Stamps they can't get rid of

Went to the post office today. Asked for some 1st class stamps. Person behind the counter gives me some. Put on my glasses - it's Gerald Ford. I say, no not these thanks. Person behind the desk says he can't get rid of them. Good that there is still some memory of the past.

Which reminds me of another conversation I had today. My colleague made the point that bush the lesser is the first president of the US to not renounce first use of "nukular" arms. On some prodding he remembered the "madman theory" of Nixon's - where that ex-president threatened to drop nuclear bombs on N. Vietnam.

Memory is a fine thing to preserve. Can anyone remember why bush the lesser invaded Iraq?

On being tone deaf

There has been considerable broohaha on what Obama said about guns. It was amusing to read, in Obama's Tone Deaf Statement on the Faithful:

I find Senator Obama very smart, but that comment struck me as sort of stupid -- the kind of half-baked Marxism that might be expected to appeal to a Bay Area audience (he was speaking at a San Francisco fundraiser).

While attacking Obama for presumably stereotyping those in the red zone, what exactly is the author doing about residents of the Bay Area? I live in San Francisco and rarely see much Marxism, half or fully baked. And most certainly not at fund-raisers for mainstream Democrats.

Also amusing was The Mask Slips by William Kristol in the supposedly liberal NYT. The mask that slipped is the author's who attempts to paint Obama as a Marxist, as "disdainful of small-town America — one might say, of bourgeois America".
And finally the question:

But what has Barack Obama accomplished that entitles him to look down on his fellow Americans?

Quite a lot in my view. But hey, not everyone can be a Bill Kristol.

No doubt the attack will oscillate between the Obama=Osama, Obama=Muslim, Obama=Marxist, Obama="America Hater" etc etc.

Is McCain inevitable? He is maler, whiter, and americaner than the other candidates we will be constantly reminded. And he knows that Suni=Shia=terrorist. How depressing.

Feeling VaCunt

Been a long time since I heard/watched this, but thought I'd share in case anyone out there is interested: Running the World

Seeing many of us will be receiving some $$$ from the commander in chief, I would like to make some product recommendations.
If you have young children you may consider this fine colouring book.
For those with a taste in lounge music, I recommend this excellent CD.

The Gipper does Baghdad

Idea of the week. Putin should go to Baghdad and pontificate:

Mr Bush, tear down this wall

Recommended watching: Baghdad: City of walls by Ghaith Abdul-Ahad. More by the author in the Guardian.