Grinch or not?

Interesting story from California. A couple decorates their house with tons and tons of Xmas lights, the Today Show covers the house, the crowds swell to 1500 sight-seers an evening, and the neighbors get pissed. The city is now requiring the couple to get a permit, as a result of the complaints?

So are they a couple of grinches, or do the neighbors have a point? Read More......

Friday Orchid Blogging

Bl. Yellow Bird



A very easy-to-grow plant with long almost grassy-type leaves (pencil thin). Mine blooms a bit purplish (as you can see in the pic) then transforms to almost a pure yellow over a week or so. The purple spots remain. A very simple, pretty, dainty flower and plant - reminds me of why I associate orchids with Asian paintings (and art and philosophy). The simplicity and the beauty. Read More......

Iraq's elections may now be delayed

Gosh, now there's a show-stopping surprise. President Bush has been telling us that Iraq is going just great. The proof he's been offering is the upcoming Iraq elections. Well now several political parties, including two "closely allied" to the US (read: puppets?), are calling for a postponement of at least six months for the January elections.

Like I said, bit surprise there. And here President Bush has told us that everything is going great and the elections are the proof. Huh. Hey 51% of America: Any buyer's remorse yet? You bought it, you own it. Read More......

Republicans steal another election, this time in NJ

Why isn't this illegal? Shouldn't accusing your opponent of commiting a crime, in print, the night before the election when there's not chance to refute the accusation, constitute some kind of a crime?

A native of India who lost a bid for a local township committee seat by 12 votes after fliers accused him and his running-mate of accepting contributions from "foreign nationals" is hoping a recount will reverse the outcome.

A recount takes place Monday in the race pitting Zaheer Jan and Allen Mass against two Republican incumbents in the race for two seats on the township committee. The top two finishers will win.

Jan lost his chance at a township committee seat by 12 votes out of more than 8,100 cast — and Mass, his fellow Democrat, lost by a single vote.

The night before the election, virtually every home in Bedminster received a flier from the campaigns of Republican incumbents Don Cross and Kurt Joerger, claiming Jan and Mass were being funded by "foreign nationals, not local residents."

Both Democrats have said they have not taken contributions from foreigners, which is against the law. Mass, an attorney who formerly worked for the Justice Department, said he believes the fliers were racist.

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More lies from the Bushistas

Joe noted below that Bush is pushing for more abstinence-only education. The article notes that the Bushies want more money even though we don't yet know if the education even works. In response, there's this very cute, but absolutely lie of a comment, from Bush's folks at HHS:

"We don't need a study, if I remember my biology correctly, to show us that those people who are sexually abstinent have a zero chance of becoming pregnant or getting someone pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted disease," said Wade Horn, the assistant secretary of Health and Human Services in charge of federal abstinence funding.

Cute, but an absolute lie. People aren't worried that abstinence doesn't prevent pregnancy. They're worried that abstinence-only education doesn't promote abstinence, you jerk. Of course, Horn knows that, but from this administration, don't expect to get a straight answer on anything.

You voted for it, you own it. Read More......

Republican in Close Election in Texas Seeks Recount

Okay trolls, last time I challenged you to a duel, none of you showed up. Here's another chance. From the Houston Chronicle:

State Rep. Talmadge Heflin asked the state House of Representatives today to overturn the results of his failed re-election bid and either order him returned to the Legislature or call for a new election.

Heflin's attorney, Andy Taylor, said the election results in state House District 149 in southwest Harris County were fraught with voting irregularities and potential fraud, most of which occurred in predominantly Democratic precincts.

'The true outcome of this election was stolen from the voters in House District 149,' Taylor said Tuesday. 'We will prove that Representative Talmadge Heflin was re-elected.'

Heflin, a Republican member of the House since 1983 and chairman of its Appropriations Committee, lost to Democratic businessman Hubert Vo by 32 votes earlier this month. But Heflin's campaign alleges that those election results include at least 248 irregularities that could have altered the outcome.

Taylor said he will file notice today that the Heflin campaign intends to contest the election in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. That will require that House Speaker Tom Craddick order a House committee to investigate Heflin's allegations.

Okay trolls, I've observed you on the boards for the last few days talking about how "crazy" we are to still be talking about the fact that votes are still being counted. Here we have a Republican, from Texas no less, contesting his election. He's using pretty much the same language that everyone else uses in a close election. So trolls, it's another chance for a duel. In two sentences or less, blame this Republican's behavior on:

1) He's not really a Republican, he's really a lefty liberal
2) He's unpatriotic and hates America
3) The powerful Democratic party in control in Texas (whoops, that's not possible, unlike Florida, Ohio...)
4) Hollywood
5) Bill and/or Hillary Clinton
6) Any other Rush/Hannity talking points you've digested.

Now, if you fail to duel, I expect you all to shut up next time we talk about voting irregularities and counting votes because if you have nothing to say about this guy, then you are hypocrites.

P.S. - I'm feeling great this morning! Full night's rest and no work today. Read More......

New passports chip away at your privacy and security

For a system that is due to start rolling our early next year, there are some considerable issues that still need to be resolved. How is it possible to be one or two quarters away from rollout and still have such major problems?

Privacy advocates say the new format - developed in response to security concerns after the Sept. 11 attacks - will be vulnerable to electronic snooping by anyone within several feet, a practice called skimming.

"This is like putting an invisible bull's-eye on Americans that can be seen only by the terrorists," said Barry Steinhardt, the director of the A.C.L.U. Technology and Liberty Program.

The organization wants the State Department to take security precautions like encrypting the data, so that even if it is downloaded by unauthorized people, it cannot be understood. [Note from Chris: I can't even believe that they are not already including encryption!]

Another possibility would be to keep the passport in a foil pouch, like those issued with highway toll-collection devices so they can be carried through a toll booth without being read. In multilateral discussions, though, some experts said they feared that terrorists would use the pouches to smuggle weapons.

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Darfur crisis worsens since peace agreement

Danforth must have a real Midas touch going since he led the UN team down to Africa. Unfortunately this is one of those cases where special interests by some on the UN Security Council are getting in the way of doing more. Between weapons sales and the hope for oil drilling rights, some countries have clouded vision. The US tied its hands with the fiasco in Iraq so we have limited options to seriously address this problem. Clearly the African Union is going to have to step up its own efforts because I just do not see this administration actively helping out Africa unless it somehow involves sex, as we previously witnessed with the $15B AIDS package which is centered around the silly, unproven abstinence programs. You might be shocked to see how our tax money is being spent over there.
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A new day and yet another new low for the Dollar

$1.3329 to the €uro and counting.
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