Hee Haw George Allen

Want to read what a phony dip shit Senator, and presidential candidate, George Allen is. Even his sister wrote about what a jerk he is? If so The New Republic has a piece on him. You must register for free is you want to read the whole article.

Republican Lawrence Wilkerson Speaks the Truth

What good does a two party system do the citizenry of the USA when the opposition party provides no opposition, particularly to the egregious acts of King George and his courtiers?

With a few notable exceptions, federally elected democrats have had little to say about the lies, abuses, monumental corruption, and extreme radicalism of the Bush administration. Nationally prominent democrats, such as presidential aspirants Kerry, Clinton, and Edwards, in fact, had nothing at all to say about the administration’s outrages until, in the wake of its Katrina response debacle, the main stream media turned on Bush, his poll numbers plummeted, and it became politically acceptable to criticize the administration.

Attempting to regain majority party status, the democrats spend their time developing marketing campaigns in attempts to rebrand their party, rather than speaking truth to the USA public. I guess just like it took Nixon to go to China, it takes a republican to speak the truth about the extreme damage Bush et al are doing to the country.

Last Sunday, in a Baltimore Sun commentary, republican Lawarence Wilkerson, Colin Powell’s longtime aide, says what the generally feckless, gutless national democrats should have been saving to the public for the last 5 years.

The Woeful USA Senate

A USA Senate committee has spent seven months considering the federal governmentÂ’s botched response to hurricane Katrina and has determined that FEMA should be disbanded. The report recommends nothing more than bureaucratic reshuffling the deck chairs. Further evidence that the Senate is populated by incompetents.

Those with memories will remember that President Bush Sr. had appointed a crony to head FEMA and the agency badly botched the response to a catastrophic hurricane that struck Florida. Was it Hugo?

President Clinton recognized the need to appoint a competent disaster response professional to head FEMA and appointed James Witt. During WittÂ’s tenure FEMA earned deserved accolades for its responses to various disasters.

So because Bush Jr. returned to the practice of appointing unqualified cronies to head the nationÂ’s primary emergency response agency, which subsequently badly botched its Katrina response, Senators tell us FEMA should be scrapped.

We know the federal government is our only government with the resources to deal with major disasters and we know that with competent leadership FEMA can provide effective disaster response. This senate report provides further evidence that the senate is populated by incompetents.

A Joke Making the Rounds

A joke, via Needlenose, apparently making the rounds.

George Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld are flying on Air Force One.

The President looks at the Vice President, chuckles, and says, "You know, I could throw a $1,000 bill out the window right now and make somebody very happy."

The Vice President shrugs and says, "Well, I could throw 10 $100 bills out the window and make 10 people very happy."

Not to be outdone, the Secretary of Defense says, "Of course, then, I could throw 100 $10 bills out the window and make a hundred people very happy."

The pilot rolls his eyes and says to his co-pilot, "Such arrogant asses back there. Hell, I could throw the three of them out the window and make 6 billion people unbelievably happy."

Pedi-powered Pickups

I've been meaning for some time to post a picture of one of these conveyances that are ubiquitous in Merida. Since Merida is essentially flat, their single speed is sufficient.

The units cost around 1,800 pesos and are used for a wide variety of purposes. Here a vendor is using his to peddle (pun entirely intended) his food product before one of the Carnaval parades. Vendors drive the vehicles up and down the streets hawking their wares, they are used to cart freight, and often one sees them carrying passengers.

The National Security State

Today I received a copy of wire transfer authorization form from my bank in the USA, land of the free, home of the brave, as the song goes.

There is the following question on the form:
"To assist in complying with the USA Patriot Act requirements, please answer the following question: What is the purpose of the wire transfer."

My response is "The purpose of the wire transfer is none of the business of the Nazis now running our government."

Bush's Iran Lies

Kevin Drum documents the rebuffing by the Bush administration of repeated Iranian offers of diplomatic discussions on a range of subjects. Bush and his band of lying lunatics continue to tell the world they are seeking diplomatic approaches to their grievances with Iranian policies, while having long ago settled on a military approach. In other words, Bush et al are reading from their Iraq script.

The latest polls indicate that roughly half the USA population is buying Bush’s lies about Iran, despite the fact that about 60 % have correctly concluded that the president and his courtiers lied about Iraq.

Damn Dogs

I gave up many years ago on keeping pets, essentially because they are pains in the ass. In the case of dogs they dug in the garden, bothered the neighbors, or chased the sheep I used to keep. In the case of cats they tend to scratch things, like the woodwork. Additionally, having either requires that provisions be made for their care if one goes away for more than a day or two.

Even when I had pets, and for many years I had a very nice, well mannered, obedient dog I adopted from the Portland, Oregon pound, I did not allow them,or their passengers and detritus in the house.

So here I am living in an apartment in Merida and I’m having to live with dogs. Yes, that’s right, dogs. My neighbor has acquired another Miniature Pinscher, a female puppy named Yucca. Don’t get me wrong, both Dusty and Yucca are very sweet dogs. None-the-less, they are pains in the ass.

Yesterday upon my return from my language class I found Yucca crying, trapped inside my garden fence, where Dusty had taken her; and where they both had spent time cavorting through my garlic and onions, breaking the tops from perhaps 80 % of the plants. Dusty also spent a bit of time digging up the small lettuce plants and the carrots seeds, for the second time in two weeks.

I accepted that the tomato plants contracted Tomato Mosaic Virus and ordered resistant seeds. I accepted that the Cantaloupe contracted Downey Mildew and ordered resistant seeds. I have accepted that the Iguanas don’t mind the garlic and hot pepper infusion I sprayed on the cantaloupe and watermelon plant leaves and relocated my plantings. Determining that the garlic, hot pepper infusion did not dissuade the Iguana, I planted watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumber seeds in an existing garden bed closer to my apartment. Not more than five minutes after I had planted the seeds and returned to my apartment, Dusty dug up the seeds and laid down in the cool, wet soil in which I had planted the watermelon seeds.

I can accept the challenges to gardening posed by natural factors, such as disease and wildlife. I cannot, however, accept the challenges posed by pets, whose presence here is a choice, and not one of mine.

So my opinion that pets are a pain in the ass, and not worth keeping, has been reinforced. I have basically given up on trying to garden here. I will wait until I am living elsewhere and free of damn dogs, not to mention their inconsiderate owner, to resume gardening. Hopefully it will be soon.

Soap

Those who know El Gringo Loco well know that I prefer to make my own soap. I find simple soap composed of only vegetable shortening, water, and lye preferable to the store bought variety with fragrances and other additives.

The supply of home made soap I brought with me, some made from lamb fat, was seized by very apologetic Mexican customs agents who were unsure of the propriety of permitting its entry. Since arriving here I have been searching unsuccessfully for a source of lye, until earlier this week when I hit the jackpot.

Monday I bussed to the huge central market to buy grass seed for my front yard improvement project. I have removed the weeds, excavated what soil exists there, removed the stones, and will plant the grass seed.

While in the market area, as someone once suggested lye is carried by veterinary supply stores, I asked in such a store if they carried sodio hidroxido or sodio caustico. The staff answered no and suggested I try at the farm supply store up the street, which I did. The staff there also answered no and suggested I try another veterinary supply store. After zig zagging back and forth, up and down the street, going from store to store, following the suggestions of the staff of the stores I visited, I was directed to a particular pharmacy where I was able to purchase a kilo of lye for 17.5 pesos.

I now have replenished my supply of home made soap.

I find this very interesting. A Cooperation Organization of Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan can provide a potent counterweight to the neofascist global hegemonic ambitions. Coupled with the growth of South American Mercosur trade bloc, the European Union, and the hints by China, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE of their intents to reduce the dollar's dominance of their currency reserves bodes poorly for future USA world dominance.

From the Asian Times:
"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which maintained it had no plans for expansion, is now changing course. Mongolia, Iran, India and Pakistan, which previously had observer status, will become full members. SCO's decision to welcome Iran into its fold constitutes a political statement. Conceivably, SCO would now proceed to adopt a common position on the Iran nuclear issue at its summit meeting June 15. "

The "Generals Revolt"

Steve Clemons has a very good discussion of the, six or so, retired generals who have called for Rumsfeld's dimissal.

While I agree with the generals sentiment, and somewhat wish they had the gumption to fall on their swords rather than wait until retirement, the concept of civilian control of the military, memorialized in our Constituion, dictates that it is not the place of active duty military folks to determine policy. The lunatics running the USA were (almost really) elected so get to make policy, no matter how crazy it might be.

Why A Single Payer System Would Be Less Expensive

Thanks to a link posted by Kevin Drum at Washington Monthly here’s a doctor’s take on why a “single payer” health care system in the USA would cut health care expenses. Four of the doctor’s office staff now deals with 301 different private insurance plans as well as Medicare and Medicaid. He figures with a one payer system he could reduce the four staff to one and reduce his annual computer expenses.

Private insurance companies are looting the USA economy and they are permitted by Congress to continue doing so because of their generous campaign contributions.

USA War of Terror in Iran

Raw Story editor Larisa Alexandrovna is reporting that the lunatics running the USA War Department already have military forces in Iran and are using the MEK, an Iraqi terrorist group, to commit terrorist acts in Iran.

Mis Profesores de Espanol

I began this week to get together in the evening with Ana Belem, Ariel, and Carlos (right to left) to learn to speak Spanish better and to help them learn to speak English better.

Ariel, Ana Belem, and Ana Belem's mother, Maria, operate the cocina economica where my neighbor Armando gets his lunch each day.

Ana Belem and Carlos have both studied English in school so speak quite well, and have useful text books and lessons. Ariel has spent time in the USA so also knows a good bit of English.

Aside from the usefulness of our get togethers, in helping us learn to speak the other's language better, there are always lots of laughs. Son gentes muy amables.

HSA Protecting Us

Here’s how the brown shirts of the Fatherland Security Administration protect their constituency.

Iguanas

I watched this Iguana walk down the wall of the bus garage across the back yard wall until it came to the ledge where it sat sunning itself.

Iguana have as of late been devouring the leaves of my young watermelon and cantaloupe plants. The vegetation is pretty dry here these days, so I imagine the Iguana find the well water garden plants quite delectable.

I have sprayed an infusion of garlic, hot pepper, and dish soap on the young plants to hopefully preserve the plants.

Jon Stewart Nails McCain

It is a sad commentary on the state of the USA media when Jon Stewart, on his parody news show The Daily Show, can do what Tim Russert, on Meet the Press, couldn'’t. That is to get John McCain to admit he is "freaking out on us"” and pandering to the radical religious right. A story I first read about on Kevin Drum's blog The Washington Monthly.

McCain has hired a couple of Bush campaign advisors, presumably to prevent them from sliming him in his 2008 campaign like Bush forces did in 2000; and will deliver the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University.

USA Congressional Immigration "Reform" - Election Year Demagogy

Being a USA election year the Republican congressional demagogues are once again trotting out immigration “reform” legislation to energize their bigot base. The current proposal will criminalize illegal immigration and is heavy on other enforcement provisions, despite the fact that the futility of attempting to prohibit the supplying of a market demand has been repeatedly demonstrated. Of course, these congressional chowder heads are the same dumb asses who renamed the french fries served in their subsidized cafeteria to “freedom fries”, so there’s no reason to expect the type of rationality suggested by Fareed Zakaria in his spot on Washington Post commentary, excerpted below.

“Many Americans have become enamored of the European approach to immigration -- perhaps without realizing it. Guest workers, penalties, sanctions and deportation are all a part of Europe's mode of dealing with immigrants. The results of this approach have been on display recently in France, where rioting migrant youths again burned cars last week. Across Europe one sees disaffected, alienated immigrants, ripe for radicalism. The immigrant communities deserve their fair share of blame for this, but there's a cycle at work. European societies exclude the immigrants, who become alienated and reject their societies.”

“One puzzle about post-Sept. 11 America is that it has not had a subsequent terror attack -- not even a small backpack bomb in a movie theater -- while there have been dozens in Europe. My own explanation is that American immigrant communities, even Arab and Muslim ones, are not very radicalized. (Even if such an attack does take place, the fact that 4 1/2 years have gone by without one provides some proof of this contention.) Compared with every other country in the world, America does immigration superbly. Do we really want to junk that for the French approach?

“The United States has a real problem with flows of illegal immigrants, largely from Mexico (70 percent of illegal immigrants are from that one country). But let us understand the forces at work here. ‘The income gap between the United States and Mexico is the largest between any two contiguous countries in the world,’ writes Stanford historian David Kennedy. That huge disparity is producing massive demand in the United States and massive supply from Mexico and Central America. Whenever governments try to come between these two forces -- think of drugs -- simply increasing enforcement does not work. Tighter border control is an excellent idea, but to work, it will have to be coupled with some recognition of the laws of supply and demand -- that is, it will have to include expansion of the legal immigrant pool.”

Armando and the Buena Vista Social Club

You may remember that a couple weeks ago I cooked dinner for my neighbor Armando’s 89^th birthday, which we celebrated on the patio with dinner and beers. Armando left Cuba in 1958 for the USA and moved here upon his retirement 28 years ago.

During dinner I played my Buena Vista Social Club, and other Cuban music, CDs. The next day Armando asked to borrow the CDs for the day. I later made copies for him and mentioned that I had the Buena Vista Social Club video which documents Ry Cooder’s recruitment of the mostly older Cuban musicians who ultimately produced a Grammy winning CD and performed in Amsterdam and Carnegie Hall in New York. The lineup included such legendary singers as Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo, and Company Segundo; piano virtuoso Ruben Gonzalez; guitarist Eliades Ochoa; and quiet a number of others. The selections of famous Cuba songs are augmented Ry Cooder’s subtle slide guitar contributions.

The video, which opens with Company Segundo searching an Havana neighborhood from the back seat of 1950s convertible for the long defunct Buena Vista Social Club, features interviews of each of the musicians in Cuba, followed by scenes of them in the Cuban recording studio, and then in concert at Carnegie Hall. It is a wonderful piece of work.

Armando asked to watch the video so Thursday we did. It was quite a treat for me to listen to Armando sing along with the songs he recognized from his earlier days.