NEWS OF THE WEAK
"Our message to the federal government is lead or get out of the way." Thus spaketh Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, whose lack of foresight and preparedness was exposed last week by the New York Times. If the federal government withdrew the Coast Guard and the dozen agencies working on the spill, Jindal would shit his britches, and I don't mean figuratively. The stench emanating from the Lousiana governor's office would permeate the walls of Fort Knox with the pungency of a thousand rotting nutrias. Jindal would crawl to Washington on his hands and knees to beg Barack Obama for help and publicly declare that any way the president wanted to handle the BP/Halliburton Catastrophe was fine by Bobby Jindal. Just to make sure that the message had gotten through, Jindal would call an international press conference to beg for cap-and-trade legislation, then go to New Orleans and kiss Al Gore's butt on Canal Street at high noon and swear on the Holy Bible that it smelled like roses. Talk is really, really cheap...
Although the headline allegation of "BP, feds too cozy for some in assessing damage," the actual story tells a different tale and shows yet again that, when it comes to the BP/H Catastrophe, there are a lot hard questions with no easy answers. It turns out that the administration's approach aligns with the the Oil Pollution Action of 1990, which requires that the government and the oil company involved work in tandem to evaluate damage. And it further turns out that there are good reasons for that. Which isn't to say that the concern isn't real or that Congress shouldn't monitor the process. (After eight years of Bush-Cheney, the country needs the legislative branch to reassert its independence.) But cozy? The headline misleads to the point of dissembling. And that's all that many people will read...
Charles Krauthammer, the Likud's Minister of Truth, writes that...oh, never mind...
THE WILD WORLD OF SPORTSAlthough the headline allegation of "BP, feds too cozy for some in assessing damage," the actual story tells a different tale and shows yet again that, when it comes to the BP/H Catastrophe, there are a lot hard questions with no easy answers. It turns out that the administration's approach aligns with the the Oil Pollution Action of 1990, which requires that the government and the oil company involved work in tandem to evaluate damage. And it further turns out that there are good reasons for that. Which isn't to say that the concern isn't real or that Congress shouldn't monitor the process. (After eight years of Bush-Cheney, the country needs the legislative branch to reassert its independence.) But cozy? The headline misleads to the point of dissembling. And that's all that many people will read...
Charles Krauthammer, the Likud's Minister of Truth, writes that...oh, never mind...
The Washington Nationals have signed 78-year old Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez to a minor league contract. "We're really happy for him to come back and pitch again," said brother and possible teammate 68-year old Livan Hernandez. The younger Hernandez claimed that his brother is throwing in the low-to-mid 90s, then revealed that Fidel Castro has been a CIA mole for more than fifty years...
What Could Be More American? Dept: Always on the lookout for a quick buck, Major League Baseball observed America's birthday by outfitting several teams in moronic tricolor beanies, complete with star-spangled logos, available to patriotic fans for $36.99. Ever generous, MLB is contributing a whopping dollar of each sale a veteran's organization. I'm happy to say that the Red Sox did not sully Fenway Park with this homage to avarice...
The New York Daily News reports that the Knicks expect to acquire three-time All Star PG Tony Parker (aka Eva Longoria's husband) for what amounts to a week's takeout from Mott Street and a beer at McSorley's. I've been wondering what fantasy hoops is all about, and now I know...
PHOTO ALBUM
There is a cure for the summertime blues after all...
Drivin' down the road I get a feelin' that I should have been home yesterday...
Mandina's...
Old Glory overwhelmed...
I [heart] Vermont...
Jack Johnson and the girl with the man behind the gun...
Kraaaaaakk!...
The urban art of Sandrine Estrade Boulet...
FOR YOUR BURNING DESIRE
Indigo Girls, Staring Down the Brilliant Dream: Proficiency and precision elevate -- rather than lessen -- the passion and emotional thrust of these 31 live tracks from the Indigos 2009 tour. A fan's album if there ever was one, the singalong choruses add a warm feeling of community no matter what your gender or sexuality. And in soulrock singer Trina Meade, "Kid Fears" finally has worthy substitute for Michael Stipe...Steve Poltz, Dreamhouse: The kinder, gentler side of the veteran singer-songwriter emerges on this beguiling album compromised (mostly) of ballads and a winsome cover of "The Way We Were." Poltz fans will clamor for "I Love What You've Done With This Place" (video below) from now until the day he dies. It wouldn't make for a bad epitaph at that...Happy Talk Band, Starve a Fever: A rueful, dry morning-after of an album summons its inner Lou Reed with blues, country, and indie stylings that conjure the night before. HTB pleads for a jerk to see himself for what he is and leave the woman the singer loves; wryly recognizes that the guy who mugged you on the way home is only human himself, with bills to pay and a family support; reminds a barfly to take care of herself via a rowdy Irish singalong; and tells the tale of an insomniac anesthesiologist who mercifully falls asleep at a bar. Fun, observant, and shot on location in NOLA...
FOR YOUR BURNING DESIRE
Indigo Girls, Staring Down the Brilliant Dream: Proficiency and precision elevate -- rather than lessen -- the passion and emotional thrust of these 31 live tracks from the Indigos 2009 tour. A fan's album if there ever was one, the singalong choruses add a warm feeling of community no matter what your gender or sexuality. And in soulrock singer Trina Meade, "Kid Fears" finally has worthy substitute for Michael Stipe...Steve Poltz, Dreamhouse: The kinder, gentler side of the veteran singer-songwriter emerges on this beguiling album compromised (mostly) of ballads and a winsome cover of "The Way We Were." Poltz fans will clamor for "I Love What You've Done With This Place" (video below) from now until the day he dies. It wouldn't make for a bad epitaph at that...Happy Talk Band, Starve a Fever: A rueful, dry morning-after of an album summons its inner Lou Reed with blues, country, and indie stylings that conjure the night before. HTB pleads for a jerk to see himself for what he is and leave the woman the singer loves; wryly recognizes that the guy who mugged you on the way home is only human himself, with bills to pay and a family support; reminds a barfly to take care of herself via a rowdy Irish singalong; and tells the tale of an insomniac anesthesiologist who mercifully falls asleep at a bar. Fun, observant, and shot on location in NOLA...
Second line with the To Be Continued Brass Band...
FROM THE DESK OF CITIZEN K.
As some of you know, I start graduate school this fall at the ripe young age of 55. Last week, I received a long list of summer readings and on-line tutorials for completion before class begins in September. These must be my first priority, so I won't be able to blog as often as I have been. The Sunday Funnies and Arts won't go away, and I hope to write 1-2 entries a week. And, you'll no doubt be relieved to hear, I'll still leave profound observations on your blogs while exploring the wonderful worlds of statistics and hospital finance...
Happy Fourth of July!
FROM THE DESK OF CITIZEN K.
As some of you know, I start graduate school this fall at the ripe young age of 55. Last week, I received a long list of summer readings and on-line tutorials for completion before class begins in September. These must be my first priority, so I won't be able to blog as often as I have been. The Sunday Funnies and Arts won't go away, and I hope to write 1-2 entries a week. And, you'll no doubt be relieved to hear, I'll still leave profound observations on your blogs while exploring the wonderful worlds of statistics and hospital finance...
Happy Fourth of July!
Posts
11 comments:
The scary thing is I know at least a few different types of those libertarians.... Happy fourth!
I saw that Libertarian comic earlier in the week; PZ posted it on his Pharyngula blog. Like john, I know a few of those types! I also saw the Tom the Dancing Bug one earlier, too as I subscribe to Ruben's blog (and I really, really miss Michaela Reid - The Boiling Point - in her self-imposed exile). That first one cracked me up; yup, Keef may actually be that old.
Good luck on the pre-class summer reading!
The Gulf Coast has been victimized by Katrina and the oil spill, and is victimized by its political leadership.
My son sent me the libertarian comic. The artist beats Matt Groening at his own game, at least on this one!
Ren, re the spill, the main thing I fault Obama for is taking BP at their word for two weeks. Having said that, I guess I missed it when Mary Landrieu, Haley Barbour, and Bobby Jindal led a bipartisan delegation of Gulf Coast politicians to the Oval Office and said "Mr President, this is far more important than politics or ideology. We've dealt with these people for years and you haven't. Believe us when we tell you that you can't believe a word they say,"
Thanks for the Sunday funnies. I am still mourning the end of Calvin and Hobbs. It is my favorite comic strip hands down.
I am awed that you are still going to write a blog with all of the preparation you have to do for your course. I am also grateful as I would miss Citizen K so very much.
Calvin was great. I used to read it to my kids when they were little. But Bill Waterson stopped for the right reason: He just didn't think he could maintain the quality.
Thanks for the kind words. I'm not planning to go away, although I won't be able to write as often. That might be doing the blogosphere a favor!
Hey, good luck with grad school, Pal o' Mine. Just finished my masters a few years ago, so you are in good company.
I thought that's what was going on with the caps - the Dodgers bought right in - but had no idea about the sales tie-in. Stupid, with or without the profit. Thanks for the heads-up.
Write when you can. We, your loyal readers, will still be here! Keep those grades up, young man! Hey, what's your area of study?
Thanks! I'm excited and apprehensive, which is kind of a good feeling.
Regrettably, the Red Sox caved in yesterday. They wear stupid bright red jerseys for Sunday home games anyway; with the cap, they looked about as formidable as a company softball team. No wonder they lost! They have the best home uni in professional sports, screw that up every Sunday at Fenway, and managed to make matters worse yesterday. It was downright unpatriotic!
New enough here not to have known about grad school, but so pleased for you! Can't be easy to get admitted these days. I could wind backwards through your prodigious posts to discover the answer, but I'm hoping you'll post it as a reply...what degree will you seek?
And I, too, hope you will be able to put up a new post once in a while. Blogging is a major time suck, but, when we locate kindred souls, it's so meaningful!
I enjoy clicking on the links you post. The Sandrine Boulet art was great
Nance: Thanks for the encouraging words! I'm pursuing a Master's in Health Care Administration from the University of Washington. The program is geared for people in mid-career, so I won't be 30 years older than everyone else. I've had a couple of health challenges and put in a fair amount of time volunteering at hospitals, cancer phone support lines, and health care access campaigns. Hospitals actually energize me, I've gotten a fair amount of familiarity with the issues for a volunteer, and just decided to go for it.
NM: Great to hear from you! Sounds like you had a great trip.
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