Bush Unfazed by Reality

"And I believe firmly that I'm doing the right thing for our country by promoting an active foreign policy that makes the world more peaceful and more free."
- President George W. Bush

"Active foreign policy" as in starting wars, flaunting the Geneva Convention, plundering the environment wherever possible, so on and so forth, and "peaceful and more free" as in inspiring hatred of the United States world wide and inspiring, new legions of amateur terrorists everywhere. What an asshole!

Hopeless as it may be, I find it hard to resist ranting against this guy. He lies. Anyone with any sense knows that, even if they can't admit it. What's worse, we expect it. It's a sick little game we play with him. This must be the way it's always been for George. Charm over substance. Must have driven his parents crazy when he was a kid and I can't begin to imagine what kind of private, shame filled hell they live in now.

George has rendered the concept of leadership meaningless. And he has made the term "moral leader" a cruel joke. He can pose in his cowboy hat and boots all he likes. He's not a leader. He's just another macho idiot, incapable of admitting when he makes a mistake. He's a hit and run artist. A flim-flam man. A fail upwards born loser. Forget the guts. He's strictly in it the glory. His personal motto should be "Go for the gold at anybody else's cost". Command performance, maestro. And now he will spend more dough on his inauguration, over 40 million, than he pledged to the survivors of the tsunami 35 million (which I hear he cut later), as his chorus of smirking minions snigger, "get over it".

The world is a much more dangerous place since you invaded Iraq, Mr. Bush.
And now, because Bush decided he is above the mandates of the Geneva Convention, we have to watch his toady "officials" toss up a Kangaroo Court and sacrifice some little guys to cover his sorry ass. The articles of the Geneva Convention protect the underpinnings of civilization! Too bad you don't read, Mr. President. Since we won't follow it, why should our soldiers be given these protections. Too bad you don't think, Mr. President.

(And for the record, no matter how "successfully" your team hid the fact, I am 100% convinced you were a playboy deserter with powerful parents who covered up the scandal. What irony. A deserter is Commander and Chief of the United States Military. )

Geneva Convention - Article 3

In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:

1. Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, color, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

(b) Taking of hostages;

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

Snowday party

It's snowing like crazy today and there's a lot of action at the bird park.

Snow day party at the Bird Park!

Hey! You uh... gonna be done any time soon?

No!

Some party goers.

A party for the little birds too.

Add caption

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee

Tsunami "wave"

Artist conception of California's "Big One".

I'm still thinking about the earthquake in the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26. It made the entire planet vibrate and triggered devastating tsunamis through the area killing between 230,000–280,000 in 14 countries and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska.  Until now, I did not realize just how powerful they can be. It got me thinking about the proverbial "Big One" that's been predicted for California for decades.

When I lived in San Francisco, I worried about it a lot. The quake in SE Asian is a shocking reminder of just how vulnerable coastal cities are. I found this photo shopped image of California's proverbial Big One. Chilling.

Las Vegas Xmas

Las Vegas doesn't look much different at Christmas. It's already so completely over the top that a few extra lights don't make much difference. The town was packed but we managed to cover a lot of ground anyway. Among other things, we spent some time in Chinatown. 99 Ranch Market was unaffected by the holidays but colorful Christmas lights were wrapped around the palm trees in the parking lot and out-lined pagoda roof tops.

And definitely the Dragon was having a great time.

As for us, we had Bubble Tea in Chinatown one night. It was a first for me and I found it delightful. It's more like a smoothie than tea and the "bubbles" are huge tapioca balls that sink to the bottom. I'm always that irritating person with a camera so, of course, I photographed the occasion and include some of the pictures here. You can see how they naturally run together like a flipbook. (Note: In the first few shots, the only noticeable action is in background, but don't be fooled. Trouble is brewing in the mind of the inscrutable Ms. Kennan.)




We spent some time downtown as well. In case you don't know, that's the Las Vegas you see in all the old movies although it's changed over the last few years to compete with The Strip. Its main street is now spiffed up by a light show but if you look closely at the photos, you'll see that the old neon cowgirl (left) and cowboy (right) are still there. They used to be out under the stars. Now they're under the "Fremont Experience". Don't forget to check out the Christmas at the end of the street. Everything goes in Las Vegas.





Downtown is also the home of Binion's Casino, where the world famous Texas hold 'em poker tournaments are held. In 2004, the purse was sixteen million dollars with the top winner taking home 2.5 million in cash. In true Las Vegas style, the event includes the gaudy flaunting of outrageous fortune. Burly bodyguards ceremoniously accompany an official as he carries millions of dollars in cash to the poker room where he stacks the bills up on one of the green felt-covered tables before the (secretly) slavering crowd of poker-faced gamblers.

In spite of his checkered past, everybody loved the casino's founder, Benny Binion. Even Nevada Senator Harry Reid claimed, "Benny's my hero. Nevada is a better place because of him!" But Benny's offspring haven't fared so well. His son Ted had problems with the gaming commission because of his drug and alcohol problems and mafia cohorts and was eventually barred by the state from entering his own casino. Then in 1998, he died under suspicious circumstances. There is plenty of evidence suggesting that Ted was murdered by his girlfriend Sandy Murphy and her other (secret) lover and Ted's trusted friend, Rick Tabish. In fact, the pair was originally convicted of murder but subsequently the verdict was reversed in a re-trial. Good lawyers are worth their weight in gold, or silver as the case may be. However, charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary and grand larceny against the couple stuck. After all, two days after Ted's death, the sheriff discovered Tabish at Binion's desert hideaway, filling a dump truck with Ted's 7 million dollar stash of silver bars.

Naturally the poker tournaments have flourished in spite of it all the scandal. Gamblers are an imperturbable lot. And it looks like Binion's has a future, at least for now. Harrah's just closed a deal to buy the place and have promised to keep the tournament there at least for 2005 but I'm guessing they'll soon move it to The Strip. Because of Binion's, Texas hold 'em has become wildly popular... and lucrative...and in Las Vegas, it's always all about the money. Too bad, if you ask me. The Binion's of today is a dark and seedy dive, reeking with funky history and atmosphere. That makes it the perfect and wonderfully ironic place for a the world most famous poker tournament. Oh well. I don't gamble anyway. Asia and I had a great time there just playing in one of Binion's lesser known wonders, the ladies' room mirrors.


Ps. Happy New Year.

Tsunami Relief

Bush's pledge of $35 million dollars for tsunami relief is an insult and embarrassment to everyone. Just for a little perspective here, Bush spends FIVE TIMES that amount EVERY DAY for his bullshit war in Iraq. He'll spend at least 40 mil for his damn inauguration.

Top payout to a US executive before 2003: $36 million

(Top payout since 2003: $140 million to Michael Orvitz, Disney Co.)
(Average payout: $6 million)

Penalties paid for environmental violations in NY city, 2003: $40
million

Single bank robbery in Ireland, 2004: $40 million

Price Rupert Murdoch paid for an apartment in NY city this year: $44
million

$35 million is less than it will cost to repair the roof on the
Brewer's Stadium here.

Six top executives could donate their buy-out bonuses and exceed the
amount the US has pledged.

The world is waiting, Mister Bush. Put our money where your damn mouth is. As you have trouble being accountable, plenty of other people are doing it for you. As a billboard in New York's Times Square notes:

The cost of the Iraq war increases at a rate of $177M per day; that's $7.4M per hour and $122,820 per minute.

If you're looking for comprehensive news and information about resources, aid, donations and volunteer efforts regarding the tsunami disaster in SE Asia check out the SEA-EAT blog.

Also MoveOn has a form you can use to tell congress to increase the aide. Pass the link along. If a tsunami doesn't make these jokers honest, what will?

Useful information category

I found this post from craigslist to be not only hilarious but an interesting way to deal with corporate brush-off.

I attacked a company today
Reply to: anon-52441932@craigslist.org
Date: Wed Dec 15 10:00:36 2004

And I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

The office manager comes to me with a bill from a phone company that's slammed us. You know, they call, talk to someone, and then pretend that we've green lighted a meaningless charge. Bastards!

So I get the bill. I call the customer service number. The recording says to leave a number; they'll call back in 2 days. Right.

Stupidly though, they left a fax number. It's just like they had dropped their pants and exposed their flaccid gentiles for my abuse. Time for a humiliating kick in the corporate crotch.

I prepare a document on my computer. It has my name and phone number in large letters. Beneath that, I insert a large, toner-sucking graphic. I then copy the page and re-insert it into the document. 60 times.

Next I print this document....to my fax modem. From there, the 60 pages are directed towards their unsuspecting fax machine. I hit the resubmit button 5 or 6 times for good measure, thus queuing about 300 pages. I wait.

About 20 minutes later, an anxious voice on my phone asks for my account number. From his pain reflected in his tone, I know that my well placed kick to their firms groin has met the exposed meat. Pain and embarrassment is being felt and spread around. He quickly tells me that my account has been cleared and canceled, and we don't have to pay the bill. I smirk as I hear him squirm, his humiliation complete.

Fax machines are the testicles of just about any company. If a company gives you grief, attack the fax, and no matter how big they are, they'll drop to the ground, curl up in a fetal position, and beg for mercy.

It always works.

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