A pattern developing?

This post by Krugman is particularly interesting, not so much for the purported subject, but for what it demonstrates about the two very different 'styles' of the two remaining Democratic candidates for President.

One reminds me of Bush and the other seems like someone I would like to work for OR have work for me.

Can you guess which is which?

Bird Pictures ...

Mostly grackles, except for the little sparrow, wren or finch or whatever it is ... Click on image for larger (and more complete) version:

Yesterday's Graphic ...

Spider Webs (click here for graphic)

Yesterday's QUOTES ...

Very troubling indeed. Sen. Clinton has this ugly and detestable habit of impressing people who get to know her well - especially independents and Republicans! The result? A powerful Republican and media magnate who hated the Clintons came dangerously close to endorsing her! We certainly can't have that! After all, according to The Clinton Rules and The Obama Rules it is only acceptable if Republicans endorse Sen. Obama - he who has courted them aggressively - in support of his campaign of hope, unity and change. ... how unfair can it get.

A new world order emerged when Mr. Gorbachev brought down the Berlin Wall. The next world order began when U.S. psyop forces staged the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue. From that point, it became apparent that America’s military might meant little without a peer force to compete against.

While the Bush Administration has demonized al-Sadr and the Mahdi Army since the invasion, it has never acknowledged one simple fact: between the two main Shiite factions in the country, Bush backs the one directly tied to Iran. Al-Sadr on the other hand is a nationalist, who will accept support from Iran but will never be an Iranian puppet.

... Yet after all this, our governing class and the foreign policy establishment have learned absolutely nothing -- except to commit their future crimes more "efficiently" and "competently." ...

[...] Be sure to appreciate the magnitude of the destruction involved: not only has the United States destroyed a nation and over a million human beings. As was true from the beginning, the U.S. is determined to destroy logic, morality, and your capacity to understand or make sense of anything at all: "The charges...were dismissed 'in order to continue to pursue the truth seeking process into the Haditha incident.'" ...

Black Super Delegates being threatened by Obama Supporters ...

“African-American superdelegates are being targeted, harassed and threatened,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), a superdelegate who has supported Clinton since August. Cleaver said black superdelegates are receiving “nasty letters, phone calls, threats they’ll get an opponent, being called an Uncle Tom. (via The Left Coaster)

Obama needs to come out against this behavior NOW. Or we will have to assume that he is behind it and will do ANYthing to win; even act like a creepy, incompetent, bullying Republican attempting to destroy the Democratic Party.

This is like proposing that Obama should win the nomination BECAUSE he's black. Even I, who strongly believe in quotas to ensure the inclusion of individuals from groups that have been discriminated against into industry, schools and universities, find this repulsive and destructive. Obama needs to address this and stop his followers from using these tactics. This is BushCo/Rove tactics.

Read eriposte's full post. It's very disturbing.

I don't think Hillary Clinton has a RIGHT to the nomination. And if I didn't think she was qualified I wouldn't want her to get the nomination and even though she was not my first choice I DO think she is extremely qualified and would like to see her get elected President.

Neither does Obama have a RIGHT to the nomination. Being black is not a qualification. I don't know if he's qualified. His noise machine is always drowning out any substance before I ever get a chance to make up my mind about him.

One would suppose that self protection ...

... would be reason enough to work towards a just society with a fair and wide ranging distribution of resources:

Schizophrenia afflicts about 1% of the overall population, but a much higher proportion of homeless people and prison inmates.

By adding the stress of poor or no jobs as well as the lack of health care and other service for those in need we ensure that illness, both mental and physical, will afflict these groups at increasing levels and that those same people will be further punished for our failure, and in turn they will pay society back for their increasing hardships in crime and other forms of destruction.

This type of societal structure is as illogical and self-destructive as invading a sovereign country and then calling the citizens of that country insurgents when they fight back! (Or are we under some impression that we would not fight back if some foreign military power occupied the United States? I don't think so. Many of us can't even fathom nor accept that non-military individuals seeking survival attempt to enter unnoticed.)

So McCain wants ...

... to continue sending our money down the drain in Iraq for the next 100 years give or take a few years and trillions of dollars? Is that so he, and those of similar moronic mindsets, can continue to ignore needs here at home? The National Academies' National Research Council (NRC) has a report on what is going to happen in parts of the US in the next 50 to 100 years. Perhaps we should be addressing some of these issues or will it be more fun to let our politicians, media and corporations play with weapon, war and genocide?

From Science Magazine: Roads, Ports, Rails Aren't Ready for Changing Climate, Says Report ... "Based on these levels, an untenable portion of the region's road, rail, and port network is at risk of permanent flooding," the federal report says. Hurricanes and the rising ocean are already destroying barrier islands, which blunt the coastal impact of incoming storms. ...

Potential Impacts of Climate Change on U.S. Transportation: Special Report 290

Scientist, look at yourself ...

Doctors have evolved from 'witch' doctor to worthy and well paid professionals to money grubbing entrepreneurs (with insurance companies mixed in).

Scientists have evolved from well off dabblers and the intellectually curious to sometimes well paid professionals to grubbing entrepreneurs and corporations.

MicroRNAs Make Big Impression in Disease After Disease
"Many microRNAs overlap among a number of cancers, which makes commercializing them less daunting. Recently, Asuragen closed on a second round of funding, garnering $18.5 million."

Silly post ...

Given that we can't bring our collective selves (and governments) to address the environmental disaster staring us in the face, a 5000-year supply of copper should be a reason to set up copper digging competitions.

At current consumption rates, they estimate that there is about a 5000-year supply of copper remaining in the Earth.

Then again, maybe copper producers will just use this estimate as a marketing gimmick to raise the price of copper.

-- Only 5,000 years left. Get your copper now. ---

Yesterday's QUOTES ...

... We did not go after the Saudis, who sponsored the attacks on this nation, because it would be bad for the oil industry. That is treason, is it not? We did not go after Pakistan, because it would be bad for the weapons industry (and likely the war on drugs industry). That is treason, is it not? When corporate profits are more important than national security, then we can safely declare that fascism is on the march. Onwards lied-to soldiers, the corporate war of terror beckons.

... That should be out primary concern above all else in November. Electing McCain will definitely make this country less safe as the rest of the world comes to realize that they are going to have to band together to contain us. ...
I'm surprised the world hasn't already started to band together against us. More of Bush's evil 'luck' I suppose.

Will Free Ride McCain get a free ride into the White House?

The media and McCain ...

Foreign policy cred lets him get away with wild howlers on foreign policy. Fiscal integrity cred lets him get away with outlandishly irresponsible economic plans. Anti-lobbyist cred lets him get away with pandering to lobbyists. Campaign finance reform cred lets him get away with gaming the campaign finance system. Straight talking cred lets him get away with brutally slandering Mitt Romney in the closing days of the Republican primary. Maverick uprightness cred allows him to get away with begging for endorsements from extremist religious leaders like John Hagee. "Man of conviction" cred allows him to get away with transparent flip-flopping so egregious it would make any other politician a laughingstock. Anti-torture cred allows him to get away with supporting torture as long as only the CIA does it. ... the corporate media continues on its crusade of destruction.

A moron and his suck ups ...

Disgusting and creepy.

Yesterday's graphic ...

Bench: www.arizonaeclectic.com/MiscGraphics2/Bench.jpg

One special QUOTE ...

I couldn't hide this gem in my usual 'quotes' postings:

We cannot forgive former governor Eliot Spitzer for wrecking his personal life; but we can forgive a president for wrecking his nation. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Why I hate politics ...

Mary at Pacific Views writes about Why I hate this primary campaign.

My disquiet --I don't really hate politics, after all life is politics-- is more all encompassing. A call from the Clinton campaign allowed me to vent my frustration about both campaigns --not that I expect my words to make any difference-- and I gave them some money. When a call came in from the Obama campaign I wanted to talk about the same thing. The Obama person on the phone didn't listen and, in fact, tried to talk over me with her prepared talking points. I hung up. And when the DNC calls I just tell them that I no longer give money to any organizations other than individual candidates campaigns.

Until the DNC even tries to fix this screwed up and undemocratic primary mishmash I will not give them any money. I resent the fact that all the candidates campaigning in the primary do not get voted on by all Democrats (and only Democrats). Keep all non-Democrats away from Democratic primaries.

There, I feel better.

Added: On second thought, I do hate that sleazy organized politics is part of life.