Mugabe now he’s a bad guy…

The Bush administration claims they go after bad guys that have an impact on global stability and security. Mugabe is basically saying “screw you” to the entire world and while Amnesty is screaming from the top of their lungs that a gross injustice is being perpetrated the rest of us are reading about the Aruban justice system and the Russian President “stealing” a ring he was “given”. Talk about making up news when there is plenty of it around.

I know Bush doesn’t read anything other than the Ann Coulter and the National Enquirer. Both explain the reasoning behind he’s obsession with the liberal elite and he’s lack of knowledge about the situation in Zimbabwe. I can see Rice in the President’s daily briefing struggling to explain what “eviction” means. I can’t imagine it’s a word the President has heard very often.

Yes, please

Low Prices At What Cost?

Low Prices At What Cost?

Everyone should download this report (it's a .pdf file, so allow it a little bit of time). It's really appalling what this company gets away with, and worse that they rob the taxpayers to do it! If more people knew about this, one would think, they would not tolerate it. Or, is that just wishful thinking? Do people want this?

Another Shark Summer?

When will Americans realize that sharks prefer meat to seaweed? The media has blown this way out of proportion. I guess it's a natural progression from the Aruban case, Tom Cruise selling crazy, the Michael Jackson trial and anything else that could lead us to believe there is a world beyond the US.

"Ownership Society" for Whom?

Homes may be 'taken' for private projects (emphasis mine), and, more on the expansion of eminent domain.

"Ownership Society?" Right. "Ownership Society" means the government owns everything. You own nothing! They can and will take it away from you whenever they want, and they can give it to anyone else they want! If you refuse to sell the home that has been in your family for generations to a developer who wants to build a "planned community" of pretentious, overpriced, poorly-constructed houses, and wants your property, well, too bad for you. The developer's corporation donated $100,000.00 to the republican party, and you're headed for a tent by the river. In Bush's (supposed) words: "Let freedom reign!"

P.S. This actions is brought to you by a government wherein al three branches of government are dominated by the republican party. So, the next so-called conservative who gives me that ridiculous propaganda about the republicans standing for smaller government, less government interference, or any of their other stupid lies, can go to hell.

P.P.S. Am I being too easy-going about this? You can tell me.

Cheney on Iraq

I'm glad Cheney is so optimistic. After all until now everything has gone so well for the administration in Iraq. Yesterday he made this statement:

"We will succeed in Iraq, just like we did in Afghanistan. We will stand up a new government under an Iraqi-drafted constitution. We will defeat that insurgency, and, in fact, it will be an enormous success story"

I guess record opium production in Afghanistan is cause for celebration. Maybe Americans will be so high on heroin we will all start to see Cheney's point of view.

Families

In the past month I have switched jobs from an ultra-conservative private equity firm to the more relaxed and liberal environment of a software development firm. As part of my change in job I also decided that spending $350 a month on parking isn't worth it, particularly with a baby on the way, so I have returned to the joys of the subway.

Last week I was walking into the station when I noticed a 14 or 15 year old girl wearing what I first thought was a green t-shirt with a "Mountain Dew" logo. On second glance I realized it wasn't "Mountain Dew", but "Mount and Do Me".

It really got me thinking about this girls home life and how she was able to leave her house without anyone suggesting a different clothing option for her commute to school. It's sad that many children lack the guidance from parents to navigate the path to being a self-sufficient and personally successful member of society. Without sound parental advice many children build roadblocks to their future prosperity, realizing too late that poor decisions in their past limit options in their future.

The American Taliban

This piece does a pretty good job of rounding up a lot of them in one spot. Notice Bush says people who don't believe in god should not be considered citizens of the U.S. This site can be filed next to this one, and this one, and of course, this one. Onward christian soldiers, indeed, as they carve out their theocratic plutocracy in the middle east: Texastan (led by religious leaders from the newly-established Halliban).

P.S. - has anyone else noticed that "texas" is an anagram for "taxes"?

Republican politician of the week...

No comment really.

CNN Article

What's so bad about helping others?

What's so bad about social services?

I'm one of those people drawing government aid in a time of need. When the secret slips in a casual conversation, I find myself to be the dirty pox leaching off of one's political skin. I can understand that perhaps there are some out there abusing various systems that might give the majority that are deserving a bad name. I can even understand a bit of the secret annoyance of those paying in to the system as most aren't thrilled with the idea of money they might not ever see. Sometimes I feel the need to confess my dirty little secret in a conservative conversation in a futile attempt to prove that their money is in fact helping real people instead of being some greater part of a liberal conspiracy or minority theft.

In my case, I received health care benefits during my pregnancy that now provide for my child the greatest chance of a healthy start. I also receive funded child care allowing me to work and thus to pay back in to the system as a fiscally functioning member of society. Another low income friend of mine received grants for school that aided her in obtaining her recent graduate degrees (again, ensuring her financial return to society). The only person I know that receives aid without the possibility of eventual fiscal contribution was born too severely crippled to ever work, and I somehow don't feel so guilty about my tax dollars going to help him.

I was researching what makes others see people like me as a political injury this morning. I came across this fabulous website that the "liberal" might find interesting. Here's one lovely idea:

"I am not going to make the leap and say that Democrats are Socialists, they are not. But the laws they try to pass occasionally are. When the government is asked to provide and manage socialized retirement funds, medical services, automobile insurance, and other basic services it is usually a Democratic sponsored bill. These are socialist party laws enacted in a capitalist nation. They have never worked, even in socialist nations (such as the former Union of Solviet Socialist Republics (USSR). It bankrupted their government so you will see me get a little biased on this subject."

What about Canada?

Here's another fun quote:

"Democrats have a tendency to support bringing all people to one class, bring the rich down and elevate the poor; mostly because it gains votes. Telling the poor that they should blame the rich for their lot in life (making the successful look evil) works quite effectively. There can never be only one class of people. There will always be, and in most countries are, at least two classes; the haves and the have nots. In the US we have the lower, the middle, and the upper class. You can’t make everyone middle class, it just isn’t possible.This is why Republicans tend to be middle and upper middle class and successful (rich) families while Democrats are often lower middle class down to poverty levels."

This made me think of that funny notion someone once had that whites and blacks could ever live together.

My handicapped friend isn't blaming "successful" families for his place in life, My friend "the graduate" isn't attending Socialist parties, and I'm not going to grace the "haves" with the thought that I'd ever blame them for conceiving the greatest little event of my life.

So what's so bad about helping others?

The unpopular President

I caught Meet the Press on my flight back. Jet Blue rocks. Here are some poll numbers Russert quoted:

"Let's look at the latest polls on George W. Bush's second term. Approve, 43 percent. Disapprove, 55 percent. On the economy, approve 40 percent. Disapprove, 58 percent. On Social Security, approve, 34 percent. Disapprove, 62 percent. On Iraq, approve, 41 percent. Disapprove, 58 percent. And this one, handling the war on terror, which always had been George Bush's strongest issue, approve, 50 percent. Disapprove, 49 percent. David Broder, what do you make of all this?"

I know what I make of it. But I don't think it matters much; Bush isn't one to be swayed by opinion polls.

Been to the Library Lately?

Recently, a right-wing magazine published their Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries.

In rebuttal, a progressive magazine published their version.

Anyone have any addtions? Mad magazine? TV Guide? The Anarchists' Cookbook?

Disney's Paradise

I'm spending the week at a conference in Orlando Florida. It's been an eye opening experience.

Tonight I'm in my hotel room watching "Hells Kitchen" It must be the single most contrived reality show I've seen. Someone should do us all a favor and take a baseball bat to Chef Ramsey's head. That would be riveting television.

Orlando is basically a giant strip mall. Mini-golf and theme parks interspersed with I-Hop, Dennys, Red Lobster, Bennigans and some bargain supermarket I've never heard of.

At some point we need to arm citizens with the ability to fight the mediocrity of corporate America and inject some originality back into society.

Oink Oink

An enraging story from U.S. News & World Report illustrates the incompetence of Homeland Security, and the pork that is choking the system. While first-response units in Wyoming have more money than they know what to do with, New York and California units are drowning.

Most disturbing: The bottom five states (which, coincidentally, contain the largest airports in the country) are receiving the least amount of money per capita – Illinois, Florida, New York, Texas, and California. The top five? The Virigin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Wyoming, and American Samoa.

The House and the Senate are both pushing forth plans that will attempt to remedy this. The House’s plan gives 90% of funds based on risk, while the Senate plan gives 60% of funds based on risk. Homeland Security came to the forefront of the public’s attention in the wake of 9/11; let’s hope that it will not take another disaster for people to realize the funds are being poorly allocated and serious reform is needed immediately.

Equally infuriating: “A no-bid contract had the TSA spending $461,000 on a party to celebrate the agency's first birthday … Inadequately trained employees spent $500,000 on silk plants and artwork. Kitchens were outfitted with Sub-Zero refrigerators costing $3,000 each. And the belly of the building was filled with a 4,200-square-foot gym costing $300,000.”

Fear Factor

I find graphs and charts interesting. I'm the type of person who can stare at graphic representations of trends (and maps, and spreadsheets, and sidewalks, and other typically dull things) all day. My mind wanders. I think of what the reasons were for the trends, what my state of mind was at the time of the data. This page has some neat-o graphs that show the "National Barometer" over the last 12 months. Why do you think there was a sudden spike in Bush's approval rating in November, and then it sunk right back down again? I like to say that people who voted for Bush did it for one of two reasons: greed or ignorance. Fear is usually bred from ignorance and this country is scared shitless.