Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, and life gets bat$hit in my line of biz! :D Student registration for their fall classes begins tomorrow with the seniors; they usually pretty much have their stuff together. HOWEVER, in about a week & a half...well...
...classes will begin to fill up, students will begin to panic, etc. So, quite a few nights between now & the end of April will look like I've posted & dashed because to keep my mental wits about me (such as they are), I need to get as much rest as I can for my l...o...n...g days.
I didn't get to my planned diary experiment this past weekend because I was busy scanning documents for my May Beat lit class - fun work but very time - consuming! :D I've even got a "theme" planned, so I'll try to get to it at some point this week.
The history cupboard's a little bare today. On this date in 1963, the last of Alcatraz's inmates were transferred out. I absolutely recommend going if you get the chance, but, in my most humble opinion, repeat visits are not necessary unless you're into depressing yourself.
Let's get SPARKy! Will the poor object of this guy's affection now have to get some sort of restraining order now that he's outta the Greybar Hotel? Continuing from the animal kingdom, it's noble & compassionate to be concerned about your farm animals, but even I think doing this bit's going a bit far. Finally, reading this story might put the fear of the {insert deity of your choice here} into you!
On with The Rachel Maddow Show!
"A Matter of Days, Not a Matter of Weeks" - Rachel began the show reminding us all how frequently our country's been involved in war. Did she watch this before going on the air? :D
Yep, all those POTUSs...there's your "bigger dick foreign policy" writ large! President Obama mentioned our involvement in Libya from a podium in Brazil...exactly 8 years after GWB announced we'd gone into Iraq. BRILLIANT timing! The GOBP's all in a dither because President Obama didn't cancel his trip; they're in a dither about President Obama NO MATTER WHAT HE'S DOING.
President Obama stressed this weekend that no American troops would be on the ground in Libya; Great Britain, France, & other Arab nations are supposed to be taking the lead on this score. So, refresh my memory, but how many of the GOBPers spewing what they spewed have actually seen or participated in combat? I know Senator Lindsey Graham's a JAG, but did he see actual fighting? The number of US air missions in Libya went down in a big way today; other nations will be bombing the $hit outta brown people (props to Mr. Carlin) instead of us. President Obama & VP Biden have met with other Arab leaders to stress the fact that the United States' role in Libya will be a limited one. Richard Engel's back in Libya - BE CAREFUL, DEAR HEART!
Richard was caught by surprise by our actions on Saturday; he's not convinced the rebels can hold out even with foreign intervention. And, not all the rebels in Libya are thinking alike. Some think Colonel Kodaffy's Jewish?! There's been a big 'ol split in Yemen's military because of the recent crackdown against its citizens. Well, I bet that's just a big 'ol fun place to be - NOT {gulp}!
"Foreign Relations" - Our Congress has declared war 5 times - that's it. That IS NOT the same as "authorization of the use of force," boys & girls. President Obama sent a letter to Congress critters today to justify our forces' role in Libya over the weekend. Steve Clemons is back tonight. So, we can relate to people by bombing them? Oh brother...don't tell Senator McCentury! ;D Mr. Clemons thinks this decision was all President Obama; he wanted to do what he could to avoid even more of a bloodbath but not get us too entrenched. However, Mr. Clemons still sees a big possibility of us getting too entrenched or looking like we're running the show.
"Decision 2012" - There are a whopping 3 declared GOBP candidates for the 2012 POTUS election, and nothing says electioneering like ugly pottery from the 1970s! Ugh, I'm glad I'm a child of the 80s & have basically no recollection whatsoever of the 70s. My first semi - distinct 70s memory was being REALLY PI$$ED OFF at Gerald Ford for sparking up all the programs on the television machine one night because of some speech! ;D The newest GOBP candidate is Governor Tim "Mr. Excitement" Pawlenty! Stock up on the uppers, boys & girls!
"Know Nukes" - OK, let's see how long I can last through Japan nuclear physics tonight. The weather is rather craptacular there now, which is hampering efforts to control the radiation. And, it's getting cold, too. Nice...cold, wet, & irradiated...sounds like a little slice of someplace just south of heaven!
More smoke is being seen at the reactors, and cooling systems are damaged, too. OK, I'm at my nuke limit; please fill in blanks in comments if you'd like!
"It's Not About the Budget" - Veterans groups led protests efforts in WI this past weekend! And, while I'm all Wisconsin as far as workers' rights, unionizing, etc., when it comes to basketball, I'M ALL BUTLER UNIVERSITY, BABY! :D
OK, back to philandeering WI GOBP State Senators already in progress. How 'bout that ever - lovin' Randy Hopper, everybody? He just might not live in the district he represents!
And, that Fitzgerald family just sounds like they'd be a hoot to hang around the Thanksgiving table with, too! There might be a few hiring scandals amiss in WI GOBP land - OOPS! And, hell hath no fury like a Mrs. Randy Hopper!! ;D AND, Senator Hopper's girlfriend got a SWEET state job for a SWEET salary - not bad for a broke state. ;D It seems many broke states want to give tax breaks to rich people; them GOBP Governors of said broke states are using teh TurdBlossom Math.