Those Who Believe In Darwin Need Not Apply

As we draw to the close of 2007 I want to express my thankfulness for the sectarian purity of the Republican candidates. An increased emphasis on the religious beliefs of the individual candidates has lead to religion coming to be a litmus test; those who believe in Darwin need not apply. As that happens, there is an increasing tendency for the debate to become one over religious beliefs, rather than about their plans for our nation. I welcome that, since my sense is that it makes them increasingly irrelevant to the lives of most Americans, who while they may personally have strong religious beliefs, would rather leave their pastors in a church, rather than having one of them as President. I mean, would you like your Pastor pulling beers at the local bar? or selling real estate? There is an appropriate place for religion, and the government not one of them.

The increasing identification of the GOP with Christian fundamentalism is generating a level of nonsense that exceeds anything I have ever witnessed. As proof of that, I offer this NY Times discussion of Huckabee's musings about the Mormon faith.

But here is the article in question:

Here is the money quote from the article, with a bit of a set-up. Ready?

But the theological underpinnings of Mr. Huckabee’s question is at the root of evangelical disagreement with Mormon theology and is a common evangelical attack on Mormonism.

Traditional Christianity upholds the doctrine of the unified trinity, which teaches that the Godhead is made up of three distinct but co-eternal persons, the Father, the Son — in the form of Jesus Christ — and the Holy Spirit, a concept Mormons disagree with. Instead they believe that Jesus Christ is one of God’s literal offspring, just as Satan was, making them “spirit brothers.”

The Web site for the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, as the Mormon Church is officially called, addresses the issue:

“On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25–27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)

How could two such great spirits become so totally opposite? The answer lies in the principle of agency, which has existed from all eternity. (See D&C 93:30–31.) Of Lucifer, the scripture says that because of rebellion “he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies.” (Moses 4:4.) Note that he was not created evil, but became Satan by his own choice.

When our Father in Heaven presented his plan of salvation, Jesus sustained the plan and his part in it, giving the glory to God, to whom it properly belonged. Lucifer, on the other hand, sought power, honor, and glory only for himself. (See Isa. 14:13–14; Moses 4:1–2.) When his modification of the Father’s plan was rejected, he rebelled against God and was subsequently cast out of heaven with those who had sided with him. (See Rev. 12:7–9; D&C 29:36–37.)”

Got that? I'm glad I was able to clear up that point for everyone, I know these IMPORTANT theological points have been much in your thoughts this Christmas season, transcending all other concerns and thoughts of family you might have. Phooey.

I strongly recommend the film "Jesus Camp". Forget about Freddy Kreuger and that guy with the chainsaw. Trust me, this stuff is far, far scarier. And to give even credit to other religions, the movie "Osama" is even scarier. It is the fictional story of a young girl in Afghanistan during the Taliban period who masquerades as a boy in order to be able to go out and work to support her widowed mother who was not allowed to leave the house unaccompanied by a man. About half way through I had to stop watching it and take it back to the video store. Rationally I knew it was fictional, but it was the most terrifying film I have ever watched and I found that I could not comfortably finish it. I can see why it won an Academy Award. A friend of mine thought it was hogwash, an anti-Taliban hit piece, but it conveys a sense of danger and threat that I think Alfred Hitchcock would have been in awe of.

Sorry, how did I go from talking about the Republican candidates to talking about the Taliban? which of course is an entirely different subject. My mind seems to be wandering...

Arthur

Sons

("Weekend Update" will be back next week. This week has been a trying one for several of us. My love to all of you, and best wishes for the best New Year ever.)



It's been a long week around the Bad Hat compound.

Christmas afternoon my son (Jonathan, 8) said he didn't feel well, and when this boy says he doesn't feel well, he means it. Jonathan hates being sick. He'll play through a temperature of 101 without even telling us. Oh, I know, kids get sick. At 62 years old I'm still just a novice at this, but I could tell he really didn't feel good. He even left several of his presents unopened. Bad sign.

His temperature hit 103 that afternoon, in spite of the Melt-a-Way Tylenol and Ibuprofen I stuffed down his throat.

The next day was the same. Fighting the temperature, 102 for a while, then 103, all day. That night, around midnight, his temperature hit 106.1. I had been frantically putting cold washcloths on his forehead, one every two minutes, but something had to be done. His Mom was beginning to really panic and suggested we call 911 and get him to the hospital. She suggested we put him in the bathtub and cool him off with tepid water (what temperature is "tepid?) so we did, twice during the course. It seemed to help a bit, so I held off taking him to the E Room (in the middle of the night) and pumped more Ibuprofen into him. Before dawn, his temperature was back down to 102.

The next day we, of course, got him to the doctor and Dr. Johnson said he had the flu. He said we were doing everything good, and that he'd be okay in a week or so.

Jonathan is still very sick. His temperature goes from almost normal now to about 102, then back down. He feels miserable and this is the sickest he's ever been in his short life. But he's handling it like a trooper, and being very brave. He still has presents he hasn't opened yet. I, on the other hand, am a nervous wreck.

My friend Bob Neis lost his son on December 18th. Adam Tyler Neis was only 35 years old. Goddamned diabetes. I've known Bob for 35 years, and knew Adam as a great kid. I went to Adam's funeral today, and there were a lot of people there, besides us old guys there were a quite a few young people who knew Adam well. They all spoke of a young man who loved life and loved his friends, and one speaker said it was a revelation to him that there was not one thing about Adam he didn't like. Adam will be missed. He was a great kid.

And so I pause for a moment in all this nonsense of politics, to consider our children. And today in particular, our sons. Arthur has two of them, I haven't had the honor of meeting either of them, but from their pictures I see the greatness Arthur has passed on to them. Uncle Bob has a wonderful and extended family, and his son Steve is someone I've proclaimed "the nicest guy I've ever met."

Bob Neis did very well today. Better, I know, than I could have ever done. Bob said something very true. "You're not supposed to outlive your children."

Before this year is out, before the new year begins, I ask that each of you, if you have children, give them a big hug. I don't care how old they are, just give them a hug. Tight, and close.

Hug them for as long as they will let you.

Love, JP

Holiday Notes From Arthur

Diaried elsewhere, but worth emphasizing: the GOP is lining up for a circular firing squad this election cycle.

I am fascinated by one item in the Noonan editorial, where she talks about the GOP including one "error" in each major ad in order to get the nattering nabobs talking about it and reshowing it endlessly. I can think of some good examples of that trick working just fine, where a single ad buy got endless replay over all the networks, with all the newscasters tut-tutting about how awful and unfair it was, so sad, so bad... and in the process helping its message sink into everyone's consciousness. That worked great for the Swiftboaters, didn't it?

I'm feeling pretty seasonal, with both boys home for Christmas, full of high energy and gnarly youthful folly. The oldest is majoring in Feminist Studies, under the tutelage of a staff member labeled "one of the hundred most dangerous academics in America". The youngest is going to school with Ron Paul's grand daughter. Education is so broadening, isn't it? A friend has wanted to take the boys on a junket for many years, it is finally happening after Christmas, with she, they and my wife going to Istanbul for nine days. Unless a war starts over there. I think it will be great for the boys to get a glimpse at a Moslem country, up close and personal instead of through the addle-pated musings of the American press. Istanbul is supposed to have a massive disco scene and be the haven for hordes of Scandinavians over the winter break. The hot word among the youth set is that DANISH women are the most universally hot of all the European babes, so there is enormous anticipation building.

It is heartwarming to see that the old Christmas traditions, like youthful lust, are still being upheld.

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Economists can tell you the wonders of how Wal-Mart has lowered prices for the average American. Um, okay, but what if it also has lowered their income in proportion to those theoretical savings?

While it is nice, if you have a nice tenured position, to speak of the wonders of global free trade, ask yourself if this article is describing a level playing field. Not to step on the Holiday Cheer, but I find it worrisome that the formula for success is to hook up with a Chinese sweatshop, have them make something for the US market, get rich, become a Republican. Kind of a death spiral, in my opinion.

Arthur

Merry Christmas From Mudcat Saunders, and Arthur

I read Mudcat Saunders' book "Foxes in the Henhouse" and found parts of it quite intelligent, if somewhat in need of an editor. Saunders was also a consultant to (now Senator) Jon Tester and (now Senator) Jim Webb, both of whom I supported in 2006. Now Saunders is on board the John Edwards campaign. And the Edwards campaign has released a DVD which features Saunders and his view of the heartland States and their importance in the upcoming election. It can be viewed on Youtube here.

Saunders and his partner in crime have long maintained that rural and southern voters are more naturally aligned with Democrats, based on the values and needs they share with those of the Democratic Party, but have only been peeled off to the GOP by very clever manipulation and race-baiting, as well as by Democratic Party indifference or pessimism about whether the effort is worth it. Tester and Webb's electoral success suggest that it is worth the trouble (Montana and Virginia) in States that party pundits had written off as not worth the effort, since they leaned red and had incumbents, usually a tough combination to overcome. I should remind you that Tester took out Conrad Burns and Webb took out George Allen, a racist jerk who was also a top-ranked GOP pick for President. Nice saves. Webb has distinguished himself by having an aide get arrested for trying to carry Webb's pistol through Capital Security, thus firmly establishing his credibility. Just joking, but a nice way to insulate himself against an attack by the NRA, isn't it?

And, because the Christmas season would not be complete without political satire, here is a Director's Cut version of Mike Huckabee's Christmas advertisement, which introduces the now-famous soft-core "bookcase as cross" subliminal theme, and with the added voices of some of Mike's band members. In the end it was decided that their voices blocked out some of Mike's soothing platitudes, so that part of the soundtrack was edited out:

...and in answer to your query, Mike, yes we ARE tired of political ads, particularly those that feature flag-wrapped, Bible-thumping, corn-pone, cross-waving scoundrels like yourself.

And to help celebrate the impending final year of the Bush administration it is appropriate to note what Samuel Johnson said in 1774 about false patriots:

The true lover of his country is ready to communicate his fears, and to sound the alarm, whenever he perceives the approach of mischief. But he sounds no alarm, when there is no enemy; he never terrifies his countrymen till he is terrified himself. The patriotism, therefore, may be justly doubted of him, who professes to be disturbed by incredibilities.

Arthur

John Edwards, and "The Vision Thing"

(More from our Chief Political Correspondent, Arthur in Marin County. "Transplant Tourism in China?" Book me up. I'm going to need a new liver before this all over. Jesus H. Christ.)

I saw Edwards about three months back. Good, but not as concise and focussed as he appears in this appearance in New Hampshire. He has his rhythm down pat, he doesn't wait to bask in applause, he just powers on through and lets the audience run to keep up. Dennis Kuchinich could learn a thing or two, but instead he keeps stopping and smiling like a goofus every time he gets off a good line.

Edwards continues to be a long-shot, but that said, he has hung in there, during the period of time when others were getting all the press and adulation. Now that they are fading, Edwards seems to have his groove (and another $100 of my assets) and is making a serious run at it. Win or lose, I always saw Edwards as someone who addresses important issues and works about twice as hard as his opponents. A hard worker is what we need. It is going to take a lot of work to clean the stink out of the White House, a legal mind to work with a reconfigured Justice Department to clean up how government operates, and of the group of candidates I have the most confidence in Edwards as the one best suited for that work.

I like Barack Obama. I think he would make an excellent and visionary Vice President. In eight years I think he could be an inspirational and healing President. In the meantime I continue to believe that his efforts as a roving Ambassador of a renewed American democracy could help cut in half the time it will take our country to recapture our stature in the world.

If we do not recapture our stature in the world, China is going to have us for lunch. No joke. The world gravitates toward power, ours is bleeding into the gutter of Iraq. The other kind of power the world respects is economic power. The dollar used to be in parity with the Euro, now it taks $1.47 to buy 1 Euro, $2.08 to buy a British Pound. That means people think our currency sucks, a suspicion further supported by countries noticing that their dollar holdings have lot 1/3 of their value Since Bush (SB). China's economy is exploding, driving in good measure by sales of discounted goods to the United States. Looked at any tools for sale recently? And where they are made? Entire industries are being shipped to China where they can find labor for $1 an hour. Or less. China has the largest Gulag in the world. The fathers of two of my friends each were Chinese political prisoners for just over twenty years. And it is a renewable resource in China, since political crimes are handled outside the normal justice system in China. Make someone in power unhappy and you just disappear. Or die. Or first one, then the other. Some prisoners in China are essentially "archived" so that they can be killed according to a schedule suited to that of an organ recipient. Yup, if you are willing to pay for it, you too could go on a "transplant tourism" trip to China and get a freshly- harvested kidney!

And that sort of sums up our competition for world influence. But you know what? Most countries don't give a damn. All they care about is snuggling up to power.

Is President Bush critical of China? How could he be? His hands are dirty, too. The Chinese have just done it far longer and to a far greater degree than Bush and his tiny and inefficient terror-prisons ever dreamed of. The Chinese Gulag may be 12 Million. And boy is THAT a source of cheap labor!

No, I think the next President is going to need "vision", but also a realistic belief that the world is often a not-so-nice place. Where just wishing for things to get better is not going to work.

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POSTSCRIPT ON HUCKABEE: Fortunately, the sort of nutty Bible-hugging that Huckabee seems prone to is a lot more likely to play well in Arkansas than elsewhere in the country. My growing impression of Huckabee is that he has some decent instincts and ideas, but he also has the common sense of your average chicken. When he melts down on the campaign trail it is going to be a doozy.

Oddly enough, Rush Limbaugh can't stand him. To the best of my knowledge that is the first time that particular Rush and I have agreed on ANYTHING. Miracles can still happen.

Arthur

Weekend Update - December 22nd

• Damn, I'm in the holiday mood here, so let's start off with the religious and profane. First of all, here's the T-shirt I want for Christmas.
• Now here's Ron Paul messing with the minds(?) at Fox Noise.
• Looking for that last minute gift idea? Here's one from our own Chief Political Correspondent Arthur.
• Remember J. Edgar Hoover? Here's a little article that the Bush administration probably has etched into it's playbook.
• p.m. carpenter comments on the "Huey Long of Arkansas," Mike Huckabee.
• I love it when the Republicans say "prone to exaggeration," when they really mean, "he's probably lying." Oh Mitt. Mitt Mitt Mitt.
• How George Bush’s wartime administration used a magician, Hollywood designers and Karl Rove telling 1,001 stories to sell the invasion of Iraq. Here.
• Gore Vidal on the Democratic Debate Debacle. Damn, this is good reading.
• A little gift sent to me from Brother Danno: Mariah Carey singing "Oh Holy Night." Now this is what we mean when we say "She got pipes!"
• And here's a Christmas present for all of you. This was sent to me by a good friend, and it needs to be shared. Roy Orbison and Friends, singing "Pretty Woman." It don't get any better than this.... Love to all.

Headed Back To Arkansas!

(From our beloved Chief Political Correspondent, Arthur in Marin County:)


You gots to love this crew of GOP miscreants/candidates. Have so few ever done so many foolish things and then thought nobody would remember them when they ran for President?

Dream on, aged delusional geezers.

note: when I use the term "geezer" it should not be construed as an "ageist" term. Look at Uncle Bob, for example, where age and wisdom dance in complete harmony. Incidentally, in China it used to be the custom to consider there to be three notable ages that merited respect: 60, 70 and 80. Eighty was the big one. If you made it to eighty and had all your marbles, your every utterance was considered golden, since it was (I think rightly) assumed that you had been around long enough to hear every example of sophistry and official bullshit not once, or twice, but three or more times, and could spot it instantly as hogwash.

But then there are honest-to-God feeble minded elderly white guys. And for their many sins, the Republicans have decided to carefully select a group of these birds and present them to the American public as a set of "choices". Oh, I know, you are going to say that Huckleberry Governor and the guy with big hair and big capped teeth (and you KNOW who I am talking about, don't you?) are not all that old. I would argue that these two worthies are examples of premature mental aging, from disuse of their critical thinking skills.

By the way, if you want to get some of the flavor of Huck, read the NY Times Magazine profile from this Sunday. Must be online somewhere, and oh what a read it is. Not pretty.

Arthur

Weekend Update - December 15th

• Well let's start things off this week with something seasonal: Christmas Time with Mike Gravel.
• Here's some GOP bashing by that old Liberal rag, Time Magazine.
• Gift idea for those little Catholic tots on your list, The Anti-Pedophile Coloring Book. Mark Morford reports.
• Finally: A United Iraq!
• Office Max has a promotional program called "Elf Yourself." Here's one Brother Alexander made just for Bad Hat.
• The increase in incomes of the top 1 percent of Americans from 2003 to 2005 exceeded the total income of the poorest 20 percent of Americans. Wonder how that happened?
• BlackWater in Baghdad: "It was a horror movie."
• The Investigations of the Destruction of CIA Torture Tapes: How An ACLU Lawsuit Might Force the Bush Administration To Reveal What Actually Happened. By John Dean.

Build Your Own ClusterMonkey

(For the Geeks out there. And we are out there, believe me.... Thanks Arthur.)

So in ten years the amount of computing power that cost IBM five million dollars can be assembled for... $1,256. And dropping in price as I write this.

You can (I am for a navigationally-challenged son) buy a touch screen GPS navigation system for $300 that:

(a) has color maps of every city and highway in the US and Canada built into it
(b) will track your travel and tell you verbally when to turn and the name of the street to turn on
(c) has a bluetooth wireless connection so you can link a cell phone to it for hands-free talking
(d) has an MP3 player built in, just because they had some extra storage

I know something about tech stuff because I took two half-years off from work to volunteer in my kid's school to help build the technology programs there, which lousy public funding had starved. We got hundreds of computers donated and constructed school-wide networks in three locations. All very educational. And everything I learned is obsolete, six years later.

But I learned some curious facts. Boys are currently better typists than girls. Why? because they do more game playing and online communicating by IM and other quick communications. One of my boys sent and received 1200 text messages in one month. By contrast, girls tend to talk to each other to a greater extent, which develops their keyboarding skills to a lesser degree.
Now it seems quite possible that elementary school kids in a surprisingly short period of time could find a supercomputer under their Christmas tree. I can't even imagine the possible uses of that much computing power, but my best guess is that the first application will be a really, really astounding computer game.

One other section in this article caught my eye:

Large computer clusters that act as one system are used today to drive the most data-intensive applications. Those systems, which are more than 100 times faster than Microwulf, are used by the National Weather Service to process meteorological data and by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to simulate nuclear tests.

So... by linking a hundred of these discount puppies together, for a parts cost of about $14,000, one in theory could construct a computer cluster as powerful as those used to model weather data, apparently one of the more complicated computing challenges? I hope that potential for widely-distributed computing power is used for something worthwhile. Another good reason, if one was needed, to elect an intelligent President.

And here's how to build one.

Arthur

Weekend Update - December 8th

• Rudy tells us what "the essential nature of Americans" is all about. Thank you Mr. Mayor, now sit down.
• Here's Keith Olbermann's best Special Comment to date. An ode to our "Idiot-In-Chief," "You Sir, have no business being President." It made me stand up and cheer. (Video)
• The Fakest Time of the Year - "The 2007 Falsies Awards".
• Remember Bush's "Coalition of the Willing" in Iraq? Well it's getting down to our troops, the Blackwater idiots, and a couple guys from Kazakhstan, wherever the hell that is.
• Something's rotten in Alaska. So what's new?
• Stupidest Republican statement of the week: "Nobody is happy about losing lives but remember these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers.” Mitch McConnell, (R-Ken): Douch bag.
• December 8th, 1980, the day John Lennon was shot to death. John, we wish you were here...
• Big Oil's big dreams are close to coming true as Iraq's Oil Ministry prepares deals for the country's largest oil fields. Gee, maybe we can start bringing the kids home now....

Politics, and Well-Intentioned Nutbags, et.al.

(Our Chief Political Correspondant Arthur sends his stream-of-conciousness in our general direction, purely for our edification. And we are better for it....)


Mike Huckabee strikes me as a well-intentioned nutbag. He seems to have a bit of a heart, though, which sounds as though it may be a deal-breaker in regard to his bid for President. It seems to pit Chuck Norris against the Club for Growth. When you weigh the financial resources and political savvy of the two opponents, I am afraid this is a battle that Chuck Norris is not going to win.

Giuliani is toast. This has been a good week. He probably would have had the White House guards dressed up as Mussolini's Palace Guards. Not a nice man. Even his kids can't stand him.

Romney is going on radio to television to explain that Mormon thing, you know, that God lives on another planet, that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri, that blacks used to have to go part way to heaven, turn white, then go on? Wonderful quirky stuff, but would you want your President to believe crap like that? And they poke fun at Dennis Kuchinich? Please.

McCain? I mean, if the other two fade, who is left? McCain's brother says that he thinks McCain is done because he dissed the Evangelical leaders in 2000, and they have very, very long memories. The fact that what he said was true is what really hurt, when he called them "agents of intolerance". That was as mean-spirited as calling an ugly woman ugly. It is just mean-spirited.

Thompson? Oh my. Fred seems... tired. So used to working with a script that all this ad-lib stuff is a bit fast-paced for him. But he just LOVES guns, and conservative positions, and his wife's alarming cleavage. So much so that his wife is said to be running his campaign, and not running it very well. But since Fred just loooves his wife he is gonna let her keep doing it, because secretly the guy has retired, has enough money, will always have work, and could give a shit. He could be dangerous, if nominated, because he is so good at reading lines. If the might of the GOP got behind him and kept him propped up before the cameras, well, something could happen. But, I don't think so.

Who else is there? I was struck, watching a recent GOP debate, that when they walked on to the stage almost all of them walked with some difficulty, limping, crab-walking, looking stiff and sore. They are already worn out, and they want to be President for four or eight years? Good luck. It looked like it would finish most of them off within a month. I think if elected most of them would collapse, Romney (who is fairly fit) would start having messianic visions, Huckabee would begin binge eating.

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Now that Clinton can't quite act Presidential (because when she acted that way everyone decided that it was smug and premature for her to do so) Edwards is taking many people's advice (including my own) to chill out a bit and give voters some impression of his humor and what it would be like to live with the guy on a day-to-day basis. Populist passion is fine, the principles behind it are valid, but voters also need to see a President who can be congenial and collegial, when things are going okay. Obama has done a quite decent job of that so far. Constant anger, even when there is a valid reason to feel anger, is not healthy. There is a stack of work to do, but the best spirit in which to attack an overwhelming task is in an upbeat mood, not an angry and resentful one. I think Edwards, if he wants to get elected, has to give us a sense of his version of "the vision thing". He has to demonstrate his ability to help us visualize a better future, a better world, not one that is inevitably doomed to slide into a sea of crap.

We may not be able to solve the world's problems; an exploding population, the risk of epidemics stemming from that massive population, widespread misery and poverty, the risk of nuclear or biological war, the risk of religious wars, the risk of global warming or the death of the oceans, a catastrophic asteroid strike, and who knows what else? Bad stuff could definitely happen. Just like all other points in history. But in the meantime, even if we are already doomed by events that cannot be prevented, the best way to live is to muddle on ahead, as best we can contrive to do so, and work to make it all come out okay, so we leave an intact and functioning world for our children to try to make sense of and something out of.

Bush never figured that out. He offered us a future in which we could dance on the corpses of our enemies. Eventually, but little more than that. Heck, he didn't much care. In his secret dark heart he may think that Jesus (who is a Texan) is gonna come and call his anointed up into the (Texas) sky and make it all swell. No need to bust a sweat cleaning up the room when everyone is about to check out of this hotel anyhow...

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I must admit, in a sick way I (heart) Huckabee. He weighed 5,000 pounds and then slimmed down (with the help of God no doubt) and now runs marathons and eats only green food. And he hangs out with Chuck Norris. And he can tell a joke. What he apparently can't do is tell the truth, or tell a rightwing mania from commonsense. And, by any measure it seems as if he is some sort of retro Clinton-hater. I feel that whole Clinton thing, that Bill, that Hillary, that vast rightwing conspiracy, is so yesterday. I think we need to elect a President who does not believe the End Times are a'comin', Glory, Glory!

Call me old-fashioned, I'd like a President who could look forward to see the consequences of our actions as they play out over the next centuries to come, rather than one who thinks we won't be here anyhow, so why bother to fix the plumbing?

Actually, I can't stand Huckabee. If you want to have some fun, take a look at Huckabee's wife. In a lot of the photos of Huck there is this absolutely rigid lady to his right, sort of blonde hair, who appears to be a hostage. What is she so afraid of? What other impossibly dumb thing has Huck done?

Arthur

Weekend Update - December 1st

• Oh let's just start off with Jesus. Bible thumpers are boycotting "The Golden Compass" because it's a really cool movie that pisses them off. Mark Morford describes the silliness.
• David Brooks, Lou Dobbs, and their massive egos may not realize this, but we do not have to choose between their flawed economic visions for American and the world. From Common Sense.
• It's clown time at the political circus. Some dude walked into the Clinton campaign office in New Hampshire with a gun and demands to talk to Hillary. Right wing bloogers are having a sarcastic field day. Oh well, it's all in sick fun.
• U.S. war veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have announced they're planning to descend on Washington, DC this March to testify about war crimes they committed or personally witnessed in Iraq.
• The active-duty deaths in Iraq are horrible own their own, but a little reported fact is that 120 war veterans commit suicide every WEEK. Reach out to a veteran today.
• In the history of the American Republic, perhaps no political family has been more protected from scandal than the Bushes. As a matter of fact, the Bush Family gets away with crimes that would land anyone else in jail.
• And just in time for the holiday travel season, check out "Motor Home Racing." (I laughed so much at this one my stomach hurt. Thanks, Brother Michael.)
• And Karl Rove's mouth gets ahead of his brain...or his brain is ahead of his mouth....or whatever. Does he really think he can change history on a whim? When assholes write books, the rest of us try to figure it all out.
• Wolfowitz is a name which the mothers of Iraq use to scare their children, so it should be no surprise that the Bushies, blind as ever to the consequences of their criminal enterprise in Iraq, have called upon this "prime architect of the Iraq War" to fix what has gone wrong with the Iraq War. Makes perfect sense. -Uncle Bob
• For those of you who still admit to voting for BushCo, here's something that should make you cringe. George Bush's legacy: $30,000 from each man, woman, and child in this country. That's what his idiotic adventures have cost us. Like to start a list of things we could have used that money for...?
• George and his motley crew can pack up and go home early if they'd like. Turns out they lied about Iran's nukes, too. Gee, what a surprise.
• And here's this week's Top Ten Conservatives Idiots. Only ten?

Weekend Update - November 24th

• "No Music Day." Music, music, music, whether you want it or not! Kevin Berger expounds on one of my pet peeves. (Uncle Bob)
• As Uncle Bob tries to virtually take over Weekend Update, he implores all of us to read this next one, even though he knows "it's really long." I concur. It's worth reading. "America's History of Bungled Spying."
• Ricks of 'Wash Post': Don't Celebrate Turnaround in Iraq Just Yet. Thomas Ricks of The Washington Post has been one of the level-headed, and accurate, reporters on the Iraq war since its inception. His book "Fiasco" was one of the best on the subject.
• Conservative Prime Minister John Howard, one of the Bush administration's staunchest allies, suffered a humiliating election defeat Saturday at the hands of an opposition leader who has vowed to pull troops out of Iraq.
• Sit down. Think for a moment what would have happened if George Bush was in office during the Cuban missle crisis. Now calm down.
• When Harold Washington, Chicago’s first black mayor, died on Nov. 25, 1987, many of us understood that his death marked the passing of a great man. But while we lamented the negative impact of his loss, few of us had any inkling of the vast political vacuum he would leave behind.
• Impeachment: IF NOT NOW, WHEN?
• Mike Huckabee is not a sane man.
  

Happy Thankswishing

Okay, so I just got back from my sister's place in Lowell, Oregon, and we had a wonderful time eating more than we really should, and it was great to see all the pseudo relatives and friends who hadn't been seen or even remotely thought of since last Thanksgiving, but it was really great to see my sister. Nancy's in her early 70's (how can that be possible?) and has endured two episodes of cancer and a recently detached retina, but actually in all honesty looks fantastic. I love her dearly, but you can't hug your sister too much, so we just traded our usual familial barbs and it was a great time had by all.

I hope you all had a great day. And here's my main question. What the hell do we have to be thankful for? I'm talking on a universal level here, not personal. Anyone out there better off than they were last Thanksgiving? Let's make a list. Number One: I didn't die this year. Number Two: ( )

We've endured seven years of the Bush administration and watched this country go into the proverbial shitter little by little and the only light at the end of the tunnel seems to be our faith that there actually will be an end to this tunnel with all the goddamned hope in the world that it's not the light of an oncoming train. All politics aside here, dear friends, is there any hope for us? I am a Democrat because I believe in the idea that government should take care of the disadvantaged citizens of our country. I believe that the taxes I pay should go to the health and welfare of all American citizens. Social programs. Fix the roads. Repair the bridges. Heal the sick. Cure diseases. Teach the children. Improve the schools. I can't break out of this silly idea that if it's truly MY money they're spending, it should go to a good cause.

I'm not a "Republican Hater." The real Republican party I grew up with in the 50's was a fiscally responsible group of sincerely sincere politicians who truly had the American people's welfare in mind. My whole family were registered Republicans and by gawd when we had Thanksgiving we said "grace" before we ate and thanked the Lord for every wonderful thing we partook of, because it was all so righteous. And to this day, I love Republicans. Because I've figured it out. Republicans are just misguided Democrats. Our friend Michael Moore refers to them as "RINOs." Republicans In Name Only. No matter how much you argue with a RINO, the mantra will always be "because Democrats will raise my taxes."

The cost of the war in Iraq (alone) is approaching $500,000,000,000. (I think I typed that right. It's supposed to represent HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS.) But thank George that he's vetoed bills to increase health coverage to several thousand more poor children. What a waste that would be. Fiscally responsible? The Conservative mind isn't really about money. Nope. They can spend a trillion dollars faster than fat can travel through a goose. The important thing to Conservatives is keeping America free of the evils of "socialized medicine."

At any rate, we have one more year of the Bush Administration to look forward to, and instead of being thankful this season, I find myself wishing it would all end as soon as possible. But you know the old saying - you can wish in one hand and grab a turkey leg in the other...oh never mind.

Weekend Update - November 17th

• Are you sick of being sick? Suffering way too much Bush-induced nausea? Well, tough.


• A lot of Presidential elections are decided by "general comfort level with candidate" as much as anything. This is a fairly coherent description of a fudge, wherein a candidate seems to be taking questions from an audience, but is really staging a scripted event. Nice. Tight. Message. While we expect this crap from Republicans, we do not expect it from Democrats.


• Of all the Iraq-war-themed movies released this fall, this passionate, personal film stands apart, and it stands alone. See it when you can!


• The New York Times says the Democrats have found their voice. Oh really? And what little whiney voice would that be?


• So Pat Robertson endorses Rudy Giuliani, and you watch the CBN all the time, right? And you don't like Rudy Giuliani, and so you want all that money you contributed to CBN back, right? And so what do they do? They give it back! Thank you Jesus.


• Remember during the Vietnam War when deserters could flee to Canada to escape prosecution? Well, Canada says we can't do that anymore. So where do we go now? Costa Rica? Holy Crap!


• The 50 Dumbest Things George Bush Has Ever Said. Only 50?

St. Ronnie and the 11th Commandment

(Arthur comments on a post I sent out last week.)

When Ronald Reagan had the National Guard tossing tear gas at students in Berkeley in around 1970 at the time of the People's Park dispute (Reagan is dead, the park is alive) I happened to be eating lunch on the outside deck at "Reza's" a sort of Iranian/Middle-Eastern joint on Telegraph Avenue. It should be noted that the deck was in the back, not on the street. On the street a determined group of wanna-be martyrs had gone out that sunny afternoon, in the words of the Rolling Stones, "To get their fair share of abuse". Which they did. But so did I and my fellow diners, there for a determinedly apolitical lunch. We climbed over a wall to depart, since leaving by the street entrance seemed like a bad idea.

To say that Ronald Reagan was well-known in California as being a complete dick head is to state the obvious. Unfortunately there were a lot of Californians who had not yet gotten the message. From that I think it is fair to assume that most of the population of California not-so-secretly wishes they were movie stars. Crazy, I know. I can be seen in the movie "The Way West" in a street scene behind the opening credits. Leaving a house of ill-repute. Clearly I have no grounds on which to question the sanity of my fellow Californicators.

But those who were only partially stage-struck always knew that Reagan was a douche. It amazed everyone when he went on to enjoy something after being Governor of California. We thought he should be imprisoned, but our advice was not heeded. Not a nice man. Robbed the poor to enrich the rich. Lied as easily as he read scripts in his movies.

Was he a racist? Oh, probably only to achieve an end. I don't think he cared about anything except making a big impression on people and keeping his nasty little wife happy. She looked like one of those people who could be very, very no fun to live with.

Once he got done being President he probably purposely got Alzheimer's, to escape.

But a great President? A nice guy? A straight-shooter?

Nah, just a self-promoter.

Arthur

Warning From Pakistan!

(Thanks to Brother Michael for this gem....)


This morning, from a cave somewhere in Pakistan, Taliban Minister of Migration, Mohammed Omar, warned the United States and Canada that if military action against Iraq continues, Taliban authorities will cut off America's and Canada's supply of convenience store managers. And if this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next, followed by Dell and Sprint customer service reps.

It's getting ugly.

A Salute to "Loveable John," On Veteran's Day

Back in the old days, before Armistice Day became Veterans’ Day, we young Marines were told that the reason November 11th was a holiday was to allow all Marines a day off to sober up from celebrating the Marine Corps Birthday on the 10th of November, and my recollection of some of the more memorable celebrations of that annual event, in Dress Blues and all, is testimony that if this is not a historical fact, it should have been.

Etched in my ancient memory banks, for example, is a picture of stalwart First Sergeant "Loveable John" McIinnis USMC, all buttoned up in Full Dress Blues, toasting the Corps for at least the 19th time at one of our Marine Corps Birthday Balls in the late 50s and falling flat on his back perhaps because his glass had become too heavy to hold in his hand. You can't keep a good man down, as John himself would have said, so after we helped him to his feet, he propped himself against a nearby bulkhead and remained upright for the duration of the celebration.

Years later, Lovable John and I would reunite in Vietnam, John now the sergeant major of an infantry battalion, where his welcoming words were, “Sit down and have a beer, Robert... I want to tell you how this fucking war sucks.”

I have a hunch that many Marine sergeants major embroiled in the quagmire of Iraq might greet an occasional visitor with a similar remark, if the goody-goody-two shoes of the Bushies’ press screening process would allow it to happen. But Marine sergeants major, past or present, are not listened to, unfortunately for the welfare of the nation.

Uncle Bob
Former Sgt. Major, USMC

(Thanks to Uncle Bob for taking this assignment to "write something for Veteran's Day." Uncle Bob is my own personal hero, not just on Veteran's Day, but every day. I salute him, and join with all of you for thanking him and all veterans for their service to our country.)

Weekend Update - November 10th

• The Bush Administration Plans to Blame You for Iraq.


• The Mental Collapse of Poor Joe Lieberman. p m carpenter


• The Viet Nam Memorial, "The Wall," turns 25. A visitor sings, "Looks like we're gonna have to build another wall..."


• Lord save us from this moron: "Some day people are going to look back at this time and day and say, 'Thank God there was a generation that did not lose faith ... because the Middle East is a place free of suiciders,'" Bush said.


• The Myth of the Ticking Time-Bomb.


• The ultra-religious nutcase Pat Robertson says Giuliani presidency appears in Book of Revelation. This is getting better all the time.


• It's official: Bush Derangement Syndrome is now a full-blown epidemic. George W. Bush apparently has reduced more of his fellow citizens to frustrated, sputtering rage than any president since opinion polling began, with the possible exception of Richard Nixon.
• Could smoking pot be good for teenagers? If you follow the White House's twisted logic, the answer could be "yes."

Quote of the Day

Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. The violent destruction of life and property incident to war, the continual effort and alarm attendant on a state of continual danger, will compel nations the most attached to liberty to resort for repose and security to institutions which have a tendency to destroy their civil and political rights. To be more safe, they at length become willing to run the risk of being less free....

They [these institutions] would, at the same time, be necessitated to strengthen the executive arm of government, in doing which their constitutions would acquire a progressive direction toward monarchy. It is of the nature of war to increase the executive at the expense of the legislative authority”...

The perpetual menacings of danger oblige the government [of a localized confederacy] to be always prepared to repel it; its armies must be numerous enough for instant defense. The continual necessity for their services enhances the importance of the soldier, and proportionally degrades the condition of the citizen. The military state becomes elevated above the civil. The inhabitants of territories, often the theatre of war, are unavoidably subjected to frequent infringements on their rights, which serve to weaken their sense of those rights; and by degrees the people are brought to consider the soldiery not only as their protectors, but as their superiors. The transition from this disposition to that of considering them masters, is neither remote nor difficult; but it is very difficult to prevail upon a people under such impressions, to make a bold or effectual resistance to usurpations supported by the military power.”

Alexander Hamilton
Federalist #8

Comment of the Week - "Maybe Not End Times, But Surely Odd Times"

(Be sure to check out all the links on this one. We loved it so much we're starting a new feature here, and calling it "Bad Hat Comment of the Week." By the way, Rudy has been called "George Bush With Brains." Holy crap! Thanks, Arthur.)

I love it when Godly Men (who attended a "fully accredited college") are willing to take a stand and say weird things. I love it even more when they hate Rudy Giuliani.

But wait, they also see DEMONIC FORCES taking over "Dickie" Scaife and turning him away from his Clinton-hating days!

And against the Iraq war. Is nothing sacred?

Arthur

Scouting the Dark Side

(Our Official Political Curmudgeon, Arthur in Marin County, comments on the GOP frontrunners at this point, and ends with a comment on Barak Obama.)


Florida, who knew? This is as concise and intelligent a take down of Rudy Giuliani as one could hope for. He is intellectually incurious, dishonest, ambitious and appears willing to say or do anything that will get him elected. Nice.

As I look over the GOP frontrunners I see a host of negatives:

Giuliani: sleazy friends, enjoys wearing women's clothing, serial adulterer, hated by NY Firefighters, fear-mongering moron.

Romney: belongs to a religion many Americans believe is a cult, evangelicals see as a heresy, has a record of self-contradiction.

McCain: some of what we might like about him, others hate, the evangelicals loathe him, he is physically failing before our eyes.

Fred Thompson: appears detached and bored, used to be a lobbyist, Nixon on record as saying he is a dolt.

Huckaby: the GOP's Gomer Pyle, not even the evangelicals find him convincing.

(On Barak Obama:)
Obama won my heart by saying something along the lines of "I'm not running for President so I can be famous. I've been on Oprah, I am not hungry for fame".

Aside from being the oddest thing anyone has said, except a lot of things that Mike Gravel says, it really encapsulates it all, doesn't it? Once you've been on Oprah, what pinnacles are left to conquer?

Actually, aside from being a bit odd, he often makes fairly good sense.

Arthur

Weekend Update - November 3rd

• Poor Hillary. Try as she might, that Clinton smoothtalk stuff sometimes gets her into a bit of trouble. They call it the "Politics of Parsing."
• p m carpenter blasts "Our Co-reigning Antichrists: Shumer and Feinstein."
• Has John Edwards moment arrived? In his own words.
• Heartbreaking: A Soldier's Story - Nowhere To Go.
• Consider poor Rummy. Can't even vacation in France without having to flee or face charges as a war criminal. Is this an image of things to come for all of them?
• Interesting rant: "George W. Bush and Dick Cheney shouldn't be treated like criminals who deserve punishment. They should be treated like psychotics who need treatment."
• Some fundamentalist evangelicals have moved from forecasting Armageddon to actually trying to bring it about.
• Obama opens Saturday Night Live. Hilarious.
• Here's an article in the World Nut Daily saying that we should replace those rebellious State Department people who refuse to serve in Iraq with wounded discharged soldiers. What?
• Just another reason why Dennis Kucinich has my vote.

Weekend Update - October 27th

GO DUCKS!

• Has America become a mean, ungenerous, cramped and crabby nation, a deeply insecure colossus—one that just might be taking all those Viagra and Cialis commercials a bit too personally? Find out here.
• Chalmers Johnson reports on why Bush's response to 9/11 was deadlier than the attack itself. A must read.
• Our man Olbermann. Damn, we like this guy.
• Bush the "Hugger-In-Chief?" Ohmygawd, gag me with a spoon.
• Our President is working hard to keep us from expanding health care to children. What a guy.
• p.m. carpenter finally asks the big question. Is the President mad? As in crazy as a loon? As in, back up the big white truck and take this idiot away?
• "Burn Baby Burn." Greg Palast comments on the comparison between Katrina and the California fires.
• Mark Morford reports on "The Great Pacific Garbage Patch." This is enough to make you sick.
• "Check Out All the Violence Here! or How I Jolt You into Submission to Get Your Money." A fascinating report on how the media manipulates us. Check it out!
• Remember "The Rude Pundit?" I always sent a language warning with his posts. Well, this one isn't all that bad, but he sure rips Rudy Giuliani. Good stuff.
• "I Had Sex With Larry Craig." What more can I say? (Language Warning Here!)
• "Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?" The details on FEMA's bogus "press conference. Heckofajob.
• Our Vice President was so bored during the briefing on the California wildfires that he nodded off. I wonder what he dreams about during these moments. Quail hunting, perhaps?
• Just for fun, quite possibly the best beer commercial ever. So good you'll play it twice.
• And finally, "The Ann Coulter Song." Turn up your speakers and enjoy. Here's the YouTube version, for you with wimpy computers.
• Oh, and by the way, Oregon beat USC today, 24-17. How 'bout them Ducks?
  

Fareed Speaks Up

Fareed Zakaria, in the latest issue of Newsweek reminds us that "The American discussion about Iran has lost all connection to reality." He speaks, of course, about the insane notion being spread among the populace that somehow this third rate nation (no offense, jihadists) is a threat to the United States.

"Here is the reality." Fareed reminds us. "Iran has an economy the size of Finland's and an annual defense budget of around $4.8 billion. It has not invaded a country since the late 18th century. The United States has a GDP that is 68 times larger and defense expenditures that are 110 times larger. Israel and every Arab country, (except Syria and Iraq) are quietly or actively allied against Iran. And yet we are to believe that Tehran is about to overturn the international system and replace it with an Islamo-fascist order? What planet are we on?"

(And, "How Bush Wrecked Conservatism" )

Uncle Bob

Lives of the Rich and Conservative

(From Arthur in Marin County)

Richard Mellon Scaife is a massive player in the conservative movement. He funded the "Arkansas Project" to dig dirt on Bill Clinton, he funds the Heritage Foundation and a host of other conservative "think tanks". By some estimates his contributions to conservative causes may be as high as $300 million over the last fifteen years or so.

And he seems to be in a bit of a pickle right now. This article seems to suggest that the depth of his personal fortune is about to be tapped into in a significant fashion. Most of it seems to be in trusts, which presumably give him a lifetime income of about $45 million a year, and then on his death the trusts will pass to his heirs. Now he presumably has some living expenses; houses, staff, a DC-9. The Good Life, as we call it. But that all costs money. What a divorce is very likely to do is cut in half (or close to it) his monthly income. At first glance that would appear to sharply reduce his ability to make lavish expenditures on conservative causes.

The description of Scaife's mistress, as given in this article, goes to prove an old adage. Actually, it goes to prove about five or six old adages, which I do not intend to dignify by repeating them in a high-toned forum like this.

But while we are on the general subject, did you hear that at a campaign event a small boy asked Rudy Giuliani if he could ask a question, Rudy said sure, the boy asked something along the lines of, "If you believe in family values, how come you had three wives, Mr. Busy Penis?"

And of course, when we stop laughing, we must ALL deplore the father who coached his son to ask such a rude question. Deplore in the strongest of terms...

...deplore.

Arthur

The View From Marin County - "Avoiding Dynasties"

(All's well in Marin County, as Bad Hat's aging Chief Political Correspondant pontificates on the situation of the world as we know it.)


Dear Ass Hat,

Okay, here we go with what I was worried about in regard to a Clinton campaign, in short, that there is something of an anti-Clinton industry that has been lurking in a large dark cave for six years, waiting, waiting, patiently for their party to call on them once again. These troglodytes recall, as though it was yesterday, all of the moves that worked so well against the Clintons last time. If you will recall, the Clintons were not only very popular with the African-American community, they were the darlings of an odd collection of Chinese gentlemen in bad suits who seemed to not always have the personal resources to gather the sorts of donations that they were bundling and passing on to the President. In a number of instances they had to try to explain where those funds really came from, although they had not been quite as forthcoming when the donations were made. Oh, and the Clintons had not appeared to be particularly curious about it all, since hey, a buck is a buck, right? Or, as the French so elegantly put it, "Money has no memory" by which they mean that clean money and dirty money both will buy the same amount.

Whatever good or bad you can say about us Americans, we are nowhere near as cynical about government as the French. It is possible, actually, that there is no one on the planet who is more cynical about government and politicians as the French. As proof of that I offer the sudden divorce of President Sarkozy of France, on the grounds that his glamorous wife thinks that being First Lady is "not her style" and oh, by the way, she may be moving to New York to live with her lover. Meanwhile there is a national strike of transportation workers and talk of barricades. They loved Sarkozy last spring, now they realize he is just another right wing creep, and to cap it off, his wife has decided that also.

On second thought, the French aren't cynical, they are fast learners. Can you imagine how different our country would be if Laura had made a similar decision a half year into President Bush's first term of office? One woman could have changed history. But I digress...

Here we go again. More donations from dodgy Chinese donors. Been there, done that. You would think, with as much money as they have coming in, that the Clinton campaign would be very careful about accepting maxed out donations from people who live in poor neighbors and have Chinese surnames. It is not a question as to IF the campaign is going to get called on it, so much as when and by who:

I spoke the other day with a bright and really well-connected Republican lady who worked in the CIA for many years, then was in the Clinton White House as a part of an agency. She said several things (a) she found Hillary Clinton a dreadful person to work around, and (b) she thought that she may have been one of the few people that the President did not hit on. I felt that I was hearing the opening lines of the 2008 campaign, if Hillary is nominated. It was the same old soap opera, with a side of terrorist threat.

I am no fan of Hillary Clinton because I am a believer in avoiding dynasties. Second acts in political families rarely live up to the accomplishments of the first act. It is statistical nonsense to think that in a country of three hundred million the best candidate would be the spouse or son of a former President. And then there is that Clinton-bashing industry. They are already up to speed on the Clintons, so why make it easy for them? The GOP will be gunning for whoever the Democrats nominate. The Republican lady passed along a terrible story of John Edwards' affair with a blonde cinematographer who made some web shorts for his campaign. The story appeared in the National Enquirer, but she commented on how quickly the story had been dropped, which she found "highly suspicious". Or else everyone found out it was nonsense and backed away from it.

I assume that Edwards is not that dumb, but this apparently will be the story line of the Get Edwards effort: he was having an affair with a blonde filmmaker while his poor wife sat at home dying of cancer. Oh, that brute, that cad! The French would probably elect him by acclaim for being that much of a hound, but we are not French, are we? Part of the story is that Elizabeth Edward's cancer is far, far worse than the Edwards are letting on and she is likely to die soon, at which point John Edwards will run away with the blonde cinematographer... who has a website on which she paints herself as a nut case. If Edwards was dumb enough get involved with her, he does not deserve to be elected dogcatcher, but I'm not buying it. But this is the sort of mudslinging we will be in for, so get ready. The Republican approach is to sling as much mud as possible, in the belief that at least some of it will stick in the minds of voters. It has worked for them in the past, it is not working so well this campaign cycle because everyone is sick of them and they keep getting caught doing creepy and corrupt things. Actual events tend to trump unsubstantiated rumor.

In other news this week the Iraqi government told us that they will not permit the United States to keep permanent military bases in their country. I can't quote the exact language, but what the Vice President said (I am not making this up) was something close to, "No way, no, a big fat no, N, O, no". And after all that we've done to them! What an ungrateful people those ignorant Iraqis are! Can you imagine how much the US has wasted in building mega-bases that we now can't use? When those bases are given back to the Iraqis there will be a flood of journalists to photograph and catalog what the US had started to build, and was forced to abandon. It will not be pretty. Or else we will have to overthrow the Iraqi government and install one which is more sympathetic to us. Or, maybe instead we should just attack Iran in order to clean their dirty holocaust-denying clocks and scare the Iraqis into obedience at the same time. Hey, that would work, right? What? The Joint Chiefs think it is a dumb idea? Oh phooey.

As Representative Pete Stark said this week, "This President just likes to blow things up".

Arthur

Weekend Update - October 20th

• Okay, let's start this weekend out with a seven-year-old singing the national anthem. Now brace yourself, this kid is really good. Check it out.


• It's still not too late to get on the Katherine Harris bandwagon. Now here's a woman who's got it all together.


• Mygawd, you just gotta love this guy. President Bush makes a funny. Remember this one?


• Paul Krugman writes on "The Death of the Machine."


• "Thank you sir, may I have another?" p.m. carpenter.


• Have you been having the feeling there's something wrong with "The Big Picture?" Well, you're probably right. Check out Joe Conason's essay "The Senate's Strange Double Standard."


• Further documentary evidence that President George Bush is a blithering, war-mongering idiot. -Uncle Bob


• Funny stuff from David Letterman.


• Religious Rightists and Their Autumnal Discontent (with God). p.m. carpenter.


• Think the ever expanding surveillance laws won't concern you because you have nothing to hide? Read this essay by John Dean.


• Why is there no Daniel Ellsberg in the Bush administration? Here's Ellsberg himself to explain why.

Weekend Update - October 13th

• Okay, so some times we Liberals sound a little whiney. Mark Morford brings us all to task in "The Whine of Voracious Liberals."



• He may be gone, but he's not forgotten. The Rovian Touch at the Justice Department.


• p.m. carpenter talks about "Bush's History and Gore's Future."


• Here's how Bush's Justice Department takes care of people and politicians they don't like.


• In 2003 Fred Thompson said he was "never really willing to pay the price" to run for President. So I guess now he's charging it?


• E.J. Dionne tells of the Conservatives attack of a 12 year old in "Meanies and Hypocrites." Also Paul Krugman discusses this issue in "Sliming Graeme Frost."
• Ann Coulter says that "Jews need perfecting." Why do people talk to this "woman?" Why does anyone listen? Why am I writing this?
• If the Republicans have lost Merle Haggard, is this the end for them?
• Bless Jimmy Carter for telling it like it is. He calls Cheney "a disaster for our country."

Al Gore Wins Nobel Prize

Today, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their work to raise awareness about the threat of global warming.

Bad Hat salutes Al Gore on his outstanding achievement, and wishes him all the best in the future. And even though we sincerely wish he would run for President again, we can understand why he doesn't. Peace On Ya, Al, and thanks.

....................................................................................................................

(Al Gore Responds:)

Dear John,

I am deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award is even more meaningful because I have the honor of sharing it with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change--the world's pre-eminent scientific body devoted to improving our understanding of the climate crisis--a group whose members have worked tirelessly and selflessly for many years. We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level.

My wife, Tipper, and I will donate 100 percent of the proceeds of the award to the Alliance for Climate Protection, a bipartisan non-profit organization that is devoted to changing public opinion in the U.S. and around the world about the urgency of solving the climate crisis.

Thank you,

Al Gore

Uncle Bob (and Arthur) Comments On "Strategic Bombing"

(Here's Uncle Bob's fascinating response to Arthur's note of last week. Uncle Bob has been in Washington for the past week, but he's back in full force. Arthur's response follows.)


In partial response to Arthur’s comments in the latest issue of this fine rag, it is my understanding that firebombing of civilian targets was not contemplated by the Allies at the beginning of World War II until the massive German bombing campaign destroyed entire cities and inflicted thousands of civilian casualties in Britain.

Understandably, the Brits wanted payback, and when the Americans furnished new bombers for British crews and arrived themselves with many more bombers and eager air crews, there were opportunities for payback galore. The British air marshal known as “Bomber” Harris soon overcame initial American objections to bombing civilian targets, resulting in such atrocities as the firebombing of Dresden, which wiped out an entire city and at least half of its inhabitants.

Payback, indeed.

In the Pacific theater the opportunities for massive slaughter by our esteemed bomber fly boys were minimal until Allied forces had taken nearby Okinawa and invasion plans of the home islands were on the charts in the war rooms.

I was in an Osaka prison camp in early 1945 when the city was firebombed by hundreds of low-flying bombers. There was death, destruction, and desolation all around us, all civilian so far as we could tell, but our unmarked barracks in the shipyards was miraculously untouched.

The American military commanders called it strategic bombing. I call it murder.

Soon thereafter we were transported by train to a small coastal village on the northwest coast of Honshu where we remained until the war was over.

The firebombing of major cities such as Tokyo was the brainchild of Air Corps General Curtis Lemay, who later remarked that if Japan had won the war, he would have been hung as a war criminal.

During a more recent conflict, General Lemay recommended that the US nuke North Vietnam.

The capability to obliterate entire cities and their inhabitants was enhanced a hundredfold by the atomic bomb, which was dropped unnecessarily on two Japanese cities for reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with winning the war.

In August 1945 I traveled by train through the city of Tokyo on my way to the docks where American ships awaited to take us home and there was nothing but smoking desolation and heaps of rubble as far as the eye could see and not a living person in sight, a result of conventional firebombing under the direction of General Lemay.

Later, when I read up on the history of World War II, I concluded that what I saw in Japan was a direct legacy of the strategic bombing strategy first orchestrated by “Bomber” Harris and later by his bloody-minded disciple, General Curtis Lemay.

A post war analysis of the results of strategic bombing found that its efficacy was much over rated by its adherents. During the massive strategic bombing of Germany, for example, German war production actually rose.

Strategic bombing, by its very nature, must be called a war crime, and there are disturbing reports in the press that it is being used in Iraq.

There is no way for bombs to discriminate between who is innocent and who is guilty, therefore when the innocent are killed, what else can you call the bombers but murderers?

A question you might ask the next Air Force bomber crewman you run across.

Uncle Bob

(Uncle Bob's postscript:)

And then there is close air support, pioneered and perfected by the U. S. Marine Corps, designed to support and protect the troops. Targets of such tactical aviation units are normally enemy military units or aircraft. However, in a static situation such as developed in Korea and Vietnam with no enemy planes to fight and only occasional calls for close support missions, the task morphs into a strategic one.

Fighter bombers took off daily by the dozens from the airfield in Vietnam where I spent some of my last years in the Corps, loaded with bombs and napalm looking for “targets of opportunity.” My Group executive officer bragged often about napalming “crispy critters,” otherwise known as Vietnamese rice farmers in the wrong place at the wrong time, which seems to apply to our latest military fiasco, according to the many reports of innocent civilians being slaughtered by trigger happy American bandidos in Iraq.

The beat goes on.

Next year, Iran?
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Arthur Responds:

"Bomber" Harris, the British architect of firebombing Germany, cut his teeth in... wait for it... Iraq. Where Harris was the architect of the British efficiency program which involved punitive bombing of restive villages and the aerial delivery of mustard gas bombs. You know, the same sort of WMD that we hung Saddam Hussein for using?

Bomber Harris proved that if you bombed the crap out of civilians that you could cow the population into obedience. For a while. And then they would figure out a way to subvert you and kneecap you and take their country back, as happened in Iraq. One of the heroes of that effort? Yup, Saddam Hussein. The problem with forcing a revolution is that the nation in question runs the risk of being taken over by revolutionaries. Who often are not very nice people. A bit too prone to ripping people's intestines out, in order to get their attention.

Curtis Le May, if I have my facts straight, is the model for "General Jack D. Ripper" in the movie Doctor Strangelove. One of the oddest movies you will ever rent, trust me.

Arthur

Arthur's "Creeping Anglophila"

(Another note from Marin County...)

I confess to creeping Anglophila. Two of my ancestors fought the English and their Hessian mercenaries in the Revolutionary War. I'm not sure if they bled for the birth of the nation, but I am sure they shivered, ate short rations, lived in crappy conditions and were enormously relieved the war was over. There is no, repeat no family history of that glorious war. That leads me to believe that the "glory" of that war was entirely lost on my ancestors. I suspect it was more a matter of being given a crappy job and doing it, then going home.

But I like the Brits. We stopped fighting ever so long ago and in recent years they sometimes come out with really intelligent assessments of the world. The end of their empire was only about fifty years ago, and they tend to shy away from the idea of becoming colonialists once again. Sometimes they make bad alliances, but what I like is that they appear willing to revisit bad decisions and work to understand what went so badly wrong. And write about it in newspapers. Fairly intelligibly.

Some of those folks just sat down to do a bit of a think about this Bush "War On Terror" thing. They decided against it, thanks anyhow.

Meanwhile the Swiss have a political campaign posting flyers and billboards showing three white sheep kicking a black sheep out of Switzerland, with a slogan something like "To Create Security". That suggests that our country does not have a monopoly on racist and zenophobic targeting of other races and culture groups. They are just a bit more direct about it.

Arthur