Dixie Chicks Revisited

I thought with the current Duck mania that a brief revisit of the Dixie Chick controversy might be in order. I did not remember what they actually said, so I went to Wikipedia:

During a London concert ten days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, lead vocalist Maines said, "we don't want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States [George W. Bush] is from Texas". The positive reaction to this statement from the British audience contrasted with the boycotts that ensued in the U.S., where the band was assaulted by talk-show conservatives, while their albums were discarded in public protest. 

Looking back on this I find the whole controversy unintentionally humorous. I think that many conservatives would now agree with the Dixie Chicks, at least based on the small sample of my Facebook friends. 

I am completely and totally in agreement with the Dixie Chicks on this. I would even go farther, I am embarrassed that he was ever President! 

While this style of music is not to my personal taste, I thought a Dixie Chicks song was just what we needed in this new duck filled world. 

Since rumor has it that Phil, the main quacker, is apparently now back, can we start buying Dixie Chick albums? I hope so.

Oh, Brave Sir Ryan

The Ryan budget deal is not a good deal. It trades a 62 billion dollar cut over two years for an 80 billion cut over ten years, with no guarantee that any cuts will actually be made in the future. The Medicare cuts are particularly suspect as they fall entirely on doctors. Many will simple refuse Medicare patients, many are already refusing new Medicare patients and are letting the problem gradually decrease over time.

I think that Ryan is making a short term political decision over the US long term health.

Oh, and these cuts? They are not in fact cuts at all but future reductions in planned spending.

I was reminded of brave Sir Robin from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Oh, Brave Sir Ryan!

Spock Can't Be Wrong: The Coming Ice Age

I remember the winter of 77. It was difficult to feed the cattle that year. One time I was unable to get the tractor going so I had to walk to the storage area to open a gate to feed the cattle. It was not far, but I had to lay in the snow to recover before I made my way home. 

Since the sun is currently producing heat at a very low rate, I predict an Ice Age! 

It is only logical:

Another Popular Uprising

This Almost Makes Me Want to Watch the News Again! The various popular uprisings keep spreading--now it is the Ukraine. 

The issue is whether to develop economically with the EU or with the Russian equivalent. No doubt the "gut feeling" in the West is that they should go with the EU. I am not sure I agree. If the choice is some sort of trade agreement like Norway has with the EU through what is called EFTA, then this would be my obvious choice. But that does not seem to be the offer on the table. Russia may have offered a genuinely better deal centered around fuel subsidies.

The EU has many, many issues that I will talk about soon. While you wait for that I offer this, the winning song from the Ukraine in the Eurovision contest in 2004. The singer is prominent in the protest now occurring.  

(Full disclosure: my father-in-law is Ukrainian and my wife is Russian. Such ethnic combinations are common in Russia, and the large number of ethnic Russians orphaned by the end of the Soviet Union is a big part of the crisis.)

Hitler Finds Out About Obamacare Exchange Problems

While the Hitler commenting on current events meme is on its last legs. I thought this was one of the better ones.