Another one?

U.S. forces free AP cameraman in Iraq
Sat Aug 23, 2008
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. forces freed a cameraman for the Associated Press in Baghdad on Saturday after holding him for three months without charge, the news agency said.

Ahmed Nouri Raziak, 38, was handed over to representatives of the Associated Press at a U.S. military compound in Baghdad. He had been detained by U.S. and Iraqi forces at his home in the northern city of Tikrit on June 4, the agency said in a report from Baghdad.

No... as it turns out: another TWO!

... Raziak's release comes two days after the military freed an Iraqi cameraman for Reuters, Ali al-Mashhadani, who was held for three weeks without charge after being arrested while renewing his credentials at a U.S. military press office.

Recall:

In April the U.S. military freed Bilal Hussein, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Iraqi AP photographer who had been held for just over two years.

Ah, yes! Freedom of the press!

Stop the madness!

this could be fun...

Iraqi prime minister: No arms in hands of militias

My first reading of this was something like:

Iraq's Prime Minister declares Militias hold no arms

Then I started paying attention:

Iraqi prime minister: No arms in hands of militias
By SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press Writer
Sat Aug 23, 2008
BAGHDAD - Iraq's government is grateful to U.S.-allied Sunni fighters but won't allow them to keep their weapons indefinitely, the prime minister said Saturday, hinting at a more intense crackdown on the Sunni groups.

Again, the Iraqi govt seems at odds with U.S. policy.

Good for them!...
... BUT... how will W and his minions respond?

For what it's worth, a number of commentators over the past few years have observed that one of the hallmarks of a "government" is the exclusive right to organized violence. The existence of internal militias pretty much challenges this right. The Iraq Government is asserting its prerogatives as a Government!

Stop the madness!

so much for world news...

i've tuned to cnn/msnbc/hn several times over past couple of days, hoping to catch some world news.

no luck: it's all "Obama picks Biden!"

random thought: there's been a LOT of attention paid the upcoming Dem Convention, most along the lines of, "How much influence will the Clintons wield? How united will the Party be?"
I've seen zip, zero, nada regarding the Rep Convention & W's role. Will the Republicans embrace W? Denounce him? Treat him as in-bred cousin? No one seems to care.

Admission: I'm not a big fan of Prez Election Politics & Conventions... not recently, anyway. [Back in the day, every 4 yrs brought the opportunity to engulf myself in Prez Election Politics - I savored every word from all campaigns, and watched whatever Convention coverage was available. W killed this for me. When I followed Prez Election Politics, I found myself detesting both Major Party candidates by Nov, and happily pulled the lever for convenient third-party candidate. I can no longer afford this luxury. The result? I try to ignore Prez Election Politics, hoping to be able to pull the lever for Major Party candidate who isn't Republican come November!]

Have a nice day.

i thought this would embolden the enemy...

Iraq-US pact puts troop pullout by 2011: negotiator
by Jay Deshmukh, AFP
22 Aug 2008
BAGHDAD, (AFP) - Negotiators have finalised a deal which will see the complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by 2011, ending an eight-year occupation, the top official in the Iraqi team told AFP.

Under the 27-point deal all American combat troops will be withdrawn from Iraqi cities by next June, negotiator Mohammed al-Haj Hammoud said Friday.

Does W want us to LOSE in Iraq?
Why not just give AQI the keys!?

... if memory serves, this has been Obama's position for quite some time.
Is W admitting that the Democratic Presidential Candidate has the better foreign policy?
... NOT McCain's 100 years???

Stop the madness!

Ice cream!

A previous post noted that I try to find at least two excuses per year to make ice cream.

Excuse #2: recent high-school grad employee of Heinrich campaign celebrates her last day on the job tomorrow (today?) - Fri, 22 Aug... thereafter college-bound, for Bryn Mawr.

I mixed up French vanilla (Betty Crocker recipe, slightly modified) and Razzle-Dazzle Raspberry sherbet today. Will freeze in the morning.

A third opportunity is coming along: in-laws are hosting a Labor Day event... the wife volunteered ice cream as our contribution!

Sing a song!

A serious question (follow-up):

Previous post (in fact, many previous posts!) advocated that every Dem candidate

Run on W's record!

Perhaps more to the point:

Make your Republican opponent run on W's record!!!

Stop the madness!

A serious question:

Why is Obama campaigning against McCain?

The alternative?

Run against W!
Run on W's record!

I'll keep saying it, over and over: EVERY Democratic candidate, from Obama down to local dog-catcher, ought run on W's record!!!

9/11: Osama bin who? [This one could be fun: (after obtaining permission) - run a series of ads based on "Where's Waldo" theme -- "Where's Osama?"]

Economy: remember that budget surplus? Remember $2/gal gas? Remember $30/bbl oil? Remember your last raise? These were called "The Clinton Years."

Iraq:

"It could last, you know, six days, six weeks. I doubt six months."
[SecDef Rumsfeld, 7 Feb 2003]
"There is a lot of money to pay for this. It does not have to be U.S. taxpayer money. We are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction."
[Paul Wolfowitz, 27 Mar 2003]
"... we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."
[Nat'l Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER, 8 Sep 2002]

Freddie & Fannie tanking, loss of jobs, $600Bn down the Iraq drain, Taliban resurgent, Osama & Mullah Omar still at large...

Free advice to Obama and all other Dem candidates (worth every penny!):

Forget McCain!
Run on W's record!!!

Stop the madness!

computer fatigue...

I suffer from it.

Between database updates, research, and keeping up with hobbies (eBay-based collecting, mostly), I've reached a level of computer fatigue that precludes frequent postings.

I've taken nearly a week off from AQA.
Give me a few more days to get back in the swing of daily posting!

Have fun!

I'm back... (but for how long?)

My higher-education research project kept me busy for a few days.
Lots of data - most available in Excel - from U.S. Dept of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, and related sites.

Just in case you're curious: a person with a bachelor's degree makes 70%-75% more than a person with only a high school diploma. Professional degrees are worth more than Ph.D.s (at least in terms of income).

Surprise finding: Federal funding for student aid (grants, scholarships, loans) has increased under W.

Inflation has averaged about 3.5% per year since 1980. The cost of post-secondary education (tuition & fees) has increased at about 7.5% per year over the same period (current dollars). Federal aid to students has increased about 2.7% per year (current dollars).

Now you know.

On the campaign trail: new job + help needed

For the time being I'm out from under the database update morass.
I have a new job with "Communications" - so far, just a single task:

This will be a one-pager that discusses the importance of higher education, how college is out of reach for many New Mexicans, and what the federal government can do about it. Here's what we need:

-- information about the difference in lifetime income between a person who has only a high school degree and a person with a college degree.
-- by how much have college costs increased in the last decade (or so--for whatever time period you can find information)?
-- how many New Mexican students are priced out of a college education each year?
-- by how much has the Bush Administration/Republican Congress cut student aid funding?
-- what are some of the legislative proposals for increasing access to higher education?

I've identified the following resources:

Chronicle of Higher Education
New Mexico Higher Education Department
UNM Bureau of Business & Economic Research
U.S. Dept of Education

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

"Looks right to me!"

(click for larger image)

C&L pointed this out as an example of W's cluelessness.

Me? I prefer to view it as an example of W's solipsism: "To me it looks right!"

Stop the madness!

Now he tells us!

McCain: "In The 21st Century Nations Don't Invade Other Nations"
Sam Stein at HuffPost
13 Aug 2008
Speaking to reporters about the situation in Georgia, Sen. John McCain denounced the aggressive posture of Russia by claiming that:"in the 21st century nations don't invade other nations."

Are Republican missing the "self-awareness" gene, or do they have an extra chutzpah gene?

One of W's significant problems in addressing Russia's incursion into Georgia is that he has pretty much forfeited the right to speak about the illegitimacy of invading other countries.

McCain seems not to have noticed.

What would Obama do? To be honest, I don't know - but I find it difficult to believe that ANY Democratic President could foul things up any more that W has or McCain would.

Stop the madness!

The "benefits" of outsourcing... (our MBA President at work!)

Report: Iraq contracts have cost at least $85B
By KIMBERLY HEFLING, Associated Press Writer
12 Aug 2008
WASHINGTON - Military contracts in the Iraq theater have cost taxpayers at least $85 billion, and when it comes to providing security, they might not be any cheaper than using military personnel, according to a report released Tuesday.

Our MBA President, with infinite faith in - but zero (0) understanding of - private enterprise, continues to screw US... to the benefit of the contractors, and to the detriment of our country.

As many previous posts have noted, private enterprise is NOT inherently "efficient". The legitimate goal of private enterprise is to MAKE MONEY. Whatever it takes. (This is not intended as an indictment of private enterprise! Making $$$ is not inherently bad.)

If there is a true market, this desire to MAKE MONEY can drive efficiency. If there's no market, but no-bid, no-risk, no-oversight contracts, private enterprise has no incentive to even provide the services contracted!

The Iraq fiasco is replete with no-bid, no-risk, no-oversight contracts. See, e.g., Parsons, KBR, Blackwater. (The Blackwater folks likely won't stick around if the SOFA agreement now being brokered makes them subject to Iraq laws. ... and they're currently apparently not subject to U.S. law!)

Examples? Laura Bush's heralded Children's Hospital in Basra (abandoned after spending $50Mn on the failed project). W's state-of-the-art prison (abandoned after spending $40Mn on the failed project). The financial atrocities have been well-documented elsewhere (see, e.g., Robert Greenwald's Iraq for Sale).

In some perverse way, I'm just pissed I couldn't figure out how to make millions off the war!

Stop the madness!

no, i'm not learning... i'm copy/pasting

(Cartoon by Steve Greenberg.)

W's psychic foreign policy

"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue.

"I was able to get a sense of his soul.

"He's a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country and I appreciate very much the frank dialogue and that's the beginning of a very constructive relationship," Mr Bush said.
[Bush and Putin: Best of friends,
BBC News, Europe, June 2001]

Ah, yes: the old "looking the man in the eye" trick!
[apologies to Maxwell Smart]

Meanwhile,

A defiant Vladimir Putin hit out at America and the West today for its “cynical support” of Georgia, saying that Russia would continue its military operation until “its logical end”.
[Vladmir Putin attacks the West's 'cynical support' for Georgia, TimeOnline, Aug 2008]

W's foreign policy: eye-gazing.

Stop the madness!

blog upgrade... maybe

I think I've added a counter from Site Meter (thanks, OneFly!).

... this could be VERY discouraging!

"Did I see this connection in MSM?"

Regarding post, meanwhile, over there..., OneFly asks [personal communication, paraphrased]:

"Did you see this connection somewhere in MSM?"

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: I note that MSM's Iraq coverage is pretty much "in-the-moment" and context free. Historical context is almost entirely lacking, even though the history comprehends only six (6) years.

Sadly, I've read just about everything W & his minions have said about Iraq (much of it handily available on the White House website)... and I remember most of what I read.

One of the things al Qaeda in Albuquerque tries to bring to the table is this historical context. (I'm not alone in this - other progressive blogs frequently dredge up the not-so-distant past to remind readers what we were TOLD and compare/contrast with what's going on today.)

[note: I long ago stopped watching/listening to W, on Iraq or any other topic. I get physically ill when I see him on the tube. It's far easier to read the transcript.]

Stop the madness!

Jeff says...

Regarding post, uh-oh: Cheney wants us to attack Russia, Jeff comments

"Remember all those signing statements & presidential directives Bush signed over the last 8 years? --a few of them were about a NATIONAL EMERGENCY where Bush suspends the Constitution, declares martial law and suspends the elections. I think WAR with Russia would qualify. They didn't spend 8 years pulling all this off-the-radar stuff - creating an imperial presidency - just to walk away..."

Jeff & I are on the same wavelength.

Recall:

Let's assume they're not idiots...
Note: I am not usually a conspiracy theorist... BUT...

W's Administration has done everything in its power to expand the Executive. They have asserted "inherent" Presidential powers based on an extremely expansive interpretation of the designation "Commander in chief." They have invoked the "state secrets" doctrine to thwart legitimate judicial challenges to Executive authority. They have asserted expansive "Executive privilege" to thwart Congressional oversight.

At some point, someone surely has asked, "Do we really want to bequeath an unlimited Executive to our Democratic successors?"

Two possibilities present themselves.
1. W and his minions truly believed in Rove's "permanent Republican majority."
2. They've something else in mind.

I find it hard to believe that anyone - even W - could buy into the notion of a PERMANENT Republican majority. I mean, Rove is good, but he's not THAT good! At some point in the future a Democrat would surely assume the Presidential mantle.

That leaves option #2: They've something else in mind.

Okay: just what is "something else"??

[warning: here comes raw "conspiracy theory"]

Let's assume the Democratic candidate leads in the polls come 15 Oct 2008. This is not an unwarranted assumption.

The W cabal cannot afford to hand over his carefully crafted expansive Executive to the Democrats. What other option do they have?

Ah!

Orchestrate a "clear and present danger": an imminent threat to the the nation! With the help of the CIA and whatever other Executive agencies can help, stage a terrorist attack on the U.S. It probably isn't that hard to manipulate Hezbollah - give 'em some money, suggest a target. Hezbollah as the enemy has two advantages:
1. they are a non-state actor
2. they can easily and plausibly be linked to Iran

So, come 16 Oct, the U.S. experiences a terrorist attack from Hezbollah.

In response, W declares a "state of emergency" (learning lessons from his best bud, Musharraf). Martial law is declared. Elections are cancelled. The Permanent Republican Executive becomes a fact.

Do I believe this? ... well, not quite. BUT: neither will I be surprised if Dems are ahead in the polls in Oct and the U.S. is hit by terrorists a few weeks before the election!

I've since set a specific date: 31 October 2008 (Halloween).

I've elaborated on this basic raw conspiracy at length. Search on either "let's assume they're not idiots" or "raw conspiracy theory" to see the full thread.

The Russian incursion into Georgia provides Cheney's cabal yet another handy existential excuse to eliminate the election!

Have a nice day.

Lemme know when it's back to $30/bbl

Oil extends its slide on signs of demand slowdown
By MADLEN READ, AP Business Writer
11 Aug 2008
NEW YORK - Oil prices finished at a new three-month low Monday after briefly dropping below $113 a barrel mark, as the dollar extended its rebound and more signs emerged that China's energy demand could be leveling off

Recall: When W took office, oil was trading at about $32/bbl.
As recently as Jan '08 everyone was wondering if $100/bbl was possible.

Yes - $113/bbl is cheaper than $140/bbl... but does anyone think it'll head BELOW $100/bbl anytime soon?

Aside: If on 1 Jan 2003 we'd offered to buy all Saddam's oil for $90/bbl - about a 200% mark-up over then-prevailing market price - we'd have spent about $540Bn to date - about the same as the direct cost of the war... AND WE'D HAVE THE OIL! We could have simply GIVEN IT to W's oil-patch buds! [The computation assumes Iraq's pre-war output to be 2.5Mn bbls/day.]

Stop the madness!

I'm pretty sure this is W's fault!

Iconic stone arch collapses in southern Utah park

A question

Iraq to revive oil deal with China

By SINAN SALAHEDDIN, Associated Press Writer
Sun Aug 10,2008
BAGHDAD - Iraq and China are set to revive a $1.2 billion oil deal that was canceled after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, the Iraq's oil ministry said Sunday.

An initial agreement with China is expected to be signed at the end of August to develop the billion-barrel Ahdab oil field south of Baghdad, the ministry said in a statement.

Question: will U.S. troops be deployed to provide security for Chinese oil-devlopment projects?

Just asking.

Hooray for the Iraq Government! (McCain's worst nightmare...)

Iraq demands 'clear timeline' for US withdrawal
By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer
Sun Aug 10, 2008
BAGHDAD - Iraq's foreign minister insisted Sunday that any security deal with the United States must contain a "very clear timeline" for the departure of U.S. troops.

If they tell us to leave, will we?

Stop the madness!

uh-oh: Cheney wants us to attack Russia

... I guess any new war would be a good thing:

On Sunday, Vice President Dick Cheney told Georgia's pro-American president that "Russian aggression must not go unanswered, and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States," Cheney's office reported.
[emphasis added]

Meanwhile, from his unimpeachable high-moral perch, W pontificates,

"I've expressed my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia and that we strongly condemn the bombing outside of South Ossetia."

Is W under the illusion that he ought be taken seriously when chiding anyone for a "disproportionate reponse"?

Oops!

FBI to newspapers: Sorry about your phone records
Associated Press
Sat Aug 9, 2008
WASHINGTON - FBI Director Robert Mueller has apologized to the editors of The Washington Post and The New York Times for improperly obtaining phone records of the newspapers' reporters while investigating terrorism four years ago.

"... while investigating terrorism..."

Yes - "while investigating terrorism" seems a convenient catch-all to excuse all sorts of Executive over-reach. "We did it for your own good, honest!"

Recall:

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
[U.S. Constitution]

Which word(-s) don't they understand?

meanwhile, over there...

US military blames al-Qaida in Iraq for bombing

I thought we'd wiped out AQI... or at least made 'em impotent.

Guess I was wrong (not a first...).

Stop the madness!

p.s. The story on the AQI bombing also has a fun lead paragraph:

BAGHDAD - The U.S. military blamed al-Qaida in Iraq Saturday for a suicide car bombing in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, while an Iraqi official said the death toll in the attack had risen to 25.

What's fun about 25 deaths? Well, nothing...

BUT: note where the bombing occured - Tal Afar. Ring a bell?

"... today I'd like to share a concrete example of progress in Iraq that most Americans do not see every day in their newspapers and on their television screens. I'm going to tell you the story of a northern Iraqi city called Tal Afar, which was once a key base of operations for al Qaeda and is today a free city that gives reason for hope for a free Iraq."
[President Discusses War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom, 20 March 2006]

Yeah - I was SURE we'd driven AQI out of Taf Afar!

... in other news

Georgia: In 'state of war' with Russia

I won't pretend to understand this.

All I know for certain is that when W took office, our troops weren't in any wars, there was a budget surplus of $230Bn, oil was trading at $32/bbl, gas was $1.45/gal, and Russia wasn't at war with Georgia.

There's a wonderful cartoon over at C&L. Haven't yet learned html, so I'll verbally describe it:

Picture of Reagan.
Caption: "Fiscal Conservative"
Result: down-arrow, "$200Bn+ deficit"

Picture of H.W. Bush
Caption "Fiscal Conservative"
Result: down-arrow, "$300Bn deficit"

Picture of Clinton
Caption: "Tax and spend Liberal"
Result: up-arrow, "$200Bn+ surplus"

Picture of W
Caption: "Fiscal Conservative"
Result: "$482Bn deficit"

Final frame:
Picture of McCain
Caption: "My friends, you'll be pleased to know I'm a fiscal conservative."

I'd like to pin the Little Ice Age (16th century - 19th century) on W, but can't seem to manage it and still maintain a semblance of intellectual honesty. Otherwise:

We've poured $600Bn down the drain that is Iraq.

Osama bin Laden (remember him?) is still at large.

Oil is trading at $120/bbl; gas-at-the-pump is hovering just under $4/gal.

... and now: Russia has invaded Georgia!

... oh, yeah:

Michael Phelps set a world record in taking his first Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympics:
4:3.84 in the 400m IM

Congratulations, Mr. Phelps!

Are we there yet?

... on the campaign trail

"Arthur Solon, an attorney with Albuquerque's Branch Law Firm, drowned in the ocean off Jamaica while on vacation, senior partner Turner Branch said."

... well, I guess I can cross him off the list!

Meanwhile, the soap operas continue to play themselves out:

Crispin & L. Noble are householded.
I finally figure out that "L." is "Leah".
More recent data indicates Leah no longer lives with Crispin, and that Crispin now resides with Jane Austen Jackson.

I note that these folks aren't spring chickens.
Crispin is 60, Leah is 52, and Jane is 54.

Well, at least Crispin didn't run off with a younger woman!

Note: the names have all been changed... but the database soap opera is accurately represented.

In the meantime... I thought I'd completed my most recent database update when I was told, "Oops - we forgot to give you another set of corrections." Sigh. This new set represents 3-4 days of work.

When this task is completed, I'll be updating the campaign's database with July's ActBlue info - I just have to check that we've got records for all donors, and confirm the addresses. There are about 250 ActBlue contributions for July.

When that task is completed we should have received most of the returned/undeliverable mail from the most recent mailing. I won't know how long processing those will take till I see the volume... but at least some of the items ought to be easy to disposition (see "Arthur Solon", above!).

Have a nice day.

"The baddest of the bad!"

Gitmo jury gives bin Laden driver 5 1/2 years

... AND - they credit him with 5 years "time served"... so he'll have served his full sentence in about 5 more months - less, I'm guessing, than the time it'll take to exhaust his appeals.

Recall: W and his minions have repeatedly and emphatically declared that the Gitmo detainees are, "the baddest of the bad."... and even with a rigged system, they can't get their underlings to give Hamdam more than 5 more months of judicial punishment!

... of course, W and his minions have also repeatedly asserted that it doesn't make any difference: they'll hold the "baddest of the bad" as long as they feel like it, verdict or no verdict, sentence or no sentence!

I've not been paying particularly close attention, but I'm guessing that Hamdan was the first detainee to face trial because W and his minions figured they had the strongest case against him - a "slam-dunk", as it were. (It's tempting to imagine that someone in W's inner circle in fact used the term "slam dunk" to describe the case against Hamdan!) If this is the best they can do, they've lost.

Our shame!

The correct tone: mockery

TPM highlights Obama's mockery of McCain.
I'm all for it, and recommend this approach in general to any and all Dems. The sample cited:

"In the coming days it's going to be interesting to watch this debate between John McCain and John McCain."
[Obama referencing McCain's energy "policy"]

Ridicule is not a bad tactic.

Stop the madness!

Why are we there?

Two headlines:

GAO: Iraq could have $79 billion budget surplus

Iraq MPs break for summer without passing elections law

Would someone please explain to me again why we're still there?

Stop the madness!

Gitmo Trial #1: the verdict is in

Split verdict in first Guantanamo war-crimes trial
By MIKE MELIA, Associated Press Writer
Wed Aug 6, 2008
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba
... The five-man, one-woman jury convicted Hamdan on five counts of supporting terrorism, accepting the prosecution argument that Hamdan aided terrorism by becoming a member of al-Qaida in Afghanistan and serving as bin Laden's armed bodyguard and driver while knowing that the al-Qaida leader was plotting attacks against the U.S.

But he was found not guilty on three other counts alleging he knew that his work would be used for terrorism and that he provided surface-to-air missiles to al-Qaida.

He also was cleared of two charges of conspiracy alleging he was part of the al-Qaida effort to attack the United States — the most serious charges, according to deputy chief defense counsel Michael Berrigan.

Berrigan noted the conspiracy charges were the only ones Hamdan originally faced when his case prompted the Supreme Court to halt the tribunals. Prosecutors added the new charges after the Bush administration rewrote the rules.

"The problem is the law was specifically written after the fact to target Mr. Hamdan," said Charles Swift, one of Hamdan's civilian lawyers.

No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 9

Why is this so difficult?

The article also notes that

"... The judge allowed secret testimony and hearsay evidence."

... and that during his five (5) years of incarceration, Hamdan has been subjected to "coercive interrogation"... hmmm, I wonder what that could mean.

Our shame.

the joys of habeas

U.S. must charge or release Reuters Iraq cameraman: CPJ

Just another "journalist" W doesn't like.

Stop the madness!

fun with language

Bush tells troops Iraq no longer 'hopeless'

So... if Iraq is no longer hopeless, does that imply that it once WAS hopeless?

And, if it once was "hopeless"... well, whence the hope today?
I mean - "hopeless" means, what... "without hope".
If 'twas once without hope, and now there is some... well, did it just materialize? (sort of like Fred Hoyle's model of the universe - matter being created eternally...)

If there's now hope, doesn't that mean that it has NEVER been "hopeless"???

Yeah - I'm just having fun with words.

Stop the madness!

the guts of a campaign: $$$!

I find myself needing to justify all the time I'm putting into "database update" for the NM1 Congressional campaign.
Here goes!

There are ~12,000 records in the donor database I've been maintaining.

Each of these represents a potential "mailing".
At $0.42/letter, this is $5K for a single mailing.
Now... to be honest, no single mailing is directed to all 12K potential donors... but still, mailings of 2K are not rare.
Each piece of returned mail is a hard $0.42!

Much of the maintenance does not involve fixing incorrect addresses. Rather, it involves "presenting the candidate": no address abbreviations (e.g., "Rd" for "Road"; "Ave" for "Avenue"); appropriately and accurately identifying the gender/status of the addressee ("Mr.", "Ms.", "Mrs.", "Dr."). Getting these details right reflects positively on The Candidate. Messing 'em up reflects poorly on The Candidate. I'm unable to monetize the effect of this attention to detail... but my bosses consider it significant.

Recall, $0.42 spent has the potential to pull in real $$$ - even just a $5.00 contribution represents a 1000% ROI! If the chance of generating a donation is increased even slightly by having the correct information, well-presented - well, it's worth it!

This, sadly, is how I now justify my existence!

Sing a song!

another pointless personal post

As loyal readers will know, I formally retired in June.
Loyal readers will also know that much of my time is now devoted to volunteer work for the Dem candidate in NM's 1st Congressional District (Martin Heinrich if you're a little interested; Contribute to Martin Heinrich via ActBlue if you're a lot interested!)

And the rest of my time?

Tonight was the first music rehearsal for Albuquerque Little Theater's upcoming production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
I'm cast as "Erroneous" - the Buster Keaton role in the 1966 film.

[bragging:] I was invited to audition for the show.

I started singing in 1995, age 42. I put together the only "career development plan" I have ever successfully followed, with the career goal of singing a minor lead in a Gilbert & Sullivan production. I attained my goal in 2001, singing Dick Deadeye in a production of H.M.S. Pinafore. I retired from singing and from the stage.

It didn't take.

I've since "retired" from singing and the stage at least two more times.

It's never taken.

Eventually, choral music brings me back.
[Challenging on at least 3 levels: intellectually, to read the music; physically, to produce the sound; emotionally - well, it just sounds so wonderful when done right!]

My past 4 roles have been "invited": to sing the very minor role of Count Ceprano in OSW's 2006 production of Verdi's Rigoletto; to play Lt. Schrank in MTS's 2007 production of West Side Story; to sing in the chorus of OSW's 2008 Tosca; and now, to play the minor character Erroneous in ALT's Forum. [... with Schrank and Erroneous I seem to be developing a reputation as a character actor!]

This'll be my ALT debut - a factor contributing to my willingness to audition.

Sing a song!

p.s. For those who may want to follow this path...
My "career development plan" included taking voice/singing lessons, taking acting lessons, taking dance lessons, and auditioning for just about any show that came along. I was happy to be cast in 2-3 shows/year. I auditioned for many more. A reason for my repetitive "retirements": a hobby that requires rejection ~70% of the time has its limitations... I get rejected in real life! - why seek it?
Now? It's sort of fun to be invited to show up!
[note: I'm not a great singer, and I'm a much better singer than actor!... but I am reliable: I try to practice my "craft" diligently... Lt. Schrank was my hardest part to date: I simply ain't a hard-boiled NY police lieutenant!]

things that make you go, "hmmm..."

Okay - I like to think of myself as an educated, literate, more-or-less well-read, informed citizen... but still...

How did Amazon tag me for the following recommendation:

Save 34% at Amazon.com on "Teach Yourself Estonian Complete Course (Book + 2CDs) (Ty: Complete Courses)" by Mare Kitsnik

???
I don't get that many recommendations from Amazon, and most of them are more-or-less on-target. "Teach Yourself Estonian"??? No clue.

Completely pointless trivia from high school:
The gang I hung out with in high school were... well, sort of nerdy (sorry, TedTheCat!): chess club, bridge/chess/Risk on Friday nights.
Many of us participated in the Tulsa Public Library's "Book Discussion Club."
At one corner of the stacks in the main library was prominently displayed a book on Serbo-Croatian. I'm not sure that any of us ever in fact took this book off the shelf, but the title was prominent as we wended our way to the room in which the "Book Discussion Club" was meeting. It became something of a joke. "Russell Sype": Serbo-Croation for "piglike in appearance." [substitute names as required for the occasion.]

Is Amazon reading my psychic past?

Sing a song!

"Hairless, gap-toothed, baby-eating Ogre"

I retired in June.
I've been "working" as volunteer on local Congressional campaign.

Folks ask me, "Should I vote for him?"
My answer: "YES!"

... then I hedge.
The Candidate could be a hairless, gap-toothed ogre with halitosis, and I'd still be volunteering on the campaign! Just so's the Candidate is NOT a Republican!

This is pretty much my political theory for the time-being: any Major Party Candidate who is NOT a Republican gets my vote!

Occasionally I surprise my fellow volunteers, when the conversation turns to Democratic politics.

"I'm not a Democrat."

This simple statement is enough to drop jaws in this crowd.

I am registered as New Mexico's equivalent of Independent, which is, "Decline to State" - or some such (the registration is listed as "DTS"). If the Dems continue in their ways, I'll likely vote 3rd party in 2010!

Stop the madness!

on the campaign trail

I took a break from "physical presence at the campaign" today.

Not to worry: I put in 3-4 hrs of database work at home.

Thursday & Friday I spent many hrs physically present at the campaign - stuffing envelopes. This is in fact a long, somewhat amusing story that I'll not tell.

On the bright side: conversation with co-workers during these mass-mailings is quite fun! Depending on the exact make-up of the group - both in numbers and in personalities represented - the conversations range from fairly insipid chatter to heartfelt political convictions to serious personal revelations. All in all, a fun time!

There are a number of distinct physical tasks involved in mailings: folding the fliers, stuffing the envelopes, attaching stick-on addresses, sealing the envelopes. Strange as it may sound, each of these requires a specific talent. I'm pretty good at stuffing... but not so good at sealing... and it really does require fingernails to be good at attaching addresses!

Have a nice day.

more "on the campaign trail"

Today I was physically present at campaign headquarters, helping with a mailing (a delightful relief from database work!).

Most daytime volunteers are retired - working folks have to, well... work! Retirees have grand-kids, and kids that welcome the opportunity to turn grand-kids over to grandparents... the implication is that volunteers are not rarely accompanied by grand-kids - usually younger grand-kids (the teens don't really want to hang out with grandma & grandpa!).

As it turns out, the grand-kids are productive workers: they can fold flyers & stuff envelopes as well as the rest of us, and are somewhat less distracted by the idle conversation.

I commented on this today.

The response? "Were you here last week?" Turns out one of the grand-kids - an 8-yr-old - was a computer whiz, and helped the office get networked. The professional computer fellow was asking the 8-yr-old for technical advice on best ways to set up & manage the network!

Sing a song!

on the campaign trail

I'm getting much too personally involved with my imaginary friends.

Today, all I wanted to do was find out if "K.B. Johnson" was "Mr." or "Ms.". [note: don't bother looking - I changed the name to protect the real person's privacy!]

I quickly discovered "Karl B. Johnson" - okay, it's "Mr." But the source providing this info was an obit for his mother - Alicia Johnson, age 97 - pre-deceased by four of her children, and her husband, Karl B. Johnson; survived by 3 children, including K.B. Johnson & his wife Anne. Alicia died in October 2000.

Okay - "K.B." seems to have been "Karl B., Jr.", and to distinguish himself from Sr. had decided to go by "K.B." So far, so good.

How 'bout wife, Anne? Other data sources provided the info that K.B. now lives with Jacqueline Johnson, and that he is retired at age 56.

My guess? Upon mom's death, K.B. underwent a mid-life crisis. With the now-available family-fortune in hand, he re-evaluated his life, dumped Anne, and married Jacqueline.

Again: I'm becoming MUCH too personally involved with my imaginary friends.

Recall, I found the answer to the initiating question ("Mr." or "Ms.") almost immediately.

Have a nice day.

the elephant in the room

Gas prices hovering around $4/gal.
Oil prices hovering around $130/bbl.

The analyses I've seen all cite what seem like plausible macro-economic explanations: China & India are up-and-coming economic powerhouses, demanding more & more energy; U.S. drivers are addicted to gas-guzzlers.

What I've not seen is a simple graph. (I hope to learn a bit more HTML soon, and be able to display the graph!): the increase in oil prices began on 20 Mar 2003 - when we invaded Iraq.

The graph I have in mind is yet more telling: the divergence between price of oil in USD and Euros also began on 20 Mar 2003 - the day we invaded Iraq.

Europeans have been paying relatively less than us since then - USD/Euro exchange rate started going downhill on 20 Mar 2003.

The elephant in the room? Our occupation of Iraq.

Thanks again, W.

Stop the madness!

on the campaign trail...

Today I finished updating donor records for calls made in early June. I started this task last Friday.

When I turned in the last 6 pages of call sheets, I was informed that I'd be getting a spreadsheet with more records to update.

I'm not complaining. In a weird sort of way, this work is peaceful. I'm comfortable with the database, & updating records is pretty mindless. Finding missing zip codes is a piece of cake: USPS maintains a handy-dandy "zip code directory."

The minutiae associated with running a campaign - and i'm just seeing a very limited slice of it - is amazing! i'm not naturally an "attention to detail" kind o' guy... but it's not particularly difficult to get into the mode.

tomorrow? i signed up to help with a mailing.
the downside? whenver i see envelopes going out from the campaign, the only thing i really see is returned mail that needs to be fixed - addresses updated, or, if that's not possible, records marked, "omit mail."

on the bright side: i'm not aimlessly wandering the streets...

have a nice day.

Good $$$ news!

Oil dips below $122 in Asia on waning demand in US

Recall, if we'd offered Saddam $90/bbl in 2003 [Mar 2003 market price ~$30/bbl], we'd have spent LESS than cost of war to date... and we'd have the oil!

We can't provide U.S. citizens with health insurance, but...

Iraq's rebuilding planned at nearly $120 billion
By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer
29 July 2008
WASHINGTON - Iraq's coffers are bulging with oil money, yet some Baghdad residents go without electricity for much of the day and others get drinking water tainted with sewage.

... our share of this is all off-budget.

Our MBA President at work!

[note: $120Bn is $400 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. - I don't know about you, but I'd rather spend MY $400 elsewhere! Me & the wife? - we wouldn't have to sell our old gold jewelry to afford a vacation!]

Stop the madness!

my Iraq geography ain't all that great: have we been here before?

US-Iraq forces begin new offensive in Diyala

Back in the day (long ago... maybe in Nov 2007), I used to count the number of times we'd cleared Samarra of bad guys.

Where's Diyala province? How many times have we cleared it of bad guys? Why are they still there?

Has W thought of hiring "Baghdad Bob"?

Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf
Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf (Arabic: محمد سعيد الصحاف‎ also Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf, born 1940) is a former Iraqi diplomat and politician. He came to wide prominence around the world during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, during which he was the Information Minister of Iraq.

Al-Sahhaf is known for his daily press briefings in Baghdad during the 2003 Iraq War. His colorful appearances caused him to be nicknamed Baghdad Bob (in the style of previous propagandists with alliterative aliases such as "Hanoi Hannah" and "Seoul City Sue") by commentators in the United States and Comical Ali (an allusion to Chemical Ali, the nickname of former Iraqi Defence Minister Ali Hassan al-Majid) by commentators in the United Kingdom; commentators in Italy similarly nicknamed him Alì il Comico.

On April 7, 2003, al-Sahhaf claimed that there were no American troops in Baghdad, and that the Americans were committing suicide by the hundreds at the city's gates. At that time, American tanks were patrolling the streets only a few hundred yards from the location where the press conference was held. His last public appearance as Information Minister was on April 8, 2003, when he said that the Americans "are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is they who will surrender".

"We're winning! We're winning!"

At what cost?

What else could America do with the $$$ we've thrown away on Iraq?

Stop the madness!

"On the surface"...

By William Glaberson
International Herald Tribune
Published: July 29, 2008

GUANTÁNAMO BAY, Cuba: On the surface, the proceedings unfolding inside a makeshift courthouse on a hill here resemble a U.S. trial. A judge wearing a black robe presides. There is a public gallery and a witness stand. Prosecutors present witnesses, and defense lawyers cross-examine them. Objections are made and ruled upon.

But behind the judicial routine at the first trial for a Guantánamo detainee lies a parallel universe of law and lawyers.

Secret evidence held in red folders is not revealed in open court. The gallery is mostly empty because there are no members of the public. In what would be the jury box, every occupant wears a military uniform.

In the first week of the trial of Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's driver, law enforcement officials recounted what he had said during interrogations in the years since he was detained in 2001. But it was also disclosed that some of the interrogations had been conducted in the middle of the night and by men wearing masks, and that Hamdan did not have a lawyer during those sessions, nor was he warned that he might be prosecuted.

Hamdan's trial is, in a sense, two trials. Hamdan is being tried on accusations of conspiracy and material support of terrorism. And the Bush administration's military commission system itself is on trial.

Okay, I'm supposed to provide witty comment at the point... but what's there to say?

Secret evidence???

... some of the interrogations had been conducted in the middle of the night and by men wearing masks, and that Hamdan did not have a lawyer during those sessions, nor was he warned that he might be prosecuted.

What has become of my country?

Stop the madness!

Depressing...

Loyal readers will recognize that I've been a less-than-active poster in recent weeks. A couple of days ago I resolved to at least make an attempt to post daily once again...

... the depressing part? It's still amazingly easy to find news stories on which to comment - Republican corruption, the folly in Iraq, economic collapse, "trials" at Gitmo. W & his minions provide a seemingly never-ending source of outrage.

I guess I'd hoped that by simply not paying attention, the world - and MY COUNTRY - would improve. Didn't quite work out. Sigh.

Stop the madness!

Free advice for the next U.S. President

Politics and Policy are NOT coextensive!

The Party of "Family Values"

Ted Stevens indicted, longest-serving GOP senator
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer
29 July 2008
WASHINGTON - Sen. Ted Stevens, the nation's longest-serving Republican senator and a major figure in Alaska politics since before statehood, was indicted Tuesday on seven felony counts of concealing more than a quarter of a million dollars in house renovations and gifts from a powerful oil contractor that lobbied him for government aid.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but to me "family values" means stuff like honesty, not taking bribes, doing an honest day's work for an honest day's pay, telling the truth, etc.

Coupled with

U.S. Justice Department report concludes politics illegally affected hiring
By Eric Lichtblau
Published: July 29, 2008
International Herald Tribune
Senior aides to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales broke the law by using politics to guide their hiring decisions for a wide range of important department positions, slowing the hiring process at critical times and damaging the department's credibility and independence, an internal report concluded Monday.

I'm just not sure the Republicans understand "values" the same way I do.

Stop the madness.

Mother Nature hits New Mexico

1 confirmed dead in flood; 200 still stranded in Ruidoso

If you're so inclined:

American Red Cross Disaster Services
Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.

Although the American Red Cross is not a government agency, its authority to provide disaster relief was formalized when, in 1905, the Red Cross was chartered by Congress to "carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same." The Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of duties and obligations to the nation, to disaster victims, and to the people who generously support its work with their donations.

... and the single quotation regarding Red Cross Disaster Services that I find most compelling:

All Red Cross disaster relief is free of charge—a gift of the American people.

As I said, if you're so inclined...

[note: there are many other worthy charities providing disaster relief services. I just happen to be partial to the Red Cross.]

The MBA President

US deficit zooming to half-trillion as Bush leaves
By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer
28 July 2008
WASHINGTON - The government's budget deficit will surge past a half-trillion dollars next year, according to gloomy new estimates, a record flood of red ink that promises to force the winner of the presidential race to dramatically alter his economic agenda.

Remember the 2000 Presidential Campaign? The big question was what to do with the budget surplus!

President Clinton announces another record budget surplus
From CNN White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace
September 27, 2000
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Clinton announced Wednesday that the federal budget surplus for fiscal year 2000 amounted to at least $230 billion, making it the largest in U.S. history and topping last year's record surplus of $122.7 billion.

Eight years of W, and six years of "fiscally-responsible" Republican Congressional leadership have left us with a $500Bn deficit. (... and I'm pretty sure this doesn't count the "off budget" wars!)

Cool!

McCain promises to continue - and extend - W's failed economic policies. (hint, hint!)

Stop the madness!

"Our national security system is broken and needs fixing"

Study proposes revamping US security system
By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer
28 July 2008
WASHINGTON - In a report aimed at the next president, security specialists are proposing a vast overhaul of the U.S. security system, declaring it problem-plagued.
...
The study, mandated by Congress, was undertaken by the Project on National Security Reform. The research was conducted by more than 300 national security experts from think tanks, universities, federal agencies, law firms and corporations.
...
Thomas J. Pickering, a former career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement that the findings would be valuable to the next president and to Congress.

"Our national security system is broken and needs fixing," he said.

Well... the findings may be valuable to a "next president"... but I have my doubts that the other potential #44 will pay much attention. [There's no money at stake here: I'm pretty sure folks can guess which candidate I think might learn something from this report.]

How much are we spending on "Homeland Security"? What's it buying?

Stop the madness!

GWOT: seems W got it wrong (who'd-a-thunk?)

Study questions US strategy against al-Qaida
By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer
28 July 2008
WASHINGTON - The United States can defeat al-Qaida if it relies less on force and more on policing and intelligence to root out the terror group's leaders, a new study contends.
...
[The Rand research center's] report said that the use of military force by the United States or other countries should be reserved for quelling large, well-armed and well-organized insurgencies, and that American officials should stop using the term "war on terror" and replace it with "counterterrorism."

"Terrorists should be perceived and described as criminals, not holy warriors, and our analysis suggests there is no battlefield solution to terrorism," said Seth Jones, the lead author of the study and a Rand political scientist.

Hmmm.

Recall, W and his minions pooh-poohed Clinton's approach to terrorists as "criminals". They preferred a WAR, dammit!

After close to seven (7) years, this failed policy is finally being recognized as such: a failed policy.

"The United States has the necessary instruments to defeat al-Qaida, it just needs to shift its strategy," Jones said.

Anyone believe McCain will shift our strategy?

Stop the madness!

On the bright side (honest!)

Lest I become consumed by my virulently anti-W attitude...

Home-made ice cream!
I try to find an excuse to make French-vanilla ice cream (a Betty Crocker recipe) at least twice a year. So far my first and only excuse this year was July 4 - a family get-together at my sister's place. (Most of my extended family lives in town; none of us is a native.) Now, French-vanilla ice cream requires egg yolks, implying that I'm always stuck with a lot of egg whites. A few years ago I discovered a raspberry sherbet recipe requiring egg whites: now when I make French-vanilla ice cream, I also make raspberry sherbet! [... please, before inundating me with comments, note that I've tried meringue, & found it a less-than-satisfactory solution!]

Neighbors!
Our neighbors to the West are, well, neighborly, and take it upon themselves to entertain the neighbors every once in a while. Last weekend they hosted "Dessert Sunday"... and they provided the desserts! The featured dessert was Henry's justly-famous key-lime pie... but there were at least a half-dozen choices. This is a very pleasant excuse to chat with folks who are, in fact, neighbors! Thanks, Henry & Moira!

Marriage!
I've been married to Teresa for 27 blissful years. I describe her as "my charming wife" whenever a written description is called for. Once someone asked me, "Why 'charming'?" I had an immediate response: "Well, it's been 27 years, and I'm still enchanted!"

Friends & family. When it comes to the important stuff, I've really nothing to complain about. Loyal friends. Loving family.

Sing a song!

More fun economic news - headlines only

Foreclosures double from last year

Dollar lower before key economic data

{aside}This is one of the reasons Europe hasn't been hit as hard by oil price increase: in Euros, the increase has been substantially less than in $.

The slump persists: Home sales tumble across US

Jobless claims jump as housing market gets weaker

Strain on household budgets will cut into apparel, dorm spending this year

Middle class: 'On the edge'

U.S. regulators seize two more banks

And here at home...

Inflation's next front is retailers as costs rise
By ELLEN SIMON, AP Business Writer
27 July 2008
NEW YORK - Coming to a store near you: Even higher prices.

And our weapon against inflation? The Fed.

The Fed's between a rock & a hard place, and has been for some time now.

To provide economic stimulus, they need to cut the prime rate, which they've done more than a few times since January. Economic stimulus? Low rates!

On the other hand, to combat inflation, they need to raise the rate!
Control inflation? High rates!

More than one Fed Governor has commented on this dilemma this year, and the inflation hawks have won the day the past few months - no new rate cuts to provide economic stimulus.

Me? I have to live in this economy with everyone else.

BUT: when you go the polls in November, remember which Major Party got us into this mess. (Hint: it wasn't the Democrats!)

Have a nice day.

My favorite W speech: the gift that keeps on giving

I've noted before that I am possibly the only person who routinely celebrates the anniversary of W's May 2004 War College speech.

One of the less-noted passages in this speech pretty much epitomizes W's view of a perfect world - by what he promises the Iraqis:

America will fund the construction of a modern, maximum security prison. When that prison is completed, detainees at Abu Ghraib will be relocated. Then, with the approval of the Iraqi government, we will demolish the Abu Ghraib prison, as a fitting symbol of Iraq's new beginning.

Ah, yes: a fitting symbol of Iraq's new beginning is a new prison to replace Abu Ghraib!

What ever happened to that "modern, maximum security prison"?, you ask.

Report: Empty prison in Iraq a $40M 'failure'
By BRIAN MURPHY and PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writers
27 July 2008
BAGHDAD - In the flatlands north of Baghdad sits a prison with no prisoners. It holds something else: a chronicle of U.S. government waste, misguided planning and construction shortcuts costing $40 million and stretching back to the American overseers who replaced Saddam Hussein.

The contractor? Parsons. It was awarded the contract in March 2004, 2 months before W's speech.

"This is $40 million invested in a project with very little return," [special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, Stuart] Bowen told The Associated Press in Washington. "A couple of buildings are useful. Other than that, it's a failure."

The article notes that, in the waste that has been Iraq "reconstruction", $40M isn't much to speak of... but still!

... and, to be fair: there is a bright side!

The U.S. government pulled the plug in June 2006, citing "continued schedule slips and ... massive cost overruns."

It could have been even more of a financial fiasco!... then again,

... But they hadn't abandoned the hope of finishing the project — awarding three more contracts to other companies in a doomed effort.

Giving it the old college try. But, again: in the larger scheme of things, this is actually one of the better failures. It only cost $40M. Recall, we spent $50M on Laura Bush's children's hospital in Basra before abandoning that effort!

Stop the madness!

Death, mobility, celebrities, and soap operas

New Mexico Congressional District 1, Martin Heinrich for Congress: Update.

Over the past several weeks I've alphabetized & filed perhaps 1000 paper copies of donor records. I've updated perhaps 2000 donor records in a donor database.

What have I learned from this experience?
1) it's amazingly easy to develop attachments to faceless names and addresses; you see a name on an envelope or on a computer record more than a couple of times, and you start to imagine you've established a personal relationship with that person!

2) folks die. yeah - i probably knew that already... but when i realize that one of my sources for updating records is the Albuquerque Journal's obituary archive, it starts to sink in!

3) folks are mobile. me? i'm pretty sedentary - i've lived in the same house now for about 16 years, and expect to die here. not everyone is this sedentary: tracking folks from new mexico to florida has been a lot of fun! more than a few folks lead seasonal lives, with homes from coast to coast - all the addresses are "good", just not all relevant today!

4) if you give $$$ to political campaigns, the FEC has your number!... Want to send Don Henley (drummer, the Eagles) a note? his address is available via FEC. Barbra Streisand? ditto.

5) the donor database has a feature called 'householding': if two folks share a residence, their records can be combined. sad thing is, there are more than a few folks who once were householded but who now live separately - often on different sides of the country.

Recall from above: a) i've developed a meta-personal relationship with many of these folks, and b) it really is possible to track an individual's movement via the internet.

i suspect a more imaginative fellow (and a better writer!) could compose more than a few short-stories - with soap-opera themes - based on these observed break-ups.

it's to the point that i'm surprised and disappointed when i can't pin a person down to his/her current location. this ought to scare me!

caveat: all of the comments above refer to a specific subset of the overall population, namely - folks who give $$$ to political campaigns! this likely represents upper percentiles of income distribution. "Doctors" - MDs, PhDs, EdDs, JDs, etc. - are fairly common. Professional investors are common. (Oh, yeah... i forgot to mention: when you give $$$ to political campaign, you have to indicate your employer & your profession!... this info is also helpful in tracking you down!)

progress to date: i've processed ~1500 pieces of returned mail, and have updated in the neighborhood of 2500 donor records for one reason or another.

is this fun?

no. it's tedious & time-consuming... and mind-numbing.

... BUT: i am doing something tangible to promote the election of a major-party-candidate-who-is-not-Rebpublican to the U.S. House of Representatives... in a district that has been Republican since its creation in 1968.

as it turns out, i actually LIKE Martin Heinrich,... BUT: the Dem candidate could have been a hairless, one-eyed, gap-toothed, baby-eating ogre with halitosis, and i'd still be putting in my time!

Take back our country!

Wow! Obama's in Iraq!

Just checked Yahoo News section on Iraq. The only visible headlines are about Obama's visit.

1. I don't care.
2. This may be good news: U.S. presidential candidate visits Iraq. This news eclipses all else. No bombings!

So... if the situation in Iraq is now relatively stable, just why do we have to stay?

Oh, yeah: if Iraq is bad, we have to stay. If Iraq is good, we have to stay.

I keep forgetting!

Stop the madness!

been away for a while...

... but am now catching up on latest Iraq discussion. Seems Maliki gave an interview to German Der Spiegel in which he promoted Obama's troop-withdrawal notions... then W's minions leaned on him & he more-or-less retracted the comments (some bit about mistranslation)... then, well, maybe, no - the comments were accurate. W's minions are interpreting this in terms of "Iraqi politics", which they apparently disdain.

Let's see. W and his minions have pretty much given up on getting a SOFA in place before W departs - the Iraqi's were intransigent. To the extent that public opinion polling in Iraq is even slightly trustworthy (not a very great extent, admittedly), the Iraqis really don't care for a continued U.S. occupation of their country. When Iraq's leader (and our nominal puppet) dares assert this position, W and his minions pooh-pooh him - how dare he reflect the wishes of his Iraqi constituents!

All things considered, this seems to be a plus for Obama.

... on the other hand, I'm doing my level best to avoid paying any attention to the presidential campaign. I'm immersing myself in New Mexico's First Congressional District!

Have a nice day!

tickled pink

When I made my brief, obligatory appearance at the Heinrich campaign Tuesday, the Finance folks were simply giddy.

Heinrich's Fundraising Skyrockets – Raises over $500,000 in Six Weeks
Press Release | July 15, 2008
New Mexico's 1st District Democrat has best fundraising period of campaign – trounces Bush-backed opponent

Albuquerque, New Mexico – Democrat Martin Heinrich's congressional campaign continues to rapidly gain momentum as his fundraising skyrocketed in the most recent financial reporting period. Heinrich raised $510,571 from over 1,200 contributors in just six short weeks, besting former Bush-Cheney Campaign Chair Darren White's fundraising efforts for the past three months.

If money be the food of love, raise on!

The press release is a fun read from a rhetorical perspective: lots of insinuating value-laden words and phrases.

On the bright side, it includes the single strongest argument to vote Dem:

"What we've got here is a choice between the George Bush-Darren White team and their disastrous legacy or the fresh pragmatic thinking that Martin Heinrich brings to the table," said Heinrich Campaign Manager Jon Blair.

What makes this really fun is that White is running on the slogan, "Bring real change to Washington."... Note: he solicited W's help!

Have a nice day.

[Note re: "brief, obligatory appearance". Yes, I am volunteering many hours on the Heinrich campaign... but almost all my hours are spent at home, on my personal computer system. I'm physically not much present at campaign headquarters. If ya wanna find me, gimme a call at home!]

hmmm...

U.S. to establish presence in Tehran: report
17 July 2008
LONDON (Reuters) - The United States will announce in the next month that it plans to establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 30 years, a British newspaper said on Thursday.

Two responses:
1) Yea! This could be W's foreign-policy coup.
2) Whoa! Ain't this sort of like, well, appeasement?

Sing a song!

a fun juxtaposition

Paulson Lobbies Congress to Get Fannie-Freddie Rescue Approved
Bernanke: Fannie, Freddie Not Failing

Again: these folks ain't any smarter than you & me... they've just got more money!

So... Secretary of the Treasury Paulson is worried Freddie & Fannie might fail, but FedMeister Bernanke opines there's no problem!

Not new, just weird: politics & reality don't quite coincide!

Stop the madness!

[FYI: my wife discovered today that her portfolio had lost ~10% since 1 July! She was shocked.]

It could happen to YOU!

Appeals Court Divided In Enemy Combatant Ruling
by Ari Shapiro, NPR
Morning Edition, July 16, 2008 · A federal appeals court says the only man being held as an enemy combatant on U.S. soil has the right to challenge his detention. But the court couldn't be more divided.
...
Ali al-Marri has been in military custody for five years, accused of having ties to al-Qaida.

Accused of having ties to al Qaeda. W said so. It must be true.

Under W's theory of law, YOU could be accused of having ties to al Qaeda, on his say-so, and locked up. Forever. Without appeal. Without access to courts. Ever.

A fantasy:

George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, vanished today. As far as anyone can tell, W was designated an "enemy combatant" by President XLIV, and whisked away to an unknown military detention facility. Under Executive Orders issued by W, this action is perfectly legal. In the event that W is listening: I told ya so!

Well... it could happen...

Stop the madness!

On the campaign trail

Hunter Thompson's Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail provided witty commentary on the 1972 Presidential campaign.

My commentary on the NM1 Congressional race will not be as entertaining.

What have I been doing for Heinrich's NM1 campaign that's kept me from posting? Participating in late-night strategy meetings? Formulating brilliant talking points for the candidate? Digging up dirt on the respected Republican opponent?

Nope.

I've been making my way very slowly through boxes of returned mail. The goal: to update mailing addresses in a database, so that next time there are fewer "undeliverable/return to sender" items. Each of these returns represents wasted postage - $$$, the campaign's lifeblood.

It is not glamorous, exciting, or stimulating.
Check Yahoo People Search. Check another database of registered voters. Check a national database on campaign giving culled from the FEC. Check the ABQ Journal's obituary archive. For less common names, run wide-open Google search.

Finally, concede that this particular address cannot be accurately updated.

I've made my way through about 500 envelopes so far. I'd guess slighly more than 75% have resulted in successful updates. The remaining records are tagged, "Omit Mail". At least the campaign won't waste more $$$ on these bad addresses.

This is what keeps me away from al Qaeda in Albuquerque.

The more envelopes I process today, the fewer remain. Those 500 I've processed to date represent perhaps 20% of the total.

Sigh.

Sing a song.

Good news from Iraq (honest!)

Fewer gunmen and bribes as Iraqi students take finals
By Sam Dagher
Wed Jul 9, 2008
Christian Science Monitor
BAGHDAD - A group of anxious-looking Iraqi mothers huddled behind concrete barriers and concertina wire in the shadow of two Iraqi police pickup trucks. In the distance, US military vehicles could be seen patrolling the neighborhood.
...
This was the scene Monday outside a school in Baghdad's Baiyaa neighborhood, where hundreds of Iraqi teenage girls took a chemistry exam as part of the standardized national exams for high school diplomas held this time each year. The exams, which started on June 26, will end on Wednesday.

Last year's tests were marred by unprecedented incidents of mass cheating, bribe-taking, and sheer lawlessness. In many places, militiamen and insurgents strolled casually into exam centers and forced officials, often at gunpoint, to allow cheating. But this year, aided by the fact that most Baghdad neighborhoods have been turned into walled compounds protected by US and Iraqi troops, authorities took often draconian measures to avoid a repetition of such scenes.
[emphasis added]

This does in fact seem to be a sign of progress.
High school students can take graduation exams without fear.

Could this happen next year without American troops present? I don't know.

This and similar stories present me with a dilemma.
Can the Iraqis achieve a stable, civil society without our presence?

On the other hand... what can we afford? Is this too crude, too primitive, a yardstick?

As stated previously, I wish all the best for ordinary Iraqi citizens.
I'm just not convinced I'm willing to pay for their reintegration at the expense of the U.S.
We're spending more than $100Bn/year on Iraq, and borrowing to pay for it.

Still... I believe disengaging from Iraq is the best of many none-too-wonderful alternatives, and that our continued presence both exacerbates the problem, and maintains the Iraqis in a dependent, subservient position.

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

... and the latest poll says...

Advice to all - voters, candidates, interested observers, innocent by-standers:

The only poll that counts will be held Tuesday, 4 Nov 2008.

Yeah, it can be fun to follow the "horse race" - but it's very early yet.

Neither major party has yet held its convention.

4 Nov is just under 4 months away.

A lot can happen in 4 months. (My bet: watch for significant Halloween event!)

It ain't too hard to figure out my political preferences... BUT: I encourage all to
1. Register to vote.
2. VOTE!

One of the very cool things about the Presidential Primaries was the turn-out - on both sides. The lackadaisical American electorate seems to be engaging with politics this year.

Note: I do NOT believe that politics is the end-all/be-all of existence. Most of us are doing what we can to live the best lives possible, raise our kids, provide for our families... have fun with our friends. I just think it's cool that so many of my fellow citizens have decided that part of living the best life possible means getting to the voting booth this year!

Sing a song.

guilty as charged

In comment below "anonymous" notes that I know nothing about IRS arrears collection.

When my depth of "knowledge" is represented by having seen tax-farming ads on TV, it's really hard to dispute the charge!

Defending my ignorance, I'll say that my interest is less in IRS arrears collection than in the proliferation of prime-time tax-farming ads (at least, prime-time on cable stations). When the commercials state explicitly, "If you owe the IRS $10,000 or more...", it's hard for me to accept that the target audience is not, in fact, folks who owe more than $10k.

The next bunch of ads I'd expect to see would be for "foreclosure relief": save your credit rating by avoiding foreclosure! Call today.

Yes - my expectation is based on my loathing of W. I seize upon anything that can be presented as an indictment of his "governance"... and, yes, this leads to uninformed ranting.

But! Thanks, "anonymous", for a well-presented comment!
(Please, don't hesitate to slam me again! I suspect most of my posts are similarly uninformed rants. Honestly having to defend a position might chasten me!)

Maybe next time I'll do my homework before ranting... but don't bet on it.

Sing a song!

Our last line of defense: the Courts

Senate commits to shielding telecoms from suits
By PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writer
9 July 2008
WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday affirmed its intention to protect from civil lawsuits telecom companies that helped the government wiretap Americans without court authorization after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Again, which word(-s) don't they understand:

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

I know I'm naive, but I really don't understand how a simple Act of Congress or an Executive Order can legitimately supersede the plain language of the Bill of Rights.

As expressed previously, my hope is that when a Federal Court finally gets to review one of these cases it finds that,

The United States Constitution being the Supreme Law of the Land, neither the Congress nor the Executive has the competence to arbitrarily abrogate any of its provisions, among which are the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and the requirement for a warrant based on probable cause.

Yes, I know: wishful thinking.

Recommendation: if your Democratic Senator votes for this bill, make a note of it. Next time s/he is up for re-election, remember this vote!

Stop the madness!

just a coupla' observations on W's govt & economy

Anyone remember the French Revolution? (Well, no - actually, no one now living can honestly claim to "remember" the Revolution, but I'd guess quite a few of us have read about it!... sort of like "rain" in Albuquerque.)

One of many precipating conditions was taxation... and in particular, the practice of farming out tax collection. "Tax farming" was extremely lucrative - the "farmer" got to keep some percentage of whatever he collected.

It's been quite a while since tax collection has been farmed out to non-governmental agents. Under W's philosophy of government ("that government is best which governs least" + "private enterprise is divine"), the tax farmers are back. I see their commercials on TV every night. I've two somewhat contradictory responses to these commercials:
1. Why are private businesses doing the IRS's job?
2. How do folks end up owing "more than $10,000" the IRS? (Folks who owe the IRS "more than $10,000" are the target audience for these commercials.)... and a third reaction: why do I feel like a sap for paying what I owe?

Second observation on W's economy, also based on TV commercial: "The Gold Kit". Yes, you too can now liquidate family heirlooms for a few bucks... which, sad to say, you probably desperately need! "I took a vaction on the money I got from The Gold Kit!" Wow! Your wedding ring, your grandmother's locket, your dad's watch fob - no problem! Send 'em in! We'll give you $$$ today!.

I suspect a pawn broker would give a better rate... and you'd have the chance to redeem the articles.

Liquidating portable, tangible assets to take a vacation seems the perfect metaphor for W's economy. Squander the future for today's fling!

Stop the madness.

From "suggesting" to "insisting"

Iraq insists on withdrawal timetable for US troops"
By SALLY BUZBEE, Associated Press Writer
8 July 2008
BAGHDAD - Iraq's national security adviser said Tuesday his country will not accept any security deal with the United States unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces.

I don't know if Iraq's national security adviser has any say-so in this decision, but it's still rather refreshing to see the Iraqi's state an anti-occupation position.

If only our Congressional Dems could display this backbone: "No funding without... ", well, without just about ANYTHING would do. A timetable. Clearly stated objectives. Clearly articulated milestones towards those objectives. ANYTHING besides the no-strings-attached continual funding (now in its 6th year!).

Meanwhile, a car bomb at the Indian Embassy in Kabul killed 41.

So... we want to keep troops in Iraq so we can fail in Afghanistan, too?

Stop the madness!

For newcomers: why "Al Qaeda in Albuquerque"?

The name, 'al Qaeda in Albuquerque', is deliberately chosen to excite the NSA. (It has, in addition, nice alliteration and a fun convergence of A's and Q's)

In truth, the name was chosen long before the blog was started.
It intends to mock W's conflating the so-called "al Qaeda in Iraq" with bin Laden's al Qaeda - the folks who in fact attacked us on 9/11.
A little-known Jordanian, Zarqawi, led a small radical militant group that he called, "Group of Monotheism and Jihad"... until the U.S. invaded Iraq. He then renamed his group, "Organization of Jihad's Base in the Country of the Two Rivers", and "pledged allegiance" to bin Laden. Henceforth, this group has been known in the U.S. as "al Qaeda in Iraq". It has NO connection with bin Laden, other than Zarqawi's "pledge".

Just because a group is known as "al Qaeda" doesn't mean they're the folks who attacked us, or that it is allied with bin Laden. ... BUT: W has been quick to seize on Zarqawi's "pledge" to justify our continuing occupation of Mesopotamia.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
[Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, scene ii.]

If no one but the NSA finds this blog, that'd be okay... but I DO hope to reach a larger audience. A point: simply naming oneself 'al Qaeda' does NOT imply an allegiance to Osama bin Laden. As stated on this page, my sole purpose is to restore the U.S. Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land. I am a U.S. Army vet, a registered voter, and all in all a proud citizen of the USA who now feels powerless to rescue my Country from W and his minions. This blog is my little contribution to recovering my country.

Our shame (continued)

U.S. soldier may be able to seek asylum
OTTAWA, July 5 (UPI) -- A Canadian federal judge has decided Canada's refugee board made a mistake when it rejected a U.S. soldier's request for asylum.

Justice Robert Barnes said the Immigration and Refugee Board was incorrect when it decided Joshua Key was unable to seek asylum in Canada because the military actions he was dodging weren't extreme enough to be considered war crimes.

The Friday ruling may pave the way for other American deserters who try to claim refugee status in Canada, The Globe and Mail in Toronto reported.

The judge said evading military orders that are "contrary to the basic rules or norms of human conduct" is a substantial reason to seek asylum.
[emphasis added]

Cool! A Canadian court has effectively ruled that the U.S. has committed war crimes... or at least, that the claim has merit!

How long will it take us - you, me, and our country - to recover from W?

I've been watching a History Channel International series on American Presidents. The worst that could be said of Grant - close to the bottom of the list - is that his appointed cronies enriched themselves. I believe the same is true of Harding - another low-ranking President. Nixon? Well, he did what he could to subvert domestic politics.

W?
Where to start?
Raping the Bill of Rights.
Promoting torture.
Flat out rejecting international law & the Geneva Conventions.

Stop the madness!

Iraq (what else?): why are we there?

Recent commentary - from cable news to the New Yorker's Talk of the Town suggest that the "success" of the surge has left Obama adrift. All cite the apparent "success" of the surge in reducing the daily violence, and the apparent emergence of more-or-less democratic Iraqi institutions as evidence that Obama's anti-war stance could prove a liability in November.

Well... maybe. But only if Obama accepts W's framing of the issue.

Me? I'm still waiting to hear just exactly what are our strategic objectives in Iraq. What is it we want to achieve? What is the end-state we envision?

If low-level domestic violence (only a couple of car-bombings/week) is what we want - great! We've achieved it!

If oil production is what we want... well, are we getting there? How 'bout simply say, "We want Iraq's oil." That at least guides policy. Forget Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra! Concentrate our forces in the oil-fields and along the major pipelines to ensure a steady supply!

I've said this frequently: with no strategic objectives it's impossible to either figure out our next steps or know when we've succeeded. Maintaining a military presence simply as policemen, to keep a lid on sectarian, civil violence, dooms us to an eternal presence. Is this what we want?

Stop the madness!

Hmmm... this is interesting: Iraq suggests timetable

Iraq raises idea of timetable for US withdrawal
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and SEBASTIAN ABBOT, Associated Press Writers
7 July 2008
BAGHDAD - Iraq's prime minister said Monday his country wants some type of timetable for a withdrawal of American troops included in the deal the two countries are negotiating.

So... what'll W and his minions do if our "puppet" Iraqi Government starts asserting itself... against us?

The news reports on negotiations regarding Status-of-Forces-Agreement have been none too encouraging of late. The Iraqis seem to want to actually exercise the sovreignty W has promised them.

Sing a song!

Tongue-in-cheek advice for Dana Perino

The recent Fed court ruling ridiculing W's Administration for presenting an "Alice in Wonderland" argument suggests other ways in which the Administration could consciously adopt Lewis Carroll as a mentor.

For example, during press briefings, Dana Perino could quote from Alice:

‘I have answered three questions, and that is enough,’
 Said his father; ‘don’t give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
 Be off, or I’ll kick you down stairs!’

Just a suggestion...

Have fun!

In my lifetime!

Black students helped end 'Massive Resistance'
By STEVE SZKOTAK, Associated Press Writer
Sun Jul 6, 2008
NORFOLK, Va. - The "Norfolk 17" were honored Sunday at the church that educated them 50 years ago when six of the city's all-white public schools closed under Virginia's defiant response to court-ordered desegregation.
...
Virginia's Massive Resistance cut funds to any school that dared to integrate.

Schools were closed and private academies were created to educate white students who could afford the tuition.

In my lifetime, America was racially segregated.
Today, a black man is a major-party candidate for the Presidency.
[note: I consciously opted for 'black' rather than African-American - Obama's heritage is too mixed... this, too, is progress!]

Now, can we move beyond "identity" politics?

Sing a song!

"Why no posts?", you ask.

I've gone from 3-4 posts/day to 3-4 posts/week.

The reason?
I've been contributing to the political process in a more direct way, volunteering for Martin Heinrich's campaign for NM1.

What this means in practice is that I've been spending many hours on the computer updating a donor database.

Initially I worked in the campaign office - on a very old machine with none-too-reliable wireless connection to internet. After one particularly frustrating afternoon on this primitive system I asked if I could take the work home. Since then I've been working on home system - which is a brand new Dell desktop with broadband connection.
Even with this best-of-all-possible worlds, database updating is still extremely tedious and time-consuming. [Latest task: updating area-codes to reflect recent bifurcation of New Mexico into two area codes - most of the state ("most" by area) is now area code 575. The database interface allows no simple "find/replace" option: it's a matter of search by zipcode & updating records based on phone prefix. There's also basic housekeeping involved: checking that mail address includes title ("Mr.", "Mrs.", "Ms.", "Dr.", etc.), and that, e.g., "Ln" is spelled out "Lane".

On the bright side:
1. I believe my efforts contribute more directly to success in November than Al Qaeda in ABQ could ever hope for.
2. (personal): the campaign work provides a welcome transition to retirement... I am, in fact, working more hours and more diligently for the campaign than I ever managed at work!

On the down side:
My enthusiasm for Al Qaeda in ABQ is less intense than it was.
It'd help if more folks posted comments!
(many thanks to p.m. prescott for his thought-provoking responses!)

Have a nice day.

more Hezbollah in the news

Hezbollah said to train Shiite militiamen in Iraq
By HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writers
Tue Jul 1, 2008
BAGHDAD - Hezbollah instructors trained Shiite militiamen at remote camps in southern Iraq until three months ago when they slipped across the border to Iran — presumably to continue instruction on Iranian soil, according to two Shiite lawmakers and a top army officer.

Why do I care?

My long-standing deluded conspiracy theory has Cheney orchestrating a "terrorist" attack on Halloween. The nominal culprits? Hezbollah. This provides W with the excuse to bomb Iran, adjourn Congress, and cancel the elections.

Note: the lead paragraph above makes a point of citing Hezbollah's links with Iran!

Whenever Hezbollah features prominently in news - particularly when it is tied to continuing violence in Iraq with clear suggestion that Iran is to blame - I simply see puppet-masters pulling the strings, preparing us - the U.S. public - for the upcoming attack & W's consequent dictatorship.

Yes, I am delusional.

Whatever happened to grammar?

Police: Ex-convict suspected of killing 8 captured
By JIM SUHR, Associated Press Writer
1 July 2008
GRANITE CITY, Ill. - Police and FBI agents captured an ex-convict suspected of killing eight people in two states as he smoked a cigarette outside of a southwestern Illinois bar Tuesday night.
[emphasis added]

Has no one heard of a dangling modifier? Did this guy really kill eight people in two states while smoking a cigarette outside an Illinois bar? Hmmm... maybe the bar was in East St. Louis, on the river, and he killed folks in Illinois & Missouri - shooting across the Mississippi.

No - I don't mean to make light of the crime, only of the reporter's language!

Have fun!

If the govt says it, it must be true

Evidence Faulted in Detainee Case
By WILLIAM GLABERSON
Published: July 1, 2008
NYT
In the first case to review the government’s secret evidence for holding a detainee at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, a federal appeals court found that accusations against a Muslim from western China held for more than six years were based on bare and unverifiable claims. The unclassified parts of the decision were released on Monday.

With some derision for the Bush administration’s arguments, a three-judge panel said the government contended that its accusations against the detainee should be accepted as true because they had been repeated in at least three secret documents.

The court compared that to the absurd declaration of a character in the Lewis Carroll poem “The Hunting of the Snark”: “I have said it thrice: What I tell you three times is true.”
...
“This comes perilously close to suggesting that whatever the government says must be treated as true,” said the panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Okay - the Federal Court did a better job at lampooning W's "argument" than I could hope to match. No further comment required.

Stop the madness!

It wasn't for oil! Honest!

From Juan Cole's Informed Comment

Oil Minister Husain Shahristani announced on Monday that negotiations had broken down for the moment between his ministry and 4 oil majors over their provision of technical assistance to Iraqi oil fields. He had offered them fees, they wanted a share of the petroleum instead. He refused. The oil majors appear to think the petroleum will increase in value, and so is much better than set cash fees. The negotiations will continue.

Hmmm. These would be the same contracts the U.S. State Dept has been helping Iraq's Oil Ministry negotiate. BUT: this was and is NOT a War for Oil!

Have a nice day.

Why am I not surprised? Our shame, continued.

Bush's top general quashed torture dissent
New evidence shows that despite warnings from across the military, former Gen. Richard Myers shut down legal scrutiny of brutal interrogation tactics.
By Mark Benjamin
Salon.com
June 30, 2008 | WASHINGTON -- The former Air Force general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Richard Myers, helped quash dissent from across the U.S. military as the Bush administration first set up a brutal interrogation regime for terrorism suspects, according to newly public documents and testimony from an ongoing Senate probe.

In late 2002, documents show, officials from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps all complained that harsh interrogation tactics under consideration for use at the prison in Guantánamo Bay might be against the law. Those military officials called for further legal scrutiny of the tactics.
...
Myers, however, agreed to scuttle a plan for further legal review of the tactics, in response to pressure from a top Pentagon attorney helping to set up the interrogation program for then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Scuttling an inquiry into the legality of proposed interrogation techniques strikes me as a policy of willful ignorance. Willful ignorance does not provide a defense.

Why would a Joint Chiefs Chair pursue such a policy? The willingness to submit to "pressure" seems to me gross negligence. How'd this guy get 4 stars?

How have we found ourselves in this situation? Willing to torture. Unwilling to challenge torture.

Stop the madness.