Bluegrass Alert!

KVMR-FM is streaming The 32nd Annual California Bluegrass Association Father's Day Festival from Grass Valley CA for the remainder of the weekend. I think it goes 'til 11PM tonight and all day tomorrow. Enjoy.

When I tried to link to the station it was jammed up. Give it a Google. I'll try again later.

Speak English or get out ...

Atrios sums it up exactly and succinctly.

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The fact is that "immigrants not learning English" is only a problem for people who are offended by the stray sounds of Spanish. The children of immigrants do learn English. There just is no identifiable "problem" here. Sure older immigrants may not become fluent in The President's English, but who cares? [my em]

As someone who grew up in a neighborhood consisting of off-the-boat Italians, Polish, and Germans, I can attest to that. 80% of my friends had at least one parent who spoke no, broken, or English with an accent (both my parents fell into that category and I spoke German before I spoke English). All of us grew up speaking English without a hint of our forebears' ethnicity in our voices. You damn well know we're from Lawn Guyland though. Heh ...

Now my neighborhood is Latin American, Indian, Afghani, Chinese, and Korean. Same shit, just more chickens.

And another thought. Though I never spoke a word of Italian or Polish, I sure knew when the old ladies were pissed about something we did. Heh ...

A whore by any other name ...

It's Saturday and that means another chapter of my novel The Fourth Estate is up at The Practical Press.

Don't fence me in...

That picture makes me wish for a souped-up cattle prod with a handle long enough to reach right up under the tail...

Robin Olds 1922-2007

LATimes

Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, a World War II ace fighter pilot who later commanded an Air Force wing that shot down seven Communist MIGs over North Vietnam in the biggest air battle of the Vietnam War, has died. He was 84.

Please go read the obit of a true American hero. Not everybody in a flight suit is a phony.

Smothers Brothers Diplomacy

Harper's

Meanwhile, there's a rumor circulating in Baghdad and in some Washington circles that the CIA, in order to help the Bush Administration find a face-saving way to get out, is bribing Iraqi parliamentarians to vote for an end to the American troop presence. I have absolutely no reason to believe this is anything more than a rumor, but the very fact that it is being discussed indicates just how desperate the military (and political) situation is in Iraq.

I think that's a smokin' good idea, which means it probably ain't happening.

And we can't leave without the oil, anyway. Bush's masters have spoken.

Back in the early-1970s, when the war in Vietnam was hopelessly bogged down, Tommy and Dickey Smothers proposed during their Comedy Hour that the United States simply declare that it had won and pull out. It may come to pass that the Bush Administration turns to Smother Brothers diplomacy as a way to get out of Iraq.

That was a great show. I remember once when they were talking about the benefits of using condoms, unheard of on TV in those days, and Tommy said in his deadpan way that he was wearing one right then and there and holding it on with duct tape.

America in a nutshell ...

Kate Harding at Shakesville:

... There you have it, folks. Losing the “last 15 pounds” is a bigger priority than not crapping your pants. ... [em in orig]

I could see it ...

If she were a white, Southern woman, but one thing I never got about Michelle Malkin (not that I really go too far to increase my understanding of that loon) is why she's so racist. Has she ever looked in the mirror? If the wingnuts are ever capable of putting their 'grand plan' into practice, she'd be one of the first in the camps or up against the wall.

Gotta take the Mrs. to the airport. Later ...

Quote of the Day deux

I just want to go on the record as saying that I believe it to be an absolute travesty of justice that Scooter Libby is being sent to jail without DeLay.

CAFKIA

Go see our pal CAFKIA and our role model SouthKnoxBubba (R. Neal) at KnoxViews.

Bush and Clueless Joe drop pants Gay Bomb

Headzup:

The Pentagon confirmed, that the US military sought to build a “Gay Bomb” which would turn enemy soldiers into homosexuals. President Bush and Joe Lieberman unleash the weapon on a pack of terrorists

I wish they'd build it. It oughta cut down on 'friendly fire' (awful term) incidents. First one of those, they'd have to drop the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. Especially after 'film at 11'. Heh.

Airheads

Diatribune

Fred Thompson Is the Paris Hilton of Politics

I sorta like the sideways reference to "locked up", but PUH-LEEZE! no video of him having sex! Probably with Chris Matthews. Must. Bleach. Brain.

We need a Big Push

I won't link to this wingnut gasbag, but if you want to read it (Lose a bet? Heh.) you can go to BuzzFlash and find it:

Conservative Columnist: "Bush Push On Immigration Would Lead To GOP Self-Destruction."

PUSH HARDER, dammit! Or should I say EMPUJE!

Cultural Learnings of Albania for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Americastan

Financial Times via MSNBC:

Prime minister Sali Berisha accurately captured the national mood in his effusive welcoming comments towards Bush when the pair staged a joint news conference. But he also sounded remarkably like Borat, the spoof Kazakh journalist created by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. "Today is a beautiful day," he said. "Today is a great day, historic for all Albanians. Among us is the greatest and most distinguished guest we have ever had in all times, the president of the United States of America, the leading country of the free world, George W. Bush [and] his lady, Mrs. Laura Bush.""

Bush looked to be struggling to maintain his composure as the press corps sniggered in the front row.

"For me, it's a great honour, and a special pleasure to thank them with gratitude and extend the most heartfelt welcome, in this historic visit, the first visit ever of a United States president in Albania," he continued. Still he was not finished, adding: "thank you heartily, Mr president, from the bottom of our hearts, fulfilling ardent and long-awaited wish of all Albanians to have a special guest in their home."

If Baron Cohen was not involved, surely Ashton Kutcher, star of a well-known MTV practical joke series, was about to jump out and tell Bush "You've been Punk'd"? But as the two leaders proceeded to talk seriously about Kosovo and Albania's mooted entry into Nato it became clear the adulation was serious. Sitting in the audience, Karl Rove, the White House political adviser, must have been thinking how much easier the last two presidential elections would have been had the US taken seriously an Albanian proposal in the 1990s to be declared the 51st US state.

Once a Red state, always a Red state, I guess.

Before boarding his limo, Bush put an arm on top of the vehicle and lifted himself up to wave farewell, as his fans chanted "BOOSHY, BOOSHY". It looked for a moment like he would emulate Michael Jackson, who famously climbed atop his SUV to salute fans outside a courthouse where he faced criminal charges in 2003. Bush would have been forgiven for not wanting the moment to end. But he eventually disappeared into the limo and sped off towards the airport, with only one more stop in Sofia on Monday before returning to political reality in Washington.

Return to political reality? Bush? Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

I'm sure he likes "The Gloved One" comparo too! Heh.

Of course the best part of that whole deal is that the Chimp let the adoring Albanians actually get up close and personal with him, something he would never dare do here because someone'd clean his clock for him, and then one of 'em gleeped his cheap-ass bling right off his wrist. Fuckin' priceless!

Whether or not his watch really got swiped is unclear, but I saw the video and I don't think it was. The press sure made a big deal out of it. At least the prick had the good sense not to wear the Rolex he probably wears to meetings with his big-time corporate cronies. Or maybe he got it off the street in NY from one of Fixer's friends and it actually says 'Relax' on its face. Hell, Bush can't read well enough to tell the difference.

In defense of cheap-ass bling, I wear a Timex as well. The watch was made in the Phillipines, the band in China, it cost $35 at Target, it looks good, keeps good time, lights up at night, and I got it from Mrs. G as a birthday present. Who could ask for more?

Update:

Bush gets his watch back!

Kokesh gets General Discharge, fights on

At Truthout with a 'must see' video.

Marine commander Lt. Gen. John Bergman today announced he had endorsed a review board recommendation that Cpl. Adam Kokesh get a "general discharge under honorable conditions."

Bergman levied the penalty on Kokesh for his actions in a March war protest and his subsequent obscene communication with a superior officer. With the sanction, Kokesh will keep his veterans' benefits.

But the corporal, who is now a student at George Washington University, said he'll appeal.

"We can't drop this," he said. "No precedent has been established. The Marine Corps got away with something in this case."

His attorney, Michael Lebowitz, said he'll take the case to the Navy Discharge Board, and then to federal court if necessary.

Lebowitz said even though the appeal will continue, the general discharge was a good outcome for his client: "I want to stress that we did beat them back on the other-than-honorable (discharge)."

Kokesh said he wanted to continue to argue the case for other servicemen and women; that way, he said, "the next Marine who faces harassment and intimidation will have something to stand on."

If Cpl. Kokesh was indeed "protecting our rights" by his service as the brass and the pols pay lip service to, then he earned the right to say whatever he wants to once off active duty.

As far as wearing his uniform while saying the things the administration told the Corps' brass not to like, gimme a break! According to this article he was wearing wearing his desert utes with the military insignia removed. Are they gonna downgrade all the discharges of Vets who are living under bridges and that's all they have to wear? That doesn't make the administration look very good either. Oh, that's right, they're not on TV sayin' shit the brass don't like where the public might actually see them.

A General Discharge is a slap on the wrist compared to an 'other than honorable' discharge, but it's still a slap in the face. It's a punitive response to a good Marine doing what good Marines do - standing on their hind legs telling the truth in the face of an immense machine designed to keep them quiet through intimidation. Downgrading his discharge because he pissed someone off is the absolute definition of 'chickenshit'.

I'm not very proud of my Marine Corps right now because of their reprehensible reaction to this deal, but then I never liked officers very much anyway. As a class, that is. Some of 'em were OK, mostly Mustangs.

Note to Cpl. Kokesh: You keep fightin' this, bro. You're right and they're wrong. Damn the odds, keep pullin' that trigger. Semper Fi, Marine.

"Semper Fidelis" is something the brass better go back and try and remember the meaning of. It refers to your fellow Marines and our nation, not faithfulness to a criminal regime.

I call on the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Conway, to put a stop to this shit. This isn't going to go away until you do, and you know it's the right thing to do. You're embarassing all of us that ever wore Marine green.

Note to Sergeant Major Kent: kick Conway's ass a little until he shapes up. You know how to do it. You've done it to junior officers, it's time to do it to a senior one.

Corporal Kokesh is a better Marine than any of the officers who participated in this travesty. He deserves an Honorable Discharge. Period.

Clueless

Froggy channels Marvin Gaye and explains to congressional Dems why their approval ratings suck as bad as the Chimp's:

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The pundits and professionals want to attribute the decline in congressional popularity to a variety of factors, and especially the immigration bill, but that's just not it.

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Off to the shop ...

Qualifications ...

Well, after hearing all of Gord's complaints about his Rethug congressman, Do Shit Do Nothing Doolittle, I can see why they can't find a qualified crook director for the California Rethuglican Crime Family Party:

The California Republican Party has decided no American is qualified to take one of its most crucial positions -- state deputy political director -- and has hired a Canadian for the job through a coveted H-1B visa, a program favored by Silicon Valley tech firms that is under fire for displacing skilled American workers.

Christopher Matthews, 35, a Canadian citizen, has worked for the state GOP as a campaign consultant since 2004. But he recently was hired as full-time deputy political director, with responsibility for handling campaign operations and information technology for the country's largest state Republican Party operation, California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring confirmed in a telephone interview this week.

In the nation's most populous state -- which has produced a roster of nationally known veteran political consultants -- "it's insulting but also embarrassing ... to bring people from the outside who don't know the difference between Lodi and Lancaster ... and who can't even vote," said Karen Hanretty, a political commentator and former state GOP party spokeswoman.

...

Hey, they work cheaper than Americans, don't they?

Update:

Steve Benen alerts us to the fact they can't find a qualified American to run the shakedown squad party operations either.

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Wait, it gets funnier. Matthews was hired by Michael Kamburowski, the state GOP’s chief operations officer, who is ... wait for it ... an Australian citizen.

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Quote of the Day

Shakes, at her 'Quote of the Day':

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Yeah, right. The closest that douchebag ever got to the frontlines was the day he dressed up like a flyboy and got flown to the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of San Diego (to the tune of about $1 million in taxpayers’ money), to stand underneath a banner announcing “Mission Accomplished” and prematurely (by four years and counting) assert that “major combat operations” in Iraq had ended. Wevvy wevver wev.

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Her response to Tony Blow-job's statement that the Chimp is on the front lines of the war in Iraq. Well said, darlin'.

So long, Scooter ...

Definitely not work safe.

Killing people

It's easy if you don't like 'em.

Yes, I realize it's a 'duh' thing, but hear me out.

For instance, say I'm somewhere in South America. Say I'm up in the Andes, in Colombia, me and a squad of Jarheads or Green Berets. Say we're there for a week, watching this little dirt airfield that has a buncha out buildings on the property surrounded by acres and acres of fields. Say I have intelligence telling me this place is a harvesting, processing, and transport location for some big Colombian coke dealer. Fine.

I don't like these guys. I don't like the guys fueling and loading the R4D that's sitting there, I don't like the guys working in the buildings, and I don't like the guys working in the fields in this valley between the peaks. They're drug dealers. They're the enemy.

Now just say I happen to make radio contact with a flight of Navy F-14s or Marine A-6s who just happen to be doing some combat air patrol drills just offshore in the Pacific and ask for their 'assistance'.

The lead pilot is going to ask me for coordinates. Now, am I going to give him a vector that will bring him in over the airfield and destroy just that or am I going to bring him in at the far end of the valley and let him bomb everybody in the valley, field workers, mechanics, and hangers on?

Of course, I'm gonna kill everybody. Why? Because I have no attachment to them. They're the enemy, whether or not they make any money from the drug trade, whether or not they even knew exactly who they were working for. They're the reason I'm sitting in this bug-infested, snake-infested hidey hole for a week. I don't care because our actions are part of the 'War on Drugs', and these people are working for the enemy. So long and good night, let the fireworks begin, take it up with your god when you get there.

Why do I relate this little story? The Vietnam guys know. It's the reason we didn't win there and the reason we won't win in Iraq. It's the reason we ain't winning the War on Drugs.

The grunts hate the Iraqis.

After the 3rd and 4th deployments, with no light at the end of the tunnel except the oncoming train of more deployments, the grunts have had it. They're angry at their situation and they're gonna blame the people whom they see to be keeping them there. The Iraqi people.

They see the Iraqi police, or army, or whatever you want to call them, not showing up for missions, running out on missions. They see the insurgency, gunmen who come out of nowhere to harass them and then melt into the crowd. They are beginning, thanks to the insurgency, to look at every Iraqi as a possible enemy. They are beginning to dislike the Iraqis.

So now I ask. You're a grunt in Iraq on your 3rd deployment and you gotta clear a house. There's a buncha folks in that house, some enemy some not, maybe. Are ya gonna go in on full automatic?

It's an easy decision to make if you don't like 'em.

How far we've fallen ...

4 years ago it was 'greeted as liberators', 'dead or alive', and 'last throes'. Today it's 'making deals with the enemy':

The US military has embarked on a new and risky strategy in Iraq by arming Sunni insurgents in the hope that they will tackle the extremist al-Qaida in Iraq.

The US high command this month gave permission to its officers on the ground to negotiate arms deals with local leaders. Arms, ammunition, body armour and other equipment, as well as cash, pick-up trucks and fuel, have already been handed over in return for promises to turn on al-Qaida and not attack US troops.

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But they promised. Oy gevult. Didn't anyone explain to these idiots that the first casualty of war is the 'plan', then comes 'truth', with 'promises' falling right behind.

Think about this. The supposedly-unbeatable U.S. military, the same ones who marched to Baghdad in 3 weeks, is now desperate enough to make deals with a ragtag bunch of insurgents to finish the job.

Just askin' the MAC-V and Green Beret guys, how'd that work out in Vietnam? Yeah, thought so.

Great thanks to Steve Benen at C & L.