George W. Bush likes to trumpet that he listens to the generals on the ground. I call bullshit. I called bullshit a long time ago. When military on the ground disagrees, he replaces them (or they quit).

 

'Bout time.

Lets all call bullshit.

I haven't posted on politics in quite a while. Just too much outrage for me to articulate said outrage without looking like I'm batshit crazy on some rambling tirade. Between dead soldiers in Iraq, the politicization of just about every agency in government, including but not limited to the sick cover up of incidents involving the rescue of Jessica Lynch and the death of Pat Tillman, and more GOP congressmen getting caught with their hands in the Abramoff cookie jar. SIGH.

There are a hand full of conservatives that I continue to have immense respect for. Mostly because we can debate such issues intelligently, and without insulting each other. One of them posted on his blog on Election Day, November 2006, how "Democrats are unsuited to govern this country". I laughed to myself back then when I read it, but today it really bugs me, especially when we look at the Bush administration running up our national debt, the list of GOP congressmen who have already been indicted, are about to be indicted, or at the very least, find themselves being investigated. Or the ones who tantrum "support the troops" but don't even attempt to provide our military with the training and equipment they need. Oh, and so much more.. but we get back to that "batshit crazy rambling", so I had better stop now.. believe me, I could go on.
Anyway, the point of this post and the cause of today's anger, a piece I read on alternet...

Did the most powerful Republicans in America have the computer capacity, software skills and electronic infrastructure in place on Election Night 2004 to tamper with the Ohio results to ensure George W. Bush's re-election?

The answer appears to be yes. There is more than ample documentation to show that on Election Night 2004, Ohio's "official" Secretary of State website -- which gave the world the presidential election results -- was redirected from an Ohio government server to a group of servers that contain scores of Republican web sites, including the secret White House e-mail accounts that have emerged in the scandal surrounding Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's firing of eight federal prosecutors.

Recent revelations have documented that the Republican National Committee (RNC) ran a secret White House e-mail system for Karl Rove and dozens of White House staffers. This high-tech system used to count and report the 2004 presidential vote- from server-hosting contracts, to software-writing services, to remote-access capability, to the actual server usage logs themselves -- must be added to the growing congressional investigations.

And that my friends, is just the first three paragraphs of a four page article.

Oh.My.Gawd.

In 2004, there was a running joke among democrats, or perhaps it was more a conspiracy fear.. that somewhere in the West Wing, on Election night, one could find Karl Rove tapping away at his keyboard, switching and swapping vote totals.

To even think, this is remotely possible leaves me to wonder why the hell are WE, Americans, trying to teach other nations how to form a democracy? Its shameful.

But something else I read, that made me smile..

George McGovern (yes, THAT George McGovern) writes an opinion piece for the LA Times..

It is my firm belief that the Cheney-Bush team has committed offenses that are worse than those that drove Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew and Atty. Gen. John Mitchell from office after 1972. Indeed, as their repeated violations of the Constitution and federal statutes, as well as their repudiation of international law, come under increased consideration, I expect to see Cheney and Bush forced to resign their offices before 2008 is over.

So this is what my morning (and part of my afternoon) was all about... Watching Kyle Sampson testify before the senate judiciary committee, while spinning 4oz of brown alpaca roving. It may bore some to tears, but for a c-span junkie like me, it was heaven. I'll omit my commentary on the entire situation, but I'm sure that anyone who knows me, knows where I stand on this issue.

So anyway.. whats up with the "spring cleaning" subject title? Its certainly not spring cleaning the house. Though I was full of steam earlier this week on that front, my energy level fizzled out. Actually yesterday was the day I really gave up and just had to let anything that wasn't a mandatory daily duty, go for the day. Perhaps I overdid it earlier this week, having just gotten over the germies.. who knows. I just know I couldn't sort one more piece of clothing, dust one more piece of furniture, nor tote yet one more box up to the attic.
Instead, I decided to spring clean my wheel, or rather my bobbins.

In wanting to start the Georgia O'Keeffe roving from Jessie's shop, I needed to finish up the columbia roving I started a while back (8oz of it!), and figure out what to do with the 4oz of brown alpaca that had been sitting on a bobbin since last fall. Not to mention the silk taking up a bobbin as well. I think this is why I practically gave up spinning for a while. Because every time I looked at my wheel, I just didn't know what to do with it all.
So last night, I set to work plying up the Columbia, and I have to say I'm really pleased with how it turned out. This stuff is soft. So soft that I'm left to wonder why it isn't more readily available (or why its so cheap). I've only ever found it at one vendor's shop on ebay, and bought it on a whim. I have to say, I'm happy I did, and I'll definitely go back to buy more! It spins incredibly easily.. think soft like merino but without all the problems merino sometimes gives. Really.. I'm in love with this stuff! Now I just need to decide what color to dye it.

So what else was left on the bobbins? The silk and the alpaca. I started the silk first, thinking I'd wind it into a center pull ball then ply from both ends. That decision turned out to be a mistake - unfortunately I ended up with a mini rat's nest of tangles. I put it in a ziplock bag in my spinning basket, and I'll at some future date, sit and mess with it. The alpaca? That had been taking up a bobbin since last fall, mostly because I couldn't decide what to do with it. Luckily, at the February spinning guild meeting, I was able to purchase a very similar brown alpaca from a fellow member, Anna (read, alpaca pusher since shes the one who sold me the 4oz already on the bobbin)

So instead of knitting while watching Kyle Sampson's testimony, I set about spinning up the second batch of alpaca, so that I could ply it with the other, finally cleaning off all bobbins.
I adore alpaca from Anna. It requires absolutely no drafting, so its literally a sit and spin experience. Not to mention I can easily, and nearly perfectly spin singles at about 40wpi, something I have yet to accomplish with other fibers.
I think I have another 45 minutes of plying to go, then I'll be able to wind this off the bobbin.. leaving.. voila.. all.of.my.bobbins.clear - and ready for some Georgia O'Keeffe!

I'm energized this morning. I'm so proud to be a democrat today. My party's leadership stood up and did the right thing. Did what we asked them to do last November when we went to the polls.
Though some in the media are trumpeting this as a partial win for Bush because he has promised to veto the house bill. I say its a win win situation for the country, the troops, us. If he does go the veto route, his war ends sooner than September 2008 when the bill asks troops to pull out.

Mark Twain: “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.�

Peace Train by Cat Stevens

Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again

A day late, and a dollar short (aint that the truth!)

But anyway, yesterday was my three year blogiversary. I intended to post to celebrate, but the day got away from me (A girl scouts outing, a sick kid, a cooking marathon in the kitchen including baba ganouj, chocolate chip pumpkin bars, and Carole's chicken tomato stroganoff. I know - weird combos, but I had some cravings)

Anyway, its been three years.

Heres to many more!

I lack anything else today. That, and its been a really long time since I brought up politics..

Today's Boston Globe..

Priests to purify site after Bush visit

By Juan Carlos Llorca, Associated Press Writer  |  March 9, 2007

GUATEMALA CITY --Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday.

"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, the director of a Mayan nongovernmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, said Thursday

Tiney said the "spirit guides of the Mayan community" decided it would be necessary to cleanse the sacred site of "bad spirits" after Bush's visit so that their ancestors could rest in peace. He also said the rites -- which entail chanting and burning incense, herbs and candles -- would prepare the site for the third summit of Latin American Indians March 26-30.

Now.. we as a country, can cleanse our own country, and at the same time restore our dignity - its called IMPEACHMENT!

I was feeling better.. then I heard word that Molly Ivins passed away this evening after a long battle with breast cancer. I cannot tell you how this saddens me. I could opine endlessly how Molly's columns over the years have made me laugh and cry, but I truly lack words right now.

Please check out the tribute to Molly at The Texas Observer