Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

zip ba de do daaaa?

Woo Hoo!

Ahhh just got me...
Go CT

Ct-you beat me, guess I'll just have to keep trying. One fine day.......

Good morning. Looks like a lot of people stayed up late last night -- 316 comments after midnight? Wow.

One fine day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8LmTaVrPl8

I'm Tweeting whilst watching Morning Joe. I don't know why I'm so drawn to that show -- I jut want to scream at the TV half the time.

Ping, I sat there staring at that 0 and refreshing over and over so I wouldn't have to be first. I didn't want to have egg on my face first thing in the morning.

Ya'll just let me be first. I know.

Wake up Di, those comments are from all day yesterday starting at midnight.

I'm going to give Obama an A for the first 100 days. The economy is sloooowly returning, the stimulus money is starting to have an effect. So much of an effect that my local GOP Congressman is out and about touring local programs that are receiving stimulus help -- back slapping and jaw-boning withthe peeps and hoping they'll forget that he voted against the very package from which they are now benefiting.

My job's workload has increased tremendously due to stimulus money, and the attendant redesign of programs that receive the money will keep me increasingly busy for at least another two years.

Gas prices are down, people are buying up the foreclosed homes in my neighborhood and moving in. Now if we can tackle health care and college costs, life will be even sweeter.

The Good - BO has not established a Foreign Policy?? Going around and apologizing for the prior administrations reactions to defend its home land by reacting to an attack on our Country. (and as we are learning actions approved by the Congress in many ways... Film at 11)
That is no Foreign Policy? That is taking the Ameircan Political Agenda across the Boarders. To the World it has made BO appear weak.

And now BO will try to look forward to those that are our Enemy but falls to the pressure of those that harbor Hate in his own Country.
That is not how a leader should act.

So Craig - No Points

CT - I had to log back on - Been on the Road all week covering the South and Puerto Rico !!!!

Now off to work.. Maybe one more quick post

Divalicias - Any Economic signs today are not Stimulus $$ - It is Stimulus Positive Attitude.
The FUNDAMENTALS of OUR ECONOMY are STRONG.... The Correction from the bad loan crisis will take time.
Barack has also slowed it down by the continued SCARE of his Liberal Socialistic actions and threats to Free Market.
But I do give him credit for action as the FAT CATS need to go.... The Fear of BO will help American Corps behave in a better manner

My sister is coming in this afternoon after I get off of work today. I will now only have time to sneak a lurk. Well maybe when she is doing her crossword puzzle or her sudoku but I won't have time for ya'll to leave me out in the woods holding that bag with pickle relish in it waiting for the bird to jump in. Nope.

If you are not sure what I am talking about, don't worry, your still asleep.

so the snipe are safe?

You betcha Sturge.

and in keeping with my opening today.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pJ9jEOPMcI&feature=related

more uncle remus:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/us/01remus.html

ct, and to be fair here's one for those of a different persuasion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71smG5d29to&feature=related

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222420

Thanks CT -- It's hard for me to keep up all day long with this blog. I'm working so much lately there's just not enough time to read through entire threads.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buckaroobob/879193665/

sleep till noon?

oh good.......rob bartlett's song stylings are back.......

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222424

Pingpong -- Liberalistic Socialism sounds good to me!

actually, that old irving berlin had a good line applicable to our torture talks...to paraphrase: forget shooting the buglar who got us up, shoot the the guy who got the buglar up.

as for the first hundred days grade, imo, obama gets a gold star for just making it thru the first one.

that mad magazine cover says it all...

" It's hard for me to keep up all day long with this blog. I'm working so much lately there's just not enough time to read through entire threads. ...'

OK Di, if I can do it, you can do it. You just have to learn to multitask. Sneak a peak between patients, do a chore, read a comment, run out and play, read a comment. Skip them if they are too long and you would fall asleep trying to finish them. You can do it girl. May have to give up a couple of hours of sleep but what if you miss that comment that says run, the world is on fire.

and let me tell you, I occasionally have to clean the toothpaste from between the keys of my laptop.

zip-a-de-dooo-baaaaaaah

http://www.snapshots.net/cartoons/00719-funny-cartoons-rebel-sheep.gif

Bonus check came to $66.76. I was the high person at the break table last night.

Bonus check came to $66.76. I was the high person at the break table last night.

Posted by: Corey Author Profile Page | April 24, 2009 7:58 AM

what, did you spend it on drugs?

Add a $5.91 check from my insurance company that! Woo hoo! Sturge, there is a story on the Yahoo! front page about a woman from South Carolina who says she saw Jesus in her cheese toast.

I think it never dawned on the republican "leaders" that they would not be able to steal the last election.....it was just too big for them and all just too much out of control and now they're all scrambling like las cucurachas as the heat really seems to be building......turn it up....

we impeached a president over a blowjob, fahchrissakes......

corey.......everybody down south knows that if you wanna see jeebus you gotta go to the holy cheese toast............

OMG Corey....
there's three 6s in that bonus check..... it's from the devil my son.... burn it!

CBob.... great video..... great truck.... great music....

Warren... and then there were some of us who could see through your little game right from the start..... you're too good to be a true badass....

Max.... although I know Patsi will want to reach through her screen and slap me up aside the head.... I too think Hillary is still the right leader for today's world stage.....

I will give Obama a B for his first 100 days.... he's doing good.... but still has much to learn.... he's smart.... hope he learns fast....

I'm giving Obama an A and the Republicans an F.

The media isn't even worth grading and the American public gets a C except for the tea party people and they get an S for silly.

I saw the Russell Crowe pic and recommend it. It's a tiny tribute to print newspapers and that was goofy but the story is fast moving and the performances good. I think Ben Affleck must have spent a lot of time looking a videos of Eric Cantor.

there's a lot to learn from that cantor guy:

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

mornin'

Craig, good post, notwithstanding Ping's assessment. Reagan would have given you the same score Ping did, then gone and invaded an island with no real army just to show how tough we are.

I'm never sure what "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" is supposed to mean - housing? not so much; manufacturing? hmmmm ; financial sector? kinda in the tank; equities market? in the gutter; fast food? that must be it.

Of course I am of the opinion that Obama has been put in the unenviable positon of havein to sow what Bushco reaped. How good could it look?

duh - Obama is having to REAP what Bushco SOWED. (It's early yet, no?)

Here's a very good example of the problem with such vaunted groups as the coal industry telling us anything about climate change - they simply lie - and spend a whole lotta moolah doing it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/science/earth/24deny.html?_r=1&hp

From the introduction to Carville's new Book:

Now we come to our second harbinger of disaster. The Bush administration, like a bunch of teenagers with a new car, was eager to take [Matthew] Dowd's strategy for a test drive as they came into office. They wanted to see how far from the middle, how distant from truth, they could go.

And here let's take a quick minute for Carville's story time. I've got a real good one, courtesy of my friend Terry McAuliffe, who's done exhaustive, and, I might add, unchallenged research on the subject of Republican falsehoods. I'll tell you this story because it gives us great insight into just how far they were willing to go and how great the consequences of such a comparatively small lie were.

When the Bush administration was first moving into the White House, doing whatever it is Republicans do to feel at home, someone decided the staff would claim that the "Clinton people" trashed the White house. Although I'm not prepared to name a suspect at this point in time, I might venture a general guess that the suspect's initials are Karl Rove.

It was a very involved process, putting out this rumor. The Bush people got creative, giving us an early inkling of that loose relationship with the truth we'd see so much of later on. They told everyone that these Clinton maniacs had removed all the "W" keys from the keyboards of the computer. (I have a lot of things in my closet, but no keyboard keys.) Then the Bush folks set about shopping this rumor to see if the press would bite, if the Democrats would protest, and generally just see how far they could take the strategy.

Ari Fleischer got out and said that the Bush administration staff would be "cataloging" the extensive vandalism that was being rumored of the Clinton staffers. The exact quote? As reported by the New York Post, Fleischer said, "What we are doing is cataloging [what] took place." Fleischer volunteered that the White House might itemize the cost of the pranks to taxpayers, but graciously conceded that the cataloging was "very informal -- we're going to note it and that's that. Nothing will ever come of it."

The ease with which Republicans were able to feed fiction into the national news cycle told the White House that (a) they could say whatever they wanted and the press would not challenge them; (b) the Democrats were too confused or afraid to mount a vigorous defense; and (c) the public was willing to believe their lies. It wasn't until May that the media finally conceded to debunk the rumor.

http://books.simonandschuster.com/9781416569893

looks like Jane Harman's bathwater may be getting a little warmer than is comfortable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/us/politics/24harman.html?hp

there are a lot of Repug sighs of relief this morning as they read the papers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/us/politics/24cong.html?hp

(And would someone tell Boner to STFU? God, is that man STUPID!!!)

A little more light shed on the decision to use torture at Gitmo - it was apparently the cabal against the rest of the defense ans intelligence community. Of course the cabal prevailed.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/fbi-werent-the-only-ones_b_190708.html

I agree pogo. Boner is of the same ilk as Hannity. What they lack in intelligence - they "make up for" with a willingness to say completely outrageous things - no matter how far they diverge from the truth. They get by on an aggressive smugness.

Boner definitely has a slap worthy personality.

Score a couple for the libertarians:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/

"I would let people gamble on the Internet,” Frank said. “I would let adults smoke marijuana; I would let adults do a lot of things, if they choose.”

-Barney Frank

warren - I see Boner as a guy who is so accustomed to being on the losing end of things that he doesn't recognize a win and doesn't know what the hell to do when he's actually winning something - except of course to keep fighting as if he's losing. I've known lawyers like that - they are the ones who the judge has to tell to shut up and sit down after he has sustained their objections. It never ceases to amaze me.

"obama gets a gold star for just making it thru the first one."

... I don't know how he does it.... always come's out smelling like a rose (?)

It's like he is judged by a different set of standards than everyone else.

corey, now we must be ecumenical about this becheesus toast stuff. yahoo probably posts reports of allah seen written in the tahini topping on falafels all the time. some of said miracles reported on youtube:

http://www.55a.net/firas/english/?page=show_det&id=88

"ALLAH shows us always one of his signs,sometimes on the animals ,sometimes in the nature and now we see it on a human,mister Abdulmatin Tasdemirli from turkey...'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Oarz2LthDk

.. a fun read

'Financial engineering brought us to the edge of ruin, but human engineering—directed evolution—will reshape the global economy, and sooner than you think.

The Next Big Thing: A New You
"As countries and industries grow increasingly overwhelmed by wave after wave of bankruptcies, layoffs, restructurings, botched contracts, and embarrassing bonuses, they might lose sight of a second, much larger set of tsunamis gathering force over the horizon. While the economy is melting down, technology is moving forward at an even faster rate. The ability to adapt to the accelerating pace of change will determine who survives.

.... we are gradually becoming a different species; we are moving from Homo sapiens into Homo evolutis, a human being that deliberately engineers its own evolution and that of other species. "
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4843

warren I heard Barney on one of the Sirius Left shows yesterday on my way home - socially he is a dyed in the wool libertarian. One of his closest allies on many issues in Congress is Ron Paul. And he seems to be very cautious on fiscal and monetary issues - withholding judgment until he hears from all sides on the issues. He may be easy to lampoon by the RW nutcases because of his appearance, lifestyle, etc., but he would be very difficult to argue with - so of course they don't.

That being said - although I welcome his support...

He is not the "front man" you want out there trying to pitch libertarian ideas to middle America.

We are wallowing in a pool of minutia.

And, if a courageous someone fails to step forward declaring an end to word-processed, special-interest generated, garbage from entering our legislative halls, we will be sucked into the pool just as if it was quicksand.

why do they call it quicksand when you go down so slow.....

(at least in movies you sink in slow.......only quicksand i ever saw was in a movie.....if you don't count pluff mud.....and you can't sink much past your knees in pluff mud....)

The two sides of the Us vs. Them debate:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/04/24/the_rooted_and_the_rootless_96154.html

"This divide here is not Republicans versus Democrat, so much as it is NASCAR versus The New York Times."

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-maher24-2009apr24,0,927819.story

"If conservatives don't want to be seen as bitter people who cling to their guns and religion and anti-immigrant sentiments, they should stop being bitter and clinging to their guns, religion and anti-immigrant sentiments."

This stuff may be fun - but I am glad Obama is trying to steer clear of it. Hopefully he will be successful - cause this kind of nonsense gets us nowhere fast.

"The ease with which Republicans were able to feed fiction into the national news cycle told the White House that (a) they could say whatever they wanted and the press would not challenge them; (b) the Democrats were too confused or afraid to mount a vigorous defense; and (c) the public was willing to believe their lies."

sturge, thanks for the quote from carville's book.
(a) and (b) from the excerpt above still seem to be true given the reactions or lack of same to some of the current drival spewed by the gang who can't shoot straight...
(c) is less the case now, imo, the public is no longer as dumb as the other two.

Mr Obama's greatest failing is his lack of an application of historical perspectives to our current problems.

There is nothing that we are experiencing now that doesn't have an historical parallel within the past 100-years. That time frame may seem like ancient history to him, but to the older people among us it generates tangible memories.

The senior Castro's slamming the door on a rapprochement with Cuba should be a major attention-getter within the halls of the White House--as should Mr Ahmadinejad's remarks at last week's United Nations conference.

These people are evil.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222468

flatus nominated for prophet of the day

patd.....carville addresses that "c" too:

"The Dowd memo and the story about the Clintons trashing the White House were the flapping of the butterfly's wings that caused the tsunami. They were the low-pressure depression of the Cape Verde Islands that caused a category five storm or the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo. The Republicans had gotten away with stealing the election, and now they knew they could get away with a lot more.

"How did they get away with this?" It's the question I've been asked most frequently during the Bush era. It has many variations. I hear it every time I give a speech, of course, but also at the grocery store and in line at the movie theater. I can't even go into a men's bathroom without getting asked. People want to know, "Why did the American public let this happen?" "Why didn't the press do something?" And, of course, "Where were the Democrats?"

These pained and anguished cries have been sounding across this country for eight years. Now at last I have a good answer: They didn't get away with it. They've been caught red-handed, and the public has the whole thing figured out.

That's why on November 4, 2008, a majority of Americans, including those in Bush strongholds, elected Barack Obama president of the United States of America. This book is certainly about rapping Republicans for some of the things they "didn't get away with" and drawing attention to a few things they thought they got away with; but it is also, rather more important, about how Democrats and patriotic Americans can build a coalition to restore the United States to being a prosperous, just, and respected nation."

STurgeone

I woke up late this morning and saw "One Fine Day?" from you and didn't know if I would get the Chiffons when I clicked or this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpW8Jvl9low

You can't be trusted on such little hints. :-)

"They didn't get away with it. They've been caught red-handed, and the public has the whole thing figured out."

deserves repeating. atta boy, carville. hope he says this over and over at all the book promo interviews and on all the cable gabfests.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222475

jamie, thanks... i needed that.

"We are wallowing in a pool of minutia."
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222468

You said so much in that post Flatus.
... unfortunately, I haven't seen any signs of that happening.
(I feel like we're falling behind some of those other countries mentioned in that article I linked.)

If by quicksand, you mean what I picture, stuck, not being able to move fast enough, bogged down in a mess of our own creation, (and so much more) I agree.

The world is changing, and it's changing fast. I fear we won't keep up.

"These people are evil"

So?

The world is filled with unsavory leader types that we deal with all the time.

"These people" are minor evils in the world and both are quickly relegating themselves to insignificance.

Obama has taken into account the total history of this hemisphere not just a few years of Castro. Obama is setting the stage to deal with what happens next in Cuba.
And none of us know what will happen, My hope is, it won't involve the right wingers in Miami and it won't be Catro's vision either. For either one will lead to chaos.

Jack

Courage personified by Winston Churchill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsKDGM5KTBY

"They didn't get away with it. They've been caught red-handed, and the public has the whole thing figured out."

That's history..... just more quicksand.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222467

I can see why, warren.

A heroic Virginia Democrat, George Rawlings, now rests in peace at age 87. In the 1960s he ran a successful primary against "Judge" Howard Smith, a Byrd machine congressman, die-hard segregationist, Chairman of the House Rules Committee and major blocker of Civil Rights legislation. George Rawlings ran against him in a primary in VA and won. Even though George lost the general election to a Republican, Howard Smith was gone from the Rules Committee, thus breaking the legislative logjam to enact civil rights reforms.

Here is what George Rawlings said when he announced his campaign:

"We must have representatives in government who are responsive to the needs of the people as they exist in modern America. We can no longer be content with opposition for the sake of opposing, nor with a refusal to recognize the onward flow of events and ideas in our rapidly growing and changing nation."

Here is a local story on George Rawlings, who wasn't a perfect man, but he was essentially a good man.

http://tinyurl.com/c42nkm

~ Alicia

"The world is changing, and it's changing fast. I fear we won't keep up."

Chloe
What you need to remember is that change is to our advantage. We understand change better than the rest of the world. We thrive on it.

There is nobody out there better able to take on the coming century than we are.

Jack

"These people" are minor evils in the world and both are quickly relegating themselves to insignificance." Jack@1017

Ahmadinejad, as the avatar for the mullah controlled country of Iran, certainly, in my mind, shouldn't be trivialized as a minor evil on the road to insignificance. All of our current thinking on how these people will handle their nuclear weapons is based on rational thought as we define it; not the pragmatic imperative of applying Allah's will as they interpret it.

Castro is Castro. His past actions of repression speak for themselves. And, as he has generated two generations of sycophants eager to follow in his path, where does that leave them and us?

The Right is arguing that Obama lacks a historical perspective.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/04/24/american_history_did_not_begin_with_barack_obama_96160.html

When Hannity describes Obama's "apology tour" - he rails against Obama for not pointing out to Europe how we saved their ass.

This perspective ignores the current reality. There is a sentiment in much of the world that America has taken a arrogant, unilateral, go-it alone strategy over the last 8 years. And their response is - you want to go-it alone - then have at it, without any assistance.

Now I get that even before Bush - America has often had to go-it alone in terms of use of force and aid to other countries.

But I think steps can be taken to alleviate that situation - steps would be in our national interest. But I am certain - a step that will not help is reminding Europe about WWI and WWII.

Diplomacy is in many respect similar to personal relations. And nobody likes a person who pats themselves on the back.

Fidel Castro actively urged the pre-emptive use of Cuban based nuclear weapons against United States. Our aggressive policies toward Cuba were justified, but were ineffective in their objective -- the overthrow of the regime from within.

Okay, that was then, this is now. Obama was right to begin the shift policy toward more engagement. The trend of history is against Cuban communism. Our objective is still the same. We will try new tools. Ultimately, the Castros will be gone and the talented and hard-working people of Cuba will move toward greater freedom and democracy.

Jack, so you don't agree with what Flatus said?

"if a courageous someone fails to step forward declaring an end to word-processed, special-interest generated, garbage from entering our legislative halls, we will be sucked into the pool just as if it was quicksand"

... you think the direction we're going is just hunky-dory?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222472

Flatus, so what policy would you advise Mr. Obama to follow with respect to Iran? And with respect to Cuba? And might as well throw NK and VZ in while we're at it. Refuse to deal with them and take whatever they decide to do or engage them and try to get something, anything, out of them?

"Diplomacy is in many respect similar to personal relations." Warren @1030

And, as we all know, a bit of privacy goes a long way in furthering personal relationships.

So far as I can tell, there was no active diplomacy laying the groundwork for his enthusiastic embrace of these adversaries. Quid pro quo is how diplomatic progress is measured. We got nothing for his efforts accept formal recognition of his naivete.

Flatus,
Generally, you're right. The POTUS should not generally engage in personal diplomacy before the groundwork is laid for a tangible agreement.

But in this case, it can be argued that what he was doing in this early stage of his adminstration was 'brush clearing.' (Yes, just like the last president, but in a different field.) It is intended to create the conditions for new dialog where there had been none at all. It's a risky proposition, and the prestige of the POTUS is put at risk, but with so many other things, perhaps worth the gamble if there can be movement toward true negotiations of interests.

Pogo, I advocate active diplomatic efforts with our allies and quasi-allies such as Russia, China, and India. We need to develop a genuine consensus on how to handle countries such as the ones you cited along with Pakistan.

These discussions should be done 'in the dark' with frankness and on an non-attribution basis. Hammer out how we, as a group, will deal with the foreseeable eventualities.

Decide how we, as a group, will engage diplomatically with these people. And, how we will respond should our worst fears materialize.

cajun....hello....and is there a link to this somewhere?

"Fidel Castro actively urged the pre-emptive use of Cuban based nuclear weapons against United States."

I can't see fidel contemplating something such as that.....whatever else, he is a very canny fellow......he knows how to hang.....can't see him doing something so bound to result in his own and his own people's annihilation.............

Joe, I largely agree with you. The experience would have been enhanced, IMO, had some prior contact been accomplished with the outcome being something like, the prez will shake your hand and lay his hand on your arm, but he will not embrace you nor kiss your ring.

"So far as I can tell, there was no active diplomacy laying the groundwork for his enthusiastic embrace of these adversaries. Quid pro quo is how diplomatic progress is measured. We got nothing for his efforts accept formal recognition of his naivete."

I agree with Joe in that Obama is taking the first steps - which are necessary to get us into the quid pro quo stage. The jury is still out on what we may or may not receive in return.

Also - it costs our Country nothing for Obama to be cordial to these world leaders. These arguments that it legitimizes leaders such as Chavez are specious.

Chavez has been legitimized by his people electing him to office over and over again.

Flatus
Are you aware of why Castro aligned himself with the Soviet Union?

We were aggressive toward Castro way before he made a deal for missiles with the Soviet Union.
But all of that is history long gone.
The cold war has been over for almost 20 years, the Soviet Union is no more.

Cuba is a small Caribbean Island country of no threat and very little interest to us.

As to it being run by a cruel evil dictator?

A Caribbean Island nation being run by a cruel evil dictator?
Wow what a shock.

Jack

show the film of rummy and saddam, nixon and mao, reagan and etc etc.....repubs need to give that "cozying up to enemies" bit a great big rest......it's just patently silly. Have the gop's reduced themselves to "silly"? Rush slapping himself, that Burr character in NC, Bachmann,

oy

Flatus:

I think it could have been counterproductive to say: "The President will shake your hand if . . . ."

Talk about arrogance. By Obama taking these first steps - it automatically places a burden on Chavez to tone down his rhetoric.

Now - harsh statements from Chavez that were cheered in his country and around the world when Bush was in power - will seem out of touch - and out of bounds.

(This is progress in the right direction. Even if it is minimal and initial...)

Jack, the people of our country were largely enthusiastic about Castro's campaign to oust Batista and his corrupt regime.

Things changed, though, when he start appropriating American's property and incarcerating, or worse, those people he considered to be potential threats.

In the 60s and 70s his efforts to export his almost Trotskyite version of communism into other Latin American republics was less than stabilizing as Mother Russia was sitting on the sidelines eager to capitalize on Cuba's gains.

And, now, I'm off to fix lunch. A task that I enjoy!

Sturgeone,
Re you question on Castro urging USSR to use nukes based in Cuba on U.S. -- it's a matter of history covered in many books. I don't like to use Wikipedia, but this is from the entry on Fidel.

In a personal letter to Khrushchev dated October 27, 1962, Castro urged him to launch a nuclear first strike against the United States if Cuba were invaded, but Khrushchev rejected any first strike response.[75] Soviet field commanders in Cuba were, however, authorized to use tactical nuclear weapons if attacked by the United States. Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a US commitment not to invade Cuba and an understanding that the US would secretly remove American MRBMs targeting the Soviet Union from Turkey and Italy, a measure that the US implemented a few months later. The missile swap was never publicized because the Kennedy Administration demanded secrecy in order to preserve NATO relations and protect Democratic candidates in the upcoming elections.

There are many accounts of this.

Flatus, not so long ago Russia and China were in the "enemy" column. They moved into the "ally" and "quasi ally" columns through engagement and dropping of barriers between us and them - not by chatting with our then allies and quasi allies.

Obama has hardly embraced any of the leaders of any of these countries, any more than Nixon did Mao when he shook his hand and smiled (and Nixon went halfway around the world to do that), or Reagan did Gorbachev when he engaged in summit conferences with him. Now Bush gazing into Putin's eyes - I am not so sure about. Those meetings (not the Bush-Putin one, mind you) signaled the beginning of the respective thawings of relations between our countries that have brought us to the point that we trade with and engage them on the world stage in cooperative ways rather than in the adversarial ways we deal with the 4 countries I mentioned.

Of course the road always runs both ways, and with respect to Cuba at least, it is apparent that the beginnings of engagement may be on the horizon. The same can probably be said for VZ since the barriers between us were as much rooted in personality as they were in ideology. Iran and NK are likely much farther from any kind of real relations with the US beyond what we see today, but then again, there haven't been any apparent efforts to take concrete steps to change our relations with them.

Cajun:

" if Cuba were invaded," would do away with the word "pre-emptive"............to me, I mean..........the wiki entry, i can accept that......

I'd not put Iran and NK in the same diplomacy bucket. We have a strategic interest that would be served by non-hostile relations with Iran. The region is vitally important, we have a strategic interest in Israel's safety, and the people of Iran have shown that they can be open to western, if not U.S., cultural values, even as they struggle with their own theocratic government, and of course there's the oil thing. Their nuclear ambitions are a very complicating factor in a larger strategic relationship.

North Korea, on the other hand, is of little strategic importance beyond not allowing them to build and export nuclear technology, and certainly not allowing them to become a rogue nuclear threat. There can be two different approaches to the two countries.

Sturgeon,

First use of nuclear weapons directed at the United States is the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons and would have lead to global nuclear war.

Cajun
yep....i got that, but to me if we invade someone nothing which follows can be pre-emptive......sorry, sometimes I'm prone to quibble..........

Joe, agreed that any negotiations with each country rise and fall on the respective particulars of relations with each country, and if your post was in response to mine, I was not necessarily putting them in the same bucket - rather I was merely differentiating them from Cuba and VZ, or at least that was my intent. Hard to say yet what will happen with any of them, but in general, I think you have it right with respect to NK & Iran. Iran will be a tough nut to crack, being that it has a nut in charge (and he isn't the master of Iran's destiny at any rate).

Our best hope is that the current nuts in charge of NK and Iran are replaced with nuts a bit further up the rational spectrum.

But we can't hold our breath - and we can't wait for that to happen.

But this should certainly be a consideration in all our relations with these countries. We must not do anything that helps these nut jobs stay in power.

(And taking a harsh public tone with them - only increases nationalist urges amongst the people thus increasing the appeal of the hard liners....)

"Things changed, though, when he start appropriating American's property and incarcerating, or worse, those people he considered to be potential threats."

And here is why Obama had the right approach.
You have to put Cuba in it's total historical picture.

We did , with Castro, what we had done for a hundred years or more. We brought out the gunboat diplomacy
We slapped on an embargo, made blustery demands and started planning an invasion.
We basically started to behave in a bullying unilateral manner toward a very small state in our hemisphere.

Putting Cuba in the Cold war model we ignore all of the interference we have done to Cuba since the Spanish American war. The rest of the hemisphere hasn't forgotten.
So your wanting Obama to dictate the terms of when and how 2 heads of State meet, just says to the rest of the hemisphere that it is business as usual.
That wasn't what Obama needed to say on this trip.

Jack

Sturgeone,
Not quibbling, but during the long cold war both the United States and the USSR avoided the first use of nuclear weapons, even given possible pretexts. The closest we came was during the Cuban Missle Crisis (see One Minute to Midnight, by Michael Dobbs for a gripping and well-researched account.) Castro, on the other hand, urged what Kennedy and Khruschev knew would be suicidal and disasterous for the world -- a nuclear strike on the United States. This reaction would not have been provoked by the U.S. invasion of Cuba, since it would be a clearly disproportionate response, and madness. What Khruschev did authorize was the use to tactical Nukes if Cuba was invaded. Fortunately it did not come to that, and we don't know what that would have led to.

My initial point is that Fidel Casto was willing to cause a global nuclear holocast -- a going down in flames. This was madness, or evil or whatever one wants to call it.

Joe

I believe Castro admitted some time ago that his whole purpose of getting nuclear weapons on Cuba was so he could have a nuclear umbrella like Europe has.
While he didn't get the umbrella he was able to involve the soviets enough that it made invasion dangerous for the US. It probably let him rule and live to a ripe old age.

Jack

warren, exactly. Cuba is a good example - 60 years of harsh nationalistic tone against Castro has made Castro Daddy Fidel to much of the Cuban populace and has turned our leaders in devils in their eyes.

Jack, yep.

Now it's that time - Lunch.

Another day home early from work.

I find it impossible for anyone in the world would think that ,,,,any President of the United States,,,can be weak,,,,,all they have to do it look at our History of Violence,,,and they also know about our Partner in Crime,,,England,,,no one is going to mess with us,,they would be sealing their own doom,,,,

How would we feel if Russia,,would put in a few nuclear weapons in Mexico,,,or Canada,,,and Aimed them at us,,,,,My guess is that they weren't to crazy about us aiming ours into Russia from Turkey ,,,,the reason that no one pushed the red button,,,,was that at the very last minute,,,after day's of telephone (constant) conversations Kennedy,,,,and Khrushchev decided to trust each other,,,and call the whole thing off,,,,,,it was that close,,,,they both stopped listening to others,that wanted them to strike first,,,and considered the civillians for a change.

CB,,, on channels 194 the green channel today and for a cpl of day at various times.

Focus Earth: Six People Saving Our Planet,,,,With Bob Woodruf,,,,looks new,,I haven't seen it before.

"My initial point is that Fidel Casto was willing to cause a global nuclear holocast -- a going down in flames. This was madness, or evil or whatever one wants to call it."

Joe

there was a lot of madness out there.

Like a man that had the ability to destroy the world with one word, pounding on a lectern with his shoe.

After living through things like that what can the like of Bin Laden do to me.
After all, all he can do is kill me, not wipe out all life on earth.

Jack

Sorry I jumped into your conversation,,,,,that was rude!!

Forgot,,,,Going to Give Obama an A,,,on most things,,,on the economy,,,a B,,,he still lets Big Corps do what they do,,but I do like that he has forced some of them ,,not to take the stimulus $,,,,by limiting their bonuses,,,they all of a sudden don't need the $,,,and are starting to post profits,,,,,,I would give him an F,,,,,for not getting rid of the Lobbyist like he said,,,,,If that doesn't change ,,,,,after we get healthy again,,,they will take advantage again, Public Financing ??

I'm forever skeptical about the person who always bemoans other countries' deplorable histories while failing to recognize their own. I guess it's referred to as ethnocentrism. To me it's just plain old stupid arrogance.

On a sadder note: Learned today we're losing a good friend in a matter of days to continuing complications of breast cancer. Does ET phone in anymore around here?

Hey Rezdog

Eurotom does come around from time to time but I think this is where he is spending his time.

http://www.myspace.com/eurotom

Thx KGC,

I just explored around over there but I hate to sign-up and all that just to leave a msg. I'll look again The yahoo mail address on his blogger blog didn't come up either. Anyone happen to know it?
All else fails, I think he's on Facebook and I'm registered there.
Next stop.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222414

OSH

Just sent you an email. Please respond ASAP. I have an idea for a blog article today and want to put the 94th out there and on Twitter

Rez...
so sorry to read about your friend.... enjoy what time you have left with her...

Jamie... thank you for relinking to Sturg's "one fine day".... didn't have time to look into it this morning.... nothing like a little beauty amidst all the talk of war....

Rez, BC is a scourge. May your friend make her journey peacefully.

warren, here's a Krugman column I think you might agree with.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/opinion/24krugman.html

Renee! it's not talk about war. It's talk about what has worked in stopping/preventing war--something that we all obviously have a stake in.

Flatus...
from a woman's perspective.... it's still talk about war....
but.... I read every word of it.... and am contemplating the different views.... :0)

Renee, I understand what you are saying. I'm sure somebody, somewhere must have said that the implications of going to war are so profound that only mothers may decide to do so.

Rez -
Death hates it when you smile at it.

“They didn’t have to win the argument to succeed,” Mr. Monbiot said, “only to cause as much confusion as possible.”

The Denier Blue Print from the 1990's.

pogo:

Nope. I don't agree with Krugman. I do not want to see prosecutions. I would like to see a Truth Commission where everyone is given immunity.

Warren, how do you give immunity from an international prosecution?

By sicking O'Reily on them!!

I don't know. But there is a chance some may back off the idea of international prosecutions if we appear to be doing something about it.

But that is probably wishful thinking. There are plenty of people who are fired up about this issue - and will do all they can to get a head or two on a platter.

I don't have any idea how it is going to play out - but it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I don't envy Obama - and I am glad I am on the sidelines.

I agree with you Warren. I think a few years of prosecutions would tear the country apart.

it will be played out and decided upon in little rooms far away from our 'umble abodes.......

I'm wondering if it's worth the effort of learning how an indictment before the Hague Court is promulgated, because I simply can't imagine anyone turning any of the named principals over to the court.

Patsi:

There would probably be a long, grueling trial - where the defendants ultimately get off. Thus, ensuring that everyone walks away unsatisfied...

I think some of the Liberals are overestimating the chances of success if prosecutions ever were to be brought.

I mean with respect to the lawyers - it seems like it is a question re: their state of mind. To demonstrate that these lawyers acted in bad faith - as opposed to engaging in legal analysis others disagree with - seems like a tough thing to prove beyond a reasonable doubt....

Jax was making the argument a few days ago , that the questioning of people with a blow torch and a pair pliers, would be O.K. if it succeeded in obtaining "valuable information". That there was a hole in the story , because we didn't focus that aspect.
Since then more has dribbled out , and a lot of folks at the FBI seem to think that wasn't the case. Now the FBI wasn't using "private contractors" like the CIA to question these people.

I am really tired of 2 arguments :
1. That there is some special pool of virtue in a "private contractor".
2. That because we face a mob who wants to bring back the 12th century, we have to actually go a long with them.

Thx guys for the kind words. Our friend chose to fight it until end and not wither away in a hospice or her home. She's only 59 and been fighting this for 10 years. It will be a real big loss in our tiny part on the world. She's one of those that Always see the good first in everthing/one.

too bad Rez........it's always a big drag to lose a friend.......

"it can be argued that what he was doing in this early stage of his adminstration was 'brush clearing.'"

cajo, did not you mean "bush" clearing?

Olbermann Calls Hannity's Bluff: $1000 For Every Second Of Waterboarding (VIDEO)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/23/olbermann-calls-hannitys_n_190869.html

The near-pun was intended, Patd.

j

Rez, sorry about your friend - the fight is not a pretty thing to watch, and the end can bring quite the relief for the afflected and friends as well.

warren... sooooo close. Based on your response I assume you agree with the investigate part - by whatever method (and I understand you're one of the Truth Commission advocates) but differ only on the prosecution point - which actually is not what I was focused on. I was more focused on the idea of investigating - even in the face of all the other important things the Obama admin must pursue.

Pogo as a lawyer you'll like this :
" Gingrich did point out two parts of the bill he liked: the development of a smart electric grid to prevent blackouts and make energy transmission more efficient; and the promotion of what he called "green coal technology," which involves finding a way to capture and store carbon from coal-fired power plants responsible for half of the nation's electricity."

"Green Coal Technology" what hoot.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30386828/

Ideas as corn flakes.

Oh, and this is the part I do agree with Krugman on with respect to prosecutions if warranted:

"Sorry, but what we really should do for the sake of the country is have investigations both of torture and of the march to war. These investigations should, where appropriate, be followed by prosecutions — not out of vindictiveness, but because this is a nation of laws."

I do believe that "nation of laws" part is what has set us apart and has done so since the founding of the country.

Wouldn't 'green coal' be a fern?

MEXICO CITY (AP) — At least 16 people — and possibly dozens more — have died from a swine flu virus in Mexico, and world health officials worry it could unleash a global flu epidemic. Mexico City closed schools across the metropolis Friday in hopes of containing the outbreak, and tougher measures were being considered.

Scientists were trying to determine if the deaths involved the same new strain of swine flu that sickened seven people in Texas and California — a disturbing disease that combines pig, bird and human viruses in a way that researchers have not seen before

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gzz357patY4-QaJFvo9O95zMM_EQD97P008G2

Yes, Bob, I do love that - green coal technology. Now that's one way I haven't heard it referred to before. It was green before it was coal, literally, but will never be again. Capture and store - right. Miles to go before we sleep.

cajunjoe -

My very first thought as well.

"We are wallowing in a pool of minutia."

flatus, your words brought to memory an old favorite sing a long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN0WPwFD9is&feature=related

mud, mud, glorious mud.
nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.
so follow me, follow
down to the hollow
and there we will wallow in glorious mud.

oh good..........god's decided that what we need is a new and improved virus.......whatta joker, eh?

Bob, I don't know the particulars of the bill, and whether it seeks to force consumers and producers to meet the targets with current technology - although that sounds like typical Newt hyperbole to me.

"The bill calls for a reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 20 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, and 83 percent by mid-century."

If the target dates are 2020 and 2050, those strike me as some time in the future, and I suspect that technology will advance some in the decade and a year and 4 decades and a year, respectively, before those dates get here.

Sturge

there is always a new and improved version of a virus.
It is the one thing that viruses are really good at.
Thats why what worked yesterday may not work tommorrow.

Jack

sturge, about which new virus are you lamenting, the one killing folks in mexico or the one crashing our computers?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gzz357patY4-QaJFvo9O95zMM_EQD97P0JAG0

Ah, 95-deg. Only two months until the official start of summer.

Pat,

The Ohlfahrt family has our own favorite ditty. It starts out,
Beans, beans, the musical desert...

Most of you know about OSH's campaign to get her father's Infantry unit recognized as liberators at the end of WW II. I devoted today's blog to that campaign if you would like to read it:

http://jdurward.blogspot.com

Any media or political types who might be lurking, this is your chance to do a good thing.

The other day I wrote to the newbie about how much I value my friends here. Little did I know then that I was about to receive one of the greatest acts of kindness in my life from a fellow poster- Jamie.

She has posted the 94th story on her blog, retelling the story with her powerful skills in such a manner that surely someone will "wake up".

Jamie- I am forever indebted to you.

Gore To Blackburn: If You Think It's About Greed, "You Don't Know Me"

http://tpmtv.talkingpointsmemo.com/?id=2419912

Sea, both you and Jamie have a way with words. Well done both of you!

OSH

Thank you. I'm always on the hunt for good blog material, and you provided a wonderful story.

I keep looking at the Mad cover and thinking it is the perfect example of

"Be careful what you wish for. You might get it!"

I keep looking at the Mad cover - and thinking "I wouldn't mind a smoke."

But I quit (cut back) - and now only partake every once and awhile...

I keep looking at the Mad cover and thinking.... "I miss my daily newspaper"....

did finally get the new weekly magazine version of the Christian Science Monitor in the mail yesterday..... it looks great... but it's not the same....

I also look at the ashtray and think "Man, I am glad I don't smoke so much anymore."

I am a walking contradiction.

Wull, everbody hab a gut weekend. I'll b enjoyin mid 80s, sunzhine and th' joys of the first cut of season of th' new grass. I luv th' smell.

"I am a walking contradiction."

... aren't we all.

Yes chloe. As long as we are self-aware and willing to acknowledge the truth...

Rez, Sorry to hear your friend is losing her battle.
................

"As long as we are self-aware and willing to acknowledge the truth."

Ain't that the truth Warren... that's the hard part. The truth ain't always pretty.

Jamie- I could never have put it to words in such a compelling fashion, and as my father described "broadly focused".. He was so touched, you gave him hope that this might now come about. I have forwarded your blog link to CBS Sunday Morning, I am now writing to Thom Manthey. Thank you, I can hardly see through the tears of gratitude to type this post.

Osh and Jamie,
Good work!
You two make a great team.

"I can hardly see through the tears of gratitude"

Sea, Those are the best kind.
Hope it all comes together for you and your father, as well as all the others.

jamie, fine job on your blog

oldsea, cbs has two more likely places (in addition to sunday morning) for such a human interest story: 60 minutes and the last story on the evening news every friday which katie couric and a delightful roving reporter do.... maybe they will see jamie's blog.

Andy Rooney

"It will be a real big loss in our tiny part on the world. She's one of those that Always see the good first in everthing/one."

rez, the death of anyone like that is a loss for us all... seers of good are an endangered specie.

hey guys....
while we're talking about loss...
I just visited Corey's blog and he just lost a family member this past Wednesday.... he talks about it on his blog....
I left a message there which is awaiting his approval to be posted..... I'm sure he'd appreciate a show of support from others also....

http://themitchellblog.blogspot.com/

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222565

Jamie -- your work is magnificent.

Old Sea -- Jamie's work probably cannot be outdone, but is there anything others of us can do to help?

sturge, brilliant idea.

and while you're at it, sea, bury cbs in letters to all production offices as well as rooney, couric etc.

maybe even a visit with documents in hand to [according to wiki]
"CBS Building in New York City, also known as Black Rock, is the 38-story headquarters of the CBS Corporation.... located at 51 West 52nd Street, at the corner of Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas).

Chloe- those are great suggestions of Cbob's . 60 minutes would really be something.
Sturge-Andy Rooney's summer house is in a neat little hamlet up the hill from my parents. They adore him and never miss a show.
Ivy- thank you, I don't know today.
I'm so overwhelmed at all Jamie has accomplished todayI think its time to take a break and celebrate- It is 5 o'clock! Will be back later. (^_") That was meant to be a wink.

The Republicans lose another election -

Democrat Murphy wins House race after concession

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Almost a month after a special election that focused attention on President Barack Obama's stimulus plan, the Republican candidate bowed out on Friday, handing Scott Murphy the third straight win for a Democrat in New York's heavily Republican 20th Congressional District.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jOqa_WWzPrVoI66lx_TE-FlcPj-AD97P23CG1

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222518

Rez --

It's terribly sad to hear about your friend.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222587

Old Sea --

The momentum is on your side now. What about Ken Burns?

Your wink works... " looks like a downcast eyelash...

How can the information about the 94th be posted at other blogs,,,,like Huffing ton post,Military .com that letters goes out to us retired soldiers,Va hospitals news letters,,,there is nothing like a good fight for the retired soldiers,to get behind ( a good cause),,, and others,,,,even more exposure?

War, Bankruptcy, Scandal, Now Swine Flu ... Don't worry until we see the four horsemen

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090424/NEWS-US-FLU/

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222593

Solar, All they have to do is their own write up and then link to my website. Any and all help anyone can provide is welcome.

The more the story gets out, the more likely it is that some Congress Critter will do the hard work of preparing a Bill and getting co-signers and then pushing it through.

It is one of those things that would probably be an up and down easy vote, but the prepatory work is what takes time and energy.

Jamie,,,,,,,that's not funny,,,,,I just had a call from a lady named Pricilla,,,that wants to see me about doings some work for her,,,,,her last 4 digits of her phone # ended in 6666,,,,,whoa

http://sequestration.mit.edu/technology_overview/index.html

CO2 sequestering is quite normal for Norway

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WJ7-4TFDY5T-4&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=ec5c2795b42815e257bd049cc4fae18c

Taking Co2 from coal plants and sequestering it inert materials

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/67843ec0-020b-11de-8199-000077b07658.html

There are several ways to store CO2 from burning coal as well as other fuels. To say this is a myth is like saying in 1940 we couldn’t land on the moon. With such an abundance of coal which many nations will continue to use despite greenies, it doesn’t make sense to cast such transitional technologies to the “wind”.

What can be used for coal can also be used for shale and tar oil conversion. I am reminded that less than a decade ago critics claimed missile defense was a myth. Now even as working systems (which ISrael just asked Obama for until theirs is deployed), lasers are within operational reach. In fact the system Israel is seeking is a laser system from Rayethon (sp) in CT.

"Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow"

"...an exhibit set to open next week at the Museum of Jewish Heritage -- A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York's Battery Park City."

"The exhibit illuminates a period during and after World War II when scores of German-Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany found havens teaching in small black colleges throughout the South."

Wall Street Journal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124053723862951143.html

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222596

Solar,

Don't worry. Only three sixes count. As soon as you add another one, the bad juju all gone. :-)

patd

This is right near where I used to work.

I heard it was the first day of Spring up in NYC.

The first really nice day out . . . that is a glorious day my friends.

We used to celebrate by going to the Cosmic Cantina in the E. Village for gallons of beer.

(But it's just a small window before you are sweating through a suit in the subway station...)

Here are my initial picks for the Commission:

Chuck Hagel
Brent Scowcroft
Sandra Day O'Connor
James Baker

It must be a definitive statement.

(I would also vote for Samantha Power - who is as smart as it gets - but that might cause an uproar. Feel the same way about Colin Powell.)

Any other suggestions?

Rez - what a horrible bit of news for you. The jolt to the system is indescribable - what heartaches.

My, my, such good links today! thanks to all of you, and to Jamie esp for Un bel di.

I'll burst into the discussion you guys are having. In my opinion, all the talk and discussion about whether to prosecute or just investigate is the most important thing - let it continue. I'll accept majority opinion on this, but the discussion is the most important right now.
So once again I can't say I agree with anyone person but with all. You guys are doing great.

As for viruses, I understand that new thinking has it that diabetes is/might be a virus. Maybe everything is - even life???????? AACCCCCKKKKKK!

Great story .. A friend of a friend has diabetes, and with it problems of dangerously low blood sugar. It apparently hits her when she's asleep and manifests it in strong shakes and heavy sweating - very bad episodes. She has a therapy dog who alerts her to these. She also has 3 three cats, and they have apparently been trained by the dog. She was wakened the other night with four anxious faces staring into her eyes closely. I may have mixed up some of that, but the main part is right.

Dinner party tonight for a friend - dinner very simple.
Chunks of chicken breast put into bowl with veggies of your choice - green beans, potatoes, asparagus etc.
Toss with olive oil, then a packet of onion soup added, and toss again. Put whole mess in rectangular baking
dish ( already been Pammed) and bake for 45 minutes or so. As I said simple, but remarkably good, and lots of room for variations, no?

I confess, I gave Obama an A. I think he's playing it cool and paying a lot of attention to us and others - the exact opposite of w. Remember I was and am a devout believer in Hillary, but I think they're in sync. Start prparing your lists of why I'm wrong, but I think he's got a good feel for all this. The acid test is scotus, and then he'd better watch his step. HA!

I think you're safe from me for the rest of the evening.

No, Warren! Get O'Conner out of there! Albright could take her place.

How bout both of them?

Yeah, it was so nice today in NYC. I was doing some renovating up on 140th St. Man how the neighborhoods changing. Yellow vets purple jags. And yet the poor are there too.

Here is another link to sequestration

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/01/22/f-carbon-capture.html

The US and Canada have some ideal geological and infrastructure advantages for clean coal and other clean hydrocarbon production.

No, Warren! She put w in the white house, and isn't about to be diligent re investigating him and his folks.

Sorry . I really did think I was finished for the day.

And for that matter Baker is an apologist for w, too.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222598

Second thought, why is this exhibit in New York City? We need it down here.

"O'Connor was a vigorous defender of the citing of foreign laws in judicial decisions. In a well-publicized October 28, 2003 speech at the Southern Center for International Studies, O'Connor said:

The impressions we create in this world are important and can leave their mark... There is talk today about the "internationalization of legal relations." We are already seeing this in American courts, and should see it increasingly in the future. This does not mean, of course, that our courts can or should abandon their character as domestic institutions. But conclusions reached by other countries and by the international community, although not formally binding upon our decisions, should at times constitute persuasive authority in American courts—what is sometimes called "transjudicialism"."

"O'Connor once quoted the constitution of the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain, which states that "no authority shall prevail over the judgement of a judge, and under no circumstances may the course of justice be interfered with." Further, "It is in everyone's interest to foster the rule-of-law evolution.""

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Day_O'Connor#Foreign_law

Plus, this isn't about us vs. them. You need a document that the opposition will accept.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222603

Bethy --

I'll try that mess. Actually sounds yummy.

Dylan's site and "Dreamin' of You" nice picture show.......

http://www.youtube.com/user/bobdylantv?blend=1&ob=4

Does sound good. And easy.

Time for a drink. The weekend is in motion.

Good post, Craig.

And excellent Mad Mag cover as it's so antithetical.

tt

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222603

Bethy,

I gave Obama an A for exactly the same reason. I know the former Hillary supporters are still ardent, but I was one all the way and now I think she may have gotten exactly what she preferred. She wanted to be President because she really wanted to see changes made, but her natural inclination has always been power behind the throne with a realm of independent action.

These are two wickedly brilliant people and the looks they exchange and the body language looks darn good to me.

Just watched Jonathan Turley eviscerate Pat and Tweety on the issue of whether to prosecute. Chris stepped in on Pat's side to no avail.

Nevertheless, Turley ignores the practical side.

The pro-prosecution argument starts with two premises:

1. There was torture.
2. People must be punished.

But those are the precise conclusions that are to be made by a trial or an investigation.

I mean in one sense - they are doing exactly what they accuse the Bushies of doing. Proclaiming a verdict - and then asking the legal system to "make it happen" for them.

And on the practical side - are you going to have some type of class action? That is ridiculous.

If you follow the strict letter of the law - the number of people that would be included in a "conspiracy to commit" torture would be unmanageable.

Plus a trial would be about the guilt or innocence of a number of people that were doing their damnedest to keep us safe. Many would have their lives disrupted beyond recognition by such a trial - regardless of the outcome.

And it would not get at the important questions that need to be answered.

What is torture?
Does it work?
What are the costs?
Is it ever justified?

Obama made a powerful statement his second day in office. We voted for a change and he signed an executive order repealing all these memos - and honestly saying this Country does not torture.

Stopping it was and is more important than the punishment (regardless of what the current pro-charge group is saying right now....)

This should be done carefully. Obama can buy some time by saying we need six months to:

-select Commission
-finish ongoing reports
-draw up plan

"Plus a trial would be about the guilt or innocence of a number of people that were doing their damnedest to keep us safe."

---warren
The Money
there is of course the money which was there to be made.....and much of which just disappeared......they seemed also to be doing their damnedest to make a lot of it disappear in a cronial direction......

and it's been seen that they were not quite keeping the soldiers safe........

neither before nor after their tour after tour after tour of duty.......

it's much broader than the little magnifying glass focus of the "torture question". to focus solely on the torture for the fact-finding mission is to ignore a vast amount of issues crying for investigation.......Investi-Gate.........

Cbob.........Blue Crab power plus Blue Corn power........a values-shattering combination......if this power ever fell into the wrong hands there'd be hell to pay.....I shudder to think of it............

To do anything less then investigate and prosecute would make the Nuremberg Trails a farce.

If we can prosecute, convict, imprison and execute those in Hitlers Germany for the very same crimes Bush\Cheney and others instituted, authorized and carried out and not do the same here than we prosecuted, convicted, imprisoned and executed innocent Germans.

Either there War Crimes or there not. There is no middle ground when it comes to American Values and Our Constitution.

On another note:

As I'm sure everyone is aware that Keith Olbermann challenged Hannity to follow up with his words that he would be waterboarded to prove it wasn't torture.

I say lets help Keith with his challenge so here goes my idea.

I say that we start a internet call for anyone who wants to see Hannity waterboarded to prove it is not torture to donate a $1 a second for every second he lasts.

Lets see if we can get a couple hundred thousand people to sign up and let Hannity know that if he is not a coward and follows through on his word that the soldiers or his favorite charity would receive several hundred thousand dollars for his proving that waterboarding is not torture.

Then we could all watch him squirm as he tries to get out of doing what he said he would do. At that point we could all start calling him a coward in public and see if he is humiliated or not.

And if he does follow through, to see him being waterboarded would be worth the couple dollars it would cost to watch on tape or live as he's being waterboarded for those few seconds he would be able to take.

Anyone want to pass my suggestion on this around please feel free to do so.

Have a good day.

swing time...........:-] Mary Poppins' sister Helza..........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0BHxhUnokU&feature=rec-HM-rn

ha.....that place looks like the place bob's friends are building Art's truck.......

Ivy - it is especially good if it gets browned and crispy against the pan. I am not an artichoke eater, but I think people do sometimes forget to put them in something like this. I have put them in what we call turtles - hamburgers wrapped in foil with all sorts of veggies. I add them for my friends, and they also like parsnips and turnips. I hope you do enjoy.

Warren - I still think she has no business there, altho I will grant she has a good judicial brain. She erred on the election choice and stole the people's voice.

I have no quarrel with people who are truly separated from w's white house, but O'Conner and Baker don't qualify. I also agree with the need for a decision that both sides will accept, and expected yoou to bring that up.

O'Conner and Baker will not decide impartially - they have already signaled that. There must be better choices.

Of course, these are just my opinions, but I think a lot of Americans would agree with me. I don't know wht my decision would be, altho I suspect some bad stuff will be turned up. I doubt I would trust anything those two had to say.

y'all speaking of Howard Baker or James Baker, or both?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222616

Warren, "Waterboarding" has already been declared torture. It's been torture for century and punished as torture for a few generations now. That part has been determined. The only thing a trial would require is to prove whether or not they waterboarded anybody, and what would be an appropriate punishment with a verdict of guilty.

Any conversation about justification is totally beside the issue other than to minimize a sentence as some form of "justifiable".

centuries not century

PLus I love Anon's idea. Maybe MSNBC could start a "waterboard Hannity fund"

RE food: "browned and crispy against the pan"

That's my favorite part of most things -- scalloped potatoes, mac & cheese....

Baker is the head hit guy for the Bush mob,,,replace him with M .Coumo?

put in the sec, of state that was on the Clinton adm,,,a republican,forgot his nave for now ,,and some of the people on the 9/11 commission,,,how about a cpl of vets,,,like ret.Cl Vinnie?,,,,ex Cia Robert Baer

Anon:

"To do anything less then investigate and prosecute would make the Nuremberg Trials a farce."

-"The war crimes tribunal tried and punished personnel only from Axis countries. Accusations arose claiming victor's justice, since no war crimes by the Allies were heard."

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

So your premise that Nuremberg was a practice in "blind justice" instead of "selective justice" is false.

(Not to mention hyperbolic. Sorry couldn't help myself ; )

And you cannot equate the crimes tried at Nuremburg - e.g., plans to exterminate and enslave people based on their race and conducting medical experiments on people on the belief that they are less than human - with using interrogation techniques - some of which a substantial majorty consider torture - in an effort to gain information re: future attacks.

And yes - it matters that these are terrorists who target civilians - and not soldiers in the army of another country.

One more thing - do you think would be collecting donations if Keith-O challenged Hannity to have his finger chopped off? Or his kneecaps broken? What about how long he could last with a blow torch on him?

So don't deny there isn't a difference.

Warren Christopher,,1st sec of state for Clinton

A republican ,,,,William Cohen,,,Clinton' sec of defense

Nice picks Solar. We are going to have to come up with a lot of names to get 8-10 that people can agree on.

Good evening all
Hey anyone have any good suggestions on getting rid of Armadillos? I am battling two at the moment.They tear the hell out of my yard and borrow under the foundation of the house.I flood the holes with water but they just move on and make new ones.Good ole Jessie just ran one of them off out of the back yard and I went out and sprayed this awful smelling natural repellent but it seems to dissipate quickly after the sprinkler system runs and they just return....

Oh,,,and we can send our own,,, Patsi,,,,,,,then we can take bets...like the derby,,on how many people she smacks around a little,,,yup hang em high Patsi would be a hoot no? hahaha

Hi Tony,,,can't think of anything,,,other that to talk to someone around there,,,some kind of society,,,a Vet,,,

Tony, this page has what looks like some reasonable information:
http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/professional-trapper/howtogetridofarmadillos.htm

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222635

Warren,

No one is claiming that there aren't degrees of torture. Waterboarding is torture and can induce a heart attack among other nasty possible complications. Just because we aren't the worst torturers doesn't mean we aren't torturers.

Hannity volunteered to be waterboarded to raise money for the troops. What is wrong with giving him even more incentive to do something he already has said he is willing to do.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222629

I saved it to my recipes and named it Bethy's Mess... hee hee... (^_~)

Hope your guests enjoyed. Artichokes...love 'em!

Sturg -
Blue Crabs ? Any relation to Sand Crabs ?

" getting rid of Armadillos? "

In Mexico they make purses out of them , it's a real fashion statement.

http://www.junkyardclubhouse.com/images/my-armadillo-handbag.jpg

Tonight's Derby List. If anyone has their horse, let me know.

Solar Crete Chocolate Candy
Desert Party
Jamie? Dunkirk
Jack, Ivy Green Friesan Fire
Patd General Quarters
Bethy, Renee Hold Me Back
Rezdog, Pogo I Want Revenge
Mr. Hot Stuff
Musket Man
Papa Clem
Jamie? Pioneer of the Nile
Carol Quality Road
Regal Ransom
Square Eddie
West Side Bernie
Win Willy

Much as I dislike Hannity, I don't want to see him or anybody else water boarded. If I were the designated charity, I would say thanks, but no thanks. Hannity may be a creep, but that is not a crime by itself. On the other hand, if he volunteers to be hoisted by his own petard...I'll pony up for that.

I'm back from celebrating. Hung out with a Palestinian dude, kind of a strange way to end the day.
Ivy- Oddly enough my father was interviewed by the Ken Burns group for the show he did about WWII (evidently they did a number of segments other than the 2 towns in the show), they never asked about seeing camps and he never gave out that info.
Jamie is a force of nature.

Gingrich Parrots House GOP On Climate Change, Waxman Rebuts

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/gingrich-parrots-house-gop-on-climate-change-waxman-rebuts.php?ref=fp4

"The sixth sandstorm to hit our nation's northern regions struck today, causing the biggest and most wide-ranging storm of the year," the China Meteorological Administration reported on its website.

Visibility dropped to less than 100 metres (330 feet) in parts of Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia provinces, where the storms were worst, it said.

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Sandstorms_engulf_north_China_999.html

British police paying informants within green groups: report

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/British_police_paying_informants_within_green_groups_report_999.html

Thanks Solar,Flatus
Oh C-Bob what a good Idea, a purse...I might consider that option but I can't even take a broom to them..Although that shell looks pretty tough....Jessie my mini-Schnauzer does good by making a lot of noise as he try's to bite there tails....

Company unveils 100-mpg hybrid truck
Bright Automotive targeting fleet sales, hopes for mass-production in 2013

"We are ready to provide the necessary automotive leadership our nation is calling for," Chief Executive John Waters said in a conference call with reporters.

Waters, who developed the battery pack for General Motors Corp.'s first electric vehicle, the EV1, unveiled the IDEA on Capitol Hill in Washington. He said the company has applied for a $450 million loan from a Department of Energy program designed to help automakers develop fuel-efficient technology.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30334501/

I don't know about everyone else but I see two pretty simple goods:
1) We're not in 3 wars
2) We're not all unemployed

come to think of it......sand crab probably lives in the sand because the blue crab lives in the water.......that old blue wields a mighty claw........

tony.....see if there is a recipe for possum on the half shell.....

Tony -
My solution sack is pretty thin tonight, I've seen those purses all my life.
They are creepy , but the women that carry them, that's another story.

It was The Claw....

The Craw?

No, CLAW......

Craw?

--maxwell smart and one of the bad guys.......

tony.....see if there is a recipe for possum on the half shell....

HA ,I better ask Sheila.....

When i was a little one I'd see the old women in department stores with those strings of foxes around their necks, heads and all.....

warren...

You miss the whole point about my take on the Nuremberg Trails and what they stood for.

As I'm sure you are aware the results of those trials was the basis for what constituted War Crimes as many of those who were tried committed many of the same crimes that came to be classified as War Crimes.

"The definition of what constitutes a war crime is described by the Nuremberg Principles, a set of guidelines document which was created as a result of the trial. The medical experiments conducted by German doctors and prosecuted in the so-called Doctors' Trial led to the creation of the Nuremberg Code to control future trials involving human subjects, a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation."

What was done under the guise of keeping the German people safe is no different from what Bush\Cheney did knowingly that what they were ordering was determined to be a War Crime interpreted not only by us, but the other countries as well that were allied with us in the War against Hitlers Nazi Germany.

How would you or anyone including myself feel if Obama decided to use the power of the MCA of 2006 and started labeling Republicans and even Democrats enemy combatants?

The Executive Branch now has that power that was given legally to it by the Republicans along with some Democrats.

But it don't even have to be Obama. In the future any President Democrat or Republican could follow the same policies of Bush\Cheney if they and those who participated feel that its alright since the ends justify the means and we could be in a worse state if that were to happen.

This needs to be fully investigated and if its determined that crimes were committed than arrests and prosecutions must take place.

To not do so makes everything America stood for to be a lie. And we are no better then any third world country run by a dictator who does the same thing to their citizens.

We can not turn a blind eye to what was done in Americas name since if we do then America is dead and so is the Constitution.

Good night and have a good day tomorrow.

I do hope that america turns out to be better than some third world country......(everybody says that, but no one ever points out which third world country.....) I mean, I got boxes to build.....

but the sand crabs and blue crabs alike look askance at, being in no way kin to, los mariposas del amor.......said mariposas are simply never referred to in polite crustacean society.....

i hope that's Arlo doing that commercial......it's killer.........

So Sturge are you the one waiting for the snipe tonight? Maybe just a hair more relish might work.

What will it take for Rush to get thrown overboard? Arrrr...

"Shane Murphy, second-in-command aboard the ship seized by Somali pirates this month, is happy to be home. But he's not happy to be sharing turf with land-lubber Rush Limbaugh, who politicized the pirate affair by referring to the pirates as 'black teenagers'."

"It feels like everyone around here has my back, with the exception of Rush Limbaugh, who is trying to make this into a race issue...that's disgusting."

He sure is.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/24/shane-murphy-freed-pirate_n_191290.html

Congratulations to Reb Renee and Red Sox Nation. Round one goes to you guys.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222663

Sturgeone,

"Love butterflies" ? One wonders how they migrate. :-)

EdVB: big moment in so. fla....Marlins lead in ninth, Phillies tied via a walk...then Shane Victorino clobbered grand salami. Phils win.
Ed, remember the good old days when espn would show April Sox-Yankees games?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222666

Great link to the Limbaugh assholery, Ivy. Thanks.

This is too funny. The "Aha Moment" has been copyrighted and is now the subject of a suit.

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-finance/20090424/US.Aha.Moment.Lawsuit/

Does this mean we can lay claim to "Uh? Duh!"

Sean Hannity is a hate filled moron..like most Republicans I know..

Bethy
A friend of mine does a similar dish with chicken breast, organic diced tomatoes, potatoes, green beans and mushrooms. It is very, very good.

Great debates and comments tonight.

"Does this mean we can lay claim to "Uh? Duh!"

Ha! Since when can people lay claim to everyday sayings? Unbelievable!

anon:

Don't overestimate my knowledge about Nuremburg.

But I know that justice is made up of - the law and the facts. And facts matter.

The law evolves and no two sets of facts are ever the same.

"This needs to be fully investigated and if its determined that crimes were committed than arrests and prosecutions must take place."

And where does this lead? Cheney is already implicated if not Exhibit A. And W said himself he was the decider.

But it doesn't stop there. Because George W.'s approval numbers were at his highest at this point. These policies were met with resistance. But they weren't stopped.

This information has been out there for all to see. At least respect to the elements of the crime. (Of course not all the gory details...)

"To not do so makes everything America stood for to be a lie."

What does America stand for in your eyes?

"And we are no better then any third world country run by a dictator who does the same thing to their citizens."

There are no "third world" countries. We are all in this together.

"We can not turn a blind eye to what was done in Americas name"

I agree.

"[S]ince if we do then America is dead and so is the Constitution."

Now you're being paranoid. America is back!!

And the Constitution is one of the greatest documents ever created - and thus immortal.

And point me to something in the Constitution that would require prosecutions.

"Good night and have a good day tomorrow."

Have a good weekend.

Plus, the GOP would go to the mats with this one. What do they got to lose?

"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize that I should have been more specific." - Lily Tomlin

That is a great quote Corey and I needed it yesterday when a friend was whinning about how she never made anything of her life. She was too toasted for most of it.

And I totally agree with Craig on his assessment of Obama's 100 days. Foriegn policy, good, and finance, they don't have a clue.

I am not sure they did such a good job with the dog pick either. Time will tell there. He may just be a hair too rowdy for that bunch.

and sis is still in bed. Since she traveled from the west she may have a few days of jet lag.

and my sister brought this hacking cough with her. I hope it isn't that Mexican flu. She did spend some time with her young grandchildren and sorry to say younguns are little germ factories. Need some built up immunity to hang with them.

good morning corey, ct, and all the lovely lurkers.

wonder what effect the virus scare will have on the migrant workers, on the farmers as their most active seasons begin, on healthcare workers in migrant communities.... from all angles, it looks bad, especially considering latent pockets of animosity ready to flare up during this economic/labor crisis.

"That is a great quote Corey and I needed it yesterday when a friend was whinning about how she never made anything of her life. She was too toasted for most of it."

RE: Corey's quote and Carol's response...interesting overall subject. I think people make too much about what they've "done" with their lives.

Did I also read a little headline that some virus was missing from some lab? Hope those people who are sick didn't find it. Have always feared that it would be an itty, bitty germ that takes us down.

We, here in Louisiana, have a pretty good built up immunity. And I did a lot of camping where I pretty much ate whatever flew in my plant. Not that it was a plan, it was just too dark to see.

That was supposed to be plate, not plant, will maybe both apply.

"I hope it isn't that Mexican flu"

ct, hope so too... craig might have to quarantine you.
and can you see all of us tmrs scramblig to disinfect our monitors, wear gloves at the keyboards and take other protective precautions when friend ct shows up?

btw, don't forget to name drop to that saintly sister of yours of how close you to certain tv and literary celebs... profound conversations on a daily basis.

I just knew you guys were trying to get rid of me. It ain't that easy.

I was just telling that same friend, in one of her drunk and pity party states, that craig wrote me something on the blog. She said and you think it was really him. You think he would talk to you. I said yes he would talk to me, you big dummy.

"people make too much about what they've "done" with their lives"

patsi, and what their lives have done to them, referring to the "woe is me" crowd. personally have always been moved by the "against all odds" survivor stories and the enjoying the journey not the destination types.

I am always bragging about how smart and worldly you guys are and that I am actually allowed to talk to you. Well, that is when I am not snipe hunting.

Now I need one of those legal like signed papers or a signed pic from Craig saying that you really would talk to me.

Back in the '50s, one of the scares du jour was the poisoning of municipal reservoirs by sleeper agents.

"Did I also read a little headline that some virus was missing from some lab?"

ct, yeah, from same lab that the anthrax guy who "killed himself" worked.

For selfish reasons, I hope the pandemic fails to materialize; our daughter and two of our granddaughters are planning an extended visit with us this summer. The fear of them being unable to transit international borders may put a kibosh on the whole thing.

One of the girls will be boning up on her English at the Univ of So Carolina with the possibility of doing graduate work in some healthcare related profession.

for sturge and his las mariposas del amor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0pkn9evgKs

Warren.... after reading the whole debate... I agree with you.... let's investigate.... but no prosecutions....
and someone on Diane Rehm's panel yesterday made the same argument about not equating what the Bush admin did to obtain info from terrorists with what the Nazis did.....

and I agree with Bethy.... for a Truth Commission.... no J. Baker and no S.D.O'Conner...... I'd like to see someone along the lines of a recently defeated moderate Republican such as Lincoln Chafee....

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222695

flatus, still is a scare

EdVB.... I bet Rivera has nightmares about the Red Sox....

justme..... welcome to the blog.... get involved in our conversations.... we won't bite.... well... maybe just a little..... :0)

it's gonna be in the 80s today..... don't think I'll hang around this machine....

ct, craig told us that we're designated as friends on his facebook... will that do in lieu of a signed photo..

actually, helen, craig and his agent probably would jump at the chance to personally autograph their new book for you. just an idea.

" Well, that is when I am not snipe hunting."

I'm always up for a snipe hint, Carol.

Do you realize what I am talking about with that snipe hunting Patsi? I mean that you are being totally ignored and put in a room by yourself. Do you want that?

I would pay extra for that autographed copy of Craig's book but I am not sure that would count as his actually talking to little old me.

welcome, justme, great name.... humble with a touch of fairness to it.

Morning everyone. I like to look for quotes to put on my Facebook page. I was gonna put that one up, but I went for something more bizarre. And a welcome to justme!

My friend has no clue about this blogging stuff. She thinks I am a total idiot for doing it, unlike herself, who drinks beer all afternoon and watches any kind of sports on TV. I have nothing against that either but to judge me..... I am proud to occasionally hang out with you intelligent sophisicates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqg3YWFA5nw&feature=related

"Who goes there?"

You gotta have balance in life. I blog and I watch sports, except for golf.

"Do you realize what I am talking about with that snipe hunting Patsi? I mean that you are being totally ignored and put in a room by yourself. Do you want that?"

I guess I don't know the backstory of that, Carol. I think of snipe hunts as just a generally useless pursuit of myth. (Which I'm always up for...)

They also serve who only blog and gripe.

--john milltown

I chathed a myth or two in my day........

""Do you realize what I am talking about with that snipe hunting Patsi? I mean that you are being totally ignored and put in a room by yourself. Do you want that?"

And you know what they say about a room of one's own...ha

Jed Clampett rocks out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFOojfjRE64

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222674

justme --

Welcome aboard. Your friend's dish sounds as delish as Bethy's. Is the chicken pre-cooked or uncooked? I'm always looking for ideas for leftover chicken.

Renee's right, we won't bite except maybe a little - but like a puppy nip it doesn't leave a mark.

Here's the rub. If a commission makes a formal finding that criminal torture, as defined by the Geneva Conventions, occurred, then someone is morally and/or legally obligated to bring an indictment.

If our country is unwilling to do so, then any number of other countries can demand a trial at The Hague.

I say, for the sake of our political system, that we turn the page on these happenings with the absolute, expressed promise that we will adhere to the word and the spirit of our Constitution and our treaty obligations under the Geneva Conventions.

Laurel & Hardy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOljnFZhbVI&NR=1

Ah, and a welcome to Justme, too!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222709

Carol --

I find the less I say to the uninitiated, the better.

Also, try salt water gargling and sinus rinse to keep those little germies at bay.

Corey, I was saddened to hear of yet another loss in your family; hang in there.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222702

patd --

I hope there's plans for a book signing tour.

"I find the less I say to the uninitiated, the better."

Yes Ivy, you are right but she knows when I am trying to listen to her and type at the same time. She knows.

Posted by: Flatus Author Profile Page | April 25, 2009 9:12 AM

Flatus there's the little matter of history in how many promises the Gov't made to the Native Americans, and whether promises are kept.....I agree that we should let it be known far and wide that those promises are made, but how apt are suspicious peoples to see them as anything but cynically.......it's a conundrum, aint it.......

Why waterboard if a simple sinus rinse will do the job? I remember those irrigating gadgets--squeeze bulbs with a glass reservoir and a long stainless tube to insert in one's nose. Just the thought of it sends shivers down my spine.

the native americans just for one example......there are many, as Gen Batiste pointed out on Keef-O the other night........in between Keef's long questions.....ha......he's doing great lately, but sometimes he reminds me of those senators and house guys framing a question to some schlub sitting at a table before them....

in fact, Keef-O is really chopping some wood these days.......it's a joy to watch his show again........

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222687

Patsi,

You are so right. The majority of humans will not be "GREAT" anything. I'm happy with I've loved some wonderful people, had fun the majority of the time and helped to create two really nice human beings. After that the world is on its own.

corey.......i read your post about the little girl.......that's just sadder than words can convey........

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222691

Carol,

She is really going to have kittens when you join us for a beer bash with said celebrity while on book tour.

Yeah, I felt bad for my cousin. Jamie, you might like this. I used to buy MP3's from this site. Can't do it now, unfortunately. At least not at the UK site. The USA site isn't nearly as good. This artist Melody Gardot is releasing her new album here this Tuesday. On this site here, you can listen to previews of the songs on it.

http://www.7digital.com/artists/melody-gardot/my-one-and-only-thrill/

Jamie, creating two nice human beings is the "ultimate" as an accomplishment in life. I, unfortunately, never got that opportunity, not that I didn't try. When you don't have that on your Vita, you have to work a little harder with your career just to prove you have worth.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222726

Flatus --

Awful gadgets designed by torturers! I take my wisdom from the ancient yogis who do no harm. (^_~)

I do my fair share of bragging about knowing you authors and you guys actually talking to me. Ever felt you ears burning?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222724

Carol --

Can you get away with telling her you're on eBay?? ("Hold that thought, I've got 28 seconds to bid!")

(^_~)

Time to hit the garden chores before that thermometer hits 88 degrees today. Need to check on the baby chicks' progress. They're growing every day. The first thing I look for is that there's no army of ants marching up the post...that's always a bad sign.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222714

But Sturgeone

When you caught her did you sip your snifter, seize your knees and sneeze?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222733

Carol,

My aunt never had a child, but I couldn't have asked for a better mother when I needed one most. You probably have a whole lot of "creation" in your life.

Oh and "trying" or "just practicing" is a whole lot of fun too.

Just me,,,,,,,, welcome,,,,,,They so bite,,,they are just trying to set you up,,,,I have the bite marks to prove it Ha!,,,,,If you find your self going back,,to the last,,or the last couple of threads to find out what all the chatter was about,,,,U R hooked my friend,,,that is the sign,,,that we can start biting!!!

Carol

There you go again,,,,Now U know that no one is really talking to you, right? we are all typing some notes into a computer,,to achieve communication,,,,but talking,,talking?? I f you keep it up you are going to have to be examined and locked up(sniping) in a room all by your self.If u want to get Craig to talk to you,,U gots to get better...and let me talk to Sis,,,who does she think that she is anyway?,,,,,calling us Crazy,,,well she called you a little crazy,,,,so never mind,she knows you a lot longer than I do.haha

Not my sister who calls us crazy, it is my drunk friend.

I know,,,but decided to say good morning to you that way. instead of a joke,,too early for one.

Solar
Did you get your corn in the ground????

Rut ro. I gotta go. My sister has her list of "evolved" things we have to do today. I will sneak a peak later. You guys be good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhNrqc6yvTU#

Tony,,,,that what Im going to do today,,,thanks for reminding me,,,catch those armadillos and cook em??

Thothe wathent my kneeths i theethed.......

Warren,,,play it,,,no more talk,,,lets go!!!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222747

Tony, tips on catching Armadillos

Barbarosa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBiOhxIQ4j4

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222748

Oh yes
I'll get right on it! HA HA,I think I'll stick to Chicken and Beef.... From Flatus's link, I do need to have them trapped though....There working me today filling holes in the yard so were both doing things with soil...Nice day for it....

Tony,,,,remember to put the grass you replace,,,,,,,green side up,,,,,u would be surprise at how many people don't do that :-)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222751

C-Bob
Oh ya there fast and I think I would have just about as much luck as Gary in catching one...Wait ,if I get my courage up they are sometimes trapped in my fenced in backyard so I have a chance..They dig fast under that fence and poof there gone...(for you Chloe) HA HA

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222753

Solarman
Oh Really....HA HA,your funny....I just had the Witnesses come to my door and I thought what would Solar say???

"I thought what would Solar say??? "

Thanks, but no thanks? :)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/us/politics/25michelle.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

"First Lady in Control of Building Her Image"

"By focusing on her domestic persona and harnessing the fascination with her family, the first lady and her communications team have emerged as the key architects of one of the most remarkable political transformations in years. Only 10 months ago, Mrs. Obama was described as an angry black woman by some conservatives and as a liability to her husband. Now, she is widely admired for her warmth, and her vibrant and accessible manner, and her race seems almost an afterthought to many Americans. She has the highest favorability ratings of any incoming first lady since 1980, and is even more popular than the president."

"My aunt never had a child, but I couldn't have asked for a better mother when I needed one most."

Jamie, What a nice thing to say. I completely agree with you. Conception and mothering are two different things. The 'mothering' part is what's most important. And there are so many different ways to express that.

Tony,

This will give you exactly the information to build a armadillo-proof fence. And, I bet you have some mates from Down Below who'd be willing to give you a hand in erecting it! :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit-proof_fence

New Franklin letters found

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/25/uk.franklin.letters/index.html

Hi Tony,
I read about your armadillo problem. We've had the same problem with possums, etc. We bought a humane trap and relocate them. But if you're going to hire a service to do that, it's even better.

Tony et Al

The link to the "Rabbit Proof Fence" mentions the film of the same name. It is wonderful movie and if you haven't seen it, make the attempt to find it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit-Proof_Fence_(film)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222756

Hi Chloe
This man and his son come every Sat. and I generally give them a few minutes unless I'm very busy...I'm honest with him about my dislike of organized religion and I never put them down for their faith...I tell them you don't have a chance with me and they go away laughing....

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php

Anyone taking part in these events around the world today?

Rescue the Children?

"I generally give them a few minutes unless I'm very busy"

You are so nice Tony. :)

Tony,,,,corn is in the ground

I always invite them in,,or listen to them outside,,,,,Im always looking to hear a good sales pitch,,,,,they are not very original,,,lets just say that they don't often make a second visit

Morning Mz Chloe,,,,

Woo Hoo! Jamie has really put this into motion. I have contacted CBS Sunday Morning News, 60 Minutes and Andy Rooney. I also contacted the Col. of the newly commissioned 94th. Will now pursue the Sec. of Veterans' Affairs- the Col. said that especially being a Gen. this should be of great interest to him. Thank you for all your input and of course Jamie! Three cheers!!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222768

OSH,

It is so good to hear that. I was hoping for more feedback or at least someone outside of the regular commentors dropping in with a word or two.

Feel free to refer them to the blog for the whole background story. It will save you time on phone calls when backed up with an offer to mail copies of the pertinent documents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit-proof_fence

Ha,yes I do have a few mates(Baz and Kane) Down Under...I think Kane would be up for the task but Baz is definitely not the outdoorsy type...Sounds like a plan....Thanks Flatus love any info regarding Australia,i simply love that country and its folk..
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-c.cgi#comment-222763

Jamie
Thanks,I'll give it a look....

TV necessary to only 52%....

What’s a Necessity?
Much of history is the tale of luxuries becoming necessities. I remember my surprise when I read that the discovery of America was partly caused by a desire to reach the Spice Islands, to get those luxuries for wealthy Europeans without having to use the existing trading systems.

But can things go the other way?"
http://norris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/whats-a-necessity/

... Morning, Mr. Solar.
My corns going in the ground today too.
We'll have a race.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222766

Thanks Chloe and so are you my dear.....

Oh Solar
I was speaking of Baz and it reminds me of what he did to stop the Mormon missionaries from coming to his door,Ha Ha he just went to the door nude in a very excited way....I'm laughing now as I remember him telling me.I told him no way would i do that in this Country or State, I'd be hauled off to jail...He said sad ,sad....

The Chloe,Solar corn race..Pictures please....

That's Great Sea,,,with U all the way.

Chlo,,,,That is how the Conquistadors found Mexico,,,,it was chasing spices. and once they saw that there were other riches,it was all over for the Aztecs.

Tony,,,,,,,and there is another reason that you shouldn't do that,,,,,one of the armadillos just might be------U know a little happy to see that ,,,and fall in love with U,,,,and then you would never be able to get rid of himmmmmmmmmmmm,,,,

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222775

Yes Indeed!! Funny you are Solarman.....:0)

Jamie- Your website is SO crucial and have sent it to all of the above and will be sending to the Gen. shortly (have to open the shop then will be back at it- no chocolate making today) Your writing and editorial skills are so finely honed that the reader gets the whole picture quickly and clearly - as my father put it "broadly focused without going into the minutia" I would like to be a fly on the wall when Sec. Shinseki views your site. You said what I couldn't say and would imagine a true Army man as I'm told he is, would be horrified to read of the disregard to the request.

Jamie- any extra hits?

Tony,,,,I will send you mine if Chloe,,will too,,,,but we have to be in the pic also,,,right

A Pulitzer Prize-winning book on a brutal aspect of U.S. history has reignited debate on the country's racial past just as the country's first black president is seen as evidence of racial progress.

"Slavery By Another Name" recounts the little-known story of how in the decades after President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves, hundreds of thousands of black Americans were re-enslaved as convict laborers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30344523/

Jamie- time and money. It cost me a fortune in postage and copy costs to get this started initially. Would you be interested in scans of Sen. Kennedy's letters written to me?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222779
I think its a wonderful idea...But its what Chloe thinks that matter's....What do think about Solar's proposal Chloe?

"I will send you mine if Chloe,,will too,,,,but we have to be in the pic also"

Ha Solar! I have to admit that you are persistent. :)

Solar, What I found interesting in that article is that only about half think a computer is necessary, and less than a third think high speed internet is important. It hasn't changed much in the last few years. Those thinking TV's are necessary is the lowest since they started the survey in 1973. I think the computer has almost replaced the TV for some, or partly replaced it.

"its what Chloe thinks that matter's"

Now, those are my favorite words Tony....I don't hear them often?

oops, that question mark was supposed to be a smile. :)

OSH

Visits are holding constant. The problem being that a hundred people might look at the pages and only five say anything.

Yes I would like the letters. The problem is that I have Vista that doesn't read the Doc format. If you can do a save as a text document it makes it easier for me.

And what format for a photo?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222780

C-Bob --

Thank you for linking this. Did not realize this won a Pulitzer until your post. I've been following this tragic history locally for a couple of years. Birmingham News did a multi-part story about three years ago. Imus interviewed the author Douglas A. Blackmon last year.

Here's more...

http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?section=1

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/618.html

I have something very distressing to report. I went by the house to show off my evolved efforts at corn growing to my sister and low and behold every corn plant was gnawed at the ground like there was nothing ever planted. sniff, sniff, sniff.

I even had cayenne pepper sprinkled on them so I guess my fear that I had some cajun rabbi out there was realized.

Actually there is a tiny nub left on some. C-Bob will they come back up???? But if they do I guess whatever ate them will just be back for more. I assume you now have to remove me from the map Bob. sniff, sniff.

its what Chloe thinks that matter's"

Almost had her on the ropes,,,,and then you said that,,,,don't help me out the next time,,ok buddy,,,,persistent is my middle name,,,what is your first??

Tony I forgot the :-)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222791

That is just too sad, Carol. I know how you must feel.

and I also have a family of amadillos that live under my house.

"The problem is that I have Vista that doesn't read the Doc format."

Jamie,

Have you given this suite a try? The price is right and it does .doc files and is quite robust and intuitive:
http://www.openoffice.org/index.html

Chloe, it was my one big accomplishment lately. My effort at procreation. Again I am a failure. Oh well I will just have to fish away my grief.

" Jamie! Three cheers!!"

Good work, Jamie!

Carol
I feel for you!.. Armadillos too..Sorry..

Tony, would an amadillo eat corn? I thought they dug up roots.

You two should go into partnership:
'C.T. Tony's B39 Armadillo Remedy'

A kit composed of Composition C-4, electric blasting caps, a magneto, 75-feet of insulated cable, and a crimping tool.

C.T. Tony recommends this kit ONLY use by for professionals and advanced amateurs. Further, they recommend that local emergency response agencies be notified 15-minutes prior to activation of the kit's content.

ONLY for use

NEW THREAD.. http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/weekend-ducks.html

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/baracks-first-100-days.html#comment-222786

Yes Chloe, I think you probably have that in common with a lot of wife's and mother's....

Justme - I also welcome you. After you post a few times, it will become all too easy. You'll probably have trouble shutting up just as I do.

Ct - you are really cracking me up these days!

I haven't planted my corn yet, since I'm still pondering where to plant them. I think I'll put them in a little bit of land in our parking area that's reserved for gardening.

Here the weather is conducive to healthy plant life till Thanksgiving sometimes so I have now worries about that. I just want to do it right.

In order to drink some champagne, we had a birthday party last night. It was quite nice and I heard at least one really good dirty joke, too. We laughed a lot - it's good for you.

My sister, her daughter and son-in-law and his mother have atrip to Baja planned in a few weeks - Gene's mom went to England several years ago with us, and she is screamingly delightful. this should be a great trip for them, but I'm worried Ginny might be put off by the flu problem.