You call this spring?

I bring you my backyard on Sunday, March 24, 2013...

Yes, that's snow. At the end of March. In Virginia.

I wonder, can Punxatawney Phil be sued for malpractice?

Supreme hypocrisy

It's interesting, and perversely amusing, to hear conservatives chime in on the Supreme Court consideration of gay marriage. The thrust of their argument seems to be the folly of, as they put it, "five elites" on the Court deciding sweeping political changes for the entire country.

I don't recall these same conservatives holding the same opinion when the Supreme Court handed the 2000 election to George W. Bush, nor do I recall these protectors of our political process complaining when the Court decided that corporations were the equal of citizens when it came to financing campaigns. As usual, the argument is only made when the possible or actual outcome runs counter to the political goals off the commentators.

The blatant hypocrisy of those arguing against the Court hearing cases of gays and lesbians arguing for marriage rights shouldn't surprise me. It does disappoint me that so few seem to notice it, at least in the media.

No-Shame McCain

Remember when Senator John McCain was a respected and honorable member of the government and American society? Neither do I.

Ever since his loss in the 2000 presidential primaries to George W. Bush, McCain has been getting more and more bitter and pandering more and more to the worst, right-wing elements of his own party. McCain was hit by rumors in pivotal South Carolina, whispering that the Bangladeshi girl McCain and his wife adopted was actually his illegitimate daughter. In a state as, shall we say, progressively-challenged as South Carolina, that rumor was more than enough to sink McCain's chances.

In 2008, McCain got his chance as the candidate of the Republican Party and went head-to-head against Barack Obama. We all know how that went. Despite the occasional moment in which he almost redeemed himself, McCain conducted a poorly-run campaign marked by several lurching changes in direction and outright disastrous decisions -- Sarah Palin, anyone? McCain suffered a humiliating defeat.

Since then, McCain has seemed to devolve into a metaphorical old man yelling "Get off my lawn!" at neighborhood kids. Once a champion of immigration reform, he ran as the "Build the dang wall!" candidate in his Senate re-election campaign. Now, after the big Republican losses in the 2012 election due in no small part to the overwhelming preference of Hispanic voters for Democrats, he's back urging immigration reform again. Why? He says bluntly it's because of the election. Way to stick with your principles, Johnny.

His bitterness at having been rejected nationally twice, coupled with being left behind by younger leaders, including the President, is evident in his recent actions.

Two recent examples offer graphic evidence of his descent into irrelevance. He questioned former Senator and Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel -- an old friend, by the way -- as if Hagel was a murder suspect and McCain was Perry Mason. Never mind the fact that McCain himself had recommended Hagel as an excellent choice to head the Defense Department just a few years ago.

Then there's Iran. McCain's burning desire to go to war with Iran is so out there it's scary. What is it with these guys who want America to be in a state of constant war? Is it their ties to defense industries and the ample campaign contributions they produce? Is it some testosterone-induced warrior fantasy? Most of them are chicken hawks who've never served a day in the military, but McCain is a veteran who should know better than to casually postulate sending young Americans to war zones.

Whatever the reason, war with Iran seems to be McCain's primary policy objective. From his ludicrous campaign ditty -- remember "Bomb, bomb, bomb... bomb, bomb Iran"? -- to now comparing Iran's President Ahmadinejad to a monkey, McCain seems to want to dehumanize the citizens of that country so the American public can be more easily convinced to kill them.

We are so fortunate this man never got access to the executive branch of government. The notion that someone so angry, so bitter, so lustful for the blood of others could be in charge of the most powerful military the world has ever known is more than scary. It's downright terrifying.

Fun with numbers

It was 62º at 12:50 pm in Culpeper, Virginia on January 20, 2013. Any way you look at it, that's a nice combination of numbers. Especially since it was 16º at my house three days later.

We the People...

While not as ground-breaking as the first, the second inauguration of President Obama was no less thrilling for so many reasons.

The first, of course, is the fact that we have gone through another transition/continuation of power sans tanks, mobs, and violence. This is so common for us that we all too often take it for granted. But, if you look around the world, you'll find that it is still a model for how a country should behave.

Next was the amazing progressive attitude prevalent in the entire ceremony. From the "Taxation Without Representation" DC license plates on the Presidential limo to the President's incredible speech, it is clear the second term will attempt to move our nation forward more than we've seen in at least a generation.

I was especially struck by the President's mention of "Seneca Falls, Selma, and Stonewall," touchstones to the freedom movements for women, African-Americans, and the LGBT community. While I know he supports those causes, it was heartening to hear him bring them up so boldly in his speech.

The President also mentioned that, throughout history, we have converted former enemies -- think Great Britain, Germany, and Japan -- into best friends. Now imagine you're hearing that in Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and all across northern Africa and the Middle East. Anyone who travels in those regions knows the citizens of those countries do not hate us or our freedoms, as neo-conservatives would have you believe. The governments of those countries (and, in much of the Middle East, their Islamic religious leaders) are opposed to the United States, but most of the people of the world still see America as a beacon and a leader.

In another nod to the world at large, President Obama pointed out that our security does not require us to exist in a state of perpetual war. After the last ten years, that would be a nice change.

If you missed the address, I urge you to watch it on YouTube or whitehouse.gov, or wherever you can find it. If anyone thought the progressive agenda would fade in light of the other challenges facing our country, you'll find progressive solutions are front and center in facing those challenges. For me, I find that both reassuring and energizing.

To Cape Spear...

For anyone who's ever wondered about the location of the photo to the right -- me at Cape Spear, Newfoundland -- here's a nice little video about the place:



It's truly a breathtaking spot, one of my favorites of all the places I've been. It may be a long way to go, but it's always close to my heart.

My kingdom for a knee...

Of those who believe in intelligent design, who hold that only a god could create such a brilliant creature as man and his surroundings, it might be asked, "But what about the knee?"

If that particular part of the human body were more durable and less susceptible to injury, the Washington Redskins would probably be planning a trip to Atlanta to face the Falcons this coming weekend. When quarterback Robert Griffin III went down with another injury to his already-gimpy right knee, the playoff hopes of my favorite football team took a nosedive.

One man can't really carry an entire team, but Griffin came close this year. He brought physical skills, of course, but he also began every offensive play by forcing the defense to cover a dizzying array of options. Griffin's ability to fake, combined with his skill at running and throwing the ball, meant the opposing team had to try to cover multiple possibilities of plays. That, plus an improving defense of their own and the stellar pay of rookie running back Alfred Morris, were the secrets to Redskin's success the second half of the season.

With Griffin's injury, that threat was gone and the Seattle Seahawks, a very good team in their own right, could use their dominating defense to secure a win last night. Hats off to them, they played well and deserved to win. But, as often happens in sports, we're left to wonder, "What if..."

I was sad the 'Skins lost, but happy and proud of the season they had. Championship football has returned to Washington after a long absence, and the future looks bright. Sweeping the Cowboys was a nice extra. I'm appreciative of the work the players and coaches have done and thrilled at the prospect of more success next season. Let's all hope RG III can rehab his knee in the off-season and return with the same kind of brilliance we saw this season.