Programming note

Dear all three of you that may read this from time to time,

I will be en vacances (that's on vacation for the Anglos) from Saturday the 23rd until Sunday the 2nd. Where am I going, you may ask? Well...

home!

I'm going to be in New York until next Wednesday and in Cleveland/Akron until Sunday. If anyone is interested in catching up, drop me a line.

Note: when I'm in Cleveland, I have already dedicated a full day of campaigning for Obama.

-rl

The right of self-determination

In an era where assimilation is lauded when it is by choice and condoned when it is forced, I would be remiss in not applauding the Secretary of State in recognizing the independence of Kosovo.

Congratulations, Kosovars. Your right to self-determination is lauded from this end of the blogosphere.

Now if only Québec would be vivre-ing le Québec libre...

-rl

Thank you, Rep Lewis

US Rep John Lewis (D-GA) has withdrawn his support from Hillary Clinton and thrown it behind Barack Obama.

Take that and ARG's poll that has Obama now beating Clinton in the Texas primary, and things are beginning to look really good come mid-March.

Avec des yeux ouverts...

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France is facing an uproar following his proposal to have children "adopt" child victims of the Holocaust. I don't generally see eye-to-eye with Sarkozy and his policies, but I think this one is a good one.

Normally, I'm all about secular policies, being of French background and all, a son of the Revolutions of 1789 and America. I think this is a secular policy, too. Nothing seems to suggest to me that Sarkozy is trying to imbue children with a Jewish learning or force children to be Jewish. Moreover, not all of the Holocaust's children victims were Jews. The left-wing in France is grasping at straws to make a run at a weak President and that they resort to a tactic so base and ignorant of history flies in the face of the ideas which French of the past championed.

What a shame.

-rl

Who is more likely to change the world of a child born in 2008?

In its endorsement, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer's editorial board asks the right question:

... Ohio Democrats have to ask themselves which candidate is more likely, first, to win the White House, and, then, to persuade a closely divided country to embrace his or her vision of change. Put even more pointedly: Who is more likely to change the world of a child born in 2008?

This is the attitude we need to be taking: looking towards the future and looking to take care of that future. For once, the PD's Ed board and I have a common opinion.

-rl

Takeaways from Super Duper Tuesday

Last night was a very interesting chapter in the race to the nomination for President for both parties, but being a (D), I'm going to focus on my thoughts for those results.

1) BIG win for Obama in Georgia, with gains made across many demos compared to his performance in South Carolina.

2) I was shocked by the margin of loss in Massachusetts. Sure, people look at Deval Patrick, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, and Caroline Kennedy and go "feh", but I didn't think that that many people would. Obama's loss, had there had to have been once, should have been in the range of 5%, not 15%.

3) I think the same could be said in California, though votes are still being tallied and Clinton's margin of victory has narrowed.

That's it for now. More parsing later.

-rl

Georgia results as they come

Georgia Sec'y of State

2/5/2008

Today is the fifth day of February 2008. That makes it a Tuesday...

Nay, a Super Tuesday.

Get out and vote your conscience - which is hopefully voting for Barack Obama.

-rl

16-0* (18-1, Perfection stays in 1972.)

Wow, what a finish to an otherwise boring game. Here's a run-down on the notes I took during the game:

• Tom Brady looked like he's been thrown into the East River with the way his feet fail to move. The Pats O-line were his own Don Corleone.


• -10 yds for the 2nd quarter until 1:25 remained in the quarter. W/ 22sec Brady finds arms and legs. --- fumble.


• Eli Manning very good, Giants o-line chokes in the clutch, that's why they go into the 2nd 1/2 down 7-3.
• 
  
• Tom Brady gets tagged.


• Giants break away in 4th quarter.


• Pats miracle with under 4:00 to go.


• JEEZ. 17-14, 35 sec to go.


• 11 straight road wins?


• 16-0 (18-1)? 16-0*?


• DUUUUDE. BRADY GOT NAILED.


• Almost gets it Moss.


• 4th and 20...


• Game over.

And now the notes for the commercials:

• FedEx "Pigeon Express": Heh.


• Pepsi Max "Night at the Roxbury": Chris Kattan... wow. Blast from the past.


• Bud Light "Fire Breathing No Longer Available": Hahahahahaha.


• Toyota Corolla "Ferocious Badgers": Meh.


• Garmin "Napoleon": See above.


• Career Builder "Follow Your Heart": Lame and unnecessarily gross.


• LifeWater "Thriller": Dancing lizards... heh.


• Carlos Mencia sucks.


• Planters Cashews "Go With Your Instinct": Kinky in that "Ohmigod I'm going to vomit" sort of way.


• Justin Timberlake misses his balls.


• Charles Barkley has no life.


• Geico Commercial "WTF was up with that sitcom?": Chuckle. Nothing more.


• HALFTIME: Tom Petty sounds good. Pop standards, but good.


• Cars.com "Witchdoctor": Hardest laugh of the night from Holly, I think.


• That website that helps with sales and leads: Racist twice.


• Coke "Underdog v. Stewie": Awwww... Charlie Brown finally wins!


• E*Trade "Baby": Two commercials, both insanely hilarious.


• Bud Light "Jackie Moon": Seriously, does Will Ferell only do one character now?


• Amp "Fat Guy": Foul x10.

That's about it.

I hate the Giants. I hate Bill Belichick.

-rl