What I Did This Week

This week I have learned how to buy a vehicle, to withdraw funds from my bank account, secure vehicle insurance and how to obtain a Yucatan driver’s license. As it turns out, it was all pretty easy.

Monday morning I walked the approximately 2 kilometers to the Ford dealer on Paseo Montejo and stepped into the open air reception/display area. I was warmly greeted by a young women seated at a desk who promptly contacted one of the sales folks. In short order a fellow named Freddy arrived and escorted me to his office where he explained the standard equipment and options available for the Ford Courier pickup I had indicated I wanted to purchase.

I had already compared small Ford, Chevrolet, VW, Puegot, and Renault trucks through the various manufacturers’ web sites. I had settled on the Ford as it had a greater cargo capacity, larger bed, a 3 year warranty, and was the least expensive. I had also decided to have the truck equipped with a fiberglass camper shell.

After informing Freddy exactly what I wanted he tabulated the total price, including the license and plates. I indicated that I would return the next day with the funds and he indicated he would begin preparing the transaction paperwork.

Tuesday morning I walked to my bank, withdrew the funds from my bank account, something I had not done before, and walked back to the Ford dealer with three large wads of $500 peso bills in my day pack. True to his word Freddy had all the paperwork ready, I stood by while the cashier counted and recounted the money, and Freddy instructed me to return next Monday to pick up the truck. During my two visits to the Ford dealer I had spent less time than spent at the bank withdrawing the funds.

Upon returning to my apartment I sent an email message to my two personal HSBC bankers indicating that I need to arrange insurance. One of the bankers offered to come to my apartment the next day to make arrangements, but I opted to meet them at their office Wednesday at 5:30. Within an hour of my arrival on Wednesday I had secured insurance providing the same coverage as that offered by Ford but at just over half the cost. During the process the fellow writing the policy indicated that for the insurance to be valid I must secure a Yucatan driver’s license and instructed me where I must go to do so.

Thursday morning I caught a bus at the end of the block and road up town. As it turned out the driver’s license office wasn’t where I had been told it was, but in short order a police officer had instructed me on where I needed to go and where to catch a bus to go there. So I bussed on over to the office, waited in line for about 10 minutes, and was informed by a very pleasant licensing officer of what document copies I must provide, a couple of which I needed to obtain from my landlord. On my way back home I stopped at my landlord’s office and picked up the document copies I needed from him.

This morning I again bussed to the driver’s license office, waited in line for another ten minutes, one of the licensing officers examined the document copies, entered the necessary information into the computer system, and directed me down the counter where my vision was checked and my blood type determined and recorded. I then moved on to the exam which consisted of 10 questions, eight of which must be answered correctly. The exam is administered at a computer terminal in both Spanish and English. I passed the computer exam and an examiner asked me to take him to my car for the driving portion of the test. When I informed him that I did not yet have a car, he responded that it was no problem and to return when I did.

The licensing office is quite an efficient operation. Upon entering the office one is directed to a line where one waits for an available agent. The stations one must visit are numbered, with large signs, from 1 to 7 and everyone I dealt with was very pleasant, in fact I would say they were jovial. During my two visits I spent less than a total of one hour. Monday, after picking up my truck, I will return for my driving test and hopefully leave with a license.

I can honestly report that in obtaining my FM 3 visa from the immigration office, opening a bank account and setting up investments through the bank, buying a pickup, securing insurance, and obtaining a driver’s license, everyone I’ve dealt with has been pleasant and efficient.

My approach is to happily wait my turn, break the ice by asking for forgiveness at my often inadequate Spanish, and to comport myself with the recognition that I am the ignorant one here. It seems to work.

Further Indications of the Decline of the USA Empire

“How low will the dollar go?”

“Hospitals prepare for growing ranks of obese”

The Pope Must Be Senile

The Pope visited Auschwitz and the following is what he is reported to have said.

"’In a place like this, words fail. In the end, there can only be a dread silence, a silence which is a heartfelt cry to God -- Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this?

"’Where was God in those days? Why was he silent? How could he permit this endless slaughter, this triumph of evil?’"

“Humans could not "’peer into God's mysterious plan" to understand evil, only "cry out humbly yet insistently to God -- Rouse yourself! Do not forget mankind, your creature!’"

And here I thought the Pope had a direct line to God. For the Pope to blame God for not informing the world of the exterminations of European Jews is bizarre and despicable. It would have been much more appropriate for the Pope to apologize for the Catholic church’s complicity in the holocaust. Even if God did not inform the Catholic church of the holocaust there were very many good Catholics who did, and the church did nothing.

Proud to be an American

I am posting a very gruesome picture which is but one of the photos that every citizen of the USA should see. Then every decent (and there are indeed very many who are not) USA citizen should demand that the perpetrators, along Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and the rest of those who lied the country into an illegal war and tried to cover up the atrocities, be tried for war crimes. (I of course understand that justice will never be visited upon Bush et al, at least through traditional means, and they will no doubt enjoy a comfortable retirement.)

What could possibly motivate a USA military personnel, and human being, to bind children as young as seven months, shoot them in the head, then burn the building in which the atrocity was committed in attempt to hide the evidence?

I believe the answer is that there are a significant number of bigoted USA troops who think of Iraqis as rag headed Muslims and who believe they are doing their Christian duty in killing Muslims.

There are now reports of four such atrocities committed by USA a troops. No wonder the Muslim world hates us.

The photo above was copied from the Raw Story web site.

Argentinean President Puts Military on Notice

Argentinean President Nestor Kirchner puts the Argentinean military on notice, telling it "I want to make it clear that as president, I am not afraid; I am not afraid of you" and "We want the army of San Martín, Belgrano and Mosconi and not that of those who murdered their own brothers and sisters, such as Videla, Galtieri, Bignone and Viola", generals of the country’s last military junta which unleashed a reign of terror on their own population.

Hooray For Barney Frank

Barney Frank on special protection
House should not criticize FBI for warranted search of member's office

(Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I disagree with the bipartisan House leadership criticism of the FBI's search of a Member's office. I know nothing specifically about the case, except that the uncontroverted public evidence did seem to justify the issuance of a warrant.

What we now have is a Congressional leadership, the Republican part of which has said it is okay for law enforcement to engage in warrantless searches of the average citizen, now objecting when a search, pursuant to a validly issued warrant, is conducted of a Member of Congress.

I understand that the speech and debate clause is in the Constitution. It is there because Queen Elizabeth I and King James I were disrespectful of Parliament. It ought to be, in my judgment, construed narrowly. It should not be in any way interpreted as meaning that we as Members of Congress have legal protections superior to those of the average citizen.

So I think it was a grave error to have criticized the FBI. I think what they did, they ought to be able to do in every case where they can get a warrant from a judge. I think, in particular, for the leadership of this House, which has stood idly by while this administration has ignored the rights of citizens, to then say we have special rights as Members of Congress is wholly inappropriate.

Thanks to Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo for the link.

I Think This Is Really Funny

The New York Times is reporting that, at the same time the neo fascists are ginning up a military strike on Iran, Iraq’s recently installed Foreign Minister has “endorsed the right of Iran to pursue the ‘technological and scientific capabilities’ needed to create nuclear power for peaceful purposes”.

Those Straussian “philosopher” neofascists are just a bit too smart for their own good. They orchestrated the conquering of Iraq in the name of the grand Wilsonian ideal of bringing peace and democracy to the Iraq and then the entire Middle East, though they had to lie about WMDs and nukes to convince the USA public to go along with scheme. And what do they get?

They get a government in Iraq that is very closely aligned with the another charter members of the “Axis of Evil”, Iran, and which is now defending that which those smarty pants neofascists are decrying.

I also support Iran’s right to pursue nuclear technology, and not just for peaceful purposes. Why shouldn’t Iran be able to have nuclear weapons, like at least 8 to 10 other nations on earth? And why should anyone expect Iran to comply with provisions of the non-proliferation treaty when USA allies India, Pakistan, Israel do not? I think nuclear weapons are the only effective means of Iran deterring USA aggression and of all the nations on earth the USA has the least moral standing to lecture other nations about nuclear weapons.

More on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

In an April 18 post I commented on an Asian Times article reporting on the formation and enlargement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

This May 25th Boston Globe comment on the subject, via the International Herald Tribune, makes a similar point to which I made in April.

In some ways I guess I should thank Bush, Cheney, and their neofascist cabal for actually hastening the decline of their dreamed of Pax Americana and the imperial USA era that began, at the urging of aristocrats with names such as Lodge, Taft, Roosevelt, McKinley, and Wilson, with the stealing of Spanish colonies during the glorious Spanish American war.

The Chicks Are Back

In case you haven’t heard, the Dixie Chicks are back and ready for a fight, having reportedly in essence told the country music establishment to kiss off. Their new CD, “Taking the Long Way”, opens with "Not Ready to Make Nice”, in which Maines announces "I'm not ready to back down/ I'm still mad as hell." The 14 songs on the album were composed by the Chicks in collaboration with a number of renowned rock and pop composers.

You will remember that, during a 2003 London concert the ever frank Maines informed the crowd “"Just so you know, we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas" and indicated that she thought Bush’s policies were alienating the rest of the world. Maines comment enlivened the Rovian right wing smear machine, which featured a Clear Channel Communications orchestrated boycott of the Chicks. Clear Channel, headquartered in Texas, is the corporate owner of 1200 USA radio stations and is headed by Bush cronies Lowry Mays and Tom Hicks. Clear Channel owned station personnel orchestrated, Fahrenheit 451 type Dixie Chicks CD burnings. As far as I’m concerned the despicable acts of Clear Channel Communications in punishing the Chicks for exercising their First Amendment right is forever unforgivable and think folks should forever punish Clear Channel by not listening to its stations.

Martie Maguire commented that the dust up over Maines’ comment has caused the chicks to reevaluate their approach to their art which led to their decision to eschew commercialism in favor of pursuing their artistic tendencies and playing to a loyal fan base. "I'd rather have a small following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith," Maguire said. "We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."

While I’m on the subject of the Chicks, if you haven’t watched the “An Evening With The Dixie Chicks” DVD, do yourself a favor and check it out. The 2002 concert, in the amazingly stunning Kodak Theater, featured the Chicks playing through the songs on their then soon to be released CD “Home”, followed by an encore of older material that had the crowd, composed primarily of younger women, up on their feet singing along with every word. I find it very emotional, particularly their presentation of “Goodbye Earl”, which recounts the dispatching of an abusive husband by two female friends.

I think the Dixie Chicks are exceptionally talented musicians who always have top notch back up musicians and I find their in-your-face approach very refreshing in an entertainment world dominated by market driven entertainers. Maines provides powerful, spot-on lead vocals and sisters Emily Robinson and Martie MaGuire contribute incredibly sweet harmonies, as well as their virtuosity on a variety of instruments.

I hope both of my readers will run right out and buy every Dixie Chick product they can. Their new CD was released earlier this week in the USA but will not be available internationally until some time in June.

“You can’t have a war without a good disinformation campaign”

Kudos to the “Jewish Week” newspaper for this “Yellow Journalism” report tracking to Benador Associates, an agent for some of the most prominent USA neofascists, the erroneous report that Iran was to require non-Muslims to wear particular colored clothing.

The article reports that even after the report was debunked the story continued to breathlessly reverberate through the media echo chamber.

“'You can’t have a war without a good disinformation campaign,' opined Mathew Yglesias, of the liberal American Prospect Magazine. "

Thanks to “Talking Points Memo” for linking to the article.

Federico's Cafico Coffee Shop

Meet Federico Navarro A., proprietor of the Cafico coffee shop on Calle 58 a few doors South of Parque Santa Ana and purveyor of the best coffee I've been able to find in my limited explorations of Merida.

When I accompany my neighbor Armando on the 4 block walk he takes each day to pick up his lunch, from the cocina economica operated by my Spanish teachers, we often go to Federico's for a cup of high test Cafe Cubano served in styrofoam demitasse.


The walls of Federico's shop are adorned with quite a number of pictures of Mexican revolutionary hero Pancho Villa.

Federico roasts beans grown in Chiapas and Veracruz in his really cool coffee roasting machine you can see at the right. When Federico is roasting one can detect the wafting aroma from a half block away.

I buy expresso roast ground as fine as Federico's machine will turn it out for my morning fix of high test.

Federico es un hombre muy amable. He has taken to saving his waste coffee grounds for me, which I use as abono in my garden. I returned the favor by taking him one of the watermelons from my last crop.

Federico is another one of the many reasons I like it here.

Trojan Cooling Tower Goes Down

The cooling tower portion of the Trojan nuclear plant, a bit North of Portland, OR, has been demolished. The picture at left, which I pirated off the KOMO TV web site, shows the cooling tower disappearing into the implosion induced cloud of dust.

The Trojan plant operated for only about 10, or so, problem plagued years and was ultimately shut down by its private utility company owner as the electricity produced was not cost competitive.

We hippies knew in 1978 that the plant was doomed economically. Here we are, the members of the Satsop Fireweed division of the Crabshell Alliance, standing across the Columbia River from the Trojan tower during a stop on our return from Portland to protest operation of the plant.

More On Wikipedia

Don't go to Wikipedia looking for reliable information on Cuba, as the Cuba page has become a battleground for ideologues, as apparently the pages addressing a number of other controversial subjects.

Traditional encyclopedias have articles reviewed and edited by folks determined to be knowledgeable on the subject by the encyclopedia purveyor. I find it amusing that Wikipedia is now having to assign an “’mediation cabal’ -- an informal mediator –“ to referee the Cuba discussion. The “cabal” resigned after “editors” were mean to them.

So the Cuba page, at least, and apparently those dealing with abortion and other controversial subjects have turned into a discussion forums.

It really is too bad, I think. And I know that a recent study (all “studies” should also be looked at with a jaundiced eye, for everyone has a point of view) concluded that there are about the same number of errors in Wikipedia and the encyclopedia that was examined, but I suspect that as more and more people learn that they can post supposed facts to Wikipedia the more unreliable it will become.

Having said all of that, I know what “open source” software is, the concept behind it, and I think it is a great concept. But software can be editing and augmented by enthusiasts and other enthusiasts can take the changes or leave them. An encyclopedia is quite different. Just ask John Seigenthaler or the congressional staffers caught sexing up their bosses bios.

Galloway v Di Rita. It's No Contest.

Check out this email exchange between Joe Galloway, renown and awarding winning Knight Ridder military correspondent and commentator, and Rumsfeld spokesperson Larry Di Rita.

It's one thing to be an hubristic, incompetent Secretary of Defense who has publicly derided and dismissed professional military officers who have expressed military judgments which didn't square with neoconservative ideology. It's entirely another to disclaim any responsibility for wasting the nation's military resources and personnel in pursuance of the neofascist chimera of world domination.

Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Feith, Cambone, and the rest of Bush's Pentagon civilian brass, should be charged with, and tried for, treason and war crimes.

As the AP reports Rudolph Giuliani is apparently already so desperate in his quest for the 2008 republican presidential nomination that he has gone to Georgia to kiss Ralph Reed’s ass. Reed, as you will remember, is so far enmeshed in the numerous Abramoff felonies that even Georgia republicans have deserted him in his pursuance of election as the state’s Lieutenant Governor.

The much heralded Giuliani is such a whiz that he decided to place the NYC emergency operations center in the World Trade Center after the building was the target of a 1993 terrorist bombing. Let’s also remember that apparently Giuliani thinks so highly of himself that, in the wake of the 9-11 WTC attacks, he suggested he should remain in office beyond the end of his term, as presumably mayor elect Bloomberg was not up to the task of salving NYC.

Immigration Facts

Kevin Drum's piece, taking a Robert Samuelson commentary to task, includes links to studies that determine that Hispanic immigrants do in fact assimilate; that they only compete for jobs with high school drop outs, and then only barely; that they have a net positive influence on the USA economy; and that they in fact learn to speak English.

Why has the immigration issue emerged this year and why is Bush sending troops to the border?

Bush won't enforce the law against employers who hire illegal immigrants because those employers might stop sending campaign contributions. On the other hand Bush's religious right bigot base is howling for the government to keep the Hispanic out. So Bush throws the sending troops to the border bone to the whackos to energize them for the upcoming midterm election.

Every election the religious right whackos get played by the Republicans, whether with the raising of the specter of the "gay agenda", the mad abortionists, or the onslaught on nonwhite immigrants, and the dumb asses never figure out they're just being played.

Recommended Reading

I am about half way through Peter Irons "A People's History of the Supreme Court" (thanks to the Merida English Library collection) and recommend it.

Irons begins by covering the drafting of the Constitution, moves on to the composition and notable decisions of the early Supreme Court, and wends his way through various notable cases to present times.

The books illustrates that the Federalists, who generally determined the outcomes of the Constitutional Convention and appointed the early Supreme Court justices, were motivated by the protection of their self interests as the creditor class and how the interests of landless folks, laborers, women, African Americans, and Native Americans were not considered. Except of course as a part of the Great Compromise which decided that slaves would be counted as three fifths of person for purposes of determining populations for apportioning representation.

Kevin Phillips Takes on Robert Rubin and His Hamiltonian Project

KevinPhillips really is one of the most intelligent political commentators around. Here he takes on Robert Rubin, Clinton's Treasury Secretary and current Citigroup chairman, and his efforts to promote Wall Street friendly Hilary Clinton. I think it is worth a read.

Welcome to the Police State

Brian Ross and Richard Esposito, of ABC news report that:

"A senior federal law enforcement official tells ABC News the government is tracking the phone numbers we call in an effort to root out confidential sources."

And close to half of the USA pulic supports the illegal government spying on its own citizens. I think the Bush administration facists should distribute brown shirts to each of those who support the illegal spying.

The USA is no longer a national security state, it's a police state. And the stupid half of the population think's it's just fine.

A Really Stupid Diebold Spokesperson

In the wake of revelations of serious security flaws in Diebold electronic voting machines the New York Times reports that the Diebold spokesperson is really stupid.

"“David Bear, a spokesman for Diebold Election Systems, said the potential risk existed because the company's technicians had intentionally built the machines in such a way that election officials would be able to update their systems in years ahead.

"'’For there to be a problem here, you're basically assuming a premise where you have some evil and nefarious election officials who would sneak in and introduce a piece of software," he said. "I don't believe these evil elections people exist.'"

David Bear, meet Katherine Harris and J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio Secretary of State. The stealing of elections by "evil and nefarious election officials"” is routine, and a number of instances of tampering with Diebold machines during the 2004 election have been well documented. There was also, of course, the case of the president of Diebold, headquartered in Ohio, promising to deliver Ohio for Bush in 2004. Not to mention Blackwell's discriminatory distributiontion of voting machines to facilitate republican voting and impede democratic voting.

Every vote should be cast on a paper ballot which can manually recounted if necessary.

Is Michael Hayden's Nomination Doomed?

With the latest USA government domestic spying revelation that under Hayden's direction the NSA "collected the records of billions of domestic calls" his nomination to head the CIA may be on the way to withdrawal.

As Kevin Drum notes, Qwest Communication is the only telecommunications company that insisted the NSA comply with the law and obtain a FISA court order.

Do You Use Antibacterial Soap?

If so, why? Science Daily reports on the persistence and environmental distribution of one of the primary antibacterial chemicals.

Appeals Court Judge Goes to Work for Boeing

What was it Eisenhower said about the military/industrial complex?

Judge Luttig finally had enough of the Bush administration B. S. in the Jose Padilla case, called the administration on it's screwing of Padilla, and was plucked from the bench, with a doubling or tripling of is salary, by Boeing, which will presumbly profit handsomely by removing a Bush administration embarassment.

The Irony Escapes Cheney

Is Dick Cheney:

a) Stupid

b) Evil

c) Demented

d) Crazy

e) All of the above

President in Fact Cheney lectures the Russians.

Cheney, an opponent of the reforms of the Magna Carta 400 years ago, who has sanctioned torture, secret trials, and the return to a monarchy, lectures the Russians:

"In Russia today, opponents of reform are seeking to reverse the gains of the last decade,"

Cheney, who has overseen the illegal spying of USA advocacy groups ranging from religiously affiliated peace groups to animal rights groups, further lectures the Russians:

"from religion and the news media to advocacy groups and political parties, the government has unfairly and improperly restricted the rights of the people."

And Cheney, as USA Commander in Fact who advocated and orchestrated the conquering and attempted subjugation of Iraq (not to mention the attempted coup in Venezuela and kidnapping of the democratically elected president of and the coup in Haiti, instructs the Russians:

"And no one can justify actions that undermine the territorial integrity of a neighbor, or interfere with democratic movements."

Given the irony of his lecturing of the Russians apparently escapes him I am concluding that Cheney is stupid. But, when all the evidence is considered, I’m going with e) All of the above.

"Minutemen" Get Cold Shoulder in South L. A.

The L. A. Times Reports the Minutemen bigots thought they'd roll into L. A. and enlist African Americans into their bigotry. Instead they are compared to the KKK.

"The Minuteman Project, the self-proclaimed citizen border patrol that has emerged as a vocal
opponent of illegal immigration, arrived in the heart of South Los Angeles on Wednesday hoping to recruit blacks to their cause.

But instead, they were met by protesters — most of them African American — who compared the group to the Ku Klux Klan and urged them to take their campaign elsewhere."

And, by the way, the proposition that illegal immigrants to the USA are taking jobs from the native born is a canard.

From the NYT report linked above:
"Even economists striving hardest to find evidence of immigration's effect on domestic workers are finding that, at most, the surge of illegal immigrants probably had only a small impact on wages of the least-educated Americans — an effect that was likely swamped by all the other things that hit the economy, from the revolution in technology to the erosion of the minimum wage's buying power."

Alabama Legislature Leads Nation

In advocating the removal of "all trade, financial and travel restrictions relating to Cuba", that is.

A resolution adopted by both legislative houses ends with:

"Be it resolved by the legislature of Alabama, both houses thereof concurring, that we hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to remove all trade, financial and travel restrictions relating to Cuba.

"“Be it further resolved, that official copies of this resolution shall be forwarded to the President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of the United States Congress, and to each member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record of the Congress of the United States of America."

Bolivia Joins Axis of Evil

Look for "Mother Hen"” Rice and the other purveyors of USA propaganda to ratchet up their war of words against Bolivia and its democratically elected president, Evo Morales; and to declare Bolivia an official partner in the Latin America division of the “Axis of Evil", along with Cuba and Venezuela.

Morales has announced the nationalization of the countries natural gas resources, second in volume in South America only to those of Venezuela, and the USA response will illustrate the primary objective of USA foreign policy - the maintenance of multi-national corporate access to and control over foreign resources and markets.

Morales joins Castro and Chavez on my list of heroes who spit in the face of the USA economic hegemonic ambitions; and George Bush, its latest proponent. Morales has also spit in the face of the dumb asses managing the USA "War on Drugs" by advocating the Bolivian coca industry upon which much of the peasant population depends for its livelihood.

I give heroic honorable mention to Lula da Silva in Brazil and Kirchner in Argentina for loosening the economic hold of the multi-nationals, but am withholding my judgment of true heroic status until they begin spitting. I am also hoping for an AMLO victory in July.

Give 'em hell President Morales.

There is a Better Electoral System

During the run up to the 2006 “mid-term” elections USA residents are being subjected to the usual empty campaign promises, negative campaigning, pandering, posturing, and other standard nonsense associated with elections in their “two-party system.”

Imagine an election system within which everyone is automatically registered to vote upon reaching their sixteenth birthday and wherein anyone sixteen years or older, attending meetings in their election district (ranging in population from 300 to 4,000), may nominate anyone or be nominated to stand for either local or national offices. A system in which candidates are not associated with a “party”, but must run as non-partisans, much like most municipal elections in the USA. Where 5^th and 9^th grade students are present at polling stations to learn of their important responsibility and voter turnout routinely exceeds 90 %.

Imagine a system in which campaign advertising is not permitted so media advisers, spokespersons, strategists, pollsters and the other assortments of campaign whores and pimps are not employed; and money does not determine the election outcome. A system within which candidate profiles publicized and provided to voters by election officials contain only the biography of the candidate, so voters aren’t barraged with the B.S. that characterizes elections in the USA.

Imagine a system in which those elected are not paid for their service to their community or country and where the average reelection rate is only 46.5 %.

Such a system in fact exists only 90 miles from the Florida coast. The above is, and has been since 1992, the election system of those evil communists in Cuba.

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.

Clueless Of Middle East Realities

This great article by Mark Perry and Alastair Crooke tells you why “western” governments “don't have a clue about what's really going on in the” Middle East.

It’s because “Once again, we're being ‘Chalabied’”. That is “western” governments don’t talk to important Middle East players “Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood.” Rather, “Western governments are dependent for information about the region on a set of clients who, as often as not, are mere reflections of what Westerners want the Middle East to be, rather than what it actually is:…. This clientism is not new; rather, it is a continuation of the misreading that led US and British officials to believe their soldiers would ride to Baghdad along flower-paved highways.”

What does it say about the USA foreign policy apparatus that the clients usually skillfully play USA policy makers?

The article is well worth a read.

Via Laura Rozen's War and Piece

Scalia DeVito

This photo, from the Raw Story web site, shows Scalia's response to a Boston Herald reporter who, as the Herald put it, "asked the justice how he responds to critics who might question his impartiality as a judge given his public worship. "

Some say Scalia's gesture is of an obscene nature. According to the photographer who snapped the photo Scalia answered, while making the gesture, ‘To my critics, I say, ‘Vaffanculo.’ According to the Herald report "The Italian phrase means '(expletive) you.'"

Does anyone else think that Scalia looks like Danny DeVito in the photo?

The Fun Folks at Chevrolet

The folks at Chevrolet have put up a web site where you can build your own Tahoe SUV ad. I suggest you hurry before Chevy pulls the sight down. Thanks to Kevin Drum at Washington Monthly blog for posting the link of the Chevy site.

Here's mine.

Jose's Cantina Report

This evening at my favorite local cantina, Ricardo, whom I have not before met, was playing the guitar. After he played a number of songs in Spanish he came over and sat next to me and let loose with a beautiful rendition of Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven", in English. It was great.

I noticed that Ricardo had the hands of a mechanic and asked him if he worked as such. He explained that music is his love but that he repairs Pemex trucks during the day.

After Ricardo left Jose gave me a nod and put on the Beatles greatest hits CD that was playing the first time I visited his cantina.

I always get lots of practice speaking Spanish at Jose's, as I'm usually the only English speaker there. However there's always at least one drunk who dominates the conversation, as drunks are wont to do, and I have a very difficult time understanding inebriated Spanish.

None-the-less, I really enjoy my visits with the friendly folks at Jose's.

Rove Reportedly Flipped on Cheney

Rove reportedly clued Fitzgerald into fact that White House staff had deleted email records in Plame outint matter.

My Personal Banker

I recently opened a banking account here, which one is able to do after receiving an FM 3 visa. The folks at the local HSBC branch where I opened the account have been very pleasant to work with and very patient with my often inadequate Spanish. Since opening the account I have made a number of visits to the bank to ask questions about procedures.

Last Thursday I visited the bank and asked Luis, one of the customer services folks, a question that apparently indicated to him that I needed help understanding how banking is done here. So last evening I received a call from Eduardo, an HSBC personal banker, who asked if he could come to my apartment and discuss banking procedures and options. I eagerly accepted his offer. After an hour or so of conversation about banking, and my particular needs, he suggested that I come to his office in the morning and meet with him and one of his English speaking colleagues. Another offer I gladly accepted.

So this morning I walked to Eduardo’s office and met for an hour or so with him and Sebastian who further explained banking procedures, security, and investment options. They then called a currency exchange house, in which they have confidence, to let them know that I had a cashier’s check I needed exchanged. Eduardo drove me to the office where Adriana took care of the paperwork and explained that the funds from the check will be deposited directly into my account. I also found out it is lots less expensive to have funds wire transferred in pesos from my USA bank to my bank here. Eduardo then drove me home.

I learned that HSBC offers a fund, into which I may invest, that buys and sells Mexican government securities, pays about 6% interest, and the invested funds are completely liquid.

So now I have a personal banker looking after me. One less thing to worry about.

An Evening To Remember

Last evening I spent a thoroughly entertaining and informative evening with three really bright people, the Working Gringos and Kat of KATravels.

The evening began with a rendezvous at the Working Gringo’s colonial home, just a few blocks from my apartment, and introductions to URL (pronounced earl), their wonderfully friendly dog, which as a stray puppy the WGs serendipitously happened upon, rescued, and adopted. The WG’s home has been artfully restored, with lots of unpainted woodwork and furnishings, high ceilings typical of colonial homes, a babbling fountain, lovely floors, a beautiful modern kitchen, and a small court yard at the rear complete with a “plunge pool” and garden.

After a bit of interesting conversation and wine, we loaded ourselves into the WGs car and headed for a restaurant, neither the name nor location of which I remember, though I think it’s in Centro.

I do remember, though, that the restaurant was in a beautifully done colonial building, with columns, airy ceilings, and the kind of tiled floor in which the large angular patterns are formed by multiple tiles. The excellent, amiable service was provided by waiters in crisp white uniform shirts. The Bisstec Capricho, which I had and which I think in English would be Beefsteak Caprice, was good; the caballeros room was tidy; the company excellent; and the conversation was at turns jocular and serious, often political, and always thoughtful.

My only complaint with the restaurant was (and I’m sorry but I must rant on the subject) that the bartender minced the mojito mint. Mincing mojito mint is wrong, wrong, wrong. Muddled mint makes a mojito. The malignant malpractice of mincing, maladministers mojito mint making a maladroitly mixed mojito. The practice must be stopped.

Here’s the mojito recipe from the Bacardi web site. Is there a more authoritative source? By the way I checked Wikipedia, of which I learned a lot last evening, and found it has the recipe right. Muddle the mint, Wikipedia says; but it also says muddling lime along with the mint is “not authentic.” I’m going with Barcardi on the subject of the authenticity of muddling lime with the mint.

Muddle fresh mint leaves, lime and cover with sugar
(The accompanying illustration indicates muddling consists of bruising the mint leaves and lime against the glass with a slender, wooden muddler which looks like a tiny baseball bat.)
Top with ice
(The illustration indicates ice cubes)
Add Bacardi (1.5 ozs) and a splash of club soda.
Stir well and garnish with lemon wedge and sprig of mint

Mandy, a very colorful fellow in Trinidad, Cuba in whose home I stayed for a few days, would pick mint from his little patch in the inner courtyard and whip up mojitos for a buck each, though as I recall he used a spoon to muddle. After picking the mint he’d kinda of prance over to the muddling counter in a manner reminiscent of Dr. Joyboy dancing the roast pig into feed his immovably obese mother in the mid-60s movie, “The Loved Ones.” Mandy would also drive his early 50s Chevy through the cobblestone streets of Trinidad honking, whistling, and waving at his friends, which seemed to be all women. The guy was a complete card, which of course has nothing to do with last evening.

Someone in the midst of last evening suggested that we should each enter a report of the evening in our various blogs. Instantly, Working Gringa and KAT whipped their cameras out of their bags. The cameras came out so fast that I’m pretty sure I saw them smoking from the friction. I knew immediately that, to the extent the blogging suggestion constituted a challenge (and remember, I am male), I was a goner, for I had no camera. So for pictures of the restaurant and the salon you’ll just have to mosey on over to the Working Gringos and KATravels to view photos. They’ll also probably tell you the name and location of the restaurant.

All-in-all, it was an evening to remember. More Merida Magic.

500,000 Protest Proposed Federal Immigration Legislation

The AP reports on what was probably the largest political demonstration since the Vietnam days.

By PETER PRENGAMAN, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 2 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES - Immigration rights advocates more than 500,000 strong marched in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, demanding that Congress abandon attempts to make illegal immigration a felony and to build more walls along the border.

Has Bush Started WW III?

According to Raw Story “A founding member of the elite counter-terrorist unit, Delta Force, suggested that President Bush's invasion of Iraq may have started World War III, according to the Los Angeles Daily News,” in an article to appear in Sunday’s edition.

More On The Israel Lobby

This opinion piece by Daniel Levy in the Israel newspaper Haaretz largely supports the conclusion of the John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt study to which I posted a link this morning. The basic conclusion is the that pursuance of the foreign policies advanced by the Israel Lobby have made the world, specifically the Middle East, more dangerous for both the USA and Israel. The piece is well worth a read.

Levy argues in this excerpt the Israel Lobby should divorce the neoconservatives and Christian right and to stop stifling debate through intimidation:

First, efforts to collapse the Israeli and neoconservative agendas into one have been a terrible mistake - and it is far from obvious which is the tail and which is the dog in this act of wagging. Iraqi turmoil and an Al-Qaida foothold there, growing Iranian regional leverage and the strengthening of Hamas in the PA are just a partial scorecard of the recent policy successes of AIPAC/neocon collaboration.

Second, Israel would do well to distance itself from our so-called "friends" on the Christian evangelical right. When one considers their support for Israel's own extremists, the celebration of our Prime Minister's physical demise as a "punishment from God" and their belief in our eventual conversion - or slaughter - then this is exposed as an alliance of sickening irresponsibility.

Third, Israel must not be party to the bullying tactics used to silence policy debate in the U.S. and the McCarthyite policing of academia by set-ups like Daniel Pipes' Campus Watch. If nothing else, it is deeply un-Jewish. It would in fact serve Israel if the open and critical debate that takes place over here were exported over there.

Fourth, the Lobby even denies Israel a luxury that so many other countries benefit from: of having the excuse of external encouragement to do things that are domestically tricky but nationally necessary (remember Central Eastern European economic and democratic reform to gain EU entry in contrast with Israel's self-destructive settlement policy for continued U.S. aid).

I Think This Is Pretty Amazing

A couple weeks ago I noticed that some corn had been spilled onto the sidewalk in front of this house on Calle 62 I frequently walk past.

Yesterday afternoon I noticed this corn plant growing out of an area where the curb has broken away. During the time between when the corn was spilled until the plant sprouted there had been no rain here.

This plant illustrates how well things grow here, despite sometimes serious challenges, like no water and vehicle exhaust from heavy traffic, as is this case. I often see plants growing from small mortar crevices, out of the roofs of buildings, or like the beautiful flowering plant growing out of the patio.

This case, however, is truly amazing. More Merida magic.

The Israel Lobby

This long article discusses the power the Israel Lobby has gained over USA foreign policy. And how the implementation of its foreign policy objectives as engendered resentment of the USA in much of the world.

It is a bit ponderous, but authoritative and informative for those interested.

Jose's Cantina

Last evening I went to my favorite neighborhood cantina, which I do once or twice each week to drink beer and practice my Spanish with the owner, the employees, and the clientele. During the afternoon hours the place is also a cocina economica, and I do mean economica. Armando took me to lunch there recently and between us had five beers, lunch, and about 5 small plates of botanas, which are snacks that are provided at no charge when one orders beer, and the bill was around $70 pesos, less than $7. US.

Jose, the owner; his employees Karen and Sylvia; and the regulars greet me warmly, with handshakes all around. Karen or Sylvia place a Superior beer in front of me without asking what I’d like and ask if I want a plate of salted peanuts. Someone always strikes up a conversation and more often than not one of the other patrons will buy me a beer or a shot of Tequila and I reciprocate. Often there is live music provided by folks who stop by with their instruments, usual guitars and sometimes an accordian. Last night it was a fellow playing the guitar while the patrons took turns singing along with him.

Last evening I took along a plate of pan dulce (sweet bread) I had earlier made with some overripe bananas. Everyone present tried it, indicated their approval, and began guessing the ingredients.

Jose apparently has never heard the adage that when one owns a bar one should not drink. So unless I visit early in the day I can’t understand what he is telling me. Karen and Sylvia take care of the customers while Jose is slurring his way through conversation with the customers, often seeming to speak quite indignantly. On Sunday’s Karen’s 6 year old son Jordan and her 12 or 13 year old nephew Alfonso accompany her to work. Jordan amuses himself with the attentions of the customers while Alfonso helps behind the bar. When I comment to Karen that I can’t understand Jose she assures me with a gesture that it’s because Jose has been drinking.

Last evening the conversation turned to politics, both of the US and Mexico. Bush was unanimously derided. Though there was disagreement as to who should be elected Mexican president in July, all seemed to agree the outcome wouldn’t make much of a difference in their lives. Curious, I asked who among the assemblage voted and only one of the five folks present indicated they do.

I asked Jose if during my next visit I could take photographs to post on my diario internet. I’m pretty sure he told me there would be no problem, so after my next visit I’ll post some pictures.

Mangos From Heaven

OK, not really. They're only beginning to drop from the very large tree in the back yard.

The Washington Post Has Been Rendered to Toilet Paper Status

This is very funny. The Washington Post, in its efforts to present “balance”, hired a serial plagiarist as a blogger.

UPDATE 3/24/06: The serial plagiarist resigns, after just a couple of days, and the washingtonpost.com editor thanks the bloggers who revealed the plagiarism for doing what he should have done before hiring the hack. In doing so the plagiarist calls the Washington Post editors fools. He's right about that, even though he stole that line too.

Barbara Bush Earmarks Katrina Relief Donation to Son Neil

This is unbelievable. It seems that even Barbara Bush has an ethical tin ear.

My Bus Trip to Telchac Puerto

Monday I took a bus trip to Telchac Puerto, on the Gulf coast Northeast of here. It is a nice little beach town, nicer than Progreso or Chelem I think; but, like all of the beach towns I've visited, there is the almost constant wind and blowing sand.

The bus ride was really the highlight of the trip. I was the only non-local on the bus, both going and returning; and the bus stopped frequently to take on and discharge passengers along the way, in each pueblo and wherever flagged down. At the station in Telchac Puerto the driver had trouble getting the bus engine to fire up, to the point it seemed as though the batteries would be drained so we would all have to pile out and give it a push to jump start it; but finally the beast roared to life and we were off. Somewhere between Boco and Merida one of the side windows fell into the bus, so the driver slowed down while the relief driver retrieved the window. Then a bit further along the driver had to bring the bus to a stop in order to put the beast in gear. It is these kinds of things that cause to enjoy bus trips here.

I should point out that I ride the servicio intermedio buses, rather than the first class buses, as I’d rather ride with the locals. If I were to go further afield, such as to Campeche , which I plan to visit next week, or Cancun, which I intend to never visit except to pass through the airport, I will take a 1st class bus.

Garden Report

It has been some time since I reported my gardening successes and failures.

As for success, as I write I am eating breakfast which includes watermelon and cantaloupe from the garden. The watermelon is a bit over ripe and quite sweet. The medium sized cantaloupe is firm and, though acceptable, is not as sweet as those I buy from Luis at El Mercado Santa Ana. I am eating and giving away tomatoes from the garden and also eating carrots which, because of the poor soil I think, are small and not very sweet. There is one habanera just about ready to pick, and others coming on even though the plants are no more than 6 inches tall.

Also on the good news front is the large amount of killer compost I’ve produced and which I have been incorporating into the soil for new plantings.

The bad news is that both the tomato and cantaloupe plants succumbed to Tomato Mosaic Virus and Downy Mildew, respectively, so I have pulled them and began anew. I am hopeful that incorporating generous amounts of compost into the soil and mulching heavily with compost will produce more resistant plants, and as a backup I have ordered seeds of resistant varieties from a company in England which ships to Mexico at very economical rates. I have also planted more watermelons in a heavily composted bed, though something, perhaps a gecko, ate the leaves off a couple as soon as they emerged.

I have constructed two rectangular raised beds, where the tomatoes had resided, incorporated lots of compost into the soil and mulched them heavily with more compost. I have started more tomato plants which I will plant into one of the beds when large enough. In the other bed I have planted more cucumbers and will plant more onions and lettuce, though the weather has become very hot and dry so the lettuce may not do well.

I have also begun transplanting papaya trees in an area behind the garden. Though the hot weather is not conducive to transplanting, I am refining my method, using lots of compost, mulching heavily, and hoping for the best. Sr. Lopez, my landlords, tells me to use all of the water I need and to not worry about the cost. Water is apparently quite inexpensive here.

My container trees are all doing well and I have an addition of a mystery tree from a seed I found and planted in the avocado container.

Additionally, I found in the last batch of vegetative waste, the next door neighbor practically begged me to take, a large, juicy bulb of some sort that had been hacked up by a machete. You Know Me, I said to myself “what the hell” and planted it. Within days flat, broad, light green leaves emerged and earlier this week a stem emerged from which blossomed four trumpet shaped white and pink flowers. I haven’t the slightest idea what it is but it is indeed a beauty. Or I should say, was a beauty, as I accidentally cut the flower stalk with my soil sifting screen while preparing spots for the papayas.

Off to prepare another papaya hole before it gets too hot. Later I’ll tell you about my amoebic banking experiences.

See What a Campaign Contribution Gets You

The IRS is promulagating rules that would allow tax preparers to sell information from your tax return, perhaps the entire return.

Those campaign contributions return hefty dividends. Sorry, it's too late to comment electronically on the proposed rule.

John McCain - Phony Reformer

Anyone who still thinks that John McCain is a “reformer”, as he has politically cast himself, should read this.

It’s pretty strange that McCain hires this Nelson character, who helped DeLay launder campaign funds through the RNC and who supervised the folks who were convicted of jamming democratic get out the votes lines in New Hampshire, and then claims he has not heard of Nelson’s misdeeds.

You'd Think the Bush Courtiers Would Devise a New Script

So now Iran is harboring Al Qaeda, according to an anonymous administration official, as reported by the LA Times.

"Iran is becoming more and more radicalized and more willing to turn a blind eye to the Al Qaeda presence there," a U.S. counter-terrorism official said.

Maybe Bush administration ideologues are trying to economize by just changing the 'q' in their Iraqi propaganda campaign to an 'n' now that they are intent on launching an Iran military adventure.

They can get away with using the same script because about half of the USA population will buy it.

If Iran is truly harboring Al Qaeda why is the "counter-terrorism official" speaking anonymously? Because when the Iran propaganda campaign is exposed as nothing more than just that, more B.S., he or she cannot be held accountable. And because that's how propagandists works.

Dick Cheney - Lunatic

Anyone who still doesn’t believe that Dick Cheney is a lunatic should read this Reuters report. Remember Cheney was in charge of the search for Bush’s vice-presidential candidate and selected himself. “Steady hand on the tiller…” without an oar in the water.

So we have a president who thinks God is telling him what to do and a vice-president who thinks he’s God. Who would have guessed that Bush was right. God really is telling him what to do.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney, a lightning rod for criticism about administration policies, on Sunday rejected the notion of resigning and said he would serve out his term.

"I made sure both in 2000 and 2004 that the president had other options. I mean, I didn't ask for this job. I didn't campaign for it. I got drafted," Cheney said on CBS television's "Face The Nation."

Grover Norquist Laundered Money for Abramoff and Reed

Grover Norquist, for those who don't know, every week hosts a conclave of about 100 top Washington D.C. republican congressional and administration staff and lobbyists. He used his organization, Americans for Tax Reform, to launder money for both to Jack Abramoff and Ralph Reed, who as Pat Robertson's former Christian Coalition director lectured us about moral rectitude. Whatever moral impulses Reed may have possessed were long ago trumped by his greed. It is looking increasingly like both Norquist and Reed may both join Abramoff in prison.

Abramoff's "lobbying" operation was retained by a number of Indian tribes with casino operations to lobby various state governments to deny other tribes authorization to begin gambling operations. Abramoff hired Reed to mount astroturf operations that would use his Christian soldiers to pressure the state governments to deny authorization for the non Abramoff client tribes to operate gambling operations. Reed, of course, couldn't allow his good soldiers to learn that he was assisting tribes with gambling operations so Abramoff's payments to Reed were laundered through Norquist organization.

Why isn't the RICO stature being used against these amoral, greedy scum bags? They were organized and engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise.

Americans Are Wising Up To Bush

The Pew Research Center's latest poll finds that when asked to describe President Bush in one word 48% of the USA population uses a negative word, most often "incompetent", followed closely by "idiot" and "liar".

From the PEW Research report.

In a Word...Incompetent

President Bush's declining image also is reflected in the single-word descriptions people use to describe their impression of the president. Three years ago, positive one-word descriptions of Bush far outnumbered negative ones. Over the past two years, the positive-negative balance has been roughly equal. But the one-word characterizations have turned decidedly negative since last July.

Currently, 48% use a negative word to describe Bush compared with just 28% who use a positive term, and 10% who use neutral language.

The changing impressions of the president can best be viewed by tracking over time how often words come up in these top-of-the-mind associations. Until now, the most frequently offered word to describe the president was "honest," but this comes up far less often today than in the past. Other positive traits such as "integrity" are also cited less, and virtually no respondent used superlatives such as "excellent" or "great" ­ terms that came up fairly often in previous surveys.

The single word most frequently associated with George W. Bush today is "incompetent,"and close behind are two other increasingly mentioned descriptors: "idiot" and "liar." All three are mentioned far more often today than a year ago.

Celestun Visit Story Published

The story of my visit to Celestun has been published on the "Day Trips" page of the Yucatan Today web site.

You Know Me Appears in the Local Newspaper

Luis, the fellow from whom I buy fruit, informed me today, as I was buying bananas for my neighbor Armando, that my picture had appeared in the Diario Yucatan yesterday. He rustled around on the floor of his vendor booth and came up with a copy of the paper and gave it to me.

As it happened, last Saturday I was walking along Calle 53 (the caption incorrectly says 63) on my way home from the Merida English Library's 10th anniversary recognition press conference. As I was about mid block I noticed a fellow taking pictures in my direction. I thought perhaps he worked for the City's traffic department and was shooting the damaged corner and traffic light standard. I didn't know if I was in his picture or not, or whether he wanted me in his picture or not.

As it turns out it was a Diario photographer shooting a situation dangerous to pedestrians for publication in the paper.

The caption reads, something akin to: "Rudimentary counterbalance. After an automobile knocked over the traffic light standard in an accident last month, the city police raised the standard and placed rocks as counterbalances, making it difficult for pedestrians to pass. Despite the time that has passed, still no new base has been installed."

So now I'm thinking that police and city officials read it and thought "another damned estadounidense (USA citizen) tourist trying to cause problems."

Actually, and I've mentioned it before, one of things I like about Merida is that when one encounters such pedestrian hazards one is responsible to take care. Having worked for a number of years for municipal governments in the USA I processed, and was deposed relative to, a number of claims filed by folks who fell on sidewalks. Many folks in the USA have come to believe their tax paying neighbors (through those amorphous entities "the city", "the county", "the state") should indemnify them for their own carelessness, and juries often reinforce their belief.

It's All About Poll Numbers

Senator Russ Feingold, of Wisconsin, introduced a Senate resolution to censure Bush for "unlawful authorization of wiretaps of Americans within the United States without obtaining the court orders required" by FISA. Apparently his resolution received the cold shoulder from his fellow Senate democrats, so he went into a snit and lambasted his collegues. He has been widely quoted in the media as saying "I'm amazed at Democrats ... cowering with this president's numbers so low," Feingold said.

I certainly believe that congressional democrats and those populating the national democratic party are gutless and I believe that Bush should be more than censured; but I find Feingold’s statement to be an indication that he is little different from those he criticizes. Implicit in Feingold’s condemnation of his fellow senate democrats is the belief that cowering would be alright if Bush’s “numbers” were not “so low.”

Right and wrong, and such things as defending the citizenry from the development of a police state are not considerations for congressional democrats, or republicans for that matter. It’s all about poll numbers, even to Feingold.

None-the-less, at this point Feingold his is preferable to me over the others angling for the 2008 democratic nomination, unless Gore jumps in, that is.

The "Gonzocons" Are Eating Each Other

Martin Kelly, whoever he is, I think has it right. The rats are jumping the neoconservative ship.

He explains why he thinks the folks that call them neoconservatives are really gonzoconservatives. They're as paranoid as Hunter Thompson, but not nearly as much fun.