I just finished watching President Obama's national TV press conference. Finally, once again, an articulate and knowledgeable American world leader. 

About 10 years ago I imagined retiring in 20 years at about age 65. Ten years later, I'm looking forward to retiring in about 20 years. Where did it all go? "Trickle down" was really "bubble up".

Rush Limbaugh: "I hope he fails" - posted by David

Let the record show. I NEVER heard anyone say these words about George W. Bush: "I hope he fails". But Rush Limbaugh said it. See the whole story at http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/20/limbaugh-obama-fail

There is a huge difference between how George Bush began his presidency in 2001, compared to that of Barack Obama in 2009. Sure, there were or are unhappy, dissatisfied voters who didn't "get their way". That's just the way it is in in our democracy. The difference is that any disapproval of Bush was the direct result of the outcomes of his actions and policies. But for Obama, president now for barely a week, there really are no results yet. In fact, the right-wing slime machine has been up and running, in full gear, since last November 5. 

What do you have to say about this? What do you think? Is this the way you want your neighborhood, community, city,  state, or nation to be?

Dream Doggy Beers - by Oscar

Lorna, the younger daughter of my people, once talked about an interest in becoming a brewmaster. There are already some beers with a canine theme - Hair of the Dog in Portland and Flying Dog Pub in Aspen. So I have some suggestions for Lorna's beers based on the names of my cousins, Chloe, Stanley and Jason.

**Chloe Bimbo Blonde Hefeweizen**

Your unfiltered basic - looks better than it tastes

(or is it the other way around?)

**Flat Face Stanley Stout**

In a wide-mouth bottle for easy drinking, no dribbling

**Jason IPA Lot**

Extra hops, more taste, and a little "lift" in every bottle

Squirrels and Socks: One Great Mystery Solved - by Tootsie

I can sit on top of the family room couch for hours on end, watching out the window for those pesky squirrels running across the top of the fence. I just can't figure out how to catch one. If I could only climb trees. If only I were only a bit taller. If only these were ground squirrels.

David is always complaining about missing socks. I think all men must have a drawer full of mismatched socks. It's one of life's greatest mysteries. Where do they go? While there are many theories, I think this mystery has been solved.

This 8-Year Republican, Neo-Conservative History Will Not Be Re-written

I don't want any conservative to look at my January 16 post titled "The True Bush Legacy" and think that I'm just another Bush-basher. I'm not. As far as I can tell, Dubya is a nice guy. All bashing is best directed at the people and policies that surrounded George W. Bush. Of course, as Commander-in-Chief Guy, he is ultimately responsible. 

It's just that Dubya was most likely a patsy, a tool. Or was he the greatest, most brilliant political frontman and actor of all time? That is the only history yet to be written. At best (for Bush), Bush was nothing but a figurehead in executing the new Republican, neo-conservative world vision. Sarah Palin was to be the perfect follow up. 

The neo-conservatives were born during President Johnson's Great Society. Things picked up for them with the fall of Nixon, at which point they began working toward creation of a coalition between traditional Republican business interests, wacky neo-conservative foreign policy and economic ideas, and the Religious Right.

Leaving aside any elements of religion and so-called family values, here are the hallmarks of this coalition:

• Government is a corrupt, inefficient monolithic entity that must be suppressed until it is small enough "to drown in a bathtub", in the words of Grover Norquist. Ronald Reagan put in his 2 cents worth with his "nine most feared words in the English language - I'm from the government and I'm here to help" zinger. 
• We, America, are freedom and democracy. Suppressed people everywhere will fall to their knees and kiss our feet when we liberate them. They will adopt what we do and become like us.
• Supply-side economics, never ending tax cuts, trickle-down economics. This was the total subversion for economic gain of Arthur Laffer's "curve". What is the ideal tax rate "t" that maximizes tax revenue?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laffer-Curve.svg   We don't know. Regardless, we've gone way beyond "t" so that we will either spend our way into a depression, or government will be made small enough to drown in a bathtub. 

As for bullet number 1 above, we are the government; government is us. Bullet 2, only when we are a respected citizen of the world. Bullet 3, if you buy into neo-conservative voodoo economics, then you've been fooled; fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, um, um, um, can't get fooled again. The bottom line is that you've been tricked into voting against your own economic self-interest. 

My little diatribe is just the tip of the iceberg on the 8-year Bush legacy and the 45-year history of neo-conservatism. Paul Krugman has a whole bunch more that you would know if you have not been getting your news from reliable sources:

http://www.iht/articles/2009/01/16/opinion/edkrugman.1-409074.php

Do not allow any of this history to be stolen or re-written. George W. Bush's legacy has only one remaining question:  George W. Bush - The eternal optimist, a lovable but tragic Don Quixote figure, a patsy, a tool? Or the most brilliant actor and political frontman in United States political history?

Wanted: Custom Clothing for Dachshunds - by Oscar

Remember some of my nicknames? - Noodle, Gremlin, Magwai, Stripe. Well, they've given me a new one - Tube. 

It's winter, I'm cold all the time, and my clothes keep coming off as I run and play all over the place. So I'm running around the house naked and David tells me I look like a "tube". A tube! A paper towel roll with 4 legs, a head and a tail.

Tube. So I need better, more form-fitting clothing. I'm imagining something like a zippered knit tube-sock. (I'm too active for velcro). Or maybe one of those hideous aerobic exercise leggings popular back in the '80's? Yeah, that's before my time, but I've encountered a couple around the house... Zenny.  Those leggings are great for playing hide-and-seek with Tootsie.

Can anyone help me? It's a long time until summer.

By the way, the pic is apparently a 1910 postcard from the archives of one of MY favorite websites:   http://dachshundlove.blogspot.com .