… In 1960, the gap in terms of wealth between the top 20 percent and the bottom 20 percent was 30-fold. Four decades later it is more than 75-fold. … If you want to know what’s changing America, follow the money. …

Today’s reason: who served?

In his continuing campaign to reduce the level of political discussion in this country to name calling and hand gestures, Karl Rove still insists that dissent is unAmerican by trying to connect Kerry’s anti-Iraq-war position as an attack on the troops. It’s refreshing to see someone who has never served a single day in the military, like most of the prominent GOP members, have such an authoritative viewpoint on the military.

This decision reminds me of how far we’ve come just for having left the Port and the “Good Ol Boy” community. Of note is the response to the wome by a member as they left the locker room (p. 27)

I sometimes feel kind of used, the way Google does things that make me so happy. Is that how Mac zealots feel?

Anyway, Google bought Picasa, a Windows photo-organization tool, and is now giving it away free.

So far it looks really quite nice. Maybe somewhere between iPhoto and Photoshop Album. And free like beer.

NPR’s coordinating with the frogs. Morning Edition had a bit on a flamenco master this morning, just as the race was hitting the Pyrenees. Expect big things from Iban Mayo or Roberto Heras.

(And, yes, I’m well aware that Andalucia is about as far removed culturally from the Basque as Texas is from New England)

We’ve started reading classics to Jake. He and I have powered through Alice in Wonderland, and he and Missy are currently finishing Stewart Little (Both before seeing the movies, BTW).

But the best so far is starting Treasure Island with him last night. He’s been into pirates for a while, but hasn’t seen them as other than cute, cool toys and neat logos.

But as we launched into Treasure Island, he was rapt. We got through two chapters. If you’re not familiar with the book, chapter 2 ends with a sword fight (which Jake was hiding behind his pillow for) and then the doctor coming to perform a bloodletting (which Jake thought was equal amounts gross and cool – he’s glad his doctor doesn’t use a lancet). But the light was in his eyes, especially when he asked “What’s a cutlass?” and I told him it was a fancy word for sword.

My biggest fear, though, is that he’s going to get in trouble at summer camp for singing “Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum.” We had a good time stomping around his room pretending to be Captian Billy tying one on at the “Admiral Benbow.”

Why would you vote for a man who wants to ignore the Bill of Rights? Kerry claims to be pro-second amendment, but apparently only enough to satisfy his own bloodlust

“John Kerry eats dove. Even better, he shoots them. From behind the stalks of a Southern cornfield, he’ll watch them flutter and dart, and fire. ‘You clean them. Let them hang.” … Dove, quail, duck, deer. Kerry described how to hunt and gut them, talking as he sliced through a steak at midnight”

Yet, he supports requiring federal registration and approval for any transactions involving firearms, missing the entire point of including the second amendment.

Why elect someone who obviously hates the Constitution?

Looks like there’s ammonia and methane on Mars, neither of which last long in the atmosphere without being replenished by either life or volcanoes.

No wonder Bush is so interested in going there – another place to drill.