North County Public Radio's Brian Mann encouraged 23rd Congressional district candidate Doug Hoffman to attend the only public debate held in the district. Hoffman, a Republican running on the Conservative "Party" line, has become the darling of hard right social conservatives angry with the moderate stances on social issues held by Republican designee Dede Scozzafava.
Hoffman received the endorsement of former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. While that will shore up his support with the ideologues and doubtlessly help with puffing up his war chest with money from outside the district, it remains to be seen if that will be a blessing or an albatross in his attempt to win moderate voters.
Hoffman has so far ducked repeated requests to appear at the debate. He's also come scrutinty for focusing on generic national rhetoric and not having much of a clue on the important local issues that affect the district. Perhaps that's why he was comfortable engaging in sycophantic chit-chat with national yap show host Glenn Beck but is wary of having to answer questions from real human beings who live in the district he wants to represent.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Climate change awareness march in Saratoga on Saturday.
Sat. Oct. 25th at 11:00 am
The Saratoga Greens and Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network are sponsoring this action at High Rock Park in Saratoga Springs. There will be a speaker or two, then a brief march down Broadway to Congress Park where a photo will be taken to help 350.org catalog our collective actions to help our congressional representatives understand that global warming is a serious problem that cannot just be debated or ignored any longer.
For more information, contact Barb Tryptaluk @ (518) 583-4487
The Saratoga Greens and Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network are sponsoring this action at High Rock Park in Saratoga Springs. There will be a speaker or two, then a brief march down Broadway to Congress Park where a photo will be taken to help 350.org catalog our collective actions to help our congressional representatives understand that global warming is a serious problem that cannot just be debated or ignored any longer.
For more information, contact Barb Tryptaluk @ (518) 583-4487
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Ethnic cleansing in Guinea?
This essay is part of an occasional feature on this blog that presents compelling stories from elsewhere in the world, particularly Africa, that are little reported in the American media. It's part of my campaign to get people to realize there is a lot going on in the world outside the US, IsraelStine and the Trumped Up Enemy of the Month. A list of all pieces in this series can be found found here..
I received this from a contact of mine who's married to a Guinean. The account is reprinted with her permission. The name of her husband has been omitted for his safety.
Earlier this evening [last week], I spoke with my [husband] in Guinea. A week ago today, the Guinean armed forces opened fire on a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration, killing at least 157, injuring over 1200 more, and reportedly raping over 150 women, in addition to using tear gas and stabbing people with bayonets. Although the UN, the EU, the AU, France, the US, and many others have issued strong statements of condemnation against the violence, no one has yet been willing to commit to a more active course of intervention. There has been minimal news coverage, especially as compared to the recent crisis in Iran, for example. Reporters have been threatened, detained, and had their equipment smashed; there has been some additional coverage of events via Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Doctors Without Borders.
Moussa Dadis Camara, the current dictator, has denied all responsibility for the shootings, citing 'out of control elements' in the military. Because one of the most outspoken opposition leaders is from the Peule ethnic group, there has been a great deal of open hostility toward this specific group. They are one of the three dominant ethnic groups in the country.
[Husband] lives in a predominantly Peule neighborhood, and he told me that for the past two nights especially, there has been increased gunfire and violence as the militia have been going through the neighborhood, randomly arresting people and taking them away. Last night, his next-door neighbors from BOTH SIDES were taken, but they left [husband] alone... He said to me that he knew it was the protection and energy work (being done by myself and my colleagues) that kept him safe, and to please continue as things are looking pretty unstable at the moment!
A couple of days ago, the military shot & killed a 10-year old boy from just down the street, and there have been numerous other shootings, lootings and rapes in the past week. I haven't seen any media reports on any of these additional crimes, and the coup government continues to maintain there were only 56 fatalities, and that most of those were from being 'crushed or asphyxiated in the crowds'. Text messaging has been suspended, the media has been throttled, and public gatherings have been banned.
At the memorial services held last Friday, THOUSANDS of people turned out looking for missing friends & relatives. This makes me question whether the military in fact started 'disappearing' people some time ago. Given what [husband] has been through in the past few months, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this turns out to be the case.
Meanwhile, in the past couple of months, the military has inducted over 2000 new militia from the Guerze ethnic group in a targeted recruitment. The Guerze are a minority group in southern Guinea who also inhabit both Liberia and Sierra Leone. The reigning dictator, Moussa Dadis Camara, is also Guerze - this is the first time a member of this group has held power (over) in Guinea, and apparently he is unwilling to let go of it. The Guerze people were reportedly heavily involved in both the recent conflicts in the neighboring countries.
[Husband] spent today in the garage, working on getting the car ready to drive across country to Mali - about a 20-hour drive if road conditions are good. He will have to find & bribe someone in the military to get him past the checkpoints, but once he is out of Conakry, he should be OK. (I hope)
The majority of the military & police forces have succumbed to brutality and violence, and continue to carry out atrocities daily, with seeming impunity. My husband is terrified that he will not live to see me again. Because of the recurrent gunfire at night, he has been unable to sleep properly for several days now; his health has taken some pretty big hits this year, and he's very aware of being pushed to his physical limits. There have also been rumors that the water supply had been deliberately contaminated, which could set up conditions for a pandemic. Business has mostly remained closed since last week, and food supplies are becoming scarce.
If Guinea destabilizes into an ethnic war, both Sierra Leone and Liberia are likely to be drawn into the conflict. Both of those countries have only very recently recovered from their own civil wars (if you haven't seen the film Blood Diamond, it gives a relatively accurate depiction of how bad it could get).
Personally I'm praying for divine intervention - perhaps in the form of international peacekeeping forces conducting an aggressive investigation into accountability and command structure of the military forces in Guinea. Whatever it takes. One wonders if this is merely going to be the latest in a long string of tragedies that could have been averted if only the international community could find the political will and sanity to mount an intervention free of any regional agenda. Rwanda, Darfur, Somalia... how many Africans have to be killed before the world cares?
Note: NPR had a pair of stories this week (here and here) on the reported widespread sexual violence against women by the forces of disorder.
I received this from a contact of mine who's married to a Guinean. The account is reprinted with her permission. The name of her husband has been omitted for his safety.
Earlier this evening [last week], I spoke with my [husband] in Guinea. A week ago today, the Guinean armed forces opened fire on a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration, killing at least 157, injuring over 1200 more, and reportedly raping over 150 women, in addition to using tear gas and stabbing people with bayonets. Although the UN, the EU, the AU, France, the US, and many others have issued strong statements of condemnation against the violence, no one has yet been willing to commit to a more active course of intervention. There has been minimal news coverage, especially as compared to the recent crisis in Iran, for example. Reporters have been threatened, detained, and had their equipment smashed; there has been some additional coverage of events via Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Doctors Without Borders.
Moussa Dadis Camara, the current dictator, has denied all responsibility for the shootings, citing 'out of control elements' in the military. Because one of the most outspoken opposition leaders is from the Peule ethnic group, there has been a great deal of open hostility toward this specific group. They are one of the three dominant ethnic groups in the country.
[Husband] lives in a predominantly Peule neighborhood, and he told me that for the past two nights especially, there has been increased gunfire and violence as the militia have been going through the neighborhood, randomly arresting people and taking them away. Last night, his next-door neighbors from BOTH SIDES were taken, but they left [husband] alone... He said to me that he knew it was the protection and energy work (being done by myself and my colleagues) that kept him safe, and to please continue as things are looking pretty unstable at the moment!
A couple of days ago, the military shot & killed a 10-year old boy from just down the street, and there have been numerous other shootings, lootings and rapes in the past week. I haven't seen any media reports on any of these additional crimes, and the coup government continues to maintain there were only 56 fatalities, and that most of those were from being 'crushed or asphyxiated in the crowds'. Text messaging has been suspended, the media has been throttled, and public gatherings have been banned.
At the memorial services held last Friday, THOUSANDS of people turned out looking for missing friends & relatives. This makes me question whether the military in fact started 'disappearing' people some time ago. Given what [husband] has been through in the past few months, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this turns out to be the case.
Meanwhile, in the past couple of months, the military has inducted over 2000 new militia from the Guerze ethnic group in a targeted recruitment. The Guerze are a minority group in southern Guinea who also inhabit both Liberia and Sierra Leone. The reigning dictator, Moussa Dadis Camara, is also Guerze - this is the first time a member of this group has held power (over) in Guinea, and apparently he is unwilling to let go of it. The Guerze people were reportedly heavily involved in both the recent conflicts in the neighboring countries.
[Husband] spent today in the garage, working on getting the car ready to drive across country to Mali - about a 20-hour drive if road conditions are good. He will have to find & bribe someone in the military to get him past the checkpoints, but once he is out of Conakry, he should be OK. (I hope)
The majority of the military & police forces have succumbed to brutality and violence, and continue to carry out atrocities daily, with seeming impunity. My husband is terrified that he will not live to see me again. Because of the recurrent gunfire at night, he has been unable to sleep properly for several days now; his health has taken some pretty big hits this year, and he's very aware of being pushed to his physical limits. There have also been rumors that the water supply had been deliberately contaminated, which could set up conditions for a pandemic. Business has mostly remained closed since last week, and food supplies are becoming scarce.
If Guinea destabilizes into an ethnic war, both Sierra Leone and Liberia are likely to be drawn into the conflict. Both of those countries have only very recently recovered from their own civil wars (if you haven't seen the film Blood Diamond, it gives a relatively accurate depiction of how bad it could get).
Personally I'm praying for divine intervention - perhaps in the form of international peacekeeping forces conducting an aggressive investigation into accountability and command structure of the military forces in Guinea. Whatever it takes. One wonders if this is merely going to be the latest in a long string of tragedies that could have been averted if only the international community could find the political will and sanity to mount an intervention free of any regional agenda. Rwanda, Darfur, Somalia... how many Africans have to be killed before the world cares?
Note: NPR had a pair of stories this week (here and here) on the reported widespread sexual violence against women by the forces of disorder.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Being in the military is not about individual rights
"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Apparently, the question of gays in the military is again a topic for discussion. The solution is a no brainer: sexual orientation should not be a factor in determining a serviceman's (or woman's) ability to do his job. "Don't ask, don't tell" is a fraud and a failure.
Being a soldier is not about the culture wars. It's about putting your own personal biases aside and work for the benefit of the nation and the unit. To exclude competent and talented soldiers just because their sexual orientation makes small-minded colleagues uncomfortable is not in the best interest of the collective good.
The military has a shortage of Arabic speakers but is expelling Arabic-speaking service personnel who happen to be gay. How this advances national interests is incomprehensible. It's not just that they should have the right to serve, to be judged solely on their competence, it's that we need them to serve.
Soldiers need to put aside their personal prejudices, be it against gays, blacks, Latinos, women, intellectuals, left-handers or whomever, and focus on the success of the mission. Soldiers may have the right to not like gays, but they shouldn't have the right to expel them. Dealing with unpleasant people and situations is an inherent part of the job. It's not a profession for pansies.
It boggles my mind that soldiers are expected to be mentally tough enough to face enemy snipers and IEDs trying to blow them to bits but are "uncomfortable" taking a shower near colleague who happens to be gay. These macho tough guy Heroes are single-handedly responsible for our freedom, so we're told, but are afraid of a few fairies? And the military's pandering to their bigotry at the expense of national security? Give me a break.
Can you imagine the military catering to a soldier who refused to serve in Iraq because he found the heat "uncomfortable"? The idea is ludicrous. Yet they ban talented soldiers to cater to the personal preferences of bigots.
If servicemen can't handle serving with talented comrades who happen to be gay, it's the homophobes who need to put aside their biases and adapt or quit.
Apparently, the question of gays in the military is again a topic for discussion. The solution is a no brainer: sexual orientation should not be a factor in determining a serviceman's (or woman's) ability to do his job. "Don't ask, don't tell" is a fraud and a failure.
Being a soldier is not about the culture wars. It's about putting your own personal biases aside and work for the benefit of the nation and the unit. To exclude competent and talented soldiers just because their sexual orientation makes small-minded colleagues uncomfortable is not in the best interest of the collective good.
The military has a shortage of Arabic speakers but is expelling Arabic-speaking service personnel who happen to be gay. How this advances national interests is incomprehensible. It's not just that they should have the right to serve, to be judged solely on their competence, it's that we need them to serve.
Soldiers need to put aside their personal prejudices, be it against gays, blacks, Latinos, women, intellectuals, left-handers or whomever, and focus on the success of the mission. Soldiers may have the right to not like gays, but they shouldn't have the right to expel them. Dealing with unpleasant people and situations is an inherent part of the job. It's not a profession for pansies.
It boggles my mind that soldiers are expected to be mentally tough enough to face enemy snipers and IEDs trying to blow them to bits but are "uncomfortable" taking a shower near colleague who happens to be gay. These macho tough guy Heroes are single-handedly responsible for our freedom, so we're told, but are afraid of a few fairies? And the military's pandering to their bigotry at the expense of national security? Give me a break.
Can you imagine the military catering to a soldier who refused to serve in Iraq because he found the heat "uncomfortable"? The idea is ludicrous. Yet they ban talented soldiers to cater to the personal preferences of bigots.
If servicemen can't handle serving with talented comrades who happen to be gay, it's the homophobes who need to put aside their biases and adapt or quit.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Energy efficient bulbs
How much do the energy-efficient compact florescent light bulbs make a difference? I recently switched all my light sockets (except for my bedroom, in which I can't use them) to those bulbs. Fall is my lowest energy-usage period but I used 35% less electricity this September than last September... which was my previous lowest energy-usage month in the past two years.
I'm not sure it matters given how National Grid thieves will probably gouge me out of any savings anyways, but it's interesting.
I'm not sure it matters given how National Grid thieves will probably gouge me out of any savings anyways, but it's interesting.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The peanut gallery vs the hot seat
Did you ever notice how pretty much every critic of the governor says, "While we understand the state's difficult financial situation and the need to cut spending, we just think that (our unique and irreplacable group) should be the singular exception."
Apparently, it's a lot easier to "understand" something that to be in a position of responsibility and actually be forced to make decisions for the greater good.
Apparently, it's a lot easier to "understand" something that to be in a position of responsibility and actually be forced to make decisions for the greater good.
A further example of National Grid gouging
A further illustration of what I wrote about here about gouging by the National Grid thieves.
My most recent electric bill:
Supply charges (cost of the power I used): $9.45
Delivery charges (cost of delivering the power I used): $33.08
If the pizza place tacked on a $30 delivery charge to bring you your $10 pizza, you wouldn't order there any more. But then again, pizza places are subject to competition.
My most recent electric bill:
Supply charges (cost of the power I used): $9.45
Delivery charges (cost of delivering the power I used): $33.08
If the pizza place tacked on a $30 delivery charge to bring you your $10 pizza, you wouldn't order there any more. But then again, pizza places are subject to competition.
Friday, October 09, 2009
Disgrace
I saw a headline this morning about President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Instinctively, I assumed it was from the satirical Onion but was dumbfounded to find out it was true. Even leaving aside the near certainty that he'll escalate us deeper into the morass in Afghanistan, what the hell has he done to advance peace?! I mean besides not being George W. Bush or Dick Cheney. Jimmy Carter deserved the award for his tireless efforts of peacemaking over several decades, both during his presidency and after.
Maybe it's a psychological ploy by the Nobel committee. Maybe they hope that Obama will be so embarrassed by this completely undeserved accolade that he'll actually try to live up to it. A long shot, I know...
Update: I've read that nominations had to be in by February 1 of this year. So he was nominated and "won" the award based on the first 12 days of his presidency?! His inaugural speech was nice... but not THAT good.
Maybe it's a psychological ploy by the Nobel committee. Maybe they hope that Obama will be so embarrassed by this completely undeserved accolade that he'll actually try to live up to it. A long shot, I know...
Update: I've read that nominations had to be in by February 1 of this year. So he was nominated and "won" the award based on the first 12 days of his presidency?! His inaugural speech was nice... but not THAT good.
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