Howard Dean is first.

Several people came into the shop today praising Barack, they were impressed with his knowledge of Iraq.  They said he looked and sounded very Presidential.  I agree.

=====================

He spoke maturely and squarely, but he was noticeably burnt out from the campaign trail..

"I don't understand what continues to make so many people apathetic."

It is hard to fathom.  When people feel powerless, they turn to their addictions:  drugs, booze, food, TV etc.  And that leads to apathy.

We're an addicted society, becoming more dumbed down.  The two joined are disastrous.  IMO

And we're a frightened society.  Deer in the headlights stand transfixed, unable to move or function.

******************************

Someone mentioned D& G bloggers.  Just becuz we post D&G doesn't mean our real life is D&G.   Politically I'm fairly D&G since Gore didn't run and JE dropped out.

Phil, I hope you're right about Condi and McC being a losing freak show.  I think we shouldn't discount the voters ability to be manipulated and frightened. 

P.M. Carpenter: The Fifth Columnist for Tuesday, April 8, Only on BuzzFlash.com: "The Democratic 'Machine': Gearing Up Incredulity Once Again"

(Anni, thanks for the welcome back.)

The Capitol Weekly (Sacramento, CA)

Labor leaders urge Nunez to return $4 million from Democratic Party

By John Howard and Anthony York
(published Tuesday, April 08, 2008)

California's largest labor organization has demanded that Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez return $4 million the speaker received from the state Democratic Party--money that the labor leaders said should go to help Democratic candidates.

The executive council of the California Labor Federation, meeting privately at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, unanimously approved the resolution Monday night urging Nunez to return the money "for the purpose for which it was originally intended," according to three ranking officials familiar with the action.

Nunez, who is leaving office this year, has more than $5.1 million in his personal campaign account. Labor leaders cited concerns that Nunez might use those funds for his own political purposes -- a future political race or Nunez-backed ballot initiative campaign -- instead of being used to benefit the Assembly Democratic Caucus.

The resolution did not specifically call on Nunez to return the money to the state party. But several participants in the discussions said that clearly was the resolution’s intent. Art Pulaski, head of the Labor Federation, introduced the resolution. The Federation is an umbrella labor organization representing about 4 million workers.

... very full article: http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php...

---

ref: http://www.camajorityreport.com/index.ph...

Anybody see "Boston Legal" tonight?  James Spader reamed the 4th Estate.

IMO it's the best show on TV.  And very political as well as funny and quirky. 

Why would anybody watch "American Idol" when they could watch this?  Are we back to the apathy question?  Mental apathy as well as physical?  What about emotional apathy?  

And spiritual apathy.  Isn't listening to a fiery preacher of any religion a form of apathy?   

On "Boston Legal," Candace Bergen just took on the plight of our vets. In 05, over 6,000 vets committed suicide.... or maybe it was 07.

Jackie Speier prepares to go to Washington by John Wildermuth, Chronicle Staff Writer

(04-08) 21:35 PDT Burlingame -- It took 29 years, but Jackie Speier is on her way to Congress.

The former state senator took a huge early lead Tuesday night in the race to finish the term of the late Democratic Rep. Tom Lantos and never looked back, collecting more than the 50 percent plus one vote needed to put her on a flight to Washington, D.C., this morning.

"I'm looking at this room at people I've known for my entire legislative life," Speier said as she waited to give her victory speech at the Machinists Union Hall in Burlingame. "This is one of those moments in my life."

In 1979, Speier was recovering from the near-fatal bullet wounds she received at an airstrip in Jonestown, Guyana, where she was shot and left for dead by followers of the Rev. James Jones. Those same attackers killed her boss, Rep. Leo Ryan.

Speier left the hospital, still carrying a pair of the bullets in her body, and ran in the special election to replace Ryan. She finished third then, but on Tuesday she made the most of her second chance.

"Without a doubt, it means something special to replace (Ryan), since he was my political mentor," she said.

... full article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...

---

http://www.jackieforcongress.com/

About newly elected U.S. Congress Member Jackie Speier (12th CD): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Spei...

good morning, blog!  I've been distracted with raking leaves and uncovering flowering things for the last few days, and so have really missed you guys and all your wit and wisdom, hot news and tantilizing tidbits!  today it will be in the 60s here in Burl- the last dry, warm day for a few perhaps, so I will be back at it, turning away the winter blanket to let the sun's ray work their magic in my gardens... my back is sore but it's done me a world of good!  later, gators!  ;)

time check - 4:42 am edt.  Monica should be here any minute and where the heck is Judy?  mornin' ladies.

Good morning Jo...I've been going through the same spring ritual as you with the back half of my yard still having 1-2 feet of snow in it, the front by the road having a few inches of road sand covering the grass. I found my wheelbarrow the other day, left it out last fall and hadn't seen it since...lol. Taking the day off today so have some time this morning to putter in the yard/greenhouse.

What's your take of our gubernatorial race?

I'll be back after some more coffee.

Good morning, everybody

Sorry, i got side-tracked by my email.  NH is gearing up for the 

impeachment resolution on the 16th.

Was just wondering about judy myself.  

I also stopped by Bluehampshire and got irked, so i left this comment re McCain's gaffe.  Which reminds me that there was a message from Howard along the same vein.

*******************

Maybe I just got up on the wrong side of the bed, but the way this issue is being framed is really getting tedious.

Why do Democrats insist on looking for Republicans to make gaffes and willfully misunderstanding what they say.

If people had paid attention at the very start of this fiasco, they would know that moving our military bases from Western Europe to the Middle East was part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process that was restarted under Clinton and clearly outlined by Rumsfeld to the Congress.

Among other reasons for doing this was the fact that, in addition to not being needed in Western Europe because of the Soviet Union's demise, it would be cheaper to maintain the missile and radar and satellite downlink installations in the desert because the troops would not be bringing their families and we would avoid the effects of the decreasing value of the dollar relative to the Euro. Also, putting the troops on short rotations (as short as four months, which is what the Air Force is doing right now) would keep them in practice for rapid deployment when needed.

The only fly in the ointment has been the fact that the people of Iraq didn't/don't want American Air Force bases in their land and keep attacking them with missiles and mortars and harassing our supply lines (mainly for fuel) with IEDs. In other words, the bases are not "secure." Since US bases all over the globe are there by invitation, there's an expectation that the host country will provide security and that's where Iraq under al Maliki has fallen down. Also, they've failed, so far, to draw up the leases (typically referred to as Status of Forces Agreements) in which the mutual obligations of guests and hosts are typically spelled out.

McCain is telling the truth. The fact is that the Pentagon has long wanted bases on the mainland of Asia. South Korea will probably not be hospitable much longer. Japan refuses to grant access for our nuclear weapons. Diego Garcia, where our planes are refueled, will soon revert to the original inhabitants and the U.S. base will have to be closed. Guam is too far away. Vietnam still doesn't want us and neither do the other nations of southeast Asia. Which is why the Central Command is now situated in "Southwest Asia and North Africa."



And, no, I am not going to provide links. A few hours of Googling the relevant terms will show that McCain is talking straight. It may be a harebrained scheme, but it's what the Pentagon has been working on and what the Congress has been paying for.



BTW, Admiral Mullen says they're ready to go, if the new president tells them to.

 

hi Reed!  'tis good to have a day off - you've had a helluva snow season this year.

as for the Governor's race - I like Pollina but I would like to see a dem running as I'm a bit irked (though not surprised) that he wants the support of the VT dems but won't give his support in return if a good dem ends up running.  but I am more irked at Douglas and his draining and destruction of so many state dept's and his latest pigheaded veto of IRV and campaign finance, so we need to rally around someone...  where the heck is Peter?  do you think he'll run?  if so, I hope he jumps in soon!

I had hoped that Peter would run but I think he's looking at something on a grander scale and this long primary is what is holding up his decision. Pollina says all the things that I like to hear but I don't think he can win...I asked him what he'd do if a Dem. candidate came out that had overwhelming support of the Dems. and he said he'd just campaign harder. Look for another two years of Douglas...so we must work to give the Dems. a veto proof majority and dry up old scissorhand's ink that way.

btw...IRV would have spelled doom for Douglas, that veto was to save his own hide.

What a pretty logo.

well, Peter certainly is suited to something grander than VT Gov, that's for sure, if that's what he wants.  but we really NEED someone like him this year...  I don't think Pollina can win either, but he would certainly be better than Jimbo.  and yes, we need a veto-proof margin!!!!

so what's up in your greenhouse?  it should be a lovely day to putter.......

re: IRV - yeah, I know!  I spoke to his lovely secretary on the matter, knowing full well he would ignore any who supported it!  he claims he's so popular - well let's see him prove it!  chicken$hit Douglas, that's who he is.

We do NEED a good candidate and Gaye is not that person imo.

Not a whole lot sproated yet, though I've got tons of stuff started. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and various flowers are poking up...I'm starting some red poppies too, I have a large patch of the orange ones like in that logo Monica posted...gotta love perrenials but I do a lot of annuals too.

sproat????need more caffeine

Reed - do you start the plants just for yourself or do you sell them?  I just start a few things for myself and family and friends.  I give them a headstart by bringing in my 'patio' greenhouse for the winter and rigged with a grow light on the top it keeps my tender plants thru the dark season and then works well for my seed starting in spring.  in a couple of weeks I'll pop it back outside to start another round of seedlings in true sun!

7:37 PM EDT

good morning, blog!  I've been distracted with raking leaves and uncovering flowering things for the last few days

...

+++

Jo -

Good, I'm not the only one to leave raking leaves to the Spring. Raking leaves now is kind of like opening gifts -- you find sprouting peonies, tulips underneath, protected by the leaves during the winter.

Also, I tend to get overwhelmed by all the trees in my yard with their falling leaves in the Fall, and just throw down the rake and say "screw this". [smile]

Jo...I do a little of both. I start enough for myself, a few friends and my co-workers...no charge, but what is left over I sell at a yard sale I have...stuff is cheap and goes quickly but I probably get back my intial investment. I was surprised to find the electric heater doesn't put my bill up that much and the addition of 5 gallon pails of water around hold the heat through the night. Wife likes to have a seat out there with her coffee once the sun beats down...she says it feels tropical with the moisture : )

7:41 AM EDT

the tree frogs are already out this year (started with the rains we've been having in early April) -- they serenade you to sleep

rd...that's what chainsaws are for...lol

7:56 AM EDT

Reed -

Indeed.

Trees are kind of like pets (you have to clean up after them) except that trees save all their "presents" for the Fall.

Soon the tree frogs will be joined by frogs in the small ponds in my yard, so bit by bit I've been cleaning the ponds of leaves on the surface.  Gives the aquatic frogs room to lay their eggs (looks like black strands of twisted dna). 

With woods all around me I like the open space in my yard. I recently had to cut many trees around the house of the woman I caretake for. She and her husband wanted a cabin in the woods so they wouldn't let me cut the small trees 25 years ago. An inch of moss on the roof and leaves feet deep in the fall finally changed her mind...the trees needed a skidder to fell them away from the house being so large.

I've got 3 ponds that are naturally spring fed in my yard (my water supply is a spring in the cellar) and ever since my children were little, we imported frogs to them from our nature walks. I have bullfrogs that regularly patrol my gardens for pests now. The peepers like the pond in the woods (where I keep my bait minnows).

Off to enjoy the sun for a bit.

FRED from Ashland OR
Wed, 04/09/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As Olberman clearly pointed out last nite, BO cofnused Iran with Iraq at one time.....a minor gaffe?  Maybe not, but still this guy IS running for President............granted both countires sound the same.........but all ya gotta do in this coiuntry is keep replacing Iraq with Iran and before ya know it................youll be attacking Iran next................

8:13 AM EDT

Major League Soccer is spreading it's wings --

Seattle team starts in 2009 season, Philadelphia in 2010:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mls

Hearing its fans loud and clear in their campaign to keep the "Sounders" name, MLS's next franchise opted for tradition.  

• Rogers blog
• Story

Several people came into the shop today praising Barack, they were impressed with his knowledge of Iraq.  They said he looked and sounded very Presidential.  I agree.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

rae,

Compared to past Presidents like Bush2, even Clinton at times(ya hooish), Bush 1, Reagan, Dan Quayle, etc, and now Mccain..................anyone with an 8th grade education could sound "Presidential"........

Even then, BO mispoke about Iran and Iraq..............interchanged the two..........

8:19 AM EDT

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGBchn

...

By Christopher Hass - Apr 9th, 2008 at 1:39 am EDT

Earlier today Michelle Obama spoke in front of a packed crowd at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

...

re: Even then, BO mispoke about Iran and Iraq..............interchanged the two..........

well, I typed 'Obama' instead of 'Osama' the other day - we all make mistakes like that.  at least he wasn't dodging sniper fire when he said it...  ;)

rdorgan - I love soccer and hope it continues to grow in this country.  I ran a youth soccer program for a few years when my sons were small and I loved the confidence and the teamwork that the sport taught the kids.  by the time those 'youth' were in HS programs, they were kicking butt - the girls especially.  they played on mixed-gender teams right thru junior high in the youth program and I really think that helped develop those girls to the point that they could compete with anyone!  some of my fondest memories are of the countless walks up to the soccer fields with my sons, often 4 times each week.  we had some great talks on those walks!

worst administration ever...

clip... In a major shift of policy, the Justice Department, once known for taking down giant corporations, including the accounting firm Arthur Andersen, has put off prosecuting more than 50 companies suspected of wrongdoing over the last three years.

Instead, many companies, from boutique outfits to immense corporations like American Express, have avoided the cost and stigma of defending themselves against criminal charges with a so-called deferred prosecution agreement, which allows the government to collect fines and appoint an outside monitor to impose internal reforms without going through a trial. In many cases, the name of the monitor and the details of the agreement are kept secret.

Deferred prosecutions have become a favorite tool of the Bush administration. But some legal experts now wonder if the policy shift has led companies, in particular financial institutions now under investigation for their roles in the subprime mortgage debacle, to test the limits of corporate anti-fraud laws.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/washington/09justice.html?ex=1365480000&en=c5b474cac423a771&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

re: raking in spring - I do some in the fall but I rake some of the leaves onto my garden beds, just in case we don't get much snow protection during the winter.  besides sheilding the plants from the cold, they break down and condition and feed the garden for me!  alhtough I live in a dense neighborhood in Burlington,  I have a small 'woods' in the extra lot I have in back - I have more than 50 oak, maple and cherry trees and thanks to that TON of leaves I end up with the best soil conditioner I could ask for!  boy do I love spring!!

Tanker deal: Northrop had help of public interest group

Citizens Against Government Waste tried to influence decision makers on the tanker, saying Northrop-EADS offered taxpayers the best deal.

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON -- It was billed as a coalition of public interest groups focused on the recent $35 billion contract award for a new Air Force refueling tanker.

Officials at Citizens Against Government Waste, a quarter-century-old group founded as a good-government advocate, wanted other groups to join in speaking out in favor of the "open, fair and transparent" process that gave the award to Northrop Grumman and its partner, European Aeronautic Defence and Space.

But as often happens in this town, the story was not so clear cut. It turns out Citizens Against Government Waste, or CAGW, was playing a more complicated advocacy role on the same side as the Northrop team, in an immense struggle over the deal with surprise loser Boeing.

[...]

Much is at stake. The Air Force has called the deal to replace 179 of its refueling planes -- which have been in service for a half-century -- its top acquisition priority. And the $40 billion price tag is just a starting point. Over the next few decades, the deal could be worth up to $100 billion as the Air Force replaces its entire fleet of 500 tankers. It also means allowing a European company to play an unusually large role in U.S. defense.

The reaction to the contract's award to the Northrop-EADS team -- and Boeing's unexpected loss of the contract -- has stimulated fervent, patriotic, even nationalistic rhetoric.

Congressional leaders in Washington state and Kansas, where Boeing has major facilities and close ties to lawmakers, have demanded that the Air Force reconsider its decision. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the Appropriations defense subcommittee, threatened to cut off funding for the tanker.

[...] 

Good morning

There is a new thread

Reed in VT wrote:

so we must work to give the Dems a veto proof majority and dry up old scissorhand's ink that way.

**************************

We have a veto-proof majority! For some reason they just can't all seem to vote that way...But yes, we need to widen that margin this election.

New thread.

I love raking out the flower beds in the Spring :-) We have crocuses blooming here. Nothing else yet. I'm converting 1 flower bed to a strawberry patch this year, and planting blueberry bushes and tripling my vegitable garden space.

Jessica...there's a few DINOs that I don't count, a few STORKs (Scared To Oppose Republican Kindrid) as well.

AND, Obama blocks 900 supporters from the list to be a possible delegate?  WOW, bloggers who worked for him, supporters who volunteered for him, etc.  I guess it was more of a SHOW ME THE MONEY if you want to be one of my delegates, huh?