Whose land is it?

Whose land is it? 8 July 2009

Posted by marisacat in 2010 Mid Terms, Inconvenient Voice of the Voter, The Battle for New Orleans, WAR!.
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New Orleans 1885 – Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain in the distance, Quartier Francais

Jetant mes vers au fleuve, et ma priere a Dieu! * –Pere Rouquette, Creole poet – 1837

Hedges.. the streets are meaner than ever…

[T]he desperation is palpable. People don’t know where to turn. Benefits are running out. More and more people are out of work.

“You see things getting worse and worse,” he says. “You see people who wonder how they are going to eat and take care of themselves and their kids. You see people starting to do anything to get food, to hustle or rob, to go back to doing things they do not want to do. Good people start doin’ bad things. People are getting eviler.”

He pauses.

“All things are better with God,” he says softly, looking down at the tabletop.

He is reading a book about the Bible. It is about Jesus and God. It is about learning to trust in God’s help. In America that is about all the poor have left. And when God fails them, they are on their own.

Wrongly identified of a crime with a gun, after 20 years on the straight and narrow, after refusing a plea deal, he waited 2 years in a Trenton jail for a trial… Finally, to be acquitted. And bereft.

* I fling my verses to the River and my prayer to God!

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1. catnip - 8 July 2009: Speaking of “whose land is it?”: Alberta’s Lake Louise used on U.S. gov’t website

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marisacat - 8 July 2009: What a hoot!

“Certainly we want the photo to reflect the United States,” Matt Dempsey, Republican spokesman for the committee, said Wednesday.

The photo was used as a temporary placeholder when the Republicans worked on a website redesign launched in December, 2006, he said.

Soon after its launch, the Democrats took control of the Senate — and the website’s management.

Many photos were later replaced. But not the shot of Lake Louise, said Dempsey.

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2. Madman in the Marketplace - 8 July 2009: Seeing Obama as Norwegians See Him

I just returned from a research trip to Norway where the people I interviewed often brought up the topic of our new President. The first was Kristin Clemet, the director of a conservative think tank. “This spring on a delegation to Washington I was struck again,” she said, “by how different the political spectrum is in Norway from your country. Here, Obama would be on the right wing.” I checked her view with others — academics, politicians, activists all over the Norwegian spectrum — and all but one agreed. In Norwegian terms, our President’s positions are very conservative.

When Norway hit a major financial crisis in the early ’90s (from a real estate bubble and speculating banks), the Norwegians decided against bail-outs. Three of the biggest banks were simply taken by the government, their senior management fired, their stockholders sent packing. The government nursed the seized banks back to health over time while the economy made a quick recovery. The other troubled banks were left to declare bankruptcy or find new capital. Norway’s action sent a clear message to the banks: mismanagement and greed don’t pay. The result is that today its own financial sector is clean and only needs to deal with the impact of other countries’ disasters. Norway’s strategy was very far from Obama’s bank-friendly game plan.

When Norwegian oil was discovered, the country decided not to risk putting their new treasure in private ownership. Norwegians were therefore able to lead the world in environmental responsibility and to avoid boom/bust impact on their seacoast cities. Most important, Norway has been stashing the oil profits in a public, socially responsible “Pension Fund” that will support the Norwegians’ famously high living standard for many generations to come.

Half a century ago Norway already had a universal health care system that is simplicity itself. There’s a single payer (the government) and minimum red tape, something like Medicare but for everyone and better. The entire political spectrum supports this. By contrast, Obama says he backs the failed U.S. private insurance scheme and his team is wobbling on his own modest proposal to add a public option. So I would have to say to thoughtful Republicans: even if you don’t like the Nordic blend of capitalism and socialism, with its virtual abolition of poverty, free university education, and enlightened environmentalism, you’re only confusing the issue when you try to label the President with the “S”-word. You may think his policies are wrong, but in Norway even conservatives would say the Democrats and Obama don’t go nearly far enough.

We here all know this, of course.

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3. BooHooHooMan - 8 July 2009: Gawd.
Politico must have a cut and paste template for the
Sagging Mammary Leader, Harry Reid.
Did I say Sagging Mammary Leader?
Oh I did, didn’t I?

Harry Reid opens $320B health plan hole

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tried his best Wednesday to soften some of the toughest talk of the day before on health care – meeting with Republicans in hopes of showing bipartisanship on the issue isn’t dead.

Pretty nifty. Now – in template form – All journalists have to do when covering Harry’s beat…
right after “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
tried his best”_______ < —– they can simply insert the day and add a description of the perfunctory Pathetic Performance.

Transitional phrasing is all standard of course.
"Expressing dissappointment"
And "Nonetheless"________
but here's the kicker –
Selecting from a hearty Man Titz metaphor menu developed specifically with Reid in mind, reporters can now select from stock metaphorical phrases that are timely,
illustrating even Seasonal weakness , such as:

“… Reid swallowed it like a glass of hot piss on a summer’s day.”

I dunno. Maybe pasties could provide Harry’s little nubbins with some much needed support…Tryyyyying to be helpful, you know…

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marisacat - 8 July 2009: what a pantomime it all is… I can’t tour too many of the Blahgs…. but Aravosis is leading the lambs t the slaughter. We are saved! MoveOn is making its move! Harry and Ob WILL get it, their feets is in the fire.

Etc.

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4. catnip - 8 July 2009: White House spells Obama’s name wrong

lol

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marisacat - 8 July 2009: oh how funny! stupid error…

😳

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5. catnip - 8 July 2009: Men are no longer necessary.

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NYCO - 9 July 2009: Socially, they’re not necessary now. Every girl who grew up in the ’70s remembers that Gene Roddenberry film “Planet Earth” with Diana Muldaur and The Dinks. (Of course, Roddenberry had to ruin the fun with his ending…)

That said, let’s keep them around… just make sure they “eat their gruel.” 🙂

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NYCO - 9 July 2009: hmmm… that was a rather sexist comment of me, wasn’t it.

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catnip - 9 July 2009: Yes, the part about them eating their gruel was i.e. it should have been “just make sure they cook their gruel”. Enough of this being cooked for by wimmen! 😉

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Madman in the Marketplace - 9 July 2009: what else would you guys do???

😈

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NYCO - 9 July 2009: yeah, especially since the wimmen in “Planet Earth” were slipping drugs into the gruel…

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6. NYCO - 9 July 2009: The NY Senate impasse/imbroglio/poopoo diaper hissy fit apparently will end at 3 pm Eastern today as Pedro Espada caves and goes back to the Dems, where he’s been declared “junior Senate majority leader.”

This was preceded, last night, by Paterson robocalling every freaking Democrat in the state and then (unconstitutionally?) swearing in Richard Ravitch (former head of the MTA) as lieutenant governor at Peter Luger Steakhouse in Brooklyn. Said an eyewitness,

“They came a little early — I believe it was two men and two ladies — and they were joined by a fifth person and switched to a larger table. They drew out some documents, and they were very excited and everything. Mr. Ravitch said, ‘This is my favorite restaurant, and I wouldn’t take the oath of office anywhere else.’”

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marisacat - 9 July 2009: I wanna be sworn in in a steak house!

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Lucid - 9 July 2009: Hmm… 5 blocks from my abode…

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marisacat - 9 July 2009: hey hey lucid… where are you?

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7. marisacat - 9 July 2009: Can’t some of these people die? Haven’t we been bludgeoned long enough by them? (list is all that is lined up and published so far)

Meet the Press: Sens. McCain, Schumer.

This Week: Sens. Durbin, Kyl. Roundtable with George Will, Donna Brazile, Cokie Roberts, Sam Donaldson, Bob Woodward

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8. Lucid - 9 July 2009: So a roomate talked me into booking near the airport my last night as I have an early flight. So I booked the Hilton. After two lovely weeks exploring Italy is this ever a slap in the face with the book on what is wrong with the US. Here I am, drinking a bottle of 2001 multipulciano nobile reserva I picked up in Tuscany (in the US it would go for about $50 a bottle), alone in my sanitized room whose window will not open, with no outdoor space to go drink and smoke, after having a terrible meal at the only restaurant available at double the price…

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marisacat - 9 July 2009: oh honey. Better to take an early cab to the airport. That is a terrible last night. Are you at Fuimicino?

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Lucid - 9 July 2009: Where else. Oh well, live and learn. American hotels are the same disgusting place no matter where you are.

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9. Lucid - 9 July 2009: And I had to pay 7 euro for wireless access on top of the $153 for the room. The 22 euro hostel 5 minutes from termini whose bar I frequented while here a week ago included wireless for free…

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marisacat - 9 July 2009: The tale of the last night is getting worse.

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10. Lucid - 9 July 2009: But hey! I got to see the paparazzi chase an Italian football star through the lobby after swimming in a bathwater temperature pool in which Americans were doing water aerobics to awful blaring pop music 😦

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marisacat - 9 July 2009: thin gruel… so to speak…

😥

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Lucid - 9 July 2009: I’m gonna try to find someplace reasonable to finish this last 2/3 bottle of amazing wine. Back later.

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catnip - 9 July 2009: Well, just remember: wherever there is a Hilton, freedom is on the march. 😉

Have a great trip home!

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Lucid - 9 July 2009: I did at least find a reasonable place to finish the vino. Unfortunately now have a bill frisell tune in head I can’t find on iPod.

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catnip - 9 July 2009: You’re lucky to have that in your head. I’m trying, unsuccessfully, to purge the veritable plethora of MJ pop/disco tunes that I never liked in the first place from my poor brain.

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Lucid - 9 July 2009: Honestly, I’m so happy I missed the 2 week death saga… Farrah died too, but everyone forgot her.

All the snippets I got made me vomit. He’s like the reagan of pop with the child molestation thrown in. But no, there must be weeks of mourning. You know, miles was an asshole too, but he had a far larger impact on music, but there weren’t no trials and tribulations at the Staples center when he passed.

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catnip - 9 July 2009: He’s like the reagan of pop with the child molestation thrown in.

Ramen. The level of coverage is obscene.
Madman in the Marketplace - 9 July 2009: that must have been some wine!!

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11. marisacat - 9 July 2009: LOL I am guessing El Jefe (whoever it is) tells israel more than he tells congress.

President Obama Threatens to Veto Intelligence Bill

July 08, 2009 8:49 PM

President Obama threatened to veto the Intelligence Authorization Act Wednesday, asserting that Congress was unconstitutionally pursuing information about executive branch deliberations.

It was the third veto threat the president had issued since being elected last November. The first, made before he was sworn in, was to those lawmakers who wanted to block release of the second $350 billion in TARP funds to bail out financial institutions. snip

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catnip - 9 July 2009: Ah yes…”transparency”…such a quaint notion…

This is from the comments over there:

Unprecedented Transparency 2.0:

“ABC reports this morning that the Maryland firm Smartronix has won what seems like an enormous $18 million contract to re-design the Recovery.gov website. Approximately $9.5 million would be spent by January in order to make “Recovery 2.0″ out of the site that is at least supposed track the spending of federal stimulus funds in detail.

“Smartronix, a medium-sized Maryland-based firm (over 500 employees) founded in 1995, boasts a large number of government clients, mostly military. The company appears to have just one important political connection: according to FEC records, Smartronix president, Mohammed Javaid, vice president Alan Parris, and partner John Parris have together given $19,000 to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D) since 1999.”

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12. catnip - 9 July 2009: And a hardy fuck you to you too. (Was that humble enough?)

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marisacat - 9 July 2009: ugh I actually clicked thru and read it and the first 20 or so of the comments. what a fucked mess. Budding little Meteor Blades.

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catnip - 9 July 2009: Or Harry Reids. Time to start selling orange Everlasts.

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13. catnip - 9 July 2009: Today’s new word: Obamapologia

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14. catnip - 9 July 2009: Oh, now she’s gone and done it. Pelosi shuts down resolution on Michael Jackson

WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shut the door Thursday to a resolution honoring Michael Jackson because debate on the symbolic measure could raise “contrary views” about the pop star’s life.

Lawmakers are free to use House speeches “to express their sympathy or their praise any time that they wish,” said Pelosi, D-Calif. “I don’t think it’s necessary for us to have a resolution.”

A resolution sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, cites some of the singer’s charitable acts and proclaims him an American legend, musical icon and world humanitarian.

Even before Pelosi’s comments, some Democrats said privately they did not support the resolution and a divisive debate would hurt House efforts to muster the votes for priorities such as health care and climate change.

Dem logic: debate MJ and lose health care

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marisacat - 9 July 2009: OFF THE TABLE!

I am sure Nancy cracked a tooth or two at the S Jackson Lee comments at the funeral.

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catnip - 9 July 2009: rofl

Quick! Get her to a spa!

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15. Madman in the Marketplace - 9 July 2009: The Obama justice system

Spencer Ackerman yesterday attended a Senate hearing at which the DOD’s General Counsel, Jeh Johnson, testified. As Ackerman highlighted, Johnson actually said that even for those detainees to whom the Obama administration deigns to give a real trial in a real court, the President has the power to continue to imprison them indefinitely even if they are acquitted at their trial. About this assertion of “presidential post-acquittal detention power” — an Orwellian term (and a Kafka-esque concept) that should send shivers down the spine of anyone who cares at all about the most basic liberties — Ackerman wrote, with some understatement, that it “moved the Obama administration into new territory from a civil liberties perspective.” Law professor Jonathan Turley was more blunt: “The Obama Administration continues its retention and expansion of abusive Bush policies — now clearly Obama policies on indefinite detention.”

In June, Robert Gibbs was repeatedly asked by ABC News’ Jake Tapper whether accused Terrorists who were given a trial and were acquitted would be released as a result of the acquittal, but Gibbs — amazingly — refused to make that commitment. But this is the first time an Obama official has affirmatively stated that they have the “post-acquittal detention” power (and, to my knowledge, the Bush administration never claimed the power to detain someone even if they were acquitted).

All of this underscores what has clearly emerged as the core “principle” of Obama justice when it comes to accused Terrorists — namely, “due process” is pure window dressing with only one goal: to ensure that anyone the President wants to keep imprisoned will remain in prison. They’ll create various procedures to prettify the process, but the outcome is always the same — ongoing detention for as long as the President dictates.

“Change” like cancer, metastasizing.

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16. Madman in the Marketplace - 9 July 2009: United Breaks Guitars

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17. marisacat - 9 July 2009: Enjoy!

LINK

………………. 🙄 ……………….

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