Lucky ducks survive country’s top ‘mean streets’

September 23, 2007 | Death,Family,Safety,Traffic

I was on my way to pick up my son from preschool on Thursday when traffic came to a complete stop. I looked around, wondering if there had been an accident or if a car stalled. Nothing. Was an ambulance or fire truck coming? Nope. Then I saw it. Lunch-hour traffic had stopped for a duck and a duckling crossing the six-lane highway.

Isn’t that sweet?

This is the city …

• that topped the list of the Mean Streets 2004 report published by the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, which said that 3.69 per 100,000 people died in pedestrian accidents here.
• where children holding hands across the street are killed and put in the hospital by hit-and-run drivers.
• where students are killed using the crosswalk on the way to school. Or getting off the school bus. Or trying to get to a bus stop.
• where mothers pushing baby strollers are killed. And killed. (Imagine the aneurysm, heart attack and stroke I had when I learned a visiting relative had been pushing my then-18-month-old son along the highway.)
• where a pedestrian is hit by not one, not two but five cars.
• that has almost as many of these

and these

and these

as it does stoplights. It has so many “drive safely” signs and memorials, in fact, that county commissioners approved a policy to standardize them because there are so many and people can’t agree on whether or for how long they should be posted.

This is the city where the woman who killed my dog right in front of my house still screeches around the corner practically on two wheels (with an organ-donation bumper sticker on her car, no less — so many organ-laden pedestrians, so little time?) ignoring this

and this

and must be confused about the big 2 and 5 on that other sign, thinking it means minimum speed limit.

Stop for babies, children, students and mothers? Eh. Not so much.

But ducks? Yeah. We’ll stop for ducks.

Blackwater’s got some ‘splainin’ to do

September 22, 2007 | Defense industry,Iraq

Federal prosecutors are investigating Blackwater USA regarding smuggled weapons sold on the black market in Iraq. Meanwhile, Iraq looks into other incidentsinvolving Blackwater USA and civilian deaths. But Blackwater USA operations are “back to normal” today. It’s got that $1 billion contract to fulfill, you know.

The Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing yesterday, Abuses in Private Security and Reconstruction Contracting in Iraq: Ensuring Accountability, Protecting Whistleblowers.

Security problem fixed, Iraq is fun again

September 21, 2007 | Dignitary visits,Iraq

It’s a good thing they got that security stuff all figured out in Iraq, today of all days, because another congressional delegation, including Rep. John Kline, R-Minn. (his fifth visit), and Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, arrived today.

State Department halts dignitary visits … for four days

2008 campaign,Death,Defense industry,Dignitary visits,Ethics,Iraq,Military,MSM

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is pissed. Blackwater USA employees killed one Iraqi police officer and 10 Iraqi civilians and wounded at least 13 Iraqi bystanders in a shootout in Baghdad on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007. Maliki called the action criminal, threatened to prosecute those involved, canceled Blackwater’s operating license and ordered the company out of the country on Monday. On Tuesday, the United States suspended all land travel by U.S. diplomats and other civilian officials in Iraq outside the Green Zone in Baghdad.

Scratch that. Convoys guarded by Blackwater resumed today after suspending them for only four days. The U.S. embassy struck back at the prime minister, releasing a report that details corruption in his government.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice got the prime minister to agree to set up a commission to “look into the matter.” Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., asked Blackwater USA founder and owner Erik Prince to appear before the House Government Reform Committeeon Oct. 2, 2007, to determine if private contractors serve U.S. interests in Iraq and whether Blackwater USA “has advanced or impeded U.S. efforts.”

I’m curious. Who were the U.S. diplomats being guarded by Blackwater employees, and will they be required to testify before the committee?

Was it Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., and his delegation — Reps. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., and fourth-timer Steve Pearce, R-N.M. — who recently returned from an “intense two-day tour” of Iraq? No. They were there the weekend before last.

Was it Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Ohio, and his delegation — Reps. John Boehner, R-Ohio, Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., Peter King, R-N.Y., Tom Latham, R-Iowa, Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio — who just returned from Iraq? No. They were in Baghdad earlier last week. (Gosh, it’s hard to keep track, isn’t it?)

Was it third-time visitor Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and her delegation — Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., fourth-timer Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and third-timer Ken Salazar, D-Colo.? Maybe. They were on the heels of the other delegation and were in Iraq on Saturday and Sunday.

Blackwater spokeswoman Anne E. Tyrrell said Blackwater’s contractors acted lawfully and that the “civilians” who were killed were armed enemies. An Iraqi report said Blackwater guards were not ambushed. Instead, they fired at a car when it did not heed a police officer’s call to stop, killing a couple and their infant. In video shot after the episode, the child appeared to have burned to the mother’s body after the car caught fire.

In the meantime, Blackwater remains in Iraq, and Rice is telling everyone she has ordered a “full and complete review” of security practices, including Blackwater, which has a $1 billion, five-year contract with the U.S. State Department.

USA TODAY added an update to its breaking-news blog:

Update at 4:45 p.m. ET:We’ve requested comment from Blackwater USA. In the meantime, campaign finance records show that Prince has been a big donor to the Republican Party. In July, he gave $20,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Nice try, but that’s just the beginning.

Prince also gave the National Republican Congressional Committee $25,000 in 2005, $25,000 in 2004, $20,000 in 2000, $15,000 in 1989, $1,000 in 1986, as well as $71,950 to the RNC Republican National State Elections Committee in 2000, and the following:

• $1,000 on Nov. 2, 2004, to Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who visited Iraq in September 2006.
• $1,000 on Sept. 26, 2005, and $1,000 on Nov. 16, 2004, to Rep. Thomas DeLay, R-Texas, who visited Iraq in August 2003.
• $1,000 on Oct. 29, 2004, to Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who visited Iraq in February 2005.
• $500 on Sept. 21, 1999, $1,000 on Aug. 24, 2004, and $1,000 on March 31, 2005, to Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Minn., who visited Iraq in August 2003, September 2003, June 2004 and November 2004.
• $1,000 on Oct. 29, 2004, to Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who visited Iraq at least six times.
• $2,100 on Aug. 23, 2006, to Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., who visited Iraq in November 2004 and February 2007.
• $1,000 on Nov. 2, 2004, to Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., who visited Iraq in September 2003.
• $1,000 on Jan. 4, 2006, and $2,000 on Dec. 19, 2005, to Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., who visited Iraq in February 2004, September 2005 and April 2007 (his fifth visit).
• $750 on Oct. 29, 2004, to Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, who visited Iraq in February 2005.
• $1,000 on Oct. 31, 2005, and $500 on Sept. 26, 2005, to Rep. Jim Saxton, R-N.J., who visited Iraq in October 2003 and July 2005.
• $1,000 on March 31, 2005, to Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., who visited Iraq in September 2003.

That’s just for starters. I’ll keep looking. The USA TODAY guy might want to do the same.

Organization does more fact-checking on Bush’s speech

September 20, 2007 | Death,Ethics,George Bush,Iraq

FactCheck does more thorough fact-checking on President George W. Bush’s speech about Iraq on national television Sept. 13, 2007.

Know your balls in North Carolina

September 19, 2007 | Military,North Carolina,Souvenirs,Vacation

When we vacationed in North Carolina last month, I drove into town and spent an afternoon shopping for souvenirs and chatting. Well, I did more chatting than shopping, but that was the fun part. I stopped in a shop on Main Street. Its shelves were filled with ceramics, wooden sculptures, glass work and various local artwork. A boy of about 15 greeted me from behind the counter. I told him I was looking for souvenirs made by local artists. He walked around with me. I held something up, turned it this way and that, and he told tell me who made it and where they lived. I swear he said, “Yes, ma’am,” at least 152 times.

We talked about the weather. They were having a heat wave that week. He apologized for the heat. He got me a map and gave me directions to one of the roadside shops that sell gemstones. While we walked around the shop, an older boy passed by without saying a word. As he did, he stepped on the other boy’s foot or shoved him.

“Is that your brother?” I asked.

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned. (The brother recently joined the Marines and was scheduled to head out soon. I figured he was getting in his last-minute little-brother teasing.)

Then some colorful glass balls caught my eye. I held one up to the light.

“This is nice,” I said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It reminds me of a witch’s ball,” I said and told him someone once gave me one that was made in Blowing Rock, N.C., and how pretty it was.

He lowered his voice and leaned closer to me.

“Yes, ma’am, but you might get in trouble if you call it that around here.”

Ah, I get it. It’s a friendship ball. The story goes that a witch’s ball (aka, witch ball) attracts ghosts with its bright colors. The ghost gets sucked into the hole and gets stuck inside.

Just so you know, the next time you’re in North Carolina …

This? A witch’s ball.

This? Not a witch’s ball.

Nebraska senator sues God

September 18, 2007 | Ernie Chambers,Lawsuit,Nebraska

The headline was interesting enough, as was the story. (Nebraska Sen. Ernie Chambers said he’s suing God to make a point about frivolous lawsuits.) But what really made me do a double take was the photograph of the senator that ran with the article. Is it just me, or does it look like he’s sporting a halo?

Parents face jail for truancy in children

Education,Ethics,Family,Journalism,Opinion,Parenting

Editorial writer Joseph H. Brown said sending parents to jail for not sending their kids to school is a good thing: “Making Parents Accountable.”

When it comes to our public schools, accountability is mandatory. That’s why we have the FCAT here in Florida and the No Child Left Behind Act at the federal level.

Teachers and administrators are held accountable, he said. So are governments and schools, he said, but parents aren’t.

There’s one important component in the education process, however, that always escapes accountability: parents.

That’s about to change, though, because Circuit Judge Ross Goodman in Escambia County plans to charge parents of chronically truant students with misdemeanors and the possibility of jail time. (His wife, Marci Goodman, is a judge in Santa Rosa County and once sentenced a woman to two years in jail for keeping her child out of school for two years.) This came about because 583 students (of 40,000 total) in his county were absent without an excuse for at least 30 days last year.

If the parent is not sending the child to school, then I can send the parent to jail. — Circuit Judge Ross Goodman

Brown says everyone else is held accountable, and it’s time to hold parents accountable too. My question is, though, when teachers, administrators, schools and governments fail children, do they go to jail too?

This isn’t new. Parents across the country were arrested for their children’s truancy, according to a 2005 article in the Christian Science Monitor. And they’ve established similar programs in the United Kingdom.

What do you think? Should parents go to jail if their children are chronically truant from school?

Word of the day: Celebritards

September 17, 2007 | Stephen King,Words

I found a new word, courtesy of Stephen King, who used it in his The Pop of King column on the back page of the Sept. 21, 2007, issue of Entertainment Weekly. He talks about liking the silence of Australia, where he spent a month riding a motorcycle and sleeping under the stars, sans celebritards on the television. He didn’t coin the word (it’s listed in the Urban Dictionary), but his column is the first place I’ve seen it used.

Guest post: Lance-Dad2twins reviews Los Lonely Boys

Dad2twins,Guest post,Music

I remember being appalled that my parents, in the prime of their lives (mid-20s, certainly not over the hill), didn’t think The Beatles were the best thing since sliced bread. How could they be there and not dig some of the greatest music ever? I vowed to not get stuck in a rut and to always appreciate whatever came along because — you never know — they could be the next Beatles. I realize now that maybe my parents didn’t actively dislike The Beatles. Maybe they were just sleep-deprived and trying to get through each day, hour and minute with kids underfoot. When you’re doing that, who has time to discover new music?

So, here I sit, a good 10 years into a rut of not knowing what is going on out there, musically speaking. Oh, hell. I can’t blame it all on the kids. It’s been 17 years since Stevie Ray Vaughan died, and I can’t say I’ve been on the cutting edge of any music since then. (Could someone explain Justin Timberlake? Please?) Maybe I just got lazy busy. I went through a period of discovering music that was technically before my time, I sort of “fell into” other artists who had been around for a while, and I saw some great ones live (yeah, even Paul McCartney, woo-hoo). But I haven’t gotten excited about a “new sound” for years. Until now.

Enter the Los Lonely Boys. (Even though I say they’re new, they have already been around for a few years.) When I listened to the first song on their first CD, I said, “I love these guys!” Second song, “I love these guys!” Third song, “Holy … is that Stevie Ray Vaughan?!? Whoa. I love these guys.” I got their next album, Sacred, and I love them even more. The irony is that I hear bits and pieces of my entire musical history in their music, not just their obvious influences. In addition to Vaughan, Carlos Santana and Ritchie Valens, I hear a touch of Stevie Wonder, a hint of Bryan Adams and I swear if they didn’t listen to ZZ Top growing up, you can slap me. But maybe it’s because I’m, ahem, older, which means nothing is new anymore. Maybe if I were 25 again, it would all sound completely new, and I’d be looking up these other artists they say influenced them. (Stevie Ray Vaughan? Who’s that?)

Whatever it is, I have a major music crush on these guys. When I hear Texican Style (a nod to the Vaughan Brothers’ Good Texan if I ever heard one), I want to laugh and get out on the dance floor. When I hear I Never Met A Woman, I want to slow dance with my baby and have him sing in my ear. Most of all, I’d love to go down to the corner bar, order a pitcher (or three) of beer and listen to these guys all night long. And if they’d have one of their special guests stand in for a song (oh, Santana or Willie Nelson), how cool would that be?

But, look at me, rambling on and hogging the whole post. This is a guest post. I asked Lance to review their first album, Los Lonely Boys, and he pulled me from the sky and put my feet on the ground. He’s right. It’s not perfect. But I still love these guys. And I think Lance will like their next CD even more.

…

Lance of Dad2twins fame is a musician. I searched the Internet, hoping to unravel the mystery of his band experience (he won’t tell). Unless he’s a musician who plays backup guitar for an anarchist poet in Toledo, Ohio, or someone who sings Bob Seger and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs in Georgia, the mystery will not be revealed here. From what I can tell, he has a nice, respectable job out West with a company that does stuff with money.

Lance’s early musical influences were U2, Simple Minds, late 1970s punk, Sex Pistols, early Police and The Clash. He also loved Bob Marley, Burning Spear late 1970s-early 1980s English New Wave. Today, he has a broader and more eclectic taste, listening to Tricky, Massive Attack and Björk. Vivaldi and Mozart. Etta James and Johnny Cash. His favorite albums are from bands like Sigur Rós from Iceland, 16 Horsepower from Colorado, The Innocence Mission from Pennsylvania and even Nine Inch Nails (from Ohio via New Orleans). He likes bluegrass, Irish jigs and old Hank Williams. You can throw just about anything on, and he will find something to like about it.

At his wedding, they played Etta James, Frank Sinatra, classic 1940s tunes, some Beach Boys, rock, classical and New Wave. If he were to have a funeral, he’d want Louis Armstrong to send him off, but he’d rather have everyone go to New Orleans and drink hurricanes in his honor.

His kids are big into The Wiggles, although he says Elmo is making a comeback. They also listen to tons of German children’s songs. He’s been pushing Romanisch Gypsy music on them, and they seem to like it. At least he has fun watching them dance.

He has a connection to Norway, he married a German, and they have twin daughters (aka, the Farty Pants Twins) a year younger (almost to the day) than my twin daughters. Because of that, he’s my twinmigo. And here’s his review.

Los Lonely Boys, March 30, 2004, Sony

From San Angelo, Texas, come the Los Lonely Boys. Three brothers, Henry (guitar, vocals), JoJo (bass guitar, vocals) and Ringo (drums, vocals), who come from a musical family (their father is Enrique Garza Sr., who was in a band with his brothers, The Falcones, during the 1970s and 1980s). Three brothers who have picked legendary musicians as their influences: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ritchie Valens and Carlos Santana. This is like the stations of the cross for Tejano-influenced blues based rock.

Becky was kind enough to send me their album for review. I appreciate the opportunity to listen to music I have never heard before. In fact, I have only heard their hit single, Heaven. So I look forward to listening to this album. But I must admit, I feel these boys have set the musical bar high. Can they successfully incorporate these legendary influences into their music and still sound new and fresh? Let’s take a spin and see.

Señorita — OK, here is the kickoff song. So far it sounds nice. Sort of what I expected when I put the CD in the player. This is nothing new, but the guitar solo kicks ass. Carlos Santana should be proud. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought he made a guest appearance.

Heaven — Um, this song is OK. A little bit repetitive, though. I believe this is the big single for the Garza brothers. It reached No. 1 on the adult contemporary charts. [It also won a Grammy in 2004 for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group. They were also nominated for Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Best Rock Instrumental.] I hope this is not already the climax of the album and there more interesting songs on this album.

Crazy Dream — Three songs in, and the ghost of Stevie Ray Vaughn has made an appearance. I knew my patience would be rewarded. How did I know? The Boys listed Stevie under Sainthood in the liner notes. This song is it. Beautiful guitar work and a nice catchy song. Stevie would be proud.

Dime Mi Amor — Another strong song. Another Stevie Ray Vaughn guitar part. Excellent.

Hollywood— I like this song too. It reminds me of the old songs from the movies set in Hawaii. Stay with me here, this song is old-fashioned on so many levels. The harmonies are spot on and the chord progressions are beautiful. This is simply a well-written song. Maybe this is their Ritchie Valens influence. Whatever it is, I really like the way they put this song together.

More Than Love — Um, no. I don’t like this song. Sappy is about all I can say about this one. A predictable song in its structure and style. It sounds like a hundred other songs I’ve heard from a hundred other artists. Next!

Nobody Else — The brothers have the harmonies down tight. This song is a showcase of their singing style. It is a bit like the song Heaven but I think I like this song better. In fact, I know I do.

Onda — Ah, the blues. The start of this song is worth the price of the whole album. Beautiful guitar work and perfect in its execution. As a guitar player, I give this song an A+. Another song that reminds me of Carlos Santana, though. In fact, this song sounds really like Carlos. But then again, they list him under Brotherhood in the liner notes.

Real Emotions — Ah, hanging out on the beach in Miami. In my villa overlooking the bay and hanging with my beautiful Cuban bride. Oh wait, that’s not me, but this song makes me feel like it could be. Nice.

Tell Me Why — I am starting to see a pattern here. Every few songs, they throw on a boring one. This is that song. Again, NEXT!

Velvet Sky — Here is Ritchie Valens again. I like this song also with its mellow beautiful tempo and a sweet little guitar solo. Good job, Boys.

La Contestación — This song sucks. Not because it’s sung in Spanish. No, this song sucks because it is going to be played at every Latin wedding for the next 20 years or more. It is that sappy. I really hate to end the album on a negative note, but I hate this song. Now I need to go put on some Stevie Ray or Carlos to wash the bad taste out of my mouth. [Willie Nelson plays acoustic guitar on this track.]

Overall, I like the album. I don’t love the album, though. I wish I could say they sound fresh and new. But they don’t. They sound exactly like what I would expect from reading the liner notes. The Garza brothers are excellent musicians. They wear their influences well. What I most like about this band is the fact that they are succeeding and thriving. Tejano-influenced music is sorely under-appreciated by the non-Latino population. I would love to sees these guys really dig into the culture of Tejano music for their next album. These are the guys to do it. I look forward to their next album and hope it builds on the success of this one. [Get a taste of more of their music here.]

— Lance, Dad2twins