Friday, May 23, 2008

THIS REALLY TAKES THE CAKE


Here I was just saying I didn’t have the energy to blog about politics for a while, and now this atrocious stuff…

But now, from NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro, comes this:

“This might not help the Hillary-for-veep chatter... The New York Post writes, "Hillary Clinton today brought up the assassination of Sen. Robert Kennedy while defending her decision to stay in the race against Barack Obama. 'My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it,' she said, dismissing calls to drop out."

"Clinton made her comments at a meeting with the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader's editorial board while campaigning in South Dakota, where she complained that, 'People have been trying to push me out of this ever since Iowa.'"

“Obama spokesman Bill Burton responded to Clinton's remarks. "Senator Clinton's statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign."

My wife and I are Obama supporters, and we have a fear of such a thing happening to him. As far as I’m concerned, Clinton even bringing up such a thing is absolutely shameless. This ought to end any talk of her being his vice-presidential running mate. This ought to convince any remaining undecided superdelegates that Clinton is possibly in need of psychiatric help or that she is a vile human being, or both, and that they need to go ahead and give their support to Obama.

My apologies to those of you readers who are Clinton supporters, but remarks like those are absolutely the limit. If this is what she really thinks, I’m not sure I could vote for her in November should she somehow steal the nomination from Obama.

I think she will continue to run, but as an Independent. It worked for Lieberman in Connecticut, anyway. You’re getting creamed by your opponent and you are desperate to win, so you desert your party and you become an “Independent” and you keep running. This is what I think we are going to see, because I do not see her bowing out of the race under any circumstances. I can even see how she could make it a competitive three-way race.

Will her ego ultimately throw the election to McCain? Maybe. I hope she has the good sense to bow out of the Democratic race soon, and to keep her mouth shut. I also hope she doesn’t run as a third-party candidate. She cannot get out of the race soon enough for me, anyway.
And she sure as heck better stop using the "A" word.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

TAKING A BREAK FOR A FEW DAYS!


I am way too burned out on politics to write anything on current stuff.

I have been spending way too much time on the computer, and not enough time listening to music, reading books, having family time, and doing other more important things.

But I do know one thing: even though the weather may be crappy, the Sasquatch Festival at the Gorge this weekend is going to be fun! I am fairly sure it is going to recharge my batteries like it did last year!

Check out this blog in about five days, and I will have a bunch of pictures for you to see, with mini-reviews of some of the performances by bands I'm seeing.

Until then, have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Saturday, May 17, 2008

PLEASE COME CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBLOG


I started a new weblog that will feature travels and photos (like the one above that I took today) from around eastern Oregon. This will be a fun diversion from getting myself too stuck in the icky mire of disgusting politics.

The new site is at http://easternoregonroadtrips.blogspot.com/

I have written an introductory post for Eastern Oregon Roadtrips, and I put up my first picture/travelog post there today. Enjoy, and happy travels!

Friday, May 16, 2008

DR. STRANGECHENEY AND OTHER ASSORTED FRIGHTENING ITEMS, PART THREE: WHAT HAS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION BEEN UP TO?

This is Part Three of a series I started on May 3. You can call my interest in this stuff an obsessive-compulsive thing, or whatever you want... but I think it's fascinating. I also think that if more Americans were interested in examining this kind of thing and thought about it more, we might not be in the kind of situation I believe we are in today. If you can stand more of this stuff, here goes:

So, what has the Bush administration been up to as far as working to make things easier for the implementation of martial law? So far this series has been about executive orders, but the following stuff is so nefarious it is necessary to include it here.

Of course there was that one thing the Bush administration tried called Total Information Awareness, which originated in the Information Awareness Office, part of the Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency whose mission, according to a Wikipedia-style article at www.sourcewatch.org, is to "imagine, develop, apply, integrate, demonstrate and transition information technologies, components and prototype, closed-loop, information systems that will counter asymmetric threats by achieving total information awareness." Read the rest of that one here: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Total_Information_Awareness

People howled about Total Information Awareness, and it sort of seemed to go away, although there are various arguments as to how much of it is actually still around.

TIA was/is a plan for facilitating government access to all information on all U.S. citizens. John Poindexter was/is one of the pushers of this scary stuff. Author Gene Healy, writing for the Cato Institute website, has this to say:

"John Poindexter, head of the Pentagon's Office of Information Awareness, is developing a vast surveillance database to track terror suspects. The Total Information Awareness (TIA) system will, according to Poindexter, "break down the stovepipes" that separate commercial and government databases, allowing OIA access to citizens' credit card purchases, travel itineraries, telephone calling records, email, medical histories and financial information. It would give government the power to generate a comprehensive data profile on any U.S. citizen."

Scheise. I think this Poindexter fellow belongs behind bars.

You can read Healy's article here: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=2959

Russ Feingold was one of the driving forces in getting the Total Awareness Information activities to cease. But, from the Sourcewatch article:

"Reuters has obtained a Congressional report that shows nine months after Congress shut down the controversial Pentagon computer-surveillance program called Total Information Awareness, the U.S. government continues to comb private records and databases to sniff out suspicious activity. Peter Swire, who served as the Clinton administration's top official said "I believe that Total Information Awareness is continuing under other names."—reported by Democracy Now!, June 3, 2004." Crap...
Enough of that creepy stuff. Let's go onto some things that are JUST AS BAD...

The following few paragraphs are from an article at http://www.towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/911/ :

"In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law (1). It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of laws that limits the President's ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush is seeking to undo those prohibitions.

"Public Law 109-364, or the "John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007" (H.R.5122) (2), which was signed by the commander in chief on October 17th, 2006, in a private Oval Office ceremony, allows the President to declare a "public emergency" and station troops anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of the governor or local authorities, in order to "suppress public disorder."

"President Bush seized this unprecedented power on the very same day that he signed the equally odious Military Commissions Act of 2006. In a sense, the two laws complement one another. One allows for torture and detention abroad, while the other seeks to enforce acquiescence at home, preparing to order the military onto the streets of America. Remember, the term for putting an area under military law enforcement control is precise; the term is "martial law."

"Section 1076 of the massive Authorization Act, which grants the Pentagon another $500-plus-billion for its ill-advised adventures, is entitled, "Use of the Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies."

Go to the link to read the rest. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is one of the few who have complained publicly about this one...

Here is another Dubya Dropping:

EXECUTIVE ORDER 13324: Signed by George W. Bush 7/17/07, this one blocks the property of certain persons who threaten stabilization in Iraq. This is worded so the person considered a "threat" could be just about anyone, not just terrorists. If they don't like you, this basically means they can seize all your assets.

There are many other things Bush and Cheney have been doing, but another non-executive-order item that sticks in my craw is "Real ID". The following is from an interesting site at http://www.neocrisis.com/content/view/252/105/ . It first appeared 10/2/07:

"On May 11 of next year the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will issue the Real ID to all U.S. citizens. What does that mean for you and me? Well, if you live or work in the United States, you'll need a federally approved ID card (Real ID) to travel on an airplane, train, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments, or take advantage of nearly any government service. Practically speaking, your driver's license likely will have to be reissued to meet federal standards. All Americans will have a 5 year grace period where you will be able to switch over to the new system and then after May 11 of 2013 the Real ID will be “official“ and all other types identifications will not be accepted.

"In order to get a Real ID you will be required to show your birth certificate, proof of address and citizenship, photo ID, and Social Security cards which are just some of what you might be asked to present to the DMV. If you enter an establishment and are required to show your Real ID all of your personal information can be scanned and digitally stored from the RFID or strip on your card, such as your: name, birth date, sex, ID number, a digital photograph (Notice that the image above also shows the individuals religion. Why would the DHS want to know your religious beliefs?)"

This really doesn't have anything to do with any of the things I have written about here... I just get a kick out of the picture!

Next time: What would happen if the Bush administration decided to implement martial law? Do they have a plan? 'Fraid so....

Thursday, May 15, 2008

FUN TIMES!

President Bush is now saying he doesn't want the nation to see him playing golf while we are at war. You know what? I don't want to see him playing golf under any circumstances... I want to see him behind bars. Anyway, Keith Olbermann has some good comments about Bush's comments on golf at this link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24632990/


Bush also evoked the Nazis in what looked to many like remarks aimed at Barack Obama. I don't think members of the Bush family are ones to be talking about things like the Nazis. Anyway, check this out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24647048/

Meanwhile, John McCain is saying things that just sound like... well... stuff we have been hearing for the last 7+ years. I guess he has to try and get into the news somehow, but there is really nothing new here:

There are less than 250 days remaining in the Bush/Cheney administration. Who's counting, you might ask? I am! I think there are quite a few other people in America and around the world doing the same. (By the way, the number is now down to 249!)
Will Bush be out of office as of 1/21/09? Maybe. Will he still be squatting in the White House? Maybe. Will the U.S. have attacked Iran or another country, maybe Syria, by then? Maybe. Will his able would-be replacement John McCain be the next president? I doubt it, although any of these things are impossible to predict.
One thing at a time. For now, I'm just willing to take the less-than-250-days remaining, and be happy with the fact that the number of days left does not increase!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

HOORAY FOR NEIL YOUNG!!!

How do you like this trap-door spider? It's name is Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi!

Neil Young is one of my all-time musical favorites. I think he has received a pretty cool honor, getting something in nature named after him! Check out this link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080511/music_nm/young_dc

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

LITTLE BLACK CAT, HOW I LOVE THEE!


My wife and I live all alone,
In a little old house we call our own;
She loves cats and I do too,
We love our felines through and through!

Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!


If all our cats with feline grace,
Were gathered together in one place;
Then I’d prepare to shed a tear,
Before I’d part from them, my dear.

Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!


’Tis you who are my friend, not foe,
’Tis you who chews on my old clothes;
Here you are, so near my face,
With claws that stick out everyplace.

Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!

If I had cats could grant my wish,
I’d feed to them the finest fish;
I’d feed them on the choicest birds,
And rid their litter box of turds.

Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!


The rose is red, my arms are, too,
From wrestling on the floor with you;
And yet I guess before we stop
My arm will bleed another drop.

Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!

When I'm done working 'round the house,
I take some time to toss her mouse;
She fetches it and brings it back,
My dearest little cat of black.

Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little Black Cat how I love thee!
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