Osama's Back

Don't look now but Osama just resurfaced after a 2 year absence. Seen on video tape, he looks to be in decent enough health. Interesting timing of the release of this videotape. I would suggest the idea would be to scare the pants off US Citizens, so that they would vote for Kerry. Hope that works. Amazing that this tall man has still been able to hide himself out after all this time. "He said the attacks on the US would have been less severe if President Bush had been more alert.
But he added that the security of the American people depended neither on Mr Bush nor on his challenger, John Kerry, but on US policy.
"The reasons to repeat what happened remain," he said."

Now that we did such a bang up job taking care of those 370+ tons of explosives in Iraq, maybe we should be looking over our shoulder?

Warming Trends in Alaska linked to Emissions
The latest report on what we're doing to the world we live in.

The Mess in Iraq
"This has been a war run by amateurs and incompetents. Whatever anyone has felt about the merits of the war, there is no excuse for preparing so poorly and for failing to see, at a minimum, that the troops were properly trained and equipped.

The United States has the most powerful military in history, yet it is bogged down in a humiliating quagmire in a country that was barely functional to begin with. We've dealt ourselves the cruelest of hands in Iraq. We can't win this war and, tragically, we don't know how to end it. "

For the entire article, read Bob Herbert , reporting in the Times .
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Geez GW, do you have any more success stories for us?

Eminem
Eminem – the man who George Bush once called "the most dangerous threat to American children since polio" – could be the true October surprise. "In the video, Eminem leads a mob fired up and politicized by four years of outrage and anger at the Bush administration. Clad in black hoodies, fists raised, the angry young men and women descend on a state building ... to vote" Think this video will reach a few young ones? Suspect so. And it needs to - "Indeed, in a nation where undecided-voter frenzy has reached a fever pitch, the hip hop generation has been a favorite target. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 26.7 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 24, and only 8.6 million of them – about 32 percent – voted in the 2000 presidential elections, meaning two of every three did not vote."

Eminem goes on to say in his unique style - "According to the article, Eminem won't endorse a candidate: "'Whatever my decision is, I would like to see Bush out of office,' Eminem says. 'I don't wanna see my little brother get drafted – he just turned eighteen. People think their votes don't count, but people need to get out and vote. Every motherfuckin' vote counts.'" Geez, think he's got that right. What do you think Mr. Gore?

Quote of the Day
"Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim."
George Santayana

Stock Indexes YTD

DOW - 4.30%
Nasdaq - 1.38%
S&P 500 +2.68%
Leading Index of the Year - Mid Cap Value + 12.65%
Hot Stocks - ADBL, GOOG

A Hole in the Heart

From Thomas Friedman of the Times today: I have been struck by how many foreign dignitaries have begged me lately for news that Bush will lose. This Bush team has made itself so radioactive it glows in the dark. When the world liked Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, America had more power in the world. When much of the world detests George Bush, America has less power. People do not want to be seen standing next to us. It doesn't mean we should run our foreign policy as a popularity contest, but it does mean that leading is not just about making decisions - it's also the ability to communicate, follow through and persuade.

If the Bush team wins re-election, unless it undergoes a policy lobotomy and changes course and tone, the breach between America and the rest of the world will only get larger. But all Mr. Bush and Dick Cheney have told us during this campaign is that they have made no mistakes and see no reason to change.

Pollworkers - the average age of a pollworker is 72. Hmmm.... wonder how that works with electronic voting? Whereas, I realize there are a number of older people totally adept at computers, I suspect if one looked at the percentages, older people in general are not up to snuff on them all that much. Are there qualifications to be a poll worker?

Red Map
It sure is awful red , isn't it? Lord help us (hey, if it works for GW, maybe it'll work for us heathen Democrats?)

Computers
Roboform has been updated to version 6.1.1 Get the best Password Form Filler there is. Free if you keep your password list under 30 entries. (I wish!). Think mine exceeds 200 by now.

Financial
Dreamworks ( DWA ) went on the market today. Was priced at $28 and opened at $39. Will be interesting to see how this IPO turns out. Another Google? One could only wish .

Web Site of the Day
Listen Before you Vote.com - lot of free listens there.

Speaking of Reading - How would you like to get hardback books for $9.95 each and free shipping? Check out ZOOBA . Build up a list of books you want and each month they ship you the next one off of your list - always with free shipping. (Sales tax if you are in IN,PA, or NY - sorry!). If you like to read, sounds like a good deal to me. Note - this appears to be a division of Book of the Month Club, so some books may be altered in size to save you money but always contain the full text of the book. ** Note - You can read opinons about Zooba at the Epinions web site, an excellent source for reviews of items you may be considering purchasing.

Word of the Day
chimping n :
the act of constantly using the display on the back of a digital camera to review the photos one is taking. Named for the sounds made by its practitioners, for example, “Oh oh oh ooh ooh ooh look at this one!

American Indian Museum

Recently took a trip to DC for the Grand Opening of the American Indian Museum. Great stuff! Had the opportunity to watch tribes from all over the country, as well as our neighbors to the South march in a Grand Procession down the length of the Mall. The museum was great (albeit very crowded during opening week), but the procession really made it special. You can see some pictures I've posted here I was particularly impressed with the special exhibition of Allan Houser's work in the museum. If you take the time to view the full sized pics at the link above, then you'll find some links to more information about Allan Houser (as well as other artists,etc) in the captions below the pictures.

Iraq
Here's an interesting interview with a neurosurgeon serving at Landestuhl in Germany. In case you think war is fun (GW?), then this will sober you up rather quickly.

Duck Hunting with Kerry
An amusing look at the most recent photo "bite", by Maureen Dowd. "The vice president is right that Mr. Kerry can't compete in the arena of power hunting. When Mr. Kerry goes, only the birds are in danger. When Mr. Cheney and his pal Antonin Scalia go duck hunting together, the Constitution is in danger."

Wi-Fi
If you're looking for free wi-fi hotspots while you're out traveling, you might want to check out Panera Bread Stores - they have some 415+ stores around the country where you can log on for free. They also have good coffee,bread, desserts, sandwiches,soup,etc. Very nice coffeeshops. For a list of their locations, check out this link

Google Tip
Want the definition of a word? Just type define:word (substitute whatever word you are looking up for "word", in this example). If you want web searches as well for the word, then leave the colon out, as in - define word.

Quote of the Day
"You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others - something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it."
Albert Schweitzer