Beer Rules

I wish I'd found this one, but i didn't. If you love beer, then click on this link and be happy that Goose found it, and simultaneously sad that you didn't.

Walmart sucks.

Exxon Mobil

A couple weeks ago Exxon Mobil announced their third quarter profits. They again set a US record, with almost 15 billion dollars made.

From CNNMoney.com :

The latest quarter's net income equaled $1,865.69 per second, nearly $400 a second more than the prior mark.

Oh, and remember when Obama promised to enact a 'windfall' tax on the oil and gas industry, and use it to help families pay their heating costs? Well, that promise is gone off into the wild like the oil that blasts out my old uninsulated walls. (You can check his official www.change.gov to see where it isn't - in the economic section.) I guess its back to business as usual.

Cynicism Continues [an email to Ken Silverstein]

In looking at your posts from 5 November I feel jealous of Len Cassamas' position, namely that he feels like a citizen again. I wonder if he lives in Ohio or Pennsylvania or some other battleground state. If he does I wonder if he would feel the same way if he did not?

I, unfortunately, am having trouble not being cynical – for many of the reasons (money) that you point out. I do rejoice at the notion that we have elected a black man president. But some evidence already raises questions in my mind. In my little corner of the country all the McCain signs are down. But what of the Obama signs? Many still line the roads and intersections. This seems telling. Are they left there standing proud because of this historic vote, or are they there gloating in self-satisfaction? If the first, then well justified. If the second then we have good reason to be cynical.

I think my cynicism can be dispelled through some important acts, which must take place not within the first 100 days of Obama's term, but in the first 10.

1. Commence closing the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. The suspension of habeas corpus is the most troubling of the many offenses for which the sword of impeachment should have been swung on W. The closing of this camp would not go unnoticed around the world.

2. An executive order halting the use of torture and rendition for the DOD, CIA, FBI, everyone. And re-affirmation that the USA is in fact a signatory of the Geneva Conventions, and that they apply to our captives.

What a start that would be. Then maybe I'll start feeling like a citizen of the world again.

LSD

On this day in 1938 LSD was invented. And music quickly got better.

Open Comment to Hannaford

The past few times I've been into the Damariscotta store I have only been able to locate Mexican avocados. This particular item is of particular importance because the US import restrictions on Mexican avocados have recently been loosened. (Californian avocado growers are alarmed by this, not only because they have enjoyed some level of protectionism, but also due to very real pest and disease concerns.) I think that you should offer customers a choice of USA/Californian fruit vs. Mexican fruit. I don't think the lowest price should be the only criteria for your produce buyers.

This I think also applies to many other produce items and other goods. Especially in these uncertain/poor economic times, consumers should have a choice among competing local/national/international goods.

Thanks for your time.

Observation

Between here and Rockland there is not a single visible McCain sign still stuck in ground. There are, however, dozens of Obama signs still upright and visible. Gloating, anyone?

The Cost of Democracy

Gross National Product:

Malta: $5.49 billion

Madagascar: $5.37 billion

Cambodia: $5.34 billion

Spending on Fall 2008 U.S. Elections: $5.3 billion

Burkina Faso: $5.24 billion

Mali: $5.12 billion

Nicaragua: $4.97 billion

Bahamas: $4.92 billion

[from Ken Silverstein]

Nader for President

McCain Edit

So a hacker broke into Sarah Palin's email account, and exposed the fact that (as Governor) she subverted the Open Records Act by using private email accounts to conduct public business.

From Harper's:

The prosecutors in this case owe us some explanations. And they should start by disclosing who at the Justice Department concluded that a bigger manhunt should be launched against a University of Tennessee computer hacker out to embarrass a Republican political candidate than the Bush Administration sent out after Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora. At a minimum we’re looking at some seriously twisted priorities.

Maine Senator Watch

I was recently (somewhat) excited to see that Snowe and Collins are (according to the National Review) the most liberal Republican Senators in Washington.

On the other hand, they did both just vote for the lame-ass bailout bill. Which is a lot of our F-ing money to be spending (on shite securities) without any real idea of what the hell is going on. $700 million could save a hell of a lot of Americans from bankruptcy and foreclosure.

[Obama and McCain also voted for this bill. Both are clueless.]

I Can't Wait

So I did finally get my act together and start doing a little bit of looking around at this Sarah Palin character. Now she's what I call dumb. Tragically so. Inarticulate. Unprepared. Useless.

In fact, pretty much all you need to know is right here in the interview that Katie Couric did on CBS.

Still not sure if you feel comfortable with her being the number two in Washington? Have a go at the second half of the interview.

I almost can't wait for the vice presidential debate, which I believe is Thursday. I'm really looking forward to the possibility of another Dan Quayle type moment.

That's OUR Money

Police State

Comments?

Jefferson on Power

"I wish that all nations may recover and retain their independence; that those which are overgrown may not advance beyond safe measures of power, that a salutary balance may be ever maintained among nations, and that our peace, commerce, and friendship, may be sought and cultivated by all. It is our business to manufacture for ourselves whatever we can, to keep our markets open for what we can spare or want; and the less we have to do with the amities or enmities of Europe, the better. Not in our day, but at no distant one, we may shake a rod over the heads of all, which may make the stoutest of them tremble. But I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power, the greater it will be.

–Thomas Jefferson, letter to Thomas Leiper, June 12, 1815, in: The Writings of Thomas Jefferson (Memorial ed.), vol. 14, p. 308 (Jefferson anticipates the doctrine of soft power)

Still Think You're a Dem?

Read this, and be afraid. Very afraid.


[http://harpers.org/archive/2008/03/hbc-90002574]

Why I'm Voting for Nader

[Cross posted from The F Show]

Obama has been a senator for, what, not even 4 years? And apparently he learns fast (from the rest of the degenerates in Washington.)

This story is just more evidence.

I have the audacity to hope that it's not true.