tagged w/ 2008 Presidential Election
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-Mixed Tag Team Three-Way Dance: Bill O’Reilly and ? from Fox News vs. MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann and ? vs. CNN’s Lou Dobb’s and ?
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-Minnesota Street Brawl: Al Franken (Progressive Alliance) vs. Norm Coleman (American Patriots)
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-Carolina Cat Fight: Elizabeth Dole (American Patriots) vs. Kay Hagan (Progressive Alliance)
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-New Hampshire Intergender Match: Jeanne Shaheen (Progressive Alliance) vs. John Sununu (American Patriots)
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-PCW Television Title Match: FUBAR © (Independent) vs. ‘No Frills’ Chris Escondido (Progressive Alliance)
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-PCW Tag Team Title Match: Jack and Bull Schett © w/Horst Schett and Hans Gruber- the Extreme German Schnauzer (Progressive Alliance) vs. Big Oil w/Texas Tex and Kirk Walstreit- the man with the man crush on ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit (McMann Corp)
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-PCW Women’s Title Match: ‘The Empress Queen of All Media’ Opal Winfree © w/Opal’s Flock- New Age Sensitive Guy and Soccer Mom (Progressive Alliance) vs. Kathryn Randall Collins aka KRC (McMann Corp)
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Main Event:
-PCW Title Match: ‘The Original Rookie Sensation’ Starz N. Stripes © w/John McCain (American Patriots) vs. ‘The New Rookie Sensation’ O’Beck Bahama w/Barack Obama (Progressive Alliance)
Click above for the full show...-Mixed Tag Team Three-Way Dance: Bill O’Reilly and ? from Fox News vs.... more
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Amber Lee Ettinger, the model who made the viral video "Crush on Obama", admits that Obama is all talk and no action and that no one understands what the Obama administration is trying to do with his healthcare plan. But she still gives the president a B- grade so far and has hope for the next three years.Amber Lee Ettinger, the model who made the viral video "Crush on Obama",... more
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Men who voted for Republican John McCain in last year's US presidential election saw their testosterone levels fall significantly when they learned he had lost to Barack Obama, a new study shows.Men who voted for Republican John McCain in last year's US presidential election... more
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As we bask in the glow of a new President Obama, how are we acting as a nation now that we have all collectively been weened off the high volume of election news. Has it made the current financial sting a bit less scroching and are we all treating each other a bit better .. worth considering.As we bask in the glow of a new President Obama, how are we acting as a nation now... more
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80 percent want to see a national deliberation on a major issue that would require Congress to respond to citizens, 76 percent want community service included in school curricula, and 67 percent would like schools to test students in civics.80 percent want to see a national deliberation on a major issue that would require... more
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Over the last four years, from 2005 through 2008, coverage of poverty in political news increased every year.Over the last four years, from 2005 through 2008, coverage of poverty in political... more
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In January, the Obama family will move into the White House, and there has been a tremendous amount of attention paid to the new First Family.In January, the Obama family will move into the White House, and there has been a... more
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Bob Giloth: "I hope that Obama puts together a Green Corp that works as a kind of energy independence and sustainable economy extension and outreach service for cities and regions."Bob Giloth: "I hope that Obama puts together a Green Corp that works as a kind of... more
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Obama’s victory was many things, but among them it was a rebuke of Sarah Palin’s much-vaunted “small town values.”Obama’s victory was many things, but among them it was a rebuke of Sarah... more
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President Obama will be first President to genuinely address poverty in over 40 years. On behalf of the 35+ million Americans living in poverty right now: Thank you, voters. President Obama will be first President to genuinely address poverty in over 40 years.... more
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America has shown that we deserve a politician with the vast potential for change that Barack Obama embodies. The question is, do we deserve a President Obama that gets as much done as the candidate Obama has proposed? Do we deserve a country as great as Obama’s vision?America has shown that we deserve a politician with the vast potential for change that... more
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Our next government is facing a poverty crisis. It is an issue critical to the well-being of not only millions of individual citizens but to the prosperity and the character of our nation as a whole. November 4th is a crucial election, and whoever wins it will face tremendous challenges and great Our next government is facing a poverty crisis. It is an issue critical to the... more
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By the time I talk to you next week, we will have elected a new President. I'm ready for a new President, but I will miss some things about this race.By the time I talk to you next week, we will have elected a new President. I'm... more
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Any form of progressive taxation is wealth redistribution.
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Levels of economic disparity in major US cities, including New York and Washington DC, are comparable to those of African cities, a United Nations report has concluded.
The UN-Habitat report "State of the World's Cities" released on Thursday said that, while the US has less poverty than many cities in the developed world, inequality is high, rising above the international "alert" line.
It said race was a key factor for US economic inequality.
"The life expectancy of African Americans in the United States is about the same as that of people living in China and some states of India, despite the fact that the United States is far richer than the other two countries," it said.
In one example, the report cited figures from western New York state, where 40 per cent of black, Hispanic and ethnically-mixed households earned less than $15,000 in 1999, as compared to 15 per cent of white households.
It said race was a key factor for US economic inequality.
"The life expectancy of African Americans in the United States is about the same as that of people living in China and some states of India, despite the fact that the United States is far richer than the other two countries," it said.
In one example, the report cited figures from western New York state, where 40 per cent of black, Hispanic and ethnically-mixed households earned less than $15,000 in 1999, as compared to 15 per cent of white households.
Beijing 'most equal'
The most balanced city, both in Asia and in the world, is Beijing, the capital of China, whereas the least egalitarian in Asia is Hong Kong, the Chinese-administered former British colony, the report found.
The world's most equal cities are located, on average, in western Europe, it said.
Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Slovenia were among those with the lowest levels of inequality, it said.
In Latin America, Brazilian cities "have the greatest disparities in income distribution in the world," the UN repot said.
Brazil is struggling to control rising unemployment and declining wages.
Cities in sub-Saharan Africa have the world's highest levels of urban poverty, with more than half of city residents living below the poverty line.
The report also said cities in South Africa and Namibia continue to have extremely high levels of income inequality, despite the end of apartheid early in the 1990s.
Levels of economic disparity in major US cities, including New York and Washington DC,... more
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The former mayor of Afghanistan's Herat province is now the most powerful local Taliban commander.
Ghullam Yahya Akbari told Al Jazeera that he will not negotiate with the Afghan government as long as foreign troops are on Afghan soil.
Given exclusive access to one of his 20 mountain bases hidden deep inside rugged terrain that Akbari says were also used to fight the Russians, Al Jazeera's Qais Azimy found a group of at least 60 well-armed Taliban fighters.
Akbari's steely resolve to fight foreign forces comes amid reports of many soldiers defecting to the Taliban. Many are unhappy with the "un-Islamic" ways of the foreign troops.
Young and old
Some in Akbari's camps were just teenagers, others old enough to be enjoying retirement, but all had left families behind and were committed to the fight to push international troops out of Afghanistan.
Akbari said he had 20 bases training fighters in the rugged mountain area
"I will continue jihad against the Americans who have invaded our soil until the last drop of blood remains in my body," Askar, one of the fighters, said.
The food they eat is mostly dry bread, but the fighters do have satellite television and complaints appear rare.
'MPs strike'
Twenty Afghan members of parliament have meanwhile gone on strike in protest at the worsening security situation in Herat, and over what they say is the government's inability to fix it.
The move is another sign of the difficulties facing Nato-led forces in bringing peace to the country.
"We are not doing jihad for our stomachs, we are doing jihad for Allah," another fighter said.
Akbari said the 20 mountain bases under his charge were also used by some of the same fighters to drive out the Russians in the 1980s.
"People may wonder why we live up in the mountains. That's because we want to avoid civilian casualties and fight with guerrilla tactics," he said.
No talks
The former mayor is not interested in peace talks and said he would even turn his guns against Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader, if he negotiated with the Afghan government.
"I do not believe that Mullah Omar would do that but if they sit with the Afghan government and negotiate then for us they will be like all the other members of the government and we'll continue our jihad," Akbari said.
A spokesperson for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) dismissed suggestions of an increase in Taliban support.
"While they were in power this was the worst administration in the history of the country so why would the people of Afghanistan want the Taliban back?" Brigadier-General Richard Blanchette said.The former mayor of Afghanistan's Herat province is now the most powerful local... more
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Alan Greenspan, the former US Federal Reserve chairman, has publicly admitted that the US free-market ideology that he and others have championed for decades is flawed.
Greenspan, who headed the US central bank for more than 18 years, said on Thursday that he had "found a flaw ... in the model that I perceived is the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works".
The admission is one of the most significant comments made by a key architect of the world financial system that is now in chaos amid the global economic crisis.
His comments came as he gave evidence to the US House committee on oversight and government, which is seeking to discover if regulatory failings had contributed to the turmoil.
Henry Waxman, the committee chairman, asked Greenspan: "You had the authority to prevent irresponsible lending practices that led to the subprime mortgage crises. You were advised to do so by many others and now the whole economy is paying its price.
"Do you feel that your ideology pushed you to make decisions that you wish you had not made?"
Greenspan replied: "Yes I found a flaw. I don't know how significant or permanent it is, but I've been very distressed by that fact."
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Bailout 'adequate'
Greenspan said that a necessary condition for the crisis to end will be a stabilisation in home prices, but he said that was not likely to occur for "many months in the future".
When home prices finally stabilise, Greenspan said, then "the market freeze should begin to measurably thaw and frightened investors will take tentative steps towards re-engagement with risk".
Greenspan said until that occurs, the government was correct in moving forward aggressively with efforts to support the financial sector.
He called the $700bn rescue package passed by the US congress on October 10 "adequate to serve the need" and said that its effect was already being felt in the markets.
Alan Greenspan, the former US Federal Reserve chairman, has publicly admitted that the... more
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Saturday 25 October 2008
by: Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Ph.D., t r u t h o u t | Perspective
John McCain at a campaign rally in Westerville, Ohio, October 19. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images North America)
As America moves into the final days of the 2008 presidential campaign Senator McCain and his surrogates are desperately seeking any message that will resonate with the American people. The problem is that their desperate actions are resulting in dangerous and ugly politics.
Senator McCain hails himself as a maverick - a visionary and independent man who breaks from the politics of the past. Actually, McCain and his supporters are simply pandering to the conservative right and the fringe elements of America. They are not "reaching across the aisle" or "seeking consensus." His campaign is not building bridges to move the country forward; it's building bridges to nowhere. McCain and his surrogates have turned to fear mongering through racist innuendo as Senator McCain attempts to become America's 44th president.
Is George Will suggesting that Barak Obama has an inherent advantage in this election because he is African-American? I've always admired George Will's intellect even though I've disagreed with his politics. This statement makes me wonder; what America is he living in? What poll data is he not looking at? That's an utterly stupid assessment.
In California, a Republican group in San Bernardino County distributed a newsletter that depicted Senator Obama on a fake $10 food stamp along with images of a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken. On an official state Republican Party web site in Sacramento County, Republicans posted a series of violent anti-Obama images and statements. Senator Obama was depicted in a turban and paired with images of Osama bin Laden, with a caption that read: "The only difference between Obama and Osama is BS." Below that were the words "Waterboard Barack Obama!" This goes right to General Powell's issues with the false intimations that Obama is Muslim.
Senator McCain has stated that Hamas endorses Senator Obama, "I think it is very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States ... I think that the people should understand that I will be Hamas' worst nightmare!"
This libelous, slanderous and inflammatory rhetoric has turned dangerous. At a recent McCain campaign rally, when McCain asked, "Who is Barack Obama?" a supporter screamed "terrorist"! In Pennsylvania during a speech by Sarah Palin, one supporter screamed "kill him" in reference to Obama.
While it is clearly understood that Senator McCain is not responsible for the actions of his supporters and those who endorse him, we do expect a man claims to break from the politics of the past to soundly and clearly disassociate himself from these tactics. Senator McCain should repudiate and disavow those engaged in this behavior in the same manner Senator Obama was forced to repudiate and disavow Reverend Wright. Instead, McCain uses Sarah Palin to spread the most vicious of the attacks. At a rally in Denver, Palin said, "This is not a man who sees America as you see it and as I see America - our opponent, though, is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." All may be fair in love, war and politics, but the rhetoric of desperation should at least be based in fact and not place the well-being of your opponent in peril.
Saturday 25 October 2008
by: Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Ph.D., t r u t h o u t |... more
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...................They are jumping the Ship"..............................................................................
Friday 24 October 2008
by: Ewen MacAskill, The Guardian UK
Scott McClellan, former White House Press Secretary for George W. Bush, has endorsed Barack Obama for president. (Photo: Reuters)
Washington - Joel Haugen, a Republican fighting a tough congressional race against the Democrats in Oregon, has fallen out with his party. The reason: his surprise endorsement of Barack Obama for the presidency.
"I believe in putting nation before party and my first priority is following my conscience with regard to what is best for America," Haugen said in a statement issued by his office today. "I have a huge amount of respect for John McCain, but I believe that he has more of a cold war mentality."
Haugen is just one of many Republican politicians, dubbed "Obamicans", who have defected to Obama. The latest high-profile desertions include Scott McClellan, George Bush's former press secretary, who endorses Obama in a taped CNN programme to be broadcast this weekend, and William Weld, the Republican governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997.
Weld, in a statement released today ahead of a press conference in New Hampshire, described Obama as "a once-in-a-lifetime candidate."
Last weekend, Bush's former secretary of state, Colin Powell, Obama's biggest Republican catch so far, publicly backed the Democratic candidate.
Other defectors include Arne Carlson, the Republican governor of Minnesota from 1991 to 1999, who wrote in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune yesterday: "The choice of governor Sarah Palin as a running mate, and the resultant shallow campaign based on fear and suspicion, looks frighteningly similar to the politics of Karl Rove [Bush's campaign strategist]."
He described Obama as having "the potential to become a truly great president".
McClellan, who published a book earlier this year critical of the Bush administration, accusing it of lying, told CNN he would vote for Obama because he offered the best chance of changing the way Washington works.
The founders of Republicans for Obama include a former Iowa congressman, Jim Leach; a former Rhode Island senator, Lincoln Chafee, and a former Bush fund-raiser, Rita Hauser.
Another defector this week is Ken Adelman, a foreign policy adviser to Ronald Reagan, who told the New Yorker he would endorse Obama because of McCain's temperament, describing as weird his behaviour in response when the economic meltdown began....................They are jumping the... more
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Simple humanity converts a foe
13:24' 15/08/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – Human kindness can be found wherever people are, despite the geographical, language, cultural and ideological barriers between them.
That is what an American pilot came to understand after 20 hours in "enemy territory". And it is also the message Le Lan Anh, a 54-year-old writer, wanted to communicate with her first book, which has just been published by the Literature Publishing House.
Entitled O Dat Ke Thu (In Enemy Territory), the short story was inspired by the author's experiences during the American War, when she was evacuated to a northern rural village.
The life of the farmers there would have remained calm, if in 1967, in the midst of the American military's bombing campaign to destroy the north of Vietnam, the villagers did not catch "an important" enemy.
The "important" prisoner, a US bomber pilot, turned out to be John McCain, who went on to become a Republican Party Senator, and now a candidate in the US 2008 presidential election.
"I had no intention of writing something strange about the war," Anh said, "I just wrote because of my obsession. I wrote what I know and what I experienced."
Anh said she might have forgotten John McCain, had he not returned to Vietnam in 2000, visited Hoa Lo Prison in central Hanoi and spared no effort in trying to improve relations between Vietnam and the US.
When she came across him in the media, she immediately recognised him as the "important" prisoner from the village.
"I was moved by his friendliness, and I realised that I had to write about him," she said.
Before she started writing, Anh said she gathered as much information as she could from articles, books and films created by Americans on the Viet cong (the name the Americans gave to Vietnamese liberation fighters).
Through her research, Anh came to know that the Americans had a very poor understanding of, and even distorted information about, the liberation fighters.
In films and books, the Americans described the liberation fighters in an insulting way. She pointed to the films Deer Hunter and We Were Soldiers as prime examples.
Her book O Dat Ke Thu tells of the relationship that develops between a farmer named Bi, his daughter Na and a captured American pilot, Jim.
During the 20 hours they spend together in Ha Village, the prisoner experiences the cruelty of war, the hardships faced by the local people and is moved by the simple humanity inside the little girl, Na.
Despite the hardships of her own life, in an area bearing continuous bombing from the Americans, Na puts all her efforts into taking care of the prisoner, and even saves his life, sheltering him from a bomb that falls nearby.
Na's kindness, and witnessing the misery of the people on the ground, changes Jim's mind about "returning to the sky" to continue bombing northern Vietnam.
"Alluring and moving," that's the best phrase to describe the book, said military writer Chu Lai. "Her book is a fairly soft blend between literature, poetry and cinema; between description and stylisation.
She has helped to create a new perspective on the war. This topic should be written about with great care, otherwise one risks stepping in one's predecessor's footprints."
(Source: Viet Nam News)Simple humanity converts a foe
13:24' 15/08/2007 (GMT+7)
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