| Rahm bahm thank you mahm |
[Feb. 11th, 2009|01:11 pm] |
I found this current editorial by the aged Fidel Castro courtesy of the Huffington Post. It fascinates me that he mentions Immanuel Kant, because I am currently reading "Writings on an Ethical Life" by Peter Singer. Singer adores Kant, but notes with stunned amazement that Kant was a believing Christian. The implication I derive, is that in Singer-world, heavy-hitters of philosophy should really be Atheist or Jewish. I tend to concur.
Getting back to the Castro article, it is literate, it is surreal, it is nonsensical. Yet it has a certain coherence. If Fidel hadn't been a Communist dictator, he could have been a Talmudist, or maybe a Depak Chopra style guru of everything. I am finding myself firmly in the Barbara Walters camp: Castro is a lot of fun.
Fidel calls his titular topic, Rahm Emanuel, "brilliant", and wants to stir up excitement because Emanuel was a warrior in a real war. Also, his mother has been a political activist. Why this is just like someone with a similar name, someone who has a revolutionary, vice president mother, a character in a book by a Cuban ambassador! Castro longs for charismatic, energetic leaders to emerge. Maybe an American, maybe someone with a vaguely hispanic surname. . . .
Dategirl and her readers of assorted gender just want to make out with Rahmmy-baby. Apparently they aren't the only ones.
|
|
|
| Four-armed is an Indian Temple Sculpture |
[Jan. 20th, 2009|04:19 am] |
Two white grapefruits whirled in the blender, plus a quart of water went into a half-gallon jug that used to hold honey. Along with pears, an orange, celery sticks, and green tea bags, it is being packed along to protect me from any coffee and doughnut temptations during today's inaugural festivities. Sweater and jeans and Doc Martens for the AM, tank top and velvet skirt and Mary Janes for the PM. Look for me behind the laptop bearing the sticker " My other computer is a Cray." |
|
|
| Lightning Illuminates |
[Nov. 5th, 2008|12:53 am] |
 
I attempted live-blogging from the election night Illuminati gala, but while the wifi gave four bars, the internets were denied to me. The computers projecting news feeds on wall screens were wired in.
I got there earlier than planned, and the dining event was still in full swing. Madame ChairLady added me to the list, and I pinned on a name tag. A non-sucky band played, and among the animal and pasta and cake and cookie dishes was a salad bar with raw cauliflower.
Seeing the faces of people in the crowds broadcast from around the country moved me. So much worry that skullduggery would steal this, or that a close count would drag things out. So much joy that Obama has been declared the winner. News bureaus say so, concession speech, VICTORY speech. A done deal.
My companions needed to stay late to finish their hosting duties. So I was still there when our Governor, Christine Gregoire went over the top and made a victory speech on television. I got a bumper sticker and two bilingual campaign buttons. I had my picture taken with Barrack. Now to read the speeches that I half heard above the roar of the crowd. |
|
|
| What a Vice President Does (The less, the better.) |
[Oct. 27th, 2008|09:43 am] |
The Vice President is just there to serve as a backup in case the presidential disk crashes. There is also the rarely required tie-breaking vote in the Senate. NOTHING ELSE.
Voters hope that if a VP assumes the presidency, ongoing administration policies will be continued, but the new guy has no obligation to do so. Ideally, a running mate is chosen based on sharing the philosophies of the main candidate.
All of this adviser, lobbyist, little helper, ghetto enforcer, brains behind the machine, surrey-with-the-fringe-on-top window-dressing is not why we have one. Although a VP can come in handy to represent the U.S. at foreign funerals, or to toss out the first baseball of the season.
A conscientious VP would spend time every day reading the congressional record, the newspapers, twitter, and anything the president sends over.
The idea is to stay informed, to be ready if called upon. |
|
|
| Plumber Joe, Surfer Joe, Peggy Sue |
[Oct. 16th, 2008|06:49 pm] |
I haven't seen Mark Russell on a television set near me lately, but he used to show up several times a year on public channels with his red, white, and blue draped piano and political satire set to Broadway tunes. The last time that the stock market suffered a "correction," he explained that two days earlier had been "Black Monday, followed by Gray Tuesday, and today is Beige Wednesday."
Wikipedia informs me that Marky-baby is still above the sod. I never saw him use any rock and roll songs, but he's my inspiration for this little ditty.
Do you know plumber Joe
Keeps your float valve on the go
That plumber, plumber Joe-ho ho
Oh when you gotta go you you need a plumber in the know
Kitchen sink, to pour a drink
Like to hear those glasses clink
I neeed a workin' kitchen sin-hi-hink
Can't pour a drink without a workin' kitchen sink
Water flow, money dough
Cheddar to top your nacho
He's keepin' your taxes lo-ho-ho
Because a liquid lucre has got to have that flow!
(Chuck Berry style guitar solo)
Quarter mill, such a thrill
Or just a think tank well-paid shill
This message is getting shri-hill-hill
We can fix this mess if you just let me DRILL BABY DRILL
|
|
|
| I just saw a recast of the September 24th CBS Katie Couric interview |
[Sep. 25th, 2008|03:47 am] |
Dear Senator Obama,
Do not suspend your presidential campaign, Do not suspend it for one minute. Go to the Senate floor for negotiations and votes, and maintain contact with your constituency by electronic means. Have your family and campaign staff, and those of Senator Biden, continue to appear at rallies. Your opponent's slimy request that you abandon your quest for a Democratic Administration is motivated by his desires to increase his own pocketbook and those of his fellow super-rich. Another Republican Administration would accelerate America's divide into a country of haves and have-nots, where the have-nots are increasingly denied the right to vote. Work for change. Stay on the campaign trail.
Democratically yours,
Priss Prisstofferson
Dear Senator McCain,
Why what a clever idea. If the campaign is suspended, the other candidate will never get to meet the public and never get to answer their questions. Your greater name recognition might just edge you over the top. And clever too, to represent your call for him to pick up his marbles and go home as taking the high road. No, conceding to you would not be best for the public, it would be best for the arms dealers and insurance companies, and best for your retirement income someday when they would reward you for your role as a loyal vassal. Today we have telephones and video cameras. These can be combined into a powerful communication instrument that would allow you to stay in touch with the public and with the Press. You also have a running mate. You could request that the Vice-Presidential debate be held first, while you seclude yourself in a Senate committee room. It seems likely to me that Senator Biden would be willing to pop out of chambers, whip out a debate, and then dash back to the Capitol if there were really some effective stopgap plan to be hammered out. The Press has made much of your campaign's reluctance to take Sarah Palin out of the Saran Wrap, but debates are a traditional part of American Presidential races. If you back away from personally participating, you appear to have something to hide. So get out there and debate, or send your running mate in your stead. Wassamatter, are you yeller?
Republicanly yours,
Priss Prisstofferson |
|
|
| Key per |
[Aug. 3rd, 2008|06:07 pm] |
McCain has a brother named McAbel
who hasn't been seen around lately. |
|
|
| Jeremiad |
[Apr. 30th, 2008|05:24 pm] |
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/04/the_full_wright_transcript.php
The Atlantic Monthly site posted the full text of aptly named Jeremiah Wright April 28th interview at the National Press Club. I didn't find it to be bizarre or shocking, Political dissent from religious sources has an ancient tradition. He is advocating for a less militaristic society, and I would be in favor of that. As to fears about biological weapons, we did develop and stockpile anthrax bacteria, so far from being unimaginable, an attempt at preparation for germ warfare by the American government has already happened.
Contrary to what I have been hearing as a television news sound bite, he did not specifically say that HIV/Aids was developed on purpose to infect black Americans. He did refer to an alarmist book and author. Not having read the book in question, I don't know the content. Even if it is as unfounded as the newscasters seem to imply, our lack of priority for access to healthcare does have the effect of shortening the lives of the low-income, who are disproportionately of minority ethnic groups.
One more thing: I had no idea that Protestants had co-opted the term "Liberation Theology". That's so cool! |
|
|
| Caucusoidal Maniacs |
[Feb. 9th, 2008|04:27 pm] |
My State caucuses were today. The one I attended was close-packed with people, but not at all a madhouse. I got there early and helped to set up and sign people in. This was Zbig`s first caucus, he isn`t 18 yet, but will turn 18 before the general election. That made him eligible to participate.
Good weather helped with the turnout, as did the neck and neck race between Clinton and Obama, coming out of Super Tuesday. If my precinct is any indication of a trend, the northwest is going heavily toward Obama. I`m torn. I like Clinton too, maybe more. I signed in uncommitted, and advanced as a delegate to the next level. This is new for me, I`ve always decided early in previous years. Being uncommitted means becoming a hot property. Other factions will try to sweet talk me into joining them.
Right now emails from Obama supporters are dropping into my email box at a rate around once a minute. Ping, ping, ping. I admire their passion. |
|
|
| Accuity Resolution |
[Feb. 7th, 2008|03:56 am] |
WHEREAS
I found myself in need of new eye wear so that I can read books and newspapers. (Yes, something other than your lovely journals.)
AND WHEREAS
I have a history of walking out of LENSCRAFTERS with receipts for five hundred dollar bits of plastic and wire.
AND WHEREAS
Spending less makes sense for me.
AND WHEREAS
http://www.39dollarglasses.com/ and similar sites are just a click away.
AND WHEREAS
Some of them have further discounts if you add a coupon code to your order.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
That ordering new glasses on line is worth a try.
I will let you know if the resultant product at all allows me to see.
Can you tell that it's caucus season? |
|
|
| Another Day, another candidate |
[Sep. 7th, 2007|08:00 am] |
Fred Thompson seems to be slightly brain-damaged. Not to a degree of vegetable-itude, but there are clues in his speaking style that suggest permanent effects of a few solid knocks to the head. Oh look, the Google tells me that his spin organizations are bragging about his High
School football experience, and specifically that he wasn’t concerned when he got knocked down. Well, commendations on a non-whiny demeanor, but consolations on the attendant loss of emotional expression and the reduction in sharpness of enunciation. Has any capacity for compassion, conservative or otherwise, been retained? This year many of the Republican hopefuls exude an air of physical frailty. The one exception is Giuliani, with his cardio-fitness and irritating perkiness. Last week I saw several magazine covers with illustrations of Giuliani along with Clinton and Obama. It was interesting that they didn't include Romney. Was Romney omitted from the spotlight out of predjudice, or are publishers trying to sell Giuliani as a psuedo-Democrat, as the perfect middle of the road-er, simply because he is from the east coast? If he were elected, he would support whatever the republicans in Congress asked him to. The press may try to assign him the perception of having good intentions, but he would sign the same bills that any other Republican would.
But I've ventured into policy and I wanted to talk about style. Thompson is seen as the one hope to draw in those non-denominational fundamentalist family values voters who the regressive tax policy, anti-health care, anti-school proponents can't win without. His religious affiliation is one they share, and the halting speech adds folksiness to his image. Primary voters don't make their choices based on who they think will do well across the country, they look at the issues and at how candidates talk about them. If Romney should become the nominee, it is going to be fun to watch the right regroup to embrace him, and float third-party candidates, and even vote for church-going Democrats who value their families. |
|
|
| Give em Hell Helen |
[Jul. 13th, 2007|01:40 pm] |
My local PBS (Channel 9) shows a BBC news report late at night. It generally takes a more critical look at US government policy than our namby pamby networks do. Last night they showed a clip from a presidential news conference where Helen Thomas, not decked out in her Reagan era shocking red dress, but clad modestly in a pale blue skirt and cardigan WAS LECTURING President Bush to the effect of:
You caused this war, and you could stop it!
Thomas is stooped over with age at nearly 87, but is still vigorous, loud, and dramatic. It was great to see.
I'd like to add link to a transcript of the news conference if it is online, and to get the exact quote. The references to it I've found so far don't seem to be accurate. |
|
|
| Ov Glove, Kitt Mitt |
[Feb. 19th, 2007|05:21 am] |
(Click here for a transcript of the Feb 18th Interview)
Not being from Massachusetts, I haven’t had much occasion to witness Mitt Romney in action. Now, thanks to This Week with George Stephanopoulos, I know how Mitt and his wife Ann perform in response to a gentle fawning delivery of what might have been tough questions had they not rehearsed answers to them all.
Before looking at their answers, The questions deserve attention. It has become George’s standard practice to ask Presidential candidates how their faith “informs” their politics. This is an incorrect use of the English language. It is true that one can glean information from a non sentient source such as a book, or by observing the natural world. But informing is volitional. For it to happen, a thinking being must act. George, until you change your question to: What does God inform you as (He or She) whispers into your ear, choose a different word. Stop taking the lyric, “for the Bible tells me so” as as anything but colloquial.
The candidate’s shift from support for the availability of abortion and of same-sex marriage that was required to be elected Governor of a liberal state, to opposing both, as is required of a national Republican candidate was covered well. Romney answered unapologetically. It was perfectly natural, he had simply evolved in his thinking. In fact all of his responses were like that. It was a policy of sidestep some things, but convey all experiences as positives. Changes in heart are not evidence of past mistakes, but purely of current victories. Rhetorically it was quite effective.
In Massachusetts he supports public funding for “faith-based institutions” when they are performing a “non-faith role.” I would have liked to see Stephanopoulos ask about specific examples. Does Romney think these non-faith functions could include schools? And do they include the “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” many of which currently receive public monies.
Quite aside from picking up votes from the faithful, and a sometimes justified perception that non-government soup kitchens can do tasks efficiently, kicking in money to private and non-profit concerns is easy on a State budget. The people doing the work will not be added to State employee healthcare or retirement, it’s up to their own employers. They might even be volunteering their time! Romney is opposed to universal healthcare, he favors a system where more people could buy insurance policies. Interestingly, the topics of retirement and Social Security were missing from this interview.
Most amusing to me was that Stephanopoulos introduced Romney as “movie star handsome.” He does have a certain charm to his speaking style. Then I noticed those little flighty Reganesque flourishes. His speech is metrosexual! Voters went for it in the 1980s, I wonder if will do the trick now.
|
|
|
| Oh Mama |
[Feb. 10th, 2007|10:02 am] |
Obama formally announces national candidacy.
It's an historic day.
----I'm stoked! |
|
|
| Mourning becomes Electric |
[Jan. 24th, 2007|08:03 pm] |
Today I saw a flag flying at half-mast. I wondered if someone important had died.
Then I remembered.
It's still shaloshim for Gerald Ford. |
|
|
| Allumination |
[Jan. 6th, 2007|01:32 pm] |
The power stayed on last night despite some impressively bad weather. I used the fireplace anyway. I like my fireplace.
Fun purchase yesterday: 1950's aluminum end table with chic airplane-style architecture. It was four dollars and ninety-nine cents.
On Thursday I went downtown. On my drive in, it started to rain. Then the drops on my windshield took on that tell-tale paw print shape. Yes, they were turning into sleet as the temperature plummeted. Soon they became halves of styrofoam peanuts that bounced away as they landed. Managing to avoid the orange cones and half-laid train tracks on Fairview Avenue, I parked in Belltown and walked south. Funny sight along the way: some one and two-foot tall letters from an Avis car rental sign were sitting on the sidewalk. It wasn't obvious if they were going to be rehung, or thrown away. I resisted a twinge of temptation to take one, and I wonder if anyone succumbed to a similar urge.
--
Getting good legal advice is really good.
--
I'm posting today from the Peace vigil. I just had a convo with Pedro the Japanese Monk. I took a turn reading the names of some of the fallen. It was more emotional than I expected. |
|
|
| It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Maxina World |
[Dec. 17th, 2006|01:30 pm] |
You have just experienced the Great Windstorm of ‘06. OK, I have have. Those of you who live outside of the Prisstopolis area were only able to watch it on TV. It started with some rainy weather earlier in the week. Wednesday was quiet as were the daylight hours of Thursday. My son got home at his usual time, then my daughter came home from school early, they had canceled extracurricular activities.
At 4PM the sky went dark except for lightning, which is a rare phenomenon around here. Looking out of the windows, I could see the 200 foot Douglas Firs bending back and forth. Every few minutes the lights would dim and then come back to full. I made dinner early, then checked out my usual internet interests. At 9:30, the power went down completely. I heard groans from the rec room, the PrissKids were going to miss tonight’s episode of My Name is Earl, they were desolated. Since I just find that show annoying, all I could do was laugh.
While the PrissKids kept themselves amused by dancing LED flashlight patterns on the walls to the beat of their MP3 players, I found that I was able to stay on the internet. The laptop was fully charged, and my telephone landline connection was solid. I finally shut it off after midnight with 20% battery reserve remaining. On Friday morning, Zbiggy turned the machine on, clicked on schoolreport.org and found that classes were canceled. The district site had crashed.
Midday I took the car out in search of coffee and wi-fi, and a working electrical outlet. The Tulleys’ coffee isn’t very good, but they have free wi-fi, and we could always order cocoa, it’s hard to mess that up. But the outage was widespread. Most stores were closed, and the traffic lights were off.
After driving around and getting stuck in traffic, I stopped at a grocery store. They had partial power from a generator, and everyone was shopping in the dark. My check card scanned and debited without a problem. Infrastructure for separating people from their money has suddenly leapt forward. At home, I used the last of my firewood to warm up and make mocha java. That’s when I made my last post. We lit Holiday and Shabbat candles, watched the fire, and eventually went to bed early.
By Saturday morning, the house was getting cold. Letting the PrissKids sleep late, I was on the road by 8:30. My first objective was more Chanukah candles, then maybe some lappy power, and oh yes, firewood. Unlike Prissville, Seattle had power, so candle-shopping was no problem. Then I went to StarWars, but their wi-fi required me to sign up online for tmoblie. A conversation with someone who was actually drinking their coffee, led to trying another coffee spot, one with really good bagels, but their wi-fi was suffering from messed up settings. Plus, I didn’t want to stand in line.
Taking a different route home, I espied that elusive animal, the roadside stack of free wood. There were jagged one and two-foot sections of two by fours and one by fours in the corner of a construction site. Wet and muddy, but not green, I knew that they would burn. My next stop was ye olde peace vigil.
It was the usual the hour of waving at drivers and holding antiwar signs. I caught up on whose power was still off, and discussed the latest Jimmy Carter book. Across the parking lot, one of the peaceniks was loading a hand truck of freshly sawn logs into his pickup. I went over to investigate. Just out of sight, around the corner, another activist was chainsawing and splitting a windfall tree. I asked if some of it was available. He said that there would be plenty, but that I shouldn’t burn it yet.
Seeing that I had every intention of trying to burn it right away, he directed me to the smaller branches, and then offered to bring me some dried wood from home. This was seriously cool.
Back home with wood both scrounged and shared, things were cheery. The PrissKids lit candles for day two. I toasted turkey sandwiches and made an awesome fruit compote. Power came back in the early evening, we were out for 45 hours. Some neighborhoods within a few miles still haven’t been restored. |
|
|
| Limit of statutations |
[Nov. 11th, 2006|03:07 am] |
The argument against term limits is that they are undemocratic. They eliminate ability to elect those people who are experienced, and therefore effective, who you might choose to represent your State's interests.
In the 1990s, the Repubs advocated term limits as a method to get rid of senior Dems in Congress. They pretended it was a nonpartisan issue, its purpose was to infuse the government with fresh new non specified thinking. Rush Limberger et al. could be heard shouting: Throw the bums out.
Many States passed local term limits laws. Being represented by newbies put those States at a disadvantage in the committee system where Bills are formulated. In some cases (Nethercutt) a candidate pledged long and loudly to serve only one term and then "return to the private sector." Yet when asked to run again, if no law prevented it, they stayed on and became the new entrenched fogies.
We limit presidents to two terms because of our country's anti-monarchical origins, and some States limit Governors' terms as well. But don't be fooled, any seemingly innocent musing about term limits that you hear is purely partisan. |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
pr1ss's journal