Centricity - The state or quality of being centric; centricalness.
Centrisity - The state or quality of not being bound to an ideology. Freedom of thought.
Benanav, whose ward includes the University of St. Thomas and Hamline University, is researching whether the city should charge institutions of higher education a per-student fee of $25 to pay for police and fire services. State law exempts schools and other nonprofit organizations from paying property taxes.Probably THE most ridiculous proposal he has ever made, and that was a challenge for even him to meet.
Senate District 15 resultsBut in the STRIB article this AM, the Right had the spin cycle in overdrive!
Ind DAN BECKER 826 6.96
GOP DAN "OX" OCHSNER 4422 37.26
DFL TARRYL CLARK 6572 55.38
WRITE-IN** 47 0.40
House 15B Results
DFL LARRY HAWS 3579 70.86
WRITE-IN** 150 2.97
GOP KAY EK** 1322 26.17
"I think the Ek situation caused confusion among the voters," state Republican spokesman Mark Drake said after Ochsner conceded the election to Clark. "It drowned out the message that Clark is a liberal who is out of touch with the district."So your guys get busted, the constituency demands a little honesty and respect, and you say THEY'RE out of touch.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.Merry Christmas and have a safe and joyous Holiday Weekend!
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
"(A)ny time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so. It's important for our fellow citizens to understand, when you think Patriot Act, constitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution."Seems like the President and I were on the same page back then, but for some reason he has changed his mind. Anything short of that would simply mean he was saying one thing, but doing the complete opposite.
Forty-six percent (46%) of American adults approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Fifty-two percent (52%) disapprove.For the month of December, The President's high water mark was 47% on December 4th, with his low point of 43% registering just a few days later on December 9. This clearly shows a volatility of the opinions of Americans, and suggests that any brief bump after the latest inundation of face time, will be brief.
Mr. President. Getting back to the domestic spying issue for a moment. According to FISA's own records, it's received nearly 19,000 requests for wiretaps or search warrants since 1979, rejected just five of them. It also operates in secret, so security shouldn't be a concern, and it can be applied retroactively. Given such a powerful tool of law enforcement is at your disposal, sir, why did you see fit to sidetrack that process?19,000 requests with only FIVE rejections. And there actually an opportunity for retroactive authorization built into the law. So what is the difference between this practice and the desire of the President to work outside the letter of the law? The President;s response:
We used the process to monitor. But also, this is a different -- a different era, a different war, Stretch. So what we're -- people are changing phone numbers and phone calls, and they're moving quick. And we've got to be able to detect and prevent. I keep saying that, but this is a -- it requires quick action.Which, I assume, is the primary reason the current law allows for retroactive authorization.
And without revealing the operating details of our program,FISA operates in secret, so the operation is still protected.
I just want to assure the American people that, one, I've got the authority to do this;but there is no need to use this authority since the law provides you with all the tools you need to do the same.
two, it is a necessary part of my job to protect you;sure, but know need to make up your own rules to do it when the current set of procedures allows for the same protections.
and, three, we're guarding your civil liberties.Not if you are circumventing the law to spy on citizens without proper legal clearance.
And we're guarding the civil liberties by monitoring the program on a regular basis, by having the folks at NSA, the legal team, as well as the inspector general, monitor the program, and we're briefing Congress. This is a part of our effort to protect the American people. The American people expect us to protect them and protect their civil liberties. I'm going to do that. That's my job, and I'm going to continue doing my job.But your oath, Mr. President is to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States", and frankly, peeking into people's worlds with out legal authorization is just plain creepy. There are policies, processes and procedures built into the current system that will allow the administration to do exactly what they are doing right now, without skipping a beat. What they are doing instead is pure power mongering arrogance, and I believe the American people will see right through it.
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- John Spencer, who played a dedicated politico on "The West Wing" who survived a serious illness to run for vice president, died of a heart attack Friday, his publicist said.Holy moly! I loved the Leo McGarry character! He provided sanity to a busy and hectic oval office. With his status as the Democratic nominee for Veep, this could make for some interesting plot twists. Of course, if the GOP candidate (played by Alan Alda) takes the prize, it will be uneventful.
Spencer, 58, died at a Los Angeles hospital, said publicist Ron Hofmann. He would have been 59 next week.
Spencer played Leo McGarry, the chief of staff to President Jeb Bartlet (Martin Sheen) through the first few seasons of the NBC series. In a sad parallel to life, his character suffered a heart attack that forced him to give up his White House job.
The party starts at 5PM, and lasts until J.B. Doubtless climbs up on the bar and sings "Hungry Heart".I hear from reliable sources I may not be the only admitted Left leaner at the gathering, so that should spare me from being cornered and then tag teamed into submission. But in reality, these events turn out to be more apolitical, and the conversations take on a more personal flavor, rather then political ones.
Four Minnesota Vikings, including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, were charged today with misdemeanors alleging lewd or indecent conduct in connection with a party on Lake Minnetonka in October.This couldn't come at a worse time for the team. The Vikings biggest test of their come from no where season is against a resurgent Pittsburgh team which is as desperate for a win to keep their playoff hopes alive as the Vikings are. But being held accountable for criminal behaviors knows no time line.
The other players charged were tackle Bryant McKinnie, running back Moe Williams and cornerback Fred Smoot, who was one of the organizers of the annual party put on by a first-year player from the team.
It is true that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong," Bush said during his fourth and final speech before Thursday's vote for Iraq's parliament. "As president I am responsible for the decision to go into Iraq. And I'm also responsible for fixing what went wrong by reforming our intelligence capabilities. And we're doing just that."It's like he almost admitted making a mistake . . . almost!
"My decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the right decision," the president said. "Saddam was a threat and the American people, and the world is better off because he is no longer in power."
Iraqis started the year with a transitional assembly election. They voted for a constitution in October. And on Thursday they will cap their tumultuous year when many are expected to vote for a full four-year parliament.Iraq is evolving into a much better neighbor and global citizen. We can argue whether or not the President lied us into this conflict (I like to think of it as a self fulfilled prophecy). He has much to answer to regarding the intelligence that did not support his claims of WMD's, his primary argument for militaristic intervention. But I don't think any objective mind can ignore the fact that the Arab peninsula is better off with a Democratic Iraq, rather then a dictatorial regime that brutalized it's on people into conformity.
On a main road in Sunni Aadhamiya, teenagers broke away from a soccer game to voice support for former interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a Shi'ite, Reuters reported.
"Ayad Allawi. Ayad Allawi. Ayad Allawi. We want Allawi," Reuters quoted Ahmed Khaled as saying. "He is a hero, and I am a wrestling champion."
Stanley Tookie Williams -- the co-founder of the violent Crips street gang who became an anti-gang crusader while on death row -- died by lethal injection early Tuesday for the 1979 killings of four people in two Los Angles robberies.I shed no tear for Tookie, as he refused to take responsibility for his actions, and the violent past that brought him into San Quentin's death chamber. His storied involving that evening have changed, and his claim of innocence evolved. I share with Mitch the discomfort of carrying out the ultimate punishment when considering the possibility of executing an innocent man, but that was not the case here.
Terry Thornton, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said the unofficial time of death was 12:35 a.m. (3:35 a.m. ET).
Williams, 51, while acknowledging he had a violent past, had maintained he was innocent in the slayings.
The Cory Maye case is just about the ugliest nexus of race, civil rights violations, southern juries and our criminal justice system that I can think of.The Maye case sees no political boundaries. Bloggers of all stripes and colors are presenting what appears on the service to be a travesty. It's not very often the Left, Right, and Libertarians can join hands and fight a common cause. When that happens you almost have to take notice. This is definitely a case that everyone should notice. Let's push this one out there so at least those in a position to right and potential wrongs here can have the time to do their work.Let's summarize: Cops mistakenly break down the door of a sleeping man, late at night, as part of drug raid. Turns out, the man wasn't named in the warrant, and wasn't a suspect. The man, frightened for himself and his 18-month old daughter, fires at an intruder who jumps into his bedroom after the door's been kicked in. Turns out that the man, who is black, has killed the white son of the town's police chief. He's later convicted and sentenced to death by a white jury. The man has no criminal record, and police rather tellingly changed their story about drugs (rather, traces of drugs) in his possession at the time of the raid.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld hosted Senator Joe Lieberman for a breakfast meeting today amid speculation that the Connecticut Democrat could be in line to succeed him.Could it be, Secretary JoMentum. Hmmmmmm!
One of the latest hostages in Iraq is from my hometown, Jamestown, ND:and later:
As a point in passing, I know every single person referenced in this article, including mayor Charlie Kourajian (brother of a friend of King Banaian's; small towns are the smallest world of all)I know several people directly involved in the war on terror. And, of course, my son the Marine who is scheduled to deploy next Spring.
Dean, the Democratic National Chairman, on Monday told a San Antonio, Texas, radio station that the United States appears to be making the same mistakes it made during the Vietnam War, and the idea that the war in Iraq can be won is "just plain wrong."You can criticize the President, you can challenge him on how we got into this mess, and you can propose solutions that may bring the troops home sooner. But to imply that the effort is hopeless is wrong, implies you are totally out of touch with what is necessary to defeat this evil overseas, and jeopardizes the safety of our troops.
In what I thought would amount to little more than a practical joke, I claimed the up-for-grabs site and put up a post ridiculing the Dayton v. Kennedy blog. What I did not realize is that in doing so the archives would be removed from the site. For this I am truly sorry. I have removed myself from the blog's administrator role and left it alone. This was not a case of "cyber-sabotage" or unethical blogging, it was an honest mistake made by someone who obviously does not understand the inner workings of blogger well enough.But, did he stop there. No siree!
When I realized what had happened I felt terrible for having ruined someone's hard work like that. I immediately apologized to all the KvM authors and set to work righting my wrongs. It took me a while sifting through the yahoo and google caches of old DvK pages but I managed to find every single lost post. I compiled this list and sent it off to KvM. I know it doesn't rectify everything, but I made a mistake and wanted to correct it as best I couldIt may not seem that the Right and Left can get along, but at least here in the Minnesota Blogosphere it is more then just promoting our personal ideoligies, it is about playing fair, and doing the correct thing!
Sen. John Kerry's public profile and prosecutorial past didn't spare him from performing that most mundane of civic responsibilities -- jury duty.I liked this part best:
Kerry was not only chosen this week to sit on a jury in Suffolk Superior Court, but also was elected foreman.
I just found him to be a knowledgeable, normal person," said Cynthia Lovell, a nurse and registered Republican who says she now regrets voting for President Bush in last year's election. "He kept us focused. He wanted us all to have our own say."Flash
The last known surviving allied veteran of the Christmas Truce that saw German and British soldiers shake hands between the trenches in World War One died on Monday at 109, his parish priest said.An article I found around Veteran's Day had these numbers
Alfred Anderson was the oldest man in Scotland and the last known surviving Scottish veteran of the war.
"I remember the silence, the eerie sound of silence," he was quoted as saying in the Observer newspaper last year, describing the day-long Christmas Truce of 1914, which began spontaneously when German soldiers sang carols in the trenches, and British soldiers responded in English.
"All I'd heard for two months in the trenches was the hissing, cracking and whining of bullets in flight, machinegun fire and distant German voices. But there was a dead silence that morning across the land as far as you could see.
"We shouted 'Merry Christmas' even though nobody felt merry.
No one knows exactly how many of America's World War I veterans will celebrate Veterans Day, which marks the armistice of November 11, 1918, that ended what then was considered the Great War. An estimated 2 million Americans served in Europe after the U.S. entered the war in 1917.Most interesting, however, was the age of the final veteran to pass from each American conflict:
Today, the Veterans Affairs Department lists just eight veterans as receiving disability benefits or pension compensation from service in World War I. It says a few dozen other veterans of the war probably are alive, too, but the government does not keep a comprehensive list.
The Census Bureau stopped asking for data about those veterans years ago. Using a report of 65,000 alive in 1990 as a baseline, the VA estimates that no more than 50 remain, perhaps as few as 30.
Long-lived veterans are common among America's warriors. The last veteran to fight in the American Revolution died at age 109 in 1869, according to Defense Department statistics.Remember, we don't have to wait for one day a year to honor the man and women who serve, and have served our country! We should do it every opportunity we can find!
Other wars and the ages of their last veterans the year they died: the War of 1812, 105, 1905; the Indian Wars, 101, 1973; the Mexican War, 98, 1929; the Civil War, 112, 1958; and the Spanish-American War, 106, 1992.
Listed as the most dangerous cities are:Hmmmm, Ironically, I have been to 8 of the 10 BAD cities, and only 2 of the good cities. Maybe it's me!
1 - Camden, New Jersey
2 - Detroit, Michigan
3 - St. Louis, Missouri
4 - Flint, Michigan
5 - Richmond, Virginia
6 - Baltimore, Maryland
7 - Atlanta, Georgia
8 - New Orleans, Louisiana
9 - Gary, Indiana
10- Birmingham, Alabama.
At the other end of the scale, the safest are named as:
1 - Newton, Massachusetts
2 - Clarkstown, New York
3 - Amherst, New York
4 - Mission Viejo, California
5 - Brick Township, New Jersey
6 - Troy, Michigan
7 - Thousand Oaks, California
8 - Round Rock, Texas
9 - Lake Forest, California
10- Cary, North Carolina.
John Gallos, 'Clancy the Cop' on TV, dies at 82Mom tells me I had an Axel doll when I was just a wee lad. Axel was the man. But Axel passed while I was still little, and Carmen the nurse took over. That's when the crack detective team of 'Clancy the Cop' and 'Willie Ketchem' took over.
John Gallos, former host of WCCO-TV's "Clancy the Cop," was recognized by Minnesota baby boomers years after the children's TV show, which ran from 1961 to 1977, went off the air.
Gallos died Tuesday in Minneapolis from complications of diabetes. He was 82.
His daughter, Nancy Gallos of Minneapolis, said he was born with a desire to entertain. He was known for reciting the classic poem "Casey at the Bat" from memory.
"He was always interested in entertaining people," Nancy said. " 'Clancy the Cop' stemmed from his love for children and entertaining."
Clancy, a policeman who befriended kids, was beloved by many children in the Twin Cities during an era when every city had its own "Mr. Rogers."
Typically, near the end of the program Clancy and Willie would talk to the kids in the studio, but on that melancholy occasion there was no audience. Instead, Willie soberly informed viewers, "This is the last day. We are closing the Agency here at old WCCO Television." He then introduced Clancy for the last time.I toured the studios back in the mid 70's. Maybe I'll dig out some of those pics over this weekend and post them.
Clancy and Company"It has been a real pleasure and a privilege to have been a part of many of the routines in many homes around the Twin Cities, and Minnesota and Wisconsin, for lo, these past many years," Clancy declared. "We've had a lot of laughs over the years, we've had some ups, we've had some downs - and it isn't over yet, because I know I'll be looking for you on other programs here on Channel 4. I'd like to close with an Irish blessing that I think Clancy would enjoy:
"Wishing you always Walls for the wind And a roof for the rain And tea beside the fire. Laughter to cheer you And those you love near you And all that your heart might desire. May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the rains fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
Clancy and CompanyAs he recited the verse, the camera slowly moved in until at the finish Clancy's face filled the screen. He gazed steadily into the lens, forced a sad little smile, and said simply, "Good-bye."
Can Take No MoreMy guess was wrong, but seemed FAR more accurate.
A group of ideologue activists, using borderline-fraudulent information, drive government leadership into an unpopular action that, months later, has been an unmitigated disaster.
But far from admitting their mistakes, the dogmatists - still lying about their information - press onward, demanding the government pour more treasure into the insanity - and wreck more lives in the process.
Beset with an unpopular war and an American public increasingly less trusting, President Bush faces the lowest approval rating of his presidency, according to a national poll released Monday.The Powerline folks, of course, are resting their laurels on the Rasmussen tracking poll, a Three day moving average. This poll tends to be 5-7 points higher then other polls, but it isn't the raw number itself, as much as it is the movement of those numbers. What did Powerline say in their screed:
Bush also received his all-time worst marks in three other categories in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. The categories were terrorism, Bush's trustworthiness and whether the Iraq war was worthwhile.
Bush's 37 percent overall approval rating was two percentage points below his ranking in an October survey. Both polls had a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Rasmussen shows President Bush climbing from his low point in October, to a current approval rating of 46%. That's his best this month, and, as Rasmussen says, it might be statistical noise. If it's for real, it's good news; 46% isn't great, but it's well out of the sub-40% danger territory. But, in any event, the upward trend since last month is good news for Republicans.And what does Rasmussen answer with today:
Forty-three percent (43%) of American adults approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Fifty-five percent (55%) of Americans Disapprove of the President's performance.The 46% number held over the weekend and then dove three points. What that probably means, considering this is a rolling average, is that either Saturday's, or more likely Sunday's numbers took a nose dive.
Tuesday November 15, 2005--Forty-three percent (43%) of American adults approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Fifty-six percent (56%) of Americans Disapprove of the President's performance.
In a two-decades old document, Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito voiced his support of the Reagan administration's fight to show "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."I'm not sure either side wants to alter the status quo, it would restrict one sides' ability to effectively fire up their base.
St. Paul voters punished Mayor Randy Kelly on Tuesday for standing with President Bush a year ago, denying the Democrat a second term in Minnesota's capital city.Flash
Former City Council member Chris Coleman, also a Democrat, routed Kelly by a more than 2-to-1 margin in unofficial returns with most precincts reporting. Ahead of the election, independent polls showed voters were primed to fire Kelly, and most cited his 2004 endorsement of the Republican president as the reason.
At a campaign event for Kaine, the Democratic incumbent, Gov. Mark R. Warner, welcomed the president's arrival. Bush, even in reliably Republican Virginia, suffers job-approval ratings of around 40 percent.NEW JERSEY
In New Jersey, U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine campaigned with fellow Democrat U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg while Republican candidate Doug Forrester enlisted New York Gov. George Pataki for a frantic final day of campaigning.There are also several mayoral races on the docket. Among them; New York, Detroit Kilpatrick-i 44% 0 Hendrix 51%), Houston, Boston, San Diego (Sanders-R 52% - Frye-D 47%), Atlanta, and of course St. Paul.
Schwarzenegger's initiatives would cap state spending and give him more power to cut budgets, rein in public employee unions, and take away legislators' power to redistrict.Proposition explanations and polling data:
Prop 73 -- Proposition 73 requires that physicians notify the parent of a pregnant minor at least 48 hours before performing an abortion. If the special election were today, and you were standing in the voting booth right now, would you vote Yes on Proposition 73? Or would you vote No?So there is more then enough excitement this evening to keep us night owls engaged. If I run across other interesting match-ups, I'll be sure to share.
Yes 51 (55)
No 47 (44)
Prop 74 -- Proposition 74 extends the probationary period for new teachers from 2 years to 5 years, and makes it easier to dismiss teachers with unsatisfactory performance evaluations. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on Proposition 74? Or would you vote No?
Yes 48 (49)
No 51 (50)
Prop 75 -- Proposition 75 prohibits public employee unions from using union dues for political purposes without the written consent of union members. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on Proposition 75? Or would you vote no?
Yes 45 (50)
No 54 (49)
Prop 76 -- Proposition 76 limits growth in state spending so that it does not exceed recent growth in state revenues. The Governor would be granted new authority to reduce state spending, [including school funding,] during certain fiscal situations. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on Proposition 76? Or would you vote no?
Yes 39 (49)
No 59 (49)
Prop 77 -- Proposition 77 changes the way California draws boundaries for Congressional and legislative districts. District boundaries would be drawn by a panel of retired judges and approved by voters in a statewide election. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on 77? Or would you vote no?
Yes 41 (42)
No 56 (56)
Shame on Katherine Kersten. The Wellstone service was not a "miscalculation."Be sure you read the whole thing. The further Left you are, the more surprised you will be!
Not only does she get her interpretation wrong, she also cheaply fans partisan flames that some of us -- both Republicans and Democrats -- have worked very hard to try to extinguish since the 2002 election.
--Doctors would get an $11 billion reprieve next year from a scheduled 4.3 percent cut in their Medicare payments.Will the Dems get the courage to run an add saying "Norm Coleman denies $8 billion to college students!" Unreasonable, obtuse, and ridiculous, but still fair game under the precedent set in the past.
--Dairy farmers won a $1 billion extension of milk income payments.
--College students would get more than $8 billion in new grants.
--More disabled children would retain Medicaid health coverage.
A big buck smashed in a window at the back of the State Capitol near the governor's office Thursday morning, then charged past a very startled Gov. Tim Pawlenty just as he was entering the building.Flash
The episode coincided with the run-up to the Governor's Deer Opener, an event that Pawlenty launched three years ago and which he has turned into a rather big deal.
"Another five feet...if it wasn't out of season, we could have had the opener right here," Pawlenty laughed as he told the story at a press conference announcing judicial appointments. "If that's any indication, the deer hunting is going to go well this year."
Remember all those slimy Kerry ads attacking him for being against the troops, and flip flopping. Most of them came from budget bills. Can Norm risk sticking to principle and vote against drilling, before voting for it. Or will he vote against the budget bill if it includes the ANWR leasing revenues, and face the same furor others do when they vote against the troops, and other budgetary provisions which will be gladly cherry picked by the Left for future campaign ads.I have no sympathy for the Senator. In fact, I find it kind of amusing that the lead Senator of the Flip Flop brigade during last years' presidential race is backed into a corner like this!
Minnesota is holding $258 million in unclaimed property for about 1 million people. Check www.missingmoney.com to see it you're one of the lucky ones.Be sure to check out 'Missing Money' to see if you have an unknown nest egg waiting out there. Be sure to forward me a 10% finders fee if you find your name on the list. Ok, just kidding . . . kind of!
According to the University of Minnesota poll, 44 percent of likely voters said they would vote for Rybak while 35 percent would vote for McLaughlin. The two DFLers face off in the Nov. 8 election.and Bad News for Kelly, with the results of the latest number crunching confirming the dismal news (61 - 28) from last week:
A survey conducted by the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs found that 61 percent of likely voters said they supported Coleman, a former St. Paul City Council member, while 26 percent said they would vote for Kelly. About 13 percent are undecided. Kelly and Coleman are both DFLers who will meet in the nonpartisan election on Nov. 8.If these number hold, it will make for a yawner come next Tuesday.
House Republicans voted to cut student loan subsidies, child support enforcement and aid to firms hurt by unfair trade practices as various committees scrambled to piece together $50 billion in budget cuts.With the midterms campaigns slowly gearing up, I guess the Right needs to do the painful work sooner, rather then later in hops the electorate will forget. Either that, or they realize that their days are numbered and they better get the butcher knife out while they still have control.
More politically difficult votes -- to cut Medicaid, food stamps and farm subsidies -- were on tap Thursday as more panels weigh in on the bill.
Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. has been a strong conservative jurist on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, a court with a reputation for being among the nation's most liberal.Let the games begin.
He is to be nominated today to the Supreme Court, according to news reports.
Dubbed "Scalito" or "Scalia-lite," a play not only on his name but his opinions, Alito, 55, brings a hefty legal resume that belies his age. He has served on the federal appeals court for 15 years since President George H.W. Bush nominated him in 1990.
If Libby is indicted, Cheney counsel David Addington will replace him as chief of staff, sources close to the Cheney's office say. Addington is another longtime Cheney aide who worked for him at the Pentagon.Although Rove dodged an indictment today, he is still under investigation as it is clear Fitzgerald wants to be thorough in preparing a strong prosecution case. Former RNC Chairman Ed 'Dizzy' Gillespie is marked to replace Rove once the indictment comes down.
A source familiar with Bush's worst-case plans said he would likely tap ex-GOP Chairman Ed Gillespie to replace Rove if he is indicted.The blind leading the blind. At what point do you think this President would recognize it is time for a fresh start to salvage his second term
Also under consideration is bringing back former White House political director Ken Mehlman. He is the GOP chairman and is considered to be valuable to the Republicans for the upcoming midterm congressional elections.
Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was indicted today by a grand jury on one count of obstruction of justice, two counts of making false statements and two counts of perjury in the CIA leak probe. A news release from special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald says Libby allegedly lied "about how and when in 2003 he learned and subsequently disclosed to reporters then-classified information concerning the employment of Valerie Wilson by the Central Intelligence Agency."
Former City Council Member Chris Coleman's nearly 2-to-1 primary election lead over St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly appears to be widening significantly, according to a poll conducted this week for the Pioneer Press.Although I am undecided, which is movement away from Kelly whom I voted for in the primary, I am not yet sold on Coleman yet. However, it looks like that there isn't much hope for the DINO, as he will have to come up with a miracle finish to close that +30% gap.
Coleman now leads Kelly 61 percent to 28 percent, according to a telephone survey of 400 registered St. Paul voters who say they plan to cast a ballot on Nov. 8. The poll, conducted Tuesday and Wednesday by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, has a margin of error of 5 percent.
What this does do, in the end, is destroy the ability of the right to paint the Democrats as partisan should the next nominee be filibustered. While the spin from the right will be that Miers was scuttled due to Democratic opposition, nobody is going to buy it. It was the right that prevented Miers from getting her "up or down" vote. That makes it harder for them to complain the next time the left takes similar action.Two Term George has been so marginalized over the last several weeks I am not sure how much power or control he has anymore. It's going to be a long three years for him.
Rosa Parks, whose act of civil disobedience in 1955 inspired the modern civil rights movement, died Monday in Detroit, Michigan. She was 92.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed is dedicated to truthful discussion on the activities, statements, and tactics of Minnesota Democrats. I realized that if I kept the website domain names, I was preventing and not fostering a truthful discussion on Minnesota Democrats.I have a new found respect for MDE. I still feel it is over the line to participate in personal attack, rather then the discussion of political ideology, anonymously. But if Mr. MDE was willing to make this move in the interest of 'truthful discussion' I will give him the benefit of the doubt.
My decision to voluntarily relinquish ownership of the domains should not be misunderstood as a repudiation of this tactic.
But if I had the chance to do it over, I would not have purchased the domains.
A little bird told another little bird who told me:I'm not agreeing or disagreeing, just throwing it out there. Speculation is healthy and it keeps the mind fresh!
"As the Valerie Plame case comes to a head and indictments handed out, the underlying question should be where did this effort to undermine Plame/Wilson begin? Who is patient zero in this viral spread of retaliation? A theory brought to me by a trusted source inside the government is below. Curious to hear thoughts and reactions as the more I read it, the more it sounds believable.
"One name being vastly overlooked as it pertains to Plame is that of John Bolton. And when I think of it even more, this has a lot of Bolton's prints on it.
"War on America" opens with the dramatic 1993 World Trade Center bombing and tracks terrorist activities aimed at U.S. targets throughout the 1990s leading up to the horrific morning of September 11, 2001. With each successful attack, terrorist networks become more emboldened. The organization and the legend of Osama bin Laden grow.and a detailed look at the unfolding of the attacks themselves (Episode 2: Zero Hour).
Meet Osama bin Laden as a young Saudi businessman who arrives in Afghanistan to raise funds to help those hurt by the war. Follow this wealthy and privileged son of a self-made billionaire as he rises through the ranks of Islamic terrorist society and remakes himself into a mujahedeen warrior. Hear how bin Laden is schooled in the teachings of radical Palestinian leader Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Azzam as Azzam calls for violent jihad, or holy war, against all enemies of the Islamic state, including the United States, most Western nations and Israel. The extreme hatred for those outside the Islamic faith becomes the cornerstone of al Qaeda's ideology from the mid 1990s until today and is the basis of bin Laden's power.
It is a beautiful morning. Nathan Goldwasser is starting his usual day at work in the North Tower of the World Trade Center, as are Ed Nichols and Stanley Praimnath in the South Tower. Sheila Moody arrives at her office at the Pentagon.If you haven't seen it yet, you simply must. Check your cable listings or TVGuide, or better yet, buy the DVD for your archives. That is what I plan on doing.
Meanwhile, the 19 terrorists are boarding planes in Boston, Newark and Dulles, Virginia. They monitor the flight crews, waiting for the right moment to execute their evil plan.
At 8:14 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 is hijacked. Relive the last precious moments as flight attendants call their supervisors on the ground to report the murders of fellow crew members. Listen as they describe the scene on board.
This past Saturday night the Wisconsin State Marching Band Championships were held in Whitewater. Though not near as serious of a competition as we see in states like Indiana, and certainly few if any bands are as sophisticated as are in Texas, it is nonetheless an enthusiastic event, with over 30 bands in 4 classes competing.UPDATE: Band parent Tom Arneberg has built this webpage to provide updates on the status of those injurred and other news articles.
Chippewa Falls High School from north-west Wisconsin has proudly sent their band to compete at this event and has done so since the early 1980's. They always do well and place near the top of the largest class. This year they took 3rd, and no doubt the kids had a ball. After the show the band loaded their buses and headed back up interstate 94 west and towards home, 4 charter coaches in all.
With only 30 miles to go, at about 2 am this Sunday, the lead bus came over the top of a hill only to meet a jack-knifed semi head on. With no time to react, and really no where to go anyway, since the semi blocked both lanes, the bus hit the semi.
Band director Doug Greenhalg, his wife Therese, his 11-year old granddaughter Morgan and student teacher Brandon Atherton were all seated in the front row of the bus. They, along with the driver Paul Rasmus, were killed.
About 30 students were hurt, as many as six med-evac helicopters flew the injured to hospitals in Eau Claire, St. Paul and other places. I can only imagine the horror of that night for those kids.
This tragedy is not about me in any way, shape or form. But it hits home in that Doug, his family and Brandon were doing what we all love to do: teach kids, create music and travel. That they died is so tragic; that they died while doing what I know they loved to do is bitterly ironic.
I was born in Chippewa Falls, my Dad went to that school. I grew up in the town next door (Eau Claire). I first met Doug Greenhalg 22 years ago when he was hired at that school. We remained friends ever since. He was a good man.
He was a drum corps guy too, marched in the Wausau Story and taught at my home-town corps (Sundowners) off an on over the years, and for a few years he judged extensively in the DCM circuit. Red-beard, leather jacket and always easy-going and friendly. Maybe some of you Midwesterners reading this recall him?
The story of the Chippewa Falls (us locals call it "Chi-Hi") band is a story in itself: 25 years ago this small town of 20,000 people had little to point to with pride. In fact, a national news story proclaimed that it had one of the highest teen-pregnancy rates. The other schools in the area boasted great sports, or jazz bands, or theater. Someone in that district realized no school in the area was doing marching band seriously, so they thought they could perhaps claim that as their point of pride. They hired Doug (because of his drum corps experience), gave him a very nice budget to work with and off he ran. Doug has been the man at Chi-Hi ever since, and there is no question he not only created a good band, but he gave an entire community a special gift.
Thank God none of the students were killed. We all know that is our deepest fear, each and every time we load those buses and hit the road. These kids don't come here to get hurt.
That the students lost their teacher in such a tragic and instant way is profoundly sad. The assistant band director Brian Collicott, (an alumni of Guardsmen and Madison Scouts), was injured and airlifted away. As I type this he is alive. I know Brian from my days with Madison. A wonderful man: hilarious, extremely talented and a fine teacher. He needs to live.
I haven't seen Doug nor Brian for a few years. I hope that the last time I spoke to either it was in kindness and joy, because they are truly good people.
Tonight I am reminded of how important our work as teachers are - and how all of us who teach or work to provide this experience, be it band, corps, drum line or guard - are truly blessed. In this cold manner of electronic communication, I hope you can sense my deepest appreciation for all you do, and for being my friend. I am so thankful to get to live this life with you. I wish I had taken the time to say so to Doug.
Be safe my friends, Pat
A bus carrying high school students home from a band competition collided with a semi truck early today, killing five passengers, the Wisconsin State Patrol said.Some pics here.
About 30 people were transported to area hospitals after the crash, which took place shortly after 2 a.m. on Interstate Hwy. 94 west of Osseo, patrol spokesman Brent Pickard said. The students from Chippewa Falls High School were returning from a competition at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, some 200 miles to the southeast of Chippewa Falls. Osseo is approximately 115 miles east of Minneapolis.
I am personally worried about the two band directors . . . Doug Greenhaugh is also a band director that has been involved heavily in the drum corps community as a member, instructor and even judge.And this unfortunate news a short time ago.
Among the dead were band director Douglas Greenhalgh, 48, known throughout Wisconsin for his work on motorcycle safety; his wife, Therese, 51, and their 11-year-old granddaughter Morgan, students and friends said. Also killed was the bus driver, Paul Rasmus, 78, and a 24-year-old man who wasn't identified.
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