News Items

Watching those little snippets that scroll across the bottom of the tv screen on news channels. Every so often a few beg for more information.

Item----study shows that women with younger partners are more prone to heart disease. Does this mean that ABC's CougarTown will soon join Law and Order on the cancellation list???

Item----Army proposing recall of 44,000 helmets for failing to meet specifications. How long have men been at war, using head gear, and we still can't make them right??

Item---BP hopes latest efforts might stop oil leak in Gulf of Mexico. Should we expand drilling offshore when the best we can get for containment of a spill that's dumping the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez tragedy every week into the water from those responsible is HOPE??????

Times like these make being a pirate dog preferable to being a human.......

State of the Union 2010

So the first state of the union address by Barack Obama, originally believed to be scheduled for Feb. 2, has been the victim of constituent pressure. Rather than pre-empt or, worse yet, compete with the season premiere of Lost, the prez and team have scheduled the big speech for Wed. Jan. 27. Bending to special interests already.....And think of the poor speechwriters. Seven seasons of West Wing have taught us all about the angst of the White House staff in crafting this annual message and policy statement. To move it forward a week would have sent Josh and Sam into apoplectic fits and a long stay in a sanitarium.

In a previous post, we said we'd comment on some of the political news, so here we go---from the perspective of some rather intelligent canines---the Pirate Dogs!!!!

The first subject is hubris. The Democratic leadership (or lack thereof) embodied in Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were so certain they could use their numerical advantage and senatorial super-majority to ram through anything on their agenda. In the course of attempting this one party take-over of the republic, these two have totally undermined the bi-partisan goals of their party's leader---the president. So the Republicans do a drug war thing--"just say no"--- and all the economic recovery and needed programs like environmental protection and health care become subject to the pork needs of every Democratic denizen of the halls of the capitol. These "leaders" of the Democratic party are so inept they allowed a Republican victory in a Massachusetts special election for the Senate seat that has been held by a Kennedy since 1952!!!!! Scott Brown ran the type of campaign that might entice any voter. If he eschews his "Number 41" b.s. and actually does what he said---represent the citizens of MA first, he would be a breath of fresh air in the Senate.

Next we have Pat Robertson saying Haiti's deals with the devil caused the tragic earthquake. What is it with "Christians"???? Now the soldiers in the Middle East can't aim their weapons properly because all the gun sights have biblical inscriptions on them and they are being recalled and replaced!!!! Or at least removed. Did it occur to these people that part of the rationale for the Islamic jihadist is their perception that they need to defeat the Crusaders, i.e., Christians, in order to preserve their life style and religion. Aren't they to be allowed the same freedom of religion as the citizens of the United States??? Didn't the King of England in 1776 call the Sons of Liberty "terrorists"?

Scandals----aahhh, what would American media be without them. Around the clock Tiger affair coverage, Mark Sanford and the Argentinian/Appalachian deception. Now John Edwards has admitted fathering Rielle's daughter and the National Inquirer's editorial board is going to submit their coverage for a Pulitzer prize, that most coveted award for SERIOUS journalism!!!! The National Inquirer---home of "I was an Alien Love Slave" exposes.......People, are you there?? Thank heaven they are "ineligible". What a fiasco that would be-----maybe even worse then McCain picking Palin !!!! Or thinking Reid and Pelosi could steer health care reform through the legislative process and have it emerge as a really positive benefit for the American people!!!

Next, let's discuss campaign finance reform. Now that the Supreme Court has overturned parts of McCain-Feingold and opened the door to limitless contributions, maybe it's time for real reform. Let the federal government take one dollar from each tax return and put the money in a pot for the presidential election. The money would be divided equally among all candidates appearing on the ballot in 26 states. (26 states is one more than half the total number of states. Some states have very low filing fees which encourage very marginal or fringe candidates to enter their primaries. If candidates can file in at least 26 states this might prevent public funding for the extremists and wackos.) Any additional expenditure would be illegal and we wouldn't want a criminal for president, would we?? No fund raising is permitted in local elections. Each office seeker should pay a filing fee and get out and meet the voters and convince them of their worthiness to serve. Just like the Founding Fathers had to---you didn't see George Washington or Thomas Jefferson doing polls and paying political advisers!!!!!!

Finally, the BIG ONE---health-care reform. Now Paul Krugman has some ideas in his column today but how about this----let's make the plan that all the government officials, Senators, House members, and federal employees have available to the general public?? Even a Republican couldn't vote against that without having to answer charges of elitism. What's good for our bureaucrats and elected representatives should be good for all the citizens, right???

Reality?????

My brother sent me this link to a story about "Student Day" in Iran. Remember when those days were a celebration of learning, a time of joy?? Now I guess we can add Opening Day of Hunting Season.......

Then there's the ever politically correctly minded Harry Reid comparing the Republicans to slave owners. Please don't take this wrong, but I see his point. He was comparing the obstructionists of today to the same class of politicos in the mid-1800's. Reid is just ham-fisted like his House counterpart Nancy Pelosi. If we get the programs we need to reform health care, fight global warming, get the economy back under control, it will be in spite of these two "leaders" not because of them.

We won't comment about Tiger except to remind readers that absolute anything corrupts absolutely.

Yesterday it snowed and we had a little ice storm on the high plains. Today the winds hit 60 mph. Please tell me again about NM weather---how warm and cozy we have it.........

Leny has developed a stubborn disobedient streak that manifests itself on Sunday when I leave LC for the work week in Clovis. She sits by the truck, refusing to come indoors. If we get insistent, she rolls over on her back, paws up like she wanta her sharpradorial belly rubbed. She hates my leaving as much as I do............

So enjoy whatever reality you are inhabiting. Got your Christmas shopping done yet??????

"Quo Vadis?"

On my "Igoogle" page this morning there was a quote attributed to Muhammed Ali to the effect that if you are 50 and view life the same way as when you were 20, you have wasted 30 years.

When I was 20, big issues were ending the Vietnam war, considered by many as unnecessary and unjust; protecting the environment and reducing waste; and making politics more representative and less about special interests.

Now, 40 years later, 10 more than in Ali's nugget of wisdom, the big issues are ending a war that is both unnecessary and unjust; protecting the planet from global warming; making politics more transparent and representative; and we can add, restoring America's moral leadership in the world.

So is what we have a generation that has learned nothing and wasted 30 or 40 years????

Inauguration Day

Since everyone else in the world is commenting on today's inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama,  we might as well too.  I heard the speech live and no specific phrase really jumped out at me, nothing like "nothing to fear but fear itself" or "ask not what your country can do for you..."

Some sentiments, like toughness presented to those who might wish us harm, working together to solve problems, a commitment to improving the environment and education, but no real blockbusters.  I'm sure after the spinners and talking heads get done, hopefully by Memorial Day, we'll all have some phrase extracted from the speech to anchor their pretensions.

In the meantime, as the man said, time to get to work.  And hope this dream doesn't turn into anything like the nightmare this nation just woke up from.  It really sounded great the first time I heard some commentator on NPR speak the phrase "former President George Bush."  Now the words made famous by those persecuted in Chicago in 1968 will come full circle and rather than being an indictment of an oppressive government, a phrase that reflects the new-found confidence of a country renewed: "The whole world is watching." 

Of Pirates and Spinners

Captain 'Roid is really pissed off. When last seen, the intrepid Captain was begging her mother to make a new flag for the CPS Nargle proclaiming the "End of the United Nations." According to a report on tonight's BBC America newscast, the UN has signed some declaration allowing countries to pursue the pirates onto Somalian land. Now admittedly, Somalia is a failed state and its sovereignty is open to debate. But to allow other countries, including Iran, China, Great Britain, and the US (talk about politics and pirates making strange bedfellows!!!!) to invade in pursuit of the pirates?? Hopefully all those military men will review Blackhawk Down before doing the same foolish thing.....And why does the US, beacon of religious freedom and defender of the right to democratic processes, so fear an Islamic government in Somalia?? Isn't Islam one of the "Great Religions" alongside Christianity, Judaism, Taoism, Buddhism, etc?? Or is all this "Islamic terrorists are radical extremists" just a smoke screen and the US is really at war with Muslims-----shades of Richard the Lion-Heart and the Crusades...........

Do you remember The Spinners from the '70's and that massively "great" song "Rubber Band Man"?? Actually, I detest that song but all the "oldies" stations seem fixated on it.

But those aren't "the spinners" I'm writing about. I'm thinking about the auto-bailout/union busters and whether the Kennedys are more deserving of power as a dynasty than the Clintons, if MSNBC be believed.

GM and Chrysler are doing worse than Packard did in the 1950's. They hemorrhage cash, blowing through billions a month. Their management has been about as in tune to the needs of the average buyer and the concerns about the deleterious effects of automotive emissions on the decaying of the Earth's atmosphere as Bush and Cheney have been to telling the truth about Al-Qaeda in Iraq, let alone the total misinterpretation of the WMD intelligence.
Now, depending whom one reads, we are either headed for, or are already in, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. The government has bailed out the financial fat-cats but balks at doing the same for the auto-making fat-cats. The problem is that there are a lot of not-so-fat-cats that would be a lot more hurt by the death of the Big 3. About 1 in 10 American jobs is tied to the auto industry---from parts providers to transportation firms to the workers at the car plants themselves. If we want to see Great Depression type unemployment numbers (like around 25%), then let's allow the Big 3 shut down and add that 10% who lose their jobs to the present 11% without jobs. (I realize the current "official" unemployment rate is about 6% but that does NOT include part-time employees who'd like full-time jobs or those who have stopped trying to find work. That number is over 11%.) That's 21% unemployment. Wouldn't take many, if any, more Citibank job cuts to put us well over that 25% threshold.

But some Senators blame all the failings of the auto industry on the wage disparity between the union workers up north and the non-union laborers in the foreign plants south of the Mason-Dixon line. Taking a real crisis and scapegoating people who will lose their livelihoods to avoid taking action while changing the focus of the argument to something totally non-related is major SPIN!! Even if a UAW member makes $71.00 an hour, that's only $150,000/year!!! And that's nowhere near what an executive at either an auto maker or a financial firm makes!!!! As a matter of fact, it's 1.5% of the 10-million dollar paychecks and bonuses common in executive suites or a Major League Baseball locker room. So let's not blame the union. Deny the bail-out if you don't think management can turn around these companies but let's stop the b.s.

So Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg threw her hat into the ring for the US Senate seat formerly warmed by former first-lady Hilary Clinton (all this assumes she gets confirmed for Secretary of State and resigns). Caroline has a lot going for her. First, her maiden name is Kennedy. She's the only surviving child of JFK and Jackie. She's a major upgrade in looks from Mrs. Clinton and I think she's also better looking than Sarah McPalin (remember her??). So give her the job already. But first we need to watch interminable hours of every Clintonista with an axe to grind and all the MSNBC "analysts" and commentators who need to justify their salaries since the election is over stir up controversy. Who cares if Andrew Cuomo is divorced from one of Caroline's cousins?? What possible effect does it have on her qualifications for the Senate, which are about the same as Hilary's when she was first elected----a member of a family that was in the White House as well as being a lawyer. And Caroline even had a pony at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!!!!
So enjoy "Rubber Band Man" when you hear it and wish we only had to deal with the musical Spinners instead of the bozo spinners masquerading as learned gentlemen. Hang on to your money and hope January 20 comes faster. But keep your shoes handy just in case...........

Bail---in or out????

How about them Somali Pirates?????????? 12 ships in 7 days from an area of the ocean patrolled by the US Navy, Her Royal Majesty's Navy, the EU, the Emirates, and Kingdoms of the Gulf!!!! YeeHAW!!!!!!!!!!! The Pirate Dogs hope they get to keep their loot and that they use it to improve the standard of living in the Horn of Africa, one of the poorest and most badly governed places in the entire world.
I need to correct the last post---There were a couple of inconsistencies in the sources. Apparently the ship was taken in the Gulf of Aden and is now anchored in the Indian Ocean some 450 miles from Mombasa, Kenya. Capt. 'Roid apologizes for the misinformation.
Now that the Somalis have bailed out their ships, how about the bail-out in DC of the BIG 3? I thought this was a capitalistic nation, not a welfare state. If I ran my business with as little forethought and lack of planning as that exhibited by the CEOs of the Detroit mega corporations, I'd deserve to be fired or run into bankruptcy. Now I fully appreciate that we cannot allow the auto industry to go the way of the airlines. There's always places to go and someone to take the risk and fly there. No sane person would buy any major asset from a company in Chapter 11. Cars last years and anyone purchasing one wants to make sure he can keep his investment on the road. But a free ride out of their hole is the last thing we should support as taxpayers or citizens.
I believe that successful people should get the fruits of their hard work. And executives who can't formulate a decent forward-looking business plan should go back to the business correspondence school they came from for a refresher course.
Memo to our representatives----
NO BAILOUT!!! No LOANS to the auto Industry without STRINGS!! WE THE PEOPLE need to see how OUR money will be used to sustain the industry and IMPROVE the performance of its products----MORE MPG, MORE environmentally friendly, NO MORE loans or taxpayer dollars after this ONE time.
After all, if a bunch of Somali pirates can outperform the navies of the allegedly advanced economies, our congress, senate, and captains of capitalism should be able to give us some bang for our buck in a car that gets 50-plus MPG, is safe and fun to drive.
Let's get our people in WaWa DC this message!!!!!

Economics PD3

Most of the attention the Pirate Dogs pay to economic issues consists of sitting in the kitchen whenever a person goes there, hoping for food to be either given them or dropped on the floor where they can scarf it up. Pretty simplistic and operating at a very basic level.

Now the three of them, joined by my wife and I, watched the President-elect and the stage full of economic heavy hitters do a press conference. We liked the part about the shelter dog the best---the Obama girls really deserve a Sharprador (even if Leny would out-cute them) and wouldn't the Humane Society so benefit from the exposure!!! But the serious issue of the economy did get us thinking......


The auto industry gets a lot of attention. It did in Mr. Obama's remarks before the media. It is probably, after the financial sector, the most needy segment of the manufacturing sector. But a bail-out or loan package MUST be tied to the long-term environmental needs of not only the country but the planet. There were autos that could get 30MPG twenty years ago. This is no longer a goal but an attainable standard. It's our belief that any aid package to the car makers have at the very least a fleet fuel economy standard of 50MPG or more and that this standard be attained within two years!!! Also the car makers should be encouraged to dedicate themselves to improving their core competencies, i.e, building efficient,competitive automobiles, and discouraged from ventures into mortgages and banking. GM Bank and Ditech (mortgages from GMAC) are examples of this phenomenon. If the talent is diluted into so many ancillary ventures, how can the manufacturer be competitive with the foreign companies who keep their eye on the ball. A certain financial acumen is necessary to assist buyers in financing their new (and probably over-priced) vehicle, but a mortgage company and a bank??????????

So by all means, let's put together a stimulus package. And let's support our domestic industries, the few we have left. But let's make sure that this support is aligned with the longer term goals of energy independence and reversing the damage we've done to our planet.

Syndromes

Syndromes seem to be in the forefront around here this week. The Pirate Dogs' look-out has SDS, the Captain has SDS, and even I was SDS. And they're all different syndromes!!!!!!!!

Weets is part chihuahua so she is very noisy and aggressive---Small Dog Syndrome.
'Roid has the foulest breath in the western world, the result of a peculiar and disgusting habit I won't go into here--Stinky Dog Syndrome.
And this blogger was fairly radical in his younger years, even joining Students for a Democratic Society in college.
So why all the "syndrome-icity" this particular week??
How's your 401-k? How's your trust in the sitting government to get us on the right track? If you have any syndromes, now's the time to give them free reign. Loosen that halter and give them their head.



I think I've decided on the elections. Paris Hilton for Prez, Tina Fey for VP. (Although Gina Gershon does a good job as well.) Paris makes sense on the environment and the pool-side shots could be inspiring as well as profitable for the government. Sales of her exploits would dwarf the tax cuts of either main-stream candidate and could result in a surplus. Tina does a better Palin than Sarahcuda. Only problem is after she gets elected, where would she get her material? No worry though, the current VP candidate has just regurgitated the same lines since she was nominated. Is there really that big a difference between 6 weeks and 4 (or 8) years??
Hey, after this week we need to exhibit a sense of humor more than ever.

In a more serious vein, I'm currently reading Nixonland by Rick Perlstein. The sub-title pretty much summarizes the premise--"The rise of a president and the fracturing of America." I'm only about a quarter of the way through the 800-plus pages but the parallels from the 1968 campaign to today's are striking and, for me, terrifying. I have watched film of the current Republican rallies where either of the candidates whipped up the crowd to the point of denouncing the Democratic nominee as an Arab, a terrorist, or, even worse, calling for his head. First off, pandering to racism and fear is Nixonian. That's a large part of how he won. The "Silent Majority", "law and order", the menace of racial warfare. Have we learned nothing in 40 years? Watching McPalin is remembering Tricky Dick and Spiro. I've long felt that the Baby Boomers squandered their potential with their pursuit of riches pre-empting the idealism of the counter-culture. Now we pay for it with the Republican attacks that, let's face it, are racist without saying that word. I've seen comments on other blogs where people wrote about their fathers saying "Good, they shot another Kennedy" about RFK's assassination in 1968. I can remember comments about how "that uppity nigger" Martin Luther King got what was coming to him, also in 1968. I get the same feelings of foreboding listening to some of the McPalin supporters today. And I try to remember that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" but still there's this thing in he back of my mind..............a motorcade in Dallas, Nov 22 1963....

See http://zeesgowest.blogspot.com/ post for October 11 for a powerful video. We can take back this country. We can undo what Nixon spawned and W has promulgated.

WE ARE THE ANSWER!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Captain's Latest Plan

What a week!!!! Financial melt downs, bail outs, campaign peccadilloes, yuck!!! But the Pirate Dogs have a new plan for us------ Monday we were watching The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Usually the crew pays attention when dogs appear on screen but that insipid Purina One commercial with that overly compliant and obviously dim-witted Retriever-type dog makes them ignore the tv. But the story that followed the ad, that's another story. Captain Roid perked right up as Rachel related Google's plan to green itself up by moving some, if not all, of its computer centers to barges in the ocean. The reasons she cited for this action were reduced costs (hence more profit) in real estate taxes and upkeep and using water to cool the computers which should enhance the company's greening up image. But what drew the attention of the Captain was one of the possible downsides of the plan. Ms. Maddow talked about weather disasters such as hurricanes being a hazard to the barges. She also mentioned pirates as a potential hazard. The Captain then proceeded to the Nargle and came up with her plan---taking over Google!!

Imagine----you or your child searches for information on computer chips. Normally you would find a picture like this:But instead, since the Pirate dogs now control "The Google", you get their interpretation of your search parameters---Chip Turks (otherwise known as rawhide flips), of which they have a treasure chest full:

Going to the doctor, or searching a site like WebMD for information on your skeletal malfunctions normally would lead to something like this--
But our crew of buccaneers has taken over and their image is of their favorite treat: BONE-turks:
Finally, your fourth grader needs to do research for a civics paper, the topic is agriculture, and she googles wheat. When the servers were land based, she'd probably have gotten an image like this:

But after the takeover the monitor displays a portrait of Crow's Nest Weetzie!!!!!

So good luck to Google and all its users if they go ahead with their offshore plan. And happy (belated) talk-like-a-pirate day from Capt. Roid, First-mate Leny, and Crow's Nest Weetzie!!!

"ARRRGH!"

Equal Time

First, a word about comments. I moderate the comments on this blog. I try to be fair and reasonable and I hope that readers who honor this blog with comments do so in the spirit of the blog--open discussion, expanding the mind, and a little fun. So I don't allow comments from "Anonymous" to appear. I've had a couple from this moniker and they were personal attacks like you're an eastern liberal and why don't you move back there. I welcome and encourage comments on any post but please keep them in the spirit of the blog. Even if you don't agree with something that appears, present your arguments. I pledge to try to be fair and as impartial as I can be when moderating comments. And the Pirate Dogs promise too.....

About the Republican convention--I found I was glad I had a mute button. Sarah Palin was impressive in front of the microphones. But I got sort of bored by the rest of the speakers. From Mitt complaining about "liberal Washington"(!!!!?!!!?!!) to Rudy's almost-imitation of a hockey mom (pitbull, no lipstick) to the endless paeans to John McCain's bravery and maverick credentials--my father was a hero in WWII and he was not qualified to run for president. There was so much about patriotism, strength under the duress of torture, and maverick tendencies that I almost thought they weren't going to nominate McCain but had switched to Mel Gibson, who played all those roles (lead character in The Patriot, tortured in Braveheart, and the inimitable "the name is Brett" Maverick). Then I remembered he was born in Australia, so they must have been talking about McCain.

I have always respected John McCain, his service in the Navy and the Senate. I think I even wrote in his name on my ballot in 2000. But he wasn't a ship captain or exec, he was a fighter pilot. This plays well with his maverick identity but not his leadership as an officer. That experience was negligible in that he didn't have command responsibilities like Ike or JFK. His votes over the last year against the environment, against the prohibition of torture, against the new GI Bill, and for the misguided efforts in Iraq have eroded this respect and, for me, raised doubts about the very independence he so promotes. As for Sarahcuda, I hope I soon hear what she thinks rather than the same canned sound bites from the convention she has so far uttered at every whistle stop. And I don't think it's sexist to want answers to her feelings on God and government, or the internet rumor that her son only joined the army because the other option was jail on a vandalism charge. It's out there and should be addressed. After all, it's as least as relevant as Obama's having attended madrassas. "Sauce for the goose, Saavik." (Leonard "Spock" Nimoy to Kirstie "Lt Saavik" Alley in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Raise the Fuel Taxes

Gas prices continue to go up---over $4.08 a gallon as I write this. And the monthly payments on pickups and SUVs keep decreasing---no interest for 60 months, $6,000 rebates, "employee pricing".......Anybody else out there think this is a disconnect? And note the small print on these adds---none of the "deals" apply to hybrids!!!! The fuel efficient varieties are full boat, baby!!!!
Our government says we can alleviate gas prices by drilling in places like the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. But the current administration doesn't exactly deserve kudos or respect in terms of their record on the environment or climate change. Let's face it, the "senior administrators" are ex-oil men. The candidates recommend gas tax holidays or windfall taxes on big oil.
How about something that might work? Let's eliminate the taxes on diesel. This will give truckers a break and help stabilize the costs of food and other goods that depend on trucking to get to America's consumers. We can increase the gas tax on regular fuel to offset this revenue loss and also to subsidize the cost of truly fuel efficient and alternative fuel technologies.
Check out the Honda website http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/frequently-asked-questions/. That fuel cell car in the tv ads is available in a few counties in Southern California at a lease cost of $600.00 a month. That's more than the lease on a Hummer, a Mercedes S class, or a Cadillac STS!!!! We should be begging to lease the fuel cell car all over the country and getting the infrastructure built to support fuel cell technology. But the vast majority of Americans can't afford that kind of lease price. One would think GM, Ford, or Chrysler could build a fuel cell car that might fit an average family's budget if some of the development costs were subsidized.
According to Jonathan Rauch's article in the July/August Atlantic(http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/general-motors), the Chevy Volt will sell for "maybe north of $35,000." But an F-150 Ford or a Chevy Silverado at 10mpg can be had for about $20,000!! If we really are serious about conserving fossil fuels and getting their prices back in line, we need the Volt to sell for the same price as a Malibu.
So let's bite the short-term bullet and pay an inceased gas tax which can be used by car companies to develop alternative fuel vehicles without passing the high development costs on to consumers and keeping the sticker prices of these vehicles in line with what the average family can afford. The other benefit of this would be to help make American companies competitive and hopefully increase job opportunities in the automotive sector, which has been among the hardest hit in the economy. Or maybe America isn't as good as our competitors in this segment of the global economy?