For Your Consideration

http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=248523&subSection=Columnist&f=28

Maureen Dowd is on fire this morning. Must read comedy of the day. Candid sarcasm that could only be delivered by a jaded woman.

Perfect Fall Sunset on the Mall

The Evils of Redistribution

I think a lot of people have already noted the vacuous rhetoric of the McCain campaign from a historical perspective. The US has had taxes since day one, a federal income tax for a century, and social security taxes for 40 years. All varying degrees of redistribution and all untouchable except at the margins in modern America.

And yet I think more curious is the McCain decision to raise the issue at this particular moment in time. With unemployment and under employment surging their is no great outcry for government to help less. With millions watching their retirement shrivel, they are not clamoring for the feds to step back further. With hundreds of houses repossessed daily, the anger is for congress to do more, not less.

A lot of people have beehb talking about how republicans where doomed from the start because of macro conditions. But I also think this avoids the reality that McCain's life and background were an impediment. He has literally had government provided health care his whole life (and did I mention he is really old). He has lived in a house provided by the US government or his millionaire wife 90% of his life. And he has lived his life protected by get out of jail free cards (first his family legacy then POW, POW, POW).

McCain could have take this information and thought "I was pretty lucky, I should spend my life working to try to extend those safety nets to every american." but insteed he spent his whole life telling everyone else how awesome he was, and how these were actually the result of his own virtue.

Yo Ma Ma

Stephen Colbert just had renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma on. Yo Yo - "in some parts of the world they call me Jo Jo Ma, in others I am called Yo Ma Ma" - is probably the funniest guest I have ever seen on Colbert. He completely embraced the character of the show and hit it out of the park.

Deep Thought

While out of the US the past two weeks my only exposure to the Presidential race has been watching the last debate in Hong Kong, occasionally catching a story on the local news about it, and CNN headlines every few days. Any yet catching up today I am struck by... how nothing has really changed. Which is to say the only thing worse than being down 6-8 points with three weeks to go is to be down 6-8 points with a week to go.

Remembering the Dead

Today we went to visit the graves of Helena's grand parents with a whole bunch of cousins and aunts and uncles. Very interesting experience. Her aunt asked me if it was different from in the US, and after reflecting for a second I think what struck me most is how the remembrance is such a social event - everyone meets up at the grave and does a short ceremony, then off to the taoist temple, then a big lunch with everyone together. Very neat experience and glad I could be a part of it.

In other news

Savoring my time to read my political news this morning, this is my favorite story so far. Looks like the McCain's had AT&T and Verizon specially install cell towers near their Sedona ranch to improve their service. The McCain campaign called reporting this a "disgrace", and noted Cindy (who apparently made the call) just used the normal channels available to anyone who wants better service, including having the Secret Service follow up for her. You know, just like regular people.

In other news, Joe the Plumber was filling up last night when he discovered that Chairman Obama has levied a special $1,000,000/gallon gas tax on him specifically. He was informed by the attendant that Obama hates "whitey" and small businesses, and that the proceeds would be used to fund a Miss Welfare Queen pagent and buy crack (kidding).

Debate Blogging

We watched the debate this morning live in Hong Kong. It was pretty blah despite the extra heat compared to the first ones, and in that way think is a big Obama win. That said, like the last one, if the volume was off I would have said Obama won huge. Last time McCain sort of wandered around the stage like a lost old man. This time he just kept making bizarre faces the whole time, his eyes darting all over the place, and kept making jerky movements in his seat - I kept waiting for him to double over in a seizure. In contrast, Obama was confident and at his best when dismissively chuckling at McCain's flailing attacks. On the plus side, Schaeffer seems to have finally made the two men look at each other and debate, rather tha ndeliver set pieces.

Hong Kong Pics

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Blogging

The most striking thing so far I think has been that other than a lot of Chinese characters, Hong Kong really could pass for a part of London. The British influence in the urban design is very evident.

The other thing is that the density is off the charts, but somehow it doesn't feel cramped. Every building is at least a dozen stories but there is usually space between them and the street level is wide open. Living spaces are smaller sqare footage wise but much better layed out. And walking really is preferred over driving in the way everything is built.

Things not to do

Note to world. Don't take pictures of the jetway when boarding a plane or men with badges will appear. The things you learn.

Idiocy

Can someone please explain to me why after waiting 30 minutes for one metro bus I am now looking at four coming down the hill bumper to bumper. Is it really that hard to space them out?

When Hitler Rose to Power a Lot of People Just Quit... They're Called French

Barack Hussein Obama

Andrew and Coates have been going back and forth about this at the new and improved Atlantic about this video.
Whatever it means, it is hilarious!

Humiliation

I am amazed more people haven't picked up on McCain's line about "withdrawing in humiliation" from Somalia. And not just because he was one of the architects behind forcing that pull out and tying the hands of troops in the first place. But also because suggesting our troops were humiliated despite their well know heroism in the Black Hawk Down incident and throughout doesn't sound very mavericky.

Vigilante Justice?

Two Washington Post articles caught my attention this morning:

Md. Police Put Activists' Names On Terror Lists

Chinese Muslims Ordered Released From Guantanamo

I've always thought that civil liberty fanatics and government conspiracy theorists are wackos that have too rich an imagination and too much time on their hands. But the two stories reported made me wonder whether the worries of these "wackos" are unfounded.

I think the hostility comes down to paranoia on both sides (the government's and the respective groups') often spurred by actions taken by the other. I can understand that, and perhaps possibly even empathize with them.

What I have a problem with about the two cases is the revenge-driven, "just-you-wait-I'll-come-get-you" attitude that the law enforcement guys have in their "acceptance of defeat." (In addition to quotes like

"I don't believe the First Amendment is any guarantee to those who wish to disrupt the government" (said former MD state police superintendent Thomas Hutchins)

or

"Justice Department lawyer John O'Quinn (suggested) that immigration authorities might be compelled to arrest the Uighurs on U.S. soil because of their alleged ties to the terrorist organization. " (after the Uighurs being ruled non-combatants, with no proof that they intend to cause harm to the US, and should be released)

I know it's hard not to take cases personally, because a ruling by the judge saying that you're acting unconstitutionally seems like a ruling on your professionalism and judgment. Often one ends up trying too hard to prove that one is right, not that what is done does the defendant and this country's reputation right.

Speaking of racism

I am inclined to agree with Megan (twice in a week.. what is going on here) that the AP article alleging Palin's comments about Obama and Ayers are racially tinged. But on the other hand it is nice to finally see Rob Fournier's new approach bite the McCain folks in the butt.

Blatant Racism

So I was just about to pay my speeding ticket, was reading through my citation, and noticed among all other info that you can find on my driver's license, an added item that stood out and got my attention... completely irrelevant of the crime committed, location, details of the vehicle, etc.

And what item is that, you may ask.

Why of course it's my race honey.

Not that I should care because I don't happen to belong to a race that is picked on in police traffic stops. But I do care because so many others are victims of racial profiling.

Give me a damn good reason: why is that particular piece of info relevant?

I don't have a Tivo, but agree with Megan that the "meet the undecided's" segment with Soledad O'Brian was a train wreck. I just happened to be flipping when it came on and thought it would be interesting to hear what actual people (rather than media-bots) thought. The ensuing segment did the opposite. In addition to the stupid "raise your hands" method that she declared "overwhelmingly" for Biden when in reality it was clearly close, I think she was on speed and refused to let people get full sentences out of their mouth before she asked the next question.

John McCain Knows How to Win a War

The debate seems pretty blah so far. But one line that is getting on my nerves is Governor Palin saying that Senator McCain knows how to "win a war". Maybe I am just some spoiled Gen Y-er/Millenial but how is this true?

It isn't like he is Eisenhower. I mean he was a legacy into the Naval Academy who by all accounts was a marginal officer. He then served in Vietnam - which we lost - and got shot down (which from a tactical perspective seems like failure to me). Then his dad hooked him up with a desk job on the Hill until he left the Navy and shortly there after became a member of Congress. So where exactly is the nose for victory?

PS - when Sarah Palin says she knows what it is like to sit around the table and try to figure out how to pay for her kids college, what is she talking about. Her son is - bless him - serving in the Army and all the rest are too young for college.

Speaking the Unsaid

This video has been making the rounds but I hadn't gotten around to watching it until now. I am glad I did.