Matthews, Buchanan Eviscerate Neocons

From Daily Kos

by georgia10
Fri Jul 21, 2006 at 07:04:02 AM PDT

I have a love-hate relationship with Chris Matthews. OK, it's mostly a hate relationship, in that I hate his documented record of being so misleading and so fundamentally wrong on so many issues.

But, I must give credit where credit is due. In those rare occasions where Matthews gets it right, he hits it out of the ballpark.

As Hunter pointed out, Newt Gingrich, Bill O'Reilly, Bill Kristol, Rich Lowry, and Rush Limbaugh are among a disturbing number of conservatives who are calling for an all-out world war.

These conservatives have an insatiable appetite for conflict and a maniacal desire to try all 31 flavors war. They want to use events in the Mideast as an excuse to invade any country whose citizens dare to call God "Allah." But their calls for a wider war are not the result of some warped idea that the sound of rockets pounding in neighborhoods will lull the hate to sleep. Nope. They. Just. Want. War.

I offer for your morning enjoyment a serving of pure, unfiltered truth about the neocons who have been calling for a wider war. From Wednesday's Hardball episode, here is Chris Matthews taking them on:

MATTHEWS: I just wonder, Pat, about just the simple history. We know from looking at the Arab world as we've come to understand it, that there is this division there among the Shia who are on the outs and are becoming to be the ins, of course, in Iraq and certainly already control Iran. Taking on the Sunnis that's a world we are only vaguely understanding. That's a thousand year old war. Do you think we are creating another thousand year war by killing so many Arabs? I've been afraid of this war from day one because I've always felt, based on history, every time you kill somebody, you've got his brother, his mother, his family coming back to get you. We've killed 50,000 Iraqi's in a war that was supposed to be a two-day wonder. When are we going to notice that the neocons don't know what they're talking about. They're not looking at this country's long term interest. They're bound up in regional and global ideology and they have had no experience, I'll say it again, in even a school yard fight. They don't know what physical fighting is all about. They went to school and were intellectuals but they want our government to be their big brother. I don't get it. I don't know why we keep falling for it. And the president, you say, is he free of these guys or not?

And from Pat Buchanan:

Are these people nuts? You've got to ask yourself. I certainly hope the president is not listening to them because I really question whether they've got America's national interest at heart. They're calling for wars against people that never attacked us. I don't care how bad they are. There are wicked people all over this world but you don't go after people unless they come after you.

And yet

Another person who knew nothing of my nascent employment today - something I've known about for nearly two months, maybe three, have been talking about (but only to people who interview me for what is happening in my life, instead of expecting a monologue.)

Good lord, though, the office is going to be in Del Lago. It's a gorgeous place, but ..can you imagine? Up the beltway to I-45 and THEN, the drive JUST gets started. Six bucks in tolls a day, and about 100 miles a day in driving. But, it's very exciting.

I learned so much today - why cell phones are called "cell," what GSM stands for, how GSM works, how TDMA works, how GDMA works, how CDMA works (it's really the best system,) and much more. It was a great meeting.

But, I left the house at 6:45 a.m. (as Guy said .. "are the roads even open at that hour?") And got home at 8:00 ON a conference call for NV, which lasted until 9:00. So, I'm out of meds, I'm out of food, didn't have time to pick something up, and have to leave the house tomorrow at 7:45 AFTER printing up a bunch of material, which has to be copied and pasted into a word document, because what I printed off the website last night was unreadable.

I just wanted to hop into the pool. I had this notion of coming home, pouring a jug o'wine into my enormous glass, and nattering with Brambo - who was to be coming home from work at 8:00. HAH! I said "8:00? You mean 10:00." Even my cynical estimate was off by at least two hours.

This office building that we met in today; oof! One walks into the lobby, and it's .. lavish. With a bullet-proof reception area. Continental Airlines has built their disaster recovery center in there - which I caught a glimpse of today. Excellent stuff.

I've run through two phone battery charges today (a two hour conference call will do that for you) and driven just over 100 miles. I was out of bed at 5:30, and will repeat THAT little trick in the morning.

(sigh) Lovely stuff, eh?

Had a phone call from Babs today - but, can't call her back until Monday.

Talked to my Dad today; yurg. What a happy guy. He's going to spend the weekend with his sisters, which should be like the Chinese Water Torture. Let me rephrase that - it should be like the Relentless Chinese Water Torture.

Tom's back in circulation, Chuck's been busy as a bee, and I think I may have some time to myself on Monday after six. SAM hasn't responded to my email from last night, which is par for the course. I think I may be headed off to Korea for a few days (if I play my cards right) and that could be WAY fun, plus give me non-stop OnePass miles.

Who knows? We'll see where this all leads.

I need some sleep. And a shower. Or a shower and some sleep.

Tomorrow's coffee conversation in church is going to be about Peak Oil. That should be fun. I'll whip everyone into a froth and them smooth them out like a big ol' latte.

Excellent humor about the stem cell veto

From Daily Kos

by Bill in Portland Maine
Thu Jul 20, 2006 at 05:04:56 AM PDT

From the Blastocyst Community Bulletin...

There will be a new blastocyst orientation session at the Federal Building on Market Street at 2pm (use the side door). All blastocysts will receive a Social Security number, $50 cash and a free copy of the Employment Times.

-

The annual Blastocyst pancake supper will be held at the Grange Hall Sunday from 6am `til 11am. Cost is $5 ($3 for embryoblasts 8 days and under). Because of last year's maple syrup disaster, powdered sugar will be substituted.

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FOR SALE---framed portrait of President Bush signing the Blastocyst Civil Rights Act of 2006. Autographed on back by Sen. Brownback. $10 + s&h. 555-1323.

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All of us at BCB mourn the passing of associate editor Hank Grindle, 12 days, a long-standing member of the local blastocyst community for 7 days and 3 hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the VFW. Our condolences to Gladys, his wife of 10 days and 8 hours.

-

BLASTOCYST ROOMMATE wanted to share 2-bedroom apartment on west end. $575 + utilities. Non-smoker preferred. Pets negotiable. No vacuum cleaners. 555-3421.

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BLASTAEROBICS! Come move and groove to a hip-hop beat at Marcy's Gym. Great way to make friends while increasing your lifespan by up to 36 hours! You'll have a BLAST! 555-MOVEIT.

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FOR SALE: Petri dish. 4-inch diameter, like new. Only used by my grandmother on Sunday. $10 or best offer. 555-9845.

-

Feeling small? Join the Dale Carnegie blastocyst support group. Professional moderator helps you speak with confidence and raise self-esteem. Stay afterward for free résumé-building workshop.

Ah, I'm gonna make you read today

From Daily Kos

This is a synopsis of the peak oil concept and the data/science behind it. It's very well written, and it's not screechy. I hope you take the time to read it and understand this likely very important possibility.

The Coming Oil Crisis
by Land of Lincoln Dem
Tue Jul 18, 2006 at 07:47:17 PM PDT

I know, I know, it's much easier to just ignore this problem. But life in the 21st century is never short on reminders that we exist in a world of ever-increasing energy needs in which our economy's growth and even its most basic vitality is almost directly tied to our access to a few precious commodities. Petroleum is necessary to continue our current lifestyle and yet our ability to obtain it in the quantities we need becomes less and less certain with each passing day. While there are a number of environmental and climate-related issues tied to the use of this fuel, I won't attempt to address those problems here and they must be reserved for another diary. This entry will be limited to the potential availability of petroleum sources in the near future as well as some of the geopolitical problems stemming from this possible shortage in the long run.

So join me on the flip side for a little history, a little analysis and a lot of "wonk" to find out just what kind of mess we're in...

* Land of Lincoln Dem's diary :: ::
*

Normally, I'm content to be a lurker on the site. Occasionally I'll post comments but for the most part I just enjoy having so much information on so many topics all in one place. Its like my very own condensed, Reader's Digest index of all human knowledge. But today I've decided to jump into the pool (don't worry, I won't pee in it) and share some of my knowledge on the global petroleum situation, because I've had the pleasure of reading several books and articles on the subject lately and feel I can contribute something to the community. Jerome a Paris is usually right on the mark with his diaries on oil and while I don't want to step on any toes, I'll give this a shot. (Note: this post ended up being rather epic in length so read ahead at your own risk)

It would not be an overstatement to describe oil as the lifeblood of our economy. In fact, it is almost impossible for the average person to imagine life without it. From the cars, trains and buses we take to work and school to the airplanes and trucks that carry goods from distant markets to our local store shelves it is essential to the post-industrialized lifestyle. It provides 40% of the world's total energy needs and more than 90% of the energy we need for transportation comes from oil. But oil is a finite resource. There is only so much of it in the world and when it runs out there is no way for us to acquire more of it. However, severe complications will arise long before we run the earth dry of oil.

For those unfamiliar, M. King Hubbert was a brilliant geologist working for the Shell Research lab in the 1950's and 1960's. Through his hard work and research he predicted in 1969 that worldwide oil production would peak around the year 2000. He didn't mean by any stretch of the imagination that we would run out of oil by that date. But he showed that production, when graphed, looked basically like a standard bell curve. In essence, he demonstrated that once approximately half the supply of earth's oil had been pumped, production would be at as high a level as it would ever be. Skeptics have noted that you can never truly know how much oil there ever was. And people probably would have long ago dismissed his calculations as the ranting of a pessimistic madman except for the trivial matter that he accurately predicted in 1956 that oil production in the United States would peak in the early 1970's.

Even today most people are unfamiliar with both Hubbert and his predictions even though his work is probably more important to us now that ever before. The question is not if production will one day peak but when. It is a forgone conclusion, even to those optimists who believe that we have decades until the fun stops, that one day the worldwide production of oil will reach a peak output and then begin to uncontrollably decline. Many believe that once we reach the peak it will be far too late to do anything. Without a plan in place to transition from oil to another fuel that will satisfy our transportation energy needs we run the risk of an economic collapse from a lack of foresight.

The misleading perception associated with "Hubbert's Peak" is the image evoked by the gentle downward slope of a bell curve. But the landing connected with a decline will be anything but soft. It is theoretically true that if a peak occurred this year - not entirely out of the question according to so some - a Hubbert-style graph shows that it would take about 15 years for production to drop 10%. But that is assuming worldwide growth and demand remain constant during that period of time. China and India's markets are developing exponentially and their rate of industrialization is pushing demand for oil higher everyday. And that is to say nothing about the growing U.S. population and ever-expanding economy complete with SUVs that rival the size of some houses.

If we were faced today with a peak in oil production there is little chance of limiting consumption in the short-term. We are simply too reliant on oil to give it up cold turkey. The higher prices linked to shrinking supplies would send oil companies scurrying to squeeze as much petroleum as possible from the earth in as short a period as possible. The extensive search for oil would be analogous to what was seen in the United States after domestic production topped out in 1970. A drilling boom would ensue in an attempt to satisfy the unquenchable demand. For a while they might even be successful in supplying what is needed to keep everything humming along. Instead of a peak in production with an anticipated decline there would be a plateau of sorts. This would ease fears and return things (relatively) to normal. The news cycle would end, coverage would shift to the next celebrity couple's baby news and people would be relieved to know that we solved the problem by simply drilling more wells.

There remains, however, the pesky matter of oil still being a finite resource. By changing the production curve we will have merely delayed the inevitable and accelerated the ensuing decline when new drilling begins to taper off and can no longer support current demand (assuming that it could meet that demand in the first place). The plateau will work temporarily but as one geologist put it, "the edge of a plateau looks a lot like a cliff." It is entirely possible that we are currently on such a plateau and we don't even realize it. In a few years we may look in the rear-view mirror and see that we have driven right off the edge without even knowing it, at which time it will be too late to do anything.

So if the experts believe that we are on the verge of reaching our peak for worldwide production capability (or if we have already hit it) what should be made of all the hype surrounding the "proven reserves" of so many nations, most notably those in the Middle East? Part of the problem is that for all its importance in today's world very few are privileged enough to be an insider in the oil industry with access to information regarding the availability of this valued product.

Matthew Simmons is one of those lucky few. He is a Houston-based investment banker who specializes in the energy industry. If there is anyone who has a desire to see things continue down the road of "business as usual" in the oil industry it would be someone who makes a living off having a financial interest in the industry. But Simmons has reached conclusions that all Americans should be afraid of. His fascinating book, Twilight in the Desert, details how little the public and even well informed insiders know about oil production. His work focuses on the secrecy of Saudi Arabia, the world's leading producer of oil, and how this secrecy has led to a flawed feeling of complacency. While he has his critics, Simmons is not some partisan political hack looking to score cheap points.

In 1979, a report released by the United States Senate showed that officials from Aramco - Saudi Arabia's national oil company - estimated their reserves to be in the neighborhood of 110 billion barrels of oil. Reserves are essentially oil fields that have been discovered but not tapped. These figures are difficult to approximate and sometimes on the conservative side so it didn't come as a huge shock when the Saudis revised the number to 150 billion barrels later that year. However, many observers were left scratching their heads when the numbers were further revised to 250 billion barrels of oil in reserve in 1988 even though no significant discoveries had been disclosed during that time. To this day, more than 17 years after those revisions, the official number stands at over 250 billion barrels of oil in "proven" reserves even though, again, no discoveries have been released to support that kind of increase over the 1979 figures. Also, Saudi Arabia has pumped nearly 50 billion barrels of oil out of the ground since 1988 while reserves have remained unchanged. They are unwilling to open any of their fields to independent verification and this lack of transparency is what worries many experts. What could they be hiding? Is there an incentive for them to lie or deceive?

Historically, the only time that reserve estimates are updated is if new discoveries are confirmed or new technology would allow a county or company to squeeze more oil out of existing fields. However, neither of these situations applied to Saudi Arabia or virtually any other oil producer who revised estimates during the 80's. The motivation for these adjustments was purely economic. In 1985 OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Counties) decreed that the higher one's stated reserves were the more oil you would be allowed to export. So while OPEC members claimed to be correcting for past mistakes they were really seeking higher revenue streams. This accounts for why the six OPEC member nations collectively doubled their "reserves" virtually overnight to more than 600 billion barrels and have kept them there ever since.

Even if we set aside the dire predictions of an imminent production peak and assume that we can continue down the current path indefinitely there are a number of short-term issues that have to be addressed. The principal nuisance is that even though demand will be increasing at least incrementally in the near future it appears production will not be able to meet that need. As mentioned before, nations other than our own have developed a growing addition to oil. If we could just pump and refine more of it we might be fine. But worldwide there is no longer any surplus production capacity. By 1997 Saudi Arabia was the last remaining nation with the luxury of holding back supply and even the great oil king had to admit the inescapable fact that by the Spring of 2003 they were maxed out themselves.

Since that time the price for a barrel of oil has gradually increased from about $28 to the nearly $80 we see today! The slightest hitch in production, or sometimes just the rumor of a potential hitch, can send the price fluctuating wildly. And of course, that's not even taking into account the latest turmoil in the Middle East. According to one observer, "Volatility has become the new market reality." It has become accepted fact that prices will be unstable and we all have to live with it. But many can't afford such a situation. Increasingly we are seeing more and more people falling into "energy poverty" which, in the 21st century, may be the greatest determining factor between the haves and have-nots.

Not everyone is concerned with the present state of affairs and how it may jeopardize our future. There are a growing number of people who feel that free market forces will help correct any shortcomings stemming from the oil industry. They are convinced that the problem is less geological than it is financial. Investment is merely in a lag behind the large growth in demand from the last decade or so.

There is a serious flaw, though, in this thinking. Investment rarely lags this far behind record profits, which the industry has been experiencing for some time. We should be seeing an explosion of capital being infused in an attempt to boost production and refining capability. Instead, we are seeing old oil tankers being retired quicker than the new ones are coming online and only a minimal increase in exploration budgets for the largest oil companies and producer nations.

So why would investment not keep up with demand? Is it possible that investors have access to hard evidence that the rest of public does not? Perhaps, but it is just as likely that they are drawing their conclusions from easily obtainable information and have decided that a peak in production is likely imminent. This would prevent them from securing a reasonable return on their investment, which is not good business sense. While it may be speculation to think investors anticipate a peak, it is an economic reality that investments are indiscriminate. If they thought there was money to be made in the future oil game there would undoubtedly be more investing than we are currently seeing.

There is another problem with the logic of the free market supporters and it has to do with their theoretical solution to the crisis. Alan Greenspan is one of the leaders of this philosophy and his explanation for what will happen in the face of higher oil prices is remarkably simple. He - and many others - argue that government intervention is not only unnecessary but undesirable. The market, through higher prices, will encourage the changes that are needed and we will gradually ease off of oil and onto something more stable and abundant. Government would only get in the way.

Not being an economist, this writer is reluctant to try and find fault in the economic theory proposed by Mr. Greenspan. However, there is a critical error with this basic premise that can get lost in the particulars. This viewpoint only works under the assumption of stable, established price levels. As we have seen recently oil is far too fickle a commodity to play along with this assertion. The past has also shown this to be an unlikely scenario. History tells us that conversions to new energy sources have been somewhat cumbersome. "The leaps from wood to coal and from coal to oil caused economic disruption and political uncertainty," according to Paul Roberts. "And these were fairly slow-motion transitions, occurring over several decades." There is simply no reason to believe that a current disaster could be handled smoothly by capitalism. The market is inherently too static to evolve at the rate in which we would need it to. The only solution is some form of government commitment, and even immediate action may be too late.

There is another variable in this equation that has not been mentioned directly but was alluded to earlier. The wildcard in all of this may be population and its overall rate of growth. In 1979 we reached the peak for per capita oil production, meaning that since then population has been growing faster than we have been able to find and pump oil. India and China were referenced to before as examples of newly industrializing countries that will only increase their oil needs. Within a generation or two their economies may rival or even exceed that of the United States' and it is not implausible to think they would consider using this increased influence to take actions that would be detrimental to our interests.

The bottom line is that soon there will be - or already are - too many people competing for too few resources. For many, oil has become as valuable to survival as water with no discernable end in sight. Our impromptu experiment to determine the earth's carrying capacity will not have a happy ending. Worldwide population control is often an unpleasant and no doubt controversial topic but it pales in comparison to the kind of ugliness Mother Nature would wreak upon us if this unchecked growth were allowed to continue. Famines, suffering and international volatility will only further destabilize the geopolitical balance of the world.

If indeed all of the evidence pointing toward the peak of oil production turns out to be true, what comes next? A worst-case scenario would have supplies falling fast enough to cause chaos and disruption the likes of few alive have ever seen. Panic would ensue as mankind tries to figure out what the new definition of "sustainable" is. Resource and energy wars would break out as the haves make a last ditch attempt to continue their lifestyle at the expense of the have-nots. But, of course, it doesn't have to happen that way. It may end up that oil supplies are adequate enough to delay "Hubbert's Peak" for a decade or more. In that case we have an unprecedented opportunity to reshape our society with the time we have left. The realization that we are on a collision course with fate has begun to sink in but people at all levels of society need to be better informed. Through sustained, determined efforts we may one day break free from the shackles of our hydrocarbon dependence. In order for that to happen, though, we all need to understand the implications of what will occur if we continue life as we know it.

What will the energy economy of the future look like if it does not include oil? The United States currently consumes more than 20 million barrels of oil every day out of a worldwide production of 85 million barrels. More than half of our current appetite is imported and that amount jumps to nearly three-fourths being imported in 20 years if demand grows as expected. Replacing such amounts means either curbing our energy use or finding new sources of energy to exploit.

Neither option is very attractive to most Americans. The reality of the situation will, of course, dictate that a patchwork of energy alternatives will be required to fill the colossal role of oil in our world. And while conservation will not solve any of these problems that have been mentioned it, too, will be necessary in making the transition more bearable.

As we peer over the cliff into the endless abyss of a post-oil world we are sure to be faced with difficult questions. The uncertainty surrounding our cherished way of life will be difficult to contemplate. And it will be even more difficult to give up our lifestyle of excess. But the fact remains that we have been living on borrowed time for far too long and the consequences are stalking us relentlessly. Kenneth E. Boulding once stated:

Anyone who believes that exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist.

We must embrace a sense of conservation with sincerity and shake off the mindset of unconstrained progress. This isn't a battle that can be won with weapons and military might (though many leaders in our government will undoubtedly try). We will only prevail when our society remembers the noble foundations of deferred gratification, sacrifice, and sustained national effort that once drove this great nation.

Here are some of the books and articles that I found the most interesting during my formal and informal research:

Twilight in the Desert by Matthew Simmons

Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak by Kenneth Deffeyes

The End of Oil: On the Edge of a Perilous New World by Paul Roberts

National Geographic's article The End of Cheap Oil

Tuesday progress

So, I'm thinking that Babs isn't coming back. Haven't heard from her in three days, haven't had a reply to my text message - so, I pretty much figure she's moved on.

Today, just to keep things interesting, I totally reorganized the office supply closet. Threw out a bunch of stuff, piled all of the unused computer stuff high in the bathroom on the counter.

Still have a TON of filing to do. But, I plan to re-organize all of the files, put away a bunch of files that are no longer used into boxes, create new files and a filing system for some clients, and add more organizational oompf.

Secret Agent Man came by today - he was talking to me about my air conditioner, how it was undersized, how it was a cheap brand, how .. it could all be improved .. it was just so butch.

Mikey seems to be upset with me. He's not talking. Interestingly, the realtor is ignoring me too - and the commercial lease deal that I brought him. Time to move on as far as that goes.

Have to be up EARLY tomorrow to drive to the Woodlands. Have to be there before 8:00; which means leaving here before 7:00. I'll be gone almost all day Friday and Saturday as well. Sunday, of course, is always jam packed. So, my next day of availability is Monday.

Happy Hump Day that felt like Thursday

So, health insurance. Chuck, being healthy and under 40, gets about a hundred dollars a month. Me, being none of the above, gets $460/month, plus a $2500 deductible, or $8020 per year ASSUMING I have no major health issues. Every year. If I billed forty hours a week (which is radically unlikely) that would be $3.85/hour for health insurance for me.

I usually successfully bill only twenty hours/week, the rest of the time being unrecoverable, so it's more like $8.00/hour for health insurance.

And I thought the VW Phaeton was expensive at $3.00/mile.

I've been thinking about cars. I talked to Jayne last night, and she's expecting me to tell her today what it is that I want. Thus, I've been thinking.

1. When I drove the Lucerne, we barely made it out of the parking lot, and I thought "this is it."
2. When the one I ordered came in, even though it was covered in bird poo and dirt, I had tingles when I saw it
3. When I've been just letting an image of a new car come to me, that's what I see in the garage
4. Buick is giving one away
5. I didn't feel "this is it" when I was driving the 300C
6. The only car that's given me those sorts of feelings has been the Lucerne

So, I really do want a Lucerne CXS with nav and an XM radio. Black, please.

Two really fun things today -

First, in case you missed it, our gummint is CHARGING our citizens who are in Lebanon for their evacuation. They are required to either give over a signed, blank check - or sign a blank promissory note. Once the cost is determined, they'll be notified - as the check hits their bank.

However, to make the situation sillier - check this out. They're expecting the 23,000 US citizens who are NOT being accomodated today to .. wait for a phone call or check the Embassy's website. In a country with no electricity and no phone service, because the Israelis targeted civilian infrastructure.

Just to be clear - THIS IS A COMPLETELY REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION. The "liberals" have NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS BEHAVIOR. The "liberals" have NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING. The only party in power is the REPUBLICAN PARTY. The only people making decisions at all are the REPUBLICANS.

Glad you're not in Lebanon?

Just as a teaser - the woman who gave over the 2000 election to Geo. W. - the woman who was his state campaign chairperson, but also responsible for counting the Florida vote - the woman who is running to un-seat one of the few remaining Demos in the world - has advanced to Level Four of the Political Scandal Process (thanks to Justin Rood of TPM Muckraker for that cute distinction)

She's now a TARGET of Federal (Republican) prosecutors for illegal fundraising and taking bribes. As a FRESHMAN Representative from Sarasota.

And all of you who thought I was being unreasonable saying she was a cheat and a liar back in 2000 - what have you to say NOW?

I'm telling you - read the book "What's the Matter with Kansas?" After I posted this morning, I read some more of it, and was just overcome - I have so many friends who are mouthing the very same nonsense - that government is bad, etc., etc. No facts, just generalizations to back it up. Generalizations which were never empirically founded and have been empirically disproved, and yet which persist. Such as the "Welfare Queens in Cadillacs" nonsense that never existed, and "illegal aliens with free healthcare" crap.

Uh - check the beginning of the post. It ain't free. It ain't free ANYWHERE.

If you don't start reading, I'll start posting a synopsis.

If you've a grain of interest in what's been happening since the 1980s

You should read this book "What's the Matter with Kansas?"

This book details how the right wing "wingnuts" took over the Republican Party, how they're voting and behaving against their own interests, and how much of the last twenty-five years has been nothing but rolling back any regulation on industry, finance and the wealthy - and nothing but that. And, that it took the massive infusion of angry blue-collar and poor people to accomplish this.

It's a great book. Read it. If you believe that the church and state should be kept separate, if you believe that our Constitutional rights were a good thing, if you believe that your boss does not have your best interests at heart - you need to read it.

There He Goes Again. Lieberman Supports GOP Port-o-rama

From Daily Kos

by mcjoan
Tue Jul 18, 2006 at 09:13:01 PM PDT

Via Sirota, news tonight that House Democrats have found troubling provisions in the Oman Free Trade Agreement scheduled for a vote Thursday.

In an explosive report tonight, top House Democrats discovered provisions in the controversial Oman Free Trade Agreement that would permit foreign ownership of U.S. ports and other key national security assets. . . . As Reuters reports, "Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat who serves on the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee, said the pact would allow companies such as Dubai Ports World to acquire U.S. port operations by establishing a shell company in Oman." Those provisions might also allow foreign ownership of other key national security assets, considering just after the recent Dubai Ports controversy, that country went ahead with plans to purchase a major U.S. defense contractor.

How does Lieberman fit into this picture?

Last month, lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. Senate joined hands to pass the Oman Free Trade Agreement - which is being pushed aggressively by the Bush administration and its largest corporate donors. Lawmakers ignored major labor, human rights and environmental objections to the pact put forward by more than 400 union, religious and consumer groups. Among those voting for the pact in the Senate were Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), two Senators facing tough re-election bids who could face renewed criticism in their home states that they have sold out their constituents.

So criticizing the administration's conduct of the Iraq War imperils national security, but allowing foreign ownership of national security assets, including ports, is fine. As long as that's what the Bush administration wants, Lieberman is happy to oblige. Or maybe he's hedging his bets with Republicans back home.

Tuesday with my Jemima Mammy do-rag on

I've been cleaning all damned morning - I started by trying to open my mail from the last five days, which lead to clearing off the desk, followed by 20 minutes of shredding, which required bagging up the contents of the shredder, which necessitated swamping out the garbage can with bleach water. With other stuff in between. Now, we're about to have a thundershower. I have hours of work to do yet; I was working last night until 10:45. Still have six months' of a client's bank statements to reconcile, CellCast's files to go through and organize, my own filing to get caught up on, bills to pay (which requires money to pay them with,) a mortgage loan to work on, and a contract to review - as in, do I want to do this? Not to mention all the non-timelined, creative projects that are dragging on (Fabulair, SOM writings and on-line presentations, etc.)

Haircut, office supplies, pick up the mail, come back, fill up the water jugs, unload the car, answer email, and still I need to spend several hours doing substantive work.

I need to spend some time making some notes - I'm thinking that I'm going to heave it all into my Yahoo 360 site - books that I think are important, places that I REALLY want to visit, how I want my life to be. Maybe it needs to be in a private journal. Some of it.

I think that's tonight's work effort - a bit of visualization, while Brambo is at work.

Monday, Monday ver. 825.01

So much to write about today - I'll have to do it in steps. First, I'm now a licensed Religious Science Practitioner - I was accepted after my oral panel on Saturday. A five year process, including the basic courses necessary to be able to take practitioner level courses. Maybe six.

This morning, I was intent on cleaning up Ruby (the car.) She's been looking pretty rough, so I went to Wally World, returned some pool chemicals I've not used, bought gas and stopped at the coin-op car wash. Some fifteen minutes and two almost slip and falls later, she was passably clean. I brought her home, cleaned the windows, wiped down the exterior, and cleaned up the interior. She looks a lot better. I may just mount my giant Marvin the Martian sticker on her rear window today.

Last night, I had things I could have been doing, but I was just wiped out. I went to bed at 10:00, and slept until 7:00. Today, I'm feeling like I'm having my weekend, but I have to get cracking and produce some results here shortly. At least, I'm feeling perkier.

This week is going to be mostly wall-to-wall catching up (on behalf of clients, not that I'm all that far behind.) All organizing records and putting it into QuickBooks.

At the church, they got a Lasko floor mount blower that feel like an air conditioner; I found them at Sam's Club for $46. I'm going to run and get one shortly to help with the apparent temperature up here in the office.

Aside from that, just a load of work lined out to complete this week.

The class reunion is looking less and less likely. Saves me a bunch of money, of course, that's a good thing.

Tom's off in New Orleans until Wednesday; he'll be slutting around instead of working on websites .. GOOD FOR HIM! He's such a sweetie.

More later - this is what I can jot down for now.