Random Rants N' Raves

Politics, GOP and Marketing

2008-11-13T12:28:00.002-06:00

I replied to a post at one of my favorite blogs (http://blogs.mspmag.com/brianlambert/), below...

The GOP the last 30 years has really been a triumph of marketing. Create demand/need for a product,via the best and most efficient means and tools: the press/media, organization, FEAR (whether its Willie Horton, welfare queens, war on terror, etc.), and, above all, plenty of people (voters as well as wingnut radio and TV) to trumpet your product and spread the word.

When your competition's product isn't as good, or, rather, isn't as effective in its MARKETING, its a steep climb to beat your competition. Look at Gore, Kerry, heck, Patty Wetterling and/or Tinkleberg...and now, to a degree, Franken - the "product," i.e., the candidate, gets beat, the advantages one product (in this case, governing philosophy) might have doesn't win or "sell." At least not as much, or as often.

Until the last two years at least, and especially this election: when the perfect storm has finally hit: a GREAT product and message (Obama, superior marketing, superior organization) vs. a governing philosophy that has been an abject failure. The GOP's product is simply not as good, right now. We're in too much of a hole, and millions of people have figured it out. Meanwhile, there's still millions of people who still believe the old way is best - that's why you hear that the party and philosophy wasn't conservative enough, etc.

With the GOP there's an even bigger issue - they can't govern, they can't run things. Greed, corruption,cronyism and religious extremism prevents that.

Its a simplification, but there's definitely parallels, another example is GM - for years ignoring bettering their products and giving consumers more choices. As the years go by consumers get better educated and realize that there's something different, possibly better for them.

LAMBERT: To extend the wrong car at the wrong tme analogy. The Republicans seem determined to meet the 21st century with ... a new selection of 6000 pound SUVs.

P
osted by: essar1 on November 13, 2008 at 11:13 AM

Thoughts on the election, Obama, last night

2008-11-05T10:40:00.006-06:00

Random thoughts and such...

I'm incredibly proud to be an American right now. Not only did Obama win - in itself history making for all the expected reasons, he won BIG, and this trancsends race and even, I believe, idealology.

Obama - not neccessarily the Democrats, however - has a MANDATE. His electoral vote totals are more than Bush got in either '00 or '04.

Amazing to see basically the WHOLE WORLD embrace the election results, the world is WITH US, again.

Were the Fox News guys just depressed or what? Brit Hume, that guy from the National Review...just morose. Though the emotion of it all finally got to Juan Williams and he got teary eyed after the call for Obama. On CNN, I thought William Bennett was just going to stop talking and put his head down on the desk.

Chris Matthews anchored the MSNBC coverage, along with Keith Olberman, and Chris was great as usual, very funny. What a complete waste of time, and frankly disgraceful, putting Tom DeLay on however.

CNN had that nifty hologram thingy - that was a bit much. Reminded me of Princess Leia in Star Wars. It seemed like every network was trying to out-do the other with graphics, magic walls, holograms, etc.

One of the best lines of the whole campaign I heard last night on Air America: "America is having an IQ test...let's hope she passes."

That Chicago crowd - amazing! A complete melting pot. Compare that with the McCain crowd - nothing but older white folks. The contrast couldn't be more stark, especially the last few weeks as the McCain campaign played to conservatives' distorted fears and outright hostlility for Obama and the Democrats. Again, look at the contrasts - McCains crowds were homogeneous, Obama's REALLY looked like America!

And in that Chicago crowd - so interesting to see Jesse Jackson crying. In light of his off-mic remarks a few months ago and his reported jealousy over Obama's rise, his emotional reaction to something he's worked virtually his whole life for was touching.

Yesterday was a great night for AMERICA.

Election Day, FINALLY

2008-11-04T17:03:00.003-06:00

Finally. Today's the day.

And what a beautiful day it was, a perfect day for being a part of this great experiment called DEMOCRACY.

My polling place is about a 12 minute walk from my house and opened at 7:00 a.m. I got there about 6:35 or so, and there was easily about 75 people already on line, outside in the parking lot. I brought the newspaper with me, had my headphones on and settled in.

The doors opened promptly at 7:00 without a hitch or glitch and the line moved forward. Slowly we moved forward. I've voted here before, its in a church basement, and some lovely senior citizens had cookies, coffee and punch for the folks in line.

I swear you could feel a quiet excitement and, well, a buzz.

Despite all the warnings and news about voting irregularities, voting problems, lack of resources, staff, etc., this location had plenty of very helpful people, plenty of voting "booths" (really optical scanners), and the whole process was very smooth. You confirm your name and address (surprisingly I wasn't asked for ID) at one table, get your ballot at another, and get instructions on how to fill it out.

And it took time to fill out! I swear I should have paid more attention to who was running for Soil and Water District Comissioner!

My OCD was definitely kicking in, I triple checked that I completely colored in the little oval that indicated my selection of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. I slid my ballott into the machine, and with that I felt a little bit of relief. And excitement. Real excitement that's been building and building for WEEKS.

I was out of there fairly quickly, by 7:35 or so. In and out in about an hour. And when I walked out of there the line was easily over 75 people!

From there, I went to the local FL HQ to participate in the GOTV effort however I could. For months, hell a year now, I've been saying I've got to get active in this election. I went to the local DFL HQ a couple of weeks ago and was impressed by the activity, 10+ people all manning the phones. I went last night and they didn't need me! They took over the space next door to the original office, there were people everywhere and all the phone lines were being used! There was nothing to do but leave!

Today, I went there and there were even MORE people there, you DEFINITELY felt the excitement. 8:15 in the morning and the place was jumping. 15 of us or so signed up to go door knocking to get registered, regular voting Dems out to the polls. The organization of the Obama campaign, of the DFL here has been amazing. Drilling down the data to get the vote out, to get people to the polls.

I was handed two folders for a big neighborhood I was going to cover, one folder had a list of even house numbers and their occupants and the other had odd house numbers. I had a stack of door hangers with the DFL candidates for President, Senator (Al Franken), Congressman (Keith Ellison) and State Representative (Steve Simon) listed along with the polling place for that precinct. I also had info on Steve Simon. As it was 9:00 a.m. or so there were many people who weren't home, several had already voted and several who hadn't. You circle the status on the paper and go to the next house.

All I could do was about 2.5 hours as I had to get to work. But I participated. I was part of the process.

And it feels GOOD!

An election eve poem (with apologies to Dr. Seuss)

2008-11-03T17:25:00.002-06:00

"Twas the night before elections
And all through the town
Tempers were flaring
Emotions all up and down!

I, in my bathrobe
With a cat in my lap
Had cut off the TVTired of political crap.

When all of a sudden
There arose such a noise
I peered out of my window
Saw McCain and his boys

They had come for my wallet
They wanted my pay
To give to the CEOs
Who had not worked a day!

He snatched up my money
And quick as a wink
Jumped back on his bandwagon
As I gagged from the stink

He then rallied his henchmen
Who were pulling his cart
I could tell they were out
To tear my country apart!

"On Fannie, on Freddie,
On Cheney and Palin!
On Exxon and Enron"
He screamed at his failin".

They took off for his cause
And as he flew out of sight
I heard him laugh at the Nation
Who wouldn"t stand up and fight!

So I leave you to think
On this one final note-
IF YOU DONT WANT MORE BUSH
GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!

Eureka!

2008-11-03T14:17:00.003-06:00

McCain's campaign and the GOP: Dadaism??

Thank you Rachel Maddow:

“Deliberately being irrational, rejecting standard assumptions about beauty or organization or logic...”

http://nymag.com/news/media/51822/

A simpler time

2008-10-27T11:16:00.000-05:00

Thank you Stephen Colbert!

I for one appreciate the McCain campaign treating us like children. McCain will bring us back to a simpler time. A time when you could identify your neighbors’ jobs by the hats they wore. Like Sam the Fireman, Bill the Cowboy and Jose the stereotype. These are the people in your neighborhood. The people that you meet when you’re walking down the street. They’re the people that you meet each day. And what the people in your neighborhood, the Joe the Plumber, the Wendy the Waitress need are tax cuts for the wealthy and off shore drilling. They don’t need universal health care or last names.

Today's thought...

2008-10-24T16:24:00.001-05:00

A useful and early indicator on what someone's leadership skills would be like are their management skills. So often many folks in a Presidential campaign can likely end up in the President's cabinet or WH staff, I'm especially glad that thru it all, including the primaries, Obama's staff has consistently handled things well and acted..well, like grown ups.

McCain's management skills have to be questioned - besides the bad strategy, especially when the going has got tough - they've been all over the place with their messaging, and how they handle things, regardless of whether they are "crisises" or not.

We've 8 years of petulant, self-serving, selfish whiners running the Bush administration. Its time for grownups to be put back in charge.

This is GREAT!!!!

2008-10-23T11:59:00.001-05:00

O.K., so there's always a multitude of funny, weird, great things on You Tube, especially around this election. But THIS is BRILLIANT.

Thank you, Ron Howard.

Quick Review: new AC/DC album

2008-10-22T11:29:00.005-05:00

BLACK ICE is the name of the new AC/DC album that just came out last Monday. And it rocks! The general vibe is that it is a return to form, and the best album they've done in years, the best album since 1990's Razors Edge. At first listen it does certainly sound better than its two predecessors, 2001's Stiff Upper Lip and 1995's Ballbreaker (which are both very good records).

Black Ice welcomes producer Brendan O'Brien to AC/DC for the the first time and brings a vibe and sound that's heavy and crystal clear - his production really lets the songs "breathe" and there's more emphasis on melody this go round. And Brian Johnson's voice hasn't sounded better in YEARS! The last two records in particular Brian was wheezy and raspy...this is a welcome change. The bottom line on the sound is that it just jumps out of the speakers, in a way that we haven't heard since Razor's Edge or Blow Up Your Video

Ultimately though, it comes down to Angus and Malcolm Young's SONGS and Black Ice has the goods. The years between albums and working with Brendan O'Brien seems both have made the songs simply better, there's more memorable hooks here. The first single "Rock N' Roll Train" misleads nobody: this IS AC/DC! A great riff, big hook, Brian Johnson screeching away. "War Machine" is downright tough, nasty riff and angry chorus. "Rock N'Roll Dream" is what AC/DC has always represented. For me, one of the brightest spots on the album is "Anything Goes". Its in a higher key that AC/DC hasn't tried in years, with an almost poppy hook. I keep going back to this song, its melodic and fun but still AC/DC. And on every song, Angus' solos are great, always blues-based, always aggressive...no one has twisted more sounds out of a Gibson SG before!

I don't think there's another band out there that has truly NEVER compromised their music. No ballads, no keyboards, no outside song writers...hell, I don't think they've ever had a song that ended on a fade. Black Ice is a great AC/DC album, a great return for a band that has been away for awhile. And apparently 785,000 people agreed and bought it first week, debuting #1 on the Billboard Top 200.

Yes, this is America.

2008-10-16T16:25:00.003-05:00

Scary, this is the sentiment, these are the folks McCain/Palin are PROUD of??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRqcfqiXCX0

Woe the Maverick...

2008-10-16T10:06:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder in sheer disbelief at how the McCain campaign - and McCain himself - has conducted themselves. This is such a stark opposite to the McCain I truly admired back in 2000 when he was oh-so-close to knocking out a psuedo-Texan idiot who was not even close to being prepared for Pennsylvania Avenue.

But from his total kissing up to the religious right, to his lurching back and forth on economic issues, to the negative ads, the whisper campaigns, to above all the horrid pick of Palin (which, really, was not in his control) to now these crowds...its saddening, truly.

I was always, even back in 2000, a bit skeptical of the whole "maverick" thing - but he was closer to that than he has been in the last 8 years, let alone the last 8 months. He had a real chance of running as a populist, someone who was not kowtowing to extremists - he won the nomination when the religous extremists - and conservative extremists (and really, that's truly what they are), along with the talk radio fascists, did everything they could to prevent it! The majorty of Republicans in the primaries didn't listen to the extremists! That's fascinating alone!

A true "maverick" in the GOP could have effectively run against what the economic news of late has definitively proved: that what the GOP stands for: trickle-down economics/the market will take care of itself, the rich deserve the bog tax cuts, etc. is an ABJECT FAILURE. We've had 25+ years of this experiment (and I count 8 years of Clinton in that, given the GOP controlling congress most of those years, and Clinton's "triangulation," i.e., "Reagan-lite).

To say nothing of what the media increasingly spun was his national security bona-fides. Which here too has been looking more and more of a liability...he's...just...been...wrong, essentially (what IS "victory" in Iraq anyway?).

There was a chance that it could have been different for him. And with a media that fawned and was still fawning over McCain for so long, it really could have been a much more interesting - and honorable - race.

But perhaps this really IS the real McCain? Country first? Really?

Tonight's debate

2008-10-15T23:14:00.002-05:00

Tonight's debate was interesting. I started watching it on TV, mesmerized by the CNN people meters, missed the middle, and listened to the last 15 minutes or so.

I really wanted Obama to score the big knockout punch...but that's not really his style, and as such, he comes across cool under fire, controlled, mature...and presidential.

Unlike his opponent...scribbling on that pad from the first moments, lurchin from talking points to talking points, waiting for moderator Bob Scheiffer to bring up Ayer, character, ACORN...by G-d SOMETHING that he could pounce on!

And McCain tried to...he really tried. And he just comes across as that cranky guy who wants you to get off of the lawn.

With every passing week, especially at each debate, memories of Dole REALLY come back. Its the future and promise vs. angry, fumbling, and, unfortunately, old. But at the least, Dole did come out of it with some class. I used to think Dole was going to blurt out, ala Jon Lovitz as Michael Dukaikis, "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy". You could constantly tell that Dole was frustrated that a guy who never served in the military, was a philanderer and someone who the extremists in his party despised, was beating him.

McCain is clearly frustrated, but let's face it, he's never been in control of his message or his campaign (witness the Palin pick); coupled that with the fact that he's got zero discipline anyway...well, the results shouldn't surprise folks.

Obama got a TKO, and did you notice that with except maybe two or three questions, a total of EIGHT questions where McCain ALWAYS had the last word. So I'm not surprised that Obama missed - rather, didn't have a chance - to really land some knock out punches.

Redistribution of wealth? YES

2008-10-15T15:36:00.002-05:00

In 1980, the top 1% of all income earners received 8% of the income total.
Today, the top 1% of all income earners receive 20-21% of the total income pie.

Republicans like to attack Democrats as proposing wealth redistribution. Since the initiation of the supply side economic model in 1981, we have had a massive wealth redistribution. Wealth has been redistributed from the lower half or 2/3 of income earners to the top few percent. This has been one of the most massive wealth transfers in history.

We are now reaping the painful harvest of having concentrated capital in the hands of so few.

Trickle down doesn't work. Its that simple. We've got 25+ years of data and experience to show us that.

And the people who receive the most are NOT creating JOBS. Conservatives like to argue that the rich create businesses and jobs - not true. They might create businesses - on paper - but they get tax breaks for moving jobs overseas, tax rebates for creating shell companies, etc. They are not creating good jobs that build the MIDDLE CLASS!

McCain and character

2008-10-14T17:01:00.002-05:00

So, Senator McCain wants to bring up "Obama's questionable connections?"

Is he sure he wants to do that?

1)William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime.

2) Keating 5 - McCain's "abuse of Power"

3) Dude One and Palin herself affiliated with AIP (Alaskan Independence Party)

4) Troopergate "abuse of power" finding on Palin

5) McCain's relationship with G. Gordon Liddy - a CONVICTED felon who spent several years in jail

Marathons

2008-10-14T11:03:00.003-05:00

A week ago Sunday I ran the Twin Cities Marathon for the third time. My goal was to FINALLY finish under 5 hours, and I did, coming in at 4:56. For me, that time is something to be proud of. I was a bit under-trained as I had a nagging hip problem from the summer time - the ab, glute and IT band muscles all connect at the crown of the hip and somehow I hurt that...it might have been in July? In any event, it definitely hindered my training - my longest run was about 10 miles two weeks prior to the marathon. And the first 10 - 12 miles it was raining like it was monsoon season. Not the best conditions at all! Cold and wet and miserable.

But I finished...and got my best time ever, beating last year's time by about 10 minutes!

This past Sunday I watched Carrie run the Chicago Marathon. "Watched" is a relative term as I only saw her at Miles 3, 11 and 21. There's 45,000 people entered in the Chicago Marathon...its HUGE! And its inspiring - watching the elite runners, the Kenyans and the wheelchair racers was amazing.

I'm suddenly motivated to run another marathon...next year I've got to make 4:30! If I can get a bit faster as I get older, that's a good thing!

Hank & Willie

2008-10-09T18:18:00.002-05:00

Right now I am watching an incredible special on HBO. Its called "Hank & Willie" and its hosted by one of my favorite sports broadcasters, Bob Costas.

I'm "only" 41 - I was too young to see either Hank Aaron or Willie Mays play in their prime (I remember getting a Hank baseball card about 1973 or '74 or so), but as a bit of a sports history buff I've long known what these guys gave to the game. Statistics-wise, both still go down as two of the greatest baseball players EVER.

Both are true gentlemen, and its easy to look at these guys and think that it was "better in the old days"...there's a dignity and class about both men, above all else they love still the game of baseball. They're not bitter about what used to be or how much they could make now or anything like that.

Hank in particular is an interesting story, relevant to what's going on politically right now. When he broke Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974 he was bombarded by hate mail, threats, invective, etc., from paranoid, racist whites. That's what it was, racism. White people felt threatened that some one of another color was going to break a cherished record held by a legendary white person. And this was 30 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball.

There's a parallel now to what we see increasing every day in the political arena - so many people are threatened by Barack Obama - who WILL be our next President - because of the color of his skin. That's really what it boils down to - he's DIFFERENT. Everything else is a rationale, an excuse for fear and ignorance.

Hank and Willie rose above that. By their perserverance, but above all, their enormous TALENT!

Maverick! (or inside a McCain/Palin strategy session)

2008-10-08T21:35:00.001-05:00

I bet this isn't too far from the actual meetings...

Comedy from Coleman!

2008-10-08T14:30:00.003-05:00

We've got ourselves a hot Senate race here Minn., Al Franken vs. incumbent Norm Coleman. And there's been a long-time buzz - though its tough to find the two major dailies do much investigating on it - that Coleman received a lot of improper gifts from benefactors. And now its rumored that his wife does consulting for a risk management firm that's a big donor to his campaign...and of course, you guessed it, she has no experience in risk management.

In any event, watch this spinner spin...right into the ground!

Desperate Times call for Desperate Measures

2008-10-08T10:57:00.000-05:00

The McCain campaign already said this campaign can't be about the issues. They are desperate, its gonna get uglier...

2008-10-07T15:59:00.000-05:00

Why I love NYC, reason #1,343: Kosher vending machines!

Palin is a POST TURTLE!

2008-10-06T18:47:00.001-05:00

I'll be damned if this doesn't make a whole lot sense!

"While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid.

The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Palin is a 'Post Turtle''.

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.

The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'.

The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. 'You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dummy put her up there to begin with'."

Why I love YOU TUBE

2008-10-03T23:28:00.002-05:00

Still one of the greatest bands EVER!

2008-10-03T23:13:00.002-05:00

Please watch this. And pass around. The AFL-CIO president gives a speech here that sums up what so many people feel, and what the media has only danced around.

Please watch this.

The VP Debate, part 2

2008-10-03T22:52:00.005-05:00

Last night, Senator Biden won.

There's really no other way to say it, spin it, describe it.

For me, one of the knock out blows was one item that hasn't been commented on that much by the Corporate Media: Palin could not accurately describe the role of Vice President!

Actually, moderator Gwen Ifill asked Palin whether she agreed with Dick Cheney’s view (a very warped, power-grabbing view) that the Vice President’s office is outside of the Executive Branch. Nearest I can figure, at least it sounded like it, Palin agrees with Cheney...

Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president’s agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we’ll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation.

This is called using a lot of words...without much substance.

Biden, on the other hand, knows exactly what the role of the VP is and explained it factually and to devastating affect:

Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous vice president we’ve had probably in American history. The idea he doesn’t realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that’s the Executive Branch. He works in the Executive Branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that. [..] The idea he’s part of the Legislative Branch is a bizarre notion invented by Cheney to aggrandize the power of a unitary executive and look where it has gotten us. It has been very dangerous.

'NUFF SAID!

What if...

2008-10-02T10:54:00.003-05:00

Lets turn the tables a bit this last week and ask, 'What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review? What if Barack Obama instead finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?
What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said 'I do' to? What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization while Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama were a member of the savings and loan scandal known as the Keating Five5 during these 'bailout times,' indicating publicly earlier this year that he 'really didn't know much about how the economy works,' while McCain were a charismatic, eloquent speaker explaining our need to toughen up on responsibility, both on Wall street and Main street?

If these questions reflected the current reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are right now? This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate -and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

Is it truly racism? Or just media bias? Is there an undercurrent of racism here? I think if Obama was white, there would still be this bias, the charge of "elitism," etc. How a guy who's mom got food stamps, has "only" one house and one car can be called an elitist is beyond me.

Now lets suppose you are 'The Boss'... which team would you hire? With America facing a historic debt, 2 endless wars, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, and now maybe even a total financial meltdown, etc.

Educational Background:

Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.

Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude
&

Biden:University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.

Syracuse University College of Law -Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

McCain: United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 out of 899 students.

Palin: Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters -journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism

Now, which team are you going to hire?

To top it all off for some folks out there, just imagine if it was Barack Obama who had an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

The bailout

2008-09-29T15:08:00.002-05:00

The bailout vote FAILED.

This is all about un-fettered capitalism run amok! You can't simply blame it on people who "bought more home than they could afford." This is much larger, its about all of us being encouraged to spend, to consume and that GREED is o.k. After 9/11 President Bush implored us all to go to the mall! Greedy mortgage brokers pulled various tricks and sleight of hand to get people into these ridiculous mortgages, refinances and home equity lines of credit. Its about 25+ years of DE-regulation, not just of the banking and financing industries but of EVERYTHING, where the only winners are those who have the most get more.

All this while wages and income are going DOWN. While good paying jobs are harder and harder to come by. While the cost of living - food and fuel, especially, continue to increase. All the while companies get tax benefits for moving jobs and production off-shore.

And so the bailout was to be the panacea. Originally, a week ago, the White House and Paulsen wanted 750 BILLION without any oversight, with ZERO strings attached, with zero reform. "Its an emergency, just pass the legislation and let us do what we need to do." Does THAT sound familiar? It was the same argument they made to rush into the Iraq War. A war that whose reasons are all LIES and misinformation and propaganda.

But as said before, its a bigger issue. There's more to it. We are seeing a complete breakdown in the Conservative doctrine, of the market will handle it all. That won't happen when the majority of the people are struggling to make ends meet, when its all about CONSUMPTION and not about personal and public INVESTMENT.

Its taken 25+ years but we are finally seeing a slow populist uprising, a change of thought against the Reagan-era, Conservative way of doing things. PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO FIGURE IT OUT!

And the original Republican, Abraham Lincoln was right all along...

"It is an old maxim and a very sound one, that he that dances should always pay the fiddler. Now, sir, in the present case, if any gentlemen, whose money is a burden to them, choose to lead off a dance, I am decidedly opposed to the people's money being used to pay the fiddler...all this to settle a question in which the people have no interest, and about which they care nothing. These capitalists generally act harmoniously, and in concert, to fleece the people, and now, that they have got into a quarrel with themselves, we are called upon to appropriate the people's money to settle the quarrel." - Abraham Lincoln, January 11, 1837

Palitology

2008-09-26T08:18:00.001-05:00

Remember that girl in the Ms. USA pagaent a few months ago who gave that completely incoherent answer to a question about the U.S.? THIS is not far removed.

The fact that so many people say they would now vote for McCain because of her simply boggles the mind. Then again, nothing surprises me anymore.

From the Katie Couric interview Wednesday night:

Katie Couric: "Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? Allow them to spend more, and put more money into the economy, instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?"

Palin: "That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in. Where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh, it's got to be about job creation, too. Shoring up our economy, and getting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade -- we have got to see trade as opportunity, not as, uh, competitive, um, scary thing, but one in five jobs created in the trade sector today. We've got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation."

She's an energy expert?

2008-09-22T09:48:00.003-05:00

Palin is an energy expert? Really?

Unless someone provides her talking points and a prepared script, this is what you get (below). I can't wait for the debate with Biden.

"Of course, it's a fungible commodity and they don't flag, you know, the molecules, where it's going and where it's not. But in the sense of the Congress today, they know that there are very, very hungry domestic markets that need that oil first. So, I believe that what Congress is going to do, also, is not to allow the export bans to such a degree that it's Americans who get stuck holding the bag without the energy source that is produced here, pumped here. It's got to flow into our domestic markets first."

THIS says it ALL

2008-09-19T17:46:00.002-05:00

How can you argue? Seriously...if you've watched McCain's machinations on the economy this week...

From an Obama speech today...

This morning Senator McCain gave a speech in which his big solution to this worldwide economic crisis was to blame me for it.

This is a guy who's spent nearly three decades in Washington, and after spending the entire campaign saying I haven't been in Washington long enough, he apparently now is willing to assign me responsibility for all of Washington's failures.

Now, I think it's a pretty clear that Senator McCain is a little panicked right now. At this point he seems to be willing to say anything or do anything or change any position or violate any principal to try and win this election, and I've got to say it's kind of sad to see. That's not the politics we need.

It's also been disappointing to see my opponent's reaction to this economic crisis. His first reaction on Monday was to stand up and repeat the line he's said over and over again throughout this campaign -- 'the fundamentals of the economy are strong' -- the comment was so out of touch that even George Bush's White House couldn't agree with it.

McCain's pledge

2008-09-17T09:59:00.002-05:00

Wouldn't it be GREAT if someone asked this!

Question to John McCain:

Will you publicly pledge that, if elected, you will not appoint Phil Gramm as your Secretary of the Treasury. "Foreclosure Phil," author of the legislation that de-regulated Enron, former Senator who gutted the firewall that separated commercial banks and investment banks, a deregulator through and through, who left the Senate and passed through the revolving door to K Street where he lobbied for a foreign bank while serving as the McCain campaign's senior economic adviser, yes, the Phil Gramm who stepped down as a McCain campaign chairman after uttering the words that the "recession is mental," and that we are a "nation of whiners." Phil Gramm, whose 1996 presidential campaign was chaired by, you guessed it, John McCain.

Senator McCain - will you pledge that, if elected, Phil Gramm will not serve in your cabinet, as you go ahead and clean up Wall Street?

Hardball!

2008-09-16T11:27:00.002-05:00

Its easy to quibble with Chris Matthews a lot, but his bullshit detector is still good...the media is catching up. And he definitely hits the Obama hack equally hard, but watch at around 7:50 what

And about this latest McCain hack:

"Pfotenhauer lobbied on behalf of gas pipeline operator Koch Industries when it received the biggest civil fine in the history of the Clean Water Act for leaking 3 million gallons of oil into lakes and streams."

http://mclobbyist.com/pfotenhauer.html

When will the media GET IT??

2008-09-11T21:50:00.000-05:00

From Andrew Romano's Stumper blog:

When McCain introduced Palin late last month in Dayton, Ohio, he touted her as a fellow crusader against wasteful spending. Palin called herself a reformer who worked to end the "abuses of earmark spending in Congress." Unfortunately, Palin requested more than $450 million in federal earmarks during her two years as governor of Alaska--more per person than any other state. And she wasn't new to the practice. Previously, as mayor of tiny Wasilla, Palin employed Washington lobbyist Steven Silver to bring home $27 million in bacon--about $3,375 per person. The town had never received earmarks before Palin's tenure.

Random Rants N' Raves: A lie is a lie is a lie...

2008-09-09T22:37:00.000-05:00

Random Rants N' Raves: A lie is a lie is a lie...

A lie is a lie is a lie...

2008-09-09T22:28:00.002-05:00

From Think Progress, Palin has lied - yes, these are lies - 23 times and counting:

JOHN McCAIN “The fact is that Gov. Palin learned that earmarks are bad and she did say, we don’t need our bridge to nowhere, and we will pay for it ourselves if we need it. I mean, that is just a fact.” [WWBT, 9/8/08]

“And as governor of Alaska, Governor Sarah Palin said ‘We don’t need a bridge to nowhere and if we do, we’ll build it ourselves.’ That’s the kind of person — leader — we have.” [Press conference in Cedarsburg, WI, 9/5/08]

“Look, we couldn’t get the ‘bridge to nowhere’ out, although we tried. … Yeah, the pork barrel project, $233 million bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it. She, as governor, stood up and said, we don’t need it, and if we need it, we’ll pay for it ourselves.” [Fox News, 8/31/08]

“You know, I tried to stop the $233 million bridge to nowhere in Alaska. She got it done! She stopped it! (Cheers, applause.) You know what she said? She said, we don’t need that money from Washington. If we’re going to need a bridge, we’ll build it ourselves. That’s Governor Sarah Palin!” [Rally in O’Fallon, MO, 8/31/08]

SARAH PALIN “I told Congress, ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ for that bridge to nowhere.” [Rally in Lancaster, PA, 9/9/08]

“I told Congress, ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ for that bridge to nowhere.” [Rally in Lebanon, OH, 9/9/08]

“I told Congress thanks but no thanks for that bridge to nowhere. If the state wanted to build a bridge we would built it ourselves.” [Rally in Lee’s Summit, MO, 9/8/08]

“I championed reform of earmark spending by Congress, and I told the Congress thanks but no thanks on that ‘Bridge to Nowhere.” [Rally in Albuquerque, NM, 9/6/08]
“I told the Congress ‘thanks, but no thanks,’ for that Bridge to Nowhere.” [GOP Convention, 9/3/08]

“And as the senator said, I told the Congress thanks but no thanks for that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted to build a bridge, we would build it ourselves.” [Rally in O’Fallon, MO, 8/31/08]

“And I championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. In fact, I told Congress — I told Congress, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ on that bridge to nowhere.” [Nomination speech, 8/29/08]

CAMPAIGN ADS “She stopped the Bridge to Nowhere.” [9/8/08]

CAMPAIGN SURROGATES Spokesman Mike Duhaime: “She killed it. There’s no — that is an indisputable fact.” [MSNBC, 9/9/08]

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty: “Every action she took once elected as governor, officially, her budgets, her comments, her legislative proposals all were in the direction of killing the project. So, any action she took as governor was to kill the project.” [MSNBC, 9/9/08]

Palin Spokesman Ben Porritt: “Governor Palin killed the bridge to nowhere, period.” [Christian Science Monitor, 9/8/08]

Spokesman Tucker Bounds: “And she was the one that drove the nail in the coffin that killed the Bridge to Nowhere.” [MSNBC, 9/8/08]

Spokesman Brian Rogers: “After taking office and examining the project closely, Governor Palin consistently opposed funding the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ and ultimately canceled the wasteful project.” [Memo, 9/8/08]

Campaign Manager Rick Davis: “Congress didn’t beat back the ‘bridge to nowhere.’ … That funding was in the grant, and she said, ‘I’m not spending that money.’ And what they did — they took a $500 million bridge and she turned it into a $2 million ferry. And that’s what she did on her own without any help from anybody else.” [Fox News Sunday, 9/7/08]

Cindy McCain: “My husband always wanted someone that would think like he did, in terms of approaching the issues in a tough way and not afraid to say to you, ‘No, we don’t want that Bridge to Nowhere. We’ll pay for it if we want it.’” [The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, 9/3/08]

Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL): “Everyone wants to be more introduced to this fantastic governor who gets up to go moose hunting, who defeated a legend in her own party to become the governor of that state, who’s taken on wasteful Washington spending and told Washington what they could do with their Bridge to Nowhere.” [MSNBC, 9/3/08]

Senior Adviser Nancy Pfotenhauer: “In Washington, Mr. McCain spoke out against the ‘Bridge to Nowhere,’ a $400 million waste of the taxpayers’ money that led to an island with a few dozen residents. In Juneau, Alaska, Ms. Palin made sure the bridge went nowhere, canceling the earmark.” [Wall Street Journal, 9/2/08]

Pfotenhauer: “She refused the $400 million bridge to nowhere that people like Senator Obama and Senator Biden, you know, supported.” [CNN, 8/31/08]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “She has done things that Barack Obama would never dream of. To go in her state and say, I’m not going to build a bridge to nowhere.” [ABC’s This Week, 8/31/08]

Spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker: “She vetoed the bridge to nowhere earmark.” [8/30/08]

Hazelbaker: “Gov. Palin has spent her time in office shaking up government in Alaska and actually achieving results — whether it’s taking on corruption, passing ethics reform or stopping wasteful spending and the ‘bridge to nowhere.’” [Chicago Tribune, 8/30/08]

Love this

2008-09-02T21:27:00.002-05:00

GOP Unity?

2008-09-02T21:25:00.002-05:00

Where's the media going over board about disarray amongst the GOP? There's 10,000+ people in Mpls. tonight for Ron Paul's convention. Lot's of rumbling about Palin, they didn't let Bush speak live...

38,000,000

2008-08-30T10:38:00.002-05:00

"38 million turn TVs to Democratic convention for Obama's acceptance speech." "Nielsen Media Research said more people watched Obama speak Thursday night than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final "American Idol," or the Academy Awards this year. Obama talked before a live audience of more than 84,000 people in Denver."

from

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/

McCain's ""hail Mary" pick

2008-08-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

This is called DESPERATION! There wasn't anyone else to pick...though if he felt he needed to pick a woman, why not Kay Bailey Hutchinson...or Liddy Dole? McCain just flushed the "ready to lead" b.s. right down the toilet. And Palin's got an ethics issue over her head as well.

This is DESPERATION!

He couldn't pick Pawlenty - Minnesota's economy and unemployment rate is worse than the national average and the infrastructure is falling apart - and falling down. And he's not exactly exciting on the stump.

He couldn't pick Romney - the screaming Christian crazies would go nuts over a Mormon, McCain doesn't even like the guy and the LAST thing the ticket needs is TWO rich white guys with no understanding of the working class. And Romney's m & a history is horrible when it comes to layoffs - no way he can claim he understands what's going on with the middle class.

He couldn't pick Guiliani - not after Biden was picked as VP, because Biden already made 'Da Mayor look like an idiot

He couldn't pick Fred Thompson, because then there would be TWO sleep-inducing old white guys on the ticket.

Ridge, Lieberman - red herrings as McCain already sold his soul to the religious zealots and their pro choice stance would get them all up in arms.

He couldn't pick Meg Whittman or Fiorini from the business world - LESS political experience than Palin. And Fiorini has gone off message enough times in the campaign so far.

He met her once - this is good judgement?

If you saw Samantha Bee on the Daily Show last night you got what's really happening here: its not IDEALOGICAL, it GYNECOLOGICAL!

Hillary last night

2008-08-27T09:34:00.002-05:00

Did you see or hear Hillary last night?

Hopefully the narrative will now change - from what does Hillary want to UNITY.

I really believe the so-called PUMAs and Hillary supporters are not as undecided, not as mad, not going to McCain, etc. - or rather, there's not as many as the media might lead you to believe. The schism in the Democratic Party is not as great as the media makes it out to be. Since Hillary ended her campaign Obama's fundraising totals have increased, there's as much enthusiasm as ever for him and his campaign (and this in the face of the GOPs increasing lies, smears and dirty tactics). I really believe the corporate media loves a continuing narrative, loves a continuing drama. And let's face it, if the Clintons are involved there's going to be drama.

Her speech was great. It had to be a tough balance - placate her supporters and show unqualified support for Barack.

Right after her speech I started switching back and forth between all the channels. MSNBC immediately called it a "home run" and mixed several other baseball metaphors; CNN and the networks pretty much all called it successful, that "she did what she had to do." To know one's surprise Britt Hume and the neo-cons at Fox all immediately gave Hill's speech low marks - she did nothing to refute John McCain's claims he's not ready, inexperienced, etc. For a minute I found myself agreeing with Bill "Mr. Wrong" Kristol. Perhaps Hill she should have mentioned the heated words on the campaign trail. But that really wasn't the purpose of the speech. The speech had to accomplish three things as I see it:

1.)Tell her supporters she absolutely, completely backed Obama for President
2.)Tell why McCain should not be president and Barack should be.
3.)Come across as sincere and passionate for Barack and party unity.

On those things, she succeeded.

There should be "healing" for sure now!

SIXX A.M.

2008-08-13T15:36:00.002-05:00

New video for "TOMORROW" from the awesome Sixx A.M. album...

Bernie & Isaac, R.I.P.

2008-08-11T09:29:00.002-05:00

Damn, double bad news, double losses, two great African Americans.

Bernie Mac was someone I always looked forward to seeing on the screen - often times I didn't know he was in a particular movie I was watching until I saw him there - like in Bad Santa. I always loved his attitude - especially in the Bernie Mac show - where it was exasperation wrapped in anger, but not too angry, you know? I confess I didn't get into the Bernie Mac show until it was too late. And don't forget Bernies' stand up!

Few soul singers had the track record and influence Isaac Hayes had. Isaac was more than just a singer, he was a composer, and a key studio cat on many Stax Records' tracks thru the years. As a producer and composer he built walls of sound that rivaled Phil Spector's in the 60's. Of course, this is most evident in "Shaft" which is like a soul symphony.

R.I.P. both of you.

Batter Up!

2008-08-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

The kid can hit!!!! Sometimes I wonder if I've got a "natural" here.

An ad I'd like to see...

2008-08-06T14:31:00.001-05:00

Here's a campaign ad I'd like to see:

John McCain.

He owns 8 homes.
He travels in his wife's private jet.
He gets free health care courtesy of the taxpayers.
John McCains' net worth is $36 million, his wife's is estimated at over $100 million, and their annual income at 7 million.
He blamed homeowners for the bank crisis.
He thinks Social Security is a "disgrace," but he doesn't forget to cash his annual check from Social Security for $23,000.
He thinks the rich should have even more tax cuts.

John McCain. Does he understand your problems?

Oil lobbyists give $, McCain jumps!

2008-08-01T11:30:00.003-05:00

According to Think Progress:

In Texas alone, June oil and gas-connected donations to McCain’s Victory ’08 Fund, his hybrid fundraising venture with the RNC and state committees, reached $1,214,100.

Of that total, $881,450, or 73 percent, came after June 15. McCain announced his position in favor of offshore drilling on June 16.

Funny, there's been no mentions of this in the corporate media.

Karl Rove - letter to Congress

2008-08-01T10:37:00.002-05:00

Dear Member of Congress,

I urge you to vote to support a contempt resolution against Karl Rove in the House of Representatives -- and that you ask your colleagues in Congress to support a contempt resolution as well.

Recently, the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Karl Rove, demanding his testimony about his own role in the politicization of the Department of Justice and politically motivated prosecutions of Democratic leaders, including Governor Don Siegelman. Instead of testifying, Karl Rove refused to even show up for the hearing, claiming that Congress has no power to compel senior White House officials to appear.

Its not enough to simply let these abuses of power go away with the election and a change of administration. This is a slippery slope and the abuses of the Bush administration must continued to be investigated regardless of the timing or who is in the White House. This is a slippery slope and our Democracy is sliding down it.

That's outrageous. Everyday American citizens would not be afforded the opportunity to disregard the law. Yet again, Karl Rove and the Bush Administration have showed their callous disregard for the law and for Congress' constitutional role as a co-equal branch of government.

The time is now - It's time for Congress to act. If Karl Rove won't respond to a legitimate Congressional subpoena, it's time to turn up the heat.

Please vote to pass a contempt resolution against Karl Rove.

Its the cows

2008-07-28T09:14:00.001-05:00

According to the United Nations, 18% of global warming is due to cow flatulence.

Not sure how they measure this, but I've got a visual...

I've got to get here more often!

2008-07-16T13:35:00.002-05:00

I've got to blog more often...though I don't think anyone reads it...that said, I haven't really been promoting it at all. I want to learn and do more about and in the blog world.

My fave song right now is "Sequestered in Memphis" by The Hold Steady. Great lyrics and a great hook. Its one of those songs that when it starts it just jumps out of the radio.

I don't think there will ever be a time when I won't have satellite radio. Unless I'm homeless or something. Seriously, with the exception of NPR and talk stations, I never listen to terrestrial radio anymore!

I'm back...again...

2008-05-30T15:09:00.002-05:00

Its been two months since my last visit here! Where have I been? Working, travelling...its been crazy of late. And the weather is only marginally better since my last post! Its been so long, last time I was here, Hillary was still in the presidential race. Oh wait. She's STILL in it.

Every now and then I will read the New York Times, particularly Thomas Friedman's column. He is so right on...I have no idea what his politics are and don't care...the guy is SMART and really makes you think. This is from his May 21 column:

“Call it the triple deficit,” said Mr. Rothkopf. “A fiscal deficit that will soon have us choosing between rationed health care, sufficient education, adequate infrastructure and traditional levels of defense spending, a trade deficit that has us borrowing from our rivals to the point of real vulnerability, and a geopolitical deficit that is a legacy of Iraq, which may result in hesitancy to take strong stands where we must.”

The first rule of holes is when you’re in one, stop digging. When you’re in three, bring a lot of shovels.

Get 'yer shovels!

We're so close...

2008-03-26T10:58:00.001-05:00

Its sunny now, should get into the 40's today. But tomorrow snow is likely.

Its March 26 for crying out loud!

I NEED warm weather...NOW!

I'm back...

2008-03-25T20:03:00.001-05:00

...ton's to rant about but strangely enough, not motivated, been extremely busy. This, however, I thought was interesting, from the Lefsetz Letter yesterday:

But you can't ignore the financial wreck this country has become. You can't ignore the fact that our President is incompetent. You can't ignore the fact that Hillary Clinton says what's expedient, not what's in her heart. And you can't ignore that Barack Obama is different. He's speaking truth. And the youth are rallying around him.

Has the Surge worked? Is it working?

2008-02-27T10:47:00.002-06:00

Has the surge worked? Is it working?

From a great piece on Newsweek.com this morning, by Christopher Dickey:

"...Fortunately, some of the same sane and responsible voices that warned about the dangers of invading and occupying Iraq before the disastrous fact have just come out with a fresh appraisal of the "New Middle East" that has been created by five gruesome years of Republican policy. The report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is refreshingly if brutally accurate:
Despite the presence of over 160,000 U.S. troops in Iraq at the end of 2007 and an improvement in the security situation, Iraq remains an unstable, violent, and deeply divided country, indeed a failed state," write the authors, five respected experts on Iran and the Arab world. "The balance of power between Iran and Iraq has been broken, increasing the influence of Tehran in the Gulf and beyond," while "Iran continues its uranium enrichment program undeterred by United Nations Security Council resolutions or the threat of U.S military action.""

Random Thoughts and Odds N' Ends

2008-02-01T17:38:00.000-06:00

Barack Obama will be doing an event at the Target Center in Minneapolis Saturday. 15,000 tickets went in barely 24 hours. Does anyone honestly believe that Mitt Romney or John McCain - heck, Hilary Clinton, can pull the kind of crowds this guy is getting?

On that tip, last night's debate was so interesting compared to the previous night's GOP debate. There was just more substance in the Hilary - Barack go round...compare that to McCain and Romney sniping like little bitches about timetables and the like. Ron Paul was a complete breath of fresh air in following up that exchange. And compare the crowds - the Democratic debate crowd outside the Kodak Theatre looked like a Beatles concert! Pandemonium!

I am excited about the Super Bowl - about excited as I can be considering my team isn't playing. But there's some great story lines - the Pats going undefeated, of course, Bellechik,Brady...and especially interesting to me is that there's two great, grizzled veterans for each team playing for the last hurrah. Junior Seau w/the Patriots and Michael Strahan on the Giants. Both guys are still playing great football, both guys have played in the Super Bowl before with teams that got blown out (Seau in '96 with the Chargers, Strahan with the Giants in '01) and both deserve a victory. Both still play hard and are great competitors. I've long admired both.

Last week I attended a meet and greet for Al Franken who is running for Senate in Minnesota. He spoke without notes for 25 minutes, telling his story and what he believes in and what he feels he can do to make things better. I've long been a fan, and he is very intelligent and I have no doubt he knows the issues. But I was particularly impressed how much he knows the state. He was raised in MN, but only has lived here the last three years. But he has really put in the work and knows the issues and challenges of the state.

And speaking of that, he said something that was really eye-opening. He did a college tour and said that the freshmen students were 11 when GWB took office and that they don't know that a president can be articulate. And that government can work and have integrity.

I bought a small amount of stock in a company called Harris Interacitve (ticker symbol HPOL). Bought at about $3.05 and it steadily climbed all week. Then today it falls a whopping 26% as their earnings estimate was off by .02 a share. So naturally I had to buy some more below $3.00 a share today. My motto: buy high (or low) and sell lower!

No one can say Minnesota drivers are among the best in the nation...but they generally don't have a terrible reputation like other states (and cities have). But one thing Minnesotans simply don't understand is the common Yield sign. Its simply unbelievable! You see folks blow thru Yield signs that are on on-ramps and then when you beep at them as they cut you off, they give you the finger. How difficult is it to figure out what YIELD means? Its like an epidemic in MN!

Funny about Earmarks

2008-01-29T09:50:00.001-06:00

From Bob Cesca's blog, re: State of The Union address, at the Huffington Post:

It sounds like the president is going to crack down on congressional earmarks tonight. According to the OMB website, in 2005: "there were 13,492 earmarks totaling $18,938,657,000." That was a Republican Congress and the president signed everything that was dumped on his desk. If Hastert dropped a Polish sausage on the White House lawn, the president signed it.

THAT'S funny...and TRUE!

Think About It

2008-01-25T18:06:00.000-06:00

The presidential oath of office reads: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Think about it.

Bush's approach to domestic surveillance is doing it independent of the Constitution. In other words, spying on Americans without a warrant, doing it secretly, even in the name of "national security" is actually violating the Constitution, not protecting it.

There's been a debate in Congress over whether to offer communication companies retroactive immunity from law suits over their involvement in warrantless wiretapping. These companies may have broken the law by helping, actually facillitating the Bush administration's spying on Americans.

Its not enough to say "I've done nothing wrong so I've got nothing to worry about." And I simply don't trust this current administration - home of 935 public lies about the war in Iraq and terrorism - to say that warrantless wiretaps "have saved thousands of American lives." How the hell can anyone make that claim?!? That's the gigantic slippery slope in all of this. Its not only this president I fear who will (and has) likely spied on Americans. I fear succeeding presidents spying on Americans for any number of reasons that they can at any time say are for "national security."

Our news media refuses to ask any of the current presidential candidates about this. Why? Perhaps its best to follow the money. Who knows how much these candidates have received in campaign contributions from telecomm companies? Who knows what's been promised.

Think about it.

935

2008-01-23T21:46:00.000-06:00

Now we have numbers:

WASHINGTON - A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements about the national security threat from Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The study concluded that the statements "were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses."

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel did not comment on the merits of the study Tuesday night but reiterated the administration's position that the world community viewed Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, as a threat.

"The actions taken in 2003 were based on the collective judgment of intelligence agencies around the world," Stanzel said.

The study counted 935 false statements in the two-year period. It found that in speeches, briefings, interviews and other venues, Bush and administration officials stated unequivocally on at least 532 occasions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to produce or obtain them or had links to al-Qaida or both.

New book review, "The World Without Us"

2008-01-17T10:17:00.000-06:00

The World Without Us by Eric Weisman, 2007

I found out about this book via some very good reviews and year-end best of lists and there's good reason - its excellent. Weisman goes into great detail on what would happen to the earth and the environment if the human race was suddenly to disappear. He goes into very concise detail on what will happen to our infrastructure and very interestingly, what will happen to the planet's wild life. The answers, are compelling and surprising and Weisman lays it all out in a way where you don't have to be a scientist to figure it out. Very vividly Weisman describes how different chemicals and molecules react and break down. Very interestingly, Weisman provides real life examples of what our environment, left untouched, would be like. A+!

That crazy Mike Huckabee!

2008-01-16T17:06:00.000-06:00

Not sure how widely reported this was - doesn't seem like it was much, but its enough to scare the hell out of me...and any other rational U.S. citizen with any knowledge of our great nations history:

“I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution,” Huckabee told a Michigan audience on Monday. “But I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living god. And that’s what we need to do — to amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than try to change God’s standards so it lines up with some contemporary view.”

That's not only INSANE, but its just wrong: the Bible has been rewritten countless times by small groups of men (that’s why there are different versions, Huck). Changing the Constitution requires a 2/3 majority in both the Senate and House, and then a 3/4 majority of state legislatures approving the proposed amendment. That’s a lot harder, which is why we have so few amendments.

Changing freedoms, a way of life and the fabric a nation was built on? Gee, I know some other regimes that did this too...ahhh, the Taliban for starters?

HELLBOY Returns!

2008-01-15T15:40:00.000-06:00

I'm not a sci-fi buff, I don't go to conventions, I can't tell you who on Star Trek Voyager left the Federation, or whatever.

But I was (and still am, to a degree) a big comic book fan and I've always loved movies where a main character is just bigger than life, like a comic book come to life. That's why I've always loved movies like Predator, Batman (especially Batman Returns), The Incredible Hulk, Terminator, etc. Oddly enough, I've never been a huge fan of the Spiderman movies because to me Spidey never seems a hugely compelling, bigger than life character (and I wasn't a big Spiderman comic book fan).

So its no surprise that I am a HUGE fan of the first HELLBOY movie. I loved it! Ron Perlman played Hellboy bigger than life and the whole tone of the movie was fun and sarcastic...and of course full of action. And I loved the whole backstory of how Hellboy came to be.

Naturally, I am PSYCHED to see HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (opening July 11, 2008). The trailer has me totally hooked! Check it out here:

REVIEW: Cadillac CTS

2008-01-11T12:30:00.000-06:00

While in Amarillo, TX this week I had the pleasure of renting a Cadillac CTS. The CTS is Cadillac's answer to foreign sports sedans and while past attempts have missed the rapidly moving European target, the new CTS is a very, very good car. With a 255 HP V-6 its very quick and the 6-speed automatic with manual mode is very responsive. In the manual mode, the shifting had virtually no lags, unlike the manual mode in my Volvo S60 T-5.

Cadillac, as well as GM overall, has made big jumps in their interiors. The CTS had fantastic fit and finish, a very clean and uncluttered dash layout and great visibility all the way around. The car I rented did not have the pop-up nav system, but the stereo and assorted controls, especially the climate control was fairly intuitive. Not as easy to use as a Honda or Toyota, but definitely easier that some other European sedans.

The CTS was a LOT of fun on the wide-open roads in and around Amarillo. Its got a nice torque curve, though in manual mode it seemed like I was always having to downshift back to 5th or even 4th to really step out.

Overall, this car is a WINNER. Bravo, Cadillac!

New Hampshire Take 2

2008-01-11T12:03:00.000-06:00

So the New Hampshire primary shocks - SHOCKS - everyone as Hillary pulls a "stunning comeback/upset victory!"

Blah, blah, blah.

The pollsters were wrong. So what else is new?

So what happened?

The media has naturally missed the bigger picture - and that's NH's big independent voting bloc not only went to Obama - but also went to McCain the Maverick. And, yes, for several different reasons, women went for Hillary more that Obama. Who knows what all the reasons were - could be the "crying" moment (she wasn't really crying, just got a bit choked up), could be the fact that she literally and physically reached more people in the final 24 hours. Bill C. was out there as well.

The real story is: Clinton got what she polled. So did McCain. The only one who didn't was Obama. Also, interesting enough, before Obama-mania, Clinton was at 39% in N.H. - exactly where she ended up. It sounds simple, but it appears that more independents simply went with McCain (whereas in Iowa they went Obama) and women stuck with Clinton. Why? That's another story!

So I'm not SHOCKED that Obama didn't win the NH primary. Actually, he came very close to winning. Three percentage points!

More the media missed: how much more the Dems got in total votes than the GOP. In both primaries it wasn't even close!

And now New Hampshire

2008-01-08T12:21:00.000-06:00

And so today's now the New Hampshire primary, and Obama is riding a WAVE of momentum coming out of his big win in Iowa (which I predicted, see my previous post).

Its great theatre, isn't it? And as always, there's some under-reported stories:

*Ron Paul gets 11% of the vote in Iowa and Faux Noise (Fox News) bars him from the GOP debate on Saturday night. Like that's not in anyway politcially motivated? Paul consistently polls over 10%, is getting a lot of campaign cash (and more active service members have donated to his campaign than any of the GOP candidates), and has built a strong, grass roots following. But because he's not toeing the GOP line, especially on the War in Iraq (a.k.a., The Occupation of Iraq), he can't participate in the debate. Fox wants to silence him as he shakes up the proverbial apple cart!

*Obama did better with WOMEN in Iowa than Hilary did! That and the fact that he has had more individual donations that any other candidate. There's something bigger here...he genuinely touches people with his message. No one on either side can really come close to the crowds and enthusiasm this guy is pulling. Ulitmately, he is what the Democrats have not had the last two elections - a GREAT CANDIDATE! Telegenic, articulate, passionate, everything that Kerry and Gore (the old model Gore) weren't! He someone you want to have a beer with AND talk policy.

*Where art thou, Huck? Huckabee comes out of Iowa with the big victory, and as soon as he gets to NH, the press is off of him, its all about the now resurgent (and nostalgic for NH) John McCain and Mitt Romney. Romney is good story of course, getting blown out of Iowa despite spending millions and will likely lose in NH - very troublesome for the former governor of MA. So the narrative has no room for Huck right now, and this might be a good thing for him, as expectation have dramatically lowered for him in NH. But I expect South Carolina and Florida to be in play of him.

Speaking of Huck, he had one of the best lines of the whole campaign when he was on Leno the other night. I'm paraphrasing, but he said people would rather vote for a guy that's similar to whom they work with, than the guy that laid them off - a not-so subtle dig at Romney. A brilliant line!

*Populism is shaping up to be the theme for the campaign, and this is a good thing! The Dems generally lean in a populist direction, but Obama, and especially Edwards, appeal and cultivate a populist theme. And for the first time in ages the GOP has someone who doesn't skew his message and views to big corporations and the ridiculously wealthy - Huckabee. And that scares the heck out of them!

Iowa Caucuses ALREADY!

2008-01-02T22:45:00.000-06:00

The campaigning never really stops.

It seems like its ongoing, in perpetuity. Only January 3 and already its time for the Iowa caucuses. I'm paying a lot of attention, despite my complaining.

I lean left, I'm a registered Dem. I'm a political junkie but above all else I feel everyone SHOULD be involved in the process, everyone needs to speak up. But THAT'S a rant for another time.

Is it just me or does it seem like Hilary running is a big act of hubris? When all the will-she-or-won't-she? run rumors abounded I really thought that at the end of she wouldn't, that she would toy with the idea but not go through with it. I figured all the best political minds in the party would at least whisper to her that she can't be elected. Not that she wouldn't make a good president (I think she's too centrist, to beholden to big corporations - then again, which candidate isn't? - to be good for the country right now). Rather, she's not the best CANDIDATE! Hilary has SO much baggage and is SUCH a lightning rod for criticism and is possibly too centrist for the country right now. But ultimately its about her as a candidate. And we've had two bad candidates in two prior presidential elections that really made the Dems strategic blunders and lack of, well, balls - really apparent. Let's face it, the Dems have never been good about fighting back the b.s. or going on the offensive and playing that game as good as the GOP. For example, Kerry's listless response to the Swift Boating and Gore's lack of highlighting GW's severe lack of intelligence and experience. To say nothing about his going awol from national guard, drug and alcohol abuse, cushy business deals (stuff that made Bill's dalliances and the Whitewater thing pale in comparison).

So what does this all mean for Iowa tomorrow? Tune it tomorrow if my prediction here is correct: Obama takes Iowa, Hilary is second and John Edwards wonders what happened to his campaign.

2007 Faves

2008-01-02T11:51:00.000-06:00

So here we are, 2008, and I never did do a final best of/favorite things listing! So here we go...IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER...

Favorite Albums
Jesse Malin - Glitter In The Gutter
Hanson - The Walk
Bruce Springsteen - Magic
Fountains of Wayne - Traffic and Weather
Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City Mouse
Cross Canadian Ragweed - Mission California
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Perry Farrel's Satellite Party - Ultra Payloaded
Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
Velvet Revolver - Libertad
The Hives - The Black and White Album
The Spill Canvas - No Really I'm Fine
The Storys - The Storys (yes, this came out in 2006, but I got it this year and it was in heavy rotation for months on end)
Rooney - Calling The World

Best Unexpected Musical Comeback
Ozzy's Black Rain - best album he's done since 1992's No More Tears

Would have made the list if I listened to them more by the end of the year!
Dan Wilson - Free Life
Collective Soul - AfterwordsM
Motion City Soundtrack - Even if it Kills Me

Songs I Can't Stop Listening To This Year
Ultra Sonic Edukators - "Atomic Bomb It"
Ryan Adams - "Halloween Head"
Hard-Fi - "Can't Get Along (Without You)"
Hanson - "Great Divide"
Sixx A.M. - "Pray For Me"
Cross Canadian Ragweed - "The Years"
Ryan Cabrera - "Enemies"
Gwen Stefani - "The Sweet Escape"
Silverchair - "Straight Lines"
The Last Goodnight - "Stay Beautiful"
Kaiser Chiefs - "Ruby"
Trevor Menear - "Fool's Afternoon"

Favorite Movies Where I realize there's a LOT of movies from 2007 I haven't seen!Juno
Bourne Ultimatum
Bee Movie
I Am Legend
Gone Baby Gone

Ventura Blvd.

2007-12-19T19:38:00.000-06:00

I've been in CA for the last few days, at our Rocket Science HQ in Encino. Its on Ventura Blvd., and where I am staying is only 3 miles away off Ventura so I'm spending a lot of time going up and down the blvd.

I swear, if you can't find what you are looking for on Ventura then there's something wrong with you! Because from the big chains to mom and pop stores, the street has EVERYTHING!!! Donuts to discs to books to porn to stereos to clothes to groceries to software to food (oddly enough, lots of pizza joints), I can go on and on and on...I mean its the full gamut of hard core capitalism, three lanes of traffic in each direction.

I love it, I really do...

We the People

2007-12-13T15:02:00.000-06:00

What happened? How did we get to this point?

It was supposed to be "We The People."

Now it seems like its more "For me, the person, just me." Or words to that effect.

Its not liberalism, or wide-eyed idealism to say that we're all in this together.

Its not just about your backyard. When you drive that huge SUV with nothing in it but yourself, that's selfish; you're helping to drive up gas prices. When you say to hell with recycling, you're hurting our environment. When you don't vote that effects everyone. When you run that red light, when you can't control your emotions behind the wheel, when you litter, when you don't hold the door for that woman with two kids going into the store behind you...you get the idea.

Ulitmately, we ALL have to be part of the solutions, not part of the problems.

2007-12-11T12:09:00.001-06:00

I've waited a long time for this.

Back in late October, I finally got to see what I've been waiting for since 1984. DAVID LEE ROTH fronting VAN HALEN!

I was and always will remain a huge DLR fan. Since VH, and all through his solo career. He was unlike any lead singer I had ever seen. Though I never saw the classic VH line-up live I could tell from the interviews and photos, I could tell from the videos, and most importantly from the SONGS, that he was THE MAN! Dave put the FUN in that band and in those songs.

The long-running soap opera that got them to this point would take a completely separate blog. And when it was FINALLY announced and actually CONFIRMED, I held my breath. And for good reason if you know the history of this dysfunctional band. When it was originally announced everything got bumped when Eddie went into rehab. So a few weeks back when there was actually a press conference with them all on stage...and Eddie KISSED Dave on the cheek...could this really happen?

It kept me up at nights. For starters, I couldn't help but wonder if the whole thing would implode amidst the same old Eddie bullshit and ego stuff. And could Eddie's son actually PLAY, replacing the underrated and beloved Michael Anthony? How does everyone look?

Understand the background here: I spent hours arguing in the high school parking lot over the Dave vs. Sammy Hagar. I saw Dave twice on the legendary EAT 'EM AND SMILE tour whose amazing album of the same name kicked off his solo career. And at least 6+ times since '86 vs. Van Halen w/Hagar only once (and they were drunk and sloppy back in '92 or so). I wanted DAVE TO WIN! I wanted this tour to KICK ASS!!!!

Prior to the tour I got a little tease that it might actually work: final rehearsal footage showed up on You Tube.

So last Wednesday at the Target Center the lights went down and THE PLACE BLEW UP! The place was ELECTRIC! This was the dream re-union for SO many of us! 25 songs, two hours of AMAZING STUFF! You name it, they likely played it, and played it GREAT! And yes, Wolfie can really play. Eddie sounded and looked great. Alex pounded the drums with authority and the classic "brown" sound of the snare was in full effect. And they all looked HAPPY. The feeling coming from that stage was infectious. Honestly, I can't remember the last time a concert made me smile from beginning to end.

And then there was DAVE! Reading the various blogs and message boards there's some disappointment that Dave was kind of "reserved" or wasn't flamboyant enough. No way! If nothing else, he's evolved a bit, and what do you expect? The guy is 53! That said, he did several of his trademark kicks, and worked all angles of the stage. The stage raps were short, save for the hilarious bit of story-telling before "Ice Cream Man." No, this was a night where the music did the talking. AND DAVE DELIVERED!!! Most important of all - yes, he has hair (nice do, actually), yes he's in great shape - he SOUNDED GREAT!

Life is good. Van Halen is BACK!

Please come back Billy Joel

2007-12-11T12:07:00.000-06:00

I love Billy Joel.

I've professed before via the blog here that his songs send me back to a highly romanticized (in my mind) time on Long Island, those songs sending me right back home. "Piano Man," "Allentown," "Don't Ask Me Why," "Movin' Out," "I Go To Extremes," "Ne York State of Mind," "An Innocent Man," "Just The Way You Are," "Pressure," to lesser known gems like "To Make You Feel My Love,""Easy Money" and "Song For Leyna," and "Leave A Tender Moment Alone," to the simply amazing and grandoise "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" (one of my all-time favorite, desert island songs) - the guy's body of work was and remains incredible!

So it drives me CRAZY that his last album of all new pop/rock songs was 1993's River of Dreams. A damn fine album, it was, with the gospel and doo-wop influence of the title track, to the moving "All About Soul" and the beautiful ballad "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)" I think it stands up among Billy's albums - maybe not one of his best, "best" being subjective, but one I can listen to as much if not more than some of the early 80's stuff.

So here's an artist that was so prolific thru the 70's and 80's for 14 years has given us...a wanky classical album and one treacly Sinatra-lite ballad (that came out last year - I can't rememer the name). At a time when his peers - if not artistically, because that's apples and oranges - but age and demographic-wise, are still making great (in most cases) NEW music. I'm talking about Dylan, Springsteen, Seger, Neil Young, Elton, Mellencamp, Petty....the creative energy and desire has not diminished for these guys.

Back when River of Dreams came out and since, Billy said he simply didn't have anything else to say. I accepted that, grudgingly, for a few years, understanding the mysteries of the creative process and satiated by multiple tours where Billy's live shows continued to be 3 hours of high energy HITS and great memories delivered by his amazing band and showmanship!

But 14 freakin' years later the creative fire still has not been re-lit? There can't be any shortage of lyrical inspiration: marriage, bitter divorce, new love, battles with alcohol, fatherhood, management issues, the "war" and politics...c'mon! And the Long Island environment and plight of the Long Island fisherman has not got any better, either!

The "angry young man" is now the content and lazy old guy? I just don't get it. It keeps me up at night. I want one of his peers - Springsteen let's say, to just cajole/ask/yell: just try!! There's plenty of reasons to, c'mon man!

Bush and Vietnam: WTF?!?

2007-08-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts. Once again, Bush distorts facts and history to twist things to a desired outcome. His skewed version of history regarding our role in Vietnam and his linkage to the Iraq War is not only a giant flip-flop (after saying he rejected any comparison) but flat out WRONG.

On of the best analysis and rebuttal on Bush's ridiculous speech is here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20427300/#storyContinued

Freedom Watch! Call today!

2007-08-24T00:37:00.000-05:00

Freedom’s Watch - call today, operator’s are standing by!

So I am listening to Air America tonight and someone called into the Randi Rhoades show regarding Freedom Watch. If you haven't heard about this America's Freedom Watch is a conservative group headed by former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. They just launched a $15 million dollar ad campaign to pressure lawmakers that might be wavering in their support of Bush's Iraq mess.

The ad campaign urges people to call this phone number:

877-222-8001

So I called. When you call a recorded voice tells you "operators are helping Americans call Congress to tell lawmakers not to surrender in in Iraq." They will connect you to your congress person. When the operator came on, she basically went right into her script, here's my transcript:

Operator: hello, do you believe if we surrender in Iraq that will lead to an increased terrorist threat here at home?

Me: no, and come on, you don't honestly believe that either right? Everyone knows that's simply not true. So can you connect me thru to Congress now so I can tell them that?

Operator: No sir I can't, because their switchboards are not open this time of night.

Me: so why are you taking calls and saying I can get connected thru to Congress?

Operator: because I'm logged on...

Me: so come on, you really don't believe this rhetoric about "cutting and running" and surrendering and all that...

Operator: no sir.

Me: you don't do you? So this is just a job right?

Operator: (laughter) yes sir.

Me: hey if its a good job and it pays good we gotta do what we gotta do, right? So it pays well, right?

Operator: (laughs again) no.

Me: well, I won't take any more of your time...but you made my night, thank you!

Operator: (more laughter): you made my night...you have a good one...

I have to say, the operator was very nice, and very funny. She had this nice Southern accent (somehow, I am not surprised) and was a good sport. But I have to say this made my night!

Call today: 877-222-8001

Wal-Mart Sales Drop; Consumers now can't afford to shop there!

2007-08-14T21:40:00.000-05:00

Sign that the middle class is falling apart and that the under-class is getting worse:

Wal-Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people ) and the retail industry in general have been hurt by the crumbling housing market, a widening credit crunch and higher gasoline and food prices, which have hit lower-income consumers particularly hard.

So basically the world's largest retailer's core consumer - the working poor and lower middle class - can't afford to shop at Wal-Mart.

And the economy is in great shape according to Karl Rove and company...

Simon, RIP

2007-08-14T13:29:00.000-05:00

Simon

Its amazing how easy it is to project/impart human emotions to something with the brain the size of a peanut.

Monday, August 13 my cat Simon died. She was about 16.5 years old. Her heart gave out, accelerated by a hyper thyroid condition.

I brought her to the vet late Thursday afternoon as I was leaving early Friday for L.A. For several days she was listless and didn't move much. I figured maybe it was the heat, and hell, cats sleep most of the day anyway..

But her sides were going in and out faster than normal and maybe that thyroid medicine I re-started her on in July wasn't working this time.

Several taps to remove fluid in her chest cavity, x-rays, medicines and $900 later she succumbed.

I bought her as a kitten in 1991, a timid, all-white domestic long-hair. She was never a lap cat, hated being picked up and was afraid of the vacuum and of most loud noises. I haven't been able to wear black with any regularity thanks to her propensity to shed her white fur with amazing frequency. She was easily the most vocal cat I'd ever known, with a wide-array of vocal inflections that could make you think she was "sad" or "angry" or "happy" or "hungry.". We swore she was bulimic as she would inhale all the food in front of her, and then throw it up a while later.

Upon moving into my house last year and Alex being allergic to cat dander, I inherited her from ex-wife. I thought her new found spryness was due to being away from Oscar, the other cat we had in the marriage, who tormented her for 7+ years and who stayed with my ex. That spryness was due to a dormant hyper thyroid condition which came back and accelerated her heartbeat and everything else.

So yesterday, back at the vet, she died. That human emotion? Sadness, really. It would have been nice to see her one last time. But I kind of had a feeling when I said goodbye at the vet on Thursday.

I try and stay away from personal stuff here. In fact, there's some guilt that I used more words here than I did upon my mom's horrific death. Then again, I wasn't blogging back in early 2005.

I'm already thinking about getting another cat...maybe in a few months.

What's going on...

2007-08-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

What's going on
What's going on What's NewI've got to blog here more, or at the very least, cut and paste my MySpace blogs and post them here.However, there's no audience for this blog just yet, whereas there are readers at MySpace.But this is a true blog and blog site, and worth paying attention to. Stay tuned here.

Coming Up

This weekend...Saturday, August 11, my favorite band, the legendary CHEAP TRICK will be playing Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at the HOLLYWOOD BOWL in L.A./Hollywood! Its part of a big 40th Anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's celebration! There's going to be various guests and some surprises I am sure. There was no way I could pass this up and thanks to some frequent flyer miles I will be there! I am getting PSYCHED!

More travelling in September...trips to Albany, N.Y. (an old stomping ground) for an account convention and then a week later going to L.A. for Rocket Science meetings. Following the RS meetings I've got a big road trip in CA...more on this in a future post.

The Minnesota State Fair is coming up in a few weeks. Its virtually the same every year but I do love it. Its huge...farm animals galore, people who frankly look like farm animals (and eat the same way: grazing), rides, cars, trucks, tractors, cheesy merchandise, live music every day and night. It runs about 10 days, and I try to go multiple times during that time period. Generally, I will spend one whole day at the fair if I can, literally 12 hours!

More and more music...there's so much new music out there lately. Plus I've been re-discovering various older CDs and vinyl (yes, vinyl)...more to come here...

I wasn't using my civil liberties anyway...

2007-08-09T10:25:00.001-05:00

I wasn’t using my civil liberties anyway...

Sure, go ahead and monitor my international phone calls! What's that? I don't make any international phone calls? Well how do I know my DOMESTIC phone calls aren't being monitored? And Alberto Gonzales is in charge of this? No courts or warrants needed?
Oh, but its needed for the GWAT*...I understand. Hey, that pesky FISA law is old...so is our Constitution! I'm sure if the Founding Fathers knew about that guy Al Kayda they wouldn't even have bothered with a 4th Ammendment!
THANKS, Congress! I feel SO much better now.

*GWAT: "Global War on Terror" for those of you not spending time on various political blogs

I'm back

2007-04-17T13:50:00.000-05:00

I said it before...back in December of 2006, actually, but I'm back to blogging here. I hope. I blog somewhat regularly at my MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/steverocketscience) and I really like the look and interface of eBlogger much better...so we'll see.

What's bugging me now:

The Virginia Tech shootings/murders/massacre. On so many levels this thing is horrible, sad, disgraceful, etc. Words can't describe it. We've been getting de-sensitized to shootings at school, the workplace, public places that its not shocking, until this. This guy killed 33 people...its beyond anything we've seen in our history. I can't help but think about how this guy was able to get his guns and all that ammo...things have to change
Don Imus. O.K., what he said was horrible. But I've been a huge fan of his show for nearly 20 years and I miss him! And there is a HUGE double-standard going on because there's numerous other talk show hosts who have said things equally as bad. This smacks somewhat of censorship and hypocrisy...

Back at eBlogger

2006-12-12T10:47:00.000-06:00

I think I might blog here more often. I haven't looked or posted here since February 2006! MySpace kind of took over my blogging efforts - I have been blogging there for most of the year. Thinking of renewing my efforts here though...

Miscellaneous ramblings...

2006-01-20T19:04:00.000-06:00

ITS FRIDAY.

Ahh yes.

So I don't know what form this blog will take. Besides my ready-to-share opinion, how much personal shit should I delve into? Or is this just a way to update various folks on various doings of mine?

Time to get out of here soon. Got the car washed today - isn't it amazing how much better your car runs when its clean?

2006-01-20T12:31:00.000-06:00

Hello!

The premiere of Steve's Crazy World!

2006-01-20T12:04:00.000-06:00

Here it is, the premiere posting at Steve's Crazy World. Where this will take me, I have no idea, but it will mean a chance to stretch my writing and creative muscles. You'll get a chance to now read about my never-ending stream of opinions, rants, facts, humor and general all-around b.s.!

So, for no real particular reason, here's 10 Things I Like Right Now

Sunshine. Its out right now and looks great. Almost forgot what it looked like! By the time I'm done with this list it will probably be back in.
My job. Everyday it looks like one of the best decisions I've ever made. And I'm sure you will read soon how that is a major triumph for me!
Al Franken. Funny, smart, ironic but most of all filled with facts!
Crystal Light Rasberry Iced Tea. Nice and strong and cold....mmmm.
www.pitchforkmedia.com. This site rules.
The Lefsetz Letter. This guy rules. Links and posts coming soon
Satellite Radio. I just found out that I can SAVE songs on my receiver! Satellite radio is the FUTURE of RADIO!
Where I live. Its nice here
Looking at pictures of my son. I can't get enough.
The current All-American Rejects CD, Move Along. Hooky and energetic, great songs