112,708 documented civilian deaths

2.8 million internally displaced Iraqis

$806 billion in federal funding for the Iraq War through FY2011

$3 – $5 trillion in total economic cost to the United States of the Iraq war according to economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Linda J. Blimes

$60 billion in U.S. expenditures lost to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001

0 weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq

thinkprogress.org/security/2011/10/21/350368/iraq-by-the-numbers-the-worlds-costliest-cakewalk/

When the shrub/Cheney misadministration slunk into power they made clear their intention to invade Iraq as soon as they could conjure up a plausible pretext. 9/11 became that 'justification', despite the fact that there was absolutely zero connection. Let's face it: the American public was rather gullible at the time, and could easily be sold that a known dusky "boogyman" was a valid target for retribution. All that was required to substitute "Saddam" for "Osama" was a relentless front page marketing campaign, and the phrase "weapons of mass destruction" certainly sounds scary, especially when repeated often and loudly enough.

It was all a pack of lies.

The real legacy of the war in Iraq wont be told for years, and many of the realities may never be faced. America unilaterally invaded another country without justification or provocation, slaughtered civilians and committed atrocities that we will never be held truly accountable for. We wasted trillions of dollars on death and destruction, while our own country and citizens fell into poverty and decay. Shrub and 'the Cheney' truly are guilty of an astounding array of war crimes, but will never be tried in any court of law despite all the evidence against them.

In short: an incredible amount was lost and absolutely nothing was gained by going to war in Iraq. Forgive me if I don't feel much like celebrating its end.

Rangers? Bummer.

Once again, the Texas Rangers will represent the American League in the World Series. I hate the Rangers (almost as much as I hate the Yankees), and will never forgive them for one simple reason: they effectively are guilty of giving us shrub Bush. Shrub owned a minority share of the team (thanks to a sweetheart family deal) which he sold to finance his run for governor of Texas, which then led to his (Supreme Court aided) disastrous elevation to president. The country has yet to recover from his mis-administration, and the Rangers are partially to blame.
If you watched the games on TV, there was shrub at every Texas home game, yucking it up from his luxury box like the spoiled rich kid with a shiny toy that he is. And I'm sure we'll see him at every Texas home game during the series, when the only place I'd ever want to see his smirking mug is on trial at the Hague.
Last year it was very easy to root against the Rangers, as they were playing my beloved Giants. This year, they will be opposed by one of two teams (either the Cardinals or the Brewers) for whom I generally have rather neutral feelings. But I'm rooting for either one over the hated Rangers. Normally, I don't think of baseball as a political issue. But I'm willing to make an exception for shrub and the Rangers.

Some Thoughts on Occupy Minneapolis

Having spent the majority of yesterday at the Occupy Minneapolis protests, I'm going to share a few of my observations. The crowd, while not huge, was large enough to be notable. At the peak, I'd estimate around 800-1,000 people (I'm pretty good at estimating crowd sizes, having worked rock concerts for a lot of years), but only about 500 'real' participants, the rest being passersby who kind of 'stopped in'. Very diverse; the usual drum circle hippies that the media likes to focus on, a strong union turnout (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, United Steel Workers, Nursing and Teachers Unions all having a notable presence), lots of seniors, and a whole bunch of 'just plain working class folks', along with the LaRouche and Paulite fringe. Which is great, with the minor exception that there always seemed to be three different bullhorns shouting to different audiences at the same time. And the free food booths had vegan tabouli and the greasiest cheeseburgers I've ever seen, all available at the same time.
Quite a few witty signs. The one I carried read "We don't make bootstraps in America anymore", which may have been a little too subtle. I actually had a lady tell me "Your sign is wrong. Target sells American made bootstraps", and when I tried to explain that it was an 'analogy' she just looked confused. Sorry, no pics, as my camera failed to survive my last river trip before I moved up here.
It's true that, as the media pundits love to point out, there's no clear 'message' or 'agenda' coming out of the Occupy demonstrations, but I think that could be a strength rather than a weakness. What there clearly was is a general consensus that things are going very badly for most of us, that it is wrong and unfair, and that the country needs to seriously reevaluate the way that our economy works. That over riding feeling is likely far more important than any one single policy proposal, given that "one size fits all" doesn't work for all the "99%" present. And I don't believe that the majority wanted any one "answer" so much as they just want a fair chance. The vast majority of the crowd are the type of working people who could 'get by' in the past, but now can't find jobs or fear losing the jobs they have, are overwhelmed by costs from housing and medical care, and are generally afraid for their and their children's future. They're not looking for a revolution; rather, they just want to have a system that works.
So how meaningful is it? I'm really not certain. I do know that this was very different from any other protest I've ever participated in (and believe me, as an old liberal hippie, I've been part of many protests), and it looks to be growing. If I were a "1%er", I'd be worried.