Robert Reich Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley; Author, 'Beyond Outrage' Why Romney and Ryan Are Going Down Posted: 09/16/2012 8:39 pm
Might our "Republican" brethren (and sistern) have a little re-inventing to do? I don't know that they could re-invent themselves without their heads exploding…
I'm getting a little tired of the horserace reporters harping on how the projected popular vote is close--Hell, it usually is:
Nice day today--we committed some major laziness, but got various jobs done nevertheless. Last week we had some days over 100 degrees F, and the projection for this coming week is all in the high 90's. Pretty warm for mid-September.
This evening I enjoyed two doses of Marteau Absinthe (from Seattle). GOOD stuff. Orris root gives a mild note I have not previously encountered in any absinthe, verte or blanche.
"listener9/17/2012 12:20:00 AM Y'know, Alan, I have barely been able to keep up with the news lately. But this one is really scary! And I don't like the sound of relations between China and Japan lately. How does Miyoko view that situation?"
With puzzlement and resentment that the Chinese are so crazy and the Japanese government so spineless. From my perspective it is very puzzling that the popular press does not mention the basis for the conflicting claims over the Senkaku Islands. There is some reason on both sides, but China didn't care about them until gas was recently discovered nearby... Japan claimed them in the 19th Century, and China made no objection. But geologically they arise from the edge of China's continental shelf, which is an argument in China's favor. It sounds like a natural dispute for settlement by arbitration, like the border between Chile and Argentina at the southern extremity of South America was decided by the Pope (back in the 1960's as I recall). The dispute between Japan and Korea over a few rocks out in the middle of the Sea of Japan is at least as nasty; that was supposed to be settled by the Treaty of San Francisco, but the negotiators ultimately overlooked it. Fishing rights are the major economic concern there. Then there is the matter of the Kurlies. According to the most recent treaty between the USSR and Japan, the entire island chain, all the way to the Kamchatka Peninsula, is Japanese. But the USSR and now Russia have occupied the entire chain. That is why there is no WWII peace treaty between the USSR/Russia and Japan--they are still technically at war. Japan has offered to move the border south to where it was first set, just far enough north to include four islands visible from Hokkaido. But since Japan is willing to trade with Russia despite the lack of a peace treaty, what incentive do the Russians have to agree?
This is not a good sign of the intelligence of our Congresscritters:
Shawn Otto posted in ScienceDebate [Official Page]
Shawn Otto 9:05am Sep 16 As of the deadline Friday, we received Congressional responses to the Top American Science Questions from: Mica, Pelosi, Hall, Harkin, Feinstein, Waxman and Van Hollen. Two more, Johnson and Bishop, have said they will but have not yet. Three, Boehner, Sessions and Enzi, have refused. The rest completely ignored numerous communications from us and/or Scientific American. Out of thirty four in leadership that were invited. More soon.
Nice to see Daily Show and Colbert back on the telly again today. I guess I can't begrudge the people who work on those shows a bit of the break, after covering two conventions back to back.
puddle--wowser of a link! Sending it along to Naomi.
--Alan
P.S.: I tried to find a copy of a photo I saw in the NYT from the weekend, of some folks watching Romney give a speech--it just about said everything there is to say about the future of the "Republican" party. All old white folks, the one in front with the sort of expression and pose I would associate with a totally brainwashed cult member. Couldn't find it, though.
Zounds! Howard Dean!
ReplyDeleteRobert Reich
Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley; Author, 'Beyond Outrage'
Why Romney and Ryan Are Going Down
Posted: 09/16/2012 8:39 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/romney-ryan-going-down_b_1888892.html
Might our "Republican" brethren (and sistern) have a little re-inventing to do? I don't know that they could re-invent themselves without their heads exploding…
I'm getting a little tired of the horserace reporters harping on how the projected popular vote is close--Hell, it usually is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_popular_vote_margin
Nice day today--we committed some major laziness, but got various jobs done nevertheless. Last week we had some days over 100 degrees F, and the projection for this coming week is all in the high 90's. Pretty warm for mid-September.
This evening I enjoyed two doses of Marteau Absinthe (from Seattle). GOOD stuff. Orris root gives a mild note I have not previously encountered in any absinthe, verte or blanche.
"listener9/17/2012 12:20:00 AM
Y'know, Alan, I have barely been able to keep up with the news lately. But this one is really scary! And I don't like the sound of relations between China and Japan lately. How does Miyoko view that situation?"
With puzzlement and resentment that the Chinese are so crazy and the Japanese government so spineless. From my perspective it is very puzzling that the popular press does not mention the basis for the conflicting claims over the Senkaku Islands. There is some reason on both sides, but China didn't care about them until gas was recently discovered nearby... Japan claimed them in the 19th Century, and China made no objection. But geologically they arise from the edge of China's continental shelf, which is an argument in China's favor. It sounds like a natural dispute for settlement by arbitration, like the border between Chile and Argentina at the southern extremity of South America was decided by the Pope (back in the 1960's as I recall). The dispute between Japan and Korea over a few rocks out in the middle of the Sea of Japan is at least as nasty; that was supposed to be settled by the Treaty of San Francisco, but the negotiators ultimately overlooked it. Fishing rights are the major economic concern there. Then there is the matter of the Kurlies. According to the most recent treaty between the USSR and Japan, the entire island chain, all the way to the Kamchatka Peninsula, is Japanese. But the USSR and now Russia have occupied the entire chain. That is why there is no WWII peace treaty between the USSR/Russia and Japan--they are still technically at war. Japan has offered to move the border south to where it was first set, just far enough north to include four islands visible from Hokkaido. But since Japan is willing to trade with Russia despite the lack of a peace treaty, what incentive do the Russians have to agree?
TTFN
Alan
Wow, thanks Alan. Miyoko's take on it seems just right.
DeleteYour comprehension of the struggles over the islands is impressive!
What silly spats these countries maintain...!
From politicalwire.com:
ReplyDelete"Meanwhile, Politico reports Romney is rolling out a new and broader strategy to make the election a referendum on 'status quo versus change.'"
I'd say the status quo looks pretty good compared to having someone push the flush lever...
--Alan
This is wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteThis is not a good sign of the intelligence of our Congresscritters:
ReplyDeleteShawn Otto posted in ScienceDebate [Official Page]
Shawn Otto 9:05am Sep 16
As of the deadline Friday, we received Congressional responses to the Top American Science Questions from: Mica, Pelosi, Hall, Harkin, Feinstein, Waxman and Van Hollen. Two more, Johnson and Bishop, have said they will but have not yet. Three, Boehner, Sessions and Enzi, have refused. The rest completely ignored numerous communications from us and/or Scientific American. Out of thirty four in leadership that were invited. More soon.
Here's a related story, on Global Warming, from tonight's News Hour:
Deletehttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec12/climatechange_09-17.html
Nice to see Daily Show and Colbert back on the telly again today. I guess I can't begrudge the people who work on those shows a bit of the break, after covering two conventions back to back.
ReplyDeletepuddle--wowser of a link! Sending it along to Naomi.
ReplyDelete--Alan
P.S.: I tried to find a copy of a photo I saw in the NYT from the weekend, of some folks watching Romney give a speech--it just about said everything there is to say about the future of the "Republican" party. All old white folks, the one in front with the sort of expression and pose I would associate with a totally brainwashed cult member. Couldn't find it, though.
puddle...a seeker I meet with just came back from seeing the cave art in France. Thanks! I'll send her the link!
ReplyDelete