Archive for the 'News' Category

THIS IS REAL

Published
by
Gary
on November 5, 2008
in Declaration and News
. 4 Comments

I LOVE MY COUNTRY.

For half my life, a Bush has been in the White House. For a third of my life, the second Bush has been driving my country into the ground, and all I did was stand idly and watch.

Now, in one fell swoop, Republican tactics of divide and conquer are obsolete. Confidence in the American process, our unique ability to heal the greatest of tragedies, has been restored. Greatest of all, Obama has made it okay to be optimistic. After a decade of cynical, sardonic, pessimistic American culture, he’s made it okay to hope.

The next four years are going to be a bumpy, harsh time—for our economy, for our society, for everything we are. With Obama at the head, I look forward to it. We’re privileged to be alive here, now, an amazing time half a century in the making.

BIDENBATTLE

Published
by
Gary
on October 3, 2008
in News
. 1 Comment

Surprisingly, given the events of the past week, Palin more or less held her own—she used complete sentences, copious winks, and the word “maverick” to satisfactory effect.

Then there’s Joe Biden, who owned almost every issue and every rebuttal. Unlike Palin, he always answered the damn question—directly, concisely, with copious evidence and a rhetorical right hook. He was firm, responsive, and always clearly knew exactly what he was talking about. Frankly, he did a better job than Obama did last week. His only potential flaw is that the camera caught him smirking at Palin a few too many times, which might have turned off some of our more delicate, otherwise completely deaf independent voters.

VEEP Debate!

OBAMABATTLE #1

Published
by
Gary
on September 26, 2008
in News
. 0 Comments

Honestly it wasn’t a particularly exciting debate—all Obama has to do is hold on to his lead, so he played it calmly and cautiously. I waited patiently for Obama to bust McCain’s head into the ground with the steely hammer of reason, but alas that’s just not our guy’s style.

Barack Obama v. John McCain

White Rabbit is China’s Latest Victim

Published
by
Gary
on September 25, 2008
in News
. 3 Comments

I’m sure you’ve all heard of China’s, ahem, milk troubles. Basically, turns out some of China’s milk suppliers have been watering down their milk and then adding melamine, which tests as protein when the milk’s evaluated for sale. (Melamine is normally used to make fertilizer and plastics… both of which are delicious.) Chinese dairy companies and the Chinese government found out about this and, of course, covered it up, the result being that four babies died and 53,000 got sick from drinking contaminated formula.

That’s all very horrible, and predictably there’s been a worldwide recall of Chinese dairy products… and products using Chinese powdered milk:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said White Rabbit candy has been added to its list of products being inspected at ports of entry, but that no melamine-tainted goods from China of any sort have turned up yet. Nonetheless, some ethnic grocers started removing the popular candies from their shelves. (AP: “China tainted milk crisis triggers global recalls“)

No, no no no, t-this isn’t, this, nooooooo! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! DAMN YOU CHINA! For those who weren’t aware, White Rabbit candies are, like, my most favorite candy ever—ridiculously sweet milky chewy candy wrapped in delightfully translucent rice paper. What if White Rabbit makers Guan Sheng Yuan goes out of business because of the worldwide collapse of the White Rabbit market? This isn’t like the war in Iraq or the collapse of Wall Street—this is something I’m feeling right here, right now. A world without White Rabbit is a world not worth knowing.

Obama’s Overseas Odyssey is Owesome

Published
by
Gary
on July 25, 2008
in News
. 0 Comments

\"Obama for Chancellor\"

Watching Obama’s trip through the Middle East and Europe has been immensely satisfying, in a very I-told-you-so sort of way. Is there another person who could have possibly done a better job representing America? The response has been absolutely amazing. Leaders of the world, citizens of the world love him, they believe him, they trust him, exactly what America needs to matter again in the minds of people abroad.

Mr. Obama met for about an hour with Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Federal Chancellery

“‘So far what he is talking about is what Afghans want to hear: reduce troops in Iraq, focus on Afghanistan and focus on Pakistan,’ said Ashmat Ghani, an influential tribal leader whose home province of Logar, just south of the capital, is suffering from growing instability by insurgent groups.” (NYT: “Obama’s Visit Renews Focus on Afghanistan“)

“Obama received a warm reception from President Shimon Peres of Israel, who said his fondest wish was for a ‘great president of the United States. That is the greatest promise for us and the rest of the world.’” (IHT: “Obama meets with Israeli and Palestinian leaders“)

“After dinner at His Majesty’s palace tonight, known here as Beit Al Urdan, Senator Barack Obama was headed to catch a plane to Israel. So King Abdullah [of Jordon] got behind the wheel of his dark-gray Mercedes Benz, Mr. Obama hopped in the passenger’s seat and they headed through the streets to Jordan/Queen Alia International Airport.” (NYT The Caucus: “Obama’s High-Powered Ride to the Airport“)

“A German diplomat… said the discussions with Merkel went very successfully, saying: ‘They quickly found themselves on the same page. It was not superficial at all.’” (IHT: “Obama gets pop star reception in Berlin“)

Meanwhile, what’s McCain been doing? Photo-ops with the first Bush. Putting Iraq on the Pakistani border. (Hint, Iran is between Iraq and Pakistan.) Running increasingly pathetic attack ads blaming Obama for rising gas prices, attempting to connect him with Fidel Castro (to compliment his Obama-Ahmadinejad ad?), and accusing the media of a Obama love-affair. The day of Obama’s history-making speech in Berlin, attended by over 200,000 Germans and Americans, what was McCain doing? Lunching on bratwurst at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus und Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio.

How, um, inspiring.

To me, McCain’s strangest tack is accusing the media of “swooning” over Obama. It’s not the media that has “Obamamania,” it’s the people, both here and abroad. The media’s a business that caters to its readers, listeners, and viewers—if people actually gave more of a shit about him, if McCain represented the future of America instead of America’s disastrous recent past, then I’m sure the media would be tripping over themselves trying to get on the Straight Talk Express as opposed to O-Force One.

DOOCY: Why are you not on Barack Obama’s airplane heading to the Middle East right now?
WALLACE [FOX News Anchor]: Well, I called the Obama campaign several weeks ago and said that I’d like to go and my invitation has apparently been lost in the mail.
(FOX & Friends, as quoted by The Colbert Report and reported by Crooks and Liars: “The Colbert Report: Barack Obama Snubs Fox News“)

I’m fine with those who thoughtfully disagree with Obama’s actual policies—that’s the dialogue of a healthy democracy, exactly why this country is great. What pisses me off is the endless, idiotic ad hominem attacks on Obama and his wife by aspects of the Right. For fuck’s sake, as a mere candidate this guy is winning hearts and minds over the entire planet, he’s the very antidote to eight years of arrogant American dumbassery, and they would cut him at the knees? Disagree, sure, but recognize that Obama is demonstrating exactly how far a person can go to serve his country.

Obama in Berlin

(All images from The New York Times: “Obama in Germany“)