Another gem from Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

The winner of Keith Olbermann's 'worst person in the world' award for 30 Sep 2008.

From Think Progress.

Boy, it sure is grouchy in here.

This is my new domestic partner, Josie. I have her because her former owner's allergies were getting worse.

Josie is spending our anti-honeymoon stomping around the apartment hissing and growling, or relaxing in her favorite sulking place behind the couch.

My friend Jeannie assures me that Josie is just going through a difficult adjustment phase. She was quite attached to the family she lived with for seven years.

The city-skyline effect in the photo is an artifact of my venetian blinds, which are getting full sunlight.

Good Yontiv to all.

Astute Observations on the Economy

That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're all about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out.

But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy.

Um, helping, oh -- it's got to be all about job creation too.

Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track.

So healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, um, scary thing, but 1 in 5 jobs being created in the trade sector today.

We've got to look at that as more opportunity.

All of those things under the umbrella of job creation.

This bailout is a part of that.

-- Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin

IT skills shortage? Where?

Not in Canada anyway.

Jack's Gallows Humor

As a side effect of the current economic meltdown, there appears to be a run on mattresses.

"Alaskans are already living in McCainistan."

Whether or not the Republican presidential ticket wins in November, Alaskans are already living in McCainistan. It seems Governor Palin and Attorney General Talis Colberg have simply abdicated their positions, leaving operatives from the McCain campaign in charge of the executive branch (including the Department of Law) while attempting to undermine the authority of the legislative branch.

-- Brendan Joel Kelley in the Anchorage Press.

John Kerry on McCain's stunting

Stand Up to the Madness

Another fine post on mnblue about the RNC atrocities.

Social Inertia

Guest blogged by Peter A. Miller

Fall (or autumn, if you like) has now appeared on the doorstep of the Stockholm region. The area’s deciduous trees are in the process of flaunting their seasonal finery, and crops are being harvested …. including apples. And here I sit at my computer, considering what to write about, and eating yes, an apple, which spurs me to thoughts about Sir Isaac Newton. This gentleman was, of course, the very gifted English physicist, mathematician, and even otherwise multifaceted man of science who many of us remember for his work with describing the laws of universal gravitation (you know, the famous apple falling from the tree?) …. and also for formulating his three laws of motion.

Well, it’s that first law of motion that is currently catching my interest as I simultaneously contemplate and munch on what’s left of my Newton-inspiring apple  the law that states (and I paraphrase) "A body at rest tends to remain at rest, and a body in motion tends to remain in motion, unless acted upon by an external force."

The jump to applying this Newtonian observation to the human condition doesn’t seem like a very big one to me. I’ll start with myself as an example. At home we have an electric energy provider, just the way I’m sure we all do. Most of us have been told that "it pays to shop around" .... that we should actively contact the competitors to see if we can get a lower rate and/or a better overall deal. Have we done that yet? Such a question! Inertia!! We remain at rest, and our household’s electricity provider remains the same (for better or worse) because somehow it seems like too much of a bother to launch that project!

Or assuming you still have confidence in banks, take the different bank savings accounts where each may offer different rates of interest and conditions. How many of us are totally on top of that situation, quickly making the necessary transfers and adjustments to constantly maximize yield? I truly hope we all are, but I have some doubts …. present company included!

So, now I will attempt to apply the inertia concept to social behavior: After a day’s work, especially outside the house, it’s easy to arrive home and get comfortable, particularly if you’ve had a grinding day! No matter what interesting event might be attracting you once again to leave home and go downtown, there is that temptation to stay put … to remain at home (do you recognize what I’m talking about?) …. to remain at rest ….. to dwell in your comfort zone …. to "honor" your inertia.

And yet, when you’ve overcome that inertia, when you’ve exerted the necessary effort to win that uphill battle, don’t you almost always feel really good that you’ve conquered your lethargy? I honestly can’t remember one time when I was angry that I rose to the occasion and attended a quality event or social get-together, in spite of the immediate allure of the TV and sofa at home. I always feel rewarded for my efforts.

Hopefully, in the best of cases, this little essay can serve as part of that external force that acts on your social inertia, and sets your social self in greater motion. ….. and who knows ... ? …. We just might start seeing you at more ESCC activities too!

Peter A. Miller is president of the English Speaking Community Club of Sweden.

South Carolina mayor 'just curious' if Obama is the antichrist.

That's why he forwarded the chain email.

Senator Biden's Friday Night Dilemma

"... should I show respect by sympathizing because Gov. Palin is in a situation that is over her head? She unblinkingly let herself be thrust onto the national stage by Sen. McCain's impetuous effort to 'change the game.' Should I treat her ignorance of national and international affairs gently, even at the risk of sounding condescending?"

-- Peter Sandman and Jody Lanard, via kos.

Linux snobs

Here's what I don't understand: There are quite a few *nix fans that say if you use Ubuntu, it's a "for noobs only" OS.

Rich Menga explains.

We are not going away

The atrocious treatment of peaceful protestors by black-clad storm troopers at the RNC will be the subject of many conversations in the years (yes, years) to come.

Conversations, inquiries, reelection campaigns, and I hope, prosecutions.

Here's the latest from Charley Underwood on mnblue.

Oy.

My recurring nightmare

Keeping Windows relevant

"... a recent convert to Vista ... said that his wife could not find a way to shut down the PC and had reverted to unplugging it from the wall. Couldn't Vista have helped her?"

Article at Cnet News.

Why do bats hang upside down?

And other questions answered at Bat Conservation International.

Missing senior found, sent back to his campaign in Mississippi

From 23/6.

Next weekend: Help protect women's health

Dear ACLU Supporter, With 40 days to go until the election, South Dakota is the scene of a major showdown over reproductive freedom, and we're asking people in Minnesota to help. This fall, South Dakotans are again being asked to vote on a sweeping ban on abortion called Measure 11. Measure 11 allows politicians to interfere in the most private and personal decision that women and families can make. South Dakota's Measure 11 is poised to have a national impact its real purpose is to overturn Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court. You can help stop this from happening. Join pro-choice Americans who are pitching in to help defeat this radical and dangerous abortion ban. The ACLU, in coalition with the Campaign for Healthy Families, is recruiting people to come to South Dakota to help talk to voters from Friday, October 3 through Sunday, October 5. Can you join us Friday, October 3 through Sunday, October 5? It's a big commitment, but this is a watershed moment for reproductive freedom. And your help could make an enormous difference. That's why we're looking for volunteers who can arrive in Sioux Falls late Friday afternoon and stay through Sunday=2 0afternoon. You will be trained on how to talk to voters, knock on doors and do phone banking. Travel, lodging, and most meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including vegetarian options) will be provided. This battle can be won. Polls show that when South Dakotans know the facts many of them reject the ban. That's why it's crucial that we make sure voters hear mainstream views that expose an anti-choice agenda aimed at silencing women, interfering with private medical decisions, and overturning Roe v. Wade. Please consider standing with us. We simply cannot allow South Dakota and this November's election to be a watershed moment for the anti-choice movement. If you are interested or have questions, please email Jana Kooren right away at: jkooren@aclu-mn.org Thank you for considering participating in this critical event. Sincerely, Jana Kooren Public Education Coordinator ACLU of Minnesota © ACLU / 125 Broad Street / New York, NY 10004

The Dive of Death - Jon Stewart

Game Over ...

... and McCain wins! OK, everybody go home now and we can skip the election too.

"I feel like an ugly date" - Letterman

Dave's monologue

More on John McCain

Witness tampering in Alaska

What a surprise.

Colbert suspends 'Repor'

You Deserve Better

By John Paulson.

No relation, I trust, to Henry Paulson.

Vint Cerf: "The Web is running out of addresses."

The world is about to run out of the internet addresses that allow computers to identify each other and communicate, the man who invented the system has told The Times.

Within a short time we will have to do some combination of the following:

1. Convert the entire numbering system from IPV4 (the current, 32-bit convention) to IPV6 (64 bits). This is the long-term plan, but it's generally felt it's going to take three or four years minimum, and at the current rate we'll run out of numbers in late 2010.
2. Or maybe, force some users (home users, for instance) who don't need unique inbound addresses to go to non-routable numbers (like 192.168.x.x) behind NAT firewalls and share common external addresses, say at the ISP level.
3. Or maybe, requisition some of the number space that isn't efficiently populated. Early in the game, some entities were assigned class A space which they haven't come close to filling up. This would buy us a year or two.
4. Or maybe, do more with classless subnetting where the line between network portion and the host portion of an IP address can fall anywhere within the 32 bits.

More reading here, here, here, here, and here.

Sorry Hillary, I couldn't resist

Subject: FW: e-mail virus warning

If you get an e-mail with "Nude Photos of Sarah Palin" in the subject line, do not open it. It might contain a virus.

If you get an e-mail with "Nude Photos of Hillary Clinton", do not open it. It might contain nude photos of Hillary Clinton.

"A systematic denial of the right to free speech"

Last evening Ward 2 Councilman Dave Thune heard from a succession of speakers critical of police misbehavior during the RNC. The Pioneer Press covered the meeting.

It was billed as a "Community Conversation on impacts of the RNC." Saint Paul Neighborhood Networks, our public access TV service, carried it live. I'm keeping an eye out for a video replay -- please let me know in comments if you spot one.

End of world postponed again

If you fear, as some do, that the Hadron collider will set off a chain reaction of black holes gobbling up parts of the Earth and possibly bringing life as we know it to an unscheduled early demise, you can breathe easy until spring 2009.

The project experienced an electrical failure, resulting in a helium leak. Repairs will take several months.

October concerts

UPDATED 2008-09-24.

Thu Oct 2 11AM Fri Oct 3 8PM Sat Oct 4 8PM Sun Oct 5 8PM	Bach, Beethoven and Brahms Bach - Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G major, BWV 1048 Beethoven - Piano Concerto #4 Brahms - Symphony #1	Minnesota Orchestra Osmo Vänskä, conductor Yevgeny Sudbin, piano	Orchestra Hall
Sat Oct 4 8PM	Ives: The Unanswered Question Ravel: Miroirs (Alboarada del gracioso, Une barque sur l'océan, Noctuelles) Debussy/Busser: Petite Suite Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4	SPCO Pierre-Laurent Aimard, director and piano	Ordway Center
Sun Oct 5 2PM			Ted Mann Concert Hall
Thu Oct 9 7:30PM Fri Oct 10 8PM Sat Oct 11 8PM	Ravel: Alborado del gracioso Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 Debussy: Sacred and Profane Dances Messaien: L'Ascension	Minnesota Orchestra Osmo Vänskä, conductor Jie Chen, piano Kathy Kienzle, harp	Orchestra Hall
Fri Oct 10 10:30AM Fri Oct 10 8PM Sat Oct 11 8PM	Grieg: Holberg Suite [Not Performed Friday eve] Vasks: Violin Concerto, Distant Light Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 4	SPCO Nicholas McGegan, conductor Pekka Kuusisto, violin	Ordway Center
Fri Oct 10 8PM	Celestial Harvest: Music for the End of Time	The Rose Ensemble	Cathedral of Saint Paul
Sat Oct 11 8PM			Basilica of Saint Mary
Sun Oct 12 4PM			Wayzata Community Church
Sun Oct 12 2PM	Down By the Riverside	The Blind Boys of Alabama and Preservation Hall Jazz Band	Orchestra Hall
Fri Oct 17 8PM	VocalEssence: Musique de France Berlioz: Te Deum Faure, Poulenc, Villette, Duruflé, Daniel-Lesur: TBD	VocalEssence Chorus Philip Brunelle, conductor The St. Olaf Choir Dan Dressen, tenor	Cathedral of Saint Paul
Fri Oct 17 8PM Sat Oct 18 8PM	The Music of Queen We are the Champions Crazy Little Thing Called Love Bohemian Rhapsody and others	Minnesota Orchestra Jaakko Kuusisto, conductor Rajaton, vocalists	Orchestra Hall
Fri Oct 17 8PM Sat Oct 18 8PM	Dowland/Prutsman: Four Songs for Soprano and String Quartet Golijov: Lúa Descolorida for Soprano and String Quartet Bartók/Tognetti: Hungarian Folk Songs for Soprano and String Orchestra Various: American Folk Songs for Soprano and Piano D. Bruce: Piosenki, Polish Folk Songs for Soprano, Baritone and Ensemble	SPCO Dawn Upshaw, soprano Stephen Prutsman, piano	Ordway Center
Sun Oct 19 3PM	Gregorian Vespers Series	The Rose Ensemble	Basilica of Saint Mary
Sun Oct 19 7PM	Seeger: Where Have All the Flowers Gone Dylan: Blowin’ in the Wind Denver: Leaving on a Jet Plane Yarrow, Stookey, Travers: Puff, the Magic Dragon and others	Peter, Paul and Mary	Orchestra Hall
Thu Oct 23 8PM Fri Oct 24 8PM Sat Oct 25 8PM	Hindemith: Kammermusik No. 3 for cello and 10 instruments Ravel: Chansons madecasses Delage: Quatre poèmes Hindous Bach/Webern: Ricercare from The Musical Offering Schneider: Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories (world premiere)	SPCO Dawn Upshaw, soprano Stephen Prutsman, piano	Ordway Center
Thu Oct 23 7:30PM Fri Oct 24 8PM	Shchedrin: Concerto No. 1 for Orchestra, Naughty Limericks Mozart: Sinfonia concertante in E-flat major for Winds Copland: Quiet City Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra	Minnesota Orchestra Sarah Hicks, conductor Marni J. Hougham, English horn Douglas C. Carlsen, trumpet John Snow, oboe Burt Hara, clarinet Mark Kelley, bassoon Herbert Winslow, horn	Orchestra Hall
Sun Oct 26 2PM			Benedicta Arts Center
Sat Oct 25 8PM	Marsalis Brasilianos Heitor Villa-Lobos, Darius Milhaud	Philharmonia Brasileira Gil Jardim, conductor Branford Marsalis, saxophone	Orchestra Hall
Thu Oct 30 11AM Fri Oct 31 8PM Sat Nov 1 8PM	2001: A Space Odyssey Celebrating the 85th birthday of conductor-laureate Stanislaw Skrowaczewski Skrowaczewski: Music at Night Chopin: Piano Concerto #1 Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra	Minnesota Orchestra Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, conductor Ewa Kupiec, piano	Orchestra Hall

The Pap Attack: McCain Haunted by Ghosts of Keating 5

Mike Papantonio of GoLeft TV and Air America's Ring of Fire talks about how John McCain's involvement with the Keating 5 Scandal actually helped lay the groundwork for the current financial and economic crisis in America.

Join Vice President Al Gore and Al Franken Oct 4 for Minnesota DFL Founders Day Rally

How Sarah Palin's account was hacked, and how she could have prevented it

The alleged hacker is David Kernell, a 20-year-old student at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville.

A purported first-person account of the hack describes the relatively simple steps he took to reset the Governor's password to gain access to her Yahoo Mail account.

An article in Lifehacker outlines steps she could have taken to head off the attack.

A Federal grand jury has convened to consider charges against the hapless student.

Chrome fades as users return to IE, Firefox

Back to the drawing board.

Kucinich on reverse-Robin-Hood-ism

Protecting the public interest in any economic "bailout" Dear Friend, The U.S. government has been turned into an engine that accelerates the wealth upwards into the hands of a few. The Wall Street bailout, the Iraq War, military spending, tax cuts to the rich, and a for-profit health care system are all about the acceleration of wealth upwards. And now, the American people are about to pay the price of the collapse of the $513 trillion Ponzi scheme of derivatives. Yes, that’s half a quadrillion dollars. Our first trillion dollar compression bandage will hardly stem the hemorrhaging of an unsustainable Ponzi scheme built on debt "de-leverages." Does anyone seriously think that our public and private debts of some $45 trillion will be paid? That the administration's growth of the federal debt from $5.6 trillion to $9.8 trillion while borrowing another trillion dollars from Social Security has nothing to do with this? Does anyone not see that when we spend nearly $16,000 for every family of four in our society for the military each year that we are heading over the cliff? This is a debt crisis, not a credit crisis. Just as FDR had to save capitalism after Wall Street excesses, we have to re-invigorate our economy with real - not imaginary - growth. It does not address the never-ending war on the middle class. The same corporate interests that profited from the closing of U.S. factories, the movement of millions of jobs out of America, the off-shoring of profits, the out-sourcing of workers, the crushing of pension funds, the knocking down of wages, the cancellation of health care benefits, the sub-prime lending are now rushing to Washington to get money to protect themselves. The double standard is stunning: their profits are their profits, but their losses are our losses. This bailout will not bring real jobs back to America. It will not bring back jobs that make things. It does not rebuild our schools, streets, neighborhoods, parks or bridges. The major product of this financial economy is now debt. Industrial capitalism has been destroyed. In the next few days I will push for a plan that includes equity for every American in any taxpayer investment in this so-called bail-out plan. Since the bailout will cost each and every American about $2,300, I have proposed the creation of a United States Mutual Trust Fund, which will take control of $700 billion in stock assets, convert those assets to shares, and distribute $2,300 worth of shares to new individual savings accounts in the name of each and every American. I will also insist that all of the following issues be considered in whatever Congress passes: Reinstatement of the provisions of Glass-Steagall, which forbade speculation Re-regulation of the finance, insurance, and real estate industries Accountability on the part of those who took the companies down: a) resignations of management b) givebacks of executive compensation packages c) limitations on executive compensation d) admission by CEO's of what went wrong and how, prior to any government bailout Demands for transparencey a) with respect to analyzing the transactions which took the companies down b) with respect to Treasury's dealings with the companies pre and post-bailout An equity position for the taxpayers a) some form of ownership of assets Some credible formula for evaluating the price of the assets that the government is buying. A sunset clause on the legislation Full public disclosure by members of Congress of assets held, with possible conflicts put in blind trust. A ban on political campaign contributions from officers of corporations receiving bailouts A requirement that 2008 cycle candidates return political contributions to officers and representatives of corporations receiving bailouts And, most importantly, some mechanism for direct assistance to homeowners saddled with unreasonable or unmanageable mortgages, as well as protection for renters who have lived up to their obligation but fall victim to financial tragedy when the property they live in undergoes foreclosure. These are just some thoughts on the run. You will hear more from me tomorrow. Dennis J Kucinich www.Kucinich.us 216-252-9000 877-933-6647

PO Box 110475 | Cleveland | OH | 44111 | 216-252-9000

Working the Refs

"I think you’ve got a sucking chest wound on your credibility, there, Schmidt." -- TRex.

Ten billion, twelve billion, fifteen billion, who's counting?

Reporters disagree on how many shrink-wrapped $100 bills disappeared into the desert, but it was a lot of money and Al Franken is taking Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) to task for failing to hold any hearings on Iraq contractor fraud during his tenure as chair of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

More from MNpublius.com and from the Franken campaign.

Welcome to hell, with Rowan Atkinson

Sanders: The middle class can't bail out Wall Street

Let us be clear. If the economy is on the edge of collapse, we need to act. But rescuing the economy does not mean we have to just give away $700 billion of taxpayer money to the banks.

-- Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) on politico.com

Jock Suspended After Outing Palin Protest Organizers; It's Censorship, Cries Opposition

Here's what appears to have happened.

1. A small group of women, talking over coffee, organized a "Sarah Palin Doesn't Speak For Me" rally outside the Loussac Library in midtown Anchorage.
2. Eddie Burke, a conservative Anchorage talk show host, received one of their press releases and announced the rally. He also called the people who planned to attend the rally "a bunch of socialist baby-killing maggots," and read the home phone numbers of the organizers aloud over the air, urging listeners to call and tell them what they thought. 
3. The women received nasty, harassing and threatening messages.
4. Justin McDonald, the station manager of KBYR-AM 700, suspended Burke without pay for a week.
5. It's censorship, says Alaska Activist. "I did not break any station rules or policy," says Burke.

Where does Rush get his facts? -- Al Franken knows

Barack on a roll

Senator Obama speaks to women in Daytona Beach, FL today.

Dallas Inmate Freed After 25 Years, DNA Proves Innocence

From Talk Left.

Johnnie Earl Lindsey, age 56, became the 20th Dallas, TX inmate to be cleared by DNA testing and today was freed from prison.

Lindsay served 25 years in prison for a rape he didn't commit. His letters over the years requesting DNA testing were ignored.

Charges dropped against Amy Goodman, others

The city of Saint Paul will not prosecute "Democracy Now!"'s Amy Goodman and her two producers who were roughed up by police and incarcerated during last month's Republican convention. But citizen journalists who did not receive RNC credentials may still be on the hook. Reporting from the AP and the Pioneer Press.

'Common People' -- by Shatner

Trust is a fragile thing

From Grace Kelly's blog.

Closer is better, no?

Arriving at the hospital where we have network presence and see the satellite installer cutting a 6ft dish in half. OK, recycled metal is good...1 hour later need to take the elevator to an equip closet and it is cordoned off - Satellite guy muscling half the cut dish into the elevator. Comes back down to get the other half and I ask him why he isn't installing it on the pad next to the building, poured expressly for this purpose. Answer - to get the dish closer to the satellite!

-- Sharkbait

Al Franken's newest ad -- 'Why'

Today, Sept. 19 ...

Arrr, matey.

Ashwin Madia vs. Erik Paulsen on negotiated drug prices for seniors

This was on Twin Cities Public Television station KTCA Channel 2 ('TPT' to us locals).

DFL files complaint against Coleman campaign

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (Minnesota's state Democratic organization) has filed a complaint against Sen. Norm Coleman’s campaign Thursday, claiming they're illegally coordinating activities with special interest groups.

More from KSTP.

The freeway blogger in Saint Paul

FactCheck.org: Corsi's Dull Hatchet

Jerome Corsi's "The Obama Nation" is a mishmash of unsupported conjecture, half-truths, logical fallacies and outright falsehoods. ... more ...

How could you not love ...

... Margaret Cho?

Obama ... a conservative?

Conservatives are skeptical of abstract theories and utopian schemes, doubtful that government is wiser than its citizens, and always ready to test any political program against actual results.

-- Former National Review publisher Wick Allison, quoted on Daily Kos.

From Deepak Chopra's blog: Obama and the Palin Effect

Sometimes politics has the uncanny effect of mirroring the national psyche even when nobody intended to do that. This is perfectly illustrated by the rousing effect that Gov. Sarah Palin had on the Republican convention in Minneapolis ... more ...

If it ain't broke ...

... break it!

Al Franken's new ad -- 'Stand For'

Inside Google's new browser

From Computerworld.

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on SNL

From NBC.

Wall St. Lays (Another) Egg

Reminiscent of Black Monday (October 28, 1929), we are witnessing a remarkably widespread collapse of U.S. financial markets.

Wall Street conducted an extremely rare Sunday trading session in an attempt to limit risk to the system posed by the imminent bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers.

And as of tomorrow morning Merrill Lynch (cached page) will be no more, after a shotgun wedding with Bank of America.

BofA has now gobbled Shawmut, Fleet (Industrial National), Bank of Boston, MBNA, National Westminster, Countrywide, and LaSalle banks. And now Merrill. I'm sure I missed a few.

Strange, scary times we live in.

McCain & Palin & Rape

Palin camp clarifies extent of Iraq trip - Boston Globe

Governor Sarah Palin cited, as examples of her foreign policy experience, travel to Ireland, Germany, Kuwait, and Iraq to visit members of the Alaska National Guard.

Her campaign office has since clarified that statement, as it turns out Governor Palin's visit to Iraq consisted of a brief stop at the Khabari Alawazem border crossing between Kuwait and Iraq.

Well, at least she got to look into Iraq.

Oh, and the visit to Ireland? She changed planes at Shannon Airport.

Duty-free shopping -- that's international commerce, isn't it?

Campaign of lies disgraces McCain - St. Petersburg Times

McCain's straight talk has become a toxic mix of lies and double-speak. It is leaving a permanent stain on his reputation for integrity, and it is a short-term strategy that eventually will backfire with the very types of independent-thinking voters that were so attracted to him.

More ...

Craig Ferguson's voting rant

This fall Craig will vote in his first American election.

Worth nine minutes of your time.

"Hey, that could be me up there"

Roger Ebert on Sarah Palin: The American Idol candidate

Consider. What defines an "American Idol" finalist? They're good-looking, work well on television, have a sunny personality, are fierce competitors, and so talented, why, they're darned near the real thing. There's a reason "American Idol" gets such high ratings. People identify with the contestants. They think, Hey, that could be me up there on that show!

My problem is, I don't want to be up there. I don't want a vice president who is darned near good enough. I want a vice president who is better, wiser, well-traveled, has met world leaders, who three months ago had an opinion on Iraq.

Jack explains it all

More RNC blowback ...

... from the ACLU of Minnesota.

ACLU To Represent Reporter and Others Arrested At RNC

Photojournalists released from jail without charges after an unjustified 36 hour detainment

Federal Judge denies release of 1st Amendment Protected Materials

Gas prices all over the place

NEW YORK -- I hadn't made this driving trip from the Twin Cities to NYC in nearly two years. I couldn't help noticing on the way here how widely the price of gasoline fluctuates (how widely?). A few of my old favorite stops are still displaying low prices, though. Janesville, WI isn't all that bad at $3.62. Visited the truck stops in Lake Station, IN ($3.43) and Perrysburg, OH ($3.47). Hadley, MA along route 9 is $3.42; only a few miles away on US 5 in Northampton it's $3.79. I got off the NY Thruway at Route 17 and dipped into NJ to buy some of their $3.37 gas, then (smugly) followed the GW Bridge to the upper west side.

Tomorrow, on to my high school reunion.

The Same

Especially considering the alternative

Made it from Saint Paul to Amherst (MA) in two driving days -- one 12-hour and one 16-hour. Milo's mom's housing co-op has a community building with guest bedrooms, so I slept in one. Now in NYC for a few days catching up on old friendships.

Life is good.

Meet Ashwin Madia - II

Ashwin has his second ad up. Do you like it?

Sigh. I don't live in the 3rd district.

Don’t be duped by your “to do” list !

Guest blogged by Peter A. Miller

I wouldn’t say I’m a compulsive list maker, but I certainly am a great fan of the concept. Whenever I find myself with a new errand, task, or assignment, I dutifully note it down on a list. The fact that I’ve transferred the thought from mind to paper, gives me the feeling that I’m firmly in control of the situation. Notice I used the word feeling in the previous sentence. As you may have guessed already, this is often a very false sense of security. Sometimes "to do" lists can all too easily mutate into monuments dedicated to things yet to be done.

It is not unusual at all for me to have 20 or more items on my "to do" list at any given time. This number can prove to be a bit unwieldy ... even downright daunting, and so I am well served by the list having some inner order. Now here comes the philosophy/ psychology part. Is it better to list the easy-to-do items together and at the top ... things like: "go get the bicycle pump out of the trunk of the car, and bring it back into the house", or is it better to start with the harder more demanding things at the top ... things like: "make an inventory of all current personal financial placements in order to be better prepared for future investment decisions". In other words, is it better to do the easy things first in order to get a feeling of accomplishment right off the bat ...which will hopefully produce more energy? Or should the "heavier" items be dealt with first, while we still possess that special energy which often accompanies kickoffs ... even "kickoffs" like starting to plow through a pressing "to do" list right at the beginning of the fall season. I would truly welcome any wisdom and personal experience you might like to share on this topic. You are more than welcome to write your own ESCC Newsletter article and/ or contact me personally.

Lately I’ve tried a new approach when using "to do" lists. I ask myself the question: "What on this list, when completed, will give me the most energy. Whenever I’ve answered this question, and then immediately carried through on the task, I experience great satisfaction, and feel amazingly "ahead of the game"! And do you know what ?.... I find that checking completed items off of my "to do" list provides a great source of both practical and emotional energy .... and inspiration to boot!

.... And yes, I have just checked the writing of this column off of my current "to do" list .... and I find myself surfing on a wave of delicious energy!

Marry me!

Two elderly people living in a retirement village, a widower and a widow, had known each other for a number of years. One evening there was a neighborhood supper in the local rec center.

The two were at the same table, across from one another. As the meal went on, he took a few admiring glances at her and finally gathered the courage to ask her, "Will you marry me?"

After about six seconds of 'careful consideration', she answered "Yes. Yes, I will."

The meal ended and, with a few more pleasant exchanges, they went to their respective places. Next morning, he was troubled. "Did she say 'yes' or did she say 'no'?"

He couldn't remember. Try as he might, he just could not recall. Not even a faint memory. With trepidation, he went to the telephone and called her. First, he explained that he didn't remember as well as he used to. Then he reviewed the lovely evening past.

As he gained a little more courage, he inquired, "When I asked if you would marry me, did you say 'Yes' or did you say 'No'?"

He was delighted to hear her say, "Why, I said, 'Yes, yes I will' and I meant it with all my heart." Then she continued, "I am so glad that you called, because I couldn't remember who had asked me."

Q: Do you know the difference between a tourist and a terrorist?

A: Neither did the Twin Cities police last week.

Today's rant

PERRYSBURG, OHIO -- So I'm getting ready to leave the truck stop when the phone rings.

It's a Comcast service technician calling from my apartment building's lobby. He claims we have an appointment for this morning to fix an audio problem I reported.

No, say I, no one told me we had an appointment.

Moreover, the customer service rep agreed that it was a head end problem -- she turned on her TV at Comcast headquarters and verified that she couldn't get sound on channel 15 either.

Even moreover-er, you reached me on my cell phone. I'm in Ohio right now, about 600 miles away.

Well, asks Mr. Bright Guy, is there someone in the apartment right now?

There is no doubt in my mind that, on their records, this one will go down as a customer no-show.

Triumph the Insult Dog at the GOP convention

Geezer bumper sticker

The doctor in Duluth

Thanks, Carol and JB!

A doctor in Duluth, Minnesota wanted to get off work and go hunting so he approached his assistant.

'Ole, I am goin' huntin' tomorrow and don't want to close the clinic. I want you to take care of the clinic and take care of all my patients.'

'Yes, sir!' answers Ole.

The doctor goes hunting and returns the following day and asks: 'So, Ole, how was your day?'

Ole told him that he took care of three patients.

'The first one had a headache so I gave him TYLENOL.'

'Bravo, Mate, and the second one?' asks the doctor.

'The second one had stomach burning and I gave him MAALOX, sir,' says Ole.

'Bravo, bravo! You're good at this and what about the third one?' asks the doctor.

'Sir, I was sitting here and suddenly the door opens and a woman enters. Like a flame, she undresses herself, taking off everything including her bra and her panties and lies down on the table and shouts: HELP ME - I haven't seen a man in over two years!'

'Tunderin Lard Yeezus, Ole, what did you do?' asks the doctor.

'I put drops in her eyes.'

On the road

... to points east. We stopped for pie in Osseo, WI and visited the Hooters in Janesville (purely for research purposes).

Portland Street Medics describe police brutality and arrests at RNC

The Portland Street Medics, arrested and jailed during the Republican National Convention, describe the police violence and their unjust arrest in a statement. The medics were among hundreds arrested at the convention, including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, AP photographer Matt Rourke and numerous other journalists and medics.

(They're 'street medics' from Portland, not medics from 'Portland Street.' More from DU.)

What $50,000,000 will do to the Constitution

In my youth, long before I acquired anything resembling wisdom, I remember how easy it was to focus on a few misguided individuals and attribute their misconduct to a larger group with only a superficial resemblance. I remember blaming "the liberals" for the violent actions of some war protestors - although there existed a large body of peaceful opponents of our nation's Vietnam misadventure, who did not deserve to be lumped together with the former.

Today I see the same thing repeated. You can read the Star-Tribune or watch Channel 5 and notice that their coverage conflates the 10,000 or so visitors who mounted a peaceful symbolic protest this past week against Republican policy, with something like 100 who showed up determined to commit offenses like petty vandalism and obstruction of traffic.

If you subscribe to this equivalence (and the temptation to do so is greater the more intellectually lazy you are), it made perfect sense for the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office to coordinate raids against households "suspected" of planning to bring violence, destruction, and chaos to the streets of our cities. The Bill of Rights be damned. We have the Minnesota equivalent of the Patriot Act on our side.

Here's Bruce Nestor, President of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.

These charges are very significant for any political activist or anybody that cares about the right to organize politically or for freedom of speech. By equating plans or stated plans to blockade traffic and to try to disrupt the convention with acts of terrorism, the conspiracy nature of the charge, where you punish people for what they say or advocate, but not for what they do, really creates a possibility that anybody organizing a large-scale demonstration, at which civil disobedience may be a part of it or where other individuals may then engage in some type of property damage, creates the potential that all those organizers can be charged with these conspiracy charges and face significant penalties. ... In Minnesota, that was a law passed after the attacks in New York on September 11th. It kind of tracks the definition in the federal PATRIOT Act, which is any criminal act, in this case at least a felony, that’s designed to influence or coerce public opinion or to disrupt a public assembly. And so, my guess is that the charge is based upon the idea that there was an attempt to disrupt the RNC, which would be treated as a public assembly, even though they didn’t apply for a permit under St. Paul public assembly laws to do so.

The $50 million given by the RNC to the City of Saint Paul to augment security -- that must have helped a lot too. (That's a trifle more than the police department's annual budget in non-convention years.) And a $10 million insurance policy to indemnify the city against police misconduct litigation.

Of course, whether you're a terrorist or a tourist, you could be out of circulation for most of the convention. Minnesota law allows the police to detain you for 36 hours, not including holidays and weekends, without having to charge you with a crime.

Put them all together and here's what they spell: Lock 'em all up and sort out the lawsuits later.

Assigned reading:

• Bush to criminalize protesters under Patriot Act as disruptors
• Best of the RNC: Outside the green zone edition
• Minneapolis council members call for investigation of RNC policing
• Statement on Recent Law Enforcement Actions Targeting Protest Organizers

There will be a quiz on the above when I get back from vacation.

What's that word ... rhymes with choice ...

McCain's brilliant choice!

By Tom Tomorrow. Read the full strip here.

Why does Joe Biden want to beat up a girl?

With Palin pick, McCain loses key "Earth is round" demographic

From 236.com.

... sounded the call of insurgents seeking to topple the establishment ...

... even though their party heads the establishment.

* * *

But as a matter of history, it is easier to run as the opposition party if you actually are the opposition party.

The New York Times

Dinosaurs helped build the pyramids of Egypt

A certain Vince Fenech, Evangelist pastor and director of the fully-licensed, state-approved "Accelerated Christian Academy Creationist institution" in Malta, has achieved a new level of fantasy that rivals most of what we encounter these days, even on the US political scene. Says this student of mythological science, dinosaurs helped build the pyramids of Egypt. This is a little-known aspect of archaeology, even as taught in Egypt or to Scientologists.

While some of us have the quaint notion that dinosaurs – we're talking BIG ones here – became extinct some 65 million years ago, Fenech reveals to us that they actually co-existed with early humans, and even helped in the construction of the pyramids. ...

More from James Randi.

The Obama campaign, asked about the quote, did not note any racial context.

Yeah, right.

Hypocrisy

Found on Daily Kos.

The Kransky Sisters - Overload

Thanks, Pete!

The Texas cowboy

Thanks to JB ...

A Texas cowboy walked into a drug store and asked to talk to a male pharmacist.

The elderly woman he was talking to said that she was the pharmacist -- and since she and her also widowed elderly sister owned the store -- there were no males employed there. She then asked if she could help the gentleman.

The cowpoke said that it was something that he would be much more comfortable discussing with a male pharmacist. The female pharmacist assured him that she was completely professional -- and whatever it was that he needed to discuss -- he could be confident that she would treat him with the highest level of professionalism.

The old bronco-buster agreed and began by saying, 'This is tough for me to discuss, but I have a permanent erection. It causes me a lot of problems and severe embarrassment, and I was wondering what you could give me for it.'

The pharmacist said, 'Just a minute, I'll go talk to my sister.'

When she returned, she said, 'We discussed it at length -- and the absolute best we can do is, 1/3 ownership in the store, a company car, and $3,000 a month -- plus living expenses.'

Ben Stein nails it

The Seventh House of John McCain

From Funny or Die:

National Call for Action

9/3/08, St. Paul - Approximately 300 people have been arrested for participating in demonstrations since the beginning of the Republican National Convention. The majority of arrestees remain in custody and are being held in inhumane conditions. Of the 300 arrested, approximately 120 have been accused of trumped-up felony charges by police; many of them are being held illegally beyond Minnesota's 36-hour limit on detentions without formal charges.

All people who value democracy and fear for the erosion of our constitution, regardless of political affiliation, are called upon to demand an end to this egregious denial of constitutional and human rights. Prisoners have reported being denied medical treatment and essential medications, and many are engaged in a hunger strike to pressure the sheriffs to give them critical care. Many are being held in 23 hours/day lockdown and/or have not been allowed to meet with lawyers or make phone calls -- especially trans prisoners. Several prisoners have been able to reach legal support to report brutal physical assaults by multiple corrections officers. The constitutional and legal rights of all prisoners are being denied across the board, with no apparent end to this outrageous treatment.

Please call the following offices and continue calling until all arrestees have been released:

St. Paul Mayor -- Chris Coleman (651.266.8510)
Head of Ramsey County Jail -- Capt. Ryan O'Neil (651.266-9350 ext 1)
Ramsey County Sheriff -- Bob Fletcher (651.266.9333)
County Chief Judge Gearin (651.266.8266)

Demand the following:
Immediate medical attention as needed for ALL arrestees;
That the prisoners who haven't given their names (Jane & John Does and Jesse Sparkles) have access to group meetings with a lawyer in jail;
Dismissal of all charges;
Release of all minors; and
Ensure trans prisoners have access to phone and attorneys, and are held in gender group of their choice.

Donate!
Money is needed to help cover legal costs and get people out of jail. Any amount you can give is greatly appreciated. To donate by Pay Pal visit https://coldsnaplegal.wordpress.com and click on the donate button.

For more details and up-to-date information about jail conditions and prisoner status, please see:
http://coldsnaplegal.wordpress.com / http://twincities.indymedia.org /

The Front Fell Off

A spoof interview from the Australian TV show "A Current Affair" about an incident in 1991 when an oil tanker, the Kirki, lost its bow. John Clarke plays Senator Bob Collins, Bryan Dawe is the interviewer.

Solidarity

"Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."

-- Eugene V. Debs at his 1918 sentencing hearing

Lieberman on Obama: 2006 vs. 2008

Sen. Joe Lieberman, March 2006: "As far as I'm concerned [Barack Obama] is a 'Baruch,' which means a blessing. He is a blessing to the United States Senate, to America, and to our shared hopes for better, safer tomorrows for all our families. The gifts that God has given to Barack Obama are as enormous as his future is unlimited. As his mentor, as his colleague, as his friend, I look forward to helping him reach to the stars and realize not just the dreams he has for himself, but the dreams we all have for him and our blessed country."
Sen. Joe Lieberman, Sept. 2, 2008: "Eloquence is no substitute for a record. He has not reached across party lines to accomplish anything significant."
Robert Gibbs helps us sort things out.

Scenes from Saint Paul

The fact that there were some criminals engaged in some destructive acts (who, needless to say, should have been arrested), apparently means that whatever the Police do both before and afterwards is justifiable (just as the existence of some Terrorists justifies whatever the Government does in many people's minds).

-- Glenn Greenwald on Salon

10,000 Celebrate the Cause of Peace in a March

From Grace Kelly's blog on mnblue ...

From here on out, every newspaper should paint every sports rally as a bunch of drunks getting rowdy and destroying property. For that is the way, the newspapers have used less than 100 people to tell the story of 10,000. ... more ...

Smoke bombs and tear gas ...

... at 7th and St. Peter, outside the landmark Mickey's Dining Car.

Fox 9 News says that protesters were blocking the intersection and that police set off the ordnance after issuing a warning.

Update 2008-09-03 04:34 -- "Police officers used tear gas on a peaceful crowd that was following instructions" -- More from Lindsay Beyerstein.

Palin's bitch

A walk in the park

I'm thinking about getting out of Dodge for a while.

Saint Paul will be back to normal by the time I leave next week for my 50th-year high school reunion. Meanwhile, people are outside in the good weather, chatting with strangers.

At the post office, I comply with Homeland Security's 13-ounce rule by handing two packages to a friendly clerk. There is no line and the walk is pleasant.

On every corner between my building (the tall one in the background in the Amy Goodman clip below) and the Xcel Energy Center, there are two or three police cars and three to five uniforms loafing about. Sheriffs, police from area jurisdictions, National Guard MPs in camouflage. By sheer force of numbers and firepower they are keeping us safe from the criminal anarchists. Sure enough, there's not an anarchist in sight.

Along Fourth Street to Rice Park. Past the Landmark Center to Seventh Place. There is a tall iron fence surrounding the convention venue; no one gets in without credentials. It reminds me of 1975 Berlin. I talk to a Fox news crew, three willowy models selling Obama-McCain shower clogs, and a Christian lady handing out tracts. Someone from MSNBC is handing out miniature convention signs advertising Rachel Maddow's new show. I get one and go shopping for fresh fruit and day-old bagels.

Three more days and I get my city back.

AP photographer, independent journalist among arrestees

Associated Press photographer Matt Rourke and Democracy Now! TV and radio show host Amy Goodman were among those arrested Monday at an anti-war march coinciding with the first day of the Republican National Convention.

AP wire story online. I'm watching Amy, her colleagues, and Minneapolis congressman Keith Ellison on Saint Paul community access TV. Democracy Now! is available on TV, radio, and the internet.

Amy Goodman and Two Democracy Now! Producers Unlawfully Arrested At the RNC

UPDATE 10:57 PM: All three have all been released from police custody.

Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have been arrested while covering a protest at the Republican National Convention in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota.

Read more…

Do you have these in your garage? You're a criminal

From Grace Kelly's blog on MNBLUE ...

Bottles, jars, cloth, paper, twine, Styrofoam, gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, mineral spirits, lamp oil, brake fluid, metal, glass, plastic or cardboard containers, photographs and maps of Saint Paul, documents advocating criminal activity, black powder, smokeless powder, pryrodex and flash powder, match heads, paint and spray paint, sticks and poles, nails, screws, bricks, chicken wire, roofing tar, duct tape, PVC or metal pipe, urine, feces, police scanners, computers, floppy disks, hard drives, digital cameras, MP3 players, cell phones, software manuals.