Ukraine Splits Asunder

Not surprisingly, this country is now in two pieces, divided along traditional lines

• the East. Richer, industrial, Russian-speaking, and pro-Putin
• the West. Poorer, agricultural, Ukrainian-speaking, and EU-ish

Kiev, the capital, is in the west and under control of the west. The parliament has passed laws, including one that bans the Russian language. Governments in the east will have nothing to do with what is happening the west.

The Big Question

The US, EU, and Russia have to decide how to respond to this dangerous situation. Leaving things alone and waiting for events to congeal might be the best course. But will Putin accept half a loaf? By that I mean, what if east and west declare independence from each other? Will he take eastern Ukraine in orbit around Russia, leaving the west to the EU? Or will he bloodily force the 2 halves to stay stitched together like Frankenstein's monster?

What About the Money?

Ukraine is out of money, and they need hard currency. This was the original catalyst for the current problems. Who will give it to them, and what price will the giver exact?

Stay tuned, this is going to be a very long spring.

The Ukraine Government Has Collapsed

OK, let us review the rapidly moving events from the past day or two.

• Yanukovich, the President, has disappeared
• The Ukrainian armed forces has stated that they will support the people
• Parliament appears to still be functioning, as they have voted the Speaker as interim leader
• there are ¼ million Jews
• the above is troubling, as some of the protesters appear to be Nazis, Skinhead, White Supremacists, or whatever; yes, these sorts of people are still alive and well in the western parts of the Ukraine
• Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, says that Russia has no plans to invade. However, this is only for the moment: it is difficult to imagine a resolution to this civil war without Russian jackboots
• The protesters/occupiers are still going strong and have surrounded the Parliament building

Be careful about drawing conclusions. We are still dealing with the fog-of-war problem. Information is not reliable at this point. Some of the above might be true, much will be false. We will not know the full story until the shouting is all over.

Ukraine – Civil War?

OK, how many of you are aware that the Ukraine is on the verge of civil war, that threatens to spread to neighboring countries? How many have been keeping tabs on this troubled country? How many of you are aware that the danger posed by Ukrainian problems is more dangerous than even Syria?

Really? That many of you?

OK, smartypants, who was the first Ukrainian President and in what year?

Hmmmm...I thought so.

(ICYW, Kravchuk in 1991).

Geography

OK, another quiz: can you name the countries on the Ukrainian border?

In the east, it is Russia.

In the west: Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova.

I hope you now understand the problem. Unrest in Ukraine might spillover into her neighbors.

Political Nonsense

Like many of the Arabic countries, there is no earthly reason for the current political boundaries of Ukraine. They are not bound together by culture, ethnicity, or history. The map was redrawn by the victors of various wars.

The western parts are Hapsburg-ish, and therefore EU-centric. The east is Tsarist, and therefore pro-Russia.

Never the twain shall meet.

€ and Rouble

OK, so why are both the EU and Russia vying for close economic ties to Ukraine? Well, during the bad-old days of the Soviet Union, this country was a manufacturing powerhouse. Much of the the Commie war machine was made here. That is why both powers offered the Ukraine cold, hard cash to join them.

Putin the Putz

The problem is that said millionaire has been monkeying around with the internal politics of the country under consideration. He has made a difficult situation much, much worse. You see, he dreams of reassembling the old Soviet Union, and for that, he needs the Ukraine as a Russian handmaiden. The fact that said handmaiden is in revolt is of no concern to Putin. Sending in the Russian military, not unlike the crushing of the Hungarian Revolt or Prague Spring, is not out of the question for said millionaire.

OK, So Why Are Dozens Dead?

Well, it seems that the EU put an economic aid package on the table, which was under serious consideration by Yanukovich. Putin put his own deal up for grabs, and Y chose P. This angered the western parts, and occupation and clashes in Kiev were the result. The language on both side have become more acerbic.

I know that there are rumors in the press that an agreement has been reached. Maybe.

Nevertheless, this problem is not going away anytime soon.

California: Water Wars!

Heh, heh...you cannot write fiction this exciting or engrossing.

First, let us introduce our cast of characters.

The Delta

Located on the eastern side of the SF Bay, it is the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. It is a complex network of levies, fresh water, agriculture, and nature. It drains into the Bay.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA)

There is a small bait fish (hypomesus transpacificus), native to the Delta, which is protected by the ESA. Human civilization is not allowed to take the water it needs from the Delta or tributaries because in times of drought, because this might damage the population of said bait fish.

The California Aqueduct

It is fed at its head by 2 huge water pumps located in the Delta. It is a gigantic canal that waters agriculture of the interior valleys as it wends its way south, terminating eventually in the Los Angeles Basin, which is technically a desert. Due to the ESA, the pumps have been turned off because California is in the midst of a very bad drought.

The San Joaquin Valley

Even in the absence of irrigation, it is the most productive agricultural land on the face of the earth, second only to the Ukraine. The San Joaquin River flows through this valley, flowing westward just north of Fresno, ending eventually in the Delta.

The Farmers

Tending the verdant Valley, they have turned Central California into the salad bowl of the world. They used to be able to tap the native river to water their crops, but can no longer do so due to the ESA. Instead, they are forced to draw water from the aqueduct as the water is pumped from the Delta southwards down to LA. So, the water they get have made a round trip from the river down to the Delta and back up past the Valley (no, I am not kidding).

Thirsty Cities

Many cities in SF/Bay Area draw drinking water from lakes, reservoirs, and the Delta. This year, many will literally run out of drinking water long before the winter rains return.

And now, our feature presentation...

Act 1

“Reprieve”. In a rare moment of clarity, the useful idiots temporarily suspend the ESA (OK, now you know that this is not real life, but science fiction, right?).

Act 2

“Die, Aqueduct, Die”. See Star Trek: The Next Generation. Episode:The Ensigns of Command. Even the Guardians of Gaia cheer.

Act 3

“Dam, You”. The moratorium on building dams is lifted. Many reservoirs and dams and man-made lakes are constructed. Now, in times of plenty, water can be saved and stored. Even in times of terrible drought, there will be enough drinking water for all.

Act 4

“Water, Water, Everywhere...” The farmers are allowed to directly tap the river flowing through their own backyard as much as they want. What was desert now blooms with a carpet of color that extends as far as the eye can see. Reference: Exodus 16.

Act 5

“The Decline and Fall of the Peripheral Canal”. Now that there is enough water for all, there is no more thought of a second aqueduct/canal allowing the south to commandeer yet more precious water from the north.

Act 6

“Godzilla vs. LADWP”. Once again, the good guys win. LA returns to the desert from whence it came (honestly, who cares?). Balloons, confetti, ticker tape parade, popping of champagne corks.

Epilogue

And they all lived happily ever after.

The End?

The Republican Party...Has Not Capitulated

Here is a sampling of headlines regarding the Debt Ceiling vote in the House:

Republicans Approve Clean Debt Limit

Republicans Drop Demands

Republicans Abandon Plans to Link Debt Ceiling

Republicans to Act Like Adults, Will Not Throw Tantrum Over Debt Ceiling

Republicans Abandon Brinksmanship Over Debt Limit

Republicans Will Not Play Chicken With US Debt

Republicans Change Strategy, Will Not Risk Government Default

Balderdash.

The Republican Party has done no such thing. Republican Leadership, in cahoots with the House Dems, has passed the Debt Ceiling bill. Let us review:

• total Republicans in House: 227
• Republicans voting for bill: 28
• Republicans voting against: 199
• % of Republicans who voted against: 87.7%

So there. Republican rank & file voted overwhelmingly against. Yes, the bill passed, but without support from Republicans in general.

Why Is President Obama Supporting a Cop Killer?

Act 1

Mumia Abu-Jamal assassinates a police officer in cold blood. This fact is not in doubt. Debo Adegbile is the lawyer who defends his client numerous times in his journeys through the US legal system.

Act 2

Scene: Berkeley, CA. There are many signs intoning: “Save Mumia Abu-Jamal” around town. A candidate who is running for the House of Representatives in Berkeley in 2010, waiting at a stop light, is nudged by a stranger who, pointing at one of these signs, says: isn't that a good cause? Said candidate responds: he is a cop-killer; who on earth would support a cop-killer? (crickets).

Act 3

The current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave nominates said lawyer to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. The fact the cop-killer and said occupant are of the same racial group is, of course, simple coincidence.

Act 4

A stunned nation responds: WTF?

Al Franken: Go F*ck Yourself

I was rather taken aback this morning when I saw, in a web page space normally occupied by your standard ad that I usually ignore, the smiling visage of said comedian-cum-senator in a political ad asking for donations to aid his efforts to defeat Citizens United.

I suggest you make a big fat donation to the target of said SNL fugitive. Ironically, this sort of attack often resolves itself to the benefit of the target.

I realize that this brief blog is probably not a good idea, not only because of the lack decorum in the title, but also because when you make a criticism, you legitimize your target. Oh well...

It Never Rains in (Southern) California...

Huzzah! The Pineapple Express has arrived!

OK, I parenthesized the “Southern”, cuz I grew up in LA (Los Angeles/Southern Calif, not Louisiana), moved here to the SF/Bay Area to go to UC Berkeley to get my baccalaureate in chemistry. I totally detest El Lay. The title is a reference to an MOR pop music song from my teen years (yes, I know: you can determine the date of this song by Albert Hammond, and figure out that I come close to qualifying as an old fart). A music video of said composition can be found here.

We are currently in the midst of a rather bad drought. The same thing happened a couple of decades ago, and water conservation was the watchword. Lawns turned brown, and there was a saying regarding flushing the toilet: if it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down. Take a shower with a friend, don't brush your teeth (kids loved this one).

Why?

Cuz there is a high pressure ridge parked off of the coast of California.

Guh?

You see, here in California, there are 2 sources of rain.

The first are storms that grow in the Gulf of Alaska, and sweep down the west coast, dropping rain all along the way. These are the ones that are quite cold, and are often accompanied by winds that cause the rain to fall horizontally.

The second is the so-called “Pineapple Express”. These are weather fronts that have their genesis in the Hawaiin Islands and sweep westward here to California. They are powerful, and can dump huge amounts of rain. In a good year, they turn gutters into mighty rivers and streets into great seas, and, yes, your shoes and socks will get sopping wet. They are also quite warm and humid, and often cause me to sweat (yes, in winter).

Now: when a high pressure ridge parks it rear end off of the coast, both types of storms get shoved north, and Washington state and Oregon and Canada get our rain. Hence, the current drought.

Happily, today, we got a small bit of the Hawaiian Express, but not nearly enough to soothe our drought. It is going to be a very long summer in California.

Why I Oppose Bride of Peripheral Canal

You see, many conservatives favor said environmental disaster because farming and therefore economic activity are being totally destroyed in the interior valleys. Nevertheless, I still oppose it due to a small, yet disastrous regulation: if we allow construction of SON OF PERIPHERAL CANAL, SF/Bay Area (who rely on the Sacramento river for drinking water) will be required by law to ship water southwards. SF can turn into a friggin' desert, but will still be required to ship predetermined quantities of water southwards. Worse: the beneficiary will not only be agriculture in the valley, but also LA. You see, the powerful land development company who will control the water once it reaches the valley also has powerful contacts to the DWP (Department of Water and Power), and the water can easily and legally be trans-shipped to LA, for people in Bel Air to fill their swimming pools and wash their cars, at the same time that SF residents will be forbidden to wash their cars. FYI: DWP is quite powerful, and has a history of snookering entire states (Nevada, Arizona) out of their fair share of water from the Colorado River. Have you ever seen Chinatown starring Jack Nicholson? It is all about the political battles over water in the LA basin: yes, water is that important. Can you guess who the shadowy power is lurking in the background? That's correct: our old friend DWP.

A Bit of Agricultural History

Before the advent of pumping water from the SF/Bay Area to the valley, this area was still the salad bowl of America. How? Humid farming: the farmers were smart enough to grow crops that did not require irrigation, but could thrive and be productive using only the natural rainfall. My heart does not bleed for the farmers of the valley, who are wailing and gnashing their teeth. All they have to do is become as smart as their forebears and switch to crops that do not require irrigation. They will still be wealthy and productive farmers. All they have to do is switch from lettuce and rice and stone fruits to other crops using humid farming (Google it). 

Chris Christie - The Decline And Fall Of A Republican Presidential Hopeful

A Tale of the Republican Mafioso

The latest brouhaha regarding the rather rotund Guv details yet another case of mafia-like behavior. You know, made him an offer he couldn't refuse. It is now clear that he is simply a bully, in the old-fashion, high school sense. Said tub-o-lard is clearly not made of presidential timber.

It seems that a key aide has said that CC knew of the GW Bridge closure/retaliation much earlier than he claims. Well, this by itself is not that damning, but then CC made yet another mistake of the same magnitude as the bridge closure. He retaliated against the aide, his career, and his family.

Now, dear readers, I have a question: are not these 2 events clearly congruent? Does this not give us a clear view into his soul?

Hmmm?

Do not be fooled by the media, who clearly favors CC as the R presidential candidate in 2016.