What the heck is the deal with the media and Michael Jackson? I suppose I could understand one day of mania on their part, two began to stretch credibility, now we're reached lunacy.I have a news flash for the scheduling managers, if you care about this at all, you already know all about Michael. The world didn't stop when he crapped out, things are still going on that have one heck of a lot more impact than either his career, strange life, or death. Put it to bed already. Read Full Story

Maybe you wonder why people want to live where unemployment is always higher and wages lower.This is about 10 miles NE outside Baker City, OR on the state highway to Medical Springs and the background to the east are the Eagle Caps of the Wallowa Mountains which top out just above 10,000 feet. The Elkhorns which are just west of Baker City at 3,500 feet top out just under 10,000 feet. Both ranges are still snow capped.Here in the picture the ground cover is cheat grass and sage brush, just ov... Read Full Story

Ron Wyden promised to visit every County each year and hold town halls, this weekend was Baker County's turn. I thought it might be interesting to have Oregon's Senior Senator and one of two Democratic Senators give pose for fun.Senator Wyden gracefully climbed aboard the Harley for your amusement.I'm not a fanboy of politicians, but that doesn't stop me form recognizing that Ron Wyden is one of the most astute and capable of all the Senators. He also has the ability to remain a down to earth... Read Full Story

I'm sure you recognize the lady holding the funny looking baby, who I'm pretty sure you don't know, one Eddie Burke. He's a radio talk show host ... conservative - some surprise there. Blogger Linda Kellen Biegel is in the middle of trying to raise money to pay for the State of Alaska records of emails between Palin and Burke, some extra coziness is surmised.Now Alaskan politics and particularly Palin politics is a circus, but you've got to love Palin spokesperson Mehgan Stapleton:Recently we... Read Full Story

If I were the staffer/s put in the position of lying for Gov Sanford, I'd quit. If I were the American Taliban I might start to get the idea that trying to be moral arbiters to the nation is a losing proposition. It is strange how the guys who tell gays striving to have monogamous relationships recognized that they're destroying the institution of marriage are busy destroying the institution of their own marriages. Since Mark was diddling a female it seems it wasn't 'teh gay' that cracked up ... Read Full Story

If you've followed this blog at all you know that I'm a supporter of the concept of single payer health care. I have no doubt that big health care insurance companies would take a hit but it would scarcely be fatal. Single payer would not be a 'gold plated' offering, it would no doubt have some limits on what would be covered and for how long.This piece of limits would cause some serious hand wringing from the Right, as though no such things exist today. We have really stupid costs built into... Read Full Story

Iran's Supreme Leader warned demonstrators that such behavior was to stop and they didn't, not in the face of police and militia. Tear gas, beatings, and bullets didn't dissuade them so people got hurt and some died, and this was Iranians versus Iranians. No foreigners were involved, no ancient or recent enemies took hand in it and worse - those who did are their fellow Muslims. This shows no signs of letting up.There will, quite naturally, be those in Iran who are not troubled by this. That ... Read Full Story

I doubt that one could successfully argue that the world's most powerful military and economy don't bear some regard in the world. In both spheres second place is so far behind as to be pretty meaningless as a position. What happens to the US and what we do matters a great deal to the world. I recently heard a highly regarded commentator remark on the US world leadership role and was suddenly stopped in my tracks. I've heard this type of statement repeatedly for many many years and it hon... Read Full Story

Michelle Bachman:The mother lode of all data information will be from the Census. … Unfortunately, the Census data has become very intricate, very personal, a lot of the questions that are asked. I know for my family, the only question we will be answering is how many people are in our home. We won’t be answering any information beyond that, because the Constitution doesn’t require any information beyond thatIt is also a good thing that the Constitution doesn't have any requirements barring s... Read Full Story

Not a political statement, a statement in sympathy for those willing to take real risks; despite the political realities of Iran I respect that. Is it meaningless to change the color? I don't know, probably, but the 'net keeps track of strange things and maybe it means something to a reader I don't know about. Iranians and Persians have read this blog and even linked it before.My intimate knowledge of Iranian politics died with the Shah, my room-mate in college was a son of a General in th... Read Full Story