I'll be back. See? I'm coming back!

What a great picture!  He looks like all you'd expect of a Russian spy in a John LeCarre novel.
Vladimir Putin will run for the Russian Presidency in 2012.

Even though he has a firm hand, controls the media, and limits political opposition, I would rather deal with a politico than an idealogue.
Although once a person has that much power, they could easily turn into an idealogue.

It's just a big pendulum that keeps on swinging.

Government getting out of the way...

The Titanic is an example of government getting out of the way of the free market.
http://www.titanicuniverse.com/

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire is an example of government getting out of the way of the free market.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire

The Financial Crisis of 2008 is an example of government getting out of the way of the free market.
The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 partially repealed by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999


Government alone doesn't prevent all disasters and catastrophes - but it cuts down on the instances in which individual citizens are taken advantage of by powerful, monied interests.

Looking back...

"Reflecting Absence"

The National September 11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.

(2977 people killed on 9/11/01, and 6 in 1993)

The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations.

The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.

9/11 Memorial website

I have tried to come up with a clear, concise statement of what the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 means to me.

I can't.

I have sympathy for the personal stories of loss, and I'm filled with awe and appreciation for the courage displayed by regular folk caught in the unlikely horror.  

At the same time, in the days, months, and years that followed, the dignity of the personal stories was co-opted by the media and political idealogues to make money and hold onto power, without regard for truth or nuance.

I have some bitterness about that.

As Fareed Zakaria said in today's GPS on CNN:

Fifty years from now we might even look at 9/11 as simply the beginning of the decline of America as the world's unrivaled hegemon.  On the day before 9/11, the United States was at peace, had a large budget surplus (128 billion) and oil was trading at $28/barrel.  Today the United States is engaged in military operations across the globe, has a deficit of 1.5 trillion dollars, the largest in it's history, and oil is at $115/barrel.

In the Seattle Times, Jon Talton writes:

In attacking the United States 10 years ago, one of Osama bin Laden's major goals was to provoke a hysterical American overreaction that would begin bleeding the nation into economic ruin.
Mission accomplished?
In 2001, the federal government was enjoying its second straight fiscal-year surplus.  The Congressional Budget Office projected the surpluses would grow to almost $700 billion by 2009.  Hard as it is to believe now, the government announced in October 2001 that it would discontinue selling the 30 year bond because it wouldn't need the money.  Although Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, the American invasion was sold as part of a larger "war on terror" which now includes the war in Afghanistan.  The wars, as well as other increased military spending, costs $1.469 trillion through the 2009 fiscal year, helping turn surpluses into deficit, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  

Not to mention the attack on civil liberties, escalating negative rhetoric, and our esteem in the rest of the world.  

I don't think the United States reacted well after 9/11. Its been sad and frustrating.  

To remember the best of the United States, read the personal stories of courage displayed by victims and survivors of the attack on America September 11. 2011.

But, don't forget, the worst of the United States has become evident as well; reactionary, fearful, easily manipulated, controlled by corporations, and revenge-seeking.  

In the end, I hope it's the best of us that we carry into tomorrow.  

Stuff I was thinking about...with some generalizations, but I think the idea is right.

I don't understand why people are complaining that there are no jobs while at the same time the right wing is doing everything it can to stop the government from spending money that could create jobs.
The right wing says the problem is the government is in the way of entrepreneurs who are eager to create new companies or expand, but are stymied by corporate and employer taxes and regulations they're forced to follow.
The conservative right think the entrepreneurs and people who create jobs are people and corporations who already have a lot of money.  They want taxes for rich people and corporations decreased so the wealthy will have more money to spend to create more companies and jobs.  If only the government wouldn't hamper them.
I don't think so.
More often than not, the goal of rich people/corporations is to keep their money/market share.  They don't want to lose what they've already gained.  They have less of an incentive to take a chance and jump into new markets.
I think it's poor or middle class people who make big changes in the jobs market.  They have a big incentive to create new markets and new products and new companies because they want to move from the lower or middle economic classes to the wealthier class.  They are willing to take chances.  These are the entrepreneurs.
It makes sense to give the lower and middle classes an economic break. 

In order for people from lower or middle classes to break out and create jobs, they have to be educated.  The government has a vested interest in making sure all the young people in our society have a good eduation.  They should at least learn how to be critical thinkers.  Think how much time we would have saved in the current political climate if more people had learned how to be critical thinkers.  I wonder if its a coincidence that so many of our population can be manipulated by misinformation in the one or two generations after people started fleeing the public school system? 
We all lose when we live in an uneducated society.  That seems like a no brainer to me.  Why is it an issue?  Pay for schools.

I wonder how much of the old money in our country was originally helped by government research and funding?  How many companies that began in the last century were helped by NASA?  The Internet began from a government project. 

The rich people forget that they didn't get there alone.  Even if the government didn't directly help them, people who are helped by the government were their customers.  The reason many poor people have money to buy things is because of government aid. 

I have to wonder, as well, if maybe there aren't enough jobs because there isn't enough to do.  It's not that long ago that most women were not in the work force.  Now, we are.  And older people left the workforce more quickly.  Now we don't. 
Maybe we should look at the problem a little differently.  If families could survive on less, maybe less people would need to work and everyone who had to work could be employed. 

A big drain on a family's budget is health care costs.
Which is why Obama wanted the Health Care bill. 
And round and round we go.

I'm done for now. 

Here's an idea...

Actual representation of a lightbulb talking.  It's saying, "I have a bright idea."

Part of the cycle of poor neighborhoods is that there are often no grocery stores so residents without transportation can purchase healthy foods.  The neighborhoods have "corner stores where folks buy pricey cigarettes, liquor, and packaged food."  We should bring back the General Store idea from the old West days.  Large chains could create small satellite stores in areas that are not currently serviced.  I think that would encourage residents to be more involved in their community and it would help them eat better.  It might even revitalize neighborhoods.  Economy grows where resources are provided.  Food is a resource.  

Dorian and Viki on One Life to Live

I love these two characters; Dorian Lord and Victoria Lord Riley (those are the names I knew them as when I started watching OLTL).  Today there was a nice (too short) tribute to their complicated, tangled, long, loving relationship.  It made me cry.  Robin Strasser and Erika Slezak did a wonderful job being my touchstones in Landview.  Thank you ladies!

"It won't be the same."

A Prince of a guy...

His Royal Highness Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales

I like this photo of the prince.  He'll be in California in the next several months to complete helicopter training.

From Wikipedia:  The Prince's style and title in full is His Royal Highness Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales. As a British prince, Harry holds no surname; however, as with the other male-line grandchildren of Elizabeth II, he uses the name of the area over which his father holds title, i.e. Wales. Past precedent is that such surnames are dropped from usage in adulthood, after which either title alone, or Mountbatten-Windsor is used when necessary.^[58][1] Prince Harry, however, continues to use Wales as his surname for military purposes and is known as Captain Harry Wales in such contexts.^[59] If his father succeeds to the throne he will be known as His Royal Highness The Prince Henry. Traditionally, male-line members of British royalty receive a dukedom a few hours before their marriage, the most recent being Prince William of Wales, who became Duke of Cambridge.

Revolutionary.

Along with all the technological advances that made my life better growing up in the 60's and 70's (indoor plumbing, television, vaccines, for instance), and the technology that made my work career easier and more interesting in the 80's (desktop computers), I'd add these three technologies as revolutionary in my life since the 2000's...I feel lucky to be alive at a time when I can use them.

TIVO

No more 'appointment' television.  I'll watch when I want to watch.

iPod

ALL my music in one place

iPad

Kindle for iPad, games, notes, schedules, apps of all kinds in one beautiful tablet that I can easily take with me wherever I go.

Another Republican I won't vote for...

Mitt Romney says...

Corporations are people, my friend... of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to the people. Where do you think it goes? Whose pockets? Whose pockets? People's pockets. Human beings my friend.

I understand what I think he's trying to say; while corporations pay less taxes, those benefits flow to the people who own the corporation - stockholders.  Stockholders can include pension programs and 401K programs for regular folk, like you and me.

Aargh.

1.  "My friend"...?  That sounds so folksy it's condescending.
2.  Corporations are NOT people.  That's a dangerous idea for our political system and led to the Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations to participate in elections as if they're a person.  The idea is that since corporations pay taxes, they should be represented - no taxation without representation, right?  Ugh - that's a twisted perversion of our democracy.

Which brings me to another comment I hear people making more often lately - whoever started it should be happy it's taking hold in the consciousness of people who understand quick sound bytes more easily than a complete argument.

IF OBAMA WERE IN CHARGE OF A COMPANY, HE'D BE FIRED FOR HOW HE'S DOING HIS JOB...or some such derivation.

AARGH!!!!!

The United States is NOT a profit making venture. 

To compare the United States to a corporation is to misunderstand completely the point of government.

Those rich people sure know how to manipulate ideas. 

Cowboys and Aliens

Recently, LJB said the movies he likes, particularly, are westerns and sci-fi.
Along came Cowboys and Aliens.
Perfect.

And yet...not so perfect.

I can get onboard for a movie about aliens coming to Earth in the late 1800's.  Of course. 
If I enjoy the Matrix, or StarGate, or any other sci-fi reality, then of course the aliens could have come to the Old West.
A premise that could have worked.

If only the story hadn't had all the typical characters and conflicts:
mysterious stranger with strange power,
beautiful damsel,
villainous cattle baron running the town and his spoiled dangerous son,
mostly peaceful sheriff taking care of his deceased daughter's brave but impressionable son,
tortured memories of the Civil War,
prejudice against Native Americans,
a band of robbers,
and big slimy monsters as aliens.

Blah.  I don't even need to tell you the story for you to guess what happened.

The only relationship I cared about was the one between the villainous cattle baron and a young Mexican man who worked for him, tirelessly and loyally.  The cattle baron treated him badly, but the Mexican man loved and respected him as a father.  Which, of course, was more than the cattle baron's real son.  And, it was the young man I was interested in - not the villainous cattle baron.

The aliens use their tiny ships (launched from their big ship) to hunt people.  They lasso the people from the air.  Those stunts were good; kinda cool.  Reminiscent of a cattle roundup.

That connection (cattle roundup vs aliens taking humans), and others (alien power and mysterious stranger, for instance) might have made a more complex and interesting story.
It makes me think the original story either had much more complexity, or wanted to, but didn't know how to make it happen.
And then a committee devoured the story.   

Bottom line:  The movie is empty and predictable.  I don't recommend it.

See also, Roger Ebert's review of Cowboys and Monsters

Did you know...?

Did you know that McGraw-Hill, the leading textbook provider for schools, also owns Standard and Poor's, the firm that made a 2 trillion dollar error on their analysis of the United States' credit-worthiness?

Pat Carroll

For someone who has watched television since the 60's, Pat Carroll is a familiar face.  She has guest-starred on numerous television comedies over the years.  I saw her on a repeat episode today and I'm reminded how comforted I am by her voice - she can sound both gruff and wise and loving.  If I listen to her voice alone, I hear sincerity and truth.  Here is my shout out to Pat Carroll:  I have appreciated your presence, thank you...:)

Debt deal passed.
I'm not happy about it.
I can't defend the President on this one.
No tax revenue, no balanced approach.
A super committee?  Yeah, right.
Stewart and Colbert got it right.

The Daily Show - Dealageddon! - A Compromise Without Revenues
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

The Culprits

John Boehner and Eric Cantor
(Right Wing Republican and Further Right Wing Republican)

Sadly, in this Congress, Boehner is considered a moderate. 

More on the Debt Limit Crisis

Two additional points -
Boehner is attempting to pass his legislation with Republicans only.  We don't hear him talking to any of the Democratic leaders in the House.
Instead of trying to satisfy the Tea Party Republicans, why doesn't he swing to the Democratic side?  There are "Blue Dog" Democrats who might be more easily appeased than the Tea Partiers. 
Why is he so intent on passing with Republican support only? 
It seems the moderate Republicans have as much in common with Tea Partiers as they do with Blue Dog Democrats, so why not build a coalition with the Blue Dogs instead?
He would pass his bill and setup the Democrats in the Senate to be the bad guys if they don't vote for it.

I imagine I wouldn't like whatever legislation he'd put together in that scenario, but I don't much like the Reid plan either.

*****

Next point, after thinking and talking about this problem and trying to come up with the core problem, I've decided it's complicated.  HA!  Of course it is.
But, at it's heart is the problem of competing world views that can't coexist.  It's not peculiar to the United States, it's in everyone's DNA, I think.
I've talked about that before - the people who live in fear (it's mine, I want it) and the more optimistic people (I'm willing to give a little bit more to have a government that works).
I guess with that description you can tell which side I'm on.

In any event, my new thought about this is that our Congress has used compromise for the last 50 years to get things done.  The surprise in this debt limit crisis is that the kind of compromise Congress has used isn't working anymore.  In Congress, compromise means I'll vote for your amendment to this bill if you vote for my amendment in this other bill.
Right?
They don't really compromise, they trade.

In trading, votes for votes, we end up starting new programs and spending lots of money, which is part of what got us in this mess. 

What if, instead of compromise meaning shared benefits (more programs and more spending) we floated the concept of compromise meaning shared sacrifice?

We can all sacrifice a little to share in the privilege of living and working in this great country.

Okay - done for now.
Hope this makes sense 10 years down the road when I look back on the 'good old days'.

Bizarro World

Are we in bizarro world?

1.  John Boehner wanted to propose a bill today to increase the debt limit for a few months, create a commission to review additional cuts, and cut the budget by 900 billion.

He knows whatever passes the House, will be voted down by the Senate.  No question.

His party, the Republicans, are in control of the House of Representatives.

He can't get the Republican votes to pass the bill. 

The Tea Party, among others, are voting NO on the bill, no matter what.  They do NOT want the debt limit to increase.

The vote has been delayed until tomorrow again.

2.  I watched some Fox News (Greta Van Sustern) and it seems the Republican talking point right now is that the President is showing no leadership at this point. 

That seems odd since the President has been in the middle of negotiations the whole time.

Who is he supposed to show leadership over?  The Republicans?  'Cause they're the ones who can't be herded right now (unusual in itself - Republicans are usually in lockstep).

If the Tea Party hadn't bullied the more reasonable Republicans in the House, they'd have gotten a pretty good deal with the Obama-Boehner negotiated plan. 

3.  The Tea Party people don't want the debt limit to be increased under any circumstances.  They don't believe the country will go into default and they don't think a default will destry the country's fragile economy.

4.  One of the rating company's that could downgrade the US is Moody's.  Why should we listen to them anyway because they're the ones who sanctioned all those derivatives and credit default swaps and questionable practices of investment houses on Wall Street that contributed to the economic collapse of a couple years ago?  Hasn't it been proven that their opinion is worth nothing.  (Although I definitely thought of that on my own [ego], Greta Van Sustern mentioned it as well)

5.  For an example of the world as the Republicans and Tea Partiers want it - see the FAA.  The Congress could not come up with a plan that could keep the FAA running, so it's been partially shut down.  One of the areas that has been furloughed is the section that receives tax revenue from the airlines.  Since the US Government can't collect it, the airlines are not required to send the tax.  Did the airlines pass the savings on to the consumer?  No.  They increased their fares so the total ticket price stays the same.  Instead of paying the government, the ticket holders are paying it to the airline.  I think we should stop pretending that giving money to corporations and rich people will trickle down to the regular folk.  It doesn't.

6.  The President has given up on extending the Bush Tax Cuts, he's given up on tax revenues to balance the sacrifice, and he's increased the amount of spending cuts.  In fact, in his address on Monday, when he began to describe the plan, it was hard to know if he was describing a Republican or Democratic plan. 

7.  I find it strange that the Republicans are saying that the President is the one who has brought us to this place.  And, that's the supposed 'reasonable' Republicans - the ones who expect the work in government is an exercise in compromise.  Even they are saying the President brought this upon us himself.  But, that's not what happened.  The regular debt limit increase came up for a vote just like it always has.  The administration sent it to the House the same way it always is.  It was the Republicans who voted no - or at least said they wouldn't vote for it without all these other things attached to it.  So, factually speaking - it really was the Republicans in the House that put this ball in motion.  Why are they getting away with saying the President started it?

It's all part of Bizarro world.

What a disappointment

My letter to the President today

Dear Mr. President...
What the heck is going on?
Earlier this week you asked me to contact my Congressman to tell him I want a balanced approach to solve the debt crisis.  I want tax increases as well as an extension through 2012.
I did as asked.  I wrote to Dave Reichert.
I even wrote to you and let you know I'm on board.
These are key principles that can't be brushed aside.

Now, it's Thursday.  A scant day or two later.
Reid's plan (presumably endorsed by the White House) does NOT include a balanced approach.  The tax revenues have been dropped.

Huh?
What happened?
I don't get it. 
Why make a show of wanting to have a balanced approach only to drop it in a day or two?

I am very disappointed.

Vicky

United in sorrow...and hope

Flag of Norway

President Obama is eminently reasonable. 

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Washington, DC

For years, the government has spent more money than it takes in. The result is a lot of debt on our nation’s credit card – debt that unless we act will weaken our economy, cause higher interest rates for families, and force us to scale back things like education and Medicare.

Now, folks in Washington like to blame one another for this problem. But the truth is, neither party is blameless. And both parties have a responsibility to do something about it. Every day, families are figuring out how stretch their paychecks – struggling to cut what they can’t afford so they can pay for what’s really important. It’s time for Washington to do the same thing. But for that to happen, it means that Democrats and Republicans have to work together. It means we need to put aside our differences to do what’s right for the country. Everyone is going to have to be willing to compromise. Otherwise, we’ll never get anything done.

That’s why we need a balanced approach to cutting the deficit. We need an approach that goes after waste in the budget and gets rid of pet projects that cost billions of dollars. We need an approach that makes some serious cuts to worthy programs – cuts I wouldn’t make under normal circumstances. And we need an approach that asks everybody to do their part.

So that means, yes, we have to make serious budget cuts; but that it’s not right to ask middle class families to pay more for college before we ask the biggest corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. It means that before we stop funding clean energy, we should ask oil companies and corporate jet owners to give up the tax breaks that other companies don’t get. Before we cut medical research, we should ask hedge fund managers to stop paying taxes at a lower rate than their secretaries. Before we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare, we should ask the wealthiest taxpayers to give up tax breaks we simply cannot afford under these circumstances.

That’s the heart of this approach: serious cuts, balanced by some new revenues. And it’s been the position of every Democratic and Republican leader who has worked to reduce the deficit, from Bill Clinton to Ronald Reagan. In fact, earlier this week, one of the most conservative members of the Senate, Tom Coburn, announced his support for a balanced, bipartisan plan that shows promise. And then a funny thing happened. He received a round of applause – from a group of Republican and Democratic senators. That’s a rare event in Washington.

So there will be plenty of haggling over the details in the days ahead. But this debate boils down to a simple choice. We can come together for the good of the country and reach a compromise; we can strengthen our economy and leave for our children a more secure future. Or we can issue insults and demands and ultimatums at each another, withdraw to our partisan corners, and achieve nothing. Well, we know the right thing to do. And we know what the American people expect us to do.

Uhn Bee Eff Fen Lee Vah Bull

Following is the letter John Boehner wrote today after leaving talks with President Obama about increasing the Debt Ceiling.

Dear Colleague,

Our economy is not creating enough jobs, and the policies coming out of Washington are a big reason why. Because of Washington, we have a tax code that is stifling job creation. Because of Washington, we have a debt crisis that is sowing uncertainty and sapping the confidence of small businesses. Because of Washington, our children are financing a government spending binge that is jeopardizing their future.

Since the moment I became Speaker, I’ve urged President Obama to lock arms with me and seize this moment to do something significant to address these challenges. I’ve urged him to partner with congressional Republicans to do something dramatic to change the fiscal trajectory of our country . . . something that will boost confidence in our economy, renew a measure of faith in our institutions of government, and help small businesses get back to creating jobs.

The House this week passed such a plan . . . the Cut, Cap & Balance Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support.

Along with Majority Leader Cantor, I have also engaged the president in a dialogue in recent days. The purpose of this dialogue was to see if we could identify a path forward that would implement the principles of Cut, Cap, & Balance in a manner that could secure bipartisan support and be signed into law.

During these discussions — as in my earlier discussions — it became evident that the White House is simply not serious about ending the spending binge that is destroying jobs and endangering our children’s future.

A deal was never reached, and was never really close.

In the end, we couldn’t connect. Not because of different personalities, but because of different visions for our country.

The president is emphatic that taxes have to be raised. As a former small businessman, I know tax increases destroy jobs.

The president is adamant that we cannot make fundamental changes to our entitlement programs. As the father of two daughters, I know these programs won’t be there for their generation unless significant action is taken now.

For these reasons, I have decided to end discussions with the White House and begin conversations with the leaders of the Senate in an effort to find a path forward.

The Democratic leaders of the House and Senate have not been participants in the conversations I and Leader Cantor have had with the White House; nor have the Republican leaders of the Senate. But I believe there is a shared commitment on both sides of the aisle to producing legislation that will serve the best interests of our country in the days ahead — legislation that reflects the will of the American people, consistent with the principles of the Cut, Cap, & Balance Act that passed the House with bipartisan support this week.

I wanted to alert you to these developments as soon as possible. Further information will be coming as soon as it is available. It is an honor to serve with you. Together, we will do everything in our power to end the spending binge in Washington and help our economy get back to creating jobs.

Sincerely

John Boehner

Congress Continues Debate Over Whether Or Not Nation Should Be Economically Ruined

(hey - there's supposed to be the Onion logo in the picture here...?)

It's surreal when a satire piece from the Onion seems more real than satire.  I bet more than a few people couldn't tell if this is true or humor.

WASHINGTON—Members of the U.S. Congress reported Wednesday they were continuing to carefully debate the issue of whether or not they should allow the country to descend into a roiling economic meltdown of historically dire proportions. "It is a question that, I think, is worthy of serious consideration: Should we take steps to avoid a crippling, decades-long depression that would lead to disastrous consequences on a worldwide scale? Or should we not do that?" asked House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), adding that arguments could be made for both sides, and that the debate over ensuring America’s financial solvency versus allowing the nation to default on its debt—which would torpedo stock markets, cause mortgage and interests rates to skyrocket, and decimate the value of the U.S. dollar—is “certainly a conversation worth having.” "Obviously, we don't want to rush to consensus on whether it is or isn't a good idea to save the American economy and all our respective livelihoods from certain peril until we've examined this thorny dilemma from every angle. And if we’re still discussing this matter on Aug. 2, well, then, so be it.” At press time, President Obama said he personally believed the country should not be economically ruined.

Doctor Who's Christopher Eccleston

I still lament what could have been...in a world where everyone gets what they want, of course.

(lament: verb, to feel or express sorrow or regret for)

From Bad Wilf:

At an acting master class, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Christopher Eccleston was asked why he left, such a high paid job like Doctor Who. He responded:

“I left Doctor Who, because I could not get along with the senior people. I left, because of politics. I did not see eye-to-eye, with them. I didn’t agree with the way things were being run. I didn’t like the culture that had grown up, around the series. So, I left. I felt, over a principle. I thought to remain, which would have made me a lot of money and given me huge visibility, the price I would have had to pay, was to eat a lot of shit. I’m not being funny about that. I didn’t want to do that and, it comes to the art of it, in a way. I feel that if you run your career and-we are vulnerable as actors and, we are constantly humiliating ourselves auditioning. But, if you allow that to go on, on a grand scale. You will loose, whatever it is about you and, it will be present in your work. If you allow your desire to be successful and visible and financially secure. If you allow that, to make you throw shades on your parents, on your upbringing, then you’re knackered. You’ve got to keep something back, for yourself. Because, it’ll be present in your work. A purity or an idealism is essential, or, you’ll become-you’ve got to have standards, no matter how hard work that is. So, it makes it hard road, really. You know. It’s easy to find a job, when you’ve got no morals, you’ve got nothing to be compromised you can go ‘yeah, yeah. That doesn’t matter. That director can bully that prop man and, I won’t say anything about it’. But, then when that director comes to you and says ‘I think you should play it like this’. You’ve surely got to go ‘How can I respect you, when you behave like that?’

So, that’s why I left. My face didn’t fit and, I’m sure they were glad to see the back of me. The important thing is that I succeeded. It was a great part. I loved playing him. I loved connecting with that audience. Because I’ve always acted for adults and the suddenly, your acting for children. Who are far more tasteful, they will not be bullshitted. It’s either good, or it’s bad. They don’t schmooze at after show parties, with cocktails

The Murdoch Scandal

I'm confused by all the surprise surrounding Ruper Murdoch and son because anyone who owns FOXNews and allows their level of misinformation, misdirection, and fanaticism - a person/company who actually encourages deception and spinning the truth and smirks when challenged about it - that kind of person/company would do anything.

It's sad, but not surprising. 

When truth doesn't matter, I don't know how we can effectively function as a society.
At the very least, let's be honest.

Info from the BBC

I wish I knew someone on the other side that agrees with this...

I agree generally with this NYT op-ed piece, but especially emphasize and affirm my agreement to the ideas in bold below...
Paul Krugman from the NY Times on July 14, 2011 (via Hunter on Daily Kos)

Getting to Crazy by Paul Krugman

There aren’t many positive aspects to the looming possibility of a U.S. debt default. But there has been, I have to admit, an element of comic relief — of the black-humor variety — in the spectacle of so many people who have been in denial suddenly waking up and smelling the crazy.

A number of commentators seem shocked at how unreasonable Republicans are being. “Has the G.O.P. gone insane?” they ask.

Why, yes, it has. But this isn’t something that just happened, it’s the culmination of a process that has been going on for decades. Anyone surprised by the extremism and irresponsibility now on display either hasn’t been paying attention, or has been deliberately turning a blind eye.

And may I say to those suddenly agonizing over the mental health of one of our two major parties: People like you bear some responsibility for that party’s current state.

Let’s talk for a minute about what Republican leaders are rejecting.

President Obama has made it clear that he’s willing to sign on to a deficit-reduction deal that consists overwhelmingly of spending cuts, and includes draconian cuts in key social programs, up to and including a rise in the age of Medicare eligibility. These are extraordinary concessions. As The Times’s Nate Silver points out, the president has offered deals that are far to the right of what the average American voter prefers — in fact, if anything, they’re a bit to the right of what the average Republican voter prefers!

Yet Republicans are saying no. Indeed, they’re threatening to force a U.S. default, and create an economic crisis, unless they get a completely one-sided deal.
And this was entirely predictable.

First of all, the modern G.O.P. fundamentally does not accept the legitimacy of a Democratic presidency — any Democratic presidency. We saw that under Bill Clinton, and we saw it again as soon as Mr. Obama took office.
       
As a result, Republicans are automatically against anything the president wants, even if they have supported similar proposals in the past. Mitt Romney’s health care plan became a tyrannical assault on American freedom when put in place by that man in the White House. And the same logic applies to the proposed debt deals.

Put it this way: If a Republican president had managed to extract the kind of concessions on Medicare and Social Security that Mr. Obama is offering, it would have been considered a conservative triumph. But when those concessions come attached to minor increases in revenue, and more important, when they come from a Democratic president, the proposals become unacceptable plans to tax the life out of the U.S. economy.

Beyond that, voodoo economics has taken over the G.O.P.

Supply-side voodoo — which claims that tax cuts pay for themselves and/or that any rise in taxes would lead to economic collapse — has been a powerful force within the G.O.P. ever since Ronald Reagan embraced the concept of the Laffer curve. But the voodoo used to be contained. Reagan himself enacted significant tax increases, offsetting to a considerable extent his initial cuts.

And even the administration of former President George W. Bush refrained from making extravagant claims about tax-cut magic, at least in part for fear that making such claims would raise questions about the administration’s seriousness.

Recently, however, all restraint has vanished — indeed, it has been driven out of the party.

Last year Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, asserted that the Bush tax cuts actually increased revenue — a claim completely at odds with the evidence — and also declared that this was “the view of virtually every Republican on that subject.”

And it’s true: even Mr. Romney, widely regarded as the most sensible of the contenders for the 2012 presidential nomination, has endorsed the view that tax cuts can actually reduce the deficit.

Which brings me to the culpability of those who are only now facing up to the G.O.P.’s craziness.

Here’s the point: those within the G.O.P. who had misgivings about the embrace of tax-cut fanaticism might have made a stronger stand if there had been any indication that such fanaticism came with a price, if outsiders had been willing to condemn those who took irresponsible positions.

But there has been no such price.

Mr. Bush squandered the surplus of the late Clinton years, yet prominent pundits pretend that the two parties share equal blame for our debt problems.
Paul Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, proposed a supposed deficit-reduction plan that included huge tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, then received an award for fiscal responsibility.
So there has been no pressure on the G.O.P. to show any kind of responsibility, or even rationality — and sure enough, it has gone off the deep end.
If you’re surprised, that means that you were part of the problem.

*****

Hunter at Daily Kos adds:

Bad: I'm not sure there's any way to express just how silly these people are. Worse: even now, most of our press is bound and determined not to point that out.

E-mail to Dave Reichert on 07/14/2011

On Thursday I wrote the following e-mail to Dave Reichert (my Republican representative; he does take a good picture, I'll give him that):

The right wing of the Republican party is holding the rest of the country hostage. 
The President has bent over backwards to find common areas of agreement for spending cuts.  All he's asking is that we not put all the pressure on the middle and lower classes.  Can't the rich afford to put in their fair share?  Do the oil companies and Wall Street banks have to make THAT much profit. 
It's ridiculous that your party would rather cut money for social welfare programs than ask the rich to stop using loopholes to avoid paying a fair share of the tax burden. 
Your party is continuing to play games rather than govern.
Since 2001 the Congress has voted to increase the debt limit 5 times.  Why, suddenly, is this a problem for you?  I can only imagine it's because you would rather ruin our country's economic standing (such as it is) than give this president any help in avoiding a catastrophe.
The Republican party said yes, yes, yes, all the way to near disaster, gave the reins to Democrats and began your choir of No, No, No.
This voter would like to see you actually propose WORKING WITH THE PRESIDENT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.  Stop playing games.
Not just on this debt limit issue, but getting us out of this economic hole.
Your party leadership is making you look bad.

Down with the Right Wingers who I have no respect for...(for whom I have no respect.)

I don't know what to do with my anger, frustration, outrage, disappointment and disrespect toward a fellow American who would smile, applaud, and advocate for my government to shutdown.
(Note:  This picture was on Huffington Post and I don't know where it came from or if it's a file photo or whatever, but it aptly describes the current situation so I'm using it)

As of today, the negotiations to raise the debt ceiling have yielded no results.
The 'tea party' wing of the Republican party has taken over and they're acting like bullies.

Eric Cantor, Grover Norquist, John Boehner, and the rest of the bully brigade (including my congressman Dave Reichert, I bet) have said they'll only vote to raise the debt ceiling if there is an equal amount of spending cuts to offset the increase.  (Note:  Grover Norquist is not in Congress; he's a tax activist who gets elected officials to sign a no tax pledge)

Obama has agreed to up to 3 trillion in spending cuts, but he recognizes that most of the cuts the right-wing proposes will adversely affect lower and middle class Americans.

Obama would like to see the wealthy and upper classes do their part as well.  Obama (and I) would like to eliminate tax loopholes that the wealthy receive (apparently wealthy people get some kind of tax break for using corporate jets?).  And not just the wealthy - the corporate wealth should be taxed more fairly.  Is it fair that the oil companies are making billions of dollars in profit, but don't pay very much tax?

The right wing says closing loopholes in the tax code is essentially increasing tax.
And, they 'draw the line in the sand' at increasing taxes.

They say, in the middle of an economic crisis that involves so much unemployment you don't increase taxes on the wealthy because they're the job creators of the economy.

1.  If the wealthy were job creators, then we'd have jobs.  They have wealth.  Where are the jobs?
2.  Cutting spending generally affects poor people who don't know where their next meal is going to come from.  Any of the wealthy who have to pay a little more will probably still not worry about whether they'll have access to the basic necessities of life.
3.  The Republicans and Tea Party people have been unusually cruel and fearful under President Obama and it makes me wonder what they hate more...that he's a Democrat, or that he's half black.
4.  Where was all the right wing's fiscal responsibility talk during the George Bush years when he was spending left and right and starting wars?  I think it's hypocritical to be outraged at this point.

There is plenty of analysis on the Internet, in newspapers, and on television.  And there are many people who are more articulate and studied than I.  I'll leave it to them.

I just want the historical record to show which side I'm on. 
I'm on the side of Obama.  He is a wonderful president during these times.  He's holding up well.  I wish he could be more progressive, but because of the right wingers he's been forced to compromise a lot.

In compromising, though, many of his programs and plans to solve the current economic woes have not been given the oomph they should have had.  Not quite enough money and you can get near the top of the hill, but not to the peak, which means you roll back down again.

The Republicans have fought him at every turn.  Their main goal is to see Obama out of office.  The health of the United States of America makes no difference to them.  They're the type of people who would cut off their noses to spite their face.
This process has been disturbing on so many levels there will probably be a thousand books written about it.

Where is the outcry from reasonable people?
Is there a commonality we all truly believe in that we can gather round?
Speaking for me...I don't know what to do.  It's overwhelming.
It seems everywhere I turn there's a wrong that should be righted.
I want to go to the core of the problem and start working there. 
But, where is that?
Sigh.

(Sometimes I think the core is clear air and clean water because we need both of those to survive as humans.  However, even if we have clean air and clean water, if our hearts aren't filled with hope, or spirit, or love, then that's a problem too.)

Godspeed Atlantis

Heroes and Heroines.

Space - the Final Frontier

Courage

Innovation

Curiousity

Amazing Discoveries

The Future

Dedication
Sacrifice

Professionalism

Science

Cool

Space

Faith

The Best We Have to Offer

We seek the unknown
We Dare
We Hope
We Dream
We Believe
Goosebumps
Tears from me because it's too amazing for words.

Leaving the Nest - our Earth.

It's a Wonderful World

It's an Awesome Universe

I'm lucky to be alive in this era; our first steps into Space...Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Shuttles.  I support a government funded NASA.  Science and Discovery are the future.

Today was the 135th and final launch of the Space Shuttle Program.  The shuttle Atlantis is on it's way to the International Space Station.

Congratulations

New York state legislature passes law to allow marriage in New York between gays and lesbians.
Good.
My state has State Registered Domestic Partnership.  Here, the SRDP is the equivalent of marriage under state law. However, there is still a restriction that marriage can only be between a man and a woman.
I think of marriage as a spiritual choice; a religious matter.  I don't think marriage should be defined by the state at all - separation of church and state.  Cultural traditions are still dominant here, though.
As long as we continue to make marriage both a religious and civil state of being, I think everyone should have the right to be a couple.
Eventually, this will be the way.

It just doesn't make sense...

From The Nation:  LeBron James and the Quote Heard Round The World

LeBron James tells his truth...

“All the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that. They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy about not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal. But they have to get back to the real world at some point.”

Then, some media cry out; Jalen Rose on ESPN...

 “He needs to learn to speak to the media. He puts his foot in his mouth time and time again.”

What do you want?  Someone who speaks their truth?  Or, predictable, doublespeak that's been vetted by PR representatives?
I'd rather know the truth of someone through their words than bully them into blandness.

(Next, I wonder why the media works against themselves so often...and I come to the following...)

The best interest of the media used to be shining a light on Truth. 
Now it's inciting a reaction - positive or negative, they don't care. 
Money is drawn to emotional reactions, not truth.
The only thing that's of interest to a corporation is Money.
Money has become more important than Truth in today's media/marketing/Wall Street world.

(Now, I'm thinking about corporations...)

A corporation doesn't support an idea or a government or a way of life.  A corporation will do business with anyone.  People run the corporation, but they run it as if it's separate from them; as if it doesn't reflect who they are.  They hide behind a concept of what a corporation is supposed to do or be.

Mom and Pop stores (and certainly there must be SOME corporations) put something else above the job of making money because it really DOES reflect who they are.  Their values are part of their money-making strategy. 

What if people became more like corporations?
Maybe they already are - media stars, sports stars, etc.

I don't think that's a good thing.
 
Maybe money really is the root of all evil.
 
(After writing this post I'm not sure what the main point would be...I just got led around by the ideas and couldn't sit with any of them long enough to write something more developed.  But honestly, I like the ideas.)
 
(And FYI - I don't really follow basketball.  Last I heard, LeBron James was a phenom high school athlete who transferred straight to the NBA.  Everyone had great hopes and I thought people liked him a lot.  He seemed nice enough when I saw him early on.  Now Cleveland's mad at him and people are saying bad things about him.  I don't get it.  Anyway - this post isn't really about LeBron James - the article about LeBron was the catalyst to begin thinking about broader issues.)

Doctor Who

From Christopher Eccleston to Martha Jones to the friendship of the Doctor and Donna to the romance of Rose and now to this...I so enjoy Doctor Who.  It gets better and better and better.

Last night, to top off my birthday, LJB and I watched "A Good Man  Goes to War", the season six first half cliffhanger.  What a joy.  Confusing, but fun.  There are lots of strings to untie, and upon further reflection, there may be a plothole or two.  For now, I'm basking in the glow of all the good relationships and wonderful chemistry between the characters and the actors created by Stephen Moffat.

I think rewatching the Season Five and Season Six episodes will be as much fun (for different reasons) as watching them the first time!

Happy Birthday to me...

For this commemoration of another year of my life I will simply ask the question...

How can I serve the energy of love this year?

Here are some horoscopes for me...

Supermodel Adriana Lima (1981) shares your birthday today. The key to your survival and happiness is your positive state of mind and your optimism. Your belief in your future is empowering. This is not to say you're not realistic - because you are. You like to be physically active; and you are stoic in difficult situations. Work hard to build or construct something this year because your rewards will soon follow.

If today is your birthday: It might be long overdue, but because of your established abilities and talents you could find yourself in a leadership role among your peers during coming months. Others will be looking to you for fresh ideas and activities.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (June 12). You are more charming than you know. Someone will fall for you, becoming smitten with your lovely manners and the level of attention you so effortlessly give those around you. A nugget of knowledge will lead you to make extra money in July. September brings the completion of a goal. You share a special connection with Cancer and Scorpio people. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 15, 3, 34 and 22.

If it’s your birthday todays
You will face a hectic schedule on the professional front. Achieving set targets can open the doors to faster career growth. Be careful with your finances; do not believe everything you are told or that comes to your attention, go through and double check all the information before acting on it. Spending time with your partner will make you happy and you can benefit from their insights.

IF JUNE 12 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: Beaming confidence and polished business sense will make you a likely candidate for enormous success in the year to come. Right now, you can plan successfully for the future and accept opportunities or offers that come your way. But your romantic fantasies or an attractive someone who has recently arrived on the scene might distract you from what is most important. Be sure to keep your promises and don't ignore any strings that are attached to a business deal between August and January. A new romance that appears on the scene in the early fall might seem like gold. Be sure to test the surface to make sure it isn't merely a veneer. In February, your business savvy and street smarts will help you appear proficient in any area and you can impress people in high places with admirable credentials.

June 12, 2011…a #4 World-Wide Day. Today “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Public Servants try to be realistic and practical. Useful products are patented. In your lifestyle: Do the things that must be done to maintain what you have. Correct mistakes. Socialize and shop within your budget. Nothing comes easy…there’s work to be done.

Generally compatible Birthday numbers for #12 are: #1, #2, #5, #6, #8, #10, #11, #14, #15, #17, #19, #20, #23, #26, #28, #29. With all other numbers: The #12 will need to concentrate on one goal, be disciplined for practicality and talk less and do more to maintain a harmonious, materially successful combination.

If #12 is your birthday, find your passion, stick with it and there’s no stopping you. You’re artistic, sociable and have a fine mind. Avoid sugar and alcoholic beverages to curb your frequent highs and lows. Finish what you begin and “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” You are multi-talented, have a vivid, creative imagination and are wise in surprising ways. Learn to accept the world as it really is and people for what they really are. You find peace, happiness and security through acceptance.

In 2011, curb your flights of fancy and get down to brass tacks. Work, build and plan for tomorrow today. Schedule time, money and effort. Correct mistaken ideas and over-expenditures and put yourself, your body and your life in working order. No vacations now…you’ll have more freedom next year.

In 2011 wear the color green to attract sensible, enduring, stable, honest relationships.
Emerald is your gem in 2011.
People whose names begin with the letters D, M and V 2011.
Thursday is your lucky day of the week in 2011.

Your 2011 lottery numbers are: 2, 3, 7, 15, 21, 29.

Google Doodle Today

The Les Paul Guitar Doodle is back - by popular demand.
I noticed the guitar icon yesterday, but somehow managed to miss strumming the strings until this morning.
Cool.
Here's my mad jumble of noise.
(Actually - it's a sentence I typed over and over for 30 seconds.)

The Doodles create a lot of Goodwill from me to Google.
They're a way for people all around the world to connect, they celebrate a sense of pride and accomplishment, they commemorate important historic times and people.
They're clever and well designed and fun to see.

The Google Doodle Archive is here.

UPDATE 6/12/2011: Sadly the following links don't seem to be available anymore. Oh well. I tried.
Do you recognize this song? (the end sounds like Yankee Doodle, but it's not)
What about this one?

But, here's a song that really sounds good (I didn't do it)

FURTHER UPDATE 6/13/2011: Les Paul Doodle and a pro in action...

For as long as I shall live...

...I will Testify to Love

I'm listening to music while I work and this song captured my heart this morning.

*****

Update: Wynonna Judd seems to be speaking to me this morning. Here's another song that's touched my heart.

YOU WERE LOVED

We all want to make ourplace in this world

We all want our voices to be heard

Everyone wants a chance to be someone

We all have dreams we need to dream

But sweeter than any star you can reach

Is when you reach and find

you've found someone

You'll hold this world's most priceless thing

The greatest gift this life can bring

If you can look back and know

You were loved.

CHORUS:

You were loved by someone

Touched by someone

Held by someone

Meant something to someone

Loved somebody

Touched somebody's heart along the way

You can look back and say

You were loved.

You can have diamonds in your hand.

Have all the riches in the land

Without love do you really have a thing

When someone cares that you're alive

When someone finds their world in your eyes

Then you'll know you've found all you need

You'll hold this world's most priceless prize

The sweetest treasure in this life

If you can look back and know

You were loved

CHORUS

You were loved by someone

Touched by someone

Held by someone

Meant something to someone

Loved somebody

Touched somebody's heart along the way

You can look back and say

You were loved.

So many roads that you can take

Whatever way you go

Don't take that road alone

Better you should know...

You were loved by someone

Touched by someone

Held by someone

Meant something to someone

Loved somebody

Touched somebody's heart along the way

You can look back and say

You did OK

You were loved.

So remember to tell that one

You are loved.

Jesus Christ Superstar

The movie version of "Jesus Christ, Superstar" is one of my all-time favorite movies.  For me, it describes a human Jesus, political realities, the beginning of revolution, how popularity and fame change a message, and mob mentality.  I think every song I'm listening to is the best song of the record, until I hear the next one and remember how much I enjoy that song too.
Today I had an opportunity to see Village Theater's production of "Jesus Christ, Superstar".  The set and costumes were contemporary.  Because of all the revolutions taking place in the Middle East lately, that's the image I associated with the sets and costumes.  Really great.
The voices of both Judas (Michael K Lee) and Jesus (Aaron C Finley) were marvelous.  What talent.  I especially enjoyed "Heaven on Their Minds" from Lee.
There was even some 'street' choreography that was interesting and fun.
I feel really lucky to have seen it.
Fantastic job everyone!