THE JOY OF GIVING IS EGO STROKING

Christmas update at the Guardian.  In today's technology section PS3's being traded for Wiis at the bottom there is a comment from CharlieHorse that reads:

There is something peculiar going on... little kids cheered W11 and booed PS3 when Santa presented both systems at an event today in Burbank,CA.

Just further proof that more is just more and not necessarily better.  So far, the most obvious reaction of appreciation from any gift I've given has been the cheap $25 gas cards I gave my friends who are in college.  Those were also the easiest to buy.

The most fun to was definitely the basket of canned food for the shelter that was collected.  The grocery store trip was ok but the people that would just bring cans by really made the holiday a social event for me.  That present is also the most useful in the way it is being gifted.  I'm giving it to my daughter for her to give it in her name.  She spent Christmas Eve at her Grandmothers so I don't know what her reaction is yet.

The least pleasant part of this holiday so far for me was time spent at jewelry counters.  I was only buying cubic zirconium earrings that my daughter asked for.  Diamonds are not worth the money as she sees it, but it was at the Macy's.  And the real sucky part is I had to go to several counters before somebody would tell me where to buy the things. 

Me at a mall is like watching a goldfish in tap water slowly cooking under the chlorine toxicity.   The final counter I arrived at was hosted by two middle aged women who spoke Urdu.  I was able to transcend the experience only because one lady from India spoke of her friend standing next to her who is Pakistani.   They laughed like young school girls at the wars between their two countries over religious intolerance.  It was a real Macy's experience.

PROMISES INTERUPTED, PROMISES KEPT

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I don't even know anymore.  Michael Roston's Raw article: Bush signing statement on US-India nuclear deal erases Congressional restrictions, has me in complete disbelief.  I just can't determine if George is an evil genius or a complete imbecile.  I am stumped.

After promoting the India trade deal exchanging mango's for nuclear fuel, his signing statement removes all executive accountability.  Why would he do that?  Let's explore.

Equally absurd to the mango for nuke fuel trade agreements are signing statements.  Neither is good for this country or the world.  The one and only possible advantage to supporting signing statements is the loop hole it creates in this trade agreement.  The evil genius argument portends a poison pill to anyone who wishes to remove his signing statements from all of his other dealings.  Doing so forces incoming presidents to support this self immolation of American security while relinquishing Imperial rule.  Who would make that trade?

But then again on the complete imbecile argument, maybe George & Co. were suffering from acute cranial impaction of the sphincter when they convinced themselves that India would act as a containment treat to China.

I just don't know. 

The only thing these actions indicate is that George thinks the president can sell weapons (arms proliferation) for profit whenever he wants, with whatever technology he chooses, and to whomever he wishes.  What a dangerous douche bag.

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Update on cloaks:

truthout has an interesting post up regarding the recent CIA whistleblower/critic provoking the White House national security claim :

Leverett said there were two key paragraphs that the CIA staff wanted to excise. The first concerned U.S. cooperation with Iran concerning Afghanistan around the time of the Sept. 11 attacks. The second dealt with an offer by the Iranians to the United States in early 2003 to discuss the possibility of a "grand bargain" that would settle several key disputes between the two countries.

This is the first time I've read what the objections are all about.  Seems the White House is concerned people will see that we only talk with Iran when it serves other wars but not in preventing one with them.  It also appears that the missed opportunity of 2003 would be very embarrassing to an administration already on a poll death spiral.

When did politically embarrassing decisions of our leaders become NATIONAL security issues?  Seems to me the only security issue here is insuring the security of King George's head, or source of power rather.

We have some rather brave and honorable men and women working in the CIA.  I'm impressed with them.  Some of the Generals are turning out to be pretty decent blokes too.

The moon is almost gone.  It will be a dark damp night.  I hope Dick and George stay home tonight and plot no more.