"The Trojan Women" Concept

Each semester, my students create a production project for their final. They are to present a design/concept/budget/monologue for a play they have read. This semester, in order to better illustrate what I am looking for, I have decided to prepare a presentation of my own. I chose Euripides' "The Trojan Women" as the play. I decided to assume the role of director and present the director's concept to them. "The Trojan Women" is about more than the sacking of an ancient city. At its core, it presents the audience with the idea that war is hell, especially for the "survivors." While I realize that the genocide in Darfur is not a factual parallel with the defeat of Troy by the Greeks, I felt that the emotional truth was there. I wanted to make the play relevant, demonstrating the timeless nature of its themes. I am working on a power point presentation showing visual elements, casting ideas, and musical inspiration. The following is a slide show I found on You Tube produced by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee:

The Democrat Fisherman

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above a ground elevation of 2346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude."

She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Democrat ."

"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."

The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Republican."

"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You've risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but, somehow, now it's my fault."

Thanks to Billie for sending me this joke.

I'm off to see the Wizard!

Golden Isles Arts And Humanities (in conjunction with Comcast and Turner Classic Movies) is showing The Wizard of Oz at the Ritz Theatre in Brunswick tonight at 7:00. Tickets are only $5 (you can't see a movie at the multiplex for that), and all proceeds benefit GIAHA. Maybe I'll see you there!

My Two Passions Collide in one Glorious Video!

Ok, it's not a perfect video. Some of the images at the end are not what I would have chosen, but the very idea of adapting Hamlet's advice to the players into suggestions for Democratic presidential candidates is so genius that I urge you to watch this:


All the world's a stage, and I'm glad The Hermit is one of the players.

For those of you keeping score in the Angst-Loss Chalenge, I took the following action for this post: I followed the link above to The Hermit's blog and gave this video it's first digg, submitting it as a story in the process. I'm still learning all the wonderful things one can do with the internets, so I hope I did it right. I encourage everyone to do likewise. You may even help finance The Hermit, if you're so inclined.

I completely forgot my Blogiversary!

My first post was June 8, 2006. Ah, those heady days when I truly believed we might get rid of Jack Kingston. Maybe next time.

Glynn Democrats Newsletter

E-MAIL NEWSLETTER
July 2007

Time for the monthly reminder of meetings:

The regular monthly meeting of the Glynn County Democratic Party will be held on Monday, July 16 at 7:00 PM at St. William’s Catholic Church, 2300 Frederica Road on St. Simons Island.

Loyal, Committed Democrats continue to meet and work on the issues which are important to us. At the last meeting, local objectives and principals were discussed as well as receiving the overview of the African American Preservation Society’s quest to save the Selden Park gym. Our Chair continues to be impassionate about mental health issues. Vice-Chair, Tom
Mullen apprised the group about Federal Employee Free Choice Act before Congress now.

Also, on Saturday morning, July 21, at 9:00 AM the Glynn County Democrats will meet for BREAKFAST. The Breakfast will be at Ryan’s Steakhouse on Scranton Road in Brunswick. The Speaker will be Woody Woodside of the local Chamber of Commerce.

In other good news, more progressive individuals are writing letters to the editor of the Brunswick News. Very interesting reading lately. Keep thinking those thoughts and putting them on paper…or whatever you write them on.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee met its million dollar challenge to continue to work toward more of a majority in Congress next election. (dccc@dccc.org)

The Democratic National Committee will be hosting the 2007 Democratic Reunions on July 28 with an emphasis on a cleaner environment. Something we can all endorse. If you want to host a party see the DNC site or email them at democraticparty@democrats.org and sign on.

The Georgia Presidential Primary has been moved up to February 5. Six months away.

Take care.
Audrey Stewart, E-Newsletter



(This newsletter is authorized by the Glynn County Democratic Party, P.O. Box 776, Brunswick, Georgia. Phone 912-634-1774. Jim Norris, Chair; Tom Mullen, Vice, Chair; Joan Anderson Ross, Secretary. Not authorized by any candidate or campaign committee.)


Note from Kelly: I teach Monday nights, so I've had to miss these meetings this summer. I encourage others to attend, though. I have tended to skip the Brunswick News, but I'm going to have to start reading it, obviously. My goal today is to read the paper tonight and send them an email to the editor before I go to bed. I'll probably do this while Cat Deeley blathers on in between the dancing on SYTYCD.

Update: read the paper, but wasn't really inspired to write a letter. I really want letters I write to be in response to something I read in their paper (I also might be inspired by a lack of coverage). If I'm not inspired by Saturday, I'm writing a letter anyway!

Hairspray Star in NYTimes

Check out this article in the Times about Nikki Blonsky, the 18-year-old novice from Great Neck who landed the role of Tracy Turnblad in the movie musical based on the Broadway musical based on the John Waters movie Hairspray.
“I am not going to let myself be typecast,” she said. “I am going to show the world that I am not just going to play the plus-size girl, that a plus-size girl can be a love interest. Anybody can play any role if they have the chops and if they work hard enough at it.”
I sure hope it works out for her!

Take the 30-Day Angst-Loss Challenge

We of the blogosphere have been issued a challenge: no more complaining without action. Teh Portly Dyke has sworn to take some form of action every time she posts or comments on an issue. For instance, sign a petition, write a letter to the editor or your representative, donate to a cause or campaign. She has a point. We spend so much energy posting about things, and not enough actually doing something about it (at least I do). So join me in accepting her challenge. Sign up over at her blog.

Impeach Cheney Video

You knew the political youtube would be back faster than you could say, "High Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Thanks to Jann for making me aware of this video:

Non-political youtube video

This is just about the coolest artwork/engineering I've ever seen. The video is a mishmash of different videos, but it's a good comprehensive look at some of Theo Jansen's amazing kinetic sculptures:

Happy 4th of July!

And here's my gift to you: Keith Olbermann's Special Comment calling for Cheney and Bush to resign.

Former Island Players star reviewed in NYTimes

Mathew J. Nichols (nee Jascizek) is appearing in Professional Skepticism in New York. The review isn't exactly glowing, but it ain't bad either!

Worst Person in the World: George W. Bush

Keith quotes Cromwell in calling for Bush & Cheney to resign. Watch this space for the upcoming special comment that makes the case in more detail. I'm at the point where I wish they would just give Chris Matthews' time over to Olbermann. I'd watch MSNBC twice as much if that were the case. I would also like to see Mika get her own show. Anyway, enjoy.

Bush hands Scooter Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card

That's right, folks. Here in Georgia, conservatives are keeping Genarlow Wilson in prison, but the nation's number one conservative proves that the compassion in his conservatism only applies to his cronies. 2009 can't get here fast enough. I am so sick of this arrogant blowhard thumbing his nose at the rule of law in this country. Isn't it time to cut the Shrub down?!

Shakesville is back!

After being taken down by a DOS attack, Shakesville is back on a dedicated server. Be sure to stop by and express support. The new server is not cheap, so financial support would be appreciated, too, if you can spare it.

Best. Movie Site. Ever.

Y'all gotta try this. Click on "Create your Simpsons Avatar" at the top, and you too can have a Groening-style rendering of yourself.

Here's mine:


HT: Shakesville (currently posting at Shakespeare's Sister)

All Vols must Vote

The ESPYS are coming up, and it's time to vote. You don't even have to vote for Peyton to show your Vol spirit, 'cause the Lady Vols(past and present) are all over the ballot. Good luck figuring out which bowler to vote for. I ended up picking the guy in the orange shirt. Don't forget to vote for Talladega Nights for best Sports movie, 'cause Jack McBrayer rocked that pit crew action!
HT: Hurricane Radio

Dave Grohl is so hot

Have I ever mentioned my intense infatuation for Dave Grohl? Just thought I'd mention it. Foo Fighters were just on MTV Live. Seriously, I love him. In a totally non-stalkery sort of way. Mmmmmm Grohl . . .

Happy Juneteenth!

I wonder how many of the folks enjoying the shopping, food, and performances at this past weekend's Georgia Sea Islands Festival knew why it always occurs around June 19th? It really should be a nationally recognized day of remembrance and reflection. I'm not advocating for another day off, but it would be nice if calendars would acknowledge the historical significance of this day. If you don't know what I'm talking about, google "juneteenth" and learn more!

Hyundai ad contains subliminal political advertising?

Check out this Hyundai ad:

I keep seeing it before movies, and I suddenly realized that there's some wonderful subliminal advertising for the Democratic Party in there! About 18 seconds in, notice the two historical figures who appear in the montage when Kelsy Grammer says, "Smart people are whom we've always counted on and admired the most." That's right, they were democrats: JFK and FDR. Pretty cool, huh? Thanks, Hyundai, for the extra boost. Unfortunately, my current favorite in the 2008 race does not have a name that lends itself to initialization. Can you imagine folks reminiscing 40 years from now about BO's administration? No, best to just call him Obama. Or Barack. I'll just be glad when we can call him Mr. President!

Obama on youtube

No, it's not the "crush" video. Please take a look at this video posted by the Obama campaign.

And, yes, I do have a bit of a crush on Obama, but I still love Joe Biden and John Edwards, too. That'd be some boy band, huh?

Help to stop the big coal give away

Congress could vote in the next fews weeks on a bill that would double our greenhouse gas emissions from planes and cars. It sounds crazy, but this is exactly what will happen if a current plan to use "liquid coal" passes. Coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels and we have a serious global warming problem.

I signed a petition urging Congress to vote no on tax breaks and subsidies on coal. Can you join me at the link below?

moveon.org/stopkingcoal

Memori-Al Weekend!

Tomorrow I drive down to Winter Haven, FL to see the King of Parody himself, "Weird Al" Yankovic, live in concert at Cypress Gardens! Scoff if you must, but this guy puts on a terrific show. Besides, ain't nobody more "White N' Nerdy" than me. Unfortunately, I waited too long to get reserved seating, so we're in the last row of a side section. Oh well, if he does "You're Pitiful," it will all be worth it.

Chris Matthews calls Jack Kingston on his misrepresentation

HT to Tondee's Tavern:
It takes a while to get to the good stuff, but our boy Jack really hit a nerve when he compared the occupation of Iraq to the ongoing presence of American troops in Germany and South Korea. Chris was not happy. I love it when the MSM wakes up, even for a moment, and remembers what they ought to be doing.

He's Alive!

So, Mother's Day came and went with no word from my brother. We were disappointed, but not surprised. Tad has not always been the best about sending cards or calling on Hallmark days. Just got a call from Mom. Mother's Day card from Tad came in the mail today! No return address. Postmarked Chicago. No real details, but he's okay! I'll take what blessings I can, thank you very much. I still hold out hope that we'll see him again soon, but it does feel good just to know he's okay. We Love you Tad! Hope you are happy. Our best to everyone there.

Bring Civility to Your Blog Posts

Wolfrum (Shakesville) responds to Lieberman's "vituperation" comment with a hilarious post enumerating various ways to bring civility to blog posts. Must read for all bloggers. Or anyone with a sense of humor.

Have You Seen This Man?

This is my brother, Tad Dobbin. My mother and I have had no word from him or of him since November 2006. We believe he has moved to Chicago, but we have no way to contact him, and he has not seen fit to contact us. If he doesn't want to have contact with us, I guess we understand, but we do want to know if he's alright. If any of you have seen him or know anything about how he's doing, it would be really great if you would comment here. I just want to know that my little brother is ok. Thank you.

A View on Abortion

I have not been able to blog about my personal reasons for being pro-choice. I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. This gentleman is a stronger person than I am. As compelling and interesting as his post is, I also encourage everyone to check out the comments section. If you didn't know this could be a divisive issue, you will after reading the variety of opinions and reactions in the comments.
HT to Shakesville

National Day for Impeachment

National Day for Impeachment

Saturday, April 28, 2007

GlynnPeace: Citizens to End the War in Iraq
11:00 a.m. - Noon
St. Simons Island

Neptune Park * Mallory Street * Town Pier

JOIN US at the BEACH

Members of GlynnPeace will sponsor a walking demonstration in the park and through the village on Mallory Street, carrying placards relating impeachment to the prospects for peace.
Participants should meet at the flagpole in Neptune Park at 10:45 a.m.

Looking for at least 20 volunteers to help carry placards while walking, and distribute information fliers to passersby.
If you're interested in volunteering, leave your contact information in comments, and I will pass it along.

Bill Shipp on the threat to Jekyll Island

In yesterday's column in the Gwinnett Daily Post, Bill Shipp lists some of the ways the Jekyll Island Authority has failed in its stewardship over the years. He also had this to say about Senator Chapman's bill:
"Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, had tried vainly to gain committee support for a bill that would rescue Jekyll from being turned over to a new generation of robber barons, like the multimillionaires who owned and developed Jekyll until the middle of World War II."

How true. Jekyll was once an exclusive playground for the ultra-rich. It seems our state government is determined for history to repeat itself. It's not too late. Call as many senators as you can and urge them to either vote no on the bill or vote yes for Chapman's amendments, whichever their conscience and sense of the chamber dictates.

Save Jekyll Island!

SAVE JEKYLL ISLAND
!! ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT !!
SUPPORT NEEDED FOR
CHAPMAN AMENDMENTS

Your call to Senators' offices or Senate Information Line needed Monday and Tuesday.

Protecting our coastal treasures, Senator Jeff Chapman will introduce 3 amendments that are vital to making sure Senate Bill 214 protects Jekyll Island. Without these amendments it will be a field day for development on your State Park !

25-1020 acts to specifically protect the naturally sensitive south end including the 4-H complex and renown soccer fields from proposed high end residential development

25-1021 bars any increase in private residential units anywhere on Jekyll

25-1022 bars the selling of Jekyll land to private interests currently under discussion. It's a PARK

Chapman's substitute bill lost by only one vote in committee but if his amendments above are approved on the Senate floor Monday or Tuesday, the hopefully amended bill will still face being sent back to the House and probably a Conference Committee/.

Friday is the last day of the session. PROTECT JEKYLL FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

HERE'S THE EASY WAY TO HELP
** Emails are not being read as the boxes are too full

PHONE CALLS NEEDED TODAY..
Contact Georgia State Senators by calling one Senator's office, leave your message to SUPPORT CHAPMAN AMENDMENTS TO Senate Bill 214 and ask to be transferred to Senator ________'s office and so on.

OR... For the list of names/districts and links to each click on this website..... www.legis.state.ga.us/ Then click on the right side on SENATORS BY NAME... for a complete listing.

CALL ANYONE YOU CHOSE..they all need persuading.

You might start with calling the five who voted against Chapman's version in committee were:

Sen John Bulloch (404-656-0040)
Sen.Jack Hill (404-656-5038),
Sen.Lee Hawkins (404-656-6578)
Sen.Jim Whitehead (404-656-5114)
Sen.Eric Johnson (404-656-5109)

** PLEASE DO NOT CALL CHAPMAN'S OFFICE...
it's the other Senators who need a call for support.


After the Senate vote your help will be needed in contacting House Members




Why are these legislators so anxious to give Jekyll away?
Senate President, Eric Johnson from Savannah used to represent this district and HE VOTED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S GROUP against Chapman's bill in committee.
House Majority Leader from St. Simons, Jerry Keen ,supports the proposed development options for Jekyll and
Senator Tommie Williams from Lyons used to represent us and owns property here too. Why isn't he standing up to protect Jekyll.

VA Tech Shootings

My thoughts and prayers are with the faculty, staff, students and parents of Virginia Tech. I can't imagine the horrible ordeal they are all going through.

A Few Words From Lee Iacocca

Lee Iacocca's 9 C's of Leadership
Excerpt from Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

From Chapter 1: Had Enough?

Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!

You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore. The President of the United States is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, tap our phones, and lead us to war on a pack of lies. Congress responds to record deficits by passing a huge tax cut for the wealthy (thanks, but I don't need it). The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving pom-poms instead of asking hard questions.
That's not the promise of America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.

My friends tell me to calm down. They say, "Lee, you're eighty-two years old. Leave the rage to the young people." I'd love to -- as soon as I can pry them away from their iPods for five seconds and get them to pay attention. I'm going to speak up because it's my patriotic duty. I think people will listen to me. They say I have a reputation as a straight shooter. So I'll tell you how I see it, and it's not pretty, but at least it's real. I'm hoping to strike a nerve in those young folks who say they don't vote because they don't trust politicians to represent their interests. Hey, America, wake up. These guys work for us.

WHO ARE THESE GUYS, ANYWAY?

Why are we in this mess? How did we end up with this crowd in Washington?
Well, we voted for them -- or at least some of us did. But I'll tell you what we didn't do. We didn't agree to suspend the
Constitution. We didn't agree to stop asking questions or demanding answers. Some of us are sick and tired of people who call free speech treason. Where I come from that's a dictatorship, not a democracy.

And don't tell me it's all the fault of right-wing Republicans or liberal Democrats. That's an intellectually lazy argument, and it's part of the reason we're in this stew. We're not just a nation of factions. We're a people. We share common principles and ideals. And we rise and fall together.

Where are the voices of leaders who can inspire us to action and make us stand taller? What happened to the strong and resolute party of Lincoln? What happened to the courageous, populist party of FDR and Truman? There was a time in this country when the voices of great leaders lifted us up and made us want to do better. Where have all the leaders gone?

THE TEST OF A LEADER

I've never been Commander in Chief, but I've been a CEO. I understand a few things about leadership at the top. I've figured out nine points -- not ten (I don't want people accusing me of thinking I'm Moses). I call them the "Nine Cs of Leadership." They're not fancy or complicated. Just clear, obvious qualities that every true leader should have. We should look at how the
current administration stacks up. Like it or not, this crew is going to be around until January 2009. Maybe we can learn something before we go to the polls in 2008. Then let's be sure we use the leadership test to screen the candidates who say they want to run the country. It's up to us to choose wisely.

So, here's my C list:

A leader has to show CURIOSITY. He has to listen to people outside of the "Yes, sir" crowd in his inner circle. He has to read voraciously, because the world is a big, complicated place. George W. Bush brags about never reading a newspaper. "I just scan the headlines," he says. Am I hearing this right? He's the President of the United States and he never reads a newspaper? Thomas Jefferson once said, "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate for a moment to prefer the latter." Bush disagrees. As long as he gets his daily hour in the gym, with Fox News piped through the sound system, he's ready to go.

If a leader never steps outside his comfort zone to hear different ideas, he grows stale. If he doesn't put his beliefs to the test, how does he know he's right? The inability to listen is a form of arrogance. It means either you think you already know it all, or you just don't care. Before the 2006 election, George Bush made a big point of saying he didn't listen to the polls.
Yeah, that's what they all say when the polls stink. But maybe he should have listened, because 70 percent of the people were saying he was on the wrong track. It took a "thumping" on election day to wake him up, but even then you got the feeling he wasn't listening so much as he was calculating how to do a better job of convincing everyone he wasright.

A leader has to be CREATIVE, go out on a limb, be willing to try something different. You know, think outside the box. George Bush prides himself on never changing, even as the world around him is spinning out of control. God forbid someone should accuse him of flip-flopping. There's a disturbingly messianic fervor to his certainty. Senator Joe Biden recalled a
conversation he had with Bush a few months after our troops marched into Baghdad. Joe was in the Oval Office outlining his concerns to the President -- the explosive mix of Shiite and Sunni, the disbanded Iraqi army, the problems securing the oil fields. "The President was serene," Joe recalled. "He told me he was sure that we were on the right course and that all would be well. 'Mr. President,' I finally said, 'how can you be so sure when you don't yet know all the facts?'" Bush then reached over and put a steadying hand on Joe's shoulder. "Myinstincts," he said. "My instincts." Joe was flabbergasted. He told Bush, "Mr. President, your instincts aren't good enough." Joe Biden sure didn't think the matter was settled. And, as we all know now, it wasn't.

Leadership is all about managing change -- whether you're leading a company or leading a country. Things change, and you get creative. You adapt. Maybe Bush was absent the day they covered that at Harvard Business School.

A leader has to COMMUNICATE. I'm not talking about running off at the mouth or spouting sound bites. I'm talking about facing reality and telling the truth. Nobody in the current administration seems to know how to talk straight anymore. Instead, they spend most of their time trying to convince us that things are not really as bad as they seem. I don't know if it's denial or dishonesty, but it can start to drive you crazy after a while. Communication has to start with tellingthe truth, even when it's painful. The war in Iraq has been, among other things, a grand failure of communication. Bush is like the boy who didn't cry wolf when the wolf was at the door. After years of being told that all is well, even as the casualties and chaos mount, we've stopped listening to him.

A leader has to be a person of CHARACTER. That means knowing the difference between right and wrong and having the guts to do the right thing. Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you want to test a man's character, give him power." George Bush has a lot of power. What does it say about his character? Bush has shown a willingness to take bold action on the world stage because he has the power, but he shows little regard for the grievous consequences. He has sent our troops (not to mention hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens) to their deaths -- for what? To build our oil reserves? To avenge his daddy because Saddam Hussein once tried to have him killed? To show his daddy he's tougher? The motivations behind the war in Iraq are questionable, and the execution of the war has been a disaster. A man of character does not ask a single soldier to die for a failed policy.

A leader must have COURAGE. I'm talking about balls. (That even goes for female leaders.) Swagger isn't courage. Tough talk isn't courage. George Bush comes from a blue-blooded Connecticut family, but he likes to talk like a cowboy. You know, My gun is bigger than your gun. Courage in the twenty-first century doesn't mean posturing and bravado. Courage is a commitment to sit down at the negotiating table and talk.

If you're a politician, courage means taking a position even when you know it will cost you votes. Bush can't even make a public appearance unless the audience has been handpicked and sanitized. He did a series of so-called town hallmeetings last year, in auditoriums packed with his most devoted fans. The questions were all softballs.

To be a leader you've got to have CONVICTION -- a fire in your belly. You've got to have passion.
You've got to really want to get something done. How do you measure fire in the belly? Bush has set the all-time record for number of vacation days taken by a U.S. President -- four hundred and counting. He'd rather clear brush on his ranch than immerse himself in the business of governing. He even told an interviewer that the high point of his presidency so far was
catching a seven-and-a-half-pound perch in his hand-stocked lake.

It's no better on Capitol Hill. Congress was in session only ninety-seven days in 2006. That's eleven days less than the record set in 1948, when President Harry Truman coined the term do-nothing Congress. Most people would expect to be fired if they worked so little and had nothing to show for it. But Congress managed to find the time to vote itself a raise. Now, that's not leadership.

A leader should have CHARISMA. I'm not talking about being flashy. Charisma is the quality that makes people want to follow you. It's the ability to inspire. People follow a leader because they trust him. That's my definition of charisma. Maybe George Bush is a great guy to hang out with at a barbecue or a ball game. But put him at a global summit where the future of our planet is at stake, and he doesn't look very presidential. Those frat-boy pranks and the kidding around he enjoys so much don't go over that well with world leaders. Just ask German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who received an unwelcome shoulder massage from our President at a G-8 Summit. When he came up behind her and started squeezing, I thought she was going to go right through the roof.

A leader has to be COMPETENT. That seems obvious, doesn't it? You've got to know what you're doing. More important than that, you've got to surround yourself with people who know what they're doing. Bush brags about being our first MBA President. Does that make him competent? Well, let's see. Thanks to our first MBA President, we've got the largest deficit in
history, Social Security is on life support, and we've run up a half-a-trillion-dollar price tag (so far) in Iraq. And that's just for starters. A leader has to be a problem solver, and the biggest problems we face as a nation seem to be on the back burner.

You can't be a leader if you don't have COMMON SENSE. I call this Charlie Beacham's rule. When I was a young guy just starting out in the car business, one of my first jobs was as Ford's zone manager in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. My boss was a guy named Charlie Beacham, who was the East Coast regional manager. Charlie was a big Southerner, witha warm drawl, a
huge smile, and a core of steel. Charlie used to tell me, "Remember, Lee, the only thing you've got going for you as a human being is your ability to reason and your common sense. If you don't know a dip of horseshit from a dip of vanilla ice cream, you'll never make it." George Bush doesn't have common sense. He just has a lot of sound bites. You know -- Mr.they'll-welcome-us-as-liberators -no-child-left-behind-heck-of-a-job -Brownie-mission-accomplished Bush.

Former President Bill Clinton once said, "I grew up in an alcoholic home. I spent half my childhood trying to get into the reality-based world -- and I like it here."

I think our current President should visit the real world once in a while.

THE BIGGEST C IS CRISIS

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kidsoff to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. Where was George Bush? He was reading a story about a pet goat to kids in Florida when he heard about the attacks. He kept sitting there for twenty minutes with a baffled look on his face. It's all on tape. You can see it for yourself. Then, instead of taking the quickest route back to Washington and immediately going on the air to reassure the panicked people of this country, he decided it wasn't safe to return to the White House. He basically went into hiding for the day -- and he told Vice President Dick Cheney to stay put in his bunker. We were all frozen in front of our TVs, scared out of our wits, waiting for our leaders to tell us that we were going to be okay, and there was nobody home. It took Bush a couple
of days to get his bearings and devise the right photo op at Ground Zero.

That was George Bush's moment of truth, and he was paralyzed. And what did he do when he'd regained his composure? He led us down the road to Iraq -- a road his own father had considered disastrous when he was President. But Bush didn't listen to Daddy. He listened to a higher father. He prides himself on being faith based, not reality based. If that doesn't scare the crap out of you, I don't know what will.

A HELL OF A MESS

So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in powerhas a coherent
energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way.
These are times that cry out for leadership.

But when you look around, you've got to ask: "Where have all the leaders gone?" Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, competence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountabilityfor the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal
with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when "the Big Three" referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen -- and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your assesand do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bobblehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?

HAD ENOUGH?

Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope. I believe in America. In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises -- the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better caror building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's
a call to action for people who, like me, believe in America. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the horseshit and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had enough.

Copyright © 2007 by Lee Iacocca & Associates, Inc., a California Corporation

HT to Jann

Jack McBrayer update!

This article from the Los Angeles Times may be wary of ratings hopes for 30 Rock, but the best part was when I read this about our favorite UE alum:
"But perhaps the show's break-out performer is Jack McBrayer, who plays the idealistic NBC page Kenneth, educated at Kentucky Mountain Bible College, who seems to regard television as sacred as religion."
McBrayer can do no wrong!

Nancy Pelosi rocks the presser!

Please check out this clip on Crooks and Liars of Speaker Pelosi advising W to "calm down with the threats." There's a new Congress in town alright. Finally!

Veterans for Peace Caravan to the Gulf Coast

VETERANS FOR PEACE
www.veteransforpeace.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2007

CONTACTS: Cherie Eichholz - Co-organizer, 314-397-5356
Sandy Kelson - Co-organizer, 814-382-4887
Cathy Browning - Local Organizer, 912-995-6523

Veterans For Peace Caravan to the Gulf Coast
** Georgia and Florida **

HINESVILLE, Georgia:
March 21, 2007

Ft. Stewart Army Base
229 Gen. Screven Way (outside Main Gate)
Noon - 3 p.m. Vigil and Outreach

Kevin Benderman, a former soldier with the 3rd Infantry Division, and his wife, Monica will join the vigil. Benderman is back in Hinesville after spending 13 months in prison at Fort Lewis, Wash. for refusing to deploy to Iraq with his unit in 2005.
See: www.BendermanDefense.org, www.BendermanTimeline.com,
"Soldier Who Refused Combat Fighting Discharge," by Sean Harder, Savannah Morning News, October 3, 2006.

SAVANNAH, Georgia:
March 21, 2007

Showing of "The Ground Truth"
The Senient Bean
13 E. Park Street (Forysth Square)
912-232-4447
7 p.m. Discussion following film.

Co-sponsored by Fear No Arts and Savannah Code Pink.

JACKSONVILLE, Florida:
March 22, 2007

Mayport Naval Base
Mayport Road
West side of sidewalk at Main Gate
Noon - 3 p.m. Vigil and Outreach

All veterans are welcomed to participate. The general public is welcomed and encouraged to attend.

On March 17th, veterans, military families, Active Duty members of the Armed Forces and peace activists will join representatives from Veterans For Peace (VFP), Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War, signers of the Appeal For Redress, and possibly several war resisters as they converge on Fayetteville, North Carolina to commemorate the beginning of the 5th year of the occupation of and war on Iraq.

On Tuesday, March 20, 2007, Veterans For Peace will launch a veterans' convoy, bound for the Gulf Coast, to raise awareness of the government's persistent commitment to an illegal, immoral war fought at the expense of Gulf Coast survivors, other critical needs across the nation and a ballooning out of control financial deficit.

VFP says the convoy will move out from Fayetteville, stopping at towns near military bases to dispense information to active duty soldiers about the Iraq War and their rights to appeal to their congressperson to end the war (Appeal for Redress www.appealforredress.org). Organizers and local volunteers are planning programs in each town where local military will be invited to join in actions and discussions regarding the power of their voices and the support of the majority of Americans to end the war.

Organizer Cherie Echholz states, “President Bush did not mention Katrina in his State of the Union Address. We have not forgotten. We will remind our nation of the staggering costs of the war both financially and in human casualties. VFP will stand with the people of the Gulf where the huge task of recovery and rebuilding remains far from being finished.”

VFP will lead a week-long convoy from Fayetteville, North Carolina, home of the Army's Fort Bragg, stopping in the military towns of Columbia, SC - Fort Jackson, Hinesville/Savannah, GA - Fort Stewart, Jacksonville, FL - Mayport, Columbus, GA - Fort Benning, and Montgomery, AL - Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base to Pascagoula, Mississippi (see attachment) to bring a message of Support Our Troops, De-fund the War, Bring Them Home Now and Take Care of Them When They Get Here.

Members of the Caravan will then engage in a week of home construction in solidarity with survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

"De-fund the War --- Rebuild the Gulf Coast"

BRINGING SHELTER FROM THE STORM........

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Rebuilding_the_gulf_coast.vp.html


Veterans For Peace (VFP) is a national organization founded in 1985. It is structured around a national office in Saint Louis, MO and comprised of members across the country organized in chapters or as at-large members. The organization includes men and women veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, other conflicts and peacetime veterans. Our collective experience tells us wars are easy to start and hard to stop and that those hurt are often the innocent. Thus, other means of problem solving are necessary.

# # #

Casualty of War: Mental Health -- TIME

Please read the Time article here. As devastating as physical injuries can be, we must not neglect the mental health of our soldiers, marines, and veterans.

Update for March 18 Military Veterans Speak Out

March 18 Event Details

Here's an external link for the March 18 GlynnPeace Event Details. Hope to see you there!

GlynnPeace Meeting

Just got back from the GlynnPeace meeting at The Annex of St. Mark's in downtown Brunswick. Good meeting. Plans were finalized for The Iraq War Anniversary event. As previously announced, GlynnPeace is hosting an educational event called Military Veterans Speak Out For Peace. It will be held on Sunday, March 18th from 4:00 to 5:30 at the Casino building on St. Simons Island in the Multi-Purpose room. Refreshments will be provided. Come see me at the literature table. Tony Baker will be providing the music. The main event is a panel of those directly affected by the ongoing war in Iraq. Scheduled to speak: Don Forsyth (a Brunswick native who was at the forefront of the Iraq invasion four years ago), Joe May (extended Iraq tour 2004-2005; medical discharge 2006; member Iraq Veterans Against the War, and his mother Jan May (mamber of Military Families Speak Out - Atlanta).

We also learned that Cathy will be with Veterans for Peace in Hinesville and Jacksonville. She might even go along with them to New Orleans, where they'll be spending at least a week rebuilding.

There was more, but Lost will be on soon.

Attention Glynn County: Don't forget to vote March 20

There is a special election scheduled for March 20, to decide whether to approve a new E-SPLOST to pay for immediate facility needs in our schools. You can read more about it here. Early voting is March 12-16. Please vote YES on March 20, 2007 (if not sooner)

Barack Obama in Selma

"I'm here because somebody marched . . ."

A Donkey and An Elephant Walk Into A Bar now in Beta-ish

Come join the newest political/social networking site. We get points when people join through our invites, so join already. I need the points: sign up

Use the Google!

I finally know how to properly post video from youtube, thanks to Dr. Know.
This Special Comment is from a few weeks ago, but it's definitely one of my top 5. Olbermann takes Secretary Rice to school, and she fails! Dr. Rice, are you smarter than a fifth-grader? Not according to your recent statements comparing the situations after World War II and after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Good for Keith, for not letting her get away with such blatant misrepresentation.

Call for help: posting from youtube

Here is a question for those of you more tech-savvy than I (that's pretty much everyone): I used to post videos from youtube with ease when I was using the old blogger. Since switching to ggogle blogger, I haven't been able to make it work! Any advice? I changed my blog settings on youtube to reflect my new username and password. I am such a lazy/busy blogger, I rely on youtube for material! Help!!!!!!

(enough exclamation points for you?)

AP article on Jekyll Island

Ga. Island Faces Development Pressure

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 3:34 p.m. ET

JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. (AP) -- For nearly 60 years, Jekyll Island has been Everyman's island.

A 1950 Georgia law explicitly says the state-owned coastal strip should be accessible to Georgians of ''average income.'' What constitutes ''average income'' is a matter of debate -- there's one four-star hotel, and the many ranch-style homes built in the 1960s are worth more than a half-million dollars by virtue of being so close to the beach.

But for the most part, this is a middlebrow, Rotary Club sort of place, with modest low-rise hotels like the Buccaneer Beach Resort and the Days Inn, both at $89 a night.

Now, however, it's starting to look a little shabby, and the politically appointed keepers of the island are entertaining proposals from developers for luxury hotels and million-dollar homes -- an idea that has some people worried that Jekyll Island will put itself out of reach to the common man.

''There are so few of these places left, why can't this be kept for the people?'' asked Frank Mirasola, 75, who retired to the island 10 years ago. ''Not everybody can afford a $500,000 condo.''

Connected to the mainland city of Brunswick by a six-mile causeway, Jekyll Island is known as ''Georgia's Jewel.'' Under law, it must remain two-thirds undeveloped, making it one of the least built-up East Coast islands reachable by car.

The 7 1/2-mile island wasn't always so accessible. From 1886 until the 1940s, it was the private winter playground of America's wealthiest -- Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer. They built hulking Victorian ''cottages'' that by anyone else's standards are mansions.

The millionaires' exclusive Jekyll Island Club fell into decline with the Depression and folded during World War II. In 1947, the state bought the island for $675,000 to set aside as a park for budget-minded tourists.

Because of the state's limits on development, the island was spared from the rapid buildup that swept neighboring St. Simons Island and Tybee Island off Savannah.

''Developers have figured this out and there's almost a gold-rush mentality on the Georgia coast right now,'' said Chris DeScherer of the Southern Environmental Law Center in Atlanta.

Jekyll Island has more than 600 private homes, eight hotels, a convention center, four golf courses and a water park. (In one of the few holdovers from the gilded years, there is a $399-a-night Presidential Suite at the Jekyll Island Club.)

However, decades of wear and tear are slowing the influx of visitors and hurting business, said Bill Donohue, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority, which manages the place for the state.

Conventions have stopped coming because of the musty, outdated hotels. For 40 years, more than 1,000 Georgia Rotary Club members used the island for their spring convention, but they haven't been back since 2003 because of complaints about the rooms. The group now meets in Sandestin, Fla.

The water park's wave pool shut down last summer so that a cracked basin could be fixed. Golfing has declined, and the amount the island collects in greens fees each year has dropped by about $750,000 from a decade ago.

The island's authority has solicited ideas from developers and is finding itself under pressure to make the island more stylish, like other island resorts.

No one is talking about upsetting the two-thirds rule. But on the already built-up part of the island, one development team has proposed ''high-end, luxury redevelopment'' where soccer fields and a 4-H Center for children now stand. Another developer submitted a plan for 2,000 new homes and condominiums, ranging from $350,000 to more than $1 million.

Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson favors more luxury hotels, as well as budget options, describing Jekyll as a potentially ''multimillion-, maybe billion-dollar asset.''

''Can you imagine if a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons or something like that, a St. Regis, came in there, and each one of them took over one of the golf courses, developed the villas around them and a hotel on the beach?'' Richardson said.

Such talk has raised fears the island will revert to an exclusive retreat for the wealthy and spoil the place as an ideal spot for nature walks, bird-watching and beach vacations on the cheap.

''There's not a whole lot to do here, but that's why you come,'' said Kay Royer, 59, of Sparrows Point, Md., who has visited twice a year with her husband since he retired as a steelworker in 1999. ''It's not overbuilt and congested, compared to Hilton Head (S.C.) or some place where it's totally overdone.''

Donohue said he understands the fear and suggested that luxury development could be combined with more affordable lodging without running afoul of the ''average income'' law (''What we say is `all' Georgians. I don't know what the `average' Georgian is.'') and without utterly transforming the island.

''Everybody out there says, `If you give me all the oceanfront property, I can make it like Panama City and you'll make a billion dollars,''' Donohue said. ''You may think it's supposed to look like South Beach, but we don't.''

Ed Boshears, a former state senator and member of the Jekyll Island Authority board, said the island needs new hotels and an updated convention center, but warned against pricing it beyond the means of most folks.

''An average Georgian is who's been coming to Jekyll Island for the last 50 years -- bus drivers, farmers, church groups, teachers groups,'' Boshears said. ''We don't attract investment bankers from New York.''

Iraq War Anniversary Event March 18th

WHAT: Public educational program, "Veterans Speak Out For Peace", featuring Iraq War vets and members of Military Families Speak Out, on the 4th anniversary of the Iraq War.

WHEN: Sunday, March 18, 2007, 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Multi-purpose room (Room 108) at the Casino on St. Simons Island. Enter on the west side of the building, facing The Village.

DETAILS: Presenters will include Don Forsyth, a Brunswick vet who was with the 3/7th Cavalry when it crossed into Iraq and fought its way to Baghdad exactly four years ago; Joe May, who served an extended tour of duty in Iraq in 2005-05 and was medically discharged from the Army this past November; his mother Jan May, a member of Military Families Speak Out in Atlanta; and Mindy Ratcliff, whose husband will be re-deployed to Iraq from Fort Stewart this August.

This event is sponsored by GlynnPeace: Citizens To End The War In Iraq. It is free and everyone is encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served.
For more information call 262-1274 or e-mail glynnpeace@bellsouth.net or visit www.glynnpeace.org.

The Next Pat Tillman-Style Cover-Up?

PFC Lavena Johnson from Missouri died in Iraq in 2005, and the U.S. Military seems to be engaging in a cover-up. Read more here.

Lady Vols Sweep SEC!!!!

I love Shannon Bobbit! Don't get me wrong. I also adore Candace Parker, Alexis Hornbuckle, et al, but Shannon just makes me smile. That girl's got so much game, it's amazing. Her nickname back on the playgrounds of NYC was "Somethin' Special," and I agree with all my heart. The only thing about her that is small is her actual size. She's got more style, hustle, speed, and spirit than most of those 6-footers she shares the court with. She was a huge part of Tennessee's 73-53 win over Vandy today. Love me some Bobbit.

Quality vs. Quantity

Maybe Bush should be focusing on better training for U.S. and Iraqi soldiers, rather than just more soldiers. Apparently, in order to meet demand, the Army is giving more waivers in recruiting. As the NYT article details, these waivers are for moral, educational, or health reasons. It really gets me that a high school dropout or convicted felon might end up armed in Iraq, but an Arabic-speaking homosexual would be excluded from serving. I would think one gay translator would be worth several barely literate heteros.
Please do not mistake me. I do not mean to imply that the majority of the men and women serving in our military are somehow not good enough. However, the trend of lowering recruitment standards to increase troop levels should be cause for alarm. IMHO, the situation also calls for a reexamination of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
I would also like to remind all that I am opposed to the planned escalation of the war in Iraq. Unfortunately, though, nobody seems willing or able to stop the implementation of this ridiculous plan, so I am also advocating for a change in policy to increase the quality of our troops, not just the quantity.

A Donkey and An Elephant Walk Into A Bar - Political Social Network Site

Check out the Beta of this new Political Social Network Site. Hat tip to blog for democracy.

Congratulations Lady Vols!

Tonight, in women's college basketball, Tennessee beat Georgia 73 to 57. Congratulations to Coach Summitt, Ms. Hornbuckle, and the rest of the Tennessee Lady Vols. Go Big Orange!

Jim Nelson for DPG Chair

More video of Rev. Nelson in his run for DPG chair.

Rev. Jim Nelson for DPG Chair

Despite the results of the poll at Georgia Women Vote, I hope Rev. Nelson has a shot at this one. Georgia's Democratic Party needs to consider all of Georgia, not just Atlanta.

White House Says Judiciary Will Monitor Spy Program - New York Times

According to the NYT, the White House Says Judiciary Will Monitor Spy Program. Do you think someone finally drew the president a picture of the constitution? Maybe someone should draw him a picture of Iraq. Yeesh!

Jack Kingston is Countdown's "Worser" person in the world.

Here's a clip of what was mentioned in a side note in the last post. Unfortunately, whoever posted this cut Keith off, and I believe that Keith should never be cut off. I wish Keith Olbermann's special comments had their own channel that played a continuous loop of his commentary 24/7. But, maybe that's just me. Besides, I certainly don't have the time or technological savvy to record and post Countdown clips to youtube, so who am I to criticize?

Keith Olbermann on Bush's Speech

As usual, Keith Olbermann says what so many of us are thinking. He says it much more eloquently than I ever could. Countdown truly is Must See TV, especially the Special Comments.
Side note: on this same show, Keith's "Worser" person in the World was none other than our very own Congressman Jack Kingston. Aren't you proud, Georgia's first district?

Light To Unite

As part of an AIDS awareness campaign, Bristol-Myers Squibb set up the
Light To Unite
website. They pledged to donate a dollar for every "candle" that was "lit." In another example of people underestimating the power of the internet, they apparently capped the total donation amount at $100,000. The response was overwhelming. So far, more than 1.5 million "candles" have been lit. The good news is, this means the site was visited from at least that many computers, since each machine can only light one "candle." I just wish the big drug company had budgeted more money for the campaign. $100,000 is just a drop in the bucket in the fight against this global epidemic.

Joyeux No�el

I watched this 2005 French movie with a few others at the Brunswick Library Tuesday night. Joyeux No�el is based on the true story of the 1914 Christmas Truce. It is in English, French and German, with English subtitles. It is heart-wrenching, often funny, and ultimately a story of hope and humanity amidst the ludicrous horors of war. It's not your usual holiday fare, but it can certainly make for a thoughtful evening. The theme of the holidays during wartime is certainly timely. Merry Christmas.

Robert Altman 1925-2006

What an amazing life he lead! I was lucky enough to be among the Chicagoans who served as audience/extras for Altman's "The Company" a few years ago. It's not like I actually met the man or anything, but he did talk to the group for a bit. It's just nice to be able to say I was on the set of a Robert Altman film. I never did see "A Prairie Home Companion," but I might have to rent it now. It's bound to be important, if only for the fact that it was Altman's last film. The AMPAS sure gave him that Lifetime Achievemet Oscar just in time!
Thank you for fifty great years of movie making.

30 Rock on iTunes!

If you missed Jack McBrayer as Kenneth the Page on Wednesday nights (as I often did), do not fret. NBC is moving this very funny show to Thursday nights (9:30 normally, supersize episode at 9:20 this week). 30 Rock is also now available on iTunes. As a matter of fact, "Blind Date" is available for free download this week! Hey, what have you got to lose? Go on over to the iTunes store & download some Jack McBrayer!

Message from the Nelson Campaign

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE!!!

Rev. Jim Nelson ran a great campaign against Jack Kingston, a 14 year incumbent with 1.5 mil war chest. The Nelson Campaign raised $100,000.00, a fraction of that spent by his opponent. We need to retire about $10,000.00 in campaign debt incurred to cover necessary expenses in the closing days of the campaign. The books need to be settled on this campaign endeavor, so we can begin gearing up for 2008.



With the firm foundation built during this campaign, along with the many requests from constituents, Rev. Nelson looks forward to being your Democratic Candidate for the First Congressional seat in 2008.



Thank for your continued support.

Mirror post at Nelson for Congress Blogosphere

Democrats take Virginia and Senate

It's official: Democrats take Virginia and Senate . When I've gotten my thoughts togehter, I'll post more.

LWVGA ballot guide Part 6

3) Shall the Act be approved which expands the ad valorem tax exemption for veterans organizations to include certain additional nonprofit veterans organizations which refurbish and operate historic military aircraft for educational purposes? (HB 173, passed in 2006)
EXPLANATION: Expands the ad valorem tax credit already in place for veterans groups with 501 (c)(3) tax­exempt status to those which have been organized for the purpose of refurbishing and operating historic military aircraft acquired from the federal government or other sources, to make such aircraft airworthy, and putting the aircraft on display for public educational purposes, i.e. the Commemorative Air Force.
PROS: Provides for an ad valorem exemption to a non­profit veterans organization which refurbish historic military airplanes.
CONS: This referendum is very narrowly tailored and is an example of special interest legislation. The fiscal impact is estimated to be less than $500,000 statewide.

Jim Nelson ad

Jim's latest campaign ad. I would personally prefer footage of Jim speaking instead of this negative ad about Kingston, but what else are you going to do when you're running against an incumbent? You've got to run against his record.

LWVGA ballot guide Part 5

2) Shall the Act be approved which provides that, with respect to base year assessed value homestead exemptions, the surviving spouse of a deceased spouse who has been granted such a homestead exemption shall receive that exemption at the same base year valuation that applied to the deceased spouse so long as that surviving spouse continues to occupy the home as a residence and homestead? (HB 81, passed in 2006)
EXPLANATION: Allows the surviving spouse to retain the homestead exemption which the couple had while the other spouse was still alive. Overall, the surviving spouse would not incur any increased tax liability due to an increase in assessed value. PROS: Exemption requirements are based on age, income and disability. The taxpayers this would benefit are the younger spouses who may not qualify for the exemption on their own because they have not met the age requirements.
CONS: This referendum only provides this benefit to a very select group of the population and could have additional implementation ramifications. Further, the fiscal impact on state and local budgets is unknown.

BIR on BFD!

Now I've arrived. The folks over at Blog for Democracy have seen fit to include the Glynn Peace Press Release post in this week's Monday Blog Roundup. And I thought only my Mom read the blog. Actually, she doesn't even read it!

In answer to Roxy

Roxy asked where the troops might go if they are pulled out of Iraq. This video suggests one idea.

LWVGA ballot guide Part 4

Statewide Ballot Referendums:
1) Shall the Act be approved which provides a homestead exemption for the full value of the homestead with respect to all ad valorem taxes for the unremarried surviving spouse of a peace officer or firefighter who was killed in the line of duty? (HB 81, passed in 2006)
EXPLANATION: Exempts the un­remarried surviving spouse of a peace officer or firefighter who was killed in the line of duty from all ad valorem taxes. This will not affect any special assessments assigned to the property, however, and the exemption will have to be applied for in­person.
PROS: Provides a generous benefit to those whose spouses serve in the public interest and sacrifice their lives serving the community as firefighters or peace officers.
CONS: Very narrowly tailored with a small impact on Georgians overall. The referendum is potentially difficult to enforce as written because it does not specify if the benefit is applicable to officers and firefighters in other states if the surviving spouse moves to Georgia and related scenarios. Further, if the widowed spouse remarries, he/she will not be eligible for the exemption even if he/she is raising the children of the fallen firefighter or officer. Any other employee of the state or local government who is killed in the line of duty is not given this benefit.

Glynn Peace press release

Since the Brunswick News seems disinclined to print anything about this event, I'm putting it here:
"PRE-MEMORIAL" SERVICE PLANNED
FOR FUTURE IRAQ WAR DEAD

GlynnPeace, a Glynn County group working to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and bring home U.S. troops stationed there, is planning to commemorate the U.S. soldiers who will die in Iraq in the time between November 1st of this year and when George Bush leaves office on January 20, 2009.

The action will take place from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Gloucester Street in downtown Brunswick, in front of the Federal Building (main Post Office), in which Georgia's First District Congressman, Jack Kingston, has an office. Participants will ring a bell for each of the 2030 U.S. soldiers who will die in Iraq while Bush remains in office and cross them off one by one on posters of simulated faces. The number of projected dead, based on figures obtained from the Iraq Casualties web site (http://icasualties.org/oif/), is 2.5 per day. This average was calculated prior to the increase in casualties in October.

GlynnPeace is inviting all those who want to end the Iraq War and bring U.S. troops home quickly to join them in this "pre-memorial" event. More information may be obtained by calling 262-1274 or e-mailing glynnpeace@bellsouth.net or visiting http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-glynnpeace.

According to organizer Robert Randall, "George Bush has promised that U.S. troops will stay in Iraq as long as he is President. That's another 812 days beginning November 1st. In that time, using conservative casualty rates, we know there will be at least another 2030 U.S. dead, 13,000 U.S. wounded, 27,000 Iraqi dead, and more than $154 billion more dollars wasted. All this just so we can continue to strengthen the radical jihadists and make ourselves less safe!"

In the proposal for this public event, which has been circulated nationally, GlynnPeace adopted November 1st, which is celebrated in some Christian traditions as All Saints Day, as "a most appropriate day for commemorating, ahead of time, those whose names are not yet known, but who will most certainly be sacrificed to George Bush's war in Iraq." The organization is also using the occasion to point out "the very real cost if 'we the people' fail, six days later, to change the leadership of the U.S. Congress." Nov. 7th is election day for all members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Georgia's First Congressional District, which includes Glynn County.

In a one hour meeting on September 28th with a six-person GlynnPeace delegation, Rev. Nelson, the Democratic candidate for the First District House seat currently held by Kingston, endorsed a GlynnPeace resolution which states "the time has come to end the United States' occupation of Iraq and bring our troops home." The full text of the "Resolution To Withdraw U.S. Troops From Iraq" is online at http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-glynnpeace.

A GlynnPeace delegation had previously met with Kingston, who asserted his support for the Bush Iraq policy and refused to endorse the GlynnPeace resolution. At its October 4th meeting, GlynnPeace adopted a position paper which endorsed Jim Nelson's candidacy for Congress.

"The bottom line," said Randall, "is that Kingston supports the war and will continue the killing, whereas Nelson opposes it. To help end the war, we need to work to change our Representative in Congress."

GlynnPeace member Kelly Dobbin said simply, "I am voting for Jim Nelson because it is time for a change in Washington. Jack Kingston ran on term limits over a decade ago. Time is up."


-Truth is, I said more than that, but y'all know I'm not one for stating anything too simply. I will not be able to make it to this event, as my work on the island precludes a lunch-time jaunt over to Brunswick. I hope some of you can go out to show your support. Here's my suggestion for a protest sign: Side one: "Support the Troops" Side Two: "Bring them Home!"-

Jim Nelson @ GA Democratic Convention

Finally, video of Jim's convention speech (if it works).

Glynn Dems fundraisers Huge Success!

Both the Friday Night Fish Fry and the Saturday Morning Political Breakfasts were rousing successes by all accounts. I attended the Fish Fry, but was not able to drag myself out of bed in time to get to the breakfast at 8 AM Saturday. You're all shocked, I know. I can report that Jim Nelson gave a great speech, as usual at the Fish Fry. We also got the expected jolt from Rev. Williams speech, just a little later than expected. Between admissions and the 50/50 drawing, The Glynn County Democratic Party raised hundreds of dollars (I'll have an exact figure after the next meeting). More importantly, these events helped create a real sense of community. We are not alone! We know we have a tough fight ahead of us, but we also know that we can do our part to change the political landscape. America has had enough of the status quo. Tell your friends to vote on November 7th (especially if they're democrats)!

LWVGA ballot guide Part 3

3) Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide for special motor vehicle license plates for stated purposes, including dedications for the ultimate use of agencies, funds or nonprofit corporations where it is found that there will be a benefit to the state? (HR 1564, passed in 2006)
EXPLANATION: Empowers the General Assembly to provide for several new special motor vehicle license plates for optional purchase and authorize our lawmakers to dedicate some or all of the revenue from the sale of these special tags for programs relating to the plate's subject. The dedicated revenue may go to an agency, fund, or nonprofit corporation for the ultimate use of a nonprofit corporation if found to be a benefit to both the state and the nonprofit.
PROS: Raises funds and visibility for many important causes and the organizations that address those specific causes with legislative authorization only. Currently, each license plate proceeds have to be enabled with a statewide referendum.
CONS: There would be little flexibility to amend the list of special interest license plates and their beneficiary organizations. Further, many groups on the list represent only one side of an issue or problem. The LWVGA encourages voters to view the full list of approved plates and the organizations that will receive funds from their sale (see below). Finally, in instances where the state places earmarks on dedicated funds it also has the right to remove those earmarks, as was the case with the HazardousWaste Trust Fund.
LWVGA Position: The language that will appear on the ballot does not give voters all the information such as what tags were approved by the General Assembly or what organizations will receive funds raised by the tags. The incomplete language on the ballot does not offer the voter full information on what the elector is ratifying. Further, the League opposes earmarks on dedicated funding. A complete list of the special tags that were approved by the General Assembly and the organizations that will receive funds from the sale of the plates is available at www.lwvga.org or at www.legis.state.ga.us, search HR 1053.

Adam wins the pennant!

I may be a Cubs fan, but I was rooting for the Cards last night, as GA alum Adam Wainwright threw the final out to win the National League pennant for the St. Louis Cardinals. I've shouted it in Wrigley Field and I'll type it now: STUPID METS!!!
Congratulations Adam! Good Luck against Detroit. We're all pulling for you.
Adam Wainwright pitching in the World Series: priceless.

LWV ballot guide: Part 2

2) Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that the tradition of hunting and fishing and the taking of fish and wildlife shall be preserved for the people and shall be managed by law and regulation for the public good? (SR 67, passed in 2005)
EXPLANATION: Provides formal recognition of hunting and fishing as traditions in the state.
PROS: Constitutionally recognizes hunting and fishing as traditions in Georgia and could be interpreted or used in future instances to mandate funding for wildlife resource management to preserve these activities.
CONS: Georgia law already provides funding for wildlife resource management for hunting and fishing and it is unknown what impact or additional protections may be offered if these activities are constitutionally recognized.
From League of Women Voters of Georgia Ballot Guide


Another redundant amendment!

League of Women Voters Guide

This is the first of many posts including excerpts from the League of Women Voters Guide for Georgia. The guide is long, so I'm going to do this one point at a time.

Constitutional Amendments:
1) Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to prohibit the use of eminent domain by certain non­elected authorities and to prohibit the contested use of eminent domain except for public use as defined by general law? (HR 1306, passed in 2006)
EXPLANATION: Confines the government's use of eminent domain to public use only and it would prohibit non­elected authorities (such as local development authorities) from exercising the power of eminent domain, thereby ensuring that only elected officials are vested with that authority.
PROS: Provides stated protections for private property owners in the state Constitution to limit the power of eminent domain specifically to instances relating to redevelopment projects deemed for

Senator Isakson on Military Commissions Act

A while back, I sent an email to our senators expressing my dismay over the expansion of presidential powers represented by the Military Commissions Act. The following is from an email Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) just sent out:
"Dear Ms. Dobbin :

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Military Commissions Act of 2006. I am glad to hear your thoughts on the issue, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision Hamdan vs. Rumsfeld invalidated the U.S. military commissions that were being used to prosecute enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay . It also put the U.S. terrorist interrogation program in jeopardy by holding that the Geneva Convention applies to treatment of unlawful enemy combatants. This decision prompted Congress to pass legislation to authorize military tribunals for enemy combatants. The Senate passed S.3930 to allow the United States to interrogate and try enemy combatants at Guantanamo by military tribunal, while also respecting the Geneva Convention. The bill permits necessary interrogation to continue by making explicit that interrogators can only be prosecuted under the War Crimes Act for grave breaches, including practices such as torture, murder and rape.

S. 3930 was the result of extensive negotiations between members of Congress and the Administration. One of the key points of this debate was whether to grant habeas corpus rights to enemy combatants. I voted against an amendment that would have granted such rights because I believe the right of habeas corpus is reserved only for U.S. citizens. Additionally, enemy combatants are already provided the right to challenge their detention through the Combat Status Review Tribunals, which are based on the Geneva Convention.

Another key issue in this debate was whether to add a "sunset" provision, or an expiration date, to the bill of December 31, 2011. I voted against this amendment because it is inappropriate to put an expiration date on a piece of legislation that is so critical to the Global War on Terror. I am committed to ensuring that the President of the United States has the tools he needs for as long as he needs them to prosecute those who would do us harm.

The passage of this legislation is an important milestone in defeating terrorism. September 11 th , 2001, changed the way in which we must respond to our enemies in the War on Terror, but it did not change our belief in humane treatment. We must be able to detain enemy combatants, and we must be allowed to obtain the information that will save the lives of innocent Americans. Those awaiting trial at Guantanamo Bay are intent on hurting and destroying Americans. I am pleased that we now have the tools to bring them to justice.

Thank you again for contacting me, and I hope you will not hesitate to call on me in the future if I can be of assistance to you.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator"

That sort of thinking is why I voted for Denise Majette two years ago. I think I'm gonna be sick.

Political Breakfast

DEMOCRATIC
POLITICAL BREAKFAST
Glynn County Democratic Party

Everyone is invited to come hear a rousing political speech by
Mike Thurmond, Candidate for Labor Commissioner

Eddie’s Country Buffet
(Located on New Jesup Hwy, #341, just west of I-95)

8:00AM Saturday morning, October 21, 2006

Cost is $10.00 at the door
Contact Venus Holmes, 264-9164, to let her know.

Randy Newman Political Science from 1972

For anyone who might have gotten the impression that Mr. Newman was being extremely topical when he sang "Political Science" on the Colbert Report last night. Here's video of Randy singing the very same song in 1972. Irony never gets old.

Wallace let Kingston falsely claim CREW is a "partisan 527 organization"

This post from Media Matters shows Jack Kingston as the lying GOP mouthpiece that he is.
"Kingston misrepresented CREW while baselessly suggesting that CREW may have been complicit in a scheme to benefit Democrats by withholding from the media incriminating emails that former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) allegedly sent to underage congressional pages under shortly before the midterm elections."
See Jack Sweat.

Tennessee 51, Georgia 33

What a game! Total roller coaster ride, with the Dawgs feeling woozy at the end. Don't feel too bad doggies. Your coaching staff is still way better looking than ours.

Glynn Dems Fish Fry

The Glynn County Democratic Party Fundraiser and meeting of the candidates, will be held Friday nite, Oct.20,2006, from 6-9 pm, at the Two Way Fish Camp's restaurant called Mudcat Charlies, just south of Darien along the east side of U.S. 17.

Tickets are $25 bought in advance.

Checks are payable to the Glynn County Democratic Party.

The tickets will be mailed to your home address, so be sure to send it with your check.

Thank you for your support in the past and we hope to see you on October 20.

Checks should be sent to:

Glynn County Democratic Party
P.O. Box 776
Brunswick, Ga 31521-0776

Update: If you don't trust the mail or just want to wait to pay, you can pay at the door.

Nelson/Kingston debate

Here is a comment I posted over on the Veterans for Kingston blog. No surprise, they felt that Jack won just about every point and anyone who supports Nelson or questions the war must hate our troops. Luckily, it was pretty evident that we outnumbered them Monday night. Smiling ear to ear about that one.
Haven't had time to put together my own post about the debate yet. Wish I'd felt more fired up about it.



About English becoming the official language: Would that mean that our public officials would need to learn to speak it properly? First thing that popped into my head when Kingston mentioned it.

I was at the debate, too. Didn't quite see it the same way (shocker, I know). I actually thought the whole thing was pretty boring. I didn't feel that the questions posed were particularly insightful or helpful to either candidate. I've definitely seen Jim perform better. He missed a few opportunities to call Jack on some points. For instance, Jack kept talking about teaching the Iraqis about the "rule of law." I happen to think we should lead by example when it comes to the rule of law. I don't believe that the recent legislation further expanding presidential powers and overriding habeas corpus is very respectful of the rule of law.
Overall, I felt that Jim narrowly won the debate. He backed up his assertions with plenty of facts. He even countered some of Jack's facts with more detailed empirical evidence (shortfalls in spending on veteran's benefits). I did think they were both respectful. I would like to apologize for the "enthusiasm" (CGCC's words, not mine) of other Nelson supporters. However, noone from the Nelson camp was standing outside the auditorium trying to hand out campaign materials. Can't say the same for Kingston.
One more thing: Jim's reference to Jesus being in favor of universal health care. He explained that he was referring to the fact that Jesus healed those who came to him, without asking for credentials, payment, or anything else. That is the bible Jim Nelson's been reading.

Chris Wallace Interviews Bill Clinton Pt 3

I miss him! Even if Hillary wins, it won't be the same.

Chris Wallace Interviews Bill Clinton Pt 2

More of the only U.S. president to get my vote so far (turned 18 in '91) kickin' some Fox News ass!

Chris Wallace Interviews Bill Clinton Pt 1

I'm going to put up all three parts of this interview. If, like me, you avoid Fox News as much as possible, you might have missed this. Wish the rest of the Democrats would find the kind of backbone BC displays here.

Fox News gets snippy

I wanted to post the interview that Bill Clinton did on Fox News Sunday. You know, the one where he took Chris Wallace to school? Well, the videos I was going to use are no longer available from youtube, thanks to Fox News. Now, they are completely within their rights to withold copyrighted material, but would they have pulled this if the interview was with Dick Cheney or Donald Rumsfeld? Not that Chris Wallace would have dared to ask anyone in the current administration why they didn't catch or kill Bin Laden. Fair and Balanced my ass.

Update: Well, apparently either Fox relented or somebody took some legal action, 'cause the Clinton interview videos form YouTube suddenly appeared.

Jim Martin for Lt. Governor ad.

Bill Phillips apparently knows Jim Martin personally, and says he's a nice, smart politician. Rare qualities indeed. Bill spoke on Mr. Martin's behalf at last night's Glynn County Democratic Party meeting. I thought I'd help spread the word by putting this ad on my blog.

The Georgia blogosphere is buzzin' about Jim Nelson!

This post from Blog for Democracy is an example of the impact Jim's speech at the DPG convention had. Everybody's talking about how impressed they are with our candidate for Congress. Wish we could have gotten their attention sooner, but we'll take it where we can get it. At last night's Glynn County Dems meeting, our delegates were gushing about standing ovations and such, but I thought they might be biased. Not so. Here's hoping we can keep the momentum going.
I'm so excited about the debate with Kingston on October 2 at CGCC's Camden campus. I just hope it gets some coverage from the MSM.

The Colbert Report - Path to 9/11

If you want to see Slate's more high brow take on ABC's "docudrama," there's a link on Hurricane Radio. Personally, I like my political commentary with a little more "zazz." Who better to explain the "truthiness" of ABC's "dramatization." So glad I was too busy observing a peace rally in downtown Asheville to waste my time on ABC this week. I'm going to try really hard to boycott ABC, but I don't know if I'll be able to resist the pull of "Lost."

Greetings from Asheville!

Greetings from beautiful downtown Asheville, NC. I love it here! There's an Organic Festival this weekend, and tomorrow brings the Lexington Avenue Art & Fun Festival! tonight we're going to a free "Shakespeare in the Park" production of "She Stoops To Conquer." Seriously, I'm gonna move here! Maybe UNC Asheville needs an acting teacher? Hate to abandon SE GA, but these are my people. I'll be back soon.

Ice Core Analysis Adds to Climate Concern

This article from Environment News Service: details the release of disturbing new information from the latest antarctic core analysis: "The new ice core analysis was released at the British Association for the Advancement of Science's Science Festival in Norwich, a public gathering of more than 300 of the United Kingdom's leading scientists and engineers.

In her opening message at the festival, BA President Frances Cairncross warned that climate change is inevitable and the world must be ready to adapt.

'Adaptation policies have had far less attention than mitigation, and that is a mistake,' said Cairncross, who is also chair of Britain's Economic and Social Research Council. 'We need to think now about policies that prepare for a hotter, drier world, especially in poorer countries. That may involve, for instance, developing new crops, constructing flood defenses, setting different building regulations, or banning building close to sea level.'

Improved international cooperation is vital, Cairncross said, but the Kyoto Protocol is insufficient to address the reality of climate change.

Policymakers and educators must persuade 'this generation to accept sacrifices on behalf of posterity' and convince all nations to share the burden, she told delegates.

This means 'persuading countries that will gain from climate change, or lose little, to take action not on behalf of their own grandchildren but of the descendants of people in other nations,' Cairncross said.

'Of course, there are important areas where no adaptation is possible,' she says. 'We cannot relocate the Amazon or insulate coral reefs and so we need mitigation too. But the government could and should put in place an adaptation strategy right away.'"


Hard to put an adaptation strategy in place for a phenomenon about which so many in the administration are in denial. When the corporate puppets are calling something a hoax, how can we be expected to have a coherent policy? Then again, why start with climate change? We don't seem to have a coherent policy for the war in Iraq, immigration, health care, or any other issue of any real meaning to most Americans. It's not as if there have been any recent examples of climatological disaster in this country. People along the coast displaced? Nope, doesn't ring a bell. (sorry for the sarcasm, but I get snarky when I'm PISSED OFF!!!!!!!!!)

AINGE, MEACHEM LEAD NO. 23 VOLS OVER NO. 9 CALIFORNIA, 35-18 :: Ainge 4 TD passes; Meachem 182 yards receiving with 2 TDs

We're baack!: "Nine months ago, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer was grim as he answered questions about a 5-6 finish, his first losing season and a bowl-less holiday for his Volunteers.
He may have been one of the most relieved - but least surprised - among the 106,009 people in Neyland Stadium who watched the 23rd-ranked Vols' 35-18 win over No. 9 California on Saturday.
'We expected to win this ball game and be Tennessee,' Fulmer said."

On the Job, Nursing Mothers Find a 2-Class System

This article from the New York Times illustrates how the gap between rich and poor/educated and less so is reinforced through disparate policies on breast milk expression on the job. As important as breast milk is to a child's development, couldn't corporations (and small businesses) make more of an effort to accomodate nursing mothers? It should not be easier and more accepted to take a smoke break than a milk expression break. Sorry, smokers. I used to be one of you and still feel this way.

Get Out The Vote

Dear friends,

My name is Ben Hubby; I'm a family practitioner in Savannah.
A group of us have formed to Get Out the Vote and elect Jim Nelson to
Congress. We're looking for folks on the coast, in Brunswick and inland who
will work along side their neighbors to bring forth a large turn-out for Jim
in November. Contact me if you'd like to be a volunteer in the area where
you live or whether you'd like to join us in seeking others to expand our
network.

We applaud what you're doing on the coast to end the nightmare of the Bush
years and to get America back on track!

Ben Hubby hubby@ix.netcom.com

(copied from Nelson For Congress Blogosphere)