Music

Music is part of our lives. Whenever something traumatic happens in our lives, we seem to connect that memory to some form of music. If the event is a positive one, we seem to pick up the first exciting song that we come across on our ipod or on the radio. The converse is true for upsetting news or when we've let ourselves down.

Truthieness

Truth can be a subjective thing. One person can see something as the absolute truth, and the person sitting next to them would disagree with that perspective completely. For example: The Mariners suck this year. To most this is fact, but it could also be argued to be fictional.

Book Burning

The movie we watched was interesting, what would life be without the written word? It truely would be a horrible place in my mind. In a lot of ways it reflect what life was like befor the industrial revolution and the print press. It would be almost impossible to have an indipendant thought, every religious leader would just love that. I can't help but think of Hitler and the movie Ferenhiet 411, it's something akin to what he would have done if he won WWII.

Hero's: How the media reflects real life standards

It seems that regardless of the movie of book I read, the basic structure is almost alway the same. The hero is almost without exception, reluctant to be the hero. That is what we love about them, a good hero doesn't want to be in the spotlight.

"The Finger" (The Daily Show 4-21-08)

MSNBC analysts noticed that when Obama was giving a speech in Pennsylvania that he scratched his cheek with his index finger, they immediately jumped to the conclusion that he was giving Clinton the finger. Daily show analysts then did a sarcastic piece on "blanguage", or how black people make typical body movements but mean something else completly by them.

"Live with Senator Obama" (The Daily Show 4-21-08)

Obama told John Stewart that Americans are concerned with domestic issues even though Bush is spending 10 billion dollars a month in Iraq. He then went on to thank Clinton for preparing him for the general election with her 'nasty' verbal attacks.

"Populist Push" ( Lou Dobbs 4-21-08)

Republlican nominee John McCain stepped outside the box on monday and traveled to Selma, Alabama to deliver a speech. Although the population there is 70% black and outside of the typical republican base, McCain talked about the civil rights movement and uniting the country.

"Ad Wars" (Lou Dobbs 4-21-08)

Although no candidate can accept campaign donations from corperations, they can take them from the employee's of corperations. Clinton has an ad running that says Obama has accepted $220,ooo from the employee's of gas companies. Even though she herself has taken more than $300,000 from the same doners, Lou feels that she is distorting the facts.

"Final Countdown" (Lou Dobbs 4-22-08)

The day before Pennsylvania's Primary Clinton leads by 10 to 15%, with elderly and blue collar workers leading the charge. We will see if spending two to three times as much will help Obama close the gap.

Glenn Beck Show (4-22-08)

Hillary Clinton's new ad campaign released this week, and she is taking heat for it and shouldn't be. The ad highlights that, "If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen". Beck believes that she has every right to point this out.

"Victory over Obama Deeply Personal" (Larry King 4-22-08)

The reasons that Clinton was able to win in Pennsylvania was because of the support from the elderly, Catholics, and white working class voters. She will make her case to superdelegates that you need these demographics to win the general election.

"Clinton Victory Possible?" (Today Show)

Clinton has lost the fight for pledge deligates, and now has to find a way to win the super delegates. One of the ways she can accomplish this is by winning the popular vote which she is around 200,000 votes behind Obama after the Penn. Primary.

"Clinton on China Relations" (CNN Live)

Clinton made a speech to voters in Indianapolis on Wednesday saying that we need to revise our trade relationship with China. Highlighting the facts that we need to renegotiate NAFTA so that it enforces human rights standards, enviromental standards, and create an enforcement mechanism that works properly.

"What's at stake in torarrow's (Penn.)primary (Today Show)

Obama needs to show that he can win a big state, even if he loses by only 2 to 5 percent their will be pressure on Clinton to conceed. If Clinton wins by more than 10% 'all bets are off' and the race for the Democratic nominee will go untill at least June.

Reflection for All the Presidents Men

One of the things that sticks with me after watching this movie is how much politicians will do in order to gain and protect thier power. Even though "All the Presidents Men" was made in 1976, there is no doubt that similar types of manuvering and stretching of the rules is still happening 30 years later. The number of politicians that are under investigation and or are convicted of fraud is a constant and steady stream-Scooter Libby is the name that comes to my mind most currently.
Human nature seems to be such that we will not admit to anything untill we absolutely have too, Nixon stayed in office for years after Woodward and Burnstein traced corruption to the top of the GOP power structure. If Nixon would have come out immediatly and admitted to his mistakes, people may have been more willing to forgive him.

"Many hope for Clinton Obama on one ticket, except the candedates themselves"(Int.Harold News-Spain)

The battle for the 2008 Democratic Nomination has become too embattled for the Obama's and Clinton's to live in the same house. Obama would have difficulty controlling former president Bill Clinton.

"Clinton,Obama, and McCain get ready to wrestle"(National Nine News-Australia)

The presidential candidates left recorded statements to play ahead of WWE's Monday Night Raw. They are all seeking votes from young and working class voters in the Penn. primary.

'McCain campaign promotes Hammas support for Obama"(Arutz Sheva-Isreal)

Obama has said that he will sit down and talk with leaders of Iran who back Hammas-the thorn in the side of Isreal. Obama's foreign policy plans have won him praise from Hammas, stated a letter from the McCain camp.

"Polls point to Clinton win, as revals blitz Penn.(AFP-France)

Clinton accuses Obama of going negative in the final battle for Penn. Obama's camp looked past Penn. primary to warn time is running out for Clinton who needs to convince 800 Superdelagates to choose her.

Democrats Resort to harsh words in Penn.(Spiegal-Germany)

Obama harasses Clinton about her Bosnia story, Clinton slams Obama about his 'bitter' comment. The two demacrats are simply giving the Republicans amunition for the general election.

"Red State" (American Conservative)

The three presidential candidates are ignoring the larges economic crisis since 1929. Previous wars were paid for by raising taxes, during the Iraq war taxes were lowered and then we borrowed the money from other countries. How will McCain fund the war for the next century when other countries have already been less willing to lend it to us only five years in to the war?

"Clinton Connections" (Time Mag.)

The ABC drama "Commander in Chief", stars Gena Davis as president. Conservatives (Rush, Hanity, etc..) feel that its a camaign ad for Hilary Clinton. They may be correct because Hillary's White House Social Secretary, Capricia Marshal is a consultant for the television show.

Pennsylvania Gun Group Endorses Obama(US News & World Report 4-16-08)

Even after Obama's "bible and guns" statement about people in Pennsylvania, he has gotten an endorsment of the American Hunters and Shooters Association. The group is about as liberal as gun associations get, and some feel that he courted them into giving the indorsement.

Clinton and Obama lock in Iraq position during debat(US News & World Report4/17/08)

Clinton contradicted herself by saying Obama could win the White House, when she's been saying otherwise in recent weeks. Both Democrats want to pull out of Iraq shortly after becoming President, so even if things change in Iraq they will have to stay committed to a withdrawl.

People see very different healthcare plans from Obama, Clinton, McCain-U.S. News & World report(4/18/08)

Although Clinton and Obama both use the healthcare plan that John Edwards created as a base, Clintons plan would cost a family a percentage of thier income where Obama's coverage would only be mandatory for children. John McCain wants to reduce the cost of healthcare under the current system by reforming tort laws.

4\7\08 Reflective questions

1. The prime rate is the is the current cost of borrowing money on loan, typically a conventional home mortgage. It has dropped recently because of the continueing financial crisis in the U.S. The Fed. controls the discount rate (the rate banks pay to borrow money from the US gov.) and they continue to drop the discount rate in order to aleveat the pressure on the financial industry. The industry is in such trouble because they gave loans out to people who couldn't afford them, aswell as ARM loans that adjust incrimentally to the current prime rate. The result has been hundreds of thousands of forclosed homes.

2. The Olympics are in Beijing China this summer. China produces great wealth for countries all over the world because of cheap labor(labor that's illegal in other countries). Since 1949 the current Chinese gov. has beaten on the Tibettan people in every way possible because of their religous beliefs. Now human rights activists around the world are demanding a boucot of the Chinese Olympics because of the most recent bout of violence inTibet. The most visible form of protest is the running of the Olympic flame around the world, people everywhere are protesting the torch, and the games because of China's lack of human rights.

3. The Columbian trade agreement has met resistance because of the "fallout" of employement in the U.S. resulting in lost jobs because of other similar agreements with other countries.

4. The 'green zone' in Iraq refers to a 'safe zone' in Bagdad. It is where all of the Iraq Interem Gov. works and lives. If there were ever anything that someone could point to and say that the war isn't going to work, it is the fact that five years into the war they still require such a zone and secondly that it isn't really safe.

5. Pope Benedict XVI is coming to America after three years as Pope. Harayyy.

Obama puts time, add money into Indian(yahoonew.com)

After his poor choice in verbage about Pennsylvanian's, Obama feels that Indiana is the state he needs to have in order to be the Dem. nominee. Indiana has an industrial base and that is what he need in order to make the argument that he is capable of taking one of those states from Clinton.

Will halt in troop withdrawals give Dems. flexibility?(Wapost.com)

When Bush decided not to bring more troops home from Iraq, he definitly helped the Democrates. First, he's admitting the "surge" has not been successful, second if the Dems. win the White House it leaves them in a better position to pull troops out on their first day in office.

Obama concedes he misspoke(WaPost.com)

As recording of Obama "misspeaking" surfaced on friday, his opponents Clinton and McCain pounced on his "elitest" remarks. Obama was simply stating a fact that when communities go through economic downturn they find something to blame thier difficulties on, such a free trade, or immigration.

Obama tries to limit fallout over "bitter" remark(NYT.com)

In a speech on friday in San Fansisco Obama said,"that such voters 'cling' to their guns and religion because they are bitter about their economic circumstances." A very accurate statement in my mind, the Clinton campaign is jumping on it as an opportunity. Clinton say's it shows that Obama is an elitest, even though his wealth is but a fraction of the other two candidates running for office.

Obama: I would have fired Mark Penn

Clinton's Cheif stratigist Mark Penn, met with Columbian officials to discuss passing a proposed free trade agreement with the country. This runs contrary to Clintons stance on free trade, Penn has stepped down as Cheif stratigist but remains a contributer to her campaign. This is what inticed Obama to say he would get rid of Penn.

Hillary to Bill: Knock it off on Bosnia (cnn.com)

A speech in Indiana on 3-26-08, Hillary Clinton told about landing in Bosnia in 1996 under snyper fire with her husband the current president at the time. Well now that someone dug up some footage of the trip and found that it was a calm and civilized trip, she claims that her memory lapsed because of all the hours she's been working. Her husband Bill has defended her statements, she is now telling him to let her defend herself and leave the subject be.

Patraeus in crossfire of political campaigns(usatoday.com)

Top officials of the Iraq War General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker had to answer questions from the senate on tuesday. At least from the Democratic moninee's Clinton and Obama. McCain on the other hand sat there and gushed complements toward the two, stating "the congress must not choose to lose in Iraq." As though it's as simple as that, "we should instead choose to succeed".

Obama joins call for opening ceremony boycott(usatoday.com)

Clinton and Obama both feel that the President shouldn't go to the opening cerimony to the Beijing Olympic games because of the lack of human rights that China is giving to the people of Tibet and Darfur. McCain bypassed the subject and addressed the current luming economic crisis in the U.S. economy.

Bush won't order new Iraq troop drawdown(MSNBC.com)

After Pres. Bush met with the infamous General David "Betray Us" Petraeus this week, he has decided to halt any new withdrawl of combat troops. The good news is that he is finally going to cut tours of duty from 15 mos. to 12 mos. in Afganistan. This news comes after the General was grilled by the three prospective presidential candidates for the 2008 campaign.

McCain won't rule out pre-emptive war (msnbc.com)

In a town hall style meeting (open forum) in Westport, Conn John McCain wouldn't rule out the possibility of yet another pre-emptive war. That would be in addition to the war in Afganistan and Iraq. He went on to say that he would consult with top members of congress before he acted, noting the difference between president Bush and himself.

Source Article assigned 4/7/08

"Microsoft likely to get Yahoo Rejection" - Migel Helft (NYT)

Microsoft has had a bid in to try and buyout Yahoo for weeks. Now they are unhappy because Yahoo hasn't accepted it, and are threatening to force the buyout with Yahoo's board of directors. The actual sources that the reporter got this information from are refered to by,"people close to the company" in order to keep his source protected. Later in the article experts in law and mergers & aquisitions give some information and opinion on the matter.

Business donors bypass McCain(WSJ)

The republican nominee for president, John McCain lags far behind both democratic nominee's in contributions made by employee's of seven major industies. McCain's lack of business contributions is attributed to the fact that he isn't pro business, or because he has tried to limit the influence of lobbiest and special interest groups.

Dean: Superdelegates not bound (SeaT)

Howard Dean spelled out the DNC rules for the superdelegates that will decide who the Democratic nominee will be for the 2008 election. Some pundits say that the superdelegates should vote with whichever candidate recieves the most popular votes, Dean makes it clear that the rules state that there are no rules.

Clinton, Obama jab at McCain on 2 fronts(SEAT)

The demacrat's jab is that if McCain gets elected, it is essentially the same as if Bush were to be elected again. I totally agree with them because McCain has the same stance on the war as Bush, and his answer to the economic crisis is to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.

Election interest goes viral (USAT)

Primarily because of the demicratic race between Clinton and Obama, people that wouldn't ordinarily get involved in politics are becoming ingaged. The most interesting part of the excitement is the dramatic increase in interest from the 18 to 24 year old demographic.

Town hall format has risks for McCain (USAT)

Apparenty the "town hall format" refers to a candidate having an open forum type of discussion rather than just a speech written in advance. So the point is that candidates open themselves up to the possibility of slipping. McCains famous slip is in reference to the possibility of a "hundred year war" that is now amunition for the demecrates.

Presidential hopefuls tried brief allience.(SEA. Times)

McCain and Obama attempted to work together on an ethics reform bill in 2006. Obama claimed McCain was siding with Republican leaders and falling in line with the party, so McCain shot back at Obama calling him a "newcommer".

Obama's Foreign Policy Ideas Fire Up Rivals(WSJ)

Obama believes that an open dialog between the U.S. and it's 'enemy's' such a N.Korea, Cuba, and Iran, should be done on a face to face basis between the presidents of each nation. His rivals McCain and Clinton believe it is the wrong approach because it is a, "departure from standard U.S. doctrine". Isn't that what the 2008 election is all about?

Democrates Are Tied in New Poll (WSJ)

The latest NBC news polls show that the negative press that Obama has faced in regards to comments made by his pastor have not had a drastic impact on voter opinion. Another thing the poll showed is that the slugfest of personal and negative attacks between Obama and Clinton are hurting the Demacratic party as a whole, John McCain's numbers have risen when compared to both Demacratic nominee's.

McCain Softens Tone, Emphasizes Diplomacy(WSJ)

Republican nominee John McCain, in a speech on Wednesday emphasized diplomacy above force when it comes to U.S. foreign affairs. Which is ironic being that he is the clear cut 'pro war' nominee for the 2008 presidential race.

Clinton Fears Japan-Style Malaise (WSJ)

Hillary Clinton has a plan to help homeowners out of the sub-prime mortgage crisis that has become a big key to the 2008 election, the economy. Clinton knows that her only chance to win the Demicratic nomination is to convince people that she has greater expertise when it comes to the U.S. economy.

Obama Releases Seven Years of Tax Filings(WSJ)

One of the hottest issues this election season is the personal finances for the canditates, and how forthcoming they have been about the subject. Obama has upped the pressure for Clinton to do so by releasing all of his info., which shows he has made most of his money by sales from his two book deals.