Make it Stop! Make it Stop!

Looking Forward to the Weekend

2010-10-28T22:40:00.002-04:00

The Rally to Restore Sanity is in two days. Can't wait. Will be wonderful to see thousands of wonderful people in town. Welcome to DC!

My Only Word

2010-09-10T12:52:00.002-04:00

On the nutcase with the porn mustache who has had the time of his life holding the press hostage to his every move.

Welcome Beck & Tea Partiers to my Home

2010-08-28T10:05:00.002-04:00

Although it seems that many of them won't be actually visiting much of the city today. Thanks to the warning they've received from one of their own about areas of DC to avoid. (Thanks to DC blogger Laura Olin for creating this map based on the Tea Party's warnings.

Teabaggers are warned that Dupont Circle is the gay area (true enough, but hey, wouldn't anyone who's into teabagging actually WANT to visit the gay area?) And be careful when you speak to a cab driver or waiter because they are "immigrants, frequently from east Africa or Arab countries." And you wouldn't want to make any errors in speaking with them because ... well they are different you know. And apparently easily insulted.

The warning that is causing the most giggles among DC residents is "do not use the Green line or the Yellow line" on the metro. So the Pentagon are among the places that will not be visited by teabaggers this weekend, since it is apparently too dangerous to visit the Pentagon by metro. And Eastern Market is out of the safe range, so I guess all those kids who are having breakfast with their parents and shopping or playing are risking their lives!!!!

So my fellow DCers - if you happen upon a tea partier today, please move slowly and keep your voice low. They seem to scare very easily.

Find Me a Rainbow, PLEASE!

2010-08-16T18:14:00.002-04:00

Have you ever had one of those weeks (okay couple of weeks) where it just seems like there is no such thing as good news on the planet?

Let's see - we've got the gulf taking another beating, this time from oil.
A whole lot of Americans think that it's a great thing to be one, but that right to religious freedom isn't so much a right when Christ isn't involved.
Taliban justice just stoned a young man & woman to death for adultery.
Iran is still considering stoning a woman for the same crime.
A mother may have driven a car with her babies into a pond to kill them.
A huge section of Pakistan is destroyed and thousands killed in flooding. (How many of these "natural "disasters" will it take before the slow-learning crowd starts to get how climate change works?)
And oh yeah, day after day a major US news channel has been working its tail off to encourage our slow-learners to equate a duly-elected President of the US with a totalitarian dictator (pick one, they've almost all been used).

Where's the good news?

Cry Me a River Congressional Republicans

2010-03-12T13:07:00.002-05:00

What do the following pieces of legislation have in common?

Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
Balanced Budget Act of 1995 (vetoed)
Personal Responsibility and Budget Reconciliation Act of 1996
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of 1999 (vetoed)
Marriage Tax Relief Act of 2000 (vetoed)
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005

Give up yet?

They were all passed thanks to "Reconciliation" Look at the dates. Notice anything interesting about them? Yup, Republicans have more than a passing acquaintance with the use of reconciliation to get legislation out off the hill and onto a president's desk. In fact, Republican-controlled Senates have used it 17 times to Democratic-controlled Senate's 5.

Well, you say, perhaps the Republicans who are screaming their heads of on CNN aren't aware of this history. But wait, Senators Bond & Gregg were critical advocates of using reconciliation to get Republican legislation out.

So I guess it must be another Senator Gregg who said, "Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), who said any use of budget reconciliation by President Obama would be “regarded as an act of violence” against Republicans, and likened it to “running over the minority, putting them in cement and throwing them in the Chicago River.”

Wishing Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas to All

2009-12-21T12:14:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's true that neither Bucky nor I are posting much anymore. Combination of blogger burn out and just so much going on in lives on this side of the computer.

But want to wish everyone the best for their holiday season. Take care and be well!

The Psycho Right Does it Again

2009-11-29T12:27:00.003-05:00

The crazies in the right wing of the Republican Party are making yet another move to purge those silly moderates from the party. This time it is a 10-point purity pledge.

1 - Smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama's "stimulus" bill
2 -Market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run health care
3 -Market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation
4 -Workers' right to secret ballot by opposing card check
5 -Legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants
6 - Victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges
7 - Containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat
8 -Retention of the Defense of Marriage Act
9 -Protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion
10 - The right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership

Where to begin, where to begin. Could it be the innate contradiction of points 9 & 10 (we care about your life only while in the womb, outside of it, run or duck & cover, 'cause we've got a right to those guns). Mabe it's point #1, by which standard the darling of the right, Ronny Raygun, would have been rejected. Maybe it's the thought that in today's world they are wasting one of their 10 pledge points on "defending marriage" instead of, oh, I don't know, addressing a national or international security or issue. Or looking at quality of life (poverty, hunger, etc.)

Call it the Palinization of the party if you like, but whatever it is, it's just sad.

Funny, True, and Sad - all at the same time

2009-09-12T10:31:00.000-04:00

Joe Wilson's War

2009-09-10T10:32:00.003-04:00

Well, apparently even though it's acceptable to bring guns to meetings where Congressfolk and / or the President are speaking, it's still socially unacceptable to shout "liar" at the President during a speech in the Capital building. As SC representative Joe Wilson found out last night, and again today. His website is still down, But I'm sure once it's back up and running he'll enjoy hearing from you about the appropriateness of his actions.

I do feel for the people of SC. I mean, sure, ok, some of them elected this guy, and all of them elected the governor, but the state really is taking a one/two punch from their politicians these days. Then again, after all those years of Strom Thurmond in the Senate, they should be used to the lowest possible denominator of representations.

I Had No Idea We Had That Option!

2009-09-09T12:10:00.002-04:00

Pastor Steven Anderson of Phoenix gave a sermon recently titled "Why I Hate Barack Obama," followed by asking his parishioners to join him in praying "that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer."

My personal disgust with the Bush administration led me to start up this blog some years ago. And in that time I made any number of pleas for Bush / Cheney / Rumsfeld and crew to do the right thing. I called for impeachment hearings and investigations.

But not once, not a single time have I on this blog or in my personal life wished death on any of them. But the idea of what that idiot pastor calls "spiritual warfare" is beyond comprehension or belief. The tenor of these repugnant creatures - bringing guns to town hall meetings, praying for a US president's death (and not even having the decency to call him Mr. President or President Obama, but then once you're praying for a man's death, I suppose all pretense to decency has pretty much flown out the window), the whole insane, "we're all Rush L playthings now" ideology just baffles me.

How on earth are these creatures formed? Where does this come from?

Laughter(and ridicule), the best medicine

2009-08-20T11:18:00.002-04:00

On the subject of what Popessa calls the "town hall psychos" and their rhetoric, especially the alleged administration "death panels" in the works to "kill off granny," I stole this meditation from James Fallows of the Atlantic. If the psychos REALLY think they're destined for the DEATH PANELS, then why don't we announce immediate availability of same, with the following options:

PUBLIC OPTION:
Firing squad manned by NRA members
Being dressed like a dog and thrown into the locker room of Michael Vick
Being left in the median strip of a major interstate highway

PRIVATE OPTION:
Going hunting with Dick Cheney
Being left on an Alaskan glacier to await Sarah Palin's gunning you down from a helicopter
Being forced to ingest the medications that Rush Limbaugh is on

As Fallows concludes, laughter and Barney Frank-style contempt just might be the cure for this idiocy.

OMG! We Have GOT to Start Spending More Money on Education!

2009-08-11T12:08:00.003-04:00

Ok, so I've avoided the "town hall" nonsense out of sheer stubbornness. But I've just listened to a few snippets and am convinced that the number one problem in America is that we've become very very stupid.

A 20-something girl who bemoans that all of this is because the nation is "becoming like Russia" or those that FEAR we are becoming socialists. Or have convinced themselves that the President of the United States wants to kill the elderly.

I can't figure out what astounds me more about these idiots. That they're letting themselves be led by the nose by those who love the status quo that is screwing them over at the moment, or that they seem to actually believe the nonsense they spout. They must, how else do you get such full throated screaming unless you think you're being personally attacked.

Well done Fox news and the health care industry. You certainly have done a great job of convincing many people to do your work and thank you for it. PT Barnum would be proud.

Personally, I'm going to agitate as hard as I can for more money for education.

Thinking about bias...

2009-07-14T21:17:00.002-04:00

Watching the Sotomayor hearings play out, I am puzzled by the insistent questioning about her "biases" that she would presumably bring to bear unfairly on her rulings. Does this mean that white men appointed to the court bring no bias whatsoever and therefore are the only reliable arbiters of this society's legal tangles? Were the people pursuing this line of questioning really serious?

Just sayin,' that's strictly a rhetorical question. I watch in wonder...

Better late than never...

2009-07-13T23:04:00.004-04:00

I've been away from Make It Stop for awhile, partly because nothing moved me sufficiently to offer a comment-- why should you inflict perspective-free drivel on people--and because I spent about ten days in France, utterly removed from the News. I had no computer, no smart phone, no television, even. I did keep my eyes and ears open, though, and something DID get my attention.

As we know, France's state motto is "Liberte, egalite, fraternite"--liberty, equality, brotherhood. Since the time of the French Revolution, French people have steadfastly insisted that everyone in France is a Frenchman, period. In theory, you have no social class, no ethnicity, no religion in the eyes of the state--you are a Frenchman. Unfortunately, in recent years, this insistence that "we are all French" rang hollow in the case of those French citizens who came from France's former overseas colonies, particularly Algeria and Tunisia. They are Frenchmen, all right, but they are disproportionately represented in low-income housing, the ranks of the unemployed and poor, and manifestly underrepresented, even absent, in high-profile or prestige occupations. The word on the street is that if you are of African descent, you are a lot less French than some other French people when it comes to opportunities for advancement in society. French authorities have repeated "we are all Frenchmen" like a mantra even in the face of destructive riots and protests in the last few years.

So imagine my surprise when my friend and I drove to Verdun to inspect the memorial complex there last month. Verdun is Verdun, a monument to some of the bloodthirstiest military leaders ever. This time, though, I immediately noticed a new, white, mosque-like structure with a small obelisk within on the road to Fort Douamont. It turned out to be a monument--to my knowledge, the first-ever monument--to the French Muslim(read:colonial) troops who played a key role in saving Verdun from German conquest. Then-President Jacques Chirac dedicated it two years ago this month. We wondered what brought this on, since previously all soldiers on the allied side were "French," period. Apparently it came in response to some flagrant grave desecrations elsewhere, especially in Arras on the Somme, vandals . But this is not a one-off...at every memorial area, museum and bookstore, we noted new exhibits and volumes specifically dedicated to the French colonial soldier's experience in the Great War. At last, it seems that the French government acknowledges that there ARE differences among Frenchmen, and that maybe it is a wise gesture to recognize some of those "different" groups. That isn't going to integrate politics or business overnight, but it's a constructive step that COULD make some people feel valued and/or welcomed. France is a multicultural nation...might as well learn to like and live with that!

Plus c'est la meme chose, plus ca change...

Iran Protests Continue

2009-06-28T14:44:00.003-04:00

There has been a spark of life among demonstrators today after the past week's violent repression. Among those wandering out to stand with demonstrators was Mehdi Karroubi in this video. Karroubi came in 3rd in the election before this. While he hasn't made much news in our cable news, he has a following in Iran and may be making his move now.

2009-06-22T16:52:00.001-04:00

Watching Iran - 2

2009-06-21T13:01:00.003-04:00

Some other places that are keeping tabs on what is going on in Iran.

Reporters Without Borders

CNN blog wire

Al Jazeera

Words from Mousavi

2009-06-21T12:12:00.002-04:00

Even as we watch & cheer the revolts in Iran, I remind people that Mousavi isn't exactly Ghandi. He was a member of the government, supporter & proponent of the Islam revolution in Iran and isn't exactly Mr. Peace & Good Will. That said, here is some of Mousavi's latest word (from Tehran Bureau) on recent events (only a piece, the post is quite long, so feel free to click over to TBureau to get the rest).

A turning point in the history of our nation is emerging these days and nights. People are asking themselves and, in their rallies, me about what should be done [about the present situation], and which direction should be taken [to continue the protests]. I consider it my duty to explain to you what I think, and to tell you and be taught by you, so that we will not forget our historic mission, and take the responsibility for the future and fate of many [future] generation and eras. . . . We are not up against the Basij [the paramilitary group controlled by the government], they are our brothers. We are not up against the Sepaah [the Revolutionary Guards], they protect our revolution and our political system. We are not up against the army, the army protects the security of our borders. We are not up against our holy political system and its legal structure, it protects our freedom, independence and the Islamic Revolution. We are up against lies and deviations [from our revolutionary principles], and we wish to reform it [the system] by returning to the pure principles of the Islamic Revolution.

Watching Iran

2009-06-20T10:56:00.004-04:00

There are so many places to keep in touch with what is going in Iran. Almost none of them involve cable or tv news.

Videos from Iran
http://www.youtube.com/schlokhre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw9sIVeuIIo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLo_6Qp1eTk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIrX6UiXReE

Blogs
UK's Guardian doing live blogs from Iran

Twitter
Tehran Bureau from Twitter
And of course the hash marked tweets - http://www.twitter.com (#iranelection) (#iranrevolution)

Congratulations to Pro Life Crowd

2009-05-31T16:09:00.005-04:00

For encouraging some of the most twisted logic one can imagine. Abortion is murder. But apparently shooting doctors who perform abortions is righteous? Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, KS was killed at his church Sunday morning. NYTimes Story here.

This crew is nothing less than disgusting. Operation Rescue (which has spent much time demonstrating at Tiller's clinic) issued a comment condemned the shooting as a "cowardly act." Of course, this is the same organization that refers to Tiller as a monster who gets away with murder on their website. Ex O.Rescue founder Terry called Tiller a mass murderer. So what does Terry have to say about Tiller's death?

We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God." I am more concerned that the Obama administration will use Tiller's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions. Abortion is still murder, and we still must call abortion by its proper name.

I can think of a whole lot of names for Terry and the ORescue crowd. None of them proper.

20 Years Ago

2009-05-31T10:37:00.003-04:00

Twenty years ago this week I was living in a wretched little apartment two blocks away from the Chinese embassy building here in DC. I watched with all of us in horror as the Chinese government sent tanks and troops into Tiananmen Square to crush the Chinese students' protest for democratic government. And I was one of many who spent the next few days planted in that tiny, triangular park in front of the embassy in protest. Before long some creative protesters had added a small, defiant "Goddess of Democracy" statue to the park, standing in silent protest and condemnation of the embassy across the street.

News channels have already started the anniversary stories on the Tianamen crackdown and massacre. Images stay with us. A lone man in a stand off with a line of tanks the day after the attack on the square perhaps the most iconic. The stories will note that we still do not know how many people died that day 20 years ago in the square. The Chinese government will decline to comment on the story. But what we will see and hear most of all will be how things have changed. How students who were killed for advocating democracy have become students who listen to music on ipods, surf the web, own property and enjoy the right to determine what they want to do in life.

Some stories may ask us to conclude that the students of 1989 have won the long battle. I would disagree. The Chinese government has used economic freedom to distract the people from political freedom. Shiny new toys do distract for a while. But they do not distract forever. The voices of 1989 will rise again, and this time I believe they will persevere. I believe the people who died that night at Tianamen Square will be heard again. I can't wait to listen.

When is an Insult Not an Insult?

2009-05-30T11:27:00.003-04:00

I would say it's when a Latina judge says she would like to think that "a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." To me that's a no brainer. I don't see the term "Latina" as much as I see the term "woman" and "richness of expereince" and can only agree with the statement. I've lived my entire life in a world dominated by white men whose life experiences don't much match mine, those of women I know, or those of men of color I know. And honestly, I do think that life experience can be a critical component of making a good judge.

I have to say something I find fascinating has been the ease with which some white men have fallen into the "we're the victim in all of this" mentality that they bitterly attacked during the women's movement and civil rights era. I think it's that interesting turn around more than just about anything else that I have found greatly amusing in the rants of Gingrich or Will or all the other poor white middle age very rich men who are now crying their hearts out about injustice.

Remembering the Women

2009-05-25T12:21:00.003-04:00

In WWI, 359 servicewomen are known to have died - influenza, vehicle & aircraft accidents the causes.
WWII - 543 women died, again vehicle accidents. 16 Army nurses died from enemy fire.
Korean War - 17 women died, vehicle accidents.
Vietnam - 8 women died, vehicle accidents, a suicide and one hostile fire.
First Gulf Wars - 16 women died, vehicle accidents and hostile fire.

Iraq and Afghanistan
Almost 170,000 female American soldiers have served in the Iraq/Afghanistan wars since 2003. One in every 7 troop members is a woman. They are 15% of the active duty forces. More than 450 women have been wounded in Iraq to date, 71 have died.

Who are these women? Where are they from? They include Michelle Ring, who was killed on July 5, 2007 by enemy mortar fire in Baghdad. And Tracy Lynn Alger, killed in Shubayshen, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near her vehicle on November 1, 2007. Megan McClung from Coupeville, Washington, killed on December 6, 2006 in Al Anbar province, Iraq and Lizbeth Robles from Puerto Rico, who died on March 1, 2005 of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. They are daughters, sisters and mothers. Women who, as The Navy Times poitns out, too often have to fight more than the enemy. The Navy Times looks at the toll of war on some of those troops here. Sadly, as NT points out, serving in a war as a woman can mean a greater risk from fellow troops than from the enemy.

Word among female troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan is they are more likely to be raped by fellow soldiers than killed by the enemy. One statistic — the 9-to-1 ratio of men to women in the military — works against women’s safety, Wells said.

This is the "The Private War of Women Serving in Iraq" Helen Benedict writes about in her new book, "The Lonely Soldier." As we remember the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform through the centuries, let us not forget that far too many of our troops continue to fight on two fronts.

Obama's Speech at Notre Dame

2009-05-17T17:23:00.002-04:00

If you haven't had a chance to read the speech in its entirety, click here, it is worth the read. The President covers many issues, including the abortion debate and the current state of the nation and the world. But there was one paragraph that touched me the most. One that speaks to each of us individually, reminding us that we are not islands, but each responsible for the other.

So many of you at Notre Dame – by the last count, upwards of 80% -- have lived this law of love through the service youʼve performed at schools and hospitals; international relief agencies and local charities. That is incredibly impressive, and a powerful testament to this institution. Now you must carry the tradition forward. Make it a way of life. Because when you serve, it doesnʼt just improve your community, it makes you a part of your community. It breaks down walls. It fosters cooperation. And when that happens – when people set aside their differences to work in common effort toward a common good; when they struggle together, and sacrifice together, and learn from one another – all things are possible.

Ok, This Type of Thing is Usually Below Me, But . . .

2009-05-16T15:16:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I just can't resist irony, even if it comes wrapped in one of those stupid brain-dead stories that cable news pays way too much attention to. And so yes, here I am, also paying attention to it. But it's ok, because it's for the irony :).

Carrie Prejean aka Miss California, who let first got national attention after letting folks know that she finds gays to be unnatural, was, at the time of that statement, sporting a pair of . . . well let's just call them "unnatural" breasts. Yup, the woman not only had a boob job, but one paid for by the California pageant.

Cheney, Pelosi, and Notre Dame, Oh My

2009-05-16T14:50:00.002-04:00

Things have been lively since my last post. The big Dick has been everywhere on TV (he didn't get this much exposure in the 2004 election!) spouting his warnings that we're all going to die, Die, DIE!!! because the new administration isn't continuing to torture folks. And for all of his bragging that those "enhanced" interrogation techniques have kept us safe since 2001, I am waiting to hear from him how those same techniques were also used to give the administration their justification to invade Iraq and link Hussein with al-Qaida. Maybe in the next interview.

And Pelosi has come out swinging against the CIA with the "I didn't know what I knew when I knew it" excuse. Man up Pelosi and give it to the folks straight. Is there anyone out there who really thinks she didn't know? Just what we don't need right now.

And then, of course, there is the stupid story to end stupid stories. The horror of a U.S. President being asked to speak at a college commencement. For years now students have bucked up and sat through Bush administration blowhards in commencement speeches. (OK, we'll give kudos to the ones who stood up & turned their backs on him, or walked out, but that never really made the news much). Certainly not like this. And we'll put aside the fact that commencement is about the students and their work/achievements. Because that has long ago been lost in the race to find the biggest name to bloviate from the podium to a crowd of hung-over and sleep deprived twenty-somethings. So now South Bend is ground zero for a few hundred lifers and Fox News commentators with their aborted fetus posters.

Yup, interesting times.

CNN Having Trouble Remembering Who is President

2009-05-02T17:47:00.001-04:00

From a CNN online headline a few minutes ago:

Bush, Calderon huddle over flu

President Obama spoke with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Saturday afternoon to discuss "efforts to limit the spread of the 2009 H1N1 flu strain," the White House said. Their conversation came the same day a CDC official said about a third of Americans sickened had recently visited Mexico or had contact with someone who had. full story

Michele Bachmann - Always Good for a Laugh

2009-04-28T17:53:00.003-04:00

Seriously now, Michele Bachmann, representing the ever-redder faced Minnesotans who elected her, is always good for a fun quote. Her latest wisdom is that while she is not "blaming [the swine flu] on President Obama" she finds it an interesting coincidence that the last swine flu outbreak in the US occurred under a Democratic president.

Apparently Michele, not being as old as some of us, doesn't remember the Swine Flu epidemic of 1976, when Gerald Ford (a Republican) was actually President. But then again, Michele isn't exactly known for her accuracy, as much as for her apparent willingness to say just about anything when faced with a camera. Keep it up kiddo - it's not a real Bachmann quote until milk is squirtting out of my nose.

Although I'm not sure I'm convinced as some in the Democratic party are, that Michele's words of unwisdom are worth their own website. Apparently the site has just started up, because they only have a handful of Bachmannisms, and not even the best ones! They focus on economic issues. How dull.

So for the uninitiated, I bring you -- Michele in all her glory!

Little children will be forced to learn that homosexuality is normal and natural and perhaps they should try it. - Interview with Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries.

Literally, if we took away the minimum wage—if conceivably it was gone—we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level. . . . If we allow businesses to be prosperous and accrue capital, they’ll be giving their employees more than they can even begin to imagine. But when we continue to tie cement blocks on businesses (like the minimum wage) and constrain them, they can actually do less than their employees. . . . I was wondering, if most employers are already doing this anyway, isn’t minimum wage really just superfluous? Why do we even have one? — 1/26/05, Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, testifying against a bill to raise the MN minimum wage and advocating the elimination of the minimum wage altogether.

We’re in a state of crisis where our nation is literally ripping apart at the seams right now, and lawlessness is occurring from one ocean to the other. And we’re seeing the fulfillment of the Book of Judges here in our own time, where every man doing that which is right in his own eyes—in other words, anarchy. – as guest on “Prophetic Views Behind The News”, hosted by Jan Markell, KKMS 980-AM, March 6, 2004.

Spending comes just as natural to liberals in Minnesota and the Minnesota legislature as bashing decency comes to the editorial board of our major metropolitan newspapers. — EdWatch conference, October 10-11, 2003

It isn’t that some gay will get some rights. It’s that everyone else in our state will lose rights. For instance, parents will lose the right to protect and direct the upbringing of their children. Because our K-12 public school system, of which ninety per cent of all youth are in the public school system, they will be required to learn that homosexuality is normal, equal and perhaps you should try it. And that will occur immediately, that all schools will begin teaching homosexuality. -- guest on radio program “Prophetic Views Behind The News”, hosted by Jan Markell, KKMS 980-AM, March 6, 2004.

And of course, who could forget this nugget on Pelosi's work for legislation to deal with climate change:

[Pelosi] is committed to her global warming fanaticism to the point where she has said that she's just trying to save the planet. We all know that someone did that over 2,000 years ago, they saved the planet -- we didn't need Nancy Pelosi to do that.

Taking a Break from the Swine Flu Panic for a Moment

2009-04-28T17:09:00.002-04:00

Not to worry, cable news will keep us informed on how quickly and horribly we're all soon about to die, so you can break away from taking your temperature and buying Purell stock to think about something else.

Republican Senator Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania) has switched to the Democratic Party. According to the Senator he has been increasingly "at odds with the Republican philosophy." Ok, I'll give him the switch, but isn't he arguing here that there actually IS a Republican philosophy? I am not sure that fear and intimidation actually counts as a philosophy, but whatever. Good to have you on board Sen. Specter. Now, if Still-Hoping-to-be-Senator Franken manages to keep the Minnesota Supreme Court on his side, the Democrats will have their 60-seat mark (the magic "filibuster-proof majority" that all seek in politics).

Kudos to the Dems. Although if they do have their magic majority, I'm expecting to see more spine in the future.

A little question...

2009-04-25T18:17:00.003-04:00

I agree with Popessa, there's much better material for comment when you have such a rich assortment of kooks, jingos, militarists and bible-thumpers as we had not so long ago. But here's something I have been puzzled about: I've been hearing a lot out here in the wilds of Eastern Oregon, as well as from teabaggers and assorted other citizens of the alternative universe, about how Obama has moved on from terrorism: he's a socialist, or fascist, or crypto-fascist who is plotting as we speak to send conservatives to FEMA concentration camps, take everyone's guns and install permanent Obama rule. In other words, Obama is going to rule us as a dictator bent on cruelty and dreadfullness where avowed conservatives are concerned.

On the other hand, we've heard these same people telling us that Obama has endangered national security through his soft embrace of Hugo Chavez, and...that Obama has invited apocalyptic attack and disaster by(wait for it)REFUSING TO SANCTION TORTURE.

How in the heck do you have a gun-proscribing, conservative-persecuting, socialist/fascist dictatorship if you WON'T TORTURE PEOPLE?!! The Nazis wrote the book on mass ethnic murder and debilitating medical experiments, while the NKVD wrote the original 20th century torture techniques primer. Just read the first volume of the Gulag Archipelago--it's all there, including the alleged Novocherkassk fingernail extracting machine.

At least MY inquiring mind wants to know.

Bizarro World Republicans

2009-04-25T14:37:00.002-04:00

Apparently it's hard being the party out of power. I would have warned the Republicans, but not having actually been a party IN power for as long as I can remember (ok, Clinton, but that was reluctant support for a guy not quite as far to the right as his opponents), I can only try to empathize with Cheney, Rush, Rove & Company as they flail around trying to find their minority voice. As I noted in a post below this, I find it all just so comical. And so I will share - here they are, the comedic stylings of the psycho right:

Cheney asks the government to release classified CIA reports
Rove complains that "senior White House staff meet to digest their latest polling and focus-group research."
Rush attacks President Obama for "killing three Muslim kids"
Fox news complains about the Obama-Chavez handshake with Chavez (and yes, its pundits were silent on the 2002 Bush-Karimov handshake (remember Uzbekistan President Karimov anyone? - let's just say that apparently Fox News doesn't consider his policies repressive or repulsive)

When up is down and down is up, it can only mean one thing. Republicans are desperately seeking a way back to relevancy.

Apologies

2009-04-25T14:28:00.002-04:00

From myself and Bucky for not posting more regularly since Obama's inauguration. It appears that for me, at least, I am a much better poster in angry opposition than in support or moderate opposition. Even the title of this blog reflect my view of the world mired in the days of Bush & Co. Since the inauguration I have disagreed with the administration, but in such small and dare I even say petty ways in comparison with the daily indignation that fuled my moral outrage during W's time.

And as outraged as I'd love to be at the psycho right as they play the role of party out of power, they're just so utterly bad at it that I find them comedic and pitiful. As Cheney and Rove roar, or Palin tries to lead her right right wing crew to something useful, I just find them . . . funny. Not at all dangerous, just funny.

And do you know how hard it is to muster moral outrage for blogging when the enemy is merely laughable and impotent?

Teabagging in a Nutshell

2009-04-15T17:15:00.002-04:00

You know, sometimes the right is just more entertaining than a barrel full of monkeys. Kudos to this guy for pulling off some of the best punning without laughing.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Just Say Die

2009-03-28T09:36:00.004-04:00

OK, I'll finally make a comment on Pope Benedict XVI's irresponsible claim while in Cameroon that condoms don't stop HIV, so people shouldn't bother with them. The church has long taught and argued against artificial contraception. But to take it a step further and say that condoms "increase the problem" borders on the criminal. I hadn't bothered with this nonsense before now because that's what it is, nonsense. But I will take my hat off to the creative minds behind an initiative to flood to Vatican with condoms. Ok, so they don't have much use for them there, but I love the spirit behind it.

War Protest

2009-03-21T13:06:00.002-04:00

An anti-war protest is scheduled for DC today. We are, after all, six years into the war in Iraq. The ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) is the main organizer for today's march, and has called for other rallies in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Miami. For the first time since the war began, I do not know anyone who is marching today. I'm sure hundreds of people will be downtown for this today, but I doubt thousands. I could be wrong. It is not because the war has suddenly become popular or justified, but . . . just guessing. There are those (including myself) who believe the Obama administration has got a good handle on this and will get our folks out in as best a way possible for us & Iraq. Others no doubt have many other problems on their plate now thanks to the economy.

In the meantime, let us hope and pray with all our hearts for the safety of our troops in Iraq, and for the people of that poor country.

Bonus Pendulum

2009-03-21T12:41:00.002-04:00

Hear that? It's the sound of the bonus pendulum swinging back. Well not all the way back, more of a slight, almost imperceptible twitch. Now that Americans are in full froth storm the castle mode, a few voices are urging acceptance. "Sure it stings," they say, "but it's the price we have to pay to fix this." And then there is always the side show in the US Congress as member after member runs for as many cameras as he or she can find to remind their constituents that "I didn't vote for the bail out. Or if I did, it was only after voting against it once. Or if I voted for it twice, I complained loudly about the bonus packages that were in it. Or if you happen to have footage of me complaining that messing with people's bonuses was un-American, well that was just an error and it's the other party's fault in the long run."

After all, isn't the game of proclaiming innocence and ignorace, followed by point the finger, always more fun than actually trying to work together to find solutions. Which brings us back to the pendulum. Should we bother being angry about the bonuses? Or just smile, take it and move on in the hopes that all will be well in the end?

I'd actually like to vote for smile, take it and move on. (OK, perhaps forget the smile part.) But that requires us to put our trust in the systems and people who are part of the problem to begin with. The real culprits have taken their bonus money and moved on months ago we're told. And the ones who are left are just trying their best to straighten this all out.

I'll even give them that the folks left are trying to straighten it out. But let's be honest. They don't really seem to know what they're doing. Not how they got into the mess, and certianly not how to get out of it. So if they leave and new people have to come in to do the work - are we losing anything? I doubt it. So in the end, I'm ok with keeping my pitchfork & using it to take back some of that bonus money. Because with it or without it to reward or keep folks in AIG & all the other financial towers of doom, there don't seem to be many people around who know how to fix the problems.

Go, Gail, Go Girl!

2009-03-19T01:41:00.004-04:00

I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I contemplate the sorry saga of AIG. But Gail Collins' take on things like this always cracks me up, as it did just now when I visited tomorrow's New York Times. Here's the concluding paragraph of her column from today, March l9:

"Let’s complain about Barack Obama. Why doesn’t he sound angrier? Doesn’t he understand that his job right now is to be the Great Venter?

Sure he keeps saying he’s mad. But you can tell that he secretly thinks it’s crazy to obsess about $165 million in bonuses in a company that’s still got $1.6 trillion in toxic assets to unravel. “I don’t want to quell that anger. I want to channel our anger in a constructive way,” he said on Wednesday. Everybody knows constructively channeled anger doesn’t really count. It’s like diet pizza.

If John McCain were president, you can bet that we’d be getting outrage 24-7. McCain would be so angry that we’d be scared that he’d have a coronary or invade a new country. The New York Post would be running “Calm Down, Mr. President” headlines.

Except, of course, the whole reason we elected Barack Obama was because when the economy started melting down, Obama seemed sane and calm while McCain appeared to be a loopy visitor from the Planet of the Overwrought.

I hate it when we make irrational, contradictory demands of our president. But, it seems as if that’s what he’s there for."

Did he REALLY say that?!

2009-03-19T00:26:00.002-04:00

I was underwhelmed at the prospect of former President George W. Bush's giving his first post-Presidency speech in Calgary, Alberta yesterday. Indeed, whenever our former President has spoken, in or out of office, it all sounds to me like the voice of the teacher in the Peanuts cartoon, i.e. blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah into infinity. But this line he delivered afterward about his upcoming memoir--this is assuming he has a publisher--suddenly sat me up straight in my seat:

"I’m going to put people in my place, so when the history of this administration is written at least there’s an authoritarian voice saying exactly what happened,” Bush said."

Since Bush has a tendency to stumble around in his public utterances, you want to assume he meant "authoritative" rather than "authoritarian," because he was all about freedom--you know, God's gift to all peoples, etc. etc., ad nauseum.

But it certainly occurred to me that this might be the best example in world history of a Freudian slip...am I wrong?

A Public Catharsis

2009-03-17T18:50:00.002-04:00

Many are calling for some sort of public catharsis in the economic community. When even a US senator suggests resignations and suicide to the Wall Street navel-gazing bulls that set off this nonsense, you've got some serious public anger out there. I'm more a fan of public recognition of these men & women. Show trials have their appeal, and offer a pretty good public catharsis. Just like the sex offender registry, I'm in favor of an economic idiot registry. Let's say you were one of the crew who abandoned common sense in a chance for more & faster money. Let's get your name onto a registry so that when you apply for a new job after your company tanks, or your last bonus is somehow pitifully reduced to less than $1 million, your new employer will have the opportunity to check the public data base & see what your contribution has been.

The Twisted Tale of AIG

2009-03-17T18:36:00.002-04:00

It's hard to find a voice arguing in favor of much to do with AIG these days. Even the most ardent supporters are hemming and hawing over the bonus scandal. The most forceful argument I've heard was some guy on talk radio whose argument was that we don't know who the bonuses are going to so can't say if they deserved those bonuses or not.

Well, it seems we actually do know who is getting bonus money at AIG. According to NY's Attorney General Andrew Cuomo noted that AIG had retention bonuses of $1 million or more (yes, that is $1 million per person) to 73 in the AIG Financial Products subsidiary. You remember that group right, these are the guys who almost wrecked the company. If that's not worth a $1 million retention bonus, what is.

And you've heard this argument, right - the mess these folks got the company into is so complicated that they are the only ones who can get us out of it. So it's worth a few dozen $1 million bonuses to hold onto those people.

Then again, of that group, 11 have taken their bonuses and cut & run. I look forward to hearing what is going on with these 11 ex AIGers. I'm sure they've taken their million dollar bonuses and left the company so they could do good in the world. We'll hear of them helping to fund fights against disease, or building houses for the poor. Wouldn't that be a nice world.

Most likely we won't even get a postcard from their new retreat on their private south pacific island.

Outrage!

2009-03-13T01:26:00.002-04:00

Just for the record, I think it's an outrage that the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoe at former President Bush got a jail sentence. I would have given him a medal for defending his country!

Thoughts on the German school shootings

2009-03-13T00:51:00.004-04:00

When talk turns to secondary and college education in the US, at least in my circles, it's pretty negative. You hear, for example, that there are no practical standards for high school students to meet, that anyone can pursue higher education, with the result that too many people go to college and waste their money and time there partying, that the college-as-business ethos has turned undergraduate education into a farce, etc. etc.

On the other hand, there is a pronounced tendency to lionize the European educational system. There, DOGS or DOPS(disgruntled old grads or disgruntled old profs)say, every student has to meet high standards in rigorous testing, the college -bound are identified and segregated early, so that they can prepare for the rigors of university, while those less academically gifted automatically head off for Mercedez-Benz to become highly paid servicepeople. Well, this week's horrifying shooting rampage has brought to light some facts that give you pause about that vaunted European model.

As Sabine Rennefranz reports in today's London Guardian, German schools have developed serious problems over the last decade. For one thing, the teaching cadre is older, average age 54, and they don't receive any instruction in psychology or child development. They look at students strictly in terms of how well they perform in class. Second, there is less social mobility in German society than in a lot of places, so that if you are deemed voc-tech material and you don't want that, you see a lot of doors shutting on you permanently, even if you do get a good internship. Third, there have been a lot of cutbacks in social welfare and education in recent German budgets. While I don't want to blame societal conditions for an act of apparent insanity, you can see where an average student--like this gunman-- might feel marginalized, trapped, alienated.

The US educational system IS a mess, a patchwork quilt of requirements according to the state you live in, and probably too many students do go to college--anyone who's had a large undergraduate intro class and compared the numbers at the beginning and end know this. Students come in with poor skills and inferior basic knowledge. And yet, and yet...you aren't shut off from college if you choose not to attend when you are l8...you might not get into a top university, but you can get your college degree at any age if you've got some initiative and desire and get yourself a professional position. And redemption is always just around the corner for people who have trouble...faculty and staff will almost always work with you to help you succeed if you let them. This educational system, and for that matter the society in which it is based, is still far more mobile and flexible than most, with all its myriad flaws.

I think i will be revisiting some of my fundamental beliefs about Things here vs. Things elsewhere...

Dueling dips

2009-03-11T21:53:00.003-04:00

We interrupt this blog for a bulletin from the temporarily unfriendly skies:

Самолет вернулся в Каир из-за драки российских дипломатов
Два российских дипломата подрались в самолете, выполнявшем рейс №791 Каир (Египет) – Сана (Йемен), сообщил портал Saba.net.
Как сообщил старший бортпроводник, сначала дипломаты начали ожесточенно спорить, а когда остальные пассажиры попытались их успокоить, началась драка.
Из-за того, что в столкновении один из россиян серьезно пострадал, пилот самолета принял решение вернуться в аэропорт Каира спустя полчаса после взлета.

If your Russian language isn't up to snuff, the English of the Gazeta.ru site's report is as follows:

"Plane returns to Cairo after diplomat fisticuffs"

Two Russian diplomats came to blows on flight 791 from Cairo, Yemen's Saba.net reports.

The chief steward reported that the fight began with a heated argument, and when passengers tried to calm the two men, they began pummeling one another.

Because one of the men was badly injured in the fight, the pilot decided to return to Cairo airport about a half hour after takeoff."

It's been a little difficult on the blogging front, because I generally applaud the performance of our new President, my man Barack O'Bama, and because i am still trying to figure out why anyone would buy a toxic mortgage since by definition they are worthless. That doesn't exactly make my opinion on financial crises golden. But fortunately, we can always count on Russian diplomats to entertain us, whether they are rolling in the aisles at 35,000 feet or chiding the US Secretary of State for using the word "overload" rather than "reset" on what was supposed to be the "reset button" for US-Russian relations.

Thank you Sergei Lavrov and staff, in or out of the hospital!

Women's Day?

2009-03-08T19:37:00.002-04:00

This year marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Women have come far, but in too many spots on the planet have much further to go.

Mothers in Iraq pimp their daughters

That underworld is a place where nefarious female pimps hold sway, where impoverished mothers sell their teenage daughters into a sex market that believes females who reach the age of 20 are too old to fetch a good price. The youngest victims, some just 11 and 12, are sold for as much as $30,000, others for as little as $2,000. "The buying and selling of girls in Iraq, it's like the trade in cattle," Hinda says. "I've seen mothers haggle with agents over the price of their daughters."

One step forward and two steps back in Afghanistan.

On the same day an Afghan female lawmaker announced her candidacy for Afghanistan's presidency, an impoverished widow seeking to escape a life of despair set herself on fire.

African Women continue to struggle against abuse and genocide.

Ban recalled a young woman he met on his trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who was "brutally and violently abused by four soldiers at gunpoint" in eastern Congo while fleeing fighting that destroyed her village.

"She is now at the Heal Africa hospital in Goma, suffering not only from her physical injuries but from being ostracised by her village and family from a false sense of shame", he said.

Happy Happy, Joy Joy

2009-03-02T08:18:00.004-05:00

I am a great fan of snow. Love snow. Sadly, DC is not exactly in the snow belt. So when we get even a little I am happy. Today we've got more than a little. So to move briefly away from politics & world events to the simple pleasure. Yea Snow!

Taxation Without Representation

2009-03-01T12:41:00.002-05:00

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to DC was my inability to vote for much of anything. To vote for anyone who matters on the national station. Congress was kind enough to let me vote for President as well as a non-voting member of Congress. Yup, my representation in the national legislation was one person who doesn't get to vote on anything. Oh yeah, and in return I still got to pay federal taxes. It's no wonder that "Taxation Without Representation" has been the shout out from DC residents for years now. Sadly many tourists who see that on our license plates have no clue. The few polls done on the topic show that most Americans don't realize that DC residents have fewer rights than they do.

But in return, I do get to live in a city where a brain-dead representative from No Place, Georgia, can create legislation that affects my day to day life as a resident of the city. Who wouldn't sign up for such a lovely situation! Can you imagine what would happen if this was offered to people outside DC? Hi citizens of Dallas, Texas, we're taking your US Representative and Senators away, and oh yeah, and by the way, the Representative from New York City gets to decide what laws you'll live by in Dallas.

With trepidation (will I jinx us?) I am watching legislation move along that will provide me with a delegate who can actually vote on national legislation. Wouldn't that be something.

Yes, Let's Not Forget Afghanistan . . .

2009-03-01T12:31:00.002-05:00

In one of those "let's check in on the former first lady & see how she's doing" interviews with Laura Bush, she said that she hopes President Obama does not get distracted by other matters because the U.S. should continue to have a presence in Afghanistan.

Fair enough. Although a few years to late. Did the reporter stop to ask Ms. Bush what she thought of her husband's abandonment of Afghanistan in favor of driving out Saddam and rebuilding Iraq in whatever little Neo-Con image he had in mind? Nope. Because we treat our ex-first ladies with kid gloves. But it's nice to know that at least one of the Bushes who currently lived in the White House thought our efforts in Afghanistan were important.

Dump Burris

2009-02-16T10:10:00.002-05:00

Far be it from me to jump on a Republican bandwagon, but Roland Burris should never have been allowed to take a seat in the US Senate to begin with. I can't imagine anyone accepting Blagojevich's nomination in the first place. But then again, I've never been desperate for public office. Burris, on the other hand, has tried & failed in runs for governor (twice) and Chicago mayor since 1994. Between Burris' unquenchable thirst for office and Blagojevich's ability to just about anything for money, a bad result was inevitable. Did Burris do anything unethical or illegal to get this seat? I don't know. Did he set himself up for every Tom, Dick & Harry with a magnifying glass to investigate him? Sure did. I'm also betting that Burris' ego is big enough that if he does have some recent dirty linen he thinks it won't be found, or it won't bring him down. We'll see.

When You Absolutely,

2009-02-14T09:14:00.001-05:00

Positively, Must read through the stimulus package.

Part I

Part II

What They Make

2009-02-08T12:45:00.002-05:00

The AFL-CIO has a wonderful Executive Pay Watch Database here. You can check out a company and see what their boss makes. For instance, clicking on AT&T brings you the following information:

In 2007, Randall L. Stephenson raked in $21,981,984 in total compensation according to the SEC. According to the AFL-CIO's calculation method*, this CEO raked in $25,031,279 in total 2007 compensation.

But making the site even more fun is the "show me how I compare" button that allows you to compare your salary. Don't forget to include your perks, such as your company car or chauffeur service, your no interest loans, use of company homes and vacation suites, and free tax and financial services. For instance, a teacher making $28,590/year would see that Stephenson's compensation would support 768 teachers. And no worries, it will take only 875 years for that teacher to make what Stephenson made in 2007. Have fun checking out the salaries of CEOs whose companies are being sold, asking for buyouts or going bankrupt. Failure never payed so well.

What Are You Worth?

2009-02-08T11:58:00.002-05:00

What we make is one of the great touchy subjects. Think about yourselves (if retired, yourself while working). I'll bet more people in your circle of family & friends know details of your health than details of your paycheck. Given that, I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that it has taken this long for Americans to get good and riled up about executive pay. For the past few decades we've been told that executive pay was skyrocketing in comparison to the average worker's take home. But only after public bailout of private companies has it become acceptable for us to be annoyed at that in large numbers. Can you imagine anyone in the White House (from Clinton to Bush) calling Wall Street bonuses "shameful" before the buyouts?

So here we are, decades into what Rakesh Khurana & Andy Zelleke call "the grasping hand of the American executive" in today's WaPo.

It wasn't always this way. In 1960, the ratio of CEO pay at large companies to that of the president of the United States was about 2 to 1. In 2007, it was more than 20 to 1. In 1980, executives at large companies made about 40 times what the average worker made. Last year, CEOs made about 360 times more than the average worker. During the golden age of U.S. economic power, business schools taught future executives to see themselves as trustees of their companies and stewards of our economic resources.
But today, to the people who run them and the investors who own their stock (mostly very temporarily), public companies have become largely personal ATMs, machines from which to extract as much personal wealth as quickly as possible, within the boundaries of the law (usually). The distinction between creating something of enduring value and merely extracting as much value as possible has dissolved. Senior executives don't simply want to be paid well. Especially in the past 15 years or so, they have aspired to personal fortunes that were previously attainable -- or even imaginable -- only by the entrepreneur who risks everything in launching the (rare) new venture that proves wildly successful.

President Obama has proffered a ceiling of $500,000 for execs of companies receiving buy outs. But as the LA Times notes, such a law wouldn't necessarily end the run of greedy hands snatching all they can out of a company before fleeing.

"You're pitting a group of government bureaucrats against compensation consultants and lawyers who are paid lots of money, and they're pretty damn smart," said Graef Crystal, a former executive compensation consultant who has written six books on the subject. "It's a lot easier to find ways around things like this than it is to invent them in the first place."

Bonuses and options and goodness only knows what else has contemporary CEOs making 344 times the pay of an average US worker. And that is based on the average pay. And we all know a whole lot of people who aren't making anything close to average pay.

When I joined the job world in my 20s I remember someone talking about a concept called "make your age." As a 23 year old making $10,000 a year, that seemed as unreachable goal as could be imagined. I was lucky. I didn't have a family to support on that income.

In 2006 the median hour (including tips) for waiters & waitresses in the U.S. is $7.14 (the lowest 10% earn less than $5.78). Security guards' pay levels frange from $15,030-$35,840. Medical assistants earned between $18,860 to $36,840. Child care workers between $12,910-$27,050. Office cleaning crews come in between $14,010-$33,060. And teachers (K-12) came in from $28,590-$76,100.

These are just some of the people who take care of us and our families. People who were fighting to survive in our "good" economy are being tossed about and challenged to care for themselves and their families like never before. And while these millions of people who work to make our lives easier or better in so many ways struggle to keep roofs over their heads and food in their refrigerators we continue to be treated to the spectors of executives run wild. And even more depressing, arguments that executive bonuses should not be cut because companies won't be able to retain the good people. Good people?!!! It is these good people who ran the economy into the ground in their frenzy of greed and self-interest.

Forget Obama and his $500,000/year ceiling for executives. Let's give them a few years making what the lowest paid worker in their organization makes. Have fun guys.

A Not So Stimulating Senate

2009-02-07T20:57:00.003-05:00

Here are some of the cuts made in the Senate compromise hammered out by Republicans & Democrats over the past day from CNN. It still has to be matched up with the House bill, so who knows what the final piece will look like. In the meantime, this is what is being cut to make the bill more appealing to the Republicans.

Partially cut:
• $3.5 billion for energy-efficient federal buildings (original bill $7 billion)
• $75 million from Smithsonian (original bill $150 million)
• $200 million from Superfund (original bill $800 million)
• $100 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (original bill $427 million)
• $100 million from law enforcement wireless (original bill $200 million)
• $300 million from federal fleet of hybrid vehicles (original bill $600 million)
• $100 million from FBI construction (original bill $400 million)

Fully eliminated:
• $55 million for historic preservation
• $122 million for Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters
• $100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization
• $50 million for Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation
• $100 million for distance learning
• $98 million for school nutrition
• $50 million for aquaculture
• $2 billion for broadband
• $100 million for National Institute of Standards and Technology
• $50 million for detention trustee
• $25 million for Marshalls Construction
• $300 million for federal prisons
• $300 million for BYRNE Formula grant program
• $140 million for BYRNE Competitive grant program
• $10 million state and local law enforcement
• $50 million for NASA
• $50 million for aeronautics
• $50 million for exploration
• $50 million for Cross Agency Support
• $200 million for National Science Foundation
• $100 million for science
• $1 billion for Energy Loan Guarantees
• $4.5 billion for General Services Administration
• $89 million General Services Administration operations
• $50 million from Department of Homeland Security
• $200 million Transportation Security Administration
• $122 million for Coast Guard Cutters, modifies use
• $25 million for Fish and Wildlife
• $55 million for historic preservation
• $20 million for working capital fund
• $165 million for Forest Service capital improvement
• $90 million for State and Private Wildlife Fire Management
• $1 billion for Head Start/Early Start
• $5.8 billion for Health Prevention Activity
• $2 billion for Health Information Technology Grants
• $600 million for Title I (No Child Left Behind)
• $16 billion for school construction
• $3.5 billion for higher education construction
• $1.25 billion for project based rental
• $2.25 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization
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• $1.2 billion for retrofitting Project 8 housing
• $40 billion for state fiscal stabilization (includes $7.5 billion of state incentive grants)

Top slogan from Saturday

2009-02-02T23:44:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned previously, there was a wave of "unsanctioned protests" in Moscow and other cities in Russia on Saturday, giving the lie to the official line that everyone speaks with one voice there. Sadly, the marchers were outraged mostly about economic difficulties, possible job losses, higher duties on imported cars--there were two journalists murdered on the Russian equivalent of 5th avenue last week, at midday, under normal conditions, and no one felt obliged to protest that outrage. Priorities are pretty questionable there. In any case, though, demonstrations are demonstrations, and they are creating a lot of interest. The newspaper whose journalists were murdered--Anna Politkovskaia's old newspaper, Novaia Gazeta, or New Times--published this photo, entitled "Top Slogans from Saturday." The sign reads, "Rulers! Deny yourself something!"

I was thinking we could transfer that one here, change the wording slightly and hit Wall Street, chanting, "Masters of the Universe! Deny yourself something!"

Putin without prosperity?

2009-02-01T13:46:00.002-05:00

Long-time Russia watchers like myself have watched in dismay as Vladimir Putin put an end to the relatively liberal climate that had existed in the new independent Russian state since its creation in l991. Boris Yeltsin's Russia was a fairly shoddy, disorganized, shambolic entity, but the press was free, foreigners were welcomed and you didn't have the impression someone was watching you all the time--on a scale of one to ten, the creepy/oppressiveness factor was down in the 3-4 range.

All that changed when Vladimir Putin took power. Suddenly, we were back to one man, one voice, one truth...Putin gradually put an end to independent voices in the media, either strongarming or sicking the tax police on them, physically did away with those who challenged his leadership(see Mikhail Khodorkovskii, the Bill Gates of Russia, now doing 20 years at hard labor)and ratcheted up the creepiness factor in all kinds of indisious ways, e.g. ensnaring unsuspecting foreigners in catch-22 airport customs traps. I once found myself threatened with a huge fine or worse because i lacked a stamp that no one would give me on the way into the country. I kept asking, "can I give myself a customs stamp," and the malevolent agent kept replying, "you should've gotten this stamp, it was your responsibility." I got out of trouble by backing away from him and opportunistically slinking over to another line, presided over by someone obviously too drunk even to raise his head. His hand waved me through without examination...but i got the point. You are being watched.

What bugged me was that no one seemed to mind any of the above outrages, or the saber-rattling, chip-on-shoulder rhetoric about NATO and the US that has become so typical of that regime. It seemed that Vladimir Putin could do no wrong, but it was always pointed out that he was riding on sky-high oil prices, and Russia had a lot of oil. Russians had some of the trickle-down, were feeling prosperous, so why bother? Why gum up the works with a personal protest when I can now take a holiday at the beach in Bulgaria, or even GREECE?!

Well, we are about to find out how popular Putin and his Kremlin-knows-best, top-down, I-give-orders management style will be with oil prices at $50/less per barrel rather then $150. Tantalizingly, we already are getting some idea based on today's round of street protests, still relatively limited in scope but nationwide. Read about them here and wonder whether this all could be happening to a more deserving individual(!).

A little perspective, please

2009-02-01T13:18:00.002-05:00

Walter Reich, a former director of the US Holocaust Museum, has a thought-provoking piece in today's Washington Post. He points to something that has outraged me, namely the increasing tendency to liken Israel to Nazi Germany, in other words using the Holocaust as a cudgel against Israelis for their actions in Gaza, e.g. Gaza as a "big concentration camp," Israel as the "fourth Reich," etc.

I'd like to see a permanent moratorium on the use of the word "holocaust" to describe anything but the attempted murder of an entire people between l939 and l945. What happened in Gaza can certainly be described as a tragedy, an outrage, a human catastrophe, whatever, but a cursory examination of the facts of the Holocaust vs. Gaza brings up NO similarities between the two. The Third Reich purposefully and consciously set out to murder the Jews of Europe, and presumably any others they encountered. They established speecial camps for this purpose and carefully honed the necessary technology to kill as many as possible. When the war was clearly lost, they diverted supplies and personnel from the front to the killing grounds. This was deliberate and very well planned mass murder--of an entire people.

It is fair to say that the Israelis overreacted to the rocket attacks from Hamas in Gaza and are engaging in serious overreaction on a number of fronts vis-a-vis the Palestinians. The layers of recriminations in this conflict would take days to peel away. But Israelis are NOT in the business of trying to mass murder the Palestinian people, and it is dishonest in the extreme to imply there is some comparison with modern Israelis and their Nazi murderers.

I also register my strong objection to the use of the word "holocaust" to describe abortion, slavery, or any other regrettable institution. You have to ask yourself: is there a discernible plot hatched in the US, or ANYWHERE, against unborn children? Was there a master plan to obliterate everyone taken or sold into slavery? In both cases, the answer is a resounding NO. So stop using the world "holocaust" already!

Words really do need to retain some meaning. So let's use the word "Holocaust" to refer to the terrible, singular event it captures so well.

No comment required...

2009-01-29T11:22:00.002-05:00

As the headline suggests, no comment required, but a relief to have these characters cashiered...courtesy of Jack Ohman in Tuesday's Oregonian.

Daily Show's Bit on Fox

2009-01-25T16:15:00.002-05:00

Priceless.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Fox News Fear Imbalance

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Images of the Inauguration

2009-01-24T20:21:00.002-05:00

From the Boston Globe - some tremendous shots from DC & around the world here.

From the Washington Post, here.

Forgot about Chief Roberts!

2009-01-24T14:38:00.001-05:00

Mr. Cavett also had an opinion about the Chief Justice and the mangled recitation of the oath:

"As with all good entertainments, there was unintended comic relief.

Not since Robert Goulet forgot the words to the national anthem has there been a moment to rival the chief justice’s blowing his lines, turning The Oath of Office into an Abbott & Costello “Who’s-on first?” routine.

The giggling schoolboy side of me thought it laughable as hell. What would the funny man do next? Drop the Lincoln bible on his foot?

Yet the increasingly curmudgeonly side of me frowned and found it inexcusable. It isn’t as if some tipsy, third-rate actor did it. It was the chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States!

And he was playing to perhaps the largest audience in world history.

Nerves? Stage fright?

How nervous could a man in his position possibly be? As one of the dozen remaining people in the country with job security — and for life — oughtn’t he be at least relatively calm?"

Like I said, a national treasure!

More from Dick(thankfully, Cavett)

2009-01-24T14:17:00.002-05:00

The inimitable Dick Cavett was watching the Inaugural along with the rest of the world on Tuesday and wrote down his impressions for today's New York Times. He's such a treat, I thought I should share some of his thoughts with anyone who didn't see the article.

On 43's exit...

I felt bad when George Bush was booed.

But only briefly. My sympathy for that man has a half-life of about four seconds.

There was a surprising number of outpourings of sympathy for his having to sit there and, as it was too-often described, “take it on the chin.” Was there ever a chin more deserving of taking it?

“You have to feel sorry for him,” someone cooed. “No. You do not!” I shouted at the screen. I know he “tried” and he “did what he thought was right.” But so does the incompetent surgeon.

What does that excuse?

His brief discomfort 'sitting there' can’t have been less endurable than the discomfort of the young soldier describing on the news how he watched helplessly as his gut-shot buddy bled to death on the sands the smirking Texan sent him to."

And regarding the departure of that other Dick...

" a hearty sayonara to that other fellow.

Do freshman philosophy classes nowadays debate updated versions of the age-old questions? Like, how could a merciful God allow AIDS, childhood cancers, tsunamis and Dick Cheney?"

That last one is a great question, isn't it?

Dick Cavett is a national treasure--three cheers!

Israel-Palestine

2009-01-23T17:32:00.002-05:00

With so much energy focused on the inauguration I haven't blogged on the most recent renewal of Israeli-Palestinian madness. Among the many stories of insanity in this latest round is one that sticks out in my mind. It happened as part of last Friday's attack on Khan Yunis. During the attack, a Land Rover holding Mohammed Shurrab, 60, and two of his sons, Ibrahim and Kassab, was shot at on a Gaza road near their family-owned farm.

Mohammed Shurrab described the scene as a sudden attack, a hail of bullets from a group of Israeli soldiers who had been hiding 30 yards away in a house along the road. The trio made it out of the car, but Kassab was shot and killed almost immediately. Mohammed and Ibrahim were both wounded, but able to hide behind the car, away from Kassab. Each time Mohammed moved toward his dead son, soldiers shot in the air and yelled that they would kill him if he didn't stay still. His other son, shot in the leg, needed medical attention. Mohammed begged for help, even using his cell phone to call anyone he could think of to send an ambulance.

But an ambulance near the scene was held back by the soldiers, who refused to let one reach the family until 11am the next morning. During those 20 hours Mohammed watched his 18 year old son Ibrahim bleed to death. One reason this story has gotten out over so many others is that Mohammed reached his son, Amer Shurrab, who was in the US. Amer and friends frantically called any and all they could think of, from CNN to the Red Cross, trying to get an ambulance for Ibrahim.

It's Nice to Be Back in the US

2009-01-20T19:13:00.002-05:00

After eight years spent in a country I could barely recognize at times, it is a relief to be back in the promise of greatness that is the United States. To be proud of who we are as a nation once again. To know that the long nightmare of Bush/Cheney is over. We survived and witnessed today an enthusiasm for the future and the nation that has at times seemed lost forever. To be in a nation that can hold its head up high and once again lead by example, not by weaponry. Today a sea of two million people braved the city's frigid temperatures to celebrate this transition. Is there anyone who looked upon that mass of humanity standing side by side on the mall, waving American flags, who was untouched by the drama, the reality of this wonderful moment, this fabulous day?

What a day

2009-01-20T17:01:00.002-05:00

He stayd in the car by us, so Dev & I decided to run along the route to follow in case he got out. Fun dodging crowds up 15th. Finally they got out & we jumped up & down waving & screaming at them. He waved at us!! Lost rest of our group. Going home. Cold & tired. But worth it.

Yeah!

2009-01-20T15:24:00.000-05:00

LaPo says they are in cars heading down. FINALLY!!! I can't feel my feet.

We Love CVS

2009-01-20T15:13:00.001-05:00

Their 13th st. store is open, space to get warm & buy something to eat. Should sell hand warmers. Hard to get back to spot though. Guys holding it for me but so many people!

Parade! Parade!

2009-01-20T15:10:00.001-05:00

LaPo says Kennedy collapsd @ lunch? Is that why parade is late?

i know now

2009-01-20T14:07:00.001-05:00

i will never be warm again.

ok ready now

2009-01-20T13:59:00.000-05:00

where's the parade?

Security

2009-01-20T13:19:00.002-05:00

Shoulder to shoulder cops between us & street. Cars go by couple of times, cops & black vans. wonder who the van people are. Nice to have street to yourself guys. Kid somewhere crying. Heard some chanting, now just keeping warm. All focus on keeping warm.

Where they going?

2009-01-20T13:08:00.003-05:00

Mall folks going home? Spot here as crowded as can get. Will people from mall go 2 parade? No room for them. Speech looked good, lots of stream lag, missed parts. Could hear cheers on mall. Is getting colder & colder. Parade already!

One of Those Things That Speaks Volumes

2009-01-20T12:40:00.001-05:00

The White House site now. It is a wonderful moment and a fabulous day.

Hail to the Chief

2009-01-20T11:36:00.002-05:00

It's unbelievably exciting to realize that as that song is playing now, this is the LAST time it will be played for that fool from Texas. What a long, long, long wait it has been. Just 20 more minutes. I'm feeling absolutely giddy!

JUNE

2009-01-20T11:18:00.002-05:00

June is a good month for this thing. Jan is cold! Streemg cnn sluggsh. Found spot @ 13-Penn. Lots people jumpg up &down in place to keep warm. No room 4 more but more coming. 5 deep here & people standg in behnd us now. So wait now. Where is guy with hot peanuts? Need him here. Or Handwarmrs.

They're In!

2009-01-20T11:09:00.001-05:00

Updates - Mark just called. Cell phone access is pretty shaky today. His group has made it down to the parade route. Apparently got there in time to just miss the motorcade going by. They're going to try and watch the speech on a laptop stream, but seem to have a fairly decent spot for the parade.

Smithsonian's Natural History (and probably a few others on the mall) are operating as triage centers right now, warming up folks who have been on the mall for hours and are to the point of freezing. News says that the woman at metro had fallen on the tracks (no surprise there given the crowds) and was not hit by a train. Red line is moving again, but if you're at that point, you're not going to be able to get into any space on mall or parade route by now. Not sure if we'll get any photos from Mark at this point.

Updates from local news

2009-01-20T10:12:00.003-05:00

Elderly woman was one hit by train at Gallery Place. Stories of a woman who has collapsed & getting medical service (i.e., ambulance called) south side of mall on 7th & Madison. Also of a child who was hurt by a falling barrier. Stories now of people who are just now getting to metro and turning around & going home because it's such a horror show. I think Mark & crew got in just under the radar. Thinking of all those who figured they could get up and leave now for a 2pm parade and now don't have a prayer of getting in. This is one heck of a crowd, and one heck of a mess. Hopefully the crowd can keep its patience and sense of excitement and hope.

And if you haven't left by now - Mall will be full by the time you get there. WaPo is updating their map of best places to get into the parade area (I've been using it to guide Mark). Find it here.

sooo cold

2009-01-20T10:07:00.002-05:00

running helped warm us up, crowd is good for warmth. but wind blowing too cold now. phone cutting in/out. not sending pics now

Gallery Place from Traffic Cams

2009-01-20T10:02:00.002-05:00

DC Traffic camera on Gallery Place metro entrance. As you can see, the response is massive.

14th Street bridge is now closed to pedestrians according to news.

Mark just called, line to get in on 14th street near G & H is moving pretty well. Not sure how others are going, but this one seems to be a good spot.

Gallery Place Metro Closed!

2009-01-20T09:52:00.001-05:00

Someone was hit by a train there. Red Line about to come to almost a full stop - if you're on it, get off and walk.

Still mvg

2009-01-20T09:46:00.003-05:00

Big crwd but keeps moving. Runng when we can, but mostly too crowdd to run. Jst crowsd Vermont

7th & Penn NW - from traffic cam

2009-01-20T09:42:00.002-05:00

As you can see, Penn ave where the parade will go by is NOT yet crowded at all. I think everyone is stuck at the entrance points.

Doing My Best

2009-01-20T09:37:00.001-05:00

Trying to check out traffic cameras & look at news to get Mark & his folks into the parade area. What traffic cams show is that Penn Ave is NOT crowded at all. The crowds are 1) capitol hill; 2) on the mall; and 3) check points to get to parade route. So hopefully once people get past the check points they can get onto the parade route.

14 & G

2009-01-20T09:34:00.000-05:00

not 15. Hard to hear LaPo on phone. Direct us well!

getting in

2009-01-20T09:32:00.001-05:00

Heading for 15 &H to get in. hear can make it there.

Ok, so we're late

2009-01-20T09:22:00.003-05:00

Access up ahead somewhere. LaPo this is the not crowded one?!

From Mark's Metro Trip

2009-01-20T09:13:00.002-05:00

Yeah, apparently there were a few people on the train this morning.

This Will be Interesting

2009-01-20T09:04:00.002-05:00

Just got a call from Mark. He's with a group of people who are heading to the parade in the crowds. Thanks to the news I've been able to direct him to a metro stop that isn't as wild as some (avoid L'Enfant Plaza - head for Farragut). But they'll have some walking to do. News reporting that the check in points are mostly very crowded, am listening for those that seem not as bad (7th street apparently VERY BAD).

People People Everywhere

2009-01-20T08:33:00.002-05:00

Out later than wanted. Had 4 hrs sleep. Am 5 min from red line. will write in as go. told cell svc may be hard today & not to send big pics. Will try anyway.

Note from the hinterlands...

2009-01-19T18:41:00.002-05:00

I've been watching all the inaugural coverage I can out here in the sticks, from Mark's pictorial updates to MSNBC to CNN to C-SPAN--i've been pretty ecumenical about this, except that i haven't tuned into fox news, which is no surprise since i NEVER tune in to fox news. Why start now?!

What all of this reminds me of is the Kennedy funeral of l963, which virtually everyone in the country gathered around the tv set to watch. That was the closest thing to national unanimity I have seen--until now. There are huge differences, of course--people are coming together in joy, rather than mourning, and we're not all watching CBS or NBC. There's no gatekeeper to coverage now, so you're free to watch with talking heads, without talking heads, with or without sound, with or without soundtrack, however you'd like. And there's something called the internet, now, if i remember correctly, so you can watch realtime or later. Lots of ways to watch...it's pretty decentralized.

But what impresses is the sense that everyone's watching, everyone's enjoying the pageant, everyone's experiencing the dawn of a new day, and in a lot of cases, reveling in the inclusion of people who used to be out there in the cold--read, Gene Robinson, the Washington Gay Men's chorus, legions of African-Americans. They've all finally been acknowledged and invited to the national banquet, so to speak. This inaugural runup has now trumped even the Kennedy funeral for that feeling of national consensus and unity, and that's saying something after 8 years of the Decider and his relentless divide-and-conquer m.o.

Three cheers for President Barack! I have a hard time finding the words to convey on this Inauguration Eve my awe, joy, elation,_____________(insert your preferred emotion here).

Pop Culture Inaugural Fun

2009-01-19T13:40:00.003-05:00

In today's New York Times, Roger Cohen offers a new version of Billy Joel's 60's meditation, "We didn't start the fire," updated to reflect the life and times of Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th President of the United States. Take some of that inaugural time off and check it out here.

Attending the Inaugural

2009-01-19T13:01:00.004-05:00

Scroll down and you'll find a few posts here about planning for attending the inaugural, including what you can't bring, DC metro station closings, DC traffic &street webcams (where are the crowds & what's going on), and some parade info.

But here's a reminder & update attending tomorrow. You really have two options. Getting there early is critical for both. If you've got a ticket to the swearing in, you can get in, but might end up sitting behind a tree). If you are at the swearing in, you WILL NOT have an option of getting to a good spot along the parade route. It just isn't going to be physically possible. So it's a choice. Swearing in or parade. Unless you pick option #3 - park yourself on the mall or someplace with a jumbotron and watch both that way.

Why is getting there early important? We learned that yesterday from Mark & others going to the concert. If you got there early enough, you made it through the check point. If you didn't, there were too many people in the area already & check points closed down, and nobody else got in.

Some people have tickets to the parade. If you don't, it just means you don't get to sit in the bleachers. Even if you have a ticket, if you don't get there early, then you may not get in at all. Having a ticket does NOT = getting past security entrances if they've decided the area is full.

This is the Post's parade route & info map. It can be found here at their site, or click for a blow up of the image in the blog. The tiny purple circles are the entrance points. Check to see how crowded that area is on DC's traffic map here if you want before heading down. Nobody knows where or when our new Prez might get out of the car to walk the route, but going by history, odds are best in the 7th to 10th street blocks. Remember that the odds will be good you're going to be standing on the sidewalk behind folks who are at least 3-4" taller than you, no matter how tall you are. So be prepared for lots of peering through shoulders and holding cameras up over your head for shots of the parade.

But for all the craziness, inconvience and chance that you won't even see Obama, you will have been there, been part of it, and nobody can take that away from you. So dress warmly, be patient, be prepared, and have fun. This will be a day to remember.

Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out

2009-01-19T10:35:00.003-05:00

It has been over 2900 days of life on this earth under the Bush administration. Eight long, hard, depressing years. At noon tomorrow night will turn into day and this wretched national eclipse and horror show will be over. Do you remember this line? A promise "to build a single nation of justice and opportunity." Or the pledge that "America, at its best, matches a commitment to principle with a concern for civility?" Both came from Bush's first inaugural speech. Not that we expected the best, but how many expected it to be this bad? I will give Bush this. He has a good record on dealing with AIDS in Africa. And if all he had been was the head of an international aid agency, that would be enough. But the man was the president of the US.

As he leaves office, even a man who lives with his head as deeply rooted in the sand as Bush does can not help but notice that he is hated, has been dismissed as incompetent, and has a base of support that barely exceeds family & employees. Certainly aware of this, how reflective has Bush been about his presidency in the past weeks? There have been disappointments and mistakes, but apparently few or none were actually his (has anyone actually heard him say "I made a mistake? I was wrong?"). I can't help feeling that Bush sees the biggest mistake of his presidency as being unable to convince all of us that he was right. Denial at that level is amazing.

There are many, many things I won't miss about W & his toadies. Here are just a few.
An invasion and war on a country that did NOT attack us
A Veep who makes the Devil look like a good Samaritan
Guantánamo Bay
Definitions of torture that seem to exclude only murder (although given this administration I wouldn't be surprised to read a "tell all" book down the road about how that line was crossed more than once).
Shredding of the US constitution (Habeas Corpus and warrantless wiretapping to just name two)
A man who understands that his mistake during Katrina did not involve where he landed with Air Force 1 and when
Abstinence Only as the answer to teen pregnancy
Rejecting scientific findings that don't support personal ideologies
Daily presidential wrestling matches with the English language

I am looking forward to:
Quality people in positions of power (instead of people who are asked about their support to Bush during a job interview)
Competency - what a concept!
Working with nations of the world to a greater good
Creating policy and operating from a sense of optimism, not anger and hatred

Unfortunately, Bush & his cohorts have been busy doing their best to sabotage our future. From burrowing in (political appointees moving into federal job slots to keep them in place under Obama) to last minute or "midnight" regulations aimed at keeping Bush policies in place after he leaves. Proving again that the concept of "conservative" being anti big government is one of the biggest lies of our time, Bush will have enacted more than 70 pieces of major regulatory changes before he slinks out of office. Among them:

allowing concealed weapons in some national parks
forbidding medical facilities that get federal money from discriminating against doctors and nurses who refuse, on religious grounds, to assist with abortions
relaxing protections for endangered species
allowing uranium mining near the Grand Canyon
making it easier for coal companies to dump mining debris in nearby streams and valleys
allow increased emissions from older power plants while also rolling back existing air quality regulations for national parks and wilderness areas
Change how occupational safety agencies calculate job-risk for miners, despite opposition from health and safety groups, which said it would "undermine" health rules
make dramatic changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act - weakening accessibility standards and reducing enforcement efforts
restrict outpatient hospital services Medicaid would cover
expand by 10-percent the number of hours a truck driver can drive without adequate rest

Bush & Co., doing their best to screw over the nation as best they can before they leave - a moment that can't come soon enough.

A couple more shots

2009-01-18T18:03:00.003-05:00

Only took me 3x as much time to get home as it did to get down to the mall. If you don't know how to use metro or metro cards, please stand to the outside of the metro until the rest of us have gone through. Other than that, a couple more pics. the boos for bush in helicopter (group decided that's who was in it). Guys with better view than I had, and guarding the streets.

Getting home?

2009-01-18T16:38:00.001-05:00

Now everyone leaves at once. Getting home won't be easy. Worth it. Unbelievable feeling in crowd. If I got choked up I would be now. But home, hot shower and lots of coffee.

less biden

2009-01-18T15:16:00.000-05:00

more bruuuuce. or mary j or u2 or usher. neck going to be sore tonight from watching jumbotron almost above my head instead of stage.

bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!

2009-01-18T14:41:00.001-05:00

Obama here!

2009-01-18T14:34:00.001-05:00

We debated is he at end or start. Here he is. Anthem about to start. Thanks to jumbotrons.

Thanks Ellen deG, but

2009-01-18T13:30:00.002-05:00

thinking of George Clooney isn't going to keep either of us warm. nice try. U2 video played to keep crowd happy. someone said helicopters that flew over were bush, big round of boos from our crowd at that. bush go home, good chant.

fired up ready to go

2009-01-18T12:40:00.003-05:00

the chant that won't die. beats 99 bottles of beer on the wall. heard that too. Folks rehersing, here bits of tom hanks, denzel, jamie foxx, where's the boss? only actors now?

Photos from Mark - Sunday

2009-01-18T12:30:00.001-05:00

This
seemed easier than the poor guy trying to upload them from on the mall. So here's what he's sent me so far.

Eagle has landed

2009-01-18T11:39:00.003-05:00

Got a spot & not moving ever. Who brings babies to this thing? Stupid. Wisc. guys next to me laugh at the weather but let me lean by them to take pic. They got here hour ago for their spot. Mine not so good. Ice in reflectg pool. Natnl Anthm playing on sound system. testing testing? Now wait and wait.