The Second Presidential Debate
Current mood: mellow
Category: News and Politics
The second Presidential Debate took place Tuesday night (10/07/08) and was another disaster for John McCain. I thought the debate was once again too general and both candidates avoided being specific enough to clarify what they desired. However, McCain once again demonstrated he had no understanding whatsoever of America in 2008.
Most people do not care if he worked with Tip O'Neill, Democratic leader of the House, in the 1980s. McCain over and over again gives the mantra that he has "experience" and that he knows what to do because he has "experience." I suspect most Americans are sick and tired of him saying he is a "maverick" and hearing him say "my friends." I am not John McWar's friend and never could be.
I thought the differences between John McLame and Obie were pretty clear Tuesday night. Obama will fight for the middle class every day, and McCain will fight for the rich. Once again, Senator McMoney didn't mention the middle class a single time during the debate.
Barack pushed for tax cuts for 95% of working families, reductions in health care costs and a responsible end to the war in Iraq. John McBush pushed more of his same discredited policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy and giant corporations, tax increases on health care, and continuing to spend $10 billion a month in Iraq. If U R sick of this crap, then now is the time to vote for Obama-Biden. Initial poll results from FOX, MSNBC and CNN were: Who won the debate? (Obama—54%) (McCain—30%) (Tie—16%) Whose views on Iraq did they support?
(Obama—51%) (McCain—47%) (Undecided—2%)
Whose ideas on the economic crisis will work? (Obama—59%) (McSpend—37%) (Undecided—4%)
Who was more the politician? (Obama—28%) (McSame—53%) (Undecided—19%)
Who was more likable? (Most Americans vote for who they like anyway — issues? — what issues?) (Obama—63%) (McCain—17%) (Undecided—10%)
Independent and Undecided Voters on who won? (Obama—54%) (McCain—42%) (Tie—4%)
With the global economic crisis now in full view, McBush stands to lose the election by quite a margin because in economic crisis times such as these, The Party in The White House historically LOSES. The biggest mistake John McCain made in this election was selecting Sarah Palin. Yes, she could energize the conservative base, but in this election, no Republican can win without a significant vote from Independents. After her first feisty speech, she began to be seen as the high school cheerleader whose friends help her get elected head of the cheerleaders, but most students regard her as shallow and incompetent. If McWar had selected Mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York, the race would be much closer.
THIS POINT I MAKE HERE IS CRUCIAL: McCain made a TERRIBLE mistake during the debate by displaying body language and verbal language showing he disdained Obama. The reference to "that one" was horrible in terms of acting in a Presidential manner. McGrandpa came across as old, tired and angry. I suspect he is angry because he believes God or destiny or America needs him as President and how dare the upstart young man take the job that belongs to him. He has a sense of entitlement. Obama simply has to avoid getting angry at McGrandpa and just ignore him and it's over folks! Obama will continue linking the economy with Bush/McWar and blast away over and over. At this point, Obama benefits every time idiot Sarah Palin rants on about Obama and "terrorists." About 70% of Americans have no idea what she is talking about and 90% don't give a damn when the stock market is dropping every day.
Quote from Bill Maher on HBO: "If you placed a gun next to the head of Sarah Palin and asked her "what does the SEC do?" — she would not have a clue. But, she would know the name of the gun manufacturer.
By more than a 3-1 margin, people said they found Obama more likable than McCain during the debate, according to the FOX, CNN, MSNBC and Opinion Research Corp. surveys. It took just eight minutes into Tuesday's Presidential debate for Republican candidate McBush to land the first blow, blaming Obama and Democrats for the collapse of mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. "They're the ones that, with the encouragement of Sen. Obama and his cronies and his friends in Washington, that went out and made all these risky loans, gave them to people that could never afford to pay back," McLame said. Obama responded: "I've got to correct a little bit of Sen. McCain's history, not surprisingly. ... In fact, Sen. McCain's campaign chairman's firm was a lobbyist on behalf of Fannie Mae, not me." In reality, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis has a stake in a Washington lobbying firm that received thousands of dollars a month from Freddie Mac until recently.
McCain even sucked 25 years ago — what about McLiar's role in the 1980s banking scandal? He was one of five senators who had accepted contributions from Charles Keating Jr., a real estate speculator and savings and loan owner. Keating's institution failed and cost many investors in uninsured financial products their life savings. During a discussion of an energy bill, McLame offered up a two-word phrase that drew a quick reaction from the Obama campaign. McWar the rude and juvenile: "You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one," McRude said, pointing at his opponent.
John McOld was all over the map in the debate on the issues, and he is so angry about the state of his campaign that he referred to Barack Obama as 'that one' — the first debate he couldn't look at Sen. Obama, this time he couldn't say his name." I can't wait to see what happens in the third debate on Wednesday the 15th. Will McLame start name calling and dirt clod throwing? Maybe get his paint-ball gun and aim it at Obama?
McCain said Barack "was wrong about Iraq and the surge." Ummmmm — a majority of Americans agree that Iraq was and continues to be a mistake. The purpose of the surge was to buy time for the Iraqi government to set up their congress and constitution and hold "fair" elections — I would say the surge failed miserably. I don't know why McWar keeps referring to General Patreus when he is just a puppet of The Bush Administration. When Patreus testified before Congress, Patreus was required to be briefed at The White House on exactly what and what not to say prior to testifying before Congress. Why didn't that friggin' slime ball Cheney or Bush himself testify? Who's gonna listen to McWar on military issues anyway after he sang "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran," and called for the annihilation of North Korea. Good God — what an idiot. Even if McWar said that jokingly — IT WAS NOT FUNNY! In the debate, McCain was just being more of a blowhard than usual and talkin' more trash and lies to get votes — playin' the fear card yet again.
McCain The Conquistador your jet fighter stands in need of company and like some angel's haloed brow you reek of purity. McCain, I see your armor-plated breast has long since lost its sheen and in your death mask face there are no signs which can be seen.
And though I hoped for something peaceful in you to find I could see nothing but the war-mongering warrior.
You are just what the world does NOT need. McCain The Conquistador a vulture sits upon your silver shield and in your rusty scabbard now the sand has taken seed and though your jewel-encrusted blade has not been plundered still the sea has washed across your face and taken of its fill.
And John, though I hoped for something to find I could see no maze to unwind. McCain The Conquistador there is no time for your Bushie policies I must pay my respect and though I came to jeer at you I leave now with regret and as the gloom on The Republicans begins to fall I see there is no truth, only lies and though you came with sword held high claiming to chase bin Laden to hell you will not conquer, only wither and lose to Obama And though I hoped for something to find I could see no maze to unwind.
BTW, if you have never read my blogs before, McBush, McLame, McDufus, McRich, McBlowhard, McWar, McPOW, Conquistador, McFlyboy and McKillerOfInnocentChildrenWithAgentOrangeUntargetedBombingRuns are all synonyms for John McCain. I won't even tell you my synonyms for Cindy McCain — I'd get blown off of MySpace for sure.
When both candidates were asked to name one thing they didn't understand, I loved Obama's answer. Barack said, I don't understand why The United States did not face the challenge in Afghanistan/Pakistan (Osama bin Laden) and instead spent years and hundreds of billions of dollars in Iraq. I think Obama knows the answer to that question but if he spoke it in public he would be considered a conspiracy theorist. With just a bit of research it becomes obvious that 9/11 was staged and that the US Government had pre-knowledge and looked the other way in order to create enemies to rally around with their continual fear-mongering — the enemy was bin Laden — NOT Hussein! And who still lives and who was hanged? If you think about it for a few more hours and do some research, you will understand clearly WHY bin Laden is still alive. Why invade Iraq? As I see it: For leverage in the region, oil profits, rebuilding profits and profits from the world's largest foreign embassy — it had nothing to do whatsoever with establishing/spreading democracy in the region. And for God sakes John McWar — how can you win in Iraq with dignity? It's not even a war dude — it's an imperialistic illegal occupation of a sovereign nation for profit. Sources: Fred Stopsky, AP News, CNN, MSNBC, FOX
Currently
listening
:
Violator
By
Depeche Mode
Release date: 1990-02-22
In the recent VP debate a CNN poll showed the results as follows: Biden... 70%; Palin... 26%; other... 4% I totally agree with The CNN Poll. Palin proved she is not much more than a high school cheerleader two cans short of a six-pack. Biden was very much MORE informed on the issues and I agree with his stances on fairness to the middle class and the failure of Bush's and McCain's deregulation policies -- deregulation simply has not worked as witnessed by the recent Wall Street debacles. Palin came across as a childish little girl clucking her teeth and making lots of other funny noises with her mouth -- she avoided the issues -- especially the issue of deregulation -- she kept shifting the topic to issues she WANTED or was prepared to talk about. She kept referring to her family (instead of the issues) and pandering to red-neck Republican beer drinkers. Biden was far more serious about discussing the important issues while Palin was giddy and foolish. Biden's stance on repealing Bush's tax cuts to the upper 1% of income earners makes a lot more sense than Palin/McWar's stances on MORE tax cuts for the rich. I thought it very interesting that both Palin and Biden agreed on creating an excess profits tax on companies like Exxon-Mobil --- kudos for both of them on that issue!
Currently
listening
:
Blackout
By
Scorpions
Release date: 1997-08-19
John McCain - The War Candidate
Current mood: rockin
Category: News and Politics
John McCain says he knows how to find Osama bin Laden and will chase him to hell and back. Wouldn't you think he should tell Bush where bin Laden is hiding — or at least HOW to find him?
Oh, yeah, I forgot, Bush doesn't think about bin Laden that much anymore. He's touring the world in a private 747 at taxpayers expense and clearing brush at his vacation ranch in Texas where he has spent 40% of his Presidency.
At least Bush stopped playing golf so he would appear more concerned about American troop casualties in Iraq. It's mind-boggling to learn how many troop funerals Bush has attended — zero.
To say nothing of the Iraqi civilian caualties . . .
— as Cheney would say, SO?
Maybe McLame just wants to take the glory for finding bin Laden himself? It would look good for the McWar Presidency just like The Illegal Occupation in Iraq and torture have looked great for The Bush Administration. Wouldn't it? Mission accomplished?
Doubtful — my guess is that McBush is just being more of a blowhard than usual and talkin' more trash and lies to get votes — playin' the fear card yet again.
McCain The Conquistador your jet fighter stands in need of company and like some angel's haloed brow you reek of purity.
McCain, I see your armor-plated breast has long since lost its sheen and in your death mask face there are no signs which can be seen.
And though I hoped for something peaceful in you to find I could see nothing but the war-mongering warrior. You are just what the world does NOT need.
McCain The Conquistador a vulture sits upon your silver shield and in your rusty scabbard now the sand has taken seed and though your jewel-encrusted blade has not been plundered still the sea has washed across your face and taken of its fill.
And John, though I hoped for something to find I could see no maze to unwind.
McCain The Conquistador there is no time for your Bushie policies I must pay my respect and though I came to jeer at you I leave now with regret and as the gloom on The Republicans begins to fall I see there is no truth, only lies and though you came with sword held high claiming to chase bin Laden to hell you will not conquer, only wither and lose to Obama
And though I hoped for something to find I could see no maze to unwind.
BTW, if you have never read my blogs before, McBush, McLame, McDufus, McRich, McBlowhard, McWar, McPOW, Conquistador, McFlyboy and McKillerOfInnocentChildrenWithAgentOrangeUntargetedBombingRuns are all synonyms for John McCain.
I won't even tell you my synonyms for Cindy McCain — I'd get blown off of MySpace for sure.
It is MORE likely that The Republicans want to keep bin Laden available (and NOT track him down) in case they need to blame him (and make more of an enemy out of him than they already have) in case the polls are close in October and it looks like Obama may win
and they sense a need to instill more fear in low information voters so they will vote Republican. Who in their right mind would vote for a Republican candidate that knows where bin Laden is (or how to find him) and isn't actively pursuing him?
It wouldn't surprise me at all, if the polls are close next month or Obama looks like a potential winner to see The Republicans move beyond poll booth tampering, voter discrimination and voting machine tampering (as they did in 2000 and 2004) this time and step it up a notch and create a national emergency (another national emergency?) and attempt to declare martial law — will Americans tolerate more of this? Have you heard what today's terrorist alert level is? I think it's pink.
McLame's pro-war stance AND his unwillingness to negotiate with our enemies (talking peace with an enemy does NOT glorify that enemy) AND his insistence that the SURGE was successful AND his horrendous stance on health care AND his attacks on Biden for his recommendation to split Iraq up into four provinces are all mind-bogglingly inept . . .
— what a novel idea to split Iraq up and keep those religious zealots away from each other's throats (McBush has already built cement barriers in Baghdad — what's the difference?) — ALL more insidious examples of what could become a continuation of the tragic Bush domestic and foreign policies if McWar is elected. Four more years!
Hey, if you want continued war, higher gas prices at the pump (and more record-breaking profits for the oil companies — can we really get "our" share of that Iraqi oil?),
quality health care exclusively for the rich (and more record-breaking profits for the AMA and the prescription drug industry), less taxes on the wealthy, reactionary politics instead of proactive, lack of concern about the environment [look at Sarah Plain's stance on the environmental issues the world faces — she doesn't believe global warming is man-made — hey Sarah, have you seen any real big hurricanes lately? Or have you just been kinda ignoring them? Oh, Sarah says it's about time we helped those people in New Orleans — let's get proactive with hurricane relief — kinda like treating the symptoms rather than the causes). Good God, can these Republican ignoramuses read scientific journals or even listen to their own government research scientists or just glance at the polar ice caps (or do they get their info from Rush Limbaugh?] and continued trashing of the USA in the eyes of the world — mail in your ballot now and vote for McCain. Need more incentive? Still not convinced McCain is the best candidate? Aren't you scared that bin Laden is going to attack the US again? Sure you are. McCain will tell you that — it's so plain to see. Now, will you vote for McBush?
McBush can alleve your fears and protect you by ensuring that more American soldiers die to secure "your" oil rights in Iraq and Blackwater mercenary profits as well as Halliburton reconstruction profits in Iraq.
Less taxes on the rich? Here's yet another example of the difference between Democrats and Republicans.
When McCain was asked by Rev. Rick Warren a few weeks ago in The Saddleback Civil Forum at the OC Mega Church what HIS definition of RICH in America is, McRich responded, "Oh, I don't know, maybe around $6,000,000 (million) per year in income." Hmmmmmm. Obama responded to the same question, "$200,000 (thousand) or more per year in income." Somebody is out of touch with middle class America.
Hey John, how many homes do you own? 6 or 7? Or did you lose count again?
Last time McRich played Monopoly he was heard complaining, "I don't wanna be the shoe again, I wanna be the fighter jet." Is there a fighter jet? Darn it John, don't make Cindy be the iron again.
Why is McCain willing to continue to spend $10 Billion Dollars a month of YOUR money on the war in Iraq when we are 10 Trillion Dollars in debt and Iraq has an $80 billion dollar surplus? WTF?
The Outstanding National Debt as of this moment is:
Gosh, didn't we have better economic times during The Clinton Administration?
Most Americans tend to remember it that way. Most rich Americans think NOT. When Bill Clinton left office we had an $800 Billion dollar budget surplus.
George W. Bush had somehow spent it all before he was inaugurated.
Does trickle down voodoo economics work? Sure, the rich company owners create new minimum wage jobs for the poor and the rich get richer and the poor remani quagmired in poverty — but, oh yeah, the jobs are created — don't forget that. How many roommates do you have to have if you make $8.50 an hour? How many servants do you have to have if you own 6 or 7 homes? But the servants are working — they have jobs.
Why is the economy broken after eight years of The Bushies?
Could it be deficit spending?
"You can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I ever met."
— To George W. Bush — Bill Clinton 1946-????, 42nd President of the USA
McLame's VP choice, Sarah Palin (I guess Rush Limbaugh
wouldn't let McCain pick who he really wanted as his VP running mate - Joe Lieberman - not only wouldn't Rush allow it, The Republican National Party shot the idea of Lieberman down in a jiffy as well - it woulda been a good match tho, McCain-Lieberman, cuz Lieberman has been very helpful to McDufus, on his Iraq trips, when he forgets the difference between Sunni and Shiite
and when he gets asked questions about the economy of which McWar admittedly knows very little - and Lieberman would fit right in with The Bushies since the first three letters of his name are LIE), sure took a beating in the press this past weekend: Meet The Press, George Stephanopoulos, Bill Moyers, ABC, MSNBC and "even" Fox — a beating for Palin's lack of National Security experience AND her pregnant teenage daughter (Thank goodness Sarah doesn't have a gay daughter like Cheney does or it would have really gotten ugly) AND her stance on the environment AND her pro-gun stance AND her aniti-abortion views.
They unanimously said she is not ready to be Commander in Chief (have we heard that before somewhere this summer?) and that Joe Biden is far more prepared to deal with National Security issues — even more than Obama (True in terms of experience but not in terms of judgment) — they hit Mayor Palin hard on the fact she was a mayor of a small town called Wasilla, AK less than three years ago.
Cindy McCain showed up at The Republican Convention in her Battlestar Galactica outfit
and was asked what she thought about Sarah Palin's lack of National Security experience and said, "Well, isn't Alaska right on the border of Russia - hehe. Surely Sarah has been able to keep an eye on The Russians since she lives so close to Russia."
The press had a field day with Palin's (Mayor Plain let's call her) unwed pregnant daughter, Bristol, 17. Apparently her boyfriend, Levi, 18, when asked what he thought about the unborn child and him becoming a father responded, "I don't want kids." And, of course, Sarah, is anti-abortion. Swell. Maybe adoption? Maybe use a condom? Maybe stay away from underage girls? I know, I am being judgmental - sorry.
Palin also is the subject of an ethics investigation involving the firing of Alaska's public safety commissioner after he wouldn't dismiss her former brother-in-law, a state trooper. Her efforts as mayor to gain millions of dollars in federal funding through the so-called "earmark" process appeared to be at odds with the McLame's message of fiscal reform.
Am I missing something here or does it appear that McCain didn't even vet Mayor Plain? Upon further research, I found that the process that led to her selection has been criticized as hasty because McCain had met her just once at a Denny's in Fairbanks before he offered her the job. Now there's some good judgment for us all to admire.
The press also dragged McLame over the coals for selecting Mayor Plain and obviously pandering to low information Hillary voters — then if that wasn't bad enough for McLame and Palin, the press hit Sarah with a ton of bricks when they pointed out she doesn't see global warming as man-made — are The Republicans serious about some of this uninformed and poorly researched "info" they dish out? I guess they aren't cuz they surely must know it's just propaganda and lies - let's call it misinformation. Do you get as tired as I do of The Republicans telling us what they feel we want to hear in order to get out votes? Read my lips, "I'm tired of these lies and attempts at manipulation." Or was that, "Read my lips, NO new taxes?"
Come on McFlyboy — do you really think that Hillary's middle-aged, working women supporters are that stupid — to vote for an inexperienced VP candidate just because she is a woman?
Good heavens you fraking idiots — give Hillary's people some credit — there is so much more to Hillary than the fact she is a woman.
A joy to watch McCain get beat up like this! Finally.
The Republican stance on the environment is so clear to see — of course global warming is not a man-made problem if it's going to take profits away from corporate America to fix it — why else would The Bush Administration put a gag order on NASA's top environmental scientist — Dr. James Hansen — before he could release the results of his environmental research?
It was so interesting to watch the Republican Party react to Hurricane Gustav. The Republicans are so wounded from Bush's appointing of cronies to high level FEMA positions and the resulting mishandling of Katrina, they shifted completely into reactionary mode — I guess the Bushies blew their chance to be PROACTIVE three years ago because the people of New Orleans just weren't rich enough or dare I say it — white enough?
With the US oil-refining industry heavily concentrated along the northern Gulf of Mexico coastline, a strategic sector of the economy is perennially vulnerable to the threat of hurricanes.
Have you figured out yet why The Republicans were so "concerned" about Hurricane Gustav? Concerned enough to delay their Republican Convention Dance Party. Well, it's because, unlike Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Gustav, is threatening The Bushies oil syndicate.
The rallying cry at The Republican Convention is "Country First." Perhaps it's really "Money First?"
Hurricane Gustav which swept ashore at around midday Labor Day, southwest of New Orleans, will result in up to 10 billion dollars (8.22 billion Euros) in oil industry losses and a long-term five percent cut to oil and natural gas production in the region.
Gosh, thank goodness Gustav wasn't even more devastating to the oil industry — that would have been a real Republican tragedy. It's a disaster of human proportions when thousands of poor people are killed in New Orleans — so tragic in fact, we'll be down there in about a week or so to help out after our vacations are over - I've got more brush to clear at the ranch. But now, OMG, the oil refineries are being threatened — WTF? — Let's delay The Republican Convention and get our asses down there today and see what we can do to shore things up.
Why don't The Republicans shore up the levees with formaldehyde infested FEMA trailers to protect the oil plants?
OMG, does that mean gas prices at the pump will go back up to $5/gallon before Christmas? What do you think?
Sources: AnDReW, AP News, The World Meets US, NY Times, The Atlantic, The LA Times
Currently
listening
:
Nostradamus
By
Judas Priest
Release date: 2008-06-17
The Professor (Obama) vs. The War Monger (McBush)
Current mood: rockin
Category: News and Politics
Did you watch Barack Obama and John McWar on the boob tube as they squared off for 36 seconds in OC this past Saturday at the Saddleback Mega Church? (The candidates were on stage together for 36 seconds.)
There were some refreshingly good and difficult questions from the Rev. Rick Warren — much better questions than Obama and Hillary received from ABC News' Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos a few months ago when they offered shoddy, despicable performances after which Andrew Sullivan, blogging for The Atlantic, called it "one of the worst media performances I can remember - petty, shallow, process-obsessed, trivial where substantive, and utterly divorced from reality."
On Saturday night, Rev. Rick Warren's questions were much better in terms of toughness and facing the reality of our various situations here on Earth.
Obama appeared intelligent, professor-like, thoughtful and compassionate. McLame appeared tough, war-mongering (militaristic), decisive and revengefully vindictive especially toward Osama bin Laden. Unfortunately, America, as most of its citizens live in fear, has a history of electing the McWar type candidate despite the fact the world, in order to survive, needs an Obama-type President. The rest of the planet has realized this; but alas, have Americans realized this? Who knows? I frequently overhear Americans in the generation above me saying "no way a black man can win." Pretty sad — and you wonder why Rev. Wright has a chip on his shoulder? Why does it take so long to forgive and forget?
Thanks to the Olympic Games and the whistle-stop visit of the Russian Army to Georgia, the U.S. election campaign was almost blotted out of the media. Nevertheless, on Saturday the first encounter of the two candidates was held in OC — the home of Surf City USA.
I didn't see too many surfers at the venue (a couple with bushy blonde hair and board shorts); but the meeting wasn't held in a conventional television studio and didn't entail a lengthy debate between the two contenders.
Obama and McLame met for a mere 36 seconds at a Mega-Church in Lake Forrest, California. When Obama left the stage, McCain entered for an hour (including commercial breaks) to answer the very same questions that his rival had just answered during the previous hour. McCheater wasn't supposed to have heard any of the questions put to Obama; but, reports that McEars was in his limo listening on the radio instead of in his cone of silence. Imagine a politician bending the rules (cheating) like that?
"Mega Churches" are virtually unknown in Europe. The faith-factory in question, for example, looks like a warehouse and seats about 3,000 people, so in terms of capacity it competes with even the biggest European churches. The church's pastor, Rick Warren, penned a faith-based bestseller that has already earned millions. Faith in the United States is no private matter. LOL — grimace. And since Christian-conservative voters have made themselves a power to reckon with in the upcoming election, American politicians take every opportunity to suck up to this slice of the electorate.
Rick Warren asked both candidates questions that are of the most interest to fundamentalist U.S. Christians. He began by asking about federal judges and abortion, gay marriage, tax credits for the poor, and then he asked the candidates about personal issues like what the greatest moral failures in their lives were. Despite his recent past as a liberal of the right and an abortion-rights supporter, McCain took the easy road. Only when it comes to stem-cell research did his views differ from those that his Christian audience wanted to hear. Imagine a politician pandering (cheating) like that?
Apart from that, McDufus sucked up like a Hoover [the vacuum not the sucking politician the damn dam is named after]: Be it ..ion or the liberal leanings of federal judges — he was assured of applause from his conservative audience. Obama took a slightly harder road. Again and again his answers sparked a murmur from the audience, such as his opinion that certain forms of gay partnership, just like abortion, should remain legal.
The fact that such a place, with such an interviewer and such an audience, was chosen by the candidates to drive the first pegs of their campaigns into the ground, shows that the demands and claims to power of U.S.-evangelical Christians remain strong, and one can only wonder what the next attempts will be to weaken the barriers between religion and state that the Bushies accomplished so well in eight years.
I personally cheered when Obama said, in terms of Federal Judges, the main reason the Democrats MUST win is to ensure that we do not see any more weakening of The Legislative and Judicial Branches in favor of a stronger Executive Branch — which was a Bushie goal from before Day 1.
The absurdity of this entire affair was best illustrated when John McFlipflop called for coastal oil-drilling and was cheered for it by his Christian-conservative audience. For the most part, this is an audience which believes that the Earth is 6,000 years old, yet it applauded plans to look for resources that exist due to the organic remnants of prehistoric organisms that took millions of years to accrue.
The fact that a future U.S. President has to suck up at this kind of a forum really gives global politics a surrealistic undertone ... and embarrasses me as a US Citizen.
Evangelicals aren't my thing (no shocker there if you know me), but a megachurch pastor and millionaire author did an enormous favor for America on Saturday. The Rev. Rick Warren gave our presidential candidates a venue to make crystal clear their dissimilar perspectives and styles. Questioned separately, each proved appealing in his own way. Now the John Wayne tough guy and the Kennedyesque intellectual are running neck and neck.
McWar during his time did say something that George W. Bush had said back in 2001 and I wonder what the two McBushes are talking about . . . Sen. John McBush smacked of lunacy and treason when he said (as Bush had said): "If I have to follow him to the gates of hell, I will get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice — and I know how to do it."
For all of our sakes, Mr. McLame, why don't you tell Bush how to do it? Find bin Laden that is — it seems treasonable not to divulge such information! Bush is a known traitor anyways so WTF! It plainly shows there is no difference between W and McLame — the two McBushes. I lost respect for Bush and McDork many years ago.
Bush when recently asked how his hunt for bin Laden is going said, "I haven't given it much thought." [To busy with golf and planting WMDs like Easter Eggs] No shocker there. COL (Cry Out Loud) I guess he has given more thought to making profits in Iraq and securing our (his) oil interests.
THOUGHT and BUSH seem to be oxymorons — or is Bush more intelligent than he looks and just simply a greedy treasonous, murderer?
Could it be that bin Laden is worth more to The Bushies alive than dead? Hmmmmm - lemme think about that for a sec
The Bushies need an enemy to instill "more" fear into the American Public and to get McCain elected and further carry out the Republican Agendas of Middle Class destruction, war and murder for profit, torture, destruction of the US economy, breeding an ignorant pop-culture with the dumbing down of our children and trashing the world environment.
Neither Bush nor McLame have won any additional respect (as if I had any) from me for their anti-choice, pro-rich and very pro-war ideologies. Likewise, I am repulsed by McBush's hypocrisy — calling evangelicals "agents of intolerance" until he needs their support, turning against his own immigration reform plan when unreasonable bigots lambaste it and, seemingly overnight, trading in his criticism of President Bush for puppy dog adoration instead.
Granted, Obama does lack a Hollywood-worthy POW stint, war hero status and a family history of military service; but he has lived in several countries and understands different cultures. He chose to help the poor in south Chicago rather than head to a cushy law firm after college. Obama openly admits his mistakes, such as teenage experimentation with drugs and alcohol. Most important, perhaps, he listens as much as he talks. He acknowledges that he needs to hear from smart people on all sides of tough issues to help inform his views.
Maybe a majority of Americans prefer Howdy Doody to Bill Nye the Science Guy, and John Wayne to Gregory Peck? But we've had nearly eight years of a leader who ignores experts' perspectives, eschews dissent and relishes a superficial giggly approach on every level. Maybe it's time to set down the bowling ball and Budweiser for a minute and think about our nation's needs now.
Thanks to Rick Warren, that's suddenly become a whole lot easier to do.
Oh yeah, lemme know if John McCain tells us how to find Osama bin Laden! He seems to be withholding information valuable to the security of every American — that is, if one believes, bin Laden was responsible for 9/11.
Sources: Andrew Howell, Andrew Sullivan, Tucson Citizen, AP News, The World Meets US, NY Times, The Atlantic, The LA Times
Our Solar System Is Indeed Special
Current mood: amorous
Category: Life
We humans like to think we're special, but astronomically speaking we've been shot down quite severely and humbly put in our place. We're not at the center of our solar system, nowhere near the center of our galaxy and certainly not at the center of The Universe. But now comes great news for the human psyche from scientists trying to explain solar system formation. As far as solar systems go, we have thought ours was just average and that all solar systems were like ours.
But in looking at the 300 plus extrasolar planets that have been discovered and the systems they are in, none so far are anything like our home solar system. In fact, say scientists at Northwestern University, we may be special after all. In a study using computer simulations, researchers ran more than a hundred simulations, and the results show that the average planetary system's origin was full of violence and drama but that the formation of something like our solar system required conditions to be "just right" and quite special indeed.
The study illustrates that if early conditions had been just slightly different, very unpleasant things could have happened — like planets being thrown into the sun or jettisoned into deep space. This was the first simulation to model the formation of planetary systems from beginning to end, starting with the generic disk of gas and dust that is left behind after the formation of the central star and ending with a full planetary system.
Before the first exoplanets were discovered in the early 1990's we only had our own solar system from which to create a model, and astronomers had no reason to think our solar system unusual.
But we now know that these other planetary systems don't look like the solar system at all. The shapes of the exoplanets' orbits are elongated, not nice and circular. Planets are not where we expect them to be. Many giant planets similar to Jupiter, known as 'hot Jupiters' are so close to the star they have orbits of mere days. Clearly we needed to start fresh in explaining planetary formation and this greater variety of planets we now see.
The simulations suggest that an average planetary system's origin is extremely dramatic. The gas disk that gives birth to the planets also pushes them mercilessly toward the central star, where they crowd together or are engulfed.
Among the growing planets, there is cut-throat competition for gas, a chaotic process that produces a rich variety of planet masses.
Also planets orbiting close to each other can create a slingshot encounter that flings the planets elsewhere in the system; occasionally, one is ejected into deep space. Despite its best efforts to kill its offspring, the gas disk eventually is consumed and dissipates, and a young planetary system emerges.
Such a turbulent history would seem to leave little room for the sedate solar system, and simulations show exactly that, Conditions must have beeen just right for the solar system to emerge.
Too massive a gas disk, for example, and planet formation is an anarchic mess, producing "hot Jupiters" and noncircular orbits galore. Too low-mass a disk, and nothing bigger than Neptune — an "ice giant" with only a small amount of gas — will grow.
We now better understand the process of planet formation and can explain the properties of the strange exoplanets we've observed. We also know that the solar system is special and understand at some level what makes it special.
Our solar system had to be born under just the right conditions to become this quiet place we see.
The vast majority of other planetary systems didn't have these special properties at birth and became something very different.
What Happened Before The Big Bang?
Current mood: romantic
Category: News and Politics
The conventional answer to that question is usually, "There is no such thing as 'before The Big Bang.'"
That's the event that started The Universe. But the right answer, says Cal Tech physicist Sean Carroll, is, "We just don't know."
Carroll, as well as many other physicists and cosmologists (astronomers who study the creation, structure and evolution of The Universe) have begun to consider the possibility of time before The Big Bang, as well as alternative theories of how our Universe came to be.
"This is an interesting time to be a cosmologist," Carroll said. "We are both blessed and cursed. It's a golden age, but the problem is that the model we have of The Universe makes no sense."
First, there's an inventory problem, where 95% of The Universe is unaccounted for. Cosmologists seemingly have solved that problem by concocting dark matter and dark energy. But because we have "created" matter to fit the data doesn't mean we understand the nature of The Universe.
Another big surprise about our Universe comes from actual data from the WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) spacecraft which has been studying the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) – the "echo" of The Big Bang.
"The WMAP snapshot of how the early Universe looked shows it to be hot, dense and smooth [low entropy] over a wide region of space," said Carroll. "We don't understand why that is the case. That's an even bigger surprise than the inventory problem. Our Universe just doesn't look natural." Carroll said states of low-entropy are rare, plus of all the possible initial conditions that could have evolved into a Universe like ours, the overwhelming majority have much higher entropy, not lower.
But the single most surprising phenomenon about The Universe, said Carroll, is that things change. And it all happens in a consistent direction from past to future, throughout The Universe.
"It's called the arrow of time," said Carroll. This arrow of time comes from the second law of thermodynamics, which invokes entropy. The law states that invariably, closed systems move from order to disorder over time. This law is fundamental to physics and astronomy.
One of the big questions about the initial conditions of The Universe is why did entropy start out so low? "And low entropy near The Big Bang is responsible for everything about the arrow of time" said Carroll. "Life and death, memory, the flow of time." Events happen in order and can't be reversed.
"Every time you break an egg or spill a glass of water you're doing observational cosmology," Carroll said.
Therefore, in order to answer our questions about The Universe and the arrow of time, we might need to consider what happened before The Big Bang.
Carroll insisted these are important issues to think about. "This is not just recreational theology," he said. "We want a story of The Universe that makes sense. When we have things that seem surprising, we look for an underlying mechanism that makes what was a puzzle understandable. The low entropy Universe is clue to something and we should work to find it."
Right now we don't have a good model of The Universe, and current theories don't answer the questions. Classical general relativity predicts The Universe began with a singularity, but it can't prove anything until after The Big Bang.
Inflation theory, which proposes a period of extremely rapid (exponential) expansion of The Universe during its first few moments, is no help, Carroll said. "It just makes the entropy problem worse. Inflation requires a theory of initial conditions."
There are other models out there, too, but Carroll proposed, and seemed to favor the idea of multi-Universes that keep creating "baby" Universes. "Our observable Universe might not be the whole story," he said. "If we are part of a bigger multiverse, there is no maximal-entropy equilibrium state and entropy is produced via creation of Universes like our own."
Measurements from WMAP show that the fluctuations in the microwave background are about 10% stronger on one side of the sky than on the other.
An explanation for this "heavy-on-one-side Universe" would be if these fluctuations represented a structure left over from The Universe that produced our Universe.
Carroll said all of this would be helped by a better understanding of quantum gravity. "Quantum fluctuations can produce new Universes. If thermal fluctuation in a quiet space can lead to baby Universes, they would have their own entropy and could go on creating Universes."
Granted, — and Carroll stressed this point – any research on these topics is generally considered speculation at this time. "None of this is firmly established stuff," he said. "I would bet even money that this is wrong. But hopefully we'll be able to come back in 10 years and tell you that we've figured it all out."
The Milky Way Reassessed
Current mood: bouncy
Category: News and Politics
If you were stuck inside your house, you'd never know what it looks like from the outside. That's the situation with our galaxy - The Milky Way.
We're inside it, so we don't really know what its structure looks like. There are other examples of grand spiral galaxies that we can see, but this is like seeing other houses outside your window; you just can't be sure. Astronomers have developed a detailed map of The Milky Way, and realized that they were giving our home galaxy too many arms; it's only got 2, and not 4 like astronomers originally thought.
The new revelation was made possible thanks to NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which sees in the infrared spectrum, and can peer though the gas and dust that obscures the plane of The Milky Way.
Previous maps of the Milky Way were first developed in the 1950s, when astronomers used radio telescopes to trace out the spiral arms of our home galaxy. They focused on gas clouds, and revealed what they thought were 4 major star-forming arms: Norma, Scutum-Centaurus, Sagittarius and Perseus.
We live in minor arm called the Orion Arm, or the Orion Spur, located between the Sagittarius and Perseus Arms.
And now in 2008, astronomers have used infrared telescopes to pierce through the clouds of gas and dust to see that the central bar in the middle of the Milky Way extends much further than previously believed.
In a new survey by Spitzer, astronomers merged together 800,000 photographs containing over 110 million stars. Software counted up the number of stars and measured their density.
As expected, astronomers found an increase in density in stars towards the Scutum-Centaurus Arm, but no increase towards the Sagittarius and Norma arms. The Perseus arm wraps around the outer portion of our galaxy and can't be seen in the Spitzer images.
This helps make the case that The Milky Way only has two spiral arms; a commonly seen situation where a galaxy has a long central bar.
Sources: AP News, LA Times
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Pyromania
By
Def Leppard
Release date: 1990-10-25
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