The only thing that really impresses me about the Obama campaign is their amazing ability to find new and innovative ways to piss people off.

What else can I say?

Rusty Shackelford has found something very interesting that may sink the Obama campaign.

It appears that a professional PR firm with multiple ties to the Obama Campaign has been "astroturfing" slime videos about Sarah Palin on YouTube. And doing it under their own names, the arrogant dumbasses.

I'm not going to post part of it here as you've got to really read the whole thing twice to really get the gist of not only how sleazy it was, but how stupid they were in how they went about it.

More fingerprints left behind than in an ink and paper factory.

Been re-reading Wei Jingsheng's "The Courage To Stand Alone"

This is an astonishing book, and one of the finest examples of Chinese dissident literature that I can think of off the top of my head.

Anyway, I came across the following paragraph. Does some of what he writes about sound familiar?

Fatheadedness has so reduced everything but politics into matters of such insignificance that the sole factor determining human existence in China is politics. Therefore, people have little choice but to waste most of their energy on politics, which has been blown way out of proportion for far too long. This has served to increase both the intensity and complexity of political disputes, and caused the vulgar ruthlessness of politics to infect and disease science and culture as well. To use political standards to judge science and culture, not to mention people of talent, is as worthless as breeding a donkey with a thoroughbred. It blurs the lines between right and wrong, and good and bad in science and culture, and breaks down the natural process of weeding out the inferior and choosing the superior. This is chaotic enought in the short term, but in the long term you will find that science and culture lag behind.

Inquiring minds want to know.

YZ

I try not to reprint entire articles. Here's why.

Orson Scott Card is one of the most brilliant writers with whose works I am acquainted. He just wrote an essay. And I'm not going to say what it is about.


Tell ya what. Go over and give it a read. If you don't think that going there was worth a mouse click, then you're welcome to come back and tell me why.


Then again, if you DO think that going there was worth a mouse click, then you're welcome to come back and tell me why as well.


Just don't call my daughter a fartling.


Some commenter unwisely did that on another thread-- I'm fairly certain it was meant maliciously, and I was, well, Trumanesque in my response. For you younger folks, that's Harry Truman, not The Truman Show's Truman Burbank.


Oh, yes- forgot. The reason I like to make you go to a blog and read someone's article on *their own site* is because you can look around, perhaps check out a couple of posts or discussion threads.


And I think that introducing people to good writing and good blogs gets you good Net karma.


Hope so, anyway.


I *know* you get good karma by changing tires for people on the roadside and things like that.


Chatty tonight, I guess. Have no idea why.


Y'all enjoy the rest of your weekend.

liberal or conservative?

This was a questionnaire my daughter got in her U.S. Government class.

1. There are already too many government regulations protecting the environment. Many of these new regulations are unnecessary and should be eliminated (for example, not allowing companies to cut down trees because they may endanger certain birds>
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


2. People should be required to pay taxes to pay for government programs. Programs (like welfare and Medicare) are good things that help out people in need. We all need to pay our share.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


3. Education should be left up to the states and to local school districts. Each school district should set its own standards because the school district knows what is best for its students. The federal government should stay out of education.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


4. Handguns are very dangerous. We need to have a national system of gun control to make sure that no criminals can get guns, even if this makes it more difficult for ordinary people to get guns.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


5. Abortion is wrong and should be illegal. (If you feel there should be cases when abortion is allowed, like if a woman is raped of if her life is in danger,if she has the child then choose "agree."
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


6. Prayer should be kept out of the public schools. Schools shouldn't have anything to do with religion.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


7. Programs like welfare and food stamps are a waste of the taxpayers' money. No one should be forced to pay taxes to support other people.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


8. The government spends to much on the military. There is no real threat to the United States from other countries. We already have more than enough nuclear weapons and other military equipment.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


9. Laws that set the minimum wage, safety regulations, and other regulations have gotten out of hand. Business should be left alone so they can make a profit.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


10. People should be free to marry members of the same sex. These couples should also be free to adopt children. As long as the two people love each other, that's what matters.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


11. We pay way too much money in taxes Everyone deserves a tax cut now. The government takes more of our money than it really needs.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


12. Because schools in inner cities are so much poorer than schools in the suburbs, they cannot offer their students as good an education as suburban students get. Therefore, the federal government should use tax dollars to help poorer school districts provide better education. It is unfair that rich children should get better education than poor children.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


13. Guns don't kill people, people do. Anyone who wants to buy a gun should be able to do so.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


14. The decision to have an abortion is up to a woman and her doctor, period.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


15. Religion is a positive influence for kids. Schools should give students a few minutes of silence each day to pray if they choose to.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


16. Government programs like welfare and food stamps are the best way to help the poor in this country. Charities are good, but they do not do enough to help the needy.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


17. A strong national defense is most important function of government. The U.S. needs a strong military and we should continue to spend a lot of money on the military. This is one of the best investments our country can make.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


18. Government regulations like the minimum wage and safety regulations in factories are the only way to protect workers. Without these laws, employees would have a hard life.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


19. Marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman. People of the same sex should not be allowed to marry or to adopt children.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


20. The environment is our most precious resource. The government needs to protect it from businesses and people who might pollute it, even if that costs money and time.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree

Are you liberal or conservative? Part Two.

This was a questionnaire my daughter got in her U.S. Government class.
And here are her answers.

1. There are already too many government regulations protecting the environment. Many of these new regulations are unnecessary and should be eliminated (for example, not allowing companies to cut down trees because they may endanger certain birds>
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


2. People should be required to pay taxes to pay for government programs. Programs (like welfare and Medicare) are good things that help out people in need. We all need to pay our share.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


3. Education should be left up to the states and to local school districts. Each school district should set its own standards because the school district knows what is best for its students. The federal government should stay out of education.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


4. Handguns are very dangerous. We need to have a national system of gun control to make sure that no criminals can get guns, even if this makes it more difficult for ordinary people to get guns.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


5. Abortion is wrong and should be illegal. (If you feel there should be cases when abortion is allowed, like if a woman is raped of if her life is in danger,if she has the child then choose "agree."
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


6. Prayer should be kept out of the public schools. Schools shouldn't have anything to do with religion.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


7. Programs like welfare and food stamps are a waste of the taxpayers' money. No one should be forced to pay taxes to support other people.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


8. The government spends too much on the military. There is no real threat to the United States from other countries. We already have more than enough nuclear weapons and other military equipment.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


9. Laws that set the minimum wage, safety regulations, and other regulations have gotten out of hand. Business should be left alone so they can make a profit.
   A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


10. People should be free to marry members of the same sex. These couples should also be free to adopt children. As long as the two people love each other, that's what matters.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


11. We pay way too much money in taxes Everyone deserves a tax cut now. The government takes more of our money than it really needs.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


12. Because schools in inner cities are so much poorer than schools in the suburbs, they cannot offer their students as good an education as suburban students get. Therefore, the federal government should use tax dollars to help poorer school districts provide better education. It is unfair that rich children should get better education than poor children.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


13. Guns don't kill people, people do. Anyone who wants to buy a gun should be able to do so.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


14. The decision to have an abortion is up to a woman and her doctor, period.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


15. Religion is a positive influence for kids. Schools should give students a few minutes of silence each day to pray if they choose to.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


16. Government programs like welfare and food stamps are the best way to help the poor in this country. Charities are good, but they do not do enough to help the needy.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


17. A strong national defense is most important function of government. The U.S. needs a strong military and we should continue to spend a lot of money on the military. This is one of the best investments our country can make.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


18. Government regulations like the minimum wage and safety regulations in factories are the only way to protect workers. Without these laws, employees would have a hard life.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


19. Marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman. People of the same sex should not be allowed to marry or to adopt children.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree


20. The environment is our most precious resource. The government needs to protect it from businesses and people who might pollute it, even if that costs money and time.
    A-Strongly agree B-Agree C-Neutral D-Disagree E-Strongly disagree

Malkin gets the story behind the Palin e-mail hacking

It, like most so-called "hacks" was more on the lines of what is called "social engineering"- the use of publicly available information to obtain the password recovery answers that most websites have.

The best comment in the earlier post she made about this is as follows:

On September 17th, 2008 at 7:06 pm, The Master said:

Is the irony pretty ironic? Obama slams McCain for not using email and Palin’s gets hacked when she does.

You know the news business has gotten bizarre when...

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert seem to be the RATIONAL segment of the business...

Just a thought.

Sarah Palin on feminist issues

NOTE: This is from a website called ""The Reclusive Leftist" where the quality of the intellectual discourse is nothing short of outstanding.

Sarah Palin calls herself a “pro-life feminist.” Basically, that’s feminism minus abortion rights.

Obviously that puts her at odds with modern American feminism on a crucial issue. But to hear tell from the many feminist writers now publishing furious editorials, Sarah Palin isn’t just out of step on that one issue. She is, according to them, the antithesis of everything feminism means.

Really?

I thought I’d start a collection of Palin’s own statements on feminist issues. I post these for now without comment; that’ll come later. From what I can tell, the feminist writers who are attacking Palin are doing so with an astonishing disregard for the truth. I’m still trying to sort out why.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sarah Palin on combining motherhood with a career: “To any critics who say a woman can’t think and work and carry a baby at the same time, I’d just like to escort that Neanderthal back to the cave.”

Sarah Palin on her ability to govern Alaska while raising children: “My answer would always be … that I’m going to do the job just as well as any male governor who had kids, you know, I think we can handle this.”

Sarah Palin on raising her children to embrace gender equality: “Because I have both boys and girls I have a greater respect for equality and making sure that gender is not an issue and that everyone is treated equally.”

Sarah Palin on being a “pro-life feminist”: “I believe in the strength and the power of women, and the potential of every human life.”

Sarah Palin on contraception and sex education: “I’m pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues. So I am not anti-contraception. But, yeah, abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids. I don’t have a problem with that. That doesn’t scare me, so it’s something I would support also.”

Sarah Palin on whether she would support an abortion ban in Alaska if Roe v. Wade were overturned: “It would be up to the people of Alaska to discuss and decide how we would like our society to reflect our values.”

Sarah Palin on a woman president and endorsing McCain instead of Hillary (March 2008): “But I have to admit a little bit of guilt there for not being able to jump on Hillary’s bandwagon, because I would so love to see a woman president. I think our nation is overdue there. So, I’ve said along, ‘Heck yeah, America’s ready for a woman president.’”

Sarah Palin on being the first female governor of Alaska: “I’m the first female governor in Alaska, so that’s brought with it kind of a whole new chapter in Alaska’s life. Like my husband — up here they refer to him as the ‘first dude,’ not the first gentleman. And Todd… A whole new chapter here when Todd is asked to do things like — and he graciously complies and he has a good time doing it — hosting, as he did a couple of weeks ago down in Juneau, our capital city, the former first ladies tea party. And he does just great at things like that, as well as working in oil fields, with snow machines and in commercial fishing. That’s a dynamic here that’s of interest to others.”

Sarah Palin on Title IX, sports, and growing up with gender equality: “You know I grew up with Title IX, and sports were so big, and in my upbringing very instrumental in shaping my character and a need to compete and really to win. So because of a very athletic background and growing up in a family, a busy large family, where gender never was really an issue there. My dad expected us to be back there chopping wood and snowmachining with the rest of them, hunting and fishing and doing all those things that are quite Alaskan.”

Sarah Palin on sports, scholarships, and the beauty pageant: “Graduating high school in 1982 there weren’t a whole lot of high-school athletes, females going on to college to play sports yet. That’s what I was looking for, a scholarship in athletics. I didn’t get one, the next best thing would be the Miss America scholarship pageant where at least you had to show that you had a talent. I played the flute and was really into music so, you know I won a couple of titles there, and it paid tuition through four, five years of college. So, that was OK, it wasn’t really my thing, I was never really comfortable with it, but it paid for some college, though.”

Sarah Palin on the challenge for Hillary and other women candidates to appear “tough”: “I recognize that Hillary seems to be trying real hard to be tough, but I say, more power to her. I think she’s had to do that. It’s unfortunate that she’s had to do that, but she comes across to me as tough, capable. I can respect that in her, that she is that tough, capable and experienced and all that….I recognize that’s what she’s trying to do and I think it’s unfortunate that maybe a woman candidate feels that she has to go there. You don’t see male candidates doing that.”

Sarah Palin on dealing with the double standard applied to women candidates: “Fair or unfair—and I do think that it’s a more concentrated criticism that Hillary gets on so many fronts; I think that’s unfortunate. But fair or unfair, I think she does herself a disservice to even mention it, really. You have to plow through that and know what you’re getting into. I say this with all due respect to Hillary Clinton and to her experience and to her passion for changing the status quo. But when I hear a statement like that coming from a women candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism or a sharper microscope put on her, I think, man, that doesn’t do us any good. Women in politics, women in general wanting to progress this country, I don’t think it bodes well for her, a statement like that. Because, again, fair or not fair it is there. I think it’s reality and it’s a given, people just accept that she’s going to be under a sharper microscope. So be it. Work harder, prove to yourself to an even greater degree that you’re capable, that you’re going to be the best candidate.”

Posted by Violet under Election 2008 on September 15, 2008, 4:11 am EST

Feminist blogger weighs in on Gibson-Palin interview

Evidence Gibson Was Prejudiced Against Palin: Comparison of Palin and Obama Interviews


Excerpt:


I compared Charles Gibson’s interview of Palin with his interview of Obama and there is much evidence that Gibson was prejudiced against Palin. He interviewed Obama right after he became the presumptive presidential nominee and he interviewed Palin shortly after she became the vice presidential nominee. So the situation of the interviews is similar. And because the situation of the interviews is similar Gibson’s extreme prejudice against Palin is very obvious.

Hollywood director brings up another "angle" on ABCgate.

This blogger has just started, and his first post is GOOD.

He makes interesting points about the use of camera angles and lenses to control how one "sees" an interviewee. Palin, Obama and HRC are compared.

So go check it out, and leave him a comment to encourage him to keep pointing stuff like this out.

SNL: Fey/Poehler as Palin/Clinton THE UNEDITED TRANSCRIPT

We have obtained, through confidential sources, the UNEDITED transcript of tonight's Saturday Night Live opening sketch:

FEY:
When I was told that Senator Clinton and I would be addressing you tonight...[audience laughs]

POEHLER:
And I was told that I would be addressing you alone...[audience laughs]

FEY:
Now I know it must be a little bit strange [audience laughs] for all of you to see the two of us together, what with me being John McCain's running mate...

POEHLER:
And me being a fervent supporter of Senator Barack Obama...as evidenced by this button (touches button) [audience laughs]

FEY:
But tonight we are crossing party lines to address the now very ugly role that sexism is playing in the campaign...

POEHLER:
An issue which I am, frankly, suprised to hear people suddenly care about...[audience laughs]

FEY:
You know, Hillary and I don't agree on every...

POEHLER:
ANYthing. [audience laughs] I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.

FEY:
And I can see Russia from my house. [audience laughs, applauds, cheers]

POEHLER:
I believe that global warming is caused by man...

FEY:
And I believe that it's just God hugging us closer... [audience laughs, applauds]

POEHLER:
I don't agree with the Bush Doctrine...

FEY:
And I don't know what that is... [audience laughs, applauds]

POEHLER:
But Sarah, one thing we can both agree on is that sexism should never be allowed to permeate an American election.

FEY:
So please, stop Photoshopping my head on sexy bikini pictures... [audience laughs]

POEHLER:
And stop saying I have "cankles". [audience laughs]

FEY:
Don't refer to me as a MILF. [audience laughs, hoots]

POEHLER:
And don't refer to me as a flurch- I Googled what it stands for and I do not like it... [audience laughs]

FEY:
Reporters and commentators, stop using words that diminish us, like pretty, attractive, beautiful...

POEHLER:
Harpy, shrew...boner-shrinker... [audience laughs, applauds]

FEY:
While our politics may differ, my friend and I are both very tough ladies [audience laughs] ...you know, it reminds me of a joke we tell in Alaska...

POEHLER:
Oh boy... [audience laughs]

FEY:
What's the difference...

POEHLER:
Lipstick.

FEY:
between a hockey mom... [audience laughs]

POEHLER:
Lipstick. [audience laughs]

FEY:
and a pit bull...

POEHLER:
Lipstick. [audience laughs]

FEY:
Lipstick.

POEHLER:
There ya go. [audience laughs, applauds]

FEY:
Just look at how far we've come. Hillary Clinton, who came so close to the White House, and me, Sarah Palin who is even closer. [audience laughs] Can you believe it, Hillary?

POEHLER:
(sits with tight-lipped grimace, shakes head, no) [audience laughs] I cannot. [audience laughs]

FEY:
It's truly amazing and I think women everywhere can agree that no matter your politics, it's time for a woman to make it to the White House...

POEHLER:
(spoken as a two-year-old would say it:) NOOOOO! MINE! [audience laughs] It's supposed to be mine. [audience laughs] I'm sorry, I need to say something. I didn't want a woman to be President, I wanted to be President, and I just happen to be a woman.

And I don't want to hear you compare your road to the White House to my road to the White House. I scratched, and clawed, [audience laughs, applauds] through mud and barbed wire, (Fey makes gesture of cocking a lever-action rifle) and you just glided in on a dogsled wearing your pageant sash and your (Fey holds up imaginary rifle) [audience laughs, applauds] (shrill voice) Tina Fey glasses (Fey puts elbows on podium and strikes cutesy pose) and ... [audience laughs, applauds, cheers]

FEY:
What an amazing time we live in-- to think that just two years ago I was a small-town mayor of Alaska's crystal meth capital. [audience laughs] And now I am just one heartbeat away from being the President of the United States. [audience laughs] It just goes to show that anyone can be President...

POEHLER:
Anyone...[audience laughs] anyone... [audience laughs]anyone (laughs)

FEY:
All you have to do is want it...

POEHLER:
(cackles, laughs maniacally) [audience laughs] Oh my God. (laughs maniacally) Yeah. You know, Sarah,

looking back, if I could change one thing, I probably should have wanted it more. [audience laughs] (laughs maniacally again, tears piece off of podium) [audience laughs, applauds]

FEY:
So, in the next six weeks, I invite the media to be vigilant for sexist behavior...

POEHLER:
Although it is never sexist to question female politicians' credentials- please, ask this one (gestures toward Fey) about dinosaurs. [audience laughs a little] So, in conclusion, I invite the media to grow a pair. And if you can't, I will loan you mine. [audience laughs, applauds, cheers]


FEY:
And as we say in Alaska...

POEHLER:
We say it everywhere...

FEY, POEHLER:
LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S SATURDAAAY NIIIIGHT!


Personally, I thought it was great. Fey did Palin spot-on.

Poehler's Hillary wasn't quite as good as Fey's Palin, but then again, the physical resemblance wasn't quite so striking as Fey to Palin, either.

And it was almost even-handed- they got digs in at everybody.

Want to complain to ABC about the Palin interviews?

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

DISNEY EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Robert A. Iger
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Thomas O. Staggs
Senior Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Alan N. Braverman
Senior Executive Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Wesley A. Coleman
Executive Vice President
Chief Human Resources Officer
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Christine M. McCarthy
Executive Vice President
Corporate Finance and Real Estate and Treasurer
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Kevin A. Mayer
Executive Vice President
Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Technology
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Zenia B. Mucha
Executive Vice President
Corporate Communications
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Preston R. Padden
Executive Vice President
Worldwide Government Relations
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Ronald L. Iden
Senior Vice President
Global Security
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Brent A. Woodford
Senior Vice President
Planning and Control
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

PRINCIPAL BUSINESSES

Media Networks

George W. Bodenheimer
Co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and
President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Anne M. Sweeney
Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks and
President, Disney•ABC Television Group
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Disney Consumer Products

Andrew P. Mooney
Chairman, Disney Consumer Products Worldwide
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Walt Disney Internet Group

Stephen H. Wadsworth
President, Walt Disney Internet Group
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Susan E. Arnold
President-Global Business Units
The Procter & Gamble Company
One Procter & Gamble Plaza,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

John E. Bryson
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Edison International
2244 Walnut Grove Avenue
Rosemead, CA 91770

John S. Chen
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
Sybase, Inc.
One Sybase Drive
Dublin, CA 94568

Judith L. Estrin
Chief Executive Officer
JLabs LLC
890 Santa Cruz Avenue, Suite B
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Steven P. Jobs
Chief Executive Officer
Apple Computer, Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014

Fred H. Langhammer
Chairman, Global Affairs
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
767 Fifth Avenue,
New York, NY 10153

Aylwin B. Lewis
Chief Executive Officer and President
Sears Holdings Corporation
3333 Beverly Road,
Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Monica C. Lozano
Publisher and Chief Executive Officer
La Opinión
700 S. Flower St., Suite #3000
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Robert W. Matschullat
Former Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer
The Seagram Company Ltd.
c/o The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

John E. Pepper, Jr.
Chairman of the Board
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Orin C. Smith
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Starbucks Corporation
c/o The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

One little word about discourse between the right and the left

One little word about discourse between the right and the left

I hang out at both right-wing and left-wing sites as I enjoy seeing a broad range of opinion and having reasoned discourse not only with people with whom I agree (at both types of sites) but also people with whom I disagree (again, at both types of sites). And frequently the latter discussions are more fun, not to mention more interesting.

And one thing I've noticed recently is the fact that all too often, when a poster is trying to discuss a position, they tend to overgeneralize.

People on the right post "Liberals think this" and people on the left say, "Conservatives think that". Republicans post "Democrats say this" and Democrats post "Republicans say that". And both of them say "Libertarians say the other".

Do you see what's wrong here? When we make generalizations about our opponents, of whatever stripe, well, that's what's called bigotry, plain and simple. It tends to raise the hackles of the members of the group that is being discussed, and leads to a deterioration not only the quality of the discussion, but of the civility of that discussion as well.

I'm going to suggest one word that not only get past this this problem, but could also lead to a difference in the way that people think. And that word is SOME.

If you say "Libertarians are closet anarchists", well, you probably just irritated the heck out of all Libertarians, whether Big-L or small-L, orthodox or economic. If you say Republicans are anti-feminist, well, you've just created a whole lot of "women scorned". And some men "scorned", too.

When you paint with too broad a brush, you become a sloppy painter.

Remember the old tongue-in-cheek quip that "All generalizations are false".

I hope I've made my point.

To SOME of you, anyway.

WaPo on Franklin Raines, former CEO of FNMA

The Washington Post has a puff piece entitled "On the Outside Now, Watching Fannie Falter" on Franklin Raines, former CEO of Fannie Mae and Obama advisor "on mortgage and housing policy matters"- he of the 6.3 BILLION dollar accounting scandal.

One quote in particular stood out to me:

"It's like a Dickensian novel," Raines said, who insisted he broke no laws in settling with the government last April.

That was so finely parsed as to be almost minced:

It's not against the law to settle with the government. DUH.

Didn't any of you people go to camp?

The song that the [large] crowds that are greeting McCain and Palin should be singing:

Okay folks, repeat after me:

"We love you Sarah, oh yes we do;
We don't love anyone as much as you;
When you're not near us, we're blue;
Oh Sarah, we love you."

UPDATE:

I hope that most of you realized that my tongue was firmly in my cheek when I posted this. This was what I would call a "Kool-Aid Test".

And, with one exception, y'all passed it with flying colors.

The campaign and the VP

I watched the live video of today's speeches; she basically repeated all the best lines from all of the two speeches she gave at the RNC.


Note to the McCain campaign:


Don't try to stage-manage this woman.


She's a natural.


She proved, when the TelePrompTer failed in the middle of her speech, that she can speak off the cuff and hold her own.


Turn her loose, unscripted, and she'll do more damage to the Obama campaign than ten "spokespeople".


After all, it's a known fact that hunters hunt better when the restrictions are fewer.


And this woman is loaded for bear, both figuratively and literally.

Nancy Pelosi bio from official House website: Five WHAT?

Source: http://www.house.gov/pelosi/biography/bio.html

Y'all can skip to here if you want...

---

Biography

Since 1987, Nancy Pelosi has represented California's Eighth District in the House of Representatives. The Eighth District includes most of the City of San Francisco including Golden Gate Park, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, and many of the diverse neighborhoods that make San Francisco a vibrant and prosperous community.Overwhelmingly elected by her colleagues in the fall of 2002 as Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi is the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. Before being elected Leader, she served as House Democratic Whip for one year and was responsible for the party's legislative strategy in the House. On January 4, 2007, Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

Legislative Record

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Pelosi fought for America's families. She has been a leader in increasing educational opportunity, protecting workers, and promoting health care, including women's health and the creation of a nationwide health tracking network to examine the links between environmental pollutants and chronic disease. She has been a strong proponent of increased investments in health research, and has secured funding to double the budget for the National Institutes of Health. Pelosi also has successfully defeated repeated attempts to reduce funding for international family planning programs.

One of Pelosi's first legislative victories was the creation of the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program. She has also worked to accelerate development of an HIV vaccine, expand access to Medicaid for people living with HIV, and increase funding for the Ryan White CARE Act, the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative and other programs vital to people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS.

Pelosi also successfully increased access to health insurance for people with disabilities by ensuring continuation of their health care coverage. She was instrumental in passing legislation to assist nonprofit organizations in the creation of affordable housing.

As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for 10 years (the longest continuous period of service in the committee's history) including two years as the Ranking Democrat, Pelosi worked to ensure that policymakers and military commanders are provided with the timely and accurate intelligence necessary to guide diplomatic initiatives, succeed in combat, and protect U.S. military forces.

In meetings around the world with U.S. and foreign intelligence leaders, Pelosi has urged for greater attention to the threats to international security posed by the proliferation of technologies associated with the weapons of mass destruction and global terrorism.

In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Pelosi led congressional reviews of the U.S. intelligence and security agencies and authored legislation to create an independent national commission to assess the overall performance of the federal government before, during, and after the attacks.

Pelosi has long been an advocate for human rights around the world. She has fought to improve China's human rights record, attempting to tie trade to increased human rights standards. She has also been a leader on efforts to free the people of Tibet.

A leader on the environment at home and abroad, Pelosi secured passage of a provision in the International Development and Finance Act of 1989 which requires the World Bank and all the regional multilateral development banks to review the potential environmental impacts of development projects for which they provide funding and to make these environmental assessments publicly available. Known as the "Pelosi Amendment," it has become a significant tool for indigenous, nongovernmental organizations around the world.

Pelosi has also served on the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) and the Banking and Financial Services Committee. She has chaired the Congressional Working Group on China and has served on the Executive Committee of the Democratic Study Group.

Personal Story

Pelosi hails from a strong family tradition of public service. Her father, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., served as Mayor of Baltimore for 12 years, after representing the city for five terms in Congress. Her brother, Thomas D'Alesandro III, also served as Mayor of Baltimore.

 
Pelosi graduated from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. in 1962. Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi, a native of San Francisco, have five children: Nancy Corinne, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul and Alexandra, and seven grandchildren.

Heard anybody in the Media or on the Left ask HER any questions about whether a woman with five kids can or should hold a high-level political office?

See also hypocrites, (plural noun)

And they deny that there's a double standard.

I guess that they either have "many standards"-- or none at all.

THE SPEECH, PART 2

Now that I've had time to catch my breath and settle down a bit, I thought I'd write a bit more about tonight.

For historical reasons, my political heroes are Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill. Two rather ordinary individuals, who happened to be in particular places at specific times, and, when faced with extraordinary challenges, rose to greatness in order to deal with them.

History would be very different had either of these individuals not been where they were, when they were. And our lives are incomparably better because of them both.

Tonight I had the funniest feeling that we may have just watched the beginning of another person in the right place, at the right time, with the right character to rise to the occasion.

Because if Sarah Palin becomes Vice-President, I fully believe that she will be President after that, given her dynamism, principles and authenticity.

And she could change the entire direction of the Republican Party: Away from being "Democrat-Lite" and back to the principles of smaller and less intrusive government-- what would be termed "small-l" libertarianism in today's terms, and classical liberalism in formal political jargon.

(See "The Road to Serfdom" for a book which uses liberal and liberalism in that manner- it was written in 1942 and I consider it to be one of the most significant books of the Twentieth Century.)

In other words, what damn near everybody else in the Republican Party has forgotten about.

Don't worry about the slings and arrows of outrageous journalists. She proved once and for all tonight that Sarah Palin can take care of her-own-self.

And a special note to the PUMAs: I hope you were just as delighted with tonight's speech as I was. Category Five to say the least.

As we'd say in the South: She done us proud.

THE SPEECH. (Do I really have to say which one?)

She simply field-dressed Obama, Biden and the media-- and she never dropped her smile the whole time she was doing it.

I laughed, I cried, I was touched and in awe of her rhetorical skill.

Lightweight, my ass! Bet they drop that meme REAL quick!

If the Obama minions and the MSM were scared of her before, they've got to be reduced to quivering masses of jelly after this.

Wonder if Biden will withdraw before he gets on a stage with this woman...

Thank you, Gov. Palin.

Masterfully done, ma'am.

Thoughts on the Left and the vitriol they've been directing towards Governor Palin

And I preface by quoting Larry the Cable Guy: "Lord, forgive me for this one but it's just too good to pass up":

"Let he who is without stones cast the first sin."

And let me quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, for this one really nails the reaction of most people to what the MSM is doing:

"The more he spoke of honour, the faster we counted the spoons."

I will say no more.

Dear Governor Palin:

Before I posted this, I tried searching for your email link on the State of Alaska webservers.

Unfortnately it appears that said webservers have collapsed underneath the hitload.

I wish to congratulate you on your selection as John McCain's running mate, and state uncategorically that although I disagree with you on some issues, I have the utmost respect for your courage and the principled stands you have taken in connection with the situations that you have faced to date.

The Founding Fathers would be pleased. You are the type of citizen-leader that they anticipated; this is patently clear to anyone who has read their writings.

The career politicians, the beneficiaries of the status quo, those who nurse upon the teat of government, the statists, those who hate individual liberty and responsibility and those who would prefer to consider themselves citizens of the world first and Americans second are all terrified: not only terrified of you but also terrified of what you represent.

They are terrified of you because you, and the principles by which you have lived your life, are illustrating with the brilliance of a thousand arc lights not only their utter hypocrisy but also the corruption and filth in which they are immersed.

I ask you to please carry on despite the onslaught of insults and outright lies that have been directed towards you since your selection as the Republican nominee (I *can* call you that now, right? It's just a small technicality at this point.)

Remember that one of the best ways to judge someone's character is by looking at who their enemies are. And you have quite a collection there.

And, to make sure that I'm not painting with too broad a brush: As for some on the other side, such as the PUMAs- they are sickened by what they see, and they are more sickened with each passing day. I read it on their websites.

Most of them are cheering you on; some will vote for you and some will not; I respect them for their principled stands, either way.

In contrast to everyone else playing on the stage this fall, you are one of us.

Quintessentially American.

God bless you and your family.

Carry on despite the onslaught.

Carry on for the future of this country, and for us.