7:55 pm EST, 1 June 2010, The Oval Office. Dustin Hoffman has been called in to coach The One, who is up to his upturned nose in crude oil and ill will.
The Winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize is now seated in front the teleprompters. The first one, and the backup. Can't be too careful these days.
(Remember, Barry--it's not British Petroleum anymore, it's just 'BP'. Let's go over it again, Barry: 'BP', c'mon repeat after me, 'BP', 'BP', 'BP'.)
Aw Geez--Didn't anybody check this guy out to see if he could actually manage anything before we put him up for office? Hillary, where are you? Barry, remember, keep glued to that teleprompter, stick to the script! The script, Barry! That's all you gotta think about! (We're doomed!)
Here we go, Barry! Showtime!
Be sure to talk with your hands, you gotta try to make people think you empathize. Use your tough voice when you talk about BP. And use your empathy voice when you talk about those poor dead people. Remember which one to use when, Barry. Sell it, Barry, sell it! Make 'em believe you got it under control, even though everybody knows you don't got the brains to pick up the phone and call somebody up at BP when their well blows up. (Geez, from under which rock did this guy get found? Who dug him up? Hillary!!)
OK, Barry, here's the real sell--we gotta announce we're taking over another big chunk of the economy, that everybody's electric and driving costs are gonna go thru-the-moon-Alice, but don't (God, whatever you do!) don't tell 'em that part! Stick to that teleprompter, Barry! Make 'em think you believe that wind and solar will make up for the shutdown of all oil and coal production. (At least he's stupid enough to believe it--whew!)
Wind it up Barry, attention spans are short, talk about God, tell the story of the priest and the fishermen.
Make 'em think you're Reagan. Sell it, sell it, sell it! Pretend you're on the stump in October 2008.
You're losing the Kool-Aid drinkers already! Geeeez!
Hillary!!!!!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Louisiana Polling On Obama
Ouch! This wasn't spo'zed to happen! He's The One!
Folks in Louisiana, in response to polling, think GW Bush did a better job responding to Katrina than The Beloved Leader has in responding to the oil spill.
And, futhermore...
One thing the oil spill has not done is created a spike of opposition to offshore drilling in Louisiana. 77% of voters still support it with only 12% against. Only 31% say the spill has made them less inclined to be in favor of drilling while 42% say it hasn't made a difference to them and 28% say they're now stronger in their support.
Wait for it: Tonight the Winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize will explain that none of it his his fault, that the response has been wonderful, and that he'll be shutting down oil production ASAP. And, oh by the way--he has a bunch of new taxes to impose on anything that moves.
'Cuz, after all, He knows better.
Or words to that effect...
Folks in Louisiana, in response to polling, think GW Bush did a better job responding to Katrina than The Beloved Leader has in responding to the oil spill.
And, futhermore...
One thing the oil spill has not done is created a spike of opposition to offshore drilling in Louisiana. 77% of voters still support it with only 12% against. Only 31% say the spill has made them less inclined to be in favor of drilling while 42% say it hasn't made a difference to them and 28% say they're now stronger in their support.
Wait for it: Tonight the Winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize will explain that none of it his his fault, that the response has been wonderful, and that he'll be shutting down oil production ASAP. And, oh by the way--he has a bunch of new taxes to impose on anything that moves.
'Cuz, after all, He knows better.
Or words to that effect...
Never Let A Crisis Go To Waste: The BP Spill And Cap-N-Tax
Rahm Emanuel's famous quote rings in the ears.
An oil well blows up and pollutes the Gulf of Mexico.
The White House has a decision to make: All hands on deck and get this mess cleaned up, or (behind door number 2!) drag our feet, let things really really go to hell on the Gulf Coast (again), blame 'the corporations', 'big oil', Republicans (and any form of conservative), blame-blame-blame, and let the problem fester, rip Alabama's oil boom off for the Louisiana photo-op, and then....
Push for a massive tax increase!
And make damn sure it all gets done by November, cuz' we gonna a lose a lot of House members that first Tuesday. (If you're gonna make war on a culture, you gotta expect a few casualties, you know.) Ain't got no time to read no legislation--it's time to pass this thang!
In the meantime, OS talked with a friend from New Orleans, who said the 143-year old business that supplies oysters to the city has had to close down, due to pollution of the oyster beds.
Didn't have to happen. A timely response would have saved them, but that wasn't the plan.
That business is just another casualty of the Fundamental Transformation of America, and now can be conveniently used as a guilt-club to beat Congress into submission.
An oil well blows up and pollutes the Gulf of Mexico.
The White House has a decision to make: All hands on deck and get this mess cleaned up, or (behind door number 2!) drag our feet, let things really really go to hell on the Gulf Coast (again), blame 'the corporations', 'big oil', Republicans (and any form of conservative), blame-blame-blame, and let the problem fester, rip Alabama's oil boom off for the Louisiana photo-op, and then....
Push for a massive tax increase!
And make damn sure it all gets done by November, cuz' we gonna a lose a lot of House members that first Tuesday. (If you're gonna make war on a culture, you gotta expect a few casualties, you know.) Ain't got no time to read no legislation--it's time to pass this thang!
In the meantime, OS talked with a friend from New Orleans, who said the 143-year old business that supplies oysters to the city has had to close down, due to pollution of the oyster beds.
Didn't have to happen. A timely response would have saved them, but that wasn't the plan.
That business is just another casualty of the Fundamental Transformation of America, and now can be conveniently used as a guilt-club to beat Congress into submission.
Alabama's Gov. Riley Has Reason To Steam: The Case Of The Purloined Oil Boom, And The Polluted Bay
The term 'moral bankruptcy' floats to mind.
From The Wall Street Journal:
Last month, as oil began spreading eastward from Louisiana, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley made it a top priority to stop oil infiltrating the scenic Perdido Pass, a waterway near the Florida border that leads into Perdido Bay, one of the centerpieces of the fishing and tourism industry for both Alabama and Florida.
In mid-May, Riley and Coast Guard officials worked out a plan to hold the oil back, using a reverse funnel design to deflect the currents. Alabama authorities scoured the globe looking for the thick, heavy ocean boom to make the funnel, said Todd Stacy, a spokesman for the governor.
In the third week of May, they finally found it in Bahrain, and had it flown from the Persian Gulf to a staging area on the Alabama coast. Then, in the last week of May, just before Obama’s second trip to the region, the Coast Guard took the boom from Alabama and gave it to Louisiana, Alabama and Coast Guard officials acknowledge.
Tony Russell, a spokesman for U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the leader of the federal oil spill response, said today the boom was rushed to Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish to protect Terrebonne Bay from oil in Barataria Bay, adjacent to it.
Riley was furious. At a June 4 meeting with the president and Allen, the governor sat seething as the admiral went over the materials that had been deployed throughout the Gulf, including Alabama. He told Allen he knew full well the ocean boom had been taken from his state, according to officials at the meeting.
“It was pretty testy,” said Charlotte Randolph, president of Louisiana’s LaFourche Parish.
In its stead, the Coast Guard and Alabama authorities deployed 18-inch boom, far more flimsy, into the configuration worked out. They then waited and hoped.
On Wednesday, June 10, oil breached Perdido Bay.
Well, it's all ok, 'cuz after all, The One got his photo op in Louisiana. That's what matters most, ya'll.
This is not an urban legend cooked up by some nutter. It' a documented series of events, recounted in the Wall Street Journal.
OldSouth has one purpose in recounting this tale. He gets visits from folks in Alabama, and hopes they'll pass this post along, far and wide, to every neighbor, family member, church member and friend.
Betcha' if it circulates enough between now and November, Alabama voters will figure out what kind of message to send Mr. Obama's direction.
From The Wall Street Journal:
Last month, as oil began spreading eastward from Louisiana, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley made it a top priority to stop oil infiltrating the scenic Perdido Pass, a waterway near the Florida border that leads into Perdido Bay, one of the centerpieces of the fishing and tourism industry for both Alabama and Florida.
In mid-May, Riley and Coast Guard officials worked out a plan to hold the oil back, using a reverse funnel design to deflect the currents. Alabama authorities scoured the globe looking for the thick, heavy ocean boom to make the funnel, said Todd Stacy, a spokesman for the governor.
In the third week of May, they finally found it in Bahrain, and had it flown from the Persian Gulf to a staging area on the Alabama coast. Then, in the last week of May, just before Obama’s second trip to the region, the Coast Guard took the boom from Alabama and gave it to Louisiana, Alabama and Coast Guard officials acknowledge.
Tony Russell, a spokesman for U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the leader of the federal oil spill response, said today the boom was rushed to Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish to protect Terrebonne Bay from oil in Barataria Bay, adjacent to it.
Riley was furious. At a June 4 meeting with the president and Allen, the governor sat seething as the admiral went over the materials that had been deployed throughout the Gulf, including Alabama. He told Allen he knew full well the ocean boom had been taken from his state, according to officials at the meeting.
“It was pretty testy,” said Charlotte Randolph, president of Louisiana’s LaFourche Parish.
In its stead, the Coast Guard and Alabama authorities deployed 18-inch boom, far more flimsy, into the configuration worked out. They then waited and hoped.
On Wednesday, June 10, oil breached Perdido Bay.
Well, it's all ok, 'cuz after all, The One got his photo op in Louisiana. That's what matters most, ya'll.
This is not an urban legend cooked up by some nutter. It' a documented series of events, recounted in the Wall Street Journal.
OldSouth has one purpose in recounting this tale. He gets visits from folks in Alabama, and hopes they'll pass this post along, far and wide, to every neighbor, family member, church member and friend.
Betcha' if it circulates enough between now and November, Alabama voters will figure out what kind of message to send Mr. Obama's direction.
After Massive Damage Already Inflicted, Obama Accepts Offers Of Help
This nugget from the Washington Post.
Four weeks after the nation's worst environmental disaster, the Obama administration saw no need to accept offers of state-of-the-art skimmers, miles of boom or technical assistance from nations around the globe with experience fighting oil spills.
"We'll let BP decide on what expertise they do need," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid told reporters on May 19. "We are keeping an eye on what supplies we do need. And as we see that our supplies are running low, it may be at that point in time to accept offers from particular governments."
That time has come.
In the past week, the United States submitted its second request to the European Union for any specialized equipment to contain the oil now seeping onto the Gulf of Mexico's marshes and beaches, and it accepted Canada's offer of 9,842 feet of boom. The government is soliciting additional boom and skimmers from nearly two dozen countries and international organizations.
This is not a right-wing crazy slamming Obama--this is the Washington Post, aka Kool-Aid Central.
Obama will end up making Jimmy Carter look like a genius or a saint, or both.
It's not about solving the problem--it's about seizing power in a time of crisis.
Tomorrow, He will begin to ratchet up the pressure on BP, to throw it under the bus because he can, and to distract attention from his inept response.
Four weeks after the nation's worst environmental disaster, the Obama administration saw no need to accept offers of state-of-the-art skimmers, miles of boom or technical assistance from nations around the globe with experience fighting oil spills.
"We'll let BP decide on what expertise they do need," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid told reporters on May 19. "We are keeping an eye on what supplies we do need. And as we see that our supplies are running low, it may be at that point in time to accept offers from particular governments."
That time has come.
In the past week, the United States submitted its second request to the European Union for any specialized equipment to contain the oil now seeping onto the Gulf of Mexico's marshes and beaches, and it accepted Canada's offer of 9,842 feet of boom. The government is soliciting additional boom and skimmers from nearly two dozen countries and international organizations.
This is not a right-wing crazy slamming Obama--this is the Washington Post, aka Kool-Aid Central.
Obama will end up making Jimmy Carter look like a genius or a saint, or both.
It's not about solving the problem--it's about seizing power in a time of crisis.
Tomorrow, He will begin to ratchet up the pressure on BP, to throw it under the bus because he can, and to distract attention from his inept response.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Etheridge Incident: Whatever This Is, It's Not Journalism
A pox on both their houses.
The 'students' (from which institution, working on what course, toward which degree?) were waiting laying in wait for Etheridge. He was on his way elsewhere, thinking of something else, and the kids caught his attention, much in the way a panhandler (or mugger) approaches someone on the street. Etheridge was caught off guard, and irritated at being accosted.
Should he have cold-cocked the cameraman? Nope!
Grabbed the kid by the wrist? Nope!
Should those kids have been there, attempting to stage a mugging on his reputation?
Definitely, no.
The posing of the question was not about eliciting information--and the question posed was something that could have been discerned from the public record.
It was all about provoking an angry reaction from a guy who appears to possess a short fuse.
It was not journalism, by any legitimate definition. It was 1:10 of ugliness from both sides of the equation.
OS keeps hammering, hopefully clearly, that the questions before us are about The Culture. Every day, do the things we do (and refrain from doing) improve The Culture?
Has anyone who witnessed this dust-up had their life improved thereby? Was this moment necessary? Etheridge is a doddering, angry old politician, but that would be clear to his constituents anyway, were they paying attention. HellsBells, now he elicits a bit of sympathy!
Whatever this was, it was not journalism, and The Culture was cheapened by it.
The Gulf Oil Spill: Maybe The Administration Is Just Not Competent...
...maybe they really relish crisis.
In either case, the governor of Alabama has had his fill of Hopey-Changey.
In either case, the governor of Alabama has had his fill of Hopey-Changey.
Score One For The Good Guys: Three Hostages Liberated From FARC
News just broke a few minutes ago across OS's facebook feed, and confirmed by New York Times report.
Colombian soldiers stalking leftist guerrillas in the country’s remote jungles have rescued three hostages held by the rebels, including a police general who was their highest-ranking captive, Colombian officials said Sunday.
The rescue carried out by about 300 military personnel in Guaviare, a sparsely populated region in southern Colombia, freed Gen. Luis Mendieta, captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in 1998, as well as Col. Luis Murillo, who had also been held by the rebels since that year, and Sgt. Arbey Delgado, captured in 1998.
Mendiata had almost given up hope, as these plaintive words he wrote in December 2007 attest:
“It is not the physical pain that wounds me, nor the chain around my neck that torments me, but the mental agony of all this, the evilness of bad people and the indifference of good people,” General Mendieta wrote in a letter dated Dec. 21, 2007. “It is as if we are worthless, that we do not exist.”
The FARC is actively supported by Chavez, who is actively applauded by Obama and Miz Hillary. This rescue was undertaken without US involvement, which probably explains its success...no one leaking details to Caracas.
So, a healthy slap-down of a bunch of narco-terrorists and their sponsor, and of the venal crew in Washington who cheer their sponsor on.
All in all, a good way to start the week.
Colombian soldiers stalking leftist guerrillas in the country’s remote jungles have rescued three hostages held by the rebels, including a police general who was their highest-ranking captive, Colombian officials said Sunday.
The rescue carried out by about 300 military personnel in Guaviare, a sparsely populated region in southern Colombia, freed Gen. Luis Mendieta, captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in 1998, as well as Col. Luis Murillo, who had also been held by the rebels since that year, and Sgt. Arbey Delgado, captured in 1998.
Mendiata had almost given up hope, as these plaintive words he wrote in December 2007 attest:
“It is not the physical pain that wounds me, nor the chain around my neck that torments me, but the mental agony of all this, the evilness of bad people and the indifference of good people,” General Mendieta wrote in a letter dated Dec. 21, 2007. “It is as if we are worthless, that we do not exist.”
The FARC is actively supported by Chavez, who is actively applauded by Obama and Miz Hillary. This rescue was undertaken without US involvement, which probably explains its success...no one leaking details to Caracas.
So, a healthy slap-down of a bunch of narco-terrorists and their sponsor, and of the venal crew in Washington who cheer their sponsor on.
All in all, a good way to start the week.
A Beautiful, Small Event For The Culture: The Music Of Eric Whitacre
Definitely not a household name, but maybe in some more civilized day, he will be.
Here is one sample from his new album that releases Tuesday, June 15, Choral Music.
This Marriage (2 minutes, 30 seconds of inspiring beauty)
May these vows and this marriage be blessed.
May it be sweet milk,
this marriage, like wine and halvah.
May this marriage offer fruit and shade
like the date palm.
May this marriage be full of laughter,
our every day a day in paradise.
May this marriage be a sign of compassion,
a seal of happiness here and hereafter.
May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,
an omen as welcomes the moon in a clear blue sky.
I am out of words to describe
how spirit mingles in this marriage.
Here is one sample from his new album that releases Tuesday, June 15, Choral Music.
This Marriage (2 minutes, 30 seconds of inspiring beauty)
May these vows and this marriage be blessed.
May it be sweet milk,
this marriage, like wine and halvah.
May this marriage offer fruit and shade
like the date palm.
May this marriage be full of laughter,
our every day a day in paradise.
May this marriage be a sign of compassion,
a seal of happiness here and hereafter.
May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,
an omen as welcomes the moon in a clear blue sky.
I am out of words to describe
how spirit mingles in this marriage.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Louisiana The Victim: James Carville Rants
And, he has a point, in today's rant.
For too long, the federal government and industry alike has simultaneously abused and neglected, patronized and plundered, and now polluted the people of Louisiana. And our plight is now a national emergency.
For decades, massive engineering projects across the country have made us more vulnerable. We lose a football field of land every 38 minutes. Since World War II, we've lost wetlands the size of the state of Delaware. I bet Joe Biden would be screaming on national television too if it was happening on his turf. Or if the Hamptons lost 16,000 acres a year, you bet there'd be a Million Hedge Fund Managers march on Washington to demand action.
Well yes, James, this is true. But look in the mirror, bro'! You have spent your life as a professional attack dog in the service of Democrat politicians, no matter how venal (Bill and Hilary come immediately to mind..), vilifying anyone--happily attempting to destroy anyone--who dared object to the venality and dishonesty of your clients. Since the end of Reconstruction until very recent times, Louisiana has been ruled by...Democrats, state house and legislature, US House members and Senators.
Your guys! Can you say Huey (Kingfish) Long? I knew you could! Here's just one little factoid about a Louisiana politcal hero:
Once in office as governor Long moved quickly to consolidate his power, firing hundreds of opponents in the state bureaucracy, at all ranks from cabinet-level heads of departments and board members to rank-and-file civil servants and state road workers. Like previous governors, he filled the vacancies with patronage appointments from his own network of political supporters. Every state employee who depended on Long for a job was expected to pay a portion of his or her salary directly into Long’s political war-chest. These funds were kept in a famous locked “deduct box” to be used at Long's discretion for political purposes.
Mr. Carville, you spent your entire career working for this day: A left-wing Democrat in the White House, with both houses controlled by the left wing of the Democrat party.
Wow, it really sucks, doesn't it?
So, James: Perhaps you might reconsider your 1992 advice to Bill Clinton--It's the economy, stupid!
No, James, it's not. It's the culture, the one you see now eroding away under your feet after decades of rule by the very people you have spent your life advising. And shilling for. You couldn't get Louisiana's case heard in Washington, because your boss was too busy chasing skirts. You loved the power too much to step back and consider there might really be bad consequences down the road. You enjoyed your role as the Clintons' pit bull, you reveled in it. You were the Ragin' Cajun.
It's gonna take years to undo this mess. But, at least, man up enough to admit your role in it. After all, these are the words that ended your rant today:
And in this, the most critical hour in our region's long, tortured, and yet glorious history, let's remind ourselves that Louisiana expects every person to do their duty.
This is a struggle for the preservation of our culture, way of life and the land we love.
It is, indeed. You have a country full of people willing to help, but uninterested in perpetuating the disastrous governance that led to this tragedy.
For too long, the federal government and industry alike has simultaneously abused and neglected, patronized and plundered, and now polluted the people of Louisiana. And our plight is now a national emergency.
For decades, massive engineering projects across the country have made us more vulnerable. We lose a football field of land every 38 minutes. Since World War II, we've lost wetlands the size of the state of Delaware. I bet Joe Biden would be screaming on national television too if it was happening on his turf. Or if the Hamptons lost 16,000 acres a year, you bet there'd be a Million Hedge Fund Managers march on Washington to demand action.
Well yes, James, this is true. But look in the mirror, bro'! You have spent your life as a professional attack dog in the service of Democrat politicians, no matter how venal (Bill and Hilary come immediately to mind..), vilifying anyone--happily attempting to destroy anyone--who dared object to the venality and dishonesty of your clients. Since the end of Reconstruction until very recent times, Louisiana has been ruled by...Democrats, state house and legislature, US House members and Senators.
Your guys! Can you say Huey (Kingfish) Long? I knew you could! Here's just one little factoid about a Louisiana politcal hero:
Once in office as governor Long moved quickly to consolidate his power, firing hundreds of opponents in the state bureaucracy, at all ranks from cabinet-level heads of departments and board members to rank-and-file civil servants and state road workers. Like previous governors, he filled the vacancies with patronage appointments from his own network of political supporters. Every state employee who depended on Long for a job was expected to pay a portion of his or her salary directly into Long’s political war-chest. These funds were kept in a famous locked “deduct box” to be used at Long's discretion for political purposes.
Mr. Carville, you spent your entire career working for this day: A left-wing Democrat in the White House, with both houses controlled by the left wing of the Democrat party.
Wow, it really sucks, doesn't it?
So, James: Perhaps you might reconsider your 1992 advice to Bill Clinton--It's the economy, stupid!
No, James, it's not. It's the culture, the one you see now eroding away under your feet after decades of rule by the very people you have spent your life advising. And shilling for. You couldn't get Louisiana's case heard in Washington, because your boss was too busy chasing skirts. You loved the power too much to step back and consider there might really be bad consequences down the road. You enjoyed your role as the Clintons' pit bull, you reveled in it. You were the Ragin' Cajun.
It's gonna take years to undo this mess. But, at least, man up enough to admit your role in it. After all, these are the words that ended your rant today:
And in this, the most critical hour in our region's long, tortured, and yet glorious history, let's remind ourselves that Louisiana expects every person to do their duty.
This is a struggle for the preservation of our culture, way of life and the land we love.
It is, indeed. You have a country full of people willing to help, but uninterested in perpetuating the disastrous governance that led to this tragedy.
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