Tempe mourns - Evelyn Cahill passes away at 88

Evelyn Cahill, mother of former Tempe City Councilman Dennis Cahill and mother-in-law to State Senator Meg Burton-Cahill, passed away on January 15th.

In addition to Dennis and Meg, she leaves a sister, three other sons, 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and scores of friends from her years of working in the Tempe school system and volunteering with many community organizations.

Her funeral service will be held at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, January 19, at ASU's Newman Center, 230 E. University Drive, Tempe. There will be a wake immediately afterward at her home on Parkway Blvd. Burial services will be private.

Her obituary from AZCentral.com -

Evelyn Cahill, 88, passed away January 15, 2008 at her home. Born in Boyde Wisconsin to Peter and Louise Duce, Evelyn had two brothers and four sisters. Evelyn married Jim Cahill and they had had four sons. The family moved to Tempe in 1953. She was a loyal and vocal ASU football fan. Evelyn worked as a waitress and later in Tempe schools food services. She enjoyed her years working in the schools and around children very much. Evelyn is survived by her sister Florence; sons Dennis (Meg), David (Sonja), Donald (Sue) and Dwight (Rebecca); 14 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. Evelyn was a talented, beautiful, eclectic and strong woman. She was a lifelong Catholic. Evelyn loved to travel, garden and play cards. She enjoyed volunteering, especially enjoying serving meals at the Escalante Center and volunteering at the Tempe Sister Cities' Hackett House. Evelyn's home hosted a young Chinese piano student who attended ASU. Evelyn was passionate about life and her family. She loved being the mother of four sons, and loved that to this day they are referred to as "The Cahill Boys." She was never happier than when surrounded by her family. In her retirement years, Evelyn enjoyed the recreational, craft and social activities available though the various Tempe Community Centers. She was a member of the District 17 Democrats, but always believed in supporting the person she felt best for the position regardless of political party. Evelyn especially enjoyed sharing her opinions about local politics, always having a flock of political signs in her yard and a button or two on her blouse for those she supported. Evelyn was much loved by family and friends and we will miss her humor and charm. The funeral service will be held January 19th, 3:30pm at the Old Mount Carmel Church located at the Newman Center: 230 East University Drive, Tempe. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions may be made in Evelyn's name to Hospice of the Valley 1510 E. Flower Street Phoenix, AZ 85014.

An article from the AZ Rep's Tempe community edition can be found here.

My deepest condolences go out to Dennis, Meg, her family, and her many friends on their loss.

Comings and goings....

Wednesday was a day of transition for many Republicans...

...Former Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn of Washington passed away at her home in Virginia.

...Ohio Congressman Paul Gillmor was found dead in his D.C. apartment, apparently from natural causes.

My deepest condolences to the friends and families of both.

...Two aides to Abramhoff-associated Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) moved from 'staffer' status to 'witness' status as they testified before a grand jury investigating their boss.

From AP via SeattlePI.com -

WASHINGTON -- Rep. John Doolittle's scheduler and deputy chief of staff appeared Wednesday before a federal grand jury investigating the California Republican's ties to jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Doolittle's spokesman said.

The scheduler, Alisha Perkins, and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Blankenburg were among three Doolittle aides subpoenaed in recent days. Chief of Staff Ron Rogers is scheduled to testify Friday before the grand jury at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

...TV actor and former Senator Fred Thompson officially announced his candidacy for the 2008 Republican nomination for President.

...In Arizona, Ken Bennett, former president of the state senate, announced that he is *not* running for the CD1 Congressional seat, but he did leave open the possibility of seeking the Governor's office in 2010.

Tedski at R-Cubed has an interesting take on the effect of his son's legal troubles on a potential Bennett candidacy, and I have to agree with his point - the troubles themselves ("hazing" 18 kids with a broom handle) would have less of an impact on a candidacy than the suspicions that the elder Bennett's political prominence had something to do with the lenient sentence his son received (30 days).

Those suspicions will still be around in 2010.

...Also in Arizona, State Rep. Russell Pearce (R-National Alliance) has formed an exploratory committee for a potential primary challenge against super conservative Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ6).

Republican blog Espresso Pundit's take on the possible race is here.

...It was also a day of transition for a Democrat - Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota made his welcome return to the Senate after his long recovery from a brain hemorrhage.

AP coverage here.

Later!

Short Attention Span Musing

Just me being a wisea$$ today... :)

...Apparently, even the venerable Time Magazine, like other members of the MSM, has been cutting back in the wrong places. Today, it's obvious that they aren't paying for top quality headline writers.

From an article concerning diplomatic efforts to secure the release of internation health workers that the Libyan government had blamed for infecting children with HIV.

Behind Sarkozy's Libya Coup

Ummm....the way that headline is worded, I expected to read about tanks and guns and Muammar Ghaddafi's removal as dictator of Libya, and how new French President Nicolas Sarkozy engineered it.

Instead, the article talks about a Libyan invitation for Sarcozy to visit the country, politicking, and photo ops.

...The media has been completely fooled into thinking that it was about possible cancer.

From the Detroit Free Press -

No cancer found in President Bush's colon

Of course, that headline was more printable than the truth -

Kyl's nose found; amputation considered

...Newt Gingrich criticizes the Republican presidential field and threatens to run.

From Examiner.com -

Dismissing the GOP presidential field as a "pathetic" bunch of "pygmies," Newt Gingrich hinted Monday he might step in to beat Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

"If, in mid-October, it's quite clear that one or more of the current candidates is strong enough to be a serious alternative to a Clinton-Obama ticket, you don't need me to run," the former House Speaker said at a breakfast sponsored by the American Spectator. "If it becomes patently obvious, as the morning paper points out, that the Democrats have raised a hundred million more than the Republicans, and at some point people decide we are going to get Hillary unless there's a radical change, then there's space for a candidate," he added. "So you'll know by mid-October one of those two futures is real."

I don't know who he's trying to scare, but you know that the Democrats are drooling at the thought of going up against him in the general election.

Definitely.

...First, Mitt Romney lumps Democratic presidential candidates and U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama with terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden.

Then he tells people who object to it to "lighten up."

The issue is that he posed with and held a sign that said "No to Obama, Osama, and Chelsea's Mama."

He then called it a joke to shirk responsibility for his behavior.

"You know what? Lighten up slightly," Romney said. "There are a lot of jokes out
there. I'm not responsible for all the signs I see."

Wonder if he'd think it was a joke if one of his opponents posed with a sign that said "Protect your daughters - say no to Romney and Jeffs."

...And on the same topic, more or less, what is with the Republican obsession with Chelsea Clinton?

W's kids, Jenna and Barbara are busted for underage drinking, but that's OK. (Arrest info here)

One of George H.W.'s sons, Neil Bush, ran a savings and loan into the ground, and was bailed out by taxpayers. But that's OK, too. (Info here)

Other Presidential children and relatives have done embarrassing things; some, like Billy Carter, made themselves fair game by taking on a public role (he became a paid lobbyist for Libya.)

What has Chelsea Clinton done to earn the unceasing emnity of Republicans?

Grown up gracefully in the glare of the public spotlight, graduated from Stanford and later received a masters degree, and gone to work.

No arrests, rehab stints, or pardons necessary.

Maybe that's what ticks them off - she makes their kids look bad.

...On a totally non-wiseass note, my condolences go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of Mike Coolbaugh. He was the first base coach for the Tulsa Drillers, a AA-level affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, when he was struck and killed by a line drive.

He was married, with two sons and a third child due in October.

An AP article on him is here.

Later!

David Ritcheson, RIP

...Umbrella poles and bleach may be slow, but apparently as weapons, they are just as effective as a bullet or knife...

It took a little over 14 months for the victim to succumb to his injuries, but the victim of a vicious and horrific beating by some white supremacists died this weekend after more than a year of pain and torment.

Oh, the official cause of death will be listed as suicide or something similar (whatever the official euphemism is in Texas), because he was physically healthy when he jumped off a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

David Ritcheson endured the attack, months of hospitalization, and dozens of operations to recover enough to testify before a Congressional committee this year about a hate crimes bill.

While he obviously was made of strong stuff, both to recover from his physical injuries and to be able to talk about it, just as obviously, it wasn't enough.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack more than a year ago, I wrote "[m]y condolences go out to the family of the victim and hope that the family is able to find justice, if not solace, in the days and months ahead. "

That statement holds as true today as it did then, though justice may be tough to come by - the murderers (and yes, they are just that), David Henry Tuck and Keith Robert Turner, are serving prison sentences for their parts in the attack.

Even if the cause of death is found to be related to the attack, they won't be charged with it.

Too bad.

Short Attention Span Musing

Takin' a break from 'budget mania'... :)


...Why don't they just move the Pentagon itself to Baghdad?

From AP, via Yahoo! News -

Army again considers longer combat tours

WASHINGTON - The Army is considering whether it will have to extend the combat tours of troops in Iraq if President Bush opts to maintain the recent buildup of forces through spring 2008.

{snip}

Most soldiers spend 15 months in combat with a guaranteed 12 months home, a rotation plan that has infuriated Democrats because it exceeds the service's goal of giving troops equal time home as in combat. In coming weeks, the Senate will vote on a proposal by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., that would restrict deployments.

Other options mentioned in the article include heavier use of National Guard and/or Reserve units.

An option not discussed in the article was the Congressional Democrats growing a spine and de-authorizing and de-funding Bush's war.


...The exodus of rats off the sinking ship is accelerating...

Also from AP via Yahoo! News -

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg leaves GOP

NEW YORK - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday switched his party status from Republican to unaffiliated, a stunning move certain to be seen as a prelude to an independent presidential bid that would upend the 2008 race.

White House budget director resigns

WASHINGTON - White House budget director Rob Portman announced his resignation Tuesday, joining a lengthening list of senior officials heading for the exits in the final 1 1/2 years of President Bush's administration.

At least Bloomberg wasn't always a Republican; Portman's a Beltway lifer with serious ties to the Bush family. His departure from the administration is far more significant.

...The list of future Bush pardons looks to be growing...

From the Washington Post -

One Giuliani Backer Is a Bust

When South Carolina's treasurer, Thomas Ravenel, endorsed former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani for president in April, he heaped praise on Giuliani for reducing crime, saying that "the mayor rescued New York City from the cesspool that it was."

So Giuliani must have grimaced yesterday when a grand jury in South Carolina indicted Ravenel on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

From AP via the Houston Chronicle -

Sen. Stevens aides questioned in probe

WASHINGTON — Former Capitol Hill aides to Sen. Ted Stevens are being questioned by the FBI as part of an investigation into the senator's relationship with a wealthy contractor.

{snip}

[Bill] Allen is the founder of VECO Corp., an Alaska-based oil field services and engineering company that has had tens of millions of dollars worth of federal contracts. Allen also oversaw renovations on Stevens' home in 2000, according to carpenters who worked on the house.

The FBI is looking closely at that project, which more than doubled the size of Stevens' home in the ski resort community of Girdwood, about 40 miles south of Anchorage. As recently as two weeks ago, FBI agent Randy Wolverton requested planning records pertaining to the renovation, according to city documents.

At this point, when the Bush pardons are listed, it might just be easier to list the Republicans that he *isn't* pardoning, if only to save a few thousand acres of trees.

...And in a moment of wiseass-free blogging, my condolences go out to the families, friends, and colleagues of the 9 Charleston, South Carolina firefighters who died fighting a blaze in a furniture store.

Rest in peace Capt. William "Billy" Hutchinson, 48; Capt. Mike Benke, 49; Capt. Louis Mulkey, 34; Mark Kelsey, 40; Bradford "Brad" Baity, 37; Michael French, 27; James "Earl" Drayton, 56; Brandon Thompson, 27; and Melvin Champaign, 46. (List of victims courtesy AP via the Houston Chronicle)

I'll finish up the budget posts tomorrow.

Good night...

Short attention span musing...

...The feds finally indicted Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), the Congressman who gave new meaning to the phrase 'cold hard cash,' on a number of corruption-related charges.

Have no doubt - if he's dirty, he deserves a cell right next to "Duke" Cunningham.

My only question is this -

With all of the congressfolk who have been raided, investigated, indicted, and convicted, why is it that the only one whose Congressional office was raided by the FBI was a black Democrat?

Are we really supposed to believe that the likes of Renzi, Delay, and Ney et. al. kept their sleaze outside of their House offices, but Jefferson didn't?


...Larry Flynt is at it again; he's offering $1,000,000 to someone who provides "documented evidence of illicit sexual or intimate relations with a Congressperson, Senator or other prominent officeholder."

Yo, Larry, read the newspapers. All of the evidence you need is there - BushCo has been screwing America for over 6 years now, and it's going to cost a lot more than a million dollars to make it right.


...Fred Thompson has entered the presidential race on the Republican side.

He'll be marketed as a former actor and a plain-spoken, folksy politician ('aww shucks'), much as Ronald Reagan was. Unlike Reagan, however, he's just another K-Street lobbyist whose campaign is being run by other K Streeters.

The 'social conservative' wing of the Republican Party may be embracing his candidacy, but if they check under his hood, they'll find that the engine that drives him is pure corporate avarice.


...In a "Friends of Farley" email message from Rep. Steve Farley (D-LD28) (aka - a "Farleygram"), he reports that there may be some movement on the budget down at the lege this week, and that there is a chance (no guarantees, mind you, just a 'chance'), that the session may end next week.

From the email -

"Just a quick, early Farley Report today, as the Speaker unexpectedly adjourned the House until Thursday while assuring us that budget talks will be continuing. The Majority Leader, Tom Boone, told us that he expects we will have some floor action on the budget on Thursday and that we may be ending the session late next week. We shall see what they come up with. I may send another brief Farley Report on Thursday night to tell you what happens."

...My condolences to the friends and family of Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY) on his passing...

Later!

Short attention span musing

...this is definitely an idea that some in this country would like...a LOT.

From Reuters -

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The judges were isolated and 1,000 police manned barricades around the court on Wednesday as Thais awaited rulings on whether major parties would be disbanded and their leaders banned from politics.


{snip}

The leading Thai-language newspaper Thai Rath said a majority of the judges had ruled after fierce debate for the verdict most Thais seemed to want -- ban individuals for breaching election laws last year but leave the parties intact.

Break election laws and get banned from politics? What a concept!! Maybe we should ask David Burnell Smith for a quote...


...I'm not a supporter of capital punishment, buuuuuut....

From the Washington Post -

Ex-Head of China FDA Sentenced To Death

BEIJING, May 29 -- The disgraced head of China's drug administration was sentenced to death Tuesday for accepting what a court described as "huge bribes" to approve faulty medicines, including a batch of antibiotics that killed six patients and sickened 80.

Take bribes and die?

I'd settle for a punishment of life in prison without the possibility of parole, but given the rampant corruption of government at all levels in this country, I can understand the urge to create a couple of more permanent examples.


...My condolences go out to the friends and family of Marquise Hill, a player for the New England Patriots. He drowned in Lake Ponchartrain after an accident while jet skiing. Before he died, he was able help a friend to safety.

No snarky sarcasm here; far too often, when we hear about a pro athlete or celebrity off-field or off-screen, it's about some kind of misbehavior (see: Hilton, Paris or Bengals, Cincinatti.)

It's only fair to note it when one does right.


Later!

VaTech and computer issues

First and foremost, my thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims of the gunman at Virginia Tech.


Second, and of far less import, my posting for the next week or so will be intermittent or even almost non-existent. My computer's feeling its age (almost 6 years old, which is 90 or so in computer years), and it's having some problems that even a reformat may not fix. Time to start looking for something a little newer, maybe in a laptop that will set up as my home 'puter.


Last note: There is going to be a flood of questions and facts (though not always actual information) over the coming days and weeks about today's massacre in Virginia. Let it be noted now that while the horror of the slaughter was the first thing that I noticed when watching the MSM coverage, the second thing that I noticed was the utter insipidness of the questions and statements of the reporters and studio folks from the cable newsnets. They should be embarrassed.

They won't be though.

Later!