Big, Bad Voodoo Man

10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't):

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.¹

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."²

3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.³

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."⁴

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.⁵

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.⁶

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."⁷

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.⁸

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."⁹

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.¹⁰

John McCain is not who the Washington press corps make him out to be. Please help get the word out—forward this information to your personal network. And if you want us to keep you posted on MoveOn's work to get the truth out about John McCain, sign up here:

http://pol.moveon.org/mccaintruth/?id=12407-9061699-kkFb7H&t=232

Thank you for all you do.

–Eli, Justin, Noah, Laura, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Saturday, April 5th, 2008

Sources:
1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html

"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/

2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us

"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/

3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/

4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/

5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council^® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007

"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/

6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80

"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home

7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022

"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/

8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/

"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251

9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html

"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/

"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/

10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

Tonight, an hour of darkness 8 to 9 PM, your local time

The World Wildlife Fund came up with this novel idea and tested it last year in Sydney, with phenomenal success.

This should be fun with Iza (and good practice for future power outages at our next post).

Unplug your tellies, too!

GULP?!

Hmm, so where on our blessed Earth is the water safe to drink?

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/3/24/anti_epileptics_sex_hormones_mood_stabilizers

Busy Week Sans Mommy

Iza with her Polska buds: Paweł and Jaś

Well... it was a long, long week.
Jill went away for 5 whole days and nights to a conference in Istanbul, a city she's been dying to see the whole time we've been in Polska. This was also the first time she'd really been away from Iza (whom is still breastfed, btw!). To say it was a challenge would be an understatement.

But, she is home now, and we survived.

Miraculously.

I had the gracious help over the weekend with several friends, including: Martin (sans Aza), Angie, George, Paweł and Jaś and Daryl. Their help and support assisted considerably with my sanity. Thanks to you all! (and to Pan Ptaku for the pics!)

Free Tibet

Not as common as hearing 'Paper or plastic?', but a somewhat common bumper sticker seen in urban parts of the states reads 'Free Tibet', showing Tibet's glorious flag colors blazing across the sticker. Seattle has a decent sized Tibetan community, partaking in numerous public and cultural events, expanding arm chair and eager world travelers with a more intimate look into this once very private nation. Sadly, they're in Seattle for a reason.

Tibet is under siege again, by more force from the Chinese than they have needed in two decades to keep their 'long lost brethren' tame and quiet. Peaceful protests began on Monday with several hundred monks, on the 49th anniversary of the failed uprising that sent His Holiness the Dalai Lama running to India to escape Chinese persecution and has forever remained in exile. Over 80 deaths have been confirmed by multiple sources. With the threat of no Western witnesses of the 'obedience action' that will unfold there on and beyond Monday this week, this dying culture may vanish before my daughter can say her own name aloud.

I have no sympathy for the Chinese in the Tibetan region. The Han population far outnumbers the Tibetans, for sure, but it still does not mean that the land is theirs. Where I'm sitting now is a one, well, many times, war torn country, where its and its neighboring residents were shifted to this town or that town, helping to spread the empire and weaken the local population substantially, depending on one's military perspective. When the end of the war came, thousands and thousands of people were 're-shuffled' all over this part of Europe, and, namely, the Germans were put back in Germany (or East and West). That must have been an organizational nightmare, but it was accomplished.

I think it can be done again.

The spotlight is on China for hosting the Olympics this year, and it will shine brightly on their many ill humanitarian actions, especially in Tibet. In some ways, sadly, the high Tibetan plateau is not full of tons of oil, gas and gold, so the Western nations don't have a vested interest in securing the area and making the excuse to save one of the world's vanishing exotic cultures.
But the plight is known. It is known across Asia. It is known across the globe. There should be support. There should be amazing support.

I can't be there to help. I can't get there. So what's an American abroad to do?
Well, writing this non-professional level-journalism is one step.

Another is making a personal, financial choice, one that many have done before and many will try in the future, but it's new for me:

Ban "Made in China"

A family did it 2 years ago in the states, and 'suffered' quite a bit, having to spend countless hours researching purchases, talking to salespeople, manufacturers, obtain detailed product manuals to inspect makers of internal parts, etc. ... it was challenging enough that they wrote a book on it. I won't do that but perhaps I'll keep updating yous all on this here blog. Will Jill do it, too? Not sure. I do most of the shopping and Iza can't reach the sales counter top yet.

H. H. Dalai Lama still supports the Chinese hosting the Olympics, but I don't. And I think if the situation gets worse in Tibet, perhaps even some athletes will bow out, maybe whole nations. I know I won't be going to China to watch the Olympics or giving it my attention on the tele, either.

Baby steps lead to toddler steps, which lead to adolescent steps, which lead to marches, which lead to movements.

Please call on your presidents and prime ministers for their support to not just sympathize, but to act.

Free Tibet.



(pic compliments of NYTimes/Getty Images. Monks staging a vigil in Kathmandu)

Update:
there seems to be one last official Western journalist in Lhasa, James Miles from The Economist and TimesOnline.uk His latest account is at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3564470.ece

Paper or Plastic?

A very common question in the states.
And a 90's era TV commercial put a humorous spin with negative footage for either choice at breakneck speed, showcasing the daunting decision one must make after already making several to hundreds of choices in the aisles of the American well-stocked grocery store.

The argument continues in the states, and abroad. San Francisco has cut out plastic bags at large retailers and pharmacies. Here in Polska, even Lodz has done the same.

MSNBC has just put out a decent story/page/power pointish thing about the current state of the carrying nation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23358591/

For us, we're trying to use our cloth or nylon bags whenever possible. One local fruit/veggie stand owner calls me and 'ekolog', which must translate to something like organic nuthead, or Earth saver. I shop at 5 stores regularly, and they still give me a weird look when I say I don't need a bag.

One common sight which is a bit strange is the Polish man carrying one can of beer in a thin plastic bag. It's weird for a few reasons. One, usually they just drink it out in the open anyway. Two, It's not like holding the beer will make them any colder (especially if they're drinking it!).
OK, I know... perhaps he was originally carrying 3 or 4 piwos and drank them already... but I've seen them make the purchase and the seller bags the one can.

very strange.

Frustated Grass Walker

It's hard being a new walker... on grass... when it's cold... when you got a huge, binding, non-articulated jacket on!

random February shots

working on her new walking skills

Iza's first play time in a real playground... sliding down and...

Astride her steadfast horse, searching the plains for her next adventure

Zlote Terasa
We finally made it to newish, swanky urban mall in the heart of downtown. Parts of it were absolutely hideous, but there were several creative niches and a wide range of unique materials and lighting throughout. Here are copper-clad interior bays

The entrance and mid-section are a wavy glass dome, similar to the curves of EMP in Seattle. Sadly, they are set to dull green and gray tones in large swaths, reducing the already slim natural northern climate light and creating a rather depressive interior feeling. However, the supports were rather playful, stretching out at irregular angles to the more geometric core. The posts could use a bright coat of paint to liven up the place, for sure.

This architect must've loved the original Star Wars and THX 1138
I loved this part

Flat Lizzy came for a visit.
Think we can fit our stroller in that car?

Finally, she can hold her own cup of water and drink from it!

Goodnight moon,
goodnight Warsaw