Yearly Archives: 2005

I swore to myself: no more political posts. I’m not sure if I’m breaking that today or not. I really feel that this is more of a last ditch attempt to speak up for Democracy. I’m running scared. Today is the stark realization that a significant portion of the country could give a shit about democracy so long as the side that seizes power is their side. Convinced of their own divine rightness and entitlement to elevation above others, they’re rooting for the destruction of the fabric of our society.

Spying on American citizens without the benefit of oversight, congressional or judicial, has nothing to do with fighting terrorists. The executive branch has those tools already. It’s been reported over and over and over: they have the power to spy the instant they feel the need, they just need to get authorization within 72 hours from a court that doesn’t know how to say ‘no.’

“Well the calls all involved foreign entities.” No, they didn’t. We’re finding that out today.

“But we only spied on terrorists.” Like the ACLU and PETA, apparently.

“The fourth amendment isn’t all that important.” Until they come knocking on your door anyway. I suppose you won’t mind if the executive branch arbitrarily suspends the second amendment too? You can turn in your guns on the way out.

What I am saying is this: this is a direct attack on democracy. On the foundation of democracy. If a Democract did this I would be equally outraged. Bush must be impeached and yet he won’t. Not only will the Republicans in Congress not do their duty, neither will the media. I sit in horror as I watch the country I love being destroyed by apathy and inertia. And Bush.

The coolest PHP plugin ever

Okay, maybe I’m overdoing it a bit. It depends. Have you ever needed to pull complex data from a media file? Maybe the ID3 data? Maybe the width and height so you can display the object properly?

Then check out this getID3 script.

This thing is flat out amazing. I used it to get the width and height of a Quicktime movie that I needed to embed into a web page. Because it was for a site where people would be uploading a bunch of different media files and because I couldn’t rely on them to know the width and height of every file, I needed to get the information on the fly.

What it gave me was a wealth of information above and beyond just the width and the height. Here, for your viewing pleasure, is the array it returned (minus a big chunk of nested variables that, to me, looked like random data spit out by an overzealous loop):

$obInfo = Array (
[GETID3_VERSION] => 1.7.4
[filesize] => 7828770
[avdataoffset] => 9758
[avdataend] => 7828770
[fileformat] => quicktime
=> Array (
[dataformat] => quicktime
[codec] =>
[sample_rate] => 22050
[channels] => 2
[bits_per_sample] => 16
[lossless] =>
[channelmode] => stereo
[streams] => Array (
[0] => Array (
[dataformat] => quicktime
[codec] =>
[sample_rate] => 22050
[channels] => 2
[bits_per_sample] => 16
[lossless] =>
[channelmode] => stereo
)
)
) [video] => Array (
[dataformat] => quicktime
[resolution_x] => 360
[resolution_y] => 240
[codec] => Sorenson Video
[bits_per_sample] => 24
[lossless] => [pixel_aspect_ratio] => 1
[frame_rate] => 15
) [tags] => Array (
[quicktime] => Array (
[title] => Array ( [0] => PrizeWhores Trailer )
[author] => Array ( [0] => Jenn Garrison )
[copyright] => Array ( [0] => Jenn Garrison )
[information] => Array ( [0] => www.prizewhores.com )
)

) [comments] => Array ( [language] => Array ( [0] => English ) )
[encoding] => ISO-8859-1
[filename] => pwtrailerqt.mov
[filepath] => /path/to/files
[filenamepath] => /path/to/files/pwtrailerqt.mov
[mime_type] => video/quicktime
[quicktime] => Array (
[time_scale] => 600
[display_scale] => 1
[video] => Array (
[resolution_x] => 360
[resolution_y] => 240
[codec_fourcc] => SVQ1
[codec_fourcc_lookup] => Sorenson Video 3
[codec] => Sorenson Video
[color_depth] => 24
[color_depth_name] => millions (24-bit color)
) => Array (
[codec] => [sample_rate] => 22050
[channels] => 2
[bit_depth] => 16
) [comments] => Array (
[title] => Array ( [0] => PrizeWhores Trailer )
[author] => Array ( [0] => Jenn Garrison )
[copyright] => Array ( [0] => Jenn Garrison )
[information] => Array ( [0] => www.prizewhores.com )
) [free] => Array (
[name] => free
[size] => 1040
[offset] => 8702
) [wide] => Array (
[name] => wide
[size] => 8
[offset] => 9742
) [mdat] => Array (
[name] => mdat
[size] => 7819020
[offset] => 9750
)
[encoding] => ISO-8859-1
)
[playtime_seconds] => 146.81333333333
[bitrate] => 426065.49813823
[tags_html] => Array (
[quicktime] => Array (
[title] => Array ( [0] => PrizeWhores Trailer )
[author] => Array ( [0] => Jenn Garrison )
[copyright] => Array ( [0] => Jenn Garrison )
[information] => Array ( [0] => www.prizewhores.com )
)
)
[playtime_string] => 2:27
)

A study recently published by Science Daily states that moderate drinkers, those who average around a drink per day, are 54% less likely to be obese. They go on to state that that is counter-intuitive. Bah.

So much of what I see around me can be explained by common sense without the need for expensive studies. You don’t get a beer gut by having a drink a day, even if it is beer. Nevermind the fact that the study made no distinction between they types of alcohol, which can have wildly different amounts of calories, carbs and sugars.

That’s not the common sense part though. No. The common sense part is this: if you have the ability to limit how much of an addictive substance you take, then you most likely have the ability to limit less addictive substances like food.

Genetics plays a fair part in one’s body type as well. It isn’t nature vs. nurture people, it’s a combination of both. Always has been, always will be. So if 46% of moderate drinkers aren’t thin, I’m willing to bet at least some of them may be genetically predisposed towards a heavier build.

I know a little something on this subject, growing up I could smash two large pizzas together and wolf them both down in minutes, but by the time I graduated from high school I was 6’2″ and still only weighed 138lbs–tell me that wasn’t genetics.

I would hazard a guess that the 54% number would go up to around 70% when you take that into account. That’s 70% of people who are eating healthy despite the fact that they have a drink per day! Shocking, I know.

I wonder how much their completely worthless study cost? They didn’t consider any factors outside of alcohol and didn’t even consider the relevant facts about alcohol. My analysis cost nothing and is every bit as valuably as theirs. ;)

Regimes and their “Content Standards”

This is a letter I just wrote to Hillary Clinton* regarding federal game legislation she is cosponsoring. Hat tip to Chris Kohler over at Wired who posted about the legislation on his Game|Life blog.

Senator,

I am not one of your constituents. I live in Texas. However, I am a liberal and I assume you will be looking for my vote in 2008. Please don’t deny it, we can keep it just between us, you don’t have to acknowledge anything.

I’ve been very concerned watching you take stands that smack of a politician rather than a person doing what they believe. Perhaps I’m wrong, but that’s how I see it and I’m the voter.

I’m appalled by the proposed federal game legislation. Enough so that I felt the need to contact you. This will be the first time I’ve emailed any senator. I have a question:

Since when do Democrats support limits on free speech?

Why are games singled out, while movies, television, and music are left alone? This is what really smacks of political opportunism. It’s a “hot button” issue so you feel the need to jump on it. Again, maybe I’m wrong. I’m just calling it like I see it.

Let’s address the issue both ways.

As a political issue it’s a bad one. Ignore what your advisors are telling you. Have you seen the last, oh, five elections? The middle-of-the-road, Republican lite strategy will lose my vote and a few million others very quickly.

I am the average “gamer”: I am a 32 year old white male. I have an above average income and a house in the suburbs. My wife and are I trying to have our first child. My favorite games are Civilization IV (a strategy game that includes history–you would approve) and Grand Theft Auto (yes, the one that started all of the controversy). Contrary to idiotic assumptions, I have no desire to commit crimes, even after playing the game.

Funny thing about the average gamer being a man in his early thirties: the average gamer is also now a voter. You might want to start considering that.

Now let’s address the issue apart from the political aspect. Rating systems are already in place. They serve the same function that they do in movie theaters and on cable television. The new generation of game consoles have content management features that parents can use the same way they use V-chips in television sets.

It is not your job, or the job of any part of government, to be my nanny. By attempting to protect kids, that is what you are doing: treating every man, woman, and child in this country as a child, regardless of age. Leave parenting to the parents. It is their responsibility to raise their children and to take an active part in the lives of their children.

The proposed legislation is also a direct attack on freedom of speech. One can only assume the required FTC investigation will find exactly what it wants to find: a “pervasive problem” with the ratings that will grant it carte blanche to set content standards. That is a scary phrase, “content standards.” I could do the obligatory Nazi comparison and point out that they had “content standards” when it came to books. That would be too easy though, wouldn’t it? Every oppressive regime has always had content standards so why single out the Nazis. Maybe with your support, this bill could be the beginning of a new China, err, America. Chimerica!

Yes, I’m aware this is not your typical tepid message or fiery ranting. Hopefully, by injecting a little bit of (sarcastic) humor and intelligence into it, it will actually be read by somebody in a position to talk to you (I don’t presume that you read your own email address) about it.

You’ll need to do some convincing to win my vote in 2008. You can start by backing off of this legislation. Senator Lieberman has long been an opponent of free speech and his name on the ticket in 2000 led me to vote for Ralph Nader. I would say that I’m not proud of my vote, but I chose the best option that was available. That may be the saddest part because I think Al Gore is a great man and would have been a great candidate had he not saddled himself with such a bad running mate.

Hmm, there I go talking about the political aspects of the legislation again. Well, you are a politician, so I guess that’s okay.

Sincerely,

Chat Clussman
Concerned Citizen and Registered Voter

I heartily recommend that anybody concerned about free speech or that wants to choose for themselves what they watch, read, play, or listen to, to write Senator Clinton and make your opinion known as well.

Also, I want to point out that the above is the exact text that I sent to Hillary. However, I may have fibbed just a little: I actually am a bit embarrassed about voting for Nader in 2000. Before anybody lynches me, I’m obligated to point out that Bush beat Gore by 21 points in my state and Nader only received 2 points (137,716 votes according to CNN).

* I guessed at the email address based on the fact that every senator with a published address used the same format. Clinton’s senate page has a contact form that requires you to sign your life in blood to the Democratic party in order to send a message to her and I didn’t particularly feel like doing that.

Hanso Foundation Life Extension Project

If you’re as addicted to Lost as I am, you’ll be interested to know that one of the links on the Hanso Foundation website suddenly has content behind it: a document on the Life Extension Project (LEP). You can find it here.

If you didn’t know there were a whole host of mock websites out there from the world of Lost. I’ve put together a few links you might be interested in.

What it takes to be an Entrepreneur

I’m not talking about specific things you need to do with regards to marketing, structuring your business, or any of that stuff. I just wanted to take a look at what it takes to run your own business. What the “right stuffâ€? is.

I quit my job at the end of May. I took a two week vacation and then I went to work on my own business. As a web developer, I had to build my own website. As an entrepreneur, and a one-man shop as is frequently the case for the budding entrepreneur, I had to write my own copy, brand myself and market myself. When businesses responded, I had to sell myself and then close the deal.

The first month-and-a-half was spent on creating my image and the website (Studio Green) to go with it. I didn’t start soliciting business until around the beginning of August. When I quit my job I had no clients, no business plan, and no actual company. It was a huge leap of faith.

That brings me to the first requirement for a successful entrepreneur: balls. Cajones. You can call it by another name, but what it comes down to is that it takes a certain kind of person to toss the dice knowing that they’re gambling with their financial future.

For some people, like myself, there is almost no other choice. We don’t take orders well. I have a great deal of respect for the military, my father and step-father were both in the Air Force and my brother served in the Army, but I can guarantee you I would have been dishonorably discharged. It isn’t in my nature to follow blindly where others lead.

That I’ve only been fired once in my professional history is, quite frankly, amazing. There have been times when I would have fired me, had I been my own boss. This is a great place to point out that this article isn’t meant to be self-aggrandizement. Yes, on the one hand I have confidence, but I’ve also just pointed out that it cuts both ways. Having issues working under someone else can cause, well, issues.

So along with balls you have to know who you are. You have to be able to recognize both your strengths and your weaknesses. I’ve always had a strong work ethic and been extremely well organized (I’m hardcore obsessive-compulsive), but it turns out I’ve become very used to having a guiding influence. Left entirely to my own devices, I’ve floundered a lot in the first months. What do I do today? At times I had so many things to do that my brain just shutdown and I did nothing. Other times, I felt like I was really on top of things and I allowed my brain to shutdown and I did nothing.

A startup cannot allow that to happen. So I’ve taken to making lists. Lists help structure my day and provide concrete metrics for me to measure progress by: I can cross things off my list and write down how long each one took.

Okay, so we have balls and self awareness. What else? Intelligence? It can certainly be an asset against your competitors, but it turns out it isn’t the end-all. In fact, most geniuses lead very average middle-of-the-road (and income) lives and are quite happy working for others and not taking big risks. Your average successful entrepreneur isn’t dumb by any means, but tends to be in the average for IQ. That makes sense to me. It can be very easy to over-think things end up not taking enough action or taking the wrong actions. Doing can be more important than thinking in some respects.

As with all of my posts, I tend to ramble from one item to the next without much organization. I’m not being graded (unless you count readership as a grade), and I don’t have time to edit my book reports. Again, doing is more important. So consider this my segue to the next qualification: curiosity.

Curiosity may be the single biggest requirement for an entrepreneur and it’s actually the impetus behind this post. I had the opportunity to meet with another entrepreneur today, to discuss a possible business relationship. During the course of our conversation, I had the opportunity to ask him questions about how and why he started his own business. How long he’s been an entrepreneur, why he chose his particular service or product (note: I’m being vague because his business isn’t pertinent to the discussion and because I don’t publicize what business I’m seeking), and other questions. He probably felt like he was the one being interviewed.

The one thing that stuck out was his curiosity for a broad range of things that covered the gamut of his business. He is curious about the aspects of running a business, about his product/service, about the technologies behind his product/service, those used to produce it, the mindset of the people involved, his clients, their mindsets, the interrelationship formed by all of these items, and more. He is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. He has a broad understanding of each area, but not the deep understanding that comes from devoting oneself to that one thing.

Dreamers often drift from subject to subject and have a broad range of interests. If you can turn a dreamer into a doer, you would have an entrepreneur. We have too much curiosity to sit still and do the same thing every day. But dreamers typically lack the energy and will, that’s why they are dreamers.

And that will be the last requirement to go on the list: energy. Under the self-awareness category, I have to admit that this is my weak point. Entrepreneurs are out pounding the pavement, shaking hands and kissing babies. Okay, that’s politicians, but take away the baby part, and you have an entrepreneur. They go wherever they have to go and do whatever they have to do to be successful. They have boundless energy, they are social creatures, and they thrive on challenges.

Me? I’m practically a hermit. That wasn’t always the case. When I was single and all of my friends were single, I went out all the time. But I was looking for something other than business. Now I’m married and I don’t have to go looking for love in all the wrong places. My friends, for the most part, are also married. These days I get out a lot less and I’ve gotten used to that. My sedentary lifestyle has had a crippling effect on my energy and drive.

That doesn’t mean I can’t be successful though. It means that I have an obstacle to overcome. All it takes is a little strategy, like making lists so I always have something to do. In my case, it means not networking through the local chamber of commerce and various local networking groups. I find them boring and stale and I have nothing in common with the other people there. (The ones I’ve been to were almost universally an older, more sedentary crowd with businesses that were decades, if not generations, old.) My time is much better spent hanging out with designers and artists.

The services I provide are split pretty evenly between designing and programming and I much prefer hanging out with the artists than the programmers. I found plenty of places to hangout, both virtually (Deviant Art) and in the real world (AIGA, Meetup.com). It turns out that a lot of designers have no designer to build websites for their clients and need to subcontract.

I don’t go to meetings or hang out at these places to solicit business. I go there to socialize, have a good time, relax, talk to my peers, and to just get away from my desk and my computer. But I recognize the business potential that also exists. I make sure I always have business cards available and I give them out to everybody. Networking and soliciting business is something you do 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s why being an entrepreneur takes so much energy: because you are always on the clock. What makes it bearable is that you get to pick what that is that you’re clocking in for. Pick something you love and you’ll be alright.

Your strengths and weaknesses will be different than mine. But if you can take an honest look at yourself and know what your strengths are and what your weaknesses are then you can play to your strengths and find solutions to your weaknesses. You just have to have the balls, the curiosity and the drive to do so.

Another sad day

Yesterday was the off-off-year election with no congressional seats up. Democrats are hailing it as a victory: they claimed both governorships that were in play and voters in California rejected all of Republican governor Arrnold Schwarzenegger’s initiatives. I live in Texas though, and it is a sad day for liberals in Texas. Not unexpected of course, just sad. Our state approved a constitutional amendment, prop 2, to discriminate against gays. My wife and I both voted against it with the knowledge that it would pass anyway. What stunned us was the sheer monstrous weight by which it passed: 76% to 24%. Even in the reddest of states I cannot conceive of the numbers being that extreme.

Of course we have electronic voting machines made by Diebold with no paper trails. You remember Diebold? The owner of the company promised to deliver votes to Bush in 2004. I have to level with you: every day I become a little bit more of a conspiracy theorist. Then again, is that an accurate term if there really is a conspiracy? Doesn’t matter today though. Today I’m just sad.

Guilt Posting

OK, as I said, I’ve been very busy of late with several projects that are due, um, well, today. By Midnight. Still busy, but I was starting to feel guilty because, for some bizarre reason, I actually have some people reading this tripe.

So, Redskins were shutout. I believe it was only the third time in franchise history. It was god-awful. I couldn’t watch the fourth quarter. They played as bad or worse than they did at anytime last year. It just doesn’t make any sense for a team that has proven themselves the way they have in the first half of the season.

My guess: this game came down to espionage. The former Redskins on the Giants team knew more about the play calling than the former Giants on the Redskins team. They certainly seemed to know exactly what was happening on every single f***ing play. I’m not bitter though…

In other news: Libby indicted. Yay! To those right-wingers who point and say how awful someone like me is to take glee in this: too bad. You took glee in the entire Clinton affair. Even if you didn’t voice it (and most of you did). My mother taught me a word: comeuppance (come uppance). That’s what this is. It suits my sense of social justice immensely.

In still more news: Bush is now officially the lamest duck president in modern history. Suspend the Davis-Bacon Act? Nope, don’t think so. Nominate another crony post-Katrina? Nice try, now try again (which he did this morning). Appearing with Republican Governors? Maybe next year. But if you don’t mind staying out-of-sight in the meantime, that would be greeaaat.

Ok, back to work.

No Time

OK, looks like the entire Republican party will soon be behind bars. My prediction about the Redskins last week was close, but no cigar. Better luck this week. Very, very busy with my business for the next few weeks. Probably won’t be posting. Sorry.

Washington Redskins in Week 5

I came into the season with no expectations. Or rather, with the same expectations as last year: awesome defense, pathetic offense with no quarterback. Suddenly Mark Brunell seems to have found himself and has taken over as the starting quarterback. I’m not sad to see Patrick Ramsey on the sidelines. I think he is always going to panic and choke. He was a bad draft pick. They should trade him for a good towel boy. Ok, maybe that’s a little harsh, but, still. I don’t even want him as a backup QB.

Turns out trading Champ Bailey for Clinton Portis was about the smartest thing the Redskins could have done. Who saw that one coming? Well, other than Joe Gibbs that is. That man deserves a hell of a lot of credit. The Redskins went 6-10 last season and he had to take the heat for that. As if you can come in to a team and turn it around instantaneously. I don’t know what the season will end up being, but I know what it is right now: 3-0.

I’ve taken great joy week after week watching the experts pick whoever the Redskins are playing against to win, especially King Kaufmann over at Salon.com, but that’s probably just because I read Salon a lot. Once again, everybody has picked their opponent going into week five: the Denver Broncos. Most Redskins fans that are publishing their predictions have them at 1-5 over the next six games. Maybe I’m an eternal optimist but I think they can do much better than that. I had originally gone 2-4, but after reflecting on it a bit, I can see 3-3 or better. After all, they’ve proven everybody wrong three times already, haven’t they?

I’m not just being a blind optimist here. They’ve held their opponents to an average of 12 points a game with only two turnovers so far this season. People don’t seem to have noticed the changes in the defense that have been consistent so far. Every week people talk about how much they expect the Redskins to blitz, but they haven’t been blitzing all that much. Look for Gibbs and Williams to mix things up. Gibbs likes to do that. If they’ve been winning by an average of a measley two points per game, something everybody keeps talking about, imagine what they can do if they force two or three turnovers in a single game?

I think they’ve been playing a more conservative defense against the weaker teams in their schedule just to be able to throw off the stronger teams when they change things up. Based on that assumption, I don’t expect much blitzing from them in the first half of this Sunday’s game. I expect they’ll see how things play out and then decide if they need to change things up during the halftime. From a strategy standpoint it makes a lot of sense.

On a different note, it’s always been about a good defense getting teams into the playoffs which in turn get teams into the Superbowl (no, I have no illusions about the Redskins going to the Superbowl this year, this is “on a different note”). One season differs from the norm on this (last season) and suddenly it’s all about the offense? Since when do we throw out years and years of statistical data in favor of the anomaly? Here we are a quarter of the way into the season and has anybody noticed anything? Like maybe that the strong defensive teams are dominating right now? It’s only a quarter of the way into the season, but I’ll take that statistic over last years fluke. Meanwhile, I suspect the experts will go on waiting for the NFL to correct itself and reassert the dominance of the strong offensive teams.

In case you haven’t guessed, I’m predicting a win for the Redskins this Sunday. So far, their offense has proven itself to be the better of the two (statistically) and I’m confident they have the better defense too. Brunell was the biggest unknown for me and watching him connect over and over again when throwing backwards while running for the sidelines has convinced me that he’s the real deal. He may have only connected 20 of 36 passes last week, but those were the 20 that mattered. Twelve of the twenty were 3rd down conversions! A quarterback that gets better the more pressure there is? Talk about the exact opposite of Patrick Ramsey.

Here’s hoping I’m right about Sunday.

Zen Templates and Client Blogging

There are a lot of topics in the web development world that come around every so often like clockwork. Usually it’s a “how do I do this?” question from another newbie for the umpteenth time on a list you’ve been a member of for five or six years. Sometimes, it’s a higher-level discussion about “where is the web going?” I suspect the newest discussion that will ebb and flow will be about the “Web 2.0.”

Then there are the meta-discussions that contain dozens of smaller discussions that also go around and around. The separation of style and content would be a meta-discussion. Originally it was just a regular discussion, but then it actually start happening and it spawned (or maybe it was spawned by) discussions about the semantic web. One of the conversations that further fractured from that regarded a standardized nomenclature for styles.

That is something I’ve thought about for a while for my own personal use. As a designer, I could create my own templating system akin to what they do over at CSS Zen Garden. I’ve even thought about using the Zen Garden HTML template and seeing how well I could adapt it to my customers’ websites. Taking it a step further, I thought about using the Zen Garden HTML template to develop WordPress themes and seeing how well I could adapt those to my customers’ websites. Sounds crazy doesn’t it? It might be.

It’s entirely possible that, in many instances, such applications wouldn’t be the best solution for a client. In those instances, the solution would have to be abandoned in favor of a better one. But, in other instances, it might work out great. For that group, a common set of solutions would exist which would improve my workflow and turnaround time. As an independant web developer that would improve my bottom line.

More altruistically though, it would also allow me to apply that common set of solutions to give back to the community by creating templates. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but hear me out. Each template could be put up on CSS Zen Garden as an example of what is possible and at the same time could be used as an actual WordPress Theme. People use blogging tools like WordPress because it lowers the barrier to entry: they can self-publish on the web without having to learn how to write XHTML, CSS, and PHP code. They don’t have to create their own .htaccess files to make their URLs more human (and machine) readable. In as little as five minutes they can be up-and-running with a robust content publishing/management system and all they have to do is put their content out there for the world to read.

You might think this is a bad idea since, let’s face it, most content will be utter schlock, but that’s ok. You don’t have to read it. Blogs are the harbinger of the Web 2.0. The web as a two-way medium. I post something that, like this very post, is only read by a handful of people, half of whom probably know me in “real life.” But they can comment on my post and I can comment on their comments. It’s the web as a two-way communications medium, not just me pushing content out there and you can like it or shut up–or both.

Putting out templates that could be used by people to help them communicate their message to a wider audience, when they might not otherwise have been able to communicate their message at all, is a great thing. Besides, as a designer, it’s the best contribution I can make to the blogging community. As a WordPress user, I feel a certain obligation to give back for what I’ve gotten.

Confirm This [bleep]

Just something funny: can’t seem to get to the confirmthem.com website. I’ve been trying for a few minutes now. It’s funny because the site was devoted to getting Bush’s nominees confirmed unquestioningly. The mere suggestion that Democrats might have valid concerns or questions was ridiculed.

Then came the revelation that everything they had been spouting was nothing more than partisan hackery, and her name was Harriet Miers. All of a sudden a site called “Confirm Them” was all about not confirming them. A lot of people felt it was worth pointing out the irony in that. A lot of people on the left that is. Now, all of a sudden, the site isn’t available.

If only more right-wing pundit websites could drop off the face of the earth so easily. If only this disappearance is permanent.

The Gang of 14 Party

Just a short little wish here: wouldn’t it be great if the Gang of 14, the group of moderate senators that forged the compromise on judicial nominations, split from their respective parties to form a centrist party? I’d support that. He’ll, it’d be the first time I supported a party financially.

DeLay Indicted – a Second Time!

No word yet on whether you can also indict a ham sandwhich twice. Teehee.

It was a separate Grand Jury and a separate charge. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Republican COC has to be stopped. Insomuch as this draws attention to the problem and helps correct it, the indictments are a Very Good Thing.

Man, it’s 93 degrees outside right now but it’s never felt more like Christmas.

Gift Horse – Part Deux

I cross-posted my last entry to Daily Kos. One of the responses I received was to the effect of “this is not a game; the Senate needs to advise and consent, demand documents, etc., then make a decision; and that celebrating is premature.” (paraphrased) That’s fair, I respect the opinion, and I felt I hadn’t explained myself fully enough. So, some clarification:

The Republican party realized a long time ago that politics is a game and they set about learning how to win it. That said, I in no way mean to imply that this is frivolous or not of consequence.

When planning a strategy you have to account for even the things you don’t want to hear. Otherwise, you might as well go sign up for the Bush war planning department. Here is reality: she will get confirmed. Do you honestly think there is a snowball’s chance in $@#% of any other outcome?

Another thing about strategy planning: it’s a good idea to have an endgame planned before you go in. So you can’t count on any blinding revelations to come out of the confirmation hearings. If by some miracle that does happen, there will be time enough left to filibuster or give a straight down vote with moderate Republican support.

So if we assume a) that nothing revealing will come out and b) that she will be confirmed, the question becomes: what advantage can we gain from this? What is our endgame?

Have you read any right-wing blogs today? We have a very clear opportunity here. I think this concept of blindly doing the same thing over and over again is BAD. We need to analyze the situation and gain whatever we can here. In military terms, a wedge is a great way to break the ranks of the enemy. I can see no better gain here.

Read the original post if you haven’t already.

Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

Harriet Miers is an unwilling gift to the Democratic party.

The Republican party, by strength of their own scandals, no longer has the political will for the nuclear option. That means Democrats could have filibustered an extremist nominee with impunity. Knowing that, Bush was stuck.

Here’s how I (hopefully) see this playing out: Democrats will call for documents (of course) and talk about having questions answered. Other than that though, they’ll sit back and let the far-right do all of the bashing. They won’t really sit back though. They’ll endorse her because it will prove to the far-right that they’re being duped. Going into the 2006 primaries, it’s a great wedge between the moderates and the zealots.

The usual obstination just isn’t worth it. It would leave the Democrats looking obstructionist but, on top of that, I think there is a good chance she’s another Souter or Kennedy. And, whether we want to admit it or not, the winner of the election does have some say, to put it mildly.

UPDATE: I just listened to Sen. Mark Pryor (D – Arkansas) talking on Hardball. He is taking a neutral stance and sounding every bit the statesman on this issue. That’s fine. He came off great. So far I haven’t seen any Democratic senator have a kneejerk response against Miers. Meanwhile the right-wing blogs haven’t let up. They’re still apoplectic over this nominee.

Three And Ohhh!

I didn’t post this yesterday, but as a lifelong Redskins fan, it cannot go without comment: they are 3-o for the first time since 1991. That was also the last time they won the superbowl. I’m under no illusions here, this is only our second season with coach Gibbs back and our quarterback is 35 years old. But! Our owner finally seems to have gotten his ass out of the decision making process, we have stability and growth, and Gibbs. And did I mention that we are 3-0? Woohoo!

PS I ripped off the headline from Bozzy’s Word.

Pioneering Corruption

If you’re like me, you’ve been talking about the rampant corruption in the Republican party lately. But, from time to time, people ask you “what corruption?” Sure, they man know about DeLay and Frist. Some of them may even have heard of Abramoff.

But they probably haven’t heard the whole litany including Thomas Noe (CoinGate), Governor George Ryan of Illinois, Governor Robert Taft of Ohio, Representative Randy “Duke Cunningham, and on and on and on. (For a complete round-up, I suggest Salon, which is keeping a running tally.)

When you talk about a “Culture of Corruption,” or, as I like to call it, the Republican COC, people may not make the connection between the dozen or so corrupt Republicans and their leader, the great and mighty Bush. Well, here is one way to help make that connection: Abramoff, Noe and Cunningham are all Bush Pioneers. That means that each of them has raised at least $100,000 for Bush. Not coincidentally, a lot of these political donations now appear to have happened around the same time they’re each alleged to have commited crimes (theft, money laundering, fraud, etc.).

So remember to do this: whenever you refer to one of these individuals, precede their name with the word “Pioneer.” As in, “Pioneer Abramoff was indicted for bank fraud.” If they don’t already know what a pioneer is, this opens up the conversation so you can connect the dirty little dots.

Republican’s “Culture of Corruption”

The phrase “culture of corruption” is the new meme in regards to the Republican party. That got me thinking about acronyms (well, one in particular anyway). Republican COC. Sound it out. Republican COC does not represent American values. Republican COC does not represent religious values. Republican COC doesn’t represent much of anything, except for the corporatization of America. Just a random post. Remember to refer to the Republican COC the next opportunity you have.