I've been reading Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.'s Age of Roosevelt (3 volumes.) A must read. I was struck that, in 1932, the Democratic field was pro-business except for one: Roosevelt. Things haven't changed much.
It's time to tell the truth. And the truth is the system in Washington is corrupt. It is rigged by the powerful special interests to benefit they very few at the expense of the many. And as a result, the American people have lost faith in our broken system in Washington, and believe it no longer works for ordinary Americans. They're right.
As I look across the political landscape of both parties today -- what I see are politicians too afraid to tell the truth -- good people caught in a bad system that overwhelms their good intentions and requires them to chase millions of dollars in campaign contributions in order to perpetuate their careers and continue their climb to higher office.
This presidential campaign is a perfect example of how our politics is awash with money. I have raised more money up to this point than any Democratic candidate raised last time in the presidential campaign -- $30 million. And, I did it without taking a dime from any Washington lobbyist or any special interest PAC.
I saw the chase for campaign money at any cost by the frontrunner in this race -- and I did not join it -- because the cost to our nation and our children is not worth the hollow victory of any candidate. Being called president while powerful interests really run things is not the same as being free to lead this nation as president of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
John Edwards s targeting Corporate America and what he argues are its corrupt and greedy practices. In a speech today in Des Moines, Iowa, he is outlining his plan to renew the “social contract” between business and government if elected president. “In corporate America, where a broader sense of social responsibility once held sway, a culture of greed has taken over. Instead of treating their employees fairly, being accountable to their shareholders and contributing to America’s prosperity, CEOs act like their corporations exist just to build their own massive fortunes,” says Edwards, according to speech excerpts provided to Washington Wire by his campaign.
The US arms industry is backing Hillary Clinton for President and has all but abandoned its traditional allies in the Republican party. Mrs Clinton has also emerged as Wall Street's favourite. Investment bankers have opened their wallets in unprecedented numbers for the New York senator over the past three months and, in the process, dumped their earlier favourite, Barack Obama.
Afghanistan doesn't have to be lost, but it's looking more and more like we will lose it.
Let's start with Paddy Ashdown, who said something you're not allowed to say:
Paddy Ashdown, the former U.N. high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, warned major instability would be inevitable in the region if resurgent Islamic extremists gain the upper hand.
"We have lost, I think, and success is now unlikely," Ashdown told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
"I believe losing in Afghanistan is worse than losing in Iraq. It will mean that Pakistan will fall and it will have serious implications internally for the security of our own countries and will instigate a wider Shiite-Sunni regional war on a grand scale," he added.
Eric Margolis has long been one of my favourite writers and he's someone who wasn't snowed under by the Bush administration. He was against Iraq from day one and warned presciently what would happen if the US attacked.
His column on the possibility of Turkey crossing the border to attack the Kurds is a must read for laying out the conflicting agendas of the various players in a clear eyed way that makes it clear just how much Turkey has to gain from attacking Iraq's Kurds, and how little it may have to lose:
In recent weeks, Turkish-Kurdish tensions burst into flames. Marxist-nationalist PKK guerillas fighting for an independent nation for Turkey’s 20 million or so Kurds killed a score of Turkish soldiers and captured eight.
Hundreds more Turkish soldiers have been killed in eastern Anatolia by increasingly effective Kurdish fighters known as `pesh-merga,’ who have been receiving more and better weapons from fellow Iraqi Kurds.
Fiercely nationalist Turks demand their armed forces invade Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish mini-state to destroy PKK bases. The Turks have massed 100,000 troops and armor on their mountainous border with Iraq. Limited Turkish air attacks and ground probes inside Iraq began last week.
As counterintuitive as it may seem in this age of iPods and digital downloads, vinyl -- the favorite physical format of indie music collectors and audiophiles -- is poised to re-enter the mainstream, or at least become a major tributary.
Talk to almost anyone in the music business' vital indie and DJ scenes and you'll encounter a uniformly optimistic picture of the vinyl market.
"I'm hearing from labels and distributors that vinyl is way up," said Ian Connelly, client relations manager of independent distributor alliance IODA, in an e-mail interview. "And not just the boutique, limited-edition colored vinyl that Jesu/Isis-style fans are hot for right now."
Pressing plants are ramping up production, but where is the demand coming from? Why do so many people still love vinyl, even though its bulky, analog nature is anathema to everything music is supposed to be these days? Records, the vinyl evangelists will tell you, provide more of a connection between fans and artists. And many of today's music fans buy 180-gram vinyl LPs for home listening and MP3s for their portable devices.
"For many of us, and certainly for many of our artists, the vinyl is the true version of the release," said Matador's Patrick Amory. "The size and presence of the artwork, the division into sides, the better sound quality, above all the involvement and work the listener has to put in, all make it the format of choice for people who really care about music."
Oil had broken throught $93 a barrel then dropped into the high 80s yesterday. Today it took off breaking through $95. $100 is getting closer and closer.
I have the printer. I haven't set it up yet. I'm still working on where to put it. The Epson 3800 is 10.28 inches (257 mm) tall, 27.36 inches (684 mm) wide, and 14.88 inches (376 mm) deep. When all of the covers are fully open and extended, the 3800 is 22.8 inches (579 mm) tall, 27.36 inches (684 mm) wide, and 37.87 inches (962 mm) deep. The 3800 weighs 43.2 lbs (19.6 kg) with all cartridges installed. Not something to put on my desk. It needs its own desk. But, for a printer that will print a 17" wide x 37" long print, it's compact. I will be looking into getting a wireless print server tomorrow. Then I will set it up. Links tomorrow. Yeah, sure. You've heard that one before.
Linking has definitely been slow around here. It's that reality thing. It keeps getting in the way. In a couple of hours I will be picking up the Epson 3800 printer. Reality promises to be even more intrusive after that. But here is a little Halloween treat until I can get my act together. A Tim Burton classic from 1982 narrated by Vincent Price.
The Epson 3800 17" wide printer has been on and off more times than I can recall. Yesterday Don emailed me that it is on again. At least, this time, he now has the printer. He will bring it over Wednesday. It looks good this time. Printer setup and testing will ensue. I've been holding off shooting with large format since I couldn't print. No sense shooting 4x5 or 5x7 to make pictures for the web. I've dug out my old 4x5 Speed Graphic for some hand-held large format. I should also finish cleaning up my 4x5 Graflex SLR.
Last week was a busy one but that busy resulted in completing some projects that I can bill. Last night my grandson Mike spent the night, which took care of this weekend. Linking should resume tomorrow.
