And the Revelers Dance

And the revelers dance.

Wow Just Wow

Well it looks like I've got to work harder. First Tbogg (one of the funniest blogers in existence) tells me all the good shit is taken. Then he links to two (well really more than two) but two very funny and interesting posts. Both of which are funnier than any I've posted here (I'd like to say in quite a while, but I'm not sure that is true).

Ok, it worked for the Greeks.

Well Well Well

Gas prices around here seem to be creeping up even though there was (according to a story I heard on N.P.R. a few weeks ago) [is?] a glut of oil that won't go away until after the summer. Hell it was so bad they had to store it on ships in the oceans. Where do you think that all went?

So I see that our new president elect wants to attack Social Security and Medicare (after voting to give greedy bankers all they want). Lets face it where do we get off demanding that the important people have to account for their welfare. It is the poor who really don't deserve it. So they should ------------- well not get it and kind of quietly go under. We wouldn't want them to starve (at least not in front of us), but you know if they'd kind of sort of just disapear because they can't afford a doctor or they can't afford to stay warm so they just quietly die a little early well is that so bad?

I Just Don't Know More Gazing At Self

I don't know, but I just don't have a lot to say here in the last few days. Possibly just getting back from vacation and I'm still basking in the afterglow. Or maybe I'm just lazy.

A second rate party hack like Panetta is scaring the torturers left and right. How far gone must our government and oversight be to have them come out of the wood work like they have to try to oppose someone who at most will be a moderate. And is very unlikely to rock the boat much at all. Of course this might just be a little warning shot across the bow of the good ship Obama. We have raised such a ruckus about this guy who is really one of us, just think what we will do if you try to appoint someone who is really progressive or in favor of real change. What do you think that they might know about, these liberal senators? What do think that they might have approved, these liberal senators?

I am getting this very sinking feeling kind of like watching -- dare I say it again -- a slow motion train wreck. A guy is elected who says that he is for change, but it's all wink, wink, nudge nudge. We keep the power we control what goes on in this not so much a democracy. You just think you have any say in this government. It is the Village or runs things here and now.

When did this start? Was it with Carter? Nixon? Our type are the people who must run things. Even though we have been wrong for neigh on twenty years or more (and yes I count Clinton [both of them] who desperately want to be part of the in crowd). The only reason we as a country haven't gone down the tubes already is because we are so damn rich and so damn isolated.

Let us not talk about Reid and Burris/Frankin and Gupta/Moore/Obama. Oh lets, but not right now.

Filibusters

Question: When did a threatened filibuster become the same thing as an actual filibuster?

Just askin'.

Uh Oh

Reading Krugman today here and here. Also reading about how Republicans are salivating about holding up any stimulus package and forcing more tax cuts for the wealthy because they are the ones who deserve them. After all it wouldn't be fair to keep the poor and (soon to be) formerly middle class from going hungry or having to fore go medical treatment in a real depression.

Everything they have done for the past eight years (in extreme) and the sixteen (or more) years before that have worked out so well. We get to that place we were in the 20s with the distribution of wealth and are surprised that the result is essentially the same. Except we are now being told by the right (which includes most of the MSM) that FDR and the New Deal did nothing good.

So essentially what I'm feeling is this kind of feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I lean out over the edge of a tall building or when I'm sitting in my car while I'm sliding out of control towards that really big truck. I'm watching these people who seem unable to learn from anything they've done. I wonder how we got rulers who are stupider than the bum on the street. Unless perhaps we are all the stupid.

Gaza

Right now Israel is invading Gaza. I cannot imagine (or rather I am able to slightly imagine) how horrible it must be to live in that area. A stinking refugee camp since 1947 or there abouts. No work, no hope, and the conviction that the Israelis are the cause of it all. (When in reality they are only the cause of most of it.) I would probably be dead by now if I lived there because I would think that I had to do something and I don't think that something would be a peaceful something.

The problem with this whole thing in this country as Greenwald points out very clearly is that even though it appears as though Americans are about evenly divided the establishment is totally in the bag for Israel. Of course, if one starts to criticize Israel the media and those in power cry out that you are anti-Semite. What happens is that there are a lot of anti-Semites out there sooooooooooo.

The real problem with the state of Israel is that they cannot keep their country a haven for Jews from all over the world if they allow non Jews in freely. And they need their "guest workers" as much as we need our Hispanic guest workers, and they don't go home at night (home being defined as some where else). And they have babies.

Harry Reid Again

How is it possible for such a complete political incompetent to become an important Senate leader? OK I understand he is a Democrat, but still isn't there anything the guy can do to further the Democrat agenda?

Do you think that he is one of those deep moles kind of like Kim Philby? I really can't figure out any other explanation for the guy's being punked continuously when he has a large majority. Of course the Democrats continue to elect him their leader. What maroons.

Am I Missing Something?

I'm in part four of Nassim Taleb's book The Black Swan . It is interesting, but still I think that he really doesn't say much except that we can't really predict and that life is controlled by luck. The answer seems to be diversify, so that when something blows up in your face you have another route open to save yourself.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I all ways thought that you really couldn't predict what was going to happen next year let alone ten or fifty years from now. Is that really so hard to figure?

A second point is that you really have to act as thought you could predict somethings because otherwise you couldn't go to work tomorrow. Cause you have to figure what and where you are going. It does seem sort of obvious, but hell I didn't make a million in the market either.

I think that one must live as though there is a fairly good chance that one knows what is going to happen tomorrow or next year, with the understanding that one can't be sure. Of course, his point, I think, is that it is safer to understand that randomness and luck have more to do with life than all the planning and predictions we produce.

Home Again -- Almost

On the way back home and staying in the mountains of Virginia. Stopped at a nice little place called the Bates Motel. A nice young man runs it. He seems very fond of his mother and collects stuffed animals. We foresee an early start tomorrow.

On the Road Again

On the long and winding trail to Florida to visit my Mom. Left all the creatures at home. Got a real reliable sitter, but still. Can hardly wait until Loki is trained well enough to be an official assist dog.

Had to take a break after about 13 hours on the road. God I want a gun in the car. There are about a dozen drivers who should really not see the light of tomorrow's sun for the good of humanity.

A passing thought: Do you think that the Rev. Rick Warren has ever pushed himself away from a chittlin and fried pork fat bar? Just askin'.

A Couple of Short Thoughts

Our Current Rulers Having a Snack On Our Body Politic Before They Go

I think that this is just peachy. I do so love irony (which I truly think this is as opposed to mere coincidence). It does provide a warm after glow to see the fall out from our "War On Drugs" actually hit one of the people who make a good living from our war on drugs. I've read elsewhere that Mexico is moving closer and closer to anarchy as a result of the Mexican government's (should that ' be removed given the disintegration of the central government?).

The second thing I'm now seeing is the beltway praying for the traditional quad/octo-end of the presidency pardons given to those who committed serious crimes at the request of whoever happened to be president. Sooner or later one of these out going elected criminals will pardon themselves and people will be shocked. Shocked and appalled, I tell you.

And then go on as though this is the way things have always been. It always kinds of surprises me that the rulers have gotten away with so much more during my life time than they did before. I suspect that we are really fucked and we are just really close to our end as something resembling a democracy. And there is nothing that we can do about it. Waves of history don't cha know.

Malicious or Just Plain Mean and Dumb You Choose

So Bush is offering $17.5 billion to GM and Chrysler on the conditions that the manufacturers and the UAW agree to certain things. I'm not sure yet about the give backs he's demanding from the workers, retirees and laid off workers are something they should be agreeing to at this point, but I really don't know. But it does look like more of the same union busting tactics that were coming from the Senate.

I was wondering if this delay was a thought out thing or it was something that occurred because they (the right) are simply incompetent.

When I was involved in the union at Antioch, I was ranting about how the administration was cleverly acting intransigent to force the union out on strike. A professor said: "Perhaps, but do not assume premeditated maliciousness, when simple incompetent bullheadedness might be the answer."

On the other hand the Wall Street types get to keep their money and income. You know if Obama had pushed hard for a better plan there is the possibility that something better could have come from all this. Of course he didn't.

Deep Thoughts?

So I'm starting to wonder. I've been looking at who the new president elect is appointing. The last election is starting to have a feel, not of Roosevelt v. Hoover, but rather Hoover v. Hoover. And I think that Hoover won.

What do you think?

Your Tax Dollars At Work

So I'm told by one who should know (she, unfortunately has "inside" information) that the woman's prison in Marysville has just this week opened a new "dormitory."

Doesn't have hot water yet. I'm just thrilled with the expenditure of our tax dollars on this facility. One thing that makes the average legislator stand up a little taller and smile a little broader is the ability to throw more poor people and junkies into prison.

Congratulations Ohio

Change You Can Believe In

I do no think that word means what you think it means.

Union

So it looks like the right is really gearing up to oppose sign off cards for union membership. I've been tangentially involved in some organizing and I can tell you that once the employer gets word about the organizing activities they generally go all out to delay a vote and to fight against the union.

Essentially they use threats (both against individuals and of being forced to close the plant) and selective firings (try to prove it was because you were in favor of a union). They delay and delay and in the end through a distortion of anything resembling democracy they are often (usually?) able to prevent a union from being formed.

It is interesting that the people who are most squealing about how the card sing offs are not democratic were those who most favored Bush v. Gore. Just sayin'. Nothin' there of course and I'm just being unreasonable you know. Don't cha',

JJJ

So JJJ has been a police informant for about ten years. Wow. This is supposed to be a good thing. I remember when being an informant was about the lowest thing you could be. Ratting on "friends" was just something you did not do if you were a decent person.

I would think that it would be one thing to stumble on a serious crime that a friend was committing and report that to the police, but to inform for ten years. Who could trust the guy now. It is not unheard of for information to get exaggerated by the informer. Or for the informer to encourage the person being informed on to go on and on. What do you think he was telling the U.S. Attorney about and who do you think?

Boy have we come a long way from the Hollywood Ten , The Informer and The Crucible.

Ron Carey and the Teamstersers

So Ron Carey died last week. For some reason I had been thinking about him. There is a Teamster office building that I frequently drive by on a regular basis.

I remember when his second election as president of the Teamsters was essentially stolen from him by the federal court system. Practice, I guess for Bush v. Gore. Without Carey the Teamsters reverted to a fiefdom for the Hoffas and their reactionary politics. Nepotism in all things I guess. He was I prevented from running after they took the election from him. So the the courts essentially crowned Hoffa. It is interesting to see that there haven't been the kind of incisive investigations of Hoffa that there were of Carey. It is particularly galling when you realize that Carey was not guilty of any real crime. So they took one of the most powerful unions away from its progressive leaders and gave it back to the reactionaries.

Professional Wrestling or Roller Derby, You Be The Judge

Well now I think I've got today's politics figured out: It's like professional wresting. The refs (news media) are always being worked by the bad guys (Republicans). The good guys (Democrats [OK, I know that's stretching it]) are constantly having their eyes gouged and being illegally hit upon by the bad guys and the refs are always looking the other way when it happens. Except when they are taking bribes, I guess.

The fans scream ineffectively and watch the bad guys beat the shit out of the good guys. Further it is all pretend. In the end the wrestlers and refs all go back into the locker rooms and are real good buddies and all is forgiven.

And they take the fans money and split it up amongst themselves.

Or maybe Roller Derby?

The Republican "Filibuster"

When do you think the Senate leadership is going to force the Republicans to really filibuster as opposed to taking a painless vote. Then saying well we don't have the votes let's go home. Do you think that this group of leaders will ever force the issue and make the Republicans go through actual day in and day out coming to the floor for votes at all hours of the day or night?

Neither did I. And by the way where was Obama during all this? Just askin?

Illinois Gov.

You know I really don't know, but I am a little hesitant about jumping on the dump Blagojevich bandwagon (not that anybody asked me).

So far we have nothing but the USA's word for it that these things happened. Hey, they certainly could have, but wouldn't it be better to .... you know get a little more than one side out there. Or am I just being an old stick in the mud for kind of insisting on certain minimal procedural protections?

Oh wait them are just loop holes aren't they?

Wow, Just Wow

Well it looks like it is OK for the banks to give their employees "retention" bonuses for no particular reason other than they looted the U. S. Treasury and they can.

At the same time it is time attack real working people because they do not want to give away some of the money they actually need to live. The failure of the auto bailout is the fault of the U.A.W. Of course that would be the point of view of our rulers, now wouldn't it?

Oh yes, the $73.00 an hour rate is a lie.

Autos and the UAW

Boy things sure look grim for, oh a couple of million workers who will in all probability lose their jobs, plus many more who will probably have their hours and wages cut back.

I was at lunch today watching the 21st Century version of fiddling while Rome burns. On the T.V.s around us the "news" stations were continuously telling us about some bones of a small child found somewhere. With several experts explaining just what stuff meant. Then it was interspersed with reports on Gov. Rod Blagojevich (sp?) -- will he resign? Will he be forced to resign?

At the same time there is nothing at all on the bailout (or lack thereof). The reports that some of the Repubs are going to vote against it to try to destroy the UAW. Not only that but they are being pretty explicit about it. Yet these thugs could not be in power if the average job working class dude didn't vote for them. The T.V.s wouldn't be showing that kind of crap if the average person wasn't willing to watch it.

UPDATE:

Well yeah. This kind of thing doesn't leave the ugly images that explicit strike breaking did in the past. But here and now the shills for the real fascists destroy the ability of a union to get concessions for its workers and put them under the control of some czar and you destroy the union and put a pretty major crimp in any organizing for the future.

Illinois Again

One last thing about the whole Illinois gov. thingy. I think that the USA was aiming higher than the gov. I think he was aiming for Obama and Obama wasn't playing; either Blogs game or Fitzgerald's game.

So all the lefty blogs slobbering over the wonderful Mr. Fitzgerald, should be considering just who he was listening to and why.

It also interesting in reading the AP stuff. Can anybody say Whitewater? There I knew you could.

Or Is It Just Tacky

I would guess that offering to sell a senate seat for money is a crime. But is trading a senate seat for a seat on a non-government board a crime? Maybe if it is clear that what you really want is more money, but what if you just want the position because you think that you would be the best person for that position. "I will appoint your person to the senate, but I want to be made the auto czar, because I'm the best person for the job." How about: "I will appoint your person to the senate, but I want to be made auto czar, because I want the power." Or: "because I think that I can help my friends who hate unions break the unions." When is it a crime? Is it always a crime?

Do people really think that elected officials don't make deals and are all those deals illegal? Is the governor of Illinois corrupt or just tacky?

Illinois

A couple of Illinois criminals with their mouthpiece.

Well did you see what the governor of Illinois has been up to (just one link among many)? Apparently. I've had a lot of cases where the prosecution has an iron clad case right up to the point that the evidence starts to be presented. Although, to be fair it does look like they may have the guy on tape. It do appear that he was asking for money for appointed Obama's replacement.

I thought that they way things were done was that the people in charge wheeled and dealed -- although probably not in actual cash. Or at least you didn't' mention that you expected a cash advantage from the deal.

If it is true perhaps they should just imprison who ever is nominated for governor of Illinois and skip the middle step of office holding.

I had another thought. In this kind of case the defendant be he senator from Alaska or congressman from Louisiana is usually not arrested and taken off to the slammer. Since this guy was set to appoint a key senator and probably a Democrat is it possible that the U.S. Attorney decided to get back into the good graces of the Republican party after the Scotter Libby affair? To make it impossible for a Democrat to be appointed right now? Just askin'?

Auto Stuff

This is incredibly scary and bad news if it is true. First, a lasting gift of Bush, the destruction of the largest and most progressive union currently existing. Second, giving a czar complete authority to recreate the auto industry as a Bush insider thinks is best.

Ever since Nixon whenever there has been a problem we have seen fit to appoint a czar to deal with the problem. This is just such a good idea it worked so well in Russia for the Romanovs and has worked so well with the original American czar: the drug czar. That little problem has certainly gone away now hasn't it. What is it about the desire to create an administrator with total power in a country that is supposedly based upon the ideal of democracy? (Okay, even I am getting tired of pointing out the latter Roman Republic.)

You know if Obama said that this isn't what he wants and he just wants a two month hiatus for the industry until he and his people can make the major changes necessary after January 20, I suspect that is what would happen. Does it strike no one else that it is damn strange that the current lame duck and a lame duck congress are being allowed to make permanent structural changes to our economy only about two months before a so called new broom comes in and sweeps clean?

Or is it just the parting gift from Bush that he destroy this union.

Our Wonderful Press Again

Oh brother, I would expect that everyone would have the same response that I do to this article. Good ole Tommie. Honing in on the important issues of the day. Do the president elect smoke?

Then of course there is the headline, and the fact that that information is the led in the story. Do you think that they think that this is their job? The country swirls around the edge of the toilet as it prepares to go down. The congress and current president are fighting over where the money will come from to keep several million Americans employed. We are in the process of losing two wars at once. And ole Tommie wants to know about Obama's smoking. Not only that, but it is important enough to ask follow up questions.

Of course the other question that I begged at the begging is are we, as a people, stupid enough to think that this is what a national "news" [scare quotes] reporter's job is? Is this country that far gone? If that is really considered news by the majority of Americans then we are beyond hope.

Good Election News

On the other hand there is some good news for an old friend, Mary Jo Kilroy all of us really. I think that she may be the only politician I ever gave any money to. Well she has been working in the fields for at least 25 years. A good progressive.