Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

I think Congress is happy to leave such decisions to the Executive Branch. Sort of a "don't ask-don't tell" policy that gets them off the hook.

No nation has ever receded from the brink.

--cicero

oh....he said that shortly before they cut off his hands and head to display them on spears in the senate.

Cicero's last words were said to have been "there is nothing proper about what you are doing, soldier, but do try to kill me properly". He was decapitated by his pursuers on December 7, 43 BC at Formia. His head and hands were displayed on the Rostra in the Forum Romanum according to the tradition of Marius and Sulla, both of whom had displayed the heads of their enemies in the Forum. He was the only victim of the Triumvirate's proscriptions to be so displayed. According to Cassius Dio (in a story often mistakenly attributed to Plutarch), Antony's wife Fulvia took Cicero's head, pulled out his tongue, and jabbed it repeatedly with her hairpin in final revenge against Cicero's power of speech.

Cicero's son, Marcus Tullius Cicero Minor, during his year as a consul in 30 BC, avenged his father's death somewhat when he announced to the Senate Mark Antony's naval defeat at Actium in 31 BC by Octavian and his capable commander-in-chief Agrippa. In the same meeting the Senate voted to prohibit all future Antonius descendants from using the name Marcus.
[that'll show 'em]

from wiki

Good morning all. Loved the Canada tribute on the Mix last night. Happy Canada Day everyone! Here's to another gift Canada has given the world -- KD Lang!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01KrL1ilnB4

good book about the old boy:

http://www.antiqbook.com/boox/yest/058909.shtml

A Pillar of Iron

Does anyone care about the war anymore? Isn't the campaign all about the economy now? Not withstanding all the pain of rising gas prices, home foreclosures, job losses, roller coaster stock market, are these bread-and-butter issues shoving the war and the life-changing injuries and death of soldiers to the sidelines of national debate? Aren't we selfish?

I feel guilty for worrying about gas prices when I remember that we have people in harm's way, still getting killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We need to ask everyone who is running for Congress this year -- all 435 House members -- if they will preserve the Congressional assertion of war powers. Get to pestering those Congressional candidates, folks, you'll never have their ear better than when they're on the campaign trail.

Happy Canada Day , eh? Thanks for starting a new thread before I got to contribute to the Canada Day thread , you hosers! Anyway , here's my tribute to Canada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4KTebUT6Mw

John Mayer has a put up a nice little post about life as well as a nice little pic on his blog.

http://www.johnmayer.com/blog

Alicia- speaking for myself , the biggest issue has been and continues to be the war.

When Michelle O and Jeanne Shaheen had an event here last Thurs., the biggest applause by far was when getting us out of Iraq came up-

The war was my biggest factor in choosing a primary candidate this year and 4 years ago.

And, it is amazing to me that Iran is not being discussed more

Special/covert ops,

There are some things no one wants to know anything about. And, if truthful deniability is the desired stance, then ask no questions about those things.

Fund broad categories of mission areas, like 'classified' intelligence activities, while asking no questions.

But, here is where they do have effective oversight. It's in approving the list of flag officers that an administration presents. Congressional staffs know who the operators are, they know who they really need to probe.

They need to separate those who will be loyal to the United States as opposed to those who will be loyal to a particular administration. Contrary to what we look for in other officers, they need to be able identify those who are able to practice situational ethics.

I suppose I should stop here because I'll undoubtedly say more than I really should say.

1955 gasoline as an investment.

If you purchased 1 gal. of gas in 1955, the cost was approximately $.25. If the gas price increased 1 cent a year and we received 5% interest compound monthly over the last 53 years, that same 1 gallon of gas would now be worth $6.15.

This was in our local paper this morning, Columbia's The State:

"Blind Special Forces soldier: determined to serve:"
http://www.thestate.com/sc-at-war/story/447584.html

Obama to expand Bush's faith based programs:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080701/ap_on_el_pr/obama_faith;_ylt=As2EgNNpv2IcA51.Tskpn4Os0NUE

This is how all our military people are expected to act. It is in the public domain:

Code of Conduct for Members of the United States Armed Forces

I

I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

II

I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

III

If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

IV

If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.

V

When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.

VI

I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

There is more background and amplification in this wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_United_States_Military_Code_of_Conduct

good morning gang....

and Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends and relatives....

Craig....
as the world runs out of oil.... and consequently other things.... I think we will see a lot of behavior out of our government that would leave the Founders shaking their heads in disbelief....

Fry, and back then cars didn't do much better than 15-mpg. And you had to change oil every thousand miles, and tires didn't last much more than 12,000 miles, etc.

Back then ARAMCO was in the driver's seat and this Fats Domino hit was on the air waves:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9dZNVT-JNok

Corey -- I heard that about the faith-based programs -- and it troubled me that Obama would expand that program, which has so little oversight and has depleted the money needed for social programs that are not faith-based. It's too much mixing of church and state.

Groups like Catholic Charities do good works whilst complying with EEOC requirements, but not all faith-based groups do -- and that was precisely the point of Bush's initiative -- to insert Christian Dominionists into government programs.

Reb......i think the founders would believe it since they were well aware of what behaviors they were trying to prevent and did their dead level best to prevent them and make those actions impossible, and they would also also realize that they fell short of the mark because of the inate and greedily perverse short-sightedness of humans......

Faith-Based Fudging -- How a Bush-promoted Christian prison program fakes success by massaging data.
By Mark A.R. Kleiman
http://www.slate.com/id/2086617

most of the founders received a strong education in the histories of greece, rome, and britain.....they knew.

"Congress itself enables this final end to its constitutionally-given powers. Why? Hell if I know. It is just how things are." .....Craig

Maybe if they would occasionally allow us into the 'real reason's' for the things they do, we'd have a clue. It's hard to imagine how few people are making life/death decisions for the rest of us. They tell us their version of things and leave it to us to guess what is really going on. Can you imagine if they just tried honesty once in a while.

Sturg, they knew absolutely nothing about steam engines, telephones, railroads or transistors. But, as you say, they did have a classical education.

Years ago, like 20-years, there was piece in the WSJ on what Jefferson's education was like. I wonder if I can google for that.

Got to get ready for a 3-hour stint in the dentist's chair. What fun. Bye.

3 excellent books by Colleen McCollough on exactly how the Republic became an Empire....
replete with maps, glossary, and list of names.....

The First Man in Rome
The Grass Crown
(I forget the third title)

Exclusive: Bush White House Pushed Grant for Former Staffer
ABC News
By: Murray Waas and Anna Schecter
First published: June 24, 2008

Evangelical Group With the White House Connections Awarded $1.2 Million Grant.

A former top official in the White House's faith-based office was awarded a lucrative Department of Justice grant under pressure from two senior Bush administration appointees, according to current and former DOJ staff members and a review of internal DOJ documents and emails.
http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=8464

I just thought there was a clamoring for less religious influence in our government.

corey......except for those, you know, who are clamoring for more.......

Oh. So, it's okay, then?

not with me......I'm clamoring for less.....but then, Im just another bug on their windshield.......

sturg....
yup.... the Founders tried to make sure no one branch had too much power or the government as a whole had too much power over the people.... they obviously understood human behavior.... but as Jeff Goldblum said in Jurassic Park.... "life finds a way".....

Flatus..... I'll pray for you....

Craig.... the time in your Canada Day post says 11am.....

I guess I just dont have an effective clamor bone......

"They need to separate those who will be loyal to the United States as opposed to those who will be loyal to a particular administration. Contrary to what we look for in other officers, they need to be able identify those who are able to practice situational ethics. I suppose I should stop here because I'll undoubtedly say more than I really should say". by: Flatus | July 1, 2008 7:34 AM

Flatus, I wish you hadn't stopped.
That's the most information I've gotten in a long time.

RR,

"I think we will see a lot of behavior out of our government that would leave the Founders shaking their heads in disbelief...."

The Chicago Tribune's editorial board is shaking their heads of the founding fathers. lol Oh yes the Trib's editorial board would know much better what the founding fathers meant, because, because..., because they didn't like the USSC' s recent ruling on the 2nd amendment.

"The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is evidence that, while the founding fathers were brilliant men, they could have used an editor."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0627edit1jun27,0,478588.story

Yeah , but....

exactly......lol

"You can do a lot of devious things with graphics program ---

--- we STILL do not have any GENUINE certified copies of Barack Obama's birth certificate or Certificate of Live Birth."

http://polarik.blogtownhall.com/2008/06/30/the_great_obama_birth_certificate_debate_who_has_the_edge.thtml

=========================================

"Each American, at watershed moments in his or her life -- to get a driver's license, a marriage certificate, a passport -- must produce a paper birth certificate for official inspection and analysis. Now it's Obama's turn."

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12944.htm

reprise in light of today's thread:
Solon showed Anacharsis some laws that he was drafting for the Athenians. Anacharsis laughed at Solon for imagining that the dishonesty and greed of the Athenians could be restrained by written laws. Such laws, said Anacharsis, are like spiderwebs: they catch the weak and poor, but the rich can rip right through them.

I think this may be a very big deal: http://business.theage.com.au/imf-finally-knocks-on-uncle-sams-door-20080629-2yui.html?s_rid=brisbanetimes:top5

I also wrote about it on my blog this morning.

http://www.marykittneel.com

GORDO,

Considering you favorite racist, black supremacist, sexist muslim got married, got a passport, got a drivers license, it's obvious that he has produced said information in the past.

Do you ever wonder why its fringe groups running this issue and not the McCain campaign? Politicians by breed are intellectually lazy people. Why would you go through the trouble of running against the new messiah when you could get him disqualified this easily?

Just remember these words..in, out, repeat...I'm sure Rosie will love you for it...

Good morning lads and lassies. Just checking in to say hi. Nice, acrimony-free thread you've got going here. Good work.

I finally got through the Hersh piece last night, and think all the uproar over the Dems "going along" with the covert war in Iran is not the biggest headline. Yes, they did agree to wave $400 million through the tollbooth -- but the story just seems very mushy on exactly what they thought they were agreeing to. Hell, the way the military spends money, $400 million could be explained away on any number of things.

I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but I think the bigger headline is simply the scary fact that Bush/Cheney are pushing this thing so hard and so specifically -- as if they want to push the country beyond a point of no return before they leave office. They are insane.

That was the value of the story to me -- that it took us inside the covert planning, itself. Not whether the Dems in Congress did or did not go along, and to what degree. There still seems to be more reporting to be done to flesh that political angle out.

Wow Sturge...Anacharsis really reamed him on that point. Sort of what you might call a "Solonoscopy".

Okay. Enough lame punning from me. Off to start my day.

I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but I think the bigger headline is simply the scary fact that Bush/Cheney are pushing this thing so hard and so specifically -- as if they want to push the country beyond a point of no return before they leave office. They are insane. http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/war-power-still-a-debate-worth.html#comment-109382

No doubt Lard. But why all the enablers?

"you hosers! "

ROFL! Corey, you are fabulous!

solonoscopy? this atrocious pun from the solon of C-list?

I am appalled.....

Sturge...I'm off my game today. Allergies or something. Grass pollen is rated "very high" down here. So is bad pun pollen.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/war-power-still-a-debate-worth.html#comment-109379
Mary Kitt-Neel,
That is a very interesting article you posted. I can't finish reading the whole thing right now - short on time. I also bookmarked your site and will go back to check it out some more later too . Thanks.

IMF finally knocks on Uncle Sam's door
...."Then, imagine, despite pouring untold taxpayers money into stocks and allowing their cronies access to vast sums, the system continued to fail. So they announced they would need greater power and with it more secrecy.

For its growing band of critics has, perhaps unwittingly and in the interest of public good, this has become the principal function of the US Federal Reserve.

If this was to happen in Australia the International Monetary Fund would be hammering at the door of the Reserve Bank."
http://business.theage.com.au/imf-finally-knocks-on-uncle-sams-door-20080629-2yui.html?s_rid=brisbanetimes:top5

"as if they want to push the country beyond a point of no return before they leave office. They are insane."

Bingo!

you musta cracked your punny bone.......

Lardo,

Iran is a potential future threat if they succeed in obtaining a operational nuclear reactors, and then proceed into developing nuclear weapons. right now all they are are a distraction from the real problem.

The very real problem is Pakistan who already has nuclear weapons, a very unstable government, areas of their country which they have absolutely no control over inhabited by AQ and the Taliban which boarders Afghanistan. It is Pakistan/Afghanistan that will become the next major battle ground that will involve a massive invasion and one the Europeans better step up to the plate and prepare their citizens that if nothing is done, they will be the next most likely victims of the next AQ attack. AQ hates everything west of Mecca, and Europe is a very easy target..

"If Obama is confident that he has a valid paper birth certificate from Hawaii, it is unreasonable for him to be withholding it.

But if he lacks a valid US birth certificate, and therefore cannot prove that he is an American citizen, then he would have good reason to put up a smokescreen and stonewall as long as he can. He would have good reason to try and slide by, as he may have done in the past, by putting up something that would pass as legitimate to the untrained and uninformed, as the one posted by the left-wing Daily Kos blog did, and which much of the media accepted as such, on his say-so.

Because if Obama lacks a valid birth certificate from Hawaii, it would mean that he has been living a lie his whole life: an illegal alien born outside the country who never obtained American citizenship, never became naturalized, and yet has been passing himself off as a citizen to the Illinois Bar, the Illinois Legislature, the US Senate and now, as a candidate for President."

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12944.htm

oh and for those wanting to condemn Seymour Hersh for his Iran story....

he was the reporter who broke the story about Abu Ghraib....
government and military officials said he was living in fantasyland over that one too.....

gotta get back to work....

and one more I forgot to add to my above post....

Hersh also broke the story about us sending caught terrorists to countries such as Egypt because of their interrogation "techniques"....

~the man is obviously insane and doesn't know what he's talking about~
(she said sarcastically)

now I really do have to get back to work.....

U.S. political campaign grows angry

"If that's the kind of campaign that Senator Obama and his surrogates and supporters want to engage in, I understand that," he said. "But it doesn't reduce the price of a gallon of gas by a penny" or do anything else to help Americans.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/30/america/campaign.php

"Obama is announcing plans to expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support some ability to hire and fire based on faith. "

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for that link, Corey.

"I also wrote about it on my blog this morning.

http://www.marykittneel.com"

Certainly worth a trip to Mary's blog and read both articles she suggests.

Goodness Craig, such an adult topic this morning.

The brain is only half functioning this morning so, I am left with so I'm stuck with "is it a grand conspiracy or is it just cowardness and stupidity." Stupidity and cowardness only seem to explain a limited amount of Congress's behavior. So maybe it is time to put on the foil hat.
Mean while I can comment on part of your post.
Congress engage in a debate of substance in a political year?
LOL
That's a good one

Jack

Do the Math: Obama Won't Win the South -
The South Will Fall Again
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/opinion/01schaller.html?ref=opinion

"you musta cracked your punny bone......."

Sturge and Lard! In the name of humanity, I BEG that you two stop this right now and start insulting someone or something civil. ME! I'll take a hard smack to the punny bone!

Mornin' all (it is still morning, right?)

Is the respective war powers balance of the executive branch and congress a discussion that stillis worth having? Hell yes it is. The judgment I see in Obama and McSame (to say nothingof the knucklhead in chief who's still in the WH) convinces me that not only is it worth having, it's essential.

Fry, I have to agree with you about the relative problems that Iran and Pakistan present. Iran is just the shiny new object being held up by the BushCheney junta )and our two presumptive nominees btw) to distract us 'murcans from pushing our reps to impeach their asses. It's bullshit, and they all know it, we all know it, and all god's chullen know it, but we all act as if it frickin matters. Problem is, as I see it at least, Pakistan is a really big country with real threats that can be brought to bear, they don't like us anymore than most of the countries in that part of the world, and thanks largely to the friggin debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan that we've chosen to deplete our military capability and good will with - on the world stage and domestically - to the extent it existed before, we couldn't begin to mount a credible opposition to even a small action against AQ there if Pakistan objected. Problem is (getting back to the thread topic), For Afghanistan ( screwed that up) and Iraq (Screwed that up royally), Congress did vote for the AUMF. But could Dumya initiate military action against Iran without Congressional approval? My question is, "Based on what threat to the security or sovereignty of the US?"

flatus, if you're lurking, here's an article that follows up on our discussion about corn and floods yesterday. Seems I'm not the only one who thinks that the flooding is a problem for the corn based food and biofuels industries.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/business/01weather.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1214922923-yyZBvyz5gRZFcRmzdOuweQ

Fry -- what do you make of this re: Pakistan

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23920845-2703,00.html

Patsi: Thanks for your thoughtful comments about the possible expansion of faith-based initiatives. While I assume this to be election year pandering, it really concerns me that there are votes to be had in that mine field.
I think maybe the time has come to go back to the old days on this issue ... private charitable giving to faith-based organizations, government assistance distributed through local government entities. But who would have the political courage to campaign for such a thing?

Craig, have you heard that some of the blog sites that oppose Obama are being attacked. What happened to free speech. I do have a problem with a site that spreads hate, then they should be shut down. But to have a different point of view why the attacks?

Pogo: Senator Webb (alone) and jointly (with Sen Clinton) has several times tried to get his colleagues to vote on the simple proposition that the Administration cannot take military action against Iran without Congressional approval...he cannot get anyone to even take up the question. Well, actually it's been filibustered, but Reid and Durbin have allowed it to go forward in such a way that it could be filibustered ... acquiesced to a 60 vote threshold. So, does Congress want to assert its own power or are the Dems intent on preserving Presidential authority for one of their own?

Iran War Resolution May Be Passed Next Week
Tuesday, 01 July 2008 09:46
The bill is the chief legislative priority of AIPAC. On its Web site, AIPAC endorses the resolutions as a way to ”Stop Iran’s Nuclear Program” and tells readers to lobby Congress to pass the bill. In the Senate, a sister resolution, Resolution 580, has gained co-sponsors with similar speed. The Senate measure was introduced by Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh on June 2. It has since gained 19 co-sponsors.
http://www.tvnewslies.org/tvnl/index.php/news/congress/9-congress/2497-iran-war-resolution-may-be-passed-next-week

Gordo, we don't need and are not even entitled to Obama's birth certificate. Hell, I'm only voting for him because he's not McCain, but, JHC, man, find some other nutty theory to pursue or come up with some shred of evidence that casts doubt on where the hell he was born. I've got xerox copies of my BC that I carry when I'm travelling that don't have a raised seal on them - and I bet I'm not the only one who does that. The fact that the one posted on the internet (and my screen doesn't have the capability to display a document's raised seal in 3 dimensions - if yours does, send me the make and model - I want to get one like it) doesn't show the seal doesn't cast doubt on anything other than the authenticity of the document and doesn't cast any doubt on the information it contains. The copies I carry are no less accurate copies than the one the flippin' county clerk provides me when I pay them 5 bucks for one with a raised seal when I need to renew my passport, and so far, since this ridiculous issue has been brought up, I haven't seen a single credible source that casts doubt on Obama's birthplace. Like I said, if you give a crap, do a FOIA request to the State Department and the IL DMV or quit bothering us with this crap.

Pogo: Although I am not voting for Sen Obama, let me join you in that sentiment. Of all the red herrings thrown up in this election cycle, the matter of Sen Obama's birth certificate is surely the biggest.

Maggisd

I have no problem with religious based organizations("faith based" is very christian centric IMO) applying for and winning government grants. Provided they take the time to form a seperate entity so they don't mix church stuff up with the do gooding requirements of the grant. Setting up a nonprofit is easy, in MO $25, three people and a simple form are all it takes to form a nonprofit corp. I've helped start 2. The IRS requirements and forms for 501c3 status are a bit more complicated. But if you can't fill out the forms that the IRS require, you aren't qualified to run any program a federal grant would fund.

Jack

maggs, remember when GHWB was chosen as Reagan's VP? Everyone said he had to put his balls in a blind trust. I get the feeling Congress has done that in the wake of 9/11 and the wonderful response to it engineered by the deciderer. It is exactly why Reed and Pelosi are incapable of occupying their leadership posts competently.

Re: Cicero's head, hands and tongue-

Now they just get the media to decapitate their "enemies" and rip their tongues out.

Jack: I used to feel the same way that you do. I remember being pleased that one of our local Catholic charities had a huge grant passed through our county government from the Feds some years ago. This entity does very worthwhile work and operates under the "old" system as a separate entity helping those in need without proselytizing.
But I've now come to feel that it was a slippery slope which has led inevitably to the situation that now obtains. I once tried to read the list of faith-based organizations being subsidized by the Bush Administration and just gave up in frustration. It has become pure politics, pure pork.

Pogo: I pretty much agree that Reid is incompetent. Pelosi, not so much incompetent as power-hungry.

Anyone with an interest in this birth certificate - citizenship nonsense, the following site will provide useful information

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode08/usc_sec_08_00001401----000-.html

As I have stated before, even if Obama had been born in Outer Mongolia, it makes no difference, since his mother was a natural-born US citizen.

those that think Obama is a closet Muslim from a sleeper cell should consider that it would be sneakier to have the radical Muslims choose a blond blue eyed boy for this. Wouldn't the last person those sneaky radical Muslims would want for this mission is someone that looks like Obama.

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

Patsi,
To be blunt about this horrible incident, it is business as usual for the Taliban. Anyone, and it doesn't matter who they are, who are not fully in agreement with their prospective of things are considered their enemy. I am not sure there is another country on this planet where the elected government has so little or no controlling authority over particular large troubling outlaw state as does Pakistan. And what is even more worrisome is there is a unknown number of Pakistani military who have aligned themselves with the Taliban, and consequently with AQ.

Fry: It should be remembered that OBL chose this area precisely because it has always been ungovernable -- by anyone. Pakistan is one of those artificial countries where an educated, ruling elite (like the Bhuttos) migrated into the area (around the time of partition) and took over from the native peoples, who are culturally and ethnically more aligned with the Pashtun of what is now Afghanistan.
The vast majority of those involved in what is primarily a cultural and ethnic war do not think of their activities as part of a wider global conflict. It's more like a gang war in East LA where some drug kingpin is using the players to achieve a larger purpose.

I missed out on all the lovely tribute to Canada last night, I put up my salute to Canada with Gordon Lightfoot doing Canadian Railroad Trilogy on the blog

Oh and the even more entertaining canadian story on Lardo's G rated sex site.

"... if he could not prove he was born in Hawaii: the fact that his mother was US-born. "A child born abroad on or after December 24, 1952 and before November 14, 1986 to one U.S. citizen parent and one non-citizen parent can acquire U.S. citizenship at birth if the U.S. citizen parent can demonstrate that he or she was physically present in the United States for a minimum of ten years, at least five of which were after the age of fourteen, prior to the birth of the child." Because Barack's mother -- born November 29, 1942 -- bore him at the age of 18 years, eight months plus, she could not possibly qualify for the five year requirement.

Thus the bottom line is this: If Obama can't prove he has a certified Hawaiian birth certificate, he's not a natural born American. If he's not a natural born American, he can't be president. That's the law of the land.

The question is not whether he's black or white or somewhere in between. The question is not whether he's a Muslim or Christian, a Democrat or a Communist. The question is whether he can document that he was born in Hawaii and thus meet the requirements of the Constitution."

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12944.htm

For those who can get Canadian television, there is a special tonight with Canadian comedians roasting their country.

Comcast in the northwest is channel 99

Selective Service Required: Did Obama Register?

"According to the Selective Service System, under the authority of the Military Selective Service Act (Act of June 24, 1948, c. 625, 62 Stat. 604, as amended; 50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.):

1-103. Persons born in calendar year 1961 shall present themselves for registration on any of the six days beginning Monday, July 28, 1980."

============================================

"Barack Obama, who states he was born in Aug. 1961, was required to register for the Selective Service in 1980. Did he?

Efforts to confirm his registration have been unsuccessful, and Sen. Obama has failed thus far to offer proof of registration, or authorize the SSS to release this information to the general public. It is in the public’s interest to know whether a potential president followed the law during his lifetime."

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/07/01/selective-service-required-did-obama-register/#more-3364

"those that think Obama is a closet Muslim from a sleeper cell should consider that it would be sneakier to have the radical Muslims choose a blond blue eyed boy for this. Wouldn't the last person those sneaky radical Muslims would want for this mission is someone that looks like Obama.¡yo soy Horsedooty!"

Ha! Ain't that the truth!

gordo,

none of the slams you have put up here stick to the wall, Go find someone who cares. This is getting boring besides taking up real estate on Craig's blog.

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

Gordo:
This is the relevant code in current law. It differs markedly from what you have stated.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode08/usc_sec_08_00001401----000-.html

This is the relevant code in current law. It differs markedly from what you have stated.

Maggisd,

who would have guessed otherwise. :)

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

Gordo: I have an idea. Why don't you take Sen Obama to court?

maggisd,
"It's more like a gang war in East LA where some drug kingpin is using the players to achieve a larger purpose."

The Crips and the Bloods discovered this sad fact of life with the emergence of the Latino gangs, most notably La eMe, The Mexican Mafia in southern CA, and Nuestra Familia in northern and central CA. You are only allowed to stay in control until someone or something bigger, stronger, more vicious comes along.

Gordo
The adults here are discussing adult things, why don't you pretend to be an adult and join in.

Jack

Frydaddy

Good point

Jack

Fry: Yup...just like the region between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I must say that I was one of the few people I know who was really nervous about going into Afghanistan in the first place. I specialized in British Empire Affairs (shows you how old I am) and I never had -- and still don't have -- much optimism about our ability to bring anything to a good conclusion over there.

I’m baaaaccckkkk and the vacation was great.

Obama’s Birth Certificate for the naysayers:

“On June 13, 2008, Obama’s campaign finally released a copy, while launching a fact-check Web site of its own…

When the birth certificate arrived from the Obama campaign it confirmed his name as the other documents already showed it. Still, we took an extra step: We e-mailed it to the Hawaii Department of Health, which maintains such records, to ask if it was real. “It’s a valid Hawaii state birth certificate,” spokesman Janice Okubo told us.

Okubo says she got a copy of her own birth certificate last year and it is identical to the Obama one we received.

And about the copy we e-mailed her for verification? “When we looked at that image you guys sent us, our registrar, he thought he could see pieces of the embossed image through it.”
Still, she acknowledges: “I don’t know that it’s possible for us to even say beyond a doubt what the image on the site represents.”
• • •
And there’s the rub. It is possible that Obama conspired his way to the precipice of the world’s biggest job, involving a vast network of people and government agencies over decades of lies. Anything’s possible.

But step back and look at the overwhelming evidence to the contrary and your sense of what’s reasonable [reasonable!!!! What’s that?] has to take over.

There is not one shred of evidence to disprove PolitiFact’s conclusion that the candidate’s name is Barack Hussein Obama, or to support allegations that the birth certificate he released isn’t authentic.

And that’s true no matter how many people cling to some hint of doubt and use the Internet to fuel their innate sense of distrust.”

Damit, some people just want to believe anything and can usually find a site to support their untruths. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t receive some kind of lie about Obama. Use your brains, people.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/jun/27/obamas-birth-certificate-part-ii/

"and leave Gordo be, he's the cookie monster of Obama conspiracies -- i look at every link, i bet more do than admit to it"
Posted by: Craig Crawford Author Profile Page | June 25, 2008 7:41 PM

Frydaddy
Remember a couple of weeks ago when we killed some pakistani soldiers. We were claiming to be after insurgents, they were claiming it was only civilians and soldiers. My thought, I bet they were both telling the truth.
Nobody is telling us the truth when it comes to Pakistan and it is getting harder to hide behind lies.

Jack

goodness, the children are here. noise level is going up.

Jack

Can Barack Obama prove that he meets the requirements of the CONSTITUTION ?

Can Barack Obama prove that he registered with the Selective Service?

Why question THE GREAT ONE? He would never lie or conceal the truth. Just BELIEVE !!!

Do any of you really think that the Repubs would not want answers to these questions? Better to find out now than after the convention. What is BO hiding? Just show the documents.

Here kids just for you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1FCITSkyrE

can i take it back, steno?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/war-power-still-a-debate-worth.html#comment-109440

hey gordo, how about some mccain conspiracy theories for a bit of variety???

or maybe, Gordo, we could hold you to one birth certificate link an hour, at 20 after

Look at the bright side with Gordo. It's a new Presidential conspiracy to take over from Area 51, Men In Black, JFK grassy knoll and Clinton Mena Airport drug ring.

The tin hat crowd needs something to keep themselves intertained and out of trouble.

Pogo,

I'll take your Times and raise you one Journal. :)

Corn Crop Largely Intact, Despite Floods
Estimate Is Raised
On More Planting;
Futures Prices Drop
By SCOTT KILMAN
July 1, 2008; Page A3

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121483141489415613.html

All this happened in June. Disease, pestilence, and the vagaries of weather are facts of life for farmers. Should this be any different now that we have an energy crisis?

entertained.

RR,

Thanks for the prayers!
Posted by: RebelliousRenee Author Profile Page | July 1, 2008 8:26 AM

"must say that I was one of the few people I know who was really nervous about going into Afghanistan in the first place."

I was with you on that one, Maggi. Though probably not for as well informed reasons as you! I just kept thinking about how the Soviets got mired down in that country. Then, when reports started coming out about paying bounties to mercs and warlords for "enemy combatants" ....Jeezus! I kept thinking that you wouldn't dare let your teenage son go out for a loaf of bread. And God help you if you were on the wrong side of some warlord...

RR,

Oh darn, meant to ask what they were for. Or you praying for my physical, or mental health, or just my general well-being?

jack, thanks for the mr. rogers link, put me in the mood for a "snappy new day"

"Use your brains, people."

Karo -- you might consider aiming that one at Gordo. Nobody else here gives a good-damn about this birth certificate crap.

Patsi, it became clear that shrub has grander motives than catching Obama when he raised that tremendous campaign to free the evangelical proselytizer who managed to get herself kidnapped by the Taliban, and then treated her, in the White House, as a national hero.

wow just read the morning thread -- what a brainy discussion, very nice -- gotta say, maggisd could be on to something here:

"So, does Congress want to assert its own power or are the Dems intent on preserving Presidential authority for one of their own? -- Posted by: maggisd"

"And about the copy we e-mailed her for verification? "When we looked at that image you guys sent us, our registrar, he thought he could see pieces of the embossed image through it." [Except that she received only what was published on the Internet and circulated by email, and no "pieces of the embossed image" do come through that. We have published the highest resolution available and there is no trace of embossed seal or signature. Readers can see for themselves].

And there you have it. Okubo can't "even say beyond a doubt what the image on the site represents" because she is not allowed access to Barack Obama's personal records. State law prohibits it."

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12944.htm

=======================================

OK, Craig

"Senate passed a resolution removing any doubt regarding McCain's legitimacy to run for prez. "

ROFL. But I thought Bush said he was the Manchurian Candidate....that would be Manchurian Candidate #1, with Obama being Manchurian Candidate #2.

yep, patsi, and HIllary is Angela Lansbury

well i'm off to look for my birth certificate -- Have a Snappy New Day! (you have to snap your fingers when you say that, or it doesn't work)

"HIllary is Angela Lansbury"

Ha! Now THAT was an outstanding performance!

And the movie -- what a masterpiece. Who oh why does Hollywood try and remake classics?

Craig -- was Florida a state when you were born?

LOL

That's it , Patsi.

It is all a secret plot by the Rooshans. They mind control both candidates.
That explains all the idiot statements in the last week or two.
Our country is under the control of foreign agents.
Which is a good thing, we can solve that.
It is far better than the alternative, our leaders are all batshit crazy.

Sure maybe I could live under Russian control.

Jack

You can get copies of your birth certificate from your home state....in laminated driver's license size. That's how I got mine for my passport.

Craig,

I believe the McCain citizenship was pretty well decided. Until McCain decided to run, there was never a question that any U.S. possession, military base or Embassy was US territory and that all infants born within those confines were "natural born citizens". if that wasn't true then there are an awful lot of military brats looking for citizenship.

All the Senate resolution did was codify something that had been true by tradition for a couple of hundred years.

I guess I can't be President since I was born in Hawaii before it was a state and I didn't live in the US for 10 years afterward. Both my parents are US citizens and I had a US Passport.

Barry O must have had a US passport when he went to Indonesia with his US citizen mother. Maybe Gordo can check on this for us. Hey Gordo?

Kansas
Has a full official copy and the wallet size
Only the large official one is real for establishing identity. Or so they told me I got mine.
Jack

"Our country is under the control of foreign agents.
Which is a good thing, we can solve that.
It is far better than the alternative, our leaders are all batshit crazy."

Indeed!

Flatus....
Ha!.... I see my prayers worked..... you've made it out of the dentist's chair alive.....

Lardass.... I had an encounter with one of Chopper's cousins this morning....
a Jack Russell puppy sans collar was running around my yard and treeing my cats.... at one point, Rick managed to get our male cat out of the tree and into the house.... I went outside to see the commotion and when I came back in the dog went right between my legs and into our house..... chased my male cat all over our kitchen.... thankfully, I caught the puppy before any damage could be done and threw it outside..... as I was slamming the door shut, it launched itself against the door..... luckily, the dog catcher was home and got here in 15 minutes and brought the little bugger to dog jail....
god.... how the hell does one live with such a bundle of energy!....

yes.... really great posts this morning..... wish I had more time to participate....
my time will be limited until mid-August....

"Kansas
Has a full official copy and the wallet size"

Yep -- that's my state....born in Garden City.

"I went outside to see the commotion and when I came back in the dog went right between my legs and into our house..... chased my male cat all over our kitchen...."

OMG! renee, sorry -- I know it wasn't funny at the time, but I'm laughing my rear off just thinking of it!

Indeed they did, RR, thanks!

The question could be where do politics leave off and national interest begin. We each cross the line without consequence each day. Leadership and elected office require more. In large part our Representatives and Senators understand the distinction. It is possible that this or any weighty issue could be decided on a partisan basis either wrongly or rightly. The system is set up to reduce the odds of error and in the case of war, where our lives and livelihood are on the line, to send the question to the congress for deliberation. FDR was the last president to make use of the provision. All of the subsequent Presidents have found it more useful to get the power before the need arises. To do this they have sometimes manipulated the facts. The Gulf of Tonkin attack and the Intelligence on WMDs are two notable examples. The first was a throwback to Polk’s Mexican War and the second was the basis for the Bush Doctrine, an oxymoron if ever there was one. Rather than fight (Senator Byrd is advancing in years) the Senate has decided to use the Intelligence Committee to evaluate the data and essentially speak for the body with its recommendation before the fact. Classified information in itself is not enough to go to war. There must be a substantial amount of freely available information also. In the case of Iraq this information too was manipulated but then such will always be the case in a lead-up to war--as history is written by the powerful.
Nancy Pelosi’s agreement to eliminate language requiring the president to get permission for any use of force was mostly political in that he is required to do so already. The language in the bill was basically a strong reminder, which doesn’t hurt when you are dealing with Dubya. He still has a legal responsibility to ask Congress for authorization or pre-authorization.
Covert action? Ostensibly this is a non-lethal force with strict rules for engagement that always include self defense and sometimes extend to deniability—a rogue force. We have used such forces commonly—most notably in Latin America to protect our national interest in banana plantations and to overthrow Marxists (regime change). Dubya could use such forces at any time but he would do well to weigh the probability of success. Remember the rescue attempt of the Embassy hostages in Iran during the Carter administration. With modern technology a missile strike is usually preferable and less risky than putting men on the ground.

Let me pause here to consider whether some of this activity might encourage terrorists.

Yeah, I think it might.
It is way too easy to put such discussion on an intellectual and legal footing. What were the founding fathers thinking? What is the rational? There is a non-partisan moral imperative of national interest here. In deciding the initial course of the ship of state on questions of life and death, and good and evil I would prefer to have more rather than less voices heard. It is ,after all, our country eh. For our friends in Canada http://youtube.com/watch?v=OETwbVBPI1U
I believe there are still theories about Bush being an Alien lizard type species.

Alicia Knight --------------------

There is too much info to post. Your questions can be answered at the links.

Craig glad I could start you out on such a snappy day
(It is very hard to snap your fingers and type that.)

The great thing about having cable is the 3or4 cartoon channels. My sisters and all their childerns were visiting this weekend. I just gave the children the remote control to my tv in the bedroom and told them the channel to the cartoons and instant quiet for us adults.

Jack

I met two longtime friends for dinner last night. Since they are strong Obama supporters, I knew it would be an interesting time.

They gamely attempted to defend O's flip flops. We spent a lot of time discussing NAFTA/Canadians, and public financing.

They kept telling me that Barack was only doing what he has to do.

After 90 minutes of hearing these people , who in the past would never drink the kool-aid, I finally told them that I didn't believe they weren't seriously concerned about Barack's recent actions.

After about another 30 minutes one of them finally admitted she was very worried.

Today's faith based proposals of O should add more concern.

Pogo asked earlier: "Based on what threat to the security or sovereignty of the US?"

Answer: None, BushCo doesn't need any truthful analyses, just lies. Recall how we got into Iraq. Bush simply wants to have a legend of blowing up those parts of the middle east he didn't like from day one.

The War Powers Act of 1973 as amended gives the Executive Branch the ability to wage war for up to 60 days without Congressional approval. At the end of the 60 days, the president must ask Congress to keep the war going. Teddy Roosevelt was the first president to say to hell with the Congress I'll do what I want when he sent the great US Naval fleet to the Far East. He told a newspaper reporter, "I sent them, let the Congress bring them home." The Congress did just that, just like the Congress today continues to fund the Bush wars with their annual, semi-annual, monthly war supplement bills.

From the spelling errors in the last one it is time for a break and a bite to eat.
lol
Jack

Craig,

Yes. He was born in the Panama Birth Canal.

flatus, I love ya man, but the WSJ isn't among my subscriptions. here's where the article left off:

"The Agriculture Department said Monday that its acreage surveys of thousands of farmers through late June indicated ..."

Less than illuminating.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/war-power-still-a-debate-worth.html#comment-109452

It shouldn't be any different - it's just that now that corn has become an energy source, and a growing one at that, weather now affects both the supply and the demand sides of the energy equation - before it was limited to the demand side. Fact is, corn prices jumped what 19% in a month on fears of crop failures? I don't follow the commodities markets as closely as I probably should (I like to sleep at night), but that's a significant jump.

Renee, LOL about the JRT chasing your cat. Reminds me of my dog chasing my old GF's cat back in grad school days. If I could have told him to watch out what you wish for, he might have listened and not caught her cat. He got the cat into a corner, and the cat hissed, swatted his nose, and hung on. He whimpered and started backing up as fast as he could. After we got her cat off my dog's nose, he never chased the cat again.

" HIllary is Angela Lansbury"

I don't think so. Hillary can't sing.

Renee,
You responded to something I posted last week some time, that if you were to study ANY countries history, the people with the most wealth have always run the government - that the U.S. is no different than the rest of the world.

You pointed out the fact that corporations own our government (and I guess our politicans). That it's just now becoming evident to some who thought the Democratic party was this country's savior.

What really stuck with me, was your saying ' that Clinton was part of that whole thing'. I've known what you say is true for a long time, but I had it my mind things could have been better with the Clintons back in the Whitehouse. Like the '90's. Now I've begun to wonder if I had put her on a pedestal in much the same way I feel others have put Obama on one.

Seeing Oregon Democrats post just now, made me think of it again. Why do we insist on denying the candidate we favor is perfect. Maybe it doesn't make any difference who it is. If the corporations really are running this country, as you say, then perhaps the person in office is just the frontman of their choice. And whoever bows to them best, wins.

flatus, that was ethanol prices that were up 19%, and the corn harvest is expected to be 8.75 smaller than last year.

"Corn futures, which were about $6 a bushel in early June and rose to about $7.60 as recently as last week, dropped nearly 30 cents to about $7.25 on the Chicago Board of Trade."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.crop01jul01,0,4692142.story

And don't forget China (as if you could).

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/01/content_8471586.htm

No way this won't affect corn prices on both the food and energy sides, despite what the rose colored glasses wearing analysts are saying.

I'm sorry, Pogo. Can't tell what's going to print and what's not when I grab something from the subscription side. It's not yet 2 PM, so why not sneak into another partner's office and swipe her copy while she's still at lunch?

Personally, I was never comfortable with the idea of trading commodity futures--I stuck with equity and index options which I was more comfortable pricing. But, I haven't done any of that in the past 15-years or so. When I retired completely, I took all my risk capital off the table. I sleep well at night.

Lardo

Did you get my latest submission to the Mr. Bean Blog?

Yes, we have done a great job over in Mesopotamia marginalizing OBL, forcing him to hide in caves in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And AQI - completely reduced to a minor insurgency in Iraq - right? Well, maybe the description of AQ that soudned more like a Hydra than a snake was more apt.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/world/africa/01algeria.html?hp#

flatus, you're a smart man.

What keeps developing countries citizens alive? grain, including corn. What's being grown for fuel? Yep, corn. Unfortunately, ya can't eat ethonol. It's a scary world out there. It's beyond the geographical borders of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, so sometimes, it's kinda hard to see.

and while everyone's attention has been diverted to US elections and occasional reports on Iraq and Iran, here's what's happening in Afghanistan, the original front, which the administration abandoned years age

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=98a930e5-3fe6-4396-9311-4f933128d34e

Pogo, don't tell me, tell Stinky.

"So, does Congress want to assert its own power or are the Dems intent on preserving Presidential authority for one of their own? maggisd

Magg,
I have to agree with Craig's comment to you on that one. You may have really hit it on the head. If true though, we just have to wonder what they have in mind, once they take over. It seems worrisome that they would want to change the balance of power. To accomplish what?

flatus, feel free to share my comment with her.

Chloe, Magg

No matter which party is controlling the WH, I think there's a natural antipathy between the Congress and the Executive.

Could it be an entante cordiale? Probably not, but even if were, it would certainly fall apart in the mid-terms when voters would react violently to such a happening.

with the world market in feed grains being what it is, You need to look at the world market.

I posted this site yesterday. I found it interesting.
Lot of basic facts.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai466e/ai466e01.htm

Check out the menu to the right for other food

Jack

The trumped up evidence to make a case for war is one very strong reason to keep the Repugs out of power for the next 8 years at least. Love war? Love McCain.

Vote Obama 2008.... Somewhere a friend of yours has a close relative or friend serving in Iraq. That friend will be grateful that you cast a vote against this blood spilling done to protect the financial interests of the rich and powerful.

I should have also said that the War Powers Act should have and could have been instigated in the Bush years of expansionist wars around the globe. But the Dems are often too afraid to stand up against war acts since they are seen as weak on defense and will thus, do as much as possible to strut around like testosterone-poisoned HAWKS.

Could it be an entante cordiale? Probably not, but even if were, it would certainly fall apart in the mid-terms when voters would react violently to such a happening. Posted by: Flatus | July 1, 2008 2:26 PM

Flatus,
By the time the voters get around to 'acting violently' a lot of damage can be done.

off to watch Mary Tyler Moore... loved the fact it was based in my home town of Minneapolis -- one of my favourite U.S. cities!

A picture in China that speaks volumns about its place as a world power.
How can you be a world power in the 21st century when you depend on agriculture that is stuck in the 18thcentury.
A lot of the increase in production of food world wide will have to come with transformation of many places that have not caught up with modern farming techniques. This includes much of Africa
http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/09/brueghel_comes_to_rural_china_1.php

Yes, Jack, it is interesting...and overwhelming.

Start at the beginning, or the end, and start creating a multivariate regression analysis to construct a pricing model (price being the proxy for availability). You'll have an equation so long that it certainly wouldn't fit on a single page.

I would much rather use an options pricing model and then draw my own conclusions from it's output. I created such a model in the middle 80s. It worked quite well, although in order to make money with it, I had to have executions within about 15-seconds from my trade decision--hard to do back then.

A dear friend's father was a scrap dealer in Chicago. He made scads of money by watching the market for cardboard and determining future market trends from that commodity.

I can't help but think simple is good--but simplicity, as you suggest, can only be achieved by understanding the variables affecting the underlying market.

I've been waiting, but so far no one else has mentioned the Canadian Peacekeepers, and for Corey...Number 99 - Wayne Gretzky.

I don't know why anyone is surprised - when the Repugs do it, it is a crime, but the Dems can't get in there quick enough to take advantage - two sides of the same coin, and we all know that Hillary could not be controlled the way BO can so the DNC, Pelosi et al need him there to take the heat for taking advantage of a situation they really don't want to fix, until they've all had their way and made their money

. ie: the Fall of the Roman Empire or Gladiator(which was the remake). The "Republic" was turned back into the hands of the Senate. Pericles said that democracy was a form of MOB RULE, that the most desireable form of government would be a BENEVOLENT DICTATOR. Unfortunately, dictators are human and are subject to human foibles such as greed.............

Congress should be the final decision, because this system allows for people to be replaced if their constituents aren't happy with the decisions.

Sorry, for the rant but I for one, am so disillusioned and disappointed with this particular congress and the DNC that I'm beginning to wonder if anything is going to help, and even if there is any help after the way that this most criminal adminstration has screwed things up. I think Mr. Seymour Hersh is probably the one reporter that I would be inclined to believe, I don't think he's ever been wrong, and we all know how Cheney treats the Senate.

Congress should be the final decision, because this system allows for people to be replaced if their constituents aren't happy with the decisions. Sorry, for the rant...Posted by: politicallypissed

polpis,
Rant away, What you say makes the most sense of anything I've heard today.

Jack,

"My thought, I bet they were both telling the truth.
Nobody is telling us the truth when it comes to Pakistan and it is getting harder to hide behind lies."

When only lies are told, then everything becomes the truth. Tell a lie long enough, it will become the truth and that can be said for either party in DC, and/or anyone. In fact I think that is their, the politicians, agenda. That should be a major concern for all Americans, who can you go to for the truth, your lying team, or my lying team? There are a lot of lies out for all sorts of positions, and most politicians hope the real truth is never learned. This is what I have come to believe.

PP, rant away - you're ranting my song, so to speak.

When only lies are told, then everything becomes the truth. Tell a lie long enough, it will become the truth and that can be said for either party in DC, and/or anyone. FryDaddy

Maybe our being more aware than ever before of the extent of the lies will help. Don't know yet what to do with the information, but it's a beginning. Doesn't do us any good to be starry eyed and naive about our politicians or the future of our country. If we're not on track, then it's time we got back on.

I think Congress is against trying to regain their sole Constitutional authority to declare war because it gives them deniablity. Look at how many of them in the past couple of year, who voted FOR the Iraq authorization, have blamed the entire war on Bush, saying "I didn't know THIS was what I was voting for." I think that the War Powers Act should be invalidated by the SCOTUS, and any time the USA wants to send troops outside the country, Congress should have to declare war. If this had been the case, we would have avoided Korea, Viet Nam, Bosnia, Kosovo, Solalia, and Iraq. (We might have actually declared war on Afghanistan after 9/11. I know I would have supported it.) No one person, acting on his own personal authority, should have the power to send the most potent fighting force in the history of the world into battle.

Thinking about all of this makes me think that rumor about the Republicans not minding the Democrats taking over for four years might be true. There's going to be a lot of fall out coming soon. We won't see how bad the problems really are for a year or two.

If the Democrats are in office, the Republicans can say it's the Dems fault. Isn't that what they normally do. It just doesn't seem like they're putting up the same fight they usually do. Unless it's to early to tell.

maggisd

"I specialized in British Empire Affairs (shows you how old I am) and I never had -- and still don't have -- much optimism about our ability to bring anything to a good conclusion over there."

God willing it won't be another Maiwand.

The problem with getting the War Powers Act before the Scotus is the case and controversy and standing issues. Standing tends to derail many cases that might appear to have constitutional merit. In the WPA case, agruably only Congress would have standing to bring a suit against the Executive over powers bestowed by the WPA since it is Congress' powers that are infringed by the act. But Congress passed the act, and may be estopped from asserting a suit. There are probably a dozen or more ways to try and get around that issue, but none of them would be easy, and the SCOTUS can't rule on anything that isn't before it.

Thanks Nick.
You've been posting some good sites. I'm trying to read more UK and Australia to get a different perspective.

"Sorry, for the rant but I for one, am so disillusioned and disappointed with this particular congress and the DNC that I'm beginning to wonder if anything is going to help, and even if there is any help after the way that this most criminal adminstration has screwed things up."

Ditto PP.

Nick, that piece you linked is a REALLY good read. I was captivated by the first two paragraphs. Oregon Democrat was talking to the point of this article in her post earlier.

"I find comfort in the fact that the longer I'm in politics the less nourishing popularity becomes, that a striving for rank and fame seems to betray a poverty of ambition, and that I am answerable mainly to the steady gaze of my own conscience."

Thus spake Barack Obama. These words appear at the conclusion of the chapter entitled "Politics" in Obama's 2006 book The Audacity of Hope. They also sum up much of what we now know about Obama: a man of stunning articulacy, but also stunning self-regard.

The sentence for raping a child under the age of twelve...?
I think death is to lenient, and anything I would suggest could be viewed as cruel and very creative. My oldest daughter when she was 6, was systematically molested, not raped, along with a number of other children by a Navy Chaplin. His sentence? He had to resign from the Navy. Wonder what neighborhood he is residing in these days?

Fry, I don't think I've ever chatted with an American with such a field of study. How common a major is it in this country? Did a lot of the students end up in the 'business' or in the foreign service?

"The sentence for raping a child under the age of twelve...?
I think death is to lenient, and anything I would suggest could be viewed as cruel and very creative. My oldest daughter when she was 6, was systematically molested, not raped, along with a number of other children by a Navy Chaplin. His sentence? He had to resign from the Navy. Wonder what neighborhood he is residing in these days?"

Fry -- I am of the opinion that the mothers of these children (I know...it's sexist...fathers, too) should be allowed to shoot these asshole down. I don't even consider that capital punishment. I consider it justice.

Fry, I'm not even remotely qualified to comment on the horror you just shared. Do you think that if the death penalty is not possible (?) that mandatory castration would help?

You can laugh or scoff at McCain travelling to South America if you want. But , when South America goes Republican in this year's election, Obama supporters will be sorry!

Barry O must have had a US passport when he went to Indonesia with his US citizen mother. Maybe Gordo can check on this for us. Hey Gordo?

Posted by: Alicia Knight | July 1, 2008 12:52 PM

Alicia, please don't encourage him ... that guy doesn't even have an original thought. All he can do is search conspiracist websites against the big half black devil and piously post them here as if we should care, and claim he is sharing it so we are ready for the "onslaught" against Obama in the general.

Gordo, when you were first posting I thought you were posting some interesting articles in support of a candidate. Now all I see is your attempts to denigrate Obama and for what? It makes about as much sense as asking Nader to give the Keynote Speech at the Democratic National Convention.

I agree with Pogo, Craig and others. STOP IT! Your posts are predictable, pedantic and simply thrown around hoping the shit sticks somewhere, somehow. Do something CONSTRUCTIVE why don't you?

Sorry to Craig for "going off" but this guy is really ready to win an all expenses paid trip to Bellevue.

Corey, somebody better start thinking about South America. We have so many interests in common with many of the republics.

If for no other reason, if we can draw interest away from Hugo Chavez, then perhaps we can 'help' Chavez moderate his reactions to us.

There was a long profile about him in the New Yorker an issue or two ago. He likes seeing himself as the successor to Castro, but I view him more like Panama's Omar Torrijos who died in a plane crash years ago. More of a populist than a communist.

You can laugh or scoff at McCain travelling to South America if you want. But , when South America goes Republican in this year's election, Obama supporters will be sorry!

Posted by: Corey | July 1, 2008 4:13 PM

heheheh Hugo Chavez for McCain 2008 !!

Corey, I can only say I hope McCain likes bananas, rum and marijuana if he's counting on South America to go Republican. :-))

Well, another Tuesday, another swimming pool. manana.

another swimming pool?

A lot of the posts above remind me of the the guy I heard on C-Span the other day and told you about.

Gene Healy is his name and his book is The Cult of the Presidency. It is about how the presidency got to be the percieved chief office of the US. Author talks about how Congress is supposed to be the main decider of almost everything, but individual members of Congress have slowly ceded and even abrogated their powers and thus their responsibility. In other words, it has become too dangerous, apparently, for Congressional people to buck the prez, probably because they end up standing alone and that's probably because the people see the prez differently.

America's dangerous devotion to executive power is the way it is described - maybe a sib-title. The author sure seems to know his subject. He said he usually finds himself on the side of the party out of power.

This business of Obama expanding faith-based initiatives - if he keeps this up, he's taking a dive. He can't say he believes in separation of church and state, and then pull this. I still maintain he has never promised not to appoint pro-life judges to scotus.

BUT so what, actually? Actually, even if he did promise it, that would be no guarantee, not the way he "keeps" his word. This is small town campaigning, the Chicago machine.

Does anybody else get the feeling he is campaigning to evereyone but Americans, esp liberal ones? He's been chevied into going overseas - the audience will be the rest of the world.

He has done nothing to get my respect or trust. Just my own opinion, TWIAE. (to which I am entitled)

If McCain was a REAL politician , he would have taken the time today to visit Canada and secure the Canadian vote. I mean , it IS a holiday there today!

Solitary confinement may be the worst of human punishments, according to some who have told me about it.

We were talking yesterday about the differences between Americans and Canadians.. here's one..

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080701.wmorgentaler0701/BNStory/National/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080701.wmorgentaler0701

I guess it would be annoying to point out that President Bush did get Congressional approval before embarking on the Iraqi enterprise but why let facts get in the way. When the day comes that the War Powers Act is drug before the Supreme Court it will be ruled as unconstitutional since Congress cannot pass any law that abrogates a power granted to the Executive by the Constitution. Only Congress can declare war but the President has the power to commit American forces anywhere at anytime should he judge it necessary, don't like it, ammend the Constitution and go back and take some civic courses before writing another piece of drivel like this one.

Chloe.... you understood me perfectly..... I stopped putting any politician on a pedestal years ago.... and yes I do think corporations basically run this country..... of course.... maybe I've been reading too much Jim Hightower....

and if the Republicans don't put up a fight after Labor Day.... IMO... it will be because they concede this election and hope the Dems fall flat on their faces....

Frydaddy.... you and I think more and more alike.... maybe I should be afraid of this..... lol...

pp.... nice rant.... do more....

bethyboo.... I've never posted to you before.... we seem to keep different hours.... I'm a day person and you apparently are more of a night person....
I just want you to know I read all your posts and I enjoy them very much....

Patsi.... Rick and I did laugh once we got that little bugger outside.... he was an awfully cute little puppy....

"There is too much info to post. Your questions can be answered at the links. "

Gordo speak for "darned if I know, I've just barely learned how to cut and paste".

"There is too much info to post. Your questions can be answered at the links. "

Gordo speak for "darned if I know, I've just barely learned how to cut and paste".

Posted by: Jamie | July 1, 2008 4:47 PM

Totally agree Jamie.

It's like a parrot spouting off "polly want a cracker" but having no idea what it means.

We get a tremendous amount of oil from Venezuela. Chavez, through nationalization, controls the flow of oil from there. So long as there are alternative markets for that oil, he has the ability to threaten us economically by curtailing oil flows to us.

Would this be a lasting problem, probably not because we can buy elsewhere, but it would be a significant problem in the short-run.

Chloe and anyone else interested in British media, this is a one stop access point for everything from the scandal rags to the London Times, BBC etc.

http://www.wrx.zen.co.uk/britnews.htm

The differences between Canada and the U.S. always remind me of the Carlin routine about Baseball and Football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YphEUa5LPjM

Jamie....
ROFL!...
I guess that makes Canada as Baseball and the U.S. as Football.....

of course the biggest difference between the 2 countries is that here in America when we don't get the question we go "uh"....

in Canada even if they get the question.... or there is no question.... they end every sentence with "eh".....

THE LAW***THE LAW***THE LAW
================================
Article Two of the United States Constitution

Clause 5: Qualifications for office

"No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Two_of_the_United_States_Constitution
================================
OVERSEAS BIRTHS

"A child born abroad on or after December 24, 1952 and before November 14, 1986 to one U.S. citizen parent and one non-citizen parent can acquire U.S. citizenship at birth if the U.S. citizen parent can demonstrate that he or she was physically present in the United States for a minimum of ten years, at least five of which were after the age of fourteen, prior to the birth of the child."

http://www.usa.gov.om/overseasbirth.htm
================================
"Because Barack's mother -- born November 29, 1942 -- bore him at the age of 18 years, eight months plus, she could not possibly qualify for the five year requirement.

Thus the bottom line is this: If Obama can't prove he has a certified Hawaiian birth certificate, he's not a natural born American. If he's not a natural born American, he can't be president. That's the law of the land."

From 11:33AM link
================================
THE LAW***THE LAW***THE LAW

I debated with myself if I should say this....

I stopped reading most of Gordo's posts.... but I have no problem with him....
he doesn't call anyone names.... he doesn't try to start a fight with inflammatory language or being snarky..... he never uses foul terms or sexual imagery.....

and it's become more than obvious..... at least to me..... the more you guys try to get him to stop posting.... the more he posts....

his posts are easy to spot and therefore scroll through.....

some say they like to read him.... so what.... to each his/her own.....

Tom

Gordo is no parrot

When a parrot speaks around this house he knows exactly what he means. And if you know what is good for you, you will too. Our blue front Amazon has a vocabulary his words have meaning and he has words that modify other words. He is an intellegent thinking being. He is also mean as hell if he is unhappy.
Check him out on my blog
http://showyourgarden.blogspot.com/

As for Gordo, (shrug) he ain't no parrot. Maybe one day he can aspire to be one.

Jack

Renee, good comment. I frankly don't read the posts either ... I can spot b.s. a mile away. I suppose it does no good to criticize him. I just think it's a waste that someone invests so much time posting conspiracy theories from wacky people with suspect data. If it brings him pleasure, by all means he should keep doing it. I doubt that he is bringing a real educational value to the discussion, in fact, there isn't a discussion.. just more posting. I don't want to guess what the bottom line agenda is, but it has to be more than "educating" us ignorant ones on what Repugs are saying about Obama. To me it is more sinister .. degrade, denigrate and destroy as payback for Hillary ?? Problem with that is, for the Hillary supporters as well as the Barack supporters, we lose! I am tired, off to bed.

xoxoxoxo

Jack, point well taken my friend!

Patsi,

"I am of the opinion that the mothers of these children (I know...it's sexist...fathers, too) should be allowed to shoot these asshole down.'

I guess you could plead to temporary insanity, unfortunately it might end up more than just temporary, and there is the chance you would still be convicted and sentence to prison. That is not out of the realm of possibility as women who have been victims of physical abuse for many years by their husbands, lovers etc.,and finally snap and kill the SOB have often been found guilty of murder or a lesser form of murder, and sentence to prison.

Chole,

"I'm not even remotely qualified to comment on the horror you just shared."

This is one topic you don't have to be qualified to form an opinion. Castration would not have been much help in my daughter's case, and although the idea seems appealing, I am not convinced that castration by itself would stop a child molester from acting on their desires.

Limpiacanyon -

What words in the Constitution grant the executive power the right to commit American troops anywhere anytime he thinks necessary? Are you considering the executive's status as Commander-in-chief?

Also, Limpiacanyon - it should be "is dragged", not
"is drug" , since dragged is both the past tense and past participle of the verb "to drag." Also, "amend" has only one "m."

Of course, I didn't check with every dictionary or style book.

RebelliousRenee - thanks for the words. I feel the same way about you. Yours I always read.

As to Gordo, I hold with those who say leave him alone. He doesn't swear or impugn the validity or honesty of anyone here. Once again, don't read his posts.

If we're gonna impose a rule that you have to be right, well, there goes THIS blog!

Off to the doc.

Flatus,

"Fry, I don't think I've ever chatted with an American with such a field of study. How common a major is it in this country? Did a lot of the students end up in the 'business' or in the foreign service?"

Well I would have liked to responded to your question, but I am not sure what you are referring to.

"Why don't we all gang up on GORDO" Hypocrisy
Ganging up seems to be an epidemic here sometimes.

Fry, I'm not a bit surprised that you have no idea what I was talking about; it wasn't your message but Maggisd's reply to you. My _very_ dumb. :(
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/war-power-still-a-debate-worth.html#comment-109438

"This business of Obama expanding faith-based initiatives - if he keeps this up, he's taking a dive. "

Yes! Bethy -- I shouldn't be surprised at this move, but YUK!

" I am not convinced that castration by itself would stop a child molester from acting on their desires."

Fry -- I think you've hit on a big issue here, Fry. I worry that this might even make the rapes more violent and dangerous. Since rape is about power and not sex, it would be a logical conclusion.

Remember the Alamo. Remember Fritz. I know GORDO keeps posting about BHO's birth certificate, but what seems a bit confusing about his argument, GORDO is claiming because BHO's mother married a foreigner and gave birth to him before him before she reached the age of 19, BHO is not a citizen. The main point is BHO's mother was a citizen of the US, she gave birth to him in Hawaii, the 50th state of the US, so I can not see how BHO is not a US citizen. Baltimore, MD and a lot of seaports here in the US are filled with young women who gave birth to a child whose father was a foreign seaman before they reached the age of 19, and their children are considered US citizen.

Flatus,

"Fry, I'm not a bit surprised that you have no idea what I was talking about"

LOL. You had me scratching my head. LOL

FISA and it's political impact
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/07/wag_the_blog_fisa_problems_for.html?hpid=topnews

Limpiacanyon,

Only Congress" can declare war but the President has the power to commit American forces anywhere at anytime should he judge it necessary"

Members forget Bill Clinton didn't seek Congress' approval before sending our troop over to Kosovo, and placing them NATO's command. And as a Bush fan I can't fault Clinton for doing what Bush did. It all comes down to who is wearing your team's jersey. Congress will need to man-up and give the POTUS a declaration of war should we need to invade Afghanistan/Pakistan. Iraq is messy, Afghanistan will be brutal, just ask the Russians.

It won't be long before Israel's blamed for EVERYTHING in the world including including BushCo's multitudinous blunders, illegal & otherwise and the US economy.

Why don't we called China, the one's we trade big with, COMMUNIST China? They're now bigger capitalists than the Free World, and they seem to own the US.

And what about the Straight of Hormuz? Iran's threatening to shut it down to oil passage if Israel or the US does a preemptive strike against them. What about Oman? They're on the other side of the straight. Why can't oil move on their side of the straight?

tt

Before I leave for the night. We can't kick GORDO off this blog, we are much better than that.

Oh, I don't think anyone advocated voting Gordo off the island.....just asked him to expand to more diverse topics. Come on G-man....we know you can find some other problems. Get on board with me and the telecommunications lobby connection.

"I am not convinced that castration by itself would stop a child molester from acting on their desires." Posted by: FryDaddy

Fry,
I was just pretty overwhelmed with what I felt about what you and your family had gone through. And I didn't really know what to say.

Reg. castration alternative to death penalty, have you ever seen what castration does to an animal? They no longer have those desires. The sex hormones die down to almost nothing.

Jamie, I appreciate the British Media online link. (That should keep me going for a while). Thanks.

Marcia,
I saw your post this morning, and have a question We've only been to Canada for a visit (over 20 years ago), but my husband is still saying it would be a great place to live. I always sluff it off but I'm still curious about it. Do you like it here better? I'd really like to hear what you have to say about it. You know, Canada compared to living here. Since you've lived both places.

night.

It's sure not worth it to get into it here, but I do find some of the suggestions and insinuations brought up on the sites in which Gordo links to be offensive. Obviously many here would not agree.

However, I'm not suggesting any sort of censure of him either or anyone for that matter. We can be civil with our slander and smears. I'm for equal opportunity offending . LOL

here is a good story and commentary about McCain and his use of his pow status.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/01/john-mccain-im-shocked-shocked-that-theres-campaigning-going-on-here/

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

Somebody please shoot me right now. One more reason I'm happy to have taken my name off the DNC list:

From the Denver Post --

DENVER — Warning to Southern delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver this August: it will be a no-fry zone.

As part of the effort to make the August 25-28 convention the greenest ever, the Democrats' guidelines for food catering include one that strikes at the heart of Southern cuisine: no fried food.

No fried chicken. No fried catfish. No fried green tomatoes. No fried okra. No fried anything.

In promoting healthy eating habits, the Democratic guidelines say every meal should be nutritious and include "at least three of the following colors: red, green, yellow, purple/blue and white."

"It's the new patriotism," says Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, the driving force behind the greening of the convention.

___________________

The new patriotism? Anybody remember Freedom Fries?

"I'm for equal opportunity offending ."

Does this mean I can call you a maroon from time to time, Rez??? :)

HI Everyone,

Maybe the "no-fry"zone is a not so subtle attempt to educated people about eating better . Seeing as obesity has now reached epidemic numbers in the USA.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/fit.nation/obesity.map/

UB, I think it will be portrayed as a crass attempt to foist an ultra-left agenda on an unsuspecting public.

you think they might be serving any arugula ?

Denver is no fried food bastion....but it's just stupid to put that entire concept out there. Plus, I've eaten fried food my entire life and I ain't fat. My theory has always been -- eat whatever the hell you want to, in moderation. But then I'm one of those people who can eat three potato chips.

so that mean the won't have "funnel " cake?

Kind of interesting the way that food and Presidents are linked together.

Reagan - jelly beans
Bush 1 - I hate broccoli
Clinton - fast food burgers
Bush 2 - anything but crow
next???

"ou think they might be serving any arugula ?"

Ha....probably just more rubber chicken and soggy salads.

they should nix the chicken and serve tofu....lol

I was growing arugula, but it fried on the vine.

"Bush 2 - anything but crow" -- Burrito

"I was growing arugula, but it fried on the vine." -- Ivy

Props to both!

what was it bush 2 choked on ?

pretzles

I think ?

i keep thinking corn chips or pork skins, but pretzles fits in there also.......

anyway but fried....

Fried tofu is very tasty.

I'm just sick of anybody, Dem, Republican or anybody else, telling me how to live my friggin' life -- what foods to eat, don't smoke, wear a seat belt, whatever....

And while all this crappola is being preached at the citizenry, we've got major corporations pumping out poisons in the atmosphere, producing potentially dangerous medications, making bigger and better bombs, bigger and better gas guzzlers -- God knows what. But in the end, it's "YOU people better quit eating that fried chicken and smokin' them Marlboros because you are destroying this country."

I know, I like it too, but there will be "no-frying" at the DNC convention.

"Fried tofu is very tasty"

In bacon grease.

Jack

Does this mean I can call you a maroon from time to time, Rez??? :)

NP, as long as I can get away with referring to you as a bitter old hag every once in a while : )

BOB WILLS-ROLY POLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEPt6kH2oQQ

Roly Poly?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DVStlC-9Hc

Patsi: Or, as my daughter would say, "I'm sick and tired of these Baby Boomers and their fat-free lives."

this is mucho weirdo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xECNrYxRUA

bob wills is still the king.......

Fried Chicken song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb_XDw51D6c

This is very funny
Jack

It is believed by most that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He has not yet provided certified documentation to prove those claims. We have a photoshopped Certification of Live Birth (COLB) on an Obama site and Daily Kos.

His mother did not meet the five year requirement. For BO to be a natural born citizen (a requirement for POTUS), he had to be born on US soil. Was he? We don't know. Was he born at Kapioloni Medical Center or Queens Medical Center? Both have been referenced. Why was 3-week old Barry taken on a brief visit to Mercer Island, Washington in August, 1961?

There is too much detail to post.

For a technical analysis of the net COLBs:

Proof positive that Photoshop was used on the BC image posted in the Daily Kos

http://polarik.blogtownhall.com/2008/06/29/proof_positive_that_photoshop_was_used_on_the_bc_image_posted_in_the_daily_kos.thtml

For Daily Kos involvement:

Daily Kos, an Obama Activist, and Forged Birth Certifications

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/06/28/daily-kos-an-obama-activist-and-forged-birth-certifications/

ha ha ......that fried chicken song looks like my neighborhood growing up........Thanks

Attention Patsi and Jack "Fried Chicken and Women" Whitey Johnson aka Gary Nicholson.

this is as cool a video as I have seen in a while

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YCWZYEEWMaI

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

I'm sure the DNC will ease the rule so that their eastern attendees can enjoy that western delicacy, Rocky Mountain Oysters.

dan penn, memphis and fried chicken take me away......

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WrXszpu3r3Y&feature=related

"NP, as long as I can get away with referring to you as a bitter old hag every once in a while : )"

Rez -- you are one of the few I'd let get by with calling me a bitter old hag.... :) Although I prefer pissy bitch....

Dooty
I'm ready let everybody else go to Denver.

I'm for Memphis and fried chicken.
Maybe a little BBQ on the side

Jack

All right I'll bite ... why was he taken to Mercer Island? I mean, give me a break ... Mercer Island? Of all the non-alarming and non-threatening places a person could visit, surely Mercer Island tops the list.
Personally I'm a lot more interested about Sen Obama's recent policy shifts, which he claims represent long-held views. Not!

woops....sorry Horse..... i think dan wrote it though, so consider it just a different version.......

Speaking of BBQ -- as Jack was. Sad news here. Kansas City BBQ in San Diego, featured in the film Top Gun, was entirely gutted by fire last weekend. Fortunately, no injuries, but a total loss. A sad passing for San Diego, which has all too few good BBQ joints.

Maggis
It was a visit to the grandparents. Maybe she needed help with the new baby and was too far away from any support. I've seen it happen. So she went home to mom and dad

Jack

All right I'll bite ... why was he taken to Mercer Island?

to meet Johnny Mercer?

senor Pescado,

I have always been under the impression that Gary wrote it but it seems you are correct and I stand corrected. Still a great song.

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

Jack: I can relate to that, entirely.
But, of course, that's the absurdity of this entire birth certificate thing. All this nonsense about the mother having to live in the US for 5 years after the age of 14 or 16 or whatever applies to the children of naturalized citizens. As the child of a natural-born American mother, Sen Obama would be an American by birth no matter where he was born. The relevant law is quite easy to google...

Another Roly Poly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DVStlC-9Hc

Doots -- Thanks for the Gray Nicholson vid -- he's the ticket. And Jack...you have ruined my life with this Youtube stuff!!!!! I love it.

love fried okra only way to eat it

beets will never cross my lips

I too love lima beans and navy beens

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

Well, I love beats as well, especially the thin brooding type who dress in black and recite really bad poetry.

But beets?! Food should not be maroon.

another dan penn song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M35Faqm6oIA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyzuxNLVG0o&feature=related

Maggisd
Has anything Gordo posted here ever made sense?

My biggest problem with Gordo is his conspiracies are so ignorant and not even entertaining. All of his "coulda happened" senarios just want to make me yawn, who cares.

Jack

Dooty: A person after my own heart. I can't even watch other people eat beets...my ex considered it a serious character flaw and I long suspected him of going out to eat beets when he told me he was going to a hail and farewell with the other swabbies.

I learn at a very early age how to look like I was eating my lima beans, then I would discretely cough them into my napkin.

I had the timing down to an art.

the beat goes on.

Jack: The thing that pesters me about it is that it's such a crummy way to subvert an election ... and we've had quite enough of that type of thing, thank you very much.

"oh lighten up, it's a joke for god's sake. "

Are you ig'nert? That whole conversation between Rez and me was a joke. GET IT?

A housekeeper for every antidote.

What about the one shipped home for being a racist?

Maggis
It was a visit to the grandparents. Maybe she needed help with the new baby and was too far away from any support. I've seen it happen. So she went home to mom and dad

Jack

Posted by: whskyjack | July 1, 2008 9:47 PM

Jack: Personally, I think the birth certificate thing is a bunch of hooey. However, according to Wikipedia, Obama's grandparents moved to Hawaii in 1960 when his mother did. I don't believe they were living on Mercer Island when Obama's mother travelved there with him when he was three weeks of age.

burrito: I know quite a few people who don't like beans of any kind. Me? I even like brussels sprouts and cooked cabbage.

Max: Actually, Obama called HIllary "Bush-Cheney lite". Even worse than Republican lite.

Jack: Link to Wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madelyn_and_Stanley_Dunham

Apologies for not putting it with my post.

Max: I agree with you on the ever-shifting positions. Especially since Sen Obama apparently is trying to have it that he has not changed his position on anything. Sen McCain at least has had the good grace to acknowledge that he has changed his mind about oil drilling and the border fence.
But, none of that has anything to do with where he was born or whether he's a citizen. I googled all this stuff this morning and pasted the relevant URLs. Obama could have been born in Outer Mongolia and he would still be a citizen because his mother was a natural-born American.

Ally - did you ever get those prints of Hillary you spoke about before? I was wondering if they were good quality?

Ally: Actually, Obama called HIllary "Bush-Cheney lite". Even worse than Republican lite.

Apparently that was before Obama himself saw the lite.

"She was black patsi. She and my dad would would eat tomatoes off the vine from the garden they shared, washing them down with cold Buds. "

Glad she was treated like "one of the family"......of COURSE she was black.....

Honolulu-Seattle, Roundtrip in ‘61?

"Why would Ann Dunham, at age 18, travel from Honolulu to Mercer Island (outside of Seattle) with a newborn infant for a “brief” visit?"

http://texasdarlin.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/honolulu-seattle-roundtrip-in-61/

The Magic Seal, The Mystery Candidate [UPDATE]

"A high-school acquaintance of Stanley Ann Dunham told me that Stanley Ann and baby Barry came through town alone in August 1961 on their way to see Barack Sr. at Harvard in Boston, and that Barack Sr. was not present at his son’s birth.

This explanation surprised me because supposedly Barack Sr. did not go to Boston until 1963, two years later. If the account is true, however, it would indicate that time lines provided by Obama about his family history are inaccurate."

http://texasdarlin.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/the-magic-seal-the-mystery-candidate/

=========================================

Try going to the usadotgov website on overseas births. The link is in my 5:20 PM post.

Memo to Obama: Moving to the Middle is for Losers
by Arianna Huffington, 06.30.2008

I can unequivocally say that by running to the middle in an attempt to attract undecided swing voters, the Obama campaign is making a very serious mistake.
--arianna huffington

Ally

Then it was a move away from interfering parents. Mercer provided the distance, yet was a safe familiar place. There how is that.;-)
I'm beginning to believe that Obama's mother is better for the campaign as a revered deceased person. I suspect she had a bit of a wild streak that wouldn't fit well with a presidential campaign.

Jack

" I even like brussels sprouts and cooked cabbage. "

DITTO!

"She was followed by Elsa who my mother "brought over" from Peru because she wanted us all to learn Spanish."

ROFL!

Because I so dislike all this anonymous stuff, I'm going to correct your word usage, anonymous 2.0...

it's not antidote, it's anecdote.

Burrito: I have the prints but haven't opened the tube yet. The floods derailed me for a couple of weeks. I will open them up in the next couple of days and report back...

Thanks for asking!

great, I am curious.

I think they are out of circulation now...If you end up with more then you need...I'd be interested in taking one off you hands.

Here's my earlier post containing a url with information about what natural-born citizen means.

Anyone with an interest in this birth certificate - citizenship nonsense, the following site will provide useful information

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode08/usc_sec_08_00001401----000-.html

As I have stated before, even if Obama had been born in Outer Mongolia, it makes no difference, since his mother was a natural-born US citizen.

Nope...not lurking...just catching up on reading posts. You may send all the beets to me I'll save Maggi from any further beet-related agony. I love most beans, too, but you can keep the okra...I'll eat it fried, but the slimy version is to gag for.

Burrito: Go to this link. They have one version available:

http://www.hillarygear.com/accessories.htm

anonymous / anonymous 2.0 - how silly - I wonder if they have the same IP address? Maybe on is home and one is office...lol

okay, everyone have a great night...

Hey thanks, I was having trouble finding that before...

very nice !

: )

Harborwoman: Beet-related agony is the perfect description. One of the most horrible memories of my childhood was watching my grandparents eat borscht ...

RE: the birth certificate....my daughter was born in Germany. Even though we were a "military family" she was born in a German hospital and her birth certificate is completely in German with NO reference to our being American military. But she had no problem going right on my passport as an American citizen.....

The light is starting to fade here ... have to turn off the computer so I can turn on some lights. Have a good night everyone.

maggisd---------------------------

Please go to this US Government website on OVERSEAS BIRTHS.

http://www.usa.gov.om/overseasbirth.htm

Patsi- plus, your daughter would not have been eligible to be a German under their law unless you or your husband were German-

Kathy -- we were told, although who knows if it was right, that when Tracy turned 18 she could petition to become a German citizen. If she did nothing, she was still an American!

These laws are not what most of us believed. It can get complex. I am trying to use government websites when possible.

Gordo- your las site was for Oman.

Patsi- this is from Wiki
German citizenship may be acquired by naturalisation by those with permanent residence who have lived in Germany for 8 years. Additional requirements include an adequate command of the German language and an ability to be self-supporting without recourse to welfare.

Applicants for naturalisation are normally expected to prove they have renounced their existing nationality, or will lose this automatically upon naturalisation. An exception applies to those unable to give up their nationality easily (such as refugees).

I have considered getting Irish citizenship as well - I know a few who have- does anyone here have double citizenship?

"I'm curious about something how do the rest of you feel about Joe Horn this man in Texas who shoot the robbers robbing his neighbors house was let off by a grand jury?"

It was in Pasadena...what else do you need to know?

Borscht...that explains everything. I perfectly understand your antipathy. That said, would you be willing to try getting beyond the horrid experience of your youth?

Magee, try a small serving of Harvard Beets.

You might be surprised to discover that you like them. Have someone else prepare them and sneak them into the house when you're not looking.

Or you might be able to skip that step if you take a look at this recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Harvard-Beets/Detail.aspx

Flatus -- I'm ambivalent about beets, but that recipe sounds a lot like what my mother made once in a while.

Patsi, we don't have them often, but when we do serve them people always seem well pleased.

Flatus...

Beets are also delicious when included in a pan of roasted root vegetables. Yummmmmmm.........

Gordo, I believe the law that you wrote about was enacted to stop abuses such as what commonly would occur in the Canal Zone.

Women from Panama City would walk across the street into the Canal Zone and give birth believing that their child would be an American citizen. Sadly, they were disappointed.

Kathy ------------------------------------

I'll have to look for a non-specific overseas birth link. Here is a link to an identical description of one U.S. citizen parent. It's down in the article.

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12944.htm

hey Patsi , you have your own acronym now..lol . . BOH. . not to be confused wth BHO..:)

HW, I have no trouble believing that. I'll have to figure out what to serve them with--pot roast is out because our traditional recipe is sacrosanct. Hmm, maybe barbecued ribs.

Flatus...I sometimes make a pan of roasted root veggies for snacks. They're especially good in the fall and winter...just feels right.

I love Brussels sprouts too! We call them "little green men's heads." Lightly saute, a little olive oil, salt and pepper - yummy! :)

I've had those, Ivy. They are good...but I can only eat a few. They're very rich.

Whoa! Looks as though Darcy Burner's young son saved his entire family from a home fire. She's a local Democrat, who is running for House of Reps against Dave Reichert (R).

God bless her son, and may she defeat Reichert in November!

Here's the info on the fire at Burner's home. Her son is 5....

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/369117_burner02.html

Gordo,

I realize that this birth certificate issue is like porn for you but you still have failed to answer the question why McCain hasn't seized upon it if it were valid? Why hasn't fox news? Why hasn't any legitmate, American, news source picked up the story?

Because they figure its bullshit. Craig asked you to limit the posts on the topic and you treat us to a real of money shots on the topic.

You made enough glue to supply Elmer's for a year...move on to your Obama is an anti semite topic now...

Nope...wouldn't say let 'em burn about anyone, I don't think. But I do think it's very cool that a five-year-old saved his family. It's just coincidence, I suppose, that it's a politician I hope wins her next race....

I'm not sure about Irish citizenship, but through the "Grandfather clause" I am a Canadian citizen with the right to live and work in the UK. Before 2002, I could have applied directly to be a UK citizen living overseas, but after 9/11, they changed criteria. I'm sure Ireland has a website about citizenship. As a matter of fact, I just found a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_nationality_law

Why would Repubs go after Obama now? If they have very damaging info, it would be used in October. Same goes for Fox News and some other "news" outlets. The "news" organizations that favor Obama will try to protect him now and in the future.

Well, that's it for me. If I disappear after July 22nd, I'll likely be found in an alley all "festivaled out". Started with F1 race on June 7 and hasn't stopped. Man i'm pooped, but this is just so much fun! Nite everyone.

Okay - hold onto your hats - you won't believe this.

In addition to others aches and pains, I have been dealing with either a sinus infection or an abcessed tooth lately. It finally delcared itself to be an abcessed tooth tonight. I found one a new kind of dentiat in the yellow pages, and called to leave a message on an answering machine.

This nice woman answered, sounding a little beleaguered, and it was HER...uh...SHE... the dentist. I don't know her but blurted out what was she doing there at 10:30 pm. She is going on vacation tomorrow for 3 weeks and was finishing up paperwork and the phone hadn't been turned off!

She gave me the name of an endodontist she would have sent me to, anyway, and his phone number.

I have real problems, obviously, with dentists, but I like this lady.

You guys still at it, huh? Weird.

Anyway, just gotta say Obama is looking more GWB-ian every day, especially with his recent oligarchical proposal that sounds eerily familiar to 'faith-based initiatives".

What a bunch of schmucks we have for leaders. Maybe our government is more representative than I thought.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080702/ap_on_el_pr/obama_faith

Oh yeah...

Ron Paul.

Isn't Ron Paul from Texas?

This election is all about shoes, yes shoes. sounds silly
But thing about this

Every time you get on a plane you have to take your shoes off.

Obama and the Democ"rats" want you to keep taking your shoes off.

McCain and the Republicans when you to put them back on and never take them off again

So which is it "SHOES ON" or "SHOES OFF"

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

Patsi; 4:03 pm......... It should not be considered capital punishment but, justifiable homicide. BTW thanx for the ditto, also Chloe and pogo.

At the risk of being ignored, I have to say I'm with Gordo........If there was only a way.............

Good Night All.

I said a month ago or whenever my money is on Webb, though from the recent media coverage of Clark, it seems as though you may be right.

I think the Obama camp is in such a commanding position right now that they don't need to play geography or demographics with the VP pick, hence the Clinton surrogate with military credentials. McCain is so toast, I don't know why you (or I, though a lot more casually lately) are paying attention still. Dewey defeats Truman my ass, if you dig.

So it looks like I'll be out $20 bucks, but I usually back the losing horse, so I'm consistent if nothing else. That's why I was initially suspicious of Obama, because I voted for him in the primary and he won. I ALWAYS pick the loser. ALWAYS. That I didn't that time was a big red flag.

"This election is all about shoes, yes shoes. sounds silly
But thing about this...

Posted by: VJ Machiavelli | July 2, 2008 3:22 AM"

Is this the type of offbeat, witty, and provocative analysis I can expect from your blog on a consistent basis? Because, if so, I am so there, all day, every day. I like how you copped the name "Machiavelli", too. It shows you have read at least one book in your lifetime, or have heard of it.

Signed,

AJ Sun-Tzu