I swear to God, I woke up and found myself in the news of the 80's. It just sounded like the average news of like say 1986. Here's a run-down!Lebanese Christian Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel was assasinated. This can only be bad news for the already politically fractured nation. To top it off, he was a part of the anti-Syrian majority. President Bush has declared this a further act by Iran and Syria to promote instability in the unstable nation.
A school bus went off an overpass in Alabama, Monday. Up to now, four people have died, all teenage girls. The bus was carrying 40 students from Huntsville' Lee High School. THe accident may have been caused by another Lee High student driving a Toyota Celica that drifted into the School bus' lane and forced the bus into the barrier where it drove for 100 feet before dropping off. The Celica had two flat tires but it is unclear whether these caused the accident or were caused by the accident.
Political News: As if President George Walker Bush needed more bad news.... In a recent poll, only 1 in 4 respondents felt he was a better president than his father, George Hebert Walker Bush (Where do they get Walker anyway? Is it a Texan thing?).
UCLA, the conspicuous new Ivy out there near the San Diego Freeway (how I miss you LA!), has had an interesting incident involving tasers, a library and an Iranian-American student. No joke! Mostafa Tabatabainejad, 23 and a student using the Powell Library on campus, was tasered 5 times by UCDP officer Terrence Duren. The incident in question occured late, around 11:30, on November 14th when Duren asked to see Tabatabainejad's student ID. At 11 the libraries close to the public and only staff, faculty and students are allowed to use the facility. It is a common practice to assure that those remaining in the building have the right to be there. Apparently, Tabatabainejad was singled out and told to leave. Whether he was able to produce proper ID is unknown. There is a video of the incident here. Tabatabainejad has filed a lawsuit against the school and an investigation is underway.
If you do go to the YouTube site keep in mind these facts when reading the comments: 1. It is public property, thereby a collective good. This means all can use it without directly contributing to its upkeep (though Californians do through high taxes). At certain times however, access is restricted to staff, faculty and students only. 2. At most colleges, particularly state schools here in the US, a student ID is required and security or campus police may ask for it when ascertaining whether you are a student or faculty or whatever. 3. We do not know if the UCDP were requesting to see other patrons' IDs at the time. Racial profiling may have occurred. It also may not have. 4. Tabatabainejad is not a Muslim, contrary to popular belief. He is of the Bahá'í Faith. If your knowledge of this cool religion is meager, please go here. 5. the Police officers are in the University of California Police Department, not the Los Angeles Police Department. 6. The type of Tazering used was the Drive Stun which uses direct contact rather than electrodes that shoot out and attach themselves to the victim. It is incredibly painful but shocks a body part rather than the whole body and nervous system. It is possible to remain standing upon being tazered in this manner. Keep these facts in mind when viewing the clip.Winner of most complicated article that cannot be understood on single reading: Ex-Russian spy 'may have radioactive poisoning'. Go CNN!
Traffic: It will suck. 83% of Thanksgiving travellers are predicted to drive rather than fly, take the train or steamship. We like our cars and global warming has now made November snowfalls obsolete. Enjoy!
TomKat: please go away. They were married in LA and then flew to Italy to have their religious ceremony there. Brooke Shields, despite Tom Cruise's allegations that her use of anti-depressants to combat post-partem depression was ludicrous on national television, was in attendance. As was most of the starry-eyed Italian public and papparazzi the world over. Now, can we stop paying attention to them? Or do we have to convert to Scientology?
For all you nerds out there, Peter Jackson will not be making "The Hobbit". New Line Cinema has decided to go in a different direction and it will not be with the Oscar-winning New Zealand director (who is looking quite a bit better these days). There is an ongoing dispute betwixt NEw Line and Jackson over salary. He reportedly was shorted a cool $100M in payment over the Lord of the Rings and the subsequent DVD grosses. Its kind of sad because he'd at least keep a consistent style.
Sad Note: Robert Altman, the guy who made M*A*S*H* (I even got all the asterisks in there!) died yesterday in Los Angeles. He was 81.
I'm such a bad Canadian! Ok, I'm just part French-Canadian among other things like Jewish and Irish. Still...
John Bolton was nominated to take over as UN ambassador. Unfortunately, he's never been confirmed. He's just acting like an ambassador, folks. So President Bush asked that this and retroactively confirming his NSA domestic surveillance program. But Senator Lincoln Chaffee has said that he plans to block Bolton's confirmation. Even though he didn't get elected, he feels that Americans do not like the way Bush is doing things, especially his foreign policy decisions. Not to mention, Bolton abuses his subordinates apparently. He also likes to exaggerate and take facts out of context. Well, who doesn't like to do that?In India, there's a man who is being punished with 51 slaps for raping a mute and deaf woman. Really! He supposedly raped her in a field when she was returning from work. Her complaint has seemingly gone unheeded by local police so the Village court took it upon themselves. The village courts do not really handle legal disputes but land disputes. They fined the man 5,000 Rupees (which amounts $110) and to be slapped 51 times with an open hand. The woman's husband persued it for his wife due to restricted ability to communicate.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair opposes Saddam Hussein being hung. I actually agree. I am opposed to the death penalty. The idea of hanging someone in this day and age as well, makes me very uncomfortable. Apparently, he also is opposed to it because he wouldn't want anyone to get the death penalty.
On this day. in 1969, Sesame Street debuted. The world of Children's television would never be the same.
On this day, in 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, an ore bulk carrier, went down in Lake Superior. She left Superior, Wisconsin headed for Detroit on Novemeber 9th but went down on the 10th. All hands were lost. It was immortalised in Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot's song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore - 26,000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconson
As the big freighters go it was bigger than most
With a crew and the Captain well seasoned.
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ships bell rang
Could it be the North Wind they'd been feeling.
The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the Captain did, too,
T'was the witch of November come stealing.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashing
When afternoon came it was freezing rain
In the face of a hurricane West Wind
When supper time came the old cook came on deck
Saying fellows it's too rough to feed ya
At 7PM a main hatchway caved in
He said fellas it's been good to know ya.
The Captain wired in he had water coming in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went out of sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the words turn the minutes to hours
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the ruins of her ice water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams,
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered.
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral
The church bell chimed, 'til it rang 29 times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early.
Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Macaca is over.Granted, he was the most entertaining election of all this midterm season. First, his racist slip, then his mom is a Jew, he used to unmentionable things in the mailboxes of black people.... It was all quite interesting.
But now, both houses belong to the Democrats de facto. After twelve years of Republicans calling the shots in DC we have the Democrats in charge. So, is this better? Maybe. If they reverse the tax cuts possibly not. They will likely increase minimum wage and loosen the restrictions on financial aid for college students. Ok, I'm done for the day. 'Sides, I gots to celebrate this most momentous occasion since.... since Bill Clinton won...?
P.S. Allen is likely looking to run for President of the United States in two years. God help us...
To keep up with the 2008 Presidential Election, go here. Honestly, presidential elections are years, if not decades, in the making. There are already a handful of announced campaigns.
According to Wonkette and the Washington Post, George Allen will concede @ 3 pm (yeah, that's probably eastern time) today. Also on Wonkette:
God I love how things are shaping up! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Also on Wonkette a couple of days ago was a picture of Rick Santorum conceding defeat. Love the kid on the left.
God I love how things are shaping up! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Also on Wonkette a couple of days ago was a picture of Rick Santorum conceding defeat. Love the kid on the left.
So, its been two days since election day. And three weeks since I posted anything. Let's just say, I needed the break. In fact, there are still things I should be doing like a mid-term and a presentation tomorrow but, eh...The House is now controlled by the Democrats. If you didn't hear about this, put down the funnies. Nancy Pelosi, a congresswoman from the gloriously liberal city of San Francisco will indeed be the new Speaker of the House. Dennis Hastert, the outgoing Speaker of the House and Republican from the weird as all fuck state of Illinois (I'm from there, I can say that), has stated he will not seek any leadership positions in the new house.
It is not clear if the Senate will be controlled by any party. The Senate race in Virginia between George Allen and Jim Webb has not been completely decided. Due to the slim margin, there is a recount going on. Allen's people have stated that he does not wish to drag this out. This is the last thing to decide before control can be determined. It would come down to 49 senators for both parties and two independents, both from New England. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat until he lost the primary to Ned Lamont, ran as an independent this year due to backlash for being pro-Iraq war.
Bernie Sanders, the only independant in the House, will take over for outgoing independant Senator, Jim Jeffords. This is an interesting story. Sanders is a Democratic socialist. Jeffords was a Republican until 2001 when the GOP shunned him enough to make him flee the party. So, he decided not to run again and is seat was won by another independant, albeit, a very different independant. So, does this make Vermont the capital of Independant thinking, or what?
Both Senators have stated publicly that they will caucaus with the Democrats. Lieberman is still a registered Democrat and may literally announce his decision to remain a Democrat. One can switch their party affiliations without any conscience or consultation with say their constituency. Just ask that fucker Norm Coleman from Minnesota. He was elected as the mayor of St. Paul as a Democrat (from New York, no less), then two years into his term, he decides he wants to be a Republican (granted the DFL party ain't lemonade and sweetcakes). St. Paul elected a Democrat and got a Republican. Let me tell ya, they felt gypped. So, go ahead Joe.
President Bush held a press conference yesterday and was properly humble. He announced that Donald Runsfeld, one of his toadies, would resign from his office as Secretery of Defence. He will be replaced by former CIA cheif Robert Gates who also ran the Iraq War Study Group. Apparently, this was in the works prior to election night. Why choose to announce it the day after the election? Well, it looks like Bush is listening to us. It also would have smacked of political ploy (more than it does now?) if he had done it in the last days of the election. I suppsoe the saying "The Buck Stops Here" means very little to the president. However, he took the blame for his party's loss this week to the outrageously motivated Democratic party.
And this is a loss for the GOP. The Democrats did not win the election. It was merely the GOP doing poorly. With Mark Foley and the fallout from that, the stupid asinine things Republicans did and the fact that a one-party government with no concerns for the largest sector of the country (the Middle Fucking Class!!!) was doing nothing to help them might have done it. When the Republican Party starts to regroup and figure out what they did wrong, I hope they realize it was not soley the war that turned voters off. It was the cronyism, response to Hurricane Katrina, the Religious Right, contracts for Halliburton and anyone else in Iraq, No Child Left Behind, Macaca, The Faith-Based Initiative, Arrogance, Karl Rove, Record profits for Exxon-Mobil, Dick Cheney's Shadow Government...
I could go on and I likely will. There are more things that leave middle class voters with a bad taste in their mouths. But I think nearly 3,000 dead is also one of them. Those who've died in Iraq for a cause that many of us are uncertain about should never be discounted. THese men and women are fighting and dying in service to our country. Our reasons for going into this war were vague and proved uncredible. Yet, we must remain until the job is done. My reasons for stating this is history. In 1983, there was an attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut. Over 200 marines were killed (and some Navy and Army personell) and the US left Lebanon. This was followed up by our hasty withdrawal from Iraq in 1991 after then President George Herbert Walker Bush told the Kurds and Shi'ites to rise up against Saddam Hussein. Regardless of how anyone feels about the war, we have to continue until the job is done and done well or we will be seen as the country who can't follow through with shit in the Middle East. That, dear readers, is what is at stake now.Moving on to local politics: Amy Klobuchar, the Hennepin County Attorney, was elected to the Senate seat being vacated by fellow DFLer Mark Dayton. The margin of victory for Klobuchar was 1,278,915 to Mark Kennedy's 837,484. In precentages, that's 58% of total votes for Klobuchar to Kennedy's 38%. There were 87,324 votes cast beetween Independence (Ventura's formerly named Reform Party), the Green Party and the Constitution party.
Colleen Rowley, the FBI whistleblower, who lives literally down the street from me, did not win
the 2nd Congressional District here in Minnesota. The seat was won by its incumbant, John Kline, a man who once carried the "football" for Reagan.
To many here in Minnesota, the re-election of Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty was a surprise. As the night went on it appeared at one point that Hatch had a sizable and insurmountable lead over the Governor. But when all the ballots were counted, Pawlenty had won a second term. The margin of victory was slim: 21,132 votes seperate the two. Independence party Peter Hutchinson, a far cry form the flamboyant Jesse Ventura, yet endorsed by him, won 6% of the vote. While this is, yes, not enough to win, it does enable the party to gain more public funding for campaigns. This can only help to build the party to be an even stronger and legitimate voice here in Minnesota. That is a good thing.
One other point about the Minnesota Gubernatorial Election this year: the withdrawal of Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey. This Satanist and Vampire announced his candidacy for Governor on Friday the 13th of January. On the 31st of that month, after his schoolbus driver wife lost her job due to being Wiccan, he was arrested for stalking, fleeing and I think faking his own death. His trial was supposed to begin in July but I've heard nothing on him. The man also founded the Vampires, Witches and Pagan party last year. One can only imagine what happened to that.On this day, in 1989, an event occured that changed my life forever. After 28 or so years, the wall dividing Berlin was opened. East and West Germany ceased to exist as seperate entities. Since that day, I've looked at the world with a different view. I've seen what can be done when people work, strive, dream, hope... for change. I have since then devoured the news looking for more stories like this. Well, I really just love the news. But my desire to work in the field of politics, NGOs, diplomacy or journalism was sparked by seeing people dancing on the Berlin Wall.
That's about it from here. Currently, CNN is reporting that Ed Bradley, correspondent for CBS' 60 Minutes, has died of Leukemia at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital. I can't help but be a little sad as another of my heroes passes. His candor and style will be sorely missed.
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