Friday, August 3, 2007
Space travel is still cool
Traveling to Mars was, is and continues to be cool. Well NASA is going to send a new probe to Mars to study the polar region there. And that is awesome.
Money in freezer
Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson, the guy that was keeping money in his freezer just got some good news. Apparently, when the FBI took a bunch of files out of his office on Capitol Hill it was against the law because executive and legislative branches are supposed to run equally without being intimidated by law enforcement run by the other branch.
Okay fine, I understand that, but the best part of this Reuters story is what Jefferson's lawyer said at the end of it..."We are confident that as this case moves forward, and when all of the facts are known, we will prevail again and clear Congressman Jefferson's name". HOW DO YOU CLEAR THIS GUY! He has been accused of accepting bribes and they found $90,000 in HIS FREEZER!!! What person keeps money in his freezer in different food boxes and foil. This guy is SO GUILTY.
As you can see, I feel pretty strong about this. I hate corruption and there is no shortage of it in Washington...Democrats and Republicans are both guilty.
Okay fine, I understand that, but the best part of this Reuters story is what Jefferson's lawyer said at the end of it..."We are confident that as this case moves forward, and when all of the facts are known, we will prevail again and clear Congressman Jefferson's name". HOW DO YOU CLEAR THIS GUY! He has been accused of accepting bribes and they found $90,000 in HIS FREEZER!!! What person keeps money in his freezer in different food boxes and foil. This guy is SO GUILTY.
As you can see, I feel pretty strong about this. I hate corruption and there is no shortage of it in Washington...Democrats and Republicans are both guilty.
21st Century voter fraud
Just what we need...voting machines that are susceptible to virus attacks. This is what "hanging chads" got us. 'Nuff said.
Iraqi political failure?
I want Iraq to succeed. I want Iraq to be a successful Arab state in the Middle East. I want Iraq to act as a beacon and a template for what other Arab states can achieve. I understand that making this happen is not an easy task. Defense Secy. Gates just came back from a tour of the Mid East and was not too impressed with the progress of their government.
When you compare what is going on in Iraq to what happened in the USA prior to independence and the ratification of the Constitution, you can get a true feeling for how (politically) difficult what they are doing really is. Admittedly, I am not that informed on what is going on over there, but I can see why there would be problems. These are people who have different ideas on how Iraq should be run post-Saddam. This is a revolutionary process. These politicians are having to create from scratch a secular Arab state that still adheres to Islamic principles. No easy task given the Islamic whack jobs killing each other and civilians all over their country.
When you compare what is going on in Iraq to what happened in the USA prior to independence and the ratification of the Constitution, you can get a true feeling for how (politically) difficult what they are doing really is. Admittedly, I am not that informed on what is going on over there, but I can see why there would be problems. These are people who have different ideas on how Iraq should be run post-Saddam. This is a revolutionary process. These politicians are having to create from scratch a secular Arab state that still adheres to Islamic principles. No easy task given the Islamic whack jobs killing each other and civilians all over their country.
He's been called a wunderkind
This story is the same old, same old from the Congress witch hunt on the US attorney firings, an "investigation" that seems to continue on with no end. This guy, J. Scott Jennings is a 29 year old White House staffer and he was called in yesterday to participate in the hearing. He of course refused to answer certain questions and invoked executive privilege on several occasions.
I just think it's crazy that these young people (many of those who have testified have been young) are so involved in what is going on. Or it might be that they are allowed to testify because they're not that involved. Who knows. What I do know however, is that firing US attorneys is something that the President can do at anytime for any reason because they serve at his discretion.
I just think it's crazy that these young people (many of those who have testified have been young) are so involved in what is going on. Or it might be that they are allowed to testify because they're not that involved. Who knows. What I do know however, is that firing US attorneys is something that the President can do at anytime for any reason because they serve at his discretion.
Two very rich guys
Presidential candidate and former senator John Edwards has attacked Rupert Murdoch and his company News Corporation for becoming too powerful. Edwards thinks that the acquisition of Dow Jones by Murdoch's News Corp. is media consolidation gone too far.
So Senator Edwards has challenged his fellow presidential candidates to refuse and return any money they might have received from News Corp., or their employees. Edwards was even quoted saying that he would never ask or accept money from Rupert Murdoch.
So why is it that Mr. Edwards took money from Mr. Murdoch's publishing company HarperCollins? In fact he took $800,000 from HarperCollins for his 2006 coffee table book "Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives".
Now this whole thing has been blogged out of control (evidenced from two of the links above (NYT and D.C. Post), so I'm not going to go too overboard on this, but this is hilarious. Is he clueless or does he just not care. For a guy who made MILLIONS as a weasel trial lawyer (don't get me started on tort reform), you'd think that he would be pretty smart. So he must not care right?
To come out and rip on Senators Clinton and Obama for taking money from News Corp. execs...that might be a little hypocritical. Now I understand he was being paid for his book and not for his campaign, but he said "John Edwards will never ask Rupert Murdoch for money — he won’t accept his money". So that is where the hypocrisy comes in play. Poor Edwards can't catch a break.
So Senator Edwards has challenged his fellow presidential candidates to refuse and return any money they might have received from News Corp., or their employees. Edwards was even quoted saying that he would never ask or accept money from Rupert Murdoch.
So why is it that Mr. Edwards took money from Mr. Murdoch's publishing company HarperCollins? In fact he took $800,000 from HarperCollins for his 2006 coffee table book "Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives".
Now this whole thing has been blogged out of control (evidenced from two of the links above (NYT and D.C. Post), so I'm not going to go too overboard on this, but this is hilarious. Is he clueless or does he just not care. For a guy who made MILLIONS as a weasel trial lawyer (don't get me started on tort reform), you'd think that he would be pretty smart. So he must not care right?
To come out and rip on Senators Clinton and Obama for taking money from News Corp. execs...that might be a little hypocritical. Now I understand he was being paid for his book and not for his campaign, but he said "John Edwards will never ask Rupert Murdoch for money — he won’t accept his money". So that is where the hypocrisy comes in play. Poor Edwards can't catch a break.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Chinese toys not so fun
Mattel the toy manufacturer we all remember from our childhood, has announced they are recalling 83 types of preschool toys that were made in China. No kidding. Something made in China that isn't up to USA standards. That is so rare.
My sarcasm drips from this post, but we really need to get involved in this epidemic. Stuff from China is just not really working out for Americans recently. There needs to be some sort of oversight of imports from China and it needs to start now.
Lead based paints on preschool toys...umm are you joking? What is the first thing little kids do when they get a toy? They try to eat it. Lead paint on preschool toys...not a good idea.
My sarcasm drips from this post, but we really need to get involved in this epidemic. Stuff from China is just not really working out for Americans recently. There needs to be some sort of oversight of imports from China and it needs to start now.
Lead based paints on preschool toys...umm are you joking? What is the first thing little kids do when they get a toy? They try to eat it. Lead paint on preschool toys...not a good idea.
Whoopi on "The View"
I don't care about this, but it's an FYI for when you're around the watercooler. Whoopi Goldberg has joined female chat show "The View". I'm sure that someone somewhere will mention this to you and you will not care, but at least you will know. Yay.
The Sunni saga continues
Today the Islamic Dawa party, the party of Iraqi PM Maliki issued a statement asking the Sunni majority party the Accordance Front to reconsider their withdrawal from the cabinet.
This is starting to get interesting and I am truly curious to see whether or not Maliki and the others in the Iraqi government can convince the Sunnis to come back to the cabinet. If they do, it could signal a positive move toward some serious legislation and political improvement. If Maliki fails things will either stay status quo or disintegrate into complete political gridlock.
Complete political gridlock...where have I heard that before...oh yeah, right here in the USA.
This is starting to get interesting and I am truly curious to see whether or not Maliki and the others in the Iraqi government can convince the Sunnis to come back to the cabinet. If they do, it could signal a positive move toward some serious legislation and political improvement. If Maliki fails things will either stay status quo or disintegrate into complete political gridlock.
Complete political gridlock...where have I heard that before...oh yeah, right here in the USA.
Democrats stalling
The Democratic leadership in Congress is holding off on votes for spending bills until after their traditional summer break. President Bush unloaded on Congress today explaining his side of the story.
The bottom line is that the Democrats are being just as bad as the Republicans have been at playing partisan politics and "surprise!" nothing is happening in Washington. Yet another example of our representatives ignoring what the American public wants.
The bottom line is that the Democrats are being just as bad as the Republicans have been at playing partisan politics and "surprise!" nothing is happening in Washington. Yet another example of our representatives ignoring what the American public wants.
Honest to everyone?
I saw this guy on Fox News Channel the other day and I was really intrigued. The theory of Radical Honesty is interesting, whether or not it works has yet to be seen. Apparently it works for Brad Blanton, Ph.D. and I think it is worth looking into (if for no other reason than curiosity).
I think that being completely honest all of the time could be quite liberating. The problem I see with it is that if the people you are around are not being completely honest...then you're in trouble. In that case the, "Yes honey, you look great in that dress" comment should be a trusty stand-by in your arsenal.
I think that being completely honest all of the time could be quite liberating. The problem I see with it is that if the people you are around are not being completely honest...then you're in trouble. In that case the, "Yes honey, you look great in that dress" comment should be a trusty stand-by in your arsenal.
Important step for Darfur
The commitment of 20,000 UN troops to the Sudan is an important step to try to stop all of the killing there in Darfur. It is also interesting to note that it is African countries committing a large amount of troops to help in the effort.
This kind of help is something that the African continent has been trying to focus on for many years. African nations have been trying to to break the bonds of colonialism by dealing with continental problems "in house" if you will. I believe that this is a positive way of doing things and that the increased communication and help between African nations will be good for the continent as a whole.
This kind of help is something that the African continent has been trying to focus on for many years. African nations have been trying to to break the bonds of colonialism by dealing with continental problems "in house" if you will. I believe that this is a positive way of doing things and that the increased communication and help between African nations will be good for the continent as a whole.
Rummy sticking up for himself
I think we can all admit that former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has not always had the best of luck. Nor has he always made the best decisions. But I think that ultimately he is a pretty decent guy. A US House panel questioned Rumsfeld along with some other generals involved in the Pat Tillman screw-up yesterday.
According to accounts, Rumsfeld was pretty calm during the whole thing except when Rep. Kucinich (D, OH) decided to accuse him of a "cover up". That seemed to upset Mr. Rumsfeld, who adamantly denied any such accusations.
It was indeed a big screw up with the whole Pat Tillman situation. But dragging this out as long as it has been is starting to tarnish the memory of a great patriot.
According to accounts, Rumsfeld was pretty calm during the whole thing except when Rep. Kucinich (D, OH) decided to accuse him of a "cover up". That seemed to upset Mr. Rumsfeld, who adamantly denied any such accusations.
It was indeed a big screw up with the whole Pat Tillman situation. But dragging this out as long as it has been is starting to tarnish the memory of a great patriot.
Bridge collapse
I don't believe that you can turn on the news today without seeing something about this story. The bridge in Minneapolis, MN that collapsed yesterday evening has killed anywhere from 4-11 people so far (according to preliminary reports). Unfortunately, authorities are expecting to find more as today's recovery effort continues. This is truly a tragedy. We can only hope that it was a structural problem and not a terrorist attack.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Sunnis in...and back out
Sunni members of al-Maliki's cabinet have "withdrawn" from their posts. This means that there are now no Sunni members of al-Maliki's cabinet. This is not a good thing, but it is not the end of the world either. The 44 Sunni members of the Iraqi parliament are going to stay on. It is good that the parliament is staying intact because it was not so long ago that I wrote about the Sunni representatives rejoining the legislature after their "protest".
We shall see if this government defection snowballs and creates a problem (both in Iraq and here at home). I believe that this issue will come to a head in September when the progress report on Iraq is due.
We shall see if this government defection snowballs and creates a problem (both in Iraq and here at home). I believe that this issue will come to a head in September when the progress report on Iraq is due.
Obama's tough talk
Grrrr...says Barack Obama. In a speech today Senator Obama announced that he would not hesitate to attack terrorists in Pakistan if the situation warranted. Okay, I'm with him there, I think that is a good idea...in theory.
But as you have most likely heard the act of invading Pakistan in pursuit of terrorists would be devastating to the Musharraf presidency. And with the few allies we have in that area of the world, it would probably be best to keep the current moderate regime in place. The conventional wisdom says that Obama is talking tough to Pakistan to try to take a strong stance in foreign affairs, an area he has recently been criticized as being unqualified.
But as you have most likely heard the act of invading Pakistan in pursuit of terrorists would be devastating to the Musharraf presidency. And with the few allies we have in that area of the world, it would probably be best to keep the current moderate regime in place. The conventional wisdom says that Obama is talking tough to Pakistan to try to take a strong stance in foreign affairs, an area he has recently been criticized as being unqualified.
Castro's Cuba...that's Raul Castro
Fidel Castro, despite his lack of public appearances claims that he is still consulted on "every important government decision". Umm...news flash Raul is the new boss of Cuba. There must be something very wrong with the health of Fidel to keep him sidelined for more than a year now. His days must be numbered.
The question now turns to what will happen to Cuba after Fidel's death. Will Raul open up the government? Or will he continue in his brother's footsteps leading Cuba further into despair.
The question now turns to what will happen to Cuba after Fidel's death. Will Raul open up the government? Or will he continue in his brother's footsteps leading Cuba further into despair.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Bidding adieu to Adu
I'm probably not the first nor will I be the last to use that headline, but it's clever and I made it up, so I'm unapologetic about it. Freddy Adu, the US soccer phenom will be heading to Portugal to play for Benfica. I say good for him. I hope he gets a lot better there and is soon able to help the USMNT in a quest for the World Cup. It is somewhat of a loss for MLS, but honestly with Beckham here they have sort of traded talent with Europe.
An end to pork and special interests?
Well probably not, but I guess it's a step in the right direction. The US Senate is mulling over a bill to make what they call "earmarks" (a euphemism for what used to be called "pork-barrel" spending) a little bit more difficult to pass. There are some serious deficiencies in the bill including giving oversight to the majority leadership rather than the Senate Parliamentarian. We shall see how this ends up.
As the WSJ aptly points out, it will be hard for Republicans who are dissatisfied with the content of the bill to vote against something called the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act".
As the WSJ aptly points out, it will be hard for Republicans who are dissatisfied with the content of the bill to vote against something called the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act".
USA-GB, still friends
As I wrote yesterday, the Bush-Brown meetings at Camp David went well and it seems as though the good relationship between Great Britain and the USA continues. This is good news for both countries as well as the world.
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