Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Resigns

This has been far too long in coming

WACO, Tex., Aug. 27 — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, whose tenure has been marred by controversy and accusations of perjury before Congress, announced his resignation in Washington today, declaring that he had “lived the American dream” by being able to lead the Justice Department.

Gonzales typified the Bush presidency. This is presidency characterized by an utter disregard for the people it’s intended to serve. I once heard the Nixon presidency described as paranoid. It was that paranoia that led to Nixon and Kissinger’s propensity for keeping secrets.

The Bush administration doesn’t even have that excuse: instead, it appears to act out of pure selfishness and disrespect for those who both did and did not vote for them.

Thank god 2008 is coming soon…the only question is which Democrat will be president at this point.

Global Warming in the New York Times

From today’s New York Times

Suddenly, 1934 appeared to vault ahead of 1998 as the warmest year on record (by a statistically meaningless 0.036 degrees Fahrenheit). In NASA’s most recent data set, 1934 had followed 1998 by a statistically meaningless 0.018 degrees. Conservative bloggers, columnists and radio hosts pounced. “We have proof of man-made global warming,” Rush Limbaugh told his radio audience. “The man-made global warming is inside NASA.”

Of course, it’s long been my opinion that the man-made global warming was inside Rush Limbaugh. Why people listen to these wind bags remains beyond my unerstanding.

Moderne Burger

Moderne Burger is to the hamburger what Pablo Picasso was the world of art: a work of genius, so different from all else that it needs to be savoured in person to absorb the true impact. Once you’ve done that, you won’t be able to look at anything else in quite the same way.

It’s been closed for almost six months now, undergoing some renovations and doubling in size at the current location at Broadway and Larch. I haven’t had a burger in six months. (I discount fast food as “not a burger” and it’s not like I’ve eaten that many anyway!)

On Friday, I had the good fortune of bumping itnto Peter and Kathy who own the place while they were walking around Granvile Island. My excitement was obvious, and they assured me that they’d be open before the end of September. This is good since The Craving was getting so desperate that I swore I was going to go to the vastly inferior Vera’s Burger Shack chain on September 1^st if they weren’t open. Now that I know, I can hold out until the end of September.

The holdup, by the way? City council and the permit process. Vancouver takes permitting to an absurd level, and I can only say that this is the one thing that I would consider more important than getting the garbage strike settled: Sam Sullivan, for the good of humanity get Moderne Burger open again!

Diez Vistas

The Diez Vistas trail at Buntzen Lake is sort of legendary around here, offering 10 viewpoints out over the stunningly beautiful waters of Indian Arm. It was raining today, as it was the last time I started this trail…two years ago…but we started anyway.

After a very rough ascent the trail levels out somewhat. The viewpoints are beautiful, although we missed (somehow) number 7, 8 and 9. The hike back along Buntzen Lake’s shore was nice and does offer a loop. Turning back and retracing steps is another option, and a good one.

Wilco, Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park

With the crowd clapping in time to the beat, the band slowly began to get quiet. “We’re going to drop out now,” Jeff Tweedy said, “but you have to keep doing this. Keep doing it without getting faster, or slower.

Forever. Like your heartbeat.”

And the band just slowly disappeared, with only the sound of thousands of hands clapping to fill the night sky.

After a day where it rained off and all all day, the sky stayed dry for the night. Great music, a great venue and great company made for a perfect night for a summer that’s not over yet but has an end in sight. The set list in online here

Truly Naked Motorcycling

Installing a new tire.

Meadows Field Airport, Bakersfield, CA

Note that it doesn’t specify checked baggage or carry on. I’m not sure which one I’d prefer, but I know that it will be a cold day in hell before I declare any firearms to the Transportation Safety Authority.

Flying home, via Seattle.

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