¡Cumpleaños Feliz, Galón Azul!

A very happy one at that, to one who is an entire five days younger than yours truly. Pop over to her place and add your wishes....

Won't Someone Think of the Kittehs!?!?

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Running for President: Part I, Background

At my last count, approximately 2,346,972 citizens have announced their intentions to run for the office of President in the election of 2008. Ross Perot, in the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, set an example of such shining stuff as to instill into the average American's conscious the ultimate truth that any bozo can run for office. As if some (most?) of the choices of the last three decades haven't been proof enough of that.

And boy, are the clown cars crowding city hall parking lots all over American as candidacy is filed. To print the ballots alone will destroy thousands of acres of forest land -- although this will keep a few people working a little bit longer raping the planet and reducing the chances that our children will be able to breathe outside without respirators, so I suppose it's a good thing after all.

Oh, I forget myself. We use touch screen balloting now - all the better for to control the outcome, doncha know. And don't forget the added benefit that the machines are made, in part, of plastic, which helps increase the demand for fossil fuels, which in turn helps line the pockets of the Oil tycoons....

Actually, I do feel that all of these unusual candidates are a good thing for the system. The two party system is hopelessly bloated and corrupt. The "rules" of elections have been written by the party bosses in such a way as to make the will of the people immaterial. Big surprise there, huh.

Partisanship is out of control. The system is broken. Drastic measures must be taken. Let us consider some of the more well known candidates.

On the Repellican side, you have ten nine wealthy old white men. Each of them angling to be the most Reaganesque xenophobe fearmonger of the bunch. And that appears to be the extent of their platforms.

On the Demitasse side, there are six white men - ranging form middle aged to old, moderately to very wealthy - a youngish Black man (not too bad off financially), and a woman (whose husband used to be President) who has lots of personal wealth. Their idealogies range from the Repellican in Demitasse clothing to the nearly Socialist. As Will Rogers (whose terms, "Repellican" and "Demitasse", I have gleefully taken to using) once said, "I belong to no organized party, I'm a Democrat!"

In the "other" column, we have: Mike Bloomberg - the former Demitasse, former Repellican, now Independent Mayor of NYC - whose personal wealth is on the sunny side of 5 billion dollars; Al Gore, who constantly denies that he has totally ruled out running - oh yeah, he's got gobs of money, too; Chuck Hagel, who has announced that he will announce his intentions to announce a potential candidacy at some unannounced point in the future; Fred Thompson, the lawyer turned lobbyist turned actor turned Senator turned actor who has announced that he will be entering the race if his next audition for a TV role fails. There are more, but I tire myself out trying to remembering them all....

There are some folks out there to whom you should really give a listen. But it's up to you to find this information. That is truly what democracy is. Each individual determining, for her or his self, what beliefs to have and what choices to make... in Presidential elections and grocery stores.

At this point, I definitely have a preferred candidate, but I believe it is up to each person to decide, without considering the prevailing winds, on a candidate of choice. Which is why I favor a national primary - but not in February, which seems to be what's happening.

Haven't Done One of These in a While

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Move over, Potter!
h/t to Rana (Frogs and Ravens)

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More on Impeachment

If you haven't yet, I would recommend that each of you watch the latest episode of Bill Moyers' Journal.

Bill Moyers gets perspective on the role of impeachment in American political life from Constitutional scholar Bruce Fein, who wrote the first article of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, and THE NATION's John Nichols, author of THE GENIUS OF IMPEACHMENT.

"The founding fathers expected an executive who tried to overreach and expected the executive would be hampered and curtailed by the legislative branch... They [Congress] have basically renounced — walked away from their responsibility to oversee and check." — Bruce Fein

"On January 20th, 2009, if George Bush and Dick Cheney are not appropriately held to account this Administration will hand off a toolbox with more powers than any President has ever had, more powers than the founders could have imagined. And that box may be handed to Hillary Clinton or it may be handed to Mitt Romney or Barack Obama or someone else. But whoever gets it, one of the things we know about power is that people don't give away the tools." — John Nichols

Both the video and a transcript of the discussion are available at the above link.

Related: My earlier post on The Case for Impeachment.

UPDATE: DCup has an excellent elaboration.

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The Decidererererer

Shorter Dumbya Iraq policy:

[O]ur mission is very clear: disarmament....our mission is clear, to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people....a clear mission: to end a regime...and to free a people...Their mission is complete, and major combat operations in Iraq have ended....will complete our mission in Iraq....our mission all along, to develop the conditions such that a free Iraq will emerge...our mission is clear there, as well, and that is to train the Iraqis so they can do the fighting...We’re making progress toward the goal, which is, on the one hand, a political process moving forward in Iraq, and on the other hand, the Iraqis capable of defending themselves. And we will — we will complete this mission for the sake of world peace.… Advancing the ideal of democracy and self-government is the mission that created our nation — and now it is the calling of a new generation of Americans....our remaining mission in Iraq…By helping the Iraqi people build a free and representative government, we will deny the terrorists a safe haven to plan attacks against America....We will finish the mission. By defeating the terrorists in Iraq, we will bring greater security to our own country....we have a new strategy with a new mission: helping secure the population, especially in Baghdad.... [I]t’s the combination of providing security in neighborhoods through these joint security stations, and training that is the current mission we’re going through, with a heavy emphasis on security in Baghdad....It’s a new mission.

51 months worth of lies....

*crickets*

The Republicans show up at the NAACP debate. Look closely at the picture. Nine pedestals (there's one offpic right), one candidate - Tom Tancredo. The other eight were "too busy". Write every newspaper and TV outlet you can think of and ask why this isn't news.

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A Real 'Murrikan

(h/t Crooks & Liars)

I present to you, my friends, a product of Faux Noise indocrination. A true blue red 'Murrikan.



Pay special attention to the last half.

What. A. Fucking. Tool.

Friday Cat Blogging: Memorial Edition

First, apologies for the poor quality of the above picture. It is a digital photo of an actual photo taken twenty (or so) years ago that I cleaned up as much as I could with my poor knowledge of GimpShop (the open source PhotoShopian program). She was actually very much focused.

That is Serena (aka Sméagol (aka Gollum)), who was my kitty for eighteen years and who died eleven years ago. The aka's come from when I first got her - she was the runt of the litter and stayed with her mother long after the other kitties had been sold (pedigreed [if that's the right term for cats] blue point Siamese). As a result of this, momma carried her around by the scruff, not wanting to lose her last baby, for months.

In the pic, she's laying in front of the woodstove in my parents house, which was her almost favorite spot in the winter (the absolute fave was under the woodstove). She's probably six or seven in the pic, I don't really remember.

Serena was seven months old when she joined the Speaks household, small enough to fit in the palm of my fifteen year old self, and had no fur on the back of her neck (from spending all that time in momma's mouth). My sister took one look at her and remarked on how much she (the cat, not the sister) looked like Gollum. I chose, however, to name her Serena (again, the cat, not the sister).

Over the years, "Smee" and I lived in many different places and she had the opportunity to reject several "cousins" (cats are supposedly happier in pairs, but I've rarely had two get along - although I've seen it repeatedly with friends' kitties). Up until the last few months of her life, she loved to chase crumpled up sheets of paper - it was her favoritest pastime.

I’ve been thinking about Serena a lot this week, after reading Fairlane’s Tribute to a Dear Friend.

One morning I awoke and she wasn’t in the bed with me. I went downstairs and found her in the living room, dead. That was truly one of the worst days of my life. She had been with me over half of my life. She had helped me cope with so many disappointments....

Even now, over a decade later, I’m still saddened to the point of tears when I think of that day.

Support Net Neutrality

Today is the final day that the FCC will be accepting public comment on the proposed changes to Net Neutrality rules. If you have yet to have your say, please take a moment to do so now. Below is my letter.

Protect the Principles of Democracy

I am in the minority of poor people (my income is less than $15,000/year) who have broadband internet access. I do not have cable or satellite television and depend on the internet for news. I am a participating member of this democracy, having voted in every election (local, state, and federal) since I turned 18.

The number of credible news sources is decreasing as politics invades the newsroom. The days when we could tune in Walter Cronkite and hear an unbiased accounting of the days' news are gone. It is only by diligent searching that we can find the truth behind the spin. The internet provides the means by which we can find that information.

It is essential to free speech and equal opportunity for net neutrality to be upheld. If broadband providers are allowed to block, interfere with or discriminate against any lawful Internet traffic based on its ownership, or even political leanings, our democracy will suffer.

This proposed change would damage my ability to connect with others, share information and participate in our 21st century democracy and economy. I ask that you protect Net Neutrality and our open access to information and "the truth".

Thank you.

Repellican Stall Tactics #1,846,742

The obstruction continues in the Senate, as the Repubs filibuster Sen. Jim Webb's (D-VA) Troop protection amendment.

Attention all Americans! Please take note that the Republicans have blocked an amendment that would reinvigorate the fighting morale of the US military!

And, at the same time, note that the following seven did manage to put the needs of the troops ahead of politics:

Norm Coleman, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, John Sununu, Chuck Hagel, Gordon Smith and John Warner.

Also note the Joe Lieberman (I[diot] - CT) voted against cloture. Does Connecticut not have measures for recall? And if not, why won't someone in the CT legislature propose measures to that effect?

Contact your Senators and express your opinions!

UPDATE: via Petulant, Webb issues a statement.

The Sun is Actually Cooling

One of the (recent) favorite claims of global climate change denialists is that the Earth is warming because the Sun is putting off more heat. To back up these claims, they point to the fact that Mars and Pluto are getting warmer - while conveniently forgetting that there are six other planets in the solar system that aren't.

This is enough, one would think, to blow their claims out of the water. But, as we all are aware, denialists are adept at one thing - whether it's religious denial of evolution, political denial of the debacle in Iraq, or political/big bidness denial of climate change. Fuel has also been added to their claims by The Great Global Warming Swindle, which was broadcast on British television earlier this year.

As it turns out, though, there is "No sun link to climate change".

A new scientific study concludes that changes in the Sun's output cannot be causing modern-day climate change.

It shows that for the last 20 years, the Sun's output has declined, yet temperatures on Earth have risen.

It also shows that modern temperatures are not determined by the Sun's effect on cosmic rays, as has been claimed.

Writing in the Royal Society's journal Proceedings A, the researchers say cosmic rays may have affected climate in the past, but not the present.

"This should settle the debate," said Mike Lockwood from the UK's Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, who carried out the new analysis together with Claus Froehlich from the World Radiation Center in Switzerland.

Dr Lockwood initiated the study partially in response to the TV documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle, broadcast on Britain's Channel Four earlier this year, which featured the cosmic ray hypothesis.

"All the graphs they showed stopped in about 1980, and I knew why, because things diverged after that," he told the BBC News website.

"You can't just ignore bits of data that you don't like," he said.

/snark

I can't wait to hear what the denialists have to say about this!

/end snark

UPDATE: BBC video.

Without Further Comment

You Are the Middle Finger

A bit fragile and dependent on your friends, you're not nearly as hostile as you seem. You are balanced, easy to get along with, and quite serious. However, you can get angry and fed up with those around you. And you aren't afraid to show it! You get along well with: The Index Finger Stay away from: The Pinky

What Finger Are You?

A Call to Action

So, the Faux Noise Channel is using the recent Live Earth concerts to further amp up their climate change denial screeds. Here's Robert Greenwald's latest:



As the voice over at the end of the video says - do something.

As you may know, I earn the meager (but satisfying) living that I do by working in construction and carpentry. Home Depot is on my way to most of the places I work, so they have been my default building supplier. However, with just a slight change in my route, I can instead pass Lowe's on my way into town.

I have figured out the difference in fossil fuel use (by going to Lowe's instead of Home Depot) and compared it to HD's loss of my tool and supply purchases (the profits of which are funding, in part, FNC, which, in turn, spews out lies concerning climate change - thereby implicitly promoting further greenhouse gas emissions) and have decided that this action will be carbon neutral and possibly carbon "negative".

I have already signed the petition linked above and suggest that you do the same - and make your DIY and/or commercial construction purchases somewhere besides Home Depot.

The Case For Impeachment

A few days ago, I posted an email received from the Give 'Em Hell Harry website, that asked me (and all who received the email) to express our anger at the commutation of the sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby by contacting the White House. My online response was to post a flippant statement, to wit:

Dear Senator Reid,

I'll make a deal with you. You press for impeachment with no whining about political costs, and I'll gladly sign on to your toothless complaint campaign.

Disgustedly yours,

*****

Dr. Zaius disagreed with my theory (his post is not pro or con re: impeachment, but a well developed critique of those who declaim that the current Congress is "do nothing" - if you haven't read it, do so now!), and rightly so, as it was not really a theory - rather, it was an incomplete throwaway statement made because, well, mainly, I wanted to post the email to which I (apparently) objected.

It was not so much that I objected to the email and the sentiments it expressed. It was, instead, that I know deep down that even if every single citizen of the US were to complain to the WH about the commutation, it would make no difference.

Many others on the left have written on this - generally concluding that the commutation was in aid of protecting the Administration from the possibility that Libby would roll over and "spill the beans" on the machinations that led to the outing of a covert CIA agent, in order to marginalize former ambassador Joe Wilson's debunking of one of the key reasons we were given for invading Iraq and deposing Saddam Hussein.

Those on the right who have written on this have, for the most part, claimed that either Libby was unfairly prosecuted (and somehow in a partisan manner - even though the prosecutor and judges were all Republican appointees) - or that the sentence, for the correctly adjudicated perjury, was excessive.

I'm not going to get in to that discussion. If you have somehow missed it, just google "Libby commutation" (as of this writing, that search returns ~ 1,600,000 hits). What I want to talk about (finally, he's getting to his point!) is the growing desire on the part of the American public to impeach Cheney and Bush.

From what I have seen, there are basically three camps on this. One, "Get the bastards out of office!" Two, "I wish we could get the bastards out of office, but it ain't gonna happen, so why waste the time and money?" And, three, "This is nothing but partisan political theater!"

"Get the bastards out of office!"

The people gathered around this campfire view the entire Bush Administration as a collection of hubris laden criminals who cheated their way into office (and re-election) and have willfully ignored and trampled upon the Constitution in their desire to further enrich themselves and their fellow businesspeople. From the secretive Energy Task Force - composed (as far as we have been able to determine) entirely of oil and other energy executives and operatives - all the way through dismissal of the Kyoto Protocol, tax cuts for the extremely wealthy, the attacks of 11 Sept 2001, the Patriot Act, the buildup to the invasion and occupation of Iraq, running roughshod over the Republican controlled Congress, the ever-changing reasons for and goals of our involvement in Iraq (although the oil revenue goals have not changed a bit), etc., etc., etc.; this camp of Constitutional idealists sees nothing but avarice and deceit in the current Executive Branch (and whatever the Constitutional location du jour is of the Office of the Vice President).

In the minds of those clamoring for "impeachment über alle", nothing is more important than holding BushCo to task.

"I wish we could get the bastards out of office, but it ain't gonna happen, so why waste the time and money?"

The drum circle that surrounds this bonfire agrees with, for the most part, everything that the GtBOoO camp says, but looks at the makeup of the Congress (specifically the Senate) and has concluded that the impeachment process will never come to fruition - no matter how much evidence may be forthcoming.

And it also seems that that their greatest fear is a backlash from the voters come 2008 if impeachment fails.

"This is nothing but partisan political theater!"

Those that crowd around this sputtering, smoking fire built of green wood are the ones who put Party before State, and who will never agree, even should God him/herself appear before them and say otherwise, that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." They sit on their piles of money, assault rifles in hand, and stare in abject fear at the other two camps in the distance - knowing that, if those two should somehow join forces, their influence would be virtually wiped out. This camp excels in productions of the same political theater which they claim, loudly, on Fox News and other willing media pawns, that the "other side" is trying to initiate. They know that their only hope of survival is to inflame the politically naive and susceptible and to continue to convince those same people that those who have ever done all they could to "keep the masses in their place" are actually champions of those same masses.


So, the question you are probably asking is, in which camp does Phydeaux wish to pitch his tent?

In the comment thread at the linked Dr. Z post, I said (in part):

I do feel that to allow the Current Occupant to end his term of office and retire to his Paraguayan Safe Zone without answering for his disdain of the principles of American Democracy would do irreparable harm to the nation - and the memories of all who have fought (and even died) in support of those principles throughout our history.

to which, the good Doctor responded:

And I think that it is safe to say that the majority of us feel the same. My question is, is it logical or even sane to push for impeachment at this time? What would use for evidence, for example? What evidence of a crime do we have that Bush can't slime his way out of? Especially with Cheney or Roberts as the judge? And a 50% vote, because we have one man down. I ask you, how do we go about this logically? Perhaps you have an answer that I can't see, but at present I have not heard anything that sounds reasonable as of yet.

I will take this opportunity to respond to those questions.


"[I]s it logical or even sane to push for impeachment at this time?"

At the risk of being labeled an "emotional liberal", it is my belief that we may have reached a point where it is necessary to risk emotion (and even sanity) in order to protect the Constitution and the continued existence of Freedom that all who came before us in the history of the United States worked so hard to establish and maintain.

Remember the holiday we celebrated just last week? Was it logical or even sane for the Continental Congress (and the people of the Colonies) to declare themselves in rebellion against the most powerful Empire on the planet? The men in that chamber in Philadelphia pledged "to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." Can we, who have received the benefits of their actions, do any less?



"What would [we] use for evidence, for example? What evidence of a crime do we have that Bush can't slime his way out of? Especially with Cheney or Roberts as the judge?"

As I am neither a lawyer nor privilege to inside information, I cannot answer the first. However, it is incumbent upon the Congress - as a Constitutional mandate - to oversee the Executive Branch (and Cheney). In other words, it is their duty to pursue this matter, no matter what the outcome or consequences are. A debate on Articles of Impeachment would bring out the evidence (even though the matter will inevitably have to go through the courts), whatever that may be. If the evidence proves to be insufficient, then the Articles will be voted down. Only then would the matter go to the Senate.

As to the last of this group of questions - if the case were to make it to the Senate, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Roberts) would preside. Cheney would have no role. And, as far as your fears regarding Chief Justice Roberts being the presiding judge are concerned - I have to believe that this would be an instance (even if there were no other) that he would have to rule only in his intended role - as a non-partisan adjudicator. To do otherwise would be to blatantly deny the role of not only himself, but the entire Supreme Court, as the final arbiters of law in the US.

Should he choose that route, however, I believe that it would signal the beginnings of a new American Revolution - because it would show that the entire system of government has been operating as a sham.


I have no idea what the outcome of any impeachment proceedings would be, but I would state again that I believe that it is in the best interests of the nation for the Congress to take up the matter.

And if, at the end of the day, the Senate fails to convict (assuming that sufficient evidence is brought forth) on the basis of partisanship - it is my fervent desire that the Democrats, Greens, Libertarians, and all other parties and engaged citizens will take every opportunity to point out that Justice and the Constitution were subverted by the Republican Party.


To conclude, I would like to say that I hold Dr. Zaius in high regard and that I hope that my words will be taken in the spirit in which they are sent - merely as answers to his questions, not as criticisms of his statements.

Also, as part of my pledge to PortlyDyke, I will be sending my Senators and Congressman an edited and likely expanded copy of this post. I urge each of you to take PD's pledge and do the same (in your own words, of course - but feel free to quote me, if you must).

More Python Hilarity

Some Saturday Fun

The Cunning Runt posted a lovely pic of a newt (the forest critter, not the former Congresscritter), so I feel obligated to post this:

Another Gender Myth Exploded!

Men talk every bit as much as women do, U.S. researchers said after painstakingly counting every word that 400 volunteers spoke.

Their study, published on Thursday in the journal Science, challenges the common wisdom that women are somehow biologically programmed to talk more -- but the researchers said people do often fulfill gender roles when it comes to subject matter.

"Women and men both use on average about 16,000 words per day, with very large individual differences around this mean," the researchers, led by psychologist Matthias Mehl of the University of Arizona, wrote.

16,000 words per day. Really? This was me today:

Yep.
For a little while.
Thanks.
Hey, *****!
Do those side windows open?
Yeah, I was wondering when your husband would be home.
If you don't mind.
Hey, man.
Uhuh.
Yeah, I figured that out.
Four hours of actual work, then....
OK.
You want me to call in the morning?
All right. See ya.
Thanks. Have a good'n! Get inside where there's AC!
Hi, my name's ***** ****. ******* said he'd leave an envelope here for me.
Thanks. Have a good evening.
No, you go ahead. My stuff is in a cart.
No problem.


That's all. 92 words. Now, granted, I was working alone today.

Oh, I forgot something. I did scream, "No it's not, you stupid pile of shit!" at the radio when NPR played some sound bite of the Current Occupant.

That makes 100.

16,000?

For a more loquacious discussion on this (and for the link to the story about the study) go to Shakesville.

And, no, I don't think my gender has any bearing on the number of words I speak.

Tagged by the Cap'n

Cap'n Dyke, Lesbian Pirate Queen & Rogue Blogger, has tagged me as a Thinking Blogger. I am deeply honored and somewhat taken aback. As I read posts around the blogosphere, I sometimes wonder why I bother doing any writing of my own. My own attempts to make a point (and hopefully a difference) seem somehow flat in comparison.

These are the rules:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

And here are my choices:

The Cunning Runt at Little Bang Theory - It’s no wonder I like his writing; we often seem to be on the same wavelength topic wise. He makes very good points in his posts and is an excellent nature photographer.
PortlyDyke at Teh Portly Dyke (no, that's not a typo) - She’s only been blogging for a month, but already seems to have found her zone. It’s a beautiful zone.
BitterGrace at BitterGrace Notes - I became aware of this gem of a blog due to the recent DOS attack on Shakesville. BitterGrace “specializes” in sexy, fragrant nature posts.
Tata at Poor Impulse Control - I have been a lurker at Poor Impulse Control for months and may have posted a comment or two, I don‘t really remember (I don't really remember the late 80's either, so please don't be offended). Fantastic and moving writing.
Minstrel Boy at Harp and Sword - This one likely needs no introduction. For those of you who haven’t visited, I highly recommend his recent “Superstition Ride” series of posts.


So, there you have it. If any of you tagees choose not to 'play along', that's fine. You still might get a hit or two and out of this. If one person discovers you because of this post, I will have done something for the mutual benefit of our world.

Thanks again, Cap'n, for tagging me.

Open Letter to Harry Reid

From the email of my avatar comes this gem:

Dear ****,
For a while we've known that George Bush believes his administration is above the law. For anyone who still had doubts, yesterday he proved just that. By commuting Scooter Libby's sentence and removing his prison term, George Bush has disrespected the authority given to him in the Constitution.
We cannot let this moment go by without speaking out on this travesty of justice. Back in November of 2005, almost 70,000 members of GiveEmHellHarry.com demanded George Bush not pardon Scooter Libby. Now 18 months later we need to speak out again, just as forcefully.
Let George Bush know the disgrace he is bringing on the White House by commuting Scooter Libby's sentence:
The President's decision to commute Scooter Libby's sentence is disgraceful. His conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq War. During Libby's trial, evidence was presented that proved what we already knew.
When Joe Wilson courageously told the truth and exposed the deceitful behavior that lead up to the Iraq War, members of the Bush administration, at the highest level, sought revenge on him by outing his wife - a covert CIA operative. And no matter what right wing pundits say, none of those facts are up for debate. Valerie Plame was a covert CIA operative and high-level White House Staff members destroyed her career.
Outing a spy has serious consequences to the security of our nation. But Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, and others simply didn't care. And because of Libby's perjury and his obstruction of a federal investigation (the crimes he was convicted of) we will never know the full extent of this plot or its damage.
Judge Walton correctly determined that Libby deserved to be imprisoned for lying about a matter of national security. The Constitution gives President Bush the power to commute sentences, but history will judge him harshly for using that power to benefit his own Vice President's Chief of Staff who was convicted of such a serious violation of law. This action is nothing short of a continuation of the obstruction of justice begun by Scooter Libby.
Let George Bush know the disgrace he is bringing on the White House by commuting Scooter Libby's sentence:
This act cannot deter us. Democrats will continue to press forward with our oversight and expose the truth about this corrupt administration.
Thank you,
Harry Reid

I went to the website Give 'Em Hell Harry, whence camest this missive, to respond. Unfortunately, I could not find a "contact" button. How odd.

So, I am forced (forced, I tell you!) to respond here:

Dear Senator Reid,

I'll make a deal with you. You press for impeachment with no whining about political costs, and I'll gladly sign on to your toothless complaint campaign.

Disgustedly yours,

*****


What a cock-up this country has become.

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Teh Cool!

New Method to Cool Electronics, Harness Waste Heat and Sunlight


June 4, 2007 - University of Utah physicists developed small devices that turn heat into sound and then into electricity. The technology holds promise for changing waste heat into electricity, harnessing solar energy and cooling computers and radars.

Hyar's the linkitude. And, yes, I know it's a month old - but I just saw it.

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Happy Birthday, America

The first two videos are from one of my all time favorite movies, 1776




This is my favorite arrangement of this song. There's an annoying camera whine, but once they start singing it gets drowned out.




Oh, yeah. One more thing.





FUCK YOU, GEORGE W. BUSH!!!!

It's All too Possible

*********************BREAKING NEWS********************

16:42 19 January 2009
Washington, DC
REUTERS

Due to the increased racial tensions following the disputed election of Barack Obama in the recent Presidential election, I, George W. Bush, do hereby invoke the National Continuation Policy (NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51 / HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/HSPD-20)

Effective immediately, the United States is under martial law. A national curfew is set from 10PM until 7AM local time. Anyone found in violation of this curfew will be held pending charges. Duly deputized units of Blackwater, USA will enforce this law, until such time as US Army and National Guard units return from the front in Iraq.

America is facing the greatest threat to the rule of law in its history. Until such time as the Supreme Court issues a ruling on the matter before them (Thompson -v- Obama), this order will stay in effect.

My fellow Americans, it is with the gravest of hearts that I invoke these powers. Rest assured that I do this in your best interests. God bless America.

And may whatever power exists have mercy on us all in the event that this scenario (or one similar) comes to pass. Based on the actions of the Maladministration of George W. Bush to date, it's not as far fetched as you might imagine.

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What Would the Founding Fathers Think?

History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.
-Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, Dec. 6, 1813.

I can think of no other statement that better expresses the danger of Theocracy. And no better counter to those who claim that the United States of America is a "Christian country". Except, possibly, this one:

Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814

And yet, a significant portion of the population of this country denies the second quote and seeks to institute a Theocracy. I have written before on the subject of "America as a Christian" nation and don't wish to repeat myself, but perhaps I should.

America was founded, for the most part, by people who had left Europe to escape persecution. The Puritans in New England, the Quakers (and others) in the Middle Colonies, and the Scots and Scots-Irish in the South all came here because of two things: the promise of land and to escape religious persecution. They were all 'others' in their homelands, and looked upon - at best - as second class citizens, or - at worst - as heretics.

One of the main concerns of the fledgling United States, after winning independence from Great Britain, was to assure that they would no longer suffer from religious persecution. This is why it is the First Amendment to the Constitution that says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

People often look at this one amendment as three separate items, but they are not. They must be viewed of a piece - co-equal. Those that wish a return to "our Christian roots" or to establish a Theocracy (though they will never use that name) with the Ten Commandments as the supreme law of the land, are guilty of no less than treason. That's right, treason.

Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution says, in part: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." Actively espousing ideas that are against the Constitution is, indeed, "levying War against" the United States - and in a more insidious manner than Radical Islam is.

As Sinclair Lewis said, “When Fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” Theocracy and Fascism have a lot in common. Both depend on the suspension of reason, and the blind adherence to belief. Two years before his death, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter, "Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind." The spirit of the Sage of Monticello is no doubt moaning in grief at what is currently happening in the nation that he helped to found. Televangelists openly pushing for the initiation of the "end times" and the Current Occupant of the White House holding that he has been "chosen by God" to lead the country. How far the country has fallen from its' founding as a bastion of freedom.

I end, as I began, with a quote from Jefferson (emphasis mine):

All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Roger C. Weightman, June 24, 1826 (in the last letter he penned)

(Blog Against Theocracy)

Careful of the Moat and Pitfalls

For those who may not already know, Shakeseville is up and running again!

I couldn't be happier! Now, the pressure is off and I can go back to being a D-list blogger. Thanks, as always, for stopping by, and I'll see you over at Liss' place.

A Test

What kind of a liberal are you?

My Liberal Identity:

You are a Peace Patroller, also known as an anti-war liberal or hippie. You believe in putting an end to American imperial conquest, stopping wars that have already been lost, and supporting our troops by bringing them home.

Take the quiz at www.fightconservatives.com

H/T to Misty via Shakespeare's Sister.

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Phydeaux in Simpson Land!

Me and the boys hangin' at Moe's. (h/t to Waveflux via Shakespeare's Sister) Well, sorta me. You'd think they'd have glasses for the avatars since Smithers wears them, but nooo!

For Those Suffering in the Lone Star State

Hey Kona, glad you're posting again. I was worried 'bout you guys.

But What Did They Say?

In a 900+ word AP write up about tonight's Democratic debate on PBS - which made it a point to allow all candidates equal time to speak - this is all the mention two of the eight "contestants" received:

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel also debated.

Let's hear it for fair coverage!

Can you guess which two candidates were mentioned the most?

Purdy Pitcher

One of the most beautiful sights I've seen in a while! QCoFM RULZ!

The part you can't read is a link to Shakespeare's Sister, in case you weren't sure.

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The 35 Percenters Speak Out

Do you know who Dennis Kucinich is?

In Which the Herd Follows Blithely

In a recent post, which contained a reprint of an opinion piece I wrote several years ago, I talked about the fact that our prisons are filled to overflowing with non-violent drug offenders - to such an extent that violent offenders (especially rapists) are being released early to make room for the newest inmates.

Reader Shaun commented in part:

Where are all the commercials trying to dissuade people from raping other people? I have watched more television than I'm sure is appropriate or healthy and I have never seen one commercial against the ghastly crime of rape. I see plenty of commercials where people are warned of the evils of MJ.

To which I said:

I'd never thought about the fact that while there are anti-drug ads, there aren't anti-rape or anti-robbery or -murder ads.... I may have to delve into that a bit more.

And so the thoughts began churning in my (over-crowded) mind. The more I thought about it, the more the dichotomy troubled me. Why are there adverts that decry drug use? Surely the fact that it's illegal is enough to dissuade people from travelling down that path. No, wait. Robbery, murder, and rape are all illegal - and yet those things happen all the time. And so, too, does drug use happen on a constant basis. So why spend taxpayers' money to attempt to dissuade people from one and not the other?

It seems to me that there are two paths to take. Either produce advertisements with anti -murder, -robbery, and -rape themes to air alongside the anti-drug ads, or stop airing the anti-drug ads. At this point, Shaun graced me with another visit and said, "The depths that our government is willing to dive down to are quite illogical to say the least. If the commercials worked,..."

Oh, that's right, the anti-drug ads have been proven to not only not dissuade people from using drugs, but also to desensitize them to the perils of drug use.

Shaun then continued,

it seems to me other federal agencies would be desirous to actually try to dissuade people from committing crimes that actually have a victim. By not producing commercials of that nature they refute the supposed efficacy of the ads they themselves unctuously hail as being effective. I am not an intellectually ponderous man, but IF a government is necessary I wish that the constituents of said government would at the very least match my pedestrian level of intelligence.

Well. Leaving aside the fact that Shaun either is, in fact, a patently intelligent person, or, at the very least, knows his way around a thesaurus (and I do believe it is the former, not the latter), we can see that he is also very correct. He also exhibits Libertarian beliefs, with which (in this instance) I have no argument. The mere fact that the gummint doesn't use ad campaigns to "fight" other crimes just goes to show, in my opinion, that they know the ads don't work.

Or is the government being - hold on tight, now - hypocritical? I know, you need to go lay down on the fainting couch for a moment. Go ahead, I’ll wait....

You’re back? Okay, where was I? Oh, yes, the rank hypocrisy of the Government of the US of A. It truly knows no bounds, does it? Lobbyists in positions of authority in the very Departments they lobbied in, draft dodgers in charge of war planning, brainless do nothings in charge of Justice - oh, that last isn’t hypocrisy, just stupidity.

What the War on Drugs(tm) and its useless ad campaign boils down to is (gasp) political theater. “Let’s show the sheeple - I mean, people - that we’re Doing Something About Drugs(c)!”

Never mind that those incarcerated are disproportionately men of color.

Never mind that sentencing mandates are skewed to more adversely effect that same demographic.

Never mind that nonagenarians are being killed in drug raids - at the wrong address.

Never mind that people go along with it.

Never mind that murderers, rapists, etc. are being released to make more room for “druggies”.

Just. Never. Mind.

Time to Exercise Your "Rats"

So, it's time for the first Phydeaux Poll (tm)!

Just one question this time: If you had to step into that booth right now and punch that card, pull that lever, or (QCoFM forbid) touch that screen, for whom would you cast your vote? (For the purposes of this exercise we will assume that it is a primary)

Okay, I lied. Two questions: Why did you pick that person?

Be sure to pick up your sticker on the way out!

This Blog Needs More Pics!

This is what the Secret Lair (aka '73 Winnebago) looks like. Sorta. It actually has four walls and a roof, not to mention it's not smaller than the '70s era model lady that is unfortunately cropped in the picture.

But, the layout is indeed the same. Feast your eyes and imagine living in the space and loving it!!!

Update: Since I'm getting a lot of new traffic (thanks, C&L) I wanted to reference this post that explains the whole Secret Lair thing. Kinda. As much as anything in my life can be explained, anyway.

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Please Do Feed the Animals

I've been meaning to put this up for a few days, but... well, you know how it goes.

Anyway, The Animal Rescue Site has a beautiful purple button that everyone needs to go click on. Every click helps provide food for animals in shelters and sanctuaries around the country. Swing by there and help out the cute and fuzzies.

Bookmark the page and go there every day.

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I Guess I'm It!

Brian, over at Incertus, tagged me with this, and, in all humility, I cannot say no. Also, Teh Portly Dyke issued an open invite to play, so I'm burning two stones at both ends - or something like that.

1. All right, here are the rules.
2. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
3. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
4. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
5. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So, without further ado, here are Eight Random Factabits about Phydeaux!

1) I find it very difficult to come up with lists about me.
2) By most people's standards, I probably live a very boring life.
3) I'm happy with my life (almost all of the time).
4) I really do live in a 24' 1973 Winnebago.
5) I make Oscar Madison look neat - most of the time.
6) There is no rule # six.
7) Seriously, if Felix Unger showed up, he'd keel over dead.
8) I make references to old TV shows (and plays) all the time.


Well, now, that wasn't so hard, was it! As far as tagging others, I've been seeing this float around for a while... so anyone who stops by and hasn't been tagged (or wants a do-over), have at it!

Next Time, Not so Heavy with the Queso Before Bedtime

So, now that Deadeye Darth Cheney has declared himself an autonomous region, and has cast off the coils of law that have previously been holding him back from the Total Domination of the Universe(TM), I wonder what he's going to do next? Go to Disney World... and bite the heads off of all the cute and fuzzy Characters?

And I also wonder what his underling/superior, aka Dubya, is thinking. He must surely be quaking in his Tony Llamas - oh, I forgot, he wears Crocs with black socks now. Footwear (and non-fashion sense) aside, though, the Current Occupant must be frightened out of what little mind he has.

I mean, the only check and/or balance that Chimpy ever had over the Dick was his titular supremacy, and now that the president of vice is no longer in the Executive Branch, how can The Shrub hope to protect Barney, much less Pickles, as the Cheney MarkIV prowls the halls of the White House searching for tasty morsels with which to quell the hunger that his nation-destroying must certainly be engendering?

Let's face it, folks, once 43’s desiccated corpse falls to the once pristine carpet of the Oval Office, the ravenous beast that was once a Congressman from Wyoming will look through the thick, green tinted windows and see a whole nation of tasty, plump entrees with which to slake his insatiable hunger.

Furniture will begin to swirl around his Brobdingnagian body, as his mass increases and acquires a measurable gravity of its own. With a half smirk and guttural Burgess Meredith laugh, the former vice president will snatch the Presidential desk from its orbit around his head and hurl it through the windows. Using his Dark Force power, he’ll levitate himself out onto the South Lawn as the outside Secret Service detail stare in shock and awe at the twisted and bloated being that has finally cast off its human appearance. One by one, they will be devoured by the creature as it slowly moves across the Lawn and toward the fence, the dried up shells of their bodies swirling in macabre orbit around the now Cthulu-like abomination.

Marines stationed at the Naval Observatory will, by this time, be arriving - after frantic calls from the guards at the gates of the Presidential Compound - and will try valiantly to subdue the massive, alien looking behemoth. They go to their deaths not knowing that they are mere morsels of sustenance for what is now their commander in chief. Trees are ripped out of the ground, and even chunks of the White House itself begin to be sucked into the gargantuan gravity of the newly born Death Star as the mass of what was the holder of an office that was once compared to a “bucket of warm spit” begins to dwarf the buildings that line Pennsylvania Avenue.

In desperation, air strikes will be called in, only to be thwarted by the fully functional missile defense satellites drawn down from Earth orbit by the insatiable beast. The very ground of what was once a fetid malarial swamp is absorbed into the growing fiend, as its jaws open and an inhuman, ear shattering howl echoes up and down the East Coast.


(And we expect the Dems in Congress to stop him?)

Ennui in the RV, update

I should have posted this days ago, but what with new branches of gummint springing up and good folk being e-ttacked and all, it slipped my mind that regular readers might be interested in an update.

My car is (finally) back on the road, and I have even managed to work a couple of days and make some money. Yay.

As I said, it will always "be all right. How will it? I don't know. It's a mystery."
(50 irredeemable points to the first to identify that quote)

I am Shakesvllle!

"In all my years I've never seen, heard, nor smelled an issue that was so dangerous it couldn't be talked about. Hell yes, I'm for debating anything!" - 'Stephen Hopkins', 1776 (the movie)

My most favoritest place in the whole interwebs tubes, Shakesville, has been the victim of a "Denial Of Service" (DOS) attack and has been offline for [as of this writing] a day and a half. Apparently some people just don't get the whole freedom of speech thing.

What I don't get is the point of the attack. I mean, I get that it originates in the small brained and small minded, but what, exactly, do these cretins hope to accomplish? It's not like Shakesville is the only place on teh internets that speaks to issues such as feminism. A Google search for "feminism" returns ~15,300,000 hits!

They might as well try to move a beach one grain of sand at a time!

And Shakesville is so much more than 'just' a feminist site. It is a place where dialog takes place. Those of us who frequent the place go there not merely to applaud the words that are posted (although we do) but to internalize the ideas and to learn to be better people. How does the search for knowledge - to better oneself - harm any one?

What I really don't get (and I have tried and tried) is how anyone can feel threatened by the thought of people - all people - being treated equally. I understand - in the clinical sense - that equal treatment would eviscerate the (false) power that these misogynists feel they have. I suppose (and this is the part that truly makes no sense to me) that without the power that patriarchy grants them, these people would feel as if they were worthless. As though their only value is as an oppressor.

And the fact that it is likely that these attackers are probably self-proclaimed 'Christians', just makes me wonder even more. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Jesus say, "And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Mark 12:31, KJV)? 'Neighbour' doesn't just mean the people who live in the houses on either side of yours, people, it means everybody! And by the way, for all you 'Christians' out there who disavow everything that the Christ espoused in your desire to spread hatred... oh, never mind, you're not listening anyway. Obviously. How else could you have so perverted the words of the "Prince of Peace" into a litany of hatred and exclusion?

I honestly feel sorry for you. You have been so twisted by the perversion of the message that your 'elders' have taught you, that, when the day comes that you stand before the Ultimate Adjudicator, you will honestly not understand why you are to be denied access to the party.

Perhaps, though, I am falsely attributing the 'orientation' of the attackers. Perhaps the perpetrators are... are... ummm... you know, I can't think of another explanation for such behavior. We all live in an unfortunately patriarchal world, but those of us who aren't indoctrinated into feelings of hatred when our "beliefs" are threatened - well, we just don't get it. How can you behave so illogically?

Hmm, I think I just answered my own question.

I have digressed (I think). So let me try to get the train back on the track by saying to those who think they can silence the speech of the feminists, and teh gays, and all the open minded and inclusive people of the world... dream on! (Why is it, by the way, that we who don't claim to follow (or in many cases, even believe in the existence of) Jesus behave more in accordance with his teachings than many (most?) of those who do?)

Or better yet, just close the gates of your compound, unplug your computers and TV's, and pray to your twisted and false deity until he comes for you.

Oh, and make sure you have lots of canned goods at hand, cause you're going to be waiting for a looong time.

What's For Breakfast... Phydeaux?

Via Cap'n Dyke:

Phydeaux Speaks -- [noun]: A brand of soylent green breakfast cereal 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I still say I'll end up as cat food....

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Told ya!

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A Minor Milestone

I know this is nothing to a lot of you out there, but I'm pleased! My sincere thanks to all of you for visiting (and please feel free to leave a comment whenever you do) my humble web abode!

Molto Grazi! ¡Muchas gracias! Merci très beaucoup! Danke sehr viel! Большое спасибо!

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The Longest Day of the Year

Happy Solstice Y'all!

Summer officially begins a 18:06 today. You may now enjoy.

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I R So... (wait, scratch that)... I NC-17 So Proud!

I am posting this due to peer pressure!



This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:

* rape (4x)
* shit (3x)
* dead (2x)
* hell (1x)

Fuck me running! I so wanted an "X"!

UPDATE: Sweet synchronous serendipity! This is post 69 at my humble blog. Heh

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Puppet Masters

Check this out! Awesome!

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And Now, for Something COMPLETELY Different

QCoFM, I love teh internets!

Everybody, Run Hide in the Woods!

Ennui in The Secret Lair (aka '73 Winnebago)

Greetings, Faithful Readers (both of you)!

I've been slack on posting for... well, ever since I started this thing - but especially in the past few days. It's not because there's nothing to bitch about. Goodness knows, it's not that. We have a useless Congress, an embarrassment of an Executive Branch, the drumbeat for war against Iran seems to be swelling, Americans of all political stripe don't believe in evolution, etc., etc., etc..

All topics worthy of raging against and/or about - but, as you can see from the links above, well covered (or at least covered) across the internets and beyond.

But none of that is the cause of the title of this post. No, my friends - I call you "my friends" - what's got me in this state of rampant lethargy is the fact that my bloody car is all wonky.

Those of you who have read my "introductory" posts have probably figured out by now that I am an anti-capitalist. It is my belief that money is a bad, bad thing. (It's either the worst, or the second worst, thing to ever happen to the planet - I can't decide) I am, however, enough of a realist to know that possessing a certain amount of "filthy lucre" is necessary for survival in today's world. It's a catch-22, you see. In order to be in a position to not have to have money, one must have money.

Specifically, if I had the money to purchase a large tract of land, then I could establish a self-sustaining farm. I could then stop having to concern myself with the accretion of money. I could plant and work my (heirloom only) garden, raise chickens (for the eggs) and some beef (for the dairy and the meat - yeah, I'm an omnivore), and exercise my writing and woodworking skills to my heart's content. (Of course, I would exist at the mercy of nature, but I'm fine with that.)

Problem is, I just can't make myself commit to earning the money. I've tried. In the past I've written out a five year plan, I've made attempts to "succeed in business", I've done lots of things to try to gain the necessary nest egg. I don't seem to be able to sustain these attempts. Holding a "real" job is, as a dear friend has put it, "soul sucking". The only fields of employment I've ever been happy in are music and theatre. I have only a modicum of musical talent, so there's no earning a living there. And, as a committed country dweller, there's absolutely no chance of making money in the field of theatre.

So, you ask, what does all this have to do with a wonky car? Well, living out in the boonies means that to work, I must have a car. And right now, the car needs work for which I do not have the money to pay. In point of fact, I have only enough money to purchase food for another week or two and then I shall be out.

I don't mean that my checking account will be low (I don't even have a checking account). I don't mean that my credit cards will be maxed - don't have any of those either. I mean I will have nothing but a jar full of pennies.

This situation does not depress me, as you might imagine it would. As I have said, I don't like money. It simply makes me not... care. When the situation resolves (which it always has in the past), I'll continue with my life. Make a few bucks here and there, buy food for myself and my kitties, whatever.

And if it shouldn't... whatever. Now, I'm gonna go enjoy me some nature!


NOTE: This post is not a cry for help. There is no crying involved. (There's no crying in baseball, either - but that's neither here nor there) Not in the writing - and not, I repeat not!, in the reading. It's just a rambling account of the musings of an old dog. :)

On Rape (and Prison Reform)

I am posting the following (which is a reprint of an opinion piece I wrote for the Rapid River Literary Magazine several years ago) not as another in my series "Hey, to introduce myself...", but as a response (in part) to this post at Shakesville. I realize that a good deal of it is not relevant to that discussion, but since it does express my opinion on the various subjects I didn't want to edit it.

June 2000
I just received word that (yet another) friend of mine has been raped. Quite unfortunately, this is not an uncommon experience. I just have one question. What the fuck is wrong with this civilization?!?!?! Why have we allowed the situation to become so intricately screwed up? Why has the quest to be the one with the most money been allowed to dominate this supposedly enlightened world we live in?

I know exactly what's going to happen with regards to the attack on my friend. Essentially the same thing that has happened in the cases of the other women that I know that have been raped. In the extremely small likelihood that anyone is ever brought to trial, even a conviction will probably not cause the rapist to spend any appreciable time behind bars. It can't, you see, because this violent, slime-encrusted, less worthy of respect than Hitler... entity... will be paroled to make more room in prison for non-violent drug offenders.

I want all of you pro-Drug War people reading this to listen closely. An increasingly larger majority of prison inmates are serving time for non-violent offenses. Due to the high cost of housing prisoners, not to mention the even higher cost of building new prisons to hold these perpetrators of crimes that have no victims, more and more violent offenders are being paroled.

Here's a shock; these violent offenders know this. What kind of detriment is this for them? They get to spend a couple of years on the public dole, and then they're released to attack someone else.

So we have two classes of people that we're talking about here. One group shoots, stabs, beats, rapes, robs, and generally makes their victim feel either unworthy of life or dead. The other group smokes up and either listens to Grateful Dead music, watches old Monty Python or similar humorous programs, or goes for a hike in the woods. And our society, our great experiment in democracy, our nation that was founded on individual rights and personal freedoms - has deemed it appropriate to release group one and hold group two - to protect society. Yeah right.

I don't really want to sound totally cynical, and I'm not a big believer in conspiracy theories, but let me just throw this out. How many millions of dollars a year in profits do pharmaceutical companies reap from prescriptions written by MD's and psychologists to treat the victims of violent crimes? How many contributions to society are delayed or lost forever by these same victims? Maybe you'll understand this one - How much are job productivity, profits, and health care costs affected by the employers of these victims? How much longer are we going to allow the people, as in "We the people", to be propagandized, prodded and frightened into not asserting their constitutionally guaranteed rights?

Now, I don't want you to think that I believe there should be no regulations regarding drugs. I think that cocaine and heroin should be more difficult to procure than winning lottery tickets, and I personally believe that whoever invented crack should be extradited to Saudi Arabia and punished according to the harshest possible interpretation of Sharia law. And I think that anyone who "turns on" children, other than their parents, should be treated just as harshly. But don't you see that placing a stigma on something just makes it more attractive to children and adolescents? Do you not remember being a teenager and rebelling (or at least wanting to) just because you could? Not to mention the fact that it would also piss off your parents.

Marijuana is called weed because it is one. Weeds grow anywhere and are impossible to eradicate. The effect of smoking it is very calming, so naturally smokers tend to be more pacifist than average. People with violent tendencies don't like the effect of pot on their systems, it takes away their rage. Maybe we should prescribe it for the violent offenders. They would be much less likely to commit the crimes in the first place, and if we arrested them for possession, at least we could keep them off the streets longer, thereby further reducing the risk to society at large.

One last thing, as you think about this article, think how you would feel if the next victim of my friend's attacker is your friend or sister or wife or mother.

I welcome any reasoned responses to, whether what I wrote agrees with you or pisses you off.

(To give you a bit of background on the above, not only had a friend been raped only days before I wrote it, but the attacker of another had just been paroled - after serving less than ten percent of his sentence. Hence my veering into a screed about the state of prisons. I also admit that my words did nothing to address the underlying problem. That is a failing on my part.)

Let me expand on the part of the above that is pertinent to this discussion. In the seven years since I wrote that editorial, many more of my friends have experienced rape - and it doesn't appear that any gains have been made towards stopping this offense against women (and indeed, all of humanity). In fact, it seems at times like the problem is getting worse. I don't know whether it is because civilization is becoming more polarized and violent or that we (or at least, I) are simply more aware of what has always been.

I have to believe, however, that strides (however small and insignificant they may seem) are being made to eradicate the underlying problems that promote acts such as rape - because to believe otherwise would be to believe that there is no hope for the future of our race. And if that is true, then all of us might just as well unplug our computers, lie down and drift off into that endless sleep that inevitably awaits.

I have tried, and shall continue to try, to have a positive effect by my actions and words. I suggest that we all do the same.

A Political Test

Okay, so this test is a bit more... serious?... relevant?... important? Anyway, it's one that I think everyone should take. As with all online 'tests' (not to mention polls), one has to keep in mind the wording of the questions and the answer options. So, without further ado, here are

My Results:

1. Theoretical Ideal Candidate (100%)
2. Barack Obama (83%)
3. Dennis Kucinich (82%)
4. Joseph Biden (74%)
5. Christopher Dodd (73%)
6. Hillary Clinton (73%)
7. Wesley Clark (72%)
8. John Edwards (70%)
9. Al Gore (68%)
10. Bill Richardson (61%)
11. Mike Gravel (61%)
12. Elaine Brown (48%)
13. Ron Paul (43%)
14. Kent McManigal (36%)
15. Rudolph Giuliani (30%)
16. Mike Huckabee (27%)
17. John McCain (23%)
18. Tommy Thompson (21%)
19. Mitt Romney (20%)
20. Chuck Hagel (18%)
21. Newt Gingrich (14%)
22. Sam Brownback (14%)
23. Tom Tancredo (12%)
24. Fred Thompson (11%)
25. Duncan Hunter (10%)
26. Jim Gilmore (8%)

Hmmm. I wonder if my ballot will have "Theoretical Ideal Candidate" as one of the options? Face it, friends, a "Theoretical" President would be an improvement over the Current Occupant, doncha agree?

And, just so you'll know... I have yet to make a decision as to whom I shall vote for next year, but I will say that the person I'm leaning towards is in the top eleven on that list.

(h/t to MeInAction)

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I Got the Willie's

This is a fantastic cover, in my opinion, of one of my favorite songs.

Nikola Tesla Redux

Over 100 years later, scientists at MIT have caught up with Nicola Tesla and developed a system of wireless electricity. I poke fun, but this is tres cool!

Money quote:

Realizing their recent theoretical prediction, they were able to light a 60W light bulb from a power source seven feet (more than two meters) away; there was no physical connection between the source and the appliance. The MIT team refers to its concept as "WiTricity" (as in wireless electricity). The work will be reported in the June 7 issue of Science Express, the advance online publication of the journal Science..

Funny quote:

"It was probably the sixth time that month that I was awakened by my cell phone beeping to let me know that I had forgotten to charge it. It occurred to me that it would be so great if the thing took care of its own charging." [Prof. Marin Soljacic, leader of the team]

This has enormous potential. I foresee coils built into the ceilings of homes and offices, powered by solar panels and other renewable sources - or even receiver coils that capture wireless electricity transmitted from distant generation centers, that in turn power lights and computers and all manner of things!

No more power lines cluttering up the scenery!!!!

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Let's Hear it for Bidness!

I haven't done a “Hey, to introduce myself to the Internets I’ll reprint some old magazine articles I wrote” in a while, so I thought I'd post this article from the April 2000 issue of Rapid River Literary Magazine. Enjoy....

"Thank you for calling MegaLo, your one stop customer first shopping center."

"Yes, hello, I would -"

"No one can get to the phone right now, but your call is very important to us. If you would like to connect with sales, press one. If you would like to connect with marketing, press two. If you need to correct an order, press four. If you need to place an order, press five. If the second letter of your mother's maiden name is not a vowel, press six. If you prefer dogs to cats, press seven. If you need to hear this menu again, press star."

[BEEP] [RING] [RING]

"You have reached the sales department here at MegaLo, your one stop customer first shopping center. No one can get to the phone right now, but your call is very important to us. If you know your party's extension, you may dial it at any time. To place an order, press one. To check on an order, press two. To be placed on our e-mail list, press three. To repeat this menu, press star."

[BEEP] [RING] [RING]

"Thank you for calling the routing department here at MegaLo, your one stop customer first shopping center. We can't get to the phone right now, but your call is very important to us. To check the status of your order, press one. To verify shipment of your order, press two. For the latest stock quotes, press three. To repeat this menu, press star."

[BEEP] [RING] [RING]

"Hi, this is Ted Whisnant, head of the routing department at MegaLo, your one stop customer first shopping center. I can't get to the phone right now, but your call is very important to me. Please leave a brief message at the beep, or press one to speak with my office assistant."

[BEEP] [RING] [RING]

"Thank you for calling the office of Ted Whisnant, head of routing at MegaLo, your one stop customer first shopping center. No one can get to the phone right now, but your call is very important to us. At the sound of the beep, please leave a brief message, including your name and phone number and we will get back to you as soon as possible. BEEP."

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On This Date in Viniculture Testing

Blame Melissa over at Shakesville for me posting this one!

You Are Merlot

Smooth, confident, and popular - you're the type most likely to order wine for the whole group. You seem to breeze through life on your intuition and wit. And no one seems to mind! You're comfortable in any social situation you find yourself in, and you never feel outclassed. And while you live a charmed life, you never let it go to your head. You are truly down to earth and a great friend. Deep down you are: Balanced and mature Your partying style: Surprisingly wild... when you let loose, you really let loose Your company is enjoyed best with: Some greasy pizza

What Kind of Wine Are You?

I would have thought Mad Dog 20/20, or Night Train, but oh well...

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The End Is Here!!

Civilization is officially ended....

Michael Griffin is Full of Shit

In an interview yesterday on NPR's "Morning Edition", NASA Administrator Michael Griffin (text excerpts and audio here) stated: "I'm aware that global warming exists....Whether that is a long term concern or not, I can't say." He goes on to explain that

I have no doubt that … a trend of global warming exists. I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with. To assume that it is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth's climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had and that we need to take steps to make sure that it doesn't change.

In taking a look at Griffin's bio, I see that he has multiple degrees in engineering and physics. He does not, however, list any credentials in climatology, anthropology, or history. And, in my mind, to make a statement like "...to assume that the state of Earth's climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had..." without considering human anthropology and history is... disingenuous... at best.

The Earth's climate is in a constant state of flux. It swings from Ice Ages to warm periods. This has been shown via ice cores and dendrochronology (the study of growth rings in trees) and other ways, and has been going on for all of the history of the planet. However, it has remained relatively stable for the last ten to twelve thousand years - not coincidentally, the time in which human civilization has flourished.

Anthropologists will tell you that humans (physically) have remained basically unchanged for hundreds of thousands of years. But it is only in the mostly stable recent era that we have developed civilization - there is some argument over that (see Graham Hancock, et al), but the 'accepted' timeline shows that we went from hunter-gatherers in circa 10,000 BC to what we have today.

If the human body and brain have been the same for hundreds of thousands of years, what other explanation than the stable climate of the last 10k - 12k years can there be for the rise of civilization? It is this backdrop, this setting, under which we have flourished.

Griffin said

I guess I would ask which human beings — where and when — are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take.

I say, You're full of shit, Mr. Griffin. It is only because of "the climate that we have right here today, right now" that we are even capable of having this discussion. If you could get your head out of the collective ass of BushCo, you would be able to see that.

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