Socialist Sarah Palin and her Socialist Pals.

Here's a Pic of Brian Mason with Sarah Palin from January 2008. Mason is an MLA in the Alberta Legislature and a member of the New Democrat Party (NDP) in Canada. Who are the NDP? Well the New Democrats are one of Canada's National Political Parties that run on a platform of socialist and social welfare values. They recently ended up with 36 seats in the National House of Parliament and are one of the official opposition parties in the Canadian Parliamentary governing system.

So why was a Socialist like Brian Mason meeting with Sarah Palin? They certainly don't share ideological principles. Perhaps though they do. Mason was up in Anchorage to learn from Sarah Palin how the Alaska system of issuing a four figure check to every man, woman and child in Alaska works. A Check that is possible from royalty payments made my large Oil companies drilling in Alaska.

The Alaska government likes to spread this wealth to it's citizens through regular payments to citizens and in fact, Palin spread even more wealth since becoming Alaska Governor increasing the payments to over $3200 per year to each Alaskan.

All this spreading the wealth sounds like one of the basic tenants of Socialist ideology. It's curious that Governor Palin and Senator McCain like to endlessly natter on about Joe the Plumber, Tito the Jackson 5 builder and (for all I know Dora the Explorer) while at the same time painting Barack Obama as an evil socialist who wants to spread the wealth around.

Only a few weeks before being named the Vice Presidential Nominee, Palin was defending her Socialist principles:

“we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.”


Does Senator McCain know he has a socialist on his own ticket???

Darcy Burner and the politics of degrees

Much has been made the last week or so about the Degrees of Dem Darcy Reichert and incumbent Repub Dave Reichert. Reichert, with a new war chest of campaign funds has launched an agressive campaign against Burner claiming that she in effect lied about her "degree in Economics" from Harvard. slumping in the latest polls, Reichert is looking for anything to attack Burner on and if it is over the education qualifications of his opponent, so be it.

What's galling about this is not that Reichert is flat out wrong in his assertions but that his own educational background is wrong - what with stating incorrecting in numerous places that he has a BA when in fact he has an AA degree from a small luthern junior college.

The best response I've though is from this letter to the Seattle Times that clarifies that yes Darcy has an Economics specialty within a Harvard Computer Science degree: Point for burner I think:


Not an exaggeration
As recent Harvard graduates, we have a shocking revelation we would like to share with your readers: Democratic congressional candidate Darcy Burner may have received a degree from Harvard in 1996, but she was neither a computer-science major nor an economics minor, and she was certainly not both ["Darcy Burner's claims of a Harvard econ degree an exaggeration," News, Oct. 22].

The terminology our university uses can be tricky. Graduates of Harvard College (which is part of Harvard University, but actually predates it), receive artium baccalaureus (A.B.) degrees, also known as Bachelor of Arts in English, and instead of majors, we have concentrations. We call teaching assistants "teaching fellows." And despite last year's addition of secondary fields, there was and is still nothing called a minor at Harvard.

As her profile on The Seattle Times' Web site correctly states, Burner's education is, "Harvard University, B.A. in computer science with a special field of economics, 1996." And as she explains on her own Web site, at Harvard, Burner "earned a degree in computer science and economics." There is no contradiction here, no exaggeration, and certainly no lying.

At Harvard, we have joint concentrations, which are like double majors. As of this year, we also have primary and secondary fields, which is like a major and a minor. And to make matters even more confusing, when Burner was at Harvard, the computer-science department required students to choose an area of specialization. Burner chose economics. As a result, Burner completed five upper-level economics courses, in addition to significant course work in computer science and mathematics. Burner's course of study was almost certainly more intensive than that of the majority of economics concentrators at Harvard.

Voters in Washington's 8th Congressional District have more important issues to worry about than the terms in use at Harvard. We hope that The Seattle Times recommits itself to investigating issues that really matter as the election draws near.

-- Jean Yang, Cambridge, Mass., and Seth Flaxman, Switzerland

Darcy Burner - the Real Message

Here's a good video in response to Dave Reichert lies about Darcy Burner's academic background. Support Darcy! Turf Reichert!

You can help Darcy here

7-11 Store Poll Shows Big Obama Lead

A poll at 7-11 convenience stores shows Obama at 59.68 percent and McCain at 40.32 percent.

read more | digg story

McCain Loses It: Calls Americans 'My Fellow Prisoners'

Yes when you are running for President nothing works better than referrring to your audience as "my fellow prisoners" What on earth is going on in this man's head?

read more | digg story

Cheney and the big love

It should come as no surprise that Vader Veep Dick Cheney isn't big on all the touchy feely stuff. Apparently though his lack of compassion has no bounds.

According to Barton Gellman in his new book; Angler: the Cheney Vice Presidency, George Bush asked Cheney to spearhead a cabinet level task force days after Hurricane Katrina hammered New Orleans, Cheney refused and indicated that the extent of his interest in Hurricane Katrina devastation would be to go on a fact finding mission if requested by President Bush.

Besides his reluctance to cut short his vacation when Katrina hit, and his continued downplaying of the Katrina devastation, reports suggest that Cheney has tried to kill proposals increasing aid to Hurricane Katrina Victims.

Can't you just feel the Cheney love!

“Jesus! Where will it end? How low do you have to stoop in this country to be President?”

Hunter S. Thompson

Finally a Great Obama Ad

The Obama campaign hasn't been doing the best job with their TV and on line video spots right from the get go. They tend to the traditional tired voice over of boring facts and stock images that have been the hallmark of political campaigns for decades. But lashing back over the mcCain camps lipstick false outrage and the repellent "Sex Education for kindergarten" ad, the Obama Campaign finally has shot back with a smart tough snickering ad about McCain.

This is how it can be done - showcasing McCain as continually out of touch, a relic the 1980's, a rich Washington insider that won't embrace that the times have indeed changed. More of the same out of touch politics.

Lipstick on a Wing Nut

Brilliant take on the Palin hypocrisy and some pretty tough questions that she should have to answer. Of course with Palin there are many many more questions that need to be asked (Why did you cut funding to teen mothers?, What rationale is there for billing rape victims for rape kit examinations?, How much pork is too much for Wassilla?, How do you reconcile your per diem charges for living at home?, How crazy is the Church you are a member of? and on and on and on......

read more | digg story

Crowd Control

Here's a new spin on finding out where all the beautiful people are. A new on line application called citysense. It uses GPS and Wifi to pinpoint where the crowds are gathering and senses activity in the city and shows you a "heat map" of where everyone is congregating. Plans are for an alarm clock to let you know when things get hopping or not. Testing in San Francisco and rolling out to NYC and Chicago. Free Download available for BlackBerry's, iPhones and other devices.

I can't decide if this is really cool and the next great techno lifestyle toy or just something that desperate aging clubbers use to find the next big moment. Can see it working with trendy eateries -Can I get in without a reservation? How busy is it? but not sure retailers would really want to promote that (a) no one is in the store and the clerk is filing her nails or (b) H and M is packed with fashion wannabes ripping finery from the fixtures....

and what if the heat index works out to gravitate to a place with um....people that ain;t that hot?

Dear John McCain Letter

To: Senator John McCain
info@johnmccain.com

RE: Little Pink Houses


Dear John;

Been a bad week hasn't it? The campaign trail is certainly starting to wear on you and I know just how you feel. It was just this week that I realized I had no idea how many pairs of socks I had. Then here I was at my local best buy purchasing another copy of ABBA Gold CD only to get home and find out I had another two copies at home! I laughed and laughed over that senior
moment.

So I can feel for you. Those multiple house questions can really be a bitch. Is it 4 or 5? 7? 8? It gets tricky trying to keep them all straight. At least you have your staff to keep track for you - Oh wait no. Even they are not so sure. They figured 7 but the others say 8. Oh well what's a house here and there amongst the electorate huh?

Don't get me wrong. We all have senior moments. And I'm sure that being confused about your real estate holdings can't be a comment on your ability to lead right? Or your man of the people image. After all all those people facing foreclosure on their one shack will certainly understand that you are one of them what with your multiple addresses and 10 million in property.

It makes me wonder. How do you get into each of them? Do have like one of those big key rings on your belt - the one with the retractable cord so you can open all those doors? Maybe you have a staff member carry them for you. Or perhaps Cindy drags em around in her Gucci Clutch. I'm assuming they are color coded. With those little colorful key covers from home depot to remind you.

I've attached a map showing all the properties just in case you need a handy reference. Perhaps one of your staff members could print it out for you? You can fold it up in your wallet or something for safe keeping - never know when you might get lost! I would point you to "the Google" maps - but I think it is best if you go with the tried and true low tech approach.

Just for the record I have one house. That's it - I feel so insignificant. But! I do have two Fridges. One for every day brie and another where I keep the un-wooded chardonnay chilled. But that's just me.


Your elitist single house friend;


Mark Patten

Bush Plans to Make The Endangered Species Act Extinct

It amazes and saddens me to no end that the Bush cronies continue to come up with ways to gut perfectly fine legislation in order to suckle at the teat of Big Oil and Corporate rape and pillage policies. Now here we go with gutting the Endangered Species Act, allowing developers and federal agencies to review impacts as an optional activity.

read more | digg story

Map Quest: Online Only Video: The New Yorker

Colorful artistic video of the electoral college map

read more | digg story

Edmonton and Democrats Abroad

Isn't it great when local newspapers can write such a positive article about some enthusiast ex pat democrats up here in north? Cheers to the Edmonton Journal for writing and publishing this article (and click to read the whole thing)
Fourth of July party in the park helps Americans feel at home

Greenwald Rebuttal of Obama's New Statement on FISA

This statement has so many equivocations and vague claims as to be worthless. In a society that lives under the rule of law, government officials and corporations which break our laws are held accountable by courts of law, not by vague promises from politicians of some future "review" and "recommendation" process

read more | digg story

'Get FISA Right' group is largest on Obama's social network

Barack Obama supporters urging the Illinois senator to vote against a pending surveillance law have formed the largest group on the Democratic presidential candidate's social networking site, my.barackobama.com.The group, "Senator Obama - Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity - Get FISA Right," had more than 14,500 members as of Thursday morning.

read more | digg story

George Bush Breaks a New Record

…previously held by himself. LaTimes: "The survey found public approval of the president’s job performance at a new low for a Times/Bloomberg poll: 23%, compared with 73% disapproval."Way to go bushie!

read more | digg story

Presidential Lefties

According to a number of articles yesterday there is an interesting propensity for left handers to sit in the white house. Now with 10 to 15% of the population left handed, it is quite a surprise that Gerald Ford, Ron Reagan, Senior Bush and Bill Clinton were all lefties. Plus James Garfield and Harry Truman. Now Reagan there is some dispute - was he a leftie then a rightie? Rightie then a leftie? It's a bit of a muddle. Still here's the kicker:
Obama and McCain are both lefties!
So ANOTHER leftie in the White House this fall.
Who'd of thunk it.

Bush III

Man here's an image from zaisnation that pretty much sums up the McCain quest to be Bush III. It's a horrifying image for a Monday morning, or any morning for that matter.

Bush Appointee Breaks the Law While Helping McCain Fundraise

From Crooks and liars here's a story on how Bush appointee's helped organize the McCain meeting in Ottawa, Canada last week. Yet another example of how McCain has no trouble snuggling up to Bush cronies to his quest to be Bush III

read more | digg story

The end of Evita

Hillary's non concession speech last night could have done with a little more love. Instead of calling it a day, bowing out gracefully and conceding that Barack Obama has wrapped up the nomination, Hillary wants to take more time to think about it.
Uh Huh. Well as she talked I couldn't help but hum the song "you must love me" from Evita and here's a crappy video obituary for the Clinton 08 campaign:

Prosecuting George W. Bush for Murder

Here is a short video clip with Vincent Bugliosi discussing his new book it;s an interesting angle that Bugliosi submits, calling on state prosecutors to Charge GWB for murder of any serviceman who have died in Iraq from their respective states. I wonder if any of them will take on the challenge?

read more | digg story

Wine Tasting

It's hard to determine the right pinot grigio these days. What with watching for Hillary Clinton's head to explode, waiting for McCain to choose a VP, planning your movie watching Memorial Day weekend, working on your dissertation or touring europe you just can't beat a good bottle or two of pinot.

Gary Vaynerchuk at winelibrarytv is fun, amazing and you gotta love him for bringing wine tasting to a whole new monster truck rally sort of level. To hear him describe one wine for it's aluminum foil taste is a proletariat delight. I personally laughed out loud at the fried bananas reference.

Nothing like a good bottle of vino:

Hillary video

The Real McCain Videos

Two videos about the real John McCain: 

McCain seeks internet trolls to push campaign-approved talki

Heres a desperate plea for McCain supporters to get out there and blog about all the fine talking points that he has in an effort I guess to show that he can be a great old online candidate. Feel free to sign up and enter your favorite anti-mccain talking point in response. - fun for the whole family!

read more | digg story

Even the GOP sees the writing on the wall

Over on the right at www. townhall.com there is an interesting article by columnists Dick Morris and Eileen McGann; The Massacre of '08. It's great to see the rebublican pundits starting to see that not only will they lose the White House but that they are facing large losses in the Senate - a GOP massacre of up to a 12 Senate seat gain by the Democrats. 

Of course they blame "party identification" for the GOP's anticipated losses and that pesky Iraq War, gas prices and the "looming recession" (I'm not sure it is so much looming as is in place), for all the GOP Problems. 

The best part of the article is the clarion call for Bush to get out and tell Americans that things are "bad but not that bad" If only Bush would hit the trail and get his approval rating up to mid of high 30's then all will be well again. 

It's not a good year to be a Rebublican concludes Morris and McGann. 

Check it out

Enjoyed this political cartoon from Canada's SunMedia this morning. Kind of seems like a likely scenario.

Keith Olbermann to President Bush: “Shut the hell up!"

Really I don't think anyone has said it better than Olbermann. Please Bush - Shut the hell up! In an astoundingly ignorant interview with The Politico’s Mike Allen Tuesday, President Bush insinuated that electing a Democrat in November would lead to another attack on America, and revealed that he made the ultimate sacrifice by giving up golf shortly after the start of the Iraq War — the timing of which he lied about.

read more | digg story

Obama Edwards - Perfect Political Theatre

With a 10,000 plus Michigan crowd in rock concert mode, Barack Obama strode on stage last night like he owned the place. Looking more relaxed than he has in weeks, speaking casually and confidently, his presence as always electrifying the crowd. Introducing  John Edwards, and reveling in Edwards anticipated endorsement, you would never guess this was the same candidate who lost by a wide margin less that 24 hours prior. 

Edwards strode onto the stage, Bruce Springsteen "the Rising" blasting and the crowd cheering. Edwards all perfectly pressed, perfectly coiffed,  shirt as white as his teeth. A character out of a Tennesse Williams play.

It was quite frankly perfect political theatre. Coming on the West Virginia loss and Obama's speech with no acknowledgment of West Virginia election results, it left time for the Hillary Camp to spend Wednesday in heavy "winner' mode. As the media spun, Hillary teared up speaking of Chelsea on the campaign trail and the continued rhetoric of "we can win"! ( sort of). It was another day in Clinton's theatre of the absurd. 

And that's what made the Edwards endorsement perfect theatre for Obama. Timed to dominate the evening news, the Obama campiagn changed the spin right back to them. You could feel the media tossing aside the clinton's tired and desperate fantasy world campaign and gravitating back to Obama rapture in a nano second. By the time the evening news had folded, the soliloquies had been spoken and Obama left the stage all that was left was the quiet sound of keyboards tapping as clinton staff brushed up their resume. 

Some days you just gotta admire the flawlessness of it all. 

Sinking Hillary

Poor Hills - just doesn't know when to give it up - maybe she can keep track with this handy Hillary deathwatch from Slate

Hillary to stay

Well for a moment this morning it looked like Hillary might read the tea leaves, or the writing on the wall, or go back to learn how to count popular vote, delgates, superdelegates, states won and all the rest but now doesn't look like it, "until there is a nominee" (whatever the hell that means). When is Evita gonna give it up!

HILLARY CLINTON SAYS SHE’LL STAY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton says she will remain in the presidential race “until there’s a nominee.” The former first lady declined to say whether that meant through the roll call of the states at the Democratic National Convention this summer. […]
And in endorsing Obama, former Sen. George McGovern said Wednesday it’s virtually impossible for Clinton to win the nomination. McGovern said he had a call in to former President Clinton to tell him of the decision, adding that he remains close friends with the Clintons.
But Obama has won the nomination “by any practical test” and is very close to a majority of the pledged delegates, said McGovern, who is 85. Obama moved within 200 delegates of clinching the nomination with his split decision on Tuesday of a win in North Carolina and a narrow loss in Indiana.
It’s time to unite the Democratic Party, he said.

Obama in 30 seconds

Way back in 1972 Andy Warhol Supported George McGovern's presidential bid against Richard nixon be creating a screen print of nixon looking bloated and sickly with the simple words "vote McGovern" It was an inspirational artistic statement of a modern day political statement. 

Now jump ahead to modern day and check out the artistic statements in move-on.org  obama in 30 Seconds contest. The finalists are now available and you can vote for your favs. I was struck by how damn good they are, and in many cases better than the ads that the Obama campaign has been grinding out. My favorites include Purple - a play on the ubiquitous Apple ad and Imagine - a simple but powerful claymation video. Brilliant! 

Vote for your favorites at Obama in 30 Seconds. 

Hillary's New Shameless Math

Hillary Clinton continues her shameless and impossible quest for the Democratic nomination by changing the total number of delegates required to win on her website to 2025 (set by the Democratic National Committee) to 2208. Why did Hills run to her abacus? well of course to include Florida and Michigan which have been disqualified and to yet again come up with fantastical reason's why Obama's nomination is not inevitable. 

Of course no one logs on to her website anyway....

wacky!

Huffington Post Article is here

FBI Raids DOJ's Office Of Special Counsel

Here's an article from the Huffington Post today that gives the US that image of a Banana Republic: FBI agents on Tuesday raided the offices of Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch, who oversees protection for federal whistleblowers. The agents seized computers and shut down email service as part of an obstruction of justice probe, NPR has exclusively learned. FBI agents also searched Bloch's home and a Special Counsel field office in Dallas.

read more | digg story

Helen Thomas Asks About Bush’s Torture Approval

More blatant lies from the Bush Administration. During this afternoon’s White House press briefing, reporter Helen Thomas noted that Bush “has admitted that he did sign off on torture” saying it damages “the credibility of this country.” But press secretary Dana Perino denied that the United States has ever tortured detainees and referred to testimony from CIA Director Michael Hayden as evidence

read more | digg story

GOP Candidate Tony Zirkle Wishes Adolph A Happy Birthday

Everytime a Hillary Supporter or a Obama supporter gets pissy and declares they will vote for McCain instead of "their" candidate they should pause , watch this video and think about what voting Republican can mean (click read more, and listen to him speak behind the Hitler pic) :

"On Sunday, Tony Zirkle, a Republican candidate for Indiana’s 2nd District... attended the 119th birthday celebration for Adolph Hitler." (video)

read more | digg story

CIA quietly admits torture, rendition program will continue

Buried in documents filed in federal court, the CIA acknowledged in legal filings yesterday that their rendition program “will continue.” Terror suspects detained or "renditioned" by the United States are transferred to third party countries that allow torture which gives the US a legal loophole to allow harsh interrogation without being liable.

read more | digg story

The Fox is Wrong: Obama

A good compilation of Fox News Dumb ass reporting and Idiot fox "newsy" pundits

President George Bush On Deal Or No Deal

The Game Show President

There are may things to be disappointed, dispirited and angry about with President Bush over the last 7 years. What this the war in Iraq, the 900 and some lies he and his administration made during the two years following 9/11, knowing about torture approvals down in the situation room and on and on and on. One wonders as he stumbled on lame duck feet to the end of his term if he won't manage to achieve the historic moniker of Worst President of all time - if he hasn't already.

But the penultimate contribution to presidential stupidity must have come on Monday April 21, 2008 when he appeared in a taped segment on the Game Show "Deal or No Deal". As contestants choose briefcases and try to win a million dollars, ole Bush 43 pops up to cheer on Captain Joseph Kobes - a vet of three Iraq war duties. Bush then joked around with Canadian Comedian / host Howie Mandel that perhaps Mandel could come to Washington to help him balance the federal budget.

What's so galling about this appearance on a game show, in the middle of a war, doing nothing about a recession and generally tap dancing his way through the final days, is not that a political leader appears on a game show, comedy skit or (as was happening on Monday night for McCain, Obama and Clinton) appearing on World Wresting "Monday Night Raw" program, but rather that a sitting president - a world leader - the most powerful person of earth has debased himself to appear on a prime time game show - egging on the war vet to win that million and live the American Dream.

It is not mearly that he is debasing himself. That's fine. He can appear on every game show, soap opera, morning show he wants if he will just stay out of the oval office for a few more months. What's embarrassing and sad is his compunction to bring down the presidential office while he shills on game shows. It's cringe worthy to have a world leader popping up on prime time TV to spin the wheel or roll the dice - what an image for the county. For the rest of the world. Is this really the image that people want of their president?

Of course when your approval rating (28%) is at an all time low and you now have the highest disapproval rating of any president in 70 years, then I guess all that is left is the game show circuit.

Though based on his performance last night, perhaps he could while away his final 272 days by hosting "the Foreclosure Price is Right" or "Wheel of Guantanamo" or better yet a revival of "the weakest link". At least that way he can shore up his presidential legacy as a beloved game show host.

Gasoline prices - a grumpy diversion

Today I filled up my big ass SUV in the big ass Province of Alberta, supplier of Oil to our friends down south to the tune of 1.888 million barrels of oil to the US a day, Making Canada the #1 exporter of oil to the US (Yes well ahead of Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Iraq).

So I paid $1.14 per Litre for regular fuel. There are 3.78 litres per US Gallon which means that if I do the gas math, gasoline here - four hours from the actual oil production - is $4.31 a US gallon. - that's 80 HIGHER than the US average right now.

I hate Math.

Chris Matthews is a Dumbass

I know this shouldn't bug me and I shouldn't expect any more from Matthews but his pseudo shock over Obama's orange juice request just annoys me. Thank god he didn't order tomato juice or a latte. You can see the video here.

Obama’s Young Backers Twist Parents’ Arms

Here's a great article that makes me hum "the Kids are alright" by "the Who".

read more | digg story

John McCain: Shia, Sunni what's the Difference?

Here's John McCain, Foreign policy expert confusing Shia and Sunni AGAIN while questing General Petraeus this morning. It"s great that McCain the warmonger (or sez Ed Shultz and every dictionary in the world) keeps gettin all those folk mixed up but he saves the day by shrugging and saying "Or anybody else" Obviously John forgot to install his Joe Lieberman whisper touch hearing aid this morning.

"I say Shia you say Shiite - Let's call the whole thing off"

Giant Seussical German Fast Food Resturant

According to the BBC the newest thing in Restaurant service is the automated delivery mechanism installed at 'sBaggers in Nuremberg, Germany. Rather than dealing with a real human, you sit at a table while a spiral luggage rack Dr Seuss contraption towers overhead. You order from a touch screen whatever entree you would like to see twirl down to your seat.

While waiting for your feed to circle down from the heights of gawd knows where, you can use the screen in front of you to review the food (check out the cow you ordered I guess) and for fun you can Text and Email your mates, even those sitting right next to you. Why talk when you can SMS.

This seusical brainchild is supposed to make the dining experience fun and efficient. however you just know that the damn thing stops working correctly 6 months into service sending appys and entrees hurling to all the wrong tables, tilting off the rails and dribbling meat sauce all over your lap like some horrifying nightmarish Wes Craven flick. I can't figure out how you would send anything BACK. Perhaps a rope is lowered to your table? Or maybe you just eat whatever cycles down to your trough.

In the video the Beeb reporter cheerfully tells you you don;t need to tip but you just know that some iron claw will pounce out somewhere by the end of the meal pinning you to the chair and frightening you into parting with your hard earned euros for experiencing the "fun" factor.

You can check out this new technology for the sake of technology concept with the perky beeb reporter investigating where his food came from video here. Reservations are recommended.

Hedgehog as a weapon

Presumably in New Zealand, weapons now include the lowly hedgehog. As reported in the Globe and Mail, William Singalargh picked up a hedgehog and threw it at a 15 year old boy. Hitting the boy in the leg, the hedgehog weapon caused a large red welt and several puncture wounds. Mr Singalagh has been arrested on charges of assault with a weapon and indends to plead not quilty.

Police Sgt Jenkins stated that "the use of a hedgehog as a weapon is uncommon", which makes you wonder about New Zealand Hedgehog assaults.

Even Hillary's People back Obama

Here's a great story reported by CNN that Hillary Clinton supporter Missouri Rep Emanuel Cleaver stated on Sunday's CBC Radio "Sunday Edition":

If I had to make a prediction right now, I'd say Barack Obama is going to be the next president," and
"I will be stunned if he's not the next president of the United States."

Cleaver also said that he would consider voting for Obama at the Convention is the delegate count was still tight between the two candidates.

Good job Cleaver!

Obama, Bush library Design contest and B52's (of course)

What I'm reading, hearing, seeing and thinking about March 23 - March 29, 2008:
What I'm reading:
A great article here from Spencer Ackerman of The American Prospect writing an editorial on The Obama Doctrine, which lays out in a concise and well researched way how Obama is offering a change in foreign policy and providing an opportunity for an approach to foreign relations that hasn't been seen in 40 years. The best quote, and perhaps the reason that I think Obama is the best opportunity for US leadership this November comes from Obama at the January 31 Debate when he said:
" ...I want to end the mind-set that got us into war in the first place"
---
What I'm Seeing:
The Chronicle for High Education has opened up it's truly brilliant "Back of the Envelope design contest" asking readers to come up with designs for the George Bush Presidential library scheduled to be built at Southern Methodist University. The designs run the range from whimsical to angry, all of them taking stabs at Bush 43. I can't describe each of the wild clever ideas, outside of the one submission including the "Underground Cheney Lair" You can view some of the designs and vote for your favorite here. Don't forget to check out the Chronicles Video talking about the contest!

What I'm Hearing:
Don't miss the PBS/Frontline documentary "bush's war" that you can view online. An excellent exhaustive chronology of lies, half truths and manipluation from the Bush administration over the past 5 years.
----
For fun I'm totally into the Great B52 new single "FUNPLEX" Damn them how can you not love :
Faster Pussycat
Thrill!
Thrill!
I'm at the mall on a diet pill"

A responsible plan to end the war

With the Military death toll topping 4000 this week, and a giant shrug of in-difference from Cheney and Bush it is encouraging to see some of this year's Candidates for Congress endorsing and campaigning with a Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq.
While the plan is not perfect, it presents a clear path to ending Military Action in Iraq, addressing humanitarian concerns and strategies to eliminate mistakes like Iraq from happening again. You can check out and hopefully endorse the plan here. If you want to check out the candidates endorsing the responsible plan and support them this November, here is the list of endorsees,

Don't forget to take a moment and endorse the plan yourself!

Dear Hillary

Dear Hillary;
Sorry, but you did not misspeak about Bosnia. You were not truthful. You made up another fantasy about your foreign policy experience. Unlike you, a sane person remembers jumping out of a helicopter and ducking as we are being strafed with gun fire. We generally recall what we wrote in our autobiographies and journals that the gun fire was in the hills not some uprising on the tarmac as you landed. Even the B Movie comedian Sinbad who was with you remembers it well:

"I never felt that I was in a dangerous position. I never felt being in a sense of peril, or 'Oh, God, I hope I'm going to be OK when I get out of this helicopter or when I get out of this tank.'"

So Hillary no you did not misspeak on Monday. You made it up. It's another Alice in Wonderland moment for you! If Sinbad has to remind you of what really happened oh those many years ago, perhaps you should take a rest and read a book - like your own.

Pastor Wright, or the Fellowship

With all the talk about Barack Obama's connection with Pastor Jeremiah Wright this week and the endless replay of Pastor Wright's comments I was somewhat surprised not to hear a great deal from the Hillary camp on the whole matter. An Article from "the Nation" web site , is worth a look as it talks about a "widely under-read article" from the September 2007 issue of Mother Jones Magazine documenting Hillary Clinton's participation is a secret Capital Hill group
"The Fellowship".

Check out the article here: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080331/ehrenreich "Hillary's Nasty Pastorate"

After reading it, it is beyond me why she would want to be involved in this creepy secretive cultish society, but I suppose the pursuit of power knows no bounds.

From My Lai to Abu Ghraib

There is a sad coincidence this week in marking not only the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war, but also the 40th Anniversary of the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War.

It was March 16, 1968 that the US armed forces, stuck in a war that was increasingly desperate and un-winnable, undertook a reconnaissance mission to locate and flush out members of the Viet Cong. Military intelligence believed that Viet Cong were located in the hamlets and villages of Son My and My Lai and a major offensive was executed.

As Charlie Company landed on the morning of March 16th, Soldiers, unable to find any evidence of Viet Cong guerilla forces in the villages began to attack anything that moved, a massacre that resulted in the death of up to 500 Vietnamese civilians, many of them women and children.

The details of the massacre, along with searing images of the carnage was a turning point and an attitude shift for the public, fueling outrage from the anti war movement and world nations condemning the attack.

Fast forward to this week’s 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War, a conflict that seems eerily reminiscent of the Vietnam War. A war in Iraq that was approved based completely on false and misleading evidence of WMD’s and Al Quaida Connections. A War in Iraq that brought us the images of Abu Ghriab prison torture. A War in Iraq and a President that supports torture techniques by vetoing the Intelligence Authorization Bill. A War in Iraq that even the Pentagon debunked by quietly releasing their report last week admitting there was no smoking gun, no direct connection between Saddam’s Iraq and Al Qaeda. 600,000 Official Iraqi government documents that disproved all the statements of Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld.

Almost 4,000 American troops killed, anywhere from 82,000 to 1.1 million Iraqi civilian deaths directly or indirectly related to the Iraq War.

Helicopter gunner Lawrence Colburn returned to My Lai this weekend to pay tribute to those killed during the massacre 40 years ago. Remembering the terrible event, Colburn is reminded not only of My Lai but recent images from Abu Ghraib:

“We’re supposed to learn from the mistakes of history, but we keep making the same mistakes.”

Obama-ton advertising

Here's a frightening but clever ad from Brussels, Belgium Hogeschool-Universiteit A combined College and University. In the new ad the tag line reads: "Why choose if you can combine?" Nice fun photoshop ad that makes the viewer look back. What struck me is how a US primary process can spread around the world and create iconic images of Clinton and Obama that are instantly recognizable.

Hillary Clinton and the Lord of the Flies

Hillary Clinton is the Lord of the Flies

I swear as every week of this primary campaign grinds on I start to feel more and more convinced that Clinton's winning strategy is some weird screwed up contemporary version of William Goldman's Lord of the Flies. You will recall that Goldman's book was pretty much an allegory about individuals trying to create a utopian self-governing society. Proper English school boys, stranded on a deserted island attempting to self govern and “elect” the most popular and worthy of their clan to lead them to greatness.

Life on the island is far from idyllic what with the warring factions, abusive rule at the hands of Mr. popular and finally the system collapses blaming the weak and marginal members for failing to live up to the expectations of the elite. It’s all very grim.

I can’t get that book out of my mind every time I think of the state of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. It seemed like only a few news cycles ago that Clinton was ready for her coronation as the leader for the next 8 years and all those pesky Democrats would fall in line, hold up the ermine robe and hand over the tarnished scepter this November.

Except Barack Obama buggered that plan for her, and that started the Lord of the Flies strategy, presumably for lack of any other back up strategy. In Clinton -land, people’s heads started to roll, Bill was reigned in before he got too far out of control and HC made sure to distance herself from all this sordidness.

When memos about Obama’s stand on NAFTA and the “Is he / is’nt he” a Muslim question started to “leak”, HC flicked them away, refusing to be forthright on 60 minutes and laying blame on all those nasty minions that would be ousted in due course. All along HC flirting with the race card, downplaying election math, phoning herself at 3AM, and finally the Orwellian double speak of foreign policy experience based on a lunch with the IRA.

Now the Flies campaign takes a new turn as HC fails to condemn Geraldine Ferraro’s comments that Obama wouldn’t have made it this far if it wasn’t for his race. Ferraro, who seems to think she needs to get back with the media spin in a big way, appears to play the patsy for the self appointed leader. The bitter and judgmental Ferraro falls on her sword the next day defending her self and refusing to back down on her statements.

For Hillary Clinton, her minion has done the job, as she appears demurely calling Ferraro’s comments regrettable and making a passing, almost lackluster attempt at apologizing. Except it’s not an apology, it all smells of a set up and Ferraro, with her insignificant role on the campaign finance committee is the perfect patsy. It’s like Geraldine is dragged back into the limelight only to be trotted out for abuse – pretty much the realization she must have had after she got off the phone with Walter Mondale.

I feel sorry for Ferraro. She’s like Piggy the fat kid in Goldman’s book. Piggy has his glasses broken, he has to grunt like a wild boar to the assembled masses, humiliated and eventually is reduced to a quivering mass of broken dreams and bitter resentment to the self appointed elite. At the end of the book, the clan degenerates into chaos and anarchy – the social experiment failed and the elite broken and bitter.

I sort of have this dream of the Clinton campaign heading in that direction, crashing and burning and collapsing in a gigantic angry glorious heap of back room deals, cynical fear based politics, gossip and innuendo. In my dream, I wake up in a cold sweat with that same final image of Hillary and Bill lashing their life rafts together, leaving the flames of the campaign island behind and sailing into the sunset………

A local spat on Religious Dominion-ism

Warren Young consumed a fair bit of print lines in the Friday March 7, 2008 Spruce Grove Examiner Letter, "Impressed with youth". It is one of those fascinating letters that one reads hoping that at some point the writer will get to the point. By the last few paragraphs Mr Young does attempt to bring this well intended youth clarion call to some sort of conclusion by suggesting that "older" readers support youth by speaking on the merits of Faytene Kryskow.

Mr Young is obviously a fan of Ms Kryskow and effuses about her book "Stand on Guard", her meetings with elected officials and TV station interviews along with a curious statement that Ms Kryskow has been referred as the "Canadian Joan of Arc". Further, Mr Young let's us know that Kryskow book is a "best-seller".

I wouldn't normally give much credence to all this rambling if I was not struck by (a) the best seller reference and (b) the lack of any concrete discussion of what Ms Kryskow stands for. In fact after reading the letter a couple of times searching for content I wondered if this wasn't all some veiled sales pitch for Kryskow speaking engagements or books sales or some such.

One of the first things I learned about Ms Kryskow is that her book is in fact not a best seller. It appears to be a self published work that is presently available through her website with Paypal. It is not distributed through the largest Canadian book retailer; Chapters.ca nor through amazon.ca. This is a relatively minor fact checking issue however once one begins to check out Ms Kryskow.

A quick search of the big ole Internet will tell you that Faytene Kryskow is a peculiar mix of youthful exuberance, evangelical dominion-ism and anti-abortion rhetoric. While waxing on about righteous foundations in Canada, Kryskow mixes in a few youtube videos on her personal testaments and calling those to arms to "raise a generation of revivalists and revolutionaries" - sort of biblical Trocky-isms I guess.

The anti-abortion issue aside, some of Ms Kryskow's comments on video are truly bizarre. Speaking at a youth conference last year in Ottawa, Kryskow's video puckishly discusses the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love as the start of sexual perversion and then proceeds to draw a direct line between Women's Rights and the US ERA Amendment; done in order to advocate abortion rights.

What is most disingenuous about Faytene Kryskow is not her her perky anti abortion stance or summer of love / women's rights leaps of logic but rather a comment from her own official website. Assuring readers that she has "strong accountability" she follows this up with the warning that her home church will not be listed so the media can not attend and report on it. - Accountability indeed.

So I suppose the message here is while Mr Young probably has the best intentions in mind when he wrote his letter, I think it is only fair that he be open and honest and forthright on the subject matter he is speaking of. It does a huge disservice not only to youth, but to all of us when a thinly veiled moral or political position is wrapped in touchy feely, inaccurate and the obtuse language like Mr Young's letter.

Baffling Billary

It's kind of funny is it wasn't so sad that the Billary campaign has had to resort to deciding what role Barack Obama can play on a joint ticket for the presidential race. First was Hillary raising the possibility of a joint ticket last week (presumably the morning after guilt effects of the shrieking monkeys and kitchen sink campaign) but by this weekend, after that spin had worn thin, there is Bill espousing that Obama would make a good VP candidate since he did not have the same foreign policy experience as Hillary. Then Wolfson stated that Obama "hasn't passed the commander in chief test" but he might just be able to by Denver
huh?

Oh my gawd what are these people drinking? There is a big rip in reality with the clinton camp when you are trailing in the primaries and suggesting that the one beating you should be number two in the election campaign. Toon Town logic.

Hillary's very Own Nafta-gate

Dear Mrs Clinton; 

You need to get on the phone to Canada - and fast! I'm a little worried up here what with Ian Brodie, Prime Minster Stephen Harper's chief of staff is not only being implicated for leaking the Obama Nafta Gate memo but he's mentioning you as well! 

As reported by CBC, Canwest News Service and on the Canadian news program "the National", Brodie says: 

Brodie allegedly also discussed musings by Obama's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, saying people from her camp also told Canadians to take her NAFTA concerns with a grain of salt.
Isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black Mrs Clinton? Why even your campaign strategist Mark Penn was gloating and a bit self righteous when talking to reporters stating that:
"It had a significant impact," Mark Penn said during a conference call with reporters. "I think it is going to be a serious issue moving forward in this campaign. It raised serious questions about Obama."

So how come it raises serious questions for the Obama campaign but not yours? Lot of flip flopping going on in your campaign as well?

Better dial the red phone way before 3AM on this one!

How the Clinton camp sleeps at night

There is a certain irony in Barack Obama's speech last night to supporters in Texas. As Obama conceded the loss in Ohio and acknowledged the ongoing Texas primary battle the crowd cheered and a swarm of bats fluttered overhead in the night air. 

It comes off a weekend of nasty politics on the part of the Clinton campaign who seem hell bent for leather on making every minor issue such as "Nafta-Gate" a cause and opportunity for attack. Not wanting to be forgotten, the Clinton machine sent lawyers to invade Obama campaign press conference calls, ramped up the militaristic commander in chief language and generally chose the Bush/Rove fear strategy as the only possible winning strategy. 

Bat's indeed. You can only hope that that the Clinton campaigners woke up this morning with a nasty hangover, with that nagging sensation that the three day drunken kitchen sink campaign worked if only you can still look in the mirror after sleeping with your wife's sister. 

It's one thing to attack your opponent in a general election, quite another to attack your opponent in a party race -  that has delegate math, public support and a winning state track record on his side. But the Clinton's and their campaign machinery doesn't seem to draw this distinction. They would rather leave blood on the tracks and try to win at all costs, even when there is no rationale mathematical process for them to win. Even this morning Hillary was hinting at a possible coordinated effort between the billary and barack campaign; akin to making dinner for your hosts after you raid the liquor cabinet and drain all the 10 year old scotch. 

Playing this game is nasty business. It's expensive, it hurts the party and sends Obama into the general election battered and bruised against John McCain. The Clinton campaign can bask in the morning after glow of Texas and Ohio but eventually they need to wake up and smell the Starbucks, do some math, call it a day and bow out. For the good of the party, for the good of putting America back on track, for ousting the beltway bastards and for bringing back hope and vision into national politics. If that doesn't work then at least Hillary should consider her own future legacy is she continues this nasty smear campaign. 

After all, being compared to  bats only worked with Vincent Price......

Political Trading Cards

Political trading cards? Yes it must be America when trading cards featuring, Obama, Clinton and McCain randomly inserted in Tops Baseball Card packs are making mega bucks on Ebay according to the NY Times. 

Obama-cards leads the pack on Ebay, with a card recently selling for over 3,000. Hillary is selling for 1,325 and McCain goes for $1,200 

Wacky. 

Rove and the Romney love

Karl Rove is speaking out on who should be the Veep with McCain this Fall. Rove suggested that the none other than spray on hair mittens should be the VP choice. Not that Rove has an ideological rationale. Choosing Romney is the best choice since he has all those bucks. Romney's 190 Million personal fortune is the major reason. That and it will make Ann Coulter happy. 

So off to the races are the Republicans - choose the biggest purse available and burn through the cash! 

William F Buckley Dies

The great droll, cantankerous, intellectual who never met an argument he didn't like has passed away at the age of 82. You don't have to support his ideas or policies to appreciate his passion for argument and intelligent discourse. Watch the video below, a debate between Buckley and Gore Vidal from 1968 about the qualities needed to be President. It would be charming if it wasn't so timely.

Robocalls and Superdelgates

Marc Cooper at the Huffington Post couldn’t have written it better about “Hillary’s Farewell. You can check out his article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-cooper/hillarys-ignominious-fin_b_88634.html
Which is definitely worth a read.

Onwards with Hillary, ramping up the anger with heavy duty “robocalls” throughout Iowa, Here is the script of the robocall:
This is Hillary Clinton calling to set the record straight.

Senator Obama has sent out attack mailers that distort my record on NAFTA, but I believe Ohio deserves the truth.
NAFTA has hurt Ohio families and I have a plan to fix it. My opponent does not. I’ll appoint a Trade Prosecutor to enforce our trade agreements, and crackdown on China’s unfair trade practices. I'll eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and invest in creating good jobs right here in Ohio.
Ohio needs solutions, not distortions. With your support on March 4th, we can jumpstart the economy and get Ohio back to work.

Now in case Clinton does somehow succeed in Ohio and Texas and the race remains tight with the super delegate issue remaining, here is a link to a list of all the un pledged delegates. Don’t forget to hassle them and remind them to support the primary voters decision:
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/080225_2008_Unpledged_PLEO_List.pdf

The Three Faces of Hillary

"The Sky will Open, the Light will come down, Celestial Choirs will be singing..."

(Hillary watches Saturday Night Live) 

(Hillary Stalks SuperDelegates) 

It;s been quite a week since the wheels of Hillary's campaign bus spun off sending the Hillary08 train careening down the mountain. This weekend it was clever Hillary scorning Obama while managing to sound like a Huckabee supporter or an extra in a high school revival of Angels in America. 

When she tires of summoning the shrieking monkeys onto her opponent, presumably Hillary spent the last week re-reading the NAFTA trade Agreement, caterwalling each time a new mailer arrives from Obama, and approving the Barack "what not to wear" photos for distribution. 

Of course the Clinton08 campaign office has been busy, what with all those mailers and photos and shrieking monkeys, but at least they had time to whip up a new campaign (un)strategy, the KITCHEN SINK manifesto, sure to appear as if (a) they know what they are doing and (b) not panicking and (c) really really have a strategy for this campaign. 

crabby weasel 

WHNT Alabama Suppresses Truth

CBS's 60 Minutes broadcast of feb 24/08 included a segment on former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. Siegelman, sentenced to 7 years in jail on a flimsy charge appears more and more to be the victim of political prosecution, An enemy of the Bush Criminal family and a fall guy of the Rove jack boots, thumping down on those that belong to the "wrong" political party in Alabama.

If all of this doesn't sniff of a Communist regime snuffing out the dissenters It only gets better with Alabama TV Station WHNT who mysteriously "lost" the CBS feed, GOSH right when the Siegelmen segment began! And of course the techs working tirelessly couldn't get the signal back until the segment was over ( right at 6:12 pm!). So those folks over at WHNT solved the problem by showing the show (or bury it ) on the late night news - 10:15 pm. 

Well that's what Stan Pylant, President and GM of WHMT CHannel 19 said in his statement, except CBS response was that it is simply not true:
CBS News – which owns 60 Minutes – denied any problem on their end.

Scott Horton of Harper’s magazine reported late last night that CBS was directly pointing back at the local outlets as the cause of the problem.

"I contacted CBS News in New York and was told that 'there is no delicate way to put this: the WHNT claim is not true. There were no transmission difficulties. The problems were peculiar to Channel 19, which had the signal and had functioning transmitters.' I was told that the decision to blacken screens across Northern Alabama 'could only have been an editorial call.'

AN EDITORIAL CALL. From the station that is owned by the Oak Hill Capital Partners, which is owned by the Bass Brothers, a major "Pioneer" Fundraiser and supporters of the Bush Administration besides bail out support for failed Bush Energy Venture Spectrum 7.

But wait! Bonus suppression, political malfeasance and government meddling with this story including White House pressure on CBS to kill the story, Journalists attacked and whistle blower Dana Jill Simpson testifying under oath to Congress as to Rove's involvement having her house mysteriously catching fire after coming forward.

Dear God! Political prisoners, government manipulation, suppression of the Media and Free Speech, fear tactics and on and on. Isn't this why we have trade embargos with Cuba?

Make sure you let WHNT know that you won't stand for suppressing truth:

WHNT-TV, Huntsville, AL: Email NewsChannel 19

As David Bowie Said; This is Not America!

Clinton: Obama Offers Change You Can Xerox

Dem Debate - Jumping the shark

The most personal and passionate response from Hillary Clinton at the Dem Debate last night came at the end: 

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/tonight

But for me the defining moment of the debate came with Hillary's xerox comment. If a political campaign has "jump the shark" moments then this was it for the Hillary Clinton campaign. The wheels on the bus came off, the train slipped off the tracks and campaign fell down the cliff. 

McCain: Ethics is a four letter word

 The New York Times and the Washington Post are both reporting this morning on the possible ethical breaches of McCain with lobbyist Vicki Iseman. Its heartening to note that no one seems to be suggesting a romantic tryst between McCain and Iseman which is an image that is best left alone, but you've got the usual alleged inappropriate behaviour, playing fast and loose with political power and McCain staffers taking Iseman for lunch pleading or warning her to "stay away" as it will "look bad" . 

Of course it will "look bad" Good lord, McCain flying around on Iseman client jets, making phone calls on behalf of Iseman clients and McCain staffers wondering why she is always around and turning up at corporate fundraisers. All of this as McCain staffers are worried that the relationship might be turning romantic. Ug. 

So here you have the presumptive republican nominee, a self appointed bastion of independence and campaign finance reform, turning away the "soft money" and the special interests and all along he has continued the process of bedding down with special interests and apologizing for it later. 

Just remember, this is the candidate who: 

• Played a role in the Charles Keating Savings and Loan disaster but snuck out with a reprimand for "poor judgement" 
  
• Publicly wouldn't fly commercial direct between Arizona and Washington after supporting that flight route but was happy to accept rides on private corporate jets. 
  
• Promoted tighter campaign finance reforms while at the same time accepting funds from the very groups we was publicy disavowing. His response? Whoops - sorry won't do that again. 
  

McCain thinks the NYT is conducting a smear campaign on him. His friends say sometimes McCain is "essentially an honorable person: but "sometimes can be imprudent" Yes well that's putting it mildly. 

Here's the thing John. you can't go around waving your finger sanctimoniously at everyone else, apologizing when you get caught and continue to suckle at the teat of special interests, lobbyists and corporate favors. Choose a path and stick to it, Stop scuffing around the margins. We need better than this. 

Michelle *IS* really proud

All this morning, commentator gums have been flapping at the speed of sound over Michelle Obama's comments, "for the first time in my adult life I'm proud of my country" Over at Fox and CNN they have analyzed when Michelle became an adult and compared that to country pride.  Even Air america, one of the few bastions of progressive thought moaned and groaned about Michelle's presumably traitorous statement. But is that what she said? Really? Check out this video and listen carefully before blasting her: 

Breitbart.tv » Michelle Obama: ‘For the First Time in My Adult Lifetime, I Am Really Proud of My Country’

Was it edited out? was it two different speeches? What the hell happened here? If she's really proud for the first time doesn't that change the tone quite a bit? 

Of course all the attention to this is REALLY REALLY crazy.

John McCain: No, You Can't

Primary Presidential Oscars

I'm already tired of Will.i.am's ernest video of Obama "yes we can" It's a bit much frankly, but since it is almost oscar time here's My personal Oscars of best viral candidate video: 

Best 2008 ernest spoof award goes to the great John McCain Video "No you can't"

YouTube - John McCain: No, You Can't

Most brazen use of T and A to advance biblical principles: 

YouTube - Huckabee Girl

The I got time on my hands after Florida award: 

YouTube - Rudy Giuliani in Drag - He Feels Pretty!

The Sum41 Special merit award for hillary lust (with special merit award for rhyming skank): 

"I Got a Crush...On Hillary" (take that obama girl!)

Best use of irony (I hope!) for past presidents:

YouTube - Manic Street Preachers - The Love of Richard Nixon

the Golden Presidential award for absolute over the top serious presidential love: 

YouTube - Jimmy Carter says YES!

(thanks to Manic Street Preachers and Bob Dylan's Theme time radio hour for the love) 

~the weasel~

Licking Ikea pop up retail

A few trends appeared magically today from DDI Magazine and Trend Candy. First IKEA launching a mobile kiosk as a test as it's Seattle store allowing customers to sync cell phones in store by bar codes or text messaging. 

Now when I first read this I was excited thinking that it was some uber-cool Swedish furniture store that could be wheeled into the nearest shopping mall, or campus bookstore or student residence to hawk the put it together wares. Then I thought perhaps it was some nifty techno GPS device that would help you locate the missing Svenberg side rails that have eluded you in the cavernous store. Sadly it's just a service that sends promotions and coupons to your cell phone reminding you that if you can't locate the pesky side rails you can still get the $1.99 breakfast  special. 

--

Following up on residence student wet dream consumerism comes Casula -- Room in a box! That's right, you can buy a whole room (well an ok equipped dorm room in a nice little box that you can wheel in and put together *snap* just like that)! They even have a video at youtube that you can check out at My Room in a Box - The Casulo (VIDEO). 

Now many many years ago my parents bought cardboard furniture with groovy denim slipcovers. I don't recall the family having quite this much ease and fun un-boxing the sofa as these guys, but I bet they didn't have a dad that would hammer the Christmas Tree into the floor.

Finally in the what's trendy but damn fun world another emerging trend from the trend candy folk, the LICKABLE magazine ad. That's right, finally ad's you can lick starting with Welch's grape juice. We've had scratch and sniff and perfume samples to assault us now we can lick the pages of our fav rav mag! And don't tell me you haven't wanted to do that every once in awhile! 

Off to lick the pages of newsweek......