Author: cecil

  • Quote of the year

    I did not like fascists when I fought them as a diplomat for 23 years and I don’t like them now in my own country. From Ambassador Wilson, in an excellent interview posted on ye olde DailyKos.

  • Is this the week Iran won the Iran-Iraq war?

    I read the news today and got a cold feeling inside. Have we just spent all this blood and treasure to create the perfect opening for an oil-rich anti-western Iran-Iraq alliance, complete with US-trained and armed troops? And will Bush’s great purple-stained success this week turn out to be yet another naive move by wide-eyed,…

  • F-Bomb-a-rama

    As part of our ongoing War on Terror, is it too much to ask that we ban use of the phrase F-Bomb by so-called major media? Seriously, folks. Lame is lame. And that phrase is. Lame.

  • The Bush Administration’s War on Tsunami

    The Bush Administration today announced its new policy: to wipe tsunami from the face of the earth. “We will find the tsunami where they live,” said one extremely senior administration official, speaking from an undisclosed vacation hideaway. “And we will smoke them out.”

  • language

    what today is dismissed derisvely as “politically correct” used to be called “being considerate.”

  • Chilling times

    According to an article on MSNBC.com, 44% of Americans “believe the U.S. government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim-Americans.” Further: The survey showed that 27 percent of respondents supported requiring all Muslim-Americans to register where they lived with the federal government. Twenty-two percent favored racial profiling to identify potential terrorist threats. And 29 percent…

  • prospects for peace

    Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says the Palestinean’s armed uprising has been a mistake and that Palistineans should pursue independence by peaceful means. This is, I’d say, big news.

  • Join the resistance

    Cool idea here. I signed up for the list. Perhaps you’d like to as well?

  • Kerry health care petition

    Kerry’s bringing a health-care-for-children bill to the senate this year and is looking to get folks to sign a petition in support. She is trying to get the best health methods from https://reportshealthcare.com/ to the children. I did it and thought some of youse might be interested in giving it a look. Click here for…

  • So I’m reading the Oakland Tribune today…

    …and the front page headline sez: “Rush to Fill Void Left by Arafat.” And I’m sorry, but I just don’t think he’s up to the job. I just don’t.

  • Power to the tin-foil hat people

    You hear it all the time: “Oh you know, he’s a tin-foil hat guy.” And “I know I may sound a little tin-foil hat here but…”. And “Hey! — nice tin-foil hat, Betsy. Metaphorically speaking.” And I ask you: What about people who really like to wear tin-foil hats? Did anybody ever stop to think…

  • So what can you do?

    For starters, visit this site. I’ve stumbled on two excellent interviews with these people today — Air America Radio was hyping the hell out of them. If you’re concerned about voter fraud, these folks appear to be on the front line. How much is your democracy worth to you? I gave a little money, and…

  • No one ever said saving the world would be easy

    Every generation has its challenge. We’ve had it fairly easy till now. Sure, it was rough when “Happy Days” got cancelled. But, you know, we perservered. This is our moment. This is our generation’s challenge. How we respond will define us and determine history. I don’t want to be the good Germans, the ones who…

  • Enjoy it

    I was listening to Air America on the way to work and Al Franken and company were singing a lopsided song oompah song “bring a book, bring a book, when you go to vote” and it was so sweet and I thought “this is what it sounds like to win.” At our east bay (CA)…

  • Shameless self-promotion department

    An all-new, all-free mp3 political-shtick awaits you over on ye olde Monkey Vortex Radio Theater today — John, Paul, George, and Ringo. In which John Kerry and GWB attempt to join the world’s greatest rock band, with decidedly mixed results.

  • Poll position

    In late October 2000, the polls consistently showed Bush over Gore by anywhere from 5 points to 13 points. I remember going into election day convinced by the confident, well-dressed people on my TV that Gore didn’t have a chance. I remember being stunned that night to see that it was even close. The unions…

  • The here and now versus the hereafter

    Both sides in this election have an X factor — for the Democrats it’s arguably (as has been noted elsewhere on Edgewise) the young, their fear for their futures. In particular, its their fear of an impending draft. They’re voting for their lives. Polls consistently show this group of young voters as the Kerry’s strongest…

  • Rhythmic mash

    If you’re still conscious and interested in reliving a few highlights from tonight’s debate, I made a wee rhythmic mash out of a few of the better moments — it’s a 1:45 mp3 with drums n keys. Pick it up at ye olde Monkey Vortex Radio Theater . OK. Enough of that. Off to sleep.…

  • Operation Truth

    If you haven’t heard about Operation Truth yet, please take a minute and pay them a visit. Worth your time. And in my opinion, if you can spare it, worth a donation. Here’s a little bit about them: Operation Truth is a non-profit (501c4), non-partisan Veterans’ organization that seeks to amplify the soldiers’ voice in…

  • George Bush and the Gore Hat Trick

    Watching SNL last night, it’s really looking like Bush is setting himself up to repeat the Gore hat trick, which goes roughly like this: Debate 1, surprise everyone by being exceptionally bad in an easy-to-imitate and easy-to-dislike sort of way. Debate 2, be not quite so bad, but change gears from Debate 1 so dramatically…

  • Finally: Bushes loses slam contest, film at 11

    He’s nearly speechless. Me too. It’s just another example of high-technology put to good purpose. Well worth your time. Checkitout, here.