It Would Take Me Longer Than Thirty Minutes

Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films put together a nice little piece on my dear friend Rudy Giuliani. How long would it take you to describe his many, many failures as mayor specifically and as a person generally? It wouldn't be thirty seconds, it wouldn't even be thirty minutes...

You Call This A Strike??

So I've been hearing that NYC cabbies were going to strike today and tomorrow, bringing New York City to a standstill. No one would be able to go anywhere, no cabs ruthlessly plowing through the streets, no drivers busy on their cellphones while paying little attention to the road and at the end of the day we would be begging on our knees to give in to their every demand.

Oh wait, that isn't the case at all. I still see cabs zooming around from my current vantage point at 34th and Park. Still being rude, driving like bats out of hell and from 50-100 feet away, the drivers look like they are talking to themselves thanks to all of those little headsets. So what was the big deal anyway? Not being paid enough? Dire working conditions? Not enough space to go from zero to 100 in 10 seconds between 5th and 6th Ave?

Hardly.

The few cabs that are protesting, hiding their cabs sporadically throughout the city, do not like the new GPS trackers. They do not want to have the cab someone else generally owns to know where they are going nor allowing customers (especially tourists) to see if they are going out of the way to the destination for extra cab fare. The new technology also comes with credit card readers, touch screen devices giving riders the news, weather and sports and basically something to play with while being stuck in rush hour traffic.

No wonder they couldn't mount a half-decent strike. No one would believe their cries. I'm always up for a good strike if the cause is worthy. I was fully behind the MTA workers when they shut down the city nearly two years ago. That was worthy. Having GPS on your cab....give me a break.

McCain Now Attacking Children

Anyone who offers something that counters McCain's delusional quest to become the next President better watch out. Although you may be one of many, if your words become public, expect the "wrath" of Senator John. That is exactly what happened to one high school student in Concord, NH today.

From ThinkProgress:

During a question and answer session, McCain jokingly called a high school student a "little jerk" after the young man questioned the Arizona legislator about his age.

"If elected, you'd be older than Ronald Reagan, making you the oldest president," the student said. "Do you ever worry that you might die in office or get Alzheimer’s or some other disease that might affect your judgment?"

"Every campaign I've ever been on in my entire life, I've outcampaigned all of my opponents," responded McCain. "And I'm confident that I will. Thanks for the question, you little jerk."

After laughter from the crowd, McCain then quipped, "you're drafted."

Sounds like that over-inflated ego has a thin shell these days.

Its Raining....Hookers

Rachel Maddow takes a look at hookers and politicians:

Craig Keeps Chugging

You would have thought that a guilty plea, condemnation from fellow Republican Senators and a public intention to resign from government would have sealed the fate of Larry Craig. One of the most virulent anti-gay crusaders was caught being gay (not a crime of course) and showed yet another example of hypocrisy in Republica-land. He obviously hated himself so much, he had to bash people who's sexual orientation was different from most Americans, but the same as his. Yet to this day, he claims he is not gay....though he is less believable than a muppet. Well now he is reconsidering his resignation, and the story goes on.

From RawStory:

Sen. Larry Craig, who originally resigned from his Senate post after his arrest in a Minnesota airport sex sting, is reconsidering his decision, his spokesman said Tuesday evening.

"We're still preparing as if Senator Craig will resign Sept. 30, but the outcome of the legal case in Minnesota and the ethics investigation will have an impact on whether we're able to stay in the fight - and stay in the Senate," said Sidney Smith, Craig's Idaho spokesman.

Dan Whiting, Craig's spokesmen in Washington, said that the senator was expected to spend the week in Idaho as the Senate votes on spending bills for veterans and other programs this week. Whiting "did not rule out Craig's returning to Washington before the end of the month."

I know there is a large horse community in Idaho...you would think a life-long resident would know when to stop beating one and give up.

Kicking Bush Out Like A Bad Habit

Bush is bad news and Cheney is even worse. That isn't earth-shattering to anyone really, but a certain addition to the chorus has made the wires. The National Coalition of American Nuns has voiced their opposition to the President and his VP for their high crimes and misdemeanors. They want them gone as badly as the rest of us.

From The Winston-Salem Journal:

A progressive group of U.S. nuns has called on Congress to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney because of their roles in the war in Iraq.

“The National Coalition of American Nuns is impelled by conscience to call you to act promptly to impeach President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for ... high crimes and misdemeanors,” the group wrote in a letter written on behalf of its board members.

The letter says that impeachment is warranted for their “deceiving the public under the false pretense that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction” and “destroying” the reputation of the United States and the good will of other nations.

That is a good start, but there are oh so many good reasons to kick them to the curb. Those women in habits know what they are talking about. When people of the cloth feel the need to speak up.....well, we all know it is time for Congress to do the right thing. But will they? For now politics rules over principle.

Lovely Ol' London

Even though Paris was my favorite, London was a fantastic city to visit. It was quite an expensive place (more so than Paris) but a fun city to see, with so much history intertwined into a modern high-pace metropolis.



The House of Parliament in the background, where Members get to boo and yell at the Prime Minister for saying stupid shit....if only Congress could do that to Bush, instead they cheer for the buffoon.


Welcome to one of two cities that use congestion pricing to limit the amount of cars and pollution in order to improve mass transit. Will NYC be the third?


Despite the song, it is still standing strong.


Inside Hyde Park.


How to say "Exit" in English. I found it at Gatwick Int'l on Saturday....their airport security is even more ridiculous than it is state-side.

The Infinite Power Of The Earth

Earth is an amazing place. A huge rock that hurtles through space in an orbit 93 million miles from the sun, it provides life to countless species including our own. We are the only ones that require energy to power our way of life, and for the last couple hundred years we have used unsustainable fuels that have enabled tremendous progress at a devastating price to our planet.

Lately there has been a small but determined effort to get away from fossil fuels. Wind power and to some degree solar energy has begun to light up our homes and businesses, but there is so much more out there. In the last few years Verdant Energy has sought to place turbines in the East River to capture tidal energy though expectations have not been met. Regardless, Verdant is but one example of the drive for clean energy.

From The Washington Post:

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Iron Works has the feel of a World War II-era shipyard, with sparks flying from welders' torches and massive hydraulic presses flattening large sheets of metal. But this factory floor represents the cutting edge of American renewable-energy technology.

The plant is assembling a test buoy for Finavera Renewables, a Canadian company that hopes to harness ocean waves off the coast of Oregon to produce electricity for U.S. consumers. And Finavera is not Iron Works' only alternative-energy client: So many companies have approached it with ideas that it has created a "renewable-energy projects manager" to oversee them.

(snip)

Finavera's chief executive, Jason Bak, believes he knows how. The equipment his company designed, called AquaBuOY, aims to generate electricity from the vertical motion of waves. The buoy, anchored in an array two to three miles offshore, will convert the waves' motion into pressurized water using large, reinforced-rubber hose pumps. As the buoy goes up the peak of a wave and down into its trough, it forces a piston in the bottom of the buoy to stretch and contract the hose pumps, pushing water through. This drives a turbine that powers a generator producing electricity, which would be shipped to shore through an undersea transmission line.

More than two-thirds of Earth's surface is covered by water. Even with many shipping lanes ferrying goods around the world, there is plenty of room to harness energy from the ocean. Now of course there will be initial problems in getting these new ideas online and weaning ourselves off of oil and coal, but it is very possible. The key is to encourage companies like Finavera to do their important work by having our government and others push the market to stop the disease of oil addiction. Not only is it possible, it is essential.

Hezbollah A Role Model For Romney

You would think that all the Republican candidates would make empty rhetorical statements about fighting terrorists. Over there, draconian laws attacking our liberties here and instilling fear wherever they go. Yet Mitt Romney is bucking the trend. Not only is he looking outside the narrow Republican box, he's embracing Hezbollah.....yes, that Hezbollah.

From The Daily Gotham:

Missed this when it first came out at the beginning of August. But the National Jewish Democratic Council has brought it to my attention. Mitt Romney has criticized Democrats for being unable to "recognize evil." And yet Mitt Romney ALSO is calling for America to look to Hezbollah as a role model.

...in an article titled “Mitt Romney cited Hezbollah's social network as a model for U.S. diplomacy,” the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported on recent comments by GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney that Hezbollah’s “kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world …”

I'm sorry Mitt, I like to think outside the box, but not in that direction, not even close here. Hezbollah is a group of terrorists that uses community aid to support their terrorist attacks on Israel and Lebanon. They put on an elaborate front, more so than you could ever dream of. Maybe its the "Party of God" thing that attracts you. Personally, they repulse me...and so do your statements about them.

More Paris Pics

I absolutely loved Paris.....here a few of my favorite pictures in the city:



The south fountain in La Place de La Concorde


My personal view from a table at Cafe Francais next to Pont d' le Alma


Slightly angled shot of a side garden at Versailles

Creepy Craig

I have paid a bit of attention to the story involving Senator (or soon to be ex-Senator) Craig from Idaho. When you plead guilty to trying to commit forced sexual acts in a men's room in the airport....you are not becoming of a Senator. It really is that easy. He is trying to play stupid about what he confessed to...but no one is buying it. Democrats are letting Republicans take care of this sick puppy. And once he is out of the Senate, the authorities can take care of the rest.

Why is that these cases are almost always involving Republicans? Of course it isn't every Republican in office, but....it just makes me wonder.

From Paris To London

So I haven't posted anything in a week since those pictures in Paris. The City of Lights was incredible to say the least. It is always nice to see stereotypes busted first hand. The only exception for the French (in my experience) is the B.O. Some, but not at all, do not shower enough, including three-quarters of the taxicab drivers there. Other than that, people are friendly and have manners (a concept Americans still need to learn), the food is unbelievable....there is nothing better than French food....no matter what it is. Oh and Bill O'Reilly can shove it. Stop attacking the French, they are far beyond you Billy boy.

Well now I am in London until Saturday and after Labor Day I'll begin to post like I did before I got to Europe. Honestly I have been reading more news about Paris and France than my own NYC locale. I must say the writers for the Guardian and the Independent far surpass the "journalists" in America. They write with wit and dare I say, snarkiness. The articles are hard hitting and make you (or at least me) laugh at the ridiculousness of politicians both here in London and back home.

Since I am coming home in less than two days, I've been thinking about the differences between the States (and especially in NYC where I live) and here. Europe is......amazing in so many regards. The mass transit systems in Paris and London and in between are better than anything in America. Traveling on the Eurostar was something I can only dream the U.S. can have. Moving at 200 mph makes Amtrak look extremely pathetic. People are also more knowledgeable about current events....and climate change is a serious issue that everyone agrees on as something to be dealt with, if only going about it different ways. In America, its the "debate" is between the realists and those that suffer from delusions or plain ignorance.

The Liberal Democrats want to make England carbon neutral by 2050 and the Tories want to curb airline use and move commuters to high speed trains....the U.S. could only hope to stem the increase in carbon emissions by then with simple-minded programs. The only bright spots are in progressive cities like New York, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and the like.

I know there are problems here, like unemployment and the high cost of living. Yet when it comes to weighing pros and cons, Europe (or at least Paris and London) are far ahead of us. It is time that we start catching up.