Congratulations to the victors!
The Japanese people have spoken and they said with one voice (they do nearly everything with one voice) out with the old and in with the new. Now, as anyone who knows Japanese politics, other than a few odd candidates here and there - and always on the bottom rungs, the majority of candidates and all party leaders are:
a: sons or grandsons of old political hacks (no daughters)
b: went to the 'right' schools
c: both
So, just like Obama liked to say, he was a new guy with a message of change, the DPJ also likes to trumpet their fresh approach. But as we all know, old connections run deep and there ain't nothin' fresh about the new guys. BUT they are a little different and someone new to blame when, next year, it all hits the fan.
Hatoyama has an almost impossible task. In America, Obama went from astounding high poll numbers at his entry to dramatic lows in record time. Why? The economy of course. It's a killer and the LDP should be thanking any gods they pray to that they lost. It is the perfect time for the young up and coming LDP lions to clean house and get themselves ready.
The DPJ has little hope to improve the economy as the dollar sinks and with it, export income. The bureaucracy is bloated but can't be trimmed because people need jobs; and the tax revenue to pay off all the good time promises is coming from - where again?
I sure hope Hatoyama practiced magic, because he is going to need it quick.
Get the popcorn!!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Senator Kennedy Goes the Way of All Things
The end of the Kennedy Era has come. Some are crying and some are cheering; but all do recognize that this family has had a powerful influence on American politics. The quinticental Robber Baron, Machiavellian Princely family. Starting from an overload patriarch liquor runner and Nazi supporter (the inconvenient truth) with four sons. This family had a plan and even though the first son died in WWII the plan never faultered - only the sons.
John got lucky. In fact, Nixon supporters might argue that luck had nothing to do with it - it was the Chicago machine that put him over the top.
The third son, it seems, was a fluke. He actually cared about the people. But alas, he was a victim of history.
And then there was Teddy. The forgotten. Cheating his way through Harvard, given a second chance with daddy's money and connections; booze, women and sex (with the unfortunate indescretion) followd on. Granted, it didn't help his emotional stability to have three older brothers killed and then the mantle of fame and the responsibility to raise all the children tossed on his shoulders.
Did he manage it well? In some cases. In the Senate he did make a name for himself and seemed to have achieved some success, though one has to wonder was it what he did or just that he was there for sooo looong. In the big picture however, he could not live up to the dream. Certainly Chappaquiddick put the nail in the coffin of what many thought was a no lose opportunity for him to be President. this little indiscretion gave us Carter. Thank you senator!
On the whole, his life was a sad tale of waste and disappointment accompanied by throngs of rock star hangers-on longing for a lost dream. Perhaps a different generation of Kennedys but I doubt it. Caroline seems to be the only one with character and she doesn't seem like a "Rose" style matriarch.
Say good-bye to Teddy and the dream that never was and likely never will be.
Too bad his legacy may end up being his name on a health care bill future generations will curse as being a horcrux around the necks of the overtaxed and underserved masses.
John got lucky. In fact, Nixon supporters might argue that luck had nothing to do with it - it was the Chicago machine that put him over the top.
The third son, it seems, was a fluke. He actually cared about the people. But alas, he was a victim of history.
And then there was Teddy. The forgotten. Cheating his way through Harvard, given a second chance with daddy's money and connections; booze, women and sex (with the unfortunate indescretion) followd on. Granted, it didn't help his emotional stability to have three older brothers killed and then the mantle of fame and the responsibility to raise all the children tossed on his shoulders.
Did he manage it well? In some cases. In the Senate he did make a name for himself and seemed to have achieved some success, though one has to wonder was it what he did or just that he was there for sooo looong. In the big picture however, he could not live up to the dream. Certainly Chappaquiddick put the nail in the coffin of what many thought was a no lose opportunity for him to be President. this little indiscretion gave us Carter. Thank you senator!
On the whole, his life was a sad tale of waste and disappointment accompanied by throngs of rock star hangers-on longing for a lost dream. Perhaps a different generation of Kennedys but I doubt it. Caroline seems to be the only one with character and she doesn't seem like a "Rose" style matriarch.
Say good-bye to Teddy and the dream that never was and likely never will be.
Too bad his legacy may end up being his name on a health care bill future generations will curse as being a horcrux around the necks of the overtaxed and underserved masses.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Elderly American Tourist Terrorized by Japanese Police!
An Elderly California man, 74, Carrying a typical Swiss Army style pocket knife, was asked by a policeman in a tourist rich Tokyo center if he had a knife when the man stepped into a police box to ask for directions. Not thinking anything of it, he said yes. They arrested him on the spot and hauled him off to jail. Why they asked this question is very strange, but the Japanese police think all foriegners are criminals and treat them as such. Some might argue that this was an unusual case of a rogue cop with little training but, infact, a myriad of testimonies signify it is not unusual police behavior.
In Japan his possession of a small pocketknife, a customary personal item, even allowed on planes by the normally nazi-esk US airport security, is illegal and caused him to be locked away for 10 nights in prison without going before a judge or seeing a lawyer; the man said it was unpleasant and disappointing. No doubt, since in Japan, even though he was a tourist, 74 years old and unable to understand Japanese (they don't speak English in jail), they treated him worse then they do the Japanese mafia. They could simply have confiscated the pocket knife. Twilight Zone, but true.
Lawyers and family members were appauled by the treatment, but according to the UN Human Rights Commission, this is not unusual treatment for tourists and foriegners. (And this is a country that wants to join the UN Security Council and wants to host thousands of tourists and atheletes for the Olympics?!? Wow. Think about it.)
In Japan, 10 days in detention with no lawyer and being harassed, in Japanese, to sign confessions, in Japanese, without explanation or counsel is problematic, though not uncommon.
So, bottom line: Japan really ISN'T the tourist friendly country you might think it is, and if you want to visit someplace, perhaps you should concider Hawaii or Taiwan instead.
In Japan his possession of a small pocketknife, a customary personal item, even allowed on planes by the normally nazi-esk US airport security, is illegal and caused him to be locked away for 10 nights in prison without going before a judge or seeing a lawyer; the man said it was unpleasant and disappointing. No doubt, since in Japan, even though he was a tourist, 74 years old and unable to understand Japanese (they don't speak English in jail), they treated him worse then they do the Japanese mafia. They could simply have confiscated the pocket knife. Twilight Zone, but true.
Lawyers and family members were appauled by the treatment, but according to the UN Human Rights Commission, this is not unusual treatment for tourists and foriegners. (And this is a country that wants to join the UN Security Council and wants to host thousands of tourists and atheletes for the Olympics?!? Wow. Think about it.)
In Japan, 10 days in detention with no lawyer and being harassed, in Japanese, to sign confessions, in Japanese, without explanation or counsel is problematic, though not uncommon.
So, bottom line: Japan really ISN'T the tourist friendly country you might think it is, and if you want to visit someplace, perhaps you should concider Hawaii or Taiwan instead.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Liberals Commit Suicide.
It could be called the dance of the lemmings. The Gallup poll shows that conservatives out number liberals in every state. 40% say they are conservative while only 21% say they are liberal.
35% say they are moderate.
Now the interesting thing about moderates in America is that they tend to be more conservative than liberal.
What does this mean in the real world? Well, as you read this post, the White House is backing off of socialized medicine as well as several liberal love childs. Over the next year, you will likely see President Obama 'reading the writing on the wall' and start courting the more moderate Blue Dogs and Republicans while at the same time we will hear the disappointed moans of dispair from his liberal 'friends'.
More importantly, for Republicans, the midterm elections will likely be a huge Christmas gift if they play their cards right and act "reasonable".
I foresee a mirror image of this congress coming as the people realize that having Obama as president is really cool - as long as the congress is safely Republican. Kind of like getting your cake and eating it too.
35% say they are moderate.
Now the interesting thing about moderates in America is that they tend to be more conservative than liberal.
What does this mean in the real world? Well, as you read this post, the White House is backing off of socialized medicine as well as several liberal love childs. Over the next year, you will likely see President Obama 'reading the writing on the wall' and start courting the more moderate Blue Dogs and Republicans while at the same time we will hear the disappointed moans of dispair from his liberal 'friends'.
More importantly, for Republicans, the midterm elections will likely be a huge Christmas gift if they play their cards right and act "reasonable".
I foresee a mirror image of this congress coming as the people realize that having Obama as president is really cool - as long as the congress is safely Republican. Kind of like getting your cake and eating it too.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Sarah Palin: Concerning the "Death Panels"
Yesterday President Obama responded to my statement that Democratic health care proposals would lead to rationed care; that the sick, the elderly, and the disabled would suffer the most under such rationing; and that under such a system these “unproductive” members of society could face the prospect of government bureaucrats determining whether they deserve health care.
The President made light of these concerns. He said:
“Let me just be specific about some things that I’ve been hearing lately that we just need to dispose of here. The rumor that’s been circulating a lot lately is this idea that somehow the House of Representatives voted for death panels that will basically pull the plug on grandma because we’ve decided that we don’t, it’s too expensive to let her live anymore....It turns out that I guess this arose out of a provision in one of the House bills that allowed Medicare to reimburse people for consultations about end-of-life care, setting up living wills, the availability of hospice, etc. So the intention of the members of Congress was to give people more information so that they could handle issues of end-of-life care when they’re ready on their own terms. It wasn’t forcing anybody to do anything.”
The provision that President Obama refers to is Section 1233 of HR 3200, entitled “Advance Care Planning Consultation.” [2] With all due respect, it’s misleading for the President to describe this section as an entirely voluntary provision that simply increases the information offered to Medicare recipients. The issue is the context in which that information is provided and the coercive effect these consultations will have in that context.
For those of you who think Sarah Palin is being paranoid or overly negative, I suggest you read the rest of this articole at:
The President made light of these concerns. He said:
“Let me just be specific about some things that I’ve been hearing lately that we just need to dispose of here. The rumor that’s been circulating a lot lately is this idea that somehow the House of Representatives voted for death panels that will basically pull the plug on grandma because we’ve decided that we don’t, it’s too expensive to let her live anymore....It turns out that I guess this arose out of a provision in one of the House bills that allowed Medicare to reimburse people for consultations about end-of-life care, setting up living wills, the availability of hospice, etc. So the intention of the members of Congress was to give people more information so that they could handle issues of end-of-life care when they’re ready on their own terms. It wasn’t forcing anybody to do anything.”
The provision that President Obama refers to is Section 1233 of HR 3200, entitled “Advance Care Planning Consultation.” [2] With all due respect, it’s misleading for the President to describe this section as an entirely voluntary provision that simply increases the information offered to Medicare recipients. The issue is the context in which that information is provided and the coercive effect these consultations will have in that context.
For those of you who think Sarah Palin is being paranoid or overly negative, I suggest you read the rest of this articole at:
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Serious Warning From US Government!
Treasury Department Issues Emergency Recall Of All U.S. Dollars
Long Live the Empire of Octavia!!
and our great leader Octavius Del Monte
Monday, August 3, 2009
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