Baron Dave Romm
Entering the Home Stretch
By Baron Dave Romm
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The last week of the campaign is the most hard fought
Obama is leading and the GOP is in disarray at the national level, but this is no time to rest.
We know what Republicans will do in the last week of the campaign: They will lie and cheat and steal. It's what they do. They don't know how to do anything else.
You can't let them. You can't let them get away with suppressing thevote or in screwing around on election day or in messing up the count after the election. Much has been done, and it's all come down to you.
Be active. Keep talking. Keep writing letters to local newspapers, or at least participating in online discussions. Obama is winning big, and we need to keep the momentum for him to have coattails. SNL can make fun of Sarah Palin, but it's your state races that will help determine the future of this country. Know your local races, and help out on a local level. Volunteer to canvas, to knock on doors, to be part of the community.
Liberals are right and conservatives are wrong
On virtually every issue, Republicans are on the wrong side. They are completely wrong about global warming, Iraq, the Department of Justice, torture and removal of habeas corpus. And they don't have the guts to admit it.
We have to completely reverse eight disastrous years. "Unity" is all well and good, but it's time for the other side to join us. I don't want bi-partisanship, I want adults in charge.
Sphincter conservatives keep inventing a culture war, then finding themselves on the wrong side of it. Most people support the liberal or moderate position on virtually every butt-clenching issue: Gay marriage, abortion, flag pins, teaching evolution, swiftboating, response to Katrina, the GI Bill, torture, Guantanamo Bay, redistribution of wealth etc etc etc. They can rant all they want -- no one's arguing that they're not Americans -- but they have marginalized themselves. They simply don't live in the world G_d created
The shame of being a conservative has never been greater. But too many on the right just don't have the cojones to admit when they're wrong. You shouldn't let them get away with being idiots, but you don't have to cram it down their throat, either. Most conservatives are good people trying to live according to G_d's plan. They just don't understand what G_d's plan is, and can't be convinced that they don't. You have to be the adult, and discuss, not argue. And when it's hopeless, just smile and change the subject.
GOP bullshit is piling up
I was going to talk about the sorry case of Ashley Todd, who carved a "B" in her cheek and blamed a black Obama supporter. She lied, and the McCain campaign and Fox news jumped the gun and spread the lies.
I was going to talk about how Sarah Palin refuses to admit that abortion clinic bombers and the murderers of doctors are "terrorists". And that even the McCain camp is calling her hate-filled campaigning "rogue" as she represents the worst in America.
There's a lot to talk about, in the last week, and a lot to watch out for.
But you know that. It's time to stop reading web sites and get out and change the world.
YOU need to be on watch
Again: Get out and change the world. I said much of this last week, and will remind you next week.
Check whether you're registered or whether your vote has been stolen already. Then help others.
Participate in Get Out The Vote efforts in your area. One of the ways to counter voter suppression is with high voter turnout. Are you hearing complaints? Compile them, get written statements, and post them online or write the newspapers or file with the attorney general of your state.
Do you have early voting? Even if you're not voting yet (or if you have), bring a camera to the polling place. Watch for intimidation or other untoward signs. Are the cops stopping people heading to the polls? Are the polling places friendly? Are the polling places overwhelmed?
We need adults in charge, but we're not going to get it if we just sit back and let evil people have their way.
Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia who produces Shockwave Radio Theater, writes in a Live Journal demi-blog, plays with a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. Dave Romm reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E. Podcasts of Shockwave Radio Theater. Permanent archive. More radio programs, interviews and science fiction humor plays can be accessed on the Shockwave Radio audio page.
Thanks to everyone who has sent me music to play on the air.
--////
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The New Question
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Send your response to BadtotheBoneBob (BCEpoll (at) aol.com)
Results tomorrow
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Nat Hentoff: Joining the War Over the Constitution (villagevoice.com)
The new president and Congress need something to help make this America again. They need you.
Barbara Ehrenreich: Report from the Socialist International Conspiracy (ehrenreich.blogs.com)
Surely you have heard by now of the imminent socialist takeover of America, and if you find the prospect unlikely, ask yourself: How many socialists do you know who lost millions in the recent stock market crashes? Just as I thought-none-and that's not only because you don't know any socialists. The truth is that we, the Socialist International Conspiracy, not only saw this coming, we are the ones who made it happen.
Ted Rall: PRESIDENT OBAMA: SHUT DOWN THIS CAMP!
François Mitterand brought civilization to France. One of his first acts as president was to end the death penalty. A guy named Philippe Maurice had his date with the guillotine cancelled. Amazing but true: the country that gave the world "The Rights of Man" was still lopping off heads in 1981.
SUSAN ESTRICH: The Final Days (creators.com)
Losing a presidential race is not an easy thing. Losing the primary is one thing. But making it to the finals, so close you can almost taste it, and then watching it slip through your fingers is one of those experiences from which few people ever fully recover.
Froma Harrop: This Year's Hanging Chad (creators.com)
Once again in Ohio, the presidential polls are tied and its 20 electoral votes up for grabs. Such scenarios generally don't lend themselves to gentle politics. Ohio Republicans have been raging at what they claim is a raft of phony voter registrations by Democrats. (Rush Limbaugh has been whipping up passions on his end.) They've put a face on their wrath, and it belongs to Jennifer Brunner, Ohio's secretary of state and a Democrat.
SUSAN ESTRICH: Keep Worrying (creators.com)
My Democratic friends want to know when they can stop worrying. The answer is soon, but not too soon. Say around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. And I mean 8 p.m. Pacific time. Barack Obama is ahead right now. Comfortably ahead. Yes, if you look through every single poll, you can find some outliers - the ones that have the race as close as one or two points, along with the ones that have the gap approaching the teens.
Froma Harrop: Palin Drove Stake Into Centrist Hearts (creators.com)
John McCain's top adviser complains that the media apply a double standard when they cover his candidate. "They think they're on the level with McCain, that he's not the old McCain," Mark Salter tells The Atlantic, "but he is the old McCain. He just doesn't know what happened to the old press corps."
Doyle Wesley Walls: How Will You Go to College? (irascibleprofessor.com)
When our elder son was a junior in high school in the mid-90s, he received a student prospectus from The University of Chicago with language on the cover that survives in their publication to this very day. One sees, just under the classic phrase "the life of the mind," these words: "WARNING: Study in this university is known to cause thinking, occasionally deep thinking. Typical side effects include mild temporary anxiety followed by profound long-term satisfaction."
Roger Ebert: There's a smile on my face, for almost the whole human race (Happy-Go-Lucky, Rated R, 4 stars)
Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky" is the story of a good woman. As simple as that. We first see Poppy peddling her bike through London, and smiling all the time to herself. She stops at a bookshop and tries to cheer up the dour proprietor. No, that isn't right. She doesn't want to change him, just infect him with her irrepressible good nature. She may not even be aware of how she operates. Then her bike is stolen. She takes that right in stride.
Roger Ebert: Mike Leigh: The inside-outsider
Although there is an impression in some circles that Leigh films are improvised, they are actually tightly scripted. It's how they get that way that scares backers. He starts with a notion for a story and some actors he admires. Together, they define characters and "devise" improvised situations for them, and a screenplay emerges. Leigh refuses to show backers a script in advance, will accept no consultation on his choice of actors, and demands final cut. Still, I can't understand why investors are shy of him...
Charlie was first, and correct, with:
And, MAM 
nailed it with:
Reader Comment
Re: mr 2e
Hi Marty
Since I live here in Pennsylvania I offer to you the use of my facility to recycle those errant "p's" into BIG O'S .
I have unused capacity in my Purple Heart Bandage recycling line since the RNC has opted to not smear THEIR war hero
Some Guy
Thanks, Guy!
Reader Suggestion
video the vote
found this and thought it might be useful
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Mostly sunny and cooler.
We celebrated the kid's birthday with Chinese food and a chocolate cake.
Late at night, while uploading stuff, I tend to scroll through the channels on the over-the-air-TV in this room. So, has anyone else seen
the dildo/sex toys infomercial?
I couldn't believe what I was seeing, or how carefully it was scripted & framed.
Sure puts the Flo-Bee to shame.
Retirement Plans
Stephen Hawking
Cosmologist Stephen Hawking will retire from his prestigious post at Cambridge University next year, but intends to continue his exploration of time and space.
Hawking, 66, is Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a title once held by the great 18th century physicist Isaac Newton. The university said Friday that he would step down at the end of the academic year in September, but would continue working as Emeritus Lucasian Professor of Mathematics.
University policy is that officeholders must retire at the end of the academic year in which they become 67. Hawking will reach that milestone on Jan. 8.
The Lucasian professorship post was founded in 1663 by Henry Lucas, who left his 4,000 books and land expected to yield 100 pounds a year to the university. King Charles II officially established the position in 1664.
Stephen Hawking
Alaska's Largest Newspaper Endorses Obama
Anchorage Daily News
The Anchorage Daily News, Alaska's largest newspaper, has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president.
The newspaper said Sunday the Democrat "brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand."
"Of the two candidates, Sen. Obama better understands the mortgage meltdown's root causes and has the judgment and intelligence to shape a solution, as well as the leadership to rally the country behind it," the paper said.
The Daily News said Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has shown the country why she is a success as governor. But the paper said few would argue that Palin is truly ready to step into the job of being president despite her passion, charisma and strong work ethic.
Anchorage Daily News
New San Francisco Treat
Zeppelins
Zeppelins, the giant floating airships used to carry passengers and drop bombs until the 1930s, haven't been seen in American skies for more than 70 years.
Now a California company is bringing the iconic aircraft back to the United States, with plans to offer aerial tours of the San Francisco Bay area in a newly built zeppelin. It's one of just three in the world - the others are in Germany and Japan.
Fifteen feet longer than a Boeing 747, the 246-foot Zeppelin NT (New Technology) was built in Hamburg, Germany, and transported by container ship to Beaumont, Texas, before a cross-country flight to California.
Starting Friday, Airship Ventures will begin offering rides that provide a bird's-eye view of Napa and Sonoma wine country, the Big Sur coastline, San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area. The cabin holds 12 passengers and two crew members, and tickets start at $495 per person for an one-hour ride.
Zeppelins
Baby News
Archie Arnett
"Saturday Night Live" just won't be the same without Amy Poehler - who delivered a baby boy hours before the "Baby Mama" star was to appear on the NBC show.
On behalf of Poehler and her husband, Will Arnett, "I can confirm that Amy gave birth to Archie Arnett on Saturday," read a statement from Poehler's spokesman, Lewis Kay.
The baby was born early Saturday evening in New York, weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce.
Archie Arnett
Bigots Raise Big Money
Prop 8
At least 64,000 people from all 50 states and more than 20 other countries have given money to support or oppose a ban on same-sex marriage in California, reflecting broad interest in a race that some consider second in national importance only to the presidential election.
Ten days before the vote on Proposition 8, campaign finance records show that total contributions for and against the measure have surpassed $60 million, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
On the yes side, the Knights of Columbus, based in New Haven, Conn., is the measure's largest single contributor so far, having given $1.4 million. Other top contributors to the Yes on 8 campaign were Irvine banking heir Howard Ahmanson Jr.'s Fieldstead and Co. foundation ($1.1 million); John Templeton Jr., son of the late Bryn Mawr, Pa., investor John Templeton ($900,000); the Tupelo, Miss.-based American Family Association ($500,000), and Elsa Prince, ($450,000), mother of Blackwater founder Erik Prince.
Prop 8
Christians Feud Over
Church of Holy Sepulcher
Two rival monks are posted at all times in a rooftop courtyard at the site of Jesus' crucifixion: a bearded Copt in a black robe and an Ethiopian sunning himself on a wooden chair, studiously ignoring each other as they fight over the same sliver of sacred space.
For decades, Coptic and Ethiopian Christians have been fighting over the Deir el-Sultan monastery, which sits atop a chapel at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The monastery is little more than a cluster of dilapidated rooms and a passageway divided into two incense-filled chapels, an architectural afterthought alongside the Holy Sepulcher's better-known features.
And yet Deir el-Sultan has become the subject of a feud that has gone far beyond the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. The Ethiopians control the site, but the Egypt-based Copts say they own it and see the Ethiopians as illegal squatters.
Since the 1970s, the Israeli government has refused to allow renovations or significant repairs at the disputed monastery until the Ethiopians and the Copts come to terms. That hasn't happened, and the Ethiopian Church says the years of neglect have put the structure in danger. The Copts suggest the Ethiopians are merely trying to further cement their hold.
Church of Holy Sepulcher
TV Preacher Removed
Crystal Cathedral
Crystal Cathedral founder Rev. Robert H. Schuller has removed his son as preacher on the church's weekly "Hour of Power" syndicated TV broadcast.
Schuller said in a statement read to some 450 congregants Saturday by church president Jim Coleman that he and his son, Robert A. Schuller, "have different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry."
"For this lack of shared vision and the jeopardy in which this is placing this entire ministry, it has become necessary for Robert and me to part ways," Schuller said.
Robert A. Schuller will remain as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, though it was unknown whether he will continue to preach, a church spokesman told the Los Angeles Times.
Robert H. Schuller had turned over the church ministries and the "Hour of Power" TV program to his son during an emotional service at the Crystal Cathedral in January 2006.
Crystal Cathedral
X-Rays Detected
Scotch Tape
Just two weeks after a Nobel Prize highlighted theoretical work on subatomic particles, physicists are announcing a startling discovery about a much more familiar form of matter: Scotch tape. It turns out that if you peel the popular adhesive tape off its roll in a vacuum chamber, it emits X-rays. The researchers even made an X-ray image of one of their fingers.
Who knew? Actually, more than 50 years ago, some Russian scientists reported evidence of X-rays from peeling sticky tape off glass. But the new work demonstrates that you can get a lot of X-rays, a study co-author says.
Juan Escobar, a graduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles, reports the work with UCLA colleagues in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.
He suggests that with some refinements, the process might be harnessed for making inexpensive X-ray machines for paramedics or for places where electricity is expensive or hard to get. After all, you could peel tape or do something similar in such machines with just human power, like cranking.
Scotch Tape
Weekend Box Office
'High School Musical'
Disney's "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" hoofed its way to the top of the weekend box office class with $42 million, while Lionsgate's horror sequel "Saw V" had to settle for second place with $30.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Clint Eastwood's "Changeling," starring Angelina Jolie as a single mom tormented by police handling the investigation of her missing son, got off to a healthy start with $502,000 in limited release. It played in 15 theaters to averaged a strong $33,441 a cinema, compared with $11,593 in 3,623 theaters for "High School Musical 3." Distributor Universal expands "Changeling" into nationwide release Friday.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "High School Musical 3," $42 million.
2. "Saw V," $30.5 million.
3. "Max Payne," $7.6 million.
4. "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," $6.9 million.
5. "Pride and Glory," $6.3 million.
6. "The Secret Life of Bees," $5.9 million.
7. "W.", $5.3 million.
8. "Eagle Eye," $5.1 million.
9. "Body of Lies," $4.1 million.
10. "Quarantine," $2.6 million.
'High School Musical'
In Memory
Anne Pressly
An Arkansas television anchorwoman died Saturday, several days after she didn't answer her wake-up call and was found beaten in her home, hospital officials said.
Anne Pressly, 26, died at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Margaret Preston said.
She was discovered Monday morning a half-hour before she was to appear on ABC affiliate KATV's "Daybreak" program. Her mother went to her home after she didn't answer her regular wake-up call.
Pressly was a native of Greenville, S.C., and moved with her family to Little Rock while she was in high school. She was a graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.
She had a small role in the new Oliver Stone movie "W.," which was filmed in Shreveport, La. She appears briefly as a conservative commentator Ann Coulter who speaks favorably of President Bush's "Mission Accomplished" event on an aircraft carrier shortly after the start of the Iraq war.
On Saturday, KATV opened its nightly news cast with a seven-minute segment devoted to Pressly. Anchor Pamela Smith told viewers that Pressly's family agreed to have their daughter be an organ donor. Smith's voice hitched as she read condolences sent into the station, her eyes red.
Anne Pressly
In Memory
Merl Saunders
Merl Saunders, a jazz and rock keyboardist who collaborated with iconic acts including Miles Davis and the Grateful Dead, has died. He was 74.
Saunders died Friday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco of complications due to a stroke, said his son, Merl Saunders Jr.
Born in San Mateo, Calif., Saunders attended high school with Johnny Mathis in San Francisco. One of Saunders' very first performances was a high school event with Mathis, Saunders Jr. said.
Some of Saunders' most famous music was made in the 1960s and 1970s when he teamed up with the Grateful Dead's lead guitarist and singer, Jerry Garcia. The Saunders-Garcia Band recorded two records in the 1970s and the two would play together on an array of projects until Garcia's death in 1995.
Saunders is survived by his longtime companion, his two sons and a daughter.
Merl Saunders
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