Mish Mash

Many random thoughts floating around the pondering mind today. The rain pattern is giving us a bit of a respite this morning and that is a good thing. It will make a return visit later this afternoon.

Tomorrow is 7/7/07. Numerically a lucky day. Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya? That's what the date brings to mind. Clint Eastwood. Ok then. I understand a record number of weddings are expected to take place in locales like Las Vegas. Well, seems to me if you are eloping to Las Vegas to wed, perhaps a little extra luck may be a useful thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I think I'll play the lotto. Someone's got to win, may as well be me.

Tomorrow is the big day for rock star wannabe Al Gore. Poor guy. He was basking in all the glory of his assinine display of human arrogance, as if humans are going to change weather cycle patterns and poof, no more global warming, and what happens? The youngest child, his 24 year old son is busted for speeding, in his hybrid automobile of course, and the police find marijuana and pills in his possession. Do you think he was speeding to dad's concert, well prepared for the experience? Al Gore cancelled press interviews, except NBC who will devote the day to free publicity to Al's political agenda.

Will NBC be doing a day's worth of free publicity to the community that believes in moderation to the solutions of climate change? You know, fair and balanced. Don't hold your breath.

What is interesting is the growing skepticism to the extreme measures promoted by Gore. The scientific community has always been divided as to the severity of the alleged Gore claims and causes. As he himself admits to exaggerating his own claims, for effect, then he is seen as less than a serious speaker. Rightly so. Do not believe for a minute that this is anything but a political agenda for Gore. If all goes well for him, he'll affect policy so that you will be taxed and regulated to new levels. Gore was born into politics and raised to be President. He didn't all of a sudden have an awakening and become someone else.

You'll notice the celebs doing these silly concerts are anything but 'green' themselves. Groups like the Artic Monkeys (I have a teenage son) are not participating as they see the hypocrisy. Aren't the very events being held a huge waste of energy and contributing to the problems of waste removal and stressing communities? Rio tried to shut it's concert down due to all the security issues and additional people needed to provide security.

Now, if someone like Ed Begley, Jr. is speaking at one of the events, by all means take heed. But, you'll notice that he doesn't succumb to participating for publicity. He has been living the green lifestyle for 20 or so years and doing so very quietly and privately. Remember, those who shout for publicity, calling attention to how wonderful they are, are rarely the real McCoy.

Some of us have been going about our lives, trying to live well and do right by the environment since the awareness of the first Earth Day, in the early 1970's. Back when Earth Day was begun, though, it was due to an impending coming of a new ice age. Oops.

It's the arrogance that kills me. Yes, our air is polluted. I live in Houston where we are told each day the pollution level, in the form of ozone alerts. Our country, however, has regulations in place like the Clean Air Act (1970 under Nixon) and others that strive to do the right thing. Human interaction into our environment only goes so far. The current 'crisis' is anything but and the politicians pushing this agenda du jour are fully aware of the problems and solutions. Let's tax manufacturers and say it's for the good of everyone. Who do you think will pay for the new taxes? Lots of money will be made by investors in products and companies labeled environmentally friendly. Do you think Gore has been at this for so long out of the goodness of his heart? It has been very profitable for him. And the research for his books? Done by minions at Harvard, not even at Gore's personal expense. It's a great deal for him, isn't it? Nobel Prize worthy to some. PowerPoint the sheeple into submission. Now that's entertainment.

Maybe Al Gore II will step back a bit and tend to the needs of Al Gore III. The son has been arrested before for drugs and has several high speed citations. Changing his environment seems like a good idea. Just a thought.

The Scooter Libby sentence? The sentencing board or whatever it is called, recommended far less than the judge decided to use. Seems the judge is aggravated that Scooter didn't take the stand in the trial. So, instead of allowing Libby to remain at home during the appeal he said no, you must go directly to jail. This is not standard procedure for someone with no criminal record and a long distinguished career of public service. He's not a flight risk and not able to work in his chosen profession, law, with a felony conviction.

I thought a full pardon was reasonable. The Bush bashers are having a heyday, of this you can be sure. Hearings will be held by Conyers. What will be done? Nothing. President Bush has the authority to do what he did. His action was less than admirable in my eyes, but he can say he upheld the jury decision, the fine will be paid, the conviction stands on Libby's record, he will be unable to practice law. He'll be on probation for 2 years. No, no jail time but more punishment than is standard, to be sure. He wasn't convicted of leaking a covert CIA agent's name. She wasn't covert and the leaker was known 2 full years before the trial began. Richard Armitage, Colin Powell's minion, was the gossiping operative telling everything he knew to whomever would listen. The 9/11 Commission found there to be no cherry picking of pre-Iraq war intelligence or pressure from the administration to come up with favorable intelligence findings. Joe Wilson has been proven to be a liar, a grandstanding, self absorbed phony.

For Hillary to criticize Bush's action is in a word, RICH. Her husband was impeached for lying to a Grand Jury and admitting to doing so. Her husband's administration was flooded with indictments and jail sentences. Hill herself was found to be 'factually dishonest' before a grand jury in the travelgate matter but not charged after a mock trial and mock jury determined a conviction of the First Lady would not be possible in D.C. Her husband pardoned Rich, who fled the country to avoid his trial and his ex wife led the charge for pardon, also a major contributor to Clinton's presidential library. The constant claims of strong ties of the Bush family and Saudis? Some, sure, but who do you think has been the largest single contributor to the Clinton presidential library in little ole Little Rock? Yes, the Saudi royal family. Hmm.

And, Sandy, the burglar, Berger, admitted to lying to his grand jury about theft of federal documents from the archives and destruction of documents. All this stealing and destroying as he prepared to testify before the 9/11 Commission about the Clinton administration's actions in foreign policy. He received a $5o,ooo fine, no jail time, and was eventually disbarred in D.C. Again, he admitted guilt.

So, I think Hill should continue to drone on in her monotone speaking voice, nice and shrill and loud at her campaign events about Bush cronyism and corruption. It serves to remind people of our recent past. And Bill on the trail? Please, use him as much as possible. He strains to not outshine her at the events and further reminds everyone of the days of two-for-one. Fully half of the voters polled say they will never vote for Hillary as it is.

And, Joe Biden. Yesterday I read he called the President 'brain dead' before a group at an event for his presidential bid. There's a class act. Maybe he can go before a group of school kids and call Bush a liar as Harry Reid did. Remember, Biden had to leave the presidential race in 1988 due to plagiarism in his speechifying. 'Nuff said.

President Bush has continually disappointed me throughout his terms in office. Other than tax cuts and the war on terror and record levels of support to the problems in Africa, plus the first federally funded stem cell research, there is little to celebrate. The less than pardon of Scooter Libby is added to the negative side.