Open Issue (Singular)

To quote Tamarika at Mining Nuggets ... "She will not get my vote."

When Hillary Clinton says that Obama is running only on one speech to be Commander in Chief, she not only insults Barack Obama, those words insult me personally, as an Obama supporter.

This is a blatant attempt on the part of Mrs. Clinton to restrict the entire Presidential campaign to one issue. An issue that she is campaigning on the merits of McCain's experience not even her own.

Excerpted from

Clinton: I've crossed commander-in-chief threshold

“I think that since we now know Sen. (John) McCain will be the nominee for the Republican Party, national security will be front and center in this election. We all know that. And I think it’s imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold,” the New York senator told reporters crowded into an infant’s bedroom-sized hotel conference room in Washington.
. . .
Calling McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee a good friend and a “distinguished man with a great history of service to our country,” Clinton said, “Both of us will be on that stage having crossed that threshold. That is a critical criterion for the next Democratic nominee to deal with.”

Mrs. Clinton is attempting to diminish all other issues in deference to the "Don't you agree that being a Hawk is the most important issue in this campaign?" game. This is a classic case of subverting the concerns of the populous for the political gain of one (or two, if you include McCain) candidate(s).

[Edited 3/9/8: Removed "Monster" references. My apologies to Mrs. Clinton. If I were in a position of responsibility I would seriously consider resigning.]

Open _and_ Honest

Open Humor [of freedom]

From La Russophobe ...

One East German Stasi policeman to another:
“What do you think of our régime?”
“The same as you.”
“Oh dear, then it’s my duty to arrest you”.

* * *

Which is the most neutral country in the world?
– Czechoslovakia. It doesn’t even interfere in its own internal affairs.

* * *

Will there be theft under communism?
– No. There’ll be nothing left over after socialism.

* * *

An Englishman, a Frenchman, and a Russian are discussing what in their views real happiness is.
“I feel truly happy,” say the Englishman, “when after a day’s hunting in winter, I get back home and sit down in front of the fire with a good brandy.”

“For me,” says the Frenchman, “happiness is to be in a good restaurant with a beautiful woman, eating fine food and drinking fine wine, knowing that a night of passion awaits.”

“You don’t even begin to understand,” says the Russian. “When, after an exhausting shift at the factory, I get back to my room in the communal flat where my wife, two children, and mother-in-law are already sleeping, and, just before dropping off to sleep myself, there’s a knock at the door and I open it to find 2 men who ask me threateningly “Are you citizen Paramonov?” and can answer “No, next door down” – now that’s true happiness.

Open Recall

In a previous post

Open Abstention

I made the assertion that we should not elect McCain the "lesser evil"...

To Joe Average I say, "Do not vote!" Let your abstention eloquently give voice to your personal opinion. Let your abstention speak the truth clearly instead of the lie of voting for the "lesser evil."

Protect your rights and privileges by voting the truth of your heart. If you cannot endorse any of the candidates do not cast a "lying" vote - tell the truth, your truth by abstaining.

Please, do not help to elect the "lesser evil".

Today I feel compelled to assert that should Hillary Clinton acquire the Democratic nomination then all Americans should seriously consider not voting. Please do not give either Clinton or McCain the mandate of a "lying" vote.

Protect your rights and privileges by voting the truth of your heart. If you cannot endorse any of the candidates do not cast a "lying" vote - tell the truth, your truth by abstaining.

---

(Now forming...the committee to not re-elect Presidents Clinton)
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Greatness

Is America worthy of a great leader?

The simple, knee-jerk dismissive answer is "We Americans always deserve the very best of everything, fool!"

Why then have we settled for so little for so long? Why as a nation have we been willing to accept mediocre? We have collectively thrown up our hands exclaiming "What can I do about it?" We have offered that exasperating sigh, lowered our eyes and kicked the dirt at our feet.

A great society deserves a great leader.

We are afraid of a great leader. A great leader would ask us to be great.

In our greatness we would lose our anonymity. In our greatness we would accept responsibility. In our greatness we would willingly sacrifice our self interests for the greater good. In our greatness we would learn to take care of ourselves. In our greatness we would be able to truly help others.

In the coming election we must vote for greatness.

America should be worthy of a great leader.

Open accounting

Obama wins Texas!(?)

Oh yeah!!!!

Election 2008

Obama Ahead in Texas Caucuses

by Robert Siegel and Wade Goodwyn

Listen Now [3 min 49 sec] add to playlist

All Things Considered, March 6, 2008 · New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has claimed victory in the Texas primary — but her rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, may walk away with a greater share of the state's delegates.

That's because the Texas contests are actually both a primary and a caucus.

Clinton won the primary with 51 percent of the popular vote to Obama's 47 percent, according to the Associated Press. Those results earned her 65 delegates to Obama's 61 delegates.

But allocating delegates in the Lone Star State takes a "Texas two-step." After the polls closed, more than 1 million Texans also attended caucuses, the results of which determine how about one-third of the state's delegates get awarded.

The state Democratic Party estimates that Obama will come out ahead: 37 pledged delegated to Clinton's 30 delegates. But the official tally of the Texas caucus won't be ready for months.

Open Math

Excerpted from David Plouffe, BarackObama.com to William

William --

Our projections show the most likely outcome of yesterday's elections will be that Hillary Clinton gained 187 delegates, and we gained 183.

That's a net gain of 4 delegates out of more than 370 delegates available from all the states that voted.

For comparison, that's less than half our net gain of 9 delegates from the District of Columbia alone. It's also less than our net gain of 8 from Nebraska, or 12 from Washington State. And it's considerably less than our net gain of 33 delegates from Georgia.

The task for the Clinton campaign yesterday was clear. In order to have a plausible path to the nomination, they needed to score huge delegate victories and cut into our lead.

They failed.

It's clear, though, that Senator Clinton wants to continue an increasingly desperate, increasingly negative -- and increasingly expensive -- campaign to tear us down.

That's her decision. But it's not stopping John McCain, who clinched the Republican nomination last night, from going on the offensive. He's already made news attacking Barack, and that will only become more frequent in the coming days.

Right now, it's essential for every single supporter of Barack Obama to step up and help fight this two-front battle. In the face of attacks from Hillary Clinton and John McCain, we need to be ready to take them on.

Open [Sad] Truth

Doc said it, I read it, it must be...

...
It’s only gonna get uglier as the Democratic convention approaches. For all of Obama’s high-road smarts and strategizing, there is no overstating the ability of the Democrats to shoot themselves in their feet, and settle on a doomed candidate come convention time. The ghosts of McGovern, Mondale, Dukakis, Kerry — and even Gore and Carter — loom large. Obama can win, mostly because he has so many positives and he isn’t hated by Republicans. Hillary can’t.

So then the only question that remains is who McCain will choose as his VP candidate. Because, as of this morning, McCain and that guy (it won’t be a woman) will likely be our next two presidents.

Emphasis mine. Thanks Doc for telling the truth.

Open Opportunity

Reported in the New York Times ...

“Who would you hire to turn the economy around?” Mrs. Clinton asked a crowd of a couple thousand people at a rally in Akron on Sunday evening. “Who would you hire to make sure we have quality affordable health care for every American? Who would you hire to make college affordable for hard-working middle-class families? And who would you hire to end the war in Iraq and take care of our veterans?”

We are not hiring a President!

We are electing a leader.

I believe that we need to elect a leader who will empower the people of this great nation to achieve great things. We, the American people, will turn the economy around. We will develop a system of affordable health care. America as a nation will insure that hard working middle-class families can afford higher education. Americans will end the war in Iraq and Americans will take very good care of our Veterans.

Open Doors

Hu Qianci, China’s youngest political prisoner


Two long posts reminding us about the real cost of freedom...

China: Hack into Freedom City

China: Hu Jia’s family become human “state secrets”

Open Change

You must be the change you want to see in the world.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Open Spin

Recently we have heard that the war in Iraq is "better" due to the surge.

This is the American Political Experience (A.P.E.) at its very worst. By 'spinning' this story political operatives have somehow tried to legitimized something that less than two months ago was (and still is) an abhorrence.

It is not OK that George Bush sent our troops into harms way for his personal and political ambitions.

It is not OK that we accept any form of a "better" war.

Open and free from fear

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

FDR made two assertions.

1. We have nothing to fear.
2. We should fear fear itself.

America as the most powerful, wealthy, healthy country on the planet has nothing to fear. Our existing military industrial complex stands in the face of any threat. The strength of our economy is still the foundation of world economy. Our ability to maintain our high social standard continues to make us the desired destination of people seeking freedom and prosperity around the world.

Today, this very minute the people of the United States of America have nothing to fear. We have nothing to fear.

Very soon our nation will be thrown into a political melee. The only issue that will be brought to the American people will be the specter of fear. We will be told that the most powerful, wealthy, healthy country on the planet should live in fear. We will be told that the only way to combat that fear is to keep to the old tried and true ways. We will be told to be very afraid of any deviation from the old ways, any change from the current status quo. We will be told to be very afraid.

Fear is the last bastion of the power monger.

We have nothing to fear.

Unscrupulous politicians will use fear itself as a tool to subjugate us. Fear will be used to indenture our servitude. Fear will be the chains to enslave us.

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
- FDR

Open Economy of Nutrition

I want to share some insights that have come to me about the economy of nutrition.

I am so affluent that I can eat three meals a day and snacks which equals roughly ...

2 eggs, 3 strips of bacon, hashbrowns, 2 slices of buttered toast, orange juice = 700+
1 cola = 240
1 Double McCheeseburger, Lg. Fries, 16oz Cola = 1160+
1 cola = 240
1 breast, 1 drumstick fried chicken, mashed potatoes w/ gravy, mac & cheese, green beans, 2 biscuits, 16oz cola = 1460+
4 oz Doritos, 2 beers = 860+

Total = 4660 calories

I am so affluent that I could...but I don't. If I did consume that much food (calories) I would have to burn that many calories (give or take a metabolic variable*) to keep from putting on weight. In view of this country's obesity epidemic I can assume that we as a society are so affluent that we can afford to consume many more calories than we burn.



The BMI calculator at
said that my 221 lbs on my 6'0" body = 30 = Obese. That was just before Thanksgiving, 2007.

Now, before I go any further this is not about a diet and how much weight I may or may not have lost. There are plenty of blog posts that extol the merits of every diet imaginable, somewhere else.

The insights that I want to share in this post are 'side effects' - lessons that I have learned along the way. Before elaborating I feel obliged to assert the following: YMMV - please consult a physician.

I limit my caloric intake to 1500-1750 calories per day. I can eat anything, anything I want. I just cannot eat as much as I might want.

Another important part of this experience is my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

You use energy no matter what you're doing, even when sleeping. The BMR Calculator will calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day.

You have a BMR of 1939.95.

I take this to mean that if I consume 1500-1750 calories a day and burn 1939.95 then I am likely to lose weight. Additionally, since I get up and go to work most days I am likely to burn significantly more than just my 'BMR'. (Spoiler: It is working.)

1. When I started eating 1500-1750 calories per day - my chronic heartburn went away. I went from taking a maximum strength 'Acid Suppressor' and 4-6 antacids per day to zero, nada, none. This is a MAJOR achievement for me as I don't like taking as much as an aspirin - even if I do have a splitting headache.
   
2. I became reacquainted with fresh green vegetables and fresh fruits. To put the most delicate spin on the matter this had a cleansing affect on my alimentary system.
3. Once my internal plumbing system was cleaned out I quickly realized how BLOATED and uncomfortable I get when I do "enjoy" one of those caloric-expensive double McCheeseburgers.
4. Initially I was HUNGRY all the time. This was/is very frustrating. I am an affluent American, born to the land of plenty - Why, oh why must I feel hungry for even one minute?!? Why (whine) must I endure such 'agony' ... "I'm whiney hungry. I deserve to eat anything I want. I demand the right to satisfy my desires. I should get anything I whiney want!"
5. By paying attention and eating small amounts of good food to alleviate my desires I can manage my hunger. In fact, once I begin to understand the difference between my desires and what real hunger is... I have realized that I am not really hungry all the time...like I thought I felt.
6. Society, most specifically the media and its supporters in conjunction with the major food producers, contribute more than any other to America's problem of obesity. Sadly it is a simple matter of supply-and-demand profit driven economics. Put in its simplest terms... FAT is cheap. If I sell you FAT then I make more money. If I convince you that FAT tastes better than lean you will buy more FAT...and I will make more money. The more FAT you buy the FATTER you become. Ironically, our obesity is a direct result of our capitalism flourishing.
7. Which brings me to the real... economy of nutrition. This is the real lesson in all of this. It is true, I can eat anything I want. So I can eat one double McCheeseburger _or_ I can have 2 HUGE salads. The McCheeseburger leaves me feeling bloated and uncomfortable and HUNGRY 2 hours later ... 2 HUGE salads will satisfy my hunger for the entire day AND allow me to snack on healthy food throughout the day. By being nutritionally selective I get the benefit of food value and the volume that satisfies my socially driven desires.
   

(You see? I haven't just been obsessing about the Democratic primaries... I really do have a few other concerns in my life. :)

Open Values(?)

Clearly, American values are for sale ...

Sen. Clinton accepts donations from troubled firm

Posted on Friday, February 29, 2008 3:50 PM PT

Filed Under: Politics

By Lisa Myers and Jim Popkin, NBC News

Sen. Hillary Clinton has declined to return $170,000 in campaign contributions from individuals at a company accused of widespread sexual harassment, and whose CEO is a disbarred lawyer with a criminal record, federal campaign records show.

The federal government has accused the Illinois management consulting firm, International Profit Associates, or IPA, of a brazen pattern of sexual harassment including "sexual assaults,” “degrading anti-female language" and "obscene suggestions."

Long article located here -> LINK

---

(Now forming...the committee to not re-elect Presidents Clinton)
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Journalism

If you don't like the light reflected on you, stand in a different light.

On the Press Bus, Some Questions Over Favoritism

...
The most significant element of the coverage that has so rankled the Clinton campaign may be one that cannot responsibly be omitted: her recent win-loss record in nominating contests.

“My role model and mentor at The A.P. was Walter Mears, who recently retired, and he used to say that who wins is part of the story,” said Mike Glover, an Associated Press reporter, as he flew on Mrs. Clinton’s plane on Thursday from Hanging Rock, Ohio, to Houston. “We’re covering a candidate who’s lost 11 straight primaries. They’re covering a candidate who has won 11 straight primaries.”

Open QOTD (3)

Quote For The Day

from ChuckSigars.com by Chuck

“Now one of Clinton’s laws of politics is this: If one candidate’s trying to scare you and the other one’s trying to get you to think, if one candidate’s appealing to your fears and the other one’s appealing to your hopes, you better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope.”

—–Bill Clinton, 2004.

Good one - Thanks Chuck.

Bonus Link: YouTube video....(added 18:54)


Thanks to Beth-who-doesn't-blog,-yet!

Open Letter to Bill & Melinda Gates

Is this true?!?!? Is this the light that you wish to see you philanthropic efforts bathed in?!?!?

Quoted from Wiki.linux-delhi.org

Using NGOs to Push Agendas

The extent to which Microsoft can go in its efforts to get OOXML is interesting. Microsoft has "persuaded" several non-profit organizations to bombard the Indian IT Secretary and the Additional Director General of the Bureau of Indian Standards with letters supporting its OOXML proposal. A copy of the form letter they have been circulating to NGOs is given below. Somebody should interview these NGOs to see how much they really know about OOXML and open standards.

The sequence of events leading up to the spamming of GoI? is:

Letter from an NGO thanking Microsoft (name changed to protect their identity)

I'd like to thank you personally, and on behalf of XYZ, for Microsoft's invaluable contribution to the cause of XYZ in India. The grant will go a long way in enabling XYZ to enhance our productivity, efficiency and impact. Apart, of course, from permitting us to deploy the money saved to programmes. I do hope you can find the time soon to visit a XYZ-supported project to see your contribution in action.

Mail from Microsoft India's Corporate Social Responsibility group to the NGO

As per our discussion please find attached the draft letters -­ please cut/edit/ delete and change it any which way you find useful. Also attached is the list of NGOs who have sent the letters. And attached is also a document that details wht (sic) this debate is all about. Look forward to hear from you in this regard. In case you decide to send the letters, can you please send me a scan of the singed (sic) letters that you send out. Thanks this will help me track the process.

Thanks

Form letters on OOXML sent by Microsoft to NGOs

To

Mr. Jainder Singh, IAS
Secretary
Department of IT
Ministry of Communications & IT,
Electronics Niketan
CGO Complex
New Delhi - 110 003

Respected Sir

Please write a paragraph about your organization

Please paraphrase "We support OXML as a standard that encourages multiplicity of choice and interoperability giving us the ultimate consumer the choice. * recognizes that multiple standards are good for the economy and also for technical innovation and progress in the country, especially for smaller organizations like us, who require choice and innovation"

Please write about your work

Please paraphrase "*** also supports OXML as this does not have any financial implications thus releasing our resources for welfare and development of society."

Thanking You

Yours Faithfully

Name Designation

---

To

Mr. Rakesh Verma, IAS
Additional Director General
Bureau of Indian Standards
Manak Bhawan
BSZ Marg
New Delhi

Respected Sir

Please write a paragraph about your organization

Please paraphrase "We support OXML as a standard that encourages multiplicity of choice and interoperability giving us the ultimate consumer the choice. * recognizes that multiple standards are good for the economy and also for technical innovation and progress in the country, especially for smaller organizations like us, who require choice and innovation"

Please write about your work

Please paraphrase "*** also supports OXML as this does not have any financial implications thus releasing our resources for welfare and development of society."

Thanking You

Yours Faithfully

Name Designation

---

So some, if not all of these NGOs are beneficiaries of cash inputs from MS' Corporate Social Railroading^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Responsibility arm. I'd really be interested in answers to these questions, anyone up to asking them?

• How many letters supporting OOXML has the Government of India received from NGOs in the recent past?
• How many of these NGOs have received cash inputs (directly or indirectly) from MS?
• How many of these NGOs can sit across a table and discuss OOXML?
• How many of these NGOs can enumerate the benefits of OOXML over, say, ODF for their own organisations?

When I consider the recent case in Sweden where MS actively offered ``Marketing Contributions'' to its business partners to vote for OOXML (http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136599-c,companynews/article.html), and look at the scenario in India, I'm tempted to draw unflattering (to MS) conclusions.

-- RajMathur - 27 Feb 2008

Open Request: Please help spread the word.

Dear Friend,

Voters in places like Atlanta, Brooklyn, St. Louis, and Inglewood have made clear their choice for president: Barack Obama. So why are some members of the Congressional Black Caucus threatening to use their power as "superdelegates" to undermine those votes and nominate Hillary Clinton?

Voters should decide elections--not politicians. And members of the Congressional Black Caucus should amplify the political voice of their constituents, not silence it. I've joined ColorOfChange.org in demanding that the CBC to listen to the voters; let's tell them to vote with the people, not against us:

http://www.colorofchange.org/superd/?id=1867-526328

Voters in almost all the districts represented by the CBC have chosen Obama, helping him win more delegates than Clinton. But only some delegates vote based on the results of primaries. A fifth of the delegates that will vote at the convention -- and decide the nomination -- are "superdelegates" that can technically vote however they like, regardless of what the voters say. These superdelegates are members of Congress, senators, governors and Democratic party insiders. In a contest this close, they have the power to overturn the will of voters, and decide the outcome.

In 2000 and 2004, CBC members stood up to defend the rights of Black voters that had been disenfranchised. It would be a disgrace for its members to now undermine the votes of Black people in their districts. Rarely have Black voters across the country been so unified behind a particular candidate; if CBC members vote against their constituents, it will diminish the power of Black voters in a historic election that could result in our country's first Black president.

It will take courage and conviction for CBC members to break with back-room politics and stand up for democracy. But we must demand it. Please join us:

http://www.colorofchange.org/superd/?id=1867-526328

Thanks.

Open Experienced

Drummer Buddy Miles, Hendrix Collaborator, Dies
eFluxMedia - 1 hour ago
By Jane Ivory Buddy Miles, the innovative drummer who played with musical legends like Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and Carlos Santana, passed away Tuesday night at his home in Austin, TX.
Buddy Miles, 60; drummer with Hendrix, voice of California raisins Los Angeles Times