Daily Archives: 09/07/2008

(Community Matters) Just off phone with a friend who asked me – very innocently – why I just didn’t ask my independent friends how well their political decision making worked out for this country the last two times and if they might not consider trusting me this time rather than their own instincts. I don’t really see this as a productive approach, despite its logic.

(Community Matters) Thomas Friedman is usually provocative and often titillating. Today’s column is both. I agree we’ve been in a slow decline the last 8 years. Don’t agree we were in decline the previous eight. Also believe Obama’s emphasis on infrastructure investment is targeted exactly to the ills Friedman cites. I’m underwhelmed by the information on BOs website about education reform. Hope to learn more about who’s advising and their credentials.

(Community Matters) This article about Massey Energy effectively buying its personal West Virginia Supreme Court justice to throw out a major damage award against the company isn’t only troubling, it further evidences an insidious threat to America. Just yesterday I was in a nearly raised-voice discussion with a dear friend, member of the judiciary, who stands in strong opposition to even-close conflict of interest and fundraising despite the deck structured to make Texas judiciary members dependent on corporate and legal interests.

(Community Matters) ok, admittedly I find myself going back and forth between Google’s new browser, Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Google’s is in beta and they have some issues to work out.

(Community Matters) from AP

(Community Matters) Excellent piece on the battleground states and stakes in today’s AAS Insight. I can’t find the state by state play (describing Florida, Penn, Ohio, Mich, Virginia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, New Hampshire) on-line but have written to the reporter for a link. Perfect preface for playing with 270 Towin’s interactive map which let’s you create your own scenarios and see how Barack is going to win.

For instance, click on Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, go ahead and make them red (i.e., giving them to McCain). You’ll note that Barack will still hit the magic 270 electoral votes by winning in the battlegrounds of New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan and North Carolina. Or, win Florida, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Missouri – losing Ohio, Colorado, Nevada, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia and New Hampshire – and Barack still wins.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we’ll lose Florida, Ohio nor Pennsylvania. Older voters in Florida LOVE Biden and many probably won’t care too much for Palin’s support for Jesus for Jews or the blasting/blaming sermon. Barack and Biden are increasingly connecting with blue collar workers in mid-America and the trend is pro-Obama in Ohio.

(Community Matters) With all due respect to the original work of the outside lawyers who helped expose the fiscal & governance abuses of management and the board, their insistence on a settlement which includes total immunity for management & the former board is outrageous – even more so in light of the Texland account and unreported self payments. Friendships aside, it’s difficult not to conclude that previous management seduced these normally scrupulous plaintiff’s attorneys to support this bad deal by offering the $4 million in fees for those lawyers. David Hall’s appeal and his support from thousands of co-op members is encouraging. I’m writing him a check today. full story