Saturday, September 6, 2008

Tree Huggers, Geologists, and Historians!

The cutting of trees at UC Berkeley commenced last Friday, despite months of protesting and protestors living in those trees. 

The tree cutting is supposed to make room for a new stadium (albeit to bring in more revenue for the school) despite the fact that it will be in close proximity to the Hayward Fault. Even worse, the area is home to a Native American burial ground. 

It is sad that UC Berkeley is determined to build this stadium.  Even the current stadium (that ginormous one where all the football games are played) shows damage from the Hayward Fault.  



Who they didn't talk about at the RNC: You

Barack Obama makes a great point in the video I'm posting below. We heard a heck of a lot of trash talk about Barack Obama and his community organizing days but they didn't talk about US--US as in the people who are are taking the heat from the sub-prime mortage crisis, people who don't have health insurance, people who are paying hire gas prices, etc.

The speakers at the RNC merely reiterated the modern Republican platform, (which you can easily Wiki at your own leisure,) jeered at Obama's poor resume because apparently all since graduating from college was community organizing, strategically avoided talking about Bush Jr., praised Reagan and all he's done, and chanted "U-S-A" at every chance they could like they were watching Michael Phelps swim for gold.

Everyone is saying it and I'm going to echo it right here: John McCain and company aren't talking about the issues. They're trying to appeal to the person who doesn't really pay attention to politics and pays more attention to ads than anything else for their political information by playing on cultural clues and identities. How many times in the past week and half have we heard "hockey mom," "PTA mom," or "moose hunter"?

Now I'm not trying to poke fun at these kinds of credentials, I mean we all know Theodore Roosevelt was a wild one who enjoyed roughing it out in the wilderness and hunting, and we have him to thank for the Panama Canal.

But seriously, Sarah Palin? She doesn't even have an iota foreign policy experience which her supporters seem to believe. Honestly, her credentials as a hockey mom makes me feel like anyone can be vice president or even the president. Why would we want that? Don't we want someone who understands the common person's problems and aspirations and yet shows exceptional talent for balancing those with problems of the nation as a whole?

Did her time as a governor of Alaska and as a mayor of the town of Wasilla give her the kind of experience that will allow her to make decisions on domestic policy and understand the ramifications they may have on our foreign policy? You can't think about American jobs without thinking about NAFTA or Most Favored Nation Status, AND without thinking about human rights and then the United Nations, and so on and so on and so on.

And given Obama's experience (and Biden's), my confidence will lie with him.

Anyway, here's the video I promised:

The Letter

Behind all the "rhetoric," who is the real Sarah Palin? Just Ask Anne Kilkenny. Supposedly a friend of the family, (and an enemy of Sarah Palin since 1996,) she rips Palin's experience and credentials in one biting letter. 

I'm always skeptical of The Source...but it is still an interesting read--almost movie-like. 

Song of the Week

I'm in love with this song.

Raphael Saadiq: Love That Girl

If you like to groove to old school tunes then I know you'll love it too.