Weezer makes video filled with youtube pop culture

Leave it up to the nerds of Weezer to  make a video filled with youtube pop culture references. I think when you get parodied, that means you made it? Way to go youtube! Now lets just hope you can win your suit for copyright infringement against Viacom…

Will President Barack Obama be King’s “dream?”

What would Martin Luther King say today with a headline like this: AP Tally: Obama effectively clinches nomination.

More than 40 years ago, King announced to the world that he had a dream:

In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Many in this nation are overjoyed that an African-American man has the best chance ever to be the next president of the United States. White people voted for Barack Obama, African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, possibly a representative from every nation on this earth voted for him.

Obama’s wife said this: “for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback” several months ago. I, like her, am also proud that my country is trying to shed 400 years of oppression through slavery, racism and segregation. Perhaps America will continue this momentous occassion and propel Obama to the White House and make Dr. King’s declaratory statement that we, America, will be “free at last.”

Democrats protest democrats over how to seat delegates

UPDATE: Democrats reach a deal and seat the Michigan and Florida delegates with half a vote each. More interesting than the decision was the mini-fight that occurred after the decision was announced. From the New York Times story:

The deep wounds among Democratic partisans — and the unification challenges awaiting the party — were laid bare when the committee voted on Saturday evening. Supporters of Mrs. Clinton jeered the decision, loudly booing and hissing the members of the group as their faces were shown on a large screen in the room.

One woman, wearing a blue “Team Hillary” shirt, shoved a man in a suit and tie wearing a small Obama button on his lapel. Another woman in a white Clinton shirt hung her head in her hands.

 

Democrats today are protesting themselves as committees from Florida and Michigan debate on what should be done about how to award delegates to both Senators Clinton and Obama. While both candidates agree both states’ delegates should be seated, Clinton thinks that all the delegates should count, thus resulting in a large delegate gain for her. Obama, on the other hand, wants only half the delegates to be seated. The protests bring up questions about how unified the Democratic party really will be once Clinton or Obama has been named president.

Clinton will change strategy from president to VP to unite party

The New York Times today said that the Clinton campaign realizes the race is over, no matter how Florida and Michigan decide to seat their delegates. The article specifically mentions that she will end it with a speech:

Mrs. Clinton has kept her counsel about what she might do to draw her campaign to a close and when she might do it. Her associates said the most likely outcome is that she will end her bid with a speech, probably back home in New York, in which she would endorse Mr. Obama. Mrs. Clinton herself suggested on Friday that the contest will end sometime next week.

Once she has dropped out of the race for president, there is speculation she will start the race for vice-president.  She must work to heal the Democratic party and help it prepare for a tough and possibly dirty fight this November against John McCain and the Republicans.

Bloggers should grow up and implement a code of ethics

A long, long time ago, blogs were born as a way for people to create online diaries and provide intricate details into who they were dating or what they had for lunch that day. Now, blogs are ubiquitous and are written about every topic under the sun. And like all young children that reach adolescence, they become a little bit ornery and rebellious. Parents establish guidelines to keep their teenagers in check and out of trouble. Nobody wants to hear about the police picking up their child, or lawyers calling bloggers to say “You’ve been served” with a libel lawsuit. And so, that’s why there needs to be a code of ethics established in the blogosphere.

 

Congress must put their money where their mouth is when it comes to “supporting the troops”

The Senate is voting on the 21st century GI Bill today and will aid in deciding the fate of increased educational benefits for thousands of veterans. Last week, the House approved the Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) bill that the Associated Press said would:

New York Times keeps backing its favorite dog in the fight

The bastion of American reason, the New York Times, wrote an editorial dictating that only Hillary Clinton can make the decision to leave the race. They excoriate her for making racist remarks and ads about Barack Obama, but because of their very early endorsement of Clinton almost a year ago, they are still backing their favorite dog in the presidential fight. The Times’ staff should stop drinking the Clinton kool-aid and start backing the person who will try to end the war in Iraq, provide some much needed relief for homeowners, and most importantly, try to get this country’s reputation back up. We have been the laughing stock of the world for too long.

Tip

A missing soldier finally comes home

While many soldiers are stuck in airports right now trying to come home, Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin has finally made a hero’s return to Ohio. Maupin has been declared Captured/Missing in Action for the past four years.

I wonder if Balad Air Base in Iraq will now rededicate the Staff Sgt. Matthew Maupin Library and Computer room. I spent quite a few hours in that room talking to family and friends – its only fitting that now he can be with his own.

Bring the troops home…from the airport

The Air Force Times has posted a sad story , and one that I can relate to. With the airlines declaring bankruptcy due to the cost of rising gas prices and the laissez-faire economic policies of the Bush Administration, some military personnel coming home from Iraq for leave or for good are having their flights cancelled. Soldiers could be sitting in airports for up to a week.

I guess I should be glad when I came home on my leave that I only waited 45 minutes for a flight. After flying for 23 hours from Kuwait to Dallas, another 5-hour flight to Seattle wasn’t a problem!

Please write your airline and tell them to expedite getting the troops home – after 15 months of daily combat, waiting in the airport for another week would feel like an eternity for them.

Thanks David and Newsweek: Soldier’s Home

Soldier takes Army to court over atheistic beliefs

At CNN.com, a soldier filed a lawsuit against the Army over religious harrassment for being an atheist.

Spc. Jeremy Hall has been called “the atheist guy” by fellow soldiers, and has claimed persecution for his atheist beliefs while serving in both America and Iraq. Hall said:

“I see a name and rank and United States flag on their shoulder. That’s what I believe everyone else should see,” he said.

This is a problem because the troops in Iraq are already thinned out as it is, and we can’t lose another soldier to something as ridiculous as this. Right now, the Army can’t meet its recruiting quota, so they need every soldier they can get, atheist or not.

Every American has the right to practice whatever religion he or she wants, and that includes to practice the lack of a religion, as atheism would classify as. The Army should not allow this kind of behavior to happen from other soldiers. I hope Jeremy wins this case and receives the needed justice he deserves.