The Gospel According to Luke

Song after Silence

2010-08-14T06:25:00.007-10:00

The world is getting hotter, the governments are controlled by corporate elites, and racism is an acceptable political platform. Yes, I guess I should start venting through a blog again.

Really, it is pointless, an exercise in futility. My words and actions cannot stop or even slow the swirling vortex that is life as we know it speedily heading down the drain. But isn't that the way it is with all that man creates. Eventually whatever it is will turn to dust and the memory will remain only as long as there is someone there to remember it.

I have kids though, and it makes papa a worried man. I know a massive worldwide effort is needed to change and yet the powers that be want to have continued profits from the status quo. With each major calamity we have a chance to make it the catalyst, the defining moment where we propel ourselves to greatness. And yet, time and time again the exact opposite action is taken. With 9-11 we could have woken up to what neo-colonialism and rampant militarism lead to and instead we, the U.S., expanded our domination of people and natural resources through bloody force and dis-empowered our own people in the process by taking away rights and freedoms. The BP oil spill could have caused us to reevaluate our dependence on an ever depleting, pollution generating, antiquated energy source, to hold responsible the companies and the complacency of governmental bodies. Instead, the drilling continues.

This will be our legacy to the cosmos? The smart species that couldn't learn? Couldn't change?

Hope: The last thing released from Pandora's box. Blessing to help us with all the evils or just a final evil. Hope keeps faith alive, keeps you going when there isn't a melting snowballs chance in a warming climate. Yet hope, like belief, implies doubt. An attachment to what does not actually exist.

So, I will head out today, soak in the heat, watch my two young girls frolic in the pool, blissfully unaware, as they should be, of fools trying to repeal the 14th amendment, or rendition flights, or catastrophic floods, or ancient melting glaciers in Greenland. All I have is love.

Show Must Go On

2008-10-23T08:50:00.005-10:00

That's right! Keep it all yourself. Isn't that what Jesus said: Horde your wealth & ignore the needy. Yep, makes sense. Let's make 1% of the world's popualtion control 95% of the world's wealth. Afterall, its reward for all their hard work (note: poor people don't work hard which is why they aren't rich) and they have no connection, much less responsibility, to their societies.

On the plus side, at least the Republicans are being honest. Democrats hate freedom of course, but the Elephants hate anything social. So when there is a flood, no government asssistance. When a company steals your pension, no assistance. When your bank goes belly-up, no assistance. When

Could resist this pic of the great white hope (for ignorant rednecks). The moose is loose!

Hmmm.... when was there another time that a campaign smeared an opponent with random deceitful calls with little basis in reality?
The 2000 Republican primary when Bush's people asked southern voters if they would vote for John McCain if they new he fathered an illegitimate black child.
McCain sold his soul...

I wish there were more Republicans like this guy. Their policies and campaign truly are and have been shameful.

No comment needed. Wait.... 9/11, terrorists, 9/11, terrorists. Ok, now I'll check "Fear"

Wait a second... The GOP believes in the Constitution. They believe in using it for toilet paper and starting book burning bonfires.

Endangered Species

2008-08-12T11:42:00.012-10:00

Bush wants some endangered species rules extinct
"If adopted, these changes would seriously weaken the safety net of habitat protections that we have relied upon to protect and recover endangered fish, wildlife and plants for the past 35 years,"

About 33% of coral species threatened with extinction
Nearly one-third of the small animals that make up the most massive and elaborate structures in coral reefs face an elevated risk of extinction from global warming and various local problems

Plants move up mountain as temps rise
Within 30 years, most had moved to elevations 200 feet above their previous growth range. The findings provide a glimpse of what could happen to the world's vegetation as the Earth faces inevitable global warming.

Professor Examines the Effects of Climate Change on Civilizations
"…if you look at the warm centuries with a global perspective, the wide incidence of drought is truly striking and offers a sobering message about tomorrow's world. Prolonged aridity was widespread in medieval times and killed enormous numbers of people. Evidence is mounting that drought is the silent and insidious killer associated with global warming."

Blood for Oil

2008-06-30T06:47:00.007-10:00

Iraq throws open door to foreign oil firms
So why did the U.S. invade Iraq? Was it their links to al-Qaeda? Was it because Saddam was a brutal dictator? Was it because of all those WMD's that were never found? Was it for national security for the U.S.? Or was it for the higher causes of freedom and democracy? Well, if you answered none of the above, you are correct!
Sadly, if you were questioning the war rationale on the lead-up to the invasion you were called a crazy lefty peacenik, an unpatriotic conspiracy wacko, a un-American traitor who revels in the death of U.S. citizens. And, if you suggested that Bush & Co.'s ties to big oil fueled their interest with Iraq you had definitely been listening to too much Amy Goodman.
In 2003 the invasion began. The holes in the Administrations justification became more and more apparent with each passing day. WMDs were never found, the Nigerian uranium intel proved completely false, the world did not become safer as evident in London and Madrid, and democracy and freedom were the first casualties of sectarian violence and governmental corruption. There were the no bid contracts to rebuild, the independently contracted security forces, the memorable "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" photo op. True, Saddam was removed but did life improve for the people of Iraq? No.
2008: The war drags on. It has cost the U.S. over half a trillion dollars, a strong dollar, the respect of the international community, 500o U.S. lives, and over 100,000 Iraqi lives. The war has led to more global resentment. The war has revealed the ugliness of torture at the hands of Americans and its accomplices. The war has created a convenient excuse for the suspension of habeas corpus. The war has created a breeding ground for more terrorists and has brought less democracy to the region.
For what are we paying this high price? OIL.

All this time, all these justifications, all the denial of the obvious motive and here it is: Proof the anti-war crowd was CORRECT. This war was for the oil. It is indeed "Blood for Oil". American blood. Iraqi blood. Parent's blood. Children's blood. Babies blood. Blood of God's creations.

Sometimes I really hate being right. The only thing worse about being right on "Blood for Oil" is that I am also right on climate change. More extreme weather anyone? Disruption of the food supply? Disappearance of water? Massive social upheaval? The death of civilization? Extinction?!!! Oh wait, label me a chicken little pinko, peace loving, tree hugging, stoner hippy who hates America who'd make everyone gay, give out free abortions, and euthanize old people all while pissing on the stars and stripes. That'll invalidate my argument and make the problems raised go away... just like in Iraq.

God, grant us more time to fix the problems of our own making...

And on and on...

2008-06-27T13:51:00.004-10:00

This summer may see first ice-free North Pole

Thin Ice: The Arctic Meltdown Explained

Top 10 Surprising Results of Global Warming

Last Post Continued...

2008-06-26T13:09:00.004-10:00

Court says no deadline for EPA on global warming

White House Refused to Open Pollutants E-Mail

Climate Change May Challenge National Security, Classified Report Warns

Sea warmth rise worse than was thought

Extreme weather to increase with global warming

'This is the last chance'

2008-06-24T06:32:00.006-10:00

NASA warming scientist: 'This is the last chance'

By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer Mon Jun 23, 9:35 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Exactly 20 years after warning America about global warming, a top NASA scientist said the situation has gotten so bad that the world's only hope is drastic action.

James Hansen told Congress on Monday that the world has long passed the "dangerous level" for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and needs to get back to 1988 levels. He said Earth's atmosphere can only stay this loaded with man-made carbon dioxide for a couple more decades without changes such as mass extinction, ecosystem collapse and dramatic sea level rises.

"We're toast if we don't get on a very different path," Hansen, director of the Goddard Institute of Space Sciences who is sometimes called the godfather of global warming science, told The Associated Press. "This is the last chance."

Hansen brought global warming home to the public in June 1988 during a Washington heat wave, telling a Senate hearing that global warming was already here. To mark the anniversary, he testified before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming where he was called a prophet, and addressed a luncheon at the National Press Club where he was called a hero by former Sen. Tim Wirth, D-Colo., who headed the 1988 hearing.

To cut emissions, Hansen said coal-fired power plants that don't capture carbon dioxide emissions shouldn't be used in the United States after 2025, and should be eliminated in the rest of the world by 2030. That carbon capture technology is still being developed and not yet cost efficient for power plants.

Burning fossil fuels like coal is the chief cause of man-made greenhouse gases. Hansen said the Earth's atmosphere has got to get back to a level of 350 parts of carbon dioxide per million. Last month, it was 10 percent higher: 386.7 parts per million.

Hansen said he'll testify on behalf of British protesters against new coal-fired power plants. Protesters have chained themselves to gates and equipment at sites of several proposed coal plants in England.

"The thing that I think is most important is to block coal-fired power plants," Hansen told the luncheon. "I'm not yet at the point of chaining myself but we somehow have to draw attention to this."

Frank Maisano, a spokesman for many U.S. utilities, including those trying to build new coal plants, said while Hansen has shown foresight as a scientist, his "stop them all approach is very simplistic" and shows that he is beyond his level of expertise.

The year of Hansen's original testimony was the world's hottest year on record. Since then, 14 years have been hotter, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Two decades later, Hansen spent his time on the question of whether it's too late to do anything about it. His answer: There's still time to stop the worst, but not much time.

"We see a tipping point occurring right before our eyes," Hansen told the AP before the luncheon. "The Arctic is the first tipping point and it's occurring exactly the way we said it would."

Hansen, echoing work by other scientists, said that in five to 10 years, the Arctic will be free of sea ice in the summer.

Longtime global warming skeptic Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., citing a recent poll, said in a statement, "Hansen, (former Vice President) Gore and the media have been trumpeting man-made climate doom since the 1980s. But Americans are not buying it."

But Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., committee chairman, said, "Dr. Hansen was right. Twenty years later, we recognize him as a climate prophet."

___

On the Net:

Hansen's speech: http://www.columbia.edu/jeh1/2008/TwentyYearsLater_20080623.pdf

RIP

2008-06-23T06:45:00.016-10:00

Two lights have gone out in a matter of days. I'm not the type to get sentimental about people who I've never met but when public figures touch your own little life it is good to reflect on their passing. Tim Russert & George Carlin both had an influence on me. One for asking the tough questions. The other for making me motherfuckin' laugh while reflecting on liberty. Both of these guys were class acts in their respective fields. Both made positive contributions to this "Grand Experiment". Both of them stood strong while weaker men around them wallowed in absurdity. Both will be missed...

Final Thoughts... Long Overdue

2008-06-17T09:58:00.008-10:00

To anyone who has seen this blog of mine it is obvious which candidates in this election season I support. Mid-May was Oregon's primary and although the national democratic race went the way I had hoped, the senatorial primary race did not. We Novick supporters watched the numbers come in knowing that the man favored to win was indeed going to get the nod and that our underdog campaign was over.
In the days that followed I felt a bit disgruntled, even angry at times. We had fought a good fight (Novick being the first individual to inspire me enough to work on a campaign). The next day, my Merkley supporting co-worker jokingly offered me a Merkley pin to wear to replace my "Hook" pin and I graciously declined. I was still sore from the loss and was not quite ready to entertain such a thought as supporting the opposition. Still, no progressive, liberal, Democrat truly wants to see Gordon Smith reelected. Yes, I will be voting for Jeff but in the days following the primary election I just wasn't quite ready to jump on board his bandwagon.
Time has passed.... I'm still not jumping. And here is why:
Jeff Merkley ran a campaign straight out of the GOP handbook. Red-baiting, negative polling & ads, smear tactics, and use of wedge issues. This he did against a fellow progressive, a fellow Democrat. One might think that an intelligent guy decrying Novick for attacking fellow Dems would see the irony in having a campaign smearing someone on the same team. But hey, what do I know? I'm just part of that inner-Portland "Kremlin" circle.

1. Merkley accused Novick (and his supporters) of being Commies. My co-worker stated that her biggest reason for not liking Steve was that he used the hammer and sickle emblem of the Communist party during his campaign. First of all, he didn't. Second, a lefty accusing another lefty of being socialist? Huh? Don't all lefties have some connection with the ideals touted by Communism? Whatever. And last but not least what is up with a Cold War campaign tactic in 2008? Were the Merks serious?!! Red-baiting in the post-Cold War era? It is silly coming from the right when it does but it is absolutely absurd coming from the left.

2. A buddy of mine who majored in Poli. Sci. but who found himself "out of the loop" and undecided commented that when he saw Merk's smear campaign "Novick Insults Democrats" his decision was made: He voted for Novick. He explained it as such: First, being critical of elected officials is part of being in a healthy democracy. Just because an individual is in your party doesn't mean they should get a free pass (unless you of course are a Republican). Second, Steve was making valid points, so much so that when his comments were posted Merk's lacky, Kari Chrisholm (and the plagiarizer responsible for the Novick Insults Democrats website), didn't even bat an eye. Finally, the quotes Merk and Co. used were taken out of context. Oh, Republican play book, how did Merkley end up with a copy of you? The "insult" of Gore was particularly amusing seeing as though Steve's overall message in the piece was that Al should run for president.

3. I won't get into the negative polling thing here except to say that Merkley's people called my house doing the poll and were incredibly rude when I told them I was supporting Steve.

4. Now the wedge issue, which is related to Merkley's assertion that we here in Portland are like the "inner circle of the Kremlin" was not just red-baiting but a wedge meant to be driven between urban and rural Democrats. The tension between these two parts of Oregon society unfortunately plays out more than I would prefer. But for a progressive who says that he will work with people this tactic is stupid, mean spirited, and unhealthy for the state's Dems. Thanks for helping our party go in reverse and for alienating urbanites Jeff.

Well, congrats Jeff Merkley and supporters. You won! Your political maneuvering worked! You out spent Steve, you invented non-issues, you took the low road of division, and you proved that the GOP premise that you must play dirty to win is right! Sadly though, you also lost. You lost my respect. You lost that feeling of unity. You lost any chance of grass roots support from those "Commies" who have always been on the same team as you.
So to Jeff Merkley and his peeps I promise I will vote Dem in November. I promise I will tell the few undecided citizens I know that Jeff is a better choice for Oregon than Gordo. But I also promise I will not make phone calls, carry signs, sport pins, or make any contributions to you either. Now that my feelings have settled, now that I see that my critiques of your campaign are not simply done out of spite, now that I am clear headed enough to see that the criticisms are valid, I can say without guilt that I will not work on your campaign. You played so dirty in the primaries I don't want to play for you now. Maybe I should have started a site "Merkley Insults Portlanders" but then I would be just as bad as you and yours. I'd be... well, like a Republican.
Best of Luck in November! May you kick Mr. Smith out of Washington.

More on Nader

2008-06-13T08:37:00.004-10:00

I'll give my "friend" a final word via his final e-mail before ending this thread of thinking. He is the "Nader Hater" in the convo (as if you couldn't tell), though as you can see from the verbiage, he is not exactly a "hater."

I will add to my previous post, lest it be interpreted as more Naderite hating drivel. I do not blame Nader supporters, except those who truly believe that the Dems and Reps are the same. If so, they should sleep in on election day (not getting up for work anyway). Nader was principled and showed courage, two things that the Dems have lacked for quite some time. While I do not agree with his policies, I can't argue that Nader would at least stand up for what he believes in. Thats kinda different than what passes for politicians in America. So for that, the Naderites were right, vote your conscience and live with the consequences.

Naderites, the Dems will have you back now. Forgive and forget. A chance to vote for Obama is infinitely better than having Lieberman move from VP to Pres (shudder). Maybe it will work out for the best. If not, there is always hindsight!

So, in the end, yes, big Al would have been better and our country is in the shitter thanks to Bush & Co. To those ends, I hope that the Dems and their candidate(s) are not making the same mistakes of '00 (they don't seem to be). And I hope the lefties do not vote for a 3rd party candidate and arguably help McCain's bid (again, they don't seem to be). When we look back at these past 8 years we can clearly see who lost by having Bush in power: the environment, the worker, the middle-class, the poor, the 3rd world, the Iraqis, the Constitution, the American people, the world. Who won? Corporate America: fossil fuel industry, military industrial complex, big pharma, shady lenders, Satan.
Will '00 repeat itself? I think not but whether you love or hate Nader...
VOTE OBAMA '08!

Nader Hater v. Naderite

2008-06-12T09:06:00.009-10:00

This entry is from an e-mail convo I had with someone I know that I will keep anonymous. I thought it was a stimulating enough diaogue to put on to the blog. It also seems relevant as we start getting into the meet of the '08 elections.

Nader-Hater:

Ok, all you Nader lovers, heres an article arguing that Ralph changed the Democratic party by blocking Al Gore and that we have him to thank for Obama's rise. It can be summed up as follows: "it's becoming ever clearer that by playing the third-party spoiler, Nader won the argument about the future of the Democratic Party."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11018.html

This may be true, Nader pushed the Democrats to the left, I just wonder if it was worth mortgaging the nation's future given the disaster of the past 8 years (Ashcroft, Iraq, Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, John Bolton, Gonzales, Cheney, Clear Skies initiative, the further depletion of the EPA, rejection of Kyoto, tax cuts, tort reform, gay marriage, Alito & Roberts, our new buddy Musharraf, gas prices, global warming denial, etc., etc.). So you will forgive me if I forget to thank Nader for all that he has done to move the party left.

Ok, thats my rant for this morning.

Naderite:
As a "Naderite" let me just say that:

1. Al Gore ran a bad campaign... against a village idiot! Had Al not acted like Gorebot, had Al distanced himself from the corporate Dems, had Al brought up the environment as a major issue he wouldn't have had to worry about Ralphy. He also wouldn't have had to worry about Nader if he had destroyed George in the debates.
Cookie-cutter moderate Dems turned off the left. Abandoned the left in truth. Those swing voters were more important than a good chunk of the Dem base. Al and his peeps are to blame for the '00 loss. I blame like minded Dems for '04 as well. That, and voting "irregularities".

2. No one imagined the insane amount of power that came to Bush post 9/11. with that power (partially bestowed on him by many Dems) and with the blind support of an enraged country he was able to do most of the evil things that you listed. If not for 9/11 it would have been four and out and the executive branch would not have been able to do whatever it is they wanted. Neither Naderites nor Goresters(?) could have predicted 9/11 or what came after.

3. I told (a friend) in the summer of '00 that it was going to have to get worse before it got better. A lot more green campaigns out there now that the weather is getting crazy and a lot more political involvement from the people now that unemployment, gas prices, and an ongoing war are taking their toll. The golden cage can be a pretty cool place. Why change when it feels so good? Was it better under Slick Willy and his buddies at the DLC than under Bush? God yes! But were those guys in blue really a solution to inequality, social injustice, globalized militarism, or environmental degradation? No. They were just nicer about it. Dems offered the scenic route to hell. Republicans offered the express lane.
Now, there is a guy responding to the whole enchilada who says "'We' must be a part of change, together." And all this is why Nader will not be a factor for Obama in '08.

Nader-Hater:

Ok, so Gore ran a bad campaign, true. I also agree that the Clinton way was not the best way, by a long shot. And maybe no one "imagined" the power Bush would get after "fear itself" became popular (again). Nevertheless, Bush's opportunity was handed to him, in small part, by Nader and other "disaffected Dems."

As for the "worse before it gets better" part of it all, that may not have depended entirely on Gore/Bush. The warmer weather, 9/11, and so much more, was likely to happen regardless of who was president. Leadership on these issues may have been a crucial first step toward a better result. I think Gore would have been a better leader than Bush, but thats just my opinion.

Finally, I think that Nader played a dangerous game that can be boiled down to this: I will risk the immediate future (Gore's election) for a chance at a better tomorrow (liberalism triumphant!). Well, ok, fair enough. But I think that it put us all at risk by placing policy before what was best for the country. Nader wasn't going to win. Gore might have won without Nader's campaign. So, maybe Nader got a little of what he wanted: the Dems pulled to the left. What did the rest of us get? Oh yeah, 8 years of insanity and damage that cannot be undone in the next 8. Nader rolled the dice; the nation lost.

Apples to oranges, I suppose.

Naderite:

Hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it? Yes, gore would have been better than the worst prez ever. As my pa likes to say "Our dog would be better than Bush!" As for the office being "handed to him" in part by guys like me? I still don't buy it. The way I see it is my party left me. I didn't leave my party. Granted, some might argue that's a convenient absolution for my guilty soul but... NAFTA: Bad. Salvage-Rider: Bad. 3 strikes and your out: Bad. And let’s not forget that bill could have signed Kyoto before bailing out of office but I guess he had his pardons to take care of.

See, lefties saw that the Dems had sold out, starting as early as 1984 really when Mondale’s defeat signaled the end of liberal populism. Dems track record over the last 20 years to stand up for their principles is pretty pathetic. Spineless really. Just look at their part in the Iran-Contra Affair.
I was raised blue. I thought the red to be in league with the devil! I never wanted to see them win any election so you gotta understand that my Nader support was in reaction to a failing (and flailing) party that I had been taught to love.
So I would argue that the mainstream Dems bet on being moderate and the nation lost. As (Howard) Dean pointed out: Dems thought the key to Willy's success was that he was a moderate but the truth was that he was “Slick Willy”, Mr. Charisma. It was more about his saxamaphone than his policies that made him a 2 term prez. Obama is proving the power of charisma over policy right now. Just ask Hill.
And that statement to (my friend)? Well, it was about the whole shibango, not just the seat of power. And again, Gore would have done better than Bush. But back to the chicken vs egg… Who came first?
Nader and the lefties went green as a reaction to the Dems. I would have never voted as I did if my party wouldn't have sold me out. True, they did o.k. with the economy (unless your job went overseas). They did fine with the environment (unless you hate clear cuts and SUVs).
I say: Dems rolled the dice and the nation lost. My apple to your orange. Nader was just a product of the Dem's betting on being moderate/corporate. Rather than get the tree huggin hippies re energized they bet on those "independent" voters. You know the type: fiscally conservative, socially liberal. Dems also bet on corporate America. They lost it for us and I ain't taken the blame. Maybe the Clinton funded, militarized police force herding me with rubber bullets, batons, and tear gas while I was peacefully assembled with my fellow citizens engaging in free speech left me a bit sour. What can I say?

Pa, I think a storms a-brewin'...

2008-06-10T11:37:00.016-10:00

Record tornadoes
Record rain
Record heat
Record cold

East: Sweltering heat
Midwest: Massive flooding
Northwest: Snow in June
California: Drought

Forest fires
Water rations
Dead zones
Storm surge

GOP Memo: Goal For Climate Debate Is ‘Making Political Points’
Senate climate bill blocked (by Republicans)

So am I the only one who is sick (and scared) of all this crazy weather we've had over the last five years? Above, as I made that little list of weather 'stuff', it occurred to me that everything I was referring to was from the U.S. only. It also occurred to me that the craziness we are experiencing now is from pollution that was originally released 20 years ago. That, my friends, was before SUVs, before 6.5 billion people, before the rise of China, before I hit puberty!

We can lessen are punishment if we quit now, though we still will feel the pain (aren't we now?). But continuation on this ruinous, unsustainable, ignorant path will lead us to the greatest punishment of all.

We can change. We can drive less or not at all, change our light bulbs, turn down the thermostat, turn off electronics, chill on motorized leisure activities, etc... But also...
We can demand that our leaders take up the cause of fighting climate change. Only a massive, organized, systemic effort will have a chance. From the bottom up AND the top down, we must all recognize our cosmic survival is at stake. Like the Greatest Generation we must make sacrifices and work as a team. Our government(s) must be play a strong role in this reshaping of society. If it is security that our governments should provide than our tax dollars should go to the effort of solving the climate crisis. The change that must occur if we are to have any chance to lessen the blow and survive the storm must be so complete, so fearless, so embraced that we will be one humanity finally and truly. Love of ourselves and the generations to come. Love of the beings that share this stroke of divine genius floating through space. Love of this spinning blue rock and all the miraculous, awe-inspiring beauty born out of its ripe ground.

Our continued existence will be our reward for this endeavor.

The problem is real, the situation is dire, and the time is now.

Big Lies

2008-06-02T11:14:00.002-10:00

Watchdog says NASA misled on global warming

1 hour, 24 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A government watchdog says NASA's press office "marginalized, or mischaracterized" studies on global warming between 2004 and 2006.

The NASA inspector general's report called it "inappropriate political interference."

The report issued Monday found that the agency's top management wasn't part of censorship, nor were career officials. It blamed "political appointees."

Conceeding Defeat

2008-05-21T09:07:00.003-10:00

Sad but true: Steve Novick was defeated by Jeff Merkley in the Oregon Democratic Primaries last night. Steve had fought the underdog battle but came could not overcome the odds. The only politician I ever campaigned for is no longer running but I do hope that Gordon Smith can still be unseated.
Here is what I hope for in the coming battle to snag the seat in the Senate:
1. Jeff Merkley BEATS Gordon Smith
2. Jeff Merkley uses the same negative campaign tactics on Gordo as he did on Steve.
3. Jeff Merkley does not sing "Kumbaya" with Republicans if he does win.
4. Jeff Merkley repairs rifts amongst Democrats immediately.
5. Jeff Merkley learns how to land a punch in a debate rather than giving the politically safe answers.
To Steve: Let me say thanks for helping me believe in someone rather than just something. I do not trust politicians and they constantly prove that my lack of faith in them is warranted. Instead, I usually focus on issues of policy or broader ideology. You were endearing, approachable, down to earth, and one of "us" however. You were the rare candidate that did not thirst for power but instead saw your run as a matter of responsibility. You were not the well-groomed career politician but your ideas had broad appeal. I don't know what your future plans are but I wish you the best and hope to see you continue standing up for the little guy. Thank you Steve. You made this Oregonian proud.

Onto Obama...
He now has the majority locked up for pledged delegates. The race will none the less continue and, as much as I am sick of it, I think it should. Why stop now right?

So Long Suckas!

2008-05-09T09:46:00.008-10:00

So all three presidential hopefuls are coming to town. Truth is, two out of three are already here. My response? I'm getting on a plane and high tailing out of here!
No, it isn't so that I can escape the hype, the motorcades, or the political ads. Really, I'd like to stay and help the Novick campaign. But alas, I'm going on vacation (in part thanks to my mother-in-law). I got a house sitter and I'm tying up the loose ends at work. If anyone wonders where I've gone, here are some pics but there will be no more blogging for at least the next 9 days.
Peace out everyone (that is aimed at the three people who actually visit this site!)

Ding Dong

2008-05-07T08:03:00.006-10:00

Well, the witch is almost dead, though apparently she has yet to get the memo. Last night she scraped by in Indiana but got completely trounced in NC. Although many pundits framed this as a split between the two the delegate count reveals a little different story. Last night almost nullified Clinton's Pennsylvania victory. If you put the three states together Hillary's net gain in delgates was a mere 7 and with the finish line within sight it would take a miracle (or something tragic) for her to overtake Barack. Even if she were able to get 60% of all the remaining primaries and 60% of the remaining super delegates she would still loose. So although she may still fight on it may very well be the fat woman singing her theme song.
That said, if you are in one of the the last few states get out there and vote Obama!

Indiana & North Carolina

2008-05-06T10:43:00.004-10:00

Indiana and North Carolina:
Democrats, please, for the love of your country and your party, do the right thing and shut the door on the Clinton campaign!
She can't win. She has transparent tactics designed for dummies (Gas Tax Holiday anyone?). She is willing to tear the party apart for her own ambitions. She caters to corporate America. She doesn't inspire (save for the rabid anti-Hillary crowd). She doesn't provide a stark contrast with her buddy McCain. Oh, and did I mention she can't win?
To Indiana Voters: Back Barack because if he is good enough for Illinois, he's good enough for you.
To North Carolina Voters: Since John is gone, go Obama. He may not be a southerner but he does seem to be a gentleman.
Come on Dems! Make my state obsolete on the national stage.

And now back to Oregon politics...

Come out for a good time with Gov. John Kitzhaber

Wednesday, May 07 2008
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Join Governor Kitzhaber and over 30 movers and shakers for a reception at the Northstar Ballroom in Portland. The event is free and open to all ages. The evening promises to be filled with good times, good people, and good food with music by Brooklyn Street Jazz, highlighting vocalist Ashley Henry, and Lebanese appetizers from Al-Amir provided by Donya Massaad.

The Northstar Ballroom
635 N. Killingsworth Ct.
Portland, OR 97217

directions for public transit
directions for driving

Another Shameless Novick Plug

2008-05-05T11:10:00.003-10:00

I have much work to do so I'm not going to write much. Although I have provided a link to the Oregonian article about Steve here is much of the text. Enjoy (and vote Novick!)

Novick no stranger to beating long odds

The political insider, a onetime Justice Department star, transforms himself into a credible U.S. Senate candidate

Friday, May 02, 2008

JEFF MAPES

The Oregonian

By his early 20s, Novick had overcome so much in the eyes of those around him that they had trouble believing that he could fall prey to the normal doubts and uncertainties of life. Literally from the time he was born -- when his mother says a doctor saw his deformed feet and tried to strangle him in the birth canal -- he had been overcoming a deck stacked against him, often in spectacular fashion.

Now, at 45, Novick continues to challenge the odds. He has turned himself from a political insider virtually unknown to the general public into a credible first-time candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, one who just might beat the pick of the party's establishment, House Speaker Jeff Merkley, to face Republican incumbent Gordon Smith.

Unconventional childhood

Novick's upbringing was far from conventional. His mother was forced to drop out of college when she became pregnant with him at 18. She briefly married his biological father, but the marriage soon ended. Rebecca Novick Harmon says she later learned that her doctor had tried to prevent her son's birth, and she described a series of challenges in his early years.

[ ... ]

His mother taught at a Head Start center in San Francisco, and her son was the only white kid in the class. Within a couple of weeks, by sheer force of personality, he had turned bullies into friends. Whether it was hanging laundry or playing pickup softball, he always wanted to be part of the action.

"I just sort of did what I could do," Steve Novick says. "It's not like I remember that I had all these obstacles to overcome."

Superfund expert

Novick, whom colleagues called the "king of costs," became one of the lead government attorneys in legal action stemming from the notorious Love Canal chemical pollution disaster in New York state.

By the fall of 1995, Novick and other Justice Department attorneys were locked in intense negotiations with the Occidental Chemical Corp. over how much the company would pay.

Steve Yablonski, Occidental's lead attorney in the final negotiations, described Novick as one of the few people who could have successfully reached a deal that called for the company to pay $129 million in damages. "He is just several notches above most people," Yablonski says. "He is a really bright guy, and yet he is not an egghead who can't function with most people."

Back in Oregon

As the caucus administrator for Oregon Senate Democrats in 1997, Novick always looked for a catchy issue to tweak the Republicans then in the majority.

"He would whisper something in my ear about the corporate tax rate or the kicker," recalls Portland Commissioner Randy Leonard, then a state senator, "and before you know it he and I would sitting down and I would be writing out some remarks that I would take to the floor and would just outrage the Republicans. . . . I essentially became a mouthpiece for Steve."

Money not a priority

Novick rarely made as much as he had as a lawyer at the Justice Department, but that didn't seem to bother him. His girlfriend, Julia Bunnell, an Environmental Protection Agency official in Washington, explains: "There is so much going on in his mind all the time, he's always reading, learning and talking and getting information, I'm not sure he has the time to think about" acquiring things.

Read the entire story at OregonLive.com

More on Novick

2008-05-01T13:21:00.007-10:00

Here in Oregon we have had an intense battle to see which Democrat will face Gordon Smith this fall in the general election for U.S. Senate. When the race first began, Steve Novick, who is not a politician, tried to convince numerous party leaders to run against Gordo. No one stepped to the plate so Steve did himself. At first, many thought his chances were slim and his attempt quaint. After two months of trying to drum up support another Democrat, Jeff Merkley, threw his hat into the ring. This he did after national Democrats in D.C. convinced him to run.
Fast forward one year to present: Novick leads in the polls, he has run a great, grass-roots campaign, and nobody thinks of his candidacy as a joke anymore. He has recently been endorsed by the major papers here in Portland: the Oregonian, the Willamette Week, the Portland Mercury, and the Portland Tribune. Steve has raised almost as much money as Merkley without a such "outside" help.
If you are an Oregonian who is sick of politics as usual, who wants a real progressive representative willing to fight for the people rather than find common ground with those who seek to reduce people's rights click here for a good party, click here to donate (or here to buy some beer), and click here to get involved with the Novick campaign.

Just Some Pictures

2008-04-23T12:26:00.004-10:00

I am not feeling very inspired. I am working a new job, I am just about done with the cold and grey in Portland, and John Edwards is still out of the presidential race. Of course, I am a Barack fan but the big negatives of electability (i.e. black, inexperience, takes corporate money, has a Muslim name) would not be an issue for John. Clinton's issues would also not be issues for him (i.e. woman, insider, takes corporate money, has the Clinton name). Alas, the battle of the Dems continue on....

Anyways in light of that, here are some of my pics from around Oregon:

Mt. Hood from Powell Butte

Winter Light

Sturgeon Lake, Sauvie Island

Seaside at Night

Me

Hildebeast, Earth Day, and Pulling the Plug

2008-04-22T09:36:00.010-10:00

Clinton's win in Pa. leaves Obama battered, party reeling
As Dems stumble toward summer, GOP cries for more
Oh for the love of God?!! The Hildebeast lives to fight another day... and tear the party apart while squandering an opportunity to take the country in a different direction. NOOOOOO!!!! So here is the going theory in my office: Hillary's continued presence keeps the party divided. This then leads to McCain winning in '08. Then, after 4 more miserable years of economic hardship, continuous war (and possibly another war with Iran), and complete inaction on climate change Clinton will come in on her white steed and gallop into the White House. Personal ambition trumps all.

No Dah: Smog contributes to premature death
Yes, let's do more studies that show what is blatantly obvious. Do we really need conformation that smog is BAD? The Bushies say they do but the rest of us hacking asthmatics think otherwise.

Scientists study Arctic haze
Bush climate plan said too little, too late
Jet stream moving north
March the warmest on record over world's land surfaces
More good news about the melting ice caps. Another happy Earth Day to you! But on the plus side: US hybrid sales up 38 percent

Help Stop "Greenwashing"
Any of you tired of the world's worst polluter trying to claim that they are going "green"? I am. Commercials to dumb you down in some sort of capitalism double speak: Shell and its healthy reef ecosystem. Chevy and its eco-friendly SUV. Exxon and its search for renewable energy. The list goes on. But now there is a new phrase coined presumably by my friends at Greenpeace: Greenwashing.

Earth Day Beyond Bush
Maybe things will be better in the future. Maybe...Pull The Plug
Sick of politics as usual? Registered as a Democrat in Oregon? Then Vote for Steve Novick.

Letter to Wet-noodle Democrats

2008-04-21T08:59:00.008-10:00

Dear wet-noodle Democrats considering more funds for the war,
Please refrain from signing off on continued funding for the war in Iraq (again). To vote for more money for this war would be selling out your constituents, your party, and your country (again). And no, your add-ons to the bill will not off-set the inherent "wrong-ness" of the bill itself.
Please remember that the Democratic Party's '06 victory was due to the anti-war, anti-Bush sentiment. "We the People" wanted our elected officials to stop the madness, to stop the tyranny. The Democrats have long decried Bush's insanity yet the elected party officials like yourselves have continued supporting it. I hope this does not cost the Dems in '08.
To all you Democrats not willing to stand up against the hawks and their minions, please stop squandering the blue momentum. Our country needs the war to end, needs to spend money on fixing our own issues, and needs to step it up on the issue of global climate change. We do not need to continue an unjust, illegal, and incredibly costly war which ultimately is being fought to secure a natural resource whose use is quickly killing our world.
END THE WAR NOW BY STOPPING ITS FUNDING. STAND UP FOR YOUR PROCLAIMED PRINCIPLES, STAND UP FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND STAND UP FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
Sincerely,
one of "the People"

Random Thoughts

2008-04-18T11:01:00.013-10:00

ABC and the Debate
I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who thought that the recent Democratic debate was absolutely vile. I guess with a former senior Clinton advisor as one of the moderators who used a question from Sean Hannity no one should be too terribly surprised. And on the plus side, at least Hillary can no longer cry about the unfair media bias against her. The final bit of silver lining would be that the corporate media reveal led themselves to be true hacks more concerned about ratings than about objective reporting. I actually felt a little bad for Barack up there fielding question after question, none of which were very substantive. But again there is a plus side: His point about "petty" politics was on full display. And even better for the guy who should get the nomination is that Hillary could not keep that smugly satisfied look off her face anymore than she could keep that haughtily disgusted look off her daughters face whenever Obama spoke. No, if Stephanopoulos and the guys at ABC wanted to help get Hill to the White House than their plan miserably failed. Can you say "backlash"?

Novick and the "Other" Debate
Oregon's own debate was 100 times better. The moderators seemed to have no bias, they asked thoughtful questions regarding relevant issues, and everyone got their fair share of coverage. My general reaction to the three candidates' performances was:
1. Jeff Merkley- Cookie cutter politician giving "safe" answers. Although I largely agree with him on many issues his approach to a campaign is the status quo, his desire to be friend with everyone will inevitably water down his messages (and hence his policies), and his general demeanor reminds me a bit of Hillary. "I should be the nominee. How dare these challengers try to rain on my parade"
2. Candy Neville- Well meaning citizen out of her league. Granted, she had a couple of zingers, she did way better than I expected, and she came off, like Steve, as being a "real" person. Her level of understanding on the issues seemed to be only surface deep. Both Merkley and Novick are obviously more qualified and more capable of beating Gordon Smith.
3. Steve Novick- The man with a plan. His closing statement said it all. No, he is not smooth. No, he isn't trying to make friends. No, he doesn't have "the look" of a politician but... he came across as smart, genuine, and ready to take on Gordo. He showed that he would provide an alternative to "business as usual". He made clear that politics isn't about being chums with those that are opposed to you. He showed that he would be a fiery representative for our state and that his appeal would probably extend beyond party lines.

Its the Environment Stupid
WE ARE SO SCREWED!!! I'm sorry. I don't want to be a Debbie Downer but everyone is talking about doing something... too little too late. Cut emissions X% by 2025 as supported by a Neanderthal? Not good enough. What we experience in the climate today is from the gases emitted 20 YEARS AGO! We need real visionaries who say we must stop emitting greenhouse gases NOW. We need a plan that is not just about going neutral

but is also about getting what is already in the atmosphere out. One should not be taking baby steps to get out when the house is on fire. We need radical change. May Obama, Steve, and the rest of the world's leaders see this and realize that the issue of climate change trumps all issues. Climate change will exacerbate all other problems. War, famine, dehydration, economic collapse, etc... The sickness of our home is and should be the number one issue. May we all see the light before the light fades.

Letter to ABC regarding the "Debate"

2008-04-18T08:37:00.003-10:00

There are so many important issues. How could those two moderators spend so much time on such trivial BS. Here is a list of major issues facing the country. Maybe it will help you, the "ever-important to a functional democracy" press provide the citizenry with a real debate.
1. Climate Change
2. "Endless" War
3. Mortgage Crisis
4. Slumping Economy
5. Failing US Dollar
6. Gas Prices
7. Osama bin Laden "Still at large"
8. Suspension of Habeus Corpus
9. Erosion of Civil Liberties (ie. illegal spying on Americans)
10. Lobbyists
Hope this helps you serve your country better!
Luke
Click Here to sign petition to ABC

Quote 'o the Day

2008-04-17T12:03:00.002-10:00

There are two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.
-Albert Einstein

2008-04-14T12:25:00.012-10:00

O.K. folks, I don't have much to say today so I figured I'd at least provide some cool links. Well, they are all articles close to my heart and maybe they're not "cool" per say (especially with the ones about Global Warming) but still, they are something to do other than what you should be doing at this moment.
I hope some of you Oregonian voters did catch the debate last night. I'll have my reaction tomorrow maybe if I feel more energetic. Truth is, Steve Novick still has my support, Jeff Merkley still is taking his campaign straight out of the Karl Rove/Corporate Democrat play book, and Candy Neville still seems to be a bit out of her league. That said, I'll be voting for whoever is the Democrat going up against Gordon Smith in the fall. I would be most happy with a fire-brand like Novick pushing a real progressive agenda in D.C. Personally, I don't think true progressives should be smoking the peace pipe with the extreme right. We don't need moderates singing "Kumbaya" with the Bushies who dug America into this pit. We need genuine people like Steve to drive those profiteering, hypocritical fat cats out of town!
Here are the links:
The Environment Links
Garbage Island
Melting Mountains
Governors to Gather
Rich countries not leading
The Next President’s First Task
Global warming has a new battleground
Amazon’s ‘Forest Peoples’ Seek a Role
Jim Hansen, the Big Ice Melt and the Mainstream Media
Climate target is not radical enough
Warming May Have Caused Salmon Collapse
6 million pounds of trash on world's beaches
Homeowners feel heat in West coal boom

The Other Links
Worst. President. Ever.
Obama: My AG to investigate Bush White House
The Boss endorses Obama
AP photographer freed by US military after 2 years
Portland: Bus Tour Visits Sites of Discrimination

Tuesday Debate

2008-04-14T11:18:00.004-10:00

Tell your friends and family: don't miss Tuesday night's debate!

Fresh off of a SurveyUSA poll showing him with a double-digit lead over the rest of the field, Steve's ready to debate the two runners-up in that poll--Candy Neville and Jeff Merkley--in a debate sponsored by KGW Newschannel 8 and The Oregonian. Catch the debate live on KGW, Northwest Cable News, or streaming online at kgw.com this Tuesday, April 15th, from 7 PM to 8 PM.

Crack an ice cold Left Hook Lager and watch Steve prove that he is not the standard politician who'll sell you out quicker than Slick Willy!

American Idol, Kvetchfest, the Loss of Salmon, and Montana Oil

2008-04-11T07:16:00.015-10:00

American Idol
Although I am somewhat ashamed to admit it I, Luke G., watch American Idol. I know: it's uber-dorky, it supports Faux, it reveals that plastic-y, uncultured side of America that five years ago utterly sickened me, and ultimately, the show helps turn the viewer’s brain to mush. But I gotta say that thanks to my wife, I watch AI and actually like it.

My reasons? Well… Part of me is wishing I was up there on stage singing for a big break (that for me never came, boo-hoo). Part of me is also the hater anxiously awaiting the night that the poser David Cook or that forgettable girl from Oregon finally gets the boot. And part of me likes being just plain mindless. Being a jaded political nut who works for a non-profit I desperately need an escape. What can I say? But excuses aside, this week's AI made me want to puke!
On one level, that obsessive lefty in me finally could take no more: This week Idol "gave back". For those of you that don't know, AI does what can only be described as a telethon. The viewers donate some money and AI distributes it to largely worthy humanitarian causes. AI gets a bunch of stars to come in hopes of upping the numbers. Brad Pitt was amusing, Forrest Whitaker proved how compassionate he truly is, and Teri Hatcher showed that she has no business holding a mic.
What's wrong with millions of dollars being forked out by the public for worthy causes? Nothing, unless you consider that

a) Rupert Murdock could double the donations in one quarter's profits and

b) the corporate sponsor Exxon/Mobile made over $11 Billion last quarter

That's right: as recession hits, well-meaning Americans are donating their hard earned dough while getting fleeced by the oil giants and dumbed down by Faux.
You think that is where I’m going with my tirade? Well, think again.
I swallowed the hypocrisy just like the other viewers but last night I did finally get to the point where I had to change the channel (Gasp!). AI had just gotten done hyping themselves up, Ryan Seacrest had just announced the contestants' opening number, and the singers themselves had begun singing their song: Shout to the Lord.
Now I am pretty tolerant of peoples' religions and, when last week some of the Idols chose Christian songs I didn't connect with them but I certainly thought that it was their choice. And when guest Dolly Parton sang about Jesus I again was o.k. with it: Besides free choice there are plenty of great songs about Jesus or other religious themes. I love a lot of gospel music after all, and who is going to deny the profound depth of "Amazing Grace"? But when AI forced its diverse crew of competitors to praise Jesus in this evangelical song, I felt sick.
1. Not all the contestants are necessarily Christian yet they had to sing. What were they going to do? Protest and get the boot next week?
2. Not everyone watching is Christian. In fact, I was sitting next to my Jewish wife and daughter. America is diverse filled with Muslims, Universalists, Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics, etc... I'm guessing I was not the only one offended.
3. Today I read that during the telethon the night before AI did the same number, except they omitted Jesus’ name. Apparently the evangelicals got ticked off and to make a statement, AI did a redo inserting J.C.'s name back in. DUMB. AI shouldn't have touched this with a ten foot pole yet they did and then played around with it. That's Fox for you ain't it?
Kvetchfest
Looks like I just had a ‘fest of my own huh? Well, check out the Willy Week for their annual issue of the same name. As a native of Stumptown I laughed my ass off and then started crying into a 14oz pint of microbrew.
Loss of Salmon
Speaking of crying, the Feds just announced that they are going to do what the scientists advised for a change. There will be virtually no salmon fishing off the Oregon and Californian coasts. They are doing this to help the depleted salmon population recover. I'm all for it but sadly, it also means high priced imported salmon and hence, my BBQ will be relegated to burgers and chicken. I do so love you red meat of the sea but I guess I love you enough to lay-off for the year. But tonight, sushi with Sharon!

Montana Oil
Four dollars a gallon for your gas guzzler at the pump? Erratic weather patterns reeking havoc across the country (flood water anyone?)? Foreign wars, no-bid contracts, & scandalous energy firms? Yeah, it’s the oil baby. Black Gold! And we just got more of it. Any of you hoping for the well to run dry so that that car exhaust would no longer march us closer to extinction or so that our money would be spent on reinventing our society into a sustainable green one smear that hope with tar 'cause you're about to get feathered! Scientists have confirmed that there is a shale layer under Wyoming and Montana that is one of the biggest reserves of oil found to date. Which undoubtedly means a chance for more greenhouse gases, more plunder of the world's resources, more life as usual, and more profit for the barons at Exxon/Mobile (those poor guys deserved a break didn't they?). Praise Jesus and give a Shout to the Lord!!!

Steve is indeed 'Rocking On'

2008-04-10T09:04:00.008-10:00

Well, it looks like Steve Novick is indeed rocking on. Although the mainstream politicos here in Oregon seem to be primarily backing Merkley it is famous rockers who are jumping on Steve's bandwagon.
As reported by Jeff Mapes on OregonLive.com "First beer, and now it's music for Novick"
Novick is picking up some pretty random endorsements from the music community. Now that might not the most critical of endorsements as many political junkies will point out but I say you should never dismiss (even if you sometimes bemoan) the disenfranchised rockers, scenesters, and bar flies who have been already written off by these same junkies.
Mainstream Democrats, as evident from their moderate platforms, are always targeting swing voters. They have been since the mid-80's, when populism died. The party has ignored and continues to ignore the non-voter saying that it is near impossible to get these apathetic citizens to engage in the democratic process. I think this argument is complete BS and plays into the extreme right wing Republican's hand.
The reason why so many have tuned out, dropped out, or whatever is because the Democratic Party abandoned its core ideals. Bill Clinton and his crew hatched NAFTA and sold out both the worker and the environment. At the same time the Democrats heralded the Brady Bill to control fire arms they also militarized the police around the country. Instead of championing traditional social causes as a way to tackle social ills Slick Willy and the enamored mainstream politicians pushed through "3 strikes" legislation filling our prisons with people that could be rehabilitated. At the same time scientists began warning us about Climate Change politics as usual led to SUVs and the death of the electric car. Go figure so many of my friends don't want to vote for cookie cutter moderates siting "politricks as usual".
So, here we have some left of center rock stars endorsing Novick (not Bono). That says something: At a time when people have said "f-it" very vocal musicians are taking sides. And although I'm sure Steve would like to have the big named Blues on his side, I'm sure he's not complaining about popular musicians urging their fan bases to support him in his bid for U.S. Senate.

Poll: Steve Novick is for Real

2008-04-09T06:19:00.007-10:00

My general feeling about polls is that they should always be taken with a grain of salt. That "margin of error" thing (a mix of variables like how the question is presented, how diverse are the people polled, and whether something has recently occurred that might skew the results) leaves me thinking that they aren't always a very accurate reflection of reality (just look at some infamous exit polls for president). None the less, if taken with that mighty grain, they can be good indicators of more generalized trends.
This gets me to the poll conducted for KATU News regarding the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate (see entry below). Now, I'm sure that the Merks are spinning this negative poll as much as the Clinton spell weavers do on the delegate count trying to make it seem insignificant using the critiques I have listed above. Either that or they are pretending not to notice. It is just a poll. Still, deep down, they cannot be feeling too hot about the results. Even with the %4 margin of error, the poll indicates that Novick is now clearly the front runner. Heck, Merkley doesn't even place second in the poll! After all the big name endorsements, after all the slick political hype, after the negative campaigning against Steve, and after the City Club debate, Jeff Merkley came in third.
So to all of you that doubted the legitimacy of Steve's campaign, to those of you that said he wasn't a good enough politician, to all of you that said that he does not have mass appeal I say: Eat It!
If there is one thing that people should know is that regardless of political stripe the people of Oregon vote for fiery and unique individuals. Below is a list of Oregon politicians who did not fit the mold of "politician" or who did not adhere to their party's platform, people who thought critically for themselves and who saw their fellow citizen as fellow Oregonians before labeling them based on political affiliation.
Rock on Steve Novick! I hope to soon be adding your name to this honored list of rogue civil servants of my fair state.

Independent Thinkers of Oregon Politics
Peter DeFazio
Earl Blumenauer
Bud Clark - "Expose Yourself to Art"
Les Aucoin
Tom McCall
Oswald West
John Kitzhaber
Wayne Morse
*This list is by no means complete. Feel free to nominate your favorite politician from Oregon in the "Comments" field.

All Over the Place

2008-04-08T10:29:00.004-10:00

What can I say? I don't have time to do a real entry right now but here is a little something:

And back to the hipster issue... Things that suck about Portland
And here is a blog entry I put on Blue Oregon. By the way, comments always so vehement on that site or is it just for the Merkley/Novick race?

CLICK HERE FOR DEBATE

I unfortunately did miss the debate live (though I have since caught the replay on Channel 30). I did however, show-up as it was ending and I must say that everyone seemed positive about the debate and about the eventual general elections. Many Merks there seemed to have accepted Novick as a legitimate candidate and Hooks seemed to be pleased with Merkley's overall progressive tendencies. That said...

Why must Merkley run on a message that basically says "Don't be critical of fellow Democrats" while his campaign is almost being hyper-critical of Steve. Jeff continues to attack Steve's opinions and work history and while decrying Steve for attacking people (like Bono, Barack, etc...). Jeff seems to even suggest that Steve shouldn't attack Republicans! I say:
First, everyone deserves to be called out for not standing by their principles. Second, Steve is criticizing peoples' policies and decisions, not thier opinions. Finally (especially in regards to the Social Security question that Merkley so thoroughly avoided) the problem of some of Jeff's criticisms of Steve's criticisms are that they muddy the waters of the core of issues. Regardless of all the details involved in the SS debate for example, what is at the center? Well: Is it fair or just that the rich don't have to pay over 100 G's towards SS? Every progressive should say "NO". What up Merks?
Jeff wants to dance around a lot of this stuff and even maybe go golfing with many of the fat cats who would answer "yes" to the question. Tax breaks for the rich should be called out by every progressive for what they are: means to keep the poor down, to keep the rich rich, to keep inequality alive, to maintain the un-Democratic status quo of haves and have-nots. Only one candidate has the cajones to tell it like it is. The other can only criticize him for doing so.

Random Rants of the Week

2008-03-31T09:27:00.012-10:00

Unlike most of my posts, this one is not going to follow any one theme. Instead, I'm going to touch on a bunch of issues that I have had time to ponder over the last 6 days of being sick. *None of the below mentioned people had anything to do with this blog. Neither this site nor its content have been approved, sanctioned, or otherwise endorsed by anyone but me, the random guy who wrote it. Anyone who feels agrieved can bite me.

1. Barack Lovers
As most of you know, I am supporting Obama for president now that my Carolina buddy with perfect hair is no longer in the running. I saw Barack speak here in Portland when he got Richardson's endorsement and was impressed by the way that he connected the larger social issues to his own life experiences in a humble and forthright way. I love the fact that he is inspiring people and that there is a true grass-roots upwelling from many citizens that are often apathetic to politics. I believe Barack when he says that this election is not about him but about us. I believe that if he is elected our country will have a better chance to right the wrongs of the Bush regime. And I believe that he will engage in honest diplomacy before he beats the terrible drums of war.
Now, here is the big "BUT": I will remain critical of his actions. I will not blindly bow to him as if he is the second coming. I will not give him a free pass in all that he does. I will call him out when he makes mistakes. And I will vote against him or in the extreme, support his impeachment, if he fails We the People. Unlike those blinded by his rhetoric, I still have questions about his ties to Big Business. Unlike the Obama girls out there, I still question why he doesn't support universal health care, why he thinks impeachment is undemocratic, and why he's continuously voted for continued spending on the war even though he so vehemently stands against it.
Ultimately it is up to us, We the People, to ensure that democracy thrives. We must remain critical of our leaders at all times regardless of who those leaders are. Those leaders need to answer to us. We are their bosses. Obama is applying for a very important job. We should question his qualifications, his employment history, his references. And if we give him the job of Commander-in-Chief we must hold him accountable if he fails.
In my own local primary my candidate (Steve Novick) was criticized by his Democratic opponent (Jeff Merkley) for being critical on fellow Democrats. Novick dared to suggest that Democrats were sell-outs to corporate interests by basically saying that because of corporate interests the two parties were becoming indistinguishable. His opponent even accused him of the dreaded "flip-flop" because of his past critique of Obama when compared to his current endorsement. But I say this: There is nothing more democratic than thinking of elected officials in a critical manner and calling them out when they do wrong, even when they are in your own party. The ideals of democracy are far more important than your political stripe so vote for Barack Obama, but don't give him a free pass.

2. Anti-Abortion Bushies
I went to my family parish on Sunday for my niece's baptism and was taken aback when I saw a "W '04" sticker on a car in the parking lot. Just to let you know, this NE P-Town church may very well be the most liberal Catholic church anywhere in the world and yet, there it was: a vote for W sticker. After my initial shock and dismay I noticed the other bumper stickers, all of which were condemning abortion as murder and a light went on: Pro-lifer. Now, for the record, I am not against this position on moral grounds. I don't want anyone to have an abortion because abortions quite simply are not much fun for the soul but at the same time, I do feel that women have the right to choose. That said, here are the thoughts that followed my initial gasp: 1. After almost 8 years of Bush, is abortion illegal? Nope 2. Has Bush held human life on the same pedestal as these pro-life Catholics? Nope 3. Would the lives of fetuses saved have justified the lives of the already living and now dead children in Iraq? Nope.
So Anti-Abortion Bushies, if you are so Pro-life why did you vote for a guy who through deception, was so pro-war? I think you should be kneeling in the confessional. But, I suppose that is between you and the Creator (though you should probably say sorry to the rest of us). And still, you were a bunch of idiots that sold out the living.

3. Push-Polls in Portland
Back to Novick v. Merkley.... Jeff, why do you have to use dirty tricks out of Rove's play book? Oh yeah! You are the candidate for U.S. Senate from Oregon supported by the Democratic Leadership Council, aka the Corporate Democrats.
My wife got called by your camp. Before your guys could get to the dirty questions about Novick being a commie my wife told them she was voting for Steve Novick with his mean left hook. "Well, at least he's a Democrat" is how your staffer replied before hanging up the phone. Indeed. A friend of mine, who is a Merkley supporter, commented that people didn't really know what a push-poll was so I'll let you decide: Legitimate campaign questions or insinuatory tactics designed to turn off potential voters?

Voters are asked whether they are more or less favorably inclined toward Novick, given the following information:

• "Novick is a pro-tax advocate, repeatedly supporting higher taxes for the middle classes, running on a proposal to raise Social Security taxes and falling for false Republican claims that if we don't do this, Social Security will go bankrupt." Novick has advocated for a rise in Social Security taxes, but only for those who make $100,000 and up.

• "Novick is simply not a serious candidate who can win election. He carried joke business cards that have a Communist hammer and sickle symbol on them. He voted for Ralph Nader. His campaign ads feature jokes. That is not the person who can beat Gordon Smith." Novick voted for Nader in 1996, but publicly urged Democrats to vote for Al Gore in 2000.

• "Novick is a paid political consultant and lobbyist. He has made a political career out of developing negative attacks, poll-driven campaigns and advising candidates what to say to get elected." Novick work as a political consultant was largely on issues and policy, not on campaigns and elections.

Voters were also asked what in Novick's "background" concerned them most: "that he is a pro-tax advocate, political consultant, or that he is a divider."

4. Slick Willies
Speaking of push-polls and the Novick/Merkley show down... I think many of us are sick of career politicians. Politics as usual is one of the big causes for low voter turn-out. Many here in Oregon say Steve Novick is not electable because he does not 'fit the mold'. He doesn't have much experience as an elected official (though he certainly is qualified), he doesn't have many power house donors (though many citizens support him), and he doesn't have that bleached smile, that perfect hair, or the perfect answers (though he does have a decent dentist, barber, and can speak without using double talk). I say his "not fitting the mold" is EXACTLY what makes him so damn electable, especially against the likes of Gordon Smith. In Oregon, we have a long history of electing people who do not fit what a national strategist might envision as the "perfect candidate". Steve's unique, unpolished ways are exactly why people like him. And let's be honest: who here is satisfied with politics as usual?

5. Anti-Hipster... and I Vote!
That's right: I'm becoming a hipster hater. Too many of them have flocked to my 'hood with their bed head hair, excessive tattoos, and their cooler than thou attitudes. I'm sick of getting looked at weird for being too hippy, or too preppy, or too mainstream, or too not like them. These 'cool' kids peddle that same closed minded bullshit they were running from in the first place. Weren't they so sick of the mainstream looking down at them in their mid-west suburban hometowns that they had to come out west?... where they could stick their noses up at... me?!! For f*@k sake man!
Listen, I have plenty of friends that would fall in this category and let me say to them that if they are reading this slightly bemused then they are not the folks I am addressing. It takes humility to recognize your negative tendencies and an open mind take this in good humor. After all, we are all just funny monkeys thinking we know the flavor of kool-aid. But to those that would tell me to f-off well... Your music ain't better mine or anyone else's, your ratty skin tight clothes aren't any better, and don't kid yourself into thinking that your lifestyle is any better. As to your arrogant opinions? Well, the next hipster that gets on their high horse with me as if their opinion is somehow worth more than mine is going to get torn a new one. Hypocrites and parasites, I say. Open your minds enough to see the value in something that you have not pre-ordained as cool.
And as for the voting part I mention in the title? Too many naysayers wearing black jeans, metal lip rings, and black leather jackets scoff at mainstream political action, critical political thought, and productive political discourse. If you didn't vote... your opinion on politics and society don't mean squat kid (on par with the hicks, rastas, and metrosexuals you loath) so curl up with Chuck Palahniuck (whom for the record I like), tune into your Elliott Smith (whom I also like) , and get the hell out of my 'hood!

ONE LOVE. ONE DESTINY. ONE HUMAN FAMILY.

And yes, it may seem like I contradict myself preaching love and acceptance while attacking those I judge as closed in mind but sometimes we need to strike in order to awaken those we deep down call 'Brother'. Plus, it's my rant. Deal with it.

Happy Easter.... 4000 Dead

2008-03-24T06:08:00.006-10:00

I might be able to say it better, but this is pretty much as it should be written. Sometimes I forget why I like Mike so much. Here's a painful reminder:

So? ... A Note from Michael Moore

Monday, March 24th, 2008

Friends,

It would have to happen on Easter Sunday, wouldn't it, that the 4,000th American soldier would die in Iraq. Play me that crazy preacher again, will you, about how maybe God, in all his infinite wisdom, may not exactly be blessing America these days. Is anyone surprised?

4,000 dead. Unofficial estimates are that there may be up to 100,000 wounded, injured, or mentally ruined by this war. And there could be up to a million Iraqi dead. We will pay the consequences of this for a long, long time. God will keep blessing America.

And where is Darth Vader in all this? A reporter from ABC News this week told Dick Cheney, in regards to Iraq, "two-thirds of Americans say it's not worth fighting." Cheney cut her off with a one word answer: "So?"

"So?" As in, "So what?" As in, "F*** you. I could care less."

I would like every American to see Cheney flip the virtual bird at the them, the American people. Click here and pass it around. Then ask yourself why we haven't risen up and thrown him and his puppet out of the White House.

The Democrats have had the power to literally pull the plug on this war for the past 15 months -- and they have refused to do so. What are we to do about that? Continue to sink into our despair? Or get creative? Real creative. I know there are many of you reading this who have the chutzpah and ingenuity to confront your local congressperson. Will you? For me?

Cheney spent Wednesday, the 5th anniversary of the war, not mourning the dead he killed, but fishing off the Sultan of Oman's royal yacht. So? Ask your favorite Republican what they think of that.

The Founding Fathers would never have uttered the presumptuous words, "God Bless America." That, to them, sounded like a command instead of a request, and one doesn't command God, even if they are America. In fact, they were worried God would punish America. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington feared that God would react unfavorably against his soldiers for the way they were behaving. John Adams wondered if God might punish America and cause it to lose the war, just to prove His point that America was not worthy. They and the others believed it would be arrogant on their part to assume that God would single out America for a blessing. What a long road we have traveled since then.

I see that Frontline on PBS this week has a documentary called "Bush's War." That's what I've been calling it for a long time. It's not the "Iraq War." Iraq did nothing. Iraq didn't plan 9/11. It didn't have weapons of mass destruction. It DID have movie theaters and bars and women wearing what they wanted and a significant Christian population and one of the few Arab capitals with an open synagogue.

But that's all gone now. Show a movie and you'll be shot in the head. Over a hundred women have been randomly executed for not wearing a scarf. I'm happy, as a blessed American, that I had a hand in all this. I just paid my taxes, so that means I helped to pay for this freedom we've brought to Baghdad. So? Will God bless me?

God bless all of you in this Easter Week as we begin the 6th year of Bush's War.

God help America. Please.

Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com

Global Climate Change

2008-03-20T09:02:00.007-10:00

Many people in the "Head in the Sand" crowd have been vocal over this winter due to the cold weather most of us have been facing. While this winter has seemed more "normal" than the past few mild winters it can hardly negate the high volumes of data compiled by the world's best scientist.
See, unfortunately for our future Global "Warming" is a bit of a misnomer as although it certainly is referring to the average temperature of the planet it is not saying that everywhere in the world will get gradually and predictably warmer. This is the core falsehood in the doubters argument. Very few members of the scientific community would make such a lame and 2-dimensional argument about the very dynamic climate system. The truth of the matter is that most likely the increase in global temperature creates extreme weather in the short term. The bulge of hot, high pressure from the equatorial region disrupts the existing jet stream, bending it out of place and gradually moving it closer to the poles. Do not think that because this winter your part of the world got a lot of snow that this somehow disproves what the greatest minds on the planet have already concluded. This is just a respite and a reminder of what was when i was born 3 decades ago.
Below are a few recent articles and a powerful commercial. Please educate yourselves so that "Uncle Frank" can't sling his Fox talking points or label your argument as politically biased. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, blizzards, and rising oceans do not care about your party affiliation.
Tick-Tock
Despite another cold winter in Oregon, global warming hasn't gone away
Soggy Midwest braces for more flooding
Global warming rushes timing of spring
IPCC report on phenological changes
Old photos document early spring in East
Arctic sea ice builds, but vulnerable
Maryland Global warming bill delayed in Senate
Scientists enlist ordinary people, even kids, to track early plant blooms from global warming
About the Skeptics

Quote 'o the Day

2008-03-17T06:51:00.001-10:00

Although men are accused of not knowing their own weakness, yet perhaps few know their own strength. It is in men as in soils, where sometimes there is a vein of gold which the owner knows not of.
Jonathan Swift

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-17T05:51:00.012-10:00

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

As a bit of a history buff and as someone who looks at the Catholic Church through critical eyes I must confess I am always a bit on the fence about this celebration. On the plus side, this is a celebration of my heritage and a celebration of the Emerald Isle itself. The history of the Irish, if nothing else, is a persistent one. The hard climate and rough seas, the Romans and then the English, and the famine to boot: these things could have all spelled the end for my ancestors and yet they persevered. Some left the exploitation of the Crown behind, saying good-bye to their fair land and that which they had so loved. They made their ways, both legally and illegally, to the shores of the New World, at times in droves. In the U.S. they were one of the first marginalized minority groups.

No Irish Need Apply

“Though life in Ireland was cruel, emigrating to America was not a joyful event...it was referred to as the American Wake for these people knew they would never see Ireland again.”

But I digress. St. Patrick is credited for helping Christianize Ireland. As often happens during a cultural conversion there is little doubt that non-Christian natives and their ways will not be looked at in a good light.

“Pious legend credits Patrick with banishing ‘snakes’ from the island, though post-glacial Ireland never actually had snakes; one suggestion is that snakes referred to the serpent symbolism of the Druids of that time and place”.

Christianity supplanted the native belief system and the Druid way, more or less, died in Ireland.

But, on the bright side, it seems as if St. Patrick’s mission was not accompanied by imperial militarism (as with the Conquistadors in the Americas). St. Patrick decried atrocities against the Irish by the Britons in a letter to the King of Strathclyde called "Epistola ad Coroticum". Furthermore, it appears that the Irish as an indigenous group were not opposed to the teachings of Christianity and were not forced to accept them on the edge of a sword’s blade.

Bonfires and Crosses

“Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish.”

I leave it to the reader to decide whether Patrick deserves his praise. I tend towards seeing him as another human trying to bring light to a world often filled with darkness. The question is ‘Was he helping the Irish?’ (he was NOT Irish). The answer amongst the Irish seems to be ‘Yes’ so have a beer or a shot of whiskey (or both!), kiss a lassie or lad, and Erin go Braugh!

Sláinte!

Quote 'o the Day

2008-03-14T07:09:00.002-10:00

I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be one with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or any other distinctions. This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream -- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few; a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hillary and Her War on the Democratic Party

2008-03-13T09:45:00.013-10:00

As many of you know, I do not like Hill. Or rather, I don't like the Clintons. Wait... I don't like the Democratic Leadership Council. No, that's not quite it either. I don't like corporate Democrats. Damn! Still not perfect. Here it is: I don't like corporatists.
My dislike of these whores certainly predates Hillary's run for president but let me be clear that I didn't completely hate Hillary. I was just strongly opposed to her political ideology, tactics, and subsequent policies. That is, before she started running her campaign.
What a uniter this person truly is! How unified the party has become with her in the spotlight!
So what is it? Is it her playing the black card repeatedly? Is it her Roverian fear mongering? Is it her insane hypocrisies (black bad but woman good? "Monster" = immediate firing but "He's lucky he's black" = I disagree)?
Well, it is a combo of all of the above... and then some. So as the Dems keep fighting McCain gets to relax and fatten his war chest. And won't that be great if after loosing the nomination (which she should) Hillary announces that she will run Lieberman style (ie. as an Independent).
What's that sound? Oh, its Karl Rove laughing his fat head off.
And while I'm feeling it let me say "Fuck Florida and Michigan!".
Here's the thing (and this is not against the voters in either state): The DNC warned them to not push up their primaries yet they bumped up the date. They were told they would loose their delegates if they did so yet they didn't listen. Now, they are crying.
Point 1: You were warned
Point 2: Too Late
Point 3: Now you can get exactly what you want when you broke the rules in the first place? I think not.
Point 4: Don't rob the remaining states of their relevance.
Point 5: This is a Democracy. If the Florida and Michigan voters don't like what has occurred, they outta throw their elected reps to the curb.

Stuck on a Deserted Island

2008-03-12T07:10:00.014-10:00

If I had to choose who to be stranded with on a deserted island I would choose Mary Ann over Ginger. Not that I was ever one to argue too strongly against Ginger. Its just that if I had nothing to do on some tropical island I'd like to be with a pretty girl... and a big bag of weed!
(Naturally, this would only be on the hypothetical island, not in the "real" world)
Now as you may have heard, Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island, got popped by the pigs for stoned driving and possession of four phat roaches.
One should not be driving under the influence of course, but man, doesn't she look blazed?!! In honor of the all-American, girl next door who smokes the sticky-icky here's some video links to amuse you stoned bloggers.

Mary Ann Seduces Gilligan
Ginger Versus Mary Ann: The Eternal Question
"New" Mary Ann Vs. "New" Ginger: Pie Fight
Sexy Stoner Girl Smokes a Joint
Blunts and Bongs for a Beach Babe
The Girl's Always Got That...
420 Girls Getting High
Paris in Amsterdam
I can tell you this: I wouldn't want to be stuck on the island with this lady. I can't stand a woman who bemoans an "-ism" by denigrating others with more "-isms".

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T09:48:00.004-10:00

Can't you just feel the man love? What a Maverick!

1. Straight Talk
2. Inspiration
3. 2008 vs. 1994,3
4. Cover of "Bomb Iran"
5. 4 More Years
6. More War
7. Insane McCain

Quote 'o the Day

2008-02-11T08:59:00.000-10:00

"The laws of Congress and the laws of physics have grown increasingly divergent, and the laws of physics are not likely to yield." - Bill McKibben

Strike Ends, Obama Rolls

2008-02-11T07:12:00.000-10:00

Congratulations I guess are in order for the Writers' Guild (and American TV viewers) as the long lasting strike seems to be coming to a close. I don't know all the details and quite frankly, they don't really interest me at all. The main point is that it sounds like the writers are largely pleased with the new contract. They are yet to ratify it with the members all be it, but it sounds like the heavy dose of reality television, reruns, and the snoozer late night programming TV watchers have been subjected to has finally paid off and brought the greedy corporate pimps to their knees (or at least back to the bargaining table). The high profile picket lines certainly had something to do with the strike's success but really, those tanking ratings really were beginning to hurt the bottom line for the money-grubbers.
So feel the love tube heads! Your favorite shows are coming back. And as brave as the guys over at ~~The~~ A Daily Show have been, I'm glad that the collective creative juices will be flowing free once again.

And a second congrats goes out to Barack Obama for erasing Clinton's lead. I must say the thought of the Democratic Leadership Council all vexed and frustrated at this point really does kind of tickle me. To be clear, I am a bit wary of Obama and am not going to jump on his band wagon just yet. He says many things but I wonder how many campaign promises he'd break once in office. I myself, was an Edwards supporter so I am a bit wary of Obama's financial backers. Still, I hate the corporate Democrats of the DLC (like the Clintons) who put the health of the economy (AKA Big Business) ahead of the health of the worker and of the environment. I also think that Americans are ready for something new and Obama stands a better chance against the Maverick. May Obama get Ohio and Texas and end the two-family dynasty.

Ode to the G-Men

2008-02-06T08:02:00.000-10:00

As everyone in the U.S. knows, the Patriots pursuit of perfection came to a largely unexpected end in Super Bowl XLII thanks to the men of the Meadowlands. I myself am not a big Giants fan even though my wife’s family in Jersey bleeds blue and my brother-in-law lives and dies with every snap. I, like many Northwest natives, cheer on the ‘Hawks but this was not their year. No, this was the Giants' year.

Let me state again that the Giants may not be one of my favorite teams (we'll say 11th on my list) but New England is certainly my least favorite. Yes, I am a “hater”. I cheered as a “spoiler”. And when it came to my faith in the Giants upsetting America's post 9/11 team I quite frankly, was one of those skeptics. I thought Eli Manning needed to man up, that he was just a soft little boy always on the verge of crying. I thought Tom Coughlin was a two dimensional coach lacking any semblance of creativity, predictably calling plays that a five year old would see coming. Finally, it seemed to me that the Giants' D lacked chemistry, that their most heralded player was over the hill, and that the up and coming youngsters were a bit overrated.
That all said, I most definitely was rooting for them to upset the Cheaters, I was high fiving my buddies every clutch play in the 4^th quarter, and I breathed a hefty sigh of relief when that final Hail Mary fell harmlessly to the turf. So thank you Giants for slaying the Giant, for snubbing the "Greatest Team Ever" hype, for humiliating the cocky emotionless machine that was the Patriots.

As a show of appreciation, let me make amends to my former criticisms of the G-men:

1. Eli Manning - Ever since Eli came into the league I have thought the kid was a head case stuck in his brothers shadow, prone to crack under pressure, and spoiled by his heralded football family. He seemed to force throws, not protect the ball, and to get easily frustrated. But, I was never a Payton fan either. That is, until he proved my assessment wrong by beating the Patriots and then dominating da Bears. So it is now with Eli. How could I not be impressed when the game was on the line and the pocket was collapsing that he scrambled out of it, slipping out of a sack, keeping his head, and then gunning it down field in a play that will go down in Super Bowl history? He managed the game, played mistake free football, and led the game winning drive. Though I doubt I will be buying an Eli jersey I still must give him credit now that his credit is due. Welcome to the light little brother. You indeed shined.

2. Tom Coughlin - Coach Coughlin didn’t seem like a guy to force things or to make rookie mistakes. Nope, his problem was twofold and they both came from his old school mentality. First problem for him was personality. He seemed crotchety, like some bitter old man past his prime clinging to the tattered remains of his career. The fans hated him but it certainly was not a simple case of personality issues. Nope. The big problem was his predictable approach to play calling. The guy refused to ever use trickery and play action he avoided like a plague. If it was an obvious rushing down, rush he would, allowing defenses the opportunity to T-up on the ball carrier. How many two-yard, up the middle runs do the Giants have in their arsenal anyways? Grind it out football certainly has its place but a touch of the unexpected is needed in today’s NFL where players are smarter and faster and where coaches are always looking for that something new. This year’s Super Bowl however, when my buddy said “See, this is where they should do a play action pass. The Pats won’t be expecting it but watch, Coughlin is going to call an up the gut running play and the Giants will have to settle for a field goal” coach did the exact opposite of what we were expecting. The G-men scored their first TD and I felt that first glimmer of hope. For that matter, I felt the first glimmer of respect for the coach I had mocked. Well, done Coach. I bet even with video tape Bilicheck was not expecting 17-14.

3. Giants D - My final show of respect is to that manly Giant D who represented the hard nosed football of the days of yore. They embodied that rough gridiron mentality of the NFC East in its heyday and shut down that high powered NE offence. According to the D coach they blitzed 30% of the time leaving the front four to deal with the rest and just ask pretty boy Brady; deal they did. This was not the first time Mr. GQ had been hit in the mouth. It was just the first time he got stuck all four quarters. Up the middle, around the corner, and down his throat the G-Men came. When Strahan hunted him down from the back side I realized that they really did have a chance of making the Pats a one-loss team. In those closing seconds when the Brady Bunch could have quickly gunned it to be within field goal range Tom found himself on his back, mashed into the turf. Throughout the game it did not matter whether or not Moss was open deep. TB never had the time to throw it. As Ron Jaworski said, “Hit a great quarterback enough times he becomes average”. So let me tip my hat to the D-line of the Giants. I’m sure LT is proud of you guys. And thanks for pummeling Tom Brady’s no longer perfect chin.

In case any of you are wondering I will not be jumping on the champs’ band wagon. I will not buy any merchandise nor will I talk about them repeating. I will not call the coach a genius nor will I call the quarterback a superstar. But I will give credit where credit is due: Eli manned up, Coach Coughlin got creative, and the D-line played possessed. The Giants made bold predictions and backed up their talk. They didn’t light up the world but did turn it on in the clutch when it mattered most. They beat the New England Cheaters denying them a place in history and the label of “Best Team Ever”. So, from the bottom of my heart, as man who hates the Pats and media hype but loves great football let me say “Thank you”.

Congratulations to the New York Football Giants, 2008 Super Bowl Champions

Promise to My Party

2008-01-30T11:34:00.000-10:00

Back in the good 'ol 90's i disavowed the Blue and went green. In 2000 the Nader Haters despised me as I tried to peel away voters, poitning out the obvious facts that a) the party had sold out, b) the party no longer represented its voters, and c) the party was going to loose the race for the White House. I was right. In 2004 I backed the Kerry ticket only out of an intense dislike of Bush and his policies. The Democrats merely supplied the lesser of two evils. The Asses threw away another election, choosing to stay moderate. Now, Clinton II has only Barak standing in her way. Out of anger, some fear, and mostly deep connection with my own ethics I wrote this letter to the DNC to express my great disappointment that they may yet again give us four more years of corporatism. Below is my Letter.

I will quit the party if Hillary becomes the Democratic candidate in '08. She is pro-war and pro-big business and therefore is against the ideals of my party. If she is the parties response to the hopes of the people, than the party does not deserve to live and most definitely does not deserve my support.

My family has been blue for multiple generations now as we all firmly believe in social and economic justice, empowerment of the people, and protection of the environment. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, my party started slipping to the right and cheating its constituents. The Democrats went moderate and unless the candidate has incredible charisma a moderate is not going to win election. Alas, my party still seems to not recognize this obvious fact. Instead, the left is going completely unheard and my Party is helping to keep them silenced and disenfranchised.

Feeling duped, I watched Bill Clinton in the 90's give away American jobs with NAFTA, cut down our national heritage with the Salvage Rider Act, strip citizens of rights by heavy-handed policing and blind "tough on crime" policies, and continue American militarism and its subsequent tyranny around the globe. Then I watched Al Gore act like a robot, withholding his convictions and refusing to take on the idiot from Texas in a critical manner. I did not watch Bush win in 2000 but rather, I watched my party roll over and hand him the White House, voting scandal or no. I then watched my party throw away its chance of ousting one of the worst presidents in U.S. history in 2004, nominating another moderate robot incapable of critically dissecting the lunacy Bush & Co. Now, I hold my breath praying that the party will not hand the election (again) to corporate interests and the Republicans, looking to the heavens to save our country from a corporate Clinton Dynasty. But now, the most electable Democrat is dropping out leaving the two big fish to duke it out. This I can say for certain: Either of the two is susceptible to McCain and the GOP but Democrats must ask “Why have Rove and Bush cheered on Hillary?". The party does not seem to look at this with suspect.

And so, Hillary or Barak? If it is Obama, I'll see my party on the campaign trail, hope for my party still alive. If, however, my party settles on the Clintons for more war, more profiteering, and more corruption, then I will formerly leave the Democratic Party. If Hillary gets the nod, then this party is no longer mine. My father says he will leave the party. My wife says she will leave it too. I myself will not just leave it but will actively campaign to reveal the party's moral decay, its selling out of its principles, its impotency, its absence of vision, and its lack of faith in the American people. I will try to convert as many blue voters to a new progressive party (or Greens) that will reaffirm the values of the great Democrats of the 20th century. The Dream of the working man will live on, just not with the Democratic Party.

Steve Novick for Senate

2008-01-29T09:12:00.000-10:00

Steve Novick may be a little guy but he is fighting big business. Smart, progressive, & driven his physical size is made up for in his energy and determination. Plenty of Steve support parties are being planned. Who knows? I may even host one at my humble abode. I hope at least to get invited to a bash or two. For those of you unfamiliar with this Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate representing the fair state of Oregon, here are some great video clips, articles, and other pages for your viewing enjoyment:
To Tell The Truth
Not Prettier, Just Better
A Beer With Steve
If I Ran (He is indeed running)
Fire Breathing Populist

The Bush Legacy

2008-01-28T14:41:00.000-10:00

the emergence of the use of torture
secret prisons
indefinite detention
the denial of habeas corpus
warrantless eavesdropping
illegal domestic spying
the politicization of the administration of criminal justice and of civil rights
the claimed unilateral nullification of enacted legislation
the claim that the failure by the president to comply with Executive Orders amounts to a secret and unwritten revocation or revision of such orders
dictation of the terms of legislation by the president to Congress
dictation of the terms of appropriations bills (heretofore known as the "power of the purse" by the president to Congress
the declaration that federal judges are incompetent to rule on questions touching on "national security"
the refusal of the "unitary executive" to permit the other branches to test its claims of "executive privilege"
the refusal of the Justice Department to prosecute contempt of Congress charges against executive branch officials
the staggering increase in the frequency of use of the "state secrets" privilege to block access to the courts
the systematic suppression of scientific evidence regarding "administration" policies through the manipulation of administrative procedure

Stay on the Sunnyside John Edwards

2008-01-25T13:02:00.000-10:00

“We do not have to live in an America that accepts poverty as a fact of life or chooses to ignore it.”
John Edwards
A Message from Third Place
Edwards Says Stimulus Deal Is Late
Edwards vs. Letterman in Hair Rustle

Roadblock to Stopping Change

2008-01-24T10:16:00.000-10:00

As many know (and many more don’t know) the EPA recently rejected California’s request for a waiver of the federal Clean Air Act (ironic isn’t it) so that the state could have their own, higher standards. The denial was unprecedented as all other waivers requested since the inception of the EPA had been granted (50 total). Many of these were from California, a state that has plenty of pollution problems and plenty of people. California needed the federal waiver under the Clean Air Act to implement its first-in-the-nation tailpipe rules, which would force automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in new cars and light trucks by 2016. At least 16 other states including my home state of Oregon also wanted to implement these rules as the federal government’s plan addresses MPG and not emissions.

Of course, Bush and Co. were against this as was the auto industry who lobbied hard to stop the Govenator from insisting on cleaner air. It was in the hands of the top EPA official, a man chosen for the job by Bush, a guy who supported testing pesticides on infants and small children, a crony named Stephen L. Johnson. Yesterday it was revealed that EPA officials told the Little Johnson that California had "compelling and extraordinary conditions" to justify a federal waiver allowing the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. None the less, he said “No Dice”.

Now, maybe some people think that the Enviro-Nazis are trying to stifle business but keep in mind; it is state governments representing their people, who are asking for the waiver. Republicans and Democrats alike in over %30 of the States are asking for this waiver. Governors, senators, representatives and the like as well as many mainstream environmental organizations are behind this. But the EPA officials didn’t just tell the putz at the top that a waiver should be granted. They also said that if they didn’t grant the waiver they would probably loose any lawsuit filed on behalf of the states. Likewise, it was stated that any lawsuit brought by the auto industry for granting the waiver would have no merit. Yet what did this ass do?: Denied the waiver.

Don’t get me wrong, Bush and those he represents have every right to profit on being the most significant cause of Climate Change (sarcasm here folks!) but I say “Kick some fucking ass, Barbara Boxer and Henry Waxman. Get this sorry little bitch into a congressional hearing to answer for his damnable action because none of us are going to be spared the changes that are to come”. At least cutting emissions now would soften the blow that is on its way.

So Stephen Johnson, your actions may not constitute a legal crime but come Judgment Day your moral rot will reveal the truth that you have committed a crime against humanity and all life on earth. And yes, you know you did something wrong when you start deleting potential evidence.

Call the EPA and let the know how you feel: 202-564-4700

Quote o' the Day

2008-01-23T09:43:00.000-10:00

There is no doubt in my mind when history was written, the final page will say victory was achieved by the United States of America for the good of the world. -George W. Bush

Links 'o the Day

2008-01-23T08:09:00.000-10:00

How Many Lies to War in Iraq?

White House Has No Comprehensive E-Mail Archive

Until All the Fish are Gone

EU plan sets out cuts for CO2 emissions

The biggest environmental crime in history

Close to Home in Indonesia

Republicans, Lost in Space

Quote 'o the Day

2008-01-22T12:30:00.000-10:00

So, I urge you: keep going. Ignore the pundits, who think this is a horserace, not a fight for justice. My dad was a fighter. As a friend and a believer in my father's words that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, I say to you: keep going. Keep fighting. My father would be proud.
- Martin Luther King III in a letter to John Edwards (Complete Letter Here)

Hillary Rodham for Prez = Four More Republican Years

2008-01-22T09:32:00.000-10:00

Let's be clear on the issue before I go on my Anti-Hill tirade: Dems and Repubs are not so different. They both pander to big business which means they will (and do) sell out the good of the common man. They both have a shared interest in keeping the status quo. And they both have a propensity to avoid the biggest issue of the day (Climate Change). However, let's also be clear that the past 7 1/2 years have been bad for our country and the world in general. With the Republicans in power civil liberties have been eroded, the terror problem has grown, the economy is in the tank, and the environment continues to burn. Democrats, the lesser of two evil? Yes, but my how great the greed, false pride, and ignorance is of the GOP. Ironic that the word that comes to mind when thinking about the GOP, a party who prides themselves on economic issues, is "bankrupt". Morally, ethically, economically. Pro-war, pro-torture, pro-spending, pro-tyranny. So go Dems!

So after as big of a hoorah for the Donkeys as I can give at this point, let's also give a collective "boo" down to the Clintons (and yes, I say Clintons with an "S", because this is Bill II to have HRC at the helm. Just look at the campaign trail.) But I don't diss the Clintons solely on Slick Willy here either. No, my boo is also based on Hillary herself. I base it on her propensity to lie. I base it on her unwillingness to admit when she is wrong. I base it on her voting record, a record which was an attempt to gain the White House from the start. I base it on her view of American politics where the people don't lead but rather follow like a flock of good little sheep. I base it on her cackling laugh, her belittling tone of voice, her smug remarks, her complete hypocrisy as she derides Obama and Edwards for issues she herself engages in.

Let's talk about her chances in a general election shall we? America may (or may not) be ready for a female president but America probably is not ready for a female president in the form of an entrenched, cut-throat, Washington insider. Nope. I don't think so. In many ways it is sad but truly, those on the fence come November will feel closer to McCain or Romney. And those right-leaners who are fed up with their party certainly won't switch teams to play for Hillary. Lastly, when it comes to her constituents, every progressive in the country knows that she is a "moderate" exemplifying anything but the change needed to right our world. She is a moderate huckster and only liberals' blindness and hatred of the right will keep the race for Prez close.

So I say this: If we do not want the Republicans to get four more years the Democrats are going to have to stop buying the bull and start critically thinking about who Hill really is and why the mainstream media, George W., Karl Rove, and Corporate America are rooting for her. If she wins the nomination, she will give "the bad guys" a better chance to win the national election. And if she beats McCain or another Elephant, corporate interests will still be protected, the status quo will still continue, the average man will still not be represented, and the world will still chug on towards civilizations ultimate demise.

Still Voting For John Edwards

2008-01-16T12:49:00.000-10:00

"But we do not have to settle for watered down. The candidacy of John Edwards offers the opportunity to take the Bush backlash and translate it into a mandate for more than just change. I want more than just change, I want progress, and I believe it's there to be had. That's why I'll be voting for Edwards on February 5th. It's not about race, gender, or symbolism. It's about ideas, ideals, and principle. Those of you supporting other candidates may demonize me and those like me for such a stance, but that won't win you my vote even if Edwards gets out of the race. What will win me over is reason, substantive idealism (start with debating substance and not discursive style). More than anything, I need to see a push from you and the candidates you like or love to fight NeoCons, xenophobia, hatred, greed and Constitution-bending criminality. Fight them instead of fighting me, and we'll all be okay in the end." For the full article CLICK HERE

On and on...

2008-01-16T10:33:00.000-10:00

The pundits drone on, the fat cats keep rolling in dough, the world continues to burn, and I still can't afford health care for my children. Change is on the way? Smells like the same old BS to me. But if you really do want change, let's try democracy from the bottom up. After all, if the people lead, the leaders will follow (or are we citizens just cattle to be herded by gun-toting cowboys?)

Edwards on Clinton's elitist LBJ comment

Clip of the Day

2008-01-14T08:13:00.000-10:00

Portland's Police State

Quote 'o the Day

2008-01-09T13:49:00.000-10:00

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

I'm Back

Old Sean lived alone in Ireland. He wanted to spade his potato garden,
but it was very hard work. His only son, Mick, who used to help him was
in an English prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and
described his predicament:

Dear Mick,
I am feeling a mite down because it looks like I won't be able to plant
me potato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a
garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know
you would dig the plot for me.
Love, yer Dad

A few days later he received a letter from his son:

Dear Father,
For CHRIST'S SAKE, don't dig up the garden! That's where I buried all
them feckin' BODIES!
Love, Mick

At 4 A. M. the next morning, a dozen agents from Scotland Yard and
local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden down to a
depth of about six feet. That evening, not finding any bodies, they
apologized to the old man and left.

Dear Father,
Go ahead and plant yer spuds now. It's the best I could do under the
circumstances.
Love, Mick

Quote 'o the day

2005-03-15T21:29:00.000-10:00

The corporate grip on opinion in the United States is one of the wonders of the Western world. No First World country has ever managed to eliminate so entirely from its media all objectivity - much less dissent. Gore Vidal

War is Terrorism

Rearview Mirror

2005-02-28T21:01:00.000-10:00

Graveyard Fields, NC

Quote 'o the day

2005-02-22T04:14:00.000-10:00

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?
– Mahatma Ghandi

Links

2005-02-22T01:05:00.000-10:00

The Environment: Code Red
"This is serious stuff. Stop the debate about whether climate change caused by humas is happening. IT IS. This problem crosses all differences and transcends all issues. Please, make moves forward in your private and public lives so that we can stop caughing out coal dust and get off OPEC's teet".

Questions Anyone?
1. Ocean, Arctic Studies Show Global Warming Is Real

Mt. Hood, OR (late August to show glaciers, not previous snowfall)
2. Greenhouse gases 'do warm oceans'
3. Britain Criticizes U.S. Climate Record
4. Proponents Want U.S. to Join Kyoto Pact
But these guys...
5. Panelists Decry Bush Science Policies
6. Senate GOP Delays Action on Pollution Plan
Info:
7. From the BBC: Emergency Planet Earth
8. If the country won't, then the cities will: U.S. Cities Eye Ocean Waves for Power Supplies
More sad stuff
9. Arctic Becoming Chemical Waste Sump, Says WWF
10. Monarch Butterflies on Decline in Mexico
11. Air pollution causes early deaths
12. In Honor of those who stand up: Brazil President Creates Forest Reserves

"If we don't take action now, we'll settle for nothing later"
Green Party, Greenpeace, Appalachian Voices, Canary Coalition, Environmental Defense, Natural Resource Defense Council.
Or just do a Google search for environmental groups in your area.
--------Consume Less and Consume Consciously--------
*************PLANT A TREE!*************

A blow for my pops, Ralph, those who fight for the public good, and Americans: Congress curbs class-action suits and what Tort Reform really means for you. "A true victory for companies knowingly producing harmful things for you and me. So light up a 'Cool' cigarette, hop in your exploding 'Chevelle', and take your palpitating 'Vioxx'. And if your kid gets autism from vaccinations, don't do anything because you can't. Who needs consumer protection in light of those leeching lawyers anyway?".

Bush and Giant Mess-o-Potamia
1. CIA: Iraq Conflict Feeds International Terror Threat
2. 'Rogue states' join forces to confront America
But why?

Torture is Anti-American
3. AP: Iraqi Died While Hung From Wrists (victim shown above)
4. Files Show New Abuse Cases in Afghan and Iraqi Prisons
5. Army Files Cite Abuse of Afghans
6. 'America would back Israel attack on Iran'
7. Treasury's Role in Illicit Iraq Oil Sales Cited
8. Mushroom Clouds: Knocking on the nuclear door

Why is Bush giving the most important intellegence job to this evil S.O.B.? If there is a hell, this guy has a spot reserved for him.
1. New Intelligence Chief "Deathsquad" John Negroponte
2. Negroponte Draws Criticism South of Border

And honorable mention?
Buying access AP: Donor Was Promised Ambassadorship
Editorial (more on "Gay" Gannon/Guckert): Pimping for the White House
More illegal propoganda: Agencies Warned About Fake News Videos

All the idiotic quotes 'ol Shrub has said at Dubyaspeak.com

My Main Man Michael or The Man Known as "Noam"

Our Daily Democracy Now!

Cartoon of the Week from Mike Lane: Wake up!
and from This Modern World: Further ways to argue like a conservative

Animation of the Week from Mark Fiore: Torture

Extra:
Jeff, Ara, & Malcolm X