i can't see! where is it? where am i?

The art of politics and the doing of the doing.

It’s taken some time rehashing and doctoring this up to get there to a point at which I’m happy enough with it. You may want to bail out right now; if you don't, you'll be here for a bit.

I guess the three main things I’m driving at are voter inattention (polling data now vs. later), the amount of time and money needed to get things done, and the endless methodology of not actually doing anything because you’re in a bad mood.

First of all, the mid-term elections are still 8-9 months away and what’s become clear to me about American politics, and the fickle voter, is that nothing beyond two months stays in our head. Screaming about the healthcare overhaul? Gone. The “you lie” moment? Gone. Tea Partiers? Nearly gone. Granted, some issues are bigger than others but we don’t care to remember any once the latest Palin, Cheney, or Holder misstep or battle pops up. By the time we hit the September – November 2010timeframe I suspect things will have changed for the better; and by better I mean the economy. Not only am I comfortable that it will happen but I need some time and space to clear up a few issues, issues that fall in tandem, that bother me.

First, the stimulus package that got everyone so riled up last year. I think I brought it up a bit back then but it’s worth a look back at the money and bill. You can take a look at the stimulus tracking Web site or the WaPo breakdown if you want exact numbers (or go to any site you trust). A key provision of the bill was that the distribution of the benefits was scheduled for the out years; 2010-2014 being on the table. The point of that delayed gratification was to allow us to put on the brakes and steady the landing before moving money into others areas over time in order to prevent a back slide. So far, only about $200B of the nearly $800B has been distributed. I’d venture to guess that 95% of Americans think the entire $800B is gone and lost by now. When Japan was battling this same type of collapse in the 1990s they made the mistake of funding recovery and then backing off – it tumbled even deeper at that point – and then re-funding. And stopping. And re-funding. It ended up worse in the end because there was no long-term commitment by the government and the people. The delayed investment plan will work throughout this year and by the autumn things will be more stable and the public will see the benefits; and long forgotten this idea of turning over any portion of governing to those who refuse to govern. What about the unemployment rate? That’ll take awhile longer, as should be expected. Unemployment is a lagging indicator on the way down and it’s still a lagging indicator, on the way up, during any recovery. Considering that it was discussed endlessly during the collapse as a lagging indicator, I’m surprised how mental everyone is that it’s coming back so slowly: we knew that would happen. It’ll be two years before we see the unemployment numbers drop back down to 6% or 7% - call it the nature of the beast.

Second thing: the recovery/stimulus package and cutting taxes vs. spending. You can dig around for yourself but know that 22% of the entire package (per the CBO; the % is in the 30s by other accounts) was strictly tax cuts. There is additional spending, as was/is needed, but when one party wants tax cuts and another wants increased spending to fix a problem you can’t get everything you want in a bill; the pie only cuts in so many ways. The party in charge is going to get more of what they want and that’s the compromise part; not to mention the election and democracy part. Nobody who’s against the current process would even think to point out that tax cuts were part of the stimulus because it would merely expose them for the lost souls they are. The Republicans simply voted against it because they refuse to actually do anything, at all. (No Republican member of the House voted for it, three senators did: Specter, PA; Snowe and Collins, ME)

This brings us to the ‘jobs bill’ that was passed in the Senate last week and which really triggered this entry that’s killing you to read. It still needs to be reconciled with the House version but the real kicker is that the Republicans and Harry Reid watered it down to almost nothing in order to get some support and it ended up being a $15B bill that will provide, per the CBO, about 250,000 jobs. Is it perfect? Not by a long shot but for those 250,000 folks it’s important. The kicker? Nearly the entire bill ($13B) is tax cuts. Employers who hire unemployed workers are exempt from payroll taxes until the end of the year and will also receive a $1,000 bonus if the employee is still there after one year. Let’s break this down: tax cuts to employers in order to allow them to hire more people, folks getting off the unemployment rolls and off the socialist agenda, and more money into the economy via their new dollars to spend. Sound familiar? Sound like Republican talking points? Certainly. And how many voted for it? Five of 41 (Brown, MA; Snowe and Collins, ME; Voinovich, OH; Bond, MO). What does it mean? It means that we are continuing to see the Republicans selling a bill of goods that is directly opposed to what they say out of the other side of their mouths and it’s killing our government. If those five moderates didn’t actually vote for what they stand for (lower taxes, getting folks back to work, etc.) then we’d still have absolutely zero from the Capitol and it’s mostly propped on the laps of the Republicans. No one can actually take people like Boehner or McConnell seriously. They yell and scream about tax cuts but when you give them tax cuts they stick their heads and sand and do nothing. Are they going to get every thing they want? Not a chance. As Sen. Lindsey Graham said during the Sotomayor hearings: we had an election and the results matters.

I also don’t want to wander to far away from my massive disappointment in the leadership of Congress. I find both Reid and Pelosi to be lacking in shepherding legislation through the two chambers: if I could choose, I’d look elsewhere. Even with a massive majority they’ve been unable – Reid, in particular – to rally forces and votes to move business through the Senate. The run-up to the summer recess is going to be the stretch run for the fall elections and those months need to be used to lay the groundwork and continur the progress we’ve made so far. If you don’t think anything’s been done then you don’t actually follow events.

Lastly, on the budget and the deficit. I’m sure we all know that the funding for the war on terrorism wasn’t actually funded via normal budgetary methods from 2001-2008 (it wasn't reported as deficit spending but it sure is now). Funny that. After the budgets for defense were approved every year, the Administration used emergency funding to come up with nearly $500B for GWOT between 2001-2007. “By 2007, roughly 25 percent of all of the resources coming into Defense were coming through the emergency funding "window."” (Another $142B was emergency funded in FY2008.) By my tally that’s about $650B over eight years that wasn’t included in any annual budget. (The Heritage Foundation says it’s closer to $800B from 2002-2008 – you should read the whole piece if you have time). By contrast, the recently signed $626B defense budget for 2010 includes monies for both basic defense spending and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (whose costs have not been budgeted for the last nine years.) In the end, we’ll pay for the $650B in emergency funding – it’s a part of the debt; something that’s rarely followed – but it was never reflected as deficit spending while it was happening; convenient, that is.

As Coates said just today at his site, “In all of us, there are strong motives for not thinking. Just getting through the day as tax-paying, spouse-loving, child-rearing adult is hard enough.” True that. True that.

I think my readership will probably drop to zero after this...

irony

I don't know if it's truly ironic or not but as I was finishing my school registration for next quarter I needed to enroll in one online class (I actually hate online classes). But, in order to do so you have to enroll at the school: you can't enroll online for an online course. Odds?

We continued to bask in the glory of our win the other night - a nice $25 credit that will pay for two Cosmos and one Guinness. I suspect we'll end up with something like 30 points and be wholly embarrassed.

The schools here have sat around conference rooms and debated how to make up the seven days lost to blizzards this month. It looks like some days will be extended and the New School will have the kids in school for at least one full Saturday. I think I heard some despair from children as they failed to process the missed seven days as some sort of layaway plan on future schooling.

I'm spending this evening watching Canada v. Russia in the Olympic quarterfinals. I'm cheering for the Russians...how odd is that?

We are supposed to see some snow over the next 24 hours but I suspect the folks up North will see more.

Standby for some politics, taxes, and stimulus discussion tomorrow. I know, you can't wait.

Love to all.

t

internet code .kp is north korea

Just a quick update: we got the whole quiz team in-place tonight and managed a best ever 8th of 52 teams and we actually won one of the two prize rounds of the evening. Our first ever win of any sort.

Maybe you'll get more tomorrow.

fire

Let's start with this afternoon and evening's events. L. was invited to the movies with a friend from school so we drove over and dropped her off before stopping at Trader Joe's to grab some basics and the Sunday night pizza fixings - this is where the World stopped. For some reason this afternoon resembled what we saw as folks got ready for the blizzard: the parking lot was a mess, the place was jammed, the customers were lost, and the lines were 8-10 deep for checkout. Now, I've often pointed out my distain for customers that refuse to bag their own groceries - they stand there watching the clerk as if some miracle was about to occur and the food might jump into bags. What we had today was a perfect storm or massive customer lines and staring fools. As I plopped myself in a line to wait patiently, I thought I'd made a grand decision because I'd been able to peer around an endcap and noted that I wasn't in slow guy's line (I thought I knew all the all clerks at my local...) We end up in line with a clerk who COULD not move slower when scanning one time at a time. There was no rebellious two-hand work, no vision that said "speed it up", no recognition that I was about to explode...nothing. I must say, in my defense, I didn't walked back to the dairy section and screaming "hurry the fuck up and back your own groceries!" at the top of my lungs. This situation was untenable, at best. As we finally got to the desk and I settled in for some quality bagging, I noted that our servicemember's name was, and I kid you not, Pyra, which I consider, per Webster's, as a feminine version of:

a pile or heap of wood or other combustible material

Trust me when I say that you will never come across a person bearing a name as unsuited as this. No flame, no fuel, no oxygen, the flue was closed, and any imaginable spark was non-existent. It was a truly stunning event.

I'd like to give you one last photo showing just how much snow we got here this winter. I took this shot after the thaw began; it looks like the driver simply abandoned his post when it got too deep:


I turned on some Olympics tonight and noted that they cut away from the two-man bobsleigh (round 3 or 4 runs) to show the last 30 seconds of the US v. Canada hockey game, which the US won 5-3. Granted, it's not a medal game but still - two-man sledding? Coverage is embarrassing.

Ah, there is good. Tonight was pizza night, and even though L has to decided on eating off the bat or coming home and rewarming, it went well. The kids and adults from North Park came over and we managed one huge meatlovers and one succulent veggie for the rest. It's amazing what sweet onions, mozerella, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and nice cheese can be in the end. When we finished X looked at Corey and asked where the lovely, dark brownie were. Needless to say, they didn't arrive this night.

I'll let you go for the night...

t

here and there

It’s been awhile since I’ve linked to an article in the NYTimes but this one is just my speed. This is the kind of stuff that gives me hope for engaging dialogue and ideas in the media. Of course, the comments section (I read the first page) is almost as good as the article. I’ve been scanning the news of late with an eye out for pieces that L. can use/review for her post-Cold War history class in school. Between the Times, the New Yorker, The Economist, and The Atlantic, I think we can cover the current world, as well as, its state of affairs over the last 20+ years.

I’m also giving you an entry from an interesting Vblogger, j. smooth, at illdoctrine.com (also moving and using nildoctrine.com); I just came upon him via another blog and I quite like his ideas. This one deals with an NFL player and a little bit of historical reference and clarification.


I’ll be at my last mid-term tonight and then I can settle in for the second half of the quarter and getting to the meats and whatnot.

Hey.

claiming spaces

The kids are finally in school once again after missing seven days of class and eleven days of nothing-doing, overall. I’m not sure who was more punch-drunk from the blizzards: kids or cats. Lemon isn’t overly happy about piles of cold snow and ice underfoot; no worries, she’ll still kill when able. That's her outside on the snow this morning, pondering her kingdom...or queendom.

We got through last weekend and a Sunday dinner party with great fanfare. At some point between waking up that morning, and getting back from the The Lightning Thief with the kids, I contracted some bone-aching type of flu that was doused with a load of Tylenol and an early bedtime. It has somehow managed to hang around this week and I’ll sneak off to sleep early this evening.

There was an interesting bit on NPR this morning about how we’ve moved from the 'everybody help everybody' mentality that we enjoyed during last week’s strorms – when we all helped out neighbors in one way or another – to a 'batten down the hatches and take no bullshit' lifestyle. The most obvious battleground is parking space. Even out on The Hilltop there are only x number of street parking places that we've cleared for our houses. Unfortunately, those who don’t live on the street and are visiting need to park but they'd either have to find an opening at the dead end down the street or ask if there’s an available space from those that live here. It doesn’t take rocket science to sort out which house has cleared and ‘owns’ which spaces but apparently some visitors last week weren’t well versed in rocket science. While we were at the movie some blankedy-blank Audi driver 86'd our dug out plot of land. I thought, for a moment, they may have walked up the stairs and asked if they could park there for a few hours but I was imagining something that wasn’t possible. I eventually (four hours later) left them a note on their windscreen that let them know that courtesy sometimes helps and they should have asked. As expected, they eventually left but with no response or sorry pass along to us. From what I hear, the District streets are even worse with people blocking their spaces with chairs, ironing boards, and the occasional adolescent laid out on the ground holding the space until Mom gets back from the work.

My classes are going well as I wrap up mid-terms this week – nothing stunning to report aside from the massive chicken feast we had on Saturday night after we practiced fabricating chickens. We shared with the baking class and they provided dessert; all in the spirit of cooperation.

Here's a weird little icicle I came upon just off our front porch the other afternoon. Same shot in both; the flash changed the colors.

no dazzle. bedazzle.

I had a very nice birthday yesterday – well, aside from the shoveling part - and even that wasn’t so bad. Thanks to everyone for wishes, cards, and gifts.

When I got home from a half-day’s work I was treated to the theatre in our living room as a birthday gift from the long-time resident monkeys and the newest monkey. It was very entertaining and special; since it was only opening night of the production I don’t want to spoil it for anyone else until after the weekend. Mark your calendars.

The Eleven headed up to the Greek Taverna in McLean for dinner last night after we settled the kids in with food and a movie. We decided on the Taverna for two reasons: we love Greek food, and Caps’ owner Ted Leonsis (of Greek-American descent) says it’s the best Greek in the area. Good enough. We absolutely loaded up on appetizers and ate until we could eat no more. Even though the reviews on Yelp! are mixed, I can answer that issue posthaste: they do some authentic work there and they’re not trying to bedazzle you with overdone, Americanized Greek food. Everything we had was done well and we wouldn’t think twice about going back or sending anyone else there.

Our weather has stabilized for the weekend and I’ll finally be back in class tonight. I think I have a few mid-terms to be made up.

I’m carting all the kids to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Sunday morning. Being that it’s L’s favorite series of all-time, and she has some heft to compare it to, we’re quite worried that it won’t live up to book. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Love to all.

t

let it snow; intrepid porch explorers

Well, it started slow but really picked up steam this morning about 9am with 30-40 mph winds and blasting snow. It'll take everyone awhile to dig out of this one.

dinner and a storm

Well, I had some beef that was going wanting after the last storm (not 'bad' wanting, just wanting) so I whipped up some burgers and homemade fries for the legion. L. wanted to know why I made the burgers so big - broiled on the cast iron behemoth - to which I replied, "I had that much beef mixed up and three burgers to make. Call it algebra...or geometry...or maths." I think it's always a fun challenge to see if the crew can get their mouths around the food.

The snow has finally started, after appearing to not really care for itself as a storm so much today, and is now trying to whip up its fury. The snow would be enough but the wind is allegedly going to wreak havoc on the area.

I'd thought of turnip soup for the adults but it's quickly turned into an idea closer to a big mushroom omelet; or, essentially, something easier. We'll see, won't we?

mr t's neighborhood

Here's an image from last Sunday from the NASA Earth Observatory that shows the coverage fo snow from the last storm. You can see a larger image, and the original, here. Pretty awesome. They've actually done a projection for what it will look like after tonight and tomorrow - I don't have the heart to look at it.

how do you say snow in russian?

For dorks like me this is a great slideshow especially since we live in the area and use the Metro all the time. I’ve often wondered about the progress of the system; how they sorted out where to run and when they opened the various lines and stations. I’m still amazed they didn’t build a line to Dulles International way back when. From what I understand, Dulles was built to handle the growing traffic, particularly international and long-haul continental, and opened in the early 1960s and was fully up with jumbos by 1970. Who thought to themselves, “You know what? Let’s wait until the entire area is overrun with population and then try to build a line through 25 miles of suburbs in 2010.” It’s really a horrible example of civil engineering…or thought engineering.

We’re supposed to get another 8” today, and 8” more tomorrow, before our newest and bestest storm friend finishes with us. This is getting a bit over the top.

Quiz night went well last night. We finished a bit higher than normal (8th of 43 teams) and hung a bit tougher with the legendary Naked Hookers, weekly winners and 2009 champions, as they tumbled to 3rd and only about 5 points ahead of us. X got the team prize for coming up with Lulu (sang the theme to The Man with the Golden Gun). (see foonote)

Last season, we (Caps followers, not us) got a quick lesson from our local Moscow hockey reporter on the correct pronunciations of the Russian players’ names, nicknames, and myriad other confusions. They all seem to love living here in D.C. and hanging out a Russia House but they put up with some serious name butchering. Here’s a follow-up that adds audio and an embarrassing correction on how to really pronounce Alexander Ovechkin’s last name.

Even though Corey has some broken bones in his foot, and I honestly do feel bad about that, the story that led up to the breaking of said bones at North Park Dr. is absolutely hilarious. I don't think a story has had a car full of adults laughing so hard for so long. I'll leave it to Kt to rely when she has time.

Footnote / update: I've been alerted, in no uncertain terms, that X actually came up with the Lulu answer and Kt merely made us stand firm on that answer. The original entry claimed that Kt had come up with Lulu. Believe me, it was mere moments after the the original posting before my ding-a-ling rang and I was chastised. It's now been fixed.

t

what?

let them eat cake

As the game was winding down after dinner last night, the brace of girls set-to on a cake from the greatest baking book in the World. L. had picked a chiffon cake - we had to borrow a bundt pan from down the street - and so off they went at about 7:45pm. By the time it was finished, cooled, and frosted we had a massive mess of cake and lemon frosting for the kids to snack on at about 10:15pm. Is that normal? I had a bite of L.'s and even though is was lovely it was way too sweet for me to even contemplate without a huge cup of coffee. Needless to say, a sugar rush drowned in coffee wouldn't be the best idea of the weekend.

All the kids are home from school, the Feds are shutdown so X is home, and I'm home because it's just pretty crappy driving out there. My company decided last week that if folks wanted to swap next week's Presidents' Day holiday to today - in just this event - that it wouldn't be a problem. I'll consider this my holiday weekend.

Here are some visions...

melted

I'm catching the last half of the Super Bowl (can I use that term? Will I be sued by the NFL?) while X and H. play a game of chess and L seems to be making frosting for the chiffon cake that's in the oven. The sport of the day, beyond this, was the Caps v. Pens game in D.C. It felt like a playoff game between two teams that don't much care for one another; it doesn't hurt that the two best players in hockey are meeting. It started out horribly as Crosby scored two early goals and the Caps trailed 4-1 near the end of the second period. Ovechkin came back with a hat trick - he's already scored the Caps first goal - and he scored the third and fourth to tie the game and send it to OT. He then provided the winning assist on a slap shot that Mike Knuble finished. Amazing stuff. The highlights are above. These guys were just hammering away it each other all game. Fantastic. That's 14 in-a-row for the Caps.

It took me about 1:45 to get the car dug out this morning and then X headed out to recover H. from his two-night sleepover; she made it there and back only getting stuck on our unplowed road about ten feee from my well-shoveled parking box.

The schools have already cancelled for tomorrow so my tuition for L. is being well used!

Nothing more to report from the homestead. Quiz night tomorrow.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night

This is what we'd become by about 6pm when the power finally dropped. X warmed the leftover pizza from last night in a crepe pan over our fire, we pulled out Trivial Pursuit cards, and every one managed to survive. The power is back as of about 8pm, the kids (L. and G.) won the trivia battle, and it looks like we finished with about 23"-24" of total accumulation. X shoveled the steps after her long walk and I'll dig out the car before the Caps v. Pens game tomorrow.

t

Saturday, noon

It's a pretty good storm we have going here on The Hilltop. If you've been to the house then you have some reference for the front and back porches. That hump at the bottom of the stairs is our car. We're well stocked with food and firewood so there're no issues here. H. headed out for a sleepover last night knowing full well - as did the family - that he wouldn't be coming home anytime soon.

As I was filling out the grocery list at the store yesterday morning there was a man in front of me in line buying four cases of Coke and two gallons of wiper fluid. I think I understand the Coke but the wiper fluid is beyond me; what exactly does he expect to be using it for? Do you see my car? Wipers are the least of my worries.

The Caps won their 13th straight game last night - an ongoing club record - and have the Pens in D.C. tomorrow at noon. Being that Pittsburgh is playing in Montreal today I have no idea how they imagine they'll get into D.C. anytime today or tonight. As of now, Reagan and Dulles are completely shut down. I suspect there may be a delay in the start time, maybe 7pm, and fans will have to decide on watching the Super Bowl or heading to the game against our deepest rivals.

We have loads of books, magazines, a few DVDs, Netflix-on-demand, and we still have power out here. Updates to follow.

t

freaky old shows...and people.

We got back to quiz night last night and did better, point-wise, than normal but so did everyone else. My claims to fame are two-fold, as they would be if they are claims: first, I made X and Phil stick with the Faye Dunaway answer on the "who is this" picture round (it was a 50s or 60s black-and-white photo). I only claim stubbornness and not knowledge on that one. My second point was during the 'Life and Times of William Shatner' round when the question was something along the lines of "on this 1965 show that included blah blah and talking trees, William Shatner played a dancing onion." I immediately came up with H.R. Pufnstuf, to which they both looked at me as if I were radioactive; they'd never heard of it. Of course, what else in 1965 could have talking trees and dancing onions? Yep, I was solid gold.

Last Saturday night we had a bit of a D.C. blizzard and there was some wonder on whether or not I'd have class. We were scheduled to finish up soups with a shrimp bisque, New England clam chowder, and a consomme. In the end, only 7 of the 20 showed up and so we worked 10 lbs. of shrimp into two gallons of bisque and two gallons of chowder. Once we got that sorted we finished the other 4 lbs. of shrimp into scampi and a very light breaded shrimp. I was shrimped out at the end of the night but it was a great class - loads of room in the kitchen and the chef instructor seemed to really enjoy the time. We're moving into poultry and some butchering this week (this a one-quarter, eleven-week, classical techniques course that runs about 11 hours per week.)

Both gals in the house are knocked down with sickness. L is reading in her room and X is laid out on the other living room pillow area. Both will get doused with NyQuil and sent to bed any moment.

Love to all.

t

P.S. I suspect all will be home tomorrow as we have another 4-6 inches of snow in progress.