We Have Separation Of Church And State In America!

One American principle that I really love is that we separate  church and state.Politics are not supposed to be mixed with religion.But,some folks just have trouble adhering to that fact.

Take Mayor Osby Davis of Vallejo,CA for instance.He had to issue a formal apology for the aspersions he cast on his gay constituents.The NY Times carried an article that quoted him as saying that “they’re committing sin and that sin will keep them out of heaven.”

Wow! And he is a Christian attorney.Well,he should judge not,lest he be judged.Because,in the end,we are all sinners.No man is free of all sin.

Here’s more from The Oakland Tribune:

“At least one person said he plans to call for Davis’ resignation or recall while another wants him to be censured.

Davis said Tuesday he wants the community to pull together and move forward during difficult times.

“It should go without saying, and is certainly obvious to all who know me, that my conduct, actions and decisions have demonstrated my conviction for fairness for all people and my love for this city,” Davis wrote.

Sherrie Connelly, a hospital chaplain and former Human Relations commissioner, said she was confused by Davis’ comments, but was reasonably certain Davis didn’t intend to “cause the kind of brouhaha” that was raised.

“I believe the mayor’s comments stir the soup in Vallejo in a very unfavorable way,” said Connelly, a self-described straight, 65-year-old woman.

“As elected officials, we have a responsibility to serve the entire community, not just the ones who believe as we do.”

Former planning commissioner and gay activist Charles Legalos called for action against Davis.

“I want to get an item on the City Council agenda to censure him,” Legalos said.

“His comments were completely out of line. They have no place coming from a city official.”

Legalos also expressed concern over the separation of church and state issue as it relates to the city of God remark.

“Separation of church and state is a fundamental tenet of our government, and he violated it,” Legalos said.

Davis said his prepared statement was not designed to defend his beliefs. He added that he did not feel his beliefs related to the intent of the New York Times column.

“I did not intend to use my position as mayor to espouse my beliefs,” Davis said. “I will not use my position as mayor to espouse my personal beliefs. My personal beliefs are mine and mine alone — and they will remain mine from this point on.”

Former school board candidate and openly gay priest Lou Bordisso, also quoted in the Times column, said remarks like Davis’ can lead to negative consequences.

Bordisso said Monday he’s planning a rally and news conference at 6:15 p.m. Dec. 1 in front of City Hall before the regular City Council meeting.

“There’s a lot of anger out there and people need a forum in which to express their anger and frustration,” Bordisso said.

Others expanded on Bordisso’s apprehensions.

“I believe the main point is the image of Vallejo going out to the world — this mixing politics with religion,” said Max Green, a self-described politically aware Vallejo resident. “

(Davis) is supposed to be the mayor of everyone, not just those who believe as he does.” And besides, Legalos said, Vallejo doesn’t need more negative attention.

“It’s discouraging,” he said. “The city has gained notoriety in terms of crime, bankruptcy, bad management, and to add this to it … to now be known as a city with a bigoted mayor. …” (End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here.

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Carrie Prejean Is A Disgrace To Christianity!

Carrie Prejean is someone who is obviously so full of herself that it is not even funny.It’s downright alarming to me that such a blatant hypocrite is toting Christianity just like it’s another one of her “achievements”.

As both a Christian & California girl,let me state most emphatically that this empty-headed shallow human being does not represent either my state or my religion in any way.!

Carrie Prejean is representing both narcissism & hypocrisy.And with all the damage that she does to herself every time she opens her mouth,I would say that Carrie Prejean is leading the campaign against her.

Before she calls Larry King or anyone else “inappropriate“,Carrie Prejean needs to recall the photos & the sex tape that this fake “pious” woman did.If you are promoting  Christianity,Ms. Prejean,then how is any of that appropriate?

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The Fort Hood Shooter Is An Army Psychiatrist!

What happened today at Fort Hood army base is both tragic & unbelievable.I was astounded when the news broke that people had been gunned down at one of the largest military bases in the free world! The shooter who was behind today’s massacre is an Army psychiatrist.

He was counseling other soldiers when Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan clearly needed help dealing with his own mental issues.He freaked out & killed 12 people.31 folks were also wounded in this shooting rampage.

Here’s more from The Associated Press:

“A military mental health doctor facing deployment overseas opened fire at the Fort Hood Army post on Thursday, setting off on a rampage that killed 12 people and left 31 wounded, Army officials said.

Authorities said immediately after the shootings that they had killed the suspected shooter, but later in the evening they recanted and said that he was alive and in stable condition at a hospital, watched by a guard.

“His death is not imminent,” said Lt. Gen. Bob Cone at Fort Hood. He offered little explanation for the mistake, other than to say there was confusion at the hospital.A law enforcement official identified the shooting suspect as Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.The violence was believed to be the worst mass shooting in history at a U.S. military base.

The shooting began around 1:30 p.m., when shots were fired at the base’s Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening, Cone said.It was unclear what the motive was, though it appeared he was upset about a scheduled deployment.

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said the Army major was about to deploy overseas, though it was unclear if he was headed to Iraq or Afghanistan and when he was scheduled to leave. Hutchison said she was told about the upcoming deployment by generals based at Fort Hood.” Read more here.

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Contessa Brewer Can’t Tell The Difference Between Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson!

Talk about a cringe worthy moment! When Contessa Brewer of MSNBC interviewed Rev. Jesse Jackson,she called him Rev. Al Sharpton.

Well,Rev. Jackson took about half a minute to correct this pretty little birdbrain.I think he did that because he wanted to keep his composure.But,he was visibly agitated by the ridiculous gaffe that Contessa Brewer made.Who would confuse Jesse Jackson with Rev. Al Sharpton?

After apologizing,Contessa Brewer claimed that was what the script said.I’ve heard of sticking to the script,but wow! Can you really blame the teleprompter for that mistake,Contessa Brewer? I think not!

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Instead Of Seeing Men In Black,A British Police Officer Sees Aliens In White!

A British police officer reported spotting three aliens that were 6ft. tall & blond.They were dressed in white overalls. Apparently,the supernatural beings were examining a crop circle that was near Silbury Hill,Wiltshire. They took off like the speed of lightening when the off-duty cop saw these otherworldly creatures.

Now,this cop’s sighting sounds pretty far-fetched to me,but some folks are buying his story. I mean,I’ve heard of people seeing the Men In Black,but never the aliens in white. Pretty weird stuff!

Here’s more from the Telegraph:

“‘The bizarre incident occurred on the morning of July 6 this year as the police officer was driving.

The officer claims the three figures were examining a crop circle, which had appeared several days earlier, when he stopped his car and began walking towards them.

However, the mysterious beings disappeared when he ”looked away for a second” and he contacted UFO experts after witnessing other paranormal activity.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: ”The police officer was apparently off duty when this happened so we have no comment to make because it is a personal not a police matter.”

Crop circle expert Colin Andrews, who investigated the incident alongside Andrew Russell, said he is ”convinced” by the police officer’s story.

He said: ”I am quite convinced the officer had an experience that day and one that we have not fully explored.

”I think with the unusual movement of the being and the poltergeist experiences there is too much additional information to say that is something in nothing.” (End of Excerpt) Read the full story here.

I’m Glad That This Supernatural Cloud Was In Moscow & Not America!

Have you seen the spooky halo-shaped cloud that was spotted in the Moscow sky?I would be freaked out if I saw something like that here in America! I mean,it does look like an alien mothership or some otherworldly object.

But,along with the scary house decor,devilish sound effects & costumes,I might like seeing a supernatural looking cloud hovering in the sky this Halloween.That would really make trick or treating even more scary & fun.

Here’s more on the cloud in Moscow from The Daily Mail:

“In what could have been a scene from the film Independence Day, a luminous ring-shaped cloud could be seen hovering over the city of Moscow last week.

The pale gold ‘halo’ could be seen above the Russian capital city’s Western District on Wednesday, and was captured on film by stunned Muscovites.Meteorologists rejected any theories of the supernatural however, calling it an optical effect.

A spokesman from the city’s weather forecast said: ‘Several fronts have been passing through Moscow recently, there was an intrusion of the Arctic air too, the sun was shining from the west – this is how the effect was produced.’

He added: ‘This is purely an optical effect, although it does look impressive.” (End of Excerpt)

Read more here. And for pictures of  more strange cloud formations click here.

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President Obama Wins The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize!!!

I’m not sure if President Obama was feeling down about the Olympics loss.It sure seemed like we had a whole lot of folks here in America that were quite gleeful that Chicago was the first city that the Olympics committee voted out.

Well,I’m sure that glee will dissipate completely once those people find out that President Obama has won a Nobel Peace Prize.And he hasn’t even been president for a year.I know that’s going to piss the Obama haters off! Because being the third sitting U.S president to receive a Nobel Peace Prize is one helluva win!

Here’s more from CNN:

“President Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. The first African-American to win the White House, Obama was praised by the Norweigan Nobel Committee for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

“Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the committee said. “His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.”

The committee also said Obama has “created a new climate in international politics.”

The announcement came as a surprise — Obama’s name had not been mentioned among front-runners — and the roomful of reporters in Oslo, Norway, gasped when he was named.In his short time in office, Obama has acted on a wide range of issues from the economy to terrorism and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Obama also lobbied unsuccessfully to bring the 2016 Olympics to Chicago, Illinois. After returning from Denmark, Obama expressed no regret about his trip, saying it is “always a worthwhile endeavor to promote and boost the United States.

“Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, last year’s Peace Prize laureate, said it was clear the Nobel committee wanted to encourage Obama on the issues he has been discussing on the world stage.

“I see this as an important encouragement,” Ahtisaari said.

The committee wanted to be “far more daring” than in recent times and make an impact on global politics, said Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the International Peace Research Institute.

Wangari Muta Maathai, the Kenyan who won the 2004 Peace Prize, said Obama’s win will help Africa move forward.

“I think it is extraordinary,” she said. “It will be even greater inspiration for the world. He has shown how we can probably come together, work together in a cooperative way.”

The award comes at a crucial time for Obama, who currently has administration officials dispatched on global peace missions.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here.

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Damn,Randy Quaid! You Should Have Just Paid!

Did your hear about actor Randy Quaid’s burglary arrest?! The eccentric-looking guy skipped out on a $10,000 hotel bill that he & his wife had racked up in California.The pretend Bonnie & Clyde got nabbed in West Texas. Damn,Randy Quaid! You should have just paid!

Here’s more from The AP:

“Actor Randy Quaid and his wife have been arrested in West Texas for allegedly skipping out on a $10,000 California hotel bill.Quaid and his wife, Evi, were taken into custody Thursday afternoon, according to Santa Barbara County sheriff’s officials, who said authorities in West Texas informed them of the arrest.

A statement from the California agency said it was told by the Presidio County Sheriff’s Department that Evi Quaid was restrained after a brief struggle.Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez declined to respond to questions from The Associated Press.

Presidio County authorities said earlier Thursday that the two were in custody in Marfa but the department wasn’t releasing other details.Santa Barbara County’s sheriff’s spokesman Drew Sugars says the warrant for Quaid and his wife set bail at $20,000 each.

The felony warrant is for burglary, defrauding an innkeeper and conspiracy.He says detectives haven’t been able to interview the actor yet.A message left for Randy Quaid’s commercial agent, Steven Arcieri, was not immediately returned.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here.

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Muammar al-Gaddafi Is The Whacked-Out Leader Of Libya!

Muammar al-Gaddafi went on a bitch fest today. He bitched about everything from his jet lag to the way the United Nations handles its business.Gaddafi had a lot of stuff that he just had to get off his chest!

The Libyan leader also let it be known that he considers President Obama to be a son of Africa because of his Kenyan descent.He seemed to be trying to forge a kinship between himself & the leader of the free world. As if !

I’m sure that President Obama didn’t appreciate or want his warm praises.The last thing that he wants is to be associated in any way with a dictator who said that Obama should be the president forever.Especially when you’ve got some fruitcakes out there comparing Obama to tyrants & dictators. I’m sure that yet another Obama conspiracy theory is being formed at this very moment.

The poor guy who had to translate this long rant got tired out & had to be relieved of his duties.I just feel sorry for the people who have to call Muammar al-Gaddafi their leader for the past 40 years.What a loon!

And if I were a Bedford resident,I’d be outraged that this terrorist-backer had his tent pitched on a piece of land that is owned by Donald Trump.I just hope that the “Trumpster” wouldn’t stoop this low for cash.

Here’s more on that from The AP:

“Did The Donald and the dictator made a backdoor deal? If so, the plan to pitch a tent in this suburb for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi went south pretty fast. Maybe someone should be fired.

A tent erected by the Libyan government on Donald Trump’s estate in Bedford was dismantled Wednesday, and both Trump and the Secret Service said Gadhafi wasn’t coming.

For Gadhafi, it was just another failed attempt to find a place to spend time during the UN General Assembly — after his requests for space in Central Park, Englewood, N.J., and Manhattan’s Upper East Side were all rejected.

Long unpopular in America, the Libyan leader is now particularly unwelcome after he gave an effusive welcome-home reception for Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the Libyan convicted of the bombing Pan Am Flight 103. Al-Megrahi was recently freed from prison because he’s dying of prostate cancer.

For Trump, questions persisted.

Did he know he might be handing over the use of his lush, 213-acre Seven Springs estate to Gadhafi? Or was the mogul unwittingly renting some upscale digs on his suburban lawn 33 miles north of the United Nations?”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here.

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Michelle Phillips Isn’t Buying Mackenzie Phillips Story!!!!

Chynna & Michelle Phillips

I received a lot of comments about a post I did on Mackenzie Phillips story. Some people felt that her incestuous past should be revealed because it might help someone else. Really?!! How will knowing that John Phillips supposedly banged his own flesh & blood make a difference in anyone’s life? The world is not a naive place,even though some of its inhabitants apparently are!

Mackenzie Phillips isn’t shedding light on incest for the first time. She is telling the world a personal story that she claims is true. Since John Phillips isn’t here to defend himself, only Mackenzie Phillips & God know the truth. The only person Mackenzie Phillips is really helping by telling this sordid tale is herself. And that’s only if she can top the bestseller’s list.

Some of those who know her don’t believe what she’s saying. Michelle Phillips is one of those folks. Here’s more from news.cnpanyu.com:

“The incestuous relationship between John and Mackenzie, from his first marriage to socialite Susan Adams, later became consensual as the pair began using heroin together and touring in a band called The New Mamas and The Papas.

Wilson Phillips founder Chynna reveals she received a phone call confession in 1997 from her half sister, who revealed her affair with their father began while he was married to third wife, Genevieve Waite.

Standing by her sister, Chynna tells Us Weekly, “They were both doing drugs together. After long nights of heroin use, she’s claiming that she once woke up and that my father was on top of her having sex with her. Was he actually raping her? I don’t know. Do I believe they had an incestuous relationship and that it went on for 10 years? Yes.”

However, Chynna’s actress mom Michelle Phillips, John’s second wife and former member of The Mamas & The Papas, has rejected Mackenzie’s claims as the musings of a desperate drug addict. She adds, “You should take with a grain of salt anything that’s said by a person who has had a needle stuck in their arm for 35 years. The whole story is disgusting.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here.

Female Circumcision Is Not Common Here

The fact that we can choose to circumcise our children is one reason to be happy you’re an American! Don’t you know that in some cultures the decision has already been made? I saw an interesting episode of “The Tyra Banks Show” that dealt with female mutilation & the victims of it. One young African female guest was a former contestant on ” America’s Top Model” & a victim of this. She explained that she was both Somolian & Ethiopian. As a muslim girl, it was decided that this procedure should be done to preserve her sanctity. In her culture, female circumcision is a rite of passage. This poor woman did not discover what had been done to her until she came to America. But according to this video, the procedure was performed here also. Now that is something I did not know! It is very informative & I’m glad as Americans there is freedom of choice! Just one more reason to be patriotic!

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American Women Don’t Have To Live With Polygamous Men

In some parts of Africa, having a co-wife is a part of tradition. It is a cultural thing that many women have had to adapt to. Polygamy is common in other parts of the world as well. The freedom to leave such a situation is not an option for many women. They must live with it because there are no laws to prohibit it.
Fortunately, we live in America where polygamy is a crime. The women depicted in this film are unaware that they have a choice. And that my friends is reason number two. The freedom to be in a monogamous or polygamous society. The women make their choice at the end of the movie. Enjoy!

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Our Conspiracy Theories Are Pretty Believable

Yeah, some of the theories out there are pretty preposterous. I’ve seen some hilarious videos on the internet that propose to have the evidence. The alien, ghosts, angels, & bigfoot videos really bring out the skeptic in me. But they are fun to look at. Secretly, I want to see something mystifying like a flying humaniod but I have not. The UFO videos are hard to discount although I know most of them are hoaxes.
The New World Order is a scary prospect that I hope is just a conspiracy theory. These chips make science fiction movies like ” Gattaca” look documentaries. In that movie, the genetic code could be manipulated to produce perfect human beings. Check out this video! There are portions of it ( the implantable chips) that freak me out! The 9/11 & terrorism aspect of this theory is bogus, though!

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IRA Bombings Don’t Happen In America!

At least Americans are faced with Al-Qaeda as our biggest threat. Sept. 11, 2001 was the worst terrorist attack in modern American history. It was also the scariest because it came from perpetrators not born on American soil. They were from a part of the world that is used to suicide bombings.

In Britian, not only do they have to worry about Muslim extremists attacking their citizens. They must deal with the Irish Republic Army as well. Bombings have occurred all over Britian for decades.We have had one massive terrorist attack. Around the world, they have lost count. That makes me glad to be an American!

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Noone Has Ever Been President For 28 Years!

Robert Mugabe has been President of Zimbabwe for 28 years! Their economic woes are far worse than ours. We’ve all been outraged by the bailout. Well, the inflation there is the worst that the world has ever seen. There is no real democracy there either.
Thank God that we have a real presidential race with two candidates to choose from. After November 4, we will have gotten rid of our bad president. If we lived in Zimbabwe, it might be like the war in Iraq. No end in sight! American presidents only get two terms to fuck up! What a relief that George Bush is on his way out! And if my prayers are answered, we will get the change we need! Not the confused reformed maverick! Do you catch my drift? Leave me a comment if you do or even if you don’t.

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Only in America, Baby! Hip Hop Emerged from South Bronx!

I like Nas wit’ his prolific/gifted/ ill ass flow.
Talent is not the status quo/ like it was in this video…
What would this country be like without hip-hop? As someone who grew up immersed in it, I don’t ever want to know. All of the exhilaration I felt after going to a rap concert hasn’t ever been matched. Well, maybe when I went to the Reggae Sumfest it was.

But, I am proud to be an American that grew up with this music. Hell, my dad’s favorite rapper is Slick Rick. That in itself adds to his cool hip image. Even he couldn’t resist the pull that those hypnotic melodic raps had.Unfortunately, my mom was a huge MC. Hammer fan. He seemed like a great entertainer but that was it. She later told me that she liked Biggie Smalls which redeemed her in my eyes. 

What music stirs long lost memories for you? Is it new wave, punk rock, soul, funk, jazz… For me, it’s funk music & rap that brings back my childhood.  I’m so glad to that I found this video. Biz Markie is hilarious & a beat box phenom! Big Daddy Kane was recently in a low budget straight-to-dvd flick that I saw. He has put on some weight since this video. I forgot how good he used to look. He reminds me of Tupac in the way he finesses you with his voice. He can be strong & sexy at the same time.

Soulja Boy, Hurricane G, Lil’ Boosie, etc… is all that we see on 106 & Park. I have nothing against them but that shit is not my cup of tea. I loved Jay-Z because he really knew how to manipulate words. There is still good rap out there. These days you really have to find it. The gems are hidden & bullshit gets promoted to the masses. What a shame!

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In Comparison To Other Countries, We’re Still Rich!

The U.S. dollar bill is declining in value in the world . Food & gas seem unobtainable to most. I had to quit my job when I got relocated. That would have added an extra 30 miles a day to my commute! In these times, that’s an absolute no-no. We are facing another great depression in America. Even so, we are still one of the wealthiest countries in the world. This video shows how the food crisis affects different parts of the world. By compiling news bits from various countries, they show you the different reactions to it. The news report from the United States had no sense of urgency or panic to it. In other countries, they were dealing with riots, starvation, & death. Here we’re trying to compromise on a trillion dollar bailout to save our ass! In comparison to other countries, we’re not doing so bad.

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Arranged Marriage Is Not The Cultural Norm

http://www.alternet.org/sex/92561/the_rise_of_arranged_marriage_in_america/
Preceding this entry is a link to an article that really gets in-depth on this subject. There are some arranged marriages here in America. But it is not common. Personally, I do not think there is anything wrong with it. When someone is forced into a marriage it is wrong. Many courtships past & present were arranged for financial reasons.

For instance, I know a lady who got hitched to help a Spainard gain U.S. citizenship. That type of arranged marriage is common in the U.S. She knew what she was getting into & she increased her assets in the process. Another chick I was acquainted with actually wound up paying the guy she married. He was from Saudi Arabia & he worked at a liquor store. For some reason, she thought he really loved her when he proposed. But she knew that his citizenship was not permanent. In his mind, he made an arrangement to marry a girl until he was legal. To her, it was real love. Imagine her dismay & suprise when he dumped her. You see, his family had arranged for him to marry someone from Saudi Arabia. Although he could have bucked tradition he did not. It just so happened that his intended was hot!

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Global Warming Will Affect Poor Countries More Than Rich Ones

  

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=21448&Cr=climate&Cr1 If the economy keeps plummetting, we won’t be classified as rich too much longer. For now, everybody is scraping up the $4 bucks for gas & etching out their existence. People who reside in poorer countries aren’t worried about gas. They’re worried about food & other basic needs. But they also need to be concerned about global warming. Follow the link for the full story.

Basically, the United Nations Secretary-General warns that poor countries will suffer more because of global warming. We all have not come to an agreement, here in America ,on whether global warming is real or not. Apparently, the majority of the world has come to the conclusion that it is an impending threat.  Global warming is caused by human activity which has affected the environment.  Poor countries that may not have contributed to global warming at all will suffer greater consequences. Since America’s still a rich country, we’ll suffer less from global warming. It all depends on an economic turnaround.

An African American Woman is One of the Most Powerful Women In The WORLD

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http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/11/06women_Condoleezza-Rice_MTNG.htmlI  You will have to click on to the video link in order to view it. I have also included a link to an article in Forbes magazine that listed 100 of the most powerful women in the world. The second woman on the list was Condoleezza Rice. As if you didn’t know, she is a 51-year old african american woman who advises George Bush regularly. She has a major role in his cabinet as the Secretary of State. This woman handles foreign affairs & has a very distinguished career. Her involvement in this administration may taint her accomplishments in the public’s eyes.  In fact as this video demonstrates, she is detested by many because of the war in Iraq. But she has achieved a lot & has paved the way for Barack Obama to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate. After all, she has proven that blacks are able to play the game of politics just as well as whites.

The view of blacks may still be negative & there is much to be done if that is to be corrected. Whether you like her or not, Condoleezza Rice has elevated the views towards blacks worldwide. She is noted in Forbes magazine as being “America’s top diplomat“.  Unfortunately, she was mentioned on MSNBC today as being a war criminal that should be prosecuted for violating the Geneva convention. It seems to me like Condoleezza Rice & Colin Powell were among the many that were used as proxies for President George Bush. If his administration should be prosecuted, then the president’s fate should be much more severe. Since I am not privy to all of the facts, I won’t be so quick to condemn her. I will commend her for obtaining one of the most powerful positions in the world. Believe me, she broke a lot of glass ceilings which benefited Hilary Clinton as well. Who knows if America is ready for a black or female president? I think that she prepared the country for that to be a possibility. In Condoleezza Rice, America got to see the potential for a black female president. For that, you have to give her props! The fact that those of african descent are making measurable progress is one of the greatest things about America!

The 2008 Election Is One Of The Most Fascinating In History!

Did you ever think you’d live to see such a grand sight as we did tonight? With all of the troubles that befall America, this debate was a very important one. We are facing a great depression here & I’m glad Senator McCain showed up. This is truly a time of change in America & the stakes have never been so high! That’s why those who have never been involved in the political process are registering to vote in record numbers. If you have not registered to vote, make sure you do it now! Time is running out!!

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The World’s Biggest Sex Symbol Was Born & Bred Here

 

 Marilyn Monroe was one of the world’s sexiest women of all time! She oozed sex appeal & encouraged sexual freedom in women. She is a different kind of feminist but she is one. This woman was intelligent because she gained her fame from exploiting a stereotype. She was the stereotypical dumb blonde. In her life, she was a determined young woman who had a enviable drive. Most people are not as fearless as she was. They are scared to take a chance in life. If she would have just stayed Norma Jean, America may not have the women they have come to love today. Women like Pamela Anderson, Anna Nicole Smith, Paris Hilton, etc… They all were inspired by this great American movie star. We love ya, Marilyn!!!  We will always remember you.

America Is Still A Beacon Of Democracy

With all the talk of our corrupt government due to this bailout, you forget just how bad other democratic societies are. We have enjoyed the best political & economic system in the world! Unfortunately, the damage done by this Wall Street debacle is like has had a domino effect. We are still watching them fall.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is terrible greed & corruption. The civilians are being murdered & terrorized by numerous militia groups. This has been an ongoing ordeal for years & it has virtually been ignored by America. As one of the greatest countries on earth, we must not let that beacon of democracy fade away.

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Our Citizens Are the Most Heavily Armed in the World!

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2834893820070828 Follow the link to this article to read about how heavily armed we are in comparison to the rest of the world. You’ll be stupefied by it!There is a ongoing debate on whether or not gun control works. If you’ve lived in the ghetto, you’ve probably seen your fair share of weaponry. With all the crime in places like Flint & Oakland, it’s hard for me to argue against it. By the same token, I know what happens when most citizens are armed. It can prevent crime or it can create it. Let me tell you that being broke with artillery within reach is not an ideal situation for anyone. Even if you are not criminally inclined, it is tempting.

Living in the ghetto gets to be very dicey. Almost on a weekly basis, you’re pulled into the drama that is the streets. Having a gun has led to many unintended shootings. When you’re outnumbered by an angry mob of people, it’s too easy to start popping off caps. Since America has the most heavily armed people in the world, we should have better control on who obtains them. If we cannot do that then we need to control the guns.

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America Loves A Free Market System!

We live in a capitalistic society & that’s the integral part of the American dream. You know, the white house with the picket fence & all that jazz! That’s why a large minority has found the “bailout” to be quite an atrocious idea! What is even more appalling is the partisan blame game! How is it that the officials that the people elected are unclear on what the resolution should be? Maybe congress has no clue about what is taking place in the economy.
The average U.S. citizen really doesn’t understand. We’re just scared of losing our free market system. Perhaps we already have if you trust the information in this video.

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Josephine Baker Because She Was the Epitomist of Beauty & Sensuality

Bronze Venus

 In the 21st century, the celebrities have been oversexualized & true glamour seems to elude so many. Although many women can look sexy, it is tough to exude sexuality. I mean, how many times does Paris Hilton have to tell us she’s “hot”?! Shouldn’t we be telling her that??!! Well, Josephine Baker exemplified sensuality in a way that has influenced the style of many contemporary women. Beyonce has emulated one of her trademark costumes & dances in one of her perfomances. Josephine Baker’s trademark sleek & slick hairstyle was adapted by Jada Pinkett Smith in the 90’s. This woman was such a trendsetter that you can set trends with her style. She was simply iconic.

What makes her truly remarkable is how confident she was in her own skin. In a time when black women were not associated with “sex goddess” , Josephine Baker became the epitome of just that. She was called “Bronze Venus” because she was so bewitchingly sensual & beautiful. Freda Josephine Mcdonald had pursued stardom since she was 13 years old. Born in 1906, she was of an era that was not far removed from slavery. So it was remarkable that she was able to leave such an indelible impression as a world famous entertainer. Not only that but she ushered in a new epoch for black women. She made the world take notice of the black beauty. With her erotic partially nude perfomances, her sensuality was undeniable.

Although she was a major star, she faced racism. She became the first African-American to integrate an American concert hall. Tired of all of the racial calamity in America, she became an expatriate & moved to France. Josephine Baker craved racial equality so she contributed to the civil rights movement. She inspired many future actresses by becoming the first black to star in a major motion picture. This woman took the smallest opportunity & turned it into a promise of success. For those women who try so hard to be hot, take a cue from Josephine Baker. You just might learn something!

Americans Have Less Abortions Than Russians!

In this election, Americans have two very different choices. For many women, it is inspiring to have a female VP candidate no matter what their political stance is. Hillary Clinton gave hope to the progress of the feminist cause which is the right to be considered equal with men. They felt that the female voice had been stifled when Hillary lost. The emotions ran so high that it is still a challenge for Barack Obama to sway these women to vote for him. After Obama picked Joe Biden, John McCain made a shrewd political move & picked a woman. He hoped that his decision to name Sarah Palin as the VP would assuage those feelings of dejection these Hillary supporters felt.

It is hard for those liberal feminists who adored Hillary Clinton to do anything for Sarah but silently cheer her on. They may be keen on a woman for vice president but it’s too bad she’s not akin to Hillary Clinton in any way except her gender. We’ve all heard the dissimilarities between them but the most blaring one is on the topic of abortion. Sarah Palin is wholeheartedly against it no matter what the circumstances which is quite different than Hillary Clinton’s viewpoint on abortion.

Now, I think that we need to reduce the number of abortions in the U.S. We are the second country that performs the most abortions in the world.  Only Russia has more abortions than we do . There are several birth control methods that can prevent unwanted pregnancies. We need to educate our youth about the choices that are available to them. I don’t want the government to control whether or not I can make a decision about my body. The right to choose is part of a democracy. It is a key component of American principles to have the freedom of choice.  Thank God we can choose in this country. Here is a link to some countries that limits a woman’s right to choose. http://www.reproductiverights.org/pdf/pub_fac_abortionlaws.pdf

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Because ” America Sure Loves Those Hockey Moms”!

I was watching the vice presidential debate tonight with Sarah Palin & Joe Biden. When I see Sarah Palin I always think of a hockey or soccer mom. You know that they say she’s great with the one-liners & the zingers. Well, that’s one line that really sticks out for me. I would love to be a soccer, hockey, softball, karate, or any other kind of mom. The problem is that even before the stocks started plunging my finances went kaput! I’ve got a new line for whatever campaign wants to pick it up. “A lot of American moms are somewhere between a welfare mom & a hockey mom. They can’t afford the hockey lessons but their income is too great to receive welfare. Check out this post from a blogger that knows how costly hockey or any sport can get. (http://bentcorner.com/2008/09/so-what-exactly-is-a-hockey-mom/

What we need is a more substantive debate that would talk about those who are basically poor. Has the middle class taken the place of the poor in the minds of the wealthy? When Sarah Palin talks about being a “hockey mom”, she’s not talking about your average mom trying to make ends meet. Ms. Palin has a six-figure income & she identifies with being a hockey mom. Being a hockey mom is reserved for those who make enough to afford it. I’m not sure who in this campaign has talked about those who are low-income & facing even greater poverty. Who is really going to address the poor on a more frequent basis? Apparently, the middle class is all that counts when you’re trying to appeal to voters. Watch the video because a teacher talks about poverty for once in this campaign. Too bad the candidates aren’t talking about the really poor Americans. I guess they figure Barack Obama’s got their vote already.

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Upstanding Humanitarians Like Paul Newman Do Us Proud, America!

Who is as handsome, suave, & sophisticated as Paul Newman in today’s crop of movie stars? There is nobody who is as magnificent looking & talented as Mr. Paul Newman was.The only actor I can think of is Brad Pitt but he doesn’t even suffice. Women & men idolized this great human being because his acting was so diversified & superb! My father loves him in “Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid”. My mother fawned all over him when he was in ” Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”. Those roles were very different types of men but he convinced you because he became those characters.

Oh, those sparkling blue eyes possess the same beauty & clarity of the waters of Hawaii. Those beautiful eyes really were the window into the soul of a gorgeous man. His exterior matched his interior in every single way. This was no vain self-centered man whose only concern was his career. Paul Newman was a true humanitarian who lent a helping hand to those who needed it. His salad dressing donates it’s profits to charity. The proceeds have been no small pittance either. It’s in the ballpark of $200 million. We should all be inspired by this great actor & philanthropist that passed away September 26,2008. I know that heaven has anointed him. He was an earthly angel & an example to all of humanity. His work shall live on.

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This Is Turning Out To Be The Best Election I’ve Ever Seen!

And the Battle Still Rages On….. http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/561435/#

I started voting when John Kerry was running against George Bush. The most dramatic thing that happened was the “swift boat ads” that attacked John Kerry’s service record. At that time, the country was still living in constant fear of another terrorist attack. Unfortunately, Americans felt much more safe with the same president that had resided over the country after 9/11. George Bush won because people thought that he was the best bet. Then Hurricane Katrina hit & his delayed reaction was devastating to the victims & the rest of the country. People really started to compile a list of negatives about George Bush which has resulted in the low approval ratings that he has today! Not only that, there are some who consider him to be a war criminal for the Iraq war. For those reasons, the 2008 election has dominated the minds of the majority of Americans. The current president is so disliked that voters want to make sure they don’t make the same mistake again. More people are registering to vote than ever. But it’s not just George Bush that’s got the country energized this election cycle.

During the presidential primaries, there were two democratic candidates that got the country motivated to vote. Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama’s heated race brought so much passion to each candidate’s supporters. It created a huge divide in the democratic party & when Hillary lost it outraged her devotees. Although Barack Obama won, some Hillary Clinton enthusiasts have become some of his most vocal detractors. Their passion seemed to overwhelm all sense of logic even though this was a historical moment! Because never in America has there been a black man leading the democratic party in the fight to win the presidency! That moment was almost overshadowed by all the drama involving both of the Clintons!

Up until this point, there’s been barely a ripple of excitement coming from the republican pick, John McCain. Oh, there was a little attention paid to him during the primaries because his campaign was running out of money. Many political pundits thought he would have to drop out. They kept talking about Mike Huckabee or Mitt Romney. Frankly, Mitt Romney is good-looking so it would have made this race more thrilling if he would have gotten it. I don’t think people felt comfortable with because he was Mormon. Most republicans have an evangelical background so they were gravitating towards Mike Huckabee. But, John McCain emerged as the victor in the presidential primaries.

He was touted as the ultimate war hero but he wasn’t exciting the republican base. Well, they almost ejaculated when they found out who the VP pick was. Sarah Palin stimulated more than the base. The whole country became beguiled with this unknown female governor from Alaska. They became even more fascinated because she had some drama going on in her life.

With the revelation that she had an unmarried 17 year-old daughter, people really started to dissect her whole life more. Then it was revealed that she may have tried to get her brother-in-law fired because he was going through a bad divorce with her sister. It’s the basis of an investigation many have dubbed “troopergate”. Then, a tape was shown of Sarah Palin at Wasilla Church. There was an excerpt of the tape that was of particular concern to many. Sarah Palin revealed that a witch hunter put his hands on her & she became governor of Alaska! A lot of people just didn’t know what to make of the tape! They found that to be an incredulous claim & they speculated about her belief in witchcraft! Pretty spooky! But, if that’s not enough drama then let’s rewind back to Barack Obama.

As the first black candidate, there is drama in just that fact alone. Then, it came to light that he had a controversial preacher who has preached some radical sermons. The fact that he had any involvement at all with Reverend Wright threatened to derail his campaign. Especially when the preacher started making public appearances. It seemed like this scandal would never die down. Fortunately for him, that is the worst of his indignities. The other tittle-tattle was easily disproved. Everyone that has the capacity to do research knows he is a Christian & not a Muslim. There’s been a lot of speculation about each of these candidates. From celebrities to talk show hosts, these candidates have dominated the airwaves! Comedians like Tina Fey have delighted people with her dead-on impersonations of Sarah Palin! Who could forget her parody of that awful Katie Couric interview? This presidential election has had more plot twists than an Alfred Hitchock movie! It’s a mystery who will win but I’m sure glad I’ll have a hand in solving it!

American Life Has Had Its Cakewalks

For some, life could literally become a cakewalk. In the days of enslaved labor, there were plantation songs & dances created by the slaves. One of these dances was the “cakewalk“. This was a lampoon of the European ballroom dances that their masters held. Every movement in the dance was overexaggerated in the slave’s simulation of the white ruling class & their style of dance. All of the mannerisms of the privileged were emulated as well. Although these were satires of their masters, the slave’s owners sponsored these contests which were originally called “chalk-line walks. The winner of these slave contests would get a cake as the prize. Hence, the name cakewalk was born. It is also believed that the american expression “that takes the cake” came from the cakewalk. But something far more special to American culture had its roots in the music that accompanied the cakewalk dance.
Ragtime music is akin to the two-step & cakewalks. If you love jazz, then you know that rags were the precursor to this great American art form. There was a wonderful movie called ” Ragtime” that traces the life of Scott Joplin who is known as one of the greatest composers of ragtime music. Cakewalk music is the forefather of ragtime. Here is a link to a great website that discusses the history of the cakewalk. (http://www.basinstreet.com/cakewalk.htm). These dances were  generally held on Sundays as a form of recreation for the slaves. It was also a form of entertainment for the folks who were the caricatures,the slave masters. Cakewalks may have been a early form of black humor as well. The slaves may have taken some delight in the opportunity to poke fun at those who kept them in bondage. During those slave contests, they were able to imitate the lavish lifestyles that they had no part of. Lives that were filled with such negativity were able to find some humor in it due to these cakewalks. At least, that is the belief. There is another school of thought when it comes to the subject of cakewalks. The cakewalk may have been a source of humiliation. I think it may have been a bit of both depending on who the participants were.
There are some who can find some hilarity in life no matter how downtrodden they are. Some people don’t let circumstances control their outlook on life and others do. Isn’t it ironic that we define “cakewalk” as an easy victory? In actuality, a cakewalk was a difficult strutting dance invented by slaves who had an arduous existence. For those slaves, life was a cakewalk on special occassions & Sundays. It was an interruption from the strenuous work in the fields. From those cakewalks, many American traditions & art forms emerged. For more information on how minstrel shows sprung from these slave dance contests go to  :http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF0204/Watkins/Watkins.html Lastly, the cakewalk is a very painful reminder of slave life for many blacks especially during the civil rights era. Many feel that it gives credence to stereotypes of blacks that have persisted since slavery until the present. “Sambo” is the one stereotype that could have been enhanced by these cakewalks. A  “Sambo” is a black slave who whites defined as at ease with his life of servitude. The laughter & comradery present at these cakewalks helped advance the claim that blacks were comfortable being slaves. This was not the true position of blacks. Slavery was an absolutely miserable lowly life. Even though the cakewalk may have started out as a parody of whites, it ultimately became a parody of blacks as it evolved into minstrel shows. There is more detailed information on black stereotypes here(http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/coon/ ) The historical challenges that black Americans faced gave birth to some great forms of artistic expression like blues & jazz. Who would have thought that the history of American music sprung from a “cakewalk”?

 

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Barack Obama Represents Both Sides In The Race Issue!

Black & White Man

How is it that race is such a huge factor in this election? A whole lot of folks are up in arms about Barack Obama’s race. I don’t want to vote for a black man to be the president of the United States! These are the impassioned cries of some American voters. But, why all the fervor over this race issue? After all, whose to say that Barack Obama is even black? He is a composite of two different ethnic groups. He embodies the diversity of our great nation. In a country that has a history of hatred between blacks & whites, I think it’s pretty moving that Barack Obama is a combination of both warring races. He is of the same ancestry as both the slave & the master. In fact, his white ancestors owned slaves in America. Here’s an excerpt from www.thebaltimoresun.com.

“While a relative owned slaves, another fought for the Union in the Civil War,” campaign spokesman Bill Burton said last night. “And it is a true measure of progress that the descendant of a slave owner would come to marry a student from Kenya and produce a son who would grow up to be a candidate for president of the United States.” Read the rest of the article by following the link(http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02,0,3453027.story).
I found this really interesting documentary online about race identity on youtube.com. It is about creoles who feel that they are, “Too White To Be Black, Too Black To Be White“. As the title states, it is an in-depth look into how this multicultural group fits into a black & white world. It is very informative & it grapples with the all the issues of race. A clip of it is shown in this video.
One article I read about ethnicity was really astonishing! It is frome www.mixedheritagecenter.org. This website has a claim that has been disputed by some. That is that Barack Obama may not be the first black president of the United States of America! Link here for more info on that http://www.mixedheritagecenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1471&Itemid=29
It wouldn’t suprise me one little bit if there were presidents who didn’t divulge their black ancestry. And if that’s true, maybe that’ll take the steam out of the race debate once & for all.

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We Are Very Patriotic People

Don't Question The Last 8 Years ! That's Not Patriotic!

 Since 9/11, patriotism has been an underlying theme during election time in America. Some people define patriotism as supporting your country. That’s all fine & dandy. What does country really mean, though? Your country is the land and it’s people. If you view your country as the Bush administration,  then those who don’t support George Bush & his policies are deemed to be unpatriotic. During this year’s election, we have heard extensively from the campaign trail about patriotism. Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, John McCain, & Joe Biden have all had their love of country questioned. John McCain has even made it a central part of his campaign with his slogan “COUNTRY FIRST”.That motto almost implies that you are disloyal to America if you don’t vote for John McCain. Barack Obama’s message of “Change That We Need” speaks to the voice of the dissenter. Barack Obama’s catchphrase seems to be catching on because of the mood of the country. Most of us have become a dissenting voice against the current state of affairs in America. The huge bailout that they all signed really has a lot of Americans feeling disheartened. It may have been the change that we need but who really put the whole country first? Wall Street is the hierarchy of the country which is what made the whole nation balk at this bailout! We all are in disagreement with the way our government has been operating. This is when it is time to become truly patriotic by doing all that you can as an American to ensure that this country remains the land of dreams for future generations.

This video shows two different types of patriotism. The mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah named Rocky Anderson took part in an anti-war rally during a George Bush speaking engagement. This caused a lot of outrage because his state was one of the biggest supporters of the Iraq war. He is a voice of dissent because he fears the direction his country is going in. The founding fathers were also voices of dissent against Britian. That is how America came to be. Another kind of patriotism is consistently on display whenver you tune your tv to the Fox channel. That would be blind patriotism. According to Glen T. Martin,
“But such blind patriotism destroys democracy and corrupts the people who blindly follow their corrupt and deceitful leaders. Today, we reap the whirlwind, the judgment of God, so to speak, the consequences of our trashing the vision of the founding fathers. For today, our leaders no longer keep it a secret. They openly admit and act on the truth that the United States runs a brutal, world-wide empire based on the immense military might of the Pentagon and the immense domination of U.S. multinational corporations over the global economy.” (end of quote). To continue reading this article follow this link:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5534.htm

There are hardly any voices of dissent in the mainstream media regarding the Bush administration’s deceitful practices. What I have witnessed since the fear of terrorism struck Americans is this show of blind patriotism. By questioning the government, you run the risk of being accused of being a terrorist sympathizer. The entire staff at Fox will charge at their guests like raging bulls whenever they voice dissent. We must support our country at all costs is the view of the blind patriot. Even if the president has lied to the American citizens about weapons of mass destruction. Are we forgetting the “Declaration Of Indepence”? In particular,

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.”

The Patriot Act would have the founding fathers turning over in their graves if they knew how the Constitution was being disregarded. Government has been spiraling out of control before this economic crisis. This article talks about how unpatriotic the Patriot Act is. Follow this link to read it. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/23/politics/23patriot.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

It is our duty as Americans to not follow our government blindly. To consider yourself patriotic, you must really take into account what is best for the future of our country. Putting your country first means putting both the land & it’s people first. All of it’s people regardless of their stature in society. If the people are not doing well then the country is failing. Recognizing that fact is true patriotism to me.

 

 

 

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Saturday Night Live Has The Best Political Send-Ups

 

 

Supporters of McCain Express Their Views

I have to devote a whole post to Tina Fey as Sarah Palin in the future. She has really helped lighten the mood for those who are feeling depressed by the falling economy. Her impersonations are so dead-on & funny that even the most ardent Palin lover has to chuckle. This video I posted is a spoof of the most boring uninformative debate thus far. It was far more interesting to watch this skit. The guy playing Tom Brokaw has perfected the deep guttural tone of his voice. Barack Obama’s tendency to give highly wrought answers instead of austere ripostes was illustrated in this piece. John McCain’s assertion that he is a nonconformist was parodied quite well. It was comical in the real debate when John McCain meandered right in front of the camera when Tom Brokaw was giving his closing remarks. That was a very peculiar moment for John McCain & one of the most memorable occurrences in the whole humdrum discussion. I hope we actually gain some knowledge of what these two candidates will actually do if they become the president.

They have both been talking in vague generalites. Barack Obama has been slightly more specific on the economy then John McCain. Gentlemen, the country is starved for more details on just how you propose to help the core of the economy. That would be the middle class, sirs. How will you bail us all out of this chaos? Many of us have been in a tight spot well before this latest bailout that we, as taxpayers, are now paying for. Give us more facets on the rescue plan for the middle class & the poor! I’m assuming that one of you has a strategy. Let’s hear it in the next debate. No more stump speeches!

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John McCain Fighting To Be Revered As A Maverick Instead Of A Sidekick!!

John McCain In Fighting Mode

He has been illustrated as being the ultimate war hero. Heck, he never lets us forget that he has the wounds to prove that fact. He survived torture by his captors during the Vietnam War which is how he got those aforementioned battle scars. That is one facet of his career that cannot be disputed. His life has been a series of ups & downs just like those shifting numbers in the polls. There has been some scandal & triumph in his political life. In fact, he took on campaign finance reform because of the Keating 5 debacle that he was involved in. He has had to gain acceptance from the republican party due to his reputation as one who goes against his own party. He has always been known as a true pugilist! The question has now become who is he actually in a conflict with?  Is Barack Obama the only opposition in his battle to win the White House?

Since waging a character battle with Barack Obama, he’s had to fight the importunate blather about his own moral fiber. There are anecdotes about John McCain’s mafia ties, his gambling sprees, adultery, etc… If you want to hear more detail about these stories go to (http://www.realchange.org/mccain.htm ) He has had to fight his own words as well. What you say in the age of youtube will come back to bite you in the ass! I have included a video below where you can witness one of John McCain’s biggest fights! It is the battle with himself that is John McCain’s biggest challenge during this whole election. Should he be the maverick that he’s infamous for being or does his association with Bush relegate him to being just a sidekick? It seems that McCain has been skirmishing with these two conflicting views of him. What impression is the public getting from the choices he has made during this election?

Looking at today’s polls, it seems that John McCain is losing this battle with himself & Barack Obama. He was running neck to neck with Obama barely a month ago. But, he made a lot of choices that made the good American folks question his true motives. The choice of Sarah Palin as his VP pick left many wondering about his integrity. Did he really think she could sway Hilary Clinton voters? Because those two are poles apart in everything but gender!

John McCain has decided to reassert himself as the maverickduring the final weeks of this election. This economic crisis has him fighting an uphill battle because he signed the bailout bill along with Barack Obama! It has plenty of pork barrel spending tacked on to it, which he said he had no tolerance for. A lot of McCain supporters were dismayed by that fact! Then, when he suspended his campaign there was a huge dispute as to the true reason behind this announcement. Especially when it was not clear what role he actually played in the bailout talks. People still mull over what his real objective was in doing that. Therefore, he must now fight this image of him being just a sidekick of George Bush. That is what is embedded in the psyche of countless voters that are in those battleground states that Obama & McCain are fighting for. Can he make a comeback in just 3 weeks ? That is one of the many unknowns that will keep us engrossed with this election until they finally announce the victor!

 

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The Last Presidential Debate Has America’s Attention Tonight!!

Aren

McCain cannot afford to be the same old cornflake that he has been in the last two debates. It is imperative for him to give straightforward answers & stick to the issues. Let’s hope that this one is much better than the last one. I am writing a follow-up post once this last presidential debate ends. The moderator claims he is going to ask the questions that America has not heard yet. Let’s hope they actually answer them this time. Doesn’t it feel great to be an American at this moment? We all have the power to change the last 8 years by voting! Let’s hope these two politicians become humans that we can relate to. Someone needs to emerge as the clear winner or it’s over. That would be John McCain. If he is considered to be the loser, his fight will be nearly impossible! But if it’s dull as hell like the last one, here is a classic that you can watch. Bill Clinton whupped George Bush & won! Let’s see what happens tonight! Please let’s have some great one-liners that will make my next posting super funny!!!!

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” I AM NOT GEORGE BUSH! You Should Have Run Against Him 4 Years Ago!

I AM NOT GEORGE BUSH

 

The spirit of the fighting irish was definitely in John McCain this evening! He is of Scottish & Irish descent so he called on his ancestry tonight. He was aggresive & came ready for a fight. My last post talked about the two public opinions of John McCain. There are some who view him as a war hero who is a political maverick. Then, you have those who look at him as just a sidekick of George Bush. McCain’s job was to establish himself as a rebel who does not conform to any of the Bush doctrines. To prove that point he delivered one of the best zingers of all three presidential debates. “I am not George Bush, Senator Obama. You should have ran 4 years ago if you wanted to run against him.”
Obama apologized for not being able to distinguish between McCain & Bush, since both agree 90% of the time. According to everyone but Fox (who Obama threw a great zinger at), McCain was the loser. He appeared a little too angry for some while Obama was cool & casual. I don’t know what could possibly happen to change the game for McCain now. The voters will decide in less than 3 weeks. This was not a game changer for McCain. But, he won for the best zinger of the night! Go to the video if you want to see McCain’s clever retort!

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We Can Vote On Who Won The Most Debates Now!

 

Who Won All 3 Debates? Who is the next president?

This is a silly representation of both candidates that I thought was amusing & a good match for this post. We have finally come to the end of what I like to call these debates. This last one did not disappoint & it is time for me to pose my question. Who do you think won the most debates? Was it Senator Obama or Senator McCain? And who will you pull the lever for on November 4? Leave me a comment with your response.

Joe “The Plumber” ! Is He America’s Newly Minted Folk Hero?

 

The Real Joe The Plumber!

The internet is exploding with all types of speculation about just who “Joe The Plumber” really is! He was the focal point of the final presidential debate. “Joe The Plumber” was used by both candidates as an example of the typical small business owner who would be affected by the Obama tax plan. As it turns out, he doesn’t even fall in the financial bracket that would be taxed by Obama. He makes under $ 250,000 a year!This has sparked the ire of many who questioned the legitimacy of his concerns. Get the full story by following this link;
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-campaign17-2008oct17,0,373757.story

Is he a hard-working plumber who has scraped up every dollar to buy his employer’s business? Well according to various news sources, it’s not even clear that he really is a plumber at all! So, why would he present a theoretical example of a financial dilemna that really has no relation to his situation? The supposition is that because he is a Republican, he must be a McCain decoy planted by the campaign to poke holes in Obama’s tax cut.It is obvious that he supports John McCain & why he didn’t state that is a mystery to me. There is some titillating tittle-tattle that connects him to Charles Keating in a six degrees of separation kind of way!

Then, there are those conservatives & republicans who think of him as the classic example of an “average joe“. Sorry guys, but making $250,000 per year is hardly run of the mill. Most folks I know make between $30,000 to $40,000 per year. By today’s standards, that means they are completely poverty-stricken. I am struggling to see how this guy represents all of America. This speaks to the upper middle class which is only a portion of America. Why aren’t we concerned about the real struggling working-class folks who can’t pay their bills because of this bad economy?

Is  “Joe The Plumber” a mythical figure or a real hard-working man? To some,  Samuel Wurzelbacher is not a red herring that is being masqueraded as a real representation of the middle class white voter. You know, the ones that both candidates are trying to appeal to for votes. He stands for every hard-working American.  He stands for white male small business owners, I would think. Not every American ( black, asian, poor, white, mexican, gay, etc..) that was listening to these two go on about a caricature of the ordinary person. Many people were insulted by the constant reference to “Joe The Plumber”!

But, some think he is America’s newly minted folk hero. He is the stuff of tall tales like Johnny Appleseed. Remember, that the word hero is defined in the following ways; remarkably brave person, somebody who is admired, main character in fictional plot, & a man with superhuman powers. So, which description fits Samuel Wurzelbacher? According to the New York Times,

“He also says he actually isn’t in the bracket where Obama would raise his taxes — but he’s worried that Obama will shift the bracket down. He also said that, in his encounter with Obama, the Illinois Senator “a tap dance…almost as good as Sammy Davis, Jr.”  To read the full article follow the link: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/plumbing-joe/?ref=opinion

Following that statement, some have wondered if he could be characterized as a racist also. I mean, you just don’t compare two black men who have nothing in common & then bring up “tap dance“. What was the purpose of associating Sammy Davis, Jr. & Barack Obama? People are still in a state of puzzlement. Who is “Joe The Plumber” ? Depending on who you talk to, every definition but a superhero. If he can save John McCain’s bid for the presidency, maybe that one will apply too.

 

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“Joe The Plumber” Looks Like….

Lost Relatives?

 

I found this picture at TotallyLooksLike.com. And guess what, folks? He actually does look like Michael Chiklis from the movie “Fantastic Four”. He also stars in “The Shield”. Don’t you think they look alike?

“King Joe” Represents More Than Just The Plumbers! Watch The Video!

Man Scared To Be Labeled As Anti-American

I feel like I have travelled through a time warp! What the hell is really going on? I posted this video of the cartoon representation of the all-American working man called “King Joe“. He comes from the era of McCarthyism . This is the pro-American” propaganda film that I believe gave birth to this century’s “King Joe“! That would be ”Joe The Plumber” who has gained fame as the poster boy for working class Americans. Are we hearkening back to the olden days where everyone who wasn’t clearly a Republican was a communist? Check out this piece from a writer who is from that era : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-love/mccarthyism-with-lipstick_b_133191.html

Yesterday, Sarah Palin made a controversial statement that I consider to be divisive. She said that certain parts of the country are “pro-American“. C’mon, gal! That is a ridiculous statement! Only certain people are anti-American. I didn’t realize all folks from small towns were pro-American. Remember Timothy McVeigh? He was the one of the perpetrators of the Oklahoma City bombings. He was a small-town guy who joined the military & was a member of the NRA. He was a registered Republican who later identified with the Libertarian Party, although they denounced him. He was opposed to liberals & identified with the views of the extreme right. He definitely thought that he was pro-American. But, he committed one of the worst terrorist acts before 9/11. He felt that he was protecting the constitution & destroying the all-consuming government. In his mind, the government was anti-American.

This is a quote from Timothy McVeigh that I found on wikipedia.org,
“The government is afraid of the guns people have because they have to have control of the people at all times. Once you take away the guns, you can do anything to the people. You give them an inch and they take a mile. I believe we are slowly turning into a socialist government. The government is continually growing bigger and more powerful, and the people need to prepare to defend themselves against government control.” (end quote)

 Check out this next passage from wikipedia.org,
“Various speculations have suggested that “the government” was involved in a conspiracy behind the bombing, or that the government planned the attack as a false flag operation in order to justify persecuting right-wing organizations.”(end quote)

Sarah Palin must really be naive of just how extreme some folks are that call themselves “pro-American.” That is why I used Timothy McVeigh to illustrate my point. But, wait a minute, guys! Wasn’t she involved with the Alaska Independence Party which some describe as a fringe SECESSIONIST movement? SO MUCH FOR THE RED, WHITE, & BLUE! Read more about it here: (http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/sarah_palin_and_the_alaska_ind.php

All of this talk about socialism is very, very scary. It is eerily similar to what I had hoped was a bygone epoch! It is simply history repeating itself. We’ve already had a “King Joe” during the anti-communism era or the McCarthy era. In the 21st century, King Joe has morphed into “Joe The Plumber“! Now we know where this idea came from. And now we know we have officially entered the “Time Machine”. My question is, does reform mean using the same tactics as another Republican from the 1950’s? Is it Senator McCain or Senator McCarthy? I thought we were done with the old kind of divisive politics! Words like this can give rise to the worst kind of extremism. I think it really is time to bring in a change agent after all. It’s all about PROGRESSION NOT REGRESSION! As Americans, we should all be insulted by these discordant statements that Sarah Palin made. They were very unpatriotic, indeed! We are one nation that is striving for unity in a multicultural society. Let’s reach our goal, America!

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Marie Laveau: A Mystical Creole Voodoo Legend

The Many Images Of Marie Laveau

Every Hallow’s Eve, I think of a New Orleans legend that has captivated America since the early 1800s. Marie Laveau was a free French Creole who was a formidable business woman. Not only did she style hair magnificently, Marie Laveau possessed other skills that couldn’t be reckoned with. She is a voodoo priestess that will forever be woven into the fabric of America. She is a celebrated figure in all metaphysical societies across the world.

The details of her past are very sketchy. What is known is that she was a true humanitarian who found time to help others, even though she had 15 kids!From helping escaped slaves to stopping public executions, she showed tremendous compassion towards others. Marie Laveau was a devout Catholic who interwined her religion with voodoo. Her magic was uncanny & the charms she created brought her wealth & great eminence in society.

New Orleans has always been like the soul of America. It is the birthplace of jazz & it is an overall magical place. Is it any wonder that it would be the birthplace of Marie Laveau? Her energy is still said to be felt all over the city!Her tomb is the destination of those who indulge in witchcraft & other types of magic. Voodoo rites are performed at her grave site & people ask her to grant their wishes. Her ghost is said to have been spotted throughout the years.

There is a book called Voodoo Queen that gets more into the mystery of Marie Laveaus’s life. Some people  conjure up the image of a witch in their minds when she is mentioned. Others visualize a saint. The video I posted gives a brief description of her life. This is an excerpt of a book review of Voodoo Queen that was taken off the following website: http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB06/review-nonfiction.htm

“The book tells of the “lives” because two Marie Laveaus — mother and daughter — were influential voodoo priestesses in New Orleans. The Laveaus were free women of color, property owners with much freedom and many of the rights of Anglos. They were prominent, French-speaking, Catholic Creoles. Ward, professor of anthropology at New Orleans, traces the roots of Creoles descended from Africans brought to Louisiana, most of them sailing directly from Africa without stopping in the Caribbean first. They brought a rich and sustainable culture with them, and became a mixture of races and cultures — French, African, Native American, and Spanish.

The first Marie, who lived from 1801 to 1881, was a fever nurse who ministered to men on death row and worked in a prison setting. She stopped public executions, helped slaves escape, and attended to many of the earthy and mundane concerns of her community. Marie was a member in high standing at St. Louis Cathedral. Baptized and married at its altar, she continued to worship there: the priests there had made their peace with her. “The Creole church in the heart of the city was only a few blocks from St. Louis Cemetery and from Congo Square. Congo Square was at the crossroads, the pivot for people of color, and the epicenter of their mystical geography and directly associated with the soul of American dance and the roots of jazz. No other place in America where black people gathered is as well documented (89).”

“The first Marie used her Catholic connections and Voodoo magic to influence the legal system and protect members of the community from its grasp. “Not everyone, however, was impressed with the quality of Marie’s devotion to her church (23),” as she would take the palms from Palm Sunday and then walk “out into the sunlight of the parade ground in front of the cathedral to the square (22),” to dance with snakes and commune with divinity…” Read more by following the above link.

Her life is one of the most enduring mysteries of America’s past. Marie Laveau was said to be a true conjurer who could commune with the spirits. She was a truly supernatural woman. Although, some have speculated that her political connections helped her grant some of her client’s requests. This beautiful & potent American voodoo priestess is still worshipped by people all over the world. She is the prevailing queen of magic & voodoo.

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Colin Powell Finally Posed The Question “What’s Wrong With Being Muslim?’

 

 Colin Powell made his endorsement on the show “Meet The Press” this Sunday. He gave an in-depth explantion as to why he was doing so. He has angered folks like Rush Limbaugh who claim he’s just doing this for racial reasons. Now, Retired Gen. Colin Powell is a very notable man in U.S. history because of his very accomplished career. But many question just how much Colin Powell even identifies with being black! Back on Oct. 15, 2002, Harry Belafonte appeared on CNN where he made some very disparaging remarks about Colin Powell. He basically called him an  Uncle Tom. Read the full transcript by following this link  :  (http://www.blackcommentator.com/14_belafonte.html) As you can see, there is are some blacks who have questioned just how much he identifies with being black. Colin Powell said he didn’t like the direction that the Republican Party was taking. He said that it was moving more to the far right.

“Obama’s an Arab! He’s a Muslim“! These are the screams that can be heard at McCain rallies. John McCain has not come out & actually denounced those untruths. He did clarify that Barack Obama is a “decent man“. The implication being that Arab or Muslim men are not “decent“. I have not heard anyone repudiate that notion until I saw Colin Powell on “Meet the Press” today. He suggested that there is an even bigger question looming than whether or not Obama is a Muslim or not. Although he clarified that Obama is a Christian, he said “What’s wrong with being Muslim”?
I think that’s a question that America should ask itself. Especially since you have Muslims in the military who are willing to lay down their life for this country. I am not of the belief that God created religion. Or that religion created God. Man created religion to divide & conquer other human beings. I do not subscribe to the idea that a certain religion is bad. There are terrible extremists in every faith.

 

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The Sarah Palin Parodies Helped Elucidate Tina Fey’s Comedic Genius!

Sarah Palin AKA Caribou Barbie! She's A Real Tough Chick!

 

Who knows just how much Tina Fey’s impressions of Sarah Palin have hurt her bid for the vice presidency? What is patently obvious is that is has given Tina Fey more notoriety than she already had! She’s already won 5 Emmys, a Golden Globe, & a SAG award. Her career was already sizzling & 30 Rock is one of the coolest sitcom comedies! She is the full package with her brains, humor, & talent!

There has been some outrage expressed by John McCain’s top economic advisor Carly Fiorina over these skits. Ms. Fiorina claims that they are sexist! I don’t believe that Tina Fey believes that her own sex is inferior to men. Some could argue that the McCain campaign has been sexist by not letting Sarah Palin be herself. Tina Fey has said that if Palin wins she’s leaving the earth! So it’s no wonder that Tina Fey & Sarah Palin barely appeared in one skit together! I was hoping for more interaction between Palin & Fey. I like this interview better than the Palin appearance on SNL because it was too constrained. This is a funny interview from the David Letterman Show that gives you a glimpse of Tina Fey’s personality.

 

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Joe Biden: The VP With The Potential To Sabotage His Own Ticket!

Obama Finds The True Motives Behind Biden’s Gaffes

Talk about kicking a man when he’s already down! Barack Obama’s grandmother has a broken hip & is gravely ill. He suspended his campaign for two days to visit her. So this could not have come at a more inopportune time. Maybe this guy’s just seeking attention. Joe Biden barely gets mentioned in the media. All of the focus has mainly been  on Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, & John McCain.

Joe Biden’s latest goof was his fear laden statement about an imminent international crisis if Obama wins! Is this guy secretly against Barack or what? He’s politically astute enough to know the kind of damage those types of remarks can cause! These dire predictions sound like they came from the McCain camp. You know, Joe Biden has said he never wanted to be vice president. This is just pure speculation but maybe this is Joe’s unconscious attempt to sabotage the presidential race. Either that or he’s a total buffoon! How is this helping the top of your ticket?  And folks worry about Sarah Palin hurting McCain! Joe Biden isn’t much better!

 

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The Attitudes Of “The Birth Of A Nation” Still Exist In America! It’s Time For Some American History X!

American History X!

President Woodrow Wilson went to the premiere of one of the most controversial Hollywood “classics“. After he saw “The Birth Of A Nation “, it was alleged that he made the following statement, ” It is like writing history with Lightning. And my only regret is that it is all so terribly true.” Whether or not President Wilson really said that is not the point. This movie is indicative of the general views on race in America which are still present today. In the present election between McCain & Obama, Americans are being confronted with race baiting tactics. If you have ever seen this film, you know that it is blatantly racist & portrays blacks as brutes. The Ku Klux Klan is painted as being valiant saviors instead of terrorists.
Roger Ebert gave a great review & you can access the article by following the link that is after this excerpt:
” Certainly “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) presents a challenge for modern audiences. Unaccustomed to silent films and uninterested in film history, they find it quaint and not to their taste. Those evolved enough to understand what they are looking at find the early and wartime scenes brilliant, but cringe during the postwar and Reconstruction scenes, which are racist in the ham-handed way of an old minstrel show or a vile comic pamphlet. Cited until the 1960s as the greatest American film, “Birth” is still praised as influential, ground-breaking and historically important, yes–but is it actually seen?”

“It is a stark history lesson to realize that this film, for many years the most popular ever made, expressed widely-held and generally acceptable white views. Miss Gish reveals more than she realizes when she quotes Griffith’s paternalistic reply to accusations that he was anti-Negro: “To say that is like saying I am against children, as they were our children, whom we loved and cared for all of our lives.”

“In that case, “The Birth of a Nation” is worth considering, if only for the inescapable fact that it did more than any other work of art to dramatize and encourage racist attitudes in America.”
“Racism of the sort seen in “The Birth of a Nation” has not been acceptable for decades in American popular culture. Modern films make racism invisible, curable, an attribute of villains, or the occasion for optimistic morality plays. “Birth of a Nation” is unapologetic about its attitudes, which are those of a white Southerner, raised in the 19th century, unable to see African-Americans as fellow beings of worth and rights. It is based on Thomas Dixon’s racist play, The Clansman, and the fact that Griffith wanted to adapt it reveals his own prejudices.” (END OF EXCERPT)  Follow this link for the article in it’s entirety :
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030330/REVIEWS08/303300301/1023

Those racist attitudes that were so prevalent during 1915 have not vanished from America in 2008. We still have negative views of blacks, muslims, indians, etc… That’s why films like these are so relevant now. Even if it was made almost a century ago! Americans need to know the history of race perception.  “The Birth of a Nation” is an offensive reminder of how race has been regarded in America. Another film that deals with racism is the 1998 flick “American History X”. It is a look at two brothers who grew up being taught racism by their father & have joined a white supremacy group. In the movie, circumstances change both brothers attitudes towards blacks.

It is easy to find parallels between” The Birth of A Nation” & “American History X“, even though they were made almost 70 years apart! The theme of both movies is white supremacy but that is where the congruence ends. You see, “American History X ” is like the finale of “The Birth of A Nation “. The characters realize the error of the ways & renounce their pro-white stance. There is some semblance of unity between blacks & whites at the end of the film. How I wish that one day we can change the racial attitudes towards one another in America. Because united we stand and divided we shall fall. This country was built not just for one but for all!

 

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Sarah Palin Is Known As The “VPILF” Because She’s Hot! Why Did She Need A $150,000 Makeover?

Sarah Palin aka VPILF

John Edwards was a good-looking VP choice. But, sorry dude! Sarah Palin is now the only VP in history to bring sex appeal to an election. Before Sarah Palin came on the national scene, she was on “The Late, Late Show”. The host couldn’t help but bring up her attractiveness. Craig Ferguson said she had that “naughty librarian” look! He looked like he was about to ejaculate! Since she became the VP pick, she is now known as the “VPILF“. I don’t think we’ve ever had a vice presidential pick that made people horny until Sarah Palin.

Even though she ridicules her IQ, Tina Fey had to applaud Sarah Palin’s stunningly good looks. Here’s an excerpt from Eonline which has a statement from Tina Fey & Alec Baldwin on it:

“I’ll tell you, that lady is five times better-looking than I am,” Fey says in the latest issue of TV Guide. “She’s 44? She’s got none of that droopy s–t. She’s keeping it tight!”

Even 30 Rock costar Alec Baldwin seemed to share Fey’s feelings when he told Palin on last weekend’s SNL, “You are way hotter in person. Seriously, I can’t believe they let her [Fey] play you.” (End of excerpt) Link here to read the rest: (http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b64846_whos_hotter_tina_fey_vs_sarah_palin.html)

So, what the hell was the RNC thinking when they spent that $150,000 on Sarah Palin? She’s no Greta Van Susteren! This chick is a total babe already! They could have saved themselves all the scandal. Here’s an excerpt from (www.politico.com:

“The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission’s long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use.” (End Of Excerpt) Follow this link to read all about it: (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14805.html)

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Hillary Clinton Because She’s No Shrinking Violet!

She's No Shrinking Violet!

Hillary Rodham Clinton is an arduous female politician who has spellbinding qualities that attract countless women. She is a role model & a feminist’s dream because she has come closer to the presidency than any woman in history. Even Sarah Palin had to marvel at the 18 million votes that were cast for Hillary Clinton! This was a woman who seemed equal to men & inspired females to seek equality in their own lives. But, there was a time when Hillary Clinton was pitied & despised by many women because of the choices she made. Many were puzzled as to why she stayed with Bill Clinton after the Monica Lewinsky scandal!

I mean, she’s no shrinking violet. But if you want to be a future president, you might not want to do anything to hurt your chances. Hillary Clinton may have also had her daughter, Chelsea Clinton, in mind.  Most likely, her decision to stay with him was a shrewd political move. A lot of females thought that she was just a weak woman back then. They just could not understand what motivated her to stand by her man.

Since then, Hillary Clinton has emerged as a pillar of strength. Her nickname is “Iron Lady” which is really quite fitting. So, when Sarah Palin said that Hillary Clinton should stop her “persistent whine” about sexism & unfair media coverage, I thought she’d be tougher than Hillary. As it turns out, Sarah Palin hasn’t subjected herself to any real scrutiny. And judging from the interviews she has given, it might be best to keep her cloistered until Nov.4!

Sarah Palin blames the “media filter” for her appalling performances. It’s sexism when anything negative gets attention. She is making the same complaints that she accused Hillary Clinton of making. How hypocritical because I’ve heard plenty of whining about the unfairness shown towards Sarah Palin. She had a quick change of heart once she saw herself getting dissected by the media. I think Sarah Palin should have stayed true to the words she spoke in this video instead of bleating.

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I Forgot How Funny Will Ferrell’s George Bush Impersonations Really Are!

Will Ferrell The Funnyman

This is so freakin’ hilarious! George Bush is toxic to the McCain campaign & they have really been making a great effort to distance themselves from Bush. This skit really plays up that fact. What makes SNL so funny when they parody politicians is just how well they get into their heads! You know that it’s true that John McCain visibly winces whenever George Bush is mentioned. Although he launched his campaign during the primaries as the most supportive ally of Bush, he has now tried to ditch him. I love it when the fake George Bush says, “Remember this face when you vote! A vote for John McCain Is A Vote For George Bush!” SNL is  uproarious! For more side-splitting Bush absurdity, look for Will Ferrell on Broadway. Here’ s the scoop on that from The Insider.com :

“Funnyman Will Ferrell is planning to bring comedy and spontaneity to the stage, when he makes his Broadway debut January in the comedy, “You’re Welcome America. A final night with George W. Bush,” says Variety.”

For the full story go to :  http://www.theinsider.com/news/1269275_Will_Ferrell_to_Bring_Bush_Humor_in_Broadway_Debut

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The Making Of America By Michael Moore

This is Michael Moore’s banned cartoon clip from his movie “Bowling With Columbine”. It’s a sardonic twist on the standard telling of American history. It is a bold piece of work that is worth watching. I have included a link to a great website that deals with genocide & prejudice:
(http://www.understandingprejudice.org/links/genocide.htm

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Material Girl Madonna Will Share More Wealth With Guy If She Divorces In The UK Instead Of The US!

Madonna Over The Years

Madonna has always been daring, scandalous, & a tangible sex symbol. She merged punk,rock,& hip-hop in her sexy eclectic look when she first burst onto the 80’s pop scene. Her style was so urban that a lot of people thought she was black when they heard her sing “Holiday“! A lot of young girls were emulating her look right down to the rubber wristbands. Madonna made them realize their own sexuality & appeal. She is a controversial entertainer who has been accused of blasphemy among other thing.

She mocked the establishment & religion with her song “Like A Virgin“. Every Madonna fan remembers her performing in that white wedding dress at the 1984 MTV Video Awards.  She looked anything but pure & innocent. Madonna had the same raw sexuality that Jimi Hendrix & Prince had. It was in your face raunchy sexiness. The movie “Desperately Seeking Susan” has captured the Madonna who talked with a New York accent on film. Nowadays, Madonna has adapted a slight British accent since she’s moved to the UK with Guy Ritchie.

Do you recall her extemely volatile relationship with actor Sean Penn? It seemed to be a brief but deeply passionate union. That was her first encounter with a bad marriage that ended in divorce.
Now comes the news that the gossip about Madonna & Guy Ritchie breaking up was solid. And it sounds like this guy was a real geniune English prick! It’s hard to picture a strong lioness like her being the victim of any type of abuse. But it appears that this relationship was an emotional drain on her. And if she gets her divorce in the UK it’ll be a bit of a financial drain on her as well. Apparently, it’s cheaper to get divorced right here in the US. Madonna may be facing one of the biggest divorce settlements in the history of the UK!

 Read more about how the dissolution of a marriage is handled in the United Kingdom:
(http://www.insidedivorce.com/divorce-help/How-divorce-affects-your-money-and-your-emotions/?stage=A5D0E3C493500B427E453CDBDD04B1F2&subject=B0875360A0906896DA25C58745F8D4D1

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America Has Always Been Multicultural ! What Does “Pro-American” Really Mean?

Races Intermixing In Early America

Rep. Michelle Bachman has been very vocal about what she deems to be an anti-american problem. She caused a lot of uproar over these ridiculous remarks! Even though she issued an attempt at an apology, this is not the first time. Back in 2005, she made these comments:
“There is a movement afoot that’s occurring and part of that is whole philosophical idea of multi-cultural diversity, which on the face sounds wonderful. Let’s appreciate and value everyone’s cultures. But guess what? Not all cultures are equal. Not all values are equal.”( Excerpt taken from Huffington Post). Here is the link :
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-uptake/michele-bachmann-not-all_b_137463.html

What cultures are equal & how do you determine that? America has been multicultural before it’s inception. American dishes are a reflection of the intermingling of different ethnicities. Corn is one of the biggest food commodities & it was first cultivated & grown by American Indians. Although American history tends to be told from a Eurocentric point of view, the truth is undeniable. We have always been a pluralistic society. I’ve included a great video that is about America’s multicultural history.The next paragraph is a snippet from an essay called “White Pride”. I thought I’d post it because it speaks to the underlying meaning of terms like “pro-american”. Sarah Palin & John McCain have been talking about “pro-americans”. Is this what they mean?

“Today people in the USA are living in a new era of white supremacy. Activists have found new effective tactics to convince as many people as possible of their beliefs. The white supremacist movement has learned to shift its tactics. No longer was it able to rely on open racism as an effective recruiting tactic. For this reason hate groups were worried that they could never convince the majority of white Americans to join them. Although many whites may share their prejudices, only very few are willing to display them openly. To spread their message, they needed a new strategy and took advantage of fears of change or difference and used homophobia, anti-abortion, pro-family values, and pro-American, traditional together with racist and anti-Semitic beliefs. This way they have managed to attract the attention of whites who may not consider themselves racist, but patriotic Americans concerned about the moral decay of their country.” (End Of Excerpt)
Follow the link to read the rest:
 http://uedo100.uni-graz.at/magazine/racism.html

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CODEPINK Protester Trying To Handcuff Karl Rove!

What Karl Rove Deserves!

Code Pink protester, Janine Boneparth , is fucking amazing for having the audacity to pull this stunt! To make a statement, she went onstage at a Mortgage Bankers Conference in San Francisco to make a citizen’s arrest. The charge was treason. Many folks believe that Karl Rove is a war criminal. Obviously, this woman is one of those people.

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Eartha Kitt: A True American Sex Kitten

 

American Sex Kitten

 She played catwoman in the 1960’s series Batman. Eartha Kitt was one of the most memorable ones because her voice purrs with sensuality as if she were a human cat. So, she was a natural in that part. In fact, Halle Berry found it hard to fill the role that Eartha Kitt had played to perfection when she starred in the movie “Catwoman. As her rumored lover Orson Welles said, “She is one of the most exciting women in the world!”

Eartha Mae Keith was her birth name & she was a child of rape. Her life began on a cotton plantation in South Carolina in 1927. She was a multiracial child who had to endure a terrible childhood. Her career began as a dancer for the Katherine Dunham Company & she was a singer with a distinctive voice. It oozes with seduction & is a part of her sexual allure. Her cat-like eyes are almost as hypnotizing as her voice.

In the late 60’s, Eartha Kitt suffered a professional setback. She made an anti-war statement to Lady Byrd Johnson at a White House Luncheon. During an earlier period spent in Europe, she had become fluent in French & other languages. So,when she was professionally banned from performing in America, Eartha Kitt did shows overseas.

At 81, Eartha Kitt is alive & still sought after. She has appeared on Broadway as recently as 2004. I have included an all-american song that is one of her signature hits. Nope, it’s not “Santa Baby”,either! The song is “I’m Just An Old-Fashioned Girl”! If you’ve never heard it before, it’s in the same vein as “Material Girl” & “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend.” Eartha Kitt is the most unique sexual being in this stratosphere! I am in awe of her!

*UPDATE ON THIS POST: Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day of 2008. RIP Eartha Kitt!

 

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Minnie Riperton: A Beauty With An Angelic Voice!

 

Beautiful American Angel

When I saw Maya Rudolph portray “Michelle Obama on SNL, I couldn’t help but to laugh. Maya Rudolph has a lot of talent & spunk! But for some reason, I always think of her late mother, the great Minnie Riperton. She was a master of her craft whose singing capabilities are unmatched to this day! Minnie Riperton was a elegant chic songbird. There was nothing tacky about her, unlike today’s artists. She was a class act.

Minnie Riperton had such an angelic prescence & voice. It’s unfortunate that she passed away at the tender age of 31. Even Mariah Carey pales in comparison when you hear those high octaves that Minnie Riperton was able to reach. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1976. As a result, she became the first black female to serve as a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. Unfortunately, she succumbed to the disease in 1979. But she always be loved & adored by many. For more information on breast cancer go to:
http://www.breastcancer.org/

Maureen McCormick Is The Antithesis Of Marcia Brady

The Fantasy Family!

 

Most Americans have dysfunctional families. That’s why “The Brady Bunch” was so popular. You could escape into an alternate reality when watching that show. Everything was so perfect & pristine. The parents got together because they were widowed,not divorced. All of their kids became one,big happy family! I just assumed that the actor’s lives were duplicates of their characters. It comes as a shock to find out that the personal life of Maureen McCormick was more comparable to Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears. Although she seemed synonymous with Marcia Brady, she really was the antithesis of her.

Maureen McCormick told the world that she had been a coke addict & had a fling with Greg Brady! There was some lesbian type interaction between her & Eve Plumb who played Jan Brady. Wow, it all sounds so salacious! She gives the sordid details in her book, “Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice.”For info. on all the actors go here http://www.bradyresidence.com/families.html)

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Can A Kicked Off Survivor Like Elizabeth Hasselbeck Help The McCain/Palin Ticket Survive?

Sarah Palin Using "Sexism" When It Suits Her!

Only in America could you become what Elizabeth Hasselbeck has. She transformed herself from a booted off reality contestant to co-host with some social status & relevance. She’s the only Sarah Palin defender on “The View”! And now she’s taken to the campaign trail to speak out against sexism. That’s kind of ironic since she had no problem with it when she was on “Survivor“. She was cavorting around the island wearing clothing that was sure to draw attention that was of a sexual nature. Sexism is defined in two ways. It is discrimination against a certain sex or sexual stereotyping. Both of these women have utilized sexual stereotyping to their benefit. Check out this excerpt from AskMen.com:

“Sexiness

Petite, shapely and very cute, Elisabeth Hasselbeck has a lot going for her physically. Thanks to her outgoing personality, she is always smiling, which highlights her attractive face that is nicely framed by blond hair. As she proved on Survivor when she wore the famed bandannas as tube tops, she also has a great body. If you can tear yourself away from her curves, you’ll notice bright eyes and nice legs too.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:              http://www.askmen.com/celebs/women/models_300/301_elisabeth_hasselbeck.html

All in all, she’s not too radical with her views, normally. But, I do think it’s a bit of a stretch to cry sexism every time someone has a legitimate question about Sarah Palin. It’s not sexist to inquire about why she spent $150,000 perfecting her image if she’s just a “regular mom”. She’s the one promoting frugality so it would make sense to question her. They scrutinized Hillary Clinton & John Edwards for those same reasons.

This sexism stuff is a bunch of malarky. C’mon,people! If you use your femininity to surge ahead by dressing suggestively then you have used sexism to your advantage. I’ve noticed that everyone is talking about how good Sarah Palin looks. I don’t hear any cries of sexism from her camp when the comments are complimentary toward her.Here’s an excerpt from Fox News that talks about how much Hillary Clinton & John Edwards spent:

“Two $400 cuts by stylist Joseph Torrenueva, who told The Associated Press that the former North Carolina senator is a longtime client, showed up on Edwards’ campaign spending reports filed this weekend. Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz said it never should have been there.

“The bill was sent to the campaign. It was inadvertently paid,” Schultz said. “John Edwards will be reimbursing the campaign.”

Political candidates often have hair and makeup done before media appearances. Edwards rival Hillary Rodham Clinton got some attention last year when her campaign paid $2,500 for two hairstyling sessions that the campaign classified as media production expenses.” (End of Excerpt) Read the full article here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,267042,00.html

It was remarkable to me just how much Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s facial expressions & manner of speaking was similar to Sarah Palin. Since they really don’t favor one another, I was still able to tell them apart. But, it seems like Elizabeth Hasselbeck is just another right-wing fan of Sarah Palin. I just don’t know how a kicked off “survivor” can help Sarah Palin “survive” all the riducule that she basically brought on herself. Plus, Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s star power only exists on “The View” because that’s where her opinion is required. But on the campaign trail, she becomes just another victim of the Palin fever. Noone’s going to put any real credence on what Hasselbeck says. If Sarah Palin really wants to make a difference in the polls, she should go on “The View”.

Real sexism definitely has taken place in the campaign just like racism has. I don’t hear anyone from the McCain/Palin campaign speaking out against all forms of bigotry. They should have denounced their own campaign worker when she lied about a black man carving a “B” in her cheek,beating,& robbing her! Why the loud silence on this issue, Sarah & John?  This reprehensible act came from someone who was involved with your own campaign.  There has been a hell of a lot more racial prejudice than there has anything else!

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The Fact That A McCain Aide Called Sarah Palin A “Rogue Diva”!!!

 

2012,BITCHES!!!!

It’s getting so malevolent in McCain country. From the crazed Mccain volunteer to the spiteful Mccain aide, the whole campaign seems to be imploding! The Palin crew vs. The McCain posse are engaged in a battle within. The atmosphere is so explosive that the leaks to the media have been coming in at a rapid speed. These sources from the McCain campaign are really slamming Sarah Palin’s intellect & gameness. They said she’s off message & that she’s going “rogue” on them. Evidently, it’s no longer “COUNTRY FIRST”! It’s “PALIN FIRST” from here on out! She’s forging ahead to 2012 where she will be the forerunner on the ticket! Unless a miracle happens in less than a week & they win! That would be a case of life being stranger than fiction.

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John McCain Is A Socialist!

Is He A Socialist? He Wanted To Tax The Wealthy,Too!

It seems a bit hypocritical to call Obama a “socialist” if you’re supporting John McCain. Apparenty, McCain shared this same “marxist “idea as Obama until recently. He felt that the rich were comfortable enough to afford paying higher taxes in order to fund lower taxes on the middle class. He just didn’t say “spread the wealth”. That’s the only difference. Watch this video & tell me how he’s any better than Obama on this issue. According to his own definition, John McCain is a socialist!

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Barack Obama’s 30 min. Infomericial! This Guy Is Full Of Firsts! He Is The SuperChanger!

 

Let Go Of Your Fear! SuperChanger Is Here!

Someone take my temperature because I’m coming down with the Obama fever! Whoa, Michelle! You better watch this guy once he gets in the White House. You’re going to have a posse of Monica Lewinsky’s vying for alone time with the president! Not to mention all the female celebrities, like Scarlett Johansson, who will be fawning all over him. Remember John F. Kennedy & all of his temptations? But, I’m sure Michelle Obama will tighten her reins on him. She’s a beautiful woman of great wisdom. No hussy is going to bypass her & straddle her man! You notice there has been no reports of infidelity in their marriage. Hopefully, it will stay that way!

 She is married this suave,ridiculously handome man who just happens to be a brainiac! Oooh, good-looking & smart to boot! He’s the first black man to represent a party that was historically racist from it’s inception. It took decades for the Democratic party to become what it is today. Ironically, the Republican party helped blacks a long time ago. Here’s an excerpt from MSN Encarta :
“The coalition was composed of former members of the Whig, Free-Soil, and Know-Nothing parties, along with Northern Democrats who were dissatisfied with their party’s conciliatory attitude on the slavery issue (see Free-Soil Party; Know-Nothings; Whig Party). The early Republicans were united in their opposition to extending slavery into the Western territories.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole entry here : http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761568416/republican_party.html

Being the first black Democrat to represent the party in a presidential election is not his only first. He decided to forgo the usual & opt out of public financing. He has raised exorbitant amounts of money which is how this infomercial was able to take place. He has changed the way people will raise money to campaign in future elections. Let’s not forget that he’s also changing red states to blue. He’s changed the political map, much to John McCain’s chagrin!This is a guy that is a true original. Judging by how well he has ran this campaign, I have no problem saying “President Obama deserves to be the first black president in the history of the United States of America!” Barack Obama is the SuperChanger! If anybody can unite us, America, he can! Yes, he can!

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Chris Matthews Calls Obama & Clinton”The Blues Brothers”! Too bad For McCain That Bush Is No Clinton!

Isn't That The Freakin' Truth?!

Tonight you saw two stubborn Leos come together. Chris Matthews of Hardball on MSNBC says that Bill Clinton seems to really be coming home. He said the camaraderie between Obama & Clinton was like “The Blues Brothers“. That’s that crazy comedy that starred Dan Akroyd & John Belushi. I was touched by the stirring speech that they both gave. At first, I thought Bill Clinton was going to be anal about Hillary Clinton’s loss all the way until the end of the election! Although his speech at the DNC convention was stirring, that was the most passionate he had been about Obama.But tonight, whew! Bill Clinton really helped cement an Obama nomination.
Jack Cafferty of CNN posed a question tonight to his viewers! Why isn’t George Bush campaigning for John McCain? Well, isn’t that quite obvious! I think that must have been a rhetorical question. The answer is very, very simple. George Bush is no Bill Clinton. John McCain is avoiding him like the plague. The failure that has been the Bush presidency has help boost Clinton’s favor-ability in America. Folks feel a strong sense of nostalgia whenever they see Bill Clinton. And it seems like we may be getting the good years back that we enjoyed with Clinton on Nov. 4.

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The Excitement Felt After Philly Won The World Series Let’s Us Know Baseball Is One Of Our Favorite Pastimes

Before It Was Integrated

After a little over a quarter of a century, Philly has finally won the World Series! I know a whole lot of baseball fanatics who were waiting with bated breath to see if Philly would beat Tampa Bay. The excitement that erupted in that stadium shows just how intense the fans can get. The spirit of America almost becomes palpable & visible to the naked eye. Major sports events like this gives Americans a sense of commonality. Here’s an excerpt from an interesting article on World Series programs:
“From the patriotic themes of the covers and advertisements during World War II to a celebration of the space age in the 1960s, to the illustration of a baseball cap over a player’s heart in October 2001, they offer not only a connection to the game’s history but a cultural narrative of the world around it.

“I love how the World Series programs reflect history or the time,” says Tim Wiles, director of research at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/playoffs/2008-10-29-world-series-programs_N.htm?csp=34

The video I included in this post is about an exhibit called “Baseball As America“. It shows baseball memorabilia & talks about how integral baseball has been to the progress of America. Here’s a nice quote that I took from their website which sums it all up:
“I think there are only three things that America will be known for 2,000 years from now when they study this civilization: the Constitution, jazz music and baseball. They’re the three most beautifully designed things this culture has ever produced.

— Gerald Early, Scholar (End of Quote taken from:

http://www.baseballasamerica.org/

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At Least Sarah Palin Won’t Be Our President Anytime Soon!

She’s Completely Out Of Her Element!

I like the fact that a woman is making strides in a male dominated world like Sarah Palin is. She is to be lauded for that. It’s funny that McCain has an ad saying that Barack Obama isn’t ready yet. And there is emphasis put on the word yet. Which really makes me wonder what’s up with all the contradictions that he’s been making? Does he enjoy being hypocritical or what? It’s now become apparent that his own campaign staff didn’t feel Sarah Palin was competent enough to be the Vice President. One McCain staffer even said that she had no “world view.”

On Larry King last night, John McCain said that Sarah Palin shares the same view of the world as him. Really, John? Unless she’s changed her mind about global warming, there’s a difference of opinion between you two on that! Here’s how she feels about global warming:
“In an interview released by Newsmax magazine today, Palin said that while she recognized her state would be affected by climate change, that didn’t mean humans are responsible.

“A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location,” she said. “I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.”

Palin’s comments stand in sharp contrast to those of McCain, who says at every campaign stop that he believes human activity is driving global warming.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here :
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/08/29/palin_not_convinced_on_global.html

I sure am glad that Sarah Palin won’t be our president anytime soon ! Hopefully, Obama will win & we won’t have to worry about her until 2012. But if we get John McCain as president, it’s a package deal. We will have to hope that he makes better decisions than he has throughout this election. Whether you think picking her was a good choice or not, I don’t know. God forbid John McCain croaks & Sarah Palin has to fill his shoes as president! She’s not up to speed on a whole lot of issues. Global warming is one of them. According to CNN, “As previous IPCC reports have pointed out, the effects of warming at the poles are already being felt by indigenous polar species and communities. This new report is confirmation of the culpability of humans in contributing to these rising temperatures.

“I’m afraid that there will always be people that don’t believe that we are making all these changes,” Dr Karpechko said.(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article by following this link:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/10/30/polar.warming/index.html

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Does Sarah Have A Little Bit Of Hip-Hop In Her?

She Could Be In A Lil' Wayne Video!

 Did they prep her with a bunch of rap videos? Probably so! I think she could make a few guest appearances in a rap video? What do you think? Can she dance better than Michelle Obama?

CNN’S Rick Sanchez Trying To Get Some “Straight Talk” From McCain Spokesman Mike Goldfarb About Rashid Khalid!

 

Has John McCain gotten off “The Straight Talk Express” permanently? Because it’s been a bunch of baloney for too long now. This latest attack on Obama’s associates is really ludicrous.  Rashid Khalidi has a connection with McCain & Obama.This is the latest in a long line of attacks to paint Obama as the enemy of both America & Israel. The problem is that the proof is in the pudding. And they never seem to have that pudding, as evidenced in this video. Rick Sanchez is trying his damndest to prod this guy for answers. But McCain Spokesman Mike Goldfarb is being mendacious so Rick gets visibly annoyed & wraps the interview. The way John McCain has ran his campaign has been substandard to say the least & it is an indicator of how he would run the country. Mike Goldfarb ought to be ashamed of himself for helping John McCain spread more conspiracy theories about Obama. It’s all smoke & mirrors. Thanks to Rick Sanchez more people may come to the same realization.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger : Can The “Governator” Save John McCain?

Can He Save John McCain?

Can Arnold Schwarzenegger reprise his role as “Conan The Destroyer” & obliterate Obama’s lead? I’m sure that John McCain hopes so! Today, he used Arnold’s star power to try & do just that. But, will it help in the last 4 days of this election? I don’t know, but it’s really fitting to have an actor turned governor speak for him. Lord knows, John McCain has created a cast of characters worthy of a Hollywood production! We’ve got Joe the plumber, Sarah the Hockey Mom Reformer, John the Maverick, Obama the Wealth Spreader, & Arnold the Governator. I guess Joe Biden should be called  Joe, the Gaffe Maker. Wow! This sounds like the script of a summer blockbuster movie.

But, Arnold’s star has been descending in California since 2005. The Terminator’s actions as governor have some folks wanting to terminate him from that position. Here’s an excerpt from :http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/10/12/1012arnold.html

“Even so, Schwarzenegger’s most recent fall in the polls is different, some say.

“The real frustration (among many Californians) is that he doesn’t seem to be able to get things done in Sacramento because he doesn’t have any solid relationships with state legislators any more,” said Hoffenblum. “He’s in a situation where he has very few allies.”

That may ultimately affect Schwarzenegger’s future ambitions, too.

Schwarzenegger, 61, has said he would serve in the administration of either presidential candidate. Because of his clean energy policies in California, he has been mentioned as a potential energy secretary or green energy czar. He also could entertain a run for Congress.

But all of that could depend on how the next two years — or the next eight months, if the recall efforts proceed as organizers plan — go for the former Hollywood superstar.” (End of Excerpt)

Many say that Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the “last rock stars” of the Republican party. But, can the Governator save John McCain’s bid for the office of the president ? This election has been all about star power & not enough about the issues. John McCain wants to build the story lines   of the characters,like Joe The Plumber, instead of spending time on the issues. Will it work out? Only time will tell. Until then, I’m biting my fingernails in suspense! I’ve included a fun video of Arnold when he was young , robust, & smoking a joint. Enjoy.

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Is Sarah Palin A Socialist? Keith Olbermann Says So & Even Fox News Ponders The Question!

What A Hypocrite!

Sarah Palin is not exactly the right person to call someone a “socialist.” She did “spread the wealth” in Alaska after all. But as we know, this whole election has been a showcase of hypocrisy. Even Fox news, who usually delivers Republican talking points, have pointed out that Alaska is also known as “America’s socialist state” because of Sarah Palin. Here is an excerpt from Fox News :
“John McCain and Sarah Palin have escalated their campaign to peg Barack Obama as a wealth-spreading socialist — but the principles they accuse Obama of espousing are not foreign to the governor of what some call America’s socialist state.

In Alaska, where Palin is governor, natural resources are state-owned, and Alaska residents receive yearly dividend checks from a $30 billion state account built largely from oil royalties.
However, Palin has in touting her state’s policies used language similar to the “spread the wealth” comment made by Obama that has since drawn fire from Republicans.

“We share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs,” she was quoted as saying in a recent New Yorker article. “It’s to maximize benefits for Alaskans, not an individual company.”

In a January address to Alaskans, Palin praised “our commonly owned natural resources” as a “state treasure.”

And in a July column in the Anchorage Daily News, she was quoted as saying: “These payments represent a distribution of Alaska’s resource wealth to the owners of the resource.”

When home fuel and gas costs soared this year, Palin raised taxes on oil companies and used some of the money to boost residents’ checks by $1,200. Every eligible man, woman and child got a record $3,269 this fall.” (End of Excerpt) Read the full article here:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/30/palins-alaska-shares-oil-wealth-residents/

Is Sarah Palin a hypocrite for accusing Obama of “spreading the wealth” considering she has done just that in Alaska? Leave a comment.

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Even The White House Has It’s Ghost Stories…

Is The White House Haunted?

We are getting very close to picking a winner on Nov 4. It’s either going to be Barack Obama or John McCain that will be moving their family into the White House. But, will they hear things go bump in the night or see a wisp of a transparent Abraham Lincoln in the hallways? Since it’s Halloween, I thought about the rumors that the White House was an eerie place. It has been around for over 200 years so it’s not unlikely.  Here’s an excerpt from suite101.com :

“Winston Churchill refused to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom after he purportedly witnessed the ghost of Abraham Lincoln walking the room. Another witness, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, fainted after seeing Lincoln in the room. Maids, butlers and employees have claimed to see Lincoln. In one instance, a witness reported that Lincoln removed his boots over the bed.

According to various White House members of staff, Abigail Adams cleans her laundry in the East Room. When the wife of President Woodrow Wilson, First Lady Ellen Wilson, wanted to dig up the rose garden and the spirit of former First Lady Dolley Madison supposedly manifested and told the workmen not to ruin the garden.

Gary J. Walters served as the White House Chief Usher since his appointment by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Although he’s never actually seen an apparition, he and several police officers shared a strange experience. According to Walters, “I was standing at the state floor of the White House adjacent to the staircase that comes up from the ground floor. The police officers and I felt a cool rush of air pass between us and then two doors that stand open closed by themselves. I have never seen these doors move before without somebody specifically closing them by hand. It was quite remarkable.” A common report by various members of staff claims that doors close by themselves all over the building.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:  http://ghostshauntings.suite101.com/article.cfm/ghost_stories_abound_in_washington_dc

George Bush: Watch Lou Dobb’s Report On His Vision Of A “New America”!

This Time We'll Get It Right On Nov 4! Vote For Barack Obama!

 

Richard Nixon was the most hated president until recently. Now, George Bush has taken his place. Initially, people were immediately charmed by the Texan who they felt they could relate to. When 9/11 hit, it was almost sacrilegious to voice any concerns about the President. People had pledged blind allegiance to George Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. But it all fell apart when Americans found out there were no weapons of mass destruction.It had all been one big deception. There are theories about why George Bush was so intent to go to war with Iraq. Here’s an article that has an interesting hypotheis from Mar 17,2003:
“As the United States stands this day virtually upon the precipice of
determining the fate of not only our nation, but the entire world for
generations to come silence in the face of George W. Bush’s dogs of war is
morally and politically unacceptable. At the risk, therefore, of alienating
many of the readers of THE AGRIBUSINESS EXAMINER this issue is one
journalist’s effort to speak truth to absolute power, a power we can see
each and every day is corrupting absolutely!!!

Blindly, in a false sense of patriotism, and led by a war mongering
president, and cheered on by such publications as The Washington Post and
television networks like FOX, in addition to the dozens and dozens of
right-wing radio “commentators” who spend most of their waking hours
complaining about the “liberal” bias in the media (???), the American
people are being hoodwinked into a war designed to solely benefit those
“gamblers in the necessities of life.”

As our friend political columnist Molly Ivins recently pointed out:

“According to a poll conducted by The New York Times and CBS, 42% of
Americans believe Saddam Hussein of Iraq was personally responsible for the
attacks on the World Trade Center, something that has never even been
claimed by the Bush administration. According to a poll conducted by ABC,
55% believe Saddam Hussein gives direct support to Al Qaeda, a claim that
has been made by the administration but for which no evidence has ever been
presented. President Bush has lately modified the claim to “Al Qaeda-type”
organizations. This is how well journalism has done its job in the months
leading up to this war. A disgraceful performance.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/crazybush031803.cfm%20
In this video, Lou Dobbs talks about George Bush’s fulfillment of a vision that his father had. Lou Dobbs describes it as “A New World Order”. You know Dobbs is fixated on border control & immigration, so he was reporting on this quite a bit. George Bush hopes to implement open borders from Mexico to America and Canada to America by 2010. Did you know that? This video contains part of his report.

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Some Folks Are Happy That Compulsory Voting Isn’t Part Of The American Political Process!

 

No Voice Is No Choice!

Some folks are just so disgusted with their options in this election that they remain undecided. They just can’t decide who they would rather share a beer with, like they could when Bush was running for president. These guys are both just too elite, they say. For that reason, everyone in America will not cast their vote on Nov. 4,2008. But, what if you got fined for not voting? 

Compulsory voting is part of the political process in countries like Australia. Here’s a description of their voting practices from On Line Opinion:
“The impact of compulsory voting on the dynamics of a national election is striking. The billions of dollars spent in time and effort trying to ensure that people actually register to vote and then fill in a ballot paper just doesn’t happen in Australia. Political parties focus their efforts on promoting their leader and his or her party’s policies.

And as Adelaide University’s Lisa Hill, who has researched and written extensively on this topic notes, “By ensuring that voting participation is not confined to the more prosperous members of society, compulsory voting serves to protect such important democratic values as representativeness, legitimacy, accountability, political equality and minimisation of elite power”.

No doubt this fact does not concern those on the conservative side of politics in this country who support voluntary voting.

Participating in democracy should not be optional. Even if you despise politicians and the political process, you have to turn out a couple of times every three or four years to vote for your state or national government. It forces even the most cynical individual to at least cast a fleeting glance at the political process and that is a desirable outcome. An outcome we should cherish.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:
(http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=2807

What do you think of compulsory voting? Do you believe it’s your civic duty to vote or just a right that you should be able to shirk? Because this country has been speeding down the wrong road, I believe it is my civic duty to get off my ass & vote! Compulsory voting would also get rid of all of the scandals involving ACORN & voter suppression by the GOP. If people had to vote anyway, these voting issues would not exist. The candidates would each have to define who they are instead of trying to undermine voter’s rights & bombard us with attack ads. Now, I don’t need someone to hold a candle to my feet to get me to mark my ballot. I don’t understand those that do. If you truly love your country, then you should make sure your voice is heard. Don’t be ignorant of your rights & the importance of your vote. There is a reason why people want to suppress it & discuss ACORN instead. Read this form TPMMuckraker:

“A former top Department of Justice voting rights official – who once worked with John McCain in defense of the senator’s campaign-finance reform bill — has added his name to the growing chorus that is denouncing the department’s investigation of ACORN as a shameful and inappropriate politicization of Justice along the lines of the US attorney firings.

Speaking to TPMmuckraker, Gerry Hebert described the investigation, word of which was leaked off the record to the Associated Press less than three weeks before the election, as “a continuation of injecting DOJ into what has clearly become a political issue.” (End Of Excerpt) Read the full article here:
(http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/ex_doj_voting_rights_chief_its.php

Go here for answers to questions about voting rights :
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/misc/faq.php

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Sarah Palin:For Providing More Laughs Than Substance During This Intense Election! The Latest Is This Prank Call!

Some Men Want To Vote For McCain Because Palin’s So Hot!

People say that Sarah Palin is too much of a lightweight to be vice president. I,for one, hope that it’s all just an act. You know like Marilyn Monroe’s dumb blond image. I seriously think that Palin wants to come across as “the sexy librarian.” That’s why she wears those glasses with the form-fitting suits & sexpot heels. But, there’s one problem. I think that most librarians have a better grasp on things, like the Constitution, then Sarah Palin does. I mean, she doesn’t even realize that this obvious prank call is bogus. If you haven’t heard it, listen for yourself.

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John McCain: We Know He Was More Than Half-Serious When He Said It Was His Turn To Be President!

 

 

John The Humorist!

Tonight was John McCain’s best night in weeks. He was relaxed & humorous. He even seemed to be tickled standing next to Tina Fey. I hate to add to the gossip about the tension between the two running mates. But, I think McCain was more at ease with Tina Fey than he is with Sarah Palin. Tina Fey really does portray Sarah Palin as slightly more of a ditz than she is. John McCain didn’t seem to mind. I wonder if Palin found it funny. Nah, she probably was not amused but I sure was!

I’m not so sure that he should have pleaded, jokingly or not, for the voters to give him a chance. We should take pity on an old man & give him the presidency. He’s been saying that we need to let Obama wait 4 more years. Well if he’s a “socialist” that “palls around with terrorists” and “anti-americans”, why aren’t you saying that he should never be allowed to run again? Because you know that you have been spreading untruths,sir. You are a war hero who deserves tons of medals but your service does not mean that America is indebted to you. Sorry, John! Right now, it really is the economy,stupid! No, but really!That seemed like a desperate attempt to make an appeal to voters under the guise of comedy. All in all, it was a good show tonight. But, I’m still voting for Obama on Tuesday.

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SNL & Politics:Tina Fey May One Day Seek A Political Seat! Al Franken Has!

The Next Minnesota Senator?

I still like Al Franken’s wry & naughty sense of humor. He was one of the original writers on SNL. As a comedian, he is profane & wickedly funny. You can witness his comedic style in this clip I included of the movie God Spoke. In fact, some of his raunchy lines from his comedy shows have been used in political ads against him. I’m sure you’re aware that Al Franken is running against Norm Coleman in the Minnesota U.S. Senate race. The race is close between the two. It might be due to some new scandals that have come to light:

“What this means is that after more than a year of exhaustive campaigning, a whopping $40 million spent and nonstop ads ranging from policy clashes to character attacks, it could be a last-minute development — performances in tonight’s final debate on Minnesota Public Radio, unusually heavy voter turnout or ongoing fallout from breaking controversies — that determines the outcome.

In the past few days, Coleman has charged Franken with breaking the law by allegedly airing falsehoods in his ads. Meanwhile, the senator has faced questions about two lawsuits alleging that his wealthy friend transferred $75,000 to him from a Texas company through his wife’s employer. Each candidate vehemently denies the respective accusations.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article by following the link:
http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/33698624.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUoaEaD_ec7PaP3iUiacyKUnciaec8O7EyU

I like the fact that Al Franken has drawn the ire of Fox News. According to Wikipedia.org:

“[edit] Fox News conflict
Main article: Fox v. Franken
In 2003, Penguin Books published Franken’s book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right, which included a cover photo of Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly and a chapter accusing O’Reilly, with whom Franken was feuding, of lying. In August of that year, Fox News sued, claiming infringement of its registered trademark phrase “Fair and Balanced”. A federal judge found the lawsuit to be “wholly without merit” and Fox then filed to dismiss it. The episode with Fox focused a great deal of media attention upon Franken’s book and, according to Franken, greatly increased its sales. Reflecting on the lawsuit during a September 2003 interview on the National Public Radio program Fresh Air, Franken said that Fox’s case against him was “literally laughed out of court” and added that the judge’s comment that the case was “wholly without merit” was a good characterization of Fox News itself.[15] After the lawsuit was dismissed, Franken and O’Reilly continued to feud.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Franken

He has also confronted the preposterous personality that is Ann Coulter. The nonsensical ramblings of Rush Limbaugh was the subject of his best-selling book called, “Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot & Other Observations.” I told you that this election was the wackiest one that I have ever seen. We’ve got two SNL comedians that are heavily entrenched in this year’s elections. The lovely Tina Fey has portrayed the equally pretty Sarah Palin,the VP pick. Al Franken is actually trying to become a Minnesota senator. And it just might happen for him! This is a definite case of life imitating art & art imitating life. I won’t be suprised if Tina Fey runs for political office one day. It seems like anything is possible. That’s what makes America both a dream & a nightmare.

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First Official Election Results:Barack Obama Wins In Dixville Notch, New Hampshire!

They Ran A Shitty Campaign In The End!

We have the first presidential result, ladies & gentlemen. Barack Obama for president in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. I believe 21 votes total were cast. 15 for Obama & 6 for McCain. Do you think it will be a close race or a landslide for Obama?

McCain’s Straight Talk Express Breaks Down Again! John “The Coal Booster” Was Once John “The Coal Reducer!”

The Bullshit Express!

Oh, lordy ! He is such a maverick that he outmavericks himself! All of a sudden, we get a November stunt! It’s not a surprise that this is another hypocritical manuever that is being pulled by John McCain. The McCain amendment was said to be detrimental to the coal business. This is the opposing view to his amendement which is taken from Think Progress.com:

“During the 2005 debate, Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) was one such critic: “It is my understanding that the amendment, according to Charles River Associates, which analyzed its provisions, would cause the loss of 24,000 to 47,000 Ohio jobs in 2010. … The McCain amendment will put coal out of business.” Three years later — after unprecedented wildfires, hurricanes, and droughts — McCain has abandoned his brave stand. Instead, with the help of those of the far right he once challenged, he is now putting polluters first. (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://thinkprogress.org/2008/11/03/mccain-coal-booster/

Now , we have a new Obama controversy involving his stance on coal. The McCain campaign took a statement he made & totally misconstrued it. Now, Sarah Palin is promising to protect the very coal industry that McCain wanted to move the country away from. But, as usual the talk is far from straight. He really has proven that he will go to great lengths to win! Here’s an excerpt from L.A. Times:

“Among the first to respond to Palin’s attack was Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, an Obama supporter.

“After John McCain said he’d like to ‘transition away from coal entirely,’ his campaign is hardly in a position to criticize a coal-state senator like Barack Obama, who has outlined a $150-billion investment in clean coal and other technologies to create jobs and build a new energy economy,” said Strickland, referring to a comment made in 2000 by the Arizona senator during a Senate hearing on global warming.

“The truth is, John McCain and Sarah Palin can’t name a single thing they’d do differently on the economy than George Bush, so all they have to offer is last-minute desperate distortions.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/palin-coal-1.html

I’ll be glad when this whole thing is finally over! And that is some straight talk for your ass! All of the finger-pointing made me feel like I was back on an elementary schoolyard. Although the whole political process was exhilarating & entertaining, I hope that future elections won’t be so dumbed down. I mean, “lipstick on a pig” & “Joe, the plumber” were two of the most sickening phrases that I hope fade with the memories of this election. Either way it goes, it will be history in the making. I know I will be helping to write a history that will bode well for America’s future by voting for Barack Obama. Tomorrow, I pick genius over the same “experience” that we have had for the last 8 years.

Will You Be Upset If Obama Wins?

I Predict Obama!

I know I won’t! I voted for Barack Obama today as promised. John McCain is just not my cup of tea. So, I must confess that I will be harboring more anger & bitterness than a Hillary Clinton supporter if he loses! This country was so prosperous when Bill Clinton was president that it was easy for some to take it for granted. America is the greatest nation on this earth. That is a statement that rings as untrue around most of the world. Our reputation has really gone down. Now, you may not care about regaining the repect of the world. I don’t believe that George Bush did either. Since McCain is so big on waging wars, I couldn’t go for him. We need the right kind of change which I believe we will get tonight. If my prediction is accurate, I pose a question to you. Will you be upset if Obama wins? Leave a comment.

BARACK OBAMA WINS!!!! Comedians Like Richard Pryor Will Have A Real Black President To Imitate!

AMERICA'S FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT!!!!

 

This is the moment in history that so many blacks have hoped for. America has finally started to tear down it’s racial barrier. Barack Obama is the first black president in THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES!! A multicultual America has made it’s choice. Sorry, Sarah & John! We were the “real Americans” all along! The festering racial wounds that has blighted the beauty of America will heal at long last. This nation has always gone through different phases. With the election of Barack Obama as president, we have entered a new definitive era of change. Hopefully, we will all embrace this transformation of America. It will once again be known as the land of opportunity to disenfranchised people around the world.

I picked this really funny clip of a Richard Pryor skit where he portrays the first black president of America. Since this was just pure fantasy back in the 70’s, I wonder how Richard Pryor would view this major shift in American politics. He probably never imagined that it would become an actuality over 30 years later. What was striking in this video was just how accurately he incorporated the fears people have about a black man becoming president in this skit. Richard Pryor as the first black president, knows the Muslim greeting,& he wants to include a Black Panther in his cabinet. All of the same accusations that were hurled at Obama could be seen in this skit. It seemed like some whites were fearful of Obama turning this country into a black nation. I know Obama will turn this into an equal nation with an opportunity for all.

Well, AMERICA HAS SPOKEN! THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT FOR THE WORLD NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES! I’m so elated ! Yes, we can become one America! No more freakin’ Sarah Palin & John McCain! All of the people who fought for the right for blacks to vote have given us this moment! Thank God that blacks, asians, mexicans, indians, etc… will all have their chance at governing. Maybe now things won’t be so lopsided & everyone will have a chance to elevate themselves. I am confident that we made the right choice here in America. Yes, we did! Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream is coming to fruition.

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Oprah Winfrey: Her Endorsement Really Helped Obama Win!

There are so many blacks who paved the way for Barack Obama’s victory last night. Condoleezza Rice & Colin Powell are two recent examples of African -Americans who made tremendous gains in their political careers. They helped prepare America for a black president.The very American Oprah Winfrey really helped influence the way whites view blacks. She is the first black female billionaire that we know of! I really don’t know of any 80’s talk show that’s still around except for “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” This is one female who is one of the most powerful & respected women in the world. People listen intently to Oprah because of her astounding success & wisdom.

Her endorsement of Barack Obama really helped propel him out of the political stratosphere. He is a celebrity around the world because he is the antithesis of George Bush. He is charismatic, extremely intelligent, unbelievably handsome, serene, & he is biracial. Barack Obama really does represent America. And Oprah had a big hand in getting a lot of Americans to realize that. She helped pave the way for America to gain the president that it deserves. Her words carry a lot of weight in the world. Thank you, Oprah Winfrey for helping Barack Obama win.

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The New President Is Received Well In The Mideast

The Whole World Expects Change!

I told you he was the SuperChanger! Barack Obama’s win has put most of the world at ease. Finally, they can see America living up to the phrase “all men are created equal.” Right away, he has affected change. Folks around the world are thrilled with America’s new young president. They are excited in Africa because he has Kenyan roots. In Asia, a lot of people are feeling optimistic about this man who once lived in Indonesia. The Mideast are optimistic about Barack Obama as well. Our new leader has a whole host of challenges to tackle. The world is looking to Barack Obama to be that SuperChanger. The pressure is on him now. Let’s see how long it takes before he starts to go gray. Here’s a link to the story about the Mideast:

Election Aftermath: “The Straight Talk Express” Has Ran Over Sarah Palin! And Joe Lieberman Has His Tail Between His Legs!

Sarah Palin Was Thrown Under It & Ran Over By It!

Barack Obama is now the president of the United States. I bet Joe Lieberman never thought that was going to happen. Poor fool! He really believed that he was on the winning side of the political game. Joe Lieberman was one of John McCain’s biggest cheerleaders. So, that should be his fate. He should be stuck with the losing side. Joe Lieberman put self-interest first instead of country, just like McCain did. As of right now, Joe Lieberman’s fate is up in the air. And so is Sarah Palin’s political destiny.

Some folks are still in awe of the Republican superstar & are dismayed to see her star plumett. Others are trashing her & she has become a scapegoat for the failure of the campaign. I mean, is it really true that she did not know that Africa was a continent? Sarah Palin must have known what NAFTA was, right? And that she spent thousands more than the $150,000 that was being reported? If Sarah Palin is that fucking stupid, why the hell was she on the ticket in the first place? Aren’t you glad he didn’t get elected? Because the people surrounding him are despicable & these Mccain staffers would have had some part in his administration. Don’t you just love when people get thrown under the bus? In Sarah Palin’s case, “The Straight Talk Express”ran over her then backed up & did it again. Damn!

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Dr. Martin Luther King: The Dynamic American Visionary

The Dream Is Slowly Coming True!

 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived from (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968). He was a man of great eloquence & consequence who left an indelible print on America. That’s why we have a national holiday so that we will never forget the impact that he has on people. It was a struggle that is recounted in an article on the following website:http://www.holidays.net/mlk/holiday.htm

Because he was a man of peace, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed strongly in non-violence. Although he lived in tumultous times, he refused to fight fire with fire. How he chose to deal with the brutality that faced him was to remain peaceful. This is why many regard him as being a martyr for the civil rights movement. He literally put his life on the line so that future generations could enjoy a better America.

Oh,my! His moving, melodic speeches mesmerized throngs of Americans. But, there were many who didn’t want equality & unity in America. They wanted the Jim Crow laws & segregation to continue. Who were “they”? Well, the FBI for one. Here’s an excerpt from CNN that talks about how the FBI tracked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s every move intently: 

The almost fanatical zeal with which the FBI pursued King is disclosed in tens of thousands of FBI memos from the 1960s.

The FBI paper trail spells out in detail the government agency’s concerted efforts to derail King’s efforts on behalf of the civil rights movement.

The FBI’s interest in King intensified after the March on Washington in August 1963, when King delivered his “I have a dream speech,” which many historians consider the most important speech of the 20th century. After the speech, an FBI memo called King the “most dangerous and effective Negro leader in the country.”

The bureau convened a meeting of department heads to “explore how best to carry on our investigation [of King] to produce the desired results without embarrassment to the Bureau,” which included “a complete analysis of the avenues of approach aimed at neutralizing King as an effective Negro leader.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/31/mlk.fbi.conspiracy/index.html

So, to have the country elect a biracial man with a black family to lead the nation was a very powerful step in establishing equal opportunity for all Americans.That is why Jesse Jackson openly wept at the news that a black man had actually become president of the United States. He was a part of the vicious struggle for civil rights & he knew Dr. Martin Luther King personally. So, to see Barack Obama step up & give his acceptance speech was a powerful moment that Jesse Jackson knew he had played a part in. This is a turning point in history just like the civil rights era was. John Lewis ,another civil rights leader, was very emotional as well. You see, they knew that Dr. Martin Luther King had more than a dream. He was a dynamic American visionary who spoke of an America that we can actually see racial progress in. Many African-Americans truly believe that Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream is finally taking shape. They point to Barack Obama’s historical win as evidence of that. Here is a quote from his famous “I Have A Dream” speech taken from American Rhetoric.com:

“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. ” (End of Excerpt) See & read the speech by following the link:http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

The Obama’s Will Be Residing In The White House!

What A Beautiful Family!

Finally, a first lady that all women can be inspired by. A tall statuesuqe beauty with a superior brain would be the best way for me to describe Michelle Obama. And if you’ve read my previous posts you know what adjectives I’ve used to describe our new president, Barack Obama! The Obama’s perfect match will draw the envy of the hordes of folks who are married but wish that they were not. The love between them is so strong & visible. It doesn’t seem like they doubt their choice of mate. Natasha & Malia Obama are two of the most adorable little girls that I have ever seen. This is a beautiful loving family who honestly love each other. Because it is a black family, they have been compared to ”The Cosbys“. Remember that this is no fictional family,though. The Obamas represent a great American family who will project the right image to the world. I don’t think they’ll be any lewd scandals with White House interns or anything. And that’s because the Obama’s will be residing there. You don’t have to wonder if their relationship is sustained for political reasons,like the Clintons. I believe that this president won’t be caught with his pants down. This is a respectable family that will make all of America proud instead of embarrassing us with their sexual proclivities or ignorance. Thank God for that!

Strange Phenomena Like The Roswell Ufo Sparks My Imagination

I remember that my mother took me to a UFO convention in Berkeley just to see what goes on there. She is a very inquisitive woman who loves to dabble in the occult & all things supernatural. So, this was right up her alley. Well, it was not like the Roswell Ufo convention that is shown in this video. There were no exhibits & the audience was seated. We listened to a couple of credible looking people talk about their experience with a UFO. I started to listen intently to them even though my mother had to convince me to go with her in the first place! We left in the middle of the convention because it all started to go downhill when the wackos started to surface. The breaking point for us came when a lady claimed that her cat was really from outer space.

The Roswell incident is very intriguing,indeed. It makes you really wonder what those men recovered from the crash site. Was it a weather ballon or a crashed spacecraft? Were there really little alien beings discovered at the scene? I,for one, do not think that we are the only intelligent species in the universe which is what makes this all so appealing to me ! What makes this an ongoing mystery was the bungled attempt at a cover-up by the government. You know we love a good conspiracy in America. And this one, ladies & gents, is one of my faves!

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American Traditions Like Veterans Day…

Veteran’s Day is an American tradition that celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I in 1918. Most Americans have either served in the military themselves or have known someone that has. This is the day that is reserved for you to pay tribute to the living & deceased soldiers. Since most of the men in my life have been in the military, I know that they appreciate this day. They just wish that they were honored for more than just one day. All of the veterans that I know have voiced the same concerns about the military. When they complete their service, it is hard for them to find work & good healthcare. The treatment of veterans really needs to be improved. We should do more for those who are willing to put their lives on the line for our country. They should be able to obtain good health care & employment once they are a civilian. Let’s honor the veterans by assuring that they are protected when they are out of the military.

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Dorothy Dandridge: A Sepia Rose

The Sepia Rose

She had a creamy & smooth complexion that I am in awe of. Her face was sweet but seductive & her body was the quintessential hour-glass shape. Beauty like that can’t be bought, packaged, or sold. Only God can create this type of splendor & exquisiteness. God broke the mold when he made Dorothy Dandridge. I mean, she was so beautiful that it took my breath away the first time I ever saw “Carmen Jones.” Her life was filled with so much tragedy & drama that it seemed destined for the screen. Her life & death was comparable to Marilyn Monroe. That’s why she is known as the “Black Marilyn Monroe.” Forgive me for saying so, but I believe that Dorothy Dandridge was much more beautiful & talented then Marilyn Monroe was. But, that’s just my opinion.

So, it came as no surprise to me when so many black actresses were dying to portray her on film. She  lived from Nov. 9, 1922 – Sept. 8,1965. Dorothy Dandridge was the first African-American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. So, I thought it was quite fitting forHalle Berry to portray her. It was almost eerie that she then went on to become the first African-Amercian woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Maybe Dorothy looked out for Halle because she depicted her life so beautifully in the biopic “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.” Even Halle Berry said that she felt Dorothy Dandridge’s presence during the making of that movie. Read this article to find out more about her : http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Dorothy-Dandridge

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We Can Smoke Marijuana Legally If It’s For Medicinal Reasons!

I remember that crazy anti-marijuana propaganda film “Reefer Madness” from the 1930’s. It was designed to deter people from smoking weed by claiming that it could make you go blind or lose your mind. I think my grandmother must have seen that movie because she swore that these were the actual effects people got from smoking herb. Now, I happen to know that the movie was just a fear tactic & not based on fact. Let’s just say that my eyes haven’t failed me yet.

What’s great about marijuana is that it can cure nausea & give you an appetite. That’s why it’s legal to use it for medical purposes. There is a downside to everything,including ganja. If you smoke too much, you can get stuck in one spot. This may be why folks think that it makes you lazy. For me, it helps me to relax & unwind like a glass of wine does for some people. Unlike wine & liquor, I never feel sick to my stomach from smoking the herb. It always makes me feel better when I’m not well.

Apparently, it’s not just hip-hop that’s big in Japan. The Japanese are discovering the pleasure of the green herb in a big way in Japan. According to the guardian.co.uk:

“Japanese law takes a dim view of the recreational use of soft drugs. The 1948 cannabis control law calls for prison terms of up to 10 years and hefty fine for anyone found importing, exporting, growing, selling or buying cannabis.

Its use for medical purposes, permitted in some other countries, is also banned.

Japanese activists are pushing for a change in the law to permit the use of cannabis among sufferers of diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s.

“Cannabis is harmless compared to alcohol and tobaccos, but still the government overreacts and ruins the lives of anyone found with it,” Koichi Maeda, the founder of the Japan Medical Marijuana Association, told the Guardian. “We asked the government to provide evidence of the harm they say marijuana causes, but they couldn’t.” (End of Excerpt) Follow the link to read the rest:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/03/japan

Wow! And I was mad because marijuana is only legal if used for medicinal purposes in America ! I was hoping that it would be legal one day like it is in Amsterdam. But, holy crap! I think I will appreciate the fact that we can use it at all in America. In Japan, it’s not even okay for sick people to use it. This is a very interesting video that centers around a book about marijuana. I mean, we’re so relaxed about marijuana usage in this country that you can write a kid’s book about it! The author of the book makes the point that a whole lot of parents use marijuana. Watch the video because it’s really interesting.

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Lindsay Lohan Getting Her Comeuppance When Animal Activists Threw Flour On Her

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan is not one of my favorite actresses. I think that she is remarkably similar to the character she portrayed in “Mean Girls.” Yeah, she had a difficult childhood & all that jazz! I know! But, most American families are dysfunctional so that’s really no excuse. We either learn from our parent’s mistakes or we repeat them. Since both of her parents have had drug & anger management issues, it seems like she has emulated their lives.

We all know about her cocaine & alcohol addictions because they were so well-publicized. I sympathize with anyone who is struggling with issues in their lives, so she did have my empathy at first. But, she blew it when she was involved in that wild car chase in 2007.Remember that she blamed the black guy once she got caught. Here’s an excerpt from ivillage.com:

“When police finally arrived on the scene, Dante claims that Lindsay told the officers, “I wasn’t driving. The black kid (Jakon) was driving.” Dante and Jakon reportedly watched Lindsay flunk her field sobriety test, saying when she tried to touch her nose, she almost fell over.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole post by going here:  http://dailyblabber.ivillage.com/entertainment/archives/2007/07/passengers-tell-their-side-of.html

In that incident, she allegedly told those guys that since she was a celebrity she could do whatever she wanted. Lindsay Lohan seems to be under the impression that she say anything she want as well. I guess that’s why she called Barack Obama America’s “first colored president.” What if we branded Lindsay Lohan as America’s “first Disney dyke ?” I think that would be equally as harsh as using racist & outdated terms such as “colored” to describe someone. Even Disney stopped using “colored” to refer to blacks a long time ago. Maybe the former disney darling didn’t get that memo. Frankly, I think she intended for that comment to get the reaction that it did. Remember, she wanted to help Barack Obama during his campaign & he refused? This was this little uppity chick’s way of trying to insult the president-elect. It’s just like calling someone a fag or a dyke.

So, I wasn’t mad at those animal activists who threw flour in her face because she was wearing fur. Follow this link to read more about it:   (http://64.90.166.18/news/lindsay-lohan-gets-flour-dumped-on-her-for-wearing-fur     ) All the shit that she has done to others makes me have no empathy for her. What those animal activists did was extreme, though. I may not like Lindsay Lohan but noone should be able to assault you physically in any way, shape, or form. It made me think of a movie that I really like called “Year of the Dog.” That movie was about a woman who goes through a lot of emotional turmoil due to her passion for dogs. The death of her dog leads her to discover  that her true destiny in life is to become a animal activist. This woman almost went over the brink of sanity because of it. In one scene, she attacks her neighbor because she believes he inadvertently poisoned her dog! This woman went to great extremes to save animals. Here’s an excerpt from an article on extremism in America which I got from the Anti-Defamation League’s site:

“During the past two decades, radical environmental and animal rights groups have claimed responsibility for hundreds of crimes and acts of terrorism, including arson, bombings, vandalism and harassment, causing more than $100 million in damage. While some activists have been captured, ecoterror cells – small and loosely affiliated – are extremely difficult to identify and most attacks remain unsolved. Although it has been overshadowed by Islamic terrorist threats since September 11, ecoterrorism remains one of the country’s most active terrorist movements. ( End of Excerpt) Read the entire article by following this link: http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/ecoterrorism.asp

The Republican Party Finally Has To Come To Grips With Their Lack Of Diversity!

The General Consensus

People jokingly referred to the GOP as the party of “old white men” throughout the election. Not a good thing when you claim to represent a country that is increasingly becoming a true “melting pot.” I daresay, but I think the GOP is in a bit of a pickle unless they can find a way to modernize their party. How can you do that if you’re not being all-inclusive? Some minorities feel that the Republican party really does take care of their needs, though. Check out this excerpt from the Indian American Republican Council:

“Why the Indian-American vote should go to the Republican candidate

     2004 will be remembered as a watershed year for the Indian-American community and the Republican Party. Community activism combined with President George W. Bush’s leadership has led to a new, dynamic relationship between Indian-Americans and the GOP:

· Nearly 20 Indian-Americans served as delegates to the Republican National Convention, the highest number ever, with close to 30 South Asian delegates in all. Indian-Americans have received 14 full-time political appointments in the administration of President George W. Bush. This is the highest number ever.
· There are at least 7 more Indian-Americans appointed to presidential commissions.
· For the first time ever in American history, a Hindu spiritual leader was welcomed into the White House. This occurred when President Bush welcomed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar into the Oval Office in May 2004.
· President Bush regularly mentions Hindus in his speeches in reference to his faith-based initiative, something no President ever did before.
· President Bush honored Hindus with an official White House celebration on the occasion of Diwali in November 2003. This was the first time ever such an event took place.
· President Bush honored Sikhs with an official White House celebration on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the installation of the Sikh Holy Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, in the Golden Temple. This was the first time such an event ever took place.
· For the first time in our nation’s history, an Indian-American, Bobby Jindal, will be elected as a Republican Member of Congress.
· Nikki Randhawa Haley, an Indian-American woman, will be elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives as a Republican.
· For the first time ever, the Indian American Republican Council (IARC) hosted a successful reception and dinner at the Republican National Convention to honor our Indian-American delegates and to express our support for Republican leadership. Nearly 200 people attended this event, including Members of Congress, media and other dignitaries.
· The IARC is also expanding, with 13 independent state affiliates in existence and more on the way.(End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:http://www.iarcnational.org/index.php?content=L11022004

A lot of minorities really don’t feel like the Republicans care about their issues until they need their vote. And the Republican convention really did not help mobilize the minority vote either. If anything it helped to discourage it because it was almost totally whitewashed. I am sure that they will finally realize after the upset that occurred in this election that they desperately need to find a way to appeal to all minorities. Here’s an interesting excerpt from guardian.co.uk:

“The GOP is now virtually an all-white party, and being an all-white party in the United States of today is an unmitigated liability.

The party hasn’t had one non-white federal office holder in several years – not one. John McCain is going to get maybe 5% of the black vote, perhaps 25-30% of the Latino vote, and maybe a slightly larger percentage of the still-small Asian vote.

America is just getting more and more racially diverse.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2008/oct/28/uselections2008-republicans

 

 

 

 

Will Bill Kill Hillary’s Chance At Becoming Secretary Of State?

Will Bill Kill Hill's Chance? The Saga Continues...

Some people really think that Bill Clinton hurt Hillary’s bid to become president & they believe he may get in the way of her becoming Secretary of State. During the primaries, a lot of folks were turned off by Bill Clinton’s style of campaigning. Even former President Jimmy Carter shares this view. Here’s an excerpt from the Washington Times:

“Taking a rare shot at his fellow White House alumnus, former President Jimmy Carter told The Washington Times that Bill Clinton became an unwittingly divisive figure during the Democratic primaries, damaging his wife Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s chances to win the presidency with a series of verbal gaffes.

“As he tried to campaign for his wife, I think in the heat of the campaign he made some verbal mistakes,” Mr. Carter said in an interview Wednesday night, just minutes before Mr. Clinton took the podium at the Democratic National Convention.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article by going here:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/29/carter-says-bill-clinton-hurt-hillarys-campaign/

As Obama assembles his administration, there are the inevitable leaks as to who his picks will be. It’s a guessing game that political pundits love to play. Everyone’s talking about how Obama will model his administration after that of Abraham Lincoln, a man that Obama said he greatly admires. This “team of rivals” theory has really taken shape due to his possible decision to offer Hillary Clinton the most powerful position in his administration. The big buzz right now is that Hillary Clinton may very well be America’s next Secretary of State ! Noone saw that coming. Whoopi Goldberg says she feels that Hillary would make a better Secretary of Health. There is a lot of debate about not only whether she’s right for the job. People are also discussing whether or not Bill Clinton will cost her this opportunity. Here’s more on that from Fox News:

“Could former President Bill Clinton’s charitable affairs cost Hillary Clinton the secretary of state job in Barack Obama’s administration?

That’s what insiders are wondering after reports that the former president’s financial and foreign entanglements could hurt the New York senator in her bid for a Cabinet post.

Politico.com reported Monday that Democrats “are becoming exasperated” by Bill Clinton’s response to requests for information about his finances.

“The sense among the no-drama Obama world is: This is well on its way to winning best Oscar for drama,” an unnamed Democrat told Politico.com.

Of worry, Politico.com said, is whether Clinton’s charity would create a conflict of interest with foreign governments. The New York Times reported Sunday that lawyers from the Obama camp were looking into the former president’s dealings with foreign governments and pharmaceutical companies.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/17/clintons-foreign-affairs-cost-hillary-secretary-post/

 

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E.D. Hill:The Fox News Anchor Who Called The Obama’s Pound A “Terrorist Jab”Will Not Be Returning To Fox!

Fox News might have gotten rid of E.D. Hill because she’s getting old. You know they like to have the hot chicks over there. That is a totally oversexualized network. The women wear short skirts & low-cut blouses. Most of the female anchors look like they could be on some daytime soap opera like “The Young & The Restless“.

But most likely, E.D. Hill got canned from Fox because she inferred that both Michelle & Barack Obama were making a terrorist gesture when they did the infamous pound. There were a lot of baffled individuals out there after she called it a “terrorist jab.” What the fuck was that about & how did she even come up with such a notion?! In the video below, Rachael Maddow & Keith Olbermann discuss this ignoramus & it’s really quite funny. But, I am glad that Fox made her ass apologize a few days later. And now comes the news that the harebrained blond’s contract won’t be renewed. Good riddance!

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We Don’t Have Rogue Pirates On Our Shores!

Modern Pirates Help Fund Terrorist Groups!

I know you’ve been hearing about all of these bold & brazen pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia. It’s nothing like the “Pirates of the Carribean” either. There’s nothing to romanticize here. These pirates are hijacking an alarming number of ships. They have gotten so out of control that the world is being forced to take notice. But, piracy has put parts of Asia in a predicament as well. On uniorb.com there is an article that details the pirates of Southeast Asia.It was a bigger dilemna than Somalia is right now back in 2004 . Here’s an excerpt:
“The Straits of Malacca has a long history of sea piracy, dating back to the arrival of European colonizers. In those days, piracy plagued the waters of Southeast Asia as a form of rebellion against the foreign rulers. Social poverty drove many Southeast Asian individuals to pursue piracy to make a living. In defense, the British and the Dutch drew a demarcation line dividing the Straits of Malacca, with the agreement to hunt down pirates within their own spheres of influence. To this very day, the British-Dutch demarcation line separating Malaysia from Indonesia remains a border problem in combating piracy.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, has been thrown into limelight after the catastrophic tsunami in December 2004, followed by two destructive earthquakes in Sumatra in 2005. Still reeling from the natural disasters, the nation has been plagued with increasingly perilous piracy in its waters, drawing international outcry for more security and effective measures to protect tankers, container and cargo ships, yachts and fishing boats. However, during the presence of international relief operations for tsunami victims in the Aceh region, piracy actually ceased for two months but later resumed more violently after the departure of the foreign naval ships.

The IMB believes from eyewitness testimonies and reports that the vast majority of pirates in the Straits of Malacca are Indonesian in origin. Apparently, the Indonesian Navy seems to be far from adequate to curtail the sea menace — lacking modern equipment and sufficient ships for pursuits (only 30% ships are considered seaworthy), and short of resources for patrolling Indonesia’s sprawling territories. Nevertheless, the Indonesian Navy has positioned six battleships in the Straits with more than 20 ships and 10 aircraft to conduct daily traffic patrols.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:http://uniorb.com/ATREND/piracy.htm

But even though these rogue pirates are not operating anywhere near the shores of the United States, there actions are affecting trade among other things.Here’s an excerpt from guardian.co.uk with more on this matter:

” The actions of the pirates could hurt consumers worldwide, Roger Middleton, an author who studies piracy in Somalia, writes, also in the Times. If international shipping reacts by avoiding the route via the Gulf of Aden and the Suez canal and taking the longer way around the Cape of Good Hope, someone will have to pay – very probably the consumer.

The latest act of piracy prompts reflection on Somalia’s parlous state. Simon Tisdall in the Guardian reminds us that Somalia is arguably the world’s biggest single humanitarian disaster; more serious than Darfur, Zimbabwe and eastern Congo. Yet, he says, leading countries and their navies seem more exercised about safeguarding sea lanes than helping the 3.25 million Somalis – 43% of the population – who are dependent on food aid.

The Bush administration bears much responsibility for Somalia’s state of anarchy, Martin Fletcher argues in the Times. Because of the “war on terror”, the US backed an invasion of Somalia by Ethiopia to throw out the Islamic courts movement which had brought a semblance of stability. Fletcher says the intervention helped destroy Somalia’s best chance of peace for a generation and, far from stamping out militancy, turned Somalia into a breeding ground for Islamist extremists and gave al-Qaida a valuable foothold in the Horn of Africa.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole thing here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2008/nov/18/somalia-piracy

This video talks about the way the United Nations dealt with the conflict & you can see how some Somali human rights activists felt that the help was not genuine. Here’s a link to a great site that traces the history of Somalia’s conflicts:http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/somalia.htm
This is an excerpt from that site:
“Subsequent fighting among rival faction leaders resulted in the killing, dislocation, and starvation of thousands of Somalis and led the United Nations to intervene militarily in 1992. In 1992, responding to the political chaos and humanitarian disaster in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched peacekeeping operations to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to the Somali people. By March 1993, the potential for mass starvation in Somalia had been overcome, but the security situation remained fragile. On October 3, 1993 U.S. troops received significant causalities (19 dead over 80 others wounded) in a battle with Somali gunmen. When the United States (in 1994) and the UN withdrew (in 1995) their forces from Somalia, after suffering significant casualties, order still had not been restored.

Conflict between rival warlords and their factions continued throughout the 1990s. No stable government emerged to take control of the country. The UN assisted Somalia somewhat with food aid but did not send peacekeeping troops into the country. In the late 1990s, relative calm began to emerge and economic development accelerated somewhat. The country was by no means stable, but it was improving. A transitional government emerged in 2000 but soon lost power. Somaliland and Puntland, two regions in the north broke away from the country and set up regional, semi-autonomous governments. They are not internationally recognized.” (End of Excerpt)

 

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I Hope That Obama Will Allow Freedom Of Press To Be An Actual Fact Again!

No More Fear Since Bush Is Gone!

Did you know that there is more freedom of press in Finland & the Czech Republic than it is in the United States? Our first amendment rights have slowly been slipping away in this country under George Bush. There have been other presidents who have tried to manipulate the news, for sure. During the time George Bush has been in office, he has controlled how he would interact with the media. What he has done is largely ignore the media & treat them as if they were a nuisance.According to The Punch:

“The US (53rd, 13.00) has slipped nine places since last year, after occupying 17th position in the maiden ranking carried out in 2002. The assessor attributed the dwindling fortune of the press freedom in the US to the frosty relationship between the media and President George Bush after the latter acted under the pretext of “national security” to regard as suspicious any journalist who questioned his “war on terrorism.”

This was further compounded by the refusal of US federal courts, unlike those in 33 states, to recognise the media’s right not to reveal its sources, even threatens journalists whose investigations have no connection at all with terrorism.

For instance, Reporters Without Borders observed that a freelance journalist and blogger, Josh Wolf, was imprisoned when he refused to hand over his video archives. Sudanese cameraman, Sami al- Haj, who works for the pan-Arab broadcaster, Al-Jazeera, has been detained without trial at the US military base in Guantanamo, Cuba, since 2002, and Associated Press photographer, Bilal Hussein, has been held by US authorities in Iraq since April 2008.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20081120231498

Not surprisingly, China was one of the 10 worst violators of freedom of press.They just made it legal for their reporters to cover natural disasters truthfully in 2005,after all.Talk about draconian laws, China’s got them. But, according to Reuters:

“The Chinese government has started to loosen its control on the negative information,” an academic source close to propaganda authorities told Reuters.

“They are trying to control the news by publicizing the news,” said the source, who declined to be named.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4AJ1VF20081120

My hope is that Obama will restore the freedom of press in this country. It is on a steady decline,most noticeably under the reign of George Bush. Instead of reporting what’s really going on around the world, we get news organizations that all show the same information almost in perfect synchronicity. I’m not kidding,either. I tend to channel surf & I switch from CNN to MSNBC to FOX. More often than not,they are all covering the same stories as if there isn’t much going on in the world. You can tell that the news is controlled in the United States. This video that I included from Democracy Now really breaks it down.

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The Smithsonian National Musueum Of American History

The Smithsonian National Musuem of American History has relics of America’s past that are hard to come by. Things like the Gettysburg address & the Star Spangled Banner are on display there. If you are new to America, this is a great way to get a sense of American heritage.  The musuem was under reconstruction & it reopened November 21. Here’s why you should go:

“For people of all ages, a visit to the National Museum of American History can be a defining event — providing a deep and fundamental understanding of what it has meant to be an American,” said Brent D. Glass, director of the museum. “Millions of visitors will enjoy new opportunities to explore the American narrative and the core stories of our national experience in an inspiring and memorable setting.”(End of Excerpt) Find out more by clicking on the link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20081119/pl_usnw/national_museum_of_american_history_reopens_nov21

Amanda America Dickson: Known As One Of The Most Moneyed Black Women Of The 19th Century

Amanda America Dickson

Most people have heard of Madame C.J. Walker as being one of the first black female millionaires in America. She invented a hair straightening method called the straightening comb. Of course, we know about the richest black woman of this century. That would be Oprah Winfrey who became the first black female billionaire. But, I bet there’s one lady that you haven’t heard of.

There was a great little movie I saw on television called “A House Divided.” It was about the daughter of a slave & her owner who was left property by her father. Her father’s relatives contest the will because the beneficiary was a daughter of a slave which made her part black. The events that are depicted in the movie are based on Amanda America Dickson. Here’s more on her life from the New Georgia Encyclopedia:

“She was born on November 20 or 21, 1849, on the Hancock County plantation of her father, the famous white agricultural reformer, David Dickson (1809-85). Her birth was the result of the rape of her slave mother, Julia Frances Lewis Dickson, when Julia was twelve years old. At the time, David Dickson was forty and the wealthiest planter in the county. Amanda America Dickson spent her childhood and adolescence in the house of her white grandmother and owner, Elizabeth Sholars Dickson, where she learned to read and write and play the piano—the survival skills of a young lady but not ordinarily the opportunities of a slave. According to the Dickson family oral history, David Dickson doted on Amanda, and Julia quite openly became his concubine and housekeeper.

In the winter of 1885 David Dickson died, leaving the bulk of his estate to Amanda Dickson and subsequently to her children after her death. Executors appraised the estate, which included 17,000 acres of land in Hancock and Washington counties, at $309,000. In his will David Dickson stated that the administration of his estate was to be left to the sound judgment and unlimited discretion of Amanda Dickson without interference from any quarter, including any husband she might have. A host of David Dickson’s white relatives contested the will, but the superior court of Hancock County ruled in favor of Amanda Dickson in November 1885. The disgruntled relatives then appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court decision in 1887. The higher court stated that the “rights of each race are controlled and governed by the same enactments or principles of law”—in other words, whatever rights and privileges belonged to a bastard white child belonged to a mixed-race child as well.”(End of Excerpt) Read the full article here:

   http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-821

   

November Is Not Just About Eating Turkey! It’s American Indian Heritage Month!

Most people have been waiting for November to get here so that they can chow down on some turkey. This is the month of cranberry sauce,homemade sweet potato pie, & warm dinner rolls. It’s a time to get cozy & spend time with as many loved ones as possible. But,there’s more to give thanks for than just scrumptous food & good times in November. This is also American Indian Heritage month!

It is a time to celebrate American Indian tradition & culture. But, who designated the month of November for this time of reflection? Here’s more on that:

“To honor the American Indians who lost their lives and their land to the Europeans, New York declared the first American Indian Day in 1916. For years, several states followed New York in celebrating American Indian Day. Finally, in 1990, President George Bush declared November as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month to nationally recognize their great contributions to the United States.

“Oh Great Spirit, who made all races, look kindly upon the
whole human family and take away the arrogance and hatred which
separates us from our brothers…”

Cherokee Prayer

This prayer from the Cherokee tribe reminds us of the importance of every human being, no matter where we’re from or what we look like. In November, we recognize the contributions of American Indians and Alaska Natives during National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://turkey.thebeehive.org/Templates/Misc/Level3NoRight.aspx?PageId=1.1793.6269
The accompanying video contains information about the American Indian Cultural Center& Musuem of Oklahoma.It has a lot of information about the activities that take place during the American Indian Heritage month.

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Very Emotive Tween American Idol Fans Going Ballistic When David Cook Wins!

David Cook is totally hot. He has that dark,brooding rock star persona down pact. I’m feeling his style,too. There is something that is very sexy about him. But,for these little girls,it was all about his competitor,David Archuleta. I don’t know if they were really that passionate about his loss or if they were just play-acting. Because it’s not that serious!

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Auto Industry Execs Sure Know How To Lower Worker Morale!

These executives from the auto industry let it be known that they are far from paupers.First class,my ass! They’re doing it Big Willie style with the corporate jet. Which is understandable, I guess, if you’re a very profitable corporation. It’s distasteful,though, if you’re asking the taxpayers to bail you out. Who thought that would go unnoticed? Only the fools who let it get to this point in the first place! These auto industry execs sure know how to lower worker morale,too. I mean, these guys want everyone else to pay for the failure that they had a hand in. They want $25 billion freakin’ dollars! Why aren’t these executive’s fringe benefits & huge salaries being cut if things are so bad? Look at how much this ABC report says they make. I’ve heard folks say that the blue collar worker that assembles these cars for $30 hr. makes way too much. Well, what about these guys?

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Obama’s “Team Of Rivals” Demonstrates That He Is The SuperChanger After All!

SuperChanger Mosaic

Whether Obama represents change or not should not be under any kind of speculation. He has already changed the way the world views America and he hasn’t even been inaugurated yet! Not to mention that he’s changed the face of the administration as well. I believe that we will have a diverse administration that is made up of a lot of young & attractive people. Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, may have a hot temper but that’s not the only thing that’s sizzling. He is a cutie for sure. Yeah, Barack Obama is bringing a change from the last 8 years already.

Obama is not shy about drawing on the past to get a sense of how to handle the future. Everyone has been talking about how many folks from the Clinton administration will now be a part of his. But he knows that in order to change the direction that America is headed in, he can’t have a team of unknowns. Taking a cue from Abraham Lincoln’s playbook, Barack Obama may be constructing a “team of rivals“.

Barack Obama is a very intellectual & studious man. Having a president that is a thinker is also a definite change. Look at what Obama said at a town meeting earlier this year:

“”I will tell you, though, that my goal is to have the best possible government, and that means me winning,” Obama said, per ABC News’ Sunlen Miller. “And so, I am very practical minded. I’m a practical-minded guy. And, you know, one of my heroes is Abraham Lincoln.”

Obama then referred to “a wonderful book written by Doris Kearns Goodwin called ‘Team of Rivals,’ in which [she] talked about [how] Lincoln basically pulled in all the people who had been running against him into his Cabinet because whatever, you know, personal feelings there were, the issue was, ‘How can we get this country through this time of crisis?”(End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:(http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/obama-proposes.html

 

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Alan Colmes Feels His Liberal Point Of View Is No Longer Needed On Hannity & Colmes!

The male version of “The View” is losing it’s liberal voice for the moment. On Hannity & Colmes, Alan Colmes announced that he will be stepping down as co-host of the show. After Sean Hannity joked that now that we had a Democratic House, Senate, & president that Alan was done, he agreed that his work was finished. I say that this show is the equivalent to “The View” because one view always seems to outweigh the other. “Hannity & Colmes” was supposed to present both a liberal & a conservative’s take on the issues of the day. Somehow, Sean Hannity’s view always seem to overshadow Alan Colmes. If they decide to replace Mr. Colmes, they should get a liberal that is just as loud & boisterous as Mr. Hannity. Now, that would be interesting!

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Ashley Dupre Claiming That She Didn’t Know That Eliot Spitzer Was The Governor Because She Was Only “22″!

Did you see the little intimate one-on-one chat that Diane Sawyer had with call-girl Ashley Dupree? There Ms. Dupree sat trying her best to look all innocent & doe-eyed. But, what was really the clincher in the interview was how Ashley Dupree answered the question about her former client, Governor Eliot Spitzer. Ashley Dupree claimed that she had no idea who he was because she was only “22“! C’mon,girl! Did you really have to perpetuate the stereotype about hookers being uneducated? I mean, if you’re not that into politics just say that. But, I do not get what being 22 has to do with not knowing who the governor of your state is. Then, she really made herself look like a bimbo by saying she doesn’t read newspapers. Kids in grade school read newspapers so that they can keep abreast of current affairs. So, that’s a ridiculous excuse!

 

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GM Just Can’t Afford Tiger Woods Anymore!

You know the economy is in dire straits when major sports figures start to lose endorsement deals because of it! After laying off blue collar workers, GM has finally let go of Tiger Woods who had an exorbitant $7 million dollar contract as their Buick spokesman. Cutting his contract was a no-brainer & should have been done before they considered laying off the folks who actually make the cars! If the economy keeps sinking companies, celebrity endorsements may no longer be the norm.

 

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Ann Coulter Has Been Temporarily Silenced! Her Mouth Is Wired Shut!

The obnoxious, anorexic-looking Ann Coulter’s jaw is wired shut! After the boorish behavior she has shown, I’m not sure I feel sorry for her. Remember what she said about the 9/11 widows? It was so ill-bred that it would in bad taste for me to repeat it here. This is a badly informed woman who trys to project the image of a tough honest journalist. What tough honest journalist would distort the truth on a regular basis while dressed in lewd attire? Yes, her choice of garb shows how desperate she is to promote her sexuality. She’s a self-professed conservative whose clothing is anything but! What man hasn’t noticed her long,scrawny legs that she displays at every given opportunity? Isn’t it obvious how high my opinion is of her? Doesn’t it seem like she’s getting her just desserts due to the fact that she was supposed to start promoting her book?Here’s more on that from the L.A. Times:

” But here’s the best part about the Coulter broken jaw news. No really, this is really good: Seems she has a brand new book titled “GUILTY” due out in early January and, of course, was all booked on TV and radio talk shows to discuss the “much-needed reality check on a Left gone wild,” declares the book’s jacket.

Her latest work reportedly exposes and mocks the media’s love affair with all things Democrat and all things President-elect Barack Obama.

Too bad Ann won’t be able to say a word about her new book.

That’s just a gosh darn shame.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/11/oh-dear-page-si.html

My sentiments exactly! But, there’s more people who don’t appreciate her ridiculous rationale. In this video, Ann Coulter almost gets pied!

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The Phelps Family: The Most Hated Family In America!!!!!

Brace yourself when you enter into the world of irrationality & insanity that the Phelps family lives in. Now, this is the most deplorable family that I have ever seen! How is it that noone has taken these kids away? Is it okay to raise children on a steady diet of hate & vitriol? I shudder to think what a nation of these types of psychos would be like! Here’s a little background info on them from Wikipedia:

“Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. (born November 13, 1929) is an American pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an independent Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} He is a disbarred lawyer, founder of the Phelps Chartered law firm and previous candidate for political office. He and his family are currently notorious for their anti-gay protests, claiming that most natural disasters and terrorist attacks are God’s punishment for a society that tolerates homosexuality.

He is known for public use of slogans (and banners carrying slogans) such as “Pervert Pope”, “The Godfather of Pedophiles”, “You’re Going to Hell“, “Don’t Pray for the U.S.A.”, “Thank God for 9/11“, “Thank God for Katrina“, “Thank God for Dead Soldiers”, “America Is Doomed”, “God Hates Fags“, “AIDS Cures Fags”, “God Is Your Enemy”, “Too Late to Pray”, “God Hates You”, “Priests Rape Boys”, “Catholic Priests Are Liars” and “Fags Die, God Laughs (or Mocks)”, and claims that God will punish homosexuals as well as people such as Bill O’Reilly, Coretta Scott King, Ronald Reagan, and Howard Dean, whom his church considers “fag-enablers”.^[7][8] He has also thanked God for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the 2005 flooding of James Bay in central Canada.^[9]

Phelps and his followers frequently picket various events, especially military funerals, gay pride gatherings, high-profile political gatherings, and even Christian gatherings and concerts with which he has no affiliation, arguing it is their sacred duty to warn others of God’s anger. When criticized, Phelps’ followers say they are protected in doing so by the First Amendment.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps

That’s what so great about America! Even these miscreants can emit the most vile language,say they hate America,& then use the First Amendment as a safeguard. How deplorable! There are many folks who detest their pestilent conduct. And one of them may have set their garage on fire. Here’s more on that from CJOnline:

“Topeka firefighters were dispatched to Westboro Baptist Church, 3701 S.W. 12th St., at 1:05 a.m. A fence and garage were engulfed in flames. “

“Shirley Phelps-Roper said she thinks the fire was intentionally set.

“None of what they do is going to stop us from delivering our message,” Phelps-Roper said as she watched firefighters continue to spray water on the garage.

“We’re not surprised by this,” Phelps-Roper said, adding that anyone who may have started the fire were “cowards.”

Phelps-Roper said firefighters responded and “did what they were supposed to do.”

As she pointed to the house where her parents live, she said, “There are two elderly people who live here.” Phelps-Roper said her mother, Margie Phelps, is 82 and her father, Fred Phelps Sr., is 78.

She also said this is the most aggressive act toward her family to date.”(End of Excerpts) Read the whole article in it’s entirety here:(http://www.cjonline.com/stories/080208/bre_fire.shtml

The video I included contains a interview with the Phelps family that was conducted by Louis Theroux of BBC. It’s a very disturbing & engrossing look at this odious family.

 

 

 

 

 

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George & Laura Bush: They Actually Made Christmas & Hanukkah One Holiday!

The Christmas/Hanukkah Invite!

Don’t worry George & Laura Bush! You’ve got less than 60 days to embarrass yourselves again. Because this oversight with the Christmas/Hanukkah invititations is pretty darn strange! Here’s an excerpt from New York Post about these peculiar invites:

“In the background, the White House windows are festooned with Christmas wreaths.

The incongruity of the message did not go unnoticed.

“It’s absolutely bizarre to receive an invite to the White House for Hanukkah in a Christmas format,” said one person who was invited. “They should have consulted with their chief of protocol before sending this out. This belongs right in the ‘Weird But True’ column.”

Jewish community leader Isaac Abraham of Brooklyn had a simpler explanation.

“It’s obvious what’s going on here: The Christmas tree is being taken out of the White House and the menorah is being brought in the back,” he quipped.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://www.nypost.com/seven/11262008/news/politics/let_santa_light_the_menorah_140965.htm

Hot Anchor Anderson Cooper: Everyone Wants To Know Which Team He Bats For!

 

Anderson Cooper & His Boyfriend?

Oh, Ne-Ne from “Real Housewives of Atlanta” is really lucky to have Anderson Cooper’s admiration. What I wouldn’t do just to get those crystal blue eyes to gaze upon me! He is serious eye candy & that is no exaggeration. I look at his show more for how good he looks than how in-depth his journalism is. So, I’m wondering if all of those persistent rumors about his sexuality are true or not. The guy in the picture is supposed to be his live-in lover,wine importer Julio Cesar Recio. Isn’t he fine? Since this is one area where Anderson Cooper remains less than candid, we can only speculate which team he bats for!

Adrienne Bailon: Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Nixed The Cheetah Girls Because One Cheetah Got Too Wild!

Oh,you naughty Disney girl!

 

Tsk,Tsk,  Adrienne Bailon! Those naughty,nude photos of you that have been in circulation all over the internet may have just ruined more than your Thanksgiving. A lot of little girls are going to be crushed about The Cheetah Girls cancelled performance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,not to mention the other members of your group. Since you’re dating Kim Kardashian’s brother, I wonder if her sex tape influenced you to create a “scandal” of your own. Controversy always works when you’re trying to grab some attention for yourself! Check out this excerpt from N.Y Daily News:

“It’s a cheetah-licious scandal that’s apparently become too hot to swallow on Thanksgiving.

Thekid-friendly act, the Cheetah Girls, has been scratched from the Macy’sThanksgiving Day Parade after seminude photos of one of the Disneydarlings surfaced on the Internet.

Macy’s officials insisted”scheduling issues” caused the trio’s sudden disappearance from theparade schedule, suggesting the naughty snapshots of Adrienne Bailondid not influence the decision. “

And on the possible motives for the emergence of said photos:

“Bailon’s friend, Jonathan Jaxson, said he and the 25-year-old singerconcocted the story that the racy photos were swiped from her laptopand posted without permission.

“Adrienne wanted me to plant thestory about the laptop,” Jaxson, a Hollywood publicist, told the DailyNews, explaining Bailon’s desire to be seen as more adult and sexy.

“[She]wanted to distance herself from the Cheetah Girls. She decided, ‘Let’sspice it up’ and say possible nude photos were stolen from her laptop.”

Jaxson said the publicity stunt was hatched after Bailon’s laptop was indeed stolen at JFK Airport more than a week ago.

“I’vedone this before with several stars and we’ve had great success, butthis is the first time it’s ever bitten me in the rear or a client,”Jaxson said. “(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/11/18/2008-11-18_cheetah_girls_dumped_from_macys_thanksgi.html

And I’m off to eat some great Thanksgiving spread! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there!

The Beat Generation:Artists like Bob Dylan & The Beatles Were Inspired By The Beat Culture

America has gave birth to many different interesting cultures. The Beat culture was definitely one of the most cool & influential ones. Those who subscribed to the Beat philosophy were against the consumption of wealth. It was a way of life that inspired artists like Bob Dylan & The Beatles. Here’s more from Wikipedia:

“Since 1958, the terms Beat Generation and beat have been used to describe the anti-materialistic literary movement that began with Kerouac in 1948, stretching on into the 1960s. The Beat philosophy of anti-materialism and soul-searching influenced 1960s musicians such as Bob Dylan, the early Pink Floyd and The Beatles.

At the time that the terms were coined, there was a trend amongst young college students to adopt the stereotype, with men wearing goatees and berets, rolling their own cigarettes and playing bongos. Fashions for women included black leotards and wearing their hair long, straight and unadorned in a rebellion against the middle-class culture of beauty salons. Marijuana use was associated with the subculture, and during the 1950s, Aldous Huxley’s The Doors of Perception further influenced views on drugs.”(End of Excerpt) Read the entire entry here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatnik

This video is a documentary on The Beat Generation. If you weren’t born during this era like me, you will be able to get a feel for what it was like back then. I’ve always imagined 1950″s society to be similar to ”Leave It To Beaver” & “I Love Lucy”. The Beat culture was such a cool contrast to the squeaky-clean Stepford society of the 1950’s. Oh, how I wish I could have witnessed Jack Kerouac read his poetry in person instead of having to rely on you-tube.

Americans Know They Can Save Money On The Item Of Their Dreams On Black Friday!

Black Friday is the day where high-priced items are brought down to a reasonable price. Huge discounts & the fact that X-mas is almost here drives millions of Americans to get up before dawn to go shopping.If you’ve got the money to spend,now is the time to get to the stores& get all of your Christmas gifts and whatever else you need.But, it seems that folks get crazed about the prospect of not being able to save a couple of bucks.

Black Friday stampedes happen as a result of greedy shoppers salivating over how much stuff they can buy.And they will do whatever it takes to get to those items first,including trampling over folks.That’s what happened at Walmart today as soon as the store opened. There were throngs of people pushing their way into the store & it was a mob scene. I mean, they took the doors off the hinges & a Walmart worker was crushed to death by these avaricious consumers . We can’t allow ourselves to become psychotic over a “deal”. And these retail stores need to find a way to make Black Friday a safe shopping experience. Every year,people act like animals instead of human beings the day after Thanksgiving. You just spent time reflecting on how thankful you are for what you have,hopefully. And the next day, you become this rapacious thing that is determined to get what you want,by any means necessary. I guess the Thanksgiving spirit only lasts for one day for most people.

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Britney Spears Is Bringing Sexy Back ,Bitch! Watch Her Perform “Womanizer” In Germany!

So Steamy That You Knew Britney Was Going To Boil Over!

Okay,I admit that this performance at the Bambi awards in Germany isn’t exactly original. But, Britney Spears looks almost as sexy as she did when she appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in her undies looking like the innocent virgin who was ripe for the picking. Whether or not she was really virginal did not matter. For some reason, you believed her when she said she was saving it for marriage. How naive we all were that took her for her word.

It turned out that she lost her virginity at 14. Thanks to her loyal,caring mom the world found out that Britney Spear’s virtuous persona was concocted by her managers. You see, I guess Lynne Spears thought it would be a good idea to write a tell-all book about her troubled daughter’s life. She allowed her own flesh & blood to present herself as a writhing,seductive, “Lolita”. Here’s more on that from NY Daily News:

“In a tell-all book, Spears’ mother, Lynne, reveals her daughter surrendered her chastity to a high school football stud when she was just 14.

Mama Spears, 53, also dishes that the pop icon took a liking to booze when she was a 13-year-old Mouseketeer and began experimenting with drugs at 15.

By age 16, Britney’s wild-child behavior stunned her family when she was caught with cocaine and marijuana on a private jet, Lynn Spears claims.

The book, “Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World,” is set for release Sept. 16, but The Sun of London published titillating highlights on Thursday.

Lynne Spears, 53, confesses her regret of losing control of Britney’s career to handlers who promoted her as a sex object and put her in raunchy videos.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:
(http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/09/04/2008-09-04_britney_spears_lost_her_virginity_when_s-2.html

We all know that Britney Spears had a nervous breakdown because of Kevin Federline. Her song “Womanizer” shows just how callous he was toward her. But really, I think that Justin Timberlake was the real catalyst of her problems. Once they broke up, it all went rapidly downhill from there.

But, she’s back looking fierce & hot! Some people have compared her to Madonna with her new dominatrix look. Britney Spears is too much of a Southern belle to have that hard edge that Madonna has. In this video, she is making a comeback at an awards show in Germany, especially body wise. Wow, look at her ass in this video! It’s perfectly fashioned into a rotund shape! Britney Spears is bringing sexy back, bitch!

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Bobby Jindall: Is He The Republican’s Answer To Obama?

Is He The Republican's Answer To Obama?

Bobby Jindall is a role model for so many Southeast Asians. Look how far he has ascended up the political ladder. He is the first non-white to become governor of Louisiana for over a century. Many folks feel that since Bobby Jindall has made so many great strides in life, a 2012 run against Barack Obama is a very foreseeable future for him. It would certainly be a better choice than Sarah Palin. Whenever Bobby Jindall starts to talk, it makes sense what he is saying. But when Sarah Palin speaks for any real length of time, I get lost in translation. Yes, a dark, handsome Indian man would seem to be the ideal candidate for a party that seems to be mostly caucasian. Having Bobby Jindall as the face of the Republican party would make the GOP not seem so antiquated. But, what does he have to say about running for president in 2012? He’s more concerned about the gubernatorial re-election in 2011. But here’s more on Jindall from Right Pundits:

“Jindal would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to a presidential ticket. He is known for his systematic ways of accomplishing goals. He sets out a straight forward agenda, and he executes. Listen to what he said the Republicans need to do to win back congress:

“Republicans have to do three things. First, the party has to start doing the things which it says it stands for, like demonstrate fiscal discipline.

No. 2, we have to stop making excuses for corruption in our own party, and third, we have to be the party of solutions, not just blame Democrats for every problem.”

Seeing the man, you probably wouldn’t expect a southern accent. It made me chuckle. But it shows that even in Louisiana, skin color isn’t holding people back like it used to. He is the first non-white to be elected governor of Louisiana since reconstruction.“(End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:(http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=2358

Although Bobby Jindall is the most known Indian American in politics, there are many more Indian Americans who paved the way for Bobby Jindall to become the first Indian American governor in any state, let alone Louisiana. Here’s a brief history of Indian Americans in government & politics:

“Dalip Saund (1899-1973) became a U.S. congressman in 1957. Born in the Punjab region of India, he immigrated to the United States in 1920. He earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley and was one of the earliest activists fighting for the citizenship and residence rights of Asian Indians in the United States. 

Many Asian Indian Americans have been appointed to administrative positions. Joy Cherian was Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner from 1990 to 1994. Cherian was first appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission in 1987. In 1982 Cherian founded the Indian American Forum for Political Education and today runs a consulting firm. Sambhu Banik, a Bethesda psychologist, was appointed in 1990 as executive director of the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation. Kumar Barve (1958– ), a Democrat from Maryland, was elected vice chairman of the Montgomery County’s House delegation in 1992. Barve became the first Asian Indian in the country to be elected to a state legislature. Bharat Bhargava was appointed assistant director of Minority Business Development Authority by President George Bush. Dinesh D’Souza, a graduate of Dartmouth and an outspoken conservative, was appointed a domestic policy advisor in the Reagan administration. He is a first generation Asian Indian, having come to the United States as an undergraduate student, and is the author of Illiberal Education: Politics of Sex and Race on Campus. D’Souza is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). T.R. Lakshmanan was head of the Bureau of Statistics in the Transportation Department. Arthur Lall (1911– ) has been involved in numerous international negotiations, has written extensively on diplomacy and negotiations, including the 1966 book Modern International Negotiator, and has taught at Columbia University. President Bush named Gopal S. Pal a member of the board of regents, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences under the U.S. Defense Department. Arati Prabhakar served as research director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce. Zach Zachariah of Florida was President Bush’s 1992 finance committee chairman in that state, and had the distinction of raising the most funds of any one person in that campaign. Three Asian Indians have won elections as mayors: John Abraham in Teaneck, New Jersey, David Dhillon in El Centro, California; and Bala K. Srinivas in Holliwood Park, Texas.” (End of Excerpt) Go here for the whole article:(http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html

We Are Not The Most Promiscuous Country In The World!

The Victorian Era Was Just An Illusion That Has Now Evaporated!

 

With all the sex that is bombarded down our throats by way of the media & the entertainment industry, it’s a mystery how we’ve avoided becoming a nation of sexual degenerates. There’s a wealth of porn addictions here in America that has helped boost the divorce rate. Your next sexual conquest really is just a click away if you join sites like AdultFriend Finder. Sex is readily available in America. We make no bones about it. So, it would seem like a country that promotes so much sex would be having the most of it, right? Well, not quite. The country that was known for it’s Victorian attitudes, which bordered on being asexual, has reinvented itself in the modern era. Britian’s uptight,prim, & proper ways have caved, which is a sign of the times. Now, it is the most promiscuous country in the world,according to an international sex survey. Amazing how times change, isn’t it? Here’s more from DailyMail UK :

“It appears the days when we took a strict moralistic approach towards sex are long gone.
Researchers blamed the situation on a decline of religious scruples, the growth of equal rights for women and a highly sexualised popular culture.They found that when it comes to one-night stands, numbers of partners and attitudes to casual sex, Britain leads the field, ahead of even liberal nations such as the Netherlands and the passionate Italians.

The results are part of wider research carried out by Professor Schmitt, who releases this part of his study in this week’s edition of New Scientist magazine.

The findings also confirm earlier research showing that the British are more likely than other nationalities to have ’stolen’ other people’s lovers. ” (End Of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1090612/Brits-casual-sex-league.html?ITO=1490

But, was Britian’s “strict moralistic approach towards sex ” just a facade? Well, according to “The Illustrated Book of Queen Victoria’s Secrets“ it was all just pretense. Here’s an excerpt from eroticprints.org:

“As we all suspected… beneath the veneer of middle class respectability lurked a heaving mass of juvenile prostitutes, depraved gentlemen, adulterous ladies and stifling bourgeois hypocrisy. And if that all sounds rather similar to today, these two books will give you a fascinating glimpse of how very modern and sophisticated the late Victorians were, sexually speaking. In fact, what seems new and risqué today would have held few surprises for our forefathers – and -mothers.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article & view more erotic prints by clicking on the link:(http://www.eroticprints.org/erbooks/illustratedvictoriasecrets.asp

Arianna Huffington: Political Pundit & Creator Of Huffington Post Gets $25 Million In Funding!

The Way They Were: The Huffingtons

Arianna Huffington is one cool ,sophisticate with a tintilating Greek accent. She has been both a Republican & a Democrat. She now classifies herself as a populist. Originally from Greece, she was a columnist named Arianna  Stassinopoulos who basically got rich once she divorced her husband, Michael Huffington. But, it’s not that cut & dry. He waged one of the most costly senatorial campaigns in history,which he lost. Then to top it all off, her husband revealed to the world that he was bisexual. He claimed that ,unlike James McGreevey, his wife knew that he was attracted to men. In any case , Arianna Huffington was well compensated in the divorce settlement. Here’s more from Wikipedia:

“She met oil millionaire Michael Huffington, a family friend of the Bushes at a 1985 party hosted by Ann Getty in San Francisco. The couple were married in 1986 at a wedding paid for by Ann Getty, who had declared that she needed to find Arianna a husband. They moved to Washington, D.C., when he was appointed to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Negotiations Policy. They later established residency in Santa Barbara, California, in order for him to run in 1992 as a Republican for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, which he won by a significant margin. He was a political conservative on most issues. Arianna campaigned for her husband, courting religious conservatives, arguing for smaller government and a reduction in welfare. In 1994 he narrowly lost the race for the U.S. Senate seat from California to incumbent Dianne Feinstein. The couple divorced in 1997, and in 1998 Michael Huffington revealed that he was gay. A 1999 magazine article claimed that Arianna Huffington “entered the marriage… with full knowledge of Michael Huffington’s sexual interests in men”. The financial terms of their divorce agreement remain undisclosed, but Huffington gained most of her wealth from her husband. Arianna Huffington chose to retain her former husband’s surname, although she had been known as Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington during the period of her marriage.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole entry here:(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianna_Huffington

I like Arianna Huffington because she is an immigrant who found great success in America. She is a prime example of the “American Dream”!Now, her site “The Huffington Post” has received $25 million dollars in funding. Here’s more from Editor & Publisher.com:

“The Huffington Post, which this year became one of the most popular online news outlets (as ranked by Nielsen) today announced that it has secured $25 million in funding from Oak Investment Partners, a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California.

As statement from the news/opinion site said it would “invest in its technology and infrastructure, increase its in-house advertising capabilities, and continue to expand its content offerings — including a new investigative journalism initiative and a rollout of local versions of The Huffington Post in select cities.” The announcement was made by Arianna Huffington and Kenneth Lerer, co-founders of The Huffington Post. An Oak Investment representative will now join the five-person board.

“This commitment from Oak Investment Partners will allow us to accelerate our growth, with more verticals, more video, more citizen journalism initiatives, more cities for our local editions, and a fund for
investigative journalism,” said Huffington in a statement.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003917825

Congratulations & you go, Arianna!

The Bad Girls Club: Season 3 Premieres Tonight!

These reality shows really appeal to my voyeuristic side. That’s why I can’t wait to see what happens in this season of “The Bad Girls Club“. These are some of the raunchiest broads who could find great success as female mud wrestlers. There’s at least one stripper in the house & this time is no different. The goal of this show is to help these “ladies” get to the root of their behavior. But, really it’s just about getting a bunch of sexy chicks under one roof & letting the fur fly!

“The Bad Girls Club” really lends credibility to a study’s findings that 1 in 5 young adults have some type of personality disorder. Here’s more from Fox News:

“Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.

The disorders include problems such as obsessive or compulsive tendencies and anti-social behavior that can sometimes lead to violence. The study also found that fewer than 25 percent of college-aged Americans with mental problems get treatment.

One expert said personality disorders may be overdiagnosed. But others said the results were not surprising since previous, less rigorous evidence has suggested mental problems are common on college campuses and elsewhere.

Experts praised the study’s scope — face-to-face interviews about numerous disorders with more than 5,000 young people ages 19 to 25 — and said it spotlights a problem college administrators need to address.”(End of Excerpt) To read more go here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459930,00.html

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Democrats Did Not Get The 60-Seat Filibuster-Proof Majority Because Chambliss Won!

Sean Hannity is a confirmed Republican. I wish you could have witnessed the glee that he was exhibiting tonight on “Hannity & Colmes” over the Senator Saxby Chambliss victory. He even went so far as to give Georgia his gratitude. Oh, how sickenenly sweet! You see he’s gloating over the fact that the Democrats won’t reach that magical number of 60,which would have given them the filibuster-proof majority. But,look at it this way,guys. At least now the Democrats will be able to share the blame if they screw up. Personally, I think it’s good to have a balance of power. With more Democrats in office than Republicans, that’s what you will get this time.

 

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Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: The Republican Congresswoman Who Hung Up On Barack Obama Because She Thought It Was A Fake Call!

I guess bipartisanship is a hard concept to swallow for Ileana Ros-Lehtinen ,a Republican congresswoman.  No, I’m just kidding. But, Barack Obama wasn’t kidding when he tried to call her & she hung up on him twice. You see,she thought that it must be a prank call. Here’s more from Politico.com:

“On Wednesday, the Republican congresswoman got a call from President-elect Barack Obama, didn’t believe it was him, and hung up on him. Twice.

According to Ros-Lehtinen’s flack Alex Cruz, the congresswoman received the call on her cell phone from a Chicago-based number and an aide informed her that Obama wanted to speak to her. When Obama introduced himself, Ros-Lehtinen cut him off and said, “I’m sorry but I think this is a joke from one of the South Florida radio stations known for these pranks.” Then she hung up.

Moments later, Obama tried again, this time through his soon-to-be chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.  

“Ileana, I cannot believe you hung up on the President-Elect,” Emanuel said. And then–yes, you know what’s coming–she hung up on Emanuel saying she “didn’t believe the call was legitimate.”

And what did she say when she finally spoke with Barack Obama?

“So, Obama tried again and this time he was successful. (Phew!)

“It is very funny that you have twice hung up on me,” Obama said. Ros Lehtinen responded by telling Obama that radio stations in South Florida always make these sorts of jokes. Obama said similar pranksters reside in Chi-town.

“You are either very gracious to reach out in such a bipartisan manner or had run out of folks to call if you are truly calling me and Saturday Night Live could use a good Obama impersonator like you,” Ros-Lehtinen joked with the president-elect.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/1208/RosLehtinen_hangs_up_on_Obama_Twice.html

The “Impeach Bush” Christmas Ornament That Deborah Lawrence Made For The White House Tree!

The "Impeach Bush" Christmas Ornament!

This Christmas will surely be one of the most memorable for the Bush family. George Bush & his family will celebrate their last Christmas in the White House. So far, it’s been quite a holiday season for them! Remember the Christmas/Hannakah card that they sent out? What a goofy gaffe! But it doesn’t stop there! Now, one of the artists selected to design a Christmas ornament made a satirical one that said “Impeach Bush” on it. Here’s an excerpt from the Seattle Times:

“A spokeswoman for first lady Laura Bush said Tuesday that the White House tree will not include an ornament by a Seattle artist that supports President Bush’s impeachment.

Artist Deborah Lawrence said she wanted to salute Democratic Rep. Jim McDermott, of Seattle, a longtime Bush foe who backs impeachment.

The nine-inch ball Lawrence created is covered with swirly red-and-white stripes and features a picture of McDermott. Tiny glued-on text hails the impeachment resolution.

Mrs. Bush had asked members of Congress to pick artists to decorate ornaments for the White House tree to showcase all 435 congressional districts.

Sally McDonough, a spokeswoman for Laura Bush, called the ornament inappropriate. “I think it really is a shame and, quite frankly, not very much in the holiday spirit,” she said.” (End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008462148_ornament03.html

Chris Matthews: The Talking Head’s Causing Controversy Over His Interest In Becoming A Senator!

The Vociferous Talking Head Known As Chris Matthews!

 

I like Chris Matthews rapid fire style of commentary. The Hardball host has a boyish charm about him that makes him very appealing to watch. I like his wide  grins when he aggrees with his guest & the churlish smirks when he does not. He can get very vociferous when he feels passionate about a subject. I think he would make a very interesting candidate for the Philadelphia Senate seat. But, some feel that he should step down as a commentator for MSNBC if he has political ambitions. Here’s more from Politico.com:

“MSNBC and its talk show host Chris Matthews are coming under increasing criticism as more and more details have emerged to reveal the extent of the pundit’s preparations to challenge Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

After Politico reported Thursday that Matthews has taken steps to establish residency in Pennsylvania and been advised by partisan operatives to quit MSNBC and begin his campaign, the network took incoming flak from all sides. 

“Should Chris Matthews use his air time to fawn over the voters and governor of Pennsylvania while also weighing a run for Senate in Pennsylvania?” asked Eric Burns, president of Media Matters, a liberal watchdog group. “Of course not and these are issues [NBC News President] Steve Capus should address.” 

In a strange bedfellows moment, Brent Bozell, founder of the Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, had a similar view.

“MSNBC has tarnished NBC’s reputation so badly, that the last thing NBC needs is a new controversy caused by MSNBC,” Bozell said, mentioning the perception of biased coverage during the presidential race brought on by the sister network’s commentators. ” (End of Excerpt) Read the entire article by  clicking on the link:(http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16218.html

Can Obama Change Hillary Clinton’s View On The Importance Of Human Rights?

Barack Obama has assembled a lot of political heavyweights for his administration. And from the picks that he’s presented to the public thus far, it looks as if he won’t get bolshie on us. He’s  pragmatic &has demonstrated that he will govern more towards the center than the left. But, some people feel that he is appealing too much to the right with his choices.  Especially when he decided to make Hillary Clinton his  Secretary of State. She has sided with George Bush many times when it comes to international affairs. Not only that, but the Rwanda genocide occurred during President Bill Clinton’s term. With all of the crisis spread out all over the world , can President Obama assure us that she will be dilligent in dealing with human rights issues now? Many are pondering this question . Here’s more from The Huffington Post:

“Because the Bush administration had taken things to new lows, many seem to have forgotten the fact that the Clinton administration had also greatly alienated the international community. Regarding Iraq, Iran and Israel, the Clinton administration engaged in a series of policies which put the United States sharply at odds with most of its Western allies and a broad consensus of international legal scholars. And these were not the only issues during the Clinton years over which the United States found itself isolated from the rest of the international community: there was U.S. opposition to the land mine treaty, the strengthening of the embargo against Cuba, support for Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, foot-dragging on the Kyoto Protocols, support for Turkey’s vicious military offensive in the Kurdish regions of that country, among others.

Even worse, Hillary Clinton allied herself with the Bush administration on many its most controversial actions, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq, threats of war against Iran, support for Israel’s 2006 offensive against Lebanon and 2002 offensive in the West Bank, opposition to the International Criminal Court, attacks against the International Court of Justice, and support for the unrestricted export of cluster bombs and other anti-personnel munitions used against civilian targets.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-zunes/hillary-clintons-disdain_b_148785.html

Jon Favreau: This Facebook Picture May Cost You That State Job You Applied For!

 

This photo could be considered sexist, but for some reason I haven’t heard any outcry about it. Now, if it was Sarah Palin, we’d never hear the end of it. Is that because Palin is actually sexy? I have to admit that’s probably why we haven’t heard a peep from the P.C. police! But, what’s really funny about this photo is that Hillary Clinton actually has the last laugh! Jon Favreau,the recently appointed director of speechwriting for the White House, is interested in working in the State Department. So I mean, was he plastered or what? Did he not know that these photos would surface? I guess he thought  that he was amongst friends at this party. But,one of them posted this on Facebook! Thank God this wasn’t during the campaign because it might have cost Barack Obama a couple of votes! I wonder how Hillary feels about Jon Favreau’s gag photo. Here’s an excerpt from The Washington Post:

“Favreau’s case seems unlikely to be so dire; Clinton senior adviser Philippe Reines cast the photos as evidence of increased bonhomie between the formerly rival camps.

“Senator Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon’s obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application,” he said in an e-mail.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/04/one_more_question.html

Will Hillary Still Hire Jon Favreau After This?

This Is A Scanned Copy Of Obama’s Birth Certificate!And Questions About The Lame Duck President, George Bush!!

The Disputed Barack Obama Hawaii Birth Certificate!

***POST UPDATED AUG. 21:

A reader pointed out that I had another person’s birth certificate posted instead of the one that is in dispute. Since I do not possess Barack Obama’s real birth certificate anyway,I won’t beat myself up over it.And if you are one of those birthers,it probably didn’t matter what birth certificate accompanied this post.Those who don’t believe that Barack Obama is a natural born U.S. citizen will continue with their beliefs.But,thanks for the heads up on this one, Mike from Louisiana!

Here is a scanned copy of Barack Obama’s Birth Certificate. Now, those who want to insist that this is an urgent matter must let this red herring go. There seems to be a lot of animosity towards the President-Elect. What about the lame duck President Bush? People seem to be oblivious to the fact that we have lost over 500,000 jobs last month alone! Henry Paulson & George Bush should have the ire of all patriotic people because they have helped to derail the progression of America. There are so many folks who have been put into the poor house under the Bush administration. Where’s the outrage over the fact that George Bush is moving into a $2 million home after so many of us are losing our homes? But, somehow we are consumed with questions about the incoming president? Is he a Muslim? Is he a U.S. citizen? But, we seem to be letting George Bush fall by the wayside on so many issues! For instance, take the issue of war crimes. Here’s more from The Times Online:

“The Washington Post reported that “current and former officials” said the torture lasted weeks and even, according to some, months, and that the techniques included hypothermia, long periods of standing, sleep deprivation and multiple sessions of waterboarding. All these “alternative procedures”, as Bush described them, are illegal under US law and the Geneva conventions. They are, in fact, war crimes. And they were once all treated by the US as war crimes when they were perpetrated by the Nazis. Waterboarding has been found to be a form of torture in various American legal cases.

And that is where the story becomes interesting. The Bush administration denies any illegality at all, insists it does not “torture” but refuses to say whether it believes waterboarding is torture or not. But hundreds of hours of videotape were recorded of Zubaydah’s incarceration and torture. That evidence would settle the dispute over the extremely serious question of whether the president of the United States authorised war crimes.

And now we have found out that all the tapes have been destroyed.

See what I mean by Hollywood? We know about the destruction because someone in the government told The New York Times. We also know the 9/11 Commission had asked the administration to furnish every piece of relevant evidence with respect to Zubaydah’s interrogation and was not told about the tapes. We know also that four senior aides to Bush and Dick Cheney, the vice-president, discussed the destruction of the tapes – including David Addington, Cheney’s right-hand man and the chief legal architect of the administration’s detention and interrogation policies.”(End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3086937.ece

O.J. Simpson: There Won’t Be Any “Juice” Until At Least 9 Years From Now! Karma’s a Bitch, Ain’t It?!!!

Nothing Can Save Your Dumb Ass Now!

Most people I know think that O.J. Simpson was guilty 14 years ago. Where most people differ in opinion is the reason he was found not guilty by a reasonable doubt. And it’s wasn’t just that Johnnie Cochran made sure that the glove wouldn’t fit or that the race card was played. How about crooked,racist cops & a shoddy prosecution team for starters! Mark Furhman is one prime example why race was ever on the table in this trial. Like you heard O.J. on tape bragging about getting his stuff back in Vegas, Mark Furhman was heard on tape talking about blacks & racial profiling. He even said “nigger” numerous times on the tape. Unbelievable! Here’s more from Wikipedia:

“In March, Fuhrman testified to finding blood marks on the driveway of Simpson’s home, as well as a black leather glove on the premises which had blood of both murder victims on it as well as Simpson’s.^[4] Despite an aggressive cross-examination by F. Lee Bailey,^[16] Fuhrman denied on the stand that he was racist or had used the word “nigger” to describe black people in the 10 years prior to his testimony.^[16] But a few months later, the defense played audio tapes of Fuhrman repeatedly using the word – 41 times, in total. The tape had been made in 1986 by a young North Carolina screenwriter named Laura McKinny. She had interviewed Fuhrman for a story she was developing on female police officers. The Fuhrman tapes became one of the cornerstones of the defense’s case that Fuhrman’s testimony lacked credibility. The prosecution told the jury in closing arguments that Fuhrman was a racist, but that this should not detract from the evidence showing Simpson’s guilt.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._J._Simpson_murder_case

 Not to mention some of the other characters in the police department,like Dennis Fung. Marcia Clark & Christopher Darden were lackluster in their performance as if they didn’t really believe their case was strong. So, I think there was definitely some reasonable doubt. And I think you do the jurors in that murder case a great disservice if you insist that they could actually convict him knowing that it was possible he was set-up by a racist cop. If the case was so solid, why was the evidence consistently compromised in the Nicole Simpson& Ron Goldman case? You just can’t convict people because you think they did it & that is what the police in that case did. Unfortunately, the black jurors, who I am sure have faced those kind of police before, couldn’t believe the evidence presented to them. Look at the folks who presented it!

O.J. was probably guilty but the evidence & the way it was collected was questionable. The DNA evidence created room for doubt. It is plausible that he could be found not guilty under those circumstances, which is what happened. But, now karma has come back to bite him in the ass. And I know the so-called “race card” won’t help him. In this case, the evidence was more than reliable.He got 9 to 33 years in prison for the dumb ass jack move that he made in Las Vegas! The “Juice” will be gone for at least 9 years & I say good riddance!

Obama Tapping Gen. Eric K. Shinseki As VA Secretary!

General Shinseki Is A Spectacular Pick!

Barack Obama will announce the appointment of the first Japanese-American,Gen. Eric K. Shinseki , as his Veterans Affairs Secretary on “Meet The Press”. Sunday also happens to be the 67th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. How befitting that he will make the announcement on that day. I love how many “firsts” that this man has pulled off. Here’s more on why Obama picked him from MSNBC:

“Shinseki’s tenure as Army chief of staff from 1999 to 2003 was marked by constant tensions with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, which boiled over in 2003 when Shinseki testified to Congress that it might take several hundred thousand U.S. troops to control Iraq after the invasion.

Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, belittled the estimate as “wildly off the mark,” and the army general was forced out within months. But Shinseki’s words proved prophetic after President George W. Bush in early 2007 announced a “surge” of additional troops to Iraq after miscalculating the numbers needed to stem sectarian violence.

Obama said he selected Shinseki for the VA post because he “was right” in predicting that the U.S. will need more troops in Iraq than Rumsfeld believed at the time. “

And on the diversity of the Obama administration thus far:

“Obama’s choice of Shinseki, who grew up in Hawaii, is the latest indication that the president-elect is making good on his pledge to have a diverse Cabinet.

In Obama’s eight Cabinet announcements so far, white men are the minority with two nominations — Timothy Geithner at Treasury and Robert Gates at Defense. Three are women — Janet Napolitano at Homeland Security, Susan Rice as United Nations ambassador and Hillary Rodham Clinton at State. Eric Holder at the Justice Department is African American, while Bill Richardson at Commerce is Latino. “(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28086691/

 

 

Betty Page: Pin-up Icon With The Raven Haired Bangs & The Banging Body!

Merry XXX-MAS!

Hot diggeddy damn, she is erotica personified. How could someone look so chaste in pictures that were considered wholly  indecent at the time. Betty Page represented corporeal feminism in the 1950s. She was completely comfortable with her body & showing it off. This raven haired beauty was known for her bangs  & her risque, nude bondage photos.There was a so-so movie about her life called “The Notorious Betty Page“. The best thing about that film was the uncanny resemblance between Gretchen Mol & Betty Page. And there was a girl on this past season of “Project Runaway” that hijacked Betty Page’s raven hairstyle ,right down to the bangs. For those retro chicks, she is just as relevant now as she ever was. Here’s more on this pinup icon:

“Scandalous at the height of her career, and almost innocently retro now, Bettie Page remains an icon of glamour and sexuality — even today, as she turns 85.

Bettie began her pin-up career in 1950, posing for private camera clubs that were essentially legal erotica rings in an era when nude photography was heavily restricted. Her friendly smile and uninhibited poses made her a hit with both photographers and the readers of men’s magazines. When photographer Bunny Yeager shot Bettie in animal-print lingerie amid a variety of wild animals, she quickly became a softcore supermodel, and the “Jungle Bettie” series became some of her most iconic work, leading to her January 1955 Playboy centerfold.
But Playboy was wholesome compared to Bettie’s “Dark Angel” work with photographer Irving Klaw. Klaw specialized in fetishistic content for his mail-order erotica business, and Bettie’s bondage and sado-masochism photo shoots led to her appearance before a Senate hearing on juvenile delinquency.

Bettie retired from modeling in 1957 and fled the public eye. She found religion and worked as a missionary. Later, still in anonymity, Bettie battled mental illness, and struggled through a series of failed marriages.”(End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:(http://dir.yahoo.com/thespark/category/Pin-Ups

Unfortunately, Betty Page suffered a heart attack this past week and is in a coma. At this time, it is not known what her chances of survival are. I hope she makes it!

Inauguration Day: Because The Civil Liberties Americans Lost Under Bush May Finally Be Restored

Lest We Forget!

George Bush may seem sentimental about the time he has served in office. But most Americans are not reminiscing with him one bit!  They are  just super anxious for January 20 to get here. Now, some of you  are worried about the legality of Obama being sworn in almost to the point of paranoia. Do I detect yet another conspiracy theory? I got a lot of comments about my post about his citizenship. One person commented on the type of document it was. Someone else sent me  “the most coherent & unbiased” posting that he claims he ever read,even though it came from a blog that had “redneck” in it’s title. Yeah, that sounds really unbiased to me. And of course I was accused of being short sighted because I said he will take office. Another person wrote that I didn’t care about the Constitution if I wasn’t upset about Obama becoming our next president.

Since I guess all of these people have unrefuted evidence that he is not a U.S. citizen, I won’t lambaste them! Although, most of them identified themselves as Republicans. Yeah, we all know who they think the “real Americans” are. And not one of them said a peep about the part of my posting that talked about George Bush. I really want to hear from anyone out there who cares about this country. And I mean a true patriot. Because,man, George Bush has destroyed our civil liberties with his Patriot Act.

 Now, there is evidence that the N.S.A. illegally wiretapped a Muslim scholar. And if you write me a comment about Obama, don’t forget to tell me why you don’t care about the civil liberties that Bush so callously disregarded. I’d love to hear that from those who are fretting over Obama’s citizenship. Here’s more from The NY Times:

“A Congressional oversight panel plans to ask the National Security Agency to start an investigation into new evidence that the agency illegally wiretapped a Muslim scholar in Northern Virginia and concealed the eavesdropping during a 2005 trial in which the scholar was convicted on terrorism charges.

Representative Rush Holt, a New Jersey Democrat and chairman of the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel, said in an interview that he planned to ask the inspector general of the N.S.A. to open what would be the first formal investigation by the agency into whether its eavesdropping program had improperly interfered with an American’s right to a fair trial.

Mr. Holt said he was responding to new evidence presented to him and other Congressional leaders by the Muslim scholar’s lawyer indicating that the Bush administration tried to hide the full extent of the government’s illegal spying in the criminal case.” (End of first excerpt)

Here’s more on the government’s involvement:

“In a recently unsealed transcript of an October closed-court hearing in the case, the judge stated that she believed that the government appeared to have committed violations of federal rules governing evidence and discovery. She also ordered the government to search for further evidence of its use of secret surveillance operations against Mr. Timimi.”(End of Excerpt) Read the article in it’s entirety:(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/washington/08nsa.html?_r=1&hp

That’s not enough for you. Well, here’s more from Washington Independent.com:

“US President George W. Bush is proposing a new law which allows local and state police to spy on American citizens with no evidence.

The law proposed by the Department of Justice would permit local and state cops to gather intelligence on police suspicion, not evidence, keep it secret for up to 10 years, and share it with the federal government.

The draft has mounted fears among American activists as it gives the US police the go-ahead to stake out antiwar groups or people who the cops might deem as threats.

The police will be free to use public records, the Internet, undercover surveillance and other techniques to spy on threat groups and listen in on Americans’ communications, even when no crime has been committed and the likelihood of a crime is low.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.presstv.ir/Detail.aspx?id=66956&sectionid=3510203

I guess these people who are so upset about Obama were oblivious to everything else that’s been going on for the past 8 years. They think America’s in trouble now because the incoming president is a suspicious character. We’re back to trying to figure out who Obama is when we should be doing something about who George Bush was. George Bush stepped all over the Constitution that some of you are screaming about. He lied to the American public every chance he got & had the whole world thinking that we were a country of buffoons & idiots. The outrage that I’m seeing expressed towards Obama is really misplaced. You should be seething with rage as an American about all that George Bush has yet to answer for! War crimes, police state, economy etc…

The Laid-Off Workers in Chicago Who Are Involved In That 4 day Sit-In Are Showing Solidarity!

I wonder where George Bush is on this issue. For that matter, he seem’s to be missing in action an awful lot lately! Whether you like Obama’s economic policies or not, at least he voiced his support for the plight of the common workers. I agree with these workers because when I was laid-off we were given a 60-day notice. But, the company knew it was in trouble beforehand & had lied to everyone,including the local newspaper,about the business closing. The company I worked for shut their doors three days before Christmas in 2006. That was one of the most depressing holiday seasons that I have ever had! So, I understand just how angry these guys are because they were only given 3 days notice. But what’s really apalling to me is that Bank of America is the reason why the company folded & B.O.A. claims that they have nothing to do with it! All they did was cut the company’s line of credit. What is Bank of America doing with it’s bailout money? Why don’t they live up to their name & help the American worker? After all, these workers are the taxpayers who are financing the bailout that Bank of America has received! Here’s more from Yahoo:

“Gov. Rod Blagojevich ordered all state agencies Monday to stop doing business with Bank of America to try to pressure the bank into helping laid-off workers staging a sit-in at their shuttered factory.

The governor wants the North Carolina-based bank to use some of its federal bailout money to resolve the protest by about 200 workers at Republic Windows and Doors.

The sit-in began Friday and has fast become a symbol of the sour economy’s impact on labor. The workers have promised to remain inside the plant in shifts until they get assurances they will receive severance and vacation pay.

“We hope that this kind of leverage and pressure will encourage Bank of America to do the right thing for this business,” Blagojevich said from outside the plant. “Take some of that federal tax money that they’ve received and invest it by providing the necessary credit to this company so these workers can keep their jobs.”

Republic has not made a move to evict the workers since they began the sit-in Friday, the day they lost their jobs with just a few days’ notice.

Their plight has drawn support from President-elect Barack Obama, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and others.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081208/ap_on_re_us/workers_takeover

 

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U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald On The Arrest Of Gov. Blagojevich:”This conduct would make Abraham Lincoln roll over in his grave.”

He Just Wants To Get Paid!

  Now if I had any doubts or concerns about Obama,I have to admit that the arrest of Illinois Gov.Blagojevich would increase them! The birth certificate issue is much ado about nothing in my opinion! But, this business about Blagojevich looking to sell Obama’s Senate seat raises a whole lot of questions. Even if you like & admire Barack Obama as much I do, it makes you wonder… This is one for the Obama conspiracy theorists to feast on! Although, U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said Obama had nothing whatsoever to do with this case! But,Obama is a Chicago politician,after all. Remember, John McCain said that during one of his speeches?

I saw one comment on the internet concerning this scandal that really piqued my interest! This person said that we are replacing an ignorant president with a corrupt one! Does this individual really believe that George Bush isn’t corrupt? Some Bush conspiracy theorists believe the whole war in Iraq was behind his greed for oil.

You see, most politicians are dishonest & corrupt. But if the allegations about Gov. Blagojevich are true, he takes the cake! He is a true believer in capitalism because he was trying to capitalize off Obama. Except he wasn’t selling Obama t-shirts or any other gear. The goods that Gov. Blagojevich was trying to auction off were Obama’s senate seat! It’s being called a pay-to-play scheme & he has been under investigation for 3 years for corruption. Apparently, Blagojevich knew that he was being wiretapped & he is alleged to have tried to sell the senate seat,anyway! W.T.F,dude!!!!! I’m sure that Abraham Lincoln would be turning over in his grave! Illinois is now gaining the reputation as being the most politically corrupt state in the union!

This isn’t the first time that Chicagoans have had a crooked governor. Check out this interesting tidbit from a Republican perspective. It’s from a site that reports on what they perceive as media bias.Here’s more from NewsBusters:

“As folks in Illinois were waking up or just getting to work, news hit like an avalanche that Governor Rod Blagojevich had been taken into custody by federal authorities this morning. The news was flying hot and heavy, and still is, over what the feds are alleging that Blago (as we call him in Chicago) did. There are reports of wiretaps, solicitations for bribes, mail and wire fraud… the list is long and shocking.

But one thing seems to be missing from many of these news reports. You guessed it, the fact that Blago is a Democrat seems to have slipped under the radar. But also his connections to Obama and his associates has continually gone unnoticed.”

And on Chicago politics,the blogger states:
“There is an intricate and deep web of corruption that surrounds Illinois politics. We already have our last Governor, George Ryan (Republican), in jail at this time. He was jailed for bribery and for selling Illinois drivers licenses for campaign cash. From this illegal action, many truck drivers got licenses they did not qualify for. Ryan and Blago are part of what many Chicagoans call “the Combine.” The Combine is the close and corrupt intermingling of both major parties. In Illinois is is widely considered true that the state’s Democrats and Republicans are absolutely indistinguishable. Both fill each other’s pockets with the public’s cash on a regular basis. But, because of the corruption of Chicago, the Democrats have institutionalized it to the enth degree.

Now the rest of the nation is getting a small taste of Illinois politics. It’s business as usual, sadly.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2008/12/09/ill-gov-taken-custody-feds-media-never-did-connect-him-obama

Although it is a stretch to claim that Obama is somehow involved in this sordid scheme,folks who were suspicious of him sure as hell won’t be reassured by this! Most of Obama’s skeletons have been in other people’s closets. He has always been guilty by association in the minds of his detractors. The author of the excerpt that I posted definitely feels that Obama has been implicated in this scandal.And so the conspiracy theories begin. Check this out from TPM Election Central:

“The GOP is wasting no time trying to tie Obama to the news of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest on charges of conspiring to sell Obama’s Senate seat.

The Republican National Committee blasted out an email highlighting Obama’s ties to the Governor, noting that Obama advised Blagojevich on his gubernatorial run and highlighting an August 2006 quote from Obama:

“We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/12/post_8.php

See what I mean, folks? But, I think that the statement, ” In Illinois it is widely considered true that the state’s Democrats and Republicans are absolutely indistinguishable”, applies to just more than Illinois.Maybe they should just be called Republicrats or Demopublicans! If you don’t know what that is, here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia:
“Republicrat or Demopublican (also Republocrat[1] or Demoblican[2])* is a portmanteau of the names of the two major political parties in the United States (the Republicans and the Democrats) to form a pejorative term used by those on both the right and left who allege the policies of the two parties are in practice indistinguishable, and so form essentially one party with two names. One of the earliest uses of the term online was a net.politics.theory usenet post from 1985.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicrat

 

 

 

 

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Remember When Former Senator Larry Craig Called Bill Clinton A Nasty,Bad,Naughty Boy?! It Sounds Perverse Now That We Know What We Do About Him!

Hey,Senator Larry Craig! You already plead guilty to soliciting sex in a men’s bathroom & paid your fine. Why,for heaven’s sake, are you insisting that you aren’t gay? If I were you, I would have just went on with my life. But, some folks like to conduct their lives under false pretenses.Here’s more on the appeal that Larry Craig lost from The Boston Globe:
“Craig still has the option of appealing to the Minnesota Supreme Court, and he said yesterday that he was considering future options.

Craig was arrested June 11, 2007, by an undercover police officer who was conducting a sting operation against men cruising for gay sex at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

He quietly pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor and paid a fine, but changed his mind after word of his arrest became public that August. Craig insisted he was innocent and said he was not gay. His attorney argued that the police officer misconstrued Craig’s foot-tapping, hand movements, and other conduct.

The case brought widespread ridicule and effectively ended his political career. Craig lost several GOP leadership positions in the wake of the scandal, and the Senate Ethics Committee said in February that Craig had brought discredit to the Senate.”(End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/12/10/craig_loses_appeal_on_airport_sex_sting/

In light of all that we know now about the former senator, doesn’t it sound like he’s talking dirty in this video? It almost sounds like he had a thing for Bill Clinton back in the 90’s. Who is the nasty,bad,naughty boy now, Mr. Larry Craig? I cringe whenever I have to urinate in a public toilet! Trolling around in public bathrooms looking for sex is about as freaky as it gets.It doesn’t matter if you’re straight or gay!

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The Man In San Diego Who Does Not Blame The Pilot In The F-18 Crash That Wiped Out His Family!

Dong Yun Yoon lost his whole family in a F-18 crash where the pilot survived. There are many out there who wouldn’t even be able to get over their grief long enough to address the public. Let alone forgive the pilot who was at the helm of the fighter jet that obliterated your wife, mother-in-law, & two children. He is a fine example of a good,forgiving Christian. Dong Yun Yoon’s gracious statement had me getting teary-eyed. Here’s more from CBS News:

“His wife, two children and mother-in-law were dead – killed by a fighter jet that lost power and by chance crashed through their home and burst into flames.

One day after losing his family, Yoon held a news conference asking guidance from people who have suffered “more terrible things.”

“Please tell me how to do it,” Yoon told reporters Tuesday, trying to contain his emotions with his pastor, brother and sister at his side. “I don’t know what to do.”
Yoon, sobbing into a tissue at the foot of his destroyed home, also asked the public to pray for the jet’s Marine pilot, who ejected safely from the F/A-18D Hornet after his training mission went awry Monday.

“I don’t have any hard feelings,” Yoon told reporters, speaking haltingly. “I know he did everything he could.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/09/national/main4656983.shtml

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Knowing That Reality Tv Is Often Just Fantasy! Look At The Real Housewives Of Atlanta For Example!

Ne-Ne from “The Real Housewives Of Atlanta” was everyone’s favorite, loud-mouthed diva on this “reality” show. She spent a lot of time talking about how fabulous she was & how much she loved diamonds. This is to be expected because that’s what this show is about. These women represent the uppercrust of society. But, evidently, there was an imposter this season & Fox News has done a whole segment on her. All that posturing that Ne-Ne was doing for the cameras was all just an act. When her friend Kim called her “a low-budget bitch“, that seemed to really get under her skin something terrible! With all the financial troubles she has, now we know why!

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Some Americans Are Outraged By George Bush’s Attempt To Rewrite History!

George Bush is attempting to dictate his legacy before he leaves office. He wants to be remembered for all of the things that he didn’t really do. Does he really think that America will have fond memories of a man who bucked the Geneva convention & conducted his administration like a dictatorship?If so, he’s more delusional than I thought!

 In this video,Keith Olbermann does a superb job in detailing how he has failed the American people.Has terror decreased since we waged this war on terrorism? Apparently, support for the Taliban has increased. Here’s more from The Huffington Post:

“The increase In Taliban popularity, argues ICOS, is in part because NATO are the “failed occupying force” and the Taliban are the dominant opponent. The suffering of the Afghan people makes them wary of the true intentions of the international community and powerless against the Taliban’s proselytizing or coercion.

“Afghans support those who can provide security from physical harm, and many have no choice but to support the Taliban when they come to their district. We have heard stories of families who have one son in the Taliban and one son in the Afghan army – hedging their bets,” she says. “Our research has also shown many people join the Taliban as they are paid to fight – and unemployment levels are extremely high amongst young men – especially in the South. Until food, water and basic medicines are made available to the country’s population; the people of Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to Taliban recruitment and Taliban propaganda against the West.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/virginia-moncrieff/taliban-support-increasin_b_150115.html

And I find it interesting that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is being heralded as the “new Elliot Ness“. It’s great that he’s intent on rooting out the corruption in politics. So, I’m waiting for him to announce that he has George Bush under his radar.Because he is one of the biggest moral & political corrupters in U.S. history! Check this out from AfterDowningStreet.org:

“If we allow future presidents, vice presidents, and top officials to believe there is no penalty for war crimes, we will be making war crimes far more likely. We will be handing human beings absolute power and hoping it doesn’t corrupt them.

A grass roots effort is needed, in collaboration with attorney allies. We need to do outreach to prosecutors and to elect better prosecutors at the state and district levels, to do outreach to gold star families, to lobby Congress for a special prosecutor, to lobby the U.S. attorney general for a special prosecutor, to educate the public, to organize and filing mandamus petitions, civil suits, and other law suits that peace groups and individuals can file, to work with allies abroad to use foreign and international mechanisms for justice, to pass resolutions like Brattleboro’s and Berkeley’s, and to advocate against abuse of the pardon power.

President Elect Obama’s official website is Change.gov, not to be confused with Change.org. At Change.gov, Obama is asking you to ask him questions about policies that are important to you. This new feature can be found here.

We would like to encourage you to vote in support of a particular question that has already been asked, so that it rises to the top of the list and stays there, this question:

“Will you appoint a Special Prosecutor – ideally Patrick Fitzgerald – to independently investigate the gravest crimes of the Bush Administration, including torture and warrantless wiretapping?”
Bob Fertik, New York City”(End of Excerpt) Go here to find out more about this:http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=taxonomy/term/15

Why are we focusing no attention on one of the most corrupt politicians of our time?It is confounding to me! Ask Obama to hold George Bush accountable for the crimes he has committed. We must not allow Bush & his cronies to go quietly into the night.

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George Bush Issuing A Statement Saying Robert Mugabe Had To Go!

Have you heard about the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe? I’m sure you’ve seen the heartwrenching photos & coverage on CNN. It’s unbelievable that most  Zimbabweans are living in such squalor in what is supposed to be a democratic society! And while his fellow countrymen are dying because of impoverishment, Robert Mugabe lives a life of regality! This video shows the beautiful palace that he resides in. How did he go from a freedom fighter to someone who won’t even lift a finger to provide assistance to those who are engulfed in this crisis? Has all sense of humanity left President Mugabe? I agree with George Bush’s statement. Robert Mugabe must go! He is now claiming that there is no cholera in Zimbabwe. Here’s more from Sky News:

“In a televised speech to the nation, the president said that cholera no longer existed in the country.

“I am happy to say our doctors have been assisted by others and WHO (the World Health Organisation)… so now that there is no cholera,” he said.

Mugabe also hit back at calls from Gordon Brown and George Bush for him to step down.

“Because of cholera, Mr Brown wants a military intervention,” he said.

“Bush wants military intervention because of cholera.”

“There is no cause for war any more,” Mugabe continued.

“The cholera cause doesn’t exist any more.”

Despite Mugabe’s claims, the number of people killed by the disease has risen to 783, with more than 16,000 suspected cases reported so far, the UN said.

The WHO has warned that the disease could affect up to 60,000 people in the coming weeks.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:
(http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Zimbabwe-Cholera-Robert-Mugabe-Says-Disease-Does-Not-Exist-South-Africa-Declares-Disaster/Article/200812215176778?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15176778_Zimbabwe_Cholera%3A_Robert_Mugabe_Says_Disease_Does_Not_Exist%2C_South_Africa_Declares_Disaster

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Update On Previous Bettie Page Post: The “Embodiment Of Beauty” Has Passed Away!

The raven-haired beauty who cause quite an uproar in the 1950’s has passed away! Bettie Page died yesterday. I did an earlier post on this remarkable pin-up sensation who continues to influence women to this day. She really represented corporeal feminism. Here’s more from BBC News:

“Her provocative poses – often in bikinis – made her a cult figure and she was one of the first models to appear in Playboy magazine.

She “captured the imagination of a generation with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality“, her agent said.

Bettie Page was credited with helping to pave the way for the sexual revolution of the 1960s.

The secretary-turned-model was admitted to hospital last month, suffering from pneumonia. She had a heart attack last week and never regained consciousness.”(End of Excerpt) To read the rest,go here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7778963.stm

Bernard Madoff Confessing To Running “A Giant Ponzi Scheme” & Deciding It Had To End Now!

More greed on Wall Street has been exposed. This time there will be far-reaching negative consequences for the wealthy investors who were swept up in  Bernard Madoff’s continuous $50 billion dollar con. This avaricious man has confessed to his two sons that he was running “a giant Ponzi scheme”. The losses for investors are staggering & has many rich folks in a state of panic because some of them invested a huge chunk of money with him. CNBC is talking about some of the hedge funds that are affected. And what about the SEC? There has been suspicions about Madoff Securites for almost a decade! Why didn’t they protect the investors as they should have?!! Here’s more from ClusterStock :

“The Wall Street Journal describes the world wide impact of Madoff’s alleged fraud:

Christopher Miller, chief executive of London hedge fund ratings agency Allenbridge Hedgeinfo, said: “Some very big investor names are involved in this. The scheme could only work if enough investors were subscribing for him to pay money out. Some of the world’s biggest hedge funds have been hit by this. There will be a monumental impact for the hedge fund industry, it could be larger then Enron.

“Some investors in Madoff’s funds face 100% write-downs on the money they invested, they will suddenly be nursing full write-downs in December. When people realize the magnitude of this it will be fizzing around the stratosphere.”

One asset manager based in Switzerland, home to many high-net-worth individuals who invest in funds of hedge funds, said: “Everyone’s talking about this in Geneva. Several wealthy investors could be facing big losses.”(End of Excerpt) To read more about this story go to:(http://clusterstock.alleyinsider.com/2008/12/bernie-madoff-hosed-client-list

And Madoff’s lawyer, Dan Horowitz, claims that Madoff is “a person of integrity.” Sir, I beg to differ! He is a duplicitous individual who admitted to committing one of the largest frauds in history! How does he represent integrity?

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We Allow All Types Of Dating Sites Here, Unlike Iran!

Did you hear about the controversial,racy AshleyMadison.com ads that ran on ESPN? This video contains a report about that incident.And that was the only time I’ve heard much of an uproar about the adultery-promoting  site.  But, it’s certainly not out of business! If you even attempt to look at any porn on the internet, a thousand more of these websites pop up advertising sex with married women, singles, etc…

But in Iran, a dating site got banned for “promoting prostitution. Here’s more from Telegraph Uk :

“A popular Iranian internet dating website that has been visited by millions of people has been banned for “promoting prostitution”, on the advice of leading Islamic clerics.

Hamsarchat.com, which promises to help users find husbands and wives, was fined and ordered to pay back money collected from clients, the Guardian reports.

The move came after a judge consulted senior ayatollahs – known as “sources of emulation” – following a complaint from Teheran’s public prosecutor.

The site marketed itself as “Iran’s most complete spouse-finding website” an promised to link members with “the closest person or persons to your standards” in return for a 25,000 rial (£1.66) fee, the paper said.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/3704994/Iranian-dating-site-banned-for-promoting-prostitution.html

 

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PETA Has A Way For You To Help Animals Even After You Die!

Get a PETA coffin with one of their slogans & you will be helping animals even after they put you in the ground! And the coffins actually look quite lovely, too. Follow the link to view the coffins. Here’s an excerpt from SF Gate:

“A New Mexico company is building all-wood human coffins in a partnership with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They bear painted slogans, such as “Lifetime PETA Member” or “I saved 500 animals.”

Another serves up a last laugh that plays on a long-running PETA advertisement: “Told You I Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead in Fur!”

The coffins, which went on sale last week, are priced from $620 to $670, which includes a $75 PETA contribution. Made of wood, they are designed to be Earth-friendly, with no screws, nails, hinges or animal-based glues.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/11/national/a013601S36.DTL

Knife Crimes In Glasgow Are So Out Of Control They Are Looking To America For A Solution!

In this video, you will get to see firsthand these knife-wielding young boys attack each other. Secret police video shows the utter chaos when a melee breaks out in downtown Glasgow. Gangs in Scotland have been around for decades. The brazenness of these violent mobs are nothing new there. But, the method that will be employed to combat gang violence is. A police technique that was successful in reducing violence in Boston will be used as a model for a similar program in Glasgow.How did it work in Boston? Well,basically the offenders were trailed, nailed, & then jailed,according to one officer.  The Boston police dogged the suspect’s every step. But, the problem came back in Boston.(see more on that below). Hopefully, it will work in Glasgow. Here’s an excerpt from The Daily Record:

“GANG members in Glasgow’s east end are turning away from violence thanks to a hard-hitting US-style project.

Police said the £5million scheme, which uses social networking sites as a starting point, offers hope to kids as young as 10 in one of the most deprived areas of the city.

But Andy McKay, who heads the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence, vowed to crack down on those who abuse the opportunity. The detective chief inspector said: “We want to help these young men turn their lives around. We want them educated, working and most of all, safe.

“If they choose to continue with the gang lifestyle, we can and we will pursue them.”

Police believe the east end of Glasgow has more than 50 gangs and as many as 700 gang members, aged 10 to 26.

The scheme, launched in Garthamlock yesterday, was adapted from Boston’s Operation Ceasefire. It worked by treating gangs as a unit and helped to dramatically reduce the number of killings in the city in the 1990s.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/12/13/new-5m-scheme-to-tackle-scourge-of-glasgow-s-gang-culture-86908-20966953/

Here’s more on the problems with Operation Ceasefire from The Boston Globe:

“Surprisingly, the Boston Police Department and the TenPoint Coalition were ill-prepared to deal with a new cycle of gang violence,” the paper states. “In contrast to the 1990s, both suffered from highly dysfunctional relationships within their respective organizations and a lack of strategic focus on disrupting conflicts among high-risk youth.”

The study delves into the causes behind the stunning disintegration of an urban success story that was known across the country as the Boston Miracle.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Boston suffered huge spikes in the number of homicides, especially among people 24 years and younger. In 1990, 73 people in that age group were slain in the city, according to the study.

In 1996, police started Operation Ceasefire, which focused on identifying members of gangs, offering them ways out, and threatening them with federal sentences in prisons far away from their families if they continued to be violent. Clergy from the Boston TenPoint Coalition helped by offering services to gang members, such as job and education opportunities, to steer them from trouble.

By 1999, the number of homicides had plummeted to 31 – from a record of 152 in 1990 – and the city received national praise for the decrease. By 2000, Operation Ceasefire had begun to fade away as key police officials were transferred to other units and as the department began to focus on other problems, such as the large number of ex-convicts returning to the city, according to the report.

“The city generally thought they had solved the youth violence problem,” said Christopher Winship, one of the study’s three authors and a professor of sociology at Harvard. “But you need to contain it before you ever solve it. It’s not like a disease that you get cured of.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/30/report_describes_missteps_on_gangs/

 

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How Calm Bush Was When A Iraqi Man Threw A Shoe At Him!

Is George Bush on some kind of sedative or something? I remember how he seemed to be on the verge of letting out a barrage of expletives whenever he was asked prodding questions in interviews or press conferences.Now,when a shoe almost hits him square in the face, he simply ducks & jokes that the shoe was a size 10! An Iraqi journalist hurled two shoes at George Bush to show him the intensity of the hatred that he harbors towards him. He ducked those shoes like a pro & kept calm!

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Parents Are Found Liable For 18-Yr. Old Son’s Crime & Must Pay 60,000!

I have heard so many parents tell their children that they can’t wait until they turn 18 whenever they do something bad. Well, what if your son turns 18 & rapes a 7-year old girl? Some parents would disown him & let them handle the situation by themselves. For those parents who think that 18 is the magic number, you better be glad that you don’t live in South Korea! Here in America, parents do get fined for their teenager’s screwups. But, it’s not as huge as $60,000 buckaroos! Here’s more from BBC News:

“ South Korean court has fined the parents of a teenage rapist more than $60,000 (£40,000) for failing to supervise their son.

The 18-year-old, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, raped a local seven-year-old girl in 2006.

The court said the boy had grown up watching pornography and had imitated a film he had seen, during the attack.

It said his parents could have prevented the crime with appropriate education, but neglected their duty.

The teenager is serving a 10-year sentence for the rape, but a court in Seoul ruled that his parents were also liable for his crime.

A court statement said: “The parents could have prevented the crime with appropriate education but failed to show enough attention to their child.

“They neglected their duty to raise their child so that he can properly adjust to society.”

The girl’s parents were seeking 225m won ($165,000; £111,000) in damages. “(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7782245.stm

Here’s a breakdown of parental liability from the San Diego Police Dept.:

“In addition to the liabilities mentioned above, parents or guardians are legally liable in various ways for the acts of their children.  These are additional reasons for parents to deal with their child’s behavior before it results in criminal acts. 

• Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.  Parents or legal guardians who fail in their legal duty to exercise reasonable care, supervision, protection, and control over their minor children can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor punishable by one year in jail and/or a  $2,500 fine per count.  In October 1995 the City Attorney started a new Parenting Project to help correct this situation.  It gives parents of first-time juvenile offenders a choice — participate in a parenting education program or face criminal prosecution.
• Liability for Restitution, Fines, and Penalties.  Starting on January 1, 1996 the California Welfare and Institutions Code will allow judges to order parents or guardians to pay up to $25,000 to cover losses suffered by the victims of crimes committed by their minor children, and other fines and penalties that may be assessed against the minor.  Furthermore, the future earning power of the parent, guardian, and minor can be considered in setting these liabilities.
• Liability for Civil Damages.  Under the California Civil Code parents or guardians are liable for civil damages of up to $25,000 for any act of willful misconduct of a minor in their custody and control that results in injury or death to another person or in any injury to the property of another.
• Civil Liability for Injury Caused by Firearms.  The California Civil Code makes parents or guardians liable for injuries caused by the discharge of a firearm by a minor in their custody and control, where the minor was permitted to have the firearm or the firearm was left in a place accessible to the minor.  Damages are limited to $30,000 for injury to or death of one person, or $60,000 for all persons in a single occurrence. ”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: http://www.sandiego.gov/police/prevention/exercisingauthority.shtml#parental  

December 15,1791 Is The Day The U.S Adopted The Bill Of Rights!But, What Would The U.S. Be Like Without The Bill Of Rights?

Dec. 15 is a day to celebrate because that’s when a newly formed United States of America adopted The Bill of Rights back in 1791. You know, the one that George Bush has tried to tweak to fit his own agenda. These are the rights afforded to you as a citizen of the United States. Here’s more on this important day in history from America’s Library.gov:

“Do you know your Bill of Rights? It is the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, confirming the fundamental rights of American citizens. The new United States of America adopted them on December 15, 1791. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and the press, the rights of peaceful assembly and petition. Do you know what the others do?
George Mason, the “Father of the Bill of Rights,” carefully wrote out these amendments to ensure individual liberties. He was a lifelong champion of the rights and freedoms of people.”(End of 1st Excerpt)

“There was one issue, however, that the Constitutional Convention did not resolve to Mason’s liking. The founding fathers compromised, permitting the continuation of the slave trade through 1808. Mason wanted to stop the importation of slaves. Because of the inability of the founding fathers to resolve the slavery issue, among other problems, Americans struggled through a bloody Civil War. Yet, it would take another hundred years to remove a web of state and local laws that prevented African Americans from a fuller exercise of freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s helped raise the awareness of Americans to the injustice of segregation and discrimination.”(End of 2nd Excerpt)
Learn more about The Bill of Rights by clicking on the link:(http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/nation/bofright_2

Now, what if The Bill of Rights was discarded by the government?How would we handle losing all of the personal freedom that we enjoy in America? Although some would argue that has already started to take place under the Bush admin., I have included a clip from a Discovery Education program that is a depiction of an America with no Bill of Rights. It is a dramatic portrayal of a family who has been out of the country for 7 years & upon their return they learn that The Bill Of Rights has been suspended. It’s a frightening look at what could become our reality.

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Both Madonna & Her Ass-ets Have Taken A Fall!!

Madonna & her ass-ets(get it?) have taken a fall! While on her Sticky & Sweet tour, she fell plum on her ass! She was on stage, so she tried to make it look like it was a part of her act. But, not only did she physically take a tumble, her finances took a bit of a plunge as well. Check out the amount she reportedly paid Guy Ritchie,according to NME.COM:

” Madonna and  Guy Ritchie have reached a divorce settlement, it was announced today (December 15).

The pop star has settled with her director ex-husband for at least $76 million (50 million pounds), according to her spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg.

The massive sum includes the value of their English country home. Ritchie will reportedly hold on to their west London pub, the Punchbowl.

The settlement is nearly twice the value of the one reached by former Beatle Paul McCartney and his ex-wife Heather Mills earlier this year.

“I’d assume it’s one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement,” Rosenberg told the Associated Press.

The couple’s combined assets were reportedly valued at $525 million, the majority of which belonged to Madonna.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest of this entry here:
(http://www.nme.com/news/madonna/41661

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John Walsh,Host of “America’s Most Wanted”,Finally Gets What He Most Wanted! The Identity Of His Son’s Killer Was Confirmed!

I remember that MSBNC did a special on whether or not Jeffrey Dahmer killed Adam Walsh. All of the speculation can now come to a halt because the killer of John Walsh’s son has been identified. This 27-yr. old cold case is closed at last.And I’m sure the host of “America’s Most Wanted” is happy to have finally received closure for his family. After helping to find justice for countless victims, he can rest assured that his son’s killer died in prison.It’s just too bad that so much time has lapsed before the case was resolved. Even though the killer has passed on, I’m hoping that he now resides in the infernos of Hell. Here’s more from ABC News:

“The six-year-old son of “America’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh went missing from a Hollywood, Fla., mall more than 27 years ago. His head was discovered two weeks later, though his body was never found.

Hollywood, Fla., police named Ottis Toole, a convicted killer long suspected of the Walsh murder, who died in prison in 1996, as the perpetrator.

“For 27 years we’ve been asking who could take a six-year-old boy and murder him and decapitate him? Who? We needed to know,” said John Walsh, as tears streamed down his face. “And today we know. The not knowing has been a torture but that journey is over.”

Hollywood Police Chief Chad Wagner apologized to the Walshes for mistakes that he said were made early on in the investigation, before he became police chief, saying there was enough evidence against Toole to charge him before his death.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:
(http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6471791&page=1

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It’s Snowing In Las Vegas!

I found this great video that shows palm trees covered in snow in Las Vegas. Wow, what a sight! You gotta really love Las Vegas if it starts to become less humid & hot over time. Too bad that all of these climate changes are signs of global warming. I mean, it is absolutely freezing in Northern California & it even snowed in San Jose! What the heck is going on with those who deny these obvious shifts in weather patterns? I don’t remember it ever being this cold out here. If it was, I must have been really little or not born yet. But whatever is going on, it sure is a beautiful thing to have a winter wonderland in Las Vegas that may last until Christmas. Wouldn’t that be lovely?

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We Don’t Have A Monarchy As Our Form Of Government! That’s Why Some Folks Aren’t Happy About Caroline Kennedy’s Bid For The Clinton’s Senate Seat

Here’s One Of Many Books On This Subject!

There’s no bowing down to the queen in this country, although Americans  do just that when they meet her royal majesty. And some of us even move to London & talk with an accent that is an amalgam of both America & England. Britney Spears did it when she going through her spaced out stage & Madonna became a fake Brit as well. You see, some of us are secretly enamored with the crowned heads. We still admire royalty,even though we liberated ourselves from British rule long ago.That’s why we love the Kennedy’s ,the Vanderbilts, & elected George Bush & his son as the president of the United States. These families represent the American version of a royal family. Here’s an excerpt from a article about American Dynasties that was written when George Bush was reelected:

“Today President George W. Bush, 43, is sworn in for to second term in as President. The President’s father, George H. W. Bush, is himself was a former president. The President’s brother, Jeb Bush, is the current the Governor of Florida. The President’s grandfather, Prescott Bush, was a U.S. Senator from Connecticut. The Bush family is an American political Dynasty. The dynasties of ancient China lasted at most three hundred years. The United States is only a little over two hundred years and the Bush dynasty has had an influence in the political arena all the way back to about a hundred years. It is also speculated that the current President will not be the last Bush to hold the office of the President of the United States.

But the Bush Dynasty was not the first in American politics. I would say that the first political dynasty was that of the Adams. John Adams was the first vice president and the second president. John Adams was a cousin of Samuel Adams. Samuel Adams is perhaps more famous today for the beer that bears his name but he was also a famous American revolutionary. John Adams’ son, John Quincy Adams, was the sixth President. The Adams’ was the first family to produce both a father and a son that would both hold the office of president. Charles Francis Adams was the son of John Quincy Adams and also a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.

The Kennedy family only produced one president but the Kennedy family has nonetheless had an influence in American politics by providing several senators, representatives, and ambassadors. The Kennedy family enters into politics with Patrick J. Kennedy as a Boston democrat. Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr., the son of Patrick J. Kennedy, served as ambassador to the United Kingdom. John F. Kennedy, son of Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr., became president of the United States. Robert F. Kennedy, brother to John F. Kennedy, was a Senator from New York and a candidate for the Democratic nomination before he was assassinated. Currently there are two Kennedy family members in public office. Edward M. Kennedy, brother to John F. Kennedy, is a senator from Massachusetts. The son of Edward Kennedy, Patrick Joseph Kennedy, is currently a representative from Rhode Island. Also in the Kennedy family, Maria Shriver, granddaughter of Joseph Patrick Kennedy is married to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the current Governor of California.

There have been many other families whom had had great influence in American politics. For example, the Rockefellers which has produced a multiple of senators and governors as well as dynastic fortunes.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.epilef.com/05/dynasties.html

 That’s why some of Caroline Kennedy’s contenders for the Senate seat have gotten a little miffed about her bid. Folks like Fran Drescher are pondering just what it is that makes her qualified to be a senator besides her family name. But, the fact that her family has been so immersed in American politics makes me think that she would be better suited for the job than Fran Drescher. Check out what Politico. com had to say about dynasty politics:

“Barack Obama’s path to the presidency included beating what had been one of the nation’s most powerful families. But, in an unusual twist, his election last month is helping accelerate the trend toward dynasty politics.

His secretary of state will be Hillary Clinton, the wife of the former president. The Senate seat she’ll vacate is being pursued by Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of a president and the niece of two senators. Joe Biden’s Senate seat may go to his son Beau. Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, Obama’s pick for interior secretary, could end up being replaced by his brother, Rep. John Salazar. 

And Obama’s own seat could go to the son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. – less likely now in light of developments in the Rod Blagojevich scandal – or to the daughter of Illinois’ current House speaker.

The U.S. Senate could end up looking like an American version of the House of Lords – and Republicans have begun to take notice.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest by following the link:(http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16664.html

Caylee Anthony Can Finally Rest In Peace & Her Mother Will Be Tried For Her Murder!

I can’t say whether Casey Anthony murdered her own daughter or not. What has been proven thus far is that she is a habitual liar & a sociopath! If she is the culprit, I hope they give her ass the death penalty! I mean, Casey could have given Caylee up for adoption if she didn’t want her. Look at how she was discovered! Caylee Anthony’s body was in a trash bag & discarded in the woods. The meter reader that found this  mysterious bag had actually tried to report it back in August. But the first time a deputy came to the scene to investigate this bag, a snake scared him away! The meter reader made two more calls to the police which were not heeded. It just all sounds bizarre because the cadaver dogs had already covered that area & were not drawn to this bag. So, when did this bag get placed here & who put it there?

But, I’m just glad that they have finally identified the remains of Caylee Anthony. Now, she can be given a proper memorial & burial. May this beautiful angel ascend to heaven & those who are responsible for her demise should be put to death!

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10 Years Ago Today, President Clinton Was Impeached For Committing Perjury! I Wish That A Decade From Now, We Can Say We Impeached President Bush!!

This Is What Comes To Mind During The Clinton Years! The Lewinsky Scandal!

 

Did you know that 10 years ago today President Bill Clinton was impeached behind the Lewinsky scandal?And that the repercussions from that impeachment can still be felt as the Obama administration takes shape. Here’s more on that from the International Herald Tribune:

“It came to John Podesta during a jog through Rock Creek Park over the Thanksgiving weekend. His boss was going to be impeached and there was no way around it. It took Rahm Emanuel a little longer to reach that conclusion. And it fell to Gregory Craig to pick up the pieces once it happened.

Ten years ago this week, Bill Clinton became the first elected U.S. president ever impeached by the House of Representatives, the culmination of a sex-and-lies scandal that consumed the United States and fractured its political system. Although he was eventually acquitted by the Senate, the scars run deep even as veterans of that showdown return to power under a new president promising to repair a breach that still divides Washington.

As key members of Clinton’s defense a decade ago, Podesta, his chief of staff; Emanuel, his senior adviser; and Craig, his special counsel, bring the lessons of that searing moment to the table as they now serve in President-elect Barack Obama’s inner circle.

They learned the imperatives of moving quickly, closing ranks, controlling information and never conceding an inch when the president faces a threat, strategies employed with varying degrees of effectiveness back then.

Those instincts took over again last week with the furor surrounding the alleged scheme by the governor of Illinois to sell Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat for personal advantage, perhaps a cabinet position or other favors from the incoming president. Podesta, now Obama’s transition co-chairman; Emanuel, the incoming White House chief of staff; and Craig, tapped to become White House counsel, knew the playbook.
Even though Obama had no known personal involvement, the Clinton veterans understood that was only part of the issue. They had Obama publicly declare he had never spoken with Governor Rod Blagojevich about the Senate appointment. They imposed a cone of silence on colleagues so they would not make a remark that could come back to haunt them. And they ordered an internal inquiry to document any contacts with the governor’s advisers.

Republicans were ready to pounce, rushing out statements linking Obama to Blagojevich within an hour or so after the governor’s arrest was reported. They, too, knew the script and that any opening must be exploited. Politics in this hyperpartisan age, after all, is the ultimate contact sport.

Except for brief interludes, Washington in the last decade has been governed by a climate of anger and animosity, a modern-day tribalism pitting faction against faction that some people trace to the days of the impeachment.

“It definitely poisoned the well on both sides,” said Representative Peter King of New York, one of the few Republicans to vote against impeachment. “Without getting into the merits of anything, there’s no doubt there were Democrats waiting from the day George Bush took office to even the score for Bill Clinton. And Republicans are the same today with Barack Obama and the Rod Blagojevich scandal.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/14/america/poison.php

In this video, Bill Moyers conducts an interview with Bruce Fein, a constitutional scholar who wrote the first article of impeachment against Clinton. Bruce Fein felt that Clinton should be impeached because, as the president, Clinton thought that he was “above the law“. Fein goes on to say that” Bush’s crimes are “more worrisome than Clinton’s because he has crippled checks & balances.” Bruce Fein goes on to lay out in more detail why Bush should be impeached.Basically, Bush tried to make his role as president into more of a dictatorship.It’s really boggles my mind that George Bush is even trying to dictate to the American public how we should record him in our collective memory.Too bad this isn’t “Men In Black“. Then, Bush can just use the little memory eraser that Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones used in that movie.Unfortunately, this is real life & no one will ever be able to forget these Bush years! It would take a miracle device like that for him to be remembered favorably! He should just thank his lucky stars that he won’t go down in history as an impeached president!

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We’ve Had All-Girl Bands Since The 1920’s! Now Pakistan Has It’s First All-Female Music Group!

Helen Lewis & Her All Girl Jazz Syncopators

Like most professions in Pakistan, music is a career that is mostly male-dominated. That is one reason why Pakistan’s first all-girl music group has created a bit of sensation. Although they may need a bit of fine tuning, the excitement they have created just by being an all-female band was enough to cause quite a buzz. Zeb & Haniya’s music has been well-received by many music critics so far. Here’s more about their group from BBC News:

“But the most startling fact about these girls, for Pakistanis and the world at large, is their origin.

Both Zeb and Haniya are ethnic Pashtuns, and their families hail from the town of Kohat in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province.

That region has, of late, become synonymous with the Taleban and al-Qaeda.

“We’ve never lived there, but we do keep going back for family functions and get-togethers,” Haniya explains.

How accurately the militants represent the cultural identity of the Pushtuns is one of the mostly hotly debated topics in the region.

Zeb and Haniya are a living and vivid example of how much more there is to the Pushtun sensibility than the images of gun-toting renegades.

But that is all by default – the girls say they are here to be recognised for the quality of their music, not their background.

So far they seem to have struck all the right chords as the praise keeps on coming from the media.

“It all started five years ago when we were in college in the US and starting writing songs,” Zeb explains.

The girls were then undergraduate students at Smith and Wesleyan college.

“I started experimenting with different instruments and sounds,” Haniya recalls.

“Zeb had been taking singing classes for a while and we got together to record some songs.”

That might have been that, Haniya says, if not for the decision to upload the songs on to the internet.

“When we got back to Pakistan, we found out that some of the local FM radio stations had actually been playing them.”

Since 2001, Pakistan has seen a boom in local radio channels which broadcast both local and international talent.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7786423.stm

While Zeb & Haniya were students here in the U.S., the American culture inspired them to start making music. In fact, the article states that ”their music blends western and eastern influences seamlessly.” I hope that Zeb & Haniya can inspire more Pakistani women to increase their prescence in music & other fields. Just like I’m sure Helen Lewis and Her All-Girl Jazz Syncopators  were an inspiration to other American female musicians.They were the first all-female music band that emerged during the roaring 20’s. Here’s an excerpt from  Wikipedia with more on them & other all-girl bands:

“In the Jazz Age of the 1920s, “all-girl” bands such as “Helen Lewis and Her All-Girl Jazz Syncopators” were briefly popular. (In 1925, Lee DeForest filmed Lewis and her band in his short-lived Phonofilm process, in a film now in the Maurice Zouary collection at the Library of Congress.^[4]) Blanche Calloway, sister of Cab Calloway, led a male band, Blanche Calloway and Her Joy Boys, from 1932 to 1939, and Ina Ray Hutton led an all-girl band, the Mellodears, from 1934 to 1939. Author and professor Sherrie Tucker published a book detailing the times and trials of All-Girl Swing bands of the 1940s, titled “Swing Shift”, in 2000. (Duke University Press)

Groups composed solely of women began to flourish with the advent of rock and roll. Among the earliest all-female rock bands to be signed to a record label were Goldie and the Gingerbreads, to Atlantic Records in 1964 and Fanny in 1969 when Mo Ostin signed them to Warner Bros. Records.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-female_band

We Know That $1.6 Billion Went To The Bailed-Out Bank Executives Instead Of Those That Really Need It!

Now we see why a lot of workers covet executive status. Look at all the perks you get whether you succeed or not! These banks that failed should have started their layoffs at the corporate level instead of firing lower level bank employees.The rich really do get rewarded in this society. At least in this case they did. Bank executives already make a huge salary. Why the hell did they receive the extra perks & bonuses that you get when the company is doing well? They laid off regular workers, like you & me, in order to continue pampering these overpaid executives. It’s reprehensible!These banks were on the verge of complete collapse until they were bailed out by the government. Are they really in a position to reward the very same executives who contributed to their failure? Here’s more from MSNBC:

“Banks that are getting taxpayer bailouts awarded their top executives nearly $1.6 billion in salaries, bonuses, and other benefits last year, an Associated Press analysis reveals.

The rewards came even at banks where poor results last year foretold the economic crisis that sent them to Washington for a government rescue. Some trimmed their executive compensation due to lagging bank performance, but still forked over multimillion-dollar executive pay packages.

Benefits included cash bonuses, stock options, personal use of company jets and chauffeurs, home security, country club memberships and professional money management, the AP review of federal securities documents found.

The total amount given to nearly 600 executives would cover bailout costs for many of the 116 banks that have so far accepted tax dollars to boost their bottom lines.

Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services committee and a long-standing critic of executive largesse, said the bonuses tallied by the AP review amount to a bribe “to get them to do the jobs for which they are well paid in the first place.

“Most of us sign on to do jobs and we do them best we can,” said Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat. “We’re told that some of the most highly paid people in executive positions are different. They need extra money to be motivated!”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28337800/

So, Lou Dobbs was wondering exactly how this bailout money was being spent by these banks in this video. He was wondering where $2 trillion taxpayer dollars have gone. Well, now we know where a small portion of it went. In the pockets of the rich executives who didn’t deserve to be rewarded for a hideously poor performance!

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The White House Is Responding To Negative Media Reports

The furor over the way that the New York Times has reported on the Bush adminstration has prompted the White House to respond fast & furiously! I guess all of the negative ratings & commentary about President George Bush has pushed more than a few buttons. And this article in Sunday’s NY Times has really gotten them pissed! Check out this excerpt from Politico.com:

“The White House on Sunday issued a blistering 500-word response to a scathing 5,000-word article on the front page of Sunday’s New York Times that says President Bush and his style and philosophy of governing played a direct role in the mortgage meltdown that’s crippling the nation’s economy.

The response accused the nation’s largest Sunday paper of “gross negligence.”

“The Times’ ‘reporting’ in this story amounted to finding selected quotes to support a story the reporters fully intended to write from the onset, while disregarding anything that didn’t fit their point of view,” White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said in an e-mailed statement.

In an unusual double-header, The White House later issued a document headlined, “Setting the Record Straight: The Three Most Egregious Claims In The New York Times Article On The Housing Crisis.”

The article was part of the newspaper’s “The Reckoning Series” about the nation’s market implosion, and was headlined, “‘Ownership society’: White House Philosophy Stoked Mortgage Bonfire.”

“Eight years after arriving in Washington vowing to spread the dream of homeownership, Mr. Bush is leaving office, as he himself said recently, ‘faced with the prospect of a global meltdown’ with roots in the housing sector he so ardently championed,” says the article by Jo Becker, Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Stephen Labaton. “There are plenty of culprits, like lenders who peddled easy credit, consumers who took on mortgages they could not afford and Wall Street chieftains who loaded up on mortgage-backed securities without regard to the risk. But the story of how we got here is partly one of Mr. Bush’s own making, according to a review of his tenure that included interviews with dozens of current and former administration officials. From his earliest days in office, Mr. Bush paired his belief that Americans do best when they own their own home with his conviction that markets do best when let alone….”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16787.html

At Least Two Online Games Have Been Created Thanks To The Bush Shoe-Throwing Incident!

Funny Online Games Created From "Shoegate"

People can be so creative. The latest online inventions gives you a chance to become the  Bush shoe-thrower in that infamous incident in Iraq. What fun that will be for all the anti-Bush folks out there! Here’s more from the Sydney Morning Herald:

“In internet land, yesterday’s news is today’s viral web hit, especially when it involves a chance to poke fun at US President George Bush.

Within hours of the now infamous shoe-throwing incident – or “shoegate”, as it was inevitably labelled – online hoons began remixing the footage into funny animated images and at least two online games.

In the first game, created by mischief makers in France, players assume the role of Bush and earn points depending on how long they can dodge shoes, which fly at him at a rapidly increasing frequency.

In the second game, Bush’s Boot Camp, the shoe, so to speak, is on the other foot, with players taking the role of a gun-toting security agent who must shoot the flying shoes before they reach the President.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/16/1229189605640.html

The New Expression For Cloistered Politicians Is “You’ve Been Sarah Palin-ized!”

Sarah Palin was kept under wraps for most of the presidential race. She didn’t readily answer questions & she was scripted when she did. And oh what a bad script it was! Now, when a budding politician ignores questions there is a new expression that is tailor made for them. Here’s more from the NY Daily News:

“The name Palin has now officially become an insult.

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens) has compared Caroline Kennedy with vice presidential flop Sarah Palin, accusing the senatorial hopeful of hiding behind her handlers.

“They’ve basically Sarah Palin-ized her,” he said on CBS‘ “Face the Nation” Sunday.

“They’re answering questions that you have to submit in writing.”

Kennedy’s spokesman did not return calls, but others jumped to her defense.

“Caroline Kennedy has written books on the Constitution,” said Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-Rochester).

“Sarah Palin, bless her heart, could not even name the newspapers she read every day.”

Ackerman didn’t stop with the Palin slam.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/12/21/2008-12-21_pols_give_palinized_celebrity_caroline_k.html

California Is Going Broke Just Like Me!

Everyone thinks of Hollywood & a land of total fabulousity when you mention California. In Michigan, folks treated me like I was a celebrity just because I could afford to live in what they thought was the lap of luxury! Well, I’m not staying in a dilapidated apartment or anything. But, I am living paycheck to paycheck. You see, California is one of the most expensive states to reside in. So, I find it ironic that California is going broke just like me.Here’s more from The Huffington Post:

“California’s chief financial officer warned Monday that the state would run out of money in about two months as hopes of a Christmas budget compromise melted into political finger-pointing by the end of the day.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger began the day on a cheerful note, suggesting that negotiations with Democratic leaders could lead to a budget deal as early as this week to help close the $42 billion shortfall that is projected through June 2010.

“Yesterday we sat there for hours and we worked through it step by step and we made some great progress,” the governor said during a morning news conference in Los Angeles. “So we feel like if we do that two more times like that, I think we can get there … before Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.”

The thaw didn’t last long, as legislative leaders later in the day criticized Schwarzenegger and indicated their work was done until the start of the new year.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/23/california-broke-state-co_n_153022.html

A lot of Californians are angered by the fact that we are in this situation. And they are calling Arnold Schwarzenegger “the governor that stole Christmas” because he is making state workers take a cut in pay. When you’re living in a state with one of the highest cost of livings, any decrease in wages is almost too much to bear!

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I Tried To Stay Away From The Shirtless Obama Photos But I Just Couldn’t Contain My Thoughts!

Bauer Griffin Was Lucky Enough To Obtain This Sizzling Picture Of President Obama!

We haven’t seen a president that looks this sexy since John F. Kennedy was photographed in his swimming trunks! How is it that a man in his 40’s has a better bod than most guys half his age?!! Who says that you can’t age gracefully? If you have the right amount of discipline,which President Obama obviously has, you can display a body that you are proud of as well. Because Obama has a whole hell of a lot to  take pride in when he looks in the mirror. Bauer Griffin is the source of this picture. Here’s a link to his site:(http://bauergriffinonline.com/

The Heated Debate Over Obama’s Decision To Have Rick Warren Deliver The Invocation At His Inauguration!

Anderson Cooper hosted a lively debate over the homophobic views of Rick Warren & whether or not Obama should have picked him to deliver the Invocation at his Inauguration.I understand why President Obama picked Rick Warren. It’s all a part of his strategy to bring the country together. Those who did not vote for him should be inspired by the fact that he wants to be all-inclusive.I find it interesting that Melissa Etheridge is not taking issue with Rick Warren.Here’s an excerpt from a post that she wrote on The Huffington Post:

“Well, I have to tell you my friends, the universe has a sense of humor and indeed works in mysterious ways. As I was winding down the promotion for my Christmas album I had one more stop last night. I’d agreed to play a song I’d written with my friend Salman Ahmed, a Sufi Muslim from Pakistan. The song is called “Ring The Bells,” and it’s a call for peace and unity in our world. We were going to perform our song for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, a group of Muslim Americans that tries to raise awareness in this country, and the world, about the majority of good, loving, Muslims. I was honored, considering some in the Muslim religion consider singing to be against God, while other Muslim countries have harsh penalties, even death for homosexuals. I felt it was a very brave gesture for them to make. I received a call the day before to inform me of the keynote speaker that night… Pastor Rick Warren. I was stunned. My fight or flight instinct took over, should I cancel? Then a calm voice inside me said, “Are you really about peace or not?”

I told my manager to reach out to Pastor Warren and say “In the spirit of unity I would like to talk to him.” They gave him my phone number. On the day of the conference I received a call from Pastor Rick, and before I could say anything, he told me what a fan he was. He had most of my albums from the very first one. What? This didn’t sound like a gay hater, much less a preacher. He explained in very thoughtful words that as a Christian he believed in equal rights for everyone. He believed every loving relationship should have equal protection. He struggled with proposition 8 because he didn’t want to see marriage redefined as anything other than between a man and a woman. He said he regretted his choice of words in his video message to his congregation about proposition 8 when he mentioned pedophiles and those who commit incest. He said that in no way, is that how he thought about gays. He invited me to his church, I invited him to my home to meet my wife and kids. He told me of his wife’s struggle with breast cancer just a year before mine.

When we met later that night, he entered the room with open arms and an open heart. We agreed to build bridges to the future.

Brothers and sisters the choice is ours now. We have the world’s attention. We have the capability to create change, awesome change in this world, but before we change minds we must change hearts. Sure, there are plenty of hateful people who will always hold on to their bigotry like a child to a blanket. But there are also good people out there, Christian and otherwise that are beginning to listen. They don’t hate us, they fear change. Maybe in our anger, as we consider marches and boycotts, perhaps we can consider stretching out our hands. Maybe instead of marching on his church, we can show up en mass and volunteer for one of the many organizations affiliated with his church that work for HIV/AIDS causes all around the world.

Maybe if they get to know us, they wont fear us.

I know, call me a dreamer, but I feel a new era is upon us.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melissa-etheridge/the-choice-is-ours-now_b_152947.html

Well said, Melissa Etheridge!

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Symbolism Is Important To President Obama! He’s Using Abe Lincoln’s Bible For His Swearing-In!

Click On The Picture To Link To Site Where This Photo Of Lincoln's Bible Came From!

President Obama is a man who really enjoys using symbolism in his life. This time, he is using Abraham Lincoln’s bible to symbolize just how far America has come since the time of the Great Emancipator! Here’s more from the Washington Wire:

“President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in on the same Bible as former President Abraham Lincoln when he takes the oath of office on Jan. 20, the Presidential Inaugural Committee said today.

Obama will be the first president to use Lincoln’s bible since it was first used in 1861. The book is part of the collection at the Library of Congress.

As the PIC notes, there is no constitutional requirement for presidents to use Bibles for the ceremony, but history dictates that president-elects generally select a volume of historical significance.

“The President-elect is committed to holding an Inauguration that celebrates America’s unity, and the use of this historic Bible will provide a powerful connection to our common past and common heritage,” said PIC Executive Director Emmett Beliveau in a statement.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/12/23/obama-to-use-lincoln-bible-for-swearing-in/

NORAD’S Santa Tracking Program Is Absolutely Delightful!

One of the things that’s great about Christmas is that we have picked this day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But, all some people really care about is what Santa’s got in his sack tonight! There is so much anticipation on Christmas Eve for the young ones that it’s almost too much for them to bear! So, thanks to NORAD for letting the little children track Santa’s whereabouts! Happy holidays to you all! Here’s more on the Santa tracking program from the Telegraph.co.uk:

“Millions of children will be able to track Santa Claus on his global rounds via the internet and mobile phones thanks to a new programme from Google and the American defence organisation.
The programme, developed by the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) and the search engine Google, has become an internet sensation with close to a billion hits since its inception last year.

The Colorado-based centre usually provides aerospace warning and control for North America every day but on Christmas Eve they traditionally turn their attention to Santa’s journey from the North Pole.

Last year the organisation and Google developed the internet programme “NORAD tracks Santa” to allow excited children log on to see how Father Christmas is getting on delivering their gifts.

So far about 10 million people from more than 200 countries have visited the website last year.

NORAD, which is also responsible for defending the US and Canada from incoming nuclear missiles, claims it can follow him with their radar and satellite technology as well as the infra-red signature left by Rudolph’s red nose.

Children can also follow his progress with three dimensional “Santa Cams”.
Google will use its mapping service to give up-to-the-date analysis on where he is.

NORAD has been “tracking Santa” since 1955 when a child acidentally called up the organisation asking to speak to Santa.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/google/3935017/Santa-tracking-programme-reveals-Father-Christmas-global-flight-path.html

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Christmas Is Legal Everywhere In The U.S.!

Did you know that early Americans did not celebrate Christmas? They considered it to be a pagan holiday. Aren’t you glad that isn’t the case nowadays?Although, you do have a lot of folks who get offended if you say “Merry X-mas” to them. Here’s how Christmas came to be what it is today, according to World Net Daily:

“Every December, a call goes out from the nation’s pulpits to “put Christ back into Christmas,” but growing numbers of Americans – including fundamentalist Christians – are claiming Jesus Christ had nothing to do with the holiday, and news items from across the country this week indicate that the U.S. has become the new battleground for Christmas.

Cases in point:

• A first-grade teacher in Sacramento Co., Calif., says her principal has prohibited instructors from uttering the word “Christmas” in class or in written materials;
• A school superintendent in Yonkers, N.Y., banned, then unbanned, holiday decorations that contained religious themes more than the generic “season’s greetings”;
• New York City schools are being sued for alleged discrimination against Christians;
• and atheists reposted their vandalized winter solstice sign in the Wisconsin Capitol, as they declare “Christians stole Christmas” from ancient pagans.”(End of First Excerpt)

“The fact that atheists view Christmas with disdain is not astonishing, since they’ve attempted to remove the phrase “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance and “In God we trust” from U.S. currency, as well as Ten Commandments displays from numerous publicly owned places.

What may be surprising, though, is that some devout Christians, many dating all the way back to the days of Jesus, never celebrated the birth of Christ, nor sought to. America’s early colonists banned observance of Christmas, and still today, there are many Christians abstaining from what millions more of their brethren joyfully celebrate as God’s coming in human form.

The Catholic Encyclopedia states, ‘”the word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131.”

It explains “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church,” pointing out “first evidence of the feast is from Egypt” around A.D. 200 with attempts by theologians to assign not only the year of Christ’s birth, but also the precise date.

Historians agree that through the subsequent centuries, traditions from ancient pagan (non-Christian) religions became intertwined with those of Christianity, and depending upon one’s point of view, either paganism became Christianized, or Christianity became paganized.

In 1644, the English Parliament outlawed the holiday, compelling shops to be open that day, and condemning plum puddings and mince pies as “heathen.”

In his Pulitzer Prize finalist, “The Battle for Christmas,” historian Stephen Nissenbaum at the University of Massachusetts documents the American development of the holiday now ensconced in popular culture.

“In New England, for the first two centuries of white settlement,” writes Nissenbaum, “most people did not celebrate Christmas. In fact, the holiday was systematically suppressed by Puritans during the colonial period and largely ignored by their descendants. It was actually illegal to celebrate Christmas in Massachusetts between 1659 and 1681 (the fine was five shillings). Only in the middle of the nineteenth century did Christmas gain legal recognition as an official public holiday in New England.”

Nissenbaum agrees with other historians that the first recorded observance since the New Testament recounted Christ’s birth took place hundreds of years after Jesus’ resurrection.

“It was only in the fourth century that the Church officially decided to observe Christmas on Dec. 25. And this date was not chosen for religious reasons but simply because it happened to mark the approximate arrival of the winter solstice, an event that was celebrated long before the advent of Christianity. The Puritans were correct when they pointed out – and they pointed it out often – that Christmas was nothing but a pagan festival covered with a Christian veneer.”(End of Second Excerpt) Read the article in it’s entirety here:(http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29995

Jack Johnson: It’s Been One Century Since He Became The First Black Heavyweight Champion & Now There Is An Online Comic-Book Bio On Him!

Online Comic Book About Jack Johnson’s Life!

Jack Johnson was one of the greatest boxers of all time & he was an African-American. In fact, he became the first black heavyweight champion a century ago. Jack Johnson paved the way for the Mike Tysons of the world. He was a huge panther-like man who had a clever boxing style. Johnson beat the holy crap out of  Tommy Burns in the fight that earned him that title. Before Jack Johnson demolished him, the camera was cut off because it just wouldn’t do for an even wider audience to witness a black man knock out a white man. I mean, racist views would not permit some caucasians to accept that Jack Johnson could be a better boxer than any white boxer. Here’s more from Wikipedia:

“After Johnson’s victory over Burns, racial animosity among whites ran so deep that even a socialist like Jack London called out for a “Great White Hope” to take the title away from Johnson — who was crudely caricatured as a subhuman “ape” — and return it to where it supposedly belonged, with the “superior” white race. As title holder, Johnson thus had to face a series of fighters billed by boxing promoters as “great white hopes”, often in exhibition matches. In 1909, he beat Victor McLaglen, Frank Moran, Tony Ross, Al Kaufman, and the middleweight champion Stanley Ketchel. The match with Ketchel was keenly fought by both men until the 12th and last round, when Ketchel threw a right to Johnson’s head, knocking him down. Slowly regaining his feet, Johnson threw a straight to Ketchel’s jaw, knocking him out, along with some of his teeth, several of which were embedded in Johnson’s glove. His fight with “Philadelphia” Jack O’Brien was a disappointing one for Johnson: though scaling 205 pounds (93 kg) to O’Brien’s 161 pounds (73 kg) , he could only achieve a six-round draw with the great middleweight.

In 1910, former undefeated heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries came out of retirement and said “I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro”.^[2] Jeffries had not fought in six years and had to lose around 100 lb (45 kg) to try to get back to his championship fighting weight.

At the fight, which took place on July 4, 1910 in front of 22,000 people, at a ring built just for the occasion in downtown Reno, Nevada, the ringside band played “All coons look alike to me”. The fight had become a hotbed of racial tension, and the promoters incited the all-white crowd to chant “kill the nigger”.^[3] Johnson, however, proved stronger and more nimble than Jeffries. In the 15th round, after Jeffries had been knocked down twice for the first time in his career, his people called it quits to prevent Johnson from knocking him out.

The “Fight of the Century” earned Johnson $225,000 and silenced the critics, who had belittled Johnson’s previous victory over Tommy Burns as “empty,” claiming that Burns was a false champion since Jeffries had retired undefeated.

United States, from Texas and Colorado to New York and Washington, D.C. Johnson’s victory over Jeffries had dashed white dreams of finding a “great white hope” to defeat him. Many whites felt humiliated by the defeat of Jeffries and were incensed by Johnson’s comments.^[1]

Blacks, on the other hand, were jubilant, and celebrated Johnson’s great victory as a victory for the entire race. Black poet William Waring Cuney later highlighted the African-American reaction to the fight in his poem “My Lord, What a Morning”. Around the country, blacks held spontaneous parades, gathered in prayer meetings, and purchased goods with winnings from backing Johnson at the bookmakers. These celebrations often drew a violent response from white men.”(End of Excerpt) Read the entire entry here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Johnson_(boxer)

This is a part of America’s past that should never be forgotten. And thanks to an online comic-book about Jack Johnson’s life it will not be. Here’s more on that from the NY Times:

“The legend of Jack Johnson, who became the first black heavyweight champion 100 years ago Friday, keeps growing. His story was already inspiration for a stage play and a feature film. Now he has inspired an online comic-book biography, “The Original Johnson.”

The comic, which is being serialized in weekly installments at www.comicmix.com, is written and illustrated by Trevor Von Eeden, and is unflinching in its depiction of racism in America, the brutality of the boxing ring and the tragedies and triumphs of Johnson’s life, including his sexual conquests. New chapters are scheduled to be posted every Wednesday.

“Trevor has really put his heart and soul into this,” said Mike Gold, an editor at ComicMix who worked on the biography. “He’s been researching for years and years,” and he has filled his story with what he uncovered in news clippings and books. “(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/sports/othersports/25comic.html?_r=1&em

The Self-Proclaimed “Toughest Sheriff” In America Has His Own T.V. Show!

This guy is such a pompous ass! Joe Arpaio delights in self grandioseness & he is always in the spotlight.Whether you love him or hate him, Fox has decided that enough folks will be interested in a reality show featuring “America’s toughest sheriff!” Here’s more from MSNBC:

“In Arizona, seeing Joe Arpaio on TV is nothing new. But the self-described “America’s toughest sheriff” now has a national platform to pursue lawbreakers that stretches beyond the 5 o’clock news.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the state’s most populous county, has a starring role in “Smile … You’re Under Arrest!,” a new reality show debuting Saturday on Fox Reality Channel.

A cross between “Punk’d” and “Cops,” the program sets up elaborate sting operations to snare people wanted on outstanding warrants. Actors and undercover deputies play along in faux scenarios where scofflaws are enticed to have a good time; the drama comes when cast members reveal the prank and waiting deputies slap on handcuffs.(End of First Excerpt)

“The sheriff is known for overseeing the Tent City Jail, where inmates are housed under surplus military tents. In Maricopa County jails, inmates don old-fashioned prison stripes and work on chain gangs.

But Arpaio has fielded harsher criticism in recent years for how things operate behind the scenes. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has paid millions of dollars in settlements involving dead or injured inmates.

“The reality is the man has lost complete touch with reality,” said Michael Manning, a Phoenix attorney who has won settlements for clients against the sheriff’s office. “He’s spending time on something like this as opposed to getting those felony warrants executed on our streets. … If it weren’t so serious, I’d say it would be funny.”

County officials have generally approved of inmates’ treatment, and Arpaio said he’s just doing his job. His critics, he said, are the ones out of touch and gunning for publicity.

“It’s the same little group of people that try to get me defeated. Well, I was just re-elected for the fifth time. The people like what I’m doing,” Arpaio said.”(End of Second Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28393237/

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The Top 10 List About Annoying “Americanisms”!

After Christmas, everyone looks forward to the coming year. And we reflect on the current year. I enjoy some of the various top ten lists, especially this one. Here’s an excerpt from the Telegraph.co.uk:

“The term “Happy Holidays” is certainly one that grates on this British ear and I confess it’s not the only one. Every day, I have to navigate the common language which, as George Bernard Shaw put it, divides our two nations.

But I don’t mean simple Americanisms like stroller (pushchair), diaper (nappy), ladybug (ladybird), Mom (Mum), entrée (main course), Santa (Father Christmas), takeout (takeaway), pre-owned (secondhand), mad (angry), chill (calm down), Santa (Father Christmas) etc etc but the phrases that really make you want to go postal.

Here are the top 10 that, after nearly seven years here, infuriate me most:

1. “Happy Holidays.”

Translation: “Merry Christmas but I realise you might be Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Bahai, something even more exotic, agnostic or Godless and I don’t want to offend you.”

2. “Have a Nice Day.”

Translation: “I would like you to have a pleasant time today” or “I hate you” – or anything in between.

3. “You’re welcome.”

Translation: Meaningless Pavlovian response to thank you.

4. “Do the math.”

Translation: “Work it out yourself, stupid.”

5. “Let’s visit with each other.”

Translation: “We should spend time together.”(End of Excerpt) To read the entire list go here:(http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/toby_harnden/blog/2008/12/23/top_10_most_annoying_americanisms

American Teens Like Spencer Brodsky For Helping Women In Darfur!

What A Compassionate Young Man!

While most teens are obsessed with video games & hot chicks, Spencer Brodsky is more concerned with helping provide the women of Darfur with fuel-efficient stoves. He has sent 420 stoves to Darfur so far. It’s great to see a young man that can empathize with the pain & suffering of others instead of being totally self-absorbed. Here’s more on his humanitarian efforts from CNN:

“But, from his suburban home, one Maryland teen has dedicated himself to making life a little safer for those women.

The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have been slaughtered in the ongoing violence in the north African country. Countless others have been forced out of their homes and are living in refugee camps.

People living in the camps are relatively safe, but there is danger for the women and young girls who leave the compounds in search of firewood to cook meals. Firewood in the desert is scarce, and the women often have to walk up to seven hours to gather enough wood to bring back to their camps. Some women have been targeted, sexually assaulted and killed.

Spencer Brodsky, 17, learned about the violence and decided to raise money to purchase fuel-efficient stoves to send to Darfur. The stoves burn 75 percent less firewood.

Brodsky reasons that if he can do something to keep Sudanese women in the camps, this would decrease the likelihood of violence.

“We need to be able to benefit them in any way that we can so they don’t have to be out as many times of their compound,” he said.

Brodsky, who is Jewish, said his elders have compared the genocide in Darfur to the Holocaust. He believes that his peers should not stand for such injustice in their lifetime.

They always taught about what was happening in that region in that the social injustice that’s happening. And how you know how people said during the Holocaust during World War II — you know this can never happen again.”

At $30 per stove, Brodsky has raised enough money to ship 420 stoves to Darfur.

The project is a joint effort between Brodsky and CHF International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the economic conditions of people in some of the most troubled regions of the world.

Naila Mohamed, leader of the stoves project at CHF International, has witnessed the reaction of Sudanese women when they receive the stoves.

“These women are so grateful for this initiative and actually thankful to the American people who are so passionate to let these women know that there is help out there,” Mohamed said.

Together, Brodsky and CHF International want to continue raising awareness around the world of the plight of the Sudanese.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/12/27/stoves.darfur/index.html

How A NPR Reporter Handled News Of Her Layoff By Incorporating It Into The News!

Ketzel Levine was a senior correspondent for National Public Radio until she got laid off. The irony in her situation is that she created a series for NPR that looked at how Americans were dealing with the economic decline. It was called “American Moxie: How We Get By” & it had just started in December! So when she received word that she would be laid off, Ketzel Levine included her own story in the final episode. Here’s more from NY Times:

“But there was an unexpected ending. Midway through her reporting, Ms. Levine found out that she had been laid off as part of a 64-employee cut at NPR.

Ms. Levine, who has worked at NPR since 1977, said she decided the final episode, and her final piece for NPR, should be about her own situation.

Ellen McDonnell, the director of morning programming, was not immediately sold on the idea. “I had some natural hesitation,” she said. “As a reporter, you never want the story to be about you.” At the same time, she said: “I also recognized a very unique opportunity for Ketzel to tell a story that lots of people can relate to. She found out in a very personal way what it’s like to have to start over again and to have that moxie she spoke about.”

The end result “was kind of eerie,” Ms. McDonnell said. “The whole concept that one person in the story would lead to another, and then it would all end with her, was not something any of us anticipated.”

In the short piece, which first ran last week just after a “Moxie” story about a Chicago landscaper, Ms. Levine took a personal approach. “It’s only today that I’m sane enough to tell you” about her having been laid off, she told listeners.

Ms. Levine, who lives in Portland, Ore., said she had no idea what she would do next. “Every story that we all do, we’re always looking for the perfect ending,” she said. “And suddenly it was handed to me. It was not one of my choosing, but as a storyteller, what could make a better story?”(End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/business/media/29levine.html?_r=2

Bobby Rush Daring Anyone To Challenge Roland Burris As Obama’s Replacement In The Senate!Is The “Race Card” Being Played?

Time and time again, you hear accusations of the “race card” being played.Oftentime it’s debatable whether or not that was really the case. For instance, there was ample reason to bring up race in O.J. Simpson’s murder trial because of folks like Mark Fuhrman. That made a whole lot of sense to me. But in the case of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s appointment of Roland Burris to replace Barack Obama in the Senate, I don’t see the purpose of bringing up the skin color of Burris. Rep.Bobby Rush was being completely candid & honest when he pointed out that there would be no African-Americans in the Senate if the Burris pick was rejected. But,that speaks to the ongoing problem with race that still plagues America. Remember the CD that Republican National Committee chairman candidate Chip Saltsman sent to his fellow RNC members? You know,the one with the infamous “Barack the Magic Negro” song on it.

Bobby Rush should have focused on Roland Burris’s accomplishments instead of his race. Roland Burris is qualified to replace Obama. He should get it based on merit, not race.This is truly an instance where the “race card” is being played. I don’t think that this should be about putting another African-American in the one seat that was vacated. It should be about putting a qualified person in Obama’s Senate seat. And if they happen to be African-American then that’s great! I think this was Gov. Blagojevich’s way of trying to force his pick down everyone’s throat.

 

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2008 Was A Historic Year For Both Good & Bad Reasons! Happy New Year!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I don’t really have a list compiled for you because my thoughts just aren’t that organized. But, I do have a couple of reasons why 2008 will be one of the most memorable years in history. For starters, we elected Barack Obama this year which means George Bush is almost out of the picture. That’s two positives right there. The fact that Hillary Clinton put “18 million cracks ” in the proverbial ceiling & almost became McCain’s opponent was an historic moment as well.

In times of turmoil, we had Tina Fey helping us laugh. Sarah Palin was a good source of entertainment as well, although I’m sure it was unintended. This was a good year for folks like “Joe the Plumber” because he has gotten a lot out of being the subject of this election.  Yes, 2008 will definitely be a year for the history books!

Unfortunately, it will be for both good & bad reasons. A lot of stuff that was in the dark came to light. Although George Bush claimed we were not in a recession, the dire economic situation that America was really in became apparent this year. We’re not done with these bailouts yet.The housing crisis was revealed this year. Piracy really became a problem that the world became aware of. The horrific killings in Mumbai took place as well. Now, we have the Israel-Gaza conflict as well. Which brings me to the negative events that will carry over into 2009.

The Gov. Blagojevich scandal will continue to play out this year. Roland Burris will continue to assert that he is the right person to sit in Obama’s Senate seat. Hopefully, this will be the year that Caylee Anthony’s killer will be convicted & sentenced to death. 2009 will be an interesting year & we might even find out who got that Senate seat in Minnesota once & for all!

Charles Barkley: He Actually Told The Cops He Was Trying To Get Some Head From A Hot Girl!

It’s being reported that before Charles Barkley’s arrest he was partying with “Urkel” from “Family Matters.” Now, that is really funny! But even more hilarious is the fact that this sex-crazed belligerent jerk actually told the police that he was in a hurry to get some head from his passenger because it was the best he had ever had.Then,Charles Barkley asked the cop if he noticed how hot the girl was. Isn’t that something?!

Now, I heard his wife is really unattractive. So, she better divorce his stupid ass & get one expensive ass makeover before she does.Here’s more on Barkley’s arrest from NY Daily News:

“”I was going to drive around the corner and get [oral sex],” the basketball Hall of Famer told police in Scottsdale, Ariz., a police report said.

He said the woman had performed the sex act for him last week and “it was the best one he had ever had,” the report said.

Barkley, 45, was pulled over around 1:30 a.m. A cop saw him blow through a red light, then pull over to pick up the woman, who wasn’t charged.

“I am disappointed that I put myself in that situation,” Barkley said.

The burly retired superstar was seen partying at a club with ex-Giants star Michael Strahan and Jaleel White, who played the nerdy Steve Urkel on the sitcom “Family Matters.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/12/31/2008-12-31_charles_barkley_admitted_he_was_looking_.html

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Claiborne Pell: A Senator Who Truly Served The People By Helping Millions Attend College!

Claiborne Pell Shaking Ronald Reagan's Hand!

 

 

With all of the politicians that are in the news for all of the wrong reasons, it’s good to be reminded of one that was great. Claiborne Pell created the Pell Grant which has helped many who could not afford college otherwise get their education. He barely made it to the year 2009 because he passed away shortly after it. This is a man to be remembered. What a wonderful man! Here’s an excerpt from a NY Times obituary:

“Claiborne Pell, the quirky, patrician former senator from Rhode Island who created the college grant program that bears his name and wrote the legislation that established the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, died just after midnight Thursday at his Newport, R.I., home. He was 90.

Mr. Pell was stricken with Parkinson’s disease at the end of his Senate career, and his illness forced him to retire in January 1997 after six terms in the Senate. His death was confirmed by Thomas G. Hughes, his former chief of staff.

Mr. Pell, a Democrat, was widely regarded as the most formidable politician in Rhode Island history; in six statewide victories over Republican opponents, he received an average of 64 percent of the vote.

Mr. Pell was best known for devising legislation that created the program that has dispensed grants to tens of millions of poor and middle-class college students.

He often remarked that he had been motivated to help students meet the high cost of a college education because the G.I. Bill of Rights — the program of federal educational grants to returning service members after World War II — had meant so much to him personally. The fact was that with Mr. Pell’s vast family wealth, derived from an 18th-century royal charter of land from King George III of England, he could have purchased some of the educational institutions they attended, let alone paid their tuition bills.”(End of Excerpt) To read the entire obituary go here:(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/us/politics/02pell.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

If Obama Really Were “The Magic Negro”,Ignorant “Satires” Like This Would Cease To Exist!

This is the best video that I have found that talks about why the “Obama The Magic Negro” song is so offensive! It hearkens back to the not so distant time when blackface & minstrel shows were a part of American entertainment.Is this “political satire“ appropriate? In a time when folks are looking to unify,why would Chip Saltsman, who is looking to become the Republican Party’s next national chairman, send a tape with this song out as a Christmas gift? Here’s more on that from the L.A. Times:

” Given the current state of affairs, the Republican Party’s next national chairman probably will need a sense of humor. A little judgment wouldn’t hurt either — unless, of course, the GOP elders think it’s a good idea to further refine their party into a pure aggregation of fervently religious heterosexual white people who hate taxes.

The notion that salvation resides in a zealous remnant is always appealing to traumatized true believers. But to gloss the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous admonition on justice: The arc of the American electoral universe is long, but it bends toward the inclusive center.

That brings us to Chip Saltsman, the former Tennessee state Republican chairman who ran Mike Huckabee’s underfunded but shrewd bid for the GOP’s presidential nomination. Saltsman now wants to be Republican national chairman, and, apparently as part of his campaign, he sent his associates a Christmas gift consisting of songs by the satirist Paul Shanklin. The title track, sung in a voice meant to impersonate Al Sharpton, is “Barack the Magic Negro.” It parodies the president-elect as a black man acceptable to whites. Another song, “Star Spanglish Banner,” disparages Latinos.

Shanklin, who first performed his parody on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show (and they say ideologues don’t have a sense of humor) said he was inspired by an Op-Ed article by David Ehrenstein that appeared in The Times this year. Saltsman, who as you can imagine has come in for a bit of criticism for his gift, now characterizes the column as “irresponsible.” (We’ll leave it to him to explain why he distributed irresponsible ideas.)”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-oe-rutten31-2008dec31,0,5283160.column

What in the heck is funny about a song that promotes racist divisive views? We already know that Rush Limbaugh is a bigot & a drug-addicted pig man! He has proven that time & time again. But, what about Chip Saltsman? Does he find racism humorous? This is an offensive tape because it disparages Hispanics as well. How does this help the GOP appeal to minorities? Someone please tell me.

And why would Fox News allow this text message to air on the New Year’s Eve broadcast? We already know how they went after President Barack Obama during the campaign. So, isn’t it a bit strange that this racist text message showed up on their network? Since they are basically a right-wing network, that doesn’t look good for Republicans,either.Here’s more on the Fox controversy from Alternet.org:

“As ThinkProgress recently noted, Fox News allowed at least one racist message directed toward President-elect Obama to make it on the air during its New Years broadcast. In a statement to TVNewser yesterday, Fox News VP of programming Suzanne Scott defended the incident, claiming that the text message referring to Rush Limbaugh’s “Barack the Magic Negro” song was “inadvertently cleared for air.” Instead of offering an apology, Scott took the opportunity to attack Fox’s rivals:

Fox News VP of programming Suzanne Scott explains, “We received tens of thousands of text message submissions during our New Years Eve special, and this particular viewer submission was inadvertently cleared for air. At FOX we recognize our error as opposed to networks who allow their hosts to utter crude vulgarities to the public.”

Fox New has a history of allowing racially-charged language aimed at Obama and his family to make it on air and then claiming it was simply a mistake. In June, after a Fox chyron referred to Michelle Obama as “Obama’s Baby Mama,” Fox’s Senior Vice President of Programming Bill Shine explained it by saying that “A producer on the program exercised poor judgment in using this chyron during the segment.”(End of Post) Read more here:(http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/117044/fox_news_claims_’magic_negro’_text_was_’inadvertently_cleared_for_air’/

So, is this just light-hearted political satire or “something more sinister“? Is the phrase “Obama,the Magic Negro” just another racist connotation? I believe that is it the latter. Because of the history of racial relations in America, it is extremely difficult for me to accept any other rationalization! But,you can draw your own conclusions.

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Obama Picked CNN’S Dr. Sanjay Gupta As His Surgeon General!

Both Neil Cavuto & CBS News is reporting that Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN has been tapped by Obama to be his Surgeon General! I love this guy so I hope that it’s true. He is so handsome & congenial. Sanjay Gupta seems like the perfect doctor & family man! There is even an unofficial fan page for Dr. Sanjay Gupta:      (http://sanjayguptacnn.worldbreak.com/

But, not everyone has sung his praises in the past. I wonder if Michael Moore is still smarting over Dr. Gupta’s findings regarding the accuracy of Moore’s movie “Sicko“! Although Gupta agreed with Moore’s assessment of our health system, he questioned some of the statistics & data in the movie.In this video, Larry King hosts a debate between Michael Moore & Dr. Sanjay Gupta where they try to point out each other’s inaccuracies. Here’s more on the Surgeon General pick from CBS News:

“The transition team has announced that Barack Obama will make an announcement tomorrow morning at a 10:15 ET press conference. Could it be that he is tapping CBS News contributor and CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon, to be surgeon general?

The Washington Post, citing two sources, first reported that Obama had offered Gupta the job.

“Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way,” reported the Post. “He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the offer.”

CBS News has learned from a source close to Dr. Gupta that he was approached weeks ago about the position and that he had sought advice about whether or not he should take the job shortly after he was approached about it.

Another source close to Dr. Gupta (who was asked for advice from Gupta) tells CBS News that Gupta feels drawn to public service and confirms the approach was made a while back.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/06/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4702699.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Joe Biden Is An Affable Guy That Makes A Lot Of Goofs! That’s Why I Kind Of Like Him!

Joe Biden really irritated me during the election because I thought that his mouth would cost Obama dearly. But since Obama won, all is well with me. I’m sure that the Obama transition team gets irked though when he makes slip-ups like the ones reported by Politico:

“Joe Biden hasn’t said much in public since the election, but one of Washington’s most prolific talkers is back – and making news whenever he speaks.

In fewer than five minutes on Tuesday, Biden criticized his own incoming Obama administration and disclosed information his aides have kept secret for security reasons.

And on Monday, Biden declared, “We’re at war!” and compared the economic turmoil to 9/11.

Team Obama kept Biden under wraps immediately after the election, but with his Senate swearing-in and upcoming Iraq trip, he’s back in front of the microphones.

Chatting with reporters after he was sworn in for a seventh term in the Senate, Biden called it “a mistake” that the Obama transition selected Leon Panetta as CIA director without consulting the Senate intelligence committee.

“I’m still a Senate man and I always think this way. I think it’s always good to talk to the requisite members of Congress,” Biden said. “I think it was just a mistake.”

Biden then went on to reveal the key stops on his upcoming overseas trip with a Senate delegation – without even being asked.

“This will be my God-knows-how-many trips, I guess my 10th or 11th trip into Iraq and I don’t know how many times in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Biden told reporters who had questioned him about what he expects to accomplish on his South Asia trip.

Just yesterday Biden’s Senate office took care to conceal these destinations, declaring in news release announcing his travels: “For security reasons, details of the delegation’s itinerary will be released as the trip progresses.”

And on Biden’s criticism of the Panetta rollout, one transition official noted that President-elect Barack Obama and Biden were in agreement on the matter – both felt it should have been handled differently. Biden called Feinstein to apologize personally, and Feinstein said that Obama also had called to apologize.” (End Of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17139.html

Joe Biden just wrote a book called “Promises to Keep” which he discussed with Larry King.  I hope that he didn’t promise to choose his words carefully before he speaks. That’s one promise that Joe Biden knows he would never be able to keep!

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The Porn Industry Wants A Bailout,Too!When Sex Stops Selling, You Know Times Are Tough!

Tits and ass just aren’t racking up the sales that they used too. I guess that’s why Larry Flynt & Joe Francis are jumping in the long line of bailout seekers! And about $5 billion can help them get sex back on the minds of the American people. Are these guys bleepin’ kidding or what?! Who cares if my guy can’t ogle some other chick’s surgically enhanced body? I’m sure most women will be glad to see a serious reduction in porn.It would save a lot of relationships as well. Here’s more on this ridiculous story from the Telegraph.co.uk:

“Porn baron Larry Flynt is seeking a $5 billion bailout from Washington to rejuvenate the industry, which he says is suffering because of the economic downturn.
The Hustler magazine founder has teamed up with fellow adult entertainment mogul Joe Francis, creator of the Girls Gone Wild video series, to approach Congress for the same kind of financial assistance recently approved for car manufacturers.

The pair have asked the 111th Congress, which convened on Tuesday with the economy at the top of its agenda, “to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America” with a bailout.

“Congress seems willing to help shore up our nation’s most important businesses, (and) we feel we deserve the same consideration,” Francis said in a statement.

“In difficult economic times, Americans turn to entertainment for relief. More and more, the kind of entertainment they turn to is adult entertainment.”

“The take here is that everyone and their mother want to be bailed out from the banks to the big three,” Owen Moogan, a spokesman for Flynt, told CNN.

“The porn industry has been hurt by the downturn like everyone else and they are going to ask for the $5 billion. Is it the most serious thing in the world? Is it going to make the lives of Americans better if it happens? It is not for them to determine.” (End of Excerpt) Read the entire article here:(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4165049/US-porn-industry-seeks-multi-billion-dollar-bailout.html

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Obama Assembling All The Living Presidents For “The Ultimate Power Lunch”!

The Living President's Had A Power Lunch!

This is such a beautiful photograph! Five presidents came together to have what has been called “the ultimate power lunch” today. Apparently, it was the President-Elect’s idea & George Bush liked it. Jimmy Carter’s smile looks a little tight in this picture. Other than that, they all seem at ease. Here’s more on this historic event from the NY Times:

“President-elect Barack Obama convened the most exclusive club in the world on Wednesday, huddling at the White House for the ultimate power lunch with the living Presidents.

“All the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office,” Obama said during a pre-meal photo op. “For me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary.”

President Bush and ex-Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter – with 24 years of chief executive experience among them – posed with Obama in the Oval Office.

“I just want to thank the President for hosting us,” said Obama, who requested the summit to discuss working together to tackle challenges like the worsening economy. “(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/01/07/2009-01-07_all_the_presidents_lunch_barack_obama_me.html

George Bush & His “Bushisims”!

George Bush certainly is not one of the most well-spoken presidents in history. His mistakes have led to the creation of a new word called “Bushisms“! When you hear that word, you will know automatically what they are talking about. He’s no Barack Obama, that’s for sure. Here’s more on the eloquence that he lacks from BBC:

“All politicians are prone to make slips of the tongue in the heat of the moment – and President George W Bush has made more than most.

The word “Bushism” has been coined to label his occasional verbal lapses during eight years in office, which come to an end on 20 January.

Here are some of his most memorable pronouncements.

ON HIMSELF

“They misunderestimated me.”
Bentonville, Arkansas, 6 November, 2000 (End of First Excerpt)

(What a dumb ass,right? It’s underestimated for the grammatically challenged.) Here’s another one from BBC:

 FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” Washington DC, 5 August, 2004 “I think war is a dangerous place.”
Washington DC, 7 May, 2003

 

“The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the – the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice.” Washington DC, 27 October, 2003 (End of Excerpt) For even more ignorant comments from George Bush, go here:(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7809160.stm

Oh,What Some Of Us Do For Love! NY Doc Wants His Kidney Back From Cheating Wife!

Now, if my husband gave me one of his kidneys,I’d feel more than obligated to be faithful to him. I mean,what more can a man do to prove his love? But apparently, that wasn’t enough in the case of a New York doctor who gave his cheating wife his kidney! He’s so hurt & humiliated that he wants either $1.5 million or his damn kidney back! Here’s more from MSNBC:

“Lawyers are trying to settle a bizarre divorce case in New York state: a doctor wants the kidney he donated to his wife back as part of their settlement.

The doctor held a news conference at his lawyer’s Long Island office Wednesday to publicly talk about his demand. He says he gave his wife his kidney in 2001, then she filed for divorce in 2005 after 15 years of marriage.

The doctor claims his wife began having an affair sometime after the transplant.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28547971

Oh,what some of us do in the name of love!

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People Like Elvis Presley Never Die!

Thank God for the man known as Elvis Presley. His beautiful angelic voice still touches the souls of both the young & old.It doesn’t matter if Elvis was before your time. You still know who he is. Graceland is as synomous with America as apple pie & baseball. Some have given him the title “The King Of Rock N’ Roll“, although many have disputed it. This is one man who is timeless,like Marilyn Monroe. His image & persona lives on to this very day. People like the magnificent Elvis Presley never die. That southern drawl & slicked hair-do will be imitated for an eternity. He was ultra suave,& sleek. Elvis Presley is male perfection. Here’s more on Elvis from the History of Rock.com:

“Elvis Presley was the first real rock and roll star. A white southerner who singing blues laced with country and country tinged with gospel, Presley brought together music from both sides of the color line. Presley performed this music with a natural hip swiveling sexuality that made him a teen idol and a role model for generations of cool rebels. Presley was repeatedly dismissed as vulgar, incompetent and a bad influence. However the force of his music and image signaled to the mainstream culture it was time for a change.

Born January 8, 1935, in East Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley was the son of Gladys and Vernon Presley, a sewing machine operator and a truck driver. Presley’s twin brother Jesse Garon was stillborn, and he grew up as an only child. At age three, Vernon was sent to prison for forgery. It seems that Vernon, Travis Smith, and Luther Gable changed the amount of a check from Orville Bean,Vernon’s boss, from $3 to $8 and cashed it at a local bank.Vernon pled guilty and was sentenced to three years at Parchment Farms Penitentiary. Vernon’s boss, Mr. Bass called in a note that Vernon signed to borrow money to build the house and Gladys is forced to move in with Vernon’s parents. Vernon would only serve eight months. Afterward Vernon’s employment was spotty and the family lived just above the poverty line. The Presleys attended the First Assembly of God Church whose Pentecostal services always included singing.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here: (http://www.history-of-rock.com/elvis_presley.htm

This video talks about how the King still lives on! It’s been thirty years since Elvis Presley died,but the legend is still as vibrant as ever. Even in Russia,the place that had once banned his music .

 

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This Close-up Video Of A Bart Police Officer Killing Oscar Grant Isn’t The One Being Shown All Over The News! That’s Because You Can Really See What’s Going On!

I’m sure you’ve heard about the handsome 22-yr. old man who was killed by a merciless police officer on New Year’s Day. Oscar Grant’s death was completely unwarranted & the streets of Oakland have been very vocal about that fact! This was an unarmed man who was lying face down on the ground being totally compliant. As you can see in the video, the officer shoots him in the back for no apparent reason at all. People want to know why such brutal,deadly force was used on someone who did not pose a threat. In fact, the Bart police officer who murdered him in cold blood was the one who looked intimidating. This person has since resigned & has not answered any questions or issued any apologies for taking the life of a human being. What kind of an individual are we dealing with here? Here’s more on this story from the Mercury News.com:

“As family and friends of Oscar Grant III pleaded for peace Thursday afternoon, broken glass still was being cleaned up from the previous night’s near-riot in downtown, burned cars were towed away, and some business owners — fearing a repeat of the violence — made plans for nightfall, closing early and sending employees home.

“I am begging the citizens to not use violent tactics anymore,” said Grant’s mother, an emotional Wanda Johnson, who appeared with about 30 of Grant’s relatives and friends at a news conference called by attorney John Burris at his East Oakland office.

Burris is representing Grant’s mother and 4-year-old daughter in a $25 million lawsuit filed against BART in the officer-involved shooting of an unarmed Grant, 22, in the early hours of New Year’s Day after a scuffle at the Fruitvale BART station. BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle, who fired the fatal shot, has resigned from the force.

“I know it’s a very frustrating time,” Johnson said, referring to the protracted police investigation into the shooting. “But Oscar would not want to see the violence and the fires. We believe this situation is going to come to a close and justice will be served. I’m asking you please, please stop it and let justice prevail. Please stop it.”

Mayor Ron Dellums and other city leaders urged the public to remain peaceful and said the Oakland Police Department will investigate the shooting.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11405848?source%253Dmost_viewed.20F88DA3D7D369F5BB70F372987EAE1F.html

If this was the video that was being broadcast & analyzed on CNN by Rick Sanchez, the analysis would be that this cop murdered Oscar Grant. It did not look like it was by any accident to me. There was no reason to reach for anything. This guy was already cooperating with law enforcement. What happened is reprehensible & despicable. Johannes Mehserle will have to face the music sooner or later. This will not be swept under the carpet.

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The Impeached Governor Blagojevich Just Needs To Quit!

This press conference that Gov. Blagojevich held today was so surreal. It almost seemed like a campaign stump speech! He did not address any of the criminal complaints against him. The first governor to be impeached in the history of Illinois says he will do that in the proper forum,a federal court. So, I ask, what was the point? This was just another opportunity for him to give a self-aggrandizing speech. He even had people that he was using as his props.Noone believes that this man cares more about the people than himself! None of my heartstrings were pulled by his acts of kindness. The impeached Gov. Blagojevich just needs to quit!

 

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Prince Harry Has Proven That Europe Has Racial Issues As Well!

I received a comment from a European vistor to my blog. It was in reference to my posting about the Bart policeman who killed an unarmed man in Oakland,CA. The person wrote that something like that would never take place in Europe. Oh,really? Check out what happened in Stockwell back in 2005:

“Faith communities and civic groups are expressing concern about the shooting dead of an apparently unarmed Asian man at Stockwell station in central London yesterday. They are anxious that a shoot-to-kill policy against suspects will fuel tension and anger in the wake of the recent bombings in the capital.

According to eyewitnesses at Stockwell a man was seen racing down an escalator and onto a tube train at just after 10am yesterday. He was hotly pursued by security operatives who pinned him down at the entrance to a carriage and shot him in the head five times. An official enquiry has been launched.

In a brief news conference statement, senior police chief Sir Ian Blair said that it was unclear whether the man shot dead was linked to Thursday’s incidents. It has since emerged that he was not one of four men who planted devices on three underground trains and a bus on Thursday. But he may have been under surveillance at a nearby house.

Police say that the man refused to stop when challenged. Observers say he was not brandishing any kind of weapon and did not appear to have a package on him. No verbal warning has been reported prior to the killing.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone and local MP Kate Hoey were quick to back the action of the security services. ‘If you are dealing with someone who might be a suicide bomber, if they remain conscious they could trigger plastic explosives or whatever device is on them,’ Mr Livingstone said. ‘Therefore overwhelmingly in these circumstances it is going to be a shoot-to-kill policy.’

However, mainstream Muslim groups have expressed alarm about the events in Stockwell. A Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) spokesperson said many Muslims were now ‘jumpy and nervous’ and feared reprisal attacks.

Inayat Bunglawala declared: ‘There may well be reasons why the police felt it necessary to unload five shots into the man and shoot him dead, but they need to make those reasons clear.’

He added that the fact that the man has not been linked to Thursday’s attempted suicide attacks ‘increases the urgency of the question of why this man was shot dead instead of being disabled or arrested.”(End of Excerpt) Read the rest here:(http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_050723kill.shtml

That sounds like the police shot an unarmed man in Europe to me. So, my friends, people are not treated or viewed equally on both sides of the ocean. Now, we’ve got someone from the royal family making racist remarks. Prince Harry is the source of a lot of anger because of the things he said in this video. Here’s more from the Daily Mail.co.uk:

“The father of a Sandhurst recruit called a ‘Paki’ by Prince Harry has condemned it as a ‘disgraceful insult’.
Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Abbasi has he is ‘hurt and angry’ at the comments.
He accused the prince of using a ‘hate’ word, and dismissed his claims that it was not intended in a derogatory manner.
Harry, 24, will be given a severe dressing down by Army chiefs after being captured on video using the phrase ‘our little Paki friend’ to describe fellow cadet Ahmed Raza Khan.
The film was made in March 2006 during Harry’s final year of officer training at the Royal Military Academy in Camberley, Surrey.”(End of Excerpt) Read the whole article here:(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1112342/Sorrys-good-Harry-insult-disgraceful-says-father-Asian-cadet-called-Paki-prince.html

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