Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Israeli Reporter Amira Hass Forced Out of Gaza by Hamas, Detained by Israeli Police For Entering Gaza Without Permit

December 02, 2008
Gazaweb

Israeli Reporter Amira Hass Forced Out of Gaza by Hamas, Detained by Israeli Police For Entering Gaza Without Permit

Israel has imposed a tightened blockade over its million and a half residents for nearly a month. Last month, award-winning Israeli journalist Amira Hass defied the blockade and entered Gaza on a boat with international peace activists. But on Sunday, Hamas officials told Hass they could no longer guarantee her security and forced her to leave. Hass was briefly detained by Israeli security officials upon re-entering Israel Monday because she did not have a permit for Gaza. Amira Hass joins us on the phone from Ramallah [includes rush transcript].

Guest:

Amira Hass, correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and one of Israel’s leading journalists. She has spent much of the last decade living in Palestinian communities of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Hamas recently told her to leave Gaza. She joins us on the phone from Ramallah.

AMY GOODMAN: We turn now to the Middle East, to the Gaza strip where Israel has imposed a tightened blockade over its million and a half residents for nearly a month. The Israeli navy blocked a Libyan ship carrying 3,000 tons of food and medical aid from entering Gaza on Monday. It was the first attempt by a foreign government to break the siege of Gaza. Last month award-winning Israeli journalist Amira Hass defied the blockade and entered Gaza on a boat with international peace activists. She reported for Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz from Gaza while being accompanied by Hamas. But on Sunday Hamas officials told Amira Hass they would no longer guarantee her security and asked her to leave. Hass was briefly detained by Israeli security officials upon re-entering Israel Monday because she did not have a permit for Gaza. The Israeli army officially barred its journalists from entering Gaza after the 2006 kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Amira Hass is a correspondent for Israel’s Ha’aretz. She’s the author of “Drinking the Sea at Gaza: Days and Nights in a Land Under Siege” .She joins me now on the telephone from Ramallah, the West Bank, where she lives. Welcome to Democracy Now!

AMIRA HASS: Hi Amy.

AMY GOODMAN: Tell us what happened to you in Gaza. Why were you kicked out by Hamas.

AMIRA HASS: I don’t know, they just got tired of me, I guess. They insisted from the start to follow me, to escort me 24 hours a day, which of course, did not make my work very easy, but I took it ok. They said there the wanted to avoid any slightest chance that someone might hurt you. All of the sudden Sunday, they told me circumstances has changed—all of the seven on Sunday, the circumstances have changed, there is more tension in the region. And there is also some information that my life might be in danger. As a principle, I do not take such threats or what any security apparatus tell me, whether it is Israeli, whether it is Arafat or Hamas. But they left no option, they were very strict about it. I have some friends in Hamas they tried very hard to put sense into some people, but it was in vain. The only thing we managed was to postpone the decision by- less than one day so I could see friends of mine because the main sense that I have is that Gaza is going to be isolated for so many years and that people won’t be able to leave anywhere, not to the West Bank, not abroad, not for a vacation, for so many years. Who knows when I would see friends again? This was also – apart from the frustration, the professional frustration, that I felt. You know, I had planned to stay three months now in Gaza, there was a much more to do.

AMY GOODMAN: Amira Hass, describe life in Gaza right now. It is very hard to get information out. In the last few weeks, executives from Associated Press, New York Times, Reuters, CNN, BBC and other news organizations sent a letter to the Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, saying, well criticizing the government’s decision to bar journalists from entering Gaza with Israel virtually sealing it off. Its very hard to get a picture of what is going on inside.

AMIRA HASS: It is even very hard to describe it in 10 minutes or 30 minutes. It is complete isolation, I feel its like a black hole., Everybody, this isolation, this blockade reduces people’s lives in to basic concern. Will there be electricity? Will there be water? Will we find candles in the shop? Is there gas for cooking? People are still offended by the very needs to be preoccupied all the time by those needs. At the same time, there is a lot as always, there is the spirit of defiance that you find among Gazans. And the ability to make humor. So this has has not been lost at all. I actually was upset with some of the reports that only focused on how Palestinians are miserable, Gazans are miserable, completely overlooked the ability to maneuver, and to, the creative abilities of Gazans. So you have, then you have the blockade imposed on Gaza on the part of the Palestinian Authority. They still hope to make a Hamas government collapse by obstructing the regular work of main ministries in Gaza: Education and Health. This is very, this is really nasty. It is a chance for Hamas to employ its own people, but its own people especially in Health, are very much less experienced. There has always been a problem with the health system, there has always been but it is deteriorating very fast.

The same is true of the education system it is really heartbreaking to see how it is not only the blockade and the siege, which as you remember started in 1991 and not just four months ago, it is an ongoing process from Israeli policy. But the Ramallah authorities and Palestinian authorities add to it, add to it pressure. This is very, people are- it doesn’t weaken Hamas, the contrary, people say, ok, so Hamas is one of us. We are all targeted by Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

And the third point is that Hamas is not unhappy with the isolation right now because it enables it to establish its own regime in this small part of the world. It is a kind of independence from Israeli—a strange as it may sound—far away from Israeli control. There are attacks, there are military attacks, but inside, it is much more free from Israeli interference than the West Bank. So they can experiment their Islamic rule there, even though they say all the time this is not their goal. In practice, this is what is happening. So what is happening is that you have this miserable enclave with people who are imprisoned in it for so long and who are yearning for the world to open for them. For studies, for [unintelligible], for books, you know, it is difficult to send books to Gaza. It is almost impossible. Olmert has placed some few thousands of books at Erez waiting to bring into one of its libraries. And it cannot because of Israeli restrictions. So, but somehow, the three parties, the three powers concerned, unequal as they are, participate in this growing isolation of Gaza.

AMY GOODMAN: Let me ask you, Amira Hass, let me ask you, in the protests of the news organizations to being banned from Gaza, an Israeli defense ministry spokesperson said that there were displeased with international media coverage because it “inflated Palestinian suffering and did not make clear that Israel’s measures are in response to Palestinian violence”.

AMIRA HASS: Yes. Should I comment?

AMY GOODMAN: Yes.

AMIRA HASS: Israeli officials have the talent always to reverse everything. I mean, it is to occupation that starts. That is the first thing. Israeli policies of occupation, which are the beginning. And then everything is the response, the Palestinian response. Whether it is clever or not is a different question. It is really amazing—I mean, this has ever been given as a reason to prevent journalists from entering Gaza. I mean, it seems there really passing their own borders or red lines. They used to say there was a danger to your life, but now they’re even there to intervene in the content of your report. And besides, it is not true. I think the world knows much more about the Israeli city which suffers from attacks of Palestinian rockets then they know the names like Sderot, Beni Suhayla, Abbasan al Sagheera, where people, localities in Gaza which have almost daily incursions’. So, these names are not known in the world. So its not even true what he claims.

AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask about the statement of the lame-duck Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, recently said to the surprise of many that he felt that Israel should withdraw from the territories. I wanted to get to you his exact quote. He said that “We are gravely concerned about the prolonged and unprecedented denial of access in the Gaza for the international media." he also talked about—

AMIRA HASS: Olmert?

AMY GOODMAN: He said, that Israel should withdraw from nearly all territory captured in the 1967 Middle East war in return for peace with the Palestinians and Syria, I am saying what no previous Israeli leader has ever said: we should withdraw from almost all of the territories, including in East Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights. Well he still is Prime Minister.

AMIRA HASS: Well, I mean, this is ridiculous- if you are why don’t you do it, now? Where were you five months ago, or a year ago. It’s probably not new thinking. So you could say great, he’s been influenced a bit and got sense. It is useless. I do not know what made him say that, but it is totally useless if you don’t—if it is not your policy, if its only words.

AMY GOODMAN: Why can’t he? Even as a lame-duck Prime Minister, why can’t he enforce it, why can’t he move in that direction since he’s already said this?

AMIRA HASS: He created this monster of the settlements, settlers who oppose any such idea and they created this tradition that you do not touch the settlers when the object to any legal action against them. Of course he could not even start it in the few months the he has or the one month he has til he has to leave. This is not realistic right now. The question is, where did he start to change his mind? Where did he think that return to 67 is the only solution. So does he want to gain some popularity, since he has lost so much because of all the scandals, popularity among certain echelons—I do not know. It is a riddle. But of course he cannot do it, not only that because right now Israeli society is profiting directly from the occupation, more than ever before.

This one of the achievements of the Oslo agreements, and the Oslo process, that the settlements could extend direct economical company—economical companies that are directly connected to the settlements and to the occupied territories, has grown. More Israelis see the settlements as an natural phenomenon. And also, in, in the popular mind, Palestinians have a state. It does not matter it has no sovereignty, no land or water or borders. But in the mind of the Israelis, Palestinians have the state because they’re in control of the administrative affairs. So..

AMY GOODMAN: Amira Hass—

AMIRA HASS: If he wanted now, he could not. The general sentiment in Israel is very since the whole occupation is something normal.

AMY GOODMAN: We have to leave it there. I want to thank you for being with us. Are you going to court on Thursday, in an Israeli court?

AMIRA HASS: Its only procedural, because I was released on bail. I was arrested and Ha’aretz worked hard so I would not be sent to jail for one night. So now, we have to discuss the terms of my release. And then they say they might charge me with breaking the military commanders order.

AMY GOODMAN: We will keep people posted. Amira Hass, correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, she’s talking to us from Ramallah, from her home in the West Bank. She was kicked out of Gaza. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, the War and Peace Report. The quote before, “We’re gravely concerned about the prolonged and unprecedented denial of access to the Gaza strip for the international media” was from the news executives complaining to the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. This is Democracy Now! back in a minute..

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Action Alert: Oppose Hate Crimes at UC Berkeley

Statement from the Arab-American and Muslim Community of the San Francisco Bay Area on Hate Crimes at UC Berkeley

On Thursday November 13th, 2008, three Palestinian students were attacked near a Zionist supremacist concert labeled "Israeli Liberation Week" at the University of California , Berkeley . Two young Palestinian-American women and one man, all students, entered a building near the event, and unfurled two Palestinian flags off of a balcony overlooking the concert. Shortly after they displayed the flags, members of the right-wing supremacist groups Tikvah and the Zionist Freedom Alliance (ZFA) entered the building, climbed the stairs to the second floor, isolated the Palestinian students on the balcony, and then proceeded to assault them. Witnesses identified the assailants as three members of the Zionist Freedom Alliance, including one current student, one alumnus, and one performer for the ZFA event.

During the attacks, anti-Arab racial epithets were used repeatedly. Despite numerous accounts indicating that the students were attacked by outside members, the police and administration treated the assaulted students as suspects. The incompetence of the UC Berkeley administration and severe mishandling of the situation by the police department further exacerbated the hate crime, which took place on the heels of the 60th anniversary of Zionism's displacement of the Palestinian people. Though it was the responsibility of the university to protect its students from hate crimes, protect the freedom of speech of its members, and to work diligently against an atmosphere of hate and supremacy, the university failed these tasks, and did not take precautions to protect the attacked students. Instead, in a statement to the campus community, it drew parity between the segregator and the segregated, the attackers and the attacked.

Rather than counteract rising anti-Arab sentiment in the United States and on UC campuses, the administration has either exacerbated those sentiments or stood idly by, its role proving to be an abomination in this matter. It has taken no significant steps to protect the rest of the Arab and Palestinian student population, or to apprehend or restrain the attackers. Moreover, Palestinian students have been questioned as if they were suspects in the matter, and members of the administration have told them that they "should have known better" than to exercise their free speech rights by holding a flag. Worse, the Chancellor's letter to the campus community took five days to reach the student body, and it barely addressed the incidents, providing no support for the attacked students' rights to freely challenge hate speech, or to attend campus without fear of being victimized by hate crime, let alone their rights to be safe from physical attack on campus. The administration's failure to learn from decades of racist history is astounding, and yet these are the educators of the next generation.

The Palestinian people have just commemorated 60 years of forceful displacement. In 1948 two-thirds of the indigenous population was forced out at gunpoint during the military occupation of Palestine and the subsequent establishment of the State of Israel. Palestinians were denied reentry and labeled as an indigenous and demographic threat to the colonial and ethnic supremacist nature of the State of Israel. Over 500 villages and towns were erased and many massacres were committed by the then Zionist militias of the Haganah and the Irgun and later the Israeli army. In a speech given June 15, 1969 former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Maier said, "There was no such thing as Palestinians, they never existed." Menahim Begin, another former prime minister said, "[The Palestinians are] beasts walking on two legs." Israeli prime minister in 1988 Yitzhak Shamir said, "The Palestinians would be crushed like grasshoppers ... heads smashed against the boulders and walls." Unfortunately, as this incident shows, Zionist hatred and violence has followed Palestinians to wherever they live in the world.

Universities are supposed to be places of intellectual engagement; places where opposing opinions, views, rationalizations and justifications may be voiced without fear of censorship, intimidation, or threat of violence. Cal 's most important marketing gimmick is its history of the free speech movement; it is the "free speech campus," after all. It is the place where Mario Savio stood up and rallied students to empower themselves and one another by raising their voices in declaration of their right to express their views. But let us remember that these events during Savio's time were the result of censorship by the administration, not a spontaneous enlightenment that drove students to begin suddenly expressing their opinions. Today, it is the university's implicit support of war policies and tacit nod and wink to hate speech that is resulting in a climate of fear and intimidation. The educational administrators of our youth seem to have internalized little from the free speech, anti-war and civil rights movements. They think that appointing a token person of color for a clerk's position can hide racist policies that have led to a decline in the admission of students of color to the University, just as naming some stairs after Mario Savio succeeds in placating the oppressed into silence, allowing hate-based violence to be viewed as commonplace.

We ask every responsible person in our community not to allow the defenders of apartheid in Israel , advocates for genocide and displacement, to drive fear into the hearts of our youth. On behalf of the communities and organizations signing this letter, we commend the Palestinian students for their courage and call for:

The campus community to rise to this historical moment, at a time when the US elects an African-American president, racial attacks against Arabs and Palestinians should not continue or go unchallenged. We urge all students to unite behind the statement:

"RACIST ATTACKS WILL NOT SILENCE US, WE ARE ALL PALESTINIAN"

The Berkeley DA to act on witness reports and prosecute the attackers for hate crimes.

The campus and Berkeley police to immediately apprehend the attackers and execute its responsibility to protect women, Arab and Palestinian students from hate attacks.

Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and Vice Chancellor Harry LeGrande to issue an apology to the Arab community for not recognizing the attack as a hate crime rather than a dispute caused by differing opinions.

The UC administration to execute immediate and swift corrective actions so that the university security forces handle advocacy for supremacist speech and defense of racial segregation by exile or other violent means as a potential threat to the community at large.

Please FAX the chancellor or write per the address below to voice our collective demands. Faxing is more effective than email.

Please call the Berkeley District Attorney and ask for the office to investigate the racial attacks and press hate crime charges against the ZFA and Tikvah assailants.

Office of the Chancellor
200 California Hall # 1500
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
Phone (510) 642-7464
Fax (510) 643-5499
chancellor@berkeley.edu

Berkeley District Attorney
2120 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 644-6683

SIGNED:

SJP-Students for Justice in Palestine , UC Berkeley

Al-Awda, Palestine Right to Return Coalition
American Muslims for Palestine
ANSWER-Act Now to Stop War and End Racism-Coalition
Arab American Legal Services
Arab American Union Members Council
Arab Cultural and Community Center of San Francisco
Arab Resource and Organizing Center
Break the Silence Mural Project
General Union of Palestine Students, San Francisco
NCA-National Council of Arab Americans
Palestine Solidarity Group (PSG)-Chicago
Palestine Youth Network
Palestinian American Women's Association (PAWA)
SJP-Students for Justice in Palestine-University of Illinois at Chicago
Taller Tupac Amaru
The Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA)
Xinaxtli , La Mexa de UCB

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What do I think of Hilary?

People always ask what do I think of Hilary Clinton as Sec. of State.
We'll I don't care for her too much. The woman gave Bush authority to attack Iran, the same kind of authority she gave to Mr.Bush just before he invaded Iraq. SO, she's a hawk and I don't care for hawks. However, lets look at it this way, Mr. Obama will have three vacant seats in the senate that will be filled due to his win. SO, that is three potential loyal allies in the senate. Second, he will be Hilary's boss, so he gets to call the shots. On the other hand the Clinton's are unstoppable power-hungry politicians, and if they get some juicy story on Mr. Obama, they will most likely leak it to the press, clearing the way for 2012. Can Obama balance that kind of people in his White House? We'll just have to wait and see...

Friday, November 07, 2008

Looking at the Numbers

The numbers people use to describe the election are some times misleading. Certainly the turn out of the registered voters was higher then normal (about 62%.) But this is an election of a President of all of the American people. People under 18 can't have their say, so I took them out. And what you get is an Obama president elected by only 23% of eligible voters. It makes the term "landslide" and "majority" seem hallow. Now I'll show my math:

O= 65,285,166 people voted Obama.
M= 57,317,302 people voted McCain.
V= 227,059,520 people are over the age of 18. (P*.246)
P= 301,139,947 people live in the USA.
R= 122,602,468 people voted on election night 2008 (O+M)
24.6% of the population is under 18. (from the US census)
40.7% of people who could vote, actually voted. (P/V)

That means out of the population that can vote:
21.68% voted Obama (O/V)
19.03% voted McCain (M/V)

(this was done with information from a census done in 2006 and polls from Nov. 7, 2008; all poll results have not come in. Only 99% are in so, these numbers are a bit off, but only a little.)

A Palestinian refugee's open letter to Obama

A Palestinian refugee's open letter to Obama
Abdelfattah Abusrour writing from Ramallah, occupied West Bank, Live from Palestine, 6 November 2008
Dear President-elect Barack Obama,

I would like to congratulate you on this victory, a victory that is not only yours, as you said in your speech, but also for those who believed in you, and who are full of hope for the change you promote and the wish that it comes through you and your efforts to lead your country and the world for a legacy and a heritage that is meaningful, and plant hope in a time of despair.

I have been fortunate and blessed in my life. I received a scholarship to continue my studies in France where I stayed nine years. I returned to my occupied country with a PhD because I believed that I could make a change and that I am a change-maker in breaking cultural stereotypes, and could show another image of my people and their beauty and humanity through nonviolent resistance against the ugliness and violence of the Israeli occupation. This was my goal in creating the Al-Rowwad Center with a group of friends, to allow our children to use theatre and the arts for social change and nonviolent means of self-expression to keep them alive, instead of becoming a number on a list of martyrs, or handicapped for the rest of their lives, or perish in prison.

I believe that everybody is a change-maker, and nobody has the right to say, "I can't do anything" or stay neutral at a time when injustice is committed every day. I believe, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed, that travel breaks cultural stereotypes, and if people have the opportunity to meet with each other as human beings, they will have no reason to go to war against each other. I believe in change, exactly like you, and hope that change will come with all the efforts we are doing. And because of this, I was rewarded as the first Ashoka Fellow-Social Entrepreneur in Palestine.

When I first visited the United States, in 2004, the immigration authorities asked me about my name, date of birth, place of birth, etc. Because there is no Palestine listed as a country in their computers, I was Jordanian -- because I was born in 1963 in Jordanian-controlled Bethlehem. My father was Israeli, because he was born in 1910 in his village of Beit Nateef under the Ottoman Empire, even though it was called Palestine at that time, because this village was occupied and destroyed and became part of present-day Israel, which was created in 1948. What would be the feeling of anyone who only exists as a "terrorist," but not as a "human being?"

I believe in human values and human rights. I believe in freedom, justice, peace, democracy and equality. You mentioned opportunity. I believe that occupied people have the right to defend their country against the occupation, in a time when the occupied victim is represented as the oppressor and the terrorist, and the occupier as the victim who defends himself. I believe that people who fight for justice and against oppression are heroes, like you. I believe that you are a role model, and you will affect generations to come.

My name is Abdelfattah Abusrour. I was born in Aida Refugee camp, on land rented for 99 years by UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestine refugees, from Palestinian landowners of Bethlehem. My family originates from Beit Nateef, one of 534 destroyed Palestinian villages in 1948 by the Zionist bandits.

I grew up in Aida refugee camp, as a refugee in my own country. I remember the 1967 War which broke out when I was four years old. I remember the sky full of planes, and all of the young children covered by black blankets, and cherished by their mothers. I remember the field around the camp, where we used to play, to perform our theatre plays in the open fields. I remember the big holes in the ground, when they were filled with water, they were our swimming pools.

A segregation fence was built in 2002 which was transformed into a 30-foot-tall apartheid wall in 2005, encircling the camp from the east, the north and part of the west.

Like you, I was fed the love of my country. Like you, I remember my past and present, and remember the rusty keys of my parents' home in Beit Nateef, keys for doors that exist no more, but keys that have their doors in our hearts and our imaginations. These rusty keys are still with me. I remember that we were brought up with this eternal belief that right is right, and nothing can justify ignoring it. I remember that our right of return to our original villages and homes is eternal, and nothing can change it, neither realities on the ground nor political agreements, because it is a right which is also granted in international law and UN resolutions.

Day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, we were living in lies and broken promises of change, and when change comes; it is for the worse and not for the better. Nothing improves with all the negotiations. No promise of independence for Palestinians was fulfilled, even after 60 years.

I believe in peace and nonviolence, in hope and right and justice. I believe in the values that make humanity what it is. I have never hated anyone. My parents were full of love and peace. They never taught me or my brothers anything other than respect of others and endless love to give and help others. They taught us that when you practice violence you lose part of your humanity. But at the same time, they taught us to defend what is right and to stand against what is unjust and wrong. Therefore, I do dare to say that you have great challenges facing you, and you are fully aware of that. But what remains after all is what you have said, the values you defend, and the heritage you want to leave to your two daughters and the generations to come. I do fear the day when my three sons and two daughters, or any child in my occupied country or in any other country comes to me tomorrow or in ten or twenty years from now, asks: "What did you do to make a change in this world?" This is why I continue to work to make a positive change and work for a better tomorrow at a time when every day that comes is worse than the day before. This is why I continue, so I may respond and say I did something to make a change.

I don't know if you will read these words or not, but I do hope that such words that come from my heart will reach yours, and you can find the hope and strength our people still have in them. I do hope that you will fulfill your promise of change, that your daughters will remain proud of their father and his achievements. Right is right, and justice is justice. All people are equal, and no race or color is superior above the others.

I wish you strength and power to carry the big burden you inherited from the previous government and the courage to keep hope and force through the change you want to make, and the ability to keep inspiring people that it is never too late for a change to come.

Hope is alive as long as we are the change we want to see. And my hope is that our children can enjoy a peaceful, safe, clean and just world. My sons Canan (9), Adam (7) and Ahmad (5), and my daughters Rafa (3) and Safa (4 months), my wife and I wish you the best in bringing to the world the change we need.

Abdelfattah Abusrour, PhD is the Director of the Al-Rowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Center, an independent center for artistic, cultural, and theatre training for Palestinian children in the Aida Refugee Camp. The Center provides a "safe" and healthy environment to help Palestinian children creatively discharge stress in the war-time conditions in which they live.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Unfinished Song

A song I'm working on...

Cambridge MA Reaffirms Palestanian rights.

These are stories from the Somerville Divestment Project and Indy Media. Another Power to the People moment.




Palestinian Rights Win on Question #4


In Somerville and Cambridge, a little-talked about ballot question supporting the right of Palestinians to "live free from laws that give more rights to people of one religion than another" passed in both cities.

This was an effort launched by the Somerville Divestment Project (SDP) last year who have worked in coalition with organizations such as, Cambridge Residents for Human Rights (CRHR) and Jamaica Plain Residents for Human Rights (JPRHR), to highlight the needs of Palestinians to live free of intimidation on their lands.
palestine_wall.jpg
Ballot question #4 called for the local government to vote on a non-binding resolution against apartheid in the Jewish state and occupied territories in the West Bank and Gaza. It's a first step to educate people and to show that there is a growing movement in the United States in favor of the plight of Palestinians.

According to the unofficial numbers 62 % of people in Somerville and 73 % of people in Cambridge voted YES on question #4.

In a statement released by SDP last month seeking for volunteers, they said, "Both Obama and McCain offer uncritical praise and support for Israel and don't even mention Palestinians; it is as if Palestinians did not exist and are not subject to gross human rights violations. Frankly, it is very dehumanizing and wrong."

The ballot question did no go without resistance. The Massachusetts Attorney General ruled in favor of its inclusion after challenges were posed by attorney William A. McDermott, Jr, representing local Zionists and Zionist organizations this past September.

Unofficial results:
Somerville, MA: 62% of Voters for YES
YES 9100 NO: 5542

Cambridge, MA: 73 % of Voters for YES
YES 9637 NO: 3650

These results come after the pro-apartheid side attempted legal maneuvers to block the question from being on the ballot (failing in September), and over the opposition of mayor, all local elected officials in Somerville and a main newspaper in Somerville. The mayor of Somerville, two years ago, went on a trip to Isreal sponsored by the pro-apartheid government of Isreal.

In 2006, 45% of Somerville voters supported the Palestinian peoples' Right of Return - a fundamental human right, despite the opposition from the pro-apartheid governor, congressman and mayor... all of whom opposed the fundamental human right of return.


Obama Picks Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel: Israeli citizen; served in the Israeli Army; the only one out of Illinois' nine congressmen who voted for the invasion of Iraq in 2002. Obama chooses him to head the White House Staff

It's a military Hawk for this new President, and maybe a sign of things to come. I have Hope that Obama will not be as bad as President Bush. Although, I know that American Foreign Policy is something each President transitions into, to carry on our countries legacy: "American Exceptional-ism". That is, we as the USA have the right to police the world; throw around our weight to shape the geopolitical ground work. Obama confirmed this desire last night. We are the exception to the rule. American Exceptional-ism was laid out by president Woodrow Wilson, who also spoke of free markets "Since trade ignores national boundaries and the manufacturer insists on having the world as a market, the flag of his nation must follow him, and the doors of the nations which are closed must be battered down … Concessions obtained by financiers must be safeguarded by ministers of state, even if the sovereignty of unwilling nations be outraged in the process. Colonies must be obtained or planted, in order that no useful corner of the world may be overlooked or left unused." This is the American way, A way of Force for our own benefit. While I think Obama will help in some much needed areas that have been left behind, he is not the exception to the rule. He the reaffirmation of this rule. Change can and will happen, but for us who would like to see an end to a foreign policy that judges human life over material gain, should all know that is not what Obama will bring. No president can bring that change. Not one person. It will be an effort for the majority of human kind. It's a Hope, but it just might be realistic.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Election Eve

Obama 321 McCain 195 Toss-up: 22
Let's see how this pans out tomorrow.
How wrong will these polls be?

Swing States. Polls on the eve of the election (CNN poll of polls):


  • Ohio: 45% Obama (D) 47% McCain (R)

  • Florida: 50% Obama (D) 46%McCain(R)

  • Missouri: 48% Obama (D) 48% McCain (R)

  • Pennsylvania: 52%Obama (D) 46%McCain (R)

  • Indian: 48% Obama (D) 48% McCain (R)

  • Virginia: 47% Obama (D) 44% McCain (R)

  • North Carolina: 46% Obama (D) 49% McCain (R)

  • Colorado: 52% Obama (D) 45% McCain (R)

  • Arizona: 46% Obama (D) 50% McCain (R)

  • Nevada: 47% Obama (D) 43% McCain (R)

  • New Hampshire: 52% Obama (D) 42% McCain (R)

  • New Mexico: 51% Obama (D) 43% McCain (R)

  • Montana: 46% Obama (D) 49% McCain (R)

  • North Dakota: 45% Obama (D) 43% McCain (R)

Saturday, November 01, 2008

The Yankee Republican



Some stories on the death of the "Yankee Republicans". Yankee Republicans are those of you out there that live in New England and vote Republican. I know who you are, here are some stories about you...

Monday, October 27, 2008

Charles Krauthammer declares: "A SOCIALIST FOR PRESIDENT!"

A response to Mr. Krauthammer's piece "McCain for President" published October 24th 2008. Mr. Krauthammer declares "I'd rather lose an election then lose my bearings." This is in response to the a flood of conservatives that have endorsed Senator Obama. First Mr.Krauthammer labels each of the players,(Ken Adelmen, Colin Powell, Chris Buckely, and Chris Hitchens) second he chides them for supporting "the most liberal and inexperienced presidential nominee in living memory." Now my living memory is not as long as Mr. Krauthammer, but I can think of three Governor Bill Clinton, Governor Ronald Reagan, and Governor George W. Bush. None of these candidates had any foreign policy experience before they assumed office. The only one of the bunch that has the edge is Bush, only because of his father's foreign policy experience. There is one Governor that was absent in Krauthammer's piece, one that is the lynch pin in why these "conservatives" are not backing McCain. That is of course Mrs. Sarah Palin. If Krauthammer shinned his analytical light on Governor Palin, the case of inexperience is overwhelming. Krauthammer can easy dismiss the inexperience of a governor (who has some 20 months of time in office), with the phrase "she has executive experience." Which again, is true but one would have to ignore that if "executive experience" is needed, John McCain has none. Would Krauthammer say McCain is lacking in executive experience, therefore unqualified? I think not. Any reality based looked at the experience of the two tickets would have to conclude Mrs. Palin is the most inexperienced of the four. Krauthammer successfully ignored any mention of the governor in his piece. Yes, McCain has more experience then Obama, I would never argue otherwise. But they are not the only ones running. Like it or not there is about a 20% chance that the Vice-President will become president. Harry Truman, Lydon Johnson, and Harald Ford are three recent VP's thrust into the Oval Office. Krauthammer seems unwilling to accept this reality and thoroughly vet Palin. Another point of annoyance for Krauthammer is the lack of media (and McCain's) attention to Obama's relationship to William Ayers and Rev. Wright. Again Krauthammer refuses to turn his analytical light to the McCain/Palin ticket. What of Palin's connections to the Alaskan Independence Party, whose founder was killed as he made c2 plastic explosive in his basement? Now, I have not seen much of this story in the Media, does that disturb Mr. Krauthammer? What of Mr. McCain's relationship with Rev. Jerry Falwell who declared "9/11 occurred because of the feminist" and that "Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans because of Gay Pride parades"? What about McCain's vote against freeing Nelson Mandela in the 1980's? Or what about McCain's ties to Ronald Reagan who sold weapons to Iranian terrorist to pay for Nicaraguan terrorist (the Iran-Contra affair.) Or McCain's ties to Barry Goldwater (who McCain replaced in the Senate) who said he would bomb Vietnam "back into the stone age." Again, no mention, why? because these can be easily brushed off and demised because McCain is a Conservative Republican. Which leads me to my point, Mr. Krauthammer has "lost his bearings." Krauthammer's article is not a rational support for McCain, it is an appeal to ignorance. It is an appeal that McCain is conservative therefore "we must endorse him." Krauthammer is unwilling to apply his cirques of Obama to McCain. Now, if Mr. Krauthammer wanted to have a reasoned debate on the policy positions that McCain/Palin have versus Obama/Biden; he could, but he decided to throw substantial reasoning away in favor of this appeal to ignorance. The very fact that Mr. Krauthammer can level the charge of socialism at Obama and not McCain is down right absurd. The United States has passed the most socialist bill in "living memory" several weeks ago. The $700 billion bailout was not only endorsed by McCain, he voted for it, and even suspended his campaign to urge fellow republicans to support the bill. Mr McCain likes to point out his leadership role in the bill's passage, Mr. Krauthammer see this leadership quality and chides Obama for "not lifting a finger." Well, Mr. Krauthammer you can not have it both ways, clearly McCain is willing to accept socialist legislation. Mr. Krauthammer has "lost his bearings" by supporting a senator that has worked with Ted Kennedy, and Russ Feingold; Who rejected Bush's tax cuts; Who said "it is unfair that people who make more money should get a tax cut" (McCain in 2000.) If Mr. Krauthammer truly believes his own words he should be supporting Bob Barr the Libertarian candidate not this socialist McCain.

READ THE KRAUTHAMMER STORY IN THE WASHINGTON POST

Sunday, October 26, 2008

The Arab Peace Initiative

The Arab Peace Initiative

(translation by Reuters).

The Council of Arab States at the Summit Level at its 14th Ordinary Session, reaffirming the resolution taken in June 1996 at the Cairo Extra-Ordinary Arab Summit that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East is the strategic option of the Arab countries, to be achieved in accordance with international legality, and which would require a comparable commitment on the part of the Israeli government.

Having listened to the statement made by his royal highness Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, crown prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which his highness presented his initiative calling for full Israeli withdrawal from all the Arab territories occupied since June 1967, in implementation of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, reaffirmed by the Madrid Conference of 1991 and the land-for-peace principle, and Israel's acceptance of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in return for the establishment of normal relations in the context of a comprehensive peace with Israel.

Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

4. Assures the rejection of all forms of Palestinian patriation which conflict with the special circumstances of the Arab host countries

5. Calls upon the government of Israel and all Israelis to accept this initiative in order to safeguard the prospects for peace and stop the further shedding of blood, enabling the Arab countries and Israel to live in peace and good neighbourliness and provide future generations with security, stability and prosperity

6. Invites the international community and all countries and organisations to support this initiative.

7. Requests the chairman of the summit to form a special committee composed of some of its concerned member states and the secretary general of the League of Arab States to pursue the necessary contacts to gain support for this initiative at all levels, particularly from the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the Muslim states and the European Union.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Egypt in the middle

Hamas kidnapped Gilad Shalit in 2006. Hamas is now demanding Egypt release prisoners that Hamas claims is innocent. Egypt was in a moderator role in the Shalit talks, now Hamas is demanding a prisoner from them. Not to mention hundreds from Israel as well. Hizbolla's media wing reposted an Al-Jeezera report on Hamas' demands. Egypt's push to bring Hamas and Fatah together is becoming tricky and could fail. I wish the candidates would address this.



Thursday, October 23, 2008

WARNING: Liberal Blog Post

WARNING: Liberal Blog Post. I didn't want to post this but, you know its in the consitution of the liberal bloggers of America.

Salem Police

Salem is in full Halloween mode. I live walking distance to the down town area, and every year it out of control. Over the summer I watched a bar brawl break out in the middle of the street, about 20-30 people were in the "riot." Recently there have been serveral more of these "last call brawls", I'm not worried about this shit. It comes and goes... no need to panic I think.

The Wind

I am offically sick of the election

In these waning days until November the 4th, I have become sick of this campaign. Nothing talked about has any bearing in the real world. Its all a wash right now. Vote Obama. That's all I have to say. Obama Obama Obama... then I can go back to reality and not how much money somebody spent on a dress or whose on Saturday Night or whose sucks at bowling, and idiot definitions of socialism, Joe the mother fucking plumber, BBQ's and men named Hussein.... I'm sick of it right now... burnt out... I want to think about things again, not just react to various crazy gibberish....

Chomsky on Obama

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Duck and cover.

Read in the Middle: Another Million Iraqi demonstrators: Get out of our country

Read in the Middle: Another Million Iraqi demonstrators: Get out of our country

Raed in the Middle: U.S. Iraqi Agreemnt: Final Draft leaked

Raed in the Middle: U.S. Iraqi Agreemnt: Final Draft leaked

More Racism in the Race for the White House


This is a Billboard put up by some idiot. First off McCain has about the same stand on abortions as Obama. Second, Obama has been very clear he does not support gay marriage; he supports civil unions (same as McCain.) Third, new taxes are coming regardless (remember Bush Sr. "read my lips.") Fourth, McCain supports gun regulations as well (maybe not as much as Obama.) And last but not least, OBAMA is NOT a MUSLIM! Hussein is one of the most popular names in the Middle East and Africa. Saddam is not the only Hussein in the world.

Monday, October 20, 2008

The Black McCain's



Well, it turns out that way back when, a man named McCain owned slaves. His great great great great grandson is running for president. I guess they have invited McCain to family reunions but "Johnny don't like no parties" (I'm paraphrasing the statement released.) I bet he wish he had gone to those over the years, considering the unique opportunity. I think it would be a good experience, I mean no harsh feelings right. Johnny didn't do it, why not meet them, maybe even say "sorry, for my forebears injustices upon you." Why not? He can BBQ some ribs, get some boozes, and party hardy. I know Johnny boy McCain loves a party, and potential voters.


Don't believe me its in the Wall Street Journal.
Click ME

The Plumber's Union endorsement.

The Plumber's Union endorsement.
Here's to you Joe, here's the endorsement and a bit of history of the plumber union. Which Joe is not a member of, and does not have a license. Joe actually doesn't need a license, I don't know anything about plumber's unions, but that's what Joe claims. So, I went to their website. Well, turns out the majority of the plumber's in the country support Obama, (at lest they do with their union dues.) Interesting, I wounder if the plumber's union allows worker's to opt out of paying for political campaigns. I know, I had that option when I was in the Teamsters (3 years) and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (1 year). I liked the Unions frankly, they do a lot of good work for workers safety, health insurance and steady raises.




UA Endorses Barack Obama for President
Dear Brothers and Sisters:

On January 9, 2008, the United Association became the first International Union to endorse Senator Barack Obama as its candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. This endorsement was discussed with the General Executive Board and they concurred.

Barack Obama is the choice of the UA because he has always fought for working people throughout his career and will do the best job of bringing badly-needed change to Washington. Obama will help us keep existing jobs and work to develop new, higher paying jobs here in America, reform our health care system, fix our ailing schools and make sure that the pensions of our retirees are safe.

I have had a long-standing, working relationship with Barack. The UA was one of the first unions in Illinois to endorse him as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Barack Obama has personally reached out to the UA to request our support for his presidential candidacy, and he has solicited our views on the issues that are important to our union and its members. No other candidate, of either party, has requested our support or solicited our views!

One of the keys to our endorsement was that Senator Obama backs a strong energy and industrial construction policy, which is very important to the future of our union. He is in favor of nuclear power, the construction of new refineries, fossil fuel power plants and chemical plants. He has also endorsed innovative energy initiatives, including ethanol plants, coal gasification and biodiesel production. He also clearly recognizes the need to upgrade all of our current industrial plants to comply with clean air and water standards. Barack realizes we have to become less reliant on foreign oil and gas and develop an energy program that we self-sustain here in the United States.

To meet the challenges of clean water, he recognizes the need to replace and/or upgrade our water treatment and wastewater systems. His support of our position on all of these issues more than justifies our endorsement. We need to support Barack Obama because he provides more than lip service to our concerns.

We remain a bi-partisan organization. However, our best hope for clear direction and responsible change in our national government calls for our support of Barack Obama. The economic indicators show a weakening national economy and we need someone to both invigorate our economy and provide hope for our country.

Fraternally yours,

William P. Hite
General President

About The UA


The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada or "UA" as it is commonly known is a multi-craft union whose members are engaged in the fabrication, installation and servicing of piping systems. There are approximately 326,000 highly-skilled United Association members who belong to over 300 individual local unions across North America.

Founded in 1889, the United Association is one of the most respected and influential building trades unions in the U.S. and Canada today. It serves as a collective voice for workers through negotiation and collective bargaining with employing contractor groups, such as the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, and the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors. The UA is also a key member of the Building and Construction Trades Department, the AFL-CIO, and the Canadian Federation of Labour.

The United Association has been training qualified pipe tradesmen longer than anyone else in the industry. The UA boasts the premier training programs available in the industry today, including five-year apprenticeship programs, extensive journeyman training organized instructor training, and certification programs.

Two Nations, One Union

The bonds of brotherhood recognize no political or geographic boundaries when it comes to United Association membership. Ours is truly an international organization with more than 35,000 UA brothers and sisters located in Canada. Working with the same pride and determination as their fellow members in the U.S., our Canadian brothers and sisters continue to demonstrate the high degree of quality craftmanship necessary to construct the homes, schools, office buildings, refineries, power plants and industrial facilities necessary to a strong and vibrant national economy. At the same time, our fellow members north of the border play an important role in helping to maintain and promote United Association solidarity as we join together to reap the benefits of unionism and pride in our united cause.

How Does The United Association Operate?

The United Association is led by a group of General Officers who are elected by the delegates at a convention held every five years. Members who attend these conventions as delegates are elected by their fellow members at the local union level.

The General Office has many departments and functions, including Jurisdiction, Organizing, Training, Legislative and Safety. Each General Officer pledges to uphold the United Association constitution and to protect the interest and welfare of all members.

How Many Locals and Members Are In The United Association?

Currently there are over 300 local unions in the United Association, with in excess of 300,000 members.

The local unions are located in all of the 50 states of America and every province of Canada. Members are free to travel from one local area to another to satisfy the needs of local work conditions.

UA History

The birth of the United Association dates back to the year 1889, when a Boston plumber named P. J. Quinlan addressed a brief letter to Richard A. O'Brien, a plumber in Washington, D.C. "Dear Sir and Brother," the letter began, "I take the liberty of addressing a few lines to you to obtain your views as regards the formation of a United Brotherhood…"

The author of the letter would become the first General President and its recipient the first General Secretary-Treasurer of the United Association.

Prior to 1889, plumbers, steamfitters and gas fitters who were organized were members of independent local unions with either no affiliation, or affiliation with a variety of trades.

By 1889, however, with existing organizations declining or becoming devoted to only one craft, local union leaders began to consider other ways to unite national pipe trades journeymen to deal with mutual problems, including how to treat traveling members, build apprenticeship, and provide strike aid.

In response to these issues, the United Association was officially born on October 11, 1889. The original name of the organization was the United Association of Journeymen Plumbers, Gas Fitters, Steam Fitters and Steam Fitters' Helpers of the United States and Canada.

The Early 1900's

At the turn of the century, early UA leaders faced new challenges and were forced to make numerous controversial and revolutionary decisions. Among these was establishment of a mechanism that would allow UA members to travel to jobs throughout the United States and Canada. The clearance card system was created to enable unemployed journeymen in one locality to travel to work in another.

This "mobility" became especially important during the early 1900's, when the construction industry entered a period of tremendous expansion. From 1898 to 1914, the UA quadruped its membership.

During these years, under the leadership of General President John S. Kelley, steps were taken to strengthen the UA on a national basis. One of those was establishment of the stamp system of dues collection. This move dramatically improved the UA's financial stability and provided a means of compiling a reliable list of affiliated local unions and their membership.

Significant progress toward a sound, modern union came in 1902 in Omaha, Nebraska, when delegates to the UA convention approved a plan to provide a comprehensive system of sick, death and strike benefits.

The UA's nationalization efforts were further strengthened during the general presidency of John R. Alpine from 1906 to 1919. His term in office was marked by extraordinary executive skills that resulted in the implementation of many important reforms and changes in an atmosphere of harmony.

The Great Depression

During the first two decades of the 20th century, the UA moved boldly into the forefront of the American labor movement. Landmark accomplishments included the creation of a formal five-year apprenticeship program, the expansion of UA influence to include construction of industrial plants and public utilities, and a growth in membership to 60,000 by the year 1929.

Then disaster struck in the form of the Great Depression. With the stock market crash of 1929 and the failure of many banks, the U.S. and Canadian economies could not sustain the level of growth that had been experienced following World War I. As a result, construction came to a standstill, UA membership dropped to less than 35,000, and no conventions were held between 1928 and 1938.

The Depression took a heavy toll on the UA. Members who had worked all their lives suddenly found themselves without jobs, suffering economic deprivation and a loss of pride. Nevertheless, these years were marked by courage and sacrifice, with members helping members so that all might survive.

With the advent of the New Deal under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the UA went back to work. UA members throughout the United States and Canada undertook the extensive projects we now recognize as lasting monuments to perseverance in the face of adversity.

Through the Public Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration, the UA helped build the dams, roads, libraries, schools, public buildings and housing projects that are an enduring legacy to the craftsmanship of UA workers and other members of the building trades.

World War II

By 1941, UA membership had reached 81,000. That number soared to 210,000 during World War II. Thousands of UA members enlisted in the armed forces and served bravely in conflicts all over the world. Back home, UA members were put to work in shipyards, weapons plants, aircraft factories and other facilities. Some members also served in military construction units overseas.

During these years, the UA grew in both membership and prestige. Wartime construction contributed to this rise, but other events also enhanced the strength of the UA. One of those was the development of national agreements between the UA and large, national contractors. The landmark UA-NCA (National Constructors Association) National Construction Agreement was signed in 1941.

The post-war years were also marked by the rise of one of organized labor's most prominent leaders -- George Meany, the first president of the newly-formed merger of the two principal labor organizations (the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations) into the AFL-CIO. A plain-spoken man of great courage and dignity, he was perhaps the most influential figure in shaping the American labor movement from the mid-1950's until his death in 1980. George Meany was also a proud member of United Assocation Local 2 in New York City.

The ties between the UA and the AFL-CIO have always been strong. The UA became an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor in 1897, and the United Association General Office in Washington, D.C. was originally built by Samuel Gompers in 1915-16 to serve as AFL headquarters. Today, the UA is one of the strongest forces within the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO.

A New Millennium Of Pride Through Excellence

In 1989, the UA proudly celebrated its 100th anniversary. As we move into the new century, the UA remains a strong, vital organization comprised of thousands of highly skilled men and women who have joined together for a common purpose. Today's UA members use their skills in commercial, industrial and residential arenas. Among the many projects on which UA members can be found are single-family homes, garden and high-rise apartment buildings, large and small office complexes, power plants, refineries and factories.

The pipe trades industry provides water supply, waste and sewage services, water treatment and sewage treatment systems. In addition, the UA's jurisdiction includes heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, along with automatic-sprinkler and fire-protection systems.

To ensure that there remains a steady supply of tradesmen skilled enough to meet the challenges of today's diverse and expanding construction industry, the UA has shaped a superb training program. In fact, the UA's commitment to training is unsurpassed among trade unions worldwide. The journeymen produced by this training program over the years are the backbone of the United Association.

From humble beginnings of 40 delegates representing 23 independent unions in 10 states and the District of Columbia, the United Association has grown to a powerful, international union representing over 300,000 members in more than 400 local unions throughout the United States and Canada.

The UA has been at the forefront of the fight for worker's rights for over 100 years. Now, as we move into a new millenium we are faced with many new and imposing obstacles. To prepare our membership for the rapid advancements in technology and the way business is conducted, the UA has developed one of the most extensive training programs of any union in the world, spending more than $1 million dollars a week ensuring that our members are prepared for the future.

Funny News Story



I could not stop laughing at this photo and had to post it. Its from the Salem News. His name is Popeye! and he's dressed as a biker.
Posted by Picasa

Of Rocks and Men

Okay, allow me a little tongue and cheek analogy. I'm fresh from a lecture on rock deformation, and couldn't help to think about it in terms of the election. When rocks are brittle and shallow, then are exposed to tension; they create a dip slip fracture. When rocks are deep and heated they fold rather then crack. So lets say the economic crisis is the tension put on our rocks (Obama and McCain.) McCain is running a shallow campaign, and is very ridged to change. His campaign has cracked under the pressure, he is our dip slip. Obama is running a deep campaign, and he has been exposed to some real heat (the Bill Ayers relationship.) Obama's campaign has shifted and folded, but has maintained its original makeup. Obama is our anticline fold, which is a fold that has an upward thrust.

McCain-Dip Slip











Obama- Anticline

Racism on the Campaign Trail

Colin Powell endorses Obama and people immediately demiss it as "of course he's black." Its sad that racist are still numerous in this country. I don't want to say it is racist to support McCain, not at all. There are very good, well thought out arguments against Obama. Him being Muslim, a socialist or a terrorist are not valid arguments. But McCain is using these as his MAIN argument against Obama right now. Its race bating, and totally shameful on McCain's part. I like McCain in some respects, and rooted for him in 2000. I would probably would have voted for him over Gore; but he really isn't doing enough to stop this crap. Frankly, he's contributing to it, and using it to his advantage. "who is the real Obama?"; "whats the real relationship with Bill Ayers?" its crap. McCain you know who Obama is, you know he's not a terrorist and you know that he's not a socialist. Yeah yeah Obama knows your not George Bush too. But he's likening you to a President of the United States that you endorsed and who endorses you, its totally different! arg!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Fun Facts from the CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was formed in 1947 in the National Security Act. It is a civilian intelligence agency whose primary function is to collect and analyze information about foreign governments, corporations, and persons in order to advise public policymakers. Every year they publish a fact book about every country in the world, that is available online for free.
Check it out : https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

Now, I'd like to pull out some fun facts from the CIA:

Economy United States

Oil - consumption 20.8 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports 13.15 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves 21.76 billion bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

MATH TIME.
20,800,000 (oil used per day) xTIMESx 365 (days in a year)= 8216000000 (oil used in a year)
21,760,000,000 (oil we have) /DIVIDED BY/ 8216000000 (oil used in a year) = 2.648 (years it would last.)


So that means if we pump all the oil in the US. Right now, we would go through it in 2 and 1/2 years. Hmmm... so whats next?


Economy Saudi Arabia

Oil - exports 8.9 million bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves 264.3 billion bbl

Economy Kuwait

Oil - exports 2.2 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves 101.5 billion bbl (1 January 2007 est.)

Economy Algeria

Oil - exports 1.724 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - proved reserves 14.68 billion bbl (1 January 2007 est.)

Economy Libya

Oil - exports 1.326 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves 45 billion bbl (1 January 2007 est.)

Economy Nigeria

Oil - exports 2.141 million bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves 37.25 billion bbl (1 January 2007 est.)

William "bill" Ayers and The Weather Underground


Seriously, The Weather Underground. okay well here's the movie. good flick, about 2hrs. One of the guys in the terrorist organization was on Jeopardy. Another was a daughter of a former republican congressmen. There's a couple books about them. I recommend them all, they are an interesting development in American culture.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

The best trailer for a movie I've seen

This is really the funniest and best trailer I've seen. I'm not so sure if the movie is gonna be any good but man I can watch this thing ten times in a row and still laugh and cry cause its all so real

Don't Panic

Here The DOW average over the past 100 years (to present month) . I don't think we will drop anywhere near 1929. not even close.

Election Results in 1912

The election of 1912:

Candidates and number of votes:

Democrat: Woodrow Wilson-6,296,284 -41.8%




Republican: William Howard Taft-3,486,242- 23.2%




Progressive: Theodore Roosevelt-4,122,721-27.4%




Socialist: Eugene Victor Debs-901,551-6.0%





Socialist Labor: Arthur Elmer Reimer-29,324-0.2%




Prohibition: Eugene Wilder Chafin-208,156-1.4%





Look at how diverse this election was compared to this recent election. Three major candidates, all great presidents in they're own right. and the socialist candidate still gets nearly a million votes. What happened to that?

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Fun Facts from the CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was formed in 1947 in the National Security Act. It is a civilian intelligence agency whose primary function is to collect and analyze information about foreign governments, corporations, and persons in order to advise public policymakers. Every year they publish a fact book about every country in the world, that is available online for free.
Check it out : https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

Now, I'd like to pull out some fun facts from the CIA:
The Iranian congress consists of:
170 Islamists
46 reformers
7 independents
3 religious minorities

The United States Congress (combined senate and house) consists of:
282 Democratic Party
251 Republican Party
2 independent: (that's counting Joe Lieberman!)

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Top secret Governor Palin campaign tactics

I found this video in a top secret location some where in the depth of the McCain campaign. This is was the prototype to Sarah Palin. Its very clear how the campaign is is molding her to this image. Sorry this video is full of scientific terms, some of which are hard to grasp, but if you can get through it I feel you will understand the Governor and stop making fun of her. She a very serious politician.

Friday, October 03, 2008

One Alaskian I'd vote for

Hey If you like people from Alaska I gotta guy for you:

Where's Ike?



Here's my candidate for 2008. Ike Eisenhower WHY?
  • Commanded the Allied Forces in WWII
  • First commander of NATO
  • Passed the Civil Rights act 1957 and 1960
  • Created the Interstate Highway System
  • Ordered the National Guard to force integration in the south
  • Opposed putting ground forces in Vietnam
  • Entered Hawaii and Alaska into the Union
  • Created the "Eisenhower Doctrine" for the Middle East
  • Gave the "atoms for peace" speech to the UN warning of the dangers of a nuclear arms race.
  • Warned of the dangers of the Military-Industrial-Complex (he actually invented the term.)


Here's some Great Speeches by Ike:

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
This world in arms is not spending money alone.
It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities.
It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population.
It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals.
It is some 50 miles of concrete highway.
We pay for a single fighter with a half million bushels of wheat.
We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.
This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking.
This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.
-April 16, 1953