Ridge Resigns
Yes, Tom Ridge has resigned from his job which seemed to entail telling us all to stock up on duct tape and bottled water and try to explain the "increase in chatter" that would lead to a rise from "yellow" to "orange" on the terror rainbow chart (mind you, up until very recently, New York was "orange" all the time, so this generally meant nothing to me). Unlike with other positions recently vacated in the cabinet, the administration sees no reason to announce a replacement any time soon. Now, is it just me or isn't that job
supposed to be kind of important...or, like Osama Bin Laden, that's just not the priority right now?
Also, gotta love my friend Geoff for passing this story on to me from CNN about Jesse Jackson's visit to Ohio:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/29/ohio.vote.ap/index.html
AND...as I was typing this entry, I was listening to the NPR hourly news report on my fav public radio station here (WFUV 90.7) and loved hearing that "President Bush thanked Prime Minister Martin so many times during his speech that Martin was left embarrassed.." and earlier I heard that Bush was refraining speaking before Canadian Parliament as members are allowed to heckle the speaker (oh that's something I'd pay good money to witness). Perhaps he DOES have a clue that people just don't like him very much.
pass it on, pass it on, pass it on...
Peace --Alex
Once again..I go away for a few days...
and I get e-mails from friends with reports I oughta post, I actually get to hear Stephanie Miller in Boston, and...well all hell breaks loose and I got a lot to cover here...oh where to begin?!?
Well, we really should start with what I always have to start with: the one guy in the "mainstream media" who is actually keeping up the fight on voter fraud, Keith Olbermann. Today he discusses how Mr...you know, I can't call him Mr. Blackwell without thinking of the fashion guy (and it's an insult to Mr. Blackwell) so I think I'll just call him Secretary of State or SOS Blackwell, who has been AWOL when it comes to talking about the recount on Countdown, UNTIL, of course, there's a GOP report released entitled “Democrats Struggle to Justify Unnecessary Recount / (Jesse) Jackson swoops in to fuel conspiracy theories even Kerry lawyers admit are baseless.” He apparently has no reason to talk to the press until Jackson comes to town. Jackson apparently will be on Countdown tonight so you can see what he has to say in repsonse to Blackwell's allegations. But until then, you can look at the whole story (as well as Olbermann's entry about Jackson's weekend visit to Ohio) at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
As this recount continues, a senate race recount is happening in Washington State as that race was so tight that it has left the Republicans saying what they've been saying about the Presidential election: "Just get over it, [our guy] won!". But nope, a machine recount there-as reported on the news last night-showed the race as close as 42 votes...and a hand recount is imminent. Who knows, we may gain a Democrat in the Senate (if not in the White House) if all this gets cleared up. We shall see...
AND SPEAKING OF RECOUNTS and revotes and all...
You got people asking for a recount, and perhaps a whole revote, serious evidence of voter fraud, a grassroots youth movement, regional issues, one region even threatening secession, and international parties questioning the outcome of the election...Yep, we're still talking about the Ukraine. At least they have people getting loud and boisterous out there. Where are our people camping out on The Mall in front of the White House asking for a full recount, carrying boxes of evidence of the rigged election?
At least they appear to be gathering in Ohio. Apparently, according to a woman who called into Stephanie Miller's show this morning, there will be a rally in front of town hall in Columbus this weekend (Sunday I believe) protesting the vote irregularities AND Kenneth Blackwell. If you're in Ohio, head on down! If you live nearby, I say join the party! And perhaps we need to get some buses from elsewhere out there...road trip to Columbus anyone?
IN THE MEANTIME....
The President is in Canada this week and there was a group (check transcripts of Stephanie Miller show) that had actually written a letter asking that Bush be BANNED from visiting Canada. Oh if only we could ask the same thing here.
The Supreme Court essentially has "sidestepped" the gay marriage issue. Basically they declined to even look at the case...most likely, this is due to the fact that is a pure case of state's rights and they really can't do anything about overturning the Massachusetts decision. Scott McClellan, of course, had to "restate Bush's desire for a Consitutional amendment" (you can see this at www.wonkette.com) AND speaking of gays and the republicans who love them...the rumors are going around that the new chair of the GOP Ken Mehlman is gay...I'd like to hear his version of the GOP opinion of gay marriage ("The GOP, at present, agrees with the President that marriage is between a man and a woman; and as my lover is a cross dresser, this is allowing me special dispensation...")--you can also check www.wonkette.com for this story.
This is a great story sent to me from my friend Rob about what the real voter results look like through the use of various maps. The cartograms look a bit obscene, but the article is definitely worth reading as it deals mainly with how the results turned out according to actual population of each state and region...and how purple we really are...(as this has visuals, perhaps Bush could actually understand this)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1275443/posts
And speaking of great stories, you really need to read the latest from Greg Palast (www.gregpalast.com) about the Ukraine vote...the title is: REPUBLICAN CHALLENGES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BASED ON EXIT POLLS (thank you Chip for passing that one on)
And here's yet another reason that Bush really should not be in office (or allowed to visit other countries):
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/30/politics/30gitmo.html?th
Yes the Red Cross has found serious detainee abuses at Gauntanamo Bay. The above link is to the front page story of the NY Times, but you can bet there are also other stories everywhere...save for FOX news maybe..(cause you know them crazy muslims deserve whatever they're gettin').
AND REMEMBER...KEEP E-MAILING!!!! Voter fraud is something truly needs to be looked into. Bush may still come out the winner, but the principle is to make sure that our democratic process is not tainted...at least not as tainted as it appears to be. Other newly democratic countries look to our system as a guideline, and if our system ends up erratic and corrupt, how can they trust that it can truly work? (then again, they don't have W. and the Dick Cheney Army of Darkness...that's just the Ukraine). Call, write, e-mail and fax your friends, family, the press and your Congressfolk my friends. This truly IS for freedom.
Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on...
Peace --Alex
FRONT PAGE OF THE BOSTON GLOBE
you gotta love this. I normally have been trying to check The Globe, but did not get to it this morning. Luckily my mom picked up a copy and called with the news that on the front page is a story entitled "Federal Office To Probe Vote Procedures". You can read this story at:
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/11/24/federal_office_to_probe_vote_procedures/
I am passing this on to my "press list", and if you do the same, perhaps SOMEONE ELSE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS TOO!
Peace and Happy Turkey Day!
--Alex
Zogby says...
Voter fraud really does need to be looked at and it's not just the crazy people asking about it. He was on Olberman's show Countdown last night and said:"I’ll take this opportunity right now to say I think that it’s in the interest of healing this country and restoring some unity to this country for us to have a thorough investigation of what happened both to the election and with the exit polls.” You wanna see the rest of what he said? Head over to:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
I also would like to thank Keith for bringing up Richard Lugar's statements about the Ukraine elections. I was wondering if anyone else was seeing the irony in having Lugar listing all these (rather familiar) examples of voter fraud that must be investigated...in
the Ukraine; but certainly, we didn't have that
here....
And just to show that there are some more people paying attention to all this, Friday night, Stephanie Miller will be on with Wolfe Blitzer. She apparently said on the air today that she has no idea what they're going to talk about "but you bet I'm going to get voter fraud in there..."
IN THE MEANTIME...Over the weekend, I was visiting with my sister and a couple of her friends, one of whom did not want to watch the news. "It doesn't relate to me; tell me how this relates to me!" Well, one friend talked about how with the war in Iraq, gas prices have gone up and while he himself does not drive, his husband does therefore there's more money that's gotta go to gas rather than to food and bills, etc. This young man is also of drafting age, and should there be a draft, he'd be up for it. His husband is a teacher and is going to school as well and with the latest spening bill which includes serious cuts in education, this could mean that his husband could end up losing his job, that the youth program he works with could be cut, and if he's gotten any money for school this year, he may not next year. Also in this bill, there were severe cuts to clean air/water funding and research, it may be nice where they live now, but think of what could happen in the next few years as they could end up watching the lake that they live by end up polluted. AND with the economy in the shape it's in, as this young man has his own business, there may be fewer and fewer people that can afford his services, therefore he could in some time, unless things change, lose his business. Oh, and if you hadn't noticed, they are a gay couple...we won't even go there. Sure this is all fairly general, but there is a reason to watch the news, and to make sure they report everything, too, that relates to YOU. Such as, you gotta figure it's pretty bad when members on BOTH sides of Congress FINALLY think that the horrendous spending at present is pretty bad...
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/24/politics/24cong.html?th
SO AFTER ALL THIS...I'd just like to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! Have a fantastic holiday with all your friends and family. I will be away from the computer through Monday so I'll see y'all on the 30th (unlike Keith Olberman, I will not be able to blog from my Secure Undisclosed Location).
Peace, Love and Good Food --Alex
AND KEEP E-MAILING!!!! pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
would you "spoon" for Kerry?
This from Wonkette.com
Americans Coming Together, Post-Election Plan
Former Kerry-Edwards Staffer Still Isn't Getting Any - m4 - 29 Reply to: anon-49380405@craigslist.org Date: 2004-11-23, 9:02AM EST
I'm a SWM who worked on the Kerry campaign and I wasn't getting any then... now that I've entered the deepest levels of depression after working 18 hour-days I'd like to feel better if only for a little while. If you're a woman and you're willing to just spoon with me naked for a night you'd make me feel a lot better. Sex would be great too but its been so long and I put on weight during the campaign I don't feel like I could ask for it. No Republicans need apply. You guys already screwed me over once. George Bush is responsible for my job loss too.
We'd give Chad a hard time for lying about his age, but he's being so honest about everything else, we'll let it slide. All he wants is to "spoon naked," people. This kind of pre-9/11 sentimentality is probably why we lost Ohio, but if Jennifer Millerwise or any other hot lady Bush staffer is serious about uniting the country, we're willing to bet that "anonymous" here would overlook GOP membership in exchange for you working around his "campaign tummy." Barring that, there's gotta be a Nader voter out there who owes this guy. Maybe some 18-year-old who can squeeze in a cuddle during her House of Hemp lunch hour?
Former Kerry-Edwards Staffer Still Isn't Getting Any - m4 - 29 [craigslist]
Related: Wolf Blitzer, Matchmaker [Wonkette]
The last good Craig's list entry was the guy looking to meet a Republican to "beat the shit out of". I find this request much more peaceful and if there was anything that can unite us, you'd think this might be it BUT 1)he's asking no republicans apply and 2) there was an actual article in the New Yorker a few weeks back talking about Democratic women who had "slept with the enemy" and, post election, were regretting such a move...feeling a bit unclean...and they said they most likely would never do such a thing again. Now we don't want this poor boy traumatized by waking up with a naked Republican-however willing-so perhaps there is some nice girl-a Kerry volunteer-out there looking for some consolation sex who never had the nerve to put her feelings up on Craig's list. (admittedly there is a part of me that's going "heck it's been a long time for me, too...you mean all I have to do is put an ad up on Craig's list!?!?!" but with my luck I'd get some crazy conservative posing as a distressed Democrat and I'd only realize the truth when, as we spooned, he'd ask me "have you been saved?")
Peace --Alex
and always remember, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
A recount to be thankful for...
Okay, so the recount is supposed to be happening in Ohio, but of course there are state officials-besides "Mr. Blackwell"-who would not like to this to happen and, of course, are trying to fight it. So what else is new. But overall, it does look like "we'll be talking about chads again...", thus spake Howard Fineman who called Kenneth "I'm gonna wait til the last possible minute to certify this count" Blackwell and got the news from him. You can check out all the confusion from Mr. Olbermans' latest entry at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
In the meantime, because W. has this thing about passing bills that have these little things stuffed inside them-like undercooked stuffing in the Thanksgiving turkey-the latest is a "must-pass spending bill" that includes a provision for health insurance companies and hospitals and essentially all medical professionals that allows them to bypass the rule from Roe V. Wade in which, when dispensing reproductive health information, that information much include info on access to abortion. It is yet another underhanded way in which the administration is trying to chip away at Roe V. Wade...while trying not to get caught in the process. Kinda like that spending bill passed over the weekend that CUT funding for education and clean air/water provisions (proof that there's enough crap in the water that truly must have effected the heads of the majority of Red State voters). Allow me to pass on this editorial from the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/23/opinion/23tue2.html?th
and speaking of the education issue...:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/23/education/23charter.html?th
AND despite our flush economy, I heard on the local news this morning that the number of people needing the support of soup kitchens/food pantries is up %9 from last year. And we just RAISED the debt ceiling that, in the words of Alan Greenspan "could be very damaging to the economy..."
Okay, time for a chuckle:
A little note from Stephanie Miller. Mom tells me that she mentioned on her show that she heard that the Bush twins tried to get into a New York restaurant recently-Freeman's, I believe was the name of the place(?)-and as they, and their "gaggle of secret service" asked about getting a table, the host told them that "the restaurant was closed that night...and would be for the next four years". Apparently the crowd inside the restaurant cheered. If you know of the restaurant and/or heard the story and got the name of it for certain, I say give that place a call and/or your business and say THANK YOU!
This kinda relates to a bumper sticker I saw on the wall at one of my fav places-Burger Joint-it reads: Jenna Bush stole my ID!
And allow me to pass on some amusing news sent to me from my friend Geoff this morning:
"With the Blue States in hand, the Democrats have firm control of
80% of the world's fresh water, over 90% of our pineapple and lettuce,93% of the artichoke production, 95% of America's export quality wines, 90% of all cheese production, most of the US low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Stanford, CalTech and MIT. We can live simply but well.
"The Red States, on the other hand, now have to cope with 88% of
all obese Americans (and their projected health care cost spike), 92% of all US mosquitoes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, 100% of
all Televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia. A high price to pay for controlling
the presidency."
And to continue the positivity.....
*A good friend of mine proposed to his girlfriend over the weekend and she said YES!
*I got fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas in order to work on a one-woman show
*Another good friend has two interviews with agents in the coming weeks
*December 12th come on down to Carnegie Hall for New York Choral Society's annual Holiday Concert: Christmas and Hanukkah at Carnegie Hall. It's at 2p and tickets are available at the box office.
*AND the CD for the City Center Encores! concert of the operetta The New Moon was released last week, and while you can't hear me cause I'm busy blending with the chorus, I am there and am listed among the Mezzos..woo hoo! I can now honestly say that I am on a broadway soundtrack :)
As you think of whatever good news you may be thankful for as we approach Thanksgiving, remember this: KEEP E-MAILING! Be thankful that you have a right to nag your networks, local papers, friends, family and Congressfolk by writing, calling facing or e-mailing :)
And, as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
Recounts, Kerry and Keith's "tail"
So sorry for the late blog entry but I had another engagement this morning and then people made me do my job the rest of the day--these PEOPLE...ANYWAY...
Bloggerman has done it again. He is back in town (and apparently has a "tail" now :p... read the entry) and has given us new info on how we have more time after all to make sure the vote count gets taken care of. Dec 6th is the date the count has to be finished. Dec 13th is the date the recount has to be finished. The Electoral College votes on the 13th AND then January 6th everything goes to Congress. Yeah, I know Congress wasn't very helpful at the last election (ONE Senator, all they needed was ONE)...but I like to think people were really more angry this time and might actually DO SOMETHING. You can read the rest of the info at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
And it looks like John Kerry (or as Stephanie Miller likes to call him "President Kerry") has put out a statement about how, vote change or no, he is out to fight this administration and every vote should be counted. Go to www.johnkerry.com and see for yourself!
Speaking of voter fraud, you check out the Urakine vote?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/22/international/europe/22ukraine.html?oref=login
I think I have to keep it short and sweet today (I know some of you are clapping) but with people actually making me WORK today I haven't been able to check the papahs as much today. But enjoy Bloggerman at least AND remember
KEEP E-MAILING! write, call, fax, e-mail your networks, local papers, friends, family and Congressfolk and as always, pass it on pass it on pass it on!
Peace --Alex
cause they been there...
My friend Amanda sent me this link about how a representative in Indiana (of District #8) has been pushed by fundametalist Christians to put forward legislation in order to change the name of highway I-69 as it's "too risque"...okay, if ever there was proof that these people just do have nasty minds, I don't know what is. Yes, it can make ya giggle if you put it on a button or a t-shirt, but it's a friggin' HIGHWAY!!
Obviously, these people got "saved" from something, they know aaaall about this; they've HAD the dirty thoughts about what they could do on I-69...heh heh heh
http://www.hoosiergazette.com/News/Nov2004/news003.htm
and remember pass it on pass it on pass it on :)
Peace --Alex
DECEMBER 13th!
Keep that date in mind ladies and gentleman, for it is by that date that the Ohio recount must be finished in order to be valid, thus spake Secretary of State Mr. Blackwell-Ohio's Katherine Harris. And of course, is he making sure that things are running smoothly? Certainly not, he could slow things up at any moment. In fact, here's a hint of his mood:
It was heard on Stephanie Miller on Air America this morning (thanks mom-who also can be heard on the air there as she called to comment on how happy she is that Air America is in Boston and they use her clip in the promos): An Ohio listener called saying that he had actually spoken with Ken Blackwell about the vote count and Blackwell said "Have you been listening to NPR or Air America?" The listener replied in the affirmative, to which Blackwell replied "Oh don't do that. You're doing yourself a disservice..." Um, who's doing the people a disservice? Would you care to rephrase that, Mr. Blackwell? Where's the Letterman or Daily Show editing team when we need them...
Speaking of voter count and disservice....
You MUST read the latest Bloggerman. There is a UC Berkeley report out now that, while it cannot explain
how this happened, they can at least say one thing that
did happen in Florida: Bush got upwards of 260,000 votes he shouldn't have gotten due to faulty electronic voting machines. They are called "excessives" and well, I can't think of a vote situation more appropriately named. See the whole deal at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
And did you know that New Hampshire was also having a recount, thanks to Nader? Probably not as NOBODY is talking about it. Time to nag the networks again people. The only way we'll get to hear anything about this is if, we, the people, get out the e-mail, letters, calls, and faxes and nag the suckers. Yes, we know that there are other things going on in the world and it's hard work to keep tabs on election fraud along with everything else, but if Keith Olberman, Stephanie Miller and NPR can devote a little time to this, can't the mainstream press? Particularly as this could actually be the Watergate for some reporter (there's some incentive...and it so far doesn't involve meeting some guy with a porn star nickname in a garage late at night).
IN OTHER NEWS...
Arlen Specter looks like he'll get the backing to be the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately he did sell at least a piece of his soul as he pledged that he would not block anti-choice "suggestions", once again admitting that he supported Rehnquist AND Clarence Thomas (why would one admit such a thing?!?! save for as an error of judgement...but that's just me).
AND...despite Kerry speaking out on the Senate floor (and perhaps because of) the debt ceiling was raised yet again by $800 billion dollars. Yeah, the debt ceiling was RAISED, while proposed budget resolutions are out to cut funds for education (Miss Spellings? anything to say about that?), "non-defense science", clean water projects and small business loan subsidies. OH and $93 billion dollars will be taken from Iraq (already underfunded) and shifted to Darfur (virtually ignored til I think juuuust before the election) You can get details at Wonkette.com and you should go there anyway if only for the photo of Rumsfeld in South America looking rather befuddled. ("Okay, which ones are the Contras? It's been a while since I been back here..." Meanwhile, Bush is entertaining dignitaries with tales of drinking excursions through Mexico. "I ate the worm! Yeah, I did!...that's about all I remember...oh wait, did I tell you about this time in Oaxaca-how do you pronounce that town again?...")
AND NOW, as it's Friday and we could use something frivolous, SOMETHING NOT POLITICS RELATED AT ALL!!!
I sing with the New York Choral Society (we made the New York Sun this summer as, due to massive response from the group-including me-we pulled out of singing at the Republican Convention...okay so there's a little politics) and we have our annual holiday concert at Carnegie Hall December 12th at 2p. You can get further details about program, time and tickets at www.nychoral.org.
AND IN THE MEANTIME...KEEP E-MAILING!!! Call, write, fax, e-mail your local papers, networks, Congressfolk, friends and family. Keep up the fight, my friends and as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
The Ohio Triangle: part Deux
cause there's always more to tell. You can thank myf riend Chip for this one:
Click here: Keep Ohio Recount Non-Partisan - Common Cause (if this link does not work, cut and paste the below:
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=186966
Common Cause also has a great story (as do the NYT, cnn.com, etc) on "Teflon Tom" DeLay who's people made sure that he could continue to serve DESPITE INDICTMENT. Anyone who's ever though Congress was a bunch of criminals anyway got legal proof with this farce. yesterday Wonkette had a great line about "what's next, being able to serve from prison?" it's worked for the Mob and Gang leaders, why not the Texas Senator? (I'd like to see him try to redistrict The Yard...yeah you just TRY to tell your fellow inmates "Don't Mess With Texas!" Ha ha ha!)
and as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
The Ohio Triangle
That's what I want to call that state, particularly after reading today's Bloggerman which discusses the serious "undercount" issue. Apparently, despite the work of 40-year poll veteran Shirley Wightman who saw nothing wrong with the machines or any problems while working 11/2, 168 out of 611 voters that came to her polling area made "no choice for President". I beg your pardon? I mean, I can understand that there were still some undecided folk out there, and even a good number of folks who saw this election as choosing between the lesser of two evils, BUT turn out was higher than ever, people lined up for hours at a stretch; yet nearly a third of the voters made no choice for president? Ummmm, sounds a bit fishy, does it not? And this ain't the only county at which this phenomenon occured. You can see the whole story at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
And on CBS apparently last night (again, thank you Mom for calling and letting me know) did do a story on voting irregularities in Ohio, including how some people did get to vote TWICE
and there was a case of a woman who pushed the Kerry button and her vote still came up Bush. If you go to www.cbsnews.com you should be able to look this story up.
IN THE MEANTIME...The Clinton Library opens today in Little Rock and everybody is out for the party. Save for the New York Sun. I love this paper cause it so wants to be the Washington Times. It can't be happy about the Clinton's getting a library hence the headline "Clinton Museum Accused of Historical Bias-ex-president bathed in a flattering light" (if you didn't know that this was a serious paper you might think this came from The Onion or The Daily Show) umm...
ISN'T THAT WHAT THESE LIBRARIES ARE FOR?!?!?!
Yeah, W'll probably sadly get some library too (I want to see people show up in the Air America t-shirts that read "because he doesn't read" that day) and you think they're gonna have official exhibits about how he ran up biggest defecit in Presidential History, lost more jobs than any President since Herbert Hoover, and led us into an unnecessary war, in the process isolating us from our allies and leaving our soldiers-soldiers who VOLUNTEER-incredibly vulnerable to increasing violence and our nation even more vulnerable to terrorism...speaking of that here' s a link to the story about Jacques Chirac's opinion on that:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/18/international/europe/18chirac.html?th
You'd think that they were expecting The Monica Lewinsky Wing or something (with the dress, cigar, photos and audio tapes) Here's an actual quote from the article: "The White House intern with whom Mr. Clinton had an affair, Monica Lewinsky, is mentioned only in passing." Yep...that article goes straight into the "DUH!!" file.
When W. has his library will we see the Stolen Election Room with highlights (memos, e-mails from Jeb Bush and Katharine Harris audio tapes, quotes from Antonin Scalia and the head of Diebold Voting Systems, etc) of how voters were disenfranchised in both the 2000 and 2004 elections? That is something I would like to see.
Speaking of the the "DUH!!!" file...
I read on Wonkette yesterday about a site called Liveshot.com. I then turn on the Today show this morning and see Matt Lauer interviewing the Texas hunter (sorry all you decent Texans but, OF COURSE it's a Texas hunter who would come up with this...) John Lockwood who has set up this site and will be filling up his ranch with rare breeds to be hunted LIVE ON THE NET. Yes, your mouse, will be connected through the latest to a rifle and, for a moderate membership fee, you can hunt these rare beasts on his ranch. I admit it, I am apalled, and even more so, by the quote from Mr. Lockwood about how the idea came about: "Well, a co-worker was looking at a website of these animals and said 'Wow, wouldn't it be great if we could get a gun in there?' and the idea just grew from there..." *shaking head* Lockwood also claims he's mainly doing for those hunters who, for some reason or another can't get out to his ranch: "they're bedridden or handicapped" (though his ranch is apparently handicapped accessible).American injenuity at work, my friends. Now I dated (briefly) a guy who hunted, but his family actually hunted elk not just for sport but for FOOD...is it just me or does it just seem like too much for some guy to be able to click on his computer, in his office, and hunt on his lunch break? (would this be a bad time to start shouting "calling all hackers! calling all hackers! think you can dismantle this site?!") I am now afeard for live internet paintball (among other scary ideas that could arise from this).
And speaking of people not thinking of the consequences...
The FDA apparently knew about issues with the British factory making flu vaccine as early as June 2003 and did nothing. Representative Henry Waxman (D) of CA is filing a suit against the FDA as to their being negligent in regards to the potential loss of flu vaccine:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/11/17/congress.flu/index.html
take your vitamin C, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids and send an e-mail of support to Rep. Waxman in the morning.
Ans speaking of your Congressfolk...
Senator Kerry COULD be gunning for the race in '08. He still has quite the "nest egg" and of course is being sufficiently vague about his intentions. There are also rumors floating that he may start a PAC so keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on his website.
In the meantime, always remember KEEP E-MAILING!!! E-mail, call, write, fax the media outlets, your friends and family and of course, your Congresspeople and continue to get the word out. If you are seeing progress in the news, it's cause of people like you not letting up on the press. keep it going! And, as always,
pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
VOTER BILL OF RIGHTS!!!
Yes, in order to avoid this kind of mess again, there is a petition for a Voter Bill of Rights. Rock on, Code Pink for starting this up and passing it around...and now I pass it to you...and ask you what I always ask you to do...
Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!!!
www.codepinkalert.org/National_Actions_Voter_Bill_of_Rights.shtml
the passive aggressive press...
"[Sigh]...I know I know...we should report on voter fraud, but we're so TIRED...and it really is just a bunch of freaks talking about this isn't it?"
Check out this article from the Boston Globe from Mark Jurkawitz (unfortunate last name, but good writer):
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2004/11/17/media_accused_of_ignoring_election_irregularities/
AND...I read in Wonkette today (YES I truly have become a blog whore now as I'm reading Wonkette AND The Note when I can here at the day job...believe or not, I am actually working...here and there), a great line there...about how Bush said that he and Rice "communicate through body language"
I say once again, who's waiting for news about the affair? *raising hand again* As one co-worker put it, he's waiting for the moment that George has to stand in front of Congress and the world and say "I did not..have...sexual...relations with the Secretary of State..."
pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
Fisher...Gore...Fisher...Gore...
According to Bloggerman this morning, the provisional ballots are vetted in 11 of 88 counties and that ten of said districts have acceptedly the validity of 90 percent of them...I suspect that this means it's looking all right in Ohio. The count shall go on!
In Florida though, we're in a state of confusion (what else is new). A State Senator there named Fisher has apparently proven himself to be the freak of the week and while his voter fraud claims are most likely valid, when you speak "vaguely of sources and whisper a lot" this can unfortunately mess with your credibility. At least he's not claiming that invented the internet...
Bloggerman also made reference to a guy who walks around Columbus Circle who claims the government helped the Red Sox win the World Series. THIS I must protest...even though none of you are the deluded guy from Columbus Circle (for those of you who not read the full blog, or just don't know me, I am die hard, born and bred Red Sox fan and I know full well that there are some folks out there who just cannot believe for the life of them that the Sox could actually win without some sort of divine intervention or "outside help").
Just because Curt Schilling went out hobbling around Wisconsin and Ohio to promote Bush during the last leg of the campaign, this does NOT mean that this was payback for a deal to help the Sox win. I got two things to tell ya: 1) If you recall, Bush ran the Texas Rangers for a while, and ran them into the ground. There is no way Bush coulda helped my team with winning the World Series. 2) the owners supported KERRY!!! (and 3) Curt Schilling fully supports stem cell research-he and his wife do a lot of fundraising and awareness work for ALS- disagreeing with the President on that subject)
BUT ANYWAY...here's the link to Bloggerman so you can get all the real info:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
IN THE MEANTIME...
Have you been hearing about the "Help Arnold" amendment? if you haven't, there is this group out in Cali trying to set up an amendment allowing foreign born citizens to run for President. Now, there is a part of me that is a bit torn. It's like when Curt Schilling, after the Sox won the World Series, cried out "And don't forget to vote. And Vote BUSH!". At the time I thought it was an inappropriate statement for him to make right after this kind of win. Politics should not have been thrown in to such a great sports moment. Schilling even was left to apologize on his web site and suddenly wasn't able to make two campaign stops in NH due to his ankle. Now mind you, the Red Sox are based in the most liberal state in the nation so I think most people were more upset with his asking people to vote for Bush rather than his speaking out after the win. The man is allowed his opinion and eventually, as previously mentioned, he went out and did some stumping for W.
Similarly, I don't want this amendment to be known as "The Arnold Amendment" and I don't want it done just so HE can run for President (the Republicans sooooo know they've at least got popularity in the bag if he can run. Issues? we don't need no stinkin' issues!). But I have a feeling, that if this were a democratic candidate, that looked really good, had been a decent and caring citizen of the United States who loved this country good bad and ugly and wanted to do the best they could as leader of this nation and of the free world, then, okay, I'd probably pushing hard for this amendment as well. Good Lord...if this goes through I am so scared of what that Presidential campaign is going to look like. "My opponent is a Girlie Man! let me show you how I can bend him and twist him like a little dolly!"
Speaking of scary moments - did anyone notices the facial twitches of Condoleeza Rice as she stood off to the side while Bush made his formal announcement, giving her the job of Secretary of State? She wasn't sure if she should or could smile, it appeared. You know, it was one of those moments where she's
really really excited to have the job but can't show just
how excited... ("I get to play with George
all day!!! [claps like a five year old]")
And has anyone else noticed the irony of the name is the new education secretary: Spellings? (and if she's unmarried, you can call her Miss Spellings...sorry sorry sorry)
IN THE MEANTIME...Please take a moment of silence for Margaret Hassan. She was killed by insurgents the other day (the videotape was shown on Al Jazeera yesterday). She was the head of CARE in Iraq and essentially did all she could to make sure the poorest in Iraq got food, shelter and medical care.
Take a moment of silence for her and then one for other hostages that have been killed.
It is an ugly ugly time over there...and over here...that is why we must KEEP E-MAILING!!! and pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
A time to be Glib...
I heard it from my friend Fred first:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/111604W.shtml
and then saw it on Bloggerman this morning:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
and Stephanie Miller brought it up on her radio show...
It's official. There will be a recount in Ohio as the Green and Libertarian parties (or "glib"s as Olberman and staff have turned to calling them) have raised the $150,000 in funds needed for the effort. Wee ha! This should defintiely be an interesting event. Road trip to Ohio anyone? (and I have to admit that I am shocked, shocked I tell you that after all this business began, that I did not have a certain song from the show "Wonderful Town" in my head...until now "Why, oh why, ohhhh...Did I ever leave Ohioooo?" I'll tell ya why...ELECTION MADNESS!...okay all of this would have worked much better a couple of weeks ago but I couldn't even joke then) In the meantime, the battle continues!!
I checked the NY Times on line just to see if there was anything on this...they have an article on paintball, but they do not have and article on the recount. CNN.com has a story about a kid selling pot-laced cookies in New Hampshire, but not this. Newsday has an article about the Pentagon cutting off Boy Scouts, but not this. New York Post on line has nothing, nor does the New York Daily News that I could find. Don't ya think they oughta?! Time to start e-mailing again...In the Boston Globe, they do not have an article on this either, but at least they do have this bit on the issue of provisional ballots, basically saying that there were indeed flaws...and of course, you have to DIG for this article:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2004/11/16/analysts_cite_provisional_voting_flaws/
I have to give the Boston Globe props for that AND for doing an article on something that happened yesterday that I did not see on morning television or even hear about on NPR:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2004/11/16/man_burns_self_in_front_of_white_house/
I was talking to my mother when she told me about it as she watched it on the 5p news back in Boston. Now I don't get home til usually just before 7p (if I'm lucky) so if it was on last night's news and then tossed aside, then I missed it, BUT you would think that perhaps they would have at least have a passing blip on the news this morning about a guy who SET HIMSELF ON FIRE IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE (particularly when it's a guy who says that he's an FBI informant from Yemen who's about to testify in a terrorism trial). maybe that's just me.
BUT OF COURSE THE BIG STORY IS:
*to the tune of NK Cole's Mona Lisa* Condoleeza, Condoleeza, Bush has hired youuuu...
Just as Colin Powell was saying, "Hey, I'll hang out til you fine a replacement...", They didn't give the man time to clean out his office before letting everybody know that Condi Rice would be taking over as Secretary of State. If ever there was proof of that Administration circling the wagons I don't know what is. The voice of moderation has left the building and the unflappable Condoleeza Rice will stand by her man at an even closer and higher level than before.
Okay...who's waiting to hear news about the affair? *raising hand*
STUCK IN THE SENATE WITH YOU...Kerry is back at his "modest third floor office". Yes, we are all disappointed, but at least he's not just going into seclusion or retiring, the man is back to work and out to fight for us, so I say go ahead and write him a welcome back e-mail at:
http://www.senate.gov
AND KEEP E-MAILING! A recount is about to happen and don't you think some people outside Ohio ought to hear about that? Write, call, e-mail, fax your local papers, the networks, etc etc etc as well as your Congressfolk! And, what do i always say?
Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
Can I tell you...
how much Bill Frist annoys me?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/politics/15specter.html?th
If you remember one thing...
it's to copy your blog entries cause when you type something really long, and then for some reason or another, the blog publishing mechanism decides to freak on you and lose your whole entry, and you didn't copy it or save it as a draft, you ahve to do what I'm doing right now which is frantically try to remember everything I typed in earlier. GAH!
ANYWAY, here's the scoop:
Item 1: As I try to take the weekend to clear my head, like most people, and perhaps not watch or read as much news as I might during the week (I am a bit of a junkie), I totally missed the whole Bloggerman Conspiracy! Apparently, some guy on
his blog, was saying that Olberman was "fired" and had then disappeared from sight-and site-due to his work on trying to figure out the voter fraud scandal. Not so, as Mr. Olberman well explains on his blog today. The man is just ON VACATION (and deservedly so, I might add), but shall indeed return in order to keep all this going (as well as handle other news issues on his show). In the meantime, his crack staff will be keeping up the fight in his absence, so never fear Bloggerman fans. And heck, due to all this aatention, there are FINALLY more people (papers and shows that is) taking up the cause or cursing us out, but at least it's making news. There's a bit on this in the Bloggerman entry, as well as info on a new exit poll study that shows, much to the right's chagrin I am sure, that folks may not have been voting as morally as initially thought. AND, you can see info on the latest on the Nader/Cobb recount bids (cause remember folks, a recount is a recount is a recount). Think I'm lyin'? See for yourself at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
And speaking of news at MSNBC, nothing was like going there this morning to check on Olberman when there on the front page is this large pic of Colin Powell with the large headline "COLIN POWELL RESIGNS". I admittedly found myself goin' "Yee HA!" About darn time. Yeah, we've been expecting this, as he has, more often than not, disagreed with the President over many things, particularly those war related, but as he stuck it out, getting more entrenched in that cabinet (or shall I say pushed further back on the shelf? sorry), one had to wonder if he had actually become one of "them" and wasn't going to fight his way out (I personally was waiting for his to snap during the 9/11 hearings: "IT'S ALL A LIE!! IT REALLY IS JUST TO GET BACK AT HIS DAD! AND FOR OIL! I"VE GOT PROOF! and he brandishes tapes as secret service officers try to tackle him on the floor). But he has now taken the opportunity to just say no and get out while the getting is good. The one fear we all have now is WHO WILL REPLACE HIM? For more on the story:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6492238/
AND for those of you who thought I was crazy...that thought it wasn;t possible that the Southern Baptist Convention and other evangelical groups would want "payback" for their gettin' out the vote, well, to you I say HA! Here's Newsweek's take on it. The article is called "Of Prayer and Payback"...and, forgive me, but if you look at the photo of Falwell and Rove, is it just me or does Rove's head look positively cartoonish-as in cartoon villain material?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6479271/site/newsweek/
And speaking of the far right, Arlin Specter, as perviously mentioned has an uphill battle as he tries to take over as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. I wish I'd been able to hear the whole exchange (the street cleaner truck always has to go by my window when something IMPORTANT is being discussed on the morning TV) but I do believe Tim Russert on the Today show this morning was talking about how there are Republicans looking to get a pledge from him that he will not block pro-life appointees if George passes such names on to him. Good Lord. Specter himself apparently said on "This Week" yesterday that he would "be a team player" if elected Chairman which makes me just wanna say, aw come on Arlen! Don't "flip flop" on THIS!! Here's what MSNBC has to say about the whole thing:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6485741/
IN THE MEANTIME...allow me to just throw in something lighter now...
This weekend, I went to a benefit for a wonderful group called Fractured Atlas that sponsors artists in order for them to get grants and such so they can do their art. It was a truly inspiring evening of seeing how art-whether it be paintings and scupltures, photographs, dance, music, spoken word, etc-crosses blue and red state and cultural lines...and should...and is a common thread uniting us all as members of this truly unique, complex and diverse nation. My father made documentary films primarily because he felt that "we are all brothers and sisters in the world" and we need to learn about each other and live properly with each other. There are those who would rather isolate themselves and remain in one facet of time and space rather than experience the change, or perhaps even embrace it as it occurs around them. But art can be a bridge between these worlds and is just that to me. I say visit the site for this group and see links to the artists they represent, particularly the group "Smokin' Word", the photographer Bill Hayward, and opera/media company "The Voyeur" something Company (sorry guys I don't have my program on me!). Also check out a link for the upcoming documentary film "iThemba!". It is about the AIDS crisis in South Africa and, if the trailer is any example, it will be powerful experience.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
I was talking to my mom over the weekend and she was telling me how she was talking to a friend of hers and they pretty much decided that the only way Bush was going to get kicked out of office was if Bush got caught drunk driving with a prostitute in the car and coke in the glovebox (*just picturing the cops pulling over this borrowed blue Gremlin: "okay buddy, get out the-HOLY CRAP! Mr. President? I'm sorry Mr. President but I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the vehi-HEY, aren't you..Monica Lewinsky?!?"...) but as amusing as that thought may be, I do hoep they bust him voter fraud, Haliburton and the war first.
All right, back to the dayjob I must go, but remember KEEP E-MAILING!! Write, call, e-mail, fax your Congressfolk (they are back now!), and your local newspapers, media outlets, family friends, etc etc etc and, as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
Vacation, all I ever wanted...
As I did what I usually do on weekends, try to avoid having to look at the net and even the news (well, as much news I look at during the week being a bit of a junkie), I did not hear about the Bloggerman Conspiracy: that he had been "fired" and disappeared from site and sight due to his speaking out against voter fraud. Today, on his website, he debunks this theory and lets us all know that he's just ON VACATION (and deservedly so). His crack staff though continue the fight in his absence. Today's blog has great info on the conspiracy theory of which he became the subject, an exit poll study which shows people may not have been voting as morally as the far right would like ya to believe, and the results of the Nader and Cobb recount bids-will they or will they not get their legal recounts (as in will WE?). There is also a good list of papers and shows where the voter fraud story has been FINALLY making the news :):):) See for yourself at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
Speaking of the far right, they are plegding to fight Arlen Specter's potential chiefdom of the Judiciary Committee, though he did claim on "This Week" that he would be a "team player" should he get the gig. Arlen, come on, stay strong man! Don't "flip flop" on something as important as this!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6485741/
AND if you hadn't heard the BIG news: COLIN POWELL HAS RESIGNED!!!!
Yeah, we were all kinda waitin' for it to happen as he has, more often than not, disagreed with this President, particularly when it comes to the war...I'm just sorry he didn't do it sooner, I personally was waiting for him to snap during the 9/11 hearings ("IT'S ALL A LIE! I'M TELLING YOU, IT REALLY
IS ALL FOR OIL!"), but he held on as long as he could and now has had the opportunity to essentially just say no and get the hell out of that Administration. The one fear now is WHO WILL REPLACE HIM?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6492238/
And for anyone who thought I was crazy talking about the "list" the Southern Baptist Convention (among other evagelical groups), well here's Newsweek's take on it: The title of the article is called "Of Prayer and Payback" (*am now hearing in my head a Nina Simone song, the chorus of which is "and you'll go the he-e-e-e-e-ell, you'll all go to hell.."*)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6479271/site/newsweek/
Also, I was talking to my mom this weekend and she was telling me how she was talking to a friend of hers and they both had decided that right now the only way Bush was going to get kicked out of office was if he was caught drunk driving with a prostitute and coke in the glovebox. As amusing as that image is (*cops pull over a borrowed Gremlin and as they pull open the door: "Come on buddy, out of the- HOLY CRAP! Mr. Presi-HEY, aren't you Monica Lewinsky?"* sorry, this is the way my tangential mind works), I really hope they bust him with Haliburton and voter fraud first.
All right, that's it for now save for some actual shameless publicity!
This weekend I went to a benefit for the wonderful group Fractured Atlas who sponsor artists so they can get grants and such and actually do their art. Part of the evening was a sampling of work from various sponsored artists, all of whom were inspiring, but one in particular was the actress/poet who founded a group called "Smokin' Word". Of course can I think of her name now? No. But look up the group and look up the founder and, man, if anyone had a great riff on the administration is was this woman. I highly recommend looking up their site and finding out when and where they are gigging next. I also recommend looking for the upcoming documentary "iThemba!". It is about the AIDS crisis in South Africa. I can tell you this, at the end of the trailer shown, the room was in silent awe of the essential heroine of this film, save for a few sniffles and tears.
All right, back to the dayjob for the time being, but most likely there will indeed be more later :)
And remember, KEEP E-MAILING! call, write, e-mail, fax your Congressfolk, local papers, media outlets, and, as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
good lord they're talking about ME!
Not directly, but this is a story in NY Times about how "Voter Fraud Theories" sent and promoted by blogs are easily debunked...
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/12/politics/12theory.html?th
okay, there are definitely some conspiracy freaks out there, but there are valid reasons to investigate such as
1) why that county in Ohio (Warren I believe) locked down their building, not allowing the press to check out the vote count-like every OTHER county in the state.
2) what happened to the machines in North Carolina?
3) and why the heck CAN'T Diebold computer machines have a paper trail when other companies' machines have figured this out?
And these are just a few of the issues (not including the "have you not been adjudicated mentally imcompetent"? question in tiny print on a Florida county's registration forms) that have prodded 6 Congressman to think, hey, maybe we ought to look into this afterall.
It would be nice, if they really could have one, uniform voting system so we don't have to deal with all this mess of chads, thrown out paper, and crashing computers that have no back up or paper trail. Is this REALLY so WRONG? Obviously, to the people who want to mess with your vote, yes it is.
Peace --Alex
what? no bloggerman today?
So I go to MSNBC today to see what news Keith Olberman has for me today and see that not only is his little corner rectangle has been replaced by Tim Russert, but there isn't even a front homepage link to Bloggerman. I actually had to dig for it...AND there's no new entry. I would like to believe that, it's Friday, it's rainy, maybe he wanted to sleep in, and he'll be back at the blog with new info any time now. He certainly can't have just dropped out after several days of post election furor that have caused me to actually start up my blog again...nooooo...
Look we all could use a nap but we also need to keep looking into this and make sure that, no matter what the outcome, that the vote does indeed get investigated. So yes, do call, write, fax, e-mail your senators and representatives today as well as your local papers and the media and keep this sucker going. Can't let it fade now, particularly as it is FINALLY beginning to go national. For when Keith gets back to his blog, here's the link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
IN THE MEANTIME...
I mentioned the Global Warming issue yesterday and read today that Vladimir Putin, President of Russia has ratified the Kyoto Protocol. What does this mean? That the sucker will go through. They needed one more major nation to ratify it and Russia-the soon to be former home of Industrial Hazard Central-did it. But of course, the US rejected this protocol, continuing to tell polluting businesses to just go right ahead, keep goin', hell we'll have more oil once them ice caps melt (and yet another reason I want to test the water in the Red States cause you know Rove put something in it) ANYWAY, if you want more info on this check out www.environmentaldefense.org.
Did I mention yesterday this one semi-amusing thing about Bush getting back into office? This is a man who said that he had gotten all this "political capitol" and was ready to spend it. Well, there are a few people that feel the same way. They are calling in their markers. The Southern Baptist Convention has a list, an actual LIST of requests for the President, that they expect him to take care of. These members of the evangelical faction that gave the President a good slab of his vote want payback. On this list are pretty much the items which influenced their voting: Supreme Court and Federal appointees that are against Roe V. Wade and that will do their best to overturn it; a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage; more money for faith based initiatives; a ban on stem cell research..etc etc etc...yeah what else is new (these are the people that a few years back declared that women are to be submissive to their husbands and that women shouldn't be ministers [did I just hear one of them shout "FEMINAZI!"?]), but you know, they have a little more clout this year. It was given to them by the Republicans who went to them for votes, KNOWING that they would get out the vote (such as with the link on the Southern Baptist Convention website "IVoteValues.com"). I think that Rove figured that they would feel like heck, they were doing "God's work" and that they would expect little or nothing or return (kinda like the Iraqis were supposed to be grateful for us coming in and bringing them "freedom"). Well that just backfired don't ya think? Personally I would LIKE to see this be the backfire that blows out the tailpipe of this administration, but I digress...cause there's other folks looking for payback..
Tony Blair, who...well part of me is amazed that he has not collapsed into a crumpled mass over the criticism he has recieved for supporting Bush as steadfastly as he has, but perhaps he was waiting for this moment. He is asking that Bush actually DO SOMETHING to aid peace in the Middle East now that Arafat is dead. For more on the story you can check out this link to CNN.com
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/12/bush.blair.ap/index.html
One last thing on the evangelicals...there is a group out to have a "pray-in" (
sounds like a nice idea, doesn't it?) for Arlen Specter. Is he ill? No. Is he dying? No. You know what his problem is? He's pro-choice and presently chairman of the Judiciary Committee; as in he has some say as to who becomes a Supreme Court Judge and he has said that he would not allow a judge on the Court who was against Roe V. Wade. (he has of course since back pedaled a bit saying "I supported William Rehnquist-" who voted against Roe V. Wade and "I supported the appointment of Clarence Thomas" who's just an idiot). There are people who want to pray that either Specter loses his chairmanship or basically sees the light and finds it in his heart to find someone who will destroy women's freedom of choice. I say that if you are going to pray for anything, it's that these people see the light and realize how un-Christian their behaviour really is. I want to make a t-shirt for the Southern Baptist Convention (among other group groups like them) that reads: Southern Baptist Covention-Making Christians Look Bad For Umteen Years. (all right, not exactly Christian behaviour from me, but I've been in a mood about the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition for...years. Y'all can kiss my Congregationalist a-...all right I gotta stop there.) I know that not ALL of these folks are bad, but the loud ones sure annoy me-and they're the ones who end up on TV. GAH!
SPEAKING of T-SHIRTS:
If you go to www.airamericaradio.com, check out their "gear" section. There, you can purchase anything from a t-shirt to a thong with the latest Air America motto "Mandate My Ass!" I have yet to order mine, but will do this soon. (they also have t-shirts and such that read "because he doesn't read")
And SPEAKING OF MANDATES:
Last night, I went to the candlelight vigil at Columbus Circle. Oh, there should have been more people, but at least there were some. They read the names of soldiers and civilians lost. There were people who had lost a child or grandchild in the war. There were members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the 21 year old founder of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He talked about his experience over there...how he did not have both front and back body armor; how soldiers would put plywood and sometimes their body armor on the sides and doors of humvees because they were not properly protected (some are made from aluminum or plastic...imagine having the doors of a Saturn to protect you against a shoulder fired rocket). Next time you hear of a rally or vigil, please get out there and also, continue to make your voice heard against this war and the administration.
And as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on.
Keep up the fight, friends :)
Peace --Alex
cause I've just gone blog happy today...
Here's one more post for the day:
And it's a good one:
MoveOn.org sent this to me this morning about a petition they have set up to help 6 Congressmen get the support they need to get an investigation going into voter fraud. Take a look, and if you agree, sign the petition!
http://www.moveon.org/investigatethevote/
and just for the chuckle...this is really fun...as the person who started passing it around said "because if we can't get rid of him, we'll have to continue poking fun at him..."
http://uk.download.yahoo.com/ne/fu/attachments/buildabetterbush.htm
(I say let's try to do both...)
and another thing...
Did I mention that the polar ice caps are melting? Oh yeah, that was in the news as well this week, as my friend Walter reminded me. They did a great bit on the Daily Show last night (
go to the Comedy Central Website and download last night's show--they did a great piece on voter fraud in Florida as well), but do check Yahoo News as well. Basically, with Global Warming-cause yes it actually does exist-causing the melting of the polar ice caps up to 3 feet, parts of DC and New York could be underwater by 2100. Though apparently, this is great for Russian business as they'll be finally able to get some ships through soon-to-be-formerly ice packed waterways (if I may steal from The Daily Show: "we'll finally be able to get all those nesting dolls..."). AND for all of George's and Dick's friends in oil, the melting ice will reveal OIL RESERVES. Woo hoo! Let the drilling begin! If I may rant for a moment: Who CARES if we lose several species of artic creature (polar bears, sea lions, birds etc), there's OIL up in them there ice caps, gosh darnit.
Can Kyoto meet without us and just override the US?...wait, I think they tried that last time...All right, time to write, call, e-mail, fax all the foreign nations who believe that this is happening and WILL be showing up at the environmental summit and nag them...also try this tactic on your Congresspeople...Oh this is a long morning...
We got voter fraud.
We got the death of Arafat.
We got potential environmental mayhem.
And we have Bush in office...
Viva La Revolucion! Keep up the fight, my friends :)
(was anybody else thinking on November 3rd "isn't time for a good coup?")
Peace --Alex
and if there was ever another reason...
to keep up the fight, or at least the pressure on this administration, allow me to remind you of the main news story of the day:
Yasser Arafat has died.
Do we have a man in office who can really deal with the impending issues? Bush can't say the word "mullah" properly, hence I think not.
If you have not read the paper today, listened to the radio or checked the web as yet, here's the link to the CNN story:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/11/11/arafat.main/index.html
And another thing folks...it is Veterans' Day today. Whether they were drafted or have volunteered, do take a moment to remember the soldiers. There are thousands right now-mostly YOUNG men and women- who VOLUNTEERED to fight for this country...who are being told their tours are being stretched out, who may not have all the proper equipment, who are dealing with increasing violence, and increasing morale issues, and...well I could go on my rant about how they are not supposed to be in Iraq in the first place and yes indeed our soliders were thrown into harms way by this administration in what can easily be seen as an act of petty vengeance, BUT I won't do that. I will just remind you that they are doing a job none of us would want to doI will though, let you know that there is a peace rally, for those here in NYC tonight at Columbus Circle at 7p. I got the notice about it from Code Pink-Women For Peace, but other groups such as Iraq Veterans for Peace and Vietnam Veterans for Peace will be there. Down below, I have copied the bulk of the e-mail with the proper info if you want to head on down.
CODEPINK Women for Peace will hold a candlelit vigil to mourn the lives of American servicemen and women and Iraqi civilians killed in this illegal and immoral war.
7 p.m. November 11th (Veteran’s Day) at Columbus Circle (northeast corner of 59th Street and Central Park West).
We will be joined by Grandmothers Against War, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Veterans for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, and the New York Protest Drummers, among other groups.
Wear pink with black armbands or dress in black.
Contact us at codepinknyc@hotmail.com if you have any questions about this event.
And always know I mean it when I say it,
Peace --Alex
One last thing, not sure how many of you watched 60 Minutes II last night, but they did a story on a group called Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. They raise money for the families of Marines who have been injuredin combat. The deal is, the Department of Defense pays for the travel and hotel expenses for up to two family members for up to a week. After that, those families are left to fend for themselves if they want to stay longer to care for and support their child/spouse/other family member. Below is the link to their site as, it's bad enough that they are over there, and that they get injured, but then they can't have proper family support? If you can make a donation, please do.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=injured+marine+semper+fi+fund
I'm not sure if there are such funds for injured army, air force and navy as well, but I would like to think this could easily be googled.
am I becoming a blogger?!?!
I started this blog initially to be a promotional thing-hence it's title-as I don't have a website yet (anybody want to help fund that or work out a trade deal?) and needed someway to promote my cabaret show-or any other gig related news. As the cabaret show is done and can't be done again til 2005 and I got nothing else lined up at present-save to announce that the recording of the 2003 Encores! production of The New Moon of which I was part of will be released on 11/16 :)-I have been using this blog to talk baseball and the state of our nation.
I've been sending out e-mails since Monday about voter fraud and am continuing this because it really does need to be fully investigated and NEEDS TO GET INTO THE MAINSTREAM PRESS. Slowly but surely, it has been making news on the networks and in the papers, but, save for Keith Olberman and his MSNBC show Countdown (with corresponding blog) and Stephanie Miller who is braodcast on Air America in some states (like MA where my mom's been listening), the fight has practically been dismissed as an internet conspiracy theory issue. Well guess what, it's not just that. It's that you've got a whole bunch of people who were really angry about THE HORROR of last Tuesday and, due to the last stolen election, definitely became more wary of and savvy to this administration's anything-to-win tactics (such as tell the evangelicals that liberals will ban the Bible...anyone?) So, the saga continues...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/
the above is the latest from Keith Olberman's blog, dicussing how there are potential recounts in Ohio and New Hampshire...and not even because of the Presidential race! Hey, a recount's a recount, man. This is one time you may actually want to thank Nader and a man named Cobb...
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/11/10/internet_buzz_on_vote_fraud_is_dismissed/
the above here is an article from the Boston Globe about how we trying to keep up the fight are being dismissed, but you may notice how, though the lawyers and professors interviewed say that there appears to be no evidence of a stolen election, they do believe that all allegations should be taken seriously...hmmmmmm...Once again, a recount is a recount...it's always good to double-check.
I have yet to hear from my mother to see if Stephanie Miller has been talking about the voter fraud issue, but if you are in MA or in a state that broadcasts her show on Air America (officially 6a-9p though she is on 9a-12a in MA) take a listen!
In the meantime, feel free to copy this page and pass it on, pass it on, pass it on.
KEEP E-MAILING, WRITING, CALLING, FAXING...keep up the good fight my friends. I know people are looking into this, but it doesn't hurt to remind them that we're paying attention, ya know?
Peace --Alex
the state of our nation
all right, I've been gone a while. I've been engulfed in baseball madness and the sleep depravation that came along with it, but I had to speak this morning...well type..
I went from experiencing one of the greatest moments in my life-the Red Sox winning the World Series-to one of the worst-this morning. It is a devastating state of affairs as our nation has decided to allow George W. Bush to be "President" for four more years.
Personally, I want to know what the f*** is in the water in the South and Midwest. I'm sure some of them would like to know what's up with the coasts, wondering why we can't vote like the innards of the country...and I'm sure we both think that our cases are pretty obvious. But to know that there are enough people out there that have fallen for the petty fear mongering of this administration-that we are in danger for our safety (and you know what, as we never did catch Osama Bin Laden, the guy who actually attacked us and the insurgency continues to rise in Iraq, a country that never attacked us but sure is pissed now, there's actually a shot at this), that the gays are going to take over the world, women are going to be having abortions in order to give fetuses to stem cell research and liberals are out to ban the Bible-well it just boggles my mind and upsets me greatly.
A co-worker did say to me though, "The battlefield is always bloody, but we have to stay on the field. Don't give up the fight and don't move to the Bahamas..." I think I'll stick with that mantra and keep up the good fight for the next four years. Cause we can't cut this administration any slack now. We just can't.
