Mr. Pollan Goes to DC

So, it seems i've been planning a trip to DC forever, but never actually making it happen. Originally, I wanted a trip to seattle for an extended weekend, then a long weekend in DC, then back to Jackson, MS where i'll be so tired i'd need a vacation from my vacation. I spent a lot of time on the Road this summer and it wasn't always my idea of the best summer ever. One thing that made it all better was Baseball. Each team plays roughly 5 days a week, unlike (say) football, I didn't have to wait around too long to watch my team and have a few bright spots in my day. I kept trying to find a time to fit in as much baseball as possible. wasn't there a week when Seattle, Baltimore, AND DC were all playing at home on the same week!? Sadly, whenever they were, I was tied up with work. Seattle, the place i was trying hardest to visit, was just not in the cards. DC, on the other hand, was.

Luckily for me, I know a few People in DC. People with Baseball tickets. And I had a plane ticket. Little did I know i was going to run into a few odd balls: Senator Larry Craig's Pals, some buffalo, a shark, FDR's lap, 45,000 people screaming for Teddy Roosevelt, Johnny Cash, a blueberry Guinness, and a story time at a bar that left me feeling like i was in a room full of people that had never had a grandparent (or at least a crazy uncle). I'll give you more as i put the photos together.

A Quick note on Hans Von Spakovsky

Recently BRD was asked my thoughts on Hans Von Spakovsky's nomination to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). He's what is wrong with a lot of Republican leadership in government. I don't mind conservative or liberal values in office. that's the way of the world. what i don't like is when people who dislike certain programs are the very people put in charge of them. He worked in the civil rights division, supposedly helping protect the hard fought rights of the people who vote. His life work in this area (to-date) appears to be working in voter suppression and voter roll purging...particularly in democratic district. GOP districts? not so much. He's another one of these guys that go after a manufactured 'voter fraud' with a solution that is pure supression, usually catered to low income/minority districts where all the unsubstantiated voter fraud seems to pop up.

Simply put, he articulates something that sounds like a problem, but isn't (voter fraud, non registered voters voting instead of real voters, etc.) THEN he miraculously has a SOLUTION to this made up problem, and what do you know, that solution helps to minimize voter strength in low income areas, minority areas, and (could you guess?) democratic leaning districts! what a gem. I suspect he'll be OK'd. what could they object to that hasn't been par for the course in Bush Country 'election protection' for 7 years now?

Um....Wow.

This looks pretty amazing.

Thank You for Being Patient

I have a good deal to talk about this week and hope to have quite a few posts, including some super secret info from my recent trip to DC! more later...WITH PICTURES!

Worst President Ever...?

Remember when Jimmy Carter was easing past Hoover as the 'Worst President Ever' in the GOP bathed 1990's? Well, whatever anyone has/had to say for or against him, one thing is true. He's probably the most important former President this country has ever had. His work in the democratization of developing nations is second to none, and clearly a better route than that taken by others (ahem). I came across this story today:

KABKABIYA, Sudan — Former President Carter got in a shouting match Wednesday with Sudanese security services who blocked him from a town in Darfur where he was trying to meet with refugees from the ongoing conflict.

The 83-year-old Carter walked into this highly volatile pro-Sudanese government town to meet refugees too frightened to attend a scheduled meeting at a nearby compound. He was able to make it to a school where he met with one tribal representative and was preparing to go further into the town when Sudanese security officers stopped him.

"You can't go. It's not on the program!" the local security chief, who only gave his first name as Omar, yelled at Carter, who is in Darfur as part of a delegation of respected international figures known as "The Elders."

"We're going to anyway!" an angry Carter retorted as a crowd began to gather. "You don't have the power to stop me."

Can you imagine any of our other presidents being on the ground, in a village in Darfur? let alone at 83 and confronting armed militia. inspiring and amazing.