See you in October or ....

Captain and Baby Plaid are pictured above as of June 2007. We look you in the eye and then look forward. Mercy if he doesn't need a haircut and yet I surely need some hair. Baby hadn't seen me sans beard as the cover came well before his arrival. I went ahead and shaved since Uncle Sam will expect me to keep the chin naked. Forty one and gray as could be so maybe I look younger.

I surely hated to leave the blog with George Will as the image folks might see if they visited and figured these might be the best representations of what I'm about when it comes down to the nut cutting. Far from an ideal parent and woulda coulda shoulda applies for much that Baby Plaid has had to deal with. Still, good Scots always move forward and I've done the best I could by the boy.

Note the view in the background. Highlanders indeed!

Once again, I hope to saddle back up this fall or soon thereafter yet at least know I'll spend the next four or so months down at Fort Benning. Ready to make a top drawer soldier so if posting never occurs again then so be it. Hooah! And of course I must end with the the obligatory Peace ... or War!

George Will Made Me Lie

Although a baseball man, a rather decent and smart one from what I've gathered, George Will has been a frustrating fellow to follow in recent years. I suppose that he, like plenty of those on the right, is struggling mightily under Bu$hCo and the wounded yet still powerful remnants of his Rubber Stamp Congress. Yesterday's WaPo column from Mr. Will, The Case for Conservatism, is surely not the best he's got and yet it makes me nearly certain I'll be back in the saddle. So one more post.

In the meantime, I'll read, study, learn, etc. I'll perhaps be a rare Progressive lefty in the next five or more years. I expect there will be plenty of time for talking and sharing. I've read Lakoff and others that suggest Progressives' failure to frame, and otherwise use language as well as the right has managed, which will I hope serve me well. I've long believed that "centrism" as practiced by many in the Democratic Party is very flawed and yet there are admittedly ways to meet in the middle with some rather serious conservatives if in fact they come at things from an intellectual foundation. Paleo-conservatives are reachable as well in some areas. They can be tough nuts to crack but on many issues we can at least agree to disagree. Then again, even some "social conservatives" can be swayed if given a reasoned and principled path they can walk.

Pompous, dismissive, wordy (not that I can throw stones!) the column is classic George Will. He gets much wrong I'll argue but, assuming he's one of the increasingly rare intellectuals on the right that does still have some influence, I suppose a visit would be a good use of one's reading time. The main reason to link to Will is for a partial understanding of what the right is thinking. If Progressives will get a handle on their concerns, at least those that aren't completely bonkers, then we'll be better situated to join issue.

One can hope the Democratic candidates and their handlers are reading George Will and his ilk in preparing to run a campaign in 2008 that will manage to challenge and also use the concerns of thinking conservatives. Again, that's not "centrism" exactly but winning elections is where changes in policy begin. We've got a long row to hoe in the decade or more to follow so getting thing right in these next few election cycles is truly critical. Picking off conservatives votes is I think often best accomplished on a small scale and I intend to get at least a few votes that the other team would have gotten but for the work of this ornery Scot. How many will you get? Peace ... or War!

Misty Eyed and Choking Up ... I'm Outta Here

The image to the left is one I briefly used as a wallpaper some years back with my middle schoolers. My recollection is that the man was in Iraq yet I'm hardly certain. I can also not supply the appropriate attribution.

I am in no way comparing my emotions today with what this soldier was feeling when this image was captured yet today I enlisted in the United States Army. While prepared for the serious nature of what I was doing, I was surprised when I started choking up and getting a touch weepy while doing my oath. I'd been thinking of my son and ancestors often during the last two days so perhaps this was at least part of what moved me so much. I felt something very powerful in the process. I've long respected professional soldiers, knowing that exceptions do at times apply where some don't deserve to wear the uniform, so to now start building on that tradition in my own life is truly exciting. And scary, especially at the ripe old age of 41. Infantry is my MOS and I've pledged at least five years and seventeen weeks on active duty. I'll try to become an exemplary soldier.

Also, I'm stepping aside from Captain Plaid for at least the next few months. I'll perhaps be unable to post due to deployment or limitations on blogging that will I think apply. I'm not sure about the exact policies and conditions but I'd hope that if settled in I could post on matters that might not involve security issues. Leaving the blog is yet another reason to get weepy and choked up! I have so enjoyed posting as I've learned so much. I've appreciated the chance to share. Maybe I'll be back and perhaps not. In the meantime, I'll just close with the obligatory Peace ... or War!

Across the Pond for some Al Gore and ...

The Guardian serves up some Al Gore wisdom that is very solid. "A drive for global domination has put us in greater danger: Moral authority, which is our greatest source of strength, has been recklessly put at risk by this wilful president" sums up the substance of his writing.

Dead on thinking and writing, something that Gore usually delivers, and yet I still grieve for what could have been but for the mess in Florida in 2000. Al's new book, The Assault on Reason, is one I surely want to spend some time with eventually.

Also, Ian Walsh of Agonist posted at FireDogLake an essay that I highly recommend. Ian's A Mile In My Enemy’s Shoes is a tremendous examination of our flawed foreign policy that seems to fit nicely with what Al Gore wrote. More frustration follows just thinking about our world's loss by having Bu$hCo in office on 9-11 rather than a better set of folks like what Gore would have been surrounded with!

Finally, it's looking like I'll enlist for five years. Doing infantry even. Might as well be up front, even if a bit more seasoned that might be ideal, and looking at the mess with my own eyes. Learning to be a serious fighter is something that I'd welcome. A matching savings plan, GI Bill that I may be able to at least share some with Baby Plaid, bonus/incentive money, etc. applies. I am rather tired of the struggle of trying to find meaningful work. I'm hardly gung ho about much in our society/gov't these days but service under arms is I hope an honorable way to do good work for our nation. Peace ... or War!

Heck of a job Bu$hie (and Congress and ...)

Lisa Myers and Robert Windrem of NBC's Investigative Unit give us the latest reporting confirming what most of us already suspect. Their work is titled CIA warned of risks of war in the Mideast: Pre-war reports say agency predicted dangers of toppling Saddam's regime.

The "Intelligence" Committees, especially in the Senate, have some 'splaining to do and yet plenty, if not all, of those very same members remain in place. It is appropriate to ask the hard, hard questions that so far have pretty much been avoided by Bu$hCo. Congress and our media owes the American public, not to mention our military and their families, this course of action.

It does seem to this observer that George Tenet ought to give back that Medal of Freedom. He should also perhaps donate most, if not all, of the profits to organizations supporting those innocents, including Iraqis, killed and wounded. Rumsfeld and the other enablers (Tenet, Wolfowitz, Feith, etc.) that have left this failed administration are due to be essentially hounded by the press. They might not talk but I'd at least try to ask the questions if I were a reporter of any weight. Peace ... or War!

Just how ornery and crazy is this Scot?

One of my rare readers, earned from my time on the Left Coast, asked me what was going on so I'll share with others that might still drop by plus ask for your thoughts.

After recovering from the campaign I started looking for meaningful work. I started back posting and yet I've been limiting my blogging lately with the thought that I'd be unable to continue in my poverty and pursuit of the dollar.

I've previously bitched and moaned about NCLB and the burdens of the cement block classroom teacher. I love the kids and teaching/learning but so far not ready to go back to the trenches.

I've walked away from playing country lawyer, largely defending the indigent from "the man" and helping resolve which spouse gets the doublewide. I talked with one of my old Circuit Judges the other day and reflected with him on how he advised me way back in the day about how practicing in Randolph County was "drudgery". I was a good criminal defense lawyer and enjoyed the work but darned if most of those facing charges aren't poor. Fighting the many injustices in the system took a toll on this lefty. Since I went to a then non-ABA blessed law school (even a lower tier than Regent Law where Bu$hCo got so much of their "talent") I'm limited in some options as well.

Politics, especially that with a Progressive orientation, was the destination. Alternatively I'd work for a non-profit or some organization doing meaningful work. Thought about lobbying even, although I loathe how the Big Mules influence so much of politics. My work this fall seemed solid and I surely worked like two Trojans the whole time I was in California. I hoped doors would be opened. Even when I've knocked, and admittedly I'm not always as assertive on asking as I might should be, they've remained closed. And darned if the wages from the left are weak. As an aside, conservative groups seem willing to pay decent wages for even marginal talent yet the care and feeding of activists on the left is an area where I'm convinced we ought to do better.

Alternatively, I wanted to try Outside Sales and/or Training in a business setting. I could be out and about plus earn a good living that would hopefully allow me to support financially the causes I believed in. I thought my people skills and work ethic and life experiences would have me snapped up even if lacking time in the corporate world. I thought being a Road Warrior would allow me, at least on most weekends, to perhaps remain on the Ponderosa and near Baby Plaid, soon to be twelve plus standing five feet and well over a hundred pounds.

So I bet on myself yet the house is now calling the wager. I'm working on small building projects and doing periodic work to keep my bread buttered. I'm resigned to the fact I'll need to seek my fortunes away from the Tin Shop in rural East Alabama. Lord if I'm not sick of Career Builder and Monster plus the whole process of chasing meaningful or even tolerable work. Still, finding even entry level positions in the big city, such as Auburn/Lee County seems to me, is a hard row to hoe. What just living takes for a single person requires more than even a so called living wage. While I'm a tasty blend of Capitalist and Socialist the reality seems to be the economy today is working for the few. I might resist Bourgeoisie life more than I should but I do think often that the markets grind up not just the Serfs but plenty of the middle class as well. Aristotle claimed all paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind. Guess we can't all be philosophers and even so he'd perhaps have a hard time getting booked and published by the corporate media masters that control so much today.

While I've got a few things still in the pipeline, I have been talking with an Army recruiter. I took the ASVAB and made an 88, although some math I've not used since over twenty years ago took a toll. My line scores are high enough to qualify me for any MOS (job) yet still doing the physical process. For folks over 40 Uncle Sam puts you on the rack and checks you out thoroughly. Some high frequency hearing loss in my left ear that they can waive but so far things look good. Physically I'm hardly the fastest runner yet I'm country strong so figure I could handle, even if a touch more seasoned that most, the joys of boot camp. My old knees might snap and pop but think they'll still work.

I'm looking hard at Public Affairs (journalism of sorts) but would consider pretty much anything except for tanks (can't be hemmed up!) should that not work out. While I enjoy tech and the like I prefer to be out and about enough to not seek that sort of MOS. The training might be enjoyable and profitable however. I could go in as an E-4 (Specialist) and the opportunities for rapid advancement are allegedly there. There is a $6ooo bonus for my education and certain MOS selections get enlistment incentives as well.

While I'm no gun nut I have grown up with weapons and my Scottish blood would likely help me be a decent grunt. Those that read and know me surely know that Bu$hCo's invasion of Iraq has been something I've long been against. I suppose there's some irony in this loathed administration opening the door for an old dog like me. Surely once Commander Codpiece is back in Crawford things will be better and yet he and his will leave our military bent and battered, from mission to morale to mechanics to ... Being part of rebuilding after the Conservatives ruin things is what good lefty types do isn't it?

I worry some about the lowered standards, such as those that allow a graybeard like me in, would perhaps allow some rough customers in that I'd have to work with yet figure Uncle Sam would cull them soon enough. I also have concerns about the gung ho types. I'm likely a reluctant warrior yet know there's a time to kill, or at least be willing to kill. Evangelicals and conservatives will be in the military as well yet I can't imagine it being as bad as I'm used to in my locale.

I am attracted to the service component of the military. I do love our nation, even if so very flawed. I'm a citizen of the world of course yet think patriotism is usually a worthy virtue.

Hardly a simple man, the satisfaction of doing meaningful work goes a long way in making me content. My recruiter and some of the others in the office were a touch tickled when I asked about post libraries. I'd be an oddity indeed around the base.

I worry about being severely disabled more than being killed yet as a father I suppose checking out is a concern. If KIA I could provide $400,000 in insurance for the boy. Being deployed and away from Baby Plaid would be tough and yet with modern tech it might be a little better than back in the day. Given his age if I went in for only four years he'd be driving when I got out. Since his mother can be a heifer at times this option might work out just fine. I've done a good job for the most part with the boy and the foundation is there. Ideally I'd have him nearby as would be ideal yet choices were made that has not allowed this to be as I'd have wished. Some educational benefits would help him as well. There are other things to boot like decent health care and my getting at least thirty days vacation.

Not sure I'd want to do a full twenty years or even a short term. But I'm looking. Partly I started this out of frustration and yet the more I ponder the more I'm intrigued.

While I'm doing this post as partly an update with an explanation of why I'm not posting much of anything I also would appreciate feedback or other suggestions. Maybe there's some therapy as well? One additional thing that bothers me is the military seems to frown on blogging. I surely know the security concerns are legit and yet posting allows this fella a chance to process thoughts that are as meaningful as anything I've ever done. So what do y'all think? Peace ... or War!

Big Pharma Wins Another Round in Senate

"In a triumph for the pharmaceutical industry, the Senate on Monday killed a drive to allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from abroad at a significant savings over domestic prices.

On a 49-40 vote, the Senate required the administration to certify the safety and effectiveness of imported drugs before they can be imported, a requirement that officials have said they cannot meet."

Bought and paid for? Peace ... or War!

The Middle Class Squeeze courtesy of the GOP

The Senate's Democratic Policy Committee Serves up some serious angst with their Middle-Class Life Under Bush: Less Affordable and Less Secure. Mercy if this ought to do it when it comes time to vote in 2008 and beyond. If any of the rare visitors here do think they still plan to vote for the GOP candidate of their choice, I'd truly like to know why. If it will only be for "culture war" reasons then at least admit it please. Peace ... or War!

Reagan's "Mourning in America" and today's GOP

Campaign for America's Future is a grand resource and their The Big Con effort is proving very useful as well. Their Republican Debate: Monochromatic Candidates, Stale Ideas from Robert Borosage served up a solid examination of the many, many failures of The Gipper. Their The Wall Street Journal's op-ed page says Democrats should be embarrassed... from Rick Perlstein examined how movement conservatism simply plays dirty. Karl Rove's nasty nature is hardly a surprise to anyone that has been aware of how conservatives play the game. As an aside, I was unaware of the claim that the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at "Princeton University" acted in part as yet another front for the right wing. If this allegation is true, and Robert Borosage and Max Blumenthal are viewed by me as good authority, then "bought and paid for" once again seem to be the "principles" of the right. Truly the fight doesn't seem fair to get Progressive ideas out to our society.

As I posted yesterday, and certainly have covered in plenty of other missives, as the 2008 cycle is fought, Progressives can't allow the GOP to attempt to avoid the failures of "conservatism" by claiming Bu$hCo hasn't been a true "conservative". While there's some truth to the idea that that the Bu$hies aren't legit, the goal ought to be diving into a blistering critique of the right. There's plenty of ground to be gained by killing off, or at least seriously wounding, the recent versions of "conservatism" we've had to suffer through these last three decades. That suggestion being offered, I'll admit that I can accept at least a few "conservative" ideas. The trouble is that the wing nuts and opportunists on the right, and there are plenty indeed, take a limited construct that has a place in intelligent discourse and then expand it to an exponential level of stupidity. This nation simply can't afford the last two or three decades version of "conservatism" as we move forward into the early 21st century. Peace ... or War!

GOP Dumping Dubyah for The Gipper

Newsweek's Marcus Mabry reveals Dubyah is down to 28%. No wonder everyone of the old white guys of the GOP tried to avoid talking up Bu$hCo. Hardly would I think that a return to the Days of Reagan would be a good thing yet that appears to be all they've got. Surely this great nation has had enough of pseudo-cowboys and "conservatism". Note also that every single Democratic front runner beats the current crop of Republican candidates. Peace ... or War!

Politico's "Wuerking Drawings" Cartoon Gem

I'm no fan of The Politico yet this one is rather clever and perhaps all too true. If in fact the Bu$hCo administration and the GOP, or even those on my team, are using our military as pawns in their political game hell ought to have a special place kept extra toasty for them. It's a damn shame yet there is usually always some political posturing in warfare, as I'm reminded in reading Jeff Shaara's The Rising Tide on WWII for instance, yet I'd argue that Dubyah and the Mayberry Machiavellis have been largely about style over substance in their "support" of the military. On the fourth anniversary of "Mission Accomplished" I really appreciated Keith Olbermann interviewing Rachel Maddow under the theme of "Bogus, Bogus, Bogus." The Commander Codpiece scene has proven so symbolic of the Bu$hCo boys. Peace ... or War!

Montgomery Big Mules Once Again Prevent Reform of Alabama's Racist, Outdated, Power Concentrating ... 1901 Constitution

The above image is from 1939. The more things change the more they stay the same? The Anniston Star is a good place to begin examining how the Big Mules, ALFA being their prime example, killed this year's efforts toward our finally getting a brand new Constitution. I would take some exception toward the idea that "agriculture" is the special interest that ALFA represents. I for one think it might be more the landed gentry and Big Timber and ... than true small farming operations.

The Daily Home's editorial from today is likewise just as dead on right. Silly arguments are the only ones reform opponents have home boys! Even the most addled observer knows chunking the 1901 Constitution is critical to this state ever moving forward. Exhibit One as to our failures of "leadership" could be the Senate "leaders" acting like jackasses this term yet we can change paper even if personalities might take a little longer to replace. I think replacing the latter will be lots easier when the former is accomplished. I did appreciate the home boys brief mention of Sandra Bell, president of the Alabama Association of Judeo Christian Values. What a shill! What a shoddy web presence! This isn't even enough to look like an astroturf effort. In Montgomery on Tuesday evening I could watch WSFA. Mercy I miss having that station. This allowed me to lay eyes on Ms. Bell on the tube and once again she didn't disappoint when given an opportunity to speak toward immigration issues. Values indeed!

Truly the Star is correct that "an article by article approach" is more about having the good old boys (and gals?) on Goat Hill making sure the Big Mules are taken care of than any fear that "special interests" will dominate a Constitutional Convention. The powers that be have Goat Hill locked up and the 1901 Constitution is just what they want to have. They'll lie, cheat, and steal to keep their lock on pretty much every way things get done, or perhaps more accurately not done, in Alabama.

Before I close the post, I'll give an update on my status. Still looking about for meaningful work. Have pretty much given up on staying here in rural East Alabama so a move, probably out of Alabama and maybe even the South or perhaps even the country, is likely. Broke and burdened, I've got a few prospects left but anticipate I'll soon call it a day up here near the Tin Shop. Only thing for certain now is that posting will be sporadic and very well may soon end, at least for a good while. Looking ahead, if able, I might wind back up on the intertubes, or whatever network is about five or ten or twenty years on down the road, as I do enjoy blogging.

For now, I just close with "Peace ... or War!" I'm hardly at "peace", and truly don't know that I've hardly ever known it, especially in the last eight years. Additionally, my early years were hardly ideal with my mother's death far too early and the ways of Papa Plaid until he "mellowed" in his last years. I surely took some time to "mellow" as well. Plenty of mistakes, personally and professionally, indeed. Maybe I can find "peace" in "war", political or otherwise?

"Buying the War" from Bill Moyers and PBS

Watch this and encourage others to do so as well. The average "journalist" in/on Big Media has much to answer for yet their corporate masters have even more to explain. Peace ... or War!

Richard Clark and Bu$hCo's Puppy Dog Theory

I never did get around to reading Richard Clark's Against All Enemies yet certainly followed the coverage the work and his testimony received. Wednesday's New York Daily News had a nice op-ed from Mr. Clark that I thought I'd share.

Here's what I consider as the best portion:

Of course, nothing about our being "over there" in any way prevents terrorists from coming here. Quite the opposite, the evidence is overwhelming that our presence provides motivation for people throughout the Arab world to become anti-American terrorists.

Some 100,000 Iraqis, probably more, have been killed since our invasion. They have parents, children, cousins and fellow tribal clan members who have pledged revenge no matter how long it takes. For many, that revenge is focused on America.

At the same time, investing time, energy and resources in Iraq takes our eye off two far more urgent tasks at hand: one, guarding the homeland against terrorism much better than the pork-dispensing Department of Homeland Security currently does the job; and two, systematically dismantling Al Qaeda all over the world, from Canada to Asia to Africa. On both these fronts, the Bush administration's focus is sorely lacking.

Richard Clark's book, like that of the CIA's George Tenet which is just around the corner, and plenty of others will be part of the very interesting and yet so sad history of the Bu$hCo years. I truly think in time you'll have people either denying they voted for old Dubyah or making some interesting excuses of why they did so. Certainly our corporate Big Media, Karl Rove's tricks combined with the GOP machine's discipline, dreadfully flawed Democratic campaigns/consultants ... will provide cover for some denying their support. Still, the majority of informed and intelligent Americans I knew in 2004, and 2000 to a lesser extent, did not support Bu$hCo.

Truly Iraq was a disaster. Would that we could salvage something from the many failures. If another administration was handling perhaps we could even yet. John Kerry, and the other grown ups that actually had combat and other experience that he'd have brought into his administration, would have had two years now, but for Ohio and the fear-mongering of 9-11 and gay marriage. I often wonder what our foreign policy, including military force, would look like now. Peace ... or War!

Opelika-Auburn News Urges Health Care Reform

I hardly think of the Opelika-Auburn News as a Progressive paper plus the vague call for "health care reform" (while rightfully lamenting Alabama's Medicaid system) is limiting yet ... Hey, it's a start! I like the John Edwards plan and appreciate the fact he's up front about raising taxes on the more affluent to pay for the coverage. Peace ... or War!

Direction and decision time so light posting

I meant to get this posted yesterday. I'll not be blogging for at least a few days. I'd bet on myself this past year and into the start of 2007 yet so far that wager hasn't paid out. And it is about to be called due. In the next few days I'll be exploring both some "make do" work and some seriously long term opportunities. Peace ... or War!

Toon of Truth ~ Campaign Fundraising Influence

Joe Heller from The Green Bay Press-Gazette provides this image from Daryl Cagle's MSNBC Syndicate. The small dollar donations from average Americans are fine yet it would be so grand to have the candidates not requiring so much money to compete. Public financing plans ought to be part of the solution. Nothing else to add but an "Amen" I suppose. Peace .. or War!

Outlander of the Day ~ Alabama's Charles Bishop

Charles Bishop (R - Jasper) resigned as Alabama's Labor Secretary over Governor Riley's efforts to equalize Alabama's regressive tax system and then helped defeat the proposal. He was for the recent legislative pay raise before he was against it. At a rally pandering to a few pay raise opponents, he veered off topic and asked those attending if they believed "all those Mexicans should go back to Mexico", with the crowd responding enthusiastically. "All" of them? Should I go back to Scotland? And England? And ...?

Today's news that Senator Bishop wants the issue of an official state apology for slavery decided by a vote of the public shouldn't be surprising. Senator Bishop claims he's worried that "lawsuits" will result. While I'm not always happy with Senator Sanders, he's correct in the fact that most reparation claims are time barred. Corporations, rather than individuals, might face some exposure yet even that's a stretch. This MSNBC/AP article from the past summer is decent entry level material on the issue yet is interesting simply for the human angle.

Here's my beef though. Alabama has hardly had a real good record on these votes. Just today MSNBC/AP recalls 40% of Alabama voters voting against the removal of the ban on interracial marriages, which has long been unenforceable, from our antiquated Constitution. This old CNN coverage of the vote hardly comforted me on how our voters might handle this apology issue. We voted down removal of language on segregated schools!

Alabama voters just might serve up some numbers that might not be very pretty if Charles Bishop get his way. Peace ... or War!

UPDATE - July 2, 2008 - Like Dan I could also write many posts on Alabama's CCC. He reveals the following:

Alabama Senator Charles Bishop was the keynote speaker at 2008 Conference of the Council of Conservative Citizens. For those that don’t know, the CCC is an interesting Christian conservative organization. They have 14 principles — some of them are more than okay. I like the Bill of Rights too, even the ones that are out of favor currently. Other principles, however, are a little more than sublimely racist. Some of the highlights:

• They believe the US is a “European” [white] country and should remain that way.
• They oppose any and all Mexican immigration (as well as any other non-European immigrants).
• They oppose interracial marriage.
• There shouldn’t be histories, monuments, and cultural items that show anything but a European perspective of US history and culture.
• They oppose “multicultural” and “Afrocentric” education in schools.

Cornerstone of the Day ~ Kurt Vonnegut

Image credit to Peter Yang and Rolling Stone from Douglas Brinkley's "Vonnegut's Apocalypse" from the not too distant past. I think and hope I clipped the actual article. Here's another of my favorites, and darned if it doesn't apply even more as of late:

Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before... He is full of murderous resentment of people who are ignorant without having come by their ignorance the hard way. - Cat's Cradle (1963)

I had a hard time deciding how to label this Cornerstone. I started with "resentment", then went to "ignorance", then to "learning", then to "waste", then to "regret", then to ... Any ideas? I reckon it's so deep that it applies to plenty.

I also suppose the beginning of the Brinkley piece (He survived being captured by the Nazis and the suicide of his mother to write some of the funniest, darkest novels of our time, but it took George W. Bush to break him.) applies to how many from the left might feel. Indeed the Bu$hCo years have been and remain a very dark chapter for our world. I'm not broken but seriously bent. Vonnegut had little faith in humanity before Commander Codpiece and the Mayberry Machiavellis started ruining everything they touched yet Bu$hCo was apparently the last straw. I've read his last work, Man Without a Country, and figure he'd pretty much given up on a nation that would settle for "leadership" by such a disaster of an administration.

Given that I hardly think Dubyah has worked hard at much of anything in his life, and "ignorant" certainly applies, maybe this applies to an extent. Yet, it's broader than simply this current President. From my own struggles of late to find my way in the working world to the Alabama politicians to the local yokels running things near my "home" to the ... I've got a powerful dose of resentment working these days. Hate to be in that place and hope it eases sooner rather than later. Peace .. or War

Outlander of the Day ~ Paul Wolfowitz

Newsweek's Michael Hirsh provides "Why He’s Failing (Again)" which examines not only Wolfowitz' failures related to Iraq but also his ginning up a high paying job at State for his main squeeze Shaha Riza. So much for that focus on ending corruption around The World Bank! Certainly that talk that ending corruption was a prerequisite to ending poverty seems a little hollow. At least Ms. Riza's poverty isn't much of an issue since she makes more that Secretary Rice.

Heck of a job Georgie putting this rascal in at the #2 slot at Defense and then getting him, after the dreadful work he did related to Iraq, in as the top tomato at The World Bank. Peace ... or War!