Isn't this debate . . .

Isn't this debate supposed to be about national security.

Updated -- they are now finally talking about Iraq.

Now Afghanistan. I wonder if the solution to Afghanistan is to draw a line and kill what comes over. Iraq is basically stuck in the 1950s. Afghanistan is basically a 7th Century country.

Updated -- McCain is now hitting Obama on Pakistan. It is a failed state.

Updated -- Obama is talking tough on Iran.

Updated -- "I don't even have a seal yet." Did Obama take his seal?

At least Obama is recognizing Iran is an enemy.

Updated -- Obama sees Russia as a threat to the region. So much for a noninterventionist foreign policy. Georgia for NATO. But no Cold War.

Update -- Obama and McCain agree on clean coal -- I hope he told Biden.

Update -- Obama says yes on missile defense.

Well it is over.

Yea!

McCain mentions nuclear power and drilling.

The Debate

With all the live blogging, I will too.

For now, all I will say is that neither seem on their game.

A Drink for the Debate

Palin Syrah from Chile. Nice tasting, organic, and fairly inexpensive. In New York, it can be found at Appellation, over on 10th Avenue.

"Recession Futures" are fairly low

This looks interesting. Intrade contracts predicting that the US will go into recession in 2008 are down to 12.6.

Intrade is interesting because it represents what people think will happen, it is not a prediction modeler. So take it for what it is worth.

A Quote I Like

"The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual." -- John Stuart Mill, On Liberty.

A quote that proves democracy has its flaws

“Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks.”

Can someone explain to me what Congressman Hastings is talking about? (HT -- Instapundit)

David Blaine

Can someone explain why this guy is famous?

McCain suspends his race

Everyone is talking about Senator McCain's decision to suspend his campaign and head to Washington for the bailout. He has asked that Friday's first debate be postponed. At this time, it seems unclear whether Senator Obama will agree.

My reaction is that this will surprise those who know me -- I see this as Senator McCain essentially conceding the election. Two weeks ago, when Senator McCain was rising in the polls, I warned that something could happen to reverse the situation. In particular, I warned that the credit crunch could get worse. It has.

As I listen now to President Bush speak, I believe that the rescue plan will be unpopular. Some will see it as a bailout of big business, others as too little too late, and in any event, the GOP will be tagged with allowing it to get to this point (and while I think there is lots of blame to go around, Bush could have done things administratively to slow down Fannie and Freddie and the whole market).

I am a fervent McCain supporter. I believe that he has was the best person in 2000 and is the best person now. But the election is no longer about Iraq or foreign policy, it is now about the economy and this will hurt McCain. (as an aside, for saying this, I have been accused of Astroturfing). I wish that were so.

I hate to say it and I hope I am wrong, but McCain just conceded the election, in an honorable way.

[Edited to add -- Senators McCain and Obama just released a joint statement on the bailout]

Obama's Plan

The Anchoress noted a Christopher Hitchens essay asking if Obama wanted to be president this time around. I admit I have thought the same. Obama supporters I know (given where I live, just about everyone) think that Obama expected to win. But lots of people run for president without expecting being nominated. And all of the third party candidates know they cannot win -- they are running to prove a point.

I wonder if that is why Obama waited so long to clear up the loose ends in his background — Trinity UCC, Ayers, and the rest. Could it also explain why he seems to have done little with the Foreign Relations subcommittee he was given.

If this is correct, be probably figured it was HRC’s time and he would lay the groundwork for a future campaign. Even if he did not take the VP slot, he would spend the next 4-8 years (depending on who won in November) chairing subcommittee hearings, distancing himself from Rev. Wright and Father Pfleiger, making sure Bill Ayers was more remotely in his past , and doing the “Senate statesman” rounds in Europe. T hen when it was time, he would be able to run as an experienced statesman.

Instead, he became “The One.” And despite everything, he is poised to be the next president.

The Old America no Longer Exists

Bruce Bawer, author of "While Europe Slept" wrote an essay on Pajamas Media about being away from America for 10 years, and about how the America he knew no longer exists. This lead to some rather pointed comments about "Bawer's choice" as it were.

Mr. Bawer has made it clear in most of his writings that his move to Europe was primarily due to his sexual preference -- Norway recognizes his relationship while the US does not. Hence, he can live in Norway, but his partner cannot live in the United States. Personally, if I were gay, I would prefer New York to Norway, but so be it. He has never stuck me as a “citizen of the world” type.

And I can understand wanting to experience something foreign. If all goes as planned, I will be moving to Europe next summer for an extended work assignment. That will not make me less American.

As for lamenting the passing of an old America, that is a normal aspect of getting older. I used to laugh at my parents complaining about the old America being gone. They grew up very poor, in a Catholic immigrant family at a time when Catholics were viewed in this country with suspicion and the country of their parents was actually at war with the United States. Their first memories were of the Great Depression and World War II. I could never understand how they missed that old America.

Yet, entering my forties, I too find myself lamenting the passing of what I think of as America. It is natural. Things change and you reach a point when change is not easy anymore. I think in Mr. Bawer’s case, living abroad, it is just more pointed a feeling, given that he feels the shock of the unfamiliar whenever he returns home.

Obama sort of loses a supporter

One of Ann Althouse's sons, an Obama supporter, has written a blog post about "how Obama lost me." This has lead to an argument among Professor Althouse's commenters as to WHY Jac Althouse Cohen has decided he "lost Obama" (though if you actually read his post, it is not really that Obama lost a supporter, but that the supporter lost the landslide he was expecting). And of course, some pro-Obama commenters are playing the race card.

My theory with Obama from the beginning is that he was the "liberal yuppie candidate", not the black candidate, not the left wing candidate. He was originally the candidate primarily of the white, liberal, urban well educated upper middle class. Until recently I lived in the Lincoln Park section of Chicago, on a block where there were $5M homes owned by hedge fund guys (mine was worth a lot less than $5M). I knew two other people who for certain were voting for McCain.

Obama was "one of us" in that he was well educated, wealthy enough, but not super wealthy, with the two nice kids and the appropriate disdain for the distant suburbs. Obama was the logical result of the changes in America's demography and economy, and especially the Bush years. The urban, liberal upper middle class thinks it is now their time. The spiritual forefathers of today's Obama supporters were the "best and the brightest" who backed JFK.

After JFK's assassination, those folks found themselves out of government. LBJ was from more of a traditional hardscrabble Democratic Party background as was Jimmy Carter. Clinton promised these folks an in, but in the end, Clinton was a moderate Republican. Nixon was from small town Republicanism, Ford deeply rural America and Reagan (despite his Hollywood background) was small town America. Bush 41 was in many ways the last gasp of the old GOP WASP establishment and his son is more in sympathy with the new evangelicals. No one has come from that urban liberal background.

So that is why I think Obama has become the new champion. He represents for the first time in almost 50 years that the urban, liberal, yuppie demographic has a chance at power.

Another Hymm

As much as I often complain about the quality of hymns in Catholic Churches, I also find myself more and more loving the old Anglican hymns.

For some reason I have gotten stuck in my head the hymn "The Son of God Goes Forth to War". It was written by Reginald Huber, the same Anglican bishop who wrote "Holy Holy Holy." The hymn is probably most famous for its appearance in the John Huston movie "The Man Who Would be King." In the movie, whoever, the tune is changed to an old Irish air "The Minstrel Boy," the tune of which itself is based on an older Irish folk song.

The tune (if not the words) of the Minstrel Boy itself is in the United States associated with the Irish regiments of the Civil War, and is still used today by police and fire departments with a large number of Irish Americans.

Using either tune, the hymn is both powerful and moving. As I have said before, I sometimes wish the American Catholic church would simply buy up some old Anglican hymnals and use those.

A Quote for Senator Biden

"Towards the government I feel no scruples and would dodge paying the [income] tax if I could. Yet I would give my life for England readily enough, if I thought it necessary. No one is patriotic about taxes." George Orwell, Wartime Diary, August 9, 1940. (HT-Radio Derb)

(I guess this now means we can question Congressman Rangel's patriotism)

Looking at the Election

For the first time in months, I am actually holding out hope that Senator McCain will actually win this thing. The Obama campaign seems to be in a melt-down phase, the media is having a complete fit over Sarah Pallin and the McCain seems to have found his voice.

Already, conservatives are declaring victory and starting victory laps.

Of course, none of this takes into account that it is still seven weeks to Election Day. Much can happen between now and then. The credit crunch could flare into a full blown meltdown. War could flare up again in Georgia. The Middle East could have an oil shutdown -- who knows.

The latest is that McCain is supposedly closing the gap in NEW YORK.

I find it hard to believe. The last time a Republican won New York was in 1984, when Reagan won about 54% of the vote. The last time a Republican won New York City was Calvin Cooolige in 1924.

Back in 1988, when I was volunteering on the Bush campaign, the last weekend, the office was awash with rumors that New York was winnable. We were told that Bush was only 3% behind Dukakis in Queens and that statewide, internal polling showed a statistical tie. In the end, Dukakis won the state with about 52% of the vote and won Queens pretty handily if I recall.

One thing to note is that while New York has usually been a reliably Democratic state, it was not always with the big margins we saw in the past few elections. Granted, that was during the days of the Rockefeller Republicans, but the state was usually "in play." However, given the changes in the state's demography and the past few elections, I cannot see McCain having a real chance at winning. While I have seen lots of Obama bumper stickers ans signs since I moved to Park Slope, I have yet to see any evidence that there is another McCain voter in my neighborhood. Even the suburbs have changed in political makeup. What McCain can hope for is to force Obama to spend time and effort here, instead of Virgina and Colorado.

[edited to fix my public school spelling]

The Crucifixion and MultiverseTheory

Having moved to Brooklyn, I now need to find a new church. And Brooklyn being the "Borough of Churches" I have plenty of choices -- there must be 6 Catholic churches within walking distance of our new apartment.



So I choose Saint Saviour, I will admit, mostly because the Mass was most convenient to when I woke up.



The Homily was about the Crucifixion and the importance of it to Catholic belief. Yet, it also has been very sanitized. The crucifix we see at home or in church is nice and clean, it cannot convey the horror and suffering Jesus endured.



But one thing the priest said was quite interesting. It was not important to the homily, to be sure, but raised my interest. Namely, if multiverse theory is correct, would the Crucifixion be the one common event in all multiverses.

In a nutshell, multiverse theory is that there exist an infinite number of alternative universes. In each, history takes a slightly different turn. For example, in one universe, the US Navy may have received the "war warning" in time to win the battle of Pearl Harbor. In another, you did not stub your toe on the bedpost this morning.

The homilist wondered if in each multiverse, the crucifixion would have been the one common event. He used the term "Omega Point" which I think was somewhat unfortunate. The term has something of a loaded meaning, under a very controversial theory of Catholic theology as the point to which all human consciousness is evolving.

Questions of terminology aside, it does make for an interesting thought experiment. I will admit that I always though a bit differently, that I could imagine a multiverse under which humanity accepted Christ's mission, making the Crucifixion unnecessary. But when you think about that, would you still have Christianity. For as the homilist today noted, without Good Friday, you cannot have Easter Sunday.

CBS Blogger Outreach

I have been getting e-mails of late from CBS in a political blogger outreach. Unfortunately, buy the time I read my e-mails, the story is already finished and past.

CBS is currently running behind other news sources, so maybe they view this as a way to widen their audience. I am obviously only a minor blogger, so I have no idea if other news organizations have been trying to contact other bloggers.

The Real Reason Obama is more Qualified to Be President than McCain

"I think they spent months trying to figure out how they can position Obama as better qualified than McCain, and basically came up with the fact that Obama can type."

Village Idiot, commenter on Ace of Spades blog (HT -- comment to the Head Tilter).

Seriously, this is dumber than Hillary Clinton's "3 AM" ad



So, after getting past the computer and e-mail comment, Obama throws in an attack on taxes and the economy. But still, "he can't send an e-mail"?

And of course, it turns out that McCain cannot send an e-mail because he cannot type, the result of 5 years of communist torture.

I know I am not the first to wonder this, but is Obama really trying to win the election?

WARMONGER!

There was a bit of an uproar today when ABC News showed the first part of Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Pallin. Pallin noted that if Georgia was in NATO (something she supports), an invasion of Georgia by Russia would mean the US and others would go to war with Russia.

WARMONGER! was the cry.

Well, DUH -- under the NATO charter an attack on one is an attack on all, requiring the other NATO members to intervene. So if Georgia is a member of NATO, a Russian attack on Georgia would require us to attack Russia.

Now, Obama also wants Georgia (and Ukraine) to join NATO. So I assume that if Georgia joins NATO and is attacked by Russia, President Obama will also go to war with Russia.

One can argue that the TONE of the statements are different, Obama is a bit conciliatory toward Russia while Pallin a bit more bellicose, but the fact remains that Obama's position on Georgia is little different that Pallin's (or McCain's for that matter, as McCain's position is the one that really counts).

Personally, I do not support US membership in NATO anymore, so you can guess my feelings about Georgian membership. But given the lack of imagination by our foreign policy elites, we will continue to be members in NATO.

So the point is, both candidates support Georgian membership of NATO. Which means that any Russian attack on Georgia will mean that we have to go to war with Russia.

Everyone REALLY Loves Barack!

As I noted the other night, polls show that everyone on the planet, and probably some from other planets, LOVE Barack Obama. Today I came across this little website, dedicated to the proposition that everyone else on earth needs to tell people like me to vote for Obama.

It is pretty funny. But as John Derbyshire pointed out on his "Derb Radio" podcast today, what does it really mean? For example, polls in Russia show that Russians love Vlad Putin, yet also want Barack Obama. How do you reconcile the two?

I think people are more into the IDEA of Obama than Obama himself. He is the cool, post modern candidate. As for American foreign policy, will it really change all that much? Given the incestuousness and lack of imagination among our foreign policy elites, I doubt it. The difference may be one of tone, but not really substance. Obama will use multilateral cover a little more than Bush has, and an Obama foreign policy will be more aggressively anti-Russian than Bush's, but in the end, I doubt much will change.

So why do I see McCain as better than Obama in this regard? My big concern about Obama is the same that I had about Bush 8 years ago -- seriousness. I also worry that Obama will try and prove he is a tough guy. John McCain has nothing to prove on that score. Obama may feel like he has. And considering the Messianic overtones of his campaign, I worry that he will react to any attack on US interests not as an attack on US interests, but as an attack on him personally. Presidents should never take anything personally -- that may be how we got into Iraq in the first place.

Another September 11

As I noted last year, what I remember most about 9/11 is the smell, that horrible smell. It is hard to believe it has been 7 years, but life goes on.

Everyone Loves Barack!

Everyone outside the US that is. Good thing we do not let foreigners vote.

So what can we do. Electing Senator Obama would make the rest of the world like us again. But on the other hand, my taxes are really high (especially as I now live in New York City).

The fun and slightly insane folks at IMAO have an idea -- let's give Barack to the rest of the world. Hence, they will like us again and I am only taxed at a 55% combined rate.

So what do I think of the Republicans?

The Sarah Palin pick will either go down as the most brilliant, or most disastrous, election decisions in history. I really do not see any middle ground. And that is strange, because usually, vice-presidential choices do not matter. Did Dick Cheney give GWB a boost? Did George Bush do anything for Ronald Reagan? Walter Mondale still lost in a landslide despite putting Ferraro on the ticket (and if I recall correct, Reagan even won Ferraro's district).

But Palin may have an effect. Let's be frank, the conservative base of the GOP has not shared my enthusiasm for John McCain. Governor Palin may have in one speech energized the base of the GOP in a way he could not.

I actually have been talking about her quite a bit, though it seems I mentioned her only twice in passing on this blog. She was my "hoped for" pick, though I could not really see him doing it. My Obama supporting wife has been hearing about Palin for about 5 months and when she saw the smile on my face her first words were "Palin?"

So why am I so excited? I am not an evangelical or politically a social conservative. But Palin has an appeal across constituencies. To me, I see her as a radical reformer, who took on the Alaska political establishment and a republican Senator I do not like. I also see her as someone who can make the case for drilling for more oil here, to take the pressure off until new sources of fuel are developed.

And while I can point to her as a reformer, she comes across as a practically intelligent, quirky, strong willed woman. I come a family filled with practically intelligent, quirky, strong willed women (though they are a bit difficent in the moose killing department).

Then she gave that speech.

As for McCain's speech, McCain was being McCain. That is who he is. People know him. He cannot, and should not, try to match Obama's oratorical brilliance or rock star appeal. But he should use the contrast to his advantage -- he must cast himself as a Cinncinatus in comparison to Obama's Gracchus.

In any event, this is really Obama's race to lose, not McCain's to win. Obama should be up by a lot more, considering the general level of discontent but he is not. . McCain's best hope is that the debates get Obama away from the teleprompter. That is where McCain can shine, and Obama has had some difficulties.

But even that may not be enough. Still, I can have the AUDACITY to HOPE that McCain will CHANGE the results of this election, right?

So what do I think of the Democrats?

I have a confession to make. I really like Joe Biden. I went to school with his son (the Attorney General of Delaware), and while I did not know him well, we did have a passing acquaintance. Back when I lived in Washington, I met the Senator on a few alumni occasions, even once having lunch with him. Unlike most politicians I have met, he is interesting, has a personality and interests outside of politics.

In fact, belying the fact that Biden has been a career politician, politics seemed very secondary to him. To me that is a mark in his favor, as I worry that too many people feel that politics (and government) is the font of all that is good and holy in this world.

I also find him to be a real adult and a serious person. His does have a reputation for shooting his mouth off, but again, I think that is because he is not a politicians that measures everything he says against a focus group.

Politically, he is something of a through back to the "old" pre-McGovern Democratic Party. You could label him a "Scoop Jackson Democrat" or maybe better as the old Catholic Democrats that dominated the party in the North East until the late 1960s. Does he bring anything to the ticket? He brings a wealth of foreign policy experience and a lot of gravitas. I do worry that we would be in the same situation as with Cheney and Bush in 2001, namely that President Obama might essentially fob off lots of national security issues to Biden.

But all in all, Barrack Obama could have done far worse.

I am Back!

We are finally moved in, though still surrounded by boxes. And after one week, we have FINALLY gotten home Internet access.

My oldest son started kindergarten, my youngest son started music school (at 3 he has pretty much decided he wants to be either a musician or a tax driver), my new job is looking very interesting, and my wife has not stuck a knife in me!

Over all, things are going well!

Quote of the Day

"The Americans? We're going to smash them. That's what we came here for" -- Alain Bernard, French swimmer and SILVER medalist in the 4 X 100 meter freestyle relay.

Opening Ceremonies

I love the Olympics, but is it just me or do opening ceremonies always have a vague totalitarian feel to them?

On Hiatus

I have not been posting much, due to the fact that I have accepted a new job in a new city. Between finishing up my old job and pakcing up the family, I have not had time for the blog.

So while I may make a few posts, the blog will mostly be silent for a while.

Regards!

It's About Time!

The Bureau of Land Management seems to read my blog (well, probably not) as they have finally published proposed regulations regarding shale oil. (HT Instapundit)

I do not think shale oil is a panacea, and I remember as a kid that shale was kicked around as a cure to our energy woes. But while it is not a cure all, shale oil will provide time to transition to something else, and along the way, counter act the speculation that is driving oil prices up (a better way to counter act speculation than threats of government action).

More About Iraq

I guess I should point out that my old DC acquaintance Robert George (America's only Black, West Indian, Catholic, Republican stand up comedian) pointed out the GOP's problem with not declaring Iraq victory two weeks ago and again today.

Instead of saying "IT WORKED!" and noting that the Iraqi War is essentially over (and can be handed over to the Iraqi government now), Senator McCain has handed this issue over to Obama, regardless of whether Prime Minister Maliki was misquoted or not.

So, what about Iraq?

I have not been posting much about Iraq of late, mostly because I guess our news media seems to have tired of the issue. But Senator Obama is in Iraq and has met with the Iraqi government. I have been trying to figure out lately what Obama's view on Iraq is and after today, it seems he is firmly behind a 16 month timetable for withdrawal. Which makes sense, given that over the past few months, the situation in the country seems to have gotten better. Even Sunni dominated Anbar province, which was written off a few years ago, is soon to be handed over to the Iraqi government's security forces (the hand off was delayed due to sandstorms).

If Michael Yon is to be believed, the Iraqi War is essentially over. While Yon probably knows more about the situation in Iraq than 99% of non-Iraqis, I will wait a bit before agreeing with him (though I hope he is right).

For that reason, Senator Obama may have an opening. While a 16 month draw down may not go over well with his left wing base, it shows that he is able to adjust with changed circumstances. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was quoted in Der Spiegel as agreeing with Obama's plan, though CNN reported that Maliki claims he was misquoted so I am not sure what to believe. Translation errors do happen or it could have been a journalist reporting what he wanted to hear or maybe Maliki rethought what he said or who knows.

By rejecting a timetable, the Bush Administration and Senator McCain may be harming their cause. This was never supposed to be about annexing territory (and please leave your oil fueled conspiracy theories behind, while I do not doubt Iraq was important because of oil, I also believe there were other reasons for the invasion). While the Iraqi government has made great strides over the past year or two, they must be continuously pushed into the right direction -- i.e., taking over responsibility for their own country. If the US military has an open ended mission there, they may be happy to have the US fight their enemies.

And while the change in tactics seems to have worked, the real question needs to be asked -- what took so long?

In any event, a KFC has opened in Fallujah. It seems that means it should be over soon. The question of whether it was all worth it will take longer to determine. If past history is any guide, there will be an official story, followed by a conventional story, followed 40 years of revisionism.

Get Well Soon Abby Wambach!

I have mentioned Abby Wambach here on a few occasions. She is one of the best women's soccer players in the world and has been the main strike force of the US women's team, for the past several years. One problem is that she is so good, strong and powerful, that it probably hurt the US national team at the last Women's World Cup -- the strategy seemed to be kick the ball up at Abby and see if she can score.

Under new coach Pia Sundhage, the team seems to have moved away from kick the ball at Abby to going back to playing soccer. Well, they will now need it as Wambach broke her leg and will miss the Olympics.

Last year I posted a series of "Abby Wambach Facts". Thanks to that post, I have been getting hits from search engines, usually asking if Abby Wambach is married. Frankly I have no idea.

So Abby, if you are out there and looking to get married, there are a bunch of people who appear to be interested.

In any event., please get well soon.

The New Yorker Cover

A lot has been written by now about the infamous New Yorker cover and I do not plan to repeat it. But the irony is that the cover was meant as satire of supposed right wing slurs on Obama has turned into a cause celeb among the left. The New Yorker is not National Review, it is a fairly liberal magazine which has a world view that sees little outside the confines of Manhattan (and allied enclaves) except ignorant farmers and barbarians. To claim that the New Yorker was out to slime Obama is laughable.

Satire is an important tool in any free society -- we must be able to lampoon our leaders, in a way reminding them that they are no better than us. In this way, satire fills the role that the in Roman days was filled by the servant whispering into the ear of a general receiving a triumph "Remember, you are mortal."

Is Obama to be immune from satire? Is satirizing Obama somehow racist, and if it is, is that thought in and of itself racist?

Does anyone on the left has a sense of humor?

And finally, while I expect to see more of it closer to November coming from the right side, most of the anti-Obama nastiness came from his own party, in the context of a very long and bloody primary fight.

It is time for some campaigning!

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300

Barrack Obama has 300 foreign policy advisers. They are organized into teams and seem to have already developed a diplomatic bureaucracy. (HT: Althouse) This number does not seem to include Samantha Power.

Here is video (not) released by the Obama campaign showing the advisers addressing the ongoing crisis with Iran.



Click here for a recent foreign policy debate between McCain and Obama

A reason to feel old

The film version of Mamma Mia has been released (the stage version was great). All the reviews I have read note a scene involving the ABBA song "Dancing Queen."

And then it hit me. The Dancing Queen is "only 17". That song was recorded in 1975 and was a big hit in 1976 (when I was 9). Which means that the Dancing Queen is now pushing 50.

Troops out Now! It's a Quagmire!

I am referring to Chicago of course.

Following a recent rash of violent crimes, Governor Blagojevich is considering sending state troopers and the National Guard into Chicago.

Everytime there is a violent crime, Mayor Daley calls for more gun control, though considering that Chicago has one of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, I am not sure what else he thinks he can do. A few weeks ago, following a number of gun deaths, a police spokesman called for a ban on "assault weapons" -- the problem was that none of the deaths were due to "assault weapons." At least we have avoided, so far, the "checkpoint" idea they are considering in DC.

I do believe that a lot of this can be traced down to our silly drug laws. But that is a longer discussion.

DRILL DRILL DRILL!!!

Frank J has a program to solve the oil crunch that is almost as well thought out as T. Boone Pickens.

A Slide Tackling Priest

It is not often that a news story combines my passions for soccer with Catholicism. So the news that New England Revolution defender Chase Hilgenbrinck has retired from Major League Soccer to join the seminary is welcome news. America may lose a defender, but the Church gains a priest.

You have to prayfully wish him well, he follows in great company. John Paul II was a goalkeeper, somewhat apt as his job was saving souls.

Happy Bastille Day!

Death to King Louis!

T. Boone Pickens has a Plan

Granted, Custer had a plan also, but I think T. Boone has thought his out better.



In short, it would use wind power to replace the current natural gas electric generating plants and use the natural gas to power automobiles. I have no clue if his numbers work out, but it is a start!

I am a big supporter of wind power so of course I think his plan is great. And best of all, it is nowhere near Teddy Kennedy's yacht, so I guess Teddy will be on board.

But this is not the only way. One reason I want government to stay out of the energy issue is that there needs to be multiple roads. Instead, all government has given us is an ethanol subsidy that does nothing but increase corn prices.

If I had my way, this is what would happen:

1. Allow more drilling in the Artic and offshore. This will ease uncertainty and speculation which is what is responsible for much of the recent run up. This is only meant to be a temporary measure however, to give time for other things to come online.

2. Pass the Zurbin plan requiring that all gasoline powered cars must be triple flex fueled within three years of passage. The technology is there already (and US car manufacturers have an advantage right now). The triple flex fuel portion is to drive some production into methanol, which does not use food crops, though it is less efficient then ethanol.

3. End the corn ethanol subsidy. It does nothing.

4. End tariffs on Brazilian ethanol. Brazilian ethanol is sugar based and has a much higher energy output/energy input than corn ethanol.

5. Pass regulations on shale oil production.

6. Throw up no barriers to the importation of Canadian tar sands oil.

7. Exploit the Bakken field.

8. Electric cars are great. The electricity has to come from somewhere. Reduce barriers for wind farms.

9. Build a new generation of nuclear plants.

10. Listen to T. Boone.

Did I leave anything out?

God wants Obama to be President

That is the only explanation I have.

I mean, Obama got his "Sister Souljah" Moment. And he did not even have to do anything, Jesse Jackson did it to himself!

This guy continuously steps in it. I know he is a smart guy, but still, he wins a State Senate race because his opponents can't figure out how to submit a petition. He then gets elected to the US Senate after TWO (not one but TWO) of his opponents have messy divorce skeletons in their closets, causing him to run against Alan Keyes (who is STILL not making sense).

And when he is trying to run toward the center (after running the primary far to the left), Jesse Jackson does his work for him. I surrender.

He is the Messiah and God's chosen one.

Or maybe he is the Kwisatz Haderach.

George Washington and Zimbabwe

Reading on Independence Day the increasingly sad events from Zimbabwe, makes me, as an American, realize how lucky we are that our first president and leader of the revolution was named George Washington. Most revolutions start out with stirring rhetoric about liberty and freedom but turn into bloody caricatures.

The French Revolution started out with "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen" which were followed by the Terror and increasingly autocratic government, until finishing up with Napoleon.

The Russian Revolution began with calls for parliamentary government and ended up with the Gulag and the Holodomor.

The Chinese Revolution began with call for land, but ended with the famine and the Cultural Revolution.

Our revolution avoided most of those horrors. True, many Tories lost their land and left for Canada, but we avoided the horrors that accompanied other earth shattering revolutions. There were no mass executions. A big reason for that lies in the character of George Washington. He could have grabbed for absolute power. He did no. Rather, after doing his duty, he laid down the honors of office and retired to his plow -- a modern day Cincinnatus. (When told Washington would return to his farm after the Revolution, George III remarked that if Washington did "he will be the greatest man in the world).

Looking at the sad spectacle of Robert Mugabe from afar, you wonder what George Washington would have done. Like Washington, Mugabe was a rebel general who did not so much win a war, but kept an army in the field long enough not to lose it. When he finally forced a settlement, he was the natural man to lead the country. But he could not give up power. And now his thirst for power has so poisoned his country that even if he manages to stay on, you have to wonder, why? There is nothing left of an economy that was once the breadbasket of Africa.

And one should compare Mugabe not just with Washington but with Nelson Mandela. Mandela is a true hero of human liberty. Yet unlike Mugabe, he did not turn South Africa into a one party state. And most important of all, Mandela did not view power as his personal birthright, but rather something entrusted him by the people of his country. And when his term ended, he gladly took that power, and handed it off.

If only Mugabe had half the character of Washington or Mandela.

A Quote for Independence Day

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore." -- John Adams

Adams thought that July 2 would be the day celebrated, as that was the day independence was celebrated. But history has made the celebration of the Fourth, the day the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted. But the sentiment remains.

LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE!

How FARC got Tricked

It turns out that the Colombian military used a bit of trickery to rescue Ms. Betancourt and the rest of the hostages. The soldiers showed up wearing Che Guevara tee shirts (not bought from here I guess). The FARC members figured the soldiers were simply Barack Obama supporters and got into the helicopter.

Will the last FARC Members please turn out the lights

Members deserting, its leaders getting killed and it is in retreat on all fronts.

Now hostage (and former Colombian presidential candidate) Ingrid Betancourt and 14 others, including 3 Americans, were freed without a fight.

Hopefully, this will mark the end of FARC.

What exactly is Feminist Psychology?

I was walking with my son last weekend and came upon this sign :

Which leads to the obvious question -- what exactly is feminist psychology? The imagination runs wild.

Oil Policy

Energy policy should be a big issue in this election. I am a big believer in alternative energy and a big supporter of biofuels (I oppose the ethanol subsidy, rather I would end the tariffs on Brazilian ethanol and mandate that all gasoline powered cars in the United States be flex-fuel by 2012). I am happy to see that Obama has been talking about biofuels and he has come close to the Zubrin plan, though he has not mentioned it by name. Someone should, immediately, send Obama a copy of Zubrin's book "Energy Victory".

But for the foreseeable future, oil will still be important and it has to come from somewhere. Obama opposes drilling here, drilling in the Artic, and now his comments against tar sand oil. He also complains about the price of oil. His answer is to threaten the oil companies.

I do not think the oil companies are charitable institutions. They are businesses and their goal is to maximize profits. But maybe instead of demonizing them, they should be allowed to drill somewhere. Oil is going up and up, and most of what I read suggests that it is a bubble -- demand increases in China (which had been heavily subsidizing gasoline, increasing demand) in and of itself do not account for the increase. Uncertainty over Iran and Iraq play into it. But ultimately, it is the THREAT of future events that are driving the price. Allowing drilling the Artic or offshore might reduce uncertainty and allow prices to come down to a more reasonable level.

I am not suggesting that we will see $1.10 regular gas ever again -- I know that will never happen. But we need to reduce prices for no other reason than the fact that much of our oil money goes to places that are trying to destroy us -- in effect, we are paying for attacks against us. And drilling here and now, along with buying Canadian oil and getting shale oil regulations passed will give us the breathing room necessary to get alternative sources online (and also a few years so that a flex-fuel mandate will have time to operate). That is important, pushing for drilling now does not mean that alternative energy is forgotten. In fact, under Senator McCain's plan, there would be both. Senator McCain even calls for a flex-fuel mandate!

Dude where are my posts?

I have not posted in quite awhile, mostly because I have been too busy watching EURO 2008 games when I get home.

This has been some tournament, and Turkey has definitely made things interesting.

And now for a musical interlude by the fans of a team NOT in attendance!

Why does Barrack Obama hate Canada?

The guy is running as the man to repair US foreign relations.


It is bad enough that he ran against NAFTA. Now he is attacking Canadian tar sand oil. Personally, given the choice of sending my gas money to Saudi Arabia, Hugo Chavez or our friends to the North, I will choose Canada.

Why does Obama hate Canada?

The Balkans

I have been somewhat down on US involvement in the Balkans. Though I agree with the change of regime and think intervention was warranted, I think we should not have been involved, that in taking the lead, all we did was further delay Europe taking responsibility for its own defence.

Michael Totten is in the region now and as always, writes intelligently. As an aside, I believe that independent journalism such as practiced by Totten and Michael Yon is the future of Internet reporting.

Also commenting on the region is Kirk Johnson's excellent Balkan blog. While I do not agree with everything he says, he thinks long and hard about the issues facing that region and take the time to really educate himself.

A Danish Experiment in Self Government -- Part I

When in Denmark, I somewhat surprised our hosts by saying that the first thing I wanted to see was "Freetown Christiania".

The town is a small self governing enclave in Copenhagen. The site of the town is in what was once the defensive fortifications of the city. The forts were obsolete, but the military continued to use the barracks until 1972, when the shut the base down. Soon, some hippies moved in and established their own community.

The hippie spirit still survives!

The old buildings were occupied and redecorated to reflect the free spirit of the new residents. No cars are allowed in the town, so people get around primarily by bicycle. Many bicycles are manufactured and/or modified in the town itself (one of the major business was a bicycle company). The bicycles are custom manufactured to have cargo spaces or turned into tricycles that can carry extra people or goods. The bicycles are very popular and you see them all around Copenhagen.

As you would expect in such an enclave, there were an abundance of artists and other creative types, and their work was very much in evidence.

Liberal Women are Easy

At least that is what I got out of this.

Happy Friday the 13th!

I am back from vacation. I know you all missed me very much.

A quote you should find really disturbing

"To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary…These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution! And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate. We must create the pedagogy of The Wall!" -- Che Guevara

I never get the whole "Che" thing. The guy was a murderous bastard yet stupid college kids love wearing his tee shirts. And now the laudatory movies about him.

What did Orwell say? "He who controls the past . . ."

Free Rides to the Airport

"If McCain gets in, it's going to be very, very dangerous," she says. "It's a critical time, but I have faith in the American people. If they prove me wrong, I'll be checking out a move to Italy. Maybe Canada, I don't know. We're at an abyss."

So says Susan Sarandon.

I never got the "I'm moving to X if Y gets elected" thing. I guarantee if HRC or Obama get elected, I am not moving to a foreign country. It is just plain silly. And haven't we heard all this before? Every celebrity seemed to threaten to move to wherever when Bush was elected then reelected. Other than Pierre Salinger, none of them did. And Salinger was not really a celebrity and he was living in France when he made the threat anyway, so he should not count.

Here is my offer -- I will give a ride to the airport to anyone who threatens to move if their favored candidate loses. So SHUT UP AND JUST LEAVE ALREADY!!!

Did she say that?

Did Maxine Waters really suggest that the oil companies should be nationalized?




I am not sure she was serious about that, but maybe that explains why the Decemberists played for Senator Obama at his last campaign rally in Oregon -- they were playing our new national anthem.

Enjoying the Show

The reason I am enjoying the Democratic primary so much is that this is 40 years of Democratic Party victim identity politics coming home to roost.

"Vote the Woman!"

"No Vote the African American!"

"And you are not voting for me because you dislike [insert victim group here]!"

All we need is a transgendered Latino to complain that it is really his (or is it her) group's turn.

OK Kiddies -- Die for Gaia!

This is very disturbing. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has a website aimed at kids which helps them (i) calculate their carbon footprint so that they can (ii) decide when they have to die. (HT Rachel Lucas)

I think this global warmongering is getting out of control. Do I think the planet has gotten hotter -- well yes, it seems that way.

Do I think human activity effects the environment? Of course it does . Often human manipulation of the physical environment is a good thing. It has turned deserts into farms and swamps into livable space.

Do I think human activity has caused all of the current environmental changes? No. History shows us that climates often change. And climates on other planets even show signs of changing.

So do I think we should do nothing? Of course not. Reducing carbon emissions in and of itself is probably a good thing and of course we need to protect the environment. I do not want to pave over Monument Valley nor do I wish to live in smog ridden world. Further, as a Catholic, I believe in environmental stewardship.

But there needs to be some sanity injected into this debate. If not, people will tune out the increasingly shrill and silly alarmism. Economic effects also need to be taken into account -- given the choice between their job and a pristine planet, people will choose their job. Finally, those stars and politicians who are crying the most about carbon footprints should start acting as those they really believed what they are saying -- people will not stand being lectured about global warming by jetsetting movie stars with their own personal 707.

A quote I really like (for my 300th Post)

"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching." -- Satchel Paige

(From Rodak's Website)

Trinity Sunday

Sunday was Trinity Sunday and the homilist was expounding at length on the difficulty in understanding the Trinity. This concept still is a hard one to understand, despite having been pondered by the greatest minds in Christendom for almost two millennia. Some Christians, such as the Arians and Monophysits of old times and Unitarians of today, gave up trying to understand it and found it unworkable.

I remember my mother teaching my first grade CCD class trying to explain it to a bunch of six year olds. Needless to say, we did not quite get it. I remember was my mother finally saying "think of it is you, your mother and your father tried to bake some cookies together" - so I think she ran out of ideas also.

But my favorite story is that of Saint Augustine, walking along the shore of Hippo, pondering the problem of the Trinity. There he saw a young child dig a hole in the sand. She then began taking buckets of water from the Mediterranean and started pouring it into the hole. When Saint Augustine asked the child what she was doing, she replied that she was trying to puring the sea into the hole. When Augustine told her that was impossible, she replied that she would pour the entire sea into the hole before Augustine was able to understand the Holy Trinity.

Sometimes Politics Takes a Back Seat

Senator Ted Kennedy has brain cancer. There are times when we all must remember that politics is not war, that the other party is not the enemy, that politics is not everything, and that we are all humans.

Why did the chicken cross the road? Updated for 2008!

I got this in the mail from a friend the other day -- it went around the Internet maybe 5 years ago, but now updated for 2008!

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

**BARACK OBAMA:***
**The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!**

**JOHN MC CAIN:**
**My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.**

**HILLARY CLINTON:**
**When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......** [ed: And to avoid sniper fire in Tuzla]


**DR. PHIL:**
**The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.**

**OPRAH:**
**Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.**

**GEORGE W. BUSH:**
**We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.**

**COLIN POWELL.**
**Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...**

**ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:**
**We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.**

**JOHN KERRY:**
**Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it!
It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.**

**NANCY GRACE - FOX NEWS.**
**That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.**

**PAT BUCHANAN:**
**To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.**

**MARTHA STEWART:***
**No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.**

**DR SEUSS:**
**Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.**

**ERNEST HEMINGWAY:**
**To die in the rain. Alone.**

**JERRY FALWELL:**
**Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side'. That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.**

**GRANDPA:**
**In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road.
Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.**

**BARBARA WALTERS:**
**Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heartwarming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.**

**ARISTOTLE:**
**It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.**

**JOHN LENNON:**
**Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.**

**BILL GATES:**
**I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never crash . . . reboot.**

**ALBERT EINSTEIN:**
**Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the
chicken?**

**BILL CLINTON:**
**I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of
chicken?**

**AL GORE:**
**I invented the chicken!**

**DICK CHENEY:**
**Where's my gun?**

**AL SHARPTON:**
**Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.***

**COLONEL SANDERS:**
*Did I miss one???*

Post Racialism

While I was never an Obama supporter, my hope for his campaign was that it would further along the cause of "post racialism." Face it -- race has been an albatross around America's neck since before the founding. Far too much is seen in the prism of race. And race has left America with a legacy of bitterness and anger with respect to 11 percent of our population.

Most major black politicians come to prominence through the traditional civil rights leadership. As such, for good or ill, they are too connected to the racial divide to really fight it, even when they run for office under the banner of black empowerment.

I hoped that Obama would transcend race (I have always seen him as the liberal yuppie candidate, not the black candidate) mostly because he did not have the usual path that most black leaders had. His father was not the descendant of southern slaves, but rather was born a subject of the British crown. His mother was white, and from a comfortable middle class background.

Obama lived for a while outside the US. When here, he lived in the least "white" state in the US and went to a somewhat exclusive school. So for good or ill, all the baggage, cultural and historical, positive and negative, that gets attached to the previous generations of black leaders did not get attached to him.

In some ways it was the same with Collin Powell. Powell's parents were Jamaican immigrants, not native US blacks. He went to West Point and was immersed in the military culture. Hence he was able to be himself, without reference to almost 400 years of the black experience in America.

That is what I really hope for Obama -- that he loses the presidency, not because he is half black, but because people decide he is not the one for the job (in the same way HRC lost the Democratic nomination, not because she is a woman but because people thought Obama was better). Yes there are lots of people who will not vote for him because he is black. But many others (white and black) will vote for him because he is.

Will Obama be that post racial transformational character? That is a lot to ask someone and probably very unfair, as he is trying to run for President and be himself. In light of the Wright fiasco, I am not sure we are there yet. But I think we are getting closer.

Some proof?

The daughter of the President of the United States gets married, the minister is black, and no one really notices! (Well, the Anchoress did and her reaction was the same as mine)

The Farm Bill

Considering that crop prices are at their highest since, well, ever, why is Congress about to pass a farm bill that increases subsidies? And while I can understand some subsidies to small farmers (to help them along, preserve open land from development and have extra land available for crops in an emergency) it appears that most of this largess will go to large corporate farmers. The bill has passed with veto proof majorities in the House and Senate, with lots of Republicans joining the Democrats. The GOP has learned NOTHING from 2006 and will lose (and deserve to lose) more seats this November as a result.

How about a better idea -- let's get off of subsidies. I am hopeful on biofuels, so instead of an ethanol subsidy that has done little for energy independence while increasing food prices let's go with the Zubrin plan. Require within three years that all automobiles that use gasoline must also be able to accept ethanol and methanol. Wider use of methanol, made not from food crops but rather from stalks and non food crops, should help reduce food prices.

And while we are at it, let's end the tariff on Brazilian ethanol, made from sugar and with a higher energy produced to used ratio than corn based ethanol.

The cure for the common liturgical dance

Catholic churches do not use enough Palestrina these days. If heaven has a soundtrack, I hope this is included.

What was that?

I do not know exactly how to describe this.



There are no words. Now I know that a liberal Catholic or a low church Protestant will tell me to get with it and let the spirit move me, but, well, there are no words. That is all I can say.

(HT: Reformed Pastor)

West Virginia

It was over so quickly I did not even have a chance to mix my martini!

Democracy!

My numbers were off a "little" (OK Bill and Rob -- a whole lot!)

But I still will not be surprised if the Democratic nominee is Al Gore.

My Prediction for Primary Day

HRC wins Indiana by 5-10%.

Obama wins North Carolina by less than 5%.

Delegates are evenly split.

And the winner is . . .

AL GORE!

The Wright Fiasco

For the past three weeks or so, we have been bombarded with commentary about Reverend Wight. Should we care? Why do we care. It is important given that Senator Obama claimed Wight was his mentor and spiritual guide for 20 years. The title of his book, "The Audacity of Hope", comes from one of Wright's sermons. This is more than someone who simply attended church on Sundays.

We seem to care, should we? I don't know. I am somewhat sympathetic to Reverend Wright as the angry black man of the 1960s, angry at racism and the "system" that kept blacks from fully participating in America. But he went beyond that. Calling for his parishioners to reject "middle classism" while running a church that even Senator Obama admits has a reputation as something of a "buppie" church.

The Wright situation has been brewing for a long time. I remember noting to a friend (who was working for one of Obama's Democratic Senate race rivals in 2004) that Wright could be a problem for Obama. Of course, in 2004, Obama sailed thorough thanks to his opponents in both parties self destructing. So the issue is only being raised now.

And Wright refuses to go quietly. This makes we wonder if Wright is trying to do this on purpose. I know I am not the only person thinking this, Spike Lee has muttered some vague conspiracy theory.

So why is Wright doing this? Wright was known but not a huge player here in Chicago compared to other ministers. Wright built a very impressive congregation on the South Side (and to be sure does a lot of good) but he was a local figure. Now, thanks to all the controversy, he is a national figure.

This could torpedo Senator Obama's chances. But if he gets past Denver, he will be happy it happened now, and not in October.

Thoughts on Immigration

Yesterday, there was the now traditional May Day immigration rally. Unlike the past few years, this was a smaller rally. I think that the whole issue seems to have disappeared from people's radar screens for now. Both parties are probably happy with this. The issue is very divisive. People don't want to be overrun by hordes of illegal aliens but I believe most people also recognize the value these folks bring to our country. And people really do not want to be in the position of deporting parents of children born here.

I think the real problem is not the immigrants we know but those we don't know. Everyone in the US knows an immigrant. And generally they like the ones they know. Growing up we had one guy across the street who was an immigrant from Italy and a guy down the street who was an immigrant from Egypt. No one had a problem with them. In fact, most people liked them, felt they were hard workers and nice people.

The issue is the immigrants we don't know -- the nameless faceless people who hang out at Home Depot looking for work. I am someone who is usually accused of being an "open borders" type, but I think the real problem here in the US is simply a matter of human nature -- people have a fear of the unknown and the "other".

The other problem is in Mexico. This is not an issue that just popped up, rather something that has been brewing for a century. Namely, the fact that successive Mexican governments have refused to reform the country, and instead send their excess population to the US. It has only gotten worse under the leadership of Fox and Calderón. And to make it worse for Mexico, those who have left probably represent the most ambitious of their lower classes. The rich have no reason to leave and the middle classes probably feel they can still make a go of it. But if you are poor and ambitious, the government has basically said "Go North!" So Mexico is basically exporting those people who would be helpful in building up a better Mexico.

I am sympathetic to illegal immigrants and their plight. I believe generally in free movement of goods and people. And considering that we do not have the all pervasive and suffocating safety net that Europe has, the kind of people that come here will be the hard working people we want to attract. But wandering around the fringes of the rally yesterday, I think it would be easier to be sympathetic if many of those marching were not wearing Che Guevara tee shirts or carrying signs for some Trotskeyite organization such as the ISO or ANSWER.

More proof my wife is a saint

I was putting our flag out yesterday, which was also my wife's birthday. Given that I usually only put it out on holidays (Memorial Day, Armistice Day, Flag Day, etc) my wife asked why. This was the conversation:

Me: "For your birthday"

She: (Gives that "certain look") "No really".

Me: "Because it is May Day".

She: (Looking a little confused) "Is that a flag holiday?"

Me: "It is for communists."

She gave me that "really certain look", shook her head, and I am sure quietly wondered how she ended up with a nut like me.

As I said, my wife is a saint.

Happy May Day!

This is really cool



Granted, non-socialist that I am, I think this must be the soundtrack for Hell.