Today, there were a number of petition circulators outside the Civic Center branch of the Scottsdale Library (aka - the main branch). The sign they stood in front of said something to the effect of "sign a petition to help keep dogs and cats from being killed."
The actual petitions were for state Rep. Russell Pearce's (R-National Alliance) initiative to harshen up his anti-immigrant employer sanctions law and for Ward Connerly's anti-affirmative action initiative.
Read before you sign, and read every single petition, not just the top one...
Later!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Sunday Morning Crappie (belated)
My apologies to DB and other faithful readers for the even-more-infrequent-than-I-expected awarding of this dubious (and rather malodorous) honor. Between my work schedule and other demands (the presidential delegate selection caucus - more on that on Tuesday), it's been tough to stay on schedule with these posts.
The first nominee for this week's award has already been mentioned in an earlier post. George W. Bush didn't even wait to be hooked and reeled in - he flip-flopped his way into the boat with his cautions against helping out struggling homeowners at the same time the government was bailing out an investment bank. The only question is was the bailout to help Bear Stearns or was it intended to subsidize JP Morgan's bargain-basement purchase of the now-stabilized Bear Stearns.
The second nominee is...the ever-conscientious George W. Bush, who, after saying that he doesn't think that measures to help those affected by the looming recession and the mortgage crisis should be too strong, turned around and urged Congress to do something about the economy.
Of course, what he wants Congress to do is make his tax cuts for the wealthy permanent, enacting 'free-trade' deals to ease the offshoring of American jobs, cutting pork spending (leaving more money in the budget for Halliburton and other beneficiaries of no-bid contracts.
I suppose it could be argued that there's no flip-flop here - he doesn't want anything done to help the average American, whether by him or by Congress.
However, as strong a case as Bush has presented this week (OK, presents *every* week :) ), the third nominee and winner is Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.
On the flip side in his blog, he criticized AZ Governor Janet Napolitano by associating her with the travails of soon-to-be-former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer. He excoriated Spitzer for cheating on his wife with a prostitute.
However, on the flop side, he has yet to call for the resignation of indicted Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi, saying only that he thinks that Renzi "will do what is best for his family, constituents and party."
A couple of minor points here - Spitzer's behavior, while utterly deplorable, involved consenting adults; the only betrayal was his betrayal of his wife and marriage; Renzi's behavior, however, has involved betraying his entire Congressional district and his oath of office (as well as assorted fraud, extortion, and money laundering statutes.)
He hurt many thousands of people with his misdeeds; arguably, Spitzer hurt only his family and himself.
For spewing a shameless double standard like Bush, but doing so in a down-home, Arizona-centered way, Randy Pullen is this week's "winner" of the Sunday Morning Crappie.
Thanks to Emily Bittner of the Arizona Democratic Party for noticing Pullen's flip, wiggle and flop. She deserves a raise - anyone who has to read Pullen's tripe as part of their job isn't getting paid enough. :))
The first nominee for this week's award has already been mentioned in an earlier post. George W. Bush didn't even wait to be hooked and reeled in - he flip-flopped his way into the boat with his cautions against helping out struggling homeowners at the same time the government was bailing out an investment bank. The only question is was the bailout to help Bear Stearns or was it intended to subsidize JP Morgan's bargain-basement purchase of the now-stabilized Bear Stearns.
The second nominee is...the ever-conscientious George W. Bush, who, after saying that he doesn't think that measures to help those affected by the looming recession and the mortgage crisis should be too strong, turned around and urged Congress to do something about the economy.
Of course, what he wants Congress to do is make his tax cuts for the wealthy permanent, enacting 'free-trade' deals to ease the offshoring of American jobs, cutting pork spending (leaving more money in the budget for Halliburton and other beneficiaries of no-bid contracts.
I suppose it could be argued that there's no flip-flop here - he doesn't want anything done to help the average American, whether by him or by Congress.
However, as strong a case as Bush has presented this week (OK, presents *every* week :) ), the third nominee and winner is Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.
On the flip side in his blog, he criticized AZ Governor Janet Napolitano by associating her with the travails of soon-to-be-former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer. He excoriated Spitzer for cheating on his wife with a prostitute.
However, on the flop side, he has yet to call for the resignation of indicted Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi, saying only that he thinks that Renzi "will do what is best for his family, constituents and party."
A couple of minor points here - Spitzer's behavior, while utterly deplorable, involved consenting adults; the only betrayal was his betrayal of his wife and marriage; Renzi's behavior, however, has involved betraying his entire Congressional district and his oath of office (as well as assorted fraud, extortion, and money laundering statutes.)
He hurt many thousands of people with his misdeeds; arguably, Spitzer hurt only his family and himself.
For spewing a shameless double standard like Bush, but doing so in a down-home, Arizona-centered way, Randy Pullen is this week's "winner" of the Sunday Morning Crappie.
Thanks to Emily Bittner of the Arizona Democratic Party for noticing Pullen's flip, wiggle and flop. She deserves a raise - anyone who has to read Pullen's tripe as part of their job isn't getting paid enough. :))
Friday, March 14, 2008
Short Attention Span Musing
...Apparently, they've pretty much cleaned out the U.S. Treasury, so now the Republicans are reduced to ripping off themselves...
From The Hill -
From his speech to the Economic Club of New York (speaking on the mortgage foreclosure crisis) -
Median U.S. home price, 2007 - $246,900 (Census Bureau); Median U.S. houshold income, 2006 - $48, 201 (also Census Bureau)
Bear Stearns' stockholder equity as of November 30, 2007 - approximately $11.8 billion (Yahoo! Finance); 2006 compensation of Bear Stearns (then-) CEO James Cayne - $28.4 million (Forbes.com).
...Trent Franks, the cutting edge Republican Congressman - if this was 25 years ago...
I don't have a link yet (it's too soon for today's floor speeches to be in the Congressional Record), but Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ2), threw everybody a curveball today. Instead of his normal 5-minute rant against a woman's right to choose to control her own medical decisions, he stood in the well of the House and expressed support for the President's national defense program.
However, the President in question was Ronald Reagan, and the defense program in question was the ballistic missile shield, the Strategic Defense Initiative, aka - Star Wars.
What's next, Congressman Franks? Criticizing the Mary Tyler Moore for provocatively wearing capri pants on the Dick Van Dyke Show??
End Arizona's embarrassment - Thrasher for Congress.
Hope to see some of you tomorrow at ASU!
From The Hill -
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said Thursday that former Treasurer Chris Ward apparently funneled several hundred thousand dollars to his personal and business bank accounts from the committee’s funds....Apparently, Bush Administration is making a run at a Sunday Morning Crappie award (or a Sunday Morning Deck Bass, or a Sunday Eel Pout), not even waiting a day between a flip and a flop; at the very least,...
The transfers caused the committee to severely over-report its cash-on-hand totals in recent financial reports.
From his speech to the Economic Club of New York (speaking on the mortgage foreclosure crisis) -
I want to talk to you about a couple of ideas that I strongly reject. First, one bill in Congress would provide $4 billion for state and local governments to buy up abandoned and foreclosed homes. You know, I guess this sounds like a good idea to some, but if your goal is to help Americans keep their homes, it doesn't make any sense to spend billions of dollars buying up homes that are already empty.From Business Week -
Bear's stock was in a free fall Mar. 14—hitting an 11-year low—following the news that JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and the New York Federal Reserve had stepped in with an emergency cash bailout for the New York-based investment firm.For those of you who aren't sure of why Bear Stearns gets a helping hand, and the average American gets a backhand -
Median U.S. home price, 2007 - $246,900 (Census Bureau); Median U.S. houshold income, 2006 - $48, 201 (also Census Bureau)
Bear Stearns' stockholder equity as of November 30, 2007 - approximately $11.8 billion (Yahoo! Finance); 2006 compensation of Bear Stearns (then-) CEO James Cayne - $28.4 million (Forbes.com).
...Trent Franks, the cutting edge Republican Congressman - if this was 25 years ago...
I don't have a link yet (it's too soon for today's floor speeches to be in the Congressional Record), but Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ2), threw everybody a curveball today. Instead of his normal 5-minute rant against a woman's right to choose to control her own medical decisions, he stood in the well of the House and expressed support for the President's national defense program.
However, the President in question was Ronald Reagan, and the defense program in question was the ballistic missile shield, the Strategic Defense Initiative, aka - Star Wars.
What's next, Congressman Franks? Criticizing the Mary Tyler Moore for provocatively wearing capri pants on the Dick Van Dyke Show??
End Arizona's embarrassment - Thrasher for Congress.
Hope to see some of you tomorrow at ASU!
The Shocking Truth About Barack Obama
Time for the season's first Google Bomb/Viral Email...
Source: Daily Kos; thanks for the heads-up go out to The Richmond Democrat.
Posted in response to the various hate emails circulating on the internet.
Subject: The Real Truth About Barack Obama!
As enthusiastic volunteers in the Barack Obama campaign for the Presidency, we have put together a list of facts about Barack so that you will know the truth about him. Please follow the links we have included for documentation of these facts. If you value the truth as we do, please spread this information via email, blog, or any other means, to everyone you know.
- Did you know that Barack Obama is a devout Christian? He has been a member of the same United Church of Christ congregation for 20 years, and was married there to his wife Michelle in 1992.
- Did you know that Barack Obama often leads the US Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance?
- Did you know that Barack Obama is a strong friend of Israel and has spoken out strongly against anti-Semitism?
- Did you know his grandparents from Kansas were part of the "Greatest Generation?. His grandfather served with Patton's Army during World War II, and his grandmother, a real "Rosie the Riveter", worked in a bomber assembly plant back home.
- Did you know that Barack Obama was opposed to the war in Iraq from day one, before we invaded, even while he was running for the Senate, and knowing his opposition might be politically unpopular?
"I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world and strengthen the recruitment arm of al Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars." --Barack Obama, 2002
- Did you know Obama favors transparency over secrecy in our government? Did you know that Obama worked with Republican Senator Tom Coburn to pass one of the strongest government transparency bills since the freedom of information act? He's calling it Google for Government and you can see the results at www.usaspending.gov. Sen. Obama has also released his own tax returns for public review.
- Did you know that after graduating with honors from Harvard Law School, Barack practiced civil rights law and also taught Constitutional Law for 10 years at the University of Chicago, one of the nation's best law schools, where he was consistentl y rated by his students as one of their best instructors? Did you also know that he was the first African-American elected pres ident of the prestigious Harvard Law Review?
- Did you know that Barack Obama is an outspoken advocate for women's rights and has been a principled defender of the civil rights of women?
- Did you know that despite the grueling schedule of running for President, Senator Obama remains a devoted family man, making time to do things like pick out a Christmas tree with his wife and two young daughters, or hurrying home to spend Valentine's Day with them? Did you know he hasn't missed a single parent-teacher conference while running for President?
- Did you know that Barack Obama has a stellar environmental record, including having the highest rating from the League of Conservation Voters (96%) of any Presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican?
- Did you know that Barack Obama has been an elected legislator longer than Senator Clinton?
- Did you know that Barack is a member of all of these Senate Committees: Foreign Relations; Veteran's Affairs; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; Homeland Security and Government Affairs?
- Did you know that Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become law, and has introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted since he joined the Senate in 2005?
- Did you know that Senator Obama sponsored legislation working together with Indiana Republican Senator Richard Lugar, to keep Americans safe by keeping dangerous weapons out of terrorist hands? The two senators also visited the former Soviet Union to inspect the decommissioning of nuclear weapons. Sen. Lugar said of Sen. Obama, "He does have a sense of idealism and principled leadership, a vision of the future."
- Did you know that Barack Obama is the only candidate running for president who voted against using cluster bombs in Iraq and the only candidate who supports banning the use of landmines?
- Did you know that, as an Illinois state senator, Barack Obama succeeded in passing legislation requiring the videotaping of police interrogations, gaining the respect and support not only of fellow legislators but that of the police, who had initially opposed the legislation?
- Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland, Ulysses S. Grant, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton were all younger when they took office than Barack Obama will be?
During election season many emails are circulated about the candidates. Some are true, some aren't. It's often difficult to determine the truth. We encourage you to visit the following non-partisan sites that do a good job of fact checking the candidates.
http://www.snopes.com/
http://www.factcheck.org/
Source: Daily Kos; thanks for the heads-up go out to The Richmond Democrat.
Posted in response to the various hate emails circulating on the internet.
Thank you Harry...
Earlier today, in spite of Republican tactics that reeked of hysteria, grandstanding, and attempts to baldly intimidate them, Congressman Harry Mitchell (D-AZ5) and 212 other Democrats approved the House version of H.R. 3773, the FISA Amendments Act of 2008.
The House version did not include the main clause that the President and the other Republicans in D.C. wanted, the one that retroactively granted immunity to telecommunications companies that participated in warrantless wiretapping in the past.
The final vote was 213 - 197, 1 voting 'present.' The voting in the Arizona delegation fell along party lines - Democrats Giffords, Grijalva, Pastor, and Mitchell voting 'yea'; Republicans Flake, Franks, Renzi, and Shadegg voting 'nay.'
Last August, I criticized Harry Mitchell and the Blue Dogs for voting for a very bad bill, one that didn't require judicial oversight of electronic surveillance; it's only fair that I compliment him and them (mostly, anyway - 12 Dems crossed over today) now.
They've earned it.
Washington Post coverage of today's vote here.
WaPo coverage of President Bush's remarks on the topic yesterday here (summary: he says that he will veto any bill without immunity.)
White House statement on today's vote here.
ACLU statement on today's vote here.
Later!
The House version did not include the main clause that the President and the other Republicans in D.C. wanted, the one that retroactively granted immunity to telecommunications companies that participated in warrantless wiretapping in the past.
The final vote was 213 - 197, 1 voting 'present.' The voting in the Arizona delegation fell along party lines - Democrats Giffords, Grijalva, Pastor, and Mitchell voting 'yea'; Republicans Flake, Franks, Renzi, and Shadegg voting 'nay.'
Last August, I criticized Harry Mitchell and the Blue Dogs for voting for a very bad bill, one that didn't require judicial oversight of electronic surveillance; it's only fair that I compliment him and them (mostly, anyway - 12 Dems crossed over today) now.
They've earned it.
Washington Post coverage of today's vote here.
WaPo coverage of President Bush's remarks on the topic yesterday here (summary: he says that he will veto any bill without immunity.)
White House statement on today's vote here.
ACLU statement on today's vote here.
Later!
Scottsdale Update
...On the TCE/Arizona American Water (AAWC) front -
I attended a presentation from the City of Scottsdale put on by Suzanne Grendahl and Art Nunez of the City of Scottsdale (previously mentioned here) regarding the City's operation of the Central Groundwater Treatment Facility (CGTF) on the northwest corner of Pima and Thomas. The impetus for the presentation was concerns about the likelihood of a CGTF-based repeat of the incidents at the Arizona American-operated Miller Road Treatment Facility (MRTF) (background here and here).
I can say that, based on the presentation, while a failure such as that which occurred at MRTF is still possible at CGTF (equipment failures are always possible, no matter how well designed and maintained that equipment), the systems that the City of Scottsdale has in place make it exceedingly unlikely that such a failure would go undetected, such as happened at MRTF for more than 16 hours.
Not only is the site physically staffed 10 - 12 hours per day, seven days a week, the site is subject to ongoing remote computer monitoring (SCADA) during the off-hours and at least one physical walk-through by a city water treatment operator during the night.
Definitely an improvement on AAWC's procedures, which allowed a failure to go undetected from 2:30 p.m. on one day until after 6:30 a.m. the next.
- In addition to this info about the control systems at CGTF, Ms. Grendahl and Mr. Nunez briefly covered a planned improvement project at the facility. It won't affect TCE remediation; it's just intended to reduce the hardness of the water from the facility into alignment with that available in the rest of the city. The City has tentatively scheduled an open house at the site on April 8, 2008 for 6:00 p.m.
For more info, contact Suzanne Grendahl at sgrendahl[at]scottsdaleaz.gov or 480-312-8719.
- Lastly (for now :) ) on the TCE/AAWC issue, on Tuesday night the Scottsdale City Council will hear the results of a study they ordered City Staff to compile on possible options for water service to the 1400+ Arizona American Water customers in Scottsdale.
Those options will include maintaining the current system, with the City working with AzAm Water to improve service to the company's Scottsdale customers, purchasing the Scottsdale part of AAWC's system, or working with the Town of Paradise Valley to purchase the entire AAWC system in the affected area.
Each of those options has its costs and benefits; the "highlight" of those costs is that the estimated value of AAWC's operation is in excess of $50 million.
That could be a tough nut to get past the Scottsdale taxpayers/voters during an election year.
...In other, more election-related Scottsdale news, there is a group called Height and Density, that was formed to fight Council approval of a high-density, high-height development project, the Hanover Project. HAD is working on collecting enough signatures to force the Council's decision to a referendum.
The Hanover Project is helmed by Eric Kenney of Hanover RS Limited Partnership from Texas. They've formed a counter group, Citizens for Smart Growth. That counter group has reported two major expenditures thus far - $10K to retain legal counsel and more than $7700 to hire a signature gathering firm, Derrick C. Lee's Campaign Finance Co. LLC, aka Lee Petitions.
That's where it gets interesting. Turns out that Lee Petitions does more than collect signatures; they try to intimidate and suppress those who dare to oppose their clients.
Lee Petitions has a colorful history, including fraudulent signatures (AZ, CO, and MT) and heavy involvement with Nathan Sproul, the man who would be an Arizona version of Karl Rove.
One of the other organizations involved with the Hanover Project in Scottsdale? Technical Solutions, the lobbying firm owned by erstwhile Republican Congressional candidate in CD5, Susan Bitter Smith.
Guess she has a decision to make, if she really wants to win the Republican nomination in CD5 - respect the voters in the district, or keep her industry clients happy.
If you have time, money, want to sign HAD's petition, or just despise bullies as much as I do, contact Tom Giller at 480-994-1181.
...At last night's meeting of COGS, I heard about another candidate entering the race for City Council, but I haven't been able to confirm it as yet. Another candidate would balance the apparent non-candidacy of Richard Mueller. Mr. Mueller has filed organizational paperwork but has yet to exhibit any real activity, including responding to emails from me and MSM representatives seeking to learn about his candidacy.
Later!
I attended a presentation from the City of Scottsdale put on by Suzanne Grendahl and Art Nunez of the City of Scottsdale (previously mentioned here) regarding the City's operation of the Central Groundwater Treatment Facility (CGTF) on the northwest corner of Pima and Thomas. The impetus for the presentation was concerns about the likelihood of a CGTF-based repeat of the incidents at the Arizona American-operated Miller Road Treatment Facility (MRTF) (background here and here).
I can say that, based on the presentation, while a failure such as that which occurred at MRTF is still possible at CGTF (equipment failures are always possible, no matter how well designed and maintained that equipment), the systems that the City of Scottsdale has in place make it exceedingly unlikely that such a failure would go undetected, such as happened at MRTF for more than 16 hours.
Not only is the site physically staffed 10 - 12 hours per day, seven days a week, the site is subject to ongoing remote computer monitoring (SCADA) during the off-hours and at least one physical walk-through by a city water treatment operator during the night.
Definitely an improvement on AAWC's procedures, which allowed a failure to go undetected from 2:30 p.m. on one day until after 6:30 a.m. the next.
- In addition to this info about the control systems at CGTF, Ms. Grendahl and Mr. Nunez briefly covered a planned improvement project at the facility. It won't affect TCE remediation; it's just intended to reduce the hardness of the water from the facility into alignment with that available in the rest of the city. The City has tentatively scheduled an open house at the site on April 8, 2008 for 6:00 p.m.
For more info, contact Suzanne Grendahl at sgrendahl[at]scottsdaleaz.gov or 480-312-8719.
- Lastly (for now :) ) on the TCE/AAWC issue, on Tuesday night the Scottsdale City Council will hear the results of a study they ordered City Staff to compile on possible options for water service to the 1400+ Arizona American Water customers in Scottsdale.
Those options will include maintaining the current system, with the City working with AzAm Water to improve service to the company's Scottsdale customers, purchasing the Scottsdale part of AAWC's system, or working with the Town of Paradise Valley to purchase the entire AAWC system in the affected area.
Each of those options has its costs and benefits; the "highlight" of those costs is that the estimated value of AAWC's operation is in excess of $50 million.
That could be a tough nut to get past the Scottsdale taxpayers/voters during an election year.
...In other, more election-related Scottsdale news, there is a group called Height and Density, that was formed to fight Council approval of a high-density, high-height development project, the Hanover Project. HAD is working on collecting enough signatures to force the Council's decision to a referendum.
The Hanover Project is helmed by Eric Kenney of Hanover RS Limited Partnership from Texas. They've formed a counter group, Citizens for Smart Growth. That counter group has reported two major expenditures thus far - $10K to retain legal counsel and more than $7700 to hire a signature gathering firm, Derrick C. Lee's Campaign Finance Co. LLC, aka Lee Petitions.
That's where it gets interesting. Turns out that Lee Petitions does more than collect signatures; they try to intimidate and suppress those who dare to oppose their clients.
Lee Petitions has a colorful history, including fraudulent signatures (AZ, CO, and MT) and heavy involvement with Nathan Sproul, the man who would be an Arizona version of Karl Rove.
One of the other organizations involved with the Hanover Project in Scottsdale? Technical Solutions, the lobbying firm owned by erstwhile Republican Congressional candidate in CD5, Susan Bitter Smith.
Guess she has a decision to make, if she really wants to win the Republican nomination in CD5 - respect the voters in the district, or keep her industry clients happy.
If you have time, money, want to sign HAD's petition, or just despise bullies as much as I do, contact Tom Giller at 480-994-1181.
...At last night's meeting of COGS, I heard about another candidate entering the race for City Council, but I haven't been able to confirm it as yet. Another candidate would balance the apparent non-candidacy of Richard Mueller. Mr. Mueller has filed organizational paperwork but has yet to exhibit any real activity, including responding to emails from me and MSM representatives seeking to learn about his candidacy.
Later!
Democratic Presidential Delegate Selection
Tomorrow, Saturday March 15, Arizona's Democratic PCs will caucus to select their district level delegates to this summer's national convention.
The AZDems' statewide information page on this event is here.
The CD5-specific info:
Caucus location -
CD 5 Arizona State University – Map
Registration: Social Sciences Building – SS (ground floor)
Obama Caucus: SS226
Clinton Caucus: SS229
Directions to Arizona State University, University Drive & Mill Ave. Tempe, AZ
Tempe Campus Map
From the 202, Exit Scottsdale Rd./Rural, Turn right on to Rural, Turn Right on to Rio Salado, Park in Lot 59, just North, Northeast & East of the ASU Sun Devils Stadium.
Drop off location:
CD 4 – 5: From Lot 59, head South to University Dr. Head West to Normal Dr., turn South in the parking lot nest to the Student Health Center. Drop off in parking lot.
All voting PCs must register before the caucus starts; registration opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes promptly at 10:00 a.m.
Delegates to be selected from CD5 -
2 Delegates for Hillary Clinton (one male, one female); 3 Delegates for Barack Obama (one male, two female, plus one male alternate).
In CD5, there are 11 Clinton delegate candidates; 25 Obama delegate candidates.
A list of all delegate candidates can be found here.
While coffee and water will be provided, and box lunches will be available for purchase, the ADP recommends that caucus-goers bring drinks and snacks, as the caucuses may take several hours.
Note: I've decided to caucus for the Obama delegates. I'll be voting for uber-volunteer (and LD17 PC and vice-chair) Lauren Kuby.
With her activist resume starting with volunteering for the McGovern campaign in '72 and continuing through her dedication to the Obama campaign, she epitomizes the grassroots heart of the Democratic Party.
In addition to her work as vice-chair of the LD17 Dems, including serving as both the Communications and Fundraising chairs, she organized for Obama in AZ even before he had an AZ campaign. She's both opened her home to out-of-state volunteers and volunteer to travel to other states for the campaign (IA, NV, TX) herself.
If there is anyone is the state that can be said to have *earned* a trip to the national convention in Denver, it's Lauren Kuby.
As for my other choices, I've got no bleepin' clue. :)
There are a number of other wholly deserving candidates; I'm going to have to wait until their 3 minute presentations tomorrow to decide.
Later!
The AZDems' statewide information page on this event is here.
The CD5-specific info:
Caucus location -
CD 5 Arizona State University – Map
Registration: Social Sciences Building – SS (ground floor)
Obama Caucus: SS226
Clinton Caucus: SS229
Directions to Arizona State University, University Drive & Mill Ave. Tempe, AZ
Tempe Campus Map
From the 202, Exit Scottsdale Rd./Rural, Turn right on to Rural, Turn Right on to Rio Salado, Park in Lot 59, just North, Northeast & East of the ASU Sun Devils Stadium.
Drop off location:
CD 4 – 5: From Lot 59, head South to University Dr. Head West to Normal Dr., turn South in the parking lot nest to the Student Health Center. Drop off in parking lot.
All voting PCs must register before the caucus starts; registration opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes promptly at 10:00 a.m.
Delegates to be selected from CD5 -
2 Delegates for Hillary Clinton (one male, one female); 3 Delegates for Barack Obama (one male, two female, plus one male alternate).
In CD5, there are 11 Clinton delegate candidates; 25 Obama delegate candidates.
A list of all delegate candidates can be found here.
While coffee and water will be provided, and box lunches will be available for purchase, the ADP recommends that caucus-goers bring drinks and snacks, as the caucuses may take several hours.
Note: I've decided to caucus for the Obama delegates. I'll be voting for uber-volunteer (and LD17 PC and vice-chair) Lauren Kuby.
With her activist resume starting with volunteering for the McGovern campaign in '72 and continuing through her dedication to the Obama campaign, she epitomizes the grassroots heart of the Democratic Party.
In addition to her work as vice-chair of the LD17 Dems, including serving as both the Communications and Fundraising chairs, she organized for Obama in AZ even before he had an AZ campaign. She's both opened her home to out-of-state volunteers and volunteer to travel to other states for the campaign (IA, NV, TX) herself.
If there is anyone is the state that can be said to have *earned* a trip to the national convention in Denver, it's Lauren Kuby.
As for my other choices, I've got no bleepin' clue. :)
There are a number of other wholly deserving candidates; I'm going to have to wait until their 3 minute presentations tomorrow to decide.
Later!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Secret Session??
Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is discussing holding a 'secret session' in order that Republican members of the House can present classified information to the rest of the House regarding the pending FISA update.
I've been listening to the discussion of the idea for a little while (I missed the beginning, though), and have to ask a question that I haven't heard any Congressmen or -women ask -
How is it that only Republicans, members of the President's own (minority) party, have access to this information?
Is this another example of the Administration's habit of selectively manipulating intelligence data to serve its own purposes?
Or is this just an attempt by the Republican caucus in the House to intimidate enough House Democrats to ram through retroactive immunity for telecoms?
Note - as I was typing this post, Diane Watson of California asked basically these questions. She didn't get a clear answer.
Stay tuned...
I've been listening to the discussion of the idea for a little while (I missed the beginning, though), and have to ask a question that I haven't heard any Congressmen or -women ask -
How is it that only Republicans, members of the President's own (minority) party, have access to this information?
Is this another example of the Administration's habit of selectively manipulating intelligence data to serve its own purposes?
Or is this just an attempt by the Republican caucus in the House to intimidate enough House Democrats to ram through retroactive immunity for telecoms?
Note - as I was typing this post, Diane Watson of California asked basically these questions. She didn't get a clear answer.
Stay tuned...
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Unofficial Results - Tempe Elections, March 11, 2008
Results courtesy of the City of Tempe -
Early Votes, Total, %
Mayor Hugh Hallman 9371, 11622, 81.66
Write - in 529, 849, 5.96
Council race
Hut Hutson 4615, 5864, 41.20
D. Jacobson-Barnes 2294, 2947, 20.71
Julie Jakubek 4477, 5522, 38.80
Mark Mitchell 6295, 7927, 55.70
Joel Navarro 4507, 5901, 41.46
Rhett Wilson 2018, 2527, 17.76
Corey Woods 4810, 6360, 44.69
Because they were selected on more than 50% of the ballots cast, Hugh Hallman (mayor) and Mark Mitchell (city council) automatically win election.
Two council seats will appear on the ballot for the general election, so the next 4 candidates in terms of votes received in the primary will contest those seats - Corey Woods, Hut Hutson, Joel Navarro, and Julie Jakubek.
Other notes, based on the unofficial results -
Tempe had a voter turnout of 21%; almost 79% of those were early ballots. Wow! Expect the fall campaign season to feature a big push by both parties for early voters.
For those of you Arizonans who hate campaign-oriented junk mail and robocalls - return your early ballot as soon as you make your voting decisions - when you are listed as someone with an unreturned ballot, you will be inundated with campaign materials; once your ballot is returned, they will focus their resources (i.e. - mail and phone contacts) elsewhere.
Later!
Early Votes, Total, %
Mayor Hugh Hallman 9371, 11622, 81.66
Write - in 529, 849, 5.96
Council race
Hut Hutson 4615, 5864, 41.20
D. Jacobson-Barnes 2294, 2947, 20.71
Julie Jakubek 4477, 5522, 38.80
Mark Mitchell 6295, 7927, 55.70
Joel Navarro 4507, 5901, 41.46
Rhett Wilson 2018, 2527, 17.76
Corey Woods 4810, 6360, 44.69
Because they were selected on more than 50% of the ballots cast, Hugh Hallman (mayor) and Mark Mitchell (city council) automatically win election.
Two council seats will appear on the ballot for the general election, so the next 4 candidates in terms of votes received in the primary will contest those seats - Corey Woods, Hut Hutson, Joel Navarro, and Julie Jakubek.
Other notes, based on the unofficial results -
Tempe had a voter turnout of 21%; almost 79% of those were early ballots. Wow! Expect the fall campaign season to feature a big push by both parties for early voters.
For those of you Arizonans who hate campaign-oriented junk mail and robocalls - return your early ballot as soon as you make your voting decisions - when you are listed as someone with an unreturned ballot, you will be inundated with campaign materials; once your ballot is returned, they will focus their resources (i.e. - mail and phone contacts) elsewhere.
Later!
In case you missed it...
...sort of like "Short Attention Span Musing" but covering stuff that happened this past weekend (aka - my workweek :) ) -
...OK, OK, I can appreciate that it's a scandal and all, and that Governor Spitzer (D-NY) should probably resign, but where's the fairness? Senator David Vitter still has his day job, doesn't he?
By now, everyone has heard about Eliot Spitzer of New York's patronage of a high-end prostitution ring, and how he was recorded on an FBI wiretap discussing and arranging an encounter.
Given Governor Spitzer's high profile and the salacious nature of the allegations, this was sure to be big news.
Given the fact that the news broke on a very slow news day (more people dying in places like Pakistan and Iraq? Yawwwnn...), the story was sure to be HUGE news, and justifiably so.
I've got to ask one question, however.
Lost in all of the calls for Spitzer's resignation and threats to impeach him (mostly from the GOP)is the ongoing silence regarding Sen. David Vitter's involvement with a D.C. madam.
U.S. Rep. Peter King weighed in on Spitzer's situation (courtesy the WaPo article linked about -
He could have uttered *exactly* the same sentiments regarding Vitter, but he hasn't, and something tells me that in their glee over Spitzer's stepping on his zipper, the rest of the GOP won't either.
...In a sign that November of 2008 may be far worse for Congressional Republicans than November of 2006, Democrat Bill Foster defeated Republican Jim Oberweis in a special election held to fill former Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat. The seat was vacant after Hastert resigned late last year.
The district was solidly Republican - Hastert had held the seat for 21 years and Bush won the district in 2004 with 55% of the vote.
The area had been represented by a Republican since at least 1959.
Today, Foster was sworn it, and the 14th is now represented by a Democrat.
The force of the wave of change flowing over electoral politics that is washing Reps out of office all over the country may be mitigated here in Arizona by John McCain's presence at the top of the November ballot.
However, before AZ Republicans (specifically John Shadegg and downballot legislative candidates) start breathing a little easier, they might want to consider the fact that Democratic and Independent voters have been energized by both Senators Obama and Clinton in a way that hasn't been seen since the 1960s.
It's going to be an interesting fall, both nationally and here in Arizona.
...Is "diarrhea of the mouth" covered under the Congressional health plan?
From AP via Yahoo! News -
Apparently the Republicans are using "fear and smear" tactics in trying to keep the White House, as well as regain control of Congress.
To be fair to Congressman King, his medical condition is one of the "chronic" variety not the "sudden onset" variety, as illustrated by this post. At this point, it seems likely that he just can't help himself, kind of like an inveterate alcoholic.
In pop culture news...
...What's next? Are they going to elect Joe Montana to the Baseball Hall of Fame?
From CBSNews.com -
I'm not trying to insult Madonna - she's a great entertainer and a talented and skilled businesswoman, but she's as much a "rock-and-roll great" as Joe Montana is a "baseball great."
She's not a rock and roll artist; she doesn't serve as an inspiration for rockers (Looking for inspiration? See "Blues, The.")
When
Just venting... :)
...Always knew that "looks" and "personality" weren't the only reasons that "Mary Ann" would inevitably win the great "Ginger or Mary Ann" debates - "cool" counts, too. :)
From AP -
Rumors that the initial plea offer from the prosecution included community service and a three hour tour could not be confirmed. :))
Later!
...OK, OK, I can appreciate that it's a scandal and all, and that Governor Spitzer (D-NY) should probably resign, but where's the fairness? Senator David Vitter still has his day job, doesn't he?
By now, everyone has heard about Eliot Spitzer of New York's patronage of a high-end prostitution ring, and how he was recorded on an FBI wiretap discussing and arranging an encounter.
Given Governor Spitzer's high profile and the salacious nature of the allegations, this was sure to be big news.
Given the fact that the news broke on a very slow news day (more people dying in places like Pakistan and Iraq? Yawwwnn...), the story was sure to be HUGE news, and justifiably so.
I've got to ask one question, however.
Lost in all of the calls for Spitzer's resignation and threats to impeach him (mostly from the GOP)is the ongoing silence regarding Sen. David Vitter's involvement with a D.C. madam.
U.S. Rep. Peter King weighed in on Spitzer's situation (courtesy the WaPo article linked about -
"He's compromised himself and the entire state," he said. "So there's no way that he can stay on. And I think it's only a matter of time before he resigns, and I would say the sooner the better for him and for the state."
He could have uttered *exactly* the same sentiments regarding Vitter, but he hasn't, and something tells me that in their glee over Spitzer's stepping on his zipper, the rest of the GOP won't either.
...In a sign that November of 2008 may be far worse for Congressional Republicans than November of 2006, Democrat Bill Foster defeated Republican Jim Oberweis in a special election held to fill former Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat. The seat was vacant after Hastert resigned late last year.
The district was solidly Republican - Hastert had held the seat for 21 years and Bush won the district in 2004 with 55% of the vote.
The area had been represented by a Republican since at least 1959.
Today, Foster was sworn it, and the 14th is now represented by a Democrat.
The force of the wave of change flowing over electoral politics that is washing Reps out of office all over the country may be mitigated here in Arizona by John McCain's presence at the top of the November ballot.
However, before AZ Republicans (specifically John Shadegg and downballot legislative candidates) start breathing a little easier, they might want to consider the fact that Democratic and Independent voters have been energized by both Senators Obama and Clinton in a way that hasn't been seen since the 1960s.
It's going to be an interesting fall, both nationally and here in Arizona.
...Is "diarrhea of the mouth" covered under the Congressional health plan?
From AP via Yahoo! News -
An Iowa Republican congressman on Monday defended his prediction that terrorists would celebrate if Democrat Barack Obama were elected president, despite a rebuke from aides to John McCain, the GOP's apparent presidential nominee.
"(Obama will) certainly be viewed as a savior for them," Rep. Steve King told The Associated Press. "That's why you will see them supporting him, encouraging him."
Apparently the Republicans are using "fear and smear" tactics in trying to keep the White House, as well as regain control of Congress.
To be fair to Congressman King, his medical condition is one of the "chronic" variety not the "sudden onset" variety, as illustrated by this post. At this point, it seems likely that he just can't help himself, kind of like an inveterate alcoholic.
In pop culture news...
...What's next? Are they going to elect Joe Montana to the Baseball Hall of Fame?
From CBSNews.com -
Madonna, pop music's quick-change artist, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday and paid tribute to people who encouraged her and even critics who panned her for helping drive her career.
I'm not trying to insult Madonna - she's a great entertainer and a talented and skilled businesswoman, but she's as much a "rock-and-roll great" as Joe Montana is a "baseball great."
She's not a rock and roll artist; she doesn't serve as an inspiration for rockers (Looking for inspiration? See "Blues, The.")
When
Just venting... :)
...Always knew that "looks" and "personality" weren't the only reasons that "Mary Ann" would inevitably win the great "Ginger or Mary Ann" debates - "cool" counts, too. :)
From AP -
DRIGGS, Idaho (AP) — Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island," is serving six months' unsupervised probation after allegedly being caught with marijuana in her car.
Rumors that the initial plea offer from the prosecution included community service and a three hour tour could not be confirmed. :))
Later!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Hey Tempeans!
Vote today!
Unless, of course, you are one of the many who have already returned their early ballots. :)
For those of you who haven't voted already -
Sample ballot from the City of Tempe here;
Candidate info here;
Polling place locator, from the Maricopa County Recorder's Office here;
Voter ID requirements here.
Later...
Unless, of course, you are one of the many who have already returned their early ballots. :)
For those of you who haven't voted already -
Sample ballot from the City of Tempe here;
Candidate info here;
Polling place locator, from the Maricopa County Recorder's Office here;
Voter ID requirements here.
Later...
Friday, March 07, 2008
Candidate update - Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
Lost in the hubbub of the campaigns for President...and Congress...and State Legislature...and County Sheriff...and County Attorney...and City Council...and even certain JP and Constable seats...have been the races for County Supervisor. That's unfortunate, because outside of certain statewide offices, county supervisors have the most practical political power in the state. They certainly have more day-to-day impact on folks than any member of Congress, even though those races get far more attention.
Traditionally (well, in recent years, anyway :) ), the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has almost exclusively been a playground for Republicans, except for Mary Rose Wilcox in District 5 (southwestern Maricopa County - it's not a perfect match with Congressman Ed Pastor's CD4, but it's close).
The county supervisors oversee an annual budget of $2.5 billion, but do so with very little oversight (little oversight *of* them or *by* them.) For instance, it's been years since the MCSO was subject to an independent audit, something that some of the members of the board have made noise about, especially in the weeks since the Great Honduras Junket...errr..."Training And Professional Exchange Program" came to light.
But they still haven't done anything to bring fiscal responsibility to the MCSO.
Their reason? It would take too much effort for them to do their jobs.
From the Phoenix New Times -
This year, at least three of the supes face Democratic challengers and at least one faces a challenger in the Rep primary.
In District 1, the normally unopposed Fulton Brock is facing Ed Hermes, a former member of the state Board of Regents and current Vice-Chair of the LD17 Democrats. He has also worked for the Arizona Department of Agriculture and served in Governor Napolitano's Smart Growth Cabinet.
In District 2, Don Stapley faces lawyer Joel Sinclaire (D) of Scottsdale. No campaign website yet that I could find; research indicates that he is active in the Sierra Club.
In addition to facing a Democratic challenger in the general election, Stapley faces the prospect of a primary challenge. Cassandra Perkins (no website found), also of Scottsdale, has filed organizational paperwork. All I could find on her is that she is heavily involved in education.
That's not entirely a positive, however - she was President of the Governing Board of the Christopher Verde School District. That's the district that was formed as a tax dodge (i.e. - the school district without schools.) She moved to the Cave Creek Unified School District board when Verde was forced to merge with Cave Creek.
In District 3, Andy Kunasek is facing Marilyn Fox (no website yet), a legislative candidate in 2006 and current chair of the LD7 Democrats. Background on Kunasek and why he is unfit to be a county supervisor here and here.
Note: it's possible that I've missed a couple of candidates here. My research was through the Maricopa County Recorders Office website, and while that website has many strengths, it has a singularly *horrible* committee search function. You have to know all or part of a candidate's name.
I searched by vowel and tried to sort through every county registered committee.
There are a *lot* of JP, constable, and school board candidates this year. :)
Later!
Traditionally (well, in recent years, anyway :) ), the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has almost exclusively been a playground for Republicans, except for Mary Rose Wilcox in District 5 (southwestern Maricopa County - it's not a perfect match with Congressman Ed Pastor's CD4, but it's close).
The county supervisors oversee an annual budget of $2.5 billion, but do so with very little oversight (little oversight *of* them or *by* them.) For instance, it's been years since the MCSO was subject to an independent audit, something that some of the members of the board have made noise about, especially in the weeks since the Great Honduras Junket...errr..."Training And Professional Exchange Program" came to light.
But they still haven't done anything to bring fiscal responsibility to the MCSO.
Their reason? It would take too much effort for them to do their jobs.
From the Phoenix New Times -
...Because the sheriff's $241 million budget is the biggest in the county, such an audit would undoubtedly require the entire 18-member audit staff working for months on end.Change is coming, however.
"It would take the board to come and tell us they wanted us to spend our resources onto such a big audit," says County Auditor Ross Tate. "They haven't done that."
Jim Bloom, chief of staff for Supervisor Andy Kunasek, echoed Tate. "If we were to audit the Sheriff in totality, it would take not only our entire audit staff, but a lot of his staff, too," he says. "It wouldn't make any sense. If we did an audit that big on his operations, in the meantime, we wouldn't be doing an audit on anyone else."
This year, at least three of the supes face Democratic challengers and at least one faces a challenger in the Rep primary.
In District 1, the normally unopposed Fulton Brock is facing Ed Hermes, a former member of the state Board of Regents and current Vice-Chair of the LD17 Democrats. He has also worked for the Arizona Department of Agriculture and served in Governor Napolitano's Smart Growth Cabinet.
In District 2, Don Stapley faces lawyer Joel Sinclaire (D) of Scottsdale. No campaign website yet that I could find; research indicates that he is active in the Sierra Club.
In addition to facing a Democratic challenger in the general election, Stapley faces the prospect of a primary challenge. Cassandra Perkins (no website found), also of Scottsdale, has filed organizational paperwork. All I could find on her is that she is heavily involved in education.
That's not entirely a positive, however - she was President of the Governing Board of the Christopher Verde School District. That's the district that was formed as a tax dodge (i.e. - the school district without schools.) She moved to the Cave Creek Unified School District board when Verde was forced to merge with Cave Creek.
In District 3, Andy Kunasek is facing Marilyn Fox (no website yet), a legislative candidate in 2006 and current chair of the LD7 Democrats. Background on Kunasek and why he is unfit to be a county supervisor here and here.
Note: it's possible that I've missed a couple of candidates here. My research was through the Maricopa County Recorders Office website, and while that website has many strengths, it has a singularly *horrible* committee search function. You have to know all or part of a candidate's name.
I searched by vowel and tried to sort through every county registered committee.
There are a *lot* of JP, constable, and school board candidates this year. :)
Later!
Schapira named "Legislator of the Year" by American Cancer Society
...Courtesy an emailed press release -
Congratulations to Rep. Schapira on the recognition of his efforts on behalf of cancer victims in his district and in the state.
Rep. Schapira's campaign website is here.
The ACS Arizona Action Center website is here.
Later!
The American Cancer Society has awarded David with its annual 'Arizona Legislator of the Year' honor for his "leadership, dedication and commitment to eliminating cancer as a major health problem through legislative initiatives."
David, a cancer survivor, sponsored legislation last session to mandate that all health insurance companies in Arizona cover crucial screenings for breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. The bill was heard in the House Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee and passed by a 5-4 vote. David’s bill was the first of its kind to pass in a committee vote.
This session, he sponsored two bills relating to cancer issues. One would require that insurance companies disclose their coverages of vital cancer screenings to the state. The other bill would have made it illegal for an adult to smoke in a vehicle with a child. Both bills were killed by the chairmen of the House committees to which they were assigned.
"My goal is to work myself out of a job when it comes to fighting cancer," David said after accepting the award. "I hope that my grandchildren or great-grandchildren will not know the word 'cancer' other than as a term in history books."
Congratulations to Rep. Schapira on the recognition of his efforts on behalf of cancer victims in his district and in the state.
Rep. Schapira's campaign website is here.
The ACS Arizona Action Center website is here.
Later!
Pot, Meet Kettle
What are they going to do in the general? Refer to John McCain as "the boogeyman"??
Generally, I write this type of post calling out some Republicans on their more hypocritical mutterings; it pains me to now have to write it about a Democratic campaign.
Earlier today, Samantha Power, an unpaid foreign policy advisor to the Obama campaign, resigned from her position because of the uproar over a comment that she made.
She referred to Hillary Clinton as a 'monster' in this interview published in a Scottish newspaper.
The comment that caused the furor -
There's no question that the comment *was* inappropriate, and the resignation an appropriate punishment/corrective action.
However, the Clinton spokesman leading the attack on Obama for Powers' comment, Howard Wolfson, had earlier in the week equated Senator Obama to former independent prosecutor Kenneth Starr.
Starr was the partisan witch-hunter/attack dog that the Republicans set on the Clintons during the 1990s. In short, he truly *was* a monster, rampaging across the fields of democracy, intent on only achieving his goal of smearing the Clintons without regard to the relevance or even truthfulness of his accusations.
Senator Clinton's response was to rationalize, not apologize.
From the Washington Post -
To both campaigns - the Republican campaign is over, and all attention will be on you. *Nothing* is going to slip by unnoticed, especially if you are going to call out your opponent over every single word uttered by a minor staffer.
Expect to be held to the same standard.
Generally, I write this type of post calling out some Republicans on their more hypocritical mutterings; it pains me to now have to write it about a Democratic campaign.
Earlier today, Samantha Power, an unpaid foreign policy advisor to the Obama campaign, resigned from her position because of the uproar over a comment that she made.
She referred to Hillary Clinton as a 'monster' in this interview published in a Scottish newspaper.
The comment that caused the furor -
"We f***** up in Ohio," she admitted. "In Ohio, they are obsessed and Hillary is going to town on it, because she knows Ohio's the only place they can win.
"She is a monster, too – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything," Ms Power said, hastily trying to withdraw her remark.
There's no question that the comment *was* inappropriate, and the resignation an appropriate punishment/corrective action.
However, the Clinton spokesman leading the attack on Obama for Powers' comment, Howard Wolfson, had earlier in the week equated Senator Obama to former independent prosecutor Kenneth Starr.
Starr was the partisan witch-hunter/attack dog that the Republicans set on the Clintons during the 1990s. In short, he truly *was* a monster, rampaging across the fields of democracy, intent on only achieving his goal of smearing the Clintons without regard to the relevance or even truthfulness of his accusations.
Senator Clinton's response was to rationalize, not apologize.
From the Washington Post -
Asked to compare Power's calling her a monster with her adviser saying Obama was acting like Ken Starr, Clinton said "One is an ad hominem attack and one is a historical reference."
To both campaigns - the Republican campaign is over, and all attention will be on you. *Nothing* is going to slip by unnoticed, especially if you are going to call out your opponent over every single word uttered by a minor staffer.
Expect to be held to the same standard.
Even greatness comes to an end
And this Sunday, the best television show of its generation, and perhaps *ever,* comes to an end.
After five seasons, HBO will broadcast the final original episode of "The Wire."
For fans of police procedurals, it doesn't get more realistic than The Wire; for fans of stellar acting and nuanced and riveting writing it doesn't get better than The Wire.
It's not an *easy* show to watch.
It's not the show for people who can't see shades of gray - the "good guys" are nowhere near saintly, and the "bad guys" are nowhere near purely evil. '24' fans need not apply.
It can be harshly stark in its depiction of life in Baltimore (serving as a proxy for modern urban America), and it always requires its audience to be actively and intelligently engaged (fans of 'Deal or No Deal' and 'Don't Forget The Lyrics' would have seizures if they watched The Wire), but it's worth the effort.
If you subscribe to HBO, watch the show.
Better yet, get the DVD box sets and watch the show from the beginning.
They're worth the price.
Trust me. :)
Many epic novels have been made into movies or TV series (to mixed success), but this is the one show that would make a great epic novel.
Blog posts/articles on this topic from ADemLament, David Sirota, and In These Times.
Later!
After five seasons, HBO will broadcast the final original episode of "The Wire."
For fans of police procedurals, it doesn't get more realistic than The Wire; for fans of stellar acting and nuanced and riveting writing it doesn't get better than The Wire.
It's not an *easy* show to watch.
It's not the show for people who can't see shades of gray - the "good guys" are nowhere near saintly, and the "bad guys" are nowhere near purely evil. '24' fans need not apply.
It can be harshly stark in its depiction of life in Baltimore (serving as a proxy for modern urban America), and it always requires its audience to be actively and intelligently engaged (fans of 'Deal or No Deal' and 'Don't Forget The Lyrics' would have seizures if they watched The Wire), but it's worth the effort.
If you subscribe to HBO, watch the show.
Better yet, get the DVD box sets and watch the show from the beginning.
They're worth the price.
Trust me. :)
Many epic novels have been made into movies or TV series (to mixed success), but this is the one show that would make a great epic novel.
Blog posts/articles on this topic from ADemLament, David Sirota, and In These Times.
Later!
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