Halliburton

I was recently in Houston. A fellow dancer who participated in March 2 Marfa, Leslie Scates organized the trip. She is a native Houstonian brought K, M and me out there. We taught 2 classes at the University of Houston – a contact class to the Modern 2 class and an improvisation/comp class to the comp class. Also performed at the Barnevelder Theater – Of No Relation III. Good show. Great reception, well not just the food and booze (!!!), but people’s response. Better response there than in the Bay Area. Not sure why.

The title of this post is Halliburton. Last Friday as we were driving to the theater for tech/rehearsal, we passed a factoryesque building. The sign said Halliburton. An American flag was on the pole. The day was grey and rainy, overcast and muggy. Looking at the flag in the rain, I had the question of whether or not it is kosher to fly the flag in the rain. After digging around in the internet, I have found out that it is. Well, as long as the flag is an “all weather flag”, whatever that is.

So my whole point about Halliburton, a huge beneficiary of the war in Iraq, displaying an American flag improperly, being a symbol of how conservatives have used patriotism and the war for their real purpose – profit – is out the window unless the flag flying over that Halliburton factory in Houston is not an all weather flag.

From the sad state it was in, I would say it was not.

To be a Republican you need to believe:

1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s Daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush needed a “we can’t find Bin Laden” diversion.

3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

4. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is
enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.

5. A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational drug corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.

6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches, while slashing
veterans’ benefits and combat pay.

7. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.

8. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.

9. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy, but providing health care to all Americans
is socialism. HMO’s and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.

10. Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

11. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense, but a president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.

12. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.

13. The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades, but George Bush’s driving record is none of our business.

14. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.

15. Supporting “Executive Privilege” for every Republican ever born, who will be born or who might be born (in perpetuity.)

16. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960’s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the ’80’s is irrelevant.

17. Support for hunters who shoot their friends and blame them for wearing orange vests similar to those worn by the quail.

Legalize it.

Eliot Spitzer has been caught with his pants almost down. And his career is probably over. But why? Does it matter where he hides the salami? I mean, as long as it is another consenting adult who cares? Yes, money was exchanged for the services, but that is between the two parties involved and their accountants. No, I don’t think that it is a good thing that a married man was soliciting the services of a prostitute. Maybe his wife likes the idea of her husband with another man. Who knows what gets them off? And anyways, what business is it of ours?

If prostitution where legal it could be unionized. It could be taxed. Instead of people walking the street, they could be in a business place, like Amsterdam.

Funny how many Republicans are all about personal freedoms and getting the government off people’s back. But as soon as money is involved in getting someone on their back, the Republicans want to stick their noses in.

Bush’s Stimulus Package

Do we need any more proof that this president is a moron? O.K. so I don’t have a better plan, but then again I am not a graduate of Harvard business school. Isn’t Harvard ashamed of their graduate? Maybe they should revoke his degree. Is such a thing possible? Back in 2004 Bush received a letter from “senior business and economics professors” saying that the president’s “ economic policies are taking the country in the wrong direction”

My stimulus plan would be to drop all income tax for people making less than $35,000 and raise it some on people in the higher brackets. Doesn’t Warren Buffett pay a smaller percentage on his income than his secretary? He paid 17.7% and she paid 30% . I remember hearing once that people who make less money tend to save less money. And more money in circulation is good for the economy, right. So if the lower end of the economic scale has more cash they’ll spend it.

But what do I know? I don’t have and M.B.A.

Hillary is not the Comeback Kid

John McCain, yes but not Hillary. First of all, she has not been behind long enough. As far as I can tell, she was only behind Obama for a week after the Iowa caucus. Behind for a week and then she beats Obama in New Hampshire. McCain has been way down near the bottom of the polls for weeks and then he wins New Hampshire. That is comeback. But behind for a week and then back on top…maybe that one week was an anomoly. (is that how that word is spelled?)

And can anyone explain to me why all the primaries aren’t on the same day? And why we have to vote one a Tuesday? Here in Germany the elections are on the weekend. And they have higher voter turnout. Hmm…maybe the powers that be in the States don’t want high voter turn out. But then again it doesn’t matter how we vote. Those voting machines are easy to hack anyways

“Voting holds no real power, he who counts the votes has the true power.” Joseph Stalin