Date

The War -- and the war.

susan — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:44:54 -0500

For the last two weeks, Jim and I have eaten our dinner while watching Ken Burn's The War on PBS. For us that means being scrunched in a corner of the kitchen, balancing plates on our laps while peering into a screen that's about the size of an old Life Magazine turned sideways. And it's no accident that I thought of Life, because the footage of the war is all so reminiscent of the war images I saw in Life and on newsreels when I was growing up.

Then it was blurry grey images, men squinting into the camera, cigarette dangling, like so many James Deans. Born in 1946, I wasn't around for most of the war, but throughout the Fifties we relived it, no savored it, in film and commemorative photo volumes, which included the cartoons of Bill Mauldin and the words of Ernie Pyle, because hey, we won! Read on!

Petraeus a Sycophant? Where's Senate now?

susan — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:43:52 -0500

From the Pensito Review. Too good to miss. (H-T randi)

American Conservative Mag Mocks Petraeus As ‘Sycophant Savoir’ - Will Congress Condemn It Like They Did the Moveon.org Ad?

The cover of the October 8, 2007, issue of Pat Buchanan’s magazine, American Conservative, shows a photo of Gen. David Petraeus under the headline, “Sycophant Savior.” The cover story is subheaded, “General Petraeus wins a battle in Washington — if not in Baghdad.” It's all here.

Pachyderm alert!

barbara — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:53:47 -0500

barbara writes

The Republicans have outdone themselves!

First, they gave us Larry Craig. As the Twin Cities and the GOP held their collective breath(s), Craig announced Thursday that he will not leave the Senate, guilty plea notwithstanding. This is absolutely splendid news for Democrats and for the Minneapolis St. Paul (MSP) International Airport tourism people. MSP has built up a cottage industry linked to Craig’s little tap dance in the loo. And just so you know? I've not yet been able to confirm that Craig will be autographing squares of toilet paper at the Republican convention in St. Paul a year hence. Stand by.

Which brings me to Republican giftie number two. Behold: The Logo. Click here for a better look at this artistic gem.

Bring on the Recession?

barbara — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:29:31 -0500

barbara writes

My name is Barbara and I survived college coursework in economics. Barely. I was a midlife student. I got good grades in my economics classes. I absolutely don’t know why. I prefer to believe it was relationship anguish and not my utter inability to grasp economic principles that left me an empty vessel, economically speaking. That is my full “I’m not an economist” disclaimer.

LeftyMN surfaces interesting stuff. Which is what set me in motion today. He sent a counter-culture piece originally penned for UK’s The Guardian by George Monbiot. It’s titled, “Bring on the Recession.” Monbiot is a UK journalist, author, academic, and political and environmental activist. Read his full bio here. Interesting guy.

Monbiot says he hopes the anticipated recession materializes. (Make that materialises.) He says he understands that hardship accompanies recession. But he also says he believes pending hardship is “the avoidable result(s) of an economy designed to maximize growth rather than welfare . . . Beyond a certain point, hardship is also caused by economic growth.” (Emphasis mine.)

Okay, Republicans. Sit down and put your heads between your knees, which is anatomically easier than where you've been putting your heads lately. Breathe and read on.

Al Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize!!

barbara — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 08:57:07 -0500

barbara writes

(Click article title for larger photo!)

Likely you've seen it everywhere, but never let it be said you didn't see it at the Clothesline, too.

Al Gore has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his incredible work on climate change (aka global warming). Oh frabjous day! He shares the prize with a U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The Nobel citation says that Al Gore "is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted."

What an incredible ride for the man who describes himself as someone "who used to be the next president of the United States."

And just so you know? The White House (that large D.C. building that apparently has the capacity for speech) says it is happy for Gore. We understand Junior is in the running for the Ann Coulter "My Pet Goat" award.

I need to process before I say more about this. A refreshing change, I know.

What does it take to be a conservative?

barbara — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:23:32 -0500

barbara writes

Say, did I mention that my guy won the Nobel Peace Prize? Well, yes, 90-year old Minnesota economist Leonid Hurwicz, of course. But alongside that, last Friday, I was totally jazzed by Al Gore’s big win. Finally, international affirmation for his lifetime of dedication to making peace with the planet. Vindication. Payback, fair and square. Oh, yeah, baby. Woo hoo!

Within nanoseconds of the Gore announcement, the punditry ratcheted up their “will he run, won’t he run?” speculation (okay, so did I). Also, a mighty wingnut projectile puke-a-thon commenced. Apparently the current twin mantras of the right are “Leave no child undamaged” (think Graeme Frost and SCHIP) and “Leave no one who makes Dubya look bad unsmeared.” The latter is a little tricky for them, since the numbers are so vast. Read more.

Peg 'em a Line

susan — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:31:57 -0500

Hey C-Liners, as you know, Barbara is the mainstay of the CLB. With wit, humor and a glowing underburner of rage, she keeps the linen flapping, rain or shine. We didn't plan it this way, she's just better at it than I am. Besides, I tend to flit between Michigan and Minnesota and abandon her far too often. But she keeps it coming.
So it's time to send some good juju her way.
Her mate David got some lousy health news today and her boat's been rocked hard. More will be known on Monday, but for now it's a tough waiting game.
We joke that our line has no power, but our linen's clean. Well, today the line has power and it sizzles with clean energy directed their way.
Please add to that energy with a few words for Barbara and David, and keep them both in your thoughts in the days ahead. I'll keep you posted.

Cancer Sucks

susan — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:06:50 -0500

Barbara writes:
David's tumor (esophageal) is malignant. CT-Scan shows no metastasizing, but that’s not guaranteed. He needs an endoscopic ultrasound, likely at HCMC, and hopefully sooner than later.
I am fine. No I’m not. Yes I am. No I’m not. Googling has not been reassuring. I’m scared. No I’m not. Yes I am. FUCK. (repeat as needed)
Of course there's more.
******

Cancer: It's the environment, stupid

susan — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 13:08:15 -0500

Woke up this morning with cancer on my brain. Only figuratively, I hope. In the last week, three friends have had serious cancer diagnoses. One is Barbara's David, with esophageal cancer, another is a friend in LA with a very rare intestinal melanoma, and another is a local writer with ovarian cancer, detected too late.
What's going on? Does this just go with the territory of aging? Or something else? Like a plethora of carcinogenic chemicals in our lives? Or a combination of the two?
More, you betcha.

Bloggers without boundaries

barbara — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:53:55 -0500

barbara writes

Welcome to the All Cancer, All the Time site. NOT. It sure as heck is dominating my universe right now, though. We’re in the painfully long (is it really only five days?) period of waiting for The Next Thing to Happen. Next thing, in this case, is an endoscopic ultrasound as rendered by Hennepin County Medical Center. And so we wait. And we hope.

Meanwhile, LeftyMN forwarded the latest post from Riverbend at “Baghdad Burning.” You may recall that Susan posted Riverbend’s last piece (I’ll find the link to it later), written as Riverbend and her family were fleeing from Iraq, finally forced to leave their beloved home for sanctuary in Syria. What hath George wrought? Read the answer.

Duncan Hunter: Seeing Red in So Cal

susan — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:03:56 -0500

I have a life-long best friend who lives in Topanga, CA, a stone's throw from Malibu and the firestorm. Her house has been used as a base in these fires in the past, and I once woke up to hearing her being interviewed on NPR by Renee Montaigne. Last night she staffed an evacuation hotline for six hours. And I have a son in LA and many friends in Santa Monica. So CNN flickers on and off in my kitchen.
CNN has a little logo in the lower corner promoting a show they're running tonight called Planet in Peril -- a show about global warming and the destruction of -- everything. It's a nice juxtaposition.
More.

Seeing Red in Minnesota

susan — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:13:04 -0500

Remember when Minnesota was a progressive state? Before Norm and Tim and Michelle emerged as our saviors? Well, that's over, as my mother used to say.

It was recently brought to light that the University of St. Thomas "disinvited" Archbishop Desmond Tutu after it was determined that Tutu had said things "hurtful" to some Jews, apparently about Israel.
Tutu was invited to the university through a program called PeaceJam International, which organizes conferences for high school students on issues related to peace.
Doug Hennes, vice president for university and government relations at St. Thomas, explained the dis this way:
Read it all, puhleez.

Five long, dark years. Remembering Paul and Sheila

susan — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:10:45 -0500

On this day in 2002, Paul and Sheila Wellstone, along with their daughter Marcia, three friends and two pilots, died in a crash that tore out our hearts.
Six days earlier they had all been at our house for a jam-packed celebratory fundraiser. Lines spilled out the doors, back and front, and people had brought him folksy gifts -- a loaf of baked bread, a customized T-shirt, a favorite book.
It was celebratory because also on this day five years ago Paul's poll numbers had spiked up six points, putting him safely ahead of Norm Coleman. It was the first poll taken after the "political suicide" of his 'no' vote on invading Iraq. And the rest is indeed history -- and what a sorry chapter it is. Please read on.

Repugs and the Art of the Hissy Fit

susan — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 23:16:35 -0500

The C-Line's gone a little slack of late. Blame it on cancer -- and some relatively minor distractions. So, filling in the gap is this piece by Digby from the AlterNet.
Note the reference to the Wellstone Memorial -- eggzactly. Thanks to comrade in chronic choler, Deb Dashow Ruth.

The Art of the Hissy Fit
By Digby, TomPaine.com. Posted October 25, 2007.

I first noticed the right's successful use of phony sanctimony and faux outrage back in the 90's when well-known conservative players like Gingrich and Livingston pretended to be offended at the president's extramarital affair and were repeatedly and tiresomely "upset" about fund-raising practices they all practiced themselves. The idea of these powerful and corrupt adulterers being personally upset by White House coffees and naughty sexual behavior was laughable.
MORE!

Debate Anyone? Who's on First?

susan — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:53:37 -0500

I was busy wrangling my demons into shape for tonight's annual outing and missed the Democrats' debate last night. This morning my in-box is full of various candidates' clips of their best moments. And I must say that John Edwards' moment is impressive.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Anyone watch it?

Will anyone be awake for the election at the rate we're going? Or is it an indication of how much we want to put the Bush years behind us that the campaign started mid-way through his second reign and all the primaries keep being moved up?
Well, 446 more nightmare-scary days, no matter which state leapfrongs to be the first to vote. Let's just hope there aren't more.
(But there's MORE below so read on.)