Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Willard "Mitt" Romney
The Perfect GOP Candidate
I've been chatting up Mitt (Willard) Romney for some time as the best candidate for the GOP nomination. Why? He's the perfect embodiment of what the GOP has become. He has a solid record as a moderate, pro-business leader with high ethical standards and he's decided to run away from these to cater to a small and ever more rigid core group of nut jobs we like to call "the base." If he's reminiscent of John Kerry in his flip-floppiness it's only because the GOP has become a hollow core of "Do as I Say, Not as I Do" leaders.
Look no further than this wonderful ad Andrew Sullivan linked to. Willard promises to fight "Indolence and Perversion" which I think means he just declared war on Senator Vitter.
I've been chatting up Mitt (Willard) Romney for some time as the best candidate for the GOP nomination. Why? He's the perfect embodiment of what the GOP has become. He has a solid record as a moderate, pro-business leader with high ethical standards and he's decided to run away from these to cater to a small and ever more rigid core group of nut jobs we like to call "the base." If he's reminiscent of John Kerry in his flip-floppiness it's only because the GOP has become a hollow core of "Do as I Say, Not as I Do" leaders.
Look no further than this wonderful ad Andrew Sullivan linked to. Willard promises to fight "Indolence and Perversion" which I think means he just declared war on Senator Vitter.
Labels: The New GOP
Whole Foods Response
More to come...
I did get a response from teh Whole Foods, "Global Communications Team". More on that in a bit. Needless to say it was about as lame as the excuses we're getting from Senator Vitter.
I did get a response from teh Whole Foods, "Global Communications Team". More on that in a bit. Needless to say it was about as lame as the excuses we're getting from Senator Vitter.
Labels: Crazy
Just $6 Million Away
From a perfect settlement...
Seems to me that the LA Diocese was just $6 million away from a perfect verdict for the years long cover-up of clergy abuse. But $660 million dollars is a staggering amount, no doubt due to the many, many lives a few troubled priest and the hierarchy allowed to hurt for far too long. It's good to see this being addressed, finally. Pray for the many lives ruined that no cash compensation can fix.
Seems to me that the LA Diocese was just $6 million away from a perfect verdict for the years long cover-up of clergy abuse. But $660 million dollars is a staggering amount, no doubt due to the many, many lives a few troubled priest and the hierarchy allowed to hurt for far too long. It's good to see this being addressed, finally. Pray for the many lives ruined that no cash compensation can fix.
Labels: Brave New World, Celebrities, Courts
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Wholly Rotten
Healthy, Organic, Sleazy.
I'm a huge Whole Foods fan. One of the nice things about my new job is that it is directly across the street from a new Whole Foods store. What I like best is that Whole Foods seems to approach its business from a perspective that being a good corporate citizen and profits don't have to be mutually exclusive. It turns out that may not be the case.
Whole Foods CEO, John Mackey (Mmm-hay) has reportedly been secretly talking up Whole Foods and bashing competitor Wild Oats on yahoo investor forums. At the same time, his public persona espouses concepts of transperancy and accountability. Legal, perhaps, but definitely unethical and sleazy. I don't mind buying products from profit maximizing multinational corporations - Walmart doesn't try to sugar coat its agressive business model . When I shop at Whole Foods, I'm buying more than overpriced, organic, ethically raised products, I'm also buying into this espoused ethos, or at least I used to.
Perhaps this is just another in a long line of examples of broken institutions in this country we can put on a list with the Media, Congress, the Presidency and so on. But frankly I'm getting pretty tired of it. So bear witness as I slowly devolve into a ranting Granpa Simpson with this dispatch I just sent to Whole Foods investor relations.
Let's see what happens shall we. I'm tired of institutions like government, the media, corporations, etc. thinking that it's just about truthiness. Values mattter and if you can't walk the walk, don't talk the talk. Of course now that I've set off on this path I figure in about six months I'll be living under a bridge mutter to myself and training my army of stray cats. Either way it should be fun for you to watch.
I'm a huge Whole Foods fan. One of the nice things about my new job is that it is directly across the street from a new Whole Foods store. What I like best is that Whole Foods seems to approach its business from a perspective that being a good corporate citizen and profits don't have to be mutually exclusive. It turns out that may not be the case.
Whole Foods CEO, John Mackey (Mmm-hay) has reportedly been secretly talking up Whole Foods and bashing competitor Wild Oats on yahoo investor forums. At the same time, his public persona espouses concepts of transperancy and accountability. Legal, perhaps, but definitely unethical and sleazy. I don't mind buying products from profit maximizing multinational corporations - Walmart doesn't try to sugar coat its agressive business model . When I shop at Whole Foods, I'm buying more than overpriced, organic, ethically raised products, I'm also buying into this espoused ethos, or at least I used to.
Perhaps this is just another in a long line of examples of broken institutions in this country we can put on a list with the Media, Congress, the Presidency and so on. But frankly I'm getting pretty tired of it. So bear witness as I slowly devolve into a ranting Granpa Simpson with this dispatch I just sent to Whole Foods investor relations.
Dear Whole Foods:
I'm a daily shopper at your Alexandria, VA store. I enjoy Whole Foods for it's commitment to healthy living and the environment. I take pride in knowing I'm spending my money with a company understands corporate citizenship and profit are not mutually exclusive goals. Like a majority of your customers, I don't mind paying a little more to support that focus.
However, I find the reported actions by your CEO Mr. Mackey, in relation to postings regarding Wild Oats to be totally at odds with the values espoused by your corporation. Even if legal, Mr. Mackey's actions are sleazy, inappropriate and unethical. Mr. Mackey should be fired for his actions and an apology issued to customers and shareholders. Absent firm and harsh consequences, Whole Foods is simply Enron with a really, really nice meat and produce section. I certainly hope that the board of directors can find a means to resolve this issue consistent with the values the corporation claims to uphold, until that happens, I’ll be shopping elsewhere.
Regards,
Elephant.
Let's see what happens shall we. I'm tired of institutions like government, the media, corporations, etc. thinking that it's just about truthiness. Values mattter and if you can't walk the walk, don't talk the talk. Of course now that I've set off on this path I figure in about six months I'll be living under a bridge mutter to myself and training my army of stray cats. Either way it should be fun for you to watch.
Labels: BS, Green, Processed Food
Do as I Say Republicans
Like the Sun Rising in the East.
Another day dawns and yet another republican is busted for solicitation.
Update: Holy Straight Talk Express!- Suspect is John McCain's Florida Co-Chair.
Another day dawns and yet another republican is busted for solicitation.
"State Rep. Bob Allen was arrested Wednesday afternoon at a local parkIt used to be funny, now it is just sad. It turns out our country's moral fiber is under attack, under attack by Do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do-Republicans.
after offering to perform a sex act on an undercover officer in exchange for
$20, police said."
Update: Holy Straight Talk Express!- Suspect is John McCain's Florida Co-Chair.
Labels: Crazy, The New GOP
$500 Billion & 3,000 Lives
Puts us back at September 10, 2001
So Al-Qaida is back to its pre-9/11 strength. After two wars, 3,000 lives and $500 billion dolllars. Seems like a good argument to stay the course to me. It's nice to know that the politics of failure are working just fine.
So Al-Qaida is back to its pre-9/11 strength. After two wars, 3,000 lives and $500 billion dolllars. Seems like a good argument to stay the course to me. It's nice to know that the politics of failure are working just fine.
Labels: Iraq, President Bush
Poor, Poor Babies
It's tough to be a politician
Could there be a more compelling story? Presidential candidates whining about how unfair it is that they have to fly commercial? Somehow I don't feel sorry for them.
Could there be a more compelling story? Presidential candidates whining about how unfair it is that they have to fly commercial? Somehow I don't feel sorry for them.
Labels: Flying
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
David Vitter
Skank or Slut?
I thought Republicans were supposed to be real men. You know like John Wayne and Jean Schmidt. Seems to me that such tough guys, with their neoconservative swagger and their understanding of the proper role of a man in society would have to be peeling all sorts of virtuous women off of themselves. Guess not.
I have no problem with people espousing the virtues of leading a 'wholesome' life. I do have a problem with these folks telling me how to live my life, more so when they turn out to be secret meth addict closet cases or whore mongers like Vitter.
If you're gonna talk the talk...
I thought Republicans were supposed to be real men. You know like John Wayne and Jean Schmidt. Seems to me that such tough guys, with their neoconservative swagger and their understanding of the proper role of a man in society would have to be peeling all sorts of virtuous women off of themselves. Guess not.
I have no problem with people espousing the virtues of leading a 'wholesome' life. I do have a problem with these folks telling me how to live my life, more so when they turn out to be secret meth addict closet cases or whore mongers like Vitter.
If you're gonna talk the talk...
Labels: Family, The New GOP
My Simpson's Avatar
Call Me Grimey
I don't plan on seeing the movie, the Simpsons jumped the shark long ago. But I think this is a great marketing tool. Create your avatar here.
I don't plan on seeing the movie, the Simpsons jumped the shark long ago. But I think this is a great marketing tool. Create your avatar here.
Labels: Celebrities, Peeps
More than a Feeling!
A Gut Feeling!
We've spent close to half a trillion dollars fighting in Iraq, about $40 billion a year on the Department of Homeland Security, Congress created a new intelligence Tsar to improve our spying, we've mortgaged our national soul torturing enemy combatants (and a few U.S. Citizens), the FBI is listening to our phone calls and monitoring our electronic transactions and the result?
DHS Secretary Certoff (aka Skeletor) has gut feeling that an attack may be imminent. Now that he mentions it, the tea leaves in the bottom of my cup did look suspicious this morning.
Why do I get the feeling that after all this we probably know less now than we did on September 10, 2001? Of course that's just my gut feeling.
We've spent close to half a trillion dollars fighting in Iraq, about $40 billion a year on the Department of Homeland Security, Congress created a new intelligence Tsar to improve our spying, we've mortgaged our national soul torturing enemy combatants (and a few U.S. Citizens), the FBI is listening to our phone calls and monitoring our electronic transactions and the result?
DHS Secretary Certoff (aka Skeletor) has gut feeling that an attack may be imminent. Now that he mentions it, the tea leaves in the bottom of my cup did look suspicious this morning.
Why do I get the feeling that after all this we probably know less now than we did on September 10, 2001? Of course that's just my gut feeling.
Labels: The New GOP
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
The GOP
Just Like Bovine University
Per my rant below, this is the modern Republican Party.
Per my rant below, this is the modern Republican Party.
Labels: President Bush, The New GOP
Willed Suspension of Disbelief
To be a Republican today is to surrender reason for an ever-shifting reality of convenience in support of an administration drunk with its own power. The unhinged depravity from the White no longer shocks my sensibilities; it's just the brazen, transparent disregard for the rule of law that's still stings.
What's more shocking is that the Congressional GOP leadership seems blind to how their silence or support of the President's commutation of convicted felon Scooter Libby effectively neuters their moral authority on government accountability. Just like they’ve surrendered on restraining government power and just about every other value that makes a Republican a Republican
These are the same people who (rightfully I might add) impeached a President for lying under oath in a civil matter. I cheered when the GOP set such a lofty benchmark for our highest office. Now some of the very same people are telling me that perjury and obstruction of justice related to the exposure of a CAI agent as political payback is somehow not worthy of punishment?
To quote Lisa Simpson, "They don't expect me to buy this tripe?"
Conservatives should be both appalled and outraged. Their contribution to the American experience is an ethos that holds high personal responsibility, integrity and consequences for ones actions as cornerstones for a healthy society. Loyalty does not trump justice. President Bush didn't stick his finger in the eye of the left, he ground under his heel the very set of values he claims to uphold. What's even worse is that those who claim to be champion of these values cheer him on as he destroys everything they claim to stand for.
What's more shocking is that the Congressional GOP leadership seems blind to how their silence or support of the President's commutation of convicted felon Scooter Libby effectively neuters their moral authority on government accountability. Just like they’ve surrendered on restraining government power and just about every other value that makes a Republican a Republican
These are the same people who (rightfully I might add) impeached a President for lying under oath in a civil matter. I cheered when the GOP set such a lofty benchmark for our highest office. Now some of the very same people are telling me that perjury and obstruction of justice related to the exposure of a CAI agent as political payback is somehow not worthy of punishment?
To quote Lisa Simpson, "They don't expect me to buy this tripe?"
Conservatives should be both appalled and outraged. Their contribution to the American experience is an ethos that holds high personal responsibility, integrity and consequences for ones actions as cornerstones for a healthy society. Loyalty does not trump justice. President Bush didn't stick his finger in the eye of the left, he ground under his heel the very set of values he claims to uphold. What's even worse is that those who claim to be champion of these values cheer him on as he destroys everything they claim to stand for.
Labels: President Bush, The New GOP
