Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Newsview: Bush Nears Admission of Errors

Newsview: Bush Nears Admission of Errors - Yahoo! News

Another good look at the president's speech today.

Bush Attempts Hard Sell on Iraq Progress

Bush Attempts Hard Sell on Iraq Progress - Yahoo! News

I'm not sold, not at all.

"Plan for Victory" it said repeatedly on the background behind Bush. "Plan"? What plan? "Victory"? What victory? How is victory even defined in this so-called War on Terror in Iraq? Until we eliminate - one way or the other - all the Islamic extremists who hate us and want us dead? That may be when hell freezes over. Until the Iraqis can take care of themselves?

Where's the exit strategy?

When are the Iraqis going to stand on their own feet?

Reminds me of kids who have trouble becoming self-sufficient and independent, relying too much for too long on Mommy and Daddy to take care of them (it's so much easier and less work). An exit plan with a timetable - unannounced is fine - is needed, or this could drag on indefinitely, draining American lives and other resources. A troop reduction, gradual withdrawal, well-planned and thought out - I'm not advocating anything as rash as immediate total withdrawal.

Push the Iraqi birds out of the coalition nest already so we can bring our troops home.

CNN.com - First president�disappoints at auction

This is curious. One of these two Stuart portraits of George Washington didn't even sell.

Note that Gilbert Stuart is the artist who painted the portrait of Geo. Washington which graces our dollar bill.

This President George deserves a lot more respect, IMO.

Our current President George is nowhere in the same league.

Monday, November 28, 2005

Heart Association Offers CPR Guidelines

Heart Association Offers CPR Guidelines - Yahoo! News

Updated AHA advice is giving 30 chest compressions - instead of 15 - for every two rescue breaths.

More is better, apparently.

Bush to tackle illegal immigration

Bush to tackle illegal immigration - Yahoo! News

This will be interesting. This topic is also expected to be a big campaign issue in the 2006 elections. Of course, it's a big issue here in SoCal not so far from Mexico. We have about a jillion illegals. (70,000 turned out for the Mexican Independence Day parade in Santa Ana. Good grief - I wonder how many of these people turned out for any 4th of July parade?)

Friday, November 18, 2005

Wildfire threatens California community

Wildfire threatens California community - Yahoo! News

This is up in Ventura, northwest of The Valley.

This is a crummy day even down here - the kind of day you don't feel that great, the kind of day when your head, sinuses, eyes, skin, lungs, complain. The humidity is near non-existent, and it's too hot. Worse, the air is crappy, having too much dust and smoke in it.

But, I'm not one of those people directly affected by fire, thank God.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

SUV-TV: Extreme Auto Makeover

SUV-TV: Extreme Auto Makeover

Another from The Meatrix people...

This is great, also. Very clever - even gives you choices as part of the extreme auto makeover.

(Hey, where's the spikey-haired guy's megaphone?)

Conan vs. the Kindergarten Cop

Conan vs. the Kindergarten Cop

Another excellent video by the makers of the well-done The Meatrix.

Arnold's split personality in this video is fascinating.

Subject of the video: overhauling California's youth prisons [needed]

Monday, November 14, 2005

To Get This Blog in Your E-Mail...



Powered by FeedBlitz

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Schwarzenegger ends fight with California nurses

Schwarzenegger ends fight with California nurses - Yahoo! News

Good for Arnold.

I think we'll be seeing a kinder, gentler Arnold from now on. More like the kind of Arnold we had when he first took office. A more effective and liked Arnold. A more amiable and less combative Arnold. Maybe the old (cigar) smoking tent will be back.

This Arnold may get things done and could even get re-elected.

Bush calls drug benefit greatest advance

Bush calls drug benefit greatest advance - Yahoo! News

Yeah, right. Think again.

For example, my 65+ father has figured out, money-wise and over-all, that he is actually better off not taking advantage of this "greatest advance." I very suspect that he has a lot of company.

Let's get a good universal health care program in place in this country and stop screwing around and acting third-world, for God's sake, already!

Friday, November 11, 2005

Times Plans New Op-Ed Lineup - Los Angeles Times [Times continues its dumbing down?]

Times Plans New Op-Ed Lineup - Los Angeles Times

IMHO, the Times Op/Ed page, along with its counterpart in the Sunday Times, is losing its grip. Dumbing down. This subscriber is sorry to see this.

I'm also sorry to see Robert Scheer and Michael Ramirez let go.

As to (Pulitzer Prize-winning) Michael Ramirez, while most of the time I don't agree with his political views, I do respect him as an editorial cartoonist.

I also like and respect him as a man. As a college student I was required to interview someone in my career field. I picked Michael Ramirez and sent him an E-Mail requesting the interview. He sent me his phone number and we talked. Ramirez was gracious and generous with his time. Very helpful and told me not to hesitate to contact him for help in the future. I was very impressed that he would take so much time and trouble to talk to mere me, art student.

I'll point out that Ramirez emphasized to me the importance of editorial cartooning, and how he felt it was an important tradition that needed to be carried on.

He didn't need to convince me - I totally agree. If you visit my website's Weekly Wazzup Page and News & Views Page you'll notice the links to editorial cartoons.

And, I do hope the Times will smarten up instead of continuing to dumb down... Please.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Voters just say no - Los Angeles Times Editorial

Voters just say no - Los Angeles Times

The results of this election are no surprise to anyone. Well, possibly Arnold.

Arnold lost me when he started painting nurses, teachers, cops, and firefighters as villans he had to defeat for the betterment of California.

Arnold's whole concept of bypassing the stubborn, Democratic-majority legislature and going directly to The People (his People, so he thought) via a slew of propositions simply was not a good idea. We citizens just didn't like this election and were not thrilled by these props.

Consider also: Californians in general are getting sick of special elections and getting sick of too much government by ballot initiative. We elect and pay our government to do the job of running the state - so why don't they? It's their job, not ours.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Californians, Schwarzenegger vote in key election

Californians, Schwarzenegger vote in key election - Yahoo! News

I'll be sooo glad to see all those Proposition TV commercials gone. There were so many - both from Arnold's side and from the unions' side. Oh, and a ton from the drug companies supporting Prop #78, the anti-#79 health-care Prop.

Of course, we heard the most from the those with the most money. That doesn't seem right, somehow, does it?

So, now, why was the turn-out so high at my polling place? Curious.

Elections to gauge political climate

Elections to gauge political climate - Yahoo! News

True!

This is a big deal for California in that Arnold - and the Republican Party - will be profoundly affected by the outcome. It's about more than the Props - it's really about our Republican governor - Arnold.

I was surprised at the high turn-out at my polling place. I wonder why?

Monday, November 07, 2005

Don't Forget the Election Tomorrow, Californians!

http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections.htm

(My goodness - they even have the 2006 Gubernatorial Election info up already!)

Please vote "No" on Proposition #78 and "Yes" on Proposition #79.

These are the Health Care Propositions. Do you want the Drug Companies' Proposition 78 or the Consumers' Proposition 79?

If you want to know why there are a billion TV commercials tauting "78", while there's almost no advertising for "79"?, well, look at how much money Big Drugs has.

Note that the AARP encourages a "No" vote on "78." Note also that the LWV, as well as many senior and consumer advocacy groups support "79."

And, while you're at it, vote "No" on Prop #76. It's not the answer to California's budget problems. Furthermore, we don't need a governor - Arnold or anyone - with more power than our governor presently has. Our three branches of government with its checks and balances is a wonderful thing - let's not mess with it.

Gigantic Apes Coexisted with Early Humans, Study Finds

Gigantic Apes Coexisted with Early Humans, Study Finds - Yahoo! News

Whoa, imagine living around ten foot tall apes weighing up to 1,200 lbs.! Happily, they were herbivores.

This largest-ever ape may possibly be the source of speculation about Bigfoot - and even, King Kong.

Much of historical interest in the news last weekend.

Ancient Church Discovered in Israel on Yahoo! News Photos

Ancient Church Discovered in Israel on Yahoo! News Photos

Neat photo from the important historical find in Israel.

Always good to find out still more about early Christianity, IMO.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Japan to launch quake warning system next year

Japan to launch quake warning system next year - Yahoo! News

Interesting. If the Japanese can do it, I'm sure we can, too. And, yes, we need it. Also, how about doing something about earthquakes in all of the world? Such as quake-proof housing and warning systems like Japan's? Why not?

Thursday, November 03, 2005

CNN.com - 'Can I quit now?' FEMA chief wrote as Katrina raged

CNN.com - 'Can I quit now?' FEMA chief wrote as Katrina raged - Nov 3, 2005

This is plain shocking and disgusting.

How'd a guy like this ever get into a job like this?

More importantly, how can we make sure such a thing never happens again?

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Republican wants Big Oil to share 10 pct profits

Republican wants Big Oil to share 10 pct profits - Yahoo! News

Wow. Excellent idea, but unbelievable. As in "when Hell freezes over" kind of unbelievable.

And this is a Republican who came up with this?

Bush critics say US is losing war on terror [Losing the war of ideas]

Bush critics say US is losing war on terror - Yahoo! News

Remember back when people talked about the War on Terror really being a War of Ideas?

At core, hasn't it always been a matter of radical Muslim extremists bent on their jihad against the, as they see it, infidels?

The radical Muslim extremists have their idea of how the world should be, and the rest of us (non-radical Muslims as well) think otherwise, thereby making us the enemy infidels.

So, there are opposing ideas of right and wrong, and of how people should live.

We haven't been doing so well on our side impressing the world with how our ideas are so much better than the jihadists. We have not won over the hearts and souls of the people of Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.

From the article:

"We have had some very important successes getting individual terrorists. But I think the broader story is really quite awful. We have done a lot to fuel the fires, and we have done a lot to encourage people to hate us"...

And this from the article: "And not even al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, they say, could have dreamed the United States would stumble so badly in the court of Muslim public opinion."

Note that this article does end with some suggestions on how we can improve our odds in this War of Ideas.

After all, we will never "simply" hunt down and kill all the jihadists - there will always be more. That is why this War on Terror is really about a War of Ideas.

Democrats Force Senate Into Iraq Meeting

Democrats Force Senate Into Iraq Meeting - Yahoo! News

Okay, now I'm pissed at my fellow Democrats.

Why have the Senate Democrats suddenly noticed that maybe we should not have invaded Iraq?

I recall that most of them - almost all of them - approved the Iraq invasion.

These Democrats are acting like girlie men. They're taking advantage of Bush being down (poll numbers, etc.) and are kicking him.

But, why now? Why not back when it counted?! The wusses.

Bush Outlines $7.1B Flu-Fighting Strategy

Bush Outlines $7.1B Flu-Fighting Strategy - Yahoo! News

Okay, maybe I'm entirely wrong, but why does my gut instinct tell me that this action of our president is more political than anything else?

That perhaps Bush sees this as a way to make himself look better (something he badly needs right now)?

Remember when he used to say "9/11" at the drop of a hat, many times, about almost anything?

Being gung-ho against the bird flu might also help him make up for his Katrina and FEMA mistakes.

I just hope Bush isn't digging us still deeper into the deficit hole with this new $7.1 billion spending.

So, is Bush crying "Chicken Little" at our expense, or not?

OTOH, I'll admit if there truly is a serious avion flu epidemic, then I would owe Mr. Bush an apology and my gratitude for his preparation efforts.