I’ll be back sometime within a few days with updates

Sorry if it looks as though the blog has been abandoned, it isn’t. Just basking in a great victory for progress in America, and I’ll be back once my batteries are recharged for some new righteous indignation!

WoooooooHooooo! President-Elect, Barack Obama.

What a wonderful day for change, but foremost in my mind is the return of the United States from being an international joke.

First Election Results In!

Obama wins both Hart’s Location, and Dixville Notch (in my wonderful New Hampshire). The ballot tally in Hart’s Location was 17-10 for Senator Obama. Dixville Notch gave Senator Obama a greater victory, 15-6!

The tally now stands at 32-16

John McCain is not expected to overcome this 16 vote deficit.

Palin Claims US is at War With Iraq AND Iran

She is now officially the dumbest politician on the national stage.

It’s dangerous for her to be anywhere close to any public office in the US. Mayor is too much for an idiot of this magnitude.

Kim Jong Il on Death Bed, Yet Again

Kim Jong-il looking fly in his designer sunglasses

Kim Jong-il, known as both the autocratic leader of North Korea, and a fashion icon to millions in New Jersey, has reportedly fallen very Jong-ill. It has been reported through multiple channels that he had brain surgery to repair damage done by a stroke in August. The report comes from the print edition of Dong-a Ilbo, a South Korean newspaper.

The report cites a South Korean intelligence officer who disclosed that intelligence reports emerged Sunday (Oct. 26) regarding Kim Jong-il’s sudden ‘serious health problem’. The brain surgery that was performed after Jong-il’s August stroke had been reported as being performed by Francois-Xavier Roux, a neurosurgeon from France. Roux is considered an extremely competent, if not world class surgeon, who has denied the reports linking him to the surgery. Roux claims that during that time he coincidentally traveled to Beijing to attend a conference. All video and photos released recently seem to show Kim Jong-il attending functions months ago, further raising the speculation that the sunglasses-wearing man-god is in a dire situation.

Kim Jong-nam inherited smaller sunglasses than his father

Kim Jong-il’s oldest son, Kim Jong-nam, was thought to be next in line for the role of fashion god dictator, although no public declarations were made to that effect, and now he appears out of the direct line of inheritance. After a 2001 arrest and detention by the Japanese, Jong-nam may be somewhat out of favor, and Kim Jong-chol, a younger son, may be in line for the gig. Jong-chol was appointed to a high office within the Workers’ Party in 2007, making it a reasonable conclusion that he’s the next in line.

North Korea is denying the report, which, if their other denials are any indication, means that this is absolutely true. Sunglasses manufacturers are bracing for a possible economic downturn within their industry upon hearing the news, as Kim Jong-il is thought to provide at least four percent to the sunglasses industry’s revenues every year. If Kim Jong-chul begins to wear

This is thought to be Kim Jong-chul, although he wears no sunglasses, making the genetic comparison difficult.

sunglasses like his father and brother, they expect serious profit potential, considering he’ll have to build his collection from scratch.

If Kim Jong-il dies, there could be some wrangling within the ranks of the Workers’ Party to see who becomes the leader of North Korea, and a violent solution between the brothers is not out of the question. Jong-nam may feel resentment for his lack of favor stemming from his attempts to travel into Japan under a false name and passport. Jong-nam’s mother, Ko Young-hee, is Jong-il’s latest consort, and thus may confer more power to Jong-chul. If Jong-nam and Jong-chul do come to a power struggle, expect Jong-chul to have more party support.

Vote Flipping, Vote Caging, and Suppression Problems

Testimonials of vote flipping

And here’s the ‘problem’

And some nasty voter registration challenges in Missouri (‘caging’, a violation of the Voting Rights Act)

Vote caging exposé

pt. 2

Oh, my…more

Sen. Whitehouse (isn’t that the best name for a politician?) on vote caging

Sarah Palin and Ted Stevens-Video-What is Their Real Relationship?

This was a great day, and one that makes us also realize that there are elements in this nation that will fight against us every step of the way. I’m not talking about fighting against Democrats, or Republicans, but all of us, our freedoms and our democracy. There were the skinheads found, arrested, and taken out of action from outrageous plans of killing simply because of melanin levels in their proposed victims, and then there was Ted Stevens, the senior Senator from Alaska. Stevens was found guilty of all seven charges relating to his cabin’s refurbishment, and his relationship with Veco, an oil services company.

Both of these elements are a destructive force on our landscape. One outwardly spouts hate, and proposes a ‘cleansing’ of those people that they find don’t fit their perception of what America is, attacking democracy from the outside in; the other works quietly, behind closed doors, eroding democracy from the inside out. Both are heinous and devoid of redeemable qualities, but both are now stopped (at least for the time being) from doing anymore damage than they already have.

Outward from these individuals, however, are people and events that still need to be understood. A corrupt politician is nothing without the means to be so, and radical planners of hate crimes did not get their ideas from the ether. These people are interconnected with all sorts of other people and ideas, and the following is an example of the interconnectedness of Ted Stevens with someone else you may recognize:

There are legitimate questions about the running mate of John McCain. Here, on this blog, I briefly examined her house, and the similarities its building has to Ted Stevens’ cabin situation. They shared the same building supply company, and they both were massive improvements done in strange manners. When Governor Palin was Mayor, she made sure that building codes were not put in place before she built her house. Todd says he built the immaculate home with a ‘couple of buddies’. There were events going on down a short road from the Palin’s house construction site, though, that make the situation so strange. The Wasilla Sports Complex was being erected, and the same building supply company supplied both with their material–the same exact building supply company that was involved in the Ted Stevens’ cabin refurbishing. Oh, and did I mention, that building supply company seems to be a big Republican donor?

There they were, all too familiar with each other. Ted Stevens and Sarah Palin, mucking it up and making nice on camera. A show of support from Sarah Palin to a Senator who, at the time, had been indicted for the crimes he has now been convicted of. Governor Palin is so close to Ted Stevens that she headed up a PAC for him. A political Action committee that gave her the state stage from which to introduce herself to the Alaskan state Republican party. Before that she was a small town mayor. A former Alaska Independence Party member who switch to become a Republican in order to run for mayor. She was already scheming her way up the ladder, and Ted Stevens gave her that ladder. So what gives with her making nice in front of the cameras with a man about to be taken down with national media attention. It’s a risky move for a governor who, from what I’ve been hearing, was already lobbying to be the VP nominee.

I view the meeting and make nice session as a capitulation by Palin to Stevens. The embattled cannot dictate terms, especially something so major as a sit-down in front of news cameras without something to negotiate with. Stevens plays hardball. Not typical hardball, but hardball even by Washington standards. This is a class A, 100 percent certified bastard of a politician. The man was indicted on seven counts of corruption, and he still gets Palin, the sitting governor of the state with VP aspirations (and more) to defend him. He has something on her–something bigger than what can be passed off with a sleight of hand.

They both have ties to the oil industry that have been questioned. In Palin’s case, she negotiated a pipeline deal that favored only one company. That company happened to have an inside player, the head of Palin’s pipeline team had been hired as a lobbyist for the winning company. With Ted Stevens, he is now known to have taken over $250,000 worth of goods and services from an oil company. These events may seem disconnected, but they stem from the same attitude, the same inner circle, and from the same ethos and teachings that Stevens passed onto Palin when he groomed her for bigger things. Now the end game is afoot, and the lessons to be learned will haunt them both.

Palin – Massive Gaffe – Calls Israeli Embassy ‘Jewish Agency’

Palin's severe lack of knowledge about foreign policy was on full display in meeting with the Israeli Ambassador

Sarah Palin apparently doesn’t understand a couple of very basic concepts about Israel. It is not a Jewish state, no more so than Canada or Britain are Christian states. Israel is a secular government, just like the one here in the United States. Jewish isn’t a nationality, and Israel is not ‘Jewish’. This is such a very basic concept that I can’t even begin to fathom the depth of her ignorance.

Perhaps in the church where people speak in tongues, the congregants speak of the quickly approaching end times, and the certainty of dinosaurs and man living at the same time right after the earth was created (a mere 6,000 years ago) this type of thinking is encouraged. These radical evangelicals spout nonsense about Antichrists and demons, witches and angels, all the while claiming a false appreciation for Israel, contrived from the mistaken conception that the ‘apocolypse’ is coming any day now. They feign their friendship because Israel controls the ‘Holy’ land, and these radical, far right Christians need to imagine having access to that area.

As foreign relations gaffes go, this would be on par with calling up the Archbishop of Canterbury to negotiate a treaty between Britain and the US. It’s just that idiotic. What could her reaction be when she’s told that Israel is not a ‘Jewish’ state?

“Oh, gosh golly, you must be mistaken there fella, I know fer certain that those people wear those beanies!”

To say, direct to the face of the Israeli Ambassador, “We look forward to … working with your Jewish agency,” is not only an affront to Israel, it’s an affront to all of those knowledgeable potential running mates of John McCain. To think that Sarah Palin, a governor embroiled in an ethics probe, completely lacking any understanding of the Bush Doctrine (the driving philosophical force behind this administration’s foreign relations), and closely connected to a secessionist group would be picked over…well, anyone, is unbelievable. But this–this very basic mistake of Sarah Palin’s may be the most telling. Israel isn’t a nation to her, it’s a religion.

Edit: There is a misconception among some because of the statement “Hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in the land of Israel to be known as the State of Israel.” in the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel. Israel, however, has universal suffrage, and is not theocratic. This precludes the language appearing in the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, in that it is the law of the land, and is direct contradiction to the previous statement. It is much like the United States being considered a nation that has legal slavery, even though the practice is now unconstitutional.

Another case made for Israel being a Jewish nation is contained within the Balfour Declaration, which is just silliness.Israel does not even have a state religion, negating the concept of ‘Jewish State’ referring to the religion, but rather pointing to a cultural usage of ‘Jewish’.

According to Daniel Elazar, of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs:

As understood by the Knesset and the Israeli Supreme Court, religious law stands in relationship to the secular law of Israel roughly as state law stands in relationship to federal law in a federation with a dual legal system. That is to say, it is distinct, tends to be exclusive in its sphere, but is held to certain national tests in its application…

It is important to understand that the government of Israel does not control or try to control the religious establishment…

New Ad Slams McCain on Gambling Ties

As I pointed out exactly one month ago today, John McCain has ties to the gambling industry that seem strange, at best. His contributors are the upper management of casinos, indicating an expectation of gambling expansion with his support. A watchdog group, called ‘Campaign Money Watch’ has released a new ad exploring the McCain/gambling industry connection.

Watch:

The following is a list I compiled last month of just Winn casino (and closely affiliated entities) employees that donated to John McCain and the RNC from April to July of this year. That’s right, this amount of money from only one casino operation in just three months:

Contributor	Date	Amount	Recipient
Early, Peter L	5/7/2008	$28,500	Republican National Cmte (R)
Schorr, Marc	5/7/2008	$28,500	Republican National Cmte (R)
Wynn, Elaine	5/7/2008	$28,500	Republican National Cmte (R)
Maddox, Matt	5/7/2008	$7,700	Republican National Cmte (R)
Peterson, Scott E	5/7/2008	$7,700	Republican National Cmte (R)
BUTLER, DE RUYTER O	5/2/2008	$3,000	Republican National Cmte (R)
Sinatra, Kimmarie	5/29/2008	$2,900	Republican National Cmte (R)
Wooden, Maurice L	5/7/2008	$2,700	Republican National Cmte (R)
EARLY, PETER L MR	4/28/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
KRAMER, RONALD J MR	7/31/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
MADDOX, MATT MR	5/9/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
NADY, LAURIE B MRS	4/28/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
OSELAND, ROBERT L MR II	5/9/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
PETERSON, SCOTT E MR	5/9/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
SCHORR, MARC D MR	5/2/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
SINATRA, KIMMARIE MRS	5/31/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
SINATRA, KIMMARIE MRS	5/31/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
Thomas, Roger	5/7/2008	$2,300	Republican National Cmte (R)
THOMAS, ROGER MR	5/9/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
WOODEN, MAURICE L MR	5/9/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
WYNN, ELAINE MRS	4/30/2008	$2,300	McCain, John (R)
ALLISON, WESLEY MR	5/9/2008	$1,000	McCain, John (R)
SCHALL, JASON M MR	5/9/2008	$1,000	McCain, John (R)
TOUREK, KEVIN JAMES MR	5/9/2008	$1,000	McCain, John (R)
Oseland, Robert L II	5/7/2008	$200	Republican National Cmte (R)
		$142,600

Information gathered from FEC reports through opensecrets.org

Something’s wrong with this picture. Why so much money, in such a short time from just one of the casino operations? Surely they’re getting something if McCain wins, and I doubt it’s any sort of oversight. You see, John McCain is a gambling man. He freely admits it. He plays craps, he gambles massive amounts of money. He’s been spotting gambling in high rollers rooms, not just run of the mill ones. This is a guy who doesn’t understand probability, someone who thinks that, for some reason, they are above certain mathematical truths.

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List of US Foreign Service Officers (Ret.) Endorsing Sen. Obama

The following list is compiled from a Declaration of Support for Senator Obama sent around the retired Foreign Service community. The people on this list represent thousands upon thousands of years of service in embassies and consulates around the world, in all manners of service to this great nation. There are bound to be any number who served their country in multiple capacities, some of which will never see the light of day. They were good at their jobs, and served honorably to represent the United States in all manners of peace and conflict. These are the diplomats, ambassadors, and foreign service professionals that followed in the steps of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. Of those in the government that understand the tensions and dealings with foreign powers and various incendiary elements in the world, these are the cream of the crop.

Abbott, Luisa	Jones, Ambassador George F. (Ret.)
Abbott, Wilson Lynn	Jones, Ralph T.
Adair, Marshall	Keene, Douglas R.
Ahlgren, Charles S.	Keiswetter, Allen
Apsler, Ruby	Kemper, Joseph M.
Arndt, Richard T.	Kendall, Harry
Arnold, Terrell	Kiesling, John Brady
Austin, Sheldon	Kilgour, Mary C.
Ayers, Patricia Connor	King, Wayne
Aylward, Rayna	Kinzer, George
Bahl, Byron	Korff, Michael
Baker, Robert	Korky, Ann
Baldyga, Leonard	Kuchel, Ambassador Roland K. (Ret.)
Bandler, Ambassador Donald K. (Ret.)	Kushlis, Patricia
Barnes, Ambassador Shirley Elizabeth (Ret.)	Kushlis, William J.
Barnett, Elizabeth	LaGamma, Robert R.
Barry, Ambassador Robert L. (Ret.)	Lambert, Lynne
Bathrick, David D.	Lanpher, Ambassador Edward Gibson (Ret.)
Battle, Ambassador Vincent M. (Ret.)	Laroche, Dick
Bay, Janice Friesen	Latham Jr., Ernest H.
Beans, Timothy T.	Lauderdale, Ambassador, Clint (Ret.).
Beebe, James	Leidel, Ambassador Donald C. (Ret.)
Beecroft, Ambassador Robert M. (Ret.)	LeMaistre, Alice
Bennett, David C.	Lerner, Patricia J.
Benson, Raymond E.	Levin, Ambassador Burton (Ret.)
Bentley, Robert	Lewis, Ambassador Samuel (Ret.)
Berrington, Robin	Lippe, Michael
Berry, Ann R.	Loftus, Gerald
Bigge, Joan	Lundin, John
Binns, Ambassador Jack R. (Ret.)	Lundy, Walter A.
Bishop, Ambassador James K. (Ret.)	Lyon, Ambassador David L. (Ret.)
Bitondo, Ron	MacAlister, Robert J.
Blane, Dianne	MacManus, Elizabeth Keys
Blaney III, Harry C.	Magee, Ambassador Charles T. (Ret.)
Blodgett, Steve	Mahan, Val
Booth, Richard	Malloy, Edward M.
Bouton, Norman	Mally, Alec
Bova, Michele	Mandel, Pamela
Bowers, Gerard	Marks, Ambassador Edward (Ret.)
Bresler, Ralph	Martin, Thomas G.
Bridges, Ambassador Peter S. (Ret.)	Martin, Thomas M.
Broderick, Amelia Fitzjohn	Marwitz, Toni
Brungart, Robert	Matheron, Ambassador Richard C. (Ret.)
Brynn, Ambassador Edward (Ret.)	Matthews, Wade
Bumbrey, Sallybeth M.	Mattox, Henry
Bumpus, James N.	Maule, Robert W.
Burleigh, Ambassador A. Peter (Ret.)	Maushammer, Robert J.
Butler, Letitia Kelly	McCoo, Millie
Byrnes, Jill F.	McGuire, Ambassador Kevin J. (Ret.)
Byrnes, Shaun M.	McGuire, Harriet
Cahill, Ambassador Harry A. (Ret.)	McKee, Richard
Calingaert, Michael	McKniff, Joan
Carr, Robert K.	McNeil, Ambassador Frank (Ret.)
Cecil, Ambassador Charles O. (Ret.)	Meeks, Bill
Cheek, Ambassador James R. (Ret.)	Meer, S. Ahmed
Cheshes, Ambassador Martin L. (Ret.)	Miller, David Norman
Chester, George	Molldrem, Vivikka
Chester, Geraldeen	Monblatt, Steve
Chock, Alvin Keali’i	Monk, Amy
Clark, Jennifer	Monk, David B.
Clear, Taylor JESSE	Moore, Alice
Coe, Robert	Moser, Leo John
Coffey Jr., Fred A.	Mueller, Richard W.
Cohen, David	Murphy, Peter K.
Coker, Irv	Murphy, Sandy
Coles, Julius E.	Myrick, Ambassador Bismarck (Ret.)
Collins, Constance L.	Nagy, Ernest
Conly, Jonathan	Nance, William B.
Coon, Ambassador Carleton S. (Ret.)	Nethercut, Richard D.
Coon, Ambassador Jane Abell (Ret.)	Neuse, Margaret
Cooper, Ford	Norris, James
Cotter, Ambassador Michael (Ret.)	O’Connor, Thomas E.
Crigler, Ambassador Trusten Frank (Ret.)	O’Donnell, Thomas J.
Cronk, Ambassador Edwin (Ret.)	O’Farrell, Paul
Crumpton, Sandra Ann	O’Neill, Rosemary D.
Curran, Robert T “Ted”	Oakley, Ambassador Robert P. (Ret.)
Curtin, Leslie B.	Oakley, Phyllis
Cutler, Ambassador Walter L. (Ret.)	Oglesby, Donna Marie
Cutter, Curtis	Olds, Suzanne
Czuczka, George	Orley, Ray
Dameron, Ambassador William H. (Ret.)	Palma, Carole
Darkins, William C.	Parker, Donald
Davidson, Duane	Parker, Norma J.
Davnie, William F.	Patterson, Sue
Dawson, James W.	Peasley, Carol
De Pree, Ambassador Willard A. (Ret.)	Peck, Ambassador Edward L. (Ret.) Darryl Penner
Dembro (née Mercurio), Sharon	Perrin, Patricia E.
Dembro, Mark	Perry, Ambassador Jack R. (Ret.)
Dembski, Sandy	Piet, David
Demitz, Sherwood H.	Pomeroy, Thomas Alexander
DiPaolo, Donna M.	Pope, Ambassador Laurence (Ret.)
Doggett, Clinton	Powers, Robert A.
Dolan, Daniel	Precht, Henry
DuBose, Robert	Presgrove, Barbara A.
Duline, Charlene C.	Rackmales, Robert
Dunford, Ambassador David J. (Ret.)	Ransom, Marjorie
Easum, Ambassador Donald B. (Ret.)	Reeber, Mary K.
Ehmer, Paul	Reinhardt, Ambassador John E. (Ret.)
Ehrman, James	Richmond, Yale
Eicher, Peter	Rose, Victoria
Eisenbraun, Stephen	Ross, Sherman
Elam-Thomas, Ambassador Harriet (Ret.)	Rucker, Robert L.
Ely, Michael E. C.	Ryan, Henry B.
Engle, Ambassador Gregory W. (Ret.)	Sandoval, Barbara
Fairchild, Albert E.	Savage, John
Farley, Vincent	Schacknies, Rosina
Farrand, Ambassador Robert W. (Ret.)	Schaffer, Ambassador Howard B. (Ret.)
Ferch, Ambassador John A. (Ret.)	Schertz, Mary Lou Kate
Fernandez, Aurelius	Schiff, Stanley
Finberg, Donald	Schoonover, Ambassador Brenda (Ret.)
Fischer, Ambassador David (Ret.)	Schwartz, Deborah R.
Flannery, Terence	Sebastian, Ambassador Peter (Ret.)
Fraenkel, Richard	Segars, Ambassador Joseph M. (Ret.)
Frederick, David	Senser, Robert A.
Fromowitz, Sam	Serwer, Daniel
Fry, Samuel	Sewell, Virginia
Gaines, William	Sharpless, Ambassador Mattie R. (Ret.)
Garon, John	Sheinbaum, Gilbert
Garon, Patricia	Sinding, Monica Knorr
Gary, Phil	Sinding, Steven W.
Gary, Viviann	Singer, Derek
Gerlach, Frederick H.	Smith, Ambassador Pamela H. (Ret.)
Gerson, Leslie	Smith, Paul R.
Gong, Richard D.	Spalding, Peter
Gorton, Lynn	Spiro, Joel
Gosende, Robert R.	Springer, Richard L.
Gould, Michael	St. John, John J.
Grant, Gail Milissa	Stahnke, Paul K
Gray, David L.	Stefan, Adrienne
Gray, Victoria	Stern, Robert
Gregory, Bruce	Sterner, Ambassador Michael (Ret.)
Gregory, Jerry	Stewart, Ambassador John Todd (Ret.)
Gulliksen, Gail	Streeter, Alvin
Gunning, John	Sundquist, Alexandra
Haahr, James C.	Sutton, Gerald
Hamilton, Ambassador John R. (Ret.)	Svengsouk, Thvanh
Hamilton, Donna	Swain, Diana
Hardy Jr., Howard W.	Takahashi, Lorraine
Harrod, John P.	Taylor, Ambassador Clyde D. (Ret.)
Harrop, Ambassador William (Ret.)	Tetro, Robert
Harter, John	Tompkins, Tain
Hartley, Douglas G.	Tomseth, Ambassador Victor L. (Ret.)
Hartman, Jan	Tongour, Nadia
Harvey, Gerald W.	Tonkin, Thomas
Hatton, Charla	Troy, Carl
Head, Al	Tuch, Hans N.
Heaphy, Eileen M.	Turner, Linda
Hill, Ambassador H. Kenneth (Ret.)	Usrey, Gary
Hirsch, Ambassador John L. (Ret.)	Vaughn, Arthur A.
Hoganson, Jerome	Villareal, G. Claude
Holfeld, Joyce M.	Vincent, John
Holmes, Brooke	Virden, Dick
Holmes, John W.	Von den Steinen, Erwin
Hornblow, Michael	Weinland, Helen
Houlahan, J. Michael	Wells, Sharon
Howard, Barbara D	Wheeler, Evelyn
Huggins-Williams, Nedra	White, Robin L.
Hughes, David	Wilder, Carol
Humphreys, Liam Jackson	Williams, Albert N.
Hutcheson, James W.	Williams, Ambassador Richard (Ret.)
Huxtable, John A.	Williams, Nicholas
Illing, Robert	Wilson, Dwight
Irving, Ambassador Frederick (Ret.)	Wolcott, Peter
Jacobs, Morris E.	Wood, Susan
Johnson, Ambassador Darryl N. (Ret.)	Wozniak, Robert
Johnson, Charles N.	Wright, Jr., Lacy A.
Johnson, Joe B.	Zelle, Susan W.

The length of this list is impressive, but moreso is the great service these men and women have performed for this great nation.

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