In Memoriam - The Ultimate Price
In Memoriam On the 3000th Death In Iraq
Remembering the soldiers that gave the
ultimate price for their countryand the family and friends they left behind.Our prayers are with you.
Oy, It's Election Season Already
Like the great sports overlap, there's no longer a minute of rest between campaigning these days. Is starting this early really be about getting candidates ahead, or is it the business of campaigning that wants to keep the money flowing?
And like sports fans political junkies are tuning in to pundits listening for the latest election handicapping. The difference being that sports handicapping is actually based on some fact.
I see Edwards is using a web site company out of New Your who's soul focus is candidates. So far their code is pretty bad, so it's obviously a new venture. Or a Microsoft wannabe.
I've created web sites that have helped candidates win local elections, but I have motels, real tors, importers and ecommerce sites to round out my offering. I tried to venture into a real estate focus but realtors at that time were much too cheap and new to the web. Now we have entire companies focusing on elections.
It would seem that elections have become a cottage industry, with major campaigns going into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
I had meant to go to John Edwards' Chapel Hill event last night, but it's a two hour drive and it sounds like these early events are a bit disorganized. I like Edwards, but the primaries are over a year away for crying out loud.
But Edwards has early press and a good support team setting up in many states. However, as William Saffire says, it's a 24 hour news cycle and they'll be looking for someone new soon, sending Edwards to the back of the line as has apparently happened to Hillary Clinton.
The Democratic primary calendar right now, subject to change as states jockey for position.
January 14, 2008 - Iowa
January 19, 2008 - Nevada
January 22, 2008 - New Hampshire
January 29, 2008 - South Carolina
February 5, 2008 - Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas[2], Delaware, Missouri,
New Mexico, North Carolina, Utah, New Jersey
February 12, 2008 - District of Columbia, Tennessee, Virginia
February 19, 2008 - Wisconsin
February 26, 2008 - Hawaii, Idaho
March 2008 - American Samoa, Democrats Abroad, Guam, Michigan, Minnesota,
North Dakota, Virgin Islands, Wyoming (date to be determined)
March 4, 2008 - Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont
March 7, 2008 - Colorado
March 8, 2008 - Kansas
March 11, 2008 - Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas
March 18, 2008 - Illinois, Oregon
April 2008 - Alaska (TBD)
April 1, 2008 - Pennsylvania
May 6, 2008 - Indiana
May 13, 2008 - Nebraska, West Virginia
May 20, 2008 - Kentucky
May 27, 2008 - Washington
June 3, 2008 - Montana, South Dakota, California
The Republican Primary Calendar
January 21, 2008 - Iowa
January 28, 2008 - New Hampshire
February 2, 2008 - South Carolina
February 5, 2008 - Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, West Virginia
February 5, 2008 - Florida, Michigan (unofficial)
February 12, 2008 - Tennessee
February 9 or February 16, 2008 (date to be determined) - Louisiana
February 19, 2008 - Minnesota, Wisconsin
February 26, 2008 - Virginia (unofficial)
March 4, 2008 - Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York,
Rhode Island, Ohio, Vermont
March 4, 2008 - Pennsylvania (unofficial)
March 11, 2008 - Mississippi, Texas, Washington
March 18, 2008 - Illinois
April 15, 2008 - Colorado
April 26, 2008 - Kansas, Nevada
May 2008 - Alaska
May 6, 2008 - Indiana
May 10, 2008 - Wyoming
May 13, 2008 - Nebraska
May 20, 2008 - Kentucky, Oregon
May 27, 2008 - Idaho
June 3, 2008 - South Dakota, California
June 6, 2008 - Hawaii
June 9, 2008 - Montana
And of course the big election isn't until November 4, 2008. So get those donations in now. Politicians, like tv evangelists, can never seem to get enough.
Of Death and Life, and Love
As we close down 2006 we bury the famous and infamous. President Ford and the Godfather of Soul James Brown are in state, Saddam is hanged like a common criminal.
There was such a rush to execute Hussein that they hanged him on a Muslim holy day, Eid al-Adha. I remember participating in this holiday when I lived in Turkey. The locals would leave a lamb in-between the two fences surrounding the base command post. Then for the holiday the lamb, commemorating Abraham finding a lamb that saved his son Ismael, is sacrificed and the meat shared with the poorest. Usually this meant vagrant Gypsies traveling from house to house begging a portion. But the sacrifice of the lamb was honored and the holiday a time of reconciliation.
I find it hard to believe a psy-ops unit from Ft. Bragg wasn't involved in this move. Did they know of the sacrifice for this holiday? Were they hurrying to beat the end of the year, not realizing that the Muslims follow a lunar calendar that doesn't end for three more weeks? Either way, the symbolism is working against the US.
The danger is two-fold. One, that we turn Hussein into a martyr of Islam. And two, that we look even more like we're carrying on a great Crusade.
Speaking of endings, many Republicans have vacated their offices and are busy pushing their resume around K Street and the lobbying firms that write so many of our laws these days. So while their jobs in Congress may have ended they could be just starting their careers writing policy.
Then there are the new beginnings. Nancy Pelosi has a three day event planned for her swearing in. I'm surprised she's not allowing the impeachment hearings of Bush and Cheney to go ahead. In one fell swoop she could become the first Speaker of the House and first woman President.
There will many politicians sworn in, but the field still belongs overwhelmingly to the veterans. Can we expect much to change?
The year will end, the new year will come, and life will go on. People will live, love, and die.
Oddly enough, all of this found me reminiscing of my first love during a long drive. Her name was Sherry, and like Wesley's Buttercup in
The Princess Bride, it was true love. Unlike many teens, we didn't make out in the back seats of cars nor even thought of it. Ours was an innocent love and we held hands, talked, and basked in the glow of young love.
She was half anglo, half latina. I'll never forget her raven hair and kind brown eyes. She had a smile that to this day makes me feel warm when I remember it, so etched is it in my mind.
I think of true love as that given with nothing expected in return. This is what we had, I think each of us being special in being able to give.
Where would this love had gone had it been allowed time to grow? I'll never know. I like to think it would be of that lifetime kind.
Her father, hardened by a monotonous life of stacking produce at a local grocery store soon saw fit to make sure this didn't continue. Partnering with our pastor, in charge of a strict evangelical church who's affects I'm still recovering from, they made sure I never again had a lone moment with Sherry. It was stopped before it ever really started.
I've since loved, lost, and loved again. It was never true love, with always something expected in return.
I've come to realize how much hard work is part of making a successful marriage but never had one. I wonder what would have happened if we'd had a chance together.
While this was opportunity lost, I hope that you opportunities gained and loves recaptured in the new year.
Labels: death new year saddam hanged pelosi congress
Morbid Curiosity
The execution of Saddam Hussein is imminent and the cable news shows are having a field day. The only thing missing is wicker baskets to take to the public hanging.
They're already calling for a live broadcast or at least a follow-on tape.
Reporters in the area say no one really cares. To everyone except Saddam's home village of Tikrit he was an equal opportunity despot.
No tears will be shed over Saddam. It's unlikely that there will be much difference in the day to day violence already occuring in Baghdad.
But I've got to wonder. There were supposed to be several trials accusing Saddam of misdeeds. The first and apparently only one concerns the village of Dujail. After an assassination attempt a sham trial was held and 143 were put to death as a result.
The trial of Saddam was mostly regarded as a circus, a sham to expedite US interests. Do Iraqis think justice has been done, or just that a different actor is lording over them?
I have no issue with Saddam's execution. But I would like to let him live long enough to write an autobiography. Now that would have been an interesting read.
Saddam to Die Die Die
Reading the reports on Saddam Hussein's execution reminds me of the horrific documentaries on Russia's prison executions. At some unknown time a small window in the door to a prisoner's cell would open and the prisoner would be shot. This while friends and family waited outside hoping to get a chance to signal before the final act.
Russia has stopped these executions, the European Union won't allow member states to conduct death sentences, even Turkey has stopped in hopes of joining the EU.
In the US we make the executions very public. However, despite proof that capital punishment is meted out with a strong measure of innacuracy and bigotry the US continues to conduct executions. Bush's adopted state of Texas continues to set records in the number of people put away. Children, mentally challenged, foreigners with poor representation it doesn't matter as long as they're dead.
In Iraq we originally tried to conduct Hussein's trial with no audio feed. We've done everything we can to ensure that Hussein is quickly put away without an opportunity to accuse the US of supporting his government and it's NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) armament.
When Hussein was required to submit a report of his armaments he did, along with a list of US and British companies that supplied the elemements. The Bush administration made sure this document was quickly classified and kept away from prying journalists.
Now Hussein may be put to death at any time in the next month. Any moment, any day. We won't know until it's over.
But I wonder, is the quick execution a matter of meting out justice, or a convenience for US CEOs and politicians that might be embarrassed by his disclosures? And by calling for this blood price, might we not be allowing the real criminals here in the US to escape justice? Is it just a coincidence that both Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden have been on the CIA payroll?
Labels: saddam hussein execution
On Death
I find I think more about death these days. I'm in great health, but at 50 life is on the downhill slide. It's not morbid thinking. Maybe I'm thinking more about life and death just frames the issue.
I've always had a belief in God and the afterlife. If my Sunday School teachers were right, then I only have great things to look forward to. If the atheists are right, it won't really matter.
I've loved my life. I've experienced many unique adventures and met lots of great people. As they say at the end of Secondhand Lions, I've really lived.
There are probably a lot of good years left to me. But for what? And how does it end?
As part of the Joneser generation that comes after the Baby Boomers but before the Generation X, I'm going to be at my twilight at a time when the medical and health care system has been pillaged by the large population of baby boomers. Single, there won't be any children burdened with changing my diapers. I will probably finish my life on my own.
There is I suppose a chance I'll be here when they make the break-through to what is supposed to be our natural life span of 150 years. So at 50 I may just be starting.
But I've run out of dreams. Where am I going? I've left that desire to climb that corporate ladder behind, yet have no toothless and bald grandchildren to reflect on. I tried teaching high school, but the kids are wrapped up in their own lives and don't want to hear the stories of an old man.
I enjoy performing volunteer work and find I can make a difference. But without a challenge it just seems somewhat like rote work.
Am I the victim of Freud's Death Drive, my time having passed and now I'm preparing for the inevitable slip into eternity?
Or am I learning a buddhist lesson, living life one day at a time, not expecting more than the next moment.
Life is great, full of wonder, laughter, tears, of energy. But death, at the end, is the ultimate friend.
Flying Coach
Well, maybe not coach.
There's a news story about British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his family flying into Miami on a British Airways 747.
To me, the real story is that Blair was flying commercial to the US. It's not like Parliament can't afford a private plane for Blair. I'm sure there are plenty of British CEOs and citizens that own their own plane.
I understand that many US administration and military senior employess used to fly commercial. According to reports they quit just a couple of weeks before 9/11. They moved to charter flights, I don't know if they've gone back to commercial.
But can you imagine Bush or Cheney flying United? Why is it Tony Blair, a partner in the globally despised Iraq fiasco, the leader of a powerful country like Britain, feels safe flying coach? No private plane, no cargo of armored cars, no legions of Secret Service personnel.
I suppose the Queen doesn't fly commercial. Maybe Prince Charles. But not the decider of their country.
Why is it the US president needs so much protection? Are we paranoid, or has the president of one country become so hated that he's a constant target?
Wouldn't it have been ironic is Blair had perished in Miami, the home of the government that may have ruined his party. And supposedly his best friend.
A Mercenary Force
The newspapers and blogs are buzzing about the military contemplating the use of foreign nationals in service.
Philipinos have been doing this for decades, I served with several of them in California. Ironically, he had to leave the Air Force to prevent his family from being sent back to the Philipines.
We also exchange service personnel with friendly countries. In basic training I served under a British flight leftenant.
Some say this is a sure sign of the end of empire as the Romans and British had to hire mercenaries to fill out their forces as their power diminished.
I have long supported a required public service. My time in the military taught me a lot, both about myself and other cultures.
But since amnesty has become an important issue, maybe we can do both at once.
We'll require any illegal citizen (they're not all from Mexico) to server two years of federal service to gain US Citizenship. It could be military, peace corp, or conservation corp service, allowing for conscientious objectors.
Both male and female should serve.
Why should we look at this option? For one, this takes a large pool of workers paid under the minimum wage out of competition, requiring employers to offer fair wages.
For another, this allows for an acculturation of these groups. Living in ethnic areas of cities, often they don't learn English and mix with other groups in there area. Nor do they participate in local government or other community projects. Latinos are often a shadow group in their communities. Just as I learned how to shave in the Air Force, these groups would learn civics, English, and other important lessons.
We have an opportunity to improve our country. These people are hard workers, and they can target civil projects that will improve all of our lives.
And finally, we have a deterrent or at least way to slow down emigration. If the border crossers know they'll have to serve two years, rather than merely being bussed across the border to once again attempt a crossing, they might hesitate before deciding to come to the US.
Labels: military foreign national amnesty
Trumps a Scrooge. Who'd a Guessed?
Fox News had a Give-Off between Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump. Rosie has a real passion for children and leads a couple of charities that gave away millions of dollars last year.
Trump's Charity? A miserly $750,000.
That looks even worse when you look at the relative worth of each of them. The Donald brags that he's worth "$billions, $billions". And looking at
the Wikipedia article on Donald Trump it would seem The Donald has received millions in charity when he's been allowed to restructure his and his business's debt.
It looks like the Donald would make Mr. Scrooge himself proud.
Time for a ghostly visit?
The Salvation Army is one of my favorite charities. Who would you recommend for donations?
Labels: donald trump rosie o'donnel charity
Hugo and Time
So far all the reviews of Time Magazine's selection for Person of the Year have resulted in a thumbs down. Pretty much everyone thinks Time copped out in their selection of the new Internet you.
What none of the reviewers mention is that Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, won the popular vote on
their web site. So that means you, the Time Person, that uses the Internet, selected Hugo
Hugo Chavez isn't much liked around Washington, DC. I think what makes the Feds unhappy is that Chavez, a third world leader, dare have an ego as big as theirs. And of course his delivering national benefits to the poorest of people and not the big oil companies that our politicians pander to.
There's a photograph of Chavez imprinted on my mind. He's out with the people, standing next to a woman openly breast feeding a baby. Quite a difference from the blue-blooded set Biden, Bush, and Barbara run around with.
Maybe next year we can nominate politician's egos. Though I'm not sure there's enough room on the cover.
Religious Freedom is Good For Them
It was very interesting listening to Stephen Liston testify before the House International Relations Committee Dec 21 on religious freedoms in other countries, as we have goons in the GOP refusing to comment on Rep. Virgil Goode's and Robin Hayes intolerant comments on Islam.
What was that about the beam in your own eye? They say they support Jesus, but obviously have never listened to his words.
House Hearing on Religous Freedom in Vietnam & Other Countries
Do You Fantasize?
No, not in a "I'm doing Debbie" sort of way. But let me explain.
I'm pushing 50, and have the typical problems sleeping. Having nothing to do while laying there trying to go to sleep, I did something I haven't done in decades. Daydreamed.
It's an elaborate fantasy with an alien world, immortality, strange critters, farming, and people. As I teenager I used to love science fiction. They could set up any situation on any world and experiment. When DAW started to publish I probably bought a book a day.
Laying there that night, I realized that this late night daydreaming helped me get to sleep.
I asked some friends of similar age if the daydreamed. They'd all lost the habit. And all had trouble falling asleep.
So maybe insomnia isn't all hormones and aging. Maybe it's just that we've quit taking the time to let our minds relax and drift. Some purposeless meandering.
I've heard that Americans have trouble meditating. As soon as we stop and sit still we fall asleep. We're always on the go. Avoiding our dreams.
Perhaps that's what we're looking for in the drugs we take. Marijuana, coke, even ambien. Just a little escape. But we do it in the typical American quick-fix style.
A little daydreaming is good. Not "They'll greet us with candy and flowers" daydreaming, but the "tomorrow will be a better day" kind.
So take some time. Happy dreams.
Labels: day dream fantasy fantasize insomnia
Trump, Rosie, and Madison Avenue PR Campaigns
Okay, all of those not already sick and tired of Trump vs. Rosie and the Miss USA and View public relations campaigns please raise your hand.
Anyone? Anyone at all? You sir? How about you miss?
It's unanimous. We're all sick and tired of it.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled program. Tonight, Joe Scarborough and breaking news on Paris Hilton.
Jon Stewart, the Last Great Hope?
It's funny to listen to Joe Scarborough whining about being treated unfairly on the Daily Show. I'd guess that's because Jon has absolutely no respect for Joe, a discredited ex-Congressman.
But with Dan Abrams turning Scarborough Country into a celebrity news and gossip show, Hardball wafting whichever way the wind blows, and tens of thousands of viewers leaving heavily biased Fox News shows (though excellent report Shepard Smith continues to do well), could shows like Comedy Central's Daily Show be our last real source of uncomfortable news?
While Jon Stewart denies being a news show, he does report an interesting amount of real news and hosts interviews with real players on the political front. And the more embarrassing the better. Yes, he has the God machine and other silly skits, but there's often a bit of truth even here.
The regular cable news channels are spending more of their news time reporting gossip like Paris Hitlon and Britney Spears' partying, Trump's media blitz on Miss USA Tara Conners, and comedian Michael Richards awkard rant (which sounds very much like a bi-polar episode to me).
Add to that topics they stay away from because either their viewers would be offended or the FCC is holding hearings the broadcast companies want to go their way, it seems like little real journalism still gets reported on broadcast news.
This last week I had to switch over to NPR or PBS to get anything besides news on the missing mountain climbers. While I was interested and hoped for their recovery, there's other news to report that really does affect my life.
So Joe, if you want to keep viewers do what Jon and Keith are doing. Report some real news, take a stand, or do some real investigating.
But please, stop the whining.
Labels: daily show scarborough country investigative reporting
Murder and Mayhem
It's been a busy year in the US. In something you wouldn't expect, or may you would.
In homocide. Murder. You kill'em, we chill'em. You stab'em, we slab'em.
While those lazy Canadians just north of us only got around to 772 murders last year, Newark alone topped 101 murders this year. And they say we can't do anything right down here.
I was actually kind of surprised that Los Angeles is down to a measly 487 murders a year. So we have one city in the US that has over half the homicides that the entire country of Canada commits.
Overall, the US was at 16,692 for 2005. Oddly enough, this is down from 20,613 in 1986.
Why are we so violent? If it's video games, then why are the murder rates going down at a time when everyone is getting a game console?
Odd, but what a total disregard for life either way.
Bette Midler the Pot?
It's interesting hearing Bette Midler lecturing Britney Spears, if that's what she's really doing. If you look through the back pages from old Playboys you'll find a wooly shot of our own Ms. Divine.
I remember the shot of Bette raising a leg during a concert, seeing she too once had an aversion to underwear.
“I’ve been on the other side to these wild and wooly sluts that we are seeing around our lives these days," Midler, 61, told the entertainment TV show "Extra," alluding to Spears' and Hilton’s recent out-on-the town antics. "I’ve taken the other side … I started my life out as pretty wild, but I have decided after much growing and living that its time that we got nicer!”
“And I’m wearing underwear…a lot of underwear. In fact, I’m wearing all the underwear that
those girls are not wearing, at least two bras and several pairs of panties.”
I'd guess these quotes are a bit tongue in cheek, which isn't portrayed in the articles. When getting a little publicity, Bette is an old (er,experienced) pro.
Labels: bette midler britney spears underwear wooly
Well, that's it
The 109th session of Congress has been gavelled to a close. It's the end of one of the laziest, most crooked and over spending Congresses ever seen.
From Foley to Haliburton, this group has been a political bloggers delight. Over at
Talking Points Memo Joshua Marshall has been keeping a running total of indictments by area and type.
But I'd have to say that I've kind of lost interest. I called this fiasco early, and as people actually started paying attention I just became one of many voices.
Now we'll get to see the Democrats in action. It'll be interesting to see what perennial thorns-in-the-side like Henry Waxman and John Conyers do as they take subpoena power.
For now, Bush and our "foreign policy" will give me plenty to look at until the new Congress convenes. Having lived in the Middle East this has become a favorite of mine, but there's still plenty of other hot spots with China ramping up its military, US debt in the hands of foreigners, and companies continuing their exodus overseas.
Stay tuned, the wild ride isn't over yet.
