Dancing Fool

Ok, somehow this is a promotion for gum. Go figure. Still fun to watch.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Doodles

I know a dad is supposed to think everything his child does is sheer brilliance, but really, I think these doodles Lilah did really convey a mood with a minimum of  detail.

Your Wine is Safe From Predators

I'm helping a friend who is working at the California State Fair Wine Competition. Today I had to provide my date of birth, driver's license number and zip code so they could verify I'm not a registered sex offender. To work at a wine competition.

Wow

It appears that the Democratic Party is going to nominate a black man to be the next President of the United States. Win, lose or draw, that's an amazing thing.

I'm hopeful he'll win, but regardless, it'll be nice to have a President that can, unassisted, put a sentence together. The next one will also be the first President since 1960 to come to the job from the Senate.

It will be interesting to see what itch Obama tries to scratch with his VP pick. I think Jim Webb would be interesting. A real military hero. At the end of the day, that's what McCain perceives as his own strength, obviously. In his campaign bio, McCain gives more space to his military heritage than to his political life and accomplishments. And the political accomplishments he offers could be summarized as a mea culpa for his involvement in the Keating scandal.

Those Appeasers!

Compare and contrast this:

The United States is open to bilateral talks with Iran or Syria at a conference in Baghdad this weekend if either country approaches U.S. officials to discuss stabilizing Iraq, a top State Department official said Thursday.

"If we are approached over orange juice by the Syrians or the Iranians to discuss an Iraq-related issue that is germane to this topic -- stable, secure, peaceful, democratic Iraq -- we are not going to turn and walk away," David Satterfield, the State Department's Iraq coordinator, told reporters.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/08/us.iran.iraq/index.html

With this:

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. 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. (Applause.)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080515-1.html


I guess it wouldn't have been appeasement if the unnamed senator from 70 years ago had been approached by Hitler over orange juice. In the Bush world view, if the bad guys call, we can talk. But the US can't call and talk. Got it.

And, Lord help me, in this speech, Bush refers to "suiciders." Apparently not for the first time."

Oh Hell

The sister started a 2nd chemo about six weeks ago, maybe nine. The first round of chemo seemed to be doing the job on the cancer, but the cure was worse than the disease. She was exhausted; her blood counts were wack. Not good. So, the 2nd regime was started.

She had a Pet scan last Monday and we got the results yesterday. Not good. Some of the disease which had been stalled or shrinking were growing again.

Next Monday, if all the doctors concur and the insurance company is ok with it, she'll start on her third chemo cocktail.

The sister remains optimistic and determined. She is more patient under this duress than I am in mid-day traffic. I am taking notes.

Through it all I have been extraordinarily impressed with the outpouring of love and support from her friends. Drawn from her church, a central part of her life, other parents from her kid's school, former neighbors and co-workers, these people have stepped up and maintained a high level of support since last November. Meals delivered - multiple times a week, trips to the clinic for treatment, trips to the hospital, a housecleaning service, and, of course, just being a friend.

It is kind, and no less laudatory, to help someone over a few weeks. It is astonishing and redemptive to watch her friends support her over these seven months.

With no end in sight.

It's about the leadership, stupid.

From Robert Reich

Even though the summer gas tax holiday is pure hokum, it polls well, which is why HRC and John McCain are pushing it. That Barack Obama is not in favor of it despite its positive polling numbers speaks volumes about the kind of president he’ll be – and the kind of president we’d otherwise get from McCain and HRC.

Interesting overview of press coverage of Muslim issues

Starting at the 32 minute mark. I really like all of On The Media; but this article is particularly good..

Listen directly:

Or download it.