Just who is Fred Bottom of the Barrel Thompson? This Rachel Maddow video post gives us a pretty good look at the man who conservatives see as their savior.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Friday, September 07, 2007
Zogby Poll Indicates 30% Of Americans Seek Immediate Impeachment Of Dumb Shit President Frat Boy And More Of Same Old Crap VP
Zogby Poll: 51% of Americans Want Congress to Probe Bush/Cheney Regarding 9/11 Attacks. Over 30% Seek Immediate Impeachment. 67% also fault 9/11 Commission for not investigating the anomalous collapse of World Trade Center 7.
Old Fogey Politicians On Rise Apparently Have No New Ideas
Who shall rid us of these troublesome old fogies from both parties?
Recent video proves that new agent of change Fred Thompson offers same old not well thought out bull crap political rhetorical drivel that seems to permeate the American political landscape today. This banality continues because the political experts out there apparently think it still sells to all us shallow unwashed peons out here in main street America.
Does ANYONE really have any original ideas anymore? Attention everyone the old bull shit isn't working anymore. Maybe it time for NEW ideas. Thompson is believed to be marketing himself as the new Ronald Reagan. Because their both actors I guess.
After 8 years of Bush I rather walk across broken glass and then eat each piece than consider potentially listening to Thompson expound about anything political. What exactly does Fred offer to the process that isn't tried old or already politically debunked by now. The video should serve as exhibit A in an "I don't really know shit about the world" contest.
Recent video proves that new agent of change Fred Thompson offers same old not well thought out bull crap political rhetorical drivel that seems to permeate the American political landscape today. This banality continues because the political experts out there apparently think it still sells to all us shallow unwashed peons out here in main street America.
Does ANYONE really have any original ideas anymore? Attention everyone the old bull shit isn't working anymore. Maybe it time for NEW ideas. Thompson is believed to be marketing himself as the new Ronald Reagan. Because their both actors I guess.
After 8 years of Bush I rather walk across broken glass and then eat each piece than consider potentially listening to Thompson expound about anything political. What exactly does Fred offer to the process that isn't tried old or already politically debunked by now. The video should serve as exhibit A in an "I don't really know shit about the world" contest.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Apparently many men who engage in anonymous sex with other men don't consider themselves to be gay or bisexual
Show it to me. I don't need to know your name. You wanna do me? Hurry up. Thanks, buddy. See ya 'round. Larry Craig's scandal really involves questions about hypocrisy, delusion, phoniness and the boomeranging effect that can be caused by a shit load of the sexual reppression. Thank you Jesus.Maybe that why (R) Senator Larry Craig claims "I'm not gay, I never have been gay". Maybe this claim is difficult to swallow (sorry) for some of us out here living only in heterosexual world. But, according to an article at the HIV/AIDS resource website The Body often it is just about having this type of SEX.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Blasphemous Balls Allah Gets Kick Around In US Soccer Ball Air Drop Controversy
US Forces in Afghanistan have apparently run amok of Muslim fundamentalist again by air dropping soccer balls that have Saudi Arabian flag with includes Allah's name. Okay then what's on the short list that isn't blasphemy to a fundamentalist Muslim? I think I going to become a atheist now.
The Paris Hilton Factor...Are We A Nation of Retards ? Ask Miss Teen South Carolina!
Recently I read an article about how Americans don't read books anymore. We also hear lots of whining from students and their parents about requirements to pass certain tests that measure educational standards in our schools. We lag behind other secular Western nations in math, science and foreign language skills. Our president is a idiot. Most Americans are apparently idiots too. Miss Teen South Carolina gives us hope though when she answers a question about why she thinks most teens can't locate the US on a world map.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Italian Soccer Player Reveals Insult That Triggered Zidane Head Butt During World Cup Final
MILAN, Italy -- Italy defender Marco Materazzi finally disclosed what he said to Zinedine Zidane in the World Cup final that provoked the French star to retaliate with a head-butt.
"I prefer the whore that is your sister," Materazzi said during an interview in next week's edition of Italian magazine TV Sorrisi E Canzoni, according to Italian news reports Saturday. He previously acknowledged he had insulted Zidane's sister.
Zidane head-butted Materazzi in the chest with 10 minutes left in last year's final. He was sent off for violent conduct, ending his stellar career with a red card.
Italy went on to win the game in a penalty-kick shootout after the score was 1-1 after extra time.
Materazzi, who received a two-game ban for incitement, has since apologized to Zidane.
France coach Raymond Domenech this month lauded Materazzi's strategy for getting Zidane sent off.
"I say 'bravo' to him," the coach said.
"I prefer the whore that is your sister," Materazzi said during an interview in next week's edition of Italian magazine TV Sorrisi E Canzoni, according to Italian news reports Saturday. He previously acknowledged he had insulted Zidane's sister.
Zidane head-butted Materazzi in the chest with 10 minutes left in last year's final. He was sent off for violent conduct, ending his stellar career with a red card.
Italy went on to win the game in a penalty-kick shootout after the score was 1-1 after extra time.
Materazzi, who received a two-game ban for incitement, has since apologized to Zidane.
France coach Raymond Domenech this month lauded Materazzi's strategy for getting Zidane sent off.
"I say 'bravo' to him," the coach said.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Olbermann Turns Spotlight On Bush Mine Safety Recess Appointee's Mining Safety Record
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Gasworks Party Or How Petty, Provincial, Unsophisticated and Grumpy Busy Body Seattleites Can Be!
The word is finally out about the big super secret party at Gasworks Park Saturday night. It turns out it was to celebrate the marriage of Clearwire director Stuart Sloan with family and friends.
I was there working as a entertainer. The “employees” staging the event were more or less told not to talk about it with anyone. The main reason, we were told, was that the groom wanted to make it a surprise for his bride and their family and for the 300 or so invited guests who apparently didn’t know exactly what was happen either.
In the lead up to this event many of us working the party read the wild speculation that resounded in the blogs and in the local MSM. Much of it not true it turns out or based on any facts. This led to much laughable or negative public speculation. Bill Gates was throwing a birthday party for Warren Buffet. Paul Allen was celebrating his daughter Graduation. It was some sort of Republican Party political event (with contempt dripping from the keyboard that such a thing could happen in our neighborhood added in for good measure). The people working the party were all scab labor etc., was one of the really particularly stupid posts I read.
I can say here, that I was paid well for performing at the party. More money then when I perform usually for the cheapskate arts organizations and impresarios I work for over the years locally. The staff and producers of the show were beyond professional in the way they conducted and interacted and treated us performers and in what they expected us to provide in exchange. Every detail was attended to and nothing seemed to be left to chance. From the inside this was the amazing thing that stood out about the event. The host of this party got ever permit needed. Paid the require fees took every precaution to provide for all contingencies and even informed the neighborhood in advance to expect and/or enjoy the fireworks.
My point being...
I grew up in Seattle. I lived on the South slope of Queen Anne Hill. So I’m no Johnny come lately like most of the people I suspect were so up in arms about this party. My mother didn’t try to stop Bumbershoot from happening just because once a year she had to fight for parking for a few days in front of the house or put up with “noise”. It was just people having some summer fun. Join the party, or if weren’t invited or don’t care we were taught be nice and mind your own damn business.
The main complainers here seem to be the same people who managed to stop the One Real Summer Nights program at Gasworks. Somehow this emboldens them to think that this park is THEIR private reserve now, and for god’s sake don’t have any fun anybody! I’m the fun Police and Park Nazi rolled into one. Unless of course you think the way they do. Frisbee toss or kite flying anyone?
This is a public park for EVERYONE, not just this small neighborhood cult.
I’m not a Republican, Democrat or rich. I'm and working man who likes to think for myself lets say. Nor do I choose to be a member of any other one dimensional political groupings. But it is beyond rude to try to stop a party because you THINK the people there are not of your particular political persuasion or progressive enough or not for your unsophisticated taste buds. Think Hempfest here.
This is what eats at me about the reaction to this party. You see it in the politics and culture of this city all too often. I don’t think it really existed in the old days. They had a Worlds Fair here in 1962 that ended up changing an entire neighborhood. But the legacy was the much-loved Seattle Center. I doubt you could do such a thing today with the provincial crowd that now permeates and runs Seattle.
Can you remember “The Commons”. Probably would have been a great urban open space but no, not happening in uptight Seattle. The Seattle Supersonic who needs them? Not the non-pro sports crowd even though it adds a very important aspect to the culture of the city. Tear down the viaduct and create a real waterfront. Not happening here. Host the Olympic games like a real world city. Too much noise to many people spending money I guess. Build a real rapid transit system. All talk and blog babblers here. Salt lake city had a winter Olympics and the federal government provided much of the money for the rapid transit system that's in place today. It’s part of the “Seattle process” trying to low balling it, small time it, talking the issues to death or being a busybody obstructionist.
Seattle your on the verge of turning into a ugly, rude, backwater town lacking in any big ideas. Where the so-called natives are most interested in everybody else’s business especially if it doesn’t suit their dull personalities, small personal ideas, or their politics.
I was there working as a entertainer. The “employees” staging the event were more or less told not to talk about it with anyone. The main reason, we were told, was that the groom wanted to make it a surprise for his bride and their family and for the 300 or so invited guests who apparently didn’t know exactly what was happen either.
In the lead up to this event many of us working the party read the wild speculation that resounded in the blogs and in the local MSM. Much of it not true it turns out or based on any facts. This led to much laughable or negative public speculation. Bill Gates was throwing a birthday party for Warren Buffet. Paul Allen was celebrating his daughter Graduation. It was some sort of Republican Party political event (with contempt dripping from the keyboard that such a thing could happen in our neighborhood added in for good measure). The people working the party were all scab labor etc., was one of the really particularly stupid posts I read.
I can say here, that I was paid well for performing at the party. More money then when I perform usually for the cheapskate arts organizations and impresarios I work for over the years locally. The staff and producers of the show were beyond professional in the way they conducted and interacted and treated us performers and in what they expected us to provide in exchange. Every detail was attended to and nothing seemed to be left to chance. From the inside this was the amazing thing that stood out about the event. The host of this party got ever permit needed. Paid the require fees took every precaution to provide for all contingencies and even informed the neighborhood in advance to expect and/or enjoy the fireworks.
My point being...
I grew up in Seattle. I lived on the South slope of Queen Anne Hill. So I’m no Johnny come lately like most of the people I suspect were so up in arms about this party. My mother didn’t try to stop Bumbershoot from happening just because once a year she had to fight for parking for a few days in front of the house or put up with “noise”. It was just people having some summer fun. Join the party, or if weren’t invited or don’t care we were taught be nice and mind your own damn business.
The main complainers here seem to be the same people who managed to stop the One Real Summer Nights program at Gasworks. Somehow this emboldens them to think that this park is THEIR private reserve now, and for god’s sake don’t have any fun anybody! I’m the fun Police and Park Nazi rolled into one. Unless of course you think the way they do. Frisbee toss or kite flying anyone?
This is a public park for EVERYONE, not just this small neighborhood cult.
I’m not a Republican, Democrat or rich. I'm and working man who likes to think for myself lets say. Nor do I choose to be a member of any other one dimensional political groupings. But it is beyond rude to try to stop a party because you THINK the people there are not of your particular political persuasion or progressive enough or not for your unsophisticated taste buds. Think Hempfest here.
This is what eats at me about the reaction to this party. You see it in the politics and culture of this city all too often. I don’t think it really existed in the old days. They had a Worlds Fair here in 1962 that ended up changing an entire neighborhood. But the legacy was the much-loved Seattle Center. I doubt you could do such a thing today with the provincial crowd that now permeates and runs Seattle.
Can you remember “The Commons”. Probably would have been a great urban open space but no, not happening in uptight Seattle. The Seattle Supersonic who needs them? Not the non-pro sports crowd even though it adds a very important aspect to the culture of the city. Tear down the viaduct and create a real waterfront. Not happening here. Host the Olympic games like a real world city. Too much noise to many people spending money I guess. Build a real rapid transit system. All talk and blog babblers here. Salt lake city had a winter Olympics and the federal government provided much of the money for the rapid transit system that's in place today. It’s part of the “Seattle process” trying to low balling it, small time it, talking the issues to death or being a busybody obstructionist.
Seattle your on the verge of turning into a ugly, rude, backwater town lacking in any big ideas. Where the so-called natives are most interested in everybody else’s business especially if it doesn’t suit their dull personalities, small personal ideas, or their politics.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Ron Paul Let's Loose About Iraq During Republican Debate
Ron Paul, the Libertarian playing a Republican presidential candidate, continues to challenge his fellow candidates rhetoric for "Iraq stay the course, holy war in reverse because our god is better then your god" BS.
Go Ron Go!
Go Ron Go!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Conservative warns of Police State in US
by: Muriel Kane (The Raw Story)
Thom Hartmann began his program on Thursday by reading from a new Executive Order which allows the government to seize the assets of anyone who interferes with its Iraq policies.
He then introduced old-line conservative Paul Craig Roberts -- a former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under Reagan who has recently become known for his strong opposition to the Bush administration and the Iraq War -- by quoting the "strong words" which open Roberts' latest column: "Unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the US could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran."
"I don't actually think they're very strong," said Roberts of his words. "I get a lot of flak that they're understated and the situation is worse than I say. ... When Bush exercises this authority [under the new Executive Order] ... there's no check to it. It doesn't have to be ratified by Congress. The people who bear the brunt of these dictatorial police state actions have no recourse to the judiciary. So it really is a form of total, absolute, one-man rule. ... The American people don't really understand the danger that they face."
Roberts said that because of Bush's unpopularity, the Republicans face a total wipeout in 2008, and this may be why "the Democrats have not brought a halt to Bush's follies or the war, because they expect his unpopular policies to provide them with a landslide victory in next year's election."
However, Roberts emphasized, "the problem with this reasoning is that it assumes that Cheney and Rove and the Republicans are ignorant of these facts, or it assumes that they are content for the Republican Party to be destroyed after Bush has his fling." Roberts believes instead that Cheney and Rove intend to use a renewal of the War on Terror to rally the American people around the Republican Party. "Something's in the works," he said, adding that the Executive Orders need to create a police state are already in place.
"The administration figures themselves and prominent Republican propagandists ... are preparing us for another 9/11 event or series of events," Roberts continued. "Chertoff has predicted them. ... The National Intelligence Estimate is saying that al Qaeda has regrouped. ... You have to count on the fact that if al Qaeda's not going to do it, it's going to be orchestrated. ... The Republicans are praying for another 9/11."
Hartmann asked what we as the people can do if impeachment isn't about to happen. "If enough people were suspicious and alert, it would be harder for the administration to get away with it," Roberts replied. However, he added, "I don't think these wake-up calls are likely to be effective," pointing out the dominance of the mainstream media.
"Americans think their danger is terrorists," said Roberts. "They don't understand the terrorists cannot take away habeas corpus, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution. ... The terrorists are not anything like the threat that we face to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution from our own government in the name of fighting terrorism. Americans just aren't able to perceive that."
Roberts pointed out that it's old-line Republicans like himself, former Reagan associate deputy attorney general Bruce Fein, and Pat Buchanan who are the diehards in warning of the danger. "It's so obvious to people like us who have long been associated in the corridors of power," he said. "There's no belief in the people or anything like that. They have agendas. The people are in the way. The Constitution is in the way. ... Americans need to comprehend and look at how ruthless Cheney is. ... A person like that would do anything."
Roberts final suggestion was that, in the absence of a massive popular outcry, "the only constraints on what's going to happen will come from the federal bureaucracy and perhaps the military. They may have had enough. They may not go along with it."
Thom Hartmann began his program on Thursday by reading from a new Executive Order which allows the government to seize the assets of anyone who interferes with its Iraq policies.
He then introduced old-line conservative Paul Craig Roberts -- a former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under Reagan who has recently become known for his strong opposition to the Bush administration and the Iraq War -- by quoting the "strong words" which open Roberts' latest column: "Unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the US could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran."
"I don't actually think they're very strong," said Roberts of his words. "I get a lot of flak that they're understated and the situation is worse than I say. ... When Bush exercises this authority [under the new Executive Order] ... there's no check to it. It doesn't have to be ratified by Congress. The people who bear the brunt of these dictatorial police state actions have no recourse to the judiciary. So it really is a form of total, absolute, one-man rule. ... The American people don't really understand the danger that they face."
Roberts said that because of Bush's unpopularity, the Republicans face a total wipeout in 2008, and this may be why "the Democrats have not brought a halt to Bush's follies or the war, because they expect his unpopular policies to provide them with a landslide victory in next year's election."
However, Roberts emphasized, "the problem with this reasoning is that it assumes that Cheney and Rove and the Republicans are ignorant of these facts, or it assumes that they are content for the Republican Party to be destroyed after Bush has his fling." Roberts believes instead that Cheney and Rove intend to use a renewal of the War on Terror to rally the American people around the Republican Party. "Something's in the works," he said, adding that the Executive Orders need to create a police state are already in place.
"The administration figures themselves and prominent Republican propagandists ... are preparing us for another 9/11 event or series of events," Roberts continued. "Chertoff has predicted them. ... The National Intelligence Estimate is saying that al Qaeda has regrouped. ... You have to count on the fact that if al Qaeda's not going to do it, it's going to be orchestrated. ... The Republicans are praying for another 9/11."
Hartmann asked what we as the people can do if impeachment isn't about to happen. "If enough people were suspicious and alert, it would be harder for the administration to get away with it," Roberts replied. However, he added, "I don't think these wake-up calls are likely to be effective," pointing out the dominance of the mainstream media.
"Americans think their danger is terrorists," said Roberts. "They don't understand the terrorists cannot take away habeas corpus, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution. ... The terrorists are not anything like the threat that we face to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution from our own government in the name of fighting terrorism. Americans just aren't able to perceive that."
Roberts pointed out that it's old-line Republicans like himself, former Reagan associate deputy attorney general Bruce Fein, and Pat Buchanan who are the diehards in warning of the danger. "It's so obvious to people like us who have long been associated in the corridors of power," he said. "There's no belief in the people or anything like that. They have agendas. The people are in the way. The Constitution is in the way. ... Americans need to comprehend and look at how ruthless Cheney is. ... A person like that would do anything."
Roberts final suggestion was that, in the absence of a massive popular outcry, "the only constraints on what's going to happen will come from the federal bureaucracy and perhaps the military. They may have had enough. They may not go along with it."
Monday, May 28, 2007
Memorial Day Wish: Malingering Republicans Stop Using Military Personnel For Photo Ops and Cannon Fodder!
Hypocrisy:(the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense) George Bush and Dick Cheney and many so called conservatives love to use military personnel in the background whenever they need to promote the Iraq war agenda. But what does the record really show?
George W. Bush failed to complete his six-year National Guard; got assigned to Alabama so he could campaign for family friend running for U.S. Senate; failed to show up for required medical exam, disappeared from duty.
Dick Cheney: did not serve. Several deferments, the last by marriage.
Dennis Hastert: did not serve.
Tom Delay: did not serve.
Roy Blunt: did not serve.
Bill Frist: did not serve.
Mitch McConnell: did not serve.
Rick Santorum: did not serve.
Trent Lott: did not serve.
John Ashcroft: did not serve. Seven deferments to teach business.
Jeb Bush: did not serve.
Karl Rove: did not serve.
Saxby Chambliss did not serve.
Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve.
Vin Weber: did not serve.
Richard Perle: did not serve.
Douglas Feith: did not serve.
Eliot Abrams: did not serve.
Richard Shelby: did not serve.
Jon Kyl: did not serve.
Tim Hutchison: did not serve.
Christopher Cox: did not serve.
Newt Gingrich: did not serve.
Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as flight instructor.
Ronald Reagan: served in a non- combat role making movies.
Bob Dornan: enlisted after fighting was over in Korea.
Phil Gramm: did not serve.
John McCain: Vietnam POW, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit,
Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Dana Rohrabacher: did not serve.
John M. McHugh: did not serve.
JC Watts: did not serve.
Jack Kemp: did not serve.
Dan Quayle: Journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard.
Rudy Giuliani: did not serve.
George Pataki: did not serve.
Spencer Abraham: did not serve.
John Engler: did not serve.
Lindsey Graham: National Guard lawyer.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: AWOL from Austrian army base.
Pundits & Preachers
Sean Hannity: did not serve.
Rush Limbaugh: did not serve
Bill O'Reilly: did not serve.
Michael Savage: did not serve.
George Will: did not serve.
Chris Matthews: did not serve.
Paul Gigot: did not serve.
Bill Bennett: did not serve.
Pat Buchanan: did not serve.
John Wayne: did not serve.
Bill Kristol: did not serve.
Kenneth Starr: did not serve.
Antonin Scalia: did not serve.
Clarence Thomas: did not serve.
Ralph Reed: did not serve.
Michael Medved: did not serve.
Charlie Daniels: did not serve.
For a Democrats and liberals list of service.
Dennis Hastert: did not serve.
Tom Delay: did not serve.
Roy Blunt: did not serve.
Bill Frist: did not serve.
Mitch McConnell: did not serve.
Rick Santorum: did not serve.
Trent Lott: did not serve.
John Ashcroft: did not serve. Seven deferments to teach business.
Jeb Bush: did not serve.
Karl Rove: did not serve.
Saxby Chambliss did not serve.
Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve.
Vin Weber: did not serve.
Richard Perle: did not serve.
Douglas Feith: did not serve.
Eliot Abrams: did not serve.
Richard Shelby: did not serve.
Jon Kyl: did not serve.
Tim Hutchison: did not serve.
Christopher Cox: did not serve.
Newt Gingrich: did not serve.
Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as flight instructor.
Ronald Reagan: served in a non- combat role making movies.
Bob Dornan: enlisted after fighting was over in Korea.
Phil Gramm: did not serve.
John McCain: Vietnam POW, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit,
Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Dana Rohrabacher: did not serve.
John M. McHugh: did not serve.
JC Watts: did not serve.
Jack Kemp: did not serve.
Dan Quayle: Journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard.
Rudy Giuliani: did not serve.
George Pataki: did not serve.
Spencer Abraham: did not serve.
John Engler: did not serve.
Lindsey Graham: National Guard lawyer.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: AWOL from Austrian army base.
Pundits & Preachers
Sean Hannity: did not serve.
Rush Limbaugh: did not serve
Bill O'Reilly: did not serve.
Michael Savage: did not serve.
George Will: did not serve.
Chris Matthews: did not serve.
Paul Gigot: did not serve.
Bill Bennett: did not serve.
Pat Buchanan: did not serve.
John Wayne: did not serve.
Bill Kristol: did not serve.
Kenneth Starr: did not serve.
Antonin Scalia: did not serve.
Clarence Thomas: did not serve.
Ralph Reed: did not serve.
Michael Medved: did not serve.
Charlie Daniels: did not serve.
For a Democrats and liberals list of service.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Cheney Tells West Point Grads They'll Have The Equipment And Supplies They Need?
In a blatant lie, Cheney tells West Point grads they'll have the equipment and supplies they need.
CBS Exposes Bush Admin’s ‘Outrageous Delay’ In Providing Marines With Bomb-Resistant Vehicle
CBS Exposes Bush Admin’s ‘Outrageous Delay’ In Providing Marines With Bomb-Resistant Vehicle
1,106 US troops died since the time they begged George Bush for IED-proof vehicles, vehicles that actually exist, and Bush ignored them because he didn't want to spend the money, cronyism and bureaucracy.
1,106 US troops died since the time they begged George Bush for IED-proof vehicles, vehicles that actually exist, and Bush ignored them because he didn't want to spend the money, cronyism and bureaucracy.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
The First Step In Recovery Is Realizing There's A Problem With Your Personal Ecological Footprint
What is your ecological Footprint? Take the test here.
Even though I thought I was god's gift to small living. I found out I was really no better then a corporate pig. Below are my results. I found it interesting that most of us who consider ourselves environmentally conscious may really not be.
CATEGORY ACRES
FOOD 3.7
MOBILITY 2.5
SHELTER 12.4
GOODS/SERVICES 10.1
TOTAL FOOTPRINT 29
IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 2.4 ACRES PER PERSON.
WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.
IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE ME, WE WOULD NEED 6.4 PLANETS.
Even though I thought I was god's gift to small living. I found out I was really no better then a corporate pig. Below are my results. I found it interesting that most of us who consider ourselves environmentally conscious may really not be.
CATEGORY ACRES
FOOD 3.7
MOBILITY 2.5
SHELTER 12.4
GOODS/SERVICES 10.1
TOTAL FOOTPRINT 29
IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 2.4 ACRES PER PERSON.
WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.
IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE ME, WE WOULD NEED 6.4 PLANETS.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Robert Reich's Blog
Robert Reich's Blog
Clinton's former Secretary of Labor offers some interesting insights about the Democrat's proposed budget.
Clinton's former Secretary of Labor offers some interesting insights about the Democrat's proposed budget.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Unhappy Anniversary Mount St. Helens Film Voted Worse Disaster Movie Ever Made!
St. Helens (1981) The lousiest climactic payoff of any disaster film ever. Released just one year after the May 18 eruption, this cynical quickie devotes only its final 11 minutes to the eruption and its aftermath and the sequence is, to put it mildly, something less than a special-effects masterpiece. Instead, it's a hacked-together hodgepodge of still photos; stock footage; cheap process shots of what appears to be cigarette smoke knocking over cars; and panicky, flannel-wearing hicks bumping into each other. Art Carney plays stubborn old Harry Truman -- who, judging from the movie's volcano-blast effects, died after being sprayed with a large hose.
Republican Canididate Caught On Camera Making Sense?
Conservatives are quick to viciously attack anyone who suggest that passed or present American foreign policy maybe responsible for fostering anti-American ideologies.
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul defends his belief that America is culpable for Muslim fanatics attacks on US. In a video entitled "Educating Rudy".
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul defends his belief that America is culpable for Muslim fanatics attacks on US. In a video entitled "Educating Rudy".
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Impeach Me Now Impeach Me Later When Will Somebody Inforce The F@#king Laws In This Country Again?
Whether it will end up being the illegal wiretaps or the host of Iraq scandals or the blatant crony ism or billions of dollars gone missing here and abroad that brings them down it's my prediction that eventually Bush-Cheney-Rove et al WILL be brought to justice for their CRIMINAL behavior.
If not, it time that we all move to Canada. For there is no justice here.
Not to mention the numerous other on going scandals that have their roots connected to these despicable men.
As of today. I'm tired of waiting. I'm sick of saying what the fuck have then done now while listen to the nightly news and I'm especially tired of seeing my country destroyed by these bogus charlatans. Oh yeah, I was once one of those who thought that the Democrat leadership policy of not invoking the "I" word may of been sound. The argument being, why put the country through such a divisive process. It time for a change in attitude.
If your going to put the shoplifter in jail in this country for stealing a loaf of bread then your a nation of simple-minded hypocrites if you don't do something immediately to bring justice to this bunch of weasels. It's simple, spineless elected officials simply are not doing their constitutional duty unless they move to impeach these bastards now given the ever mounting evidence of their criminal activities.
The latest revelations of attempts by the white house to have a sick and bedridden Attorney General John Ashcroft sign off on a plan to illegally wiretap millions of Americans is the latest indication of this government's complete disregard for the principles under which this country was founded. To Ashcroft's credit he refused to sign as did the acting Attorney General James Comey and both along with several other high ranking justice department officials threaten to resign. These were highly skilled lawyers who knew the serious breach of law that such an act represented.
If not, it time that we all move to Canada. For there is no justice here.
Not to mention the numerous other on going scandals that have their roots connected to these despicable men.
As of today. I'm tired of waiting. I'm sick of saying what the fuck have then done now while listen to the nightly news and I'm especially tired of seeing my country destroyed by these bogus charlatans. Oh yeah, I was once one of those who thought that the Democrat leadership policy of not invoking the "I" word may of been sound. The argument being, why put the country through such a divisive process. It time for a change in attitude.
If your going to put the shoplifter in jail in this country for stealing a loaf of bread then your a nation of simple-minded hypocrites if you don't do something immediately to bring justice to this bunch of weasels. It's simple, spineless elected officials simply are not doing their constitutional duty unless they move to impeach these bastards now given the ever mounting evidence of their criminal activities.
The latest revelations of attempts by the white house to have a sick and bedridden Attorney General John Ashcroft sign off on a plan to illegally wiretap millions of Americans is the latest indication of this government's complete disregard for the principles under which this country was founded. To Ashcroft's credit he refused to sign as did the acting Attorney General James Comey and both along with several other high ranking justice department officials threaten to resign. These were highly skilled lawyers who knew the serious breach of law that such an act represented.
"But the problem comes down to the failure of Congress to deal with what is a very ugly and unfortunate fact. This would be a clear impeachable offense. I don‘t know of a more clear potential charge of impeachment within the modern presidency. I mean, this law makes it a crime to order domestic surveillance without a warrant. The president ordered it and renewed it 30 times. And now we find out that the very top of the Justice Department told him, This is unlawful."My point is this. Given the myriad of potential criminal acts committed by these future felons it would be the greatest travesty in the history of American justice not to seriously consider moving immediately to impeach and if necessary prosecute them and if they are found guilty jail them. For if there is no justice imposed on them then there will be no justice for anyone. No citizen is above the law be he common or the holder of the highest political office in the land.
JONATHAN TURLEY, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW EXPERT on the Keith Olbermann show May 16. 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
NAFTA's Global Class War Or How Bill Clinton And Democrat Leaders Broke The New Deal's Social Contract With The People
An excerpt from the interesting new book Global Class War "How America’s Bipartisan Elite Lost Our Future and What We Must Do to Win It Back". By Jeff Faux
"We are entering an information age that is obliterating economic national boundaries. It is a time of change equivalent to the shift from the agricultural to the industrial age. The resulting deregulated global economy is bringing freedom, democracy, and technological wonders to the rest of the world. In order for you to survive and prosper in this new global market you will have to compete against some six billion people out there, most of whom will work for a lot less than you will. The price of labor is set in South China, where people will work for one-twentieth or less of your wage. If you want to live better than the Chinese, you have to be more than twenty times more efficient. Therefore, you should get all the technical training you can get, be willing to work longer and harder, and make wise investments. You are on your own."
"We are entering an information age that is obliterating economic national boundaries. It is a time of change equivalent to the shift from the agricultural to the industrial age. The resulting deregulated global economy is bringing freedom, democracy, and technological wonders to the rest of the world. In order for you to survive and prosper in this new global market you will have to compete against some six billion people out there, most of whom will work for a lot less than you will. The price of labor is set in South China, where people will work for one-twentieth or less of your wage. If you want to live better than the Chinese, you have to be more than twenty times more efficient. Therefore, you should get all the technical training you can get, be willing to work longer and harder, and make wise investments. You are on your own."
Republican Debate's Question of The Night!
The most interesting response I thought to a question during the entire "I'm the real conservative here" litmus test South Carolina Republican Debate last night came with a question posed by Fox News moderator Wendell Goler to Texas Congressman Ron Paul. His response made more sense than the same I'm a macho man bomb em now and bomb them later rhetoric that ALL the other candidates had to offer on what to do in Iraq. Paul certainly had it right and the apparent courage to state a more deeply thought out position on the war.
The question concerned the fact that Paul is apparently the only Republican calling for the immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. There was a audible groan in the room when he responded that American interventionism maybe at the heart of our problems in the world today and could of led to 9/11.
Here the transcript on that question:
MR. GOLER: Congressman Paul, I believe you are the only man on the stage who opposes the war in Iraq, who would bring the troops home as quickly as -- almost immediately, sir. Are you out of step with your party? Is your party out of step with the rest of the world? If either of those is the case, why are you seeking its nomination?
REP. PAUL: Well, I think the party has lost its way, because the conservative wing of the Republican Party always advocated a non interventionist foreign policy.
Senator Robert Taft didn't even want to be in NATO. George Bush won the election in the year 2000 campaigning on a humble foreign policy -- no nation-building, no policing of the world. Republicans were elected to end the Korean War. The Republicans were elected to end the Vietnam War. There's a strong tradition of being anti-war in the Republican party. It is the constitutional position. It is the advice of the Founders to follow a non-interventionist foreign policy, stay out of entangling alliances, be friends with countries, negotiate and talk with them and trade with them.
Just think of the tremendous improvement -- relationships with Vietnam. We lost 60,000 men. We came home in defeat. Now we go over there and invest in Vietnam. So there's a lot of merit to the advice of the Founders and following the Constitution.
And my argument is that we shouldn't go to war so carelessly. (Bell rings.) When we do, the wars don't end.
MR. GOLER: Congressman, you don't think that changed with the 9/11 attacks, sir?
REP. PAUL: What changed?
MR. GOLER: The non-interventionist policies.
REP. PAUL: No. Non-intervention was a major contributing factor. Have you ever read the reasons they attacked us? They attack us because we've been over there; we've been bombing Iraq for 10 years. We've been in the Middle East -- I think Reagan was right.
We don't understand the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics. So right now we're building an embassy in Iraq that's bigger than the Vatican. We're building 14 permanent bases. What would we say here if China was doing this in our country or in the Gulf of Mexico? We would be objecting. We need to look at what we do from the perspective of what would happen if somebody else did it to us. (Applause.)
MR. GOLER: Are you suggesting we invited the 9/11 attack, sir?
REP. PAUL: I'm suggesting that we listen to the people who attacked us and the reason they did it, and they are delighted that we're over there because Osama bin Laden has said, "I am glad you're over on our sand because we can target you so much easier." They have already now since that time -- (bell rings) -- have killed 3,400 of our men, and I don't think it was necessary.
MR. GIULIANI: Wendell, may I comment on that? That's really an extraordinary statement. That's an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of September 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I've heard that before, and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th. (Applause, cheers.)
And I would ask the congressman to withdraw that comment and tell us that he didn't really mean that. (Applause.)
MR. GOLER: Congressman?
REP. PAUL: I believe very sincerely that the CIA is correct when they teach and talk about blowback. When we went into Iran in 1953 and installed the shah, yes, there was blowback. A reaction to that was the taking of our hostages and that persists. And if we ignore that, we ignore that at our own risk. If we think that we can do what we want around the world and not incite hatred, then we have a problem.
They don't come here to attack us because we're rich and we're free. They come and they attack us because we're over there. I mean, what would we think if we were -- if other foreign countries were doing that to us?
MR. GIULIANI: Can I have 30 seconds, please?
MR.: No, no, no, wait a second. Let's -- we'll all get 30 seconds.
The question concerned the fact that Paul is apparently the only Republican calling for the immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. There was a audible groan in the room when he responded that American interventionism maybe at the heart of our problems in the world today and could of led to 9/11.
Here the transcript on that question:
MR. GOLER: Congressman Paul, I believe you are the only man on the stage who opposes the war in Iraq, who would bring the troops home as quickly as -- almost immediately, sir. Are you out of step with your party? Is your party out of step with the rest of the world? If either of those is the case, why are you seeking its nomination?
REP. PAUL: Well, I think the party has lost its way, because the conservative wing of the Republican Party always advocated a non interventionist foreign policy.
Senator Robert Taft didn't even want to be in NATO. George Bush won the election in the year 2000 campaigning on a humble foreign policy -- no nation-building, no policing of the world. Republicans were elected to end the Korean War. The Republicans were elected to end the Vietnam War. There's a strong tradition of being anti-war in the Republican party. It is the constitutional position. It is the advice of the Founders to follow a non-interventionist foreign policy, stay out of entangling alliances, be friends with countries, negotiate and talk with them and trade with them.
Just think of the tremendous improvement -- relationships with Vietnam. We lost 60,000 men. We came home in defeat. Now we go over there and invest in Vietnam. So there's a lot of merit to the advice of the Founders and following the Constitution.
And my argument is that we shouldn't go to war so carelessly. (Bell rings.) When we do, the wars don't end.
MR. GOLER: Congressman, you don't think that changed with the 9/11 attacks, sir?
REP. PAUL: What changed?
MR. GOLER: The non-interventionist policies.
REP. PAUL: No. Non-intervention was a major contributing factor. Have you ever read the reasons they attacked us? They attack us because we've been over there; we've been bombing Iraq for 10 years. We've been in the Middle East -- I think Reagan was right.
We don't understand the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics. So right now we're building an embassy in Iraq that's bigger than the Vatican. We're building 14 permanent bases. What would we say here if China was doing this in our country or in the Gulf of Mexico? We would be objecting. We need to look at what we do from the perspective of what would happen if somebody else did it to us. (Applause.)
MR. GOLER: Are you suggesting we invited the 9/11 attack, sir?
REP. PAUL: I'm suggesting that we listen to the people who attacked us and the reason they did it, and they are delighted that we're over there because Osama bin Laden has said, "I am glad you're over on our sand because we can target you so much easier." They have already now since that time -- (bell rings) -- have killed 3,400 of our men, and I don't think it was necessary.
MR. GIULIANI: Wendell, may I comment on that? That's really an extraordinary statement. That's an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of September 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I've heard that before, and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th. (Applause, cheers.)
And I would ask the congressman to withdraw that comment and tell us that he didn't really mean that. (Applause.)
MR. GOLER: Congressman?
REP. PAUL: I believe very sincerely that the CIA is correct when they teach and talk about blowback. When we went into Iran in 1953 and installed the shah, yes, there was blowback. A reaction to that was the taking of our hostages and that persists. And if we ignore that, we ignore that at our own risk. If we think that we can do what we want around the world and not incite hatred, then we have a problem.
They don't come here to attack us because we're rich and we're free. They come and they attack us because we're over there. I mean, what would we think if we were -- if other foreign countries were doing that to us?
MR. GIULIANI: Can I have 30 seconds, please?
MR.: No, no, no, wait a second. Let's -- we'll all get 30 seconds.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Full Power Radio Station Licenses Anyone?
it's now or never...rare opportunity for non profit community organizations who want to operate their own "full power" stations...
Are you tired of every radio station sounding the same?
Are the corporate radio giants serving your community?
Have you always dreamed of your own radio station?
This October, the 12th through the 19th, the FCC will open a rare window for issuing full-power, noncommercial radio licenses. Now may be your only chance to secure a license. Read the FCC's announcement.
If you don't apply during this window, it will be many years before another licensing window opens and, frankly, there won't be much full power radio spectrum of value available after this issuing period.
These licenses will only be available to qualified community groups and nonprofits in certain geographical areas. More information at GetRadio.org
Are you tired of every radio station sounding the same?
Are the corporate radio giants serving your community?
Have you always dreamed of your own radio station?
This October, the 12th through the 19th, the FCC will open a rare window for issuing full-power, noncommercial radio licenses. Now may be your only chance to secure a license. Read the FCC's announcement.
- The window itself will only last seven days.
- You can only file your application during this seven-day window, so everything needs to be prepared in advance.
If you don't apply during this window, it will be many years before another licensing window opens and, frankly, there won't be much full power radio spectrum of value available after this issuing period.
These licenses will only be available to qualified community groups and nonprofits in certain geographical areas. More information at GetRadio.org
Friday, May 11, 2007
See "Iraq for Sale" Video Clip That Republicans Successfully Blocked From Being Seen By Congress
Progressive film director Robert Greenwald was scheduled to testify at a hearing on Thursday, May 10 about war profiteering. He requested to show a few minutes of one of his films - Iraq for Sale - but Republicans blocked his request. Below is what Congress won’t see.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Republican Congressman Thinks It's Okay to Mistakenly Jail and Torture Innocent People
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) aggressively defended the U.S. rendition program and attacked the witnesses, three members of the European parliament, who testified that rendition actually hinders prosecutions of terrorists.
Further demonstrating Republican lack of understanding of basic individual constitutional rights. Europeans wonder if America still champion of inalienable rights. Demonstrators gasp in awe and eventually disrupt hearing.
Further demonstrating Republican lack of understanding of basic individual constitutional rights. Europeans wonder if America still champion of inalienable rights. Demonstrators gasp in awe and eventually disrupt hearing.
Rush Limbaugh Pulls An Imus
Limbaugh plays "Barack The Magic Negro" song parody on his show. Must see video from Alternet here.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Open Letter To Tucker Carlson, Your A Nitwit!
Mr. Carlson,
The hearings that congressional Democrats are holding on the Pat Tillman and the Jessica Lynch tragedies are necessary so that Americans can get to THE TRUTH. Something that has been sadly lacking ever since criminals like Bush and Cheney have been in charge of this country.
No matter what you think in between your insular world inside the Washington D.C. beltway, and your side trips for appearances on dancing with the stars or other attempts to be a pop star talking head, I believe that Bush and Cheney someday will face charges for the plague of criminal activities, lies and deceits they and their cronies have leveled on our country and the rest of the world during this national nightmare of a time we find ourselves living through today.
The Tillman and Lynch cases being only a small part of the overall malignant cancer that exists in every part of this administration. But of course not a small matter to the Tillman and Lynch families and many families just like them who have suffered the loss of a love one due to the incompetence and misguided policies of this government's leaders.
I believe the family of Pat Tillman requested that congress investigate these allegations. Apparently as many as nine senior military officers including several generals covered up the truth about how Tillman sacrificed his life, all done apparently to support this administration's phony call to war.
Like the Tillmans, I think that the American people should know who these generals are and more importantly who started the cover up in the first place. WE DESERVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH and history deserves to know the truth.
If you were worth two cents as a journalist you would be compelled to find out who started these lies about Tillman and Lynch's service in the first place instead of talking gibberish or trying to create phony political conflicts that really don't exist or playing your lap dog character as some fictitious spokesman for the intellectual right-wing. Which we all know is somewhat of an oxymoron.
No your not the new William Buckley, and never will be. But I regress. You often miss the freaking point entirely on this and most other issues of the day.
On your program today you continued to try to somehow portray all this as "an attack on the troops or the army or somehow totally partisan. I remind you that Congress's job is oversight.
This is how the system is supposed to work now that there isn't a rubber stamp do nothing Tom Delay run Republican congress calling the shots anymore.
It is also beyond bad journalism and an indication of your lack of creativity to drag out Tom DeLay for his opinion on anything. Who would believe anything this potential felon has to say anyway. If you do. your a complete fool. But he plays you just like he plays all the other right wing wing nuts.
Which I'm beginning to think is the real problem with you and your show. Why MSNBC keeps you there is beyond understanding.
I for one think your phony libertarian intellectual right wing preppy boy bullshit is wearing real thin out here in the real world.
Sincerely,
artistdogboy
Vashon, Wa
The hearings that congressional Democrats are holding on the Pat Tillman and the Jessica Lynch tragedies are necessary so that Americans can get to THE TRUTH. Something that has been sadly lacking ever since criminals like Bush and Cheney have been in charge of this country.
No matter what you think in between your insular world inside the Washington D.C. beltway, and your side trips for appearances on dancing with the stars or other attempts to be a pop star talking head, I believe that Bush and Cheney someday will face charges for the plague of criminal activities, lies and deceits they and their cronies have leveled on our country and the rest of the world during this national nightmare of a time we find ourselves living through today.
The Tillman and Lynch cases being only a small part of the overall malignant cancer that exists in every part of this administration. But of course not a small matter to the Tillman and Lynch families and many families just like them who have suffered the loss of a love one due to the incompetence and misguided policies of this government's leaders.
I believe the family of Pat Tillman requested that congress investigate these allegations. Apparently as many as nine senior military officers including several generals covered up the truth about how Tillman sacrificed his life, all done apparently to support this administration's phony call to war.
Like the Tillmans, I think that the American people should know who these generals are and more importantly who started the cover up in the first place. WE DESERVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH and history deserves to know the truth.
If you were worth two cents as a journalist you would be compelled to find out who started these lies about Tillman and Lynch's service in the first place instead of talking gibberish or trying to create phony political conflicts that really don't exist or playing your lap dog character as some fictitious spokesman for the intellectual right-wing. Which we all know is somewhat of an oxymoron.
No your not the new William Buckley, and never will be. But I regress. You often miss the freaking point entirely on this and most other issues of the day.
On your program today you continued to try to somehow portray all this as "an attack on the troops or the army or somehow totally partisan. I remind you that Congress's job is oversight.
This is how the system is supposed to work now that there isn't a rubber stamp do nothing Tom Delay run Republican congress calling the shots anymore.
It is also beyond bad journalism and an indication of your lack of creativity to drag out Tom DeLay for his opinion on anything. Who would believe anything this potential felon has to say anyway. If you do. your a complete fool. But he plays you just like he plays all the other right wing wing nuts.
Which I'm beginning to think is the real problem with you and your show. Why MSNBC keeps you there is beyond understanding.
I for one think your phony libertarian intellectual right wing preppy boy bullshit is wearing real thin out here in the real world.
Sincerely,
artistdogboy
Vashon, Wa
Thursday, April 19, 2007
McCain Sings About Bombing Iran Video
During a campaign stop today by Senator John McCain he sings about bombing Iran in response to a question from an audience member about why the United States hasn't done so yet. The audience applause to the question strikes me as being even more troubling. Of course it's in South Carolina not exactly a Blue State.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Require Licenses For All Gun Owners In Washington State
It is becoming obvious, with each subsequent news report, that the man who killed 32 people and himself in Virginia demonstrated unstable and bazaar behavior long before he went on the rampage that led to the horror. Yet he was easily able to purchase the eventual murder weapons by simply providing 2 pieces of identification and doing a routine background check. Virginia apparently does not have a flagging system for individuals who have records of having mental illness issues. Nor do most other states unfortunately.
Had they had such a system perhaps this awful tragedy could of been avoided. Frankly there's a football stadium full of such personal tragedies that happen each year in the good old USA due to our archaic and out of date gun control laws.
I personally think that guns should not be band completely. Being partially raised in rural Eastern Washington I was taught to hunt, gun safety and a thoughtful respect for the uses of firearms. It must be noted that I do not own any weapons. I have personally chosen not to own them. I am not a pacifist or one who is morally opposed to defending myself if my life were truly threatened. I would probably be at the head of the line to purchase a firearm if a Katrina like event happened were I live or civil unrest become a reality around me. I respect each individual right to make up their mind where they stand on this matter.
Though I tend to agree with Camile Paglia recent column on this issue:
I now believe strongly, and have for sometime, that one should be required to obtain a license (similar to a diver's license) to possess any type of firearm or rifle short of marshal law being declared. This process would require thorough criminal background checks, a gun safety training course that you must pass and some rigorous mechanism to verify that you are of sound mind and body. Of course it would keep guns out of the hands of the usual suspects such as convicted felons and those with pending criminal actions.
It simply is beyond common sense that anyone who drives a vehicle is required to get a license while anyone wishing to own a weapon, which is perhaps more deadly in the wrong hands, has little or no restrictions placed upon them in obtaining one.
Also I believe that assault weapons should be band along with the assortment of large ammunition clips and hollow point type bullets. These things are extreme and not really necessary or practical for hunting, protecting oneself or ones family or property.
It is extremely unfortunate that this apparently mentally ill individual in Virginia was allowed to somehow slipped through the cracks that exist not only in Virginia but many parts of this country when it came to keeping firearms out to the hands of people who one would consider unstable or mentally ill.
He apparently had a number of contacts with the police after allegedly stalking women on campus and appeared unstable to most who had contact with him and apparently was the proverbial ticking time bomb. Yet he obtained the weapons easily.
In Washington State individuals charged with domestic violence offenses are flagged through the department of licensing data base and prohibited from purchasing owning or possessing firearms pending the outcome of their cases. If convicted of a the offense their right to own or possess a gun is prohibited for a number of years or until it is restored by the court. Concealed weapons permits only require that they certify that they are mentally sound and go through a background check and you do not need the permit to purchase the weapon only to conceal it.
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich's blog had this to say on the subject:
It's time voters begin to contacting their representatives to tell them that enough is enough. We need to have the political courage to stand up to the NRA and the gun fanatics and pass laws that represent some sort of common sense control over the epidemic of gun violence in America.
Had they had such a system perhaps this awful tragedy could of been avoided. Frankly there's a football stadium full of such personal tragedies that happen each year in the good old USA due to our archaic and out of date gun control laws.
I personally think that guns should not be band completely. Being partially raised in rural Eastern Washington I was taught to hunt, gun safety and a thoughtful respect for the uses of firearms. It must be noted that I do not own any weapons. I have personally chosen not to own them. I am not a pacifist or one who is morally opposed to defending myself if my life were truly threatened. I would probably be at the head of the line to purchase a firearm if a Katrina like event happened were I live or civil unrest become a reality around me. I respect each individual right to make up their mind where they stand on this matter.
Though I tend to agree with Camile Paglia recent column on this issue:
"As a Salon columnist (dating back to the founding of Salon in 1995), I have tried to provide a forum for defenders of the Second Amendment to make their case. The Northeastern major media, which remain heavily liberal, rarely permit these voices to be heard.
I do not own guns and have no interest in them. (Swords, those Homeric and chivalric emblems, have always attracted me more.) But as a libertarian, I read the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights as granting to private citizens the right to bear arms against the potential abuses of a government turned tyrannous. Furthermore, should police authority evaporate after a cataclysm of storm, flood, earthquake or terrorism, citizens have a right to defend their families and property against criminals and looters. If food and water are in short supply over a protracted period, expect predators and violence."
I now believe strongly, and have for sometime, that one should be required to obtain a license (similar to a diver's license) to possess any type of firearm or rifle short of marshal law being declared. This process would require thorough criminal background checks, a gun safety training course that you must pass and some rigorous mechanism to verify that you are of sound mind and body. Of course it would keep guns out of the hands of the usual suspects such as convicted felons and those with pending criminal actions.
It simply is beyond common sense that anyone who drives a vehicle is required to get a license while anyone wishing to own a weapon, which is perhaps more deadly in the wrong hands, has little or no restrictions placed upon them in obtaining one.
Also I believe that assault weapons should be band along with the assortment of large ammunition clips and hollow point type bullets. These things are extreme and not really necessary or practical for hunting, protecting oneself or ones family or property.
It is extremely unfortunate that this apparently mentally ill individual in Virginia was allowed to somehow slipped through the cracks that exist not only in Virginia but many parts of this country when it came to keeping firearms out to the hands of people who one would consider unstable or mentally ill.
He apparently had a number of contacts with the police after allegedly stalking women on campus and appeared unstable to most who had contact with him and apparently was the proverbial ticking time bomb. Yet he obtained the weapons easily.
In Washington State individuals charged with domestic violence offenses are flagged through the department of licensing data base and prohibited from purchasing owning or possessing firearms pending the outcome of their cases. If convicted of a the offense their right to own or possess a gun is prohibited for a number of years or until it is restored by the court. Concealed weapons permits only require that they certify that they are mentally sound and go through a background check and you do not need the permit to purchase the weapon only to conceal it.
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich's blog had this to say on the subject:
"In the United States, if you are seriously depressed, you can purchase anti-depressive drugs like Prozac, but only if you have a prescription from a doctor. Anti-depressants are enormously beneficial to millions of people but they are also potentially dangerous if used improperly. So, you have to see a doctor and get an assessment before you can go to a drug store and purchase one.
But in the United States, in places like Virginia, a seriously depressed or deranged person can walk into a store and buy a semi-automatic handgun and a box of ammunition. All you need is two forms of identification. You don’t need permission from a doctor or counselor or anyone in the business of screening people to make sure they’re fit to have a gun."
It's time voters begin to contacting their representatives to tell them that enough is enough. We need to have the political courage to stand up to the NRA and the gun fanatics and pass laws that represent some sort of common sense control over the epidemic of gun violence in America.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Virginia Tech Murders Offer Evidence Of A Troubled Society Without Providing Clear Moral Explanations of Why
My 12 Step Group has a old tradition that refers to being on and off the beam when leading your daily life. After hearing about the mayhem and murder today at Virginia Tech I thought creating a rendition of the list could be helpful to understand this tragedy.
Mercy Homicide
Life Death
Peace War
Dehumanize Bomb
Creation Destruction
Peace Loving Militarism
Hope Suicide
Moderation Fanatic
Tolerance Fundamentalist
Open-Mindedness Conservative
Dialogue Ideologue
Silence Mayhem
Understanding Xenophobia
Non-Violence Violence
Sophistication Nationalism
Objectivity Jingoism
Love Indifference
Empathy Racism
Humility Chauvinism
Forgive Execute
Here is the original list
Honesty Dishonest
Faith Fear
Courage Frighten
Consideration Inconsiderate
Humility Pride
Giving Greed
Calm Anger
Grateful Envy
Patience Inpatient
Tolerance Intolerance
Forgiveness Resentment
Love Hate
Self-forgetfulness Self-Pity
Humility Self-Justification
Modesty Self-Importance
Self-forgiveness Self-Condemnation
Trust Suspicion
Moderation Gluttony
Action Sloth
Mercy Homicide
Life Death
Peace War
Dehumanize Bomb
Creation Destruction
Peace Loving Militarism
Hope Suicide
Moderation Fanatic
Tolerance Fundamentalist
Open-Mindedness Conservative
Dialogue Ideologue
Silence Mayhem
Understanding Xenophobia
Non-Violence Violence
Sophistication Nationalism
Objectivity Jingoism
Love Indifference
Empathy Racism
Humility Chauvinism
Forgive Execute
Here is the original list
Honesty Dishonest
Faith Fear
Courage Frighten
Consideration Inconsiderate
Humility Pride
Giving Greed
Calm Anger
Grateful Envy
Patience Inpatient
Tolerance Intolerance
Forgiveness Resentment
Love Hate
Self-forgetfulness Self-Pity
Humility Self-Justification
Modesty Self-Importance
Self-forgiveness Self-Condemnation
Trust Suspicion
Moderation Gluttony
Action Sloth
Monday, April 09, 2007
City of Seattle Tells Family Owned Business To Go Fuck Themselves
I was not surprised to find a story in today’s Seattle Times about a 70 year old family operated business finally fed up with having to be the neighbor to the experimental drunk housing project that the city opened 16 months ago at 1811 Eastlake in the Cascade Neighborhood.Northwest Trophy recently announced they’d be moving to a new location after trying to deal with problems that housing for chronic drunks has created for them next door. Including 267 911 calls to the premises or one about every other day according to my calculations. The management of the bum center calls it all a case of “sour grapes” by the business owners who opposed the center from the beginning.
God what a surprise!
Can you imagine a 911 call to your neighbors house every other day or having intoxicated knuckleheads wandering aimlessly into your home or pissing on your flowerbeds on a regular basis. I can see the new agers on Capital Hill calling for Nick Licata’s head if such a thing were allowed to continue to happen on or near "their property". Makes me want to go up there a piss and defecate on Licata's lawn right now.
Seattle’s city fathers once again demonstrate, with the approval of this and other populist civic experiments, like the public toilets debacle, their lack of understanding of small business and the risk involved in operating one in Seattle. There is a head in the clouds attitude when it comes to common sense approaches to civic problems and support for family owned and operated small businesses. In fact there is little common sense at all it seems at times. Mostly just overly idealistic and grandiose bullshit continuing to ooze from the minds of this city council.
I for one thought the idea of “wet” housing was somewhat ill conceived and enabling behavior on the part of city government at the time the center opened. Usually substance abusers are offered housing if they agree to stop using as a condition of them being a resident in sober housing. This experimental project allows the residents to continue drinking based on the belief that it will save taxpayer money with fewer trips to Harborview Medical Center or King County Jail by the bums. It sort of “controlled drinking” housing I guess or a “safe house for drinking”.
Only in Seattle can you avoid regular under a bridge drinking and continue to be a fuck-up in taxpayer supported drunk safe housing. I suggested in my initial post on this subject that the city consider putting a bar in the lobby. Maybe we could recoup some of the tax money that way? Of course the bouncer would not throw rowdy drunks out he just escort them to their rooms. Were they could attempt more "controlled drinking".
Everyone worth his salt knows that alcoholics by definition cannot control their drinking, which of course, is the basis of their problem. As one reader pointed out to me when I wrote a piece on this subject 16 months ago, this place is really a hospice where unwilling to attempt sobriety drunks go to die and not much else.
I know that even drunks deserve a home. My argument is that drunks who want to be sober should be given a priority when it come to my tax dime over drunks who wish to continue their ward of the state drunken lifestyles.
We need to know just how much money this place has been saving the taxpayers since it opened? One of the local newspapers should be willing to follow up on the story and give us those figures soon I hope.
Don Imus Finally Pisses Off The Wrong People
Okay, I admit I have strange sleeping habits and often find myself a regular viewer of the Imus in the Morning Show on MSNBC which airs at 3am to 6am daily here on the West Coast.
Don’t say I told you so, because I did in a post in early February on Imus, the national radio personality and MSNBC morning shock jock personality, but he has apparently finally pissed off the wrong people. In fact it seems like the entire African American community. It happened last week when Imus referred to the Rutgers University women’s predominantly African American basketball team as a bunch of “nappy headed hos” while attempting to create some bad frat boy humor in an exchange with his fellow loose cannon producer Bernard McGuirk.
Surprisingly, this is sort of par for the course behavior and even a lightweight transgression for Imus and his band of merry ass kissing all American all white all male Imus show loud mouthed personalities. Perhaps all the years of cumulative personal insults and name-calling and banal behavior may finally lead to his downfall or at least to someone actually reigning in Mr. Potty Mouth. God knows there probably are a legion of folks out there that would love to see him humiliated and/or put in his place.
Imus apparently made an attempt to apologize on last Friday’s show. But after years of insulting just about everyone alive his many enemies probably can smell the blood in the water now that he's pissed off an entire race.
The Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, among others, are calling for his head on a silver platter. It will be interesting to see how Imus, his radio affiliates and MSNBC respond to the onslaught and accompanying media frenzy.
Down goes Imus!
As much as Imus pisses me off for his outlandish bullshit I find I have sort of a soft spot in my heart for him because of his “everyman” sort of personality. His flaws are glaring and I can personally relate to some of the demons that may haunt him.
I’m sure lots of people identify with him and his often hidden better nature. The Imus program on MSNBC beats out CNN American Morning in the ratings on a regular basis. He's often brutally honest about life or when dealing with and interviewing political types. Something that is refreshing. His work with charities like his Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer and undying support for veteran’s causes and other popular populist issues often give you a glimpse of an Imus on the high road. You want to forgive and ignore the bad behavior.
But then he slips into the egomaniac world of name calling and being an asshole with too much power. A negative role that in the end may just lead to his downfall.
Don’t say I told you so, because I did in a post in early February on Imus, the national radio personality and MSNBC morning shock jock personality, but he has apparently finally pissed off the wrong people. In fact it seems like the entire African American community. It happened last week when Imus referred to the Rutgers University women’s predominantly African American basketball team as a bunch of “nappy headed hos” while attempting to create some bad frat boy humor in an exchange with his fellow loose cannon producer Bernard McGuirk.
Surprisingly, this is sort of par for the course behavior and even a lightweight transgression for Imus and his band of merry ass kissing all American all white all male Imus show loud mouthed personalities. Perhaps all the years of cumulative personal insults and name-calling and banal behavior may finally lead to his downfall or at least to someone actually reigning in Mr. Potty Mouth. God knows there probably are a legion of folks out there that would love to see him humiliated and/or put in his place.
Imus apparently made an attempt to apologize on last Friday’s show. But after years of insulting just about everyone alive his many enemies probably can smell the blood in the water now that he's pissed off an entire race.
The Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, among others, are calling for his head on a silver platter. It will be interesting to see how Imus, his radio affiliates and MSNBC respond to the onslaught and accompanying media frenzy.
Down goes Imus!
As much as Imus pisses me off for his outlandish bullshit I find I have sort of a soft spot in my heart for him because of his “everyman” sort of personality. His flaws are glaring and I can personally relate to some of the demons that may haunt him.
I’m sure lots of people identify with him and his often hidden better nature. The Imus program on MSNBC beats out CNN American Morning in the ratings on a regular basis. He's often brutally honest about life or when dealing with and interviewing political types. Something that is refreshing. His work with charities like his Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer and undying support for veteran’s causes and other popular populist issues often give you a glimpse of an Imus on the high road. You want to forgive and ignore the bad behavior.
But then he slips into the egomaniac world of name calling and being an asshole with too much power. A negative role that in the end may just lead to his downfall.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Unauthorized Obama Ad Casts Hillary As Big Brother
1984 Apple Superbowl ad converted into unauthorized generational statement for Obama.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich Has Started a Video Blog
Reich offers interesting insights on the news in a new weekly video blog that he has added to his written postings. Week two he talks about the war and economy plus his date with Hillary Clinton when he and Hillary were in college.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
"Ten Days Before Baby Jesus's Birthday Windstorm of 2006" Entry Overlooked By Jewish Lobby Influenced Bureaucrats In Windstorm Naming Contest
What the hell happened to the separation of church and state when it comes to government agencies these days or how lame is "Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm of 2006" anyway? I wonder what role the Jewish lobby played in this.
Oh yes this was the best name that our National Weather Service could come up with in naming the storm that hit the Northwest on December 14th 2006 even after shifting through 6255 entries.
For god sake haven't we suffer enough?
To think that we may be stuck with this stupid storm moniker forever is troubling. This is a total screwup on the part of the National Weather Service Bureaucrats as far as I'm concerned. Especially given all the great and very funny names that were submitted. All of them secular in nature and better then what ended up being the actual winner.
Just ask yourself this simple question, do you think that Hanukkah is what comes to mind when MOST people think about the December storm. Can't be.
Some examples anyone of which would of been a better choice:
Firewood for the Next 10 Years Storm. Overtime for Utility Workers Storm. I Can't Find My Inflatable Santa Storm. Chainsaw Massacre. Bouillabaisse Day Storm. Blowzilla. I Hate My Neighbor Because He Has Power Storm. Why I Lived in Southern California Storm. Party's Canceled Storm. Stephen T. Colbert Wind Storm of Truthiness. When the Evergreens Got Mad Storm. It Wasn't Such a Wonderful Life Storm. Incompetent Utilities Storm. There's No Place Like a Dark Home for the Holidays Storm. Lawn Chair Launcher Storm. Kiss Your 80-Year-Old Tree Goodbye Storm. Douglas Firs Are Shallowly Rooted Storm. Columbian Blow. Hey, Buddy, Can You Spare a Presto Log Storm. A Sliver of Armageddon. Chief Sealth's Revenge.
This proves that the government and probably this region has lost it's sense of humor. I must admit I have a hidden agenda here because I did send in several suggestions. One ended up a finalist "The Ides of December Storm". Apparently a suggestion that several other contestants also offered. Great minds think alike. My personal favorite and one I sent in was "Nostradamus Birthday Storm" which I thought the scientific bureaucrats bookworm types would especially like. But no.
I'm calling for a investigation and a lawsuit that will force the National Weather Service to resend it choice based on a violation of the separation of church and state provisions of our constitution and also because the name isn't funny enough and is totally lame ass.
If their allowed to get away with this it is a slippery slope we live on that will lead to lots of windstorms in the future being named after other religious festivals. Who knows " The Black History Month and Kwanzaa Storm" "The Saint Patrick's Day Big Blow" "Ten Days Before Baby Jesus's Birthday Storm" could be in your future.
How and why the hell should we have to explain these religious oriented names for windstorms to our kids and future generation when they ask what the heck it suppose to mean anyway?
Oh yes this was the best name that our National Weather Service could come up with in naming the storm that hit the Northwest on December 14th 2006 even after shifting through 6255 entries.
For god sake haven't we suffer enough?
To think that we may be stuck with this stupid storm moniker forever is troubling. This is a total screwup on the part of the National Weather Service Bureaucrats as far as I'm concerned. Especially given all the great and very funny names that were submitted. All of them secular in nature and better then what ended up being the actual winner.
Just ask yourself this simple question, do you think that Hanukkah is what comes to mind when MOST people think about the December storm. Can't be.
Some examples anyone of which would of been a better choice:
Firewood for the Next 10 Years Storm. Overtime for Utility Workers Storm. I Can't Find My Inflatable Santa Storm. Chainsaw Massacre. Bouillabaisse Day Storm. Blowzilla. I Hate My Neighbor Because He Has Power Storm. Why I Lived in Southern California Storm. Party's Canceled Storm. Stephen T. Colbert Wind Storm of Truthiness. When the Evergreens Got Mad Storm. It Wasn't Such a Wonderful Life Storm. Incompetent Utilities Storm. There's No Place Like a Dark Home for the Holidays Storm. Lawn Chair Launcher Storm. Kiss Your 80-Year-Old Tree Goodbye Storm. Douglas Firs Are Shallowly Rooted Storm. Columbian Blow. Hey, Buddy, Can You Spare a Presto Log Storm. A Sliver of Armageddon. Chief Sealth's Revenge.
This proves that the government and probably this region has lost it's sense of humor. I must admit I have a hidden agenda here because I did send in several suggestions. One ended up a finalist "The Ides of December Storm". Apparently a suggestion that several other contestants also offered. Great minds think alike. My personal favorite and one I sent in was "Nostradamus Birthday Storm" which I thought the scientific bureaucrats bookworm types would especially like. But no.
I'm calling for a investigation and a lawsuit that will force the National Weather Service to resend it choice based on a violation of the separation of church and state provisions of our constitution and also because the name isn't funny enough and is totally lame ass.
If their allowed to get away with this it is a slippery slope we live on that will lead to lots of windstorms in the future being named after other religious festivals. Who knows " The Black History Month and Kwanzaa Storm" "The Saint Patrick's Day Big Blow" "Ten Days Before Baby Jesus's Birthday Storm" could be in your future.
How and why the hell should we have to explain these religious oriented names for windstorms to our kids and future generation when they ask what the heck it suppose to mean anyway?
Friday, March 02, 2007
Get Ready For The Longest Presidential Campaign In American History
"Dangerously Front Loaded Primary Schedule Could Determine Nominees Early And Favor Front Runners And Candidates With Large Bank Accounts"
I don’t know about you, but the presidential campaigns seem to me to be already pretty much in full swing much earlier then ever before. I cannot recall such a media frenzy of coverage and pundit prognostications happening to this degree this early when I think back to past presidential campaigns.
Chris Matthews daily frothing at the mouth about the elect-ability of Hillary or the chances of having a black president seem premature, but are they? I’m afraid the media in general has been forced to jump on the bandwagon to propel the presidential races forward in time to adjust for the new primary schedule. Hourly reports on the whereabouts of Clinton and Obama fill daily jabber on cable news hours. Talking heads talk on the meaning of this and that.
Like the candidates they also realize that any Johnny come lately maybe a dollar short and too late to effectively have a chance at having their message resonate with voters in time for the frontloaded primary season. The candidates must get their message out earlier when the schedule could very well end up determining who the nominees are as early as February 5th, 2008.
Another question that arises is does this front loaded primary voting serve our democracy well. Probably it does not. It most likely will favor candidates who can raise the most money who already are perceived to be the front runners.
Two dates stand out. February 5th and March 4th, 2008. As it stand now 17 states will vote or caucus on February 5th and another 10 states have their elections on March 4th. This arrangement has to favor the candidates with the biggest bank accounts because it is estimated that it will take $20 to $50 million to cover the TV time alone just for February 5th in the super primary states voting that day.
State legislatures and politicians who in the past had primaries in the late spring have felt like they were left out of the action. They have moved their primaries forward. Effectively. all though it is not yet set in stone, it appears that something like a national primary will take place on February 5th, 2008. Therefore March 4th 10 primaries may turn out to be totally insignificant by the time they happen. Because the nominees have already been determined by the primaries and caucuses on February 5th.
It would appear that the only way a candidate, who is not considered a front runner or does not have unlimited money like John Edwards for instance, will succeed is to win early in Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire and hope for the snowball effect that will carry him to victory in South Carolina and Florida and into the 17 state super primary on February 5th. This maybe the reason Edwards has spend more time in Iowa then most of the other candidates. He realizes it is crucial. Winning these early caucuses and primaries will surely bring millions of dollars worth of free media exposure and project the candidate forward and possibly ahead of front runner Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. This scenario also holds for the lesser known Republican candidates. They will probably have to win early to overtake front runners McCain or Giuliani.
Another wilder scenario could be that there is no clear winner determined even after the 10 state March 4th super primary. This could make states like Oregon and Washington with late primary elections powerful players in determining who the nominees will be in the end.
One thing that looks sure is that the presidential campaign, once the nominees are determined, will be longer and more contentious due to the new primary schedule where the candidates are determined so early. Nominees will start campaigning nearly a year before the actual election. Americans, who tend to not like too much political discourse, could become annoyed and be turned off or become even more apathetic about the system.
The following schedule of primaries was compiled from Larry J Sabato’s Crystall Ball and is a work in progress. As the final dates of many of the primaries are still not determined.
January 14th Iowa caucuses
January 19th Nevada Democratic caucuses
January 22nd New Hampshire primary, Wyoming Republican count conventions (POSSIBLY)
January 29th South Carolina Democratic primary, South Dakota primary (POSSIBLY), Florida primary (POSSIBLY)
February 2nd South Carolina Republican primary, Oklahoma primary (POSSIBLY)
February 5th Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California (POSSIBLY), Delaware, Florida (POSSIBLY), Idaho (POSSIBLY), Illinois (POSSIBLY),Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey (POSSIBLY), New Mexico, North Carolina, Utah primaries; Nevada Republican primary; North Dakota caucuses
February 9th Louisiana Republican primary (POSSIBLY)
February 10th Maine Democratic caucuses
February 12th Tennessee, Virginia primaries
February 19th Wisconsin primary
February 26th Hawaii Democratic caucuses
March 2nd Hawaii Republican caucuses
March 4th Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont primaries; Minnesota caucuses
March 7th Colorado Democratic primary
March 11th Mississippi, Pennsylvania primaries
March 8th Wyoming Democratic caucuses (POSSIBLY)
March 11th Washington Republican primary
March 15th Alaska Democratic caucuses
March 21st Maine Republican caucuses
April 1st Kansas primary
April 15th Colorado Republican primary
May 6th Indiana primary
May 13th Nebraska, West Virginia primaries
May 20th Kentucky, Oregon primaries
May 27th Washington Democratic primary
I don’t know about you, but the presidential campaigns seem to me to be already pretty much in full swing much earlier then ever before. I cannot recall such a media frenzy of coverage and pundit prognostications happening to this degree this early when I think back to past presidential campaigns.
Chris Matthews daily frothing at the mouth about the elect-ability of Hillary or the chances of having a black president seem premature, but are they? I’m afraid the media in general has been forced to jump on the bandwagon to propel the presidential races forward in time to adjust for the new primary schedule. Hourly reports on the whereabouts of Clinton and Obama fill daily jabber on cable news hours. Talking heads talk on the meaning of this and that.
Like the candidates they also realize that any Johnny come lately maybe a dollar short and too late to effectively have a chance at having their message resonate with voters in time for the frontloaded primary season. The candidates must get their message out earlier when the schedule could very well end up determining who the nominees are as early as February 5th, 2008.
Another question that arises is does this front loaded primary voting serve our democracy well. Probably it does not. It most likely will favor candidates who can raise the most money who already are perceived to be the front runners.
Two dates stand out. February 5th and March 4th, 2008. As it stand now 17 states will vote or caucus on February 5th and another 10 states have their elections on March 4th. This arrangement has to favor the candidates with the biggest bank accounts because it is estimated that it will take $20 to $50 million to cover the TV time alone just for February 5th in the super primary states voting that day.
State legislatures and politicians who in the past had primaries in the late spring have felt like they were left out of the action. They have moved their primaries forward. Effectively. all though it is not yet set in stone, it appears that something like a national primary will take place on February 5th, 2008. Therefore March 4th 10 primaries may turn out to be totally insignificant by the time they happen. Because the nominees have already been determined by the primaries and caucuses on February 5th.
It would appear that the only way a candidate, who is not considered a front runner or does not have unlimited money like John Edwards for instance, will succeed is to win early in Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire and hope for the snowball effect that will carry him to victory in South Carolina and Florida and into the 17 state super primary on February 5th. This maybe the reason Edwards has spend more time in Iowa then most of the other candidates. He realizes it is crucial. Winning these early caucuses and primaries will surely bring millions of dollars worth of free media exposure and project the candidate forward and possibly ahead of front runner Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. This scenario also holds for the lesser known Republican candidates. They will probably have to win early to overtake front runners McCain or Giuliani.
Another wilder scenario could be that there is no clear winner determined even after the 10 state March 4th super primary. This could make states like Oregon and Washington with late primary elections powerful players in determining who the nominees will be in the end.
One thing that looks sure is that the presidential campaign, once the nominees are determined, will be longer and more contentious due to the new primary schedule where the candidates are determined so early. Nominees will start campaigning nearly a year before the actual election. Americans, who tend to not like too much political discourse, could become annoyed and be turned off or become even more apathetic about the system.
The following schedule of primaries was compiled from Larry J Sabato’s Crystall Ball and is a work in progress. As the final dates of many of the primaries are still not determined.
January 14th Iowa caucuses
January 19th Nevada Democratic caucuses
January 22nd New Hampshire primary, Wyoming Republican count conventions (POSSIBLY)
January 29th South Carolina Democratic primary, South Dakota primary (POSSIBLY), Florida primary (POSSIBLY)
February 2nd South Carolina Republican primary, Oklahoma primary (POSSIBLY)
February 5th Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California (POSSIBLY), Delaware, Florida (POSSIBLY), Idaho (POSSIBLY), Illinois (POSSIBLY),Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey (POSSIBLY), New Mexico, North Carolina, Utah primaries; Nevada Republican primary; North Dakota caucuses
February 9th Louisiana Republican primary (POSSIBLY)
February 10th Maine Democratic caucuses
February 12th Tennessee, Virginia primaries
February 19th Wisconsin primary
February 26th Hawaii Democratic caucuses
March 2nd Hawaii Republican caucuses
March 4th Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont primaries; Minnesota caucuses
March 7th Colorado Democratic primary
March 11th Mississippi, Pennsylvania primaries
March 8th Wyoming Democratic caucuses (POSSIBLY)
March 11th Washington Republican primary
March 15th Alaska Democratic caucuses
March 21st Maine Republican caucuses
April 1st Kansas primary
April 15th Colorado Republican primary
May 6th Indiana primary
May 13th Nebraska, West Virginia primaries
May 20th Kentucky, Oregon primaries
May 27th Washington Democratic primary
Video Ann Coulter Calling John Edwards A Faggot Or When Will Someone Free Us Of This Meddlesome Homophobic Douche-Bag Anorexic Hag?
Ann Coulter let go the F-bomb in reference to John Edwards today during a speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference. It was so bad you can even hear a groan from the crowd that normally would love anything Coulter utters.
Must be a new book in the works or Ann is feeling a little neglected lately. Gay civil rights groups condemned Coulter and are now demanding an apology. I wouldn't hold my breath on that happening too soon.
Howard Dean blasted Coulter and called on all Republican presidential candidates to condemn her.
Must be a new book in the works or Ann is feeling a little neglected lately. Gay civil rights groups condemned Coulter and are now demanding an apology. I wouldn't hold my breath on that happening too soon.
Howard Dean blasted Coulter and called on all Republican presidential candidates to condemn her.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Save The Internet Independence Day
Or everything I wanted to know about Net Neutrality and was too afraid to ask explained in video form!
Courtesy of the Save the Internet folks including former Seattle hotshot Rocket Magazine Publisher and present day media professor expert guy and boob tube talking head Robert McChesney.
Courtesy of the Save the Internet folks including former Seattle hotshot Rocket Magazine Publisher and present day media professor expert guy and boob tube talking head Robert McChesney.
Friday, February 23, 2007
A Modern Seattle Children's Story
"Jet City Pie in the Sky"collage by
d. o'brien
Once there was a little city on Puget Sound named Seattle that had big ideas and wanted to be like other cities that also had big ideas too. It has heard about these other cities from books and from watching the magic light box that was real fun to watch because it had lots of pictures. It would show pictures of other cities building beautiful buildings and things like roads and little trains to carry everyone who lived in the city around so they wouldn’t have to use their cars. It seemed quite efficient and real nice.
The people that lived in these other cities would listen to the mayor and other leaders of their city who would tell them about all the good things that they were going to build for them in the city. It was only natural that these leaders should make these decisions since they had been chosen by the people to be their leaders. In fact the people expected them to do just that and trusted them to make all the big decisions.
These other cities prospered and people would like to live there because when the people set their mind to doing something, even if it was a big job and cost lots of money, everyone pitch in and helped out. They knew that it may cost a lot of money, but they figured that it was good for the city to build things that over the long run would benefit everybody, and make their city better and a neat place to live.
These other cities would have big events and invite people to come and to dance, and party, play sports and enjoy themselves and spend lots of money while they were there. People like to go there and have fun because the cities were so nice and everyone was very genuine and treated them really well.
But Seattle had a problem because everyone that lived there apparently hadn’t actually visited many other places and most of the city leaders just wanted to talk talk talk all day about what it would be like to be like the other cities. The inhabitants of Seattle were also penny pincher's at heart and known for being very cheap. They could never see that money they spent on their city would make it better to live in in the long run. The endlessly complained amongst themselves about having to pay taxes for things the city needed.
Because of this no one wanted to every spend any money and the leaders were really afraid to ask for money and that was also because there was a dragon that lived in the hills near Seattle called the Eyman who would come out of his cave every time he heard the people talking amongst themselves about spending money to fix things or buy things the city needed.
The Eyman would make lots of noise and roar and everyone would run for their lives and hide. When the coast was clear again everyone would be even more afraid to talk about spending money on anything at all or doing anything that improved the city.
The Eyman would just laugh at the Seattle people in his cave where he lived with his evil friend Dori. Dori had a big bull horn and he would yell insults at the people in the town from the mouth of the cave through the bull horn so that they could be heard all over. He would warn them that the Eyman would come down and eat them if they every started even thinking about spending money to fix anything in the town, even if it was old or needed fixing. So lots of things in the town like the roads and buildings and the big smoky buses that everyone was force to ride, if they didn’t have a car, started to fall apart.
There also happened to be a big huge concrete fence that someone long ago had build in front of the town and it was so high big and ugly that no one in Seattle had ever been able to get around or over it to see what was on the other side. There was a rumor in Seattle that there was a waterfront and an opening to the sea on the other side of the fence. But when people would talk about there being a waterfront or sea on the other side of the fence most people would just laugh and say it was crazy talk.
Some very brave people in Seattle even dared to talk about tearing down the big ugly fence because there may be a waterfront or a sea and other good things on the other side. But lots of people had gotten used to the fence because it had been there so long and they actually liked it.
"Boy if they tore down that big ugly fence lots of bad things would happen" they would say. "Plus Dori would come out of the Cave before we even took one stone away from the fence and yell at us through his bullhorn and eventually the Eyman would come and eat us up".So the fence just stayed there because most people were afraid to change things or didn't understand why it needed to be removed anyway.
But, mostly the leaders, were afraid of losing their nice jobs, or being eaten by the Eyman if they said anything about the situation. So they did very little to change peoples attitudes about building things, fixing things, or getting rid of the fence.
Oh, they would act interested but mostly they were only happy talking and talking and talking and going to fancy parties and gallery openings where everyone talk a lot about things like art. Which most Seattle people didn’t really know much about. But it made them feel important and cultured when they acted like they did.
The people would talk and talk and talk about whether it was a sin to like to watch sports or race cars racing around a track. They thought people who liked sports and things like race cars were not as smart as they were and they would laugh and them and then return to talking about art and what brand of coffee tasted the best or how nice the fence really was or they didn't know why anyone would like to get rid of such an object of civic pride as the big ugly fence.
It seemed they had a hard time having fun expect at the Norway festival that happened every summer in a section of town called Ballard. They would usually drink lots of strong drinks that made them feel light headed and want to throw up. When they felt better they would eat smelly fish which were a delicacy at the festival.
The leaders and the people who live in the town just ended up dreaming about what it would be like to live in those other nice modern cities as they just continued to talk talk talk about it and take votes on everything because the politicians were afraid they'd make the wrong decision all the time. They also liked to have lots of meetings where they invite the citizens to come in, especially poor street people who lived in Seattle, to give them advise on all important civic projects. Even though the street people didn't really care and just wanted to complain that their needs were not being met.
Things never really got done when all was said and done because of all the talking and meetings and the fear of spending money because of the Eyman and his friend Dori with the bull horn. In the end they remained a little city of small mined people who felt unhappy all the time and didn’t have much fun ever.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
An Open Letter To Senator Patty Murray
Bush And Republicans Talk About Supporting The Troops But In Reality The Mamed and Wounded Are Force To Live in Cockroach Infested Rundown Housing Waiting For Care, And It's Only The Tip Of The Iceberg.
Dear Senator Murray,
Because you are one who plays a important roll in the support that veterans receive from their government I would like to ask you to do something about the recent revelations concerning the mistreatment of Iraq war veterans. As a Viet Nam Era military veteran, I am especially appalled by the latest news, which I find outrageous and therefore deserving of your immediate attention.
I'd like to refer you to the Washington Post's recent article about Walter Reed Hospital Building 18 residents just in case you have not seen it. I find the article difficult to read without being filled with anger towards those responsible for this debacle. But, this I am afraid is only the tip of the iceberg.
Further, I believe it is time for someone to shine a light on the fact that the Bush administration and the Republican congress talk endlessly about “supporting the troops” but in reality has cut billions in funding to agencies like the Veterans Administration. In the meantime injured and wounded soldiers must live in cockroach-infested conditions while timid Democrats say and do nothing substantive about it. The time for giving high minded speeches and posturing should be over.
If I were in your position I would personally inspect places like building 18 with a network camera crew in tow. Then call on Bush and Congress to live up to there promises to the Veteran. This I believe would also begin to show the American people the hypocrisy of the Republican rhetoric about undying support of veterans and what it actually translates to in the real world.
I have recently undergone cancer treatment at the VA hospital in Seattle. Medical treatment I could not of otherwise received or afforded if I had not been eligible due to my military service to this country. I'm one of the lucky ones. I can personally attest to the dedication and skill of the doctors and staff of this VA facility. But I can also understand the growing frustration they have voiced to me when the federal government cuts billions in funding, in a time of war, to their agency. No wonder there are long waiting lines and backlogs for those legitimately seeking care.
This is hypocrisy of the highest level. Veterans are treated like so much "cannon fodder" by their government and especially this administration. The truth is Bush has cut funding to the ones in need while billions of dollars go missing in Iraq because of the mishandling or the taxpayers money by private contractors and corrupt or incompetent government officials, who still end up lining their pockets with a substantial portion of the money whether they deliver a shoddy service or product or not.
But only a few of these vermin are really punished for such despicable breaches of the public trust or their blatant profiteering. Meanwhile the love ones of the veterans are left trying to rationalize what meaning to attach to the sacrifices made by the wounded, killed or psychologically damaged.
I fully support an approach like that introduced in legislation sponsored by Congressman Jack Murtha in the House where before Bush gets any money he requests to conduct his war he should first be required to allow for proper leave for soldiers (at least 12 months) before they can be returned to the war zone and/or they are assured that they are properly trained and equipped with the best equipment the country can provide before they go back into the fight.
Someone has to stand up to the Bush NOW. He must be stopped before he literally gets us all killed by some misguided terrorist who’s hatred of the United States is fueled by such a vision less and misguided American foreign policy and malfeasance at home and aboard in the operations of OUR military and government institutions.
Respectfully Yours,
Daniel O'Brien
Vashon. WA
Dear Senator Murray,
Because you are one who plays a important roll in the support that veterans receive from their government I would like to ask you to do something about the recent revelations concerning the mistreatment of Iraq war veterans. As a Viet Nam Era military veteran, I am especially appalled by the latest news, which I find outrageous and therefore deserving of your immediate attention.
I'd like to refer you to the Washington Post's recent article about Walter Reed Hospital Building 18 residents just in case you have not seen it. I find the article difficult to read without being filled with anger towards those responsible for this debacle. But, this I am afraid is only the tip of the iceberg.
Further, I believe it is time for someone to shine a light on the fact that the Bush administration and the Republican congress talk endlessly about “supporting the troops” but in reality has cut billions in funding to agencies like the Veterans Administration. In the meantime injured and wounded soldiers must live in cockroach-infested conditions while timid Democrats say and do nothing substantive about it. The time for giving high minded speeches and posturing should be over.
If I were in your position I would personally inspect places like building 18 with a network camera crew in tow. Then call on Bush and Congress to live up to there promises to the Veteran. This I believe would also begin to show the American people the hypocrisy of the Republican rhetoric about undying support of veterans and what it actually translates to in the real world.
I have recently undergone cancer treatment at the VA hospital in Seattle. Medical treatment I could not of otherwise received or afforded if I had not been eligible due to my military service to this country. I'm one of the lucky ones. I can personally attest to the dedication and skill of the doctors and staff of this VA facility. But I can also understand the growing frustration they have voiced to me when the federal government cuts billions in funding, in a time of war, to their agency. No wonder there are long waiting lines and backlogs for those legitimately seeking care.
This is hypocrisy of the highest level. Veterans are treated like so much "cannon fodder" by their government and especially this administration. The truth is Bush has cut funding to the ones in need while billions of dollars go missing in Iraq because of the mishandling or the taxpayers money by private contractors and corrupt or incompetent government officials, who still end up lining their pockets with a substantial portion of the money whether they deliver a shoddy service or product or not.
But only a few of these vermin are really punished for such despicable breaches of the public trust or their blatant profiteering. Meanwhile the love ones of the veterans are left trying to rationalize what meaning to attach to the sacrifices made by the wounded, killed or psychologically damaged.
I fully support an approach like that introduced in legislation sponsored by Congressman Jack Murtha in the House where before Bush gets any money he requests to conduct his war he should first be required to allow for proper leave for soldiers (at least 12 months) before they can be returned to the war zone and/or they are assured that they are properly trained and equipped with the best equipment the country can provide before they go back into the fight.
Someone has to stand up to the Bush NOW. He must be stopped before he literally gets us all killed by some misguided terrorist who’s hatred of the United States is fueled by such a vision less and misguided American foreign policy and malfeasance at home and aboard in the operations of OUR military and government institutions.
Respectfully Yours,
Daniel O'Brien
Vashon. WA
Friday, February 16, 2007
It's Time To Name The NEW Waterfront Viaduct Folks!
So the tunnel option is a dead duck. I guess for those of us that see this as total defeat it time to propose what the new monstrosity elevated highway viaduct should be called based on who’s going to be blamed in the end for the biggest debacle since Dixie Lee Ray and WPPSS. Each proposed highway name is followed by what it's public NICKNAME probably will become.
- THE FRANK “LET’S TAKE A HEAD COUNT THEN DECIDE” CHOPP ELEVATED PEOPLE MOVER
"THE CHOP-OFF”
- THE CHRISTINE “I’D LIKE A MERCEDES” GREGOiRE MEMORIAL ONE TERM PARKWAY
“CHRISTINE’S FENCE”
- THE NICK “POINTLESS” LICATA MAYBE THIS WILL ACTUALLY GET SOME ONE TO RUN AGAINST ME AT ELECTION TIME FREEWAY
“THE POINTLESS”
- THE PETER “I’M EMBARRASSED” STEINBRUECK ELEVATED MEMORIAL CIVIC EMBARRASSMENT
“PETER’S PECKER”
- THE MAYOR GREG “TEAR DOWN THIS WALL” NICKELS AND REPLACE IT WITH THIS ONE BYPASS
“THE WALLA WALLA”
- THE DOUG “I’M JUST TRYING TO KEEP MY JOB” MACDONALD WHAT DO YOU WANT THE REPORT TO SAY HIGHWAY
“THE COOK THE BOOKS”
- THE MARTIN “LET THEM EAT CONCRETE” SELIG’S NO TUNNEL WHAT’S A WATERFRONT ANYWAY ALLIANCE BIG BOXY CONCRETE HIGHWAY
“SELIG’S REVENGE”
- THE HELEN “ELECTED FOR LIFE” SOMMERS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY FOR QUEEN ANNE’S ELDERLY
“THE WHAT’S THAT”
- THE ROB “NO NO” JOHNSON OF THE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES COALITION WE DON’T EVEN OWN A CAR EXPRESSWAY
“THE LA DE DA DE DA”
- THE KATE “WHAT’S THE RUSH” JONCAS DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION DRIVE
“OH SHIT"
Also some the organizations that need to be held responsible.
- THE LIBERAL BLOGGERS WE TALK A BIG GAME THROUGH WAY
“THEIR MISTAKE “
- THE AIR HEAD ENVIRONMENTALISTS WHAT’S A CAR ROAD
“ KARMA”
- THE IT’S PRETTY UP HERE DRIVING ON THE VIADUCT SEATTLE PEOPLE ARCHITECTURALLY AND AESTHETICALLY IMPAIRED BOULEVARD
“A PARK”
- THE SONICS OR OTHER FREELOADING PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS MEMORIAL TOLL ROAD
“SLAM DUNK”
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Finally Proof Abounds That Seattle has lost it Chutzpa
The decision today by the State DOT to endorse replacing the viaduct with a new and bigger god awful viaduct is final proof that the City of Seattle has lost it audacity and is being prepared for architecturally and environmental castration in short order. The decision was closely followed by reports that the Governor will now endorse the new elevated highway option in lock step with Speaker of the House Frank “get err done” Chopp who has been cooking the political books all along setting the tunnel and other more modern viaduct replacement options up for failure.
Add to this the announcement today that the Sonics are leaving for Renton after being pushed out by City Councilmen Nick Licata and other snobs who hate sport, and have always hated sport in this town and the handwriting in on the freaking wall.
These are the white collar nerds, political operatives and overly politically correct cheapskate scaredy-cats, weekly avant-garde newspaper snobs, white bread bourgeoisie bloggers who have slowly but surely brought what was once a audacious city to the brink. With their overly liberal, namby-pamby, narrow minded, penny pinching, gutless play is safe politics and sunny feel good bull shit. Their the never quite speak the truth phonies that out-of-towners talk about when that talk about those people in Seattle.
After the Seattle liberal sports hating crowd voted the Sonic out of town, by creating an atmosphere that would drive any major business players out, they will have to live with the Sonics in Renton, who probably will love to have them and the taxes, jobs and image, and the smarty-pants Seattleites still will have to pay the taxes to support them and drive on the new monstrosity waterfront blocking viaduct to get to the game. Stupid and shortsighted I would say.
Forty years and not one light rail car has carried a pay passenger or rolled out yet. Public transit here is probably the worst of any comparable city of its size anywhere. Anyone who has traveled to a major world city here or abroad feels impotent when they return here and find a city so lacking in ways to move people around as this city does. For God’s sake Tacoma already has their light rail up and running. But they don’t have the awful political “process” we have to deal with in Seattle. They elect people and those people make decisions. Not Seattle we talk and posture.
Yesterday Governor Gregoire was quoted as saying the following about the tunnel, "We need to be fiscally responsible to the taxpayer. I'd also prefer a Mercedes, but I can't afford that, either."
Well apparently she decided to give us a fucking used Yugo instead. Thanks Frank, Nick, and Christine for nothing.
Speaker Chopp Legislators DOT Cook the Books Then Recommend Against Tunnel
After not allowing Seattle officials to fully participate in the process. Then deciding to disband the committee constituted to study the feasibility of "Tunnel Lite" because there supposedly wasn't enough time to complete the report. After no legislative committee hearings were really held on the tunnel lite proposition or much else related to the replacement of the viaduct.
The DOT today recommends against both tunnel options and called for the legislature to vote to build an even bigger elevated highway to replace the crumbling eyesore viaduct we have now.
This demonstrates a lack of leadership from the likes of Speaker of the House Frank Chopp and other key elected officials in Olympia.
It is even more important now that Seattle voters reject the elevate highway at any cost on their election ballots. Seattle needs to find a way to keep the funds previously allocated for viaduct replacement by the legislature. The City must aggressively seek additional means of finance to go forward with either a tunnel or opted out in favor of the surface transit option .
The DOT today recommends against both tunnel options and called for the legislature to vote to build an even bigger elevated highway to replace the crumbling eyesore viaduct we have now.
This demonstrates a lack of leadership from the likes of Speaker of the House Frank Chopp and other key elected officials in Olympia.
It is even more important now that Seattle voters reject the elevate highway at any cost on their election ballots. Seattle needs to find a way to keep the funds previously allocated for viaduct replacement by the legislature. The City must aggressively seek additional means of finance to go forward with either a tunnel or opted out in favor of the surface transit option .
"We Shall Not Elevate No More"
Dammit Governor It's Not Just About the Money! As Tunnel Bashing Lite Continues
Governor Gregoire continues to dig her political grave for two. Her and Frank Chopp. He has blocked the tunnel option from the beginning. Not willing to even consider it once he went down the road of political expediency. Not many legislators are willing to take on the Speaker of the House unless they know they can win. Thus the inaction from Olympia. Key transportation committees have not even held hearings on the tunnel option.
I sense a large political backlash down the road for these two if Seattle ends up with another elevated highway. Also for several members of the council who have bungled this badly. This will happen when Seattle residents finally awake from their slumber and realize that a catastrophic mistake has been made by rebuilding a elevated highway. If Gregoire loses a close rerun election to Dino Rossi I would bet the viaduct scandal will be what puts him over the top. Sad because she has been great on nearly all the other issues. But if she loses enough votes in Seattle over her screwing up viaduct replacement it may be her demise.
As for Chopp. He's gotten a little to big for his britches on this and other issues and worked as an obstructionist. Maybe the voter next time will realize he also needs to be knocked back into political place.
Yes, the Seattle City Council is guilty of not getting their shit together on one of the most important pieces of transportation policy to happen in their or our lifetimes. Their ability to lead on this issue should be addressed squarely at the time of next election cycle.
As much as most would like to bash Mayor Nickels on this, he is been pretty much the one constant person in power calling for the tunnel from the beginning.
I sense a large political backlash down the road for these two if Seattle ends up with another elevated highway. Also for several members of the council who have bungled this badly. This will happen when Seattle residents finally awake from their slumber and realize that a catastrophic mistake has been made by rebuilding a elevated highway. If Gregoire loses a close rerun election to Dino Rossi I would bet the viaduct scandal will be what puts him over the top. Sad because she has been great on nearly all the other issues. But if she loses enough votes in Seattle over her screwing up viaduct replacement it may be her demise.
As for Chopp. He's gotten a little to big for his britches on this and other issues and worked as an obstructionist. Maybe the voter next time will realize he also needs to be knocked back into political place.
Yes, the Seattle City Council is guilty of not getting their shit together on one of the most important pieces of transportation policy to happen in their or our lifetimes. Their ability to lead on this issue should be addressed squarely at the time of next election cycle.
As much as most would like to bash Mayor Nickels on this, he is been pretty much the one constant person in power calling for the tunnel from the beginning.
Gov says Seattle viaduct ballot flawed, but won't pull money yet!
Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday that Seattle's upcoming vote on replacing the quake-damaged Alaskan Way Viaduct will be flawed and without credibility, but rejected GOP calls to shift billions of dollars in state financing to other mega-projects.
House Transportation Chairwoman Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, said the March 13 advisory vote will be largely irrelevant as Olympia moves inexorably to approve a rebuild of the elevated highway along Seattle's downtown waterfront. That would cost about $2.8 billion, most already approved by the Legislature.
Seattle leaders prefer a tunnel, with a pricetag of $3.4 billion - a scaled-backed version of a $4.6 billion, six-lane tunnel the city had promoted until recently.Gregoire acknowledged the passion of some Seattle leaders for the tunnel, but said, "We need to be fiscally responsible to the taxpayer. I'd also prefer a Mercedes, but I can't afford that, either."
Neither she nor Senate Transportation Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, were willing to flatly declare the tunnel option dead, although many House Democrats have.
"I don't see the tunnel as an option," Clibborn said in an interview. "So the elevated proposal is all that is left. I didn't even have a hearing on the tunnel option."
Gregoire and key legislators said the revised tunnel plan hasn't been studied by experts enough to make sure the pricetag and other details are valid.
The governor was biting in her comments Monday about Seattle's handling of the vote, and said it's no wonder that some lawmakers are lusting after the billions in viaduct money to use on other projects.
"You know, I tried to warn Seattle," she told a news conference. "I tried to tell them while you're indecisive and rethinking and asking for extensions of time, the fact of the matter is that every legislator outside of Seattle is looking at that money and saying, `We're ready to spend it and not debate about it. Our projects are ready.'"
Monday, February 12, 2007
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