tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111249592011-04-22T00:17:24.272-05:00Welcome to the Tannish Institute of Omphaloskepsis! Pull up a gomden and relax. The Koan I'll give you is this: "What's so funny about Peace, Love and Understanding?"Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.comBlogger3631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1150545397292153112006-06-17T06:56:00.000-05:002006-06-17T06:56:37.300-05:00

The move has been made, the road full of potholes. Likely it's take time to smooth out the path to the new homestead. But I expect this to be the last Blogger post. Despite the recurring down-times, Blogger is a decent tool for the neophyte. I recommend it, still. My new Address, for my three readers: http://tannish.net. Please update your bookmarks. I might change the name and/or the focus of

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1150240831611493762006-06-13T18:20:00.000-05:002006-06-13T18:22:00.596-05:00

I feel a breeze in the blogosphere. Perhaps its a natural progression of an Internet addict to advance from the free services toward the more robust control and flexibility of a web host. I've resisted the change for years (the Tannish Page, started when GeoCities was its own company, has been around the block a time or two.) It started yesterday evening with a conversation with my teenage

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1150141804594820232006-06-12T14:27:00.000-05:002006-06-12T14:50:04.620-05:00

Isn't is creepy when you get a spam email with your full name in the header? Who else knows about you? That thought alone would keep some awake at night. I also receive email with my address writ in bold face in the header. Somehow, that troubles me more.We live in an increasingly transparent society. Wiretaps are passe, snoops now use computer to parse vast amount of voice transmissions,

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149900891568929682006-06-09T19:54:00.000-05:002006-06-09T20:00:16.403-05:00

As a modern American Buddhist, I sometimes feel pulled in two directions. While I practice the path, and study the sutras and the contemporary work of the likes of Thich Nhat Hahn, Pema Chodrön, and the Dalai Lama, I understand how humanity is fundamentally good. Underneath all the chaos and confusion, people want to love and be loved, to help one another and be nurturing. This week’s word of

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149810566419215902006-06-08T18:49:00.000-05:002006-06-08T18:49:26.430-05:00

Mornings are the times my brain likes to wander. During this morning’s commute I ponder generational monikers and the insufficiency of both of the Big Ones to adequately describe people like myself. The term Baby Boomers refers to the post WWII generation, and is sometimes extended to those born up to 1964. Generation X originally referred to those born in the ‘60’s through the ‘80’s, although

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149727831259558742006-06-07T19:49:00.000-05:002006-06-07T19:50:31.280-05:00

“You’re stupid. You want to know why? It’s because you don’t agree with my point of view. Do you want to hear my side? No? Well that just proves how stupid you are. Did you know the definition of idiot is a person uninterested in politics? My definition of moron is anyone who can’t see what needs doing in this country. I can’t believe you think like that! You and the Mainstream Media – you guys

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149597198387110772006-06-06T07:27:00.000-05:002006-06-06T07:33:18.416-05:00

I awoke this morning to a harsh reality: the world hasn't ended yet. While my mind has been embroiled all week in the ramifications of a major change in the office, the outside world limps on as usual. To some degree I am disappointed. This morning would have been a good time for closure, as I lay amongst my sleeping family. Who could not wish to be with loved ones at the End of All Things? Alas,

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149542760469677042006-06-05T16:26:00.000-05:002006-06-05T16:26:00.496-05:00

…Brown People are the enemy… All Muslims are terrorists… Buy more guns… I hear the will of Jesus… Defend our borders before the dark people destroy America… White Christians must defend themselves… AIDS is God’s retribution against Gays and Africans…. War is good… Iran has Weapons of Mass Destruction… Oil is our birthright…So sorry: I can’t get this foil helmet off. These damn things are supposed

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149541557100585052006-06-05T15:59:00.000-05:002006-06-05T16:07:17.033-05:00

Where sits the Media, really?I can’t count the many times the MSM gets bashed by all concerned parties. The Right has innumerable knee-jerk allusions of how far left the media is. Lately, the progressives – we dare not associate with the term “liberal” – are singing in counterpoint how the same media is in the pockets of the Repulsives… the Repugnants… the… Oh, you get the idea. Does this mean

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149431273880646072006-06-04T09:27:00.000-05:002006-06-04T09:27:54.003-05:00

Someday I hope to be half as eloquent as Frank Rich of the NY Times. In today’s editorial he bombasts the government with one of the strongest arguments I’ve recently heard for bringing the troops home.Enumerating our failed war policy is easy. To do so with as few words as possible is the trick. Frank delivers. Regarding the false claim of “Standing down,” he counters with:So let's do the math.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149120200948107392006-05-31T19:03:00.000-05:002006-05-31T19:03:21.083-05:00

It’s comforting to note that our grandchildren will be fortunate enough to witness the end of humanity in their lifetimes. On a selfish level, I probably won’t be around to see it, so that’s a small comfort. On another level, it has been a long time coming, this self-extinction, so the sooner the planet is rid of us, the better. The fact that our foreseeable progeny must be witness to the

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149078276126903362006-05-31T07:24:00.000-05:002006-05-31T07:24:36.773-05:00

Too bad the concept of owning vanity plates for my car is antithetical to Buddhist philosophy. I would get some that read: MEDIT8Buddhism talks about how the mind is central to our experience; everything we perceive filters through the mind…(Have I lost you yet? It always amazes me how any mention of Buddhism, in any form glazes the eyes of my theistic friends and relations. Looking into their

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1149026547459020752006-05-30T16:57:00.000-05:002006-05-30T17:02:27.483-05:00

Boy its tough changing gears. After a year of Bush bashing, I attempt to expand my subject matter only to encounter writers block. What will we leftist bloggers do if the unthinkable happens – like if we get a Democrat in the White House? That just might put Kos out of business. Certainly After Downing Street’s days are numbered regardless of outcomes.Wait… Do I hear cheering in the background?

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148824620380313562006-05-28T08:57:00.000-05:002006-05-28T09:01:35.533-05:00

It seems we’re supposed to get teary-eyed and maudlin over the Memorial Day holiday. Good Americans are to trot out their dusty flags and their threadbare national pride for display. We’ll open our Sunday papers to read OpEds about how free we are and how this directly relates to our fallen soldiers, and - most importantly – how we plebeians should be grateful for the generations of American

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148647385425217742006-05-26T07:43:00.000-05:002006-05-26T07:43:05.560-05:00

I found myself pondering our concepts of power during the commute to work this morning – I have no idea why. The struggle for power affects us all. It is a direct extension of our self-preferential worldview, in which we do anything to promote our will over others. Survival of the Fittest – not necessarily.Whether you’re a corporate CEO, a CEO President, or “just” the House Majority Leader, power

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148593373684543872006-05-25T16:42:00.000-05:002006-05-25T16:47:56.726-05:00

I’m just now catching up on the latest fiasco in Washington (here, here, and here among others). No doubt you’ve heard by now how Federal agents absconded with documents from the House of Representative office complex and declared them classified, to whisk them off to the inter-dimensional vortex to which only the FBI has the keys.For once – at least for now – I’m speechless. I can only shake my

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148513003024112112006-05-24T18:23:00.000-05:002006-05-24T18:23:23.160-05:00

Where I turn my car into and out of the parking lot at work there is a large double billboard. Raised only seven feet off the ground, the larger-than-necessary message has been working is subliminal magic. Mostly the message is uninteresting. I not sure what the left half is promoting; some radio station, I think… The right half is promoting the new Coca Cola Blak coffee drink. For the past two

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148387286807939352006-05-23T07:28:00.000-05:002006-05-23T07:31:11.860-05:00

Like The Boy Who Cried “Wolf”, the Bush who cried ”Democracy” is getting harder and harder to believe. Prince George was in Chicago yesterday, rehearsing his talking points for the National Restaurant Association, proudly preening progress in Iraq. Today, in my irritability, I cry “Bullshit!”No doubt, this version of the NRA is more interested in the impact of immigration upon their workforce

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148221467153008332006-05-21T09:24:00.000-05:002006-05-21T09:24:27.256-05:00

“What are you doing this weekend?” my coworker asked. An innocuous comment, social lubricant aimed more to fill the air or to act as a bonding agent. My chiropractor asks: “Do you have any big plans this weekend?” in the same vein, with a hint of bedside manner to foster the illusion that he cares. He does care, inasmuch as his business is involved, and because he’s a kind, well-meaning person.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148130562127606562006-05-20T08:09:00.000-05:002006-05-20T08:13:28.036-05:00

I’m not supposed to write about politics today. I promised my friend, the Allergic Gardener Leucanthemum, to diversify this blog in an attempt at diminishing the shrillness of repeated Bush-bashing. Notwithstanding the joy of doing so, or the ease – as there is so much to ridicule, the monotony is showing up in my writings.But – and you knew there was a “but” involved here – I come across an

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1148084818766091392006-05-19T19:26:00.000-05:002006-05-19T19:26:58.880-05:00

Now we can start counting the deaths in the War on Immigrants… ONE… Remember the War on Drugs? That one is still going on, I think. Meawhile designer drugs have emerged, the CIA has bee accused of drug trafficking, and still there are drug gangs, and the rest of the symptoms in the inner cities. That war is not going well. And then there’s the War on Terror. “Nuff said.Iran seems to be political

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147994542783896442006-05-18T18:10:00.000-05:002006-05-18T18:22:22.890-05:00

I can't help wondering if the sudden move to draw attention toward our southern border is a smoke screen to remove eyeballs from the real agenda, or from the carnage in Iraq. With the President's poll numbers going south in an election year, perhaps the floundering elephants are trying anything to divert attention from their mistakes, even if that risks making new ones. After all, the new

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147822883111107602006-05-16T18:41:00.000-05:002006-05-16T18:41:23.260-05:00

Two things puzzle me: First, what political expediency drives the new emphasis on immigration? Prince George the Unready has hinted at border policy for years. Now, it’s paramount to wave his magic stick and make the problem go away. Except I’ve noticed that his stick needs recharging – Harry Potter he’s not. Perhaps I’ve become overly skeptical of our poor excuse for leadership, a hyper-jaded

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147737784148185522006-05-15T19:03:00.000-05:002006-05-15T19:06:38.850-05:00

Today I got a nice surprise in the form of a response from a reader at my original web page, the Tannish Page. It’s nice to know that some people are stumbling upon my writings on occasion. Being a tiny fish in the cesspool of the vast internet, I find I enjoy such a rare event.Below I include the query as well as my reply, edited for anonymity:Original Message:name: Jim M.comment: Tannish,I

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147612690925717132006-05-14T08:18:00.000-05:002006-05-14T08:18:18.046-05:00

To all Mommies, Grannies, Bubies, Nanas, and aspiring mothers: Wishes for the best of days. Apart from a celebration of home makers and nurturers, Mothers Day is a celebration of women. Not being one, I go out on a limb by saying motherhood and the potential of childbirth is a central theme in all women’s lives. The mechanics of human reproduction is the domain of the woman, and this day attempts

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147474435054306692006-05-12T17:53:00.000-05:002006-05-12T17:53:55.176-05:00

The Blogocube is buzzing about the NSA and phone call data mining. WaPo is cinflicting itself with two articles: Most American support NSA, which Maven Malkin has run away with; and a tirade about our Favorite Shrubbery doing what he does best – Lying. ABC News confirms WaPo’s findings, whil USAToday tries to play on our fears of Big Brother. So what else is new?The Dems are chasing another Red

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147390090415757462006-05-11T18:28:00.000-05:002006-05-11T18:28:15.360-05:00

“Peace is unpractical”These words have ricocheted inside my scull for several weeks, now. In context, I was speaking to my supervisor, who is a nice enough gent to have offered to take me out to breakfast that day. He has a tendency toward pontification, but since his views are thoughtful, I don’t mind. I can’t recall the actual drift of our conversation. It had something to do with an aspect of

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147383338320815002006-05-11T16:35:00.000-05:002006-05-11T16:35:38.430-05:00

I swear this planet has somehow slipped into the Twilight Zone, or something. The Washington Post reports Prince George the Destructive is prepping his brainwashed legions for – are you sitting down? - For Jeb Bush to make a run at the presidency. I’ll let that sink in a bit…We need this, don’t we? Somehow, we need another Bush in the White House to complete the destruction started by his father,

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147305544510501702006-05-10T18:59:00.000-05:002006-05-10T19:00:45.736-05:00

Does anyone comprehend the enormous amounts of money involved in the federal government? Specific program price tags measured in millions, deficit numbers measured in billions, wartime spending measured in trillions… The other day I heard that our national debt is reaching $100,000,000,000,000. That’s 14 zeros, folks: one hundred trillion dollars. Can you wrap your mind around that number?Today’s

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147218374825706782006-05-09T18:46:00.000-05:002006-05-09T18:46:14.900-05:00

I tried to compile a comprehensive list in service to the title of this entry, but there are only two things one needs to do:Think for ones self.Express those thought in a public manner.That’s it! In the convoluted reasoning of the Conservative mind (is that an oxymoron?), comma, anyone not agreeable to the Republican agenda should either (a) become a political activist, or (b) forget the whole

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147016905652774292006-05-07T10:48:00.000-05:002006-05-07T10:48:25.766-05:00

Via my (perhaps only) right-minded friend, Leucanthemum, via Instapundit (and many others, it seems), I discover a well-meaning and arguably necessary attempt at decorum for the wild, wild, ‘net: Online Integrity. A tendency for an “anything goes” attitude has always existed in the blog-o-cube, which during its beginning was perhaps a harmless byproduct of experimentation within the new media.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1147012677535379432006-05-07T09:37:00.000-05:002006-05-07T09:37:57.620-05:00

Confident, cocky, lazy, dead. This is a term I gleaned from a science fiction series from my favorite authors, Tad Williams. In the novels this was the mantra, if you will, of the baddie. As an expression of a natural progression of human thought, I find it concise and lucid in its simplicity.This phrase comes to mind as I read an article in the Washington Post regarding the Democrats current air

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146881363179035532006-05-05T21:09:00.000-05:002006-05-05T21:09:23.450-05:00

It’s finally Friday night, after a grueling work week. I sup with the family before they go out to the high school in support of artistic endeavors. I remain at my monitors scrounging the ‘net for a hint of my muse - as usual. A couple of weeks have passed since I last clicked on the Blogsnow link on my Firefox  toolbar. Scrolling down the list of today’s hot topics, I ignore references to

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146702183840900882006-05-03T19:23:00.000-05:002006-05-03T19:23:03.953-05:00

Illinois is getting on the impeachment bandwagon! State Rep. Karen Yarbrough has, per rules outlined by Thomas Jefferson that allow a state legislature to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president, submitted such a bill to the Illinois Legislature - HJR0125.  17 State Reps are now co-sponsors.Read the full text.If you live in Illinois, why not lend your name to this petition

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146612548518001092006-05-02T18:21:00.000-05:002006-05-02T18:29:08.540-05:00

More fun that the news today:From Atom Films comes a remake of a classic, destined to become a classic itself!You'll be humming it, too. Watch it here.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146531015882213492006-05-01T19:50:00.000-05:002006-05-01T19:50:15.996-05:00

In light of today’s Immigrant Walkout across the nation, I ponder the legacy of the Bush Administration. I must say, our president is doing so much to ensure a larger voter turn-out in the next election than any other person I can think of… Kudos to you, sir! The list of people you’ve angered – sometimes repeatedly – is growing at an exponential pace. With less that one thousand days left in

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146448665127796302006-04-30T20:39:00.000-05:002006-04-30T20:57:45.156-05:00

Found via a wandering post at Etherialgirl, the documentary Loose Change, a possible contender for the Mother of All Conspiracy Theories, gives pause for thought. The trouble with such outlandish assertions is that they will convince only those who don't need convincing, and alienate only those who would never believe it in the first place: It's preaching to the choir.America is slowly waking up

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146406280858490212006-04-30T09:11:00.000-05:002006-04-30T21:08:08.560-05:00

I learned something this morning.As I sit at my laptop seeking inspiration for this blog, I receive and email from my friends at Democracy for Illinois. Yesterday the House voted on the “net neutrality” issue. For those just emerging from hibernation, info can be found here. As DFI has it, in collaboration with MyDD, a total of five Democratic congressional representatives voted to end the free

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146272357952623192006-04-28T19:54:00.000-05:002006-04-28T19:59:48.110-05:00

An uninspiring news day, today. Besides being worn out from a tough work week, I cannot find anything to get excited about in the news.Perhaps that's a good thing. I'm sure some would think so.Time for some light fare: I would like to share this touching article from the NY Times, written by Tom Hanks. He shares an insiders view of a unapplauded art form and says farewell to a friend.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146093501890755872006-04-26T18:18:00.000-05:002006-04-26T18:18:22.026-05:00

As a practicing Buddhist, I have begun to realize the nature of aggression. Both within and without, aggressive behavior has dominated much of my years in this life. What I’ve discovered is that such behavior – anger, hatred, arguments and fighting, are all based upon fear. As such, they are outward signs of cowardliness. No matter the scale, from rude gestures in traffic to preemptive military

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1146008237442250702006-04-25T18:37:00.000-05:002006-04-25T18:37:17.553-05:00

While Nepal celebrates its political victory, the newspapers return to their navel-watching of American politics. The top story is how the GOP “leaders” (I hate to use those terms together) are urging our Favorite Shrubbery to launch an investigation into alleged price-gouging by US oil companies. I’ll wait until you stop laughing…I’m trying to think up a suitable punch line. Such a blatant

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1145932616812136422006-04-24T21:36:00.000-05:002006-04-24T21:36:57.046-05:00

Three weeks: That’s how long it took for the people of Nepal to gain an agreement with King Gyanedra over reinstatement of their Parliament. Protesters began their efforts on April 6, affectively closing down the tiny nation until their demands were met. CNN writes about the gun battles over the weekend, and about today’s celebrations. The Washington Post insists on painting a picture of an

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1145729437365898092006-04-22T12:30:00.000-05:002006-04-22T13:11:38.883-05:00

A Revolution is occurring in Nepal. Western media is misrepresenting the story, subtly backing the entrenched monarchy by careful use of language. Never mind that King Gyanedra killed his own brother to gain the throne; that's what Monarchies are made of - traitorous family values. Westerners want to believe in beneficial little kingdoms in our modern world; they're quaint. The reality is more

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1145663547784957292006-04-21T18:31:00.000-05:002006-04-21T18:52:27.816-05:00

The Internet is being besieged by corporate interests. The very same companies that provide internet lines to ISPs are now lobbying congress, to the tune of $10 million, to destroy a long standing principle of the 'net: Network Neutrality.Companies like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T are romancing politicians in this moment of mid-term election fund raising to buy votes on an issue that would

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1145474583082942722006-04-19T14:15:00.000-05:002006-04-19T14:26:19.576-05:00

Scott McClellan has resigned as the White House press secretary. As part of the "shake up" face saving strategy of the new chief of staff. So much for the Mouth of Sauron.Seriously, I can't think of a more thankless job than trying to put a smiley face on the horrific job the White House has been doing all these years. I wonder if he has ulcuers...Despite my snark, aside from all the abuse he's

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1145402339881795972006-04-18T18:18:00.000-05:002006-04-18T18:20:22.773-05:00

Via Mahablog:A stink is rising about Michele Malkin, who posted private information - in the form of phone numbers - about several UC Santa Cruz students who succeeded in ousting military recruiters from their job fair. As it happened, some of the people who read her blog have issued death threats against these students for the audacity of speaking their mind about their belief that recruitment

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1145313378039379692006-04-17T17:13:00.000-05:002006-04-17T17:37:21.046-05:00

So, where was I over the past weekend? Slumming.The wife was accompanying our daughter in a road trip to Madison, WI, wherein, at the University the annual conference by the Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists. So here I was, a middling middle-aged batchelor for the weekend. Combine this with Passover which, in our house means they eat kosher, and I eat out a lot.So off they went in the

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1145311863548687322006-04-17T17:04:00.000-05:002006-04-17T17:12:25.386-05:00

Keep an eye on Nepal. A real, honest-to-goodness Democratic uprising is occurring there. Our dyslexic leader should watch, too – he might learn how a people who truly want a Democratic government act like. Much like our president, King Gyanedra is loosing his grip on his nation. For the past few months, curfews have been established, and an abolishment of their parliament, in place since the last

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1144974219935572892006-04-13T19:23:00.000-05:002006-04-13T19:23:40.016-05:00

Today, the NY Times runs a piece about Iran’s posturing in it’s pursuit of enriched uranium. According to the article, an inspector of the Atomic Energy Agency visited Tehran and concluded that Iran’s progress is slow, and that the nation’s rhetoric far outstrips its nuclear capabilities. No doubt in my mind that our administration will attempt to debunk this story.On the same front, Gretchen

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1144676644545275672006-04-10T08:29:00.000-05:002006-04-10T08:44:04.590-05:00

Why is American media prepping the nation on the idea for another “regime change,” this time in Iran? Is the Bush administration going to start the apocalypse single-handedly? Call it that, or call it World War 3, what’s the difference?CNN Reports, the strongest words yet on the New American Century’s next bloody disaster: Iran. To wit:President George W. Bush views Iranian President Mahmoud

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1144589958516125092006-04-09T08:36:00.000-05:002006-04-09T08:39:18.543-05:00

Sometimes I just have to ignore the news. Three days of emails from CNN, NY Times, and Washington Post accumulate in today’s inbox, and as I clear out the clutter, scanning the headlines, some stories catch in my brain. It’s all a jumble, really, and below I try to express how it feels being over-informed and under-informed at the same time. Is say this because, as we all know, the news is hand

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1144369395838401862006-04-06T19:23:00.000-05:002006-04-06T19:25:17.820-05:00

According to a Washington Post article, certain scientist as NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are experiencing attempts at censoring their findings about climate change and its full affects. Typical to the regressionist mindset of our current out-of-touch non-leaders, officials in Washington are trying to use soviet-era tactics of stifling certain scientists from

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1144278013800529962006-04-05T18:00:00.000-05:002006-04-05T18:00:21.243-05:00

Some days are not newsworthy. At such times, the MSM recycles whatever sold yesterday’s papers, hoping someone has just emerged from cryogenic freeze and needs to catch up. Today, however, many things have emerged: dog decapitations in Michigan; A British spy being tortured and murdered; a celebrity’s ex-wife being kidnapped; a teacher arrested for repeated raping of a minor. These are

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1144197437599770142006-04-04T19:37:00.000-05:002006-04-10T08:45:28.740-05:00

I’ve always fancied myself as a writer. Considering my history as a victim of Chicago Public Schools, some might think that above my station. Perhaps it is. But I wouldn’t be doing this gig if I didn’t like to put words together. Lord knows it not for the money…Back in high school – yes, I can remember that far back, sort of – I began by rhyming and writing songs to teach myself guitar. I couldn

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143992040322461952006-04-02T10:33:00.000-05:002006-04-02T10:34:00.360-05:00

Some days writing on politics is boring. Even I can tire of Bush-bashing sometimes. However dismal the geopolitical horizon seems, there is more to life. It follows that there should be more to this blog as well. Since December, when I took a hiatus from blogging, my readership – such as it is – has suffered. Before that break, I was averaging over 70 hits a week, the occasional comment sprinkled

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143850539460377302006-03-31T18:14:00.000-06:002006-03-31T18:15:39.493-06:00

In the specialty world of Cutting Horses, the clone wars are heating up. And you thought that was just cinematic science fiction. From Washington Post.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143766804494125472006-03-30T19:00:00.000-06:002006-03-30T19:03:34.240-06:00

This is just too stupid to tolerate:Bush said that Saddam was a tyrant and used violence to exacerbate sectarian divisions to keep himself in power, and that as a result, deep tensions persist to this day."The enemies of a free Iraq are employing the same tactics Saddam used, killing and terrorizing the Iraqi people in an effort to foment sectarian division," Bush said.This is from the mouth and

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143683306215505642006-03-29T19:48:00.000-06:002006-03-29T19:48:26.316-06:00

We came, we saw and we conquered. We told you to take your newly broken country, freed from the tyranny of a dictator we once supported, and make of it what you will – so long as you do it our way. We will decide your next leader as we have done for the last one. The one you currently pick is a partisan hack, and will not be tolerated. He only represents some of your people, not all. Although you

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143508023156481412006-03-27T19:07:00.000-06:002006-03-27T19:09:17.226-06:00

BBC reports Iraqi blogger “Riverbend” and Baghdad Burning is one of 19 nominees for a prize for non-fiction. The winner will be announced on June 14.I visit Baghdad Burning frequently, awaiting sporadic posts. No doubt, electricity is equally intermittent where she lives. This past Saturday’s post is a poignant reminder of false promises and failed tactics in the destruction of all she once knew

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143381290223281292006-03-26T07:43:00.000-06:002006-03-26T07:54:50.250-06:00

Yesterday’s protests serve as a reminder that the “Age of the White Man” is over. No longer can a group of racist white guys mandate a change in this country and make it stick without question. Long gone are the days of American ethnic cleansing, desegregation, and bigotry: Good riddance.The Bush administration doesn’t seem to know this. Even as they promote a Hispanic Supreme Court justice, as

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143213322139742772006-03-24T09:15:00.000-06:002006-03-25T17:07:31.980-06:00

I like this line: “One horseman shy of an apocalypse.” I’ve been feeling that for years, a sense of imminent doom. Washington Post’s Dana Millbank bid us all a Happy Doomsday.She only touches on a couple topics, no doubt the recent meeting she has covered, but the list of portents is growing. CNN talks about the Alaskan pipeline. Bush passes the buck on troop reduction to his successor. I could

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1143077491685031892006-03-22T19:24:00.000-06:002006-03-22T19:31:31.706-06:00

Something light for my work-addled brain tonight. NY Times has an interesting article about a song we all know..."In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the loin sleeps tonight..."Sing it with me:"A-wimoweh A-wimoweh A-wimoweh A-wimoweh..."As it happens the rights to the song were bought for, well, a song. Music companies repackaged it as artists reworked it, all the while the survivors of the

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1142904706633378152006-03-20T19:31:00.000-06:002006-03-22T11:57:45.980-06:00

I was just sitting here minding my own business, doing my nightly blogging run, when all of a sudden my computer locked up (gasp!). I had a Washington Post article about our administration’s group hallucinations loading, choice fodder for tannishblog, when the cursor froze. Upon pressing the reset button, I watch carefully as my computer goes through its post routine:DETECTING IDE DRIVES…That’s

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1142719928429142812006-03-18T15:58:00.000-06:002006-03-18T16:12:08.476-06:00

I have to ask. I know I'll seem like an idiot - not for the first time, though: What good is a spending ceiling if you raise it any time you want? From Washinton Post:It was the fourth debt-ceiling increase in the past five years, after boosts of $450 billion in 2002, a record $984 billion in 2003 and $800 billion in 2004. The statutory debt limit has now risen by more than $3 trillion since Bush

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1142568126936646932006-03-16T21:30:00.001-06:002006-03-17T11:01:02.770-06:00

President Bush is about to restate his Terror Strategy. In an overdue document mandated by law, Our warmonger-in-chief will assert his idiocy of strategy and his ignorance of diplomacy by making pre-emptive strikes a central tenet of US strategic priorities.In his revised version, Bush offers no second thoughts about the preemption policy, saying it "remains the same" and defending it as

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1142382791312490392006-03-14T18:08:00.000-06:002006-03-14T18:35:55.156-06:00

The American empire is expanding. The Neo-Con agenda is world dominance. Dahr Jamail comments on the likelihood of a permanent American colony in Iraq, a beach head for larger campaigns. It make sense.Meanwhile the US Senate grills oil executives about their record profits of late. These news items are not unrelated. The specter of peak oil is haunting think tanks near capitol hill and desperate

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1142293504457603472006-03-13T17:45:00.000-06:002006-03-13T17:45:04.470-06:00

This interesting clip came to me through the virtual grapeline. As it comes from a Muslim-American psychologist, and as it mentions Jews in a positive light, the wife’s family is spreading it about. Check it out. What I see is a woman daring to speak out against the misogynist and insular Muslim culture. It is interesting to note how the show’s format and mediator mimic Western news media. This

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1142097551884602072006-03-11T11:19:00.000-06:002006-03-11T11:23:02.053-06:00

Our Warmongering president is again on the offensive. This time his battle is at home where public opinion, ever the fickle beast, is turning away from a protracted struggle in Iraq. Few people see any sign of gain after three years of combat. Fewer yet see any sign of an end.Washington Post outlines his – for lack of a better word – strategy:After previewing the upcoming speech in his radio

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1142004209692707072006-03-10T09:21:00.000-06:002006-03-10T09:23:29.736-06:00

A good friend of mine - and a fellow blogger - drops subtle hints in her writings about people like me who, in her mind, spend too much time complaining about our great nation. She sometimes gets disgusted reading this blog. I’m unsure of her motivations, but I detect a love-it-or-leave-it mentality hovering beneath the surface of her thoughts. A less rational person would express this loudly;

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141865479179411562006-03-08T18:51:00.000-06:002006-03-08T18:51:19.283-06:00

Who would think that computer technologies – specifically databases – could turn into a vital weapon in today’s political divide? That’s the scope of an insider feud between powerful democrats and the Democratic National Committee. The DNC, finally getting the message that they need to do something to win votes and to get like-minded people to the polls, have begun an effort to construct a

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141786105222068082006-03-07T20:41:00.000-06:002006-03-07T20:48:25.243-06:00

Via Brother Kenya - his friend (and now mine, too. Ain't the Internet great?) Ramblin' Jack Allen is blogging his folk songs. I hope he posts some MP3's soon.Today's offering at Folkwise goes with my earlier post on the whole abortion... um, abortion. Sing it loud!

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141781264917264892006-03-07T18:31:00.000-06:002006-03-07T19:30:04.190-06:00

In Buddhist teachings on learns that we only have the present moment. this eternal dot in time, as it were, is always with us. The future is but a dream, the past is gone. All there is, is now. In light of this thought, it seems that now is the correct time to widen the ideological devide in this country by pressing on with fudamentalist views on one of our nations hottest topics: abortion.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141696545266123722006-03-06T19:26:00.000-06:002006-03-06T19:55:45.290-06:00

Aside from my usual fare of left-handed political leftovers, todays postings come to you courtesy of Ubuntu linux. Being the geekiest person in my immediate surroundings has the benefit of my acruing old computer hardware from the family. Bits an pieces have accumulated over the years to where I can upgrade a box handed down from my mother in-law into a fairly useful workhorse. WIN98 is passe, so

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141694708670080292006-03-06T19:00:00.000-06:002006-03-06T19:25:08.706-06:00

A lot of talk in my political emails today about torture. Dahr Jamail's Iraqi Dispatches points to TomDispatch refering to our great nation's policy on un-torturing "detainees" and are not actually prisoners, but are held offshore in areas, delineated by chain link and barbed wire, that are not prisons. The NY Times joins the fray with a long article detailing images of the not-conflict of the

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141570243269094942006-03-05T08:19:00.000-06:002006-03-05T08:50:43.293-06:00

The Law of Unintended Consequences has raised its laughing head once again. The NY Times notes that our Terrible War on Terror has effectively strengthened Tehran's hold on the Middle East:Washington has now become dangerously dependent on the good will and constructive behavior of Shiite fundamentalist parties that Iran sheltered, aided and armed during the years that Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141500121955735122006-03-04T13:22:00.000-06:002006-03-04T13:22:05.276-06:00

What a week. How much depressing news can we take, as the world spirals out of kilter? Here is a brief study in contrasts while perusing the headlines today.While another crooked republican prepares to live behind bars, our senate rejects ethical conduct rules. While George the Unready visits central Asia playing Noocular Santa Claus, the Defense Department plans to spend money we don’t have to

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141261402514806872006-03-01T18:57:00.000-06:002006-03-01T19:03:22.536-06:00

I have to share this:Coming to me via Democracy for Illinios' daily email, from Theodore Tilton, a nice short cartoon about the Federal budget. Go to TrueMajority.org and watch it.And pass it on!

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1141179259818535982006-02-28T20:14:00.000-06:002006-02-28T20:13:37.623-06:00

When I was growing up, America was great. That’s what I was told in school, from my elders. We were the most powerful nation on earth. In my early years America was still glowing from the after affects of a victory in Europe, from the can-do spirit and the anything goes mindset of the sixties.My, how things change: I grew up believing America had the best health care in the world. Today France

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140975901303745082006-02-26T11:34:00.000-06:002006-02-26T11:46:27.630-06:00

Frank Ahrens of the Washington Post asks an interesting question: Why do we blog? His article illustrates how blogging has hat a plateau recently, and he wonders if the blogosphere is done for. He fails to see that blogging is a nitch market at best - not everyone likes to think for themselves - and perhaps it is finding its watermark.Nonetheless, he asks a question and invited replies:But Web

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140831011273664002006-02-24T19:30:00.000-06:002006-02-24T19:54:32.353-06:00

It seems like American efforts in Iraq are finally coming to fruition. There’s a movement within the country toward solidarity. After all the bloodshed, Iraqis are coalescing into a unified force aimed at taking control of their nation, as our ministers of propaganda have always said was America’s goal after ousting Saddam. Below, I paste this week’s Iraq Dispatch from Dahr Jamail in its entirety

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140829785804178842006-02-24T19:09:00.000-06:002006-02-24T19:09:45.893-06:00

This comes to me from Carolyn Kaye as distributed by Democracy for Illinois:Friends and neighbors, meet Granny Bee. She’s just wondering…. Here’s just a taste of her homespun wisdom. Let’s elect this lady!

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140736528570981162006-02-23T17:15:00.000-06:002006-02-23T17:15:28.666-06:00

I’m enjoying the unfolding story about the Port Management fubar. This is great entertainment: a behind-closed-door deal made public and met with outrage; a proud, defiant stance by Der Leader; a embarrassed admonition that the president was (gasp) uninformed along side a few weak pointers on how the opposition is blowing this all out of proportion.Who scripts this stuff? While I have no doubt

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140648771385900902006-02-22T16:52:00.000-06:002006-02-22T16:52:51.406-06:00

Two stories come to me today about people from my gridlocked corner of Chicago suburbia. The first illustrates how adventurous driving the local expressways can be, as a fellow Skokie resident becomes airborne in her auto and slams into someone’s house. The second story took place in the mall three blocks from my house: A sad story. The sentencing in this senseless crime fits the deed. I could

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140539982589656112006-02-21T10:37:00.000-06:002006-02-21T10:39:42.610-06:00

On the topic of the brouhaha over the sale of US port management to Dubai Ports World, whether the company is good for the nation or not is less an issue to me than the underhanded and secretive way the administration goes about their business. Something this vital to American interests should be openly discussed by all interested parties. As was the case with Iraqi restructuring and the ensuing

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140451213455988652006-02-20T09:57:00.000-06:002006-02-20T10:00:13.486-06:00

The cost of war comes through in a multitude of ways. New Orleans should know this now, and will be reminded every day for years. Remember No Child Left Behind? It seems the escalation cost of depopulating Iraq has left our schools unfunded on a government mandate brought to you by George Warmonger Bush himself. Even our infrastructure is suffering. As example, I ask if any of my dear readers

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140128573849903662006-02-16T16:22:00.000-06:002006-02-16T16:22:53.880-06:00

It is my firm belief that people have an innate understanding of right and wrong. “Listen to your heart” is an apt metaphor for this. We all know - if we listen to our hearts - when we act in ways that cause hardship to others. We don’t need laws to tell us this, we just know. Yet somehow we learn to drown out that tiny voice.I also believe that no event can exist in a vacuum. Causes like the war

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140045891629877042006-02-15T17:16:00.000-06:002006-02-15T17:24:51.656-06:00

If Harry Whittingham dies from injuries related to his accident can Dick Cheney be tried for involuntary manslaughter?No.But if the same man were shot in the same way by any other person, the answer would be yes. Expecially if that person was of another ethnic catagory. Or of another economic catagory, political affiliation, social strata...The divide between the worlds of the "haves" and the "

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1140028317965431302006-02-15T12:21:00.000-06:002006-02-15T12:31:58.036-06:00

Via King of Zembla, an explanation of why America will not get to impeach the warmonger. I support the notion, and add whatever voice I posess to the throng, but never in my heart would I believe it possible to use the constitution to take down this god-awful president.To do to the Liar-in-Chief what the republicans did to Clinton would be justice. Don't expect any of that in the near future.

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139874472165526302006-02-13T17:35:00.000-06:002006-02-13T17:47:52.196-06:00

Dick Cheney suffered an Elmer Fudd moment last weekend. I can't help wondering what the conversation was about at the time. Perhaps someone mentioned Al Gore? More likely a criticism of administration policies would bring on the incident. As usual, the official verson of the "accident" has been removed from reality, specifically from mathematical laws. TalkLeft does the math.What kills me is the

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139755442533572412006-02-12T08:39:00.000-06:002006-02-12T08:44:02.556-06:00

In my house, the Olympics are important.It started for us with Atlanta, in 1996. As we have friends in the area, we though it great to sponge off their hospitality, get our young ones together for the first time, and experience something new. In exchange for the guest bedroom we would buy then a couple tickets to some venues, to share the experience. Ten years gone, Atlanta is remembered as a

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139621762217981152006-02-10T19:27:00.000-06:002006-02-10T19:36:02.240-06:00

... and I'll say it again: I like Jan Schakowski!Here's why:Dear Friend:Thank you for contacting me to express your belief that President Bush should be impeached. I appreciate hearing from you, and I agree with you.I share your outrage over the fact that President Bush misled members of Congress and the nation in order to garner support for his pre-emptive and unilateral attack on Iraq. I also

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139529735464135082006-02-09T17:17:00.000-06:002006-02-09T18:02:15.543-06:00

OK. The NY Times has a two-fer of obtuse observations that should be so obvious as to be not worthy of printing. The first article states that low-fat diets do not cut health risks. Normally, I don't care about such matters, but this quote made me want to shout "D'oh!""These studies are revolutionary," said Dr. Jules Hirsch, physician in chief emeritus at Rockefeller University in New York City,

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139366543989092872006-02-07T20:37:00.000-06:002006-02-07T20:42:24.013-06:00

Oh! Here’s a surprise: “Bush Budget will increase Military Spending.” No Shit.Bush, hoping to get his domestic agenda back on track after a year of political setbacks, unveiled a budget blueprint with a heavy emphasis on keeping the country strong militarily. It would also make his first-term tax cuts permanent, at a cost of $1.4 trillion over 10 years, and still achieve his goal of cutting the

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139273052783417512006-02-06T18:34:00.000-06:002006-02-06T18:49:22.230-06:00

While Western Media is busy selling papers, grabing eyeballs, or whatever it is they're doing with the story of Muslim backlash to provocative depictions of Muhammed, a small voice if reason from the Arab Quarter is not being heard.Listen to it.It is dangerous and, frankly, more than a little stupid to view world-scale political issues through a microscope. The tiny things one sees are blown way

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139265043927043272006-02-06T16:21:00.000-06:002006-02-06T16:30:43.946-06:00

The price of "Freedom" and the cost of "Democracy" is not to be taken lightly. What we "Amuricuns" take for granted is how much we've already paid for our perceived rights. Meanwhile, a quarter way around the globe, we see the price is much higher than we would prefer to believe.NY Times has a great graphic depicting all the deaths in January due to the "insurgency" in Iraq.A nice word -

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139182535344577552006-02-05T17:11:00.000-06:002006-02-05T17:35:36.073-06:00

Walking a tightrope of despair, I escape today. My recent promotion is threatening to upend my fragile balance. See my previous post on “Bucking the Trend,” it infers some of the issues therein. Friday, my daughter came home from high school in a fret caused by the school’s faulty system of class pre-enrollment, and their lack of cohesive counseling on the topic. She took most of an hour to calm,

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1139010678321722942006-02-03T17:48:00.000-06:002006-02-03T17:51:18.343-06:00

Three cheers for Dennis McNamara, special UN advisor on internal displacement, for speaking truth. He points the proverbial finger at the G8 for continuing to supply arm to African nations:From CNN:"Guns are at the heart of the problem ... There is one slogan I would like to suggest for 2006: No Arms Sales to Africa. Zero. Not an embargo, not a sanction, a voluntary cessation of all arms sales to

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1138986164091500562006-02-03T11:01:00.000-06:002006-02-03T11:02:44.173-06:00

Confession time: In my past life as a drug abusing, chain smoking retail zombie, I was an asshole. I prided myself on my ability to slice someone’s ego off with the fewest words. Few days went by when I couldn’t find opportunities to hone my skill. Despite all that, I somehow managed to make friends – something that still puzzles me…All that changed a few years back.I won’t bore you with my tale

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1138836769305589082006-02-01T17:00:00.000-06:002006-02-01T17:34:52.743-06:00

My righty friend, Leucanthemum, writes for her local paper from somewhere outside the blue island of Chicagoland political demographics. On Fridays, she posts them here. This week she pipes in on the President's speech and the Democratic response is engendered. I didn't bother to watch the state of the union address or, rather, I couldn't bear the watching. Instead, as years past, I spend the

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11124959.post-1138749859845776222006-01-31T17:20:00.000-06:002006-01-31T17:24:19.873-06:00

Here’s a taste of the State of the Union Mr. Bush will not mention tonight. Welcome to the Age of Polytrauma and the Year of Lost Hopes for more than 16,000 US troops.Via NY Times:To describe the maimed survivors of this ugly new war, a graceless new word, polytrauma, has entered the medical lexicon. Each soldier arriving at Tampa's Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, inside the giant veterans

Tannishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17467768113926528343noreply@blogger.com0