DeRosaWorld

Jimmy James' Great Escape

"Jimmy James, a British flier in World War II obsessed with escape plots during his five years in German captivity, most prominently the breakout portrayed in the movie “The Great Escape,” died Jan. 18 in Shrewsbury, England. Mr. James, who lived in Ludlow, England, was 92.

Mr. James made at least seven unsuccessful attempts to tunnel out of that camp. Then he was transferred to Stalag Luft III, about 90 miles southeast of Berlin. By the time he was liberated by American troops in Austria in May 1945, a few days before Germany surrendered, he had tried to escape at least 11 times from P.O.W. camps and a concentration camp and had succeeded twice, only to be recaptured.

“I was just a guy who wanted to get home; I was no hero.."

The most storied escape occurred on the night of March 24, 1944, when 76 Allied prisoners, mostly airmen from Britain and the Commonwealth nations, tunneled out of Stalag Luft III. Mr. James and another prisoner had overseen the hiding of soil displaced by the tunnel digging, supervising its placement underneath seats in the camp’s theater, where the captives had put on shows. Mr. James was the 39th man to escape through the tunnel."

The Great Escape is one of the movies that me and my friends devoured when we were young. Steve McQueen throwing that ball against the wall of the cooler and driving the German guard crazy. That fantastic escape plan. The motorcycle chase. To think that it really happened makes the story so much more powerful. I can't wait to rent it and enjoy it again. I raise a glass to Jimmy James and the gang from Stalag Luft III.

Fallen Angels: Giuliani and Edwards

Republican Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani and Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards both dropped out of the race for their Party's nomination today.

Rudy Giuliani is a strange man. I lived in New York when he became mayor. He seemed like a socially-liberal conservative. That was okay by me. To run New York City you have to go with the flow. But his dictatorial tendencies bubbled to the surface laced with the scum of racism. He got mean and nasty and of course there were the mistresses spread over the city like hot dog stands.

His political career was over as of September 10, 2001. The next day he became America's Mayor. No matter what you think of his behavior on 9/11, it was really Senator Clinton who did the most to help NYC recover, including taking George W. Bush down a few pegs when he tried to go back on his $20 billion dollar recovery promise.

His strategy to run for President was a strategy not to run for President, but to be anointed. It failed. Sorry Rudy, you just don't get to go from Gracie Mansion to the White House.

John Edwards seems like a decent guy. His speeches on poverty were powerful and reminded us all that we just don't think about the poor in the is country. John Edwards reminded us of that fact.

In 2004 Edwards was my choice among the Democrats. He was young, liberal, energetic and smart. I thought he would be a real change in the White House. But in 2008, after his wife got sick and he stayed in race, there was something that disconnected him from his message for me. He was one of the richest candidates, but championed the poor. I know that FDR and JFK too, were rich and championed the poor, but that comparison held in 2004, it broke down in 2008.

His message didn't catch on. Senator Clinton's experience and Senator Obama's celebrity muffled Edwards. It will be interesting to see where he ends up. A feisty Attorney General for either remaining candidate would keep him in the national political spotlight. I wish him well. I wish his wife and family well in their upcoming ordeal.

Hillary Clinton Wins The Democratic Florida Primary

Senator Clinton wins the Florida Democratic Primary.

"Mrs. Clinton had strong support among women, Hispanics, whites, older voters, early deciders and early voters in Florida. A majority of Democratic voters said she was the most qualified to be commander in chief, and a plurality said she was the most likely to unite the country.

Mr. Obama received the support of 7 in 10 black voters, but they made up less than 20 percent of the electorate. He did better among younger voters than older ones, but they did not support him as strongly as they had in earlier primaries, and he was unable to best Mrs. Clinton among them."

This may matter if this race stays close as the Convention nears. Once again, Florida mucks up the works for American electoral politics.

What The Fuck Is A Signing Statement?

"President Bush yesterday signed the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act after initially rejecting Congress’s first version because it would have allegedly opened the Iraqi government to “expensive lawsuits.”

Even though he forced Congress to change its original bill, Bush’s signature yesterday came with a little-noticed signing statement, claiming that provisions in the law “could inhibit the President’s ability to carry out his constitutional obligations.” CQ reports on the provisions Bush plans to disregard:

One such provision sets up a commission to probe contracting fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another expands protections for whistleblowers who work for government contractors. A third requires that U.S. intelligence agencies promptly respond to congressional requests for documents. And a fourth bars funding for permanent bases in Iraq and for any action that exercises U.S. control over Iraq’s oil money.

In his “Memorandum of Justification” for the waiver, Bush cited his Nov. 26 “Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term Relationship of Cooperation and Friendship” between Iraq and the United States. This agreement has been aggressively opposed by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress as not only unprecedented, but also potentially unconstitutional because it was enacted without the agreement of the legislation branch."

Why is the President allowed to do this? Where in the Constitution does it say the Executive Branch can have this power? Fuck his Memorandum of Justification. I want Congress, or the Supreme Court or even the Washington, D.C. police to remove Bush. Jr.'s treasonous ass out of the White House as soon as possible.

Why is everyone in government and the media afraid of this guy?

When President Hillary Clinton issues Memorandums of Justification for Signing Statements, everyone from the Republicans in Congress, Christian Televangelists, FOX News and The Huffington Post are going to call for a Special Prosecutor and a treason trial.

The Final State of the Union Address by President George Bush,Jr. Say Amen Somebody!

Every word the man said was a lie including 'the' and 'and'.

President George W. Bush is an ass-wipe. His Presidency is the national sham and shame.

Why we let him sit in the Oval Office for this long is something we will never be able to explain to future generations, or for that matter when we pass into the afterlife, to previous generations of Americans who fought and died for liberty.

The founding fathers would have run a sword through him, Abe Lincoln would have fired him. FDR would have got him drunk and let him fall face-down into swimming pool. JFK would mocked him until he cried and Bill Clinton would have debated him into a red-faced steaming rage that would have led to him choking on a pretzel.

The DerosaWorld response to Bush, Jr.'s last SOTU:

First of all, thank god!

-Almost every child is still left behind, except of course his twin girls.

-The economy isn't coming back anytime soon. And I have lost patience.

-He lied all of us into a war with Iraq and we all watched as Saddam Hussein was hung by the neck until dead, so what the fuck are we still doing there?

-He fucked up and mismanaged the Afghanistan War so bad that the Brits have packed up their tea-cozies and have left town, and the locals are digging holes to hide in.

-We should have sent our military into Pakistan.

-We should stop letting Saudis in or out of this country and stop all trade with them.

-The Bush tax system has given most Americans less than $500 bucks over 10 years. Shove it up your ass.

-Oil companies are raping us with gas hoses.

-Osama bin Laden is still dick-slapping you.

-You've made the world less safe.

-You've made the United States less safe.

-NATO ignores you.

-Europe mocks you.

-China will bitch slap us in about 25 years.

-You hate veterans because you were a draft dodger and deserted your post during war-time.

-America is no longer a place the world looks up to and admires.

-You mocked the global climate crisis and now it is probably too late.

-You left a legacy of pain for generations of Americans.

-Dick Cheney is a vampire

The Kennedy Family Is Big, But There Aren't 2.9 Million Of Them

The American Nurses Association endorsed Senator Clinton for the Democratic Presidential nomination. This is a major endorsement any Democratic candidate would covet. Clinton has worked tirelessly on health care over the years, both during her time in the White House and in the Senate. The endorsement is well deserved.

"Too many Americans must do without high quality health care, and this country deserves a president that will make health system reform a priority," said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR. "Senator Clinton has shown a commitment to implementing real change in our health care system to ensure high quality, affordable and accessible care. She has also recognized the importance of educating, recruiting and retaining, RNs, and the need to improve the nurse's work environment which includes addressing safe and appropriate staffing. America's 2.9 million registered nurses represent the largest group of health care professionals. We have long advocated for the critically needed reforms vital to the improvement of health care and will use our power in the voting booth to make health care a priority."

From MyDD: "One of the themes of the presidential race is the choice between flashy rhetoric we often hear from politicians and real work to make the lives of real Americans better. Today, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of 2.9 million nurses who work everyday to improve the lives of real Americans, the American Nurses Association.

Their endorsement was not based on the feel-good rhetoric of conventional politicians, but on Hillary Clinton's obvious and real leadership on heath care issues -- a life time of commitment that includes rural health initiatives in Arkansas, enacting S-CHIP which provides health care coverage for millions of children, passing legislation that extends VA health care to millions of National Guard members, and the most impressive plan for true universal health care."

Obama Is A Brat

Senator Barack Obama, the man who preaches change, hope and harmony turns his back on Senator Clinton.

Was he afraid to face her? Scared to face her? Does he just disrespect women? 

A gentleman would have reached and shook her hand.

Senator Edward Kennedy Endorses Senator Barack Obama

A very powerful endorsement for the Democratic Presidential race came from Senator Edward Kennedy today, for Senator Barack Obama.

This is an endorsement that stopped me in my tracks and made me think long and hard about Senator Obama and Senator Edward Kennedy as well as JFK and RFK.

Robert Kennedy, Jr. endorsed Senator Clinton back in November, 2007. An interesting contrast to today's endorsement by his uncle.

Senator Hillary Clinton must be feeling bruised this morning, along with her husband, former President Bill Clinton. There is a cynical side to me that believes if Ted Kennedy's endorsement was for Senator Clinton we would not be getting 'Ted Kennedy Matters' editorials, but instead comparisons of Chappaquiddick with Vince Foster, Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky. We would also be relieving time-frames of JFK-Marilyn Monroe liaisons.

The Kennedy endorsement matters to me. The location, American University matters to me. JFK made one of his Presidency's most important speeches and policy changes there in 1963. What Ted Kennedy says about Senator Obama needs to be listened to and discussed.

“If we do not turn aside, if we dare to set our course for the shores of hope, we together will go beyond the divisions of the past and find our place to build the America of the future. My friends, I ask you to join in this historic journey -- to have the courage to choose change,” Kennedy said.

“It is time again for a new generation of leadership,” Kennedy continued. “It is time now for Barack Obama.”

With Barack Obama, we will turn the page on the old politics of misrepresentation and distortion.

"With Barack Obama we will close the book on the old politics of race against race, gender against gender, ethnic group against ethnic group, and straight against gay," Kennedy said.

"There was another time, when another young candidate was running for president and challenging America to cross a new frontier. He faced criticism from the preceding Democratic president, who was widely respected in the party," Kennedy said, referring to Harry S. Truman.

"And John Kennedy replied, 'The world is changing. The old ways will not do. ... It is time for a new generation of leadership.

Like Senator Obama's wonderful speeches, Senator Kennedy's endorsement today was full of inspiring rhetoric, but light on specifics. I'm not buying the sincerity of the endorsement. My heart-strings were moved, but my mind has not been changed.

Toni Morrison actually had something more interesting to say:

"In addition to keen intelligence, integrity and a rare authenticity, you exhibit something that has nothing to do with age, experience, race or gender and something I don't see in other candidates," Morrison wrote. "That something is a creative imagination which coupled with brilliance equals wisdom. It is too bad if we associate it only with gray hair and old age. Or if we call searing vision naivete. Or if we believe cunning is insight. Or if we settle for finessing cures tailored for each ravaged tree in the forest while ignoring the poisonous landscape that feeds and surrounds it.

"Wisdom is a gift; you can't train for it, inherit it, learn it in a class, or earn it in the workplace — that access can foster the acquisition of knowledge, but not wisdom," Morrison wrote."

JFK's Daughter Endorses Senator Obama

"I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans."

Wow, that is some endorsement coming from Caroline Kennedy, a New Yorker. This seems to me to be a blow to Senator Clinton, a woman who has worked hard for New York State and who continues the legacy of President Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy (D-NY) in the Democratic Party.

"Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process."

Inspiring young people is great, they poll well, but they don't actually show up at the voting booth on Election Day. If he can change that, it would be something. As for his qualities...untested. His experience...nil. His ambition...great. His rhetoric...fantastic. A movement...not yet he hasn't. A movement would mean I am not missing a group of strong Democratic candidates running for President. A movement is getting white men into the voting booth and voting Democratic. Without this, we have no 'change' and no 'movement'.

Here is another view from Ted Widmer that needs to be discussed, debated and understood.

"Back in the U.S., no candidate has captured the reflected glory of JFK more than Barack Obama, thanks to his youth, eloquence, and message of change. The Kennedy-Obama parallel has been played up by the press, and Obama’s campaign has not discouraged those comparisons—indeed, it has brought in Ted Sorensen, JFK’s talented speechwriter, to make speeches and render the judgment of history.

But the comparison falls short when voters consider the key question for 2008: foreign policy experience. It’s true that Obama, like Kennedy, is a youngish senator (at 46, three years older than Kennedy when he ran for president), but the parallel falters after that. The more one looks into Kennedy’s lifelong preparation for the job, the more one realizes how misleading it was, then and now, to describe him as inexperienced. Everyone who has stressed Kennedy’s youth, from Dan Quayle in 1988 to Obama today, has bumped up against the uncomfortable fact that JFK was an extremely well-informed statesman in 1960. As Lloyd Bentsen reminded us in the zinger that pole-axed Quayle, the truth was a lot more complicated than the myth...

In an editorial supporting Obama, the Boston Globe called attention to his “intuitive sense of the wider world.” But “intuition” would have seemed a silly quality to JFK, a realist even among the realists of his day. He and the other veterans he had served with were tired of inflated promises and wanted a world that would live up to the sacrifice they had already made for it. Like Kennedy, Obama certainly has a capacity to learn, and learn quickly. But there are qualities that cannot be gleaned from briefing books, even by the quickest study—independence of judgment, calm determination, and the deep knowledge of all possibilities that comes from years of experience in the trenches. To his credit, Obama has not personally cited intuition as a reason to vote for him, but the campaign profited enormously from the Globe endorsement, and has tolerated a certain vagueness about his background and intentions that now needs to be clarified."

Sunday Morning Music

The Grateful Dead performng Ripples.