Elitist? Hillary Clinton Can't Use A Coffee Maker Or Pump Gas

Elitist? Obama's elitist? Here, we have Senator Hillary Clinton struggling to figure out an every day coffee maker. She just can't do it! How's she supposed to connect with the common person if she can't pour her own coffee -- from a machine?!

I guess it takes "testicular fortitude" to work the coffee machine, but if she can't then maybe these endorsements were a big mistake? Of course they were!

Check this disasterous Indiana episode!

Dr. Barbara A. Reynolds Set Up Rev. Wright To Hit Barack Obama

Many are upset that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright would come to the National Press Club and essentially throw one of his parishioners, Senator Barack Obama under the bus, saying that he would "come after" Barack Obama should be become president and essentially showing the worst behavior one could imagine, stooping to the level of the stupid questions tossed by the media in attendance and insulting even the National Press Club moderator.

But now it seems we have a person -- a Clinton supporter -- who has it in for Barack Obama. A Dr. Barbara Reynolds, who when this is over may just become the poster child for African American fear of success. On her own blog, Reynolds writes:

And it is a sad testimony that to protect his credentials as a unifier above the fray the Senator is fueling the media characterization that Rev. Dr. Wright is some retiring old uncle in the church basement instead of respecting Wright for the towering astute father of progressive social and global causes that he is.

What?! Where she got that from, I don't know. But what I do know is this person who undoubtedly can't stand the idea of Black male success voted for Hillary Clinton in the Maryland Primary, and not Barack Obama. Think about that. She didn't vote for Obama, voted for Clinton, trashes Obama in her blog, then brings Obama's pastor to the National Press Club to make Obama look terrible and less than authentic.

And with all this, the Left Coaster goes out of his or her way -- whatever -- to make it seem that Reynolds was really innocent in all of this. Give me a break. She brought Pastor Wright back to the National Press Club because she knew they would take him this time versus 2006, when she first tried. She also knew it would have an impact damaging to Obama's campaign.

She -- like some other Blacks -- can't stand to see another Black man make it.

Obama / Wright NY Times Editorial Is a Home Run

Today's NY Times Editorial on Senator Barack Obama's angry response to Rev. Jeremiah Wright's appearance at the National Press Club was a home run. I too was not happy with Rev. Wright's presentation, complete with the "dog" pose after he answered one question. While the media questions were also stupid and race-batting, Rev. Wright lowered himself to their level.

But what hurt most was seeing Wright throw Senator Obama under the bus, when Obama took great pains to protect Pastor Wright even in Obama's landmark speech on race, a response to initial criticism about the former leader of Trinity United Methodist Church.

The LA Times is wrong.

This isn't about fitness, it's about character.

The article has the facts about McCain's time as a P.O.W. and his subsequent recovery, and the author suggests that if McCain is "fully disabled" as his pension indicates that he might somehow be unfit to serve as President. That's provocative, and it may help ratings for Vartabedian as he struggles to earn notoriety as a staff writer, but it's a red herring.

Nobody will deny that a retired military person is entitled to a pension. Nobody will argue that physical disabilities would disqualify a person from seeking this high office. Everybody can agree that years as a P.O.W. will require rehabilitative care and support.

So where's the beef?

The issue is character. In describing McCain's career after being released, Vartabedian offers these two facts:

After he was released in 1973, he returned home on crutches and began a painful physical rehabilitation. He later regained flight status and commanded a Navy squadron before retiring from the service in 1981.

Fair enough. The issue isn't about the tax-free status of that $58,000 pension, either. It's the implication about the character of a guy who claims a disability-status pension after he "...regained flight status and commanded a Navy squadron..." What kind of double standard is that?

He's a patriot, he earned a military pension...

...but either he's disabled, or he's not; I'm having trouble reconciling a naval flight surgeon finding an officer who needed rehabilitation fit to lead a squadron yet that same officer retiring with a disability pension based on events before he was re-certified to fly. Robert Schriebman, a senior Pentagon tax advisor and tax attorney who recently retired as a judge advocate for a unit of the California National Guard asks, If McCain can hike across the Grand Canyon, then why should he be getting disability payments from the government...?

Seriously, I don't care if they're tax exempt pension payments, I trust his rehabilitation left him physically fit enough for the rigors of elected office, but can anybody explain that to me how this double-standard fits with the moral character we want in office in Washington?

Senator Barack Obama : The Best Choice For President

Laurie and Awais are two Superdelegates who are the heads of the national college democrats, and have asked for comments on who they should select as President of the United States. My choice is Senator Barack Obama and I state why in this video. More here soon.

Jake Long: Miami Dolphins 1st Round Pick Meets The Media

I'm still uploading videos from the NFL Draft. For more, visit my YouTube channel Zennie62 and our NFL Draft blog.

Here we see Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long get selected "number one" by the Miami Dolphins, then meet the media in the Interview Room downstairs. This is more of a kind of behind the scenes video for those who've never seen the process with the media. I also included his Mom holding up his Dolphins "Number One" jersey.

Sex-Starved Women Out There? Really? Interesting

I mean what can I say other than that? I think the simple fact that the Global Economy has grown such that in America both women and men have to work their tails off just to make ends meet makes most women horny. Yes, even hornier than men.

What's wrong with that?

Well, not much, but then the article I link to refers to sex-starved wives! Yikes. Does that mean they're more likely to cheat?

Hmm....

Memo to America: MONEY TALKS (Cinco de B.O.!)

Memo to the Media:

Follow the money!

Nearly 1,500,000 Obama supporters have given to his campaign for the nomination of the Democratic party. The established media spins the question of "whether Obama is electable" because of his "loss" in PA though he closed the gap (which had been huge.) Let's note: Clinton's campaign is in serious debt while Obama's supporters continue to send in small donations - like the "$5 on 5/5, Cinco de Mayo, Cinco de B.O." concept.

Obama's Grassroots Fundraisers are hard at work, and money is coming from individual donors in small amounts - people who never donated before are stepping into the game. The unprecedented numbers tell the tale: more people are actively supporting this candidate than any other in history.

Memo to Obama: they get it.

learn more about Obama * follow the money * digg story

Caleb Campbell Forgoes Iraq For NFL's Detroit Lions - Video

In the 7th Round of the 2008 NFL Draft a huge cheer erupted from the small-compared-to-Day-One crowd and it was for a little-known cadet who also played football for Army. Caleb Campbell, who was drafted by the Detroit Lions in that last round. As that happened I talked to Dr. Bill Chackhes who gave me the details on Campbell's story. Caleb basically deferred going to Iraq as a officer after he is to graduate with the current Army class of 2008. The Army is allowing him to play in the NFL.

Everyone was enthusiastic to meet the man Bill called "The All American Boy" and this video captures that moment:

CNN's John King Uses Journalism To Express Racial Opinion

CNN's John King is a normally steady hand at reporting, but this night he took a wrong turn into a discussion for which he could not be objective, but uses the cover of reporting objectivity to make an emotional and disagreeable point.

He did this in the AC/360 Blog post he wrote, and I've linked to here.

This is the response I wrote there:

I think the main problem is that the "process" of hearing what Rev. Wright says has been so distorted that some people -- not all -- tune out what he's saying after the original sound-bites have been aired.

I think both John King and Merle Black are very guilty of this "myopic hearing" if you will. John, for actively seeking out someone who's Black to do John's talking for him, and Mr. Black, who's the willing participant in that process. This covers up the real need to hear not just what Rev. Wright has said, but who also said it.

Let's take 9-11: anyone who looks at our history without blinders knows that Somalia was the birthplace of hostilities that led to the World Trade Center attack. It was also a "white" (whatever that really means) Ambassador who said that America's chickens came home to roost.

Rev. Wright said that the ambassador made that statement -- but that fact has been ignored by people like John King, who could be accused of fanning the flame of racism for the sake of ratings and using someone African American to make a statement King himself personally believes. That's not CNN's roll. Not at all.

And John King should be more of a professional journalist, and not a pr rabble rouser. He -- and CNN -- can do better.

2008 NFL Draft - Bill Chackhes On Best Teams; Worst Teams

Dr. Bill Chackhes, SBS Personality, and Managing Partner of Football Writers Online.com took time to talk with me about the 2008 NFL Draft. Bill is a 34 year NFL Draft veteran; 22 years as a credentialed media member.

More about Bill here:

http://www.sportsbusinesssims.com/bill-chachkes.htm

Darren McFadden At NFL Draft - Three Interviews With Oakland Raiders RB

I am in New York City for the NFL Draft. As part of our partnership with KRON TV Channel 4, San Francisco, we created these video interviews of Oakland Raiders First Round Pick Darren McFadden. You can see more of our coverage at http://kron2008nfldraft.com



Agent Ian Greengross On The Thursday Before the Draft talks about character and the chance of a holdout should the Raiders draft McFadden.



Agent Greengross after the Raiders pick McFadden and McFadden Press Conference



Darren McFadden Interview after press conference

Laure Manaudou Failed to Qualify for 200 Metres Freestyle for Beijing

Laure Manaudou Failed to Qualify for 200 Metres Freestyle for Beijing

CLICK TO SEE VIDEO HERE

Laure Manaudou's naked photo scandal placed her squarely in the focus of the World last year. Now, with the Olympics in Beijing upon us and the related Torch protests, what she does is of even greater importance in the Zeitgeist.

Thus, her failure to Qualify for the 200 Metres Freestyle for the Beijing Olympics.

Did this happen due to her scandal with Luca Martin, the Italian swimmer? Or was it the media attention? Whatever the case, Laure Manaudou finds herself with an uphill climb and a new problem to deal with: getting into the Olympics.

Peter Paul Trial - Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton Called As Witnesses; Hillary After Election

I just got a call from a friend who's been close to the Peter F. Paul v. Bill and Hillary Clinton Fraud case, and who reported that in the trial, which was to take place today, Judge Aurelio Munoz called for former President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea Clinton to appear as witnesses, but that Senator Hillary Clinton did not have to appear until after the close of the presidential election.

The judge also called for former presidential candidate and now Nobel Prize Winner Al Gore to appear as a witness. This marks the first bad news for the fomer elected official who's become the father of the battle against Global Warming.

This development, which has not yet appeared in the major news headlines, is a major one in the now nine-year old case and scandal, which has went through various episodes and twists on its way toward today's developments.

It means that the history of Clinton scandals has finally impacted the campaign, because there's no logical way that this bit of important news can not be covered by major news outlets eventually.

But it also causes younger voters who may have broke for Clinton to be forced to look back at the Clinton past, because it impacts events of today.

Carville SLAMS Same NY Times Editorial Board Which Endorsed Clinton

Clinton supporter and CNN commentator James Carville is known for saying what's on his mind, regardless of the results. Recently he called New Mexico Governor and former presidential candidate Bill Richardson "Judas" for endorsing Barack Obama. But in this exchange with the same Governor Richardson this week on "Larry King Live", Carville stuck his foot in his mouth big time, when he said that the NY Times Editorial Board -- the same one that endorsed Senator Clinton for president -- didn't know politics.

Richardson didn't see the opening to call Carville on it, but I did. That was wreckless and certainly shows to what degree the Clinton supporters will go in expressing their anger for any perceived slight. So much so that people and groups once seen as allies are quickly painted as enemies whenever it suits them. If Carville's the poster child for Clinton negativity, he's also the picture of a page in the clipbook of Clinton's failed campaign strategy.

MATT WALSH | STATEMENT BY THE NFL ON MATT WALSH -NFLMedia.com

MATT WALSH | STATEMENT BY THE NFL ON MATT WALSH -NFLMedia.com

Statement By The NFL On Matt Walsh
04/23/2008
STATEMENT BY THE NFL ON MATT WALSH



An agreement has been completed between the NFL and Matt Walsh that will allow Mr. Walsh, a former videotape operator with the New England Patriots, to share with the NFL information about activities occurring during his employment with the club from 1997-2003.



Commissioner Goodell will meet with Mr. Walsh in the commissioner’s office on Tuesday, May 13, the earliest date that Mr. Walsh, who lives in Hawaii, will be available on the east coast.



The agreement also requires Mr. Walsh to return any tapes and other items in his possession that belong to the Patriots. In return, the NFL and the Patriots have promised not to sue Mr. Walsh. They also will indemnify him for any expenses, including legal fees that he incurs in connection with the interview.



Commissioner Goodell determined last September that the Patriots had violated league rules by videotaping opposing coaches' defensive signals during Patriots games throughout Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach. Coach Belichick admitted to his use of the taping practice on a regular basis as a result of what he said was his misinterpretation of the rule. Commissioner Goodell imposed substantial discipline on Coach Belichick and the club as a result of that practice. The interview with Mr. Walsh will seek to determine whether he has any new information about that videotaping practice or other possible violations of league rules.



Following the meeting with Mr. Walsh on May 13, there will be a news media briefing later that day in New York that will be attended by Commissioner Goodell (specific time and location to be provided at a later date).



# # #

Clinton Gets Only Nine - 9 Delegates Over Obama

Clinton $10 Million Gain Offset By $5 Million In PA Ad Cost; $10 Million Debt

After last night's win in Pennsylvania, Clinton's campaign head Terry McAuliffe is bragging over gaining $10 million in 24 hours from donors. Well, that sounds great until we look at the fine print: Senator Clinton not only had $10 million in past due bills, but spent $5 million in ad buys in the Keystone State alone.

Now that's not upfront cash that was spent, but money will come back to them in the form of an invoice for services rendered and thus a new debt.

And that $5 million does not even include the possible $1 million in staff costs the campaign rang up in the state, so we're at $6 million. The point is, the campaign's net gain from donors is only $4 million and look out, the Guam Caucuses, Indiana and North Carolina are up next.

Like the delegate math that places her constantly behind Senator Obama, Senator Clinton will not be able to raise enough money to totally offset her campaign debt.

NORTH CAROLINA RACIST KOOK REPUBLICANS KNOCK OBAMA

According to Tim Russert, but not his words exactly, a group of RACIST KOOK REPUBLICANS IN NORTH CAROLINA LED BY Linda Daves, who's the state Republican Party Chair, and Chris McClure who's the organizations Executive Director, are going to come out with a racist press campaign against Senator Obama on Wednesday, which is tommorrow.

Want Chris McClure's -- who's the Executive Director -- email to ask them to stop? Here it is:

mcclure@ncgop.org -- for Chris McClure

Obama Still 150 Delegates Ahead of Clinton; Can Erase PA With Indiana Or North Carolina Win

The final PA numbers are coming in and it looks like Senator Clinton will pick up 87 delegates versus 71 for Senator Obama. But with that difference, Senator Obama still has a comfortable 150 delegate margin -- for pledged delegates -- and can erase Pennsylvania with a small win in Indiana and North Carolina, or a big win in North Carolina, according to the handy Slate Delegate Counter.

Meanwhile, Senator Clinton runs out of money. She's $10 million in the hole and this $100K raised in 20 minutes is nothing. Meanwhile Obama supporters like myself are already chipping in money at a amazing rate, and that's after the PA loss.

Watch Out For Racist Republicans

According to Tim Russert on MSNBC, the North Carolina Republican Party is going to issue a racist statement regarding Barack Obama on Wednesday. Well, that plays right into the hand of this culture war; they will be marginalized as kooks.

Clinton Gets Expected Win; Obama Comes Out Of Racist PA With Good Numbers

The polls have closed and the votes are cast, and what we expected has come to pass, a Clinton win in Pennsylvania. But considering that Barack Obama was down by as much as 27 points and survived the Rev. Wright Issue and "Bittergate" with what seems to be just now a 8 to 6 point loss to Clinton and 300,000 new registered voters, it's a win for Obama, too.

Hillary Clinton Projected Winner In Pennsylvania

Although Hillary Clinton was outspent by a significant margin and performed exceedingly poorly time after time in campaign events, she prevailed by a small amount this evening in Pennsylvania over frontrunner Barack Obama.

Seahawks expected to make announcement about Alexander

If the former MVP is released by the Seahawks, it would be important for him to make the shrewd decision to retire, while still accumulating large sums of money. Alexander had a prolific career from 2001-2005, playing in every game and accruing 1175-1880 yards every season with fourteen or more touchdowns each year.

By GREGG BELL, AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP)—The long-anticipated separation between the Seattle Seahawks and former MVP running back Shaun Alexander appears imminent.

Alexander’s agent, Jim Steiner, told The Associated Press Tuesday that “an announcement is pending” about Alexander’s future with the Seahawks. Reports surfaced Tuesday morning that Alexander was about to be cut by the team, but not until after he passed a physical. Alexander had surgery after the season on his left wrist, which he broke last season, and must pass a physical before Seattle could release him, otherwise Alexander could file an injury grievance.

The 30-year-old running back is scheduled to earn $4,475,000 in 2008. He has received $18.8 million in base salary so far on his $62 million, eight-year contract, which Steiner at the time said was the richest ever for an NFL running back. Alexander has also received about $13.5 million guarantees through signing and other bonuses.

Alexander has had two injury-filled and ineffective seasons since signing his deal, including last season in which he ran for just 716 yards in 13 games. That was his lowest total since 2001. So his trade value is lower than ever.

Seattle has remodeled its backfield this offseason, signing Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett.

PA Voting Machine Problems and Fraud With Clinton's Name Not Obama On Ballots!

Is this how Clinton's planning to steal the election? This is from the blog of Philly.com today and is terrible! The Obama campaign should be on the lookout to file a lawsuit.

We continue to hear reports of broken machines. This tale was reported to the Daily News by a very patient voter:

"I just came from voting. Finally got my vote in at 49 ward, 07 division....after waiting for (the only) 2 voting machines to be repaired.

"I was able to cast my vote for Obama after waiting 1 and 1/2 hours. During that time at least 100 voters left without voting.....possibly not to return.

"I immediately called every News channel I could get through to. Persons who answered at the stations informed me that my ward was not the only one with broken machines and 'Paper ballots (as an alternative) without Obama's name on it. These provisional ballots did have Hiliary's name on them."

Now, voting machines malfunction every election. The worry today is that a high turnout will compound those problems -- forcing voters to wait, as in the case above, or turn to provisional ballots (the paper ones) which will take much longer to count.

We'll keep an eye on this today.

Auntie Jan Talks About The Hon Rev. Jeremiah Wright

My Auntie Jan has been a member of Trinity United Methodist Church for years. After some proding, she sat down to talk with me about a man she admires so much, the Hon. Rev. Jeremiah Wright. She explains that he's been misunderstood -- and deliberately because one of his parishioners, Senator Barack Obama, is running for President -- and that America does not understand much of its history. I would add that America does not understand its own culture.

Zennie's Question For Senator Clinton and Larry King

I made this question because Senator Hillary Clinton's supposed to appear on the Larry King Show this evening and with no Barack Obama in sight. I am concerned that Larry will ask her softball questions, so I'm asking about her scheduled testimony as a witness in the upcoming Paul v. Clinton trial and if Larry can tell all of us that he is or is not a Clinton backer and if not, how does he explain the video going around that has him as attending one of her lunch events when she was running for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the Late Pat Mohinhan?

Chevron Ecuador Scandal: Did Chevron Pollute Ecuador?

There's a massive scandal brewing regarding Chevron and Ecuador and involved a nasty oil spill that the government of Ecuador's blaming Chevron for, when it appears that their own state-run oil company (not that I have anything against something state-owned) seems to be at fault. The people leading this charge against Chevron are Ecuador's leftist leader, Rafael Correa, and Pablo Fajardo and Luis Yanza, one a lawyer, the other the leader of the Amazon Defense Front.

Here's the story:

Chevron: Ecuador Tests Flawed

REAL CULPRIT: Chevron says Ecuador's inefficient state oil company Petroecuador is to blame for any contamination in the Amazon.

Chevron denounces faulty "evidence" and "expert" bias in the $6 billion contamination case in Ecuador.
BY LATIN BUSINESS CHRONICLE STAFF

They want U.S. oil company Chevron (CVX) to pay for alleged damages in the Ecuador Amazon. But their tests are flawed and they have blocked eight attempts to inspect the laboratory they use for their tests. Welcome to the $6 billion case against Chevron in Ecuador, which the U.S. oil company says is increasingly becoming "a judicial farse".

More than 75 percent of the laboratory data presented by the group suing Chevron in Ecuador comes from the Havoc laboratory located in Quito. However, an independent test of soil and water samples by the laboratory shows results that are seriously flawed, Chevron says.

"This independent analysis verifies what we have suspected and what the plaintiffs are clearly trying to hide – the Havoc lab is incompetent and the reports they have prepared [on] behalf of the plaintiffs cannot be trusted," Ricardo Veiga Managing Counsel for Chevron Latin America, said in a statement last week.

Chevron has presented the results to the Superior Court of Nueva Loja. U.S.-based laboratory Wibby Environmental at Chevron’s request sent water and and soil samples spiked with specific, known amounts of hydrocarbons and metals to Havoc laboratories to determine if Havoc could get the correct results. "The Havoc laboratory’s analysis showed levels of barium, cadmium, copper & nickel that exceeded the concentrations in the samples they were sent," Chevron says in a statement. "Havoc’s analysis for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or “PAHs” (petroleum compounds) was incomplete. The lab's analysis of soil samples showed “unacceptable” results for barium, cadmium."

The source of the samples, and the sponsor of the analysis, was withheld from Havoc in order to ensure an unprejudiced result, the statement says.

HIDING SOMETHING?

Meanwhile, even local Ecuadorian authorities have been unable to inspect the Havoc laboratory. The eighth attempt by the 20th Civil Court of Pichincha since February 2006 was scheduled to occur three weeks ago, but was like the previous attempts - blocked by the attorneys for the group suing Chevron.

"Plaintiffs’ lawyers are afraid that if the truth were exposed about this lab, the Court and the world would see that their allegations against Chevron are made up of nothing but lies and fabrications," Veiga said. "We insist that the plaintiffs’ attorneys and the activist groups that have brought this baseless lawsuit be called to explain the deceit and the fraud they have perpetrated against the Court, their clients, and Ecuador."

The U.S. oil company calls the last-minute maneuvers to prevent a judge of the Civil Court of Pichincha from inspecting the laboratory "a shocking and deliberate attempt to obstruct justice."

The inspection was aimed at determining whether the Havoc lab was qualified and had the necessary equipment and technology to undertake the required analysis of water and soil samples from oil sites in the Oriente region. The Civil Court of Pichincha ordered the first inspection last year after Chevron had noted to the Superior Court of Lago Agrio that the laboratory was not properly accredited by the Ecuadorian Accreditation Organization (OAE) to perform the necessary analyses required in the environmental trial against Chevron.

CHRONICLE OF BLOCKED ATTEMPTS

On the first attempt - on February 17, 2006 - the Civil Judge of Pichincha, Dr. Germán González del Pozo, went to the Havoc laboratory himself on the day of the officially scheduled inspection only to find its doors locked and access to the laboratory's facilities denied. The same happened when he tried to inspect the lab the following month. Thereafter, the attorneys for the group suing Chevron presented him with motions to stop his next two attempted inspections in March and May.

In August last year, the judge requested both parties to appoint the experts for the next inspection. Havoc failed to appoint an expert, and, therefore, once again the judge was forced to cancel the inspection, Chevron points out. Then - in October - another inspection was scheduled, but a few days before, the lab's attorneys filed a recusal claim, which forced suspension of the inspection. The seventh attempt - scheduled for April 24 this year - was stopped when attorney's for Havoc and the group suing Chevron filed a legal motion to stop the court from carrying out the inspection.

Chevron is also denouncing that Richard Cabrera, the court-appointed engineer responsible for overseeing the ongoing expert determination in the suit - is using unsanctioned teams to conduct unsupervised and unapproved field research, in clear violation of court directives.

In a petition to the Superior Court of Nueva Loja, Chevron has detailed how Cabrera has deployed unidentified teams of researchers to search for evidence of environmental impacts outside the scope of his court-mandated obligations without first receiving the necessary judicial approvals. The teams began their work in advance of Cabrera even being appointed to and days before his official inspection began, Chevron says.

NULL AND VOID

The U.S. oil company has therefore asked the court to declare the evidence collected by the teams to be considered null and void. Chevron has previously denounced Cabrera's bias against the company (see Chevron: US Victory, Ecuador Doubts). However, its petitions urging the court to reconsider Cabrera's appointment have gone unanswered, as have its requests seeking that he be required to comply with court orders regarding how his work should be carried out.

Separately, several Ecuadorians have also sued Chevron in the United States alleging they got cancer as a result of Chevron-instigated contamination in the Oriente region of Ecuador's Amazon. Their case was thrown out last month by a U.S. federal court.

Last week an independent study released by Chevron showed that the consensus view of leading epidemiologists and tropical health experts is that there is no evidence to support the claim that the Oriente region is experiencing higher rates of cancer, or that cancer in the region is the result of exposure to oil field sites.

"There is no question that the people of the Oriente face a series of challenges regarding their personal and community health," Silvia Garrigo, a Chevron attorney, said in a statement. "However, these people are being deceived in the worst possible way by the lawyers and activists who have brought this lawsuit."

ECUADOR'S RESPONSIBILITY

The major health concerns in the Oriente region are not the result of oil operations, but the lack of water treatment infrastructure, the lack of sufficient sanitation infrastructure and inadequate access to medical care, Chevron says.

Texaco operated an oil field consortium with Petroecuador from 1964 to 1990, when the Ecuadorian company took over management of the oil field. Texaco continued with a minority stake in the consortium until 1992. In 1995, Texaco agreed with the Ecuadorian government to conduct a $40 million environmental remediation in the area of the former concession. Three years later, the government of Ecuador declared that the remediation was completed according to the terms and parameters agreed upon and released Texaco from any future liability.

In 1993 a group of Indians in the affected areas filed a lawsuit against Texaco in the United States, claiming the U.S. company had contaminated the area. That case was dismissed by the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Second Circuit in 2002, but another lawsuit was filed in Ecuador.

Chevron also says Petroecuador - widely considered one of the most inefficient state oil companies in Latin America - has to take the blame for any oil contamination. In the seven-year period from 2000 to 2006, Petroecuador was responsible for a total of 882 oil spills, Chevron points out.

CNN Ads "Upskirt" To Gerri Willis, Morning News; Real Short Skirt On

Remember how I've been writing that CNN would get higher ratings for its "day" programs if it had Campbell Brown wear short skirts and show legs as she did on NBC? Well, someone at CNN's reading my blog, because as of today, CNN has anchor Gerri Willis sitting in a high chair and sporting a real short skirt. Then CNN's producers make totally sure you see it. Day upskirt action for ratings.

What does this say about CNN? Well, it shows that CNN's as ratings aware as I believed, and have decided to turn away from the journalistic strategy it has known for decades and mix in sex. Gerri's blonde and looks for all the World like a Fox News star.

Also, CNN's pushing Senator Clinton -- which I think is unethical as they should tell viewers of their bias rather than show it -- and it seems trying to appeal to a "Whiter" audience, which I think is a total error. The problem is that Gerri sounds a little, well, less than smart which impacts credibility. That's not a good thing.

I'm not writing that she's not smart because I think there are different ways to be intelligent, but it's as if someone told her "project a smiling, sexy, bubby look" and she's doing that.

Uh, you mean like Fox?

Yep.

Pope Benedict XVI In Yankees Stadium - CNN TV and CNN.com

Ok, I'm watching Pope Benedict XVI hold mass in Yankees Stadium before 57,000 people and I'm glad I'm seeing it, because I was going to change the channel at first. I was about to do that because I wasn't interested in it, but then I was overcome by the fact that I'd not been to Church in a few weeks -- escaping some negative energy at Glide Memorial in SF -- and needed to see a religious event.

Plus, it's American Culture, or a part of it, and history. What's interesting is that so many people still turn out to see his holliness, which is a good thing, and a God thing too.

CLINTON SUPPORTER HACKS BARACK OBAMA WEBSITE

When Senator Hillary Clinton's staffers said they were throwing the kitchen sink at Senator Barack Obama, they were not kidding. Someone this Saturday night hacked the BarackObama.com website. This video shows what happened when I went to my blog page, then clicked on "Community Blogs" -- I was taken to the front page of Senator Clinton's website.

This means Senator Clinton's staffers possibly hired someone to hack into the Barack Obama website system. Such efforts generally don't go unpaid, either.

Moreover, Blue State Digital is running the site, and has to bear some responsibility for this. Did an ex-Blue State Staffer do this? Was Blue State hired by the Clinton staff recently? There are many questions to answer. But if Senator Clinton bowed out of the race, these games would stop.

This is serious because it means Senator Clinton could also unethically poach donors from the Obama campaign via online website redirects like this. Terrible and unethical.

Barack Obama Oakland Delegate Convention Movie - Oakland,CA

This is a 20 minute movie on the dramatic event that was the convention held in Oakland, CA to elect delegates to represent the 9th Congressional District in Oakland and Barack Obama. It drew 2,000 people.

If you live in Oakland and are politically involved, you're going to see someone you know in this video. It was really a kind of homecoming for people in Oakland politics and of course Oaklanders who have been involved with the Obama campaign. I thank the people in the video from Peralta Community College District Chancellor Elihu Harris to my friends, all of whom are in the movie and listed, and the delegate winners in this movie who are just some of the Oaklanders that will represent Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, Jennifer Pae, Fred Feltz, Mark Friedman, Ayelet Waldman , and Darlene Brooks.

The estimate of 2,000 people was my own and came from first, eyeballing the event, second from figuring that of 101 candidates, each had perhaps 10 people average who came out for them, which leads to 1,000 people, then adding volunteers, media, and people who just wanted to see what was happening, and then participate.

More Chevron Truth

Chevron, the parent company of Texaco Petroleum (Texpet) has been horribly libeled in the media as well as the courtroom by opportunistic U.S. environmental lawyers looking to turn a quick buck. They were illegitimately sued for its partnership with Petroecuador, Ecuador’s state-owned oil company. Chevron has been falsely linked to genocide and that is patently false as evidenced with the steady increase of the Cofan indigenous population from 1920 to present day.

There is absolutely no basis for the claim of genocide of any indigenous group. Ecuador
government census data and all peer-reviewed published population data agree that the population of the six indigenous groups has either increased or remained stable since Texpet began operations in Ecuador. For example, demographic studies presented by Dr. Bedoya indicate that the Cofán - far from "facing extinction" as claimed by the plaintiffs and their supporters - increased in number from about 300 inhabitants in 1955 to 1,044 in the official government of Ecuador census of 2001. All government (1) and peer reviewed population estimates (23) found by Dr. Bedoya are shown in the figure below. Doctor Eduardo Bedoya has a Ph.D in Anthropology from New York University and has worked as consultant for the ILO, CARE-Perú, WINROCK Corporation, the World Bank, and the IUCN.

Cofán Population: 1920 - 2010
PARAHUACU ATACAPI
DURENO
GUANTA AGUARICO
SACHA
YULE BRA
CULE BRA
RON
ENO
PALA NDA
AUCA
AUCA
SUR
RUMIYACU
CONONACO
Rio
Napo
Aguarico
LAGO AGRIO
Rio
PALO
ROJO Cofán
HUSHUFINDI
Secoya

1970 1980 1990
Period of Texpet Concession
100
300
500
700
900
1100
1300
1500
1700
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
1923: Measles epidemic
Period of
Texpet
Concession
155016
5003
5174
3005 3006
4007
6909
29710
40012
46013
50014
100015
78018
58019
62720
85021

The production took place primarily on government lands and was conducted in compliance with Ecuadorian laws and regulations. Roughly 1.7 million barrels of crude oil were produced, with the Government of Ecuador (GOE) receiving 95% of the total financial proceeds. Perhaps they want more because the Ecuadorian government is in collusion with fraudulent U.S.-based lawyers greedily seeking to extort monies from Chevron over these bogus allegations.

At the conclusion of the venture’s twenty-year concession, the area and facilities of the former consortium were subjected to a government-supervised audit, which, together with other Government data, became the basis for a settlement agreement under which Texpet was required to conduct environmental remediation with respect to the sites in proportion to its one-third interest in the venture. Everything was fine then.

To that end, Texpet executed a $40 million remediation and public works program under close GOE supervision. Texpet’s remediation was fully inspected, certified and approved by the GOE, and the GOE granted Texpet a full and complete release of all further claims, liabilities and obligations associated with Texpet’s operations in Ecuador.

The release documents were signed by the GOE’s Minister of Mines & Energy, the President of Petroecuador, and the General Manger of Petroproduccion—the operational division of Petroecuador. Texpet has had no role whatsoever in exploration and production in Ecuador since 1992.

Petroecuador, the sole owner and proprietor of the oil fields, had 15 years to make remediation and failed to remediate its sites even though it was more than willing to do so when it took the $40 million in funding from Texpet in 1992. The environmental degradation which still takes place today is due to Petroecuador’s poor operations and negligence, and the Ecuadorian government’s unwillingness to fund adequate remediation.

Interestingly, in 1999, seven years after Texpet ceased to have any involvement in Ecuadorian operations, the government of Ecuador enacted a new environmental statute – the 1999 Environmental management Act. This allowed any Ecuadorian to file suit for environmental reparations on behalf of the collectivity. While the 1999 EMA created new substantive rights that did not previously exist, the new law cannot be used to challenge pre-1999 conduct, as per Article 7 of the Civil Code of Ecuador, which expressly prohibits retroactive application of Ecuadorian substantive law. Nevertheless, in 2003 the very same U.S. lawyers whom have been waging this campaign since 1993 filed suit against Chevron using this same 1999 law. They should be disbarred for misrepresenting a legal statute in a transparent effort to extort monies from Chevron.

Chevron is getting blamed for environmental degradation and being illegitimately sued for an environmental crime committed by Petroecuador which accepted Chevron/Texpet’s $40 million pay-out and didn’t fulfill its responsibility to remediate the sites that were explored and extracted. A costly and long-standing legal dispute has arisen between U.S.-based contingency fee-based trial lawyers working in partnership with NGOs and local activists whose goal is to extort a large windfall from Chevron, a large and successful corporation with deep pockets. The general public perceives large corporations such as Chevron as evil-doers, and public opinion tends to scapegoat them.

The litigation in Ecuador has followed the typical pattern for such suits. The lawyers retained a consultant to devise an astronomical estimate of financial liability, which the plaintiffs have attempted to use to frighten the company into a settlement. The expert in question, David Russell, made only a cursory examination of a small handful of sites and did not seek to distinguish between damage caused by Texpet/Petroecuador consortium and damage caused by Petroecuador over the 15 years since Texpet left Ecuador. Also, they did not determine how much was the fault of Petroecuador’s and the Government of Ecuador’s negligence after they had received $40 million in funding to more than cover the costs of this operation from Chevron, as well as being signed off by the GOE upon Texpet’s agreed-upon departure.

Ad-Tech San Francisco Digital Marketing Convention - Video

This video presents sights, sounds, and people at Ad-Tech San Francisco, a digital marketing convention annually held at Moscone Center in San Francisco. What I noticed about Ad-Tech this year is that there was less space used overall but more people, and far more people of color than ever before.

Barack Obama Talks About Clinton; Draws 35,000 in Philadelphia

In Raleigh, NC, Senator Barack Obama talks about the way Hillary Clinton and ABC News ganged up on him in the debate of the previous night. Then on Friday, Obama appeared before the largest crowd of his presidential candidacy: 35,000 people. That's almost twice the number of people he drew in Oakland City Hall last year, which was 18,000 people.

The video below is but one of two that was posted on YouTube. It features Obama supporters yelling "Yes We Can."

U.S. Women Olympic Athletes on Olympic Torch, China and Tibet

U.S. Women Olympic Athletes representing the Synchronized Swim Team talk to me for this vlog about the China Olympic Torch Controversy. Kristina Jones, Megan Kenny and Andrea Nott issued a plea is to allow them to go to the Olympics and in a message to President Bush, Andrea says that an Olympic Boycott would not be effective I can't say I agree, but the point of this is to capture their point of view, not mine.

For more on the team see this account at About.com.

Pro-Chinese Protestor On Tibet - SF Olympic Torch Ceremony

Pro-Chinese Protestor On Tibet - SF Olympic Torch Ceremony

Chinese Protester On Tibet. I asked this man the question of his opinion on China's reported torture and killing of Tibetan protestors and he agreed to be filmed. The result is in my view a very chilling answer which seems quite normal to him. He says, on camera, that "Tibet shamed China." Watch the video. He says that the acts were just an example of "China managing the situation" and that such "social control" was normal. Then he says, "have a nice day."

A YouTube viewer left a rather terrible comment that I lied when I claimed that China killed Tibetan protesters, but I did not. According to the April 5th 2008 Times UK, the Chinese police killed eight people after opening fire on monks and protesters. The Chinese government sent in 1,000 paramilitary police to use force to end the protest.

ABC= Assault Black Candidate Obama Smeared by ABC News In Debate

Once again, ABC News showed its biased and unprofessional approach in this election year with a debate last night that seemed not to be that at all, but an attempt to assault Senator Barack Obama.

Charlie Gibson and George Stephanapolos should be fired for this. They were terrible. It's a good think Obama weathered the storm, but this was supposed to be a debate anyway.

Social Media Marketing - Zennie's Definition At Ad-Tech

What does Social Media Marketing mean to you? Well I was asked that question at the San Francisco Ad Tech conference and gave this answer, with a twist.

Charles E. Johnson and Tano Capital Invest $7.4 Million Into Anil Printers Limited

Tano Capital Invests $7.4 Million Into Anil Printers Limited

Charles E. Johnson and Tano Capital LLC, on behalf of the Tano India Private Equity Fund I, is pleased to announce that it has made an equity investment of INR 300 million (US $7.4 million) into India based Anil Printers Limited (“APL”). APL is a printing company that manufactures prepaid scratch cards, pin mailers, airline tickets, cargo bills, and carbon-less stationery for the telecommunications, banking, courier, and logistics industries.

Tano Capital LLC, on behalf of the Tano India Private Equity Fund I, is pleased to announce that it has made an equity investment of INR 300 million (US $7.4 million) into India based Anil Printers Limited (“APL”). APL is a printing company that manufactures prepaid scratch cards, pin mailers, airline tickets, cargo bills, and carbon-less stationery for the telecommunications, banking, courier, and logistics industries.

APL was founded by Ashokka Agarwal, who has been in the printing business for the past 25 years. APL’s clients include Reliance Telecom, Reliance Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, Hutch, Idea, BSNL, MTNL, Nu Mobile (Bhutan), State Bank of India, Corporation Bank, UTI Bank, HSBC, HDFC, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Jet Airways and Indian Airlines.

With this investment, APL plans to manufacture smart cards and RFID labels in technical collaboration with Mühlbauer High Tech International of Germany. APL has identified opportunities for the application of smart cards and RFID technology in several areas, including driver’s licenses and national identification/security card systems such as the R.C. Book Multipurpose National Identification Card (MNIC) project.

Charles “Chuck” Johnson, Tano Capital’s Founder and Managing General Partner, said, “We are particularly excited about the strength and depth of Anil Printers management team. They have demonstrated their ability to continually adapt and reshape their core businesses in rapidly changing business environments in both up and down markets. Their impressive list of top notch clients is a solid testament to the quality of the products that they produce.”

Tano Capital, LLC is an alternative asset management firm founded in 2003 by Charles E. Johnson (formerly Co-President of Franklin Templeton Investments and CEO of Templeton Worldwide) to make private equity investments into rapidly growing private companies in India and China. Tano Capital currently has offices in Shanghai, Tianjin, Taipei, Mauritius, Mumbai, Viet Nam and San Mateo, California.

Bruce Springsteen Backs Barack Obama

Bruce Springsteen Backs Barack Obama

Like a bolt out of the blue and frankly with more empact that Elton John's Hillary Clinton concert , "The Boss" backed Barack Obama today, effectively turning the news cycle in Obama's favor and hitting a demographic group that some said Obama could not reach: White rural dwellers. This is what he wrote.

Dear Friends and Fans:

LIke most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where "...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."

At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man's life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams of My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.

After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans.

Over here on E Street, we're proud to support Obama for President.

Obama Gets Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Endorsement

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette backs Senator Barack Obama for President, writing...

...Pennsylvania -- this encrusted, change-averse commonwealth where a state liquor monopoly holds on against all reason and where municipal fiefdoms shrink from sensible consolidation -- needs to take a strong look at the new face and the new hope in this race. Because political business-as-usual is more likely to bring the usual disappointment for the Democrats this fall, the Post-Gazette endorses the nomination of Barack Obama, who has brought an excitement and an electricity to American politics not seen since the days of John F. Kennedy.

The primary is this Tuesday, April 22nd.

Fox News, Brit Hume Full Of Shit In My View: Barack's Right, We're All Bitter

Geez, these Fox News guys crack me up. Excuse me, these Fox News guys who insist on telling you or reminding you that they're old and "white male" and by that I mean exhibiting a 1950s kind of social and cultural inflexibility that prevents them from seeing social change . I'm writing about Brit Hume, Mort Kondracke, and Charles Kruthheimer, conservatives all.

They're trying to spin the whole Mayhill Fowler / "Bittergate" deal as revealing that Obama's an elitist, and a "Harvard Leftist" who does not appreciate the plight of working class people. What a bunch of total bullshit. But then I've some to expect bullshit level information from Fox News.

Barack was telling it like it is. Rural cities have been hammered by the erased manufacturing economy America was once know for, and it has not recovered. What's cropped up are people who are struggling, and some are totally pissed off with your ability to "make it" over them. To point that out is "anti-politic" whereas to avoid it is old politics at its best.

That's a fact.

Fox News was more interested in spinning a negative Obama story than telling the truth. Thanks, Mayhill, and you call yourself an Obama supporter?

More like you've been trying to shooting the captain.

Doctor Faust in 2008

The issue is honesty, justice, and fairness in American politics.

Rumors abound questioning Senator Barack Obama's commitment to a free and democratic Israel. Gary Hart says, in this piece at Huffington Post, "I find it outrageous and the height of political cynicism for any other candidate or campaign, Democratic or Republican, to question Senator Obama's commitment to continuation of the U.S.-Israeli partnership and particularly to do so in a sinister, duplicitous, and scurrilous manner by spreading false rumors. When he campaigns against the politics of the past, and attracts hundreds of thousands of young people and independents as a result, that is the kind of politics he means."

Opponents are flinging everything they can at Obama, hoping to find something - anything - that will stick. Lately his wealthy opponents, both veterans of the DC scene for decades (at least if you accept Senator Clinton's math) have had the audacity to suggest he's an out-of-touch elitist. Read about "bittergate" if you've somehow missed it, but rest assured it's backfired. If you don't know the reference to "Faust" you might not get Hart's reference, but it's about hubris, and selling one's soul to the devil.

The issue is honesty, justice, and fairness in American politics. Gary Hart gets it. He knows that Obama gets the bitter voters, and the situation in the middle east.

read more | digg story

Obama talks about Senator "Annie Oakley" Clinton in Steelton, PA

Bittergate? Obama's lovin' it.

Do you feel bitter? Are they playing politics with bittergate? Do you think Senator Clinton would look good in hunter's orange in her duck blind? Obama responds to bittergate today in Steelton, PA. Let's be blunt: the reason we cherish his hope is that decades of self-interest by insiders in DC has disenfranchised most of us normal people. Let's talk about hope!

read more | digg story

AARP millionaires saying OBAMA is out of touch? Get real.

Bittergate? Is that the best they can do?

Lifting a comment out of context that provides Obama a perfect reason to talk about hope versus the same old-school say-anything to get elected politics? The faux outrage of Senators Clinton & McCain is nearly tailor made to have him repeating his message - are his opponents so desperate they've forgotten that people ARE bitter, that it's politics as usual that Obama is AGAINST, and that voters are responding with renewed hope and enthusiasm?

Colin Powell certainly sees Obama positively. Several great vids connected to this article, including the one before somebody convinced CNN to be nice to Clinton instead of calling her out on this issue, as they had earlier in the day.

read more | digg story

That's right, they're looking up... wondering how they'll catch him.

Bitter and Angry in Rural Pennsylvania

"Yes, people ARE angry, and bitter, but Obama never said that they aren't resilient, opitmistic or hard-working. Those are Hillary and McCain's twisted words, and for them to stand up and suggest that rural Pennsylvanians aren't fed up with the way things are, only reveals how out of touch they really are with at least this part of the country." This is a great article from a woman who lives in Rural PA. Take a moment. Bittergate, people, isn't about Obama being out of touch (how dare McCain think he could make that stick?) it's about Obama's opponents so desperate to find another smear that they played the out-of-context card again -- only this time, it's working in his favor, because he's "forced" to talk about... you guessed it... HOPE.

read more | digg story

The New Zennie62 Banner

PA Wrap-Up: The Politics of Fear vs. the Politics of Hope

The PA primary has come to this. No it's not a fallout shelter, just the vault in the Ardmore Obama'08 office mentioned in my previous diary.

This is my last day canvassing in PA. On my way back home, I will stop off northeast of Philly for the campaign-sponsored meeting tonight with Dan Kurtzer, our former Ambassador to both Egypt and Israel. It has been nine years since I last saw him at the Department of State, where he was my boss during my last two-year tour of duty in Washington before we both headed overseas to very different destinations. It will be good to see him again, but even more important to hear how he addresses the concerns of the Jewish community here, which has clearly been influenced by the politics of fear.
Dan Kurtzer is both the consummate diplomat and a great human being. And that is why I was very pleased to hear last month that he had come out in support of Barack Obama. With his Middle Eastern experience and as an observant Jew, Kurtzer should have considerable credibility in addressing Jewish concerns. But I do not want to minimize the challenge here, underlined by the young female rabbi visiting from NYC who told me yesterday that she was surprised by the degree of suspicion of Obama in the Jewish community.
wizinit :: PA Wrap-Up: The Politics of Fear vs. the Politics of Hope
A couple in northern Indiana County [PA] awoke yesterday morning and discovered their Barack Obama lawn sign had been spray painted with a red swastika.
"I was really disgusted. It's completely un-American," said Kamal Youssef, an artist and engineer from Egypt who became a U.S. citizen in 1958. "Everybody should have his own feelings and ideas and opinions," but he and his wife were stunned that someone defaced the sign.
...Mr. Youssef, 86, ...is Muslim...his wife, Maria, 75, is Jewish and Christian Orthodox and became naturalized after immigrating from Czechoslovakia.
--from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 6, 2008
I do not share the rabbi's surprise, but do feel her disappointment. After all, with his unique heritage and message of unity, I believe Obama transcends historic racial and religious divisions in our society. And when it comes to his past actions, he has a "100 percent pro-Israel" voting record. So what is the reason for the resistance in about half of the Jewish community here to voting for Barack Obama?
For those of us who have closely followed this contest over the past year it would appear that the targeted campaign against Obama in the Jewish community was launched big-time in mid-January of this year. Former Israeli Ambassador to the US Danny Ayalon published an anti-Obama Jerusalem Post article entitled "Who Are You, Barack Obama?" January 23 that questioned the motives and encouraged suspicion of Obama's policy views vis a vis Iran and Israeli military security. At about the same time, at a relative's wedding in Florida, I learned that virtually every member of my family had received a version of the similarly entitled "Who Is Barack Obama" slurmail, which also circulated widely in white Christian communities in the south.
The campaign continued in February, reflected in an email forwarded to me by a relative that apparently originated with Lee Farber at the University of Pennsylvania. It contained Ed Lasky's American Thinker article of January 16 entitled "Barack Obama and Israel". Whatever his intentions, Farber did not mention that Lasky, who has by now published at least five anti-Obama articles, is critical of most Democrats and in 2004 argued "Why Jews Should Vote for Bush". In fact, Lasky's diatribes are very similar to the February 21 Jerusalem Post's "Obama and the Jews" by Marc Zell, who happens to be the Co-Chairman of Republicans Abroad in Israel.
If there is HOPE in this tale, it is that approximately 50% of Jewish voters I have talked to since Saturday are open-minded, or even commited Obama supporters. Many are actively volunteering in the campaign. Most question the Likud and GOP arguments directed against Barack Obama. They all realize that at this stage of the Presidential contest the anti-Obama attacks can only benefit Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Another encouraging indicator comes from the Pennsylvania Secretary of State's party registration data, which yesterday reported that, for the first time in 30 years, Bucks County has joined Montgomery County and "flipped" from Republican to Democrat. Just since last November, there are 300,000 new Democrats in Pennsylvania, while Republican registrations have dropped by almost 60,000.
I ran into five Republicans this week who had recently re-registered as Democrats (since I was only canvassing previously registered Democrats, this was entirely by coincidence). All intend to vote for Obama on April 22. There were two other voters who did not leave the Republican Party, but hope to vote for Obama in November. When you combine these anecdotal stories with the fact that statewide there are now a million more Democrats than Republicans in PA, the prospects for an Obama victory in November are very positive indeed.

Barack Obama gets it! Charges of Elitism ring hollow

“No, I’m in touch. I know exactly what’s going on. I know what’s going on in Pennsylvania, I know what’s going on in Indiana, I know what’s going on in Illinois,” Mr. Obama said, his voice rising. “People are fed up, they’re angry, they’re frustrated, they’re bitter and they want to see a change in Washington. That’s why I’m running for president"

Barack Obama gets it! Mindy is a Pennsylvanian and she said, "I know, he spoke the truth. Some people may choose to stick their heads in the sand and pretend everything is honky dory, but the reality is that things are tough everywhere, and there are many many people who are angry and frustrated. There is no insult there. What is offensive is how the Clinton/McCain camp try to spin a perfectly true and fair observation into something negative. What is offensive is how the Clinton/McCain camp continue to insult out intelligence by assuming that we should all be running around like happy idiots despite what is going on around us."

Even CNN has labeled it as a non-story lacking in credibility, but getting some traction because it's got some potential as more out of context sensationalism when there's nothing much else getting covered - why talk about the actual issues, or keep remarks in context, after all?

Still not sure? Read the transcript, or watch CNN:

read more | digg story

Why vote for Obama?

All politicians say they're for the people.

How many priests, evangelists, and politicians do we have to endure before it's OK to be cynical and expect him to be just one more like all the rest?

Don't his remarks, now being characterized as "bittergate", show a run of the mill, old-school, out of touch politician?

Won't Obama just get greedy and help special interests and line his own pockets if we elect him?

Here's a guy saying there's s fundamental difference about Obama's maturity. Read his reasons, decide for yourself, and if you agree, vote it up at DIGG!

read more | digg story

Mayhill Fowler An Ememy of The Obama For America Campaign

This is my letter to the Obama Rapid Response Team

Hello ORR,

Just some FYI. The person behind the installation of the "video" with Senator Obama's comments on the plight of Pennsylvania small towns is Mayhill Fowler. She's an Oakland resident of 61 years old who I first met online via Amanda Michel of The Huffington Post.

At first, our emails were fine as I wrote about videoing her -- we both live in Oakland But as her coverage became obviously anti-Barack, I not only backed off, I stopped contacting her, except to tell her that she was being biased.

All of her coverage at the time was pro-Hillary and Anti-Barack. Plus, she had the nasty habit of quoting Barack or any supporter without taking notes or using a camcorder. That habit was SO BAD she pissed off key members of the Obama For America campaign in Northern California.

Nuts.

Also, my Huff Post articles were pro-Obama and I was open about it. But they -- the Huff Post -- had a WEIRD tendency to promote Mayhill's anti-Obama coverage over my pro-Obama work, which also attacked Clinton.

Thus, I stopped submitting work to the Huff Post because of that, plus the fact that my interest is in building my blog network and not Arianna's. I love Ariana and I've copied her here, but all's fair in the Internet business.

My point was to tell the world the other story and that was being slowed, so I concentrated on using better "SEO" systems than the Huff Post, to rank higher -- it's worked. One thing I've learned is that once a person in this business finds the right formula, all of the beneficiaries of the "old" way give way to the new.

This will be true for the Huff Post, as much as any other website. You can't sit still, and yet they do. Just how is something I know. It's not that I don't respect the Huff Post -- in fact, I love it -- but I did not like the Mayhill matter. It stuck in my craw and fueled me to make my own news and not contribute to their content, or try to.

Meanwhile Mayhill pressed on. To her partial credit, this article has some evidence which I frankly think is good for the campaign. Barack's a speaker of the truth and the fact is that small towns in Pennsylvania have really been hit hard. He's right to talk about where they're coming from and it should spark conversation. Like the "race" issue, we will come out on top in the end. We're fighting against people who use dishonesty as a weapon -- I've learned that the best counter is honesty.

Also, I suspect that Mayhill's getting some assistance from Huff Post, but if so it's small. That $10 million they got is not going into the pockets of editors and writers as it should -- bully for me!

In closing, if you want to contact Mayhill yourself here's her email:
JuneHill@aol.com

As Scooby Do would say "Rotsa Ruck Roy!"
Dear

As

--
Zennie Abraham, Jr.
Chairman and CEO
http://www.sportsbusinesssims.com
Sports Business Simulations
510-387-9809
SBS Online Marketing at http://www.sbson.com

Why vote for Obama?

All politicians say they're for the people. How many priests, evangelists, and politicians do we have to endure before it's OK to be cynical and expect him to be just one more guy who talks the good talk but worries about himself and those who help him get rich? After all, isn't he really just like all the rest? Won't he just get greedy and help special interests if we elect him? This guy doesn't think so.

read more | digg story

Tavis Smiley Quits The Tom Joiner Show Over Barack Obama

Tavis Smiley Quits The Tom Joiner Show Over Barack Obama

After his disasterous handling of the Barack Obama presidential run and his snub of Michelle Obama during the promotion for his "State of Black America" event, Tavis Smiley has quit the Tom Joiner Morning Show. Joiner himself says it's because of the "hate" he's getting around the Barack matter.

Florida Cheerleader Beating Shows Teenage Cruelty To World

This video is all over the place and on YouTube and various other online video distribution sites. These Lakeland Florida cheerleaders were upset with a girl that wrote "bad things" about them on MySpace page and on text messages, and then set up a plot to entrap and then eventually beat a 16-year old girl.

Here's the video:



That video also shows Ms. Garcia, who's the mother of one of the girls responsible for the event. I feel sorry for the mother as I don't think she knows the gravity of what's happened and is trying to protect her daughter against a angry society.

But the fact is that teenage girls like this have been around us for years. What's happened is that we have sent messages to them that violence and "beat-downs" are just fine, and oh, let's show it all on YouTube.

The kids are teenagers who don't know better and should not be tried as adults in my view. But I think some kind of message should be sent and we also need to take a hard look at how society is raising these 21st Century "Heathers".

This is the video of the incident itself:

TIME Magazine: Obama's Mother

Unlike her son who has been teased and queried about his middle name, Ann Soetoro had an unusual first name: Stanley. Her father wanted a boy.

"It turns out that Obama's nascent career peddling hope is a family business. He inherited it. And while it is true that he has not been profoundly tested, he was raised by someone who was.

In most elections, the deceased mother of a candidate in the primaries is not the subject of a magazine profile. But Ann Soetoro was not like most mothers."

Indeed, her son is not like most sons, either. Time magazine had put Obama on their cover in December 2007. Now, as we head for the Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd, the magazine turns to examine his mother in an article full of information about the woman who first shaped the person we know today as U.S. Senator Barack Obama.

find audacious blogs | read the TIME article | digg story

Obama to receive numerous PA endorsements today

Philly.com is reporting that a bevy of city and state elected officials - specifically, 6 Philadelphia City Council members, 3 state representatives, and state senators Shirley Kitchen and Vincent Hughes - are expected to endorse Barack Obama for president at the Philadelphia City Hall today. The state's governor and the mayor of Philly are both Clinton supporters, so the Democratic party in PA is clearly not of one mind on the presidential race.

Obama supporters seem to anticipate that the contest will go past the April 22 Pennsylvania primary: Cinco de Mayo fund-raisers are already in place on the Obama campaign site.

related blogs | read the original article | digg story

Olympic Torch not Coming To Downtown SF

The Olympic Torch is not coming to San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza
according to a source

There are too many protesters here and the crowd is intense and full
of both Chinese and Tibetan protesters.

At Coca Cola Stand at Olympic Torch Relay

This is but one of the scenes at this event which draws or has drawn
100,000 people. Every media person is here and both Chinese and
Tibetan Flags -- a sureal scene.

The number of Chinese supporters here is overwheming and in this area
but not outside of it far outnumber Tibetan supporters.

I do not think many of the Chinese supporters get it. They seem to
not want to discuss it.

Lady Calls for NBC Boycott

This woman at the event is holding up that sign you see...

Olympic Torch Relay Day - TShirt Sale

This guy is selling Free Tibet t shirts and the money goes to...him!!

Olympic Torch Relay Protest

I am on way to Embacadero on BART

Clinton "mis-speaks" About Obama's Iraq Record

Even if one were to employ this "Start Counting in January 2005" measurement she's suddenly using as a metric to attempt to prove she was against the Iraq war before Senator Obama was (yes, I know, it sounds fantastic, but work with me here) Clinton did not criticize the war in Iraq first.

Scrambling to support their boss's claim, Clinton campaign officials pointed to a statement Clinton issued on Jan. 26, 2005, explaining her vote to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State."The Administration and Defense Department's Iraq policy has been, by any reasonable measure, riddled with errors, misstatements and misjudgments," the January 2005 Clinton statement said. "From the beginning of the Iraqi war, we were inadequately prepared for the aftermath of the invasion with too few troops and an inadequate plan to stabilize Iraq."

Clinton is correct as quoted, and she certainly knows about misstatements. But, as reported by Jake Tapper on Political Punch, Senator Obama still offered his criticisms of the war in Iraq (directly to Secretary Rice) eight days earlier, during his first meeting with the Secretary of State as a new member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 18th.

Senator Clinton would be well advised to dispense with the tired platitudes, stop her premeditated posturing as we approach the Pennsylvania primaries in an attempt to appear more presidential than Obama and offer specific, concrete concepts about what she'd actually do to address the situation going forward. Voters are seeking more than politics as usual. Even Peter Idusogie, a candidate for congress from Minnesota, has advanced more cogent suggestions regarding the a resolution of our involvement there than Senator Hillary Clinton.

read Tapper's article | digg story

An Interview With Sarah Ann Hayes And Kelly and Rick Dobbins

Not to put too much pressure on her, but Sarah Ann Hayes is going to be the next big thing in female bodybuilding.

I met her at Gold's Gym where shes' being trained by my friends Rick and Kelly Dobbins in Oakland, CA, but she lives in Minnesota.

Obama Supporters. Home Made Signs

At the California State Democratic Convention I was struck over the
number of homemade Obama signs versus the machine printed Clinton
signs! That is a image that proves Barack's grass roots appeal!!

Zennie Will Mobile Live Blog From Olympic Torch Relay

I will use Blogger Mobile Live Blog to report from the SF Olympic
Torch Relay today. I will have. VIP seating in the sponsor area where
I will report on events and ask questions.

Sent from my iPhone