What is an Impeachable Offense?

What has President G.W. Bush done that might merit impeachment? Justifying going to war based on, oh what to hell, lies? Sending too few troops with insufficient body armor resulting in needless deaths of soldiers? Poor to no planning for post-war Iraq? Not listening to 'naysayers'? Spying on your own citizens without a warrant? Locking up people without recourse to an attorney? Not going after Bin Laden in Tora Bora? Giving control of our ports to a foreign country? Torture? Complete incompetence in running the country? The Medicare Drug 'benefit'? The lack of a response to hurricane Katrina? The appointment of unqualified 'cronies' to important offices? Spending out of control? Ignoring North Korea? Saying that laws passed by Congress may not apply to him? Maybe none of these, at least as long as Republicans have control of the Congress. Doesn't ANYONE want to give GW a bj?

Read Harold Meyerson's (WP) excellent comments on impeachment here. I especially liked the fact that his 92 year old mother had 'impeach bush' on her grocery list.

Dozen Distinctive Destinations

What does Saranac Lake, NY have in common with these places? Prescott, AZ; Monterey, CA; Palm Springs, CA; Lewes, DE; Waimea, HI; Bowling Green, KY; Arrow Rock, MO; Philipsburg, MT; Bartlesville, OK; West Chester, PA; Milwaukee, WI.

They are all included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation 'Dozen Distinctive Destinations'!

From a charming Adirondack town made famous a century ago for its healing powers, to the desert hideaway that holds countless treasures of modern architectural design, and the Midwest city known for its world-class museums and brewery heritage, America offers alternative vacation destinations that symbolize an increasing dedication to historic preservation. In recognition of this travel trend, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, today announced the selection of its 2006 Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States.

I wonder how much longer Saranac Lake will be able to remain 'distinctive'?

Acceptable and Unacceptable Websites

According to a Marine stationed in Iraq:

Acceptible websites:
Bill O'Reilly (Probably the biggest coward and blowhard in the entire world)
Rush Limbaugh (Drug user and coward)
G. Gordon Liddy (He's entertaining enough but a complete nut job. At least he did his hard time)
ABC News "The Note"
(I refuse to link to the above web sites)

Unacceptable (blocked) websites:
Wonkette (one of my favorites because it is completely irreverent)
Air America
Al Franken
Don and Mike show

Abortion Will Be Illegal in South Dakota

As of July 1, 2006, any doctor who performs an abortion, unless to save the life of the mother, will face up to 5 years in prison. Abortion in cases of rape and/or incest are not grounds for an abortion. This law is designed to raise a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. I don't see how it could be upheld. They could have written a less restrictive law and may even have had a chance of it being upheld. But, they want the whole tortilla.

In South Dakota women = fertilized egg

This Is Illegal

The two marines have every right to attend a partisan political rally or meeting. But NOT while in uniform. The two marines may not be familiar with the regulations, but Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) should know them. She is putting the careers of these two marines in jeopardy.

Things are Going Very, Very Well

Yesterday, on 'Meet the Press', General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Tim Russert that ..."I would say they’re going very, very well from everything you look at."

I guess that puts all my concerns about Iraq to rest. The fact that 1700 Iraqis have been killed over the past week or so isn't anything to worry about.

Bonheart at Covenant Home

We sponsor Bonheart, the little girl pictured on the left.

A Word About Covenant Home

My daughter worked at Covenant Home in Kisumu, Kenya for 4 weeks. Last Nov/Dec. Click on the link to learn more. I highly recommend them as a charity if you have a few spare dollars. Contact Ms. Pat Botwright at pebchm@yahoo.com for information on how to send a donation.

Hey GOP, How is GW Doing?

-UAE port deal
-Port security
-Katrina revelations
-Civil war in Iraq
-Warrantless wiretaps
-Torture, torture, torture
-Federal deficit
-Medicare Plan D
-Harriet Miers nomination
-Reduce National Guard numbers
-A disrespectful VP
-Unable to capture Bin Laden

Anyone want to add more 'missteps'?

Guess Who Wrote This Today

Today, with all three components of the "axis of evil'' -- Iraq, Iran, North Korea -- more dangerous than they were when that phrase was coined in 2002

George F. Will

Mini Flying Killer Robots

Have we learned NOTHING from the Terminator movies? Mini killer helicopters now?

RFID and the End of Times

I'm really into RFID as at least one previous post has shown, but this is good. Katherine Albrecht is warning Christians that radio frequency identification may evolve to become the 'mark of the beast'. She has written a book, The Spychips Threat: Why Christians Should Resist RFID and Electronic Surveillance, explaining why.

Another passage in Revelation describes a vision in which "a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image." Albrecht and McIntyre write, ""Interestingly, an implanted RFID device like the VeriChip could potentially cause such a tormenting sore if it is subjected to a strong source of electromagnetic radiation," such as a directed energy weapon.

Ummmm, okay. I hope you are feeling better soon (but what if she is right?)

A Democratic Energy Plan - Finally!

Barrack Obama gave a speech proposing a deal to automakers. The US government pays 10% of the major US automakers employee health insurance costs, ~$670 million in exchange for for a committment to producing more energy efficient cars.
Read more here.

The text of Sen. Obama's speech is here.

He's proposing a 3% increase per year in CAFE standards and also proposes to ramp up production and use of cellulosic ethanol as fuel (15% gasoline 85% ethanol). He would require all cars in the USA to run on 'flex fuel' by 2018.

Well at least it's a plan, something we've needed for more than 30 years.

Will GEICO Save You Money

It will save you more if you are educated. GEICO has recently been welcomed back to NJ (they must have been run out of the state at one time). If you are single, 30 yr old male lawyer with a Master degree you pay $1,686. If you are the same guy living at the same address driving the same car, but you have a high school diploma and you are a janitor, you pay $2,880. Evidently GEICO was able to correlate education with losses.

Ken Tappen, an analyst with AM Best, which tracks industry trends, said these rating factors may be "the wave of the future." Read more here.

I guess most insurance is based on some sort of discrimination.

I do hate that gecko and his stupid accent in any case.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent and a day of contemplating transgressions. Ash Wednesday occurs forty days (and forty nights) before Easter (not counting Sundays) and 44 days before Good Friday. At masses on this day, members of the church are blessed with ashes prepared by burning last years palms from Palm Sunday. The symbolism of the ashes probably derives from the near East tradition of throwing ashes upon oneself to signify repentence before G_d. Upon marking the participants forehead with ashes the priest says "Remember, man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return." The ashes are not removed until after sundown.

Happy Fat Tuesday

As of midnight tonight please cease all merriment for the next 40 days (and 40 nights). Begin fasting and self-flagellation (if you are into that sort of thing).

America for Sale

A report prepared by the United States House Rules Committee can be found here. It's a congressional report on how America is being sold to the highest bidder. It must be a minority report because it happens to be critical of Republicans.

A few examples of what is going on:

A confusing and expensive Medicare Program. The new drug plan so expensive that the Republicans had to lie about it's cost. Medicare Part D is a disaster.

An energy strategy that saves no energy. Now who helped write that energy policy again? Oh yeah, it's a secret, but Kenny Boy Lay was probably involved. Exxon Mobil had a 40% increase in profits and a 14% increase in their tax bill.

Polluters re-writing environmental laws.

A nation still vulnerable to terrorist attacks. The response to Katrina proved that beyond a doubt. 9/11 commission says we are not prepared. Biggest problem? The Republican controlled congress has failed in it's oversight of the executive branch of government.

A government run by political hacks. Heckuva job Brownie. In the Bush administration loyalty counts more than competence.

Fat cats get their defense contracts, but soldiers don't get their body armor. Did you hear that a new Zogby Poll says that 72% of soldiers think we should get out of Iraq? 250 billion dollars for Iraq thus far.

Drug companies get off the hook if their products injure Americans.

Corporate profits up (way up), American family incomes down. Friends don't investigate friends. Tax breaks and government contracts for those companies that move offshore. Oh yeah, and we have too much health insurance.

I'm Dangerous

You Are 34% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well. In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

My Religious Philosophy

You are Agnostic

You're not sure if God exists, and you don't care. For you, there's no true way to figure out the divine. You rather focus on what you can control - your own life. And you tend to resent when others "sell" religion to you.

What's Your Religious Philosophy?

Want to Be a Tourist in Mongolia?

Go here for info. Thanks to Karina.