Category: Politics

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IOC’s Rogge employing ‘silent diplomacy’ with China-Tibet protests

ESPN – IOC’s Rogge employing ‘silent diplomacy’ with China-Tibet protests – Olympics
The pressure is beginning to build on China, but they are not relenting and are again telling lies to the world and their citizens.

“Beijing’s official death toll from the rioting is 22, but the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile has said 99 Tibetans have been killed.” To me, China does not want to admit that they are the reason for this problem. The are trying to blame the Dalai Lama for this problem, but it is China’s intolerance to anything that challenges their belief.

This is why they Olympics should never had been awarded to them until they clean up their human rights abuses. They do not tolerate any dissent in their country, they jail and kidnap anyone who disagrees with them, and they encourage genocide in other countries (see Sudan and Darfur).

Even the Olympic organization was putting down protests today by not allowing protesters at the lighting of the Olympic Flame today in Greece.

Protestor stopped at Olympic Flame Lighting for Beijing Games.

China should get their act together soon or the games won’t go as smoothly as they want. The world will see that it is not all roses in a country that will see more dissent and controversy as the years go by.

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As Campaign Drags On, Aides Put Lives on Hold

As Campaign Drags On, Aides Put Lives on Hold – New York Times
This is an interesting look at the campaign to be the Democratic nominee and the personal toll it is taking on the staff and reporters that are covering it for their respective outlets.

I don’t think that this is going to end anytime soon and it has to be tough on the staffers. But, not to sound callous, but they choose this. It is an intense and extremely busy job and you have to be going 24/7 to try and get your candidate elected.

For the reporters, I think the media outlets should have the opportunity to get some of them a break. It is going to be busy several months until the Democrat National Convention in Denver and then it is right into the General Election. It is going to be a long few months and if the outlets want quality work, they need to get them a break.

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The Problem With the 2008 Summer Olympics is China

China will be hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the main problem with the Olympics this year will be China itself.  The conflicts and controversy are already starting with the pollution, the conflict in Tibet, and the culpability with the Sudanese government.
In Beijing itself, the biggest challenge is the pollution in the city and how it is going to effect the outdoor sports.  The pollution in Beijing is one of the worst in the world and already caused problems with the Women’s World Cup last summer.

The Olympic Chief, Jaques Rogge, is even admitting it will be a problem.  “People are beginning to come to terms with the fact it could be a major issue. Rogge said that some of the endurance events may be postponed and that would be disaster for the organisers.”

The pollution stems from a tremendous number of new cars on the roads and from the coal factories fueling the growth in China’s economy.  They are doing their best to work on reducing the pollution by reducing vehicle traffic in Beijing and by curbing emissions from coal plants, but there hasn’t been much improvement. 

They tried to ban cars for four days in the city earlier this year and it did not work to reduce pollution. Continue reading “The Problem With the 2008 Summer Olympics is China”

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A flophouse of bloggers…

When I got out of college, we headed to a ski town, or nearby, and settled with a bunch of similar-minded people and skied all winter long. We had a bunch of parties and worshiped powder days.
But there is a new kind of flophouse and that is in Washington, D.C. where several bloggers have moved in together and now have a flophouse of bloggers.

According to an article in the New York Times, Washington Doesn’t Sleep Here, “The Flophouse bloggers may not be part of the traditional mainstream news media, but they are certainly part of the mainstream blogosphere that is helping drive discourse in the city and the country.” Continue reading “A flophouse of bloggers…”

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Do you have a Facebook?

I saw this on Chris Brogan’s blog and thought it raised some interesting questions about privacy and who is behind the money of Facebook.
It is interesting to think about. I don’t know if all this information gathering is taking place because of Facebook, I think it is something that would be talking place anyway.

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Red, White and Blue Tag Sale

Red, White and Blue Tag Sale – New York Times
This is in excellent column by Maureen Dowd looking at what is happening to the economy of the United States.  People are so focused on the illegal immigration along the Mexican border, our economy is becoming one of the worst in the world and we are ever-increasingly dependent upon foreign investors.

One of the biggest investors and holders of our bonds is the Chinese.

The Americans need to become more concerned with our ever-increasing deficit.  We need to ensure that we have fiscal responsible people in the government to ensure we have a balanced budget and pay off our debt.  If we don’t, the price of oil will continue to go up and we may sink deeper into a recession.

We will also become more dependent and beholden to foreign governments.  We need to be careful and be prudent.

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Michigan Results Interesting

I am wondering how long Fred Thompson is going to stay in the race.  In watching the results, he was even losing to Ron Paul.  Finishing fifth in the race does not show well.
I am wondering how Giuliani’s strategy of waiting to Florida is panning out.  He wouldn’t have done well in the early states anyway, but by not campaigning in those states, a half-hearted attempt in New Hampshire, he has lost the momentum that he once had.

Giuliani finished behind Thompson.  By waiting to Florida, he may already be out of the race.

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Douglas Bruce Kicks Photographer, Then Blames Photographer

I am wondering how Douglas Bruce was selected to fill the remanding term in the Colorado State House of Representatives.  He just doesn’t get it.  He sees it about himself, not the State of Colorado or his constituents.
Since being selected, he has delayed being sworn in, denying his constituents representation, so he could get through half the term he is replacing and serve eight years instead of the term limited six years.

When he did show up at the House, he wanted to be sworn in during the House session and then speak to the House for 90 seconds.  When he showed up on the House floor for that this morning, as a guest, for his swearing in, something happened.  During the morning prayer, he kicked a photographer of the Rocky Mountain News.  There is even video.

He is now thinking up stories, trying to blame the photographer and wanting an apology.  That is just ridiculous.  If you watch or have watched the video you can clearly see that it was his fault.  He should be charged with assault.  Maybe that will get his attention.

Bruce made his own party mad.  The Republicans in the House voted to select someone else to replace him if he wasn’t sworn in today.

Douglas Bruce needs to get a clue that it isn’t all about him.  It is about his constituents and the State of Colorado.  But he won’t.  Hopefully the people in his district will vote him out.

Colorado Republican Kicks Photographer (All Spin Zone)

Douglas Bruce to Move His Circus to US Senate (The Colorado Index) [The perfect way to re-elect a Democrat to the Senate, run Douglas Bruce]

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Saudi Arabia justice system abominable & barbaric

The Saudi Arabia justice system is abominable and barbaric. I can’t believe anyone would treat a women like this.
For those of you who haven’t heard, a women was gang-raped about a year ago. But the Saudi justice system ruled that she was having an affair with a man and she was sentenced to six months in jail and 90 lashes and then 200 lashes. The man the justice system said she was having an affair with only received 90 lashes.

The women’s statement a year ago was that she was meeting with a man to get a picture back after recently being married. She said two men got in the car and drove them to a secluded place where more men were waiting. Both her and the man were gang-raped.

She originally received 90 lashes, but her penalty was increased to 200 lashes on appeal because the justices said she was using the media to influence the case.

The men who gang-raped them received five years in prison.

The Saudi Foreign Minister is now trying to distance the Saudi government from this ruling. In a story that is on the ABC Australia website, Prince Saud al-Faisal says “bad judgements” happen in legal systems.

For a country and religion that talks about how they respect women, their actions don’t show it. In fact, their actions show they have no regard for women at all. I think we may be seeing the true face of the Muslim religion and how they see women.