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News and Images from Netscape/CNN

You know, when I first saw this, I had some really mixed emotions. The first thing that came to mind is, “Isn’t that a little queer?” I do not mean to imply that our President is gay, but the word “queer” has a certain empowerment to the concept of out of place–or, better yet–out of YOUR PLACE. Perhaps it would be used when someone is being brash, reacting, or defending themselves. But this is just flat-out brazen, and the word seemed somehow appropriate.

Out of all of the ways that I could envision this meeting unfolding, this was NOT one of the scenarios. Our President, Mr. Geroge W. Bush, walking though the Texas bluebells holding hands with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia? It absolutely raises some questions. Is our spiny-crab, Texas-drawlin’, no-holds-barred, rootin’-tootin’ President up to something? The same guy who said, “Putin better do right by Democracy” in his threatening, “no back talkin’ now, ya’ hear” voice is perhpas embracing a social custom of Saudi Arabia. Or, perhaps, he is not. Whatever it is, he seems terribly at ease, terribly empowered, and VERY out of place in Texas. Holding hands in not exactly a good-ole’ boy activity. Perhaps after throwing down a few brews, and a good ass-whoopin’ at horseshoes, we could hold hands and take a walk through the bluebells, Jed.

Maybe there is more credence to Michael Moore‘s allegations that our President had business and long-term family ties with the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia. Moore’s allegations were that the our President ordered all of the Saudi nationals to be collected by the FBI, transported to special airplanes (more than 50 planes), and had every single plane flown to Saudi Arabia–to avoid violence against them–ON SEPTEMBER 11th! Every American was gounded, but the Saudi’s were flying the friendly skies.

The look on our President’s face in this image, however, is very poignant. As are the looks on his face in the other images in the collection. There is another thought–maybe our President intends to charm the oil right out of him. He was wildly popular with an unexpected population of female voters who were happy to waive their rights as females because “he is kinda cute,” and they “liked the way he dresses.” Well, at least Fox found plenty of women who said that. Perhaps our illustrious leader with the lowest approval rating of any President is gonna take one for the team to lower gasoline prices.

I keep returning to that little September 11th thingie–you know, the single greatest moment for our country (at least that a couple of generations can remember). The reason why we have the Patriot Act, and the Patriot Act II (sorta like a bad sequel to Rambo–except that our movie doesn’t end). If the September 11th panel was correct in their findings, I believe that 9 of the terrorists aboard the four airplanes were from Saudi Arabia–the KINGDOM of the man whom our President is strolling through the bluebells of Texas–holding hands.

I guess that is the problem with images like this. It raises so many questions, and produces so little understanding. Just see for yourself.

Yahoo! News – Gore Blasts GOP Bid to Block Filibusters:

A voice of reason from the political fray emerges, and it is none other than our former Vice President, Al Gore. Our Federal Government needs to get this maelstrom of garbage settled–they are so far out of touch with their constituents, it is no longer funny. At first, it was humorous, but now, it has reached the point of absurdity. By the people, for the people.

Yahoo! News – GOP Weighing New Concessions on Ethics: Keep voicing your opinions–we ARE making headway. I really hope that this is a turning point in the “madness” that has overcome the Republican party. The scary thing is that we are so much closer in proximity that we would care to admit.

I had a discussion with a friend last week–and, the Republicans and Democrats argue over miniscule differences in the shades of gray when compared to some of the other governments in history. For example, I have been reading a book about Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. In the early 1900’s, at the end of World War I, there were three active Socialist parties, a Communist party, and several other parties to boot. Each of those political parties were arguing from grossly different fundamental perspectives . . . while here, in the states, everyone believes in the Republic–the differences lie in what policies we choose to embrace.

On a More Somber Note

What have we here?

At some point, the leadership of the Republican party is going to have to make some choices. This Tom DeLay fellow, is bad news. He allegedly takes illegal money, has created a ton of negative publicity for the Republicans, and has single-handedly thrown a pretty big wrench in this 4-year Republican power-grab. The smartest thing, in my opinion, would be to throw out the spoiled onion, and in doing so, save the whole bag of onions.

If the Republicans continue to make legislation that allows those in power get away with committing crimes and violating the constitution, they are really going to cause problems for themselves in the future–especially considering that ironically, it seems to be the Democrats who are calling for the reduction in the size of government, calling for a decrease of the deficit, and calling for someone to get a handle on the immigration issue. As soon as middle America realizes (if we can get them to watch news and not FOX) the values of Democrat policies, the winds of changes are going to fill a different set of sails.

Politics – Costs of war quietly surpass $300 billion – sacbee.com: “Costs of war quietly surpass $300 billion

Congress approves requests from the president and the Pentagon with little resistance and adds a few unrelated projects to boot.

The Troubling Word Here is “Quietly”

Let there be no mistake, our troops need and deserve equipment, support, and money. Once again, if our Commander-in-Chief would just come forward and TELL US what they need, I would feel differently about it . . . .

Yahoo! News – Bolton Finds U.N. Nomination in Jeopardy:

Is this how a Democracy is supposed to work? Is this even how a Republic is supposed to work? You have a hearing, the hearing goes poorly, and so the Chairman decided to postpone a vote that Bolton would have lost.

This is preposterous! Following Tom DeLay’s lead, I guess it is acceptable to gerrymander votes until they fall in your direction. STEP DOWN, Bolton. And, for the love of God, will you Republicans do SOMETHING for the good of the country, or are you so completely drunk with power that you do not know what that may be any more?

The New York Times > National > Medicare Change Will Limit Access to Claim Hearing:

Hmmm. So let me see if I have this straight: you are on Medicare (which means you DO NOT or CANNOT afford your own insurance), and you were denied a claim by the Department of Health and Human Services. Now, in order to see a judge, you have to fly, drive, take a train, or a bus to one of these four cities to see a judge about it–with your medical condition, or pending operation, or . . . .

Just a quick look at the math . . . and it is easy to see the implications. While these two-faced liars are standing up, talking their “double-speak,” and passing proclamations about Terry Schiavo–how everyone has a right to live, they are clearly passing REAL, working legislation that is going to bleed the poor of our nation to death.

I have some ideas for how we can deal with this! First, the Republican-controlled House and Senate can take their “Freedom To Act Outside Of The Law” policies and protection that they have implemented for Tom DeLay, and expand them to include Tom’s friends, his family, and his business associates, of course. This single move would exonerate Jack Abramoff from his apparent “spot of trouble.”

Next, if they can craft it carefully, they should expand the Congressional Immunity to include everyday activities (for Republicans Congressmen and Congresswomen only–if possible)–not just Emergency Congressional sessions. Why should they have to obey traffic laws, speeding laws, or even refrain from stealing on an everyday basis? With this next step, they can complete their immunization from the laws that apply to us “commoners.”

Dont Give Up

This is an AWESOME video–as in, it inspires awe. I would recommend the site, as well. Don’t give up. (And, yes–that is a rubber-pellet gun pointed at the pacifists HEAD from 5 feet away. I bet, at that range, even a rubber pellet to the head would kill him.)

The Times They Are A-Changin’

-By Bob Dylan

Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who
That it’s namin’.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There’s a battle outside
And it is ragin’.
It’ll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin’.
Please get out of the new one
If you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin’.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’.

Tom Delay’s House of Scandal

It may seem like I have spent an inordinate amount of time talking about the lies, the deception, and the illegal activities of Tom DeLay in the last couple of weeks. And, to be truthful, I HAVE spent a good deal of time reading, thinking, and writing about them.

His actions are outrageous. His statements are outrageous. That he is an elected official in our REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT is outrageous. And, I am outraged!

So, I am going to continue to write and publish information and opinions about Tom DeLay until enough of his constituency is outraged as well and vote him out of his elected position.

Yahoo! News – 20 Arrested in Crackdown on Internet Drugs:

I have a very simple question for the people in the Government Accountability Office: Do you NOT GET SPAM like the rest of us? Did you really have to run “a study” to determine that it was EASY to order drugs online. This seems absurd to me because I receive about a thousand unwanted offers every single day for online prescriptions in the Spam-box of my e-mail program.

That is the nature of bureaucracy. “We have just concluded conclusively that humans do, in fact, breathe to take oxygen into their bodies. Next year, we will be conducting a study to understand the nature of the carbon dioxide that is coming OUT of our bodies . . . . ” I just wonder what kind of SPAM-BLOCKER they use . . . .