Film Review: An Inconvenient Truth
GO SEE THIS FILM. While the prospect of a 100 minute Al Gore lecture may be less than appealing, this is going to be the defining issue for this century, if it doesn't kill us all before the end of it. Basically, it comes down to this: we can be the victims of this crisis, or we can capitalize on it by creating new industries in "green" fields. Those jobs can be here, or they can be in Japan/China/Europe/India/etc. IT IS OUR CHOICE. We can say that being "green" will ruin our economy. Example: auto companies are suffering already. Further regulatoin would kill them.
The answer is no. GM and Ford are losing out big time because they cannot sell their cars to China: China's CAFE equivalent is significantly higher than ours.
It's time to get off oil. It is an issue of national security. It is an issue of climate change. We have no choice.
The film is not particularly good, however it is well-made and covers powerful topics. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS FILM.

Who is Senate's biggest flip-flopper? John Kerry? Wrong! Bill Frist! CNN is reporting that he's flip-flopping on the Congressman Jefferson search (no doubt because at first he was for standing up for members of congress, but then he saw (and sees) it as an opportunity to make the bribery circle grow to include the Democrats). 
What else has Fristy flip-flopped on lately? Immigration. He's bloody trying to mobilize his base, and he's flip flopping. First he wants to deport them, now he's for path to citizenship. Make up your mind, Senator!
We need a president who's decisive. Bill Frist is a flip-flopper. Where were YOU in Vietnam, sir? (Frist was too young to go to 'nam). Still. Run against Gore/Clinton/Kerry. I dare you. (Sorry, Dems. McCain will get the nod, if the GOP has any brains (so it's about 50-50)) Other possibilities from the red corner include Gov. Warner, Gov. Bush (FL), Sec. Rice, Mayor Guliani, and Speaker Gingrich. George Bush could essentially pick the next POTUS if, when Cheney resigns (as rumor suggests) after the 06 midterms. If this happens, the next VP would be the clear front-runner, although it is unlikely that most people would want to run on the Bush legacy. (Approval at about 35)

Isn't it fun to see the Republican power-bloc falling apart? Frist, Bush and Hastert/DeLay used to be on the same side of every issue. Now there is widespread disagreement over almost every big issue, most recently the search of Rep. Jefferson's office, which Bush is trying to mediate, Hastert is opposed to, Frist supports, and DoJ and FBI big shots are threatening resignation. This issue does begin to get into separation of powers, but it is important that members of congress be held responsible for taking bribes. I see the Supremes getting involved, but it is unclear which way they would rule. An interesting test of separation of powers, for sure. 
But there are more important issues, at least for current politics. This gets at hte bipartisan (but primarily Republican) culture of corruption in DC and all 50 state capitals. 
The fact of the matter is, Congress is corrupt. Just because a Democrat takes bribes doesn't mean that it's not a problem. Everyone is doing it. It is still wrong. 
How can we fix this? Public financing of elections, limit lobbyists to talking to legislators, but stop them from spending any money. No travel, no retreats, no "factfinding", no meals, no rides, no poker/hooker parties at the Watergate hotel for Porter Goss and his number three at the CIA. No boats, no furniture, no family members on payroll, no money. GET RID OF MONEY IN POLITICS!
The purpose of government is to represent the people, not the drug/aerospace/defense/shoe/technology/cigarette/alcohol/firearms/etc. companies. Their CEOs obviously have the means to make the maximum contributions to politicians of choice, so we take away the people's ability to give to candidates as well, or bring the limit down to a meager $50. 
We have a system of one (wo)man/one vote in this country. The rich shouldn't be able to influence votes because they are rich. It is like giving them more votes. Significantly more votes. And of course the system will never change because the change would have to start with those who thrive off the current system, with their "factfinding" missions to St Andrews (famous Scottish golf course). 
Enjoy your day off, and remember and honor our troops. I support our troops. Remember that you don't need to support the war to support the troops. You can even support the objective (removing Hussein from power) without supporting the president and his implementation of that policy (not going to the UN, lying (debatably), etc.)

Happy Memorial Day! Maybe by Veterans Day (November) we can begin the process of making fewer new Veterans. On second thought, we'll start down that road at the end of October. Why? Midterms!

Check this out!. Then see if you feel the same way about congress. While they were fighting about "border security" et. al., they "forgot" to support our troops. Hmmmm. Mind you, the Republicans controll both houses (with an iron grip, I might add). Why hasn't the mainstream picked up on this story? Stupid liberal media. This is our troops' holiday weekend. Shouldn't we do something nice for them, like send them money so that they can fight your war? I should think that sending this money might help us get out sooner, which can only help the Republicans. One would think that they would be smart enough to figure that out. Oh well. 

Just got back from the Stanford baseball game. A few observations:
1. Stanford did not play very well...
2. (In)famous baseball angry-man Tommy Lasourda was there. I did not see him. See A-Rod/Mussina post for previous experiences with famous people at Stanford baseball games.
3. The fireworks display was one of the finest that I've ever seen. If you're in town next Memorial Day weekend, drop by. You will not regret it.
4. Because I can... (This sentence intentionally truncated. If you know what I'm talking about, good. If not, then I'm not talking to you in particular.)

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict appears to be taking some of the first positive steps that I've seen from Fatah. Thank you, Mr. Abbas. If there will be peaceful coexistance, a two-state solution makes sense to me. I hope it works.
CNN story

There is a crisis looming in America today. It is not illegal immigration, immorality, the 'gay agenda', rap music, or anything else that the Republican Party wants you to believe. The largest social crisis facing America today is the rise of xenophobia and its exploitation by the right. 
The American people have been convinced that immigrants will steal your job, so we should send them away, and force the ones that are here to speak English.
I think that people in this country should speak English: it is our unifying language. But we shouldn't deport you if you don't speak it. We should provide resources to allow you to learn our language, so that everyone can benefit. 
Illegal immigrants are not stealing your job, plain and simple. They are keepign our economy afloat, working sometimes for below miniumum wage doing jobs that Americans don't want. And their illegal status leaves the sucseptible to exploitation (they can be threatened with deportation by their employers for protesting problems with working conditions or wages.) 
There is no easy solution to immigration. But that assumes that we have a problem. We don't necessarily. 
We can work something out. We don't need a new, high-tech border fence. Or, alternatively, we can completely secure our borders, and create a documented worker program to allow a limited but large number of Mexican immigrants to work in America. 
Humans tend to be the most comfortable in their own communities. So please, surround yourself with people of your own kind, and build a fence around your compound. If you don't want to see any 'different' people, close your door and lock it. America is the mixing pot of the world. We are all immigrants. We just came over on different waves and from different home countries. We're all Americans. 
We've long had rivalries and animosity between different 'waves' of immigrants. Let's not perpetuate this animosity any more than we already have. 
I for one, welcome our new Spanish-speaking invaders.

Hey guys! Stop protesting the Da Vinci Code!
It's a work of bloody fiction!
We have something called 'freedom of speech' in this country. If Ron Howard and Tom Hanks want to make a movie, they can make a movie. If someone wants to distribute it, then it will be distributed. If you want to watch it, GO SEE IT. If you don't want to watch it, DON'T GO! 
As was said by someone else before I thought of it, if your faith can be shaken by watching 'The DaVinci Code', then you are not very secure in your faith. You have made it very clear to all of us that not all Christians (or Opus Dei members) want to rule the world, and that all Albinos are not hired assassins for the Catholic Church. Thank you for that. Now shut up, the movie's starting.