liberty · equality · eternity

How time flies, to coin a phrase. “Eastwick” episode two has already aired back East…

Ever wonder why so many television series follow medics, lawyers, cops, PIs and libidinal teens? Me too.

That’s why a show about witches who aren’t youngsters (a lă “Charmed”) is refreshing. The Eastwick women are not in the mold of fairy tales, with warts and pointy noses, they are quite gorgeous, the way I prefer my witches.

Lindsay Price [above] and Rebecca Romijn reunite, after clicking so well on “Pepper Dennis,” a short-lived ABC show (like that’s unusual). I watched every episode of “Pepper” because it was cute, and kept waiting for everything to fall into place. Never happened. It was missing that special je ne sais quoi, which is Belgian for what I expect from Gretchen Berg, Aaron Harberts and writers like Jason Katims. I loved Lindsay’s Kimmy Kim character, a great foil to Rebecca’s Pepper.

The other “Eastwick” witch is portrayed by Jaime Ray Newman, most recently seen as Sheriff Carter’s love-interest, Tess, on “Eureka.” She has been on countable shows, notably “Veronica Mars” (Mindy). Did I mention that these are three hot witches?!

The first episode was great fun, with lighthearted banter and a twisty plot. Thing is, the characters haven’t discovered they are witches yet, so it’s about releasing their inner power, kind of a universal theme. There is conflict, involving men in episode one, cleverly titled “Pilot.”

Paul Gross plays a role (Darryl Van Horne) similar to Ray Wise’s (can’t recall his character’s name) in “Reaper.” Already, Van Horne was stirring up controversy and emotions. He’s rather provocative.

I never judge a show based on one episode. However, I look forward to tonight’s continuation of what was sexy, funny, mysterious, well-paced and may turn out to be a keeper. It’s no “Boston Legal,” but few shows are.

I wasn’t sure how to follow yesterday’s post revealing the universe’s most private secrets. Then I saw this cartoon in the San Francisco Examiner. It’s lovely. I believe those are caricatures of Glenn Beck and Veruka Salt.

Mary Travers died last week.

I learned of it the next day, thanks to a Wall Street Journal page one item. Some of my favourite artists pass away unnoticed by the media, so thanks for that, Wall Street Journal.

Since Mary is most familiar as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, and since they haven’t had a hit in many years, it’s understandable that many younger persons won’t remember her, unlike Michael Jackson, who… No wait, when was his last hit?

Peter, Paul and Mary were part of a crucial era, a movement if you like, whose music made you think, who advanced civil rights here and abroad, who persuaded many to believe senseless wars were called senseless for a reason. I still listen to the group and their solo albums; it’s wonderful music. If I could be Mary Travers, or some high-by-night pop icon, I’d chose the former.

“Life is too serious, love’s too mysterious” — Gwen Guthrie

Too bad you can’t be someone else. I’m me, so what?

The world is so mysterious, no one knows all the answers. Most don’t know all the questions.

Like the universe’s origin. Once or twice in your life, you probably considered the possibility that the entire world and everyone in it exist only in my mind. After all, it’s as good an explanation as any. And it would be like me to make most of the people irascible twits, and women able to resist the person without whom they would not exist, me.

If this explanation of existence sounds implausible, think of someone you know who says, “We won!” when it is a sports team he’s watched on television. He didn’t win, they did. And no matter how hard the viewer cheered, screamed and fell over, the team couldn’t hear him from his couch or floor. So who’s crazy, then?

I have rejected the GTSentric theory, more-or-less, but everyone has their crutch for bumbling through the day. Perhaps envisioning life after death, at least sex after death, as in the film of the same name. If we are all mortal and the world endures without us, until Arab fanatics destroy it, it might seem important to be remembered after you die. Not sure why because you won’t know what anyone thinks or says, as you’ll be dead. If heaven exists and you’re up there watching humanity ignore you, you would say, “You can kiss my ass. I didn’t like you that much when I was alive.”

All say, ‘How hard it is that we have to die — a strange complaint to come from the mouths of people who have had to live. — Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar

Everyone leaves a legacy, a crease in the sheets, some more permanent than others, some more odiferous. I suspect that those who endure, the Shakespeares, the Beethovens, give little thought to their immortality. They’re too busy establishing it.I have considered my legacy, believing I’d write a book or two that future generations revere. Of course, even if none of my novels appear in my lifetime, there is always posthumous publication. Thank goodness for that. It would be great if I could devote more time to writing while alive, which even modest commercial success would allow, only money is not why I write. Obviously. It is a compulsion, I suppose, or something resembling a compulsion. Whether characters persist in my head, or annoyance at life’s irrational realities, I am unstoppable. Writing has rarely been about connecting with others, it’s about expressing myself. When I write something utilitarian, I consider it wasting time. Most human activities fail. Political action, creative enterprises, love connections, ABC series. We keep trying, occasionally succeeding. Creating or achieving something great is sufficient award in itself, kind of like being nominated for that award you didn’t win. Legacies are so overrated. Consider the dead celebrities who receive all the hoopla. Do I really want to share my limelight with Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy, Anna Nicole Smith? No. Mark Twain, sure. He’s great. Those persons whom I most admire usually receive little recognition when they die. Or subsequently. If Patrick McGoohan is not more than “The Prisoner,” what’s the point of achieving anything? The man was great, dammit! If any group are more egotistical than actors, that would be politicians. They are always affixing their names to things, from the “John Murtha Memorial Airport and Guano Farm” to the “McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Sham” [technically the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act]. Normal humans buy a building or donate money to get their name on it. Politicians have us foot the bill for their stabs at immortality. Of course, you cannot foresee how a name will influence future generations. Just ask William Idlewild. They built an airport to immortalise him, then renamed it JFK, after the president got himself assassinated. Sometimes streets are renamed after famous locals. For awhile, the alley next to the Sheraton Palace Hotel was called Mark Twain Lane. It never stuck, nor apparently did Sheraton, as it is now simply The Palace Hotel.

Presumably, Mark Twain’s books will keep him alive, alley or no alley. Twain is one of the few authors whose given name is nearly as well known as his pen name. Or was. Now that the Federal government is assisting with education, Sam Clemens is probably considered a racist or a white man, or both.

Everything is ephemeral in the 21st century. Television programmes vanish quicker than John Edwards being pursued by a reporter. “Eureka,” “Eli Stone,” “Reaper” gone.

Then again, it is possible that when I imagine myself dying, my mind will just create a different world scenario, so I can return in another persona and maybe bring you with me. Hope I’m even cooler than a Tedsicle [too soon?] next time, don’t you? I know I do.

For more on dead celebrities and the meaning of life, visit your local public library.

We (mainly me, gt) have recounted the nefarious errors of the Social Security Administration (SSA), possibly even suggesting they are a bunch of lazy, lowlife scumbags from the top down.

Now comes confirmation of widespread denial of benefits due to what might be called sloppy bookkeeping. Or deliberate abuse of power. You choose.

The SSA have agreed to pay over $500 million (that’s half a billion dollars!) to claimants who were mislabeled as “fugitive felons.” At least 200,000 aged and disabled people have been denied benefits under what the agency call the “Fugitive Felon” program, which began in 1996, and was extended to Social Security disability and old-age benefits in 2005. The goal was saving taxpayers money by not paying benefits to people “fleeing to avoid prosecution.”

Actual fugitive felons are not entitled to money from SSA, but some federal courts recently have concluded that most people the agency identified as fleeing felons were neither fleeing nor felons. The problem: Social Security flunkies followed an operations manual stating that anyone with a warrant outstanding is a fugitive felon, whether the person is actually fleeing or attempting to avoid being captured, or even the person named in the warrant.

The settlement agreement was approved by US District Judge Claudia Wilken in Oakland on Friday. About 80,000 persons whose benefits were wrongly suspended will be reimbursed. No indication of any interest or penalties levied. Naturally, the Social Security Administration admit to no wrongdoing (or incompetence), and have no comment. Think your Social Security number proves your identity to the IRS? Think again.

The National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC), the advocacy group which sued the government on behalf of those cheated by SSA, asserted that most warrants — some decades old — were for minor offenses and most people were unaware they existed.

Roberta Dobbs, a 75-year-old widow in Durant, Oklahoma, confined to a wheelchair and tethered to an oxygen tank, was declared a fugitive in 2006 because of an outstanding 2001 warrant issued in California following a traffic accident. Her benefits were cut off for three years, although it seems unlikely she could flee very quickly.

My favourite victim, as described in The Wall Street Journal by Ellen E Schultz

Willie Mae Giacanni, 79, a retiree near Reno, Nev., was informed by the Social Security Administration in 2006 that her $350-a-month benefit would be suspended because of a warrant outstanding in New York, a state she has never visited.She said she “called different precincts,” trying to find out what she was wanted for. A detective told her the warrant was for Willie Frank Thomas, who was wanted for kidnapping and rape in 1972. Although Mrs. Giacanni’s first husband’s surname was Thomas, and the suspect shared her birth date, he had a different Social Security number, middle name, gender and race, according to the New York City Police Department’s fugitive-enforcement division. The detective sent Mrs. Giacanni a letter to give to the Social Security office, stating that the warrant wasn’t for her, but the agency wouldn’t accept it. Mrs. Giacanni sought help from a legal-aid attorney, who got the matter resolved. The agency declined to comment.

Consider how many $350 payments SSA nearly saved.

As part of the settlement, the government agreed to drop its claims for what they term “overpayments,” payments received while someone allegedly was fleeing an outstanding warrant.

After the NSCLC sued the agency, the SSA agreed in April to suspend benefits only for people who are charged with escape or flight to avoid prosecution. Under the pact, SSA stopped suspending benefits and agreed to repay benefits suspended between January 2007 and April 2009.

Most repayments will begin to go out late this year. There’s no rush.

People whose benefits were cut off before 2007 could reapply for benefits, but would receive retroactive payments only to April 2009. An estimated 120,000 people fall into this category, said Gerald McIntyre, an NSCLC lawyer. Even when you win, you lose, when government is involved.

This blog is not intended to be a news source, but the story has been ignored by about 99% of the media. Upon further digging, it appears the Government Accountability Office (GAO) studied this problem, making five recommendations to SSA. Here’s one.

Recommendation: The Commissioner of Social Security should direct the program management office and manager to identify and prioritize, based on its assessment, those fugitive felon processes that need improvement and develop a strategy for resolving technological and administrative barriers preventing their efficient operation.

Agency Affected: Social Security Administration

Status: Closed - not implemented

Comments: The Social Security Administration disagreed with this recommendation in its agency comments dated August 2002, and closed this recommendation in March 2003, stating that no actions would be taken on the recommendation.

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That was the SSA response to every GAO recommendation. It must be delightful having no accountability whatsoever.

Additional reading (and source): Times of the Internet
San Diego Union Tribune

It’s true. That’s probably why I can’t sleep, Bill Clinton being shocked and all.

Here’s what dude wrote:

Like you, I’m a bit shocked at the anger and resentment coming from Republicans these days. It seems they’ll do anything to bring down President Obama and distract us from the important work at hand. [I will not stoop to a joke about going down. - gt]

They simply can’t accept that America has entered a new era, where the same old political rules just don’t apply.

But we have. Today, we have a president, a Congress, and, if I may be so bold, a pretty darn impressive Secretary of State, who are committed to improving our standing in the world and our economy here at home.

[Time out!

Seems more like an era similar to the Clinton Years, where political rules were bent out of shape, and again I'll resist taking a cheap shot.

Isn't the Attorney General the same Eric Holder who helped Clinton pardon a pack of criminals on his last day, stretching the definition of clemency?

Isn't Bill Clinton's "rendition" policy being restored, so the US government leaves torture to nations specialising in that sort of thing, while keeping their hands clean?  (We catch 'em, you torture 'em.)

Finally, forget about our standing in the world and our economy.  Aren't the president and Congress supposed to be protecting the Constitution or did I dream that?]

Under their leadership, we can not only bring lasting change to America, we can secure lasting majorities for Democrats.

Today, we have a president who knows the importance of strengthening relationships and alliances around the world.

We have Democratic legislators who have worked with President Obama to bring our economy back from the brink of depression, prevent thousands of Americans from losing their homes, cut taxes for working families, stop credit card companies from abusing consumers, ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work, and extend health insurance to millions of children.

And I believe, in the weeks ahead, we will achieve the health care reform our country so desperately needs.

But this progress is not inevitable, and electoral success isn’t guaranteed. Republican scare tactics have taken us off course, and, right now, our progressive vision is under more stress than ever before.

[Blah blah blah.  Send us more of your money, if you have any left after paying taxes up the wazoo…

Yes, we have legislators who talk a good game, much like Clinton.  Just don’t listen too carefully to what they say.  We still don’t know if the economy is recovering.  (Notice he mentions saving homes, not jobs.)  We are already learning that credit card companies find new ways to abuse their customers, except those of us who predicted that.  Good thing our debt dollars bailed out many of them.

As far as the health care reforms, I believe Clinton said they were desperately needed a couple of decades ago.  Somehow we survived when they didn’t, thanks to the not so darn impressive First Lady.

The only surprising thing about this e-mail from Bill Clinton is that he did not ask Democrats to earmark a portion of their unemployment money to help keep Democratic buffoons in Congress from losing their jobs.

And, to be fair, Republicans are probably begging for money, so they can take a greater role in destroying the country.  Can’t let Democrats have all the fun. 

Every president has supporters and detractors. Every one. If criticism is only about race when the president is Black, then it will be only about gender when the president is female, should that ever occur.

Which is unacceptable. If you can’t criticise the president, at the least, you should be able to kick Rahm Emmanual around the Rose Garden.

The president has rejected the race baiters, but has complained about the tone of today’s rhetoric, as has speaker Nancy Pelosi. You would think most of us would agree that personal attacks and outrageous slurs deter open debate. Unfortunately, partisan Americans only object when the nastiness is on the other foot.

I’ve mentioned Glenn Beck before. I like Glenn Beck. He poses many excellent questions, for which he gets attacked because no one wants to give him a straight answer. Throwing around “racist,” “Hitleresque” and other barbs reflect a lack of ability to respond. To millions of viewers, he is a godsend. Finally, someone who looks at politics objectively. That’s probably why “Time” covered him.

Still, you get wiseacres, like some Internet guy, who writes

Isn’t Beck that homophobic racist creep that said that President Obama has a deep seeded hatred of white people? You found the common denominator between Glenn Beck fans and NASCAR fans. Both target audiences are comprised of Southern, white, racist, redneck, inbreds.

Short answer, Question 1: No.

By the way, that’s the first time I’ve seen homosexuality mentioned. I guess Internet Guy just threw that in, maybe using slanderer’s license.  Not to be picky, but shouldn’t that be “deep-seated”? I’m just saying. Also, no comma after redneck. Ah, American public education!

The web site from which that guy spreads his ignorance proclaims itself as, “A space for political comment and satire with a liberal slant.” Liberal — really? Is it satire defaming a huge group of people based on their television viewing practices?

Do I make fun of the ancestry of those who find SNL or NPR relevant? No. Do I suggest those who take Keith Olbermann seriously be put into mental institutions? Of course not, although it’s not a bad idea. Do I call football fans retarded? No. I’m far too tactful.

According to another young blogger, David Sirota, Glenn Beck is a “right-wing political terrorist,” while Van Jones is “a national hero,” who was “originally targeted because he’s an African-American man.” [You can view this blather at Breitbart.tv, if you dare.]

I watch Beck daily, where he has been studying the “czars” or advisers, as the administration likes to call them, for weeks. Most of them are not Black. Race is a diversion.

Sirota’s argument seems to be that Glenn Beck is a fanatic for believing in the Constitution, Van Jones “a national hero” for believing in communism and hating the rule of law.

I wonder if Ann Coulter is happy not to be the biggest target of liberal halfwits anymore. In fairness, Ann seems to work at being controversial; Beck is merely curious. He always points out that it’s not about him, only no ideologue worth his hypocrisy will challenge Beck on the issues he raises. Van Jones whined about being the victim of a smear campaign. Smeared with videos and tapes of his own words? That’s a neat trick.

Glenn Beck never demanded that Mr Jones be fired. All he wanted was a response from the White House as to whether they knew of his background, and whether Jones reflected their views. He just wanted answers. Liberals, even transparent liberals, hate answering questions, so Van Jones “resigned.” The incident is reminiscent of Bill Clinton’s mistreatment of Lani Guinier, except she wasn’t a convict and nut-job. Still, many of Obama’s closest advisors worked with Clinton.

In politics, the Democrats dominating the Massachusetts legislature voted to allow the governor to appoint a replacement for Senator Kennedy before the special election to fill the seat. Kennedy died recently. Why can’t politicians look forward. They could have solved this dilemma permanently with legislation specifying that the governor can appoint a replacement, but only if he or she is a Democrat. How difficult is that?

Meanwhile, in my state of birth, New York, David Paterson wants to run for reelection as governor, but Obama thinks he may lose, so he should step aside. Isn’t that what Hillary Clinton (or her people) told Obama during the presidential primary?

Yet, they are discouraging Paterson, who is Black. According to a White House spokesman and a senior Democratic strategist in New York, “The message was ‘Hey, we’re watching your race.’”

If he were of another race, presumably he could run. Now who’s the racist?

It’s late, I’m tired but, for those of you whose lives don’t revolve around shopping to the extent that you need a special shopping magazine, thought I’d share this scan.

To be fair, nearly every US magazine is about shopping.  They’re just more duplicitous, like US presidents.

Kristen Bell, my favourite vegetarian, seems too sweet to be president. 

I was preparing what I hoped would be my final entry on this Health Care Reform business, when an an essay excerpt expressed my thoughts succinctly.

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Symbolic Politics and Liberal Reform

“All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling,” wrote Oscar Wilde, and I would like to suggest that the same can be said for bad politics…

It seems to me that the politics of liberal reform, in recent years, shows many of the same characteristics as amateur poetry. It has been more concerned with the kind of symbolic action that gratifies the passions of the reformer rather than with the efficacy of the reforms themselves. Indeed, the outstanding characteristic of what we call “the New Politics” is precisely its insistence on the overwhelming importance of revealing, in the public realm, one’s intense feelings — we must “care,” we must “be concerned,” we must be “committed.” Unsurprisingly, this goes along with an immense indifference to consequences, to positive results or the lack thereof.

— Irving Kristol in the Wall Street Journal 15 December 1972

Mr Kristol died 18 September 2009.

I believe it was a high school teacher who used the catchphrase above to challenge his students, including me. It differs from “back up the bologna,” easily accomplished with a slice of processed cheese.

I recalled this because lately I’ve heard numerous claims, mostly from politicians of one stripe or another, that made me wish jerks had to footnote their speeches. Journalists used to ask for proof, or do research, when there were journalists.

Now, Reuters reports that once again Iran’s designated madman Ahmadinejad called the Holocaust a lie. “The pretext [Holocaust] for the creation of the Zionist regime [Israel] is false … It is a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim,” he told worshippers at Tehran University at the end of an annual anti-Israel “Qods [Jerusalem] Day” rally.

So persons praying in Iran, presumably Muslims, should believe that Hitler’s extermination of close to 12 million Europeans, including about 6 million Jews, is unprovable. Fair enough. I think documentation, including photos and film, can solve this quandary. In return for which, we require proof that anything in the Koran, including the parts lifted from the Old Testament [Jewish bible], are not myth.

“Confronting the Zionist regime is a national and religious duty,” Amadinejad declared, adding, “Now tell me Jimmy Carter is the craziest motherfucker in the world, bitches!”

He may be right there, but Carter is our nutjob. After enduring four years of his presidency, the US are entitled to boast of his extensive accomplishments in the field of foolishness.

And if you disagree with me then you, sir or madam, are worse than Amadinejad.

Usually this is original material, but finding the following in my e-mail compels me to share:

Do you remember when people really showed they cared? When neighbors helped neighbors, and the whole community watched out for one another?Well, at the AARP Foundation, we care, and we know that you do too.As the charitable arm of AARP, the AARP Foundation gives seniors a helping hand when they need it most. We are seniors helping seniors — and I hope that you will offer your support today. Your gift of $25, $35, $50 or more will give seniors the helping hand they need to live with independence, dignity and control.

I’ve never been so disappointed.  Where’s my helping hand?

Then, my ever-amusing buddies at DSCC took my breath away.

Money Talks Stand up to the shadowy groups trying to take down President Obama. Contribute today.Talk about big wallets: Since June 29, six shadowy right-wing groups opposed to health care reform have spent more than $21 million on television ads. You read that right. $21 million, or close to a quarter million dollars per day. Money talks. It’s no wonder Republicans say political momentum is moving their way.Republican leaders are happy to have such wealthy interests backing them up. A recent memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee boasted that right wing anger — as seen at town hall meetings and “Tea Party” protests — will translate into wins at the ballot box in 2010. These organizations have spent $21 million to rile the right wing, but they are just getting warmed up. We need to match their intensity. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has kicked off its end-of-quarter fundraising, and we need grassroots help to make our goal. Each dollar you give by Sept. 30 will be matched by a group of senators. Click here to make a donation of $5 or more today. Each dollar you give will become two! … Here are some of the biggest spenders among the shadow groups: Americans for Prosperity: $4,648,644. Americans for Prosperity is one of the main groups behind the “Tea Party” protest movement. It’s also the cash cow behind Patients United Now, which purports to help patients by preserving the profit margins of insurance companies. Conservatives for Patients’ Rights: $4,385,071. Conservatives for Patients’ Rights has hired CRC Public Relations to fight President Obama’s plan to reform health care. You may not have heard of the company, but you know their work: CRC was behind the infamous “swift boat” attacks on 2004 Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry. League of American Voters: $411,665. This group’s sole reason for being appears to be spreading lies about health care reform. Its website warns that President Obama’s “government takeover” of health care will “ration health care, limit important medicines and surgeries for seniors and end Medicare as we know it.” According to PolitiFact.com, none of this fear mongering is true. Money does matter. And as you can see, they’re spreading around a ton of it. That and misinformation. Enough said. Quote of the Week “Joe was right.” — Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., defending Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., who yelled “You lie!” during President Obama’s health care speech to a joint session of Congress Join the DSCC Join the DSCC The DSCC is committed to protecting our majority in the Senate. We can’t do it without your help.

Don’t you just hate those shadowy groups?  I skip over ads with something called DVR technology.  Surprisingly, I am opposed to the federal takeover of health care, which will inevitably lead to rationing.  And just because PolitiFact.com disagrees doesn’t make me wrong.  It makes them wrong.

Not long ago, the voters were angry at the nominal party in power, so they voted in the other wing of the Incumbent Party, the Democrats. In months, they are sick of anti-democratic shenanigans.  By the way, didn’t candidate Barack Obama outspend all his opponents in the primaries and general election?  Does that make him evil?

A lair, yes.  Not evil.  But neither of these so-called parties (Democrat, Republican) want to stop the Federal raid on our rights.

Meanwhile, can someone teach me the trick of making each of my dollars turn into two?