politics

My thoughts on today’s CNN news:

The president wants Congress to give his administration the power to set the standards for cars, using a system it says cuts emissions while preserving choices and safety for costumers. Bush opposes any legislation simply setting a number for higher fuel-economy standards, an approach Democrats like better. Source

I hope the AP finds better proof-readers in the future. Though, I’m happy that costumers will have plenty of choices, but what about the customers?

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday blamed U.S. policy for inciting other countries to seek nuclear weapons to defend themselves from an “almost uncontained use of military force.”

The stinging attack underscored growing tensions between Washington and Moscow.

“Unilateral, illegitimate actions have not solved a single problem, they have become a hotbed of further conflicts,” Putin said at the Munich Conference on Security Policy, an annual forum attracting senior officials from around the world.

“One state, the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way.” Source

The previous quote I saw from this, attributed Putin as stating that it was the UNs responsibility to do the things that he’s accusing the US of doing. Which, while true, will never happen as long as the UN is a waste of US soil. I hope the new SG will give that organization its balls back. With that said, I’m also curious, as to how the US, who hasn’t used a Nuke since Japan, is causing other countries to wish to obtain Nukes. For starters, they’re absolutely worthless without a means to deploy them, and the last thing you want to do is deploy them on your own soil. Also, if I’m remembering my “post” Cold War politics, we signed agreements with Russia on the purpose of arms reductions, due to the fact that they had Nukes too, and still do. Added to that, I don’t really think Russia has much of a leg to lecture us on, about international politics. Chechnya anyone? I’d also like to point out this little tid-bit, Putin attacked Bush’s administration for stoking a new arms race by planning to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe and for backing a U.N. plan that would grant virtual independence to Serbia’s breakaway province of Kosovo. Which, I think is probably the lynch-pin of Putin’s whole argument. I’m curious as to how the knowledge that Russia isn’t the only big dog in that area of the world is colouring his view.

Invoking the memory of fellow Illinoisan and the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, the first-term senator addressed thousands packed into the Springfield, Illinois, town square on a chilly day in America’s heartland. Source

Glad to see the party who didn’t like his (Lincoln) policies are cool with lining themselves up with him now. With that said, I won’t be voting for him either. We’ll see who the Rep’s can put forward, as to whether I’ll be voting in the Presidential election again.

“I did not evolve from Turkana Boy or anything like it,” says Bishop Boniface Adoyo, head of Kenya’s 35 evangelical denominations, which he claims have 10 million followers. “These sorts of silly views are killing our faith.” Source

Yeah, evolving from another animal is somehow less plausible than the Christian God pointing his finger and blinking it into existence (yes, I’m taking the extreme of the Creationist debate to task, you middle-grounders can find your own way). With that said, I’m curious as to what he thinks he evolved from, besides his birth mum?

have close, meaningful relationships with espresso brownies, cold beer, and reruns of “The West Wing.” Until recently, it hadn’t occurred to me that these paramours are, in fact, three of the major players in my stress-management strategy. Hey, I wasn’t even aware I had a stress-management strat Source

I highly suggest anyone who feels that they are constantly running to become aware of how they destress. Once you recognize it, it becomes more meaningful and useful. It also allows for a change in habits if its needed.

In a letter to employees, Jim Samples, the general manager and executive vice president of the network, wrote: “I deeply regret the negative publicity and expense caused to our company as a result of this campaign. As general manager of Cartoon Network, I feel compelled to step down, effective immediately, in recognition of the gravity of the situation that occurred under my watch.” Source

I’m sorry, but the idiocy in Boston is not the fault of the Veep of CN. In all honesty, I think TBS paying the city back is wrong. If they wanted to be nice, I’d suggest half, not the whole amount. The good thing, I’m not seeing the other cities running to nurse off that teat. Hopefully, they’re just laughing at Boston, too. Sad to know that an elite college is in that town, you would think that would up a few mental numbers, but apparently not.

I’ll leave it at that. 🙂 Save your screen, as I could go on and on.

In reference to the previous post. This is by no means a slam to the friend who made the original post, as I respect her and her opinions, it’s more of a note in regards to a response I got to a post on her journal from someone else. I also know she was talking about the radical conservatives, often referred to as neo-cons, which I also loath. However, I do have to state, that if one is going to try and make an argument, please continue with your argument. Don’t stop in the middle of it with a childish act. Feel free to resort to said childish act once the discussion has devolved into childish acts. With that said, I do have to admit the amusement in getting a link to White House press corps version of the document that changed my stance on the “War on Terror”, specifically in the Iraqi front. Granted, I would have been more impressed, had the person linked to the actual bill as passed by the Senate and the House at THOMAS. Not to mention an actual reading of the press corps additions, vs a glance. Least, that’s the impression that I got off of the response.

With that said, it seems like I was right about Obama becoming a martyr to the Clinton cause. Now, whether or not her denial is the actual truth, remains to be seen. And it’s a he said/she said type thing that will probably never have the truth see the actual light of day. But at any rate: CNN debunks false report about Obama

So when does the problem cease being our (white folks problem), and actually begin to be addressed within the black community?

Sharpton asks Richards to help heal the racism in our country

Black leaders call for end of “N-word” in entertainment, but fail to ask their own to cease using it as well (Chris Rock anyone?)

Seriously, I’m sick of hearing Sharpton whine, bitch and moan about every instance where a “cracker” turns the tides on someone in their own language. If the prevalence of the word Nigger, in the American lexicon is over-used, then the cease-fire needs to start at home. How many comedian acts on BET revolve around “Nigger-this” “Nigger-that”? One too many. The only time it becomes a problem, is when a cracker uses it. If Sharpton and his racist gang don’t want it used, they need to start at home.

The sad part is, it all started because they claimed he was getting on to them because they were black. And they called him a cracker. Go figure. “It’s your fault you discriminated against us because you shouldn’t have fallen to our level when we baited you”. Want to start working to end racism? Quit seeing it everywhere you look, just because you want to see it. So when it does actually happen, you’ll know it when you see it.

My political commentary for the day….

Italian Journalist says US targeted her, US says otherwise

Alright, as streams of info comes in, it turns out the Italian gov’t kept us out of the loop because they paid upwards of $6Mil Euros to get this woman back (my Scotsman says open season on Italian journalists now, I agree). Because of this little factoid, the US was kept out of the loop regarding her release. So were our soldiers expecting her arrival? Nope, all they saw was a car coming towards them. Honestly, I’m at a loss on who’s events to believe, as usual I think they’re somewhere in-between. Honestly, do I think the fire came from a tank? Of course not, more than likely, if the tank wanted to stop a car without actually firing anything into it, who do you think’s gonna win – the car, or the 30cal+ armour-plated tank?

Honestly, I think we should pull our military out of Italy, not Germany. Let those towns lose the revenue and move the bases elsewhere. It’s pathetic that they would stoop this low. And now that the insurgents know that they can get that kind of money out of a government, guess what’s going to happen now? If Eason Jordan was dumb enough to accuse the military of targeting journalists, hope he can counter that when journalists are now targeted because of Italy’s stupidity.

So, the Iraqi election the other day is supposedly a farce. Well, let’s face it, had Saddam stayed around, they wouldn’t have had them – as his idea of an election is everyone has to vote for him, as he’s the only candidate and there isn’t a line for a write-in. Yeah, things ain’t grand over there, but a good number of the people that lived there pretty much told the insurgents to fuck-off. How’d they do this? Well, they voted, and they voted in larger numbers than we’d ever get over here, despite being told that assisting the US in instituting a democratic republic would result in death. They went to the polls anyway. I’m proud of those people, and they should be proud of themselves. They know, that getting on their feet is the way to assist us in leaving their country. They’re starting to see that giving in to the insurgents would not benefit them at all, in fact, I wouldn’t be too surprised if us leaving would result in larger civilian casualties from the insurgents going after those who want to continue the path that they are now on, towards a democratic republic. With that said, some blogs for you all, please check through their links as well (these will open in new windows)
….

a Day in Iraq

Where is Raed?

The Kurdish View

Iraq Election Blog

Iraq Elections Discussion

Other Links:

Special coverage: War on Iraq

And if anything, LOOK AT THIS LINK:

Iraq Next Phase Chart

I’m getting really sick of the politics of late, the point I’m tempted to vote for Cthulu in every race. I’m also considering looking into how to change the ballot, to see if I can get up enough to put “none of the above” or “vote of no confidence” for a choice. I’m also pissy about those who like to claim I have no right to bitch. Well, freedom of speech amendment gives me that right. To those who say, “stop bitching, just do something!” Well, doing something would involve every massive white building going boom. And I don’t think I’d be well liked after that, and it’s a bit too drastic. Plus, we all know I wouldn’t be able to do anything in politics because the masses prefer pandering to actual positive change and I’m a bit too blunt to cower to pandering.

So, today I remove myself to the political interaction, outside of reading and watching the news. It’s pathetic, of course, the news ain’t too intelligent right now either (e.g. munitions storage suddenly disappearing, yesterday, but oh wait! It happened before we got there.)

In the meantime, I have yet to find anything more painful than a bikini wax. But at least I’m not having to worry about hair and elastic underwear.