Three Days...And Counting

Baseball season starts Monday.

If you don't understand the meaning of this picture....or wonder why I would allow a MFY on the blog, it's ok. You'll catch on. ;-)

Can Bush Survive Dean?

This is gonna be good.

John Dean will be testifying this Friday at the Senate hearing on censuring the Chimp. Fingers crossed that it has the same end result (although having Deadeye Dick as the Preznit doesn't sound too appealing, does it?

Do You Believe Me Now?

OK, the shit is really hitting the fan now. I can't imagine how I'd feel reading this if a family member of mine died in this fiasco.

WASHINGTON - President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair were officially on a diplomatic track regarding Iraq in January 2003, but a secret memo now reveals they were determined to go to war six weeks before invading.

"This issue will come to a head in a matter of weeks, not months," said Bush on Jan. 31, 2003.

Taking notes at the meeting that day in the Oval Office, Blair's National Security Adviser David Manning, now Great Britain's ambassador in Washington.

Five days later, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell made the U.S. case to the United Nations.

But Manning wrote that the president had decided on war no matter what happened diplomatically, or whether inspectors found weapons of mass destruction.

"As the memo makes clear, the diplomatic strategy was fixed around the military planning," says Philippe Sands, a professor of international law and the author of the book “Lawless World.” "The decision had been taken."

According to the memo, Bush and Blair also predicted a quick victory and vastly underestimated the challenge of creating a new government.

New Mexicans in New England

Too damn cold for the beach, but we went anyway! Come back in July, wouldja?

Babs Is At It Again

Well the former First Lady is in the news again. According to the Houston Chronicle describes Grandma Wingnut's contribution to Katrina survivors as follows:

"She gave specific instructions that part of the money be sent to the Scottish Space School Foundation. She asked that group, in turn, to use the money to buy eight Ignite systems — valued at $3,800 each — for Harris County schools with large numbers of Hurricane Katrina evacuees, according to Bush and fund officials.

"I said to George one day: 'Maybe it's sort of selfish of me, but I'd like to give something that I could see the results of,' " she told the crowd. "The thing I knew about was the COW."

She said she hopes the donation will encourage other companies and individuals to give both time and money to public schools strapped by Hurricane Katrina."

Sort of selfish, Mrs. B? Or business as usual for BushCo? Gimme a break.

Lapsed Republicans? What a Concept

It's very hard to believe in today's world that there can be responsible conservative Republicans. But today, at TPMCafe, you will find the following post from Kevin Phillips:

"I believe that Democrats and liberals in 2006 stand to have their greatest opportunity since 1992 (which was lost). You will have the substantial support of many lapsed Republicans and doubters of Bush conservatism like myself. But I also have the sense that many Democrats and liberals have an instinct for for the capillaries, not for the jugular. If that leads to failure in 2006, there will be a major price to pay, not just for the United States but in terms of the credibility of your party and movement."

Mr. Phillips has been over at The TPM Cafe discussing his new book: "American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century." In his book, he explores the dangerous political coalition of oil, radicalized religion, and debt that are running--and ruining--this country.

Sounds like a sensible person, no?

Especially sensible is one of his: American Dynasty : Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush

Something tells me he's not a fan of the Chimp or his ancestors.

Thursday Nights

Well, it's baaaack. Thursday night comedy, and it's not even on Fox News. ;-)...or Scott McClellan's press briefing from the White House.

We're now hooked on "My Name is Earl" and "The Office." If you haven't had a chance to check them out, you're missing some fun. Especially love Randy, with his mouth hanging open trying to figure out life.

Too freakin' funny.

Bye, Bye Bronson

You'll always be remembered:



Good luck in Cincinnati, Bronson. I'll stop by to see you next time I'm in town.

It's All About Me

First grade teacher's name: Mrs. Martin
Last word you said: Sheesh
Last song you sang: The Revolution Starts Now
Last thing you laughed at: my wacky husband
Last time you cried: watching Katrina's wrath on TV
What's in your cd player? nothing, now ask me about my mp3 player...
What color socks are you wearing? black speckled
What's under your bed? out-of-season clothing
What time did you wake up today? 8:30
Current hair: short, reddish
Current outfit: jeans, white T-shirt, salmon colored sweater
Current annoyance: Bush Administration
Current smell: Chili cooking on the stove
Current longing: vacation in May! can't come soon enough
Current desktop picture: work- picture of Gabe Kapler... home- crazy picture of my niece Molly
Current favorite music artist: Allison Krauss
Current book: Crashing the Gates
Current worry: nothing too much, regular stuff: war, pestilence, bombs
Current hate: New York Yankees
Current favorite article of clothing: jeans jacket
Line from the last thing you wrote to someone: xoxoxoxoxo
I am happiest when: I hear my husband whistling
I feel lonely when: rarely feel lonely
Favorite authors: Hmmmm....hard to say....nobody special right now, lots of people come to mind
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Big Sur
Famous person you have met: haven't met any famous people
Do you have any regrets? nope
Sex or love: Love
Favorite coffee: Verona
Favorite smell: the back of my husband's neck
What makes you mad? injustice
Favorite way to waste time: blogging
What is your best quality? the ability to see both sides of an argument (usually)
Are in currently in love/lust? love the hubbles
What's the craziest thing you have ever done? streaking (looooong time ago)
Do you find it hard to trust people? nope
Last thing you bought yourself: DVDs for new plasma tv
Bath or shower? shower
Favorite season: summer
Favorite color: green
Favorite flavor: chocolate
Favorite time of day: sunset
Any secret crushes? nah, except for Jason Varitek
Do you wear a watch? sometimes
Favorite stores: hmmmm, not really
How big is your closet? not big enough
Ever spend more then $200 in a store? yup, but not often
Do your friends know everything about you? Good Lord, no.
What do they tend to be like? mouthy, like me
Can you count on them? most of the time
Can they count on you? certainly
Last book you read: Night, Elie Wiesel
last movie you saw: Enigma
movie you saw on the big screen: Brokeback Mountain
show you watched on tv: What Not to Wear
song you heard: Mama You Been On My Mind, Dylan
thing you had to drink: Diet Coke
thing you ate: lunch: cottage cheese/pretzels
time you showered: this morning
time you smiled: a few minutes ago
time you laughed: this afternoon
person you hugged: the husband
person you talked to online: SMG
person you talked to on the phone: Amanda
Do You?
Smoke? no
Do drugs? no
Drink? occasionally
Sleep with stuffed animals? no
Have a dream that keeps coming back? no
Play an instrument? no
Read the newspaper? less and less
Believe in miracles? yes
Consider yourself tolerant? yes
Like the taste of alchohol? some
Go to church? no
Have any secrets? sure
Have any pets? no
Have any piercings? yes
Have any tattoos? no
Hate yourself? no
Wish on stars? sometimes
Like your handwriting? yes
Believe in ghosts? yes
Believe in the tooth fairy? sure
Sing in the shower? sometimes

Shredding the Constitution

Apparently, there will be a story coming up in US News & World Report outlining the Administration's choice to not ONLY tap our phones illegally, but also invade private homes and businesses at will. All of which has been going on since September 11, 2001, in the name of protecting us from terrorists. Bah!

Censure? That's not strong enough a punishment for these people. I think we'll look back on Feingold's resolution as a sweet little slap on the wrist in comparison to where they will all end up. Read more here.

People, Let Me Tell You 'Bout My Best Friend...

My best buddy from high school is passing through town this weekend while on the traditional college tour with her teenaged daughter. It seems like a minute-and-a-half ago that Janet and I were contemplating our futures, back in the early '70s. Pre-Watergate, pre-pullout of Vietnam, pre-college, pre-marijuana, pre-marriages, pre-children (hers), pre-divorce (hers) and pre-menopause (mine, but probably hers also).

A lot has happened over the years to both of us and the world. But the beautiful thing is that when we see each other we're pretty much the same. I still am better with planning and driving directions; she's the better writer. I'm more practical; she's the dreamer, and, by a long shot, the more intelligent. And, as is typical, I work in a corporation in a big city, she's a college professor in a small town. In the last election, she was a Kucinich voter; I went for Edwards. Both of us went for Kerry in the end, however, and both of us are appalled at where the United States is going today.

It will be interesting to spend the day with Janet and Amanda and to see where her third (of 4) daughters is, both intellectually and personally.

And to catch up with my pal. Certainly brightens up a cold March weekend.

Losing His Grip

The liberal media strikes again...at long last! In my check of news sites this morning, I was warmly greeted by this caption:



Perhaps it's because so many people think he's an idiot...or a liar...or just plain ole' incompetent. Check this out!:



It would be a nice way to start the day except that our country is going down the drain bit by bit.

Oh, And Another Thing...

How 'Bout You?

Will Baseball Season EVER Get Here?

Do I Hear 29%

Ok, another poll today has the Chimp at 33%. I say we go for broke and sink into the 20s.

Worst.Administration.Ever.

Censure? Sure.

Russ Feingold is introducing the idea of censure into the US Senate this week. It makes so much sense, I can't believe no one has thought of it before now.

While the link above takes you to Talk Left, there are many subsequent links to all the coverage of the Feingold proposal for censure, if you're interested. But I couldn't resist snatching the picture above from there, and I hope they don't mind me borrowing it for this post.

Should be interesting to see how this story is covered. Surely they'll say it's a partisan witch hunt and overly emotional. But either way, it keeps the illegal wiretap story front and center and reminds everyone what lapdogs the Senate Republicans really are. Kudos to Russ. For what it's worth, I think you have my vote so far in 2008.

Dubya and Dubai, The Saga Continues

Perhaps there is a fate worse than Dubai after all...


Stay tuned.

Groundhog Day?

Having assumed they learned their lessons from past "pr offensives," I was surprised to learn the Chimp and his cronies are planning yet another one to catch us all up on the wonderfulness that is the war in Iraq.

Wouldn't it be nice to once in a while read that the Administration was actually doing something instead of talking about doing something? They will live in infamy as the most pr-oriented administration ever. The problem with them is that they don't know how to actually govern, they just know how to talk, berate, embarrass, whine, complain. All with a beautiful Hitler-like backdrop with repetitive words that they think will help us think they're actually competent. Dream on, boys. How many days until January 20, 2009? Can't come soon enough.

Worst.Administration.Ever.

Embarrassed to be a Republican

Typically, I avoid just picking up posts from DailyKos because I know that anyone who leans left probably goes there themselves to catch up on the latest.

However, I had to link to this one because I just loved the title: Embarrassed to be a Republican. In it Joe Scarborough, a noted Republican pundit says the following:

The lack of leadership in Washington, D.C., is sickening. If you look at what Republicans did--promised to do in 1994, when they took control of Congress, and see, how they've been acting over the past three or four years, the biggest debt and deficit ever. They are irresponsible and reckless on so many levels. I'm embarrassed right now to be a Republican. It's a disgrace because of the lack of leadership.

And the author of the post adds this kicker:

As kos said below, for all their fancy slogans, Republicans just can't govern. They can't deliver. They can't lead. The GOP leadership occupying the White House and the majority positions in Congress is pathetically incompetent, and Republicans are finally forced to publicly admit that fact.

It's really hard to believe how fast they've fallen...it's hard to believe it's not fiction. Perhaps this country is finally waking up.

And the Winner Is...

Sorry for the lack of posts recently...no real explanation since there's been plenty of craziness going on in Washington. Makes our job here just way too easy, doesn't it?

So, in light of the fact that everyone's talking about the port deal, the ridiculously low poll numbers (apparently lower than those of Tricky Dick during Watergate), etc., I thought I'd try my hand at Oscar predictions. If you recall, last year I went on the record as saying I didn't think "Million Dollar Baby" should win and, of course, it did.

This year, I believe the frontrunner is "Brokeback Mountain" and I couldn't agree more. Unlike "Million Dollar Baby" this was actually an original story about totally overlooked people in a totally overlooked place and time. And, to me, that's what makes it the best picture this year. All of which has nothing to do with the sexuality of any involved. In fact, I was reading an article about Brokeback the other day that referred to Ennis as gay and I actually stopped to think about it. I don't know whether that says anything about my general acceptance of sexuality or whether the story was that good. Either way, I took it as a good sign about the movie.

As much as I liked "Good Night and Good Luck," it doesn't deserve the win because it didn't have as coherent a story. I came away from it thinking that I knew a lot more about Joseph McCarthy than the movie told. This made me wonder if people new to the story (like those under the age of 45) would actually be able to understand it fully.

I liked "Crash" moderately well, but it's not best picture material and why it was nominated is beyond me. I think it was an important story to tell, but the movie was fairly predictable AND unrealistic. People don't actually talk to people of different races the way they do in this movie. In my experience, I find that people do talk to others in their own race the way it's depicted in the movie, which makes racism much more subtle and subversive. But, if nothing else, it reminds people that there still is a long way to go.

I haven't seen "Capote," "Walk the Line" or some of the other big movies, but I think the Academy missed the boat on not nominating "The Constant Gardener" for more awards. I thought Ralph Fiennes was fabulous, the story was quite original, as was its setting. It definitely did not look like every other movie from a visual perspective.

Anyway, for what its worth, here's my hoped for predictions:

Best picture: Brokeback Mountain
Best actor: Heath Ledger
Best actress: Felicity Huffman
Best supporting actor: George Clooney
Best supporting actress: Rachel Weisz
Best director: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain

I just hope George Clooney wins at least one award as I'm dying to hear what will pop out of that witty man's mouth...and we both grew up in greater Cincinnati, so I have to go with the hometown guy. Plus, I have a reason to post his picture on the blog.

Christmas is Coming

If you're the type of person who does Christmas shopping all year-round, here's something you can buy me, or other like-minded thinkers. Enjoy

"Complete with "Urban Camo pants, Shotgun, T-shirt and Retractable kick spike shoes" comes the "You don't know Dick" action figure. Since appearing in the New York Post, the toy has raised eyebrows across the blogosphere.

The figure, soon to be released by HeroBuilders.com through Vicale Corporation, seems to make light of the hunting accident in which the Vice President Dick Cheney shot 78-year-old Texas attorney Harry Whittington..."

The Chimp Doing a Heckuva Job

Oh, I see. They did anticipate the levees breaking. They just decided to ignore it.

Why don't I feel better?

(Kudos to AP for finally doing some real reporting!)

Gravity Taking Its Toll

How low can he go?

CBS) The latest CBS News poll finds President Bush's approval rating has fallen to an all-time low of 34 percent, while pessimism about the Iraq war has risen to a new high.

Americans are also overwhelmingly opposed to the Bush-backed deal giving a Dubai-owned company operational control over six major U.S. ports. Seven in 10 Americans, including 58 percent of Republicans, say they're opposed to the agreement.

Better Late Than Never?

Suddenly some missing emails from the VP's office have been found and forwarded to Patrick Fitzgerald's office, as mandated more than three years ago. The story is here. A quote is here:

Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in a court hearing Friday that the White House "recently located and turned over" 250 pages of emails from the Office of Vice President Dick Cheney, according to an article filed by the Associated Press Friday evening.

That Friday was yesterday, my friends. Fitzmas delayed is Fitzmas denied? I don't think so.

Speaking of Good Music

If you're interested in listening to music that is quite good, original, and not found in any ordinary, average, everyday neighborhood cd store, you've come to the right place.

Allow me to introduce Fred Steffen, a guitar-player extraordinaire and all-around great guy. You can buy his double-cd for a mere $20 here. Fred's been writing and playing his own brand of folk and blues for a number of years and since we don't live in the same city, I don't get a chance to hear him live as much as I'd like. But when I do, I'm always in awe of his ability, primarily with the guitar and harmonica, and most recently with piano. If anyone has heard me sing they know I have absolutely no musical talent, but I excel at appreciating other people's abilities in this area.

And if you enjoy the artwork on Fred's CD, you can credit his brother Bob, a talented artist in his own right.

For you trivia buffs out there, check out Song #12 "And I Love You," which was written for our wedding a few (ahem) years ago. Enjoy!

James Wolcott is My Writing Hero

Where have you ever read a better paragraph that sums up the current state of affairs?

As I post, President Bush is on Fox News delivering a speech in Indiana, looking jaunty and relaxed, repeating soundbites such as "As Iraqis stand up, we will stand down" and working that Determined Jaw as if he were personally going to grind terrorists between his back molars. He has to repeat himself ad nauseum because if he paused to reflect on the harm he's done and the horror he's unleashed he'd collapse like a paper cup crushed beneath a boot.

Sound Familiar?

Tonight, we watched John Fogarty (from Creedence Clearwater Revival, you remember...) on Austin City Limits, and he sang this song. I thought it would be good to repeat those lyrics here because it got me up dancing in the living room.

Fortunate Son

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
ooh, they're red, white and blue.
And when the band plays "Hail To The Chief",
oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no senator's son,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no,

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, why don't they help themselves? oh.
But when the taxman come to the door,
Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no.
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no.

Yeh, some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
ooh, they send you down to war, Lord,
And when you ask them, how much should we give,
oh, they only answer, more, more, more, yoh,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no military son, SON, NO
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, NO NO

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no no no,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate son, son son son

Follow the Money

If cranky old Lou Dobbs gets it, when will everyone else?

DOBBS: President Bush's family and members of the Bush administration have long-standing business connections with the United Arab Emirates, and those connections are raising new concerns and questions tonight in some quarters about why the president is defying his very own party leadership and his party in defending the Dubai port deal.

From CNN today. A-men.

Have You Been to "Dickfest?"

This is priceless...

You may not have heard about it, but there's been a "Dickfest" going on over at firedoglake, a blog that is fast becoming one of my favorites. It seems that their comments section spawned a great deal of spontaneous poetry during last week's feeding frenzy over the Veep shooting an old guy down in Tex-ass. Enjoy some of the great submissions here.

Cartoon of the Day

.
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Sorry, Mr. Vice President

I am so very sorry for getting in the way of your gun, Dick! You really must not drink and hunt, ya know?

Learned Something Recently

Traffic for this humble blog nearly tripled in the last week or so. My normal visits are around 20 per day...mostly friends and family. In looking at my site meter results I see that a lot of traffic has come from people searching on "David Gregory NBC." So I've ended up getting posts from riled up conservatives wanting to piss me off.

What have I learned from this? If you are seeking a lot of attention to your blog, write famous people's names in your headlines. In my case, I'm not so interested in attracting so much attention, so I think it is likely that I'll avoid that sort of thing in the future.

If you're a conservative reading here, have a nice day - and don't get all hot and bothered, it's just a blog. If you're a raging liberal like me and my pals, welcome aboard and enjoy the ride!

The Boys Are Back In Town

Spring training opened for pitchers and catchers today! Wahoo.

Thank You, David Gregory

Hmmmm...watching David Gregory beat up on poor Scotty McClellan makes me think he's reading my humble scribblings. Although he hasn't stopped going to the press room every day as I recommended the other day, David is putting up quite a ruckus at the White House over the shooting of Cheney's hunting partner.

"I have one final question, since that one wasn't answered. Is it appropriate for the vice president to have waited 14 hours after the incident before he spoke with local law enforcement officials? And do you think that an average citizen would have been accorded that same amount of time before having to answer questions about a shooting incident?

Way to go, David!

Drunken Dick?

Something tells me that our friend Mr. Cheney was hitting the bottle when he shot his buddy the other day. Probably got the booze from the boss.

Shooting Quail With Dead Eye Dick

Enjoy the fun of hunting with the Vice President from the Huffington Post.

Here!

Read James Wolcott's take on the whole affair: Birdshot and Birdshit. His description of former senator Alan Simpson's appearance on "Hardball" is priceless. We caught that abysmal act earlier tonight, unfortunately.

I Want My Money Back

Apparently the Chimp's administration can't spend enough on PR. According to Raw Story:

Today Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. George Miller, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, and other senior Democrats released a new Government Accountability Office report finding that the Bush Administration spent more than $1.6 billion in public relations and media contracts in a two and a half year span.

"The government is spending over a billion dollars per year on PR and advertising," said Rep. Waxman. "Careful oversight of this spending is essential given the track record of the Bush Administration, which has used taxpayer dollars to fund covert propaganda within the United States."

Yowza. $1.6 Billion. Imagine if they used their money for something worthwhile. Sigh.

Cheney Finally Flipped

You're not going to believe it but Cheney finally did it: he shot somebody. Luckily the fellow hunter is going to be fine, but you might want to read one of the first "Top Ten Reasons Why..." here.

Having a Blizzard!

This Week Flew By

Honest to God, where does the time go? I can't believe a week has nearly passed since my last post. Not that I've been all that busy, but it's been kind of a stressful week. In any event, here are a few links to keep us happy.

First, Mrs. Chimp cracks me up. While traveling the world (currently at the Olympics) she speaks her mind on a couple of things...like cartoon violence etc. But she actually thinks Hillary Clinton's comments about the Administration being the worst ever are "out of bounds." Yes, I note that the words were chosen by a journalist, but still...Mrs. Chimp should know that someone who has "lived in that house" actually knows about the choices that face the president and that he has opportunities to actually do things right. The fact is the Chimp surrounds himself by idiots and makes repeatedly wrong choices. And Hillary is right.

A pal of mine sent me this email last night, which sort of sums up the week:

What a day...Scooter and Cheney; Abramoff visits to Crawford..."Brownie discussing warnings about levees to the White House"; ex-CIA official accusation of misusing data to justify the Iraq war.

Good news just keeps coming. Did you see Coretta King's funeral highlights in the news the other day? The Chimp looked a a deer caught in headlights when speakers were taking jabs at him!

Yes, Mrs. King's funeral was a sight to behold, wasn't it? I would have given ANYTHING to be in the audience for that. Just imagine what it would be like to have someone say...in front of the Chimp...that there were no WMD! And to be able to leap from your seat in applause? I'd give a lot to do that.

So, just in case anyone is curious, if you want to get political at my funeral, you have my permission.

Happy Birthday, Molly...

Yeah. What He Said.

Dan Froomkin's column says what I wished I had said the other day in my comments about how the media should deal with the White House these days.

It's about credibility. An excerpt:

There is a reason members of the press corps don't grill Bush on issues like his credibility. But it's not (as many of my readers often complain) because they're craven.

It's the structure of the relationship. At a typical press conference, there are in fact quite a few tough questions. Consider last week's press conference, when the newest Los Angeles Times White House reporter, James Gerstenzang, asked Bush if his defense of domestic spying wasn't basically a variation on President Nixon's "When the President does it, then that means it is not illegal."

Typically, however, Bush didn't actually answer the question -- choosing to respond with some generic comments about his authority. And, like many tough questions, it was not aggressively followed up. Bush does not tolerate multiple questions from a single reporter, and other reporters are loathe to give up their questions to repeat one from a colleague.

I Agree With A Republican?

OK, folks, mark it down. I said it. I believe it. I might even say it more often if more Republicans were like John Danforth.

A profile of him in yesterday's Washington Post, carries the following paragraph:

As a mainline Episcopal priest, retired U.S. senator and diplomat, Danforth worships a humbler God and considers the right's certainty a sin. Legislating against gay marriage, for instance? "It's just cussedness." As he sees it, many Republican leaders have lost their bearings and, if they don't change, will lose their grip on power. Not to mention make the United States a meaner place.

Alleluia, brother. You're on to something. Let's pray that others begin to see the light.

It's About Time...Only 4+ Years Late

In October 2001, my husband and I visited Ground Zero in New York City during a very sad and solemn Columbus Day weekend. We hailed a taxi and drove through the almost freakishly deserted streets of Manhattan. Our cab driver, who was not native-born American (hmmmm, why does that detail matter?), described how one of the planes flew right over his head, practically straight down 5th Avenue on its way to the World Trade Center. It gave us chills, especially since the sky on this particular morning was just as bright and blue as it was on 9/11.

At Chandler Street, just above SoHo, we joined a steady stream of people in quiet, small groups going in one direction: toward Ground Zero. As we neared the site, we noticed a unique smell in the air - kind of metallic and dirty. During the next few hours we circled the blocks around the site (where I took this picture), passing many people who were wearing surgical masks or scarves over their mouths. Increasingly we noticed the dust in the air and as time passed, we felt a certain scratchiness in our own throats.

One question kept coming to us: how in hell were the construction workers and fire fighters, soldiers and police officers surviving while they worked on the piles of rubble that were still everywhere? Every building within ten blocks still had a shroud of dust on them. How was all of this going to affect the health of residents and caregivers in the short and long-term?

As the years passed, several officials have made attempts at getting to the bottom of this environmental and health nightmare. Mrs. Clinton took a stab at it, among others. Today, I noticed that the former EPA Chief Christie Todd Whitman was refused immunity from a class action suit over her part in this ridiculousness. It's not enough; it's not nearly enough. The rest of the Administration - including Giuliani too - should be refused immunity as well, in my opinion.

Here's an excerpt from this sad and sorry tale:

NEW YORK - A federal judge blasted former Environmental Protection Agency chief Christine Todd Whitman on Thursday for reassuring New Yorkers soon after the Sept. 11 attacks that it was safe to return to their homes and offices while toxic dust was polluting the neighborhood.

U.S. District Judge Deborah A. Batts refused to grant Whitman immunity against a class-action lawsuit brought in 2004 by residents, students and workers in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn who said they were exposed to hazardous materials from the collapse of the World Trade Center.

"No reasonable person would have thought that telling thousands of people that it was safe to return to lower Manhattan, while knowing that such return could pose long-term health risks and other dire consequences, was conduct sanctioned by our laws," the judge said.

She called Whitman's actions "conscience-shocking," saying the EPA chief knew that the fall of the twin towers released tons of hazardous materials into the air.

Conscience-shocking indeed.

Thought for Today

Addicted to B.S.

Well, pity the poor Energy Secretary, who today had to backtrack on the Chimp's promise to reduce US dependence on foreign oil by 60% by the year 2025. Not even 24 hours after the State of the Union speech, here's what he's reduced to:

Administration backs off Bush's vow to reduce Mideast oil imports
By Kevin G. Hall
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - One day after President Bush vowed to reduce America's dependence on Middle East oil by cutting imports from there 75 percent by 2025, his energy secretary and national economic adviser said Wednesday that the president didn't mean it literally.

What the president meant, they said in a conference call with reporters, was that alternative fuels could displace an amount of oil imports equivalent to most of what America is expected to import from the Middle East in 2025.

But America still would import oil from the Middle East, because that's where the greatest oil supplies are

OK, so everything they say is made up, then. I get it now.

Curling, Anyone?

The winter Olympics will soon be upon us...and time for our favorite event: curling! Looking forward to trying to figure out what the hell these people are doing on the ice, with their brooms and their 'rocks.'

We do seriously want to watch this sport at our house - enough of the knee-bashing figure skaters and the ski jump daredevils!

Give us curling, and give it to us now.

Funniest.DailyShow.Ever.

This is the best ever. Check it out, via Crooks and Liars.

What We Have Here is a Failure to Anticipate

This article was in yesterday's New York Times and I was remiss in not posting it last night. The article documents, yet again, the Administration's "failure to anticipate" problems of this world.

Can you believe this?

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged Sunday that the United States had failed to understand the depth of hostility among Palestinians toward their longtime leaders. The hostility led to an election victory by the militant group Hamas that has reduced to tatters crucial assumptions underlying American policies and hopes in the Middle East.

"I've asked why nobody saw it coming," Ms. Rice said, speaking of her own staff. "It does say something about us not having a good enough pulse."

How embarassing is this?

They Like Us...They Really Like Us

Well, is there hope for Americans after all? Here's a snippet from a story in today's Washington Post about a recent poll.

The poll also shows that the public prefers the direction Democrats in Congress would take the country as opposed to the path set by the president, that Americans trust Democrats over Republicans to address the country's biggest problems and that they strongly favor Democrats over Republicans in their vote for the House.

and this:

By 54 percent to 38 percent, voters surveyed said they would vote for the Democratic candidate over the Republican candidate for the House in November. That is one of the largest margins favoring the Democrats in two decades, although the gerrymandered House districts mean that incumbents are safer today than they were in the past.

By 51 percent to 37 percent, Americans said they trust the Democrats more than the Republicans with the main problems facing the country over the next few years, the first time since spring 1992 that Democrats have gained more than 50 percent support on that question.

Now let's see what the Dems can make of it.

An Historic Moment

While I have been very skeptical about whether the Democrats can do anything at all to stop the confirmation of ScAlito, I very much support the efforts of my state's senators Kerry and Kennedy. They have called for the filabuster, even though it may be the longest of long shots. I happen to think we should do everything we can do make the Chimp's life miserable. And while we may not have the votes to stop ScAlito, we should at least use the filabuster time to take center stage in the Senate and talk about all the evils being perpetrated by the Administration. Might make a nice counter-punch to all the crap coming up this week in the Chimps's State of the Union speech.

In the meantime, every mainstream media outlet will be complaining about the Democrats and their "lost cause" but I say we should go down fighting, and I'm proud that the senators from Massachusetts are leading the way.

Loco for Coco?

We'll see whether this trade pans out for the Sox -- bottom line is Coco Crisp will be the replacement for the dearly departed Johnny Damon. From what I hear this could be good. Welcome to Boston, Mr. Crisp!

It's Good To Set Priorities

Recently came across this sign in a restaurant restroom in Lee, Massachusetts. In a world with tsunamis, famine, dictatorships and all manner of evil, it's good to see someone has figured out what really matters.

Confessions of a Political Junky

I have a confession.

I have been a political junky since taking notice of the 1960 presidential election. (OK, I'm old.) My first political memory is a bet my parents had with my aunt and uncle over who would win. Any guesses on who my parents voted for? Anybody?

Yes, of course they voted for JFK and they won the bet.

Another confession - I adore watching political conventions. The first one I remember vividly was 1964, when LBJ was nominated. In those days, it was gavel-to-gavel coverage...during the day. I remember long, hot summer afternoons (pre-air conditioning) watching our black and white TV and listening to old, white men wearing funny hats drone on and on. I loved it. (My own particular high point was the roll call of the states for voting by the only woman to be found on the convention podium...Aaaaaaaal a baaammmmmma!)

Why am I confessing this today, you may ask? It's because I have been hooked on political tv ever since those first days - whether it "Washington Week in Review" or "McLaughlin Group" or "Hardball."

BUT, I think I may have finally reached even MY limit. For years, "Hardball" host Chris Matthews has turned into a mouthpiece for the GOoPers. Last week he tied together the words Osama bin Laden uttered on his recent videotape to those said by Michael Moore. In other words, left-leaning activists are the equivalent of mass murderers. Damn.

Well, this has stirred up the blogosphere in a big way, as you might imagine. I've written to MSNBC requesting an apology. If you're interested in learning more, go here. You'll find a list of advertisers to contact to put pressure on Matthews to apologize for his miserable behavior. Join the fun - hold the MSM's feet to the fire.

Luckily for me, today's 24-hour political fix comes from the internet. Thank God there are enough good writers and activists out there to keep me away from corporate news that's on today's TV.

Anything you'd like to confess? The floor's open.

They Can't Anticipate Shit

Just like they couldn't anticipate planes going into buildings, the Chimp said no one could "anticipate the levees breaking" in New Orleans.

You won't be surprised to learn that the White House was briefed on this very possibility just before Katrina hit.

*rolling eyes*

The NISAC analysis accurately predicted the collapse of floodwalls along New Orleans's Lake Pontchartrain shoreline, an event that the report described as "the greatest concern." The breach of two canal floodwalls near the lake was the key failure that left much of central New Orleans underwater and accounted for the bulk of Louisiana's 1,100 Katrina-related deaths.

A Letter to David Gregory, NBC News

Dear David,
Last week, I read news accounts and heard on the radio, your exchange with Scott McClellan regarding the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. A lot of people are giving you kudos for your fiesty retorts to the perennial stonewalling being perpetuated by the press secretary.

I beg to differ.

Specifically, I've been wanting to ask you, David, why do you bother going to the White House to actually get information? After five years, it's clear that the Bush administration is not going to tell you anything. I can just picture you every morning, getting up and preparing the questions you are going to ask your friend Scott. And then, you get smacked down time after time at what is euphamistically called a "briefing" at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

In light of this repeated smack-down, I have a suggestion. Why don't you and your pals skip tomorrow's briefing and go to the mall instead?...or get a massage?...even clean the gutters on your house? It's clear that taking this time away would get you every bit as far as sitting there in the press room, matching wits with that moron. David, understand this: you demean yourselves and your profession by hanging around waiting for the White House scraps. What would they do if you guys just didn't show up? Somehow I think that the country would survive - or perhaps even be better served without us having to listen to the lies that come out of that place, day after day.

Or, if you'd feel guilty killing time with these extracurricular activities, why don't you do some actual reporting? There must be sources that can be cultivated somewhere in Washington. I am old enough to remember a time when actual reporters brought down an actual president (although I'm not sure Bob Woodward remembers this). Perhaps you can contact Carl Bernstein for a few pointers.

In the meantime, David, remember the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Cheers,
Beckperson

The Amaryllis That Ate Shrewsbury

Instead of buying poinsettias at Christmas, which has been my tradition, I sprung for a couple of amaryllis that are both blooming now. (Believe it or not, this picture is only one plant.) Considering this hasn't been the coldest of winters so far, having these around has been quite a nice distraction.

Enjoy!

Left Curve is One Year Old

Just a bit over a year ago, I followed a link to a website called "blogger.com" and within 5 minutes, I had a blog. That Friday night, I had not expected to start a blog; didn't have any plan in mind for maintaining a blog. But, like most successes in my life, my instincts took care of any careful planning I should have done. And now, on this auspicious anniversary, I'm pleased to say I've had this blog for a year.

What are the highlights of this past year? My favorite story is from last year's blizzard, and the miracle of Russell Avenue. I'm also fond of my own personal tracking of the 2004 world champion Red Sox, and the plans for Bob and my trip to San Francisco to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Politically, my favorite time was the late summer's celebration of "Fitzmas" when Scooter Libby went down; the saddest time was Hurricane Katrina. The fact that these events allowed the Chimp's approval ratings to drop through the floor made them somewhat more palatable.

Although I haven't had as much inspiration for writing the blog more recently, I do have an explanation. In recent weeks, my time has been sucked up by some new toys in my home - a large screen plasma HD-TV and a new device called a "digital video recorder" (aka TiVo). Because of this handy device, I've been able to actually watch shows that are broadcast after my relatively early bedtime, as well as those airing during the middle of the night or the middle of the workday. Seeing Letterman every day is a pleasure; watching the Daily Show/Colbert Report has allowed me to stay up with cultural references; seeing long PBS documentaries (like one on Willa Cather and Eleanor Roosevelt) has been fulfilling.

BUT, there's one major problem that I hadn't really anticipated: it takes TIME to watch all this TV and my list of recorded shows seems never-ending. So, I have been feeling this pressure to watch everything I record, and move things quickly through the DVR. The good part is I haven't really seen a whole tv commercial in quite some time. The bad news is that I haven't accomplished much else during any free time.

In spite of my less than regular blogging, I can say that when I started this blog last year, I knew for certain that I was doing it for me. If other people found it interesting, that would be great. But if no one even read it that would be fine Having said that, there was a time when I was obsessed with metrics and who was linking to Left Curve, etc. But now I'm certain that if I'm happy with the blog, that's enough for me.

So, here's to another year of blogging. And may we find ourselves with the same good health and happiness next January. Happy Blog Year everyone!

Monica v. the NSA

Wonder how the New York Times and the Washington Post covered two important stories: the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal and the NSA illegal wiretapping story? This article from Media Matters shows the difference in the coverage - and as you probably expect, we find out again how much sex sells. Sad, and true.

Haliburton at it Again

Now here's a surprise.

WASHINGTON - Troops and civilians at a U.S. military base in Iraq were exposed to contaminated water last year and employees for the responsible contractor, Halliburton, couldn’t get their company to inform camp residents, according to interviews and internal company documents.

Halliburton, the company formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, disputes the allegations about water problems at Camp Junction City, in Ramadi, even though they were made by its own employees and documented in company e-mails.

Read entire article here.

Al Fires Back

Naturally, ever since Al Gore spoke out yesterday about the current administration, everyone in the media has relegated him to the role of "crazy uncle in the attic" with "an axe to grind."

If you actually read Vice President Gore's speech, you know it was thoughtful, heart-felt and as patriotic a message as any I've heard in a long time.

But, clearly it appears that Mr. Gore has a plan, because he responded to these attacks today:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement by former Vice President Al Gore:

"The Administration's response to my speech illustrates perfectly the need for a special counsel to review the legality of the NSA wiretapping program. The Attorney General is making a political defense of the President without even addressing the substantive legal questions that have so troubled millions of Americans in both political parties.

"There are two problems with the Attorney General's effort to focus attention on the past instead of the present Administration's behavior. First, as others have thoroughly documented, his charges are factually wrong. Both before and after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was amended in 1995, the Clinton/Gore Administration complied fully and completely with the terms of the law.

"Second, the Attorney General's attempt to cite a previous administration's activity as precedent for theirs -- even though factually wrong -- ironically demonstrates another reason why we must be so vigilant about their brazen disregard for the law. If unchecked, their behavior would serve as a precedent to encourage future presidents to claim these same powers, which many legal experts in both parties believe are clearly illegal.

"The issue, simply put, is that for more than four years, the executive branch has been wiretapping many thousands of American citizens without warrants in direct contradiction of American law. It is clearly wrong and disrespectful to the American people to allow a close political associate of the president to be in charge of reviewing serious charges against him.

"The country needs a full and independent investigation into the facts and legality of the present Administration's program."

God Bless Al Gore

Why in hell can't more Democrats speak as clearly as Al Gore did today regarding the NSA wiretapping story?

Here's the link.

An excerpt:

As we begin this new year, the Executive Branch of our government has been caught eavesdropping on huge numbers of American citizens and has brazenly declared that it has the unilateral right to continue without regard to the established law enacted by Congress to prevent such abuses.

It is imperative that respect for the rule of law be restored.

So, many of us have come here to Constitution Hall to sound an alarm and call upon our fellow citizens to put aside partisan differences and join with us in demanding that our Constitution be defended and preserved.

It is appropriate that we make this appeal on the day our nation has set aside to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who challenged America to breathe new life into our oldest values by extending its promise to all our people.

On this particular Martin Luther King Day, it is especially important to recall that for the last several years of his life, Dr. King was illegally wiretapped-one of hundreds of thousands of Americans whose private communications were intercepted by the U.S. government during this period.

Good Government at Work

I'm old enough to remember when government actually worked for the citizens of the US, and didn't just take things away. Here's a great example of our public servants improving the lives of their constituents and setting a standard for others to follow:

Maryland legislators voted Thursday to enact a first-in-the-nation requirement that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spend more on employee health care. The measure, touted as a money-saver for the state-supported Medicaid program, takes effect despite the governor’s veto of the bill.

Labor unions have said they are seeking similar legislation this year in at least 30 other states. Supporters say the retailing giant unfairly takes advantage of taxpayer-funded health care plans because some workers can’t afford Wal-Mart’s health insurance.

“The taxpayers are giving a health-care subsidy to the largest retailer on earth,” argued Democratic Delegate Kumar Barve. The House and Senate, both controlled by Democrats, both notched the three-fifths margins needed to override a veto last May by Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich.

Wal-Mart sucks.

Spying BEFORE 9/11

According to Truthout.org, the Chimp's administration began spying on Americans PRIOR to 9/11.

The National Security Agency advised President Bush in early 2001 that it had been eavesdropping on Americans during the course of its work monitoring suspected terrorists and foreigners believed to have ties to terrorist groups, according to a declassified document.

The NSA's vast data-mining activities began shortly after Bush was sworn in as president and the document contradicts his assertion that the 9/11 attacks prompted him to take the unprecedented step of signing a secret executive order authorizing the NSA to monitor a select number of American citizens thought to have ties to terrorist groups.

In its "Transition 2001" report, the NSA said that the ever-changing world of global communication means that "American communication and targeted adversary communication will coexist."

"Make no mistake, NSA can and will perform its missions consistent with the Fourth Amendment and all applicable laws," the document says.

However, it adds that "senior leadership must understand that the NSA's mission will demand a 'powerful, permanent presence' on global telecommunications networks that host both 'protected' communications of Americans and the communications of adversaries the agency wants to target."

There's more at the link.

For those of you who think war is an acceptable time to spy without warrants, how do you react to this? Is the Chimp above the law? I think not.

Baseball Memories

Spring training is 5 weeks away. In commemoration, here's my favorite picture.

Take That, Wolf!

On yesterday's CNN's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, Howard Dean set the record straight on the Democrats' relationship to the Abramoff scandal (which I didn't even know):

BLITZER: Should Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, who has now pleaded guilty to bribery charges, among other charges, a Republican lobbyist in Washington, should the Democrat who took money from him give that money to charity or give it back?

DEAN: There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Every person named in this scandal is a Republican. Every person under investigation is a Republican. Every person indicted is a Republican. This is a Republican finance scandal. There is no evidence that Jack Abramoff ever gave any Democrat any money. And we've looked through all of those FEC reports to make sure that's true.

BLITZER: But through various Abramoff-related organizations and outfits, a bunch of Democrats did take money that presumably originated with Jack Abramoff.

DEAN: That's not true either. There's no evidence for that either. There is no evidence...

BLITZER: What about Senator Byron Dorgan?

DEAN: Senator Byron Dorgan and some others took money from Indian tribes. They're not agents of Jack Abramoff. There's no evidence that I've seen that Jack Abramoff directed any contributions to Democrats. I know the Republican National Committee would like to get the Democrats involved in this. They're scared. They should be scared. They haven't told the truth. They have misled the American people. And now it appears they're stealing from Indian tribes. The Democrats are not involved in this.

BLITZER: Unfortunately Mr. Chairman, we got to leave it right there.

Hillary Looking Into Armor Issue

In case you wondered if anyone at all is paying attention in Washington...Senator Clinton is looking into the armor issue as noted a few days ago in this post.

Give 'em hell, Hillary.

And thank you.

Does Every Problem Come from the Chimp's Administration?

From a Knight Ridder investigation:

WASHINGTON - Since the Bush administration took office in 2001, it has been more lenient than its predecessors toward mining companies facing serious safety violations, issuing fewer and smaller major fines and collecting less than half of the money that violators owed, a Knight Ridder investigation has found.

At one point last year, the Mine Safety and Health Administration fined a coal company $440 for a "significant and substantial" violation that ended in the death of a Kentucky man. The firm, International Coal Group Inc., is the same company that owns the Sago mine in West Virginia, where 12 workers died last week.

The $440 fine remains unpaid.

Good Lord. There is no shame.

This is Sad, Just Sad

From the NY Times:

A secret Pentagon study has found that at least 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had extra body armor. That armor has been available since 2003 but until recently the Pentagon has largely declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, according to military officials.

The ceramic plates in vests currently worn by the majority of military personnel in Iraq cover only some of the chest and back. In at least 74 of the 93 fatal wounds that were analyzed in the Pentagon study of marines from March 2003 through June 2005, bullets and shrapnel struck the marines' shoulders, sides or areas of the torso where the plates do not reach.
...
Additional forensic studies by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's unit that were obtained by The Times indicate that about 340 American troops have died solely from torso wounds.

Military officials said they had originally decided against using the extra plates because they were concerned they added too much weight to the vests or constricted the movement of soldiers. Marine Corps officials said the findings of the Pentagon study caused field commanders to override those concerns in the interest of greater protection.

60% of What You Say is Crap

Let's hear it for David Letterman! If you haven't seen or heard, Mr. Letterman took Bill O'Reilly to task last night. Here's the video via Crooks & Liars.

Doesn't it figure that just when we get a Digital Video Recording system, I don't have it set to tape Letterman. Doh.

No on Alito

Please join me in writing a short note to your Senators, asking them to oppose Judge Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court.

Judge Alito has a record of extreme views on issues like privacy and civil rights and a pattern of deception to hide them from congress and the public. He's the wrong choice for the highest court in the land. We don't need another corporate lawyer on the Supreme Court.

You can write a short letter to your Senators and deliver it online just by going here:

http://www.political.moveon.org/alitoletters

Thanks!

Happy New Year!

2006 is here and here's hoping it treats the Chimp just as well as 2005 did!

As for the rest of us, 2005 was actually pretty good, now that I've started to look at it, but I'm looking forward to a few improvements in the New Year. This includes better mental health for my hubbles, better physical health for me. Can I finally get back to losing weight? I have been gaining and losing the same 4 or 5 pounds for a year (or so). The good news is I'm not gaining, but it's time to move my weight even further down this coming year. We're also looking into joining a yoga class or two - for His stress relief, to help me improve my back.

Come to think of it, 2005 finally brought an end to my back problems. Who knew that getting off my ass would be precisely what I need? (I know, practically all of you reading this blog know this, I guess I'm a slow learner.) I can credit my chiropractor for delicately suggesting that this would be exactly what I needed. Danielle, here's to you!

We had a great New Year's Eve - watched DVD concerts, circa 1970s. First on tap was "The Concert for Bangladesh" with Leon Russell stealing the show. Next, we watched Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's concert from the 30th Anniversary disc of "Born to Run," which was fabulous (kinda reminding me of my first Bruce concert in 1978). Then we watched probably the best concert movie of all time "The Last Waltz." If you haven't seen it, and you enjoy good bluesy rock and roll, get to it soon.

Anyway, Happy New Year to all -- hopefully I'll also regain my blogging habit!

All the best to all of you.

Blogging Meme

This one's all over the liberal blogs in the last few days...must be the spirit of Christmas and slow news:

Four jobs you've had in your life: switchboard operator, secretary, media relations representative, web content manager

Four movies you could watch over and over: Julia, A River Runs Through It, Animal House, Bull Durham

Four places you've lived: Reading, Ohio; Amherst, Mass; Cincinnati, Ohio; Shrewsbury, Mass.

Four TV shows you love to watch: The Office, West Wing, Cheers, The Gilmore Girls (don't ask)

Four places you've been on vacation: San Francisco, New York City, Key West, New Orleans

Four websites you visit daily: DailyKos, Crooks & Liars, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo

Four of your favorite foods: chocolate chip cookies, Quakes, grilled cheese, mashed potatoes

Four places you'd rather be: New Orleans, Big Sur, Mendocino, New York City

Imagine

Imagine having a president with a heart! We had one, folks. Here he is, singing with Jewish and Arab children.

Merry Christmas to all!

A Time to Blog...

Tonight when I found myself yelling "fuck you!" at the television set when one of the Republican hack senators was attempting to justify spying on Americans, I realized it was time to blog again.

The whole damn political situation is just depressing. Having the Chimp go on the TV every other day to claim how we're "winning" the war and that he's willing to repeatedly spy on Americans in spite of its illegality just wants to make me throw up on my shoes. And even worse is watching people trying to defend him. The lying fuckers in Washington are simply amazing and it's time to throw all of these wankers out.

Merry Christmas.

Sorry about that...

...but for some reason blogging has not been uppermost in my brain lately. I think partially it has to do with the fact that there are so many people saying pretty much the same things. And, I have to admit, I'm not the most original of them all. So, therefore, less blogging.

HOWEVER, stumbled upon two things at other blogs that I found to be laugh out loud good.

First, Will Farrell doing his spot-on imitation of the Chimp. You're gonna love it.

And now, this from DailyKos: Cheers & Jeers:

"After numerous rounds of "We don't even know if Osama is still alive," Osama himself decided to send George W. Bush a letter in his own handwriting to let the President know he was still in the game. Bush opened the letter and it appeared to contain a single line of coded message:

370HSSV-0773H

Bush was baffled, so he e-mailed it to Condi Rice. Condi and her aides had no clue either, so they sent it to the FBI.

No one could solve it at the FBI so it went to the CIA, then to the NSA. With no clue as to its meaning they eventually asked Britain's M-6 for help. Within a minute M6 cabled the White House with this reply:

"Tell the President he's holding the message upside down."

Har har!

Wilkerson At It Again

From an AP story on the Washington Post website:

WASHINGTON -- A top aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday that wrongheaded ideas for the handling of foreign detainees arose from White House and Pentagon officials who argued that "the president of the United States is all-powerful" and the Geneva Conventions irrelevant.

In an Associated Press interview, former Powell chief of staff Lawrence Wilkerson also said President Bush was "too aloof, too distant from the details" of postwar planning. Underlings exploited Bush's detachment and made poor decisions, Wilkerson said.

Wilkerson blamed Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and like-minded aides. He said Cheney must have sincerely believed that Iraq could be a spawning ground for new terror assaults, because "otherwise I have to declare him a moron, an idiot or a nefarious bastard."

Phew! Tell us how you really feel, Mr. Wilkerson.

A Thanksgiving Ritual

In honor of Thanksgiving....a little Alice's Restaurant...

"They got a building down New York City, it's called Whitehall Street, where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected and selected. I went down to get my physical examination one day, and I walked in, I sat down, got good and drunk the night before, so I looked and felt my best when I went in that morning. `Cause I wanted to look like the all-American kid from New York City, man I wanted, I wanted to feel like the all-, I wanted to be the all American kid from New York, and I walked in, sat down, I was hung down, brung down, hung up, and all kinds o' mean nasty ugly things. And I waked in and sat down and they gave me a piece of paper, said, "Kid, see the phsychiatrist, room 604."

And I went up there, I said, "Shrink, I want to kill. I mean, I wanna, I wanna kill. Kill. I wanna, I wanna see, I wanna see blood and gore and guts and veins in my teeth. Eat dead burnt bodies. I mean kill, Kill, KILL, KILL." And I started jumpin up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL," and he started jumpin up and down with me and we was both jumping up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL." And the sargent came over, pinned a medal on me, sent me down the hall, said, "You're our boy."

Being Thankful

.
On Thanksgiving Eve, our thoughts turn to listing those things for which I am most thankful. Here goes:

1. Health and well-being: My husband and I are as healthy as middle-aged people can be (for the most part) and this evermore will be #1 on my list. Keep it coming. In 2005 I conquered my bad back, thanks to a wonderful pair of chiropractors and joining a gym (who'da thunk?)!

2. My family: I am related to some of the wackiest - and most wonderful - people on earth. In spite of what they all think, I do wish we were spending the holiday together. This holiday, and all others in the future.

3. Blogging: This humble space on the internets has been a great place to take note of 2005. It's interesting to be able to look back on the year, knowing I started this thang during the middle of a blizzard, wrote many posts to describe many a snowstorm, right on through a fairly good baseball season, right up to today as we prepare to finish up the year. I thank those of you who actually read it and those who comment get a big *smooch*!

4. Friends: There have been many years when the Thanksgiving holiday was a time to ditch the people I work with and get as far away from them as possible, but this year we are celebrating with colleagues who are now among my best buddies. My friend, Susan, is providing the hospitality and good food and we are very happy to spend time with her and her very special family tomorrow. I am very thankful that I have like-minded pals to spend holidays with!

5. My home: As I type this, I am watching a TV news story in which they are describing how people who were hit by Hurricane Katrina are spending Thanksgiving. Many of them are in FEMA trailors, without a clear idea about where there home will eventually end up. I am grateful to have a warm place to call my own, with all the fun things a person could ask for: piles of books, satellite radio, a digital camera, a cable modem that allows me to do this very thing....and much more.

6. An imploding GOP - the gift that keeps on giving: It actually feels redundant to spend each evening after work commenting on the news of the day. Every day, another scandal. Every day, another lie being told. Every day, one day closer to the 2006 elections and *god willing* the Democrats take over the Congress. (*fingers crossed*)

7. A job I like: I am one of the fortunate few who like their job. Although someday soon I hope not to have to work in a large corporation, the company I work for isn't all that bad. My day is for the most part under my own control - I can work at home when I want to, I can take time off if necessary to deal with personal issues (like doctor appointments, etc.). AND, as I mentioned before, I work with some great women, with similar views on politics and life. The team I work closely with are great fun, smart, and take their work (but not themselves) seriously. Truth be told, I don't think I could get paid as much working somewhere else, so I truly must be thankful.

8. Technology (for the most part): I love that I can sit here and write whatever comes into my head and have it be read by people around the world. I love that I can tap away on my laptop computer and be interrupted by an instant message from a friend or family - without picking up the phone. (Come to think of it, the phone is a piece of technology I could truly do without.)

9. America: I know, I know, it's as trite as possibly can be, but I'm still grateful to be living in this country in spite of our current leadership. I just finished listening to the audio book "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin and in many ways it's amazing that we have even survived this far. If you have a chance to read this book, you should. It will show you how a self-confident president (Lincoln) can actually trust himself enough to put people with differing viewpoints in his administration, and demonstrate that it actually benefits the country.

9. Nothing for nine.

10. My husband: I'm very lucky to have a marriage that has lasted more than 25 years. My sweetie is also my biggest cheerleader - a man who wants me to be as successful and happy as I possibly can be. Lucky for me, he has no artifice - I trust him with all my heart, and yet, I believe there are things going on inside his head that I can't begin to understand. And I like that - a little mystery is a good thing, in my opinion. Gives me something to look forward to, and for that I'm truly grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Hot Stove League Heating Up

A little over four months from now, baseball season starts (April 2, according to the tentative schedule posted on redsox.com). Can't start soon enough in my book - and especially with the newest Red Sox additions announced today. A couple of minor league prospects (good prospects at that) were traded to the Marlins for Josh Beckett - he of the MVP of the 2003 World Series Champions that BEAT the MFYs in 5 games. Well, a certified Yankee Killer. Love that!

Welcome to Red Sox Nation, Josh!

Cheers to Jack Murtha

Did you know Jack Murtha before today? I sure didn't. All day in the blogosphere note was made of Representative Murtha's call for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. Didn't surprise me. Didn't interest me all that much - people are jumping off the war bandwagon faster than a ...well, faster than the fastest thing you can think of.

Anyway, what finally caught my attention about Murtha's remarks was a TV clip I saw this evening in which the good Rep was asked about the flak he was taking from the Preznit and Vice Preznit on his position. And he responded, thusly (and he was quite choked up as he is a veteran himself, I take it):

"I like guys who got five deferments and (have) never been there and send people to war, and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done," Murtha said."

Well said, Congressman. The rest of us don't like it much either. Thank you.

Lies, Lies and More Lies

For the convenience of all Americans who are looking for a nice compilation of recent lies of the Chimp's administration, Knight Ridder provides this. Nice and convenient...thanks!

"Dishonest and Reprehensible..."

Takes one to know one.

White Phosphorous...the Lowdown

Well, it appears that the military is admitting they used white phosphorous in the battle over Fallujah last year. However, not on civilians.

"Army Lt. Col. Barry Venable, a Pentagon spokesman, said the U.S. military had not used the highly flammable weapons against civilians, contrary to an Italian state television report this month that stated the munitions were used against men, women and children in Falluja who were burned to the bone.

"We categorically deny that claim," Venable said.

"It's part of our conventional-weapons inventory and we use it like we use any other conventional weapon," added Bryan Whitman, another Pentagon spokesman."

Hmmmm....don't you love the smell of white phosphorous in the morning?

No, we'd never use it on civilians.

Never.

The Scribbler Does It Again

From the Illustrated Daily Scribbler:

Military Malpractice

Democratic Senators who are looking for a way to explain their vote to authorize Bush to use force in Iraq need only look here for a perfect explanation.

"...Congress gave the president the authorization to go to war. They did not give him the authorization to do so incompetently. There's a big difference. You give your doctor permission to conduct a tonsilectomy. You do not, however, give him permission to get drunk and cut off your leg by mistake.

Bush is guilty of military malpractice. No one gave him permission to do a sloppy job."

TPM Nails It

Here's Josh Marshall's take on the Chimp. Well said.

Crazy?

From the Washington Post:

"Aretha Franklin was teary-eyed, Carol Burnett was teasing, Alan Greenspan was reliably taciturn, and "The Greatest of All Time" stole the show when President Bush bestowed the Medal of Freedom on them and 10 others in a White House ceremony yesterday.

Bush, who appeared almost playful, fastened the heavy medal around Muhammad Ali's neck and whispered something in the heavyweight champion's ear. Then, as if to say "bring it on," the president put up his dukes in a mock challenge. Ali, 63, who has Parkinson's disease and moves slowly, looked the president in the eye -- and, finger to head, did the "crazy" twirl for a couple of seconds."

He Can't Even Lie Correctly Now

If I didn't dislike the Chimp so much, I might actually begin to feel sorry for the man. Now he can't even lie properly:

"President Bush and his national security adviser have answered critics of the Iraq war in recent days with a two-pronged argument: that Congress saw the same intelligence the administration did before the war, and that independent commissions have determined that the administration did not misrepresent the intelligence.

Neither assertion is wholly accurate."

Looks like his latest campaign is getting off to a great start, eh?

Newsweek has him at 37% approval now.

Supporting Veterans

For those of you sporting the "Support our Troops" magnets on the rear of your car, or flying a flag day and night, it's now time to figure out a way to truly honor the men and women who serve in our armed forces. As we celebrate Veteran's Day, perhaps we should consider doing something that actually has some value: providing decent health care, or making sure reservists don't lose their homes while they're deployed. And, of course, there's that other important opportunity to support the troops: provide enough armor on their military vehicles in Iraq.

But most of all, if we truly want to support the troops: BRING THEM HOME NOW.

So Govern Already, Would Ya?

OK, now the Chimp has decided he needs to "fight back" against those who have been beating up on him recently over how we got into the war. The WH is launching a "campaign-style" strategy to respond to critics.

Ya know what I think? I say GOVERN already and stop campaigning for everything. If the Administration would just buckle down and overcome their Attention Deficit Disorder they might actually get something done. Of course, this is what they should have done nearly 4 years ago when they launched the attack on Afghanistan. They should have stayed there, got bin Laden and got the hell out. Instead, we got all mucked up in Iraq, can't figure out what to do about health care or anything else on the domestic front (except tax cuts).

I'll be the first to admit the GOP is probably good at campaigning. It's governing that they haven't the first clue about.

Chickenhawk Dick

Interesting that Dick didn't have "other priorities" on this Veteran's Day, isn't it? The soldiers, sailors and marines that were at Arlington today should have turned their backs on someone who avoided service...and YET felt compelled to push this country into a war of choice. The hypocrisy is mind-boggling.

Too Damn Funny

From "2 Political Junkies"

White Phosphorous, What Next?

From The Independent in the UK, by way of DailyKos today:

"Powerful new evidence emerged yesterday that the United States dropped massive quantities of white phosphorus on the Iraqi city of Fallujah during the attack on the city in November 2004, killing insurgents and civilians with the appalling burns that are the signature of this weapon.

Ever since the assault, which went unreported by any Western journalists, rumours have swirled that the Americans used chemical weapons on the city."

[snip]

"In a documentary to be broadcast by RAI, the Italian state broadcaster, this morning, a former American soldier who fought at Fallujah says: "I heard the order to pay attention because they were going to use white phosphorus on Fallujah. In military jargon it's known as Willy Pete.

"Phosphorus burns bodies, in fact it melts the flesh all the way down to the bone ... I saw the burned bodies of women and children. Phosphorus explodes and forms a cloud. Anyone within a radius of 150 metres is done for."

First, we have stolen elections. Then we have war on false pretenses, followed by torturing prisoners. Now this. The only thing that saves us is that the Chimp's house of cards may be falling soon (see poll results below). Good lord.

Another Day, Another Bad Poll (hee hee)

Latest NBC News/WSJ poll: more bad news for the Chimp. I said to someone today that the recent events in Washington make me feel like I'm living in an alternate universe of some kind. But, I quickly amended that thought. In reality, we've been living in an alternate universe for the past 5 years and perhaps we're beginning our re-entry into the normal world again.

This Has to Be A Joke

Bush expects staff to attend ethics "refresher."

Jim VandeHei must have enjoyed writing this:

"President Bush has ordered White House staff to attend mandatory briefings beginning next week on ethical behavior and the handling of classified material after the indictment last week of a senior administration official in the CIA leak probe."

John Dean: Fitzgerald Wants Cheney

The irrepressible John Dean, who knows a thing or two about legal problems from his own experience, thinks Patrick Fitzgerald is after the Veep. Check this out. Here's the money quote:

"Having read the indictment against Libby, I am inclined to believe more will be issued. In fact, I will be stunned if no one else is indicted.

Indeed, when one studies the indictment, and carefully reads the transcript of the press conference, it appears Libby's saga may be only Act Two in a three-act play. And in my view, the person who should be tossing and turning at night, in anticipation of the last act, is the Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney."

Sweet.

So Many Problems, So Little Time

The last couple of weeks have brought a cornucopia of problems to the Chimp - so many, in fact, that it's hard to keep up and comment on them all. But there are a number of better sources for commentary than this humble blog. And I trust you're all pulling up a chair, rubbing your hands together, having a good read, and chuckling every bit as much as I am.

IMHO, the best places to keep up are: Raw Story(for daily news), Talking Points Memo (particularly focused on the forged Italian documents related to Niger) and Crooks and Liars (for the latest video outrages or compliments). I check them religiously, and I suspect all of you do as well.

This piece caught my eye today, and I must say it's not surprising. The International Herald Tribune has a story that blames Cheney for the mistreatment of prisoners In Iraq and Afghanistan. (Apparently Lawrence Wilkerson's good and pissed off, eh?)

Here's an excerpt:

"Vice President Dick Cheney's office was responsible for directives that led to U.S. soldiers' abusing prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, a former top State Department official said Thursday.

Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Colin Powell, then the secretary of state, told National Public Radio he had traced a trail of memos and directives authorizing questionable detention practices up through Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's office directly to Cheney's staff.

"The secretary of defense under cover of the vice president's office," Wilkerson said, "regardless of the president having put out this memo" - "they began to authorize procedures within the armed forces that led to what we've seen."

He said the directives contradicted a 2002 order by President George W. Bush for the U.S. military to abide by the Geneva conventions against torture."

Apparently, Dick's also been recently going around to various members of the Senate urging them to stick with the Administration versus John McCain's bill outlawing torture of prisons. OK, what kind of nutjob is pro-torture? I guess the Dick is - and he's trying to bring others along with him. But, I guess he hasn't read the polls lately and found out that the Administration is going down the drain.

Wild About Harry

Well, well, well. We DO have an opposition party after all, now don't we? Today, our dear Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid beat the Republicans at their own game by requesting that the Senate have a closed session. The topic? When would the Senate be reporting on Phase 2 of the Senate Intelligence Report on whether the Administration manipulated intelligence in the run-up to the War in Iraq. A major win for us today! It's nice to know that there are some balls out there.

Probably just as fun was watching Senator Frist have a hissy fit about supposedly being "slapped in the face by this stunt." Gimme a break. And the Terry Schiavo incident wasn't a "stunt?" Get over yourselves, boys. There really are going to be some checks and balances after all.

Give 'em hell, Harry! Keep it coming! We've got your back.

(Wanna tell Senator Reid how you feel? Go here.)