Last night my 12-year old daughter saw Michael Jackson's Thriller video for the first time on YouTube. She liked it OK, although she thought the beginning was a bit creepy. We talked about Michael Jackson at length: his early career and music, his popularity and music videos. I said that he was a trail-blazer in the 80's. My daughter wondered why "everyone hated him now". I told her that he'd had some problems in his personal life that made him quite unpopular. We talked about that a while. We talked about Michael Jackson's changing looks and how she liked him "black more than white". (She thought he was white until the Thriller video.)
Last night my daughter had nightmares about bushes turning into creepy monsters and grabbing her nose.
Today Michael Jackson is dead.
--- T
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Arianna Huffington on Lobbying
Arianna Huffington writes about why change is so difficult (read: impossible)in Washington. Below some quotes. Whole story linked.
--- T
Remember all that change Americans voted for in November? Well, there's been a change in the plans for change.
The detour has come courtesy of a familiar nemesis: DC lobbyists who, this year alone, have watered-down, gutted, or out-and-out killed ambitious plans for reforming Wall Street, energy, and health care.
The media like to pretend that something's at stake when a big bill is being debated on the House or Senate floor, but the truth is that by then the game is typically already over. The real fight happens long before. And the lobbyists usually win.
They're used to administrations and newly elected Congresses that come in with big plans for the future. But, as Obama and Congressional reformers are finding out, the future doesn't have a well-funded lobby. The past, on the other hand, is extremely well represented.
Look at the auto industry. For decades, Detroit and its lobbyists fought tooth and nail against efforts to improve mileage efficiency standards or to close tax loopholes favorable to gas-guzzling SUVs. They were very successful at holding off the future. Until they went bankrupt.
---
The story is very familiar: new rules are announced proclaiming a better, safer system for the future. But then industry lobbyists howl about "loss of jobs," and "decreased competitiveness," so waivers are added. Then some exemptions. Then some loopholes. Then authority to enforce the new rules is limited. By the time the bill hits the floor, it's still got the word "Reform" or "Clean" or "Safety" in the name, but the finished product is all about maintaining the status quo. And a very stubborn status quo it is. For instance, the reason a new chemical safety bill is needed is because this exact process of gutting reform happened in 2001.
--- T
Remember all that change Americans voted for in November? Well, there's been a change in the plans for change.
The detour has come courtesy of a familiar nemesis: DC lobbyists who, this year alone, have watered-down, gutted, or out-and-out killed ambitious plans for reforming Wall Street, energy, and health care.
The media like to pretend that something's at stake when a big bill is being debated on the House or Senate floor, but the truth is that by then the game is typically already over. The real fight happens long before. And the lobbyists usually win.
They're used to administrations and newly elected Congresses that come in with big plans for the future. But, as Obama and Congressional reformers are finding out, the future doesn't have a well-funded lobby. The past, on the other hand, is extremely well represented.
Look at the auto industry. For decades, Detroit and its lobbyists fought tooth and nail against efforts to improve mileage efficiency standards or to close tax loopholes favorable to gas-guzzling SUVs. They were very successful at holding off the future. Until they went bankrupt.
---
The story is very familiar: new rules are announced proclaiming a better, safer system for the future. But then industry lobbyists howl about "loss of jobs," and "decreased competitiveness," so waivers are added. Then some exemptions. Then some loopholes. Then authority to enforce the new rules is limited. By the time the bill hits the floor, it's still got the word "Reform" or "Clean" or "Safety" in the name, but the finished product is all about maintaining the status quo. And a very stubborn status quo it is. For instance, the reason a new chemical safety bill is needed is because this exact process of gutting reform happened in 2001.
Friday, June 19, 2009
12 vuotta
Tytto tayttaa tanaan 12 vuotta. Onnea!
Han kysyi minulta kadehdinko koskaan hanen nuoruuttaan. Mitahan siihen oli sanomista muuta kuin 'kylla'. Kadehdin silloin, kun huomaan vuosien kiitaneen ohitseni kuin huomaamatta. Kadehdin silloin, kun kadun tekematta jattamisiani, tai tehtyja virheita. Kadehdin silloin, kun huomaan mahdollisuuden jaaneen kayttamatta - rohkeuden puutteen tai oman visiottomuuteni takia.
En kadehdi hanen 12-vuotiasta elamaniloaan, silla saan siita itsekin ihan kyllikseni vieressa seuratessani. Toivon vain, etta se sailyy vuosien varttuessa.
--- T
Han kysyi minulta kadehdinko koskaan hanen nuoruuttaan. Mitahan siihen oli sanomista muuta kuin 'kylla'. Kadehdin silloin, kun huomaan vuosien kiitaneen ohitseni kuin huomaamatta. Kadehdin silloin, kun kadun tekematta jattamisiani, tai tehtyja virheita. Kadehdin silloin, kun huomaan mahdollisuuden jaaneen kayttamatta - rohkeuden puutteen tai oman visiottomuuteni takia.
En kadehdi hanen 12-vuotiasta elamaniloaan, silla saan siita itsekin ihan kyllikseni vieressa seuratessani. Toivon vain, etta se sailyy vuosien varttuessa.
--- T
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Levottomuutta
Ääriliikkeet ovat aktivoituneet huomattavasti sitten Obaman presidenttikauden alkamisen. Viimeisen parin viikon aikana Amerikassa on tehty kaksi murhaa, joiden kohteina ovat olleet äärioikeistolaiseksi lukeutuvien “vihollisia”. Ensin tapettiin lääkäri George Tiller Kansasin osavaltiossa. Hän oli yksi kolmesta lääkäristä koko Yhdysvalloissa (!) joka suorittaa abortteja raskausajan viimeisillä viikoilla. Sitten ammuskeltiin juutalaisten holokaustimuseossa. Ampuja oli 88-vuotias ukko joka vihaa juutalaisia ja mustia.
Luulen, etta tama on vasta alkua hullujen touhuille. Amerikkaan mahtuu paljon paranoidisuutta; sita imetaan jo aidinmaidossa (tai paremminkin aidinmaidon korvikkeessa), ja kiihko kasvaa sita mukaa kun kuuntelee agitaattoreiden puheita (joita tulee seka radiosta ja televisiosta). Oppimattomat ovat altista kasvualustaa.
--- T
Luulen, etta tama on vasta alkua hullujen touhuille. Amerikkaan mahtuu paljon paranoidisuutta; sita imetaan jo aidinmaidossa (tai paremminkin aidinmaidon korvikkeessa), ja kiihko kasvaa sita mukaa kun kuuntelee agitaattoreiden puheita (joita tulee seka radiosta ja televisiosta). Oppimattomat ovat altista kasvualustaa.
--- T
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Guantanamon vanki
Ensimmainen Guantanamon vanki on tullut New Yorkiin. Tansanialainen "terroristi" on pikkuinen mies, mutta sitakin pelottavampi, ainakin jos uskoo osavaltioiden kuvernooreja. Heista ei kukaan halua "Gitmon" vankeja omalle maaperalle - menkoot kaikki Eurooppaan, sinne kylla mahtuu.
On Obamalla toita kun amerikkalaiset ovat nain lyhytmuistisia.
--- T
On Obamalla toita kun amerikkalaiset ovat nain lyhytmuistisia.
--- T
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