My Governor needs your help. She needs to stay in the national public spotlight. She needs to attend big-name political events like the upcoming Alfalfa Club Dinner featuring our new President. She needs a new wardrobe.
And you can help!
Just click on the link below to SARAHPAC and make a donation. I already tried it...donated $100 under the name of my good friend, Jane Ellis (See Footnote 1). And I'm sure Jane will keep us posted on all the interesting emails, junk mail, and irksome phone solicitations she will be receiving between now and the Republican National Convention in 2012.
http://www.sarahpac.com/landing/
And speaking of Sarahs - yesterday I had a nice chat with Sarah Lynn Plotnick as I was walking into the Club. I actually LIKE this Sarah who was a friend and high school classmate way back when. She and her husband have a place in Bay View near Fish Creek out North Douglas. She looks like a million bucks.
We compared notes on elder care - Sarah's mom is 82 and still living alone in the old Plotnick place in Douglas. Her daily routine sounds quite similar to my own in terms of parental duties. Her younger sister Barb, lives in the Puget Sound area and has a couple of delightful young daughters. Her older sister, Rocky, lives here in Juneau and is married to my Urologist, Dr. Singsaas. I have always been fond of the whole Plotnick clan. Danny Plotnick, the patriarch, was a truly eccentric guy and a hell of a good egg. I remember enthusiastically campaigning for him when he ran for Mayor a few decades ago.
Thanks to Dougie for providing the link below from the Fairbanks News Miner which demonstrates conclusively that the rugged Alaska entrepreneurial spirit lives on:
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/jan/27/pub-line-bus-service-could-become-mobile-bar-fairb/
As Dougie said, "Makes me proud to be an Alaskan."
In other news, the other night I went out for cocktails and supper at the Prospector with Sherry Hill, a former Department of Health and Social Services colleague who is moving to Olympia to work for the State of Washington. The Prospector was chock-a-block full of legislators, lobbyists, and assorted other political hangers-on. I had a very short but pleasant visit with my old boss, Al Adams.
After glad-handing and yukking-it-up with the assembled politicos, I actually felt a tinge of longing for the good old days. But like the annual May Day yearning to own a boat, the attack passed in a minute or two with only a slight light-headedness and dry cough remaining.
Well, time to go chop some wood. A light schedule today. No medical appointments for any elder. Although it is certainly possible duties of which I am at present blissfully unaware have arisen since I saw the folks last evening.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST - HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELLY MANGUSO!
FOOTNOTE #1 - Just kidding Jane!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Local Update
Well it looks like the weatherman got it about right. There's about a foot of new snow on the table on my deck this morning. I was on the road quite a bit yesterday and it got pretty slippery late in the day. Sounds like it will be a little warmer today with the high near freezing and a wintry mix of rain and snow for the rest of the week. Ugh.
I took dad to the doc yesterday and the doc was pleased with the improvement in his edema. They get a big kick out of the old coot at the clinic. We saw Dr. Cole yesterday and he and dad chatted-it-up big time. In fact late yesterday afternoon Dr. Cole called dad at home to thank him for helping to rescue his son about 33 years ago. After consulting with his wife, the doctor had concluded that dad had rescued their 5 year old son about 33 years ago when dad happened to be delivering oil to their place in Auke Bay when Junior got his foot caught while up a tree. Dad says he has a dim recollection of some such event.
I may have achieved a break-through yesterday on the Oregon plan. Both dad and mom are now conceding that they will not be living at Switzer Village next year (dad says he's not sure he will be living ANYWHERE next winter - although we've heard that wheeze every year for a number of years now). In any event, they now appear receptive to the notion of relocating to warmer climes.
I have decided to forego the spring golf tournament in early March. I just don't feel comfortable leaving the elders alone in the winter and early March can certainly still be very wintry hereabouts. Last week's trip to the ER reinforced my fears about leaving them to their own devices. And I'm doing more and more cooking and chores for them.
So...Plan B - still under development - is to head to the Great Northwest in early April and look for a place in Corvallis. So far the specifications from the elders include: 1) We won't live in a flood plain; 2) We won't live in the woods (fear of forest fire); and 3) We don't like stairs. All imminently reasonable concerns to my mind.
In other elder news, mom had an amusing conversation with Auntie the other evening. She called around 8 PM and woke Emilie up - she was snoozing in her chair in the living room. Emilie asked "What time is it?" Mom replied, "8 o'clock." Emilie then said, "morning or night?" Sigh...
Emilie's daughter, Sandra, arrived night before last for ten days or so. Emilie really shouldn't be living alone - but she and her daughter have been unable or unwilling to figure out what to do about the situation.
Elder care aside, it is mighty quiet around here. I'm working-out twice a day most days. It would sure be nice to be able to walk outdoors - but I just don't like the cold and snow. I should buy some real winter clothing - but for some reason I can't seem to make myself do it...
Later gang!
I took dad to the doc yesterday and the doc was pleased with the improvement in his edema. They get a big kick out of the old coot at the clinic. We saw Dr. Cole yesterday and he and dad chatted-it-up big time. In fact late yesterday afternoon Dr. Cole called dad at home to thank him for helping to rescue his son about 33 years ago. After consulting with his wife, the doctor had concluded that dad had rescued their 5 year old son about 33 years ago when dad happened to be delivering oil to their place in Auke Bay when Junior got his foot caught while up a tree. Dad says he has a dim recollection of some such event.
I may have achieved a break-through yesterday on the Oregon plan. Both dad and mom are now conceding that they will not be living at Switzer Village next year (dad says he's not sure he will be living ANYWHERE next winter - although we've heard that wheeze every year for a number of years now). In any event, they now appear receptive to the notion of relocating to warmer climes.
I have decided to forego the spring golf tournament in early March. I just don't feel comfortable leaving the elders alone in the winter and early March can certainly still be very wintry hereabouts. Last week's trip to the ER reinforced my fears about leaving them to their own devices. And I'm doing more and more cooking and chores for them.
So...Plan B - still under development - is to head to the Great Northwest in early April and look for a place in Corvallis. So far the specifications from the elders include: 1) We won't live in a flood plain; 2) We won't live in the woods (fear of forest fire); and 3) We don't like stairs. All imminently reasonable concerns to my mind.
In other elder news, mom had an amusing conversation with Auntie the other evening. She called around 8 PM and woke Emilie up - she was snoozing in her chair in the living room. Emilie asked "What time is it?" Mom replied, "8 o'clock." Emilie then said, "morning or night?" Sigh...
Emilie's daughter, Sandra, arrived night before last for ten days or so. Emilie really shouldn't be living alone - but she and her daughter have been unable or unwilling to figure out what to do about the situation.
Elder care aside, it is mighty quiet around here. I'm working-out twice a day most days. It would sure be nice to be able to walk outdoors - but I just don't like the cold and snow. I should buy some real winter clothing - but for some reason I can't seem to make myself do it...
Later gang!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Stimulate Me II, the Sequel
As a retiree I am spending more time than in years' past reading newspapers, political blogs, and even watching the talking heads on TV (not surprisingly, I am partial to the MSNBC line-up). The economy is, of course, the topic of the hour. And while I am certainly not a trained economist, I was nevertheless as prescient as many who are in predicting our current difficulties and a good deal more so than the Masters of the Financial Universe who steered so many of our banking establishments down the road to ruin. Indeed, I have given a lot of thought to the current meltdown – not only out of general interest but, like most middling-class Americanos, out of a very real concern what all the turmoil may mean for my own long-term personal comfort and prosperity.
Sadly, I must agree with most of the pros who now, however belatedly, seem to have reached something approaching a consensus that our economy is well and truly up the proverbial creek – and it’s going to take a good deal of paddling and a fair amount of time before we achieve anything that will look like a recovery to many of us. In fact, there is uncharacteristic agreement on the part of most mainstream economists as to what it is we can do that will most likely make the current unpleasantness as short and as tolerable as possible. The “it” being a truly massive fiscal stimulus package.
Of course there are quibbles over the exact make-up of the package. Some want a few more tens of billions of tax cuts and some a whole lot more billions for infrastructure – but there is no doubt in my mind that Congressional ingenuity is more than up to finessing these disagreements by simply adding to the kitty. And this is one of those rare instances when Congressional logrolling may actually be in the national interest.
Admittedly, last week’s votes in several House Committees were on a strictly party-line vote; but Mr. Obama’s meetings this past week with the House and Senate majority and minority leadership and next week’s kissy-face meetings with key Republicans in both bodies will certainly turn-up the heat a notch or two on the Republicans. I note that the Senate’s draft bill already sweetens the pot a bit with more tax cuts than the House has proposed and there is no doubt in my mind that the Conference Committee will be in a giving mood to folks on both sides of the aisle when it finally puts the apple in the mouth of this mother of all porkers.
Ultimately, it seems to me that the political calculation for our Republican pals is an easy one. Why appear to get in the way of our new President during his national honeymoon with his popularity off the charts? If things go reasonable well, they can share the credit; and if the package has no discernable effect they can always blame him later (Obama made me do it).
So, I actually expect Congress to pass something credible by President’s Day as promised and with a goodly amount of bi-partisan support. Of course I may be wrong.
But what happens if Congress does pass a near-universally acceptable stimulus package? Unfortunately, probably not much – at least not immediately. The sad fact of the matter is that even a favourable outcome (the odds of which I put at about 65%) will likely see the economy continue to deteriorate at least through the middle of the year and the resulting recovery will no doubt be anemic for many months thereafter. Unemployment will reach double digits. It’s a damn near sure bet that 2009 will be a year we will all want to forget as soon as possible.
Furthermore, there is a significant chance that things could really get much, much worse (I put the Vegas odds at 25%). The loss of jobs the past few months has truly been breathtaking and at some point it is possible that we go into a real tailspin with increasing unemployment leading to more foreclosures, leading to further reductions in demand, leading to further layoffs, and so on. And then there is always the possibility of unforeseen events in the form of a new terrorism attack, a dust-up between Israel and Iran jeopardizing oil supplies, an inability or unwillingness of our creditors (like the oil potentates and China) to support our latest orgy of deficit spending however necessary, or some other god-awful thing we haven’t even yet contemplated. YIKES!
Of course, it is also possible that we’ll get all the breaks and the previously taken monetary stimulus and force-feeding of cash to financial institutions coupled with a tsunami of new federal spending will perk-up the national psyche like a muy grande espresso and we’ll be off-to-the-races much quicker than anyone is predicting. I charitably put the odds of the caffeine-based scenario at 10%.
Furthermore, once the economy is stabilized the work has just only begun cleaning-up the debris that is the Bush legacy…
Finally, good luck to President Obama on managing our expectations – something not made easier by the need to portray the stimulus package as among the most important pieces of legislation since the New Deal.
As a people, patience is not one of our better known qualities. Fasten your seatbelts kids, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
In other news, I am gratified to report that Jane and I were not the only two people in the country to take note of President Obama's reference to non-believers in his inaugural address. There was a great opinion piece in the Washington post on this subject yesterday at: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2009/01/this_land_is_my_land.html
Well, time to get dressed and head over to the elders. Dad has an appointment with the doc this morning. The agenda for later in the day calls for shoveling - we're under a winter storm watch with 9-15 inches expected by 6 a.m. tomorrow. The forecast for the rest of the week is of the classic snow/rain, snow/rain, and snow/rain variety.
Cheerio!
Sadly, I must agree with most of the pros who now, however belatedly, seem to have reached something approaching a consensus that our economy is well and truly up the proverbial creek – and it’s going to take a good deal of paddling and a fair amount of time before we achieve anything that will look like a recovery to many of us. In fact, there is uncharacteristic agreement on the part of most mainstream economists as to what it is we can do that will most likely make the current unpleasantness as short and as tolerable as possible. The “it” being a truly massive fiscal stimulus package.
Of course there are quibbles over the exact make-up of the package. Some want a few more tens of billions of tax cuts and some a whole lot more billions for infrastructure – but there is no doubt in my mind that Congressional ingenuity is more than up to finessing these disagreements by simply adding to the kitty. And this is one of those rare instances when Congressional logrolling may actually be in the national interest.
Admittedly, last week’s votes in several House Committees were on a strictly party-line vote; but Mr. Obama’s meetings this past week with the House and Senate majority and minority leadership and next week’s kissy-face meetings with key Republicans in both bodies will certainly turn-up the heat a notch or two on the Republicans. I note that the Senate’s draft bill already sweetens the pot a bit with more tax cuts than the House has proposed and there is no doubt in my mind that the Conference Committee will be in a giving mood to folks on both sides of the aisle when it finally puts the apple in the mouth of this mother of all porkers.
Ultimately, it seems to me that the political calculation for our Republican pals is an easy one. Why appear to get in the way of our new President during his national honeymoon with his popularity off the charts? If things go reasonable well, they can share the credit; and if the package has no discernable effect they can always blame him later (Obama made me do it).
So, I actually expect Congress to pass something credible by President’s Day as promised and with a goodly amount of bi-partisan support. Of course I may be wrong.
But what happens if Congress does pass a near-universally acceptable stimulus package? Unfortunately, probably not much – at least not immediately. The sad fact of the matter is that even a favourable outcome (the odds of which I put at about 65%) will likely see the economy continue to deteriorate at least through the middle of the year and the resulting recovery will no doubt be anemic for many months thereafter. Unemployment will reach double digits. It’s a damn near sure bet that 2009 will be a year we will all want to forget as soon as possible.
Furthermore, there is a significant chance that things could really get much, much worse (I put the Vegas odds at 25%). The loss of jobs the past few months has truly been breathtaking and at some point it is possible that we go into a real tailspin with increasing unemployment leading to more foreclosures, leading to further reductions in demand, leading to further layoffs, and so on. And then there is always the possibility of unforeseen events in the form of a new terrorism attack, a dust-up between Israel and Iran jeopardizing oil supplies, an inability or unwillingness of our creditors (like the oil potentates and China) to support our latest orgy of deficit spending however necessary, or some other god-awful thing we haven’t even yet contemplated. YIKES!
Of course, it is also possible that we’ll get all the breaks and the previously taken monetary stimulus and force-feeding of cash to financial institutions coupled with a tsunami of new federal spending will perk-up the national psyche like a muy grande espresso and we’ll be off-to-the-races much quicker than anyone is predicting. I charitably put the odds of the caffeine-based scenario at 10%.
Furthermore, once the economy is stabilized the work has just only begun cleaning-up the debris that is the Bush legacy…
Finally, good luck to President Obama on managing our expectations – something not made easier by the need to portray the stimulus package as among the most important pieces of legislation since the New Deal.
As a people, patience is not one of our better known qualities. Fasten your seatbelts kids, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
In other news, I am gratified to report that Jane and I were not the only two people in the country to take note of President Obama's reference to non-believers in his inaugural address. There was a great opinion piece in the Washington post on this subject yesterday at: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2009/01/this_land_is_my_land.html
Well, time to get dressed and head over to the elders. Dad has an appointment with the doc this morning. The agenda for later in the day calls for shoveling - we're under a winter storm watch with 9-15 inches expected by 6 a.m. tomorrow. The forecast for the rest of the week is of the classic snow/rain, snow/rain, and snow/rain variety.
Cheerio!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Pizza Night
I had a great time last evening. My old neighborhood pal Brent Long is in town for his nephew's wedding and we met up with John and Cindy Chapman at the Island Pub for pizza. It was a hoot. Lots of old stories from 45 years or so ago...some I had completely forgotten. Like the boxes of gunpowder in the basement of Reid's house... Or jumping off the retaining wall onto huge tractor-size inner tubes in Brent's back yard. Or cooking bees. Good clean fun.
John Chapman, yours truly, and Brent Long. We were a lot cuter 45 years ago...
In other news, dad's edema is much improved. We have a doctors appointment on Monday and I'm guessing that we will be able to reduce his medication. He's a tough old bird.
Well, time to head out for the morning chores.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Congratulations Barack Hussein Obama
We have a new President - and it feels mighty good. I may or may not want to offer more on this subject...but for the moment let's just let it go at that - congratulations - to all of us. Hip! Hip! Hooray!
I note only, for the record, that even us non-believers got favourable mention in the inaugural speech as making the cut as actual Americans.
In other news it's been a busy 24-hours. Last evening I had to take dad to the ER. He has been retaining fluid in his feet and legs and it got worse over the weekend. Yesterday he scratched his leg and began "leaking" ...it was just water but it freaked him out and mom called me about 9 PM and I went over to take him to the hospital.
I finally got him home about 2 AM and today he is doing better. He FINALLY got it through his thick Swedish head (it's not that his regular doc, mom, and I had not been trying) that he MUST keep his feet-up in order to control this problem. So maybe we'll now make some progress. The odds grow better by the hour that he will see his 94th birthday on February 5th. Indeed, I still believe the odds are NOT all that long that he'll make 100...
Yesterday it was Dougie's birthday and Alison cooked a great birthday supper on Sunday night. I took some pictures...but the lighting was not good and regretfully no photos are available. I am learning to be more discreet in these matters. But trust me - it was fun.
Also exciting, I spoke to both of my daughters in the past 24-hours and Leah is doing well at her new job at the Washington County Health Department and Amanda just started a job at a big medical imaging center. Bravo! I'm mighty proud of those gals.
Well, I'm pooped and have to run errands tomorrow morning so this will have to do it for a couple of days. I promise to post on Friday and perhaps my thoughts will not be so scattered.
I note only, for the record, that even us non-believers got favourable mention in the inaugural speech as making the cut as actual Americans.
In other news it's been a busy 24-hours. Last evening I had to take dad to the ER. He has been retaining fluid in his feet and legs and it got worse over the weekend. Yesterday he scratched his leg and began "leaking" ...it was just water but it freaked him out and mom called me about 9 PM and I went over to take him to the hospital.
I finally got him home about 2 AM and today he is doing better. He FINALLY got it through his thick Swedish head (it's not that his regular doc, mom, and I had not been trying) that he MUST keep his feet-up in order to control this problem. So maybe we'll now make some progress. The odds grow better by the hour that he will see his 94th birthday on February 5th. Indeed, I still believe the odds are NOT all that long that he'll make 100...
Yesterday it was Dougie's birthday and Alison cooked a great birthday supper on Sunday night. I took some pictures...but the lighting was not good and regretfully no photos are available. I am learning to be more discreet in these matters. But trust me - it was fun.
Also exciting, I spoke to both of my daughters in the past 24-hours and Leah is doing well at her new job at the Washington County Health Department and Amanda just started a job at a big medical imaging center. Bravo! I'm mighty proud of those gals.
Well, I'm pooped and have to run errands tomorrow morning so this will have to do it for a couple of days. I promise to post on Friday and perhaps my thoughts will not be so scattered.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
George W. Bush
For months I have contemplated writing a political obituary for our soon to be former President. I resisted, largely because there is nothing I could say that has not already been said - and no doubt said more eloquently - by many people.
Also, given the scope of malfeasance and incompetence demonstrated by the Bush Administration the past eight years, I was at a loss as to how to approach the subject in any manageable way given my chosen medium.
But at this point I guess I feel compelled to weigh-in anyway. My change of heart is prompted largely by the spectacle of Mr. Cheney’s appalling valedictory on the News Hour a couple of nights ago and the treacly unapologetic farewell by Mr. Bush his own self that fouled national television on Thursday evening.
I promise to be brief however.
But before I get to the nitty-gritty as it were, I feel compelled, out of a probably misplaced sense of fairness (a sense that has NOT noticeably troubled Mr. Bush), to mention a couple of things that I think the 43rd President got more-or-less right.
#1 Immigration Reform.
I think this was probably his one and only significant bull’s-eye – at least his initial proposal BEFORE he watered it down after listening to his xenophobe Republican pals in Congress. Of course it went nowhere in any event. Sadly, given the massive agenda facing Mr. Obama, I suspect it may be some time before this issue is revisited.
#2 Education Reform.
As deficient as No Child Left Behind may be, the impulse behind it – requiring accountability for the performance of both students AND educators in our K-12 education system is highly meritorious.
#3 Hmmmm. I’ll get back to you if I think of something else.
So, without further ado and begging Mr. Letterman’s pardon, I am resorting to the tried-and-true dodge of a top ten list. Disclaimer: If pressed, or even waterboarded, I will refuse to suggest that this list is in any particular order except for #1 which arguably trumps the other nine and #2 for the reason stated.
THE TOP TEN REASONS GEORGE W. BUSH IS A SLAM-DUNK SURE BET FOR GOING DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF THE NATION’S WORST PRESIDENTS
10. Polar Bear Peril
Most of the rest of the world (the Governor of Alaska being a notable exception) has come to accept that human activity induced climate change is the most serious long-term challenge facing our disreputable globe (assuming we don't otherwise annihilate ourselves first). Dubya has consistently pooh-poohed the whole notion as not being supported by science – a position that is ironic in several respects given his complete disregard for empiricism in so many other areas and the near unanimous agreement on the FACT of global warming by nearly all reputable experts working in the natural sciences.
9. The Wind Blew and the Shit Flew
Hurricane Katrina. The perfect storm that results when you appoint incompetent subordinates imbued with not very covert racism and fail to adequately fund critical functions relating to –are you ready – HOMELAND SECURITY!
8. You’re Supposed to Kiss Me Before You Fuck Me
The Bush Doctrine: Fuck You World! Preemptive wars, spitting in the eyes of your allies, and refusing to talk to your adversaries – except over the barrel of a gun. The amateurish one-dimensional Bush foreign policy and foreign policy team were found wanting in almost every respect. Although I do feel a little sorry for Colin Powell.
7. Spending Like a Drunken Sailor
The Bush Administration’s conception of the separation of powers: The Executive gets to make all the policy decisions (nearly all bad) and the Republican Congress gets to loot the Treasury. Remember the Clinton budget surplus?
6. Justice is Blind (and Stupid too)
I have a new appreciation for the role of the Department of Justice. Another perfect storm resulting from abysmal judgment in appointing key personnel coupled with a fixation on ideological purity. The department was a veritable incubator of tyranny for eight years.
5. Faith-Based Folly
I have also developed a renewed appreciation for the imperative of separating matters of faith from matters of State. The much ballyhooed “Faith-Based Initiative” was just the largely ineffectual and relatively benign tip of the iceberg for the Administration’s much more serious and broad-based assault on personal liberty – the panting desire to establish as a matter of civil law a sort of pseudo-Christian sharia in this country.
4. Tell Me Where It Hurts
How many years will it take us to reestablish our credibility as a nation in the field of human rights after succumbing to the Cheney-induced fascination with the instruments of torture?
3. Mission Accomplished!
Iraq. The wrong war, at the wrong time, against the wrong enemy. He took us to war under false pretenses. And while we’ve been told day-after-day we’re at war…the cowardly chicken-hawk son-of-a-bitch never even had the political balls to actually call on us to make any sacrifice. Let’s just put the trillion dollar or so cost on the national bar tab. Oh yeah, and then there’s the mishandling of Afghanistan…and Pakistan…and North Korea…and Iran.
2. Tax Cuts for People Who Didn’t Need Them (Just Ask Warren Buffet and Bill Gates)
I almost made this #1 since the incredibly ill-timed, ill-conceived, and class-warfare based tax cuts of 2003 are arguably the single WORST things that the Bush Administration has inflicted on us. And they will hamstring the nation for years to come. We should have been running a budget SURPLUS in these fat years. And what did these trickle-down tax cuts get us? Nothing good for the most part. Many of these dollars went into highly speculative hedge funds and other private equity havens and were subsequently invested in oil futures (that worked well – remember the inexplicable $150 a barrel crude oil price) and, of course, high-yield sub-prime mortgages. Dust in the wind for the wealthy…dust bowl era unemployment, loss of retirement savings, and fear for the future for many of the rest of us.
1. A Second Rate Temperament With a Third Rate Intellect
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once said of FDR that he possessed “a second-rate intellect, but a first-rate temperament.” George W. Bush…not so much. Indeed it is difficult to assess in which quality he is more deficient.
Good riddance you incompetent cheap-jack bastard. And fuck you.
Also, given the scope of malfeasance and incompetence demonstrated by the Bush Administration the past eight years, I was at a loss as to how to approach the subject in any manageable way given my chosen medium.
But at this point I guess I feel compelled to weigh-in anyway. My change of heart is prompted largely by the spectacle of Mr. Cheney’s appalling valedictory on the News Hour a couple of nights ago and the treacly unapologetic farewell by Mr. Bush his own self that fouled national television on Thursday evening.
I promise to be brief however.
But before I get to the nitty-gritty as it were, I feel compelled, out of a probably misplaced sense of fairness (a sense that has NOT noticeably troubled Mr. Bush), to mention a couple of things that I think the 43rd President got more-or-less right.
#1 Immigration Reform.
I think this was probably his one and only significant bull’s-eye – at least his initial proposal BEFORE he watered it down after listening to his xenophobe Republican pals in Congress. Of course it went nowhere in any event. Sadly, given the massive agenda facing Mr. Obama, I suspect it may be some time before this issue is revisited.
#2 Education Reform.
As deficient as No Child Left Behind may be, the impulse behind it – requiring accountability for the performance of both students AND educators in our K-12 education system is highly meritorious.
#3 Hmmmm. I’ll get back to you if I think of something else.
So, without further ado and begging Mr. Letterman’s pardon, I am resorting to the tried-and-true dodge of a top ten list. Disclaimer: If pressed, or even waterboarded, I will refuse to suggest that this list is in any particular order except for #1 which arguably trumps the other nine and #2 for the reason stated.
THE TOP TEN REASONS GEORGE W. BUSH IS A SLAM-DUNK SURE BET FOR GOING DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF THE NATION’S WORST PRESIDENTS
10. Polar Bear Peril
Most of the rest of the world (the Governor of Alaska being a notable exception) has come to accept that human activity induced climate change is the most serious long-term challenge facing our disreputable globe (assuming we don't otherwise annihilate ourselves first). Dubya has consistently pooh-poohed the whole notion as not being supported by science – a position that is ironic in several respects given his complete disregard for empiricism in so many other areas and the near unanimous agreement on the FACT of global warming by nearly all reputable experts working in the natural sciences.
9. The Wind Blew and the Shit Flew
Hurricane Katrina. The perfect storm that results when you appoint incompetent subordinates imbued with not very covert racism and fail to adequately fund critical functions relating to –are you ready – HOMELAND SECURITY!
8. You’re Supposed to Kiss Me Before You Fuck Me
The Bush Doctrine: Fuck You World! Preemptive wars, spitting in the eyes of your allies, and refusing to talk to your adversaries – except over the barrel of a gun. The amateurish one-dimensional Bush foreign policy and foreign policy team were found wanting in almost every respect. Although I do feel a little sorry for Colin Powell.
7. Spending Like a Drunken Sailor
The Bush Administration’s conception of the separation of powers: The Executive gets to make all the policy decisions (nearly all bad) and the Republican Congress gets to loot the Treasury. Remember the Clinton budget surplus?
6. Justice is Blind (and Stupid too)
I have a new appreciation for the role of the Department of Justice. Another perfect storm resulting from abysmal judgment in appointing key personnel coupled with a fixation on ideological purity. The department was a veritable incubator of tyranny for eight years.
5. Faith-Based Folly
I have also developed a renewed appreciation for the imperative of separating matters of faith from matters of State. The much ballyhooed “Faith-Based Initiative” was just the largely ineffectual and relatively benign tip of the iceberg for the Administration’s much more serious and broad-based assault on personal liberty – the panting desire to establish as a matter of civil law a sort of pseudo-Christian sharia in this country.
4. Tell Me Where It Hurts
How many years will it take us to reestablish our credibility as a nation in the field of human rights after succumbing to the Cheney-induced fascination with the instruments of torture?
3. Mission Accomplished!
Iraq. The wrong war, at the wrong time, against the wrong enemy. He took us to war under false pretenses. And while we’ve been told day-after-day we’re at war…the cowardly chicken-hawk son-of-a-bitch never even had the political balls to actually call on us to make any sacrifice. Let’s just put the trillion dollar or so cost on the national bar tab. Oh yeah, and then there’s the mishandling of Afghanistan…and Pakistan…and North Korea…and Iran.
2. Tax Cuts for People Who Didn’t Need Them (Just Ask Warren Buffet and Bill Gates)
I almost made this #1 since the incredibly ill-timed, ill-conceived, and class-warfare based tax cuts of 2003 are arguably the single WORST things that the Bush Administration has inflicted on us. And they will hamstring the nation for years to come. We should have been running a budget SURPLUS in these fat years. And what did these trickle-down tax cuts get us? Nothing good for the most part. Many of these dollars went into highly speculative hedge funds and other private equity havens and were subsequently invested in oil futures (that worked well – remember the inexplicable $150 a barrel crude oil price) and, of course, high-yield sub-prime mortgages. Dust in the wind for the wealthy…dust bowl era unemployment, loss of retirement savings, and fear for the future for many of the rest of us.
1. A Second Rate Temperament With a Third Rate Intellect
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once said of FDR that he possessed “a second-rate intellect, but a first-rate temperament.” George W. Bush…not so much. Indeed it is difficult to assess in which quality he is more deficient.
Good riddance you incompetent cheap-jack bastard. And fuck you.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Uncle Roy
Last week my sister received a bunch of family-related stuff from our cousins in Arizona. Included was a document titled John Walter Klump Family - A Short History prepared on the occasion of the centennial celebration of the Klump Family in Cochise, County Arizona 1904-2004 by Kathy Bliss Klump.
John Walter Klump was my mom's grandfather.
Much of the document is of the biblical so-and-so begat so-and-so variety. Perhaps someday I will be interested in the who's who of the entire Klump clan; but that day is not today.
Nevertheless, there is one aspect of the document that I found extremely interesting - the death of Uncle Roy Wiley (Klump). Roy was my grandfather's brother and died in 1912. He went by the name of Wiley as did some of the other uncles - it seems that my great grandfather changed his name from Klump to Wiley sometime around 1862 (perhaps when he joined the Union Army as an underage private).
So without further ado - the untimely demise of Uncle Roy...
The following story is from the Arizona Range News, June 28, 1912.
Mr. Bennett was subsequently found guilty of murder and sentenced to seventeen years in prison at Yuma. He appealed. Excerpts from the appeal from Arizona Reports, Vol. 15 states:
Mr. Bennett's appeal was denied. Governor Hunt pardoned Mr. Bennett after two years of incarceration.
So there you have it. The story of Uncle Roy.
John Walter Klump was my mom's grandfather.
Much of the document is of the biblical so-and-so begat so-and-so variety. Perhaps someday I will be interested in the who's who of the entire Klump clan; but that day is not today.
Nevertheless, there is one aspect of the document that I found extremely interesting - the death of Uncle Roy Wiley (Klump). Roy was my grandfather's brother and died in 1912. He went by the name of Wiley as did some of the other uncles - it seems that my great grandfather changed his name from Klump to Wiley sometime around 1862 (perhaps when he joined the Union Army as an underage private).
So without further ado - the untimely demise of Uncle Roy...
The following story is from the Arizona Range News, June 28, 1912.
Roy Wiley was shot and killed at Willcox Wednesday about one o'clock p.m. by Mort Bennett, who has been running a lunch counter in the Midway Saloon and also at odd times tending bar in the same place.
It seems that Wiley and Bennett had been in the habit to teasing and joking each other considerably when they met. On the particular day, Wiley had just returned from dinner, had gone to the post office and was coming down the steet past this particular saloon when Bennett emerged from the place and bleated like a sheep. Wiley stopped and catching Bennett, twisted his ear and then carried him outside of the saloon and placed him in a chair. Bennett ran back into the saloon and Wiley followed. Bennett went behind the bar and told Wiley not to follow. Wiley apparently expected no harm and did not heed the warning. Bennett picked-up a 45 and shot Wiley the bullet striking him in the breast and ranging upward and coming out in the back. Wiley staggered to the door and fell upon the sidewalk, where he immediately expired.
Judge Page came on the scene shortly after and ordered Bennett arrested. A Coroner's Jury was impaneled and after hearing the evidence found that Wiley met his death from a bullet wound from a gun held in the hands of Bennett and recommended that Bennett be held for murder. Shortly after 3 p.m. Sheriff Harry Wheeler arrived from Tombstone and took Bennett in his car and landed him in jail at the county seat.
Wiley was a quiet, sober, and industrious fellow. He had worked a great deal at the Mascot mine, and owned a ranch about 6 miles east of town, where he was interested in cattle with his mother, Mrs. Mitchell, and his brothers. He has also a sister living in the same neighborhood. The funeral was held at Dos Cabezas Thursday and was largely attended.
Mr. Bennett was subsequently found guilty of murder and sentenced to seventeen years in prison at Yuma. He appealed. Excerpts from the appeal from Arizona Reports, Vol. 15 states:
It appears from the evidence that about six weeks previous to the time of the homicide the deceased had killed a dog belonging to the appellant, which occurrence had occasioned a feeling of hostility on the part of the appellant toward Mr. Wiley, the deceased. This feeling of hostility was expressed by appellant on several occasions to different persons. These persons testified that appellant, upon being informed that Wiley had killed his dog, asserted to one that "he would get even with the ____ that killed the dog." And to another that "he would fix the man that killed her."
Another witness testified that shortly after the shooting appellant characterized the deceased by a vile epithet, and stated that the deceased came in the saloon, and caught appellant, and carried him to the door, and threw him out, and started to catch his gun and told him to stop. The evidence does not disclose that Wiley was armed in any way, and, while he was lying in front of the saloon dying, the appellant was observed leaning with his elbows on the bar of the saloon looking out at Wiley.
In the case before the court the killing was proved beyond a doubt to have been done by the appellant with a deadly weapon. It appears also that, while deceased was peacably conversing with a friend on the sidewalk, the appellant provoked or invited the altercation and struggle occurring between himself and the deceased by his insulting conduct. Superadded is the evidence of hostile feelings and threats on the part of the appellant toward the deceased; and an expression of enmity just after the shooting. Then the testimony photographs appellant calmly folding his arms across the bar of the saloon, and as the stricken man staggered from the room with blood streaming down his bosom, watching unmoved his victim till he fell mortally wounded upon the sidewalk. Even with weak eyes one could discern the properties of malice here.
Mr. Bennett's appeal was denied. Governor Hunt pardoned Mr. Bennett after two years of incarceration.
So there you have it. The story of Uncle Roy.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wet, Wet, Wet
It has been pouring for three days and is going to keep-it-up for the rest of the week. It is AMAZING how fast the snow has disappeared. My driveway is now completely snow-free. My outdoor activity is limited to running to and from the car and standing on the porch for a couple of minutes every two hours or so while Boopsie does his business. And everything has taken on that break-up cast of brown dirty snow. Ugh!
I note for the record that the 10-day forecast for Corvallis includes several days of sunny weather with the temperature in the 50's. That's golfing weather...
A couple of news stories worth a quick mention...
First, from today's Seattle Times: Proposed bill: humans, pets buried in single grave
State Senator Ken Jacobsen has introducted a bill in Olympia to allow pets (just dogs and cats) to be interred in cemeteries heretofore reserved for the exclusive use of homo sapiens. Setting aside for a moment the inevitable equal protection issues this bill, if enacted, would raise (why can't I be buried with my budgie, damn it) I certainly think this is a fine idea as does at least one owner of one of the state's pet cemeteries.
Louis Clarke, owner of Pethaven Cemetery in Kent, thinks the bill is a good idea. The cremated remains of more than 20 people have been buried at his cemetery because the deceased wished to be with their pets.
"Sometimes people ask for their ashes to be mixed in one urn — that's how connected many people feel to their pets," Clarke said.
One gravestone of human and pet remains in the cemetery reads simply, "I loved my pets."
So far all the comments posted are supportive of this bill; but I suspect once the local mullahs get wind of it the verbal fur will fly...stay tuned. And I am most curious to see if Mr. Clarke finds himself in hot-water for allowing human remains to be buried in his pet cemetary.
Meanwhile here in Palin Country, the winner of Alaska's first half-million dollary lottery was beaten by a man wielding a tire-iron or metal pipe.
This is actually a story, within a story, within a story - from the Anchorage Daily News over the course of the past week. The first bit, the actual lottery part is not particulary interesting except that it was the biggest purse in Alaska' history and a significant portion of the ticket sale proceeds are destined to support the local Anchorage women's shelter.
Well, as it turns out, the winner of the $500,000 was a three-time convicted sex offender. Ain't that special.
And now the winner has been beaten to a pulp.
I've never known of anybody to beat somebody up because of their winning a lottery," police Lt. Dave Parker said. "There was no apparent attempt at robbery. He was struck eight to 10 times, and then he threw his Pepsi at the assailant and he ran for Phyllis' Cafe and the assailant ran off."
The assailant is a newcomer to Alaska.
Los Angeles resident Brandon J. Hughes, 20, was arrested on charges of second-degree assault and tampering with evidence for allegedly taking the weapon with him while fleeing the scene. He was booked at the Anchorage jail on those charges with bail set at $90,000.
Hughes was also wanted in California on a no-bail felony weapons warrant issued last Wednesday, Parker said.
Sex, gambling, and vigilante justice by a 20-year old aspiring psychopath. Excellent.
I note for the record that the 10-day forecast for Corvallis includes several days of sunny weather with the temperature in the 50's. That's golfing weather...
A couple of news stories worth a quick mention...
First, from today's Seattle Times: Proposed bill: humans, pets buried in single grave
State Senator Ken Jacobsen has introducted a bill in Olympia to allow pets (just dogs and cats) to be interred in cemeteries heretofore reserved for the exclusive use of homo sapiens. Setting aside for a moment the inevitable equal protection issues this bill, if enacted, would raise (why can't I be buried with my budgie, damn it) I certainly think this is a fine idea as does at least one owner of one of the state's pet cemeteries.
Louis Clarke, owner of Pethaven Cemetery in Kent, thinks the bill is a good idea. The cremated remains of more than 20 people have been buried at his cemetery because the deceased wished to be with their pets.
"Sometimes people ask for their ashes to be mixed in one urn — that's how connected many people feel to their pets," Clarke said.
One gravestone of human and pet remains in the cemetery reads simply, "I loved my pets."
So far all the comments posted are supportive of this bill; but I suspect once the local mullahs get wind of it the verbal fur will fly...stay tuned. And I am most curious to see if Mr. Clarke finds himself in hot-water for allowing human remains to be buried in his pet cemetary.
Meanwhile here in Palin Country, the winner of Alaska's first half-million dollary lottery was beaten by a man wielding a tire-iron or metal pipe.
This is actually a story, within a story, within a story - from the Anchorage Daily News over the course of the past week. The first bit, the actual lottery part is not particulary interesting except that it was the biggest purse in Alaska' history and a significant portion of the ticket sale proceeds are destined to support the local Anchorage women's shelter.
Well, as it turns out, the winner of the $500,000 was a three-time convicted sex offender. Ain't that special.
And now the winner has been beaten to a pulp.
I've never known of anybody to beat somebody up because of their winning a lottery," police Lt. Dave Parker said. "There was no apparent attempt at robbery. He was struck eight to 10 times, and then he threw his Pepsi at the assailant and he ran for Phyllis' Cafe and the assailant ran off."
The assailant is a newcomer to Alaska.
Los Angeles resident Brandon J. Hughes, 20, was arrested on charges of second-degree assault and tampering with evidence for allegedly taking the weapon with him while fleeing the scene. He was booked at the Anchorage jail on those charges with bail set at $90,000.
Hughes was also wanted in California on a no-bail felony weapons warrant issued last Wednesday, Parker said.
Sex, gambling, and vigilante justice by a 20-year old aspiring psychopath. Excellent.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Rain - Heavy at Times
Another six inches of snow last night. I believe we've now received over three feet in this round. It's above freezing this morning but not yet raining. The rain - "heavy at times" - is the prognostication for the next couple of days starting this evening. I will be plowing, shoveling, and cursing for a good portion of the day.
The good news is that the warmer weather today - before the deluge - should allow most of the snow on the trees to fall gradually without taking out a bunch of power lines. But we'll see...
My boarder and I are getting on famously. He is not only cute; but also smart and quite affectionate. I feel that my previously given nickname "Ratbag" does not do him justice. So I am re-commissioning him "Boopsie."
A furry foot warmer.
Well, it's now daylight, so guess I'll go jump on the snow plow. Need to knock the snow off of the boat and wood tents out back and do some misc. shoveling. Then on to the folks. Auntie's shouldn't be too bad...I shoveled there yesterday and I will just let nature take it's course with the six inches we got last night. And I stocked Auntie's larder yesterday so she doesn't need to be going anywhere...
The good news is that the warmer weather today - before the deluge - should allow most of the snow on the trees to fall gradually without taking out a bunch of power lines. But we'll see...
I should be driving a golf cart. Instead I'm driving this...
My boarder and I are getting on famously. He is not only cute; but also smart and quite affectionate. I feel that my previously given nickname "Ratbag" does not do him justice. So I am re-commissioning him "Boopsie."
A furry foot warmer.Well, it's now daylight, so guess I'll go jump on the snow plow. Need to knock the snow off of the boat and wood tents out back and do some misc. shoveling. Then on to the folks. Auntie's shouldn't be too bad...I shoveled there yesterday and I will just let nature take it's course with the six inches we got last night. And I stocked Auntie's larder yesterday so she doesn't need to be going anywhere...
Friday, January 9, 2009
Snow Day
We got about six inches of snow yesterday, a foot or so last night, and another six to ten inches expected today. The feds have taken the day off and the schools are closed. As near as I can tell the State guys are working... Us retirees are drinking coffee.
I was startled a couple of times during the night when big clumps of snow hit the roof. I have a big piece of artwork - a big metal bird - over my bed and when the snow would hit the roof it would clang like a bell. I got up and looked out the back window a couple of times and it was pretty eerie. Snow was falling from the trees every thirty seconds or so and the snow was so fine it would cause a white-out for a bit as the plume slowly dissipated.
Finnegan, my little Yorky boarder, does not do well in the snow. I had to shovel the porch and steps this morning before he could get out to do his business which I expect he accomplished in the relatively snow-free environment under my car.
I'm going to have another cup o' joe and then plow the driveway with the 4-wheeler. That will take about an hour. Then I'll warm-up and go shovel and chop wood at the folks. Then maybe a workout and a steam. And then maybe shovel at auntie's if I can get up the hill.
This sucks.
I was startled a couple of times during the night when big clumps of snow hit the roof. I have a big piece of artwork - a big metal bird - over my bed and when the snow would hit the roof it would clang like a bell. I got up and looked out the back window a couple of times and it was pretty eerie. Snow was falling from the trees every thirty seconds or so and the snow was so fine it would cause a white-out for a bit as the plume slowly dissipated.
Finnegan, my little Yorky boarder, does not do well in the snow. I had to shovel the porch and steps this morning before he could get out to do his business which I expect he accomplished in the relatively snow-free environment under my car.
I'm going to have another cup o' joe and then plow the driveway with the 4-wheeler. That will take about an hour. Then I'll warm-up and go shovel and chop wood at the folks. Then maybe a workout and a steam. And then maybe shovel at auntie's if I can get up the hill.
This sucks.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
At-Risk Consumers
An above-the-fold headline in today's Washington Post: Congress Urged To Postpone Nation's Switch To Digital TV. The urging is being done by Consumer's Union who have their collective undies in a wedgy over the fact that the federal government has run-out of money for those $40 free coupons for digital converter boxes for folks who do not already own a digital TV and have rabbit ears or an antenna on their roof. The converters will be necessary beginning February 17th in order to continue to receive over-the-air broadcast of Desperate Housewives.
In case you have forgotten, the purpose of the conversion is to free up wireless airwaves for public safety agencies and other advanced mobile services.
The Post reports that the federal government has spent $1.34 billion on the coupons to date.
Spokesmoron for Democratic Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, indicated that the Congressman is sympathetic to the Consumers Union plea stating that "with the date looming, moving the date back certainly warrants further discussion and may be a wise choice.."
This a day after President-elect Obama announced appointment of his Government Waste Tsarina. I hope the Tsarina read the Post today.
In other news, I'm getting mighty tired of the weather. It's been bitterly cold for days - yesterday the low at the weather service office was minus 18 degrees fahrenheit. That's cold. But today we're in for a change of pace - a major snowstorm is moving in. We could add another foot-and-a-half or so to the two feet or so that are already on the ground. By early next week it will warm-up to the low 30's and maybe even 40 by mid-week. All of this is unpleasant. Cold, snow, then a sloppy mess.
On the other hand, it hasn't exactly been a walk in the park in the Great Northwest. Looks like southwestern Washington is under water and there has been flooding in southern Puget Sound as well. On the other, other hand, the Northwest's storm season is largely over by the end of January...whereas we still have a couple of months of winter ahead of us. There is no doubt in my mind where I'd rather be...
In case you have forgotten, the purpose of the conversion is to free up wireless airwaves for public safety agencies and other advanced mobile services.
The Post reports that the federal government has spent $1.34 billion on the coupons to date.
Spokesmoron for Democratic Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, indicated that the Congressman is sympathetic to the Consumers Union plea stating that "with the date looming, moving the date back certainly warrants further discussion and may be a wise choice.."
This a day after President-elect Obama announced appointment of his Government Waste Tsarina. I hope the Tsarina read the Post today.
In other news, I'm getting mighty tired of the weather. It's been bitterly cold for days - yesterday the low at the weather service office was minus 18 degrees fahrenheit. That's cold. But today we're in for a change of pace - a major snowstorm is moving in. We could add another foot-and-a-half or so to the two feet or so that are already on the ground. By early next week it will warm-up to the low 30's and maybe even 40 by mid-week. All of this is unpleasant. Cold, snow, then a sloppy mess.
On the other hand, it hasn't exactly been a walk in the park in the Great Northwest. Looks like southwestern Washington is under water and there has been flooding in southern Puget Sound as well. On the other, other hand, the Northwest's storm season is largely over by the end of January...whereas we still have a couple of months of winter ahead of us. There is no doubt in my mind where I'd rather be...
Monday, January 5, 2009
What We Didn't Get for Christmas
Well, the holidays are over. I took down my tree on Saturday. It brought tears to my eyes - not the actual dismantling of the tree - but real tears of pain when I jammed the middle toe of my right foot into the coffee table. That little piggy won't be going to market for awhile. He is in intensive care.
Looking back over the holidays one thing stands out as a serious disappointment - to whit, the lack of flying financiers that one might expect in the midst of the current economic meltdown. Thinking back to the Great Depression, I clearly remember reading stories describing whole squadrons of financiers, stock speculators, and other busted seers leaping into the Great Unknown from their Wall Street offices. The penthouse to pavement express.
While suicide is admittedly a drastic step - and is frowned-upon by the purveyors of the prevailing Superstition; I, as a non-subscriber, certainly regard it as justifiable in some circumstances. To my mind it is a no-brainer in many instances of terminal illness. And I can readily conceive of circumstances where a person who has committed the gravest of offenses against his fellow man would conclude that only taking his own life could expunge his overwhelming sense of shame and self-loathing.
It certainly seems to me that there were plenty of candidates to take the plunge this past holiday season. Mr. Madoff, whose Ponzi scheme has bankrupted a number of charities, resulting no doubt, in plenty of human suffering, certainly has plenty for which to atone. And that god-awful Kerry Killinger, former CEO of Washington Mutual, should have a mighty hard time looking at himself in the mirror these days - as tens of thousands of folks lose their homes, lose their jobs, and lose their health care either directly or indirectly as a result of his incompetence and malfeasance. And there are hundreds more who are equally culpable...
To what, then, can one ascribe the dearth of death on Wall Street in the current crisis? After several months given over to prayer and meditation, I have concluded that there is only one plausible answer. These people simply have no sense of shame or self-respect.
And this fact probably says at least as much about our system of higher education for aspiring moguls and modern corporate culture as it does about these pathetic individuals. And then, of course, there is the appalling example set by Messrs. Bush, Cheney & Associates the past eight years.
I have been thinking about this matter for some time and have been composing this screed in my mind for weeks. Unfortunately, Mr. Christopher Buckley beat me to press with his right-on article I saw in the Daily Beast yesterday which I highly recommend: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-04/carnival-of-the-shameless/
In other news, winter continues unabated in Juneau. We got over a foot of snow this past weekend and I have been kept busy shoveling snow and running various errands for the elders. Friday was medical day - actually got dad to go to the doctor. Not because of any of the myriad of SERIOUS health conditions he now confronts - like his edema; but because he had bit his lip a month or so ago and said wound was not healing and causing him discomfort. He is truly amazing. We got some salve for his lip and the doc also prescribed a more potent diuretic to bring down the swelling in his legs and ankles.
Last night my landlord and family hopped the plane to Seattle and are continuing on to Disneyland this morning. So their little rat-bag Yorkshire terrier, Finnegan, is now sharing my bachelor pad. He is a cutie - if not exactly my idea of a dog.
Well, time to go shovel.
TallyHo!
Looking back over the holidays one thing stands out as a serious disappointment - to whit, the lack of flying financiers that one might expect in the midst of the current economic meltdown. Thinking back to the Great Depression, I clearly remember reading stories describing whole squadrons of financiers, stock speculators, and other busted seers leaping into the Great Unknown from their Wall Street offices. The penthouse to pavement express.
While suicide is admittedly a drastic step - and is frowned-upon by the purveyors of the prevailing Superstition; I, as a non-subscriber, certainly regard it as justifiable in some circumstances. To my mind it is a no-brainer in many instances of terminal illness. And I can readily conceive of circumstances where a person who has committed the gravest of offenses against his fellow man would conclude that only taking his own life could expunge his overwhelming sense of shame and self-loathing.
It certainly seems to me that there were plenty of candidates to take the plunge this past holiday season. Mr. Madoff, whose Ponzi scheme has bankrupted a number of charities, resulting no doubt, in plenty of human suffering, certainly has plenty for which to atone. And that god-awful Kerry Killinger, former CEO of Washington Mutual, should have a mighty hard time looking at himself in the mirror these days - as tens of thousands of folks lose their homes, lose their jobs, and lose their health care either directly or indirectly as a result of his incompetence and malfeasance. And there are hundreds more who are equally culpable...
To what, then, can one ascribe the dearth of death on Wall Street in the current crisis? After several months given over to prayer and meditation, I have concluded that there is only one plausible answer. These people simply have no sense of shame or self-respect.
And this fact probably says at least as much about our system of higher education for aspiring moguls and modern corporate culture as it does about these pathetic individuals. And then, of course, there is the appalling example set by Messrs. Bush, Cheney & Associates the past eight years.
I have been thinking about this matter for some time and have been composing this screed in my mind for weeks. Unfortunately, Mr. Christopher Buckley beat me to press with his right-on article I saw in the Daily Beast yesterday which I highly recommend: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-04/carnival-of-the-shameless/
In other news, winter continues unabated in Juneau. We got over a foot of snow this past weekend and I have been kept busy shoveling snow and running various errands for the elders. Friday was medical day - actually got dad to go to the doctor. Not because of any of the myriad of SERIOUS health conditions he now confronts - like his edema; but because he had bit his lip a month or so ago and said wound was not healing and causing him discomfort. He is truly amazing. We got some salve for his lip and the doc also prescribed a more potent diuretic to bring down the swelling in his legs and ankles.
Last night my landlord and family hopped the plane to Seattle and are continuing on to Disneyland this morning. So their little rat-bag Yorkshire terrier, Finnegan, is now sharing my bachelor pad. He is a cutie - if not exactly my idea of a dog.
Well, time to go shovel.
TallyHo!
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