Talking to Nazis

US figurehead W. Bush told Israeli parliament that talking to himself is like appeasing the Nazis.

I'm not kidding, it was reported in the New York Times after all.

His exact words:

"Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along,” Mr. Bush said. “We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: “Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.” We have an obligation to call this what it is — the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.”

Radicals, like the Bush administration, won't admit when they're wrong, no matter how many times a civil discussion is attempted. They advocated torture, a war for oil, compromise national security by outing operatives who disagree with them. Not to mention hiring, and sheltering, vigilante groups (Blackwater) that kill civilians abroad and hiring crony businesses (Haliburton, Kellog Brown & Root) that give poor, yet overpriced, services US troops.

Of course, Bush was really talking about attempts to engage and negotiate with Hamas and Hezbollah, how that's a bad thing. Because listening to those with whom one disagrees is a bad thing, even though listening isn't accepting. Instead, radicalism should be met with one-sided argument that claims a very simple worldview for the benefit of one group of people (radicalism).

...it's just too easy...

Clinton - Hi, I'm a soundbite away from winning this mofo

While the Obamanator is holding a big enough delegate lead in the Dem race for our next president, his latest "Gaffe" leaves me reminded that politics is veering to what it's always been, a collection of sound bites and empty promises.

So, what did the Harvard-educated, black, former community organizer do this time?

Said that Midwestern voters may be insulated and afraid and possibly putting false blame on bogiemen! ***Gasps with shock!***

Here goes the Tribune's account of what Obama said in response to why he might not be hitting it off with Joe six-pack:

"It's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations (with losing manufacturing jobs, etc).''

Now, I see this as part of a nuanced discussion on why different perspectives lead to alternate realities (I believe Obama had referred to this as " different lenses" through which people see the world). Working or unemployed Midwestern folks do by and large blame problems on free-trade policies and Mexicans. And us Midwesterners like our guns.

Not that that's necessarily wrong. It's a free country, and you can pin problems on any bogeyman you want: Muslims, Immigrants, Jews, Right-Wing nuts, Left-Wing nuts, Bush and Cheney, the Kennedy family. Let's just be conscious of who we are naming as our "Devil," and whether it's fair to do so or try to find solutions.

Clinton's response is a the best part of this whole debacle. She names the devil, those elitist liberals, of which she is not. And talks about how she TOTALLY identifies with you.



Clinton is the most in touch after all. Her grandfather worked in a factory and everything. I mean, her and Bill pulled in couple million since 2000, living on franks and beans as Hillary donned her best Ebonics accent.

Also, she likes guns:

“You know, my dad took me out behind the cottage that my grandfather built on a little lake called Lake Winola outside of Scranton and taught me how to shoot when I was a little girl,” she said.

Just don't be Gov. Richardson to the Clinton household. Bill Clinton nearly chewed his head off for not being a grateful puppy dog. I mean, Richardson has a lot of his political career owed to the Clintons, and they watched the Super Bowl and everything.

Don't worry, cries of blame and desperation will help McCain in November, then we can look forward to new wars, not really knowing much about the economy...

Is this the best we can come up with?

Busee Bee

For all you loyal "fans" out there, sorry that it's been a while since I've got the blogger 2000 up and running. I've a good excuse in that in the past two months I've lost a love one, started a new day job selling books, had my house broken into and laptop stolen, and I've been trying to keep up my writing at New City in Chicago.

Don't panic. I'm good. But renter's insurance is slightly overrated.

I was very happy with the latest art show at the Around the Coyote gallery around the 1900 West Block of North Ave in Wicker Park, doing an extended profile in it here at Chicago's "street-smart" alt-weekly.

Haseeb Ahmed presents several works of Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali, 20 years after al-Ali's death. Al-Ali's work is featured as a symbol of resistance for the Israel-Palestine conflict, with works making fun of political figures of all stripes while acknowledging the oppressed - their personae similar to any group of common folks trying to survive.

It reminds me every day that the world is infinitely larger than our individual perspective can completely comprehend.

Garden Fresh brings you Distopia and Banality in Shiny Packages

Garden Fresh art gallery, in the west loop, features to pleasantly sardonic artists 'till March 1.

As reviewed by yours truly:

Holly Holmes gives graphical commentary on the dissolution of a idealized versions of our world thanks to the forces of humanity. Nuclear cooling towers, skyscrapers, and beer bottles break idyllic scenes of a school of fish, a country sunset, and glacial wildlife. The childish-like painting in some works seem to make a statement about the human impact on the world. Is pollution a bastardization of our childlike idealism? Are we taking something for granted through short-sighted disregard for environment? Or was the artist just having fun?

A forest of chopped trees and striped green clouds awaits...

Mike Lash plays with pop culture references, juxtapositioning, and boobies to comment on little lies that parents tell their children and the dumbing up of human experience. His textual-based prints and paintings are worth seeing simply for being on one hand, banal, on the other hand, happily schizophrenic.

At the exhibit, Lash kindly shared merlot and rye whiskey to keep the gears spinning. Can't promise you the same luck...

Can't I take a shower?

Tribune columnist John Kass lathered up city hall Wednesday to see if he could use Bennett Johnson's shower. Johnson, the Chicago Budget Director, recently installed a shower in his office with possible use of public money.

Kass's stunt (with video!) is a hilarious look at wasteful spending in Chicago, while rising sales and property taxes creep up on the city's residents before the pending recession.

Carrying his towel and Irish Spring soap, Kass asks things like,
"Can't I take a shower?" It's being funded with taxpayer money after all.
"Where's Bennett, I'd like to talk to him?"
"How many people can fit in the shower"
Are there warming lights to stay warm when you get out?

Johnson's spokeswoman, Wendy Abrams, responded to nearly all of Kass's requests, "That's a fair question. I can't answer that right now, but I will give you an answer by the end of the day."

Pleasantly stalling...

Mayor Daley's administration, meanwhile, claims Johnson is footing the >$5000 bill for the shower, as stated in the Tribune.

Emminent domain, development, and you

Chicago city council is considering promoting a controversial TIF district in the North Lawndale area, reports chitowndailynews.org.

Residents organized under the Lawndale Alliance are wary of a TIF district because of the fear that any new city-financed development will displace residents and not deal with the root causes of high crime/poverty/unemployment in the area.

Lawndale Alliance founder Joe Ann Bradley's request that assurances be made to residents regarding eminent domain, etc. sounds nice. But city assurances seem more like political protection for Daley and his allies than any sort of active protection.

As far as the TIF plans so far...

Preliminary city budget estimates for the TIF include $2.5 million for job training; $10 million for property assembly and site preparation; $35 million for rehabilitation of buildings and construction of affordable housing; and $30 million for public works improvements, such as streets, utilities and parking

With the third largest amount of crime reported for city neighborhoods, Lawndale needs to change. That residents are organizing gives some hope that change will not come just in the form of new condos and shopping centers.

Gung Hay Fat Choy, Sun Nien Fai Lok

"Wishing you prosperity and Happy New Year."

Thousands came out to Wentworth Avenue today in sub-zero temperatures to ring in the New Lunar Year 4706. An organizer of the celebration estimated that about 20,000 come to the annual Chinatown event.

The dragon was pretty cool, along with my frostbitten hands.

"The Year of the Rat" restarts the 12-year cycle the Chinese Zodiac calendar. Those born in the "Year of the Rat" are said to be "charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking. They are said to be endowed with great leadership skills and to be the most highly organized, meticulous, and systematic of the twelve signs. They are said to be intelligent and cunning, highly ambitious and strong-willed people who are keen and unapologetic promoters of their own agendas, which are often said to include money and power."

My girlfriend, Caroline, took the following video; so you can get the highlights of Chicago Chinatown right in your warm, comfy armchair, or on your office computer as the case may be.

So Gung Hay Fat Choy, and drink some Tsing Tao!



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