The Latest Hot Issues

Nader
Noticed that the Ralph Nader issue is picking up steam. Supposedly he will announce this Sunday on Meet the Press what he plans to do. Democrats are going all out to convince him otherwise. One on his long time friends made this comment: Mr. Green said that he, in turn, told Mr. Nader that during a talk Mr. Green recently gave about his new critique of Mr. Bush, "The Book on Bush," 93 of 100 audience members who said they voted for Mr. Nader in 2000 said they would not do so again. "I relayed that as a way to say, a) It may hurt Kerry and help re-elect Bush and b) It won't help you given how much more you have to contribute." Joshua Marshall points out in his Talking Points Memo :A reader notes that since Nader now isn't even running as a Green, he has apparently abandoned even the pretense that he is in the race to create a viable third party in American politics. If he runs, it would now be strictly on a platform of vacuous moral posturing and self-aggrandizement.

SF Marriages
A judge blocked conservative groups from denying gays the right to marry . Gee, guess these groups won't have the chance for a few days to further their bigotry. I know, I know, there are 2 sides to this issue, but I'm sorry, I still don't get the side that thinks this is harming the "sanctity of marriage". Gov Schwarzenegger weighed in with this comment: saying that "San Francisco's actions are directly contrary to state law and present an imminent risk to civil order." What? The conservatives are going to rise up and wage war on the gays in the streets? Actually, that wouldn't surprise me. Update: Here's an interesting article on Mayor Newsome and his reasons for taking on this issue.

GW slips Another One by
George installed Willaim Pryor Jr to a Federal Appeals court during a Congressional recess. First we get Pickering, now we get Pryor. Pretty slick - you just get tired of Democrats filibustering, so you appoint them while the Congress is out. Fortunately they can be removed in the future when the Senates gets to vote on them - all the more reason to elect Democrats to Senate seats, who will rid the court of all these ultra-conservatives.As a state official in Alabama, Mr. Pryor, 41, gained prominence as an outspoken opponent of legalized abortion and as an advocate for a greater Christian influence in government Furthermore, Mr. Pryor is also known for defending the right of high school athletes to pray "spontaneously." And, in a brief before the Supreme Court, he argued that if a law in Texas outlawing sex between homosexuals was overturned, it would open the way for legalized "prostitution, adultery, necrophilia, bestiality, possession of child pornography and even incest and pedophilia."

Staring Into the Mouth of the Trade Deficit SEATTLE - Huge container ships steam into this port every day loaded with clothes and shoes, furniture and video games, electronics and aircraft parts made in Asia.

On their return trip, those same ships often cross the Pacific half empty, bearing chemicals, meat, grain and engines and routinely stuffed with hay or scrap paper. "This is what the nation's trade imbalance really looks like," said Mark Knudsen, the deputy director of the Port of Seattle. "We've got so much empty cargo space, it pays to ship over hay for Chinese animals, or scrap paper to be recycled into packaging for Barbie dolls."

Obviously the trade debate is going to be a big issue in the upcoming election. Many think that outsourcing to other countries is hurting us, but there are others who don't see it that way. Will be an interesting debate. As I've said before, if you want to watch someone who really is outspoken about this, watch Lou Dobbs on CNN.  

Bill Clinton - A Speech shortly after 9/11

This may take you awhile, but it's always interesting to listen to Clinton talk. Smart minds like his don't come along every day. This is the text of a speech delivered to Georgetown Univ. students , not long after 9/11. Interesting viewpoints on terroists, Muslims and how we should view the world. Worth a read.  

Please Ralph, Don't do It!

There's a possiblity that Ralph Nader may run again - he's even got a web site testing out the idea. Now I know anybody should have the chance to run, but in Ralph's case, he actually made a difference which cost the Democrats the Election. He sucked up 80,000 votes in Florida when the difference came down to some 500 votes. And he sucked up 4% of the vote in New Hampshire where GW won by 1%. It would be one thing if Ralph really had a chance, but he doesn't and I can't believe he can sit back and see what the Republicans are doing and think that what he is doing is of some benefit to the country. You can email Ralph at info@naderexplore04.org . Do us all a favor and take the time to click on that link and jot Ralph a note telling him to cease and desist.

Quote of the Day:
I think it's about time we voted for senators with breasts. After all, we've been voting for boobs long enough.
Claire Sargent, on women candidates, The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1993 

By Golly, The World may not End!

Electablog* Campaign News with all the Carbs: An amusing quote from Electablog this morning - "I live in San Francisco and can report with some certaintly that our city did not sink into the sea over the weekend, nor did a single person turn into a pillar of salt. There were, however, hundreds of joyous unions. I suppose everyone has a right to their opinions on this, but you've really got to wonder about people and organizations who took the weekend off from their Janet Jackson nipple-related letter writing campaigns to dedicate themselves to stopping people who love each other from getting married."
Quote of the Day:
Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.
George Carlin (1937-) 

SF Mayor takes a brave Stand

Gavin Newsome did the right thing in my book. It was nice to see all these people who have been discriminated against for so many years, finally achieve some happiness in their lives. Newsome: "There's also a constitution in the state of California that I swore to uphold just 39 days ago," he told CNN's "American Morning." "The bottom line is I took an oath of office and read that constitution, and nowhere in there did it say that I should discriminate."

"I see a world that I saw over the course of this weekend where people were literally coming, from states across this nation, coming together because they have been in a loving relationship for decade after decade, and they want the same privileges and rights and obligations that were extended to my wife and I," Newsom said.

"That's the kind of world that I want to live in," Newsom said. "That's the kind of world that I think the constitution of the state of California, for that matter, the U.S. Constitution, provides and protects."

Whereas I'm sure the courts will find a way to strike this down, I salute brother Newsome for his act of HUMAN decency.  

Summing Up

Nascar and GW
Spent Sunday catching up on the boob tube. 2 or 3 morning News Shows , then got to watch GW strut his stuff at the Daytona 500 (was surprised he didn't come blasting onto the track in full driver regalia, doing a few spinouts in the infield or something - must be losing his touch. He did wear a Daytona 500 jacket and made sure he got all the requisite photo ops with various military personnel present. I'm sure the WH was all over that. And of course he enjoyed the jets streaking overhead (even a Stealth bomber) and upward camera angles to reflect his beaming face against the blue skies was just added wizardry. Laura was close at hand for this one - wonder how she liked the race? She doesn't strike me as Nascar material. Had to suffer through another rendition of Lee Greenwood singing his America song - time for some new material maybe? Earnhardt Jr won the race in a rather boring final 10 laps or so as Tony Steward just didn't have the juice to catch him. Of course I walked away from the race during one of the major pileups - that's usually the way it works. Like most Americans, I'm there for the blood and guts. LOL

Big John returns!
John Daly cranked up a win on the PGA tour after being winless since the '95 British Open. Was nice to see the big ol' sot back in the saddle again. Made a fabulous bunker shot on the first hole in the playoffs to come within a few feet of the hole, then got to watch his opponents both flub their 3' putts. Some are just destined for great things and others have to keep sucking it up for another day. Wonder how it feels to have your wife and her parents up on criminal charges? How does he keep himself removed from that mess?

HBO and Women's Suffrage Movement
Watched Iron Jawed Angels on HBO , the story of Alice Paul and the Women's Suffrage Movement during the Wilson Presidency. Excellent performances - sort of a modern approach put on a historical movement - was done quite effectively I thought. Sure made Wilson out to be a jerk. The force feeding scenes were rough to watch though during her days in the slammmer. The show repeats itself this week. For the schedule click here . HBO and Showtime often turn out quality TV, unlike the rest of the normal crap on the major channels. Thank God for satellite dishes out here in the boonies.

Chickens for RA?
Wandered off for my usual 4 month visit to the rheumatologist - looks like I'm gonna live a few more years. :) Same ol', same ol', they don't have anything really to offer except for drugs and some of the new "biologicals" like Enbrel and Remicade are not completely without flaw. Rheumie mentioned he was starting to have problems with some of them , even having one of his patients contract MS. Think I'll stick with my RA and save a few bucks (Enbrel and Remicade run about 12K/year) and avoid the MS. A friend reports that she is having excellent success with undenatured chicken collagen in a trial being run by Dr. Trentham in Boston. Apparently he has found a new pill form vs. the liquid form he used back in the mid 90's in similar trials. I'm not sure of the exact dosage one would start on and am trying to find that out. Not being a toxic drug certainly sounds encouraging.

Politics
For an amusing look at the Democratic Debate Sunday Night, check out Electablog . The comments in parentheses are great.

Movies
Just finished watching Finding Nemo . Wonderful movie - surely seen by the entire planet already except for me. Hilarious dialog - great animation - a 5 star effort.  

A Follow Up to "Daughter from Danang"

Thought I'd add a few links to this very throught provoking documentary. Hopefully you've added it to your list of movies to watch. Once you've watched it, you should read this interesting interview with the two producers. Then I'd move on to the section where people have written in to express their opinions of the movie. There are some very thoughtful comments here - as you can see, opinions differ widely. This would be a very good movie for families to watch and discuss with their kids. It is interesting that we alone seem to be a culture that does not venerate one's elders. Wonder what that says about us? That we're selfish? I'll leave that for you to contemplate. It will be interesting to hear what Heidi decides to do in the future.  

GW- Looks like we Abandoned Someone!

Op-Ed Columnist: Afghan Women, Still in Chains

More than two years later, many Afghan women are still captives in their homes. Life is better in Kabul than under the Taliban, but in many areas our triumphalism is proving hollow. Consider these snapshots of the new Afghanistan:

- A 16-year-old girl fled her 85-year-old husband, who married her when she was 9. She was caught and recently sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment.

- The Afghan Supreme Court has recently banned female singers from appearing on Afghan television, barred married women from attending high school classes and ordered restrictions on the hours when women can travel without a male relative.

- When a man was accused of murder recently, his relatives were obliged to settle the blood debt by handing over two girls, ages 8 and 15, to marry men in the victim's family.

This might not have happened if we had stuck to Afghanistan and not gone "warring" in Iraq. Now it is just so much more difficult - how many times do we have to make this mistake?

Politics
Want to know who to vote for based on your viewpoints? Take this very interesting quiz and it will pick the candidate that most supports your viewpoints. Click Me!

ABB 

Like the sound of This!

F.C.C. Begins Rewriting Rules on Delivery of the InternetIn one set of proceedings, the commission began writing regulations to enable computer users to gain access to the Internet through electric power lines. Consumers will be able to plug their modems directly into the wall sockets just as they do with any garden variety appliance. Officials said the new rules, which are to be completed in the coming months, would enable utilities to offer an alternative to the cable and phone companies and provide an enormous possible benefit to rural communities that are served by the power grid but not by broadband providers.

Photography
For a good look at the new Nikon D70 and comparisons between it and the Canon Digital Rebel, take a look at this review .

Photo of the Day Link
Click Me!  

Markets Continue to Sizzle

The Market was hot last year and I figured it would cool off some this year, but it continues to sizzle like a red hot tomato. Most funds I own are up 6-7% and it's only February. At some point I suspect there has to be correction but I'm enjoying the run at the moment. Suspect a lot of folks are still sitting on the sidelines from the big crash a few years ago - can't blame them, but they missed out on a 36% increase in the Dow and a 61% increase in the Nasdaq over the last 12 months and already the small caps and the small growth stocks are up 6-8% for 2004. Top fund for the year so far? - ProFunds Ultra Wireless Investments (WCPIX) - up 26.59%.

Ironic that there is such a disconnect between the market and jobs in this country. If you only looked at the market, you would think it was a fabulous recovery, but the jobs situation tells a different story. A little unsettling to hear the comment the other day that 70% of voters are invested in the market (of course that 70% is 70% of the 50% or so that actually vote). That just shows you that folks without money and investments feel like the system only belongs to the wealthy and thus there is no reason to vote. They couldn't be more wrong (about voting), but I can understand why they feel the way they do - after all, it's not like their plight has improved any in the last 20 years. Wonder come election time, if those 70% who are invested will view things as hunky dory based on their 401k's and retirement plans or if they'll look at the jobs situation. Most likely depends on whether they have a job or not! If the market continues to sizzle (unusual in an election year), that does not bode well for the Democrats.

For a look at how Bill Nygren (one of a few long time highly successful fund managers) and his group at Oakmark Funds view the process of selecting good companies to include in their funds, click here .

Links

New links are continually being added to the list on the right, so check it out from time to time. You might stumble across something interesting! If you mouseover the links, occasionally you will get a description (or some worthless remark, as the case may be!).  

Homophobes Unite

Massachusetts Weighs a Deal on Marriages Between GaysGee, just when I thought a state was taking a tolerant view, along comes the homophobes. I am still puzzled over how this affects the "sanctity of marriage". I'm married - how is it going to affect me if two men marry or two women marry? Is that supposed to somehow invalidate my marriage because they got married? Why are so many people so scared?

Update* - Tune in to Nightline w/ Ted Koppel tonite for a discussion of this issue. 

A mere 7,700 miles of walking

Two Seas, Two Feet: Skurka's Calendar Sea-to-Sea Route Hike Check out this site to follow along with Andy Skurka of Seekonk, MA as the attempts to become the first person to hike the entire 7,700 mile Sea-to-Sea Route. He plans to hike 27 miles per day for 9 months, finishing in November of this year.

You can read his online journal at the site as well as look at his pictures which are going to be teamed up with a special Microsoft project . You can even sign up for an email update of his progress. Should be an extraordinary experience!

I originally read about Andy's journal on the Extreme Tech site, which is worth a look as well. It explains the digital photography project.  

Daughter from Danang

Had the opportunity last night (thanks to Netflix) to watch an outstanding documentary called "Daughter from Danang". This is a 2 kleenex box, 5 star effort. Starts off like a typical documentary and quickly develops into a truly gut-wrenching story. A must-see movie. No easy answers here. For more about the movie, you can look here . However, in some ways I think it is even more impacting if you just rent it and watch it without any prior knowledge.

Winner of the 2002 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary.

Quote of the Day: (as befits the above mentioned movie)
The lack of emotional security of our American young people is due, I believe, to their isolation from the larger family unit. No two people - no mere father and mother - as I have often said, are enough to provide emotional security for a child. He needs to feel himself one in a world of kinfolk, persons of variety in age and temperament, and yet allied to himself by an indissoluble bond which he cannot break if he could, for nature has welded him into it before he was born.
Pearl S. Buck 

Cold Mountain on Audible

Just thought I'd mention that Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain is now available at Audible.com . Charles Frazier reads it himself and has the perfect voice to match this novel. Wish I had listened to it originally vs reading it. A good narrator brings a whole new element to reading. You can do a search on the site for it and listen to a 15 min selection.

Naked in Baghdad is also a book that gets very good reviews, read by NPR's Sr. Foreign Correspondent, Anne Garrels. An Audible listener has this to say: - "This is not just the best book I have read all year (and last year for that matter) it's a book you really should hear rather than read, if you can. The narrators are the people who lived this adventure: Anne Garrels, NPR correspondent tells the story of what it was like to be one of only a dozen journalists who remained in Bagdad during the war while her husband Vint Lawrence reads his own wonderfully written email updates about Anne that he sent to friends and family. Part of the book is about Anne Garrels' individual journey through tangles of corrupt bureaucracy and bombs and the people of Baghdad who often risked their safety to help her. It's a window onto the city and the people of Baghdad, very intimate and personal, well apart from network news coverage" You can also listen to a 15 min selection at Audible I haven't read this myself yet, but it is next up on my list after finishing Edmund Morris's Theodore Roosevelt. I've now got 63 books on my Wish List at Audible - looks like I'm gonna be busy. :)

Quote of the Day:
"Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity."
Christopher Morley  

What is going on in the World?

CBS 2: Books Plot Rise Of Righteous Army I saw this scary show on 60 minutes tonight. Boy, first listening to GW and now having to listen to evangelical Christians tell me I am doomed to hell on earth - think it's time to move to that Carribean Island and disappear forever from this madness! It just seem so incredible that someone could be so arrogant as to believe that their way is the only way. Tough luck to all you Jews, Muslims, heathens, Aborigines,etc - unless some Missionary has come to save your sorry soul, you are DOOMED. It's a good thing I just laugh at these folks, but it is truly frightening that 70 MILLION Americans feel this way. It's hardly a wonder that Bush gets their votes since he is one of them.

"That's what the Bible teaches. There are gonna be many Southern Baptists, for example, or many Presbyterians, or many Catholics, or people who are a part of Christendom,? says Ice. ?But if they haven't personally trusted Jesus Christ as their savior, even if they ? a lifelong member of a church, you know, then they will be damned.?

?And so, with the White House, and Tom DeLay, and in the House of Representatives, the attorney general ? talk radio, the conservative Fox News, all that sort of thing, these are parts of the righteous army that has finally come into its own.?

Late Breaking News - Pilot reportedly promoted Christianity on flight

VOTE DEMOCRATIC - STOP THE MADNESS! (if it were only so easy - think the move to the island is a better plan)  

Bush talks to Russert

MSNBC - Transcript for Feb. 8th Well, this isn't as good as the real thing, but it will have to do. If you watched this on TV and you're not scratching your head in total amazement over what a putz Bush is, then I'm scratching my head over what is going on in your brain.

Sorry, but hard to see it any other way. This is the best our country can produce for leadership in the free world? Someone who can't even craft an intelligent sentence? If this doesn't spur Democrats and Independents (and hopefully a few semi-intelligent Republicans) out to vote, I don't know what will. This was painful to watch - I kept thinking - bring out the hook! Or - give the guy a coloring book! Holy smokes.  

The endangered Endangered Species Act

Smoky Mountain News | Outdoors Endangered species are indicators of the health of our environment. Their decline alerts us to the fact that the quality of some of the basic elements, elements that we depend on - air, land and water - are being compromised. When we protect endangered species and conserve our natural habitats, we protect ourselves and conserve our own communities.

George H.W. Bush apparently trusted and supported these and other scientists by listing, as endangered, an average of 58 species per year during his term in office. The Clinton administration likewise heeded the call of conservationists and listed an average of 68 species per year. Then George W. Bush took the reins. Since 2001 this administration has listed 25 species, all under court order.

I wish G.W. was more like dad. 

Questions this Sunday for Mr. Bush

Let's Be Tim Russert's Staff!: Archive Entry From Brad DeLong's Webjournal Quite interesting questions and the comments about the questions are even better (and funny as well). Will Russert's questions be vetted by the WH for approval beforehand? Tune in tomorrow morning!  

The Truly Brave Ones - A Hero in my Book, too.

I've often thought the medics who treated soldiers on the battlefield were unbelievably heroic. They don't get the chance to fire back - they're just sitting ducks out there while trying to save lives. Watch the beach scene in Saving Private Ryan, if you don't believe that. Better yet, here's a true story out of Iraq:

Now comes the story of Army Pvt. Dwayne Turner, a combat medic in the 101st Airborne Division whose exploits under fire in Iraq earned him the Silver Star for gallantry in action.

"I didn't figure myself a hero. I just wanted to make sure everybody came home," Turner said after the medal and 101st Airborne coin were presented to him. "Nobody was going to die on my watch."

Before the firefight in a suburb about 30 miles south of Baghdad, the Iraqis near the U.S. convoy were being friendly as usual, Turner said. But the scene quickly turned violent, and the soldiers were attacked with grenade and small-arms fire.

Responding on instinct, Turner went into action and repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire as he treated wounded soldiers. He was struck by AK-47 bullets in the arm and leg and was hit by shrapnel.

"When we got hit, guys were going down, and I was the medical guy on the scene. It was a split-second decision," he said.

During the 25-minute attack, Turner tended to the wounded until he finally had to be stopped. He was about to pass out from blood loss, said platoon leader Sgt. Neil Mulvany, who treated Turner's injuries.

"He risked his life to save 16 other soldiers," Mulvany said. "That's a hero in my book." 

Lefties will like this column from Arianna

February 4, 2004 - Will Cheney Provide The Margin Of Victory... For Democrats? Interesting - first I had heard that Rudy Giuliani might be a possible VP for Bush in the upcoming elections. But Arianna believes Cheney is such a loose canon, that all Dems should pray he sticks around, so he can torpedo Bush all by himself. Sounds good, but Bush has a lot of moola and I wouldn't count him out yet and maybe he'll just hold on to ol' steely eyes Cheney. One thing about Cheney - you know where he stands. :)

Word of the Day:
vet - To subject to thorough examination or evaluation: vet a manuscript and seeking an order that his lawyer vet the documents to protect the solicitor-client privileges of his clients (And you thought it had something to do with someone taking care of your kitty, didn't you?)