Does This Make You HAPPY?

Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R. Michigan) has introduced a bill that would allow a tax deduction of up to $3500 for - ready? - pet care. (Note that you're still on the hook for your own care, or your kids'.) It's called the HAPPY act, Humanity and Pets Partnered through the Years.

The rationale is that pets improve their humans' health by reducing stress and improving mood, especially useful in bad times like these. And sometimes they certainly do. It is comforting to cuddle a furball when you're feeling down. Gotta give 'em that. Other times, though, they're shredding your furniture or depositing any of a wide variety of messy presents on the carpet. In my experience, the effect on stress is kind of a wash.

Still, we really do love our fur children. It is a tragedy that so many unemployed workers are having to give up their animals to shelters. I would be devastated to abandon our beloved Gatsby here, but I can certainly understand the financial pressure. We've spent hundreds in vet bills this year alone, thousands over his lifetime, and now the guy needs a special diet that I suspect is made of ground-up gold.

The bill might enable more of us to keep our pets. That would definitely be a win for us, our companion creatures, our overcrowded shelters, and the pet care industry.

But really, here's the thing: We are bankrupt. America is so far in debt that we will never, ever get out and we are still hemorrhaging money. The Treasury is collecting less and less from our paychecks, and more and more from selling IOUs to other countries. Is now the time for new tax deductions for pet care?

I'm not so sure.

Company's Coming. Again.

Obama's back in town. For the fifth time in 15 months. And as much as I love the guy, I gotta say it: WTF?

Nobody really knows what he's coming for, other than to "talk about the economy."
Newsflash: It still sucks.

Maybe he just wants to let us know he's still working on it. That's nice, but is it worth the cost of flying in the whole White House dog and pony show?

If he just wants to touch base, then Dude. Send a postcard.

*Update August 5, 2009: The trip was to announce a stimulus grant of $2.4B for building components for hybrid cars. That's to be split between 25 states. It's an honorable endeavor and a step in the right direction, though it is unclear how much it will help northern Indiana, where the unemployment rate is brushing up against 20 percent. Every little bit helps. But again ... a special broadcast to a big-screen TV would have done just as well and would have cost us all a whole heckuva lot less.

Bye Bye, Birdies

Talk about letting the foxes guard the hen house.

As a parting shot at the planet, the Bushies have a proposal in the works to allow any federal agency with a project idea to decide for itself whether that project will have any impact on the environment.

The Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service currently must assure that such projects do not adversely affect wild species or their habitats. Under the new rules, the experts would no longer have any say in the matter.

The Audubon Society is doing its best to spread the word and kill the proposal. You can help by contacting your representatives and by sending your comments here.

I suggest, though, that you write your own letter rather than sending a form. That has a much greater impact. Here's a link to find your congressman.

October 15 is the deadline for public comment. Please do your part ASAP to block this crippling blow to the Environmental Protection Act.

Obama Arrives in South Bend IN

Senator Obama's in town, and speculation is that he's here to tap Indiana's own Evan Bayh as his vice presidential nominee. I was hoping it would be Hillary. Actually, I was hoping she'd be the Democratic candidate, but you take what you can get.

Some wag commented that if Hillary were his vice president, Obama would have to hire a food taster. There's probably a grain of truth in that. Still, as much as I like the guy, and as thrilled as I'd be to have someone intelligent and charismatic to represent the country, I'm not sure he's experienced enough to be president. I'd feel better if he had Clinton for backup.

Whoever the VP is, I'll vote for Obama. The important thing to me right now is that it's not another Republican. I've had more than enough of this crew--and I'm a registered Republican myself.

At any rate, the whole town's talking, and tickets were sold out in no time. You can follow the local news here at WSBT TV's website. Stay tuned.

*Update 8-06-08 6:52 PM. As everyone no doubt knows by now, Obama did not announce his pick for vp today in Elkhart. From all accounts, the speack was pretty much run of the mill. Here's a link to the local coverage: WSBT TV.

Land of the Free

Happy Independence Day! What better time is there to revisit the underpinnings of our freedom: The Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and its first ten amendments, A.K.A The Bill of Rights.

It behooves us all to read these over once in a while. After all, they're what all the flag waving is about.

The Bill of Rights: A Transcription

The Preamble to The Bill of Rights

Congress of the United States
begun and held at the City of New-York, on
Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.

THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.

ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.

Note: The following text is a transcription of the first ten amendments to the Constitution in their original form. These amendments were ratified December 15, 1791, and form what is known as the "Bill of Rights."
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Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
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Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
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Amendment III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
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Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
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Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
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Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
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Amendment VII

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
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Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
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Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
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Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Amendments 11-27
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Note: The capitalization and punctuation in this version is from the enrolled original of the Joint Resolution of Congress proposing the Bill of Rights, which is on permanent display in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.

Page URL: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html
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U.S. National Archives & Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001, • 1-86-NARA-NARA • 1-866-272-6272

Links to the Rest
* The Declaration of Independence
* The Constitution of the United States

Blinded by the light

"If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars." -- Energystar.gov

It's hard to argue with a stat like that. But I'm going to give it go, because I really, really hate these things.

My first close encounter with compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, came when Hubby put them into the recessed lighting in the downstairs hall. Said Hubby screwed them in and went about his merry way without a word of warning. One by one, the rest of us discovered his nasty little surprise, and the reaction was a unanimous "WTF?!". The shivering, blueish light would have been perfect for an interrogation room, or maybe a horror flick subway scene. The bulbs were promptly relocated to the laundry room, where they could do their bit for the planet without turning our first floor passageway into the Hallway from Hell.

Undaunted, Hubby moved on to the basement stairwell, installing a naked spiral in the ceiling fixture there. When we open that door, the thing hits us right in the eyes. It's like taking an ice pick to the brain. When the door is closed, the weird light spills out under and around it, looking for all the world like Carol Anne's closet from the movie Poltergeist. Which is appropriate because, like those other horrors, "They're heeeeere."

In the name of environmentalism a number of countries, the USA included, are working to completely phase out the incandescent bulb. Energy saving bulbs are already becoming mandatory in some areas. CFLs do use considerably less energy to produce the same amount of light. Reduced energy generation, particularly from coal-fired plants, saves massive amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants from entering the atmosphere. This is obviously a very good thing.

However, CFLs present serious health and environmental problems of their own that have not been adequately addressed:

Mercury. Proponents of CFLs say the amount of the neurotoxin in a CFL is tiny, and that it is not an issue if the bulb is not broken. Indeed, some experts say you'd have to break several at once to release enough to do harm.

So why did an EPA test of this child's bedroom, where a single bulb was broken, indicate mercury levels well above safe levels? The homeowner was left with a $2000 bill for haz-mat cleanup that she couldn't pay, resulting in the room being sealed off from the rest of the house.

It may be that the government agencies' response in that incident was an extreme overreaction. Or maybe not. The EPA's own instructions for cleaning up after a broken CFL are as follows:

1. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.

2. Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag.

Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands). Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag.

Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

3. Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag.

Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and put it in the outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal.
Note: Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center.

Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.

If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet:

4. First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.

If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.

These instructions are not on the packaging. How many people would ignore them, even if they were there? And how much damage will be done to children by mercury vapors from incomplete cleanups?

Even if they don't break, the CFL presents a dilemma for disposal. Tossed in a landfill, the mercury can get into the air, soil and ground water. Special recycling facilities are required to handle them safely -- facilities that do not exist yet in many areas. My research turned up only one facility near us, but according to its website it accepts only commercial waste and may charge a fee for taking fluorescents. Not that it matters, as its phone has been disconnected. Won't most people just toss them in the trash?

Now, here's the kicker: 80 percent of CFLs are made in China, where environmental controls are virtually nonexistent. How much mercury will be released during the manufacture of literally billions of these bulbs?

Health Issues. In the UK, where the conversion to CFLs is well underway, and where all incandescents will be off the shelves by 2011, doctors are reporting that for many patients CFLs cause migraines, epileptic seizures, and nausea. Patients with lupus, eczema, and those who are photosensitive experience painful reactions and worsening rashes when exposed to CFLs.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we do away with energy saving light bulbs. Far from it. What I am saying is that we should not allow ourselves to be railroaded into believing they are a risk-free, necessary, or perfect alternative to traditional incandescents. What I am saying is that we need to preserve the right to choose.

moar funny pictures

The Surgeon General, apparently with nothing really pressing to do last week, declared war on Santa Claus. He announced that it was critical for role models to present a good example, which Santa, it seems, does not. Because he is fat. Santa needs to slim down. Or else.

OK. First of all, if Santa Claus is a "role model," then so is the Easter Bunny. Therefore, the Easter Bunny should immediately stop wearing fur.

Santa is a "right jolly old elf" with "a round little belly" that "shakes when he laughs like a bowl full of jelly." It's part of who he is. Santa is a symbol of taking joy in plenty and pleasure, and of selfless love for others. You could do a lot worse for a role model.

And I'll tell you what's critical for the welfare of today's kids: The children's health care plan Bush vetoed, that was critical. Keeping lead soaked toys out of their nurseries, that was critical. Paying parents a living wage so they can be home more with their kids, that was critical. Where was the Surgeon General on all that?

They say Santa has changed before, and should again. True, he has. He used to bring switches and coal to those who deserved it. I can think of at least one fellow who should get a sledfull of both.

Waging war: Blackwater

Call me naive. Clueless, even.

Whenever I heard the words "government contractors in Iraq," I pictured American civilian engineers working on water lines; bridge designers; city planners. Turns out, they're mercenaries -- soldiers for hire in privately owned, parallel armies that are operated for profit and funded by your tax dollars. The biggest of them is Blackwater.

Bill Moyers Journal guest this week is Jeremy Scahill, independent journalist and author of the new book, Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army. It's an eye-opening interview, and the link to the transcript is below. I highly recommend that you read it, or access the video from Bill Moyers Journal site.

Here are my own take-away items from the show:

So this is why there is no draft yet.

From my point of view, this is the good news. I have two draft-age sons, and my greatest fear when George Bush was reelected was that he would take my kids. We had a rapidly deteriorating and chaotic war; recruiters could could not meet their quotas; the National Guard was being deployed overseas; active duty soldiers were subjected to prolonged service and multiple deployments. At the same time, benefits for veterans were being cut. To me, that spelled an imminent draft. But only now are we hearing the first rumblings for "universal service."

Critics say that because there is no draft and the casualties among the contractors are not counted, the true cost of the war can be hidden from the public. I'm sure that's true, but when it comes to this, I am completely and unrepentantly selfish. God bless and protect the troops who have chosen to serve. But if hiring mercenaries in Iraq can keep more of our sons out of there, so be it.

Blackwater looks a lot like a kickback machine.

Branches of the military cannot contribute to political campaigns. People who own military contracting companies can. So who's first in line when the dollars are doled out? And exactly how much of the public money that politicians funnel to the contractors comes back as campaign contributions? I find those to be interesting questions.

The booty goes to whichever party holds the purse strings. The family behind Blackwater is staunchly Republican and right-wing, and makes heavy contributions to the party and its candidates. All nice and legal, of course, as politicians do make the laws. But it smells to high heaven.

Plus, contractors are employers of choice for ex-intelligence types and former office holders.

Add to it that Blackwater is usually the company providing security for our diplomats and politicians in really dangerous places, and you could see why few of our esteemed leaders would be enthused about launching any kind of investigation.

This can't be good for morale.

Payments to Blackwater per contractor are many times the pay of an enlisted service member. Blackwater's equipment and support is state of the art; troops' parents are running bake sales back home to buy the guys some body armor.

Worse, troops told Scahill that Iraqi civilians do not make a distinction between the army and private contractors. So, when contractors -- who are not accountable as the army is -- commit crimes or mayhem, it is often the enlisted troops who bear the casualties in retaliation attacks.

My, but that slope looks slippery.

In war, it seems, there are only bad choices and worse choices.

It appears that Blackwater and its brethren provide a needed service. In fact, according to military sources, there is no way America could sustain its effort in the Middle East without them. They seem to be the go-to guys for everything from staunching drug traffic in South America, to mob control in disasters like New Orleans, to corporate security off shore.

But here's the thing: If we privatize our military, and if that private army owns the government who pays it to operate, how much control do we as a nation have over our own war machine?

Links
* Transcript, Interview with Jeremy Scahill. Bill Moyers Journal, October 19 2007
* Jeremy Scahill on Blackwater
* Blackwater's Beginnings
* Blackwater: Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army. Amazon.com

Farewell, Lady Bird

“My heart found its home long ago in the beauty, mystery, order and disorder of the flowering earth.” -- Lady Bird Johnson

The world lost a real lady this week with the passing of Lady Bird Johnson. She was an effective voice in environmental causes, a beloved wife and mother, and by all accounts a perennially kind and gracious soul.

As first lady, she chose highway beautification as her pet project. At the time, with so many dire and desperate issues at hand, that seemed frivolous and silly.

Today we still have the same dire and desperate issues. Nothing she could have done would have changed that. But across the nation, vast Persian carpets of wildflowers bloom, and the heart lifts and sings at the sight. Turns out, Lady Bird was right:

“Some may wonder why I chose wildflowers when there are hunger and unemployment and the big bomb in the world. Well, I, for one, think we will survive, and I hope that along the way we can keep alive our experience with the flowering earth. For the bounty of nature is also one of the deep needs of man.”

* Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
* Lady Bird Johnson: Final Tribute

IM IN UR PRINTER READIN UR STUFF

Ready for a heavy case of the heebie jeebies, boys and girls?

According to this article found on BoingBoing, Seeing Yellow, there is a secret code embedded in your color printer that allows the Feds and the printer manufacturers to track copies back to you.


Why, whether, and how they're using it remains a mystery. The presumption is that it's an anti-counterfeiting measure, but -- assuming the story is true -- the threat to anonymous free speech is clear.

It gets better: If you contact your printer manufacturer about turning off the code, the Secret Service pays you a little visit to see what you have to hide. Your tax dollars at work.

The article calls for everyone to contact our printer manufacturers and demand the removal of the tracking system, on the theory that there aren't enough agents to attack all of us. That has Bad Idea written all over it. Alternatively, if you want to print something private it looks like black and white, dot matrix printers are still safe. As far as we know. Maybe.

American dilemma

It's hard to be a liberal these days.

Crack open my flower child heart and you'd see that corny old 70's commercial, people of all nations holding hands and singing. "I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony. I'd like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company."

The problem is, some of the lovely folk in that circle are now wearing bomb belts and want the rest of us dead.

It is horrifying that my government is detaining and torturing people at Guantanamo and, worse, in secret facilities around the world, denying them any semblance of due process. But ... do I really want those people released, to go about their business unimpeded? I can't honestly say that I do.

Any true American should be willing to put his own body between his neighbor and a lynch mob. But ... should we be expected to silently and passively board a plane with neighbors who are muttering curses against America and behaving in ways consistent with membership in the potential-bomber club? I don't think so.

In today's news, we find that the six imams who were removed from a United Airways flight last year are now trying to sue the passengers who reported them as suspicious. From the imams' point of view, they were being discriminated against because of their religion. This is probably true. We would not have responded in the same way to the same behavior from another religious group. But then, we don't generally find, say, Buddhists chanting Death to America every night on TV.

Should the imams have been removed, given what the passengers saw? Yes. Should they have been reboarded when found to be harmless? Yes. Should they have the right to sue, if their civil rights were violated? Absolutely. Should they win the suit against the passengers? Hell no.

The threat to our freedoms and civil liberties is very real. But so is the threat to our lives. As I said, it's hard to be a liberal these days.

Peaceful easy feeling

Ahhhhhh. Isn't this nice?

Elections are over. The attack ads are gone. It's safe to turn on the TV again. Catch up on the news, watch a show or two, just enjoy the background sound while puttering around the house. Banality is bliss.

I suppose they serve a useful purpose, those little stink bombs of the airwaves. They do remind us that our choice is between Rat Bastard A and Rat Bastard B. Best to keep that in mind, lest we delude ourselves that either party is to be trusted.

Why do we need parties, anyway? The allegiance of our congressmen is clearly to their party and to the party's sources of revenue. Job One is not the business of the people, but the business of gaining and hanging onto partisan power.

Yesterday's results notwithstanding, the Republicans are just better at that than the Democrats. Why? They're meaner. Ruthless. Their leader demands unquestioning obedience. They're better organized. The Democrats, on the other hand, can't even come up with an elevator speech. It's Big Brother vs. The Keystone Kops.

Which is why, in my opinion, neither party should ever have control of all three branches of government. And now, they don't.

Ahhhhhhhh.

Politicians Sweep Midterm Elections

Election day

Well, I did it.

I, a life-long registered Republican, walked into my polling place and voted a straight Democratic ticket. Because I ... HAVE ... HAD IT with the whole Bush administration and the horses they rode in on.

So there.

A pox on all your houses

Check it out: Ontario looks to limit speech after curse placed on city official

Here we have 1. A Christian minister who feels entitled to public money for his religious group, AND 2. puts a curse on the city manager who won't give it to him, AND 3. the city council now looking for ways to thwart free speech at its meetings.

Sometimes I can't even decide where to begin.