Bush got it right.

I think one of the more important quotes from President Bush at last nights Press Conference was this:

"As I said, I think faith is a personal issue. And I take great strength from my faith. But I don't condemn somebody in the political process because they may not agree with me on religion.
The great thing about America is that you should be allowed to worship any way you want. And if you chose not to worship, you're equally as patriotic as somebody who does worship. And if you choose to worship, you're equally American if you're a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim. And that's the wonderful thing about our country and that's the way it should be. "

Somebody please help Senator Frisk, Tom Delay, Rev. Dobson and a few others of the radical Christian right, up off the floor as I believe the rug has just been pulled out from underneath them. Bush got the role for religion in the American political process right on the mark and right in the center with that statement.

MORE NUKIE FOR BUSH

President Bush calls for more nuclear power plants among other stupid ideas that came out of the secret meetings with the real President (Dick Cheney) had back in early 2001. Of course I'm sure nobody in the Bush bubble told the puppet man about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission memo of January 23, 2002 which warned of a terrorist plans to fly planes into U.S. nuclear power plants and to divert them into a a tall building if fighter jets show up. The Bush plan would give them more nuclear targets on U.S. soil to aim for! Another dumb ass plan from those in power in Washington.
He also wants to take more risk away from the the companies who will build the plants and put it on the U.S. taxpayer. The insurance industry has already looked at nuclear plant risk and has decided that they are to risky that's why congress passed the Price-Anderson Act where U.S. taxpayers assume the risk for nuclear accidents. Hello suckers, get ready to open your wallet even more if Bush pushes this plan through. The free market has already decided that nuke plants are too risky and expensive. That's why none have been built since the seventies and in the post 9/11 era they have become even more risky to our safety.

WAR DUMMIES

From the Sydney Morning News:
"Marines forced to use dummies
April 27, 2005

Baghdad: US marines who suffered the highest casualty rate of any unit in Iraq have revealed that they were so short of soldiers that they used cardboard dummies to fool insurgents into believing they faced more men."

I say forget phone cards, body armour and cards. Let's send cardboard dummies to our troops. In the form of George W. Bush, Dick Cheny, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Pearle, Doug Feith, Don Rumsfeld, Condi Rice and all the others who pushed this war on our nation.

Who's the real boss!

If there there is anyone who needs further proof who is really running the country just take a look at the meeting between President Bush and Saudi Prince Abdullah. The Saudi's who seem to know more about who is really in charge met with Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday and only met with George Bush on Monday.
Today the puppet President once again enters a Bush Bubble media event in Galveston Texas to push his plan to save Social Security of course no tough questions will be allowed.

Take out the trash and lick my boots.

Washington politicos like to issue bad news on Fridays especially late in the day. It's know as take out the trash day to the media manipulators in Washington. This Friday was no exception as word came down that the blame for the use of torture by military officials would only be confined to the lower ranks below General Sanchez.
The message to the troops is follow orders and you can still be screwed. As has often happened in the Bush Administration higher ups walk away with clean boots and get promotions.

Hats off to St. Christopher.

The news that the "high speed" Amtrak ACELA trains were pulled from service was good news for some travelers including yours truly. On Tuesday I had crossed the Mason Dixon Line on the Amtrak Crescent having left New Orleans the day before.
Traveling on a long distance train like the Crescent one expects there to be delays. I was concerned because in addition to a suitcase and duffel bag I had about 60 lbs of research documents that I would have to carry off the train and onto the Long Island railroad (the nations busiest commuter railroad). The Crescent was scheduled to arrive about 1:50 pm. I was hoping but doubted I would get my suitcase from baggage claim fast enough to make a 2:14 pm train to Ronkonkoma Long Island. Anything later and I'd be on increasingly crowded rush hour trains filled with office and construction workers heading home and it would be difficult to find room for all my baggage once the train started to load.
Thanks to the ACELA's cancellation the Amtrak Crescent had a clear track from Washington to New York and arrived an hour early allowing me plenty of time to get my baggage and make my train connection. Sometimes the travel Gods shine on those who ride the regular trains and the lobbists and politicos who use the ACELA were prevented from doing more damage to the country if only temporarily. At least I'd like to think so.

BACK ON LAND AGAIN

It's been two days since I arrived back to Isle of Long after twenty two day trip around the Caribbean Sea aboard a container ship. It was twenty two days without cable news, newspapers, radio etc.. The only news I received while onboard was that the Pope had died.
The trip was relaxing and the main reason for taking it was to have undisturbed time to work on a documentary and book on a certain aspect of New York maritime history. I lugged two shopping bags full of documents, charts and photos with me from New York to New Orleans to Houston and other than getting them in chronological order I had just just barely scratched the surface of my project when it was time to leave the ship.
As I slowly work my way back into the news cycles I am relieved that it appears things have not gotten worse in the world.

A DAY WITHOUT LAWYERS

Bill a fellow passenger on the freighter were wandering around Porto Limon Costa Rica one hot sultry Friday night looking for a place to buy a phone card. We were glad we were not drunk as we walked. The sidewalks and streets were full of danger in the form of broken sidewalks, holes, trenches and missing manhole covers and drains and unmarked construction holes.
I then recalled all the hoopla from President Bush as he signed the class action lawsuit legislation a few weeks ago thanks to it´s passages in Congress by Republicans with the help of a few Democrats as well.
I said to Bill as we side steped a missing sewer drain grate with a nasty three foot drop, "This is what happens when you have no personal injury lawyers around." I never thought about how lawyers make our lives safer but, an hour or two in Porto Limon will make you appreciate them more and how much safer a walk in U.S. cities are.

DEATH OF A GREAT MAN

Our freighter is two days or more behind schedule. We spent almost almost 24 hours in Houston alone. Then the port was closed in Veracruz Mexico because of the weather. Where do ships go when their destination ports are closed? Answer: They stay at sea in near gale conditions and 18 foot seas. What a ride!
One thing about freighter travel is the total lack of news good or bad. There are no stories about President Bush, Social Security, Michael Jackson etc... It is a total news blackout and yes life goes on without electronic media and especially Hollywood. Until yesterday.
I came to the officers mess for dinner and saw the Captain dining by himself very quiet. Later after dinner I went up to the bridge to check out the stars and chat with the 3rd mate who was usually on duty 8pm to midnight. The captain came up to check on things and send some emails. The Captain who is Polish stared out into the darkness from the bridge and said quietly a great man died today. I asked who? He said the pope.
It was then I knew the reason for the Captains solitude at dinner time.