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Chief Justice Roberts Shows His Hands - A Sign of Things to Come *A major defeat for the Bush administration. The headline "Justices Uphold Oregon Assisted Suicide Law" warmed the cockles of my heart. Didn't take long to to find out where Chief Justice Roberts stands. The good Catholic joined the other conservative stalwarts in the Supreme Court to support the Bush administration's sneak attack--use of Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to prevent physicians in Oregon from prescribing drugs to terminally ill patients. The main reason, opposition of religious groups to such a measure, was not part of Gonzales v. Oregon, 04-623.Washington Post:The ruling struck down one of the administration's signature policies regarding what President Bush calls the "culture of life" and lifts the last legal cloud over the state's law, which is unique in the nation. It also frees other states to follow in Oregon's footsteps, unless Congress acts to the contrary.The 6 to 3 vote is significant. It meant that, hypothetically, even if Alito took over the seat held by Justice O'Connor the decision would still have been in favor of the State of Oregon by a 5 to 4 margin.Legislation for allowing physician assistance in dying is being considered in other states, including Vermont and California. The zealots would find it difficult to stop them. Comments musafir — 2006-01-18 Thanks, Sun Tripper. "...better read and much better informed" ? I'm not too sure about that. Perhaps being older has given me more time to read and gather information. Keep posting in your blog. I think that there has to be a positive impact from our collective output. If not, it helps to vent your feelings. Regards.

Ralph Reed * Michelle Bachelet Wins in Chile*Good news this morning. First, about Ralph Reed. The former executive director of Christian Coalition, and currently a contender for Lt. Governor's position in Georgia, is facing troubling questions about his connection with Jack Abramoff and money he received for his work on Indian casinos. Remember Hillary Clinton's "Woulda, coulda, shoulda" in defense of her profit in commodities trading ?Reed said he helped close an illegal casino in Texas and prevented casinos from coming to Alabama. "Many marriages and lives were saved" and "many children were spared the consequences of gambling because of the work I did." ...

Between the proverbial 'rock and a hard place'*Can General Musharraf continue to have his cake and eat it too ? He played a master stroke by aligning with the United States immediately after 9/11. Not that he had much of a choice. It was that or risk being treated as a pariah. In view of Pakistan's proven role in the nuclear bazaar, if it did not offer full cooperation in the war against al-Qaeda it,too, would have faced retaliation. The General weighed things over and decided that between the wrath of hardline Islamic fundamentalists and that of the mighty United States he would rather deal with the fundos at home and hitch his star to America.He got amply rewarded. The U.S. decided to accept his version of the A.Q. Khan story, that for years Dr. Khan almost singlehandedly carried out a secret operation to sell and export nuclear technology to rogue nations, including North Korea and Iran. Pakistan received loads of cash and military aid. The aid is still flowing.The fundos, however, were not happy. Their discontent with Musharraf is well-known. There have been attempts on Musharraf's life. There are reports that Pakistan tacitly overlooks al-Qaeda acitvities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. It is difficult to maintain such a precarious balancing act but Musharraf has been successful until the recent airstrike at Damadola to kill Ayman al-Zawahri which resulted in the death of 17 civilians. al-Zawahri was not present when the target was hit. It was bad news for Musharraf. All Pakistanis, not only the fundos, were enraged by the botched operation and took to streets to demonstrate against America. Pakistan filed an offcial protest.The wily Musharraf will survive. America needs his help. U.S. aid to Pakistan might be increased to appease Musharraf and the people of Pakistan but the United States will not be deterred from striking at a target if and when intelligence is received about terrorists taking shelter at any location. The neocons in America are fundos in pinstripes. They will not let Musharraf off the hook before extracting their pound of flesh. Musharraf knows it; the Pakistanis ought to take a pragmatic view of the real world. Pakistan lacks a viable alternative to Musharraf. Better Musharraf than a Koran quoting mullah or return of corrupt Bhutto and her husband."My enemy's enemy is my friend."---A Middle-Eastern maxim

The Skeleton in the Closet cannot be kept hidden*The Indian Medical Association disputed the report by BBC,January 10th, that "....selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girl births a year." However, the story has got legs. The Christian Science Monitor is carrying a report datelined New Delhi January 13, 2006 filed by Scott Baldauf. Since Mr. Baldauf's report was published after the Indian Medical Association's argument became known, one assumes that he and the CSM did due diligence before proceeding with it.Excerpts:The practice is common among all religious groups - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Muslims, and Christians - but appears to be most common among educated women, a fact that befuddles public health officials and women's rights activists alike."More educated women have more access to technology, they are more privileged, and most educated families have the least number of children," says Sabu George, a researcher with the Center for Women's Development Studies in New Delhi, who did not participate in the study. "This is not just India. Everywhere in the world, smaller families come at the expense of girls."Like China, India has encouraged smaller families through a mixture of financial incentives and campaigns calling for two children at most. Faced with such pressure, many families, rich and poor alike, are turning to prenatal selection to ensure that they receive a son. It's a problem with many potential causes - from social traditions to the economic burden of dowries - but one that could have strong social repercussions for generations to come.Additional comments: "A dark side of India - Female Infanticide"

Always available, always ready...to sell us down the river*Fallout from Jack Abramoff's plea bargain continues. Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) is reported to be concerned about chairmanship of the House Administration Committee by Robert Ney (R-Ohio). These are the same jokers who lead the move to change names of french fries and french toast to freedom fries and freedom toast in the House cafetaria to retaliate against the French Government's refusal to support the war against Iraq. Jonathan Weisman in the Post: "Ney was not named in Abramoff's plea agreement, but his staff has said he is the lawmaker identified in the court documents as "Representative #1." Abramoff acknowledged that he and former partner Michael Scanlon gave the lawmaker gifts including expense-paid trips to the Super Bowl, golf outings in Scotland, concerts and campaign contributions."Are Speaker Hastert's hands clean ? He must have had blinkers on not to be aware of what was going on in his shop.

Mother of all Chanterelles * Los Trancos Trail * Buckeye Creek*Conditions (rains, temperature) must be right. AC and I went foraging for mushrooms a few times and came back with bags full. We usually pick chanterelles and avoid others. I have occasionally found oyster mushrooms on trunks of trees. They,too, are safe and edible. But the yellow chanterelles are what we look for under oak and redwood trees.Part of a day's haul © RSI cook risotto with chanterelles. Chanterelles, with diced potato, onions and thyme, also make excellent soup. You can add cream to give it richness; I use Half and Half. They are great, simply sauteed in butter with chopped chives and put on toasted french bread. And always good with eggs--scrambled or in an omelette.Buckeye Creek among Oak, Madrone, and Bay Laurel Trees © RSJHL at Buckeye Creek, January 2006 © RSLast week JHL and I went hiking up Los Trancos Trail in Foothills Park. We stopped for a picnic lunch alongside Buckeye Creek. The sound of running water was soothing. The air smelled fresh, the trees and shrubs full of lushness. On the way back I saw a glimpse of yellow that didn't look like leaves. Went down the bank and it was the mother of all chanterelles ! Huge. Weighed almost 10 oz.Mother of all Chanterelles © JHL*"Nothing exists; all things are becoming"---Reiho Masunaga, The Soto Approach to ZenListening to: Billy's Bounce from the CD titled Tokyo '96, ECM Records 1998Keith Jarrett - pianoGary Peacock- bassJack DeJohnette - drums Comments Anonymous — 2006-01-15 That is truly one big, exquisite muthah, befitting the king of connoisseurs of the big and the exquisite. :) I wish I could rid myself of the urge to kidnap you and the other half and let you loose in Walmart for an hour or two, or your choice of whatever is the antithesis of the paradise in which you live. :) Perhaps it would be to be stuck in traffic listening to the morning news, but for you people there's always BART and NPR. :) three very devoted bows, f

*There are times when a small item can make one's day. Well, I'm talking about those who have an interest in politics, Bush, the Supreme Court and things of that sort.Andy Borowitz in Newsweek:The judge said that if confirmed as a justice of the United States Supreme Court, "I will continue my practice of not owning an agenda book and not knowing what I am doing."But just as Alito appeared to have satisfied Senate Democrats on the agenda book issue, Sen. Edward Kennedy produced the most dramatic moment of the day by holding up an agenda book allegedly owned by Alito that the senator claimed to have bought on eBay. Reading from it, Sen. Kennedy said, "It's right here, as plain as day: 'Monday, 9 AM: Pick up dry cleaning. 10 AM: Pass litmus test.'"Elsewhere, Iran announced plans to enrich uranium, and Vice President Dick Cheney announced plans to enrich himself.And so it goes. ...

Lawmakers with hands out and the pervasive Influence of Lobbyists*From The Washington Post: "Do I have K Street friends? Yes, I do," Boehner said. "Do I have relationships with them? Yes. And every one of them is an ethical relationship." Does he take us for fools ? Read more.In years past, when the House has recessed for its winter break, Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) has decamped for warmer climates and a sailing trip to the Caribbean with some of the city's top lobbyists, including Henry Gandy of the well-connected Duberstein Group and Timothy McKone of SBC Communications.Over the summer, they discussed a trip for this year as well, Boehner said yesterday, but last week the lobbyists weighed anchor without him, content to communicate by telephone while the chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee rushed to Washington for a high-stakes run to succeed Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) as House majority leader.The annual vacation, dubbed a "boys' trip" by detractors, points to an issue underlying the current House leadership race: Both Boehner and his rival for majority leader, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), have extensive ties to the same K Street lobbying world that stained DeLay's reputation and spawned the Abramoff corruption scandal.Both camps this week have been pointing to the other's well-documented connections and activities, some of which are the stuff of legends. They include Blunt's failed effort to insert a provision benefiting Philip Morris USA into the massive bill creating the Department of Homeland Security and Boehner's distribution of checks from tobacco concerns in 1995 to lawmakers on the House floor. Also of note are both men's prodigious fundraising activities, some of which involve individuals and clients with ties to Abramoff.The lawmakers are going through contortions to prove that their hands are clean. The records tell us that it is a temporary phase. Once the dust from the Abramoff scandal settles they will be back doing what they do well--accept and grant favors. The only solution is drastic reform of campaign finance laws and that is not likely to happen.Will Lester reported in the Post on January 7th about a recent AP-Ipsos poll which indicated that "........Americans are leaning toward wanting a change in which political party leads Congress _ preferring that Democrats take control........" Midterm elections are ten months away. If the wave of dissatisfaction with how Republicans handle the nation's business continues we might see Democrats back in control. That does not assure us of a clean government free from influence of 'K' Street but cleaner in comparison with what the rapacious Republicans have been doing. Drunk sailors ? But that is not a fair analogy. I have known many sailors, drunk and sober. I would prefer their company any day over that of a Republican legislator.

"India Loses 10 Million Female Births"*A report dated January 9th by the BBC sheds light on a heinous practice prevalent in India. "More than 10m female births in India may have been lost to abortion and sex selection in the past 20 years, according to medical research. Researchers in India and Canada for the Lancet journal said prenatal selection and selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girls a year. Their research was based on a national survey of 1.1m households in 1998. The researchers said the "girl deficit" was more common among educated women but did not vary according to religion." "Sex selective abortions have been banned in India for more than a decade." "Although doctors in India must not tell couples the sex of a foetus, in practice, some just use coded signals instead, our correspondent says. ""Last year the well-known religious leader and social activist, Swami Agnivesh, began a campaign across five northern and western states against female foeticide. " "There's no other form of violence that's more painful, more abhorrent, more shameful," he said.Ten million gender-selective abortions is an atrociously high number. According to CIA's World Factbook, India's population in July 2005 was estimated at 1,080,264,388.While there should be no question about a woman's right to choose--voluntary abortion, women being forced to abort or women resorting to abortion under the social pressure of producing a male child is as despicable as the efforts by zealots to criminalize abortion here in the United States and the barbaric practice of genital mutilation of females (clitoral circumcision) that is followed in some Islamic countries.Paradoxically, the BBC report goes on to say: "The sex ratio is so skewed in some states, men cannot find brides."Indian men who support female foeticide are probably the ones who also insist on virgin brides when they get married. The way things are heading they will face the need to import women--if any are available and willing to marry them.

The State of War" by James Risen * The Guardian,UK: "George Bush insists that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. So why, six years ago, did the CIA give the Iranians blueprints to build a bomb? In an extract from his explosive new book, New York Times reporter James Risen reveals the bungles and miscalculations that led to a spectacular intelligence fiasco."Excerpts:"In fact, just as President Bush and his aides were making the case in 2004 and 2005 that Iran was moving rapidly to develop nuclear weapons, the American intelligence community found itself unable to provide the evidence to back up the administration's public arguments. On the heels of the CIA's failure to provide accurate pre-war intelligence on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, the agency was once again clueless in the Middle East. In the spring of 2005, in the wake of the CIA's Iranian disaster, Porter Goss, its new director, told President Bush in a White House briefing that the CIA really didn't know how close Iran was to becoming a nuclear power. ...