Public Service or Sick Entertainment?

Recently, I was tipped off to an in-depth article in Esquire magazine that went behind the scenes of Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator." If you're not familiar with the prime time series you can get the lowdown here, but basically Dateline (hosted by Chris Hansen) teams up with an independent "watchdog" group to catch sexual predators in online chats with minors.

Then Dateline hires an actor to pose as the minor, talk with the offenders on the phone and set up an in-person meeting at a house leased by Dateline. The decoy house, as it is known, is wired with all kinds of microphones and cameras so not a single moment is missed when Hansen confronts the people who come to the house thinking they're going to have an encounter with a minor. After the interview, the predator is arrested upon leaving the decoy house by local law enforcement who have been previously informed by Dateline about who to look for, when and where.

While Dateline sells the show by saying they're helping to take dangerous people off the streets, I think the whole premise is gory. It provides the audience with the chance to watch someone be set up and humiliated, plain and simple. Although I have no sympathy for these criminals, I don't think it's the role of the news media to conduct sting operations involving sexual predators and then televise them as investigative reporting and a public service. I mean, if it was really about catching dangerous people then why aren't they arrested after engaging in the online sexual solicitation of minors? After all, that is the actual crime. Why the need for a decoy house? Because it makes for dramatic, some would say "good," television.

Well, that drama was turned up a notch when a man from Texas, a felony prosecutor no less, was involved in the online chat sting. Bill Conradt used very explicit language in chatting with who he believed was a 13-year-old boy and after several phone conversations Conradt agreed to a meeting. However, he never showed up. Dateline's actor called the man several times trying to entice him into coming to the decoy house, Conradt continued to say he would be there, but he never followed through.

Conradt had already committed a crime, so police, and Dateline, decided to confront the man at his home. This is where the waters get very murky. While it was necessary for the police to go to the Conradt's residence for the arrest, why was it necessary for Dateline to be there? Conradt did not take Dateline's bait to show up at the decoy house, so shouldn't their involvement have ended there?

Well, Dateline was at the house and so was the SWAT team. Once Conradt realized he was caught he decided to take his own life while still inside his home. Suddenly, the light began to shine very brightly on Dateline's "To Catch a Predator."

20/20 did a story involving the show and, like the Esquire magazine article, painted a very dark picture of the incident where Dateline didn't just tag along with police or conduct it's own independent investigation - 20/20 pointed out that there are allegations (from people who worked on that particular episode) that the show actually may have influenced police procedure. A former police officer who provided security for the Dateline crew even goes so far as to say that the arrests that are caught on tape are set up to give the most dramatic visual effect and not to insure the safety of the police officers themselves.

This all just doesn't sit well with me. Not only do I not see this show as a form of public service, but I find it dangerous that a camera crew can influence who gets arrested, when and where. (By the way, Dateline aired the Conradt story - SWAT team, ambulance, medical helicopter and all - weeks ago. Apparently they didn't feel any responsibility when it came to how things turned out. I mean, the guy was a criminal, he doesn't deserve to be treated like a human, does he? They certainly didn't air the episode to expose Conradt publicly as a threat to our children - he was already dead by then.)

There are so many facets to this story, and I've written so much already, that I can't possibly get into them all. However, I encourage you to read the Esquire article and really think about how far is too far? Are we really doing a service to ourselves or our children by watching these kinds of shows or are we being sadistic voyeurs who are feeding into the lowest of the low in television news and entertainment?

I don't want sexual predators anywhere near my children either, but I really don't think "To Catch a Predator" is the answer. After all, about 90% of sex crimes against children are perpetrated by someone the children know, so it's really more important to know about the people who your children come into contact with everyday rather than the random guy down the street or on the Internet. And if Dateline isn't providing us with any answers, then why are they on TV again?

It Truly Saddens Me to Say This

I was watching ABC World News tonight and they aired a 15 second news blurb that truly saddened me. The Associated Press-Ipsos recently conducted a survey regarding the reading habits of adults and found that 27% of those surveyed had not read a book in the last year.

That's right, 1 in 4 respondents reported they had not read a book in the previous 12 months - NOT A ONE!!!

Now I realize this also means that 73% are reading at least one book a year, but it still just blows my mind that so many adults aren't reading books. Do they know what they're missing? Because they are missing so much.

The publishing industry did report a small (less than 1 percent) jump in the number of books sold from last year totalling 3.1 billion books. That's a lot of books, but I just wish those were spread over a larger number of people.

There is some good news to report. The survey also found that Democrats and those who classified themselves as liberals reported reading "slightly more books" than Republicans and conservatives ;)

Oh Happy Day!

I read this little ditty this morning and I must say it was a great way to start off my week :)

This WTF Moment Brought to You By . . .

While perusing the paper yesterday I happened upon this this headline: Courts struggle to find jurors who will serve. I couldn't think of any reason why off the top of my head, after all it's not like the adult population has suddenly dipped in number, so I continued on figuring it would be an interesting read.

Interesting, but somewhat maddening actually.

You see, the reason that courts across the country are having trouble finding enough jurors to serve is because PEOPLE JUST AREN'T SHOWING UP!!!

That's right. According to one study, "fewer than half of all Americans summoned report for duty." LESS THAN HALF!!!

When I shared this information with my husband, he was surprised (as was I) pointing out that he thought there were all kinds of penalties for not showing up. While I believe this is true, I also believe that many people are playing the odds that the courts won't prosecute them because they have bigger things to worry about. Apparently they're right.

Which is why I find this so despicable. Look, no one likes having to report to jury duty. It sucks getting up early, finding a parking space within reasonable walking distance of the courthouse (at least around the courthouses I've had to serve in), no one likes being locked up in what reminds me of a high school classroom with 30 or so other strangers (all as happy as you and I are about their present situation) and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting . . . Hoping not to be called so that you don't end up with some case that brings you back to this place for several days, but hoping that they fill all the panels (without you) in a reasonable amount of time so you don't have to sit in a very uncomfortable chair all day.

Like I said, I don't like it either.

But it's necessary. It's one of those things that comes with the territory. I know we're all really busy with our own lives and all, but if we expect police officers to protect us then we have to back them up with a system that holds criminals accountable. (I will at this point agree that there are definitely problems with the criminal court system, of which I'm not about to get into here, but I'm pretty sure that there are very few, if any, who skip out on their jury service for that reason.)

So, according to the article, some counties are coming up with non-traditional ways of getting people to serve. For example, in Sanford, North Carolina court officials stand outside of grocery stores and hand out random jury summons - for that same day!! Now how inconvenient is that?! And if you mention not showing up because you have other plans, the court official will politely remind you that you will be held in contempt of court.

In New York state it is no longer possible to get a jury service waiver if you are a doctor, lawyer, police officer, firefighter or judge. In D.C. judges will issue a summons for those who skip out on their jury service and if they no-show again they can face up to seven days in jail and a $300 fine. In Tulane County, California officials have gone one step further and will personally deliver the summons to appear in court to the no-shows' home.

I don't personally know of anyone who enjoys juror duty, but you know what? Sometimes, as adults, we have to do things we don't want to do. We don't have to like it, we just have to do it. So next time you get one of those official looking envelopes in the mail, groan, let out a big sigh, complain about it constantly for the weeks leading up to it - but just show up, OK?

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I'd also like to thank Em over at Notes from my Corner for giving out this award to me:

Now I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first - having never thought of myself as a schmoozer - but as Em pointed out, schmoozing can refer to simply conversing in a casual manner or to "talk intimately and cozily." Now that doesn't sound so bad, does it?

He has also sent some nice readers my way and I'm always glad to "meet" new people and hear their thoughts on things. I hope you all continue to visit and be sure to let me know what you're thinking!

So thanks again, Em! (Great post about the award itself, btw. I LOVED the last paragraph ;)

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One more thing . . . This article was written by a truly talented reporter and while I have admired his work for years now, I must say that this particular piece has been one of his best so far. Really. So if you're interested, go on over and check it out . . . Oh yeah. In the spirit of full disclosure, the writer is my husband. It's still REALLY good though :)

Haven't We Heard This Somewhere Before?

Well, he's at it again.

As reported yesterday by the New York Times, Dubyah is once again chanting an oldy, but a goody. Tuesday, Dubyah spoke at an air force base in Charleston, S.C. and was quoted as saying,

"The facts are that Al Qaeda terrorists killed Americans on 9/11, they’re fighting us in Iraq and across the world and they are plotting to kill Americans here at home again. Those who justify withdrawing our troops from Iraq by denying the threat of Al Qaeda in Iraq and its ties to Osama bin Laden ignore the clear consequences of such a retreat."

Do you notice how carefully this statement is worded? The way he mentions the fact that Al Qaeda was responsible for 9/11, then uses the pronoun "they" to group Al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents together and then brings it all back together to say that it isn't just about fighting in Iraq, but about potential for disaster in the U.S. itself. (Also known as one of Dubyah's favorite tactics, politics of fear.)

Them there are some darn good speechwriters, but I ain't buyin' it.

Once again, Dubyah refers to mysterious, classified intelligence information that, of course, he can't share the specifics of with the rest of us, but BELIEVE HIM there's a connection. After all, he's the President of the United States - he wouldn't lie to us, would he?

According to the NYT, "Kevin Sullivan, the White House communications director, said the speech was devised as a “surge of facts” meant to rebut critics who say Mr. Bush is trying to rebuild support for the war by linking the Iraq group and the one led by Mr. bin Laden." Interesting language used here as well - "surge of facts," and "devised," - oh, how I love the English language!!

Basically, it sounds like the same old crap. Dubyah thinks he's right about staying the course in Iraq and no one is going to convince him otherwise. He's just going to keep coming up with reasons (lies) why he's right. Regardless of what the rest of us think, although, before he took office I was under the impression we were living in a democracy.

The point is, staying the course - no matter how many troops you add to the mix - is NOT working in Iraq. Whatever the reasons for preemptivingly striking Iraq, it was wrong, it's still wrong and while you may have taken out a dictator, Dubyah, you've now created a civil war.

I believe that no matter what we do there will continue to be bloodshed for years to come. However, keeping U.S. soldiers there is only putting off the inevitable. At some point, we will have to admit defeat; we will have to admit that we can do no more good; we will have to admit that our presence in Iraq is an exercise in futility.

At this point I don't really care what the reasons for entering into this catastrophe were or are or will be. I believe that the Bush Administration lies and they will continue to lie as long as they are in office. (January 2009 can't come soon enough!)

What I do care about is that another 50+ people were killed yesterday during what was a celebration of victory for the Iraq National soccer team and that another 130 were injured. I care that these suicide bombings are perceived as everyday occurrences that are basically unpreventable. What I care about is beginning a process that will eventually allow the people of Iraq to begin to heal and rebuild their lives. You can't do that while under military rule.

So I guess what I'm saying is, Dubyah can make all the speeches he wants - I don't think many of us are listening anymore.

Not All Doom and Gloom

According to the Associated Press:
"PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A former Wal-Mart pharmacist who claimed she was fired after asking to be paid the same as her male colleagues won a nearly $2 million award against the retail giant on Tuesday." (Wow! I guess someone is reading my blog after all! I mean, talk about action!)

The plaintiff, Cynthia Haddad, claimed she was fired from her job as a pharmacy manager after asking to be paid the same wage as her male colleagues. After making her request, she received a bonus that had been previously given to other male pharmacy managers, but was then fired two weeks later.

Things that make you go hmmmm . . .

Anyway, after my previous post about the big step back for pay discrimination claims, this one was a bright spot. And of course, we all know I enjoy my day a little more when Wal-Mart has to take one in the chin :)

The Evening News

While watching the evening news last night I was struck by two stories in particular. Usually I just want to throw something through the screen after watching what broadcast news has to offer about the day's happenings. Instead I got thought-provoking and, well, a story about Wal-Mart which of course made me want to throw something through the television screen :)

• I saw this story on WHDH in Boston where apparently one elected official has introduced a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in a car with a child under the age of five or weighing less than 40 pounds. (The guidelines come from the child safety seat law where a child is required to be restrained in a car/booster seat until reaching the age of five and 40 pounds.) First time offenders would be fined $25, while repeat offenders would be fined $100 for each subsequent violation. Apparently about 12 others states are also considering similar legislation including fellow New Englanders CT and RI. Maine already has a law in place that fines drivers $50 if caught smoking in a car with anyone under the age of 18 in it. What do you think?


• The second story involved a young mother, Cindy Jaeger, who is the wife of an Army serviceman and a former Wal-Mart employee. (It was one of those "shorts" so I can't find any kind of article about it on WHDH's website, but of all the network Boston stations, my opinion is that WHDH is the most reliable so I'm going with what they said in their report.) According to Jaeger, when she applied for a job at Wal-Mart (it just pains me to even type their name btw! And now they want to put a supercenter within a few miles of my precious new home ... YUCK!!) she informed them that she would need weekends off and possibly extended leave if her husband were deployed to Iraq. Apparently that wasn't a problem and she was hired. Well, Jaeger's husband was recently deployed to Iraq and she went back to her supervisor and asked for one month of unpaid leave so that she could work out day care arrangements and other adjustments that would be needed now that she would be the sole parent, caretaker of the house, etc. 24/7. A big adjustment I think we'd all agree. Well, Wal-Mart said "no" and told her that if she didn't come to work then obviously, she'd be fired. Jaeger is now a former employee of Wal-Mart. So I was thinking. I wonder how much money Wal-Mart has made off of those magnetic yellow ribbons that say "Support Our Troops?" Apparently, supporting our servicemen and women doesn't include the family they leave behind to fight in a war that's being sold as necessary to protect the safety and freedom of everyone here in the U.S. including the management of Wal-Mart. Must you ask me again why I loathe this bottom-feeder-like corporate leech?

HodgePodge

So I've been in a writing mood lately and because of that my reading has fallen quite behind. In fact, I have a stack of magazines I need to catch up with. And books? Forget it. That's why I'm hoping that reading a few banned books this week will give me a jumpstart.

Anyway, as I'm catching up I've found quite a few excellent articles that I want to share. I won't offer up too much commentary, but do encourage you to check out the links. I'm only putting the good ones out there, so if you find that you have some time be sure and give at least one or two a quick read:

• Here's a great article from the New York Times about one of my favorite organizations, MomsRising.org. It's a good introduction for those of you still not familiar with the organization, founded by some of the same people who started MoveOn.org, who are really working toward making a change in how the U.S. treats families (and mothers in particular) with grassroots movements to change and create legislation. In fact, they have a documentary that illustrates the need for such an organization and I'm contemplating hosting a screening party of my own to get the word out. Details to follow on that since I don't even have the DVD yet. (Don't worry, Cheryl, I'll be inside so there's no worry of my canceling due to rain or cold :)


• Also the Virtual March to Stop Global Warming has some interesting things happening over at their website. They've teamed up with the Natural Resources Defence Council to create a Beat the Heat interactive map, "that highlights the global warming solutions and consequences . . . and concrete actions that will drastically cut global warming pollution." This is one of those things that will take minutes to investigate, but provides valuable information and easy solutions for people like you and me in doing our part to slow global warming.


• I found a similar article in my inbox a few weeks ago (but am just getting around to reading) from the NRDC's "This Green Life" publication. Author Sheryl Eisenberg points out that while we can each do a little something to promote energy efficiency, waste reduction, etc. the most important thing is to get others involved as well. Her metaphor is that we should act not individually but as levers to assist others in making changes to their lives and that by acting as levers we can make that change easier and have a greater effect on the environment. (Reminds me of you, Shannon! Great idea to carpool to Parents Night Out - why take two cars when you only need one?)


• And finally, (for this installment at least) you must read this short blurb on The Progressive's website about Bush's proposed cuts to public television. The Administration has tried this move before, but previous attempts have been thwarted by a viewing public that said, "No Way!" Well, that time has come again as Bush has proposed a 25% reduction of federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. If you don't even need to read the article to know that this is a bad idea and want to do something about it, click on over to MoveOn.org and sign their petition now.

I guess that does it for now. I'm sure I'll have all sorts of things to add in the coming weeks as I try to make some headway in my backed-up reading department. Yes, it will probably take weeks :)

Hysteria Wins Out Again

Image from the New York Times website - November 22, 2006

I heard this story first on the radio, then again on the evening news last night and went to the New York Times this morning to try and get some more information - but no matter how many sources I heard the story from it was all the same - Racial profiling and public hysteria have won out again. Or has it? Were the actions taken by US Airways justified?

Apparently six Muslim Imams were removed from a US Airways flight Monday night in Minneapolis because of "suspicious behavior" observed by both US Airways staff and passengers. The men were handcuffed and led off the plane by police, then were detained for five hours of questioning before being released. As you can see by the note passed to a US Airways flight attendant by a passenger on the plane these men were acting "very suspicious."

First of all, what's with them not all sitting together? They are all after all Muslims, or "suspicious arabic men," as the not above states. Why wouldn't they want to sit together? They must all be close personal friends and we all know how easy it is to get six seats together on an airplane is, right?

Then of course there is the whole praying issue. I mean, who do you know that prays before or during a flight? (I know a few people, but I wouldn't categorize them as "suspicious" or, come to think of it, maybe they are . . .) It was reported by witnesses that the six men, who had attended a conference of the North American Imams Federation in Minneapolis and were on their way home when the incident occurred, were chanting "Allah ... Allah ... Allah," in the waiting area before boarding the plane and were also heard uttering "Anti-American" sentiments regarding U.S. involvement with Saddam Hussein.

And are you ready for this? Some of the men actually requested seat belt extensions as well, although one flight attendant did not believe they really needed them.

Of course, the gentlemen had explanations for their "suspicious" behavior - the prayers in the waiting area were nightly evening prayers and the three who were praying "had not meant to be disruptive and indeed had taken pains not to disturb other passengers." The seatbelt extensions? Dr. Omar Ahmad Shahin, one of the suspicious men, said they had been requested because of their "big bodies." Sounds plausible, right?

But at the same time the flight attendants and passengers could have prevented a terrorist plot from coming to fruition, right? Probably not.

What kills me about this whole thing is that we are ALL more likely to be killed in our automobiles everyday than we are to be killed in a terrorist attack in the United States. It it nothing but hysterics and ignorance to assume that a few men, who have dark skin and appear to be of Middle Eastern descent, traveling together might be terrorists. I mean, where was all this hysteria when Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, two white, American citizens killed 168 people with a Ryder truck full of explosives that blew a gaping hole out of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City? Does that mean when we see a young, white man driving a Ryder truck in a downtown area that we should assume there's potential there for terrorist activity?

Absolutely not. It's ludicrous. And it doesn't happen because McVeigh and Nichols aren't seen as "bad" by nature, but two sick, evil abnormalities among a generally peaceful population. Well, there are an estimated 1.3 billion Muslims, the second largest religious group in the world behind Christians at an estimated 2.1 billion people. So I guess it makes sense to assume that the actions of a handful of terrorist groups who also claim to be Muslims are a telling representation of 1.3 billion people.

Right?

Afghanistan: The Forgotten Country

I was reading The Nation last night before bed, I'm surprised it didn't induce fitful sleep and unpleasant dreams, and the cover story for the October 30th issue was titled "Taliban Rising." (Yes, I'm a little behind on my reading.) The story was about the new resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan bolstered by the war in Iraq, as well as insurgents and financial support coming in from Pakistani terrorist groups.

The "Taliban are back, coming out at night to burn schools, assassinate liberal imams, launch rocket attacks on government buildings and plant mines to kill NATO soldiers," according to Christian Parenti who wrote the article. These incidents used to be isolated to the southernmost territories of the country, but have now moved as far north as the capital, Kabul, which has suffered several suicide bombings this fall and U.S. military officials in Afghanistan now say that there are terrorist cells based in Kabul itself.

And yet many Americans have no idea what is going on - good or bad. It's been five years since the U.S. launched the offensive against Afghanistan in hopes of capturing Osama Bin Laden just weeks after the September 11th attacks and there are still a substanial number of U.S. troops trying to secure Afghanistan. You wouldn't know it from watching the news or reading the papers.

Headlines are dominated by the war in Iraq - after all things there are much more dramatic, much "sexier" with the daily suicide bombings and the kidnappings of several dozen people just yesterday. It was reported two days ago that more than 100 people - ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE - were killed just that day in various terrorist strikes across the country. There's no doubt that what's going on in Iraq is important, that we need to end that occupation as soon as possible, but we cannot forget the civilians and the troops still in Afghanistan.

And it's not just the rise in terrorist violence. The Afghani government is Corrupt (and, yes, the capital "C" was intentional) - government officials extort money from civilians looking for assistance and steal public funds to try and fatten up their $30-$100 per month salaries. Plain and simple the Afghani economy is almost non-existent with 92% of the country's income coming from international aid.

The people in Kabul will receive just three hours of electricity today, they do not have sanitary drinking water, there is no organized healthcare system, many schools do not have teachers, there are no public words programs and there is very little action to invest in the few state-owned businesses (coal and gas extraction, a national airline, a chain of small hotels) Kabul has - and this is all happening TODAY, five years after the overthrow of the Taliban.

So is it any wonder that some have become sympathetic to the Taliban, that some have even said they would welcome the Taliban regime back? The citizens of Afghanistan don't have enough to support themselves and what little they have is being stolen from them by a government they are supposed to believe is trying to help them.

According to Parenti, "To pay taxes in Kabul one must first bribe the tax collector! No bribe and your taxes (which will be stolen) won't be registered as paid. Without proof of payment a homeowner or shopkeeper could be reported to the police, arrested and repeatedly extorted at every step of the legal process."

There are so many other aspects to this situation - the opium trade (Afghanistan provides 92% of the world's heroin), prostitution, warlords, etc. - but I am ashamed. I am ashamed that my government has thrown two countries, TWO countries into turmoil and still doesn't seem to have a plan on how to get them out.

I don't want to "cut and run" either; I want these people to receive the assistance they so greatly need, but what I do know is that what the U.S. is doing right now ISN'T working. And while Rumsfeld's replacement was a welcome change, we must put pressure on our elected officials to make sure that this will not be a change in personnel only. Afghanistan and Iraq are in desperate need of a fundamental change in strategy if they are to come out of these wars in better condition than before they were pulled in.

So that's my political tirade for the day. This article by Christian Parenti is eye opening and I highly recommend you take the time to read it in its entirety. I learned so much and I think it's time that Americans open their eyes even wider to include Afghanistan in their scope when asking government officials for answers and real change in military issues.

One More Reason Why I Hate Walmart & Other Random Topics

It's Thursday . . . so here we go!

• I've never hidden my distaste for all things Walmart. And while surfing the blogosphere yesterday with Blogmad I stumbled upon this interesting fact. (I was so intrigued by the fact that I went straight to Wikipedia and forgot to take note of the blogger who tipped me off and I apologize. Thank you whoever you are!)
  Today's reason for hating Walmart is:
  "In the 2004 US Presidential election 76% of voters who shopped at Wal-Mart once a week voted for George W. Bush while only 23% voted for John Kerry. By contrast 80% of voters who never shopped there voted for Kerry with 18% voting for Bush." -- Wikipedia


• Ms. Kookaburra, aka Cheryl/Cherlito, posted this link on her blog and it's sweet. Check it out. It's a great victory song for the recent political happenings in the U.S.


• Which brings me to this little diddy - I watched Dubyah's press conference yesterday and I must say I was surprised by many aspects of it. First of all, I thought that King George looked a little tired, a little worn out, a bit pale even? What I mean to say is he wasn't standing up there behind his podium with his chest all puffed out and his arrogance was almost non-existence for a change. And I found it refreshing. (No worries. I'm not going soft on the guy. I still think he's a criminal. It was just a nice change and I found myself yelling less than usual at the tv and I wasn't even nauseous while listening to his voice.)
  
  Second, I was ecstatic to hear of Don Rumsfeld's resignation. Rummy, as I so fondly refer to him, is a disgrace and at times I've wondered if he is even human. Having sanctioned the torture of thousands of military detainees, then thrown his soldiers and their superiors to the wolves in order to cover his own ass; having started this illegal, heinous war in Iraq probably because he didn't get the job done the first time with King George's father - The only tears I shed upon hearing about his leaving the Pentagon were tears of joy. (Of course, his replacement, former CIA Director Robert Gates, isn't going to be much better considering he is a close personal friend of Dubyah's daddy and let's not forget about his involvement with the Iran Contra scandal.) But a change is a change and maybe with some new leadership both at the Pentagon and in Congress things will begin to change in Iraq - by that I mean maybe the military can begin to devise a plan for drawing down the troops and bringing them home.



Third, and probably my most favorite, just when I thought my day couldn't get any better. Around 9:30 p.m. a crawler came across the bottom of my tv screen to announce that this particular station was ready to declare Democrat Jim Webb the winner of Virginia's Senate race, giving the Dems a clean sweep in their fight to control both the House and the Senate. I checked several other stations upon reading this wonderful news and yes, it was true! I think I'm still beaming!!!

Have a great Thursday everybody!

V for Victory!!!

I woke up this morning and it's a new day in America . . .

Yes, it wasn't just a dream - the Democrats have taken control of the House and control of the Senate is still up in the air. And while I would have loved to wake up to a complete changeover in the balance of power, even if the Repugs (yes, that's Repugs because they are repugnant) maintain dominance in the Senate it will only be a slight advantage which could make things very interesting. As we all know, politics is about staying in power and if a Senator thinks that siding with the Dems on an issue or two will help him get re-elected - he'll side with the Dems.

So what does this mean? It means there's no more blank check writing by Dubyah and his boys. It means that with control of the House, the Democrats can block the hell out legislation that hurts the middle class and start working towards putting money back into the social and health services programs that have been gutted by the Bush Administration - it means that there is once again a balance of power in D.C.

The citizens of this nation made a statement yesterday and it was a resounding "No more business as usual!" Can you say impeachment? Dare I dream? Yes, I am ecstatic this morning. Yes I would have considered packing up the Jeep and driving north to Canada had the Repugs continued their bullying of the people who pay their salaries. Instead my confidence has been restored - we were not scared into voting for the Republicans; we stood up and told the powers that be that the Iraq War needs to end and end now; we showed Dubyah that we don't like the way he's running things and we're taking the first step to end his royal reign as king.

(**An interesting note: According to an exit poll conducted by MSN - yes I'm watching it right now for any more exciting developments - 40% of voters said that they voted Democrat as a statement in defiance of the Bush Administration. Hooray!)

I know I am giddy. I know I sound a little crazy right now. And I'm not naive enough to think that things will change tomorrow and the corruption and illegal activity in D.C. will immediately end. But I mean how can I not be happy when White House representatives, speaking about Dubyah's reaction to the election results, are forced to utter the words, "They have not gone the way he would have liked."

I have hope now and I haven't had that for the past six years. So yes - I'm excited!!!

P.S. Leave it to Britney to divert the spotlight from the post-election day celebration. ABCNews.com had five lead stories featured on its homepage this morning - four of them regarding the election results and the fifth? Britney and K-Fed's divorce. God Bless America!

P.P.S. I was just reading that six races for governor went from Republican to Democrat with two still to close to call. That means that for the first time in 12 years the Democrats outnumber the Repugs 28-20 in state corner offices. How many more hints do Dubyah and his boys need? We'll see what he has to say at 1 p.m. today.

Today's the BIG Day!!!

At approximately 7:13 a.m. this morning I voted. And it was empowering. It felt good. It made me feel like I was fulfilling a responsibility - a BIG responsibility. And when I walked out of the polling station, on the way to my car I could be heard saying, "Take that bitches!" (Yes, you can infer I was speaking of Republicans. I voted Democrat all the way and I'm proud to say it.)

This is a chance for change my fellow registered voters. There are no good excuses for not voting today. This is too important. And I call upon Democrats, Independents and those who are undecided especially. Republicans are notorious for their ability to motivate their constituents to hit the polls, so if you don't want to see this election decided by Republicans simply because they managed to get more bodies to vote - GET OFF YOUR ASS AND GO VOTE!!!

And if you're still not convinced that it matters who is sitting in those seats in Congress. If you don't think it's a big deal that a Republican controlled Congress and a Republican President are a formula for disaster, check out this interesting list put together by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) - and you know I wouldn't praise anyone from Michigan (being a Ohio State fan and all) if it wasn't good - I got this in my email box yesterday:

"A President Hand-picked by Katherine Harris and the Supreme Court

Misleading a Nation into War. Outing an undercover CIA operative.

Smearing a Vietnam Veteran Senator who lost his limbs in combat.

No bid contracts.

Swiftboating.

Another Presidential Election Decided by Unanswered irregularities.

Terri Schiavo.

New Orleans.

Jack Abramoff.

Cronyism.

Releasing nuclear secrets on the web.
Abuse of Power.

Nancy, what is the Bush Administration going to do next? The only way to restore checks and balances is by electing a Democratic Congress. Here is what you can do to help:

First, Vote.

Second, make sure everyone in your family and your friends vote. Call them now."


I can't stress it enough. This is important. In fact, the stakes went up today when I was alerted to this little proposal put forth by the Dept. of Homeland Security. (Thank you to MySpace's Impeach Dubya for posting it.)

Here is an excerpt:

"We're All Prisoners, Now: US Citizens to be Required ''Clearance'' to Leave USA

October 26, 2006 Forget no-fly lists. If Uncle Sam gets its way, beginning on Jan. 14,2007, we'll all be on no-fly lists, unless the government gives us permission to leave-or re-enter-the United States.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSA) has proposed that all airlines, cruise lines-even fishing boats-be required to obtain clearance for each passenger they propose taking into or out of the United States.

It doesn't matter if you have a U.S. Passport - a "travel document"that now, absent a court order to the contrary, gives you a virtually unqualified right to enter or leave the United States, any time you want. When the DHS system comes into effect next January, if the agency says "no" to a clearance request, or doesn't answer the request at all, you won't be permitted to enter-or leave-the United States.

Consider what might happen if you're a U.S. passport holder on assignment in a country like Saudi Arabia. Your visa is about to expire, so you board your flight back to the United States. But wait!You can't get on, because you don't have permission from the HSA. Saudi immigration officials are on hand to escort you to a squalid detention center, where you and others who are now effectively"stateless persons" are detained, potentially indefinitely, until their immigration status is sorted out."

The Full Story Here

So I'll say it one more time and then I'll shut up. Today is the day - GO VOTE!!!

More Randomness

Since I have nothing in particular to go on and on about today, I thought I would post a couple of GREAT links for you to check out.

This one is a trailer from a documentary entitled "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers." The film is a commentary on the private contractors and corporations (like Haliburton KBR and Blackwater) who were hired by the U.S. military to "aid" them in their reconstruction efforts in Iraq. The film, according to its website, "uncovers the connections between private corporations making a killing in Iraq and the decision makers who allow them to do so."

This is a topic that needs exploring. While many of us are focused, and rightly so, on ending the occupation in Iraq that has now spurned a civil war and bringing U.S. soldiers back home - this topic demands our attention as well. When the military does come home, when the suicide bombs and roadside attacks have stopped the people of the United States need to start asking questions regarding where their tax money went and why. Haliburton, a company of which V.P. Cheney is a former CEO, has already been under investigation for fraud in the overcharging and double-billing of the U.S. government for its services. And yet, still Haliburton gets the government contracts and still collects checks from our federal government.

Essentially, the U.S. military has "outsourced" much of what it does in times of war, ie assist in the building of roads, reorganizing and providing new routes for electricity and water for the citizens of Iraq, security for convoys moving about the country, so now they are paying a private contractor to do that work and in so doing profit from this war. Not only do I find it repulsive that war is being seen as a moneymaker, but the fact is that many of these private citizens have not been properly trained or given military quality equipment to defend themselves while working on the front lines of this armed conflict is sickening.

Just another example of American politics and government being driven by the almighty dollar instead of the health and welfare of the citizens of this country.
This film isn't backed by any corporate funding or advertising, so the only way people find out about it is through word of mouth. Check out the trailer and let me know what you think:





The other thing I want everyone to check out is over at Wallpaper of My Mind. Misha put together a very comprehensive (and humorous) list of the top 10 reasons why she thinks Bush should be re-elected if he were running again in 2008. Don't be nervous. I have not by any means changed sides - this list speaks volumes for me. It's not to be missed :)