It's about 10 pm, and the night is cool, but not chilly. It was a beautiful portland day, and I am happy to be here.
The moon is more than half full, and my old, crippled dog is resting his chin on my leg. We are happy in each other's presence.
I have a radio show to do tomorrow morning, and karen is upstairs, beginning her final packing.
I can check in for the madrid flight when I get up.
Zacky nudges my elbow. I rub his tummy.
It's all so peaceful - so normal.
Enthusiastic crowd - lots of union folks - lots of creative signs:
Main speaker was Wendell Potter, the former Cigna PR flack, who publicly apologized to the crowd, for his years serving up lies on behalf of Big Insurance. He was eloquent and insistent that everyone do everything they can to confront the mis-informed, and keep the pressure on the lawmakers.
Former president George W. Bush criticized President Barack Obama today for taking such a brief August vacation, arguing that the brevity of his summer break "sends the wrong message to terrorists."
"The one way to let the evildoers know that they don't have you all stressed out is by taking all of August off," Mr. Bush told reporters at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. "I always made sure I did that."
The former president called Mr. Obama's golf game in Martha's Vineyard today "a positive step," but added, "It may be a case of too little, too late."
Mr. Bush said "there's still time" for Mr. Obama to correct his mistake, and recommended that the president "take all of September off."
"I suggest he find a ranch that needs some brush cleared off of it and spend all of September doing that," Mr. Bush said.
Did you know, for example, that there was a time when being called a "war profiteer" was a bad thing? But now our war zones are dominated by private contractors and mercenaries who work for corporations. There are more private contractors in Iraq than American troops, and we pay them generous salaries to do jobs the troops used to do for themselves -- like laundry. War is not supposed to turn a profit, but our wars have become boondoggles for weapons manufacturers and connected civilian contractors.
Prisons used to be a non-profit business, too. And for good reason -- who the hell wants to own a prison? By definition you're going to have trouble with the tenants. But now prisons are big business. A company called the Corrections Corporation of America is on the New York Stock Exchange, which is convenient since that's where all the real crime is happening anyway. The CCA and similar corporations actually lobby Congress for stiffer sentencing laws so they can lock more people up and make more money. That's why America has the world;s largest prison population -- because actually rehabilitating people would have a negative impact on the bottom line.
Television news is another area that used to be roped off from the profit motive. When Walter Cronkite died last week, it was odd to see news anchor after news anchor talking about how much better the news coverage was back in Cronkite's day. I thought, "Gee, if only you were in a position to do something about it."
But maybe they aren't. Because unlike in Cronkite's day, today's news has to make a profit like all the other divisions in a media conglomerate. That's why it wasn't surprising to see the CBS Evening News broadcast live from the Staples Center for two nights this month, just in case Michael Jackson came back to life and sold Iran nuclear weapons. In Uncle Walter's time, the news division was a loss leader. Making money was the job of The Beverly Hillbillies. And now that we have reporters moving to Alaska to hang out with the Palin family, the news is The Beverly Hillbillies.
And finally, there's health care. It wasn't that long ago that when a kid broke his leg playing stickball, his parents took him to the local Catholic hospital, the nun put a thermometer in his mouth, the doctor slapped some plaster on his ankle and you were done. The bill was $1.50, plus you got to keep the thermometer.
But like everything else that's good and noble in life, some Wall Street wizard decided that hospitals could be big business, so now they're run by some bean counters in a corporate plaza in Charlotte. In the U.S. today, three giant for-profit conglomerates own close to 600 hospitals and other health care facilities. They're not hospitals anymore; they're Jiffy Lubes with bedpans. America's largest hospital chain, HCA, was founded by the family of Bill Frist, who perfectly represents the Republican attitude toward health care: it's not a right, it's a racket. The more people who get sick and need medicine, the higher their profit margins. Which is why they're always pushing the Jell-O.
Because medicine is now for-profit we have things like "recision," where insurance companies hire people to figure out ways to deny you coverage when you get sick, even though you've been paying into your plan for years.
When did the profit motive become the only reason to do anything? When did that become the new patriotism? Ask not what you could do for your country, ask what's in it for Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
If conservatives get to call universal health care "socialized medicine," I get to call private health care "soulless vampires making money off human pain." The problem with President Obama's health care plan isn't socialism, it's capitalism.
And if medicine is for profit, and war, and the news, and the penal system, my question is: what's wrong with firemen? Why don't they charge? They must be commies. Oh my God! That explains the red trucks!"
Each box was clearly stamped 'Made in China'.
Peak experience last night standing at the Tidal Basin at dusk, with the Washington and Jefferson monuments beautifully lit, after a magnificent dinner at a trendy restaurant.
Off to baltimore today by train, as karen's law conference begins.
Of the 20 asparagus crowns, 15 are definitely up and 2 more are probable. This was a major relief, as I was beginning to feel that nothing would ever happen with these guys.
In a move that stunned both political allies and foes alike, President Barack Obama resigned today after serving 100 days in office, telling the White House press corps, "It's all downhill from here."
The reporters seemed stunned by the President's decision in light of the fawning media coverage he received during his first 100 days, but the hyperbolic nature of that reportage, ironically, may have been the prime motivator behind Mr. Obama's shocking move.
"Let's face it, I'm not going to get better coverage than I have to date," he said. "The only guy with a higher approval rating is that dude who landed the plane on the Hudson - or maybe that other dude who escaped from those pirates."
Mr. Obama may have a point, as current polls show that the only Americans with higher approval ratings are members of his immediate family.
According to the latest University of Minnesota/Opinion Research Institute survey, Mr. Obama's 67% approval rating is topped by First Lady Michelle Obama at 84%, with daughters Sasha and Malia and dog Bo tied at 98%.
Even the President's little-known half-brother George Obama, who resides in Nairobi, Kenya, garnered a 73% thumbs-up in the poll.
As the press corps reeled from the news of Mr. Obama's resignation, one White House source suggested that the First Lady may have been behind the decision: "Around Day 95 or so, Michelle was running out of wardrobe changes."
At the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts said that he stood ready to swear in the nation's new chief executive, whom he called "President Biden R. Joseph."
Mr. Biden is scheduled to deliver his Inaugural address on Friday at noon and wrap it up sometime late Sunday.
Didn't last long, but it was a surprise.
Currently reading: 'When you are engulfed by Flames', by David Sidaris. Hilarious.
We also bought onion sets (walla-wallas) yesterday. Will plant them this afternoon. Last year, we did onions and I was so stingy with water that, although they grew, many had hollow bulbs. The ones that we got, though, were good, so I'll try to be better this time around.
