Though GM and the other big 3 showed up in their corporate jets to beg for bailout money from Congress, they really need it. Hundreds of thousands of American jobs are on the line and if you consider the other thousands those jobs support we are talking huge disaster if GM were to shutter its plants.
What the car makers lacked was a real plan for what they are going to do with the cash. If they intend on only using it to plug up the leaks it won't work. They need a real plan of action, albeit preliminary, to show that they actually have a vision of what the American car manufacturing worlds will look like post-recession. Perhaps a real effort to move toward non-internal combustion cars? Or a genuine fuel efficient model that doesn't look cheap and tacky.
The Japanese figured this out long ago and they lead the market in fuel efficiency and style, why can't we take that back? Perhaps because the management of the Big 3 are a bunch of ossified old billionaires who have no idea what their market is anymore.
I sincerely hope they will put their over-paid heads together and come back to Congress with a plan. The US cannot afford to let them fail. Hundreds of thousands of jobs depend on it and that will affect our whole economy. I have already written my representatives and asked them to find a way to help the automakers. We did it once with Chrysler and it worked out pretty well, we can do it again.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
One More - Old School Hitler Rap!
Rise and Fall of the Mortgage Market!
AmericaBlog.com finds really great stuff, especially for a Friday afternoon. Finally, something in the mortgage crisis to laugh about. Ignore that the translation is bogus and enjoy!
Bush Burned In Effigy In Baghdad
Well so much for that "George Bush Square" that Richard Pearle has been holding out for in Baghdad. Today, followers of Muqtada al-Sadr held a rally and prayer vigil where they stomped and burn an effigy of Bush. Apparently they don't like us occupying their country? How unusual?
The protest was to voice their opinion on the recently negotiated pact that would allow US forces to stay in Iraq until 2011. It has yet to be ratified by the Iraqi Congress, but passage is expected soon. To give an idea of how different people see this agreement, in our country it's called a "U.S.-Iraqi security pact" but in Iraq it's called a "withdrawal agreement".
Tomato tom-ah-toe!
The protest was to voice their opinion on the recently negotiated pact that would allow US forces to stay in Iraq until 2011. It has yet to be ratified by the Iraqi Congress, but passage is expected soon. To give an idea of how different people see this agreement, in our country it's called a "U.S.-Iraqi security pact" but in Iraq it's called a "withdrawal agreement".
Tomato tom-ah-toe!
Obama's Choices & The Road Ahead
I remember after the primaries that I had spoken with friends who were Hillary supporters. I told them that I thought she would make a great Secretary of State. She has the contacts with foreign leaders. She is a very accomplished politician and diplomat and she can be very tough and formidable when necessary. All of those are good skills for a Secretary of State, especially given our current standing in the world.
The choice of Hillary has been criticized by some in the blogosphere but for me it’s a great fit. I think Obama’s choices for his cabinet so far are sound and he has chosen people who are experienced but not worn out. He has not made the mistake Bush made by inserting the cabinet of his party’s predecessors as his own. The bush cabinet looked like a replay of Bush Sr.!
Now it’s time to put the network of individuals to work, those supporters of Obama who are now wired up in his network. So far he has encouraged people to help out inn the wildfire relief in California, and that is a good start. The network of supporters will form the basis of a new American activist movement, motivated people who are willing to respond at the ring of a text message to pull together for the good of our country.
My hope is that all of us who are part of that network are as willing to work as we were to vote!
The choice of Hillary has been criticized by some in the blogosphere but for me it’s a great fit. I think Obama’s choices for his cabinet so far are sound and he has chosen people who are experienced but not worn out. He has not made the mistake Bush made by inserting the cabinet of his party’s predecessors as his own. The bush cabinet looked like a replay of Bush Sr.!
Now it’s time to put the network of individuals to work, those supporters of Obama who are now wired up in his network. So far he has encouraged people to help out inn the wildfire relief in California, and that is a good start. The network of supporters will form the basis of a new American activist movement, motivated people who are willing to respond at the ring of a text message to pull together for the good of our country.
My hope is that all of us who are part of that network are as willing to work as we were to vote!
Transgender Day of Rememberance
I missed the date, but the sentiment is still valid. Yesterday was Transgender Day of Rememberance. The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice.
I count a lot of Transgender folk in my group of friends and I know from their stories the challenges they face. My hope is that their struggle as well as the struggle of all queer people will make great strides in the coming years.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Detroit Shows Up For A Handout
So Detroit showed up in Washington today with their hands out and their private jets waiting on the runways. OK, so that is a slightly unfair thing to say, but it was a bad image to give for their poor-house story.
Detroit is suffering from lots of problems, most of which are a lack of imagination and poor management. Granted there are expenses for wages, pensions and health care, but the biggest problem is that they don’t make cars people want. The big 3 have continued to make big gas guzzlers when America wants small efficient cars like the Toyota Prius. Detroit makes small cars, but in general they suck. They feel cheap and drive crummy and look worse.
There is a lot of hope and fortune tied up in the Chevy Volt, but if it premiers at $40,000 it won’t go anywhere. A luxury price for an electric car is silly. For the rich who want an electric car, there already is the Tesla. For the common man, a reasonably priced electric is the answer. Why Detroit can’t figure out how to do that is a mystery. Fewer moving parts, less assembly, what’s the problem?
Well, electric cars have been around for a while. The EV1 was a hit with consumers but failed for the company since dealers hated it. Not enough service money. Besides it was done at gunpoint for California only. Why couldn’t they just roll out a larger production version? It could be on the market right now!
My hope is the automakers return to Washington with a real plan to save the industry. I feel sure the Senate and House will support them if they come with more than their hands out.
Detroit is suffering from lots of problems, most of which are a lack of imagination and poor management. Granted there are expenses for wages, pensions and health care, but the biggest problem is that they don’t make cars people want. The big 3 have continued to make big gas guzzlers when America wants small efficient cars like the Toyota Prius. Detroit makes small cars, but in general they suck. They feel cheap and drive crummy and look worse.
There is a lot of hope and fortune tied up in the Chevy Volt, but if it premiers at $40,000 it won’t go anywhere. A luxury price for an electric car is silly. For the rich who want an electric car, there already is the Tesla. For the common man, a reasonably priced electric is the answer. Why Detroit can’t figure out how to do that is a mystery. Fewer moving parts, less assembly, what’s the problem?
Well, electric cars have been around for a while. The EV1 was a hit with consumers but failed for the company since dealers hated it. Not enough service money. Besides it was done at gunpoint for California only. Why couldn’t they just roll out a larger production version? It could be on the market right now!
My hope is the automakers return to Washington with a real plan to save the industry. I feel sure the Senate and House will support them if they come with more than their hands out.
Happy Great American Smokeout!
Today, the Thursday before Thanksgiving is the Great American Smokeout. No it isn't a barbecue, it's the American Lung Association's drive to end smoking in America.
Now as an ex-cigarette smoker, you would think I would be sympathetic to those folks who still continue to sully their lungs with cigarette smoke, but I am not. I am tired of going to a bar and coming home reeking of cigarettes. Getting that smell out of leather is a real bitch!
I will freely admit I have smoked cigars in the past, and though I find the smell of cigar smoke a turn-on, I know many folks do not. So in the interest of the community I have forsaken the stogies and gone smoke-free. Now if Dallas would just pass an anti-smoking ordinance for all public buildings we all could breath more freely.
I understand there are those who claim it will hurt business in bars, but I know folks in San Francisco who tell me that the bars are just as busy as ever several years after a smoking ban. The lure of camaraderie, booze and sex is stringer than nicotine! In fact without the smoke, I might even show up at our local watering holes more often, knowing it wouldn't take a dry cleaners to remove the sediment of the nights visit from my clothing.
So here is to the Great American Smokeout. Good luck to everyone who is trying to quit. My suggestion as someone who did quit is just go cold turkey. Find lots of good books and take up a hobby. You surely can find better things to do with your hands than lift a burning tube of paper and tobacco to your lips every few seconds.
Now as an ex-cigarette smoker, you would think I would be sympathetic to those folks who still continue to sully their lungs with cigarette smoke, but I am not. I am tired of going to a bar and coming home reeking of cigarettes. Getting that smell out of leather is a real bitch!
I will freely admit I have smoked cigars in the past, and though I find the smell of cigar smoke a turn-on, I know many folks do not. So in the interest of the community I have forsaken the stogies and gone smoke-free. Now if Dallas would just pass an anti-smoking ordinance for all public buildings we all could breath more freely.
I understand there are those who claim it will hurt business in bars, but I know folks in San Francisco who tell me that the bars are just as busy as ever several years after a smoking ban. The lure of camaraderie, booze and sex is stringer than nicotine! In fact without the smoke, I might even show up at our local watering holes more often, knowing it wouldn't take a dry cleaners to remove the sediment of the nights visit from my clothing.
So here is to the Great American Smokeout. Good luck to everyone who is trying to quit. My suggestion as someone who did quit is just go cold turkey. Find lots of good books and take up a hobby. You surely can find better things to do with your hands than lift a burning tube of paper and tobacco to your lips every few seconds.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Internet Pirates! 50 Million Individuals Medical Info Stolen
First it was the pirates off the coast of Somalia and now it's on the internet!
If you thought your medical history and prescription information was secure, think again. Express Scripts, one of the nation's largest pharmacy benefits managers, got a nasty little extortion letter which included personal information from 75 Express Scripts clients inlcuding Social Security numbers, dates of birth and, in some cases, information about prescription medications.
According to a story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "the letter demanded money from the company — the amount has not been disclosed — and threatened to use the Internet to reveal personal and medical information about millions of people if the demands were not met."
The company manages information on 50 million workers at 1,600 American companies. That is a very big security breach and the FBI is pressing forward on the case.
If you thought your medical history and prescription information was secure, think again. Express Scripts, one of the nation's largest pharmacy benefits managers, got a nasty little extortion letter which included personal information from 75 Express Scripts clients inlcuding Social Security numbers, dates of birth and, in some cases, information about prescription medications.
According to a story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "the letter demanded money from the company — the amount has not been disclosed — and threatened to use the Internet to reveal personal and medical information about millions of people if the demands were not met."
The company manages information on 50 million workers at 1,600 American companies. That is a very big security breach and the FBI is pressing forward on the case.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Begich Wins Alaska, Ted Stevens Is Out!
The Associated Press just called Alaska's Senatorial race in favor of Mark Begich who will become the first Democratic Senator from Alaska in recent memory. Ted Steven's 40 year career has now ended in a flurry of scandal and his conviction.
Begich has 150,728 votes (47.76 percent) and Stevens has 147,004 (46.58 percent). Under state law, the only time an automatic recount is triggered is in the case of a tie. Stevens can request one, but would have to pay for it himself.
Begich has 150,728 votes (47.76 percent) and Stevens has 147,004 (46.58 percent). Under state law, the only time an automatic recount is triggered is in the case of a tie. Stevens can request one, but would have to pay for it himself.
Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell - Generals & Admirals Petition
From PageOneQ comes the text of a petition signed and calling on the new administration to repeal the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy. Here is the text and the signers of the petition:
We – the undersigned -- respectfully call for the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Those of us endorsing this letter have dedicated our lives to defending the rights of our citizens to believe whatever they wish. Scholarly data shows there are approximately one million gay and lesbian veterans in the United States today as well as 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving in our armed forces. They have served our nation honorably. We support the recent comments of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General John Shalikashvili, who has concluded that repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy would not harm and would indeed help our armed forces. As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality. Such collaboration reflects the strength and the best traditions of our democracy.
Former Secretary of the Army Clifford Alexander
Admiral Charles Larson, USN (ret.)
Lieutenant General Quinn Becker, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Henry Emerson, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Robert Flowers, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Robert Gard, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Jerry Hilmes, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Donald Kerrick, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Ira Owens, USA (ret.)
Lieutenant General Thomas Rienzi, USA (ret.)
Vice Admiral Harold Koenig, USN (ret.)
Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, USN (ret.)
Vice Admiral James Zimble, USN (ret.)
Major General Anders Aadland, USA (ret.)
Major General Floyd Baker, USA (ret.)
Major General Harry Brooks Jr., USA (ret.)
Major General Leslie Burger, USA (ret.)
Major General Alexander Burgin, USANG (ret.)
Major General Rosetta Burke, AUS (ret.)
Major General William Burke, USA (ret.)
Major General Michael Conrad, USA (ret.)
Major General Eugene Cromartie, USA (ret.)
Major General James Delk, AUS (ret.)
Major General Oliver Dillard, USA (ret.)
Major General John Faith, USA (ret.)
Major General Jack Farris, USAF (ret.)
Major General Fred Forster, USANG (ret.)
Major General Robert Gamrath, AUS (ret.)
Major General Albert Genetti Jr., USA (ret.)
Major General Luis Gonzales-Vales, AUS (ret.)
Major General David Hale, USA (ret.)
Major General Randy Jayne, USANG (ret.)
Major General Lawrence Johnson, AUS (ret.)
Major General Dennis Laich, USA (ret.)
Major General Frederick Lawson, AUS (ret.)
Major General Thomas Lynch, USA (ret.)
Major General Dennis Malcor, USA (ret.)
Major General John Roth, AUS (ret.)
Major General Henry Rasmussen, USA (ret.)
Major General Alan Salisbury, USA (ret.)
Major General Michael Scotti Jr., USA (ret.)*
Major General Harry Sieben, USANG (ret.)
Major General Paul Smith, USA (ret.)
Major General Robert B. Smith, USA (ret.)
Major General Charles Starr Jr., USA (ret.)
Major General Story Stevens, USA (ret.)
Major General Joseph E. Turner, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General John C. Adams, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Hugh Aitken, USMC (ret.)
Brigadier General John "Joe" Allen, USAF (ret.)
Brigadier General Patricia Anderson, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Dale Barber, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General George Baxter, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Robert Baxter, USAF (ret.)
Brigadier General George Blysak, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Harold Bowman, USANG (ret.)
Brigadier General Douglas Bradley, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Jack Capps, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Richard Carter, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Steve Chapplis, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General BG David Cole, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General William Colvin, USANG (ret.)
Brigadier General Joseph Cutrona, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Tom Daniels, USAF (ret.)
Brigadier General Von DeLoatch, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Robert Dilworth, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General George Eggers Jr., USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Evelyn Foote, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Robert Giffen, USAF (ret.)
Brigadier General Robert Hardy Jr., USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Carlos Hayden, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Edwin Heffelfinger, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General James Hunt, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General John H. Johns, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General J.D Johnson, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr, CSMR (ret.)
Brigadier General Douglas Kinnard, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Dean Mann, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General James Martin, USAF (ret.)
Brigadier General William Meehan II, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Harold Miller, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Kenneth Newbold, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General I.R. Obenchain Jr., USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Phil Peay, USANG (ret.)
Brigadier General Dorothy Pocklington, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Robert Poirot, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Philip Pushkin, USANG (ret.)
Brigadier General Virgil Richard, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General William Richter, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Kenneth Rieth, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Ernst Roberts, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Murray Sagsveen, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General Norman Salisbury, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Donald Schenk, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Bettye Simmons, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Theodore Vander Els, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Daniel Wardrop, USA (ret.)
Brigadier General Robert Watling, AUS (ret.)
Brigadier General John Weinzettle, USA (ret.)
Rear Admiral James Barnett, USN (ret.)
Rear Admiral Robert Krasner, USN (ret.)
Rear Admiral Charles Rauch, USN (ret.)
Rear Admiral Alan Steinman, USPHS (ret.)
- AUS is the Army of the United States. **General Scotti passed away in September, 2007. His widow asked that his name remain on this statement.
Cheney and Gonzales Indicted by Grand Jury - Seriously!
Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have been indicted by a Grand Jury in South Texas. Not for the crimes you might imagine either! The charges are related to the alleged abuse of prisoners in Willacy County's federal detention centers run by a private company. Cheney has investments that tie him to that group.
The indictment accuses Cheney of a conflict of interest and "at least misdemeanor assaults" on detainees by working through the prison companies.
Personally, I suspect this is headed nowhere, but it makes a nice dark cloud for the VP to end his career under and that's just fine by me.
The indictment accuses Cheney of a conflict of interest and "at least misdemeanor assaults" on detainees by working through the prison companies.
Personally, I suspect this is headed nowhere, but it makes a nice dark cloud for the VP to end his career under and that's just fine by me.
Monday, November 17, 2008
James Dobson's Group Faces Layoffs
It couldn't happen to more deserving people. Focus on the Family, the hate group in Colorado Springs that masquerades as a ministry is laying off employees. Seems they spent so much on getting Proposition 8 passed in California, they are running low on funds.
If there is a tarnished silver lining to that ballot initiative, it's this. Read more on ThinkProgress.org.
If there is a tarnished silver lining to that ballot initiative, it's this. Read more on ThinkProgress.org.
How to Train a Mule
In this current battle for LGBT rights, I am reminded of a saying my grandfather used to tell me. I didn't understand it then, but I see the wisdom of it now.
He told me how you train a mule. You do it with a rolled up newspaper, and gently tap the mule on the nose to nudge it the direction you want. However, first you smack it's ass with a two-by-four to get its attention!
Well taking to the streets is one way to smack our complcent country in the ass and get its attention. It worked for the Civil Rights movement of the 60's and it can work now, especially now that we have a more progressive administration and congress to deal with! Peaceful marches and demonstrations can serve to shake the country from its Bush induced coma and awaken people to the realization that there is a whole class of people who are denied equal rights simply because of who they love.
The protests in major cities around the country were a first step in the next battle for equal rights for LGBT people. Our goal should not be just marriage, but full and equal rights iunder the law. Now where are those picket signs?
He told me how you train a mule. You do it with a rolled up newspaper, and gently tap the mule on the nose to nudge it the direction you want. However, first you smack it's ass with a two-by-four to get its attention!
Well taking to the streets is one way to smack our complcent country in the ass and get its attention. It worked for the Civil Rights movement of the 60's and it can work now, especially now that we have a more progressive administration and congress to deal with! Peaceful marches and demonstrations can serve to shake the country from its Bush induced coma and awaken people to the realization that there is a whole class of people who are denied equal rights simply because of who they love.
The protests in major cities around the country were a first step in the next battle for equal rights for LGBT people. Our goal should not be just marriage, but full and equal rights iunder the law. Now where are those picket signs?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Bill Marriott Responds Boycott Action
OK, so I checked out the contributors to Prop 8 through the data base I linked in the previous post and Bill Marriott is not among the backers. I guess I should take him at his word that he and his company have not supported the Prop 8 initiative.
Here is a statement by him regarding the issue. My apologies to Mr. Marriott for assuming he was part of it, however his church was very active. I cannot in good conscience endorse a boycott of Marriott if the company and family did not back the measure.
I do however still have a big bone to pick with the LDS church and the $22 million+ they put into the ballot initiative.
UPDATE: There are lots of Mormons who are upset with their church position on Prop 8. Here is a site of Mormons who have protested or resigned the church over it!
Here is a statement by him regarding the issue. My apologies to Mr. Marriott for assuming he was part of it, however his church was very active. I cannot in good conscience endorse a boycott of Marriott if the company and family did not back the measure.
I do however still have a big bone to pick with the LDS church and the $22 million+ they put into the ballot initiative.
UPDATE: There are lots of Mormons who are upset with their church position on Prop 8. Here is a site of Mormons who have protested or resigned the church over it!
Texans Who Hate Gays - Or At Least Their Wallet Does!
The following is a list of Texans who contributed to the Proposition 8 ballot initiative in California. Their names are public record and the list was compiled using the data base of Calif. Secretary of State's Office since 2007. The searchable listing is available here. It's fun to find your friends and enemies!
I just included the supporters who gave over $9000. There are hundreds more under that threshold. If you know these folks, call them up and let them know you really don't appreciate their bigotry and you just want the same rights as they have to marry who you choose.
Dale Brown $50,000.00 Midland
Rachel Weidman $50,000.00 Dallas
Loren Carroll $25,000.00 Kingwood
Spencer Wheelwright $25,000.00 Austin
Richard Platt $25,000.00 Prosper
Laurence E. Simmons $25,000.00 Houston
Jeff Kent $15,000.00 Austin
Arlo Terry $10,000.00 San Antonio
Dale Waite $10,000.00 Damon
Douglas Baker $10,000.00 Plano
Duke Williams $10,000.00 San Antonio
Francis C. Burton $10,000.00 San Antonio
John Woodward $10,000.00 San Antonio
Kim Beckstead $10,000.00 San Antonio
Larry Sprouse $10,000.00 San Antonio
Melbourne O'Banion $10,000.00 San Antonio
Scott Spendlove $10,000.00 San Antonio
Steve Vore $10,000.00 Odessa
David Nielson $10,000.00 San Antonio
Gregory Coleman $10,000.00 Cedar Park
Janell Berrett $10,000.00 San Antonio
Michael Knepp $10,000.00 Austin
Jonathan Cannon $10,000.00 Flower Mound
Peter Evans $10,000.00 San Antonio
Barbara Jones $10,000.00 Spring
Frank Call $10,000.00 Austin
John Erickson $10,000.00 Austin
Alan Stock $9,999.00 Plano
Joseph Elmer $9,999.00 Flower Mound
Ronald Kimball $9,999.00 San Antonio
Donald Yacktman $9,999.00 Austin
Jana Hilton $9,999.00 San Antonio
Sherrie Cox $9,999.00 San Antonio
Gary Riding $9,999.00 Highland Village
Roger Hepworth $9,995.00 Austin
David Hollingsworth $9,975.00 Cedar Park
Stephen Yacktman $9,900.00 Austin
Friday, November 14, 2008
Harvey Milk Talks About Hope - Video
BlogActive had this excerpt of a speech by Harvey Milk. I almost forgot how great a speaker he was and how much we lost when he was assassinated. Milk speaks of hope. Perhaps that hope is still alive.
Boycott Cinemark - Supporters Of Prop 8
Add to the list of people and companies to boycott for supporting Proposition 8 in California, the local theater chain, Cinemark. Its CEO, Alan Stock, donated $9,999 to the cause that was designed to take away the right to marry in California.
I ran across this tidbit on AmericaBlog.com, and checked it through the San Francisco Gate website that searches a database of contributors to the Prop 8 funds. It's time we took our money and went elsewhere to see films! Now if we can get Sundance Film Festival to leave the Hate State of Utah perhaps some folks will notice.
I ran across this tidbit on AmericaBlog.com, and checked it through the San Francisco Gate website that searches a database of contributors to the Prop 8 funds. It's time we took our money and went elsewhere to see films! Now if we can get Sundance Film Festival to leave the Hate State of Utah perhaps some folks will notice.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Colbert Goes Super Hero!
Marvel Comics has enshrined Stephen Colbert in the pantheon of Marvel superheros in the latest The Amazing Spider-Man (issue No. 573). In the Marvel universe Colbert is declared winner by the Daily Bugle and he wins the popular vote but Obama wins the electoral vote. The Bugle prints his win in a "Dewy Wins" snafu.I suspect these issues will be on Ebay for bog bucks soon!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Gay Marriages Start Tomorrow In Connecticut!
According to the Associated Press, same sex marriages will be issued starting tomorrow in Connecticut.
Superior Court Judge Jonathan Silbert has scheduled a hearing at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday in New Haven to enter the final judgment in the case that allows same-sex marriages in Connecticut. Once the hearing ends, couples can pick up marriage license forms at town and city clerk's offices.
It's unclear how many couples will get married. The state public health department says 2,032 civil union licenses were issued in Connecticut between October 2005 and July 2008.
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Oct. 10 that same-sex couples have the right to wed rather than accept a civil union law. Only Connecticut and Massachusetts have legalized gay marriage.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Move Sundance Film Festival Out Of The "Hate State" - Utah!
Utah makes a lot of money from tourists. Around $6 billion a year flows into the state's coffers from visitors. A big chunk of that comes from the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Since the Mormon Church funded most of the "Prop 8" campaign in California, and since the film industry still calls California its home it would seem like a no-brainer to get that cash cow moved to another location.
The Prop 8 funding was close to $20,000,000. No chump change and without it the change in the law that negates the right to marry for gay and lesbians in California would most likely have failed.
The Mormons delight in meddling in the personal lives of people, from baptizing the dead to keeping tabs on the genealogy of everyone as well as funding anti-gay measures in many states. Its time that they and Utah, a majority Mormon state pay the piper.
Bloggers including myself are encouraging a boycott of all things Mormon including Utah. And if you plan travel this year, avoid Marriott Hotels as well, owned by a Mormon family.
While you are at it write to the Sundance Festival and ask them to get the heck out of the "Hate State" Utah!
The Prop 8 funding was close to $20,000,000. No chump change and without it the change in the law that negates the right to marry for gay and lesbians in California would most likely have failed.
The Mormons delight in meddling in the personal lives of people, from baptizing the dead to keeping tabs on the genealogy of everyone as well as funding anti-gay measures in many states. Its time that they and Utah, a majority Mormon state pay the piper.
Bloggers including myself are encouraging a boycott of all things Mormon including Utah. And if you plan travel this year, avoid Marriott Hotels as well, owned by a Mormon family.
While you are at it write to the Sundance Festival and ask them to get the heck out of the "Hate State" Utah!
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Prop 8 Protest In San Francisco - Video
My cousin in San Francisco sent me this. Pity this didn't happen before the election.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
CNN's "Hologram" Just Video Quackery, Not Holographic
What was supposed to be a "gee-wiz" moment for the CNN election coverage was more of a "so what". Wolf Blitzer breathlessly alerted viewers to something that they had never seen before as correspondents at Grant Park were "hologrammed" into the CNN studio.
That got my interest so I watched as a poor quality image of the correspondent appeared on a red dot on the floor of the studio. It looked less convincing than Princess Leah's urgent message to Obi-Wan in Star Wars. and that was done with 30 year old film technology and optical printers.
In reality the alleged Hologram was a green screen image capture technique using dozens of cameras surrounding the subject in Grant Park. The images were knitted together electronically and matched to the camera movements in the CNN studio to simulate the presence of the remote subject. Sounds pretty high tech doesn't it?
Well in practice it looked slightly worse than the first "chroma-key" set up I used to use when working in live TV back in the 1970's. The edges of the person were fuzzy and ringed with a blue cast and though the camera moved and the perspective was supposed to change accordingly, it looked like a flat paper doll as photographed through a screen door.
My suspicion is that the image looked really clear and some genius at CNN decided it needed to look more like a hologram, so they trashed it up and added a blue glowing edge. Either way it was a fraud. This technique has nothing to do with Holograms. Those images are made using lasers and not TV cameras. In fact to view a hologram you must actually look through the film it is recorded on to see the image illusion of 3-D. So far a projected hologram is the holy grail and has yet to be achieved and in the view of many will never be a reality beyond the fictional realm of Star Trek.
Now, CNN, why not apologize for the fraud and just do a damn interview with the guest on a remote camera. After all, why "beam in" the guest from a location where news is actually happening when you can just cut to that location and see the news. Seems a better use of television technology to me.
That got my interest so I watched as a poor quality image of the correspondent appeared on a red dot on the floor of the studio. It looked less convincing than Princess Leah's urgent message to Obi-Wan in Star Wars. and that was done with 30 year old film technology and optical printers.
In reality the alleged Hologram was a green screen image capture technique using dozens of cameras surrounding the subject in Grant Park. The images were knitted together electronically and matched to the camera movements in the CNN studio to simulate the presence of the remote subject. Sounds pretty high tech doesn't it?
Well in practice it looked slightly worse than the first "chroma-key" set up I used to use when working in live TV back in the 1970's. The edges of the person were fuzzy and ringed with a blue cast and though the camera moved and the perspective was supposed to change accordingly, it looked like a flat paper doll as photographed through a screen door.
My suspicion is that the image looked really clear and some genius at CNN decided it needed to look more like a hologram, so they trashed it up and added a blue glowing edge. Either way it was a fraud. This technique has nothing to do with Holograms. Those images are made using lasers and not TV cameras. In fact to view a hologram you must actually look through the film it is recorded on to see the image illusion of 3-D. So far a projected hologram is the holy grail and has yet to be achieved and in the view of many will never be a reality beyond the fictional realm of Star Trek.
Now, CNN, why not apologize for the fraud and just do a damn interview with the guest on a remote camera. After all, why "beam in" the guest from a location where news is actually happening when you can just cut to that location and see the news. Seems a better use of television technology to me.
North Carolina Goes To Obama!
After a long and protracted vote count and verification the Associated Press is finally calling North Carolina for Barack Obama. Though the electoral votes are not necessary now, it does increase the overall total to a whopping 364! The electoral landslide further cements the mandate for Obama from the people of the United States.
Looking at the electoral map from this year compared to 2004 the changes are shocking. Many red states that voted for Bush in 2004 are now firmly in the blue camp. Democrats have asserted themselves throughout the country and according to a new demographic map in the New York Times, the vast majorit of America is now trending blue.
Looking at the electoral map from this year compared to 2004 the changes are shocking. Many red states that voted for Bush in 2004 are now firmly in the blue camp. Democrats have asserted themselves throughout the country and according to a new demographic map in the New York Times, the vast majorit of America is now trending blue.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Palin The Object Of RNC Scorn - It's All About The Clothes Again!
Let the recriminations begin!
Seems like Sarah Palin is being blamed for much of the loss and wouldn't you know, her wardrobe "malfunction" is still causing problems. According to Newsweek, a McCain aid referred to her and her family as the "Wasilla Hillbillies looting Neiman-Marcus".
Her shopping spree apparently started as a request by handlers to go out and buy 3 suits.
Taking credit cards from wealth donors and RNC staff, Palin proceeded to outfit her entire family with high end clothes. The story now states that she blew somewhere between $20,000 and $40,000 on husband Todd's wardrobe alone. Then that well worn $150,000 on her may have been a low end estimate.
From the tone of the comments coming from the RNC, Palin's 15 minutes of fame are over. My guess is she and her career will be shredded leaving her no chance to return to the national stage. Thank goodness for small miracles.
Seems like Sarah Palin is being blamed for much of the loss and wouldn't you know, her wardrobe "malfunction" is still causing problems. According to Newsweek, a McCain aid referred to her and her family as the "Wasilla Hillbillies looting Neiman-Marcus".
Her shopping spree apparently started as a request by handlers to go out and buy 3 suits.
Taking credit cards from wealth donors and RNC staff, Palin proceeded to outfit her entire family with high end clothes. The story now states that she blew somewhere between $20,000 and $40,000 on husband Todd's wardrobe alone. Then that well worn $150,000 on her may have been a low end estimate.
From the tone of the comments coming from the RNC, Palin's 15 minutes of fame are over. My guess is she and her career will be shredded leaving her no chance to return to the national stage. Thank goodness for small miracles.
Marriott Boycott - No Money For Mormons!
It's high time we stopped supporting the Mormons. Their influence and money were deciding factors in the passing of Proposition 8 in California. That little ballot initiative cancelled about 20,000 marriages in one fell swoop.
Marriott Hotels is owned and operated by the Marriott family, who are major figures in the Mormon church. I have no problem with Mormons, except when they try to infringe on my rights and that steams me! I will stop staying at Marriott hotels in the future and encourage all my LGBT friends to do the same. They fought against our rights with money, now let's return the favor!
Marriott Hotels is owned and operated by the Marriott family, who are major figures in the Mormon church. I have no problem with Mormons, except when they try to infringe on my rights and that steams me! I will stop staying at Marriott hotels in the future and encourage all my LGBT friends to do the same. They fought against our rights with money, now let's return the favor!
Franken & Colman Still in Battle - AP Uncalls MN Senate Race
From the Associated Press:
Republican Sen. Norm Coleman finished ahead of Democrat Al Franken early Wednesday in the final vote count, but his 571-vote margin falls within the state's mandatory recount law. That law requires a recount any time the margin between the top two candidates is less than one-half of one percent.The AP called the race prematurely.
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said the recount won't begin until mid-November at the earliest and will probably stretch into December. It will involve local election officials from around the state.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Obama's Victory Speech
Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama—as prepared for delivery
Election Night
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Chicago, Illinois
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.
It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.
I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:
Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.
Election Night
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Chicago, Illinois
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.
It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.
I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:
Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.
OBAMA WINS!
It is a new day in America! American's voters were cajoled and threatened and lied to and yet they still managed to discern the truth and the message of hope given by Barack Obama. The landslide of electoral votes gave a clear signal that America has changed. The old politics of hate and fear are behind us and a new brighter future is before us.
Palin Blathering To The Press
So for months Sarah Palin couldn't be contacted by the press, and now she won't shut up. I suspect she is basking in her last bit of fame before returning to her job as Governor of Alaska and eventual obscurity. (that is my hope!) Her aides tried time and again to get her away from the press but she just couldn't be persuaded.
She begins her rant with the incredible statement that she was glad she was exonerated of any wrong doing in the abuse of power ethics investigation. As everyone but Sarah knows, she was found guilty of ethics violations!
She begins her rant with the incredible statement that she was glad she was exonerated of any wrong doing in the abuse of power ethics investigation. As everyone but Sarah knows, she was found guilty of ethics violations!
Monday, November 03, 2008
Barack Obama's Grandmother Dies In Hawaii
My sincere condolences and prayers go out to Senator Barack Obama and his family. His beloved grandmother died today on the even of the election in Hawaii.
"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility," Obama said in a statement released by his campaign. "She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring."
"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility," Obama said in a statement released by his campaign. "She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring."
Circuit City Closes 155 US Stores
A little over a year ago I predicted bad things for Circuit City when they dropped their commission sales policy. Now the company is closing 155 stores in the US to preserve its cash. While I don't think these are directly related there is a connection. Granted the economy has pushed consumer electronics to the edge of the retail business, after all which do you really need, food or the new video game?
The lack of commissioned sales people means less customer service and in this climate that may be your only point of difference in the retail business. I had an uncle who was twice the top salesman for furniture in the country for a large department store chain and in bad times and good he made record sales. Though people are always looking for a good price, great service and a personal touch go a long way toward customer loyalty.
I hope this trend does not continue. We don't need any more unemployment in our country.
The lack of commissioned sales people means less customer service and in this climate that may be your only point of difference in the retail business. I had an uncle who was twice the top salesman for furniture in the country for a large department store chain and in bad times and good he made record sales. Though people are always looking for a good price, great service and a personal touch go a long way toward customer loyalty.
I hope this trend does not continue. We don't need any more unemployment in our country.
Palin Stonewalls Her Medical Records - Hiding Something Big?
Seems Sarah Palin has been disingenuous in her claims that she would release medical records for herself prior to the election. After numerous promises and much cajoling by the press she still has yet to do so. What is she hiding?
Here is my theory. If you remember her daughter's pregnancy was finally exposed to the press after rumors swirled that her youngest child was not Sarah Palin's but her daughter's. In an effort to dispute the rumors, Palin announced that her daughter was pregnant now with her boyfriends baby. I guess this somehow blunts the possibility that Trig born in April was not Sarahs baby.
However! And this is a big however, her medical records would prove the pregnancy was Sarah Palin's and not her daughter's or vice-versa. I suspect the rumor may have been true and like an episode of Desperate Housewives, Sarah faked her pregnancy and claimed the baby as hers to protect her daughter. Medical records could put to rest that theory, but since she refuses to release them, I am guessing it's more than a theory!
The pther possibility is she has something bad in her records that would not instill comfidence in the voting public. Either way, it's really fishy and the public has a right to know!
Here is my theory. If you remember her daughter's pregnancy was finally exposed to the press after rumors swirled that her youngest child was not Sarah Palin's but her daughter's. In an effort to dispute the rumors, Palin announced that her daughter was pregnant now with her boyfriends baby. I guess this somehow blunts the possibility that Trig born in April was not Sarahs baby.
However! And this is a big however, her medical records would prove the pregnancy was Sarah Palin's and not her daughter's or vice-versa. I suspect the rumor may have been true and like an episode of Desperate Housewives, Sarah faked her pregnancy and claimed the baby as hers to protect her daughter. Medical records could put to rest that theory, but since she refuses to release them, I am guessing it's more than a theory!
The pther possibility is she has something bad in her records that would not instill comfidence in the voting public. Either way, it's really fishy and the public has a right to know!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Palin Gets Punked!
Sarah Palin gets punked with this call from the Canadian radio DJ's the Justicier's. She apparently has no staff that knows anything about world affairs or checks phone numbers before turning the candidate over to such ridicule.
Cheney Endorses McCain! With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?
Here's a great way to lose an election, get the most hated man in American politics to endorse you! And so it has happened...Dick Cheney, self admitted Darth Vader of the GOP has endorsed John McCain. With any luck it will be the kiss of disaster for his failing campaign. After all, if you can't trust Dick Cheney, and nobody can, can you trust his judgment for a nominee?
Next McCain will get the endorsement of Richard Nixon from the grave I suspect.
Next McCain will get the endorsement of Richard Nixon from the grave I suspect.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Obama Running Ads in Arizona!
Why is John McCain so surprised? Well he has real tough competition in his home state of Arizona! Obama is running ads there and the polls show them in a statistical dead heat. For the Senator from Arizona to not have his state locked up is a big surprise! I only hope there are more surprises ahead for him on Tuesday....like losing!Obama's campaign is willing to venture onto McCain's turf, but it intends to tread lightly. Officials said the Arizona ad would be positive, a calculation to avoid a backlash from voters sympathetic to McCain.
Ted Stevens Is Delusional - Says He Was Never Convicted!
If Alaskans needed further proof that their beloved Senator Ted Stevens was delusional and really needs to be put in a home, here goes. In a debate with his opponent in the Senatorial race last night Steven's said he hadn't been convicted of anything. As everyone but Stevens knows he was convicted on all 7 counts of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and renovations to his home from VECO Corp. founder Bill Allen.
Bush Rushing To Push Through More Deregulation
As Bush prepares to leave office I am reminded of a failed general, as he withdraws from the battle field deciding to burn and destroy everything he can. Our failed president is trying to push through measures that would further deregulate consumer protections and financial industries.
According to a story in the Washington Post:
According to a story in the Washington Post:
As many as 90 new regulations are in the works, and at least nine of them are considered "economically significant" because they impose costs or promote societal benefits that exceed $100 million annually. They include new rules governing employees who take family- and medical-related leaves, new standards for preventing or containing oil spills, and a simplified process for settling real estate transactions.The new rules would be among the most controversial deregulatory steps of the Bush era and could be difficult for his successor to undo. Some would ease or lift constraints on private industry, including power plants, mines and farms.
Those and other regulations would help clear obstacles to some commercial ocean-fishing activities, ease controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming, relax drinking-water standards and lift a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
McCain Tied To Terrorist? You Betcha!
McCain has been palin' around with anti-Semites. In fact he was head of a group that gave almost half a million dollars to Rashid Khalidi. If you haven't heard, Khalidi was once a spokesman for the PLO and the McCain folks have been trying to tar Obama with his associations.
The truth is McCain had far more contact and influence with Khalidi thorugh the International Republican Institute, an organization McCain chaired.
The truth is McCain had far more contact and influence with Khalidi thorugh the International Republican Institute, an organization McCain chaired.
During the 1990s, while he served as chairman of the International Republican Institute (IRI), McCain distributed several grants to the Palestinian research center co-founded by Khalidi, including one worth half a million dollars.
A 1998 tax filing for the McCain-led group shows a $448,873 grant to Khalidi's Center for Palestine Research and Studies for work in the West Bank. (See grant number 5180, "West Bank: CPRS" on page 14 of this PDF.)
The relationship extends back as far as 1993, when John McCain joined IRI as chairman in January. Foreign Affairs noted in September of that year that IRI had helped fund several extensive studies in Palestine run by Khalidi's group, including over 30 public opinion polls and a study of "sociopolitical attitudes."
Palin "Drill, Baby Drill" At Solar Power Company Speech?
Sarah Palin is about as empty a $5000 Versace suit as I have ever seen. Here is the story from the Associated Press:
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Wednesday called for a "clean break" from the Bush administration's energy policies, which she says rely too much on importing foreign oil.
Palin spoke after touring Xunlight Corp., one of a handful of solar technology startup companies in Toledo, a struggling industrial city in this swing state. The city's leaders are hoping that the solar companies will create jobs to replace some of those lost by downsizing in the auto industry.
But Palin made only a passing reference to solar power in her speech and instead renewed her call for more drilling in U.S. coastal waters. She repeated her signature anthem, "drill, baby, drill," which seemed to fall a bit flat on the audience at the plant even as it's become a popular chant at her rallies.
Kay Hagen Fights Back - Take That Elizabeth Dole!
Elizabeth Dole's repulsive attack ads against her opponent in the North Carolina race for Senate and all but state outright that she is an atheist. Hagen, taught Sunday school and is far from an atheist, though Dole's ad even fakes her voice saying "there is no God". It's the lowest, slimiest attack I have ever seen on TV and now Hagen is fighting back! Give her heck, Kay!
The Economist Endorses Obama!
There are times in history when you are conscious of a real sea change in politics and public attitudes. It is rare that they happen in ways that are noticeable until that change is long past. Today, that is different. We are witnessing one such change and one sign of it comes from the bastion of conservative thinking , "The Economist" magazine.
The Economist endorsing Obama! Maybe there is hope for America after all?
The Economist does not have a vote, but if it did, it would cast it for Mr Obama. We do so wholeheartedly: the Democratic candidate has clearly shown that he offers the better chance of restoring America’s self-confidence. But we acknowledge it is a gamble. Given Mr Obama’s inexperience, the lack of clarity about some of his beliefs and the prospect of a stridently Democratic Congress, voting for him is a risk. Yet it is one America should take, given the steep road ahead.
The Economist endorsing Obama! Maybe there is hope for America after all?
Texans Are As Dumb As I Always Suspected - 25% Believe Obama Is A Muslim!
Well it's official! A fact I long suspected about us Texans...we are dumb as a post sometimes. Now we have proof. A recent poll by the University of Texas says that about 1/4 that's a quarter of all Texans believe Barack Obama is a Muslim. Molly Ivins is laughing from her grave!
From ThinkProgress.org:
From ThinkProgress.org:
When asked to identify Obama’s religion, 45 percent of respondents accurately identified him as Protestant, however 23 percent erroneously identified him as Muslim.
Another 28 percent of Texans did not know Obama’s religion, while 0.2 percent of Texans believe that Obama is a Hindu. The poll’s sponsors did not speculate as to why so many Texans are mistaken about Obama’s faith.
Lordy, I guess some folks just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get their news from the back of a cereal box. It's a wonder Texas has newspapers and television, heck apparently a quarter of the people here only use the paper to line birdcages and the TV, well if it's not football or NASCAR, why watch?
And before you go flaming me for this rant, I am born and raised in Texas. I drink iced tea and Dr, Pepper like the rest of us Texans so get over it! Now, if you aren't curious enough to find out anything about the candidates and their positions, much less their religion, please DON'T VOTE. Otherwise, you'll saddle the rest of us with another idiot like you did in the last general election.
For the record, Obama is a Protestant, always was, too.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Palin Has Yet To Release Her Medical Records - What Is She Hiding?
So what is Sarah Palin hiding, besides a lack of intellectual curiosity and a really ditsy personality? Her people promised to release medical records over a week ago and still no word on when those might be forthcoming. What is she hiding?
If this were the Obama records, McCain and Palin would be all over TV and Radio asking "Who is Barack Obama and what medical problems is he hiding?"
Well, who is Sarah Palin and what medical problems is she hiding, and for that matter what about John McCain? His campaign gave a quick peek to reporters at his medical records, over 1400 unnumbered pages. In about a hour it was impossible for people to gain any in depth information and for a cancer patient who seeks to be president, that might be a nice thing to know.
Now here is the woman who would be a heartbeat from the presidency stonewalling her own health records. That just looks incredibly fishy.
If this were the Obama records, McCain and Palin would be all over TV and Radio asking "Who is Barack Obama and what medical problems is he hiding?"
Well, who is Sarah Palin and what medical problems is she hiding, and for that matter what about John McCain? His campaign gave a quick peek to reporters at his medical records, over 1400 unnumbered pages. In about a hour it was impossible for people to gain any in depth information and for a cancer patient who seeks to be president, that might be a nice thing to know.
Now here is the woman who would be a heartbeat from the presidency stonewalling her own health records. That just looks incredibly fishy.
McCain Lying Again! And Again, And Again.....
Glad the JedReport has been watching this stuff, personally I couldn't listen to this much McCain, but his lies are amazing. Here is a fact check.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
More Tainted Chinese Food - This Time It's Eggs!
So what exactly is the daily recommended dose of Melamine? That would most likely be "0" since melamine is a component in plastic and is not used in food products. Not so for food from China. The melamine tainted milk and milk powder as well as the melamine in pet food from China got a lot of press.
No comes word that the ubiquitous chemical has popped up in eggs from China. Apparently those crafty Chinese capitalists were adding melamine to chicken feed to make it appear to have more protein than it really does. Now the eggs have their own little dose of the plastic.
The whole thing highlights the abysmal regulatory climate in China. From lead tainted toys to poison pet food to melamine tainted baby formula, nothing is immune to the greed of the Chinese Capitalists.
Here in the US we used to feel safe with a healthy FDA and sufficient product safety regulations to protect us, but in the last decade, those regulations have been gutted, leaving us exposed to the same possible problems as the Chinese. Since we import so much from China, we are doubly vulnerable.
It is my hope that the next administration will do something to restore our food and product safety for both domestic and imported goods and substances. Of course if that administration is Republican, all bets are off!
No comes word that the ubiquitous chemical has popped up in eggs from China. Apparently those crafty Chinese capitalists were adding melamine to chicken feed to make it appear to have more protein than it really does. Now the eggs have their own little dose of the plastic.
The whole thing highlights the abysmal regulatory climate in China. From lead tainted toys to poison pet food to melamine tainted baby formula, nothing is immune to the greed of the Chinese Capitalists.
Here in the US we used to feel safe with a healthy FDA and sufficient product safety regulations to protect us, but in the last decade, those regulations have been gutted, leaving us exposed to the same possible problems as the Chinese. Since we import so much from China, we are doubly vulnerable.
It is my hope that the next administration will do something to restore our food and product safety for both domestic and imported goods and substances. Of course if that administration is Republican, all bets are off!
GOP Spending Spree - Art Restoration A Campaign Expense?
For people who like to throw the term "elitist" around the Republicans are sure looking like a damn fancy bunch of Joe Sixpacks. In the campaign expenses that revealed the $150,000 shopping spree for Sarah Palin comes this little tidbit. $6,000 to an art restoration company!
You have to wonder what part of the campaign art restoration was crucial to? Huffington Post details more of the exorbitant GOP spending that really makes the term "elitist" seem mild.
You have to wonder what part of the campaign art restoration was crucial to? Huffington Post details more of the exorbitant GOP spending that really makes the term "elitist" seem mild.
For instance, the McCain Victory 2008 committee spent nearly $9,000 on "event site rental" from a yacht company in San Diego, while the John McCain 2008 committee bought $336 worth of "event tickets" for an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game.
Hoping to lavish big time donors with gifts of appreciation during the GOP convention in Minnesota, McCain Victory 2008 purchased 250 wine glasses adorned with elephant designs, at a cost of nearly $7,000, from a shop in Georgia. It was considered a deal.
"I gave them a 20 percent discount," said an employee of Kevin's of Thomasville. "We are all Republicans here."
That same committee also purchased $3,589 worth of elephant shaped chocolates from a sweet shop in Dallas, Texas. "They bought about 1,000 pieces," said the storeowner. "About eleven ounces a piece in all three types of chocolate: milk, dark and light."
McCain's Big Bang - Car Crash Covered Up
Back in 1964, when McCain was in the Navy, he may have been involved in a fatal car crash near the gates of the Naval Base at Portsmouth, Virginia. Vanity Fair has filed Freedom of Information Act papers to uncover the incident which appears to have been covered up by the Navy.
According to a news story in Huffington Post:
According to a news story in Huffington Post:
"Plaintiffs have also obtained documents showing that law enforcement officers were ordered back to the accident scene to retrieve personal physical effects. The Navy has never publicly acknowledged this information," one document reads. "This request involves federal government activity, as it addresses what may be an attempt by the Navy to protect by concealment the involvement of a former Navy officer, sitting Senator and Presidential candidate in a serious incident involving the injury or death of another human being."More bad news for the McCain campaign, now reeling from interval strife and low numbers in the polls.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Vote Fraud In Virginia! Fake Flyers Sent to Democrats
From ThinkProgress.org:
The Virginia Pilot reports today that a phony Virginia Board of Elections flier is being distributed in Hamption Roads, VA telling Democrats that they are now scheduled to vote on November 5. The flier falsely claims that “an emergency session of the General Assembly” adopted a new voting schedule to “ease the load” at polling places on election day:
The Virginia Pilot reports today that a phony Virginia Board of Elections flier is being distributed in Hamption Roads, VA telling Democrats that they are now scheduled to vote on November 5. The flier falsely claims that “an emergency session of the General Assembly” adopted a new voting schedule to “ease the load” at polling places on election day:
As the Pilot explains, “no emergency action has been take by the General Assembly, which isn’t in session, and furthermore, doesn’t have the authority to change the date of a federal election.” Along with the rest of the nation, Virginians in all parties vote on November 4.
Obama in Ohio! Inspiring Again.
This is the last few minutes of his speech in Ohio. This man will be a great president!
How To Make It Through The Next 8 Days!
The folks at 23/6 are brilliant sometimes!
Take this little tip sheet for example: (Click it to enlarge)
Take this little tip sheet for example: (Click it to enlarge)
Ted Stevens To Do Perp-Walk
Senator "Bridge To Nowhere" will soon be doing the perp-walk! Ted Stevens of Alaska was convicted on all 7 counts of making false statements on his financial disclosure regarding $250,000 in home renovations and other gifts he received from an oil contractor.
Senator Steven's was one of Sarah Palin's "pals" and she even served as director of the 527 group Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc. So Palin pals around with felons! Nice vetting Senator McCain!
Senator Steven's was one of Sarah Palin's "pals" and she even served as director of the 527 group Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc. So Palin pals around with felons! Nice vetting Senator McCain!
Early Voting In Dallas
Out here in the wilds of North Dallas, you would expect the McCain/Palin signs to be everywhere, but not so in my neck of the woods. Here in the once conservative bastion of Dallas I see more Obama signs than in my own front yard, lots more.
My partner and I voted Saturday, to beat the long lines that are sure to form on election day, and guess what? We got stuck in a line. After 30 minutes we voted, but the line behind us stretched across the parking lot and onto the sidewalk of the church where we voted. The even better news was the number of Obama bumper stickers on cars in the parking lot. They outnumbered McCain stickers 3 or 4 to one.
I know it's very unscientific, but I get the same kinds of reports from my friends who voted early as well. At last count over 1.1 million Texans have already voted in the 15 most populous counties through Thursday, compared with 655,265 in the top 15 counties four years ago. Wow!
Considering the demographics shows that early voters are mostly Democrats, I hesitate to get to encouraged, but the "L" word might be appropriate if the early votes are any indication.
My partner and I voted Saturday, to beat the long lines that are sure to form on election day, and guess what? We got stuck in a line. After 30 minutes we voted, but the line behind us stretched across the parking lot and onto the sidewalk of the church where we voted. The even better news was the number of Obama bumper stickers on cars in the parking lot. They outnumbered McCain stickers 3 or 4 to one.
I know it's very unscientific, but I get the same kinds of reports from my friends who voted early as well. At last count over 1.1 million Texans have already voted in the 15 most populous counties through Thursday, compared with 655,265 in the top 15 counties four years ago. Wow!
Considering the demographics shows that early voters are mostly Democrats, I hesitate to get to encouraged, but the "L" word might be appropriate if the early votes are any indication.
Republican Senator Hagel Says Palin Not Qualified
Today, Chuck Hagel, Republican Senator from Nebraska, joined the chorus of GOP loyalists who has looked at John McCain and his running mate and found them wanting.
Here is his unprecedentedly candid comment in New Yorker Magazine:
Here is his unprecedentedly candid comment in New Yorker Magazine:
Hagel may be the only senior Republican elected official who has publicly criticized McCain’s choice of Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. “I don’t believe she’s qualified to be President of the United States,” Hagel told me. “The first judgment a potential President makes is who their running mate is—and I don’t think John made a very good selection.” He scoffed at McCain’s attempts to portray her as an experienced politician. “To try to make the excuse that she looks out her window and sees Russia—and that she’s commander of the Alaska National Guard.” He added, “There is no question that this candidate is arguably the thinnest-résumé candidate for Vice-President in the history of America.”
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Obama Speaks In Denver To 100,000+
Barack Obama was back on the campaign trail today stopping at this small gathering in Denver, Colorado. About 100,000+ of his close personal friends and loyal supporters showed up!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Radical Fundamentalists Use Scare Tactics Against Obama
OK, get ready for a big industrial sized drum of crazy! The "Christian" right, (AKA fundamentalist radicals) is starting to use the worst kind of scare tactics I have seen in my lifetime.
Charisma Magazine, a Pentecostal publication, titled one of its recent weekly e-mails to readers, "Life As We Know It Will End If Obama is Elected."
From the Focus on the Family bunch comes this insanity:
The list goes on and it's all designed to terrify potential voters. It is a last ditch attempt to scare people and it is a despicable and very "un-Christian" thing to do. No surprise there I guess but I thought you should know.
Fear is the tactic used by people who have thrown their principals out in favor of "win at any cost" and in difficult times like these we do not need any more baseless fear, we need calm cool leadership. That's why I am voting for Obama!
Charisma Magazine, a Pentecostal publication, titled one of its recent weekly e-mails to readers, "Life As We Know It Will End If Obama is Elected."
From the Focus on the Family bunch comes this insanity:
• A 6-3 liberal majority Supreme Court that results in rulings like one making gay marriage the law of the land and another forcing the Boy Scouts to "hire homosexual scoutmasters and allow them to sleep in tents with young boys." (In the imagined scenario, The Boy Scouts choose to disband rather than obey).
• Nationalized health care with long lines for surgery and no access to hospitals for people over 80.
• Nationalized health care with long lines for surgery and no access to hospitals for people over 80.
The list goes on and it's all designed to terrify potential voters. It is a last ditch attempt to scare people and it is a despicable and very "un-Christian" thing to do. No surprise there I guess but I thought you should know.
Fear is the tactic used by people who have thrown their principals out in favor of "win at any cost" and in difficult times like these we do not need any more baseless fear, we need calm cool leadership. That's why I am voting for Obama!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Alleged Mugging Of McCain Campaign Woerker A Hoax
I had hesitated to report on this one at first. The whole thing sounded like a fake to me from the beginning and sure enough it was.The story goes, Ashly Todd, a 20 year old student from Texas working on the McCain campaign, told police she was mugged while using an ATM in the Bloomfield, PA area. She told police that the attacker first robbed her and then upon seeing a "McCain/Palin" sticker on her car he came back and beat her and carved a "B" on her face. The "B" was supposedly for Barack.
The problem is the ATM cameras do not record such an attack, and the "B" was backward. That backward B looked like something you would do if you were trying to do it in a mirror....as in to yourself.
Well it only took a few hours before every right wing blog was touting the violent mugging by an Obama supporter. The Drudge Report still has the story pasted on its front page. Fear and terror in the streets! Yeah right!
Funny thing, turns out when the alleged victim was tested with a polygraph, the whole thing looked fishy and she confessed she made it up. No doubt the fake story will continue to circulate and grow exponentially, fanned by McCain supporters who see his campaign failing and in need of a boost. Truth would be a nice thing to hear from the McCain camp for a change, but don;t count on it.
Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan Endorses Obama
I just finished reading Scott McClellan's book, What Happened about his years in the Bush White House as Press Secretary. Though at times I felt the account was filtered through McClellan's denial of what was actually happening, it's a good read. Of particular interest is the point when Scott realized that people like Rove and Libby had knowingly sent him out to lie to the press about the Valerie Plame leak, something McClellan didn't know at the time. Couple that with 9/11 and the disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina, and McClellan served through some of the toughest times any Press Secretary could experience.
The lessons he learned in the White House apparently led to his endorsement of Barack Obama on D.L. Hughley's new CNN show. I think anyone who knows Scott would not be surprised by that endorsement either.
McClellan said, "From the very beginning I've said, I'm gonna support the candidate who has the best chance of changing the way Washington works and getting things done. I will be voting for Barack Obama."
If anyone knows about just how badly the current way Washington works it's Scott McClellan. He was wrapped up in The Bush White House "Permanent Campaign" strategy and saw first hand how damaging it can be to both personal reputations and the country at large.
Good choice Scott!
The lessons he learned in the White House apparently led to his endorsement of Barack Obama on D.L. Hughley's new CNN show. I think anyone who knows Scott would not be surprised by that endorsement either.
McClellan said, "From the very beginning I've said, I'm gonna support the candidate who has the best chance of changing the way Washington works and getting things done. I will be voting for Barack Obama."
If anyone knows about just how badly the current way Washington works it's Scott McClellan. He was wrapped up in The Bush White House "Permanent Campaign" strategy and saw first hand how damaging it can be to both personal reputations and the country at large.
Good choice Scott!
Palin Not Sure If Abortion Clinic Bombers Are Terrorists
Sarah Palin is quick to decry "terrorist" when speaking of Bill Ayers, a member of the Weathermen back in the 1960's. The group sought to end the war in Vietnam and change politics through violent means.
She is not so quick to use the same label for people opposed to abortion who bomb clinics and kills health care workers. In other words, she sees trying to instill fear and terror in health care workers as something that is OK, whereas trying to instill fear and terror in government workers is not. It is the classic situational ethics problem that many on the right have when it comes to their pet issues. Life begins at birth, and all life should be respected and preserved, unless it is killed through state sponsored execution. See the problem? If not then what Sarah Palin says will not bother you at all.
She is not so quick to use the same label for people opposed to abortion who bomb clinics and kills health care workers. In other words, she sees trying to instill fear and terror in health care workers as something that is OK, whereas trying to instill fear and terror in government workers is not. It is the classic situational ethics problem that many on the right have when it comes to their pet issues. Life begins at birth, and all life should be respected and preserved, unless it is killed through state sponsored execution. See the problem? If not then what Sarah Palin says will not bother you at all.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
New York Times Endorses Barack Obama!
I guess it would be hard to get a bigger endorsement that this? Today the New York Times endorsed Barack Obama for President. In their words, "this year the nation's future truly hangs in the balance."
Read the entire editorial here.
Read the entire editorial here.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Palin's Fashion Shopping Spree - $150,000+ On New Clothes Courtesy Of The RNC
One thing you have to say about Sarah Palin is she dresses well. Always appearing in a smart fashionable outfit at her appearances she or her advisers have quite a good fashion sense. The problem is she is running as a "gee-whiz home town gal" and as far as I know those kind of "real Americans" don't regularly buy all their outfits from Sak's Fifth Avenue or Neiman-Marcus.
Now I have nothing against Neimans, a Dallas institution where I often went with my mother as a child. I myself have bought cloths from Sak's and other high end retailers occasionally. But here is the problem. Palin is posing as a small town gal with middle class values. How middle class is wearing a new outfit every day and spending an average of $2,500 per day on wardrobe?
It will become a big headache for the Republicans to explain why Palin is running up $75,000 bills at Neiman Marcus and $50,000 at Sak's when they famously criticized John Edwards $400 haircut. Joe Sixpack could feed his family and pay his bills for a couple of years with that kind of money. Who looks elitist now?
Now I have nothing against Neimans, a Dallas institution where I often went with my mother as a child. I myself have bought cloths from Sak's and other high end retailers occasionally. But here is the problem. Palin is posing as a small town gal with middle class values. How middle class is wearing a new outfit every day and spending an average of $2,500 per day on wardrobe?
It will become a big headache for the Republicans to explain why Palin is running up $75,000 bills at Neiman Marcus and $50,000 at Sak's when they famously criticized John Edwards $400 haircut. Joe Sixpack could feed his family and pay his bills for a couple of years with that kind of money. Who looks elitist now?
MCCain 18 Months Ago & Today - Video Worth Watching
The folks at AmericaBlog really do find the best stuff on the web sometimes. This video released first by TPM shows how much John McCain has changed in the past 18 months. He was vigorous and energetic in the primaries and now stumbles and looks absolutely frail. I had not seen the last clip in this video but it confirms what I have begun to suspect about McCain, he is slowly becoming a confused old man.
As an aging American myself, I have nothing against being older, but I do have a problem with a doddering old guy as president. That position is far too important to have someone who just can't seem to make sense anymore hold it. Worse still is his Vice President nominee. Sarah Palin has no business being on the GOP ticket and her choice shows a loss of direction and poor judgement that has come to symbolize that party's leadership.
Watch it and really remember this when you vote.
As an aging American myself, I have nothing against being older, but I do have a problem with a doddering old guy as president. That position is far too important to have someone who just can't seem to make sense anymore hold it. Worse still is his Vice President nominee. Sarah Palin has no business being on the GOP ticket and her choice shows a loss of direction and poor judgement that has come to symbolize that party's leadership.
Watch it and really remember this when you vote.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
India Launches First Unmanned Moon Mission
India launched it's first unmanned lunar mission today. The Chandrayaan-1 moon vehicle launched from southern India in that countries attempt to boost the country's fledgling space industry.
The vehicle will approach the lunar surface and slow, then it will reach almost to the lunar soil where it will stop and break into a musical number with Bangra dancing! (sorry had to use that joke)
The vehicle will approach the lunar surface and slow, then it will reach almost to the lunar soil where it will stop and break into a musical number with Bangra dancing! (sorry had to use that joke)
The Truth About ACORN
This is a very good and honest assessment of the whole ACORN voter fraud issue. In fact there has been no voter fraud, only improperly filled out registration cards which do nothing since the person would have to show up and prove their identity to vote in addition to the card. So when Mickey Mouse shows up with a valid ID I guess this would be a moot point. Watch it!
Olbermann Skewers McCain Over Mud & Divisiveness
Keith Olbermann offered a "Special Comment" tonight on his show Countdown, criticizing the McCain campaign and other Republicans, like Michele Bachmann, for their use of divisive politics during the campaign.
Monday, October 20, 2008
George & Laura Will Seperate After Election - The Globe Says
Well the Globe Magazine is at it again, and this time they may be onto something. Their cover story states that Laura Bush will get a big house in Highland Park, (a super-rich suburb of Dallas) while George will live on the ranch. This jibes with the story I have heard from several folks in the real estate biz. The buss there is that Laura made the selection of the house herself. Furthermore, when asked on a local media outlet if she planned to live on the ranch in Crawford, Texas, she replied, "George might but I am living in Dallas!"
So are the divorce rumors true? My bet is that they are, at least a separation is in the cards. Why? The Globe says it's because of Dubbya's drinking, and that sounds pretty plausible. Have you seen him lately? He looks terrible. I know the office of the president weighs on a person, but Mr. Bush looks like he has been rode hard and put away wet. It's the wet part that makes most sense to me.
So far this is all rumors and stories in the supermarket tabloids, but in the recent past those same tabloids have had real national scoops. Look at the story about John Edwards affair. First really broke in the National Enquirer. You have to wonder, and the fact that the Bush family has become the fodder of the Globe shows just how far they have fallen in public opinion.
A month or two after 9/11 no one would have dreamed of writing anything scandalous about them, but today, it's open season not just because of his lame-duck status, but his popularity. He may turn out to be the most despised president in history. Time will tell.
So are the divorce rumors true? My bet is that they are, at least a separation is in the cards. Why? The Globe says it's because of Dubbya's drinking, and that sounds pretty plausible. Have you seen him lately? He looks terrible. I know the office of the president weighs on a person, but Mr. Bush looks like he has been rode hard and put away wet. It's the wet part that makes most sense to me.
So far this is all rumors and stories in the supermarket tabloids, but in the recent past those same tabloids have had real national scoops. Look at the story about John Edwards affair. First really broke in the National Enquirer. You have to wonder, and the fact that the Bush family has become the fodder of the Globe shows just how far they have fallen in public opinion.
A month or two after 9/11 no one would have dreamed of writing anything scandalous about them, but today, it's open season not just because of his lame-duck status, but his popularity. He may turn out to be the most despised president in history. Time will tell.
Republican Operative in California Arrested On Voter Fraud
A GOP operative in California was fooling people into signing what he claimed was a petition against child molesters when in actuality he was registering them as Republicans. In many cases their registration was set as an absentee ballot and that will make it impossible for them to vote on election day.
Watch the story on MSNBC just a few minutes ago.
Watch the story on MSNBC just a few minutes ago.
Obama Supporter's Tires Slashed In North Carolina
My partner and I have often worried that our Obama stickers on our vehicles cold insight a few overly zealous McCain supporters to vandalize our cars. The good news is that here in Texas that has not been a problem, yet. The bad news is that in North Carolina it is.
According to an artcile in the Fayetville Observer at least 30 cars had their tires slashed in the parking lot of the Crown Coliseum while an Obama rally was in progress inside. More on the story here.
According to an artcile in the Fayetville Observer at least 30 cars had their tires slashed in the parking lot of the Crown Coliseum while an Obama rally was in progress inside. More on the story here.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Colin Powell Endorses Obama!
Colin Powell states it very eloquently as he endorses Obama for President.
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