Monday, August 16, 2004
Venezuela: Chavez Victorious
Despite the best efforts of convicted Iran-Contragatee Eliot Abrams, Chavez apparently won by a comfortable margin, estimated at 58% of the vote. Claims that he was a divider, not a uniter, a preacher of class conflict, didn’t work. [Ultimately, Venezuela used electronic voting machines that provided a paper trail.]
The righteous Bushies undoubtedly will claim electoral fraud; [the opposition already has.] Projection, projection… Don’t expect the Administration to give up its efforts to oust the anti-oligarchy Chavez. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3569012.stm http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1284125,00.html
What’s Happening, Iraq: Most dangerous place on Earth
Yesterday's kidnapping and subsequent freeing of James Brandon, a freelance journalist in Iraq, is just the latest in a series of abductions of foreigners that have swept the country, and has highlighted once again the perils of working in arguably the most dangerous country in the world.
Since the occupation began, dozens of westerners have been snatched by a variety of different groups - from insurgents loyal to the old regime and seeking to make a political point, to bands of armed robbers who just want hard cash. http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4993126-103550,00.html
Election Plan Sinks into Chaos
They tried to convene a huge convention to take further steps toward a “constitutional democracy”, but wound up in “siege-like disorder”, including mortar shells landing nearby.
Just as American troops in Najaf have failed so far to quell an uprising by a rebel Shiite cleric, Moktada al-Sadr, so on Sunday's showing here, American political plans for Iraq remain hostage to the violence that has made much of the country enemy territory for the Americans. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/international/middleeast/16baghdad.html
Our position is bleak: it can be described as ‘no way out’ or in the dilemma, ‘How can you defeat al-Qaeda like groups in a way that doesn’t generate an even greater number of new recruits?’
Or, as Fred Kaplan’s (excellent) Slate piece summarizes, “The U.S. military- the only force in Iraq remotely capable of keeping the country from falling apart- finds itself in a maddening situation where tactical victories yield strategic setbacks.”
More at http://www.slate.com/id/2105127/
News from Florida: Not reassuring.
Voter confidence took another blow in Florida this week when 22,000 absentee ballots mailed to Palm Beach County residents contained misleading and outdated information about verifying their vote. The ballots indicate that without the signature of a witness, votes would not be counted in the November election. In fact, a Florida law effective July 1 explicitly eliminated the requirement of a witness signature for absentee ballots.The responsibility for this mistake lies solely with Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, Theresa Lepore. As Lepore explained in the Palm Beach Post on Thursday, "Everybody looked at it, and no one caught it." Remember Theresa Lepore? She was Supervisor of Elections during the 2000 election when thousands of Palm Beach County butterfly ballots were kept from being recounted. She is also an ally of Jeb Bush in opposing a paper trail for the faulty electronic voting machines she helped install. http://blogforamerica.com/
Bob Herbert of the NY Times adds his thoughts, about state police officers interrogating elderly black voters in Orlando as part of an “investigation” that is frightening / intimidating voters and election volunteers.
Florida is a state that's very much in play in the presidential election, with some polls showing John Kerry in the lead. A heavy-handed state police investigation that throws a blanket of fear over thousands of black voters can only help President Bush.
The long and ugly tradition of suppressing the black vote is alive and thriving in the Sunshine State. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/opinion/16herbert.html?hp
Oil
Lots of good pieces in the NY Times business section over the last few days, as the new high price (almost $47/barrel) is increasingly accepted as a harbinger of tougher times ahead.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency now predicts global demand will escalate to 84 million barrels a day by next year. That’s notable as they had just predicted 82.6 in the early part of the year. This is only the latest low ball estimation, meaning we’re constantly revising the date that Peak Oil is reached/passed, that oil theoretically runs out sooner than (the previously estimated) 2054. http://omrpublic.iea.org/, http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&refer=us&sid=agYsLU2ERCCc , http://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-060/
Aljazerra: The Allawi government silenced Aljazeera in Iraq, but they continue from their base in Qatar. [“Control Room” which gives one a view of the network in the run-up to the Iraq invasion, is marvelous.]
Several Iraqi officials working within the interim government have resigned in protest of the US-led assault on Najaf and Kut. Sixteen of Najaf's 30-member provincial council resigned in protest at the US-led assault on the Najaf as fighting between the Mahdi Army loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr and US occupation forces entered its eighth day."
The US attack on Najaf has been condemned by Arab and non-Arab organisations who say the level of aggression is unacceptable and that the consequences could be serious. The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) issued a statement received by Aljazeera condemning what it described as 'the US aggression against Najaf. ''The US occupation forces must withdraw from Najaf and the whole country (Iraq)' said the statement." http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4BAF409C-2505-4B6E-88AD-AC38F7E31F5B.htm
Bush on the Campaign Trail: Softball City: George is grilled by the faithful:
Take, for example, one of the first queries at the "Ask President Bush'' session in Beaverton, Ore., on Friday:
"I'm wondering if I can get some inauguration tickets?''
Or consider this from Albuquerque on Wednesday:
"Can I introduce my mother and mother-in-law, who are new citizens to this country?''
Many times the questions aren't even questions at all. Exhibit A might be these words from an audience member in Niceville, Fla., on Tuesday:
"I'm 60 years old and I've voted Republican from the very first time I could vote. And I also want to say this is the very first time that I have felt that God was in the White House.''
"Thank you,'' Mr. Bush replied, to applause. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/politics/campaign/16letter.html
Who’s the Flip Flopper?
If you know anyone you need to convince- relatives in Ohio, Florida, for example, send ‘em this, on the multitude of Bush flip-flops. http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=42263
Zogby Poll: Often seen as the most reliable, it reports Kerry up 4%.
Most interesting statistic: "Voters with active passports prefer Kerry 58% to 35%, while those without a passport are for Bush 48% to 39%."
-R
Despite the best efforts of convicted Iran-Contragatee Eliot Abrams, Chavez apparently won by a comfortable margin, estimated at 58% of the vote. Claims that he was a divider, not a uniter, a preacher of class conflict, didn’t work. [Ultimately, Venezuela used electronic voting machines that provided a paper trail.]
The righteous Bushies undoubtedly will claim electoral fraud; [the opposition already has.] Projection, projection… Don’t expect the Administration to give up its efforts to oust the anti-oligarchy Chavez. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3569012.stm http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1284125,00.html
What’s Happening, Iraq: Most dangerous place on Earth
Yesterday's kidnapping and subsequent freeing of James Brandon, a freelance journalist in Iraq, is just the latest in a series of abductions of foreigners that have swept the country, and has highlighted once again the perils of working in arguably the most dangerous country in the world.
Since the occupation began, dozens of westerners have been snatched by a variety of different groups - from insurgents loyal to the old regime and seeking to make a political point, to bands of armed robbers who just want hard cash. http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4993126-103550,00.html
Election Plan Sinks into Chaos
They tried to convene a huge convention to take further steps toward a “constitutional democracy”, but wound up in “siege-like disorder”, including mortar shells landing nearby.
Just as American troops in Najaf have failed so far to quell an uprising by a rebel Shiite cleric, Moktada al-Sadr, so on Sunday's showing here, American political plans for Iraq remain hostage to the violence that has made much of the country enemy territory for the Americans. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/international/middleeast/16baghdad.html
Our position is bleak: it can be described as ‘no way out’ or in the dilemma, ‘How can you defeat al-Qaeda like groups in a way that doesn’t generate an even greater number of new recruits?’
Or, as Fred Kaplan’s (excellent) Slate piece summarizes, “The U.S. military- the only force in Iraq remotely capable of keeping the country from falling apart- finds itself in a maddening situation where tactical victories yield strategic setbacks.”
More at http://www.slate.com/id/2105127/
News from Florida: Not reassuring.
Voter confidence took another blow in Florida this week when 22,000 absentee ballots mailed to Palm Beach County residents contained misleading and outdated information about verifying their vote. The ballots indicate that without the signature of a witness, votes would not be counted in the November election. In fact, a Florida law effective July 1 explicitly eliminated the requirement of a witness signature for absentee ballots.The responsibility for this mistake lies solely with Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, Theresa Lepore. As Lepore explained in the Palm Beach Post on Thursday, "Everybody looked at it, and no one caught it." Remember Theresa Lepore? She was Supervisor of Elections during the 2000 election when thousands of Palm Beach County butterfly ballots were kept from being recounted. She is also an ally of Jeb Bush in opposing a paper trail for the faulty electronic voting machines she helped install. http://blogforamerica.com/
Bob Herbert of the NY Times adds his thoughts, about state police officers interrogating elderly black voters in Orlando as part of an “investigation” that is frightening / intimidating voters and election volunteers.
Florida is a state that's very much in play in the presidential election, with some polls showing John Kerry in the lead. A heavy-handed state police investigation that throws a blanket of fear over thousands of black voters can only help President Bush.
The long and ugly tradition of suppressing the black vote is alive and thriving in the Sunshine State. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/opinion/16herbert.html?hp
Oil
Lots of good pieces in the NY Times business section over the last few days, as the new high price (almost $47/barrel) is increasingly accepted as a harbinger of tougher times ahead.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency now predicts global demand will escalate to 84 million barrels a day by next year. That’s notable as they had just predicted 82.6 in the early part of the year. This is only the latest low ball estimation, meaning we’re constantly revising the date that Peak Oil is reached/passed, that oil theoretically runs out sooner than (the previously estimated) 2054. http://omrpublic.iea.org/, http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&refer=us&sid=agYsLU2ERCCc , http://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-060/
Aljazerra: The Allawi government silenced Aljazeera in Iraq, but they continue from their base in Qatar. [“Control Room” which gives one a view of the network in the run-up to the Iraq invasion, is marvelous.]
Several Iraqi officials working within the interim government have resigned in protest of the US-led assault on Najaf and Kut. Sixteen of Najaf's 30-member provincial council resigned in protest at the US-led assault on the Najaf as fighting between the Mahdi Army loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr and US occupation forces entered its eighth day."
The US attack on Najaf has been condemned by Arab and non-Arab organisations who say the level of aggression is unacceptable and that the consequences could be serious. The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) issued a statement received by Aljazeera condemning what it described as 'the US aggression against Najaf. ''The US occupation forces must withdraw from Najaf and the whole country (Iraq)' said the statement." http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4BAF409C-2505-4B6E-88AD-AC38F7E31F5B.htm
Bush on the Campaign Trail: Softball City: George is grilled by the faithful:
Take, for example, one of the first queries at the "Ask President Bush'' session in Beaverton, Ore., on Friday:
"I'm wondering if I can get some inauguration tickets?''
Or consider this from Albuquerque on Wednesday:
"Can I introduce my mother and mother-in-law, who are new citizens to this country?''
Many times the questions aren't even questions at all. Exhibit A might be these words from an audience member in Niceville, Fla., on Tuesday:
"I'm 60 years old and I've voted Republican from the very first time I could vote. And I also want to say this is the very first time that I have felt that God was in the White House.''
"Thank you,'' Mr. Bush replied, to applause. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/politics/campaign/16letter.html
Who’s the Flip Flopper?
If you know anyone you need to convince- relatives in Ohio, Florida, for example, send ‘em this, on the multitude of Bush flip-flops. http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=42263
Zogby Poll: Often seen as the most reliable, it reports Kerry up 4%.
Most interesting statistic: "Voters with active passports prefer Kerry 58% to 35%, while those without a passport are for Bush 48% to 39%."
-R
