Saturday, November 06, 2004
Our Apologies
More reasons to redouble our efforts....
There's an interesting website called www.sorryeverybody.com .
The point is that we need to let the world know that at least 49 percent of us out there who voted did what we could to stop Boy George. People who want the world to know that they are indeed, very, very sorry have posted their photos, and you can post your photos, too!
If I only had a scanner....
posted by Green Voicemail 11/06/2004 07:03:00 PM
Left Wing Offense
Not a bad week last week -- went 9-5, and picked up the upset of Minnesota by the Giants. We're 44-26 for the season, so here goes another week of picks -- the home team is capitalized.
Arizona over MIAMI
Dallas over CINCINNATI
Kansas City over TAMPA BAY
NY Jets over BUFFALO
CAROLINA over Oakland
Philadelphia over PITTSBURGH (my "what the F---" pick)
DETROIT over Washington
NY GIANTS over Chicago
SAN DIEGO over New Orleans
Seattle over SAN FRANCISCO
DENVER over Houston
New England over ST. LOUIS
BALTIMORE over Cleveland
INDIANAPOLIS over Minnesota
posted by Green Voicemail 11/06/2004 03:02:00 PM
Friday, November 05, 2004
If You Dare
Would that be an unfair characterization?
If you want a laugh after having to suffer last Tuesday, go to:
www.filmstripinternational.com
Wait for the download. If you're a conservative, you'll hate it. If you're a liberal, you'll laugh. If you're a progressive, you'll wonder how YOU could make a film like that.
posted by Green Voicemail 11/05/2004 04:18:00 PM
The Student Protests Just Keep Coming....
Mt. Diablo High School. Time to take a stand.
From the Mercury News:
CONCORD - Mount Diablo High School's college-bound students are fed up with classmates who disrupt school.
They've had it with violence, thefts and disruptions they say are damaging their education -- and they cut class Thursday to say so.
Dozens of advanced placement biology students led a demonstration to protest conditions they say have driven away a top-notch teacher, Daniel Solwren.
``Our most dedicated teachers have decided they can't take it anymore,'' said senior Cecilia Flores. ``They can't work in that environment.''
``We're hoping we can keep Mr. Solwren and make this a safer place to learn,'' said senior Adam Alford. ``They put hella funds toward counseling the students, but not enough toward security.''
...
Solwren said his advanced placement biology science classroom has been burglarized three times this fall. Someone entered through a rotting door and stole $260 in field trip money plus food for a fundraising event and odds and ends, he said. He also said his young children have been threatened.
When it comes to school security, I'm about as conservative as a progressive can possibly get. Kids need to be safe. Troublemakers need the boot. So this is just one more reason for me to be happy today. Hey, who said kids aren't the future of America? And they went 54/44 for Kerry!
posted by Green Voicemail 11/05/2004 03:54:00 PM
Students Are Doing It For Themselves!
Standing on their own two feet, ringing on their own bells.
From the Register-Guard:
More than 100 students walked out of their North Eugene High School classes Thursday afternoon to protest Oregon voters' approval of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
The students marched to the busy, nearby intersection of River and Belt Line roads, where they stood along the northbound traffic lanes holding signs and banners and chanting "Equal rights! Equal rights!"
Kristin "Khushi" Shrestha, 16, said the protest plan grew out of the frustration students felt Wednesday morning, after Oregon voters decisively approved Ballot Measure 36, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman.
"Everybody came to school and they were so depressed," she said. "Our world is changing before our eyes. Our rights are going down the drain, and there's nothing we can do about it because we can't even vote yet."
A group of students met that day to plan the public demonstration because they didn't want to just sit at their desks and silently fume, said Megan McKendrick, 16.
Damnation! Two student protests in one day! Someone call John Ashcroft!
I don't know about you, but I feel good about today!!
posted by Green Voicemail 11/05/2004 03:02:00 PM
Changes to the Blogroll
1. The sad departure of The Gotham City 13 Blog , whose author is taking a break, possibly for a long time. I hope it's not a permanent thing. I also wonder if Jesse knows that I still have posting privileges on his blog.
2. Added three new blogs: Dancing With Myself, Juan Cole, and Rook's Rant. This cuts down on the amount of typing I have to do to read blogs. Now I can read all my favorite blogs from my page at Green Voicemail!
posted by Green Voicemail 11/05/2004 02:50:00 PM
Students Protest Bush in Boulder, CO
Jim Vacca, a member of the Boulder High School Faculty
From the Rocky Mountain News:
BOULDER - Students were preparing to spend the night at Boulder High School Thursday to protest policies of the Bush administration.
About 50 students carrying guitars and boxes of crackers and Froot Loops took over part of the library at the end of the school day. They vowed not to leave until they had a chance to meet with elected officials.
Under an agreement with Principal Ron Cabrera, they were allowed to stay the night, but must clean up and be gone by 7 a.m., when the library opens.
...
Stephen Lobanov Rostovsky, 17, a senior, said the protest is meant to get adults to hear their opinions.
Rotovsky said he talks to elected leaders, "but there's no assurance for me that someone will actually take me seriously."
"This is going to hopefully change that by letting people know that adolescents are there and by saying, 'We're not going to take this. We want a voice, too. We want a place in this democracy. . . . We should have a say.' "
The students' list of grievances cites the war in Iraq, which they called "unjust and misguided."
Of course, by Monday morning, I expect the library to be closed, a new set of draconian "library use policies" to be implemented and comparisons to Columbine, that other school in Colorado. "These kids are dangerous!!" After all, the Republican Party cannot give into those students' demands, which are obviously "vocal terrorism".
Maybe this is the start of something big. Don't know, but good job, kids!
posted by Green Voicemail 11/05/2004 01:53:00 PM
They Keep Coming
Undoubtedly, a straight-shooter.
The newest addition to the Tradesports site is Colin Powell as a theoretical addition to the list of 2008 Republican presidential candidates (read the other articles below).
At the very least, he's being chatted up as Vice-President. You can get your McCain-Powell bumper stickers right here. Powell's aides state that Powell will "never" run for President, and Powell says that by 2008, he intends to retire. In politics, "never" is measured in human time and not geological time.
The big things that Powell has going for him: he was Secretary of State, so he (theoretically) has some cachet to rebuild our alliances. He was a successful general in Iraq War One -- you know, the one that we WON?
He has a ton of negatives, however. First, his doctrine for winning a successful war -- the Powell Doctrine, which states that you go in with enough forces to get the job done -- was ignored during Iraq War Two (the one we AREN'T winning). So in a campaign, if he says "Powell Doctrine", then they'll ask him why he never bothered to advocate for it before the war. He's stuck in the position of defending an ill-planned and ill-executed war.
Second, his biggest public appearance -- his argument, complete with pictures, of Iraq's deadly "biological weapons" factories -- turned out to be a complete farce when it was revealed that those mobile "factories" turned out to be used for the refueling of balloons. He'll get hit hard on that in a campaign.
Third, for a general, he can be rattled under pressure. Remember that hearing when Colin was once again trying to sell the "weapons of mass destruction" line and Colin stopped his speech to dress down a Democratic staffer who dared to roll his eyes at him? That was a FRIENDLY venue, for the most part. Imagine Colin on the campaign trail, having to deal with hostile media.
Fourth, can you see the White Purity wing of the Republicans voting for a black man? See comments on "Rice, Condoleeza" below.
STATUS: 6 to 1.
posted by Green Voicemail 11/05/2004 01:23:00 PM
Thursday, November 04, 2004
...Fueling Speculation....
Would you vote for a president who has bigger boobs that his First Lady?
Tradesports has added one more person to the list of prospective Republican presidential candidates in 2008. (My piece on the current list of candidates on Tradesports can be found below).
That person is my alternate "Man of the Year" for 2004. Arnold Schwarzenegger, currently governor of California.
Schwarzenegger came out of the 2004 electoral season with a lot of plusses. He campaigned against three California propositions, and each one went down to defeat. There was a proposition to break the monopoly on slot machines by the Indian tribes, and there was a counter-proposition to strengthen that situation. Schwarzenegger campaigned against both amendments, saying that neither amendment was good for California.
The big proposition that went down to defeat was the one suggesting a weakening of the infamous "three strikes" law. The proposition seemed headed for victory until Schwarzenegger turned his guns against it.
He remains ridiculously popular in California, and would likely carry the state in a Presidential election. He's witty, charming, and has a more independent McCain/Ventura type of reputation, willing to offend AND charm both sides with an independent-minded vision that sails in both Democratic and Republican waters.
His minuses: well, first, the intelligensia feel that he's sort of a buffoon. I mean, really, a movie actor as president? How could that happen? (/end sarcasm) But he really does look ridiculous sometimes, and America is not California. He'd face far tougher scrutiny outside of his home state, and if things go bad in California, wit won't save him. Furthermore, Schwarzenegger won without a majority, merely finishing first in a "first past the post" special election with about 100 candidates. (Although it looks like the Dems are conceding California to Schwarzenegger in 2006.)
The HUGE, MONSTROUS minus is that Schwarzenegger is consitutionally ineligible to be president. No person not born in the United States can be president here, and you're reminded of Arnold's foreign ancestry every time he opens his mouth. Bills will supposedly be introduced offering to amend the Constitution in some way to allow Arnold to run, but a) he has to get the Governorship in 2006 to be credible, and b) it's very unlikely that such an amendment could be passed in time.
Status: LONGSHOT
posted by Green Voicemail 11/04/2004 02:13:00 PM
The Blacklist
Because there is such a thing as being TOO inclusive....
Warning: If you are a Democrat and YOU ARE ON THIS LIST, you will NOT be getting my vote in 2008!
This is the list of the "New Democrats Online". This is the centrist, accommodationist wing of the Democratic Party, that thinks that the best way to beat Republicans in elections is to behave more like Republicans. Which of course begs the question, "why should I vote for a faux Republican when I can vote for a real Republican in the column over?"
These are the guys that shitcanned Dean every chance they got.
These guys are the reason I left the Democratic Party.
There are some very big names on this list.
Hillary Clinton.
John Kerry.
John Edwards.
Bill Richardson.
Evan Bayh.
And before you think I'm being too cruel or too radical progressive, I'll point you to two Democrats that these people above are proud to keep company with:
Joe Lieberman.
Zell Miller.
I mean CRAPPITY CRAPPITY CRAP! Miller spoke at the Republican Convention AND THEY DIDN'T TAKE HIM OFF THEIR LIST! AND THEY HAD THREE MONTHS TO DO IT!! Of course, they had all the time in the world to write brand new articles extolling their Democratic centrism. You need to go to New Democrats Online.
And, if that isn't centrist enough for your taste, this site might help you.
For God sakes, people, someone support a REAL Democrat in 2008. There are still some out there. I mean, hey, Barack Obama and Pat Leahy aren't on the list. Of course, it's most likely that no one ever asked them. And Wesley Clark isn't on it! I'm sure his personal sympathies are conservative, but just the act of not being asked to join the Kool Kids puts him one-up in my book.
Okay. The election is over. We're all pissed off. Let's get mad, debate, discuss, throw rocks. God knows, we could all use it.
posted by Green Voicemail 11/04/2004 07:02:00 AM
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
The Countdown Begins
One thousand, four hundred, and sixty-two days.
That's a hell of a lot of time to do a hell of a lot of stuff. Keep moving forward!
posted by Green Voicemail 11/03/2004 02:03:00 PM
Ten Random Thoughts
1. Down? No, not really. I'm just glad the entire thing is over. I was down in 2000 when the Greens were blamed for somehow losing the election for Al Gore. So I know what it's like to be figuratively kicked in the face. Compared to 2000, this was light.
2. It ain't over until Ohio is counted. However, I'm not going to mortgage my home that it's going to go Kerry's way.
3. Hunter S. Thompson in "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail" reported on the Nixon/McGovern race in 1972. You could tell he much have been on McGovern's side, so much that he broke every one of his betting rules and bet on McGovern, then crawled into a drug and alcohol fueled haze so bad that they just simply hooked him up to a typewriter and let him type on a continuous roll of paper to get the story out. Thompson's still alive, still radical, and Nixon ended up disgraced.
4. Hopefully, this is the end of the New Democrats, the Gore/Lieberman axis, the centrist Democrats. The Dems ran a centrist in 2000 and 2004 and lost both times. Get rid of these kind of guys and I can rejoin the Dems again.
5. As long as you have blogs, and the Internet, then fascism can't get a toehold. Fascism depends on the supression of free speech. As a comedian said, "you don't have to like what the government does, but you're free to bitch about it all day".
6. Air America radio. Everyone predicted that would be a failure. Not a failure now, is it?
7. The war should have been the centerpiece of the campaign. Kerry turned things around in his moribund campaign by making that the centerpiece. As I've said earlier, the war in Iraq exemplifies what's wrong with the Bush Administration.
8. 2008. The time to start planning is now.
9. All the rebels are still alive. No camps being built, just yet.
10. You're still alive. This election didn't change what you personally thought about Boy George. You didn't wake up and think, "Boy, I was wrong, that George W. Bush was a really great president." He's still "The Chimp", a guy who couldn't organize a fart in an outhouse.
If he's so great, how come he didn't win in a landslide? He's still vulnerable, and this fight ain't over yet. I didn't pledge to stop fighting after four years if Boy George wo in 2004. Don't you, either.
posted by Green Voicemail 11/03/2004 06:57:00 AM
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've
constructed...."
Republican Headquarters, 1 November 2004
Republican Headquarters, 2 November 2004
I can dream, can't I?
posted by Green Voicemail 11/02/2004 02:10:00 PM
Exit poll in Tennessee shows Kerry the clear winner...
...I polled myself, and my wife, and we both voted for Kerry.
Standings so far:
100% Kerry
0% Bush
posted by Green Voicemail 11/02/2004 01:54:00 PM
Monday, November 01, 2004
"Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand."
"He grows worse and worse -- question enranges him.
From Mustang Bobby's Blog:
George W. Bush had a terrible audition. I didn't believe him when he was trying out for the part four years ago. I can't point to anything specific; it's just a director's instinct that he was not right for the part, and he came off as a phony. (In his case he was, as they used to tell terrible actors, "too short for radio.") His grasp of the role was superficial, his blocking instincts (as in where to move or stand) were all tortured, and forget about being able to "speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue." Hamlet he ain't. It was like casting Pauly Shore as King Lear. And in spite of having an amazing assortment of prompters and understudies, he hasn't been able to get off book, work with the rest of the cast, or grow in the part. He has clunked his way through it without hearing what is taking place on the stage, playing his act as a solo in the largest ensemble piece out there. We are way beyond final dress rehearsal, and this is Broadway, baby.
Read the entire piece.
posted by Green Voicemail 11/01/2004 01:38:00 PM
Sunday, October 31, 2004
This Just In....
...Green Bay 28, Washington 14. According to snopes.com, this means that John Kerry will defeat Boy George two days from now.
And Green Bay took the lead and never let it go.
I only have one thing to say to George W. Bush.
"Go Pack."
posted by Green Voicemail 10/31/2004 04:04:00 PM
