Dennis and Karl - who's more the Menace?

Another Maya threshold was crossed on Friday night - she slept for 12 hours straight. Her napping skills are improving, too. Or, more accurately, we've learned to begin enforcing a schedule for said sleepy times. This week after a scheduled pediatrician visit on Friday we're heading out for Maya's first roadtrip down to Santa Barbara for a long weekend. Until then, no big plans. Except to get better acquainted with our smokin' hot new Apple PowerBook laptop. We've made the turn away from the Wintel darkside. And I don't see us going back. Among other things, this sweet techie ride will allow us to begin editing and distributing some of the video we've been recording as of late, such as Maya's first "music video" shot on Friday while playing with the program "Garage Band." I know, I know - sounds pretty cheesy. But bear with us and I think some of you might be entertained by what we put up in the future.

Karl Rove's outing is now in full-throated spin thanks to the Newsweek story that is being linked to incessantly throughout the blogosphere and advanced by the majors. His defense via his lawyer is now entirely evident - Rove claims to have talked with Matt Cooper but to have never "named" Valerie Plame, at least "knowingly." For those of you with a memory, I hope you know what the "meaning of is is" now. It is this - cover your butt at all times, especially when knowingly breaking the law in the interest of political expediency. Rove's such a punk even Ashton Kutcher wouldn't hang out with him.

As Hurricane Dennis gets downgraded, I must simply hope for the best for everyone in that part of the country while noticing some ugly sidenotes to this seasonal story. First, this is shaping up to be the ugliest stormy season in recorded history. And it's only early July. The Bushies that dispute the impact of human activity on climate change, PLEASE take note. Secondly, the fact that the energy markets are kept on a razor's edge with such an event even though crude oil prices are already at over $60/barrel should scare all of us. The justification of the market's fixation on this hurricane was noted as one of possibly threatened facilities (storage and refineries along the Gulf Coast). Regardless, we're SOOOO screwed when it comes to energy policy these days. And for all you Bushies, there's no way that initiating exploration in ANWR or elsewhere is gonna get us out from under these ever-present concerns within the decade. Get used to walkin', people. You may be needing to do a whole lot more of it a whole lot sooner than anyone has planned for.

Since the London attacks last Thursday, very little has been released about the coordination and control of the bombings even though this aspect of our so-called "War on Terror" has been constantly lauded as the one area in which we're seeing actual results. Given that London has more security cameras than anyplace in the world and that they fought the IRA for decades, I'm left feeling even more skeptical about how well-prepared we here in the US are for such events. Secretary Chertoff wants to reassure us that we're prepped for copy-cat attacks - to my recollection, al Queda has never done so and why should we be reassured when we hear about disproportionately spent Homeland Security moolah ($18B on aviation, $250M on rail and transit systems) meant to prevent such attacks in the first place? Dubya uses the opportunity to dust off the same BS and deliver it to yet another (seemingly) friendly audience as he did at the FBI headquarters this morning. Let's face it people - we're being sold a false bill of goods. If London can get hit during Blair's big moment with the G8 meeting just getting underway and the most intense security in the world (hopefully) focused on the prevention of a major attack, how are we supposed to feel good about how we're "making progress" in Dubya's asinine assessment? The only progress I see being made is in the way we've bolstered the armies of doubters out there that (as Dubya ridiculously yet redundantly opined this morning) this past atrocity in London was "an attack on the civilized world and the civilized world is united in its resolve. We will not yield, we will defend our freedom." Leading to the question for Dubya - just who is the "we" anymore? In my mind, "we" are screwed by false leadership and empty rhetoric. "We" are seeing the well-timed attacks of a still-resourceful enemy that is kicking our collective freedom-loving ass. "We" haven't prevented shit. And if "we" will not yield, "we" will see many more of the sorts of days "we" saw in London on Thursday. "We" need to get serious. "We" need to protest the policies of this Administration. "We" are running out of options. "We" can't continue to believe that what "we" are being told is in any way based in reality. "We" need to react. And "we" will not take this boilerplate bunk anymore than "we" would delay in protesting the purchase of a lousy car, cantelope or DVD. "We" should be much angrier than "we" currently are. But "we" are getting there.

Sorry - needed to rant for a moment. I need a run in the Park. I think "we" all do. Rock on.