Saturday, August 14, 2004
Bob and Katie, STFU
Watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics tonight, and they were great except for one thing. Bob Kostas and Katie Couric would not shut the fuck up. If it weren't for their banal, stupid, vapid chatter, the event would have been enjoyable. But please, tell me, what is it with this compulsion of American media commentators to yammer mindlessly? If they dared to do this during a movie, I'd slap them both upside the head.
Hey, guys, guess what -- I figured out who was what and what all those parade float characters were supposed to be, and I would have actually liked to have heard the opening speeches in Greek, French and English, with subtitles. But no. You had to blather on, just because you love to hear yourselves talk.
And you wonder why the rest of the world hates America?
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Hey, guys, guess what -- I figured out who was what and what all those parade float characters were supposed to be, and I would have actually liked to have heard the opening speeches in Greek, French and English, with subtitles. But no. You had to blather on, just because you love to hear yourselves talk.
And you wonder why the rest of the world hates America?
(0) comments
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Cabinet Making
Just for shits and giggles, I came up with my fantasy cabinet (and a few other select positions), should Kerry/Edwards win in November. I really hate having to say "should." My gut feeling is "when". But, nonetheless, here's my list. It may seem off the wall at first glance, but it's not as odd as it seems...
And Fantasy Cabinet wouldn't be a bad internet game at all. Kind of like Hollywood Stock Exchange or all those fantasy league games, but it might get the kids interested in politics. Here's the list.
Secretary of State: Bill Clinton. He has the gravitas, the intelligence and the respect of the world. After all, he's the man who almost brokered a peace treaty between Israel and Palestine. Unlike a certain current occupant of the White House, the world loves him -- and thanks to Ken Starr, he's already been fully vetted, to the tune of a $65+ million investigation, and they didn't find shit. So, in other words, he's clean.
Attorney General: Ralph Nader. He's an arrogant, self-centered little prick, but at least he's our arrogant, self-centered little prick. After four years of a Nazi Autocrat Religious Whako who thinks arresting people who smoke flowers is more important than actually doing something about corporate crime or terrorism, I think unleashing Nader on all the companies that have been screwing the little people would be poetic justice. And you know he'd go after the big companies and the big name CEO's, because he's just like that -- a spotlight whore, true, but let's put it to good use.
Secretary of Defense: General Wesley Clark, sir. I don't think I have to provide any explanation or defense of that. Wes da man for this job, period. And unlike Donald Rumsfeld, he won't pass the buck or shovel bullshit when the going gets tough. (Speaking of which, hasn't Rummy been strangely invisible since the Abu Ghraib scandal broke? Hm...)
Secretary of Agriculture: Dan Bane. Dan who? I hear you say. Well, he's the CEO of Trader Joe's. If you don't know TJ, you should. It's a chain of grocery stores that provides high quality food at low prices, and the best customer service on the planet. I rediscovered them during LA's grocery strike, and haven't gone back. A former Ralph's customer, I'd spend ninety bucks a week (after alleged "Club Card" discounts) and walk out with a cartload of crap; Trader Joe's being, alas, non-union, but paying their employees more and giving them better benefits, I found a store where I could spend forty or fifty bucks every ten days, no bullshit discounts, and walk out the door with a cartload of good food. Anyone who can run that company can keep the American food chain humming, and make it better, cheaper, faster.
Secretary of Commerce: Melissa Gilbert. Whoa... that chick from that cheesy 70's TV show? Yeah, her. Because she's president of the Screen Actors Guild, a position that entails being able to negotiate the balls off of a group of seven very well-financed and well-lawyered studios. (Alternate to this position is Patty Duke Astin, also a former SAG President, although also an admitted manic-depressive, so she probably wouldn't pass the psychological vetting, especially since her condition has been very public.) And for you rightwing naysayers who don't think being SAG president is worth a hill of beans... Ronald Fucking Reagan, biatches. (Although he was a Democrat at the time, so choke on it.)
Secretary of Labor: John Sweeney, president of the AFL/CIO. Hey, shouldn't the Secretary of Labor come from labor, and not management? Sweeney may be an old white guy, but he's fighting for the rank and file.
Secretary of Education: Carol Moseley Braun. Hell, Ms. Braun deserves sainthood, seeing as how she was one of the members of the Black Congressional Caucus who had the cojones to stand up in November 2000 and yell "Shenanigans!" over the fradulent election results in Florida. And I bet she could make the "No Child Left Behind" program actually leave no children behind, as opposed to the charade it is now. In case you haven't been paying attention, the BushCo version of NCLB is, "You can't leave no kids behind, but we ain't paying for it." Horseshit. Three cruise missiles less for the army would fund the program for four years.
Secretary of Energy: Al Gore. Four words, kids: "No more oil dependence." And if anyone can pull that off, Al can. (Side note: your humble blogger's suggestion for breaking the petrochemical monopoly. The government makes this offer: the first company that creates and markets a vehicle that a) runs on renewable resources only; b) meets safety, size and highway speed requirements of traditional gas vehicles; and c) is available to the consumer at prices comparable to current economy cars, will receive the following: no corporate taxes, and no need to even file, for ten years; no personal income taxes and no need to file for all employees of the company and all its divisions as of the award date for five years; no state income taxes for the company or employees in the corporate HQ state in perpetuity. Make that offer, and gas stations would be out of business in two years.)
Secretary of Transportation: Willie Brown. Two words: San Francisco. True, he had nothing to do with setting up the wonderful and eclectic public transportation system there, but this is one brother who deserves the props, and I bet he could really do well in this position.
Secretary of Health & Human Services: Hilary Clinton. Again, you have to ask? She's as bullet-proof, scandal wise, as her husband. And universal health care was her pet issue, killed only because the Democratic Congress of 1994 were such goddamn pussies. ("Bend over," the Republicans yelled, and they replied, "How far?") Ted Kennedy, of course, should be her deputy secretary, and their first mission should be political castrating the pharmaceutical and HMO industries. Y'all wanna do business in the country? Then you're going to favor the patients, or you're going to shut down. Period.
Secretary of Homeland Security: Duncan Black. Who? Well, if you're blog-savvy, you know who. If not -- check out his blog, where his nom de net is Atios. A good stratigist, with well thought-out opinions and insightful commentary. And not likely to pull the booga booga bullshit that Tom Ridge has been doing ever since the first Code Orange.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: John McCain. Because he was there, and he won't screw the vets the way BushCo has.
Secretary of HUD: Al Sharpton. Again, a no-brainer. Hey -- the white media industry has made "urban" a code word for "black." The Rev. is the one to be doing that urban development, Q.E.D.
Non-cabinet positions:
Chairman, FCC: Howard Dean. Sweet justice. I think his campaign was destroyed by the media the second he suggested the return of massive regulation. Nothing would be finer than watching him slice the corporate mega media conglomerates up into tiny little pieces, while screaming "YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Head of NASA: Dick Rutan. Cheaper, faster, better. Hell, I bet he could send a manned mission to Mars for under a billion dollars and in less than three years.
Ambassador to the UN: Jimmy Carter. If you have to question this one, you're really not paying any attention.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Margaret H. Marshall, current Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, author of the opinion legalizing same sex marriages in that state. In other words, a judge who actually uses the law, instead of politics, to make a ruling.
Head of the INS: Arianna Huffington. A successful immigrant, in charge of policing immigrants -- although my personal bias is that borders are stupid. And any American who bitches about immigrants has no right to do so, unless they grew up speaking Navajo or the like.
Head of the DEA: Dennis Kucinich -- because the first thing he'll do is stop chasing after people who smoke pot. And I'd love to see him make Tommy Chong his deputy.
Senate (Majority/Minority) Leader, although with any luck it'll be the former, Barack Obama. Okay, I know it's unconventional because he'd be a freshman senator, but what the hell. The sheer power and charisma he showed in his convention speech proved one thing. This man is a leader, and he wouldn't take shit from anyone. Give him the big chair, and the Democratic Party would never be on the defensive.
So, those are my recommendations. I'd take the slot as head of the NEA myself, as long as I could convince General Clark and the Senate to spend money on arts and books instead of bombs. If you have other ideas, put 'em in the comments.
(0) comments
And Fantasy Cabinet wouldn't be a bad internet game at all. Kind of like Hollywood Stock Exchange or all those fantasy league games, but it might get the kids interested in politics. Here's the list.
Secretary of State: Bill Clinton. He has the gravitas, the intelligence and the respect of the world. After all, he's the man who almost brokered a peace treaty between Israel and Palestine. Unlike a certain current occupant of the White House, the world loves him -- and thanks to Ken Starr, he's already been fully vetted, to the tune of a $65+ million investigation, and they didn't find shit. So, in other words, he's clean.
Attorney General: Ralph Nader. He's an arrogant, self-centered little prick, but at least he's our arrogant, self-centered little prick. After four years of a Nazi Autocrat Religious Whako who thinks arresting people who smoke flowers is more important than actually doing something about corporate crime or terrorism, I think unleashing Nader on all the companies that have been screwing the little people would be poetic justice. And you know he'd go after the big companies and the big name CEO's, because he's just like that -- a spotlight whore, true, but let's put it to good use.
Secretary of Defense: General Wesley Clark, sir. I don't think I have to provide any explanation or defense of that. Wes da man for this job, period. And unlike Donald Rumsfeld, he won't pass the buck or shovel bullshit when the going gets tough. (Speaking of which, hasn't Rummy been strangely invisible since the Abu Ghraib scandal broke? Hm...)
Secretary of Agriculture: Dan Bane. Dan who? I hear you say. Well, he's the CEO of Trader Joe's. If you don't know TJ, you should. It's a chain of grocery stores that provides high quality food at low prices, and the best customer service on the planet. I rediscovered them during LA's grocery strike, and haven't gone back. A former Ralph's customer, I'd spend ninety bucks a week (after alleged "Club Card" discounts) and walk out with a cartload of crap; Trader Joe's being, alas, non-union, but paying their employees more and giving them better benefits, I found a store where I could spend forty or fifty bucks every ten days, no bullshit discounts, and walk out the door with a cartload of good food. Anyone who can run that company can keep the American food chain humming, and make it better, cheaper, faster.
Secretary of Commerce: Melissa Gilbert. Whoa... that chick from that cheesy 70's TV show? Yeah, her. Because she's president of the Screen Actors Guild, a position that entails being able to negotiate the balls off of a group of seven very well-financed and well-lawyered studios. (Alternate to this position is Patty Duke Astin, also a former SAG President, although also an admitted manic-depressive, so she probably wouldn't pass the psychological vetting, especially since her condition has been very public.) And for you rightwing naysayers who don't think being SAG president is worth a hill of beans... Ronald Fucking Reagan, biatches. (Although he was a Democrat at the time, so choke on it.)
Secretary of Labor: John Sweeney, president of the AFL/CIO. Hey, shouldn't the Secretary of Labor come from labor, and not management? Sweeney may be an old white guy, but he's fighting for the rank and file.
Secretary of Education: Carol Moseley Braun. Hell, Ms. Braun deserves sainthood, seeing as how she was one of the members of the Black Congressional Caucus who had the cojones to stand up in November 2000 and yell "Shenanigans!" over the fradulent election results in Florida. And I bet she could make the "No Child Left Behind" program actually leave no children behind, as opposed to the charade it is now. In case you haven't been paying attention, the BushCo version of NCLB is, "You can't leave no kids behind, but we ain't paying for it." Horseshit. Three cruise missiles less for the army would fund the program for four years.
Secretary of Energy: Al Gore. Four words, kids: "No more oil dependence." And if anyone can pull that off, Al can. (Side note: your humble blogger's suggestion for breaking the petrochemical monopoly. The government makes this offer: the first company that creates and markets a vehicle that a) runs on renewable resources only; b) meets safety, size and highway speed requirements of traditional gas vehicles; and c) is available to the consumer at prices comparable to current economy cars, will receive the following: no corporate taxes, and no need to even file, for ten years; no personal income taxes and no need to file for all employees of the company and all its divisions as of the award date for five years; no state income taxes for the company or employees in the corporate HQ state in perpetuity. Make that offer, and gas stations would be out of business in two years.)
Secretary of Transportation: Willie Brown. Two words: San Francisco. True, he had nothing to do with setting up the wonderful and eclectic public transportation system there, but this is one brother who deserves the props, and I bet he could really do well in this position.
Secretary of Health & Human Services: Hilary Clinton. Again, you have to ask? She's as bullet-proof, scandal wise, as her husband. And universal health care was her pet issue, killed only because the Democratic Congress of 1994 were such goddamn pussies. ("Bend over," the Republicans yelled, and they replied, "How far?") Ted Kennedy, of course, should be her deputy secretary, and their first mission should be political castrating the pharmaceutical and HMO industries. Y'all wanna do business in the country? Then you're going to favor the patients, or you're going to shut down. Period.
Secretary of Homeland Security: Duncan Black. Who? Well, if you're blog-savvy, you know who. If not -- check out his blog, where his nom de net is Atios. A good stratigist, with well thought-out opinions and insightful commentary. And not likely to pull the booga booga bullshit that Tom Ridge has been doing ever since the first Code Orange.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: John McCain. Because he was there, and he won't screw the vets the way BushCo has.
Secretary of HUD: Al Sharpton. Again, a no-brainer. Hey -- the white media industry has made "urban" a code word for "black." The Rev. is the one to be doing that urban development, Q.E.D.
Non-cabinet positions:
Chairman, FCC: Howard Dean. Sweet justice. I think his campaign was destroyed by the media the second he suggested the return of massive regulation. Nothing would be finer than watching him slice the corporate mega media conglomerates up into tiny little pieces, while screaming "YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Head of NASA: Dick Rutan. Cheaper, faster, better. Hell, I bet he could send a manned mission to Mars for under a billion dollars and in less than three years.
Ambassador to the UN: Jimmy Carter. If you have to question this one, you're really not paying any attention.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Margaret H. Marshall, current Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, author of the opinion legalizing same sex marriages in that state. In other words, a judge who actually uses the law, instead of politics, to make a ruling.
Head of the INS: Arianna Huffington. A successful immigrant, in charge of policing immigrants -- although my personal bias is that borders are stupid. And any American who bitches about immigrants has no right to do so, unless they grew up speaking Navajo or the like.
Head of the DEA: Dennis Kucinich -- because the first thing he'll do is stop chasing after people who smoke pot. And I'd love to see him make Tommy Chong his deputy.
Senate (Majority/Minority) Leader, although with any luck it'll be the former, Barack Obama. Okay, I know it's unconventional because he'd be a freshman senator, but what the hell. The sheer power and charisma he showed in his convention speech proved one thing. This man is a leader, and he wouldn't take shit from anyone. Give him the big chair, and the Democratic Party would never be on the defensive.
So, those are my recommendations. I'd take the slot as head of the NEA myself, as long as I could convince General Clark and the Senate to spend money on arts and books instead of bombs. If you have other ideas, put 'em in the comments.
(0) comments
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Alert. Color = Bullshit
All you need to know is here
Booga booga warnings based on four year old bullshit. Can you say "Wag the dog?"
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Booga booga warnings based on four year old bullshit. Can you say "Wag the dog?"
(0) comments
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Booga, Booga
So we finally have a non-vague terrorist threat, announced on the heels of poor Tom Ridge qutting because he can't afford to send his kids to school on $175K a year. Boo-fucking-hoo.
However, as with every single time this administration has cried "Wolf(owitz)!", I smell a rat here, and it goes like this.
1) The timing of the announcement, Sunday night, is designed to make the story dominate the first several news cycles of the week. Monday -- WARNING! Tuesday -- nothing yet. Wednesday -- no new news. Thursday -- everyone wet yourselves, it's going to be today or tomorrow. Friday -- crank up the volume to hide another after five p.m. sneak release of damaging to the Administration info.
2) I think the Admin has finally caught on to what everyone has been thinking. If there is another terrorist attack on US soil before the election, rather than propelling W into the White House, it will probably turn into a Spanish Snafu, because the blame for letting such an attack happen would fall firmly on the people in charge. Therefore, I think they have a different strategery now. Get specific to scare the shit out of the gullible. And then... thanks to all those anonymous prisoners we have in Gitmo, parade a dozen "arrested suicide bombers" before the media a week or so before the Republican Convention. It makes it look like they've done something, no one would have any idea whether the suspects were already in captivity or not, blah blah blah.
3) The mere fact that I can even contemplate scenario #2 just demonstrates how little credibility our current government has anymore.
Look on the bright side, though. W did not have a majority of votes in 2000, and he's only managed to lose people, not win them over. He's alienated the Islamic community, thanks to painting all Arabs and Muslims as the "enemy". He's blown it with the African American community, thanks to snubbing the NAACP again and again. He's dissed the gay and lesbian community quite publicly. And he's screwed things up for the batch of kids who've finished up high school during his reign of error, and are now graduated -- and brand new, first-time voters. I'm sure there are many more groups he's pissed off to no end, leaving him only with deluded rednecks and raving funamentalist lunatics. Thankfully, nowhere near a majority in this country.
Mm. How sweet would November be if Kerry & Edwards blew these douchebags out of office in a landslide of proportions never before seen in this country? 60/40 would be sweet, but 70/30 could take out the Republican party with it.
So, don't let them make you fearful. Statistically, you're far more likely to die in a car crash on your way to work than in a terrorist attack. Do the math -- an average of 50,000 deaths a year times as many years as we've had cars, vs. maybe a total of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths* (being generous there) in the past two hundred and twenty-eight odd years.
Ever been hit by lightning or win the lottery? Didn't think so.
* This figure includes things like Pearl Harbor, which technically didn't happen on American soil, and now-forgotten by most people events, like Nat Turner's rebellion, Bleeding Kansas, and not-forgotten but misunderstood events, like the Boston Tea Party which, admittedly, also did not happen on American soil, but sure did lead to it becoming American soil. I refrain from including the native casualties of the Indian Wars in this figure, despite those acts being terrorism which included weapons of mass distruction via biological warfare -- small pox.
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However, as with every single time this administration has cried "Wolf(owitz)!", I smell a rat here, and it goes like this.
1) The timing of the announcement, Sunday night, is designed to make the story dominate the first several news cycles of the week. Monday -- WARNING! Tuesday -- nothing yet. Wednesday -- no new news. Thursday -- everyone wet yourselves, it's going to be today or tomorrow. Friday -- crank up the volume to hide another after five p.m. sneak release of damaging to the Administration info.
2) I think the Admin has finally caught on to what everyone has been thinking. If there is another terrorist attack on US soil before the election, rather than propelling W into the White House, it will probably turn into a Spanish Snafu, because the blame for letting such an attack happen would fall firmly on the people in charge. Therefore, I think they have a different strategery now. Get specific to scare the shit out of the gullible. And then... thanks to all those anonymous prisoners we have in Gitmo, parade a dozen "arrested suicide bombers" before the media a week or so before the Republican Convention. It makes it look like they've done something, no one would have any idea whether the suspects were already in captivity or not, blah blah blah.
3) The mere fact that I can even contemplate scenario #2 just demonstrates how little credibility our current government has anymore.
Look on the bright side, though. W did not have a majority of votes in 2000, and he's only managed to lose people, not win them over. He's alienated the Islamic community, thanks to painting all Arabs and Muslims as the "enemy". He's blown it with the African American community, thanks to snubbing the NAACP again and again. He's dissed the gay and lesbian community quite publicly. And he's screwed things up for the batch of kids who've finished up high school during his reign of error, and are now graduated -- and brand new, first-time voters. I'm sure there are many more groups he's pissed off to no end, leaving him only with deluded rednecks and raving funamentalist lunatics. Thankfully, nowhere near a majority in this country.
Mm. How sweet would November be if Kerry & Edwards blew these douchebags out of office in a landslide of proportions never before seen in this country? 60/40 would be sweet, but 70/30 could take out the Republican party with it.
So, don't let them make you fearful. Statistically, you're far more likely to die in a car crash on your way to work than in a terrorist attack. Do the math -- an average of 50,000 deaths a year times as many years as we've had cars, vs. maybe a total of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths* (being generous there) in the past two hundred and twenty-eight odd years.
Ever been hit by lightning or win the lottery? Didn't think so.
* This figure includes things like Pearl Harbor, which technically didn't happen on American soil, and now-forgotten by most people events, like Nat Turner's rebellion, Bleeding Kansas, and not-forgotten but misunderstood events, like the Boston Tea Party which, admittedly, also did not happen on American soil, but sure did lead to it becoming American soil. I refrain from including the native casualties of the Indian Wars in this figure, despite those acts being terrorism which included weapons of mass distruction via biological warfare -- small pox.
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