Quick note of Hillary's comments today

The media is making some noise about Hillary saying again today that she was in the race to the end, or to the convention, whatever exactly she said.

Hello! Of course she's going to say that. If she didn't, all her supporters would bail from her campaign! Why would they support a candidate who intended to drop out of the race anytime soon. Overreacting to this little comment by Hillary and her campaign, is just a sign of a slow news day. You can do better media-whores.

How the Dems killed two of their own Senators

Former Gov. Don Siegelman of Alabama and Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer of New York.

What do these two have in common beyond the obvious?

This ties way back to the Patriot Act, which Democrats were falling all over themselves to pass. The Patriot Act gave unprecedented eavesdropping and spying ability to the Federal government. At the time, one could recall Dubya and his administration assuring the country that these abilities will be only used on the "terrorists."

Well, the chickens have come to roost (thanks to Rev. Wright) on the weak-ass Dems who bent over and took the stick up their collective keister. It turns out, they indeed shot themselves in the foot, causing the party two governor seats.

Ironically enough, and in a shocking development, the administration didn't just spy on the "terrorists" or the "evil-doers." They used these rules to catch Spitzer with his high-priced hookers, and they helped lay the largely fraudulent case against Siegelman. Those eavesdropping abilities the Dems bent over for, directly caused two Democrat governors their positions, one of which was clearly a political hack-job and is currently in the process of being unraveled.

This again shows the politicalization of the Department of Justice, and perhaps the sticky, sticky, illegal fingers of one Karl Rove.

This is why Democrats need to grow some and keep them. The one thing that annoys all Democrats about their party.

Booing the President

There seems to be some mild controversy after Dubya was booed last night at the opening of the Washington Nationals new stadium, and the beginning of the American baseball season. He threw out the first pitch, but when announced, he was heavily booed.

Most people upset over this are people who say you should respect the Office of the Presidency, and thus, not boo. This I completely disagree with, but herein lies the problem/dilemma:

I argue that if one holding said office disgraces thy office, then thou shall be subject to all the disrespect that they deserve from the masses.

The dilemma lies, however, in deciding what does it mean to "disgrace" the Office of the Presidency. During Monica-gate, many thought Bill "disgraced/disrespected" the Office of the Presidency. Some said is wasn't because of the sex, it was because of the location of the sex (in the tiny hallway from the study into THEE Oval Office). I disagreed then and I disagree now. Sex is sex. Whatever.

But, what Dubya has done...lying to go into a war that was ill-managed, barely planned, while killing 4,000 American men and women...THAT'S disgracing and disrespecting not just the Office, but the country as a whole.

Why Lute Olson is Luckier Than You

Who is Lute? He's the 73 year old head men's basketball coach at the University of Arizona.

Why is he luckier than you and millions of other Americans? No, clearly, it's not his age. It's because just days ago re-assumed his position as head coach after taking a whole year off of running the program to deal with not health problems, but "personal issues."

See, Lute's first wife he was married to for over 40 years died from ovarian cancer in January 2001. Since that tragedy in his life, he had re-married in 2003 to some woman. Well, things didn't go as well as they did with his first wife, and he filed for d-i-v-o-r-c-e in December of 2007.

He took the whole year off beginning in November 2007 until now to deal with his impending d-i-v-o-r-c-e.

The reason Lute is luckier than millions of Americans is that he was granted the time to take off. Now I'm not sure he still got paid, there was nothing I read that highlighted if he was or wasn't still getting his salary. But, for Lute to be able to take off a whopping 5 months of his full time job as the head coach of a basketball program, during the time they are actually playing games, is good for him. Bad, for you.

The nation as a whole is not given a good amount of time off at their workplace when they go through a d-i-v-o-r-c-e. Perhaps they shouldn't because maybe some would abuse the system too much. But, I still think there should be more stringent health and well being policies implemented throughout the private workplace to allow people to take time off when they are in deep mental anguish.

Studies have consistently shown that a happier worker is a more productive worker. This is also the reason I believe people should be allowed to do more work at home on their own time, via telecommuting. It solves two problems, traffic congestion and global warming.

Utterly Revolting

Per a story from Yahoo Financial and the AP: The Countrywide CEO will get $10 million and the President of the shithole will get $9 million...this has got to be legal...but it's not. It's utterly pathetic.

My favorite campaign theme was the early Gore circa 2000 campaign where he ran populist, bashing the corporations, showing how much those greedy mo-fo's fuck over your "average" American.

This smacks of a need for a populist message coming from one if not both of the Democratic candidates, this could be a great theme and campaign ad...tie this little nugget around the delusional brain of McCain and suffocate his campaign.

Nipple Rings and the TSA

Okay, I've had it. The federal government should abandon all of these silly rules and secretly start doing what Israel does immediately. Secret, if only to not start the public screaming campaign so quickly, they should start racially and behavior profiling in airports. This is the ONLY way we are going to catch the next possible terrorist attack, not by forcing women to take out their nipple rings.

Moreover, don't they have this new-fangled machine that basically allows them to look through your clothes anyway. Fine, give women the option, take out the nipple rings (and clitoris rings too I imagine?) or go through the new machine that allows us to see you don't have a nuclear bomb attached to your nipples.

This is just freaking preposterous.

"Nipple Cupcakes!!" - Only certain people will know what that shout out is from.

Two Kinds of People

1. Acknowledges and loves the craft that Letterman consistently shows week after week on his Late Show. Those who love Dave and all his personality foibles, his somewhat gruffly demeanor.

2. Those who whine about Dave and watch the clear no-talent Leno who can write a joke with the best of them, but is not anywhere near the talent scale as Letterman. Leno makes you laugh through easy jokes, and is most definitely more like the frat-boy, cool guy who everyone loves and gets all the babes.

I am one of those who not only loves Dave for what he is able to do, how hard he can make one think about the jokes that he delivers, not to mention the caliber of his show, but who appreciates the care with which he performs his craft. Dave is one of those geniuses who can deliver the goods in impeccable fashion, but constantly struggles with himself to do better and that is what makes his show so much better than Leno.

Clearly, there were some years there where Dave was almost unwatchable as he let his anger over getting screwed by NBC spew over into the product a bit, but he has finally gotten over that enough to deliver a fantastic show.

I for one, and glad Leno is on his way out, and Conan is finally going to get his big shot at 11:35. I hope he makes the transition to LA easily, and I also hope he doesn't and forces the show back to NYC. I adore, love Carson from what I remember of him, but that show should be done in NYC. Conan is a NYC kind of guy, that's where the show should be. Conan is clever, and he's hysterical. But, he is no Dave, who is a dying breed. A former broadcaster who knows how to run a show and not just a comedian, but I think Conan is far closer to that than Leno ever has been. Conan has defied the odds, he will do well.

McCain + Romney

Today McCain and Romney were campaigning together. Some speculating this may be the republican ticket. If it is I would laugh. No way Romney carries Massachusetts for McCain, and beyond that, I just don't think 2 white men is going to get it cut. I will laugh heartedly if this ends up being the ticket.

Let it go MSM

The MSM, and one of my faves, Keith Olbermann keeps hammering this stupid Bosnia thing/issue. Sure, as I noted in a previous post just hours ago, Hillary does seem to be losing her grip on her own campaign.

However, she was the First Lady of the United States for 8 years. While, she's not the President, and she doesn't have the schedule a President does...this issue is slightly asinine to me.

One can only imagine the BS a First Lady has to deal with. I mean a real First Lady, not the phony trophy wife variety that currently inhabits the White House on occasion. Laura Bush can't say, "Hello" to the press without clearing it with the Bush people I imagine. It's the typical patriarchal relationship, where she only speaks when told too...much like Cindy McCain.

To expect Hillary remember every possible moment with absolute vividness and clarity through 8 years of living in the White House with all the stuff that may not be directly tied to her, but does affect her, is an abomination.

I can't remember what happened in my Special Education room a year ago, much less a month ago!! And, I'm 30 years her junior, and I guarantee my schedule is nowhere near what hers is/was.

Perhaps she confused a trip to a more hostile country with the trip into Bosnia. Damn! Then she mis-spoke. Then she made it worse...clearly that's a mistake. Again, her campaign seems out of order and Hillary needs to get her ducks back in line and put out a final statement after doing a full accounting of what exactly happened. This issue, however, is idiotic. Let it go MSM!

Guaranteed Negative Ad Coming

The genesis/point of this story will be one of the many general RNC negative ads against the Democrat nominee and any Dem running this fall.

According to this story from the AP, Saddham paid the costs of a trip for three Democrat lawmakers to visit Iraq during the run-up to the Iraq War in 2002.

It doesn't matter these three members of Congress didn't know the trip was paid for by Saddham (it was paid for by a Michigan non-profit group). That will not be mentioned in the ad, and any note by the media to talk about the unfairness of the ad will do nothing to take away from it's damning allegation (and truth).

Therefore, it is incumbent on the DNC to do some digging and find anything they can that is the same, but with a republican lawmaker.

MSM is killing me

Quick note: This post is going to be slightly chaotic.

The MSM (mainstream media) is killing me to the point of hilarity and slight disgust. I write this because the media is so utterly predictable, and it will be sad and fun to watch what happens in the next few months.

Some polls (Zzzzzzzz...polls) are apparently saying 22% of Dems think Obama should bow out, and the same percentage of Dems say Hillary should bow out. In a not-so-surprising twist, they are both wrong. The left-wing Dems are wrong, that includes my girl Rachel Maddow. Hill shouldn't be leaving this race, and people like Alter and others in the MSM are DEAD WRONG. Hillary CAN still win this folks. Not by the numbers, but she can win this by causing Obama to implode or by showing strength in key states. She won Ohio by a solid number, and it could be she lamb-basts him in Pennsylvania. She has won many major states that are essentially must-wins to gather those infamous Electoral College-Sham votes.



The media is being SO hypocritical it's sickening. They are saying this campaign is nasty, they're whining it's unfair. All the bitching about what James Carville said, etc, etc. Are you kidding me???!!! As I have written on many a occasion, this is puff-politics. This has not been that nasty of a race. You have the first woman candidate and first candidate of color in this race. By it's very definition it couldn't have been that rough. If someone had crossed the line that far, this race would have been over by now (Bill Clinton damn near did deep-sink Hill, though I still say that was a phony-baloney story trumped up by the MSM). The MSM is being hypersensitive.

But, again, these bastards are hypocrites, they will turn. The second this nomination IS decided, no matter how it is decided...the media people (like the Times) who have been kissing Obama's ass secretly and ignoring his warts will come swinging them at full blast.

It's almost a sadomasochistic thing with the media. They want to love their left-leaning politicians, they silently (sometimes openly) root for them and write puff pieces about them ignoring serious problems. Then when they get into a general campaign, they suddenly have buyer's remorse. The media members begin to think about what they possibly could have had. Drawing Pollyanna-ish memories of the former candidates during the primary season, and then getting upset this Democrat nominee doesn't do some tiny thing they wish they would do/or some issue they would support. They begin to see and highlight the flaws they once overlooked. They chronicle those flaws and they enhance them in the stark light of a Presidential campaign, causing them to become bigger than they ever should have been.

Whenever this Hillary-Obama battle ends, the media will turn on them. Perhaps this could be an argument for allowing this nomination to go through the summer; Allow them less time to turn their guns on the anointed nominee. Interspersed with notes on McCain's old, white man pick for Veep, and his seemingly delusional self as far as his foreign and domestic policy views.

Final note, however: Hillary should not get out, neither should Barack. But, Hill seems like she's not in control of her campaign again. The campaign seems to be flailing about yet again, last time it was just before the Bill disaster quote that nearly sunk her. Carville's comments were not out of line in my view, but Richardson also did not OWE an endorsement to the Clinton caampaign. But, the Obama campaign slam about Clinton being compared to Joseph McCarthy is potentially hurtful to him in the Democratic primary. You don't compare the Clinton's to McCarthy, it's unfair, and it's just stupefying.

Manny is LOCKED in

After two "regular season" games in Tokyo, Japan...my BoSox split with the Oakland A's (1 win each).

However, as the past has shown, a contract year does do wonders for these baseball players and their hitting ability. Manny Ramirez, perhaps the best right-handed hitter of his generation, is currently in the beginning of a de-facto contract year. At the end of this season, the Sox have an option to either pickup another year of Manny's services for a cool $20 million, or let him go find a new job. Either way, Manny, if he does what he should do as a big-time slugger, is poised to make some serious cash next year in guaranteed money (he's currently making somewhere between $18-$19 million).

Through these two games, Manny has hit a pair of 2-run doubles...one was nearly a home run. And this morning Manny hit a home run in a loss to the A's. He is already locked in it seems, and this can only be a good thing for my beloved BoSox.

In other notes: Matsuzaka continued to show some nibbling in the strike zone, and he got himself into some trouble in the first game before settling down. All of the BoSox Nation is looking for a good year out of Matsuzaka, and going back to his homeland, he showed how nervous/pumped he was. It's only one game, he gets a pass.

However, this morning a cancer-free John Lester began his 2008 campaign by showing what we've seen before. I am disappointed and I can only hope he too was struggling only because of the jetlag or other things. The boy needs to throw strikes consistently, and he didn't show well today. Let's hope he turns it around and begins throwing strikes and trusting his pitches, he has the potential.

"Sons a Bitches!!!"

The quotes are because it a commonly heard saying on my favorite radio program, which originates out of D.C., The Tony Kornheiser Show.

CountryWide, one of the MANY sub-prime mortgage lenders that have gone belly-up, had it's executives make hand-over-fist dollars during the boom. Now, they go bankrupt because of their shitty lending practices while making a fantastic profit.

So, what do they do next after leaving CountryWide hanging high and dry? But, OF COURSE!!!

Start up a new company to buy up those foreclosed mortgages and begin selling them for a profit...presto!

This is yet another reason why the wealthy continue to get more obscenely wealthy, while the poor get a fucking $300 tax rebate, coupled with the tax bill of bailing out these companies bad loans.

4,000

Just days after the sad 5 year anniversary of this ill-fated and monumentally ill-conceived "war," comes news that we just had our 4,000 fatality of an American soldier. Oy! It was only a matter of time, but my earlier post said it all...

This is a problem

As a teacher, I already dislike the idea of paying bonuses to teachers with classes who have great test scores. Other than the obvious reason that teaching students to pass a test, doesn't mean they are smarter...it means they can take a test well. It's the potential for unfair dealings to be done within administration. In my school there are two people who decide the entire class outlook for the entire school. If they didn't like teacher X, they could give him/her a class that will be a virtual lock to underperform and not be eligible for any bonuses. It's not even a matter of smart kids, versus, not so smart kids. It's an issue of class chemistry, and classroom dynamics. Talk to any teacher worth their salt, and they'll tell you each year brings a new classroom, a new dynamic depending on the chemistry of the students.

But, THIS is worse. Paying students to take AP level classes, even if it's after school is unethical in my view. Give these students time off, let them leave 1-2 hour early from school and attend a college class. But, out right paying them...I think not! As a student who was trapped in high school and not deemed smart enough to take AP classes, isn't it slightly unfair to possibly discriminate some other kid and deny them a chance to make some extra cash, much less learn more?

Finally, it has come to my attention through a mutual friend that a city on the eastern seaboard is considering paying their students simply for getting good grades in school. Yeah, that has NO chance for corruption!!

Forget that, though. We should be fostering a love of learning in our schools, and fully funding our schools, not establishing a payola program for grades. It's unethical, and it smacks of EVERYTHING that is wrong with this country. Capitalism and greed cannot solve EVERYTHING...wow! Appalling.

Olympic China

As a young kid, I used to love the Olympics...not I hate them...they are an epic bore. They are often tape-delayed...the coverage was once great, is now shit.

You know the results before they show the sport/event. The coverage jumps all over like it's schizo.

That said, I recognize the meaningfulness and the purpose of the Olympics. And, I would also argue the world should never have awarded the Olympics to a shithole like China.

A repressive regime, a smog-infested asshole, with a certifiable whack job as a "leader."

The USA should boycott the Olympics. Fuck the "athletes." If you've devoted your life to winning the freaking curling Olympic medal, you're a jackass (yes, I am aware this is the summer version, not the winter). It's a game...just have some fun. Isn't darts supposedly now a recognized event at this Olympics? Seriously? Please!

Sending a message to a deplorable regime who has begun to talk smack about privacy and the lack thereof as the Olympics approach (they're talking smack/tough because as this gets closer, they know the world cannot simply back out and move them) means more to the world than some ridiculous dart contest. Send the world a message. Ban all flights from America to China the month leading up to the Olympics, and throughout the Olympics. Ban any Americans from participating. Revoke any dual citizens who chose to use their other citizenship rights to gain access and compete. And ban any media coverage of the Olympics in the USA.

Make it as if they don't exist. Or, we could always lop off the head of Kim Jong-il...I'll allow choices.

AIDS

I don't recall...damn, I hate quoting Dubya administration officials, if I wrote on this blog about the seeming breakthrough with the AIDS vaccine scientists had possibly developed. A report about said vaccine came out maybe a year ago or so, and I think it was even highlighted on 60 Minutes.

Well, considering how vaccine's work, they give you a weakened strain of a virus to get your immune system to recognize the threat and beat it up while it's incredibly weak (the layman's version of how a vaccine works from this bloke's understanding), I was willing to believe although skeptical of the reports when I heard about them.

This, considering the overall pathology of the HIV virus that leads to AIDS, was an incredible feat. A pathology that says the HIV virus essentially neutralizes the immune system upon impact, and silently destroys it, laying dormant (unseen) for a good decade or so. It struck me as odd that scientists would purposefully give someone the HIV virus in an attempt to essentially inoculate said person. It struck me that this particular virus was so powerful, so good at replicating itself, while mutating into altogether genetically unique strains, was not an ideal candidate for a vaccine...it would take a monumental cure to beat this virus.

But, hey, who am I? I'm no scientist, I totally bombed chemistry, and the periodic table is a cute little device that is fun to look at for a good 5 minutes. Scientists had seemingly overtaken (this word may be a stretch) such deadly viruses as the Bubonic Plague (aka: The Black Death) that overtook London in the 17th century. Although, cases of the Plague do still crop up and there have been scattered reports to a drug-resistant strain having been discovered.

So, I thought, who is to say that the hype, the rhetoric surrounding HIV & AIDS made it seem worse than it was, and it really was no worse than the hype made around the Black Death. Logically, one wouldn't really believe this because of the sheer amount of money and resources that have been put into beating this particular virus, and we know so much about it's pathology.

I am sad to report, however, that according to The Daily Mail in London, the vaccine trials have been halted indefinitely. It was revealed that "two supposed 'miracle' vaccines not only fail to protect people from the virus, but could put them at greater risk of becoming infected."

Moreover they report, "tests appeared to show that the vaccine somehow primed it to become more susceptible to HIV."

Clearly, devastating news to the HIV & AIDS community and researchers. This could mark a step back to square one it seems. Lots of money and lives lost.

All the more reason to promote safe sex and condom use in schools, not just abstinence.

Today's NY Times

Front page there was a story on an immigration agent accused of demanding sexual favours for a green card.

As an opponent of illegals, I am all for the enforcement of immigration law. But, this story perhaps hits at one of the ugly undersides of current immigration policy and how legal immigration status is granted, especially in the case where a person illegally comes to America, meets a mate and gets married in order to seek full legal status.

The agent in question was audiotaped demanding oral sex in his automobile by a woman who felt threatened and didn't feel she could go to the immigration top leaders, so she took her tape and story directly to the Times. It's a sad story of this one man's ability to influence her case and acceptance into this country with the green card status.

In the Garden City, N.Y., office of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, this agent has handled some 8,000 cases during his 3 years in "service." These people are paid a decent wage (perhaps not great if one lives in NYC though) at $50,000 per year and get government benefits I'm sure.

The sad part is, this agent is apparently an immigrant himself. How sad and pathetic. This clearly needs to be look at and the system made need to have further ethical checks and balances put into it to continue it's overall efficacy without having people abuse what is quite a bit of power.

As I Was Saying About the Right-Wing...

Flashed on Drudge as I type: "OBAMA'S PASSPORT DATA BREACHED; STATE DEPT INVESTIGATION, 2 FIRED"

Smells like dirty, dirty Republican National Committee hacks at work. Told ya Obama...Beware...the right wing knows how to bring it.

Cheney Contract

In his deepest (as deep as he can go), darkest thoughts...I wonder how much Bush ultimately kicks himself in the ass. Or if he doesn't yet...I wonder when the time comes, in the twilight of his life, when he and Cheney have split ways for decades and perhaps after Cheney gets put 6 feet under: How much must/will Bush kick himself for giving any thought to trusting Cheney. Cheney did a number. He was in charge of the VP committee, of which, he nominated himself. He dominated every possible aspect of Bush's Residency. He essentially led Bush around by the nostril, with the help of Wolfowitz and Rummy.

I wonder if Bush will ever fully understand how he let his feeble-minded self be so taken advantage of, how his residency was hijacked not by 9/11, but by Cheney.

And I wonder if in that twilight, when Cheney is long gone, if Bush gets angry and bitter. Angry, bitter, and vitriolic to the point where he does interviews, releases specific documents, to show what Cheney had done to him.

I doubt it will ever happen for several reasons, but I'd love to be in whatever room Bush is in when/if he manages to put all the pieces together and see the ashen look that most certainly will come over his old face. For if there is a "maker" (there isn't), he will certainly fear the moment he faces him/her.

5

It's been 5 years since the beginning of the Iraq mistake...errrr...War.

To all the brave men and women...I profoundly apologize.

On my hands and knees I weep for your/our loss.

I am sorry Gore didn't fight harder in 2000.

I'm sorry the Supreme Court became the political sham it has become.

I'm sorry Kerry did such a shitty job in 2004.

It takes all the power I have to not cry every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner.

Finally...I am sorry.

I was never sold

Being born and raised in Indiana (blech!), I never really bought the whole argument about ethanol and how it would save us big money at the pump.

First, I want a total release from all need for foreign oil, even if that means we still have to deal with some European dependence. I think if we or they found a way to do it...the other continent would probably adopt the technology post-haste.

But, being a boy from Indiana, I saw the many, many, many fields of corn every time I drove a whopping 20 minutes in my car in ANY direction (this despite living in one of the biggest cities in the entire state). Yet, as a boy who was taught a tiny bit about agriculture, we know that soil has a need on occasion to be rested...it gets planted out. Eventually all the nutrients are gone and it takes a few cycles to get those back, I think wine makers know this as well as they typically give sections of vineyards a year's rest (but, I could be mistaken).

So, lets assume I am mistaken and this doesn't in fact happen. Still, we are expecting corn, this little tiny corn kernel, to provide enough fuel to fill every car in the country...without running out, or without taking a serious hit to the economy...I don't think so.

The ethanol idea is a bust, and it's hurting our economy, because while fuel temporarily went down, the cost of foods due to scarcity has gone up. Chicken, cows, all eat some form or corn if I am not mistaken, which as that cost goes up due to demand in fuel, the cost to feed the cows and chickens goes up, which then causes the very cost of the chicken, cow, milk, eggs...ALL to go up by leaps and bounds.

So, ethanol is a bust, it should be stopped. Any subsidies should go further into research. Solar panels won't cut it yet. Hydrogen cars...that's a possibility, though I'm needing more information because the last serious article I read on hydrogen cars didn't sound positive. Cars running on electricity? Yeah...because we have so much of that to go around. Pay no attention to the soon to come rolling blackouts in California because they have no energy to use their air conditioners.

Final note as a person who abhors NASCAR racing: I'd love to see an actuarial study on the cost-efficacy of the money pumped into the economy through the people buying products, as opposed to how much it's costing American to waste fuel to have cars drive in a freaking circle for thousands of miles. I'm just sayin'.

Okay, fair is fair. As a BoSox mega-fan-whore. Perhaps they also are wasting fuel to fly to freaking Tokyo, Japan. You've got me there!

The Dreaded Drudge

As of 7:52pm Eastern Standard Time, the Drudge Report currently has links on the site with headlines reading as follows:

a. "Hillary was in the White House on 'Stained Blue Dress Day'"

b. "**VIDEO** ANTI-OBAMA PASTOR UNLEASHED: 'HE WAS BORN TRASH'... 'LONG-LEGGED FREAK'... 'EMISSARY OF THE DEVIL'"

c. "Lewinsky and the First Lady..."

d. "CHENEY: Iran May Have Resumed Weapon Program..."

That is a sampling of the fare to come as this race for the Democratic nomination winds down. Meanwhile, on the same site, Drudge has a stoic-like picture of McCain seemingly walking around Iraq just past the helicopter that just dropped him off, with an obvious sign of bodyguards, but no body armour...with the headline reading: "POLL: MCCAIN TAKES LEAD AS DEMS FEUD..."

Obama, you can bitch, you can whine all you want about the decency of this bloodsport we affectionately call Presidential Politics. You whine about the Big Hill being unfair, and on, and on.

But, hear me now Mister Obama. You better sack up! You think Hill and the Clinton Clan are tough, they are peanuts compared to the right-wing machine courtesy of Drudge and his "sources." Those headlines are puff-piece headlines for Drudge. So, you need to grow a pair of brass balls, or get out now.

With McCain taking an extended campaign cash vacation, the media has nothing better to do than to beat up on the people running for the parties nomination they virtually all will vote for. It's a sick fetish of the media's, but it exists. That said, it sounds like you made a gutsy speech yesterday on race. I love the high debate, I'm just not sure the basic American voter mind thinks that high and it much more self-absorbed in terms of "What's in it for me?"

Still, beware the Drudge, evermore.

60 Minutes

Last night on 60 Minutes, Steve Kroft did a fabulous piece on the Quaid family who had their babies given an accidental overdose of blood thinner, nearly killing them by a hospital.

There was also some news I heard recently where the FAA is investigating whether a crew was asleep during a flight where it flew over an airport.

Lesley Stahl also did a fabulous piece last night on the dangers of the lack of sleep, sleep deprivation.

I think this is a clear epidemic that is vastly understood and vastly under-reported. Research is beginning to show that sleep deprivation causes an increase in appetite, lower metabolism, and the body not being able to physically break down excess fast and sugars.

I think industries like the medical field and the airline field (air traffic controllers as well) are suffering greatly from these issues. And the problem is there's virtually no way to fix the problem without some serious cash. Who would want to be a doctor or a nurse these days? Not just because of the insane amount of schoolwork that right should go into the profession, but the required working hours (especially for nurses) are ridiculous!!! It's no wonder these men and women make mistakes, they are half asleep!!

Airline pilots have also reportedly been tired beyond belief. It's clear that the companies drive for profits is hurting their willingness to not just pay people a decent wage, but also give them reasonable hours to work.

It won't be until the body politic comes along and smacks a few MASSIVE punitive judgments in several court cases that these industries will get it. More nurses will come if you pay them a decent wage for the hellish work they often do, and treat them like humans by giving them reasonable shifts. Pay well, allow reasonable work hours, and yes, people will flock to such a rewarding field.

It's also partly why teachers are in dire need. There is a massive glut of old teachers that are starting to retire, and when they all go, look out...there may be some holes to fill.

Obama's Rezko and Rev. problem

The real estate deal where Obama moved from a condo to a house valued at $1.8 million with the help of Rezko is still simmering.

The reverend problem may be bigger, however. Being an atheist, I naturally assume all reverend's are complete nut-jobs.

No matter what the reverend said in those clips, clearly some of it is inflammatory...I think it just sounds so much worse because the man sound plum crazy.

That alone looks bad. Assuming an Obama-McCain match up...it could make a nifty match-up of who's reverend is a bigger whack job!!! Now THAT could be fun!

Bear Sterns should have been left to die

There never should have been an allowed bailout of Bear Stearns. This is a massive joke. Why bailout some ridiculous company that managed itself so badly that at one point was trading around $160 per share, only to allow them to be bought for $2 per share.

Their CEO was reportedly playing in a freakin' Bridge Tournament in the UK for the majority of last week when the shit was starting to hit the fan. This stooge should be forced to forfeit any stock holdings he has, any salary he has left should also be forfeited and any member of the Board should also lose their money.

The company failed, they should go under. Isn't this what republicans ALWAYS talk about...the free market will take care of itself...blah, blah, blah. Orrrrrrr...the market will screw the little guy, the man/woman working at a low-level job at Bear Stearns...while, the rich, white business executives will get a comfy bailout. I'm quite sure this asshat who is/was the CEO of this company will be taken care of in a comfortable way. Meanwhile, already reports have surfaced that JP Morgan has/will slash 50% of the workforce.

Bailout the people who got screwed by mortgage companies, not the companies themselves. No-brainer.

What's Worst?

Being an anonymous blog with absolutely no readers, least none that I can think of besides the one person who knows who I am.

Or having an anonymous poster on my blog post a comment trumpeting the cause of Alan fucking Keyes.

Alan Keyes is a total whack-job and if I do happen, perhaps to agree with one of his views...there's no way in hell I'd vote for the complete retard.

Thus, in this analysis, the worst is definitely the thought of my blog being reader by some whack job Keyes-lover.

Pop Fiction on E!

I think that's the name of the show...and I for one, hope it takes off and starts a revolution. I have been waiting for the people who are chased by the paparazzi to come together, form a union, and start chasing the paparazzi themselves. Digging up all their dirty laundry. I HIGHLY endorse this practice as the 'razzi needs to get a hold of themselves.

Ferraro Is Correct

She may not be PC (Politically Correct), but factually she is correct. Obama has been given a pass by the mainstream media simply because of the color of his skin. The mainstream media was so goo-goo eyes over the possibility of a black man being in the Presidency, they have been giving him passes by not asking the tough questions. Several of the MSM admitted as such recently (people like Russert, Gregory).

The man largely deals in platitudes, generalities, and he has some big holes in his resume. As noted previously on this blog, he ran a Senate campaign and won his Senate seat after his Republican opponent quit the race due to scandal, only to have a token Alan Keyes run against him.

To ignore Obama has gotten pass after pass in this campaign is to ignore a FACT.

SNL made it clear that even they were appalled at how the MSM was basically giving Obama constant rim-jobs during debate questioning.

Spitzer Should Stay Put

Much like the farce "War on Drugs"...the war against prostitution is a complete and utter J-O-K-E.

Prostitution should be legalized, taxed, and regulated. This is an issue between Spitzer and his wife...and it has little to do with his ability to run a state as Governor.

If David fucking Vitter gets to keep his job as a US Representative, which he still does have, the Spitzer should be let go. Moreover, all that charges relating to the sexcapades like transferring money across state lines or anything as such, should also be dropped.

Of all the things the FBI could be doing, between this and the whole baseball-steroid bullshit...the FBI's priorities are really fuck up, but that's just me.

The unemployment rate myth

For those who took a basic high school economics and/or government course this may not be a myth to you. But, American's continue to be daft because the press reports crap as if it's meaningful without some context.

The nation's unemployment rate is measured by the number of people wanting employment and have employment, and those who do not have employment but are wanting it.

If say, Johnny, is an unemployed factory worker of 20 years and he gets laid off by his company shifting jobs overseas, he usually starts his bleak future by heading to the unemployment line. He tries to find a job for say, 6 months, and has found there are literally no jobs to be had. So, he stops looking for a job and just begins collecting a check from some federal institution.

The minute Johnny stops looking for a job, he is technically, no longer considered to be a member of the unemployed as the word unemployed is defined in those numbers. To be considered unemployed means you have to be actively looking for a job, not merely sitting at home and refusing to find a job by choice.

By choosing not to actively look for a job because any job you can get pays you less than the government benefit check you can get, or simply because you wish to not work at McDonald's for $2 an hour...you become a part of the category I can't remember the term for.

Therefore, when you look at the unemployment rate being around roughly 3.5%-4% as being good, it never tells the whole picture. There are those who, again, chose not to look for a job, that if you counted would send the unemployment rate up significantly. How many of our men and women soldiers who have been discharged from the military due to combat wounds (eg: blown off limbs) are likely actively seeking a new job? Not a lot I'd venture, as they are simply trying to get their lives in some reasonable order.

Not to mention those who are underemployed.

Making $2 per hour a McDonald's would technically make you unemployed, but you are likely not to have enough cash to live on, yet your plight is not reported on because the media obsesses moronically over the unemployment rate. Thus, ignoring the real problems that the rate never fully shows or allows to be explained without some serious verb age, which takes up precious seconds.

But, at least the media has begun within the recent years, noting the joblessness rate, which I wish they would do and leave the unemployment rate out of the whole thing because American's are somehow trained on that number that has become virtually meaningless.

More to support the argument

Within the past few minutes, Carl Icahn, a master of companies and the stocks said he could walk into any giant corporation and knock off a good 30% of pure waste. Clearly, this isn't a bona fide statistic, but it shows that people within the business industry who really know their shit (the guy is the 24th richest man in America) know that even big business often wastes money.

Hell, anyone who has seen the outrageous bonuses given for fired/resigning CEO's, knows this.

A simple comparison...

...proving why government usually does it better than private.

What do most American's think of their cellphones, much less their cellphone plans, when you look at the customer satisfaction surveys...what do they usually tell us? The majority Americans are severely disgusted and dissatisfied with their cell phone company. They complain often of shitty customer service, and shitty call service in general.

When you pickup ANY land-line phone anywhere in the USA, you immediately get dial tone. Without fail you get dial tone. Ask anyone who has lived in Europe, Asia, or another country of the developed world, and you'll find that is not the case in their country.

Why is that? Because way back when, the federal government took great expense at laying the expensive, nitty-gritty, backbone (cable/wires) of the telephone industry. It wasn't the private companies that did the expensive hardware implementation, yet they benefited greatly from that backbone that was essentially built on taxpayer funds. This backbone still exists today, and the phone companies continue to reap the benefits from the vast majority of people who continue to use land-line phones to make long-distance calls.

Now lets look at the cell phone industry that exists. It was largely built on private companies. The same companies who continue to charge exhorbent rates, and scalp their customers. The same cell phone companies who refused to put out phones that allowed users to skip voice mails without listening to them and going through that asinine menu, until Apple essentially forced the beginnings of change when they launched the first iPhones.

Moreover, anyone who knows anything about the Asian market knows that Americans are really getting screwed over in a huge way. Asian's have much more sophisticated phones, which are able to do many more things, and overall much better technology of connecting to the network even when in their subways.

The truth is that the private monopoly these companies have here in the US, actually have stifled innovation, stifled progress, produced really shitty customer and general phone service, and charged rates/fees they have had no business charging. There has been NO reason for them to shake up the system that has rewarded them with outrageous profits, while delivering service they KNOW by virtue of their offerings in the Asian market is sub-standard.

Republicans often say competition is always better for us than government run products. Not only is that statement factually untrue, it's often used in a very misleading way to scare people of government programs.

Do government programs often waste money? DUH, I live in the state that had the Big Dig abomination. Clearly, government does waste.

But, to suggest private companies don't waste is naive at best, absolute knowing falsehood at worst.

Color me as someone who'd rather spend an large amount of money to get it right the first time (the backbone of phones and the federal highway system), as opposed to paying corrupt private companies to line the pockets of greedy businesses.

Dubya Unable to protect troops from...water?

Apparently, Dubya and his administration can't even protect our troops in Iraq from contaminated water that has apparently made several troops sick.

Contrachttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.giftor, and former Cheney-run company, KBR, provided tainted water from March 2004 through February 2006...read here.

Wow, now that is really pathetic. We can't even get those private contractors to provide clean water? And the American taxpayer is sending loads of money to these contractors for what exactly??!!

It's bad enough the contractors have incited some serious discipline problems, but now we learn they couldn't even provide clean, filtered water...yikes!!

Mandated Election Reform

Let's take a trip down memory lane...

Recall back to the year 2000...the month was November. Dumbass and Gore were going at it in perhaps the closest (s)election in US history.

What was the most annoying/shocking thing about that whole enterprise to most Americans? Ahhhh, yes...that Electoral College...

When I was a junior in high school, way back around the time of the Clintonian re-election, I wrote a paper arguing the College should be eliminated as it was retarded and ridiculous.

So, I knew about the College and the chicanery that lied therein.

Welllllllll...I am officially fed up by the delegate bullshit, and the power states are having on a NATIONAL campaign. I argue that we should strip the states and political parties of their rights in all aspects of a Presidential Election campaign. It should be a straight popular vote for every state primary that should be held ONLY during the weekends, with polls staying open a full 12 hours barring a local weather disaster.

Caucuses are total bullshit that requires an unreasonable time commitment that usually only the richer portions of the population can afford to participate in.

I've had enough of individual states fucking with our national election for the leader of our land. I'm also annoyed at the Democratic party for dicking around with the Florida and Michigan states. And even if this means the Big Hill doesn't manage to win, I am in favor of completely sticking it to both states in the convention. Don't even bother allowing both states in. Don't seat their delegates, pretend like the states never existed. If the party is going to "punish" them for fucking with their primary dates, then completely isolate the mother fuckers.

Obama...grow a pair

This exactly why I didn't exactly like Obama. He's untested, he got basically a free ride into his Senate seat after his opponent imploded on himself, and Alan Keyes was forced to make a token run against Obama.

Moreover, he seemingly does not know how to fight.

Furthermore, and in my view, more damning, he REFUSES to fight. He refuses to fight?

This is a Presidential campaign Obama. Whether you beat the Big Hill or not, and you may not like her campaign's tactics, you will face a STARKLY more harsh campaign when you go up against the right-wing machine...as McCain through his surrogates will savage you.

There's a reason politics is called the ultimate Bloodsport, you MUST be willing to fight...you MUST be willing to fight dirty when asked to...you MUST be willing to be able to grab a "knife" and start stabbing.

Frankly, I don't think you have the cojones for it. And this is why the liberal wing of the Democratic party has continued to fail decade after decade. They refuse to fight nasty in what is in a nasty sport.

When one side uses a howitzer, and you come waiving a peace flag to a political battle...you will lose.

She's still alive!

As noted previously on this sometimes less-than-humble blog, I have become a Obama supporter...he was won me over.

But, I still want the Big Hill in precisely because of what SNL has noted the past 2 weeks...Obama has been treated with kid gloves by the media, and he hasn't really taken the punches she has.

Who knew it took SNL to change the tone a bit, and finally get the media to start to ask tough questions of him. I think it's too late for Hill to overwhelm Obama, and the delegates show that reality. But, I applaud her for staying in, possibly taking some hits herself for seemingly being a sore loser, to ensure Obama WINS this nomination...and not get it by default.

I respect many media people, but shame on those like Johnathon Alter, Rachel Maddow, and the Air America types who called for Hill to just quit. There's no way if the roles were reversed they'd be calling on Obama to call it quits. Shame on them.

And to those who continue to bitch and whine about the number of debates...get a clue. Debates are good for the country, the more debates the batter. Should we really be complaining about having too many debates on the issues of the day? Seriously?

Again, as noted in previous posts on this blog, Presidential candidates should be FORCED to appear in a fixed number of debates and/or a fixed number of hours of debate live on national television. So, if you're one who is complaining about the debates...then don't watch. But, those of us who takes these things seriously, and like a good debate on the nuances of issues.

Finally, as for the argument about the math of the delegates. Let's use a hypothetical to demonstrate who the Clinton campaign should ignore those. Suppose candidate X is leading the delegate count to the point that while candidate Y is close, Y will never realistically be able to catch up. But, 2 months later, candidate X makes a major mistake, gets caught cheating on his/her spouse or some other big scandal. Are you seriously telling me the delegates wouldn't change their mind?

My bad! Clearly, the delegates would stick to their original candidate and would vote to nominate a scandal-ridden candidate for President....NOT. These arguments are total bullshit.

This just in....

McCain is going to have to change that line he starts nearly every god damn sentence with..."My friends..."

A. I am NOT his fucking friend.
B. It's so patronizing.
C. After the first 10 times, it's just down right annoying as hell.
D. Then, it makes you want to reach through one's tv and strangle the mother fucker.

Final note: Someone keep the tap of hium saying the campaign will be decent or whatever he said, didn't capture the words completely while I was jabbing my eye out with a dull spoon.

Powell the Perceiver

In my initial analysis: I forgot to look at one tiny thing...why wouldn't Powell do it still?

Perception. Powell seems, if anything, hyper-conscious of his own image/public perception of him.

As noted earlier, he's still largely thought well of across the land. Most would probably seem him as a patsy, a pawn, in the Dubya-Cheney-Rumsfeld-ian game that caused him to take shoddy evidence to the world.

Even though I think he's a coward for not calling people out when it was called for, most of the public buys that old "good soldier" rhetoric and it makes him look good when history tells it's tale.

And, I'm thinking that Powell may not be willing to take ANY chance he somehow tarnishes his image as the "good, honorable guy" in a Presidential campaign...even one as civil as a McCain-Obama race may seem to be. There will always be that radical right-wing machine who will go after Obama in nasty ways and Powell may wish to steer well clear of that.

Moreover, his brain may not let him live with himself if he was even partly responsible for an Obama loss. In very many ways, Powell is largely a cautious man...this alone may prevent him for taking a leap of any size.

The Powell Puzzle

With all the noise from the UK article posted earlier on this blog on the Obama VP nod, it made me realize and start thinking about a possible McCain VP nod considering he's been the defacto winner for a while now.

All this analysis is assuming Obama gets the Dem nod:

The perceived nominee may in fact be McCain's friend and fellow war veteran Hagel as noted in the other post. But, I don't think McCain goes that route. Even if Obama selected whitey to be his VP nominee, the image of two old whitey's ticket in an election where there's a dynamic Presidential nominee of color, and one where "change" is THEE word...would probably be non-inspiring and lead to a smashing defeat for the McCain ticket barring some major terrorist event.

So, McCain would be smart to find some minority to add to the ticket, as he can bring his friend Hagel along as a cabinet member.

A woman? Frankly, this an incredibly unfair judgment to make upon a man such as McCain, but I think he has that old (some may argue, including me because of the beating Hill has taken) world view that says women are there to be seen not heard. We've only heard one peep out of Cindy McCain, just like we rarely heard from Laura Bush, and I think this view of "a woman's place" would prevent McCain from selecting a woman to be on the ticket. I suppose he could nominate some token women who is told to shut it, but she'd still have to say something during the VP debate(s). So, I think a woman is out.

A man of color would be the next only logical possibility. There is no current sitting African American Republican that I know of in the whole US Congress according to Wikipedia, Moreover, the only current prominent member of color who is a Republican and currently serving would be Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Florida). Since he's from Florida and happens to be Hispanic, that could be an option. Also, there are only two current sitting Republican Governors of color (Jindal of Louisiana) and one of them (The Terminator/Arnold-if you consider him a man of color, or just a well-tanned Austrian) is ineligible for Presidential election. Because of that, I think that takes out the Governator, plus he might end up being a larger than life candidate who would do the nearly impossible, overshadow McCain. Perhaps former Lt. Governor of Maryland, Michael Steele, who recently lost his bid to be the next Governor of that state back in 2006 would be an option as well, but these are people I admittedly know little about and how they'd fit in with McCain and his message/campaign.

So, what about a man of color who could bring both sides of the aisle together, who is respected by many mainstream people, and holds the same type of credentials McCain does? A guy like Colin Powell?

Powell, who was virtually begged to run in 2000, eventually decided against is because he says his wife was afraid he's be assassinated. As a VP candidate, that's much less likely to be the case, and even much less so this time around since all the wackos of that ilk will be focusing on the charismatic Obama. He helped sell the war of ill-repute that we are now mired in, but he can sneak out that in several easy ways. Not to mention the reports that he himself was dubious on the "evidence" he presented before the world...one of the reasons I have little to no respect for the man left.

I think McCain could make a very compelling case to Powell, and his wife. Hell, Powell could even pull a Cheney, saying he'll never run for the Presidency to assuage his wife's concerns. Powell would bring even more credibility not only to McCain, but to the Republican party (the party who Powell said he wouldn't leave to be a VP nominee for Gore).

Finally, in a race between Obama-McCain, the I believe the moderate center will be the key battleground. McCain cannot afford to go after his base, he is just going to have to hope they are scared shit less enough by the mere prospect of Obama that they come out a vote for him. The recent NY Times pseudo-flop has certainly helped get the right-wing whack-job-radiophiles on board.

Powell adds honor, and prestige while furthering the focus on McCain's service without him having to shove in our face like Kerry desperately tried to do. I'd argue that campaign (McCain-Powell, versus Obama-Gov. Jim Webb?) would be an epic campaign that I'd be more than willing to lose...because I think it would be largely an upstanding campaign/a civil discourse on what ails society as a whole.

Drop the drinking age to 10 ya'll!

I am now on board. I think all cars should come equipped with sensors under the seats like they do already in some cars on the passenger front side, to detect whether an airbag needs deploying during an accident or not...just extent those to the back seats, but don't make them override-able.

Now anyone who knows me, I despise Detroit and American car makers because they've been selling and continue to sell pieces of shit to dumb-fuck Americans. But, this is my gift to them. They will install on every door, a Breathalyzer like some cars already have for repeat drunk-drivers. The federal government will institute MANDATORY yearly check-ups on the safety, gas-efficiency/emissions of ALL cars, and they will monitor the efficacy of these Breathalyzer's for every seat.

With the Breathalyzer's installed, and the sensors deployed, we should drop the legal drinking age to like fucking 10. I'm dead serious, yo. Alcohol loses most of it's luster, similar to that of smoking, once you are told you CAN do it. It's the very same reason why pregnancy rates of young evangelicals who take that no-sex before wed pledge and end up breaking the pledge is sooooo high. If it's forbidden, it's wanted. Like clockwork.

Same reason I fully endorse and promote the idea that ALL drugs, yes...even LSD, should be legalized, taxed, and regulated.

Either accept this plan ya'll, or make it so that if your blood alcohol level is over .10, and your caught driving behind the wheel of a car, you should be shot on sight. Point blank, in the fucking head, because clearly...you don't get it.

Why have Breathalyzer's in every seat you say/ask? So, some drunk fuckwit can't get his/her "buddy" to blow into the thing who happens to be moderately sober and then give the drunk retard a green light to drive. Clearly, this is slightly imperfect, and it'd need to be hashed out on what exactly we could do to ensure the one driving isn't drunk...but, you get the point.

Obama and His Cabinet

Story by the Times of London says Obama is beginning to court well-respected Republicans to fill his cabinet.

Interestingly, however, there a small notice within the story that Obama has considered asking retired Sen., and very good friend to McCain, Chuck Hagel (Republican) to be his running mate.

I'm all for getting smart people on the other side of the aisle into a potential Obama administration, however, there is a line for which Obama mustn't cross. If he were to ask Hagel, and for some stunning reason he accepted (which, as McCain's close friend, he wouldn't) to take the VP nomination...hear me now...I would vote AGAINST Obama.

This is utter bullshit. Assuming Obama makes it through 2 terms, that'd make Hagel the defacto nominee in 2016, and Hagel would start spitting bullets and undermining his boss (Obama) not 3 days after he was sworn into his second term. The last 4 years is a President's weakest, but this would essentially scuttle Obama's last 4 years.

I'm all for making Hagel the Secretary of Defense, and give Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) the Secretary of State in your cabinet...they are both decent republicans who have a fucking conscious and know the difference between their ass and a hole in the ground. But, under NO circumstances can you select a republican as your VP nominee. NONE. That's a mother-fucking deal-breaker son.

Amy Poehler

I am trying to think of one damn sketch Amy has been in that has EVER been funny. Her recurring characters are freaking awful. That Dakota Fanning sketch was brutal. OY!

A Rant

Alright, this could...no...WILL get nasty.

I've had it with mildly-poor people. These are the people that barely make enough money to inhabit an apartment, a house, a dwelling of some sort. The very same people who tend to think it's a brilliant-fuck idea to have a little "me" (a spawn). The same people who go into that decision willy-nilly, with no real fucking clue as to the responsibility it takes to raise a child who doesn't turn out to be an asshole, a retarded reject, who gets dumped back into the mildly-poor gene pool.

The same people who think their shitty lives will be better, more happy, if they have yet another (and perhaps another) spawn to go with the original spawn, because who wants a lonely spawnling? By this time, they've really dug a shit hole for themselves, and become to realize their fucking brilliant idea, was, not so much of one.

So, they ship the spawnlings off to a professional babysitter...duh, a teacher. The teacher gets some fuck-wit kid who has been fed a steady diet of Cheetos and BonBon's and watching the best of American tv. Because what's the next best thing to a professional babysitter?....a television!!!

They don't teach their kids jack shit, other than how to leave mommy and/or daddy alone. They don't turn off the babysitter and read to their moron child.

Fine. We teachers know we have it coming. We can handle those who are behind and prop them up mostly on our own for a while, but there comes a point where parental involvement becomes not only paramount, but a necessity for that fuck-wit spawn of yours to have the proper attitude, be fed properly, and have the proper amount of the foot in the ass to not dick around at school, and know there will be work done at home whether you have homework or not.

But, if your a parent right now, and you have a youngin' that is struggling in school, put down the damn pop-tart, put down the game controller and get cracking. Your child will not succeed without your help in not only teaching, but establishing that work ethic.

I am a teacher. I have NO plan to have kids of my own. Why? I don't want the 24/7 responsibility. Thus, I've been responsible to ensure that hasn't happened.

If you don't want the full-time job of being a REAL PARENT, then put the condom on and stop fucking around!!!!!!!!! I beg you, and America's educational system demands it.