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Secular Humanity - January 2008

Can you imagine it....an Attorney General who has respect for the law...who is a champion of the common person, not the corporate conglomerate...who is fierce in his belief that corporate control and rampant cronyism are attacking the very fabric of America....can you imagine having such a man as Attorney General? John Edwards could be that man. He backed out of the presidential race today after failing to garner enough support to take on Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. John, it would be the perfect job for you!

There was alot of speculation among political pundits today as to what would become of John Edwards, and who his departure would help most. Some say Hillary, some say Barack. I think his supporters will split. If he makes an endorsement that could have the effect of shifting his support to the candidate he throws his weight behind.


As for what he will do, that might depend on whether or not he makes an endorsement as well. Some say a deal might have been made. I hope so, but not for Vice President or Secretary of State or anything but Attorney General. John Edwards as Attorney General would be a bulldog for the American people. The job might prove to be more of a calling for him than the presidency. I have no idea if Mr. Edwards has even considered such a possibility, but I hope he does!

What would John Edwards as Attorney General mean? Investigations into the rampant corruption from contractors in Iraq. Taking a look at the very questionable way America was lied into the Iraq occupation. Looking at what went wrong with Katrina. And,,,,,dare to dream - criminal charges brought against Bush and Cheney. It would mean America would have an AG who respected the law instead of just thinking of it as a political tool to be manipulated.


Edwards had the class to step down at the right time, before the next debate and before Super Tuesday to give his supporters time to decide who to support. Unlike Rudy, he didn't immediately saddle up with another candidate trying to keep himself relevant. John Edwards is man of honor and class that would make an incredible Attorney General!
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Rudy Giuliani flailing

January 28th 2008 19:23
It's an interesting question - what happened to Rudy? Once ordained by many Americans and most of the Fox News pundits as the surefire Republican nominee, Giuliani now is facing a probable third place finish in Florida tomorrow. Rudy dodged his dismal showings on earlier voting by explaining he was focusing elsewhere, mostly in Florida. But his once big lead is gone. Latest polls going in show him at around 15%.

Where did Rudy go wrong? The obvious answer is that voters did what primaries are supposed to allow them to do - they got to know him. They got past his image as "America's mayor" and began to see him more as an opportunist trying to ride a "9/11 wave" all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue. A man with possibly even less scruples than Mr. Bush, if you can fathom that. A man who is so see-through that you could use him for shrink wrap. Rudy is reduced to hoping that the more than 400,000 Republicans who have already voted early did so before they met him.

But what gives? Since when did Republican voters care about a candidate's honor or sense of truth? Why did they continue to support Bush in 2004, and why do some still do to this day? There's an intangible in the Republican electorate, and it is inclusiveness. Not of other ideas, not of minorities or women, not of those who think differently. To the right wing, inclusiveness means someone they can identify with, someone "like them." That sense is most strongest when it comes to religion. If they think a person is "a good Christian," they will gladly put on blinders and give them a free pass when it comes to legitimacy or honor. Of course there are variables, but that analysis holds true for a great many.

That's also part of what has made the Republican race so more wide open than it was expected to be. The evangelicals had a hard time latching on to a candidate. Again, a disclaimer. Sure, they don't always all vote the same. Just the vast majority. A big part of the fall of Rudy is that evangelicals could not support him for the most part. That wing of the party has been slightly weakened, but it is still the strongest component. Rudy had hoped that he could breeze through the nomination and the evangelicals would swing to him in the general election. True enough, if he could have made it that far. It looks likely that Giuliani won't last past super Tuesday.
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The Australian Open, a look back

January 27th 2008 18:17
I love the Australian Open. For the tennis fan, there is something special about the first Grand Slam of the year. It's always an exciting open, with something for almost everyone. Australia is a great host country, with friendly people, avid and knowledgeable fans, and summer weather when we are smack in the middle of winter here in America. The tournament also saw the continued rise of Eastern European players, the rise of a dynamic Frenchman, and the validation of a Russian powerhouse.
Novak Djokovic


Novak Djokovic took the men's title Sunday night with a four set win over the up-and-coming French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The opening set of the final Djokovic dropped in the entire tournament. Tsonga has been given the nickname "Ali" by many fans because he looks quite alot like the boxing legend. Tsonga took out world number two Nadal on the way, while Djokovic dispatched the winning machine that is Roger Federer. Djokovic is the first Serbian to win the Australian Open.
Maria Sharapova

There was a chance for a Serbian sweep of the top matches, with Ana Ivanovic in the women's final. But alas, Ana will have to wait for her first Grand Slam win. She ran headlong into a determined and focused Russian, Maria Sharapova. Sharapova played most of last year with a shoulder injury that impacted her serve. It's better now. It's not that surprising for anyone who watched the final in Madrid last year between Sharapova and Justine Henin. Although Maria lost, it was clear she was back with a single-minded determination. With play like hers, she may well be the world number one soon.

She played against another Serbian star, the affable Ana Ivanovic. Ana won the affection of the Australian crowds, perhaps because she has family in Australia, or maybe because she is just so likable. Ivanovic rose to number two in the world rankings because of her play in Melbourne this year. You can't help but like Ana when she speaks about being 11 years old during the bombing of Belgrade and how she practiced in a drained swimming pool. Her upbeat and somewhat naive demeanor endears her to her fans.
Ana Ivanovic


The women's doubles went to a sister duo, the Bodarenko sisters from Ukraine. Both had fallen earlier in the tournament in the singles draw, but were on fire as a team. With the exception of the men's doubles winning team, all the winners were from Eastern Europe. This was the first Open in the modern era when no American made it past the quarterfinals in the draws.

There are more rising stars in the background from places like Poland and Slovenia and Denmark, as well as the more known places like Russia and France. But the most notable success comes from the Serbian contingent. The women's side has top players Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, the men's Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic. This from a country with roughly the same population as New York City. Remarkable indeed. Their success has made tennis the hot sport in Serbia, and the players superstars.

The 2008 Australian Open was fun, exciting, and something I must see in person someday!
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Rachel and T.K win Amazing Race!

January 21st 2008 05:07
My favorite "reality show" is Amazing Race on CBS. It has been from the start. I love the idea of a 'round the world race, pitting a team against obstacles along the way. I love seeing how different people and personalities deal with what is thrown at them. And I love seeing the teams who respect the cultures they visit and have fun along the way triumph over the "ugly Americans." Granted, it doesn't always turn out that way - but often it does, and viewers get a chance to see


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Republican chaos in America

January 20th 2008 19:37
It is heartening to know that whoever the Republican Party nominates for president in 2008 will have little chance of winning. The debacle that is the Bush legacy, the lack of a singularly strong candidate, and the abject failure of neo-conservative policies have made a Democratic win a very safe bet.

How did the Republican Party get in it's current state? It's easy to blame Bush. And yes, he is the biggest factor. The man redefines incompetent and self righteous, while being wholly immoral. But he isn't the only reason. The integration of the economically and politically conservative with the socially conservative began in earnest Richard Nixon and accelerated under Reagan. The seemingly unlikely alliance of the building American aristocracy with the building evangelical movement surprised many


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Is it "The economy, stupid?"

January 12th 2008 20:30
As it becomes more apparent to more Americans that the current Bush is economy is based on what his father termed "Voodoo economics," or using the power of the presidency to enrich the few while attacking the rest of America, the economy has emerged as the most important issue in the upcoming elections. Shame on you, America....for many reasons.

First, for not seeing this coming. I, and many others, predicted the housing crash as long as three years ago. The "bull market" was obviously unsustainable. I st ll remember doing work at a broker's house about a year ago, and her constantly pitching to me that it was "time to buy." I told her I would call her in about three years when the bottom came. Of course, she told me it was a short lived dip and it was time to act. What really convinced me that housing was going to take a hard hit was living in Florida for about a year. That market was so overblown and unsustainable that anyone should have seen it coming


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Yes, boys and girls....it's the 3rd day of 2008. Many of you have already slipped on those oh so easy to make New Year's Resolutions. Some have already fallen off whatever wagon they had picked, from quitting drinking or smoking to losing some poundage. And some are doing great....what's the secret? The secret is that there really is no secret. It's a combination of a matter of will and realistic resolutions. From that, borrow the phrase from Nike, and "just do it."

Another important facet of a successfully met resolution is this - is it something you really want to do? If you are merely resolving to lose a few pounds because that's what people do, or to quit smoking because you feel pressure to, your chances for success are slim. On the other hand, if it is something you really want for you, go get 'em, tiger


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