Makes a lot of sense to me. What do you think?
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Dean Baker: How to Think About Standard and Poor's Downgrade
Dean Baker: How to Think About Standard and Poor's Downgrade
Saving a life, caught on film...
No, its not politics or healthcare related, but this is a helluva nice story that takes just a few minutes to watch...
(Thanks to Brook Duer for this...)
I remember vacationing in Provincetown, Cape Cod when I was in my twenties. My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the whole experience but one of the most memorable things we did was to go out into the Cape and watch the whales breach the ocean. Until you see it in person, its a little hard to describe accurately, but its not like anything we'd seen before.
Good stuff...
(Thanks to Brook Duer for this...)
I remember vacationing in Provincetown, Cape Cod when I was in my twenties. My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the whole experience but one of the most memorable things we did was to go out into the Cape and watch the whales breach the ocean. Until you see it in person, its a little hard to describe accurately, but its not like anything we'd seen before.
Good stuff...
Credit where credit is due...
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and I are not natural allies, to be sure. That said, I really liked what I heard on this clip where he defends his appointment of Judge Sohail Mohammed to a position on the NJ Superior Court.
Rather than morph this into some tactical move on Christie's part to position himself uniquely from other GOP candidates for the 2012 Republican nomination, I choose to view it on its own merit. He selected a Muslim American to take a spot on his State's Superior Court. The nominee has made it through the process and will serve. To hear the Governor defend him so cleanly, so directly was refreshing. He didn't ( and doesn't usually) mince words. He went further than he actually needed to. He could've just rejected those concerns and not elaborated as he did. He could've qualified his remarks by saying that while he's not worried about his guy, there ARE reasons to be afraid of other Muslims. But he didn't.
I'm sure there are limits to Christie's tolerance of Islam. There are limits to mine and probably yours. Most Americans have no issues with ANY Muslims as long as they are following the rule of law and not attacking the United States. The same way we feel about Christians or Jews or Athiests.
Other Republicans running for President who have taken a similar stance to Christie's include Congressman Ron Paul and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann have issued warnings about creeping Sharia. Bachmann was the first to sign the no shariah pledge, in fact. Sarah Palin is also on record about her concerns with Sharia in the US.
Gov. Christie deserves credit for his remarks...
Rather than morph this into some tactical move on Christie's part to position himself uniquely from other GOP candidates for the 2012 Republican nomination, I choose to view it on its own merit. He selected a Muslim American to take a spot on his State's Superior Court. The nominee has made it through the process and will serve. To hear the Governor defend him so cleanly, so directly was refreshing. He didn't ( and doesn't usually) mince words. He went further than he actually needed to. He could've just rejected those concerns and not elaborated as he did. He could've qualified his remarks by saying that while he's not worried about his guy, there ARE reasons to be afraid of other Muslims. But he didn't.
I'm sure there are limits to Christie's tolerance of Islam. There are limits to mine and probably yours. Most Americans have no issues with ANY Muslims as long as they are following the rule of law and not attacking the United States. The same way we feel about Christians or Jews or Athiests.
Other Republicans running for President who have taken a similar stance to Christie's include Congressman Ron Paul and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann have issued warnings about creeping Sharia. Bachmann was the first to sign the no shariah pledge, in fact. Sarah Palin is also on record about her concerns with Sharia in the US.
Gov. Christie deserves credit for his remarks...
Friday, August 5, 2011
Greatest job in the world...
Very light week for blogging due to a heavy performance schedule, I'll be back with a look at the GOP Presidential picture over the weekend.
While the aim of this blog isn't to focus on my music, I felt a need to share an observation about those who I serve daily. I have the greatest job in the world. Performing in Retirement Communities, Nursing Homes as often as I do (about 400 times a year consistently for well over ten years) I'm often struck by the strength, dignity and courage these folks display. Afflicted by disease, with death often just a few months away, they are amazing. They smile, they ask about me and my family, they laugh. Its not surrender as much as its acceptance. Many have fought the good fight and understand the reality of their situation. Nonetheless, the will to "be themselves" until the end is impressive. It can't be easy. Interacting with them is a constant reminder of what awaits us all...someday.
On the other hand, seeing John Boehner tear up or Harry Reed whine about not seeing his pomegranate trees seems awfully pathetic to me...
While the aim of this blog isn't to focus on my music, I felt a need to share an observation about those who I serve daily. I have the greatest job in the world. Performing in Retirement Communities, Nursing Homes as often as I do (about 400 times a year consistently for well over ten years) I'm often struck by the strength, dignity and courage these folks display. Afflicted by disease, with death often just a few months away, they are amazing. They smile, they ask about me and my family, they laugh. Its not surrender as much as its acceptance. Many have fought the good fight and understand the reality of their situation. Nonetheless, the will to "be themselves" until the end is impressive. It can't be easy. Interacting with them is a constant reminder of what awaits us all...someday.
On the other hand, seeing John Boehner tear up or Harry Reed whine about not seeing his pomegranate trees seems awfully pathetic to me...
Monday, August 1, 2011
We asked for this...
"The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves..." William Shakespeare
As the Nation's most recent political drama winds down, with all sides claiming victory, I'm weary of the blame being tossed around. Republicans blame Democrats for not getting more. Tea Party folks blame the Republicans for not getting a lot more. Democrats blame the Republicans for getting too much and the Tea Party folks for making the GOP so difficult to deal with this go-round.
No one is pleased with President Obama. (Shocker, eh?)
I can only imagine what today's conservative/progressive talk shows will be like...
We should ignore all of it...
The gist of the deal struck Sunday evening calls for $1 trillion in cuts now, with more cuts ($1.5 Trillion) coming, especially to the defense budget if the bipartisan committee fails to come up with at least $1.5 Trillion in additional cuts. Medicare will be on the table. There's also going to be a vote on a balanced budget amendment, something that was very important to the Tea Party faction.
High on the list of "winners" in this drama are those Tea Party Conservatives, who sent dozens of new congressmen to Washington last November to do this exact type of legislating. Many find the party faithful ill-informed and a bit rough around the edges, but like last November, their voices have been heard. We throw around phrases like "get involved" in your government, but this crowd actually did it. I may not like them or agree with them, but they've earned my respect.
High on the list of "losers" is Congress in general. As symbolic failed vote followed symbolic failed vote, we realized each party was merely "planting their flag" so to speak with regard to the final solution. Most of us feel like we we subjected to levels of drama and uncertainty we didn't deserve. The staged walking out of meetings, the impromptu press conferences, etc. all part of the plot we could've done without.
A common theme I heard throughout the debt ceiling debate was that this must be the most dysfunctional Congress...ever. Perhaps. Without 24/7 news media watching their every move, who really knows? In the early days of the Senate, Senators have drawn weapons on each other. One Senator was caned and couldn't return to his seat until three years later. Fistfights.
It doesn't matter.
We have the Government we deserve. There's a reason our elected officials mug for the cameras and say outlandish and incorrect things. They do it because we watch. We love outrageous. We love anger. We love sarcasm. As long as we buy into the act, they'll keep acting. "Death panels" sounds so evil it must be true, right? From the other side, an irresponsible suggestion that Social Security checks might not go out also riles up people.
If we better understood how our Government works and how to research things on the internet, we wouldn't get so upset. If instead of relying on Fox News or MSNBC for our daily dose, we scanned several websites with different perspectives, or actually read a Bill, our knowledge level would be much improved. We won't, which means its likely going to get worse before it gets better.
There's a Presidential election right around the corner. There's going to be a lot of things said and claimed. There's going to be some brutally scary advertising. I think its our duty to work through the muck and figure out fact from fiction. Truth from lies.
They play games because that's what holds our attention. They are not appealing to our "better angels." Too often we act like children when it comes to our politics. The House and the Senate are two of the cartoons we watch for kicks and giggles.
If you thought the debt ceiling drama was good, just wait...
Sources:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/a-deal-that-found-the-lowest-common-denominator/2011/07/11/gIQAde9TmI_blog.html?hpid=z1
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/opinion/12freeman.html
As the Nation's most recent political drama winds down, with all sides claiming victory, I'm weary of the blame being tossed around. Republicans blame Democrats for not getting more. Tea Party folks blame the Republicans for not getting a lot more. Democrats blame the Republicans for getting too much and the Tea Party folks for making the GOP so difficult to deal with this go-round.
No one is pleased with President Obama. (Shocker, eh?)
I can only imagine what today's conservative/progressive talk shows will be like...
We should ignore all of it...
The gist of the deal struck Sunday evening calls for $1 trillion in cuts now, with more cuts ($1.5 Trillion) coming, especially to the defense budget if the bipartisan committee fails to come up with at least $1.5 Trillion in additional cuts. Medicare will be on the table. There's also going to be a vote on a balanced budget amendment, something that was very important to the Tea Party faction.
High on the list of "winners" in this drama are those Tea Party Conservatives, who sent dozens of new congressmen to Washington last November to do this exact type of legislating. Many find the party faithful ill-informed and a bit rough around the edges, but like last November, their voices have been heard. We throw around phrases like "get involved" in your government, but this crowd actually did it. I may not like them or agree with them, but they've earned my respect.
High on the list of "losers" is Congress in general. As symbolic failed vote followed symbolic failed vote, we realized each party was merely "planting their flag" so to speak with regard to the final solution. Most of us feel like we we subjected to levels of drama and uncertainty we didn't deserve. The staged walking out of meetings, the impromptu press conferences, etc. all part of the plot we could've done without.
A common theme I heard throughout the debt ceiling debate was that this must be the most dysfunctional Congress...ever. Perhaps. Without 24/7 news media watching their every move, who really knows? In the early days of the Senate, Senators have drawn weapons on each other. One Senator was caned and couldn't return to his seat until three years later. Fistfights.
It doesn't matter.
We have the Government we deserve. There's a reason our elected officials mug for the cameras and say outlandish and incorrect things. They do it because we watch. We love outrageous. We love anger. We love sarcasm. As long as we buy into the act, they'll keep acting. "Death panels" sounds so evil it must be true, right? From the other side, an irresponsible suggestion that Social Security checks might not go out also riles up people.
If we better understood how our Government works and how to research things on the internet, we wouldn't get so upset. If instead of relying on Fox News or MSNBC for our daily dose, we scanned several websites with different perspectives, or actually read a Bill, our knowledge level would be much improved. We won't, which means its likely going to get worse before it gets better.
There's a Presidential election right around the corner. There's going to be a lot of things said and claimed. There's going to be some brutally scary advertising. I think its our duty to work through the muck and figure out fact from fiction. Truth from lies.
They play games because that's what holds our attention. They are not appealing to our "better angels." Too often we act like children when it comes to our politics. The House and the Senate are two of the cartoons we watch for kicks and giggles.
If you thought the debt ceiling drama was good, just wait...
Sources:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/a-deal-that-found-the-lowest-common-denominator/2011/07/11/gIQAde9TmI_blog.html?hpid=z1
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/opinion/12freeman.html
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