Just so You Know

I haven't posted much in the past week or so. I've always been bad about responding to my commentors, and that trend continues. Finally responded to Dcup's note from last Friday. Of course if I knew what the hell I was doing, I guess I would have a widget or something set up to alert me to such things. This time I have an excuse: I've been working OT; 7 - 10s until further notice. Gets better though...

I have upcoming carpal tunnel surgery. Not sure exactly when that'll happen, but hopefully soon. My doc faxed off the paperwork to the worker' comp people (L&I or LnI here in WA) to get approval. I'm tired of walking around feeling like my thumb and first two fingers are stuck in a light socket. This operation will only be for the right wrist. The left is going to need it too though and that's going to mean a new claim; fun, fun. And then let's hope that the problems are limited to my wrists.

To make a short story long, I won't be able to post for a while while I recover.

And the Beat Goes on

The drum beat for war, that is.

I've been amazed at the commotion leading up to and surrounding Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to the US. The guy's a bit of a loon, but then so's Dubya; what's the big deal? The guy wants to lay a wreath at "Ground Zero," and Rudy G, among others, goes ape shit. The guy's the leader of a country that has officially denounced the attacks of 9-11. I've never heard of him saying otherwise. For Rudy and others to come up with bullshit ideas like physically restraining him, or arresting him if he tries to visit the site, and for them to say this is for "security reasons," is pure lunacy and saber rattling.

It's Iraq all over again. There's really no intent to try diplomacy. Allow Ahmadinejad to place his wreath. It's a gesture. And it's a starting point. Provided you want to see it as such. But no, for Dubya and Rudy and their ilk, it's an insult.

Their attitudes, once again, insult my intelligence.

We Don't Need a General to Betray Us

The job's already been done by his boss, who's betrayed this country in every way imaginable.

As I've said before on this blog and in comments I've made elsewhere, whenever there's a change made in this den of thieves some call an administration, it only and always gets worse. A lot has been said about the Mukasy nomination for Atty Gen, and I don't have a whole lot to add, but I think this quote from a WAPo article goes a long way toward summing it up:

The White House was already seeking over the weekend to tamp down concern in the conservative legal world about Mukasey's views, assuring allies that he shares Bush's views on executive power and the need for strong action against terrorists. (Emphasis mine)

Hmmm... "Allies" As opposed to...? Axis? Axis of freedom, maybe? Like the Judiciary? the progressive wing of the Democratic Party? Constitutional lawyers like Glenn Greenwald who disagree with crazies like John Yoo? The idea that this guy shares Dubya's views on executive power is frightening. I wish I could say I was surprised.

George Will wrote a column the other day for the WAPo which the Seattle PI published today. A list of good questions to put to the man, none of which I'm sure will be asked. Actually I'd like to ask one: Do you agree with former AG Abu Gonzalez that the Constitution does not "grant" citizens the right to habeus corpus, it merely says the right cannot be taken away? In other words: Are you as stupid as Abu was?

Listening to a General on the Ground

OK... it's Wesley Clarke, who's retired, so I guess he's not "On the ground," as in eating lobster in the Green Zone and serving plastic turkeys at the... Is it GeeDubShrub Airport yet? But his feet are on earth and his head is out of both the clouds and his ass, so I can listen to what he says without getting drunk first.

Seems like he supports Webb's idea that troops should be able to come home and get some rest between turns in the shooting gallery. Dweeb -- Chris Matthews guest, not Matthews hissef -- says this will be a problem... will interfere with rotations... with unit cohesion... with accomplishing the mission... with flexibility ... ... of some shit or other that some asshole thinks they need. Oh fuck oh dear it'll demoralize the troops because of the civilian interference. Embolden the enemy.

Webb's wish ain't gonna come to pass. Wish I could say I was surprised.

What a Wastoid

I should apologize to the fine folks at Crooks and Liars, who gave me a super gift by plugging my blog on Sunday. Virtually anyone in my blogroll would have been far more deserving than I. I also want to apologize to all those who stopped by and were totally underwhelmed by either the quality or quantity of content here. I mean, Thank You for coming, but I'm sorry I didn't bake a cake or anything. All right... I can't bake, but I can grill and I could have rotisseried a chicken for you with what turned out to be an excellent Creole rub, taken from the Barbecue Bible:

3 tbs Paprika
2 tbs Salt
1 tbs Garlic Powder
1 tbs Onion Powder
1 tbs Black Pepper
1 tbs Cayenne Pepper
1 tbs Dried Oregano
1 tbs Thyme

I only used half the pepper called for and substituted white pepper for the black (which the wife doesn't really like). It could have been a tad bit hotter for my taste, but the wife, Ms Thing and the grandmonster all liked it. I think the M-I-L liked it too, but if I asked her, she won't remember. Oh well. One thing I was tempted to add was a tbs of ground cumin. Any way...

Try it. Then go buy the book.

I Suck as a Host

What a douche bag. I should have put out the welcome mat this morning. Instead I let Keith O, and who knows who else, beat me to it. Oh well, a day late and a dollar short, here we go:

Welcome to Seattle.
Come ride the SLUT.

Actually, our mayor is a bigger douche bag than I am. "I don't care what they call it, as long as they ride it." What we call it -- besides the SLUT -- is a big assed waste of money shelled out to please Paul Allen and his Vulcan Real Estate development company. Damn... They don't mention the crown turd jewel of Paulie's holdings: The Experience Music Project, which seriously folks, looks MUCH more like a turd than a jewel. I can't find a picture to do it true justice. When you see it, it looks like the Space Needle took a shit. If they ever give me the land to build a museum for my Zippo collection, I won't fuck up the skyline like he did.

Sorry. I get side tracked so easily. Oh yeah... Ride the SLUT...

You do here once, you'll want to cum again.

I'd Like to Thank the Little People Who...

Welcum CandL Readers...

Pull Up a Throne and Shit Down...

What the hell did I do/say to deserve this honor: Inclusion on Crooks and Liars, Blog Round Up. Will my life ever be the same? Does this mean I have to get serious about writing? Maybe I should push up my carpal tunnel surgery, or blow out my back so I have more time.

If nothing else, maybe this will get me out of the Honey-Do list for today: "But Babe... they expect..." orrr... "...I need to go back and delete a whollllllle buncha shit..."

Ask me (no) questions, I tell you (no) lies.

::hopping up and down turning circles so excited so excited::

Your mission, should you choose to accept it... Complete this thought:

"Blessed be the opinionated for they shall..."