Misterimpatient

Bob Herbert in the NY Times today writes:

Before you gather up the hot dogs and head out to the barbecue this afternoon, look in a mirror and ask yourself honestly if Iraq is something you would be willing to die for.

There is no shortage of weaselly politicians and misguided commentators ready to tell us that we can’t leave Iraq — we just can’t. Chaos will ensue. Maybe even a civil war. But what they really mean is that we can’t leave as long as the war can continue to be fought by other people’s children, and as long as we can continue to put this George W. Bush-inspired madness on a credit card.

Start sending the children of the well-to-do to Baghdad, and start raising taxes to pay off the many hundreds of billions that the war is costing, and watch how quickly this tragic fiasco is brought to an end.

Amen.

If you voted for George Bush, shame on you.

If you serve(d) your country in uniform, thank you.

Later…

Filed by misterimpatient at 9:24 pm under Slightly left of Center
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I just checked. I paid up my ACLU dues last July. Why is this important besides deserving the support of every patriotic American? Well, just as I don’t waste time listening to the opinions expressed about our government by people who fail to vote, I wouldn’t expect anyone to read further had my dues not been up to date:

“Where an individual director disagrees with a board position on matters of civil liberties policy, the director should refrain from publicly highlighting the fact of such disagreement,” the committee that compiled the standards wrote in its proposals.

“Directors should remember that there is always a material prospect that public airing of the disagreement will affect the A.C.L.U. adversely in terms of public support and fund-raising,” the proposals state.

Given the organization’s longtime commitment to defending free speech, some former board members were shocked by the proposals.

Yes my friends, the ACLU is suppressing public dissent among it’s directors. I can see the motive and it’s not a bad one but still. The American Civil Liberties Union? Come on!

In truth, it’s more nuanced then I’ve made it out to be. The New York Times has an article on this.

Later…

Filed by misterimpatient at 10:06 pm under Slightly left of Center
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I admit it, even before they ripped GW a new one, I was a Dixie Chicks fan. That little incident where Natalie Maines, lead singer, remarked in London “Just so you know, we’re ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.” captured a sentiment which wasn’t particularly in line with the thinking of red-state America but it sure captured my heart (and head).

To be frank, even if I wasn’t a fan I would have bought their new CD just to get back at country music fans everywhere, but never mind. The CD is #1 on Amazon. There’s a video interview on Amazon as well though it’s disappointing in it doesn’t address the point of so many of the songs on the CD. On the other hand, featured on the video is “The Long Way Around” which is about not following the crowd. But the song that really pokes their critics in the gut is “Not Ready to Make Nice”. In short it says: I’ve thought about it and you know what? I was right and you were wrong. Get over it. Don’t feel like getting over it? So what.

I’d like to claim to understand the video but it seems like I don’t really, unless it’s simply an expression of rebellion against the orthodoxy. For the curious, the video of “Not Ready to Make Nice” is here. Actually, you’ll need to click on the “Watch the Video…” bar above the audio playback controls. Don’t ask me why. Probably to save bandwidth. For the less curious, here are the lyrics:

“Not Ready To Make Nice”

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

Later…

Filed by misterimpatient at 8:26 pm under Slightly left of Center
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I woke up this morning to the comforting sounds of my sump pump cycling on and off. I’m in love.

I’ve been living in this home since 1988 (I think) and every few years we’d get a minor flood in the basement. We’d gotten used to it, working hard to keep stuff off the floors or in plastic containers but finally we grew weary of dealing with the mess and aggravation so we shelled out about $5,000 for a french drain and new sump pump system last fall, just weeks before a major rainy season. A season which almost certainly would have resulted in a wet basement, but not this time.

The same this spring. There was major flooding and basements in the area have been getting hit. I am happy to report that my basement is dry, dryer, dryest!

There are tons of outfits that do this work in the area. I just picked on that could get the work done when I needed and at what seemed a reasonable cost. I’ve was very happy with the work done and the crew that did it so, I’ll give them a plug: Pioneer Basement Systems.

Ah…there it goes again.

Later…

Filed by misterimpatient at 5:52 am under Patter
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After a week in Albuquerque, New Mexico and full daytime sunshine, its a bit of a drudge to be back in Massachusetts and a weather forcast that looks like this:

This Afternoon: Rain likely, mainly before 3pm. Cloudy, with a high near 52. North wind between 11 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tonight: A chance of rain before 9pm, then a chance of drizzle. Areas of fog after 9pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 47. Northeast wind between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday: A chance of drizzle before noon, then a chance of rain between noon and 3pm, then a chance of drizzle after 3pm. Areas of fog before noon, then areas of fog after 3pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 56. East wind between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday Night: A chance of drizzle. Areas of fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low near 44. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday: Rain likely. Areas of fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 53. East wind between 11 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Rain likely. Areas of fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Saturday: Rain likely. Areas of fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high around 54. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Areas of fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high around 59. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low near 45. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

I would very much like to return to Albuquerque even though I can’t actually spell the name of the city.

Later…

Filed by misterimpatient at 12:21 pm under Patter
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