Several commentators have remarked on McCain's failure to look at Obama during last night's debate. A PhD who focuses on cognitive and social behavior in monkey's posted the following comment on Talking Points Memo
"I think people really are missing the point about McCain's failure to look at Obama. McCain was afraid of Obama. It was really clear--look at how much McCain blinked in the first half hour. I study monkey behavior--low ranking monkeys don't look at high ranking monkeys. In a physical, instinctive sense, Obama owned McCain tonight and I think the instant polling reflects that."
Makes sense to me. My earlier post on "Pipsqueak for President," is a variation on this point. It is hard to be Alpha when you are tiny.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Hilarious
Yesterday, at an estate in Hunt's Point, Washngton, Cindi McCain and Todd Palin, appeared at a fund raiser attended by 250 people who paid $1000 each for the wonderful experience of seeing a peroxided upscale sorority blonde and snow mobile racer standing side by side.
I love the idea of Cindi McCain hanging with someone like Todd Palin. She really does strike me as the type of person who loves to mingle with the little people. Yeah. Really. Cindi McCain sells beer to those folks. But, she drinks chardonnay.
As reported in the Seattle Times(http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008201581_prezdonors25m.html), McCain spoke for 15 minutes and Palin for 10. That must have been a hoot. Apparently Todd said, "People been making fun of Sarah. I seen Russia from Alaska. You can see it." Then he touched upon drillin' for oil. A guest asked him whether or not Alaska oil would simply go into the global market as opposed to flowing directly into gas stations in the United States. He answered. "Alaska oil goes right into the United States." After completing his overview of energy policy he went into an extended discourse on the pros and cons of two cycle vs. four cycle snow mobile engines.
Cindi McCain asked for another chardonnay.
I love the idea of Cindi McCain hanging with someone like Todd Palin. She really does strike me as the type of person who loves to mingle with the little people. Yeah. Really. Cindi McCain sells beer to those folks. But, she drinks chardonnay.
As reported in the Seattle Times(http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008201581_prezdonors25m.html), McCain spoke for 15 minutes and Palin for 10. That must have been a hoot. Apparently Todd said, "People been making fun of Sarah. I seen Russia from Alaska. You can see it." Then he touched upon drillin' for oil. A guest asked him whether or not Alaska oil would simply go into the global market as opposed to flowing directly into gas stations in the United States. He answered. "Alaska oil goes right into the United States." After completing his overview of energy policy he went into an extended discourse on the pros and cons of two cycle vs. four cycle snow mobile engines.
Cindi McCain asked for another chardonnay.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Postponing the Inevitable
McCain latest Hail Mary move is absolutely true to form. Let's postpone the debates. Let's put the campaign on hold while we rush to Washington to try to fix the economy. Of course, McCain has not made a single vote in the Senate in five months and is, by his own admission, utterly clueless regarding the economy.
I see it as a bonehead move. Lets take attention away from the candidates and the issues. It is similar to the faux concern during the first day of the Republican convention about the hurricane hitting the gulf coast.
But, the idea to postpone the debates and stall the campaign causes me to think of two prior instances where postponement of elections was contemplated. The first was commonly known. Giuliani wanted to continue as mayor of New York City and postpone the election that brought Bloomberg into the office. That trial balloon was a non-starter and was shot down by everyone but Giuliani.
There was an earlier exercise aimed at postponing an election which has received little coverage. It is little known, but the Nixon White House had the Rand Corporation investigate the impact and consequence of postponing the 1972 Presidential election. The exercise came to naught, and the mere fact that such an undertaking even occurred has now fallen into the dustbin of history and is denied.
I see it as a bonehead move. Lets take attention away from the candidates and the issues. It is similar to the faux concern during the first day of the Republican convention about the hurricane hitting the gulf coast.
But, the idea to postpone the debates and stall the campaign causes me to think of two prior instances where postponement of elections was contemplated. The first was commonly known. Giuliani wanted to continue as mayor of New York City and postpone the election that brought Bloomberg into the office. That trial balloon was a non-starter and was shot down by everyone but Giuliani.
There was an earlier exercise aimed at postponing an election which has received little coverage. It is little known, but the Nixon White House had the Rand Corporation investigate the impact and consequence of postponing the 1972 Presidential election. The exercise came to naught, and the mere fact that such an undertaking even occurred has now fallen into the dustbin of history and is denied.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Too Big To Fail
I have been watching the Paulson Bernanke testimony before the United States Senate this morning. On several occasions I have heard that companies that have been bailed out have been "too big to fail." Paulson, in particular, has also said that the regulatory environment has been insufficient to the task, having been designed in a different time and for different circumstances.
The obvious issue on the table for the American taxpayers is that we can never again allow any company become too big to fail. When that occurs, the taxpayer becomes the inevitable guarantor of survival. In some respects we have to refine the scope of anti-trust laws. It is one thing for a company to have a monopoly in a business category. That was one of the intents of anti-trust legislation. It seems logical to look at another category of regulatory oversight.
If a company begins to get so large or powerful so as to impact the economy adversely if it fails then the regulatory apparatus could place a governor on that company's growth. It seems to make sense to never again allow any company to become too big to fail.
That, however, runs counter to the American capitalist ethic and the drive to "go big or go home."
The obvious issue on the table for the American taxpayers is that we can never again allow any company become too big to fail. When that occurs, the taxpayer becomes the inevitable guarantor of survival. In some respects we have to refine the scope of anti-trust laws. It is one thing for a company to have a monopoly in a business category. That was one of the intents of anti-trust legislation. It seems logical to look at another category of regulatory oversight.
If a company begins to get so large or powerful so as to impact the economy adversely if it fails then the regulatory apparatus could place a governor on that company's growth. It seems to make sense to never again allow any company to become too big to fail.
That, however, runs counter to the American capitalist ethic and the drive to "go big or go home."
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Palin Meets War Criminal Henry Kissinger
On this coming Tuesday Sarah Palin is scheduled to meet war criminal Henry Kissinger. This is part of her grooming for the Vice Presidency. It is also the process whereby she accumulates gravitas and insight in how the world works.
I wonder if she knows that Kissinger conspired with Nixon to keep the War in Vietnam going a few extra years costing the unnecessary deaths of 20,000 young Americans? I truly doubt it.
What transition Henry has had. From kept factotum to alleged statesman with a global reach. I first ran across Kissinger when I worked for Nelson Rockefeller. Nelson kept Henry, the smart professor, with a few hundred thousand dollars and a job for his preternaturally tall wife Nancy McGinnis Kissinger.
I remember a day in New York that provided all the insight a young man ever needed about how the world worked. Six cattlemen arrived in New York to meet with Rockefeller. These were truly "big hat, big cattle" ranchers including Belton Kleberg Johnson of the King Ranch in Texas.
They were concerned that we were sending grain to the Soviets which increased their cost of fattening cattle for market. It was a pocketbook issue. They wanted the United States to stop sending grain to the Soviets, and instead, send beef. Nelson Rockefeller was always a man of action. So, in the midst of the meeting he called his assistant and said, "Get Henry on the phone." Kissinger, at the time, was Nixon's Secretary of State and was heading to Moscow in a day or two on an important diplomatic mission. Henry was instantly on the phone. He was responsive to Rockefeller.
Nelson Rockefeller explained the issue to Kissinger on the phone while in the midst of the cattlemen's meeting. I have no doubt that Kissinger did not mention beef in Moscow, but the cattlemen were happy.
Will Palin leave her Kissinger meet and greet with any insight about how the real power in America plays the big game?
I wonder if she knows that Kissinger conspired with Nixon to keep the War in Vietnam going a few extra years costing the unnecessary deaths of 20,000 young Americans? I truly doubt it.
What transition Henry has had. From kept factotum to alleged statesman with a global reach. I first ran across Kissinger when I worked for Nelson Rockefeller. Nelson kept Henry, the smart professor, with a few hundred thousand dollars and a job for his preternaturally tall wife Nancy McGinnis Kissinger.
I remember a day in New York that provided all the insight a young man ever needed about how the world worked. Six cattlemen arrived in New York to meet with Rockefeller. These were truly "big hat, big cattle" ranchers including Belton Kleberg Johnson of the King Ranch in Texas.
They were concerned that we were sending grain to the Soviets which increased their cost of fattening cattle for market. It was a pocketbook issue. They wanted the United States to stop sending grain to the Soviets, and instead, send beef. Nelson Rockefeller was always a man of action. So, in the midst of the meeting he called his assistant and said, "Get Henry on the phone." Kissinger, at the time, was Nixon's Secretary of State and was heading to Moscow in a day or two on an important diplomatic mission. Henry was instantly on the phone. He was responsive to Rockefeller.
Nelson Rockefeller explained the issue to Kissinger on the phone while in the midst of the cattlemen's meeting. I have no doubt that Kissinger did not mention beef in Moscow, but the cattlemen were happy.
Will Palin leave her Kissinger meet and greet with any insight about how the real power in America plays the big game?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild
Some of you may have seen the egomanical star fucker Lynn Forester do her Democrats for McCain press conference and press appearances yesterday. She was a huge Hill-Raiser, having pulled in big money for Hillary. She was even on the Democratic Platform Committee in Denver. Clearly this is a person who does not care about issues. Rather, she cares about the limelight and ink.
I met her a dozen years ago at Davos and had breakfast with her later at the Regency Hotel in New York City. She is one of those leonine blondes whose eyes continually dart around the room looking for more important people to talk too. She is now married to Evelyn de Rothschild of London. He is about the same age as McCain. This is her second rich older husband, having been formerly married to Andrew Stein,formerly President of the New York City Council.
The McCain campaign will now use her as a surrogate for Carly Fiorina who imploded yesterday. Forester won't last long. Yesterday she referred to small town "rednecks" in her feeble attempt to resurrect Obama's "bitter" remarks.
I met her a dozen years ago at Davos and had breakfast with her later at the Regency Hotel in New York City. She is one of those leonine blondes whose eyes continually dart around the room looking for more important people to talk too. She is now married to Evelyn de Rothschild of London. He is about the same age as McCain. This is her second rich older husband, having been formerly married to Andrew Stein,formerly President of the New York City Council.
The McCain campaign will now use her as a surrogate for Carly Fiorina who imploded yesterday. Forester won't last long. Yesterday she referred to small town "rednecks" in her feeble attempt to resurrect Obama's "bitter" remarks.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Fed Bailout
I think I understand the rationale for the Fed bailout of Freddie and Fannie; AIG and Bear Stearns, and the butt stab to Lehman. So, this is how it works from the viewpoint of Paulson at Treasury, Bernanke at the Fed and the White House: We will allow the market to work and companies can fail if they have no significant holdings in the hands of sovereign funds and foreign central banks.
It is imperative that we continue to have buyers for our public and private debt instruments. If we can't borrow money from the people who have money (increasingly that money is in the hands of Arab, Russian and Chinese funds and banks)then we can't bankroll our deficit spending government. So, we have to protect the foreign investors or suffer great peril.
Freddie and Fannie sold mortgage paper to many foreign central banks. If Freddie and Fannie failed, several foreign governments may have gone bankrupt. Not a pretty picture. Foreign countries bankrupt due to bogus US paper!
Similar with AIG. If AIG tanked due to lending their AAA status through insuring shit paper then the insured paper turns to shit and foreign central banks and sovereign funds suffer. If they suffer they won't buy more of our shit paper.
So, we survive to live another day. More banks will tank, but we will be able to continue to sell our debt abroad and bankroll an out of control Bush administration foreign policy and a domestic budget that knows no limits. Why, for example, did Bush NEVER veto a spending bill until his last year in office. Bush is a fucking disengaged idiot, that's why. And, by the way, McCain is clueless about the economy and Palin is clueless about everything.
Enough ranting. It is late and I am turning on CNBC to watch the Asian markets crash overnight.
It is imperative that we continue to have buyers for our public and private debt instruments. If we can't borrow money from the people who have money (increasingly that money is in the hands of Arab, Russian and Chinese funds and banks)then we can't bankroll our deficit spending government. So, we have to protect the foreign investors or suffer great peril.
Freddie and Fannie sold mortgage paper to many foreign central banks. If Freddie and Fannie failed, several foreign governments may have gone bankrupt. Not a pretty picture. Foreign countries bankrupt due to bogus US paper!
Similar with AIG. If AIG tanked due to lending their AAA status through insuring shit paper then the insured paper turns to shit and foreign central banks and sovereign funds suffer. If they suffer they won't buy more of our shit paper.
So, we survive to live another day. More banks will tank, but we will be able to continue to sell our debt abroad and bankroll an out of control Bush administration foreign policy and a domestic budget that knows no limits. Why, for example, did Bush NEVER veto a spending bill until his last year in office. Bush is a fucking disengaged idiot, that's why. And, by the way, McCain is clueless about the economy and Palin is clueless about everything.
Enough ranting. It is late and I am turning on CNBC to watch the Asian markets crash overnight.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The End Game
I am feeling distressed. I have been having these haunting feelings about our current circumstance. I wonder how history will record this time.
From afar, I fear it will not be a pretty picture. History will report the strong beginnings of a ideological war between Christiandom and Islam. Christiandom is torn by its own ideological and culture war. The battle between Christiandom and Islam is, at its core, a struggle over competing irrational beliefs. Each claim to possess a revealed truth based upon faith rather than fact.
The battle inside Christiandom is a battle between those who claim to live a fact based reality and those who live a life built upon illusion.
The United States Presidential election of 2008 looks to be the cleave between those two factions. On the one hand is a man who represents a complex multi-cultural world; a man who clearly possesses a deep personal spiritual faith. He yearns to bring people together; to find common ground. On the other hand is a man who panders to the illogical faith of a few; who has little spiritual grounding in his own life, and spreads a message of lies and illusion.
The outcome of this election could be a pivot point. If it is won by the man of illusion, the future appears to filled with fear and demagoguery. The powerful interests will throw cultural bones to the irrational core of their constituency.
I hope and pray that there are enough clear headed voters to enable us to cling to a fact based reality and stave off the forces of fear and illusion.
From afar, I fear it will not be a pretty picture. History will report the strong beginnings of a ideological war between Christiandom and Islam. Christiandom is torn by its own ideological and culture war. The battle between Christiandom and Islam is, at its core, a struggle over competing irrational beliefs. Each claim to possess a revealed truth based upon faith rather than fact.
The battle inside Christiandom is a battle between those who claim to live a fact based reality and those who live a life built upon illusion.
The United States Presidential election of 2008 looks to be the cleave between those two factions. On the one hand is a man who represents a complex multi-cultural world; a man who clearly possesses a deep personal spiritual faith. He yearns to bring people together; to find common ground. On the other hand is a man who panders to the illogical faith of a few; who has little spiritual grounding in his own life, and spreads a message of lies and illusion.
The outcome of this election could be a pivot point. If it is won by the man of illusion, the future appears to filled with fear and demagoguery. The powerful interests will throw cultural bones to the irrational core of their constituency.
I hope and pray that there are enough clear headed voters to enable us to cling to a fact based reality and stave off the forces of fear and illusion.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
G
Have you noticed that Palin drops all of her g's? Much like the Frances MacDormand character in the fabulous Coen brothers film, Fargo, Palin cannot grab a g to save her soul. She is doin' and goin' and livin' and singin'. She comes from some subculture where they exterminated g's.
Someone must have started gettin' lazy and droppin' g's, perhaps as a way to speed up talkin' and finish up workin' so they could get out huntin' or maybe do some drillin'.
I don't know about you but for me it makes her sound fuckin' stupid.
Someone must have started gettin' lazy and droppin' g's, perhaps as a way to speed up talkin' and finish up workin' so they could get out huntin' or maybe do some drillin'.
I don't know about you but for me it makes her sound fuckin' stupid.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Pleasure Yourself For Jesus
As some of you know, I grew up in a small town in Washington State. Growing up in a small town provides a wonderful education. We had friends from all walks of life and all socio-economic strata. We didn't live in an insular waspish Episcopal world nor was it a redneck backwoods place. My small town provided all variety of insights into many of the more intriguing aspects of life, including religion as practiced in the many churches that dotted the community.
Palin was a member of the Assembly of God church is Wasilla, Alaska. I think the Assembly of God church is pretty much the same all across the country. It is a small town church. I don't think there is a big Assembly of God church in the middle of Manhattan or in downtown San Francisco. Only the Catholic's have big downtown churches because big cities are full of sin and temptation and Catholic's can fuck around and then confess and everything is okay. Members of the Assembly of God can't confess. They are forced to carry around big loads of shame and guilt when they fail to follow God's will. And, they feel more comfortable in small towns where the temptation is much less compelling and the watchful eyes of the congregation are nearby.
I grew up in a small town with an Assembly of God church. They all look the same. They are plain, concrete block with an absence of landscaping. They have big parking lots.
That happened around the time that I learned that the easiest girls in town came from the most religious families. While I was slow, friends got their first bare tit from the Assembly of God and Mormon girls. It was counter-intuitive but true. You learn that kind of thing growing up in a small town. At the time, we figured they were repressed at church and at home. But they got crazy in the back seat on Friday night. Those are great lessons to learn.
As slow as First Dude seems, it appears he figured that out in high school too.
Palin was a member of the Assembly of God church is Wasilla, Alaska. I think the Assembly of God church is pretty much the same all across the country. It is a small town church. I don't think there is a big Assembly of God church in the middle of Manhattan or in downtown San Francisco. Only the Catholic's have big downtown churches because big cities are full of sin and temptation and Catholic's can fuck around and then confess and everything is okay. Members of the Assembly of God can't confess. They are forced to carry around big loads of shame and guilt when they fail to follow God's will. And, they feel more comfortable in small towns where the temptation is much less compelling and the watchful eyes of the congregation are nearby.
I grew up in a small town with an Assembly of God church. They all look the same. They are plain, concrete block with an absence of landscaping. They have big parking lots.
That happened around the time that I learned that the easiest girls in town came from the most religious families. While I was slow, friends got their first bare tit from the Assembly of God and Mormon girls. It was counter-intuitive but true. You learn that kind of thing growing up in a small town. At the time, we figured they were repressed at church and at home. But they got crazy in the back seat on Friday night. Those are great lessons to learn.
As slow as First Dude seems, it appears he figured that out in high school too.
Friday, September 5, 2008
"Is he dead yet?"
McCain is one of the most horrible speakers. He was so stiff and flat last night. Only during the 5000th telling of his POW experience did he evince anything approximating human life form.
He moves very stiffly. His face is also stiff and has a mask like quality. He does not smile with ease. I have been wondering if there is some disease process at work.
Admittedly he had a tough time in Hanoi, recovering from his plane crash wounds and broken bones. I am seeing something else, however, which seems to have to do with muscularity and neuromuscular activity. A thought kept coursing through my brain, "Is he dead yet?"
While they will never let us know, I am wondering if he has Parkinson's Disease. The stiffness and the mask are symptoms of Parkinson's. I have earlier posted my thoughts regarding McCain's early on-set dementia. Maybe there is more?
The speech itself was horrible. Who wrote that tripe? I thought the Republicans had been in charge of the Congress and the White House for the overwhelming majority of recent memory. Did I miss something. No new ideas.
It is pretty funny. McCain will play the moderate maverick and Palin will throw red meat to the mouth breathing base. The base (including Palin) does not understand that the powers that be in the Republican Party do not give a shit about them. The mouth breathing base votes against its self interest...but they are so clueless as to not understand anything approximating nuance.
As for my suspicions regarding McCain's disease state, it may just be a reflection of the sclerotic Republican view of the world.
He moves very stiffly. His face is also stiff and has a mask like quality. He does not smile with ease. I have been wondering if there is some disease process at work.
Admittedly he had a tough time in Hanoi, recovering from his plane crash wounds and broken bones. I am seeing something else, however, which seems to have to do with muscularity and neuromuscular activity. A thought kept coursing through my brain, "Is he dead yet?"
While they will never let us know, I am wondering if he has Parkinson's Disease. The stiffness and the mask are symptoms of Parkinson's. I have earlier posted my thoughts regarding McCain's early on-set dementia. Maybe there is more?
The speech itself was horrible. Who wrote that tripe? I thought the Republicans had been in charge of the Congress and the White House for the overwhelming majority of recent memory. Did I miss something. No new ideas.
It is pretty funny. McCain will play the moderate maverick and Palin will throw red meat to the mouth breathing base. The base (including Palin) does not understand that the powers that be in the Republican Party do not give a shit about them. The mouth breathing base votes against its self interest...but they are so clueless as to not understand anything approximating nuance.
As for my suspicions regarding McCain's disease state, it may just be a reflection of the sclerotic Republican view of the world.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Community Organizer
Last night, Sarah Palin spoke at the Republican Convention in Minneapolis. Among other things she said,
"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities."
It was surprising to hear this remark from a God fearing evangelical. Why?
Because Jesus was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor.
"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities."
It was surprising to hear this remark from a God fearing evangelical. Why?
Because Jesus was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Experience
The VP designate for the Republicans, Sarah Palin, has the thinnest resume. I think the Republicans have it all wrong. They are trying to pitch her as experienced. She doesn't have any meaningful experience. They need to pitch her as exactly what she is. She is inexperienced but, Dad Gum, she represents America. She is perfect to pitch to that lowest common denominator mouth breathing segment of this country. She had no passport until 2007. Who needs a passport? Her husband races snowmobiles. Her 17 year old daughter is pregnant. She can bond now with Britney Spears mother.
Rather than play up the inexperience as a virtue, the McCain camp and Republican pundits are claiming that she has experience. Mayor of at town of 6800? Holy shit, I was a student body officer on a campus with more students than that and we had a larger budget than her town. Does that make me qualified. And, the most hilarious is the claim by Cindy McCain and Fox that the fact that Alaska is next to Russia gives her foreign policy experience. That is the best. It prompts other intuitive insights gained as a consequence of proximity. They include:
I lived across from a pizza parlor so I know about Italy.
There was a whore house on my block so I know how to give good blow jobs.
I take my shirts to a laundry so I know how to use chopsticks.
The Palin selection is a classic John McCain shoot from the hip and take aim later decision. It reinforces the my belief that McCain is a demented whack job. It also looks like a late in the game hail mary. Time will tell, but I have heard several thoughtful women say that they are offended as they believe she was only picked because she was a woman. They say there is no chance a man with the same credentials would have been picked.
Pretty crazy! And now, the Republicans are falling all over themselves to look concerned about Hurrican Gustav. Give me a break. What losers!!
Rather than play up the inexperience as a virtue, the McCain camp and Republican pundits are claiming that she has experience. Mayor of at town of 6800? Holy shit, I was a student body officer on a campus with more students than that and we had a larger budget than her town. Does that make me qualified. And, the most hilarious is the claim by Cindy McCain and Fox that the fact that Alaska is next to Russia gives her foreign policy experience. That is the best. It prompts other intuitive insights gained as a consequence of proximity. They include:
I lived across from a pizza parlor so I know about Italy.
There was a whore house on my block so I know how to give good blow jobs.
I take my shirts to a laundry so I know how to use chopsticks.
The Palin selection is a classic John McCain shoot from the hip and take aim later decision. It reinforces the my belief that McCain is a demented whack job. It also looks like a late in the game hail mary. Time will tell, but I have heard several thoughtful women say that they are offended as they believe she was only picked because she was a woman. They say there is no chance a man with the same credentials would have been picked.
Pretty crazy! And now, the Republicans are falling all over themselves to look concerned about Hurrican Gustav. Give me a break. What losers!!
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