Vote Palin or Go To Hell

The writers for comedy shows across the nation are in heaven as the current political season has made their jobs incredibly easy. All they need to do is quote the players verbatim to strike comedy gold. Unfortunately, this farce has real consequences as it muffles and denigrates reality.

This status is not a new-born trend. Both The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert have been honestly assessing the America we all live in. That isn't a statement of national pride.

And the recent arrival of the clownish distraction of Gov. Sarah Palin has hurled the decades-old standard "Saturday Night Live" skits into prominence again. Tina Fey is the modern Chevy Chase, who expertly satirized the inability of then-president Gerald Ford to stand or walk. Like Ford, Palin is the most-ripe, lowest apple on the lowest branch, so easy to knock off that the lightest breeze will send it tumbling. SNL's parody last night had me both howling with laughter and stunned our political scene is on the same level as an ancient vaudeville routine.

Palin is stoking the fires of farce so high and so hard one can hardly keep up with it, and her supporters are helping out with furious abandon and "starbursts" of pubescent joy.

Here she is yesterday, misquoting a line she read on a Starbucks coffee cup and warning folks that if you don't support her, you'll go to Capital-H Hell:



Maybe she is serious - after all, she has high praise for Pastor Thomas Muthee, a "Witch Hunter" who came to America to exorcise demons and cast protective prayers over her.

Who's writing this American Comedy anyway??

Camera Obscura: Doomed Movie Marathon; Pie Fights on Film; New Romero Zombie Movie

There are fans and then there are fanatics - fans seek and watch and talk about movies, fanatics force life to accommodate their movie addictions. In recent years, the rise of the DVD has made it easier to become a fanatic, true, but you can always tell the difference between a fan and a fanatic.

A true fanatic is Richard of Doomed Moviethon. For the past few years, he's been keeping careful catalogs of the horror and cult movies he views, and he also gives you the lowdown on what happens when you create a stack of movies with a theme and watch them for endless hours. Past efforts already featured on the website include horror movies from the year 1976, 13 of them in 42 hours, or the Argento project, where he watched 13 of Argento's movies in 34 hours.

I get queasy just thinking about it. One must carefully prepare for such mind-bending journeys. Selecting the films for a marathon viewing session is tough enough, but then you must likewise create a store of food and drink, prepare your furniture arrangements, clear your schedule of interruptions, and get your mind right to commit to a few days to nothing but watching movies.

He also keeps a blog of individual movies he views, and his selections are always fascinating and sometimes quite obscure. There are decades and decades of films from Grade Z to Grade A and only the strongest dare create a marathon of Grade Z movies because after a few hours, your brain starts playing tricks on you. That happens even if the movies are Grade A, it's a time thing.

I confess I am a marathon viewer too, have been since VHS first made it possible. It isn't too hard to find friends willing to watch 3 in a row, but only the most hearty souls will sign on for 10 or 15 movies in one gulp. I've never had much problem to commit to 20 hours of horror/cult movies, but there have also been some light marathons, like all the Pink Panther movies in one setting, and others I know have downed multiple seasons of The Sopranos or The Wire with much ease.

Make no mistake - this isn't escapism, it's work, people, brain-twisting and muscle-breaking work. Only the strong can survive.

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Watching some of the political wrangling on the floor of Congress or out and about with the campaign trails this year, I've often wished and prayed a good pie fight would break out. Pie fights work best when they occur among folks dressed in fine clothes. A clown pie fight, for example, just is not funny. Cinematical offers a selection of great pie fits on film here, wisely including one from The Three Stooges. These guys are the indisputable kings of pie fights - the sound effects, the textures of the pie fillings, the crusts, and the well-heeled societies which quickly devolve into a pastry rage - these are their hallmarks. Here's one fine example:



The Cinematical link above also features a fine scene in the comedy "The Great Race", which becomes a technicolor blur of pie fillings which literally coat the walls of the kitchen. Tony Curtis, as the film's hero, seems to escape pie dangers ... for a while. And Natalie Wood just looks fantastic when covered in pies and whipped cream. (shut up, i know what that sounds like, so just shut up)

I've wanted to make a short film for a long time now which would incorporate the style of a John Woo Hong Kong shoot-em-up with a pie fight. There's this image in my head of someone leaping sideways in slo-mo hurling pies from each hand as the room around them is pock-marked by pie debris. Yes, I have strange ideas stuck in my head.

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MOVIE NEWS

A new Moby Dick movie -- without a crazed Cap'n Ahab?? The Russian director of "Wanted" and "Nigh Watch/Day Watch", Timur Bekmambetov, is eyeing a version of the Melville novel that would be more "Orca on steroids" with lotsa CGI carnage and Ahab the hero who saves the seas from the beast.

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Romero is back behind the camera for a new zombie movie, which does not have a title yet. No matter. Details here at the Port Dover, Ontario website and here at AICN.

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With awards and praise piling up for the AMC channel for their series "Mad Men", the cable channel is developing several new mini-series, like the remake of the 60s sci-fi show "The Prisoner" and announced plans this week for an adaptation of the award-winning sci-fi novel "Red Mars" by Kim Stanley Robinson. That's a very good book about the first human colony on Mars, with heaps of political drama driving the tale.

'I've Only Been At This For Five Weeks'

So says Alaska's Governor Sarah Palin in a vice-presidential debate. And yeah, we know, gosh-darnit. You betcha'. We know.

Does winking and nodding like a semi-flirty sorority girl at the homecoming dance provide charm, or is it evidence of the hubris of ambition? Her supporters coo delight and enthusiasm for not being god-awful on that stage. It's as close to confidence and leadership the Republican party can muster these days.

I felt like I was watching an episode of Gilligan's Island as the Professor and Ginger were debating who should be President of the island.

If you're looking for someone to run a small town or a local PTA, Palin is a sound choice. Otherwise, she's a cult celebrity on a canceled TV show.

Smackdown On Public Records Is Public Loss

A new fee schedule means a sliding scale will be used to charge you to view and/or copy public records, thanks to a decision from the state. It's a leap backward, away from open government and a tactic of sheer intimidation which is an embarrassment for the state.

The KNS reports:

"The hourly rate will depend on the salary of the person doing the search. For example, a search would cost $20 per hour if the government worker processing the request earns $39,000 a year.

The decision may surprise members of an advisory committee that met to discuss fees for records searches. Open government advocates had called for at least three hours of search time before labor costs kicked in, while Chad Jenkins of the Tennessee Municipal League had indicated he would settle for two hours."

So in addition to paying the salaries of public officials, you'll pay even more by requiring them to perform their duties and provide access to records if it takes them more than an hour to fill your request. Bets on what the minimum time will be now to search records and/or make copies?

A problem some officials claim exists is that occasionally, a person will constantly demand more and more information and records requests, which officials see as a way to harass some office or agency. So, the idea, apparently, is to charge EVERY CITIZEN more money. Brilliant.

A far more common sense approach might have been to set fees on making copies/searching records based on the number of requests or copies being made on a person-by-person basis. But no - this is just digging deeper into your pockets if you seek information. We charge you more if you ask questions now.

An office can waive all fees if they wish. And pigs might fly if you throw one hard enough.

Flawed But Necessary Bailout For Wooden Arrows

Just a few weeks ago, one of the people most likely to be on the news was Senator Hillary Clinton. Not many in media ask or seek her views these days. I think she's probably smiling and laughing some with her husband, relieved she's out of the firefight now. She offered these comments Wednesday night as the Senate approved of a $700 billion bailout plan (whoops, they call it a rescue now, my bad.)

"Tonight we will vote on legislation none of us wish we were considering and none of us can afford to see fail. ... We must act, even as we do so with regret and reservations, because we have little choice."

"We must pursue broader reforms. That is one of the lessons of this turmoil. We cannot continue to shuttle from crisis to crisis."

I like the use of the word "shuttle" - the Bush White House has performed a mash-up of stop-and-go management that has not only become increasingly pathetic to watch but continues to endanger our times.

The 400-plus pages legislation the Senate approved includes funding to the film industry in Puerto Rico and a tax break for makers of "certain wooden arrows designed for use by children".

Economy fixed!

Up next, another episode of the wacky adventures of Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.

Yeesh. Time for some music - Jazz is neither flawed nor unnecessary.


UPDATE: I'm not sure but the Wired article above may have made an error on the Puerto Rican claim, as all I have found so far indicates a tax break for P.R. rum production and other breaks for film production in general. The NY Post offers these other tidbits of additions to the bill:

* Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands rum producers - $192 million.

* Wool research.

* Auto-racing tracks - $128 million.

* Corporations operating in American Samoa - $33 million.

* Small- to medium-budget film and television productions - $10 million.

Another measure inserted into the bill appears to be a bald-faced bid aimed at winning the support of Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who voted against the original version when it went down in flames in the House on Monday.

That provision - a $223 million package of tax benefits for fishermen and others whose livelihoods suffered as a result of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill - has been the subject of fervent lobbying by Alaska's congressional delegation.

I Solve The Financial Crisis

Examining the $700 billion proposal to prop up failing/failed businesses and investments is a rugged task, and is Congress capable of making the right decision?

Getting the views of the average person on the proposal seems futile. I could look at the specs and test results for a faulty nuclear reactor, but don't expect me to have a worthwhile opinion on how to fix a coolant leak.

I saw where incumbent 1st District Congressman David Davis issued a statement on why he voted down the proposal on Monday and his ideas for alternatives. It's a lengthy piece, which offers such ideas as:

"* Net operating losses: Allow companies to carry-back losses arising in tax years ending in 2007, 2008, or 2009 back 5 years, generating a tax refund and immediate capital. Despite the presence of willing buyers, many firms with MBS are not willing to sell at such a huge loss. Such a carry-back provides a cushion for any such loss, making firms more willing sellers."

"* Suspend "mark to market" accounting: Direct the SEC to suspend the mark-to-market regulatory rules until the agency can issue new guidelines that will allow firms to mark these assets to their true economic value. The current rules contribute to a downward spiral as firms have to evaluate their assets not on the basis of their long-term investment but rather on a short-term mania."

Yep, that might just fix that coolant leak.

Since Rep. Davis showed much anger at his loss for a bid for re-election, can I honestly expect him to do much beyond hurling wrenches into the gears?

I've heard numerous references to the phrase "mark-to-market", which sounds like a kid's book title. Investopedia defines it like this:

"1. The act of recording the price or value of a security, portfolio or account to reflect its current market value rather than its book value.

2. In terms of mutual funds, a MTM is when the net asset value (NAV) of the fund is valued upon the most current market values.

1. This is done most often in futures accounts to make sure that margin requirements are being met. If the current market value causes the margin account to fall below its required level, the trader will be faced with a margin call.

2. Mutual funds are marked to market on a daily basis at the market close so that investors have an idea of the fund's NAV. "

Hoo-boy. So am I now supposed to have the wisdom to crack the Da Vinci Code of Financial Miracles? Should those who squeezed finance rules to the breaking point be jailed at Gitmo?

A massive hurdle for any proposal from the Bush White House is their own track record for howling cries of "Emergency!!!!" and their feeble responses.

If we assume the crisis is real, then what to do?

Here's a survey which sort of shows off how snarled up this truly is:

"A Pew Research Center poll released Wednesday found that 43 percent of all voters admitted that they feel "confused" by the proposed plan to stabilize the financial markets. At the same time, voters grasp that something important is happening -- 54 percent say, in response to another question, that they are paying "a lot" of attention to the bailout debate in Washington. Pollster Andy Kohut, the director of the Pew Research Center, said that it was virtually "unparalleled" to have this simultaneous level of interest and confusion in a policy debate. "It's a tough one to get into the nitty-gritty of," said Kohut. "It is not like gay marriage that is easy to grasp no matter what your point of view is."

Great. Now people figure out that whirling in a circle makes you dizzy.

Old jokes boil it down: A man walks into a doctor's office and tells the doc, "Hey. my arm hurts when I do this (wiggles arm)! What should I do?" The Doctor replies, "Don't do that."

Problem solved. Next patient.

POSTSCRIPT: All of the above can be also filed under "We are in a rushing river composed of fecal material and have no oars."

POSTSCRIPT II: It's going to get a little worse, then a little better. (Maybe this is just another diagnosis from the doctor mentioned above.)

Sarah Palin as The Evil Gidget

A scorching rip into the Palin selection as V.P. and her splashy arrival onto the political scene is presented by writer Matt Taibbi and wreaks a verbal apocalypse on her and on American politics. Referring to her Big Moment at the GOP convention, Tiaabi writes:

"It was like watching Gidget address the Reichstag."

Here's another shot:

"She totally reminds me of my cousin!" the delegate screeched. "She's a real woman! The real thing!"

I stared at her open-mouthed. In that moment, the rank cynicism of the whole sorry deal was laid bare. Here's the thing about Americans. You can send their kids off by the thousands to get their balls blown off in foreign lands for no reason at all, saddle them with billions in debt year after congressional year while they spend their winters cheerfully watching game shows and football, pull the rug out from under their mortgages, and leave them living off their credit cards and their Wal-Mart salaries while you move their jobs to China and Bangalore.

And none of it matters, so long as you remember a few months before Election Day to offer them a two-bit caricature culled from some cutting-room-floor episode of Roseanne as part of your presidential ticket. And if she's a good enough likeness of a loudmouthed middle-American archetype, as Sarah Palin is, John Q. Public will drop his giant-size bag of Doritos in gratitude, wipe the Sizzlin' Picante dust from his lips and rush to the booth to vote for her. Not because it makes sense, or because it has a chance of improving his life or anyone else's, but simply because it appeals to the low-humming narcissism that substitutes for his personality, because the image on TV reminds him of the mean, brainless slob he sees in the mirror every morning."

The full essay is here.

On The Financial Confusion In Washington

(via)

Copyright Position on Cabinet Gets Senate OK

A new Cabinet-level postion focusing on copyright infringement sailed thru the Senate last week --


"U.S. lawmakers approved the creation of a cabinet-level position of copyright czar as part of sweeping intellectual property enforcement legislation that sailed through the Senate on Friday.

"The executive and its office would be charged with creating a nationwide plan to combat piracy and "report directly to the president and Congress regarding domestic international intellectual property enforcement programs."

"The new copyright czar will oversee government anti-piracy crackdowns and, among other things, train other countries about IP enforcement. The legislation also creates an FBI piracy unit and allows for the forfeiture of equipment used in large pirating operations."

Isn't it strange how often the label of 'czar' gets easy application in Washington?

Local Paper Cheers Fiery Demise?

I saw a story on WATE about the destruction of the old cafeteria building and on the site of the former Morristown College. But check out this opening line from the coverage of the Morristown's newspaper, a line written by the paper's managing editor, John Guillion. It's an odd read for the destruction of a local landmark by fire:

Fire accomplished Saturday night what years of political negotiations couldn’t: The renovation of the Morristown College campus"

(Sorry, no linkage, as stories aren't online very long - they are a pay-to-read news site. And the story wasn't even online until sometime after 11:30 Sunday morning, as a friend had asked me about that time to go and read another story from their website. NOTE: In the comments for this post, a web tech for the CT says the story was up Saturday night. My mistake.)

I've only talked to John once, and very briefly, and he seemed like a nice fellow. But that opening needs a serious re-write. Here's a Newsflash: A fire of unknown origins which destroys historic landmarks does not equal 'renovation'.

Best of the Week In TN Blogs

Via TennViews:

The "toxic debate derivatives" edition of the weekly Tennessee progressive blog roundup with a look at what the state's best bloggers are talking about...

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Senator Drama Queen: ...how does a man go, in just a few days, from claiming that the economy is fundamentally sound to marching all over Washington, DC like Chicken Little, hitting new levels of scenery munching, derailing the negotiations Congress had gotten through before his arrival politicized the whole process -- swooping in, wearing his home-made cape and superhero pajamas -- pretending to be the man who’s saving the day, when he couldn't even be bothered to read the 3-page document that is central to the process?

• 55-40 Memphis: I ask again, is this the best way to use the ammo? Besides, the five biggest Wall Street losers have already rolled over. We need to protect cash deposits, homes, jobs. That's where Main Street lives.

• Aunt B: I start by saying two things that I have observed about Southerners -- one, a lot of them are Southern Baptist, which means, when they don't like how something’s going, they have no compunction about breaking off and doing something different while still considering themselves to be the true carriers of the proper torch and two, they don't like to be played for fools.

• Carole Borges: If you've been following the economic terrorist attack from within, you probably feel confused. Who wouldn't. It's obvious no one in Washington has a clue what is happening. How could ANYONE in their right mind even consider for one micro-second supporting anything that says "...the whole thing is up to Paulson's "discretion," and "may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency."

• The Crone Speaks: Now, onto why I felt Obama dominated the foreign policy segment. As I wrote quickly last night, he was authoritative, his answers came easily, he did not rely on anecdotes or generals, or the old guard. As I also mentioned last night, McCain tired quickly. He looked, to me, to be extremely tired.

• Joe Powell: I do know that for the first time in my life, this important office isn't being handed off to the next local insider, another pre-selected candidate from the Republican party which has held total control of [Tennessee's 1st Congressional District] for over 100 years.

• Don Williams: Welcome to full-blown oligarchy -- government that socializes the losses of big business while privatizing the profits and promoting corporate welfare through good-old-boy contracts for military build-ups, outdated energy plans and tax breaks for the wealthy.

• TNDP: In spite of the unprecedented economic crisis created by Bush-McCain policies that freed the banking and lending industry from vital protections for the American people, John McCain wants to put Americans’ health care at the mercy of Wall Street.

• Enclave: Given Barack Obama's strong, comfortable, steady performance in tonight's debate on John McCain's turf of foreign policy, I would say that the Republican attempts for the last four weeks to raise expectations on Sarah Palin by comparing her to Barack Obama may have been a deadly mistake. Also, see ongoing series re. racial tensions fueled by suspect Tennesseean reporting.

• Fletch: Lighthouse Light

• KnoxViews (Sven): The author, like all the other purveyors of this and other similar dumbass notions, fails to explain the mechanism by which the GSEs ruined America. He harps on poor and corrupt management, accounting scandals and skeezy congressional ties - all of which existed. But zero evidence is provided for the core implication that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stampeded Wall Street into making bad loans to the shiftless underclass. That's because no such evidence exists. And: R. Neal: Just like investors who have been duped, the federal government will have no idea what they are buying or what to do with it. Even on a straight up equity sale of shares nobody knows what they are buying any more. Quarterly reports are works of fiction and earnings conference calls are performance art. With derivatives they don't even have to lie -- they can just hide mistakes and corruption under impenetrable layers of bullshit. Corporate America's stock in trade is now deception.

• Lean Left: So the GOP plan is to insure the bad debts, putting the taxpayers on the hook for possibly much more than the 700billion dollar Paulson came up with without giving the taxpayers anyway to ever get compensation if the government is required to pay off on that insurance. And then, just to rub salt in the wounds of the average tax payer, they are going to give the class of people who are most responsible for getting us into this mess a huge tax break for two years.

• Left of the Dial: The only time George W. Bush has spoken to us with "any sense of conviction, control, sincerity and grasp of the situation" was atop the rubble of the World Trade Center holding a megaphone. And even that turned out to be a bunch of crap. Plus: No Bailout For You!

• LeftWingCracker: Here's how to help Obama in Memphis

• Liberadio(!): One of the most important questions that could be asked by Jim Lehrer is not being asked: "What exactly is victory in Iraq?" Plus: Yee of Much Faith

• Newscoma: "George Bush is no different than Herbert Hoover," he said. "I was a kid during the depression and I want you to know, we are heading down this path again."

• The Pesky Fly: What bothers me is that this dog whistle has so permeated the conversation that it has filtered down to second graders. That, dear children, is some effective marketing.

• Resonance: Financial Crisis Reveals Bush's "Political Capital" Is Now An Illiquid Asset

• RoaneViews: We do not support government bailouts of private institutions. Government interference in the markets exacerbates problems in the marketplace and causes the free market to take longer to correct itself. Republican Party Platform adopted September 2008

• Russ McBee: Both Fulmer and McCain are decrepit, counter-productive shadows of their former selves, and both have far exceeded their sell-by dates. Plus: Trillion dollar life preserver: I don't know about you, but I'm awfully tired of being trickled on.

• Sean Braisted: Ultimately, while this bailout deal might be in the best interest for our country, the language being used by the administration is fairly reminiscent of language used to push through the ill-conceived Patriot Act, and the War on Terror in general.

• Sharon Cobb: I'm giving away two tickets for you to see and meet my favorite rednecks, Jackie and Dunlap from Red State Update. They are appearing in a town hall meeting in Nashville on October 6, and all you have to do is drop me an email telling me why you love these two lunatics, and I'll forward your entry to Jackie and Dunlap to choose the winner. (No way I was going to choose the winner!) Please get all entries in by Friday, October 3 at midnight to me at: MissSharonCobb@aol.com

• Silence Isn't Golden: But the Republicans aren't going to touch this thing with a ten-foot pole. Why would they? Bush has no coattails anymore, there's no need for them to fall in line with him. They can vote against it, and they will, and then go back to their districts and put all the blame for the fact that we're wasting billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out irresponsible corporations...on the Democratic leadership in Congress!

• Southern Beale: Yesterday blog trolls started touting the expected line that our mortgage crisis is the fault of a) Bill Clinton, and b) black people. Gee, what took them so long?

• vibinc » Blog Archive » The Coming Financial Disaster: Remember, just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it doesn't affect you.

• WhitesCreek Journal: I don't know that much about this stuff, but according to one Democratic Congressman calls to Congress are running about 50-50 on the bailout... 50% No! And 50% HELL NO! Plus: Did You See the Debate?: I saw something else on John McCain's face as he turned it away from Barack Obama. I saw one hell of a pancake makeup job hiding the purple rage. That $5000 was money well spent.

• Women’s Health News: McCain just said something to the effect that healthcare should be between the patient and the physician, not the federal government. Can I hold him to that on reproductive health and "conscience?"

NASA Turns 50, US Has To Hitch A Ride Into Space

This week marked the 50th anniversary of the NASA agency just as the Chinese made their first successful spacewalk and as the U.S. Senate was forced to approve a plan allowing U.S. astronauts to buy seats on Russian spacecraft so we can reach the International Space Station, just as the ISS nears completion.

The achievements of our efforts in science and space exploration are too often viewed with nostalgia for the past rather than vision for the future. NASA - and science in general - has been pushed to the sidelines by recent leadership in Washington, a move which will only serves to hamper the nation's role in cutting edge development across a wide range of scientific research and development and education as well.

Aviation Week had a fine piece attempting to connect the past with the present and future challenges of space science:

"The ISS is arguably an engineering triumph for NASA comparable to the Moon landings, in difficulty if not historic impact. Humans have been living on the station continuously for eight years now, operating through an intricately choreographed construction project that has merged hardware from three continents into a functioning outpost more than 200 mi. above Earth's surface.

"But space exploration is still in its infancy, and there is a new generation of engineers and managers coming along at the field centers who have the intelligence, skills and confidence that powered their fathers and grandfathers from Explorer to Apollo to the Hubble, space shuttle and ISS.

Today they are planning an international outpost on the rim of the Moon's Shackleton Crater and a new flagship robotic mission to one of the outer planets. On the aeronautics side of the house, "the first 'A' in NASA," plans and technology are being developed for the next generation of the U.S. air transportation system.

In an election year, the ball isn't in the agency's court. NASA's next half-century - indeed its next year - will be determined by the voters, and the leaders they elect. It's probably a good time to remember John F. Kennedy's statement on picking national challenges "not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

I'd expect we can lump this program into all the others the Bush administration has left in a tangled mess, like the current financial meltdown: balance the cost of doing nothing against the costs of the failure of everything.

It's the Bush approach to bumble between failure and over-reaction to problems which have been allowed to fester and grow. When typical agency response botches the job of just getting ice and water to the ravaged Gulf Coast after Katrina, NASA has over the last eight years done remarkably well. Billions have been lost to fraud and waste in military contracts abroad and to domestic programs feebly attempting reconstruction along the Gulf.

What awaits the next president and the next Congress is a sprawling nest of critical mistakes so large and complex it will affect each citizen of this nation and those of countless others.

A recent AIAA Space Conference in San Diego offers some much needed perspective on how the politics of today and the future are linked:

"Space has proven to be the silent backbone underpinning our commercial, civil, and military sectors. Three of the top issues in the upcoming election—economic competitiveness, the global war on terror, and the need for increased global climate change monitoring—are all dependent on our technological and operational achievements in space."

TN's 1st District Gets A Candiates Debate

I had to post this ASAP. I certainly can't recall any such event taking place in my lifetime in East Tennessee -- a debate between the candidates for 1st District Congressman. It's an actual debate, not a forum or a Q and A town hall meeting.

Democrat Rob Russell sent out the following email this evening:

It's really going to happen: for the first time in anyone's memory, the Democratic, Republican, and Independent candidates for the US House will participate in an organized debate!

The League of Women Voters' US House Candidates' forum will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 7th at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, TN starting at 7 pm. http://www.greenevillenpac.com/

WETS-FM's Wayne Winkler is scheduled to moderate, and questions will come from the League as well as audience members.

Please make plans to attend -- we need to show folks that Democrats in East Tennessee can do more than just vote against candidates: they can support candidates, as well!

Campaigning Full-Time in October:

Starting Oct. 6th (the day before the historic debate in Greeneville!), campaigning will be my full-time job, and I hope all of you will help me keep my schedule full. Here are some ways you can help:

1. If you there is an event, festival, meeting or gathering in your community where I can meet folks and distribute information about the campaign, email us and let us know about it! rob@robrussellforcongress.com

2. Volunteer to hand out campaign cards, stickers, etc., at local events. We will send you a full "campaign kit" -- just tell us where you are going and how many pieces you think you'll need. rob@robrussellforcongress.com

3. Create an event in your town or county -- it could be a backyard bbq or a rally -- to help raise money and spread the word. For instance, Jason Howze from Unicoi County is organizing a "Concert for Rob" in Johnson City on Oct. 10th at Capone's; others, such as Frank in Kingsport and Kevin in Johnson City, are having informal "meet and greet" parties at their homes on Oct. 2 and 9, respectively. If you have an idea for an event, email me. rob@robrussellforcongress.com

Thanks again for all of your time, energy, and encouragment. To contribute to the campaign, go to www.robrussellforcongress.com/contribute

Sincerely,

Rob
--
Rob Russell
www.rr4congress.com
Democratic Nominee, TN-1

I'm impressed. It is not just the Democrat and Republican, but an Independent candidate too?

I do know that for the first time in my life, this important office isn't being handed off to the next local insider, another pre-selected candidate from the Republican party which has held total control of this district for over 100 years.

Kudos to all involved in making this project happen.

Residents who seek a representative who is offering much more than the same old routine will surely want to give Rob a listen. With our area and our nation under some glaring lights of economic reality, a wise voter will seek out his take on how to best serve the 1st District and help end the ineffective leadership of the past.

Live Web TV From Downtown Knoxville

A most ambitious internet project officially started today at Cherries Internet Cafe with live web TV shows from their open-to-the-public internet cafe.

Check out the live broadcasts and explore their site here.

Happy Birthday!

The Knox News Sentinel has some more background here, and expect even more to be announced in coming days and weeks as this cutting edge tech takes off from Market Square. When you stop in, be sure and say hello to Reenie and to Jess. Unless they are working and then, hey, they're working and don't be a chucklehead and bother them.

"The 2,000-square-foot cafe features computers at every booth, along with charging capabilities for laptops, cell phones and iPods.

Beginning next month, there will be boxed lunches from The Lunch Box and The Daisy Pot Tea Bar will feature more than 40 different loose leaf teas.

"I want it to be an experience with as many things that are unique and different," Gee said.

Visitors also will be able to tune in to Web broadcasts produced in a floor-to-ceiling, 500-square-foot glass studio."

A Brief Return

Please accept my thanks for all your condolences and support.

I'm putting up a quick post this cool September morning - especially since brevity and this blog have earned some praises this week.

First, this response to the current U.S. financial meltdown, proof that one single dollar can have true impact on those who brought the meltdown about --


"With this $1 bill, I am going to paper cut the skin between the fingers of every investment banker, financial analyst, and backdoor accountant involved in this mess."

Here's another short shock to the system, this one for Sarah Palin.

"I served with quick studies. I knew quick studies. Quick studies were a friend of mine. Sarah Palin: you're no quick study."

When I was traveling I noticed quite a few Obama for President stickers on car. But at a local market (one that actually had gasoline for sale), here's the bumper sticker I saw:

TN is For Jesus
Not For Obama

Yeah, I'm back in East TN.

In Memoriam - For Alex

No posting here for a while as my sister and her family and all of our families are mourning the death of her son Alex who has died at the age of 22.

Alex Long

Ryan Alexander Long, 22, of Hixson, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, Sept. 22, 2008.

Alex was a native and lifelong resident of the Chattanooga area. He was a 2004 graduate of Hixson High School and was attending Chattanooga State Community College. Alex was currently employed with Hamilton Place Cinemas 10–17 and was of the Baptist faith. He loved Star Wars, playing video games and going to the movies.

Alex was preceded in death by his grandfathers, William J. Powell and James L. Long Sr.

He is survived by his parents, Claudia Powell Long and James "Jim" L. Long Jr.; a sister, Laura Sanders and her husband, Chris; grandmothers, Nola Powell and Zoolah Long.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Dewayne Roberson officiating.

Burial will follow in Chattanooga Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. today and 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Share your thoughts and memories at www.mem.com.

Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist.

Rationing Gasoline as Market Manipulation?

Short-term rationing, targeted in the Southeast, is being promoted by John Hofmeister, former president for Shell Oil.

"America is suffering a lot more than is being reported," said Mr. Hofmeister, who is also chairman of the National Urban League. The economic slowdown may not be affecting the well-to-do, but it is "really nailing middle- and low-income people."


Oil industry blog, The Oil Drum, offers little hope for the current shortages in supplies for your local gas pumps:

"If the pattern in Louisiana holds in Texas, it may take as much as 20 days after Hurricane Ike before all of the production is back on line. It will certainly be at least 10 days. This would put full production at something between September 23 and October 3. Pipeline delays of up to 18 days could delay full distribution of petroleum products until something between the first and third week in October."

Nashville is already hard hit.

Oddly, reports of the destruction of 49 oil platforms in the Gulf by Hurricane Ike should have a less than minimal effect - they were producing less than 1% of the oil from the Gulf and were slated for shutdowns anyway.

Other reports focus on the overall decline in national demand for oil and falling prices --

"Regarding inventories, last week the market paid little mind to declines in U.S. crude, gasoline and distillates stockpiles as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration in their weekly statistics. However, the market did respond when the EIA also confirmed that demand in the United States is steadily shrinking, with gasoline demand now down 1.6 percent and total oil demand down 3.5 percent from last year.

Meanwhile, crude and other commodities' sharp falls have appeared to help bring about the collapse of the Ospraie Fund, a large commodity hedge fund, as a result of significant losses. The Ospraie Fund, whose assets peaked at $3.8 billion late last year, fell 27 percent in August due to bets on oil, natural gas and structured products, the Wall Street Journal reported. Any loss greater than 30 percent triggered a provision allowing investors in the fund to withdraw their cash."

More Power and Money For Failure?

Once again - filled with panic, fear and a lack of information - the Bush administration and members of Congress and finance lobbyists are all screaming "Emergency!!" on the public airwaves and demanding more unchecked, unwarranted, unobstructed and unconstitutional powers. They call it a necessary bailout. You know, for the economy which has been tanking for a few years, the problems called mental delusions a few weeks ago.

Tucked neatly into the language of the legislation being pushed are these nuggets:

"The three key provisions: (1) The Treasury Secretary is authorized to buy up to $700 billion of any mortgage-related assets (so he can just transfer that amount to any corporations in exchange for their worthless or severely crippled "assets") [Sec. 6]; (2) The ceiling on the national debt is raised to $11.3 trillion to accommodate this scheme [Sec. 10]; and (3) best of all: "Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency" [Sec. 8].

Put another way, this authorizes Hank Paulson to transfer $700 billion of taxpayer money to private industry in his sole discretion, and nobody has the right or ability to review or challenge any decision he makes."

If the Bush league had ANY record of being able to accurately assess a problem facing the country, such unchecked authority would be dubious. Given the reality of constant failures from these officials and their cheerleaders, to simply go along with this plan and not actually discuss and dissect it before taking actions with worldwide influences -- that's pretty much insane.

Carefully exploring the proposed bailout is even more of a mandate as it arrives from the constantly failed and unchecked realm of "The Decider".

The topic is being discussed, thankfully, both in the media and in public forums, with such concerns in mind and about the origins of the problems and those responsible - here and here and here - just for examples.

Walk Like A Pirate Day

While the rest of online world will be urging you to keep this day as 'talk like a pirate day', this year I've decided it would be more fun to walk like a pirate. Sure, it's a challenge, but so is the life o' pirating.

How can you walk like a pirate?

- Pretend to have a peg leg. Make a thonking sound each time you take a hitched step. Also ask strangers if they've seen the cursed beast that swallowed your leg.

- Walk with a hobbled step and curse a lot. Claim a bilge rat bit your toes off as you slept.

- Store your socks in a bucket of rotting meat and seawater for a few weeks and then wear them. Without shoes.

- Put a live (or dead) fish down your pants.

- Perform a "broadside blast". To do this, eat several platefuls of beans, and when you feel good and gassy, stroll down the sidewalk and then bend over and aim your hindparts at strangers and yell out "Prepare to fire all guns!!!"

Those are just a few examples. Next year, we'll celebrate Caulk Like A Pirate Day.

Famed Songwriter Norman Whitfield Dies

His name is hardly a household word -- but the words and music Norman Whitfield made for so many innovative and historic performers are part of the fabric of American memory and will live on for many. many years to come. The following is but a short sample of the music he helped create. Farewell, old friend, and thank you so much for all the incredible joy you added to our world.


SeeqPod - Playable Search