Woke up early and stayed late to dodge the crowds for the Rally to Restore Sanity, covering a lot of ground in-between. Thus, I am bushed today, glad to be sitting and waiting for Trick-or-Treaters.
Despite the weariness, I could not be happier to have gone. The dueling performance of Peace Train by the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens and Crazy Train by Ozzy Osborne was worth it just on its own. Was practically tailor-made for Tanya and me.
Enjoyed the company of our new couple friends as well. Nice to have finally met another couple that we can relate to as a couple (and hopefully vice versa). I call them an alternate universe version of us, similar in the big picture but different in the details.
Good music, good company, and good message. Not that the crazies on the fringe will appreciate that. The Tea Partiers like to talk about the Founding Fathers of our country as if they all agreed on everything, but they didn't. Jefferson remixed his Bible. Franklin warned against prejudicial revenge. Washington advised against political parties. They were rational sane human beings. Wouldn't it be great if we were all that way? [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
Took a tour through the rally to snap some signs. Sun was a bit too bright for my sign, but some people noticed as we walked about. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
Was only a little after 9 when I lost AT&T at the Rally to Restore sanity. Verizon seems to be the only network prepared for the crush, as demonstrated by the vans and trucks we passed on the way in. Should have sprung for a Verizon Mifi mobile hotspot. Scratch that. Folks next to us were holding up their Verizon phones trying and failing to get a signal too. 200k connected users in one spot will overload any network. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
AT&T service finally crashed beneath our collective weight. Got about an hour until the actual event begins. Packed in here like crazy people but everyone remains civil and courteous. So pleasant. My USB battery pack is letting me down, but since there's no phone service? There's not much drain. Still, I should look into a smarter charger. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
Finally, after years of living in the DC Metro area, there's an event in DC I can really get behind. Oh sure there have been anti-war protests, but this one appeals to my true nature of not being serious.
So which side will I pick? Sanity (http://www.rallytorestoresanity.com/) or fear (http://www.keepfearalive.com/)? Not much of a contest: I choose the rally for sanity. Here's why.
First, I view marches as parades without floats, and I hate parades. Second, walking? Ugh. Third, all the craziness in the world is bumping me higher up the sanity curve. I'm supposed to be the nut job conspiracy theorist, not the guy shaking his head at the wacko wannabes who don't even bother presenting evidence. Thus, in an insane world, I'm siding with sanity. How crazy is that? [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
In sad news, Senator Robert Byrd of West Va. passed away this weekend. His passing creates a void, not just in the Senate but also in the order of Presidential succession. A new President pro tempore must be sworn in (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/28/daniel-inouye-succeeds-ro_n_627990.html), and it's the current most senior member of the Senate - Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Inouye).
This should be a huge moment of pride for Japanese-Americans, natives of the State of Hawaii, and especially folks like me who are both. That this happens while our sitting President is also a native of Hawaii makes this a stellar year for leadership from the Aloha State. My condolences to Byrd's family and state, but this is a huge event for us. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
My wife got an interesting piece of mail, which she was about to dump, but I said "No, it reads clearly, 'DO NOT DESTROY'" and it also states it should be opened. So she opened it and let me read it. Turns out it's a survey from the Republican National Committee. Strange given my wife is a latte-sipping, hybrid-driving, vegan-leaning liberal. Also, where the f--- is mine?
Anyway, the "survey" is just a push poll asking questions like, "Do you agree with Barack Obama and Nanny Pelosi's efforts to impose massive tax hikes on the American people?" Yeah, that's not a leading question.
The best part is the question at the end where they ask if you want to donate money to keep the country strong, or if you only want to contribute $11. Yes, the options are donate or contribute. So thanks for the survey, but to quote Dick Cheney "Go f--- yourself." [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
You knew this was coming since he went back home to vacation: another installment of watch Barack Obama eat Shave Ice (http://sumocat.blogspot.com/search/label/shave%20ice)! [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
Why Obama's Afghanistan strategy is the correct one
Following President Obama's speech reaction from the right-wing nut jobs has been to cry about the timeline and insufficient troop escalation. Meanwhile, the far-left crazies are crying about the timeline and excessive troop escalation. Sounds about right to me. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
After SNL's Seth and Amy went off on Goldman Sachs (http://www.google.com/search?q=Gold+Man+Sacks) for getting doses of the swine flu vaccine ahead of many at-risk groups, I decided to test a theory. I was right. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
That President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/obama-wins-nobel-peace-pr_n_314907.html) for his efforts to restore global trust and renew our collective hope for peace is a tremendous honor for both him and the nation that elected him. However, I cannot help bat question whether the award has come too soon.
While I agree our president of the past nine months has done much to promote peace, he's not the man I want to see recognized for those efforts. Rather, I want to see that award go to the president who will build on those efforts for the next few years to come. He, I believe, will prove even more deserving of this honor, but his major accomplishments are still some years away.
In the meantime, I would have preferred to see the award go to someone move in need of its recognition and resources. While President Obama needs our support to continue his work, he already has recognition and resources in abundance.
That said, the spirit in which he has accepted the award shows that our president understands the work yet to be clone. I stand with those who are proud of our president but are more focused of being proud of him in the future. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
"I am sick of the monkey fightin' birthers in the monkey fightin' way!"
"It's the one that says 'Bad Monkey Fighter!"
"Jedi lightsaber. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill all the dissent in the room, accept no substitutes." [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
No, my exact words when I saw Kanye West storm the stage to protest Taylor Swift's win over Beyonce at the MTV VMA's were "What a f---ing jackass." President Obama's reaction (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/obama-kanye-is-a-jackass_n_286623.html) was a bit more diplomatic, leaving off the adjective. Still, I like to think he and I were on the same page on this. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
When you ask a neocon why they think Bush was a good president, they'll usually claim he kept us safe. Certainly VP Cheney has used that line many times. Of course, that metric only works if you exclude the first eight months of his presidency. Point out that omission and they'll pin it on Clinton. Yet somehow the current problems are all Obama's fault.
I don't know. Just seems odd to me that anyone would credit Bush with keeping us sate when the worst attack in U.S. history occurred during his term. Normally when you analyze someone's job performance, you start at the beginning. Measure it that way and Obama has kept us safe longer than Bush did. Oh, but I suppose Bush gets credit for that, which is fine since it should also mean he gets blame for the huge, vast mess he left behind. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
Reading through the transcript of President Obama's speech, I have concluded that his path to reform is evolution, not revolution. On one hand, I think we need reform to go further. On the other, I recognize the path forward must be taken step-by-step.
I agree with setting up an insurance marketplace to bring insurance providers and customers together. I agree with establishing a non-profit insurance provider as an option. I foresee some controversy over mandating that everyone obtain basic coverage, but the flip side is that it means universal coverage.
I think the President presented a strong outline for reform, giving enough leeway to all sides to contribute and take credit for the bill's success. Still, it remains to be seen whether that opportunity is worth it to those who stand to gain politically if reform fails. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
Reading through a back issue of JSA, it struck me that if President Obama was a superhero, he'd be Mr. Terrific (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Terrific_%28Michael_Holt%29).
Mr. Terrific is the African-American leader of the JSA, the premiere superhero team. He's a phenomenal athlete, the smartest man in the room, and champion of fair play. More importantly, he's cool. The man has no super powers but he can take charge of those who do and be completely in control. If Barack Obama was a superhero, that would be him. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
Watching scenes of angry and fearful protesters rail against "death panels" and taxes to pay for universal health care, I find myself ever more disappointed that the media pays such attention to the irrational side of democracy. Yes, we should hear all sides of an argument, but how many different ways do we need to hear "I'm afraid of death and hate paying taxes"?
More to the point, why do we give these cheap populist tactics any legitimacy? Everyone is afraid of death to some degree and would prefer to not pay taxes, but that's true all the time. The opponents are targeting specific parts of the proposals, but the core motives and arguments are driven solely by those basic emotions, not by the rational thinking needed to work out this intricate debate.
of course, this isn't the first time these irrational extremists let their fear and anger control them. The so-called "teabaggers" rallied against higher taxes. apparently unaware the Tea Act that led to The Boston Tea Party actually lowered a tax on tea. The "birthers" are sticking to their story despite a complete lack of evidence to support them and a mountain against them. Health care reform is the first non-imaginary cause they've taken up, but they seem intent on focusing on imaginary issues, like "death panels". Such a tragic waste of time given all the actual problems that need to be worked out. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
I Support the Resolution to Recognize the 50th State
In recognition of the admission of Hawai'i as the 50th state fifty years ago on August 21st, Representative Neil Abercrombie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Abercrombie) has proposed a House resolution to celebrate it (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:hr593ih.txt.pdf). Simple enough, except that it runs through a list of unique and notable features of my birth state, including the fact that our 44th President was born there too.
Should have gone forward no problem since no one in their right mind would object to recognizing the 50th anniversary of the 50th State. But on my list of people "in their right mind", there's a blank line where Minn. Rep. Michelle Bachmann (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Bachmann) might go. She objected on the grounds that a quorum was not present (http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/27/bachmann-hawaii-resolution-obama/).
Fair enough, but now instead of letting this easy resolution float through without fanfare, it will be voted on by a majority of the House, forcing the Republican members to show us where they stand on the "birther (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=birther)" issue and officially rebuke the ridiculous theory.
Still, it will be interesting to see if anyone feels the need to justify their vote or amend a resolution that does not affect their state. And I can't imagine how the "birthers" will react.
3P: How to Keep Your Baby Safe From "Birther" Conspiracies
With the so-called "birthers" (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=birther) keeping their nutjob message in the media, I've become concerned that the eligibility of my future children to become President of the United States will be questioned because, like President Obama, they can only present a birth certificate, record of birth announcement in the local papers, confirmation from state officials, and passing an FBI security clearance. Thus, I've come up with bulletproof methods to ensure their eligibility. [+/-] Hide/Show Text [+/-] Hide/Show Text
