President Obama's, Vice President Biden's and House Speaker Pelosi's reaction to Joe "You Lie" Wilson's comment.  His career is over.  Rob Miller, Wilson's Democratic opponent in 2010 has to be pinching himself.  Wilson just handed Miller his seat.  The site ActBlue has set up a donation page for Miller and it has raised nearly $40,000 in one night.  Donate if you can.

UPDATE:  Overall, Rob Miller is close to hitting $400,000 from almost 11,000 people.  Note, Miller raised $340K from individual donations ALL of 2008. He's beaten that in 18 hours. And going into the last reporting period, Wilson had $180,000 cash advantage on hand.  Bye Bye Joe.

        

Another school year is upon us, and, for once, teachers aren't feeling the heat; just yet, that is.  That honor goes to the President of the United States.  It would appear that many Americans objected to having his "Welcome Back to School" speech branded as subversive, policy-driven, and even a few charges of brainwashing.  Of course, some of these charges have been thrown around by conservative Republican groups (who would appear to know quite a bit about two things:  self-serving accounts about definitions such as "socialist, communist, brainwashing," and, second, the inability to check facts or even be bothered to promote public education).  On the way back from the speech, a few protesters lined the route, one of whom apparently brandishing a sign saying: "Mr. President, stay out of our schools." 

Interesting.  But, this could be a back-handed compliment.  After all, what if there were a national emergency that required his attention, only to have him stationed away talking to those ungrateful teenage louts who probably will never appreciate the fact that the man who won the most celebrated election event in the past 100 years and who has had been instrumental in having almost 70% of the world approve of America's position in the world (from around 18% in the last Administration) come to speak at their school, and have the opportunity to talk to him first-hand. 

No, they probably won't remember that for the rest of their lives.  Going back to the "stay out of our schools" protester, I'm willing to bet that this person would be interested to know how our public schools are funded (by taxpayers, yes, but the Federal Government signs over the money). 

However, maybe some people didn't want the Leader of the Free World stuck in a school.  We all remember what happened last time a sitting president came to a school:

"Mr. President, I know you really wanted to learn more about goats, but your opportunity to become one just arrived."

Besides, parents wanted the opportunity to read the President's speech to their children before they heard it for themselves (or, as some say, to proofread it).  Either way, to have people this upset over a speech to welcome people back to school, to begin another year to achieve great things and put American education at the top of international education will have to wait because some blowhards can't get it through their heads that some people out there really do care about the education of Americans. 

It is unfortunate that some American parents can't be put in that category, and that the minority of voices carrying that opinion tend to dominate the airwaves, and especially, our "progressive, modern, intelligent" society.

        

Keep Hope Alive and The Dream Lives On

        

Politicians and criminal justice students across this country have been asked about their philosophy regarding the criminal justice system.  Some advocate punishment through harsh sentences and no parole .  Keep in mind, no parole doesn't mean that the prisoner won't be released; rather, it means that the prisoner is AUTOMATICALLY released following their sentence minus time off for good behavior. Example: Prisoner X is sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole.  Great, however, if Prisoner X earns 12 months off for good behavior, s/he is sent out to the public in 24 years of less, depending on accrued time off earned.  However, if Prisoner X gets parole, s/he is evaluated prior to release then can be kept in prison if the committee feels it is best for the prison and society, even though the judgment indicates "freedom" from prison after a certain time period.

Some public policy movers and shakers may feel that rehabilitation is best suited for the individual.  After all, teach them a trade or marketable skill (sorry, non-athletic communication majors) and the recidivism rate is unlikely to increase.

These two camps are correct in their logic and treatment of the problem, though this author has given a brief glimpse into their views.  So, if both of these oppositional viewpoints are correct, why are we still plagued by criminals?  More importantly, why are we still talking about nature/nurture or punishment/rehabilitation if the problem has already been "solved?"

The conundrum involves the fact that this nation and its policy makers haven't been consistent on one side or the other.  Every four years or so politicians lose their seats or promise to be "tough on crime" in order to please their constituents.  Steady turnover benefits baseball pitching staffs, not an annual multi-billion dollar per year expenditure on the taxpayers incarcerating approximately 11% of America's population in a given year (all jails and prisons included).  To put it in perspective, that's like putting the entire gay and lesbian population in this nation in jail for at least one day.  I know it may be hard to believe, but neither the Department of Justice nor the Bureau of Prisons openly advertises this fact; but Census Data reports it!

So, if neither of these situations can be practiced with neither time nor diligence to achieve an end, then how can we attempt to solve the problem of overcrowded prisons, conflicting opinions on how best to serve those already incarcerated, and remove a current -and possibly future- problem to society?

This author suggests putting America's burgeoning prison population to work removing one of the world's biggest problems: landmines.

Estimates vary in the amount of landmines throughout the world from hundreds of million to around five million.  But that's still a lot of mines.  FARC, a militant organization in South America, is believed to annually  place thousands of anti-personnel mines in Colombia, Peru, and other South American nations in their stand-off with the governments of those nations.  Certainly, the proliferation of land mines will be a current and future problem.  The same holds true for the criminal population.  Codes of Conduct and rules to govern society have been written since human settlement, yet we are no closer to eliminating crime today than was Hammurabi.

However, if we were to take criminals with historic trends for recidivist or repeat offender status, send them to foreign lands under supervision (more on this later) and give them an incentive to find and remove landmines, we may find a formula for success in at least one of society's troubles.  For simplicity's sake, let's say that the prisoner receives one month off the sentence per landmine disarmed.  Now, that may seem too vague.  After all, how will we determine whether a prisoner can reason that a 50-year prison sentence can be shortened to 5 years with the removal of 540 landmines?  Does the prisoner understand how big a number 540 is? 

For the answer to those questions, please keep in mind that prisoners do prison labor for no more than $.15 per hour.  And working in a prison industry is a ticket out of potentially damaging boredom and mischief.  Besides, the odds that a prisoner will remove 25 landmines without injury is a pretty lofty goal.  Then again, one can argue that prisoners are people too, and shouldn't be subjected to mistreatment.

But so are the victims and their families.  And innocent people who've had the misfortune to come across landmines.  I've thought of this as well.  Certainly, it is not a foolproof plan, and may be unreachable.  However, the goal of this program is to simultaneously remove the offenders from prisons with a tenuous grasp of rehabilitation, and remove another threat to society - land mines.  The prospects for success is achievable and the aims are simple.  Prisoners selected for this program can be flown in to various land mine hot-spots around the world to reduce the problem.  So, which portion of the prison population should be selected?

This author selects sex offenders and other sexual predators as first on the list.  Psychologists, anthropologists, and sociologists believe that power over another individual is one reason people commit crime.  Members of society who use sex to achieve power over their victims are exhibiting a deviant form of control over another person, making it unlikely that the sex offender will change their pattern of social interaction.  And, following release from prison, the criminal goes back to the same practice, yielding more victims.  Remember, the recent California kidnapping case was perpetuated by a man who was released from a Utah prison no more than five years before he committed this recent high-profile crime.

How many more victims did he have?  How many more individuals must suffer because society can't decide what to do with these people?

If people don't respond to this message with logic, let them understand basic truth: every year, thousands of animals are euthanized because there aren't enough prospective owners for these pets.  Yet the pet industry is in the top 10 of all industries Americans regularly support.  It just so happens that too many pets don't benefit the breeders and puppy mills who lose money every time one of their animals can't sell.  Simple Capitalism, unfortunately.  The pets have a value, as long as there is a demand for it.  Conversely, though, prisoners and prison labor benefits individuals who use prison labor as a cheap alternative to Union labor, or puts them to work in menial tasks.  Prisoners have a value: next to nothing.  However, Capitalism has risk/reward as a motivating factor.  Those who aim to succeed and work towards it may, the fable tells us, succeed.  Rugged Individualism, meet prison industry.  Another charm that this concept has to offer: no authority figure to attack.  Since success or failure of this venture rests solely on the prisoner's ability to find and disarm landmines before s/he reaches the quota or is killed, not on any arbitrary rule or regulation from prison staff.  Fate rules the day, not prison routine.  And Fate loves roulette.

As for supervision, guards could be military personnel (or U.N. personnel, which may improve worldwide support of American aid), prisoners loyal to the prison staff (and rewarded fittingly), or have the prisoners be fitted with electronic ankle bracelets to monitor their location (and, if needed, their ultimate annihilation should they attempt escape).  If the program works, the prisoner works towards their freedom, alleviates prison overcrowding, serves a greater societal good than sitting in a cell costing us $30,000 per year, removes land mines, and has the idea that to go back to prison could ultimately cost them their life.  Plus, everybody knows that employers love volunteer experience.

        

Ted Kennedy has passed away. 

        

The Libyan national convicted of the bombing of Pan-Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was sent home to Libya late last week due to the nature of his mental state and the realization that he has but a few months to live because of his terminally ill condition of prostate cancer.  Not surprising, international organizations and the families of the nearly 300 victims howled with protest at this news, while Libya organized a celebration deserving of a national hero.

It would be a moot point to state that this is a very poor decision on the part of the Libyans and the prison committee in this matter.  For those individuals who look for a personal connection in things for them to strike a personal pang of involvement, let me tell you that approximately 30 of the victims were Syracuse University students returning from a study-abroad term overseas.  The next time you watch Syracuse playing football or basketball on TV, remember that a portion of the students -in the process of becoming more worldly and desirous to make an impact on the world via business, education, journalism, etc.- lost their lives because political opponents of the western world thought that the best way to isolate the West would be to attack passenger liners.

Now, the "hero" of this attack can die peacefully in his home in Libya; all thanks to his battle with cancer.  How poignant.  Certainly, putting bombers and hijackers in prison hasn't prevented people from going after planes since then; in fact, even the aftermath of the 1973 Entebbe Raid, where German and Israeli commandos killed all the hijackers hasn't dissuaded the ranks of the militants.

But, to release the person convicted of the crime is unheard of, almost...(more to come).   Speculation abounds that the British, intent on selling weapons to the Libyans, released the prisoner as a show of good faith and goodwill.  Keep in mind, please, that the British also insisted on banning U.S. food shipments to the Irish during the Potato Famine because it was '''God's Will'" that the Irish suffer their fate (look up the Corn Laws just to see how they achieved this).  Apparently, the British authorities have a monopoly on moral suasion. 

Certainly, a great deal of anti-Americanism played into this, and the Americans have also participated in efforts to overthrow unsympathetic regimes, sometimes with great loss of life.  More on this to come.  But nations hostile to American beliefs -including Libya, Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and others, tend to blithely hide behind religion as their key motivation to commit atrocities (something which the Prophets might not look to fondly on, as speculation).  Religious nut-jobs from any faith have long since and continue to promulgate these ideas of  "holier-than-thou, the only good (insert targeted religious faith) is a dead (believer in that faith)."  The same belief could hold true of nationalities or ethnicities, as the Darfur genocide has shown. 

It is a shame that technological, economic, and social changes are attributed solely to one nation (as in the misguided case that Globalization is an American creation; as if international trade is only a recent occurrence).  As a historian, I have to interject that the Soviet Union was also accused of attempting to subvert the stability of Afghanistan in the late 1970s.  How did they aim to do this?  By sending a few hundred individuals to the region to set up schools that would teach women and girls how to read.  Afghan militants responded to this by executing the Soviet educators in much the same way current militants execute captured Coalition troops.  Due to this, the USSR used this as one of the excuses to invade the nation in 1980.

Now, about the precedent the release of the Bomber alluded to earlier.  Does anybody remember that a situation similar to this occurred a few years back, when Augusto Pinochet was to be tried for Crimes Against Humanity during his reign of terror in Chile?  He was found to have the same conditions as the current former-prisoner: mental instability and terminal illness.  Keep in mind, he was tried in a Spanish courtroom.  Why Spain?  Well, Spain had nearly 3,000 of its citizens murdered by Pinochet's death squads during his rule (also, about the same number of Americans were killed in Chile) while untold thousands of Chilean citizens also met their end during this time period.  So, to say that Pinochet was mentally unstable would be about as much of an understatement as saying that Hitler had a difficult time with other cultures. 

Sadly, the United States had a hand in putting Pinochet in power, as the CIA couldn't tolerate the democratically-elected President of Chile, Salvador Allende, from taking power because he leaned toward the Socialist side of the spectrum.  American textile companies feared that his regime would force them to pay Chilean workers fair wages and provide adequate working conditions.  Apparently, they wanted to keep the nation in a state reminiscent of the early stages of the Industrial Revolution.  All it cost?  Thousands of lives lost due to political ideologies. 

It's amazing; modern society can find other planets in our galaxy and spend enormous sums of money and energy trying to find out whether they can support life, when, over the span of 100,000 years, we haven't been able or willing to support the life we have on this planet.

        

Via Michael Moore:

It's a crime story. But it's also a war story about class warfare. And a vampire movie, with the upper 1 percent feeding off the rest of us. And, of course, it's also a love story. Only it's about an abusive relationship.

It's not about an individual, like Roger Smith, or a corporation, or even an issue, like health care.  This is the big enchilada. This is about the thing that dominates all our lives — the economy. I made this movie as if it was going to be the last movie I was allowed to make.

In theaters October 2nd.

        

From Matt Taibbi:

I’ll say this for George Bush: you’d never have caught him frantically negotiating against himself to take the meat out of a signature legislative initiative just because his approval ratings had a bad summer. Can you imagine Bush and Karl Rove allowing themselves to be paraded through Washington on a leash by some dimwit Republican Senator of a state with six people in it the way the Obama White House this summer is allowing Max Baucus (favorite son of the mighty state of Montana) to frog-march them to a one-term presidency?

        

        

As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode I
There Armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by
No fife did hum nor battle drum did sound it's dread tatoo
But the Angelus bell o'er the Liffey swell rang out through the foggy dew

Right proudly high over Dublin Town they hung out the flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Sulva or Sud El Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through
While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns sailed in through the foggy dew

'Twas Britannia bade our Wild Geese go that small nations might be free
But their lonely graves are by Sulva's waves or the shore of the Great North Sea
Oh, had they died by Pearse's side or fought with Cathal Brugha
Their names we will keep where the fenians sleep 'neath the shroud of the foggy dew

But the bravest fell, and the requiem bell rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide in the springing of the year
And the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless men, but few
Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew

Ah, back through the glen I rode again and my heart with grief was sore
For I parted then with valiant men whom I never shall see more
But to and fro in my dreams I go and I'd kneel and pray for you,
For slavery fled, O glorious dead, When you fell in the foggy dew.

        

In the event that you or someone you know ever commits a crime or exhibits a lapse in judgment, police, law enforcement officials, employers, and family members will certainly take notice.  However, if you happen to be an athlete at the professional or collegiate level, personal responsibility isn't required.  Take, for instance, the strange circumstances of Plaxico Burress.  In case you had forgotten, he took a gun into a New York City nightclub, where he accidentally shot himself in the leg.  Gun possession charges would seem to follow in a "slam-dunk" case.  However, Plax had the misconception that he didn't commit a crime, despite New York State statutes classify simply carrying a gun as a a crime.  So, then, if he had no gun, how did the gunshot wound originate? 

I guess he didn't attend the college class discussing the etymology of the word  "possession."  When the court case came to its close, rather than admit guilt and get the situation over with, he and his lawyers insisted on proclaiming their client innocent.  Not a smart move.  But, then again, athletes have people to take care or their problems.  Further fueling the flames, Plaxico then flaunts authority by threatening to take a Florida police officer to task for pulling him over for the non-crime of speeding.  Plax claims that he "personally knows" the county sheriff.  I guess if you spend your free time involved in court cases, then inevitably one will become more familiar with the police personnel assigned. 

Still, from the Steriod Trials of the early 2000s, where Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and other ballplayers blamed others for performance-enhancing drugs, to the Michael Vick saga of dogfighting and the hot water of Ben Roesthlisberger.  Now, six years after an encounter, University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino admitted to an indiscretion with a woman and then gave the woman money for a medical procedure. 

How did this turn out?  UL President and Athletic Director come to his aid, stating that the right thing to do is to admit your mistakes, and that is what the University teaches its students to do.

Really?  Lie about cheating on your wife and family, accuse the woman of trying to extort money from him until the facts come out, then admit the truth is the correct way to handle life situations?  Sounds like the University of Louisville has a Business Department full of former Enron executives. 

However, that isn't the end of the story.  Pitino likened his situation to the events of 9/11.  Quite a stretch there, as 9/11 and personal infidelity have ABSOLUTELY NO COMMON LINK. 

The NFL has their hands full with clowns like "Pacman" Jones, Vick, Burress, and other miscreants (re: the entire Cincinnati Bengals team two years ago). 

Of course, some players and defenders of the players claim that football is a violent sport, and this type of the activity is par for the course. 

If that is the case, then I hope these players are in top shape to avoid objects being thrown at them on the playing field. 

        

K.O. absolutely nailed it last night in his "Special Comment" section.  If every American saw this video there would be no "debate" over health care reform.  We would have it already:

        

If all we did was focus on unpleasant or awful aspects of the news (which, to a great extent we do), then the copious amounts of news stories about juries giving large sums of money based on fuzzy legal issues or due to personal injury cases involving fools would cause many of use to pull out our hair in anger.  Or assemble a militia to go after these plaintiffs making off with a windfall of money.  However, even though lawyers participate in the process of voir dire to weed out prospective jurors, this process can take some time and this happens to be the longest amount of time spent for the average citizen during jury duty. 

Despite the probing questions, during which the lawyers ask whether the jurors know anything about the case, the individuals in court, and a variety of other topics.  Sentiments, prejudices, and opinions tend to surface at this time, but we can't say with any certainty that the juror's opinions may pop out and the case may be decided by an issue totally unrelated to the trial (as the O.J. Case from 1997 taught us); issues such as racism, political sentiments, or something that hits a personal nerve.

Of course, there aren't many cases decided through "Law and Order" -style formats, but generally, the public at large isn't too inspiring when it comes to intelligence.  Mark Twain famously said that "we have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world; and its efficiency is marred only by the difficulty of finding twelve men everyday who don't know anything and can't read.'"  I would agree with this sentiment.   Furthermore, renowned 19th-century individualist/anarchist philosopher Lysander Spooner criticized juries from his era as being "the tools of the retired business interests."  Apparently, opinions about the public and their responsibility in the criminal justice system.

Rather than waste time and try the patience of the individuals selected for jury duty, why not institute a professional jury system?  We have an abundance of lawyers in this nation (approximately 2.2 per person), some of whom perhaps are unemployed or underemployed.  Why not use this section of the population as a pool of professional jurors?  Lawyers, by their profession, spend their careers in the courtroom, and serving as a juror would serve a few purposes:
     1.  Trials can begin almost immediately, as the jury selction process can be eliminated, saving the legal system money since the county won't need to mail jury summons notices to thousands of people.
     2.  Judges won't need to instruct juries about what evidence to withdraw, restrict, or otherwise be guarded against.
     3.  Jurors will have an already thorough understanding of the legal process in question.
     4.  Professional juries will free the rest of the public from taking time off from work (or, in the case of Grand Jury summonses) with little to no guarantee that their employer will treat the employee fairly (which, by law, they must). 
     5.  If nothing else, trained lawyers could use this as an internship of sorts; almost a form of student-teaching experience that new teachers endure, in order to get more experience hearing court cases for their future professional careers.

When it comes to payment, it will certainly cost more than the current  to pay for jurors, but even if jurors were payed $150 per person per day, that would still save money in this system, since the courts won't need to pay money for mailings, save money because the voir dire process will save hours off the court case.  Of course, saving money in the court proceedings for one profession may cut the pay for other court professionals making far less than lawyers.  Court reporters, stenographers, court attendants, and other valuable but lower payed professionals would probably see their wages drop based on the hours saved in this process.

Type in "preofessional jury" on your favorite internet search engine and you'll get several thousand hits on other blogs regarding this topic.  Oddly, I had no idea that this topic could generate so much thought and interest.  I spoke about this topic a decade ago and wrote a paper about it in college (this is where I found out about Lysander Spooner).  But I suppose that the other writers have had local court cases to earn their ire. 

Certainly, a professional jury needs to have the pay scale situation resolved, but overall, having a jury of trained lawyers would better serve the legal system and this nation in general.  Having knowledgeable and impartial jurors from the beginning of the trial is more beneficial than the current option.  Potential money saved could be one benefit, but perhaps having a professional jury system could eliminate the possibility that court cases could be retried based on discrepencies with the jury from the previous trial.

Just a thought.

        

Apologies for being late on this week's Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down Segment. 

For two straight weeks now, two stalwarts of the 1960s have passed away.  Obviously, they can't live forever, but having former Vietnam-era Secretary of Defense McNamara go the way of nearly 50,000 American service personnel during his watch pass before a journalist (read: journalist, to all the FOX News viewers) who kept Americans abreast of the war is a bit alarming.  The old adage "things happen in three's" seems to be coming true.  Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, followed by Billy Mays (if you can really call him a celebrity). Now, two Vietnam stalwarts. Who's next?  Kissinger?  Rather?  Who knows?  That said, here are the ratings:

Thumbs Down:

Kim Jong Il.  Not much reason can be proffered to give him the thumbs down other than the slightly trivial fact that he has defied international pressure (including some from his staunchest regional ally, China) to cease missile testing and developments in nuclear weaponry.  Additionally, he is pursuing this policy with the survival of the North Korean populaiton as an apparent afterthought.  Remember, this is the poorest nation in Asia.  Asia.  Laos, Cambodia, and Mongolia have stronger economies and trading partners than the Northies.  Infrastrucure, education, trade, even sustainable agriculture to feed the population are valued far less than the development of weapons that can destroy nations.  I suppose this lack of interest in social programs is justified.  After all, once they launch a nuke, the North Koreans will have only minutes to remember that hundreds of missiles are heading their way to make that peninsula look like a sandbox.

300 million thumbs and toes down, as I imagine that the entire American population feels this way about him.  And that's me being sympathetic to him in light of his bout with pancreatic cancer.

Sweden.  Why Sweden?  Aren't they a standard of Socialism in its most correct form?  Well, maybe so.  But they only get a small beating because they still mandate 18 months of compulsory military service for its male citizens.  First, 18 months is a bit arbitrary for military service.  Why not one year?  Or two?  Do the Swedish leaders feel that their nation can be protected by soldiers whose service to the nation is less than the amount of time to earn a typical Associate's Degree? 

Also, Sweden hasn't been threatened by a foreign power since the 1660s, and that was due to England beginning to create a navy.  Oh, well, U.S. arms dealers will always convince the Scandanavian nations to buy fighter jets and tanks.  Personally, I feel the Swedish citizens would be best served by investing that money in goaltending.

One thumb down.

Me, The Author:  Since I was late with this article, and for making generalized and stereotyped perceptions of a proud Nordic nation, trivializing their heritage.

One thumb down and two minutes in the penalty box.

Thumbs Up:

Walter Cronkite:  No, not because he passed, but for the invaluable service he gave to journalism.  Today, journalists, it appears, tend to think that because they are in front of a camera that they must entertain us, or indicate they are some sort of celebrity.  "The Scene of the News" or "The Face of the News" is a nice statement, but it should serve to indicate authority and reliable coverage, not jingoistic, self-serving advertising of a journalist's ability to read.  Report the news, not your opinions (FOX News, you may have to start from scratch on this one). 

Cronkite (and Dan Rather) gave the nation reports from Vietnam, not as a way to show how brave they were -although it should be mentioned that approximately 300 photographers and journalists died documenting that conflict- but to keep the public informed of exactly what their relatives, friends, or loved ones were doing over there, as well as how sporadic and surprising the combat could spring up at any moment. 

Currently, established modern journalists don't venture out from behind the studio soundstageto report the news because they want to live the pampered TV-lifestyle that they feel entertainers are entitled.  News flash:  You're NOT entertainers OR celebrities.  You read the news.  Millions of people can read, don't make it appear that you have some God-given talent.  You are replaceable. 

It is unfortunate to extoll the positive and valued qualities of one person in contrast to another, but it should show the reader how far we've come since the format of the news has changed from a source of information and knowledge to some low-brow, pop-culture motivated selling frenzy.

Countless thumbs up for Cronkite.

        

Hey, have you heard?  Timothy Geithner is a moron.  From Reuters:

"Given the dollar's role in the international financial system and the significant impact of the U.S. economy on global economic conditions, we fully recognize that the United States has a special responsibility to play," he said in prepared remarks for delivery to the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.

Geithner, who arrived in Saudi Arabia overnight from London, is aiming to reassure Gulf Arab states that the United States wants their investments and that their U.S. dollar assets are safe. He travels to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday and will also make a stop in Paris Thursday.

As he did in London, Geithner said the global economy faced severe challenges but sounded a reassuring note about future prospects if "steady, forceful and sustained" support continues until private investment and spending lead a recovery.

"The force of the global recession is receding," Geithner said. "For the first time in several quarters, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and a range of private analysts are starting to revise up their forecasts for growth in the second half of this year and next."

I say it every chance I get, averaging 400,000-500,000 jobs lost every month since last September does not equal things getting better.  They keep saying the worst is over but the numbers for REAL recovery simpy are not there.  The economy is awful and I see no deliberate action to fix it, aka regulation and dismantling huge finicial giants who only exist to suck every penny they can away from you. 

I saw on the news tonight Portland, OR has 23% underemployment!!!  That is 1 out of every four people.  This ride ain't even close to being over.

        

Another week gone by, and some surprises to mark this week's events on the "This Week In History" column for posterity.  Interestingly, this week's Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down also contains a surprise of its own.  So, unlike the events in Congress this week, let's get down to business.

Thumbs Down:

Senator Orrin Hatch (Republican-UT) gained national attention when he gave a standing-room only press conference dealing with solutions to this current economic crisis, how to solve the hunger problem in America, energy issues, and security issues with North Korea and terrorists. 

Ha, just kidding; he should have been doing that.  Instead, he used his platform of power to criticize the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) of college football and the way it determines the national champion of that sport.  I'll bet that all the Americans without jobs, food, homes, or health care are right behind him on this issue...with pitchforks, hopefully.  It's gratifying to know that the Republicans can gripe about nothing getting done in Congress, well, unless you count blaming Democrats, worrying about including "In God We Trust" on everything including underwear labels, and amateur sports.  I will call Orrin Hatch a complete moron for doing this, but only because I don't know if there's enough documented proof for me to promote him to full moron.

Now, the BCS system, much like all sports, is subjected to criticism in nearly every aspect.  From scheduling, the playing of the game, managing the game, and its outcome, pundits and fans like to opine and complain about every possible aspect of the sport rather than use it as the diversion and source of enjoyment that defines sports.

As a member of the Senate Joint Committee on Antitrust Issues (as well as Taxation, Intelligence, Aging, and serving on the Finance Committee), he claimed that the BCS uses its influence of power to, um, violate the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.  I couldn't believe this when I read it.  Here is the transcript.  I would recommend that the reader not eat or drink any items, or be around any easily thrown objects.  If need be, put a towel under your jaw to soak up any froth you may spit at your screen.

The University of Utah (who went undefeated and won the Sugar Bowl) and the Mountain West Conference begged and pleaded with college football to express their outrage at this arrangement, even though the other Division-I football conferences and Notre Dame signed agreements with the BCS as a way to determine the Bowl arrangements. 

So, how did the Mountain West Conference and Utah rectify this injustice?  A day after they brought national attention to this issue about the evils of the BCS, the Mountain West blowhards SIGNED A BCS AGREEMENT FOR CHAMPIONSHIP BOWL GAMES! 
Nice going, guys.  Does anyone at the college level understand anything about TV ratings?  How many Americans will watch Bowling Green and UTEP?  Hell, even the Giants-Angels World Series a few years back generated low ratings.  Low ratings for America's Pastime AND the World Series? 

From the steroid hearings to the latest debacle, shouldn't Congress stay out of sports?  Will all contentious sports issues need to be resolved by the Supreme Court?  I can joke about it now, but I wouldn't be surprised if I see a 5-4 ruling involving a close play at the plate in a June 1967 game between the Cubs and Cardinals.

What is even worse, rather than focus on illegal or unethical activities perpetrated by college athletic departments or coaching staffs in the pursuit of the lucrative contracts, recruiting methods, and desire for fame and glory, the onus of this discussion focuses on the slight the University of Utah received.  Wah, eh, wahhhh!  There are bigger problems in the world than college football.  It would behoove the University of Utah (and other facilities of higher education) to educate their student and student-athlete populations about these problems and how to rectify them.  Provided that these student-athletes stay on campus for four years (that means no early entry in the NBA, NFL Draft, or go to prison).

" I should know all about issues related to money and the benefits lost to those who don't participate.  After all,
I have earned millions through pharmaceutical company contributions."


Thumbs Down Rating:

Considering the frivolous nature of this joke, Hatch's criticism that the BCS is corrupting its position of power (sounds like a certain Senator from Utah), and that fact that the Mountain West Conference signed a BCS agreement a day later, this earns a stadium full of thumbs and toes down.  Preferably a stadium whose student and staff population symbolizes honorable values.  Unfortunately, the service academies of the Air Force, Naval Academy, and West Point are the only ones that would meet the mission statement of the NCAA.

Thumbs Down:

Loud chewers.  Is it possible for people to eat a bag of crunchy snacks without sounding like a kennel full of Labrador retrievers?  This is why I dislike flying so much.  Not only am I a captive audience, but I tend to get on the flight taking all the loud chewers and all the people from around the world still suffering from cholera at the same time.  There is a professional category in the food industry that requires people to eat and drink from area restaurants.  These people are loud eaters, but it is because the extra amounts of air in the mouth and nasal passages can alter the taste of food and drink.  However, these people are food critics in high-end restaurants and fine dining facilities.  The same level of food connoisseur doesn't need to be implemented when eating a bag of Doritos.

Thumbs Down Rating:

Despite its irritable quality, this only earns two thumbs down.  Play some music, wear industrial strength ear protection, anything to get rid of the sounds.


Thumbs Up:

User comments.  We've been fortunate to have reader comments and responses to the Thumbs Up/Down.  Some have been on the positive side, and others on the thumbs down side.  Keep up the viewpoints and comments! 

Thumbs Up Rating:

Two thumbs and two toes up.

Thumbs Up: 

To some, the year 1893 was a forgettable time.  Grover Cleveland won his second term as President (the only time a person served two non-consecutive terms), the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and the Indian Head Penny.  What else happened in that year?  Pabst Blue Ribbon won an award for its great taste.  PBR is so proud of it (and hasn't won any other award since) that the saga of that win is still put on their cans.  And, PBR is cheap and tasty.

If you're fortunate enough to live in a state with can and bottle deposit, the value of
the cans in this six pack should be enough to pay for itself.

Thumbs Up Rating: 

Two thumbs up, one beer down.  Some may shy away and disdain this brew, but I approve of this beverage.  Have enough of these puppies and those loud eaters mentioned above won't seem as bothersome.

        

        

Mountain Top Removal has to end and unfortunately it appears Obama is not going to be the one to end it:

The Obama administration has cleared more than three-dozen new mountaintop removal permits for issuance by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, drawing quick criticism from environmental groups who had hoped the new president would halt the controversial practice.

In a surprise announcement Friday, Rep. Nick J. Rahall said 42 of the 48 permits already examined by the U.S. Environmental Protection had been approved by EPA for issuance by the corps.

"It is unfortunate that, when EPA once again began reviewing proposed coal mining permits earlier this year, alarmists claimed that a moratorium on permit issuance was being proposed," Rahall said in a telephone news conference. "That was not that case then, and it is not the case now."

The West Virginia Democrat is chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the federal strip mining law, and represents a district that includes most of the state's southern coal counties.

Rahall said officials from the EPA told him their review so far has objected to only six of the 48 Clean Water Act permits the Corps of Engineers had proposed to issue.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson had announced in March that her staff was taking a closer look at those permits because of concerns that mountaintop removal was burying streams and damaging downstream water quality. Carl Pope, director of the Sierra Club environmental group, said Friday's announcement by Rahall raises questions about whether Jackson and EPA are up to the task.

"Because it appears that EPA is unwilling to intervene, it is now imperative that the White House Council on Environmental Quality take immediate action to stop the bulldozers," Pope said in a prepared statement. "The Obama administration should take swift action to fix the flawed 'fill rule' that enables this type of devastating mining and should act decisively to save the mountains, rivers and communities of Appalachia."

This shit needs to be stopped, today.

        

A Dream of Liberty

by S. McCarthy

One night as the wind whispered eerie tales
And the stars danced to and fro
I dreamt of the land where my forefathers trod
In those times of long ago
In Boston Harbour I saw brave men
And I watched with youthful pride
When they scattered the tea in a tax-laden sea
To a dark and an angry tide

I wondered then as I watched these men
Who flouted King George’s might
Would redcoat hordes with their glittering swords
Wreck vengeance in the night
Then a voice rang out in the starry air
Stand fast young man be brave
Far better to die ‘neath an open sky
Than live like a cowering slave

That early dawn of that April morn
I stood on a mountain tall
And felt the shock of the musket shot
That started first freedoms call
My spirits soared as its thunder roared
I prayed to the blazing sky
To bless the hand of the gallant band
Who carried our banner high

In that shifting scene of my wandering dream
I rode fast to Bennington town
General Stark and his Green Mountain Boys
Were camped on the dewy ground
I gazed for a while and I saw his sad smile
Then he softly said to me
Their young blood will stain this Vermont plain
Before our land is free

I remember that smile as I rode each mile
In my heart a dreadful chill
The blood and the sweat and the smell of death
Rising high over Bunker Hill
The men and the boys with their sightless eyes
Who lay dead before their time
When they broke the chain of King George’s reign
In a place they call Brandywine

Then clear upon a cold night air
I heard a suffering cry
A ragged band of hungry men
Were slowly shuffling by
Across the valley grim and bare
I heard the bugle blow
The bloody beat of their torn feet
Staining the virgin snow

In the shivering scene of my nightmare dream
A tall man spoke to me
He looked grey and old in the crippling cold
But his eyes were bright and clear
He said “Listen well, then you must tell
Of these deeds these men have done
And future days will sing their praise
From dawn ’til the setting sun”

Tell them of Saratoga
Where the patriots fought and died
Of Valley Forge of Paul Revere
Who made that midnight ride
Of Cowpens and Kings Mountain
Don’t let them soon forget
Or Patrick Henry’s immortal words
‘’Give me liberty or death'’

Remember Swamp Fox Marion
Who led that wily band
Of Allen, Greene and Sumter
Who made a noble stand
Remember too the mothers true
Who cried their tears alone
Their names will be told with the brave and the bold
Where e’er our flag is flown

He left me then but I saw him again
Standing tall near Yorktown Bay
I saw Cornwallis surrender his sword
On that bleak October day
Then the tall man turned and he said to me
Young man our fight has just begun
Like a flashing scene I awoke from my dream
And I cried in my silent room

On my way to school I felt like a fool
As my childish tears did flow
The things I had seen were all in a dream
You see they’d happened long ago
Then I cast my eye to a building high
Where the flag was floating free
And I smiled to the sun for the men who had won
A nation for you and me

        

Week Two of the Thumbs  Up/Thumbs Down Segment has a special holiday feel to it.  That could be attributed to the coming Fourth of July festivities, or because baseball fans are letting off fireworks in anticipation of the All-Star Break, being without the Washington Nationals for a few days.  Either way. 
Here are this past week's winners:

Thumbs Down:

1) Early Fourth of July celebrants. 

A holiday that has the day and month of the event shouldn't be that hard to discern, as long as people can read a calendar.  However, a few days before and after the holiday, people seem to set off their fireworks, firecrackers, M-80s, or panzerschrenck rounds as if they want to test them prior to the festivities. 

Ask anyone on the street (or anybody worldwide) what day we celebrate the Fourth of July, and they will probably reply: " why, the fourth of July" or something of that nature.  Not the second of July, July 5, March 23.  July fourth.  It's on the calendar.  Confusion about Flag Day, yes, I can understand.  But the Fourth of July? 

Two thumbs down + two big toes pointing down = 4 downward appendages.  Just like the day we celebrate the holiday (I checked a calendar and used a calculator just to be sure).

2)  People who claim that the Obama Administration and other government agencies are taking us closer and closer to Communism and/or Socialism without offering any reasons why this is the case, or can provide proof of their statements.

If one is to make a statement regarding a contentious issue or concept as vague as principles of government or policy structure, it would seem to indicate that proof or data accompany the preceding statement to prove the author's point.  For instance, if I were to say that the Washington Nationals have a poor record because of their pitching, some readers may find that plausible enough.  However, if I say that Major League Baseball teams win or lose because of their pitching, then state that the Nationals rank 16th in the National League in ERA and towards the bottom in two other major pitching categories, then my point becomes very easy to follow, since data proves my statement to be valid in a few areas.  But there are flaws in the argument, too.

However, when it comes to politics, some people tend to forget that factual statements can be applied to further their position.  Simply stating that "Obama is spending huge amounts of taxpayer money on this program or that program... is like he's taking this nation to Socialism or Communism!"  is a pretty vague concept in that it  begs the question "Why?" or "How?"  in almost any debate. 

Some free advice to all those who preach this sentiment without relying on facts or resources: write down your rants first for clarity and substance.  It has always helped me.  Additionally, saying that Communism and Socialism are one and the same because of political and social applications makes as much sense as saying that a sailboat and a trans-oceanic tanker ship are the same because they float on water.  Not really that similar, actually.

Two toes pointing down and one thumb pointing down, the other thumb is balled into a fist ready to punch people who say these things in defense of the FOX-shrews crew.

3) Woodrow Wilson, Clinton and Bushes for their military escapades in Haiti. 

OK, this is a reach here, since the Haiti invasion under Woodrow "Make the World Safe for Democracy" Wilson apparently means overthrowing democratically-elected governments occurred almost a hundred years ago.  But it just goes to show that the United States has had a bone to pick with economic policies unfavorable to the U.S., even if the nation is a sovereign nation according to international law.  Clinton also sent U.S. troops in 1994 to depose a popularly-elected leader.  Bush I and II also have tested American training and weapons in Haiti (hey, how else can you test out battle arrangements, weapons, and military training/tactics if there isn't a war going on?). 
Apparently, massive corruption, dictatorial rule, and economic policies designed to satisfy individual nations doesn't work in the Western Hemisphere.  That could be why L' Overture was driven from power by U.S. and European troops less than a full term as President of Haiti.  I wonder where South and Central American leaders recognized the importance of a strong military?

Two thumbs down for this.

Thumbs Up

Two boxing gloves-free thumbs up for new road construction as well as the funds for new roads nationwide.  With all this hot weather bearing down on us, coupled with the new road surfaces, I can now drive some of New York's roadways without my crash helmet, Kevlar vest, flare gun and tow truck escort.  Good job, New York Assembly.  When were you going to realize that the three major interstate highway systems had more in common with a speed bump-filled parking lot than an important system of commercial infrastructure?

Two Thumbs up for well-wishers for Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.  Two entertainment legends who have given fans lots of material to remember them by as well as the inspiration that they gave future generations of people to begin a career in show business.

Two toes and two thumbs up for the past, present, and future service personnel stationed overseas and at home to learn valuable skills in the military, pledge to uphold the Constitution, and remind us that, occasionally, casualty lists protect our way of life and our ability to say what's on our mind.  Millions of Soviet casualties in their wars couldn't produce the freedoms for the citizenry that we have over here, despite our sometimes unfavorable opinion of policies, practices, and economic influence of the government's will.
 

        

Ah, the Irish.  I love it.  Can you image if an American politician even hinted at this type of rhetoric or political philosophy? 

        

As Matt made my introduction on this site over three months ago, he mentioned that I will contribute items that get my goat.  Today is one of those days.  And it has been long overdue. 

Today I am instituting the "Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down" segment.  In this segment, I will put a small spin on the movie critic rating system by giving the appropriate gesture regarding seemingly trivial but annoying aspects of life.  I will end the article with the Thumbs Up to an entity, business, person, or concept that deserves such accolades. 

Readers are encouraged to submit comments with their own nominations from their local or regional spheres to enhance the national appeal of the "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down" articles.  But, since this is the first edition, here are the first nominees:

Thumbs Down: 

The Weather Channel.

Thumbs Down due to their cable-TV and human interest stories rather than show what's the weather is, will be, or is becoming.  Unlike sports or even the regular news broadcasts, reporting on the weather will always provide a wealth of information, as wind patterns and atmospheric conditions change regularly.  We don't need to hear stories about people caught in an overturned boat in the Indian Ocean.  And if it is interesting, put it on in Primetime TV hours, not when people need to find information about thunderstorms in the area that may bring high winds and hail. 

Weather Channel,  even my big toes are pointing down on this one.  Four appendages point down for the failure to indicate the information which the channel is named for. 

People in the Drive-Thru land at the Bank.

Drive-thru lanes are meant for convenience and simple one-time transactions.  Just deposit the check in the cylinder, send it, wait for bank statement, drive away.  That's it. 

Why do some people sit in their car waiting for their turn only to suddenly forget the reason they're at the bank to moment they pull up?  It only takes a maximum of five elements to complete the transaction (as mentioned above).  The drive-thru lane is not the place to count change, issue instructions about where you want your money to go in the five pages of bank slips stuffed in the cylinder, or talk to the teller about the distance to Bootes as measured in parsecs.  If people want to do all that junk, they can go inside and do that stuff to their heart's content. 

Two appendages down. 

Thumbs Up:

Thumbs Up go to thbe First and Third Prize recipient of our latest contest for his generous and altruistic decision to have his winnings donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.  Due to his spirit, instead of the $12 winnings that would have been sent his way, I have decided that this good deed should be magnified in light of the sacrifices the servicemen and -women and their families have endured throughout this current American military conflict.  As a result, I will donate $1 to this charity for every year-to-date article published on this blog from its inception until the end of this June.

Four appendages pointed skyward for the winner and his suggestion.