Vote. Do it tomorrow.

That’s the point of this post.

Get out and vote. If you’ve still not opened your absentee ballot, open it today, now, and complete the ballot. Take it physically in to your appropriate entity.

Get out and vote.

Drive to your polling place and take the fifteen minutes, or half hour, or hour, or whatever time necessary, to register your intentions.

Your failure to do so is your failure to become involved in the Democratic process and, as such, clearly, you lose your right to bitch about what “those bastards” did. You don’t vote? Not interested? Pissed at Bush? Pissed that your vote “doesn’t count?”

Then take a big cup of Shut The Fuck Up when your country takes a direction you don’t like.

Get out and vote.

And I voted for the GOP.

Yes, my teeth were gnashing, trust me. Flecks of enamel were flying about as I filled in the little black bubbles on my ballot. My personal dentist made over $1,000 as a result.

I responded to Texas Fred in his comments section of one of his posts and went over my standard litany of objections to President Bush, the GOP, yadda yadda yadda. I vented. I might still vent again. Depends.

But I had to back up and consider the bottom line for me. And RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman says it this way:

Even more dangerous is that Democrats truly seem to believe that Iraq is completely separate from the greater war on terror. Al-Qaeda’s leaders are not confused about the importance of Iraq to their goal of global jihad. Osama bin Laden’s No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has said his goal is to use Iraq as a base to launch further attacks, with the goal of creating a new caliphate in the Middle East. On Tuesday, we must ask ourselves: Would surrendering Iraq to the enemy so they can use it as a base from which to launch attacks make us more or less safe?

Voters face another choice Tuesday: Republicans have cut taxes every year since George W. Bush was elected president. Democrats, on the other hand, have said outright that they plan to raise your taxes. If you’re a typical American family with two kids earning $30,000 a year, the Democrats would raise your taxes by more than $2,000. They’d raise your gas taxes just as gas prices are finally coming down. Where would it end? Well, the man who would be in charge of tax policy in a Democrat-controlled House came right out and said it: No tax increase will be out of bounds.

Republicans want to eliminate the death tax once and for all. Democrats want to bring it back. Republicans want to explore new sources of energy to bring gas and heating prices down. Democrats want to block domestic exploration. Republicans want small businesses to be able to band together to provide health care to their employees at a reasonable cost. Democrats don’t believe entrepreneurs and their employees should have that freedom. Republicans want all parents to be able to choose where they send their kids to school. Democrats would limit that choice to the rich and powerful. The list goes on and on.

There is one more choice voters face Tuesday: The Senate has approved two superb new Supreme Court justices, John Roberts and Sam Alito. Republicans supported Justices Roberts and Alito because they understand that judges need to interpret the law, not invent it. Many Democrats, on the other hand, vocally fought — and then voted against — Justices Roberts and Alito. Why? Because they depend on activist judges to hand them the victories they can’t win at the ballot box.

I suppose that pretty much sums it up. I went the “I want a viable Third Party” route. I went the “I just won’t vote to display my displeasure” route. I went the “screw all the damnable politicians” route.

Then I came to my senses and marked my ballot.

You there; I’m writing to you.

Get out and vote.

BZ

Saddam Hussein was found guilty today, Sunday, and sentenced to hang for his crimes.

On Baghdad streets citizens are dancing.

As might be expected, Saddam Hussein was a bit chagrined and unhappy with the decision.

Whilst the verdict was delivered, Hussein refused to come to his feet and had to be lifted by the equivalent of two court bailiffs.

Hussein was convicted of ordering the deaths of 142 Shiaa men and teenaged boys in the town of Dujail in 1982.

I submit that those were the least of his crimes but — one makes the best of what one has when one has them.

Here’s a shocker: “Amnesty International described the trial as ‘a shabby affair marred by serious flaws.’ “

Newsflash to Amnesty International: it was also a trial held in his own country by his fellow countrymen. It is their court system. It was their procedural system. US military personnel did not preside. Whatever conclusion was reached, was reached by his fellow Iraqis.

Tough shit, Saddam. Thems’re the breaks.

The moribund EU, of course, has to weigh in:

The EU opposes capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances, and it should not be carried out in this case either,” Finland, current holder of the rotating EU presidency, said in a statement.

Also, not to be outdone:

Before Saddam and Barzan Ibrahim appeared, Awad Hamed al-Bandar, head of the Revolutionary Court that issued the execution orders against Dujail residents, was sentenced to death. He screamed “Allahu Akhbar” (God is Great) as Rahman delivered his verdict. The judge flicked his wrist and ordered the guards to drag Bandar back to his cell.

So how many persons died under Saddam Hussein? From a quite liberal website:

Tom Grey answers David Crow’s request the empirical basis for his statement on the number of dead under Saddam Hussein. “See http://www.gbn.org/ArticleDisplayServlet.srv?aid=2400&msp=1242. Here is an excerpt:”:Along with other human rights organizations, The Documental Centre for Human Rights in Iraq has compiled documentation on over 600,000 civilian executions in Iraq. Human Rights Watch reports that in one operation alone, the Anfal, Saddam killed 100,000 Kurdish Iraqis. Another 500,000 are estimated to have died in Saddam’s needless war with Iran. Coldly taken as a daily average for the 24 years of Saddam’s reign, these numbers give us a horrifying picture of between 70 and 125 civilian deaths per day for every one of Saddam’s 8,000-odd days in power.”

And that consists of those that are known.

Saddam: see ya; wouldn’t wanna be ya.

BZ

Sorry; I’m going to ramble a bit.

Autumn; one of my favorite seasons. I love the colors of the turning leaves, the chill in the air, the yellow leaves on the deciduous trees just outside my second story writing window. I have a cherry tree just a few feet outside that window and its colors and thickness indicate the seasons. Now, it still has the bulk of its leaves attached but they are floating down to the damp ground below, in its own time.

I also drove to Lake Tahoe today, as a mind releaser and to experience the spectacular mountains, clouds, colors, textures and scents to be encountered. While the outside temperature ran from 60 and then to 50 and then to 40, I had the driver’s window open so I could feel the mountain air in my face. The heater warmed my feet and the ambient temperatures, lowering, kept me vibrant and engaged.

Needing groceries, I stopped at the Raley’s at Incline Village and then rocketed down the hill on my new Bridgestone Potenza G009 tires.

BZ’s little 2.5L Subaru wagon kept up with and exceeded the bulk of the downhill traffic and three of us, me, a new 2007 Chevy Suburban, and a Suzuki Hayabusa — the fastest standard production bike in the world, with a stock top speed of 194 — traded positions as we diced and carved the curves past Truckee, Soda Springs, Yuba Gap, Emigrant Gap, Blue Canyon, and below.

This black Suburban with no plates was driven, I could see, by a solitary young man who could not have a small Subaru, piloted by an aging, gray-haired relic such as myself, not only on his ass but challenging his pole position when he could not keep a consistent speed because his mind lapsed. I instantly sussed him up as young, stupid, long on engine but short on experience. I watched his lines on the roadway and concluded: fresh meat.

The Hayabusa entered into the fray and things became interesting, at least for myself. I knew what this bike could do and, I’ll wager, the rider did too. With a smoked helmet and leathers, I could not determine the rider’s age but, with his actions, I could guess: a male with experience not only in terms of speed but freeways as well. He was toying with us but having fun as well. Both he and I knew full well that at any moment he could have twisted some HP from his right hand and warped into another dimension. But he chose not to. His lane changes were slow, deliberate, in front of us, behind us, but definitely in consideration of our greater collected bulk.

We ran down the long straight towards Emigrant Gap at 105 mph +. The freeway was clear and the wind was bubbling my cheeks not unlike Colonel Stapp on the rocket sled. The guy in the Hayabusa was maybe in third gear. We cornered uphill and right towards Blue Canyon. The Suburban got stuck behind a trailer in the right lane. The good thing about this triad is that we didn’t do stupid things to keep up with each other. I passed the Suburban in the left lane, tipped my The Ridge cap at him, and he waited politely for traffic to clear. The Hayabusa produced some hole shots when necessary and split some occasional lanes.

Of course I shouldn’t have done this and I’m way too old to engage in these activities but my reptilian brain refused to switch off and for that I am indebted.

In any event I experienced, pushing 60, the free wind upon my face, canyon carving, excessive and forbidden speed, in the company of two others who appreciated our pack for about a half hour.

It was the quickest I’d ever gotten down The Hill.

It was a 2003 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport 2.5L engine with 76,293 miles on the clock vs. a 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa at 1.3L and a blacked-out 2007 Suburban at 5.7L.

Quite frankly, I had a whole buttload of fun.

Then, because it was cold, I stoked up the first fire of the season in my stove. A little hot chocolate, a few beers, some chicken on the BBQ outside?

BZ

P.S.
By the way, I am an EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) supervisor and instructor for CHP, my department, fire personnel and all emergency responders in my area.

Kids: don’t try this at home.

Okay; I was bad. How bad was I?

BZ

There is clearly a long and deep anti-military bias in the American media. And the press will likely do everything it can to bury John Kerry’s remarks.

But what happened is that John Kerry actually had the temerity to express the true feelings of the Dems and the DEM: any force wielded by George Bush cannot be good — despite Clinton’s Somalia, Clinton’s Haiti. Kosovo? Chechens?

Some persons even called Dennis Prager this morning to indicate the words attributed to Kerry were nothing but lies. But the truth is the truth.

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney said, in response to Kerry’s comments:

Senator Kerry owes an apology to the thousands of men and women serving in Iraq, particularly the many patriotic soldiers from Massachusetts who come from all backgrounds to defend our freedoms. As Governor, I represent thousands of Massachusetts National Guardsmen. They are more diverse, educated and prepared to do their job than at anytime in our country’s history. No matter where you went to school, or how many degrees you have, most people understand the strength of our nation comes from every corner of America.”

Kerry is so completely and totally wrong. America’s military isn’t fueled by a draft. It is fueled by an entirely volunteer force. Hugh Hewitt said today: “When you attack the war you end up attacking the warriors.” And that is so true. The trite phrase one customarily hears from many people, “I support the troops, but I’m against the war” is an impossibility. The war is attacked; now Kerry has legitimized attacking the troops themselves and that is reprehensible.

Reprehensible.

And as the photo indicates, Kerry is indeed giving the finger to the troops despite his lame retort that “it was a joke.” And, of course, no apology because, under it all, those are his true feelings and those of the Dems and the DEM. Tonight there are Liberals in the northeast drinking their martinis at elite cocktail parties, New Yorkers and Washintonians, slapping their respective backs wishing they’d had the guts to say the same.

President Bush said today that Kerry’s comments were insulting and shameful, and that “the members of the Unites States military are plenty smart and they are plenty brave. And the Senator from Massachusetts owes them an apology.”

So true.

What did Kerry say? Go here.

You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well; if you don’t you get stuck in Iraq.

Kerry wasn’t laughing, he wasn’t smiling, he wasn’t upbeat and joking, he was quite downbeat. Listen to his voice and draw your own conclusion. This was clearly not meant as anything even remotely resembling anything humorous. The comment was meant to be about the President? I don’t think so at all.

Additionally, I have a different take on his comments than others have indicated. I believe that, due to the nature of his audience, that of a college, that his comment was couched in terms of education; that is, following your education, if you attach yourself to the military you are stupid. Because only stupid persons or ill-educated people or persons with no education would “resort” to serving in the military and being shipped to Iraq for our Commander In Chief.

In essence, Kerry believes that anyone serving in our current military forces is mentally defective. Because, after all, if you buy off on anything President Bush does, you’re defective.

I don’t agree with everything Bush has done; on many issues he and I depart completely. He has overspent. He pissed away billions of our tax dollars on the senseless issue of AIDS in Africa. There has finally been a bill authorizing the construction of a 700 mile fence on our Mexican border but not written by Bush. He has called the Minutemen “vigilantes.” Big Government has thrived under Bush.

John Kerry made a stupid statement. If he’d fallen on his sword and apologized the DEM would ensure the issue died rapidly. Trust me. This won’t die.

And even some Democrats have said to ABC News, Tuesday, “I guess Kerry wasn’t content blowing 2004, now he wants to blow 2006, too.”

Contrition? Not a chance. Kerry said in response to the “attacks” over his comments:

It disgusts me that a bunch of these Republican hacks who have never worn the uniform of our country are willing to lie about those who did.”

Kerry, who is considering another run for the White House in 2008, angrily fired back. His statement called Republicans “assorted right-wing nut jobs.”

And at a hastily arranged news conference in Seattle, Kerry said: “I apologize to no one for my criticism of the president and of his broken policy.”

Kerry said the comment in question was “a botched joke about the president and the president’s people, not about the troops … and they know that’s what I was talking about.”

Good politics: when you’re wrong, and everyone knows you’re wrong, and even persons in your audience cringe, not only deny but attack.

Wonder what’ll happen if the GOP ends up keeping the House and Senate?

BZ