IRON MAN | Iron Man Is Excellent; Robert Downey Jr.'s Cool Performance

I just returned from seeing "Iron Man" at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, and I must say that it did indeed meet my expectations; in fact, it surpassed them. The movie, Directed by Jon Favreau, is tight, with little wasted scene or motion, and it manages to pull a lot of ideas in for you to grasp but it doesn't hit you over the head with it's overall anti-war theme.

The images of the idea of de-militarization are all around us in the film and the biggest one is of Stark as Iron Man destroying the very weapons he made for use by the U.S. Defense Department, which have fallen into terrorist hands. But that's only part of a great movie. There's the love between Stark / Downey and Pepper Potts, expertly played -- really well played -- by Gweneth Paltrow. There's also the family feeling between Stark, Johnson, and General James Rhoades, performed with ease by Terrance Howard, who also gives us the idea that he will be in that Iron Man suit in one of the future films.

I could go on and on about this movie. Yes, it really is as good as the first Spiderman. Yes, the special effects are terrifically real, and the sky scene featuring Iron Man being chased by two F-18s is a classic in movie making. It's better -- far better -- than the Space Shuttle crash-save scene in Superman Returns of two years ago. And the best effects are when Stark is testing the parts and engines that make up the Iron Man suit.

The villian. Well, there are two really, but Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane is simply so good you hate him. He's really the heavy. Indeed, there's much about this movie that's heavy and light all at the same time. A good flick. See it.

Obama on Native Tribal Sovereignty, the Freedmen, & NAHASDA

Obama vs. CBC on the passage of NAHASDA "as is"

In a March 13, 2008 Letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, members of the Congressional Black Caucus stated that “members of the CBC will not support, and will actively oppose passage of NAHASDA” unless the bill contains a “provision that would prevent the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma from receiving any benefits or funding” until they extended tribal membership to the Freedmen. The letter contained the signatures of 35 CBC members, but not the signature of White House hopeful Senator Barack Obama. The Native American community began raising questions about an Obama Presidency that could potentially support CBC efforts to undermine the rights of tribal governments to determine their own membership.

Asked to clearly state his position on H.R. 2824, Obama’s campaign issued the following statement:

"Tribal sovereignty must mean that the place to resolve inter-tribal disputes is the tribe itself. Our nation has learned with tragic results that federal intervention in internal matters of Indian tribes is rarely productive; failed policies such as Allotment and Termination grew out of efforts to second-guess Native communities."

Clinton and McCain websites have no specific links or information for Native American peoples or issues, while Senator Obama’s campaign has a main page link directly to his website for “First Americans.” Further, a look at all three candidates’ campaign teams reveal that Senator Obama has a Native American Community Outreach Coordinator and a 30-member Tribal Steering Committee. If Clinton and McCain have a Native American presence on their campaign teams, it is well hidden.

Obama’s opposition to Diane Watson’s legislation will undoubtedly be met with unrest by those of his fellow members of the CBC that side with the Cherokee Freedmen, but Obama appears to be no stranger to the CBC’s disaffections. Last year, online political publication TheHill.com reported on the CBC’s anger with Obama about rejecting an invitation to debate on Fox News, and added that “Obama has irked fellow CBC members by failing to respond to a request made early last year that he host a fundraiser for the Black Caucus’s political action committee (PAC). [Senator Hillary] Clinton received a similar invitation and quickly followed through by headlining a CBC PAC fundraiser in March of 2006.” Perhaps this is why the CBC recruited Hillary Clinton and not Barack Obama to be the Guest Speaker at their 37th Annual Legislative Conference, prompting the Washington Times to speculate that the CBC was quietly trying to endorse her bid for the presidency.

"Tribal sovereignty must mean that the place to resolve inter-tribal disputes is the tribe itself,” Obama said.

"Discrimination anywhere is intolerable, but the Cherokee are dealing with this issue in both tribal and federal courts. As it stands, the rights of the Cherokee Freedmen are not being abrogated because there is an injunction in place that ensures the Freedman's rights to programs during the pendency of the litigation. I do not support efforts to undermine these legal processes and impose a congressional solution. Tribes have a right to be self governing and we need to respect that, even if we disagree, which I do in this case. We must have restraint in asserting federal power in such circumstances."

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CNN Paints "Blue Collar Whites" As Racist, So Why Did They Vote For Obama?

I've got CNN on in the background and it's funny how they seem to paint people into categories. For example, CNN's "The Situation Room" had a segment which claimed that "Blue Collar Whites" like Hillary Clinton but will not get behind Barack Obama.

That's silly as hell. How did he win 30 states without the support of Blue Collar Whites? And I wonder if this will cause a Blue Collar White backlash? And so Blue Collar Whites know they're Blue Collar Whites?

Geez, this is sick stuff.

Ecuador Blames Chevron For Oil Spill While Petroecuador Gets No Blame At All

In a continuation of what's turning out to be a big fraud, Ecuador's pushing a lawsuit against Chevron that is $16 billion. That's right, $16 Billion. The Minority Report's Steven Foley explains:

Ecuadorean indigenous groups have filed one of the largest environmental class action suits in history against an oil company to the tune of $16 billion and if successful could set a dangerous president.

Ripping off the facade and digging under the surface of what at first glance looks to be nothing more than deserved retribution by indigenous groups who've suffered at the hands of Evil Big Oil one begins to see more clearly the forces behind this fraud are non other than Ecuador's own state run oil company Petroecuador, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, and the powers-that-be who are working feverishly to re-identify and usher in a new socialist South America.

You see, the fact is, Chevron, through its Texaco subsidiary (which Chevron aquired in 2001) , operated an oilfield joint venture with Petroecuador as a minority partner between 1964 and 1992.
From 2002 to 2007, Petroecuador was responsible for more than 1,000 oil spills, of which 168 took place last year alone. In fact, Petroecuador (through its oil and gas exploration and production subsidiary Petroproducción) accounted for 90 percent of all oil spills in Ecuador last year, according to official government data quoted by local newspaper El Universo. The remaining 10 percent were contaminated by six different private companies. In other words, Petroecuador is clearly a major and serial contaminator.

You can read more here: Steven Foley.

Clinton Aide Kantor Video Was Doctored - Kantor Did Not Make Statement

I just listened to the video that was the source of the first video out and around the Internet which said that Mickey Kantor called Indiana people "White Niggers".

After further review, he did not say it.

Here's the actual video from the movie "The War Room":



Mickey is saying that "they're shitty," and it seems he's referring to pollsters, and not people in Indiana. Then he does say "How would you like to be, but then the rest is not even audible. It would have to be doctored to have one be able to hear him say the words "White Nigger."

As far as I'm concerned, Mickey is owed an apology by bloggers like me. Sorry Mickey.

Clinton Advisor Mickey Kantor Called Indiana Folks "Worthless White Niggers"

In a video I uncovered on YouTube and here, Mickey Kantor, a long time friend and current advisor to the Hillary Clinton for President campaign and Bill Clinton's campaign chairman, is seen high-fiving Clinton advisors James Carville and George Stephanapoulos, and saying "Look at Indiana...it doesn't matter if we win. Those people are shit. How would you like to be a worthless white nigger?"



I don't know where the video came from, but it's an explosive look at how the Clinton camp really feels about people in Indiana, and even though this was 1992, it features the same people who are Clinton supporters and advisors today: Mickey Kantor George Stephanapoulos and James Carville.

UPDATE - Kantor claims that the video is libel and he will take legal action, but someone forgot to tell him that the evidence is here and no one is calling him names and he's a public figure, so good luck fighting this news. If someone diggs up the movie War Room -- from which this came -- and this is confirmed, he can forget any legal remedy.

Obama and small donors: $5 on Cinco de Mayo

Follow the money

Going into the NC and IN primaries the Obama campaign is once again relying on the legion of small donors - and asking for a simple $5 donation. Spread across the nearly 1.5 million people who have already contributed, May just may get off to a big start for Barack. Is it really Cinco de Obama? Follow the money...

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Did Illinois State Police murder a corrections officer?

R.I.P. Lernard "Sandy" Grigsby

Police said Grigsby, 48 struck a sergeant in the head, then attacked the trooper. He then tried to grab the sergeant's weapon, and the sergeant fired twice, authorities said, hitting Grigsby in the abdomen. In an employee dormitory at Stateville Correctional Center?

Troopers were responding to a domestic disturbance in the dormitory. When a sergeant and a trooper found the woman who had made the complaint, Grigsby allegedly attacked the officers.

Lernard's nephew, MN Vikings DE Otis Grigsby isn't buying it. The Chicago Trib can't seem to find anything substantive to say... So Grigsby has taken his story to the public via YouTube.

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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?