Wednesday, May 28, 2008

New Orleans supports Obama

NOLA is a microcosm of the USA, ethnically diverse and culturally rich. Folks there see reason to GET OUT THE VOTE and participate in our democracy, and many also celebrate Barack Obama's candidacy for the Democratic nomination. Check out the smiling faces, and no matter who you support make sure everybody votes!

New Orleans suports Obama

A Presidency which promises to make the USA bright and beautiful again.

"As human beings seeking a better world, we recognise a gifted leader when we see one," and this article from John Hay lays out what it looks like from Australia."The only colour I see in Barack Obama, is the colour of the future! It is a hue which promises to make the world a better place."
U.S. flag
Citing sound policy positions, diplomatic skills, political and people/management skills, personal ethics, temperament when considering the challenges involved in managing "the most demanding job in the world," in his response to an Obama supporter's concerns, Hay also adds:
"Around the globe people are beginning to feel more safe, more connected and more positive about the future at the prospect of an Obama Presidency. Ask anyone in any country, anywhere. Polls are confirming it. People of all age, race, colour, creed and religion have joined together as one, to work and volunteer, most for the first time, to help bring positive change. The ripple effect of this positive momentum is building like a tsunami as it reaches out and begins to touch the lives of people everywhere. It feels like an election for a world President!"
A great article, with some stirring video by Akin Salawu (known at YouTube as AkinScribe5) from earlier in the campaign season.

"A dreamer is one who can
only find his way by moonlight,
and his punishment is
that he sees the dawn."

WALL•E Trailer Includes Homage To Star Trek Original TV Series



If you watch this trailer for the upcoming -- as of this writing -- Pixar movie called "Wall-E" to the end, you will see our hero shooting himself through space using a fire hydrant and humming a tune. That tune is from Star Trek, The Original Series, second season eipsodes, and was featured in "The Doomsday Machine" as well as "The Ultimate Computer.

It goes DA-DA-DA-DAA DA-DA-DA-DE-DA, or something like that.

So there's a trivial bit of information you can wow your friends with.

Here's a video of re-mixed scenes from "The Ultimate Computer" where the music plays at 2:20 and various points, even though the clip jumps so much it's hard to get the full tune, but you can pick it up if you listen:

Teacher Sex Scandal Again - Man Had Sex 20 Times With 18-Year-Old Student

Generally, publicly-reported Teacher / Student sex scandals involved women instructors and young boys. Not this time. Even though the girl is 18, this story involves a male teacher at Travis High School and not in Florida, but in Austin, Texas. The teacher, Allen James Cole, faces a charge of "an improper relationship between educator and student", and is a 2nd degree felony.

KXAN in Austin, Texas reports:

AUSTIN, TEXAS (KXAN)-- Austin police arrested government teacher Allen James Cole on the charge of having "an improper relationship" with an 18-year-old Travis High School student.

Another teacher notified police about the inappropriate relationship between Cole and the student. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by KXAN.com, the student told police she had met Cole, 34, several times at his apartment between May 6 and May 10. The student told police she had sex with Cole more than 20 times over that 5-day period.

The girl was able to describe the furnishings in the apartment's living room and bedroom. A search warrant confirmed the details the girl identified.

The charge, an improper relationship between educator and student, is a 2nd degree felony.

The Austin Independent School District could not be reached for comment.


But it makes you wonder with all of these accounts posted on Internet websites, in some cases places like Badjocks.com and the "TeacherTrash" blog that cover only these stories or related tales, how many actual relationships like this are out there but not known!

This video explains why -- in that case -- women teachers would decide to wreck their careers for sex with a student.

John McCain Credibility Damaged By Lobbyist Ties



According to many sources, but the best being Josh Marshall in "Talking Points Memo", Senator and Presidential Canidate John McCain is in some PR trouble regarding his loobyist ties, particularly with former Senator and Texan Phil Gramm, who as a lobbyist was representing the bank USB, a swiss bank connected with the mortgage crisis, at the same time he was advising McCain on matters associated with sub-prime lending, which caused the mortgage crisis.

Get it?

Any time you see that kind of circuitous connection with a politician, it's not good ethically. McCain has several ties of this kind, with Charlie Black, and other lobbyists. But the main point is the person who's bragged that he's not influenced by Federal lobbyists or has "cozy relationships", seems to be surrounded by them.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Bishop Desmond Tutu Speech At SF Olympic Torch Protest



While this happened over a month ago, the Olympics have not thus making this news still relevant. And even if the Olympics had past, this would still be memorable because of the comfortable power of Bishop Desmond Tutu as expressed in this speech. Of all of the speakers, including Richard Gere, Tutu was the most powerful one.

DO GO TO MAY 31ST DNC MEETING; DAILY KOS POST IS BULLSHIT

There's a DailyKos posting going around - this one -- that warns for Obama supporters not to protest at the May 31st meeting of the DNC Rules Committee, which will determine how to seat Florida and Michigan Delegates, and could put Senator Obama over the top in the number of total delegates he needs to be the Democratic Presidential Nominee.

That posting is complete bullshit. Unless you've gotten an email directly from the Obama campaign, go to the meeting.