"We see Americans dying on distant battlefields abroad...We see Americans hating each other...at home. And as we see and hear these things, millions of Americans cry out in anguish. Did we come all this way for this?...When the strongest nation in the world can be tied down for four years in a war...with no end in sight; When the richest nation in the world cannot manage its own economy; And when the president of the United States cannot travel abroad or to any major city at home without fear of a hostile demonstration-then it's time for new leadership for the United States of America...My friends, America is a great nation. And it is time we started to act like a great nation around the world."
So did John McCain say this? Or Barack Obama? Maybe Joe Biden? In my humble opinion it seems to exhibit too much understanding of our times to come from Sarah Palin.
The answer is---NONE OF THE ABOVE. The quote is excerpted from Richard Milhous Nixon's speech accepting the 1968 Republican nomination for president of the United States as reported in the book Nixonland by Rick Perlstein (pgs 304-305).
The parallels to 1968 just keep on manifesting themselves. Obama "pals around" with terrorists according to Ms. Palin. Did she, or anyone else in the McCain organization, note that the terrorist, Bill Ayers, formerly with the Weather Underground who botched a couple of bombings when Obama was 8 years old, was named citizen of the year in Chicago in 1997? For helping with educational reform in the City of Chicago---serving on the same board as Obama? Which educational kudos have the Republican ticket won? And do you, watching your retirement funds bleed away into the bank accounts of the stupor-rich like Cheney, W, and, yes, John McCain, really care about this issue??? If you do, then you deserve what's happened to you.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
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.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thimk
The Pirate Dogs are in a frenzy tonight. Commodore Cody took over the Nargle for most of the evening. Capt. 'Roid is agitated over the Somalian pirates. Seems they let the US Navy surround that hijacked munitions freighter. So rather than give up, the Somalis are threatening to blow the thing up. Let all the armaments sink and forgo the $millions in ransom. 'Roid and the crew wanted a share of the money (they'd love to help their dad retire this year) or the ship itself so they could stage a coup up the Potomac. Oops, that'll get the Pirate Dogs on the Homeland Security watch list...................Good thing their mom made a fresh batch of bone turks and there are leftover waffles from breakfast to sustain them.
Two pertinent definitions:
liberal
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
1.favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2.(often initial capital letter ) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3.of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4.favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5.favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6.of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7.free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8.open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9.characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
10.given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.
11.not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.
12.of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.
13.of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.
–noun
14.a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion.
15.(often initial capital letter ) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain.
Synonyms 1. progressive. 7. broad-minded, unprejudiced. 9. beneficent, charitable, openhanded, munificent, unstinting, lavish. See generous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
conservative
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
1.disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2.cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.
3.traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.
4.(often initial capital letter ) of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5.(initial capital letter ) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
6.having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative.
7.Mathematics. (of a vector or vector function) having curl equal to zero; irrotational; lamellar.
–noun
8.a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc.
9.a supporter of conservative political policies.
10.(initial capital letter ) a member of a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative party in Great Britain.
11.a preservative.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
So if we are to move forward which should it be??
Two pertinent definitions:
liberal
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
1.favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2.(often initial capital letter ) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3.of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4.favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5.favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6.of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7.free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8.open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9.characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
10.given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.
11.not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.
12.of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.
13.of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.
–noun
14.a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion.
15.(often initial capital letter ) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain.
Synonyms 1. progressive. 7. broad-minded, unprejudiced. 9. beneficent, charitable, openhanded, munificent, unstinting, lavish. See generous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
conservative
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
1.disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2.cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.
3.traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.
4.(often initial capital letter ) of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5.(initial capital letter ) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
6.having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative.
7.Mathematics. (of a vector or vector function) having curl equal to zero; irrotational; lamellar.
–noun
8.a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc.
9.a supporter of conservative political policies.
10.(initial capital letter ) a member of a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative party in Great Britain.
11.a preservative.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
So if we are to move forward which should it be??
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Time for a Break
And if my beloved Boston Red Sox and the L A Dodgers survive early October and both make it to the Fall Classic, then the Soquitos Rojo will face Joe Torre, Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe, and maybe even Nomar Garciaparra. Talk about "wheel in the sky keeps on turning".....
The Captain is having rear knee problems. She now has a new nickname, Ratso Roido, after my favorite Dustin Hoffman character, for which he really deserved the Oscar as best actor:
The Captain is having rear knee problems. She now has a new nickname, Ratso Roido, after my favorite Dustin Hoffman character, for which he really deserved the Oscar as best actor:
For those unfamiliar with this film, he's the one on the right, Ratso Rizzo. The guy on the left is Angelina Jolie's father.
A list of websites or magazines I read or visit regularly---unlike Saracuda, I don't have a problem letting you know where I get my information:
The Atlantic http://www.theatlantic.com/ (The Atlantic Monthly has been around over 100 years. I've subscribed to the print edition for years.)
The Economist http://www.economist.com/ (socially liberal, financially conservative with an English perspective-- I subscribe to the print edition as well as online)
The National Review http://www.nationalreview.com (William F. Buckley started this in the '60's. Conservative and well-written. It's ok to be right-wing as long as you think.)
The Nation http://www.thenation.com/ (Left as it gets but well written and thoughtful)
The New Republic http://www.tnr.com/ (Dates back to the counter-culture but also well thought out.)
And of course, the national newspaper of record, The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/ (The op-eds are intelligent, thought-provoking, and very well written.)
Please be informed on the FACTS before you vote. This is the most important election since 1968 and, like the Congress on the bail-out/rescue, we really need to get this correct!!!! Normally I'd say "right" but I don't think that's the proper direction............
Remember, the Pirate Dogs depend on you because they can't vote and they love you.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Someone Please Tune In the Picture
I see more ads for Ditech mortgages (from GMAC) and GMAC Bank than I see for GM cars. So GM is now earning more from the financial sector than from manufacturing?
We owe ever more to China and India, and the petro-dollars we send to the Gulf of Arabia are now being used by Gulf countries' sovereign wealth funds to shore up our banks!!
The Economist magazine, hardly a left-wing publication, stated "The financial-services industry's share of total American corporate profits rose from 10% in the early 1980's to 40% at its peak last year. By one calculation, profits in the past decade amounted to $1.2 trillion more than you would have expected." And this was from the Sept. 20, 2008 edition, before the meltdown Monday, Sept. 29!!!!
Tie these items together and it's easy to see why the US is well down the road to being a second class power. Financial engineering has replaced real engineering. Anybody else think this picture needs adjusting??
On a more hopeful note, Captain 'Roid has been following with interest the saga of the freighter that the Somalian pirates captured. Seems there's about $40 million worth of old Soviet tanks and artillery aboard. It was headed for Kenya. The Somalis want a $20 million ransom for it. Our captain would love a share of that money to help her parents retire, but the gleam really comes to her eye when she thinks about her and the rest of the Pirate Dogs sailing that ship up the Potomac, taking over Washington, and helping all of us........................
We owe ever more to China and India, and the petro-dollars we send to the Gulf of Arabia are now being used by Gulf countries' sovereign wealth funds to shore up our banks!!
The Economist magazine, hardly a left-wing publication, stated "The financial-services industry's share of total American corporate profits rose from 10% in the early 1980's to 40% at its peak last year. By one calculation, profits in the past decade amounted to $1.2 trillion more than you would have expected." And this was from the Sept. 20, 2008 edition, before the meltdown Monday, Sept. 29!!!!
Tie these items together and it's easy to see why the US is well down the road to being a second class power. Financial engineering has replaced real engineering. Anybody else think this picture needs adjusting??
On a more hopeful note, Captain 'Roid has been following with interest the saga of the freighter that the Somalian pirates captured. Seems there's about $40 million worth of old Soviet tanks and artillery aboard. It was headed for Kenya. The Somalis want a $20 million ransom for it. Our captain would love a share of that money to help her parents retire, but the gleam really comes to her eye when she thinks about her and the rest of the Pirate Dogs sailing that ship up the Potomac, taking over Washington, and helping all of us........................
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Christian Nation
I received a very unwelcome email a couple of days ago about how Muslims can't be Americans. It was ignorant , racist, and repugnant. See cz's blog for some of the quotes and details. I feel the need to comment on this entire email/blogging/propaganda campaign that this election cycle has degenerated into. I really am disgusted by the ignorance and the absolutely unChristian behavior of the purveyors of this trash. Allow me to present a few facts:
First, Islam, also known as Mohammedanism, is one of the THREE great mono-theistic (for those of you who send garbage emails, that means belief in ONE GOD) religions. The other two are Judaism and Christianity. I hope all of you readers are familiar with those, at least. Abraham and Jesus are both revered as prophets in Islam. There isn't any Arabian desert moon-god.
Second, if Barack Hussein Obama is a Muslim, then why is there a big scandal about the relationship with the Christian minister Jeremiah Wright??? You can't have it both ways.
Perhaps it is time to decide if in fact we are a Christian nation. There's an awful lot of people professing to follow the teaching of Christ who seem more like followers of the Pharisees. Remember in the New Testament when Jesus said he was the new order, that the greatest commandment was to love God and also to love thy neighbor as thyself? Or when he instructed that he who was without sin should throw the first stone at the adulterous woman? He also replied with the parable of the good Samaritan when queried as to whom one's neighbor was. Wasn't His Crucifixion the ultimate turning of the other cheek? The attacks on homosexuals, the needless war in Iraq, the torture of people of Middle Eastern descent in places like CIA rendition centers, Abu Ghraib, or Guantanamo--- are these acts those of a nation purporting to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ?
Please don't misunderstand me. I have contempt for the people who flew those planes on 9/11. I believe our nation should do all in its power to bring the planners to justice. But to villify a race, to use "Islamic terrorism" as an excuse to put aside the excercise of our Christian principles, to use false attacks on a candidate because he is different, these are the tactics of the Sanhedrin. And I hope all the God-fearing " Christians" remember whom they had killed. Or do some of them even know????
First, Islam, also known as Mohammedanism, is one of the THREE great mono-theistic (for those of you who send garbage emails, that means belief in ONE GOD) religions. The other two are Judaism and Christianity. I hope all of you readers are familiar with those, at least. Abraham and Jesus are both revered as prophets in Islam. There isn't any Arabian desert moon-god.
Second, if Barack Hussein Obama is a Muslim, then why is there a big scandal about the relationship with the Christian minister Jeremiah Wright??? You can't have it both ways.
Perhaps it is time to decide if in fact we are a Christian nation. There's an awful lot of people professing to follow the teaching of Christ who seem more like followers of the Pharisees. Remember in the New Testament when Jesus said he was the new order, that the greatest commandment was to love God and also to love thy neighbor as thyself? Or when he instructed that he who was without sin should throw the first stone at the adulterous woman? He also replied with the parable of the good Samaritan when queried as to whom one's neighbor was. Wasn't His Crucifixion the ultimate turning of the other cheek? The attacks on homosexuals, the needless war in Iraq, the torture of people of Middle Eastern descent in places like CIA rendition centers, Abu Ghraib, or Guantanamo--- are these acts those of a nation purporting to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ?
Please don't misunderstand me. I have contempt for the people who flew those planes on 9/11. I believe our nation should do all in its power to bring the planners to justice. But to villify a race, to use "Islamic terrorism" as an excuse to put aside the excercise of our Christian principles, to use false attacks on a candidate because he is different, these are the tactics of the Sanhedrin. And I hope all the God-fearing " Christians" remember whom they had killed. Or do some of them even know????
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Pirate Dog-onomics
So first the meltdown, then the deal, then the no-deal, then more negotiations ad nauseam while my retirement funds shrink and shrink and shrink.........
The Pirate Dogs just don't get it. For them, economics is simple and transparent. Their favorite treat, home made bone turks, are kept in a CLEAR GLASS jar. 'Bout as transparent as it gets, right? When they want a treat, they let us know either by barking, pointing, or doing something obnoxious to get our attention, then repairing to the kitchen and staring at the jar. Simple supply and demand. They demand bone turks, we supply them. No derivatives or CDOs here. Just basic macroeconomics at work.
Maybe we should send the three of them to Washington DC???
The Pirate Dogs just don't get it. For them, economics is simple and transparent. Their favorite treat, home made bone turks, are kept in a CLEAR GLASS jar. 'Bout as transparent as it gets, right? When they want a treat, they let us know either by barking, pointing, or doing something obnoxious to get our attention, then repairing to the kitchen and staring at the jar. Simple supply and demand. They demand bone turks, we supply them. No derivatives or CDOs here. Just basic macroeconomics at work.
Maybe we should send the three of them to Washington DC???
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