Conservatives are trying to rewrite history, literally

Democrats need to understand that these people aren't just laughable, they aren't just nuts. They're dangerous. They're doing what the Soviets used to do. It's ironic how much the right likes to accuse of being Socialists. (And of course, when they say Socialist, they mean "Soviet.") The right-wing is simply doing what they do best - accusing us of being what they already are.

The Jamestown settlers? Socialists. Founding Father Alexander Hamilton? Ill-informed professors made up all that bunk about him advocating a strong central government.

Theodore Roosevelt? Another socialist. Franklin D. Roosevelt? Not only did he not end the Great Depression, he also created it.

Joe McCarthy? Liberals lied about him. He was a hero.

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Meet the students from Gunn HIgh School. The Phelps clan did.

I posted this video earlier this week at AMERICAblog Gay. The haters from Westboro Church decided to protest at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. But, the students at Gunn High were having none of the hate. These kids will make you proud.
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36 hours and puppy has not killed me yet

Puppy's first bath was thankfully uneventful. She didn't enjoy it, and even shook a little, but at least put up with it. Not sure how I'm going to pull this off by myself when I get home, without my sister's help.

Yesterday was a busy day. I'm exhausted. Mom and sis aren't impressed. Apparently having 4 kids (mom) and 3 (sis) is worse than having a puppy for a day and a half. Puppy started the day smelling like crap and pee, even though we bathed her the night before. In spite of that, my sis took her to work for an hour. When I arrived to pick her up they told me 'she's in back sleeping.' Sleeping where? And there she was, behind the counter of the jewelry store my sister manages, asleep on her chair, not a care in the world.



This led me to suspect that puppy's lapdog instincts might be just where I wanted them. So once my nephew left for the afternoon, he was helping me with her, I decided to try putting her on a pillow next to my computer so I could get at least a little blogging done, while watching her at the same time. The results were quite promising:



She slept like that for an hour until I woke her. Perhaps my lapdog is a laptop dog. Later that afternoon I discovered why my newly bathed pup smelled like crap, literally. While puppy had gone the entire night without soiling her cage, she then decided to do both #1 and #2 in her cage right after I took her for a long session outside. Yesterday afternoon, smelly dog made her first trip to the vet. Surprisingly, she took it well. Really well in fact. I went with my sister when she took her dog, Carmela, to the vet for the first time. Carmela was shaking once she got into the exam room. This little lady, nothing. She got her microchip implanted, which apparently is quite painful if they're not under anesthesia. Right after, she went to sleep on the exam table.



Then she had to have a stool sample examined, and the vet got one for herself (you really don't want to know). Puppy was not thrilled. Then they needed to take her temp. The thermometer was a tad old, no instant thermometer here, so it was up her butt for about 25 seconds. Oh the unhappiness. But right after, she's lies down and is asleep again (pic above). No shaking.

We did discover pine cones yesterday. They're apparently the best thing ever.



Then we went for a walk. Her first ever. On leash. She actually did a pretty good job, with my nephew's major help. We made it 3/4 of a way around the entire block, though there were several sudden sit downs and lie downs. Including the time we stopped to talk to one our neighbors, and suddenly puppy was fast asleep.



And at the moment we're dealing with puppy having discovered her voice. I think she picked up the habit from my parents' dog who has a barking problem. Not good. She just doesn't want to be confined to the kitchen, even when I'm with her. Not sure what to do about it however. I think it's just general frustration, but not liking that she's learning to bark when frustrated. Read More......

Obama supports Bush mining and toxic dumping policy in court

While there have been some positive environmental moves by the Obama administration, between offshore drilling and now this one has to wonder what is going on.

The same week President Barack Obama riled environmentalists with plans for offshore oil drilling, he faces criticism for signaling he will support a Bush-era policy criticized as giving mining companies unlimited access to public lands to dump toxic waste.

The administration asked a federal judge Tuesday to dismiss a challenge by environmental and community groups to a rule that lifted a restriction on how much public land companies can use. The groups are also challenging a 2008 rule that says companies aren't required to pay the going rate to use the land.

Environmentalists said the administration's decision conflicts with its pledge to overhaul the nearly 140-year-old law regulating the mining of gold, silver and other hard-rock minerals on public land.

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Well Point CEO receives 51% raise, other execs even more

After all of those price increases, why should this be a surprise? LA Times:

WellPoint Inc. revealed Friday that it boosted its chief executive's compensation 51% last year, even as the health insurance giant prepared massive rate increases in California that embroiled it in a national controversy over skyrocketing health insurance costs.

The proposed rate increases of up to 39% in individual policies turned the insurer into a flash point in the healthcare overhaul battle, breathing new life into President Obama's effort at a crucial time in the debate.

Chief Executive Angela F. Braly saw her total compensation shoot to $13.1 million, from $8.7 million a year earlier, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. At least three other WellPoint executives got compensation increases of as much as 75%.

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Saturday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

So, that latest ploy for victimhood from the Vatican has backfired, big time. Yesterday, at Good Friday services, the Pope's priest, Raniero Cantalamessa, gave a sermon comparing criticism of the church over the child rape scandal to the worst of what happened to the Jewish people. Stunning really. The Vatican has tried to distance the Church from those remarks. But, the priest gave those remarks in front of the pope and his words were reported by the Vatican newspaper. That would be like Robert Gibbs making a statement in front of Obama, which was also posted on the White House website -- and have the White House say Gibbs wasn't speaking for them.

Big weekend here in DC. The cherry blossoms are blossoming and the city is packed. That's a goood thing. Now, you hear the occasional annoying DC smarty-pants types complaining about the tourists. But, it's only good for the city's economy. And, I have to admit, the cherry blossoms really are beautiful. They're not just down by the tidal basin. There are cherry trees all over the city.

Given that it's Easter weekend, it should be pretty slow news-wise (besides the latest Vatican talking points about how they're the victims.)

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Rio Ancho

Besides enjoying Paco de Lucia's music because it's great, I also like it because one of the first gifts Joelle gave to me was one of his CDs after we spent a weekend in Madrid for our first official date. We're heading back down to Spain this summer so she can brush up on her Spanish and I can work on cycling with more hills. Enjoying some different food is of course high on the list as well. Can't wait.

Jojo is down in the Beaujolais at the moment visiting her ailing 96 year old grandmother. She's back Sunday afternoon in time for Easter dinner and Monday, of course, is a public holiday. My big idea to get in a lot of riding is being tempered by drizzle and rain. As soon as I see a break I'm running out to avoid getting completely soggy. At the moment, Monday looks like the best chance I have for a dry ride. Somehow I'm sure the working week will be dry, as it always is. Read More......

Japanese to take paternity leave

Anyone who has any dealings with Japan knows this is a very big deal. The Japanese hardly ever take vacations let alone paternity leaves. It would be great to see a lot more of this. BBC:

A district mayor in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, is going on paternity leave on Saturday, the first local government leader ever to do so.

Hironobu Narisawa, the mayor of the central Bunkyo ward, said he was aiming to change attitudes.

Japanese workers are famously reluctant to take time off after the birth of a child even though Japanese law allows either parent to have up to a year off.

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