The Death Cat

Cat lovers beware, your little kitten could be showing you more than just affection.

He could be predicting your death...

[Link]

Having never had much luck with cats myself, in any context, I'd say that's just about right.

US & Iran: Little Progress or Major Policy Shift?

Yesterday the New York Times roasted the Bush Administration for making only scant progress toward engaging Iran on Iraqi security.  

[ Link]

Some seven hours later, the Boston Globe (no bastion of conservatism) trumpeted the news that an agreement had been reached between US and Iranian authorities on setting up a joint committee to discuss steps forward in Iraq.  The Globe described the agreement as a major policy shift and sign of progress.

[Link]

I normally would chalk this one up to media schitzophrenia, but it seems to me the disparate accounts reflect the ambiguous nature of the agreement.  Put simply the results are mixed.  Consider the following:

In a conference call with reporters yesterday in Washington, Crocker acknowledged that attacks by Iranian-sponsored militia groups had increased, not declined, but he said that US officials opted to join the trilateral working group on security to test Iran's intentions.

[Link]

While, the agreement between America and Iran does send a big message by way of international diplomacy, Crocker's admission makes the progress seem a bit muted.  Even if the rationale is to test Iranian intent, American willingness to acquiesce to Iran's proposal sends mixed signals at best.  This is especially the case given the Administration's previously firm policy of not negotiating with terrorists or the states which sponsor them.

I think the bottom line is that in some ways both accounts of the story are accurate.  It does mark a shift in course for American-Iranian relations but it doesn't mean of progress is imminent.  In fact, the move could easily be interpreted as a retreat by the Administration. 

Native American Tribe Becomes Energy Giant

Okay.  So, perhaps the Southern Ute tribe isn't quite a 'giant' in the energy sector- at least when compared with some of the more traditional business stalwarts in the sector. 

But by controlling some 1% of the Nation's natural gas supply, the tribe is at least a formidable player.

It's rare that Native Americans ever grace the headlines of America's largest daily newspapers let alone the headlines of the business section.  After all, recent economic ventures for most tribes seldom deviate from the casino/bingo hall enterprises made popular in the 90s.  But in my view today's New York Times features one of the more encouraging examples of economic development from Indian Country that I have seen in recent years.  

[Link]

Apparently, after years of litigation over tribal resource rights, the Southern Utes tribe managed to secure its rights to one of the richest natural gas basins in North America.  In turn, the tribe has leveraged its assets to form an energy company which is now worth around 4 Billion dollars.   Not bad for a tribe of no more than 1400 people.  The maneuver certainly hasn't been without its challenges.  But the change in fortune for members and leaders alike couldn't be more pronounced:

As a modern tribal leader, Mr. Frost wears many hats. One morning, he attended a retreat to make decisions about investing millions more of the tribe's funds in new ventures aimed at preserving wealth for future generations long after the last well is pumped dry. As evening approached he delivered the welcoming talk at a powwow. The next day he branded calves and bulls on his 158-acre ranch.

From his office window he used to look at double-wide trailers. Now he sees a plush $9.4 million recreation and community center built in 2000; a new elementary school; and a three-story, curved-glass building erected in 2005 that houses the tribe's business umbrella. Just up the road is a large construction site where a 150-room casino and conference center is going up to replace the existing 35-room gambling hall.

It's true the case is only isolated.  But the Southern Utes' business model demonstrates to other tribes that they too can find more sustainable sources of revenue than casinos and federal aid.  As I have long argued on the ramparts of this blog, the only requisite for success is the courage to take bold new steps and a willingness to seize upon the latest iteration of American innovation and creativity. 

How fitting that a tribe of nomadic bands would unite to form one of the strongest energy companies in the west.  

Edwards RFK Immitation Tanks

Newsweek posed the question "Is John Edwards the next Robert Kennedy?"  

Their conclusion?  Not so much.

[Link]

This is due to many factors.  

 

For starters, RFK would never spend $400 on a haircut before turning around to give a speech on poverty (insert splitting hair joke here).

But the main reason this is not the case is because most Americans reject the big government solutions Edwards proposes.  

 

By a 2:1 margin, most Americans believe that success comes as the result of personal hard work- not as the result of a government handout.  In brief, the message of RFK may have resonated during the radical 60s but it no longer resonates after the Age of Reagan.

[Link]

Boston: Second Best Tap Water in America

At least that's what MSNBC says.

[Link]

As a loyal Red Sox fan, I don't buy it.



Dirty Water
The Standells

(Spoken:)
I'm gonna tell you a story
I'm gonna tell you about my town
I'm gonna tell you a big bad story, baby
Aww, it's all about my town

Yeah, down by the river
Down by the banks of the river Charles (aw, that's what's happenin' baby)
That's where you'll find me
Along with lovers, fuggers, and thieves (aw, but they're cool people)

Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, you're the Number One place)

Frustrated women (I mean they're frustrated)
Have to be in by twelve o'clock (oh, that's a shame)
But I'm wishin' and a-hopin, oh
That just once those doors weren't locked (I like to save time for
my baby to walk around)

Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, yeah)

'Cause I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, yeah)

Well, I love that dirty water (I love it, baby)
I love that dirty water (I love Baw-stun)
I love that dirty water (Have you heard about the Strangler?)
I love that dirty water (I'm the man, I'm the man)
I love that dirty water (Owww!)
I love that dirty water (Come on, come on)

Priorities?

Democrat Senator from West Virginia Robert Byrd (former Ku Klux Klansman and filibuster leader of the 1964 Civil Rights Act) left the safe, insular confines of his Senate Office for the Senate floor today to speak on an issue of paramount importance to the American people.

On the issue, the Senator cried, "SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! How inhuman! How dastardly!" before concluding, "Barbaric. Barbaric! May god help those poor souls. Hear me."

Was the Senator talking about the barbarity of insurgents in Iraq? No. Perhaps he was talking about the inhumanity of killing millions of children by abortion each year? No. Was the Senator talking about the shameful stunt put on by his party's night long Iraq vote this past week? No.

Senator Robert C. Byrd was leading the charge against dog fighting.

Dems Cut and Run Effort Fails

Oddly enough, it was a Washington Post comparison of Democrats to twenty-something silicon valley workers that best summarized the Dems latest effort to raise the white flag in Iraq:

"It [sleeping on cots] said , 'Look how dedicated we are,' " Calloway says. "It told their backers, 'We are willing to stay here all night in order to get things done.' It was a badge of honor for these guys. It didn't matter that they weren't selling anything."

[Link]

Bottom line: Democrats really weren't selling anything more than a political stunt.

[Link]

It Could Always Be Worse

You know, whatever the situation, it could always be worse.
 

[Link]

Elizabeth Edwards v. Hillary Clinton

Salon.com was quick to report on the newly minted cat fight between Elizabeth Edwards and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

[Link]

Unlike their last tango, Edwards did not lay claim to being more joyful than Clinton. This time she simply asserted that her husband was a better advocate for women. Given his expensively coiffed hair, I can't say I disagree.

Ah well. I suppose it isn't very interesting given Edwards poll numbers but at least this cat fight isn't polydactyl.

Democrats Compare Bush to Hitler

This clip typifies exactly what's wrong with the Democrat Party.

Sports Clichés and Government

I'm not normally one inclined to lampoon my President but the AP article below on the Administration's use of sports metaphors to describe policy is too priceless to pass up. It points out too well the antithesis of a clevar turn of phrase.

While the sports metaphors themselves were pretty funny, the best descriptions were the flubbed metaphors, including one from the U.S. nuclear negotiator in North Korea Christopher Hill:

"For those people who are not Americans, you won't understand this metaphor," he cautioned reporters. "But it's always like 3 yards, 3 yards, 3 yards. And then it's always 4th and 1, and you make a first down and do 3 more yards."

[Link]

I'm not sure Americans understand Hill's metaphor. But in contrast, most of the metaphors mentioned are easily transferrable. Some personal favorites- taking a meeting "off-line" and "shooting" someone an E-mail (Seriously, if you're sitting down with colleagues the meeting was never "on-line" to begin with and although one might like to "shoot" a slow computer the same can hardly be said for E-mail- unless you still use Hotmail).

At any rate, maybe it's time for white collar America to consider more descriptive ways of communicating? I would suggest we can take this cue from the AP- funny description no cliché.

Rocket Scientists, Eh?

This may make you think twice about NASA.

[Link]

Song of the Week: That's What I Love About Sunday

Perhaps it's typical of warm days to wax nostalgic over summers past? Whatever the reason, of late whenever I hear Craig Morgan's That's What I Love About Sunday, it reminds me of the lazy summer days of my youth spent back in Oklahoma.

The music is written in a high, minor key with E and A minor chords featured prominently throughout. This point notwithstanding, the song itself is more introspective than it is sad as the chorus picks up with a rich mix of full major chords before the its conclusion. Instruments tend to be acoustic guitar supported by fiddle and percussion. Fairly typical of country music.

While the music is good, it really is Morgan's voice which carries the song and drives its story. The lyrics themselves present the tale of a simple family enjoying their Sunday, tracing the day from a morning church service to Sunday lunch afterward before ending with an evening stroll. While it's certainly an arguable point, in the opinion of yours truly, the song pretty much sums up the perfect day.

Sometimes the best of life really is the simple.

In all, the song offers an experience enjoyed widely back in Walters and one I hope to enjoy again someday soon. For now, life is humidity and bustle but Morgan's tune is a nice respite even in the midst of a crowd. The song's official music video is presented below for your listening and viewing pleasure. Lyrics follow after the jump.



That's What I Love About Sunday

Raymond's in his Sunday best,
He's usually up to his chest in oil an' grease.
There's the Martin's walkin' in,
With that mean little freckle-faced kid,
Who broke a window last week.
Sweet Miss Betty likes to sing off key in the pew behind me.

That's what I love about Sunday:
Sing along as the choir sways;
Every verse of Amazin' Grace,
An' then we shake the Preacher's hand.
Go home, into your blue jeans;
Have some chicken an' some baked beans.
Pick a back yard football team,
Not do much of anything:
That's what I love about Sunday.

I stroll to the end of the drive,
Pick up the Sunday Times, grab my coffee cup.
It looks like Sally an' Ron, finally tied the knot,
Well, it's about time.
It's 35 cents off a ground round,
Baby. cut that coupon out!

That's what I love about Sunday:
Cat-napping on the porch swing;
You curled up next to me,
The smell of jasmine wakes us up.
Take a walk down a back road,
Tackle box and a cane pole;
Carve our names in that white oak,
An' steal a kiss as the sun fades,
That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah.

Ooh, new believers gettin' baptized,
Momma's hands raised up high,
Havin' a Hallelujah good time
A smile on everybody's face.
That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah.

That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah.

Mike Huckabee in NYT

For those following the Huckabee campaign, the New York Times featured Huckabee prominently in an article outlining the voting predilections of so-called Evangelical Christians.

The article is a bit condescending towards people of faith but it does a good job of laying out the conventional wisdom of Christian Conservative apprehensions with the top three GOP candidates and the perceived tradeoff of political ideology and electability.

[Link]

While the publicity is good and welcomed for Huckabee who is on a months-long jaunt to raise his National profile, it occurs to me that the article is little more than pretense.  

The underlying premise of the story is that social conservatives are unelectable.  While this may be blindly accepted in the New York Times newsroom and flung about in news stories, history bears out a different picture: every Republican President since Eisenhower has been on record for espousing socially conservative values.  In fact, not only are social conservatives electable, their identity with this constituency is a large part of their path toward winning the Presidency.  Given this, the alleged trade-off between candidates who share Evangelical values and candidates who are electable is a non-starter.  The two are not mutually exclusive.  

A better analysis of the political clime is that, absent a clear front-runner, there exists within the GOP a genuine indecision about whom the Republican nominee should be.  As a result, primary-goers are disinclined to support anyone this early in the process.  

In terms of the GOP race, I think the article demonstrates one of team Huckabee's pitfalls.  The press has too long succeeded in defining Mike Huckabee rather than Mike Huckabee effectively defining himself.  In order to gain broader appeal, he must take the initiative and talk about a few key issues which will resonate with voters and underscore those points repeatedly.  In my view, it has already been well established that Huckabee is a man of Faith.  This explains why he consistently does well among focus groups in Iowa and elsewhere.  But to gain traction he must talk about concrete policy solutions with the same eloquence and vision he uses to talk about Faith.  This shouldn't prove too difficult- he's written a book with twelve such solutions already. 

 

In short, it's time to stop talking about evolution and time to start talking about the Huckabee agenda.

Run Cindy, Run

I'm not sure how I missed this yesterday but the AP is reporting that Cindy Sheehan of radical, anti-war left acclaim has threatened to run against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her San Fransisco district (the fact that Sheehan resides outside CA's 8th district not withstanding).

 

[Link]

 

Sheehan has said her run would unfurl only if the Speaker refuses to introduce impeachment articles against President Bush by July 23. 

 

 

Independence Day Lessons from Al Qaeda

It could well have said, 'Happy Independence Day from Al Qaeda.' Perhaps that wasn't exactly Ayman al-Zawahiri's message but Al Qaeda's latest video seemed less like one with teeth and more like one from an Al Qaeda organization certain to condemn the freedoms for which our Nation has stood these many years.

[Link]

The video released by the terrorist organization today offered a couple of interesting points for Americans to consider amid the many BBQs and fireworks displays seen tonight as Al-Zawahiri noted an important reality of the terrorists' view of the Middle East:

"We say to you, now that you are in control of Gaza, you should remember two things: One is that being in power is not a goal in itself, but the goal is, rather, to implement the rule of Allah."

First, it is critical for Americans to remember that our adversaries view their struggle against freedom as a long, protracted war. Their reason for war is clear: to restrict liberty and impose the 'rule of Allah' upon free people- particularly in the Middle East.

Second, on this Independence Day 2007, it's equally important for Americans to consider that these sorts of challenges to our way of life are little more than the most recent iterations of free people struggling to be free.

From our initial break with tyrants in 1776, to struggles amongst ourselves in the Mid-19th century, to our battles with fascism and communism in the 20th century, terrorism too will see an end to its day even as the many other ideologies and tired systems of servitude too have fallen before it.

America remains America because we are much more than a government or an economic system or any other trite synopsis given us by our adversaries. We Americans are the product of free people choosing to be free even in the face of death itself.

Believe no lies. America is not the problem for the world's ills and evils. In fact, if we remain vigilant, we may well be the solution as we have been many times before.

Mystery of the Missing Lake Solved

A few days ago we brought you the case of the missing lake. Today the experts down in Chile solved the mystery:

It was stolen by global warming.

[Link]

What will that rascal steal next?

Song of the Week: The Star Spangled Banner

As you can tell from the header above, the anniversary of our Nation's Independence is nearly upon us.

Accordingly, the Pax Plena song of the week is none other than our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. Normally, I would write a longer post analyzing the song and musical styles but in this instance, I can do very little to add to the powerful words of our Nation's sacred hymn. Please enjoy this rendition of the Star Spangled Banner as performed by the Charlie Daniels Band. Full lyrics follow after the jump.



The Star Spangled Banner

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

CNN: Washington Responds to Libby Commutation?

CNN's lead post on Scooter Libby's commutation as taken from its 'Political Ticker' blog was titled Washington Responds.

Oddly enough, CNN didn't bother to quote anyone but Democrats. I thought there were two parties in Washington...

Misleading? You decide.

[Link]

Update: For the record, if President Clinton can pardon drug dealers, bank robbers and draft dodgers, then President Bush did the right thing in commuting the sentence of man who was convicted due to political witch hunt.

The Intellect of Terrorists

I wanted to wait a few days before offering any thoughts at all on the weekend's UK terror plot.  The hope was that new information would shed light on the situation and allow for one to make sense of the situation with an informed eye.  Unfortunately, waiting seems to have yielded scant return on investment as MI6 and Scotland Yard hold forthcoming information close to the vest.  Although, this makes it inconvenient for the sake of punditry, it actually makes a lot of sense as national and local officials wade through the evidence and round up conspirators.  Better to keep 'em guessing.  

Unsurprisingly, not every talking-head was so reserved as yours truly.  In fact, the National Review's Michael Leeden opined at length on the matter with the following observations:

Did you really expect high-I.Q. martyrs? Maybe clever killers, but somebody should have pointed out — long since — that it isn't very smart to blow yourself up. And for the most part, the martyrs haven't come from the best-educated sectors of the population...Indeed one should go further: All those parents and siblings who speak with reverence of their exploded child or brother or sister or cousin or uncle, they should be ashamed of themselves. Because they're fools.

[Link]

Leeden's point is certainly well-intentioned.  His piece isn't about providing dispassionate analysis of the situation so much as it is about about coming to verbal fisticuffs with the terrorists.  Therefore, in the world of Michael Leeden, any terrorists must by definition be both uneducated and stupid to embark upon such a silly crusade as the blowing up of one's self.

Unfortunately, while this view makes Leeden the consummate patriot, it also makes him utterly wrong.  In fact, the UK daily papers are all reporting that not only were the terrorists smart, they were actually quite brilliant. One a neurologist in fact.  

[Link]

Leeden's disconnect prompts a few points of order for Americans to consider.  

First, the smoke of Glasgow Airport reminds us that the terrorists are deliberate conniving and intelligent.  They apprehend exactly what their objective is and they execute their mission/s with an impassive zeal for the destruction our Western values.  Even if the terrorists were not renown neurologists, we should still consider them every bit the capable foe they are.  The casualty rate in Iraq is a testament to their prowess.  Our 3000+ troops in Iraq have not died at the hand of foolish caprice.  They have been killed at the hand of an enemy who is systematically committed to our destruction.  

Second, to call the terrorists stupid is to misapprehend the threat they pose to our culture and to underestimate the cold calculus with which they intend to strike us again.  Our enemies loathe our freedom to live as we wish.  They scorn our latent will to live contrary to the tenants of a perverse Islam; and they have lain clear plans to undermine our ideals and way of life.  The threat they pose is too serious to dismiss with the mantel of stupidity.    

In sum, we can call the terrorists many things.  Merciless, cruel, and evil come to mind.  All would be appropriate modifiers.  But if we call them stupid, we do so at our peril.  

 

Fools they are not.

Dems Play the Blame Game

With the Dems hitherto prevented from enacting a radical, far-left agenda, you had to wonder how long it would take Harry Reid and the Democrats to start blaming Republicans for their legislative impotence.

The short answer is not very long.

[Link]

Sunday Morning Email and Rome

Happy July, dear friends. Blogging has been slow of late. Unfortunately for no good reason. Of course, this is not to imply that there is ever a good reason not to blog.

For now, I did want to pass along a couple of articles of note this morning. They tend to be of lighter fare. Given the recent terror attacks in the UK I thought something a bit less intense might be appropriate this morning- although I do have a couple of thoughts to pass along on those as well at some point.

Even so, first up, Nora Ephron's piece in the Sunday NYT. Ephron weighs in on the six stages of Email which are well on point and hilarious- per usual. She sums up Email pretty well in her brief column and points out how silly the whole system is.

[Link]

For anyone who has ever worked in an office, I think stage two is an especially useful reference. Email isn't so much time-saving way to correspond as it is a way to communicate without having to interact. At any Rate, you should find her article to be a fun quick read.

The second item I submit for your review is Adam Goodheart's diatribe comparing the United States to Rome. For the record, although the substance of Goodheart's essay leaves something to be desired (Goodheart actually makes the case that liberals, conservatives, radical Muslims and Christians all agree that America is the new Rome) the piece isn't a terribly written. I would even venture to say that it is amusing- in an angst-filled, Classics major sort of way.

Then again that could just be the imperialist in me coming out.

[Link]