Monday, November 10, 2008

President-Elect Obama has 68 Percent Approval Rating To Start

According to a new USA Today / Gallup Poll, most Americans believe that the country will be better under President-Elect Barack Obama. It also reports that Americans see a new brighter period of race relations. Here's what Jill Lawrence of USA Today wrote:

WASHINGTON — Americans have soaring hopes for the incoming Obama administration and an even higher opinion of the man they just elected president, a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows.

Nearly seven in 10 adults, or 68%, say they have a favorable opinion of President-elect Barack Obama. Nearly that many — 65% — say they think the country will be better off four years from now.

A much lower level of optimism greeted President Bush and former president Bill Clinton when they were first elected. In both cases just slightly over 50% said they thought the country would be better off.

Bush's job approval rating is a mirror image of Obama's favorable rating — 68% say they disapprove of how the Republican is handling his job.

BREAKING: 6.5 Magnitude Quake Strikes Northwest China

The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 6.5 earthquake has struck northwestern China. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

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Schwarzenegger tells backers of gay marriage: Don't give up

The governor expresses hope that Proposition 8 would be overturned as protesters continue to march outside churches across California.

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Minnesota Recount: Most Undervotes in Counties Won By Obama

An analysis of the 25,000 vote difference in Minnesota Presidential and Senate race tallies shows that most ballots lacking a Senate vote were cast in counties won by Barack Obama. The finding could have implications for Sen. Norm Coleman and Al Franken, who are separated by the thinnest of margins -- 221 votes as of Friday, or about 0.01 percent.

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Minnesota ruling favors Franken as recount looms

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Sen. Norm Coleman has failed in an attempt to block some absentee ballots from being counted in his close race with Democrat Al Franken.

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500+ Death Threats: Fears grow for Barack Obama's security

The secret service is reported to have already investigated more than 500 death threats against Mr Obama during the presidential election contest. Last month, two neo-Nazi skinheads were arrested for conspiring to assassinate Mr Obama.

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"Global Cooling" myth get's fried

Deniers claim earth is cooling despite the "the most dramatic climate change since the onset of human civilization 5,000 years ago" Antarctica could burst into flame and the climate change / global warming Deniers would claim it was cooling.

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Google Maps: Breakdown of Cloverfield [WTF?]

"This is where the things in Cloverfield happen...okay this is where the monster first showed up..."

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Hate Crime Against Obama Supporter In Torrance, CA

Well, for all of the good feeling you now have some crazies coming out and making themselves known. I saw this on the Obama listserv called "Loa Angeles For Obama":

Hi Everyone,

I'm beyond upset to report that my neighbor who has been an active Obama supporter just had her house vandalized. She had put a "Yes, we did!" sign on her house and some assholes came and spray painted her car with swastikas and "88" which is a symbol of neo-nazi groups apparently.

We live in Torrance and which is a fairly conservative, but racially mixed area, but hate crimes are not something that usually rear their ugly heads here. The perpetrators are clearly idiots as well because my neighbor is white.

I feel especially bad because she had expressed some fear in putting up the sign in the first place and I told her not to be scared because I'd only gotten positive feedback from people this whole time I've been expressing my support for Obama. In any case I want to organize some way for Obama supporters to send her our support but I'm not sure what the protocol should be. I'd appreciate any guidance in the matter.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Who'll Save the Lions Now

Who'll Save the Lions Now

November 9, 2008

By Slavica Milosevska for Football Reporters Online

After signing a two year contract to the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, Dante Culpepper emerged from a short retirement at 31 years of age for an attempt to get today's statistically worst team of the NFL back on their feet.

Culpepper has expressed optimism in the team's potential and hoped to help bring their first victory, but only a miracle could help the Lions. “I can't say that I'm going to be the guy who changes everything, but I want to be the guy that helps," stated Culpepper. "No one person in football wins or loses the game."

The Lions were leading 7-3 at the end of the first quarter, but by half-time, the Jacksonville Jaguars gained the lead 24-7. In the fourth quarter, the Lions finally scored for the second time, and it ended the same way as it consistently has. The Lions lost 38-14.

The Lions rank 27th on offense, last in defense and are the only winless team this season. In 2001, the Lions lost their first 12 games and could very well make a new NFL record as the first 0-16 team.

On November 16th, the Lions will visit the Carolina Panthers who defeated the Oakland Raiders Sunday 17-6, are currently 7-2 and will be 8-2 after next Sunday's game.

(ed. Note-Culpepper split time with Drew Stanton: he was 5-10 for 104 yards while Stanton was 6-8 for 99 yards)

Giants hang on for win in Philly

Giants hang on for win in Philly
By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner Football Reporters Online

There is no doubt in my mind that the New York Giants left everything they had on Lincoln Financial Field tonight. Could it have gone any better for Coach Tom Coughlin and the Big Blue? It could have, but they will take the 36-31 win on the road to raise their record tom 8-1.

Just as the Giants fought hard tonight, so did the Eagles. After Eli Manning threw an early interception, Desean Jackson scored the opening points of the game on a direct snap and 11 yard rush to the pylon. However, New York scored the next 17 points to carry a 10 point lead into the second quarter. Most of the first half was a pitched battle between the two teams defenses. After Philly scored off another Giants turnover (a fumble by Brandon Jacobs), New York got another score to end the first half on the second of John Carney’s 3 Field Goals, bringing the half to a close at 20-17.

Both teams got tougher on defense in the third quarter, trading TD’s to bring the score to 27-24, but you could sense that something was going to give on way or another. After the Giants stretched the lead back to 6 with Carney’s third field goal, the Giants forced the Eagles into a 3 and out. On the ensuing Punt return Dominik Hixon took it to The Yard for a 73 yard TD, but due to a holding penalty, the score was nullified. With the Giants starting the the Philly 40 yard line, they were still in a good position to get a score, and they did just under 3 minutes later with the Brandon Jacobs TD. With the score at 36-24 The Eagles drove down the field one more time to score and close the gap to 36-31, but a final drive would be stopped by a Giants defense that has given up little this season.

Held in check for most of the night again, Plaxico Burress managed only one catch for a 17 Yard TD early in the Game. Kevin Boss had 6 catches for 69 yards and a TD, and Armani Toomer had 5 catches for 53 yards. Jacobs was the big offensive star for New York, with 22 carries for 126 yards and 2 TD’s. The Giants face the Baltimore Ravens next, a team which always seems to Give NY fits. Yet, the Saga continues….

Oui, nous pouvons!

Inspired by Obama's ascendancy as President Elect of the U.S.A , the French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy joined leading French figures to say it's time to stamp out racism and shake up a white elitism that smacks of colonial times.
"Our prejudices are insidious."

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy

A manifesto written by Yazid Sabeg, a self-made millionaire whose parents were Algerian immigrants to France was signed by politicians from the left and right and other public figures. It urges steps to turn long-held French ideals of equality into reality for blacks, Arabs and other alienated minorities.
"We shouldn't be surprised that Obama's popularity is so high here: It testifies to the aspirations of all the children of France who are experiencing by proxy a recognition that France does not give them..."

Yazid Sabeg


Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy said her status as first lady prevented her signing Saberg's manifesto, but expressed total support. Born in Italy, France's first lady cites her husband's ethnically mixed background as a sign France is open to change, though Saberg has been critical of President Sarkozy's previous efforts to bring changes to minority neighborhoods.

ObamaLess than one week after his election as the 44th President of the U.S.A., Barack Obama's ethnicity begins to figure in not only world-wide perception of political reality in the U.S., but also precipitates the potential for real change on another continent. His candor about skin color has already elevated the conversations everywhere about not-like-me-ism. No doubt there are many who will resist embracing a "color-blind" approach as long as they can, but in a modern world where travel and immigration are frequent realities the era of elitism based on ancestry and/or skin color is surely coming to an overdue end.