Now That It's Official

(pic from Fearguth at Bildungblog)

I've posted a couple of rants about him before, but it's now official: J.D. 'the eggplant" Hayworth is mounting a primary challenge to St. Sleazy McCain:

J.D. Hayworth, a former Arizona congressman and radio host, is scheduled to formally announce Monday that's he's challenging Republican John McCain for his U.S. Senate seat.

Hayworth, who served for six terms in the House before losing his 2006 re-election bid, stepped down last month as host of his conservative talk radio program in Phoenix. While he says he respects McCain's service, he says McCain's been in Washington too long and isn't conservative enough.

"We all love and think the world of John and John's place in history is secure," the 51-year old Hayworth told CNN correspondent Casey Wian on Friday. "But John no longer represents the common sense conservative philosophy that most Arizonans share."

Hayworth's Web page bills him as "The Consistent Conservative," challenging McCain on health care reform, the national debt and illegal immigration. And a Hayworth press release from Friday mentions that McCain "voted for the massive bank bailout bill in 2008, which included $150 billion in earmarks."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/15/mccain-challenger-launches-bid-to-unseat-arizona-senator/?fbid=RSvrtqeJq-B

I refer to J.D. as "the eggplant" because he is, in my estimation, dumber than an eggplant (although I can't find any reliable IQ estimates for an actual eggplant, I'm fairly confident in my opinion). I had to suffer through having him as my congress critter up to the redistricting in 2000, and have met him. He was over-achieving in his previous career as a TV news sports reader, and was grossly incompetent while in congress.

Let me be clear here: I really, really dislike St. Sleazy McCain. But I fear that Hayworth would be much worse. I've heard the argument that a lack of seniority would minimize J.D.'s impact, but it's a risk to let him have any impact.

Here's a very simple example: On his radio show, "the eggplant" has advocated deporting "all Latinos, legal or illegal"...here in Arizona...which was originally part of Mexico. "Latinos should get deported, all of them , legal or not , any jose or maria should leave... The blacks are guilty , and are using the system , they dont work , they use tax money for a living... All muslims are terrorists" etc., etc., etc. (in short, he's beyond Lush Rimbaugh extreme).

Do we really prefer an idiotic racist blowhard, or a corrupt cranky senile war 'hero'? That is a hell of a bad set of choices. And, sadly, there's no sign of a democrat who has a realistic chance of defeating either one.

Presidents' Day

Today is a holiday for a lot of folks. But us oldsters can remember when there was more than one holiday to commemorate presidents. We had Lincoln's birthday and Washington's birthday as separate holidays. Back in 1971 (another thing I blame Nixon for), the federal government decided to combine them into one holiday to honor all presidents. In other words, to celebrate Benjamin Harrison and Calvin Coolidge (and even Nixon himself) to the same degree that we honor Washington and Lincoln.

You may consider this the grumblings of a grouchy old man, but not all presidents are equal. Damn few of them deserve to have their birthday celebrated. Most were mediocre, some were actually terrible, and a very few achieved greatness.

Example: How many of you recognize the president pictured above?

Added: there's a fun presidents' day quiz here; it's all modern presidents. I got all 10.

Cheaper Solar Cells

Another nice technology advancement, courtesy of IBM:

IBM researchers have recently published a paper in the journal Advanced Materials about a very promising breakthrough in solar technology. How is it different from existing solar technologies such as silicon-based solar cells, or CIGS thin film? The main thing is that it's made from earth abundant materials that can be found in large quantities relatively inexpensively (not quite dirt cheap, but cheaper than what we have now), making it easier to scale up and drive prices down.

The layer that absorbs sunlight to convert it into electricity is made with Copper (Cu), Tin (Sn), Zinc (Zn), Sulfur (S) and/or Selenium (Se). This is pretty abundant compared to the Copper (Cu), Indium (In), Gallium (Ga), and Selenium (Se) that GIGS thin film cells use.

The beauty is that it has a "conversion efficiency of 9.6 percent, which is 40 percent higher than previous attempts to create a solar cell made of similar materials." But this is just a start. More improvements to power conversion should be possible.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/02/ibm-new-solar-power-cells-earth-abundant.php

This could be a really good innovation. But I was also struck by the last line of the article:

Now how about working on cheaper and efficient ways to store large quantities of energy? That's the missing half of the puzzle that would make solar power more practical on the very large scale.

Dear IBM, can I introduce you to the article I cited in this post: pygalgia: A Major Battery Breakthrough?

British scientists say they have created a plastic that can store and release electricity, revolutionising the way we use phones, drive cars - and even wear clothes.
It means the cases of mobiles and iPods could soon double up as their power source -
leading to gadgets as thin as credit cards.

http://pygalgia.blogspot.com/2010/02/major-battery-breakthrough.html#links

Seems to me that in the spirit of Valentine's Day, perhaps an introduction should be facilitated.

Winter Olympics

Tonight is the opening of the Winter Olympics. If you're like me, and I know I am, you're excited for Curling, which starts Tuesday.

What, you think I'm kidding?

I'm not. I love curling. It is the most delightfully ridiculous sport around. Shuffleboard on ice, with brooms. Tension, drama, and a pace that only Baseball can rival. A beer drinkers ideal sport.

And I know I'm not alone. A number of my friends will be joining me at the local pub to drink beer and cheer on the curlers. We even talked about setting up our own 'sheet' (yes, that's what the course is called) in the alley behind the pub, if we can find someone to loan us a Zamboni. And some brooms.

Not News, But...

I know this isn't news to most of my readers, but the corporate television "news" is overrun with corporate shills who are portrayed as "expert analysts" by the corporate media. There's a Great article in The Nation by Sebastion Jones about this:

Tom Ridge, was on MSNBC's Hardball With Chris Matthews, offering up his own recovery plan. There were "modest things" the White House might try, like cutting taxes or opening up credit for small businesses, but the real answer was for the president to "take his green agenda and blow it out of the box." The first step, Ridge explained, was to "create nuclear power plants."

As Ridge counseled the administration to "put that package together," he sure seemed like an objective commentator. But what viewers weren't told was that since 2005, Ridge has pocketed $530,659 in executive compensation for serving on the board of Exelon, the nation's largest nuclear power company. As of March 2009, he also held an estimated $248,299 in Exelon stock, according to SEC filings.

Moments earlier, retired general and "NBC Military Analyst" Barry McCaffrey told viewers that the war in Afghanistan would require an additional "three- to ten-year effort" and "a lot of money." Unmentioned was the fact that DynCorp paid McCaffrey $182,309 in 2009 alone. The government had just granted DynCorp a five-year deal worth an estimated $5.9 billion to aid American forces in Afghanistan. The first year is locked in at $644 million, but the additional four options are subject to renewal, contingent on military needs and political realities.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100301/jones

(there's a whole lot more examples in the article; well worth reading. But you get the general idea.)

This is how public opinion gets manipulated to the point where a large percentage of the populace will believe something that is flat out false. Remember the run up to the Iraq war? Remember talking to friends or family who absolutely believed the assorted lies about the need for war? I certainly do.

And the manipulation is only going to get worse thanks to the SCOTUS Citizens United decision. Beyond having paid "experts" lobbying as "news" on issues, they will expand directly into lobbying for candidates. Because the disclosure rules are so weak, most of the public will not be savvy or motivated enough to discover who is manipulating them. And more and more lies will become publicly accepted as "facts".

A Fine Boobie

For Friday.

Guess Who's Turning 46 Today?

Today is the 46th birthday (b. 2/11/64) of America's most famous moose hunting, palm reading, ex-governor, the one still writing crib notes on her hand like a junior high student. So the next time someone asks you "could she really be president?", you can answer "yes. She's over 35."

Feel free to add your thoughts.

Musical Chairs

I don't think I've ever seen a political move quite like this one: Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R FL-21) is retiring, and his brother, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R FL-25) will move in to run for his seat. Apparently FL-21 is more staunchly "R" than FL-25; hence the move. Both Diaz-Balart brothers are very popular with Miami's Cuban-American community, and Mario is a likely 'shoe-in' to win the district. The folks in FL-21 don't have to learn a new name, at least. But I don't recall another time when a retirement in one district created an opening in a different district.
More here: http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/6384/fl21-fl25-lincoln-diazbalart-will-retire-switcheroo-in-the-works

Damn Big Crab

'Crabzilla': The biggest crab ever seen in Britain... and it's still growing

(found at The Political Carnival)

Would make for one heck of an "all-u-can-eat crab legs" buffet.

Things I Enjoy

If someone told me 40 years ago that this would happen, I would have enquired as to the quality of their stash. But really: Bob Dylan last night performing The Times They Are A-Changin' last night at the White House.
I hope you like it, too.

Stopping Subversives in South Carolina

Brilliant! South Carolina now requires "subversives" to register, fill out a form, and pay a $5 fee:

Planning to overthrow the US government? If yes, and you live in South Carolina, you must pay a five-dollar subversive registration fee. (Via The Agitator)

http://rawstory.com/2010/02/south-carolinas-subversive-activities-registration-act-force/

I wonder what happens if you try to overthrow the government without a permit?

Added: From Sweaterman, in the comments:

As I mentioned yesterday, there's suitable irony in the fact that South Carolina is the state pursuing this.

Seems to me that I remember South Carolina, ummm, I don't know, seceded from the Union and began the U.S. Civil War at Fort Sumter?! Isn't that sorta, kinda in the same league as trying to overthrow the government?

38 Days Until Spring

But only 19 days until the start of baseball spring training, thank your chosen deity. We're getting a little more snow today, and I am personally quite sick of it. I wish there were a practical way to ship some of my excess snow to Vancouver, B.C., as they need it for the Winter Olympics. As, I'm sure, the east coast would be happy to do. Back east, they're getting so much snow that the TV weather people are running out of cliches.
I really wish February were even shorter.

Complaining About Younger People

I'm kind of repeating myself,but every time I want to complain about the choices Obama makes, I remember that he's young...well, younger than I am. I found a certain discomfort when he entered office with the concept that the "President" is younger than I am; I know how immature I am. I want my "President" to be smarter and wiser than I am (and I have a pretty big ego).

I don't want to sound like my father, but I remember his main complaint about Bill Clinton was, that for the first time in his life, the "President" was younger than he was. Now I know what Dad was feeling.

And I have a theory: part of Barack's problem with the Senate is that the majority of the members are older than he is. And have more seniority. Senators have large egos, and most of them think they should be "President" someday. Obama was a "newbie" and a "kid", so he has very little "cred" with the "good ol' boys" who might have crossed party lines otherwise. So far, age and treachery have beaten youth and speed.

Congratulations, President Chinchilla!

(pic from Phydeaux Speaks, who's actually there, warm and happy)

That would be Laura Chinchilla, elected as Costa Rica's first female President on Sunday.
I'm guessing that there are a number of diplomats at the state department working on being able to say "President Chinchilla" with a straight face.
(I meant to post this yesterday, but I got...umm...distracted.)

Repealing DADT

It really seems obvious to me that it's a bad policy, and needs to be repealed, so here's one of the most cogent arguments that I've read. Not to be frivolous, but I did love this comment:

It is my long- and deeply-held belief not only that baseball is more important than religion, but also that it is an abomination to support the Red Sox. I am not alone, either. In fact I think that is the majority view in the armed forces.

And yet, I still am required to serve with those openly supporting the Red Sox. I have to write their FitReps with a completely blind eye to what I see as a glaring lack of judgment and morals. I am forced to share living quarters and shower facilities with them, even though I find “Red Sox Nation” tattoos to be patently offensive. I don’t want the government to tell my children it’s OK to be a Red Sox fan.

This is a real morale and unit cohesion issue. My beliefs are constantly being steamrolled and ignored to accommodate a slim minority of service members. But I still show the tolerance that I am required to by law.

http://lefarkins.blogspot.com/

I'd substitute the Dodgers for the Red Sox, but the point is that discrimination based on "beliefs" is flat out wrong. We all have to share parts of our world with people who have different beliefs, and most of us deal with it without resorting to hatred. Heck, some (well, one) of my best friends is a Dodgers fan.
(BTW, the comment is from a MilBlog on the debate; there's a lot of arguments based on religion in the debate, which is why I so enjoyed the Baseball analogy)

Observing the National Ritual

Ah, the Super Bowl. The great national ritual. An unofficial national holiday.
As an American, I will, of course, participate. I enjoy watching football, and my favorite pub is having a large party with an even larger buffet. And beer. Must include beer.
The bets are in, the pools are picked. I'm rooting for the Saints, as my beloved 49ers aren't anywhere near the game. I figure New Orleans might (just maybe) throw a better party than Indianapolis, so I'm on that bandwagon.
Super Bowl XLIV...I've always wondered why they're counted in 'Roman' numerals...the Romans never won the Super Bowl. They never even played in one.
Besides, we all need a break from politics sometimes.

Mind-Numbingly Stupid

Sometimes, I do things that I really shouldn't do.
Like watching last night's Palin speech. I'm sure that exposing myself to such mind numbing stupidity cost me some brain cells. But I couldn't resist the temptation.
My immediate reaction (posted below) was "meaner than Nixon and dumber than Quayle", which would be a historically bad combination.
The "Tea Party" crowd loved the empty platitudes. Attacking 'liberals' in general and Obama in particular, Palin got standing ovations. It's a tactic that will work for her. Her rhetoric stuck with the safe generalizations, and avoided any specifics, like "tax cuts" and "spending cuts" and the obligatory "war on terror" tough talk. "Common sense" jingoism about love of "god" and "country", and such, delivered with a wink and a folksy accent aimed at "real" Americans, don'tcha know.
And it worked for her. The anti-intellectual tone played perfectly to her dumbed down audience.
What scares me is that she is actually politically viable. Never underestimate the amount of mass stupidity in the electorate. There's a chunk of the public that dislikes, even resents, Obama's "intellectualism". You know, the "elitism" of seeming smarter than they are.
Myself, I prefer a president who's smarter than I am (as opposed to the last one, who was dumber than I am), even when I disagree with that president. Given the complexity of the world, I appreciate a certain amount of subtlety and nuance. That's not what appeals to the "Palin people"; they want "simple" answers. They really prefer stupid.
What's truly scary is that, after watching last night's speech, I think she might win.

Added: and the crib notes on her left hand...that's so presidential.

Campaign '12 Begun

Meaner than Nixon and dumber than Quayle.

(I can't believe I watched that. I did it so you don't have to.)

A Major Battery Breakthrough?

This may be one of the most interesting technology pieces I've read recently: plastic sheeting that stores electricity like a battery:

The battery, which has powered our lives for generations, may soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.

British scientists say they have created a plastic that can store and release electricity, revolutionising the way we use phones, drive cars - and even wear clothes.

It means the cases of mobiles and iPods could soon double up as their power source - leading to gadgets as thin as credit cards.

The technology could also lead to flexible computer screens that can be folded up and carried around like a piece of paper.

And it could even be used to create 'electric clothes' that charge up as a person moves around and which slowly release heat when the weather gets cold.

Dr Emile Greenhalgh, from Imperial College London's Department of Aeronautics, said the material is not really a battery, but a supercapacitor - similar to those found in typical electrical circuits.

His team's prototype - which is around five inches square and wafer-thin - takes five seconds to charge from a normal power supply and can light an LED for 20 minutes.

Dr Greenhalgh, who is working with car company Volvo on a three-year, £3million project to use the material in hybrid petrol-electric cars, said: 'We think the car of the future could be drawing power from its roof or even the door, thanks to our material.

'The applications for this material don't stop there - you might have a mobile that is as thin as a credit card because it no longer needs a bulky battery, or a laptop that can draw energy from its casing so it can run for longer.'

The material charges and discharges electricity quicker than a conventional battery, and does not use chemical processes - giving it a longer lifespan, he added.

The scientists plan to use it to replace the metal floor of a Volvo car's boot which holds the spare wheel.

This would mean Volvo could shrink the size of its hybrid battery - and cut down the weight of the car, making it more efficient.

Dr Greenhalgh said: 'No one has created a material like this - within ten years it could replace batteries.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1248829/The-end-battery-British-invent-material-looks-like-plastic-store-electricity.html?ITO=1490

Right off the bat, this would overcome one of the biggest challenges to electric cars: the weight of the batteries. And there's a multitude of other potential applications as well.

Keep an eye on this; it could be huge.

Feb. 6

If Ronald Reagan were still alive, today would be his 99th birthday. He's not alive, but, unfortunately, his mythological legacy still is.
And Babe Ruth would be 115.

Tea Party Racism

I really would have preferred to ignore the whole "tea party" convention, but my youngest sister (who's an extreme christianist wingnut) keeps emailing me all their propaganda crap. I know she doesn't read this blog (she thinks I'm a communist), but it has motivated me to comment on how insane these people are. Take Tom Tancredo (please):

One of the featured speakers during the convention’s kickoff was former Republican congressman Tom Tancredo.

Tancredo told the audience that the country had elected “a committed socialist ideologue in the White House” because “we do not have a civics, literary test before people can vote in this country“:

The opening-night speaker at first ever National Tea Party Convention ripped into President Obama, Sen. John McCain and “the cult of multiculturalism,” asserting that Obama was elected because “we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country.”

The speaker, former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told about 600 delegates in a Nashville, Tenn., ballroom that in the 2008 election, America “put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House … Barack Hussein Obama.”

Given that the convention is being held in Nashville, Tennessee, Tancredo’s remarks are particularly offensive. For years, literacy tests were used across the South to disenfranchise African-American voters, who generally had illiteracy rates 4-5 times as high as whites due to historical discrimination and lack of opportunity. Unfortunately for Tancredo, the 1965 Voting Rights Act makes literacy tests illegal.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/02/05/tancredo-obama-literacy/

That's flat out thinly coded racism, folks. Blame the 'colored folk' for the election of that 'colored fella'.
And those fine patriotic christian tea partiers are incompetent when it comes to rituals:

The convention’s first day lacked the orchestrated staging of most modern political events. The convention host delivered a meandering welcome speech without notes, saying he misplaced them. Former congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) offered a fiery defense of Judeo-Christian faith and traditional American values, but there was no prayer or Pledge of Allegiance to open the convention — nor was there an American flag in the convention hall.(Skoda blamed the oversight on the hotel staff.)

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/02/05/tea-party-prayer-pledge/

No prayer? No pledge? No flag? Sounds like a bunch of damn commies to me. Racist commies...and idiots.

Keeping Appointments

By now, you've all read that Sen. Richard Shelby (R) of Alabama has taken the perhaps unprecedented step of placing holds on ALL of President Obama's nominees until he gets the money for a couple of big earmarked pork barrel projects he feels entitled to back in his home state. More blatant rethug obstructionism, but this time it's flat out extortion; "give me my earmarks, or I'll prevent you from governing". And it looks like Shelby can get away with this without consequences, as there's no democrat (as yet) running against him in November.

Which makes the prospect of recess appointments increasingly likely. Certainly, the shrub administration made numerous recess appointments of unqualified hacks and cronies. It's a politically odious maneuver, however, and not one that would be popular for Obama. The right wing noise machine (for whom hypocrisy is a virtue) would probably be calling for impeachment. But I'm not seeing any other option.

By now it's obvious that the media isn't going to hold Sen. Shelby accountable for such shameless manipulation, and I really doubt that it would resonate much with the voting public. It's 'too complex' and smacks of 'politics as usual' for our "serious pundits" to focus on. But it is important; attempting to destroy the government for political gain should be considered a crime against the American people. The country needs appointees doing their jobs, not gamesmanship. It's one thing for a Senator to hold up a nominee on a question of qualifications, quite another to put a blanket hold on all nominees.

And there's another major reason why appointments matter: ABC News is reporting that the White House is preparing to handle not one, but two possible retirements from the Supreme Court over the next few months. If Obama cannot get bureaucratic nominees confirmed, how much luck will he have with vastly more important Supreme Court nominees?

Maybe we should just hand the government back to the rethuglicans now, and sit back and watch the country collapse into ruins. I'm sure the benevolent corporations will keep some of us alive as indentured servants, or for entertainment as contestants on American Idol.

More Boobies

It's Friday, so we need more Boobies.

Barking at Beetles

The Ips bark beetle, shown here in a Petri dish, is barely a quarter-of-an-inch long, but this tiny killer can destroy millions of acres of trees when attacking by the thousands

The pine forests of this region have been severely threatened by bark beetles for years. Now the NAU school of forestry has a new way to combat them:

A phenomenon being dubbed Beetlemania is playing out in northern Arizona.

As can be expected, it involves rock music. But instead of screaming fans, there are cheering scientists who have found a way to drive bark beetles crazy with sound.

In a Northern Arizona University School of Forestry lab, researchers are listening to the sound of western forests under attack: the scratching, scraping, crunching of the Ips bark beetle and its cousins chewing the life out of ponderosa, pinyon and lodgepole pines.

Armed with sonic bullets, they are firing back with Rush Limbaugh, Queen, Guns N' Roses and manipulated sounds of the bugs themselves.

http://www.azdailysun.com/news/local/article_e4870127-95b0-5298-8994-597b80c9262a.html

That's right! They're using Lush Rimbaugh as a weapon!
Kinda scary, actually...

"I thought, 'What would be the nastiest, most offensive sound?' To me, that would be Rush Limbaugh or heavy metal," McGuire said.

They blasted the beetles with Rush Limbaugh commentary played backwards.

Lush played backwards...is that even legal?

A Couple More Blogroll Additions

OK, it's a day late (I had something like a real life for parts of yesterday), but here are a couple more additions:
Frieddogleg
and
Hemmingford Dog Blog (Sweaterman should enjoy this one).

Go say "hi!"

And while "blogroll amnesty day" may be over, I'm always open to welcoming others to my 'roll.

Iranian Space Turtles

I'm sure that someone in the neocon crowd (Daniel Pipes?) will see this as an excuse for another war, but the Iranian's have a "space turtle" program:

PARIS — In what seemed designed as a display of technological advance, Iran said on Wednesday that it had fired a rocket into space carrying living organisms — a rat, two turtles and worms, according to the state-run Press TV.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/world/middleeast/04iran.html?hp

Along with a rat and worms! My immediate reaction was "has anybody told PETA about this?"
Because the thought of a smackdown between PETA and Ahmadinjad is something I'd find quite entertaining.

Flooding the Big Ditch

As a sometimes canyon boatman, I'm quite interested in the result of the 2008 flooding experiment. Well, the results are in, and they're a mix of positive and negative:

The experimental flood of March 2008 in the Grand Canyon has yielded two main findings: The high water worked well in building sandbars as hoped, but they weren't lasting.

The flood released twice as much water as normal down the Colorado River for 60 hours that spring, and it created large stockpiles of sand that had accumulated in a few major tributaries.

Researchers with a branch of the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff say the flood was successful in expanding the sandbars used by river runners for camping, which also form backwaters that possibly help young and endangered fish survive.

It's something of a hot issue because these beaches have been shrinking in recent years, and vegetation has been spreading over much of what remains, making camping less available.

"By October 2008, six months after the high-flow experiment, the new sandbars had been largely eroded by typical fluctuating-flow dam operations," researchers wrote in a brief paper.

Releases from the dam are increased and decreased, within limits, to meet hydropower demands from customers in six states.

The bigger question is whether the Colorado River system through the Grand Canyon can be kept static or gain sand instead of continuing to lose its beaches and sandbars.

"It may not be possible to rebuild and maintain sandbars over the long run solely through the manipulation of Glen Canyon Dam operations," the researchers posit in a fact sheet on the subject.

That's because about 90 percent of all sand that once flowed through the Canyon now winds up behind Glen Canyon Dam, said Ted Melis, deputy chief of the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center at USGS.

http://www.azdailysun.com/news/local/article_626badf4-90c4-5ce4-89b3-ced3065e6ad7.html

Similar to the results of the flooding of 1996 and 2004, the benefits are only temporary. Which points to the need to repeat the floodings in order to maintain a healthy ecosystem in the Grand Canyon.

And I'm hoping to get my raft there this spring for a personal inspection.

Amnesty in Action

To kick off "blogroll amnesty day", I've made some additions. While it's not strictly in keeping with Skippy's goal of linking to smaller blogs (hey, we're pretty small ourselves), they're all blogs I find well worth reading. So, go say "hello" to:

Anosognosia

Bildungblog

Cheyanne's Campsite

GINANDTACOS

Just An Earth-Bound Misfit

Salmon Alley

Slobber And Spittle

TwoTonGreenBlog

unrepentant old hippie

Zandar Versus The Stupid

And if you have a blog that you'd like me to include, either leave a link in the comment or email me. Link to me, and I'll link to you (caveat: except strictly commercial spam blogs. I don't play that game), it's really that simple.

Added: and please feel free to visit the rest of the fine folks on the 'roll. Mustn't forget all the old friends.

I haven't posted in awhile folks. I would, but I am continually harrassed by a belligerent, co-dependent dinosaur. It really sucks. You have no idea.
Really, a creature belonging to the early jurassic era or something gamboled into my life by way of a time vortex disguised as a dumpster. Taking out the trash would never be the same again.
"What kind of dinosaur is it?" you might ask. Well, this is difficult to answer, but let us start out with a physical summation- oh but I should point out that I named this creature Noam (longtime pygalgia readers know all this so yooz skip the next few paragraphs) and I know it is female not only for its timeless indefatigueable plain ornery bitchiness when being ignored but for its propensity to moan, when I scratch her scaly belly, like something from under the skirts of Aphrodite herself.
Noam is about the size of a dorm fridge when relaxed. Bigger than a Yugo when flustered. I have seen my dear dinosaur Noam truly pissed, a few times, I'm sorry to say, and in this state she grows so prodigious that she would dwarf the commercial dumpster where we first met.
Scales, of course. Zillions of them, each shaped like a guitar-player's plectrum, ranging in color to platinum, jade, carnelian, lapis, dun, according to mood. Quadrepedal when chasing ice-cream trucks (Noam''s favorite diversion) But whenever I play Gordon Lightfoot songs she dances about on her hind legs and tries(miserably) to sing along. So obviously this dinosuar is not a dumbass. She moves like a cat that thinks it's a crocodile and wants to know what you have been reading lately.
Once Noam actually caught up with an ice-cream truck. This naughty dinosaur devoured everything from the sugar cones to the ball bearings. She ate the poor fellow trying to sell ice-cream that day. He didn't deserve that.
Noam was morose and remorseful that day, puking bits of ice-cream-truck-tires, human femurs, strawberry ice cream and the like. (Apparently certain modern ice cream trucks exude a scent appropriating some jurassic pheremone Noam loses all composure for)
"Noam! That was pretty fucked up- eating that ice-cream--truck! BAD DINOSAUR!"
Noam replies, swinging her giant rippling peladon neck, "WHHAGGGHHHHHHH."

So I always try getting rid of Noam but she always somehow shows up again. Hey, did I mention that my pet dinosaur's favorite food is books?
A very expressive and indolently charming creature (such eyes!) Noam is currently out back perched upon a snowbank munching through a stack of National Geographics I brought her. When Noam The Dinosaur comes across an issue involving saurians of her age, the entire house, and maybe town, rock with her paens of anguish "WHHAGGGHHHHHHH!"
Poor thing.

B.A.D.

Tomorrow, feb. 3 is traditionally blogroll amnesty day here in blogtopia, (and yes, skippy coined that phrase!) and I was overdue to review the blogroll anyway. So here's an open invitation: you link to me, I link to you (unless you're a strictly commercial spam blog); it's that simple. either leave a link in the comments or email me. I'd be happy to share my 40 or so readers with you.

Blog-O-Versary

Three years ago today, I started this humble little blog. I'd been reading, and commenting on, other blogs for several years prior, and I decided that I wanted one of my own. Nothing major, but a small soapbox where I could espouse my opinions, and share assorted things that amused or interested me. And Boobies. The internet needed more Boobies.
Three years, and 1,575 posts, aren't all that much, but according to "sitemeter" they've led to almost 35,000 "views", which is a lot more than I ever would have expected.

One of the major motivating factors was politics. The gross criminality of the shrub administration kept me in perpetual outrage, and I needed to vent sometimes. Not that I expected my little screeds to have any real impact. Let's face it; nobody in power cares what small, liberal blogs have to say. But, like screaming "theater" at a crowded fire, it feels good to have your viewpoint validated by its mere existence in the ether.

While the shrub administration is gone (thank chosen deity), the reasons for complaining and ranting are not. We still have a dysfunctional government that is failing its citizens, and there's plenty of causes for outrage to feed the blogging fever. So I have every intention of continuing the expression my 'very important' opinions here. And I'm sure that they'll continue to make not a damned bit of difference. Which is probably as it should be.

More importantly, I really want to thank you, my readers, for stopping by to read and sometimes comment on my little piece of the intertubes. Thanks to my co-bloggers (who I really do wish would post more), and to all the wonderful blogs who link to here. If I could, I'd love to have a beer with all of you! Consider this a virtual toast of thanks to you all!

Varmint Weather

The annual ritual harassment of Punxsutawney Phil reveals that Winter will, again, last until Spring. This is, apparently, news.

Our culture has some strange customs.

Timing

Happened to be watching the TV news, something I don't do very often. A long story on the Toyota recall, followed by a commercial by the local Toyota dealership's "huge inventory blowout sale."
Timing is everything.

Local Pic

The local college newspaper caught this one; two girls kissing in front of a street preacher. The irony amused me.

But it Would Have Made Such Great Comedy

I realize that there are more important things in politics than my amusement, but I was slightly saddened to read this: "Steele Rules Out 2012 White House Run". The thought of a Michael Steele presidential campaign was enough to make me laugh, as long as he was no where near winning (that would be scary, not funny). Oh well, I'm sure he'll continue to provide humor even if he's not a candidate.

A Correction

Earlier this week, I put up a post on the news that it would soon be legal to import haggis. NPR is now reporting that the news report was in error, and that (thank goodness) it's still illegal to import haggis.
So I am happy to retract my prior post. I may be a very small, humble blogger, but I do have my ethical standards, damn it!
(I do still reserve the right to be wildly off-base in my opinions, however.)

An Evil Birthday

Today is the birthday of Dick "the dick" Cheney, perhaps the most evil person to ever hold a position of power in American government. From the Nixon era up to his latest bloviating on FAUX, he's truly been the embodiment of "the worst person in the world".
So, what should we give him for his birthday? I'd like to give him an indictment for war crimes. And it might even happen:

International arrest warrants have been requested for George W. Bush, Richard (Dick) Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Condoleeza Rice and Alberto Gonzales at the International Criminal Court, The Hague, Netherlands.

Professor of Law Francis A. Boyle of the University of Illinois College of Law in Champain, United States of America, has issued a Complaint with the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court against the above-mentioned for their practice of “extraordinary rendition” (forced disappearance of persons and subsequent torture) in Iraq and for criminal policy which constitutes Crimes against Humanity in violation of the Rome Statute which set up the ICC.

As such, the Accused (mentioned above) are deemed responsible for the commission of crimes within the territories of many States signatories of the Rome Statute, in violation of Rome Statute Articles 5 (1)(b), 7 (1)(a), 7 (1)(e), 7 (1)(g), 7(1)(h), 7(1)8i) and 7(1)(k). Despite the fact that the USA is not a signatory State, the ICC has the jurisdiction to prosecute under Article 12 (2)(a) of the Rome Statute.

This Article stipulates that the Court may exercise its jurisdiction if one or more States in which the conduct in question occurred has accepted the jurisdiction of the Court. Furthermore, the forced disappearance of persons and torture in deemed by the Rome Statute as a Crime against Humanity, one which is still ongoing.

http://english.pravda.ru/world/americas/25-01-2010/111844-war_criminals_bush-0

(h/t to Fixer at the alternate brain for the link)

OK, I doubt that much will actually come of this, but it's nice to see someone trying to hold "the dick" accountable. Wouldn't it be nice to see his snarling visage doing the Milosivic at the Hague?

So, what would you give Mr. Cheney for his birthday?

Slightly Odd Conversations

Yesterday, I'm having a "happy hour" beer at my favorite pub, with my usual friends; nothing unusual about that. One of my dearest lady friends was talking about what was going on in her life (she likes to share, often at a 'TMI' level), and was telling us about her upcoming date with a man who she met through an online dating service. A service that, as she proudly told us, caters to people like her who are "polyamorous." Zymurgian (who never seems to post here anymore) was unfamiliar with the term, so the woman, Sweaterman, and myself gave a lengthy explanation of what "polyamorous" meant and that there really is a community of people who consider themselves such. The look on the bartenders face as he overheard the conversation was just about priceless; a group of middle aged folks discussing the merits of a polyamorous lifestyle was probably too much for his twenty-something mind to grasp. Not that it applied to the rest of us: Sweaterman is fairly newly wed, my sexual lifestyle is better described as "mostly celibate", and I have no idea what Zymurgian is in to (although I'm sure it involves beer). But it was a more interesting than our usual political conversations.

Most Voters are "Un-Informed"

This doesn't come as a surprise, but if you read political blogs, you're far more informed than the typical person. This Pew research study shows that the majority of voters don't really know much about the actual operation of the government:

The public has consistently expressed strong interest in the health care debate, but relatively few Americans can correctly answer two key questions related to the Senate's consideration of health care legislation.

In the latest installment of the Pew Research Center's News IQ Quiz, just 32% know that the Senate passed its version of the legislation without a single Republican vote. And, in what proved to be the most difficult question on the quiz, only about a quarter (26%) knows that it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate and force a vote on a bill.

It's well worth reading the whole thing, but I want to focus on how this relates to the Supreme Court's decision allowing corporations to buy and run political ads, and why our elections are about to get worse.
I'll try to be polite. I don't want to say that most voters are "stupid", so I'll say that they're "low-information" and not inclined to learn a lot about politics or government. They tend to know what they've seen and heard on TV. And American mega-corporations are masters of television manipulation. Just look at the shlock they're already selling us. The corporations don't have to lie to manipulate people's opinions, only engage in some slick marketing. Even if they did lie, it's doubtful that anyone would be able to effectively counter it. So all the corporations will need to do is to sell the public their chosen candidates, and let those elected legislate to their benefit. And the public will not notice...
because the public is "un-informed."

The State of the Boobie

I would say that the State of the Boobie is "firm", but I'm open to hearing your assessment.

Corporation for Congress

The Supreme Court decision to allow corporate money to flood into elections will allow them to buy congress members more directly than they currently do. Now, in Maryland, a corporation has decided to cut out the middle man:

The progressive PR firm Murray Hill Inc. has announced that it plans to satirically run for Congress in the Republican primary in Maryland’s 8th congressional district to protest the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision. A press release on its website says that the company wants to “eliminate the middle man” and run for Congress directly, rather than influencing it with corporate dollars:

“Until now,” Murray Hill Inc. said in a statement, “corporate interests had to rely on campaign contributions and influence peddling to achieve their goals in Washington. But thanks to an enlightened Supreme Court, now we can eliminate the middle-man and run for office ourselves.”

“The strength of America,” Murray Hill Inc. says, “is in the boardrooms, country clubs and Lear jets of America’s great corporations. We’re saying to Wal-Mart, AIG and Pfizer, if not you, who? If not now, when?” [...]

Campaign Manager William Klein promises an aggressive, historic campaign that “puts people second” or even third. “The business of America is business, as we all know,” Klein says. “But now, it’s the business of democracy too.” Klein plans to use automated robo-calls, “Astroturf” lobbying and computer-generated avatars to get out the vote.

Murray Hill Inc. plans on spending “top dollar” to protect its investment. “It’s our democracy,” Murray Hill Inc. says, “We bought it, we paid for it, and we’re going to keep it.”

Murray Hill Inc. released its first campaign video Monday. A narrator in the video explains, “The way we see it, corporate America has been the driving force behind Congress for years. But now it’s time we got behind the wheel ourselves.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/28/corporation-election/

Murray Hill inc. for congress! Honest govrnment at a reasonable price!

Book Piracy

This one's for Sweaterman:
Offline Book "Lending" Costs U.S. Publishers Nearly $1 Trillion
Yes, the publishing industry is being robbed, robbed I tell you!

Boston, where a mass meeting of alleged book traffickers is to take place. Over 10,000 are expected at the "ALA Midwinter" event. Even at the Amtrak station in New York City this morning, at the very the heart of the US publishing industry, book trafficking culture was evident, with many travelers brazenly displaying the totebags used to transport printed contraband.

As soon as I got off the train, I was surrounded by even more of this crowd. Calling themselves "Librarians", they talk about promoting literacy, education, culture and economic development, which are, of course, code words for the use and dispersal of intellectual property. They readily admit to their activities, and rationalize them because they're perfectly legal in the US, at least for now.

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/01/27/book-sharing-bankrup.html

Trafficking in literary property without paying royalties to publishers, in broad daylight. Pure socialism in action, Sweaterman.

SOTU Reaction

If you blog about politics, you're legally, contractually obligated to react to the annual "State of the Union" speech, so here's mine:
"Meh."

OK, maybe I'll elaborate a little further:
"The State of the Union: still fucked."

A perfectly mediocre speech that won't change the political equation. Talking points made, constituencies pandered to, sweeping rhetoric expressed, as was expected.

And Tweety Matthews is weird.

More Snow

It's getting kinda old.
So here's a Very funny. blog post explaining blog posts.

SOTU Survival Kit

Damn! I had hoped that I would no longer need the "State of the Union Survival Kit" after the shrub administration was gone. But I'm now going through the checklist, just to make sure that I'm properly prepared:

* Strong Beer: check.
* Whiskey: check (for when beer isn't enough).
* Pain Killers: check.
* Tranquilizers: check.
* Anti-Depressants: check (although they've never worked in the past).
* Snacks: check (but it's hard to eat them while screaming).

The sad fact is that I'm a political junkie; I know that watching the SOTU is bad for me, but I can't stop myself. I'll watch it, even though I know it will only leave me angry and depressed. Being a liberal is a form of political masochism, sometimes.

Kids Today

Aw, come on: who among us hadn't tried to wiretap a senator's office as a youthful indiscretion like This?

Lowering Already Low Expectations

It's hard to disappoint someone who's as politically cynical as I am. I had fairly low expectations for Obama, really. "Hope" that he'd be reasonably competent and "change" from the horrible disaster of shrub/cheney. Not a whole lot more. But I did kinda expect him to be more politically savvy. He showed a gift for rhetoric during the campaign, and an ability to make a 'sales pitch' that was just short of Billy Mayes.
So I'm scratching my head at his latest move, a "spending freeze" that appears completely pointless. It's not a real freeze, or even a good idea, and it certainly isn't going to sell to the "deficit hawks". It's certainly unpopular with "the left" (whoever the hell we/they are), and won't rally any support toward the November elections. The only folks who might react positively are beltway pundits like Broder, and I doubt that even they'll like it.
Seems like a totally wasted effort that won't gain Obama any political capital. I never expected all that much from Obama, but I do wish he'd be a little shrewder about how he uses his gift for oratory toward a somewhat meaningful agenda.
Barack, buddy, you're really not doing very well when you manage to disappoint someone as cynical as I am.

Yet Another Really Bad Idea

We're truly screwed: US to lift 21-year ban on haggis. Spreading a known bio-hazard amongst the populace is never a good idea.
Next thing you know, they'll legalize bagpipes.
(My ancestry is 3/4 Scottish, so I know how dangerous these things are)

Celebrate!

75 years of canned beers:

Be sure to crack open a cold one on Jan. 24, the day canned beer celebrates its 75th birthday.

New Jersey's Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company churned out the world's first beer can in 1935, stocking select shelves in Richmond, Va., as a market test. The experiment took off and American drinkers haven't looked back since, nowadays choosing cans over bottles for the majority of the 22 gallons of beer they each drink per year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100123/sc_livescience/cannedbeerturns75

While most American canned beers are tasteless yellow fizzwater (or worse), more and more craft beers are now available in cans (which is a great boon to us river runners). A few of my favorites include Ska Brewery's "Modus Hoperandi", Oskar Blue's "Gordon", and the local Mogollon "Wapiti Amber". Life is too short to drink cheap beer.

Where's Doc When We Need Him?

As I've been reading an assortment of opinions on the latest SCOTUS outrage, I find myself wishing to hear the missing voice of Hunter S. Thompson. Doc was the absolute master of writing the angered observance of political criminals in action, his pen was a rapier thrust into the heart of an issue. Sadly, the disaster of the shrub administration saw the last of Thompson's evisceration:

The cure for White House Disease is not so simple. It is like a combination of Blueballs & malaria, an interminable Fever that is always Incurable & often Fatal. The symptoms are blindness, freezing, sweating, weeping & delusions of suffering beyond Death.

Let's face it: The only true Blood-Sport in this country is high-end Politics. You can dabble in Sports or the Stock Markets, but when you start lusting after the White House, The Joke is Over. These are the real Gamblers, & there is nothing they won't do to win.

The Presidency of the United States is the richest & most powerful prize in the history of the World. The difference between winning the Super Bowl & winning the White House is the difference between a Goldfish & a vault full of Gold bars.

The Bush family has already Corrupted the Presidency & the U.S. Supreme Court. Millions of Americans will never again be Confident that their vote will be counted in any election

http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=937848

The man had a keen eye for spotting corrupt, evil bastards, and he was fearless in exposing them. How I wish his voice were still howling today.

Added: This piece by Mark Kleiman is well worth reading; not that it's at all like what Doc would write, but he makes a great point. See, also, The Editors.

Can Anybody Here Play This Game?

To paraphrase 'Ronald Dumsfeld', you go to legislate with the Democrats you have, not the Democrats you wish you had. But I'm starting to wonder if the current Democrats are even trying. The senate health care bill, bad as it may be, is the only option left in the playbook. The house's choice is to either pass it, or forget about health care reform for another generation.

I understand the lack of enthusiasm for the bill. It really isn't anywhere near the strong reform we deserve, but there is enough benefit to regulating insurance to make it worthwhile. (I admit that I have a bias; as a walking "pre-existing condition" I have a vested interest in it passing.)

So yesterday, I called my congresswoman's office to express my view. Now, regular readers know that my congresswoman is a proud standing member of the "soggy-waffle caucus" who can avoid taking a stand on almost any issue that might be remotely controversial, so I wasn't expecting much. But I was rather surprised at the staffer's lack of information regarding the status of the bill, or negotiations on it. I had kinda hoped that a political employee might...you know...pay some attention to politics. I'm so naive sometimes.

Let me spell this out simply for the Democrats: you need to pass this if you wish to maintain any political viability for the remainder of this term. If the republicans win on this, they will block every other attempt at legislation by the same means. I hate to see governing reduced to a 'game', but that is the current reality. Score now, or forfeit the game.

Added: New Democratic party slogan:

"That Lemming seems to know where he's going! Let's follow."

So Nice, I'll Do It Twice

(added: the view from my door)

That was sarcasm, folks.
I got a path cleared from my door, so that I could get out. Then I returned the borrowed shovel.
While I was gone, the landlord sent people out to clear the snow off the roof (which is a good thing).
So I returned to find my doorway buried five feet deep in snow.
So after digging out, I got to dig back in.
I'm sick of snow.
And, damn, my shoulder is killing me.
Next year, I'm migrating south for the winter.

A Boobie's Outlook

(pic from Lockwood at Outside the Interzone)

Even the Boobie's downcast this week, and the stamping of feet has begun.

On the snow front, I can (barely) get my door open. Which lead to a simple realization: I don't currently own a shovel. When I moved into this (very tiny) apartment, I left all those implements to my former housemates, not thinking that I'd need them. I don't have a sidewalk; just a tiny doorstep out to a small courtyard that I share with a few neighbors (who seem to have all headed south prior to the storm). Usually, the landlord sends his little maintenance guy by with a snowblower, but I doubt he can get here today. So today I'm on a mission: to borrow a shovel before too much more snow piles up (yeah, there's still more), so that I can get out into the world. Not that I want to go out, but I'm faced with a simple problem: I'm almost out of cigarettes. Nicotine addiction sucks.

The Man Has A Great Future in Stand Up Comedy

"That's why I am instructing my Administration to get to work immediately with Congress on this issue. We are going to talk with bipartisan Congressional leaders to develop a forceful response to this decision."-President Obama, in response to today's Supreme Court decision.
I'm sure that will work, and if it doesn't, perhaps a sternly worded letter will follow.

An Obscene Amount of Snow

Just looked out my kitchen window, and the snow is over the sill. That's over 40", which is just ridiculous. Roads, schools, and the airport are all closed.

Damn Depressing

(old image, but it's appropriate for the day)

The whole political picture has gotten damn depressing over the past few days (not that it was rosy before), and I really want to scream at somebody. Or worse.
Having weathered eight years of absolute disaster under shrub, I (probably naively) "hoped" that we might actually get competence in governance under Obama. I didn't expect a whole lot, just a reasonably decent effort. I'm coming to the realization that wanting a "functional government" is actually "unrealistic idealism".
As a result of the Massachusetts election, health care reform appears to be dead for another generation. Not that the "reform" proposed was all that good; it wasn't. But it was at least an attempt, and (IMHO) better than doing nothing. The democrats (as usual) decided to surrender at the first sign of adversity, and the republican bullies are happy to strike at any weakness. Because of this, you can forget about getting any kind of meaningful legislation on financial reform, climate change, or jobs for the remainder of the Obama administration. Governing requires the courage to stand up for something; that courage is sorely lacking.
And, thanks to today's SCOTUS decision (see below), it's going to be almost impossible to elect better officials to replace our current jellyfish. We might as well let Goldman-Sachs appoint our next legislature and administration. They've bought the government, fair and square, so let them go ahead and run it.

Democracy For Sale

That's it. It's now official: America is now a corporatocracy. Our politicians, who previously tried to hide being 'bought and paid for' shills, will now be openly chosen by their corporate sponsors:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that corporations may spend as freely as they like to support or oppose candidates for president and Congress, easing decades-old limits on business efforts to influence federal campaigns.

By a 5-4 vote, the court overturned a 20-year-old ruling that said companies can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to produce and run their own campaign ads.

The justices also struck down part of the landmark McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill that barred union- and corporate-paid issue ads in the closing days of election campaigns.

Advocates of strong campaign finance regulations have predicted that a court ruling against the limits would lead to a flood of corporate and union money in federal campaigns as early as this year's midterm congressional elections.

''It's the Super Bowl of bad decisions,'' said Common Cause president Bob Edgar, a former congressman from Pennsylvania.

The decision removes limits on independent expenditures that are not coordinated with candidates' campaigns.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/21/us/AP-US-Supreme-Court-Campaign-Finance.html?_r=2&hp

It was pretty easy to see this coming with shrub's two supreme court appointees being openly pro-corporation. Once you own the Supreme Court it's a lot easier to buy the rest of the government.
Our democracy was plenty dysfunctional before, and elections dominated by money. Now corporate money will openly pour into elections, effectively overwhelming populism. The average American voter wasn't very sophisticated before (witness the tea party people), and now they'll be subjected to even greater manipulation. The upcoming election cycles are going to be even uglier, and the smear campaigns even louder, as big money dominates the airwaves. Your choice of candidates will now have fewer options than a fast food menu, and the quality will be at the level of choosing between McDonalds or Jack-in-the-Box. Sorry if you want something better; the corporate masters aren't offering that. "Of the people, by the people, for the people" has been taken off the menu.
American democracy had a pretty good run, lasting over 230 years. It's a shame that it was sold so cheaply.

This Week in 'Snowstaff'

About a foot of new snow overnight, on top of the roughly 8 inches Monday and Tuesday. 6 more inches forecast for today, but the "big" storm isn't supposed to start until tomorrow night, when 26 to 40 inches is expected. I know we really need the moisture, but it's almost too much of a good thing. Luckily, I don't have to go anywhere today. Perhaps a little shot of Bailey's in the morning coffee is called for.

Senator 'With Benefits'

So Scott Brown, the Naked Teabagger won. I'm looking to find something positive to salvage from his election, and I think I've found it: during his lengthy, rambling victory speech, Sen.-elect Brown announced to the world that his daughters were "available"

BOSTON (FOX25, myfoxboston) - Senator-elect Scott Brown called his daughters "available" in an awkward moment that stood out during his victory speech.

Brown thanked his daughters Ayla and Arianna for their help on the campaign, then stopped to point out to the nation that they were, "available."

http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/offbeat/awkward-moment-for-brown-daughters

Republican "family values" can seem a little strange for the uninitiated, but if you've read the book of Leviticus, a father is allowed to sell his daughters. So he's keeping with christian tradition, at least when compared to his nude centerfold posing (I'm not aware of any biblical passages about that).
If I could, I'd be asking him a couple of questions about his daughters "availability", like "available for what?" and "how much?"
But I'm a perverted, old liberal.

Haiti Benefit Tonight!

For all my Flagstaff readers, we're having a benefit for the people of Haiti tonight at The Green Room (http://flagstaffgreenroom.com/) starting at 6:00pm:

The Green Room is holding a benefit for Haiti today from 6 to 10 p.m. All money raised will be donated to relief organizations, including Doctors Without Borders.

Bands to play include The People's Crew, Summit Dub Squad and Sambatuque.

Organizers are inviting people to ski or snowshoe over, and asking patrons to donate what they can (any amount) at the door. The Green Room is located at 15 N. Agassiz St.

Don't let a little snow stop you; there will be free tacos!

Broken Politics

In what is obviously the most important election since the last one, Massachusetts will elect a senator to replace the late Ted Kennedy. And regardless of who wins, it's another shining example of how badly our political system is broken. With each election, we move further and further into a choice between uninspiring mediocrity or downright nihilist mendacity.
Take this election (please): the democratic candidate to replace Kennedy, a true giant of American legislative history, Martha Coakley, arrogantly assumed that she could win the seat merely by having a "D" behind her name. Her 'campaign' was an exercise in listless, vanilla flavored platitudes stating that all she had to offer is being a democrat in a predominately democratic state. Not the sort of stuff that motivates voter turnout.
Then there's the republican...damn...could Scott Brown be any more typical of the current republicans? One simple example: he voted against funding for 9/11 rescue workers, while at the same time voting to fund a golf course; this is called "fiscal responsibility" by his party. He's done an effective job of tapping into the 'tea party' anger and the party of "no" anti-government sentiment by promising to oppose anything Obama attempts (I guarantee that he'll vote against any 'jobs' bill) to do. Another "cut taxes and drown the government in a bathtub", "government doesn't work, and I'm going to make sure it doesn't" vote in the senate, protecting the rich and privileged by insuring that the future will be worse for the masses.
These are the kind of choices we get in our corporate controlled political system. Should a truly dynamic candidate emerge in a race, the media will marginalize him/her as "extremist" and the big money political brokers will mobilize to defeat the "insurgent." That is our current political reality, and the majority of voters don't seem to care. After all, there's a new season of "American Idol" to keep them distracted.