Kentucky Fried Politics: A Colonel Sanders Timeline

[gap80]

Post 81: Chapter 89

Chapter 89: September 2004 – February 2005



“Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”

– Stephen King (OTL)

– Goetz’04 primaries logo/slogan, meant to clarify how the candidate himself pronounced him surname (as many were initially pronouncing it as “gets” instead of “guts”), first used c. early-to-mid 2004



Go With Your Goetz: For The Good Of The Country

– Goetz’04 slogan, first used 9/1/2004



…And down in South Africa, that nation’s President-Elect, Mangosuthu Buthelezei, was sworn into office earlier today. Buthelezei, age 75, has been a highly controversial politician in South Africa for decades due to accusations from opponents that Buthelezei supported paramilitary groups and encouraged acts of violence against whites during the Apartheid Era. However, due to his many years of public service improving the quality of life for all South Africans, Buthelezei won enough white South Africans to win the August 25 Presidential election outright. Outgoing President Chris Hani and former Presidents Steve Biko and Nelson Mandela also spoken highly of Buthelezei during the election campaign, allowing the new President to win over challengers Mathinus van Schalkwyk and Peter Marais…

– BBC News, 1/9/2003 broadcast



POLL: “If the election for President was held today, whom would you vote for?”

Jackson: 46%

Goetz: 42%

Undecided/other: 12%

– Gallup, 9/2/2004



“I’m running for a second term in the Senate so I can keep on fighting for the American people from that chamber of corruption, and I encourage everyone who loves freedom, peace and equality to help my good friends Dennis J. Morrisseau and Rosemary Jackowski get more ballot access. Right now, they are on just 21 state ballots, so please, visit their netsite, sign the petitions, and vote Morrisseau into the White House this November.”

– Peter Diamondstone (LU-VT), 9/4/2004



Another controversial aspect of Chik-fil-A’s founder was his political activities. In early September 2004, then-83-year-old S. Truett Cathy endorsed and strongly stumped for then-Republican Presidential nominee Bernhard Goetz, saying that Goetz would “keep the gays at bay” and “bring the heathens of the world closer to God one way or another.” The businessman’s statements caused the franchise to lose several sponsors and busyness partnerships as well as disapproval and condemnation from a host of individuals and groups, from celebrities and culinary bigwigs to politicians and activists.

KFC heads relished their rival’s sudden slip from grace, savored the moment, and then capitalized on it for all it was worth. Chik-fil-A hoped the cretins surrounding the incident would die down and the incident itself would soon be forgotten in the busy news cycle of the election year. KFC made sure this wouldn’t happen; less than a month after the comments were made, KFC was airing three 30-second commercials using archival audio footage of Colonel Sanders, seemingly praising the BLUTAG community as being “brave folks,” then cut to footage of Cathy’s comments.

KFC’s domestic sales were already turning around, but the commercials only helped, while Chik-fil-A’s boycotts from various groups ranging from online petitions to on-the-ground protests kept one of their biggest competitors at bay.

It was only recently that debate arose over the context of the audio used on the commercials, which leaked documents suggested were pulled from footage in which The Colonel was actually describing Civil Rights activists as “brave folks,” and not BLUTAGO-Americans [1]…

– Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012



…The Jackson campaign invested heavily in door-to-door canvassing, community outreach, and techsite advertising in a strategy that combine old and new voter mobilization techniques. However, the marketing strategies and image tactics from 2000 could not be reused, for Jackson was no longer attacking an incumbent – now he was the incumbent trying to brush off attacks. Instead of calling for a changing of the guard, Jackson now had to resell his candidacy to the American people. “Keep Hope Alive” was essentially replaced with “Keep Me Around For Another Four Years.”

In early September, Jackson revisited his home state of South Carolina, and was joined onstage by US Senator Fritz Hollings. At the political event, Jackson retold his career, about how he worked in Chicago during the 1960s, but was born and raised in South Carolina, as were his children…

[snip]

…Jackson became National Director of Operation Breadbasket in Chicago in 1967. After Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped down from leading the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1970 over the scandal that indirectly led to the Ms. Arkansas Scandal and thus contributing to the First Arkwave, Jackson’s rival Ralph Abernathy became the new leader of the SCLC. However, when Abernathy died in plane crash in 1971, the organization’s new leader became Unita Blackwell, who moved the national office of Operation Breadbasket to Charleston in 1971, citing Jesse’s success in the Windy City and expressing hope that he could do the same for South Carolina.

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



“Well, people, it looks like the Democrat Rats are really running out of things to criticize about me, because now their friends in the media are complaining about this minor incident from my early years as a hardware store owner. They’re upset about this time back in 1987, when I shot a thief in the leg. The cops found a gun in his jacket pocket. If I hadn’t kneecapped him, I’m certain he would have killed me. Now I defended myself and my store, as any businessman, or any person with a gun behind the counter, would have done in that kind of situation. But now only are the members of the media that are in the pockets of the Democratic establishment taking the hoodlum’s side, but the puppets are also completely ignoring the fact that that punk had several priors, you know, a pretty bad rap sheet, and the fact that he got off easy. Just juvie and community service. He was sixteen, and he was tall. Honestly, they should have tried him as an adult. But I suspect then-Mayor Wellington Webb pulled a few strings, you know? That incident are part of the reason why my feud with that guy kind of started, in fact. He was too oppressive to businesses. But anyway, my point, people, is that I’m not the bad guy there, like how I’m not the bad guy now. You’re all smart enough to realize that. Good for y’all. And I’m not sorry about that incident, either. I am not sorry for it at all. I would, without hesitation, shoot a violent criminal again.” [2]

– Bernie Goetz at a rally, Chesterfield, MO, 9/15/2004



POLL: “If the election for President was held today, whom would you vote for?”

Jackson: 47%

Goetz: 43%

Undecided/other: 10%

– Gallup, 9/18/2004



…John and Paul each claim to have come up with having the reunion special be tied to a charity event, but in 2008, Paul confessed that putting on a benefit concert for SARS survivors was John’s idea.

Ahead on the concert, John told reporters “I think drumming up support for them this way is a better use of my time trying to work with parliament some more,” but was quick to boast about how he had already passed legislation for SARS survivor relief 10 months before leaving office…

[note: please ignore the poor cropping at the bottom there (D'oh!)]

Above: Ringo, John, Paul and George rehearse new material ahead of the September 20 concert, The Beatles Reunion Charity Benefit Special, which was held at the Millennium Dome.

…George would die from cancer ten months later, at the age of 62…

– Pat Sheffield’s Dreams, Reality, and Music: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole Entire World, Tumbleweed Publications, 2020 edition



JOANNA TSE, PULMONOLOGIST AND SARS SURVIVOR, AWARDED KEY TO THE CITY-STATE FOR SAVING LIVES IN HONG KONG

…Tse is being lauded for volunteering to save dozens of patients at four hospitals in Hong Kong, even after becoming infected with SARS twice, with the double-infection leaving her with permanent breathing problems. Arriving at the ceremony sporting an oxygen tank on her back to assist her SARS-damaged lungs, Tse, 36, accepted the award graciously, and in her prepared speech, encouraged “all who can” to contribute to SARS research and organizations aiding SARS survivors. “More needs to be known. Knowing more will help more people”…

– scientificamerican.co.usa, 9/21/2004



POLL: “If the election for President was held today, whom would you vote for?”

Jackson: 45%

Goetz: 42%

Undecided/other: 13%

– Gallup, 9/23/2004



BIGGIE AND TUPAC ENDORSE “PREZY-JJ” IN FIRST-EVER JOINT PUBLIC APPEARANCE

Chicago, IL – at a Democratic fundraiser hosted by US Senators Katie Beatrice Hall (D-IN) and Paul Vallas (D-IL), guests were treated to an unexpected surprise… “This election is more important than our differences,” Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., a.k.a. The Big One, told the crowd. Smalls backed Meredith during the Republican primaries, while Tupac (along with Malcolm X and other members of the so-called “revolutionary left”) supported Diamondstone during the Democratic primaries. …The years-long rivalry between these two artists came to a head in the mid-1990s, when the “thug life” depicted in rap was accused of promoting and provoking violence. The assassination of Lee Iacocca, and several rappers being either killed or wounded in shootings, occurring during this period led to the rap industry scaling back their “pro-violence” image. For instance, Biggie’s 1997 “First To Last” album, a noted departure from his previous collections of songs, had noticeably lighter tone than many has expected from The Big One...

– The Los Angeles Times, 9/25/2004



DOW IMPROVING AS SARS RESTRICTIONS EASED, JOBS RETURNING NATIONWIDE

– The Wall Street Journal, 9/26/2004



…By the end of their fifth season in early 2004, the ratings were dropping again, and it seemed the cavalcade of controversies would not be renewed after season six. Then along came a certain politician.

The ascendance of Bernie Goetz helped L&S by allowing McFarlane to make Season 6 premier with a politically sharp episode in an attempt to boost the floundering ratings. The episode, “Landslides and Scrapes,” aired on September 27 and centered on thru introduction of the show’s Mayor character, an corrupt and possibly unhinged public official who was a bully in Larry’s old middle school. The plot focused on Larry trying to return a football helmet he stole from the character’s locker in school several years ago, only to unintentionally thwart Mayor Ernie Wimbleweed’s bibles-for-guns racketeering scheme. It’s another episode with plot elements that may be too mature for younger audiences, but they are mainly in the background. Nevertheless, Ernie was clearly a parody of Bernier Goetz, and that led to enough criticism for audience numbers to improve, as new viewers tuned in to this supposedly mature children’s show.

Interestingly, before the election had even occurred, McFarlane had decided that Mayor Wimbleweed was to become a prominent recurring character in the series if Goetz won, and was to be used rarely, in small doses, if Goetz lost...

[snip]

…L&S’s ratings continued to decline as the years continued on, and the show was ultimately not renewed for an eleventh season. Larry & Steve aired their final episode in 2009, after 10 seasons and roughly 11 years on the air.

The show’s creator has synced branching out into other genres and industries, but most of these projects have been largely hit-&-miss, usually picking up a cult status, especially his more…risqué projects that most audiences saw as falling flat for one reason or another...

– segment of video essay, “The Consistent Inconsistencies of Larry And Steve,” uploaded to Ourvids.co.can on 11/15/2019



“Jackson can’t lose this. I mean that in two ways, one being that the country can’t afford it and that he really shouldn’t lose, given the scope of his support. The President has the backing of religious people, those favoring social services, minorities, college-educated whites, women, and even many veterans. The only voting bloc he’s not winning over, it seems, is the racists. Goetz’s got that vote locked up tight. And, you know, I’ve dealt with racists in the past, like when I used to work for a radio station in Denver. It’s how on got this scar here, and this, uh, this bullet wound over here. Lots more Goetz types out there than you’d think. And their once-rare public rallies for Goetz are only getting bolder as election night nears. The voters need to nip this rise in racism and anti-Semitism in the bud. Even if the polling suggest he’ll win in a landslide, that’s not a guarantee. People have to vote; Jackson needs to win this!”

– radio host and political commentator Alan Berg (1934-2018), 9/30/2004



“GOETZ IS NUTS!” Dozens Declined RM Spot Over Bernie’s Base And Rhetoric

…US Congresswoman Laura Lane Welch was among several Republican politicians approached by the Goetz campaign with the offer of running mate. Like most, she turned down being vetted over a dislike for Goetz’s candidacy. “Mr. Goetz may not personally believe in the certain views that many of his supporters share, but the fact that he embraces those certain supporters instead of disavowing or downing them is enough to keep others away,” the retiring legislator said in a radio interview yesterday evening. “His people must have asked dozens of folks to join his sinking ship of a campaign, only to step back over the vitriol that seems to cling to his candidacy.” According to Welch, even Goetz’s attempts to shift to the right at the start of the primaries failed to rouse support from conservative Republicans such as herself. “Not only does his campaign serve to harbor negativity and bigotry, but his initial backpedaling and flip-flopping on several issues before, during, and after the primaries has turned off so many people, and when party unity and a broad support base are really needed to win in November, too!”

– The New York Post, 10/1/2004



“When you plant a garden, you can’t just walk away from after it bursts out through the ground but before the real fruit shows up and ripens. You’ve got to see it through all the way if you want to reap what you sow. Since 2001, income and wealth inequality conditions are improving, but the conditions can be even more fair and even more level if we stay the course. Inequality is eroding away, not just when it comes to the life quality of the lower class. It is eroding away at the American middle class itself, too. And why? Because, unlike my opponent, this administration understands that the entire point of this government is to provide for the people. In this current age, this government, this administration, this presidency aims to help and protect those who cannot help and protect themselves on their own. To look to improve the lives of all people, not to a dog-eat-dog mentality to permeate our industries; to inspire and encourage people to be the best they can be, not to cut down those who think differently or act differently, for they could be the Einsteins and O’Keefes and Hemingways and Jonas Salks of tomorrow; to promote understanding and love, not ignorance, bigotry, and hatred. It is the correct thing to do, it is the moral thing to do.”

– Present Jesse Jackson, campaigning in Clover, rural Virginia, 10/2/2004



“This very well may be the first autumn without a case of SARS since the initial outbreak in late 2001. No new cases of the pandemic strain of SARS, which caused or directly contributed to roughly 983,000 deaths worldwide over the past three years, have been confirmed outside of India in ten weeks, and no new cases have been confirmed inside India in seven weeks. It is apparent that this pandemic has run its course, thanks to the quick thinking and hard work of all people around the world, united in a thankfully brief era of international crisis.”

– Lee Jong-wook, Director-General of the World Health Organization, unofficially declaring the SARS pandemic “over,” 10/3/2004



…The first Presidential debate of the autumn campaign was held on October 5 and focused mainly on foreign policy.

In regards to international commerce and humanitarianism, Jackson reiterated that he preferred direct aid and debt relief to impoverished nations instead of using trade reform as a way of helping them, as he believed that deregulation of trade policies only benefits corporations and exploits foreign labor. Goetz took the reverse stance, proclaiming that regulations interrupt the “natural flow” of the free market system responsible for innovation and technological advancements. When asked “what would you have done differently if you had been President during the pandemic,” Goetz replied “That’s in the past. This debate is about what I’ll do over the next four years, let’s not bring in hypotheticals.” When pressed on the topic, Goetz noted that he would have enforced “less severe and less restrictive” safezoning measures, arguing that those “allowed under Jackson suffocated our economy.” Goetz criticized Jackson’s business regulations as well, and while he generally ignored the markets recovering, the former Senator did note the types of jobs that were not returning. To this, Jackson countered by pointing out that new jobs had replaced old ones as more businesses began to harness the positive aspects of remote work.

When the subject of humanitarian aid came up, Goetz boasted his anti-interventionist stance, but noted that “North Korea-like situations” were the exception. The then added, “Still, we need to beef up the military so we never have to use them except in times of defense. If the military’s beefed up, only fools would dare mess with us.”

Overall, Goetz performed much better than expected, and he saw a slight rise in the polls immediately afterward...

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



POLL: “If the election for President was held today, whom would you vote for?”

Jackson: 47%

Goetz: 42%

Undecided/other: 11%

– Gallup, 10/6/2004

– Chris Rock interviewing President Jesse Jackson, The Chris Rock Show (1997-2005), 10/9/2004 [3]



“Wellstone won this debate hands down. The VP held his ground on foreign policy, and he knew what he was talking about when answering questions on domestic policy. He was passionate, compassionate, and professional. None of that could be said about Bargewell. He was aggressive to the moderator, had this weird scowl-like expression on with his face much of the time, and repeatedly interrupted the VP. Eldon may have gotten a few jabs in about a weak military, and he certainly knew his stuff about the Army, but the problem for him was that army stuff is all he knows. Bargewell failed to answer even basic questions about taxes, commerce, trade, housing, food insecurity, statehood. He even fumbled the question about police precinct reform! How does a military expert fail to talk about militarization?! That guy, though, he just tried to tie and relate every topic to the military. Saying trade is like the Army sharing intel with the other branches of the military, which doesn’t make sense as an analogy. Comparing housing to, quote, ‘comfy barracks,’ unquote, and food drives to rations and whatnot? Is that really going to win anybody over? At this point in the race, the sides have been formed and the job of the running mate is to play to undecideds by propping up the one heading their ticket. Wellstone did that without too much bull, praising Jesse’s handling of SARS and economic recovery, while Bargewell just mentioned Goetz’s name from time to time like he was an afterthought.”

– Hunter S. Thompson, reviewing the 2004 VP debate, Saturday 10/12/2004



BOBBITT THE BEATER: Investigator Blows Lid on Senate Hopeful’s Cover-Up of Lewd Past

Tucson, AZ – An Arizona Republic exposé article by investigative reporter Lorena Gallo has revealed that a GOP nominee for a US Senate seat had been lying about the past 19 years of his life to hide a history of sexual pestering and run-ins with law enforcement.

John Wayne Bobbitt, a single and childless 37-year-old state senator since 2001, may seem like a typical Goetz-backing politician, but Gallo has discovered that Bobbitt was twice arrested for assault and battery, first in Las Vegas in 1985 and again in Manassas Junction, Virginia, in 1990; in each case, he was initially accused of beating his first wife, only for her to decline pressing charges. Now, though, with Gallo’s urging, two of Bobbitt’s three ex-wives have come forward to warn people about his “sick” personality. “This is not slander, this is the truth,” says the first ex-wife, Margaret Thompson of Roanoke, Virginia, “That man had me believing that I was worthless and would be nothing without him.” His second ex-wife has polaroids of some of the many times when Bobbitt would severely beat her. The third wife has documents from a Nevada abortion clinic, and states “I wanted to have children, he didn’t. On the second pregnancy, he literally dragged out of the car, and I kicked and screamed, but he just beat me until I agreed to kill our baby.” Former aides of Bobbitt also back up their stories by recounting his history of sexual pestering. “This kind of behavior should have died out in the first Arkwave if not the second,” writes Gallo in the expose, “maybe it’s time for a third.”

– The New York Post, 10/14/2004



The second Presidential debate was held on the nineteenth and focused primarily on domestic issues. Goetz started off the night with a call for reversing the gun restrictions passed in 1995 and 1996. President then quickly reminded Goetz that those laws had been passed because of how President Iacocca was assassinated, leading to Goetz fumble through a rebuttal that did not mention or acknowledge the cause of Iacocca’s premature demise. Then came discussions on energy, with Goetz disagreeing with Jackson on the value of fracking.

Another major topic in the debate on which both candidates disagreed was the proposed admittance of Puerto Rico and DC into the union as the 51st and 52nd states. Despite the rise in interest and possibility that such admissions would occur in the near future, Goetz openly questioned the validity and legitimacy of the movement, suggesting it was “propped up” by Democrats and had “no real, actual support in Puerto Rico itself.” His comments offended and upset many conservative Hispanics in the GOP, who later or immediately criticized him for the comments; several non-Hispanic Republicans privately voiced concern that the reply would “cost [the party] the Hispanic vote for years” if Goetz lost the election over this comment.

Overall, Goetz was seen as doing poorly in this debate. Jackson, on the other better hand, was more prepared than he was for the first one, and thus, this time, the incumbent was viewed as the winner of the debate.

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



POLL: “If the election for President was held today, whom would you vote for?”

Jackson: 52%

Goetz: 39%

Undecided/other: 9%

– Gallup, 10/21/2004



…The true “Autumn Surprise” of the 2004 race finally arrived three days ahead of the third send final Presidential debate, when audio leaked from a private Republican fundraiser held in Washington, D.C. In the audio, one can clearly tell that Goetz has been caught on a hot mic telling a lobbyist that he is “still open” to the idea of privatizing Social Security. Goetz then rants about the “ridiculousness” of gun safety: “You get in big trouble for shooting people. It’s serious business. But I also feel a lot of people probably deserve being shot, and a lot of people deserve being killed.” [2]

The public releasing of the audio sent Goetz’s campaign into a panic before Chief of Staff Nichols took control of the situation, telling his subordinates and the candidate that they would to downplay the comments at the upcoming debate and increase focus on the campaign’s them of “defending our national borders.”…

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



JACKSON: “It truly says something about one’s character when they make comments like that. The successes of my administration shows that you need heart and compassion and understanding for your fellow Americans. That is why we sent out the stimulus checks during the pandemic. That is why we expanded the Voting Rights Act and launched anti-GCD initiatives. Because nobody deserves being deprived of a well-deserved retirement, and nobody deserves to be killed. Mr. Goetz, your comments were despicable and you owe the American people an apology.”

GOETZ: “Look, we’re focusing on the wrong subject here. Leadership of the world’s most powerful country on Earth can’t be placed in the hands of a softie. You need to be able to prove to the enemies of peace that you will not tolerate them. To look at the recreadrug lords, the gun runners, the third-world despots and the countries like China and India that wish to take advantage of America’s good, decent and generous behavior to rip us off when it comes to international trade and outsourcing, stare ’em straight in the eyes, and tell them, ‘Hey – you mess with us, we mess with you.’ But under your administration, the US military budget is at its lowest level since 1980...”

JACKSON: “The economy is stable and is back to pre-SARS conditions, plus we have overseen the creation of more jobs as employers utilize the possibilities of the technet, which everyone saw during the lockdowns can be a valuable tool for remote jobs. This administration, if re-elected, will in the next four years continue the policies of the last four years…”

GOETZ: “I support small government except when a large government is needed to ensure a strong national immigration policy and strong law enforcement at all levels, and to defend the lives of freedom-lovers living in hell-hole countries abroad from Hitler wannabes. With all other cases, I say that, well, if you need help, what would you rather seek help from – the cold, impersonal bureaucracy of a federal government, or the welcoming in of a caring friend, spouse, or family member?”

JACKSON: “Our immediate response to the SARS pandemic and the success of the Manned Mars Mission prove the benefits that come from international collaboration.”

GOETZ: “In the world of geopolitics, you can’t afford not to be cutthroat and serious so that over countries don’t try and walk all over you. It’s foolhardy to believe that all countries will just agree to pay fair when it comes to trade. We need a President who will put the American workers ahead of foreign labor, who understands that outsourcing is never a good thing. I say keep American enterprises in America, and one way to do that is to lower the administration’s suppressive regulations.”

JACKSON: “Greatness is determined not through firepower but by choosing to hold off on using warfare until all avenues for a peaceful resolution have been tried.”

– Snippets from the third general election Presidential debate of 2004, 10/26/2004



POLL: “If the election for President was held today, whom would you vote for?”

Jackson: 59%

Goetz: 35%

Undecided/other: 6%

– Gallup, 10/29/2004



Anchor DAN RATHER: “Now, I’m trying to be fair, unbiased and balanced here, but do truly believe that Goetz is going to win?”

Boulder University President CONDI RICE: “Yes. You cannot trust the polls, people. Dewey trusted the polls in 1948 and look what happened – he lost considerably to Harry Truman. You have to look at the people and what the incumbent has done for this country. The people always publicly join bandwagons and say they’ll vote for whoever they think is the popular candidate. But with the privacy of the ballot comes the truth of their analysis of who should serve over the next four year. In 1948, the people looked at the incumbent and saw Truman had ended World War Two and helped out lovers of freedom with the Berlin Airlift. Now, the people are looking at the incumbent and see an oppressive government that wastes their taxpayer money and forces people to stay indoors or wear masks over something that didn’t even kill a thousand people in this country.”

Lawyer and community organizer Janice Fine: “But that’s just why Jesse will win – because he kept them safe and prevented our numbers from being as bad as India’s or Russia’s or China’s, and ensured financial relief for the monetarily insecure in order to keep the Negative Income Tax Rebate program solvent. How many countries suffered financial issues, went in the red, for saw taxes spike because of SARS? Not the US, and Jesse didn’t even violate the BBA to do so, either!”

Political author HUNTER S. THOMPSON: “Yeah, I agree with Janice, it will be a blowout for Jesse next Tuesday. Condi, there might be a lot of racists lying to pollsters wend saying they’ll vote one way and plan on voting the other way, but it won’t be enough to make up the difference in the polls, or the number of Republicans defecting to Jackson/Wellstone ticket. You know something’s up, that something bails going down inside the GOP, when you go online and see ads everywhere reading ‘Republicans For Jesse Jackson,’ Condi.”

Journalist BOB SCHAEFFER: “Um, but, Condi does have a point. Condi, I agree that many Goetzers are misleading pollsters, but a big voting bloc here is undecided voters. And if anything turns them away from Goetz, it would be his debate performances. His demeanor, inability to answer several questions well, his posturing, the fact that he kept glancing over to the clock on the side on the wall during the second debate. The sweating, the shiftiness, it’s all superficial, but because undecided voters aren’t too ideological motivated, it’s the superficial that often wins them over.”

RATHER: “But at least this Tuesday not be too bad for Senate Republicans, right? Because more Democratic incumbent seats are up for grabs tonight?”

THOMPSON: “And because of how many Republicans are distancing themselves from Goetz. Especially that House GOP minority leader guy, David Emery.”

RICE: “I don’t know, I’m still convinced he’ll pull off a Truman-type upset. Bernie’s spending a lot of focus on Ohio and Florida, you know.”

FINE: “Yes, he’s essentially dismissing the Rockies, the plains, the south, and even Texas in favor of focusing on several historically decisive bellwether states like Missouri and Illinois. The strategy is as outdated as his views.”

– CBS News, round-table discussion, 10/30/2004

Tickets:
Jesse Jackson (SC) / Paul Wellstone (MN) (Democratic) – 78,720,536 (58.2%)
Bernie Goetz (CA) / Eldon A. Bargewell (VA) (Republican) – 54,238,719 (40.1%)
All other votes – 2,299,397 (1.7%)
Total Votes – 135,258,652 (100%)

[snip]

The remaining 1.7% of the popular vote was by won by several third-party and independent candidates; the Socialist Alliance ticket (Dennis J. Morrisseau (VT) / Rosemary Jackowski (NY)) came in third place with 0.8% of the total national vote (and receiving roughly 5.1% of the vote in Vermont), while the Patriotic Front ticket (Barbara Coe (CA) / Scott Lively (MA)) came in fourth, and the True America ticket, the United Freedom ticket, Pragmatic ticket, and Family ticket came in fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth place, respectively...

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



…Florida was closer than usual for a Republican state, especially since Florida has not voted for a Democratic nominee since 1948 [4], while Ohio confirmed its Republican lean. Kansas went blue due to the work of former Governor Jim Slattery, a Jackson surrogate who worked to “remind” Kansans that it was Jackson’s renewal energy policies responsible for the state’s economic recovery going smooth as wind turbines and sun panels began to add variety and diversity to Kansas’s seemingly-endless fields. …The ten closest states of the night, in order, were Texas (by 0.07%), Louisiana (0.11%), Kansas (0.24%), Montana (0.39%), South Dakota (0.57%), Missouri (0.79%), South Carolina (1.14%), Ohio (1.28%), Florida (1.54%), and Mississippi (1.87%)…

– Richard Ben Cramer’s What It Takes: Roads to The White House, Sunrise Publications, 2011 edition



“The campaigning has concluded, but our work is far from over. Now is the time for healing. …What unites us as a nation is our differences, for they make us unique, so we should celebrate the strength of our nation and the accomplishment of tonight, the culmination of months of hard work that y’all put into this race.”

– Jesse Jackson, 11/3/2004



November United States Senate election results, 2004

Date: November 2, 2004

Seats: 34 of 100
Seats needed for majority: 51
New Senate majority leader: Robert Byrd (D-WV)
New Senate minority leader: Webb Franklin (R-MS)

Seats before election: 57 (D), 40 (R), 2 (I), 1 (LU)
Seats after election: 62 (D), 36 (R), 2 (I), 0 (LU)
Seat change: D ^ 5, R v 4, I - 0, LU v 1

Full List:
Alabama: Doug Jones (D) over Tim James (R) and Bettye Frink (Rational Republican); incumbent Mary Texas Hurt Garner (D) retired
Alaska: Kevin Danaher (D) over Jerry Sanders (R), Marc Millican (I), and Jim Dore (HIP); incumbent Frank Murkowski (R) retired
Arizona: incumbent Eddie Najeeb Basha Jr. (D) over Garrett Wood (Republican (write-in)) and John Wayne Bobbitt (R)
Arkansas: incumbent F. Winford Boozman III (R) over Winston Bryant (D)
California: incumbent Mike Gravel (D) over Howard Kaloogian (R) and Marsha Feinland (Natural Mind)
Colorado: Mark Udall (D) over Bob Schaffer (R); incumbent Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R) retired
Connecticut: incumbent Chris Dodd (D) over Jack Orchulli (R)
Florida: incumbent Michael Bilirakis (R) over Nan Rich (D)
Georgia: Herman Cain (R) over John W. Carter (D), Denise Majette (Green), and Allen Buckley (Liberty); incumbent Dr. John Skandalakis (D) retired
Hawaii: incumbent Daniel Inouye (D) over Campbell Cavasso (R)
Idaho: Bo Gritz (R) over Lawerence Denney (Rational Republican), Wendy Jaquet (D), and Scott F. McClure (Independent Democrat); incumbent Bethine Clark Church (D) retired
Illinois: incumbent Paul G. Vallas (D) over Steve Rauschenberger (R)
Indiana: incumbent Evan Bayh (D) over Marvin Scott (R)
Iowa: incumbent Patty Jean Poole (D) over Jerry Kohn (R) and Albert Franzen (I)
Kansas: incumbent Bob Dole (R) over Lee Jones (D)
Kentucky: incumbent Patrick “Kelly” Downard (R) over Paul E. Patton (D)
Louisiana: Chris John (D) over incumbent Buddy Roemer (R)
Maryland: incumbent Barbara Mikulski (D) over E. J. Pipkin (R)
Missouri: Wayne Cryts (D) over Mike Steger (R); incumbent Bill Bradley (D) retired
Nevada: Dina Titus (D) over incumbent Patricia Anne “Patty” Cafferata (R)
New Hampshire: incumbent Lou D’Allesandro (D) over Sharon Carson (R)
New York: Allyson Schwartz (D) over Howard Mills III (R); incumbent Mario Biaggi (R) retired
North Carolina: incumbent Nick Galifianakis (D) over John Ross Hendrix (R)
North Dakota: incumbent Kent Conrad (D) over Mike Liffrig (R)
Ohio: incumbent appointee Peter Lawson Jones (D) over Nancy Putnam Hollister (R) and Tony Patrick Hall (Independent Democrat)
Oklahoma: Brad Carson (D) over incumbent Marvin Henry “Mickey” Edwards (R)
Oregon: incumbent Walter Leslie “Les” AuCoin (D) over Al King (R)
Pennsylvania: incumbent Bob Casey Sr. (D) over Betsy Summers (R)
South Carolina: incumbent Fritz Hollings (D) over Jim DeMint (R)
South Dakota: incumbent Teresa McGovern (D) over John Thune (R)
Utah: incumbent Lyle Hillyard (R) over Paul Van Dam (D)
Vermont: William Sorrell (D) over Peter D. Moss (R) and incumbent Peter Diamondstone (Liberty Union)
Washington: incumbent Gary Locke (D) over George Nethercutt (R)
Wisconsin: incumbent Bronson La Follette (D) over Tim Michels (R)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



United States House of Representatives results, 2004

Date: November 2, 2004

Seats: All 435
Seats needed for majority: 218
New House majority leader: Barbara B. Kennelly (D-CT)
New House minority leader: H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC)

Last election: 227 (D), 207 (R), 1 (I)
Seats won: 238 (D), 197 (R), 0 (I)
Seat change: D ^ 11, R v 10, I v 1

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



United States Governor election results, 2004

Date: November 2, 2004

Number of state gubernatorial elections held: 11
Seats before: 33 (D), 16 (R), 1 (I)
Seats after: 35 (D), 14 (R), 1 (I)
Seat change: D ^ 2, R v 2, I - 0

Full list:
Delaware: incumbent Ruth Ann Minner (D) over Bill Lee (R)
Indiana: Jill Long Thompson (D) over David Martin McIntosh (R (official write-in)), Ken Gividen (Liberty) and Jonathon Sharkey (R/WVP); incumbent Steve Goldsmith (R) retired
Missouri: incumbent Cynthia Bowers (D) over John Swenson (R)
Montana: Thomas Lee Judge (D) over Bob Brown (R); incumbent Denny Rehberg (R) retired
New Hampshire: Kelley Ashby (R) over John Lynch (D); incumbent George Condodemetraky (D) retired
North Carolina: incumbent Jim Hunt (D) over Patrick Ballantine (R)
North Dakota: incumbent Tracy Potter (D) over Roland Riemers (R)
Utah: incumbent Enid Greene (R) over Scott Matheson (D)
Vermont: Deborah L. “Deb” Markowitz (D) over Peter Plympton Smith (R); incumbent Howard Dean (D) retired
Washington: incumbent Norm Rice (D) over Michael Patrick Shanks (R) and Ruth Bennett (Liberty)
West Virginia: Bob Wise (D) over Monty Warner (R); incumbent Cecil Underwood (R)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



GREEK SENATORS’ CLUB LOSES ONE, GAINS TWO MORE

…The unofficial caucus of Greek-American lawmakers saw the retirement of Dr. John Skandalakis (D-GA) this year. However, Chris John (D-LA) and Dina Titus (D-NV) were elected last night, the latter in a majority (thus runoff-free) grab of the vote in his home state. With Mike Bilirakis (R-FL), Nick Galifianakis (D-NC), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Paul Vallas (D-IL), John and Titus increases the caucus’ number to a total of seven Greek-American Senators. …US Rep. Dina Titus’ victory was much closer than that of John’s, but ultimately received 50% of the vote, versus the 49% won by her opponent, a moderate incumbent... In total, Democrats swept five seats in the Senate, and were poised to win a sixth until the nominee for a Kentucky seat suffered a scandal in October…

– The Atlantis, Greek-American newspaper, 11/3/2004



SEVEN MORE STATES VOTE “YES” ON N.I.A., INCHING AMENDMENT CLOSER TO RATIFICATION

– thebostonglobe.co.usa, 11/3/2004



STATE REFERENDUM PASSES: New Constitutional Amendment Will Establish Lt. Gov. Post

…the new addition to the state constitution, first introduced in state congress in July of this year, will create the office of Lieutenant Governor as a means of resolving a succession controversy plaguing the Garden States for several years now. The new statewide elected position will officially come into existence at the start of 2006, after an inaugural lieutenant governor has been elected in the general elections being held this November. The amendment clarifies that the lieutenant governor candidates will be the running mates of the gubernatorial candidates…

– The Star-Ledger, New Jersey newspaper, 11/3/2004



DISGRACED STATE SENATOR JOHN WAYNE BOBBITT ARRESTED AFTER ASSAULTING EX-WIFE IN STORE

…given the high number of charges made against him, plus a class-action lawsuit led by former female staff members, Bobbitt’s “will be dealing with the legal consequences of his behavior for years. His political career is over,” according to Arizona’s state Attorney General…

– The Washington Post, 11/7/2004



NASA DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT; Will Leave Office In January

…last year’s manned mission to Mars was the magnum opus of his career. Now that it has been achieved, Dale Myers is stepping down… Sources have in recent weeks claimed that Jackson aims to take NASA in “a new direction” come 2005…

– The Houston Chronicle, 11/18/2004



THE FALL OF THE G.O.P.?: How Republicans Have Lost Their Way – And How They Might Come Back

…it is chilling that exit polling revealed that the improving economy and Goetz’s statements on Social Security were the top two reasons why people voted for Jackson over Goetz, with the issue of racism playing a much smaller role in the formation of the election results than expected…

– Time magazine, late November 2004



…“I won’t sugarcoat it – we got spanked in this cycle,” then-RNC Chair John Andrews told a gathering of supporters in early December 2004. The sheer size of the margins and loss of support among women, minorities, college-educated whites, and other demographics Andrews and others viewed as being “me to the long-term survival of the Republican Party” convinced party leaders to finally, openly, and publicly disavow the Wide-Awakes movement, hoping to push them and the more open racist and misogynistic GOP members and affiliates back to the fringes of the party’s “big tent”…

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



…The campaign had had grave concerns that either Huntsman, a soft-spoken moderate, or Meredith, a religious African-American, would chip away enough at the President’s numbers to pull off a victory in a general election. Hoping to see their boss compete against a less executable Republican nominee, Jesse Jackson’s communications team set about an under-the-radar strategy to prolong the primary contest by pushing out – often through third parties – the kind of research that could hurt Huntsman and Meredith. The “Savannah Team” of South Carolina-based researchers was deeply frustrated by the lack of serious campaigning by Huntsman’s rivals: there seemed to be no opposition research and no effort to expose the record of the man who, at the time, was alternating frontrunner status with Meredith in the polls. The solution was to weaken the likely nominee with an extended contest that would push the candidate and his party further to the right, and thus improve of odds of winning re-election. [5] They did not anticipate this strategy’s ultimate level of success…

– Richard Wolffe’s Reselling Hope: The 2004 Election, Hachette Book Group, 2005



“If it wasn’t for the economy doing better in the third quarter I would have won. Maybe doing better in the debates would have helped, too. I’m not sure what’s in store for me next. I might run for public office again, someday, but for right now, I’m okay taking a break from things. I’m going to take a breather, maybe learn to paint or something. Heck, I might just sit around and feed squirrels in some park somewhere. I like squirrels, they’re always happy to see you, especially if you’ve got a bag of nuts with you. Not like pigeons, who just fly around and leave droppings everywhere. They’re nasty little winged rats, that’s what they are. If I ever become a pigeon feeder, shoot me.” [2]

– Bernie Goetz, Herring Network News interview, 12/12/2004



US Senator Kirkwood Fordice (D-MS) he initially planned on resigning upon receiving a leukemia diagnosis in 2001, but concern that then-Governor Unite Blackwell would nominate a “radical” Democrat, he decided to stay in office, and became invested in Mississippi’s 2003 gubernatorial election. When Democrat James Chaney won said election, Fordyce continued to stay in office, and hoped he would be able to retire in early 2008. Instead, he passed away on December 14, 2004, at the age of 70. Governor Chaney appointed moderate Democrat Erik Fleming to his Senate seat.

With the addition of Fleming to the roster, the US Senate now had serving in it a total of 63 Democrats – D. Jones, Danaher, Braun, Basha, Tucker, Gravel, Heath, Udall, Dodd, Frawley, Osterlund, Penelas, Mink, Inouye, Vallas, Hall, Bayh, Poole, Osborne, John, Sarbanes, Mikulski, Kennedy-Roosevelt, Collins, Humphrey, Belton, Fleming, Wheat, Cryts, Mudd, Sorensen, Nevenic, Titus, Hollingworth, D’Allesandro, Jiménez, Mondragon, Kaplan, Schwartz, Blue, Galifianakis, Glassheim, Conrad, Anderson, J. Jones, Carson, AuCoin, Kanjorski, Casey, York, Roberts, Hollings, McGovern, Clement, Leland, Pollina, Sorrell, Scott, Unsoeld, Locke, Byrd, Feingold, and La Follette.

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



2001-2004 SARS Pandemic Mortality Rates By Country (based on confirmed deaths, not suspected deaths, and based on an aggregation of WHO reports and official national reports (see our totaling model for further details)):

[snip]

Brazil: 189,700 cases; 23,500 deaths (rate of 12.4%)

[snip]

Canada: 35,115 cases; 3,559 deaths (rate of 10.1%)

[snip]

China: 291,000 cases; 25,892 deaths (rate of 8.9%)

Colombia: 48,600 cases; 3,355 deaths (rate of 6.9%)

[snip]

India: 8,450,000 cases; 1,090,050 deaths (rate of 12.9%)

[snip]

Japan: 31,243 cases; 2,031 deaths (rate of 6.5%)

[snip]

Mexico: 14,700 cases; 985 deaths (rate of 6.7%)

[snip]

Russia: 1,595,000 cases; 180,240 deaths (rate of 11.3%)

[snip]

United Kingdom: 14,270 cases; 1,168 deaths (rate of 8.2%)

United Korea: 11,233 cases; 847 deaths (rate of 7.5%)

United States: 12,502 cases; 891 deaths (rate of 7.1%)

[snip]

Global Total: 15,129,012 cases (confirmed); 1,119,546 deaths (confirmed) (rate of 7.4% (average))

– sarswatch.co.uk



THE SCARS OF SARS: Life In A Post-Pandemic World

…The pandemic did not affect countries equally. For example, the United States experienced the pandemic for roughly two years (from February 2002 to late 2003) and experienced three major waves (the first in early 2002, the second in the post-midterm months of 2002, and the third in early-to-mid 2003), while India, arguably the worst-hit country, experienced at least five major waves and experienced the pandemic from January 2002 to early 2004.

…With no less than 15 million confirmed cases, SARS killed at least 1.1 million people globally by the end of the pandemic’s run this year. Compare these numbers to the largest pandemic of the twentieth century, the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic; that one killed roughly 50 million worldwide. SARS was closer, in terms of fatalities, to the 1889-1890 flu pandemic that killed 1 million worldwide, and the 1957-1958 influenza pandemic that killed 1-4 million worldwide, while the common flu kills roughly between 10,000 and 50,000 people in the US each and every year. “The biggest reasons for this pandemic feeling a lot deadlier was technology, access at your fingertips,” explains Charles Sidney Hirsch, pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner of New York City. “Make no mistake that the SARS virus is a once-in-a-century virus that, with its ferocious rate of transmission, virulently high mortality rate, and the extremely severe and harmful effects it has on those who survive it, very easily could have infected millions of more people. It didn’t because of the decisive preemptive measures taken by UN Secretary-General Carol Bellamy, international cooperation between most countries, and civilian compliance with emergency measures overall. But it felt like it was as bad as it easily could have been because of public media, because of the technet and TV reports. There was no 24-7 live news coverage in 1918. Because of technology, people were aware of nearly everything going on, and that made for some very scary viewing, which, in fact, may have helped keep the death tolls as down as they were.”

…Past pandemics also offer clues to how humanity will have to approach the SARS virus in the upcoming years and decades. “The Spanish Flu devolved into an endemic disease that circulated around for roughly four decades as a seasonal virus before finally going away for good. We will most likely see the same occur with SARS, with regional levels of severity varying from country to country,” says head virologist of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, NY…

…While divorces and domestic abuse cases went up, lockdown caused air pollution to drop worldwide dramatically. In July of this year, the amount of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions from factories, transportation and other sources shut down by quarantine dropped 70% from levels recorded in January 2001. However, NO2 output levels from China have bounced back from that country’s 2002-2003 slump since the nation’s “reopening” early this year. Nevertheless, the positive environmental conditions brought about by people cutting back of fossil fuels gave us a glimpse at how powerful the removal, even a temporary removal, of our carbon footprint can have on planet Earth. “This window into what could be should inspire us all,” says outgoing EPA Director Bob Ross, “Now we have the data to back up the calls for switching to renewable, less harmful forms of energy. We gave Mother Nature a break from us. She enjoyed it. But we owe to her and to ourselves to try to live harmoniously with what is still the only planet we call home.”

…With the virus apparently “beaten,” and citizens around the globe adjusting to the ways of the pre-SARS world surprisingly quickly, millions are voicing optimism for the years ahead. Says former US Secretary of Health and Welfare Jim Ramsted “Good and better times may finally be just around the corner!”

– Newsweek, late December 2004



…We can now confirm that a major tsunami has hit the island country of Indonesia, most likely caused by a powerful earthquake off the coast in the Indian Ocean. Seismologists are saying the quake may have been more than 9.0, at the high end of the Richter scale, meaning this quake has in all likelihood destroyed bridges, toppled buildings, and decimated roads. Likely caused by a fault plate rupture, this earthquake is being called an undersea megathrust earthquake by scientists, and according to reports out of Indonesia, massive waves have inundated western Indonesia. Thousands may be dead, and entire communities may have just been wiped out. This is a developing story. We will have more details as they become available to us. Please stay tuned…

– KNN Breaking News Alert, 12/26/2004



UK GOVERNMENT PLEDGES 50M POUNDS AND TO MATCH PUBLIC DONATIONS FOR ASIAN QUAKE RELIEF EFFORT

– The New York Times, 12/30/2004



…The December 2004 fault line rupture, the third-largest ever recorded (after the Great Chilean earthquake of 1960 and the Good Friday earthquake of 1964), and with the released energy of 1,500 Hiroshima bombs detonating at once, resulted in the deaths of over 250,000 people in 12 countries, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. …The advancements of individual recording devices such as cellular phones and other camera equipment allowed for the destruction to be caught as it happened, capturing gigantic waves overturning boats like bath toys, toppling buildings like houses of cards, and sweeping away coastal communities like a broom sweeping away dust; these shocking records soon found their ways onto the technet, and possibly contributed to the immediate responses from civilians around the world...

Above: an aerial view of the record-breaking devastation

…The effects of the quake and subsequent tsunamis prompted worldwide humanitarian responses; with just a few weeks, millions of individuals had donated to international aid organizations and charities alongside multinational pledges…

– worldvision.co.uk



…Prime Minister of the UK Harriet Harman greenlit “Operation Garron,” a military relief operation, to assist recovery efforts in Indonesia. The Royal Navy and RAF embarked on delivering aid supplies and participating in relief work starting on January 2nd, patrolling areas hit by the 2004 Tsunami in search of survivors, and using helicopters to assist locals in clearing wreckage. However, Indonesia’s government was conflicted over allowing ground troops to land on Indonesian territory due to past confrontations with British-led troops [6]. Indonesian leadership ultimately refused to allow help from land-based foreign military personnel, and instead welcomed in volunteers from charities, non-profit organizations, and other non-military and non-government groups and organizations…

– clickopedia.co.usa



Republican House leadership election, 2005:

Date: January 10, 2005

Seats: All 197 Republican-held seats

Seats needed to win: 99

MINORITY LEADER:

Description:

David Emery (ME) successfully best Robert Smith Walker for Republican House leadership in 1995, and served as Speaker from 1995 to 2001. To the left of the party, his ascension was a backlash to Walker being too far to the right ideologically and declining popularity among American voters and fellow GOP lawmakers. However, after Emery failed to lead the party to victory in three consecutive midterms, his own popularity was down within the party. Worsening the situation for the former speaker was the party becoming increasingly conservative, making his moderate record conflict with the goals of high-ranking conservative Representatives. As a result, Emery was challenged for leadership by Dorgan McMaster (SC), a Congressman since 1991 and House minority whip since 2001. McMaster blamed the loss of the House in 2000, 2002, and 2004, and of the 2004 Presidential election, on Emery being “far too liberal” to lead the GOP and “too polite” to the Jackson administration, and soon gained support. By the time of the election, all other anti-Emery candidates dropped out to rally behind McMaster.

Results:

McMaster – 125

Emery – 72

McMaster drew support from Congressional districts in the south and west, where many Republicans (including many Representatives) blamed unenthusiastic moderate Republicans for low voter turnout, essentially claiming their inability to embrace the Goetz campaign was responsible for four more years of President Jesse Jackson. “The majority conservatives in the party used me as a scapegoat,” Emery claimed in a 2020 book.

Following his loss, Emery at first declined to resign from his House seat, but upon McMaster threatening to strip him from party leadership committees and other entitlements, rendering him powerless within the GOP, Emery made the “shocking” decision of filing as an Independent and running for re-election as one in 2006.

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



…I made it known that I was going to run for Governor long before I made the campaign itself official. There’s no sense in waiting until you reach a gas station to stop and check on a car problem; no sense in waiting until a certain time to announce something big like a run for Governor.

But anyway, I made it official in January 2005. Not too long after that, I first met a fella named Dick Cheney. Like me, he was a former US Congressman from a western state who had eyed a Governor’s seat. He had served in the House from Wyoming in the 1970s and 1980s, but lost re-election in ’86 on account of being guilty by association. Then he lost a bid for Governor in the 1990s. He met up with me at my first fancy fundraiser. It was way out of my comfort zone, what with the black ties and everything, but he was one of the more interesting penguins of the evening. To cut to the chase, he basically told me that I had “promise,” and offered to help me with the early fundraising stages of my campaign. He could see that I had “real potential,” as he put it.

Over the next several months, he donated to my campaign and served as an unofficial advisor to me and my staff. It turned out that he agreed with most of my views, especially when it came to BLUTAGO marriage and foreign intervention.

He was a good egg. It was a real shame when he died. According to his daughters, he had suffered several heart attacks before, but the one he had on February 14, 2006 was too much for him to take, and it turned out to be his last one. And just when I was seriously thinking of asking him to serve as my Chief of Staff when I became Governor. And who knows? Had his old ticker not burned out, we could have worked together on my campaigns for the Presidency…

…Upon learning of his death, I told the media about how he had met up with him a many times. I said, “he was very serious kind of guy, but he was a really good guy, the kind of guy I would have been proud to have serve as my White House Chief of Staff or Secretary of State. I’m gonna miss him.” I still kind of do…

– Harley Brown’s autobiography I’ve Got A Masters Degree In Raising Hell, Sunrise Publishers, 2019



FRANCE SUSPENDS DEBT REPAYMENTS FROM INDONESIA AS QUAKE RECOVERY CONTINUES

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 15/1/2005



“We are bound together as one united and indivisible nation by our faith in a mighty God and our faith in our fellow Americans. We in this administration will continue to steady our humane, just, peaceful course in ensuring Americans have food, shelter, and purpose.

[snip]

There will be a great focus over these next four years on protecting families, mom-and-pop shops, and the environment; we in this administration will continue to lift up the downtrodden, the poor, the sufferers of food insecurity, drug addiction, and disease, including helping the WHO stomp out SARS virus strains wherever they remain. We can do this for we had accomplishment such wonderful feats before; scientists eradicated smallpox with an extensive and exhaustive international collaborate effort over 36 years. The next four years will also see the United States of America lead the world in combating GCD, warfare and famine, in order to leave behind for our children a world better off than how it was when we were their age.

[snip]

Now is the time for redemption, healing, and unity. Life is what you make of it. You can choose to live in darkness, or you can do the brave thing, and choose to work hard to live in an age of enlightenment, jobs, peace, and justice. To shed light onto darkness, to heal wounds, to rekindle the fire of hope that for many felt extinguished during the darkest times of the 2002 pandemic. But we overcame the darkness and we did not do so alone. We could not have done so alone. For we had to come together, listen to one another, and care for one another. That is how we repelled the darkness. With love and care for each other, going beyond the love of friends and family, beyond the love of neighbors and community, to that rare love that is the love for the stranger. The power of love, faith, and hope is limitless and infinite, boundless and forever. A with the power of love, of faith and hope, we have prevailed over crisis and darkness time and again. We will not let this opportunity for another four years of progress slip on by. We will not take the mandate of November’s elections for granted. I agree that there is much more work to be done, America, so let’s get to it!”

– Jesse Jackson’s 1/20/2005 inaugural speech



THE JESSE JACKSON ADMINISTRATION AT THE START OF 2005

Vice President: incumbent (since 2001) Paul Wellstone (D-MN)

CABINET
Secretary of State: incumbent (since 2001) Ann Richards (D-TX)
Secretary of the Treasury: incumbent (since 2001) Timothy Peter Johnson (D-SD)
Secretary of Defense: Lt. Gen. (ret.) Claudia Jean Kennedy (D-VA) (incumbent retired in February 2005)
Attorney General: incumbent (since 2001) Harry Thomas Edwards (D-DC)
Assistant Attorney General: Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Frank Hoover Easterbrook (D-IL) (incumbent retired in January 2005)
Postmaster General: outgoing CD Undersecretary for Suburban Development and former St. Paul Mayor James Scheibel (D-MN) (incumbent retired in January 2005)
Secretary of the Interior: outgoing US Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) (incumbent retired in January 2005)
Secretary of Agriculture: incumbent (since 2001) Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Secretary of Commerce: incumbent (since 2001) Robert Reich (D-IL)
Secretary of Labor: incumbent (since 2001) Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO)
Secretary of Education: incumbent (since 2001) Dudley W. Dudley (D-NH)
Secretary of Health and Welfare (renamed Health and Humane Services in 2003): outgoing CD Undersecretary for Urban Development, former US Rep. and former state rep. Babette Josephs (D-PA) (incumbent retired in December 2004)
Secretary of Transportation: incumbent (since 2001) Toney Anaya (D-NM)
Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs: incumbent (since 2001) Mary Ann Wright (R-AR)
Secretary of Energy and Technology: outgoing Undersecretary of Education, former NASA Communications Director, and former school superintendent Barbara Radding Morgan (I-CA) (incumbent retired in February 2005)
Secretary of Community Development: outgoing CD Undersecretary for Rural Development and former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah (D-AZ)

CABINET-LEVEL POSITIONS
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): former Governor, counter-terrorism expert, and former Deputy FBI Director John P. O’Neill (D-NJ) (incumbent retired in October 2003)
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): incumbent (since 2001) Raymond Walter Kelly (I-NY)
US Trade Representative: AFL-CIO affiliate, trade union activist and labor leader Arlene Holt Baker (D-TX) (incumbent retired in January 2005)
Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA): former Philadelphia Mayor and former state Attorney General Edward Gene “Ed” Rendell (D-PA) (incumbent retired in December 2003)
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): chemical engineer, physicist, state Commissioner of Environmental Protection and former academic administrator Lisa Perez Jackson (D-NJ) (incumbent retired in December 2004)
Administrator of the Overwhelming Disaster Emergency Response Coordination Agency (ODERCA): Chief Risk Assessor for ODERCA and former Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration Rodney Slater (D-AR) (incumbent retired in January 2005)

THE PRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE OFFICE
White House Chief of Staff: incumbent (since 2001) Ronald Daniels (D-OH)
White House Deputy Chief of Staff: incumbent (since 2001) Morton Halperin (I-DC)
Counselors to The President: incumbents (since 2001) William J. Antholis (I-VA) and Kevin Alexander Gray (D-SC)
Chief Domestic Policy Advisor: National President of the Mexican American Political Association Nativo Lopez (D/LRU-CA) (incumbent retired in December 2004)
Chief Economic Policy Advisor: incumbent (since 2001) Jeffrey P. Weaver (D-VT)
Chief Foreign Policy Advisor: incumbent (since 2001) Randall Caroline Forsberg (I-MA)
Chief National Security Advisor: incumbent (since 2001) Louis Freeh (R-NY)
Director of the Office of Management and Budget: incumbent (since 2001) Gerald Austin (D-OH)
Other Counselors and Advisors: political analyst Bob Beckel, political adviser Frank Watkinds, campaign policy director Frank Clemente, field director Eddie Wong, political strategist Peter Daou, social critic and progressive philosopher Marcus Raskin, and neorealist philosopher/respected political strategist/historian/author/former Advisor to the President John Lewis Gaddis
White House Communications Director: incumbent (since 2001) Betty Magness (I-DC)
White House Appointments Secretary: incumbent (since 2001) Mabel Teng (D-CA)
White House Press Secretary: incumbent (since 2001) Pam Watkins (I-DC)
President Jackson’s personal secretary: incumbent (since 2001) Jehmu Greene (D-TX)

OTHER MEMBERS
Solicitor General (representative of the Federal Government before the Supreme Court): lawyer, law professor and former Chair of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Anita Faye Hill (D-OK) (incumbent retired in January 2005)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: incumbent (since 2001) Henry Doctor Jr. (I-SC)
Secretary of the Army: incumbent (since 2001) Johnnie Corns (I-WV)
Secretary of the Navy: incumbent (since 2001) Norman Mineta (D-CA)
Federal Reserve Chairman: incumbent (since 2001) William A. “Sandy” Darity Jr. (D-VA)
NASA Administrator: biochemist, former astronaut, former lead CAPCOM at Mission Control, and Chief Scientist of NASA Shannon Matilda Wells Lucid (I-OK) (incumbent retired in December 2004)

NOTABLE AMBASSADORS
To Argentina: incumbent (since 2001) Jim Folsom Jr. (D-AL)
To Australia: incumbent (since 2001) Eni F. H. Faleomavaega Jr. (D-AS)
To Canada: author and former Governor Nora Dauenhauer (G-AK) (incumbent retired in January 2005)
To China: incumbent (since 2001) Bucky Ray Jarrell (D-KY)
To Colombia: incumbent (since 2001) Joseph Samuel “Joe” Nye Jr. (I-NJ)
To France: former New Orleans Mayor, former Lieutenant Governor, former H&W Secretary and former US Rep. Maurice Edwin “Moon” Landrieu (D-LA)
To Germany: incumbent (since 2001) Paul R. Soglin (D-WI)
To Israel: incumbent (since 2001) Norman Gary Finkelstein, PhD (D-NJ)
To Italy: incumbent (since 2001) Mario Cuomo (D-NY)
To Japan: incumbent (since 2001) Adlai Stevenson III (D-IL)
To Korea: incumbent (since 2001) John Lim (R-OR)
To Mexico: outgoing US Ambassador to Afghanistan and former CIA Director Linda Rose Carotenuto Cleland (I-NJ) (incumbent retired in February 2005)
To New Zealand: outgoing Governor Heinz Sablan Hofschneider (R-NM) (incumbent retired in December 2004)
To Russia: incumbent (since 2001) James Robert “J. R.” Jones (D-OK)
To South Africa: incumbent US Ambassador to France and former Governor Cleo Fields (D-LA) (incumbent retired in December 2004)
To the U.K.: incumbent (since 2001) Harvey Gantt (D-NC)
To the U.N.: President of Refugees International and former spokesman for the US Department of Defense Kenneth Hogate Bacon (I-RI) (incumbent retired in February 2005)

– JesseJacksonPresidentialLibrary.org.usa/cabinet_composition/2001



…NASA’s new leader became former astronaut Shannon Lucid. Born in China to missionary parents in 1943 and primarily raised in Oklahoma, Lucid was a biochemist who joined NASA in 1978. While officially independent/apolitical, her support of several fiscally conservative stances was seen as both a bone thrown to the Republicans, as a way of placating fears on the right of Jackson being a “socialist would-be tyrant” like the new House Speaker had once called him, and as a signal of what significance NASA would play in the federal government’s annual budgets of the next four years...

– researcher R. Cargill Hall’s Impact: The History of NASA, Dover Publications, 2018 edition



UN SECRETARY-GENERAL CAROL BELLAMY URGES DONOR NATIONS TO ENSURE PLEDGES GO FULLY HONORED

…As countries jockey to make large donations, Bellamy notes that “competitive compassion is better than no compassion,” but stresses the need to fulfill funding promises made in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that have ravaged much of coastal Indonesia…

– The New York Times, 1/28/2005



FILIBUSTER-PROOF SENATE DEMOCRATS PREP FOR “EXTREMELY BUSY” 2005 SESSION

– The Washington Post, 1/30/2005



UPDATE: UK GOVERNMENT, CITIZENS HAVE RAISED TOTAL OVER 300M POUNDS IN NATIONAL QUAKE RELIEF DRIVE

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 2/2/2005



WOULD MAKING D.C. A STATE VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION?

…law experts are divided over whether or not our lawmakers are actually breaking the law by Democrats ignoring Article 4 of the top law of the land in their latest effort to expand their number of seats on Capitol Hill – by granting a city statehood and condensing Capitol Hill into a tiny strip of land…

– nationalreview.co.usa, 2/3/2005 e-article



…The Department of Justice has formed a Statehood Requirements Special Task Force in order to determine what legal hurdles await our representatives trying to grant statehood to Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico...

– ABC Morning News, 2/5/2005 broadcast



HOST: …well say what you want to bout Prezy-JJ – just keep it clean since we’re on the air – but you have to admit, urban repair methods are improving. I mean, I think it’s really smart that, um. Did you see this the other day or last night? Some people in the Department of Transportation, I think, they’re studying how the ancient Roman Cobblestone Roads have managed to hold up for so long and their comparing them to our modern road-making ways. So, you know, hopefully, constant roadwork clogging things up on Route 74 will soon be a thing of the past.

GUEST: Naw, naw, you’ve got it all wrong, sir. State and federal transportation departments purposely build roads that fall apart easily and quick, so, that way, they can hire more deadbeats to rebuild them. Keep people employed, and they won’t complain. It’s just the government’s way of keeping the lower classes preoccupied with meaningless work so they don’t get wise to how they are being had and then rise up against it.

HOST: Yeah, now, see, that doesn’t mesh with that report I was talking about. Why would they be studying what works if they don’t want it to work?

GUEST: Because it’s a conspiracy, man!

HOST: Right, I forgot who I was talking to here – Conspiracy Joe, the guy who was too much for even George Noory of Coast to Coast AM to deal with.

GUEST: Hey, you invited me here.

HOST: That’s not an insult!

GUEST: Sounds like an insult.

HOST: Not to you. It is, but it’s not to you, I’m insulting George Noory. And George Noory, if you’re listening, I don’t mean to offend you either. I’m just saying that George Noory can’t tolerate the mastery of Conspiracy Joe’s thought process. It’s…really something.

GUEST: Thank you!

– WAAV (980 AM) news/talk Leland, NC, 2/6/2005 radio broadcast



…Jackson worked with congress to bolster his overhauling of the tax system, hoping to ensure that top marginal income rates remained fair throughout his time in office. He collaborated with progressive, moderate, and even some conservative Democrats to dismantle preferential treatment loopholes found in capital gains tax laws already on the books by essentially re-writing the books.

However, the two biggest acts of legislation of 2005 of which Jesse Jackson was the most proud were the Police Accountability Act and the Voter Roll Act. The former was a large package that aimed to hold police responsible for procedural misconduct; the latter was even larger, striking down voter roll purging, and working to establish new ethics codes and campaign finance regulations ahead of the 2006 midterms…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



…The abysmal results of the Goetz-Bargewell ticket left a foul taste in the mouths of GOP string-pullers. Head party leaders saw the collapse of support among women and minorities as a sign that the party had to shift further to the center if it wished to remain electable, or at competitive, at the national level; in February 2005, former Chief of Staff John Dinger, a noted moderate, was made the new Chair of the Republican National Committee in a clear rebuke of “Country Conservatives.” The backlash to this was basically ontech rants and ineffective boycotts from strong-c conservative types such as Estus Pirkle and Tommy Tancredo. Behind closed doors, Dinger supported efforts from the likes of Bill Weld and Herman Cain to “lead the south by helping [it] evolve on racial issues,” as Cain supposedly put it, according to a 2013 WSJ article. “Because now is the time for that. Now, when open-faced racism was been unobjectionably and unquestionably rejected by the people, now is the moment for moderates to shine. Now is the time to reject, expunge, and erase the worst members of our party, say to them, ‘listen – we can’t win with your backward ways,’ and lead the party in a better direction away from the past and toward a brighter future”…

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



WEBB DECLINES BID FOR FOURTH TERM

…not long ago, Wellington Webb had an approval rating of over 80% and was the frontrunner for the President. But now, in his third term as Governor of Colorado, the iconic individual is seeing his approval ratings slide below 40% as his state political opponents go after the negative effects of his time in office. The biggest sticking point influencing public opinion is his restructuring of Colorado state law regarding prison and prisoners, essentially making it impossible to run a for-profit prison in the state. His opponents claim this has caused for-profit prison businesses the leave Colorado and votes to other states, causing the state economy to have a slower time recovering after the SARS pandemic shut down the state for 19 months. ...Since Webb gave no official reason for it, we can only assume that Webb today announced that he was not going to run for a third term in 2006 due to his drop in approval ratings…

– The Gazette, Colorado Springs newspaper, 2/15/2005



JACKSON SIGNS CLASS ACTION EMPOWERMENT BILL INTO LAW

– The Washington Post, 2/16/2005



…Efforts to improve legal immigrant rates that were taken in his first term were taken up a few more notches in his second. In the boldest expansion of guest worker programs since President Bellamy’s 1989 expansion of fair pay employment programs for Mexican labors and visa workers, President Jackson worked with congress to abolition caps on H-1B visas, in order to promote “global trade instead of global wars.” Former Presidents Mondale and Kemp, who themselves had passed immigration reform in 1974 and 1988, respectively, supported the move.

Jackson next called for a higher carbon tax in order for the US to better combat the effects of Global Climate Disruption…

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



JOBS REPORT SHOWS GROWTH DESPITE RISE IN WILLFUL UNEMPLOYMENT

…Last week, the Jackson White House released a strong jobs report on the fourth quarter of 2004. The report shows that labor force participation (i.e., the share of Americans that are either working or looking for work) is still rising, and that wages are stable.

However, labor force participation and the employment-population ratio, while much better and improving, are doing so at a slower than expected rate. The long-term effects of the SARS pandemic may be to blame. “The months-long SARS lockdown affected the US socially as well as economically, and in the case of motherhood, both,” Babette Josephs, US Secretary of Health and Humane Services, explains. “Staying with their families prompted many mothers to reassess their priorities, leading to some entering college or the job market once the crisis subsided. However, even more mothers opted to stay at home after the crisis was over rather than re-enter the job market.”

Despite this increase in the number of unemployed adults, the national unemployment rate is down due to it not including those who are willingly no longer looking for work. As a result, the Jackson administration is touting this report for showing a 10-month stretch of uninterrupted job growth, from February to December 2004, with the private sector experiencing slightly more growth than the public sector did during the entirety of that period…

– The Wall Street Journal, 2/18/2005 [7]



US A.G. EDWARDS: “DC STATEHOOD DOES REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT, PUERTO RICO DOES NOT”

…According to the US Attorney General Harry T. Edwards, the Statehood Requirements Special Task Force set up under the US Department of Justice has determined that admitting Washington, DC as a US state will require the passing of a US Constitutional Amendment… “The District Clause of the Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, describes the Federal District as, quote, ‘not exceeding ten miles square.’ [8] Washington DC is 68 ‘miles square.’ So, if anything, the redrawing of our federal capital to confine the direct control of the federal government would make D.C. more constitutional, not less constitutional,” says White House Deputy Chief of Staff Morton Hampering. The federal government having direct control over the seat of government is needed “for protection in the exercise of their duty” as President James Madison once put it [8]. Essentially, the condition aims to protect federal lawmakers from physical altercations.

However, what makes an Amendment necessary is the need to repeal an earlier D.C.-related Amendment that concerns the Electoral College. The 23rd Amendment was passed in 1961 under President Lyndon Johnson, and it granted 3 electoral votes to “the seat of government,” which is Washington, D.C. SRS Task Force members pondered if the amendment would become null and void if only the federal buildings and no official residences made up D.C. “In order for it to work without an amendment, the new federal district would have to have no official residencies. However, the only people who definitely would be residents of the new shrunken federal district would technically be whoever’s living in the White House, meaning that it is possible that without its repeal, the First Family would get three electoral votes in the Electoral College,” explains the Task Force leader.

The 23rd Amendment’s official wording is “The District constituting the seat of government of the United States shall appoint…a number of electors...to which the District would be entitled if it were a state.” The phrase “if it were a state” concerned the lawmakers, who believe that this wording would not render the amendment “null and void” because the electors mentioned are meant for the seat of government, and not for the District of Columbia itself...

On the plus side, it has been determined that Article 4, Section 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution allows for the admittance of Puerto Rico as a state without the need for an Amendment-repealing Amendment…

– The Washington Post, 2/22/2005



GRANT SAWYER, NEVADA GOVERNOR AND PRIMARY REFORMER, IS DEAD AT 86

…Born December 14, 1918, Sawyer served as the District Attorney for Elko County, Nevada from 1950 to 1958 before being elected Governor of Nevada in 1958, and being re-elected in 1962 and 1966.

During his twelve years at the Governor’s seat, Sawyer, a moderate Democrat with some policies later labelled as being “libertarian” in nature, transformed Nevada from “the Mississippi of the West” to a bustling hot-spot for tourists, businesses, new families, and growing fields of agricultural innovation, especially for minorities, and one of Sawyer’s self-declared “greatest accomplishments” was pushing civil rights policies and legislation. Sawyer also developed the state’s Gaming Commission and combating “monopolistic” actions concerning corporate ownership of casinos across Nevada.

An early supporter of Democratic politician Jack Kennedy in 1960 and 1968, Kennedy chose Sawyer to be his running mate upon securing the Democratic nomination for President in 1968. Kennedy considered Sawyer’s impressive record, potential to appeal to western voters supportive of President Colonel Sanders, and effective governing feats as all being beneficial to the ticket. However, the pair lost the race handily due to the Sander’s high popularity.

Four years later, Sawyer himself ran for the Presidential nomination but lost; he later claimed he would have performed better had more western and southern states held primary contests. This experience led to him championing Presidential Primary reform, which ultimately led to all 50 US states perennially holding either primaries or caucuses in Presidential primary races, starting with the 1976 and 1980 election seasons… …According to a spokesperson for his family, Sawyer passed away from complications from a debilitating stroke that he suffered in September 2003, roughly twelve years after recovering from a minor stroke that he had reportedly had in August 1991...

– The Pahrump Valley Times, Nevada newspaper, 2/25/2005



NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)
[1] I actually don’t know what The Colonel’s thoughts were on LGBTQ+ community; I couldn’t find any information regarding his thoughts on the subject prior to his OTL death in 1980. I would like to assume that, due to his support of racial integration and opposition to racism, as noted in the documented evidence that I noted in the notes sections of earlier chapters, that this means that he was not homophobic. However, due to the fact that one can be homophobic without being racist (just look at NY state assemblyman Charles Barron, for example), and given The Colonel being responsible for the First Arkwave ITTL due to his OTL actions and comments, I cannot just assume that The Colonel was pro-LGBTQ+ in OTL. Actual evidence is needed for Sanders’ depiction here to be in-character and historically accurate. If anyone knows of any primary or secondary sources concerning The Colonel’s opinions on the subject/topic, please let me know!
[2] Italicized piece is a quote from OTL: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/bernhard-goetz-quotes
[3] Full OTL interview found here; it's quite a good one:

youtube.com/watch?v=uKBp4un9D3s
[4] The success of the Cuban War means no Cuban refugees fleeing communist dictatorship in Cuba over course of several decades; as a result of this lack of an influx of Cubans into the US, most of whom relocated to Florida, the Sunshine State has a significantly smaller liberal Hispanic population, contributing to making the state be a reliable Republican state ITTL.
[5] Passages that are in italics are taken from page 73 of an OTL paper book that I own: Richard Wolffe’s “The Message: The Reselling of President Obama,” Hachette Book Group, 2013 (ISBN: 978-1-4555-8156-6); this was Obama’s strategy in OTL!
[6] OTL according to OTL’s Operation Garron’s wiki article.
[7] Some market/economic terms/phrases were pulled from here: https://www.npr.org/2016/04/03/472745523/fact-check-the-white-houses-private-sector-job-streak
[8] As described here: https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-1/section-8/clause-17

 

[gap80]

Post 82: Chapter 90

Chapter 90: February 2005 – December 2005

“Faith makes all things possible; love makes all things easy.”

– Dwight L. Moody (OTL)



LANDMARK STATEHOOD AMENDMENT PROPOSAL INTRODUCED ON HOUSE FLOOR: US Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) Makes The Case For Bringing DC Into The Union

…Because the US Constitution does not lay out how a state can be formed, and due to the historical precedence established by the past admittances of the current 50 states, lawmakers are confident that a constitutional amendment is not required for Puerto Rico. Washington, D.C., however, has been uniquely exempt from this since 1961 due a Constitutional Amendment granting three Electoral Votes to whatever tract of land is kept for the direct control of the federal government. Thus, the US Congress does not need approval from state legislatures to “upgrade” the the US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, but it does for the federal district…

– The Orlando Sentinel, 2/26/2005



BELUSHI WINS OSCAR FOR PERFORMANCE IN “MR. NOVEMBER’S WHIRLPOOL”

Hollywood, CA – Actor John Belushi has won an Academy Award for Best Performer for his role in the latest drama film by Frank Darabont at the 77th Academy Awards ceremony held tonight. Belushi bested fellow nominees Jamie Foxx, Annette Bening, Robbie Coltrane, Radha Mitchell and Imelda Staunton for the award. …Ever since “Continental Divide” was panned by critics, Belushi, age 56, has repeatedly sought to “prove the critics wrong” and successfully branch out into serious roles. This time, I looks like he has finally climbed his way out of the comedic foil pigeonhole in which he has been more or less stuck for the past 25 years. …Belushi’s performance in “Mr. November’s Whirlpool” is not his first recent “serious” role. Previously, his acting was praised for his supporting role in the 1999 action-drama film The Battle of Point Judith, about the real-life 1945 naval battle between the US and Nazi Germany off the coast of Rhode Island. …Belushi’s achievement at tonight’s awards ceremony a high point in a life of highs and lows; the actor-comedian spent decades trying to overcome drug addiction, taking breaks from acting to enter rehab in 1981, 1983, and 1991. The final rehab entry was the result of Belushi relapsing and almost dying from an overdose in the wake of Dan Akyroyd’s death in a plane crash; Belushi had had a close friendship and artistic partnership with Akyroyd for years, and his death led to Belushi taking a two-year hiatus from Hollywood. As a result, it was not surprising when Belushi praised Akyroyd in his acceptance speech tonight…

Above: Belushi, once best known for his supporting role in “Animal House,” but now known for starring in a wide variety of film genres such as action and drama, graciously accepts his first-ever Academy Award.

– thehollywoodreporter.co.usa, 2/27/2005 e-article



…The president’s raising of taxes on Capital Gains and the wealthiest 1% produced new revenue to use for social programs that benefited the middle and lower classes. Concurrent with legislation meant to grant statehood to DC and Puerto Rico, the largest revenue-related legislative hurdle of 2005 was Jackson’s push for legislation to end off-shore banking, as billionaire corporations were quick to use such a possibility to avoid paying taxes on their billions of dollars in profit. Several moderate Democrats oppose the notion over vague concerns of “suppressing innovation;” US Congressman Baron Hill (D-IN) noted that the proposed law “Seem[ed] like a noble hill for his administration to die on.” Media mogul Bern Sanders, The President’s “sole billionaire friend” was quick to call them out, claiming boldly on TumbleweedTV that lobbyists and wealthy campaign donors were controlling their decisions. “Not only do we need to limit the possibilities of off-shore banking, but we need to limit lobbyist influence.” The talking points of Sanders were consistently similar to those of the President (as the two progressive men had been close political allies ever since Jackson’s first run for public office back in 1986), leading to many Republican activists such as author and commentator Roger Stone and Baptist Minister Michael Huckabee alleging that either Jackson was “in full control of the media’s narrative…like a dictator” or that Sanders was the “power behind the throne.” These claims were fairly prominent in certain social circles during the late aughts and early-to-mid 2010s…

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2021 edition



STROM THURMOND HAS DIED AT 102

…Thurmond had been serving continuously in the US Senate since 1956, making him the longest-serving US Senator in history… Despite moderating his positions on race in the 1970s, Thurmond never fully renounced his earlier positions. Even after a 1997 expose revealed that African-American DC educator Essie Mae Washington-Williams was Thurmond’s illegitimate daughter, Thurmond acknowledged Essie Mae but also defended his pro-segregation efforts of the 1940s and 1950s...

– The Greenville News, South Carolina newspaper, 3/1/2005



JACKSON, AFTER TALKS WITH A.G., SIGNS ANTI-MONOPOLY BILL INTO LAW

…the first version of the bill was proposed back in 1995, when several tech companies were merging in order to capitalize on the growing tech industry that accompanied more consumers learning how to utilize the technet…

– The Washington Post, 3/2/2005



THURMOND’S SON TO FILL POP’S SEAT

…Governor Lindsey Graham has announced that he will appoint Strom Thurmond Jr. to the US Senate seat left vacant by the recent passing of Strom Thurmond Sr. …Thurmond Jr., 32, was the US Attorney for the District of South Carolina from late 2000 to January of this year…

– The Island Packet, South Carolina newspaper, 3/4/2005



“The focus of my department, and of the President, was to move the nation beyond the debauchery of warfare. Under my supervision, the DVA worked famously with the President to provide medicine, to provide healing of the physical and mental kinds, and to create jobs for our noble veterans returning home from confrontations in Mexico, Colombia, Korea and Central America. With Jackson’s emphasis on social programs, I believe he truly was sincere in trying and aiming to make the United States what he called ‘a post-war nation’.”

– US Army Col (ret) Mary Ann Wright (R-AR), Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs (2001-2009), 11/26/2015 interview



…and in Washington, D.C., the US House of Representatives is taking further action on the proposed admittance of the national capital and Puerto Rico as our next two states. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform is studying the constitutionality of two similar works of legislation – one is a bill for Puerto Rico,, the other is a draft for a Constitutional Amendment – and their specific details concerning in order to ensure that they both indeed comply with the articles found in our nation’s highest laws…

– NBC News, 3/5/2005



“…Link, um, that’s Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and I, uh, worked on the establishing of the process to enable Puerto Rico to be admitted, while Eddie Bernice Johnson, Al Wynn, and several others focused on the DC aspect, which I will admit was a more difficult thing to do. They had to word it correctly, especially after we realized that creating a state from a federal district had to provide that a federal district still exist in some way and reverse that 1961 amendment to prevent the First Family from having three electoral votes all for themselves…”

– US Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL), co-sponsor of the Rangel-Gutierrez PR Statehood “51st State”/“Rainbow of Hope” Bill, 2008 interview



JACKSON CANCELS $2BILLION MILITARY PROJECT, CITES “GROSS MISUSE OF FUNDS” FOR ADDITIONAL BUDGET CUTS

…the President’s budget and spending goals have consistently conflicted with the priorities and objectives of the US’s armed forces…

– starsandstripes.co.usa, 3/7/2005 e-article



…The administration knew not to let the government trifecta go to waste, and used its good fortune to pass even more gun reform measures, with Wellstone leading the charge to lower the impact of or remove entirely the aspects of American life that made for the need for guns in the first place. Disarming, or “demilitarizing” the police; ending the wars on recreadrugs still going on at the state and local levels; and cleaning up neighborhoods to improve home safety were all pushed by Wellstone, the last article even more so than by Jackson himself. A part of that, though, had to do with Jackson working to build up environmental regulations and strengthen federal safety nets. Meanwhile, Wellstone met with conservatives, moderates, landlords, thousands of prominent homeowner’s associations and societies, rent control activists, neighborhood watch groups, and other individuals and groups. He wanted to keep the channels of communication open between local, state, and federal officials, and between opposing groups in order to improve ongoing “safety quality enhancement efforts”...

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



At the insistence of US Congresspersons José E. Serrano (D-NY) and Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Jackson sat down with the leading House members opposed to the DC and PR statehood bills.

“I think bipartisanship and leverage would make for a more effective bill. I think we should hold off on making any overseas territories a US state in exchange for Republican compliance in district court picks, as was the original plan,” caviled Allen Boyd (D-FL).

“But now with the trifecta, we don’t need Republican approval for this!” The President spoken sternly but not aggressively as he successfully held back the anger he felt toward this GOP appeaser. “And we don’t even have to worry about the DC Amendment being slowed to a snails’ pace by the ratification requirement like what almost happened to the ERA. 38 states or state legislatures need to ratify it. There are 35 Democratic governors, 37 state legislatures with a Democrat majority, and several states like New Hampshire where the Republicans in control are liberal, or where polls show a majority of the people there support DC statehood. It’ll be a close cut, but if we pass the amendment before summer ends, we could feasibly get to Number 38 before the end of 2006.”

“I’m glad you brought up late 2006. I’m not the only one who thinks all these progressive moves will result in Republican backlash in the 2006 midterms, Mr. President. What we really should do is go for less bold alternatives. Why can’t we just increase federal aid to the Commonwealth and add symbolic representations of our support for them, like adding more stars to the flag?”

“Because that first idea won’t work because the Treasury is already strained and stretched out as it is without us spreading even more funds around, and that second idea is just so shallow and empty that no voter would view it favorably,” was the President’s answer; later, he noted an aide, “They wouldn’t even buy that kind of bullcr*p in Florida, and they voted for Goetz!”

Another conservative “Blue Dog” Democrat at this White House sit-down was Gary Condit of North Dakota, a former oil rig worker originally from Oklahoma who at the time was serving on the Oversight Committee as second Vice-Chair. Hailing from a typically Republican-leaning district, he confessed, “My constituents will give me the boot next year if I vote for making Puerto Rico a state and as a result allowing foreigners into the country and becomes citizens.”

The President’s brow wrinkled from consternation “Eh – that’s not at all what is going on here!”

“Well, a lot of Americans can’t figure that out. It’s amazing how few Americans realize that Puerto Rico is not an independent country, but is in fact a part of the US, just as a commonwealth, which is like a territory but kind of not,” Condit said, almost to himself but outlook.

Jackson replied, “Then we just ramp up the information campaign, get the message out there that they are in fact fellow Americans.”

Condit shook his head with a smirk.

Boyd nodded along in agreement, grimly. “It won’t be enough.”

“Allen,” the President turned to face Boyd head-on. Pausing for emphasis and dramatic effect, he went through with his offering. “If you go with us on this, I promise you’ll have the support of myself and this administration behind you in ’06. We’ll endorse you, we’ll stump for you, and we’ll even be in ads for you. We’ll have your back if you have all of ours. A common political cliché is a politician not keeping his promises. But there’s more to it than that. For promises given to voters are not the same as promises given to fellow politicians”

“How true that is,” Boyd pondered. Jackson held out his half of a possible handshake. Boyd met the hand and gave it a small congratulatory yank. “Alright, Mr. President, but I’m going to hold you to it.”

“Of course. After all, that’s how this game is played.”

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2021 edition



“Thank you, Speaker Kennelly, for allowing me to speak before you and before this committee today on the benefits of medical marijuana. [snip] …And I would know. I became paraplegic in 1991 at the age of 17. I was played on the high school football team. On the bus ride home from winning an important game, there was a crash. I went through the stages of grieving over the loss of the use of my legs, but I only reached acceptance thanks to my nurse, who helped me through the darkest times. We’re now married and have three adopted children. …I think it is miraculous that I was even born at all, given the fact that my parents were from different Texas towns and that they met each other very serendipitously. I think that very fact means that I’m meant to be here to do something important. That’s why I have invested millions, from my books sold and my radio programs and talking gigs and speeches and tours, into invention proposals for the eliminate paraplegia – exoskeletons, nanobot technology, spinal cell research – but until that time comes, thousands of wheelchair-bound Americans, of WBAs, suffer from a plethora of painful complications. And they live in every state. The humanitarian and patriotic thing to do is to give them relief by granting them access to medical marijuana in all 50 states…”

– Disabled rights activist Alexander E. “Alec” Jones, 3/23/2005



…The end of March 2005 marked the first time that domestic sales for KFC were up more than 5% in an internal quarterly earnings/sales report since February 2001… If the first half of the 2000s decade truly was KFC’s “Dark Ages,” as David Novak once called those years, then it only makes sense that the successful years that followed be dubbed “the KFC Renaissance”…

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



THE FLASH

Premiered: March 30, 2005

Genre (s): action/adventure/comedy/superhero

[SNIP]

Cast:

Josh Hartnett as Barry Allen / The Flash

Natalie Portman as Iris West

Larenz Tate as John Stewart / Green Lantern

Robert Carlyle as James Jesse / The Trickster

Hugh Jackman as George Harkness / Captain Boomerang

See Full List Here

[SNIP]

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1:

This was the penultimate film in which Hartnett starred as the Flash. After “The Flash 2” (2007), Hartnett retired from acting in film.

– mediarchives.co.usa/The_Flash_(disambiguation)/The_Flash_(2005_film)



POPE JOHN PAUL II DIES AT 84: In 26-Year Reign, Reshaped Church And Papacy

– The New York Times, 4/2/2005



SEXUAL PESTERING SUIT FILED AGAINST GOVERNOR BURTON

…the Governor of California has been accused of making unwanted advances on the accuser during a private meeting in 2002. The accuser, a former staff worker of Burton, claims Burton then grabbed her thigh and groped her breast, then attempted to “make further inappropriate and invasive physical contact” before the accuser “immediately swatted him away and bolted out of the room”…

– The Los Angeles Times, 4/4/2005



…The Herring Network was quickly becoming the “go-to” channel for “Country Conservatives,” i.e. populists with thinly-veiled racist overtones, but did not become a major thorn in the side of left-wing individuals and groups until the start of the 2010s. Instead, in its early years of the mid-2000s decade, THN’s programming was considered laughable in the eyes of many. In one example, THN criticized the President for wearing informal attire at the White House. In a manner similar to TMZ, THN cameras outside the WH fence followed Jackson exit the White House and head for the grounds’ basketball court for exercise. According to later reporting, the WH doctor had recently informed him that he was “a bit on the chubby side,” and, not wanting to set a bad example for the impressionable youth of the nation, Jackson decided to follow his physicians’ orders and spend more of his little free time on the court. THN proclaimed the President’s informal wardrobe as “a disservice and a disgraced to the hallowed hallways in which Mr. Jackson resides.”

Above: President Jesse Jackson at the White House, wearing a sports hoodie from Bennett College, c. April 5, 2005

Most media outlets criticized the report as being “shallow,” “weak” and “clearly biased journalism.” As the story spread online, celebrities and comedians commented on the controversial coverage as well. For example, comedian Jon Stewart noted on his TV show, Late Night With Jon Stewart (1992-2007) that the story said more about the kind of quality one could expect from THN than it said about President Jackson. “This is their front line of attack? I’m dumbfounded. And they’re just dumb. This, if anything, actually just shows how great Prezy-JJ is. Because this, apparently, is the worst thing he’s ever done. Not covering up a sex scandal, or invading another country, or inciting racial violence. He’s worse – he wore a hoodie! Oh my god! Move over Jeremiah Denton, Larry Miles Dinger, Buz Lukens and Bernie Goetz – we’ve found someone worse than all of you.”

– Joy Lisi Rankin’s Computers: A People’s History of the Information Machine, Westview Press, 2018



…Education funding was a more serious line of opposition taken by Republican talking heads at the beginning of Jackson’s second term. Baseless accusations of “pork barrel” spending (i.e. funds provided by taxpayers being given to special interest groups) at the Department of Education led by Secretary Dudley W. Dudley included claims that the department’s emphasis on assisting underfunded schools was the same as giving “illegal preferential treatment” to low-income neighborhoods, even though such systems were essentially repealed under the Bellamy administration. With Republicans basically locked out of control thanks to the Democratic Trifecta in congress, the Jackson White House did not struggle to pass education reform, but it did struggle to fight back against the claims of “pork barrel politics” running rampant in both the Executive and Legislative branches – claims that would play a significant role in the 2006 midterms...

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



REQUIEM MASS: Over 4 Million Travel To Vatican City In Mourning To Pay Respects To John Paul II

– The Boston Globe, 4/8/2005



HOUSE PASSES PR STATEHOOD BILL, 286-147

– The New York Times, 4/12/2005



…All 117 eligible members of the College of Cardinals participated in the selection process, with ecumenical debate concerning the direction of the church being the main theme of the first night on which the papal conclave convened. At 87 and suffering from health issues, Oscar Romero of El Salvador was not seriously considered for the position of pope. Instead, Romero kept track of how his fellow cardinals voted. According to his journals, publishing shortly after his death in 2015, Francis Arinze began at fifth place on the first ballot (7), behind Camillo Ruini (8), Joseph Ratzinger (14), Carlo Martini (18), and Jorge Bergoglio (25) but ahead of Adrianus Simonis (5), Dario Castrillon Hoyos (3), and Peter Turkson (2) (35 votes went to “others”). With Ratzinger and Martini losing support to Arinze on the second ballot (Ruini (14), Arinze (18), Ratzinger (19), Martini (23), and Bergoglio (31); 12 votes went to “others”), both men bowed out of contention in support of Arinze and in opposition to presumed frontrunner Bergoglio. On the third ballot, Arinze shot up from fourth place to second (Ruini (24), Arinze (40), and Bergoglio (42); 11 votes went to “others”), as conservative cardinals rallied behind Arinze in the face of Bergoglio being viewed as being too liberal for the papacy. By the time of the fourth and final ballot, only Bergoglio and Arinze, each representing a different direction for the church, remained in contention.

On April 19, with a margin of 74-to-43, the new and 265th pope was selected...

– Robert Blair Kaiser’s Church In Search of Itself: Pope Patrick And The Battle For The Future, Knopf Books, 2019



…The papal conclave in Vatican City has just announced that they have elected a successor to the late Pope John Paul II. They have announced that the next leader of the Catholic Church is Cardinal Francis Arinze, a principal advisor to Pope John Paul II. Arinze’s selection is one for the history books because Arinze is of African descent, born and raised in Nigeria. Arinze became internationally known back in 1967, when he, as the newly-appointed Archbishop of Onitsha, Nigeria, offered help and guidance to refugees during the Nigerian Civil War [1]. His accomplishments there led to his appointment to the church’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in 1979, which was followed by Arinze serving in various other capacities within the church over the years, making Arinze very well-qualified for the papacy. The selection of Arinze, age 72, will no doubt send shockwaves throughout the religious and geopolitical worlds much like the selection of Pope John Paul II...

– The Overmyer Network, 4/19/2005 broadcast



…The selection of Arinze as the Catholic Church’s first Black Pope was not meant to win over Black people in Africa and parts of the Americas with race, but was actually meant to win over conservatives. The truth is that the pick was as a response, a backlash, to the rise in same-sex marriage legalization across the western world, with national legalization in the US and Spain being the most prominent recent law changes. Pope John Paul II, while sympathetic to the BLUTAG cause, was nevertheless critical of these legal turns of events, and many of the papal electors believed that “a strong moral compass” similar to Pope John Paul II was needed. However, said electors also thought that a “historic” selection would win over younger generations and non-whites as well. And with the Bishop from Nigeria being of fairly conservative mind (opposing homosexuality due to witnessing the horrors of the ISFV Crisis in Africa during the 1980s, opposing members of the cloth marrying, and upholding traditional papal procedures during the conclave), the church’s conservative cardinals had found their candidate in Francis Arinze.

When it came to choosing a pontifical name, Arinze wanted to use one not used before. Names considered included Anthony (after St. Anthony of Padua), Augustine, Seminarian, Sylvester, Thomas (after St. Thomas Aquinas), Ambrose (after St. Ambrose), Raphael, Jude, Lando, Bernard (after St. Bernard of Clairvaux), and Dometius. However, in the end, Arinze chose the name Patrick (after St. Patrick, the patron saint of Nigeria).

Pope Patrick is the first pope to have been born on the continent of Africa since Pope #49, Pope Gelasius I, who ruled from 492 A.D. to 496 A.D.…

– Robert Blair Kaiser’s Church In Search of Itself: Pope Patrick And The Battle For The Future, Knopf Books, 2019



CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS ARE OPPOSING BANKRUPTCY ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL

…US Senator Ralph Nader (I-CT), who has played a major role on Capitol Hill in recent weeks, is castigating Democrats who believe the latest “financial fairness improvement” legislation will “negatively impact our high-tax economy by forcing major companies to move their entire operations to other countries,” warns US Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)…

– The Washington Post, 4/22/2005



MONROE AND BELAFONTE CELEBRATE TENTH ANNIVERSARY

…In the ten years of marriage that Marilyn Monroe and Henry Belafonte have shared, both have maintained semi-retirement status, appearing in only a few films and television programs, plus the occasional charity cause, as the two 78-year-olds make the most out of their twilight years together...

– The Hollywood Reporter, 4/23/2005



JUST BEFORE EASTER RECESS, HOUSE PASSES D.C. STATEHOOD AMENDMENT BILL, 298-135

– The New York Times, 4/24/2005



…In a public announcement, California Governor John L. Burton, currently embroiled in a legal and judicial battle over a sexual pestering scandal, has revealed his intention to resign from office effective noon tomorrow, citing recent inability to work with state lawmakers. This will make Lieutenant Govenror Debbie Cook the new Governor of California…

– KNN Breaking News bulletin, 4/26/2005 broadcast



GOVERNOR COOK PICKS STATE LAWMAKER AUDIE BOCK TO BE NEW LT. GOV.

– The Los Angeles Times, 4/28/2005



WELLSTONE MEETS WITH NEW SENATE COMMITTEE ON PR/DC STATEHOOD BILLS

– The Washington Post, 5/5/2005



“I bet the real reason why it’s taking so damn long to grant DC and Puerto Rico statehood has nothing to do with figuring out what the feds get to keep. They’re treating it like it’s some kind of divorce settlement, they’re bickering over how much the feds get. Three electoral votes and the car, or the National Mall and the Senate gets visitation rights. Get out of here with that! Because you know what? I bet it’s because the feds know that nobody can remember the names of all 50 states. Hear me out. 52’s gonna be asking too much from us. At my last family reunion, there were over 50 of us – so, you know, a small turnout – and I didn’t remember even half their names. If they’re family, and I can’t remember their names, how am I supposed to remember the names of 50 states, half of which I don’t even care about? I’m tellin’ you, 52 states is going to be too much. 50’s got a nice ring to it, it’s nice, half-a-hundred. Right? So you know what? I say they merge some states together to keep the states at 50. Yeah. This way, there won’t be so much spending, you know, of the so many millions of dollars that’ll go into making all new 52-star flags. And for states merging, personally, I say we reconnect the Dakotas and give Delaware to whoever wants whatever’s in Delaware. And, you know what, let’s go even farther and simplify the names. Wyoming should be South Montana. Nebraska should be North Kansas. Idaho should be Practically North Alabama. And Alaska should Really Far North Colorado. There. Problem solved.”

– actor/comedian Marlon Lamont Wayans, 5/6/2005



QUERY: LEE IACOCCA’S LEGACY – GOOD, BAD OR AVERAGE PRESIDENT?

With today being the ten-year anniversary of Lee Iacocca’s assassination and news stories online showering him with praise, and even far-left and far-right sites have something positive to say about him, I can’t help but wonder how much of his memory and Presidency is being looked at through rose-colored glasses and euphoric nostalgia. Personally, I think he was a good president, but not as great as everyone remembers him as being. His foreign policy was schizophrenic and his domestic policy was lackluster. Thoughts?

COMMENT 1: I know he was a good man, but he wasn’t perfect. That’s why his legacy has some negative sides – lots of people hate Asians because of him.

COMMENT 2: No, he hated Japan’s unfair trading practices and China’s treatment of minorities. That’s government, not citizenry. Lee-I was a great man and a great President!

COMMENT 3: Would he have won re-election?

RELPY 1 to COMMENT 3: Hell yes, it would have been a 50-state sweep!

REPLY 2 to COMMENT 3: No, his handling of the economy would have done him in.

REPLY 3 to COMMENT 3: It depends on who’d run against him. Many people forget that the reason why we got 75-year-old John Glenn as the nominee that year was because more formidable possible candidates like Mario Cuomo, Ralph Nader, and Jerry Litton (and even Bob Ross or Carol Bellamy, maybe) knew they’d lose to the successor of a martyr, and so either didn’t run for didn’t launch a serious campaign. Without the assassination, the primaries would have had many more and more serious candidates.

REPLY 4 to COMMENT 3: It would depend on what happens with Korea. If we end up in a stalemate, maybe a Gravelite would have won. If no war breaks out under Lee, maybe he wins re-election and the war happens soon after (though hopefully still before Kim develops WMDs). Lots of variables at play here!

COMMENT 4: I think that, had he lived, he would have handled Korea about the same as Dinger did. Yes, Dinger had more foreign policy experience, but I think Iacocca would have relied more on the suggestions of the generals and it would have ended pretty much the same way.

REPLY 1 to COMMENT 4: I disagree, I think he would have acted too slowly and more people would have died.

COMMENT 5: Iacocca made me proud to be an American! Here was a guy who worked hard to become a success, designing cool cars, keeping Chrysler from going bankrupt, and improving baseball’s reputation and management problems as MLB Commissioner. He did alright as President. I would have voted for him again in ’96!

COMMENT 6: Most people ignore his feud with Japan because of his personality. He was the kind of guy you felt like you could sit down and have a beer with. He’s going to be mourned and missed for years more to come.

COMMENT 7: He was okay, I guess. It sucked how he died, though. But at least we got some gun reform from it, as morbid as it may sound.

REPLY 1 to COMMENT 7: It was a conspiracy – anti-gun people shot him to make guns look bad!

REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to COMMENT 7 (moderator): You are getting really close to being banned, dude. Cut it out now.

COMMENT 8: Lee Iacocca was the first President I ever voted for. He was a great leader and would have done even more if he had served for two full terms.

COMMENT 9: R.I.P., Lee – we still miss you.

– ahdiscussionboard.co.usa, thread opened 5/9/2005



HEDGE FUND BILLIONAIRE PROPOSES “SUPERGRID” ENERGY PROJECT

…T. Boone Pickens, a business magnate, financier and corporate investor with a net worth of roughly $1.4billion, is calling for an energy policy that he believes will reduce American dependence on foreign energy. Calling it “The Pickens Plan,” the $1trillion-dollar proposal would connect hundreds of new wind turbine farms together into a “supergrid” that would lower our country’s spending on foreign oil down by 80% in ten years. “A national transmission grid will prevent Chinese energy hegemony and promote national energy independence,” says Boone. Documentary filmmaker Albert Gore Jr., who has studies Global Climate Disruption for over 20 years, believes that an electric supergrid could cut down greenhouse gas production and benefit anti-GCD endeavors, saying “with the way the technology is advancing, the amount of land that would be needed for the supergrid’s electricity transmission corridors, is getting smaller, and new designs and concept could minimize the amount of land affected by such a project.”…

– scientificamerican.co.usa, 5/14/2005 e-article



STATE CONGRESS APPROVES N.I.A. ON BIPARTISAN LINES, LIKELY THANKS TO BACKING FROM DINGER AND PEDERSON

– The Ottumwa Courier, Iowa newspaper, 5/17/2005



…The Senate requested additional editions and revisions to the Puerto Rico statehood bill over a proposed “exit clause,” which would allow the new state to leave on the grounds “domestic choice,” via statewide referendum. The author of the revision, Senator Helen Chenoweth (R-ID), quietly added it to the first Senate version of the bill via her spot on the review committee, and claimed that without it, “joining the union will be irresponsible, because it is undemocratic to force people to stay in the union.” President Jesse Jackson agreed with Democrats and several Republicans that keeping the clause would “open the floodgates” for separatists and secessionists nationwide, from far-right militia groups out west to former US Senator Peter Diamondstone (LU-VT), who was calling for more Marxist legislation in Vermont state government from his new radio show in Brattleboro. As a result, the proposed proviso was quickly shot down…

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



WHAT’S IN A NAME?: Washington, D.C. Residents Divided Over New Name Proposals

…Some are calling for the retaining of the name “Washington, D.C.” but changing “D.C.” to stand for “Douglass Community” or “Democratic Commonwealth” or something similar, instead of for “District of Columbia”. Other suggestions include Columbia, New Columbia, Potomac, and Douglass…

…we would still have a federal district, just one that only encompasses the capitol building, the supreme court building, the White House, the National Mall, several monuments and parks, and the military installations near downtown WDC…

– Time Magazine, mid-May 2005 issue



Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was reaching crisis levels. Rich in natural resources but lacking the political stability needed to establish the infrastructure that would improve both extraction and domestic benefits, and plagued by a history of its people being exploited and starved, the DRC had been ruled with an iron fist by Mobutu Sese Seko (who renamed the country “Zaire”) from 1965 until his death in 1997. Near the end of his rule, guns smuggled in from the former North Korea in 1996 through the robust Zairian Black Market aided anti-government forces demanding democratization and a legal economy to improve the country’s standard of living. Hutus and Tutsis, persecuted by the Zairian government for decades, allied with anti-government leaders such as left-wing politician-turned-guerilla leader Etienne Tshisekedi (b. 1932), Lumumbist tactician Adolphe Muzito (b. 1957), Tutsi militant Laurent Nkunda (b. 1967), political theorist Ernie Wamba (b. 1942) and Rwanda-based black market businessman Jean-Pierre Bemba (b. 1962).

Upon Mobutu Sese Seko’s death in office, his 27-year-old son Nzanga Mobutu declared himself President, but failed to win enough political and military support as Etienne Tshisekedi was seen as a more legitimate successor. The subsequent Civil War saw Nzanga overthrown in 1998, only for Tshisekedi to be assassinated by a member of his own ministry over an economics debate in September 2004. His successor, Adolphe Muzito, was killed by a Hutu extremist just five months later. Another power struggle ensued, culminating in Jean-Pierre Bemba besting Ernie Wamba for the top spot.

Unfortunately, Bemba believed his position in power was shaky, and with Tutsi communities in eastern Congo opposing his reign, Bemba launched a program to have prominent Tutsis “disappear,” which soon escalated into ethnic cleansing programs in eastern Congo. By the end of May 2005, the country was in a state of Civil WR once more, with forces loyal to Bemba fighting with anti-government Tutsi-allied militant guerilla, led by Nkunda in the east, Wamba in the north, and Moise Katumbi in the south.

The rising death count estimates being reported by watchdog groups caught the attention of the White House, leading to President Jackson to seriously consider mounting a US-led multinational act of military intervention.

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



…On May 30, 2005, the House voted and narrowly passed the Medical Marijuana Decriminalization Bill – and House planned to vote on decriminalizing recreational marijuana and legalizing medical marijuana before the end of Jackson’s second term. Specifically, the RMD&MML Act, first proposed in 1997, would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and erase certain nonviolent, non-repeat cannabis criminal records, according to a statement made by House Speaker Barbara Kennelly’s office. If passed, the states would still have to vote to legalize recreational marijuana, which already has been done in eleven states. This would be a historic moment for the legalizing marijuana movement, with former Governor Cheech Marin declaring it “the most significant reform in half a century.”

Cannabis had been a schedule I drug, often known as a “recreadrug” to distinguish it from pharmaceutical drugs, ever since the Harmful Substances Act of 1966. The law, which was passed under President Sanders, defines it as having “a high potential for addiction and abuse,” and cited it having “no known medical benefits whatsoever,” despite then-prominent Tim Leary arguing otherwise. This bill would essentially reverse the 1966 bill by making marijuana no longer illegal at the federal level, and devolving laws and regulation-making responsibilities down to the states. Some states may not allow recreational drug sales even if the ban is removed, similar to how “wet” and “dry” counties can still be found in states across the country.

But at the time, recreadrug legalization advocates took the moment to celebrate the MMD bill’s passing, as it passed the Senate 52-to-47 and was signed into law by President Jackson later that year…

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



…Talk of sending our soldiers to fight “someone else’s war” brought about the ire of the isolationist Gravel faction of the Democratic Part, with even Vice President Wellstone suggesting that armed intervention would only worsen the conflict, extending its scope and raising the death tally. Debate on the hill over the merits of intervention ensued, with opponents to such a move being found in large numbers on both sides of the political aisle.

Finally, after weeks of contemplation, Jackson came out in support of the unofficial “Kivu alliance” of anti-government guerrilla, condemning President Bemba and sending “advisory personnel” to the neighboring country of Uganda, which was being used as a base of operations for some guerrillas. However, Jackson did not send in military troops, though he reportedly did discuss the situation with UN Secretary-General Carol Bellamy. His decision appeased nobody, it seems, because Gravelites saw the “glorified gun range instructors” went against non-interventionism while many warhawks, including myself, saw this to be a very weak response, as if he was admitting that his military budget cuts had compromised our armed forces.

Nevertheless, Jackson’s decision, while controversial, polarizing, and highly unpopular, was historic because it marked the first obvious time in which the US government backed a left-wing group over a right-wing group in a foreign conflict...

…Fortunately for him, Jackson would response to the conflict more assertively in early 2006…

– John J. Polonko Jr.’s All’s Fair: What War Makes Necessary, Hachette Book Group USA, 2017 edition



…According to Israeli officials ranging from Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon and Dr. Yosef “Yossi” Beilin to the US Ambassador to Israel and the Israeli Ambassador to the US, Jesse Jackson was highly critical of the Israeli government, viewing occasional scandal outbreaks and signs of internal corruption. He reportedly told his US Ambassador to Israel in early June 2005 that “if constant warfare ever returns to the Middle East, you know it’ll be Israel’s fault.” In a 2011 interview, former PM Beilin referred to Jackson as being “more against the Israeli government than any other American President in history, even more so than Colonel Sanders, who only reluctantly took our side during the War in 1967.”…

– David Tal’s US Strategic Arms Policy After the Cold War: Globalization & Technological Modernization, Routledge, 2020



…Nebraska has become the latest state to approve of the National Initiative Amendment passed by Congress two years ago, as that state’s unicameral legislature voted “yea” on the NIA subject earlier today…

– ABC Morning News, 6/5/2005



JOHN SYLVESTER WHITE

…best known for portraying Vice Principal Woodman on TV’s “Welcome Back, Kotter,” White passed away from natural causes at the age of 85… he became a born-again Christian after surviving a heart attack in Hawaii many years ago…

– The Los Angeles Times, obituaries section, 6/8/2005



“A HISTORIC DAY”: SENATE PASSES DC STATEHOOD AMENDMENT, 67-32! Will Be Sent Out Immediately To The States For Ratification

…Republican Senators Bill Weld and Herman Cain joined the 2 Independent and 63 Democrats voting “yea” on this landmark legislation…

– The Washington Post, 6/10/2005



…By the summer of 2005, Saudi Arabia’s goal of landing a manned vessel on the moon were being to grow in popularity. The construction of the launch and testing sites created regional jobs and made Israeli tech companies more willing to invest in the supposedly regional endeavor. For example, Stratus Technologies signed a deal to began working with the Saudi Arabian Space Center, or Markaz Alfada Alsaeudii (MAA) in Arabic, on June 11, 2005…

– Madawi al-Rasheed’s The History of Modern Saudi Arabia, Sunrise Books, 2019 edition



…Because said Montana county clerk and self-declared “moral objector” who refused to recognize same-sex marriage upon its nationwide legalization in 2003 was an elected official, she could not be fired, only impeached or voted out of office. With the next election not being until 2006, and the GOP-majority state congress refusing to impeach her, the newly-elected Governor Judge had the law clerk arrested in February for refusing to issue legal licenses, a primary function of her job. After two weeks, she was released, but due to state law, had still been the county clerk and recorder while in prison. Soon after, the ACLU’s lawsuit against the clerk culminated in the case’s judge ruling in favor of the ACLU on June 14.

Nevertheless, the clerk continued to serve, refusing to resign on religious grounds. As a result, Governor Judge called for a changing to state service rules to make anyone serving time in jail to be ineligible for elected office while serving said time. In the meantime, Governor Judge urged all same-sex couples in Montana to obtain marriage licenses from other county clerks in the state.

Meanwhile, in that same month, a new licensing controversy was gaining media attention. In North Platte, Nebraska, a city law clerk was fired for refusing to issue a marriage license to a man and his transgender (MTF) girlfriend, bringing the “T” in “BLUTAGO rights” right to the forefront of the national discussion as the former city official sought to sue the city for religious discrimination…

– Brandon Teena’s The Rise of BLUTAG Rights: The Story of the Bi-Lesbian-Undefined-Trans-Asexual-Gay Movement, Scholastic, 2019



JACKSON CALLS FOR JUNETEENTH TO BECOME NATIONAL HOLIDAY

…A day commemorating not the cessation of slavery, as in when the end of slavery was announced via the Emancipation Proclamation of September 22, 1862, but instead when the last slaves were freed, upon news of the Emancipation Proclamation reaching slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865. President Jesse Jackson is backing a legislative effort to make this day a federal holiday. A joyous day meant to educate and celebrate, the day is often celebrated by African-Americans as “second Independence Day” of sorts; however, the anniversary is nay recognized as a state holiday in seven states – Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, South Carolina, Minnesota, Chicago, and Florida...

– The Washington Post, 6/19/2005

– US President Jesse Jackson meets with former South African President Nelson Mandela during trip to Cape Town, South Africa, 6/22/2005



…I tried to find a more permanent vessel on which I could showcase my thespian diversity, only for each new gig to be temporary and lacking. I think the lowest point on the TV side of things was being on the US version of the UK’s “The Sketch Show.” For movie, the worst job offer was providing the voice of Rothbart on “Barbie of Swan Lake 2: Rothbart’s Return,” a direct-to-MLD [Micro-LaserDisc] abomination of a CRI production and an insult to the legacy and memory of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Still, I gave it my best performance, and not even my six-year-old daughter enjoyed the picture overall. I think that that may have done it for me – the lack of promising projects pouring in from an industry that still saw me as a one Frasier Crane.

The one thing that did it for me was the revolving door of governors in my home state of California, each one seemingly worse than the last in one category or another. I remember one point in the summer of 2005, during a family outing, I was trying to rest at a picnic table with my wife when I heard over the radio – a quick perusal of other channels while she was answering a call – that whoever was governor then has passed yet another tax hike on the upper classes. It was offensive how those big-wig fat cats viewed the rich in such poor light. And so after a long rant about it, My Heart’s Darling said to me, either out of loyalty or frustration (I’d like to think the former, but the latter is more likely), “Why don’t you do something about it, already?!”

And then I did something that so many husbands seldom do – actually follow the lady-of-the-house’s advice…

– Kelsey Grammer’s second autobiography “So Far, So Good,” Dutton Press, 2021



SENATE PASSES PUERTO RICO STATEHOOD BILL, 61-38! Jackson To Sign Bill Into Law A.S.A.P.

– The Washington Post, 6/27/2005



WE NOW HAVE A 51ST STATE! President Jesse Jackson Signs Puerto Rico Statehood Bill Into Law!

– The New York Times, 7/4/2005



…America’s newest state governor is Rocky Versace, the former US Secretary of Defense who oversaw military tactics during the Second Korean War, and who has been serving as the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico since 2001. Versace, a moderate Republican, is obligated to appoint two senators to the US Senate, while special elections will determine who will hold the five new seats that have been added to the US House of Representatives. And today, Governor Versace has chosen Puerto Rico’s Attorney General, Luis Fortuno, and state Senator Norma Burgos, both members of the island’s New Progressive Party, which was ideologically closer to the GOP than to the Democratic Party, to join the US Senate…

– NBC News, 7/5/2005



IOC Session No. 117

Date: July 6, 2005

Location: Singapore

Subject 1 of 1: Bidding For Hosting The 8/29/2012-9/9/2012 (or XIV) Summer Olympics

Inspection teams evaluated candidate cities based on accommodations, environmental impact, prior experience, financial impact, legal issues, local public opinion, safety and security standards, transportation feasibility, and the newest high-ranking criteria, sanitation procedures.

Results:

Cape Town, S.A. – 26 (Round 1) – 53 (Round 2)

Tehran, Iran – 27 (Round 1) – 29 (Round 2)

N.Y.C., U.S. – 18 (Round 1) – 21 (Round 2)

Seoul, United Korea – 15 (Round 1) (withdrew)

Moscow, Russia – 11 (Round 1) (withdrew)

Barcelona, Spain – 6 (Round 1)

End Result: Cape Town won on the second round

– www.aldaver.co.usa/votes.html



“Alright, alright, let me explain this, let me breakdown this process. When D.C. becomes a state, and the land directly owned by the federal government is going to be carved out from the center – just the federal buildings connected to each other by streets, parks, and the central mall. That’s the Federal Washington DC, the rest is the State of Washington DC, and with Washington State, the US will now have three ‘Washingtons’ to the confusion of millions, unless one of them goes with a new name. I think maybe we should just call the federal district either ‘The Capitol,’ or simply ‘The Federal District.’ It’s cold, but it’s accurate. New special elections for the new House seat and two new Senate seats would be held in this or next November, it depends on how quickly the state legislators will sign off on the amendment. If you look back in history, you will see that ratification can takes just a few months, or a few years. We’re trying to make this case be more like the former kind, if you understand me. Now, despite D.C. clearly favoring Democrats and Puerto Rico leaning Republican, I think Democrats and their affiliates on the island can perform very well in the five Puerto Rican special elections. And, yes, there was, earlier on, debate over a rather tedious demand from some activists that D.C. become the 51st due to the district being a part of the US longer than has Puerto Rico, but the administration’s aim is to get both political entities representation. For that goal, the order that they join the union doesn’t really matter. Finally, I hear D.C. Mayor Jarvis want to make Eleanor Norton and David Schwartzman the State of DC’s first Senators. She has my support on that, for both picks, if true.”

– Bern Sanders, NYC radio discussion, 7/7/2005



VIOLENCE ESCALATING IN CONGO: Should We Intervene Militarily?

…a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in central Africa as a complicated warfront featuring government officials killing civilians and rogue soldiers and guerillas competing for control. The hostility is putting millions of innocent civilians in harm’s way, and it seems that efforts by the U.N. to bring opposing sides to the negotiating table have been unsuccessful…

– The Baltimore Sun, Maryland newspaper, 7/11/2005



The 2005 NDRR Presidential Election was held in the National Democratic Republic of Russia (Natsional’no-Demokraticheskaya Republika Rossiya) on July 27, 2005. Incumbent President Nina Lobkovskaya was eligible for a second term, but due to her low approval ratings, criticism of her handling of the 2001-2004 SARS pandemic, and her own declining health, she announced in early 2004 that she would not run for re-election. As a result of this announcement, the election saw a large number of candidates run in party primaries or in the general election as independents.

[SNIP]

Candidates (7):

Oleg Malyshkin, b. 1951 (National/Iron Fist) was the Governor of Rostov Oblast since 2000, whose authoritarian measures were credited with keeping SARS cases there far below the national average; the former mining engineer has previously served as the country’s Energy Minister from 1997 to 2000.

Valentina Matviyenko, b. 1949 (Motherland) made a career out of being a diplomat, serving most recently as Russia’s Ambassador to China; after being passed over for the position of Ambassador to the UN, she announced she was running to improve Russia’s standing on the world stage.

B Vladimir Potanin, b. 1961 (independent) is a billionaire entrepreneur who served as First Deputy PM of Russia from 1995 to 1998; he supported deregulating the free markets and improving trade relations with the Middle East, and restructuring the nation’s tax system.

Mikhail Prokhorov, b. 1965 (independent), another billionaire in the race, won his fortune through nickel and palladium mining and smelting companies, and more recently through tungsten extraction for solar panels; he supported an “open markets” trading system and improving relations with the US.

Sergey Shoygu, b. 1955 (Democratic) was Russia’s Minister of Emergency Situations of Russia from 1995 until he was sacked by Nina Lobkovskaya, claiming he had not done enough in response to SARS, and replaced by Ruslan Tsalikov; the firing led to him mounting his first bid for higher officer, and through his candidacy supported using the military to respond to national crises such as distributing vaccines and food during trying times.

Grigory Yavlinsky, b. 1952 (Progressive), a former journalist known for opposing corruption and supportive social support programs, is an economist and former Chair of the National Assembly’s Economic Management Committee; he is a socially liberal, economically center-left, and pro-(Western) European.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, b. 1946 (Strong Arm), a radio commentator and former member of the National Assembly, made headlines in is first Presidential run by spouting populist and nationalist rhetoric reminiscent of the US’s Bernie Goetz; Zhirinovsky pledged to have a “perfect” SARS vaccine by 2007 and to put on trial several politicians he held responsible for Russia’s SARS death toll being “higher than it ever should” have been.

[snip]

Results:

In the July 13 “primary round,” Malyshkin won over enough middle class voters concerned over family safety to come in first place (25.6%), while Potanin, as one of the country’s richest men, won over enough upper class backers, donors, and middle class voters interested in economic recovery to win second place (23.4%), narrowly advancing to the runoff instead of initial frontrunner Yavlinsky, who came in third place (22.9%). Zhirinovsky came in fourth place (12.4%) and Shoygu won fifth place (7.3%), while the lack of name recognition and the loss of backers and donors to Potanin led to Prokhorov coming in sixth place (4.3%). Matviyenko came in last place (2.4%).

Malyshkin and Potanin advancing to the runoff meant that the election would continue the “hairy-bald” pattern regardless of who won because both runoff candidates were bald, and, in fact, had been the only bald men in the race. Ahead of the July 27 “runoff round,” Malyshkin promoting the implantation of a “flat tax rate” system to streamline the tax system, while Potanin expressed interest in cutting taxes on businesses big and small. On the night in question, Malyshkin won 59.7% of the vote to Potanin’s 40.3%…

– clickopedia.co.usa



FIRST LADY JACKSON: “Jesse Louis Jackson Junior, what is the matter with you?”

JESSE JACKSON Jr.: “Nothing, mom.”

FIRST LADY JACKSON: “You’ve been down in the dumps all day today!”

MICHELLE ROBINSON-JACKSON: “He lost his job at the law firm, Jackie.”

JESSE JACKSON Jr.: “Michelle, please…”

MICHELLE ROBINSON-JACKSON: “She’s your mother, Jess. She would have found out, you know.”

FIRST LADY JACKSON: “Jesse! What do you mean they fired you? Answer me.”

“I lashed out at a client and they took their account elsewhere. I don’t know why I did it. Usually, when someone says something that really jabs me the wrong way, I let it go, but today, I-I just couldn’t.”

FIRST LADY JACKSON: “But you’ve done so much for the firm. Surely they didn’t forget that.”

JONATHAN JACKSON: “Surely they didn’t forget who you’re dad is.”

JESSE JACKSON Jr.: “Hey, shut up, Jon! I’m not going to rely on our dad like I'm some bratty young punk rich kid. This was my screw-up, I’ll deal with it.”

MICHELLE ROBINSON-JACKSON: “Honey, relax, you’ll get another job. Who wouldn’t want you working for them?”

JESSE JACKSON Jr.: “I can think of at least three people. Their names are beside mine on all my business cards. Which I now realize I’ll have to get replaced! Damn it!”

FIRST LADY JACKSON: “Jesse!”

JESSE JACKSON Jr.: “Sorry, Ma, sorry. >deep breath< Okay. Okay, I’m better. I’m okay. I’m okay…”

– White House security camera audio recording, c. July 2005



JACKSON SLASHES NASA BUDGET, CITING COMPLETION OF MARS MISSION

…now that the Aires Project has concluded, President Jesse Jackson has announced a “re-prioritization” of federal funding, saying that “much is needed for the funding of key social services provided by the federal government.” The White House’s press secretary explained this afternoon that “In order to not violate the Balanced Budget Amendment, it was either diminish NASA funding by roughly 30%, or raise taxes. Think about that – the choice was either NASA budget cuts, or tax hikes.”…

– The Washington Post, 8/1/2005



SUKARNOPUTRI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF INDONESIA; Will Be That Nation’s First Democratically-Elected Female Head of State

…the election was unique in that it featured the children of the opposing leaders of the Indonesian Civil War of the 1960s competing for the Presidency after incumbent President Sudharmono (b. 1927) retired due to waning popularity. Megawati Sukarnoputri (b. 1947), the former Vice President and the daughter of former President Sukarno, easily won over the incredibly corrupt businessman Tommy Suharto (b. 1962), the son of former President Suharto, in a very generous landslide…

– The Los Angeles Times, 8/2/2005



CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR SWITCHES TO GREEN PARTY IN PROTEST

…“The California branch of the Democratic Party is too moderate,” says Governor Debbie Cook, “My views and priorities are more in line with those of the progressive and eco-friendly policies of the Green Party.” The announcement comes after weeks of heated debate in Sacramento over several of Cook’s proposed policies. Cook also announced that she has convinced her Lieutenant Governor, former state assemblyperson Audie Bock, to change her official party registration from Democratic to Green as well…

– The New York Times, 8/9/2005



On August 15, 2005, Kirkwood, MO resident Charles Lee Thornton, 49, attempted to assassinate Jesse Jackson at the White House. Thornton held Jackson and his “oppressive commie-red tape” responsible for his latest business venture, a construction company, failing to pass a city code inspection in January 2004 and being shut down in February 2005 the wake of mounting legal fees. Thornton drove a van to the White House front gate and planned to smash through the gate with it, but misjudged the strength of the gate and crashed the van into it instead. The crash rendered Thornton unconscious and police uncovered illegally-acquired hunting rifles, hand grenades and C4 in the van upon immediate inspection. When interrogated by police, Thornton confessed to attempting to assassinate Jackson, as Thornton believed that Wellstone would “look out for his fellow whites.” Thornton did not learn that the Vice President was Jewish, and that the President was meeting with state lawmakers in Baltimore at the time of his attack, until during his trial in 2006. In 2007, he was sentenced to 30 years for attempted murder, illegal firearm purchases, and shoplifting. He is eligible for parole in 2027.

– clickopedia.co.usa/security_incidents_involving_Jesse_Jackson



NY LEGISLATURE APPROVES DC STATEHOOD AMENDMENT

– The Washington Post, 8/22/2005



…Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the 29th, giving severe damage to the gulf coast, killing hundreds and leaving behind billions of US dollars in damages…

Above: an aerial image of Katrina

…New Orleans Mayor Mary Landrieu began evacuating the city relatively early, on the morning of the 27th, because most of that city is below sea level and Katrina’s projected storm surges had the potential to possibly send water above levee tops, causing major flooding. President Jackson declared a State of Emergency later that same day, while concurrently, the Coast Guard began prepping rescue aircraft and other procedures and equipment. On Sunday the 28th, President Jackson prayed with several advisors before meeting with the Administrator of ODERCA and teleconferencing with the Governors of Louisiana and Mississippi; all agreed with implementing evacuation measures and other emergency measures.

[snip]

…Most major roads in and out of New Orleans were damaged, and urban high rises received extensive window damage. The city’s Superdome’s waterproof outer membrane as peeled off and two sections of its roof were compromised, while Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport did not flood; both locations sheltered thousands unable to evacuate the city in time...

…Hurricane Katrina at its peak intensity was a Category 5 Hurricane, with a peak strength of 1800 UTC and maximum sustained winds (for at least 1 minute) of 171mph [2]… Katrina’s surge was the highest and most extensive in the United States’ documented history, destroying coastal communities and inundating multiple counties in Mississippi and parishes in Louisiana. Biloxi and New Orleans were particularly damaged badly, as were most low-lying and coastal communities. …The total number of deaths was between 800 and 1,200 people [3], though exact numbers were difficult to determine. A plurality of the deaths were in Louisiana, and an overwhelming majority were in Louisiana and Mississippi. Over 100 people were reported “missing” or “unaccounted for.”…

…ODERCA was praised for its immediate response and the National Hurricane Center was applauded for its accurate forecasts
– clickopedia.co.usa



“We have to encourage residents to stop the looting that just started breaking out.” The President said as he took a seat near the window. He thought aloud about how, yesterday, he had reluctantly mobilized the National Guard amid reports of violence, theft, and lawlessness. “6,000 troops have been sent to Louisiana. I pray to God to do more good than harm.”

It was August 30, and President Jesse Jackson was veering out of the window as Air Force One flew over the devastated communities on their way in to Louis Armstrong International. Learning of extent of damage while flying down there, the Commander-in-Chief’s heart weighed heavy for those who hadn’t made it through.

“The rainfall and storm surge rose the level of Lake Pontchartrain, flooding its northeastern shore,” Chief of Staff Daniels informed him. “Pretty much all the parishes surrounding the lake have been hit badly. The communities of Slidell and Mandeville were the worse hit. Several bridges have been washed out, and over half a mill are without power.”

“Then we should be getting as many boats on over there as we can. Get some rescue choppers out there, too,” Jackson spoke.

“St. Bernard Parish, though, was saved by the levees nearby just barely holding back the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet. It came right up to the edge of the structures built there in 1999.”

“So New Orleans’ flood-control systems still holding up?” The President asked.

“Apart from a small breach on the south side of the city, but they’re throwing everything they got at it, and the flood damage has not been too severe. Mainly just the oversized lake is the trouble.”

“Well, thank goodness for that, at least. So, we’re doing everything we can, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Heh,” the President thought out loud, “You’ve got to admit, we’re getting much better at handling these kind of things. First SARS, then the tsunami, now this. If The Big One’s to hit California soon, let it be next year so we can get it over and done with.”

“Mr. President,” Counselor to the President William Antholis turned away from his phone, “Tim Johnson at the Treasury says it’s going to cost at least $70billon to cover repairs and reconstruction efforts. It’s not just homes and displaced people. Off the coast, oil rigs, platforms, refineries, the whole oil supply chain’s been damaged. We’re going to have regional gas shortages for at least a few weeks, and the gulf coast highway infrastructure’s messed up, too.”

The President asked, “Is anything else messed up?”

The cabin suddenly jolted a bit, sending Antholis to the ground and causing Daniels to slide into the seat opposite the President’s. The vessel then lurched again, and once more before stabilizing. The airplane was having a bit of an awkward descent.

“What in blue blazes?” Antholis remarked as he tried to get some mid-air sea legs.

The President could see from the window alone that they were at the runway, less than 40 feet off the ground and coming in hot, just before landing, the plane began swaying a bit, but resumed stability once touching down. Air Force One came to a halt farther down on the tarmac than planned, but was otherwise intact.

Up in the cockpit, the pilot and co-pilot were taking deep breaths when the President burst through the door. He gave a quick look to the man in the captain’s chair. He then turned to the co-pilot and asked, “Who is this man?”

“Captain Joe Hazelwood [4], sir, he’s been flying for over 30 years.”

“What happened to our regular pilot? Where’s Davis?”

“Sick leave, sir.”

“I see. Joe?”

The captain looked nervously at him, “Ye, sir?”

“Did we hit turbulence?”

“No, sir.”

“Then what was that?” The President wrinkled his brow as he breathed furiously through his nostrils.

Before the co-pilot could say something, Joe put his hand up to him and said to Jackson, “Nerves, sir. I got a bit shaky.”

Jackson took a deep breath, said “I see,” and stormed off the plane. Heading to the airport to begin the tour of the damaged city of New Orleans, the President demanded both pilots be tested: “see if that Joe guy was drinking. I don’t think I smelled jet fuel over there.”

Captain Hazelwood was back to flying for Delta Airlines by the end of September for drinking on the job.

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



JACKSON ASKS DINGER, KEMP AND MONDALE TO ASSIST IN HURRICANE RELIEF

…the President is enlisting the help of three former Commanders-in-Chief to raise additional voluntary contributions similar to what was asked of said three after the Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami of December of last year...

– The Washington Post, 8/31/2005



“In gratitude for the medical relief the United States sent to India during the SARS pandemic, we are now returning favor. In gratitude for their humanitarianism, we are sending tarps, blankets, hygiene kits, and an IDF delegation transporting aid equipment, including 40 tons of food, disposable diapers, beds, blankets, and generators.”

– Indian PM (since February 2005) Sonia Maino Gandhi, 9/1/2005 announcement



CONGRESS “HASTILY” FORMING EMERGENCY RELIEF BILL

…President Jackson is urging a quick amass of federal funds to assist Louisiana survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Louisiana Governor Harry Shearer and New Orleans Mayor Mary Landrieu are still collaborating on relief and rescue efforts with Rodney Slater, the head of ODERCA (Overwhelming Disaster Emergency Response Coordination Agency), and with Dr. Norman Christopher Francis, Chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (the state agency in charge of planning the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina swept through the state…

– The Washington Post, 9/3/2005



…and in political news, Massachusetts became the eighth state to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed DC statehood amendment passed by congress earlier this year…

– KNN, 9/7/2005 broadcast



SENATE PASSES “BOLSTERED” TRANSPORTATION EQUITY BILL 57-42

…in light of Hurricane Katrina, the Senate raised the House’s proposed amount of funding the bill aims to provide for the improving and maintaining of surface transportation infrastructure. President Jackson has announced that he will sign the bill into law “as soon as possible”…

– The Washington Post, 9/10/2005



…the admission of Puerto Rico had an immediate impact on American pop culture… …In an example of how some TV shows addressed the political development with absurdity and humor, the long-running series Futurama premiered its 2005-2006 season with an episode that opens up on a scene in which the show’s main characters watch a news report on a new planet being added to D.O.O.P. (the Democratic Order of Planets). The character Professor Farnsworth complains “I thought we were done adding planets to the list. Now we have to put another star on the flag,” and then the camera zooms out to show a large flag containing hundreds of stars…

– clickopedia.co.usa

– A screenshot from “Futurama,” Season 11, Episode 1, first aired 9/15/2005



FORMER PENTAGON EMPLOYEE WARNS PRESIDENT: More Military Budget Cuts Could Lead To A Coup!

…“If there was ever a time in our nation’s history when the military would try to overthrow the presidency, now would be it. President Jackson’s repeat slashing of military funds year after year could be his undoing. Really, all it’d take is one charismatic high-ranking military official with loyal and very well-organized backers to lead a coup against him at this point.” President Jackson should head this anonymous official’s dire warning and reverse the damage he’s done to our nation’s armed forces…

– theherringnetwork.co.usa, controversial 9/17/2005 e-article



HURRICANE RITA REACHES RECORD-BREAKING INTENSITY!: 180mph Wind Speed Wrecks Gulf Coast!

– The Chicago Tribune, 9/21/2005



The president navigated out of the Chief of Staff Ron Daniels’ office and began heading toward the Press Briefing Room on the other side of the White House West Wing, with his unofficial entourage of schedulers, aides, advisors and guards surrounding him, nearly orbiting him like a collection of moon encircling a planet. “What’s this for again?” The President asked Daniels.

“The media keeps praising the US Army Corps of Engineers for keeping the New Orleans levees from breaking.”

“Huh! The credit should be going to Cleo Fields. He’s the governor who updated those levees. All the Republican governors before him just neglected them!”

“It’s public opinion, sir. Locals saw the water come to the top but not tip over, and corps members were all over the place right afterward. Every time you turned the TV on to the coverage, there was at least one of them off to the side of the reporter, inspecting damage and whatnot. People tend to draw conclusions, sir. You can’t change the human condition.”

“Heh. I sort of wish I could.”

“Mr. President” said a voice from the door to the Cabinet Room, “I need to talk to you.” It was Ann Richards, looking less boisterous and confident than usual.

“Can it wait for a few minutes, Ann?”

“I’d rather discuss it now. Right now.”

“Alright. Ron, give us a quick second.” The President pulled himself away from his political posse and stood before Richards in the doorway. “What is it, Ann? After this, I’ve got to meet with Tim over at the Treasury. Hurricane Katrina really gutted us. You know it’s the one of the costliest cyclones on record? Nearly $80billion! [5]”

“This’ll take more than a second,” Richards replied. “You got a minute?”

Jackson turned his head. “Ron?”

Daniels held up his Dell Stratus, the latest cellular calendar/phone device deemed secure enough for Presidential personnel to use. “Army Corps of Engineers congratulations bit. The people are waiting.”

The President looked at Richards and then back at Daniels. “Two minutes?”

Daniels groaned, “Alright. I’ll introduce you with a summary speech. But be quick, please.”

The Secretary of State and her boss entered the Cabinet Room. The door remained open and the Secret Service detail stood in the doorway while the rest of the entourage went on ahead. Jackson looked again at Richards; she seemed atypically low-energy, and kept looked down or very far away. “What’s wrong?” Jesse asked curiously, “Something tells me this ain’t a diplomatic thing.”

“No, I’m afraid it’s not. I’m very afraid, in fact.” Richards let out a small, almost-bitter chuckle. “You know how Jim McGovern keeps saying that the smoking will end up killing me?”

Jackson’s eyes widened, and he soon found himself shaking his head slightly. “No.”

Richards nodded solemnly. “Esophageal cancer. I just got the diagnosis [6].” Her sigh was shaky. “I really shouldn’t be surprised. Smoking like a chimney and drinking like a fish for half your life will do it to you. To anybody, in fact.”

Jackson ignored the levity. “So what now?”

“I’m going to need to seek some treatment for this. And with China and Russia in disarray and India barely backing away from the brink of oblivion...”

“Ann, if you have to resign, I completely understand.”

Ann blurted out. “I don’t have the time to beat around bushes, Jesse, not anymore, so I’ll just come right out with it. I don’t want to resign, but the doctors say it’d be in my own best interest.”

“I’ll be sad to see you go.”

Ann began, but speak, but just said, “Oh…” and made a polite dismissive hand-wave gesture.

“Really. I know we had some ups and downs during the primaries five years ago, and more at other times since then, but – ”

“Jesse, this is one of those times when you do not need to give a sermon or a lecture or a speech!” Ann exclaimed. She then let out another angry sigh, angry at the diagnosis, angry at her earlier and long-time habits. But then she breathed in deeply, and gave a reconciling sort of addendum. “I know what you want to say, Jesse. And thanks.”

“Ann, I have to say thanks. You helped me out these past five years more so than you’ll ever know.”

She smirked, “Actually, I kind of do, Jesse. I was kind of around here a lot, ya know.”

The President gave his retiring Secretary of State a sincere and sympathetic smile before heading back down the hallway.

“…and without any further delay – I mean adieu – here’s the President,” Daniels left the podium to thank Jackson’s hand. Before pulling away, Jackson noted to his Chief of Staff. “Remember, Ron – the human condition’s more complicated than any TV coverage.”

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



HOUSTON MAYOR DERIDED FOR HANDLING OF EVACUATION PROCEDURES

…the logistics of evacuating tens of thousands of residents living in flood zones and most at risk during emergencies (children, the elderly, the disabled, etc.) were not planned out efficiently enough to avoid or at least minimize the deaths and highly congested traffic conditions that accompanied evacuation, critics claim…

– The Austin American-Statesman, Texas-based daily newspaper, 9/27/2005



SENATE PASSES HOUSE-APPROVED “RITA RELIEF” BILL, BANKRUPTCY ABUSE PREVENTION BILL, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL IN BUSY WEEK FOR D.C.!

– The Washington Post, 9/28/2005



HARMAN LEADS LABOUR TO YET ANOTHER VICTORY!

…Incumbent Prime Minister Harriet Harman (Labour) won a term of her own over Ken Clarke (Conservative) and Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrats), with the United Kingdom Intrepid Progressive Party losing two of its five seats under the leadership of Bernadette Devlin McAlister. Three other minor parties received one seat each, while indeendent candidate Peter Law won a seat in an upset…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 30/9/2005



ANN RICHARDS STEPS DOWN AS SECRETARY OF STATE, CITING “PERSONAL REASONS” FOR SUDDEN EXIT

– The Washington Post, 10/1/2005



…Scientific studies were still reporting that China was the leading contributor to greenhouse gases, ahead of amounts produced by the US, the EU, Russia and India. As a result of mounting calls from environmentalist groups, US President Jesse Jackson, by the end of his fifth year in office, was joining the international community, if not leading it at times, in multinational condemnation against the Chinese government’s “irresponsible” behavior toward efforts to lessen if not reverse the effects of Global Climate Disruption. While Jackson’s own “go-green” initiatives were not as “bold” (or “authoritarian,” depending on who one asks) as those of UK Prime Ministers John Lennon and Harriet Harman, his calls for more accountability on the world stage was a positive for scientists and activists. On the other hand, the rhetoric only worsened relations between the West and the PRC, which were still shaky ever since the start of the SARS global pandemic in 2002...

– Carl Krosinsky’s Modern China: A Complex Recent History, Borders Books, 2020



On October 7, Xavier Johannsson, a 21-year-old African-American from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with mild behavioral issues, was arrested after trying to climb the White House fence with a knife held between his teeth. Johannsson gave false information about his identity, including his name, age, address, and even race, to the Secret Service during questioning, despite officers finding his ID on his person when he was arrested. A study of his activities on the technet revealed his posts on several discussion forums in which he “condemn[ed]” the President, saying “Jesse betrayed his own skin…he prefers helping Puerto Ricans and Jews over Blacks.” Johannsson was found not guilty on an insanity plea and sentenced to a mental health facility in 2006…

– Mel Ayton’s Hunting The President: Threats, Plots, and Assassination Attempts, Barnes & Noble Press, 2020 edition



…Earlier today, Prime Minister Harriet Harman succeeded in working with parliament to deregulate authority for licensing gambling, moving the responsibility for that subject matter from magistrate’s courts to local authorities via the Gambling Act of 2005. However, despite the bill seemingly opposing large government, this is only at glance, for the bill also tightens regulation on online gambling…

– BBC News, 13/10/2005 broadcast



STATE SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF NORTH PLATTE

…the court determined that employees can be fired for refusing to perform the “primary function” of their occupation regardless of said employee’s moral reservations. The decision could have major ramification for city employment laws…

– The Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska newspaper, 10/15/2005



…Bo Xilai soon began updating China’s military, commissioning the construction of more warships, and increasing funds for the military’s cyber warfare department and the PRC’s Air Force. …Jackson’s efforts to dismantle the US’s own nuclear stockpiles as well as the supplies found in other countries made Bo consider building up their own in secret, but ultimately backed away from the idea after considering what had happened to the land no longer called North Korea. Instead, Bo permitted the purchasing of old Russian tankers and former NK military weapons, and, additionally, increased China’s weapons trading with African countries such as Somalia, Eritrea, and Botswana...

– Carl Krosinsky’s Modern China: A Complex Recent History, Borders Books, 2020



UN AMBASSADOR KENNETH H. BACON SWORN IN AS NEW US SECRETARY OF STATE; U.K. Ambassador Harvey Gantt To Get Bacon’s U.N. Gig

– The Washington Post, 10/22/2005



ILLINOIS BECOMES 25TH STATE TO APPROVE D.C. STATEHOOD AMENDMENT

– The Chicago Tribune, 10/26/2005



“It’s very telling how quickly Democratic-majority state legislatures are approving the DC statehood amendment, while I got the National Initiative Amendment through the House and the Senate over two years ago, and it still needs ten more states to be ratified. Even more telling is the fact that only Democratic-controlled states have signed off on the DC amendment, which gives the Democrats even greater partisan power, while of the 28 states that have approved the NIA, which gives more control of the law and government to the people, 15 are Republican-controlled.”

– US Senator Mike Gravel (D-CA), 10/27/2005



“Okay. Let’s make this quick. I’m very busy today. Lots of thing to do, lots of thing, let me tell you, so many, many things.”

“Alight, so I guess I’ll just skip over thanking you for letting me pitch this idea to you?”

“No, you can do that.”

“Thank you, that’s very great of you, ha! You are a great business-making man.”

“I know, I know. You can thank my smarts for my being so talented. I have the best talents, more talents than most.”

“Ha, your smarts are going to love this idea then. It’s so good, it smarts. I have idea for you. Picture this – a movie, or movie trilogy – ”

“So one or three movies”

“ – or two, maybe three – and it’s about you and me as captains of industry, big successful men – ”

“Sounds like non-fiction so far.”

“ – only for us to have to fight off a cult leader with a zombie followers who do attack at our rich places. We’re at it, we fight off them, show off how well we can act. We win. We’re the heroic heroes and we are saving the day.”

“Interesting. How much would it cost to make?”

“Well that’s why you’re in it, because despite my genius opus of The Room, I’m not made of gold, but your buildings are, so I think you could help fund it a bit. I cannot fund it alone. I cannot. I come to you because I heared you are the best.”

“I am the best.”

“And this is a best offer and if you don’t like it I’ll have to offer it to someone else who’s rich.”

“Hmm, this could be a tax write-off thingy.”

“See, that is why you are the businessing man!”

“You’re right about that, and we could film it at some of my properties – it would be free advertising! Yeah!”

“It could go a long way.”

“Is anyone else involved in this?”

“Uh, you mean if other famous people are acting in it?”

“Yeah, I think it.”

“Uh, Skeet Ulrich said no, George Clooney’s agent won’t return my calls, and I couldn’t contact Kathy Ireland. Her house has too big a fence. Very in-inviting. But you know something, Donald? We don’t need them. They’re too expensive to pay anyway.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Besides, if it’s a movie about us, we should be the main focus of it.”

“Very smart.”

“That’s right, I am. You’ve done your research on me for this meeting, I like that.”

“You’re my favorite businessing man. Hi Donald.”

“Alright, contribute to the budget. I’ll have to run it by my tax guys, my, uh, my accountant, agents, and uh, my other money guys, but yeah, I’m definitely on board for this. This could be very good for both of our careers.”

“I think we’re expected to make a lot of money on this.”

“I’m looking forward to hearing that, Tommy.”

“Yes, Donald, and that’s a promise!”

– transcript of audio recording of office meeting at Trump Sunrise Tower, Santa Monica, CA; recorded 10/29/2005 and leaked 12/17/2018



THE DOCTOR IS IN!: Hamburg Beats Catsimatidis In Landslide

…Dr. Margaret Ann “Peg” Hamburg, age 50, was a leading public health figure during the pandemic, as the SARS virus ravaged New York City while Mayor Castimatidis did little to curb it. …In mid-2002, Castimatidis came under intense scrutiny for proclaiming, “I’m not going to force people to do what is necessary for them to do to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. People can use common sense and their own judgement to make those kind of decisions for themselves, instead of demanding their politicians treat them like babies and tell them what they can and can’t do.” Tonight, the voters of New York City voiced their disagreement on this policy.

…Hamburg, an award-winning physician, was Bellamy-appointed Health Commissioner for NYC from 1989 to 2001, was the US Undersecretary of Health and Welfare for Planning and Evaluation from 2001 to 2003, and was the Commissioner of the FDA from 2003 until earlier this year, when city Democrats successfully drafted her into running against incumbent Mayor Castimatidis…

– The New York Times, 11/8/2005



CODEY WINS FULL TERM IN LANDSLIDE

…Acting Governor Richard J. Codey has been in office since October 2003, when Governor J. P. O’Neill resigned for a position in the Jackson administration. Codey, as the state’s Senate Majority Leader since 1996, previously served as Acting Governor from 1997 to 1998, after Governor Maryanne Trump-Giuliani resigned for a judicial appointment, and again from 1999 to 2002, after Governor Richard Pucci resigned over a scandal. After giving a well-received speech at the 2004 DNC, the state Democratic Party finally convinced Codey to run for a term of his own. …The election tonight saw the selection of the Garden State’s first-ever lieutenant governor: Codey’s running mate, state Secretary of Education and former School Superintendent Joe Louis Clark of Paterson. Codey/Clark won over the Republican ticket (former Jersey City Mayor Bret D. Schundler and his running mate, state assemblyman Paul DiGaetano) by a margin of over ten percent, with the Green party ticket Green (former state assemblyperson Joan Little and her running mate, activist Matthew Thieke), receiving roughly 2.5% of the vote…

– The Daily Record, New Jersey newspaper, 11/8/2005



BLACK BISHOP E. W. JACKSON WINS GOVERNOR’S RACE!

…in one of a small handful of Republican victories tonight, E. W. Jackson (R), an African-American Baptist bishop, bested former national DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe by a margin of roughly 2.5%... Jackson, a longtime critic of Jesse Jackson who initially backed James Meredith in last year’s primaries before stumping for Goetz, and wants to see the US “move closer and return to the embrace of God,” will be the second African-American to serve as Governor of Virginia, with Harrison Wilson Jr. (D), who served from 1982 to 1986, being the first…

– The Bristol Herald Courier, Virginia newspaper, 11/8/2005



…We can now call one of tonight’s special congressional elections. In South Carolina, state Attorney General and former state Labor Commissioner Mike Thurmond of the Democratic Party has defeated incumbent appointee Strom Thurmond Jr. of the Republican Party. The incumbent appointee campaigned heavily, with his older sister Nancy Moore Thurmond being a crowd favorite on the campaign trail, but ultimately, Strom Junior has lost by a margin of roughly three percent. The victor, Mike Thurmond, a graduate of the University of South Carolina’s School of Law who served in the state’s General Assembly from 1987 to 1999, will become the first African-American Senator from The Palmetto State…

– CBS Evening News, 11/9/2005



…Counter to the generally pro-Democrat results of the night, the GOP won back one Senate seat in a landslide, allowing them to break even in that chamber. The win was in Mississippi’s US Senate special election, where incumbent appointee Erik Fleming lost by a 20% margin to former State Auditor of Mississippi Patrick H. “Pete” Johnson, a former Democrat who is the grandson of former Mississippi Governor Paul B. Johnson Sr.…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power And The Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



TWO MORE STATES VOTE “YEA” ON N.I.A. IN REFERENDUMS

– The Washington Post, 11/12/2005



PM HARMAN HOSTS MEETING BETWEEN ALLIES IN CONGO WAR

…hoping to form a united front against human rights violations intensifying in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Heads of State from Tanzania, Zambia, and Uganda met with Prime Minister Harman during a conference in London for members of the OACPS (Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States) to find “the best [and] most pragmatic” approach to the continuing crisis…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 21/11/2005



HARLAND MORRISON ADAMS (11/26/1932-11/29/2005, age 73) [7]

Merritt Island, FL – Harland Morrison Adams of Snowmass, Colorado has passed away at the age of 73. Adams, the son of the late Margaret Sanders and the grandson of former US President Harland “Colonel” Sanders, had played a prominent role in the expansion of KFC locations in the southeastern US during the 1960s and 1970s, and later served as a regional manager at KFC, overseeing 100 franchise outlets across the Rocky Mountains. Adams also co-founded and co-operated Lyftoff, a ski equipment rental business, and served on the board of directors of several companies. He is survived by his wife Donna, his children Rhett and Tiffany, and his siblings Josephine Wurster and Trigg Adams...

– usarightnow.co.usa/obituaries/11_29_2005



STATE LEGISLATURE VOTES “YEA” ON FEDERAL NATIONAL INITIATIVE AMENDMENT

– The Louisville Courier, Kentucky newspaper, 12/4/2005



OVER 1,000 TUTSIS KILLED IN D.R.CONGO MASSACRE; JACKSON CONDEMNS CARNAGE, SETS TO IMPOSE MORE SANCTIONS

– The New York Times, 12/11/2005



…Harold Charles “Hal” Turner, b. 1962, is a former far-right political commentator and convicted felon from New Jersey. He is a supporter and promoter of various conspiracy theories ranging from Holocaust denial to “the Vril.” In 2007, he was tried for and convicted of attempting to hire someone to assassinate President Jesse Jackson. On December 16, 2005, Turner met with an alleged professional hitman and handed him $50,000 in cash, telling him “you’ll get the second half when the job’s done.” Upon getting clarification that he wanted the President “dead,” FBI agents filled the room and the alleged hitman revealed himself to be an undercover FBI agent. In court, Turner first confessed to the planned hit, and that he had forgotten to pat down the hitman to see if he was wearing a wire. However, Turner soon after retracted the statement, claiming that the police had forced him to sign the confession, and that he knew the man was an undercover agent and was “just testing him.” After nearly two years of litigation, Turner began his 20-year prison term for it on December 2007…

– Mel Ayton’s Hunting The President: Threats, Plots, and Assassination Attempts, Barnes & Noble Press, 2020 edition



…I had had enough of the multiple several years of atrocious governing practices spewing forth from Sacramento. First under Brown, then Rohrabacher, then Burton, and now Cook. Each raised taxes on the wrong people, inhibited our God-given freedoms with anti-productive rules and made a mockery out of The Golden State, a nickname that seemed to be becoming increasing ironic with each passing year. It didn’t matter who was serving in that Italianate eyesore they call the governor’s mansion, for the results were still the same: high taxes for the successful, restrictions on small-business enterprise, abortion-on-demand, and favoring drugged-out wannabe scriptwriters over our state’s brave police officers.

Naturally, I had fought back against such injustices before, defending our sensible laws and calling out the elitists guarding the unbalanced establishment for bordering on totalitarianism to a level far too close for my taste. I lambasted the state’s leadership’s qualities, castigating the value they seemed to have placed onto certain human lives and onto others. But I felt that I needed to do more than just stand on the sidelines.

When I announced my bid for the Republican nomination for California governor, the media didn’t know what to make of it. Of course, actors such as Ronald Reagan and George Murphy had joined CAGOP and sought public office before, but the news still came as a surprise to some of the media hellhounds who suddenly found me to be quite the interest stalking subject. While some thought it was an “unusual” publicity stunt – perhaps an attempt to garner attention before auditioning for a political drama of some kind – other dismissed it as an attempt to garner attention for the race and its “real” candidates, or even as an attempt to spend enough of my own money to avoid paying more in taxes.

But I was serious. And everyone watching soon learned just how serious I was with my bid…

– Kelsey Grammer’s second autobiography “So Far, So Good,” Dutton Press, 2021



“Hey, uh, Jesse?”

“Yeah?”

“Did Junior seem… off to you today?”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean he’s really been sulking a lot. He was ranting about having difficulty getting into the groove of the new law firm office culture during his visit earlier today, and it just seemed odd.”

“Um, why? He’s trying to adjust to a new job. We both know what that’s like.”

“But just the other day he was happy as a lark! All smiles, the whole shebang.”

“He was probably just in a good mood. Maybe he landed a big client. I’ll ask him the next time I talk to him.”

“I don’t know, Jesse.”

“Listen. Paul. People are allowed to have off days.”

“But that off?”

“Paul, just come right out and say it, huh?”

“It’s not my place to say. He’s your son, you’d know if he was…okay, you know? I mean, has he been taking medication for something. Because that could be the reason for the ups and downs, maybe.”

“Listen, there’s nothing wrong with my son. I’m his father, I should know.”

“Hey, I said it’s not my place. Don’t mean to pry. Sorry.”

“No problem.”

“But you’ll talk to him?”

“As soon as I personally see something is, ‘off,’ as you put it.”

“Fair enough.”

– White House security camera audio recording, c. December 2005



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S):
[1] Which was covered all the way back in TTL’s May 1967 (see Chapter 26 for more details)!
[2] Based on Wikipedia’s stats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina. The storm is slightly smaller than in OTL (OTL’s Katrina had a max wind speed of 175mph) because of the anti-GCD efforts of TTL’s past two decades (Dinger ratifying that treaty in 1996, no presidents dismissing anti-GCD reports, etc.)!
[3] Most deaths in OTL (between 1,200 and 1,800) occurred due to the levees breaking, which didn’t (exactly) happen here.
[4] Who? This guy!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hazelwood
[5] The cost is much lower than OTL’s $125billion due to the New Orleans levee system not breaking down as badly here.
[6] She was diagnosed with it in March 2006 in OTL.
[7] Real person BTW

The next chapter’s E.T.A.: November 5 or November 12

Igeo654 said:
1) OK. So another change that'll probably come from Jesse Jackson being President is that the more subtle or ''weird'' ads of the early and previous decade will get a longer shelf life and become more influential. Like that Xbox Mosquito ad.
2) As for the Boondocks, expect more development for Malcolm Freeman. The MLK episode? That ain't happening.
3) I do see one where he meets President Jackson and starts down the road to becoming more optimistic as a result.
4) Plus, without 9/11, Fire Coming out of The Monkey's head by Gorillaz is probably gonna be more about the SARS Epidemic if it's gonna be about anything. I wouldn't mind seeing it replace El Mañana as one of the top singles on the Demon Days album TBH.
5) Speaking of music, did Eminem ever got round to doing a cover of Stan with Freddie Mercury?

6) Also, 52 states? There's a flag for that. ^^

Click to expand...

1) Interesting; I'll look those up
2) I agree.
3) Consider it canon!
4) I'll look them up and I'll cover the music scene of the aughts in either the 2006 chapter or the 2007 chapter
5) Excellent question; I'll discuss that collab in either the next chapter or the one after that
6) Yes, and at the moment, the flag has 51 stars, but not for very long!

Kennedy Forever said:
Another great update

Thanks!

Igeo654 said:
Here's another idea. Wouldn't it be interesting if the new state was called Iaccoca in honour of Lee? And I totally support the federal district being simply called ''The Capital.'' Nice sense of minimalism.

I could see it being proposed, but would it gain enough support? Iacocca has little connection to DC or to the statehood movement; I feel like a move to name it after Jesse Jackson or Frederick Douglas would garner more support, at least among locals. I also think that our capital being "The Capital" might not sit well with some. We'll see what happens!

PNWKing said:
Has Dave Ramsey considered entering politics. (OTL, he's a radio show host who lectures on finance.)

I'm not sure. At this point in TTL, he's possibly going to get a gig on the growing The Herring Network. Should he get into politics?

Unknown said:
Never thought I'd see a sane Alex Jones in a TL...

There's a first for everything!

Igeo654 said:
The culture has changed beyond recognition. When we enter the age of Video Sharing and such, nothing will be as we know it. (I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the Y2K Aesthetic movement survived the SARS Pandemic, unlike IOTL post-9/11.) It's inevitable that Jones will be replaced ITTL. By who, I don't know.

I'll look into "the Y2K Aesthetic." And don't worry - so far, without Jones, folks like Rush Limbaugh, Wayne Allen Root, the folks behind THN, and others are filling in that void.

The Congressman said:
What's the supreme Court composition ITTL?

Chief Justice:
Alan Page - Minnesota progressive Democrat - Jackson appointee
Associate Justices:
Sylvia Bacon - left-of-center California Republican often siding with Democrat AJs - Sanders appointee
Miles W. Lord and William Nealon Jr. - liberal Democrats - Mondale appointees
Joseph Tyree Sneed III - hard-c conservative - Denton appointee
Mary Murphy Schroeder - Colorado progressive Democrat - Bellamy appointee
Emilio M. Garza and Larry Dean Thompson - moderate-to-conservative Republicans - Dinger appointees
M. J. Sandel - progressive Democrat - Jackson appointee

Kennedy Forever said:
I have a question how is former President Denton's reputation been considering he had to resign due to a scandal?

Slightly better than Nixon's reputation was, as there was no "it's legal if the president does it" gaffe afterward

 

[gap80]

Post 83: Chapter 91

Chapter 91: January 2006 – October 2006



“There comes a time when the jewels no longer sparkle, when the gold loses its luster, and the throne-room becomes a prison. And the only thing left is a father’s love for his child.”

– King Osric, Conan the Barbarian (1982 film), 57-minute mark (OTL/TTL)



As the aughts came to a close, the continent of Africa was a land of growth and of decline, of stability and of chaos. Nations like Ghana and Senegal were utilizing their national resources while just nearby, nations like Sierra Leone were in shambles. While Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Zambia were signing onto the Free And Democratic Federation of Africa (of FADFA), a loose federation of independent countries aiming “synchronize economies” and work as a united “bloc” on the world stage to benefit all within FADFA, D-R-Congolan politician Moise Katumbi of Katanga was evacuating ethnic minorities being targeted by Maj. Gen. Gabriel Amisi Kumba, the blood-hungry Chief of Staff of the DRCongo Army overseeing government-sanctioned human rights violations and mass executions across the central African nation.

“You know, warfare is becoming increasingly automated,” said the Secretary of Defense. Sitting down across from her boss at a White House meeting in early January 2006, she continued “most aerial bombardments in the DRC could be delivered by drone. Remotely-controlled. No chance of our men getting shot down.”

“The future is now, isn’t it?” The President mulled over his options. With each passing week, more UN forces and various sides of the war were seeing casualty after casualty, and the refugee crisis kept threatening to destabilize neighboring nations.

The Secretary of Defense continued, “By 2016, half of all Army and Air Force procedures will be easily replaceable with ‘killdog’ robots and sky drones. Warfare will become far less deadly for our soldiers.”

“And so warfare will become much more acceptable,” countered the Vice President. “It'll become an easy go-to solution, dehumanized, heartless, and merciless to the innocent. And are you going to note that more traditional forms of organized murder will still plague most nations? Because only for first-world armies will have this kind of technology.”

“Paul, I think in this case, we might have to send in ground troops,” the President said.

“What?!” The Vice President was shocked.

“We both agreed to seek out peace before war. But we’ve have negotiators down there. Hell, even you went down to the border to meet with some of the guerilla leaders. And I’ve teleconferenced with them, too!”

“Yes, so why don’t we continue that?”

“Because we’ve been trying to bring them to the negotiation tables for months now and all we’ve got to show for it is spilled blood. We have to face reality, Paul – these people do not want peace! These despots want to see death envelop their own country, to see only more of their own fellow countrymen lie dead in the streets, their homes burned, their women raped and their children either indoctrinated into their child armies or left to starve to death. You and I have negotiated with people before, but these are no longer people – they’re monsters.”

“I haven’t lost faith in the peace process, Jesse.”

The President snapped, “Don’t try to preach to me about faith, Paul. We’ve tried and tried, but faith and faith alone is not saving these people.” He turned to the Secretary of Defense, “The only thing left for us to do is to use the one thing these monsters run amok understand – firepower.”

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



…Alright, we can now confirm that a major development has unfolded in the political world, as the Tennessee legislature has signed off on the proposed DC statehood amendment. The legislature’s official vote of approval makes Tennessee the 38th state to approve DC statehood amendment, thus ratifying it…

– KNN Breaking News, 1/11/2006 broadcast



Mother-Post: D.C. STATEHOOD QUERY: Do We Now Have Three Washingtons?
So, I have a query...we now have three Washingtons, right? Washington the state, Washington DC the state, and Washington DC the capital?

>REPLY 1:
No, DC’s city council’s planning on adopting a new name for the new state, possibly with the word Washington in it somewhere, while the capital going to become known as just “D.C.” Because the DC in Washington DC stands for District of Columbia, which is the official seat of government. When Washington the city/state splits from the district, the name “Washington, District of Columbia” won’t work/make sense anymore. As the seat of the federal government, the federal district will retain the “DC part” while the new state will likely edit or reject the Washington part they get to keep because there’s already a Washington state, and it’d just be too confusing to have two states with the same name.

>REPLY 2:
Yeah, I’m also confused by all of this. Which amendment will this be anyway? In fact, how many do we already have?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
We have 29, and that count includes ones that have since been repealed. The 23rd Amendment was ratified in 1961, and granted “the seat of the federal government,” a.k.a., D.C., three votes in the Electoral College. The 24th amendment was ratified a year later, and prohibits the revocation of voting rights due to non-payment of a poll tax or any other kind of tax. The 25th amendment was ratified in 1967 and lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The 26th amendment was ratified during Colonel Sanders’ second term, and it adjusted the Presidential line of succession to place the congress leaders ahead of the cabinet members. The 27th amendment was the ERA, which was ratified in 1975, and the 28th was the BBA, which was ratified in 1990. The 29th Amendment was some small thing that had been on the books for two hundred years; it delays laws effecting congress’s salaries from taking effect until after the next election occurs or something like that, and it was finally ratified in 1992. This means that the DC Statehood Amendment will be the 30th, and Mike Gravel’s NIA will probably become the 31st.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
Maybe for the 32nd amendment we can extend representation to the remaining US territories like Guam, the Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands by passing another amendment similar to #23. Only it’s a group/collective thing, with 3 electoral votes for all of them, because of their small populations. Or maybe 1 E.V., or 1 representative, each, for each territory?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
That could work, Maybe

>REPLY 2 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
I’m surprised they didn’t attach the Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico jurisdiction and have both territories join as one state.

>REPLY 3 (mother-post maker):
So…When will it become a state?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:
Probably at the same time the last several states have entered the union in the past – on Independence Day, ironically…

– ahdiscussionboard.co.usa/chat, thread opened 1/12/2006



JACKSON DOUBLES NUMBER OF U.S. “ADVISORY PERSONNEL” IN THE D.R.C. HOURS AHEAD OF U.N. VISIT

…responding assertively to the armed civil conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is being informally dubbed “The Second African World War” due to several countries outside of Africa becoming involved in the conflict in some form or another, Jackson plans to address the international concern at the UN early tomorrow…

– The Washington Post, 1/13/2006



“…Earlier today at the United Nations, President Jackson formally requested a multinational military-based alliance, containing the U.S., France, the UK, Canada, and other countries, to defend ethnic Tutsi minorities being ethnically cleansed in eastern provinces of the DRC. Such a collection of countries is being compared to the Alliance of American and South Korean forces that toppled the Kim Dynasty in what once was North Korea, but possibly of a much smaller scale…”

– CBS Evening News, 1/14/2006 broadcast



CONGRESS NARROWLY AUTHORIZES THE USE OF “RESTRAINED FORCE” IN THE D.R.C.

– The New York Times, 1/17/2006



“I do consider myself an internationalist, but that’s different from being an interventionist. I don’t like it when I see the body bags coming back. An air strike is maybe something a little different, to project U.S. military power, and libertarians do believe in a very strong defense, so rattling the saber from time to time is not a bad thing. But U.S. land wars, it’ll be a cold day in July before I could think of a U.S. land war that was worth starting.” [1]

– US Senator William Floyd “Bill” Weld (R-MA), opposing the notion of sending US ground forces to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1/18/2006



“I understand why Jesse’s doing this, but that doesn’t make me any less disappointed in him.”

– US Senator Mike Gravel (D-CA), 1/19/2006



“He couldn’t even go for five full years before turning to warfare! Jesse’s corrupt and in bed with the military-industrial complex like all the rest of them!”

– Former US Senator Peter Diamondstone (LU-VT), 1/20/2006



SENATOR TO D.C.: “Let Them Get Their Own Name!”

…Conservative US Senator Spencer Bachus (R-AL) took to the Senate chamber floor today to publicly announce his opposition to the increasingly-discussed proposal of “Washington, D.C.” going from being the name of the official capital territory to being the name of a new state. “This new state, a special city-state you could call it, should not deprive the federal district of its own label, which is a major part of its two centuries of history. If DC Washingtonians want independence from federal protection and the benefits of its current political situation, they should prove it by choosing a new name for themselves and letting the rest of the US states still have a national capital named ‘Washington, D.C.’”…

– The San Francisco Chronicle, 1/21/2006


LET THEM HAVE WASHINGTON: Why We Should Change Our Own State’s Name

…Washington state’s founders originally wanted to name the new state “Columbia” after the Columbia River, only for Congress to deny the proposed name over concerns that too many people would confuse it with the District of Columbia. Their argument was rendered moot, though, with their own name pick of Washington, after President George Washington, which has led to too many people confusing us for “Washington, D.C.”… Personally, I like the idea of creating a sense of transnational unity by us adopting the name “West Washington (State)” and them adopting the name “East Washington (State)”… Other possible new names for ourselves: “Evergreen,” “Nova,” “New Albion,” “Nueva Galicia,” and “Tahoma,” which have all been proposed in the past... A more “hipster” selection would be “Ecotopia,” which is a reference to a 1970s book about an eco-friendly utopia established in the American northwest… However, the name that would catch on more than any other would most likely be “Cascadia.” Already a fairly popular name for describing our corner of the continent, the name already has its own a flag, a tricolor of blue, white and green with a Douglas fir in the middle. …Nothing says “Washington,” and regional independence and identity, like “Ol’ Doug”!

– journalist and political analyst Knute Berger [2], The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/23/2006 op-ed



…In January 2006, the Mexican stock market saw its biggest expansion in 12 years, signaling a return of economic prosperity. “A glimmer of hope of something thought to be long-since dead in Mexico: genuine economic stability,” as then-President Moctezuma later put it, seemed to be on the horizon…

– Lynnette Sánchez-Foster’s A Brief History of Modern Mexico, Santa Fe Publishing, 2019



JACKSON SIGNS CONTROVERSIAL STEM CELL RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT BILL INTO LAW [3]

...multiple religious groups oppose the granting of federal funding for stem cell research on the grounds of it being sacrilegious and offensive to human dignity. More prominent reasons for the bill passing so narrowly were medical and financial in nature. For example, the US House Financial Chair expressed concern that the economic recovery could not cover the additional funds without turning the US’s current (and slim) national surplus into a national deficit. The risk of experimental therapies being harmful to human subjects, at a time when scientists are still working on a SARS vaccine in similar manners, led to scientific groups either supporting or opposing the bill for similar reasons…

– The Washington Post, 1/27/2006



LOUISVILLE MAYOR ANNOUNCES RUN FOR CONGRESS

…Jerry Abramson (D), the Mayor of Louisville since 1994, is foregoing re-election in 2007 to instead run for a US Congressional seat being vacated this year. Abramson, who has been commended by Democrats like Governor Galbraith and Republicans like Congressman Massie for improving his city’s standards of living and employment conditions, is running on a diverse platform. The issues his candidacy is focusing on match the accomplishments of his time in office. Abramson credits his four “Rs” (research, risk-taking, regionalism and revitalization) for bringing more high-tech, high-wage jobs to Louisville, especially biomedical and healthcare fields that already make up a large part of the region’s economy and employment base. As Mayor, Abramson has also expanded “regional involvement” by working “with city communities on economic development, transportation, land use and workforce training,” according to his netsite “to build up homegrown businesses and back entrepreneurship”...

– The Advocate-Messenger, Kentucky newspaper, 1/29/2006



“Humanitarianism is not a state of mind, but a real and functional part of the American society that is only growing as the years go by. Throughout the history of the United States, there have always been supporters of policies meant to bring stability and prosperity to all Americans instead of just those at the top. To shorten the divide between those at the top and those at the bottom. There was the Free Soilers, the Homestead Acts, Huey Long’s Share The Wealth movement, Jack Kemp’s ZEDs, Bellamycare, and the civil rights and equal rights reforms of the past sixty years. But there is still more that can be done to help all Americans everywhere not just obtain stability and prosperity, but keep that stability and prosperity as well, and to help it grow to give this generation a better standard of living, and to give the next generations of Americans an even brighter future ahead of them. With that in mind, with the three years left of this administration, our goal must be to improve upon these humanitarian movements and actions of the present and of yesteryear.”

– President Jesse Jackson’s State of the Union Address, 1/31/2006



…In international news, Canadian Prime Minister Maureen McTeer was won a second term, carrying the Progressive Liberal Alliance to victory over Belinda Stronach of the anemic Progressive Conservative Party, Pauline Marois of the Quebec Party, and Michaelle Jean of the descending Maple party, in a race that saw the top four parties all be led by women…

– CBS Evening News, 2/2/2006 broadcast



CHAMPIONS! Cleveland Browns Win Super Bowl XL!

– The Columbus Dispatch, 2/5/2006



JACKSON SIGNS ENERGY POLICY BILL INTO LAW

…The new Energy Policy Act of 2006 aims to combat recent renewable energy investment shortcomings by providing tax incentives and federal loan guarantees for energy production of various types. The generous legislation also increases regulation policies for major companies via a “damage possibility” bracket system. Essentially, the bigger the company, the bigger the regulation, especially when it comes to utility companies. …Two Democratic members of the Congressional Budget Office opposed an earlier version of the bill, leading to several aspects of the legislation being scaled back in order to avoid inhibiting “small business innovation”…

– The Washington Post, 2/9/2006



…The GOP push for stronger immigration restrictions in response to congress’s massive immigration detail reform bill proposal only gained momentum and support among a plurality of Republican Congresspersons. The movement’s hard-c conservative roots put it at odds with moderate RNC chair John Dinger. C.C.s in the party were angry not only at Dinger for opposing the move, but also at moderate and libertarian GOP legislators who sought to bargain with the Democrats rather than to simply oppose them. However, discussions across the aisle was what led to the simplifying of state-to-state car/transportation insurance transfers, a win for libertarians in the GOP. This support from libertarians in exchange for their bill made for there being enough people (lobbyists, state governments, and lawmakers, mostly) backing the immigration bill for it to receive majority approval in the House before the committee review process had even fully begun…

– Julian E. Zelizer and David F. Emery’s Burning Down The House, Penguin Publishing Group, 2020



U.S. PEACEKEEPING FORCES ARRIVE IN UGANDA, THE BASE OF ANTI-GENOCIDE U.N. OPERATIONS IN THE D.R.C.

…The people of the war-torn African country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo struggle to live as rebel guerillas detonate cam bombs and government-allied militias slaughter ethnic minorities. …American President Jesse Jackson’s Secretary of Defense Claudia Kennedy, who urges “productive, efficient and constructive intervention” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, played a role in convincing Jackson to enter the US into a UN-led peacekeeping force alliance focused on combating the atrocities of the DRC’s ruling regime…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 13/2/2006



RED, WHITE AND GOLD: Shaun White Victorious As U.S.A. Contest Sweep Continues

…The Winter Olympics in Budapest, Hungary began on the tenth and will conclude on the 26th…

– The San Diego Union-Tribune, 2/14/2006



“…Today, in the nation’s capital, the Washington, D.C. City Council has announced two major decisions. After private voting was unanimous on both counts, the council has announced that a citywide referendum [4] will be held this November to determine what the federal district’s new name will be when it becomes a state. Until then, the council has voted on a placeholder name. Between D.C. becoming a state in July and its citizens choosing a name in November, the unique political entity will be known as, quote, ‘The State of Washington, Douglass Community’…”

– TON News, 2/15/2006 broadcast



“I should have talked to someone about how I was feeling. I was feeling hopeless, I was withdrawn and moody to Michelle and to my children, and I felt tired all the time. After the mental health reforms of the mid-1990s, I should have recognized the symptoms. I am to blame for that.

I don’t remember it the way it actually happened. But that’s not surprising, given the circumstances, however known or unknown they were at the time. All I can say with certainty was that I didn’t feel like myself in those days. I was having trouble at work; I was exhausted and hostile. Just a few days before, Yusef had tried to get me out of my “funk,” as he called it. He wanted me to go salmon fishing. I said no. “But you love salmon fishing!” I remember him exclaiming. And this was true; I’ve been fishing for years, and never before had I turned down an opportunity to partake in the pastime without having any good reason for doing so.

And then later that month, on that infamous day, well, I was in even worse shape. It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, for each of us. I was just trying to get back to my car so I could go home and sleep, the time of day be damned. And this paparazzi fellow, this Hollywood Reporter-like employee of some garbage Chicago tabloid, without consideration for other people’s personal space, as if the SARS pandemic had not occurred merely two years ago, descended upon me. Whether or not his flurry of questions were as intense as I remember them being, the fact is that he was bothering me, and I made it known – verbally, at first. I told him “no comment” again and again, but he would not let up, following me to my car with his recorder, jabbing me with queries and inquiries, interrogating me like I was on trial. I know now what he was asking, but at the time I saw as him being invasive; I remember him being negative and hostile.

According to the recording, he never asked me “Why are you such a loser?” He never even said something phonetically similar to it. But in my state of mind I thought he did. And at the comment, I snapped. I had a public meltdown of sorts. With blind rage I turned around and I tackled the man, and before I realized it my fists were going up and down, dancing on his face. I’m a former college football running back and I was weighing in at just over 230 pounds at the time. I’m also a martial arts enthusiast – I’ve practiced karate, tae kwon do and kung fu in the past during my spare time. With those skills combined with the state of my psyche, it’s no wonder I broke so much of his face - two black eyes and broken nose and a dislocated jaw - and cracked a rib bone. But at the time, when the ambulance arrived, I thought it was for me; and when the police arrived, I thought they had come for the paparazzo. But the opposite was true. I had committed assault and battery, and I needed to go to jail.

It did not matter who I was. But apparently, what I shouted as they put me in the back of the car was “Don’t you know who I am? I’m the President’s son.” I don’t remember saying that, but it’s right there on the thankfully-still-not-released-to-the-public body cam footage. Much to my shame.”

– Jesse Jackson Jr., 2016 interview



The President received word of his son’s arrest within the hour, and was positively outraged. Initially believing it to be a “frame-job” or some sort, the Commander-in-Chief phoned the Chicago precinct and was soon in contact with his son.

According to his Vice President, Junior told Senior “don’t worry about me, you have bigger problems on your plate,” or something to this affect. Junior then hung up the phone.

“Junior!” the President bellowed into the dead receiver.

White House Communications Director Betty Magness was the first of the President’s inner circle to speak up. “Alright, damage control time. Nobody leak a word of this to the press until we have enough facts to explain what just went down, got it?”

Press Secretary Pam Watkins nodded, “And I’ll work on what to say when the press catch wind of this on their own.”

“Christ, a f*cking tabloid reporter,” Counselor to the President Kevin Alexander Gray thought aloud.

“Mr. President,” Chief of Staff Ron Daniels poked his head into the room. “The cabinet’s ready and waiting for you, sir.”

Above: President Jackson, deep in thought; photograph undated.

“Mr. President?” Daniels repeated.

Jackson broke his thousand-mile-type stare at the phone and looked over at the door, then around the room. For the first time in years, the President seemed completely irresolute. Confused and at a loss for what to do or even what to say, he looked at his adviser, Kevin Gray.

“Jesse,” Gray asked. “What do you want to do?”

“I…I don’t –”

“Don’t think about what’s best to do, Jesse. Put the PR spin, imaging, everything, put it all aside. Just think about your son.”

“We’ve got a lot of subjects to cover in this cabinet meeting, sir,” Daniels reminded his boss, somewhat interrupting Gray.

“Jesse,” Gray continued. “Just think about your son.” He paused. “What do you want to do?”

The President answered. “I want to see my son. I need to see him.”

“Alright, Mr. President,” said Gray. “Ron, reschedule the cabinet meeting and get Air Force One ready.”

[snip]

Upon Jesse Junior’s wife Michelle posting bail, Jesse Junior immediately volunteered for a complete physical and mental health checkup. That is how his bipolar disorder was finally diagnosed.

Studies report that some victims of bipolar disorder have expressed concern over memory impairment during mood shifts. Swinging between two emotional poles, depression and mania, bipolar II disorder is much milder than disorder I disorder. The two Jesses sighed in relief at that. But the good news did not outweigh the bad news.

The reporter (later identified as Kevin Parker, b. 1967, who, ironically, had his own history of abrasive behavior and the occasional violent outburst) was suing for a host of damages, ranging from actual to fabricated. Jesse was willing to settle out of court, but the reporter was not. As a result, the litigation began…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



…American media initially covered the incident with neutral curiosity as the pieces of the story slowly became available. At first, there was condemnation for Junior’s assault putting a reporter in the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries from most outlets. But after the revelation of Junior’s bipolar depression diagnosis, news outlets were split, with many sources being sympathetic to Junior and/or the reporter, while other sources such as The Herring Network promoted a technet-born rumor that the bipolar diagnosis was false; that the White House was perpetrating a cover-up in a way that was illegal…

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



…Is Jesse Jackson Junior using White House funds to keep witnesses of his assault silent? More on this after an interview with the brave news reporter who survived Junior’s onslaught and after a word from our sponsor…

– The Herring Network, 2/25/2006



“If we have to open investigations into the matter to ensure that the White House did not assist Jesse Jackson Junior or his legal team in any way, shape or form, then we will do just that when we reclaim the House this November.”

– House Minority Leader H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC), 2/26/2006



“I feel for Triple-J, you know. I kind of know what he’s going through. He's suffering right now, and he needs support and understanding. Republicans can go f*ck themselves for being so sick and hostile about it. Talking up the violence, downplaying the reason behind it. The only problems they should have, if any, is on how hush-hush the White House, you know, downplayed the incident at the beginning, you know, at first. But, see, the thing is, though, that very behavior is the result of the highly powerful stigma that mental illness has in this country, and it’s only worsened since Iacocca got shot by an unwellian. Now anyone unwell’s given that look. That stare. People have got to stop that. It doesn’t f*cking help, you know?”

– Kurt Cobain, radio interview, 2/27/2006



JESSE JUNIOR BEGINS STAY AT MAYO CLINIC

Jesse Jr. “is suffering from ‘serious depression – deep, deep depression,” a longtime friend of Jesse Junior told KNN a day after meeting with Jackson at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “Jesse is getting the help he needs, and he needs to make that his priority.” The President’s son today began undergoing inpatient treatment for bipolar depression at the famed facility. [5]

Bipolar depression – or in Jesse Junior’s case, bipolar disorder – is a deep, broad, and long-lasting medical condition and a type of mood disorder. According to another source close to the President’s son, exhaustion was initially suspected in Jesse Junior’s case. “He is suffering from a behavioral symptom, and that is depression, which doesn’t allow him to really work to his maximum capacity,” said source explained.

Expecting a long-term recovery and noting that mental illness tends to carry a stigma in the United States, especially due to the assassin of President Iacocca suffering from it to a debatable extent, “it is understandable why Jesse Junior did not initially address the matter in a public forum,” according to a lead doctor at the Mayo Clinic. “In fact, most sufferers of this mental illness don’t want to talk about it, which is unfortunate given that talking significantly helps them get the help and care they need.”

It is currently unclear how Jesse Junior’s stay at the Mayo Clinic will effect courtroom proceedings in Illinois, where the President’s son is expected to stand trial for assault and battery…

– The Baltimore Sun, 3/1/2006



…While his Treasury and Commerce Departments worked with other federal and federal-level officials to try and end off-shore banking, Jackson went after the Federal Reserve: “From now on, under this administration, in order to receive financial assistance from the Federal Reserve, large banks must commit to improving their habits when it comes to lending to creditworthy customers, especially those wanting to open a small business or enterprise”...

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS REFORM BILL PASSES IN HOUSE

…the far-left-leaning legislation will likely pass in the US Senate after the Fourth of July break…

– The Washington Post, 3/5/2006



“…big news coming out of Russia today, as Russian’s space agency has announced that their space probe ‘Curiosity’ has discovered, quote, ‘geysers of a liquid substance,’ unquote, on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, suggesting that water is present there...”

– KNN Breaking News, 3/9/2006 broadcast



JUNIOR: “I remember having to break the news to Michelle and to my siblings. I remember saying to them, ‘Please forget me. I don’t want to be a burden. Let me be.’ I was so humiliated. I wanted no contact from my family during my time at that facility.”

INTERVIEWER: “How did you explain the situation to your children?”

JUNIOR: “I couldn’t; Michelle did. I was too embarrassed. I was ashamed; I was catatonic during that period. I didn’t want to be remembered. I didn’t want to be a burden to my children.” [6]

INTERVIEWER: “But your family refused to abandon you.”

MICHELLE: “We could tell that he was in a very dark place, and keeping to yourself only worsens it. You need to talk about what ails you.”

JUNIOR: “I remember the cakes sent over on my birthday. It was March 10, I was turning 41, and this angel here sent me this, like, caravan of cakes for everyone at the facility. Each one had the words ‘You are loved’ written on it in frosting. It was repeated acts of kindness that helped me out at the start. I had wanted to forget them so I could also forget the painful thought of disgracing them. But Michelle and my parents and sibling were certain to remind me of not what I was missing, but of why I wanted to get better, of why I had entered that facility in the first place.”

– Jesse Jackson Jr. and Michelle Robinson Jackson, ABC Morning News, 5/5/2010 broadcast



...in other news, a former co-worker of the reporter that Jesse Jackson Jr. assaulted last month has accused said reporter of sexual pestering…

– CBS Evening News, 3/12/2006



In the ten years that have passed since The Fall of The North, more things had changed for the Korean peninsula than for the members of Kim family. With the people of the Former North no longer believing the Kim family to be living gods, the Kims have very little influence on Korean politics and those who were not put on trial for corruption have maintained low visibility, with nearly all United Koreans wishing to “move on” rather than wonder what they are doing nowadays. So this passage is for those who do wonder.

Kim Yong-ju (b. 1920), the brother of Kim Il-Sung, is living in quiet retirement in Beijing. Kim Jung-Il’s half-brother, Kim Pyong-Il (b. 1954), still lives in Russia, along with Kim Kyong-hui (b. 1946), the only sister of Kim Jung-Il; her husband, former party operative Jang Song-thaek (b. 1946) was inevitably extradited from Moscow back to Korea, where he is a quarter of the way through serving out his sentences for corruption and war crimes. Kim Song-ae (b. 1924), the ex-wife of Kim Il-Sung and the mother of Kim Pyong-Il, reportedly tried to promote her son as the rightful successor to Kim Jung-Il during the final days of the war before fleeing to the Singapore Embassy; in 1999, she was extradited to the Korean peninsula and his halfway through spending ten years in prison for corruption.

Kim Young-sook (b. 1947), the final First Lady of North Korea, was estranged from her husband and had fled to Fiji two weeks before Kim Jung-Il’s demise; she is still there, as the government of United Korea has declined to charge her for corruption in light of merely circumstantial evidence of wrongdoing, her quiet support for reunification, and her denouncing of her ex-husband’s “monstrosity;” instead, she received less serious charges and was instead fined for misuse of funds. Other relatives of the Kim family took up this narrative to avoid prosecution as well. Kim Sol-song (b. 1974), though, was not so fortunate due to her adamant support of the North. As Kim Jung-Il’s daughter and a favorite of her father, Sol-song was overseeing security and scheduling for her father at the start of the war. She was ordered to flee to Beijing to wait and later meet up with her father in Manchuria to continue fighting via a government-in-exile. Instead, shortly after Kim’s death, Sol-song was killed in a friendly fire accident (she was disguised as a Manchurian local and was not initially recognized by fleeing DPRK forces) while she was attempting to re-enter the North in order to proclaim herself the rightful heir. Like the remains of her father and several other DPRK soldiers, she is buried in a mass grave “somewhere near the Chinese border.”

The fallen dictator’s children’s lives had have more interesting developments. Kim Jong-un (b. 1983) continued his education in Switzerland until he was 18, then began living in southern China; he was actually staying at one of the Hainan hotels that were the first hotels to be hit by the SARS pandemic in late 2001. Jong-un recovered, but died from complications from a second infection in 2003, aged 20. Kim Jong-chul (b. 1981) reportedly graduated from an unnamed French university in 2003 with a degree in international law, and aspires to be a legal consultant at the UN. Kim Yo-jong (b. 1987) is still in school, aspiring to become an editor or journalist upon graduating in 2009.

Finally, the former “heir,” Kim Jong-nam (b. 1971) has distanced himself greatly from his father and grandfather, calling for harmony between the Southers and former Northers, but otherwise maintaining a low profile. Jong-nam is currently living with his wife, children, and other family relatives under an alias in an undisclosed location in the PRC. In a 2005 interview, he reported being happy, raising a family while working on his memoirs and serving as a technical supervisor for the PRC’s state-run media; he is also reportedly working on a film franchise that will be “a regional alternative” to Star Wars. His children, including his son Han-sol (b. 1995) are reportedly doing well in school; all they know about their grandfather is that he was “a bad man.”…

– Ken Armstrong’s 1996: The Second Korean War, Simon & Schuster, 2006 edition



…In a major twist in the story of Jesse Jackson Jr.’s mental health crisis, the tabloid reporter that the President’s son assaulted has suddenly announced that he will no longer be pressing charges against Jesse Junior. The move of voluntary nolle prosequi is a surprising turn given the weight of the high-profile potential case…

– KNN Breaking News, 3/18/2006



...According to one story, allegedly told by former Counselor to the President William Antholis to a close confidant of his, the President’s son’s legal team discovered that the reporter had three arrest warrants in Florida for an outstanding contempt of court charge and for unpaid child support payments to two ex-wives. Additionally, they discovered several more of his former co-workers who were willing to testify that he had sexually pestered them and had even raped them. Upon approaching the reporter with this information, a deal was cut – if the reporter withdrew his lawsuit, the President’s son’s legal team would not bring to light the reporter’s own illegal activities.

However, there is no evidence that this meeting ever occurred. In fact, the story only began to spread on technet chat forums in 2014, a few months after the reporter’s Florida arrest warrants became public knowledge and said reporter committed suicide a few weeks later, before he could be brought to trial. Nevertheless, the story is aided by the fact that said reporter’s only public explanation for the lawsuit withdrawal was that he felt that Jesse Junior “is suffering worse than I did,” an explanation that, apparently, remains unsatisfactory to a certain percentage of the on-tech population, given the level of wealth, fortune, fame and notoriety he could have received - and political damage he could have done to the Jackson White House - from the court case…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



…Prior to the might of the United Kingdom’s military branches entering the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2006, the UK had experienced a lengthy military buildup; under Prime Minister Lennon, the country’s government had not participated militarily in any major war campaigns since 1992 – not even in “popular” wars such as the Second Korean War…

– John J. Polonko Jr.’s All’s Fair: What War Makes Necessary, Hachette Book Group USA, 2017 edition



“I think [PM Harriet] Harman really must approach the Congo situation very carefully, because there are a lot of local feuds. It is not at all like what the US did with North Korea or even like what the UK did during the Falklands. Those areas were fairly or entirely homogenous. The DRC, however, is split into a multitude of ethnic groups, with alliances frequently changing as each guerilla group takes or loses more ground. Bringing stability to the region will require bringing all of them, or at least most of them, to agree to form a united front regardless of their internal divisions. On the end of the conflict, I think people like President Jesse Jackson and our current Home Secretary could help bring about a temporarily alliance among them. I hear Jesse Jackson say that the avenue of the peace process has been exhausted, but that’s only true at the top level, the national level. I think Jackson should follow his own advice and keep the faith alive. In the meantime, the men under my command are going to do our best to fight for peace.”

– UK Royal Navy Admiral Sir George Michael Zambellas, BBC interview 3/28/2006



IT’S OFFICIAL: KFC’S CHICKEN POT PIE IS COMING TO KFC-UK!

…our British friends across the pond will finally be able to purchase and sample KFC’s delicious chicken pot pie, a menu option we Americans take for granted, in January 2007, when it finally becomes a menu option in KFC locations in the United Kingdom…

– thefoodhistorian.co.usa/blog/2006_news_updates/




– A KFC-US chicken pot pie commercial, featuring the Cartoon Colonel, c. summer 1998



CONGRESS REVERSES DENTON-ERA MEDIA POLICY

– The Los Angeles Times, side article, 4/4/2006



…Another example of [House Speaker] Michel’s powerful influence was the deregulation of radio programming that occurred in 1981. The FCC ceased enforcing the Fairness Doctrine, devolving it into a guideline of sorts, allowing one-sided radio stations to form as the years went by. However, the Fairness Doctrine was re-implemented under President Jesse Jackson, sparking political backlash in the 2006 midterms that was much more prominent than what the Denton administration had experienced in the 1982 midterms…

– Paul Kengor and Peter Schweizer’s The Denton Presidency: Assessing the Man and His Actions, Simon & Schuster, 2005



…One change in America’s media industry that did not catch the eye of most Americans at the time was the re-introduction of the Fairness Doctrine, which proved to be another pivotal moment in the history of US media. Expanding from the “equal-time rule” established in 1927 for political candidates which was superseded by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Communications Act of 1934, the Fairness Doctrine was introduced in 1949 and stipulates that holders of broadcast licenses must essentially present both sides of controversial issues [7]. President Jeremiah Denton deregulated the radio industry in 1981 by suspending said doctrine. By the start of the Jesse Jackson administration, most researchers and analysts linked the repealing of the rule with the rise of political extremism and political polarization, and so, in 2006, the Democrats in control of the Senate and House managed to pass law re-establishing the FD and its airing conditions, essentially forcing anti-administration news outlets such as THN to present both sides of political arguments. This rule, however, never applied to netsites, nor did it specify how much time must be spent on opposing viewpoints, merely demanding a “respectable amount.” As a result, political polarization continued on the technet, while biased news outlets and programs on both the far left and far right of the political spectrum either sought to adjust as best they could to the new regulation, or take the matter to court…

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



“…We are pleased to announce that this network is suing the federal government. Their most result legislation is a clear and obvious violation of US constitutional law. It is an attack on the First Amendment that violates our freedom of speech and we will fight them on this all the way up to the Supreme Court of we have to…”

– The Herring Network, 4/13/2006 broadcast



…On former aide to Wellstone recounted another moment that occurred in 2006, shortly after Easter, April 16. A cabinet meeting had concluded and Wellstone stayed behind to inform Jackson on a decision of his.

“With yurt permission, I’m going to travel to Uganda to see if I can’t get the peace process rolling again. I’ve got a hunch I can bring this war to an end.”

“I’m not going to pull out our ground forces over a hunch,” the President informed him.

“I’m not telling you to. But I want to see if I can talk some sense into somebody over there! You know I’m good at persuading people to compromise.”

Jackson replied in a dismissive manner, “Oh, you and your lot are naturally persuasive.”

Wellstone took a deep breath, and continued with a polite smile. “I just need to know for certain that we can’t do more. Some non-military. The crisis over there has me worried for future of that country. Can it even survive a civil war this staggering?”

The President sighed, “You can do whatever you want, short of saying on TV or talking to a reporter and, basically, denounce my decision and try to besmirch the administration.”

“I’d never do that.”

“I know. And I thank you for it. You’re a good friend and ally,” replied Jackson. “But you really shouldn’t stress yourself out so much.” As he patted Wellstone’s shoulder as the President exited the room, Jackson added “You and your kind worry too much, ol’ boy. Peace will come to the Congo. Well, one way or another, that is...” [8] …

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



“Alright, we’ve got the cast, we’ve got those new cameras you wanted. What next?”

“I wrote here filming locations: this place here, Trump Stadium in N.Y.C., and for the second act the Trump Hotel and Casino in Boston.”

“Ah that’s great, I love my Boston outfit. So beautiful. Did you know non-Indian commercial casinos are only allowed in I think a handful of states, and only in some areas?”

“Uh, no I did not know that. I did not.”

“Yeah, and New Jersey residents keep voting down those referendum things to get casinos built there. My sister said she couldn’t do anything about it, because they want them because they have those flat welfare dividend things instead of any tourists. That’s why Jersey folks are so lazy, you know.”

“Good to know.”

“And you know something, after we make these pictures, I was thinking of opening up two more casinos, one in Nevada and another in Louisiana, because those are the only two states in all of the US where casino gambling is legal statewide. One of my lawyers told me that. I can’t remember which one. He has a face, I think. I’ll remember.”

“Riverboat casino, ha! That is sounding fun.”

“Yeah, I think I could be a riverboat captain…”

“You can see how you like it in the sequel then, ha. I’ll write in a scene of it, between the shootout and the third lovemaking scene.”

“Hey, good idea; I’m glad I thought of it!”

– transcript of audio recording of office meeting at Trump Sunrise Tower, Santa Monica, CA; recorded 4/19/2006 and leaked 12/17/2018



POPE PATRICK SAYS BLUTAG SASH WEARERS “DISQUALIFY THEMSELVES” FROM COMMUNION

…The leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Patrick I, said today that “Blue Rainbow Sash wearers disqualify themselves from receiving Holy Communion because they are demonstrating their opposition to church teachings on homosexuality."
The Blue Rainbow Sash, which describes itself as an organization of gay and lesbian Catholics and their families and friends, has criticized the Catholic Church’s recent and past statements on homosexuality, including the church's teaching that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and that homosexual orientation is “objectively disordered.”
To underline their point, the group's members sometimes attend Mass and receive Communion wearing the sash of a rainbow of six or seven shades of blue.
Asked about his position by Catholic News Service, the Pope said: “Blue Rainbow Sash wearers are showing their opposition to church teaching on a major issue of natural law and so disqualify themselves from being given holy Communion.” Pope Patrick did not elaborate, and he declined a request for an interview on the subject.
In December, Archbishop Harry J. Flynn of St. Paul-Minneapolis spoke with Cardinal Arinze about the Rainbow Sash question. Archbishop Flynn allows members wearing the sash to receive Communion, while some other bishops do not.
In an interview afterward, Archbishop Flynn said that Pope Patrick did not ask for a change in the archbishop’s archdiocesan policy, but did express concern about the clarity of church teaching on the issue. In a statement issued in January, Archbishop Flynn said that the Pope also indicated that “ideally, all of the bishops who have pastoral care for the members of this movement should seek to adopt a uniform approach.”
The church teaching that homosexual acts are contrary to natural law and that the homosexual inclination is "objectively disordered" is contained in the "Catechism of the Catholic Church," which was revised and corrected in 1991. [9] However, the church also teaches that homosexuals must be accepted with love and respect and that they should not be discriminated against. Some bishops have denied the Eucharist to Blue Rainbow Sash members on the grounds that they were using the Eucharist to manifest opposition to church teaching. Some members of the Blue Rainbow Sash organization have said that they consider their wearing of the sash an act of celebration, not protest. [10]

– The Boston Globe, 4/22/2006



SENATOR MCGOVERN INTRODUCES MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION BILL

– The Washington Post, 4/28/2006



…Fire is raging across an oil field in Wyoming after a freak truck-driving accident set off a huge petroleum gas explosion. Wyoming Governor Mary Mead is meeting with fire department officials as firefighters seek to keep the flames at bay until more water bombers can arrive…

– KNN Breaking News, 5/1/2006



…McTeer’s personality was ferocious on the campaign trail, but behind closed doors, she knew how to be docile in order to reach out and win over supporters on other political parties. McTeer reportedly began a friendship with the much-more-conservative MP Michaelle Jean in early-to-mid 2006, and was on very good terms with Environment Minister Jane Sterk, left-of-center moderate MP Jennifer Granholm, and even Louis Plamandon…

– Richard Johnston’s The Canadian Party System: An Analytic History, UBC Press, 2017



“CLIMATE JUSTICE”: Jackson Signs Car Fuel Emission Standards Bill Into Law

…aggravating small-government advocates and undoubtedly infuriating car manufacturers, the new law raises national requirements for new cars to be deemed “environmentally safe” enough both to be sold and driven in the United States. US Senator Ralph Nadler (I-CT) was visibly ebullient at the signing ceremony, which he attended because he was a co-writer of the Senate version of the bill…

– The Washington Post, 5/3/2006



KUBRICK, CAPES, AND THE POISON OF OVEREXPOSURE

Earlier this week, MGM released “2061: The Year of The Lucifer Sun.” Starring Tom Hanks as astronaut Frank Poole, the film is a 2006 adaptation of the 1987 novel 2061: Odyssey Three. Said novel is a sequel to 2010: Odyssey Two, which is a sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey; this movie is a sequel to the film 2010: The Year We Make Contact, and that film is a sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Understand?

You don’t have to. Because, while the film is unique in that it closely follows the event of the book, its special effects are impressive, and once again shows why Tom Hanks really deserves an Oscar and honestly should have gotten one by now, the fact remains that audiences are turning away from this critically-acclaimed movie. Why? Because several of these kinds of movies are hitting theaters every few months now!

Astronaut movies are everywhere nowadays. Ever since the Milestone 1 plan was launched, space exploration has returned to the front row of pop culture, almost eclipsing superhero films in popularity during the past several years and dominating films, TV, and merchandise paraphernalia in a way that only a nostalgic 1960s/1970s callback can. Hollywood has gone back into their archives and have greenlit reboots of various old products and projects from “the first space age,” with some, like the Lost in Space reboot, being letdowns, while others, like last year’s Flash Gordon movie, were serviceable. But it has been over two years since the Marstronauts returned with only circumstantial evidence that life likely once slithered around in Mars’ once-flourishing waterways. And it seems that many moviegoers, myself included, are growing tired of the repetitiveness of films featuring astronauts encountering crises in space, often showing the universe filled to the metaphorical brim with diverse alien creatures, while real-life space remains a lifeless void in our telescopes. The clichés – paranoia, alien infiltration, loneliness, perilous spacewalks, crash landings, battles that have sound, humanoid alien species – are so abundant now that they are becoming overwhelming.

Like the works of the waning superhero film subgenre, the constant exposure to space films is beginning to bug some viewers. Films like these should be able to use its setting to develop characters and their arcs, and provide unique and original world building, or at least use a familiar-but-remote setting to reflect a relatable issue. But for every good space film – such as “2061” – there are at least ten tiring retreads of space staples that suck worse than a black hole, and with them may come the end of this latest fad in our popular culture.

Essentially, what I mean to stay is the following: if you still find great joy and inspiration in space films, than “2061” this is one of the better ones for you to view. If not, then heed the following warning – Avoid 2061; Attempt No Viewing Here…

– Variety magazine, TV/film review/editorial section, 5/11/2006 op-ed



MILITARIST ELECTED PRESIDENT OF BELARUS

…With incumbent President Zianon Pazniak of the Conservative Christian party retiring after roughly ten years in office, the race to succeed him was wide open. With 56% of the vote, nationalist strongman Sergei Gaidukevich, of the Liberal Democratic Party, defeated former Presidential Chief of Staff Aleksandar Milinkievich of the Unity Party, who received 41% of the vote. Gaidukevich criticized Milinkievich’s pro-west views on the campaign trail, claiming that the Liberal Democratic Party’s right-wing populism would better “protect Byelorussian interests from outsider interference.” Gaidukevich won the support of both military leaders and veterans of the Russian-Turkistani War of the early 1980s, while the more charismatic Milinkievich appealed to younger voters…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, side article, 15/5/2006



JUDGE DISMISSES SEXUAL PESTERING CHARGES MADE AGAINST REPORTER ASSAULTED BY JESSE JACKSON JR.

– The Chicago Tribune, 5/18/2006



SENATOR ENDS “CEREMONIAL FILIBUSTER” OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL BUILDING AFTER 19 HOURS

Washington, D.C. – US Senator Bo Gritz (R-ID) yesterday and today stood at a podium set at the foot of the stairs leading up to the US Capitol Building to deliver a “protest speech” in opposition to US Senators moving to pass a new immigration requirements reform bill. Gritz gave the speech on the Senate floor to protest the fact that the Democratic share of the Senate is filibuster-proof.

During the subsequent 19 hours, 17 minutes and 31 seconds, Gritz described the bill in detail before describing his war experiences in Southeast Asia, his attempts to locate supposedly forgotten POWs in several former conflict zones, and his career in the state senate and US Senate. Gritz is a populist who accuses both major political parted of “not doing enough to support real Americans, gladly bending over backwards to wipe the assed of those who show up hear unable to speak English and expecting handout after handout, while people born and raised inside the states go hungry as they and their rights are ignored.” Gritz finally “yielded the floor” when his voice gave out.

Earlier this month, Gritz had attempted to halt the bill by calling for a Senate Judiciary Review of it, claiming it was unconstitutional and authoritative. When the Senate Judiciary committee, chaired by a Democrat, ruled in favor of the proposed law, Gritz tried additional Senate maneuvers to kill the bill before railing against the law on public radio, claiming it would “make the USA… a borderless state.”…

– thenewyorktimes.co.usa, 5/28/2006 e-article



SENATE PASSES IMMIGRATION BILL!

…another landmark work of legislation, President Jackson is expected to sign the bill within the month, while the railway reform bill is expected to be debated on in the fall, after the Senate breaks for the summer…

– The Washington Post, 6/2/2006



UK-LED UN FORCES “WIPE OUT” BEMBA-ALLIED GUERILLA CAMP NEAR BASOKO

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 6/6/2006



KENTUCKY-FRIED CENTURIONS: KFC Aims To Win Over Younger Americans

…hoping to improve upon the more positive aspects of Herman Cain’s legacy at Finger Lickin’ Good, Inc., FLG Inc. CEO Mary Lolita Starnes Hannon is turning to up-and-comers within the corporation’s talent pool to bring in a new generation of KFC customers. With the permission of Peter Herman and the urging of Harley Sanders and Millie Sanders, plus several of The Colonel’s grandchildren involved in the company, KFC aims to launch another media campaign to appeal to Americans focused on getting healthy fast food “on-the-go”...

– Business Weekly, early June 2006 issue



…The quality of KFC’s quality control was raised under Hannon, with the money spent on investments in sanitation being made back in rising sales, a reversal of Cain’s method of cutting back on “excessive” expenditures.

To this end, technicians in the KFC R&D department were instructed to work on creating a less expensive pressure fryer design that yielded results “indistinguishable from the chicken we make now,” as KFC CEO David Novak explained Hannon’s decision to the head of R&D, Adrien McNaughton.

“It’ll be expensive,” McNaughton replied.

“Yes it will be,” Novak rebutted, “But it’s an investment. If this company succeeds, we will all have thicker wallets.” In showing of dedication to the company, Novak pulled out his checkbook. “Here,” he tore of the check he’d scribbled a large sum onto.

“Woah. You’re putting some of own money into this?” McNaughton was surprised and perplexed.

“Just to show how much faith I have in you, Adrien. You’re the best in your line of work.”

Indeed, McNaughton was a self-described “expert tinkerer.” Starting out as a mechanic in Ontario, Canada before making it big with a tool he designed to improve transmission repair techniques, the head of R&D found his way into the KFC family quite serendipitously in 1994, by meeting then-CEO leader Jim Collins when both were visiting the Saunders Café in North Corbin, Kentucky, the official birthplace of The Colonel’s signature culinary concoction. “Besides, we’re investing funds in this project in order to make more funds out of it. So don’t disappoint me, Adrien.”

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020

– A modern KFC outlet operates across the street from the “birthplace” of KFC, c. 2006



…Unfortunately, the rise in revenue and the improvement of their reputation led to the company higher-ups being confident enough in the company’s earnings and stocks to unveil, release and promote KFC’s R&D department’s latest creation, “KFC Fried Fries” – as in doubled-fried potato strips, similar in shape to Wendy’s thick-cut potato pieces, and then generously covered in the Colonel’s Secret Recipe. The introduction of the product in the summer of 2006 was met with polarizing views, but the differing attitudes led to it garnering the kind of media attention that KFC wanted to have…

– Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012



“As we begin recess and members of congress begin returning home to their constituents for the summer, I want to remind my fellow Senators to hear their constituents, listen to what they have to say, and understand their needs for us to work together, even across the aisle when necessary, to give the American people a hand when they need help and independence when they don’t.”

– US Senator Jim Edgar (R-IL), 6/30/2006



MEXICO ELECTS ITS FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT!

Mexico City, MEXICO – With incumbent President Estaban Moctezuma (of the political party PRI) being term-limited, Mexican citizens took to the polls to vote for his successor; in a four-way split of the vote, Senator Marcela Guerra Castillo won a plurality.

Moctezuma’s Presidency has been increasingly popular in recent years as the government’s organized crackdowns on money laundering and embezzlement has helped to lower the extent of recreadrug cartel power and influence, with such drugs becoming legal or decriminalized in some Mexican states contributing to their decline of cartel control over parts of Mexico. As a result, the PRI lead in most polls conducted ahead of the general election.

The new President-elected of Mexico, Marcela Guerra, age 45, is a legislator from Nuevo Leon of the big-tent PRI; in the primary for the ruling party’s nomination, she defeated initial frontrunner Jorge Carpizo McGregor, a former minister chief justice, former Attorney General, diplomat and former UN Ambassador; and Jesus Casillas Romero, a largely unknown legislator from Jalisco.

In tonight’s general election, Guerra won roughly 41.2% of the vote. Her main opponent was Vicente Fox, former Governor of Guanajuato, of PAN, the nation’s largest conservative party, who won roughly 36.5% of the vote. Rosario Robles, the former mayor of Mexico City, of the social democratic/progressive PRD party, came in third place with roughly 14.3% of the vote, while Homero Aridjis, a writer, journalist, teacher, environmentalist and diplomat from Michoacan, an Independent, came in fourth place with roughly 7.9% of the vote...

– The Los Angeles Times, 7/2/2006



WASHINGTON, D.C. OFICIALLY BEGINS STATEHOOD! Official Name To Be Chosen In November Referendum [4]

…Temporarily using the “interim” name of “The State of Washington, Douglass Community,” this and several other proposed names are of a total of twenty options listed on the November referendum. “D.C.” is now short for The District of Columbia, which is now the official name of the federal capital district itself, a.k.a. the nation’s capital. Some US Senators such as Bobby Scott (D-VA) are referring to it as “The federal Washington” until the State of Washington, D.C. selects a new name for itself.

The trouble concerning our 52nd state’s name arises from the fact that the District of Columbia is the federal district contained within the city of Washington, D.C., hence why “D.C.” is now the name of the capital, unless congress votes to change it (again) at some point. This makes for two Washingtons that are state, and so the unique political entity formerly known as Washington, DC will be changing its name. The Washington, D.C. City Council, which is now a state legislature, originally was going to keep the name “Washington,” or use “The Former Federal District of Washington” but residents of this newer Washington state opposed these titles. However, a proposed double renaming of Washington state as “West Washington” and the former Washington, DC as “East Washington” made it onto the November ballot [4]…

– The New York Times, 7/4/2006

[snip]
Notes:
A.: ^ Interim name; a permanent, official name will be chosen via referendum on November 7, 2006. [4]

– clickopedia.co.usa, July 2006



…McCain’s views on abortion shifted to closer to the center after his wife suffered a difficult pregnancy in 2006. With three “military brats” born in 1999 and 2001, McCain considered the birth of his third child as “miraculous” given his wife being 47 years old at the time. In an early 2012 speech, he explained “We as a nation, and the soul of our nation, cannot afford to accept the immoral idea of encouraging people to snuff out life if it is a temporarily inconvenient life. If an abortion is medically necessary, because of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s health, that is understandable and women in those positions must have access to the proper facilities. But if you are not ready to be a driver you do not blow up the new car you got as a gift; you give the car away.” To support his belief that adoption was a better choice than abortion, the McCains adopted three more children during the mid-2010s. “The money that we spend on actively supporting unnecessary abortion should instead be spent on providing the best medicine, technology and techniques possible for all expectant mothers...”

– clickopedia.co.usa/Barack_“Rocky”_McCain



DOC PUTS UP HER DUKES!: City Hall Fights Mayor Hamburg Over Loophole-Closing Efforts

– The New York Post, 7/15/2006



YUGOSLAVIAN GOVERNMENT SIGNS TRADE DEAL WITH ITALY, STRENGTHENING WESTERN TIES

…hoping to open up their markets to Italian consumers and improve western relations overall, recent Yugoslavian trade deal talks with Italy have now proven to have been productive after all, despite initial diplomatic fumbles at the start of said talks, with the Yugoslavian approving of the final version of a binational trade deal...

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, side article, 18/7/2006



…Take, for instance, the 2006 health scare over toxoplasma gondii that had the nation of France on edge for several tense weeks. One of the most common parasites to be found in first-world countries, T.G. was known for its flu-like symptoms and for its supposed altering of the personalities and behavioral tendencies of its infected human hosts. This neurological side affect was later rumored to have been considered when US President Jesse Jackson’s son, Jesse Jr., was diagnosed earlier in the year with having bipolar disorder.

The scare began in late July after an infected cat transmitted T.G. to its order, an elderly Parisian, who soon passed away. Because cats are the definitive host of T. gondii, and news media outlets covering T.G.’s ability to spread through felines unfortunately did not focus much on other forms of transmission – undercooked meat, soil contaminated by cat feces, fish contaminated by sewage, and several other animals – cat owners quickly began putting their feline pets up for adoption or simply abandoning them. It was only after several weeks passed without any new additonal cases of T.G. being reported that the sense of dread and panic passed over the general public… [11]

– Tim Brookes’ SARS, Governance, And The Globalization of Disease, Borders Books, 2014



NADER: “I’ve always been sort of germ-a-phobic kind of person. That’s why I try not to wear earpieces during interviews, because of the chance of infection, even if they’re wiped down after someone else used them. It’s also why I decline dining in the home of anyone with pets. Which, as you might know now, is a smart move in regards to cats. Did you see this, in the news? Cats carry a parasite called toxoplasma gondii, and it can neurologically damage human brains, and people in France are concerned that they have an epidemic on their hands.”

HOST: “Yeah, I think I heard of that, yeah. But because of what they went through with SARS, the government over there’s shutting everything down preemptively. Pretty smart; you can’t be too careful these days.”

NADER: “Exactly, that’s why I’m supportive of the President’s sanitation policies. And why I’ll continue to fight for consumer protection and citizen safety long after I’m out of office – which, actually, is right around the cover.”

HOST: “Yeah, I’m surprised you’re not seeking a third term, given your high approval ratings. I mean, if you ran, you’d easily win re-election.”

NADER: “I’m retiring from the US Senate because I promised my constituents that I’d only serve two terms, so my time’s up. But to be honest, I’m not too sure what I’ll do next.”

HOST: “Are you considering running for president in 2008?”

NADER: “Um, that option is still viable, it’s, uh, it’s still on the table at this point in time, but at this moment, I honestly don’t know. But I’ll make up my mind after I see what kind of campaign platform the Vice President is going to run on before I make a decision.”

– retiring U.S. Senator Ralph Nader (I-CT) and host, WEDW-FM, 88.5 FM, Connecticut radio interview, 7/28/2006



“A NEW GENERATION OF SINNERS?” The Catholic Church And The Centurions

…recent reports show that church attendance rates among Americans who came of age at the start of the century. Dubbed Centurions, a generation grouping typically defined as those borne between 1983 (the Libyan War) and 1996 (the Second Korean War), many of these young Americans are left-leaning and anti-religious, causing many Catholic leaders to fear that these reports suggest that this generation is turning away from church. If true, they are only harming themselves and the children they raise…

– National Review, July 2006 issue



JACKSON MEETS WITH LAWMAKERS, BUSINESS LEADERS TO DISCUSS PUBLIC WORKS PRIVATIZATION PROPOSALS

…A possible public-private partnership to provide police or police-like protection services for populated areas in Pennsylvania such as Pittsburgh proceeded proficiently today. However, concerns that the public’s return on investment being lower than returns for private funders remain… …As some cities looking to reform their police precincts are being less successful than others, many communities are turning to alternative forms of maintaining law and order. So far, the President is opposed to “private security guards not being held accountable for their actions,” and instead is continuing to urges police precinct to demilitarize and become more engaged in their communities. “Their ranks should be reflective of the people they are sworn to protect, not harass.” …A police-community “cooperative arrangement” in Pittsburg, for example, is still in development…

– The Washington Post, 8/3/2006



AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (2006)

Premiered: August 7, 2006

[snip]

Above: a poster for the film

[snip]

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1: The Director Wanted To “Modernize” The Classic Murder-Mystery

After the failure of his attempt to make a serious film with “Genevieve’s Pearls,” a romantic drama film that was a bomb upon its 2004 release, director Michael Bay decided to “create a modern retelling of a beloved classic,” but “want[ed] to add more thrills to this murder-mystery thriller.” …Despite overwhelmingly negative reviews, the film developing a cult following convinced Bay that the movie was “a success”…

– mediarchives.co.usa



DOJ CRACKS DOWN ON SHELL COMPANIES

…US Attorney General Harry T. Edwards is supporting several members of the Jackson Cabinet in their calls for the imposing of financial and banking sanctions on nations that provide tax havens of America’s top billionaires. US Secretary of Commerce Robert Reich adds that “billions of American dollars are being kept away in tax havens, away from taxation, and away from the markets that have led to these people having billions to begin with. This elitist form of hoarding undermines the fair markets on which national and international economies depend, thus harming the very capitalist systems that they claims they avidly support. This action is shameful, it is immoral, and it should be illegal. But for now, we’ll work with what we have.”…

– The Washington Post, 8/8/2006



…The goal of “placing a Quran on the moon” was a goal both Saudi Arabia and Iran could unite behind. The need for the former’s space agency to use the latter’s superior launch sites led to tentative détente being established, cooling down the decades-long “cold war” between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Prepping for “Moonshot ’08,” Saudi Arabia’s version of NASA worked with the Iranian government on tests and projects in Shahrud and Qom, in the northern half of the country, in order to better ensure success for the mission…

– David Tal’s US Strategic Arms Policy After the Cold War: Globalization & Technological Modernization, Routledge, 2020



…Korea’s development plans for the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Area in The Former North are expected to create thousands of more jobs for the peninsular nation. Hotels and beachfront cottages are being constructed across a five-mile stretch of a small peninsula in an attempt to being in more tourists as the nation continues to shed away its remaining reminders of warfare and division…

– ABC World News Tonight, 8/11/2006 report



>MOTHER-POST: Question: Why is Spongebob’s Undersea Cuisine Still Around?
When I first learned about this franchise in ’96, I thought it was this kitchy gimmicky thing that spun off into a cartoon show. Ten years later, and its still around and if anything there’s MORE outlets. A new one’s opening up in my hometown. What’s going on?

>REPLY 1:
Dude, it’s supply and demand. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean others won’t.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
I think he’s asking why it’s so popular. Personally, I think it’s because they keep their standards high regardless of their proximity to the fish. SBUC spots can be found in coastal places and even out west. I went to one in Wichita, Kansas a few months back and I was surprised by how fresh the fish tasted. Apparently, the company’s utilizing the new “supertrain” rail that opened between St. Louis and Chicago to haul in fresh fish from the Great Lakes, but don’t quote me on that.

>REPLY 2:
Both the family-friendly restaurant and the cartoon are still popular because kids like the goofiness and adults are, like, charmed by the main character’s relentless sense of optimism, you know? Both young and old people can laugh at the kind of humor found in both the commercials and in the TV show, which, amazingly, doesn’t feel like a cash-grab even though it kind of is!

>REPLY 3:
It’s more than just a meal and a cartoon, it’s an entire experience. There’s a surprising amount of depth to the characters whenever they’re not promoting the restaurant, practically shoving the cartoon versions of their menu offerings into your face. That depth lures in the young adults.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:
Don’t forget the recent food trend – omega-3 fatty acid or whatever its called. It’s found in fish, so a lot of parents are taking their kids to SBUC to give them a healthier version of fast food.

>REPLY 4:
Personally, I think it’s because of how quickly they adapted to delivery-only during the SARS pandemic. It showed responsibility and care.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:
Eh, I guess, but that’s probably not the main reason. You can be responsible but if your food sucks, people won’t order it. And Krabby Patties definitely don’t suck.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:
Yeah, Krabby Patties are awesome! I never liked seafood before trying out SpongeBob’s!

– conspiracytheoryforum.co.can/search_by_subject/SpongeBob’s, 8/19/2006 posting thread



…By late summer 2006, more state governors were working with the White House to establish stronger transparency measures in police precincts, and to open larger channels of communication between the police and the communities that they serve. One sticking point for police officers opposed to these new procedures was the rise in hand-held recording technology. Increasingly, cellular phone footage capturing incidents of police brutality and police hostility were being posted ontech, exposing precinct abuse and justifying the reforms.

“It is such a delicious ironic twist that the technology that many people once feared turned out to be one of our best tools for social progress,” notes activist Eric Fidelis Alva, currently a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “After decades of police surveillance being this element of state oppression depicted in dystopian works such as ‘1984,’ the technology that finally made such surveillance possible had become so cheap, that anyone who can afford a cellular phone, so pretty much anyone, can now use that technology to monitor the establishment. So now, both the government and the people keep tabs on one another. Both try to hold the other accountable; it is not at all as lopsided as Orwell feared it would be.”…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



…On August 29, 2006, the scientific journal The New England Journal of Medicine published a peer-reviewed study that “suggested a correlation, but not necessarily a causation” between the marijuana use during pregnancy and autism in babies [12]. Despite researchers pointing out that the study’s results were based on birth records and not a “controlled study,” the possible link between MJ use and autism nevertheless became “a very prominent scare tactic” for anti-recreadrug politicians ahead of the 2006 midterms. “The publication, however accurate, fueled anti-MJ sentiment in the party,” former House Speaker David Emery explained in a 2020 book. “The possibility that people were harming their unborn children was enough of a PR disaster for MJ advocates for Democrats to take notice and quickly begin to clam up about the study or distance themselves from the legalization movement.” Conservative commentators such as Deroy Murdock went after President Jackson, “comdemn[ing him] for harming a generation of Americans” via the nationwide decriminalization law passed last year.

As the link between recreadrug use and autistic children became a major talking point for anti-MJ Republicans, the ruling party’s approval ratings began to slip, most prominently among suburban women. Democrats braced for the “six-year itch” to cost them an even larger number of seats in the House of Representatives than originally anticipated…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



“I am appalled by this administration’s trampling of our national borders and national defenses. The President’s latest law dramatically lowered requirements needed for entering America. We need secure, protected and defended borders, and you can help by voting the Democrats out of power. Please vote Republican this November, and return majority control of the House and the Senate back to the Grand Old Party.”

– US Rep. Tommy Tancredo (R-CO), 9/2/2006



AFRICA’S TUTSI REFUGEE CRISIS: Reactions Vary As Groups, Nations Embrace, Reject Displaced Masses

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 5/9/2006



MONTANA GOVERNOR TOM JUDGE DIES AT 71; Lt. Gov. Michael Cooney Sworn In

– The Washington Post, side article, 9/8/2006



JESSE JR. RESPONDING WELL TO TREATMENT FOR BIPOLAR II DISORDER

…This mental illness is a treatable condition that affects parts of the brain controlling emotion, thought and drive and is most likely caused by a complex set of genetic and environment factors [5]

With stress precipitating the President’s son’s violent public incident, Jesse Jackson Jr. hopes that his “embarrassment” will not discourage people from seeking out mental health help. “See me as a warning of what happens if you keep your problems to yourself.”

…Many of us are hardwired with genetic predispositions, but environmental factors can play a role in how they develop. In patients with mental illness, the environmental factors such as stress may not be as noticeable as others. Left unchecked, the condition can lead to the development or worsening of bipolar disorder and other afflictions…

– The Baltimore Sun, 9/10/2006



PETROLEUM COMPANY CLEARED OF WRONGDOING

…a Wyoming court has found that a company that owned an oil rig that exploded in April to have been following state and federal regulations. With no deaths but seven hospitalizations, the ruling seems to confirm that the incident was not the result of corrupt business practices as early reporting of the fire had suggested…

– The Denver Post, 9/12/2006



IF WE’RE GOING TO INTERFERE WITH AFRICAN AFFAIRS, HOW ABOUT WE START WITH SIERRA LEONE?

…While other western African countries like Senegal, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau work to build up the region’s economy, there is one spot on the map going ignored. For years now, Sierra Leone has effectively been a stateless hellhole, an anarchist landscape of guerilla warlords and child soldier-slaves running rampant. After decades of internal fighting, coups, assassinations, ethnic genocide and civil wars, the nation’s unstable official government collapsed in the mid-1990s, when western powers were too busy responding to the former North Korea’s attempt to develop nuclear weapons to send help to Sierra Leone. Granted, Jackson sent diplomatic advisors in 2001, but he recalled them after two of them were shot and killed in January 2002, and the government has not taken action on the situation since then. The country is essentially a “dead zone,” a lawless wasteland deemed by nearly all nations as being too unsafe to travel into. Violent recreadrug lords, gun runners, cult leaders, and other mortal devils and their gangs are enslaving or killing whatever locals can’t escape in time. It is a huge refugee crisis, as they pour into the neighboring countries of Liberia and Guinea, and so far, only the President of France has discussed leading the UN in some form of intervention. But if we could topple the Kim regime and have enough faith in our military to intervene in the DRC, then surely the US could and could afford to restore civility to Sierra Leone.

– tumbleweedmagazine.co.usa/editorial, 9/15/2006



JON HUNTSMAN JR. DIES IN MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT, AGE 46

…the businessman, born March 26 in 1960, was an avid motorcyclist and often participated in extreme sports. …Huntsman served and worked on his father’s successful gubernatorial campaigns in 1988, 1992 and 1996, and on his father’s unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2004. A diplomat who spoke Mandarin Chinese fluently, Huntsman had also served as the US Ambassador to China from 1999 to 2001. …“The Huntsman family is absolutely devastated by this tragedy,” says one source close to the family. “The world just lost a great man, father, husband, son and respected diplomat and business leader. His father is especially shocked and despondent over this.” …Huntsman Jr. is survived by eight siblings, seven children, his wife and both parents…

– The Salt Lake Tribune, 9/18/2006



MAJOR CATHOLIC LEADER CALLS POPE PATRICK’S STANCE ON GAY RIGHTS “UNFORTUNATE”

– The Baltimore Sun, 9/21/2006



NASSIB LAHOUD ELECTED PRESIDENT OF LEBANON

– The Guardian, side article, 23/9/2006



“I think [NYC] Mayor [Margaret Ann “Peg”] Hamburg is doing a good job. She’s appointed highly-qualified champions of progressive progress to be her deputies, commissioners, and board members. Already, she’s made several accomplishments outside of improving the city’s health and sanitation, such as making it easier for NYC residents to join or form to unions. That is something that I am very glad to see!”

– Bern Sanders, NYC radio discussion, 9/24/2006



WHITNEY YOUNG, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND POLICY ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT SANDERS, DIES AT 85

…Young, b. July 31, 1921, served as the White House Chief Domestic Policy Advisor from 1965 to 1973, a position that he used to combat employment discrimination. …After several years of poor health that included diabetes, poor blood circulation and several heart issues, Young passed away in sleep from heart failure…

– The Lexington Herald-Leader, Kentucky newspaper, 9/26/2006



…A rise in new railway projects was popular due to federally-regulated safety features preventing any major disasters from casting maglevs and bullet trains in negative light, allowing commuters and blue-collar workers to approve of further rail-line systems being implemented to cut down both commuter time and unemployment levels. With these arguments, Republicans (uneasy about this apparent expansion of the federal government’s control on the railroads) risked lowering their own approval ratings by voting against the 2006 railway bill that expanded and reformed the US rail transportation infrastructure system. With the bill being one of the last bills on which Senator Ralph Nader (I-CT) worked before his retirement, he was visibly proud on the day his fellow Senators passed the bill, 30-to-72…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



JACKSON SIGNS RAILWAY REFORM BILL INTO LAW

– The Washington Post, 10/1/2006



“Hello everyone, and thanks to everyone who helped to put this debate together. People, my name is Harley Davidson Brown and I want to be your next governor. I’m the Mayor of Boise, Idaho, I’m a former US Congressman, and a retired US Marine Commander. I was born in 1954 in Waterbury, Connecticut – a.k.a., Brass City USA – to working class Irish Catholics...”

“During the SARS pandemic, a lot of people lost their jobs and things were bad. I know what it’s like to not be able to find work. In 1972, I graduated from Holy Cross (Roman Catholic) High School in the top 10% of my class. I then attended the University of Connecticut, graduating in May 1974 with a degree in structural (civil) Engineering. But then, for all the summer of 1976, I looked for a job but no one would hire me. It was the most miserable and depressing time of my life. I decided that if I could not land a civil engineering job by September, I would join the military. At least they were hiring.”

“I was once stationed at a weapons support center in North Carolina, where I was a public works officer in charge of 450 civilian workers in the transportation, utilities, and shops divisions. The base was 63000 acres, larger than Washington D.C., and we manufactured and sorted 750 thousand tons of conventional ammunition for the Army, Navy, Air force and Marine Corps. So I have the experience needed to become governor, because I know how to organize hundreds of workers so that the work that need to get done gets done.”
“After leaving Civil Service I worked at a number of occupations including President of my Engineering Consulting firm, and I drove 18 wheelers from Sea to Shining Sea. But my favorite jobs were ones where I got to help people exercise their freedoms. That’s why I was such an active congressman – you can look it up, I had a 100% voting attendance record – and that’s why I will be an active governor. I’ve never been some stuffed shirt sitting idly behind a desk. I’m a worker, I’m a doer, and I’m the candidate on this stage that will be the most pragmatic governor this state’s seen in a long time if you elect me.”

“I once worked as both a Taxicab driver and evangelist in Boise, Idaho, where I led approximately 1,000 lost souls to the Lord Jesus Christ: Drunks and Winos, Hookers and Strippers, Bums, and Homeless; Hippies and Rainbow people, Bikers, and Villains, Truckers and Construction workers, Businessmen and Proletarians, psychos and weirdo's, homos and lesbians; even some people who looked normal and smelled nice.”

“As a Congressman, I had an intense burning desire to destroy all the works of those progressive liberal Politicians in Washington D.C. whom I brand as vile domestic enemies to the country and Constitution we’re sworn to defend! I will bring that kind of energy and patriotic loyalty to Boise, and use it to reverse the worst aspects of the past eight years of Governor Larry Echo-Hawk. Thank you.” [13]

– Harley Brown (R-ID) at the sole Harley Brown-Jerry Brady Idaho governor debate, 10/4/2006



POLL: Grammer Considered The Winner Of Last Night’s Gubernatorial Debate

– The Los Angeles Times, 10/8/2006



9 October 2006: On this day in history, The Republic of Vevcani, a self-declared independent micro-nation surrounded by Yugoslavia, rescinded its 3 September 1991 declaration of independence, as the publicity stunt was deemed by the Mayor and city council to no longer be necessary as the regional economy had improved significantly since the initial declaration. Since then, the city has held two festivals every year to commemorate its “independence day” and their “repatriation day.”

– onthisdayinhistory.co.uk



VP WELLSTONE SECURES PEACE DEAL; Rival Left-Wing Guerilla Leaders Nkunda And Katumbi Sign Truce To Mount United Effort Against Bemba Regime

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 13/10/2006



“Yeah, I am feeling better.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“And I’m getting better, I really think that. Oh! And congratulations on the, uh, that development over in the Congo.”

“No, that was all Wellstone’s idea. Bringing the internal divisions together to defeat Bemba kind of slipped past my mind.”

“Because of me?”

“No! No, of course not.”

“Because I don’t want you to lose your faith in people, dad. You’re better than that, you’re stronger than me.”

“Don’t talk like that, son. I should have noticed you were having trouble. I’m not strong if I can’t be there for my family.”

“But this wasn’t your fault, Dad. I’m learned a lot about depression here, dad, and, you know something? The disease itself is only as powerful as you let it be. I didn’t watch out and it got the best of me, and I disgraced you, but I’m getting better –”

“You never disgraced me, Jesse.”

“I let you down and I almost took down your entire administration. If that reporter hadn’t done the merciful thing and dropped those charges I don’t know what, I –”

“No, Jesse. Jesse. Jesse, look at me, look at me. Listen. You did not let me down, you hear me? I am proud of you for doing the right thing and getting the help you need instead of keeping it to yourself. When you got arrested, you agreed to a health checkup instead of doubling down and giving in to the disease. You didn’t keep it yourself. You did the right thing. I’m proud of you because of that. And, Jesse, Jesse, you will always have this family to support you. You are not alone in this fight of yours. Understand?”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Dad.”

“I may have lost my faith in the Congo people making peace, but I never lost my faith in you.”

“Then I have faith that you’ll find your faith in the Congo people again.”

– A White House teleconference call, security camera audio recording, c. October 2006; leaked in 2018

– Jesse Jackson Sr. and Jesse Jackson Jr. at the 2004 DNC



“I think it’s amazing how little attention the other news outlets pay to Ireland’s tax schemes. We at Tumbleweed Magazine just published another expose about how that country has unofficially become another tax haven for American investors. After the end of the Troubles, their government sought to make themselves more prosperous through underhand-but-legal practices. It’s not as bad as the Swiss and their anonymous bank accounts, but it is a story worthy of more coverage. But does CBS care? Does Mr. Overmyer or the Teds at KNN cover it? Does NYT even write about it? Of course not! Everyone is so focused right now on THN’s efforts to stay an echo chamber and the media coverage of President Jackson’s son not going to court for assault and conservative backlash to our first Black Presidency, that they are failing to notice the richest of the richest jumping through hoops to protect their fortunes from taxation.”

– Bern Sanders, NYC radio discussion, 10/20/2006



…In the southern states, Congressman Ben Lewis Jones (R-GA) enthusiastically endorsed Dave Ramsey, a radio show host and finance lecturer running for a congressional seat in Tennessee that polling suggesting could go in either direction. Barbara Coe, an anti-immigration activist nominated for California’s most conservative district, joined Jones at a rally in late October as Republicans amped up their attacks on the incumbent administration.

The primary talking points that Republicans launch against the Democrats hinged on digital media, churning out dozens of attack ads. At the congressional level, these ads criticized the specific candidates. Nationwide, though, the focus was on only a handful of topics – primarily, a supposed link between autism and marijuana use, unfounded allegations of corruption concerning the President’s son’s mental health treatments, and claims that the reinstating of the 1949 FCC Fairness Doctrine was actually an unfair action that infringed on the American citizens’ First Amendment Rights via enforcing the censorship of one-sided news sources.

…With the Senate likely to stay blue, the main focus of both parties was almost entirely on the control of the House of Representatives…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S):
[1] OTL quote
[2] Author is from OTL, as are his talking points, which were pulled from his OTL article “D.C. Wants to Steal Our State’s Name. They Can Have It!” (11/7/2016 publication, crosscut.com)
[3] Similar to the OTL Act vetoed under GWB in OTL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_Cell_Research_Enhancement_Act
[4] Speaking of which: https://www.strawpoll.me/21207999 (please vote!)
[5] Italicized parts are pulled from here: https://www.cnn.com/2012/08/17/politics/jackson-kennedy-visit/index.html
[6] OTL quote found in the YouTube video “Jacqueline and Jesse Jackson Jr. talk ‘Letters to My Son in Prison,’” CBS This Morning, 2/6/2019.
[7] See here for details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCC_fairness_doctrine
[8] Jackson’s way of speaking here is based on anecdotes found in this article: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-19-tm-5850-story.html
[9] Six years earlier than OTL due to the same-sex marriage movement gaining momentum faster in this TL than in OTL.
[10] All italicized passages are from here: http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20050210071148/http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0500678.htm
[11] Information on this parasite was pulled from (and more can be found) here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii
[12] Real: https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/researchers-urge-caution-over-study-linking-marijuana-to-autism/
[13] All italicized segments are from the man’s ourcampaigns page (which for some reason states his middle name is Delano when every other source I’ve come across shows his middle name is Davidson; odd).

[14] Also, in case you missed it before:
Here’s the poll for determining Washington, D.C.’s new name: “When Washington, D.C. becomes a state, what new name should it adopt?”: https://www.strawpoll.me/21207999
There’s 20 options:
Anacostia
The Capital State
Democracy Central
The Democratic Community
Douglass
The Douglass Community
East Virginia
East Washington (with the current Washington State becoming “West Washington” either officially or informally)
Iacocca
Jackson
Lower Maryland
New Maryland
New Virginia
New Washington
Potomac
Washington State (thus making the current Washington State change their name, too)
The Washington City-State/The City-State of Washington
The Washington-Douglass Community
Washington, The D.C. (with “D.C.” being short for “Democratic City-state”)
Washington, Distinguished Citizenry

Please vote!: https://www.strawpoll.me/21207999

The next update’s E.T.A.: November 19!

Unknown said:
And how are there twelve cast members instead of 10?

Two have smaller roles, most prominently at the start and end of the movie, as detectives piecing together what went down on the island, similar to the book's ending!

 

[gap80]

Post 84: Chapter 92

Chapter 92: November 2006 – March 2007



“I was always a friend of southern rights but an enemy of southern wrongs.”

– US politician Benjamin Butler (R-MA)



November United States Senate election results, 2006
Date: November 7, 2006

Seats: 35 of 104
Seats needed for majority: 53
New Senate majority leader: Gary Locke (D-WI)
New Senate minority leader: Webb Franklin (R-MS)
Seats before election: 65 (D), 37 (R), 2 (I)
Seats after election: 57 (D), 46 (R), 1 (I)
Seat change: D v 8, R ^ 9, I v 1

Full List:

Arizona: incumbent Harry Braun (D) over David F. Nolan (R/Liberty) and Richard Mack (Country)

California: incumbent George Deukmejian (R) over Tony West (D) and Meredith “Murdock” Hunter (Green/Natural Mind)

Connecticut: Warren Mosler (D) over Lowell Palmer Weicker Jr. (I) and Alan Schlesinger (R); incumbent Ralph Nader (I) retired

Delaware: incumbent Daniel S. Frawley (D) over Jan Ting (R)

Florida: incumbent Alexander Penelas (D) over Daniel Webster (R)

Hawaii: Mazie Hirono (D) over Cynthia Thielen (R); incumbent Patsy Mink (D) retired

Indiana: incumbent Katie Hall (D) over John Herman Cox (R)

Maine: incumbent Olympia Snowe (R) over Harlan Baker (D)

Maryland: Michael Steele (R) over Ben Cardin (D) and Kevin Zeese (G); incumbent Paul Sarbanes (D) retired

Massachusetts: incumbent Kathleen Hartington Kennedy-Roosevelt (D) over Kenneth Chase (R)

Michigan: Andrew “Rocky” Raczkowski (R) over incumbent Barbara-Rose Collins (D)

Minnesota: incumbent Hubert Horatio “Skip” Humphrey III (D) over Mark Kennedy (R)

Mississippi: incumbent William Webster “Webb” Franklin (R) over Erik Fleming (D)

Missouri: incumbent Alan Wheat (D) over Jim Talent (R)

Montana: Stan Jones (R) over incumbent Jack Mudd (D)

Nebraska: Don Stenberg (R) over Maxine Moul (D); incumbent Ted Sorensen (D) retired

Nevada: Patricia Anne “Patty” Cafferata (R) over incumbent Anna Nevenic (D)

New Jersey: Thomas Kean Jr. (R) over Gina Rose Genovese (D); incumbent Frank X. McDermott (R) retired

New Mexico: Gloria Tristani (D) over Joseph J. Carraro (R); incumbent Pedro Jimenez (D) retired

New York: Tom Suozzi (D) over Edward Ridley Finch Cox (R); incumbent Gabriel “Gabe” Kaplan (D) retired

North Dakota: John Hoeven (R) over incumbent Eliot Glassheim (D)

Ohio: Sherrod Brown (D) over David Smith (R); incumbent Terry A. Anderson (D) retired

Pennsylvania: H. John Heinz III (R) over incumbent Paul Kanjorski (D)

Potomac: incumbent appointee Eleanor Norton (D) over Carol Schwartz (R)

Puerto Rico: incumbent appointee Luis Fortuno (R/New Progressive) over Rafael Hernandez Colon (D/Popular Democratic)

Rhode Island: incumbent Myrth York (D) over Ellerton Pratt “Mark” Whitney III (“Liberty” Republican) and Steve Laffey (Independent Republican)

Tennessee: incumbent Bob Clement Jr. (D) over Van Hilleary (R)

Texas: Kay Granger (R) over incumbent Mickey Leland (D)

Utah: incumbent David D. Marriott (R) over Pete Ashdown (D)

Vermont: incumbent Charles Dean (D) over Greg Parke (R)

Virginia: Ben Lewis Jones (R) over incumbent Bobby Scott (D)

Washington: Norm Rice (D) over Linda Smith (R); incumbent Jolene Unsoeld (D) retired

West Virginia: incumbent Robert C. Byrd (D) over Hiram Lewis (R)

Wisconsin: incumbent Russ Feingold (D) over Robert Lorge (R)

Wyoming: incumbent John S. Wold (R) over Dale Groutage (D)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



United States House of Representatives results, 2006
Date: November 7, 2006

Seats: All 441
Seats needed for majority: 221
New House majority leader: H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC)
New House minority leader: Barbara B. Kennelly (D-CT)
Last election: 199 (R), 236 (D)
Seats won: 224 (R), 217 (D)
Seat change: R ^ 22, D v 22

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



United States Governor election results, 2006
Date: November 7, 2006

Number of state gubernatorial elections held: 37
Seats before: 35 (D), 15 (R), 1 (G), 1 (I)
Seats after: 32 (D), 20 (R), 0 (G), 0 (I)
Seat change: D v 3, R ^ 5, G v 1, I v 1

Full list:

Alabama: Lucy Baxley (D) over Roy Moore (R) and Tony Petelos (Integrity); incumbent Ryan DeGraffenried Jr. (D) was term-limited

Alaska: incumbent Niilo Emil Koponen (Democratic-Green-Union) over Loren Leman (Libertarian-Republican Alliance) and Daniel DeNardo (Independent)

Arizona: Debbie McCune Davis (D) over Brenda Burns (R); incumbent David Fraser Nolan (R) retired

Arkansas: incumbent Winthrop Paul Rockefeller (R) over Mike Ross (D)

California: Kelsey Grammer (R) over incumbent Debbie Cook (G), Laura Wells (D) and Leonard Padilla (Liberty)

Colorado: Jane E. Norton (R) over Gail Schoettler (D) over; incumbent Wellington Webb (D) retired

Connecticut: incumbent Phyllis Busansky (D) over Bill Curry (D) and Roberta Scaglione (I)

Florida: incumbent Antoinette “Toni” Jennings (R) over Bill McBride (D)

Georgia: incumbent Karen Christine Walker (R) over Connie Stokes (D)

Hawaii: Muliufi Francis “Frank” Hannemann (D) over incumbent John Carroll (R)

Idaho: Harley Davidson Brown (R) over Jerry Brady (D); incumbent Larry J. Echo Hawk (D) retired

Illinois: incumbent Corrine J. Wood (R) over Edwin Eisendrath (D)

Iowa: Fred Grandy (R) over Mike Blouin (D); incumbent Sally Pederson (D) retired

Kansas: Lynn Jenkins (R) over incumbent Nancy Boyda (D)

Maine: Peter E. Cianchette (R) over incumbent Matthew Dunlap (D/DSA) and Jonathan Carter (G)

Maryland: John Peter Sarbanes (D) over Bob Ehrlich (R); incumbent Eileen M. Rehrmann (D) retired

Massachusetts: incumbent Michael Dukakis (D) over Christy Mihos (R)

Michigan: incumbent Ronna Romney (R) over David Bonior (D)

Minnesota: incumbent Nancy Elizabeth Lee Johnson (DFL) over Tom Emmer (IRL)

Nebraska: incumbent Lowen Kruse (D) over Dave Nabity (R)

Nevada: Dennis Hof (R) over James B. Gibson (D); incumbent Doug Swanson (R) retired

New Hampshire: incumbent Kelley Ashby (R) over John Lynch (D)

New Mexico: Martin Chavez (D) over John A. Sanchez (R); incumbent Gary Johnson (R/Liberty) was term-limited

New York: incumbent Andrew Cuomo (D/Working Families) over James Bacalles (R)

Ohio: Maureen O’Connor (R) over Michael B. Coleman (D); incumbent Sherrod Brown (D) retired

Oklahoma: incumbent Gary Richardson (R) over Constance Johnson (D)

Oregon: Mary Starrett (R) over Harry Lonsdale (D); incumbent John Elwood “Bud” Clark (I) retired

Pennsylvania: incumbent Lynn Swann (R) over Marjorie Margolies (D)

Potomac: Vincent Bernard Orange Sr. (D) over Michael Kevin Powell (R); incumbent Charlene Drew Jarvis (D) retired

Rhode Island: Lincoln Davenport Chafee (R) over incumbent Sheldon Whitehouse (D)

South Carolina: incumbent Lindsey Graham (R) over Tommy Moore (D)

South Dakota: incumbent George S. Mickelson (R) over Scott Heidepriem (D)

Tennessee: Jim Bryson (R) over Mike McWherter (D) and Carl Two Feathers Whitaker (I; wikiless); incumbent Bart Gordon (D) was term-limited

Texas: Bill Owens (R) over incumbent Kinky Friedman (D), Jim Hightower (Green), Guadalupe Valdez (LRU) and Larry Kilgore (Liberty)

Vermont: incumbent Deborah L. “Deb” Markowitz (D) over Benjamin Clarke (R) and Robert Skold (LU)

Wisconsin: incumbent Kathleen Falk (D) over Mark Green (R)

Wyoming: W. Richard West (D) over incumbent Mary Mead (R)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN: DC’s New Name Is “Potomac”

…while the official name of US capitol is now “The District of Columbia,” many Potomacites (Potomacans?) and, most noticeably, Republican lawmakers, are still referring to it as “Washington, D.C.,” either in protest or out of habit. …Senator Bachus believes that “Washington D.C.” should return to being the capitol’s official name, given that the nation’s 52nd state is not using the word “Washington” in its name. “It’s also very telling that ‘Lincoln’ was not an option on the referendum. That shows that the Democrats don’t want to remind Black people that it was a Republican who freed the slaves”…

– The Washington Post, 11/7/2006 (the WP ultimately decided to not rebrand and instead kept their name)



HOST: “Well, tell us about it the way you experienced it.”

GUEST: “It was on November 7 at O’Hare International. I was flying back to West Virginia after some last-minute, 11th-hour campaigning for Edwin Eisendrath, the Democratic nominee for Governor of Illinois. Our plane was on the runway but was waiting for others to take off before we could. When we were slowly passing by what I later found out was Gate C-17 of O’Hare. I looked out the window, and there’s where I saw. This silvery disc-like thing, hovering completely still over the airport. First I thought it was some odd scratch on the window, like a strip of duct tape, but it wasn’t. It was out there, hovering.”

HOST: “You say it was silvery and saucer-shaped?”

GUEST: “Yes!”

HOST: “Sounds like a UFO to me.”

GUEST: “It was a UFO, and I wasn’t the only one who saw it! The pilots of our plane and the pilots of several other planes nearby all saw it, as did ramp employees and mechanics on the ground! The saucer or whatever it was hovered in place for a few minutes, and then zoomed right up into the clouds. It was the craziest, most sublime, most eye-catching and eye-opening thing I’ve ever seen before.” [1]

– Host George Noory and then-Gov. Bob Wise (D-WV), KDWN’s late night political/paranormal call-in talk radio program Coast to Coast AM, 2/2/2008



…Two more states have approved of the National Initiative Amendment via state referendums earlier tonight, bringing the total number of states to 39 and thus ratifying this landmark piece of legislation it into the United States Constitution…

– TON Nighttime News, 11/8/2006



“Well, it’s about time that got passed! I can consider retiring now. …I said consider retiring now.”

– US Senator Mike Gravel (D-CA), 11/8/2006



…The blowback to the 2006 immigration bill and the health scare over the possibility that MJ causes autism were much more influential on the decisions made by undecided voters than Junior’s mental health crisis. Nevertheless, post-election polling also showed that negative opinions on Jackson himself were more prevalent than negative opinions on his administration. This attitude was reflected in gubernatorial races as well, where Tennessee’s new governor-elect had run on a pledge to block “federal rulings” from “invading” his home state “under the false banner of ‘home state rights.’”…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



ANTI-IMMIGRANT CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT MEETS WITH “S.O.S.” HOUSE CAUCUS TO DISCUSS OBJECTIVES, GOALS

…Elected from California’s most conservative US Congressional district, activist Barbara Coe has spent most of the past two decades opposing federal and state governments providing federal services to illegal immigrants. Coe, who was born on a Sioux reservation in South Dakota on Dec. 6, 1933, was a crime analyst for the Anaheim Police Department until the early 1990s, when her superiors in the Police Department disapproved of her activism and demoted her, and then fired her in 1995 over her alleged misuse of department equipment. After this, Coe increased her political activism, saying she was motivated to “stope the flow of anarchy” in the wake of Korean immigrants relocating to the US after the fall of North Korea in 1996, and of Mexican citizens seeking refuge in the US at the height of the Cartel Wars (the late 1990s).

After meeting with Congressmen Tommy Tancredo and Sonny Bono in Washington, D.C., Representative-Elect Coe told reporters that as a Congressperosn she will be calling for measures “to ban unauthorized immigrants from public schools and universities and block them from receiving social or welfare services and UHC except for emergency treatments.” Coe argues that these actions would save taxpayers money and discourage illegal immigration. She says Tancredo and the other members of the anti-immigration “S.O.S.,” or “Save Our States” House Caucus will assist her introduce such legislation early next year.

“It is my position [sic] that we are on the verge of losing the sovereignty of our nation, and we need to fight that.” [2]

– The Houston Chronicle, 11/12/2006



“WHAT AN UPSET!” HESELTINE BESTS HARMAN AS LENNON COALITION COLLAPSES

…Labour MPs were divided over the UK intervention still ongoing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (with former PM John Lennon suggesting intervention there “should be South Africa’s job” just over a week ago), and Harman failed to keep the party united in the face of a strong Conservative challenger ready and willing to end – and, as tonight proved, capable of ending – what has been nearly 15 years of Labour rule…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 11/17/2006



US SENATE PASSES MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION BILL; House Plans To Vote On It Next Month, Ahead Of The New House Session

– The Washington Post, 11/21/2006



…We now have confirmation that Alabama’s governor-elect, Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley, has died from a sudden massive stroke… Two people close to the state politician have made the claim that she was showing signs of exhaustion and of being in poor health in recent weeks, possibly due to the stress and strain of running for Governor…

– NBC Breaking News, 11/23/2006 broadcast



…The sociopolitical experiment of a single united Central Asian political entity was tested time and again, by radioactive disaster, droughts, recreadrugs, border skirmishes, and a global pandemic. The greatest threat to the stability of the diverse nation, however, came with the simple and sudden of one man, and the ascension of another.

On December 6, 2006, the third President of United Turkmenistan, Han Ahmedowic Ahmedow of Turkmenistan and of the Unity Party, in office since January 5, 1999, suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 70. Elected in 1998 over Avdi Kuliyev of Turkmenistan, and re-elected in 2001 and 2004, each time over lmazbek Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan, his death left a fateful vacancy in the UT government. The UT Constitution stipulated that the Head of the National Gathering was next in line for the Presidency, with the NG Head being the UT equivalent of the US Speaker of the House.

And at the time, the holder of that position was the controversial and polarizing Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan and of the National Party…

Above: Islam Karimov, the fourth President of United Turkestan

– Ke Wang’s Turkestanis Unite!: The Rise And Execution of An Idea, Cambridge University Press, 2013



ALABAMA GOVERNOR’S DEATH CREATES UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESSION CRISIS

…Ryan DeGraffenreod, Jr., age 56, has passed away unexpectedly from “undisclosed natural causes,” a representative of his family and city officials jointly announced on December 7th, with the outgoing Governor dead, and the office of Lieutenant Governor vacant since the recent death of Lucy Baxley, who had been elected to succeed DeGraffenreid, president pro tempore of the state senate Lowell Barron will serve as governor for the rest of DeGraffenreid’s term. According to the state’s constitution, “If the governor-elect fail or refuse from any cause to qualify, the lieutenant governor-elect shall qualify and exercise the duties of governor until the governor-elect qualifies.” [3] This wording of the constitution, however, does not cover what it to be done is the governor-elect dies and thus cannot qualify. As a result, the runner-up of last month’s governor’s race announcing today that he is suing the state government, challenging the legitimacy of the current Lieutenant-governor-elect, Jim Folsom Jr., of being sworn in to the governorship next month. Moore argues that because it specifies “until the governor-elect can serve,” an impossible situation, than either the second-place finisher of November’s gubernatorial election should become governor-elect by default, or a new gubernatorial election must be held, as there are more than sixty days until the next regularly-scheduled election. …The state supreme court are reportedly looking into the matter in order to determine the validity of Moore’s argument…

– The Washington Post, 12/9/2006



WHAT’S NEXT FOR GARY JOHNSON?

[pic: imgur.com/oP8mxyV.png ]

...the term-limited governor is leaving office with high approval ratings and an impressive collection of fiscal accomplishments under his belt…

– The Silver City Daily Press and Independent, New Mexico newspaper, 12/10/2006



…With only a few weeks left to go before Republicans gain back majority control of the House, Congress has passed the Mental Health Education bill. The legislation has been described as an ‘addition’ to the mental health laws passed in the wake of the assassination of President Iacocca, and encourages the teaching of the subject of mental health in high school health classes in order to curb social stigma concerning conditions such as but not limited to depression, addiction, senility and bipolar disorders…

– CBS Evening News, 12/11/2006 broadcast



TU YOUYOU WINS NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE

…the Chinese pharmaceutical chemist, who turns 77 on the thirtieth, discovered one of the most effective treatments for malaria in the late 1960s, while she was working on a secret military project for the People’s Republic of China. Her discovery was artemisinin, a drug that was a great improvement on chloroquine solutions of the time that were becoming less effective due to malaria parasites developing resistance to them. Her unsung work helped doctors in China, and then the world, fight malaria and infections caused by roundworm parasites…

– scientificamerican.co.usa, 10/10/2007 news e-article



…A brain hemorrhage can be like a stroke, when the victim suddenly losses feeling in their face and cannot speak; in other cases, it can be the opposite, with a sudden and severe headache followed by nausea and vomiting. Both ways are painful and tragic. In the case of Tim Johnson, the US Secretary of the Treasury, when his brain began bleeding on December 13, 2006 while he was reviewing the numbers for the next quarterly budget, he suffered a cerebral arteriovenous malformation, which is a congenital defect that creates enlarged and tangled blood vessels in the brain, resulting in pressure from these vessels as they are too close together. Johnson was discovered by his secretary when it was the end of her shift. He was immediately rushed to George Washington University Hospital in critical condition, and underwent surgery at to drain the blood and stop further bleeding. Unfortunately, the extent of the tangled vessels bursting proved too great, and he passed away hours later, on the 14th. Johnson was born with the condition [4], and he died with it.

The President had just signed Senator McGovern’s mental health education bill into law when he heard the news. Naturally, he was shocked and saddened by the sudden departure of the 60-year-old larger-than-life workaholic South Dakota who had been instrumental in the White House’s financial efforts. At the next cabinet meeting, the room reportedly seemed darker and colder…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



LIST OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATES

[snip]

1966: Ruth Briggs of the US – for overseeing successful and attempted peace talks in several countries as the US’s Chief National Security Advisor

1967: Dang Thuy Tram of United Vietnam and the International Council of Nurses – for treating the wounded survivors of the concluded Vietnam War

1968: Rene Cassin of France – for his successes as President of the European Court for Human Rights

1969: The UN International Labour Organization – for its advancing of social and economic justice through the setting of international labour standards

1970: Norman E. Borlaug of the US – for his contributions to food production via his involvement in the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center

1971: Willy Brandt of West Germany – for normalizing relations between East Germany and West Germany, as President of the latter

1972: Max Jakobson of Finland – for his contributions to political stabilization efforts worldwide as UN Secretary-General

1973: Francois Mitterrand of France – for his involvement, as France’s President, in ceasefire agreements ending internal hostilities in Algeria and elsewhere

1974: Eisaku Sato of Japan – for his efforts as Japan’s Prime Minister to promote global denuclearization

1975: Andrei Sakharov of the USSR – for his struggle for human rights, nuclear disarmament, and international cooperation

1976: Betty Williams of the UK and Mairead Corrigan of the UK – for co-founding the influential Northern Ireland Peace Movement

1977: Amnesty International – for protecting the human rights of “prisoners of conscience”

1978: Jimmy Carter of the US, Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat of Egypt, and Menachem Begin of Israel – for the landmark Atlanta Peace Treaty of 1978

1979: Mother Teresa of India – for her anti-poverty work in Calcutta

1980: Adolfo Perez Esquivel of Argentina – for his fight for human rights during Argentina’s military dictatorship

1981: The UN Office of High Commissioner for Refugees – for organizing the aiding of the displaced in places such as Africa and Central America

1982: Alva Myrdal of Sweden and Alfonso Garcia Robles of Mexico – for their work in international disarmament negotiations

1983: Leszek Kolakowski and Jarek Kuron of Poland – for co-founding the non-violent “Solidarity,” a Self-Governing Trade Union in Poland

1984: Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and P. W. Botha of South Africa – for their work to peacefully end apartheid in South Africa

1985: Alexander Yakovlev of Russia – for his leading role in supporting a peaceful change in government following the collapse of the USSR

1986: International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War – for raising awareness of the catastrophic consequences of atomic warfare

1987: Oscar Romero of El Salvador – for years of combating poverty and social injustice across Central America as a prelate of the Catholic Church

1988: Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama of India – for consistently advocating tolerance, peace, and mutual respect over use of violence and/or force

1989: Colonel Sanders of the US, Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq of Pakistan and V.P. Singh of India – for signing a landmark peace treaty that suspended hostilities between India and Pakistan

1990: The UN Peace-Keeping Forces – for their contributions to the upholding of one of the UN’s most fundamental tenets

1991: Rev. Jerry Brown of the US – for organizing charity efforts and humanitarian services in post-war Nicaragua

1992: Rigoberta Menchu of Guatemala – for her defense of the rights of indigenous peoples

1993: Bread for the World of the US – for advocating, as a non-partisan Christian organization, for policy changes to end world hunger

1994: Sir John Lennon of the UK, and Selvarasa Pathmanathan and D. B. Wijetunga of Sri Lanka – for forging a peace deal, ending the Sri Lanka Civil War

1995: The UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda and Romeo Dallaire of Canada – for successfully ending the ethnic-based conflicts in Rwanda and Burundi

1996: Joseph Rotblat of Poland and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs of Canada – for efforts to diminish and eliminate nuclear arms

1997: The UN World Food Programme – for distributing nutritional relief worldwide, especially in the aftermath of the Second Korean War

1998: International Campaign to Ban Landmines of Switzerland – for clearing anti-personnel mines and calling for their ban worldwide

1999: Kim Dae-jung of United Korea – for his promotion, as President of Korea, of peace and reconciliation worldwide and in post-war Korea in particular

2000: Medecins Sans Frontieres of Switzerland – for the organization’s work in pioneering humanitarian efforts

2001: Mike Gravel of the US – for his calls for a global ban on chemical weapons

2002: The UN International Atomic Energy Agency – for their efforts to ensure nuclear energy is used safely and not for military purposes

2003: Carol Bellamy of the US – for her work, as Secretary-General of the UN, coordinating the global response to the 2001-2004 SARS pandemic

2004: Andres Pastrana Arango of Colombia – for leading and brokering the peace deal that ended the decades-long Colombian Civil War

2005: Wangari Muta Maathai of Kenya – for contributing to sustainable development projects, and for promoting democracy and peace worldwide

2006: Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank of Bangladesh – advancing economic and social opportunities for the poor, especially women

– clickopedia.co.usa



TIME MAGAZINE’S PERSON OF THE YEAR (called Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1989)

[snip]

1961: Lyndon B. Johnson – US President; pushed for Civil Rights legislation and sent US troops to Cuba

1962: Pope John XXIII – Head of the Roman Catholic Church; symbolized hope to Cuban refugees during the Cuban War; initiated the Second Vatican Council

1963: The Shoutnik – anti-war activist characterized as a new generation of Americans; style born out of the Beatnik Generation and Civil Rights movement

1964: Colonel Sanders – elected US President, after being a well-known chicken salesman just ten years prior in a stunning rise to power

1965: Martin Luther King Jr. – a leader of the Civil Rights Movement and a supporter of the Federal Aid Dividend

1966: The Inheritor – representing a generation of American men and women under the age of 26

1967: Creighton W. Abrams Jr. – the US Army General and the commander of US forces in Vietnam during the Fall of Hanoi

1968: Colonel Sanders (2nd time) – US President; re-elected in a landslide

1969: The Apollo 10 Astronauts – Gus Grissom, first man on the moon; Charles Bassett, second man on the moon; Ted Freeman, Command Module Pilot

1970: Ms. Arkansas – seen as the catalyst for the First Ark Wave, an international movement in which woman spoke out against sexual pestering and abuse

1971: Robert Stanfield – Prime Minister of Canada; sought to improve the national economy and resolve “the Quebec Query”

1972: Walter Mondale – elected US President at the age of 44 in a “generational shift”

1973: Robert Vincent Roosa – US Secretary of the Treasury; credited with leading the US economy through the 1973 Oil Crisis

1974: Alexei Kosygin – head of the USSR; maintained a stable détente with the US and Western Europe

1975: American Women – representing the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment

1976: The American Soldier – representing U.S. forces, especially the “Uganda Rough Riders,” a.k.a. those involved in the UK-led overthrow of Idi Amin

1977: Anwar Sadat – President of Egypt; opened diplomatic channels to Israel in a major geopolitical shakeup

1978: The Peacemakers – representing the groups and individuals who contributed to the Atlanta Peace Treaty that stabilized relations in the Middle East

1979: Ralph Nader – Director of the EPA; lead and coordinated clean-up efforts in the immediate aftermath of the Trojan Tower Nuclear Disaster

1980: Jeremiah Denton – elected US President on the promise of economic recovery

1981: Helmut Kohl – Chancellor of West Germany; improved relations between East Germany and West Germany

1982: The Computer – denoted “machine of the year” to mark the beginning of The Information Age

1983: Shah Reza Pahlavi – the Shah of Iran since 1978; finally defeated Khomeini-led anti-government terrorist forces, ending a years-long conflict

1984: Alexander Nikolaevich Yakovlev – the last head of the USSR; withdrew troops from United Turkestan as the Soviet Union collapsed

1985: The Silence Breakers – representing women who came forward with allegations of sexual pestering and abuse in what became the Second Ark Wave

1986: J. Mark Felt – FBI Director; a central figure in the investigations that led to President Denton’s resignation

1987: Janice R. Fine – 26-year-old activist; a major figure in the Second Ark Wave; legal consul to Anna and Sydney Mason, lawyer, and feminist

1988: The Woman Politician – representing such individuals worldwide in general and in the US in particular, such as President-elect Bellamy, and others

1989: The Endangered Earth – denoted “Planet of the year” to mark the rise in awareness of Global Climate Disruption

1990: Carol Bellamy – US President; pushed Universal Healthcare and other major reforms through congress

1991: Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan – Secretary-General of the UN

1992: John Lennon – elected Prime Minister of the UK in an election that saw high voter turnout

1993: Lee Iacocca – US President; engaged in trade wars with several nations, most prominently Japan

1994: Tim Berners-Lee – English computer scientist dubbed the “inventor” of the technet

1995: Jimi Hendrix – musician who legally and officially became a certified Prince, serving as the head of The Sanwi Kingdom until his retirement in 2012

1996: Larry Miles Dinger – US President; won a full term in a landslide after the “success” of the Second Korean War

1997: Dr. David Ho – Taiwanese-American physician who received praise for his pioneering AIDS research

1998: The Good Samaritan – representing those who contributed to anti-poverty and anti-hunger efforts worldwide, especially for “The Former North.”

1999: Carol Bellamy (2nd time) – UN Secretary-General; promoted relief for children in poverty

2000: Jesse Jackson – elected the first African-American US President

2001: Esteban Moctezuma – President of Mexico; praised for his handling of the Cartel Wars/Recreadrug Wars

2002: Healthcare Workers – representing the doctors, nurses and EMTs who worked tirelessly during the SARS Global Pandemic

2003: The Crew of The Milestone And Seeker – the international team of ten “marstronauts” who traveled to Mars and grew crops there for a few weeks

2004: Jesse Jackson (2nd time) – US President; re-elected in a landslide

2005: Pope Patrick I – born Francis Arinze in Nigeria; first Black Pope

2006: Moise Katumbi – Katangan community leader in the D.R.C.; aided fleeing ethnic minorities targeted during the Second African World War

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 2014



“…the Alabama State Supreme court has released its opinions on Alabama’s line of succession controversy, and they have ruled in favor of Lieutenant-Governor-elect Jim Folsom Jr. being sworn into office in January. However, the court also upheld the stipulation that a special election must be held to determine who will serve the remainder to the 2007-to-2011 gubernatorial term…”

– CBS Evening News, 12/28/2006 broadcast



POTOMAC DELEGATION

Senators:

Class 1: Eleanor Holmes Norton (b. 1937, D)

Class 2: David Schwartzman (b. 1954, D)

Congressmen:

At-large: Charlene Drew Jarvis (b. 1941, D)

[snip]

PUERTO RICO DELEGATION

…The state’s New Progressive Party is left-of-center and its members are split almost evenly between Democratic and Republican affiliation at the national level. The state’s Popular Democratic Party is farther centrist and was less enthusiastic about US statehood, with many party members backing the “status quo” option on earlier referendums…

Senators:

Class 1: Luis Fortuno (b. 1960, R/New Progressive)

Class 2: Norma Burgos (b. 1942, R/New Progressive)

Congressmen:

District 1: Antonio J. Colorado (b. 1939, D/Popular Democratic)

District 2: Dr. Miriam J. Ramirez, M.D. (b. 1941, D/New Progressive)

District 3: Jenniffer Gonzalez (b. 1976, R/New Progressive)

District 4: Leonides “Leo” Diaz Urbina (b. 1962, R/New Progressive)

District 5: Baltasar Corrada del Rio (b. 1935, R/New Progressive)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa/US_Congress/composition/date:_1_4_2007



NEW SENATE COMPOSITION (ALL 54 SENATORS; 46 Republicans, 57 Democrats and 1 Independent)

Class 1 (35) – Senators Elected In 1994, 2000, 2006, Etc.:

REPUBLICANS (16): George Deukmejian (CA), Olympia Snowe (ME), Mike Steel (MD), Rocky Raczkowski (MI), Webb Franklin (MS), Stan Jones (MT), Don Stenberg (NE), Patty Cafferata (NV), Thomas Kean Jr. (NJ), John Hoeven (ND), H. J. Heinz III (PA), Luis Fortuno (PR), Kay Granger (TX), David Marriott (UT), Ben Lewis Jones (VA), John Wold (WY)

DEMOCRATS (19): Harry Braun (AZ), Warren Mosler (CT), Daniel S. Frawley (DE), Alexander Penelas (FL), Mazie Hirono (HI), Katie Beatrice Hall (IN), Kathleen Kennedy-Roosevelt (MA), Skip Humphrey (MN), Alan Wheat (MO), Martin Chavez (NM), Tom Suozzi (NY), Sherrod Brown (OH), Eleanor Norton (PO), Myrth York (RI), Bob Clement Jr. (TN), Tony Pollina (VT), Norm Rice (WA), Bob Byrd (WV), Russ Feingold (WI)

Class 2 (35) – Senators Elected In 1990, 1996, 2002, Etc.:

REPUBLICANS (23): Spencer Bachus (AL), Jalmar Kerttula (AS), Bob Barr (GA), Helen Chenoweth (ID), Jim Edgar (IL), Terry Branstad (IA), Carla Stovall (KS), Clyde Holloway (LA), Bill Weld (MA), Jack Lousma (MI), Pete Johnson (MS), Larry R. Williams (MT), Orrin Hatch (NE), Mary Mochary (NJ), Steve Largent (OK), Norma Paulus (OR), Norma Burgos (PR), Larry Pressler (SD), Hillary Rodham-Clinton (TN), Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX), George Allen (VA), Jon McBride (WV), Barbara Cubin (WY)

DEMOCRATS (11): Jim Guy Tucker (AR), Josie Heath (CO), Marjorie “Midge” Osterlund (DE), Martha Layne Osborne (KY), Sharon Sayles Belton (MN), Bev Hollingworth (NH), Roberto Mondragon (NM), Dan Blue (NC), David Schwartzman (PO), Liz Roberts (RI), Mike Thurmond (SC)

INDEPENDENT (1): Angus King (ME)

Class 3 (34) – Senators Elected In 1992, 1998, 2004, Etc.:

REPUBLICANS (7): F. Winford Boozman III (AR), Michael Bilirakis (FL), Herman Cain (GA), Bo Gritz (ID), Bob Dole (KS), Patrick Downard (KY), Lyle Hillyard (UT)

DEMOCRATS (27): Doug Jones (AL), Kevin Danaher (AS), Eddie Najeeb Basha Jr. (AZ), Mike Gravel (CA), Mark Udall (CO), Chris Dodd (CT), Dan Inouye (HI), Paul Vallas (IL), Evan Bayh (IN), Patty Jean Poole (IA), Chris John (LA), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Wayne Cryts (MO), Dina Titus (NV), Lou D’Allesandro (NH), Allyson Schwartz (NY), Nick Galifianakis (NC), Kent Conrad (ND), Peter Lawson Jones (OH), Brad Carson (OK), Les AuCoin (OR), Bob Casey Jr. (PA), Fritz Hollings (SC), Teresa McGovern (SD), Bill Sorrell (VT), Gary Locke (WA), Bronson La Follette (WI)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



“This conservative agenda that we are putting forth will aim to hold the President and his administration accountable for their reckless fiscal spending.”

– US House Speaker H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC), 1/5/2007



CYBER ATTACK WIPES OUT BANKING SYSTEMS ACROSS THE EAST COAST!

– The Washington Post, 1/6/2007



…from the data we had on file and based on our correspondents literally phoning in their reports, we’re estimating the January 6 cyber-attack hindered internet access – that is, shutting it down, or corrupting netsites, or at least damaging technet services – for at least seven million Americans for over 32 hours on average. According to the US Secretary of Energy and Technology, Barbara Radding Morgan, the cyber-attack came from somewhere in China, but it is currently unknown if it was some kind of government-sanctioned action or a powerful terrorist attack. The Premier of China, Bo Xilai, has denied accusations of cyber espionage…

– KNN, 1/9/2007 broadcast



…Operation Death Lotus [5] went as plans, causing chaos and sending a message to the Americans that Chairman Bo was not one to take criticism lightly. He had agreed with several generals in his inner circle that “a new kind of warfare” was to soon appear upon the horizon, and that it would be best if the People’s Republic readied for it. …Cyber hacking and data-stealing were new frontiers for new departments… Meanwhile, Chairman Bo increased the chaos by claiming the January 2007 cyber-attack was a self-inflicted incident instigated by the US government in order to continue its attacks on the PRC, attacks that Bo stated began with Iacocca and escalated after SARS broke out. These accusations were Bo’s way of trying to rebuild China’s reputation on the world stage and seek out more favorable trade deals with nations other than the US… These incidents, as the year 2007 continued on, raised tensions between the US and China significantly...

– Carl Krosinsky’s Modern China: A Complex Recent History, Borders Books, 2020



…Jesse Jr. left the Mayo Clinic in January; he was not a new man entirely, but he was deemed “safe” and “stable” (terms Jesse had reluctantly gotten used to) enough to leave. Junior still had to take medication, but he had responded very well to the therapies. Most importantly, Junior’s view on things had shifted. He was more thankful than ever of having such a supportive family. Especially his wife Michelle, whose patience and ability to forgive seemed to have no limitations as far as the President’s son hotel.

Junior spent noticeably less time around the White House, though. Believing republicans would use his presence against his father somehow, he opted to VidCall his father more often instead…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



In a coordinated effort, the now-combined Anti-Bemba forces outflanked and overwhelmed the Loyalists stationed at Lodja, near the center of the country, running them out by the twentieth. Growing Tutsi militant forces led by Laurent Nkunda attacked from the east, while Ernie Wamba led an assault from the north and Katangan Freedom Fighters swooped in from the South. Few Loyalists managed to flee west before the city was surrounded…

– John J. Polonko Jr.’s All’s Fair: What War Makes Necessary, Hachette Book Group USA, 2017 edition



NATIVE AMERICAN BANKER APPROVED FOR TREASURY POST

…After Treasury Secretary Tim Johnson’s tragic death in December, the Jackson administration has interviewed dozens of potential replacements… Elouise Pepion “Yellow Bird Woman” Cobell (D-CO), founded the Blackfeet National Bank, and won a MacArthur genius award in 1997 for her work in Native financial literacy. She received national attention that same year for leading a class-action lawsuit against the federal government for years of mismanaged trust funds and filed leasing fees. With a deep and detailed knowledge of budget techniques and a history of advocating for and practicing fiscal responsibility, Cobell, age 61, having been confirmed by the US Senate 81-23, will oversee the maintaining of the US’s recent budget and spending concerns…

– The Washington Post, 1/30/2007



STATE SUPREME COURT APPROVES DEVELOPMENT ZONING LAWS REFORM MEASURE

…the state law sets strict regulations for how close certain businesses may operate to the proximity of schools, parks, and nature preserves…

– The Arizona Republic, 2/2/2007



…To the company’s credit, KFC under Novak did begin to work on improving their selection of food offerings in order to increase their healthier menu items. Additionally, the company sought to try and raise awareness of health issues that existed both in and out of the outlets. For example, in early 2006, the franchise contributed to the charge against heart disease, a leading cause of death in the US, by removing trans fats from their products. Trans fats, or trans fatty acid, is a type of unsaturated far created by the hydrogenation process and is found in margarines and manufactured cooking oils. Trans fatty acids are linked to atherosclerosis, and consumption of them can raise cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, thus raising one’s chances of getting heart disease. Emulating the company’s funder’s noted generosity to various charities, KFC and its parent company ramped up its contributions to the American Heart Association and charities for children hospitals, hosting fundraisers, co-sponsoring events, and calling for an increase in use of antibiotics. Upon seeing their competitor’s sales numbers improve, Chick-fil-A followed suit in late 2006, and even tried to “one up” KFC by having their food items’ nutritional information printed on all product wrappers and other forms of packaging in February 2007. It really says something about American competitiveness when it manages to actually be relatively beneficial to the physical health of consumers...

– Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012



The President fumed as he watched the new Speaker address the networks from the floor of the House chamber. “We are opening up these investigations into the over one-thousand, two-hundred American citizens killed by SARS in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 in order to establish who and who exactly is responsible for the demises of these souls. It is also true that we are going to be calling on several cabinet members among other members of the Jackson White House, and request that they appear before several House committees for special hearings on the matter as well. Furthermore – ”

Jackson muted the screen. “1,200 deaths. It was 1,200 cases and less than a thousand deaths, the liar!”

“He’ll just say he misspoke, and that’s if they corner him,” replied political strategist Peter Daou. “If what we’ve gathered of McMaster is true, the sniveling little worm will just sneak away if there’s door nearby. Say he’s busy and just walk away.”

The President ranted, “That little snot. What’s his angle? The congress is split; he can’t get any house bills through the Senate without winning over Democrats. If he grills us like this, why should we even we humor him with talk of ‘cross-aisle compromise’?” He vented to his advisors.

“He doesn’t plan on compromising, Mr. President,” said the Senate’s new majority leader, Gary Locke (D-WA).

“Then nothing’s getting passed,” Jackson answered, “Nothing big anyway.”

“I think that’s the point. Congressional gridlock. A do-nothing congress. One that he’ll pin squarely on us,” Locke agreed.

“That’s ridiculous,” said House Minority Leader and former Speaker Barbara Kennelly (D-CT), “People will see right through that.”

“Will they?” Counselor to the President William Antholis suggested as he leaned forward in his chair. “Bellamy had a split congress after the 1990 midterms. Democrats lost two years later over perceived weak leadership. They think they can use that same playbook to take back the White House next year.”

“Well then,” Kennelly asked with a rather snarky attitude, “How do you suggest we avoid history repeat itself?”

Antholis answered, “Bellamy tried to ignore them. So I say we go at ’em head-on. Call their bluff. They want to scour every medical report, I say let ’em. Let ’em televise their hearings. It’ll be their own undoing.”

“I get it,” nodded White House Communications Director Betty Magness. “The broadcast footage will show us being professionals while Republican House leadership waste time on unimportant things like how many ventilators existed in Vermont in 2001, long before SARS became a major thing, instead of working to get sensible police reform done.”

“If they’re going to bother us with SARs, it’s only a matter of time before they go after Junior,” the President thought out loud.

“There’s nothing to inquire about, though,” Locke asked. He looked around the room at his inner circle that he had only been a part of since January, thanks to Robert C. Byrd retiring. “Right?”

“They’ll inquire anyway,” Jackson grit his teeth as he looked back at the screen, still showing McMaster’s polished and thinly-veiled diatribe of a spiel.

“Then we’ll address it whenever they do,” Antholis answered with a bit of confidence in his tone.

“Uh, maybe we should be a bit more pre-emptive about it?” Suggested Kennelly.

“First things first, Barbara,” Antholis explained. “We’ve first and foremost have got to get the American people to realize that McMaster and his lackeys are not doing their jobs. Instead of representing their constituents like they were elected to do, by doing something sensible like challenging us on the budget and tax distribution, they’re instead criticizing for us not being able to keep the SARS death count at zero.”

The President nodded in agreement.

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016

– H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC), c. February 2007



…and in political news, former Senator and 2004 Presidential nominee Bernie Goetz met with prominent Republican donors in Washington, D.C., which has led to some speculation that he may be considering running for President next year…

– NBC, 2/15/2007 broadcast



“Who even is that guy, Tommy? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in anything.”

“That’s because this is his first movie, too. I found him on the technet. He’s like me, wanting to make movies all his life and now circumstances have given him the chance to try it out.”

“Is he paying for anything?”

“Yes, basically, we’re using his recording equipment.”

“Oh, well, never mind, then.”

“What, Donny?”

“I just mean, you know, his acting. It was…weird. Very wooden. Flat. Not that great.”

“I thought that was on purpose. He’s supposed to be an evil cult leader. You can’t have people scared if you’re waving arms around like Jim Carrey or a chicken. Cheep-cheep-cheep-cheep!”

“Well at least he’s not in charge of editing. Maybe we can fix it in post or whatever.”

“Yeah. I mean, I think it’s fine, but when it’s time to edit, we’ll see what works and what doesn’t.”

“This is going to be a real special movie, Tommy. I can feel it!”

– transcript of audio recording of office meeting at Trump Sunrise Tower, Santa Monica, CA; recorded 2/18/2007 and leaked 12/17/2018



“I don’t know, I might run for President again. I think I lost because of SARS. I will admit, Jackson did handle that pretty well. And there was the whole landing-on-Mars thing. That probably created a rally-around-the-flag affect. The cards were stacked against me. But now people are beginning to see just how corrupt the Jackson administration is. I think next year there could be a lot of buyer’s remorse going on. Maybe now the people will go, ‘Hey, Bernie, you were right, so this time, we’ll vote for you.’ So, yeah, another run could happen, it really could.”

– Former US Senator Bernie Goetz (R-CO), KXKL Radio Denver’s The Ken Hamblin Show, local talk/news program, 2/20/2007 interview



JACKSON NOMINATES RALPH NADER FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

…Jackson’s cabinet is going through some unexpected shake-ups of late, with Secretary of State Ann Richards retiring due to cancer, the Treasury Secretary passing away, and Attorney General Edwards announcing his departure in January due to exhaustion… The selection of Senator Ralph Nader can be viewed as a bipartisan selection due the level of support for the former two-term US Senator that is found among liberal and moderate Republicans. Due to his sign popularity, his lengthy and accomplished career of many years of scandal-free public service, and the Democrats still holding a majority in the US Senate, NADER is expected to be confirmed with ease…

– The Washington Post, 2/22/2007



“It is vital for our nation that we manage our lands efficiently. We must take advantage of the space we have out west and even the space we have in the east. I am very proud of movements in places like Baltimore and Chicago, where constructing vertical gardens are being tried out. Even small areas like traffic islands can house solar panels or a wind turbine. Now, I understand the urge that many of my fellow Republicans have, to wean America off foreign energy, but we must honor and protect the land and the surface of the ground, before we go fracking underneath it willy-nilly. We need to open up energy enterprises within the confines of environmental responsibility. That is why I am proud of the people of Arizona, who have recently reached a deal with the Navajo Nation to place solar panels in select locations. That is what I like to see – businesses working with Native Americans to preserve the sacredness of the land, to protect and respect Mother Nature in our pursuit of both fossil fuels and renewable energy.”

– US Secretary of the Interior Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO), 2/24/2007



CONGRESS PASSES DIGITAL CONTENT SECURITY BILL; Jackson Is Expected To Sign It Into Law “Pronto”

…credit for the quick pace of the legislation’s passing likely goes to its high amount of bipartisan support, as both Republican and Democrats have voiced concern over the possible “fragility” of the technet in light of recent cyber-attacks on US banks. …“Some on The Hill are seeing this as a sign of hope for further bipartisan collaboration, but, personally, I think that this will turn out to be one of few exceptions where Jackson is able to work with the McMaster-led House with ease and without conflict or mudslinging. Call me a pessimist if you want, it’s just my opinion,” says US Senator Paul Vallas (D-IL)…

– The New York Times, 2/27/2007



MOTHER-POST: What Has South America’s History Been Like Politically?

I’m studying for a history test and I think the teacher’s going to ask about this but I misplaced my notes! I know a lot of countries down there are former dictatorships and that Jackson pulled us out of Colombia but that’s about it, politics-wise. Help?

>REPLY 1:
How Much history are we talking? Here’s what I know about the past 50 years or so:

Argentina – Juan Peron (the main guy in that “Evita” Musical) served from 1946 to 1955 but then came back in the 1970s. He started losing popularity, so he did a self-coup and stayed in office as a dictator – one of South America’s better dictator, even with that whole bizarre Falklands thing, let’s just admit it already – until his death in 1985 at the age of 90. His second wife (not Eva) took over then, but she wasn’t popular, so when she finally let free and fair elections happen, she lost to Nobel Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel. He led the charge to raise the country’s standard of living. Now, though, the new President is deregulating and fighting labor became he wants to see the country return to its former glory – it used to be one of the richest countries in the world about a century ago.

Bolivia – politically, very stable – until Walter Mondale got scared by a socialist, Juan Jose Torres, winning the Presidency in 1970. Ol’ Jota-Jota got overthrown in 1974, officially because of the 1973 oil shock, and a revolving door of unpopular dictators ruled until Torres returned to power in a coup of his own in 1993, and served until his death two years later from natural causes at the age of 77. Since then, the country’s returned to political stability, and have good relations with all of their neighbors. The rise of the solar panel has been a boon for the country due to Bolivia’s rich deposits of minerals like tin, silver, lithium and copper. We’ve got some pretty impressive mining technology coming out of there in recent years, too, so, I dunno, maybe a tech boom’s happening down there as well!

Brazil – It fell to a military junta in 1964 and the dictatorship quietly and slowly collapsed in the 1970s/1980s. Since then, it’s developed into what some call an “emerging power” and may be a major “superpower” on the world stage someday, if they keep up the pace of economic and social growth, but they still have a ways to go. Recently, its 35th President, Hamilton Mourao, a former peacetime Army General, lost re-election in a landslide over his handling of the SARS pandemic and overall dictator-like administrating. He lost to Heloisa Helena, a former nurse, who seems to be getting them, let’s say “back on track.”

Chile – It’s not very stable, but it was politically “polarized” in the 1960s and 1970s, swinging back and forth between centrist and far-right Presidencies before a popular far-left politician whose name I forget came to power in 1988. He served for 14 years and almost got overthrown at least twice according to a report on what US President Dinger’s CIA Director was doing while the rest of the US was distracted by the war in Korea and the War on Recreadrugs. Their current president is Leonardo Farkas. And he’s, well, he’s really something!

Colombia – they were in a state of Civil War for years. Completely unstable, with guerillas on the far-left and the far-right, assassinations, hostage crises and massacres allowed drug cartels to swoop in and “protect” locals from the carnage. For a price, obviously. But with the Civil War having concluded with a tricameral legislature and shorter Presidential term limits, the cartels are reeling as stability slowly reclaims the interior hinterlands. So, yeah, they’re still struggling to get along with itself in the aftermath of a decades-long civil war, but Colombia is still much better off than they were even just a few years ago.

Ecuador – A peaceful (fourth-lowest homicide rate in the Americas) and very politically stable developing country. Environmentally conscious, it is the protector of the Galapagos and that island chain’s horny sea turtles. Not much else I can say about it, sorry.

French Guiana – Technically a French territory, not a country. Even with it being mainly just rain forest with a low population and poor infrastructure, the cost of living here is somehow higher than that of France proper. However, social unrest over this is expressed through the ruling Guianese Socialist Party often sparring with the Government of France proper instead of, you know, voting for independence and threatening to cut France off from crops and livestock. But, hey, to each his own, you know?

Guyana – After becoming independent from the British in 1966, the US’s CIA kept a close eye on it, keeping the Jagan power couple out of power until the 1990s. Because there’s more Guyanans in the US than in Guyana, the country is very pro-USA, to the point that they seriously wanted to be a US state during the 1990s. As cool as that would have been – and not too implausible, in my opinion, given that NASA supported it because of something to do with rocket propulsion and the proximity of the equator – all that came out of that movement was them adopting the US dollar as their official currency. Anyway, they’re a politically stable land at the moment.

Paraguay – Oh, boy, these guys. How many dictatorships have they had? Too many! Stroessner oversaw the arrest, torture, and assassination of many opponents, including Domingo Laino (1935-1986, never forget), and served from 1954 until his death in a plane crash in 1996. His successor, Andres Rodriguez died less than a year later from old age, and then another dictator took over until he was overthrown in 2001 by a dictatorial due who supported free and free election – which were postponed for two years because of the SARS pandemic. But because of how well he handled that virus, he actually won the 2004 election by a comfortable margin. They’re technically a presidential republic now, but their President is on the border of becoming a dictator again. Nevertheless, the country’s economy is expanding, and human rights abuses are at an all-time low. So, yeah, they’re doing better, but still…

Peru – Possibly worse off than Paraguay; it’s pretty neck-and-neck. Their modern history had been dominated by armed conflicts of territorial disputes, coup after coup, many mass protests, and alternating times of economic disaster and economic inequality. Only occasional have things been truly stable. For instance, President Fernando Belaunde Terry barely survived a coup attempt in the late 1960s by renegotiating some oil deal with New Jersey or something like that, only to get overthrown later on down the line anyway. Then, efter a left-wing populist, then a right-wing populist, and then a center-leftist served as dictator, Guzman scared the crap out of everyone, even Bellamy! To put it bluntly, the 1990s weren’t got to Peru. However, they’ve only been a “Presidential Democracy” since Abimael Guzman got ousted in The Millennium Revolt of 2000, but their President since then, Japanese-Peruvian Jaime Yoshiyama, is already showing some bad signs – he might get impeached for abuse of power. So, yeah, great people, bad political track record.

Suriname – Independent since 1975, the continent’s sole Dutch-speaking nation started out with politics devolving into ethnic-based groups with “tribe mentality” and a coup just three years later. Four years after that, a counter-coup was led by the sly and charismatic Wilfred Hawker. He ultimately held free elections and won two terms before losing a bid for a third to fellow heartthrob Ronnie Brunswijk, and was soon arrested for trying to launch a self-coup. Since then (the mid-1990s), the political landscape has stabilized but ethnic group loyalty is still prominent.

Uruguay – It seems its people learned from their mistakes of the past. They used to live under an iron fist of a right-wing regime that persecuted everything to the left of it, only for it to collapse in the 1980s. Now, the nation is a democratic constitutional republic praised for its press freedom, income equality, low corruption, environmentalism, steady and stable economic growth, and promotion of peace.

Venezuela – With the largest oil reserves in the world, the country has enjoyed political stability for decades, even during the Colombia refugee crisis connected to the Cartel Wars. However, with more and more populations attempting to “go green” and use electric and solar forms of energy across the globe, the government is seeking alternative forms of energy to export. In this endeavor, they are still experimenting with harnessing the energy of lightning storms famously striking of one of their bays or lakes or what have you. The results so far have been rather…explosive.

>REPLY 1 to REPY 1:
Thanks for the help! But, um…Sources?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPY 1:
Just use the sources linked on clickopedia, duh!

– homeworkhelpforum.co.usa post, started 2/28/2007



WHY DID KFC REPRESENTATIVES MEET WITH STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS?

…the nature of the mysterious visit remains undisclosed, but one anonymous source claims that those involved discussed issues concerning jurisdiction and labor. From this, one may assume that KFC is attempting to expand into another oversees locations, quite possibly into some sort of disputed zone or a small nation that is only partially recognized.

“It may in fact be Taiwan,” suggests researcher and businesswoman Evelyn Hartley. “This would be a contentious move given the bad blood.” She explains, “KFC’s founder had to sacrifice US recognition of Taiwan and its mainland land claims in 1968 in order to keep the People’s Republic of China from acting militarily in the wake of US forces taking Hanoi. It was a necessary maneuver that nevertheless soured US-Taiwan relations for years, and made KFC woefully unpopular on the island. Thus, maybe KFC officials were seeking advice from the State Department on how to best enter Taiwan markets for the first time, and without upsetting China.”…

– businessinsider.co.usa, 3/1/2007 e-article



While CEO Cain had shied away from major high-risk business endeavors, FLG CEO Mary Lolita Starnes Hannon was enthusiastic for publicity stunts, believing that with the right tooling such investments would boost sales and profits. And in October 2004, Hannon was presented with an idea for what was quite possibly the biggest publicity stunt in the company’s entire history.

That December, The Board of Directors for KFC met at the company headquarters in Florence, Kentucky. There, Hannon discussed the size and scale of the KFC Company. “Kentucky Fried Chicken needs to expand.”

Board member David Novak looked at the map behind Hannon. Taking up most of the boardroom’s side wall, the flattened globe of Earth was sprinkled with little KFC buckets, each representing an outlet. With a smile, Novak observed, “But, with all due respect, Ma’am, KFC is already found, well, everywhere. Where else could be establish the brand?”

Hannon grinned, “I’m glad you asked that.” With a hand gesturing she motioned her assistants to flip to the next Power-Slide filling up the wider wall of the room. “We’ve already sent KFC to space. Our offerings can be found on the I.S.S., and the marstronauts brought KFC to the Red Planet.”

“Exactly,” said Novak, “We’ve already gone where no franchise has ever gone before.”

“Yes,” Hannon replied gently, “But what about…here?” she clicked over to the next slide.

A murmur swept the room as Hannon revealed the proposal, and began to discuss its details.

“Wouldn’t that be illegal?” asked one of the directors.

“No,” answered one of the co-developers of the proposal. “See, the US government signed a conservation act back in 1978 that provides penalties for, and I quote, the discharge or disposal of pollutants, unquote, into the area and its waters.” [6]

“Also,” added the second Power-Slide assistant, “The importation of certain items such as recreadrugs may be monitored or disallowed there as well. And, amazingly, the responsibility of enforcing these laws is shared by four US Cabinet Departments.” [6]

“Well that’s all well and good for fun-fact hoarders but what does that mean for this proposal?” asked another board member.

“It means we will only have to pay a small fine, and pay rent on the outlet, because we will essentially be establishing an outlet within an outlet,” said the Head CEO.

“But Madame Hannon,” asked a third board member, “Why go through all this legal paperwork for just one outlet?”

“Because it is our duty and promise to service every customer, and way over there, our potential customers go without.”

“I feel like we would save more money focusing on already-established costumer communities.”

“We tried the conservative approach under Cain, and look how that turned out.”

“Fair enough,” the third board member conceded. “Perhaps a stunt like may actually work. We’ll certainly make headlines. Whether they’re good or bad headlines is the real question.”

“I don’t know,” said the still-unconvinced Novak, “What about the labor laws in that part of the world?”

“Actually, U.S. law can in fact apply to areas not under the jurisdiction of other nations. That’s why the US has had special deputy US Marshal stationed over there since the Dinger days!” The first Power-Slide assistant happily explained. [7]

Novak would later comment, “I will admit, it was difficult keeping the project under our hands. It could have leaked at any point. When we met with state and international officials throughout 2005, and when we began visiting the sight in 2006. It was unnerving at times, because we knew that people would immediately assume the worst and thing that we were going to somehow destroy the environment, and before we could say anything, we’d have eco-activists protesting outside of [KFC headquarters in] Florence [, Kentucky].”

According to Novak, the legal hurdles were the most challenging aspects, with achieving clearance from legal departments requiring multiple meetings. But the meetings had merit, given the endeavor was the establishing of a historic precedence…

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020

– Mary Lolita Starnes Hannon, CEO of Finger Lickin' Good, Inc.; photograph undated



P.T. PARTY PICKS PROFESSOR COYNE IN LEADERSHIP VOTE

…Professor Deborah Coyne of Ontario beat out Darrell Dexter of Nova Scotia and Mike Schreiner and Martha Hall Findlay of Ontario… On the other side of the political spectrum, conservative political figures such as Cheryl Gallant are also preparing for the next general election…

– The Calgary Sun, Canadian newspaper, 3/5/2007



ANTI-BEMBA GUERILLA FORCES ARE ADVANCING ON KINSHASA!

– The Associated Press, 3/7/2007



RALPH NADER SWORN IN AS NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL TODAY

– The Connecticut Post, 3/10/2007



IGNATIEFF RE-ELECTED IN LABOR LANDSLIDE

…Michael Ignatieff, the popular Prime Minister of Australia, easily won a second term over Alexander Michael Somlyay of the Liberal Alliance and Alasdair Webster of the Christian Democratic Party…

– The Australian, daily newspaper, 3/12/2007



EXPOSÉ CLAIMS CAPE TOWN OFFICIALS BRIBED I.O.C. OFFICERS TO WIN 2012 OLYMPICS HOSTING DUTIES!

…The expose published by The Boston Globe mentions only one member of the International Olympic Committee by name – IOC member Ivan Slavkov, who the expose accuses of accepted the higher number of bribes from SA officials. The President of the IOC earlier today condemned the actions of Slavkov “if true,” and has ordered an investigation bf launched into IOC rules violations. …At the moment it is unclear how far up the chain of command the scandal goes...

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 3/14/2007



BERNIE GOETZ, PLEASE DON’T RUN

…what the Republican Party needs now is a unifying figure who will win over moderate Democrats dissatisfied by the ridiculousness of the Jackson-Wellstone administration. But our own party failed to garner enough enthusiasm for your candidacy in 2004. This is not one of those times when history should repeat itself. We have to move on from 2004 and seek out a candidate to nominate next year who can win next year…

– Former US President Jeremiah Denton (R-AL), The Washington Post, open letter/op-ed, 3/15/2007



“I dunno, I still think I could win it if I got the nomination again.”

– Former US Senator Bernie Goetz (R-CO), 3/16/2007



…Civil rights-related police reform returned to the front of the news cycle yet again when Richard Pennington, the former Chief of Police for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina was a defendant in a lawsuit that alleged that he and other senior officers of said precinct/office engaged in a criminal conspiracy to retaliate against a police officer who had earlier testified on behalf of a defendant in a bond hearing in federal court. This developed into a civil rights lawsuit because the defendant was detained during a police raid (called a “sweep”) of a majority-minority Charlotte neighborhood – an action, the one side claimed, that amounted to an invasion of privacy, and thus a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution. The Herring Network, the most prominent conservative TV news network in the US by this time, avidly supporting Pennington during this news cycles of 2007, as did other conservative groups. However, polls conducted show that a majority of Americans were against Pennington, or at least held a negative view of him, in the subsequent media war/court of public opinion…

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



…When news broke of my father’s company’s legal representatives’ cloak-and-dagger operations in D.C. in early March, the Board of Directors sought the advice of Harley, Pete Harman, and myself, the three remaining company elders. We unanimously agreed that KFC would have to publicly acknowledge the project before it could be leaked. We had to control the narrative in order to ensure that the people had the facts before rumors could overshadow them.

On March 25, 2007, the company revealed the project at a press conference. It went as expected, with it polarizing technetters in ontech discussion forums and with our stock value only increasing. What we did not expect was the high number of important political individuals calling for investigations into the matter. Thankfully, our meetings with state and even international groups and governments shielded is from potential opening delays, as – and I can’t stress this enough – our company made sure that everything was handled legally, carefully, and with respect for the area…

– Mildred Sanders Ruggles’ My Father, The Colonel: A Life of Love, Politics, and KFC, StarGroup International, second edition, 2010



GUINEA-BISSAU: AFRICA’S NEW TECH CENTER?

…the small western African country of Guinea-Bissau is garnering some attention for its recent technological innovations, with its fairly stable government constructing bike paths and eco-friendly paved roads across its territory. With their bloody and devastating Civil Wars of the 1980s and early 1990s father behind them with each passing year, the people of Guinea-Bissau are experiencing a tech boom of sorts, capitalizing on trade with Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire to produce dashboard interface software for the Kantanka car company…

– Time Magazine, late March 2007 issue



REPORT: The Bernie Bros 2.0 Can’t Beat Original

…While some supporters of Bernie Goetz still exude the same level of passion they did in 2004, the fire seems to have dimmed in others. The level of passion, though, looks even smaller in size and significance when one observes numbers. Ontech support for the Goetz campaign is much less impressive than it was in March 2003. …When meeting with supporters of the controversial Coloradoans, there is a sense that many are phoning it in, that the spark of genuine enthusiasm from yesteryear is now gone, long since snuffed out by Goetz’s landslide loss in 2004…

– The Washington Post, 3/27/2007



...With the backing of Sanders’ media empire, Mayor Hamburg made college more affordable for NYC residents by putting caps on high interest rates on student loans. This and her forgiving of $2.5million in student loans led to a surge in high school students applying for NYC colleges in the years since. Mayor Hamburg’s answer to revenue concerns was also influenced by Saunders – both figures supported tax reform, with Hamburg laying out a plan to bring about matching grants at the state and federal level in order to cut tuition for public universities by as much as 50%. This change was also an attempt to stop predatory lending in the student loan market...

– Michael O’Connor’s Bern Sanders: The Biography of a Multimillionaire (Democratic) Socialist Maverick, Greenwood Press, 2009



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S):
[1] OTL sighting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_O'Hare_International_Airport_UFO_sighting
[2] Italicized parts are from this source on this underused conservative personality: https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-xpm-2013-sep-04-la-me-barbara-coe-20130905-story.html
[3] Italicized wording is from the OTL Alabama state constitution, and found here: https://law.justia.com/constitution/alabama/CA-245664.html
[4] Italicized passages were pulled from here: https://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/12/14/johnson.ill/index.html
[5] This name for this was the idea of @ajm8888
[6] OTL, found here: http://www.legalflip.com/Article.aspx?id=15&pageid=63
[7] OTL, found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System#United_States

 

[gap80]

Post 85: Chapter 93

Chapter 93: April 2007 – August 2007

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved”

– William Jennings Bryan



BERNIE GOETZ RULES OUT A SECOND WHITE HOUSE BID

…the 2004 Republican nominee for President today announced that he will not run for President after all, having spent the past several months expressing interest in doing so. “I talked it over with my wife and kids,” Goetz explained to the press during the announcement, “And we’ve come to the conclusion that it would be best for our family if I kept my focus on my new career,” referring to his positions on several Colorado think tanks and on the board of directors of several business, most notably a vegan dietary supply store chain based in Boulder.

Early polling for the Republican party’s presidential primaries showed Goetz, who served one term in the US Senate from 1997 to 2003, performing fairly well, often hovering within striking distance of other potential frontrunners polling higher in most primary polls. However, polls of hypothetical matchups of the 2008 general election showed Goetz performing poorly, with nearly all pollsters showing Wellstone defeating Goetz by a large margin…

– The Denver Post, Colorado newspaper, 4/5/2007



BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL DECLINES PRESIDENTIAL BID: “The Department of The Interior Still Needs Me”

– The Denver Post, Colorado newspaper, 4/9/2007



MESA MAYOR RACE: Willie Wong Wins By A Wide Margin

…the city’s mayoral elections are usually held in late March of each Presidential election year, with a runoff, if necessary, being held in early May, and the winner is inaugurated on June 1. However, Mayor Ramsey passed away in early October from injuries he received in an “unexpected hang-gliding incident,” as reported late last year. In accordance with revisions made to Mesa’s city charter in 1985, a special election blanket primary to complete Ramsey’s term was held in late February, with the runoff being held tonight…

– The Arizona Republic, 4/10/2007



Mayors of MESA (Arizona)

1976-1980: 34) Wayne Casto Pomeroy (R, 1923-2019) – former business owner; previously served on the city council from 1966 to 1974 and as vice mayor from 1972 to 1974; retired to successfully run for a US House seat in 1980

1976 (primary): Phyllis Royer (D), L. Alton Riggs Jr. (I) and S. Michael Scigliano (I)
1976 (runoff): Phyllis Royer (D)

1978 (primary): Wayne E. Phelps (I)
1978 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

1980-1984: 35) Donald William “Don” Strauch Jr. (R, 1926-2021) – former business owner; previously served on the city council from 1972 to 1980; lost re-election; later served in the state House from 1989 to 1999 and in the state senate from 1999 to 2017

1980 (primary): Elma Allen Milano (I)
1980 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

1982 (primary): Kirby Allan (I)
1982 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

1984-1988: 36) Cordon Wesley Driggs (R, 1921-2005) – previously served on the city council from 1976 to 1984; revised several aspects of the city charter; lost re-election after clashing to some members of the city council over tax reform, resulting in “gridlock”; later worked for the US Department of the Interior under President Dinger from 1995 to 2001

1984 (primary): Don Strauch (R) and Warren D. Staffey (I)
1984 (runoff): Don Strauch (R)

1986 (primary): Warren D. Staffey (I)
1986 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

1988-1989: 37) Sumner “Al” Brooks (R, 1928-1989) – former businessperson; previously served on the city council from 1978 to 1986; died in office suddenly and unexpectedly from poor health, exact causes not disclosed

1988 (primary): Cordon Driggs (R) and Keno L. Hawker (R)
1988 (runoff): Cordon Driggs (R)

1989-1989: 38) Betty N. Lewis (I) – city’s first female mayor; ascended to office due to being Vice Mayor; previously served on the city council from 1980 to 1989; due to there being more than 6 months left until the end of Brooks term, as special election was held; retired and later served on the city council again from 1989 to 2002

1989-1990: 39) Ross N. Farnsworth (R) – previously served on the city council from 1984 to 1989; retired, officially to uphold campaign promise but also due to being frustrated with several aspects of the occupation

1989 (special) (primary): Dave Guthrie (I), Helen Stortz (I) and Robert A. Shirley (I)
1989 (special) (runoff): Dave Guthrie (I)

1990-2000: 40) Margaret “Peggy” Rubach (R) – city’s first elected female mayor; political strategist; previously served on the city council from 1984 to 1990; retired to unsuccessfully run for a US House seat in 2002; later worked on several Republican campaigns at the statewide and national level

1990 (primary): Joan Newth (I), L. Harold Wright (I), Jerry Boyd (I) and Frank de Rosa (I)
1990 (runoff): Joan Newth (I)

1992 (primary): Kirby Allan (I) and Bob Foltin (I)
1992 (runoff): Kirby Allan (I)

1994 (primary): William “Willie” Wong (I), Dan Hill (I) and Ilias Kostopoulos (I)
1994 (runoff): William “Willie” Wong (I)

1996 (primary): Wayne J. Brown (I, 1936-2013), Dan Hill (I), Jerry Boyd (I) and Dana B. Harper (I)
1996 (runoff): Wayne J. Brown (I)

1998 (primary): Louis Stradling (R) and Dan Hill (I)
1998 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

2000-2002: 41) Kirby Allan (I, 1928-2011) – born Sidney Allen Pittman; worked as a diverse musician starting in the early 1950s; was a perennial candidate and local activist until winning a seat on the city council and serving there from 1996 to 2000; elected in a major upset; known for a highly controversial move to demonstrate how short the filing deadlines were for the city – in his effort to extend said deadlines, he announced he would run for a second term after all, only to bow out at the last minute; returned to being a musician

2000 (primary): T. Farrell Jensen (I) and Jim Stapley (I)
2000 (runoff): T. Farrell Jensen (I)

2002-2006: 42) Ilias Kostopoulos (I, 1930-2009) – city’s first Greek-American mayor; elected mayor in an upset due to a lack of more established candidates in the race; former electronics businessman and political commentator; anti-corruption and socially conservative; served on Mesa’s city council from 1996 to 1998; previously served on Tempe’s city council from 1976 to 1982; also served as a state senator from 1984 to 1988; moved to Mesa in 1989; fought with city council over filing deadline specifics; re-elected in a race so close it required a recount; lost re-election in a landslide, failing to even make it to the runoff

2002 (primary): Lillian Wilkinson (I)
2002 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

2004 (primary): Teresa Brice-Heames (I) and Michael “Mike” Graves (I)
2004 (runoff): Teresa Brice-Heames (I)

2006-2007: 43) David Sherman Ramsey (I) – previously served on the city council from 2002 to 2006; died in office in an accident

2006 (primary): Manuel Cortez (I), Ilias Kostopoulos (I) and H. M. “Pat” Gilbert (I)
2006 (runoff): Manuel Cortez (I)

2007-2007: 44) Dennis Kavanaugh (I) – ascended to office due to being Vice Mayor; previously served on the city council from 1996 to 2007; known for being bipartisan, supporting both Democratic and Republican candidates and policies; retired; served on the city council again from 2008 to 2018

2007-2012: 45) William “Willie” Wong (I, b. 1948) – city’s first Asian-American mayor; former businessperson; previously served as Vice Mayor from 1988 to 1990, and on the city council from 1986 to 1992 and again from 2000 to 2007; retired to successfully run for a US House seat in 2014, and served from 2015 until retiring in 2021

2007 (special) (primary): Scott Smith (R, b. 1956), H. M. “Pat” Gilbert (I), Keno L. Hawker (R) and Ilias Kostopoulos (I)
2007 (special) (runoff): Scott Smith (R)

2008 (primary): Keno L. Hawker (R) and Danny Ray (I)
2008 (runoff): Keno L. Hawker (R)

2010 (primary): Rex Griswold (I)
2010 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

2012-2020: 46) Claudia Walters (R) – previously served on the city council from 2000 to 2012 and as Vice Mayor 2007 to 2012; retired

2012 (primary): Rex Griswold (I) and Danny Ray (I)
2012 (runoff): Rex Griswold (I)

2014 (primary): Alex Finter (R)
2014 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

2016 (primary): John C. Giles (R, b. 1960) and Courtney Guinn (I)
2016 (runoff): John C. Giles (R)

2018 (primary): Jeremy Whittaker (I)
2018 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

2020-present: 47) Verl Fransworth (I) – former construction contractor and businessperson; currently supports improving the city’s downtown area, passing tax cuts to encourage small business growth, and opposing rising calls for the city to implement ranked-choice voting; incumbent

2020 (primary): Alex Finter (R)
2020 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to the primary winner receiving over 50%+1 of the vote

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



…In the face of mounting evidence of wrongdoing, and with the public trial of Ivan Slavkov only raising calls for it, the IOC has at last announced that they have rescinded Cape Town, South Africa’s right to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. To make up for the selection process being sullied by the South African delegation’s acts of bribery, the I.O.C. has also announced that they will hold a special I.O.C. meeting very soon in order to find a replacement city for hosting the 2012 Olympic Games…

– KNN Breaking News, 4/14/2007 broadcast



“Donald.”

“Tommy! There you are, I was about to do the next scene without you.”

“Donald, what is this I hear about you bothering the girls?”

“Girls? Where?! Wait, what are you talking about?”

“I hear you keep walking in on them in the dressing rooms. And that you won’t leave when they ask you to.”

“Yeah, what’s the problem? Don’t like the ladies or something, Tom?”

“Donald, do you want to be the one that starts the Third Ark Wave? Come on! You are tearing me apart, Donald!”

“I didn’t touch any of them, I swear. I only looked. Like window shopping! You can’t be arrested for window shopping, Tommy, not in this country. Maybe in, like, Alaska, but not in the U.S., alright?”

“Just cut it out please. We rescue them in the third act tomorrow. They should look happy to see you. Don’t make their role-job so hard. Especially since we wrap tomorrow.”

“We have a what? I don’t ever go that urban, Wiseau!”

“We finish filming, big finish. Then we edit and we put it out and became even more rich and famous! Ha. Anyway, how’s your sex life?”

“Really good! Thank you for asking!”

“No mention it, don’t problem! So, promise to stay out of the dressing rooms when they ask?”

“Oh, alright, alright. They aren’t 10s anyway. No big loss.”

– transcript of audio recording of office meeting at Trump Sunrise Tower, Santa Monica, CA; recorded 4/18/2007 and leaked 12/17/2018



“STAY HEALTHY OR TO HELL WITH YA!” MAYOR HAMBURG IMPOSES MORE RULES COMPANIES

…NYC Mayor Peg Hamburg has worked with the city council to form a law that will require companies with employees working in NYC to provide them with parental leave, sick leave, and vacation time, and threatens companies that do not comply with heavy fines. The law is a response to recent investigations into the amount worker abuse and wage theft prevalent throughout the city...

– The Staten Island Advance, conservative NYC newspaper, 4/21/2007



WILLIAM WESTMORELAND IS DEAD AT 93; Played Key Roles In Cuba, Indochina, Libya Wars

Charleston, SC – William Childs Westmoreland, the highly-decorated retired US Army General who oversaw U.S. forces during the early years of the Indochina Wars before serving as the Governor of South Carolina and the US Secretary of Defense during the Libya War, died last night in a retirement home in Charleston, South Carolina, his son, James Ripley Westmoreland, announced ontech early today. The General was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease; he had turned 93 less than a month ago.

“Westy,” as he was known during his time as a West Point cadet, was born on March 26, 1914 in Saxon, SC. Throughout his life, Westmoreland was driven and combative. In World War II, he led a fast-moving artillery battalion. In Cuba, Westmoreland, at the rank of Major General at the time, co-led the 1962 “push” into the island’s mountainous hinterland by adhering to a controversial “burn the house to get out the rats” approach that including carpet-bombing and, briefly in 1963, a “moderate scorched-earth” policy. When US Secretary of Defense Homer Litzenberg died in June 1963, Westmoreland was considered to be a possible candidate for the position; instead, he was promoted to Lieutenant General, then finally to General in early 1964, one month prior to turning 50.

In 1965, President Sanders sent Westmoreland to Laos, where he directed “search and destroy” missions meant to decimate the Pathet Lao (the Communist guerillas in the Southeast Asian kingdom of Laos). After assisting with Western Division supply chains and mobilization for the 1967 Invasion of Hanoi, which led to rumors of him possibly running for President in 1968 should President Sanders decline to run for a second term, Westmoreland accepted the diplomatic role of US ambassador to Cambodia, a position in which he served from April 1968 to January 1973. In that capacity, he defended the Laotian monarchy and helped to modernize its military and international relations.

Retiring from the US Army in early 1974 at the age of 59 (after serving in it for 38 years, since 1936), Westmoreland eyed the Governorship of South Carolina and won it in that year’s gubernatorial race. After working to improve education standards in the state, Governor Ronald Reagan tapped him to be his running mate in the 1976 Presidential election. This decision resulted in the “legendary” debate between Westmoreland and then-Vice President Mike Gravel, which saw the two diametrically opposed candidates get into a heated discussion over foreign policy goals.

After leaving office in 1979, Westmoreland launched a bid for the Presidency, in which he won no delegates or primary victories in the 1980 GOP primaries, ultimately bowing out and endorsing Jeremiah Denton. Denton returned the favor by appointing him Secretary of Defense in mid-1981. In this position, Westmoreland promoted military intervention in several countries, most notably in Colombia and Libya.

In his memoirs, the General defended his push to retain American forces in Libya after the Libya War ended by noting that the remaining forces “established a record of remarkable achievements: mammoth logistical security buildups, various tactical expedients and innovations, numerous advisory efforts, and successful civic action programs.” Nevertheless, critics allege that the delayed withdrawal unnecessarily cost the US military the lives of hundreds of soldiers killed in post-war skirmishes. After Denton resigned, Westmoreland followed suit in opposition to Kemp’s allegedly “weak” foreign policy agendas.

Westmoreland’s competitiveness continued into his retirement years, as he occasionally appeared on radio and TV news programs to strongly oppose the foreign policies of Presidents Bellamy and Jackson, saying the day after the latter’s 2000 election victory, “I really wanted to see a South Carolinian become President someday; from now on I’ll be more careful what I wish for.”

He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Katherine (Kitsy) Stevens Van Deusen; his two daughters, Margaret Childs and Katherine Stevens; his son James Ripley II; his brother-in-law Col. Frederick Van Deusen; many other relatives; and many friends who will remember him fondly and dearly. Funeral arrangement specifics have yet to be announced.

– The Post and Courier, South Carolina, 4/22/2007



…“Nothing ever ends for anyone.” Harley gave one last speech, straight from the heart. “Death is just the ending of one adventure and the beginning of a new one. People live their lives and then they die, and are replaced by new life, new people, who ultimately die themselves, and it just continues on and on. And whatever problems show up along the way – poverty, war famine, disease – they’re worked on until they’re fixed, until they’re gone and gone forever, no matter how many generations it takes, and when that day comes, well, then another problem, a newer problem or an older problem, shows up and becomes the main problem, to be addressed by the lovers, leaders, believers and dickheads of the world. That’s death for you – it’s a part of all our lives, whether we want to accept it or not. Life and death, for everyone here on this planet, in this universe – it just keeps going in a dance-like cycle. Not for each person, but for all people, life itself never dies. And the endless cycle of death and life following one another throughout time, it makes for an eternity of marvelous wonder and sadness and purely utter beauty.”

He turned his head and looked out the window. “Did you notice how beautiful the sky is today?”

I nodded to my brother, “It’s lovely.”

“Heavenly, in fact.”

The clouds outside the hospice’s windows were a cumulous assortment of pinkish billowy piles, going out far, spreading out into the distance, like a canopy.

Or a shroud.

Venus wept.

– Mildred Sanders Ruggles’ final memoir, The Gift of Every Day, Doubleday, 2010



HARLEY SANDERS HAS DIED

– The New York Times, 4/29/2007

– clickopedia.co.usa



“I’m going to miss ol’ Harley; he was a good man, and so was his father. You know, I actually got to meet both of them long before I entered politics, when I was still in high school, in fact. See, my father, Marion Wellington Webb, was born in 1914 in Alabama – coincidently, where Harley was born just two years earlier – but my dad moved his family to Chicago when I was 9 years old. And my father worked on the train lines for decades, so when Colonel Sanders went campaigning in ’68 on that old train, going across the country like he did, my dad knew where the stops were and so when the President's locomotive rolled into this one station, we were there to greet him. The Colonel shook our hands and thanked us for coming out. It was brief, but it was a magical moment for me. Looking back, I remember seeing Harley there behind his father, on the train, looking at a clipboard and rubbing his cheek with concern. He looked like a man who worked hard, like his father did. My own father became ill with prostate cancer in 1985, but he held on long enough to see my daughter Stephanie graduate from Howard University in Washington, D.C. [1]. Harley played a vital role in American politics in his own way, and I can only hope that his health was not nearly as bad as more own father’s health was when he passed away all those years ago.”

– former Governor Wellington Marion Webb (D-CO), KXKL Radio Denver, local talk/news program, 4/30/2007 broadcast



...Science has proven that an afterlife exists. Science tells us that all forms of energy are constant – energy cannot just pop into existence and it cannot just pop out of it, either. All energy has to go somewhere, and that includes the energy one gives off when alive. …Another sign that there is still far more about human consciousness that we have yet to fully understand can be seen in one medical anomaly that unfolded a few years back, when a scientist suffered a major health crisis. Said scientist was a neurosurgeon who lapsed into a coma during this illness that struck the cortex of their brain and shut it down, thus creating his comatose state, and since the cortex is the part of the brain that supposedly controls thought and consciousness, his thought process was supposed to be on hiatus. In other words, because of his cortex’s condition, he shouldn’t have experienced anything during the time that he was comatose. However, when the virus was treated, when doctors managed to essentially flush it out, he awoke and said that he had experienced a distinct experience – not some crazy, hazy fever trip, but a clear and lucid experience that felt much more real than a simple dream. Because his cortex was shut down, experiencing anything during the coma should not have been scientifically possible, and yet, it happened [2].

In my opinion, the most amazing rebuttal to the assumption that science can confirm a lack of an afterlife is that there is no evidence to show how brain cells or the networks connect them to each other even produce thoughts, mind and consciousness! [3]

Think about that. According to science, we shouldn’t be able to think, because there is no currently-known physical evidence, found inside the human brain, of our ability to think. I think further studying of this is needed, don’t you?

[snip]

…In fact, people come from “that after-place” all the time! It is called “the Lazarus syndrome,” [4] and scientists are baffled and befuddled by it due these peculiar events defying conventional thoughts on the finality of death. In these cases, the person can be “dead” for hours. In one case not too long ago, a woman came back to this plane of existence after being dead for enough hours for her body to begin stiffening as rigor mortis began to set in, only for those physical conditions to subside upon her “return” [5]. Her mortal husk had begun to rot, only for her to begin living again; in other words, her soul returned – her body’s energy returned! The ability for the human soul to re-enter the body, for a person’s consciousness/life-force to seemingly expire only for it to “come back,” is a scientifically-documented miracle, and we still can’t figure out why or how it happens – from a scientific perspective, that is...

[snip]

…There is no darkness at the end of this road; anyone who says otherwise is ignoring the scientific evidence, either out of ignorance or due to malicious intent, to sell misery to already-troubled masses. The evidence suggests that, awaiting each and every one of us, there is something rather than nothing; never let anyone ever tell you otherwise. Something awaits us all. Remember it – a great something awaits us all...

– Mildred Sanders Ruggles’ final memoir, The Gift of Every Day, Doubleday, 2010



“WATCH: Former CDC Head Makes A FOOL Out of House Committee Chairman”

Description: former Center of Disease Control Director Jeff Koplan calmly answers dumb questions asked by House Republicans at a “Special Review” Board

– video uploaded to OurVids.co.can, a video-sharing netsite, on 5/1/2007



“I have to say that I am very disappointed in my fellow Republicans over in the House. Speaker McMaster’s refusal to work with the President to find common ground and compromise is not in good form. His latest counterproductive action, the promoting of the House Judiciary Committee’s efforts to hold up or deny President Jackson’s court appointments, amounts to administrative sabotage. Additionally, while McMaster’s criticism of the President’s handling of the SARS pandemic – handling that has been applauded on the world stage – are unprofessional, his attacks on the President’s son are nothing more than cheap, petty and shallow insults unbecoming of whoever has the privilege of holding the position of Speaker of the House.”

– US Senator William F. “Bill” Weld (R-MA), The Boston Globe, 5/2/2007 op-ed



…Twelve years ago, the sprawling desert metropolis of Blumshtot did not exist. Yiddish for “Flower City,” the artificial urban center is the home of over 20,000 Israelites, all courtesy to several years of concentrated terraformation efforts and land reclamation projects across Israel’s southern desert territory. Located half-way between Mitzpe Ramon and Tskim-Paran, life in Blumshtot is described by the US Ambassador to Israel as “very similar to life in Phoenix, Arizona – air conditioning is worth more than gold.” The community is overall homogenously Jewish, with the primary jobs revolving around the industries of construction, solar power, and water...

[snip]

…Blumshtot Is one of several Israel communities built in the country’s southern deserts since the early 1990s [6], each experiencing successes and failures in the addressing of the many issues involved in terraforming a desert.

Fortunately, Israel’s stable government incentivizes wealthier farmers across the nation who are using solar pumps (water pumped with solar energy) to sell the excess power back to the national grid, giving farmers more income, the state gaining electricity reserves, and curbing over-irrigation of crops, all while reducing carbon emissions and providing jobs and electricity for the “colonies” of Israel’s southern desert…

– National Geographic, May 2007 issue



…We can now confirm that DRC President Bemba has indeed been overthrown in a stunning assault on the capital by united rebel forces. Bemba’s plane was captured before it could get off of the runway and Bemba is expected to stand trial for ethnic cleansing and other abuses of power…

– Foreign correspondent, KNN Breaking News, 5/7/2007 broadcast



…The biggest problem facing the new leadership, though, was themselves. Each faction wanted majority control, and while the reforms made to the national legislature were progressive for what they were, Nkunda and Wamba each believed themselves to be worthy of the Presidency immediately – that each had fought for it, each deserved it, and that the rebuilding of the nation had to come before they could hold an election to resolve the dispute. As a result, Post-Bemba DRC appeared to be already on shaky ground, emboldening the remaining Loyalists. Fortunately, a temporary compromise leader was ultimately discovered. Moise Katumbi of Katanga had overseen refugee programs and was known more for aiding the displaced in his province thin for engaging in armed conflict with fellow Anti-Bembans. Needing a leader that would be acceptable to all factions, which were already beginning to rattle their sabers against one another, Katumbi agreed to serve as President until the country was stable enough to host free and fair elections….

– John J. Polonko Jr.’s All’s Fair: What War Makes Necessary, Hachette Book Group USA, 2017 edition



“…as you can see by the enthusiastic crowd behind me, people in this part of town are in a very festive mood as they celebrate their preferred candidate’s victory tonight… [snip] …This is also the city’s first election to use ranked-choice voting…”

– KDFW-TV, local news coverage, 5/12/2007 broadcast



Mayors of ARLINGTON (Texas)

1997-2003: Elzie Odom (I, b. 1929) – city’s first African-American mayor; former community activist and former postal worker; previously served on the city council from 1989 to 1997

1997: Tony Vann (I) and Craig Smith (I)

1999: Jerry Pikulinski (I)

2001: Lico Reyes (I), Don Higginbotham (I), Terry L. Harris (I) and Dimitra F. S. “Dee” Turner (I)

2003-2017: Dr. Robert Nance Cluck (R, b. 1939) – former OB-GYN physician and hospital administrator; retired

2003: Sheri Capehart (I)

2005: Jerry Pikulinski (I) and Stephen White (I)

2007: Chris Harris (R, 1948-2015) and Stephen Joe Lagwund White (I)

2009: Aaron Bickle (I), Lane M. Weston (I), Carl Oehler (I) and Carl Scrivner (I)

2011: David Allan Sampson (R, b. 1957)

2013: Jerry Pikulinski (I) and Didmus B. Banda (I)

2015: Corbett “Corby” Davidson (I, b. 1969)

2017-present: Diane Patrick (R, b. 1946) – previously served on the state Board of Education from 1992 to 1996 and in the state House from 2007 to 2015; incumbent

2017: Ruby Faye Woolridge (D), William Wade “Bill” Zedler (R, b. 1943) and Mark McGregor Shelton (R, b. 1956)

2019: Tony Dale Tinderholt (R, b. 1970), Ashton Stauffer (I) and Chris “Dobi” Dobson (I)

2021: Michael Glaspie Sr. (I), Marvin Sutton (R), Jim Ross (R), Dewayne T. Washington (I) and Cirilo “C. J.” Ocampo Jr. (I)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



DEMOCRAT WINS WICHITA MAYOR RACE

…after defying polling in a stunning political upset in both tonight’s runoff and in the May 1 blanket primary, the African-American moderate will take office on June 1…

– The Lawrence Journal-World, Kansas newspaper, 5/15/2007



Mayors of WICHITA (Kansas)

1960-1961: 65) Levi Budd Rymph (I, 1901-1987) – former businessman; limited to a single, one-year term; the mayoral seat is officially non-partisan; later served in the state senate as a Republican

1961-1962: 66) Herbert Piper Lindsley (I, 1913-1991) – former insurance businessperson, former school board member, and former city commissioner

1962-1963: 67) Carl A. Bell, Jr. (I, 1922-2009) – opposed rising calls for the mayor’s seat to be popularly elected, believing it would lead to a rise in corruption

1963-1964: 68) Frank Russell Jump (I, 1895-2000) – former business owner and former city commissioner; praised for cooling racial tensions that were on the rise when he entered office; previously served as mayor from 1952 to 1953; city’s longest-lived mayor

1964-1965: 69) Vincent L. Bogart (I) – former attorney

1965-1966: 70) William D. Tarrant (I, 1929-1998) – previously served as a city commissioner from 1963 to 1967; later worked as a professor of journalism and as a columnist

1966-1967: 71) John S. Stevens (I) – former city council member

1967-1968: 72) Clarence Eldert Vollmer (I, 1897-1983) – previously worked in construction

1968-1969: 73) William D. Anderson Jr. (I, 1927-2019) – previously worked at a printing company; served on the city commission from 1965 to 1967; supported tax reform but failed to effectively implement long-lasting changes due to short time in office

1969-1970: 74) Donald Kirk “Don” Enoch (I, 1916-2010) – former businessman; previously served as a City Commissioner from 1967 to 1969 and again from 1970 to 1971; co-established the city’s Wichita River Festival, which had evolved from the 1969 waterfront celebrations of Wichita’s centennial

1970-1971: 75) A. Price Woodard Jr. (I, 1919-1986) – city’s first African-American mayor

1971-1972: 76) Jack H. Greene (I) – supported efforts to expand mayoral term limits from one year to either two years or four years

1972-1973: 77) Connie Ames Peters Kennard (I) – city’s first female mayor; previously served on the city commission from 1970 to 1972

1973-1974: 78) Glenn J. "Jack" Shanahan (I, 1923-2015) – previously worked for a law firm; previously served as the Chair of the city’s Metropolitan Transit Authority from 1967 to 1971 and on the city commission from 1971 to 1973 and again from 1974 to 1979; took a neutral stance on the 1973 city referendum to amend the power of city mayor and have it be a popularly elected position, which passed

1974-1975: 79) Garry L. Porter (I) – was the city’s last mayor to be elected by the city council (last “partially ceremonial” mayor); oversaw the city’s first mayoral election (two-tier blanket primary system)

1975-1979: 80) David Hamilton Koch (R, 1940-2019) – city’s first popularly elected mayor; wealthy businessman; founded the Wichita office of his brother Charles’ company, Koch Industries; accused by political opponents of having “bought” the election due to using his personal wealth to self-fund the race and outspent to runoff opponent 5-to-1; failed to override and legally challenge a veto-proof city council motion to “cap” spending on all city-wide elections in 1978; cut taxes and repealed victimless crime laws; lost re-election amid a noticeable decline in the quality of the city’s services; became president of Koch Engineering in 1979 and co-owner of Koch Industries in 1983; later spent over $100 million in a failed bid to oppose the re-election of President Jesse Jackson; lost millions in the Unlucky Recession of 2013

1975 (primary): Connie Ames Peters Kennard (I), William D. Anderson Jr. (R) and Antonio F. "Tony" Casado (I)
1975 (runoff): Connie Ames Peters Kennard (I)

1979-1987: 81) Robert G. “Bob” Knight (R, b. 1941) – former investment banker; previously served on the city council from 1975 to 1979; backed populist policies; notably clashed on occasion with US Senator Robert Joseph “Bob” Dole (R-KS) over the extent of federal farm aid despite endorsing Dole’s 1980, 1988, and 1992 Presidential campaigns; term-limited

1979 (primary): Robert C. Brown (I) and Sheldon Kamen (I)
1979 (runoff): Robert C. Brown (I)

1983 (primary): Margalee Wright (I)
1983 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to Knight receiving over 50% in the first round

1987-1995: 82) Elma Broadfoot (R) – previously served on the city council; city’s first popularly-elected female mayor; term-limited

1987 (primary): Antonio F. “Tony” Casado (I) and Sheldon Kamen (I)
1987 (runoff): Tony Casado (I)

1991 (primary): William J. Maley (R), Sheldon Kamen (I) and Frank M. Ojile (I)
1991 (runoff): William J. Maley (R)

1995-2003: 83) Robert G. “Bob” Knight (R, b. 1941) – served on the city council again, from 1987 to 1995; term-limited; unsuccessfully ran for Governor in 2002 and again in 2006

1995 (primary): Jonathan Wells (D, 1928-2012) and Keith W. Koby (R)
1995 (runoff): Jonathan Wells (D)

1999 (primary): Carl Kramer (Liberty, b. 1960)
1999 (runoff): not held; unnecessary due to Knight receiving over 50% in the first round

2003-2007: 84) C. Howard Wilkins Jr. (R, 1938-2016) – former businessman and political fundraiser; managed several Pizza Hut franchises across Appalachia during the 1960s and 1970s before entering politics in the 1980s; served as the US Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1993 to 1997; lost re-election

2003 (primary): Carlos Mayans (R, b. 1948) and Mario Goico (R, b. 1945)
2003 (runoff): Carlos Mayans (R)

2007-2015 M. Lee Pelton (D, b. 1950) – city’s first popularly elected African-American mayor; former academic; previously worked as President of Willamette University from 1998 to 2005; term-limited; unsuccessfully ran for Governor in 2018; President and CEO of the Boston Foundation since 2021

2007 (primary): C. Howard Wilkins Jr. (R), Mario Goico (R), Carl Brewer (D, b. 1957), Jane Knight (I) and Joan Cole (I)
2007 (runoff): C. Howard Wilkins Jr. (R)

2011 (primary): Bob Knight (R), Mark S. Gietzen (R) and Joan Cole (I)
2011 (runoff): Bob Knight (R)

2015-present Sheila Colleen Bair (R, b. 1954) – former head counsel of the staff of US Senator Robert Joseph “Bob” Dole (R-KS); previously served as Chair of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 1993 to 1995, as the US Assistant Secretary of the Treasury of Financial Institutions from 1995 to 2001, and in the state senate from 2005 to 2015; received praise for her actions during the Unlucky Recession of 2013; incumbent

2015 (primary): Jennifer Winn (D), Marjorie Hitchcock (I) and Darrel E. Leffew (I) and Paul Rhodes (I)
2015 (runoff): Jennifer Winn (D)

2019 (primary): Amy Lyon (D), Mark S. Gietzen (R) and Samuel M. Williams (R)
2019 (runoff): Amy Lyon (D)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



FORMER PRESIDENT DINGER PRAISES PRESIDENT JACKSON’S NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT ACTIONS

…Dinger dismantled 1,500 nuclear weapons during his five years and eight months in office. The former Commander-in-Chief is urging the President and state legislatures to create and then ratify an international treaty that would prohibit all signatories from possessing nuclear weapons, saying in the radio interview “these weapons are too destructive to serve any purpose in any war. We saw how many innocent women and children were unnecessarily killed in Japan by just two of the earliest versions of them, so we cannot feign ignorance on this.” In the interview, the former Commander-in-Chief also expressed being “disappointed” by the lack of pro-nuclear disarmament rhetoric in the recent GOP Presidential primary debate…

– The Chicago Tribune, 5/17/2007



…McCartney’s 2007 album was dubbed “Paul McCartney Goes Too Far!” In John and Paul’s decades-long turbulent relationship, repeatedly alternating between camaraderie and fighting, none of their collaborative albums were quite like this one. Lennon and Paul spent over two years on its content, with Ringo contributing in much smaller doses. Hosting a wide selection of genres, this album had tributes to the Ambient Rock and Razor Rock styles of the 1960s and 1970s as well as the British Boy Band sounds of the 1990s. This album proved to be a financial hit, with the one song from it, “Good To Know,” becoming a particularly popular in the states with its catchy tune and simple lyrics...

– Pat Sheffield’s Dreams, Reality, and Music: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole Entire World, Tumbleweed Publications, 2020 edition



Unfortunately, House Speaker McMaster’s calls for anti-corruption investigations into the Jackson White House received fodder a few months later. On May 18, 2007, the President’s official Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, Nativo Lopez, had to step down over an ethics scandal. Nativo Lopez, the only member of Jackson’s White House to be member of the regional La Rasa Unica party, was immigrant rights advocate, Latin American immigrant community service organizer, and former National President of the Mexican American Political Association. From his post of CDPA, he favored and encouraged the use of bilingual petitions, ballots, street signs, and other materials across the US.

In May 2007, the LAPD charged Lopez with two felonious counts of voter fraud. During the 2004 general election, Lopez was living in Orange County, LA, California, but cast his ballot for president from the polling place near his MAPA regional office headquarters in the neighboring LA County; additionally, Lopez had in late September cast a Presidential ballot via mail while living in New York until moving beck to LA in late October.

It did not matter to McMaster that Lopez claimed he mistakenly voted twice due to exhaustion from the campaign causing him to completely forget that he had already voted before. The scandal had broken out, and McMaster, smelling blood in the water, saw it as the perfect opportunity to misuse the House judiciary committee by launching another in indigestion into the Jackson White House. The scandal seemed to vindicate McMaster’s belief that the White House harbored scandals, and this image was a crisis for Jackson’s image consultants…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



“NOBODY’S WATCHING” CONCLUDES AFTER TWO LACKLUSTER SEASONS

…written by Bill Lawrence and Garrett Donovan, the dramedy series was about making a TV series. The “show-within-a-show” framing device was complicated, and audience found the pilot episode confusing, resulting in the show’s premise being “cleaned up” in a “second pilot” that suggested that the first pilot was, essentially, “just a dream.” However, Lawrence and Donovan introduced more complicated plot ideas into the second season, again causing viewers, unable to keep track of its plots and characters, to tune out...

– tvguide.co.usa, 5/21/2007



STILL SHOCKED BY SON’S DEATH, JON HUNTSMAN SR. RULES OUT WHITE HOUSE BID

– The Desert News, Utah newspaper, 5/24/2007



WEST WING CONCLUDES GRACEFULLY

After eight seasons of watching President Jolene Davenport and her inner circle tackle a host of dramatic conflicts and at-times comic misadventures with depth and mirth, fans of Aaron Sorkin’s celebrated political series must have felt sadness but satisfaction at the show’s succinct finale yesterday evening. …Passionate about the series since it began airing in September 1999, Sorkin wrote every episode of Seasons 1-through-7. Sorkin left the show upon Davenport leaving office at the end of season seven in April 2006, believing the series had reached its natural conclusion. However, the network decided to renew The West Wing for another season in May 2006, and brought in a new writing and directing team, and a cast shake-up, to take the show “in a new direction for the new administration.” Unfortunately for the more diehard fans of the series, the eighth season just didn’t have that unique style and charm that poured out from Sorkin’s scripts. Not even the exceptional acting of Richard Schiff, portraying the new main character and new US President (Chief-of-Staff–turned–Davenport’s-second-VP, Harold “Harry” R. Goldsmith, clearly modeled off VP Wellstone), could prevent the noticeable drop in ratings over the past year. With the network agreeing to not renew The West Wing for a ninth season, the series finale concluded on the anniversary of the first year of President Goldsmith, with only a hint of more drama being in store for the President and his inner circle...

– usarightnow.co.usa/pop-culture, 5/27/2007 e-article



ARNOLD SMASH! “THE HULK” DOMINATES BOX OFFICE DESITE LUKEWARM CRITIC RESPONSES

…The latest comic book character to make it onto the big screen has won over moviegoers with its impressive special effects and action-packed fight, chase, and punch sequences, even if the character development is lacking, the plot is simple, and the dialogue, though stuffed with witty Arnold-esque phrases, is relatively rudimentary. “The Hulk,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the hero, has remained strong at the box office since its Memorial Day premier two days ago…

– Variety, TV/film review section, 5/29/2007



…Both crew and passengers of “commercial” (privately-owned) aircraft were called “aviators” in early years of air travel. For outer space, people who are willing to pay to travel to space are either called “passengers” or “space tourists,” or, if involved in projects on board in any way, “civilian astronaut.” Part of the allure of commercial space flight, a phenomenon that is beginning to gain the attention of wealthy donors and of very wealthy members of the elite, is being able to call oneself an astronaut, not a passenger. Perhaps these astronomical terms will evolve as humankind shifts from landmark endeavors, like one year in space or a large trip to Mars, to more regular, more common, more readily available/fiscally affordable forms of space travel. A compromise for the names for the time being, however, is currently being suggested: “astronauts” for passengers, and “professional astronauts” for crewmembers…

– scientificamerican.co.usa, 6/2/2017 e-article



MOTHER-POST by @ProudNewJerseyMan: Anyone Else Spotting Self-Driving Trucks On The Roads?

I commute to work on The Turnpike, so long-haul tractor trailers are a common sight. The other day I was in a traffic jam and noticed this larger transport truck next to me had a guy in the passenger seat looking at his lar phone and nobody behind the wheel! Naturally, I freaked out before thinking that maybe he was in the cabin part in the back, or had simply stepped out, and I couldn’t see him, but then I saw a label on the door saying it was an “auto-auto,” an autonomous vehicle – a self-driving truck!

When did these things show up? How are they street legal? What is going on?!

>REPLY 1:
They’ve been around for only a few years, mostly in California, though. They’re not street legal, not yet anyway. What you probably saw was one being street-tested with some kind of permission, to see how well it performs in congested traffic.

>REPLY 2:
I live near Silicon Valley, and yeah, they’re real, and they are way more commonly found out here. Strange it was on a highway – they’re usually driven around side streets and in parking lots around here.
>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
I want to say that robot cars are cool, but the high number of antennas, cameras and sensors sticking out from them look ridiculous! If one of them isn’t called “the porcupine,” like the robot version of a dodge ram, I’ll be very disappointed!
>REPLY 2 to REPLY 2:
Robot trucks? But I’m still waiting on flying cars!
>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2 to REPLY 2:
We already have those – they’re called airplanes!

>REPLY 3:
I’ve heard of these things, but I’ve never actually seen one. Apparently, we’ve reached that level of technology where car companies are beginning to experiment with self-driving, or at least partially-autonomous vehicles. Cool thing to spot on the road, dude!
>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:
The Future Is Now!

>REPLY 4:
What in the heck is a lar phone?
>REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:
Uh, hello? It’s short for cellular phone – cellular phone, get it? Get with the times, old man!
>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:
I’m 32
>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:
And to a highschooler, that’s old!

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 6/4/2007 posting



…The thwarting of political opponents from coalition-building during his national legislative years was one thing, but his crackdowns as President were another matter. In the U.T., the Law on Political Parties ensures the right to hold meetings, distribute publications and hold primary elections and conventions for all registered parties with at least 1 registered member living in each seat district of the National Gathering. One of the first major reform efforts undertaken by Karimov was to have all political parties based entirely or almost entirely on ethnic, religious, military or subversive ideas/ideologies prohibited, essentially cracking down on single-issue political organizations.

Meanwhile, with the assistance of his allies in the N.G., Karimov passed the Campaign Finance Reform Law, a law that did little financial reform and instead buried the lead deeper than a pirate buries treasure – the law made it so that in future elections, unmarked ballots would be automatically voted “yes” votes for the incumbent, and anti-incumbent votes would be considered void if they were not fully filled in or imperfect in other ways. This clear attempt to rig the country’s elections in favor of his incumbent allies was merely a precursor to his administration’s efforts to crack down on individual rights and religious freedoms in a crisis threatened the unity of the country.

[snip]

Karimov’s influence over the National Tethering was attributed to his years of gathering “dirt and dues” on his fellow national legislators, calling in favors and blackmailing district seat holders in an upending of the National Gathering.

It did not help that Karimov was still quite popular in his home nation-state of Uzbekistan, at least at the start of his Presidency. Because of this, his support was fairly lopsided when compared to how United Turkistan’s population was distributed:

Turkmenistan – pop: 6,031,000 (9.3%) = 94 seats in the National Gathering

Kyrgyzstan – pop: 6,548,000 (10.1%) = 101 seats in the National Gathering

Uzbekistan – pop: 33,456,000 (51.6%) = 516 seats in the National Gathering

Kazakhstan – pop: 18,777,000 (29.0%) = 290 seats in the National Gathering

The country’s total population was 64,812,000, with the National Gathering consisting of 1001 Members. This meant that there was 1 NGMs for every 64,747 citizens. Uzbekistan hosting a majority of the country’s populace was the reason behind the constitution requiring that 2/3rds of all NGM support was needed to pass anything in the NG, practically without exception. This meant that most of the aforementioned NGMs that were intimidated by Karimov into allying with him were from the three other nation-states…

[snip]

Karimov’s foreign policy was aloof. More “shut in” and “inwardly focused,” Karimov rarely took foreign trips or hosted foreign officials visiting the UT. Karimov only cautiously maintained relations with Russia and Iran in order to maintain oil and gas supply deals; however, he remained wary of Russia due to their “colonialistic past” and of Iran due to that nation being an alleged puppet of the US, and thus a part of “the American agenda,” an intermittent term of Karimov’s that had a very vague definition.

– Ke Wang’s Turkestanis Unite!: The Rise And Execution of An Idea, Cambridge University Press, 2013



SCIENTISTS MAKE BREAKTHROUGH WITH ISFV RESEARCH; Patient Achieving Remission After Stem Cell Transplant Could Be Key To Cure

…researchers may have come one step closer to finding a cure for the Immunity Systems Failure Virus that has haunted the BLUTAGO community since the 1980s. An ISFV-positive patient in Italy has been essentially “cleared” of the virus after years of treatment for both this disease and for lymphoma…

– Associated Press, 6/18/2007



SID BASS BEGINS TENURE AS DISNEY CEO WITH OLIVE BRANCHES AND EYES ON INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

…After the lengthy administration of Franklin Wells (who served from 1984 to 1999) and the externally prosperous but internally tumultuous reign of Jeff Katzenberg (who had been serving since 1999), Sid Bass is looking to appeal to both stockholders and Disney Animation Artists by greenlighting projects based on folk stories that are lesser-known in the US but could be highly profitable in both domestic and foreign markets…

– thehollywoodreporter.co.usa, 6/23/2007 e-article



THE ULTIMATE FROZEN CHICKEN? A Look Into The Inner Workings of The World’s Loneliest Fast Food Outlet

…As I scout on ahead to the only spot of human civilization for 1.9 miles, I finally see the lights emanating from behind a large hill. The beacon’s beams are not steady, for the freezing blasts of icy wind interrupt the flow of light and energy to make ribbons of yellow, gold, red and white dance across the dark azure sky. I crest the hill and smile at the welcoming sight. I’m certain that if it weren’t for the fact that my nose is frozen, I would be smelling in the wafting aroma of a fresh batch of wings.

This is McMurdo Station, a US research station on the shore of McMurdo Sound. It is the largest community on the continent, capable of supporting over 1,100 residents. location of the sole outlet of Kentucky Fried Chicken in all of Antarctica.

In June 2005, KFC’s parent company, Finger Lickin’ Good, Inc., managed to successfully franchise KFC to the scientist cafeteria at this American scientific research base in Antarctica, making KFC the first franchise to open an outlet on every single continent – and, quite possibly, the sole outlet to ever do so, as there is a vague but growing movement to have business ventures banned from Antarctica.

This remote branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken opened two years ago, on June 30, 2007, but it is not open as often as other locations. In fact, due to the local climate conditions and the limited number of possible customers – anyone working at the base – this is the one KFC outlet where they serve Sunday dinner only three days a week most of the year. During the warmest months (January and December), the cafeteria’s outlet is open five days a week, and during the coldest months of the year (June and July), the custom pressure-fryer is only used on Sunday.

I meet Henry Siwiak as he exits the Chapel of the Snows, an interfaith church holding regular services year-round as the second southernmost religious building on this planet. It is a Sunday in July, and the temperature outside is staying steady at negative 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Born in Krakow, Poland in 1955, Siwiak moved to the US at the end of the Cold War, working various jobs to support his family while slowly learning the English language. It is his pursuit of the paycheck to do right by his family that has led to him frying chicken in Antarctica.

“I have had worse jobs,” he shrugs as best he can in his thick layers of clothing. At the moment, though, his main complaint is not the distance between himself and his wife and children, or the freezing cold, but instead the limitations of international preservation law. “I’m a good hunter, but I can’t hunt a thing.”

Indeed, the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 dictates that nothing originating from the continent can be consumed—so no fishing, no hunting for seals or any other wildlife, and no foraging—not that anything can grow in such extreme conditions. This, combined with the fact that shipping to such a remote area can be incredibly challenging, means that McMurdo’s inhabitants, who total about one thousand in summer, and 150 in winter (and who must pass stringent physical, dental, and psychological evaluations), rely fully on deliveries and are limited in what they can eat. Once a year during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer season—usually around the last two weeks in January—a vessel from Port Hueneme, CA, delivers enough food for the entire year, consisting of both dried and frozen food.

“The ships come in. Hundreds of pounds each crate. All food. Hundreds and hundreds of pounds of fool. All frozen. They give the food, they take away trash and broken things. Broken equipment. Junk. Junk and garbage.”

“So how does KFC serve fresh chicken?” I ask Siwiak as we enter the cafeteria and approach the pressure fryer station. Siwiak and five other workers are on KFC’s payroll. Their salaries match those of the company’s workers employed at any food court in the US, dollar to dollar.

“Not always fresh. But always cooked very good. Finger Lickin’ Good, yes?”

KFC-Antarctica can only sell fresh chicken during the warmer months of the year because fresh food is a luxurious commodity in Antarctica. “During the summer, we receive fresh food called ‘freshies’ on planes from Christchurch, New Zealand, with dairy, fresh fruit and vegetables, and eggs. If the weather is good and the planes come on time, we’ll usually receive an order once a week, though sometimes it will be delayed or cancelled. During December and January, we usually don’t get fresh food unless there’s a little extra room on the plane—and of course, in the food budget as well,” explains the General Manager of the outlet. Because the station is always stocked with sufficient food supplies, whether fresh or not, any passengers or needs related to science and research take precedence over food when there’s any extra room on the planes carrying shipments to the station.

[snip]

Antarctica’s environment is extremely sensitive, so disposal of waste is carefully regulated as well. “There’s a matrix we must follow when disposing of trash, which is vital to keeping everything in check,” the General Manager explains. “Food waste must be double-bagged and can’t be mixed with any other garbage. We have some items that are strictly for landfill—they can’t be recycled and there must not be any food in them. So much importation means that we must monitor if any insects or other outside species arrive in the food that could contaminate the environment as well. If we do find anything, the environmental department is called so they can log this information and appropriately dispose of it.” [7] KFC the company has continuously emphasized this aspect in press release after press release, with the company’s CEO defending the outlet’s existence in interviews and the company even managing to get celebrity actors such as Leo DiCaprio to be in commercials meant to placate eco-activists and end their criticisms.

But with such a small number of customers each fiscal quarter, are the environmentally conscious opponents right – should this franchise remain in operation?

“This job is good for my family,” says Siwiek. “My children are going to college because of KFC. I have a job. I make food money being here. Nobody else wanted this job. You want this job? No. That’s why they pay me a lot. And it good food. I make it great. And everything done right. All clean, everyone careful.” He then asks, in a very wise manner, “So what is the problem?”

Above: me (foreground, bottom left-hand corner) at McMurdo Base

– National Geographic, June 2009 issue



IOC Session No. 119
Date: July 6, 2007
Location: Copenhagen

Subject 1 of 1: Bidding For Hosting The 8/29/2012-9/9/2012 (or XIV) Summer Olympics

A “special” session was held after the South African delegation at the 117th IOC Session was found to have bribed their way into getting Cape Town the 2012 Olympic Games, prompting their hosting duties to be rescinded and the games left without a host country. This session thus found a replacement host country.

Voting Results:
Tehran, Iran – 57 (Round 1) – 67 (Round 2)
N.Y.C., U.S. – 34 (Round 1) – 36 (Round 2)
Sydney, Australia – 10 (Round 1)
Nairobi, Kenya – 2 (Round 1)

End Result: Tehran won on the second round

– aldaver.co.usa/votes.html



LIST OF PRIME MINISTERS OF ITALY

[snip]

1960-1963: ((32)) Amintore Fanfani (Christian Democracy) – supported the US side of the Cuba War in spite of continuous youth protests

1963-1963: 37) Giovanni Leone (CD) – the 1963 general election saw Palmiro Togliatti (Communist) and Pietro Nenni (Socialist) perform better than expected

1963-1965: 38) Aldo Moro (CD) – his poor handling of domestic issues, especially the Salad Oil Recession, led to him losing support within the party

1965-1969: (37)) Giovanni Leone (CD) – lost dominant party support

1969-1975: 39) Benigno Zaccagnini (CD) – assassinated by a far-right activist for compromising with the Socialist party on welfare reform legislation

1975-1978: (38)) Aldo Moro (CD) – the party lost control as the country re-entered recession weeks before the 1978 general election

1978-1985: 40) Francesco De Martino (United Socialist) – deficit spending on social welfare programs and public works projects ended two decades of unrest

1985-1987: (38)) Aldo Moro (CD) – lost re-election as several CD party members fell to the Second Ark Wave of sexual pestering scandals

1987-1991: (40)) Francesco De Martino (US) – retired due to declining health

1991-1992: 41) Ottaviano Del Turco (US) – failed to keep the Socialist parties allied

1992-1992: 42) Pierre Carniti (Independent) – essentially, a “caretaker” PM

1992-1999: 43) Arnaldo Forlani (CD) – party lost in the 1999 general election

1999-2004: 44) Gianfranco Fini (Conservative National Alliance) – party lost in the (December) 2004 general election

2004-2005: 45) Gianni De Michelis (New Socialist Alliance, but officially Independent) – served for just six months; party lost in the 2005 general election

2005-present: (44)) Gianfranco Fini (CNA) – the incumbent

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, c. July 2007



FREDDIE MERCURY: A lot of people think I’m this pompous snob because I don’t do interviews that often, but, the thing is, I just don’t like talking to people I don’t really know. [8]

INTERVIEWER: And for that reason, I’m very thankful for this little sit-down.

MERCURY: You’re welcome, then.

INTERVIEWER: Heh, now, um, first off, you both look great.

EMINEM: Thanks, you don’t look too bad yourself.

MERCURY: Don’t be blind, Em, she’s beautiful.

INTERVIEWER: Oh, you. Heh-heh! Um, now, uh, about this album you worked on with Eminem.

EMINEM: Ah, yeah, The Collab – “Problems For Your Answers.” That was a big project, wasn’t it?

MERCURY: I thought she was supposed to ask something like that.

INTERVIEWER: (slight chuckle) Well, actually, I was going to ask about the inspiration behind it.

MERCURY: Well, I don’t like to stay in one place for too long, I like to try new things. I love the challenge of trying out new kinds of music, of new genres [8]. Like “Hot Space” and “Night Flight,” those were new things.

EMINEM: You like to keep it fresh.

MERCURY: Fresh? I guess, but I’m not a bloody fridge.

EMINEM: I mean you keep it real.

MERCURY: Well I can’t ‘keep it fake.’ That’s not even possible when you do what you love. And, dearie, to answer your question, what I love to do is try new things, so when Eminem suggested we try to make a song together I rose to the challenge. Because this man, boy, does he love his lyrics. So many rhymes, it’s very impressive.

INTERVIEWER: But I wasn’t just one song in the end.

EMINEM: No, the original collaboration piece, uh, “Gospel For Ascension In Nevada,” that was a big song, and the first draft of the lyrics, it was this monstrosity, like three Bohemian Rhapsodies, so we sliced it up and expanded those parts into all these other songs. “Tidal Love,” “Briefly God, “Dream of Timing,” those three all came out of “PFYA.”

MERCURY: “Living For My Doorway Nerves” and "Monteverdi's Output" were more of my own at the start of things, though.

EMINEM: Yeah, and “Flamboyant Beef” was, like, I want to say, uh –

MERCURY: 50/50?

EMINEM: Yeah, exactly. But “Fade Your Dark Craft” was my idea at, like, the beginning.

MERCURY: Oh, definitely. That one’s somewhat similar, just a tad, um, to “Sing for the Moment.” One of your best songs, by the way, chap.

EMINEM: I know it is.

INTERVIEWER: Well many have compared “Briefly God” to Queen’s more gospel-influenced songs.

MERCURY: I don’t know, I think it’s more upbeat, a different tempo.

EMINEM: But it is dramatic. It’s kind of got some inspiration clearly pulled from Innuendo and Stan, too.

MERCURY: If you really think so, sure.

INTERVIEWER: And the rest of Queen were not involved in the project because…

MERCURY: Now they seemed curious at first, but when I asked them if they wanted to join in, they said to me, basically, “This is your thing,” mine and his. But a part of me – the part of me that’s usually right – that part of me thinks they just didn’t think they could keep up with us. We were working like mad men, caught up in the moment, which turned out to be most of the summer, in fact.

[snip]

MERCURY: I’ve gotten very mature from then. I look back at times on my younger self and my younger work and I think, “Good God, how could I have done that?” You know, everyone grows out of their younger self. And you’ll grow out of your current you. You evolve. [8]

EMINEM: Like a Pokémon.

MERCURY: Now that is a good whatever-it-is. What, a game, a show? That whole experience of it!

INTERVIEWER: Oh! Are you a fan of Pokémon?

MERCURY: I’m poke-curious.

[snip]

INTERVIEWER: Now, another thing I want to ask: Freddie, I think everyone knows by now that you usually don’t spend much time, uh, hanging out with the other members of Queen.

MERCURY: That’s right, I socialize with them now and again, but our differences outside of music, uh, they’re too different. I like opera, they don’t. [8] Basically, I like them and they like me, but only in small does. They can’t take all of me for too long. Too much of a good thing, I guess.

INTERVIEWER: Yes, but Eminem, have you hung out with Queen outside the recording booth, and with Freddie, too, same thing?

EMINEM: Uh, yes and no. I mean, the rest of Queen and I, we’re not having sleepovers.

MERCURY: (sarcastic) What, not yet?

EMINEM: Eh-heh, but yeah, they’re great and all, and I’ve hung out with them, yeah, from time to time. But with Freddie, not so much. I don’t like opera as much as he does.

MERCURY: And he has some interests I don’t find all that great. But, eh. That’s his bag. [8] To each his own, and, uh, that stuff’s his own, I suppose.

[snip]

INTERVIEWER: What did you think of The Scene That Celebrates Itself?

EMINEM: That bygone era from the 1990s. It was great for artists trying to make it big, but only if you could get into the scene. Great for those already established, you know, being able to take a break from the rivals and competition and instead focus way more on the music.

MERCURY: I remember reading once about something in American history called The Era of Good Feelings. It was something like that, but for bands, especially UK-based groups. The truth is, dear, that every artist steals from other artists whether they know it or not. Of course, they don’t go around listening to hours of other people’s music, plucking out bits they like, of course not, but similar songs tend to happen naturally. [8] And that era was just everyone allowing each other to rip each other off, and, uh, but it – that, uh, that sort of collaboration was, I think, a very good thing while it lasted.

– Tumbleweed TV, 7/12/2007 interview [9]



…And in multinational news, the International Olympics Committee has awarded the growing city of Erzurum, the coldest city in the nation of Turkey, with the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympics…

– The Overmyer Network, 7/15/2007 broadcast



…A supermajority is needed in both chambers of congress to override a President’s veto on a bill as well. Because the GOP had a majority, but not a supermajority, in the House and was not control of the Senate chamber, House Speaker McMaster and House Committee Chairs responded to the Senate and the President by trying to hold up as much Democrat-led legislation as possible until the other side of the aisle agreed to conservative bill, or negotiated a compromise bill. This tactic did not always work. For example, in July 2007, just before the House summer recess, McMaster’s allies held up a Democrat-authored bill to expand key aspects of the 1990 UHC bill. In exchange for allowing a watered-down version of the bill to pass, Republicans wanted the Senate to hold additional hearings and investigations into the government’s handling of the SARS pandemic. The Democratic party refused, and the bill died in committee...

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



MULTINATIONAL EFFORT LEADS TO WATER SANITATION TECH BREAKTHROUGH

…A team of scientists, researchers and analysts working in four countries – Israel, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau and the UK – have announced the successful testing of a “humidifier pump” the team believes could be “a game-changer in the fight against” water scarcity. Aiming to utilize the latest in water sanitation and humidification technology, the experimental pump has demonstrated the ability to absorb and sanitize water vapor in trials held in southern Egypt. The team hopes to use such pumps to sanitize contaminated bodies of water in the near future...

…As nearly 1 billion people live in areas of water scarcity, solutions span across the subjects of policy, technology, and necessary behavioral changes. Together with UK scientists, developers in Israel and the rising tech hub of Guinea-Bissau also field-tested in Egypt experimental “coffee filter”-like eco-paper that can be used to purify drinking water, reducing 99.9% of bacteria. “Any tools meant to sanitize water need to be affordable and useable in the affected areas,” says one team member... Improving education concerning how to keep water sources sanitary is currently the primary focus of humanitarian organizations worried about water scarcity, as enhancing air humidifiers are thought to currently be impractical for “parched” (low humidity) parts of the world. Others, however, are hopeful that new water well technology will improve the global situation. “The real ironic thing of it,” says one UK researcher, “is that in Sub-Saharan Africa, groundwater is typically 20 meters below the surface. It’s right there! But, because of poor infrastructure and unstable governments, access to it is very limited.”…

– scientificamerican.co.usa, 7/19/2007 e-news article



…With endorsements ranging from popular celebrities like Donovan Bailey to popular politicians like Deputy Prime Minister Gerard Michael Kennedy, the “stay” vote is currently ahead by 10% in most polls. With just over a month left before the people of Quebec vote on a sovereignty referendum…again.

Despite one being held eight years ago, the closeness of the 1999 Quebec Independence Referendum led to accusations of voter fraud that have only grown in recent years, fueled by the rhetoric of controversial individuals such as former Quebec Parti leader Lucien Bouchard, former PM Paul Hellyer, and many of their supporters. As a result, McTeer reluctantly approved of another vote to be held. However, if the current polls are anything to go by, than this upcoming referendum’s margin of victory for the “stay” vote will be even wider than it was in 1999 (which was 52.7% “no,” 47.3% “yes”)...

– The Vancouver Sun, Canadian newspaper, 7/21/2007



KFC BLOWS AWAY EARNINGS EXPECTATIONS FOR 2ND FISCAL QUARTER: Consumers Buy Up Limited-Time-Only Triple-Decker Chicken Sandwiches

– Business Weekly, late July 2007 issue



GOP HOUSE COMMITTEE’S RESEARCHERS DISCOVER U.S.’S SARS DEATH COUNT WAS POSSIBLY AN “OVERESTIMATE”

…Investigations to see if the Jackson administration downplayed the number of Americans killed by SARS at the start of the decade has led to an unexpected backfiring. The “independent” researchers the GOP selected for the investigations today announced their claim that the total number of American lives lost in the pandemic may have erroneously included elderly patients who passed away at the time with SARS-like symptoms but did not actually have the virus. This would mean that the US’s medical personnel and leaders did an even better performance than we thought they had done already…

– tumbleweed.co.usa, 8/7/2007 news e-article



The Forever War “mega-film” greenlit

…the epic is set to be three hours long and directed by Ridley Scott…

– The Hollywood Reporter, 8/8/2007



CORRESPODENT: …Even typically apolitical people are getting involved in this referendum, especially on the “stay” side. Behind me is the Oswego Music Hall in Ontario, where Sir Gordon Lightfoot is currently performing the song “Nous Vivons Ensemble” after having spent years learning French during the 1990s ahead of the 1999 referendum.

[cut to interior of the music hall]

LIGHTFOOT (singing): We’ve got to stay together, we’ve got to find each other now, that is how, we can learn all about the other man’s song [10]…

– CBC Television, Canadian TV news network, 8/11/2007 broadcast



8.0 EARTHQUAKE RATTLES PERU; Hundreds Dead, Thousands Injured!

– The New York Times, 8/15/2007



…help poured in from the national governments, neighboring and far-way nations (especially the United States), all levels of the Peruvian private and public sectors, international NGOs, UN agencies, and international charities. The Peruvian military distributed aid, cleared debris in search of survivors, evacuated the wounded, and helped establish emergency shelters for those left temporarily homeless. However, the initial response lacked proper coordination and proved to be chaotic until Peru’s President took command of the situation, working with the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team to provide technical assistance and advice to on-the-ground relief workers…

– clickopedia.co.usa



…For instance, when Peru was struck by a powerful earthquake on June 15, the House opposed the amount of relief Jackson initially wanted to send. Leaders of the House Budget Committees pointed to the fact that, during the past 20 months, America’s national surplus had diminished greatly since its high mark in early 2006. As a result, Jackson had to work quickly to shore up support for the earthquake funding, calling on liberal and moderates to pressure McMaster into compromising on a reduced level of funds. The argument lead to the US sending Peru charitable donations until the 21st, when the federal government finally contributed to the relief efforts…

– author A’Lelia Bundles’ Consequential: The Presidency of Jesse Jackson, Random House, 2015



QUEBEC VOTES TO STAY IN THE DOMINION, 58.4%-to-41.6%

…the substantial margin of victory for the “stay” vote is being described as a “crushing blow” for Lucien Bouchard, who was allegedly eyeing becoming the first head-of-state of an independent Quebec…

– The Globe And Mail, Canadian newspaper, 8/25/2007



…At the beginning of Harley Brown’s term, many worried that a Governor with ties to biker gangs would lead to an increase in crime. To their surprise and relief, Brown routinely met with both biker leaders and law enforcers to discuss and implement strategies to curb crime rates in rural counties and urban centers. In his first year, Governor Brown managed to reform Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare, albeit only slightly, as reforms were continually opposed by state congress and the department itself. Due to this gridlock, Brown decided against running for President in 2008, despite publicly expressing interest in doing repeatedly since his election in 2006…

– Bill O’Reilly’s Ascension from the Asphalt: The Harley Brown Story, Borders Books, 2011



“A HYPOCRIT OF THE HIGHEST ORDER”: P.R.C. Ex-Pat Claims Bo Xilai Is Corrupt – And He May Have Proof!

– The Los Angeles Times, 8/30/2007



GREATLY OBSTINATE PARTY: With “Goetzite” Candidates Leading The Pack, Have Republicans Already Forgotten 2004?

…the landslide defeat of Senator Bernie Goetz has not discouraged several divisive populists from expressing interesting in running for President next year… young supporters of Bo Gritz, a freshman US Senator from Idaho, are eerily similar to Bernie Goetz’s “Bernie Bros,” from their near-identical demographics (low-income, non-college-educated, rural communities) to their negative presence on various netsites. Colonel James “Bo” Gritz, whose last name rhymes with “rights,” is a former Green Beret Commander who is one of several anti-establishment candidates hoping to win over Goetz’s base of supporters.

Above: US Senator Bo Gritz in 1999, burning a flag of the UN while promoting his book “Profiles In Conspiracy: From FDR to Bellamy”

Another one of such candidates is US Congressman Tommy Tancredo of Colorado, who has already been endorsed by white supremacist Don Black, activist and mental health law critic Byron Looper, and distinguished economist and banking millionaire R. Severin Fuld.

However, on the other side of the GOP political spectrum, increasingly away from the Country Conservative types, are the Colonel Conservative, Libertarian, and Moderate factions of the party, with nearly-all declared or potential candidates from said factions calling for a move away from Goetz’s negative lines of attack…

…With such a wide range of opposing thoughts and candidates [11], the Republican Party is in for a tense but interesting pre-primary campaign season in the weeks and months ahead…

– Newsweek, late August 2005 issue



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S):
[1] The italicized part(s) is/are from his OTL autobiography https://www.google.com/books/edition/Wellington_Webb/nYw_NaCgJuMC?hl=en&gbpv=0
[2] Based on a 2008 case from OTL!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eben_Alexander_(author)
[3] OTL!: https://qz.com/866352/scientists-say-your-mind-isnt-confined-to-your-brain-or-even-your-body/
[4] This is an OTL phenomenon!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_syndrome
[5] Based on an OTL case!: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ne...ck-to-life-after-being-dead-for-17-hours.html
[6] I mentioned this in the August 1992 chapter, so this is like an update of that.
[7] Italicized segments are pulled from here: https://table.skift.com/2017/11/28/...ke-to-run-a-kitchen-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/
[8] Freddie Mercury really did say something similar to this in a 1994 interview with Lisa Robinson in 1984, found on youtube
[9] Credit is due to @Igeo654 for suggesting this bit
[10] OTL song: youtube.com/watch?v=OBujb_4bYP4

[11] Speaking of which, ahead of the 2008 Republican primaries, I made a preference poll for y’all: https://www.strawpoll.me/22453062
And here’s a quick breakdown of the 20 candidates (both declared and undeclared) found on the poll:

US Sen. Bob Barr of Georgia, age 60 – A supporter of small government, low taxes and individual freedom “within reason,” this libertarian-leaning conservative was a US Congressman from 1995 to 2003 and was elected to the Senate in 2002 despite opposing Jackson’s federal bailout measures that same year. He is one of many candidates who believe that the presumed 2008 Democratic nominee, Paul Wellstone, is vulnerable, after eight straight years of Democratic rule.

Fmr US Sen. Mario Biaggi of New York, age 91 – Some may consider it “sad” that the former frontrunner for the 1972 Democratic Presidential nomination has become a perennial candidate, but Biaggi sees himself in a different light, as the last true “law and order” politician in the US. Opposed to police precinct reform, the former Governor and former US Senator defiantly promises “I will keep on running until I win, dead or alive!” To sweeten the pot and win over voters concerned about his advanced age, he has announced that he wants his running mate to be his “co-president” in the White House. We’ll see if he gets any takers.

Pr. Mike Bickle of Missouri, age 53 – An Evangelical Christian pastor who founded the International House of Prayer in 1999 and has served as its leader ever since then, Bickle believes he can “best Jackson at his own game” and win over religious voters away from the Reverend President. Politically, he is even further to the right on both fiscal and social matter than is Meredith.

US Sen. Herman Cain of Georgia, age 53 – An experienced and accomplished fiscally-conservative businessman who served as the CEO of Finger Lickin’ Good, Inc. from early 2001 to late 2003 before being elected to the US Senate in 2004, Cain’s recent recovery from a severe health crisis would be a major talking point in the pre-primary season. The conservative African-American has stated that “after surviving Stage IV colon cancer, surviving a crowded primary will be easy,” touting his medical recovery in 2006, which was aided by an early diagnosis thanks to the benefits of being an incumbent US Senator. The chemotherapy lead to him developing a low voting attendance record despite remote-voting for Senators being allowed ever since the measure was allowed amid the SARS pandemic of 2002; this could also be a major talking point, along with his potentially-controversial 9-9-9 tax proposal.

US Rep. Billy J. Creech of North Carolina, age 65 – A US Congressman since 2003, a former state representative, and a former businessman, Creech opposes “the nanny state” and believes the federal government should “stay out of the worker-management relationship,” calling for tax breaks for small business owners and for “caps” on immigration. However, he supports raising farmer subsidies. He considers himself to be a “dark horse” candidate in this race who will catch on because "we need a fresh face in this race."

US Sen. Jim Edgar of Illinois, age 62 – A leading technocratic moderate centrist in a party still reeling from the 2004 defeat of a populist nominee, Edgar’s campaign’s central theme is restoring dignity to both the party and the White House. Considered one of the best Governors that the people of Illinois have had in decades, he is focusing less on social issues and more on fiscal issues such as pension funds, adjusting UHC costs to make the system more manageable, banking reform, insurance reform, and the “proper” distribution of taxes.

Fmr Gov. Jim Gilmore of Virginia, age 59 – Serving in office from 1998 to 2002, Gilmore plans to campaign on his record in office and “fill the Sensible Conservative void” in the party. A standard conservative on fiscal and social issues, he believes that mounting a grassroots campaign and exceeding expectations in the debates will improve his polling and fundraising numbers.

US Sen. James “Bo” Gritz of Idaho, age 70 – The isolationist and populist freshman US Senator is quite known for his attention-grabbing antics, whether it be a mock filibuster speech outside the US Capitol Building or feud with a celebrity on a technet forum. Utilizing public access stations and radio programs not affected by FCC changes to get out his campaign platform planks (which include opposing “the sinister plans of the EU,” calling for “investigations into SARS virus origin alternative theories,” and restarting the War on Recreadrugs, among other policies), Gritz (whose name rhymes with the Bill of Rights), is popular among former Goetz backers. Before entering the Senate, he was a state senator and then a US Congressman, and before that, served in the US Army Special Forces, fighting in wars in Indochina and Africa before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Gov. Antoinette “Toni” Jennings of Florida, age 59 – During her tenure as Governor, she has established term limits, supported NASA, and improved the state’s education quality. She rose to national prominence for her handling of Katrina and other hurricanes. She is running on a moderate, non-offensive business-friendly platform focused on improving education, restructuring tax law to benefit small and “growing” businesses, and continuing Jackson’s GCD policies while reversing his actions of several welfare programs.

Fmr Gov. Gary Earl Johnson of New Mexico, age 60 – The Mayor of Albuquerque from 1993 to 2001 and Governor from 2003 to 2007, Johnson is a former businessman best known legalizing pot at the local and then level, climbing Mount Everest in 2001, earning the nickname “Governor Veto” in his dedication to the philosophy of “minimum government, maximum freedom,” and being a critic of Bernie Goetz. Johnson’s libertarian campaign is focused on school voucher reform to improve education, and replacing the income tax and the IRS with a “FairTax,” a single consumption tax on retail sales.

Fmr US Amb. Alan Lee Keyes of Potomac, age 68 – The former diplomat who served in the past four Republican administrations has been serving as the Dean of The Columbus School of Law, the law school of the private Catholic University of America, located in Washington, D.C. Potomac, since late 2004. While’s never served an elected position, his wide range of administrative experience, his celebrated debate skills, and his “strong record” of taking conservative religion-based stances on social issues makes him believe that he can win over the GOP in the upcoming debates and primaries.

US Rep. Scott McCallum of Wisconsin, age 68 – A life-long politician and the current House Majority Whip, the moderate McCollum has serving in the House since 1985, and in that time has worked to pass laws defending private prisons, sunsetting outdated laws, adjusting income taxes for inflation, protecting the environment, and, most notable, supplying stimulus packages to disadvantaged Americans during the 2001-2004 global SARS pandemic. Nevertheless, he is mounting a pro-business campaign in support of a strong national defense and deregulation to promote technological entrepreneurship in the United States.

Fmr VP James H. Meredith of Mississippi, age 75 – Running once again, the former VP and former US Senator is running on a platform nearly identical to his 2004 platform, from his defending of the Constitution to his calls for investments into economic development and minority empowerment without raising taxes or infringing upon state and individual rights. This time, though, he’s mounting a more aggressive campaign to compete in a potentially-crowded field.

Gov. George Speaker Mickelson of South Dakota, age 67 – In office since 2003, Mickelson, a former US Congressman and former State Attorney General, has improved his state’s infrastructure and scholarship systems, raised the state’s minimum wage, and resolved South Dakota’s water sanitation issues. He’s running for President over agricultural concerns, promising jobs by improving the FJG program, and defending private prisons and police precincts, albeit “within reason,” stating that police should be well-funded but also should not use such funds to be “this militarized entity that does more harm than good.”

US Sen. Hillary Diane Rodham-Clinton of Tennessee, age 61 – A “Colonel Conservative” and former Governor, her pro-education and pro-stimulus checks record, anti-corruption bona fides and past pro-labor rhetoric all put her on the edge of being labelled a “moderate,” hence her recent pivot to the right via coming to the defense of police but not private prisons. Her candidacy, however, would mean having to give up running for a second Senatorial term in 2008, and with freshman US Congressman Dave Ramsey eyeing her seat, she is currently at a crossroads of sorts.

Gov. Ronna Eileen Romney of Michigan, age 65 – The sister-in-law of former Michigan Senator Mitt Romney, Ronna began her career as a campaign manager serving as Michigan’s Republican Party Chair and then Financial Committee Chair. After hosting a popular radio talk show for several years, she was elected Governor in 2002, and has since had a “mixed” tenure, failing to bring back as many jobs as she promised but succeeding in keeping several businesses from leaving. Despite this, her deep pockets and impressive war chest and political connections could make her a very formidable candidate.

US Sen. Olympia Jean Snowe of Maine, age 61 – The influential and “bipartisan” Greek-American legislator is a moderate centrist who has been attacked more than once by members of her own party for being too much of a “LID,” or “Liberal in Disguise.” Despite these criticisms, she believes that she can be a unifying candidate for the GOP, a party that she says “needs to heed the warning of 2004 and shift to the center and away from the far-right in order to stay competitive at the national level.” Snowe has already been endorsed by Bill Weld, who has opted to run for re-election to the US Senate instead of mounting a second White House bid of his own.

Gov. Lynn Curtis Swann of Pennsylvania, age 56 – The African-American former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and broadcaster, who served as the Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from 1998 to 2001, successfully mounted a gubernatorial bid in 2002. He is running on his record as Governor – addressing mass transit and housing issues, and reforming property tax and environmentalism policies – but is shying away from his earlier support for police procedure reform.

US Rep. Tommy Tancredo of Colorado, age 63 – This life-long politician is giving up his House seat of ten years to mount a populist and constitutionalist campaign that is heavily anti-immigration in theme and tone, touting his decades long opposition to bilingual education, his support for strong national borders, and his being the first member of Congress to call for a complete border shutdown at the start of the SARS pandemic.

Gov. J. C. Watts Jr. of Oklahoma, age 51 – A Baptist minister and former quarterback for the Ottawa Rough Riders, this conservative African-American was inspired by Jesse Jackson to successfully run for Governor in 2002, having already served as a US Congressman from 1995 to 2003. He supports fracking and domestic oil production but has allowed solar and wind power projects in the states; despite being an interventionist and supporting Jackson’s intervention in the DRC, he’s been endorsed by the likes of Ron Paul and Bob Inglis. He is running as a younger, less controversial alternative to James H. Meredith.

Please vote!



The next chapter’s E.T.A.: November 26!

miner249er said:
Wnglish? what is Wnglish?

Noted. Thanks for spotting that spelling error. I just went back and fixed it.

 

[gap80]

Post 86: Chapter 94



Chapter 94: September 2007 – February 2008

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall”

– Confucius



“OH, HE DEFINITELY RIPPED US OFF”: Freddie Mercury Grills Vanilla Ice Over Song Similarities

…a low-key feud between the on-again, off-again band Queen and rapper Vanilla Ice seems to have reached a boiling point, as the lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury, said in a TON interview Thursday that the rapper “lifted several entire tracks and chords” from “at least two” Queen songs…

– thehollywoodreporter.co.usa, 9/1/2007 e-article



“They’re not the same. Under Pressure and Ice Ice Baby have totally different riffs, different beats, different rhythms, different everything!”

– Vanilla Ice, 9/2/2007 radio interview



Just as Chairman Bo Xilai was poised to order the launching of another cyber-attack – this time, one that was set to hit at least 5 million servers across the US, Canada and Mexico – the explosive allegations of massive corruption hit the digital and real-life pavement of the West.

Li Zhang Wei had been an assistant to Bo ally Zhou Yongkang for over six years, taking the position after the wave of purges of municipal payrolls that followed the SARS outbreak left it and many other spots wide open. A devoted patriot of the state, he had studied and closely followed the career of both Chairman Bo and Bo’s father, Vice Chairman Bo Yibo, and sought to emulate the elder Bo’s dedication to honesty, even in the face of unpopularity and the threat of dismissal. But as the years of loyal service continued, Li found himself conflicted as he spotted an alarming pattern: businessmen would often meet with Minister Zhou for tete-a-tetes concerning the very kind of quid pro quos the nation’s leader derided as corrupt. In August 2007, Li’s faltering faith in the PRC’s government was broken when he accompanied Zhou to The Imperial City and was ordered to take notes on what could only be described as a money laundering scheme. Chairman Bo was overseeing the embezzling of funds into private accounts for him and several oligarchic members of Red China high society through business contractor projects, the origin of the funds for these projects, which were often their never completed or did not truly exist, often being the black markets – weapons left behind in KW2, drugs, blood diamonds, human trafficking. Li, believing it all had to be some sort of mistake, dug deeper in these affairs by convincing Zhou to let him handle the books tracking these transfers. Inside these files, Li discovered only more evidence that the Chairman and company were not as commendable as Li had once thought [1].

According to the statement Li gave to the American embassy in United Korea, the once-blindly devoted assistant had what he described as a “moral panic attack.” Under the guise of visiting a family member who lived in Manchuria, Li traveled to the Chinese-Korean border, and then fled to Seoul, where he immediately revealed more than just his eyewitness claims – he had also smuggled out copies of the illegal accounts via floppy discs and 8-gb “bit drives” he had hidden on his person and luggage. “The people of the country I love must know the truth about Chairman Bo,” pleaded Li, a man that Schrodinger would probably describe as being both a patriot and a traitor until two tests (time, and the bias of the writers of history) determined which label suited him best.

– Carl Krosinsky’s Modern China: A Complex Recent History, Borders Books, 2020



PRC SHUTS DOWN ITS TECHNET FOR “MAINTENANCE” AS BO SCANDAL GRIPS LEADERSHIP

…the shutdown comes after three days of chat board visitors arguing with each other, with most decrying the Chairman while others defend the nation’s leader, arguing the allegations are false and the evidence doctored…

– The New York Times, 9/4/2007



The corruption scandal was incredibly ironic given Bo Xilai’s anti-corruption crusades, purging all that he and his supporters suspected of partaking in illegal or even underhanded activities. Naturally, Bo fought back against the allegations, declaring in a televised speech on September 5 that any who “fell for the lies” was “a fool and a disgrace.” This, however, did nothing to curb the rising number of incidents concerning young Chinese citizens being arrested for protesting outside of government offices. In fact, it seems having police arrest technetters for posting anti-Bo threads prior to the technet shutdown only increased the number of protest incidents and their intensity as the days and weeks continued.

And if that wasn’t enough for the Chairman, on September 6th, a “second batch” of government document leaks began spilling out of Shanghai.

Hackers had broken through the government roadblocks and were leaking out further evidence of wrongdoing, from business palm-greasing to kidnappings to even a dossier on military strategies for hypothetical invasions of Taiwan, Korea, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and even Russia and (for some reason) Mongolia as well.

The Chairman was now growing increasingly paranoid and livid. He privately asked the military’s cyber warfare department on the effectiveness of redirecting the cyber-attack planned for the US to instead target the city of Shanghai in order to stop the leaker, as the nation’s intelligence agencies could not pinpoint his exact location, only the city from which the leaks were spilling. With technet servers already down, a cyber-attack would only knock out the hacker’s equipment. Bo’s private team of military advisors greenlit the project despite the reservations of several other leaders in the military.

On September 7, the Death Lotus 2 cyber virus was unleashed upon China itself to “flush out” the leaking hacker. The virus, however, worked too well, and broke through firewalls meant to protect the computer systems of Shanghai’s city government and police stations, which were the only systems still being allowed to be used. The frying of the region’s officials’ ability to access the technet and the subsequent ending of additional leaks convinced Bo that it was in fact a police officer or political figure behind the “second batch” of leaks, and so he swore to begin another wave of purges “as soon as this whole thing is resolved.”

Indeed, the second batch of leaking had been nipped – but not before one last dossier was sent to outlets in Korea. This dossier documented in detail how Bo Xilai had been using the government’s Ministry of State Security to wiretap and monitor all members of the National People’s Congress (or NPC), including his strongest supporters, in case any were tricking him with false loyalty. The wiretapping operation proved to be very upsetting to members of the NPC.

“This is proof of Bo’s attempts to revive the People’s Republic of Mao Zedong,” was a whisper from one anonymous member of the nation’s governing body. “If he can’t trust us, how can we trust him?” went another.

Zhang Dejiang, the head of the NPC, was caught on camera publicly remarking that he was “gravely concerned” about the reputation of the country in recent years. Indeed, amid the bungling of North Korea, then SARS, earlier allegations of cyber-attacking the US, and now the Bo scandals, the People’s Republic, while still an economic powerhouse, was being looked down on by most world leaders.

Members of the government’s highest rungs of power began to meet in private.

Unlike in the United States, there is no impeachment process for the Chairman of China. However, according to the National Constitution adopted in 1976, in the immediate aftermath of the Chinese Civil War of 1975, the Chairman controls the party and the military, but also “serves at the pleasure of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the legislature, and is not legally vested to take executive action on his own prerogative” [2]. That wording was vitally important because, as it was viewed as meaning that Bo could not use the office of Chairman for personal benefit, and thus was violating the rules of said office. This was the avenue through which the NPC could replace Bo, but only if they could drum up the courage to do so before Bo dismissed them and replaced them with more loyal lackeys.

By September 9, rumors that Dejiang and others were considering “ousting” Bo reached the ears of the Chairman himself.

“So this is their response to my reforms. Of the centralizing of control of welfare programs and of the markets, of trying to undo the free market-based economy that is a capitalist ploy meant to divide the Chinese people along economic class lines,” Bo allegedly remarked to Wu Na, one of his last remaining assistants.

“The shutdown of the technet services put the country into a panic, I will admit, but it is a necessary panic.”

Wu knew better than to ask “necessary for whom,” but felt perfectly fine thinking it.

– Omar Khan’s Dousing A Fire: The PRC, The Stench of Corruption, And The Need For True Reform, 2015



NO JUSTICE AT ALL? China’s Deeply Corrupt Chairman Could Stay In Office Until 2016

…this apparent impasse highlights the need for a set of checks and balances, as Bo could try and stay in power for nine more years before facing prosecution…

– The New York Times, 9/10/2007



The Chairman of the People’s Republic is able of promulgating laws, of selecting and dismissing ministers, of declaring states of emergency, and of issuing mass mobilization orders – but only with the approval or confirmation of the National People’s Congress. [3]

And as the days went by and international pressure mounted for something to be done about the extent of corruption instigated by these businessmen and government officials, including Bo, the NPC was growing tired of trying to cover up the misdeeds of their boss. Bo publicly called for several contractors and mid-tier officials to be arrested, but said nothing about the members of the wealthy elite who were also mentioned in the leaked-out documents.

On September 11, Zhang Dejiang and several other leading members of the party, including former Chairman Zhu Rongji, met with Chairman Bo. At this meeting, Zhu reported broke down in tears, though some reports also claim that he smacked Bo across the face as well, either right before sobbing or soon after beginning to cry.

Dejiang was blunt, but delicate; he offered Bo a deal – retire prematurely in exchange for no prosecution from the PNC. Bo refused to consider it, believing that he could ride out the allegations, the protests, the riots, and keep power for another nine years. “And what about the technet?” Reportedly asked Zhang. “How can we function without it. Its use is vital to the health of the economy.”

“We cannot trust the people with such power. It was a mistake to even try and let them have it,” Bo allegedly stated, “They are destroying this country. Not me, not my alleged associates or affiliates. Themselves!”

Bo left the meeting with the promise “If anyone suggests I step down again, I will dismiss them.”

Zhang nodded, “We will not ask you again.”

After three more days of protests escalating into full-blown riots as the lack of technet access brought the national economy screeching to a halt, the Treasury Minister suggested, to anyone who would heed the warning, that a recession could soon occur unless the country resumed the commerce and market activity previously conducted through the technet. The most important opinion during all of this, however, was the allegiance of the military. Zhang was more respected among the highest members of the PRC Armed Forces than Zhu, as many military leaders disagreed with the former Chairman’s handling of KW2, and so he was the one who met with them in the days after failing to convince Bo to leave office voluntarily. The head of the PNC discovered that, with the situation in the cities devolving in riotous frenzies and purges affecting military leadership as well as political offices, an overwhelming majority of military leadership disagreed with Bo’s use of cyber warfare on China’s own computer systems, with the head of the Army reportedly finding it “irresponsible” and the head of the Air Force “an unnecessary waste of a perfectly good computer virus.”

On September 16, the PNC held an emergency meeting in Beijing. With coercion from Zhang, Zhu, and their allies, 85% of the PNC voted to expel Bo from the Communist party, which, as per the rules set by the 1976 constitution, removed the Chairman from immunity from prosecution for corruption, bribery and abuse of power. Hours later, the Ministry of Justice reminded the National People’s Congress that if found guilty on even one charge, Bo would no longer be eligible for the position of Chairman and would thus immediately lose said office.

Almost immediately, Chairman Bo was arrested at his office in The Imperial City. After a brief physical altercation, Bo declared that he would dismiss all members of the PNC who had voted to strip him of his immunity, only to be reminded that he needed the approval of a majority of the PNC to do so. And at this point, the PNC were no longer willing to go along with Bo’s destructive behavior.

Claims that Bo was arrested before he could flee to Somalia are not substantiated. Even the detail of him ordering his suitcases be packed is most likely rumor that began spreading as soon as the Chairman’s arrest became publicly acknowledged.

– Omar Khan’s Dousing A Fire: The PRC, The Stench of Corruption, And The Need For True Reform, 2015



…Congressional gridlock was making the legislative process inert, as the split congress meant that lawmakers in one chamber were introducing bills that colleagues in the other chamber were simply striking down or letting die in committee. Independent and swing voters disapproved in the polls. Everyone pointed their finger at everyone else for who held culpability for this continuing legislative standstill.

The situation only worsened upon legislators returning from summer recess. Jackson and McMaster disagreed strongly on the funding of federal operations and agencies for the next fiscal quarter, and McMaster’s feet dragging threatened to give the government a “funding gap,” an emergency situation in which non-essential federal personnel would have to be furloughed, a.k.a. “take a mandatory temporary leave of absence.” This potential disruption of the governmental systems’ process was only prevented at the last minute, when Jackson withdrew a proposal for a nationwide free federal breakfast program, after meeting with the Senators who had introduced the idea in the spring. Jackson agreed to hold on the program proposal until the next quarter…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



PROSECUTION LINKS BUTHELEZI TO I.O.C. BRIBERY CHARGES!

– The Cape Angus, South African daily newspaper, 18/9/2007



CHICKEN DINNER SUMMIT IN JERUSALEM PAYS TRIBUTE TO HARLEY SANDERS

…nine regional heads of state and dozens of Local Community Leaders paid their respects to The Son of The Colonel for his contributions to ensuring that these international community conferences are held annually in the Middle East long after his father’s death in 1990…

– The New York Times, 9/20/2007



...Lars Herseth, a Blue-Dog Democrat, has announces that he will challenge Vice President Wellstone for the Democratic nomination for President in next year’s Democratic primaries. Herseth, age 61, served one term as Governor of South Dakota from 1987 to 1991 and then two terms in congress from 1993 to 1997, losing re-election in the Republican Wave of 1996…

– Real News Service, 9/23/2007 broadcast



CHAIRMAN BO PUT ON TRIAL FOR CORRUPTION

…Bo Xilai is still serving as the head of state, but should he be found guilty of any charges, he would be removed from office, per the rules of the country’s 1976 constitution. Bo, age 58, could face the death penalty for the charge of treason, ironically due to Bo himself raising the punishment for treason to death back in late 2004 as part of his tough-on-crime campaign…

– The Los Angeles Times, 9/24/2007



..The 2006 death of Treasury Secretary Tim Johnson had led to some financial analysts predicting that the country would enter recession ahead of the 2008 election, as both sides of the political aisle credited Johnson with keeping the Jackson administration from violating the BBA. However, thanks to a strong and growing post-SARS economy, along with high tax revenues, 2005 tax increases on upper-income taxpayers, and a prominent restraint of spending on the military and NASA, coupled with capital gains tax revenue from a strong stock market, the government had enough surplus funds to spend on social services with going “over the line.” Unfortunately for Jackson and his new Treasury Secretary, it was these same conditions that were of grave concern to some fiscal watchdogs on Capitol Hill. “We’re practically breaking even, and that’s bad. One more economic downturn is all it’d take to mess up our current economic model,” warned then-US Congressman Dave Ramsey (R-TN)…

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



NO, KFC DOES NOT USE PENGUIN MEAT

Claim:

The global food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken keeps its prices low by using penguin meat shipped in from their base in Antarctica.

Rating:

FALSE!

Rumors have swirled for years that the fast-food mega-giant uses penguin meat to keep its prices so affordable. The claim dates back to 2007, when the company set up a single outpost in Antarctica in an expensive – but, as sales reports later showed, effective – publicity stunt. However, supporters of the “Penguin Patty” theory allege that the outlet is more than just a stunt – it is a front, meant to hide an illegal penguin-meat-harvesting operation.

It is understandable that these claims would arise about KFC. A worldwide franchise founded by a man who was then elected President would stir the imagination of any conspiracy theorist. Rumors of the government using KFC to execute social experiments have existed since the 1970s, when the company founder was still in office, and the First Ark Wave led to claims that the chicken was somehow used to hypnotize certain patrons. All of these rumors have been proven wrong, and this most recent one is not an exception.

To those who consider animal-eating to be immoral, this claim highlights the disregard many may have for animal rights and inhumane animal treatment. But the fact is that KFC is not in the agricultural or farming business, they buy their ingredients and food products from suppliers who service other customers, too (though it is true that KFC uses intermediaries to separately collect each of the eleven secret herbs and spices in order to keep their specifics a trade secret). So not only does the KFC company and its parent corporation, FLG Inc., not derive its meat from multi-legged mutant chickens from Oregon or Turkestan, but it does not slaughter Antarctica’s best-known flightless bird for meat, either, because it would be logistically impossible for them to even attempt it.

KFC-Antarctica is not some independent laboratory, but a corner of the cafeteria of McMurdo Base, a US research station used by US and international scientists not on KFC’s payroll. Efforts to violate international law and poach penguins would be noticed. Furthermore, the company’s facilities at the base are not large enough to accommodate some secretive meat-processing operation, especially given the fact that tourists are allowed to tour the base.

Also consider the huge undertaking of supplying all of the company’s outlets from one location, and the shipping and transportation coordinating. Such heavy traffic would raise red flags immediately. Furthermore, KFC sells the equivalent of 780 million chickens annually – now if all of that meat was supplied even partially by penguin colonies, someone at McMurdo Base, a location that is not exactly closed to the general public, would undoubtedly notice the sudden drop in penguin colony sizes.

Bonus fact: The KFC chicken served in Antarctica is shipped tri-annually from chicken farms in Argentina and New Zealand in special freezers to keep the chicken as well-preserved as possible. Accountants at KFC have stated multiple times that the travelling and shipping expenses have gone down significantly since the outlet opened due to matching deliveries with scientist vessels and tourist boat cruises, allowing tourists to eat KFC as well as those serving at McMurdo Base.

– trueorfalse.co.uk, a rumor/conspiracy theory debunking website, 12/12/2011 e-article



“A NEW DIRECTION”: Gary Johnson Launches White House Bid!

– The Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico newspaper, 9/27/2007



SECRETIVE TRUMP FILM SLATED FOR DECEMBER RELEASE

…the closely-guarded film is being financially backed by Trump’s own fortune in his first-ever attempt to “make it big” in the independent film industry…

– The Los Angeles Times, side article, 9/28/2007



…When Wellstone officially announced in late September that he was running for President he made the proposal of establishing tuition-free public universities a plank of his campaign platform. The VP later told one of his aides, “If the GOP oppose it in the House, that’s alright, because we have a new option now thanks to Gravel. I’ll say to the American people that they have to vote it into effect through a national referendum.” Wellstone explained that free public colleges would be paid for via a tax of 25 cents on every $200 worth of stock trades on stock sales, as more than 75% of Americans did not actually own any stock, and roughly 90% did not own a “significant” amount of stock, in 2007...

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



IS A CHEM LAB ABOUT TO BLOW UP? SOURCES CLAIM ICE AND MERCURY ARE SEEKING LEGAL CONSUL OVER PLAGIARISM CLAIMS!

– People Magazine, late September 2007 issue



TANCREDO ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL RUN – AND HE’S ALREADY IN HOT WATER!

…the congressman who filibustered against last year’s massive immigration reform bill used a host of derogatory terms in his speech in which he formally launched his White House bid...

– The Denver Post, Colorado newspaper, 10/1/2007



2001: The Year Self-Driving Cars Became A Reality

In recent months, self-driving trucks travelling down major highways has become a fairly common sight, with the eye-catching incidents only rising in frequency. To understand what is going on – how automakers, tech companies, and auto parts makers have joined forces with delivery companies to create trucks that need someone in the passenger seat but not the driver’s seat – we have to look at a “eureka” moment that happened back in late 2001.

It was on a secure Air Force Base close to Silicon Valley, and one of the Defense Department projects left untouched by the new President’s military budget cuts was an obstacle course race designed to see if it was not only possible but also practical, safe, and financially appealing to create cars and trucks that required no drivers. For years, the closest that scientists and engineers had gotten to this was robot vehicles designed to explore caves, mountains and seabeds, or mechanical bots that defused bombs in “heat zones” such as Colombia and post-war Korea. However, even with President Sanders and Mondale investing in technology to the benefit of DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency established under President Eisenhower, progress had been slow. As a result, in 1993, under President Iacocca, a $2million prize was promise to whoever could design a driverless vehicle that could complete a 200-miles trek through a test highway and a mock city traffic grid, complete with cardboard pedestrians that would slide into the street unexpectedly, laid out in the Mojave Desert. In 2001, a Volkswagen equipped with cameras and motion sensors completed the course. [4]

The success ignited the interest of both industries – car manufacturing and delivery transportation. Corporations raced, no pun intended, to capitalize on the potential to create, at the least, partially automatic trucks and vans that would improve how equipment and deliveries reach their intended destinations. Engineers are now working with major companies in teams such as Altos and Chevrolet, Convergent Technologies and Chrysler, Kaypro and Ford, and, most successfully, Packard-Bell-Stratus and Volkswagen, to use mostly-self-driving trucks on America’s highways and roads for commercial and economic benefit...

Above: self-driving technology being tested at a race track in California

…The rise in this technology has its ups and downs. On one hand, these new trucks may be able ship items to customers faster and more efficiently, but it may come at the cost of drivers made “redundant” being given pink slips…

– automagazine.co.usa, 10/3/2007 e-article



…In October, President Karimov created the contradictory “GONGOs” – Government-Organized Non-Governmental Organizations – to increase the regulation of NGOs. He also intensified his attempts to reform and weaken the UT’s trade unions, which multiple international labor organizations had rated as “strong.” Karimov sought to have them be an instrument of management rather than a means of interest group-based collective bargaining. [5]…

[snip]

…Using the fearmongering tactic of claiming reforms were necessary in order to ward off “religious radicalism,” going so far as to claim that “excessive” religious freedom welcomes radicalism, Karimov increased documentation and permit requirements for the constructing of mosques, synagogues and churches inside of the UT. These policies immediately led to criticism from Human Rights Watch, The CDSJ Group, and other organizations…

– Ke Wang’s Turkestanis Unite!: The Rise And Execution of An Idea, Cambridge University Press, 2013



TENNESSEE-BASED CHICKEN CHAIN PLANS SOUTHERN EXPANSION

…Krystal, a Tennessee-based fast-food chain known for its fried chicken sandwiches and for its sliders having steamed-in onions, has announced plans to expand into the states of Georgia and Florida with “at least” five outlets per state opening in the next six months, according to an official announcement posted on the company’s netsite. The first outlet in Atlanta, Georgia is reportedly already under construction and slated to open in the first quarter of 2008; another two are set to open next summer in Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida…

– usarightnow.co.usa/business, 10/5/2007 article



POLL: HILLARY RODHAM-CLINTON LEADS PACK OF G.O.P. CANDIDATES

– The New York Times, 10/6/2007



...As Rodham-Clinton began to present herself as a potentially unifying candidate, a fellow contender, televangelist Pastor Mike Bickle of Missouri, attacked her from the right with the charge that she was somehow a Liberal-In-Disguise (or “a lid,” for short). His claim and condemnation of her candidacy stemmed from the fact that in 1980, Rodham-Clinton’s husband, composer George Stanley Clinton, had worked on an anti-televangelist film called “PrayTV.” [6]

The very first film on his discography, Mr. Clinton had scored the film’s music because he was in no financial position to be picky with what job offers he received at the time (though he did also work on the soundtrack for the racy cult classic 1980 film “The Apple” around this same time). Additionally, Clinton composed the music while his wife was working in the state legislature and had nothing to do with his work on PrayTV. Since his wife’s election to the US Senate in 1996, George does not compose as often as before, choosing to instead support the careers of his wife and children.

After George S. Clinton noted this context in a radio interview a few days after Bickel began this mudslinging, the Rodham-Clinton campaign chose to ignore it, believing that such ridiculous accusations would be unable to influence the primaries…

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



BO XILAI REMOVED FROM OFFICE AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY

Disgraced Chinese Leader Found Guilty On 1 Charge Of Misuse Of Funds, Acquitted On 5 Other Charges; All Other Charges Dismissed

…In what has been a speedy string of court procedures through Red China’s judicial system, the Supreme People’s Court today announced that Chairman Bo Xilai is guilty on 1 count of misuse of national funds, a crime punishable by a sentence of up to five years in prison. More serious charges that, if Bo had been found guilty of, carried the death penalty, such as treason, were dismissed. However, the crime of misuse of national funds is a designated “high crime” in China, and so, because China’s constitution states that anyone found guilty of a “high crime” cannot serve as Chairman, Bo Xilai has been stripped of the position of head-of-state. Bo has thus been succeeded into that office by the Vice-Chairman of China…

– The Chicago Tribune, 10/15/2007



…Yang Gang (b. 1953) was a top regional official in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region when the SARS pandemic reached Urumqi, Xinjiang’s capital. Having grown up and lived in the area for most of his life (except for his time fighting in the 1975 Civil War), Yang had developed an extensive network of contacts powerful enough to ensure that when SARS cases began showing up, safezoning measures were immediately implemented in a manner that was swift and orderly. This smooth handling of the pandemic propelled him to the Vice-Chairmanship in 2004. Viewing the extent of Bo’s scandals, Yang took a neutral stance on the dispute over whether or not his boss needed to step down, given that Yang himself had once been accused of graft early in his career, but was cleared of the charges; the incident was a blight on his career he believed would be brought up again if he took a side.

Upon ascending to Chairman, though, Yang pledged to “restore dignity” to China, but through government transparency instead of purges. His first act as Chairman was restoring the technet, ending over five weeks of “digital darkness” that had wreaked havoc on the economy and on Chinese society. His second act was nominating a Vice-Chairman. Wanted to establish a historic chairmanship from the get-go, he selected Guo Jianmei (b. 1960), head of the Ministry of Health, who was a well-known supporter of human rights and gender equality. Guo was a controversial pick, but the PNC approved her, making her the first-ever female Vice-Chairman of the People’s Republic.

The new administration was a breath of fresh air for the nation as Yang and Guo seemed to be pushing to country in a different, better direction. The top two heads of state seemed to almost work as a team of sorts, too, with Yang repairing foreign relations and Guo attempting to seek out solutions to the high levels of pollution, smog, mercury poisoning and other hazards damaging China’s life quality in certain areas of the country…

[snip]

Above: Chairman Yang Gang

– Carl Krosinsky’s Modern China: A Complex Recent History, Borders Books, 2020



SCALISE WINS PRIMARY OUTRIGHT!

…state senator Steven Scalise (R) defeated fellow candidates Foster Campbell (D), Walter Boasso (D) and Charles Emile “Peppi” Bruneau Jr. (R) in tonight’s race for governor of Louisiana. By securing a slim majority in this open jungle primary, a November runoff is unnecessary, and so, one will not be held. Scalise will take office on January 14…

– The Opelousas Daily World, Louisiana newspaper, 10/20/2007



TOMMY FOR TOMORROW

– Tancredo’08 slogan, first used c. October 2007



JOHSON: “I happen to think that the world kind of looks down on Republicans for their social conservative views which include religion in government. I think that that should not play a role in any of this.” [7]

RODHAM-CLINTON: “We are here to defend and advance the cause of democracy. And there cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard. There cannot be true democracy unless women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives. There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens are able to participate fully in the functions and process of this country.” [8]

SWANN: “The Presidency is not a one-person job. It requires the best people from a plethora of backgrounds to keep the White House a productive workplace and not an echo chamber.”

JOHNSON: “Natural gas costs less than coal now, so no new coal plants are going to be built soon given the price of natural gas. That’s wonderful for the planet, but, to be frank, it sucks for coal miners and coal workers other coal-related jobs. The solution to their problems is to retrain them for the new jobs popping up in the growing natural gas industry.”

GRITZ: “By Golly, we’ve got to join and stand together as Americans for a change or we’re going to fall. And we’ll be the very first generation to turn over to our children less of a nation than we received. The Federal Reserve System is a cancer on our body politic, one that Lee Iacocca died trying to have removed. As President, I will complete Iacocca’s plan to dismantle that non-government entity of corruption and evil.” [9]

SNOWE: “Discrimination and bigotry have no place in our society, and I believe Senator Tancredo’s unfortunate remarks about immigrants grossly oversimplify a complicated issue and, most egregiously, undermine Republican principles of inclusion and opportunity.” [10]

– Snippets from the GOP Presidential primary debate in Reno, NV, 10/24/2007



KING ABDULLAH ANNOUNCES PRAYER CONDITIONS FOR SAUDI ASTRONAUTS

…After lengthy consultations with religious leaders, the leader of Saudi Arabia since 1993, has announced clarifications for how Muslim astronauts should pray while in space. The declaration stipulates that Muslim astronauts must pray toward either the Kaaba itself or toward the Earth in general, but while keeping one’s “mental focus” on Mecca. Qibla requirement thus was decreed to focus more on the concentration of the prayer itself, rather than on the exact orientation and positioning of the prayer in relation to the location of Mecca...

– The Al Jazeera Press, Qatari news source, 10/27/2007



…Domestically, Yugoslavian relations were growing more complicated. While Albanians and Kosovans got along famously and Macedonians, Slovenians, and Vojvodinians were peaceful, anti-Serbian Croats were calling for reforms to make the central government even weaker than it already was. The Presidium of Yugoslavia met often with advisors and leaders of the Croatian government to iron out proposals and curb conflicts before they could escalate. Zoran Dindic of Serbia, who served from 2005 to 2007 (completing the 2004-2007 term of the corrupt Presidium Radoman Bozovic of Serbia after the nation’s supreme court ruled in his favor, ending a brief constitutional crisis), was less successful on this front than his successor. Ilir Meta of Albania, Presidium from 2007 to 2010, had gained favor with many political figures in the country when he relinquished in claim to the office during the 2005 succession crisis. As a result, he was able to broker a deal with the leader of Croatia that has since allowed the Yugoslavic nation-states to sign trade agreements and non-military-related treaties with other national governments without requiring the permission of the Presidium.

On the foreign policy front, Presidium Meta executed a major diplomatic shakeup and successfully shifted Yugoslavia’s national policy away from its independent/third-party stance in order to be more favorable to the rest of Europe…

– Frederick B. Chary’s The Modern Balkans: The History of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania and Turkey After The End of the Cold War Era, Greenwood Publishers, 2018 edition



…In an attempt to win over more blue-collar workers, the House GOP introduced a bill that if passed would prohibit American or American-based companies from having less than 50% of their workforce be American citizens, claiming that such a move would “cut the unemployment rate in half” despite it already being at a rate of 3.1%. The proposed bill was opposed on the left for being “clear and obvious” discrimination via sidelining immigrant workers, as Senate Majority Leader Gary Locke (D-WA) put it.

However, the proposed bill backfired on the right side of the aisle as well, as libertarian Republican candidates such as Gary Johnson called it an attempt by the federal government to “boss around” businesses big and small. Congressman Tancredo, who was (still) running for President at the time, swore that he would repeal any such that “when [he won] the Presidency.”…

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



“In today’s world, it is no longer unimaginable to think that business can operate – and even thrive – in an environmentally-friendly manner.” [11]

– Olympia Snowe (R-ME), trying to appeal to business owners while campaigning in Londonderry, NH, 11/1/2007



KENTUCKY ELECTS ITS FIRST BLACK GOVERNOR

...He defeated Republican nominee Donna Walker Mancini, a member of the Kentucky Senate, and Independent Democratic candidate Jackson W. Andrews, a political activist, with 51.2% of the vote, compared to Mancini’s 43.5% and Andrews’ 5.2%. …Owens’ campaign capitalized on the popularity of Kentucky’s incumbent Governor, the term-limited Gatewood Galbraith… Darryl Owens (Democrat, Jefferson County), the 69-year-old Lieutenant Governor (in office since 1999), previously served as a D.A. and as a County Commissioner (1983-1991) before election to Kentucky House (where he served from 1991 to 1999)… He will be the sworn in as the 58th Governor of the Commonwealth on December 11th…

– The Dallas Morning Herald, side article, 11/6/2007



…And in political news, the voters of Mississippi cast their ballots tonight for governor, and with 96% of the votes counted, Republican nominee Laughlin Hudson Holliday has been declared the winner, winning over the Democratic nominee, Mayor Louis Fondren of Moss Point, by a margin of roughly ten percent. Holliday, age 63, is a retired Major General of the Mississippi Army National Guard, who has been active in local politics for years, but has never before held political office…

– CBS Evening News, 11/6/2007 broadcast



…As congress’s rate of passing bills slowed significantly in the face of heavy Republican backlash that persisted throughout the rest of the year, House Democrat minority leader and former House speaking Kennelly began meeting with House whip Ed Markey to decide how to best present the Democratic Party in 2008...

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



BUTHELEZI PROBE UPDATE: Justice Department Finds “Substantial But Largely Circumstantial” Of Wrongdoing

– The Sowetan, South African daily newspaper, 11/11/2007



TANCREDO DEFENDS FORMER AFFILIATION WITH THE WIDE-AWAKES

…During a TON interview earlier today, retiring Congressman and Presidential candidate Tommy Tancredo refused to distance himself from the Wide-Awakes, a loosely-organized paramilitary movement named after the more organized Wide-Awakes of the 1860s. This new Wide-Awakes movement was unofficially founded in early 1996 that, at its peak in 1998, was supported by 12 congressmen and at least two hundred of political candidates, including Tancredo. Their negative activities ontech lead to an effort to censor technet sites nationwide, adding to the movement’s unpopularity and contributing to its decline in significance by 2002. Tancredo, though, remarked today that “Their actions did not match their intentions, and that was a shame, but I think their main general idea – to maintain a strong and sensible defense of our nation – had merit then, and still has merit now.”…

– The Denver Post, 11/12/2007



“Back in the 1960s, we had the Heritage and Independence Party, or H.I.P., for short, the followers of which were dubbed the hippies. They opposed social advancements and essentially wanted to reset the clocks to simpler, more racist times. And now the Goetzites of yesteryear are rallying around the likes of Gritz and Tancredo – the new hippies, or neo-hippies, as I call them.”

– Prof. Janice R. Fine, Tumbleweed Radio, 11/13/2007 broadcast



…Moise Katumbi sought to develop the interior’s infrastructure in order to connect remote villages to larger marketplaces such as the capital of Kinshasa in the west, Lubumbashi in the south, Kisangani in the north and Bakwanga in the center of the country. The biggest obstacle to this though, was the fact that he had to give favors to the factions of the governing coalition to which he owed his ascension to Head-of-State. It was precarious position in which too much power for the lower classes would lead to him being confronted by the remaining wealthy land developers, militants, political radicals and elitists who still had sway over members of the government, while not giving enough to the people ran the risk of yet another civil war. It did not help Katumbi that some nationalist “purists” did not even consider him to be “a true African” due to the ancestry and ethnic makeup of his father (a Greek Sephardic Jew from Rhodes Island).

On the world stage, the former allies were slowing withdrawing support as the dust of warfare settled and the calls for aide went answered no more from other country’s leaders. Even South Africa began stepping away from shaky situation amidst its own problems, while Kofi Annan of the UN offered little more than diplomatic advice. Americans were self-involved; China was reeling from internal corruption of its own; and the Middle Eastern Bloc seemingly cared more about the lifeless body of the Moon than the goings-on of the celestial body on which they existed. It seemed the only people outside of the DRC who still cared was the Yugoslavians still clamoring to keep their country be the face of the arguable obsolete Non-Aligned Movement.

Thus, Katumbi described the post-war Democratic Republic of the Congo as being “much harder to govern than expected,” as the new leader was repeatedly blamed for everything, from poor crop production to too much regulation or not enough regulation, to poor travelling conditions to private mining companies agreeing to pave roads that just so happened to link villages and cities to their mines.

It was all a mess, and while it was not Katumbi’s mess, it was Katumbi’s mess to fix.

– Michelle Diebert’s Between Hope And Despair: A History of The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zed Books Ltd, 2020



TRUMP ACTION FLICK PUSHED BACK TO SUMMER RELEASE DUE TO RESHOOT ISSUES

– usarightnow.co.usa, 11/15/2007 e-article



MOTHER-POST: I’m Moving To Mexico!

The quality of life down there is actually much better than it is here in Chicago. Crime is dropping as their leaders are off their asses and following the money trails of the recreadrug lords. It helps that I’ve checked the place out, and that I work remotely for a tech company. But most importantly for me, I don’t think I’ll be targeted by the cops anymore, not by the cops down there – most of the locals are just a dark as me! So if anyone else thinking of cashing in on the expanding markets down there, I suggest checking out Cabo – it’s not just for drunken teens anymore! Also: Follow me on my plog, link here!

>REPLY 1:
How can you leave the United States? This is the greatest country on Earth!

>REPLY 2:
I visited Mexico City last year. I agree, they’re really cleaning up the place. Not glamorous, but still better that Pittsburgh, at least. How the rent/currency exchange/water quality down there. I remember a lot of things being pricey and bottled…

>REPLY 3:
What’s a plog?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:
Personal Net-Log, like a captain’s log or a journal except others can see it and comment on it. How old are you; they’ve been around for years, dude!

>REPLY 4:
Good luck in Mexico, I hope there isn’t too much of a language barrier.

>REPLY 5:
Breaking news: man seeks refuge in Mexico after escaping the horror of Deep-Dish-Pizza-Land!

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 11/19/2007 posting



MEREDITH SUSPENDS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY

…“I run to win, and I’m not going to win this. The party is too divided for a campaign as bold and confrontational as mine.” …The announcement comes after weeks of the former Vice President underperforming in both polling and fundraising, which has been very surprising, given that Meredith was a frontrunner for the nomination just four years ago. “I think the party’s dynamics have changed a lot in that little time. I seems that, unfortunately for him, the window of opportunity for Meredith’s unique brand of conservatism has closed,” suggests political analyst Tim Russert…

– The Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi newspaper, 11/21/2007



CHINA’S JUSTICE SYSTEM STRIKES DOWN BONXILAI APPEAL

– The Los Angeles Times, 11/23/2007

– US President Jackson takes to a pulpit while speaking at a church service three days after Thanksgiving, Sunday 11/25/2007



…Meanwhile, in the nation of Yugoslavia, Presidium Meta met with the head political leaders of the nation’s provinces to discuss recent linguistic education concerns...

– Real News Service, 11/26/2007 broadcast



…Gritz’s inner circle included many of the same faces found among the Goetz campaign, including Jet Wilders. Born Geert (Dutch for Gerald) Wilders in the Netherlands in 1963, Wilders had immigrated to the US in 1981 to become an actor. However, after only securing bit parts in a few films and TV shows, he switched to politics, joining the Dinger campaign in 1996. A deeply conservative activist-turned-strategist, he joined Gritz’s campaign as press secretary due to his opposition to Tancredo’s anti-immigration rhetoric.

In November 2007, Wilders met with Gritz and the Idahoan’s Chief of Staff, cartoonist-turned-political analyst Benjamin Garrison, to discuss how best to approach the candidacy of Hillary Rodham-Clinton, who was rising in the polls as a establishment-friendly favorite of the “Colonel Conservative” wing of the party.

According to Wilders in a 2010 interview, Gritz was more concerned that he and the likes of other populist candidates, such as Congressman Billy Creech, could end up “cancelling each other out,” only for Garrison to convince him that their struggling campaigns would not cut into Gritz’s margins once the primaries truly began.

“They will spare themselves the embarrassment and drop out before the first April Cluster,” Garrison reportedly said confidently, “We don’t we need to worry about Creech, or Bickle, or Biaggi.”…

– Richard Ben Cramer’s What It Takes: Roads to The White House, Sunrise Publications, 2011 edition



Oscar Andres Rodríguez Maradiaga (born December 29, 1942) is a Salesian bishop of the Catholic Church as the former President of Honduras. At an early age, he aspired to become a pilot but “felt an internal” call and planned to join the Salesians in May 1961. However, upon the Cuban War breaking out earlier that year, Maradiaga felt morally compelled to help those fleeing from the warfare. He earned a pilot’s license in early 1962 and began transporting food, aid, and medical supplies into Cuba and flying refugees out. After the war, Maradiaga opened a successful humanitarian non-profit organization that saw the likes of Mother Teresa and Rev. Jerry Brown contribute to food drives. His organization “Open Hands of the World,” was integral to revitalizing communities in the aftermath of the US military intervention in Honduras during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1993, Maradiaga was briefly held hostage by recreadrug dealers, who released him after a ransom was paid, only for a sting operation to retrieve back said ransom. In 2000, Maradiaga was drafted by the Solidarity and Decency Party to run for President; he won in a plurality. Serving during the SARS pandemic, his administration stood among those of neighboring nations by distributing masks, ordering pharmacists to provide medicine for free with the promise of the government financially compensating them for their business losses, and shutting down the nation’s tourist industry. These actions almost lead to a coup were it not for his strong support from several western countries causing the would-be ouster to drop their plan in early 2003. After leaving office in 2004, Maradiaga retired from politics and announced that he was finally joining the Salesians. He officially became Catholic bishop in December 2007.

– clickopedia.co.usa



CALIFORNIA DISTRICT COURT REFUSES TO REVIEW ICE-MERCURY CASE!

…the district court pointed to a similar case from 1998 as precedence for the dismissal, and noted that neither side presented enough evidence to merit hearing the dispute…

– The Los Angeles Times, 12/5/2007



TIME MAGAZINE PICKS MARY L. S. HANNON FOR “PERSON OF THE YEAR”

…Hannon is the CEO of Finger Lickin’ Good, Inc., the parent company of KFC. Hannon has helped turn the KFC franchise around in the last two years, and she made headlines this year for successfully opening up an eco-friendly KFC outlet of sorts in Antarctica…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 12/7/2007



…The campaign season turned negative even before the first ballots were cast. In December, the attacks on Rodham-Clinton switched from professional (mainly, her inconsistent voting record) to personal, when the Gritz campaign circulated a photograph of HRC in casual clothes, with a unique hat and shades, on vacation with family members in Florida.

Above: the allegedly “scandalous” photograph of Senator Rodham-Clinton, allegedly flaunting her lavish vaction-filled lifestyle

The Gritz campaign sought to use the image in advertising to highlight Rodham-Clinton’s elitist tendencies, with one ad’s narrator alleging that the Tennessee politician “does not care” about blue-collar issues, claiming she was not taking her position as a Senator serious enough. The media strategy was polarizing, but in the end, a majority of primary voters seems to disapprove of the ad. After three weeks of Gritz’s polling numbers only dropping slightly instead of improving, the ads featuring the photograph were pulled from circulation…

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008



FORMER PRC LEADER BO XILAI SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS OF HOUSE ARREST IN LIEU OF FIVE YEARS IN JAIL

…he will begin his sentence in January…

– The Denver Post, 12/12/2007



…In central Asia, the people of United Turkestan are reeling from the unofficial results of their President election held tonight. In a major upset, incumbent President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan and the populist right-wing National Party as apparently won a full term over Kazakhstan Governor Zharmakhan Tuyakbay of the center-left Unity Party…

– BBC, 14/12/2007 broadcast



…Almost immediately, it became apparent that there was something wrong with the election results. After voter tallies outnumbered voter rolls in two districts, the Governor of Kyrgyzstan announced an audit of the ballots cast in the Bishkek precinct. The National government immediately sued the Governor on the accusation of attempted voter fraud via the audit.

As the country’s court system began to be congested with litigation both merited and vexatious, the people of United Turkestan took to the streets. Violent clashes between Tuyakbay supporters and security forces left dozens injured and hundreds in jail for disturbing the peace. Ballots allegedly blighted by government interference pointed to ongoing issues with voter registration and the Karimov administration, with reports of ballots being destroyed in anti-Karimov districts coming out in the hours and days after Karimov declared victory.

Some independent observers described in the days afterwards that they experienced intimidation from police, and could “not in good conscience” consider it “a free and fair contest.” As the weeks went by, anti-Karimov groups gathered further evidence of irregularities between voter rolls and voting tallies, which in turn only raised the calls for either Tuyakbay to be declared the winner, or for Karimov to be removed from office for voter/election fraud…

– Ke Wang’s Turkestanis Unite!: The Rise And Execution of An Idea, Cambridge University Press, 2013



AMID CLAIMS OF VOTER FRAUD, BOTH CANDIDATES DECLARE VICTORY IN DISPUTED U.T. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

– Kommersant (The Businessman), Russian newspaper, 12/16/2007



FOURTH TIME’S THE CHARM: Lee Hoi-chang elected President of United Korea

…the conservative Lee previously ran for President in 1992 (in South Korea), 1997, and 2002…

– The New York Post, side article, 12/19/2007



ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL GROUP CLAIMS U.T. ELECTION WAS “RIFE” WITH FRAUD

…members of the International Organization for Election Security and Integrity in Asia (IOESIA), who observed election procedures in United Turkestan last week, allege that there was widespread efforts to tamper with the election results. The IOESIA’s monitoring missions have come under fire by UT President Karimov, who has often accused the intergovernmental organization of being “a puppet,” of either “the west” or “Russia,” depending on his nation’s geopolitical relations at the time of the comment claims...

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 21/12/2007



“I’ve been seeing folks on the technet go after Mr. Ice for his music, saying mean things about his creativity, saying that he’s a coward for trying to take the Queens to court and things like that. What hypocrites! Mr. Mercury is doing the same thing. And I heard the rest of Queen don’t even want to drag this thing out! But what I want to say is, the thing is, Mr. Ice deserves some decency. He is a good man, with a good head on his shoulders, and, you know something? Nobody can own a composition of two or three notes in a row. This bickering over tiny details and coincidental similarities is ridiculous.”

– Elvis Presley, 12/22/2007 radio interview



WORLD’S BIGGEST BUILDING MAY BE COMING TO MOSCOW: The Crystal Island Mega-Project

…A mixed-use destination designed by the international Foster + Partners architecture company, the Russian government has approved of plans for Crystal Island to be constructed in Moscow. With English architect Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, calling the huge undertaking of a project “the start a new generation of architecture,” the design plan calls for a multipurpose building so large, its structure is capable of holding hotels, apartments, retail stores, office spaces, and even schools and spaces for exercise and sports. Crystal Island, a miniature indoor city of sorts, will utilize Moscow’s wind conditions to power the structure with a combination of solar panels, wind turbines, and electricity… [12]

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 27/12/2007



During the Christmas break of 2007, the President and his family retreated to their South Carolina homestead to partake in the festivities. Jesse Sr. kept away from his lar phone, and instructed his Secret Service to only bother him if an emergency arose. That order did not include political emergencies.

Upon returning to D.C., the President was informed that House Speaker H. Dorgan McMaster had spent the holiday season attending private fundraiser dinners to gather donations for the GOP primaries, and had ordered opposition research, complete with inquirers rummaging into Wellstone’s past.

“An old college intern I haven’t spoken to in years showed up out of the blue, telling me that punks are hounding him for a story,” said the VP as Jackson and company traversed away from a small gathering of the press at the West Wing, where Jackson had given standard post-Christmas comments.

Wellstone’s description of inquirers pestering ex-employees was too reminiscent of Junior’s explosive incident last year for the President to keep his cool over. “Dargan, that creepy son-of-a-b*tch!” Jackson blurted aloud in a huff, “I’d like to cut that bastard’s nuts off!”

“Mr. President, careful!” Chief of Staff Daniels said quietly but urgently as he pointed to the side. They were still in the hallway and the press were still within earshot of the congregation of journalists.

“Uh oh,” whispered Wellstone, “you think they heard that?”

“Um, I don’t think so,” the President assumed. Unfortunately, he was wrong – not only had they heard it, but they had caught it on tape as well.

. . . . . . . .

The “Christmas Nuts” incident was certainly not the biggest scandal of the Jackson administration, but it was an embarrassing moment back Jackson hoped would be quickly forgotten. Unfortunately, as it was recorded without complete context, the White House PR team was in disarray. “This is embarrassing,” noted Communications Director Magness. “It’s not disastrous, but weren’t getting a lot of negative press over it.” Without having the reason for the outburst, most technetters were assuming the comment was brought on by standard political maneuverings on the Speaker’s part. Magness suggested Jackson address inquiries into the incident, and explain that the outburst was due to his disapproval of underhanded tactics instigated by the Republican House Speaker.

“It really should, shouldn’t I?’ The President agreed.

“But regardless of what kind of address it is, you do need to apologize for the comment,” added Magness.

“What?” Jackson said bluntly and sharply, almost curtly.

Magness quickly explained, “Otherwise they’ll just stick to the story that you have a nasty temper, which is painting you in, well, a very negative light. It could really hurt our image and impede the rest of your time here.”

“Won’t it just blow over if we wait it out?” Wellstone asked.

“With the primaries only weeks away, I don’t think we could afford that, Paul,” Magness answered.

Jackson nodded in reluctant agreement.

On January 4th, Jackson apologized for the “ugly rhetoric,” only to immediate discuss allegations of House Speaker McMaster of hiring “bulldoggish gumshoes to pester people, looking for any dirt that can possibly get on” the Vice President. “You know you are barking up an empty tree when a candidate is so clean that you end up in the garbage trying to make ’em look dirty!”

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



JACKSON SIGNS TRADE AND COMMERCE ANTI-TRUST BILL SIGNED INTO LAW

…the new law, one of congress’s most left-leaning of the past year given the Split Chambers, bolsters legislation passed under President Bellamy and is meant to promote competition in business, as a way of improving the economy, by protecting trade and commerce in the US from trusts, monopolies, and other unfair business practices…

– The Washington Post, 1/5/2008



MCMASTER REPUDIATES ALLEGATIONS OF UNDERHANDED OPPO RESEARCH PRACTICES

– The New York Times, 1/6/2008



AMID LOW POLLING, TANCREDO WITHDRAWS, ENDORSES GRITZ

…“It’s imperative that the populists in the party unite and avoid the vote splitting that could lead to some L.I.D.,” short for Liberal In Disguise, “like Senator Rodham-Clinton, or some openly liberal person like Senator Snowe, winning the nomination.” Tancredo then proclaimed that “at least Snowe has the integrity to wear her liberalism on her sleeve and own up to it, not like Rodham-Clinton, whose voting record matches whatever was popular at the time. So at least Snowe is consistent.”

[snip]

Comments Section:

Comment 1:

“At least Snowe is consistent” That’s a compliment! Her fan club – are they calling themselves the Olympians or the Olympiacs? Because I swear I’ve seen it written both ways – have to use that in their next ad!

Comment 2:

Tancredo's out? Good riddance to bad rubbish!

– usarightnow.co.usa, 1/7/2008 e-article



“LET’S GO, SNOWE!”

– common chant heard at Snowe rallies, first used c. January 2008



U.T. PRESIDENT KARIMOV SWORN IN TO FULL TERM AS CALLS FOR IMPEACHMENT OVER ALLEGED VOTER FRAUD ESCALATE

– The New York Times, 1/9/2008



HOUSEHOLDS COULD SAVE $800 A YEAR BY CUTTING FOOD WASTE, NEW TRIAL SUGGESTS

…In an extensive study recently conducted and funded by the US Department of Agriculture, householders reduced their levels of food waste by an average of 70% by following recommended food-saving steps to make better use of leftovers and pantries. The trial saw over 80 families record their food waste nd meal plans. “Many in the trial showed a compulsion to throw out food rather than to place it in a freezer and repurpose it for another meal,” and, on top of negative environmental impact, food waste in the US alone is “a billions-of-dollars vacuum,” says US Secretary of Agriculture Jim McGovern (D-MA), who hoped to tackle food waste in order to solve another issue, food insecurity. “Food should be a fundamental right, and this administration is aiming to encourage more people to waste less so less people go hungry, especially children.” According to recent studies, between a third and a half of all food in the US ends up being thrown out rather than eaten, costing the average family hundreds of dollars a year…

– The Chicago Tribune, 1/10/2008



SNOWE: “I represent what I think is a traditional Republican – limited government, fiscal responsibility, strong national defense, individual freedom and liberty.” [13]

GRITZ: “I want everyone listening at home to take notice of all the lies spoken on this stage tonight. Because the truth is that a spider web of ‘patriots for profit,’ operating from the highest positions of special trust and confidence, have successfully circumvented our constitutional system in pursuit of a New World Order. The Jackson/Wellstone Administration is the most corrupt, elitist, and treasonous Presidencies in our country’s entire history, having unleashed insufferable taxes upon the masses.” [14]

SWANN: “This is a televised job interview for president. It requires us to show how we behave, and if the best you can do is to behave in a manner that is undignified, that shows that you don’t have the character needed for this job.”

JOHNSON: “More taxes means you and I have to spend more time at work to get more money to pay for the new taxes. Essentially, more taxes means more work. And with this administration’s reckless spending, taxes have only risen in the past six years and they are going to continue to rise under another Democratic term.”

SNOWE: “What is the purpose of public service? It’s to solve problems for the people you represent and certainly in the United States Senate, thinking about your state and thinking about your country as well.” [13]

SWANN: “I respect police officers and police departments. I understand the difficulties of their job, of protecting law-abiding citizens from criminal activities. The problem is when they apply force in cases when it is inappropriate to do so. Studies show that most of the time, when someone calls the police, it is for a non-dangerous event like an angry customer or a domestic squabble. Arguments that d not need to be broken up with gunfire and people getting shot. The problem is the mentality found among many police officers and even some police offices – not most, but many. On that note, I actually agree with the President’s push for police precinct reform. I just think it can be done with more respect to our brave men in blue.”

SNOWE: “Money in politics is an insidious thing.” [13]

SWANN: “Most minorities have experienced some kind of racial prejudice. I myself experienced it when I was beginning my career in the NFL. My brother and I were harassed by police in San Francisco over a white homicide that happened on the other side of town; the killer was ultimately caught and he confessed, but the fact remains that we were an easy target to be made into scapegoats if people demanded someone be arrested for the crime. It was 1975, and I was in the NFL, but I was not immune from negative stereotypes.”

RODHAM-CLINTON: “I want to serve and give back to the community that helped support my parents in Illinois, and my children to grow up and thrive. It is an honor and privilege to serve in the Senate, but I think I could do even more good for even more people from the White House.”

GRITZ: “America cannot afford a third Jackson term. So remember – vote for ‘Bo Gritz’ to preserve, defend, and protect your rights!”

– Snippets from the GOP Presidential primary debate in Atlanta, GA, 1/11/2008



ACTION MOVIE STARRING MLB PITCHER DONNY TRUMP PUSHED BACK TO DECEMBER 2008 RELEASE DATE

– thehollywoodreporter.co.usa, 1/14/2008 e-article



…In his efforts to westernize the country, Presidium Ilir Meta of Albania also sought to modernize the country’s economy by shifting certain citizens to the country’s growing services industry. Trade and financial relations with France, the UK, and Germany increased significantly, and Meta utilized this good fortune to improve his nation’s standard of living, and to bring Yugoslavia “into the twenty-first century”...

– Leslie Benson’s Yugoslavia: A Concise History, Palgrave Publishers, 2001



TURKESTANI TECHNETTERS REPORT RISE IN RELIGIOUS PROSECUTION

…Additional reports are being sent out ontech by both professional reporters and average citizens with technet access. All describe, or have hand-held recordings of, scene suggesting that ordinary Muslim practitioners are being targeted and jailed without trial in United Turkestan. “Karimov is sending Secret Police in his attempts to secularize the country,” explains foreign analyst… Inside the troubled central Asian nation, the dictatorial President, Islam Karimov, is seeing his popularity waning as these crackdowns and “disappears” continue on…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 22/1/2008



VANILLA ICE SPOTTED VISITING GRACELAND!

– peoplemagazine.co.usa, 1/26/2008 e-article



JOHNSON: “I think, when left to their own devises, Americans are smart enough to not just get by but to thrive as well. I agree with Senator Snowe that everyone needs a source of income. After all, it’s what pays for food, rent, laundry, electricity, your lar phone plan, your technet plan, water bills, heating/cooling, insurance. And the rest goes to savings accounts. That, though, is all you need to understand to keep yourself out of lifelong debt. Personal responsibility, the ability to manage your own finance. I think all, or at least nearly all, Americans have the ability to run their own lives and make tier own choices. But if you for some reason or another simply cannot manage your own money, you should not have to come running over the government. You should man up to the truth and go hire an accountant, or crack open a book, the latest edition of ‘tax law for dummies.’ My point is, let me wrap this up, is that I believe – I have faith in the notion – that if you treat the American people like they can make their own decisions, then they will.”

GRITZ: “We must stop the runaway globalists from enforcing upon our country the sickening schemes of the progressive agendas. The long-nosed promoters of the perversion of God’s will and America’s laws must be stopped dead in their tracks. It is like how it says in the bible – Ephesians 6:12 – ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places.’”

SWANN: “To be president, you must have the necessary qualities. You must be a man of logic, tolerance, understanding, honesty, and integrity. I do not think that Bo Gritz has demonstrated any of these qualities. Maybe on the battlefield, but not once while serving his country in the US House and the US Senate.”

EDGAR: “Bo Gritz has presented division and bigotry as individuality and order, but they are not the same and cannot be confused for one another.”

RODHAM-CLINTON: “We owe it to ourselves, to our country, and to our families to keep this campaign a place where we can exchange ideas with a level of decency, respectability, protocol, and decorum worthy of the pursuit of the office of President of the United States. To do anything less that this sort of professional behavior is to sully said office.”

– Snippets from the GOP Presidential primary debate in Manchester, NH, 1/28/2008



PARLIAMENT VOTES TO IMPEACH BUTHELEZI FOR ALLEGEDLY APPROVING I.O.C. BRIBERY SCHEME

– The Cape Times, South African daily newspaper, 2/2/2008



“I can neither confirm nor deny any possible rumors that alleged that my client and possibly another client may or may not be working on a collab album.”

– Elvis Presley’s agent, 2/5/2008

– The First Couple of the United States attend a black-tie political fundraiser dinner in Columbia Heights, the capital of the state of Potomac; 2/7/2008



…We can now confirm that Joseph Tyree Sneed III, an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, has died. He was 87 years old. A judge of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at the time that President Denton appointed him to the nation’s highest court, Sneed was the most conservative voice among the current justices. According to the Associate Justice’s daughter, former SBA Administrator and former AT&T COO Cara Carleton Sneed, the elder Sneed passed away from natural causes…

– KNN Breaking News, 2/9/2008



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S):
[1] An overview of his OTL scandal(s) found here: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-17673505
[2] The section of this sentence that is in quotes was pulled from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China
[3] OTL. Ibid.
[4] 2007 was when self-driving born in OTL (so, here in TTL, it happened years earlier): https://www.autoweek.com/news/technology/a1859966/how-did-autonomous-driving-craze-begin/
[5] Italicized bit is pulled from his wikipedia article
[6] OTL, as mentioned in this TL’s Chapter 47!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pray_TV_(1980_film)
[7] An OTL Gary Johnson quote, according to a link found on his wikipedia quote page
[8] The passages that are in italics are OTL quotes: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton
[9] The italicized parts are OTL quotes:

youtube.com/watch?v=9y4vY21qkD0
[10] The parts that are in italics are from an OTL quote: https://www.quotetab.com/quotes/by-olympia-snowe
[11] Ibid.
[12] This really was a proposed project in OTL!: https://inhabitat.com/tallest-skyscraper-in-the-world-coming-to-moscow/
[13] OTL quote: https://www.quotetab.com/quotes/by-olympia-snowe
[14] Italicized passage is an OTL quote: https://www.quotetab.com/quotes/by-bo-gritz

 

[gap80]

Post 87: Chapter 95



Chapter 95: February 2008 – June 2008

“Once there was a man who had two sons; one went to sea and the other became Vice President; neither were ever heard from again.”

– Variation of a one-liner most often attributed to either Thomas R. Marshall or Theodore Roosevelt



…The dynamics of Jackson’s search for his third Supreme Court appointment differed greatly from the dynamics of his first. No longer did the President feel the need to pick a “historic” candidate to nominate. Nor did he have to contemplate the court’s composition – in seven years prior, the court was split 4-4, but after the appointments of Page and Sandel, the court favored liberalism, 6-2.

Furthermore, Jackson had his pick of the litter in regards to the large and diverse field of candidates from which to choose. Various news sources mentioned the names of Tom Ambro (age 58), Rubén Castillo (age 53), Denny Chin (age 53), Audrey B. Collins (age 62), Andre M. Davis (age 59), Aida M. Delgado-Colon (age 52), Daniel R. Dominguez (age 62), Julio M. Fuentes (age 61), Roger L. Gregory (age 54), Cynthia Hogan (age 49), Elena Kagan (age 47), Diana Gibbon Motz (age 64), Carlos R. Moreno (age 49), Stephen M. Orlofsky (age 63), Richard Anthony Paez (age 60), Johnnie Blakeney Rawlinson (age 55), Leah Ward Sears (age 52), Martha Alicia Vazquez (age 54), Ann Claire Williams (age 58), and Diane Pamela Wood (age 57) as possible nominees.

However, Jackson’s advisors urged the President to consider the ethnic composition of the court. Emilio Miller Garza of Texas was Mexican-American, Larry Thompson of Georgia and Chief Justice Alan Page of Minnesota were African-American, and Mary Murphy Schroeder of Colorado and M. J. Sandel of Connecticut were Jewish. Five Justices (Schroeder, Sandel, Miles W. Lord of Minnesota, William Nealon Jr. of Pennsylvania, and Sylvia Bacon of California) were white, and only two (Schroeder and Bacon) were women. Due to the fact that roughly 50% of law school graduates were female by this point, several of Jackson’s advisors believed it would be “more than appropriate” for him to select a female to nominate, though others in his inner circle encouraged him to select a Puerto Rican as a political move, hoping such a move would help make the new state lean Democrat.

Eventually, the shortlist of included nine candidates: Mexican-American and Puerto Rican-American Appeals Court Judge Rubén Castillo of Illinois, Hong Kong-born Appeals Court Judge Chin of New York, Puerto Rican-American State Chief Justice Aida M. Delgado-Colon of Puerto Rico, African-American Appeals Court Judge Roger L. Gregory of Virginia, US Deputy Attorney General Cynthia Hogan of Ohio, Jewish-American Harvard Law School Professor Elena Kagan of Connecticut, Mexican-American State Chief Justice Moreno of California, African-American female Appeals Court Judge Rawlinson of Nevada, African-American female State Chief Justice Sears of Georgia. Hogan and Kagan were soon dropped from consideration, leaving on the list four men (Castillo, Chin, Gregory, and Moreno) and three women (Delgado-Colon, Rawlinson, and Sears)…

– Linda Greenhouse and Morton J. Horwitz’s Sustaining Liberty: The Supreme Court Under Our Current Chief Justice, Sunrise Publishing, 2020



“Governor Johnson, the SARS pandemic is the only example I need to example why your philosophy is not sound. The American government needs to be able to defend the American people from all major moments of harm, and that includes deadly viruses. It was a government that provided stimulus checks for millions of Americans during a moment of crisis. The part of your platform that does work, though, is the flourishing of free enterprise, which can happen during times of prosperity, but only after such an aspect of our free market system is defended by the government during the most trying of times.”

“Senator Grits, I really must disagree with you on your criticisms of the UN. It saddens me that a historic event like this is being misconstrued by a small but vocal group of critics trying to spread the notion that the UN gathering is really the work of radicals and atheists bent on destroying our families.” [1]

“Now, on this part, I actually agree with Bo, Mario and Lynn. There isn't any sensible approach except to do what we need to do simultaneously. Secure our border — with technology, personnel, [and] physical barriers if necessary in some places. Furthermore, we need to have tough employer sanctions in order to protect American jobs for American workers.” [1]

– US Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton (R-TN), GOP Presidential primary debate in Concord, NH, 2/12/2008



WHO’S BACKING BIAGGI? The Stunning Success Of A Nonagenarian And The Usability Of The Technet

…The 90-year-old has mounted a surprisingly strong White House bid, and the explanation is complicated. Biaggi, a former Congressman, Governor and Senator who first ran for President 40 years ago, is winning over a diverse crowd of supporters, and for diverse reasons. Biaggi backers seen in public, cheering Biaggi on at debates and during his visits to small New Hampshire towns, are overwhelmingly elderly individuals who remember Biaggi from eras lost since past. “I remember when he was a governor,” says one grandmother in Amherst, New Hampshire. “He did a lot of good for New York. I think he has the smarts and the experience needed to do a lot of good for America.”

His supporters on the ontech, though, seem to be disproportionately young, and are treating his candidacy much less seriously. Some sarcastically back him Biaggi in polls, making him either a “joke candidate” or a “protest candidate,” meant to mock the party or the party’s selection of candidates. “Eh. Why not?” one political chat forum message goes. Another is “If we have to have an anti-police-reform nominee, we might as well get one that’ll likely only serve or four years, maybe less,” goes another.

In short, Biaggi’s supporters range from conservative Democrats to bitter ex-Goetz backers to dissatisfied undecided voters. And the candidate’s use of weblogs to comment on traveling across the early primary states of New Hampshire, Georgia and Nevada may explain it. “His ontech presence is certainly a boost,” says Alessandra Biaggi, the candidate’s granddaughter and his campaign’s chief media strategist. “It’s what’s allowed him to get enough attention to get into the debates, and it could play a major role in how well he does in the weeks ahead.”

– usarightnow.co.usa, 2/14/2008 e-article



CAN THESE ROBOT PANTS ALLOW PARAPLEGICS TO WALK?

…M.I.T. scientists have developed a neuro-scanner headband meant to assist the paraplegic. The headband is wirelessly connected to cage-like structure the design team has dubbed “smart trousers,” a double-cylindrical kind of device resembling robot pants. A paraplegic individual wears the device on their legs, like a stiff pair of pants, while wearing the headband. The headband then scans the cerebellum of the brain, allowing the wearer of the trousers and headband to move their legs through the robotic-pants-like apparatus. The device has only been tested in the lab, but the team is confident that once field tests are performed, the results will prove the technology’s applicability and success.

The project hinges on the success of both software and hardware – on the neuro-scanner’s ability to “read” the cerebellum, and on the smart trousers’ ability to support of the wearer’s weight. In the tests performed, the pants showed signs of damage after under an hour of use, as well as the “walking” being slow (with a cerebellum-to-foot time delay of up to 15 seconds sometimes) and “awkward” (the walk often being exaggerated, resembling one of someone walking through footprints in heavy snowfall). Nevertheless, whether the kinks can be worked out or not, the fact remains that this device could give wheelchair-bound individuals the experience of walking, even if it is a Waltham is difficult to navigate and control.

…Another project being worked on at M.I.T. that is similar to this pond is an attempt to design an “Artificial Retina Implant” so the blind can see. …While projects such as these can stir up thoughts of hope and curiosity, the equipment necessary to work on them is incredibly expensive for the institute…

– scientificamerican.co.usa, 2/15/2008 news e-article



SNOWBALLED!: Olympia Trounces Opponents In Latest Pre-Primary Debate

…Despite still polling middle-tier, Senator Snowe gave a debate performance worthy of frontrunner status. Snowe held her ground and castigated fellow Senators Gritz and Rodham-Clinton for their stances on police precinct reform while she herself walked a thin line between the community and police sides of the subject. She also dug into Gary Johnson’s libertarianism …The Maine Senator described her time on the Senate’s Small Business Committee, and when discussing her plans for a Snowe Administration, criticized the current administration’s handling of SBA loans, and remarked, “President Jackson is too hesitant to encourage small business growth out of fear that it will produce Republican businesspersons. But I intend to go about and ensure that Small Business Administration loans truly go to those who need them, regardless of whatever they may think about my politics. Because never have I ever forgotten that we in this country are fellow Americans first and foremost. And on Capitol Hill, we should remember that we are Americans first and Republicans or Democrats second.” [2]…

– The Bangor Daily News, Maine newspaper, 2/19/2008



JACKSON VETOES WORKER VISA REFORM ACT

…In his most prominent use of the President veto yet, Jackson has struck down a controversial bill that would have established longer residency requirements for Guest Worker immigrants, among other supposedly restrictive changes to the US’s immigration laws and policies. The Republican-majority House of Representatives does not have enough votes to override the bill. The bill was narrowly passed in Senate because it was heavily watered down and was supported by conservative Democrats such as Jim Guy Tucker and Doug Jones. Because of this, neither major party was “enthusiastic as a whole” for the legislation, explains one anonymous Senate aide…

– The Washington Post, 2/22/2008



…Despite apathy over a guest worker reform bill being a bipartisan sentiment, the simple fact that Jackson had vetoed it was enough for the GOP and many of its Presidential primary candidates to still try and paint it as an example of Jackson being a bad President. Opportunists, such as Bo Gritz and Ronna Romney, for instance, swore that the bill was this great thing that the Democrats had shot down, either due to incompetence, ignorance or malicious machinations.

And the primaries had not even truly started by that point…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



…In South Africa, the Scheme to Bribe International Olympic Committee officials into selecting South Africa to host the 2012 Olympics has culminated in the impeachment and conviction of South Africa’s President Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Throughout the investigations into his involvement in the scheme, the head of state swore he was innocent, even as evidence came to light that he was told of the plan and approved of it prior to its execution. Because of South Africa’s parliament finding him guilty on one count of conspiracy, he will leave office tomorrow and be succeeded into office by the nation’s Deputy President. Said individual is Keorapetse Kgositsile, a 69-year-old Tswana poet who was an anti-Apartheid activist in the 1970s. Kgositsile previously served in parliament and has been Deputy President since 2004. Because he is a member of the ANC, the main opposing party to Buthelezi’s People’s Party, Buthelezi and his remaining supporters are claiming that his impeachment trial was politically motivated…

– BBC News, 24/2/2008 broadcast



UNITED KOREA’S NEW PRESIDENT SWORN IN TODAY: Promises To Crack Down On Illegal Drugs, Guns Smuggling In Inaugural Speech

– The Los Angeles Time, side article, 2/25/2008



KGOSITSILE PARDONS BUTHELEZI! “This National Wound Must Be Healed”

– The City Press, South African daily newspaper, 27/2/2008



JACKSON NOMINATES AIDA M. DELGADO-COLON FOR SUPREME COURT SEAT

…If, the state Chief Justice will be the third female and the second Hispanic Associate Justice serving on the bench…

– The Miami Herald, 3/1/2008





– US Senator Olympia Snows (R-ME), campaigning for President in Hooksett, NH, 3/2/2008



IT’S SNOWE-TIME: Maine Moderate Grabs Granite State

…US Senator Olympia Snowe was the favorite to win the first-in-the-nation Presidential primary in New Hampshire due to regional appeal. Meanwhile, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, the standard bearer of the libertarian side of the party in this primary season, managed to beat the odds and come in second place with a respectable 28%. Also tonight, Senator Bo Gritz came in third place, Governor Lynn Swann finish in fourth, and Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton came in fifth, followed by Jim Edgar and Ronna Romney in sixth and seventh place, respectively, and with all other votes making up less than 1% when combined. On the Democratic side of the night, Vice President Paul Wellstone coasted to victory in his party’s New Hampshire primary contest…

– The New York Post, 3/4/2008



“HERMAN CAIN, YOU’RE NO COLONEL SANDERS”: Candidates Criticize Each Other In GOP Presidential Debate

…In the final debate before our state’s primary election for President, Georgia’s own US Senator Herman Cain tried and failed to fight off a flurry of attacks on his record and proposals. All of his opponents on the debate stage in Atlanta lambasted the Senator, who was the favorite to win this state in September, but has since slipped in polling and fundraising. For example, Governor Ronna Romney of Michigan went after Cain’s tenure at KFC being “rocky and unstable, like what a Cain White House would be.” In another rebuke of Cain’s candidacy, African-American Governor Lynn Swann brought up Cain’s pro-rich activities while Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and while President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, leading to Swann ending his closing statement with “Cain keeps promoting himself as another kind Colonel Saunders or Lee Iacocca, but the truth of the matter is that, well, Herman Cain, you’re no Colonel Sanders.”

Cain also repudiated claims from US Senator Olympia Snowe that his 9-9-9 tax plan would end up raising taxes on the lower classes in the long run, instead swearing the “simplifying the tax code will get people to work, save and invest their money better. 9-9-9 would do more harm no matter how you slice and dice it.”

Attempting to win over conservatives and maybe some libertarians, too, US Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton replied to Cain’s comments with "I just believe that there's got to be a healthy tension [sic] among all of our institutions in society, and that the market is the driving force behind our prosperity, our freedom in so many respects to make our lives our own but that it cannot be permitted just to run roughshod over people's lives as well.” [3]…

– The Macon Telegraph, Georgia newspaper, 3/8/2008



…In tonight’s Republican Presidential primary in Georgia, Hillary Rodham-Clinton has edged out a win over fellow US Senator Bo Grits, with Governor Lynn Swann coming in at a close second. In fourth place was Senator Olympia Snowe, with Senator Herman Cain, after a fairly poor showing in the latest Republican debates, saw his candidacy sink down to fifth place, after being in first place in polls conducted in Georgia in September...

– CBS Evening News, 3/11/2008 broadcast



RICHARD PENNINGTON FOUND GUILTY OF TWO CHARGES AFTER BEING ACQUITTED ON THREE

…the former Chief of Police has been found guilty of conspiracy and of evidence tampering, but has been “exonerated” on related charges of unlawful search and seizure, witness intimidation, and wire fraud. Two other members of the Charlotte Police department were found guilty earlier this month, while two more are still awaiting trial for their alleged connections to a late 2000 incident…

– The Louisville Courier, 3/14/2008



…As the primaries began in earnest, even the sentencing of the Richard Pennington Evidence Tampering Case became politicized. Wellstone called the guilty verdict “justice,” while candidates such as Bo Grits argued it was the opposite of that. Other candidates such as Gary Johnson and Olympia Snowe had typical libertarianesque “let the courts work” comments, while Senator Rodham-Clinton remarked the populist notion that “only those who deserve to be locked up and need to be locked up should be locked up.”

Privately, Rodham-Clinton expressed that she enjoyed these sorts of flavor-of-the-month discussions. They were a way of keeping an eye on what voters were paying attention to while allowing herself to stay relevant in the busy news cycle. “To Hillary, it was like a test of sorts,” claims one former HRC’04 campaign member. “Being able to read the room, being able to touch on a sensitive subject without oversimplifying it, and being able to summarize in a small enough statement for it to become a sound bite. It was like a careful dance or a recipe, one that required plenty of experience, and after running for office before, in the 1970s, for Governor 1990, for the Senate in 1996 and 2002, and for the Presidency in 2004, Hillary thought herself to be a masterful sound bite giver.”…

– Nancy Skelton and Bob Faw’s Thunder In America: A Chronology of The Jesse Jackson White House, Texas Monthly Press, 2016



…So the Republicans and Democrats just held their respective Presidential primary contests in Nevada, and the results are kind of interesting. On the Democratic side, former Governor Lars Herseth of South Dakota received nearly ten percent, suggesting Wellstone’s road to the nomination may be less of a coronation and more of a competition than previously thought. On the Republican side, Senator Bo Gritz barely won over Ronna Romney, who is doing very well at the moment. Support for her is surging for her right now, for this alleged elitist with large corporation experience heading a Michigan-based radio company before becoming Governor. She’s pushing that business narrative, and this time, it lead to her getting very close to winning a primary…

– Will Cain, WBZ (AM) News, 3/18/2008 radio broadcast



REPORT: Businesses With Under 200 Workers Make Up Over Half of America’s Economy

– The Wall Street Journal, 3/20/2008



…The primaries of Maryland and Vermont were held on March 25. On the Democratic side of things, Wellstone easily scored wins in both states, with challengers Herseth and Diamondstone failing to make an impact – Dismondstone only received 7% of the vote in his home state and only 1% in Maryland, while Herseth received roughly 2% in both contests. In the Republican contest, Snowe narrowly beat Swann for Maryland in a crushing for the Pennsylvania Governor’s campaign. She also won Vermont with ease.

Enthusiasm for Ronna Romney, meanwhile, seems to have been a rather short flavor-of-the-month experience, as she grossly underperformed in both contests, while supporters of small businesses, such as Snowe, Johnson, and Rodham-Clinton, did fairly well…

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008



HERMAN CAIN DROPS OUT OF WHITE HOUSE RACE, ENDORSES BO GRITZ

– The Augusta Chronicle, Georgia newspaper, 3/26/2008



SENATE CONFIRMS DELGADO-COLON FOR SUPREME COURT SEAT, 73-31

…the first female Puerto Rican Associate Justice of the Supreme Court will be sworn in on April 3rd…

– The Washington Post, 3/27/2008



…While the rise of America’s Bernie Goetz fueled support for anti-Turkey conservative candidates running for seats in Greece’s legislature, Goetz losing his race in November knocked the wind out of the sails of Greece’s own nationalist movement ahead of the December 2004 elections. Nevertheless, the brief foray into anti-immigrant populism put a temporary strain on Greco-Turkish relations, and after over thirty years of the two nations and their people getting along with each other better than ever before. In March 2008, the general elections saw Greek populists once again try to swell their numbers, only to lose more than half of their seats in The Hellenic Parliament…

– Frederick B. Chary’s The Modern Balkans: The History of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania and Turkey After The End of the Cold War Era, Greenwood Publishers, 2018 edition



...Today may have been April Fools’ Day, but tonight, it’s the April Fools’ Cluster – five states hosting Presidential primaries for the Republican and Democratic parties. Voters in Iowa, Wyoming, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Delaware have all cast their ballots, and already we are being told who has won. …After failing to gather momentum in the early primaries, Gary Johnson’s concentration on western state primaries in this April has led to him winning Wyoming and Iowa. Meanwhile, Gritz has won South Carolina while Snowe has won Minnesota and Biaggi, in a major upset, has won Delaware with a plurality of roughly 37%. ...And so the four-way contest continues with no clear frontrunner for the time being…

– NBC, 4/1/2008 broadcast



…The Second April Cluster was held on April 8, and consisted of ten primary contests for both of the major parties: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Florida, and Maine.

Immediately after the results, Gritz supporters claimed that the inclusion of Biaggi on the Alabama ballot siphoned away populist and conservative votes away from Gritz and allowing Rodham-Clinton to win. The same was alleged against HRC’s victories in Arkansas and Louisiana.

Meanwhile, Snowe won Hawaii, Connecticut, and her home state of Maine, while Gritz won Florida. Gary Johnson’s momentum continued with him scoring victories in Alaska and Arizona. Colorado, however, was the narrowest. After three days of counting, Snowe narrowly prevailed over Johnson, who privately accused Gritz’s appeal in certain parts of the state of “spoiling” the contest by siphoning votes away from the Johnson campaign and thus handing the state to Colorado. Nevertheless, the victory in Colorado proved to political observers that Snowe could be competitive out west…

…Evangelical voters largely rallied around Gritz as Mike Bickel’s accusations made against HRC continued to plague her candidacy’s efforts to reach out to religiously-conservative voters…

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008



SWANN SONG: Penn Gov Suspends White House Bid

…Governor Swann failed to win any contests, with his best performance being his third-place finish in Louisiana in this past Tuesday’s “cluster” of primary contests…

– The New York Post, 4/11/2008



…The Motion Picture Association of America introduced the MPAA Film Rating System in order to rate a film’s “suitability” for certain viewers, based on the film’s content. While the system is not a legal requirement for the distribution of a film in the US, most theaters require that a rating of some kind to accompany the film’s exhibition.

The MPAA FRS was established in 1965, as a result of US President Harland “Colonel” Sanders’ efforts to protect young children from “traumatizing material” at movie theaters. Saunders met with CAGOP politicians, with the USIA, and with the MPAA prior to thru FRS’s unveiling, which led to the Motion Picture Production Code (established in 1934) falling even more out of favor and out of use, but not being officially discontinued until 1973, amid claims that thru MPPC was a form of morals-based censorship.

RATINGS

The current three MPAA film ratings are as follows:

AAA – “All Ages Admitted.” Often erroneously thought to be short for “Appropriate for All Ages,” this rating means the film contains nothing unsuitable for children

PGR – “Parental Guidance Recommended.” Often mistakenly believed to be short for “Parental Guidance Required,” this is the broadest of the ratings. The MPAA strongly encourages parents to learn about the film’s content through word-of-mouth, film reviews, and other ways prior to the film’s viewing.

OEO – “Over Eighteen Only.” The most restrictive rating. Children under the age of 18 will not be admitted to watch the film.

CONTENT DESCRIPTORS

The ratings often have accompanying descriptions of the film’s contents in order to provide more specific detail without “spoiling” the film for potential viewers. If the film is exhibited with a rating, most theaters will note so. As of April 2008, 31 state laws require theaters to inform patrols of a film’s rating or lack thereof prior to their admittance…

– clickopedia.co.usa



In an effort to avoid any further potential “spoiler” effects, Gritz’s campaign sued several states to have the names of Biaggi, Tancredo, Bickle, Creech and other minor populist candidates removed from their respective ballots. Tancredo had withdrawn after obtaining ballot access in five upcoming states, but Pastor Mike Bickle and outgoing Congressman B. J. Creech were still running for unclear reasons. Concurrently, Biaggi was still an active candidate who insisted he was a serious contender. None of these suits bore fruit, however, because the time to remake the ballots had passed; the ballots for the April 15 primaries were already printed and ready.

As a result, Gritz’s campaign staff met with representatives of Hillary Rodham-Clinton behind closed doors in the nation’s capital of the District of Columbia. According to the Gritz campaign’s Jet Wilders, “We offered a simple suggestion of trying to coordinate our campaigns, so only we would campaign in states that we were more likely to win, and they would campaign in states that they were more likely to win. Her representatives refused to consider it, believing it to somehow be a scandalous backroom deal of some kind.” With Rodham-Clinton and her inner circle declining interest in the Gritz team’s proposal, “The Gritz Gang” also met with the Bickle, Biaggi and Creech campaigns to promise each of them a position in a Gritz administration should he win, only for all three minor candidates to refuse to bow out. Privately, Creech believed a Rodham-Clinton nomination to be inevitable and that his splitting of the populist “Goetzite” vote would benefit her, and raise his chances of a position in a Rodham-Clinton White House. Bickle and Biaggi, meanwhile, remained in the race until the convention in the hopes on influencing, respectively. the religious and law-and-order aspects and positions of the party’s national platform.

In the Third April Cluster, on April 15, Republicans took to the polls in ten primary contests. Senator “HRC” won her birth state of Illinois, with Jim Edgar of Illinois graciously conceding the contest to his fellow Senator and endorsing her the next day. Massachusetts predictably went to Snowe. In Missouri, the home state of Pastor Mike Bickle, his 5% pull of the vote may have cut into Gritz’s share of the vote, as expected; Snowe won the contest in an upset, by a margin of 1.1%. Johnson won Oklahoma, while Rodham-Clinton won her home state of Tennessee with ease. Utahns voted for Gritz by a plurality. In West Virginia, “HRC” peeked out another victory, though the delegate total was split evenly due to Gritz coming in a very narrow second place. Snowe won all of the final three contests of the night (Kansas, thanks to HRC, Gritz and Johnson trying to win over conservative voters, resulting in Snowe winning with only 31% of the vote; Washington State, predictably; and Potomac, thanks to Lynn Swann’s endorsement).

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008



IT’S SNOWE USE!: Splintered G.O.P. Lets L.I.D. Slip By To Head The Pack

– The New York Post, 4/16/2008



SAUDIS LAUNCH MANNED MISSION TO THE MOON

…The Saudi Space Center today launched a crew of five to the moon in the culmination of six years of research and training. This mission very well could, if successful, prove that the region is a major player in the current “space exploration industry”…

COMMENTS SECTION

Comment 1:

I feel like they chose today of all days for this sort of thing on purpose

Comment 2 (a reply to Comment 1):

The puns, they write themselves!

– usarightnow.co.usa, 4/20/2008

– Scientists and engineers, participants of Operation Nanna, watch the successful liftoff of the Mijad-Wahin (Glory-1), Jilib Launch Base, Somalia, 4/20/2008



…Named after the word for the god of the moon in ancient Sumerian mythology, the Nanna project’s initial triumph of exiting the atmosphere was the pinnacle of the international effort to send Muslim astronauts into space and have them successfully land on the moon. Using American and Israeli tech companies, Iranian testing grounds, and the Jilib Launch Base north of Jilib, Somalia, near the equator, with three astronauts from Saudi Arabia, one from Pakistan, and one from Turkey (who was half-Israeli and half-Syrian, and as a result of that and his charm became a regional media favorite), the Saudi Arabian Space Center, or Markaz Alfada Alsaeudii (MAA) in Arabic, led the endeavor, as it was Saudi Arabia’s royal family that primarily sponsored and funded the project.

Both science and geopolitics were behind the project. When Americans landed on the moon in 1969 and the Soviets followed suit soon after, only for the US to abandon the moon in 1985 and the Soviet Union to collapse in 1984, it left a void that the Saudis decided to fill in the hopes of being seen as a serious player on the world stage for it. Additionally, there were still more to understand about the moon; there were still lunar mysteries left unsolved and questions left unanswered, and it was the jobs of the scientists onboard to gather more data and information on them.

[Note: my apologies for the red side being slightly larger than the green side; that's a regrettable cropping error, sorry ]

Above: The flag of the Saudi Space Agency features a crescent Moon and the pan-Arab colors of black, white, green and red.

– Madawi al-Rasheed’s The History of Modern Saudi Arabia, Sunrise Books, 2019 edition



America’s response to the success lunar landing was nearly two-faced. While most Americans – especially younger Americans – were congratulatory, and described the moment as being inspiring, most especially for young Arab-Americans, older Americans had a more negative reaction. Bo Gritz summed up the reactionary nationalist sentiment with the polarizing comment “Great – now we’ve got foreigners on our moon!”

The next evening, on April 22, five primary contests were held, in which Bo Gritz exceeded expectations. Whether due to cultural backlash or a genuine renewal of interest in his candidacy, the fact remains that the Idaho populist’s campaign began experiencing a resurgence.

In Wisconsin, Snowed achieved a plurality victory thanks to Congressman Scott McCollum’s crucial last-minute endorsement, with Gritz overperforming and receiving second place. Grits won both Virginia and Mississippi outright, while Snowed won Rhode Island.

Texas, however, was the closest contest of the night. After a recount was held in three narrow counties, Senator Rodham-Clinton was declared the winner of the delegate-rich winner-take-all primary, with Gritz finishing in second place, roughly 50,500 votes shy of victory.

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008



CAN GRITZ WIN THIS? His Path His Narrow, But Not Impossible

– nationalreview.co.usa, 4/23/2008 article



Many were reluctant to allow Prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud to be one of the six men to go to the moon due to the chance of some accident taking his life. However, not only was the Prince responsible for the MAA being founded in the first place, but he believed that him being on board would boost the Saudi people’s confidence in the monarchy and in their government and country, and would give the crew good fortune.

On April 23, the Glory 1 successfully touched down in the Sea of Tranquility, roughly 15 kilometers away from the nearest American or Soviet landing site. As the Middle East and parts of the rest of the world celebrated the achievement, experiments were carried out to on the lunar surface to see, for instance, why the satellite can ring like a hollow bell. Information was transmitted back to base as the new data was gathered…

[snip]

…Before leaving, a Koran, flanked on its sides by a Bible and a Torah, were placed on the lunar surface with simple plaque concerning the power of faith and the potential of humanity…

[snip]

While the EDL technology was sound, the conditions of atmospheric drag put mechanical strew on the Glory 1. Atmospheric conditions impacted the shuttle’s heat shield during high-velocity hyperbolic century, causing the cabin of the shuttle to hear up as well. By the time the Glory 1 had breached through the atmosphere and were descending thanks largely due ot Earth’s gravity well, much of the cabin’s interior control panel was on fire, with the flames spreading rapidly. Based on the cabin black-box recordings and survivor testimony, astronaut Amer Nadeem of Pakistan prevented a burst of flame from hitting Prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud by covering him with his arms. The burning shuttle crash-landed off the coast of Sakata.

On the six men on board, only Amery Nadeem died; his wounds were too great, and he succumbed to them before the crew were picked up. The rest of the crew received moderate burns, including the Prince. The captain was in the hospital for six months for skin grafts, infection treatment, and surgery, while the Prince was treated for second-degree burns across his legs.

While officially considered a success because the Glory 1 had landed on the moon, the bungling of the entry portion of the mission left a bittersweet experience in the minds of all who had either witnessed or had been involved in the endeavor. Soon after, Saudi Arabia’s government announced an extensive investigation into the heat shield failure, given that the shield had been produced by a Saudi company. Additionally, SA’s MAA terminated all plans for additional manned missions. It was specified that it was “until further notice,” but as of this book’s publication, no astronauts have been sent up to the moon by any Middle Eastern space agencies big or small ever since.

Above: armyman-turned-astronaut Amer Nadeem of Pakistani, the first Muslim astronaut to die in space (left); Prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud (right)

– Madawi al-Rasheed’s The History of Modern Saudi Arabia, Sunrise Books, 2019 edition



GRITZ IS “BETTING IT ALL” ON MICHIGAN, EX-EMPLOYEES CLAIM

– usarightnow.co.usa, 4/27/2008 e-article



…And in political news, Senator Olympia Snowe won two of tonight’s three Republican Presidential primary contests. The moderate from Maine won Michigan with another plurality over three major challengers, and she won the Republicans Abroad delegation as well. Governor Gary Johnson won the Virgin Islands caucus, the third contest of the tonight…

– The Overmyer Network Nighttime News, 4/29/2008 broadcast



With The Gritz Gang’s metaphorical blimp quickly deflating, HRC believed that she could now be the alternative to “The Lid,” only for Snowe’s campaign to continue to develop momentum – and delegates – at the start of May. Six contests were held on the sixth, and Snowe won three of them – Puerto Rico, Guam, and New York. Johnson won American Samoa, while Rodham-Clinton, despite her increasing campaign trail activity, only successfully pursued victory in Ohio and the Northern Mariana Islands. The loss in New York narrowed her window for the nomination outright and raised the odds of a contested convention. One member of her inner circle later reported “We had put so much effort and resources into New York and Puerto Rico that the overlooked Northern Mariana Islands almost felt like a consolation prize!”

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008



WATCH: American Radical Bo Gritz Bitterly Concedes Bid For U.S. President And Refuses To Endorse Anyone!

– video uploaded to OurVids.co.can, a video-sharing netsite, on 5/7/2008



…In early, as the riots, protests, and crackdowns continued on unabated, Karimov opted to take his secular agenda even further. On 10 March, Karimov signed an executive order banning the adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, from being broadcast in the country. The announcement was viewed as an attack on UT TV and radio stations, causing even more members of the media to voice support for the protests and the “positive changes” that for which they called…

– Ke Wang’s Turkestanis Unite!: The Rise And Execution of An Idea, Cambridge University Press, 2013



…In what has effectively become a race between two-and-a-half candidates, with Senators Olympia Snowe and Hillary Rodham-Clinton neck-and-neck and former Governor Gary Johnson repeatedly finishing in third place in recent contests, the odds of the moderate Snowe obtaining the Republican nomination for President have only increased with the results of tonight’s three primary contests. Possibly due to Hoosiers in southern Indiana having roots in southern states such as Kentucky and Tennessee, partially due to job migration patterns dating back to the 1950s, Rodham-Clinton secured Indiana’s winner-take-all delegation slate. Senator Snowe, on the other hand, won the winner-take-all delegation slates for Pennsylvania and North Carolina, with the latter contest being the closest one of the night. Gary Johnson underperformed in all three races…

– CBS Evening News, 5/13/2008 broadcast



GARY JOHNSON BOWS OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL RACE

– The Albuquerque Journal, 5/15/2008



TIPPECANOE

Premiered: May 16, 2008
Genre(s): political bio-drama
Directed by: Renny Harlin
Produced by: JoAnne Seller and Daniel Lupi
Written by: Michael France and Ted Tally

Cast:

Harrison Ford as William Henry Harrison
Meryl Streep as Anna Semmes Harrison
Graham Greene as Tenskwatawa, “The Prophet”
Nas’Naga as Tecumseh

[snip]

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1: Harrison Ford purposely exhausted himself for a comic scene.

In one of the film’s more lighthearted scenes based on a real event, a large crowd of office-seekers shove their papers (resumes, petitions, etch.) into the pockets, hats, and arms of the new President when he’s on his way to his first cabinet meeting, causing him to go to the upper floor of White House (the private quarters) to escape the chaos; by this point in his life, Harrison was already thin and malnourished due to ulcer problems. In order to pull off the look of an angry, bitter, and exhausted old man, Ford maintained a very demanding work schedule and ragged lifestyle ahead of filming scenes like this one – he agreed to film two other, smaller roles; he slept for no more than three hours every night for a week; and he went on a “crash diet” that caused him to lose several pounds.

Trivia Fact No. 2: The film won an Oscar for practical makeup effects.

Upon the film winning an Academy Award for the makeup effects used to age Meryl Streep’s character, Harrison Ford allegedly expressed regret at going through “so much trouble” to get into character when he could have just “gone to the f*ckin’ makeup department” instead.

– mediarchives.co.usa



SNOWE WIDENS LEAD WITH 3-0 PRIMARY SWEEP

…the “Maine Moderate” swept through Kentucky, Nebraska and Oregon, putting her just two delegates shy of clinching the nomination outright. Senator Rodham-Clinton would need to win all remaining primary contests in order to deadlock the convention...

– The New York Times, 5/20/2008



“Everybody has setbacks in their life, and everybody falls short of whatever goals they might set for themselves. That's part of living and coming to terms with who you are as a person.” [4]

– Hillary Rodham-Clinton, withdrawing from the race for the GOP nomination for President, and re-entering the race for the nomination for her US Senate seat (with that primary already scheduled to be held in September), 5/22/2008



…As the presumptive Republican nominee for President, Olympia Snowe won tonight’s two Primaries in South Dakota and Idaho with ease, even in the wake of Senator Gritz calling for primary voters to write in his name in the latter contest…

– CBS Evening News, 5/27/2008 broadcast



MOTHER-POST: Is Colonel Sanders The Chef Overrated?

I write “the Chef” because I’m not talking about “the President,” so please, keep the politics to a minimum, because what I’m asking about here is his reputation as a Chef, whose opinion on food often had a lot of weight to it. But, recently, I’ve been reading food-related articles about The Colonel, and most of the time, his reaction to other people’s cooking is really negative! He seems to have very narrow tastes. I get that he has a right to his opinion, and I know that the man was a perfectionist, but sometimes, in his comments, he comes off as, I want to say, a bit narrow-minded.

Let me give you all an example. Here’s some snippets from a 1976 article by a one Mimi Sheraton [5]. It shows just how picky he was:

“The ex-President expressed some very strong opinions on the meal at the highly esteemed Coach House as he discussed his interest in food.

He ordered black bean soup, which he thought should have been thicker and heavily laced with sherry instead of Madeira; mushrooms with chicken livers that he ordered pink, but which he did not like because they had been sautéed instead of crisply fried; a salad that he did like although he preferred French Roquefort cheese to the feta used, and pecan pie, which he thought was not as good as one he made with lemon juice “to add life to the Karol syrup filling.”

Of the Coach House fried chicken (“Give me the middle wing joint; it’s the best part of the chicken”), his verdict was, “Very good, but it would be better with more salt and my seasoning.”

In other words, he didn’t like a single thing he ordered; he had at least problem with every last item!

His favorite food of the day was the cornbread baked in sticks, of which he ate three and carried six back to his hotel. “That’s the best cornbread I’ve ever had made by a Yankee up North,” he declared to the waiter. “Not too much sugar or flour in with the meal.”

Refusing a glass of wine, The Colonel explained, “Wine tastes like gasoline, and now that I read about all the arsenic in California wines, I’m glad I don’t drink it. I have 14 more years to go to finish the century and I want to take care of myself so I make it.”

He explained that he was on a mon-aging diet that required him to eat a can of sardines every morning.

Having traveled in 44 countries (“I’ll never go to India. I don’t want to see people sleeping in the streets”), The Colonel prefers American food and most especially that of the Southeast. “We season our food more than folks in other parts of the country,” he said. “I’ve never been struck by French food. Only the sauces are good. I never have a chance to eat in Italy any places but in a Hilton Hotel.” [5]

To recap: the man only liked food he was already familiar with. Does that sound like an expert food connoisseur to, well, anyone?

Above: the image of The Colonel that came with the article

So, what do you all think? Should the man who made those world-famous birds be taken seriously when it comes to his thoughts on other people’s food?

>REPLY 1:

I remember reading somewhere that he liked German food because he used to work for a German farmer when he was young, so, yeah, I agree, there is a connection between what food The Colonel praised and what food he ate while growing up. But I don’t think that makes him overrated, food-wise. I mean, have you ever tasted his chicken – it’s amazing!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:

Yes, his cooking is not overrated, but I think his thoughts on other people’s cooking should be taken this a grain of salt. No pun intended.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:

So this thread should really be entitled “We Shouldn’t Take The Colonel’s Reviews of Other People’s Food Too Seriously”

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:

Eh. Too long, and not catchy enough.

>REPLY 2:

How dare you insult the glory of the Colonel’s culinary prowess! His word was law! If he decreed your food to be subpar and beneath his high standards, it was the truth!

>REPLY 3:

I agree – his standards were always too high. Even before he became President, there were many anecdotes about him insulting the perfectly serviceable food he’d ordered, going round to the kitchen, and telling the chef off. He’d swear up a storm without consideration for the women and children within earshot, and admitted to doing so. In one instance I remember hearing about, he smashed a plate of eggs right on a chef’s head!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:

Citation needed!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:

Well, at least he never insulted the servers, because he knew they we never to blame, since they’re not the ones doing the cooking, now are they? Hey – I guess that makes him the Gordon Ramsey of his era!

>REPLY 4:

I’m surprised by the India comment. Woah.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:

If I remember it right, the Colonel only visited India in the 1980s because he was coerced into it. He didn’t want to go, but he was convinced he could prevent war from breaking out between India and Pakistan. I was in college when that went down, and, I have to say, I don’t remember anyone discussing the Colonel stopping after the negotiations to try out the local cuisine. Huh.

>REPLY 5:

Maybe, but in his defense, he was 86 when he gave that interview. By the time you’re that old, you really don’t like to try new things. You’re set in your ways for some reason.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 5:

I thought the saying was “you’re never too old try new things”

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 5:

Yes, but another saying is “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 5:

Good thing people aren’t dogs, then!

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 5/28/2008 posting thread



SOUTH AFRICA’S PRESIDENT KGOSITSILE WELCOMES PM HESELTINE TO CAPE TOWN DURING DIPLOMATIC VISIT

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 30/5/2008



…The final round, or “cluster” of primaries were held on June 2, 2008. Of the five contests, Snowe won four (California, North Dakota, Montana, and New Jersey); Gary Johnson’s campaign won his home state of New Mexico posthumously due to his high popularity in The Land of Enchantment. …Of the total 57 contests (52 states, plus 4 territories (Guam, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands), plus the Republicans Abroad delegation), Olympia Snowe won 30…

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008

POPULAR VOTE:

Olympia Snowe – 6,379,451 (29.14%)
Hillary Rodham-Clinton – 5,256,369 (24.01%)
Gary Johnson – 2,611,765 (11.93%)
Bo Gritz – 2,467,275 (11.27%)
Mario Biaggi – 1,858,667 (8.49%)
Lynn Swann – 1,153,729 (5.27%)
Jim Edgar – 1,112,135 (5.08%)
Herman Cain – 440,038 (2.01%)
Ronna Romney – 214,546 (0.98%)
Scott McCallum – 183,896 (0.84%)
James H. Meredith (note: withdrew before the start of the primaries) – 124,787 (0.57%)
Billy J. Creech – 50,353 (0.23%)
Mike Bickle – 32,839 (0.15%)
All other votes – 6,563 (0.03%)
Total popular votes – 21,892,415 (100.00%)

– clickopedia.co.usa [6]



…Today marks the 25th anniversary of the 1983 classic film “WarGames,” which has proven to be as influence as that decade’s bleak anti-nuclear war TV special “The Day After.” According to a former US Secretary of Defense, the success of the film influenced National Security Policy as the Cold War came to a close and computer technology was on the rise. The regulations and initiatives devised for the ARPANET system, and ultimately the modern technet, can also be traced back to this techno-thriller and it being viewed by members of the Denton White House. According to one source, Defense Secretary William Westmoreland disliked the film, believing its anti-war message was “unpatriotic and defeatist,” President Jeremiah Denton enjoyed the film’s “intimidating sublimity.” …The high-speed technet became the norm by the start of this decade, paying for the bandwith bills so video downloaders do not have to. With this huge financial barrier broken, sites such as ourvids blossomed and began to flourish in the 1990s. However, this may not have happens had leaders such as Denton and President Carol Bellamy not called for stronger investments in the possibilities – and possible dangers – of the computer and the technet…

– usarightnow.co.usa/pop-culture, 6/3/2008 e-article



“I believe it is of a question of whether or not we support tax cuts… It really is a question of what we can afford to do now in the current economic and fiscal climate.” [7]

– GOP Presidential nominee-in-waiting Olympia Snowe (R-ME), allegedly dodging a question on tax reform, Meet the Press, 6/5/2007 interview



“I think I made a mistake. I think I should have run [for the nomination] again. Looking back on the past several months, I know I would have won it.”

– Bernie Goetz (R-CO), 6/7/2008



ARAB LEADERS ARE WARY OF WELLSTONE WINNING – HERE’S WHY THAT’S IMPORTANT

…several diplomats have made it known that they and many of their bosses fear that his election would reignite regional conflict over perceived bias favoring Israel. “We know that Wellstone is a professional who would not upend The Delicate Peace and favor the Israeli just because he is Jewish,” says the outgoing Syrian Ambassador to Israel, “But try telling that to a paranoid religious extremist.”…

– National Review, nationalreview.co.usa, 6/10/2008 e-article



…Jackson’s administration has appealed to southern and Christian voters in a way that Wellstone might not be able to, for several reasons. Jackson is an ordained reverend with a philosophy similar to that of Christian Democracy. He quietly supports a consistent life ethic, promotes faith-based organizations, has stayed publicly mute on his thoughts about school prayer, and has approved of legislation supportive of a “culture of life” more than once. Wellstone, on the other hand, does not have the religious appeal outside of the Jewish community, as evidenced by his poor showing in the south during the 2000 primaries. As a result, unless he has a powerful and influential southern running mate, his autumn campaign strategy may have to be to win as many northern states as possible to offset losses in the south…

– The Atlantic, op-ed, June 2008 issue



…In political news, there are rising calls for a third-party conservative ticket if the presumptive Republican nominee for President, Senator Olympia Snowe, does not choose a conservative populist running mate. The movement, which has a notable ontech media presence, wants some prominent politician – such as former Senator Bernie Goetz, Senator Bo Gritz, Congressperson Tommy Tancredo, Barbara Coe, and Jason Buck, and others – to break from the GOP to mount said long-shot bid in response to the Republican ticket and platform that is not satisfactory enough to the conservative populists of the party…

– KNN, 6/25/2008 news report



Usually, the choice of running mate was almost considered to be an afterthought of sorts, meant to compliment the top of the ticket without overshadowing the Presidential nominee. This time, however, the Presidential nominee-to-be had neither the pleasure nor the privilege of selecting a running mate basely sole on how well she got along with them. Instead, as the summer convention neared, the choice of running mate was growing increasingly pivotal to the unity of the GOP.

Olympia Snow was well aware of her precarious position of needing to appeal to populists, libertarians, and conservatives. Her best-case scenario was to find someone with which all three factions could be satisfied, lest the rumors of the populists – the Gritzites/Goetzites (or “neohippies,” as some on the left were beginning to prefer calling them) – walking out at the convention actually bear fruit. It was, in short, a tall order.

Snowe pledged to select a male running mate after initially floating, either jokingly or seriously, the idea of a two-woman ticket. Additionally, several high-profile possibilities publicly removed themselves from consideration in the weeks following her clinching the nomination, most notably Jon Huntsman Sr. of Utah, former Governor Doug Swanson of Nevada, former Governor Denny Rehberg of Montana, and US Senator Bo Gritz of Idaho. On the other side of things, Snowe’s campaign ruled out selecting political neophytes such as Senators and Governors who had only been serving in their current offices since January 2007, thus eliminating the likes of Governors Kelsey Grammar of California, Fred Grandy of Iowa, Bill Owens of Texas, Dennis Hof of Nevada, Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico, and Harley Davidson Brown of Idaho, and Senators Ben Lewis Jones of Virginia, Andrew Raczkowski of Michigan, Michael Steele of Maryland, and Stan Jones of Montana.

Had she won by a larger margin, she may have been able to pick a fellow moderate or moderate-leaning politician such as Jim Edgar, Lynn Swann or Jack Lousma. But the fact remained that Snowe had to settle for picking someone farther to the right of her given the party itself as a whole being to the right of her. Nevertheless, Snowe did not want to select someone who was “too much of an opposite,” referring to the deeply-populist (or “ultra-neohippie”) individuals who had opposed her candidacy vehemently and vulgarly, and were reluctant to accept her as the nominee; she believed that any one of these sorts of individuals would likely be an unhelpful – or worse, an undermining – VP/RM.

Due to all of these factors, Snowe listened to many advisors, including the party leadership, and met with many potential vetted picks in order to try and answer a tough question – who would be the best running mate for her unique situation? [8]

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



Wellstone swept the Democratic Presidential Primaries of 2008 with ease. He had only three notable opponents: a moderate former South Dakota Governor named Lars Herseth, who had very little name recognition; former US Senator Peter Diamondstone, a Marxist so radical that he considered Mike Gravel to be a “conservative corporate sellout elitist”; and musician Toby Keith, a conservative Democrat who dropped out after New Hampshire. None of them received more than 7% of the vote in any of the aforementioned contests.

After dropping out, Keith urged Wellstone to pick General James L. Jones Jr. to be his running mate, saying “Jim is a good friend of mine who really should run for President someday, and being V.P. would definitely help with that. It would also keep the party from splitting.” [9] While the comments were overlooked at the time, they nevertheless did touch on a major problem for Wellstone – what to do about the lingering conservatives in the party. Within Wellstone’s inner circle, there was talk over the possibility of “throwing a bone” to that side of the party. True, the faction was shrinking in the wake of the high popularity of Democratic progressivism, but the conservatives in the party still in office still had power and influence. The idea of giving the second slot on the ticket had merit.

[snip]

For Wellstone, the nomination of Snowe was considered “disastrous.” Her very ability to achieve the nomination of a party notably to the right of herself gave the VP’s campaign machine pause. “If she can perform that well in that kind of environment, she could do even better in November,” fretted Wellstone’s Chief of Staff. Indeed, while her pathway to the nomination had been credited to a “perfect storm” of variables, most prominently inter-party backlash to the “proto-neohippie” vitriol of the Goetz’04 campaign, most in Wellstone’s inner circle concurred that Snowe would be even better at campaigning in the general election.

The President, however, was far more optimistic, expressing confidence in the Rainbow Coalition. “It carried us over the finish line twice before, it can get you my job this time, too. We have a completely copacetic coalition backing you, Paul,” Jackson reportedly sad to his “first mate” in late June 2008.

[snip]

The political calculations did not end with the studying of demographics that could potentially swing towards Snowe. For there was one other crucial factor for Wellstone and company to consider – who to select to be the VP’s running mate. The Wellstone’08 team had already begun compiling a list months ago, possibly even before Toby Keith made his General Jones suggestion, but now, as the time for the Democratic National Convention neared, the search began in earnest. At the start of the media’s many rumors over who was being considered and who would be vetted, the former Governor of Louisiana, actor-turned-politician-turned-actor Harry Shearer, came right out and refused to be considered. While having obtained “hero” status for his handling of Hurricane Katrina and being well-liked by both moderate and progressives by not sticking to one specific ideology while in office, the experience of Katrina and her aftermath had been exhausting for Shearer. In late June, he publicly refused to be considered for the position, saying “one government gig was enough for me, thanks!”

At Wellstone’08 headquarters in Potomac, the main debate was whether to pick a fellow progressive or someone to the right of the VP. His multiple sclerosis was still fairly mild, with his limp worsening only slightly over the past eight years, and so, while Wellstone himself believed that he would be able to serve for four or eight years without incident, his campaign urged him to take it into consideration, “just in case.” Wellstone’s Chief of Staff reportedly noted “just because we know it’s not too serious of an ailment doesn’t mean that Republicans will talk about it like it is a disqualifying thing. Snowe wouldn’t do that, but you can bet you’re a$$ that other Republicans will.”

Basically, the last hurdle of the primary season that the Democrats faced was a question with many potential answers: who would be the best Running Mate for the 64-year-old progressive Jewish-American VP from Minnesota? [10]

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S):
[1] The part in italics is an OTL quote: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton
[2] This passage’s italics segments are from an OTL quote found here: https://www.quotetab.com/quotes/by-olympia-snowe
[3] These italicized parts are from an OTL quote: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Hillary_Clinton#cite_note-47
[4] The italicized parts are from OTL quote: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton
[5] OTL article! The italicized parts are from said article, which was found here: https://www.nytimes.com/1976/09/09/archives/for-the-colonel-it-was-fingerlickin-bad.html
[6] The popular vote distribution is based on the results of the last chapter’s poll, as of 11/22/2020
[7] OTL quote: https://www.quotetab.com/quotes/by-olympia-snowe
[8] YOU can help answer this question!: https://www.strawpoll.me/35204949
[9] Toby Keith said that General Jones should run for President someday in OTL, and Keith really was a conservative Democrat until October 2008 in OTL; both according to his wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toby_Keith#Political_beliefs
[10] YOU can help answer this question!: https://www.strawpoll.me/35205065

[8] Ahead of the 2008 RNC, I made a preference poll concerning who Snowe should pick to be her running mate: https://www.strawpoll.me/35204949
Here’s a quick breakdown of the 12 options on the poll:
US Sen. Spencer T. Bachus III of Alabama, age 61 – This Vietnam veteran has a reputation for being a problem solver on The Hill. A member of the Senate Financial and Judiciary committees, he has criticized the Jackson administration not reacting “strongly enough” to issues in Africa that required military intervention. Bacchus is also to the right of Snowe on regulation, except for certain subjects such as protecting citizens from technet-based identity theft.
US Rep. Salvatore P. “Sonny” Bono of California, age 73 – The addition of an experienced politician (he has been in office since 1995) who is also a noted celebrity, and a Hispanic one at that, may benefit the ticket. His public sparring with his son Chaz over BLUTAGO rights, though, could either help or hurt Snowe’s odds of winning, depending on who that controversy being brought up again wins over, versus who it causes to turn away from ticket.
US Sen. Terry E. Branstad of Iowa – In office since 1992, the half-Jewish Branstad certainly would bring additional legislative experience to the ticket. His spot on several foreign-policy-related Senate Committees doesn’t hurt, either. A supporter of tax reform, education and farming assistance, Branstad could put rural parts of the country into play in November.
Fmr Gov. Jim Bryson of Tennessee – Selecting a political ally of Hillary Rodham-Clinton, despite being noticeably to her right, would be an olive branch to Rodham-Clinton and her supporters during the primary; his executive experience would also compliment Snowe’s twelve years of US Senate experience.
Gov. Lindsey O. Graham of South Carolina – While originally a supporter of Mike Bickle, then Ronna Romney, then HRC, Graham initially had some harsh words to say about Snowed, only for him to have since apologized and bring in donors and endorsements for the presumptive nominee. While Snowe is personally reluctant to pick this supporter of the party establishment, she may be convinced that picking him will keep the party united and lead her to victory in November.
US Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard of Utah, age 68 – This lifelong Mormon politician is known for his compassion, his support for mental health care and research laws, his advocating of religious freedom, and his ability to work across the aisle despite being noticeably to the right of Snowe. His adult son Matt, who suffers from Down syndrome, often visits his father’s place of work, and is known for congratulating every newly-sworn-in Senator with a warm hug.
Fmr Gov. Gary E. Johnson of New Mexico, age 56 – Selecting this pro-marijuana, anti-interventionist, and anti-IRS mountain climber of an ex-Governor would definitely win over libertarians, and possibly enough Gritzites to carry Snows to victory in November. His high approval rating in the pro-Democratic state of New Mexico could also put that state into play.
US House Majority Whip J. Scott McCallum of Wisconsin, age 58 – Serving in public office since he was 26, this Colonel Conservative from a conservative district is very well received by deeply conservative, libertarian, and moderate legislators alike. Snowe is also eyeing him because, as a US Representative since the 1980s, he has a wide range of legislative experience and political connections that could be invaluable for fundraising in the fall. Plus, he was very respectful to her during the pre-primary season, keeping their disagreement on police reform in one debate notably mature and professional.
Gov. George Speaker Mickelson of South Dakota, age 67 – With a high approval rating in his home state (it is currently steady at over 80%), Mickelson could keep the plains and Midwest in the Republican corner. Mickelson’s short-lived 2008 campaign tried to walk a fine line between the populist, conservative, and moderate camps, but failed more due to lack of name recognition than anything else.
Gov. J. C. Watts Jr. of Oklahoma, age 51 – Selecting an African-American “Colonel Conservative” from a deeply-conservative state could win over populists without it costing the party recent gains in minority outreach efforts. Watts may be able to win over former Jesse Jackson voters as well.
US Sen. Larry R. Williams of Montana, age 66 – In office since 1979, this wealthy financier and opponent of the IRS has a consistent pro-business/libertarian-lite voting record on top of having some pretty deep pockets and connections. His selection may also help secure the GOP’s lock on the upper western states.
Gov. Humbert Roque “Rocky” Versace of Puerto Rico, age 71 – With foreign policy issues being largely on the back burner in this election, this former US Secretary of Defense celebrated in the past for his handling of the Second Korean War would still appeal to hawks (and thus may placate former Wide-Awake members who backed Gritz in the primaries). Versace may also possibly improve turnout among Hispanic voters, given his Puerto Rican ancestry.

[10] Ahead of the 2008 DNC, I made a preference poll concerning who Wellstone should pick to be her running mate: https://www.strawpoll.me/35205065
Here’s a quick breakdown of the 20 options on the poll:
Moderate options, for party unity (8):
US Sen. Brad R. Carson of Oklahoma, age 41 – a young and athletic rising star is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation; he largely focuses on military affairs, along with protecting oil workers from unemployment, and protecting Native American rights
Gov. Richard J. Codey of New Jersey, age 62 – a Catholic, “100% Irish” former funeral director serving in public offices since 1974, his strong Northeastern roots could benefit the ticket, given Snowe is possibly putting said region into play thanks to her New England appeal
Fmr Gov. Larry J. Echo-Hawk of Idaho, age 60 – a devoted Mormon with a background in law, Echo-Hawk is a Marine Corps veteran, and an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation who cares about police precinct reform; he would be the first Native American to be VP since Charles Curtis 80 years prior
US Amb. to Egypt William A. “Bill” Gwatney of Arkansas, age 49 – a party loyalist who previously served as a state senator, a US Congressman, and the head of O.D.E.R.C.A.; a political financing operative with foreign policy bona fides, his selection could possibly neutralize claims of a potential Wellstone presidencies being biased in favor of Israel, given Gwatney’s recent success in strengthening US-Egyptian relations
US Sen. Christopher Charles “Chris” John of Louisiana, age 48 – taking office via appointment in March 2006 (after incumbent John Georges resigned for a higher-paying CEO job), John differs from his Senate predecessor by criticizing big business, but nevertheless support oil and gas industries due to his state’s economy still depending on them; he is of Lebanese, French and German descent, and his inclusion on the ticket could put the south into play
US Marine Corps Gen. (ret) James L. Jones Jr. of Missouri, age 65 – initially dismissed by the vetting team, Jones expressing interest in the job gave weight to his candidacy; the former Commandant of the Marine Corps and former Supreme Allied Commander Europe recently worked with Israelis and Palestinians on security issues; he could appeal to undecided voters concerned that low military funding is making the country vulnerable to any threats, real or perceived
US Sen. Kathleen Hartington Kennedy-Roosevelt of Massachusetts, age 57 – a woman’s right advocate from New England with very deep financial pockets and name recognition (she was born into the Kennedy political family and is related to the Roosevelt political family through marriage) could help the ticket
US Sen. Alexander “Alex” Penelas of Florida, age 47 – a Cuban-American former Mayor of Miami-Dade County who in 2003 engaged in a shouting match in the Senate chamber with Senator Diamondstone over the impact and legacy of the Cuba War; he barely won a second US Senate term in 2006 by backpedaling on some issue and has since changed his mind of them again, but nevertheless he could have Hispanic voter appeal
Progressive options, to double down on messaging (8):
US Sen. Eddie Najeeb Basha Jr. of Arizona, age 71 – a Catholic former businessman with western/libertarian appeal who is of Lebanese ancestry and who votes more often with progressives, especially one matters concerning education and assisting the poor
US Sen. Harry William Braun III of Arizona, age 60 – an eco-progressive champion of wave power energy who is still pushing for massive more public works projects concerning irrigation, wave turbines, and producing hydrogen via solar power electrolysis, he is a technocrat with much legislative experience
US Sec. of Agriculture James Patrick “Jim” McGovern of Massachusetts, age 49 – focused on protecting and defending human rights at home and abroad, especially for children, this highly-liberal politician won only won three terms to the House before joining Jackson’s cabinet, but has been praised for his active efforts to curb food waste and nutrition insecurity both in the US and worldwide; he is of no relation to the McGovern political family of South Dakota
US Sen. Teresa “Terri” McGovern of South Dakota, age 63 – the daughter of former US Congressman and former Governor George McGovern of South Dakota, she opposes alcohol and recreadrugs but supports mental health care reform along with improving working conditions and the quality of life in the US, especially for nurses and teachers
US Rep. James Charles “Jim” Slattery of Kansas, age 60 – an early supporter of Bellamy, then, Jackson, and now Wellstone, he helped popularize wind turbines in Kansas; he served as Governor from 1987 to 1995 and has been in congress since 1999; he has foreign policy experience, as he served on several House foreign affairs committees until 2007, and briefly served in Angola during the 1970s
US Sen. Alice Constandina “Dina” Titus of Nevada, age 58 – a Greek-American who could cut into Snowe’s appeal; during her time on The Hill, she has supported sexual pestering counseling programs, education, VA reform, and tax credits for businesses who switch from fossil fuel, among other policies
US Sen. Gloria Tristani of New Mexico, age 55 – the granddaughter of Senator Dennis Chavez has only been in office since January 2007, but has already made a name for herself by actively calling for legislation to shield children from obscenity and violence, as well as improving education overall; she previously served as he head of the FCC; born in Puerto Rico, she is Hispanic, and may win over two demographics that could be crucial factors in November
US Sen. Mark Emery Udall of Colorado, age 58 – the son of former House Speaker Mo Udall, Mark is an avid environmentalist, an expert on domestic security issue, and a defender of renewable energy who could appeal to libertarian-leaning voters; his oratory skills would also be a plus on the campaign trail
Other options (4):
US Sen. Majority Leader Gary Faye Locke of Washington, age 58 – the Chinese-American commerce expert tries, as the leader of the Senate Democrats, to appeal to all within the party and then some; as VP, he would be very influential when needing to work with congress
Fmr Gov. Richard Anthony “Cheech” Marin of New Mexico, age 62 – a political activist who advocates recreadrug legalization, he kept taxes “fair” as Governor and supports police reform and international cooperation, as well as promoting Mexican-American culture; his celebrity status may help the ticket
US Att. Gen. Ralph Nader of Connecticut, age 74 – a longtime registered Republican who is currently an independent, his political positions are all over the map but are closer to the left than to the right, and he often caucuses with the Democrats; after decades of public service in multiple positions, he is a highly experienced politician and, as Nader is Lebanese, his selection would neutralize claims that Wellstone’s election would upend relations in the Middle East
Fmr Gov. Robert Norman “Bob” Ross of Alaska, age 66 – the famous art instructor, environmentalist, mental health advocate, cancer survivor, and defender of education and the arts could appeal to progressives, moderates, libertarians, and possibly even some conservatives, given his 20 years of military service

Please vote!

The next chapter’s E.T.A.: November 30th at the earliest, December 3rd at the latest

 

[gap80]

Post 88: Chapter 96



Chapter 96: July 2008 – January 2009

“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”

– Isaac Asimov (OTL)



…The dictatorial Islam Karimov’s day of reckoning turned out to be July 7. On this day, a middle-aged Uzbekistani Muslim militant finally stopped running. A religious fighter by nature, Tohir Yo‘ldosh, born sometime in the late 1960s, was fought in the nation’s war for independence as a child soldier. He stayed in the UT military and volunteered to serve in North Korea. Returning home to serve in the National Guard, Yo‘Idosh’s first major spot of trouble with the law came in 2001, when he was temporarily demoted for publicly calling for Islamic radicalism. Yo‘Idosh described his fellow Muslims as “the most persecution group of people on Earth” and believed in several anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. When Karimov rose to power, he was one of the first to be arrested for opposing the new President’s increasingly anti-religion policies. In December 2007, Yo‘Idosh escaped prison along with three other inmates, but he himself went into hiding on his own. In June 2008, he returned to the nation’s capital of Shymkent and waited for his moment.

Said chance at retribution came when Karimov took part in a regional celebration of the 1983 Battle of Shymkent – a defense of the city from Soviet forces that Yo‘Idosh had actually fought in as an adolescent. Yo‘Idosh found it ironic that he would end the persecution of his fellow lovers of Allah just as the persecutor was praising him and his fellow veterans of a battle crucial to his nation’s independence.

The militant blended into the crowd cheering on the President. Predator stalked prey as the latter shook hands, inching closer to his fate. Finally, Yo‘Idosh pulled out his weapon – a recently acquired and tested pistol with a handy silencer attachment – and hit his target directly in the heart. Karimov jolted, staggered back, and collapsed to the shock and confusion of the audience.

At first, the news outlets reported his death to be a stroke or heart attack before rumors of assassination were confirmed. Yo‘Idosh was identified by security tapes soon after and a manhunt began. It ended days later with a shootout at a hotel just north of the Chulakkurgan Solar Park in southern Kazakhstan. In a deadly blaze of gunfire, Yo‘Idosh managed to proclaim that he had killed Karimov “for all believers, but for believers of Allah especially” before a policeman’s rifle pierced the spot under his armpit on covered by his bulletproof vest.

As Head of the National Gathering, Imangali Tasmagambetov of Kazakhstan ascended to the Presidency; in his first presidential address, he sought to dampen riotous responses from pro-Karimov citizens by calling for “a special time of healing” and the people of United Turkestan both celebrated and mourned the passing of what had been their nation’s most authoritative leader…

– Ke Wang’s Turkestanis Unite!: The Rise And Execution of An Idea, Cambridge University Press, 2013



FORMER HEALTH MINISTER JOSÉ RAMON BALAGUER WINS THE PRESIDENCY!

…In what could be the birth of a new political party system, José Ramon Balaguer (b. 1932) has led the Progressive Party to its first-ever Presidential election victory, defeating (via a very narrow plurality) the Conservative Party’s nominee who lost by a margin of roughly 3%, and the Stability Party’s nominee, who grossly underperformed with a total vote share of roughly 5.7%. José Ramon Balaguer is a former Communist who served time in prison for backing Fidel Castro during the War of The Sixties, and was a P.O.W. in early 1964; he then became a champion of left-wing causes in the National Assembly, calling for stronger labor union protection laws but opposing industry nationalization. Balaguer, age 75, also served as Cuba’s Minister of Health during the final two years of the Alfredo Abon Lee administration. …The second-place finisher of tonight was Conservative Party nominee Orlando Sánchez. Born in Havana in 1957, Sánchez’s parents fled with him to Venezuela when he was very young, and they briefly lived in Houston, Texas, U.S., before returning to Havana in 1967. Sanchez has lived there ever since, developing a career as an athlete before majoring in political science and serving as that city’s Mayor from 1994 to 2006...

– Diario de la Marina, Cuban newspaper, 7/10/2008



SNOWE PICKS GARY JOHNSON FOR RUNNING MATE!

…while the selection of an ex-Governor for the position of Vice President is unconventional, it is most likely an effort to win over members of the ascendant libertarian wing of the GOP…

– The New York Times, 7/11/2008



A part of the answer came with the early announcement of Snowe’s running mate. With Johnson on the ticket, Wellstone’s inner circle believed the western states, and libertarian-leaning states such as Alaska and New Hampshire, had the potential to party the swinging game. Early polling conducted by the Wellstone campaign suggested as much, with the VP’s favorability dropping 5% in the Granite State, 7% in Nevada, and a whopping 15% in New Mexico. However, these predictions were based on small poll samples. The suggestion to select a nominee from a western state rose nevertheless…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



ONTECH CALLS FOR A WELLSTONE/ROSS TICKET ON THE RISE

…chat forums and social digital media sites across the technet are seeing spikes in calls for a certain figure beloved by the centurion generation to join the Vice President’s quest for the White House…

– tumbleweedmagazine.co.usa, 7/12/2008 e-article



…Herseth’s poor performance in the primaries suggested the there was, overall, contentment among remaining moderate and conservative members of the Democratic Party, dimming the odds of someone such as General Jones or Governor Codey being chosen, though they were vetted.

The push for Bob Ross, however, was unexpected, and befuddling to Wellstone. “Why him?” he asked his inner circle in mid-July. The vice President was unsure because both men had bad health histories. With Wellstone suffering from a very mild case of MS and Ross still living with lymphoma, Wellstone had wanted to select a fellow progressive who would continue own his policies should he have to step down in the wake of his MS worsening. The biggest benefit to the Ross push was Ross’ progressivism, but, as Wellstone put it, “If both of us go down, there’s no telling what would happen.”

Wellstone’s Chief of Staff was even more resistant to the “Draft Ross for VP” movement, saying “The Republicans to Snowe’s left will mock us for putting forward a ticket of two sick old white men.”

“Plus,” Wellstone noted, “While I really like the man both personally and professionally, the fact is that hasn’t won an election since 1990.”

With a bit of a shrug, Wellstone’s chief speechwriter noted, “Well, young people love him, so he could boost turnout among that demographic.”

The Chief of Staff rolled his eyes at this, undoubtedly thinking back to youth-centric campaign of the past – the landslide loss of Gravel’84, the nailbiter victory of Bellamy’88, and maybe even, quite possibly, the alleged “disaster” of Wellstone’00. “I don’t even think he’d want the job.”

“Only one way to find out,” suggested the speechwriter.

. . .

In his studio, Ross was experiencing déja vu all over again. “I mean, I appreciated being vetted, and I’ll gladly serve under you – ”

“So you’ll take the job?”

“If it’s what you folks need to better America, I guess I’m for it. But I’m still surprised by. The fellas the vetted me did tell you about my cancer, right?”

“It-it’s in remission, isn’t?”

“It’s in a deep hibernation, but it could return at some point. Lymphoma’s a sneaky little devil like that,” Ross said with as much levity as he could muster.

“Then we’ll address that devil if or when it wakes up.”

“I suppose so. Tell Paul I’ll see him in D.C. soon.”

[snip]

“He’s an art instructor who has worked on several projects, so patrons of the arts will like him,” went one staffer.

“He could shore up some celebrity endorsements,” another agreed.

“Yeah, and he’s always sort of had this subtle Christian bite to him that could really appeal to religious voters. Ending every episode of his show with ‘God Bless,’ and all that. We could play that up in some state and some areas,” noted the deputy communications director.

“But he’s not religious to the point of it being that in-your-face kind. He’s more like a Europe-style Christian Democrat than a fire-and-brimstone Dentonite evangelical. Okay, go for it,” the communications director approved the deputy’s idea.

Another listed additional positives. “Strong record on environmental protection, he implemented successful mental health programs while Governor, he being a cancer survivor could help, and just look at the technet talks.” Turning his monitor around, she continued. “Even members of Republican-leaning netsites are expressing interest in Ross joining the ticket. His strong support for veterans and his time in the Air Force is a big part of that – he even saw some action in the Cuba War, for Pete’s sake! That could appeal to those in the party pushing for us to pick Jones to stop the anti-military claims.”

“Alright, alright, alright,” the Chief of Staff to the Vice President finally yielded. “I’ll meet with Bob one more time.”

. . .

Less than a week before the DNC, after Ross finally won over Wellstone’s close confidant with a meeting in which the former Governor demonstrated the kind of “engaging energy” that the VP’s Chief of Staff was looking for, the selection was finalized. “It may be a repeat of ’72, where the ticket was of a Minnesota/Alaska composition, but, hey, that ticket did win, and the VP won’t be a troublemaker this time, either.”

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



VP PICKS PAINTER! Bob Ross To Be Wellstone’s Running Mate!

Above: Bob Ross violating safety procedures by holding a snake while serving as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, June 2004

– The New York Post, 7/15/2008



“We have to work together to keep our country fair, to continue to seek out success, to better protect our planet, and to better ourselves, our fellow Americans, and our fellow human being everywhere. We can better ourselves and our country by holding our most successful and wealthiest citizens accountable for their impactful actions. We can improve our own lives as well as the lives of our families, friends, neighbors and fellow countrymen, and even better lives in other countries if we continue to fight against inequality, poverty, bigotry and corruption. That is the legacy we want to give to our children, that is the quality of life we want for America. The past eight years have seen vast improvement in America’s standard of living, but there is still more to do, there are still more people to help. So let’s keep helping those who need help and improving America’s standards was we enter the 2010s.”

– Paul Wellstone at the 2008 DNC, 7/20/2008



“All The Way With Wellstone,” “Everyone Matters,” “Actions Matter,” “Wellstone For The Win”

– Wellstone/Ross’08 slogans, first used at the 2008 DNC, 7/18-21/2008



…The biggest amendment to Snowe’s platform, however, was the inclusion of a variation of Gary Johnson’s FairTax proposal. The proposal single tax rate would streamline the tax system in regards to collecting by replacing all federal income taxes with a single consumption tax (the platform plank carefully worded it as replacing “all or nearly-all”). The additional proposed elimination of the IRS was also controversial, even among some Republicans. Snowe herself was not a fan of the FairTax proposal, but understood that, as a key part of Gary Johnson’s campaign, its addition to her own campaign was necessary to win over the party’s growing libertarian base. “It seems that for each and every year the Democrats control the government, we get more and more Republicans calling for us to not even have a government,” Snowe reportedly observed. Nevertheless, the RNC adopted the FairTax as an official position, albeit a watered down version the proposal that Johnson had campaigned on. Most noticeably, the party platform’s FairTax plank only called for an “extensive audit” of the IRS, instead of it being abolished entirely.

Additionally, in order to try and placate populists and social conservatives, stern rhetoric calling for “respect for traditional values” was included in the acceptance speeches of Snowe and Johnson. The effort was not as successful as they had hoped it would be…

– Jackie Halperin’s Whiplash: The Rise of Snowe, HarperCollins Publishers, 2008

[pic: imgur.com/NLABdu0.png ]

– Former Governor Gary Earl Johnson (R-NM) accepting the GOP nomination for Vice President of the United States at the 2008 Republican National Convention, 7/27/2008



“The American story is about overcoming adversity and celebrating diversity. It cannot be changed by revisionists and it cannot be revisited by those who seek to benefit being so backward… The American spirit is stronger than stone and mortar, tougher than steel and glass, and more enduring than any pain or suffering that can be inflicted on our national conscience. …America is stronger than hatred and violence, it is stronger than resentment and bigotry. The American spirit is strong because the American people are strong, because the American people can overcome problems easier when they work together.” [1]

– Olympia Snowe at the 2008 RNC (7/26-29/2008), 7/28/2008



“Americans are not comfortable with immigrants, and yet they keep showing up! No more immigration would mean higher wages for local-based workers. But did Senator Snowe address this? Nope! She only discussed something about ‘moving forward as a nation and party,’ or something. I think she tried to throw a bone for former backers of Tancredo and Gritz, people like me, by mentioning ‘our national conscience.’ I think the talking heads on TV yammering about how it was a jab at racism are wrong. I think it was a jab at President Jackson’s corruption. But you know what? It’s not enough for me. I honestly cannot get behind this ticket. I like Johnson, but Snowe is too soft on, well, much pretty much everything. I think I might just write-in Gritz or Goetz of Tancredo for President, and maybe Johnson for VP”

– US Rep. Jefferson Bingham Miller (R-FL’s District 1), 7/29/2008



"Neither Beltway party is going drain this swamp, because to them it is not a swamp at all, but a projected wetland and their natural habitat."

– political activist Pat Buchanan, 7/30/2008 [2]



BERNIE GOETZ ANNOUNCES THIRD-PARTY WHITE HOUSE BID!

…“Dramatic actions require dramatic reactions. …Snowe and Wellstone are two sides of the same coin. I will be a real choice for real Americans!”…

– The New York Times, 7/31/2008



RUSSIA CUTS OFF OIL SUPPLIES TO POLAND AMID ENERGY DISPUTE

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 1/8/2008



HOST: “With only three months to go until the election, former Senator and 2004 Republican nominee Bernie Goetz’s entry has shaken up the race, with polls already showing that he is siphoning votes away from the Snowe/Johnson ticket.”

GUEST 1: “Yes, and this should be very concerning for both major parties, because, while he very likely will not win any states, he could be a spoiler in many close states. His candidacy appeals to a certain group of voters of certain voter blocs that can be found in both parties. Conservative Democrats, former Gritz supporters, and many populist and populist-leaning people.”

HOST: “How well do you think we will do among religious voters?”

GUEST 2: “He performed very well four years ago, uh, when he drummed up strong support from the evangelical and socially conservative voting blocs. So the real question is, the question really should be, ‘How many within those groups are Republican Party loyalists, and how many will bolt for Goetz?’”

– NBC roundtable discussion, 8/2/2008 broadcast



GOETZ PICKS EX-REP. BEV KILMER FOR RUNNING MATE

…Beverly J. “Bev” Kilmer, age 57, ran a chain of hairdresser shops across northern Florida before serving in the state House from 1998 to 2000, and in the US House 2001 to 2007, representing Florida’s Second District. In 2006, she challenged incumbent Republican Toni Jennings for governor by running to her right, but lost with only 40% of the vote in the GOP gubernatorial primary. However, her strong showing and debate skills exceeded expectations, and has since been a frequent guest on conservative radio programs…

– The Orlando Sentinel, 8/5/2008



IMPRESSIVE OPENING CREMONY STARTS BERLIN OLYMPICS

…the 2008 Summer Olympic Games began in Berlin, Germany today with an opening ceremony that centered on the themes of peace and universal brotherhood…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 8/8/2008



SPEAKER MCMASTER INSTRUCTS HOUSE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL HEARINGS ON JACKSON’S SARS RESPONSE

– The Washington Post, 8/10/2008



GOETZ RUSHES TO QUALIFY FOR STATE BALLOTS

…The former Senator has already missed the ballot deadline in seven states and may not qualify in time to appear on 12 additional state ballots. His best-case scenario at this point is obtaining enough signatures for approval in said 12 states, and successfully appeal to a state court in two additional states that are challenging his ballot presence, in order to appear on the ballot in 45 states. His worst case scenario is failing to appear on any more than the 28 state ballots to which he has been added. Either way, Goetz and his new political party – the Boulder Party, named after the city of Boulder, Colorado, the site of his campaign's headquarters, and “because we’re going to be like a mighty, thunderous boulder aiming right toward the establishment elites,” as Goetz has put it – will have access to a total of no less than 289 electoral votes...

– The Denver Post, 8/11/2008



“No, actually, I don’t think any bad things can come from a third option. A binary political system and partisan politics between Republicans and Democrats and the liberal, moderate and conservative factions within are tearin’ this country apart. The people are sick of it. In the words of our first President, General George Washington, ‘The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissention, is itself a frightful despotism.’ He actually said that, and it’s gotten even worse in the nearly 200 years that have passed since he said that.”

– Businessman and former Governor H. Ross Perot Sr. (I-TX), Bernie Goetz surrogate, KNN interview, 8/13/2008



B.R.A.C. COMISSION CLOSES 50 MORE MILITARY BASES

…In the largest wave of military base closures seen since the end of the Cold War, President Jackson has successfully ordered the closing of forty military bases and installations both domestically and abroad. The process was performed through the Base Realignment and Closure process, a federal government commission meant to improve Defense Department efficiency. Since BARC’s conception in 1990, over 500 military bases and testing grounds have been shut down, at least 1,200 military projects of varying scale and expense have been cancelled, through a series of rounds, with this latest cutting of military waste and redundancy being the seventh (after previous BARC rounds occurred in 1990, 1992, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005)...

– The Boston Globe, 8/15/2008



BO GRITZ BACKS GOETZ, CLAIMS WELLSTONE’S M.S. MAKES HIM “UNFIT TO SERVE”

…In a rambling endorsement at a Goetz/Kilmer rally in St. Louis, Missouri, Senator Gritz said with his deep, booming voice that “Wellstone has got a nerve-damaging disease inside him. This means that he could have a health crisis at any moment – in the middle of a major crisis, in the middle of some foreign policy snafu of his own creation, or in the middle of another Hurricane Katrina, and we’d end up with Acting President Bob Ross, and then a succession crisis, and then chaos and anarchy.” Goetz continued with offensive and insensitive language, alleging that “If this was the Army, Wellstone’s signing up for the Green Berets, and all he can do is have a desk job, but he wants to lead the charge on the battle field when he just can’t. Because the fact remains that the man will be a cripple with double vision any day now. He is physically unfit to serve as President. He cannot carry out this particular duty.”…

[snip]

Comments Section:

Comment 1:
Bo, you’re almost 70 and you look like you already had a stroke. Stop being such a hypocrite!

Reply 1 to Comment 1:
Yeah, and since Bo brought up mental health, didn’t Grits try to kill himself back in the 1990s? Hypocrite indeed!

Reply 1 to Reply 1 to Comment 1:
Allegedly. It was after his wife separated from him over his Wide-Awakes activism and he was apparently pretty depressed about it. He went to the hospital for a gunshot wound to the foot. He claimed it was a gun-cleaning accident, but some claim he tried to shoot himself but somehow screwed it up.

Comment 2:
Couldn’t he have just, you know, not referred to MS victims as cripples and instead just say why we should vote for Goetz? This shouldn’t be so difficult.

– usarightnow.co.usa, 8/21/2008



GALLUP: Voting Behavior Expected To Be “Atypical” This Fall

…according to Gallup Polling, registered voters recently polled demonstrated a sense of ambivalence in regards to party loyal, especially among registered Republicans polled, who were less willing to say that they would vote for their own party than registered Democrats polled

– The New York Times, side article, 8/24/2008



SNOWE COMES TO FLORIDA!

…the Republican nominee is touring key cities in the Sunshine State in the hopes of keeping Florida – a consistently Republican state with a substantial number of votes in the Electoral College – from voting Democrat via a split in the Republican vote. Third-party candidate Bernie Goetz’s running mate is Bev Kilmer, a fairly-popular conservative Congressperson-turned-activist from northern Florida, and polls show that Goetz’s presence in the race in narrowing the gap between Wellstone and Snowe in the Sunshine State…

– The New York Post, 8/27/2008



IRELAND’S TAX LOOPHOLES CHALLENGED IN COURT

– currentaffairs.co.uk, 30/8/2008

[pic: imgur.com/TyB3Hxn.png ]

– Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States and former Governor Gary Earl Johnson of New Mexico making a face during a TV interview for KNN, 9/1/2008; the image inevitably became a popular “reaction” lafpic for the next year or so



GRONKIEWICZ-WALTZ IN MOSCOW TODAY TO NEGOTIATE END TO OIL DISPUTE

– The Dziennik Zachodni (The Western Daily), Polish newspaper, 9/2/2008



...After another rally, this time in Hope, Arkansas, Goetz met once more with his inner circle and his closest supporters. Congresspersons Craig T. James (R-FL), Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), and Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) all playing a part in drumming up support for Goetz in the Sunshine State. Brown-Waite, a spunky and wild-eyed conservative, was confident that the Boulder Ticket would (somehow) win, explaining to Goetz's campaign manager, Jet Wilders, that she had seen a "message from God" in her scrambled eggs [3] the day before Bernie announced his candidacy, informing her that a "true champion of the people" would emerge victorious in November...

– Richard Ben Cramer’s What It Takes: Roads to The White House, Sunrise Publications, 2011 edition



GOP PRIMARY RESULTS: Rodham-Clinton Beat Ramsey

…After failing to win the Republican nomination for President, two-term incumbent US Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton launch a late entry into this race, to the detriment of first-term US Congressman Dave Ramsey, who was vying to succeed Rodham-Clinton. However, US Senator “HRC” won the GOP nomination by a margin of only 3%, suggesting that her White House aspirations have damaged her popularity in The Volunteer State…

– The Chattanooga Times Free Press, 9/9/2008



“My friend Bo, uh, US Senator Gritz, he may have said a few things that were rough, but definitely not wrong. He was right in pointing out Wellstone’s health. Multiple sclerosis is a disease that goes after and eats away at nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, which messes up your nervous system’s ability to transmit signals to other parts of the body. That can cause mental and even psychiatric issues. Wellstone as president would mean having a potentially mentally unstable head of state. Bo had every right to call him out on running for President while being inflicted with something so horrible and potentially incapacitating.”

– Bernie Goetz (B-CO), 9/12/2008



I HEARD SNOWE IS WORKING WITH KNN TO KEEP GOETZ OUT OF THE DEBATES

I heard that, because Olympia can’t bribe the FEC into keeping Goetz out of the debates, she is working with her fellow elitists, the wealthy Kennedy political dynasty, and their connections in KNN, to omit Goetz’s name from polls. The True Voice of America can’t do well enough in the polls to qualify if he isn’t included on the polls at all/in the first place! Does anyone know if this is a legitimate thing I’ve heard? Or is this just some sick elitist rumor I’ve heard?

– grapevine.co.usa, a public news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 9/14/2008 posting



OIL PIPELINE STANDOFF ENDS, CLEARING WAY FOR ACCORD!

– The Dziennik Zachodni (The Western Daily), Polish newspaper, 9/16/2008



“Two truths are all too often overshadowed in today’s political discourse: public service is a most honorable pursuit, and so is bipartisanship. …My concept of government’s role in People’s lives is that it is limited but legitimate, and essential when people have nowhere else to turn.” [4]

– Olympia Snowe campaigning with longtime US Congressman Scott McCallum (R-WI) in Kenosha, WI, 9/19/2008



OZAWA LEADS OPPOSITION TO VICTORY! Will Become First PM Not From LDP In 13 Years!

…Taro Aso failed to keep hold of the LDP’s majority in the Diet in tonight’s national general election. …Ichiro Ozawa of the Centrist Coalition has obtained a plurality of the vote and has announced that he will form a coalition government with the Social Democrats, led by Mizuho Fukushima...

– The Asahi Shimbun, Japanese newspaper, 9/21/2008



...Support for the perpetually-dominant LDP had been dropping ever since Shintaro Ishihara had split from the party to form the Red Sun coalition in 2003, causing many isolationists, populists, nationalists, and conservatives to slowly bleed away from the party’s ranks. The scandals of the Hashimoto administration complicated matters; while initially commended for issuing a nationwide freeze on wages and prices during the SARS pandemic, Hashimoto was blamed for the slight economic hiccup that came in the aftermath of its removal in 2005. Despite this, Jackson had supported Hashimoto up until his Japanese counterpart left office in early 2008 over declining health... Upon Ozawa’s victory being confirmed, Jackson congratulated him via phone call…

– Walter LaFeber’s The Sun And The Eagle: US-Japanese Relations In The Post-Cold War Era, 2019 edition



…Many Japanese pundits predicted that this would be the start of a new political party system, as the ascendant Centrist Coalition, Red Sun Coalition, and Social Democratic Parties were all much more ideologically consistent than the big-tent LDP. In an interview for Shuman Gendai magazine, former PM Junichiro Koizumi confessed that this was a major issue for the dominant party, saying “The party leaders are in crisis mode at the moment, and I think the problem, the reason why we lost despite the economy improving, is that we are too disorganized, and it shows. It is embarrassing. I think we have lost our roots. We are at this point several parties disguised as one and I think we need to look back to how we were in previous years to see how we can fix the LDP.” The problem with the LDP’s wide range of supporters was on full display back in 2007, when a proposed monthly allowance for families with children failed to pass in the Diet over conservative LDP members objecting the proposed law’s details. Japan’s governing party was indeed in “crisis mode.”

Meanwhile, the yakuza syndicates continued to lay relatively low. The 8/22/1998 Shinjuku Shootout and their mediocre response to the 2002 SARS pandemic during their attempted “comeback” under PM Ishihara had done a real number of their popularity at home, and so most syndicates were focusing primarily on investing in the troves of human misery that could be found oversees in various minor third-world countries, with the power of the technet only easing their scamming operations and market connecting endeavors…

– Alec Dubro and David E. Kaplan’s Yakuza: Japan’s Criminal Underworld, University of California Press, 2013 edition



GOETZ’S POSSIBLE PATH TO THE PRESIDENCY, EXPLAINED

…Goetz is currently set to appear on the ballot in 41 states, which may be enough to win the election outright hypothetically, but not realistically. What seems more likely to occur in the event that he wins is him winning enough states to deadlock the Electoral College. Needing both candidates to do poorly would account for Goetz attacking Wellstone as well as Snowe, because Goetz winning any states may not matter if the election is a landslide victory for either Wellstone or Snowe. If the election is narrow enough, Goetz could play kingmaker. Acknowledging that it is very unlikely that he would be selected as a “compromise” candidate for President due to his polarizing campaign, Goetz may be trying to deadlock the Electoral College so he can pressure either Snowe or Wellstone into agree to certain populist measures in exchange for Goetz throwing his support to them ahead of a House Contingency election…

…However, Goetz has repeatedly publicly stated that he is running “to win outright.” If this sentiment is sincere, than he may be even less successful. Despite the fact that all the states for which Goetz has failed to qualify are electorally low or highly favorable to Wellstone, the former Senator has repeatedly expressed a belief that he could win enough states to scrape by the 273 threshold. Unfortunately for Goetz, this is a very tall order. His performance in the debates – that is, if he qualifies to participate in them – may supply the boost his candidacy needs to obtain 273. But the odds are still highly against him on this...

– tumbleweedmagazine.co.usa, 9/23/2008 e-article



WHAT TO SAVE, SPEND, AND TAX: An Analysis Of The Snowe, Wellstone And Goetz Budget Proposals

…While Wellston advocates for an overwhelming government bureaucracy and Goetz favors dismantling several safety nets in the name of individual independence, Snowe offers a middle lane between the two extremes, calling for state responsibility while nevertheless approving of seemingly most federal welfare programs…

– The Wall Street Journal, 9/24/2008

– President Jesse Jackson Sr. on the campaign trail, stumping for VP Paul Wellstone in Raleigh, North Carolina, 9/29/2008



“This latest round of GOP-led House investigations into SARS has found nothing. If anything, these clearly politically motivated public displays of testimonies are not damaging Wellstone’s election odds, but are instead reminding Americans of how well President Jackson handled the virus. The investigations could very ironically hand the election over to the VP!”

– Professor and political analyst Janice R. Fine, NBC News guest spot, 10/1/2008



…However, there may be merit to Wellstone’s calls to use tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans in order to avoid making a deficit and possibly increasing the national surplus without reducing social programs. In a speech he made at Fayetteville, North Carolina, VP Wellstone continued on, saying “higher corporate taxation rates will create the incentive that big businesses need to spend earnings and expand, creating more jobs and such that can be deductible from their taxable earnings. This in turn would drive wealth reported into a lower tax bracket. In short, with a high tax on the wealthiest Americans, major companies would have to spend their money on their own businesses if they don’t want the government to take most of it.”…

– Newsweek, early October 2008 issue



GOETZ QUALIFIES FOR PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES!

…the populist third-party candidate is currently polling at an average of 13.9%. The FEC set the threshold of 10% for debate participation back in the 1990s, after there was discussions over why independent candidate Glen Bell had been allowed to participate in the 1988 Presidential debates…

– The Chicago Tribune, 10/3/2008



WORKING CLASS SUBURBANITES TORN OVER CANDIDATES

…there are partisan splits among several demographics, especially among different age groups, genders, and education levels….

– Gallup polling report, 10/5/2008



WELLSTONE: “I will defend this country. If defending this country military is ever needed, and it is clear that the time for peace and negotiations has passed, I will use the military. But I will use the military wisely. I will look at the situation closely and listen to multiple perspectives and ideas to determine the best course of action.”

GOETZ: “A Commander-in-Chief can’t just sit around listening to advisors while things go to, uh, go to crisis levels elsewhere. A leader has to lead, and the American President has to be able to know immediately, without hesitating, exactly know to do should war ever reach our shores. I served on several military and foreign affairs –related committees during my time in the Senate. So I know how to lead.”

SNOWE: “Bernie, diving headfirst into a pool before checking to see if there’s any water in it is not a sound foreign policy philosophy. You have to analyze the situation before you make that call.”

[snip]

MODERATOR: “With the rise of technology utilization, especially during and after the SARS pandemic, many employees such as bank tellers and car assembly line workers are being replaced with computers and machinery. What should be done about these newly laid off workers as the country continues its national shift away from traditional occupations?”

WELLSTONE: “I think have to do more for them. No American should go without the essentials needed to not just survive but to live well. These workers cannot be forgotten or ignored. They have to be retrained. The Federal Jobs Guarantee Program needs to be amended for more on-the-job training initiatives, and also, the federal government has to hold businesses who outsource accountable because they also are contributing to the rising employment predicament.”

SNOWE: “As President, I would approach the job issue by working with governors and businesses to set up training programs for all who need them, and thus hold the state governments accountable for statewide job programs.”

Goetz: “Two ways to cut down the unemployment rate in this country is to curb the immigration quotas and to persecute businesses capitalizing on cheap foreign labor or even illegal aliens living here among us. …As President, I would hunt down outsourcing businesses and go after them over things like labor abuse, illegal employees, and wage theft, because if you don’t buy, sell, hire, work or even rent American, then you are un-American.”

– Snippets from the First Wellstone-Snowe-Goetz Presidential Debate in Columbia Heights, PO, 10/7/2008



…According to Snowe’s former field operator, when the Maine Senator learned of Wellstone’s running mate selection, she expressed that her campaign as made their announcement first. “Had we known they were going to pick him, we would have gone with Hillyard.” Indeed, US Senator Lyle W. Hillyard of Utah, who was almost chosen for the position in July, was considered one of the “hearts” of the GOP Senate and would have been able to combat Ross’s ability to comfort and reassure people on the campaign stump. However, Johnson was chosen because he had much more name recognition, his pick was thought to increase the chances of uniting the party, and he had fared better in hypothetical VP-pick polling. A Hillyard-Ross debate would have been a sympathy contest, with each man trying to jerk out more tears and feelings of inspiration. But instead, on October 12, we got the Ross vs. Johnson debate…

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



ROSS “While we both share a great deal of passion for Mother Nature and our country’s natural resources, we differ greatly on how to approach protecting them. Now, Gary here wants to take a hands-off approach and hope that all businesses nice play. I wish I could think, that but I can’t. I can’t because I saw firsthand how government deregulation can hurt Mother Nature. In 1986, the Chevron Oil Spill hit southern Alaska. I was one of several hundred people who pitched in to clean up the site. That oil got on more than just the rocks. Birds were caked in black, killed fish washed up onto the shoreline. It was heartbreaking. It was not mistake, or a happy little accident – it was a disaster. And the worst thing of it was that the folks at Chevron refused to take responsibility for any of it. And the Governor at the time believed in small government, and that only worsened the problem. And the thing of it is, though, is that the whole disaster was completely avoidable, if proper procedure had been followed in the first place, and – ”

*Buzzer*

MODERATOR: “Sorry, Director Ross, that’s your 30 seconds. Governor Johnson, same question – ”

JOHNSON: “Well first I’d like to respond to what Bob said, alright? Bob, I do support environmental protection, but to ask the federal government to be in charge of things won’t help post-disaster cleanups. It would instead weigh the federal system down with excessive bureaucracy and delay the response. For example, we right now have several cabinet posts and cabinet level posts that perform slight variations of the same jobs during and right after a natural disaster like a Hurricane – the EPA, ODERCA, the National Guard, the NWS, the HHS Department, and the Community Development Department. They all descended upon Katrina three years ago, when that Hurricane sit Florida and Louisiana, and while lives were saved, the city of New Orleans is still cleaning itself up because of all the red tape. Every building down there is inspected at least once by at least five different agencies, slowing down progress. Local, county, state and federal offices bickered incessantly over building zones and which agencies were in charge of what. A more innovation-friendly administration would cut back not on necessary intervention but on the red tape that currently comes with it.”

[snip]

JOHNSON: “The country’s internal divisions are out in the open and as a result, this election has shown that unlike in the regimes we have confronted overseas in past years, everyone in this country has the freedom to state whatever their opinion is, no matter how right or wrong it is!”

[snip]

ROSS: “Libertarian lite is not friendly enough for most Americans. It is too tribalist, encouraging people to only look out for themselves. That is too negative for America. An economy where everyone is on their own is not going to lead to a prosperous America because it does not encourage the fundamental value of lending a helping hand when you can – a value that I am happy too Americans hold dear for minimalist governing to work. I have met with millions of Americans over the years as a military man, as an instructor, as a governor, and as the EPA Director, and I know for a fact that nobody is alone in this country. We all rely on each other, for food, for shelter, for education, and for joy. We all need each other. And a Wellstone administration will celebrate and encourage that, not with an unsympathetic small government, but with a helping-hand government. A Wellstone administration will help lift people up and give them an education and a chance to work, to prove themselves and do right by their families and their Maker. A Wellstone administration will be an administration of smarts and of love.”

– Snippets from the Ross-Johnson Vice-Presidential Debate in Phoenix, AZ, 10/12/2008



…With the moderator Tim Russert (b. 1950) closely watching time limits and interruptions to keep the second debate both on schedule and polite, Snowe and Wellstone sought to avoid personal attacks, while Goetz tried simply to make the quickest snide remarks he could.

Snowe sought to keep focus on the key issues of her campaign, such as maintaining and strengthening the improving economy, reducing corporate and income tax, and reducing crime. She also called for a curbing of government spending in order to “respect the dollars of the taxpayers.”

Goetz took the opportunity to oppose tariffs, asking “Does free trade have conditions? Yes? Then how is it free trade?” Goetz also proposed a heavy taxation of businesses that performed outsourcing practices for a majority of their payroll, and reiterated how he would “never, never, ever hesitate to defend” the US military.

Wellstone urged that “we need to focus on the middle and lower classes. Since the 1970s, the middle class has shrunk significantly due to Republican tax laws passed under President Jeremiah Denton.” While he and Snowe discussed the details of fiscal responsibility, Goetz appealed to social conservatives and members of “the social fringe” with dubious claims that Wellstone would raise taxes on “whites and gentiles only,” a comment that led to even the moderator suggested he should “behave” himself. Russert also added, “If you do not agree with the Vice President’s tax proposal, then tell us yours.”

“He, uh, his proposal would be terrible,” Goetz stated.

“Alright, so what would you propose?” Russert repeated the question.

Goetz stumbled, “I wouldn’t propose what Wellstone is proposing.”

[snip]

Wellstone expressed a strong support for education, explaining that “brainpower does not discriminate by color, gender, faith or background.” The VP also voiced support for the National Initiative Amendment after Goetz directly asked him, “If you win the Presidency but Republicans gain control of congress, would you rely on bipartisanship and compromise to get things done, or use executive orders and the NIA to push your agenda through?”

Wellstone replied with “I’d try all avenues if it is what the people want. I don’t see what you have against the NIA, though. The people of this country, not special interest big money, should be the source of all political power [5] in this country, and the NIA helps that idea along. I have faith and trust in the American people. They are smart enough to make their own decisions. Do you not agree with that assessment?”

[snip]

Wellstone was considered the winner of the debate by Republicans, Democrats and even many Goetzites, who saw their candidate take a significant hit in the polls in the aftermath of the “gentiles only” gaffe – though not a blow big enough to disqualify him from the third and final debate…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



“Bob Ross’s afro gets bigger every year, it’s like the oppose of Jesse Jackson’s afro. ...But seriously, I'm backing Wellstone in this election because for eight years that man served under a Black man, and never once did he try to undermine him or play into stereotypes about him. That's loyalty. But Wellstone's also shown he's got what it takes to run the show now. ...I'm voting for Wellstone and I want everyone here to go out and vote in this election. Don't just say you're gonna vote, go and actually vote.”

– Chris Rock, 10/19/2008



WELLSTONE: “There are three vital aspects of our society that must be protected and maintained – education, healthcare and employment. We can reduce poverty, stabilize the shrinking middle class, lower crime, and increase the people’s participation in the democratic process if we focus on those three things.”

GOETZ: “Right now, America’s business tax is the third-highest in the world at 55%. Ireland, on the other hand, makes businesses in Ireland pay just 10%. Any business capable of moving overseas does so in order to afford larger staff sizes, improve their cash flow and make more investments. I want to cut the business tax in order to keep American businesses here in America, and let management and workers come to an understanding that does not involve the feds pressing their hand down on the other side of the scale to make things difficult for everyone who is not a member of the coastal elite.”

WELLSTONE: “Bernie, that makes no sense. The tax rate in the US in 1960 was 91%. If anything, the rate needs to be brought up to a higher rate.”

[snip]

WELLSTONE: “Too many loopholes were introduced under Presidents Dinger and Iacocca, as so President Jackson had to close those loopholes so billionaires would pay their fair share, the same billionaires who are backing your campaign, Bernie. You would cut the taxes and reinstate the loopholes so we go back to the lowest rates, back to when our economic class differences were even greater.”

[snip]

SNOWE: “…And, finally, to answer the question, yes, as President, I would cut down on wasteful spending.”

WELLSTONE: “Uh, may I say something?”

MODERATOR: “Thirty seconds.”

WELLSTONE: “While I agree in addressing wasteful spending, I want to get it clarified, you believe that social welfare programs are anything but wasteful, right, Olympia?”

SNOWE: “Yes, but we still have to be responsible stewards of the surplus.” [1]

[snip]

SNOWE: “We recognized in 2002 that, with progress in the field of genetics accelerating at a breathtaking pace, we need to ensure that advances in treatment and prevention of disease do not constitute a new basis or discrimination... People will have trouble keeping a job, or even getting a job if their genetic information gets to an insurer, a potential employer or even an employer.” [1]

– Snippets from the Third Wellstone-Snowe-Goetz Presidential Debate in Raleigh, NC, 10/22/2008



POLLING: SNOWE CONSIDERED THE WINNER OF LAST NIGHT’S DEBATE

…in light of multiple comments, survey and polls found on the most popular technet chat sites, it is safe to say that a majority of Americans believe that Senator Snowe did better than Vice President Wellstone last night, in 2008’s third and final Presidential debate, albeit slightly better overall…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 10/27/2008 e-article



…Aggregate polling still shows that the race is still very close. And with less than a week to go, all three major candidates are in the home stretch, and are crisscrossing the country trying to get votes. We now take you live to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which is the site of the Vice President’s latest campaign stop…

– CBS Evening News, 10/30/2008

[a] appeared as the “Strength” Party on three state ballots

[snip]

Tickets:
Paul Wellstone (MN) / Bob Ross (AS) (Democratic) – 66,991,423 (43.71%)
Olympia Snowe (ME) / Gary Johnson (NM) (Republican) – 67,865,024 (44.28%)
Bernie Goetz (CA) / Beverly J. Kilmer (VA) (Boulder) – 17,211,477 (11.23%)
Terry Bouricius (VT) / Nancy Barnett (NY) (Liberty Union) – 689,685 (0.45%)
Jello Biafra (CA) / Harley Mikkelson (MI) (Natural Mind) – 199,242 (0.13%)
Katherine “Kat” Swift (TX) / Jared Ball (MD) (Green) – 122,611 (0.08%)
Roger Lee Wrights (TX) / Carl E. Person (NY) (Liberty) – 107,284 (0.07%)
All other votes – 76,632 (0.05%)
Total Votes – 153,263,378 (100%)

[snip]

Goetz did very well for a third-party candidate, reaching double digits nationally, coming in second place in West Virginia, Alabama and Florida, and winning the states of Idaho and Montana, possibly due to him being endorsed by populist politicians from those states such as Governor Denny Rehberg (R-MT), US Senator Bo Gritz (R-ID), Governor Harley Davidson Brown (R-ID) and US Senator Helen Chenoweth (R-ID).

Another fairly prominent third-party ticket, in regards to media attention, was the Liberty Union ticket of political consultant Terry Bouricius (the former 2000 and 2004 Presidential campaign manager of US Senator Peter I. Diamondstone (LU-VT)) of Vermont and former party chairperson Nancy Barnett of New York. However, the ticket only received ballot access in states worth a total of 278 Electoral Votes and ultimately received less than 0.5% of the popular vote.

[snip]

The election was unique in that several states were won by less than a 5% margin, and roughly half of the states were won by a plurality. For example, the consistently Democratic-voting state of Vermont was much closer than typical due to the Liberty Union ticket siphoning 7% of the state’s total popular vote away from the Wellstone campaign. In fact, support for the Democratic party deflated in most of New England, where won Snowe won Connecticut, New Hampshire, and her home state of Maine. ...While Goetz's candidacy pulled conservative, religious, and populist voters (but not libertarian votes) away from Snowe, Snowe's centrist candidacy pulled certain voters (high-income white collar workers, white voters, college-educated voters, suburban women, etc.) away from Wellstone's progressive candidacy, resulting in a rare case of the winner of the Electoral College not being the winner of the popular vote...

[snip]

Wellstone had succeeded where incumbent Vice Presidents John C. Breckinridge, Richard Nixon, and William Scranton had all failed – he became the first sitting Vice President to become President through election instead of ascension since Martin Van Buren was elected President 172 years prior, in 1836...

– clickopedia.co.usa



November United States Senate election results, 2008
Date: November 4, 2008

Seats: 35 of 104
Seats needed for majority: 53

New Senate majority leader: Gary Locke (D-WA)
New Senate minority leader: Webb Franklin (R-MS)

Seats before election: 57 (D), 46 (R), 1 (I)
Seats after election: 56 (D), 47 (R), 1 (I)
Seat change: D v 1, R ^ 1, I - 0

Full List:

Alabama: Spencer Bachus III (R) over Vivian D. Figures (D); incumbent Albert Lee Smith Jr. (R) retired

Alaska: Kevin Meyer (R) over Ray Metcalfe (D); incumbent Jalmar “Jay” Kerttula (R) retired

Arkansas: incumbent Jim Guy Tucker (D) over Rebekah Kennedy (Green)

Colorado: Langhorne “Lang” Sias (R) over incumbent Josie Heath (D) and Donna Primavera (Green)

Delaware: incumbent Marjorie “Midge” Osterlund (D) over Christine O’Donnell (R)

Georgia: incumbent Bob Barr (R) over Vernon Jones (D)

Idaho: incumbent Helen Chenoweth (R) over Dave Sneddon (D)

Illinois: Kwame Raoul (D) over Anthony R. “Andy” Martin-Trigona (R); incumbent Jim Edgar (R) retired

Iowa: incumbent Terry Branstad (R) over Daryl Beall (D)

Kansas: incumbent Carla J. Stovall (R) over Nancy Boyda (D)

Kentucky: incumbent Martha Layne Osborne (D) over Daniel Essek (R)

Louisiana: incumbent Clyde Cecil Holloway (R) over Richard Phillip Ieyoub Sr. (D)

Maine: incumbent Angus King (I) over Tom Ledue (D) and Tom Connolly (R)

Massachusetts: incumbent Bill Weld (R) over Edward O’Reilly (D)

Michigan: incumbent Jack R. Lousma (R) over Bart Stupak (D)

Minnesota: Sharon Sayles Belton (D) over Jack Shepard (R)

Mississippi: incumbent Grady F. “Gray” Tollison (R) over Bootie Hunt (D)

Montana: incumbent Larry Williams (R) over Robert Kelleher (D)

Nebraska: incumbent Orrin Hatch (R) over Scott Kleeb (D)

New Hampshire: Kelley Ashby (R) over incumbent Beverly Hollingworth (D)

New Jersey: incumbent Mary V. Mochary (R) over Donald Cresitello (D) and Gregory “Greg” Pason (Socialist)

New Mexico: incumbent Roberto Mondragon (D) over Heather Wilson (R)

North Carolina: Margaret A. “Meg” Ryan (R) over incumbent Daniel Terry Blue Jr. (D)

Oklahoma: incumbent Steve Largent (R) over Jim Rogers (D)

Oregon: Jefferson Smith (D) over Gordon Smith (R); incumbent Norma Paulus (R) retired

Potomac: incumbent David Schwartzman (D) over Carol Schwartz (R)

Puerto Rico: incumbent Norma Burgos (R) over Jorge Santini (D)

Rhode Island: incumbent Elizabeth H. Roberts (D) over Robert Tingle (R)

South Carolina: incumbent Mark Sanford (R) over Michael Cone (D)

South Dakota: SuAnne Big Crow (R) over Scott Heidepriem (D); incumbent Larry Pressler (R) retired

Tennessee: incumbent Hillary Rodham-Clinton (R) over Bob Tuke (D)

Texas: Mac Thornberry (R) over Ahmad Hassan (D), Sylvia Garcia (LRU), and Tina Villanueva (I); incumbent Kay Bailey Hutchison (R)

Virginia: incumbent George Allen (R) over Tim Kaine (D)

West Virginia: Nick Rahall (R) over Sheirl Fletcher (D); incumbent Jon McBride (R) retired

Wyoming: incumbent Barbara Cubin (R) over Chris Rothfuss (D)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



United States House of Representatives results, 2008

Date: November 4, 2008

Seats: All 441
Seats needed for majority: 221

New House majority leader: Barbara B. Kennelly (D-CT)
New House minority leader: H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC)

Last election: 217 (D), 224 (R)
Seats won: 226 (D), 215 (R)
Seat change: D ^ 9, R v 9

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



United States Governor election results, 2008
Date: November 4, 2008

Number of state gubernatorial elections held: 11

Seats before: 32 (D), 20 (R)
Seats after: 30 (D), 22 (R)
Seat change: D v 1, R ^ 1

Full list:

Delaware: John C. Carney Jr. (D) over William Swain Lee (R) and Robert Venables Sr. (Independent Democrat); incumbent Ruth Ann Minner (D) retired

Indiana: Rupert Boneham (R) over incumbent Jill Long Thompson (D)

Missouri: Perry B. Clark (D) over Kenny Hulshof (R); incumbent Cynthia Bowers (D) retired

Montana: incumbent Michael R. Cooney (D) over Rick Hill (R) and Benjamin Garrison (Boulder)

New Hampshire: Sherman Packard (R) over Mark Fernald (D); incumbent Kelley Ashby (R) retired

North Carolina: Fern Shubert (D) over Fred Smith (R); incumbent Jim Hunt (D) was term-limited

North Dakota: Heidi Heitkamp (D) over Tim Mathem (R); incumbent Tracy Potter (D) was term-limited

Puerto Rico: Hector Luis Acevedo (D/PD) over Kenneth McClintock-Hernández (D/NP); incumbent Rocky Versace (R/NP) was term-limited

Utah: Karl Rove (R) over Bob Springmeyer (D); incumbent Enid Greene (R) retired

Vermont: incumbent Deborah L. “Deb” Markowitz (D) over Brian Dubie (R) and Ben Mitchell (Liberty Union)

Washington: incumbent Lisa J. Simpson (D) [6] over Michael George Nelson (R)

West Virginia: David McKinley (R) over Lloyd M. Jackson II (D); incumbent Bob Wise (D) retired

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



ANN COULTER: “This was like reliving the 1988 election for me. For the second time in my life, the Republicans nominated a woman and for the second time, that nominee lost.”

JAN CRAWFORD: “It certainly gives merit to the claim that the Republican Party can’t win on the national level with a liberal nominee.”

ROLLAND SMITH: “But 2004 showed they can’t win with a neo-hippie nominee, either.”

MICHELE MARSH: “Yes, but how many people will remember that in 2012?”

JAN CRAWFORD: “That’s exactly right. The party needs to find a middle lane candidate in four years’ time, someone like the ‘Colonel Conservatives’ of yesteryear.”

ROLLAND SMITH: “I disagree. Olympia won the popular vote; that shows a stronger moderate is needed for 2012 because it’s what Americans and Republicans want.”

– CBS round-table discussion, 11/5/2008 broadcast



DATA SITES REPORT TECHNET SEARCHES FOR “ABOLISH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE” AND “FAITHLESS ELECTORS” HAVE SKYROCKETED

...while all three major Presidential candidates are reportedly flummoxed in different ways by the election results, Snowe supporters are expressing more aggressive reactions, with many calling for the end of the US's current Presidential election process...

– usarightnow.co.usa, 11/6/2008 e-article



…And in political news, ontech calls for the Electoral College to be abolished via the use of the “National Initiative Amendment” have skyrocketed in the past several days, after Vice President Wellstone was elected President despite coming in second place. This has also led to a rise in technetter referring to the President-Elect as “Runner-Up Wellstone”…

– NBC News, 11/9/2008 broadcast



“I think it’s very clear that Snowe lost because her milquetoast brand of crony East Coast LID-elitism could not dupe Republican voters, or undecided voters, or honest, decent, hard-working America-loving Americans.”

– US Senator Bo Gritz (R-ID), 11/11/2008



MALCOLM X: “A certain part of the American population will always support hatred, and embrace darkness instead of letting in light, either due to ignorance, because they mistake change for threat, due to character, because they willingly choose to hate, to conspire, to suspect, to blame others for their own stupidity and misery.”

BERN SANDERS: “I am not so pessimistic, Malcolm. I believe that anyone can change, anyone can be won over. It’s just that it is a very difficult task, one that can’t be solved with a one-size-fits-all solution. Each neo-hippie got to that point in their life for a reason, and we on the progressive side of things have to approach their views with understanding in order to get them to understand our point of view. It’s difficult, very difficult, but not impossible. Especially for those – many of them, in fact, if not most of them – who turned to the neo-hippie brand of populist rhetoric because of their poor economic situations. When you’re hungry, you get angry, and you look for someone to blame it on. If you feed people, they won’t be miserable enough to turn on one another.”

MALCOLM X: “And the ones who are racist because they are just awful people? What about them?”

BERN SANDERS: “Just try to reach them. Just try. Even an attempt to do good is still better than doing nothing.”

– TON roundtable discussion between Bern Sanders, Malcolm X, and moderators, 11/15/2008 broadcast



…And in international news, Russian President Oleg Malyshkin and Polish President Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz today signed a new bilateral trade treaty resolving issues concerning oil and natural gas pipelines…

– BBC1, 22/11/2008 broadcast



IRELAND’S SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF BIG BUSINESS IN TAX LOOPHOLE CASE

…the immediate negative backlash to the ruling to could lead to a left-wing/pro-labor party’s victory in the next Taoiseach election...

– currentaffairs.co.uk, 1/12/2008 e-article



TRUMP: “When our movie came out on December 4th, 2008, it was on all those screens, screens across the country, so many screens, I honestly thought it was one of the greatest works of cinema I’d ever seen.”

WISEAU: “I don’t understand why most couldn’t see that.”

TRUMP: “It was the critics, I tell you. All of them are in bed with Big Cinema, a part of a big movie-industrial complex meant to keep the real, genuine makers of movie magic from inspiring the masses. That’s why we launched a counterattack, starting looking at the demographics that loved our movie.”

WISEAU: “A lot of male college students thought our movie was rad, so we cancelled further theater screens in some places and moved in to set up in theaters near colleges. We also looked into showing the movie on the air with the airing it on cable.”

TRUMP: “That went better than expected. There was a real, uh, what was the word for it – ”

WISEAU: “Polarizing.”

TRUMP: “Yeah, a polar icing of the reviews, with the critics nitpicking it and audiences loving it. We even got a congratulatory phone call from Michael Bay. It was good, so good. So great.”

WISEAU: “I still can’t believe we won a Razzie for Worst Film of 2008.”

TRUMP: “I can’t believe you actually went down to that awards ceremony and accepted it.”

WISEAU: “But it worked. It raised awareness about the movie, didn’t it?”

TRUMP: “Yeah, that is true. It may have been why we were able to break even after a few more months in circulation.”

WISEAU: “Sure, but what really helped was selling the movie to distributors in China. The Chinese ate the movie up!”

TRUMP: “It’s got what they’re calling a huge cult following over there! Huge!”

INTERVIEWER: “What is your favorite scene?”

TRUMP: “I’ve got to tell ya, the part where I personally kill a would-be Presidential assassin was a kind of mini passion project for me. Kind of based on kind-of-real events, too.”

WISEAU: “Mine was the big romance scene in the second act.”

TRUMP: “Oh yeah, I remember. How’d your bit in that part go again?”

WISEAU: (clears throat) “I put my heart on a table and it turned out to be a chopping block! I gave you everything, even when I couldn’t afford it and you didn’t deserve it and I still gave it to you. You betrayed me. Bullshit!”

TRUMP: “Great speech, Tommy. The Best, just about The Best, hands down.”

INTERVIEWER: “So what about the planned sequels? Are they still going to be made?”

WISEAU: “We’re working on them.”

TRUMP: “We’ll put out an update when we put out an update.”

– Donald Trump and Tommy Wiseau interview, the Hollywood Reporter, 9/9/2009

– A poster for a film considered by many critics to be one of the worst films ever made



CRYSTAL ISLAND MEGABUILDING AIMS TO BREAK SEVERAL RECORDS

…one of the world’s most ambitious building projects, Crystal Island will be a vast mega-structure with a total floor area of just under 2.5million square metres. At 450m, it will be one of the tallest single-building structures on the planet when construction is completed, which should be within the next ten years... This highly anticipated project is located on the Nagatino Peninsula in the Moscow River, 7.5km from the Kremlin. Possibly inspired by Walt Disney’s original vision for Epcot, the architecture company behind Crystal Island has revealed that the residents who work in the structure can also live within the building. …Regional weather conditions have been calculated into the structure, which partially explains its spiraling-mountain design bringing to mind the circus-top-shaped mountain and hill peaks of many a Dr. Seuss book such as Oh The Places You’ll Go… The architecture firm is calling the building’s complex inner design the start of “a new generation of architecture” meant to “inspire” people to think about the future of markets and residential housing design…

– The Financial Times, 12/12/2008



STATE SENATOR PROTESTS MISSOULA BASE SHUTDOWN

…Barack “Rocky” McCain, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Meredith, is making national headlines with his strong defense of military bases that are being closed, decommissioned and/or even dismantled across the United States, including an Air Force installation constructed north of Missoula just ten years ago. McCain, a centrist Republican currently in his first term representing a part of southeastern Montana, believes that such bases “are important economic structures [because] they provide education, training, opportunity and employment for local communities. If the President wanted to make room in the federal budget for social programs, he should have stripped away more funding from NASA. We already got to the moon and to Mars; how about we focus on the problems found here on Earth for a change?”…

– The Billings Gazette, Montana newspaper, 12/17/2008



FIRST LADY JACQUELINE HOSTS WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS FOR THE LAST TIME

…the popular First Lady graciously welcomed visitors and guests in the final hosting of Christmas at White House, wishing all to “have a merry holiday”…

– peoplemagazine.co.usa, 12/21/2008 e-article



NO, SHEILA WELLSTONE WILL NOT “CANCEL CHRISTMAS” IN 2009

…Paul Wellstone has not even been sworn into the Presidency yet, and there are already thread discussions on certain conservative-friendly netsites claiming that America’s next First Lady, Sheila Wellstone, will not host any Christmas celebrations at the White House next year. Mrs. Wellstone, who, with her husband, will be the first Jewish First Couple of the United States, has already stated that she will “retain time-honored traditions” (NYT, 10/10/2008) as well as add new ones that will represent other cultural traditions from this time of year (11/11/2008)…

– trueorfalse.co.uk, a rumor/conspiracy theory debunking website, 12/23/2008 e-article



Top Five Best and Worst Aspects of The Jesse Jackson Administration

Best Aspects

1 Handling of SARS – reacted swiftly to a deadly virus, minimizing the US’s death toll/mortality rate

2 Major Tax Reforms – reversed the Dinger tax laws and established new system to better help the poor at the expense of the rich

3 Restrained Foreign Policy – pulled troops out of Colombia in 2001, sent aid to India in 2004, and joined the UN in intervening in the DRC in 2006

4 Police Reform – His first A.G. addressed police militarization at the municipal level by working with local and regional leaders

5 Handling of Hurricanes – responded effectively to Katrina, Rita and other hurricanes

Worst Aspects

1 “Heavy” Social Programs – the Balanced Budget Amendment was put to the test with expensive programs that “weighed down” the Treasury and minimized the national surplus, making the US essentially break even; most credit the work of Treasury Secretary Tim Johnson for keeping the federal budget out of the red

2 GOP opposition – obstruction led by House Speaker H. Dargan McMaster minimized the number of bills passed during Jackson’s last two years in office

3 Lukewarm race relations improvements – a rise in racist activity after Jackson’s election fueled the Bernie Goetz campaigns of 2004 and 2008

4 The Jesse Junior Incident – the President’s oldest son was jailed for assaulting a report in a nervous breakdown that returned mental health to the national spotlight

5 Reluctance to Intervene in “failed states” – Sierra Leone, Myanmar and Mauritania continued to slide into hopelessness as they were overrun with drug lords, sweatshops, slavery, famine, death, disease, and corruption

– The American Presidential National Historic Society netsite, c. 2025



“…President Jackson, on behalf of America, thank you for your leadership during these past eight years. …The next four years will focus on the basic point of politics – to improve people’s lives; to advance the causes of peace and justice, both in America and throughout the world. …We will invest in the well-being, the talent, and the education of our children by improving education, protecting America’s universal healthcare system, and bolstering the Federal Jobs Guarantee program. …The future belongs to those who help the future along, not to those who criticize other people’s idea but offer no alternative solutions. No, the future belongs to those who make the future, to those who get up from the sidelines and pitch in, in any way that they can, big or small. …The future is always beginning now, you just have to believe in the beauty of things to shape how it turns out. You have to have faith in yourself and in those around you, and work with them to turn dreams and talk into real plans and action. That is how dreams turn from ideas into reality...”

– snippets from Paul Wellstone’s 1/20/2009 inaugural speech

Paul David Wellstone, the 44th President of the United States of America​

NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)
[1] Italicized part is an OTL quote: https://www.quotetab.com/quotes/by-olympia-snowe
[2] This is an OTL quote (and from 1999, too!): http://thinkexist.com/quotation/neither-beltway-party-is-going-to-drain-this/918411.html
[3] Based on a much more gruesome incident that is mentioned on Brown-Waite's wikipedia article
[4] This is also an OTL quote: https://www.quotetab.com/quotes/by-olympia-snowe
[5] This is an OTL Wellstone quote!
[6] Lisa J. Brown (D-WA; b. 1956) ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Brown_(Washington_politician) ), ITTL, married fellow politician Arnold Simpson (D-KY; b. 1952) ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Simpson ) in 1979, after he had moved to Washington State in 1970 to go to college.

 

[gap80]

Post 89: Chapter 97

Chapter 97: January 2009 – June 2009

“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”

– Sir Richard Branson



THE WELLSTONE ADMINISTRATION AT THE START OF 2009

Vice President: former EPA Administrator Bob Ross (D-AS)

CABINET

Secretary of State: outgoing US Ambassador to the UN, former US Ambassador to the UK, and former Governor Harvey Gantt (D-NC)

Secretary of the Treasury: former Assistant Treasury Secretary and former UAW VP David Alan Curson (D-MI)

Commissioner of Internal Revenue (the IRS): state auditor and former state representative Gregory Gray (D-MN)

Secretary of Defense: US Marine Corps Gen. (ret) James Logan Jones Jr. (D-MO)

Attorney General: incumbent Attorney General Ralph Nader (I-CT)

Deputy Attorney General: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California Joyce L. Kennard (R-CA)

Postmaster General: US Rep. Harry Britt (D-CA)

Secretary of the Interior: former Governor Larry J. Echo-Hawk (D-ID)

Secretary of Agriculture: United Farm Workers co-founder, labor leader, and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta (D-CA)

Secretary of Commerce: US Senator, former FCC division leader, attorney, and consumer rights advocate Gloria Tristani (D-NM)

Secretary of Labor: United Auto Workers Ronald A. “Ron” Gettelfinger (D-MI)

Secretary of Education: outgoing Governor Jim Hunt (D-NC)

Secretary of Health and Humane Services: incumbent HHS Undersecretary and former Director of the Office of Management and Budget Sylvia Mary Mathews Burwell (D-WV)

Secretary of Transportation: Governor Richard J. Codey (D-NJ)

Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs: Governor Corrine Wood (R-IL)

Secretary of Energy, Innovation and Technology: biotechnology pioneer and Human Longevity, Inc. co-founder John Craig Venter (I-UT)

Secretary of Community Development: US Rep., former state senator, and ordained Pentecostal minister Rubén Diaz Sr. (D-NY)

CABINET-LEVEL POSITIONS

Director of Central Intelligence (the CIA): incumbent CIA Deputy Director for Science and Technology, former NYC Police Chief, former police officer, and former EMT Kathy Boudin (G-NY)

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the FBI): former FBI Associate Deputy Director, attorney and criminal justice reform activist Joanne Deborah Byron (I-NC)

US Trade Representative: former Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Anibal Acevedo Vila (PR-PD/D)

Administrator of the Small Business Administration (the SBA): US Rep. Dierdre Kathryn “Dede” Scozzafava (R-NY)

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA): incumbent EPA Administrator Lisa Perez Jackson (D-NJ)

Administrator of the Overwhelming Disaster Emergency Response Coordination Agency (ODERCA): US Rep. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

THE PRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE OFFICE

White House Chief of Staff: outgoing Chief Economic Policy Advisor, former St. Albans Mayor, and former City Ward Alderman Jeffrey P. Weaver (D-VT)

Chief Domestic Policy Advisor: Queens Borough President, former NYC City Councilperson, former state assemblyperson, attorney and “Basic Rights” advocate Helen M. Marshall (D-NY)

Chief Economic Policy Advisor: author and pediatrician Margaret Flowers (Green-MO)

Chief Foreign Policy Advisor: former US Rep. Raul Grijalva (LRU-AZ)

Chief National Security Advisor: former US Rep. Ralph Bradley Miller (D-NC)

Director of the Office of Management and Budget: academic and former Chair of the US Presidential Council of Economic Advisers Robert Z. Lawrence (I-PO)

White House Communications Director: senior advisor Stephanie Cutter (D-MA)

White House Appointments Secretary: media consultant Tammy Lee (I-MN)

White House Press Secretary: outgoing White House appointments secretary Mabel Teng (D-CA)

Administrator of the Small Business Administration: US Rep. and former business owner Jerry R. Janezich (D-MN)

Other Counselors and Advisors: outgoing US Secretary of Commerce Robert Reich; political analyst Bob Beckel; economist Paul Krugman; 2000 and 2008 campaign staff members William McLaughlin, Tm Lapic, and Mary McEvoy; and public policy analyst Joe Stiglitz

OTHER MEMBERS

Solicitor General (representative of the Federal Government before the Supreme Court): Jerome A. Holmes (I-TX)

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: outgoing Secretary of the Army Johnnie Corns (I-WV)

Secretary of the Army: former US Senator and former Governor Bill Bradley (D-MO)

Secretary of the Navy: former US Senator John Georges (D-LA)

Federal Reserve Chairman: outgoing Commerce Undersecretary Thomas Rukavina (DFL-MN)

NASA Administrator: incumbent NASA Administrator Shannon Matilda Wells Lucid (I-OK)

NOTABLE AMBASSADORS

To Australia: US Ambassador to New Zealand and former Deputy White House Counsel Cassandra Quin Butts (D-NY)

To Brazil: Mayor of Chicago, Illinois Richard M. Daley (D-IL)

To Canada: musician, former Governor, and former Justice of the Peace for Kerrville, Texas Kinky Friedman (D-TX)

To China: former Mayor of Detroit, Michigan George Cushingberry Jr. (D-MI)

To France: former Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana and former US Rep. Mary Loretta Landrieu (D-LA)

To Germany: former US Senator Pat Schroeder (D-CO)

To Italy: Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY)

To Japan: former Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts Melvin H. “Mel” King (D-MA)

To Mexico: human rights activist, former US Rep., and former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Margo St. James (R-CA)

To Russia: former state House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher (D-MN)

To South Africa: businesswoman and retired US Air Force Major Jenean Michelle Hampton (R-MI)

To the U.K.: former US Senator US Senator Paul Vallas (D-IL)

To the U.N.: outgoing US Ambassador to Egypt and former ODERCA Administrator Bill Gwatney (D-AR)

– WellstonePresidentialLibrary.org.usa/cabinet_composition/2009



…The main avenues used to implement the new administration’s agenda were executive orders, court rulings, and, the most common procedure, supporting members of congress tasked with introducing legislation key to the President’s goals. Before January was over, first major order of business was backing omnibus legislation introduced by Congresspersons Amy Stephens (D-CO) and Preston Love Jr. (D-NE). The Stephens-Love omnibus bill, officially the “Spending For A Better Today And Tomorrow” Bill but informally called the “Wellstone Public Works Package” by most media outlets, aimed to implement a collection of public works programs meant to both maintain the steady economy, keep unemployment low, and combat Global Climate Disruption by laying down communication and transportation infrastructure that ran on renewable energy. This included 1) financial incentives for auto companies to produce more electric vehicles 2) financial coverage for some communities so they could afford to install more charging stations for said vehicles, and 3) modernizing infrastructure and energy consumption via government contracts to domestic companies, albeit only ones approved of by the US Labor Department and relevant labor organizations.

The bill also aimed to provide funding for more affordable housing units, with the President re-iterating that “government contracts will not be awarded to any companies that do not make their products within the US.” Labor Secretary Ron Gettelfinger contributed to the endorsements for the Stephens-Love bill, telling reporters “I’m not some idealist isolationist, but the fact remains that there is a corporate global chase for the lowest wage which creates a race to the bottom that no workers, in any country, can win.” [1] With this in mind, Gettelfinger and Wellstone sought to support unions lobbying for fairer trade agreements, such as ones that included provisions for worker rights, and workplace environment provisions.

Meanwhile, US Attorney General Ralph Nader continued to defend labor unions from attacks hurdled upon them by Big Business via working with the Justice Department and state-level AGs and Labor departments to remove obstacles to workers forming unions at state and federal levels, similar to President Jesse Jackson’s efforts to demilitarize police precincts...

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016

[pic: imgur.com/zO71r6U.png ]
– President Wellstone, in front of the US Capitol Building in D.C., pushing for the passing of the Stephens-Love Omnibus Bill, 1/29/2009



RUSH LIMBAUGH JOINS OTHERS CO-SPONSORING NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO ABOLISH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

…the group of American citizens hoping to dismantle the Electoral College before the 2016 election is held oppose the body’s use on the grounds of elitism, with Limbaugh claiming “the institution is a bastion that defends the haves from the have-nots.” He continued, “It was established two hundred years ago by rich snobs who believed that the average American was too stupid to make informed decisions, that Americans who had just fought for freedom were too dumb to make their own decisions. And now we are still letting them push the little guy around. Now it’s a blockade to protect the interests of the super-wealthy, a means through which they can make sure that their preferred candidate wins every time.” Limbaugh concluded with “It is an affront to the very concepts of America and democracy, and it must be abolished immediately!”…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 1/30/2009 e-article



DE BEERS DIAMOND COMPANY PLEADS GUILTY IN PRICE FIXING CASE, $100MILLION FINE EXPECTED

– The Wall Street Journal, 2/2/2009



When it came to outer space, Wellstone was reluctant to approve of some of NASA’s bold proposals. The President did not see why America needed to build a Moon base, but did like the sound of Solar Energy satellites.

“How exactly would that work?” Wellstone asked NASA Director Shannon Lucid.

“A solar collector – a giant satellite rigged with powerful solar absorption panels – would convert sunlight into microwaves. On Earth, roughly 60% of these microwaves are lost on their way through the atmosphere due to reflection and other variables, but would be fully absorbed by a satellite outside of the atmosphere.” The head of NASA explained the proposal with much enthusiasm, but admitted, “The most difficult aspect of such an endeavor is the first start of it – the launch itself would be very expensive.”

Secretary Venter noted “We took a gamble on the Marstronaut Mission, why not again here?”

“Because we could sell the idea to the public. Mankind on Mars was inspiring. A big ball of sunlight soakers is not,” Treasury Secretary David Curson answered curtly.

Wellstone nodded and replied to Lucid’s glance of uncertain with more uncertainty: “I like the idea, but we might have to hold off on it until we find more revenue for it. In the meantime, try to see how much of the price tag can be skimmed away, and if there are other fundraising ideas NASA hasn’t exercised yet to back this idea.”

Lucid agreed, “We can try a PR campaign, use social media, the technet to get the word out that, um, sunlight shakers, as Dave called them, is NASA’s next big proposed project.”

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



SENATE PASSES HOUSE-APPROVED FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE ADJUSTMENT BILL

…the raising of the federal minimum wage to $8.00 an hour [2] will effectively raise the minimum wage in a majority of states, most especially in eleven states where there is no state-level minimum wage. Concurrently, the fifteen states where the wage rate is already above $8.00 will be largely unaffected by the rate change. Early proposals of the bill included a temporary wage freeze in order to allow workers to adjust to the new wage rate before businesses and landlords in the aforementioned eleven states respond by raising prices and rent. This proposal was dismissed for being hypothetically too disruptive and ultimately unnecessary. “The President and his economic expert advisors are confident that enlarging worker wages will stimulate consumer spending, which will help businesses, and sill improve worker productivity and reduce employee absenteeism and turnover rates,” explains White House Press Secretary Mabel Teng…

– The New York Times, 2/5/2009



…While the bill that raised the minimum wage was an early success for the White House, it was a relatively minor bill when compared to others still in committee at the time. These larger works of legislation, if ultimately turned into law, would, in theory, strengthen America’s unemployment and underemployment insurance systems, invest more federal funds into early childhood education, expand special needs necessities, provide funding for higher-quality trade schools, and – in one of the President’s most ambitious endeavors – establish free public university education nationwide.

Additionally, the fact that Democrats had been in the White House since 2001 gave certain members of Wellstone’s inner circle much agitation over the 2010 midterms. With the specter of “voter fatigue” dancing in the background of their minds, Wellstone and company sought to pass as many laws and defend as many institutions as possible during the next two years, pulling out all the stops and taking no breaks unless medically advised...

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



“The top 200 corporations of the world produce 86% of carbon emissions. It is high time that the US come together with other countries, and together with the UN and other organizations, to form a united front against tax law loopholes that allow this kind of thing to happen in the first place.”

– US Secretary of Energy, Innovation and Technology John Venter (I-UT), 2/14/2009



BUMP IN SOME BAND STOCKS SUGGESTS INVESTORS TORN ON WELLSTONE ACTIONS

…some companies support Wellstone’s progressive actions while others fear his tax-and-spend proposals will lead to economic backsliding and damage the health of the stock market…

– The Wall Street Journal, 2/17/2009



“The 2000s decade concluded with the confirmation that the two-and-a-half-sided Cold War had indeed been replaced by the multifaceted Trade Wars, with low-intensity rivalries being noticeable between the tech-based Japan and the ‘Middle Eastern Bloc,’ between the services-based India and the increasingly services-based US, and the minerals-based economic powerhouses of China and Russia.”

– Paul Krugman, 2013



…The next large piece of legislation introduced as the Earned Income Tax Credit Bill. The proposed EITC was a refundable tax credit for low income and moderate-income working individuals and couples, particularly those with children, with the amount of the benefit depending on income and their number of children, with relationship status, residency, and child ages also being factored in as well. The credit would apply to US tax forms, and feature a slow phase-in, a plateau of benefit phases, then a slow phase-out for qualified participating families. The downside to this proposal was that it was much more complicated than the current, long-standing and long-popular Negative Income Tax Rebate, and so it was not just conservatives who opposed it. Center-leaning Democrats such as Rep. Bill Nelson (D-FL) called the bill’s proposed program “frivolous, expensive and wholly unnecessary! As a result of this, progress on the bill stalled. Not even suggesting that the EITC program to amended so it would technically fall under Medicaid was enough for it to ultimately die in committee, suffocated by all the laws that made up the US’s public safety net, a patchwork of various legislative efforts to protect the less fortunate and promote consumer spending that had been built up over the past many decades…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



SENATOR AUCOIN FINDS STRANGE BEDFELLOWS IN ENERGY BILLIONAIRES: The Stephens-Love Bill and Wellstone’s Push For A “Supergrid”

[pic: imgur.com/vkhLUPX.png ]

…a wide-ranging network of electrical transmissions, dubbed a “supergrid,” could potentially support global energy transition by smoothing out local fluctuations of wind energy and solar energy – and progressive millionaires of the electricity industry are planning to capitalize on such a proposal should D.C.’s energy omnibus bill passes through congress. As a result, US Senator Les AuCoin has met with corporate lobbyists on the matter of government contracts for such a federal project, with the Senator, a noted environmentalist, later saying “If I can be convinced that it can create jobs without harming Mother Nature, then I’ll vote for the omnibus bill that would see this thing get built.”

The idea of centralizing electricity clusters is nothing new. General Electric has been intermittently collaborating with the US government on public energy projects since the 1960s, with the Johnson administration also working with Sweden’s ASEA to try utilizing high-voltage direct current technology for public works projects. Recent years, however, have seen renewed interest in supergrid proposals due to their potential to combat major issues with wind and solar energy, such as windless and cloudy days.

While the urban clusters of the Eastern Seaboard and the Great Lakes “megalopolis region” of Chicago-Detroit-Toronto have been discussed as the choice locations for establishing a regional supergrid, another, more ambitious plan suggested by US Senator Myrth York (D-RI) is one that is coast-to-coast, stretching from New York City, across Appalachia and the Great Plains to Denver, Phoenix and southern California. Her proposal is based on the UK’s nationwide British Grid/the Grid Code, but on an obviously much more grand scale. However, the US EIT Secretary warns that “a supergrid should be tried out in a large megalopolis region such as the northeastern corridor before it is tried out coast-to-coast,” in order to “work out the bugs.”

While this all sounds very impressive, it must still be remembered that the capacity to transmit large amount (or “volumes”) of electricity is limited because of congestion and control issues, meaning that that is the first major hurdle that needs to be overcome. Practicality, day-to-day operations and maintenance, the integrity of local elements, and other aspects will also have to be considered and addressed as well. On this end, former UK Prime Minister John Lennon may have already established precedence with the collaborative North Sea Offshore Grid established by several members of the E.U. during Lennon’s time in office [3]…

– The Corvallis Gazette-Times, Oregon newspaper, 2/22/2009



WELLSTONE LAYS OUT PROGRESSIVE AGENDA IN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS; Conservatives Deride “A Third Jackson Term”

– The New York Times, 2/24/2009



EX-PRESIDENT KEMP HOSPITALIZED, IS RECEIVING “ADDITIONAL” CANCER TREATMENT

…the former Commander-in-Chief announced his unspecified diagnosis last year but has since then kept his cancer battle a private affair, refusing to discuss the situation to reporters or in interviews…

– The Los Angeles Times, 2/27/2009



WHY WORLD LEADERS AND OSCAR WINNERS LIVE LONGER DESPITE AGING FASTER

…one would think from the premature greying and wrinkling of once-vibrant heads like those of several Commanders-in-Chief and Academy Award winners that the stress of success shortens these famous individuals’ lifespan. However, several recent studies – the most recent one being an extensive study published by “The Journal of The American Medical Association” – have shown that this assumption is false. An analysis of all past presidents who died of natural causes shows that the average lifespan for these men should have been 68 years, if they’d aged twice as fast during their years in office as the popular wisdom suggests they do.

Instead, the study found, these presidents lived an average 73 years. And indeed, 23 of the 34 presidents who died of natural causes lived longer than expected, compared with other men their age during their lifetimes.

For our earliest presidents, the longevity effect was especially pronounced. The first eight leaders of the U.S. lived on average 79.8 years, yet life expectancy at birth for men in the 18th and early 19th centuries was under 40. [4] Additionally, some Presidents have survived an exceptionally long time: John Adams and Herbert Hoover each lived to be 90 years old, age Colonel Saunders lived to be 100.

One very possible explanation for this phenomenon is these individuals having access to wealth, education, and top-of-the-line health care, but research suggests that other factors are at play here as well. “We know that stress has a Goldilocks effect on most people, where both too little and too much are not preferred because either can actually weaken your heart and be detrimental to your health. Perhaps Presidents and actors find the right balance and have the right level of stress in their occupations,” says one analyst who worked on the most recent of these studies. “The stress ages them faster, but in exchange for extending their lifespans. Sounds like a sweet deal to me, to be honest.”…

– Time Magazine, late February 2009 issue



ANCHOR 1: “…Well I for one think it’s very smart of President Wellstone to capitalizing on the Democratic Party’s 2008 electoral successes and push for these massive tax overhaul and economic restructuring to reverse the trend of recent decades, of the middle class shrinking as the poor and rich sections increase.”

ANCHOR 2: “Yes, but already he’s receiving some pushback from the remaining moderates in the party. That’s not to say he hasn’t made any inroads so far, because he is getting stuff done, but it’s not at the very fast, very huge, um, scale, scope and, uh, pace that he proposed on the campaign trail last year.”

ANCHOR 1: “Well I think that says more about the complexity of the office more so than the work ethic of its occupant.”

ANCHOR 2: “But the thing is, though, the fact is that Wellstone was Vice President for eight years, so, what I’m saying is during that time, uh, he should have gotten a good idea of this job’s, uh, ropes, you know?”

ANCHOR 1: “He did get a good view of the job during those years – that’s how he’s already gotten so much done. For instance, just last week, he extended the coverage of the 2001 Dairy Farm bill and met with Pentagon leaders to discuss banning hypersonic missile production in the US…”

– ABC News, roundtable discussion, 3/1/2009



Senate Finally Passes Stephens-Love Omnibus Bill, 54-49-1; Wellstone to Sign It Into Law “Immediately”

– The Washington Post, 3/3/2009



CONSERVATIVES, WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN ARE “OUTRAGED” AT TAX HIKES FOUND IN NEW FEDERAL OMNIBUS SPENDING ACT

– usarightnow.co.usa, 3/9/2009



More recently, an additional “health-conscious” KFC menu item that has popped up is the corporation’s potato wedges, which they claim are a healthier alternative to fries. This, however, is clever on KFC’s part – the global chain has never sold fries, meaning these wedges are not replacing any fries… Similarly, but more honestly KFC now offer small apple turnovers as a less-calories alternative to KFC’s classic apple pie offering.

[snip]

…The hot and spicy popcorn chicken, phased out under CEO Herman Cain, was finally reintroduced in American outlets nationwide in March 2009…

[snip]

[pic: imgur.com/curoLVB.png ]

Above: a KFC Family Meal Deal, c. 2009

– Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012



MEXICO’S JOBS REPORT IS “HEALTHIER” THAN EXPECTED; Country’s Treasury Department Credits US, Mexican Government Investments For Aiding Growth

– financialtimes.co.usa/international_news, 3/12/2009



HESELTINE GREETS MCTEER IN LONDON FOR TRADE IMPROVEMENT TALKS

…despite their stark political differences, sources close to the meeting say that discussions went smoothly. “The conversation was amicable, which likely is what allowed it to be so successful and productive,” notes one anonymous source. Indeed, both leaders seem ready and willing to finalize a trading agreement that would see an improvement in the natural gas production in the Western Provinces of Canada in exchange for no tariffs on certain Canadian goods entering the U.K….

– The Daily Telegraph, 3/15/2009



…The first government contract for the Northeastern Supergrid Project has been announced. The federal government and several state governments will be working with General Electric to establish a strong electrical transmission network ranging from D.C. to Boston, which will allow high volumes of electric trading across the states of Potomac, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In other political news, President Wellstone met with the Department of Education to discuss student loans and teacher wages…

– KNN, 3/19/2009 broadcast



…With the conflict over Polish natural gas pipelines being considered a draw in Russia, President Oleg Malyshkin turned his attention to his country’s borders. Privately, he discussed with his military ministers to discuss how to ensure him re-election. Among the discussions, the possibility of becoming “more aggressive” was raised, with it being suggested that Russia proper become more antagonistic toward one of the more independent-minded nearly-autonomous oblasts such as Kalmykia, Tuva, or Bashkortostan, under the guise of alleged breakaway endeavors, or that Russia proper try to absorb the partially recognized and fairly stable nation of Alania (formerly North and South Ossetia) under the guise of needing to maintain order. At these meetings, Malyshkin also reportedly expressed frustration and disappointment at the conflict in United Turkestan reaching a peaceful conclusion. Malyshkin allegedly had wanted to use the chaos in Uzbekistan as an excuse to invade and possibly bring the Turkestani Nations back into the fold, but had chosen to instead argue with the Polish government over energy pipeline ownership instead over more pressing economic concerns.

After these discussions, Malyshkin began publicly expressing interest in warming relations between Russia and Turkey, saying that “the protectors of the entrance of the Black Sea” would benefit from trade with the NDRR…

– Alexander Korzhakov’s After The Pact: Post-Cold War Russia And The Twenty-First Century, St. Petersburg Press, 2020



…I will admit that I also contributed to the black market activities of places like Botswana in Africa and Myanmar in Asia. But not because I enjoy sticking around sticky, sweaty, disease-infested hellholes. This was largely due to profits in South America drying up faster than a mouth full of cinnamon powder. And because several leads in central Asia didn’t pan out, which was more than just a little disappointing. I would have made a killing in United Turkestan! They were so close to the edge, but Karimov’s successors were just too laser-focused on national unity, as ridiculous as that is, always was and always will be, for the UT in my opinion. But I digress…

– Tommy Gun Thompson’s With Cold, Dead Eyes: A Gun Runner’s Confessions, Borders Books, 2015



The Herring Network Has Just Absorbed Newsmax Media

...the press release also states that THN will use both names separately, which is odd to me. My guess is it has something to do with branding, using the one label for more raunchy stories and the other for a wider and more general audience. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. Any thought, anyone?

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 3/23/2009 posting



THE STORY BEHIND THE FAWLTY TOWERS PROMO FOR GORDON RAMSAY’S KITCHEN CHAOS

[pic: imgur.com/2gFuJp4.png ]

…Last month, actors John Cleese, Prunella Scales, and Andrew Sachs reprised their famous roles of Basil Fawlty, Sibyl Fawlty and Manuel of the celebrated “Fawlty Towers” comedy series for a small promo spot for ITV’s “Kitchen Chaos with Gordon Ramsay.” With a running time of only 2 minutes and 35 seconds, the extended advertisement marks the first time that all three thespians have worked together on a project since 1979.

The TV commercial opens with old footage of an establishing shot of the original Fawlty Towers hotel before cutting to a recreated interior of its kitchen and dining room. There we see Chef Ramsay insulting the management and the cooking. Basil, defensive, says "Well we used to have another person on staff here for these sort of things, but ever since she launched a successful artistry career she's hasn't shown up for work," a reference to the character Polly Sherman, the maid in the classic series, and how the actress who portrayed her, Connie Booth, refused to participate in the promo spot.

Then, in a reference to the “Waldorf Salad” episode of Fawlty Towers, Ramsay discovers that Basil is running the kitchen with Manuel because, as Basil puts it, “our regular chef hasn’t shown up for work in 29 years. We’re thinking of firing him.” Upon Ramsay exploring the storage bids, he exclaims, shocked, "You have so much rotten food here!" Basil counters with "Yes, well, some of our regulars like rotten food. Matches their personalities and all that sort of thing."

Basil next complains about Ramsay in a “mockumentary confession” cut, saying “Just who the bloody hell does this 'Ramsley' fellow think he is, the bloody Earl of Sandwich?” The short then sees Ramsay praise Manuel’s years of dedication to his job ("How have you put up with it for so long?" is how Ramsay ends his brief monologue. "Que?" is Manuel's reply.), condemn Basil for his poor management and decision-making skills, and convince Sibyl to hire “an actual chef.”

Ramsay also convinces Sibyl to redesign the kitchen and dining room to give it a more modern and more inviting look despite Basil’s protests, which Sibyl sharply dismiss. We then cut to the finished remodeling which Sibyl and Manuel love, while Basil grumbles about Ramsey disrupting a “perfectly passable hotel.”

Cleese and company had been under pressure to create more episodes of Fawlty Towers for decades, but to no avail. With Connie Booth (Polly) having retired from acting for years, and Scales and Sachs moving on to other acting projects, the prospect of more episodes seemed dim. In a 2004 BBC interview, Cleese explained that “everyone would be excited if we did [bring it back] but…the bar has moved so high that a remake would be good but not very good.” [5] Cleese expressed belief that “you can’t top the best. There’s just too much anticipation. The audience’s expectations are too high now, that even if we spent months on the script and made it with great and wonderful performance, it’d still be disappointing to some, because you just can’t top the top.” Not even former Prime Minister John Lennon, who reportedly loved the classic 1970s TV series (“I love Fawlty Towers. I'd like to be in that. [It's] the greatest show I've seen in years... what a masterpiece, a beautiful thing” [6]) and offered to appear in the revival as a “typical offbeat guest,” could not get Cleese to agree to any one of the thousands of spec scripts reportedly sent the latter's way over the decades.

Except for this one. According to John Cleese in an interview with the BBC, held in the same week that this promo aired, the script for this ad was different in that it was a brief promo with a few lines, and was only an extended commercial and not an actual renewal of the series. Cleese explains that the producers of the reality series “Kitchen Chaos” reached out to Cleese, Scales, Booth and Sachs about the proposed ad, and with Cleese considering their script both “funny [and] respectful of the original,” Sibyl and Manuel agreed to revive their roles for it. While Booth, who is Cleese’s ex-wife, declined to step out of retirement for the spot, she, according to Cleese, has “no regrets about” not appearing in this special promo spot…

– theguardian.co.uk, 28/3/2009



“Still, I’ll tell him to get some salad cream. I mean, you never know when Colonel Sanders is going to drop in, do you?”

– Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), Fawlty Towers, Gourmet Night (Season 1, Episode 5; first aired 17 October 1975) [7]



“The American people are smart. They understand that government, the corporations, and the media are against them, but the military and police are not. They cannot be fooled and they will not be fooled by the nanny-state red-tape of this Third Jackson Term.”

– US Senator Stan Jones (R-MT), 3/29/2009



…As the Baby Boomer population began to enter retirement, an older generation of computer users were appearing on and seemingly dominating the technet. Online shopping, a long-struggling niche aspect of the technet up until it exploded in popularity during the SARS pandemic, became increasingly used by the aging, and boomer-centric sites swiftly rose in prominence by the start of the 2010s...

– Joy Lisi Rankin’s Computers: A People’s History of the Information Machine, Westview Press, 2018



…for the first time ever, the DOW Jones Industrial Average has closed above the 10,000 mark, at 10,009.34, a clear sign of a healthy economy…

– ABC Morning News, 4/4/2009 broadcast



KFC OPENS 300TH MEXICO OUTLET

...The fast food mega-giant is joining other companies who are expanding into the bustling economy south of the border. Experiencing a miniature boom of sorts in recent years, the improvement of the standard of living in Mexico is drawing in foreign investments…

– The Los Angeles Times, 4/7/2009



…In a major boon for the Wellstone administration, the US Supreme Court has ruled 7-to-2 that North Carolina’s ban on stem-cell research is unconstitutional, a ruling that will in all likelihood allow doctors in North Carolina to use the controversial practice in experiments meant to study stem cells and determine how effective they are, in an effort to generate healthy cells to replace diseased cells and damaged tissues in patients…

– KNN Breaking News, 4/11/2009 broadcast



JESSE JACKSON: HIS LIFE AFTER HIS PRESIDENCY

…having recently spoken at a church service at the First Baptist Church in his new home town of Charleston, South Carolina, the former President sat down with us for his first post-Presidency interview… While working on his memoirs, Jackson is also accepting speaking engagements for charity events. He plans to remain involved in multiple efforts to “preserve African-American rights” and to ensure that “all Americans have equal opportunity.” In this effort, Jackson is currently involved in “Our National Community,” a NPO program Jackson has co-founded that aims to improve the quality of life nationwide. Most recently, for example, the ONC is aiding low-income Chicago residents. Jackson is also involved in a NPO promoting Mental Wellness program founded by Jesse Jackson Jr. earlier this year. …While no longer in D.C., Jackson is still involved to national politics, reportedly serving as an unofficial advisor to President Wellstone, vidcalling the Commander-in-Chief “from time to time” and visiting the White House at least twice since moving out in January... Jackson expressed regret at not passing slavery reparations when he had the chance, saying “2005 was the year for that, and Katrina could have been key to it, but our focus at the time was building up and protecting the accomplishment made during the first term.” Jackson also expressed disappointment in his fellow Democrats for not being more supportive of reparations, and for failing to get free community college passed. However, the former President is “happy to see” Wellstone making “great strides” to get the free college proposal implemented…

[pic: imgur.com/sJTKfiS.png ]

Pictured: former President Jackson attended church services on Easter Sunday, April 12

– The Atlantic, April 2009 issue



N.J. TO TURN 166-ACRE ROCK QUARRY INTO PUBLIC PARK

…the decades-old Moores Station Quarry in Hopewell Township will become a public park. According to the Mercer County Parks Commission, the endeavor is part of a series of major public works projects that were approved of and signed into effect via state bill by Governor Richard J. Codey (D) shortly before resigning to become the US Secretary of Transportation earlier this year…

– The Daily Record, New Jersey newspaper, 4/18/2009



DRYWATER

Syndicated Television Series

Premiered: September 8, 2006
Concluded: June 8, 2012 (six seasons total)
Genre (s): action/sci-fi/space-western/adventure/drama
Directors (main): Damon Lindelof
Writers (main): Tracy Tormé, Roberto Orca, Alex Kurtzman, Robert K. Weiss
Produced by: Cayuga Productions, Square Dog Productions, CBS Television Distribution, CBS Productions

[SNIP]

Cast:

Steve Buschemi as Jack Hershey
Sharice Davids as Owaissa Stryker
Scott Kleeb as Ryan Ouhtlowd
Rachel Joy Scott as Genevieve Throckton
Djimon Hounsou as Artemis “Tempo” Decatur
George Tootoosis as Shaw Yellowfire (season 1 only)
Giancarlo Esposito as Kostas Nyersos
Craig Bierko as Avlayon Malkin
See Full List Here

Synopsis:

Spies in space – rival space republics employ agents of espionage to pursue each other in cat-and-mouse games that veteran spy Jack has grown tired of until his action-hungry new partner Owaissa shows up to improve the agency’s productivity, only to find out that she may have bitten off more than she can chew.

[snip]

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1: It Made Headlines In 2009 Over A Censoring Error

The series received infamy when the Season Three episode “The Babylonian Computer” aired on April 23, 2009; halfway through it, the character Malkan bellows “Oh f*ck Ryan Ouhtlowd,” and because the line sounded phonetically identical to the saying “Oh for cryin’ out loud,” the comment slipped past the censors, who didn’t notice the main character Ryan’s last name was Ouhtlowd; due to the fact that the series was rated PGR, the writer of the episode was forced to take a month-long leave of absence, but this was not enough to avoid ontech criticisms, which continued for several weeks before dissipating.

– mediarchives.co.usa



GOP SENATOR INTRODUCES ELECTORAL COLLEGE ABOLITION AMENDMENT

…US Senator Barbara Vucanovich (R-NV) has introduced on the senate floor a bill that would abolish the Electoral College and establish a “direct election” voting process in its stead. Public reaction to the disparity between the winner of the electoral vote and the winner of the popular vote in last year’s presidential election has led to a rise in calls for the Electoral College to be either amended or abolished outright. Vucanovich’s bill would perform the latter, via a new Constitutional Amendment, which would require approval from both chambers of congress and 39 states to become law.

Vucanovich’s bill is similar to one put forward by US Representative, and member of the House Judiciary Committee, Bob Inglis (R-SC). Last month, Inglis introduced a House Joint Resolution calling for a new Constitutional Amendment that would add a two-round system to US Presidential Elections, where a runoff election would be held if the first-place finisher receives less than 40% of the popular vote.

While informal polling has suggested that an overwhelming majority of Republican voters back E.C. Abolition, only a majority of Republican lawmakers in D.C. have supported the notion. One notable member, US Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton (R-TN), has recently expressed having some reservations on removing the Electoral College, telling the Post last week “We shouldn’t be so hasty to remove a 220-year-old institution just because it hasn’t work the way one side of congress wanted it to once or twice out of over fifty uses,” claiming “partisan divide usually leads to decisions and legislation that are one-sided and reap even more national division.”

Apart from US Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) and some Democrats holding conservative US Congressional seats who agree with nearly all Republicans, nearly all Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill are either staying silent on the matter or are defending the Electoral College…

– The Washington Post, 4/26/2009



“It’s funny watching these Republicans refuse to play by the rules. Wellstone won the election. Deal with it.”

– Actress and activist Alyssa Milano, 4/27/2009



GALLUP: Wellstone Ending His First 100 Days With 59% Approval Rating

– usarightnow.co.usa, 4/29/2009 e-article



WELLSTONE’S FIRST 100 DAYS: A REVIEW

…The President is taking full advantage of his party having majority control of the both chambers of congress. Even if conservative Democrats have opposed his agenda’s most progressive aspects such as protecting worker cooperatives, the President has abled to get congress and his allies on Capitol Hill to pass major legislative works such as the Stephens-Love omnibus bill, the EITC bill, and the “Supergrid” bill…

– The Boston Globe, 4/30/2009



IRAQI PESIDENT ACCEPTS FAILED RE-ELECTION BID, ESTABLISHING A PRECEDENCE WITH DIGNITY AND POISE

…After losing his bid for a second six-year term yesterday evening, Iraqi President Saleh Muhammed al-Mutlaq, a member of the “moderate” faction of the ASU and former Ba’ath Party member, has finally announced that he accepts the election results and will not contest them, marking the first time that an Iraqi head-of-state has lost power peacefully. Al-Mutlaq lost support from conservatives in the country for his support of moderate justice reform measures that were raising pressure on local authorities to crack down on domestic abuse. This policy position led to yesterday’s Iraqi Presidential election pitting the embittered incumbent against Nouri al-Maliki of the conservative “People of Iraq” party, whose candidacy was rife with controversy over past anti-Zionist comments of his despite his current political stances. As a result of this and his nationalist rhetoric, it is feared by some analysts that the Presidency of Al-Maliki may very well result in Iraq-Israel relations being at their worst in over 40 years.

Al-Maliki won the election with a margin of roughly 8%, but with a plurality of roughly 47% of the vote; he received a narrow majority of the Electoral Vote in Iraq’s Electoral College. Interestingly, two other candidates in the election may have played spoiler against al-Mutlaq. According to several published polls, and given their similar ideologies, Ayad Allawi of the “Pro-West” faction of the ASU and Rafi Hiyad al-Issawi of the National Glory party seem to have pulled more voters away from al-Mutlaq than from al-Maliki. …Al-Maliki will be sworn in on May 8th…

– The Boston Globe, 5/2/2009



BOCHENCK ELECTED POLAND’S NEXT PRESIDENT

…her inauguration on the 23rd will mark the first time in Poland that a female President succeeds through election another female President, as the incumbent and outgoing President of Poland is Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz of the Civility Party.

Gronkiewicz-Waltz’s endorsement of Bochenck have may played a key role in tonight’s election, as the term-limited incumbent is highly popular at the moment. Her administration successfully blamed Russian oil and gas companies for last year’s Russo-Polish energy crisis, while Gronkiewicz-Waltz herself has been praised for negotiating a trade deal with Russia that ended the situation.

…Marshal of the Polish Senate Krystyna Bochenck, age 55, of the Civility Party, is a centrist supportive of “responsible” healthcare expansion. She won the election over Prime Minister Donald F. Tusk, age 52, of the Christian Democratic Party; Tusk, who supports free-market policies, most likely came in second place due to his claims that “government interference on both sides” was responsible for the 2008 energy crisis, proclaiming “the people are innocent, but their representatives and leaders never are.” Senator Piotr Duda, age 46, of the Solidarity Party, ran to the left of Bochenck and came in third place…

– The Chicago Tribune, 5/2/2009



WELLSTONE SIGNS FOOD SAFETY ENHANCEMENT BILL INTO LAW, GRANTING NEW POWERS AND GUIDELINES TO THE F.D.A.

– The New York Times, 5/6/2009



NET TRAFFIC REPORT: Calls For Abolishing The E.C. Are Prominent On Pro-GOP Netsites, Less So On Pro-Democratic Netsites

– thelosangelestimes.co.usa, 5/9/2009



JUSTICE LORD TO RETIRE!

…Associate Justice Miles W. Lord has announced his decision to retire from the US Supreme Court “as soon as a replacement has been confirmed.” Lord cited his decline in health and his wish to spend more time with his family, especially since his son suffered nearly fatal heart attack at the age of 59 last year… One of the oldest men to ever serve on the Supreme Court, Lord, age 89, has been on the bench for 36 years, longer than any other male justice currently serving; only incumbent Justice Sylvia Bacon has served longer. …Lord, a Mondale appointee, is considered to be an “activist judge,” known for supporting environmental protection and consumer protection efforts, and opposing corporations in multiple court cases; in 1974, he famously declared “this court cannot honor profit over human life.” [8] …This will be President Wellstone’s first Supreme Court appointment…

– The Washington Post, 5/12/2009



…With the Democrats holding 56 of 104 Senate seats, Wellstone ignored Republican calls for a centrist appointee and instead focused on finding a progressive justice or judge that moderates within his own party would approve of when the time came for their confirmation. Additionally, the diverse composition of the Supreme Court – three women; two Hispanic, two African-Americans; two Jewish; each hailing from a different state, all of which were spread across the map (Puerto Rico, Texas, Georgia, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Potomac) – allowed Wellstone to study the ideologies of vetted candidates instead studying their ethnicities as well.

The Wellstone Administration’s “long list” of candidates contained a host of progressive judges and justices: Appeals Court Judges Marianne O. Battani of Michigan (b. 1944), Rubén Castillo of Illinois (b. 1954), Michael A. Chagares of New Jersey (b. 1962), Robert Charles Chambers of West Virginia (b. 1952), Denny Chin of New York (b. 1954), Frank Hoover Easterbrook of Illinois (b. 1948), Roger L. Gregory of Virginia (b. 1953), Denise Page Hood of Michigan (b. 1952), David M. Lawson of Michigan (b. 1951), Algenon L. Marbley of Ohio (b. 1954), Michael Joseph Reagan of Illinois (b. 1954), Victoria A. Roberts of Michigan (b. 1951), Edmund Albert Sargus Jr. of Ohio (b. 1953), and Diane Pamela Wood of Texas (b. 1950) were all considered to be highly qualified for the job. Also considered were Penn U Law School Professor of Law and Criminology Stephanos Bibas (b. 1969), former US Deputy Attorney General Jamie S. Gorelick (b. 1950), former US EEOC Chair and incumbent US Solicitor General Anita Faye Hill of Oklahoma (b. 1956), Harvard Law School Professor Elena Kagan (b. 1960), US Senator (D-DE) Midge Osterlund (b. 1947), and Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears (b. 1955)…

– Linda Greenhouse and Morton J. Horwitz’s Sustaining Liberty: The Supreme Court Under Our Current Chief Justice, Sunrise Publishing, 2020



WELLSTONE SIGNS FRAUD ENFORCEMENT AND RECOVERY BILL INTO LAW

– The New York Times, 5/17/2009



ANCHOR: “…and in California, Governor Grammer is poised to sign a housing projects regulation reform bill into state law. The new law would end city-level provisions, exclusions and loopholes that reportedly benefit wealthy land developers to the detriment of homeowners.”

GRAMMER (in footage): “You can’t just say you’re the best state in the union. You have to prove it!”

– NBC News, 5/20/2009 broadcast



HAHN BESTS BECERRA IN MAYORAL ONE-ON-ONE RUNOFF

…incumbent Mayor of Los Angeles Xavier Becerra (D) has lost re-election after months of controversy surrounding Becerra’s apparent inaction taken about a taxpayer fraud scandal concerning the city’s Employment Development Department and a consortium of local banks. Becerra’s-challenger–turned–Mayor-Elect James Hahn (D) capitalized on the EDD Scandal by running on the subjectively catchy slogan “Vote For Hahn, Not The Con.” …After winning what has turned out to be his sole term over Joel Wachs (D) in 2005, Becerra opposed President Jackson’s police reform efforts in order to appeal to white working-class Angelenos [9. However, this and other moderate stances have led to Becerra losing support among progressive over the past four years...

– The Los Angeles Times, 5/21/2009



ZIONCHECK FOR PRESIDENT

Premiered: May 23, 2009
Genres: psychological thriller/drama/tragedy/biopic/political thriller
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Written by: Mark Heyman, Anthony McCarten and Terri Tatchell
Produced by: Stephen Gyllenhaal and Lisa Bruce

[SNIP]

Cast:

Joel Kinnaman as Marion Zioncheck
Michelle Williams as Rubye Nix Zioncheck

[pic: imgur.com/0yzZsss.png ]
Above: left-to-right: Kinnaman, Marion, Rubye, Williams.

See Full List Here

[snip]

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1:

The movie is based on the 2005 Phil Campbell book “Zioncheck for President: A True Story of Idealism and Madness in American Politics” (Nation Books; ISBN 1-56025-750-4). The option to make Campbell's book into a feature film was purchased in 2007 by producer/director Stephen Gyllenhaal. [10]

– mediarchives.co.usa



JESSE JACKSON RECEIVES THE HOSEA WILLIAMS HUMANITARIAN AWARD

– The Chicago Tribune, 5/25/2009



US HOUSE TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS OVER EARLY EDUCATION FUNDING AND FREE PUBLIC COLLEGE BILLS

…the proposed bill would expand upon the centralized school funding system established under President Bellamy and reinstated under President Jackson, but questions remain over how such programs would be paid for…

– The Washington Post, 5/28/2009



TUMBLEWEEDTV IN TALKS TO PICK UP CONTROVERSIAL NETCOMIC “NEUROTICALLY YOURS”

…the media company behind Tumbleweed Magazine, Tumbleweed Studios and Tumbleweed TV – publisher Bern Sanders’ Tumbleweed Media – has greenlit a wide array of works over the years, ranging from wholesome (“Hosea, Aaron & Ralph,” released through Tumbleweed Home Entertainment) to gritty (“I’m Blowing Off Your Head Part Six,” available for ontech viewing on tumbleweed.co.usa) to political (the 1995 film “Debs: The People’s Warrior”) to whatever the heck was Trey Parker’s “Time Warped,” which aired on TumbleweedTV. Now, the media giant is in the process of acquiring what could be its most risqué series to date – a technet-based animated series covering topics ranging from prostitution and suicide, but also contains Bengal worship and immortal rodents.

Starting out as a net-comic in 2001 before becoming a nettoon series on the Canadian video-hosting site ourvids.co.can, “Neurotically Yours” follows a young woman named Germaine as she struggles to make a living, find her place and her purpose, and also find herself, while also dealing with her opinionated hyperactive pet squirrel, Foamy. The series is known for its dark humor and social commentary. If Neurotically Yours is indeed picked up for a season, it would very likely see a change in its animation style, which is currently rudimentary.

Take, for instance, the following clip from the classic “Demon Toaster” episode, which also highlights the sense of humor found throughout the shorts:


[vid: youtube.com/watch?v=2KyRCQp32p8 ]

…This level of animation quality found throughout the series due to it being independently made by its creator, a one Jonathan Ian Mathers, a man whose origins and background are even more unknown than Tommy Wiseau’s. Mothers, who is currently in talks with TumbleweedTV producers, has stated on his blog that he is “very hopeful” that negotiations will see his controversial series, which currently has a small but strong cult following, go from being an obscure technet-based cartoon shorts series to being cartoon series with full-length episodes…

– thehollywoodreporter.co.usa, 5/30/2009



…Furthermore, Ross actually put his money where his mouth was; in July 2009, for instance, he pledged to donate half of yearly salary to fighting homelessness despite Ross being one of the least wealthy person to serve as Vice President since J. J. Polonko Jr. moved out of No. 1 Observatory Circle in 1989... [snip] …Believing that “getting out of D.C. would be the best use of my time here in D.C.,” and convincing Wellstone of the same thing, Ross announced on July 2 that, starting on Independence Day, he would embark on a 52-state “eco-trek” across the country. Traveling solely by electric modes of transport such as new bullet train lines and a 2008 Volkswagen e-bus, Ross began the informal listening tour in February in order to raise awareness of “green energy,” garner pro-administration media attention, and gather information that could help improve America’s addiction rehab clinics and medical centers (i.e., “wellness centers”), soup kitchens, and homeless shelters in every US state…

– R. Lynn Rivenbark’s With the Stroke of a Brush or Pen: The Life of Bob Ross, Brookings Institution Press, 2012



The Sweathogs (film) is a dramedy film developed by Peter Meyerson and produced by ABC Productions. The film, which was given a limited theatrical release before being aired on ABC, was made as a precursor to a television revival of the TV series “Welcome Back, Kotter,” which aired on ABC from 1976 to 1981. The film centers on a group of former James Buchanan High School students known as “The Sweathogs” who renew their friendships at their high school reunion.

SYNOPSIS

After their mentor, Mr. Kotter (now retired, but still living in New York City) has a non-fatal heart attack, the former students of the fictional James Buchanan High opt to stay in the city until he recovers, leading to the group helping each other out with their own problems at home and at work, returning to their roots and rekindling old aspirations in the process.

CAST

Regular:

John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino – a “teen heartthrob” character in the original series, Barbarino is now a doctor being sued for malpractice while also trying to learn how to own up to his responsibilities to his growing family.

Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Freddie “Boom-Boom” Washington – the suave smooth-talker of the Sweathogs, Washington is “milking the product endorsement cow for all its worth” after a knee injury ended his basketball career after just two NBA Seasons.

Ron Palillo as Arnold Horshack – the class clown of the Sweathogs has become a sales manager who initially has lost touch with his “real” old self, but after spending time with his old friends, quits his job to pursue an acting career. To save money on rent, he moves in with the Kotters, much to Gabe’s chagrin.

Bobby Hegyes as Juan Epstein – the thug-turned-cop from the original series who has become like Kotter, teaching at the old High School, which at the end of the film is renamed Woodman High to honor Vice Principle-turned-Principle Woodman, who died years ago saving eleven kids, including four Sweathogs, from a chemistry class fire (as the actor who portrayed Woodman, John Sylvester White, passed away in 2005 at the age of 86).

Marcia Strassman as Julie Kotter – the wife and closest friend of Gabe Kotter, her “world famous tuna casserole” unexpectedly plays a key role in the film’s climax

Guest Stars:

Jamie Farr as Eugene Curtis, the formal, no-nonsense teacher from the original series who now serves as the school’s elderly Superintendent

Gabe Kaplan as Gabel Mother, the witty titular character from the first series who unwillingly becomes a mentor and advisor to the Sweathogs

PRODUCTION

After finishing a second term in the US Senate, Gabe Kaplan was convinced by years of fan letters (and Hollywood executives wishing to cash in on the 2000s nostalgia for the 1970s) to write a script for a Welcome Back movie, eventually partnering with other comedic writers from the original series and others to hand in a first draft in 2007. However, Kaplan would only agree to appear in a diminished capacity in the film, and as a recurring guest star should ABC pick up a TV series, which they did in 2008. The film was scheduled to premier months ahead of the TV series of the same name. Reuniting the original cast was relatively easy, save for Padillo, Hilton-Jacobs and Travolta. Padillo, having won an Oscar for his dramatic role as main character in the 1993 ISF drama film “Philadelphia,” was busy with several projects, but found space in his schedule “at the last minute.” Similarly, Hilton-Jacobs had to turn down a supporting role in the 2009 biopic “In The Zone” in order to appear in this film. Travolta, meanwhile, had to be given permission by his probation officer to cross state borders to film his scenes (Travolta was serving a five-year probation sentence (2005-2010) for a sexual pestering incident that had occurred on the set of the 2001 film “Grease 3” in 1999). While initial ontech backlash to Travolta’s character not being recast cast doubt on the film’s potential for success, Travolta’s controversial presence in the film increased interest in the film and in the original series.

RELEASE AND RESPONSE

The film premiered on ABC Movies on July 6 and was given a small theatrical release in select cities. Critics praised the film for effectively merging comedy with serious subjects, thus “balancing humor and heart.” Travolta’s “surprising stellar” performance was especially singled out in reviews and overshadowed activist attempts to boycott the film. Audiences were even more approving of the film, believing it struck the proper balance between nostalgia for the original series and introducing new material to expand on in a revival series. A financial success, the planned revival TV series aired on scheduled.

– clickopedia.co.usa/The_Sweathogs_(film)



MCDONALD’S OPENS FIFTH OUTLET IN IRAQ AMID MINOR PROTESTS FROM LOCALS

[pic: imgur.com/9zfd5fx.png ]

Above: the McDonald’s outlet in Mosul, Iraq. This latest location of McDonald’s’ Middle East Division is the source of contention from conservative locals who believe the increase in Western influence is detrimental to national culture and domestic businesses.

…“The rise in consumerism is destroying the integrity of the Cradle of Civilization, corrupting the priorities of our nation’s youth,” says one local businessman who claims he had to close his restaurant because “the Devil Arches stole away my customers”…

– The Financial Times, side article, 6/9/2009



…The first legislative fumble of the Wellstone administration actually occurred before the midterms, when US Senator Bill Sorrell (D-VT) failed to get a worker co-op bill out of committee. A worker cooperative is, essentially, an association that is organized, or “self-managed,” by a business’s workers; every “worker-owner” participates in the decision-making within with co-op, in a democratic fashion. In some cases, a business is run by this co-op, and management is elected by the worker-owners, each of whom have one vote. Worker cooperatives are known in the U.K. as producer cooperatives, and have been much more prominent across the pond since the 1970s.

Sorrell sought to implement a federal law protecting worker cooperatives from state-level anti-union laws throughout the first half of 2009, but failed to see his bill even get out of committee due to heavy opposition from more conservative Democrats such as Labor Committee members Warren Mosler (D-CT) and Alex Penelas (D-FL). Penelas and several members of the House led this opposition by publicly stating that they believed that the situation was best handled on a state-to-state basis, as most worker cooperatives used traditional consumer cooperative laws that varied from state to state. Sorrell countered that these differences in state law were part of the problem, but this failed to revive his bill in committee. However, the progressive Vermonter was not without hope, for he soon stated in an interview “We didn’t get the bill past this time around, but you know what they say, ‘If at first you don’t succeed, legislate again.’”…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



…By early June, Wellstone’s list had shortened from twenty to ten: Rubén Castillo, Michael Chagares, Robert Chambers, Denny Chin, Denise Page Hood, Algenon Marbley, Stephanos Bibas, Anita Faye Hill, and Leah Ward Sears. On June 11, Gorelick publicly declined the position, with Hood following suit on the 14th, as both candidates disagreed with the President on how far the First Amendment can protect slanderous literature. Additional vetting led to Wellstone deciding against selecting Chambers due to previous conservative-leaning court rulings, and deciding against Bibas for past lectures praising various moderate Republican talking points with which Wellstone disagreed.

These eliminations left behind just Castillo, Chagares, Chin, Algenon Marbley, Anita Faye Hill, and Leah Ward Sears – a shortlist that, upon the White House Press Secretary releasing it on the fifteenth, saw much discussion not just among professionals, but among technetters as well.

“It seems these judicial appointments are becoming an increasingly public process,” noted Secretary of State Harvey Gantt. Indeed, each year saw more citizens offer up their own two cents on judicial appointments, and the big events – such as this and the past three Supreme Court appointments – were no exception. Marbley, the only African-American male candidate left in contention, and Sears and Hill, the final two African-American female candidates left in contention, were popular among political junkies, as was the tech-savvy Chin, though the Hispanic-American Castillo and the Greek-American Chagares were not without their fans, either.

However, the selection would not hinge on ontech polls and betting sites, or whichever won some “flavor-of-the-month” competition, but instead would depend on how confident Wellstone was that they would stick to progressive ideals, and how long they would get along with other members of the bench. The days and interviews continued until Chagares withdrew despite being possibly the frontrunner, citing family privacy concerns. Soon after, Castillo and Marbley were privately crossed off the list as the President’s inner circle closed in their selection...

– Linda Greenhouse and Morton J. Horwitz’s Sustaining Liberty: The Supreme Court Under Our Current Chief Justice, Sunrise Publishing, 2020



PETER BEVAN-BAKER WINS UKIP LEADERSHIP

…Bevan-Baker is the first leader of the United Kingdom Intrepid Progressive party from a Scotland seat. Bevan-Baker, who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1962, began his political career as a member of the minor Green party…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, side article, 18/6/2009



FEDS GRANT TWO MORE CONTRACTS FOR SUPERGRID PROJECT; Companies Expected To Hire 200,000 Workers For Layout, Installation, Maintenance

– federalwatchers.co.usa, 6/20/2009



TWO MORE G.O.P.REPUBLICAN SENATORS BACK VUCANOVICH’S ANTI-E.C. BILL

– The Boston Globe, 6/22/2009



WELLSTONE NOMINATES DENNY CHIN FOR US SUPREME COURT SEAT

…Chin, born Check Kong Chin in Hong Kong in 1954 before moving with his family to New York in 1956, has been a Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit since 2005, and was a Judge of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York from 1994 to 2005. …According to a source close to the selection process, Chief Justice Alan Page joined all eight Associate Justices (Delgado-Colon, Garza, Thompson, Schroeder, Sandel, Nealon, Bacon, and the retiring Lord) in supporting the nomination after a series of interview with Chin, Hill, and Sears, the final three candidates for the nomination. “It seems Hill and Sears cancelled each other out and both rubbed Bacon, Thompson and Garza the wrong way,” says the source, “but Wellstone may nominate each one of them if Chin is approved by the Senate.” However, given that the Democrats hold a majority of Senate seats, Chin will likely be confirmed, which would make him the US’s first Asian-American US Supreme Court Justice…

– The New York Times, 6/23/2009



WELLSTONE PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL RATING:

Approve: 57%
Disapprove: 33%
Uncertain: 10%

Approval Among Democrats: 94%
Approval Among Republicans: 35%

– Gallup, aggregate polling, 6/26/2009



DID JESSE JACKSON SAY SOMETHING ANTI-SEMITIC?

…KNN report Carlton Lemon has today announced that in an informal interview he had with the former President, Jackson used “harmful rhetoric” that “could hurt Middle Eastern relations.” Lemon, in his KNN special news report, claims he was “shocked [that he] would something like that from him.”...

– usarightnow.co.usa, 6/28/2009 e-article



JACKSON DENIES MAKING COMMENTS

“He’s not like most Jews, bucking to go to back to fighting with the Arabs so they can line their already-stuffed pockets with the spoils of war profiteering. Nah, Paul’s one of the good ones. Heh. The best of the good ones, in fact!” [11] These are the words that former President allegedly said to reporter Carlton Lemon in an interview conducted two weeks ago… The former President has yet to make an official and formal statement on these alleged comments…

– The New York City, 6/30/2009



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S)

[1] Italicized parts are an OTL quote, found via wikipedia.

[2] It was adjusted to $7.25 an hour at around this time in OTL: http://publichealthlawresearch.org/...ve-map-charts-minimum-wage-rates-1980-present

[3] OTL electric grid, proposed on schedule here but actually built much earlier here than in OTL.

[4] Italicized passage pulled from this interesting OTL article found here: https://healthland.time.com/2011/12/07/why-american-presidents-and-some-oscar-winners-live-longer/

[5] Italicized parts are from here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8036055.stm

[6] This is an OTL quote according to this source here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawlty_Towers#cite_note-55

[7] The italics is from the OTL episode; the un-italicized words have replaced “Henry Kissinger,” a reference that would make no sense ITTL given that Kissinger never rose in prominence in here; he was briefly a Deputy Secretary of State at that’s it.

[8] OTL quote, found on his wikipedia page

[9] TIL that “Angelenos” is the term for Los Angeles residents (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Angeleno). Huh.

[10] Italicized part here is from OTL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Zioncheck#Zioncheck_for_President

[11] Unfortunately based on OTL: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-19-tm-5850-story.html (Jackson’s way of speaking here is also based on anecdotes found in this article).

Rivercat893 said:
@gap80, I've got two questions about the details of the specific things we saw in Kentucky Fried Politics:

* Regarding Star Wars, the Prequel Trilogy came out much sooner in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s. From the few details we know what it's like in the timeline, it does bear a resemblance to its OTL counterpart, albeit with some notable changes like Maggie Cheung playing Darth Maul (likely a Dathomirian Nightsister), Palpatine as Anakin's father (which means Darth Plagueis still exists) and Han Solo being raised by Wookies on Kashyyyk (which completely contradicts his EU backstory of being a former Imperial pilot assuming if it's still there in TTL) aside from the titles themselves for the first and third films. Since The Knights Arise is about the backstory of the Clone Wars, this means the cast might not be the same: Hayden Christiansen is too young to play the teenage/adult Anakin Skywalker, Ewan McGregor is still pretty unknown to American audiences and is unlikely to be Obi-Wan Kenobi, which means a big-name actor like Kenneth Branagh or Kurt Russell nabbed the role and Natalie Portman hasn't even reached puberty yet nor started her Hollywood career which means that another actress was Padme Amidala instead like say Christina Ricci since she won hearts of millions as Wednesday Adams in The Addams Family (assuming if that franchise still exists). Of course, that's if historical butterflies don't result in their acting careers being substantially different such as starring their careers early in another big movie. As for Samuel L. Jackson, it's possible he could have still played Mace Windu since he was already in the movie business with roles in Do the Right Thing, GoodFellas, Jurassic Park, Menace II Society, and True Romance. Ian McDiarmid and Christopher Lee are pretty much a lock to play Palpatine and Dooku in the trilogy, same with Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn with Temuera Morrison as Jango Fett and Daniel Logan as Boba Fett presumably for the second movie. Spin-off media like the Dark Horse Comics series and TCW (or it's equivalent series) are going to be very different like who knows if Ahsoka Tano even exists and whether the non-film material would be even recognizable. The CGI and special effects will look less advanced since the movies were released at a time when they hadn't been perfected yet. Also, does Jar Jar Binks, the Gungans, and Naboo even exist in this timeline, or does Alderaan and another Gungan-like species replace them in their roles. And what is the title of the second movie?
Click to expand...

As mentioned in previous chapters, Colonel Sanders investing in technology helped Bill Gates early in his career and, overall/more broadly, contirbuted to several computer-centric breakthroughs and developments occurring earlier than in OTL. That’s how The Colonel was able to surf the web shortly before his death in 1990. Thus, the CGI (which is called Computer-Rendered Imaging (CRI) ITTL) used for the prequel’s special effects would not be too different from OTL’s.
According to the seventh link found on Jar Jar's wikipedia article, Lucas claims Disney's Goofy was the inspiration behind said character, so some sort of comic relief character would be in the prequels. Maybe Lucas is convinced to use prosthetics instead of solely CRI for the character; I'm thinking maybe Chris Tucker could play him, but that might be replacing a couch on fire with a chair on fire - you still have a problem on your hands. So maybe some more mature comedian like Robin Williams or Dave Chappelle! As for his design, I think his early look was even worse; given that it looks like they were going for this, I want to say, "dragon"-like head shape, very reptilian, maybe they could work on it more and come up with something more humanoid, and use the original design for a "background" swamp creature that briefly bothers or attacks the main characters in one scene. Either that, or maybe they keep the OTL Gungan design and have the comic relief be of a different species that lives on Naboo, if they even decide to call it that in this TL.
Maybe one creature they can have in the background somewhere is the dik-dik, a real-life creature that would actually kind of look more "natural" on an alien planet!
The title of the second movie is The Resistance Endures

Rivercat893 said:
@gap80, I've got two questions about the details of the specific things we saw in Kentucky Fried Politics:

* The timeline's version of the United States is a lot more progressive and left-wing: We've already had a woman on the Moon that inspired Jerrie Parsec from this version of Toy Story (Jerrie Cobb), a black governor of Virginia (Harrison Wilson), a female President of the United States (Carol Bellamy), a black Vice President (James Meredith), a black Supreme Court Justice (Alan Page) and the last two American Presidents are African-American and Jewish respectively (Jesse Jackson and Paul Wellstone) not to mention that LGBT/BLUTAGO marriage has already been legalized and the District of Columbia/Potomac and Puerto Rico were granted full statehood. There was also an excerpt in one of the chapters focusing on Bellamy's Presidency that mentions riots and looting alongside hurricanes, which means that the Rodney King incident might have happened or at least an ATL equivalent. For BLM, even if they still exist in KFP, the group won't be the same here since U.S. politics are so different from OTL.
Click to expand...

Yes, but don't forget about the HIP, the neo-hippies, the Bernie Bros, conservative populists like Goetz, Gritz, Limbaugh, and politically active evangelicals. The Colonel was a very religious man, including during his Presidency and especially in the 1970s and 1980s, so religious conservatism is very much a thing ITTL. It's just that that particular brand of politician hasn't been able to climb up to the Presidency since Jeremiah Denton, though the impact Goetz had on the 2008 election shows that they are a still a powerful/influence force in American politics.

Rivercat893 said:
@gap80, I've got two questions about the details of the specific things we saw in Kentucky Fried Politics:

* What about the status of the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL in this universe. Since the Colonel built a sports stadium in Kentucky and there was a reference to a baseball team known as the Louisville Colonels, I'm guessing that the city received big-league football, basketball, and hockey teams. And whatever happened to the NASL, are they still active or did they fold which opened the door for the MLS to emerge as North America's premier soccer/association football league.

Yes, there's an MLB team called the Louisville Colonels and a basketball team called the Kentucky Colonels. ITTL, Louisville is the biggest city in Appalachia and Kentucky, so it's much larger in population size than in OTL. I've mentioned MLB World Series winners in the late 2003 and 1993 chapters, but outside of that and TTL's list of MLB Commissioners (which I'll include in a later chapter), I don't have much info/knowledge on how professional baseball would be different ITTL. Maybe @DTF955Baseballfan has more thoughts on this (he certainly did during pages 22-26)?
I'm not really a follower of the NFL or the NHL, sorry, but I believe I did mention the Dallas Cowboys winning the Superbowl in January 2003. So I'll cover them in the late 2009 or 2010 chapter! Thanks!

Also: My apologies for taking so long to write this one. I blame writer’s block, being upset over tanking a job interview over the phone, and, to a lesser extent, some family drama concerning the holidays. I also am uncertain over the quality of this chapter. If anything looks off or wrong, let me know how you think I should fix it so I can address it. Thanks, y’all!

The next Chapter's E.T.A.: December 23rd at the very latest!

Rivercat893 said:
You haven't properly answered the title of the second prequel movie either so my guess is that it definitely isn't Attack of the Clones.

Edited it, sorry about that oversight: It's The Resistance Endures.

Kennedy Forever said:
Another great update! Btw just wondering how was TTL's Doctor Who?

I'll include a list of actors portraying the character in the next chapter or so.

 

[gap80]

Post 90: Chapter 98



Chapter 98: July 2009 – December 2009​

“Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgement”

– Dr. Kerr L. White (but also attributed to Mark Twain and several others)



“Jesse,” the President sighed disappointingly, “what were you thinking?”

“I erroneously had assumed the references would not be printed because of my racial bond with [1] him,” Jackson answered. The two’s pic-phone e-chat the previous day had been inconclusive, so Jackson visited the Wellstone family home in Minneapolis. KNN’s D. Carlton Lemon’s shocking exposé needed to be addressed with kid gloves, lest Republicans use it as fodder for their calls to reverse the past nine years of work.

“Jesse, I think it’d be a good idea for everyone if you…went on vacation for a while.”

“Banishment, huh?”

“No, no, you’ll just be shying away from the limelight for a little while, just until things blow over.”

“I’m not running away from this like some coward.”

“You’d be putting your pride on hold for a few days,” Wellstone said more aggressively, “If you don’t you can kiss the Rainbow Coalition goodbye, and neither you nor me want that!”

The President rubbed the back of his neck and leaned back in his chair in frustration. “Jesse, did you know that when your comments came out, I didn’t even ask if it was some kind of scam? Because I knew it wasn’t. Even if the comments came from a less reputable source like that Teresa Strasser tabloid report, I still wouldn’t have asked. Because I know it’s true. You say those kind of things all the time. It’s only now finally caught up to you.”

“If you’re trying to make me feel better about this, please just stop now.”

“Jesse, Bill Dedman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and investigative reporter for Newsday, wants to follow up on the allegations. Jim Paratore, that media tech wiz guy, he’s offering reward money for any audio or visual archive footage of you saying other things like that. If you don’t admit to this, Colonel Sanders style, and then lay low until the next news story come about, this media circus will only get uglier.”

“And what about you?” Asked the former President.

“What about me?”

“What will you be doing while I’m off in self-exile.”

“I’ll be reaching out to the Jewish community. I’ll do my best to convince them to continue to support me?”

“Why would you have to do that?”

“Because many Jewish leaders are calling me an ‘Uncle Tom,’ a ‘self-hating Jew,’ and a ‘meshugenah,’ even, just for staying in your corner during all this. You have got to help me out here, and apologize.”

“Alright, alright.” The President sighed, “You’re right. I’ve burned a really big bridge here. How can I help?”

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



Jackson’s hurtful comments strained race relations, and led to many political analysts questioning the viability of the ‘Black-Jewish entente’ that had been a prominent part of the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections. The decades-long trend of Black Antisemitism became a subject of much public debate, while many aspects of Jackson’s administration came under scrutiny, with Republicans and even Jewish Democrats questioning if any of his actions in office purposely favored African-Americans over Jewish-Americans.

Interestingly, certain members of the Republican populist right, such as the controversial (and allegedly anti-Semitic) THN pundit, journalist, former National Review columnist, and two-time Goetz endorser Joseph Sobran, actually came to the former President’s defense. In the wake of such neo-hippie-like individuals praising him for “speaking the truth,” Jesse Jackson Sr. allegedly remarked, “Dear God, those aren’t the people I want having my back. Sweet Jesus, what have I done?”

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



...While the controversy over the former President’s comments dominated the news cycle, on Capitol Hill, the Senate Judiciary Committee continued on with the planned Supreme Court hearings unimpeded. However, even here, some Republicans did not hold back on their criticism of Jackson’s alleged comments.

For example, US Senator Stan Jones (R-MT), a member of the upper chamber’s Judiciary Committee, asked Denny Chin “In your judgment, and in your experience, do you consider controversial, inciting, or polarizing comments, like the former President’s recent comments, to be enough disqualify someone from serving or running for public office?”

The comment backfired, as Chin replied with “No, but if I did, you wouldn’t have anything to worry about, Mr. Jones – you aren’t up for re-election until 2012, so you’d have plenty of time to think up something.”

Both Jones and Chin were reprimanded for the exchange, though more Senators admonished the former for the “out of line” query, as US Senator Orrin Hatch (R-NE) put it...

– Linda Greenhouse and Morton J. Horwitz’s Sustaining Liberty: The Supreme Court Under Our Current Chief Justice, Sunrise Publishing, 2020



JACKSON EXPRESSES “DEEP REGRET” FOR PAST COMMENTS

…The Reverend and former President Jesse Jackson acknowledged tonight that he had used “hurtful” language in a private conversation. Appearing at a synagogue here in New York City, Jackson sought to put to rest a controversy that has dogged him for several days now.

“It was not done in the spirit of meanness,” he told an overflow crowd in the synagogue, Temple Adath Yershurum. “However innocent and unintended, it was wrong.” [2]

– The New York Times, 7/12/2009



FINE: “Wellstone and Jackson want to move on but can’t. The damage has been done, the can of worms has been opened. Relations between Blacks and Jews have been historically contentious, and now it is out in the open.

WILLIAMS: “I wouldn’t say they were damaged now by Jackson’s comments. They were always strained behind closed doors under his Presidency.”

FINE: “So it was an open secret of sorts.”

WILLIAMS: “Yes, but now the President and former President will have to work very hard to repair the long-standing damage. I think that will be the only way that the Democrats will have a fighting chance in the midterms next year.”

– CBS News, round-table discussion, 7/13/2009



...In Poland, much like with the rest of Europe overall, first-trimester abortion is legal, though there are some restrictions – albeit, restrictions that are much less severe than those found in Vatican City, Andorra, Monaco and Bulgaria. When it comes to late-term abortions, however, Europe has varying degrees of restrictions. Countries strongly observant of the Catholic religion are the most stringent.

Because of this religious connection, conservative Catholics voiced outrage when conscientious objection to abortion by doctors was made illegal in no longer allowed in Germany on July 10, 2009. Pope Patrick I lead the criticism with a speech given on July 14, in which the church leader condemned the German government’s “assault on the sanctity” of human life. However, Patrick also criticized a wider range of topics in the speech as well. “In many parts of the world, the family is under siege," Pope Patrick I said. “It is opposed by an anti-life mentality as is seen in contraception, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. It is scorned and banalised by pornography, desecrated by fornication and adultery, mocked by homosexuality, sabotaged by irregular unions and cut in two by divorce” [3]

The Pope’s comments sparked controversy of its own, with religious figures and leaders worldwide either commending or criticizing his stance. For instance, the Archbishop of Warsaw noted that, “even in places like Germany and Poland, abortion is legal, but access is still limited and is not at all a guarantee. …I think Pope Patrick needs to study the real-world dynamics a little better.”…

[snip] …Abortion was made legal in Italy in 1990, but the current national law still allows health professionals to refuse to perform an abortion as “conscientious objectors,” which has the practical effect of restricting abortion access…

– Mathias Le Bossé and Robert C. Ostergren’s The Europeans: A Geography of People, Culture, and Environment, Guilford Press, 2011



ONTECH POLL: 65% of Americans Approve of Supreme Court Nominee Denny Chin

– Gallup, 7/15/2009



THE DONGTAN DAYS OF SUMMER: The Story Behind China’s Eco-City Vision Being Delayed

…China has pushed back the opening date of its planned eco-city mega-project “Dongtan” to 2015, after months of construction delays related to funding and political realities. Pitched as a showcase ultra-green city to be ready and functioning in time for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Dongtan was an ambitious joint project involving multinational engineering firm Arup and Chinese developers. Engineering firms began being contracted for the city’s development in 2005, in response to the increase in Shanghai’s population over the years. Approved by then-Premier Bo Xilai, the idea for the planned city was treated as if it could very well be a futuristic model for low-rise suburbs to accommodate spillover from supercities and house China’s emerging middle class. The project touted ‘zero emissions’ as one of its main selling points, and recycled waste was included in the myriad renewable energy systems planned for Dongtan.

Four years later and the spectacle of the groundbreaking has subsided, and the bustling construction sites have quieted down. China’s longest bridge and tunnel now connects the wetlands building site and its looming wind turbines to Pudong, in outer Shanghai, but the trucks and machinery do not use them are often as they used to. [4]

According to reports, the engineers and architects behind the incomplete buildings blame China’s new Premier for their financial shortfalls pausing construction. Last year, Premier Yang decided to redirect funds from Dongtan to anti-poverty programs in his effort to distance himself from Bo. The former Premier’s stunning and sudden fall from grace two years ago also frightened away many sponsors, worsening payment problems. Meanwhile, China’s top-down government system means that there is little that Shanghai and provincial politicians can do to move construction along.

For now, Dongtan, a promised eco-city on the island of Chongming in Shanghai, China, standing only half-built, will remain so until the PRC’s government allots the city more funds to cover construction costs, material transportation costs, and laborer wages...

– Time Magazine, July 2009 issue



“Mr. Chin has a good head on his shoulders, and his while his ideology and interpretation of the Constitution is too extreme for me to vote yea on his confirmation, I acknowledge his credentials, I respect his character, and I wish him the best of luck in the final vote count.”

– US Senator Don Stenberg (R-NE), 7/19/2009



MALCOLM X TO GIVE SPEECH FOR JORDAN AT KFC SUMMIT IN JERUSALEM

…X became involved in Middle Eastern affairs in the 1960s. In the 1980s, X praised Colonel Sanders for his long-lasting work in the area, after being initially skeptical that the annual Chicken Dinner Summits would improve regional relations. “The accolades were pretty ironic given that X would criticize the Colonel for pretty much anything back in the 1960s and early 1970s,” says The Colonel’s grandson, businessman Harland Sanders III. …The praise was not limited to one Republican leader, though, as X later lauded President Dinger’s efforts, in the immediate aftermath of the Second Korean War, to minimize discrimination against Former Northerners in the new nation of United Korea, and to confront anti-Asian attacks back home in the US.

…X increased his involvement in community organizing in the Middle East in the 1990s, starting with serving as an unofficial advisor to regional leaders outside of the CDSiJs before working up to national leaders of Muslim countries – most notably Jordan, along with Lebanon and Oman to lesser extents – by the end of the decade. X sought to encourage the monarchs of Jordan and Oman not only to continued participation in the summits, but to also commit to more effective social justice measures to improve civil liberties in their respective countries…

…In his old age, X is seemingly embracing The Colonel’s notion to “always be more for things than against things”…

– The New York Times, 7/20/2009



…Disney’s Newt was released on July 21, 2009. While not as popular as the two films it found itself sandwiched between in the Disney lineup of theatrically released films, it still gave us some good acting from William Shatner, Merryl Streep, Jason Patrick, Sarah Silverman, Carl Weathers, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenburg, and Jim Cummings. Not that very well-remembered today, this quaint story about a pair of newts – a guy and a girl who can’t stand one another – trying to find others like them in order to save their species. With underlying themes of destiny and fate, the film argues that, with perseverance and support from those around you, one can break free from the kind of life others want them to have. Directed by Gary Rydstrom, written by Rydstrom and Leslie Caveny, and produced by Richard Hollander, the film was considered by Disney to be a “modest” box office success and received generally favorable reviews from critics and audiences. In short the film wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as great as other recent films like The Lion King and Treasure Planet…

– film review video “Rick Reviews: Newt,” uploaded to ourvids.co.usa, 2/2/2021



…On July 23, the US Senate confirmed Denny Chin for the Supreme Court seat by a vote of 61-43, with the sole Independent (Angus King of Maine) and four Republicans (Bill Weld of Massachusetts, Olympia Snowe of Maine, Thomas Kean Jr. of New Jersey and Lyle Hillyard of Utah) siding with the Democrats, and with one Republican (David Marriott of Utah) abstaining. He was sworn in a week later…

– Linda Greenhouse and Morton J. Horwitz’s Sustaining Liberty: The Supreme Court Under Our Current Chief Justice, Sunrise Publishing, 2020



SUPREME COURT COMPOSITION ON JULY 30, 2009

Chief Justice (since July 2, 2001): Alan Cedric Page (D-MN, liberal) – succeeded Frank M. Johnson – appointee: J. Jackson

Associate Justice Seat 1 (since March 10, 1999): Larry Dean Thompson (R-GA, conservative) – succeeded Leon Higginbotham – appointee: Dinger

Associate Justice Seat 2 (since May 14, 2000): Emilio Miller Garza (R-TX, conservative) – succeeded Edward H. Levi – appointee: Dinger

Associate Justice Seat 3 (since April 3, 2008): Aida M. Delgado-Colon (D-PR, liberal) – succeeded Joseph Tyree Sneed III – appointee: J. Jackson

Associate Justice Seat 4 (since June 23, 1974): William Joseph Nealon Jr. (D-PA, liberal) – succeeded William O. Douglas – appointee: Mondale

Associate Justice Seat 5 (since November 16, 1971): Sylvia Bacon (R-PO, centrist) – succeeded John M. Harlan II – appointee: Sanders

Associate Justice Seat 6 (since May 10, 2002): Michael Joseph Sandel (D-CT, liberal) – succeeded Herb Fogel – appointee: J. Jackson

Associate Justice Seat 7 (since July 28, 2009): Check Kong “Denny” Chin (D-CA, liberal) – succeeded Miles W. Lord – appointee: Wellstone

Associate Justice Seat 8 (since October 1990): Mary Murphy Schroeder (D-CO, liberal) – succeeded William Brennan – appointee: Bellamy

– thesupremecourt.co.usa/court_compositions/by_date/7_30_2009



They met up again, quite serendipitously, at the Idlewild Airport in New York City.

“Where are you heading?” asked Donald but adding “I’ve got to get to a shooting location in Florida.”

His ex-wife quickly replied, “I just interviewed a retiring NFL player.”

“Who?”

“Some guy named Pat Tillman.”

“Never heard of him. Must be retiring because he’s a loser.”

Rolling her eyes, she noted “His fractured his leg, badly.”

“See?”

“Better way to leave the field than how you did.”

Donald scowled at the reminder of his career-ending altercation with the Houston Astros pitcher still serving as the Commissioner of Baseball. “Easy there, at least I didn’t break my frickin’ leg.”

She groaned aloud and began walking away, “Don’t forget next week is your week with our youngest – you remember Richie, don’t you, the angsty 16-year-old?”

Not catching the snarky sarcasm, he replied, “Sure, sure. But hey,” he began to walk with her, “You didn’t hear about the movie I’m making.”

“I’ll watch the making-of feature on its Micro-LD.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that. I’m trying to be nice here.”

“You’re doing as well as you did in the MLB,” she continued on into the food court.

“Oh, you know what? I was going to ask you if you wanted to be in the movie, but now I might take the offer off the table.”

Curious, his ex-wife slowed her walk, allowing Donald to finally catch up. “Curious. You seemed to run a lot better in that movie of yours.”

“Camera tricks are amazing. I can show you on the set, you know.”

“Why would you want me in it. Oh wait, is this because of my new job? You know, two of the main news co-anchors at THN?”

“It’s more than that,” he took a step back. “It’s just, I’ve got to tell ya, after all these years, you’ve held up pretty good.”

“Was that supposed to be a compliment?” She restarted her pace, walking past the row of diminutive fast-food outlets flanking the one side of the food court.

“You’re still hot, that’s all I’m saying!”

“You’ve said plenty.”

“Come on,” Donald then spotted a pizza shop to their left, “Listen, can’t we talk about this over a slice?” He then quickly added “I’m buyin’!”

The ex-wife stopped a turned around to face him. “Really? You’re going to try to get me to strut around in front of a camera in exchange for pizza? You really think that would work?”

“Maybe. Would it kill you or me to try?”

Rolling her eyes again, she agreed to the free meal. Both ordered plain cheese, with Donald saying, “They use topping to cover up cheese patches, that’s how they get you.”

“I remember, you told me on our first date.”

“I did? I mean, oh yeah, I did, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you were charming back then.”

“I’m still charming,” Donald whined.

“Subjectively,” she added.

They then collected their order, and as they both grabbed some utensils, and Donald caught her blush and smile slightly. “Heh, I see you picked up at least one good habit from me. You’re going to eat your slices with a fork and knife, too, huh?’

“Well,” she conceded, “after SARS, your germaphobia stopped looking so crazy to me. You were almost prophetic on that front.”

“See? It wasn’t all bad.”

“It wasn’t mostly good, either.”

Then they collected their drinks. As they sat down into a booth, Donald sat beside her instead of across from her; she inched away, but otherwise did not address another classic example of his awkward ways of interacting with people.

Donald continued, “Every couple goes through rough patches, hon. It all depends on how they handle them.”

“I suppose. But you did f*ck up. Royally.”

Deflecting the comment, he said “speaking of royalty – ”

“Please, don’t mention your ex-wife!”

“Which one? The one before you? The one after you – the royal one? Ericka Cruz? Or Oksana Fedorova?”

“Who were those last two again?”

“Beats me. I was married to them for such a short time I hardly got to know them – I think three months in ’02 with Cruz, and about a year, ’05 or ’06, with Oksana.”

“You’ve been busy.”

“And lonely.”

“Lonely, huh?”

“Lonelier than an ethnic dude in Wyoming.”

To this, she actually let out a bit of a snicker, to which Donald smiled and began to chuckle.

“Hehe! After all this time, I can still make you laugh! I miss your laugh. Do you miss me?”

She conceded, “only on occasion.”

He smiled, “I can work with that.”

[pic: imgur.com/SRvVYUi.png ]

Above: Donald and Sarah spotted eating pizza together at Idlewild Airport, NYC, c. August 5, 2009

– Kate Bohner’s The Art of The Don: The Unofficial Biography of Donald Trump, Times Books, 2017 edition



EUNICE KENNEDY-SHRIVER PASSES AWAY AT 88

…the decades-long pro-life progressive who was an early supporter of UHC and disability rights legislation was surrounded by friends and family during her final days… The firebrand feminist served in the US Senate from 1962 to 2001 and ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 1988, after declining to run in 1972, 1980 and 1984…

– The Washington Post, 8/11/2009



“…former FBI Director Robert F. Kennedy spoke at the invitation-only Requiem Mass held for his older sister here at the St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Hyannis. Sources close to the invitees have told us that the former Director delivered a stirring eulogy, one fitting for the beloved champion of feminist causes and defender of the disabled and the unborn. …Eunice Kennedy-Shriver’s other surviving brother, her younger brother and media mogul Ted Kennedy, was in attendance despite his own ailing health. In the past year, Mr. Ted Kennedy has had several grueling operations to combat a brain tumor and has been afflicted with seizures as well…”

– WNEV-TV News 7, independent TV station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts, US; 8/14/2009 broadcast



KENNETH BACON, FORMER US SECRETARY OF STATE, IS DEAD AT 64

…Bacon was a former leading figure in the humanitarian organization Refugees International, and also had previously worked, in advisory and unofficial diplomatic functions, for the Presidencies of Jack Kemp, Carol Bellamy, and Lee Iacocca. Despite spending years of his career working as a columnist and journalist, often being critical of “wasteful military spending,” Bacon served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, a position considered to unofficially be the “public face” of said department, from 1991 to 1993...

– The New York Times, 8/15/2009



The New New York Files, often shortened to The NNY Files or TNNYF, and aired and marketed in Canada as Tales from New New York, is a spinoff of the long-running American TV series Futurama. TNNYF is an anthology series, with each episode focusing on minor side characters, creatures, planets, and other locations found in the Futurama series, but expanded upon in order to “flesh them out,” as put by series creator Matt Groening. The series also depicts the early lives of the major characters of Futurama prior to the start of the series, as well as presenting a collection of non-sequitor shorts in some episodes that the writers “failed to expand into full episodes,” as Groening put it. The series began airing on August 16, 2009, almost exactly 15 after Futurama began airing; Groening explained in a 2009 interview that “the delay” in TNNYF’s developed was because “it’s only now that we the manpower to pull it off.” With a less frequent release schedule than Futurama’s, TNNYF has received praised by audiences and given decent reviews by critics.

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 2011



LARGEST-EVER ANIMALS-ONLY OVERPASS BRIDGE OPENS IN WYOMING

…Animals-only highway overpasses have proven over the years to reduce traffic accidents caused by wandering animals. These sprawled-out structures that blend into the area’s natural elements help animals migrate above and over busy roads without interacting with the human activity on the pavement below. This is the largest one in the US, passing over the four lanes of US Route 26 that pass through Wyoming. The “nature overpass” is sprinkled with elements such as rocks, bushes, logs, shrubbery and small boulders to extend the local animals’ natural habitat across the bridge and increase the speed at which wildlife adjusts to using the bridge instead of taking their chances on the road. Typically, members of the wildlife may take up to two or even five years for the shift to fully occur, but recent trends suggest that the more common they are found, the sooner animals adjust to them. In the past five years, the average length of time between overpass opening and complete local wildlife acceptance has shortened by as much as 30%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency…

– knn.co.usa, 8/18/2009



…and in political news, President Wellstone continued to meet with Jewish-American community leaders to amend relations between Jewish and African-American communities…

– CBS Evening News, 8/19/2009



…According to sources close to both musicians, rapper Vanilla Ice and rock-and-roll legend Elvis Presley plan release a collaboration album next month. …The two singer-songwriters began work on the album after lead singer Freddie Mercury of Queen publicly accused Ice of being “an unoriginal bore” for allegedly “ripping off” the music of Queen and other performers…

– thehollywoodreporter.co.usa, 8/21/2009



As Governor, Grammer also sought out an answer for what to do with the Salton Sea. Grammer visited the region in 2008 and found it to be a tragic site. With the backdrop of a breathtaking mountain range, he was shocked by the extent of dead animals and abandoned communities covered the artificial lake’s receding shoreline.

Accidently brought into existence in 1905 in a Colorado River water inflow effort gone awry, the large artificial sea in southern California was a popular place for the US military to conduct parachute training and testing after World War Two until the 1970s. The 1950s saw resort towns pop up along its shores, the most famous one being the Bombay Beach resort town. However, the mishandling of water apportionment over the decades had led to the sea’s waters slowly receding in a minor reflection of United Turkestan’s Aral Sea, creating an environmental disaster. Years of pollution from agricultural runoff had raised the Salton Sean’s salinity. In what has become a common and iconic image of the area, dead fish began washing up on beaches, creating noxious olfactory experiences that drove away the tourists and killed the local economy deader than the stinky fish. Worse, as the receding waters left the sea bed exposed to wind, toxic dust increased the risk of asthma and respiratory complications for the locals, brought on by particulate matter swept up into the air from the former shores of the Salton Sea and unintentionally breathed in by the people of Imperial County.

“As more of the sea dries, tens of thousands of silty shoreline is exposed,” explained Wendy Russell, the state’s inaugural Interior Secretary and the former Mayor of Palm Springs, a resort town less than thirty miles northwest of the dying lake, during Grammer’s first visit to the area. “And with it, the exposure of long-dormant, now-banned pesticides like DDT and other contaminants, that then get blown off to population centers by the wind.”

“Dear God, can’t anything be done about this?” the Governor asked.

“Poor air quality, habitat losses, human health risks, choking dust, and dying birds and fish do not appeal to prospective homeowners,” Russell shook her head. “It is problematic, but restoration would likely be our best course of action.”

“Then restoration efforts must be taken.”

Russell nodded, “We can’t let it be retaken by Mother Nature because the level of kicked-up toxic soil would be disastrous for living beings all across this whole region. And because the sea has no natural outlet, we have to prevent it from being used for waste storage.”

“So we’ll work with Nevada’s Governor to move this toxic soil out of our state and into theirs.” The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository is a radioactive waste storage facility in Nevada, set up in 1981, in the aftermath of the Trojan Tower Disaster of 1979, so that the federal government finally had a place to dispose of toxic waste.

“A small wetland project on the Torrez Martinez Tribal Land at the north of the valley may work. If it does, it may serve as a starting point or a springboard for more restoration projects,” opined Russell.

Grammer visited the Salton Sea again in early 2009, and lamented his administration’s failure to better address the growing crisis. He reportedly told his aides, “I think more movies could be made here. We could restore this place, renew its recreation opportunities, and foster economic development. It’s a beautiful place and it’s worth saving. Especially since it’ll be a huge public health disaster if we don’t.” Grammer soon formed a special Land Restoration Commission to discuss long-term, medium-range, and immediate goals. Grammer himself was more interested in the more immediate measures, figuring that local residents would not have the patience to wait for the fruits of a ten-year project. “I know I wouldn’t,” he reportedly told Secretary Russell.

The commission suggested establishing greenways and parks to rebuild the coast, town renewal efforts on the north end and “clean” lithium mining and geothermal energy projects on the south end. These medium-range goals would capitalize on both the scenic vistas and the deposits of minerals that are key ingredients in the production of lar phones and other modern electronic devices.

“We could bring back speedboat racing to the area and set up some solar panel farms maybe,” the Governor opined.

During one meeting with Governor Grammer in 2009, one commissioner questioned if redevelopment even be worth it in regards to it being economically sustainable, in the wake of health concerns. Grammer answered with “We’ll clear the waste away, then we’ll open the mineral mines, and then we’ll allow more people to begin moving in.” Grammer envisioned the re-establishing of working town in the area, of a working-class community for the geothermal production nearby, but a working-class community with a higher-class scenic view. And of improvements to the region becoming noticeable within the next five years. Grammer admitted, “Too idealistic? Maybe. But if we aim for an ‘A’ we could get a ‘B,’ and that’s a lot better than the ‘F’ we’ve got now.”

“There’s just one major problem with this,” Russell noted about the governor’s proposed five-year remove-redevelop-reopen plan.

“What’s that,” Governor Grammer asked.

“Geothermal energy extraction has been linked to earthquakes.”

Grammer thought for a moment, and politely attempted to brush off the concern by noting the size of the region’s proposed production and mining operation. “And, well, besides, we’re already on the San Andreas Fault. Earthquakes are already an expected part of the California experience. So the trick is to build houses that stand up to the ground-rattling. So…let’s not let anyone build any high-rises near the Salton Sea, shall we?”

[pic: imgur.com/pB0BEgd.png ]

Pictured: An aerial view of the Salton Sea

The earthquakes and the Salton Sea, however, were only part of a bigger problem concerning California’s environmental and fiscal conditions. Red Tide along the coast and forest fires in the north had made for a state government that needed bigger rainy-day fund, but Grammar had lowered taxes with the promise to not raise them again. Instead of using the Treasury Department’s already-depleted funds to pay for the toxic soil removal, Grammer turned to the private sector, offering tax breaks to contractors who were willing to work for low salaries and commission to cart away the soil and invest in energy production. A similar scheme had played out successfully for Grammer’s efforts to improve the state’s maglev and subway train transportation systems, allowing businesses to invest in maintenance and advertising to make up for the cost of repairs, updates and renovations...

– Miriam Pawel’s The Golden State Under Governor Grammar, Doubleday, 2021



…And earlier tonight in South Africa, incumbent President Keorapetse Kgositsile of the ANC won election to a full term over challenger Narend Singh of the Inkatha Freedom Party. Singh was an early favorite to win due to President Kgositsile receiving criticism for pardoning former President Buthelezi, but managed to assemble what has proven to be a winning coalition of anti-IFP voters…

– BBC News, 25/8/2009 broadcast



Performers Who Have Portrayed Doctor Who:

In Television

1963-1966: 1) William Hartnell

1966-1969: 2) Patrick Troughton

1969-1974: 3) Jon Pertwee

1974-1981: 4) Richard Keith Johnson

1981-1988: 5) Sir Michael John Gambon

1988-1989: 6) Sir Sean Connery

1989-1999: 7) Pierce Brosnan

1999-2002: 8) Hugh Grant

2002-2012: 9) James Edward Fleet

2012-2015: 10) Richard Ellef Ayoade

2015-2020: 11) Sir Rowan Atkinson

2020-present: 12) Hayley Atwell

In Film

1965: Peter Cushing

1966: Peter Cushing

1987: Sir Michael John Gambon and Sir Sean Connery

2020: Sir Rowan Atkinson and Hayley Atwell

– mediarchives.co.usa



FORMER PRESIDENT DINGER ENDORSES “40% GOALPOST” BILL

– The Des Moines Register, 8/29/2009



BIG VALLEY JAMBOREE CROWD BREAKS FESTIVAL’S ATTENDANCE RECORD

…the festivities were held later than usual due to a necessary postponement. The venue’s grounds required repairs after a major thunderstorm that Camrose experienced this summer significantly damaged grandstands and stages. Attention to these renovations many have contributed to this year’s crowd size, as more people learned of the annual fundraising event through news coverage of the repairs…

– calgaryherald.co.can, 1/9/2009 e-article



The Sweathogs (TV series) is an ABC TV series that serves as a sequel to the 1976-1981 TV series “Welcome Back, Kotter” and to the 2009 film of the same name. It aired on September 3, 2009 and concluded on June 3, 2012.

SYNOPSIS

Immediately following the events of the 2009 movie, the four main characters – Juan Epstein, Freddie Washington, Vinnie Barbarino and Arnold Horshack, a.k.a. “The Sweathogs” – decide to permanently move to New York City. Washington begins teaching Gym at a local college, Horshack becomes the remedial class teacher after Epstein is promoted to VP, and Vinnie settles for working as the school nurse and janitor, though he does fill in for Washington from time to time. A visual gag in the pilot hints that Woodman is rolling over in his grave upon it becoming official that “Sweathogs now control the school,” and throughout the series horror movie clichés played for laughs suggest that his spirit intermittently haunts the school in malevolent and benevolent ways. As the series progresses, Vinnie’s perverted undertones are exaggerated to make the character a humorous critique of jock stereotypes [S1].

Along with improving the learning experience for the students of the school, the Sweathogs also help their families adjust to life in NYC. Washington, through his struggles to balance the responsibilities of teacher, father and husband, becomes the new levelheaded character, with new characters in the form of Washington’s wife Vernajean Williams (played by Vernee Watson-Johnson, who portrayed the same character in the film and original series), Horschack’s wife Mary, and Epstein’s longtime girlfriend all doing their best to keep the Sweathogs out of trouble.

CAST

The actors portraying Washington, Epstein, Horshack and Barbarian all reprised their roles and were part of the regular cast. New characters included Debralee Scott as Rosalee “Hotsi” Totsi; Helaine Lembeck as Judy Hingswiggle; Stephen Shortridge as Beau De LaBarre (her first film role in roughly twenty years); Susan Lanier (b. 1947) as Bambi, Vinnie Barbarino’s wife; Charles Fleischer as Carvelli, a former student of James Buchanan High School who is now an ex-convict and the shop teacher at the school, and serves mainly as a developed rival on the show; Melonie Haller as Angie Grabowski; Aquarius Bates as Maybelline Swanson, Epstein’s Teacher Assistant; and Angel Demapan as Yasmina Washington, Freddie Washington’s daughter, a high school senior in the first season and a college student afterward.

Actors Jamie Farr and Gabe Kaplan agreed to play recurring roles, though the latter appears in only 20% of the episodes, while the former appears in 60% of the episodes.

PRODUCTION, RELEASE AND RESPOSE

A wide variety of writers worked on the series, with at least one episode being written or co-written by Fran Drescher (comedienne), Bud York in (co-writer for The John Amos Show), Susan Harris (creator of Soap, Benson, and The Golden Girls), Seth MacFarlane (create of Larry and Steve), Gabe Kaplan, and several other recurring writers.

The show has been praised for its self-aware humor, clever fourth-wall breaks, and successful running gags. After ratings dropped during the third season as the main stars began looking to other projects, the show was wrapped up and ended in season 3 with a two-part finale. The finale included a scene where a large number of Mr. Kotter’s infamous anecdotal relatives finally show up to prove that at least some of them were, in fact, real the whole time.

– clickopedia.co.usa/The_Sweathogs_(TV_series)

[S1] note: think Old Man Herbert from Family Guy, but younger, more ego-driven, more pathetic and much dumber



“…And in political news, businessman and former U.S. Congressman Dave Ramsey today announced that he is running for the Republican nomination for Governor of Tennessee…”

– WCLE (1570 AM) Tennessee radio, 9/7/2009 broadcast



Title: SAIL THROUGH MOUNTAINS

Performers: Elvis Presley with Vanilla Ice
Producer: Rick Hall
Record label: FAME Studios and Sony Music
Released: September 19, 2009
Genre: soft rock, country rock, rap rock, hip hop, doo-wop

REVIEW AVERAGE: 4.8-out-of-5

REVIEWS:

REVIEW 1:
I think the review average is inflated by the hype. I mean, this is Elvis – he could release the audio of his next colonoscopy as an album and it would be a hit single. 2-out-of-5.

REVIEW 2:
This was… decent. Certainly buoyed by Elvis, but serviceable. Though honestly, sometimes, the music styling of the two singers don’t mix that well IMO. 3-out-of-5.

REVIEW 3:
IT’s been interesting watching these two musicians mature and change over the years. Ice spending time with Elvis has made the King kind of rub off on him. V.I.’s music is getting more conservative in regards to subject matter. For American flags waving in the background of his music videos, lyrics with more religious reference; an overall more gospel kind of sound. This has got to be Ice’s cleanest album. 5-out-of-5.
- - -
REPLY 1 to REVIEW 3:
Clean is putting it lightly – he sounds almost neutered. I miss his more aggressive works.

REVIEW 4:
I’m surprised by how well these two perform together. Their voices really compliment each other. The result is this heavy lean into “Christian rap” on Vanilla’s side, and a lean to more hip hop styles on Elvis’s side. 5-out-of-5.
- - -
REPLY 1 to REVIEW 4:
I’m still surprised that Christian Rap is even a thing! I think this collab will make it more mainstream. I’m not sure how to feel about that.

– albumreviews.co.usa, a public music review site, 2009 post



…with China’s work on Dongtan being put on hold indefinitely, the Shimizu Corporation saw an opportunity to beat the PRC at its own game. As one of the largest general contracting firm for various architectural and civil engineering projects in Japan, Shimizu was able to propose several “megaprojects” to citywide and national officials during the late 2000s decade. These proposals included a sustainable city on the edge of Tokyo Bay, an artificial botanical island built with redistributed matter from the seabed, and a second and larger underwater/underground tunnel across Tokyo Bay to compliment Japan’s Aqua-Line.

City officials in Tokyo signed off on the latter two megaprojects, as they were less ambitious and, in the city government’s view, less likely to fall to the same variables that had stalled construction on Dongtan. Construction began on Green Spiral Island, the botanical island project, in September 2009. Tokyo residents hoped the projects would lower unemployment, environmentalists hoped it would come to serve as an inspiration for future humanity-biosphere co-existence endeavors, and wealthier investors predicted that these and other urban redevelopment projects would raise Japan’s chances of being selected to host the Summer or Winter Olympic Games in the near future. All the while, many (but not all) political officials sought to keep an eye out for yakuza syndicates trying to make themselves involved in the construction and labor aspects of these projects…

– Alec Dubro and David E. Kaplan’s Yakuza: Japan’s Criminal Underworld, University of California Press, 2021 edition



TINO DE ANGELIS, THE MAN BEHIND THE SALAD OIL RECESSION, DIES AT 94

…Anthony “Tino” De Angelis, the former commodities trader often described as the man who single-handedly crashed the US’s national economy in 1963, passed away today at the age of 94. De Angelis dealt in vegetable oil futures worldwide during the early 1960s, and ultimately swindled 51 banks out of more than $180million, or roughly $1.5billion in today’s money, in an ultimately-unsuccessful effort to corner the soybean oil market. The bombshell expose covering the investigation of the fraud, De Angelis’ arrest, and the revelations over it results in stocks crashing, and pulled the nation into a minor recession that many say contributed to President Lyndon Johnson losing re-election less than a year later.

The “Salad Oil Slicker” was sentenced to 25 years in prison in June 1964, but was released on bail in 1977, after serving for 12 years and seven months. During that time, De Angelis lost weight to improve his physical health and wrote an autobiography that was published in 1974. De Angelis was initially very popular among the prisoners, as the media had described him as “one of the greatest tricksters in American history,” as the Times reported in 1964. However, he had to be relocated to another prison in 1971, after his fellow prisoners discovered that he had been serving as a snitch for the warden for over six months, resulting in an attempt on his life. In the next prison, De Angelis reportedly kept a low profile.

After being released from prison, De Angelis attempted to return to commodities and stock trading, but could only find work in managing livestock transportation, “kept in charge but kept away from the till” as he later put it; when the economy entered recession in 1978, De Angelis famously told a Times reporter “I swear, I didn’t do it this time!”

In his later years, De Angelis served as a supervisor on several episodes of true-crime TV shows, with his name being credited on three episodes of Law and Order and five episodes of NCIS: New Jersey, but was not consulted for the 1979 Steve McQueen movie about “his recession,” or for the 2001 remake, leading to him criticizing both films and the way he was depicted in both

According to his nephew Joey, “Uncle Tino” died peacefully in his sleep from natural causes at his home in Bayonne, New Jersey. He is survived by several relatives, including two ex-wives, three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

– The New York Times, 9/26/2009



…On September 29, another issue arose out from the pacific in the form of an 8.1 earthquake, which triggered a massive tsunami that hit Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga with waves measuring as tall as 46 feet. American Samoa’s freshwater systems and electrical power generators were damaged. Applying what he had learned watching President Jackson handle Hurricane Katrina in 2005, President Wellstone declared a major disaster for thru dependent territory, allotting emergency federal funds to be used for rescue and clean-up efforts, and public health operations such as sending new generators and medical equipment to American Samoan hospitals. Samoa and Tongo gratefully accepted WELLSTONE’S offers to loan them assistance as well. The Overwhelming Disaster Emergency Response Coordination Agency (ODERCA) logistics teams oversaw basic needs being sent out with the assistance of the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US National Guard.

In a rare moment of praising “the tax-and-spend Democrats,” as he often put it, Governor Harley Davidson Brown (R-ID) praised Wellstone’s use of the USACE on September 30. However, any possible attempts to win over other conservative Republicans were impeded on October 3rd, when the President took the opportunity to compliment his predecessor, saying that Jackson’s handling of Katrina helped prepare himself for these kind of emergency situations. The comment was meant to try and improve Jackson’s popularity, as the “one of the good ones” scandal was still fresh in the public’s minds; it instead was viewed as “pandering” by individuals such as Allan Dershowitz, a prominent lawyer and a friend of former Speaker McMaster. Dershowitz created some controversy of his own on October 4th, when he called Wellstone a “traitor to our people” over the President’s refusal to more harshly denounce the former President...

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



…The 1970s, 1908s, and 1990s were also dominated by the NHL’s rivalry with the World Hockey Association (WHA). Initially struggling to compete against the larger NHL, the WHA benefited from successfully recruiting athletes fleeing from communist countries during the late 1970s, allowing the WHA to survive the financial shortfalls of the US economy entering recession in 1978, a development that financial hurt the NHL. When the Iron Curtain fell in the 1980s, culminating in the Soviet Union collapsing in 1984, ex-pats from Russia and Eastern Europe preferred the WHA due to its pro-immigrant player reputation in recent years, making the WHA the most successful NHL challenger ever.

The tide began to turn in the NHL’s favor at the dawn of the 1990s, however, with many “America First”-minded businessmen and individuals such as President Lee Iacocca strongly supporting the NHL’s various financial development and recruitment improvement efforts. After years of declining popularity and mounting financial problems, combined with the loss of many star players to the NHL and contract arguments between players and managers, the WHA’s fate was sealed in 2002, when the global SARS pandemic financial impacted the WHA worse than the NHL. The WHA ceased operations in 2004…

…By the time of the 2009-2010 NHL season, which began on October 1, 2009 and ended on June 9, 2010, the NHL was close to eclipsing the NFL to become the fourth-wealthiest professional sports league in the world by revenue. They ultimately failed to do so, but they did come close to it nevertheless…

– forward/introduction section of John Chi-Kit Wong’s Lords of The Rinks, University of Toronto Press, 2005



List of Stanley Cup champions

[snip]

1975: Montreal Canadiens

1976: Philadelphia Flyers

1977: Montreal Canadiens

1978: Montreal Canadiens

1979: Montreal Canadiens

1980: Philadelphia Flyers

1981: New York Islanders

1982: New York Islanders

1983: New York Islanders

1984: New York Islanders

1985: New York Islanders

1986: Calgary Flames

1987: Montreal Canadiens

1988: Edmonton Oilers

1989: Edmonton Oilers

1990: Edmonton Oilers

1991: Boston Bruins

1992: Pittsburgh Penguins

1993: Minnesota North Stars

1994: Pittsburgh Penguins

1995: Pittsburgh Penguins

1996: Chicago Blackhawks

1997: Montreal Canadiens

1998: New Jersey Devils

1999: Detroit Red Wings

2000: Colorado Avalanches

2001: Anaheim Mighty Ducks

2002: Edmonton Oilers

2003: New Jersey Devils

2004: New Jersey Devils

2005: Edmonton Oilers

2006: Montreal Canadiens

2007: Seattle Seals

2008: Boston Snowflakes

2009: Detroit Red Wings

– clickopedia.co.usa



IOC Session No. 121

Date: October 2, 2009

Location: Turin, Italy

Subject 1 of 1: Bidding For Hosting The 8/5/2016-8/21/2016 (or XXXI) Summer Olympics

Inspection teams evaluated candidate cities based on accommodations, environmental impact, past hosting experiences, financing capabilities, legal issues, local public opinion, safety and security standards, transportation feasibility, infrastructure, and the newest high-ranking criteria, sanitation procedures. New Delhi, India withdrew the day before the session, as their prospects remained dim over the city’s negative reputation still being connected to its poor handling of the 2002-2004 SARS pandemic and more recent corruption scandals. Rio de Janiero, the initial frontrunner, experienced similar concerns, along with its location and other inhibiting factors. Ahead of the fifth round, Baku withdrew; its votes, and Rio de Janiero’s votes, were split almost evenly between Prague and New York City.

Results:

New York City, United States – 21 (Round 1) – 25 (Round 2) – 28 (Round 3) – 28 (Round 4) – 52 (Round 5)

Prague, Czechoslovakia – 20 (Round 1) – 24 (Round 2) – 26 (Round 3) – 26 (Round 4) – 51 (Round 5)

Rio de Janiero, Brazil – 22 (Round 1) – 23 (Round 2) – 24 (Round 3) – 24 (Round 4)

Baku, Azerbaijan – 12 (Round 1) – 13 (Round 2) – 20 (Round 3) – 25 (Round 4) (withdrew ahead of Round 5)

Tokyo, Japan – 17 (Round 1) – 11 (Round 2) – 5 (Round 3)

Madrid, Spain – 6 (Round 1) – 7 (Round 2)

Nairobi, Kenya – 5 (Round 1)

End Result: New York City won on the fifth round

– aldaver.co.usa/votes.html



“Why are we going to spend all this money on some elitist sports show nobody watches instead of spending that money where it’s needed? Do you not know how high the rent is in this city?!”

– politician Jimmy McMillan of New York City, 10/4/2009



…On October 7, 2009, the US Deputy Trade Representative and Mexico’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism signed the US-Mexico Trade Promotion Agreement, slashing tariffs even further in order to encourage domestic consumption and employment in Mexico. The agreement also served as a prelude to further US investment into Mexico’s electronics commerce and telecommunications industries. While privately critical of labor in Mexico, Wellstone believed strengthening US-Mexico relations would have a positive effect of Mexico’s workforce and encourage stronger labor rights south of the border.

Meanwhile, in D.C., the Democrats in congress passed the Federal Buildings And Grounds Improvement Act, which established additional public-sector “civilian” federal employee occupations in regards to landscaping, maintenance, security, and other aspects of maintaining locations belong…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



SENATOR KENNEDY-ROOSEVELT INTRODUCES DISABILITY RIGHTS BILL

…the calls for a landmark bill to assist and protect Disabled Americans have risen in recent weeks, arguably sparked by the death of disability rights advocate and former US Senator Eunice Kennedy-Shriver, an aunt of Kennedy-Roosevelt…

– The Washington Post, 10/11/2009



JONES: So now let’s finish this up with your latest project, The Krusty The Clown Show, a live-action spinoff of Life In Heck And Other Fun Places.

GROENING: Yeah, it’s been a long time coming, this one.

JONES: Indeed! L.I.H. went off the air over 15 years ago.

GROENING: But it still has a strong cult following.

JONES: So is this, like, a cash grab or something?

GROENING: All shows are cash grabs. It’s just that the good ones don’t feel like cash grabs. We’re hoping The Krusty The Clown Show be will a real good one.

JONES: Well, Life In Heck didn’t feel like a cash grab either. Does that mean the rumors ontech are true, that a L.I.H. reboot is in the works?

GROENING: We’ll see how things go with Krusty first.

JONES: Well, personally I have a high amount of confidence in you, but what about audiences more familiar with Futurama than with L.I.H.? Will many even remember the cynical, chain-smoking, inappropriate, womanizing children’s entertainer Krusty the Clown from a TV show from the early 1990s?

GROENING: I will admit, it does seem like a gamble. Especially since that side character was a cartoon, and this is going to be live-action. Voice actor Dan Castellaneta’s also going to be doing his first major on-screen TV role, but, you know, I think that work in our favor. Because having it focus on cult favorite in a new format can re-introduce the character to a whole new generation in a brand new way. He’ll still be the same Krusty, but people are going to see more depth, more of who he is.

JONES: Yes, and you can use more technology and referential humor in it too, because, uh, if I recall accurately, the show takes place in the present, and years after the events of L.I.H. ended.

GROENING: That’s correct, Krusty has moved to L.A. to host his own talk show for a more adult audience, but he will keeps resorting to the same old childish antics and publicity stunts that made his old show so successful. Lots of meta jokes, too. Krusty will be looking for love, and struggling to break from his addictions in the more serious episodes, but mostly, he’ll be trying to win over viewers with comical schemes. Most of the time. We also plan to have lots of celebrity cameos, as he’ll be trying to, like, persuade or downright kidnap guest stars for his show. Sort of a major running gag.

JONES: Fascinating; and when will it premier again?

GROENING: Sometime next year.

JONES: I can’t wait!

– usarightnow.co.usa, 10/16/2009 interview



LOCAL MAN WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES APPREHEND AFTER “CONCERNING” ACTIVITY

…In accordance with the California Mental Health Protection Act signed into law by Governor Brown in 1996 [5], a one Edward P. Phillips, 63, formerly of Corydon, Indiana [6], has been “retained” for involuntarily mental health examination with permission from at least one family member. The retention occurred less than 48 hours after Phillips made violent threats in front of several witnesses at a public diner, whose owner described Phillips’ behavior as being “concerning and unnerving…he didn’t seem right.”…

– The Sacramento Union, 10/21/2009



…Even as the House Minority Leader, former Speaker McMaster could still confer regularly with GOP Senate leaders and do his best to try and win over conservative Democrats to break from their party line. Congressional Republicans also did their part to oppose the Wellstone administration, scrutinizing opposition legislation, calling for deregulation of multiple aspects of the government, questing circuit court decisions influenced by justices appointed by Wellstone and Jackson, and strongly lambasting executive orders…

[snip]

…Furthermore, calls for the deceptively-entitled Middle Class Tax Relief Act and the Nation Defense Reform Act became rallying points for the GOP as 2009 wound down, but without the votes, both proposed laws were ultimately struck down by the majority Democrats before the end of October. However, this may in fact had been what McMaster wanted, as their rejections created fodder for the Republican party’s 2010 strategy…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



RABBI OF AMERICA’S LARGEST SYNAGOGUE “FORGIVES” JESSE JACKSON; Accepts July Apology, Re-Endorses The Rainbow Coalition

– The Chicago Tribune, 10/25/2009



FEEDING THE FUTURE: Why Automated Farming Is On The Rise

[pic: imgur.com/c8fWFTS.png ]

We have come a long way from automatic sprinklers. With a world population of roughly 7 billion people and rising, more analysts and businessmen are coming to agree with the notion that agricultural modernization is a must. Providing sustenance means improving farming systems, and this need, combined with technological developments, is the impetus behind farming becoming increasingly automated in recent years. Major food producers such as Perdue and Tyson are adopting computer automation and robotics to increase food production and availability, with smaller producers and farms following suit, and Kansas, a state at the forefront of “agritech” innovation, is at the center of it...

[snip]

…For more urban areas, indoor farming and vertical farming is on the rise as well. For example, Chicago’s Mayor Larry Wintersmith has recently greenlit plans for a high-rise in the south side of the city that will feature a 30-story façade of various vegetable running up and down the south side of the building exterior, in a project meant to demonstrate how crowded population centers can still contribute to growing their own foodstuffs.

There is also something to be said about the rise in “Concierge” jobs. Essentially, these are jobs in which robots do the physical work while human beings are the “faces” of it. A sort of go-between between robot-cautious customers and the new machinery. These occupations, along with farming mechanization overall, exploded under President Jesse Jackson’s Agriculture Secretary, the progressive Jim McGovern…

– National Geographic, October 2009 issue



“…In the Garden state, incumbent New Jersey Governor Joe Louis Clark, a Democrat, successfully ran for a full term. Running against controversial right-wing Republican challenger Steve Lonegan, Clark, the state’s first African-American Governor, won by a margin of roughly 14%. Clark’s running mate was state senator Peter Benson Carlisle. …Governor Joe Louis Clark ascended from the Lieutenant Governorship in January of this year after New Jersey Governor Richard Codey resigned from office to join the Wellstone administration. Prior to entering elective politics, Joe Louis Clark was an educator, serving as the Principal of Eastside High in the 1980s and as a Superintendent in the 1990s…”

– CBS Evening News, 11/3/2009 broadcast



DEMOCRATS TAKE BACK GOVERNOR’S MANSION BY A HAIR

…Les Steckel (D) defeated Virgil Goode Jr. (R) with a plurality, winning by a margin of roughly 1.5%, and with the conservative independent candidate Harry Russell “Russ” Potts Jr. underperforming, but still pulling in roughly 3.7% of the vote... Steckel will be sworn in on January 16, 2010…

– The Richmond Times-Dispatch, 11/3/2009



HAMBERG RE-ELECTED IN LANDSLIDE

…incumbent Meg Hamberg (the nominee of the Democratic, Liberal, and Working Families parties) has defeated Richard Parsons (the nominee of the Republican, Conservative, and Liberty parties) and Robert “Naked Cowboy” Burck (the nominee of the Independence party) by a whopping 40% margin. Mayor Hamberg received 67.1% of the vote, while Parsons received 26.4% and Burck received 5.6%, with the remaining .9% going to the several remaining independent and third-party candidates on the ballot. The most likely cause for the election blowout was the city winning the 2016 Summer Olympics earlier this year, and for the Mayor’s improving of subway sanitation quality, along with Parsons performing poorly in the penultimate pre-election debate. …Due to a 2006 city law establishing a limit of two terms per mayor, this will be Hamberg’s last term…

– The New York Times, 11/3/2009



ALBANY MAYOR RE-ELECTED IN LANDSLIDE

…progressive firebrand Dr. Alice Green won a third term over her Republican opponent with over 80% of the vote…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 11/3/2009



Mayors of ALBANY (New York)

1942-1983: 72) Erastus Corning 2nd (D, 1909-1983) – former insurance salesperson; previously served in the state assembly and state senate; born into wealthy family with many political connections; Frank Salisbury Harris served as acting mayor during his military service (1944-1945) during WWII; unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor in 1946; city’s longest-serving mayor, having served for over 41 years; oversaw political patronage machine; died in office from poor health at the age of 73

1941: Benjamin R. Hoff (R) and Morris Zuckerman (American Labor)

1945: Harold J. Murphy (R)

1949: Charles E. Walsh (R), Beryl Beach (Liberal) and Morris Zuckerman (Unity)

1953: Thomas E. Mulligan Jr. (R) and Scott K. Gray Jr. (American Labor)

1957: Edward J. Ray (R)

1961: Robert K. Hudnut (R)

1965: Jacob Olshansky (R)

1969: Albert S. Hartheimer (R), Joseph L. Kennedy (Conservative) and Edward Carhart (Liberal)

1973: Carl E. Touhey (R) and Vincent D. Bytner (Citizens)

1977: Howard C. Nolan (Liberal, b. 1932), E. Michael Ruberti (R), Kevin E. Kellogg (Workers’) and Christopher Lewis (Labor)

1981: Carl E. Touhey (R) and Fred Dusenbury (Citizens)

1983-2001: 73) Thomas Michael “Tom” Whalen III (D, 1934-2019) – ascended due to being Common Council President; focused on financial reform and improving the city’s image and bond rating; resigned to take a seat on a federal circuit court

1985: Louis M. Russo (R)

1989: Senley E. Jack (R)

1993: Gerald David "Jerry" Jennings (Liberal, b. 1948) and Phil Spiro (R)

1997: John J. McEneny (Liberal, b. 1943), Elizabeth J. Pearson (Green) and Joseph P. Sullivan (R, 1937-2019)

2001-2002: 74) Harold L. Joyce (D) – ascended due to being Common Council President; lost primary race six weeks after entering office in a stunning upset

2002-2014: 75) Dr. Alice Green (D, b. circa mid-1940s) – city’s first female mayor and city’s first African-American mayor; former social worker, political activist, city council member, and vice-chair of the NY chapter of the Jackson’00 campaign; backed prison reform, criminal justice, and social justice reform; endorsed by the Green party due to her pro-environment policies; established term limits; term-limited; later unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House in 2014; currently works in academia and as a public speaker

2001: Harold L. Joyce (D (write-in)) and Joseph P. Sullivan (R)

2005: Archie L. Goodbee Jr. (Liberal) and Paul Latimer (R)

2009: Nathan Lebron (R)

2014-present: 76) Patricia Fahy (D) – city’s second female mayor; former President of the city School Board and former common council member; previously served as an Associate Commissioner for the state Department of Labor; incumbent

2013: Theodore J. Danz Jr. (R, b. 1947) and Theresa Portelli (Green)

2017: Carolyn McLaughlin (Liberal), Frank Commisso Jr. (R) and Bryan J. Jimenez (Green)

– clickopedia.co.usa, 7/4/2021



BUFFALO MAYOR ELECTION RESULTS: Mickey Kearns (D) Defeats Two Challengers With Ease

– The New York Times, side article, 11/3/2009



Mayors of BUFFALO (New York)

1/1/1958-12/31/1965: 56) Frank Albert Sedita (D, 1907-1975) – former attorney; previously served as a city court judge; promoted urban development projects; won re-election in 1961 due to the initial popularity of the Cuba War; lost re-election

1957: Chester A. Kowal (R) and Elmer Lux (I)

1961: Bernard Kurtz (R), Victor Manz (Liberal) and Peter Carr (People’s)

1/1/1966-9/28/1966: 57) Chester A. Kowal (R, 1904-1966) – previously served as city comptroller from 1951 to 1957; aggressively supported efforts to reign in wasteful spending; died in his sleep at the age of 62 from undisclosed causes

1965: Frank Albert Sedita (D), Jimmy Griffin (Conservative) and F. James Kane (Liberal)

9/28/1966-12/31/1969: 58) Stanley M. “Stan” Makowski (D, 1923-1977) – son of Polish immigrants; previously served on the common council; selected by the common council to complete Kowal’s term; lost bid for a full term and returned to serving on the common council

1/1/1970-5/2/1975: 59) Frank Albert Sedita (D, 1907-1975) – almost considered not running for a second term due to waning energy; supporters convinced him to complete his term and then retire amid declining health in late 1973 and again in 1974; died in office at the age of 67 from undisclosed causes

1969: Roland Benzow (R), John A. Westra (Conservative) and Ambrose I. Lane (Liberal)

1973: Alfreda Slominski (R, b. 1929), Stewart M. Levy (Conservative) and Chester Gorski (Liberal, 1906-1975)

5/2/1975-3/3/1977: 60) Stanley M. “Stan” Makowski (D, 1923-1977) – selected by the common council to complete Sedita’s term; died in office at the age of 53 from pneumonia a few weeks after the Great Blizzard of 1977 swept harsh winds and several feet of snow onto the city, during and after which he participated in emergency relief efforts

3/3/1977-12/31/1977: 61) Wilbur P. Trammell (D) – former city court judge; selected by the common council to complete Sedita’s term; lost last-minute bid for the Democratic nomination for a full term and retired

1/1/1978-12/31/1997: 62) Arthur O. Eve (D, b. 1933) – city’s first African-American mayor; previously served in the state assembly from 1967 to 1977; progressive; supported education reform; city’s longest-serving mayor; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 1998

1977: John J. Phelan (R), Patrick W. Giagnacova (Liberal) and Ira Liebowitz (Labor)

1981: Jimmy Griffin (R) and Joseph G. Giambra (Liberal) and Khushro Ghandi (Labor)

1985: Donald L. Tuchiarelli (R) and Alfred T. “Al” Coppola (Liberal)

1989: Carol Siwek (R) and William B. “Bill” Hoyt Jr. (Liberal, 1937-1992)

1993: Richard A. Grimm III (R), Eugene M. Fahey (Conservative, b. 1951) and Nicholas C. Constantino (Liberal)

1/1/1998-12/31/2001: James Donald “Jimmy” Griffin (R, 1929-2008) – previously served on the common council from 1962 to 1965, in the state senate from 1967 to 1997; ran for mayor in 1965, 1977, 1981, and 1989; campaigned as a moderate but supported conservative policies during his tenure; vocally opposed abortion; lost re-election in a landslide; city’s most recent GOP mayor

1997: George K. Arthur (D, 1934-2020), Dennis T. Gorski (Liberal, 1944-2021) and Sharon Caetano (Conservative)

1/1/2002-12/31/2009: William B. “Sam” Hoyt III (D, b. 1962) – previously served in the state assembly from 1992 to 2001; was known for being an ardent fighter for education, especially remote learning during the SARS pandemic; term-limited after the common council established term limits in 1999; unsuccessfully ran for Governor in 2014; currently served in the state senate

2001: Jimmy Griffin (R), Kevin P. Gaughan (Conservative, b. 1954), Anthony M. Masiello (Liberal, b. 1947) and Judith Einach (Green)

2005: Kevin J. Helfer (R), Beverley A. Gray (Liberal) and James Pitts (Independent)

1/1/2010-12/31/2017: Michael P. “Mickey” Kearns (D, b. 1969/1970) – served on the common council from 2006 to 2009; moderate; term-limited

2009: Bernie Tolbert (R) and Steve Calvaneso (Liberal)

2013: Sergio R. Rodriguez (R, b. 1981)

1/1/2018-present: Betty Jean Grant (D, b. circa 1970/1971) – city’s first female Mayor and city’s second African-American mayor; previously served on the city council from 1997 to 2005, in the state assembly from 2005 to 2011, and in the state senate from 2011 to 2017; currently focused on improving education and business development; incumbent

2017: Anita L. Howard (R) and Terrence A. Robinson (Green)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021

MANCHESTER ELECTS ITS FIRST-EVER FEMALE MAYOR

… Jane Ellen Beaulieu, considered by some to be a “rising star” in the Democratic Party, will succeed incumbent Mayor Gatsas, who retired to run for the US Senate next year…

– The New Hampshire Union Leader, 11/3/2009



List of Mayors of MANCHESTER (New Hampshire)

1962-1964: 42) John C. Mongan (R, 1925-2013) – won in an upset with 51.2% of the vote, despite it being a year favorable to Democrats in general and the city being overwhelmingly Democratic-leaning, due to voter fatigue (Mongan’s predecessor, Josephat T. Benoit (D, 1900-1976) had been the city’s Democratic mayor for 16 years); lost re-election by a margin of 1%

1961: Roger Brassard (D)

1964-1966: 43) Roland S. Vallee (D, 1929-1997) – former city alderperson, businessperson, and building owner; known as “the singing mayor” due to being a former nightclub signer known for having a baritone voice; strongly supported President Lyndon Johnson; lost re-election amid allegations that he had manipulated lower tax assessments on his own personally-owned buildings

1963: John C. Morgan (R)

1966-1972: 44) Paul M. Martel (R) – former city alderperson; strongly supported President Harland Sanders; re-elected in 1967 and 1969 by comfortable margins, but waffled on responding to the Ms. Arkansas Scandal and subsequent “Ark Wave” in 1970; lost re-election

1965: Roland S. Vallee (D)

1967: William McCarthy (D)

1969: George Morrissette (D)

1972-1978: 45) Sylvio Dupuis (D) – former optometrist; strongly supported President Walter Mondale; retired to successfully run for a US House seat in 1978

1971: Paul M. Martel (R) and Angela Lafond (Liberal)

1973: Gerald Carmen (R)

1975: Frank Wageman (R), Norman Gauthier (Conservative) and Lloyd Basinow (Moderate)

1978-1982: 46) George Lacourse (R) – former city alderperson; won election and re-election by narrow margins each time due to the city’s growing Democratic-leaning population; often clashed with the Democratic-majority “Board of Aldermen”; lost re-nomination in an upset over his handling of the 1978 economic downturn

1977: Alphonse Bledeau (D)

1979: Robert F. Shaw (D) and Henry Naro (Conservative)

1982-1984: 47) Emile Dorilas Beaulieu Jr. (D, 1931-2016) – Catholic; moderate former business owner; previously served in the state House from 1973 to 1974 and as the city’s welfare commissioner from 1974 to 1981; was criticized for his spending record; lost re-election in an upset

1981: Richard Jacobs (R)

1984-1986: 48) Robert F. Shaw (R, 1934-2020) – former gas station owner; lost re-election by a narrow margin

1983: Emile Beaulieu (D)

1986-1988: 49) Emile Beaulieu (D) – former mayor; was strongly anti-abortion; lost re-election after raising property taxes to pay for redeveloping the city’s downtown business district

1985: Robert F. Shaw (R)

1988-2000: 50) Raymond Joseph Wieczorek (R, b. 1928) – US military veteran of the Korean War; former insurance agent/salesman and United Way chairman; former director and president of the Manchester Scholarship Foundation from 1973 to 1976 and previously served on the city’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority from 1984 to 1988; previously served as the chairperson of the city’s Republican Party chapter from 1980 to 1982; developed the city’s airport, mill yard, and civic center; increased the size of the city’s police force and increased police protection for areas dealing with crime; converted the city budget from a calendar year to a fiscal year; was so popular in 1997 that no Democrat ran against him; retired due to exhaustion

1987: Emile Beaulieu (D) and Peter Poirier (Liberal)

1989: Sylvio L. Dupuis (D, b. 1934) and Fernand “Fern” Gelinas (Liberal)

1991: John J. McDonough (D) and Leona Dykstra (Liberal)

1993: Robert H. Dennis (D)

1995: Robert A. Baines (D, b. 1946)

1997: Robert A. Howe (Libertarian), Thomas Colantuono (Conservative) and Richard H. Girard (I)

2000-2006: 51) Robert F. Shaw (D) – former mayor; switched parties in 1997, and his 1999 political opponent, who was also a former mayor, switched parties in 1991; supported public safety and education reform; improved the city’s waste disposal process by upgrading sewer and water systems, but was better known for clashing with many of the Jesse Jackson administration’s progressive policies; lost re-nomination in an upset and, after failing to file to run as in Independent ahead of filing deadlines, subsequently retired from public life

1999: Emile Dorilas Beaulieu Jr. (R) and Joseph Kelly Levassuer (Conservative)

2001: Carlos Gonzalez (R)

2003: Frank C. Guinta (R, b. 1970) and Jeff Kassel (I)

2006-2010: 52) Theodore “Ted” Gatsas (R, b. 1950) – city’s first Greek-American mayor; previously served as a state alderman from 2000 to 2005; best known for cutting taxes, supporting school vouchers and vocational schooling, and hosting a call-in radio/podcast program to interact directly and regularly with city residents; retired amid high approval ratings to successfully run for a US Senate seat

2005: Bobby Stephen (D) and Caitlin Curran (I)

2007: Mark E. Roy (D), Thomas “Tom” Donovan (I) and Richard N. Komi (Working Families)

2010-2020: 53) Jane Ellen Beaulieu (D, b. 1954) – city’s first female mayor; former businessperson and political organizer; previously served as a Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from the “Hillsborough 17” district from 2004 to 2010; Catholic; moderate; daughter of a former mayor; supported bipartisan efforts to improve transportation, social programs, and incentives for local business development; won the 2017 after two recount; retired to successfully run for a state senate seat in 2020 after unsuccessfully running for a US House seat in 2018

2009: Frank Christopher Guinta (R, b. 1970)

2011: Glenn “R. J.” Ouellette (R) and Christopher J. “Chris” Herbert (Working Families)

2013: Ketherine Gatsas (R)

2015: Thomas H. DeBlois (R, b. 1945) and Patrick J. Arnold (Working Families)

2017: Jim Rubens (R), Joshua D. Dallaire (Working Families) and Alibaba Shaikh (I)

2020-present: 54) Victoria Sullivan (R) – city’s second female mayor; former moderate Democrat; former business owner; previously served as a city alderperson from 2014 to 2020; 2019 victory credited to voter fatigue and backlash to slowly rising tax rates; incumbent

2019: Joyce Craig (D/Working Families) and Tammy Simmons (Conservative)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



CHAMPS: Phillies Return To Glory With 27th World Series Title

…their first World Series win since 1981…

– The Star-Ledger, New Jersey newspaper, 11/4/2009



Commissioners of Baseball:

1920-1944: 1) Kenesaw Mountain Landis

1945-1951: 2) Happy Chandler

1951-1965: 3) Ford Frick

1965-1968: 4) Eugene M. Zuckert

1969-1987: 5) Bowie Kuhn

1987-1992: 6) Lee Iacocca

1992-1994: 7) Yogi Berra

1994-present: 8) George W. Bush

– MLB.co.usa/history/commissioners/list, c. 2009



WHY COULDN’T WE NAME THIS DECADE?

…Written and phonetically pronounced in a variety of ways, the past ten years have an identity crisis of sorts. The decade sandwiched between the 1990s and the 2010s is referred to by an assortment of terms that often differ from place to place. For example, the 2000s decade is most commonly referred to as the “double ohs” or as the “oh-ohs” in Canada. In Britain, the “2000s” are called the “Noughties,” the “Aughties,” the “Oughties,” or the “Aughts.” …A contributing factor to this linguistic shortcoming is the fact that there is no universal census on decade-related terminology. …Even this decade’s spelling was not uniform, as it was written as “the 2000s,” “the ’00s,” or, to distinguish it from the 21st century, “the 2000s decade,” which was spoken as “the two-thousands decade”…

– newsweek.co.usa, 11/11/2009



MCCARTNEY: “I Still Ask John Lennon For Help Writing Songs” [7]

…the former Beatles band member admits that he maintains contact with the ex-bandmate/former Prime Minister John Lennon and ex-bandmate Ringo Starr, saying in a BBC2 interview “I talk to him about a bit I’m struggling with, and sometimes we’ll break the whole thing down and start it all up again from scratch.” McCartney continued, “I’ll VidCall him at wherever he is, but, uh, it can be harder to play bits out with him on some days than on others. He likes to travel around a lot nowadays, you know. At least twice I’ve called him up in the morning at one place, and just a few hours later, he’ll have travelled a continent or half-continent away and is too busy dancing with [John Lennon’s wife] Lyn or whatever to really focus on what I’m playing so I’ll just call back later. He’s got a lot of energy for a 69-year-old. I mean, I’m no spring chicken myself, but I know when to take it down a notch. John doesn’t. I’m not sure if that’s a bad or good thing. Guess it depends on the time of day, I guess.”

– The Daily Express, UK newspaper, 16/11/2009



NO END IN SIGHT FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOME BUILDING MOVEMENT

…Ever since the country was hit by months-long waves of emergency shutdowns and quarantines in 2002 and early 2003, centurions and Gen-X-ers have been moving out of the crowded cities and taking up residence in “the American countryside,” bringing new neighboring to the people of rural, suburban-rural and suburban communities across the United States.

Most of these movers, especially those who are endeavoring to start families of their own, see home-buying as being overall better than renting. “It costs more up front, but it’s worth the investment in the long run,” says one former Bostonian who has bought her own Cape Cod-style house in suburban-rural Barrington, New Hampshire. “I think the shutdowns made a lot of people reprioritize what kind of homes they want to live in. I mean, if something like that were to happen again,” the young woman and her fiancé furiously knocks on wood, “We’d rather have some elbow room, maybe even a decent-sized backyard to exercise in, than be stuck in some cramped flat.”

The ability of these Americans to just up and relocate is due to the advance of communication technology, which has allowed people to e-commute to work, or remote-work. Through VidCalls and doc-sharing tools employees can maintain contact with employers, customers and clients and interact with them in real-time from the comfort of their own homes – a technological ability that boomed during the SARS Pandemic. According to the US Department of Labor, the total number of e-commuters, or remote workers, at the height of the pandemic shutdowns (December 2002) was 3.5 million. While that number has since dropped considerably, it has not dropped below 2.1 million, which is still above the under 1.0 million remote workers reported prior to the pandemic. Thus, remote work has become an aspect of the American employment landscape. “One that is most likely to stick around for a good long while” says another Barrington Resident, who works remotely as a Content Writer and Editor for a marketing company headquartered in his former hometown of New York City.

Since 2002, many homebuilders have become more focused on single-family plots in a movement that has picked up the moniker “eco-sprawling,” an environmentally-conscious form of developing suburban communities near business centers without disrupting the area’s natural beauty.

One such housing development close to Albany, New York is New Schenectady, a “planned community” project funded by several wealthy environmentally-conscious New Yorkers and endorsed by Vice President Bob Ross. “I sometimes feel like I live in The Shire,” comments one new homeowner. Indeed, the homes almost seem to blend in to the landscape with the use of round design and “eco-centric” architecture.

The exodus of younger generations from urban centers was also experienced in places such as France, Italy and the UK, with hundreds of urban residents fleeing from dense apartments and condominiums for more open areas – and lower costs of living – found nearby. For example, according to the US Postal Service, roughly 150,000 New Yorkers made change of address requests between February 2002 and February 2004, with many of these people relocating to New Jersey and Connecticut during and after the SARS pandemic (though, according to a recent inquiry, roughly 30% of those residents ended up moving back to NYC by the end of 2008)...

– Business Monthly magazine, November 2009 issue



IT’S MCTEER BY A HAIR

…the Prime Minister led her party to a narrow majority victory over Opposition Leader Jim Prentice of the Progressive Conservative Party, which gained 21 seats. The Maple Party lost seats, partially to due controversies concerning its national leader, Andre Boisclair. All three prominent minor parties that hold seats in parliament – the Quebec Party, led by Louise Harel; the Organized Grassroots Party, led by Maude Barlow; and the Green Party, led by Frank de Jong – lost seats as well…

– The Vancouver Sun, Canadian newspaper, 11/23/2009



…Ahead on the 2009 UN GCD Conference in Brussels, Belgium, Niger became the last country of undisputed independent status ratify the UN’s Convention on The Rights of the Child, an international treaty often referred to as the CRC or the UN CRC for short. [8] First signed in 1989, with the Convention defining a child as being any human being under the age of 18, the international human rights treaty aimed to clarify the specifics of child rights, such age the “age of majority,” and the civil, social, economic/political, health and cultural rights of children. The treaty also included protocols addressing children in military conflicts, and attacking the production and distribution of children, child prostitution and child pornography; the implementation of these latter protocols was heavily encouraged by UN Secretary-General Carol Bellamy (1996-2006) and her successor, Kofi Annan… [snip] …The US ratified the CRC in 1992 under President Bellamy... with the ratification by Niger, every country on Earth except for unrecognized nations not have signed onto it, even rival major rival nations of debated independence status such as both China and Taiwan. [9]

[snip]

…The 2009 Conference also discussed the progress being made on the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Global Climate Disruption (or UNFCGCD, for short) and on the Kiev protocol of 1995-1996. Task Forces and GCD experts reported progress had slowed, with many industrialized nations – China and Russia in particular – falling behind scheduled “emission weaning” dates. The economic report blamed the recent sluggishness on the “upper echelons of the social classes,” noting that, typically, one millionaire’s private jet produced more emissions than one hundred layman gas-powered pickup trucks. Subsequent criticisms ontech toward wealthy lavishness led to ontech petitions and boycotts. Hoping to improve their customers’ reputations and their won business model in the process, private jet manufacturers Dassault and Cessna announced by the year of 2009 that they would begin designing more “economically conscious” modes of high-end transportation…

– Ramesh Thakur’s The United Nations, Peace And Security, Cambridge University Press, 2020 edition



WELLSTONE BACKS AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES BILL IN IMPASSIONED SPEECH

[pic: imgur.com/JwJgV6m.png ]

Pictured: President Wellstone, giving his endorsement to the proposed Kennedy-Roosevelt–Kerrey Bill, points out to “the people here and the people out there” who would benefit from the bill’s passage.

– The Washington Post, 12/1/2009



HOUSE VOTES DOWN “40% GOALPOST” BILL

..voting on almost partisan lines, the bill was struck down 236-to-205. The bill called for a Constitutional Amendment that would establish a second election, or “runoff election,” between the top two vote receivers of a Presidential election if no candidates received more than 40% of the vote…

– The New York Times, 12/5/2009



SUPREME COURT RULES SPORTS BETTING DOES NOT VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION

After months of delay, the Supreme Court decided to hand down opinions on a major ruling concerning sports betting. In a 6-3 majority decision (with Justices Thompson, Bacon and Garza dissenting), Justice Nealon today struck down a 1982 federal law that tightly regulated sports betting at the state level over its apparent confliction with the 10th Amendment, which allows for states’ rights. In the Wilson v. NCAA case, a federal appeals court said that Colorado could not legalize sports betting due to it affecting residents of states other than Colorado. The court has ruled against the appeals court in this decades-old case on the grounds of the initial law requiring states to request federal permission to legalize sports betting violated the Constitution’s provisions that limit federal government’s ability to regulate such activities at the state level.

Supporters of legalizing sports betting are voicing support for the decision, calling it “a preservation of the freedom of expression” despite the decision not focusing on that aspect of the controversy of legalizing sports betting. Opponents of the ruling are voicing concerning that the allure of betting will lead to “a horrid and harmful impact on communities and families, weakened by a vice that the federal government should have the right to protect the people from,” as one prominent technetter put in ontech. Other dissenting voices have expressed fear that the decision will “open up the floodgates, and lead to legalized sports betting being legal in all 50 states in less than that many years,” or that it will “destroy the very moral fiber of our country” [10]. More libertarian Republicans, however, are celebrating the decision, ignoring the fact that three Republican-appointed Associate Justices voted against the majority ruling. Prominent members of the “hedgehog” wing of the GOP are dismissing , such as Congressman Doug Wead (R-AZ), lauded the Supreme Court in general and noted that “Americans are a strong people who are capable of self-control.”

[snip]

…Despite President Wellstone shying away from the court case, some ontech conspiracy theories claim that the court purposely delayed their opinions and ruling announcement in order to minimize its impact on the elections held in November…

– The Washington Post, 12/10/2009



TED KENNEDY, CO-FOUNDER OF MEDIA EMPIRE, DIES AT 77

Sacramento, CA – Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy Sr., who with Ted Turner co-founded Turner-Kennedy Broadcasting, Inc. and the TV news juggernaut KNN, passed away earlier today after a nearly-two-years-long battle with declining health relating to a brain tumor. Kennedy, a relative of the Massachusetts-based Kennedy political family, was surrounded by his wife and children during his final moments. Ted Turner, a business partner and close friend of Ted Kennedy, said that the passing “marks the end of a great chapter in American television and the end of a great man”…

– The Boston Globe, 12/14/2009



The conspiracy theories peddled out by anti-Wellstone activists on radio and ontech were as expected. Despite Christmas being openly celebrated at the Wellstone White House, with America’s first Jewish President even explicitly wishing “Merry Christmas” in a “Seasons’ Greetings” video downloaded to the official White House netsite and shared on the popular video-sharing site Ourvids.co.can (despite it being a Canada-based netsite, many Americans visit it due to globalization trends making for uniform netsite compatibility across borders), false claims persisted.

Lou Dobbs of The Herring Network, for instance, stated on December 15, “Teddy Roosevelt once banned Christmas trees in the White House because of alleged ‘environmental concerns.’ [11] It is highly possible that Wellstone will use this precedence to ban all the Christmas decorations and replace them with Jewish decorations.” This line of attack was nonsensical, given that Wellstone had already participated in Jewish traditions in the days prior, as Hanukkah 2009 had lasted from December 11 to December 19, culminating with the annual White House Hanukkah Party [12]. (Sidebar: in a goodwill gesture meant to aid peace efforts overseas, Walter Mondale became the first US President to officially recognize Hanukkah in December 1977, by participating in a menorah-lighting ceremony in Lafayette Park. Kemp became the first President to host a menorah-lighting ceremony inside of the White House itself, doing so in December 1987; the first official White House Hanukkah Party was held four years later, in December 1991, under President Bellamy [13].)

On December 16, Rush Limbaugh chastised Wellstone on his radio show for often using the term “Judeo-Christian heritage,” even though that very terminology was first used by Lee Iacocca in December 1993. A President lionized by all factions of the Republican party, most media outlets were quick to condemn Limbaugh for the hypocrisy.

Fortunately for the festivities, First Lady Wellstone ignored the furor of the fringe and went forward with letting in reporters to document the Christmas preparations. Keeping with tradition established under Ladybird Johnson [14], the crystal chandelier of the Blue Room was removed to make room for the 19-foot-tall tree donated by the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) [15] and decorated with traditional tinsel and ornaments like it is every year [14]. The President, meanwhile, filled the grounds with dozens of trees that were meticulously cared for and replanted afterward. Wellstone did not “break with tradition by opening up” the White House, as every modern US President had done so. Wellstone’s first seasonal celebrations as President aimed to show that Christmas “is not just for Christian, because the idea of this holiday season is to be good to each other and to call for peace on Earth and goodwill towards all people everywhere,” as the President put it.

Wellstone also said, in a private meeting with the White House staff, that the modern message of the holiday season was to find “commonalities, shared goals, dreams, aspirations and forms of love with people across the religious spectrum. To understand and double down on the importance of family, of sharing the joy and the feeling of this special time of the year, when hope runs high and, in the dark of winter, the future can look brighter than ever before, because we reach out to those we know and love. We seek out hope, we seek out joy, and we hold onto that sense of hope and joy for as long as we can because hope and joy are stronger than despair and sadness. They are stronger that what ails the human condition. And when we have that feeling, that feeling of wellness, of family, of joy, we, as naturally social creatures, want to spread and share the laughter and the mirth. That’s what matters during this time of year, more so than the decorations or by the name or names of our respective faiths. My friends, a toast – not to labels, but to love and to life.”

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



…The culture of the 2000s went from several phases. The decade began with the Y2K Aesthetic Movement that had developed as the 1990s had come to a close. Originating in the U.K. before spreading out to the rest of the Western world, “YAM,” also known as the “bubble” aesthetic influenced architecture and the music scene until being eclipsed in 2002 by the rise in mask-punk, an offshoot of heavy metal and razor rock that “made the best of a bad situation” (the global SARS pandemic of the early Aughties) by making masks a fashion statement. Some fans of mask-punk credit this music scene with contributing to the global effort truncate SARS infection rates.

Throughout the decade, the country music scene experience a trend of collaborative works somewhat reminiscent of “The Scene That Celebrates Itself,” which was a prominent phenomenon during the early-to-mid 1990s. As technology allowed more musicians and artists to personally connect, communicate, and collaborate through the wonders of the technet, bands and individuals worked on several projects together, with arguably the most notable of these endeavors being the 2009 album jointly made by Elvis Presley and Vanilla Ice.

The entertainment industry responded to the SARS pandemic, national efforts at police precinct reform and the Marstronaut Mission in two ways – with optimism and with pessimism. Many films, songs, and TV shows were either uplifting and optimistic efforts to keep spirits high during the pandemic, or were bleak works that fed into the fear of the unknown and explored the effects of isolation on the mind, influencing horror movies in the latter half of the decade. Several films won awards for examining racial relations under America’s first Black President, and for exploring the uncomfortable world of police brutality. Most prominently, however, was the international response to humanity landing on the planet Mars in 2003. By 2006, franchises dealing with outer space dominated popular culture, leading to three Star Wars TV shows, renewed interest in Star Trek and Dr. Who, and a film adaptation of John Carter of Mars and other materials…

[pic: imgur.com/nwubUGa.png ]

Above: a collage of some of the many aspects of the decade’s cultural eras, from the Y2K “bubble” aesthetics (from 2000 to 2002, and again, but to a lesser extent, from 2004 to 2010), to the “mask-punk” era of 2002-2005, to the rise in tech-centric cultural aspects in the post-SARS half of the decade.

[snip]

…International diplomatic cooperation was at a historic high in the early half of the decade, as heads of state and distinguished virologists from around the world worked to combat the SARS pandemic…

– clickopedia.co.usa/The_2000s_(decade)/popular_culture



1967 (I): Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1968 (II): Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1969 (III): New York Jets (AFL)

1970 (IV): Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)

1971 (V): Dallas Cowboys (NFC)

1972 (VI): Dallas Cowboys (NFC)

1973 (VII): Miami Dolphins (AFC)

1974 (VIII): Oakland Raiders (AFC)

1975 (IX): Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC)

1976 (X): Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC)

1977 (XI): Minnesota Vikings (NFC)

1978 (XII): Dallas Cowboys (NFC)

1979 (XIII): Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC)

1980 (XIV): Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC)

1981 (XV): Houston Oilers (AFC)

1982 (XVI): San Francisco 49ers (NFC)

1983 (XVII): Washington Redskins (NFC)

1984 (XVIII): Cincinnati Bengals (AFC)

1985 (XIX): Philadelphia Eagles (NFC)

1986 (XX): Chicago Bears (NFC)

1987 (XXI): New England Patriots (AFC)

1988 (XXII): New York Giants (NFC)

1989 (XXIII): Minnesota Vikings (NFC)

1990 (XXIV): Denver Broncos (AFC)

1991 (XXV): Buffalo Bills (AFC)

1992 (XXVI): New York Giants (NFC)

1993 (XXVII): New York Giants (NFC)

1994 (XXVIII): New York Giants (NFC)

1995 (XXIX): San Diego Chargers (AFC)

1996 (XXX): Minnesota Vikings (NFC)

1997 (XXXI): Denver Broncos (AFC)

1998 (XXXII): Carolina Panthers (NFC)

1999 (XXXIII): Seattle Seahawks (NFC)

2000 (XXXIV): Minnesota Vikings (NFC)

2001 (XXXV): Baltimore Ravens (AFC)

2002 (XXXVI): Atlanta Falcons (NFC)

2003 (XXXVII): Tampa Bay Buccaneers (AFC)

2004 (XXXVIII): Denver Broncos (AFC)

2005 (XXXIX): Louisville Stallions (AFC)

2006 (XL): Tennessee Titans (AFC)

2007 (XLI): Washington Warriors (NFC)

2008 (XLII): Louisville Stallions (AFC)

2009 (XLIII): Detroit Lions (NFC)

– NFLstatistics.co.usa/Super_Bowl/winners [16]



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S)

[1] Italicized line pulled from here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/jackson.htm

[2] The italicized parts were pulled from here: https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/27/us/jackson-admits-saying-hymie-and-apologizes-at-a-synagogue.html

[3] The bits in italics here are from this OTL article: https://www.smh.com.au/world/cardinals-speech-upsets-university-20030523-gdgt3t.html

[4] Italicized bits were pulled from this OTL article here: https://chinadialogue.net/en/cities/7934-why-eco-cities-fail/

[5] As mentioned in chapter 74

[6] Real person, mentioned in this article: www.articles.latimes.com/1989-07-20/local/me-5001_1_business-associates : “STUDIO SHOOTING BLAMED ON BUSINESS DEAL…The man who burst through a Lorimar Studios gate and emptied a shotgun into a sound stage before taking his own life had gone to the Culver City lot to confront “Dallas” television star Ken Kercheval, his foil in a bitter dispute over a popcorn business, police said Wednesday. Edward P. Phillips, 43, formerly of Corydon, Ind., apparently blamed Kercheval, who acquired full ownership of the popcorn company last year, for cheating him out of the business and causing his marriage to fail, investigators and associates said. Hoping to confront Kercheval, Phillips came to Los Angeles on Monday and drove to the Culver City lot in a rented truck Tuesday evening, police said. Unable to talk his way past a guard, he rammed through the gate, set fire to the truck and opened fire on the sound stage where ‘Dallas’ is filmed. When police closed in, Phillips turned the gun on himself. He died from a single blast to the chest. The sound stage was empty and no other injuries were reported.” (I meant to, but then forgot to, include this in the 1989 chapter. I could edit it back in, but I do like this actor, so I decided not to bump him off ITTL)

[7] OTL headline! (really!): https://www.truehollywoodtalk.com/paul-mccartney-i-still-ask-john-lennon-for-help-writing-songs/ (11/13/2020)

[8] OTL thing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Rights_of_the_Child

[9] In OTL, China and Taiwan both ratified it, but the US has not!

[10] Passage closely based on description found here: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/supreme-court-rules-for-sports-betting

[11] Story found here!: https://foresthistory.org/president-bans-christmas-tree/

[12] A real thing!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Hanukkah_Party

[13] In OTL, Carter recognized Hanukkah in 1979, Clinton hosted the first menorah-lighting ceremony to be performed at the White House in 1993, and Bush held the first official White House Hanukkah Party in 2001; Ibid.

[14] With a First Lady Jackie Kennedy, the OTL tradition of giving the main tree a specific motif is never established!

[15] This is an OTL thing!

[16] The 1982, 1983, 2004 and 2006 winners were previously mentioned in the chapters covering those years. Louisville, Kentucky grew large enough to acquire the St. Louis team in 1992.

The next chapter’s E.T.A.: New Year’s Eve, at the very latest.

[pic: imgur.com/vWPD4Q1.png ]

From my family to all of yours… Merry Holidays, Everybody!
(Don’t ask about our tree, just…don’t ask… )​

Tannenberg said:
Nice update. I wonder how Argentina looks in this timeline. I think it was briefly adressed with the Falklands War.

Argentina was last mentioned back in Chapter 92 (February 2007), so I'll mention that country again in an update in the next chapter (early 2010). Thanks for asking!

 

[gap80]

Post 91: Chapter 99



Chapter 99: January 2010 – June 2010

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

– Matthew 6:24



…Back in 1992, on September 29, the Disability Rights Bill failed to pass a Republican-held House. Seventeen years later, it looked as if history would repeat itself, but with a bit of a twist. While a clear majority of Senators supported the bill, Speaker Kennelly was struggling to maintain a united majority in thru lower chamber. The Democrats held 226 House seats, versus 215 Republican seats. A narrow majority, dependent on just five seats, the White House feared that ten moderate-to-conservative House Democrats, led by Ben Nelson of Nebraska, would break from the party over additional costs for the Disability Rights Bill being allocated away from the US military budget.

Wellstone took umbrage at GOP efforts to undermine the bill, especially House Minority Leader McMaster claiming that requiring all public buildings to have wheelchair accessibility to all floor levels would somehow “not produce more jobs [but instead] take away jobs.” One remark, made by freshman US Senator Lang Sias (R-CO), that “crippled people have to learn to stand on their own two feet” was considered too mean-spirited even by other Republicans; Sias ultimately apologized for the “off-color and hurtful” remark, but in the same apology maintained his opposition to the bill.

However, the bill did have the support of at least 75% of the US population accord to a January 2010 Gallup poll, and it received numerous endorsements from individuals and groups that spanned across the political spectrum. Even the socially conservative disability rights advocate Alec Jones supported the bill, telling reporters in that same January, “don’t believe the Republican bullish!t that protecting disabled Americans will somehow keep them unemployed or force them out of places like the military. You don’t need legs to shoot a gun, just like how you don’t need a brain or even a heart to serve on Capitol Hill.” In private talks at the White House, Jones encouraged Wellstone and Senators McGovern and Kennedy-Roosevelt to launch a sympathy campaign “bigger than Jerry’s Kids” if necessary to win back “wayward Democrats.”

Bob Ross joined in on the behind-the-scenes effort to restore faith in the bill among the conservative Congresspersons, meeting with a least three of them by the end of January 2010…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



KFC REPRESENTATIVES ARE “SURVEYING…UNTAPPED” MARKETS IN AFRICA

– usarightnow.co.usa, 1/5/2010



HHS SECRETARY EXPANDS DEPARTMENT PAYROLL AFTER REDIRECTING “WASTEFUL SPENDING”

D.C. – Sylvia Mary Mathews Burwell, the incumbent US Secretary of Health and Humane Services, has receive bipartisan praise for her handling of her federal department. Burwell has credited her prior experience, as a HHS Undersecretary, and then as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, under President Jesse Jackson, for her ability to improve the application process for low-income families and individuals seeking federal assistance. In her most recent action at the HHS Department, Burwell has hired additional staff to coordinate operations, increasing payroll to 40% in the wake of the federal government expending social services overall…

Burwell, a Greek-American born in 1965 in West Virginia, has been involved in politics since her father ran for county commissioner when she was an adolescent. After working on the gubernatorial races of her home state in 1984 and 1988, the election of Carol Bellamy to the US Presidency inspired her to become even more involved, and in 1990, was elected to state congress. In 1996, in what was a bad year for Democrats, she was narrowly elected to the state senate. In 2001, she joined the Jackson administration as the US HHS Department’s Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources…

– The Washington Post, 1/6/2010



SIR RICHARD BRANSON – PUTTING INVESTMENTS INTO TOMORROW

…A forward-thinking business magnate, author, and philanthropist, Branson is the founder and primary investor of several high-tech companies concerning land, air, sea and space travel and transportation, humanitarianism, and music. His Virgin Group Ltd, a British multinational venture capital conglomerate and multi-industry company, is teaming up with Binyamin Alagem of Packard Bell and with Steve Jobs of NeXT to develop the latest in personal music-making applications and servos. Similar to the efforts of Vint Cerf, Bill Gates, and Bob Kahn, Sir Branson envisions a redeveloping of the labor-manager relationship that is beneficial to all parties involved and heavily reliant on technology without depleting natural resources faster than they can be replenished…

– Time Magazine profile, early January 2010 issue


…We have a breaking news alert right now: a powerful earthquake has just rattled the Caribbean, reportedly damaging buildings and shaking communities across the region and especially in the nation of Haiti. Early seismology reports indicate that this was a 7.0m earthquake, with an epicenter within close proximity of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti…

– KNN Breaking News, 1/12/2010 broadcast



By January 24, no less than 52 aftershocks had succeeded the earthquake. By the end of the month, 200,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged. Port-au-Prince’s seaport was rendered unusable, requiring all rescue and relief operations to be air-based. Worst of all, partially stemming from Haiti’s decades-long history of national debt and poor trade policies, the nation’s poverty and poor housing conditions contributed to the death toll being estimated to be between 50,000 and 200,000.

The situation prompted international humanitarian aid efforts. Wireless communications systems, transportation equipment, medical necessities, and rescue crews converged onto the nation’s capital. Even US Vice President Bob Ross traveled to the capital on the 15th, meeting with American UN personnel before return to D.C. to report to his boss, “It’s a calamity for them now, sir, but if we help them out as best we can, it will be a memory for them before they know it.”

While aid funding efforts and charity donation drives were initially largely leaderless, the Presidents of the US and Mexico soon took charge of early relief efforts after confusion developed over which emergency flights into Haiti held higher priority, culminating in an air traffic congestion crisis on January 19. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced a prioritization list the next day, placing rescue efforts in “phase one,” communication materials in the second phase, and medical and sanitation supplies in the third.

[snip]

Because Haiti has no building codes, many of its buildings were incapable of withstanding major earthquakes, let alone a quake of this magnitude. As survivors were left without homes, makeshift shantytowns appears in the rubble as cleanup efforts continued on for several more days and weeks. As UN officials and volunteers entered the city, the US Southern Command noted that violence in the capital actually decreased in the days immediately following the disaster…

[snip]

[pic: imgur.com/PCEG8pH.png ]

– Paul Farmer’s Haiti After The Earthquake: The Story of A Sudden Tragedy And A Slow Recovery, Hachette Book Group, 2012



FINNS PICK PEKKA OVER IKKA, OTHERS, IN PRESIDENTIAL RACE

…The people of Finland take to the polls and in their wisdom they have given the incumbent President a second six-year term. Finland’s Head of State, Dr. Pekka Puska (b. 1945) won re-election on the Green/Liberal unity party ticket, and won in a landslide over former PM Ikka Kantola (b. 1957) of the Social Democratic party and Matti Vanhanen (b. 1955) of the Centre party, along other candidates. As Puska obtained over 50% in this initial round of voting, he has avoided a second round vote in February…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 16/1/2010



KFC put their bitter rivalry with other chicken sandwich-selling companies like Chik-fil-A on hold when Haiti was devastated in the 2010 earthquake. Continuing the company’s long reputation of contributing to assisted sufferers of humanitarian crisis, KFC-Caribbean began distributing free blankets, sandwiches and water bottles to survivors.

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



CHERI JO BATES

Born: Cheri Josephine Bates; February 4, 1948 (age 61); Omaha, Nebraska

Education: Riverside City College (1970); California Institute of Technology, summa cum laude (1973)

Background: originally aspiring to be a flight attendant, her employment at a bank led to a career analyzing data. Her most recent accomplishment concerns her cranial data-analyzing contributions to a government-funded MIT research team attempting to a make breakthrough in curing retinal blindness...

– Scientific American, monthly popular science news magazine, “innovator” profile, January 2010 issue



WILLIAMS WALLOPS! Labor Gains Seats As Challengers Squabble

…Prime Minister Warren Williams led the Labor Party to victory over the Liberal Party, led by Joanna Gash, and the Christian Democratic Party, led by Alasdair Webster…

– The Canberra Times, Australian newspaper, 2/2/2010



…The “India Movement” of the 2010s began with the election of N. Chandrababu Naidu, a left-of-center technocrat politician and former businessman, to the position of Prime Minister of India in February 2010. Naidu immediately sought to implement urban and rural revitalization programs, but by starting at the local, then regional levels. The idea was to convert the unsuccessful top-down wealth distribution efforts of yesteryear and encourage consumer spending at the lowest levels of society. The money would be spent on small businesses, which would then “cycle up” to larger businesses and so on. Another proposal of Naidu’s for improving the quality of life and the standard of living in his country was “material reclamation” projects. The first of these was plastic roads – roads that were paved with a material comprised primarily out of bamboo and not asphalt, tar or cement, as bamboo absorbs carbon better [1]…

– David Tal’s US Strategic Arms Policy After the Cold War: Globalization & Technological Modernization, Routledge, 2020



HESELTINE DEFEATS BEITH: Tories Gains Seats As Labour Campaign Stumbles

LONDON – Prime Minister has secured a second term and has led the Conservative Party in its successful endeavor to gain more seats in Parliament. With Heseltine being praised for his effective response to the horrific Haitian earthquake, and with his personal popularity already being very high, he and the Conservative Party performed even better than expected tonight. The swing contrasts sharply with initial thoughts that Haiti could potentially make or break the election for Heseltine and his party. Instead, the people have voted for Heseltine, over Alan Beith of the Labor party and Charles Kennedy of the Liberal Democrats, to serve the next term at 10 Downing Street.

Since entering office in late 2006, Heseltine has reformed the Poll Tax, inviting the opposition parties to take part in reviewing options and working with moderate Labour MPs to implement a Local Income Tax in its stead, along with increasing VAT to 15% to provide subsidies that successfully brought down poll tax bills. However, Heseltine’s most unpopular action of late must be the successful privatisation of 30% of the Post Office. Though he initially wanted 40%, the end results nevertheless kept him popular among the Tory Right. Heseltine has also focused on industry and trade, capitalizing on domestic improvements to encourage entrepreneurial innovation. This included construction on the Millennium Dome for a wider variety of venues, and renovating the East Thames Corridor built in the 1990s (and dubbed “Lennontown” by only some of the locals).

Overall, Heseltine has focused on domestic concerns much more so than on foreign policy, for which the Labour had criticized his administration. Haiti changed that, and subsequently changed this general election from a potential narrow swing for either major party to a very comfortable swing for the Tories...

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 5/2/2009



VP ROSS TRAVELS TO PORT-AU-PRINCE TO HELP CLEAR WRECKAGE, HAND OUT FOOD AND SUPPLIES

– The Washington Post, 2/6/2009



…Overseeing the organizing and coordinating of international responses to the 2010 Haitian earthquake at the UN was José Maria Figueres, the former President of Costa Rica who was a strong advocate of combating GCD, and supporting sustainable development and agri-tech. Laura Chinchilla, the President of Costa Rica from 2006 to 2010, gave him his full support due to his record being stellar when it came go crisis management…

– Ramesh Thakur’s The United Nations, Peace And Security, Cambridge University Press, 2020 edition



…The first incident to spark ontech suggestions that the President’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis was more serious than he was letting on occurred on February 14, when Wellstone made an unplanned visit to a D.C. hospital after a “minor” collapse at a fundraiser held only a few block away from that same hospital. He was released from the hospital later that day, and only described the incident to reporters as a “quick checkup,” but the visit and it being unscheduled nevertheless sparked much discussion on conservative and Goetzite netsites and radio programs…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



NOORY: “So anyway, what’s this legislation I hear you keep trying to get passed? Because it sounded interesting.”

ALBRECHT: “It’s called the Frequency Freedom And Consumer Privacy bill, George, and it will protect our nation’s youth from the harm of ‘spy chips.’”

NOORY: “Spy chips?”

ALBRECHT: “Spy chips. Also known as an RFID microchip implant. We officially use them to track animals like livestock and pets, but if the global elites and the Illuminati are not stopped, that will just be the beginning. First they say it’s smart to have your pets get a little chip shot into their skin. That it shows that you love them. Next thing you know they’ll be telling us that it’s smart to let them have our children get a little chip shot into their skin, to show that we’re good parents. This bill will prohibit local, state and federal officers from forcing parents to submit to such an order; parental consent is one of America’s most sacred institutions and it will not be discarded on my watch. We will not allow that ‘next thing.’ We will not be tagged like animals.”

NOORY: “Oh wow, so you mean to say that you have obtained evidence of some nefarious conspiracy of some sort?”

ALBRECHT: “Not exactly. I’ve talked to many people on The Hill here, and I can safely say that most of them are in the pocket of the Illuminati. All the signs are there. Their aura are completely unaligned. Some of my fellow lawmakers might even be tagged, but I’m not sure. What I am sure is that if this bill gets a private vote, you know, secret-ballot style, it will pass overwhelmingly.”

NOORY: “But what does this have to do with, um, frequency, I believe you said, and consumer privacy?”

ALBRECHT: “These things only work on certain frequencies. This bill will limit corporate ability to broadcast this frequency and its range of distance, and it will establish a federal watchdog committee to monitor and observe big businesses to make sure that they are not using radio and microwave frequencies to listen in on our conversations and commit identity theft and other crimes by using to the RFID chips they sneak into our homes and even into our products.”

NOORY: “Oh, they put them in our products, too?”

ALBRECHT: “Yes, and hat is the second peat of the bill’s title, George, the consumer privacy part.”

NOORY: “I see.”

ALBRECHT: “Many RFID chips are shoved into our products. But guess what? Here in America, no form of government and no form of business has the right to spy on you after you’ve left a public store’s premises. This bill will make RFID companies and stores have to label chip-having products with a clear and obvious label so consumers know what’s going on. This bill will also crack down on other RFID long-range capabilities, and go after the companies and mega-stores that take on this new and dangerous technology. And it is dangerous, George. These spy chip things may even be the Mark of the Beast!”

NOORY: “Oh Lordy!”

ALBRECHT: “Yes! But this bill will stop that! It will force companies to publicly disclose their patent documents, revealing how innocent people, our American citizens, are being watched, followed and listened in on when they go out, when they talk privately to people, and even when they are in the comfort of your own home, in a clear and obvious violation of our constitutionally-protected right to privacy.”

– Host George Noory and special guest freshman US Rep. Katherine Albrecht (R-NH), KDWN’s late night call-in political talk radio program Coast to Coast AM, Saturday 2/20/2010 broadcast



WELLSTONE GREETS PRESIDENT OF MEXICO AT WHITE HOUSE

…also in attendance was Mexico’s Attorney General, Elpidia Carrillo. Born into poverty in a high-crime area 1961, her father and later her brother were murdered when she was very young, possibly by recreadrug cartel members. After working her way through law school in the 1980s, she joined Mexico’s Justice Department, and played a key role in tracing recreadrug money trails under President Moctezuma…

– The Washington Post, 2/22/2010



“We can consider ourselves very grateful and fortunate to be alive at this point in our nation’s history. Never before have we and our fellow countrymen enjoyed, concurrently, such an abundance of prosperity and social progress with so few internal crises or external threats. Never before have we had the ability to take on the national obligation to lend a helping hand to those in need, to right wrongs, to bring forth peace, to create the more perfect union envisioned by our fathers and grandfathers.”

– President Wellstone’s State of The Union Address, 2/25/2010



LOPEZ MURPHY REVERSES RUCKAUF TRANSPARENCY POLICY

…with the backing of former President Adolfo Perez Esquivel, incumbent President Lopez Murphy is aiming to improve the Argentine standard of living by restructuring foreign debt and increasing government transparency. Furthermore, his rejection of IMF injunctions are expected to improve the economy and lift more people out of poverty. Lowering unemployment and making amends with labor organizers has dominated his presidency so far, as part of his efforts to reverse the damage made by President Carlos Ruckauf, but now, with his economic proposals being passed, President Lopez Murphy is eyeing governmental issues, too. Alongside the new transparency law, Lopez Murphy’s Justice Department is expanding its investigations into the Ruckauf administration to include an additional five members of said administration, who may have been involved in the efforts to illegally break up labor organizations…

– The Ambito Financiero, Argentina newspaper, 2/26/2010



List of Presidents of Argentina

[snip]

12 Oct 1973 – 1 Feb 1982: Juan Peron (Judicialist) – elected in 1973, re-elected in 1977; performed a self-coup in 1981; overthrown by military junta

1 Feb 1982 – 18 Jun 1982: Leopoldo Galtieri (Military) – led the military junta that overthrew Juan Peron; was overthrown by the military junta

18 Jun 1982 – 28 Jul 1982: Alfredo Saint-Jean (Military) – Interim/Acting Head of State

28 Jul 1982 – 1 Nov 1985: Juan Peron (Judicialist) – allowed to return to power after forging deal with the junta; died in office from natural causes

1 Nov 1985 – 9 Mar 1988: Isabel Martinez de Peron (Judicialist) – was Vice President under Juan Peron; lost election amid mounting pressure to end the junta

9 Mar 1988 – 9 Mar 1996: Adolfo Perez Esquivel (SERPAJ) – elected in 1988, re-elected in 1992; retired

9 Mar 1996 – 9 Mar 2000: Ramon Bautista Ortega (Judicialist) – elected in 1996; lost re-election but did not contest results

9 Mar 2000 – 15 Aug 2002: Domingo Cavallo (Action) – elected in 2000; resigned amid public protests to his handling of the SARS Global Pandemic

15 Aug 2002 – 9 Mar 2004: Alberto Rodriguez Saa (Action) – was Vice President under Domingo Cavallo; lost election to a full term

9 Mar 2004 – 9 Mar 2008: Carlos Ruckauf (Judicialist) – elected in 2004; lost re-election in a landslide amid multiple scandals and investigations

9 Mar 2008 – present: Ricardo Lopez Murphy (UCR) – elected in 2008; incumbent

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



In the early hours of 27 February, an intense shaking rattled the nation of Chile for three harrowing minutes. Felt by over 80% of the nation’s population, the 8.8m earthquake, the 12th largest earthquake in recorded history, and its subsequent tremors, tsunami and aftershocks unleashed terror onto the people of Chile. Entire apartment buildings and even major hospitals toppled and collapsed and roads were rendered unusable. Power outages cast cities into darkness. A chemical plant in Santiago shut down improperly, leading to a terrible fire that quickly engulfed several city blocks before it was contained. The quake triggered landslides that fatally buried dozens of quake survivors. The effects of the tsunami were felt as far away as San Diego, which received minor damage to its shoreline. 12 people went missing and 503 people died.

[pic: imgur.com/CPI4VBb.png ]

Argentina played a major role assisting the people of Chile recover, as did the US and Mexico. The strongest earthquake to hit Chile since the Valdivia earthquake of 1960, the 2010 earthquake destroyed infrastructure across the country, leading to relief operators repeating the aerial feats first tried in Haiti just a few weeks earlier.

Unfortunately, the situation was initially much less orderly on the domestic front. Not wanting to “militarize the streets,” President Leonardo Farkas (2005-2013) let local police handle the rising cases of vandalism and looting; unfortunately, this led to the Chief of Police for Concepcion using tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons to disperse growing crowds demanding immediate assistance as basic supplies were quickly becoming depleted. By March 1, Farkas was compelled to reluctantly deputize 500 guardsmen to increase security forces and ensure that provisions were distributed fairly.

– Heriberta Castanos and Cinna Lomnitz’s Earthquake Disasters In Latin America: A Study of History, Springer Books, 2021



TRIUMPHANT GAMES END WITH PRIDE, RELIEF; US, Russia Top Medals Charts

…the XXI Winter Olympic Games, held near Thessaloniki, Greece, ended today with a grand closing ceremony…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 28/2/2010



…In Cambodia, voracious rubber barons are creating shell companies to acquire more hectares of land than legally allowed. Local government corruption is complicating the issue…

– BBC World News, 3/3/2010 broadcast



CHILE-HAITI DEATH TOLL DIFFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR ANTI-POVERTY EFFORTS AT HOME AND ABROAD

…The number of fatalities from Chile’s historically-large quake are a fraction of Haiti’s, despite Chile’s earthquake being 500 times stronger than Haiti’s. This tragic loss of life in Haiti is thus not entirely the fault of the earthquake – the government of Haiti is also to blame, for failure to invest in community development and infrastructure modernization. …Economic prosperity allowed the people of Chile to be better informed and educated in regards to how to properly react to an earthquake. Government involvement in community organizing would led to sturdier buildings being built. The establishing of building codes is one of the most basic tools a national government can develop. These sorts of top-down overseeing can be beneficial to the masses. For example, improper building materials can render an abode unfit for human habitation; the use of reinforced concrete in Haiti’s tallest buildings would have saved dozens of lives in Haiti…

– The Los Angeles Times, 3/4/2010 [2]



Wellstone saved away the techdoc on his netpad and remarked “Alright, so with the Disability Rights Bill set to be voted on next week – Bob,” nodding to his Vice President, “you know what to do – on to the next order of business: land-grant university reform, centralizing regulation the state-run colleges and those largely under state mandates. How’s the legislation coming along on that?”

“We’re planning to vote on whether or not to vote on its current form next week,” answered House Majority Whip Ed Markey (D-MA).

“Can I get a copy of the – ”

“I’ll have it sent to your inbox, sir.”

“Thank you very much. Alright, so that’s lunch, yeah?”

The present members of the US Cabinet nodded in agreement, save for Agriculture Secretary Huerta. “One more thing,” she stretched out both of her hands in a way that said hold everything. “Just so we’re clear, the Institute of Food Technologists in Chicago is or isn’t getting a land grant?”

“We’re going to grant them funding in lieu of actual land. That will allow them to achieve ‘land-grant status,’” answered Markey.

“Better now than when McMaster’s in power again,” Huerta said.

“If that ever happens,” proposed US Interior Secretary Larry J. Echo-Hawk.

“You mean when that happens, Larry,” suggested US Education Secretary Jim Hunt with a pessimistic groan.

Wellstone let out a groan of agreement to this. “McMaster is still so incredibly intransigent. He keeps refusing to change his mind on so many things.” He sighed, and contemplated aloud, “Maybe people like Evan Bayh and Ben Nelson are right, and we should be making concessions to win over Republicans.”

“That would do more harm than good,” offered US Veterans’ Affairs Secretary Corrine Wood of Illinois, who was the highest-ranking Republican in the Wellstone White House at the time. “They’ll still stick to their own party line, and independents would see us as being uncommitted to our causes. Apolitical people don’t understand how complicated the process is in their own country!”

“Well then,” the President propound, “I guess we should continue the campaign effort to get them more involved, maybe not so low-key more, though, huh?”

“I wouldn’t worry,” offered US Secretary of State Jones. “I am confident that the Democrats will retain the House and Senate in November!”

“And if we don’t?” Asked the pessimistic Hunt.

“Then we pass as much legislation as we can beforehand,” the President answered. “Maybe passing so much will show voters how productive we are.”

“Or give more fodder to the list of things McMaster has a problem with.”

“Well, what do you expect?” queried US Transportation Secretary Richard Codey, “Obstructionism is an intrinsic part of the G.O.P.”

“Easy,” Wood somewhat whined at the remark.

“Present company excluded,” Codey added.

“Like how I will probably be when it comes to the 2012 RNC,” Wood said, almost to herself, with s tone of mild resignation and acceptance of her life trajectory. “But while they write the obsequies for my political career on the national stage, I’ll remember and take comfort in the fact that I’ll always have Ambassadorships to lobby for. Not too bad a deal.”

“Regardless of what awaits us in November and the years beyond,” Wellstone concluded the meeting, “Every one of us must be assiduous to the copious tasks still at hand. National problems can’t fix themselves.”

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



WELLSTONE INCREASES PUSH FOR FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE NATIONWIDE, EXPANDING EDUCATION INVESTMENTS

…The proposed bill to cover tuition for accepted students of four-year colleges is currently working its way through congress, but due to state-by-state differences in tuition policy, making community college free nationwide will be complicated – and costly. For example, some states have four-year schools that offer bachelor’s degrees. Would free tuition be federally covered in these schools or not? Tuition rates vary from state to state as well, so the proposed law may end up including a cost-sharing section. This may complicate how these free colleges would financially handle expenditures.

US Rep. Tom Harkin (D-IA), a longtime D.C. lawmaker and a close confidant of the President despite some ideological differences [3], has expressed confidence that the bill will be passed “within the year.”

Harkin stood beside Wellstone earlier today when the President spoke to reporters outside the White House to express his support for the free college bill in particular and for further investments into all levels of education in general: “There is no better investment than the education of our children. No speech will lower class size. No promise will fix a school without heat. No exhortation will create high quality early childhood education opportunities for all of our children.” Possibly signaling his goals for the 2010-2011 congressional budget, the President added that “The federal budget should reflect our values,”… [4]

– The Washington Post, 3/7/2010



Bob sat down with Rep. Ben Nelson (D-NE), the leader of the “House holdouts,” Ben Nelson on the merits of the disability rights bill.

“How many people in Omaha would benefit from this?” asked the longtime Congressman.

After a quick second of thought, Ross replied, “Well, that city didn’t earned the nickname ‘The Gate City of the West’ by staying out of the way of travelers. Transportation’s still a big employer over there, and so is the railroad, and hospitals, too, right?

“Yes, you clearly studied ahead of this meeting. Congrats.” Nelson said curtly but not exactly impatiently.

“My point is that Omaha’s train stations will need to renovate to install wheelchair ramps, service animals, and special auxiliary aids. That means more jobs for construction workers.” Seeing an opportunity to win Nelson over with thru potential to create more jobs, Bob added, “Renovating public transportation and buildings, plus the hiring of paratransit services for trains, would all lower unemployment. The new requirements could even require city buses to be redesigned, that means more manufacturing jobs!”

“Hmm. True. Even if some of those things are just temporary work. Hm. Well, Mr. Ross, let me ask you this: What about all the people with conditions that make them commit crimes – I’m talking kleptos, and people who have split personalities and one of their personalities is a menace to society – what about them? Will they be protected by this bill? Will they just be able to say, ‘Oh, you can’t fire me or arrest me – I have a disorder!’”

Ross immediately spoke. “Of course not – we went over this with the other conservatives. Right here,” holding up his netpad to show the congressman the legislation in question. “See?” he carefully zoomed in on one of the first passages in the document. “Right above the Job Application Protection Section, found in ‘Title 1: Employment,’ right above that, it reads, ‘certain specific condition widely considered to be anti-social or tending to result in illegal activity, including but not limited to kleptomania, pedophilia, exhibitionism and voyeurism, are to be excluded from protection in order to prevent the purpose of the statute from being abused.’ Same goes for gender identity. Because the idea is to help people, Ben.”

Bob pressed on as the meeting continued, with the Vice President trying to convince Nelson that the core of the bill – that it would prohibit disability-related discrimination in the hiring process – would not inhibit employment-hiring itself, and would not encourage disabled people to live off of welfare for the rest of their lives.

Still, Nelson rebuked the bill. As a pro-life, fiscally-conscious Democrat, he was too concerned that the bill contained some sort of ulterior motive. “Why would we pass such an expensive bill at a time when we should be appealing to conservatives?”

“Is that what this is about, your re-election odds?” before the man across from him could answer, Bob leaned in and said “Because at the moment you don’t have the Democratic party on your side. But if you back this bill, I will personally campaign for you, as will other Democrats.”

After a moment of contemplation, Nelson replied, “I’ll talk to the other hold-outs.”

“Is that a ‘yes’?”

“It’s a maybe.”

“That’s better than nothing, I guess.”

– Kristin G. Congdon, Doug Blandy, and Danny Coeyman’s Happy Clouds, Happy Trees: The Bob Ross Phenomenon, University Press of Mississippi, 2014



NATURAL RECREADRUGS AROUND THE WORLD

For those who think marijuana is “passé,” heroin is too dangerous, and Hikfik and Fyjyt are too synthetic and “artificial,” are several “natural” recreational drugs rising in popularity across the globe:

[snip]

…One hallucinogenic recreadrugs is growing in prominence in recent years in Jimson Weed. A flowering plant of the nightshade family Solanaceae and found across Central America, Jimson Weed can produce deliriant, LSD-like hallucinogenic episodes when eaten…

[snip]

…South America is the source of several other hallucinogens – such as Ayahuasca (“The Red Med Slider”) originating from the psychoactive brew of the same name used in ceremonial medicine by natives of the Amazon basin; San Pedro Cactus (“Dino Nudge”) found across Latin America that contains psychedelic properties and entheogen in its skin; and Anadenanthera (“Acid Conda”) with its “active” amount of bufotenin – that have gained prominence in Australian and eastern Asian areas…

[snip]

…In the American West, Lobelia Inflata, better known as Indian tobacco or puke weed by past generations, is making a comeback among white upper-class college students. When smoked, this species of plant released “stimulants” to brain that – according to its users – improves classwork productivity on campus. Another trend of late is an investment in Yaupon Holly and Ilex Cassine (also known as Yopo and Eye-Lex). As they are the only known plants endemic to North America that produce caffeine, these two plants are – unsurprisingly – being added to and paired with several other elements – not just coffee – to provide extra stimulation. Another plant being used as an effective stimulant is Guarana, a dietary herb native to the Amazon basin known for having seeds that contain twice the concentration of caffeine found in traditional coffee beans. Already being capitalized on by energy drink and soft drink manufacturers, a rising trend for ontech customers and onsite providers is the purchasing and supplying of the Guarana plant’s herbs and/or seeds directly in order to cut out “the middleman” of the energy drink companies. Due to this trend, Brazil, one of the largest consumers of soft drinks in the world, uses Guarana as often as Americans use coffee – a trend that is also catching on the many parts of Europe and North America…

[snip]

…The Sonoran Desert Toad, found in northern Mexico and the American Southwest, exudes psychoactive toxins from its skin glands. The exploitation of these animals has been widely known by the American public since the Denton administration’s “crusade” against them (enough though they have been used by Mesoamerican natives for centuries). Most of the subsequent anti-recreadrug laws from that era are still on the books in 14 states, effectively outlawing the possession and/or use of this species of toad outside of testing facilities. Nevertheless, SDT extract can still be purchased in the dark corners of the technet, according to a 2008 report from the US HHS Department…

[snip]

…Australia is also becoming a destination point for recreadrug users and sellers. This increased focus on the Land Down Under is due to the rise of Pituri, a mixture of locally-sourced leaves and wood ash chewed as a stimulant by the Aboriginal Australians. Pituri is being “fused” with other stimulants and being sold in Asian markets as the region’s newest “snake oil” (he metaphorical kind, not to be confused with the literal snake oil being sold in the area as well)…

[snip]

…Ethiopia’s Khat, also known as Jimaa in several markets, is a flowering plant containing stimulant properties and said to create excitement, euphoria, and loss of appetite among users, meaning to has multiple uses and applications. The inhabitants of the landlocked kingdom have been customarily chewing the alkaloid cathinone of this plant for literally thousands of years, often leading to this item being described as “Ethiopia’s Best-Kept Secret”…

[snip]

…Other natural buzz-sources that are less prominent in recent years but are still worth noting due to ontech discussions concerning their potential to acquire their own niches of supporters are the following items:

Argemone – a flowering plant growing in use in Hawaii, Argemone is said to be helpful in treating cataracts; tests are ongoing in Honolulu to better determine its usefulness as a recreadrug and as a medical supplement

Kratom – alleged to be a therapeutic agent, this tropical member of the coffee family has been poorly researched, meaning the efficacy, safety, and effectiveness of its opioid properties and stimulant effects are not well known; however, that is not stopping recreadrug lords from selling its leaves across Indonesia and other countries

Salvia Divinorum – better known as seer’s sage, this plant native to Oaxaca, Mexico received some attention during the late 1990s for the transient psychoactive properties of its leaves; only very recently has the plant been studied in high-quality clinical research, and the early results of those tests so far suggest promising aspects relating to its toxicology, but the jury is still out regarding its adverse effects and safety over long-term consumption; nevertheless, many of its supporters in western Europe are calling for it to be used more often to solve a host of health issues

Lattie Juice – also known as lactucarium or lettuce opium, this is one of the more unusual trends of recent years; a drug first used by the ancient Egyptians, Lattie Juice is a milky fluid secreted by the base of the stems of the lettuce species “Lactuca virosa” and can be drunk, eaten, smoked or inhaled, pending how it is treated and processed; Lattie Juice is said to have sedative and analgesic (painkiller) properties as well as providing its user a sense of euphoria, thus making this a product a highly sought-after item by both recreadrug enthusiasts and by supporters of alternative medicine

Mandrake – this root plant, capable of being grown in many warm climates, is garnering support among those enthusiastic for its deliriant hallucinogenic tropane alkaloids…

– snippets from a controversial article published in Tumbleweed Magazine, early March 2010 issue



KFC VENTURES INTO LIBYA, SEEKS TO “EXPAND OPERATIONS” IN RIVAL NATIONS

[pic: imgur.com/UP1OSJQ.png ]

…the global fast-food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken has announced that it is opening several additional outlets in Indonesia and East Timor, as well as open up their very first outlet in the conservative and “west-sceptic” nation of the Islamic Republic of Libya. As tensions between Indonesia and East Timor have been heating up in recent years over a dispute concerning the region’s natural resources, K.F.C.’s spokesperson explains that “Historic precedence has shown that when the economies of nations are closely joined, they are very unlikely and even more unwilling to engage in conflict with one another. We hope to continue the policy established by the late, great Colonel Sanders and bring people together by letting them have the shared experiences of good times, and good meals at good prices.”…

– The Wall Street Journal, 3/14/2010



HOUSE (BARELY) PASSES DISABILITY RIGHTS BILL, 222-219

– The Washington Post, 3/21/2010



POPE PATRICK VISITS MEXICO CITY, WELCOMED BY CHEERING CROWDS

– The Miami Herald, 3/24/2010



SCIENTISTS MAY HAVE JUST FOUND TH KEY TO DELAYING AGING!

San Diego, CA – Scientists at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) have made a notable inch closer to one day being able to delay the human aging process. The team of scientists in question participated in a government-funded research study of the aging process in yeast -- chosen because its cells can be easily controlled and influenced – in order to try and see if different cells age at the same rate, for the same reason.

What they found was intriguing. Even cells made of the same genetic materials and within the same environment aged in "strikingly distinct ways," according to the scientists, who published their findings in the journal “Science.” About half of the yeast cells aged because of a gradual decline in the nucleolus, a round body located in the nucleus of a cell, the scientists learned, by using techniques including microfluidics and computer modeling.

However, the other half aged because of a dysfunction of mitochondria, which produce a cell's energy (Read More Here). The researchers also say that the cells go down one of two paths -- nuclear or mitochondrial -- early in life, and they continue with the aging route until they ultimately decline and die. The scientists then performed further tests to understand how the cells behaved.

"To understand how cells make these decisions, we identified the molecular processes underlying each aging route and the connections among them, revealing a molecular circuit that controls cell aging, analogous to electric circuits that control home appliances," explains the said senior author of the study. “And after modeling the ‘aging landscape,’ we discovered that we could actually manipulate -- and optimize -- the process of aging, using computer simulations to reprogram the master circuit and modify its DNA. Next, we were able to create a ‘novel aging route,’ with a dramatically extended lifespan. We believe that this research, and the further study of and experimentation with this aging process, could very well ultimately lead to the controlled delaying of the human aging process.”

"This is an aging path that never existed, but because we understand how it is regulated, we can basically design or regulate a new aging path," the second-most senior author of the study tell us. "Our study raises the possibility of rationally designing gene or chemical-based therapies to reprogram how human cells age, with a goal of effectively delaying human aging and extending human healthspan.” The scientists also explained that they plan to test their model in complex cells, organisms, and eventually, humans, as well as testing how combinations of therapeutics and drugs could lead to further longevity.

"Aging is a fundamental biological question. We know very little about the aging process," the senior author admits. However, in regards to this study’s current and short-term medical relevance, she says, "aging is related to many diseases so if we can help slow aging or promote longevity, it will be beneficial for society.”

– The New York Times, 3/25/2010 [5]



…an independent investigation is collaborating with the California Justice Department to investigate sexual pestering allegations that have been made against Democratic congressional candidate Bill Clinton. Clinton is a Democrat who previously served as the Governor of Alaska from 1978 to 1986, and unsuccessfully running for the Democratic nomination for President in 1984, during which time his campaign was plagued by a sexual pestering claim and government corruption allegations. After moving to California in 1985, he entered private practice, but in recent years has become more politically active, and last year announced his bid for the Democratic nomination for an opening congressional seat in southern California…

– The Overmyer Network, 3/26/2010 broadcast



CA DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESCINDS ENDORSEMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE ACCUSED OF SEXUAL PESTERING

…Clinton claims the allegation is “pure hogwash,” and has refused to bow out of the congressional primary race…

– The Sacramento Union, 3/29/2010



WELLSTONE TALKS TRADE, TOURISM WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT AT THE WHITE HOUSE

…President José Ramon Balaguer was joined by his Chief of Staff Mariela Castro Espin, the only child of Raul Castro...

– The Orlando Sentinel, 3/30/2010



Pope Patrick visited North America – Cuba, the US, and Mexico – from March 24 to April 5. It was his first state visit to all three countries and the sixth papal visit to the US since US President Fritz Mondale had re-established full diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 1979.

After receiving a warm welcome in Mexico City on the 24th, Pope Patrick flew to Havana on the 29th, becoming only the second Pope ever (the first after his predecessor, Pope John Paul II) to visit the island nation of Cuba. After that, he flew to the US for a visit of three cities/areas – D.C./Potomac, New York, and Boston.

On April 2, he met with President Wellstone at a welcome ceremony at the White House. This made him only the second Pope to ever visit the White House (with the first one also being his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, in 1979, with President Mondale).

The crescendo of the apostolic visit was on the penultimate day, when Pope Patrick gave a sermon/speech for Easter Sunday Mass on, April 4, at the Cathedral of The Holy Cross, Boston, the largest Roman Catholic church/cathedral in New England. In his speech, the conservative Pope offered a noticeably conciliatory tone in an effort to win back Catholics and Catholic Church leaders that he had upset with divisive rhetoric in recent year. Despite this, protestors opposed to the church leader’s stances on gay marriage and abortion did chant and jeer during his stops, but with the Pope’s security being among the best in the world, these protests had no real or immediate effect on his tour.

[pic: imgur.com/xl5IyCX.png ]

– Robert Blair Kaiser’s A Church In Search of Itself: Pope Patrick And The Battle For The Future, Knopf Books, 2019



MARY CREAGH WINS LABOUR LEADERSHIP ELECTION

…the race to replace Alan Beith ultimately came down to Creagh (b. 1967), a MP since 2001; Ed Balls (b. 1967), a MP since 2003; and Jackie Ballard (b. 1953), a MP since 1997. Despite Ballard being an early favorite, she finished in third place, just behind Balls…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 5/4/2010



…it has just been confirmed: Otis Redding, the longtime award-winning musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and talent scout, has died from heart disease at the age of 68. Redding was best known for contributions to soul music and R&B during the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. …The accomplished artist had experienced poor health in the final years of his life. His last public performance was at President Wellstone’s Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2009...

– ABC News, 4/6/2010 broadcast



FARMING CORPORATION UNDER FIRE FOR CONTRACT BREACHES

…In 2004, the Italian company Unigra partnered with the nation of South Africa to cultivate cereals and raise cattle in South African lands, mainly for the company to export them to other markets in exchange for South Africa’s national and local governments getting a generous share of the profits. However, in the years since the deal’s process began in 2005, locals have continuously accused the company of not respecting the contracts. They claim Unigra management is not honoring promises concerning the locals’ share in financial revenue, and are accusing them of destroying forests and archeological sites and cultural sites, as well as disrupting regional water supplies and polluting rivers with pesticide runoff…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 7/4/2010



SENATE PASSES DISABILITY RIGHTS BILL WITH EASE, WELLSTONE TO SIGN IT INTO LAW “IMMEDIATELY”

– The Washington Post, 4/9/2010



"GREEN RIVER" UNNERVES AUDIENCES AMID CRITICAL PRAISE

…In this chilling biopic/thriller, Johnny Depp depicts Gary Leon Ridgway, a real-life sadistic murderer who was one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. In real life, Ridgway killed at least 42 women in the state of Washington during the 1980s before he was arrested in 1987…

– Variety, TV/film review section, 4/10/2010



SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE KILLS GOP BILL TO ABOLISH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE OUTRIGHT

– The Washington Post, 4/11/2010



On April 14, 2010, Mount Eyjafjallajokull, a small caldera in Iceland, began erupting profusely. Despite the volcano’s diminutive size, it produced an enormous volcanic ash cloud – an accumulation of volcanic materials so vast and dense that communities across Iceland were plunged into premature nighttime. Farms were sprinkled with ash while the heat of the explosion melted surrounding ice, leading to minor flooding. A number of geographical and meteorological factors propelled the cloud directly into some of the busiest airspace on Earth. That development resulted in the largest air traffic shut down in Europe since World War Two. For the next six days, the shutdowns stranded millions of travelers worldwide and additional flights were cancelled. To help grounded fliers cope, technet carrier services cut rates, while hotels and airports slashed prices for various services, and encouraged community activities to promote feelings of goodwill during such a tense, gloomy and apprehensive time. These tactics were markedly similar to ones these businesses and travel services had developed in the early months of the 2002 SARS pandemic.

[pic: imgur.com/TJkL4GB.png ]

The eruption would continue on until October, but no more lava or ash was produced after 21 May 2010. In the meantime, locals suffered from mild respiratory and eye irritation, but not above the rate of occurrence typical of people living in such a geothermic area…

– Bente Lilja Bye’s Volcanic Eruptions: Science And Risk Management, Doubleday Books, 2019 edition



…The next cabinet meeting, though, did not end so smoothly. In fact, it was cut short abruptly.

The President was discussing how to best respond to the volcanic ash cloud crisis in northern Europe with his cabinet members when it occurred.

Transportation Secretary Richard Codey queried “All these flight cancellations might hurt insurance companies.”

The Treasury Secretary David Curson replied, “Insurance?! Richard these cancellations could bring about a recession!”

“Then it’s a good thing teleconferencing is a viable alternative nowadays. International meetings can still be held on schedule,” noted John Ventor, the US Secretary of Energy, Innovation and Technology.

“So should we push for airports to suspend cancellation charges or no?” asked Codey.

“Of course!” answered Commerce Secretary Gloria Tristani, “right Mr. President?”

The cabinet members only then realized that, amid their discussion, their boss had slumped a bit over to the side of his seat. He was now resting his elbow on the chair arm to support his head with his hand.

"Mr. President?" asked Codey, worriedly.

"Paul, are you alright?” US Secretary of State Harvey Gantt practically exclaimed as he and the rest of those present found themselves upright in their seats and leaning closer to see what was wrong. Tristani, who was positioned closest to Wellstone, sat at the edge of her seat, ready to get up to help if necessary.

“I’m… just feeling a little… dizzy.”

“I’ll get some water,” Tristani practically pounced out of her position and walked over to the side of the room before one of the interns or aides present could. Surely, at least one cabinet member thought of the words “brown” and “nose.”

After a few sips, Wellstone explained, “Sorry for that, everyone, I just suddenly wasn’t feeling that well.”

“Don’t worry about us, Paul,” said HHS Secretary Burwell, “I’m more concerned about you. Not that this sort of thing isn’t unexpected.”

“How do you mean?” asked Wellstone.

“You just felt dizzy and very tired, right?”

The President hesitantly nodded, “Yes…?”

“Anything else?”

“Um, well, to be honest, I think I had some double vision there for a moment.”

Burwell nodded, and explained flatly but sympathetically, “These sort of things happen during a flare-up of multiple sclerosis, as I’m sure your doctors have told you.”

“They have, and to be honest,” he admitted, “This wasn’t my worst flare-up. Still…”

Burwell nodded. Soon, Wellstone was exiting the room to teleconference with his doctors, cutting the meeting short and leaving the cabinet members with the feeling of trepidation over the President’s health.

A month prior, the President had experienced partial blindness in his left eye late one night in the White House’s Executive Residence, almost prompting an emergency hospital visit before the blindness subsided during a VidCall with doctors. Nevertheless, Wellstone feared the incident would end up leaking to the press. This fear returned, and in grater magnitude, with the truncated cabinet meeting. Anticipating a leak, Wellstone outlined a draft of what he would say to members of the press.

Between MS attacks, symptoms can completely vanish while their impact on the body and mind remain, because the disease simply continues to advance even while seemingly remaining dormant. Thankfully for the President, the mild nature of his MS meant that it was advancing very slowly. But the dreary fact remained – it was advancing nevertheless.

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



GERMANY GETS A NEW CHANCELLOR

…Incumbent Petra Kelly (SPD/Green) saw her coalition fall apart tonight, resulting in the ascension of Gerhard Schroder (SPD). Schroder, who was Kelly’s former Finance Minister, retains a smaller coalition than his predecessor, having barely enough seats to form a majority in the Bundestag. …Polls show that Schroder’s zero-tolerant stance against conservative populist groups – and relevant individuals, such as politician Alex Gauland, banker Thilo Sarrazin, activist Eva Herman, intellectual Gotz Kubitschek, and anti-immigrant writer Udo Ulfkotte – is popular among an overwhelming majority of German citizens, and thus his as pension will most likely mean even harsher rules and punishments concerning such rhetoric…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 26/4/2010



...Ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in New York City, East River revival efforts are underway, with Mayor Hamburg attending a groundbreaking ceremony earlier today at the future site of the Olympic Village on the East River, across from the UN Headquarters...

– TON News, 4/27/2010 broadcast



“That all citizens will be given an equal start through a sound education is one of the most basic, promised rights of our democracy. ...We cannot close the achievement gap until we close the gap in investment between poor and rich schools no matter how "motivated" some students are. We know what these key investments are: quality teaching, parental involvement, and early childhood education, to name just a few. …When we say we are for children, we ought to be committed to invest in the health, skills and intellect of our children. We are not going to achieve our goals on a tin cup budget.” [6]

– President Wellstone, calling on Congress to pass the College Tuition Payment Reform Bill and the more recently-introduced K-12 Funding Bill, 4/28/2010



WITH THE UPMOST DISCRETION

Premiered: April 29, 2010

Genre(s): drama/political thriller/biopic/period piece

Directed by: Andrew Cheng
Written by: J. C. Pollock and Liz Hannah
Produced by: Amy Pascal

Cast:
John Goodman as Jeremiah Denton
Jada Pinkett Smith as Anna Mason
Nafi Thiam as Sidney Mason
Natalie Imbruglia as Janice R. Fine
James Spader as Buz Lukens
James Woods as Mark Felt
Val Kilmer as Bob Packwood
Tommy Lee Jones as Senator Richard Nixon
See Full List Here

Synopsis:
An attempt to hide a scandalous proposition concerning a White House confidant leads to a cover up that spirals out of the President’s control. A political thriller based on true events.

Reception:
While audiences gave this depiction of the Lukens Hush Money Scandal generally positive reviews, critics were mixed. Due to its star-studded cast, the film cost $50million, but it grossed $71million worldwide at the box office.

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1:
The film’s depiction of Director Felt was considered its most controversial aspect, as Director Felt wasn’t at all innocent and idealist as he is as presented as being. In real life, he backed "black bag" operations during his tenure, though he did still oppose what Denton and his allies were doing as well.

– mediarchives.co.usa



…Wellstone’s inner circle of advisors suggested “testing the waters” of public opinion ahead of the midterms. With Senator Gravel’s backing, Wellstone considered publicly suggesting that he would push for a partial Federal Aid Dividend in 2011. Hoping to energize voters, Wellstone ultimately made the suggestion in a radio interview on May 1. Another part of this planned suggestion was “testing” GOP pushback to the mere proposal of an F.A.D. Program being installed. Wellstone’s inner circle of researchers found that reactions were more positive among citizens than among lawmakers. To Wellstone’s surprise, a little over a quarter of Democrats on Capitol Hill expressed reluctant or hesitance to support even a partial F.A.D. Act.

Interestingly, the “water testing” turned out to have coincided with the Connecticut legislature passing a bill that made it the fifth state in the Union – after Alaska, New Jersey, Wyoming, and Maine – to pass a FAD or FAD-like program. Wellstone praises the law soon after, but nevertheless held off on pushing for a nationwide version of one of these programs until after the midterms had passed. Meanwhile, Gravel suggested that if Wellstone failed to pass it through congress, he could always endorse some sort of similar project proposed through the National Initiative Amendment...

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



Which Pizza Company Is The Best?

POLL:
Pizza Hut – 23.1%
Little Caesar’s – 17.0%
Boston’s – 15.9%
Domino’s – 12.2%
Figaro’s – 11.8%
Pizza Corner – 7.4%
Eatza Pizza – 4.2%
Sbarro – 3.4%
Pizza Express – 1.7%
Pizza Nova – 1.2%
Pizza Delight – 1.1%
Gerlanda’s – 0.5%
Pizza Haven – 0.2%
Pizza Shack – 0.1%
Papa Murphy’s – 0.1%
Topper’s Pizza – 0.1%

COMMENTS SECTION:

Comment 1:
Can’t go wrong with Pizza Hut, the creators of Stuffed Crust!

Comment 2:
I voted for Eatza Pizza, it’s an all-buffet style place that’s fun and interactive. They all had to shut down during the pandemic, but they did come back in 2004. It’s just not as big as it used to be. But the one near me opened back up, so there’s that at least.

Reply 1 to Comment 2:
A lot of buffet style places went belly-up b/c of SARS. Eatza Pizza was just one of those that got resurrected afterward in the booming economy that followed.

Comment 3:
Pizza Nova should be higher up on the poll/list. They’re great, and greatly underrated!

Comment 4:
Surprised Sbarro polled as well as it did. I know absolutely nobody who likes them.

Reply 1 to Comment 4:
I think a lot of these are regional tastes. I don’t think anybody in the American South has even heard of the Pizza Delight chain!

Comment 5:
I voted for Boston’s. Their dipping sauces are phenomenal, even if you can find more variety at places like Pizza Corner and Eatza Pizza.

Reply 1 to Comment 5:
I know, right?!

– mystrawpoll.co.can, 5/5/2010 query [7]



COLONEL SCHNATTER?: The Founder of The Fledgling “Johnny Supreme’s” Still Seeks Success, Sanders-Style

I meet up with the original Johnny Supreme in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at a coffee shop across the street from one of the last Johnny Supreme’s Chicken Sandwiches outlets in existence. The remains of the regional fast-food chain is noticeable not by any mascot, since it has none, but instead by its bright neon red and green paintjob. Some call it an eyesore, some call it catchy. I call it the place where I meet up with its founder for an interview. However, we sit at a public park table across the street from the building because no JSCS outlets have indoor seating.

“That should have saved it during the pandemic,” the company founder reflects, “If it weren’t for the court case and the proving grounds closing, we would have been at the forefront then, and I’d be on top of the world now.”

John H. Schnatter is an American businessman and entrepreneur, born in November 1961 to a judge and wealthy businessman named Robert Schnatter and to Mary Schnatter, a real estate agent. Growing up under the Sanders administration, and being born in the same Clark County, Indiana that The Colonel was born in 71 years prior, the young and impressionable Schnatter was inspired by Sanders’ success, and announced in his 1979 high school yearbook that he himself would have a “billion-dollar chicken empire” of his very own someday.

Schnatter’s vision began to enter the realm of reality in 1982, when his father co-purchased “Harold’s Lounge” a bar/casual restaurant in nearby Madison, Indiana. Its close proximity to the Jefferson Proving Ground, a munitions testing facility for the US Army, the US Defense Department, and multiple private contractors, led to it becoming a popular go-to place for said facility’s personnel and users. After graduating from Ball State University in Muncie with a business degree, John Schnatter began selling “Johnny Supreme’s” chicken sandwiches at the establishment.

I first tried one of these concoctions in 1997, at the company’s height, at an outlet in Springfield, Illinois. I still remember being surprised by its flavor – a hearty slab of fried chicken, treated with a mixture of butter, garlic and salt, between a spread of a marinara-like sauce, high-quality lettuce, and two halves of Italian bread. The sauce made it almost taste like a chicken pizza. That was part of its charm.

In 1984, Schnatter worked with his mother to acquire an adjacent lot, and opened the first JSCS outlet there in 1985. From there, a solid business method of using high-quality ingredients from a small number of commissaries, and tying the outlets to other military bases, allowed the chain to greatly expand across the Rust Belt. The chain saw a spike in sales during the early 1990s as conflict with North Korea escalated into war and thus led to an increase in military base use. At its height in 1997, there were 318 JSCS outlets strewn across the Midwest and northeast, with even a few being found in the Upper South. Schnatter says his franchise reaching Florence, Kentucky, “the front doorstep of KFC, was very rewarding. I was very proud of that.”

I ask, “was Johnny Supreme’s relationship with KFC competitive in nature?”

Schnatter replies, “Nobody will ever push KFC off of its current mantle. It is the largest chicken franchise on the planet, and unless it somehow collapses in on itself, nobody will ever beat, no fast-food company will come close to mirroring its size and influence. But I thought I could give Chick-fil-A a run for its money.”

For all we know, JSCS could have become a national institution like Chick-fil-A, but alas, 1997 was the Golden Era, while 1998 was the start of its decline. The original location in Madison saw its income begin to drop as munitions testing was shifted to larger facilities out west. Then, the Jesse Jackson administration identified the nearby Jefferson Proving Ground for base closure under BRAC in 2001. It was closed in 2005, and converted into a wildlife refuge. The “Harold’s Lounge” bar/restaurant was closed in 2006.

In fact, many military installations were shut down in 2001 as the federal government changed its military priorities. Soon Johnny Supreme locations shrank down to just over 100, but Schnatter was optimistic: “We just had to get some investors in, shake up our business model, and we’d be back on track in no time.” But then, in early 2002, John Schnatter was accused of sexual pestering by a 19-year-old marketing employee. She alleged that he had groped her and tried to slide his fingers down the front of her pants back in 1996, during an office party celebrating the opening of the chain’s 300th outlet. She said she clearly told him to cease, but Schnatter did not comply, resulting in her running away from him. Schnatter countersued her for defamation, claiming innocence throughout the incident. The lawsuit was settled in a confidential settlement in 2003, but the damage was done. Not wanting to be a part of what many thought could potentially be that long-feared (or long-awaited, depending on whom one asks) “Third Ark-Wave,” JSCS’s new and remaining sponsors immediately pulled their support. Sales continued to drop.

To save the chain from going bankrupt and petering out of existence, Schnatter stepped down as CEO, but did not give up all of his shares in the company, in 2007.

John Schnatter currently works as a marketing consultant for the Indiana Department of Commerce, and has critical things to say about the people in charge of “Johnny Supreme’s” chain. “It’s on life support. It can bounce back, but they are already shoveling dirt onto it.” Nursing his fourth coffee in three minutes, he laments, “It could have been big, not…well, hey, hope springs eternal, or something like that, right?” Sounding optimistic, Mr. Schnatter adds a more self-encouraging remark: “When your dream dies, you don’t. You just make a new dream.”

This prompts me to ask him, “So what’s your new dream?”

Looking out the window at the JSCS outlet across the street, one of the only 33 locations still in operation, Schnatter smiles and expresses interest in continuing to follow in the Colonel’s footsteps. “I might run for public office. Maybe something small, like a US Congressional seat. I’m not sure. I mean, hey, The Colonel didn’t make KFC into a franchise until he was in his sixties, and then he didn’t become President until he was 74. I’m only 48. And I won’t be 74 until it’s 2035. So what I’m saying is that I don’t know for sure what I’m going to do with the rest of my life, but I think I’ve got plenty of time to figure it out.”

– proudsoutherner.co.usa/food, 5/8/2010 article



WICHITA LANDS MAJOR INDIA-BASED COMPANY

…thanks to Governor Lynn Jenkins’ pro-business policies, the Sunflower State’s major cities – most notably, Kansas City and Wichita – have continued to build up their reputation on the national stage. Currently minor, or “second-tier,” tech hubs, Kansas’ urban area are becoming increasingly attractive to out-of-state companies and individuals, including many urban-exhausted Chicagoans. This recent international trade deal only highlights how our state has come a long way from its humble origins as an almost entirely agricultural state…

– The Topika Capital-Journal, 5/9/2010



…In a tech-centric update of laws passed under President Iacocca, President Wellstone today signed into law the Federal Transparency Accountability Act, a piece of legislation that saw little resistance from the minority party in either chamber…

– CBS Evening News, 5/11/2010 broadcast



FIRST LADY SHEILA CHAMPIONS WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S PROTECTION ACT

…pointing out that women also suffer from police brutality as well as from human trafficking and illicit narcotic peddling, First Lady Sheila Wellstone, well-known for her work on domestic violence prevention and assistance for survivors, spoke last night at the University of Minnesota-Duluth as part of UMD’s Women’s History Seminar series. A passionate supporter of human rights, Sheila described how “poverty and despair can drive people into taking these jobs just to survive. It’s even more common in other countries, especially in several Asian countries, where families will sell their young daughters to make ends meet. While many trends were upended during the SARS Global Pandemic, one horrifying trend that increased among some families in China was sending daughters out to work in workplaces potentially compromised by SARS while sons stayed home where it was safe. Tuberculosis and the ISF Virus join SARS, along with murder and drug abuse, on the list of the dangers to the lives of young women.”

The First Lady’s criticisms came amid praise for Congress recently passing the Women And Children’s Protection Act, a large piece of legislation that aims to curb domestic violence and human trafficking victims and improve protective and preventative measures pertaining to these two subjects. Passing earlier this year with bipartisan support in both chambers, and with Senator Helen Chenoweth (R-ID) calling it “one of the most significant piece of human rights legislation ever passed,” President Wellstone signed it into law one week ago. First Lady Sheila Wellstone was an early and passionate advocate for the WCP Act and it’s anti-domestic abuse programs and potentially preventive pilot programs.

Since becoming First Lady last year, Sheila Wellstone has only ramped up her attacks on violence against women and children, calling it her “top priority” when she was serving as Second Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. “I know that it can seem almost impossible to comprehend that these kind of things are still happening in this day and age, but they are, and we have to commit as a nation to be a part of the solution to these problems that plague the global community.”

[pic: imgur.com/gqbfQSI.png ]

Pictured: First Lady Sheila Wellstone

– The Duluth News Tribune, 5/16/2010



TACOMA MAYOR MEETS WITH CHINA’S YANG GANG TO TALK TRADE, INVESTMENTS

...Marilyn Strickland, an African-American/Korean-American Democrat born in 1962 in what is now United Korea, who was elected Mayor of Tacoma last November, today traveled to Beijing and sat down with PRC Chairman Yang Gang in an effort to encourage the nation to invest in her city’s growing tech services industry. Strickland also met with the People’s Republic’s Trade Minister in this bid to woo over what would be a major foreign investor for her constituents…

– The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington newspaper, 5/21/2010



…and in political news, we can now confirm a major development, an upheaval of sorts, in the race for the US Senate seat from Idaho, where longtime state lawmaker Carlos Bilbao has defeated incumbent US Senator Bob Gritz in tonight’s Republican primary. He has unseated Gritz. Gritz, as you may recall, ran for President in 2008, and given how heavily Republican and how populist the state of Idaho is, Gritz was expected to win this contest despite Bilbao’s impressive legislative experience. In fact, most polls showed Bilbao trailing Gritz by 10 points, but tonight, the margin of victory is 5 points, and it is for Bilbao, not Gritz. Senator Gritz had been endorsed by Governor Harley Brown and other populists such as Bernie Goetz, so this major upset suggests that perhaps Goetz’s brand of Republicanism is neither as strong nor as long-lasting as it may appear to be…

– KNN, 5/25/2010 broadcast



…While polls showed that a majority – though, tellingly, a small majority – of Americans supported the landmark pair of two “education investment” bills working their way through Democrat-led committees to become law, many large private colleges strongly opposed them. The threat of enrollment declining and these wealthy schools entering relative financial hardship led to their lobbyists trying painstakingly to convince conservative and moderate Democrats to not vote to approve the bill for free college. One alternative offered by conservative TV talking heads was a “compromise” of simply capping tuition charges, but Wellstone did not see this as a compromise of any sort, reportedly considering it “not nearly as effective as” the two education bills…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



CONTACT: The “Discovery” Of America Through The Eyes of The Original Americans

Premiered: May 30, 2010

Genre (s): action/horror/period piece/satire

Directed by: Jennifer Kent
Written by: Charles C. Mann and Samuel Eliot Morison
Produced by: Stephen McEveety

The makers of this horror film found the right balance between spoofing “alien invasion” films and presenting a story of family and survival in the face of catastrophic change. Filmed in the Caribbean with Hispanic and Caribbean actors and actresses, “Contact: The Arrival of Columbus” depicts a group of indigenous Taino natives and their respective families on the island of Hispaniola and how they and their coastal community react to “the invasion” of “The Deadskins,” referring to the arrival of Christopher Columbus and company, and their lighter skin shade. Columbus, and the rest of “the deadskins,” are depicted in an almost exaggerated manner, presented as monster-type villains, cruel and heartless to the native inhabitants. The story then follows the main Taino characters reconnect with their family members amid the melee of deadskins grotesquely killing the natives with superior weapons and the spreading of disease in their efforts to conquer and enslave the Taino people. The terror brought about by the deadskins culminates in an attempt by the native leaders to try and launch an attack on the base of the heartless and malicious invaders. The film ends on a depressing note, with the plan failing, and most of the leads meeting gruesome fates. The surviving family members make their escape across the interior of Hispaniola and sail away to an uncertain destiny, but hoping to warn other tribes of “the spreading evil.”

This movie will undoubtedly prove controversial, polarizing and divisive due to its depiction of Columbus, but in this case, that is not a bad thing. There is merit to scrutinizing the legacy of Columbus and the effects his expeditions had on indigenous populations. Additionally, while this movie’s subject matter – more historically accurate than other depictions of Columbus, as sad as that is to say – will raise awareness of the atrocities not covered in grade school, its execution is noteworthy as well. With superb cinematography and exceptional acting from non-Hollywood thespians, the pacing, music score, and story will keep audiences engaged throughout its 1hour-45minute run-time…

– Variety, 5/31/2010 review



MAYOR KANG RE-ELECTED

…The incumbent mayor of Irvine, California won a second term of two years tonight with a plurality of just 42% of the vote…

– The Sacramento Union, California newspaper, 6/1/2010



Mayors of IRVINE (California)

12/28/1971 – 7/1/1976: 1) William Leonard Pereira (I, 1909-1985) – the L.A.-based architect who co-designed the city’s layout; selected by city council (5-0) for the largely ceremonial position, which was established and filled on the same day that the city was formally incorporated in 1971, after The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s; the position was originally offered to Raymond L. Watson, former President of The Irvine Company and future Chair of Walt Disney Productions, but despite expressing interest he ultimately declined; Pereira purposely took a hands-off approach to city government due to his perfectionist tendencies clashing with the limitations of the office; retired better focus on several architectural projects on which he was working

7/1/1976 – 7/1/1978: 2) Bill Vardoulis (D) – engineer by trade; former President of the city’s Chamber of Commerce and member of the Orange County Airport Land Use Commission; served as Director of the County Sanitation Districts of Orange County, and on the Orange County Transportation Commission; selected by city council (4-1) for the largely ceremonial position; promoted the city as a center for top-quality education and as a safe community for raising families; retired to found an engineering firm; later worked as a business consultant; served on the city council from 1974 to 1976, from 1982 to 1984, and from 1990 to 1992; briefly ran for mayor again in 1984 and 1992 before retiring from election politics

7/1/1978 – 7/1/1980: 3) David George Sills (R, b. 1938) – former lawyer; selected by city council (4-1) for the largely ceremonial position after majority of Republicans were elected to the city council; previously served on the city council from 1976 to 1980; also was a member of the CA-GOP State Central Committee from 1966 to 1968 and was Chair of the Republican Associates of Orange County from 1968 to 1969; is the former husband of US Senator Maureen Reagan, and worked on the California division of her 1988 Presidential campaign; lost re-election

7/1/1980 – 7/1/1982: 4) Lawrence Alan “Larry” Agran (D, b. 1945) – former public interest attorney; previously served on the city council from 1978 to 1982; selected by city council (3-2) after Democrats retook majority control of the chamber; co-founded LEONA (Local Elected Officials of North America), an international organization and network of city-level officials advocating for municipal priorities that had an international scope such as ending the arms race, reducing U.S./NATO defense spending, and prioritizing national spending for economically disadvantaged cities, in 1981; convinced city council to outlaw several pesticides to promote environmental protection, and to outlaw all forms of sex/gender-based discrimination; lost re-election after Democrats lost majority control of the city council

7/1/1982 – 7/1/1984: (3)) David G. Sills (R, b. 1938) – former Mayor; selected by city council (4-1) after Republicans regained a majority in the chamber; supported The Irvine Company’s contracts with the US military during the Libya War; lost re-election after Democrats gained majority control of the city council in an upset

7/1/1984 – 7/1/1986: (4)) Larry Agran (D) – former Mayor; selected by city council (3-2) after Democrats retook majority control of the chamber; supported expanding recreation and cultural programs for the city; lost re-election after Democrats lost majority control of the city council in an upset

7/1/1986 – 7/1/1988: (3)) David G. Sills (R) – former Mayor; selected by city council (3-2) after Republicans reclaimed majority control of the chamber; pushed for the mayor’s seat to be popularly-elected to stop the recent “revolving door” of Agran-Sills administrations; lost re-election due to spending much of his time in office outside of Irvine, working on his ex-wife’s campaign for the US Presidency; after an unsuccessful rematch in 1990, he retired from election politics and entered private practice

7/1/1988 – 7/1/1994: (4)) Larry Agran (D) – former Mayor; won the city’s first “direct” mayoral election; praised for handling a rare tornado touching down in the city in March 1991; longest-serving mayor; faced criticism for openly embracing the label “Democratic Socialist”; retired to successfully run for a US House seat

1988: David Sills (R)

1990: David Sills (R)

1992: Barry J. Hammond (I) and Hal Maloney (I)

7/1/1994 – 7/1/2000: 5) Helen T. Cameron (R) – former lawyer and political activist; previously served on the city council from 1990 to 1994; city’s first female mayor; moderate-to-conservative; doubled the number of city police officers and improved street lighting and maintenance by rising taxes on low-income residents while also overseeing tax cuts for the wealthy and middle-class; almost lost the 1998 election to the city manager in a bad year for Republicans; retired to unsuccessfully run for a US House; later retired from election politics and entered private practice

1994: Sally Anne Sheridan (R), Marc Goldstone (D), Paula Werner (I)

1994: William A. “Art” Bloomer (I), Albert E. Nasser (D), Mike Ward (I), and Les Racey (I)

1996: Paul Johnson (I), Sally Anne Sheridan (R)

1998: Paul O. Brady Jr. (D)

7/1/2000 – 7/1/2006: (4)) Larry Agran (D) – former Mayor; previously served in the US House from 1995 to 1997 (losing re-election in 1996, which was a bad year for Democrats in general); reversed many of his predecessor’s policies, and welcomed Asian-American immigrant families moving to California since 1996 (due to the initial instability of the Korean peninsula in the aftermath of the Second Korean War and then the economic woe brought about by the late 1990s “double dip” recession that left a greater impact in Asian nations such as Indonesia and United Vietnam than in the US; lauded for managing several crisis but was criticized for managing post-crises taxation issues; lost re-election by a 5% margin in an upset

2000: Christina L. Shea (R), Guy E. Mailly (R) and Mike House (I)

2002: Ronald Eugene Allen (I)

2004: Earle Zucht (R) and Mike Ward (I)

7/1/2006 – 7/1/2008: 6) John Duong (R) – city’s first Asian-American mayor; former businessman and member of the city council from 2004 to 2006; covered costs for city programs, without raising taxes, cutting “too many” services, or going into debt, by using the city’s “rainy day reserves” in a highly controversial move; supported city plan to turn the El Toro Marine Corps Base, which was shut down in 2006, into an industrial park center; lost re-election by a comfortable margin

2006: Larry Agran (D)

7/1/2008 – 7/1/2016: 7) Sukhee Kang (D, b. 1952) – city’s second Asian-American mayor; born and educated in Seoul and immigrated to the US in the 1970s; previously worked as a sales and customer service representative for Circuit City from the 1970s to the 1990s; first got involved in politics following the wave of racist attacks and hate crimes that were made against Asian-Americans during and after the Second Korean War (1996); served as Chairperson of the Korean American Coalition of Orange County and the Korean American Scholarship Foundation (Western Region) during the late 1990s and early 2000s; previously served as a member of the city council from 2004 to 2008; focused on improving housing and implementing the latest state-of-the-art methods of and designs for public transportation; defeated a city plan for an industrial park and replaced it with plans for what became Orange County’s Humanity Park in 2015; retired to successfully run for a US House seat in 2018 and again in 2020

2008: John Duong (R)

2010: Christopher J. Gonzalez (R) and Christina L. Shea (R)

2012: Katherine Daigle (R)

2014: Mary Ann Gaido (R) and Ing Tiong (I)

7/1/2016 – 7/1/2020: 8) Christopher J. Gonzalez (R) – city’s first Hispanic-American mayor; former businessman and political activist; previously served on the city council from 2000 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2016; with a unanimous vote, the city council implemented a two-tier voting system in 2017 after Gonzalez won with only 29% of the popular vote in 2016; often feuded with the city council on deregulation issues in his efforts to shift some “maintenance duties” onto community volunteer groups and homeowner associations; retired to successfully run for a state senate seat, entering office in January 2021; may run for a US House seat in 2022

2016: David Chey (D), Donald P. Wagner (R) Mike Carroll (R) and Ing Tiong (I)

2018 (primary): Ed Pope (D), Tammy Kim (D) and Ing Tiong (I)
2018 (runoff): Ed Pope (D)

7/1/2020 – present: (4)) Larry Agran (D) – former Mayor; previously served on the city council from 2008 to 2020; despite being openly progressive, he won over some Republican voters after he and a fellow progressive Democratic-Socialist advanced to the runoff due to the Republican share of the vote being divided among four candidates in the blanket primary, with the most likely explanation for Agran winning over conservatives in the runoff being that older residents that remembered his past times in office better “trusted” the “Agran version” of socialism, while all other city conservatives sat out the election in protest, thus explaining the runoff’s low voter turnout; Agran is currently working to make college more affordable, if not outright free for all; incumbent

2020 (primary): Luis Huang (D), Katherine Daigle (R), Christina L. Shea (R), Anthony Kuo (R) and Mary Ann Gaido (R)
2020 (runoff): Luis Huang (D)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



TURKEY OFFICIALLY JOINS THE EU IN SPITE OF RUSSIAN OBJECTIONS

…After a lengthy process lasting over a decade, the nation holding a corner of southeastern Europe has officially become a full member of the European Union, with plans to adopt the Euro currency “as soon as possible,” says Turkey’s Prime Minister. The official entrance marks a major step in Turkey’s shift away from the “Middle Eastern Bloc”…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 2/6/2010



…The Prey Lang Forest is one of the largest contiguous lowland evergreen stretches in Southeast Asia. It’s current protection status is often credited to Interior Minister Chut Wutty, whom some regional sources have called “the only honest man” in his country’s government. …However, this ecologically significant forest is being threatened by corruption as a rise in demand from Chinese cities for sugar is leading to the deregulating of sugar cultivation laws and to a rise in illegal logging and human rights abuse incidents popping up around edges of the forest…

– National Geographic, June 2010 issue



BISHOP BECOMES ACTING OPPOSITION LEADER

…After Joanna Gash announced that she was stepping down from leading the Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Julie Isabel Bishop was next in line… The young and energetic first-term MP Nickolas Varvaris has already announced that he plans to challenge Bishop in the upcoming Liberal Party leadership election. Two other MPs, Karen McNamara and Dr. Sharman Stone, have publicly expressed interest in running…

– The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian newspaper, 6/6/2010



US House of Representatives, California, District 23

Primary Elections, 6/8/2010:
Turnout (3.30% Total Population):

Democratic Party Results:

Monica Lewinsky – 55.8%
William J. Clinton – 44.2%

Republican Primary Results:

Darrell M. Stafford – 33.4%
Tom Watson – 26.2%
Carole Lee Miller – 15.8%
John Harper – 12.7%
Clark Vandeventer – 11.9%

– ourcampaigns.co.usa



ANCHOR: “…After Japan’s general elections held earlier yesterday led to an inconclusive deadlock, negotiations between several party leaders have led to the ruling minority government of Japan to lose power, as a demographic shift in several Diet seats have allowed the opposition to take power, albeit with a minority government of their own. Our newest geopolitical correspondent has more on this.”

CORRESPONDENT (recorded audio, shown over footage of post-election celebrations, Diet members conversing in hallways and outside of buildings, stock footage of a generic handshake, and schools): After only two tumultuous years in power, Ichiro Ozawa of the Centrist Coalition has lost the Prime Ministership to popular challenger Mizuho Fukushima of the left-wing Social Democratic Party. After entering office in 2008, Ozawa managed to get the Diet to restructure civil services and worked with Diet members from other parties to both pass income support for farmers and pass a pilot program offering free tuition for public high schools. However, a lack of upward social mobility and dimming job prospects for young Japanese citizens despite the growing economy made Ozawa unpopular among the younger generation of Japanese voters, who ralled behind Mizuho Fukushima her promise to raise the minimum wage to 1000 yen and implement a much stronger jobs guarantee program.”

ANCHOR: “The election result is also historic, in that Fukushima will become Japan’s first-ever female Prime Minister…”

– CBS Evening News, 6/14/2010 broadcast



WE LIKE LYLE: Utahans Buck Challenger Buck

…In the closely-watched US Senate primary contest dubbed the “fight for Utah’s soul” by many media outlets, a competition between two starkly different personalities and conservative ideologies has come to a close. With a whopping 59% of the vote, the incumbent US Senator, the soft-spoken moderate-conservative Lyle Hillyard, a backer of this year’s Disability Rights Bill and the GOP nominee for Vice President in 2008, defeated his "Bernie Bro" challenger, the populist-conservative retiring US Congressman and former professional football player Jason Buck…

– The Desert News, Utah newspaper, 6/17/2010



REPLY 231: So it looks like Sam Granato’s winning the Democratic nomination for Utah's US Senate seat that's up for grabs this November. Am I seeing that right?

REPLY 232: Yes, Granato won over Chris Stout, link here. He got it with over 70% of the vote. No need for any second vote or runoff or recount any other detracting BS

REPLY 234: Who cares which Democrat got it? The state’s too red to even turn purple leave alone blue!

REPLY 235: Well it was a landslide for Granato, so the UT-DEMs could tout having a more united state party

REPLY 236: So you think Hillyard’s 59% isn’t unifying? Cause it’s a way bigger margin than the one Olympia had in 2008 and she was supposed to be all about unity!

REPLY 237: I’m just saying that if Buck’s followers refuse to vote for Hillyard and sit the election out, there is very small chance that it could hurt Hillyard’s performance in November

REPLY 238: I think Hillyard should have retired

REPLY 239: Then Buck would be our next Senator!

REPLY 240: No, the UT-RNC would have had someone else run instead like Dick Richards or Jerry Stevenson

REPLY 241: Who?

REPLY 242: I think Greg Hughes, Bruce Call or Mark Shurtleff would have run if Hillyard hadn’t

REPLY 243: Who are those guys?

REPLY 244: Nah, my money would have been on Norm Bangerter or Curt Bramble jumping into the race if that had been the case

REPLY 245: Are you people making up these names or something?

REPLY 246: Though I don’t see why Lion Lyle would have retired given he seems to be in very good shape for a 70-year-old

REPLY 247: More like Lyin’ Lyle

REPLY 248: Again, how does that “insult” make any sense?

REPLY 249: #Hillyard2012!

REPLY 250: Eh, if Hillyard hadn’t run, I would not have been surprised in Curt Oda or Ryan Wilcox or even Carl Wimmer had run.

REPLY 251: Bastards

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, 6/17/2010 news feed thread



CatDog was an animated American television series that aired on Nickelodeon from 2002 to 2005 on Ton-o’-Toons from 2006 to 2010. Having seven seasons and 203 episodes (409 segments), CatDog was considered one of the “flagship” shows of ToT from 2006 to 2009.

[snip]

PRODUCTION

The series was in “development hell” from at least as early as 1995, with the show’s premise, setting, and characters going through several rewrites before animation work on a promotional short featuring the two main characters finally began in 2000. The short, “Fetch,” was released in 2001 and was well-received. Work on the first season began around this same time. One major addition to the premise that script revisions brought about was the character Cat attending night school as a recurring setting, as part of a deal with the network to promote education to the children viewing the series. Revisions also expanded the use of multiple stock side characters with “thin” personalities, such as a Ossium, the Lion police chief who is too afraid of The Greasers (a trio of thugs who often harass the main characters) to arrest them or fine them for their many crimes and misdemeanors, though Rancid Rabbit remained in his original multi-purpose role. The setting of the series – primarily, a small city in the throes of economic recession – and the characters’ relations to one another were amended during this period as well, which reportedly allowed the series’ writers to keep the main focus of the series’ on its humor.

Initially, the heads of the Nickelodeon feared that many audiences, especially very young viewers, would be turned off by the show’s dark and mean-spirited mood, atmosphere, and tones, but this led to creator Peter Hannan pushing the show’s gloom even further in its third season, as, by that time, it was already developing a strong cult following. In reaction to this action, the series was cancelled in January 2005, and Hannan was released from his contract.

In late 2005, Hannan managed to get the series picked up by the The Overmyer Network. Hannan decided to add hopeful undertones to each character and episode for Season 4, hoping to not upset and turn away too many people like what had happened with Season 3. However, in order to avoid losing its cult followers, elements of mystery were added as well by assistant writer J. J. Abrams (who left the series in the middle of Season 6 for other projects). Because many of these mysteries were never explained within the series, many onliners have formed numerous theories as to their meanings.

By Season 7, the series had turned to presenting a noticeably more lighthearted tone, which increased its appeal in some demographics but turned away many of it’s original viewers. Several crossover episodes with other ToT animated TV shows aired in this season, but all received mixed reviews. In June 2010, Hannan announced that the show had not been picked up for an eighth season, but that a TV movie was in the works to conclude the franchise. According to Hannah, “it will explicitly reveal how CatDog go to the bathroom, but the rest of it will be so jam-packed with action, humor, and controversy that it may actually overshadow the big reveal.” The TV movie is expected to be released sometime in either 2011 or 2012.

[snip]

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. mid-2010



…In Havana, Cuba, US Secretary of State Harvey Gantt met with Cuban President Jose Ramon Balaguer, and Gantt’s diplomatic counterpart, Cuban Secretary of State Zulima Farber [8] to discuss specifics concerning additional aid for the victims of the earthquake that struck Haiti back in February…

– NBC News, 6/22/2010 broadcast



…a trio of Baptist missionaries have been arrested in Haiti and have been charged with kidnapping for smuggling children out of Haiti in the days after the January 2010 Haitian earthquake. The missionaries have essentially confessed to the kidnapping charges, claiming that they were rescuing orphans to give them better lives in the US. However, of the 45 children discovered to have been taken out of Haiti since January, only seven of them were orphaned by the quake...

– CBS Evening News, 6/25/2010 broadcast



SENATE PASSES FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BILL; House To Vote On K-12 Improvement Bill After Summer Recess

…meant to expand education access and repair historic inequities concerning low-income citizens, the Higher Education Accessibility Bill was today passed by the US Senate 54-50. President Wellstone lauded the accomplishment, as he strongly backed the bill in an effort to ease ability for low-income Americans to achieve higher learning…

– The Washington Post, 6/28/2010



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S)

[1] Plastic roads are on OTL thing their own wikipedia article and everything!

[2] More details can be found in this small article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8543324.stm

[3] OTL, Tom Harkin was “one of Wellstone’s closest friends in the Senate,” according to this: https://all4ed.org/articles/nation-mourns-senator-paul-wellstone-champion-of-education-and-the-little-guy/

[4] Italicized bits are OTL Wellstone remarks; Ibid.

[5] Italicized bits are passages pulled from this article on this very real thing!: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/health/slow-aging-intl-scli-scn/index.html

[6] Passages are OTL Wellstone comments pulled from here: http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2013/12/paul-wellstone-is-more-prescient-than.html

[7] Reportedly, in OTL 2020, the top four pizza companies in the U.S. are Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars, and Papa John’s!

[8] ITTL, her family returned to Cuba after a 7-year absence, and she herself ultimately moves back there as well in the 1970s.

 

[gap80]

Post 92: Chapter 100



Chapter 100: July 2010 – December 2010
“Finality is not the language of politics.”

– Benjamin Disraeli, Speech to the House of Commons, London, 1859



…The state of Washington became the first state in the union to legally recognize non-binary people today, with Governor Lisa Brown signing documentation making it official that non-binary is a valid option on driver’s licenses in the state. The move in a major step in the increasingly prominent transgender rights movement…

– CBS Evening News, 7/2/2010 broadcast

[pic: imgur / TMkkLUB.png ]

– Bob Ross with some young members of his Vice Presidential staff, c. July 2010



IT’S TIME TO HANG UP THE CAPES, HOLLYWOOD, UNTIL YOU LEARN HOW TO FLY AGAIN

…just to be clear, I do not blame Elisa Donovan for the failure of “Poison Ivy: The Injustice Gang.” The starring actress made the best that she could out of what little this spinoff film’s script had to offer. Not even the recast roles of Batman (David Boreanaz) and Bane (Bill Goldberg) could improve it. No, I blame the directing and the writing. This filming environmentalist message is too over-the-top to be taken seriously, and its anti-war emphasis is so heavy-handed that it should make Tom Laughlin blush. And the thing is, we should have seen this coming – you know you have a terrible (in this case, bland, passé, trope-filled, convoluted, confusing, nonsensical, and so very, very boring) script when not even Nicolas Cage will resume his role as Batman for it (though, admittedly, maybe the Ethan Hawke version, or even the Eion Bailey version, would have been more suitable, given this film’s usually-dark tone).

One positive thing that could be said about this box office bomb of a movie, though, is that its disastrous execution and reception may finally be what gets Hollywood to pump the brakes on making more superhero movies. Maybe now, studios can take a step back to recognize the very real “superhero fatigue” that has overtaken popular culture. Perhaps this film will finally lead to a long-needed break from these types of movies and allow the movie magic makers to actually put in the hard work necessary to finally make a superhero movie that actually excites us again...

– Variety magazine, TV/film review/editorial section, 7/5/2010 op-ed



US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO “STAY OUT” OF HAITI MISSIONARY KIDNAPPING CASE

– The Orlando Sentinel, 7/7/2010



ROYAL, LEOTARD ADVANCE TO RUNOFF ELECTION

Paris, FRANCE – Marie-Segolene Royal, the Socialist incumbent President of France since 2003, and Francois Leotard, a conservative from France’s Republican party, came in first and second place, respectively, in tonight’s first-round contest of the French Presidential election. As neither won a majority, the two will advance to a runoff election, which will be held on the 23rd.

Several candidates failed to qualify for the runoff election, including the far-left, eco-socialist, Jean-Luc Melenchon, the Democratic Socialist Party’s nominee, who came in third place; the center-right nationalist Charles M. J. V. Napoleon, the Mayor of Nemours and the Centrist Party’s nominee, who came in fourth place; and right-wing activist Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the center-right Sensible Party’s nominee, who came in fifth place.

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 9/7/2010



MOTHER-POST by @CuriouserCarmen: What Does “F.R.A.T.” Mean?
I’ve been seeing this term pop up on a few sites but I’m not quite sure what it means. I think it has something to do with trans rights. What does it stand for?

>REPLY 1:
It’s a new term

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:
Yes, but what does it mean?

>REPLY 2:
It’s short for “Feminist Radicals Against Transwomen.” It’s a fringe part of feminist radicalism, split from the main group over concerns that transwomen are somehow detrimental to feminist causes.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
‘Detrimental to feminist causes’? How does that make any sense? The more the merrier – if more people want to support your cause, I say let them in. Especially if you’re already a group like the R.F.s!

>REPLY 3:
The FRATs – or Feminist Radicals Against Transwomen – are not anything you should concern yourself with, dearie. They’re centered primarily on the technet, with little actual activities in the real world. Little to no recognition in mainstream media, either. Most often, they spend their time feuding on chat forums with other feminist radicals. Where did you even learn about them, @CuriouserCarmen ?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3 (by MOTHER-POSTER):
I, um, I went to a feminist radical chat forum. I was curious because my college roommate is an RF. I don’t think I’ll be joining their local chapter.

>REPLY 2 to REPLY 3:
I actually saw a bit about these radicals on TV the other day, they were angrily protesting outside of some government building in Seattle. They were claiming that the state government had recently done something that unfairly addressed the rights of ‘brand-new genders’ ahead of addressing the rights of the female gender or some s#!t like that.

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 7/18/2010 posting



THE FRENCH CHOOSE THE LEOTARD! Francois Leotard Wins French Presidential Election

…the right-leaning centrist politician has defeated incumbent President Marie-Segolene Royal by a margin of roughly 4%... …the brother of French actor and singer Philippe Leotard, Francois Leotard’s political career began with his election to Mayor of Frejus in 1977, a position he held for nearly twenty years before joining the French Parliament and briefly serving as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2008. ...Leotard, age 68, will be sworn in as France’s newest President on July 30...

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 23/7/2010



…which brings us to the latest Russian election. Despite political opponents accusing him of abusing the powers of his office to break up the gas industry’s workers’ strike in 2008, incumbent President Oleg Malyshkin, a member of the right-wing National Party, and endorsed by the far-right Iron Fist party, remained overall popular, and was expected to win re-election as the year began.

However, as the criticisms mounted, his standing in the polls began to drop. Soon, Valentina Matviyenko was within striking distance of him. Matviyenko, b. 1949, was the Motherland Party’s nominee; a conservative nationalist, she ran in 2005 and underperformed, but had since developed more name recognition and thus fared much better than five years prior. Right behind Malyshkin and Matviyenko was Viktor Aleksandrovich Tolokonsky, b. 1953, the Democratic Party’s nominee from Novosibirsk, Siberia, who ran a conservative nationalist ticket that was more moderate than Matviyenko’s. Three prominent “second tier” candidates impacted the polls and threatened to siphon votes away from thru three main candidates. Anatoly Kvashnin, b. 1946, the retired Army General and former Chief of the Russian General Staff was the Strong Arm party’s nominee; Ella Aleksandrovna Pamfilova, b. 1953, the most left-wing candidate in the race, ran under the Progressive party banner; and Sherig-ool Oorzhak, b. 1942), the leader of Tuva Province from 1990 to 2007, ran on the centrist National party ticket.

In the first round of voting, on July 13, Malyshkin unexpectedly came in second place, with Matviyenko besting Tolokonsky for the opportunity to face the incumbent in the subsequent runoff round. With Malyshkin seemingly losing momentum, he was suddenly being expected to lose the runoff round. However, “Uncle Oleg” was not one to give up so easily. The incumbent reacted by releasing a string of no-budget videos onto OurVids and RusVids, Russia’s answer to the larger, more western-oriented OurVids video-hosting site. These videos were each under a thirty seconds, and consisted of the President meeting with various citizens from across the working classes and industries while noting how he’d improved their lives. While Matviyenko repeated attacks on Oleg’s actions during a feud with Poland over pipeline uses in 2008, Malyshkin’v videos successfully portrayed him a leader responsible for the rising economy and thus worthy of re-election.

In the July 27 runoff round, Oleg Malyshkin defeated Valentina Matviyenko in a slight upset, obtaining a second five-year term with roughly 5% of the vote…

– Maskim Gorky’s After the Iron Curtain: Eastern Europe, 1984-to-Today, Academic International Press, 2010 edition



Baptist Minister and political activist DALE HUCKABEE: “These Trans Rights people are complicating too many things. The need to have to redo so much documentation – immigration records, military service records, taxes, marriage licenses, numerous identity documents – it’s setting a dangerous precedence. Before you know it, ex-cons will go through the same channels so they can trick employers into hiring them under a new identity.

US Rep. FRED KARGER (R-CA): “I highly doubt that this all will lead to that.”

HUCKABEE: “Ho-ho, just wait, it’ll happen.”

KARGER: “Dale, most of what is being proposed on the hill right now is the bare-bones important stuff – protection of reproductive rights, protection from discrimination, the whole restroom access debate we’re hearing so much about nowadays – ”

HUCKABEE: “And I have plenty to say on that subject.”

KARGER: “I’m sure you do, but what I’m getting at is that we’re talking about hate crime legislation, protecting Americans from hatred and harm, and other aspects of T-life, such as ensuring they have access to UHC once they get their new ID documentation.”

HUCKABEE: “But you know what all this lawmaking and document amending will lead to, though, right?”

KARGER: “What?”

HUCKABEE: “Complete and total justification for the Democrats to inflate big government even further, and require all American people, both BLUTAG and regular, to document and record for the feds every single aspect of their lives! This is how we get Big Brother – by letting him dress up as a Little Sister.”

KARGER: “Dale, hold up. Okay? Okay, firstly, I don’t know how to respond to that Little Sister comment. But, secondly, what about one’s own right to freedom of expression? I get that you’re on the country conservative side of the party, but we’re both Republicans, and I have to say, as a Republican, the idea of denying these things to trans people goes against the core of libertarianism. The idea of letting people be people.”

HUCKABEE: “But that’s exactly my point. Minimum government, maximum freedom. So how on Earth is requiring all these documentation changes not a violation of the pro-American stance of less government interference in people’s lives?”

KARGER: “It’s a protection of people’s rights, to protect BLUTAGOs like me from persecution from non-government groups like religious fanatics and bigots.”

HUCKABEE: “Hogwash. People can wear whatever they want to in their own homes and use whatever pronouns they want to behind closed doors. There just needs to be a clarification on what is appropriate to be expressed in public places. First we’ll have BLUTAGOs in dresses, then they’ll demand to walk around in public without anything on at all! It’s a slippery slope, my gay friend!”

KARGER: “Okay, let’s cross that nudism bridge when we come to it – ”

HUCKABEE: “And another thing – what about parental rights?”

KARGER: “Yes! Let’s talk about that.”

HUCKABEE: “Why shouldn’t parents have a say in what their BLUTAG kids want to do to themselves? I say do as your parents say until you’re 18 and then hit the road, Jack!”

KARGER: “Oh. I thought you meant the parental rights of trans people. As in, you know, trans people wanting to adopt and/or raise children?”

HUCKABEE: “They want to do what?!”

– The Herring Network, news "expert examination" debate segment, 7/28/2010 broadcast



Sudan had been a minor player in the formation of the “delicate peace” of the Middle East, and had otherwise maintained a relatively small presence on the world stage until the late aughts, when government-led action against the indigenous people of eastern Sudan brought the nation to the headlines of newspapers worldwide.

Non-Arab members of the Zaghawa tribe of Sudan had been claiming since the 1990s that they and others were victims of a system instigated by the Arab-led Sudanese government and military that aimed to segregate Arabs and non-Arabs. Stemming from water scarcity and land disputes between farmers and nomadic herders, the conflict coincided with a breakdown in relations between the north-based Arab government and the non-Arab groups and communities of the nation’s southern half. This essentially made for a three-sided situation between the persecuted Darfur people of the east, the non-Arab “rebels” of the south, and the Arab-led government of the north.

After years of on-again, off-again waves of massacres and attempts at ethnic cleansing, Israeli officials attempt to intervene with peace negotiations in early 2008, but talks slows as all sides were critical of Israel’s “delayed” response. “They ignored our suffering in exchange for having good relations with the wealthier people of the Middle East,” alleged Dr. Khalil Ibrahim in a 2012 interview. “Peace is a two-sided sword. To forgive your enemies when your enemies attack others is not worthy of praise or honor. But I will concede that Israel’s efforts at assistance, as little as they were, were still better than not receiving any assistance at all.” According to The Associated Press, coverage of “NoKo2,” the Global Pandemic, warfare in the DRC, and the 2008 Presidential election all overshadowed Sudan’s civil strife, causing coverage of it to become lost in the news cycles, and in turn prompting politicians to continuously put addressing the issue on the backburner.

Even the Wellstone administration did not begin to address the conflicts in Darfur and Southern Sudan until roughly a year and a half into his time in office…

[snip]

[pic: imgur.com/9PsFB05.png ]

Above: The three regions of Shamal Darfur, Gharb Darfur, and Janub Darfur, while together form the region of Darfur, with the city of Al Fashir being at the geographic center of the civil conflict.

– David Tal’s US Strategic Arms Policy After the Cold War: Globalization & Technological Modernization, Routledge, 2020



…“The Darfur Crisis” caught the attention of the Wellstone White House in the summer of 2010, after The Daily Telegraph published an expose on the level and extent of human rights violations occurring in eastern Sudan. With mainstream media discussing trans rights and not Darfur, Wellstone believed that he could address the situation without garnering the attention of critics. In late July, Wellstone sent US Secretary of State Harvey Gantt to Cairo to try and lead peace talk negotiations between representatives for the Sudanese government and the Darfur and South Sudan people, who were each threatening to secede by this point.

With the Sudanese government being reluctant to end their policies, Gantt saw a long and grueling process ahead for all involved. The complexity of the situation was heightened after rumors of the Israeli and Libyan governments quietly backing business boycotts of Sudan began to spread around. Not even threats of economic attack, real or fabled, could get the Sudanese government to agree to the demands of the Darfur people (primarily, relinquishing of traditional Darfur land back to the local people, and ending the “apartheid”-like system separating Arabs and non-Arabs at public amenities). The bickering among delegates continued on both sides, with both Sudan and South Sudan representatives at one point actually siding with one another to criticize the United States for trying to be “a referee for the world.”

Back in Washington, D.C., Wellstone contemplated if more than just foreign aid would be needed in Sudan in the near future. Herein was the downside to American noninterventionist policy – a line had to be drawn on how far atrocities that had little effect on the US could be allowed to occur before morality and common decency demand that something simply has to be done to end the human suffering of strangers...

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



PAKISTAN ASKS U.N. FOR HELP AMID “HISTORIC” FLOODING

…harsh rain has created flash floods across Pakistan for the third day in a row, overwhelming the nation’s infrastructure…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 31/7/2010



UTAH CONGRESSMAN SWITCHES TO GOETZ’S BOULDER PARTY TO CONTINUE RUN FOR SENATE

…after losing a bid for the Republican nomination for a US Senate seat in June, retiring US Representative Jason Buck believes that he can still win the upper chamber seat – by running under the populist label used by Bernie Goetz during his third-party bid for President in 2008. …Prior to entering politics, Jason Ogden Buck was a defensive lineman in the NFL from 1987 to 1993...

– The Washington Post, side article, 8/2/2010



“Pancreatic cancer’s a b!tch,” she’d say. Millie was on, as she put it, “her last legs,” but despite her ailing health – or, perhaps, because of its waning quality – she was greatly concerned over the future of the company. As automation continued to crawl across the payrolls of industries, debate over quality control and employee training was intensifying.

“The process is too long and time consuming,” argued one member of the FLG Inc. Board of Directors. “The articulate process put into making the birds requires careful and extensive training, gobbling up time and resources. This was acceptable thirty years ago, but the social dynamics have changed. Customers are more impatient than ever.”

“I know what you mean,” chimed in one of the older directors. “There used to be one-hour photo drop-offs; yesterday my grandson complained when his larphone took, I want to say, about four seconds to develop a picture he took. Couldn’t even wait four seconds,” the man shook his head, almost in a shame manner.

“Exactly,” the younger director continued his pitch, “We need to modernize to keep up with the modern public’s demands for instantaneity. We need to replace these training excursions with technicians who repair and operate automated machinery that will prep and pressure-fry the birds. Such machinery would cut down on time spent on employee training, and in the long run save the company time and money. Furthermore, the new machinery would potentially create additional tech service jobs, mooting claims of our corporation killing jobs, when it would in fact be making new ones.”

“There’s just two problems,” Millie observed. “What will become of the employees already trained to prep the meat?”

“They could apply to work as the new machinery maintainers.”

“What if they can’t handle modern tech. Who here knows how to code? Show your hands,” she asked as she scanned the room. Only one Director raised hers. “What if cooking is all they knows because they didn’t plan on becoming mechanics or coders?”

“Well, um, they could always be trained, uh – ”
“So you want to replace the grueling process of teaching people how to put egg wash and eleven herbs and spices onto chicken and pressure fry it, with the grueling process of teaching people how to operate robots? You want to replace one process with another process? Sonny, if you want to keep yourself busy, I suggest getting some kind of hobby.”

“But ma’am, the new process would free up time, make the process more efficient, and speed up customer service, which would improve customer satisfaction.”

“I’m not too sure about that, which brings me to the second problem – customers might not like knowing that a bot is making their food. Where’s the heart? Where’s the love and care that goes into each batch of KFC? Other companies may be trying to cash in on robotification of the American workforce, but here at KFC, we put people before ’puters. Because people like knowing that their fellow people are at the core of our company’s ideals and goals. Even outside of the charity work, it is a vital part of our reputation.”

The suggested automation had been in response to more recent efforts to create a cheaper alternative to “the Harland method” for making Kentucky Fried Chicken. In a 2009 R&D tryout at select KFC locations, an “Original Recipe 2.0” was offered, and veteran customers were quick to tell the difference. Immediately, an overwhelming amount of feedback was negative, with comments essentially forming a consensus – that the original variant from the beginning was still superior, that the Colonel’s process was, tried and true, the better process.

Millie managed to put the question down for the time being, but what about tomorrow? As the last surviving child of The Colonel, she had much influential and sway over the board. But dead people aren’t so persuasive.

In the subsequent weeks, between hospital visits and checkups, Millie divided her time between family, friends, and meetings with company loyalists. In July 2010, on a hot summer night in Kentucky, Millie sat down with several adult family members whom were also involved in FLG, Inc. With all sincerity, she asked “the next generation of preservers” to promise to maintain quality control at KFC. “The Colonel did not build with company from out the side room of a gas station for it go back to turn to s#!t. I know keeping a board of rich folk in line is a big task, it’s a big thing to ask of you, but here’s the thing. This isn’t about my legacy anymore, or my father’s. It’s about your lives. You’re the ones who are going to be living through the next several decades. You have the ability to keep this company on the straight and narrow. You have the power to make sure the right things are done. It’s not a birthright but an opportunity that few people can get handed to them on a Kentucky-fried platter. All I ask is – will you choose to accept such an important responsibility?”

Much to the old giantess’ delight, nearly all of those assembled agreed to become more involved in the company’s inner workings and its relationship to its employees and customers.

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



“Are you sure it’s medically necessary?” Wellstone asked.

“Who’s the doctor, here?” replied the head of the President’s team of physicians and experts. Wellstone began taking physical therapy sessions in mid-2010, shortly after his MS health scare in the Cabinet Room. He had assumed that the stretching and exercising of his legs would be enough, but his doctors were not so optimistic. “We do not want to take any chances with you. You’re an important client, don’t you know?”

“But a walker? I’m only 66.”

“I know, I was at you’re birthday party last month. Such a small shindig.”

“You don’t have to use it 24/7,” explained the head therapist, “Just whenever you feel physically stressed. Do not overextend yourself.”

“That’s kind of a tall order, ma’am,” Wellstone said, “but, I guess I can keep it on standby. Use it on the upstairs residence and whenever the press isn’t around. You know, I’m starting to understand how FDR felt.”

Before the checkup ended, the President once more shied away from medication because he wanted to “keep a clear head while on this job, which is practically a 24/7 one.” He noted that even top-tier MS medication were only modestly effective anyway, can often have adverse side effects, or can even be poorly tolerated by the patient’s body. “It’s just too risky,” Wellstone concluded.

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



…As the 2010 midterms approached, most Republicans increased their reactionary push for what they dubbed a “National Popular Vote Interstate Compact,” an agreement where states joined a compact to pledge their Electoral College electors to the winner of the national popular vote in the next Presidential Election. Questions over the legality of the compact ranged from whether or not joining the compact – via governor order, statewide referendum, or state legislation action – was legally binding to whether or not the compact would even be effective if the compact did not receive a pledge from enough states to control a majority (273) of the Electoral College’s 545 electors.

Furthermore, several scholars suggested that Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the US Constitution suggests that this “NPVIC Plan” may not be enforceable or even legal, as it requires congressional consent due to it impacting the Electoral College. This theory simply added the NPVIC Plan to the reasons that many Republicans gave for why the GOP had to reclaim both chambers of congress in November. The theory also gave fodder to the many Democratic counterpoints that defended the Electoral College, such as the counterpoint that the political apparatus served as a bulwark against dangerous and unqualified candidates from winning the election on a plurality, individuals such as Bernie Goetz and other neo-hippies…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



“You know, the other day I was confronted by one of those Bernie Bros, someone with one of those eldritch-like neo-hippy radio programs. He actually complained that the proposed Capital Gains Tax Reform Bill would disproportionately impact higher-earning individuals. Like you, he asked me if I was okay with this, and, like now, I said, ‘Of course I am!’ Why would I not support this bill? It cuts the Average Joe some slack and shifts more of the burden of taxes onto those who can afford it – and can afford to work harder to make up for the money they’ll lose with this bill – the rich, especially the stinkin’ rich!”

– US Senator Mike Gravel to reporters, 8/8/2010



“One thing that very much concerns me, um, more and more every day, is this phenomenon that’s been dubbed ‘greenwashing.’”

“What’s that, Mr. Nader?”

“It’s a form of marketing spin where companies falsely claim to support ‘green values.’ They use green packaging or misleading slogans and phrases to make consumers think that they care about the environment while they continue to do more to damage the ozone layer and make more contributions to pollution in one fiscal quarter than the average American can make over the course of their entire lifespan.”

“Oh hey, yeah, I’ve heard about this.”

“No doubt. The rise in this is an increasingly serious problem. It is contributing to a rise in consumer skepticism of all green claims, and this can only curtail the power of consumers to push companies to retain true green values in their business operations.”

“Well you can do something about it, right?”

“Yes. As the Attorney General of the United States, I can direct the Justice Department to look into the legality of these actions. That’s why, next week, I will be back in D.C. to call for more corporate disclosure laws. I will also be backing efforts being made by a growing number of independent researchers to obtain reform on external company monitoring policies and claim verification policies at the state and federal levels. Because this goes beyond mere bottled water and low-emission SUVs. We’re talking about the fate of the planet here.”

“You take your job very seriously, Mr. Nader, sir.”

“Well, if you were in my shoes and you saw and knew just how greatly corporate action can damage communities, you’d take this job seriously, too.”

– Ralph Nader and host, WEDW-FM, 88.5 FM, Connecticut radio interview, 8/12/2010



KFC LAUNCHES CHARITY DRIVE FOR VICTIMS OF THE DARFUR CRISIS: “Donate For Darfur” Will Accept Food, Clothing For Refugees, Victims

– The New York Times, 8/14/2010



…even with assistance from the U.N. and several nations, the government of Pakistan fears that recent flooding may have left behind lasting damage, inhibiting food production next year and impacting Pakistani life as waters recede from over 17 million acres of once-fertile crop land…

– CBS Evening News, 8/16/2010 broadcast



THN NEWS ANCHOR SARAH HEATH TO APPEAR IN AMERICANA OVERDRIVE SEQUEL

…the independently-made follow-up to the 2008 cult film is expected to release in 2011 or 2012…

– The Hollywood Reporter, 8/17/2010



US MISSIONARY LEADER SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR KIDNAPPING 45 CHILDREN IN HAITI COURT CASE

– The Miami Herald, 8/20/2010



DAVE RAMSEY WINS GOP NOMINATION FOR GOVERNOR

– The Kingsport Times-News, Tennessee newspaper, 8/21/2010



SENATE PASSES K-12 IMPROVEMENT BILL, 56-48

– The Washington Post, 8/23/2010



SECRETARY OF STATE GANTT BACK IN CAIRO AFTER CLOSELY-GUARDED TALKS WITH SUDANESE OFFICIALS “RESTART”

– Associated Press, 8/25/2010



CDC CLEARS NEW SARS VACCINE

…Because the SARS virus can mutate quickly, vaccines will have to be updated yearly and given regularly, especially if – everyone knock on wood – we ever see a massive return of SARS. Even still, the effective distribution of just one vaccine can significantly temper off another SARS pandemic. …Scientists believe that within another decade or two, infection and fatality rates will likely be much lower thanks to both shots and antibodies protecting survivors of the 2002 pandemic. …The past several years have proven that early scientific predictions were correct; in most parts of the world, SARS has become very much like the seasonal flu in regards to how commonly it occurs and how it is treated...

– The Ledger-Enquirer, Georgia newspaper, 8/27/2010



TOBY KEITH KICKS BACK WITH LATEST ALBUM

…“I’m in a good place right now. I think I’ve written somewhere around 30 or 40 songs in the past year or so. Now some of the songs are a bit more political than usual, but their positive, not pushy. I got some real fun ones in here too, some real happy ones. And overall, this is the kind of album that you can just kick back to, probably because I was just kickin’ back when I wrote most of them.”…

– billboard.co.usa, 8/30/2010



CAMMIE KING DIES AT 76; Former Child Actress Had Served In Congress Since 1975

Fort Bragg, CA – Eleanor Cammack “Cammie” King (D-CA), a child actress who turned to public relations and then politics as an adult, today passed away from lung cancer at the age of 76. As a child, King was known for portraying Bonnie Blue Butler in the 1939 film “Gone With The Wind,” and for voicing Feline (the fawn varsion) in Disney’s 1942 film “Bambi.” In Congress, King was known for her support of copyright extension laws, tourism reform, and child star payment protection laws. However, King is possibly best known for coming to the defense of US Secretary of Defense Don Dunagan in 1988, when it became public knowledge that he had not disclosed to a US Senate committee – either unintentionally, or out of embarrassment – that he was the original voice of Disney’s Bambi character. Dunagan later praised King for her “bravery before the court of public opinion.” …King is survived by her two children and three grandchildren…

– The Sacramento Union, 9/1/2010



…Ahead of the midterms, one more major work of legislation – the Mental Health Treatment Improvement Bill – was narrowly pushed through both chambers of congress. “We all owe a great deal of debt and gratitude to Terri McGovern and the rest of the activist humanitarians and hard workers out there who have helped shatter the stigma surrounding mental illness to make this country more receptive to taking mental health as seriously as cancer and broken bones,” Wellstone noted upon its passage in the Senate. “Poor mental health can affect anyone regardless of party affiliation or material wealth. It is something where the sooner we improve how it is viewed, the better it can be addressed.”

For the President, protecting the rights of the mentally impacted is a personal mission – his older brother was diagnosed with severe mental illness at the age of 18. As a 12-year-old boy, as the story was told on the campaign trail, the future President would visit his brother at the mental hospital, calling it a ‘snake pit.’ That experience led him to vow he would change the way the mentally ill are mistreated in this country. [1]

Unfortunately, the proposed passage of this bill did nothing to fend off the GOP message of taxes being just too high for The American Worker already, and that additional federal worker protection would be at the taxpayers’ expense...

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



…we can now confirm that, late last night, central New Zealand was in fact struck by an earthquake that is measuring in at roughly 7.1 on the Moment magnitude scale…

– KNN Breaking News, 9/5/2010 broadcast



“Listen, I understand why some people are concerned. There have been lots of earthquakes this year. But the thing is, the average earthquake rate means that some years have more earthquakes than others. This is just one of those years. It’s not a sign of the end-times, it’s a sign of the law of averages.”

– Jeff Markley, Administrator of the Overwhelming Disaster Emergency Response Coordination Agency (ODERCA), 9/6/2010



LEGO UNVEILS LIMITED-EDITION COLONEL SANDERS MINIFIGURE

…The Lego Group is celebrating the 120th birthday of Colonel Sanders in two days with the limited release of a special-edition minifigure...

[pic: imgur.com/jpsi9pE.png ]

Above: an image of the elusive new Lego minifigure

– usarightnow.co.usa, 9/7/2010



ROGERS MAKES HISTORY: BLACK CANADIAN MO WINS P.C. LEADERSHIP

…Tonight’s Progressive Conservative leadership election saw Rogers defeat four fellow MPs. Lisa Raitt (NS) came in last place in the first round, with Alison M. Redford (AB) coming in last place in the second round. Rogers defeated Tony Clement in the final round. …George Arthur Rogers, an MP for Leduc, Alberta since 2001 and the Mayor of Leduc, Alberta from 1994 to 2001, is the first Black Canadian to be elected leader of a major federal party in Canada…

– The Toronto Sun, 9/9/2010



SpongeBob’s Undersea Cuisine began to increase its rate of expansion at the start of the 2010s. Between 2005 and 2010, its number of locations grew from 118 in 29 states to 357 in all 52 states; between 2005 and 2015, the number of countries with SBUC locations grew from just two (the US and Canada) to 25 (North America and most of Europe, plus some countries in Asia and the Middle East).

Domestically, the SBUC brand compete primarily with Red Lobster and Boston Sea Party, but maintained the advantage of being seen as the most kid-friendly. “We never aimed for high-end clientele,” co-founder Bryan Hillenburg once explained in an interview, “We instead treated the families that walked through our doors with dignity, like they were high-end clientele. And they liked that so they come back for it – and the good food – again and again. That’s why we have so many repeat customers.”

[pic: imgur.com/eXH8m.png ]

Above: a waiter delivers food to the rooftop section of a SpongeBob’s outlet in Seattle, Washington, overseeing the city’s scenic waterfront skyline.

– clickopedia.co.usa/SpongeBob’s/disambiguation/restaurant_franchise



HOUSE PASSES K-12 IMPROVEMENT BILL; Wellstone Pledges To Sign It Into Law “Within A Month”

– The Washington Post, 9/20/2010



…In what has been a busy week for D.C., the House today passed the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Bill introduced and passed in the Senate earlier this year. The bill, which was strongly endorsed by Attorney General Ralph Nadler among many other advocates of free speech, government accountability and privacy rights, will most likely be signed into law by President Wellstone relatively soon…

– CBS Evening News, 9/22/2010 broadcast



“Every day is a gift. To live to see the next new day while others lie in the ground is a blessing regardless of how that day goes or what you do in it. A bad day or a boring day is better than no day at all. So cherish every day. Be thankful for every moment of life that you get here on this beautiful Earth of ours. Because life itself is infinite, but you yourself are not.”

– Mildred “Millie” Sanders Ruggles, 9/23/2010 (multiple sources)



MILLIE SANDERS RUGGLES, THE LAST “GREAT ELDER” AT KFC, DIES AT 91

…Mildred Sanders “Millie” Ruggles passed away from the long-term effects of pancreatic cancer at the Harland David Sanders Memorial Hospital in Florence, Kentucky. The youngest daughter of The Colonel and Josephine King, Mildred was instrumental in starting the Ruggles Sign Company and was responsible for training KFC franchisees and restaurant promotion in the early decades of the company’s growth and development. Much like her stepmother, US First Lady Claudia Sanders, Mildred was an embodiment of Southern hospitality, a host of everything from small social gatherings to international charity drives. Her daughter, Marlona Ice, describes her as “the life of the party” as well as being the more studious and “workaholic” of the three children of Colonel Sanders, especially in her older years. “She was driven, she was passionate, and she was very compassionate, too.” …Mildred was the wife of the late John F. Ruggles Jr.; she is survived by her daughters Marlona and Ariela, her son John III, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Private funeral services will be held at Central Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky…

– The New York Times, 9/25/2010



…In the days immediately following my mother’s passing, Finger Licking’ Good, Inc. Presented itself as being more confident in its future. The messaging that its financial status could only continue to improve in the 2010s was backed by reports that the company had been prepared for this inevitable day for years, even more so than how they have been ahead of my grandfather’s passing nearly twenty years earlier. However, financial planning did not lessen Millie’s impact on work culture. A general sense of sadness was still felt among labor and management, from company headquarters to the farthest reaches of the KFC World Family. And that was no exaggeration, either – while locations around the world lowered their flags to half-mast to honor Millie’s passing, KFC’s lone outlet in Antarctica held a moment of silence. Footage of the moment, of four KFC employees standing outside the entrance to the Antarctic food court of McMurdo Base, with the giant image of the smiling Colonel behind them and a mountain of snow to their side, was widely shared on OurVids.

It was the end of an era, and the start of a new one. And everyone involved and invested in my grandfather’s brainchild were uncertain if the start of this new era – a giantess’ passing – would be an apt or ironic start-off.

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020

[pic: imgur.com/RY2U9YR.png ]

– Jesse Jackson Sr., Jesse Jackson Jr., and one of the President’s grandchildren, c. autumn 2010



WELLSTONE SIGNS K-12 REFORM BILL, WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION BILL INTO LAW

– The Washington Post, 10/3/2010



“Our state’s nickname is The Golden state, but right up until Grammer got on the case and started helping Californians from the bottom up, the only thing golden in our cities was the little puddles left behind by all the publicly urinating drunks and druggies. Grammer helped vagrants get jobs and got the addicts to go to these new places that are like halfway houses. I think they’re called Withdrawal Centers. It’s like rehab, but better. Before, an addict would go get sober, get a little card of something to celebrate getting clean, and they’d go ‘Bye, have a good life,’ and close the door. The guy’d have no direction, no clue what to do next, so twenty minutes later he’s around the corner getting high again. WCs, though, have a second have, where after you’re flushed out, they reintroduce you into society. They help you learn a skill or a trade, they help you find housing and a job. They stay in regular contact with the bums for up to two years, maybe more if needed. And you know what? I think it’s working! I’m seeing less homelessness on the streets than I used to!”

– populist talk radio host William Edward “Bill” Simon Jr., endorsing Governor Kelsey Grammer (R-CA)’s re-election bid, 10/5/2010



JERUSALEM CHICKEN DINNER SUMMIT PAYS TRIBUTE TO MILLIE SANDERS

…the 35th annual Chicken Dinner Summit in Jerusalem tonight honored the recently-deceased Millie Sanders, the daughter of Colonel Sanders, with a moment of silence and a short film celebrating her years contributing to the organizing of these multinational summits. Attendees also gave speeches praising Millie Sanders’ work behind the scenes, meeting with dignitaries to help find common ground among the diverse people and cultures of the Middle East. The yearly gathering of local community leaders for a simple sharing of food, drink and ideas in an “international community conference” has become a tradition of sorts for this city. Merchants capitalized on the event with commemorative paraphernalia, and schools mark the occasion with a host of activities meant to promote the concept of “the delicate peace”…

…However, not all of the speeches were of a panegyric tone. The Libyan delegation broke the good but somber spirits of the summit with a scathing condemnation of the Sudanese government for the atrocities escalating in Darfur and the rising civil war-like conflict brewing in South Sudan. The summit was on tenterhooks until the Sudanese delegation spoke. To the relief of all present, the head of the Sudan delegation, the current Deputy Mayor of Khartoum, agreed with the Libyan delegation’s summation. Furthermore, he added that “my nation’s government has abandoned the core point of a national government – to promote, protect and defend all of the people of its nation. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be fired for saying this, and I may even be arrested for saying this, but this needs to be said – what the Sudanese government is doing to its own citizens is a national disgrace that puts me and all peace-looking Sudanese people to shame.”

– The New York Times, 10/7/2010



MANSON AND JONES

Paramount Pictures
Premiered: October 10, 2010
Genre(s): drama/action
Directed by: David Jacobson
Written by: David Jacobson
Produced by: Emma Thomas

Cast:
Ashton Kutcher as Charles Manson
Bobby Cannavale as Jim Jones
Celeste Heche as Marceline Jones
Ryan Gosling as John Lennon
Shiri Maimon as Cynthia Powell Lennon
Taylor Kitsch as Paul McCartney
Adriana Lima as Leslie Van Houten
Allison Tolman as Patricia Krenwinkel
Kim Bledel as Susan Atkins
Simon Helberg as Ringo Starr
Thomas Middleditch as George Harrison
See Full List Here

Synopsis:
Bared on real events, the film portrays the chance meeting and subsequent acquaintanceship of two disturbed men and their impact on the lives around them, culminating in an explosive confrontation. After failing to have The Beatles assassinated, aspiring musician Charles Manson and his cult flee to a compound in Brazil where former pastor Jim Jones and his followers await the End of Days. Tensions rise between the followers of Manson and Jones as INTERPOL closes in and the two deranged would-be Messiahs prepare for their next and final move.

Reception:
While audiences were generally positive, critics gave the film higher ratings on most netsites. The film’s directing, camerawork and acting were praised, especially that of Ashton Kutcher, whose casting was a gamble as it was against type. Others, however, criticized its pacing, with the general consensus being that it lost steam during the second act before picking up in speed and excitement during the third. At the box office, the film nearly doubled what it cost to make, and thus Paramount considered it to be a success.

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1:
For his portrayal of Charles Manson, Kutcher won an Academy Award for Best Lead Thespian at the 83rd Academy Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles, California, on February 27, 2011.

Trivia Fact No. 2:
While the film is generally considered to be a faithful portrayal of real-life events, one of the more noticeable inaccuracies is Manson’s height in the film. The actor portraying Manson is 6-foot-2, but in real life Manson was actually only 5-foot-2.

– mediarchives.co.usa



…Wellstone may have been right to describe the Balanced Budget Amendment as a “millstone…a chain around the neck of progress.” While the Mental Health Bill of 2010 was finally passed in October of that year, this happened only after adjustments were made to spending projections for it, and after once again scraping more money off of the military’s budget to cover for it. It was either that, or raise taxes. However, either option would still garner a negative reaction from the GOP. Thus, when Wellstone turned the bill into a law with the simple stroke of a pen, Republicans used the military budget cutbacks as yet another anti-Wellstone talking point. The President naturally found this to be quite irritating, especially given the fact that it was that Republicans who lead the charge for the BBA to be implemented. However, many Republican lawmakers did praise fiscally conservative Democrats such as US Senator Paul Simon of Illinois for backing the BBA when it was in its infancy; this only made the anguish of the Democrats ironic…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



Even as October drew to a close, Jesse Jackson was still very reluctant to maintain a low profile. He disliked taking a step back at such an important time in his party’s history. He believed he could do more harm than good on the campaign trail. “Black turnout is expected to drop sharply next month, and for the first time since 1996, too,” he explained to the DNC Chairman in an October teleconference.

But the party leadership was firm. “Yes, we understand that you could shore up African-American voters,” said the Chairman, “But so can all the other surrogates we have lined up. Senators Hall, Wheat, and Thurmond, and even former President Mondale are all great at fundraising. And we even have celebrity endorsements.”

“Poor people don’t care what celebrities have to say about politics,” countered the former President, “Would you buy a jalopy just because a mechanic tells you it’s actually a Rolls-Royce? No, because you care more about what you see with your own eyes than what’s flying out of the mouth of just another guy going wallet-fishing on you.”

The party leaders were not convinced. “Polling and hypothetical analysis suggests that for every minority vote you’d bring in, we’d lost at least two white votes and three Jewish votes. You are still building the bridge you burned with those comments, Mr. President, sir.” The Chairman said sternly but not insultingly. “Your donations and private fundraising are way more effective than running the risk of Republicans returning the spotlight to you and your comments. That would only hurt.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, “So how much longer will I be in exile, huh? How many times can someone apologize before it becomes a numb and meaningless routine? You can’t keep me silent forever!”

“Just until after these midterms,” answered the DNC Chairman. “Please, sir,” he pleaded, “Just a few more weeks.”

With great reluctance, Jackson agreed to comply with the party’s request. “You say it is for the best, but I still personally think that I would be a benefit, not a determine. Mark my words, Black turnout will underperform next month. But what do I know? I’m just a former President!”

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



RUSSIA’S ROSCOSMOS RESPONDS TO RECENT ROCKETRY RECOMMENDATIONS

[pic: imgur.com/n5iOvOi.png ]

Above: the Baikonur Cosmodrome Spaceport in southern Kazakhstan, United Turkestan; good Russian-UT relations allow cosmonauts to launch from here, while Russian relations with Saudi Arabia may inhibit collaborative space efforts with the SSC.

…with last week’s launching of Russia’s newest rocket (the details of its test flight in nighttime liftoff can be found here), the head of Star City is in contact with leading scientists from NASA and the Saudi Space Center of the future of collaborative international space projects. …the Director of Roscosmos is skeptical of Middle Eastern efforts to someday return to the Moon on its own. “I doubt they will push on ahead with further programs in the immediate future. They were lucky more weren’t hurt or killed in their ’08 mission,” she says. The Director emphasizes that the priorities of the Saudi Space Center “should be redirected to safety” and that their long term goal of establishing a permanent base on the moon should be pushed back to a later date. “I am hopeful that world space agencies will ultimately conglomerate data and work with each other and with other organizations to create and launch a common lunar base and some common orbital vehicles and stations. Maybe even a common Martian base. At the moment, though, the Middle Easterners have to earn how to build a better Saudi spacecraft.” …The Director also reiterated the policy implemented by the current President of Russia – that Roscosmos only takes part in projects concerning lunar or Martian base on parity terms with NASA, similar to the current collaborative experiments and other projects being done on the International Space Station...

– popularmechanics.co.usa/space/news, 10/21/2010



ANDERSON COOPER: “…With the latest polls suggesting that this Tuesday’s midterm elections heavily favor Republicans, Democrats across the country are scrambling to minimize their losses. While some seats are considered safe – for example, the Senate race in Vermont will most likely go to popular incumbent Democrat Will Sorrell, and Republican nominee Sherry Sealy Martschink is expected to win the race to replace retiring incumbent Democratic Senator Fritz Hollings in South Carolina – these are most likely not demonstrative of the Democratic Party’s prospects next week, are they, Tim?”

TIM RUSSERT: “Not at all. In fact, it seems that the Democrats have run on the defense most of the time this year, because of the concern that many of the party’s higher-ups reportedly have; they are bracing for more defeats than pick-ups. Ten years in control of the White House and a majority control of at least one congressional chamber each session since 1999 could very well end on Tuesday due to party fatigue.”

MARLENE WILLIAMS: “These races are about more than party fatigue, though. This is also a mandate on the Wellstone administration. An administration that lost the popular vote in 2008 and has been accused by the right of damaging the country with high taxes. Next week will show if the American people agree with these statements.”

JANICE FINE: “Well I’m less apprehensive about all of this, personally, I don’t think they have anything to worry about because the Cult of Bernie Goetz’s War on Progressivism has so far been a complete and total failure. Not a single congressional candidate of the Boulder party has stood out this whole election cycle! Furthermore, consider this – people don’t vote along a party line so much as they vote for a specific candidate that speaks to them, and then they vote for that candidate’s party. That’s why voter registration is at a historic high, but party affiliation is still as low as it was in 1980. And since Wellstone is not on the ballot, the Democrats will have to rely on the charisma and messages of their congressional candidates this year, and I think they have a good very assortment of candidates, especially for the governor races.”

MARLENE WILLIAMS: “Well I do agree with you there, the Democrats are polling better at the gubernatorial levels than at the Congressional levels…”

– CBS News, round-table discussion, 10/29/2010



November United States Senate election results, 2010

Date: November 2, 2010
Seats: 37 of 104
Seats needed for majority: 53

New Senate majority leader: Webb Franklin (R-MS)
New Senate minority leader: Gary Locke (D-WA)

Seats before election: 47 (R), 56 (D), 1 (I)
Seats after election: 55 (R), 48 (D), 1 (I)
Seat change: R ^ 8, D v 8, I - 0

Full List:

Alabama: incumbent Doug Jones (D) over Clint Moser (R)

Alaska: J. R. Myers (R) over incumbent Kevin Danaher (D)

Arizona: Jan Brewer (R) over Cathy Eden (D); incumbent Eddie Najeeb Basha Jr. (D) retired

Arkansas: incumbent F. Winford Boozman III (R) over Bill Halter (D)

California: incumbent Mike Gravel (D) over Elizabeth Emken (R)

Colorado: incumbent Mark Udall (D) over Jane Norton (R)

Connecticut: William Tong (D) over Daniel E. “Dan” Carter (R); incumbent Chris Dodd (D) retired

Florida: Gus Bilirakis (R) over Janet Cruz (D); incumbent Michael Bilirakis (R) retired

Georgia: incumbent Herman Cain (R) over Michelle Nunn (D)

Hawaii: incumbent Daniel Inouye (D) over John Roco (R)

Idaho: Carlos Bilbao (R) over Tom Sullivan (D) and incumbent Bo Gritz (R) (write-in); Gritz lost re-nomination

Illinois: incumbent appointee Sheila Simon (D) over Kathleen Thomas (R)

Indiana: incumbent Evan Bayh (D) over Becky Skillman (R)

Iowa: Robert Lee Vander Plaats (R) over incumbent Patty Jean Poole (D)

Kansas: incumbent Bob Dole (R) over Lisa Johnston (D)

Kentucky: Daniel Mongiardo (D) over incumbent Patrick “Kelly” Downard (R)

Louisiana: incumbent Chris John (D) over Chet Traylor (R), Neeson Chauvin (D) and Nick Accardo (R)

Maryland: incumbent Barbara Mikulski (D) over Jim Rutledge (R)

Missouri: incumbent Wayne Cryts (D) over Chuck Purgason (R)

Nevada: incumbent Dina Titus (D) over Sue Lowden (R)

New Hampshire: Ted Gatsas (R) over incumbent Lou D’Allesandro (D)

New Mexico (special): incumbent appointee over Debbie Jaramillo (D) over Retta Ward (R)

New York: incumbent Allyson Schwartz (D) over Gary Berntsen (R), Colia Clark (Green/Natural Mind) and Randy Credico (Liberty)

North Carolina: Rand Paul (R) over Elaine Marshall (D); incumbent Nick Galifianakis (D) retired

North Dakota: Kelly Schmidt (R) over Joan Heckaman (D); incumbent Kent Conrad (D) retired

Ohio: Randy Brock (R) over incumbent Peter Lawson Jones (D) and Eric Deaton (Constitutionalists’)

Oklahoma: Evelyn Rogers (R) over incumbent Brad Carson (D)

Oregon: incumbent Walter Leslie “Les” AuCoin (D) over Jim Huffman (R)

Pennsylvania: incumbent Bob Casey Jr. (D) over John Kennedy (R)

South Carolina: Sherry Sealy Martschink (R) over A. Victor “Vic” Rawl (D); incumbent Fritz Hollings (D) retired

South Dakota: incumbent Teresa McGovern (D) over James A. “Jim” Lintz (R)

Utah: incumbent Lyle Hillyard (R) over Jason Buck (Boulder) and Sam Granato (D)

Vermont: incumbent William Sorrell (D) over Len Britton (R) and Darcy Troville (LU)

Washington: incumbent Gary Locke (D) over Paul Akers (R)

West Virginia: incumbent appointee Betty Ireland (R) over Brooks F. McCabe Jr. (D)

Wisconsin: incumbent Bronson La Follette (D) over David Westlake (R)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



112TH CONGRESS SET TO BE THE MOST DIVERSE YET

…With the election of four more women to the Senate, the total number of women who will be serving in upper chamber after January 3rd will be a record-breaking 31. 17 Republican female Senators (Brewer, Chenoweth, Stovall, Snowe, Cafferata, Ashby, Mochary, Ryan, Schmidt, Rogers, Burgos, Martschink, Big-Crow, Rodham-Clinton, Granger, Ireland and Cubin) and 14 Democratic female Senators (Hirono, Simon, Hall, Osborne, Mikulski, Kennedy-Roosevelt, Belton, Titus, Jaramillo, Schwartz, Norton, York, Roberts, and McGovern)… [snip] …The next session of the Senate will also be the most ethnically diverse session in American history. Ten US Senators will be Black (Cain, Raoul, Hall, Steel, Belton, Wheat, Brock, Norton, Thurmond, and Rice), seven will be Hispanic (Penelas, Bilbao, Mongiardo, Jaramillo, Mondragon, Fortuno, and Burgos), six will be Asian (Deukmejian (Armenian), Tong, Hirono, Inouye, Locke, and Rahall (Lebanese)), five will be Jewish (Osterlund, Schwartz, Schwartzman, Sorrell, and Feingold), and four will be Greek (Bilirakis, Snowe, Titus, and Gatsas)...

– The Los Angeles Times, 11/2/2010



United States House of Representatives results, 2010

Date: November 2, 2010
Seats: All 441
Seats needed for majority: 221

New House majority leader: H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC)
New House minority leader: Barbara B. Kennelly (D-CT)

Last election: 215 (R), 226 (D)
Seats won: 249 (R), 192 (D)
Seat change: R ^ 34, D v 34

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa

[pic: imgur.com/ZlsaR5j.png ]

– US President Paul Wellstone, upon hearing the extent of Democrat losses, 11/3/2010



US House of Representatives, California, District 23

General Election, 11/2/2010:
Turnout (30.27% Total Population):

Monica Lewinsky (Democrat) – 67,692 (52.9%)

Darrell M. Stafford (Republican) – 55,664 (43.5%)

John V. Hager (Independent) – 4,607 (3.6%)

Total Votes: 127,963 (100.0%)

– ourcampaigns.co.usa



VIRGINIANS GIVE BLUTAG EX-CONGRESSMAN A SECOND CHANCE IN COMEBACK BID

…Congressman-Elect Jon Clifton Hinson (b. 1942) originally served in the US House from Mississippi, from his election in 1978 until his resignation in 1981 over his attempts to hide his sexual presence in an incident deemed scandalous at the time. After this, he became an activist in D.C. and Virginia… Hinson’s election may mark the longest period between non-consecutive terms served in the US House, and makes Hinson the first openly-BLUTAG politician elected to federal office from Virginia…

– roanoketimes.co.usa, 11/2/2010 e-article



29-YEAR-OLD ACTIVIST ELECTED YOUNGEST US HOUSE MEMBER

…Last night, Democratic political neophyte Alexandra Lugaro, who was born in San Juan on June 10, 1981, defeated 75-year-old incumbent US Representative Baltasar Corrada del Rio (b. 1935, R/New Progressive) for the seat of the 51st State’s Fifth US Congressional District. …Lugaro was prompted by the anti-immigration rhetoric of the Bernie Goetz campaign of 2004 to become a political activist, working on several Democratic campaigns in 2004 and 2006. …Lugaro received a college bachelor’s degree in business administration with minors in finance, marketing, and economics, and is still working on a master’s degree in constitutional law, though she has also been an attorney practicing law since 2006. …At the age of 29, she is the youngest woman ever elected to congress; she ran on a progressive platform that appealed to and mobilized young voters at a grassroots level. Her campaign also emphasized education and economic development. Despite praising President Wellstone for his smooth handling of this year’s destructive earthquake in Haiti, she has voiced support for working “across the aisle” on a multitude of issues, blaming partisanship for worsening economic woes in the past and in the present. Mobilized youngsters. …She supported Puerto Rican independence early in her career, but has since moderated... Given that she is currently expecting her first child, she will most likely join the small list of US Congresswomen who have given birth while serving in office…

– The Orlando Sentinel, 11/3/2010



United States Governor election results, 2010

Date: November 2, 2010
Number of state gubernatorial elections held: 37

Seats before: 22 (R), 30 (D), 0 (I)
Seats after: 28 (R), 22 (D), 2 (I)
Seat change: R ^ 6, D v 8, I ^ 2

Full list:

Alabama: David Woods (R) over Beth Killough Chapman (Boulder) and Sadie Moore Stewart (D); incumbent Jim Folsom Jr. (D) was term-limited

Alaska: Willie Hensley (Democratic-Green-Union) over Jerry Ward (LRA) and Clyde Baxley (AIP); incumbent Niilo Emil Koponen (DGU) retired

Arizona: Russell K. Pearce (R) over incumbent Debbie McCune Davis (D)

Arkansas: incumbent Mark Darr (R) over Jim Lendall (D) and Elvis D. Presley (I)

California: incumbent Kelsey Grammer (R) over Steve Peace (D) and Tommy Chong (Green)

Colorado: William “Bill” Thiebaut Jr. (D) over Sandra D. Johnson (R); incumbent Jane E. Norton (R) retired

Connecticut: Nancy Lee Johnson (R) over incumbent Nancy S. Wyman (D)

Florida: Bob Smith (R) over Katherine Castor (D) and Nancy Argenziano (I); incumbent Antoinette “Toni” Jennings (R) retired

Georgia: Shirley Franklin (D) over Alveda King (R); incumbent Karen Christine Walker (R) retired

Hawaii: incumbent Muliufi Francis “Frank” Hannemann (D) over George G. Peabody (R)

Idaho: incumbent Harley Davidson Brown (R) over Robert C. Huntley (D)

Illinois: incumbent Roland Burris (D) over Kirk W. Dillard (R)

Iowa: incumbent Fred Grandy (R) over Pam Jochum (D)

Kansas: incumbent Lynn Jenkins (R) over Jill Docking (D)

Maine: incumbent Peter E. Cianchette (R) over Barbara Merrill (D) and Lynne Williams (I)

Maryland: incumbent John Peter Sarbanes (D) over Dean Ahmad (R/L) and Dan Bongino (I)

Massachusetts: incumbent Michael Dukakis (D) over Patrick Guerriero (R)

Michigan: Michael Moore (D) over Cornelius Pieter “Pete” Hoekstra (R); incumbent Ronna Romney (R) retired

Minnesota: Alex Kozinski (IRL) over Rick Nolan (DFL), D. J. Tomassoni (Green) & Rick Staneck (Boulder); incumbent Nancy Elizabeth Lee Johnson (DFL) retired

Nebraska: Ernie Chambers (I) over John W. DeCamp (R) and Brenda J. Council (D); incumbent Lowen Kruse (D) retired

Nevada: Oscar Goodman (D) over incumbent Dennis Hof (R)

New Hampshire: Rushern L. Baker III (D) over incumbent Sherman Packard (R)

New Mexico: Gary Earl Johnson (R/L) over Jim Baca (D/LRU); incumbent Martin Chavez (D) was term-limited

New York: Tom Golisano (I) over incumbent Matthew Driscoll (D/Liberal), Andrea Stewart-Cousins (Working Families/Green), William Christie Samuels (Progressive), John Edward Sweeney (R/Conservative), and Robert “Naked Cowboy” Burck (Independence/Natural Mind)

Ohio: incumbent Maureen O’Connor (R) over Robert L. Burch Jr. (D)

Oklahoma: Rebecca Hamilton (R) over Randy William Bass (Boulder) and Susan Savage (D); incumbent Gary Richardson (R) retired

Oregon: incumbent Mary Starrett (R) over John Kitzhaber (D)

Pennsylvania: Barry Goldberg (D) over Jane M. Earll (R); incumbent Lynn Swann (R) retired

Potomac: incumbent Vincent Bernard Orange Sr. (D) over David William Kranich (R)

Rhode Island: incumbent Lincoln Davenport Chafee (R) over Frank Caprio (D)

South Carolina: Andre Bauer (R) over Jim Rex (D); incumbent Lindsey Graham (R) was term-limited

South Dakota: Stephanie Herseth (D) over Mike Rounds (R); incumbent George S. Mickelson (R) retired

Tennessee: Dave Ramsey (R) over Jim Henry (Independent), Mark E. Clayton (D) and Daniel T. Lewis (Liberty); incumbent Jim Bryson (R) was term-limited

Texas: incumbent Bill Owens (R) over Felix Alvarado (D/LRU)

Vermont: incumbent Deborah L. “Deb” Markowitz (D) over Mark Snelling (R) and Michael Parenti (Liberty Union)

Wisconsin: Mark Green (R) over Barbara Lawton (D); incumbent Kathleen Falk (D) retired

Wyoming: incumbent W. Richard West (D) over Matthew Hansen Mead (R)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



“Heh. I told them that Black voter turnout would not stay up without me.”

– Former US President Jesse Jackson Sr., 11/9/2010 (allegedly)



ST. LOUIS MAYOR RESIGNS: Ted Brown Preps For New Career In D.C.

– The Springfield News-Leader, Missouri newspaper, side article, 11/11/2010



List of Mayors of ST. LOUIS (Missouri)

1953-1970: 38) Raymond Tucker (D, 1896-1970) – former mechanical engineering educator from 1921 to 1934; worked in various city government positions from 1934 to 1953; previously served as Chair of Washington University in St. Louis’s mechanical engineering department from 1921 to 1951; oversaw city improvements through a bond issue in his first term; increased city’s Earnings Tax in his second term; signed civil rights legislation concerning employment and housing into law during his third term; won an unprecedented fourth term by getting work started on a new airport close to downtown, lowering city’s unemployment rate; won a fifth term narrowly; died in office suddenly on November 23, less than two week before he could turn 74; longest-serving mayor

1953: Carl G. Stifel (R)

1957: Richard J. Mehan (R)

1961: Ben Lindenbusch (R)

1965: Maurice R. Zumwalt (R)

1969: Gerald “Jerry” Fischer (R)

1970-1981: 39) John Noel (D, 1914-1998) – previously worked in city government from 1961 to 1970; ascended to the office because the president of the Board of Aldermen becomes mayor when the office becomes vacant until a special mayoral election can be held; focused on race relations, community housing, crime, and city finance; updated city street lighting and founded several after-school, weekend, and summer programs for at-risk youth; often feuded with the city’s comptroller over multiple issues; raised taxes to cover civil servant wages and city’s losses during the 1978 economic crash; retired due to waning popularity but continued to be involved in city politics by commenting on local affairs and donating to campaigns throughout the 1980s and 1990s

1971 (special): Jerry Fischer (R), John H. Poelker (D, 1913-1990), Alfonso Cervantes (D, 1920-1983) and James F. Conway (D, b. 1932)

1973: Joseph L. Badaracco (R) and Dudley C. Higginson (I)

1977: William “Bill” Clay Sr. (I, b. 1931), James A. Stemmler (R) and Helen Savio (Natural Mind, 1922-1988)

1981-1993: 40) Vincent C. Schoemehl Jr. (D, b. 1946) – previously served as a city alderman from 1975 to 1981; promoted “public-private partnerships” for urban development projects and beautification programs; amid rising crime rates in his first term, strongly advocated “home safety” measures in order to avoid shifting funds away from social programs to police precincts without losing the support of the police unions; encouraged small business development in his second term; despite supporting historic preservation, approved the demolition of historic buildings, leading to claims that his ZED-style “gentrification” projects were behind the rise in the city’s homeless population during his third term; implemented the city’s current blanket primary election system in 1991; resigned after being elected Lieutenant Governor in November 1992; served as Lieutenant Governor from 1993 until resigning in 1996 over allegations of violating campaign finance laws; briefly ran for the 1996 Democratic nomination for US President; city’s most recent non-African-American mayor; has served as a Member of the Tri-State Development Agency Board of Commissioners since 2007

1981: Jerry B. Wamser (R, 1946-2012) and Lewis F. Rolen (I)

1985: Curtis C. Crawford (R, 1921-2021), Eugene Camp (I), Bruce Kimball (Workers’) and William Jackson (I)

1989: Bernard Elking (R), Michael V. Roberts (I), Ron Gregory (Natural Mind) and Dennis Lang (I)

1993-1993: 41) Fred E. Williams (D, 1935-1994) – city’s first African-American mayor; ascended to the office because the president of the Board of Aldermen becomes mayor when the office becomes vacant until a special mayoral election can be held; previously served in the state House from 1969 to 1987 before entering municipal politics; completed predecessor’s term; retired due to poor health

1993-2005: 42) Freeman Bosley Jr. (D, b. 1954) – city’s first elected African-American mayor; was previously the first African-American St. Louis Circuit Clerk for the city’s 22nd Judicial Circuit for ten years; also served as the 3rd Ward Democratic Committeeman, Chair of the St. Louis City Democratic Central Association, and the first African-American Chair of the Democratic Party of St. Louis; almost lost the 1997 over tax increases and almost lost the 2001 election over him laying off civil servants during the late 1990s recession; his tenure during the SARS pandemic was controversial; retired to successfully run for a US House seat; served in the US House from 2007 until 2011 (he lost re-election in 2010, a bad year for Democrats overall, in a narrow upset); currently operates his own law firm in St. Louis

1993 (primary): Thomas Albert “Tom” Villa (D, b. 1945), John P. O’Gorman (R), Clarence Harmon (D, b. 1940) and James A. Garrison Jr. (Workers’)
1993 (runoff): Tom Villa (D)

1997 (primary): Marit Clark (D) and Jay Dearing (R)
1997 (runoff): Marit Clark (D)

2001 (primary): Michael A. “Mike” Chance (R) and Anthony D. “Tony” Ribaudo (D, 1941-2020)
2001 (runoff): Mike Chance (R)

2005-2010: 43) Theodis “Ted” Brown Sr. (R) – previously worked as the city’s sheriff from 1989 to 1997; previously served as a city alderman from 2001 to 2005; first Republican mayor since 1949; elected due to backlash to “restrictive” safezoning laws and high taxes; ran a moderate libertarian administration; supported small businesses and gun rights; negotiated the construction of the city’s new sports stadium; cut taxes overall, affecting social services in his second term, but struggled to implement other efforts due to opposition from the city government; resigned after narrowly winning a seat in the US House of Representatives; served in the US House from 2011 until 2019 (he lost re-election in 2018); currently works as a senior advisor for a St. Louis-based security systems company

2005 (primary): Irene J. Smith (D), Willie Marshall (G), Paul J. M. Wekenborg (I) and Maida Coleman (Boulder, b. 1954)
2005 (runoff): Irene J. Smith (D)

2009 (primary): Denise Watson-Wesley Coleman (D), Elston K. McCowan (G), Don De Vivo (Natural Mind) and Robb E. Cunningham (Liberty)
2009 (runoff): Denise Watson-Wesley Coleman (D)

2010-2021: 44) Lewis E. Reed (D, b. 1962) – ascended to the office because the president of the Board of Aldermen becomes mayor when the office becomes vacant until a special mayoral election can be held; previously served as an alderman of the city's sixth ward from 1999 to 2010; oversaw residential redevelopment efforts; improved city’s “green space” areas; known for taking up several controversial positions and for making several controversial comments; retired due to several scandals that were negatively impacting his approval ratings

2011 (special): Michael V. “Mike” Roberts Jr. (D), James Osher (R), James Eldon McNeely (G), Doyle Samuel “Sam” Dotson III (D) and Jimmie Mathews (D)

2013 (primary): Andrew M. Jones Jr. (R), Larry Rice (I), Johnathan McFarland (G) and Tyrone Austin (I)
2013 (runoff): Andrew Jones (R)

2017 (primary): Antonio French (D, b. 1977), Jeffrey L. Boyd (D), Robert P. “Bob” McCulloch (D, b. 1951), Andrew “Andy” Karandzieff and Wesley Bell (D)
2017 (runoff): Antonio French (D)

2021-present: 45) Jamilah Nasheed (D, b. 1972) – city’s first female mayor and city’s first Muslin mayor; previously served in city government from 2007 to 2021; incumbent

2021 (primary): John Collins-Muhammad, Jr. (D, b. 1991), Jeanette Mott Oxford (D, b. 1954) and Bryan Spencer (R, b. 1967)
2021 (runoff): John Collins-Muhammad, Jr. (D, b. 1991)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



GOP GOVERNOR-ELECTS CLASH OVER ATTITUDES TO WELLSTONE

…David Woods (b. 1957), a conservative broadcaster and former Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, whose father was Alabama Governor Charles Woods, opposes Wellstone’s approach to law enforcement, and won election to the Alabama governorship on an anti-crime campaign that involved supporting Crime Victim Rights. Despite all that, his stance that governors are “obliged to respect the President” is being challenged by fellow Governor-elect Russell K. Pearce of Arizona. Pearce is even further to the right than Woods, calling for Congress to establish a Cabinet position for a “Secretary of Domestic Defense” and a complete shutdown of the US-Mexican border and of nearly all immigration to the US “until domestic unemployment reaches 0%.” Additionally, Pearce has publicly stated that he refuses to work with President Wellstone, and has more than once declared that Wellstone “is not a legitimate President” due to him losing the popular vote in 2008. “If he visits my state, I will not welcome him. If he somehow passes something through congress that hurts Arizona, I will fight him on it.”

…Woods has entered ontech arguments with Pierce and Governor-Elect Alex Kozinski (R-MN) in recent months, with Woods defending his views on political courtesies and centrist immigration policies. Years prior to running for Governor, Woods partook in several church mission trips to Latin America, leading to him learning how to speak Spanish and being able to appeal to Hispanic voters as well as former Bernie Bros in the general election last month...

– The Washington Post, 11/21/2010



KHARTOUM DEPUTY MAYOR, CRITIC OF SUDAN GOVERNMENT AT THIS YEAR’S CHICKEN DINNER SUMMIT, DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT

– Associated Press, 11/29/2010



STOCKS TORN AMID GOP PROMISES OF “BOLD CHANGES”

…with rumors abound that the incoming Republican-majority congress will seek to reverse the past ten years of legislation led by the Jackson and Wellstone administrations, stockholders and shareholders of hundreds of companies are responding in a myriad of ways. Investments into oil and gas companies have risen, while companies focused on renewable energy are gripping with the fear that Republicans in the House and Senate will oppose their business efforts. However, overall, Wall Street responding more positively than negatively to the upcoming changing of the legislative guard..

– The Wall Street Journal, 12/2/2010



KENNELLY TO STEP DOWN AS LEADER OF THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS

…after her party lost the majority share of members of the US House of Representatives in last month’s midterm elections, outgoing House Speaker Barbara Kennelly (D-CT) today announced that she will not be a candidate for House Minority Leader in January. However, she will not resign from her congressional seat. …House Democrat Whip Ed Markey, who is notably to the left of Kennelly, is considered to be the frontrunner candidate to succeed her as leader of the Democratic Party in the House…

– The Washington Post, 12/7/2010



IN DEFENSE OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

All Incoming Republican Senators Back Abolishing The Electoral College – Here’s Why They’re Wrong

– The Huffington Post, 12/11/2010



UNITED TURKESTAN ELECTS ITS FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

[pic: imgur.com/EjQbgRp.png ]

Above: Roza Otunbayeva

…Roza Otunbayeva of Kyrgystan (and of the Social Democratic party) bested former Kazakhstan Governor Zharmakhan Tuyakbay of the center-left Unity Party, Mukhtar Ablyazov of the Democratic Choice Party, and Galymzhab Zhakiyanov of the Bright Path Party for the position, making her the first-ever head of state for the country… …In the time that has passed since the assassination of President Karimov on July 7, 2008, internal divisions within United Turkestan have cooled considerably, thanks to the leadership of President Tasmagambetov, who declined to run for a full term of his own this year. Tasmagambetov, hailing from Kazakhstan and a member of the Unity party, ascended to the Presidency due to being Head of the National Gathering at the time of Karimov’s death… …Otunbayeva will enter office on January 5…

– Kommersant (The Businessman), Russian newspaper, 12/14/2010



WILL WE EVER GET ANOTHER FEMALE PRESIDENT?

…It is a tragedy that Carol Bellamy is increasingly being seen less as a competent voice of the progressive early 1990s and more as an enigma brought into office on a wave of feminist rage against the Denton administration’s sexism, a condition symbolized by the campaign of third-party candidate Glen Bell. Bellamy was not an exception to the nonexistent rule of law in D.C. – that only men can sit behind the Resolute Desk. She was a trailblazer, and while the likes of Snowe, Rodham-Clinton and Richards all lost in their endeavors to follow her trail, this is no excuse for The American Woman to give up hope. We can reclaim the White House and set forth another example of woman leadership for another generation of American Women.

The rights of all women – including transgender women – is an issue that spans across the political spectrum, and thus, no female leaders should be discounted or disqualified because of their political affiliation. With this in mind, debate over who will be America’s next female president should not limited the view of prospective candidates to just The Party of Carol, Jesse and Paul – or even the Party of Maureen, Olympia and Hillary, either! One cannot rule out the hard work and ideals of the female leaders found in the Democratic and Republican parties, or of the female leaders found in the Liberty, Green, Country, Boulder, and Natural Mind parties. After all, Carol Bellamy was just a city councilman in early 1981 – eight years later, she was sworn into the Presidency. So who knows where the next female President is right now, in this moment? She could be a celebrated politician titan right now. She could be a rising third-party organizer right now. She could be an aspiring activist right now. She even could be reading this very article right now…

– Radical feminist Catharine Alice MacKinnon, The Atlantic, 12/21/2010 op-ed



Fast food trends as the start of this decade are a mix of worrisome and promising developments. Liquid accompaniments to the pre-made meals of our times are taking a nutritional hit with the rise of energy drinks, with the most prominent brands at the moment being “Gatorade” and “Brisk,” the latter being a much newer brand that has adopted the term for a cold but fresh and enlivening wind for a drink that only tastes slightly better than Gatorade because it uses more sugars and artificial sweeteners than Gatorade.

Endeavors to promote drinks that provide consumers with quick and sharp energy appear to be the attempts of companies to placate health concerns. A host of studies show that the more fast-food one consumes, the less one exercises. But in an industry of such inelastic demand – especially in the US, where fast-food demands continued to stay steady during the prosperous 1990s, the troubling turn of the century, and even the SARS pandemic – little can scare the corporate giants into believing that customers will walk away from tasty food at affordable prices.

Not even the processes made at healthier fast food menu options has significantly shaken up the industry. Salads and no-cal options are available and are even promoted, but studies show that an overwhelming majority of fast-food customers still purchase the less-healthy items.

[snip]

Pizza, burgers and chicken still dominate this landscape, but other groups have their share of the industry. While Ollie’s Trollies seems to be fading in both prominence and in the public’s mi d, other artisanal joints are filling up its unique niche, with the spices of Indian food and the rising appearance of Kebab Houses leading the charge in that endeavor. Kebab House are at the front of the recent rise in the ethnic food lane as well, alongside East Asian noodle shops. Hopefully, these newer entries into the fast food world will play a part in improving the healthiness of the pre-prepared meals of Americana…

– Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation Revisited: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012



2010: total world population: 7,125,276,000

– clickopedia.co.usa/world_populations/history [2]



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S)
[1] Italicized passages are from this OTL article: https://www.mankatofreepress.com/ne...cle_aa260a30-c13a-11e8-9890-53af31a782f5.html
[2] I combined OTL population growth trends with what the world population was in this TL's 1990 to get this number; if it seems too high or too low, given other factors (KW2, SARS, advances made in medicine and warfare/diplomacy), etc., please let me know.

ThatRomanFanatic said:
What's Biden, Obama, and Bill Clinton up to these days?

As mentioned in previous chapters:

Joe Biden lost the 1972 US Senate race, but then served as Delaware's Governor from 1977 to 1985 before winning that Senate seat in 1984. He declined to run for President 1988 after a health scare and won re-election in 1990, but lost a bid for a third term in the Red Wave of 1996. His political career over, he currently works for the political "think tank"/lobbying group "Centrist Circle," is on the Amtrak Board of Directors, and is a part-time lecturer for the University of Delaware.

Barack "Rocky" McCain has been a centrist Republican state senator from Montana since 2007, but is considering running for either the Governorship or the US Congress.

Bill Clinton, inspired by Mike Gravel's quick ascension to the Vice Presidency in 1972, moved to Alaska in 1973, and served as Governor from 1978 to 1986. His administration was rocked by scandal after scandal, and he failed to even come close to winning the Democratic nomination for President in 1984. Reaching a dead-end, politics-wise, he moved to California in 1985 and joined a law firm. Maintaining a low profile, he's amassed considerable wealth despite two divorces, and in 2010, unsuccessfully tried to return to politics with a bid for an open US Congressional seat.

storysmith112358 said:
Can I ask how certain events played out or didn't play out during the new 00s?

Sure! Ask away!

storysmith112358 said:
- Was there still a Columbine school shooting (or an equivalent?) If not, where are those kids involved now?

- Determining the exact circumstances of the birth of someone who is basically a stranger is very tricky business. You really must know how their parents met, and the factors and events that led up to them coming into existence in order to have a better understanding of whether or not they would exist in an alternate timeline.

For example, Dwayne Johnson’s parents lived on opposite ends of the world, but met because his dad became a pro wrestler, and his maternal grandfather is one as well (“Maivia and Johnson were tag team partners in a match on the independent circuit” (Wikipedia)); thus, is it very possible that The Rock was born in TTL, because the POD doesn’t affect professional wrestling until the 1980s (I mentioned Hulk Hogan being more prominent due to the collapse of the USSR in 1984 being “written into” wrestler “storylines”). In another example, Andrew Yang’s “parents emigrated from Taiwan to the U.S. in the 1960s, and met while they were both in graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley” (Wikipedia). It is very likely that they still would have emigrated ITTL, but whether they still would have met is unclear; the defeat of the Viet Cong and the earlier student activism era could have affected who teaches at the school and want students apply. Less soldiers dead in Vietnam could equal more students applying for college classes; thus, until the circumstances of how they met are disclosed, the odds of Yang existing ITTL are, I’d say, 50/50. A third example: my parents possibly never met ITTL because their meeting was a chance encounter with multiple variables at play – my Dad, after immigrating from Greece in 1971, found work in New Jersey despite entering the US via Maryland because that is where his brother had moved to years earlier; my mother, an introvert who disliked going to places unfamiliar to hear, agreed to go out with friends to a restaurant, where my Dad just so happened to be working; the two met just as my Dad was exiting from the kitchen and my mother was entering through the front entrance. They were not in the same social circles and did not live or work near to one another. Only if it were destiny for me to be born would them meeting, marrying and multiplying still occur ITTL.

But I’m getting off-topic. My point is that for the Columbine shooters in this particular timeline, we’re talking about a POD of 1932 and perpetrators who were born in 1981, 49 years later, though things don’t really begin to change until the early 1950s. Nevertheless, the fact remains that there’s little info on how Eric and Dylan’s respective parents met (according to Wikipedia, Harris’ “parents were both born and raised in Colorado,” and Klebold’s “parents had met when they were both studying art at Ohio State University. The two quickly became smitten. After they both graduated, they married in 1971,” meaning Klebold’s parents could have not met ITTL (maybe they went to different colleges or classes for reasons similar to those given for Yang’s parents in the previous paragrpah). So let’s just assume for the sake of argument that they were born anyway. Because Harris’ father worked “in the United States Air Force as a transport pilot,” the family moved “around the country sporadically.” Because of the wars in Libya, Nicaragua, and the militant response to recreadrug-related crime in Mexico (“the Reacredrug Wars”), Harris’ career may look much different here. He could have died in a plane crash, or saved up enough for early retirement, allowing them to move to Colorado sooner than 1992, and thus possibly affecting Harris’ psychological development. The lives of the Klebolds may have also been affected by the butterflies of the POD; they may not have moved to Colorado in 1980, given that the US was still bouncing back from the Recession of 1978-1979 at that point in the TL. Possibly different employment ITTL means that Klebold could have grown up in Ohio or even Wisconsin, where his mother went to college in 1975. With all the factors at play here, it’s very possible that the two never meet in the seventh grade in CO. And even if they somehow do, they are still not likely going to shoot up a school due to the lower odds of school shootings occurring in general due to the conditions of this TL’s developments. They may not feel so persecuted; they may be bullied less; they may have more helpful school therapists or stronger supportive groups of friends and families; again, lots of factors at play here.

School shootings in general were affected by the attack on the US President’s life in 1986, and by the 1995 assassination of Lee Iacocca. These two events were the catalysts necessary for tighter gun control measures to be implemented under Presidents Denton, Kemp and Dinger. Mental health reform also was big development of these events as well, with California having the strongest mental health state laws, as covering in the corresponding chapters. As a result, educators and students are more informed of how to take preventative measures.

Thus, we can come to the following conclusions. It is unlikely that they were born. If Eric and Dylan were born, they likely never met. If either of them attempt to shoot up their respective schools, the anti-gun scare, and the mental health awareness frenzy of the latter half of the 1990s would have likely nipped the incident in the bud, or at least have been more successful at addressing their psychoses (if they even have them here) than the “diversionary program which included community service and psychiatric treatment” they agreed to take part in after a legal incident in January 1998 in OTL (Wikipedia).

Now as for a Columbine equivalent, I believe that shootings or violent incidents at schools would still happen because of how often it happens worldwide and because such incidents have been around for decades if not centuries. However, due to the aforementioned reforms concerning guns and mental health awareness, the numbers ITTL are way lower than in OTL. Thus, school campuses are not so dangerous in TTL.

And finally, to answer your question. There was no Columbine School Shooting, but the odds are that there were smaller, far less deadly school shooting incidents ITTL than there were in OTL. And to answer the second half of your question, if Eric and Dylan exist, they likely were sent to mental health centers/therapy if they are suspected to be a threat to the other students, and/or they could end up in jail for assault or attempted murder when they are adults. But hey, maybe things turned out all right for them in the end ITTL. Maybe the circumstances of their upbringing was more supportive of their mental health. Maybe they have channeled their anger into more constructive activities. Harris was apparently very good a soccer; maybe he goes pro (but doesn’t end up like that Aaron Hernandez guy). Maybe they become professional bowlers, or demolition derby champions, or demolitions experts/weapons specialists for the military. Since Harris was IOTL diagnosed as a psychopath with narcissistic traits, and “often bragged about his ability to deceive others” (Wikipedia), maybe he becomes a politician, or a lawyer, or a TV network executive.

With a POD that is 68 years old at this point in the TL, the possibilities are endless.

storysmith112358 said:
- Pop star Selena's fatal shooting?

- I mentioned Selena Quintanilla-Perez near the end of Chapter 65 as playing Mary Jane Watson in a 1992 Spiderman movie; it’s her film debut. She’s had supporting roles in other US films and a few starring roles in some US and Mexican movies as well since then, but at the moment she is mostly sticking to music. Currently (2010) 49 years old, she married in 1993 (but not to Chris Perez, who she never met (ITTL, he died in the 1991 DUI incident for which he was arrested IOTL)), and has one son (Abraham, b. 1995) and two daughters (Marcelina, b. 2000, and Susanna, b. 2003).

storysmith112358 said:
- I can't quite remember, but the US still has yet to suffer a significant terrorist attack on its home soil in this timeline, either domestic (a la Oklahoma City) or foreign (a la 9/11), right?

- Right.

storysmith112358 said:
- Is Steve Irwin still kicking?

- Yep!

storysmith112358 said:
- So we know that Monica Lewinsky beat Bill Clinton to be the Democratic Candidate for a California House seat, but what happened after that? Did she make it to the House?

- D’oh! I knew I forgot something from November. I’ve gone back and edited a bit to that month (just below the picture of Wellstone). Thanks for pointing that out!

storysmith112358 said:
Hm. And regarding Australia's current environmental woes, ever think he might think to try wrangling the folk in parliament to get things back in shape? Maybe not now, but after a few years, he probably needs a challenge that's tougher than crocs!

Hey, TTL has had a fried chicken mogul as US President and a rock star as British PM; having a famous naturalist as Australian PM can't be that far-fetched!

And for that matter, does Canada have any candidates for OTL celebrity -> TTL politician? (Or has there already been one and I haven't noticed?)

Maybe when he gets to a certain age he'll hand the reigns of the show over to his family and apprentices, similar to OTL, and then turn to politics if not political activism. It worked for TTL's Bob Ross, after all! For which seat in Australian parliament would he run?

As for Canada, well...does Leslie Nielsen's brother Erik serving as Prime Minister count?

CamtheWideboi said:
@gap80 I just have to say that this TL is one of the best I have read on this site, and I'll admit that it has inspired me to develop TLs of my own (as you have probably seen). So thank you for that I guess lol.

Shucks, thanks for the compliment!

 

[gap80]

Post 93: Chapter 101


Chapter 101: January 2011 – August 2011

“Don’t go along to get along; avoid the chloroform of conformity!”

– Henry Howell (OTL)



…President Wellstone had wanted to continue his predecessor’s push for police reform at the state level. While the federal government no longer issued contracts to private prisons, state governments were not barred from following suit. Calls from those in his cabinet and WH inner circle who were to the farthest to the left wanted to nationalize America’s prison system, along with doing the same for rail and even interstate travel. Such ideas, however, were put on hold in the wake of the 2010 midterm losses. Wellstone’s new plan – pass as much as possible through the hostile majority-Republican chambers and with the Democrats win back the Senate and House in 2012. Thus, the “great progressive push” was put on hold for the time being…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



US TREASURY DEPARTMENT WARNS: INFLATION IS A “RISING CONCERN”

– The Wall Street Journal, 1/5/2011



Mother was happy that she no longer had to drive the car every day. The long bus rides in and out allowed her to spend time with us. I remember how scared she was – how all the grownups were – when everyone began talking about “SARS” and soon began wearing masks. Suddenly, Mother feared the bus terminal, and the cramped quarters of the city bus. Soon by brother Uri and I were introduced to what it is like to be chaperoned around, but with your parent behind the wheel instead of sitting between you and your bratty sibling. Instead of getting whiplash from turning her head back and forth, Mother would hurt her throat telling us to stop bickering, because she had to watch the road. Trips with Mother stopped being as fun as they once were. By the time she finally felt that the buses were safe enough to take again, I was 16, my brother was 14, and two more siblings, David and Noa, were in the picture.

Mother sat with them on the bus ride home like how once did with Uri and I; with no other seats nearby being vacant, I stood. When Mother asked David about school, complained about his latest math class, whining “Why do we have to learn how to read an old-fashioned clock, with a big and little hand? When will I ever not have a phone with me?”

“He has a point, Mother,” I say, noting the digital display on my minicomp.

Mother just smiled slightly at his innocence and reminisced about her own time in school, back in the early 1990s, right before I showed up. “I remember being shown how to turn on the computer being installed – just one computer for the whole class. I thought it was the most bizarre thing in the world. And it was so much bigger than what the children have today. Do you remember when we were in Blumshtot visiting your Uncle Yosef? We went to that one shop – Tamar, you remember, they had a similar model there.”

“I remember I wasn’t impressed by its large size and bulbous shape.”

Pow!

Mother’s eyes widened and looked like she was about to shriek. When someone on the other side of the bus bellowed, “Fender bender! Fender bender, everyone.” Mother breathed a sigh of relief, like an awful weight was being raised off her chest. “For a moment there, I thought…”
“Thought what, Mommy?” asked Noa with those baby-doe-like eyes of hers.

“Oh, nothing, sweetie,” went Mother’s white lie. “Nothing.”

As we approach our stop, my mind wanders to my primary school years. I remember looking at a photograph of Colonel Sanders on my teacher’s desk and wondering, “Wait, why is The Colonel’s face everywhere?” I asked my mother about it later that day, and she told about how important he was at a crucial moment in our nation’s history. She told me that, the day when it was announced that The Great Chef had died, everyone was sad, especially her teachers and her own parents, who remembered the Before-Times, the pre-treaty days, even more vividly than did Mother. “Some people even looked scared,” Mother said. I was more confused than anything else; I already knew that the man behind the face on so many fast-food product packages had played an important role in recent history, but I couldn’t understand the details, not yet anyway.

[snip]

Father’s carpool soon dropped him off, and Mother soon said to him the same tired line she had said hundreds of times before. “Be ready to help me in the kitchen. If I’m not the only one eating, why should I be the only one cooking?” She soon added an addendum: “You remember my friend, Suhana, down the block? Her husband often doesn’t help with the meal prep – that’s why he’s made their couch area into his own second bedroom.”

Father silently brushed off the remark and said, “You didn’t forget the extra spot on the end did you?”

“Of course not. But remind me – you said you’re brother’s dropping by on his own, or are you picking him up?”

“He’s taking a cab from the airport. He said he can’t hit on women while in our quote-unquote ‘lame-mobile.’”

“How charming.”

“Do you think the meat should be prepped now or in a few minutes?”

“Eh. Give it half an hour.”

“Won’t that be cutting it close?”

“Trust me, it’ll be ready by the time he arrives.”

As Mother predicted, given his history with schedules, Uncle Yosef arrived 41 minutes later than expected. Good timing goes a long way. We sat down and Father asked his younger brother how university had been treating him.

“Yes,” I chimed in, “I’m actually really interested in what you have to say about that, Uncle Yosef.” I then proceeded to express a spiel about “the unadulterated majesty and history” I believed would await me in Tel Aviv.

Father’s brother sighed, and replied, “If you have to go to extra school,” his term for university, given that going to college, to him, meant spending more time in school when you don’t have to, “Go to one in America.”

“Why’s that,” I asked him.

“They have all the good stuff over there. One of my classmates in my one history class went there last summer, and he said he went dozens upon dozens of malls, water parks, stadiums, bar-" catching a glance from Mother, “-llrooms, and uh, lots and lots of other cool places.”

“We have cool places here,” I defended the only country I wished to know. “We have malls, and parks and stadiums here.”

My uncle simply shook his head and said, “They’re not the same as the ones found in The Colonel’s Country.”

– Tamar Kohen’s A Mix of Flavors, 2021 autobiography



If inflation continued to chip away at the value of the American dollar, it was possible that the US government would fall into the red, thus violating the Balanced Budget Amendment. Wellstone sought to curtail deficit concerns by investing even further into the economy, by billions if not trillions of dollars, but to do so would require approval from the US Senate Budget Chair, who now was a conservative Republican who had mixed – and thus unpredictable – views on austerity measures.

“We need to be investing in deficit spending in order to generate economic growth. Borrowing rates are low right now, and there’s clearly a need for an economic infusion now,” the President lamented to his inner circle.

“The problem, though,” noted US Secretary to the Treasury David Carson, “Is that deficit spending needs to come out of the red by the end of the first fiscal year. It’s note enough time for it to be as impactful as we want it to be. And the inflation rate certainly isn't helping.”

“Damn the BBA,” Wellstone said bitterly. “I never had to deal with something like that thing when I was governor.”

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016

[pic: imgur.com/mPfrInx.png ]
– investopedia.co.usa



…Inflation concerns soon clashed with budgetary concerns. The White House had until February 14 to submit the budget proposal for the 2012 fiscal year, and his administration was certain that House Speaker McMaster would direct the 112th congress to challenge it...

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



“Inflation can be eased by pausing the printing of money and, if necessary, scaling back the power of central banks,” Commerce Secretary Gloria Tristani observed. “That can be framed as a form a deregulation. Do you think McMaster will bite that?”

“Maybe,” suggested Chief Economic Policy Advisor Margaret Flowers, who then pondered aloud to herself “If to reign in rising inflation is ‘disinflation,’ not ‘deflation,’ then it’s slowing it down, not reversing it. How can we make that sound more Republican-y?”

Secretary Carson offered one more solution in this brainstorming session in the White House cabinet room. “Central banks could attempt to keep inflation ‘on target,’ as in not too fast but not reversing, by selling bonds in the open market, thus reducing the money supply.”

“Would that work?” OMB Director Robert Z. Lawrence asked inquisitively.

“We don’t want deflation because if money is rising in value, prices drop, and people begin postponing investments – why buy something now when the price will be lower a week from now or month from now?” Curson answered. “That kind of activity, a loss in consumer spending, would slow down the economy, a most definitely lead to recession! No, to combat deflation, I think we have to adopt lower interest rates, and possibly even implement negative interest on deposits until it is warded off.”

The other economic advisors nodded in deliberation.

Advisor Paul Krugman broke the nodding with a less conventional solution to making the ends of the federal budget meet. “How about a billion-dollar coin?”

Everyone in the room looked over to him.

Krugman continued, “Yes – we make a special, one-time-only coin to get rid of the debt. The Treasury Department mints it and sends it to the Federal Reserve, thus paying off the debt. It’d be an unorthodox method, but I’m not the first person to suggest it. In fact, Senator Bo Gritz first mentioned it, or at least popularized it, back in the 1980s. He also suggested the notion while a state senator in the 1990s, and in 2005, in his first year in the Senate.”

“So it’s actually a Goetzite Republican idea?” asked a curious Tristani.

“We can certainly spin it that way.”

“But is it legal?” Tristani’s curiosity continued.

“As far as I can tell, yes, yes it is.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea even if it would work,” opined Director Lawrence. “It’s such a cop-out. It would weaken the institution of the American checks and balances system, and could be seen as the executive branch stepping over the legislative branch. It could even damage our reputation abroad.”

Krugman countered, “So minting the coin would be undignified, but so what? At the same time, it would be economically harmless – and would both avoid catastrophic economic developments and help head off government by blackmail.” [1]

“But on the other hand, it is possible that using a coin would lead to an inflation crisis,” suggested Secretary Curson.

“How so?” Asked Krugman.

“Commercial bank reserves would increase as The Treasury spent the proceeds from the coin’s purchase by the Federal Reserves. If banks loan out these reserves, the money supply increases and if the money supply increases too rapidly, the economy could overheat, adding to inflation and increasing expectations of future inflation. In order to avoid this, the Federal Reserve would have to prohibit banks from lending out excess reserves via paying interest on their reserves at the Fed so that the return commercial banks receive on them is greater than what they could receive from alternative uses.”

“Then what would be the problem?”

“As always, the problem is the BBA,” Lawrence spoke. “Because of the Balance Budget requirement, the Treasury can’t use borrowing to buy the coin back from the Federal Reserves and return it to the Mint to be melted in time to meet the deadline. It would create an even bigger budget crisis for us!” [2]

Eyes again turned to Krugman.

“In another country, or after the BBA gets repealed – God willing – the trillion-dollar coin gimmick would work. But here, and now, we have to go for a much simpler approach,” Curson proclaimed with certainty in his voice.

Krugman sighed disappointedly. “Ockham’s razor,” he begrudgingly agreed.

With social programs on the line, the administration siphoning away more funding from the military budgets, while the President stripped away a segment from his own salary and traveling expenses fund to make up the remaining difference.

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



…In January 2011, peace talks between the US Secretary of State Harvey Gantt, the government of Sudan, and the region of Darfur broke down in the wake of the Jebel Marra Massacre, in which roughly 400 Darfurians were slaughtered by members of the Sudanese Armed Forces in what appeared to be a clear and obvious following of order from higher-up – of an organized and coordinated attack. The heinous act of Sudanese soldiers being ordered to fire upon nonviolent Sudanese citizens sparked outrage among the leaders of Darfur, who subsequently assembled in the regional capital of el-Fasher to declare Darfur to be an independent nation called, quite simply, Darfur. With tension rising and both sides refusing to reconvene peace talks, Gantt reluctantly returned to the District of Columbia…

– David Tal’s US Strategic Arms Policy After the Cold War: Globalization & Technological Modernization, Routledge, 2020



…Amid budgetary squabbles and foreign policy snafus, another subject, one closer to Wellstone personally, became a major concern for the administration as well. The House GOP’s proposed Education Reform Bill, introduced in early 2011, aimed to deregulate and defund the US education system established under Bellamy and tweaked under Jackson and Wellstone. The President earnestly met with moderate Republicans to try and convince four of them to not vote “yea” on the bill. With four defections looking unlikely, Wellstone next planned a “public exposure” campaign, making speeches and and having surrogates appear on TV to denounce the bill. If the court of public opinion did not pressure the Senate into striking down the bill, then Wellstone would have to veto it upon it reaching his desk; he was confident that Republicans would fail to override the veto due to the narrowness of their majorities in both chambers…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



“One central cost of high taxation is inefficiency – as well as more human suffrage, as honest citizens work even harder for less money kept in their pockets. The Republican Party must adhere to its values and challenge oppressive taxation proposals. To do otherwise would be a grave disservice to the American people.”

– US House Speaker H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC), 1/30/2011



As President Katumbi worked diligently to repair the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jackson became more vocally supportive of the latter’s administration, urging African-American CEOs to invest in the DRC’s infrastructure and improving farms. With Katumbi’s middle-lane reforms yielding overall positive results, the former President VidCalled his successor in early 2011 to congratulate him for his contributions to ending the warfare plaguing that African nation during the 2000s decade.

Jackson reported remarked, “I’m sorry I doubted you at the time.”

Wellstone allegedly replied more jovially, by responding “I’m sorry I disappointed your doubt!”

– researcher Brenda J. Hargis’ Emboldening: The Jesse Jackson Presidency, Sunrise Publications, 2017



AMERICA ALL AROUND

Album type: studio

Performers: Toby Keith

Producer: Toby Keith

Record label: Show Dog-Universal Music

Released: February 2, 2011

Genre: country

REVIEW AVERAGE: 3.8-out-of-5

REVIEWS:

[snip]

REVIEW 41:

It looks like the general consensus here is that this album is just a platform for Keith to espouse his political views, but I don’t see it. Sure, there’s American flags all over the cover, he sings about how great America is in every song, and he praises the military, but where’s the political stuff? Anyway, regardless of their intent or whatever, you have to admit they’re really catchy! 5-out-of-5.

– albumreviews.co.usa, a public music review site, 2011 post



…On February 12, two days before the deadline, Wellstone submitted the federal budget proposal for the 2012 fiscal year. The administration requested $3.8trillion for expenditures, only for McMaster to offer up a $2.1trillion “counterplan,” which would have stripped several social services and other programs of their meat and effectiveness. Democrats continued the back-and-forth for the next several months…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



…Amid the feuding over the federal finances, the Federal Reserve Chair Thomas Rukavina seemed stress. As a result, soon after the 2012 budget proposal was submitted, Rukavina celebrated with the same substance with which he would suppress disappointment and stress – the drink. And a few days later, on the 15th, Rukavina was arrested for drunk driving. The incident was an embarrassment for the administration, and Rukavina knew. As a result, he informed Wellstone, who was both the President and a good friend of his, that he would step down from his Chair… [3]

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



GOVERNOR BROWN SIGNS CBD OIL BILL INTO LAW

…Senate bill 1116b legalizes CBD oil for persons with severe epilepsy… The Governor decides to sign the bill into law concludes months of lengthy and emotional hearings held on the floor of both chambers of the state legislature…

– The Idaho Statesman, 2/19/2011



“Standardized tests evolved historically as one way to ensure more equal opportunity in education. They are supposed to be an instrument of fairness because they are graded objectively and allow any person, regardless of background, to demonstrate their skill. When used correctly, standardized tests are critical for diagnosing inequality and for identifying where we need improvement. They enable us to measure achievement across groups of students so that we can help ensure that states and districts are held accountable for improving the achievement of all students regardless of race, income, gender, limited English proficiency and disability.

However, they are not a panacea. The policies that were in place under Presidents Dinger, Denton, and even Walter Mondale have tragically proven that using a single standardized test as the sole determinant for graduation, promotion, tracking and ability grouping is not fair and has not fostered greater equality or opportunity for students. First and foremost, I firmly believe that it is grossly unfair to not graduate, or to hold back a student based on a standardized test if that student has not had the opportunity to learn the material covered on the test. When we impose high stakes tests on an educational system where there are, as Jonathan Kozol says, savage inequalities, and then we do nothing to address the underlying causes of those inequalities, we set up children to fail.

We must never stop demanding that children do their best. We must never stop holding schools accountable. Measures of student performance can include standardized tests, but only when coupled with other measures of achievement, more substantive education reforms and a much fuller, sustained investment in schools.

For a party that prides itself in upholding individuality and being the current holder of the mantle of states’ rights, their insistence of forcing students of diverse skill take the same test would be funny for its irony if its past results had not been so tragic. Studies indicate that public testing encourages teachers and administrators to focus their instruction on test content, test format and test preparation instead of on the importance and real-world applicability of the lesson in the first place. Teachers tend to overemphasize basic skills, and as a result underemphasize problem-solving and complex critical thinking skills that simply cannot be assessed well on standardized tests. Furthermore, these kinds of tests neglect subjects and content areas that are not covered, such as science, social studies and the arts. I call upon all sensible Republicans in the House to make the sensible decision and reject the bill for the sake of our children and their futures.”

– President Wellstone, 2/21/2011 speech [4]



EMANUEL JACQUES

…rising from humble origins as the son of poor Portuguese immigrants in Toronto to become the CEO of the EJ Shoe Company, Mr. Jacques is a billionaire philanthropist who aims to help “thousands of immigrants” rise out of poverty through his various charitable organizations…

– forbes.co.usa/profiles, posted 2/23/2011



In 2011, leaders at McDonald’s and KFC took note of a franchise that was on the rise nationally. Most members of the Board of Directors at Finger Lickin’ Good, Inc. were uneasy. “Culver’s is a privately owned casual fast food restaurant chain originating in the Midwest,” Director William Kirk Hannon explained.

“It’s a chain founded by a married couple, a husband and wife team, George and Ruth Culver of Sauk City, Wisconsin,” his assistant added.

Hannon nodded, “Yeah. Real ‘sweet and successes power couple’ angle goin’ for ’em. Now they’ve been around since 1984, but they didn’t begin to really franchise until the end of the 1990s, with their first outlet outside of the Midwest opening in Texas in 1999. Slowly but surely, though, their franchise is developing, ladies and gentlemen. And very recently, their popularity is exploding.”

“But why?” Asked one Board member.

“We’re not too sure. Maybe it’s because American taste buds are picking up on something we and the folks at R&D aren’t. Maybe Midwestern cuisine is just in vogue thanks to President Wellstone being from Minnesota. Maybe the brand itself is doing something right.”

“Ontech polls rate their outlets high in customer satisfaction,” noted the aforementioned assistant.

“Right, but what’s it got going for it?” Another board member derided as she picked up a Culver’s menu with the caution and care of one pulling a tangled hair clump from a bathtub drain. “Look at this: ‘butter burgers.’ What in blue blazes is that?!”

Hannon answered, “As it turns out, it’s actually a classic Wisconsinite staple, one that Culver’s is bringing to national attention. Some call it a beautiful, mouthwatering burger dripping with cheese that is smothering soft, tender, buttery beef patties. And what it lacks in nutritional value it makes up for with deliciousness.” Hannon eyed one board member reflex by licking a corner of his mouth. He continued, “Also, its signature and most famous dish is the least healthy thing on the menu. It’s also known for frozen custard, cheese curds, and offerings of chicken sandwiches and fish sandwiches. The rest of the menu is basically just much healthier burgers, sandwiches, and offerings of soups and salads, and even some baked goods like cookies and muffins.”

“An ‘overall’ thing,” said the assistant, “a wide selection.”

Hannon also mentioned that their number of locations had doubled in the past five years to nearly 400 across half the country [5]. He concluded, “Gentlemen, I do believe this is a competitor we best keep an eye on. The next time they bring out a popular product, we have to bring out one of our own.”

All directors on the Board nodded in unison.

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



…Another casualty of the partisan arguing over the budget was a bill co-sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats that would implement an across-the-board Federal Aid Dividend clear across the board. Though the suggestion was popular among the co-sponsors and among many Americans polled, the proposed law received significant pushback from Rep-majority House, and ultimately was rejected. Tellingly, though, 21 Democrats voted against it in the House, and five voted against it in the Senate…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



PALIN DRONES: The Story Behind The Fisherman Now Changing The Skies

…Todd Palin (b. 1964) graduated from the University of Alaska, Anchorage in 1987 before becoming an oil field production worker and commercial fisherman (salmon). At the start of the 1990s, he began entrepreneurial pursuits concerning oil-related technological developments before branching out into drone technology, after reading about early drone prototypes being tried out by the US Army during the Second Korean War. Palin finally founded Palin Drones, Inc. in 2009, and in the past two years, his company has exploded in size and scale…

– Time Magazine, early March 2011 issue



“We should at least demand that we get an independent, thorough study of the impact of high stakes tests on children and on education if Republicans are adamant and sincere about reforming the education system.”

– Vice President Ross, in private talks with House Democrats, 3/2/2011 (multiple sources) [6]



GLOBAL EFFORTS TO CURB PLASTICS POLLUTION COULD MAKE WAY FOR HEMP PRODUCTS

…biodegradable hemp plastics are on the rise, with various materials being made available ontech and five US states (Massachusetts, California, Oregon, Vermont, and, most recently, Michigan) passing state legislation to offer tax incentives to companies that produce “pro-Earth” (as in biodegradable and renewable) hemp products…

– The New York Times, 3/4/2011



SENATOR BRAUN TO RETIRE AFTER WAVE POWER PROJECT (FINALLY) BEGINS OPERATIONS

…the Pacific Phoenix energy company has at long last begun the operation phase of Project Heronemus – the construction and use of massive water turbines to harness the energy of ocean currents off the coast of northern California. Construction began in 2009, four years after Senator Harry W. Braun (D-AZ) led the passing of a bill in 2005 to grant tax breaks to companies that produced wave energy projects – not just concepts or proposals, but actually constructed ones.

Water turbines are even more difficult to construct than wind turbines, due to additional difficulties regarding materials scale and logistics. As a result, only five water turbines are being built for Project Heronemus. Nevertheless, Senator Braun believes that this project will be enough to provide electricity for half of California, all of Las Vegas, and the entirety of Arizona. Critics believe he is too optimistic, though, as each turbine takes three years to install, which requires buoy systems and special wiring to transmit the energy to the mainland, in a manner similar to the technet wires that run along the sea floor [7]. Pacific Phoenix’s west-coast turbine project is called Project Heronemus after William Heronemus (1920-2010), the engineering pioneer often considered to be “the father of modern windpower.”

Braun’s retirement also follows BMW renewing their hydrogen-fueled vehicle R&D projects. Hydrogen fuel cells in experimental cars emit only water vapor, and, if they can be lowered to a more economically feasible price tag, would have the fuel economy equivalent of about twice that of a gas car…

[snip]

…Wind turbines require open oceans and strong winds. The first project of this kind began two years ago [8] off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island, in the North Atlantic, where there is potentially enough wind energy to power the entire United States. However, because wind turbine engineering requires special equipment to build and install towers (as tall as the Statue of Liberty) and accompanying propellers, the price of these projects depend on how far down is the seabed. Furthermore, the ocean depth drops much closer to the shoreline on the west coast than it does on the east coast, about a hundred miles, which is too deep for fixed-bottom wind turbines; thus, the Heronemus’ use of floating turbines to harvest wave energy, as opposed to the Block Island project’s use of smaller, fixed/grounded turbines to produce wind energy. [9]

Fortunately, with help from MIT and Pacific Phoenix, the process of building giant floating turbines in boatyards, launching them, and towing them out to sea (and back in during storms), is now a reality, if one that is still in its relative infancy...

– The Arizona Republic, 3/7/2011



Governor Brown again showcased his leadership skills in March 2011, when a forest fire broke out south of Nampa, near the state’s Utah border. Despite recent snowfall, the forest fire raged across several dozen acres prior to it being put out, and in a most spectacular on manners.

[pic: imgur.com/PXbCaLC.png ]

“Before I became Governor, you would see only one aircraft at a time dropping fire-retardant chemicals on out-of-control deadly forest fires that kill people, scorch hundreds of square miles of fine timber beyond recognition, destroy lovely homes and estates, and relegate thousands of our fellow Americans down to becoming homeless refugees,” Brown said at a press meeting soon after the state forest department announced that the forest fire had been extinguished after ravaging the landscape for less than 100 intense hours. “I came up with what has turned out to be a very effective solution – round up military reserve aircraft and mechanically good but out-of-service military tankers and older bombers and even suitable commercial aircraft and rig either internal (bombers) and/or temporary removable external fire-retardant tanks and then bomb the living hell out of the forest fires around the clock in hundred or even thousand-plane loose (for safety) formations day and night around the clock. The military pilots love to fly and we could justify the tremendous fuel consumption, aircraft maintenance and personnel costs as ‘training’ expenditures from the budgets of various relevant departments.” Brown also noted, “I’ve been told that some of our brave men and women took up my recommendation, that all the pilots and air crews should view the 1949 movie "Twelve O'clock High" within 24 hours of scheduled takeoff.”

One reporter interrupted him to ask, “Since forest fires usually break out between June, July and August, is it possible that this happening so early in the year is a result of GCD?”

The Governor answered, “Nah, nah, it’s too soon to start makin’ assumptions like that. Let’s let the fire department find out if this was climate-related, or the result of some city punks camping and not taking care of their campfire the right way. Have patience. And don’t worry, you’ll get someone to point your finger at one way or another.”

Brown ended the press meeting by remarking, “I knew that the fires wouldn't stand a chance and even the most hard core Sierra Club tree-hugger would be overjoyed to welcome thousands of tons of chemical dumped from on high by American air-power on his beloved ecosystems rather than suffer the alternative colossal conflagration and intense inferno.” [10]

Brown was praised for putting out the forest fire by national news, with the waves of converted water bombers becoming an iconic emblem of his conventional but effective governing. With his theory proven to have worked, many left-leaning talking heads on TV tried and failed to claim that it was a fluke, or even that the fire was not as severe as photographic evidence suggested it was.

The scale of the water-bombing operation was credited to Brown “beefing up” the Idaho National Guard in lieu of supporting state militias, which his aides convinced him could lead to radical violent sects and offshoots. Nevertheless, Brown remained a critic of large centralized governments, and was especially critical of the State Department of Health and Welfare’s child protective services division. Furthermore, Governor Brown pushed for schools to better teach our children the constitution and how it both guarantees personal freedoms and places restrictions onto the federal government, especially via the Tenth Amendment. Such passion for our long-held national values often led to Brown going on rants that led to the left-leaning media outlets branding him with words that had an “anarcho-” in front of them: anarcho-Goetzite, anarcho-populist and anarcho-conservative, etc. This labeled was outright false, as Brown is a lifelong ally of police and the military.

The colorful profanity from the former Navy Seabee only highlights his opposition to the status quo of corrupt do-nothing politicians...

– Bill O’Reilly’s Ascension from the Asphalt: The Harley Brown Story, Borders Books, 2011



…President Sergei Gaidukevich of Belarus maintained a solid relation with Russian President Oleg Malyshkin. Both supported veterans and the military, and were beloved by their respective nations’ labor unions. In December 2010, Belarus signed a bilateral agreement with Russia that aimed to improve the transfer and transportation of oil and natural gas into Russia via long and extensive pipelines. Months later, Malyshkin was at a rally in Minsk, endorsing Gaidukevich over his primary challenger, the charismatic Aleksandar Milinkievich…

– Alexander Korzhakov’s After The Pact: Post-Cold War Russia And The Twenty-First Century, St. Petersburg Press, 2020



“My brother Joe [b. 1951] recalled that a wealthy family offered to buy for our grandmother some stock in a start-up hamburger restaurant in gratitude for her sewing their daughter’s wedding dress. ‘My grandmother told them to just keep their money because it didn’t sound like something to spend good money on,’ Joe said. ‘She felt that good money should be spent on shelter and food and not to take a risk. Cash was king and accepting that gift seemed foolish to her. The stock turned out to be in McDonald’s.’ That’s why I find it quite ironic that I’m now joining the McDonald’s Board of Directors.”

– former Governor Wellington Marion Webb (D-CO), KXKL Radio Denver, local talk/news program, 3/31/2011 broadcast [11]



…Senate Republicans countered Democratic efforts to cut the military’s budget farther by proposing legislation to reverse federal funding for social programs in order to “manage the national debt.” However, with Republicans having a majority too small to override a Presidential veto, many House Republicans prematurely went onto media outlets such as THN and The Overmyer Network to complain that the President was “going to act irresponsibly” in the months ahead. Essentially they were trying to set up a self-fulfilling prophecy by voting on legislation that they knew would die on the President’s desk…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



U.S. PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL RATING:

APPROVE: 55%

DISAPPROVE: 36%

UNDECIDED: 9%

– Gallup national poll, 4/4/2011



“New York City needed a whole bunch of amenities for these Olympics. They needed an aquatics center in Brooklyn, and the construction of a West Side stadium to redevelop the far west side of Manhattan. You know, I tried to get my stadium – Trump Stadium – to be used, but you know what they said? They said it was not big enough for hosting duties for the Olympics. The IOC, Mayor Hamberg, they didn’t know what they were talking about. Because, come on, not big enough?! Seriously?! Believe me, I was very offended by that – Trump Stadium is one of the best stadiums in the world if not the best! And I wanted to prove them wrong and show them what they were missing out on, so that’s when I decided to have a lot of the third Americana Overdrive shot at Trump Stadium. Make it a showcase of what they passed up!”

– Donald Trump, 2016 interview



VP BOB ROSS DONATES SALARY TO NATIONAL LUNG CANCER CHARITY DRIVE

…himself a survivor of lymphoma, Ross has been working tirelessly to protect America’s highly-popular Universal Healthcare system from its opponents in Congress…

– The Juneau Empire, Alaska newspaper, 4/12/2011



…On April 14, Wellstone issued an executive order prohibiting discrimination against transgender people employed by the federal government and its contractors. Several Cabinet Departments issued similar letters recognizing and protecting BLUTAGO-Americans soon afterward…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



…Lebanon experienced a brief succession crisis in April 2011 when the “incorruptible” anti-corruption President, Nassib Lahoud (b. 1944) unexpected passed away roughly a year before leaving office. While the position was officially vacant until Parliament could elect a new President to serve until the next regularly scheduled election, Prime Minister Elias Murr presented himself as the unofficial President during the interim in a clear attempt to position himself as the person parliament should elect. Opposition leader, former Prime Minister and longtime Member of Parliament Selim Hoss vocally denounced this “usurpation,” and soon became a figure that anti-Murr MPs rallied behind ahead of the vote.

However, due to internal divisions between the Murr, Hoss, and former Lahoud factions of parliament, no quorum could be reached. As a result, the position of President remained vacant until after the next parliamentary general elections were held. These were originally scheduled for December, and Murr refused to move up the date…

– David Tal’s US Strategic Arms Policy After the Cold War: Globalization & Technological Modernization, Routledge, 2020



April 22, 2011: On this day in history, the B-47 Terror Hoax of London began; it would last for 60 hours.

[see further details below]

On April 22, 2011, a small group of religious Uzbek radicals from the nation of United Turkestan informed London’s police. The radicals accused Prime Minister Heseltine and the British government in general of promoting anti-Muslim espionage worldwide, and falsely claimed that the assassination of the U.T.’s President in 2008 was part of a UK-led conspiracy despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The group of fanatics claimed to have discovered and collected carrying cases containing the capsules of nuclear material that were lost in 1956, when a Boeing B-47 Stratojet disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea on 10 March 1956and never recovered [12]. The terrorists claimed that if their demands (that several high-profile political officials be arrested for various crimes, plus 20million pounds) were not met, they would “level London.”

The conflict was resolved fairly quickly due to the fanatics’ poor hideout location; British counter-terrorist agents were able to detect a faint train whistle near the end of their second phone call to the London police. Viewing train schedules and train models led to agents discovering their location in Brixton, and the terrorists were soon surrounded by snipers. After several hours of recon, London’s police officials and experts called in determined that the terrorists were bluffing due to the lack of any signals of radioactive material in the area. The location was stormed, and the threat was determined to indeed a bluff, as the nuclear material shown in the VidCalls were, in fact, replicas.

The possible seriousness of the situation, however, was not picked up by media outlets due to the high-security, high-classified nature of the incident. Instead, police told media outlets that “unbalanced individuals attempted self-harm and were apprehended after a brief standoff that was thankfully nonfatal but nevertheless unfortunately violent.” The details of the incident were not disclosed to the public until 2019.

– onthisdayinhistory.co.uk



LEOTARD’S “INWARD” POLICY LOCKS HORNS WITH GROWING GIANT MOROCCO

…market watchers have a fair share of reservations over French President Francois Leotard’s approach to foreign policy… As Morocco produces over 70% of Western Europe’s imports [13], Leotard’s conservative and “inward-thinking” commerce and trade positions could hurt France’s economy if Morocco-based products begin drying up in a market atmosphere that is now becoming, at least at the top, less welcoming to exports…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newpaper, 4/28/2011



1 May 2011: On this day in history, Disneyland Hong Kong opened; it was the sixth Disney Theme Park to open overall, after Disneyland (California, US), Disney World (Florida, US), Tokyo Disneyland (Japan), Euro-Disneyland (Barcelona, Spain), and Disneyland Sidney (Australia). [14]

– onthisdayinhistory.co.uk



SAN FRANCISCO BANS FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

– The Los Angeles Times, 5/5/2011



…In the most prominent showing of bipartisanship this year, Congress has passed a bill offering tax breaks to medical personnel who relocate to remote clinics in low-population rural areas. The effort to pass the bill, which does not affect UHC, was co-led by Vice President Bob Ross… President Wellstone is expected to sign the bill into law next week…

– NBC News, 5/8/2011 broadcast



SENATE PASSES EDUCATION REFORM BILL; WELLSTONE EXPECTED TO VETO IT DOWN

– The Washington Post, 5/9/2011



…May 11, 2011 saw a minor incident grow into international criticism when Israeli police shot an injured two Palestinian citizens working in Jerusalem after a Muslim radical goaded an Israeli schoolteacher into starting a verbal kerfuffle that caught the idea of police. The Muslim radical reportedly got other nearby Muslims to contribute to the heated argument, but most Jewish and Muslim people in the area refused. Nevertheless, the incident’s lack of coverage by local media led to Indian and Chinese government outlets accusing Israel of launching a cover up. Three days after the incident, India’s Ambassador to the UN claimed that “The Middle East is a fauxtopia,” which led to condemnation by several countries in defend of Israel. Furthermore, Israel’s Prime Minister at the time suggested that India’s “attacks” on Israel were economically motivated due to Israel becoming a major player in the industry of customer service at the time…

– David Tal’s US Strategic Arms Policy After the Cold War: Globalization & Technological Modernization, Routledge, 2020



WELLSTONE VETOES “BACKWARDS-THINKING” EDUCATION REFORM BILL

– The Washington Post, 5/14/2011



BELARUS PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED

…incumbent President Sergei Gaidukevich of the Liberal Democratic party won a second five-year term tonight, defeating his more conservative challenger, Aleksandar Milinkievich of the Unity Party, by a margin of roughly 4%...

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 15/5/2011



US TORNADOES BY DEATH COUNT:

1: Tri-State (Illinois, Indiana and Missouri) (March 18, 1925) – 695 deaths

2: Natchez, Mississippi (May 6, 1840) – 317 deaths

3: St. Louis (MO) and East St. Louis (IL) (May 27, 1896) – 255 deaths

4: Tupelo, Mississippi (April 5, 1936) – 216 deaths

5: Gainesville, Georgia (April 6, 1936) – 203 deaths

6: Woodward, Oklahoma (April 9, 1947) – 181 deaths

7: Amite (LA) and Purvis (MS) (April 24, 1908) – 143 deaths

8: New Richmond, Wisconsin (June 12, 1899) – 117 deaths

9: Flint, Michigan (June 8, 1953) – 116 deaths

10: Joplin, Missouri (May 22, 2011) – 114 deaths

– Sources: Storm Prediction Center: The 25 Deadliest U.S. Tornadoes, SPC Annual U.S. Killer Tornado Statistics, Tornado Project, 2012



…One positive aspect of recent months seemed to be his handling of foreign policy. Secretary of State Harvey Gantt was still trying to get the government of Sudan and representatives of Darfur to form a long enough ceasefire for negotiations to make some inroads, but other than that, the US was seemingly at peace with its fellow nations of the world.

[snip]

The President accepted the latest prescription medication with a sigh of complacency. “I wish I didn’t need these.”

“Has any patient ever not thought that at some point?” his doctor said kindly.

“You tell me, you’re the doctor here.”

With a stretch, Wellstone looked at the little bottle of pain relievers meant to combat the recent rise in inflammation and headache. “It’s not just the MS, though,” he said, “It’s the stress from dealing with Dargan and all the Republicans purposely creating gridlock and shooting down every good idea I’ve got. At least the Supreme Court’s on our side. They’ve approved every executive order I’ve passed.”

“Why aren’t you using substitutes?” Asked the doctor. “State for every time Dargan opposes military budget cuts. Labor for every time Republicans try to reverse pro-labor policies. You know?”

“I do know. I know that the last time I tried it, Dargan accused me of cowardice for not approaching directly. So this time, I’m meeting with everybody.”

The doctor finally asked. “Do you really have to do all of that?”

“If I’m the best one for the job, then I guess so, yes…”

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



U.S. PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL RATING:

APPROVE: 53%

DISAPPROVE: 35%

UNDECIDED: 12%

– Gallup national poll, 5/30/2011



…With the general election being two months away, early polling suggests that the race for control of parliament remains a toss-up…

– BBC, 1/6/2011 broadcast



“Yes, I’m meeting with the governors of the Carolinas and the Virginias this week to discuss stronger health education programs. Secretary Huerta is doing something similar with other governors right now. We have to meet with them and work with governors because of how difficult congress has been with us. Under the leadership of Dargan and Webb, the House and Senate have been very uncooperative with this administration. And, as Governor Woods put it the other day, ‘When the federal government fails, the governors must pick up the mantle of democracy and pragmatic action.’ So until the Republicans remember that this isn’t some game, and that the people elected them into a majority because the people want them to work, we have to go around them.”

– US Secretary of Education Jim Hunt (D-NC) to a reporter for RNS (Real News Service), 6/2/2011



“It’s back! KFC’s classic Zinger chicken sandwich is back! The delicious chicken breast fillet burger topped with hash brown, cheese, and salsa is now available at all participating KFC outlets in the US and Canada. KFC – It’s finger-lickin’ good!”

[pic: imgur.com/0jN6Z3d.png ]

– KFC commercial, launching the re-introduction of the Zinger sandwich to US outlets due to their popularity in Latin America, first aired 6/6/2011



DEFENSE SECRETARY JONES TO RESIGN!

The District of Columbia – Retired US Marine Corps General James Logan Jones Jr. has announced that he is stepping down from his position heading the US Defense Department, reportedly amid internal disagreements with President Wellstone over foreign policy issues, a source close to Jones tells us. According to a second reputable source, Jones and the President have had a falling out over how to best address the crisis unfolding in the Sudanese region of Darfur, in eastern Africa, with Jones reportedly wanting to “put America’s foot down” and Wellstone wanting to attempt a ceasefire and negotiations first…

– The Washington Post, 6/8/2011



…President Wellstone worked with Democrats in both chambers to keep federal pension plans from being tapped into in order to avoid a deficit in the 2012 budget. He made note of the fact that Republican Senator Jan Brewer of Arizona was a vocal supporter of increasing barriers between employees and their pensions, allegedly for the sake of “protection from fraud.” Rumors that Republicans wanted to impose limitations and caps on lump-sum payouts and monthly annuity payments for federal employees as well as pension contributions caused great concern among these workers, and these concerns only fueled anti-McMaster content ontech…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



THE EDGE

Premiered: June 18, 2011

Genre(s): action/adventure/apocalyptic/sci-fi/disaster/survival

Directed by: Roland Emmerich

[snip]

Synopsis:

Another end-of-the-world thriller by the Master of Disaster himself. In the not-too-distant future, Earth begins to slow down faster than it is supposed to, creating global catastrophes and leading to mass evacuations to bases on Mars and The Moon, while the main characters, a rag-tag team of engineers and industrial designers, work with world leaders and scientists to create and develop moveable, livable housing units to be placed along “The Edge,” the only place on Earth that will be hospitable when the planet’s rotation eventually stops, causing one side of the Earth to be constantly exposed to night, and the other side exposed to sunlight.

Reception:

The film performed better than expected at the box office, nearly doubling the money spent on it, and in a case unusual for an Emmerich film, critics viewed it slightly more favorably than audiences. Roger Ebert noted “the premise only covers the first half of this nearly-three-hour-long movie in a type multi-viewpoint manner; the rest actually shows character development as we see how the survivors stuck on The Edge react to perpetual twilight conditions as everything freezes over on one side and everything burns on the other side.” Critics also considered the film’s ending – with survivors making contact with the lunar bases in a way that keeps the door open for a sequel – to be surprising poignant, “combining a warning of environmental awareness with a glimmer of optimism and hope in human ingenuity,” as Variety put it. Conversely, some viewers used to Emmerich’s glitzy action films were underwhelmed by the drama and character development showcased in the second half of the film.

– mediarchives.co.usa



CO-ANCHOR 1: “More horrifying pictures coming out of Colorado today that highlight the extent of federal government waste occurring under Jackson-Wellstone administration. Look at this. That is Vice President Ross spending his workday lollygagging about in a glen with disease-riddled vermin. Horrible, absolutely atrocious.

[pic: imgur.com/l0STMST.png ]

Ross is known for wasting time, energy and money on personal tastes, on hobbies like carpentering and camping, hosting auctions at poorly-organized charities to showcase is alleged artistic skills, and hosting tours and nature hikes for students instead of teaching them important things like fiscal responsibility and the greatness of America. And now this – cavorting about in a glorified petting zoo, and on a workday, no less!”

CO-ANCHOR 2: “I agree! This abuse and misuse of time perfectly symbolizes the do-nothing approach of the President and his lackeys. In my opinion, they must be voted out if not impeached before they do more harm to even more of our national institutions!”

CO-ANCHOR 1: “Yes! Now, we all know that this is clearly the irresponsible spending of taxpayer money, but in accordance with the FCC’s possibly-unconstitutional Fairness Doctrine, we once again present to you the “Alternate Viewpoint” segment of our program, where we allow some bleeding-heart to try and defend the actions of those who are ruining the country. If you want to change the channel or mute the screen or take a snack break or bathroom break, now’s the time to do so. You have 2 full minutes, 120 seconds, we won’t blame or judge you. And now, Alternate Viewpoint.”

– The Herring Network, 6/30/2011 broadcast



“Let’s break down your marriages real quick. You first husband a one James Dougherty, which was from 1942 to 1946. Your second husband was Joe DiMaggio, from 1954 to 1955 and again from 1963 to 1967. Between those years you were wed to the writer Arthur Miller, from 1956 to 1961.”

“Yes, good times. Problematic, hectic, sad in some place, but overall good. At least, that’s how I remember it.”

“Then you were married to the African-American singer Roy Hamilton.”

“During what turned out to be the last few weeks of his life.”

“A terrible tragedy.”

“I stopped acting for nearly a year.”

“But you got back into it, and you married Dean Jagger soon afterw – ”

Yes, yes, and then there was Nick Ray, who also died, then Elia Kazan, then John Huston until his death, too. That was when all those Black Widow jokes began in earnest, the paparazzi bastards. After Huston, it was Montaud, and now – and for forever – it’s Harry, Harry Belafonte.”

“But are there any other men you almost married that most don’t know about?”

“Well, I think everybody fantasizes about marrying their boyfriend, or girlfriend if that’s the case, just to see if they like what they’re imagining. And while working on sets, if one of the actors removed their shirt, I’d, h, well let’s say I’d think about marrying him. Overall, I must have had crushes on, or had lusted over, maybe, at least – well, dozens at least. And, I’ll admit, there’s a little list in my head of who I would have wanted to at the very least do dinner with. Charles Bickford, for instance. Charles Laughton and Clifford Odets, may they rest in peace. Zero Mostel was another, but he was happily married for years. Eli Wallach, Charles Boyer, and Jean Renoir even. All very charming men. But I’m not thinking of ‘doing dinner’ with anyone but my husband and my husband only from now on. Harry’s the one for me.”

– Marilyn Monroe interview, thehollywoodreporter.cco.usa, posted 7/1/2011



MUSICIAN TOBY KEITH LAUNCHED WHITE HOUSE BID

…country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith has thrown his cowboy hat into the Presidential ring. After weeks of criticizing the Wellstone administration for its foreign and domestic policies, Keith is officially breaking from the Democratic Party, has switched his voter registration to the Republican Party, and is officially running for the 2012 GOP nomination for President. Keith, who, in his announcement speech, expressed disappointment in “the shriveled-up Sensible Centrist wing” of the Democratic Party, made the announcement outside the Wilkerson Arena Sports Stadium, where he had concluded a tour promoting his latest album. Keith also announced “I’ll be taking a break from professional music making. If the people want me to, it’ll be a hiatus or four, or maybe even eight years.” To prove that he is a serious candidate, Keith purchased the netsite domain name Keith2012.co.usa; said site went up within hours of his presidential campaign launch, complete with several policy tabs and a donations page...

– The Oklahoma Daily, 7/5/2011



U.S. PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL RATING:

APPROVE: 52%

DISAPPROVE: 34%

UNDECIDED: 14%

– Gallup national poll, 7/11/2011



…In international news, the President of South Africa is making progress in renegotiating their government’s contract with the Italian cultivation company Unigra amid rising claims of locals being cheated and abused, with claims that the company failed to create local jobs and have damaged local areas and communities, creating bad publicity for Unigra…

– BBC World News, 15/7/2011 broadcast



SOURCE: HOUSE DEMOCRATS SHELVE PROPOSED CREATOR PROTECTION BILL “FOR NOW”

…Copyright is work of the arts, patents are for inventions, and a trademark is for a brand... According to the close source, House Democrats had been working on the bill since just before the midterms, and had modeled it after a similar bill that was passed in New York last year. “The leading members of the House Democrats are hoping it will become a plank of the national party’s platform at the 2012 DNC,” says the reputable source…

– The Los Angeles Times, 7/16/2011



…When we finally establish permanent lunar bases on Mars and The Moon, we must remember to teach the children who grow up at those bases – who end up being conceived, born, raised, and educated at those bases – that Earth is the Mother World for humanity, that it is their true origin, their true home planet. It will make it so much easier for the people on Earth, and for businesses. With the proper mindset, that they live in a galactic community, they will comply with orders from Earth to send back to us any valuable metal and other precious elements mined on their “home” solar system bodies. And it will nip calls for “home”-rule for bases right in the bud to boot!...

– John McAfee’s autobiography Outer Space Deserves More Iguanas: My Life Being Me, numerous on-net publication sites, 2022



As the summer of 2011 continued to unfold, the GOP primary field continued beginning to form, with candidates either fully embracing a faction – most notably, the libertarian and populist factions – or attempting to bridge the divide between the factions. Across the party, candidates that had already officially launched their candidacies such as Toby Keith, Gary Johnson, and Harley Brown sought to appeal to blue-collar, working-class voters by focusing on issues that directly affected them – food prices, gas, insurance, and tax rates required to cover the budget and UHC. …Despite Keith’s background as a performer, he made no outlandish campaign promises in an endeavor to be “fun” or seem “cool.” The musician was running a “dead serious” campaign, as his campaign manager told The Post in late July...

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



…with Toby Keith putting his music career on hold to run for President, other Republican hopefuls are claiming that radio stations playing his music are putting them at an unfair disadvantage. The incident is reminiscent of when Colonel Sanders ran for Governor in 1955, and Kentucky Democrats requested a court injunction to limit radio broadcasting of KFC commercials. The courts threw out the case, and KFC avoided a repeat of the incident by airing Colonel-free commercials during The Colonel’s Presidential bid and scaling back the use of his likeness during his Presidential years. And now, it seems that history could repeat itself if Mr. Keith’s political opponents take these radio stations to court for violating FCC equal-time rules, which very well could happen…

– NBC News, 7/28/2011 broadcast



MALCOLM X, LIFELONG HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, DIES AT 86

...after a year of poor health, the controversial Muslim minister, Black Nationalist and social commentator passed away from natural causes, according to an official statement released to the press by his youngest son. …X’s passing comes ten months after Betty Shabazz, his wife of 52 years, died from diabetes-related complications at the age of 76...

– The New York Times, 8/2/2011

[pic: imgur.com/Ts05gsr.png ]
– clickopedia.co.usa



MALCOLM X “ALIVE” CONSPIRACY THEORY RESURFACES AFTER “BODY DOUBLE” SPOTTED IN CANCUN

– The Sun, UK tabloid, 12/12/2016



“Malcolm X’s a great guy. I thought it was weird that his funeral was private. Nobody saw a body or anything. I’m happy to see I wasn’t the only one who thought that, so if I’m crazy, at least I’m not crazy and alone. And, you know, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did fake his death, even if it makes no sense. I don’t know why he’d do that, what he’d get out of it, but if he did fake his death, he must have had his reasons.”

– Tupac Shakur, 2021 interview



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S)
[1] OTL Paul Krugman quote, found on the wiki article for the proposed “trillion-dollar coin”!
[2] Italicized passages are from the wiki article mentioned in source [1]
[3] IOTL, Rukavina really was friends with Paul Wellstone, and was arrested for drunk driving in 2004
[4] Italicized parts are from here: http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2013/12/paul-wellstone-is-more-prescient-than.html
[5] IOTL, Culver’s currently (by which, in this instance, I mean to say “as of 2020”) has 771 spots in 25 states with, 26 more spots under construction.
[6] The italicized segments are from here: http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2013/12/paul-wellstone-is-more-prescient-than.html
[7] How the internet works in OTL! Really!
[8] Several years earlier than in OTL, but farther away from Block Island, meaning the view is not so damaged/interrupted as it is in OTL.
[9] Further details can be found here: https://news.northeastern.edu/2020/...om-of-the-ocean-hes-building-one-that-floats/
[10] The parts that are in italics were pulled from here: http://www.governorharley.com/us.htm
[11] Italicized bits are from his OTL autobiography https://www.google.com/books/edition/Wellington_Webb/nYw_NaCgJuMC?hl=en&gbpv=0, page 35
[12] OTL event!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_B-47_disappearance
[13] For further details, see the following: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_in_Morocco#Trade_with_the_EU (basically, as mentioned briefly in previous chapter’s Morocco’s economic strength is fairly similar to IOTL in regards to composition, but is much stronger due to the stabilization of Libya and the pro-free trade policies implemented by UK Prime Minister John Lennon)
[14] As mentioned in previous chapters.

 

[gap80]

Post 94: Chapter 102



Chapter 102: August 2011 – February 2012

“Believe you can overcome, and half the battle’s already won.”

– Jesse Jackson (ITTL)



HRC DECLINES PRESIDENTIAL BID

…“I was looking forward to running in the primaries next year, but with my daughter’s cancer diagnosis, my priorities have shifted. Her cancer is aggressive, and I want to be there for her, like my husband George and my son Bill. Family has to come first.” Despite her declination, Senator Rodham-Clinton may still accept the VP spot on the 2012 Republican ticket…

– The Kingsport Times-News, Tennessee newspaper, 8/5/2011



…moderate former Governor Bart Gordon of Tennessee has just announced that he will oppose President Wellstone in next year’s Presidential primaries...

– KNN Breaking News, 8/6/2011 broadcast



…Media speculation concerning a more moderate Democrat challenging President Wellstone often looked to individuals such as US Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota (b. 1948), who was known for his deep understanding of monetary and budget concerns. Other rumored potential challengers were US Senators Lou D’Alessandro of New Hampshire (b. 1938) and Jack Mudd of Montana (b. 1943). John Georges of Louisiana (b. 1960), who had serve for less than half of one term in the US Senate before resigning for a CEO position, was a preferred choice among some wealthy Democratic party donors, but he denied interest. Gatefold Galbraith, the populist Governor of Kentucky, repeatedly expressed interest in the idea, but did not throw his iconic hat into the ring that summer. Instead, the person who did try to unseat the progressive incumbent was Bart Gordon (b. 1949), who had served in the US House from 1985 to 2003 before serving as Governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2007.

Gordon’s long-shot campaign focused on addressing fiscal issues while still defending certain tax changes made under President Wellstone, arguing that the Commander-in-Chief went “too far” at times, opposed his cuts to military spending, and believed that Wellstone did not support NASA enough. While most leading Democrats did not “legitimize” his campaign by acknowledging its existence at first, others in the party were quick to condemn Gordon not for challenging the President, but for his voting record – during his time in congress, Gordon did not vote in favor of the Universal Healthcare Act of 1990, and had voted against two separate major anti-hate crime bills. [1]

Meanwhile, Republicans were ebullient at Gordon’s announcement. Many in the party hope that this would make the incumbent more vulnerable, distract him from challenging their attack on him during the primary season, and in the end improve the GOP’s chances of winning back the White House. Gordon having the ability to appeal to Republican voters in his many past runs for public office only contributed to the GOP’s rising feelings of optimism...

– Richard Ben Cramer’s What It Takes: Roads to The White House, Sunrise Publications, 2011 edition



ELECTION RESULTS: LABOUR RETURNS TO POWER WITH SMALL MAJORITY

…Mary Creagh led the Labour Party to victory over Michael Heseltine and the Conservative Party earlier tonight. With just a handful of seats left undeclared at the moment, BBC forecasts a Labour majority of just 11; if current counting trends continue in the currently outstanding seats, that number could be as high as 18 at the most, analysts say. …Under Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrats have gained one seat, while the two far-left parties (Green, led by Caroline Lucas, and United Kingdom Intrepid Progressive, led by Peter Bevan-Baker) retained their number of seats (3 each)…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 11/8/2011



SENATOR RANDY BROCK ANNOUNCES WHITE HOUSE BID, JOINING A (PRESUMABLY) CROWDED FIELD

…it is most likely that not all candidates have officially entered the race, as it has been typical – since the formation of the modern primary system in the 1970s – to wait until after Independence Day of the previous year to formally launch a White House bid...

– The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio newspaper, 8/18/2011



ROBERT MAXWELL IS DEAD AT 88

…the controversial media mogul almost had to sell most of his successful businesses to cover debts tied to his flamboyant lifestyle. His media and publishing empire approached death’s door again in 2000, when the millennium recession of the late 1990s saw his publishing empire almost collapse from financial strain. However, coverage of the SARS virus spreading out from the 2002 Winter Olympics allowed sales and viewership to increase, and the inability to perform man-on-the-street news during emergency shutdowns led to huge payroll furloughs allowing company to pay off the banks with the debt it owed. The millionaire mogul’s passing leaves behind a void in the world of media and messaging that may never be filled with a man as unique as Mr. Maxwell…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 19/8/2011



MAYOR LOVE RE-ELECTED, 65%-35%

…The Mayor of Montgomery win by a wide margin over city councilman Will Boyd after Love, who is considered by many in the state GOP to be a “rising star,” repeatedly promised to serve a full second term, saying last week “my only focus is serving the good people of this city for the next four years”…

– The Montgomery Advertiser, Alabama newspaper, 8/23/2011



1977-1995: 54) Emory McCord Folmar (R, 1930-2011) – previously served on the city council from 1975 to 1977; oversaw economic growth and many years of business development; overseeing the mass arrest of young concert-goers set the tone for his tenure; fiscally and socially conservative; known for making multiple bigoted remarks during his tenure; unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 1980; lost re-election

1977 (special): Frank Sego (I), Barbara P. Mays (I), Raymond C. Weaver (I) and William H. Crane (I)

1979: unopposed

1983: Franklin H. James (D)

1987: James Wilson (I)

1991: James Wilson (I) and Karen Mellos (I)

1995-2007: 53) Bobby Neal Bright Sr. (D, b. 1952) – former lawyer, farmer, and political organizer for local moderate Democrats; won election in an upset, possibly due to low turnout and inaccurate/lackluster polling; revitalized the city’s downtown and riverfront areas; balanced the city’s budget every year, improving the city’s credit rating; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 2008

1995: Emory McCord Folmar (R)

1999: Harri Anne Smith (R)

2003: Scott Simmons (I)

2007-2014: 54) Jay K. Love Jr. (R, b. 1968) – former manager of several Dr. Sub’s franchises from 1992 to 2007; previously served in the state House from 2002 to 2007; resigned after successfully running for a seat in the U.S. House, where he served from 2015 to 2019; lost a bid for the Republican nomination for Governor in 2018

2007: Michael Briddell (D)

2011: Will Boyd (D)

2014-2014: Acting) Willie Cook (D) – city’s first American-American Mayor; previously served on the city council from 1999 to 2014 and as City Council President from 2012 to 2014; lost election bid to serve for the remainder of Love’s term

2014-present: 55) Jon Dow (D, b. 1970) – city’s first popularly elected African-American Mayor; previously served on the city council from 2000 to 2014; focused on housing, elder care, and neighborhood safety

2014 (special): Willie Cook (D), J. E. “Jay” King (R), Hobson Cox (D), Victorrus Felder (I), and Elton Dean (I)

2015: Artur Davis (R)

2019: Artur Davis (R) and Ed Crowell (I)

– ourcampaigns.com, c. 7/4/2021



Hurricane Irene’s trajectory was atypical as it skewed straight to the north, wavering only to the northwest at the start of its formation on August 21 and to the northeast after passing into Canada. During its time in the US, it roared clean through the eastern states, endangering over 65 million people from South Carolina to Vermont. Fortunately, the playbooks of the Bellamy, Iacocca and Jackson administrations allowed Wellstone’s administration to effectively oversee emergency evacuation procedures and shelter-in-place prep assistance. In most at-risk states, the National Guard troops were deployed to assist people in flood-prone areas both before and after its arrival.

[pic: imgur.com/BX1M7Ay.png ]

Above: flooding affected thousands of communities and left millions with our power for various lengths of time, c. August 24

By the time the Hurricane dissipated on August 30, the damage was clearly evident. Across Puerto Rico, nearly 1 million American citizens were without power and much farmland was damaged by flooding; similar conditions were found across the American mainland. Immediately, airlift rescue and relief operations commenced, with the National Guard working with ODERCA to clear debris and organize survivor relief efforts. Various organizations, including KFC, the New Hampshire state militia, and many charity groups also contributed to donations of food, clothing, and medical supplies to those left homeless by the destruction of a hurricane so severe – 33 fatalities total, $12.9billion in damages – that the World Meteorological Organization retired its name.

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



ANCHOR: “In political news, Illinois Senator Jim Edgar, who is contemplating another bid for the Presidency, is being criticized by his fellow Republicans for praising President Wellstone’s quick response to flood problems in the northeast in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irene battering the East Coast.”

STAN JONES (in footage): “The Republican party is no place for bleeding hearts, Democrat plants, or fascism sympathizers. This is just another example of Senator Edgar being out of step and out of touch with the values of the GOP.”

ANCHOR: “The backlash prompted Edgar to say the following earlier today:”

EDGAR (in footage): “While I agree with Wellstone’s leadership skills, I oppose his fiscal opinions. Essentially, to borrow a phrase from Colonel Sanders, ‘I like how he cooks, but I don’t like what he’s serving.’”

– NBC, 9/2/2011 broadcast



BERT T. COMBS, FORMER KY GOVERNOR, HAS DIED AT 100

Manchester, KY – A spokesperson for the family of former Governor Bert Combs today announced that the retired politician passed away from natural causes yesterday afternoon, less than a month after celebrating his 100th birthday …Bertram Thomas Combs was born on August 13, 1911 in Manchester and served in World War Two before beginning a career in law and then politics …Combs succeeded Colonel Sanders (who also lived to be 100 years old) to the Governorship and served from December 1959 to December 1967… A forward-thinking Democrat, his policies improved the lives of his fellow Kentuckians during the turbulent times of the 1960s; he later ran for the Presidency and for a seat in the US Senate…

– The Louisville Times, Kentucky newspaper, 9/3/2011



…Ahead of the winter pre-primary debates, Senator Weld laid out a specific outline for revenue and spending for the first year of his tenure in the White House if he were elected. Governor Johnson released three versions of a less detailed outline three weeks later for the first two years of his hypothetical time in office; the versions covered how he’d govern with a Democratic, Republican, or split Congress. Weld emphasized simplified the tax code and changing the tax bracket system from nine brackets to six, while Johnson’s outlines emphasized his hands-off approach to governing...

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



…And in political news, the Republican-majority congress has voted down proposed legislation that would have expanded the powers of child protection services and granted the federal HHS Department certain rights concerning suspicion of child endangerment. The Child Protection Improvement Bill was introduced and co-sponsored by Democratic lawmakers who expected Republicans to support it in light of its nonpartisan and apolitical subject matter...

– CBS Evening News, 9/8/2011

[pic: imgur.com/TbqaU3S.png ]

– President Wellstone lambasting the GOP’s obstructionism at a White House press briefing, 9/9/2011



“I try to see the goodness in all people, but sometimes that’s a lot harder than you’d think it would be. …House Speaker Dorgan seems to be the kind of fella who eats half the berries and says the pie shell’s too big. No matter who can be helped, Dorgan does not want to play ball. That is very disappointing and disheartening, but not discouraging. I still think we can find some way to get good legislation through. We just need to look for that way better.”

– Vice President Bob Ross, 9/10/2011



…On September 12, Republicans finally agreed to the 2012 budget layout. The agreement was to $2.9trillion actual in September, and was made official just before the 2012 fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2011 and lasted until September 30, 2012. The budget plan focused on several minor details and a few major talking points as well. Taxation remained as it was in 2010 for the 2011 budget, except with entitlement programs losing some funding, and with more funds being relegated to research funding and defense spending for the military, amounting to an increase of nearly $11.1billion. However, Wellstone was not as upset by this number and some thought he would be, because, according to his autobiography, he originally believed that Republicans would demand no less than $20.5billion in military spending, and so considered this to be a “victory” of sorts….

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



…Uncle Yosef sneered at the TV screen. “Why are you watching that?”

“Tradition,” Father shrugged, “I’ve been watching these things every year, for as long as I can remember. They’re always so uplifting.”

Uncle Yosef continued, “‘The Chicken Dinner Summits.’ Heh! They always make it out to be this big thing, but there’s rarely any big names attached to it. It’s always just a bunch of Mayors, city aldermen and local rabbis and imams that nobody knows or even cares about, and you forget about them right after the whole things done.”

“But you remember what they’ve said. That’s the part that’s important.”

Somewhat bitterly, Uncle Yosef scoffed, “Don’t kid yourself, brother. The whole ‘delicate peace’ thing is a sham.”

Father turned to look at him. “Now how can you say when you live in a place that was once nothing but desert?”

“Israeli terraformation technology built those cities. The Palestinians only contributed this or that.”

“‘This or that’? Try ‘half the laborers’!”

“Where’d you read that?”

“The technet!”

“Nah, I read ontech that you can’t believe half the things you read ontech.” The sound of applause on the screen interrupted their argument, but Uncle Yosef was still steaming. Soon he renewed the debate by saying “My neighbor’s kid was playing ‘war’ with some friends the other day. They thought it was fun when one of them stuffed a red cloth into the front of his shirt and another pulled it out like he was ripping out his entrails. They got into an argument over how many suicide bombings each one was allowed to make before playing dead.” He shook his head. “The younger generation just don’t know how bad war is. Personally, I blame these lovey-dovey annual speeches making everyone all soft. And all those American movies that glorify war. Ever since North Korea fell, they’ve been really cocky over there.”

“Hollywood. Really. Even with Israel promoting more domestically-made anti-war films lately?”

“Eh. Have you watched any recently?”

“I’ve been busy.”

Finally, I asked, “Uncle Yosef, how are the dinner summits sham?”

“Tamar,” Father said.

My Uncle turned to me and answered, “It’s all a veil, a lie, a deception, because most religiously-motivated attacks on Jewish people go unreported by media. Middle Eastern governments have collectively chosen to ignore a steady rise in what our own government calls ‘acts of hatred.’ And they ignore the rise for the sake of economic stability, because if they addressed, they’d be admitting that the peace talks worked too well.”

“Yosef!” Father exclaimed.

“The governments tied to the Atlanta Treaty are too afraid of disrupting precious economic lines to address lingering religious extremism,” he turned to the screen once more, “it’s all smiles on the national stage, all to mask the truth.”

“That’s enough, Yosef!” Father stood. “You’ve been reading too many ontech conspiracy theories.”

“Can you prove it?”

“Everyone proves it every day. Both of our families live next to Muslims. You remember the Awads next door? They’re good people. We have no reason to oppose them. We pray in different ways to different higher powers, but every time there’s a community get-together, you can bet that no acts of hatred break out, because people are more alike you think they are.”

“You’re just fortunate to have good neighbors. Not everyone’s so lucky. Remember Moshe Segal, from school? He lives in a low-end district south of Jerusalem. He got rolled by some Muslims last week. Broke a rib bone. Nobody in the news reported it.”

As their argument continued on. When it became apparent the debate on the success of the Atlanta Treaty was going to take a while, I went into my bedroom and continued watching the 2011 Summit on my lapcomp…

– Tamar Kohen’s A Mix of Flavors, 2021 autobiography



ARE LABOR UNIONS TOO POWERFUL?

Also in this issue:

Medical Breakthrough Sparks Hope For Diabetics

Stay Tacky, Niagara Falls

Why We Need More BLUTAGO Health Data

Should It Be Legal To Have A Pet Deer?

Halifax’s Rising Music Scene

– The Walrus, Canadian general-interest magazine, September 2011 issue

[pic: imgur.com/Oo7IX8z.png ]

– Governor and Presidential candidate Gary Johnson (R-NM) speaking to the press after giving a speech in Manchester, New Hampshire, 9/26/2011



“Individual liberties have their limitations. Self-mutilation, killing small animals or starting small fires in the privacy of one’s own home, drinking while driving, these all affect only yourself. But abortion affects another individual – the baby!”

– Governor Mary Starrett (R-OR), 9/27/2011



MAYOR SULLIVAN DECLARES AN “EMERGENCY SITUATION” FOR ANCHORAGE

…The Frontier State’s largest city is facing an “energy crisis,” says Anchorage Mayor D. A. Sullivan (R). “The situation calls for immediate action to curb worrisome trends.” Sullivan noted that with natural gas reserves in Cook Inlet dwindling and domestic demand for oil and gas continuing to decline in the lower 48, the city must “diversify” its economy by bringing in more businesses from outside the coal, oil, and gas industries. Sullivan proposes reforming the city’s tax system to encourage businesses coming to Anchorage as well as promoting “home-grown” business development efforts…

– The Ketchikan Daily News, Alaska newspaper, 9/28/2011



Mayors of ANCHORAGE (Alaska)

9/16/1975-12/31/1981: 29) George Murray Sullivan (R, 1922-2009) – first mayor of consolidated Anchorage; former manager of a freight company; previously served on the city council and in the state House; appointed by the Governor, then elected to two full three-year terms; supported anti-discrimination laws, historic preservation efforts, and beautification projects; retired

1975 (blanket): Jack Roderick (D), Dan Bell (I) and Harry Donahue (I)
1975 (runoff): Jack Roderick (D)

1978 (blanket): Dave Rose (R), Dick Fischer (I), Bill Barnes (D) and Harry Donahue (I)
1978 (runoff): unnecessary due to Sullivan receiving over 50%+1 in the blanket primary

1/1/1982-12/31/1987: 30) Joseph Lynn “Joe” Hayes (R, 1930-2018) – previously served in the state House and as the Speaker of the state House; opposed BLUTAGO rights; lost re-election as the price of oil decreased, damaging the local economy

1981 (blanket): Tony Knowles (D) and Dave Walsh (I)
1981 (runoff): Tony Knowles (D)

1984 (blanket): Katie Hurley (D), Mary Jane O’Brannon (Liberty) and Sylvester Lawson (I)
1984 (runoff): Katie Hurley (D)

1/1/1988-12/31/1993: 31) Henry Aristide “Red” Boucher Jr. (D, 1921-2009) – previously served on the Fairbanks City Council from 1961 to 1964, as the Mayor of Fairbanks from 1966 to 1970, as an advisor to Vice President Gravel from 1973 to 1975, in the state House from 1977 to 1981, and as Lieutenant Governor from 1982 to 1986; worked with Governor Ross on multiple projects; retired to unsuccessfully run for Governor in 1994

1987 (blanket): Joseph Lynn “Joe” Hayes (R), Homer Miracle (I) and Aaron Belzer (Liberty)
1987 (runoff): Joseph Lynn “Joe” Hayes (R)

1990 (blanket): Craig Campbell (R), Larry Baker (I) and Michael “Mafia Mike” Von Gnatensky (I)
1990 (runoff): Craig Campbell (R)

1/1/1994-12/31/2005: 32) Pegge Begich (D, b. 1938) – city’s first female Mayor; wife of former longtime US Representative Nicholas J. Begich Sr.; expanded city beautification efforts and improved infrastructure aspects; controversially cancelled a major road expansion proposal amid natural habitat concerns; performed poorly in the 2005 debates; lost re-election, coming in fourth place in the blanket primary

1993 (blanket): Rick Mystrom (R), Jason Bean (Terrain) and Heather Flynn (I)
1993 (runoff): Rick Mystrom (R)

1996 (blanket): David G. Walker (R) and Bob Bell (R)
1996 (runoff): David G. Walker (R)

1999 (blanket): David “Dave” Donley (R), Jack Frost (Glacier) and Georgia Mario (I)
1999 (runoff): unnecessary due to Begich receiving over 50%+1 in the blanket primary

2002 (blanket): Andree McLeod (R) and Dustin T. Darden (Alaskan Independence)
2002 (runoff): unnecessary due to Begich receiving over 50%+1 in the blanket primary

1/1/2006-12/31/2008: 32) Paul Honeman (I) – spent years in law enforcement as a Federal Police Officer and at the Anchorage Police Department; former city director of public affairs; emphasized crime reduction efforts; lost re-election in the blanket primary and was not allowed by city law to mount a write-in campaign for the runoff

2005 (blanket): Tom Fink (R), Pete Kott (R) and Pegge Begich (D)
2005 (runoff): Tom Fink (R)

1/1/2009-12/31/2017: 33) Daniel Albert Sullivan (R, b. 1951) – former businessman; previously served in the Anchorage Assembly; son of the city’s 29th Mayor; struggled to address regional energy price crisis as national and partially-global trends combined with dwindling reserves contributed to rising unemployment rates; lost re-election in an upset over him replacing the city’s property taxes with a flat sales tax

2008 (blanket): Daniel Scott Sullivan (R), Paul Honeman (I), Brobert James “Joker” Lupo Sr. (Veterans’) and Theresa Obermeyer (D)
2008 (runoff): Daniel Scott Sullivan (R)

2011 (blanket): Thomas Higgins (I) and Eric Croft (D)
2011 (runoff): unnecessary due to Sullivan receiving over 50%+1 in the blanket primary

2014 (blanket): Phil Isley (I), Amy Demboski (R) and Jacob Seth Kern (D)
2014 (runoff): Amy Demboski (R) (Phil Isley withdrew and was replaced by the next-place finisher, in adherence to city law)

1/1/2018-present: 34) Walter Carleton “Walt” Monegan III (R, b. 1951) – previously served as the city’s Chief of Police, as the Commissioner of the state Department of Corrections, and as the Commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety; is of Tlingit and Yupik ancestry; unseated incumbent in an upset; currently attempting to lower taxes without inhibiting the city’s police force, endeavoring to strike a balance between welcoming in new businesses and investors without making the city a “tax haven” of sorts; incumbent

2017 (blanket): Daniel Albert Sullivan (R), Johnny Ellis (D) and Paul Kendall (R)
2017 (runoff): Daniel Albert Sullivan (R)

2020 (blanket): Colleen Sullivan-Leonard (R), Rebecca Logan (R) and Forrest Dunbar (D)
2020 (runoff): Colleen Sullivan-Leonard (R)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



…Ahead of the 2013 general election, the economy of Canada was stable, with trade relations with the US, Greenland and the UK being steady and secure. Maureen McTeer, one of the dominion’s longest-serving Prime Ministers, was still popular, and showed no signs of wanting to replicate John Lennon’s tenure and leave office after roughly a decade in power. With Darrell Dexter, Guy Caron, Charlie Angus, and Nathan Cullen being the only members of her cabinet to resign in the past year, and over differing political ideologies, her administration was viewed as strong and sturdy by a majority of Canadians. At the time, many were certain that she would lead the Progressive Liberals to another term in 2013 over George Rogers (of the Progressive Conservatives), Jacques Duchesneau (of the Quebec Party) and David Chernushenko (of the Green Party)…

– Richard Johnston’s The Canadian Party System: An Analytic History, UBC Press, 2017



BRING AMERICA BACK

– “Harley Brown for President” slogan, chanted at a Brown2012 rally in Denver, Colorado, 10/1/2011



…And in technology-related news, Illinois’ legislature has passed a state law requiring companies to, quote, “obtain written permission before collecting a person’s fingerprints, facial scans or other identifying biological characteristics,” unquote, amid rising fears of the possibly negative results of the recent advancements of face recognition software and technology…

– KNN, 10/2/2011 broadcast



“…And in political news, the US House has passed the Domestic Fuels Protection Bill, which was passed by the US Senate earlier this year. The bill aims to protect domestic sellers and producers of clean fuels from liability to end-users who put the wrong kind of fuel or fuel mix into their tanks and suffer damage to their engines. The idea is to ensure that domestic producers of alternative fuel and related equipment aren’t put out of business due to crippling liability claims...” [2]

– ABC News, 10/4/2011 broadcast



…In Knoxville, the mayoral blanket primary election was held on September 27. Because incumbent Madeline Anne Rogero won that contest with 52% of the vote, she was declared the winner; thus, there was no need for a runoff to held in November…

[snip]

…In Memphis, incumbent Edmund Ford Sr. won a third term in a landslide on October 6. Ford, a moderate Democrat, won over perennial candidate Robert Hodges, an Independent better known by his moniker “Prince Mongo.” A satirical candidate known for his eccentric public persona and for owning several local nightclubs, Hodges – who, as Prince Mongo, claims to be from “the Planet Zambodia” and can use “alien spirits” to save Memphis from natural disasters – has run for numerous public offices since the 1970s and has never won. However, this election was the closest he has ever gotten to winning, as he advanced from a blanket primary to a runoff after more serious mayoral candidates failed to best the flamboyant “Prince Mongo” for second place. The upset results were due to divided opposition, as several serious anti-Ford candidates were in the race instead of a single candidate; as a result, the anti-Ford vote was scattered, and Hodges made it into the runoff with only 7% of the blanket primary vote, with the third-party finisher receiving 6% of the vote. Ford, who refused to debate Hodges, won re-election with 79% of the vote, versus Hodges’ 21% of the vote – the highest percentage Hodges has ever won in an election. Like the dates for the terms of other mayoral seats in Tennessee, Ford’s third term will begin on January 1, 2012, and will end on January 1, 2016…

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa/sort_by_state/Tennessee/mayors/2011, c. 10/7/2011



Mayors of KNOXVILLE

1972-1976: 64) Kyle Copenhaver Testerman (R, 1934-2015) – former lawyer and businessman; previously served on the city council; lost re-election

1971: Leonard Reid Rogers (D)

1976-1980: 65) Randell “Randy” Tyree (D, b. 1940) – previously worked as a police officer and then as police commissioner; elected Mayor at the age of 34; lost re-election

1975: Kyle Copenhaver Testerman (R)

1980-1988: 66) Kyle Copenhaver Testerman (R, 1934-2015) – sought to address the city’s rising homelessness problem; established term limits; retired

1979: Randall “Randy” Tyree (D)

1983: Arnold Joseph Zandi (D)

1988-1996: 67) Randell “Randy” Tyree (D, b. 1940) – established blanket primary system; retired

1987: Boyce McCall (R)

1991: Victor H. Ashe (R)

1996-2004: 68) Boyce McCall (R) – previously served on the city council from 1979 to 1987; promoted privatization; term-limited

1995: George Alexander Hamilton Sr. (D)

1999: Randell “Randy” Tyree (D)

2004-2008: 69) Donald McFolin (R) – promoted tax cuts; lost re-election over declining quality of local social programs

2003: Daniel T. Brown (D)

2008-2016: 70) Madeline Anne Rogero (D, b. 1952) – city’s first female Mayor; previously worked as a community development director, non-profit executive, urban and regional planner, and community volunteer; previously served on the Knox County Commission from 1990 to 1998 and on the city council from 1999 to 2007; oversaw pension plan reform; term-limited

2007: Donald McFolin (R)

2011: Ivan Harmon (D)

2016-present: 71) Marshall Stair (D) – previously served on the city council from 2011 to 2015; incumbent

2015: Joe Hultquist (D)

2019: Donald McFolin (R)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



Mayors of MEMPHIS

1964-1972: 56) William W. Farris (D) – won election by taking a stronger stance on addressing anti-war activists during the then-ongoing Cuba War; due to winning on a plurality, agreed with city council to amend election system in exchange for them approving a spending bill; narrowly won re-election over a conservative white supremacist after recognizing the city’s sanitation workers union, leading to said workers agreeing to a five-year CBA, which ended a notable strike two weeks ahead of the runoff; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat

1963: William B. Ingram (I) and M. A. Hinds (I)

1967 (primary): Henry Loeb (D), Hunter Lane (I) and O. E. Oxley (I)
1967 (runoff): Henry Loeb (D)

1972-1976: 57) W. Otis Higgs (D, 1937-2013) – lawyer; previously served on the city council from 1968 to 1972; narrowly lost re-election due to unpopular spending and taxation measures and voter fatigue; lost bids for the U.S. House in 1978 and 1980; later served in the state Senate from 1987 to 2007

1971 (primary): A. W. Willis (D), William Morris (I) and Hunter Lane (I)
1971 (runoff): A. W. Willis (D)

1976-1980: 58) Thomas Edwin “Pete” Sisson (R, 1927-2009) – previously served on the city council from 1968 to 1972 and as the City Commissioner for the Memphis Department of Public Works from 1972 to 1976; lost re-election (finishing narrowly in third place, and thus failing to advance to a runoff round)

1975 (primary): W. Otis Higgs (D) and Kenneth Austin Turner (I)
1975 (runoff): W. Otis Higgs (D)

1980-1992: 59) James Oglethorpe Patterson Jr. (D, 1935-2011) – former attorney and mortician; previously served in the state House from 1973 to 1975, and in the state Senate from 1975 to 1979; city’s first African-American Mayor; was noticeably to the right of his party; consecrated a Holiness Pentecostal minister two weeks after leaving office; openly considered and expressed interest in running for President in 2000, either as an independent or as a third-party candidate, and on a heavily-religious platform, but ultimately decided not to and instead endorsed Jesse Jackson, only to become increasingly critical of President Jackson’s policies and actions by the end of his life

1979 (primary): Lillard Anthony Watts (D), Thomas Edwin “Pete” Sisson (R) and Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I)
1979 (runoff): Lillard Anthony Watts (D)

1983 (primary): Wallace Madewell (I) and Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I)
1983 (runoff): unnecessary, as Patterson received over 50%+1 in the blanket primary

1987 (primary): John N. Ford (D), Dedrick “Teddy” Withers (D), Walter Franklin (I) and Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I)
1987 (runoff): John N. Ford (D)

1992-1996: 60) Mike Cody (D, b. 1936) – African-American; previously served as a US Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee from 1977 to 1981, as the state Attorney General from 1983 to 1987, and as a city council member from 1987 to 1991; lost re-election in an upset, possibly as part of the post-Iacocca Assassination “sympathy wave” that many Republican candidates benefited from that year.

1991 (primary): D’Army Bailey (I), John Baker (R) and Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I)
1991 (runoff): D’Army Bailey (I)

1996-2004: 61) Thomas Edwin “Pete” Sisson (R, 1927-2009) – successfully mounted a political comeback by emphasizing his fiscal record; focused on improving city infrastructure; was criticized for his handling of the SARS Pandemic; retired due to declining health

1995 (primary): Mike Cody (D), John Willingham (R), Mary Rose McCormick (I), Richard Stringer (I) and Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I)
1995 (runoff): Mike Cody (D)

1999 (primary): Minerva Johnican (D), Shepperson “Shep” Wilbun (D), Gus Giovannetti, Jr. (I) and Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I)
1999 (runoff): Minerva Johnican (D)

2004-2020: 62) Edmund Ford Sr. (D, b. 1955) – African-American; previously worked as a freelance embalmer and previously served on the city council from 1999 to 2003; is a member of the Ford political family of Tennessee; lost re-election due to voter fatigue

2003 (primary): William L. “Bill” Gibbons (R), Randle Catron (D), Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I) and Mary Taylor-Shelby Wright (R)
2003 (runoff): William L. “Bill” Gibbons (R)

2007 (primary): Ernest Lunati (R), Carol Chumney (D), Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I), Herman Morris (I) and Laura David Aaron (I)
2007 (runoff): unnecessary, as Ford received over 50%+1 in the blanket primary

2011 (primary): Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I), James Harvey (D), Sharon A. Webb (R), Kenneth Whalum Jr. (D), Kenneth B. Robinson (I), Myron Lowery (D), Roosevelt Jamison (I) and Charles Carpenter (I)
2011 (runoff): Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I)

2015 (primary): Jim Strickland (D), A.C. Wharton (D), Harold Collins (I), M. LaTroy Williams (D), Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I) and Anderson Fullilove Jr. (I)
2015 (runoff): unnecessary, as Ford received over 50%+1 in the blanket primary

2020-present: 63) Jerry Lawler (R, b. 1949) – businessman, entrepreneur, and former professional wrestling champion; previously served as a sheriff’s deputy from 2012 to 2016; ran on a law-and-order platform; incumbent

2019 (primary): Edmund Ford Sr. (D), Tami Sawyer (D), Robert "Prince Mongo" Hodges (I) and Lemichael D. Wilson (I)
2019 (runoff): Edmund Ford Sr. (D)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



DOZENS DEAD IN DARFUR: Sudanese Soldiers Attack Locals In Breakaway Nation!

– The Washington Post, 10/7/2011



FULANI REPUBLIC BECOMES AFRICA’S FIRST DOUBLY-LANDLOCKED NATION

…Burkina Faso was ruled by Thomas Sankara from 1983 until he was killed while being overthrown in 1996. His successor, became the country’s new dictator, one noticeably to the political right of Sankara; said new dictator launched a program of persecution against the Fula people of the nation’s northern region. United by their shared language and Muslim faith, the Fula peoples organized and declared themselves independent, prompting a war for independence in 2008. After three years, Burkina Faso – now under new, and hopefully less dictatorial management – has finally capitulated, recognizing the Fulani Republic as an independent nation...

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 8/10/2011



“WE MISSISSIPPIANS STICK TOGETHER”: Elvis Presley Endorses Hudson Holliday For President

– The Los Angeles Times, 10/10/2011



BRANDON PRESLEY BACKS WELLSTONE 2012

...Presley, a Democrat, a member of the state’s current Public Service Commission, and the Mayor of Nettleton, Mississippi from 2001 to 2007, is a distant cousin of Elvis Presley…

– The Meridian Star, Mississippi newspaper, 10/12/2011



“I fought in KW2. Anyone remember that?” >pause for cheers< “Yeah, the NoKo War! We kicked the last of the dangerous commie asses, didn’t we? But you know what, the Cold War is long gone, dead as a doornail, but we still need our Armed Forces. President Wellstone thinks you don’t need a big military during times of peace.” >pause for boos< “Yeah, y’all know something he doesn’t – that to assure peace you must prepare for war. You must keep all potential enemies too intimidated to go after ya. That’s how you keep America safe. That’s the America I grew up in, the country of Colonel Sanders, rock-and-roll, and the red-white-and-blue! That’s America. I say we Bring America Back!”

– Gov. Harley Davidson Brown (R-ID), candidate for President, at a campaign rally, Robins Air Force Base, GA, 10/15/2011



“BLUE-SKINNED BUT RED-BLOODED”: US Senator Stan Jones Makes Case For White House Bid

[pic: imgur.com/5yz0WhT.png ]

Meet Mr. Stan Jones, the junior US Senator running for the 2012 Republican nomination for President on a hard-core libertarian platform. Often dubbed “The Smurf of The Senate” for his skin’s distinctive discoloration, Jones is convinced that his career in business and his commitment to home-remedy healthcare will win over his party’s faction. Jones also is certain that he will win over the law and order vote and the support of police officers, arguing “the boys in blue stick together, don’t they?” …As the new millennium dawned, Jones feared the “Y2K Bug” would lead to a shortage of antibiotics. As a result, the resourceful Mr. Jones scoured over ontech chat forums, and soon added to his diet a home-made colloidal silver solution. Jones would electrically charge two silver wires in a glass of water before gulping it down, believing it would act as an anti-bacterial agent and immunity-system booster. Jones claims the treatment worked, as states that its intended side effect of turning his skin blue is “a small price to pay for individual freedom.”…

– The Boston Globe, 10/19/2011



HEWITT WINS LOUISIANA GOVERNORSHIP

…Republican candidate Sharon Hewitt has defeated Democratic candidate Dorothy A. Brown in the race for Louisiana governor. The former bested the latter by a margin of roughly 4%, which was narrower than polls anticipated; most outlets projected Hewitt’s victory to be as narrow as 5% or as wide as 10%. Both candidates advanced to tonight’s general election from the blanket “jungle” primary held on October 4, where former frontrunner Robert M. Marionneaux finished in third place. Hewitt’s margin of victory suggests that the Democratic Party can still compete at the statewide level in Louisiana...

…Sharon Woodall Hewitt, a fiscally-conscious state senator who began her career as a technical contributor on oil rigs, organized communities and assisted in developing vocational school programs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, prompting her to successfully run for state senate in 2007…

– The Dallas Morning Herald, side article, 10/22/2011



Gary Johnson’s Presidential Platform

For The People

FOREIGN POLICY

As President, Gary Johnson will…

Promote Free Trade – Implementing free trade agreements with other countries with strengthen American relations with those countries, promote economic prosperity, and create more jobs for American workers as by encouraging American businesses to compete on the global scale.

Keep Our Troops Home – Within the first 60 days of a Gary Johnson administration, there will be a full withdrawal of all US troops from abroad, including Wellstone’s Wars; only remotely-controlled drones will ever be used for military activities, and only in non-civilian areas abroad, and only when absolutely necessary to keep American families safe and America’s borders secure

Cut Financial Aid to Foreign Countries – It is hypocritical and irresponsible to say, “Let’s not have our troops there, but let’s definitely send lots of our money over there.”

For The People

DOMESTIC POLICY

As President, Gary Johnson will…

Fix America’s Taxes – Johnson’s flagship proposal, the Fair Tax, will reform America’s overbearing tax system and replace with a smaller and simpler one that will encourage consumer spending and financial stability for American businesses and families

Defend Religious Freedom – As President, Johnson will defend tax exemptions for places of worship

Lower Unemployment – The Gary Johnson administration will work private businesses to encourage them to create jobs for the unemployed

Push For Privatization – Johnson will take the burden of NASA and space exploration off of the back of the federal government and place it onto the innovators of the American free market system; Johnson will also reverse the Jackson-Wellstone policies of private prisons to create more jobs

Confront The Federal Reserve – A special bipartisan US Congressional Select Auditing Subcommittee will be created to review and manage the goings-on of The Federal Reserve

Legalize Personal Freedom – Not only will President Johnson legalize the use of cannabis, he will lower the National Drinking Age from 22 to 18, because if you are old enough to serve in the US military, then you are certainly old enough to have a beer

Reorganize the Presidential Cabinet – Too much is in the hands of the federal government; it is necessary to transfer many of the powers of the US cabinet posts to independent agencies, which will also make it so taxpayers no longer subsidize departments, especially the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Education, the latter of which may even be eliminated if it cannot be reformed and decentralized enough to no longer our children’s education.

For The People

– GaryJohnson2012.co.usa, c. late October 2011



SEIGENTHALER: It seems to me that there are four types of Republicans – you have the moderates and the libertarians who are both often called LIDs by the third and fourth group, the evangelicals and otherwise heavily religious Republicans, and the populist Republicans, and all four groups want to control the party, but at the moment, the odds favor the moderate and libertarian factions heading into 2012.

RUSSERT: I have to say that you’re oversimplifying things, friend. It’s more complicated than that. Country conservatives and Colonel conservatives are internally divided over religious and nationalist talking points, and all four factions are split on whether to run against President Wellstone on social issues or fiscal issues, though at the moment, fiscal appears to be winning in the wake of this year’s inflation concerns.

SEIGENTHALER: Well do you agree that the previous nominees may indicate which direction the party goes down in the months ahead?

RUSSERT: Maybe. In 2000, they nominated Dinger, who was not exactly loved by the libertarian faction, and he lost. In 2004, a populist, maverick, nationalist, protectionist, xenophobic Senator was nominated and they lost in a landslide. But in 2008, they nominated someone who was and is clearly to the left of the party, and they still lost. And that election is much clearer in the memories of the voters than the 2004 election. That’s important, because it doesn’t matter that Snowe won the popular vote. If populists and hard-c conservatives can hammer in that she lost, many voters will remember that, and forget about what happened in 2004.

SEIGENTHALER: And moderates are becoming increasing unwelcomed in the GOP. You know what that means, then, right?

RUSSERT: What?

SEIGENTHALER: 2012 is likely the final time for the moderate Republicans to shine. If they win the nomination, but fail to win the White House for the party this time, their time in the GOP may be at an end.

RUSSERT: I think you’re being too dramatic there, they’ll still be in the party in such a scenario, but they’d lost credibility and they would just decline in influence and size.

SEIGENTHALER: Still, now’s not exactly a stress-free time to be a moderate Republican.

RUSSERT: I suppose.

– Host John Michael Seigenthaler and guest Tim Russert, The Overmyer Network’s Nighttime News, round-table discussion, 10/28/2011 broadcast



…Okay, and tonight, several elections were held in several states, but the big two, the most prominent ones of the night, were the governor races in Kentucky and Mississippi. And already, Real News Service and other news outlets have called the Kentucky Governor election for the incumbent, Governor Darryl Owens. A Democrat, Owens has defeated his challenger, libertarian Republican state senator Thomas Massie, by a margin of roughly eight percent in what has been a civil campaign in which the candidates debated the merits of large government assistance programs and business regulation...

– NPR, 11/8/2011 broadcast



RAINVILLE WINS MISSISSIPPI GOVERNPRSHIP

…early this morning, last night’s gubernatorial election in Mississippi was called for Martha Rainville, a state senator and the former adjutant general of the Mississippi National Guard. Rainville, age 53, was raised and educated in Mississippi, rose to the rank of Major General by the end of her 27 years in the US Air Force, and contributed to search-and-rescue operations in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Rainville received 55% of the vote, compared the 44% won by the Democratic nominee, state Attorney General Jim Hood. Hood had defeated US Representative Travis Childers, state senator Sollie Norwood, former state Secretary of State Eric Clark, and state representative Cecil C. Brown in the Democratic primary held earlier this year...

– The Richmond Times-Dispatch, 11/9/2011



SMITH RE-ELECTED GARY MAYOR

Gary, IN – Incumbent Vernon G. Smith won a third mayoral term in Gary Indiana’s municipal elections held last night. …Smith easily defeated four opponents; Smith received 57.1% of the vote over city councilperson Lester L. “Chip” Lowe Jr. of the local moderate “Gary” party (who received 25.8% of the vote, down from the 33% that the Gary party’s nominee won in 2007); former city councilperson LaVetta Sparks-Wade, an Independent (who received 11.2% of the vote); and businessman and perennial candidate Charles R. Smith Jr. of the Republican party (who received 5.9% of the vote, making last night the least successful of his three tries for the mayor’s seat)…

– The Indianapolis Star, Indiana newspaper, 11/9/2011



GARY (Indiana)

1/1/1964-12/31/1967: 15) A. Martin Katz (D, 1917-1995) – previously served on the city council; criticized for poorly handling a minor riot between anti-war shoutniks and local pro-war police officers in early 1964; narrowly lost re-nomination amid allegations of political corruption; city’s most recent non-African-American mayor

1963: Joseph B. Radigan (R)

1968-1991: 16) Richard Gordon Hatcher (D, 1933-2019) – previously served on the city council from 1964 to 1967; city’s first African-American mayor; supported civil rights laws; in his first term, often clashed with city council members due to corruption, nepotism, and mafia connections found throughout the city’s political machines; managed to eliminate red light districts and illegal gambling by reforming and expanding the police department and supporting neighborhood watch organizations; considered for running mate in 1972, 1980, 1984, and 1988; retired, having barely won re-election and facing “underwater” approval ratings over his failure to keep businesses from leaving the city; later worked on Jesse Jackson’s 1996 Presidential campaign and Katie Beatrice Hall’s 2000 Presidential campaign; unsuccessfully ran for Mayor again in 2001 and briefly ran for Governor in 2008

1967: Joseph B. Radigan (R)
1971: Theodore Nering (R)
1975: William Borman (R)
1979: William Borman (R)
1983: Thomas Crump Jr. (Gary), Joseph Stojakovich (R) and Marie Head (Workers’)
1987: Thomas V. Barnes (Gary) and Thaddeus Romanowski (R)

1/1/1992-12/31/1999: 17) Charlie “Chuck” Brown (D, b. 1938) – previously served in the state House from 1982 to 1991; almost lost re-election to moderate third-party candidate from party focused entirely on “city-centric” issues regardless on national or even statewide trends; reformed city’s crime laws and prison system to discourage repeated offenses; struggled to keep businesses from leaving in the wake of the early 1990s recession; lost re-nomination

1991: Dozier T. Allen (Gary) and Carlos Tolliver (I)
1995: Marion Williams (Gary) and Diane Ross Boswell (R)

1/1/2000-12/31/2003: 18) Ulysses Burnett (D) – previously served on the city council from 1992 to 1999; lost re-nomination over his “chaotic” handling of the SARS pandemic; later elected to the state House (2009-2013) and then to the state Senate (2013-2019)

1999: Carolyn Rhymes Jordan (Gary)

1/1/2004-12/31/2015: 19) Vernon G. Smith (D, b. 1944) – previously served on the city council from 1972 to 1990 and in the state House from 1991 to 2003; supported President Jackson police precinct reform efforts; worked to improve working conditions, public safety, and economic development, but was accused of corruption during his second term; retired to unsuccessfully run for a U.S. House seat in 2016; later elected back to the state House (2019-present)

2003: Lonnie M. Randolph (Gary) and Charles R. Smith Jr. (R)
2007: Roosevelt Allen Jr. (Gary) and Charles R. Smith Jr. (R)
2011: Lester L. “Chip” Lowe Jr. (Gary), LaVetta Sparks-Wade (I) and Charles R. Smith Jr. (R)

1/1/2016-present: Ragen H. Hatcher (D) – city’s first female Mayor; daughter of former Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher; currency working to improve the city’s image and lower unemployment and crime by demolishing abandoned buildings and replacing them with new ones, a plan being criticized for being detrimental to the homeless; incumbent

2015: Darren L. Washington (Gary) and Charles R. Smith Jr. (R)
2019: Kerry Rice Sr. (Gary)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



ONTARIO PREMIER STEPPING DOWN

…the popular and long-serving Premier of Ontario, Jack Layton (PC), says he will resign next month in order to focus on battling his latest cancer diagnosis…

– The Toronto Star, Canadian newspaper, 11/11/2011



…Soon after becoming Governor in early 2007, Harley Brown placed the septuagenarian Walter L. “Walt” Bayes in charge of the state’s Department of Lands. Bayes, with the assistance of three of his adult children, devised several plans to be put into effect should Judgement Day occur. The plans covered natural and man-made disasters ranging from nuclear catastrophe to Yellowstone erupting to a “computer revolution,” but the implementation of these plans did not fall under his jurisdiction. Other state department leaders mocked Bayes with the nickname “the Master of Disaster” and the doomsday prepper proved deeply unpopular within the state government. Despite pleas from most of his cabinet and members of the state legislature, Brown refused to fire him. However, once Brown began spending more time out of state in 2011, Bayes began losing influence in the state. Dissatisfied with his “prepping” efforts coming to a practical standstill amid bipartisan and internal opposition, Bayes stepping down in late 2011 to run for congress in 2012...

– Bill O’Reilly’s Ascension from the Asphalt: The Harley Brown Story, Borders Books, 2012 edition



MLB COMMISSIONER BUSH TO RETIRE NEXT YEAR

…Commissioner of Baseball George W. Bush today announced his decision to step down from his position early next year, concluding roughly fifteen years as the head of Major League Baseball. Bush, the son-in-law of the late Vice President Richard Nixon and a strong supporter of Alcoholics Anonymous, was the manager of the Houston Astros, the team for which he once played, when he was elected Commissioner in 1994… While it is currently unknown who will be chosen to succeed Bush to the position, several businessmen close to MLB are potential candidates, such as Arturo Moreno, Tom Werner, and Rob Manfred…

– sportsillustrated.co.usa/news, 11/19/2011



…Amid mounting pressure from his state GOP and an increasing likelihood of being impeached or recalled, Arizona Governor Russell K. Pearce has ended his bid for the White House. Stating his decision to bow out was due to, quote, unfair fundraising and donation specifics, unquote, Pearce’s ill-starred long-shot bid was launched this summer, and touted his controversial arresting and/or deportation of hundreds of illegal immigrants in the first four months of his governorship. Pearce, who faces impeachable allegations of misuse of funds and a serious effort by voters to recall him, endorsed a hypothetical Bernie Goetz 2012 candidacy in his statement…

– CBS Evening News, 11/21/2011 broadcast



VOTE FOR HARLEY BROWN

As President, he will...

- Protect state rights by keeping the feds off our land

- Damn political correctness to hell, as it is a steaming dump on our First Amendment right to freedom of speech

- Keep the government out of personal lives and life choices

- Protect all lives, including criminal, animal and fetal

- Assure peace and prosperity in our homes and on the roads

- Restore our national values and preserve our prosperity

Vote for Harley Brown - and Bring America Back!

– text on Harley Brown2012 posters and fliers, first seen in New Hampshire, c. November 2011



HOUSE VOTES DOWN ANTI-ONTECH HARASSMENT BILL

…The proposed Stop Ontech Harassment Act (or “S.O.H.A.,” for short) would have expanded the ability of U.S. law enforcement to combat ontech harassment, including e-stalking and ontech threats of physical harm and other ontech activities. Proponents of the legislation believed the bill, which was introduced earlier this year, would help protect American citizens from ill will, while opponents claimed that it would violate First Amendment rights. “What would be the cutoff? If someone jokes or makes an offhanded remark in an ontech chat forum, are they going to be investigated, maybe even arrested? The implication of the written or typed word can often be misinterpreted, as things can be lost in the translation from thinking or saying something to trying to write it out,” argued US Rep. Jim Inhofe (R-OK). “This law would micromanage the subtleties of our lexicon and in effect monitor our freedom of speech.” With Republicans maintaining majority control of the House, said chamber voted against passing the bill on to the Senate chamber (which is also controlled by the G.O.P.) on nearly bipartisan lines, 241-to-200…

– The Washington Post, 11/29/2011



LET’S FIX AMERICA

– “Lindsey Graham for President” slogan, first used c. December 2011



FORMER GOVERNOR GATEWOOD GALBRAITH HOSPITALIZED FOR EMPHYSEMA

…the popular populist politician’s recent health issues have dimmed prospects of him mounting a third-party campaign for President next year…

– The Louisville Courier, Kentucky newspaper, 12/2/2011



AMERICANA OVERDRIVE, VOL. II: THE BEST OF THE BEST

[pic: imgur.com/DEuvxST.png ]

Premiered: December 3, 2011

Genre(s): action/adventure

Directed by: Tommy Wiseau

Written by: Tommy Wiseau

Produced by: Donald Trump, Tommy Wiseau and Robert S. Herring Sr.

Cast:

Donald Trump as Don Barron

Tommy Wiseau as Tom Whistle

Sarah Heath as Sara Longovia

Herschel Walker as Brock Throckmorton

Mary Carey as Naomi Moore

Ice Cube as Butch Powers

Jon Voight as Millantrong

Freddy Rodriguez as Tinnermann “Boss Tin” Harber

Bill Rancic as Volt Charger

Amy Henry as Anita Mann

R. J. Ritchie as Madison Keithering

Synopsis:

After stopping an evil cult in the first movie, playboys Don and Tom discover a secret cabal of corrupt businessmen bent on world domination, and only Don (and his collection of exploding baseballs), Tom (and his cinema history expertise) and their team of freedom-loving patriots can stop the cabal’s sinister plot.

Reception:

While the first film was universally panned but nevertheless garnered a strong cult following (ironic, given its anti-cult message), this film received mixed reviews by critics, audiences, and fans of the original. As Trump and Wiseau sought to make the film more “polished” and professional-looking than its predecessors, fans disagree on whether or not the creators made the right decision in doubling down on the franchise’s serious tones instead of embracing the unintentionally “wonky Ed Wood style” of Volume 1. Regardless, the film broke even at the box office, it nearly doubling the amount of money put into it after it was released internationally and then onto home video. As a result of this eventually net profit, the creators went forward with their plan to make a third film “to complete the Trump-Wiseau Trilogy,” with the intent of maintaining the serious tone of what was now a film franchise.

Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1: Parts Of The Movie Were Filmed In Kansas To Hide A Misunderstanding (Allegedly)

According to five separate crew members, parts of the movie were filmed in El Dorado, Kansas [3], because co-producer and co-star Donald Trump had a misunderstanding over the small town; he allegedly was under the impression that the mythical city of gold had just been discovered in Kansas, and took his private jet to Kansas to see it. Upon realizing his error, he chose to claim that the visit was to scout out filming locations for the movie, rather than admit that he was mistaken. This (allegedly) lead to the script being rewritten so the villains’ secret base is in an unassuming rural town; the protagonists briefly visit it during the second act and again in a longer scene after the climax of the film. The rest of the movie was shot at Trump Sports Stadium in New York City, Trump Sunrise Tower in Los Angeles, Trump Hotel and Casino in Boston, and at El Campanario, Trump’s private estate in St. Augustine, Florida. Trump has claimed that this backstory on the filming locations is false on multiple occasions.

– mediarchives.co.usa



KELSEY AND HARLEY STAND OUT IN LATEST GOP DEBATE

…Governors Kelsey Grammer and Harley Davidson Brown emerged from tonight’s debate with more attention on them, which, in a crowded field, may help boost their campaign numbers. The two Republicans turned heads two several exchanges between the two of them, during which Brown spat out several “Sanderisms” such as “Blast it all!” and “Well ain’t that the lemon callin’ the dandelion yeller!” Brown also channeled The Colonel psychically, turning an apoplectic shade of red at the height of a heated exchange between him and Grammer on the issue of Federal Aid Dividends, which may end up on California’s ballots next November via a state initiative.

“Libertarians believe in cutting out the middleman and letting the people themselves pay for what the people want and need,” Brown said at one point. “Libertarianism is having faith in fellow Americans; it is not having faith in the federal bureaucracy. Having a country that has well-fed, well-educated, and healthy citizens requires no more than federal suggestions, not red tape from the ‘Blueball Party,’” Brown espoused with another one of his ‘Harleyisms’...

– The Idaho Statesman, 12/4/2011



LEBANON ELECTION RESULTS: Hung Parliament Leaves Factions In Disarray

…the lack of a quorum most likely means that the Presidency of Lebanon will remain vacant until the next regularly-scheduled Presidential election, which will be held in mid-20212…

– The Daily Telegraph, 5/12/2011



…Over at U.N. headquarters in New York City, Surakiart Sathirathai of Thailand has been selected to succeed the retiring Kofi Annan as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations…

– BBC News, 6/12/2011 broadcast



“When I was a kid I used to play army all the time. ‘Bang, I got you.’ ‘No, bang, I got you.’ I could never once remember one incidence of my childhood when I played politician.”

“I’m a modest guy but I’ve got to say I’m the best guy for the job of President; I’m shown time and again that’s I’m a great leader.”

“I used to drive taxis in Boise…at night, and I picked up my fair share of the gay community and they have true love for one another I’m tellin’ you, they love each other more than I love my motorcycle… they’re just as American as a medal of honor winner…I know I’m not talking like a Republican, but, uh, eh!”

“I served in the Mud Marines, the Seabees, during Angola, and I was out of the service for over ten years, but I re-enlisted and I went back in just as tension with North Korea was building up. And I played a major role in bringing down that dictatorship. You’re welcome, America!”

“I’m more than just a Governor. I’m a father, a husband, and I’m a biker. And, you know, bikers like me are cop magnets. They pull us over without probable cause, and they got the sniffin’ dogs, and, uh, they harass us even when we’re not flying our colors. But I’ve led the effort to get rid of the stereotype that all bikers are hoodlums. Most bikers are lovers of freedom and respect the law. Maybe not all speed limits, but most bikers salute the brave men and women that protect and defend us. And as President, I will protect the thin blue line between chaos and order, just like I’ve done as Governor – and I did that without increasing police brutality or racist policies, either. So checkmate, Jesse Jackson!”

“The GOP isn’t perfect, but I agree with their general attack plan: lower taxes, less government, individual freedom and responsibility, and blue-collar values.”

– Gov. Harley Davidson Brown (R-ID), candidate for President, at several of campaign rallies, 12/7-19/2011 [4]



GARY JOHNSON: “Thomas Jefferson once said that ‘Government is best which governs the least, because its people will discipline themselves.’ I think he was on to something.”

STAN JONES: “I keep citing the tenth amendment because of how it is both vitally important and tragically overlooked. The tenth amendment states that anything not at the federal level devolves to the state level, thus letting the states carry more of the responsibilities of governing, because centralization brings uniformity and order, but it also makes for a lumbering bureaucracy too overwhelmed by the responsibilities of a third of billion American lives to function properly. All 52 states is too heavy of a burden for the federal government to carry on its back without turning the federal government into a totalitarian state, and I’m talking police state, and under a fourth Jackson-Wellstone term, a socialist police state.”

RANDY BROCK: “Governor Johnson, I agree that we need to replace the tax system in place today, but we need to replace it with a National Sales Tax of no more than 10% in order to resolve inequities without violating the BBA. Your proposed retail consumption tax, however, would discourage consumer spending because 20% is too high; it’s too much to ask from the American workers who would not benefit from the dismantling of things like estate taxes and corporate income taxes. You’d just be shifting the tax burden and placing more of it onto the lower classes.”

E. W. JACKSON: “Libertarians support the private sector, but they should not oppose the public sector, for that is where communities are born. People are not feudalistic landlords with homes surrounded by moats – all across America, you can find neighbors who care about each other, who attend community activities and share in the benefits of neighborhood identity, and that sense of community, of belonging to a group, help form the bonds of unity that, in the paraphrased words of Colonel Sanders, make us one big country, and not fifty-two little ones.”

WILLIAM WELD: “We have to streamline the regulatory process in order to reduce wasted time and wasted expenses. This would encourage current and future business ventures and keep the economy afloat.”

SPENCER BACHUS: “As President I will back farm-to-table promotion efforts. I will admit, I’ve actually praised Agriculture Secretary McGovern for doing this, yes, but he promoted them in a bureaucratic way. As President, I’d promote them in a patriotic way.”

KELSEY GRAMMER: “We have to stop being the party of ‘No.’ While his crackdowns on excessive government overreach are admirable, his lack of solutions is disappointing. Frankly, I find it embarrassing that House Speaker Dorgan can’t offer workable alternatives to the President’s proposals. We have to be more hopeful, uplifting and encouraging as a party. Oppose less, support more. Don’t oppose war, support peace. Don’t oppose immigrants, support helping the economies of other countries so their citizens don’t have to move here. Don’t oppose recreadrugs, support responsible use and moderation, like how one does with beer or guns. Don’t oppose necessary social programs, support cracking down on wasteful spending. That’s how I’ve governed as, well, as governor, and that’s how I’ll preside as President.”

– Snippets from the GOP Presidential primary debate in Frederick, MD, 12/21/2011

[pic: imgur.com/St5SSZ1.png ]

– Governor and Presidential candidate Gary Johnson (R-NM) in the aforementioned Republican primary debate, 12/21/2011



GOETZ FLOATS IDEA OF ANOTHER WHITE HOUSE BID AS EITHER A BOULDERITE OR A REPUBLICAN

…the former Senator remarked “One party says they’re the Party of All Americans, the other says they’re the Party of Real Americans. Shouldn’t this race be about All Real Americans?” ...The Boulder Party, who uses the image of a Bald Eagle as its symbol, is currently the third largest political party in the US in terms of registered voters. The fourth largest political party in the US is the Liberty Party, which has a griffin for its mascot (symbolizing the party’s alleged diversity), and the fifty largest is the Green Party, which uses a sunflower, and, sometime, an image of Eagle, as its symbol. …The emergence of yet another Goetz candidacy could upend this race, and if he opts to again run as a Boulderite, it is very possible that his presence in the race either will spoil the election by stripping populists from the GOP, or will deadlock the election and send it the race to the House. However, it very well may all depend on who the GOP primary voters select in next year’s Republican primaries; in other words, the composition of the race hinges on exactly who gets nominated…

– The Washington Post, 12/30/2011



“…The US Supreme Court has ruled in the case of Thompson v. Miller County that for the purposes of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1962, discrimination on the basis of transgender status is also ‘discrimination because of sex.’ …the US Attorney General today also clarified that the federal government may make its own determination of sex classification for federally issued documentation regardless of legal sex classification at the state and territorial level…”

– ABC News, 1/3/2012 broadcast



KELSEY GRAMMER: “People, I will not go into a long and tedious screed to deride my opponents and their inferior proposals, for their netsites speak for themselves. Instead, I will inform you of my administrative accomplishments. Since entering the office of Governor of California, crime has gone down, the job rate has gone up, taxes have lowered, the standard of living has gone up, government corruption has gone down, and the Salton Sea’s waterline has gone up.”

ROCKY RACZKOWSKI: “Are you a politician or a roller coaster – up, down, up, down – you doing the audiobook of Seesaw: The Movie over there?”

MODERATOR: “Senator, please wait your turn.”

[snip]

SPENCER BACHUS: “This past year demonstrated how bad Democrats are at balancing budgets. They’re irresponsible behavior must come to an end on January 20, 2013.”

[snip]

HARLEY BROWN: “The key to giving people their right to self-determination of their own destiny and the freedom to choose what they want to do with the property of the people is to give state lands back to the people, yeah, out of the hands of the Feds. And I have a plan of attack for that, because I’ve got a master’s in raising hell.”

[snip]

KAY GRANGER: “No matter who wins the nomination, every candidate in this race has to agree that the best way to win in November is to maintain a united front, advance Republican priorities, and stand firm against the far-reaching and dangerous policies that would be implemented under a second term of President Wellstone.”

– Snippets from the GOP Presidential primary debate in Concord, NH, 1/10/2012



…For example, a January 2012 Gallup poll found Support for Gay Marriage (which many considered to be “old news” due to it being legal nationwide nearly a decade by then) among Republicans to be 75%, among Independents to be 72%, and among Democrats to be 92%. To some observers, these were some surprisingly low figures suggesting some form of backlash from and by socially conservative citizens...

– Brandon Teena’s The Rise of BLUTAG Rights: The Story of the Bi-Lesbian-Undefined-Trans-Asexual-Gay Movement, Scholastic, 2019



SOCIALIST BUSINESSMAN RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR CALLS FOR “HOLDING CAPITALISM ACCOUNTABLE”

… Lloyd Havaw Reese, a reclusive businessman, investor, and entrepreneur is running for Governor of Montana on a socialist platform, calling for a “strong central government,” the “state of Montana to control its own roads, mines, forests, rivers, farms and dams,” for all tourists to “pay more for the privilege of visiting,” and for “wealthy Montanans to pay their fair share.” Mr. Reese, who has never run for public office before, is mounting an officially independent campaign that also calls for the pardoning of all non-violent criminal to “restore dignity and the concept of forgiveness to our great state’s justice system.”

Reese is an enigmatic figure. There seems to be no publicly available information about his life prior to him moving to Missoula sometime in the late 1980s or early 1990s, after which point he became an accountant. In 1997, in opposition to the Dinger administration’s War on Recreadrugs, Reese began his own newsletter; his writings expanded on to other political issues in 1999, with Reese endorsing Senator Diamondstone in the Democratic primaries of 2000 and 2004. In his latest newsletter, the mysterious and camera-shy Reese, known best for his newsletters having a “witty” and “mellow vibe” to them [5], stated his reason for running “now, after so many years of just writing about public office” is to “put my money where my mouth is.” Reese believes “Wellstone does not represent true socialism; I do.” However, seems honest enough to admit that he is not running to win; he is not even running an active campaign at the moment, with his campaign netsite claiming that he “want to be the protest candidate of the people of Montana.”…

[pic: imgur.com/340PKN3.png ]

Above: Lloyd Havaw Reese in an earlier, undated photograph released by his campaign

– The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Montana newspaper, 1/17/2012



OPPOSITION LEADER GEORGE ROGERS MAKES NEW PROMISES TO BLUE TORIES IN PC PARTY

…with the support of fellow Jamaican-Canadian Michaelle Jean, an MP from Montréal on friendly terms with McTeer and the former leader of the now-defunct Maple Party, opposition leader George Rogers has approved of more moderate policies for the PC platform ahead of next year’s general election…

– The Toronto Star, Canadian newspaper, 19/1/2012



…New Hampshire was pivotal to most, but not all, of the GOP Presidential hopefuls. Naturally, Kelley Ashby needed to win her home state, but her hold of the Granite State was not guaranteed. Weld, from the adjacent state of Massachusetts, had the potential to win it away from her; Brown, Grammer, Hillyard, Romney, and even Ramsey were seemingly within striking distance as well, as polling continued to fluctuate without a clear indication of who truly was gaining momentum as the primary date approached.

The pre-primary debates seemed to be of no help, with few candidates being capable of actually making a lasting impression of the voters…

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



“Globalization – you know, doing international trade without certain tariffs, restrictions, fees, passport-related things, and other stuff – is a two-way street. In one lane is the fact that it can expose non-American citizens abroad to the benefits of unionizing and the democratic principles behind American-made products. But in the other lane, going backward at 110 miles-an-hour, is the fact that it also exposes America’s leading businessmen to the benefits of tapping into non-union labor found abroad!”

– Gov. Harley Davidson Brown (R-ID) at a Presidential campaign rally, 1/29/2012



SNL: CHRIS FARLEY NAILS IT AS HARLEY BROWN IN LAST NIGHT’S EPISODE

…returning as a special guest star, actor Chris Farley joined the series’ current regulars in the episode’s opening sketch, which parodied the crowded GOP primary field, with bits such as the venue running out of podiums, and Hudson Holliday (played by Jason Sudeikis) getting into an arm-wrestling contest with Harley Brown…

– usarightnow.co.usa/entertainment, 2/6/2012 e-article



“…the US Department of Agriculture has announced that it has closed a contaminated slaughterhouse and meat-packaging plant in Holdrege, Nebraska, after trace amounts of E-coli were discovered, quote, ‘all along railings, assembly lines, and work stations,’ unquote. …Legislation giving the Department of Agriculture the power to shut down meat-handling locations that continually breach basic health standards was passed in 2005, after years of lobbying by allies of then-Secretary Jim McGovern. …One member of the department told us she was ‘grateful that the department’s routine inspections caught the pathogen before it too late to stop deliveries…”

– NBC News, 2/9/2012 broadcast



“…while former Governor Bart Gordon is still polling below 10% in Democratic primary polling, he still claims that he can pull off an upset in New Hampshire, telling us that even if he doesn’t win the first-in-the-nation primary, coming close will still demonstrate the appeal and electability of his candidacy…”

– CBS Evening News, political correspondent, 2/12/2012 report



…While Republicans of all factions expressed the same general message – that, after twelve years of Democratic rule, new and better leadership was required – they each shared differing ideas as to what the better alternative would be. Meanwhile, Wellstone’s inner circle, both in communication HQ in DC and at the campaign’s unofficial messaging HQ in Minneapolis, seemed unable to come up with a phrase or slogan to summarize the need for a second Wellstone term; most of the campaign ads, when broken down, essentially translated into say “Let the Good Times Get Even Better,” without offering any deeper substance…

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



“I am just sick and tired of establishment politicians sitting around and doing nothing but speech, speech, speech, fundraiser, fundraiser, fundraiser, while there are people in this country that are foodless, jobless, and yes, even homeless. They need help, and the government can be there for them. But right now, the people in control of the government, the same politicians who were in congress ten, twenty, thirty years ago and now are still in congress, they can help their fellow Americans, but they don’t. And we need to fix that. When you good people go the polls on Tuesday, March 6, you will be taking the first steps to fixing that very problem. You will be taking the first steps to fixing what is wrong with America!”

– Gov. Kelsey Grammer (R-CA), 2/25/2012



…With only a week left until the New Hampshire primaries, President Wellstone is expected to easily defeat challenger Bart Gordon, while the Republican primary still has no clear frontrunner [6]…

– CBS Evening News, 2/27/2012 broadcast



“Will you make a last-minute entry into the Presidential race?”

“I’ll decide after New Hampshire.”

– former Sen. Bernie Goetz (R-CO) and a reporter, 2/28/2012



SOURCE(S)/NOTE(S)

[1] According to his wiki article, Gordon voted against both the Affordable Care Act of 2009 and the Matthew Shepard and the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009.

[2] Verbatim from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Fuels_Protection_Act

[3] Real place: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado,_Kansas

[4] Italicized segments are from OTL and were found here:

youtube.com/watch?v=8k8P8-KViME

[5] He was last mentioned in Chapter 61 as having mellowed in his later years, so his writing would not be so fiery at this point. Also: Other possible alias I considered but rejected for this bit: Ward Haloy Leeves, Ward Leevo Halsey, Howard Aye Levels, Dave Yeel Harlows, Harley Dave Welos, Reed Voyal Whales, Dellwar Soy Aheve, Weaver Yes LaHold, Harold Veele Sway, Asher LeVow Adley, Aldo Wever Halsey, Aldo Ysleh Weaver, Everly Waleso Head, Dave Hale Rowsley, Harold Avey Elwes, Roy Valdas Hewell, Dawes Olvy Healer, Deyes Harevo Wall, Davey Earl Howles, Wes Voyehe Allard, Olav Deleh Sawyer, Wesley Dave Harlo, Dave Orahey Wells, Wes Vaharey Odell, Vlad Aleso Wheery, Harold Les Weavy, Yale Hervol Dawes, Vlad Reyes Howell, Erol Halvey Dawes, and Halley Dos Weaver, Avery Odelle Shaw, Halsey E. Loveward, Asher Alloy DeVew, Roy Wave LeShalde, Asher Voy DeWalle, Harold Vey Llawes, Reese D. V. Halloway, and Shaw Learey Volde.



[6] Speaking of which, ahead of the 2012 GOP primaries, here’s a preference poll for y’all!: https://www.strawpoll.me/42514676

And here’s a quick breakdown of all 30 candidates, both officially running and likely to run, found on the poll:

US Sen. Kelley Ashby of New Hampshire, age 49 – Growing up an Air Force brat during the 1970s, Ashby’s connections to military families may help counter her isolationist views; an establishment-friendly moderate libertarian, Ashby served in the state senate for eight years before entering office in 2009; Ashby has been critical of the President’s domestic policies despite herself implementing a “First Step” for ex-cons in her home state in 2010.

US Sen. Spencer Bachus of Alabama, age 65 – A “Country Conservative” who hopes to appeal to the fiscally and socially conservative within the party, Bachus was on Snowe’s VP shortlist in 2008; recent rhetoric suggests that he may be aiming to be the leading candidate of the religious right, despite his lengthy Senate record and current campaign messaging showing that his primary concern for now is promoting financial responsibility.

Gov. Rupert Boneham of Indiana, age 48 – Boneham started out as a “Special Ed” teacher in rural Texas before founding an after-school program that taught vocational skills and offered emotional support to at-risk youth in Indiana; a proud “Hoosier by choice,” Boneham was successfully drafted by the INGOP to run for a state house seat in 2002, and surprised analysts by winning election to the governorship six years later; a backer of the creed “minimum government, maximum freedom,” he is foregoing a re-election bid to try and bring his experience and “gentle giant” demeanor to the White House.

US Sen. Randy Brock of Ohio, age 69 – Brock was born in Philadelphia and earned two bronze stars as a veteran of the War in Cambodia; he became state auditor in 2005, was appointed to the US Senate in 2009, and won a full term in 2010; Brock, an African-American with regional appeal, is socially conservative but is focusing his campaign on fiscal issues such as debt and curbing inflation in order to ensure economic stability in the 2010s.

Dallas Mayor David O’Neal Brown of Texas, 52 – In office since 2009, David Brown, an African-American, gained national attention in the late 2000s for his police precinct reforms while Dallas’ Police Chief (in office 2001-2009); previously a police officer from 1983 to 2001, Brown, as Chief, reduced violent confrontations between police and citizens during his tenure via reforms; while some conservatives have called him “weak” for discouraging violence and being one of the first Police Chiefs in the US to mandate officer use of body cameras, his “tough guy” image and conservative mayoral record could make him the GOP Bellamy, in that he could ascend from a mayorship to the Presidency.

Gov. Harley Davidson Brown of Idaho, age 58 – One of the most colorful candidates in the race, Harley Brown started off in the military, serving in multiple positions before retiring from the Marines at the rank of Commander; Brown then served as a US Congressman (2001-2003) and the Mayor of Nampa, Idaho (2004-2007) before election to the governorship in 2006; well-known for being an ardent and passionate supporter and defender of the BLUTAG community since the 1980s, long before it was a politically popular position for a Republican to hold, Brown is an unapologetic populist and supporter for religious freedom, personal freedom, and the Armed Forces, and has proven himself to have leadership skills in times of crisis time and again.

Mr. Robert John “The Naked Cowboy” Burck of New York, age 42 – The street performer, singer/songwriter, political activist (former Wide-Awake), and staple of New York City’s tourist hotspots, Burck, best known for wearing seemingly nothing while playing his guitar, was the Independence Party nominee for Mayor of NYC in 2009 and for Governor in 2010, and surprised pundits by winning 7.6% of the vote in the former and 4.8% of the vote in the latter on a populist anti-establishment platform; he believes he can unite the party’s factions together by focusing on bread-and-butter issues as well as discussing fiscal, religious, and social concerns of the day; some are calling him a “Discount Toby Keith.”

US Sen. Norma Burgos of Puerto Rico, age 70 – With over twenty years of political experience on her resume, Burgos believes she has what it takes to win the primaries and general election; with a campaign focused on community development, such as improving Americans’ technet accessibility in all 52 states and cutting down on wasteful spending, she possibly could win over undecided and Democrat-leaning Catholic voters, as well as women and minority voters.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, age 59 – Chafee, the son of a former US Senator, was the Mayor of Warwick from 1993 to 2005 before being elected Governor in 2006; politically all over the map, with some Republicans labeling him a LID (“Liberal In Disguise”) and libertarians calling him a hypocrite for opposing federal tax revenue reductions during the mid-2000s and for only recently announcing disapproval of the War on Recreadrugs; nevertheless, Chafee believes that he can win over former Snowe supporters due to divided opposition and with the messages of unity and fiscal responsibility.

Fmr US Sen. Bernie Goetz of Colorado, age 65 (unofficial) – A draft effort is underway to re-nominate the controversial populist; despite many Republicans blaming him for costing the GOP victory in 2004 and 2008, others are impressed by his strong and loyal base, and by his showing as a third-party candidate in 2008; if he receives enough support, there may be another candidate in the primaries backing small government and “a more pro-American” foreign policy.

Fmr Gov. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, age 57 – Often accused of having no political ideology, of being a political “chameleon,” changing his “colors” to whichever political positions are popular at the time, Graham, who was considered for the position of Snowe’s running mate in 2008, is currently trying to be the candidate of the Religious Right; he is currently running more on ideology than experience, as his final years in office (he served from 2003 to 2011) were particularly unpopular for him balancing the state budget to the detriment of low-income residents.

Fmr US Rep. Phil Gramm of Texas, age 70 – A member of the US House from 1979 to 1987, Gramm has since become a billionaire oil businessman, conservative activist, and semi-retired corporate lobbyist; Gramm’s deep pockets could potentially financially benefit the party in the Presidential and down-ballot races; Grimm also argues that he could keep Texas securely in the GOP column in the face of rising pro-Democrat trends in the Lone Star State.

Gov. Kelsey Grammer of California, age 57 – Mounting an “umbrella” campaign of unity that just might appeal to libertarians, moderates and perhaps even some populists, Grammer, the former TV and film actor, best known for his role as Frasier Crane in the TV shows Cheers (1982-1997) and Frasier (1993-2004), has won accolades from both major parties for his tenure as Governor, working with both parties to improve the quality of life in both urban and rural areas, from reducing recreadrug-related crime to shifting tax burdens to beginning a process meant to repair the Salton Sea; he is currently a top-tier candidate in regards to polling and fundraising.

US Sen. Kay Granger of Texas, age 70 – With “Country Conservative” appeal, this “Colonel Conservative” right-of-center politician is a defender of “necessary abortion” being federally funded and backs stem-cell research, but also supports making it a crime to physically desecrate the American flag; she appears convinced that she can win the early Nevada and New Hampshire primaries by appealing to fiscally-conscious and western voters.

Bartlett Mayor Tre Hargett of Tennessee, age 45 – Previously a state representative from 1996 to 2006, Hargett cites Bellamy’s own ascension in 1988 whenever the legitimacy of his candidacy is questions; he claims that a Hargett Administration would reflect the issues that he has already tackled at the mayoral level, such as promoting small businesses, organizing emergency services, defending public and private use of the Confederate flag, and signing controversial legislation “defending the integrity of our elections” into law.

US Sen. Lyle Hillyard of Utah, age 72 – Almost chosen to be Snowe’s running mate in 2008, the “Heart of the Senate” has worked with Democrats on landmark mental health bills in order to address a plethora of ailments, from recreadrug addiction to Down Syndrome, the latter of which afflicts his son; a Mormon who is centering his candidacy around issues concerning commerce and education, Hillyard’s “campaign of compassion” could unite the party.

Gov. Hudson Holliday of Mississippi, age 68 – Elected in 2007 in response to his effective overseeing of post-Katrina relief efforts, Hudson, a retired Major General of the Mississippi Army National Guard, made national headlines in 2009 for his controversial and militaristic (but effective) handling of a White Nationalist rally-turned-riot in Yazoo City; he is running on the principles of law-and-order, “loving and fearing God,” and following the “orders” of the Constitution to a T, and yet, he is still not the most populist-conservative candidate in the race.

Fmr Gov. E. W. Jackson of Virginia, age 61 – Serving a controversial term from 2006 to 2010, the Baptist bishop, a great-grandson of slaves, has also previously served as a Marine Corps corporal, theologian, lecturer, lawyer, and preacher; his experience fighting with the FCC while serving as the manager and host of a gospel/talk radio show/station in Baltimore in the early 1990s cemented his pro-free market stances and led to him leaving the Democratic party in the 1990s; a heavily religious man who is trying to be the leading candidate of the Religious Right (but is failing to win over certain members of that faction), he is an African-American who prefers being called an “an American of African descent.”

Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico, age 60 – After serving as the pro-marijuana Mayor of Albuquerque in the 1990s and then being elected Governor twice, the 2008 GOP VP nominee believes that 2012 is the time for libertarianism to shine; impressively athletic, anti-war (but not isolationist), and calling for FairTax legislation to simplify the tax code by replacing income, payroll, gift and estate taxes with a single retail consumption tax, Johnson is currently considered to be a top-tier candidate and the leader of the Republican Party’s libertarian faction, now one of the largest subdivisions of the GOP.

US Sen. Stan Jones of Montana, age 70 – Business-oriented and anti-abortion, this otherwise hard-core libertarian wants to crack down on government overreach, improve federal transparency, and let other countries contribute more to “monitoring worldwide affairs to lift the burden of globalism off the backs of American workers, soldiers and taxpayers;” he says is skin discoloration highlights his commitment to self-treatment/home-remedy healthcare.

US Rep. Fred Karger of California, age 62 – A member of the US House since 1999, this openly gay and ethnically Jewish moderate Republican was previously a high-profile lawyer in the 1990s, and worked as a political consultant on the campaigns of Presidents Denton, Iacocca and Dinger; he also worked as an actor in the 1970s, most prominently in a recurring role on the TV series “Horshack!,” a short-lived spinoff of “Welcome Back, Kotter”; he has locked horns with the Mormon Church in the past; Karger is focusing his campaign on lowering the voting age to 16, curbing wasteful spending, and improving education.

Mr. Toby Keith of Oklahoma, age 51 – The nationally-known country music singer-songwriter, actor, and record producer was a conservative Democrat less than a year ago, but has converted to the GOP in opposition to Wellstone’s foreign policy; a populist with clear “Country Conservative” appeal, Keith believes America needs to be stronger on the world stage, both militarily and trade-wise, and needs to reform its policies concerning education and illegal immigration.

State sen. Joseph Wayne “Joe” Miller of Kansas, age 45 – A hard-core libertarian and a fierce defender of the US Constitution’s Tenth Amendment, this Kansas-born state politician, in office since 2005, previously served the Second Korean War in a US Army tank platoon; he returned home with a Bronze Star and unsuccessfully ran for the US House in 2000 and 2002; Miller is running on a platform that includes ending farm subsidies and reducing foreign aid.

US Sen. Andrew “Rocky” Raczkowski of Michigan, age 44 – A nearly-jingoistic veteran calling for “a stronger national defense,” who opposes recreadrug legalization efforts and “oppressive regulatory red tape” concerning education and the markets, but supports term limits and investing in green energy in order to repurpose closing factories across the midwest, he seems to be trying to win the populist mantle away from the likes of Goetz and Harley Brown.

Gov. Dave Ramsey of Tennessee, age 52 – Only in office since January 2011, this former financial consultant and commentator has governed rather conservatively and without major controversy; his business-oriented campaign could appeal to voters more concerned about fiscal than social issues despite him being a well-known culturally-conservative Evangelical Christian; he has already been endorsed by the likes of Ron Paul and Rev. Dale Huckabee.

Fmr Gov. Ronna Romney of Michigan, age 69 – A moderate libertarian whose last Presidential campaign, and tenure as governor, were more conservative-leaning than her current White House bid, this member of the political Romney family is the wealthiest candidate in the race; she calling for what she calls “economic patriotism,” which is a plan to cut taxes for the wealthy on a scale where the size of their cut reflects the number of Americans on their payroll.

US Rep. Dino Rossi of Washington, age 53 – A state senator from 1997 to 2003, Rossi, who is of Irish, Tlingit and Italian ancestry, has been serving in the lower chamber since 2003, and is proud of the work he has done on the Ways and Means Committee; he is running for President on a rather moderate platform that criticizes Wellstone’s alleged inability to “form a functioning government” with the GOP-held chambers of congress, and claims that he can work across the aisle to find solutions to the nation’s budgetary issues.

Gov. Karl Rove of Utah, age 62 – Aspiring to carry the conservative beacon to victory in November 2012, Rove is foregoing running for a second term to champion fiscal responsibility; Rove, who graduated from the University of Utah and served as the Chair of the College Republicans from 1973 to 1977, worked as a political consultant for years before putting himself into the politician’s shoes, but has been criticized for anti-welfare actions and many gaffes.

Gov. Mary Starrett of Oregon, age 58 – Elected in 2006 on an anti-war platform, her support of free markets may appeal to libertarians while her opposition to “unnecessary abortion” could win over members of the Religious Right; while very conservative in the past, this former media personality has governed in a moderate manner, and so may be able to bridge the divide between those two factions of the party, provided she avoid making any more gaffes.

US Sen. William Floyd “Bill” Weld of Massachusetts, age 67 – Running to the left of his party may work in his favor this time, as the moderate politician (in office since 1991) positions himself to be a successor of sorts to the Snowe campaign of 2008, which performed much better than the populist Goetz campaigns of 2004 and 2008; his platform and policies may appeal to fiscally conservative Democrats and independents, but competing in the primaries of an increasingly conservative party may still pose quite the challenge for him and his campaign.

 

[gap80]

Post 95: Chapter 103



Chapter 103: March 2012 – July 2012

“The best thing to make out of an enemy is a friend”

– Martin Luther King Jr. (OTL)



…The extent of influence the Hannon family had within Finger Lickin’ Good, Inc. came to a head in early 2012, when rumors began circulating that CEO Mary Lolita Hannon was considering stepping down in favor of her son, William Kirk Hannon, being her successor.

Bill Hannon (b. 1964), like his family, owned a large number of KFC restaurants in Mississippi before moving up the corporate ladder, even before his mother was elected CEO; he had been in charge of all KFC outlets in the American South since 2009. If the stories of this business maneuver were true, it would mean KFC Head Executive David Novak and KFC R&D leader Adrien McNaughton would be passed over for the position despite them having higher seniority and deeper ties to the company. Novak had been a company loyalist since assuming his then-current position in 2000, and McNaughton had been credited with both leading efforts to innovate the company’s drive-thru and delivery features and developing new menu offerings at a time when KFC's domestic sales were in dire straits. Bill Hannon, on the other hand, had overseen further expansion of the company in its “heartland” region, with there being an estimated 1 KFC location for every 50 residents in the states of Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky, and with more locations expected to open as the year progressed. Further, Hannon disagreed with Novak's idea of expanding the company's operation in Africa, believing that that market was too risky and unstable to enter. This hesitation appealled to some within the company hierarchy, but at the same time also reminded other company veterans of the cautious, and subsequently disastrous (allegedly), years of Herman Cain as the company's CEO.

Concurrently, discussion over the merits to claims that the aging Mary Hannon would retire soon only raised tension and concern of how the future of the company would unfold…

[pic: imgur.com/B6mX7ts.png ]

Above: William Kirk Hannon

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



WELD CRISSCROSSING NH IN 11TH-HOUR EFFORT TO RAISE CAMPAIGN PROSPECTS

– 273towin.co.usa, 3/3/2012 “e-alert”



…With a slim plurality of the vote, Governor Grammer has won the Republican Presidential primary in New Hampshire, with Governor Harley Brown coming in a surprise second place, write-in candidate Bernie Goetz coming in third, and New Hampshire’s own Governor, Kelley Ashby, receiving fourth place. All other candidates, including fifth-place finisher Gary Johnson and sixth-place finisher Stan Jones, have appeared to have received no more than a 5% slice of the vote apiece. On the other side of the political aisle, President Wellstone predictably defeated moderate challenger Bart Gordon in the Democratic primary in New Hampshire, with Wellstone receiving roughly 91% and Gordon receiving only 6 or 7% of the vote, and the rest of the vote being scattered among several minor candidates on the New Hampshire primary ballot…

– CBS Evening News, 3/6/2012 broadcast



ASHBY, WELD DROP OUT AFTER DISAPPOINTING NH LOSS, BOTH ENDORSE GRAMMER

...Ashby also announced that she would not run for a third term as Governor of the Granite state...

– The Boston Globe, 3/7/2012



GOETZ: “I’M IN!”

…With the comment “A strong third-place finish is all the evidence I need to know that the Republican voters want me to enter this race,” Bernie Goetz has launched his third bid for the Presidency, with conservative populism being the central theme of his campaign. …Time is not on the former US Senator’s side, as the several deadlines for making it onto the upcoming primary ballots have already come and gone. Fortunately for his supporters, the next several state contests do allow and recognize write-in candidates, and the upcoming Nevada caucus does not require any ballot registration to function, either…

– The Denver Post, 3/7/2012



LINDSEY GRAHAM WINS PEACH STATE WITH 42%; WELLSTONE BESTS GORDON 85%-10%

...last-minute entrant Bernie Goetz came in a surprise third place via write-in votes, ahead of Harley Davidson Brown but just shy of besting Kelsey Grammar for second place. …Mayor David O'Neal Brown’s campaign is also experiencing a surge in support due to his "middle way" approach to the issue of police precinct reform appealing to suburban voters...

– The Ledger-Enquirer, Georgia newspaper, 3/13/2012



DOUGLAS WALKER

Actor, voice-actor, writer

Background: Mount Tacoma High School (2000), B.A. degree from Seattle Central College (2004), one semester at UCLA (2005, did not graduate)

Early Biography:

Douglas Darius Walker was born in Naples, Italy on November 17, 1981, to a US Navy serviceman. Due to his father’s military occupation and Walker’s birth amid the Libyan War of the early 1980s, he lived in Naples until he was five, and then lived in several places in the US as a “military brat” until graduating from high school in Tacoma, Washington. His early upbringing led to him learning how to make people laugh in order to make friends quickly before his family moved again; this upbringing inspired him to pursue an acting career.

Walker’s acting debut was in a small role in an episode of the TV series “Star Trek: Liftoff” in 2005; soon after, he obtained a writing assistant position for Paramount in 2006. In 2011, after playing bit parts in several films, often as “a poor man’s Jim Carrey.” Walker received praise for his performance as a hyperactive demolitions expert in an episode of the animated series “Tales from New New York,” and soon after was hired for a recurring role on the T.O.N. animated series “As Green As The Sky” (2010-2015).

Starting in 2012, Walker began working on multiple independent films, collaborating with the likes of Steven Soderbergh, Brad Jones, and Nicole Holofcener; he left Paramount later that year…

– mediarchives.co.usa/profiles



AZERBAIJAN THREATENS WAR WITH TURKESTAN OVER OIL FIELDS

…the ACG oil fields rest in the middle of the southern half of the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan’s economy relies heavily on the Shah Deniz natural gas field to the south, but now their government is claiming that the ACG fields should be shared between the two nations. “Given that our two countries have similar population sizes, it is unfair for the U.T. to own not only the field in question, but an overwhelming majority of the Caspian Sea oil,” the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the Ukraine said earlier today, referring to other offshore fields in the Caspian Sea such as the Cheleken Contract Area, the Kashagan Oil Fields and the Tengiz fields in the northern half of the sea – all of which are controlled by United Turkestan. “We only demand what is the right thing to demand, and we will have it met one way or another.”

Oil refineries, natural gas processing plants, and ambiguous maritime boundaries are playing key roles behind the escalation of hostility over this regional dispute…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 20/3/2012



…The March 21 Nevada caucus was the boost Goetz’s campaign needed. As the compact “cluster” of primaries scheduled for April approached, the surprise win in the Silver State helped him garner momentum in the polls, making the election appear to be a six-man race between Goetz, Grammer, Graham, Johnson, and both of the Browns, as other candidates continued to poll below five percent…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



…animators Craig McCracken and Gennady Tartakovsky began work on the Popeye the Sailor reboot series (2015-2019) in 2012, roughly three years after the Whoop-Ass Girls (1997-2009) had finished production, and one year after the finale of The Misadventures of No-Neck Joe And Robot Rick (2003-2011)…

– clickopedia.co.usa [1]



...In the debate held ahead of the Maryland primary, Goetz once again stole the show. His call for the impeachment of President Wellstone for “oppression of the masses” through high taxation received raucous applause from many in the audience.
Lindsey Graham continued to stick to his Religious Right rhetoric, believing that this brand of conservatism was what allowed him to win the Georgia primary. …Trying to win the moderate mantle amid many contenders muddling through a crowded and diverse field of candidates, Grammer noted, “You know, in all the years I worked on Frasier, there’s one thing that’s always stuck with me, that I’ve tried to incorporate into my life and my tenure as Governor. And that’s one simple phrase; ‘I’m listening’ [2]. It’s why I launched my campaign by saying, ‘Good evening, America, this is Governor Kelsey Grammar, I’m listening.’ And I hear you, America. I hear you and your disgust at D.C. for political fat cats not exactly doing any favors for Americans for the past many years. I hear your call for a government that works better, a government and leadership in D.C. that works for the people instead of for special interest groups. I heard those same things in California, and when so I became Governor, I answered. I responded with improving business, transportation, homeownership and taxation, defending the good people of The Golden State with sensible laws. This is the governing leadership and success that I will bring to the White House.”

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



…In tonight’s Presidential primary contests in Maryland, Governor Grammer has edged out rising stars David O’Brown and Bernie Goetz to win the latest Republican primary, while on in the Democratic contest, President Wellstone has easily bested challenger Bart Gordon…

– KNN, 3/27/2012 news broadcast



On the evening of March 28, Goetz sat in the back of his campaign bus with longtime advisor Terry Nichols and three interns to discuss campaign strategy. “We have to bombard the primaries with as many ads as possible,” Nichols proclaimed, “We didn’t build up a war chest over the past four years for nothing.” Nichols knew that the April primaries were the make-or-break moment for Goetz candidacy. “With the moderates divided and hypothetical polling suggesting that the populist wing will rally behind you if you blow the rest of them out of the water, now is the most critical time.”

Goetz could be seen nodding in agreement as he slouched over the small table, the highway seemingly whizzing past the windows. “There’s no way Brown, Keith, Burck or that Polack guy will do better than us. We’ll sweep up enough delegates to clinch the nomination by the end of May.”

Nichols contemplated, “Hm, if we had entered the new Hampshire contest we wouldn’t be so pressed for time. You think it was a mistake to wait until the last minute?”

Goetz cracked a grin, “I’m a politician. The only mistakes I make are the ones I admit to!”

After a chuckle, Nichols looked at the time. “Well, it’s getting late.”

“Alright, let’s stop somewhere for lunch.”

“What do you want to order? I know a KFC’s right up around the bend over there,” Nichols could be seen pointing to an intersection out the window.

“Nah, I don’t like KFC.”

“Right, no meat. Oh wait, they have a vegan diet.”

“No, you can order from them, but personally, I don’t like a thing from KFC.”

“What, why not? Everyone loves KFC.”

“I don’t. And it’s not from overexposure, either. I think their food sucks, it’s all overrated sludge heaped up by a fat dead clown in a tacky white suit.”

“Heh, uh, be sure not to say any of that on the stump, Bernie.”

“Yeah, yeah, keep up the charade of praising Sanders the chunky chump. God, Republicans are such idiots. They always fall for the dumbest shit. My followers especially – how else do you explain so many of them being hunters and all that – ”

“Alright, alright, what are you in the mood for?”

“I know a good Indian place that’s in the town we’re headin’ to.”

“Okay, KFC for me, Indian for you.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Goetz concluded the conversation as he carefully stood up and traversed over to the bus’s restroom.”

In the corner of the room, an intern muttered, “And…sent.”

“Huh, what?” Nichols looked over to him, “You say something?”

“Nothing, nothing”

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



“REPUBLICANS ARE SUCH IDIOTS”! Goetz’s True Colors Revealed In Outrageous Leaked Footage

...“Not only are his comments about his own base a show of his harmfulness and contempt for his fellow Republicans, but his dissing KFC dishes is an insult to the legacy of one of America’s most celebrated leaders,” says former Senator Patrick "Kelly" Downard (R-KY). Indeed, the insult could potentially do more damage to his candidacy than his “idiots” comments – the late Colonel Sanders, while having an approval rating among Democrats of roughly 50% (much higher than other Republican presidents) is adored by the GOP, where The Colonel’s approval rating among registered Republicans is roughly 90%...

– The Wall Street Journal, 3/29/2012



…KFC HQ reacted to the comments immediately. At a press meeting in Florence [KY], Hannon denounced Goetz’s comments about their products, while McNaughton and Novak took to the technet to condemn the candidate’s criticisms…

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



GOETZ CLAIMS LEAKED VIDEO IS “A FAKE,” POLLS SUGGEST FEW BELIEVE HIM

– The New York Times, 3/31/2012



…The Goetz campaign was in freefall. Like rats fleeing a sinking ship, people began to distance themselves from him and his descending poll numbers. Prominent populist politicians and commentator from Grits and Chenoweth to Limbaugh and Beck rescinded their endorsements and bolted to other populist candidates such as Keith, Buck, Jones and Harley Brown. “Damage control” became the phrase of the week as the former Senator’s inner circle scrambled for over each other attempting to find a solution to the problem, and an answer to the question “How do you win an election after insulting a majority of the voters?” They did not like the notion that the answer was “You don’t.” And their alternative answer, the unpacked claim that the footage was doctored, was not gaining traction outside of the small handful of Goetz’s most diehard followers…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



MODERATES ROMNEY AND BONEHAM DROP OUT, ENDORSE GRAMMER

…the suspensions occurred within hours of each other, with Bonham making his announcement first at 9:00 in the morning. “I am not the first person to say that Goetz’s bullying is a bad impression for children and a dangerous influence for adults that is unbecoming of the Grand Old Party; I encourage all populists in the party to seek out a more unifying and inspiring standard-bearer – and, possibly, one with better standards, too,” Boneham noted in his withdrawal speech…

– The Washington Post, 4/2/2012

[pic: imgur.com/6MJWjN9.png ]

– Governor Gary Johnson (R-NM), with his Presidential campaign’s Communications Director Joe Hunter (seated, using a pocketcomp) beside him, watches the results of the New Hampshire Republican Presidential primary on a TV monitor, 4/2/2012



…Gary Johnson knew we would never recover from his fourth-place finish in New Hampshire. With the writing on the wall, the 2008 Vice Presidential nominee withdrew from the race on the morning of April 3, endorsed Grammar, and returned to the Governor’s mansion in Santa Fe to veto some more state legislation. Hours later, at 12:30 in the afternoon, moderate US Congressman Fred Karger bowed out of the race as well, citing fundraising issues, and endorsed fellow Californian Kelsey Grammer as well…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



…last night was a disaster for the once-ascendant Goetz campaign, as the former Senator failed to win a single state. His best showing was in his home state of Colorado, where Governor Grammer came in first place, Governor Brown came in second, and Goetz came in third. In fact, of the ten primary contests held tonight, it appears Grammar may win six of them – Colorado, Florida by a plurality, Vermont, Wyoming by a hair over Harley Brown, and the territories of Guam and American Samoa. Governor Brown has won Utah and his home state of Idaho, and is projected to win the state of Minnesota as well. The tenth contest, North Carolina, has been called in favor of regional favorite Lindsey Graham. …In tonight’s Democratic primaries, Wellstone has won all contests with ease, and so many pundits are wondering when former Governor Bart Gordon will concede. …And we are just now being informed that Senator Lyle Hillyard of Utah will withdraw from the race in light of him coming in third place in his home state, just behind Harley Brown and Kelsey Grammer…

– CBS Evening News, 4/3/2012 broadcast



AZERBAIJAN BACKS DOWN AFTER U.T. NAVY FIRES “WARNING SHOT”

…the firing across the bow of the Azerbaijani Navy vessel is the closest the two nations have ever come to declaring war on one another... Backchannel discussions between the embassies of the two nations is being credited with convincing both nations to down before war actually broke out. …“As global markets switch away from oil and natural gas, this region is going to have to adapt,” says one professor of Central Asian studies at Oxford, “The knee-jerk reaction is to grab as much as possible and sell, sell, sell before the market dries up faster than the Aral Sea under Soviet rule. The better reaction is to invest in solar energy. Turkestan contains vast deserts capable of producing enough solar energy to power both the U.T. and Azerbaijan. The potential is there, but the governments have to acknowledge it and act upon it.”

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 4/4/2012



HILLYARD BOWS OUT, BACKS GRAMMER: “He’s A Candidate With Heart”

– The Salt Lake Tribune, 4/4/2012



MODERATES ARE DROPPING OUT, UNITING BEHIND GRAMMER

...“We can’t afford another defeat as humiliating as 2004,” said candidate-turned-Grammer-surrogate Rupert Boneham earlier today. …The general sentiment among many with the party is that a nominee as conservative as Bernie Goetz cannot win in November. “The far right had their chance and they blew it big time. Olympia Snowe’s stellar performance and securing of the popular vote proves that it’s time for a more reasonable, bipartisan nominee,” notes Bill Weld, another candidate-turned-surrogate...

– The New York Times, 4/5/2012



…For everyone just clicking in, I repeat – Bernie Goetz has bowed out of the Republican primaries President, concluding a controversial campaign only roughly a month after it began. Goetz, who last won an in election 1996 and last held public office in 2003, has not endorsed any of the other candidates, and it is currently unknown if he plans to run as a third-party candidate in a repeated of his 2008 campaign. Given the impact his “idiots” comment had on his performance in the Republican primaries, it will be interesting to see just how badly he damaged his support among his own followers such he mount another third-party bid…

– KNN Breaking News, 4/6/2012 broadcast



“When I entered this race, I got a lot of press. I got a lot of attention from a lot of reporters. But reporters aren’t voters. I’m taking my cowboy hat out of the ring, putting it back on my head where it belong, and I’m wishing Mayor David Brown the best of luck. He’s the kind of candidate we need in the White House.”

– musician Toby Keith (R-OK), 4/7/2012



...While Harley Brown’s manner of speaking was acerbic and caustic, it was effective in winning over dissatisfied and disillusioned Goetz followers. Similarly, my proclivity for a more witty and pensive form of elocution appealed to moderates and Republicans opposed to the sardonic rhetoric and policies of the Goetzites. …Primarily, I ran on my record as Governor, and utilized my ability to commiserate with voters. …With each passing day, the candor of Harley Brown made him the conservative populist “good twin” to Goetz’s hate-filled populism, while Lindsey Graham became increasingly viewed as Harley’s “evil twin” for the former’s campaign’s heavily religious talk of “political fire and brimstone”…

– Kelsey Grammer’s second autobiography “So Far, So Good,” Dutton Press, 2021



James Rolfe (July 10, 1980) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, actor, and ontech personality. He is best known for creating and starring in several videogame-related media projects, from ontech reviews to TV shows and movies, such as The Flash (2005, co-writer) and Poison Ivy (2010, side character).

Rolfe began creating home videos in the late 1980s. After graduating from high school in 1998, at a time when the technet already had several technetters reviewing video games, Rolfe moved to California to peruse work in the booming superhero movie genre. Rolfe’s first screenwriting job was for Ton-o-Toons, working on the final season of The Defenders of Dynatron City. From there, he worked on other projects. In 2005, he began downloading videos onto ourvids in which he reviewed superhero films from the perspective of someone who had actually worked on such projects. Rolfe soon expanding his reviews to video games. Feedback to these videos encouraged Rolfe to go into acting, with his first role being a minor character in Zionchek For President (2009).

[snip]

In 2012, Rolfe announced ontech that he was working with Paramount on “a movie about video game movies,” and that Crispin Glover had expressed interest in his script. The film project is still in development as of 2013.

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 2013



…On April 10, ten more primary contests were held in the month’s second “cluster” of elections. While Harley Brown was projected the winner of Alaska, Michigan, North Dakota the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Governor Grammer won Indiana, Potomac (with David Brown coming in a close second), Texas, Virginia, and Puerto Rico. Graham cried foul due to TH fact that on the ballots in several contests were the names of several conservative candidates who had already dropped out; his complaints ignored the fact that several moderate candidates who had already dropped out were on the ballots as well.

In the Democratic primaries, the results allowed Wellstone to clinch the nomination early; challenger Bart Gordon dropped out three days later…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



RACZKOWSKI BOWS OUT AFTER HOME STATE LOSS, ENDORSES HARLEY BROWN

– The Detroit Free Press, Michigan newspaper, 4/11/2012



…The election also saw a small schism form in the growing libertarian faction of the party. After Senator Stan Jones withdrew from the Presidential race, he enthusiastically endorsed Harley Brown, while less “extremist” libertarians such as Gary Johnson rallied behind Grammar. The formation of two camps within the libertarian faction – one backing the populist Brown, the other backing the moderate (or “sensible conservative,” as he was beginning to call himself more often in or to reach out to more primary voters) Grammar – highlighted the internal debate over what exactly a libertarian Republican party should look like…

…Meanwhile, in an effort to salvage his faltering campaign, Lindsey Graham, who had only won two southern primaries, announced that he had preemptively selected a running mate. After eyeing the four upcoming primary states and subsequently contacting US Senator Jan Brewer (AZ), Governor Mary Starrett (OR), and former Governors J. C. Watts (OK) and Fred Hemmings (HI), the Graham/Brewer ticket was born…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



MOTHER-POST: Does Anyone Else Hate The New Character Designs For The Homestar Runner Movie?

So because the series creators, The Brothers Chaps, rejected doing a TV show with Disney (something over conflicting goals and priorities, the brothers wanting to keep it surreal and keep it “stay true” to the techtoons’ roots or something [3]), they’re making a standalone film through Touchstone. Now I get that when shifting from the small screen of the technet to the big screen on a movie theater (which still exist for some reason (I thought SARS killed them all off)) some character designs need to be shifted to adjust to the new medium, but just look at what they’ve done to the main character!:

[pic: imgur.com/RtWnnWS.png ] [4]

I thought the whole idea was that the characters were surreal, and a big part of that was some characters having invisible limbs. It was weird, but that was the point. He just looks odd now. Anyone agree with me on this?

>REPLY 1:

I think them leaving his arms invisible would have confused a lot of newcomers. You want a movie to appeal to both fans and new audiences, too.

>REPLY 2:

Meh. I can live with it. I remember how the techtoons really helped get through the safezoning – The Dark Times – an era I’m happy is long gone.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:

The problem though is that if everyone forgets about The Dark Times as you put it they will repeat it. Already I’m seeing a lot of people reverting back to the old ways of being filthy – everyone putting their bare hands on store door handles, rubbing or scratching a part of their face, nonchalantly like that’s not at all how you’d get yourself killed during the SARS era. And more people, little ones too young to remember to lockdown and others born after it was all over, they never learned the lessons we’re forgetting. Shame.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:

Dudette, lighten up! We’re talking about Homestar Runner here (and I agree – his arms are distracting!)

>REPLY 3:

It’s a surrealist comedy. The humor comes from character interactions, not from understanding why the characters look the way they do. So really the character design doesn’t matter as long as the characters themselves are funny. And they are, so the whole thing is a moot point.

>REPLY 4:

I agree that it’s bad, but I don’t hate it. I’ve accepted it and consider the movie be non-canon regardless of whatever kind of plot it ends up having. I looks like it’s going to be good. I already like the new theme song – “Homestar Runner” by The Very Low Sodium Band – it’s pretty catchy! [5]

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 4/15/2012 posting



GOP WESTERN CLUSTER KEEPS GRAMMER IN THE LEAD

…while Governor Harley Brown won the Arizona contest, Governor Grammer achieved victory in Hawaii, Oklahoma, and Oregon in what has become a two-and-a-half-man race for the GOP nomination…

– The Washington Post, 4/17/2012



>REPLY 1:

You know, he’s a lot more fiery and relatable than I thought he’d be.

>REPLY 2:

But not more dramatic. Definitely not Frasier Crane.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:

Not Dr. Schwarzchild, either.

>REPLY 3 (note: postmaker banned 5/5/2015):

Grammer’s wrong – we don’t need more freedom of speech, we need more freedom from speech! Introverts and deaf-mutes unite!

>REPLY 4:

Grammer’s going to win this thing, isn’t he?

– comments section of “Kelsey Grammer Speaks At D.C. Fundraiser, 4/18/2012” video uploaded to OurVids.co.can, a video-sharing netsite, on 4/19/2012



…In political news, Mayor David Brown of Texas has suspended his long-shot bid for the US Presidency, telling his followers to support, quote, “whichever candidate is best qualified to maintain law and order,” unquote. Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham refuses to drop out of the race, telling supporters ontech that the Graham/Brewer ticket will finally regain momentum in the upcoming primaries...

– NBC News, 4/20/2012 broadcast



NYC’S OLYMPIC MAKEOVER IS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE – BUT ALSO OVER-BUDGET

…Improvements in the city’s subway sanitation, which have been pretty pristine since the SARS pandemic, may have been key to winning the hosting duties, as Mayor Hamberg cleaned up the tunnels and routes considerably. …Ahead of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics, Mayor Hamberg is overseeing the construction of a rowing course in Queens, a velodrome in the South Bronx, and a marina along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, work has started on an Olympic Village on Governors Island, along with work on an equestrian center on Staten Island, and the refurbishing of the historic 369th Regiment Armory in Harlem for additional amenities. The plan is to basically have all parts of the city involved and showcased. However, this has required rezoning – expensive rezoning, and if the expected 2013 budget is any indication, it will be city renters who pick up the bill...

– The New York Post, 4/21/2012



HARLEY SWEEPS SOUTHERN CLUSTER AS CANDIDACY RESURGES!

…Governor Brown has narrowly achieved victory in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee…

– The Arizona Republic, 4/24/2012



GRAHAM, RAMSEY EXIT WHITE HOUSE RACE

...Governor Dave Ramsey, who was running a “favorite son” candidacy after underperforming in the First April Cluster, has dropped out after losing his home state of Tennessee’s primary, and has endorsed Governor Grammer...

– The Boston Globe, 4/25/2012



…When Hudson Holliday ended his White House bid on April 28, his passionate endorsement of the boisterous Harley Brown highlighted an “image” problem on Grammer’s end. Citing the need for an “image of strength,” Holliday declared that Brown would be more intimidating on the world stage, and claimed that a former actor would be taken seriously by other countries, especially those “who hate America, like China, Myanmar, Eritrea and Sudan.” Despite Grammer’s own record as Governor, he continued to receive flak for the perception of his candidacy. On the other hand, Grammer’s candidacy seemed to be the one most palatable to the milieu of the Republican party and, albeit to a less extent, the D.C. political establishment as well.

Nevertheless, in the wake of Harley Brown sweeping all four of the latest primaries, Grammer felt the need to add more verve to his campaign schedule and rhetoric in order to avoid a deadlocked convention or an upset Brown victory. His campaign team’s 'numericalized' data did little to answer the question of how to best appeal to those to Grammer’s left, outside of straight-up making phony promises. Instead, Grammer doubled down on his message of “sensible conservatism” to frame government intervention not as interference or welfare assistance but as government patriotically “giving back to the people”…

– Miriam Pawel’s The Grammer Campaign, Doubleday, 2013



…In the spring of 2012, McDonald’s began an internal investigation to determine how to improve how their frosty machines due to continuous malfunctions and breakdowns. A steady decline in frosty sales over the years began to finally yield concerns at the top, as the Directors began to wonder if declining quality in customer service was causing once-loyal patrons to begin buying frozen goods at rising franchises such as Culver’s instead...

– Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012



TONIGHT’S PRIMARY RESULTS: Near-Even Split: Brown Wins Kentucky and Kansas, Grammer Picks Up New York and Rhode Island

– thehoustonchronicle.co.usa, 5/1/2012



…longshot candidate Robert Burck, better known as The Naked Cowboy to New York City residents, has bowed out of his race for the Presidency after failing to receive any delegates in last night’s Republican primary contests. Burck, a conservative populist who had won no primaries thus far, was hoping that his small handful of delegates would deadlock the Republican National Convention and allow himself to step in as either a kingmaker or a compromise candidate. However, Burck has now announced his support for Governor Harley Brown. Burck’s withdrawal means that Governors Grammer and Brown are the last two candidates in the race…

– ABC News, 5/2/2012 broadcast



FDA WARNS CONSUMERS OF “SEVERE RISK”: Toxic Heavy Metals Discovered In Baby Food Products

…The F.D.A. is currently in the process of contacting stores, ordering the products to be pulled from shelves immediately…

– The New York Times, 5/3/2012



4 May 2012: On this day in history, Nicole Brown Simpson publishes a book entitled “If I Did It,” referring to her repeat pleads of innocence over the years in connection to the mysterious murder of her husband, Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson. The book, meant to highlight the ridiculousness of theories claiming that she did in fact murder her husband in self-defense back in 1995, instead only raises awareness of these theories. Simpson causes more controversy during interview given during the subsequent book tour, in which she fails to truly justify the book’s title and premise, leading to several fervid lafpics.

– onthisdayinhistory.co.uk



GRAMMER REGAINS GROUND IN MIDWESTERN CLUSTER: Brown Wins Arkansas, Grammer Wins Illinois, Iowa, Ohio

– The Chicago Tribune, 5/8/2012



…The F.E.C. is formally investigating Bernie Goetz for alleged misuse of personal and campaign funds during brief Presidential run earlier this year…

– KNN, 5/9/2012 Breaking News



GRAMMER SWEEPS ARCADIAN CLUSTER

…the actor-turned-Governor of California won the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington, while the colorful Governor of Idaho won West Virginia with ease... US Senator and former Presidential candidate William Weld (R) received 20% of the vote in his home state of Massachusetts’ primary despite Weld no longer being a candidate in the race …The last time a “favorite son” won a primary, and the last time an undeclared candidate won a primary contest, was in 1992, when supporters of former Vice President J. J. Polonko Jr. wrote in his name in the GOP Presidential primary in New Jersey...
– The Chattanooga Times Free Press, 5/15/2012



GRAMMER CLINCHES THE NOMINATION!

…with the latest round of primary contests, the Governor of California has obtained enough delegates to now be the Republican Party’s Presidential nominee-in-waiting…

– The New York Times, 5/16/2012



Herbert Powell is a recurring character on the long-running TV series “Futurama,” which premiered on September 17, 1994. Voiced by Danny DeVito, the character is the long-lost half-brother of NNYC Mayor Homer Simpson. Simpson is a more frequently featured recurring character in the series, often dealing with the mayhem caused by the main characters of the series (the crew of the Planet Express delivery company) but also often turning to them for help during various crises. Powell, being less successful than his brother, is best known for attempting numerous and diverse get-rich-quick schemes, often with Bender’s support. Powell has developed complex relationships with other characters on the show, struggled to establish mutual trust between him and Simpson, and often gets the Planet Express crew, especially Bart and Key, into trouble during his efforts to achieve fame and fortune while.

Powell has received fairly positive reviews from critics and audiences, He has been described as a being “best in small doses,” a “surprisingly complex character,” a “shoulder devil” to characters to drive the plot of episodes along, and “a character with positive and negative traits – temperamental, impatient, mischievous and money-hungry, but also insecure, lonely, sympathetic and remorseful – and a certain charm that only DeVito can pull off.” As of May 18, 2012, Herbert Powell has appeared in 31 episodes; Powell has had non-speaking visual appearances in 15 episodes (mostly in crowd scenes (parties, sporting events, angry mobs, refugee centers, panicked masses, etc.) but also in montages), has had minor speaking appearances in 4 episodes, and has been “featured” as a main character in 12 episodes.

FEATURED APPEARANCES (show / hide)

1: “O Brother, How Are Ya?” (Episode 1 of Season 3) – first aired September 13, 1996
Herbert Powell, a seller of “salvaged” spacecrafts on the far side of the Horsehead Nebula, travels to Earth to accuse Professor Farnsworth of stealing his design for a spacecruiser that he believes will be the “next big thing.” Finding the Professor at city hall, where Farnsworth is working with the Mayor on a plan to defeat a race of owls that are quickly evolving into man-eating crabs (a plotline that plays out in the background for the rest of the episode), Powell crashes the meeting and he and the mayor are shocked by how much they resemble each other.
Searching the Mayor’s late father’s documents for an answer, Lisa Wong uncovers a secret confession that the Professor deciphers; the confession reveals the father’s one-time affair, which was taboo because the woman was from New Jersey, and thus the affair had to be hidden. Feeling guilty for living a privileged life while Powell grew up in “space poverty,” Simpson treats Powell to a night on the town (triggering a montage of the brothers hanging out while the city is being increasingly overrun by “crowls” (crab-owls), only for the two to be having too much fun to notice).
After a week of Powell “crashing” at the Mayor’s apartment, Simpson is downplaying Powell “practically moving in” at a meeting with the Planet Express crew. Returning home, though, Simpson overhears Powell talking on a virt-phone, trying to use his brother’s mayoral connections to expand his spacecrafts business. Outraged, Simpson interrupts the virt-meeting, accuses Powell to taking advantage of him, and kicks him out. The argument spills outside the apartment, with Powell accusing Simpson of only humoring him out of guilt and not due of genuine care. The argument is cut short by a new breed of mega-crowls “rudely” walking by and snipping off Simpson’s outstretched hand. In the next scene, Powell is on a spacebus heading back to the Horsehead Nebula, while Simpson, with his hand reattached but bandaged, immediately regrets rejecting his sole living relative. Roaming the streets of NNYC while sad, panicked passersby mistake the disheveled and crying mayor as being despondent over the mega-crowls taking over the city.
(The mega-crowls are later shown being chased into underground caves beneath New Trenton at the start of the next episode, but the Mayor and Herbert Powell are not mentioned in that episode).

2: “Voyage of The Evergreen” (Episode 14 of Season 3) – first aired February 28, 1997
Herbert Powell returns to NNYC to ask Simpson for forgiveness for taking advantage of his half-brother in his previous appearance. Powell then visits the Planet Express crew to reveal that, upon returning to the Horsehead Nebula, he discovered that the design he thought he had creating independently (as described in his previous episode) was actually a design he traced over while intoxicated. To make amends for giving the crew a fright at the start of his previous episode, Powell gives the crew a free trip to the Horsehead Nebula Hotel, Spa and Amusement Park. However, Leela and Key soon question how he can afford to pay for the trip; this leads to the two of them investigating while the rest of the crew enjoy the amenities. Eventually, Leela and Key discover that Powell plans on using their luggage to smuggle out space contraband in exchange for the money he needs to open a legitimate used spacecraft store. They reveal his plans to the rest of the crew, only for them to support the scheme to thank Powell for the great time they’ve had there. The scheme is successful. Leela chastises Powell for his ill-gotten gains, seemingly guilting Powell into deleting his funds. After the crew drop Powell off in the Horsehead Nebula, though, it is revealed that Powell deleted a fake fund-drive and saved the real one, only to discover he must have switched them accidently, as his current fund-drive is empty; the episode ends with the reveal that Leela switched the fund-drives and, after momentarily contemplating pocketing the money for herself, went ahead and deleted the funds.

3: “Brother, Can You Spare a Design?” (Episode 23 of Season 3) – first aired May 30, 1997
The episode begins with a newsreel describing how Powell has partnered with ex-cons to establish a spacecraft design company that is a rising star in the industry. Meanwhile, Mayor Simpson has lost re-election over a scandal (he was caught on camera eating deep-dish pizza). Hoping to improve his relationship with his brother, Powell invites Simpson to the Horsehead Nebula and gives him a job as head of the creativity division at the design company. However, while Homer proves to be an efficient organizer, he lacks the creativity needed for the job, so hires the Planet Express crew to help him. Unfortunately, with there being “too many cooks in the levitating kitchen,” and with Powell placing blind faith in Simpson and ignoring the warnings of the company co-founders, the new designs are unveiled, revealing hideous creations that even the aliens from Planet Vomit find repulsing. The disastrous public event calls the company’s backers and sponsors to pull all funding, resulting in the company going bankrupt and in the ex-con co-founders shivving him and harvesting many of Powell’s “non-vital organs” to be “even.” Angered by his sudden fall from grace and back to being destitute, Powell accuses Simpson of sabotage; Simpson swears it was not a revenge plot driven by jealousy over their reversals in fortune, with Bender claiming the mayor is too incompetent to do such a thing on purpose. Powell still blames Simpson and the Planet Express crew, along with his own blind faith in the idea of family, for ruining the company. Powell then drops them off in NNYC before disowning his brother and leaving for parts unknown; the final shot shows Powell expressing sadness and possibly remorse as he travels away from Earth. The episode later received some controversy for its allegedly “insensitive” depiction of ex-cons.

4: “Life In New Jersey and Other Fun Places” (Episode 4 of Season 5) – first aired October 16, 1998
The Planet Express spend the first third of the episode carrying out a dangerous mission to deliver goods to an outpost in the hopeless landscape of New Jersey, and when they are about to leave, discover Powell has been living in the grim region for six months, having failed to find work anywhere else. The crew decides to let him stay at the Planet Express headquarters and help him find a job. Eventually and reluctantly, Powell begs his brother (re-elected Mayor in the time since Powell’s previous episode) for help. Despite accusations of nepotism, Simpson puts Powell to work as a case worker for New Jersey refugees. Powell excels at the position and is quickly promoted, only for an office rival to discover that he is mishandling cases. Simpson is forced to fire him, but due to Powell saving his money due to being used to frugal spending, he now has enough saved up to invest in a new enterprise – pumping out sellable water from Jupiter’s moon, Europa. The two brothers depart with a heartfelt goodbye, as they forgive each other for past transgressions.

5: “Gone With The Finned” (Episode 11 of Season 5) – first aired January 15, 1999
The episode begins with Powell – whom the city is convinced is another hoodlum who coincidently looks like the “deceased” Herbert Powell hoodlum responsible for The Europa Incident – being sentenced to community service for rooting for the New Boston Red Sockets during an NNYC Batteryball game. Powell, working off his hours by helping students at Bart’s school, helps Bart come up with “the angle” for a music-themed school project. Their time together leads to them becoming friends. Meanwhile, a B-plot develops involving Patty the robot being courted by a paranoid member of the mafia. Soon after, Powell and Bart are visiting the NNYC Aquarium when highly-evolved fish-people from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean attack the place to “liberate [their] distant cousins from custody.” Powell seemingly dies in the ensuing melee. However, after observing inconsistencies with the circumstances of his “death,” Bart uses the skills Powell taught him to discover Powell alive in a hideout. He learns Powell took the attack (which he had learned about in advance from a tip from one of his “contacts” in the city) as an opportunity to fake his death and escape his creditors in the robot mafia. However, Patty, out of curiosity, followed Bart to the hideout, not realizing her boyfriend’s goons were following her. Soon after, the mafia attack Powell’s hiding place, and he must “face the music,” which becomes literal in the subsequent showdown.

6: “20,000 Lightyears Beyond The Sea” (Episode 18 of Season 6) – first aired March 31, 2000
Powell seems to have settled down into a normal life in NNYC with a promising career at his own advertising agency, only for Bender to convince him to join him on a get-rich-quick scheme of his own. The scheme begins a long and complex series of events that threatens the city. Powell saves the day with Bender’s help, but when Bender tries to take credit for it, Powell calls him out on it; this feud creates a bitter rivalry between the two in the third act, when Bender opens his own advertising company at the Planet Express station with the help of Professor Farnsworth. The conflict is only resolved when Leela and Lisa plan an intervention.

7: “Around the Galaxy in 80 Seconds” (Episode 25 of Season 9) – first aired June 6, 2003
At the start of the “bottle” episode, the Planet Express crew are returning home from a dangerous delivery when they come across Powell, who, after another get-rich-quick scheme went awry, has lost all his funds and is hitchhiking through the galaxy. Saying goodbye to his travelling companion, a large-headed robot named Marvin (a reference to Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy), Powell hitches a ride with them back to Earth. Along the way, Powell is restless because there’s nothing that he can do to help them on the ship. He tries his hand at several assignments, but due to his mischievous ways, he instinctively does things in counterintuitive ways. However, when the ship is besieged by space pirates, Powell finally shows his usefulness by using the power of suggestion to trick the pirates and get them out of the scrape.

8: “The Earthicanization of Herbert Powell” (Episode 19 of Season 11) – first aired April 8, 2005
With Powell’s advertising business finally becoming a success, he considers settling down and starting a family. He soon falls for a beautiful woman, only for it to be revealed that he is becoming a victim of a get-rich-quick scheme spun by an all-female band of con artists. Leela, Patty and Lisa uncover the hoax and, after several tries, finally prove to Powell that his new girlfriend is tricking him. Not liking being on the other side, he pairs up with Bender to trick the tricksters. Their plan works, but due to Powell being heartbroken over the deception, pledges to do “only honest living” from now on, but is already showing difficulty in doing so by the end of the episode. Final line in the episode suggests that Mayor Simpson either hired the con artists to trick Powell and be caught in the act by Leela, Patty and Lisa in order to get his brother to turn over a new leaf, or that he knew Powell was being duped and but nothing for the same reason.

9: “Mutiny on the Bot-knee” (Episode 14 of Season 14) – first aired March 7, 2008
Herbert inadvertently stumbles into the role of being second-in-command for a gang of urban crime pirates. However, when he learns the crew plan to steal millions from the Mayor’s apartment, he must let his brother know without the gang learning about it.

10: “Bots In Toyland” (Episode 7 of Season 15) – first aired November 7, 2008
In a B-plot, Powell takes offense to his holographic image being present in City Hall’s “Hall of Shame.” After government bureaucracy delays the process of having his hologram removed from the hall, Powell decides to get rid of it by stealing it one night. With Bender’s help, Powell removes the hologram during a lightning storm, but as they make their exit, the two and the hologram are struck by lightning, splitting the hologram from his plaque and allowing Holo-Powell to run around free, causing mayhem. The two return to the Planet Express station and convince the crew to help them track down the rouge hologram. However, when they corner it, they feel sympathy for it. They ultimately capture it, but then set it free on a Tron-like planet.

11: “Hi, Ma” (Episode 18 of Season 16) – first aired April 16, 2010
While bonding with Key over the loss of family, Powell finds out that his long-lost mother is still alive, leading to Key and Powell travelling together to find her. This “heartwarming” episode is often considered to be one of the best episodes of the “Modern Futurama” era.

12: “Crowl on a Hot Solar Panel” (Episode 21 of Season 18) – first aired May 18, 2012
The Planet Express crew wake up in a trashed hotel with Powell and Police Chief Clancy Corvallis but no memory how they got there. Through the use of the Professor’s inventions the crew compile the events of the past two days, revealing an overuse of “drama juice” and the abduction of a small boy from Sagan’s Nebula who Powell discovers is his son (the product of a one-night stand), whom Powell was never told about. This is Powell’s recent appearance.

MINOR SPEAKING APPEARANCES (show / hide)

1: “Up And Atom” (Episode 4 of Season 4) – first aired October 17, 1997
Powell appeared in a non-canon comic book-themed sequence as “Dr. Deadbeat,” an ineffective supervillain who tries to pretend to have powers through special effects and gimmicks; he is easily defeated by the Planet Express crew, who play the heroes in the sequence. This is Powell’s fourth appearance in the series overall.

2: “The Wong Turn” (Episode 7 of Season 5) – first aired December 5, 1998
Powell shows up at the start of the episode, revealing his Europa Water enterprise has released a Lovecraftian monster from the moon’s core, damaging several celestial bodies. Wanting by several police organizations and with a huge bounty on his head, Powell seeks refuge in NNYC. However, most of the episode focuses on Lisa’s time on the NNYPD, which she joined as a Special Deputy due to its personnel shortage brought on by so many officers leaving to search for Powell. Powell’s B-plot disappears during the second act; it doesn’t play out until the near-end of the episode, when Powell uses Professor Farnsworth’s closing machine to leave an identical corpse in NNY’s harbor for the police to find. This is Powell’s sixth appearance in the series overall.

3: “Seven Brides for Seven Robots” (Episode 14 of Season 7) – first aired February 2, 2001
Powell makes three brief “telecall” appears during the course of the episode. In his first telecall, Powell anxiously requests money from the Planet Express crew. In his second telecall, he requests help escaping from “these kidnapping guys.” His third and final telecall consists of him semi-incoherently shouting at the screen while riding a space-bike and seemingly being chased by his former captors.

4: “From Here to Electricity” (Episode 3 of Season 8) – first aired September 28, 2001
The final scene in the episode reveals that Powell has found a new job as a crooked prison guard at the prison to which this episode’s antagonist has been sent. In a 2007 interview, this episode’s writers revealed that they purposely chose to leaving the ending ambiguous “in case [they] wanted to bring…back” this episode’s antagonist in a future episode; however, as of May 18, 2012, said antagonist has not appeared again in the series; the character’s story, though, was continued in Futurama Comic Book #77, Vol. 3 (2009).

NON-SPEAKING VISUAL APPEARANCES (show / hide)

1: For Whom the Hypno-Toad Croaks (Episode 17 of Season 8) – first aired March 29, 2002
Powell appears briefly at a scene at the beginning of the episode; he one of the many party guests who run away in a panic upon seeing the Planet Express ship about to crash land into their black-tie event.

2: “Road To…Somewhere” (Episode 4 of Season 10) – first aired October 17, 2003
Powell can be seen in the angry mob during the third act.

3: “Citizen Key” (Episode 20 of Season 10) – first aired April 16, 2004
Powell is briefly seen in the foreground of a large crowd congratulating Key at the start of the second act.

4: “Mr. Corvallis Goes to New Washington State” (Episode 5 of Season 11) – first aired October 29, 2004
Powell is shown in a part of the campaign montage.

5: “The Empty-Headed Professor” (Episode 11 of Season 12) – first aired January 6, 2006
Powell is one of the many people hypnotized by the Hypno-Toad’s rival, Mesmero-Frog, during its takeover montage; he is seen again in the third act as part of the crowd of hypnotized citizens, but despite his mouth moving, his voice isn’t heard, as all crowd-members are speaking in unison.

6: “Cheaper By The Passel” (Episode 22 of Season 12) – first aired May 12, 2006
Powell can quickly be seen in two crowd scenes during the episode’s sporting events montage.

7: “1,001 Crustaceans” (Episode 6 of Season 13) – first aired November 17, 2006
Powell can be briefly seen the refugee camp during the second act; he is discussing something with some the race drivers from the third episode on Season 12, but because it is in the background, neither he nor the drivers are heard.

8: “Come Back, Little Syboujitifes” (Episode 1 of Season 14) – first aired September 7, 2007
Powell is one of the characters assembled by Corvallis to serve as waiters for the event in the third act; all of them have apparently agreed to the job in exchange for “the charges [being] dropped.” He is one of the non-speaking waiters.

9: “A Spacecar Named Debbie” (Episode 8 of Season 14) – first aired November 30, 2007
Powell can briefly be seen running for safety in the background in one scene. Later, he can be seeing hiding out in the bunker that is quickly inspected during the sequences when the Planet Express crew are looking for Key.

10: “Nelson’s Pendulum” (Episode 16 of Season 14) – first aired February 15, 2008
Powell is briefly seen among the spectators at the sporting events occurring at the start of the episode. He can be seen attempting to steal a hot dog from a young an alien boy, until for the hot dog to produce an arm, smack Powell across the face, and return to its place on the alien’s plate.

11: “Mona Leela” (Episode 25 of Season 14) – first aired June 6, 2008
Powell is seen briefly during the both panicked and angry crowd during the third act.

12: “The Last Weekend” (Episode 9 of Season 15) – first aired December 5, 2008
Powell is seen throughout the third act. Powell is first seen entering the Doomsday Party as an invited guest, with Bart commenting on his suit’s malfunctioned collapsible hanger which seems to be fused to his skin due to some sort of accident, and Powell non-verbally excusing himself. Powell is seen again among the other party guests with marks of damage on his suit. Powell is then repeatedly seen in the background in several more party scenes.

13: “Till The Smog Rolls By” (Episode 12 of Season 15) – first aired January 16, 2009
Powell appears at the end of the episode and, upon seeing the damage left behind by the events of the episode, asks “Whoa, what’d I miss?”

14: “Key West” (Episode 6 of Season 16) – first aired November 13, 2009
Powell can be seen in the panicked crowd in the first act; he is later seen in the background during the second act, diving into the harbor to save his suitcase, drying out his belongings, and then diving back into the water to recover his hat before finally saving a drowning child, who kicks him before running away.

15: “By A Roll of The Hendecagon” (Episode 18 of Season 17) – first aired April 8, 2011
Powell is seen among a row of citizens mourning the money they lost betting on the losing team in the third act.

– wikia.co.can/futurama/characters/recurring_characters/Herbert_Powell



GRAMMER WINS MISSOURI, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND WISCONSIN PRIMARIES UNOPPOSED

– 273towin.co.usa, 5/22/2012



WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE PASSES PRETRIAL FAIRNESS ACT, ENDING STATE’S MONEY BOND SYSTEM

...“The bail bonds system has made it so access to wealth determines how long one awaits trial in jail before the case is even decided,” argued one supporter of the bill. “It is unfair, humiliating and degrading to have it so money determines whether one is in jail or free while awaiting trial.” The passing of the landmark legislation aims to “alleviate financial burden from people.” However, opponents in the state legislature claimed that the revenue brought in by the bail money system will now need to be replaced with higher taxes to make up the difference, lest the courts fail to have the funding needed to operate properly and efficiently…

– The Boston Globe, 5/24/2012



F.D.A. INDICTS BABY FOOD COMPANY LEADERS OVER TOXIC HEAVY METALS IN PRODUCTS

…the indictments concern the company leaders allegedly knowing of the dangerously high levels of inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, and failing to report them to the Food and Drug Administration or to the US Department of Agriculture…

– The Los Angeles Times, 5/28/2012



DID THE JACKSON HAVE PARATORE KILLED?

Exactly one year ago, Jim Paratore (1953-2012), a TV producer for The Herring Network and several independent newsletter and ontech magazine startups, died suddenly, abruptly, and without warning from a heart attack. Paratore was an outspoken critic of the Jackson and Wellstone administrations, and before his death claimed there was “undoubtedly more evidence” of Jackson being anti-Semitic. Is it possible that Paratore was murdered for attempting to find Audio-Visual evidence of Jesse Jackson Sr. saying anti-Semitic things, and was silenced in an effort to keep Wellstone from losing re-election?!

– conspiracytheoriesforum.co.usa, 5/29/2013 posting thread “motherpost”



…and in political news, Governor Grammer, the Republican presumptive nominee for President, won last night’s primaries, in Nebraska and for Republicans Abroad, with over 80% and 90% of the vote, respectively…

– ABC News, 5/30/2012 broadcast



IRELAND PASSES ABORTION AMENDMENT IN NATIONAL REFERENDUM

…The people of Ireland have voted to amend their constitution to permit the Oireachtas to pass legislation favoring abortion. Specifically, the legislation will amend their national constitution’s prohibiting of abortion except in cases where there is serious risk to the life of the mother. It will effectively repeal the eighth amendment of Ireland’s constitution. …The referendum on the subject was approved decisively (59.7% to 40.3%) and amid high voter turnout…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 31/5/2012



“I can’t comment on why Goetz said what he did; personally, I still believe he was just tired or drunk and didn’t mean at all anything that he said. Or maybe it was a doctored video like Goetz said it was, I couldn’t say. But I can say one thing. I could tell that Goetz wasn’t going to win the nomination, that the division of the conservative votes was going to let some wimp like Grammer get the nomination. And frankly, I’d just gotten sick of the pompousness of the Republican establishment. They weren’t listening to their core supporters – the conservatives of this country that for too long had been ignored by both parties. So before the primaries had even started, I started to organize an alternative to the two-state dilemma.”

– Jason Buck, NPR interview, 2015



…with tonight’s final round of primaries in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota all adding to the total delegate counts of presumptive nominees Kelsey Grammer and Paul Wellstone, tonight concludes 104 contests – that’s 57 contests per major party total, accounting for 52 states, plus four U.S. territories – the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands – and Americans Abroad…

– CBS Evening News, 6/5/2012 broadcast

[pic: imgur.com/CYc1mYe.png ] [6]

Popular vote:

Kelsey Grammer – 10,305,032 (54.5%)

Harley Brown – 4,972,889 (26.3%)

Lindsey Graham – 1,342,490 (7.1%)

Bernie Goetz – 718,515 (3.8%)

David Brown – 397,075 (2.1%)

Robert Burck – 302,534 (1.6%)

Rupert Boneham – 226,899 (1.2%)

Lyle W. Hillyard – 170,175 (0.9%)

William Weld – 151,267 (0.8%)

All other votes – 321,442 (1.7%)

Total votes cast: 18,908,315 (100.0%)

– clickopedia.co.usa



Democratic Party Presidential Primaries, 2012

[pic: imgur.com/tTwkFjC.png ]

– clickopeida.co.usa



COBAIN TALKS MENTAL ILLNESS IN CANDID NEW INTERVIEW

“It was cool meeting with him last summer. Growing up, John Lennon was definitely my favourite Beatle, hands down. I don’t know who wrote what parts of what Beatles songs, but Paul McCartney embarrasses me. Lennon was obviously disturbed [laughs]. So I could relate to that.” …“It was great to finally hang out him because from the books I’ve read — and I’m so skeptical of anything I read, especially in rock books. So I just felt really sorry for him. It seemed like for a lot of the time, his life was a prison. He tried to get out by getting into politics, but that shit just kept him in. He was imprisoned. It’s not fair. That’s the crux of the problem that I’ve had with becoming a celebrity — the way people deal with celebrities. It needs to be changed; it really does.”

Cobain then talked about the parallels between how he and Lennon struggled with coping with the dark side of fame: “No matter how hard you try, it only comes out like you’re bitching about it. I can understand how a person can feel that way and almost become obsessed with it. But it’s so hard to convince people to mellow out. Just take it easy, have a little bit of respect.” [7]

– tumbleweedmagazine.co.usa, 6/10/2012 article



ANTONIO VILLAR ELECTED NEW DNC CHAIR

…Villar (b. 1953), a longtime party insider, easily defeated former US Representative Edward Paul “Ed” Hernandez (b. 1957) for the position…

– The Washington Post, 6/12/2012



SURREAL SLEEPER HIT SHOWS AVENUE FOR UNCONVENTIONAL ANIMATION STILL WIDE OPEN

…A hit with its loyal fan base and not too difficult to follow for those just learning about the techtoon series that reached its peak in the mid-aughties, The Homestar Runner Movie is a flashier, better-animated love letter to the original cartoon shorts which, much like this movie, is gaining moviegoer attention by word-of-mouth… The creators behind film have indicated that they do not plan on making a cinematic sequel despite this film’s apparent financial success in order to “preserve the integrity and style” of the characters…

– Variety, 6/14/1996 review



…Various media outlets reported that the Grammer campaign was considering numerous possible contenders for the position of running mate. Among them, the most frequently mentioned were the following individuals:

– Incumbent US Senators: Gus Bilirakis of Florida, Randy Brock of Ohio, Helen Chenoweth of Idaho, Barbara Cubin of Wyoming, Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico, Kay Granger of Texas, Lyle W. Hillyard of Utah, Clyde Cecil Holloway of Louisiana, Hillary Rodham-Clinton of Tennessee, Margaret A. “Meg” Ryan of North Carolina, Michael Steele of Maryland and William Weld of Massachusetts

– Incumbent Governors: Rupert Boneham of Indiana, Harley Brown of Idaho, Mark Darr of Arkansas, Fred Grandy of Iowa, Lynn Jenkins of Kansas, Maureen O’Connor of Ohio, Dave Ramsey of Tennessee and David Woods of Alabama

– Former US Senators: Jim Edgar of Illinois, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas

– Former Governors: Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

– Incumbent US Representatives: Mark Sanford of South Carolina, John E. Sununu of New Hampshire, Rob Portman of Ohio and Jim Webb of Virginia

– Other: singer-songwriter Toby Keith of Oklahoma, US Army General (ret.) Ronald L. “Ron” Kovic of New York and Dean of West Point Glenn Rieth of Virginia

In mid-June, Rodham-Clinton reported declined being considered for running mate, citing her daughter still battling cancer at the time. After Grammer became the party’s presumptive nominee, most media outlets began reporting that Grammer’s shortlist included, Brock, Brown, Granger, Ramsey, and Weld, with Boneham, Hillyard and Steele occasionally being included on these supposed shortlists as well…

– clickopedia.co.usa



Grammer had favored picking Kay Granger from the beginning, but the circumstances had changed since then. The California moderate’s inner circle was convinced that he needed not just a conservative running mate, but a “hard-edged” [8] conservative.

“Despite the speeches, analysis shows you still have a ‘soft’ image that does well among women independents but poorly among male conservatives and very poorly among male and female populists,” his Chief of Protocol, Charlotte Schultz, explained.

“Am I at least doing well among BLUTAGO populists?” Grammer asked.

“Actually, no, they mostly supported Harley.”

“Damn!” He laconically replied. “Options, people?”

“I think we should select a populist. The biggest candidate we need to placate is Brown, since he received more votes than anyone else in the primaries. Maybe pick someone he would approve of, that could get him to endorse us,” noted Schultz.

According to most sources, it was Grammer’s Deputy Chief of Staff who then suggested the Governor select Harley Brown himself for running mate, explaining that “He could give us a lot of headache if he’s against us instead of with us. At least offering it to him could be a big olive branch to them.”

“How about we offer him a cabinet position?”

“He would very likely want a military post,” Schultz surmised. “Probably defense, Navy Secretary, maybe even National Security Advisor.”

Grammer mulled over the situation. “There needs to be some other effective way to appeal to the Brown backers.” Rubbing his jaw, he considered aloud “Maybe if I brought back my beard. Grew it out again.”

The Governor’s media strategist shook her head. “Bad optics, sir. It either reminds people of the President’s beard or of the beard worn by that villain you played in that movie a few years back.”

“It’s a cultural thing, sir,” the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Paul Wachter, added. “Most people see Brown as surly, boisterous and unkempt and see you as refined and dignified.

“You mean they think I’m pompous, don’t you? Please, give it to me straight.”

“Many voters still see you as stuffy and you apparently come off as too opinionated at times.”

“But that’s not me, that’s Dr. Frasier Crane. I’m not Frasier Crane!”

“Well, that ‘I’m listening’ soundbite didn’t help you make that distinction, honey,” the lovely Mrs. Grammer bluntly but sympathetically observed.

Grammer sighed, “Polemical remarks aside, I think it’s best that we start vetting Boneham and the two Kays immediately.”

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



TRUCK OFF!

Premiered: June 30, 2012

Genre(s): action

Directed by: Don Michael Paul

Written by: Barry L. Levy and Ron Underwood

Produced by: Ogden Gavanski

Main Cast: Duane Sand, Luciano Huck, Sithembile Xola Pearl Thusi, Matthew Ansara, and Gary “G-Thang” Johnson, with Robert “Reb” Brown and David Mayer de Rothschild

See Full Cast Here

Synopsis:

The film centers on a demolition derby as viewed from the perspective of several characters, with some of them genuinely aiming to win its hefty cash prize, while others plan to use the event as a cover for unrelated crimes, such as a bank robbery, an assassination, and a drug transfer. Their paths clash and become intertwined in a chain reaction of high-octane action and misadventure.

Reception:

The film was considered a financial success due to nearly doubling the money put into it. Audiences gave the film generally positive reviews. While critics panned it, some did single out the performance of actor Duane Sand (in his first “main character” role) as the best aspect of the film, possibly contributing him receiving more prominent film roles during the 2010s decade…

– mediarchives.co.usa, c. 2019



SANTIAGO CREEL ELECTED PRESIDENT OF MEXICO

…with incumbent President Marcela Guerra Castillo (PRI) term-limited, the race saw a wide range of candidate vying for the Presidency… Santiago Creel (PAN) defeating Jesus Casillas Romero (PRI) means that Mexico will have a President from the PAN political party for the first time since 1994…

– The Houston Chronicle, 7/1/2012



…after several weeks of bilateral talks, both United Turkestan and Azerbaijan have agreed to maritime boundaries along the Caspian Sea’s equidistant line…

– BBC World News, 2/7/2012 broadcast



“WHAT A VIEW!”: Mayor Wintersmith Opens The New Tallest Building In America

…Chicago Mayor Al Wintersmith proudly cut the ribbon at the Grand Opening Ceremony of The Chicago Spire [S1], an impressive skyscraper that began being built in 2007. After five years of construction at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive, the towering structure topped-out at 150 floors and 2,000 feet exactly, surpassing the Sears Tower by nearly 600 feet, making this multipurpose site the new tallest building in Chicago and, at 2,000 feet surpasses the Twin Towers of New York City to become the tallest building in the US, and the second-tallest building in the world, behind the Dubai Tower of the U.A.E. by roughly 800 feet…

– The Chicago Tribune, 7/4/2012



MOTHER-POST:

What The Hell Did I Just Watch?: My Take On The Catdog Movie

So The CatDog Movie finally hit theaters, and if you miss it, they plan on airing it on TV ahead of selling it on Micro-LD to maximize profit. And while its animation quality to vastly superior to the cartoon, this is not necessarily a good thing. The show experimented with facial expressions and how greatly they could exaggerate body movement, especially for Cat and Dog’s conjoined body, but this movie pushed it too far in my opinion. Some of that stuff was something out of a bad fever dream. Half the time I thought the animators were purposely messing with the audience. And don’t even get me started on the plot! Anyone else think the animation was too trippy, in a way that departed away from the style and tone of the series?

>REPLY 1:

Not to be a ruiner, but I though the premise of the story was pretty good. Through a misunderstanding, Lube leaves town to purchase a pizza but accidently takes a valuable item with him, prompting a search for him that has CatDog retrace famous locations from the show and also explore new ones. I don’t think the animation was too bad, either.

>REPLY 2:

I think they overdid it with the stretchiness of the animation because they were overcompensating for the crap story.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:

Do they show how CatDog goes to the bathroom (I’ve only seen the commercials).

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:

The opening scene is set in a public restroom. What do you think?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:

You mean they show it?!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:

You hear it, but they don’t hit you over the head with it. Besides, it really isn’t the most controversial part of the film. But I won’t ruin that for you.

>REPLY 3:

I liked the animation style, it reminded me of Mina and The Count, but much more detailed. Anyone remember that show? Anyway, I’m still surprised this got an AAA rating from the MPAA – there was at least one scene or two that I would not consider to be suitable for children.

>REPLY 4:

I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. It was fun to look at, they kept the mysterious tone balanced, they didn’t reveal too much about the town and CatDog’s origin story (I like pondering all the theories instead of knowing outright what’s really going on because it allows me to look at the show through more than just one vantage point – it’s fun!) and the voice work was stellar as always, but the surprisingly cluttered and chaotic mess of a story didn’t sit well with me. At least they knew to take a breather for the ending, giving us a chance to say goodbye to these characters.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:

Eh. They’ll probably just revive it in a few years. Happened once before, you know.

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 7/11/2012 posting



GORDONMANIA: The Music Behind Gordon Lightfoot’s Resurgence In Popularity

…the celebrated singer-songwriter’s voice has aged, and with it, his songwriting has evolved, taking on a more rustic and wise sort of tone and vibe that is different from yesteryear’s Lightfoot but is charming in a new way that seems to really speak to a new generation of Canadian fans and listeners…

– Vice, Canadian-American arts/lifestyle/culture magazine, July 2012 issue



…The company made the announcement with the “New Frontier” commercial. The 30-second segment opened to a shot of The Colonel, played by a model whose face in never shown, hesitantly standing on a road in a forested area. A narrator says “This time, The Colonel is entering unknown territory.” A close-up shot of a sign-post reveals that this is the Kentucky-Tennessee border. The Colonel stand-in nervously taps his fingers on the top of his cane. As dramatic music swells, he nervously and cautiously steps over the border into Tennessee. The camera quickly cuts to rocks on the road trembling before cutting to the hill in front of the Colonel, showing a wave of ecstatic customers rushing toward him. As the seemingly descend upon him, the camera zooms in on the package in The Colonel’s other hand – “introducing: Nashville Hot KFC – crispy, juicy, spicy chicken in a marriage of The Colonel’s Original Recipe with the Nashville Hot Classic that is so good,” the narrator explains as the new offering is displayed before cutting back to The Colonel crowd surfing and then being paraded into Tennessee by the adoring crowd as the company icon showers the crowd with wings (all while The Colonel's face is away from the camera), “you won’t believe we didn’t think of this sooner.”…

[pic: imgur.com/TZBXldC.png ]

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



…One political analyst opined, “Grammer continues the GOP tradition of nominating TV personalities. First, The Colonel with his commercials and movie cameos, then Lee Iacocca with his car commercials and that one cameo in Miami Vice. Now, the party has taken things up to eleven with the nomination of an actual TV star.”

Another one noted, on T.O.N., no less, that “If elected, this supposed Man of The People will be the wealthiest President since Lee Iacocca and the ninth wealthiest in American history.” This was factual true, as Forbes had announced that Grammer had a net worth of $80million in 2010 [10]. For reference’s sake, George Washington was the wealthiest President in US history, with a net worth of $587million in 2016 dollars. After him was Thomas Jefferson with $236million. Lee Iacocca was the third-wealthiest US President ever with a net worth of $160million in 1992 [11]. Next on the list is Theodore Roosevelt at fourth-wealthiest, followed by Andrew Jackson, James Madison, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Herbert Hoover at eighth-wealthiest, with $83million in 2016 dollars. A President Grammer would come in at just under Hoover, at ninth place, above the next-wealthiest Presidents: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Tyler, Larry Miles Dinger, James Monroe, Martin Van Buren, Jeremiah Denton, Grover Cleveland, Jack Kemp, and John Quincy Adams, in that order [12] (Colonel Sanders, the twentieth-wealthiest President in US history, had a peak net worth of just $22million [13] due to his years of charity donations).

Sadly, these passive-aggressive snipes from media allies were viewed by most with Wellstone’s inner circle as being the most affective forms of attack against the Grammer campaign in the summer of 2012. Despite all of the candidate’s flaws, from his history of drug use and his exorbitant wealth to his vague campaign message of “sensible conservatism,” the people behind the Wellstone re-election bid were failing to efficiently strategize ahead of the conventions. The President was tasked with doing his best to curb inflation rates while at the same time trying to keep the two sides of Wellstoneland – the presidency and the campaign – separate and distinct, with one band of backers running the campaign out of Minneapolis while another oversaw Presidency-centric operations in DC. Internal bickering over messaging, the level of attack (with Bob Ross reportedly sparring with Wellstone’s Chief of Staff over the merits and shortcoming of taking “the high road”) and other aspects made for a chaotic inner circle. Thankfully, internal disputes did not spill into the news media, and was successfully kept out of public view. Really, the only major indication of internal problems was the inconsistent pacing of official press releases.

Nevertheless, the bulk of operations repeatedly switching back and forth between the one city and the other only highlighted the need for a more centralized campaign to be defined before the “home stretch” of the race truly began in late summer…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



PM McTEER ANNOUNCES NEW TAX HIKES: Claims “Minor” Increases “Across The Board” Will Combat Rising Inflation Rates

– The Calgary Herald, daily newspaper in Alberta, Canada, 7/27/2012



…According to a source close to the Grammer campaign, California Governor and Republican nominee-in-waiting Kelsey Grammer has, after weeks of delay and just a few weeks ahead of the Republican National Convention, finally selected a running mate... [14]

– CBS Evening News, 7/30/2012 broadcast



NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)
[1] While the Powerpuff Girls was inspired by the pre-major-butterflies artwork of Margaret Keane, McCracken conceived the series “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” after he and his fiancé adopting dogs from a shelter in the mid-2000s; given that there’s a lot of variables at play there (who he dates/marries, if he even opts to adopt dogs in the first place, etc.), I don’t think he would have developed it in OTL. @Igeo654 as for Wander over Yonder, it’s likely that the zaniness of that series shows up sooner in the characters of this Popeye the Sailor reboot series.
[2] Credit to @Sunstone77 for this italicized line.
[3] As described here: https://www.wired.com/2007/06/homestarrunner/
[4] Picture from here: https://www.deviantart.com/redheadxilamguy/art/Homestar-Runner-with-actual-arms-603655432
[5] My thoughts on the song, @Igeo654
[6] These primary results are based on the poll results as they were on February 5, 2021
[7] Italicized segments found here are quotes/bits from this OTL article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/kurt-cobain-favourite-beatles-member-john-lennon/
[8] As put by @Sunstone77
[9] An OTL skyscraper project that was cancelling IRL due to the 2007-2008 recession, which did not happen ITTL, and thus, this got built!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Spire
[10] OTL, according to celebritynetworth.com
[11] OTL, it was $150million at the time of his OTL death; here, he made this much by also being MLB Commissioner and by handling Chrysler and Ford differently, as mentioned in previous chapter (way back when).
[12] Based on wikipedia’s list of Presidents by net worth.
[13] OTL, the Colonel’s net worth was only $10million IOTL, according to celebritynetworth.com

[14] Ahead of the 2012 RNC, I made a preference poll concerning who Grammer should pick to be his running mate: https://www.strawpoll.me/42590290

And here’s a quick breakdown of the 6 options on the poll:

US Sen. Randy Brock of Ohio, age 69 – a bit to the right of Grammer, both fiscally and socially, this African-American legislator could help win over states in the Midwest with his blue-collar appeal, help a President Grammer work with congress better, and improve minority voter turnout in favor of the GOP.
Gov. Harley Davidson Brown of Idaho, age 58 – the surprise champion of the GOP’s populist faction during the primaries, his military experience and appeal to religious and blue-collar voters could counter Grammer’s weaknesses in all of those areas; Brown’s selection would very likely unite the party.
US Sen. Kay Granger of Texas, age 70 – experienced in the inner workings of D.C. and from an electorally-rich state, her selection could improve female voter turnout in favor of the Republican ticket and better promote the image of Grammer’s candidacy being serious and professional.
Fmr US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, age 69 – very similar to Granger except for being closer to the Religious Right, Hutchison also has made many connections to political donors since leaving office in 2009, and her being out of office could allow her to stump for Grammer should his gubernatorial duties call him away from the campaign trail.
Gov. Dave Ramsey of Tennessee, age 52 – having a financial expert as second-in-command could help Grammer during any fiscal issues that could arise during his presidency (inflation and the budget have been very prominent political talking points as of late); his selection could also help better secure the south for the Republican column.
US Sen. William Weld of Massachusetts, age 67 – his selection would reject calls for a unifying ticket and instead double-down on Grammer’s more liberal and "light-libertarian" policies, albeit at the risk of alienating conservatives, populists, and the Religious Right all still significant in the party, especially those already itching to bolt for a more satisfactory third-party option. ( @Light_Star 1)

@Igeo654 – Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch was born in 1985, more than twenty years after the POD begins to really have an effect on things. So for sake of argument, let’s just assume that his parents still ended up together and conceived him and his twin sister at the same time that they did in OTL. And that like in OTL, the Hirsch twins spend their summers with their great aunt “graunty” Lois, who has a cabin in the woods like in OTL. It is possible he could make a show similar to Gravity Falls, but with a character named Graunty Lois in it. Or, since IOTL he went to CalArts and worked on other projects before making GF, maybe one of those projects takes off (his senior film “Off The Wall,” the cartoon short “Imaginary Friend” (IOTL, it’s about a little kid whose imaginary friend is a flying Richard Nixon (it’s available on YouTube!), so here it’d probably be about someone else), a scrapped stop-motion film for Laika Studios, etc.). It really all depends on whether or not the POD butterflied away the circumstances that lead to his parents meeting each other, conceiving him, and giving him the same upbringing that they did IOTL. Thoughts?

@Tannenberg – I’ll include more glimpses into how the technet looks and other technet aspects in upcoming chapters; is there anything specific on your mind?

@CamtheWideboi – “Lloyd Havaw Reese” is an alias (see Chapter 102’s footnotes)

Sunstone77 said:
Glad my quote made it into the canon Should have seen it hurting his image a little though, but I suppose there's worse things he could be dealing with. I alwqys liked Kelsey with a beard but I understand how it tends to make him look more villainous and there being more pictures of him clean shaven then not, especially if you use his screenshots from his more modern shows like Boss.

I'm also kind of confused as to who Lloyd Havaw Reese is. Who are they otl?

It's an anagram. I'll cover it better in the next chapter.


Also, some other people in case y’all were wondering about them:

Jeremy Scahill (b. 1974) – investigative journalist praised for his work covering the Bernie Bros of 2004; began a part-time acting career in the 2010s

Richard Sherzan (b. 1946) – served in the Iowa state House from 1979 to 1991, retiring to unsuccessfully run for a US Senate seat in 1990 but losing the Republican nomination to future President Larry Miles Dinger; later served in the Arizona state Senate from 2015 to 2019 (lost re-election).

Gary Dockery (b. 1954) – Chief of Police/Sheriff for Walden, Tennessee during the 2000s decade; retired from law enforcement in 2014

Leonard Peltier (b. 1944) – Native American activist and writer best known for being shot and wounded in a well-publicized example of Native Americans suffering police brutality, way back in 1981; currently travels the country promoting his culture at various functions

Frederick Theodore “Ted” Rall III (b. 8/26/1963 in Cambridge, MA) – being in high school during the Trojan Tower Disaster increased his interest in engineering and applied himself better during his time at Columbia U, finally majoring in nuclear engineering and graduating in 1990; 13 years later, in 2003, shortly after being promoted to nuclear technician at a nuclear power plant near his hometown of Kettering, Ohio, he was blamed for also causing a nuclear meltdown after not following proper procedure, and was fired; after failing to challenge his dismissal in court, he was 40, unemployable, and in debt; after contemplating suicide, he became a born-again Christian and joined an Evangelical sect in Broward County, FL; he currently works as motivational speaker

Dwight Grotberg (b. 1/26/1967) – Republican perennial candidate in North Dakota

Lyle H. Boren (5/11/09-7/2/92) – father and grandfather of Oklahoma politicians David Boren and Dan Boren, respectively; opposed labor strikes on defense plants and supported expanding the federal government, actions mirrored by the political careers of his son and grandson.

Aristeidis Alafouzos (1924-2017) – Greek shipowner and media mogul; owner of Glafki Maritime Limited, after entering shipping in 1964 and eventually entering a bitter rivalry against another wealthy merchant, Aristotle Onassis. The Aristeidis-Aristotle feud (which finally ended after more than 20 years with the former outliving the latter, who passed away in 1999 at the age of 93) was legendary in Greece and pretty much nowhere else.

Paul America (b. Paul Johnson in 1944) – here, he never met Andy Warhol in 1965, was renamed Paul America, and became addicted to heroin and speed; instead, he became an anti-war beatnik (he was not “angry” or active enough to be a shoutnik) in the early 1960s and eventually became actor in many low-budget independent films during the 1970s and 1980s, but was best known for being a character actor in TV shows during the 1980s and 1990s; returned to political activism in the 1990s before landing an iconic role in the “Dark Tower” miniseries of the late 2000s decade; still alive, and still acting

George Grizzard (1928-2007) actor like in OTL; among his more noteworthy roles was his portrayal of President Mondale in a 1989 miniseries

Josefina Eugenia Vazquez Mota (b. 1/20/1961 in Mexico City) – billionaire businesswoman and political donor in Mexico with alleged Presidential aspirations

Artyom Fyodorovich Sergeyev (5/3/1921 – 15/1/2008) – rose to Major General; die-hard Communist like IOTL, and his last words in 2008 were “I serve the Soviet Union” like IOTL; during the fall of the Soviet Union, he commanded Air Defenses around factories in eastern Ukraine despite wanting to contribute to the war effort against separatists during the USSR-UT War; he later claimed in interviews that had the “traitorous” Dmitriy Ustinov placed him in charge of aerial tactics during said war, the USSR would have “crushed the insurgents” and “returned to global dominance” by the end of the 1990s.

Albert Speer Jr. (b. 1934) – strongly anti-Nazi architect and urban planner who opposed German reunification, believing the “German separation” guaranteed “global unity”; currently retired

Jean-Marie Loret (1918-1985) – French railway worker whose mother claimed he was Hitler’s son, meaning that, through him, Hitler may have a grandson; he was briefly kidnapped by incompetent neo-Nazis in a minor 1979 incident

Joseph P. “Joe” Clancy (b. 1955) – joined the Secret Service in the 1980s after working as a history teacher; assigned to the President’s personal detail in 1997; formed a friendship with President Jackson; just got promoted to Director of the United States Secret Service

Sergei Nikolayevich Kourdakov (b. 1951) – defected from the USSR to the US like in OTL, and after gaining the trust of President Sanders, was assigned a security detail; this precedence led to the creation of a special safety agency/protocol being established for defectors in 1973; Kourdakov, after obtaining permanent residency in 1974 and beginning work as a translator, columnist, and special advisor for multiple agencies, survived at least 17 attempts on his life (5 of them getting very close to being successful) before the USSR collapsed; only then did he marry, resulting in him fathering 7 sons and 4 daughters

Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza Curry (b. 1/1/1962) – inspired by Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 bid for the Presidency and her parents’ involvement in civil affairs such as education and union rights, she joined the Green party in the 1980s, and soon after founded the Green Party Black Caucus. She participated in the Second Arkwave, and moved to The Sanwi Kingdom in the 1990s, to serve as an advisor to the young nation’s new Crown Prince, Jimi Hendrix. She moved back to the states in 2001 after Jesse Jackson’s inauguration, and served on several progressive and Green Party-affiliated organizations and non-profit groups. She also reluctantly became a perennial candidate of sorts, running for Congress several times since returning to the US (having retained her citizenship when she moved overseas) but never winning despite obtaining the Democratic nomination for a seat in 2004 and the Green party nomination for another seat in 2006 and again in 2010.

Larry Walters (b. 1949) – after failing to enter the US Air Force due to his poor eyesight, he spent years working as a truck driver before acquiring a pilot’s license in 1981; three years later, he received permission from the FAA to try out a life-long dream of his – flying by tying 45 special helium-filled weather balloons to a patio chair; the federally-authorized and well-publicized feat, performed in early 1986, saw “Lawnchair Larry” spend 73 minutes floating above the Mojave Desert, reaching a height of 20,000 feet and travelling 23 miles before safely landing on the ground. The publicity from the incident led to Walters finding work as a small-aircraft pilot as he was able to afford to get corrective eye surgery in 1989. Despite inspiring the extreme sport of cluster ballooning, he was twice divorced, in dept, and was suffering from depression when SARS spread to the US, costing him his job as a pilot; he soon became an alcoholic, and it was only after his family and college-bound children intervened that he was able to sober up. Years later, in late 2010, after much preparation, Walters recreated his patio chair flight for a TV special on the 25th anniversary of the original 1986 flight; he is still alive today

The Sears Point Raceway Music Festival of December 1969 – butterflied away

Susan Jane Helms (b. 1958) – US Air Force General (since 2010) and former NASA astronaut, similar to OTL; she had the potential to be on the Milestone and Seeker mission, only for her to have to bow out of the program early after breaking her arm in an unrelated freak accident



The next chapter’s E.T.A.: February 18 at the very latest!

 

[gap80]

Post 96: Chapter 104



Chapter 104: August 2012 – January 2013
“I think that we’re all mentally ill. Those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better – and maybe not all that much better, after all.”

– Stephen King (OTL)



The two Governors met at Brown’s office in Idaho’s capital of Boise. Grammer held back a slight feeling of antipathy toward his situation, of trying to appeal to the unkempt Idahoan before him. But, the man had done his homework, researching motorcycles and watching Harley’s purportedly favorite film in order to develop some “common ground” ahead of the meeting.

The two men discussed Brown’s role in a potential Grammer administration, with Grammer promising Brown that the VP would participate in “all major cabinet meetings,” then proceeded to watch the 1967 movie “Hells Angels on Wheels.” After doing lunch (KFC, naturally), the two men concluded the meeting with a brief exchange in Brown’s inner office.

“Harley, you understand that the extensive vetting process will not be some astringent assault on your background.”

“Hey, I’m an open book, Kels,” Harley smiled, “I’m done nothing to be ashamed of, and the stuff people say I should be ashamed of just don’t know what they’re talking about.”

“Yes, well,” replied Kelsey, “Pending the discovery of some skeleton so massive that it would make Jake Butcher blush, I think I’ve found my running mate.” The California Governor feigned a smile and reached his hand out to his Idahoan counterpart. He only winced internally at the surprisingly greasy and sweaty feel of Harley’s recently-washed palm as they shook hands on it.

“Glad to be on board, sir,” Harley chuckled.

“Likewise,” Kelsey lied.

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



Kelsey visited my office in Boise, desperate that I join his ticket. He knew he wouldn’t be able to win over the Goetzites, but I could convince them to give the GOP another chance. I walked right in and began practically begging me, almost on his hands and knees, to take on the important role of second-in-command. It was a good thing for his sake that I sort of liked Kelsey. Sure, his alleged charm came off too often as him being a smug enlist, but I appreciated his stance on law-and-order, and his devotion to improving the American landscape.

To see if he was worthy of my time and energy, I made him sit down and watch the 1967 movie “Hells Angels on Wheels,” one of the greatest films ever made. He watched his reacts and we talked about it afterward. He seemed very accepting and supportive of the rugged frontier culture. I was surprised to learn how much he actually already knew about motorcycles and the Mud Marines. I was impressed. So I figured, “Why not?”

– The Wildest Ride: The Autobiography of Harley Brown, 2021



GRAMMER PICKS HARLEY BROWN FOR RUNNING MATE

…while several other politicians were rumored to be considered, Grammer has chosen Brown to be his running mate in what may be a move to appeal to dissatisfied members of other factions of the Republican party and unite the GOP. ...While such "unity" tickets have worked to secure victory in the past, history also suggests that such tickets do not make for stable White House administrations. The best example of this from modern history would undoubtedly be the "unity" ticket of Walter Mondale and Mike Gravel, the pairing of a moderate with a progressive that resulted in the President and Vice President having a cold, icy, and rocky relationship that only worsened as their time in office worsened…

– The Washington Post, 8/8/2012 [1]



On August 10, a saw mill exploded near Great Falls, Montana, killing six workers. The incident was a tragic example of bureaucratic oversight, of a state government that had grown to become too big for its britches. I made note of this in my very next newsletter, and called for higher worker rights. …I think I only wanted state-level attention, but when my comments caught the attention of technetters, my words went fervid. Suddenly, I was receiving more attention than ever before. I find it to be thrilling and uplifting, but at the same time absolutely terrifying… Maybe I wanted to get caught. Maybe I was just tired of living a lie for twenty years. Well, at least I caught the attention of some people, and convinced at least some of my fellow members of humanity to oppose all systems that do not work for them, the people…

– Lee Harvey Oswald’s autobiography Call Me By My Real Name: Confessions From a Fallen Hero, published posthumously



…The inability of the Wellstone administration to resolve the Sudanese Conflict peacefully had somewhat damaged the President’s image and reputable abroad despite his administration essentially pinning the blame on the State Department, with there being serious internal discussions of replacing US Secretary of State Harvey Gantt with the US Ambassador to Egypt, or with former diplomat Bill Gwatney. Regardless, the violence unfolding in Darfur had the potential to significantly hinder Wellstone’s re-election bid that year, and as a result, in August 2012, Wellstone called on the leading members of the UN, especially Western European leaders such as UK and France, as well as Canada and Australia, to “carry the weight” of the peace talks process. While the UK’s Mary Creagh was enthusiastic, her Parisian counterpart was reluctant in contributing to rising accusations in Sudan of “western imperialism…returning” to Africa…

– Walter Allen McDougall’s The Promise And Potential Of US Foreign Policy In The 21st Century, Dove Books, 2019



TEHRAN OLYMPICS END WITH RECORDS BROKEN, FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, AND MEMORIES MADE

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 12/8/2012



…The Governor’s image consultants went to the archives to dig up footage from when Colonel Sanders had visited the set of Cheers in 1980s. Being a teetotaler, The Colonel did not approve of the setting or the show’s handling of alcoholic characters such as Norm, the former President did appreciate the humor, and visited the set as part of a larger tour of the studio. The consultants seized upon one image from the visit, a photograph of The Colonel standing alongside Kelsey Grammer on the stage of Cheers. The image was the perfect way to visualize Grammer’s message of dignity and “compassionate and rational” conservative, and a way of suggesting that Grammer was destined for the White House by drawing parallels between the two Republicans in the photo. The image ended up being placed throughout the convention, covering walls and posters in a celebration of what the GOP was, what the GOP is, and what the GOP could be…

[pic: imgur.com/KOfFb7g.png ]

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



“Good evening America, I’m listening.”

“This campaign is all about truthfulness. And the truth is that I oppose hateful rhetoric being it is not productive. If we are to have a meaningful conversation with the American public this autumn, it must be a conversation focused on the issues – the benefits of smaller government, the rewards of lower taxes, the need to assure that all Americans can pursue prosperity.”

“I said earlier that I’m listening, but, you know what, was a sound bite, people. For a President does more than simply listen – to the people, to advisors, to experts, to what their own heart, head and guts have to say. He reacts. He takes action.”

“I believe that everyone wants to be responsible for it themselves. I truly don’t believe that everyone wants the government to take care of every problem they have, I truly don’t believe that. But that’s the story that the Democrats sell and that is what we are fighting at.”

“I am not Dr. Frasier Crane. I am not Dr. Schwarzchild. I am not Ebenezer Scrooge and I am not General Patton. I am Kelsey Grammer. I am a patriot who has the experience to serve in the Oval Office. The Presidency is not a role for which I am auditioning, it is a job for which I am applying, and the primaries have shown that no less 10,305,032 people have taken a look at my resume and think I am the right person for the job!”

– snippets from Kelsey Grammer’s acceptance speech at the 8/14-17/2012 Republican National Convention, 8/17/2012



FORMER US REP. JASON BUCK ANNOUNCES POPULIST BID FOR PRESIDENT!

…Jason Buck (b. 1963), a former NFL player, was elected to congress from Utah’s most conservative House district in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, and was succeeded by Jonathan E. Johnson III in 2010. …Buck proclaimed, “This is a bid not just for those who feel betrayed or unsatisfied with the nominee of Kelsey Grammer. This is not just for those who feel that Harley Brown has become a sellout. This is a bid for everyone who is sick of the two-party system, for everyone who is sick of congressional gridlock, sick of American weakness abroad, and sick of America continuing down the wrong path year after year. America is not meant to be this weak. America is a strong nation, a nation built and preserved by strong people. We were like that before and we an be like that again. …Genuine leadership is lacking in our capital and in our actions overseas, and when I am in the White House, we will return strength to the capital, to the military, and most importantly to the workers, the hardworking core of America’s greatness!”

– The New York Times, 8/16/2012



THE COMPLEXITY OF BALLOT ACCESS

When running for President as a third-party candidate, one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome is not debate access, but something even more basic, something that is right at the start of it all – ballot access. The hurdles a candidate must go through to get their name on a state ballot vary from state to state, and range from signatures to monetary charges to deadline clearances. These hurdles are even more challenging for last-minute entrants, who must scramble to gain access before deadlines lock them out.

For example, when Jason Buck entered the race for President in 2012, half the states had already finalized their ballots, giving Buck only two months to get on at least 273 Electoral College Votes worth of state ballots (one of the two requirements needed to get into the major-party Presidential debates, the other one being an average of at least 10% in certain polls).

As a result of this short window, Buck’s campaign had to act quickly, and work in tandem with state-level affiliates and allies. He ended up running on the official Boulder Party ticket in only 14 states. In West Virginia, Buck was listed as the nominee of the Strong Party, which was the Boulder Party’s state affiliate. In five states where the Boulder Party was not “officially recognized” due to failing to gather enough signatures, Buck was endorsed by, and received the nominations of, the state versions of older minor conservative third-party organizations and labels such as the Defense Party, the Country Party, and the Exposure Party. And in Minnesota, the local Action party convinced its nominees to drop out and be replaced by Buck’s ticket, requiring the ballots to be redone. Additionally, Buck received write-in access in six states.

For all of Buck’s efforts, the candidate ended up on the ballot in only 21 states, which totaled 289 EC votes. Concurrent with these efforts, though, came the even more daunting challenge of the race – climbing to at least 10% in the national polling…

– minorpartiesmatter.co.usa/history/2010s/article#47863095



OAKLAND MAYOR CAUGHT UP IN D.U.I. SCANDAL

…Mayor of Ignacio De La Fuente of Oakland, California was given a “moving violation” citation after being pulled over by Oakland Police for reportedly “swerving back and forth”… De La Fuente subsequently failed to pass a sobriety test…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 8/26/2012



Mayors of OAKLAND (California)

5/1/1966-6/30/1977: 44) John H. Reading (R, 1917-2003) – former businessman; previously served on the city council from 1961 to 1966; was instrumental in the expansion of the Oakland International Airport; appointed by city council to finish predecessor’s term after he resigned; was on good terms with President Colonel Sanders and with US Senators Thomas Kuchel and Richard Nixon; retired; later served in the Denton administration as a special advisor for the Small Business Administration

1967 (special): Sam K. Cook Jr. (I) and Paul Montauk (I)

1969: Lawrence A. Joyner (Natural Mind) and Henry H. Haight III (I)

1973: Bobby X (Black Rights) and Otho J. Green (I)

7/1/1977-6/30/1997: 45) Lionel Joseph Wilson (D, 1915-1998) – previously served on the Alameda County Municipal Court and as a judge of the Alameda County Superior Court; city’s first African-American mayor; worked to develop the city’s downtown area and improve city transportation (supported the 1995-to-2001 multi-state proposal to introduce maglev train station linking San Diego to Seattle during his final term); praised for his handling of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, visiting hospitals and working with the city council and experts to address repair and rebuilding efforts to improve safety features in new buildings; won in 1993 after main opponent jokingly promised “fried chicken in every pot,” which he later claimed was an attempt to reach out to Republicans (alleging it was a reference to President Colonel Sanders) but was still considered by many to be a “racist” and “demeaning” comment, allegations which Harris challenged due to him being African-American; retired over declining health due to cancer

1977: John J. Miller (D)

1981: Hector “Reno” Reyna (I) and Dave Tucker (I)

1985: Armand Leo Choinard (I) and George W. Sams Jr. (Black Rights)

1989: Hugh E. Bassette (D), Cestra E. “Ces” Butner (D) and Alex Rackley (Black Rights)

1993: Elihu M. Harris (D)

7/1/1997-11/11/2008: 46) Wilson Riles Jr. (D, b. 1947) – city’s second African-American mayor; began his political career by working on Shirley Chisolm’s 1972 campaign for President; served on the city council from 1979 to 1996; worked on neighborhood non-profit housing, alternatives to incarceration, bilingual education, and addressing the root causes of city homelessness such as housing rates and an apparent lack of city rehab centers; resigned after winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (and served from 2009 until losing re-nomination in 2017); currently works as a special advisor for an Anaheim-based law firm

1997: Leo Bazile (D), Audrey Ricer Oliver (D), Hector “Reno” Reyna (I) and Shay X (Black Rights)

2001: Mary V. King (D)

2005: Desley Brooks (D)

11/11/2008-6/30/2009: 47) Edward J. Blakely (D) – city’s third African-American mayor; former educator and urban planner; previously served on the city council from 2001 to 2008; appointed by city council to succeed Riles; lost bid for a full term; later elected back to the city council

7/1/2009-6/30/2013: 48) Ignacio De La Fuente (D, b. 1949) – born in Mexico and immigrated to California at the age of 21; previously worked as a union representative and served on the city council from 1992 to 2009; opposed recreadrug legalization measures amid concerns over “abuse as well as control, certification, and monitoring of caregivers”; known for criticizing President Paul Wellstone's handling of numerous issues; lost re-election over a scandal involving him driving recklessly while intoxicated; currently works for a Mexican-American rights lobbying firm

2009: Edward J. Blakely (D) and Hector “Reno” Reyna (I)

7/1/2013-6/30/2021: 49) Don Richard Perata (D, b. 1945) – son of Italian Immigrants; previously served in the state assembly from 1996 to 1998 and in the state senate from 1998 to 2012; staunchly supported efforts to improve gun control, support mental health improvement efforts, better regulate the legal recreadrug industry, and support immigrant workers; investigated by the FBI in 2018 but was cleared of campaign fund misuse in 2020; retired due to low approval ratings

2013: Ignacio De La Fuente (D)

2017: Libby Schaaf (D)

7/1/2021-present: 50) Sheilagh “Cat” Polk Brooks (D) – city’s first female Mayor and city’s fifth African-American Mayor overall; former progressive political activist, theater artist, poet, businesswoman, and talk radio show host; ran on a platform focused on education and racial justice; incumbent, having entered office just three days ago

2021: Pamela Price (D)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



ISAAC MOVES IN: Hurricane Winds, Rain Envelop Metro Areas

– The Times-Picayune, Louisiana newspaper, 8/29/2012



…Hurricane Isaac dissipated on September 3, leaving in its wake 23 direct deaths, 4 indirect deaths, and nearly $3billion in damages, primarily across the states of Florida, Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as Cuba, Hispaniola, The Bahamas and the Leeward Islands…

– clickopedia.co.usa/Hurricane_Isaac_(2012)



Neurotically Yours: How Foamy the Squirrel Is Already A “Cult Classic”

…the smoothly-animated series with crude, disturbed and foul-mouthed characters only just began its second season, but already the show has accrued a strong base of fans. While rather small when compared to other fan bases, “Foamers” are passionately invested in the semi-syndicated lives of the show’s characters, with the Fourth-Wall-breaking Foamy being a clear favorite among these fans…

– Vice, Canadian-American arts/lifestyle/culture magazine, September 2012 issue



WELLSTONE/ROSS RE-NOMINATED ON FINAL NIGHT OF DNC

…the party’s platform calls for a greater focus on education in a second Wellstone term, calling for college student loan debt forgiveness for low-income graduates in order to discourage dropouts. The platform also calls for even bolder steps to combat Global Climate Disruption, as well as promoting more job creation via a stronger FJG program, a stronger green energy policy, empowering labor, more affordable housing, and “a return to the subject of police reform,” which could mean a return to the police precinct reform efforts attempted during the Jesse Jackson administration…

– The Minneapolis Star, 9/5/2012



…After the 2012 DNC concluded, Grammer laid out a specific outline for revenue and spending for his tenure if elected. He explained that he would simplify the tax code and change the tax bracket system from nine brackets to six. President Wellstone’s inner circle immediately began considering releasing a tax plan of their own to combat its media presence, and ultimately release a less detailed outline three weeks later...

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



“America is at its best when it has no major foreign enemy, when it can’t blame its internal problems on external affairs. We are at our best when we focus not on pop culture or paranoid claims, but on systemic issues still unresolved. Four years is not enough time for any politician to amend such deeply-rooted woes.”

– former Vice President Jerry Litton (D-MO), Wellstone’2012 surrogate, 9/8/2012



SENATORS BACK WELLSTONE’S CALL FOR A CLEAN ELECTRICITY STANDARD

…the plan to have all us electricity standards come from clean sources by 2030, and to make the US power sector carbon-free by that same year, are a part of Wellstone’s re-election platform. US Senator Charles Dean (D-VT) pledges to see the US adopt the standard under a second Wellstone term. …The proposed bill to implement a policy/standard would allow for homeowners who generate solar power and other clean energy to earn tax credits for zero-emission electricity, including through means that are renewable and/or hydropower in nature. …Opponents claim such a policy will damage the economy by trying to control the energy market, which is responsible for over a quarter of the US’s greenhouse gas emissions at the moment…

– The Washington Post, 9/10/2012



FORMER WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNOR JOINS JASON BUCK’S 3RD PARTY TICKET

…Bob Wise was the conservative Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2009, and served in the US House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001. …According to an anonymous former member of the Buck campaign, another consideration for the position of running mate was Louis Barletta, the conservative Republican mayor of Hazleton, Pennsylvania since 2000 who was one of the first elected officials to endorse Buck’s populist candidacy. However, Buck, who served in the US House as a Republican from Utah for eight years (retiring to unsuccessfully run for the US Senate in 2010, reportedly wanted a running mate with “more weight, but without taking attention away from himself.” Other rumored considerations for the Buck ticket included US Rep. David McKinley (R-WV), former US Rep. Barbara Coe (R/B-CA), US Senator and former NASA astronaut Jon McBride (R-WV), and former Governor Doug Swanson (R-NV)…

– Associated Press, 9/12/2012



“Do not underestimate the power of the Boulderites to influence the results of this election. Trying to resolve issues concerning trade and market freedoms are virtuous pursuits, but the wealthy backers of Jason Buck use scapegoating tactics to ignore the economic woes that afflict us all.”

– Bern Sanders, Wellstone’2012 surrogate, 9/13/2012



…the Republican Party sought to frame the election as a referendum on the incumbent, while the Democrats sought to frame it as a choice between two candidates and what the next four years should look like. Biggest benefit to the Democrats was the possibility that the Buck/Wise ticket would split the anti-Wellstone vote in enough states to spoil the election in their favor. Republicans were very much aware of this potential result, given that internally polling revealed that, even with the populist Harley Brown on the ticket, Grammar’s campaign was not winning over “unwanted” support from white supremacists, who instead flocked to the likes of Buck and other third-party candidates – a trend that gave many in the GOP mixed emotions…

– Richard Wolffe’s The Message: Reselling the Wellstone Way, Hachette Book Group, 2013



…As the 2010s continued, the notion of KFC expanding into Africa became more palatable as early reports indicated that markets in Morocco, Tanzania, Mozambique and even the once war-torn Rwanda would not be hostile to a western/American franchise. Even Angola and Uganda, two countries that the US briefly invaded in the mid-1970s, were reportedly open to the idea of allowing the franchise to open an outlet in their respective national capitals on a trial basis. The consensus among analysts was that the promises of hospitality stemmed from KFC reputation of being a symbol of peace. The 1979 Atlanta Peace Treaty that stabilized the Middle East, and The Colonel’s famous contributions to the temporary ceasefire between India and Pakistan, that had lasted for much of the 1990s, had convinced many that the Eleven Secret Herbs And Spices had a way of calming hostilities in a way that would be welcomed to troubled regions. These reports led to the FLG Board of Directors taking an even closer look at expansion into the few remaining countries on Earth that were without at least one KFC outlet…

– Marlona Ruggles Ice’s A Kentucky-Fried Phoenix: The Post-Colonel History of Most Famous Birds In The World, Hawkins E-Publications, 2020



WELLSTONE/ROSS: 46%

GRAMMER/BROWN: 43%

BUCK/WISE: 7%

OTHER/UNDECIDED: 4%

– Gallup national poll, 9/16/2012



“This country’s going to hell under Paul Wellstone and it won’t get that much better under another Republican administration. Vote Buck/Wise.”

– actor Dean Cain, endorsing the Buck/Wise ticket, 9/17/2012



“Both Democrats and Republicans are wolves in sheep wool. But of the two wolves, the Democrats are more obvious, and so are the lesser of two evils. I will vote for the Green party candidate, but I understand it if my supporters and followers go and vote for Wellstone. I understand. He has been a more active, pragmatic and productive President than I expected him to be. Of the corrupt pack of selfish wolves making their den out of the federal district, Wellstone seems to be the least heinous.”

– Former US Senator Peter Isaac “Pete” Diamondstone (LU-VT), 9/19/2012 interview



…Republican Senators have vote down a proposed bill that would have allowed the federal government to overview billion-dollar transactions, and also increase the Federal Inheritance Tax…

– ABC News, 9/21/2012 broadcast



“Maybe the Democrats are purposely introducing legislation, knowing we’ll vote it down, in order to have these rejections to run on in the general election. To paint us as the party of ‘no,’ like what Grammer said in one of the debates a while back.”

– US House Majority Whip to House Speaker McMaster (allegedly, possibly anecdotal), c. 9/21/2012



…In response to Wellstone’s tax outline going public, Grammer reiterated his own proposals in stump speeches – especially in the Rust Belt, where residents were becoming increasingly critical of what they were viewing as “wasteful” government spending – highlighting the benefits of his aforementioned outline for revenue and spending for his tenure if elected...

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



LEBANON ELECTS A NEW PRESIDENT, ENDING LEADERSHIP VOID

…the nation’s leadership crisis came to a close with the election of Albert Mansour over Suleiman Frangieh. Mansour, b. 1939, is Lebanese Greek Catholic who has served in Lebanon’s parliament since 1972, and has been heavily involved in Lebanese issues concerning Treasury and Defense for decades…

– The Daily Telegraph, 23/9/2012



SIMON & SCHUSTER’S NEWEST KW2 BOOK SALUTES THE CONFLICT’S HEROES

…Commander Ken Armstrong’s 1996: The Second Korean War offers a gripping and detailed overview of the conflict that defined the mid-1990s and forever changed the face of the Korean peninsula. The experienced author covers the subject from multiple angles to lay out a rich and comprehensive understanding of how the conflict unfolded, how it concluded, and who was involved in the liberating of an imprisoned nation…

[pic: imgur.com/f6glLx8.png ]

Above: Commander Ken Armstrong

– The New York Times, book review section, 9/24/2012



TAOISEACH OF IRELAND CALLS FOR CLOSING OF “HEINOUS” TAX LOOPHOLES

…Dermot Ahern (Fianna Fail) is trying to get the Irish government to reassess the nation’s treatment of foreign businesses versus domestic producers, despite the country’s courts already voting in favor of the major corporations four years ago. The sudden push may be a political tactic, given that Ireland’s next parliamentary elections are to be held next month…

– The Daily Guardian, UK newspaper, 25/9/2012



…While Harley Brown worked vigorously to help the GOP reabsorb voters that had splintered away to vote for the Boulder Party in 2008 and, to a far lesser extent, in 2010 as well, Kelsey Grammer was faced with the juggling act of appealing to anti-Democrat voters while concurrently reaching out to conservative Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents that could make or break the election even without a prominent showing from the Boulderite nominee...

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



McTEER’S APPROVAL RATING AVERAGE IS DROPPING OVER NEW TAX HIKES

…The Prime Minister has placed herself in a precarious position, and is increasingly vulnerable to political criticism from opposition leader George Arthur Rogers (PC-AB)…

– The Vancouver Sun, Canadian newspaper, 9/28/2012



ON THE LIGHTFOOT TRAIL: Following The Gordon Lightfoot Tour of All Ten Provinces in Ten Hectic Days

– The Walrus, Canadian general-interest magazine, September 2012 issue



CHICK-FIL-A’S NEW SANDWICH SELLS OUT JUST THREE WEEKS AFTER ITS LAUNCH!

…Crispy, crinkly, and crunchy, with a golden-brown texture, this delightfully tender, robust, flavorful, and juicy new chicken sandwich has a unique kick. Few chicken sandwiches work without pickles, but the culinary development team at Chick-fil-A have made a breakthrough with a new sauce that has a “prickly” taste to it, along with it having a creamy, rich Cajun-style that is decidedly spicy without being too spicy…

– knn.co.usa, 10/1/2012



MODERATOR: “Gentlemen, foreign policy has taken a backseat in this election, so let’s discuss it for a moment. Right now, Darfurian forces are fighting off Sudanese soldiers in the city of El Daein while South Sudanese separatists fend off a similar attack from Khartoum on their city of Aweil. President Wellstone, your efforts to end the conflicts have not been as successful as you had hoped they would be over a year ago. In light of all this, what can we expect from a second Wellstone term in regards to the Sudanese conflict.”

WELLSTONE: “What is happening in Sudan, Darfur and South Sudan is an atrocity because of the actions of the peace at the top. The Sudanese government refuses to negotiate, and the people of Darfur and South Sudan have lost hope in the idea of the pen being mightier than the sword. But the answer to bloodshed is rarely ever more bloodshed. In a second term, this administration will work with allies in the region and around the world to pressure the Sudanese into a meaningful ceasefire so talks on a lasting peace deal can resume.”

MODERATOR: “Thank you for your reply. Governor Grammer, the situation in Sudan requires foreign policy experience. Do you have any?”

GRAMMER: “Yes, actually I do. As the Governor of one of the largest economies in the world, I worked with the head of states of several major countries in order to obtain binational and international trade deals that benefited American workers. That required me to meet with diplomats and important figures from around the world. As for the situation in Sudan, well, the great thing about being in charge is that you’re never alone. The President can always surround himself with the leading diplomatic experts that America has to offer, which is something that the President has unfortunately failed to do.”

[snip]

GRAMMER: “In short, the size and responsibilities of government are reflective of the freedoms its people enjoy at the state, community and individual levels.”

[snip]

WELLSTONE: “While I appreciate Governor Grammer’s enthusiasm for my job, the fact remains that history has shown time and again that small-government policies only benefit the rich.”

[snip]

MODERATOR: “Governor Grammer, how would you approach human rights violations such as those occurring in places such as Tajikistan and Myanmar?”

GRAMMER: “I would handle them similar to how I handled the human rights violations in L.A. sweatshops. I worked with law enforcement to crack down on corruption and enforce the worker rights laws that are meant to protect workers from such atrocities. I also promoted business transparency, because every single government system can be corruptible, from socialism to anarchism to fascism to monarchism. Libertarianism works best when businesses are honest and principled, and business transparency in California has worked to combat the corrupt businesspersons that soil the reputation of the good businesspersons.”

WELLSTONE: “Can I reply? Thank you. I believe Grammer’s comments are misleading. According to the corruption watchdog group, the Public Integrity Agency, corruption in California has only decreased 0.9% since 2007 – ”

GRAMMER: “So you admit it’s decreasing!”

[snip]

WELLSTONE: “We’ve talked quite a lot about the value of human life tonight, about suffering, about the maligned, the mistreated, and the massacred. Both of us here on this stage tonight have experience of these points, different experiences, but experiences nonetheless. And while I couldn’t tell you the difference between a Kalashnikov and a Carcano, I see that as a plus, because it allows me to take a step back from cold calculating military tactics and see the humanity of the problem. I let military experts help me determine how best to approach a conflict, but only after all avenues, opportunities and attempts at negotiating peace have fallen through. And we still have opportunities and avenues to peace in Sudan. I have not given up, I still have hope and faith in the American peacemaking process.”

[snip]

GRAMMER: “One major difference between the President and I is that I am less willing to cling to negotiations when obvious elements do not want peace. If a hostile element refuses to even come to the table for a peace deal, it is our moral duty to do whatever we have to do to end the carnage, even if it ironically means greenlighting the carnage of war.”

– snippets from the First Grammar-Wellstone Presidential debate, Tuesday 10/2/2012



GRAMMER/BROWN: 48%

WELLSTONE/ROSS: 44%

BUCK/WISE: 6%

OTHER/UNDECIDED: 2%

– Gallup national poll, 10/4/2012



…Paul McCartney’s latest album, “Reunion,” is a collaborative effort by McCartney, Martin Glover and Denny Seiwell, among other contributors, to try and recapture the energy and rigor of their youth, at which they have mixed success…

– Variety, review section, 10/5/2012



MODERATOR: “Governor Brown, how can the people trust you to be an ally of and not undermine a Grammer Presidency when you have gone on record saying that God told you that you are destined for the Presidency?”

BROWN: “Now that’s a factual lie, ma’am! God never used the word ‘Presidency.’ He told me I was, quote, ‘you will be destined to lead this country to glory,’ end-quote. And, you know, look at Vice President Ross, and his leadership on preserving America’s natural beauty. Look at Wellstone, when he was VP and he was in charge some important stuff – important to Democrats, that is. And VPs, uh, Meredith, Litton, and even Mike Gravel at times. They all played important roles in their respective administrations. The VP is not just an understudy position, it’s a tactical position. It’s a platform for maneuvering the make sure everything on the administration’s agenda, it, uh, what on it that the President can’t get to, the VP finishes up. It’s a tag-team effort. I can do a lot of good to promote real American values while Kelsey deals with taxation and regulations. I’ll preside over the Senate, he’s preside over the White House stuff.”

[snip]

ROSS: “I’ve often said that everyone sees nature in their own way. There are summer people, there winter people. The same goes for politics. I think that people in charge have a responsibility to help all people, to lend a helping hand. I believe it should be a generous hand, and Harley believes it should be a tiny little hand, and that’s okay. That’s why we’re here, to talk about what he supports, what I support, and what the good people of America want.”

[snip]

ROSS: “I’m happy that Harley agrees with me on the importance of land conservation and forest restoration. But that is the very reason why I think it’s a good idea to have a strong central government, to set up some ground rules for how to best go about it, make sure nature isn’t being protected in only some states, and ignored and discarded in others. I agree with Harley’s comment that a lot of good work is done at the state and local levels, where implementing these policies are a lot more visible, but at those levels, it’s the responsibility of each and every one of us to do our part to make a better world for each other. That’s a big responsibility. And a strong government can really help with that.”

– snippets from the Brown-Ross Vice President debate, 10/9/2012



…The VP debate showcased the sharp contrast between the boisterous Brown and the soft-spoken Ross. Brown refrained his colorful language as best he could and for the most part kept his cool, while Ross easily maintained a patient demeanor throughout the discussion. With Ross promoting “kindness” and Brown supporting “good ol’ American rugged individualism,” it was debate was surprisingly cordial. While Ross’s closing line, which suggested, either in an offering of unity or in a moment naiveté, that “this country belongs to all of us – so let’s make it the way all of us want it to be,” did cause some head-scratching from some analysts who over-thought the comment, post-debate polling showed that a slim majority of viewers believed that it was the Vice President who “won” the debate. And after Wellstone’s poor performance in the first Presidential debate, the Democratic Party needed such a “victory” to pull them up in the polls…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



BURGER COMPANIES INCREASING ADVSPENDING AS MARKETS KEEP WIDENING

…The comptetion among fast-food franchises is heating up. ...Most recently, Wendyburger has rolled out a new sandwich, and just weeks after rival chicken seller Chick-fil-A released a new sandwich of their own. Wendyburger’s is a chicken filet topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise (optional), homestyle, and a brand-new sauce recipe!

– usarightnow.co.usa, 10/11/2012



WELLSTONE BOUNCES BACK IN SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

…Notable comments from Grammer included “Separation of church and State doesn’t mean separating state from human decency” and other attempts to try and appeal to religious voters, and discussing how Thomas Jefferson warned that the “bigger the government gets, the smaller the people’s individual rights get” in his closing statement...

– The Washington Post, 10/16/2012



…A last-minute blow to the Buck/Wise ticket came in the form of audio resurfacing on October 19 and quickly going fervid ontech in a moment that proved polarizing and damaging. The audio was from a 2008 interview on KDWN’s late night political call-in talk radio program Coast to Coast AM, in which the former Governor described his experience of a UFO sighting at O’Hare International on November 7, 2006 [2]. Circulation of the audio clip increased coverage of and ontech discussions over Wise’s 2006 UFO sighting. Suddenly, instead of attracting disgruntled conservatives currently or formerly in the Democratic column such as Toby Keith and Bart Gordon (which was the original intention of having a former Democrat on the ticket), Wise’s presence was attracting ufologists, cryptid enthusiasts, and fans of paranormal paraphernalia, leading to some critics joking that the ticket was that of “The Bigfoot Party” while technetters discussed the merits of the sighting and what this said about Bob Wise, with some applauding his honesty, while other claimed it delegitimized the ticket. Nevertheless, the Buck/Wise remained popular in formerly heavily Goetzite places such as Idaho, Montana and Wise’s home state of West Virginia…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



IRELAND PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS: Fianna Fail Majority Gains Even More Seats

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 21/10/2012



GRAMMER: “Nobody should have to pay more in taxes than they do on food, shelter and clothing combined. I’m not making monstrous mountains out of milquetoast and mundane molehills, I’m talking about the real bread-and-butter, salt-of-the-earth, Mom-and-Pop-shop issues here!”

[snip]

WELLSTONE: “Government intervention in the private sector is what got rid of slavery and child labor, and gave the American workforce and workplace things like woman worker protections, the 80-hour work week, minimum wage, and sick leave. And a strong federal government is needed to maintain and protect these rights!”

[snip]

GRAMMER: “As President, I will support Victim’s Rights legislation to make louder the muted voices of the survivors of tragedy and what they want to have happen to perpetrators found guilty of heinous acts. Now I will admit, this is a personal issue for me, because my father was killed in a home invasion. …A killer may live with remorse for the rest of their lives, but the next-of-kin have to live with tragedy for the rest of theirs.”

– snippets from the Third Grammar-Wellstone Presidential debate (considered a “draw” by most viewer polls), Monday 10/22/2012



GRAMMER/BROWN: 47%

WELLSTONE/ROSS: 47%

BUCK/WISE: 3%

OTHER/UNDECIDED: 3%

– Gallup national poll, 10/22/2012



Hurricane Sandy, also unofficially referred to as Superstore Sandy, was the deadliest, strongest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane season, costing billions of US dollars in damage and killing 195 people [3] across eight countries. …The storm formed on October 22, developing from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea before quickly strengthening; it became a hurricane on October 24, and made landfall near Kingston, Jamaica a few hours later…

– clickopedia.co.usa



TONIGHT’S GOVERNOR DEBATE: Candidates Try And Fail To Take Down McCain

...frontrunner Barack “Rocky” McCain, a moderate-to-conservative Republican state senator, proclamation “What I believe in is a tax system that is fair. I don’t think government can solve every problem. I think that we should make sure that we’re helping young people go to school. We should make sure that our government is building good roads and bridges and hospitals and airports so that we have a good infrastructure here in Montana,” was well received by the debate audience [4]. …Schweitzer flopped, while Independent candidate Lloyd H. Reese was the surprise breakout candidate, calling for a form of government that all three other candidates labelled “socialistic.” …Garrison subjectively had the worst performance of the night. At one point in the debate, he began a spiel that almost led to him uttered the N-word, only for him to immediately claim he was somehow mentioning a Italian beverage called a “Negroni cocktail” in the middle of a sentence about McCain’s voting record. Then, in his closing remarks, Garrison claimed both McCain and Schweitzer are “socialistic control freaks,” advocated for the Gold Standard and for the abolition of seatbelt laws and background checks on guns, and opined “If Montanans need to secede from the union to retain their freedom, then so be it.”…

– The Billings Gazette, Montana newspaper, 10/24/2012



…I still can’t believe I got onto that stage. The state of Montana’s Election Committee Board decided to allow all four candidates on the ballot to participate, and, after fearing that my absence would raise suspicions, I readied myself for the opportunity to get my ideas – but not necessarily my face – out there, onto my biggest-ever soapbox. I am very proud of my performance that day. It was my first real time in the spotlight and it really wasn’t that bad!…

– Lee Harvey Oswald’s autobiography Call Me By My Real Name: Confessions From a Fallen Hero, published posthumously

[pic: imgur.com/epurJ0C.png ]

– still/frame from a Rocky McCain For Governor advertisement (commercial), c. October 2012



STATE FORECAST: A CATASTROPHE!

…With parts already flooded, many coastal communities are evacuating. Governor Clark is coordinating with ODERCA and state emergency organizers in preparation for what is expected to be one of the worst storms to hit the Garden State in recent memory…

– The Star-Ledger, New Jersey newspaper, 10/29/2012



Hurricane Sandy reached a top speed of 109mph as it swept through The Garden State, tearing up communities, disabling power lines and ultimately killing 29 people in the state before flooding parts of New York City and beyond… [5]

– clickopedia.co.usa



…Wellstone traveled to New York and then New Jersey to inspect the extent of the damage. A 40-foot chunk of New Jersey’s Atlantic City Boardwalk had been washed away, and National Guardsmen were actively working to help those hit in places such as Hoboken and Bergen County. In both states, hundreds of thousands remained without power, and dozens of thousands of homes had been damaged beyond repair or obliterated by the wrath of the storm.

In a showing of bipartisanship, Grammer and Wellstone placed country over politics and agreed to a 48-hour truce in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, in order to assist charitable organizations seeking to raise relief money in obtaining better news coverage. Both candidates visited areas that had been hit worst by Sandy and met with victims as well as with members of ODERCA and the National Guard...

– Richard Wolffe’s The Message: Reselling the Wellstone Way, Hachette Book Group, 2013



WELLSTONE/ROSS: 49%

GRAMMER/BROWN: 48%

BUCK/WISE: 2%

OTHER/UNDECIDED: 1%

– Gallup national poll, 11/5/2012



…Well, it’s just turned 2:00 AM, Eastern Standard Time, and it looks like we just might be able to call the Senate before the Presidency…

– CBS Evening News, 11/6-7/2012 broadcast



November United States Senate election results, 2012

Date: November 6, 2012

Seats: 35 of 104

Seats needed for majority: 53

New Senate majority leader: Webb Franklin (R-MS)

New Senate minority leader: Gary Locke (D-WA)

Seats before election: 55 (R), 48 (D), 1 (I)

Seats after election: 56 (R), 47 (D), 1 (I)

Seat change: R ^ 1, D v 1, I - 0

Full List:

Arizona: Grant Woods (R) over David Garcia (D), Richard Mack (Liberty) and Jim Pederson (I); incumbent Harry Braun (D) retired

California: incumbent George Deukmejian (R) over Judy May Chu (D)

Connecticut: incumbent Warren Mosler (D) over Penny Bacchiochi (R)

Delaware: Ruth Ann Minner (D) over Kevin Wade (R); incumbent Daniel Frawley (D) retired

Florida: Allen West (R) over incumbent Alexander Penelas (D)

Hawaii: incumbent Mazie Hirono (D) over Linda Lingle (R)

Indiana: Jackie Walorski (R) over Brad Ellsworth (D); incumbent Katie Hall (D) retired

Maine: incumbent Olympia Snowe (R) over Benjamin Pollard (D) and Andrew Ian Dodge (Independent)

Maryland: Carl Frank Stokes (D) over incumbent Michael Steele (R)

Massachusetts: incumbent Kathleen Hartington Kennedy-Roosevelt (D) over Brian Paul Lees (R)

Michigan: Hansen Clarke (D) over incumbent Andrew “Rocky” Raczkowski (R)

Minnesota: incumbent Hubert Horatio “Skip” Humphrey III (D) over Rod Grams (R) and Michael C. Colley (Country)

Mississippi: incumbent William Webster “Webb” Franklin (R) over Roger Weiner (D)

Missouri: Sarah Hearne Steelman (R) over incumbent Alan Wheat (D)

Montana: Denise Juneau (D) over incumbent Stan Jones (R)

Nebraska: incumbent Don Stenberg (R) over Chuck Hassebrook (D)

Nevada: incumbent Patricia Anne “Patty” Cafferata (R) over Barbara Buckley (D)

New Jersey: Upendra Chivukula (D) over incumbent Thomas Kean Jr. (R)

New Mexico: incumbent Debbie Jaramillo (D) over Greg Sowards (R)

New York: incumbent Tom Suozzi (D) over George Maragos (R)

North Dakota: incumbent John Hoeven (R) over Pam Gulleson (D)

Ohio: incumbent Sherrod Brown (D) over Larry Lee Householder (R)

Pennsylvania: incumbent H. J. Heinz III (R) over Jason Altmire (D)

Potomac: incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) unopposed

Puerto Rico: incumbent Luis Fortuno (R) over Cirilo Tirado Rivera (D)

Rhode Island: incumbent Myrth York (D) over Barry Hinckley (R)

Tennessee: Mae Beavers (R) over incumbent Bob Clement Jr. (D) and Zach Poskevich (Independent Republican)

Texas: incumbent Kay Granger (R) over Henry Cisneros (D), Gene Kelly (I) and Rick Noriega (La Raza Unida)

Utah: incumbent David D. Marriott (R) over Benjy McAdams (D)

Vermont: incumbent Anthony Pollina (D) over H. Brooke Paige (R) and Boots Wardinski (Liberty Union)

Virginia: incumbent Ben Lewis Jones (R) over Harris N. Miller (D)

Washington: incumbent Norm Rice (D) over Mike Baumgartner (R)

West Virginia: incumbent Betty Ireland (R) over Natalie Tennant (D)

Wisconsin: incumbent Russ Feingold (D) over Kris Kobach (R)

Wyoming: incumbent John S. Wold (R) over William Bryk (D)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



…The addition of five more women elected to the US Senate rose the number of female lawmakers in that chamber to a new record of 36 – 20 were from the Republican Party (17 incumbents, plus newcomers Jackie Walorski, Sarah Hearnes Spellman and Mae Beavers) and 16 were from the Democratic Party (14 incumbents, plus newcomers Denise Juneau and Ruth Ann Minner)…

– clickopedia.co.usa



…The new Senators suggested a shift in the ideological factions of both parties. In the Republican camp, former state Attorney General Grant Woods of Arizona promised moderation in a campaign that contrasted with the rest of the incoming GOP freshman. Senators-Elect Allen West of Florida, Jackie Walorski of Indiana, Sarah Hearne Steelman of Missouri, and Mae Beavers of Tennessee introduced a more “strongheaded” element to the chamber with their aggressive and relatively populist campaigns... Meanwhile, Democratic newcomers indicated that rural populism and urban progressivism were still prominent parts of the Democratic base. Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware, Carl F. Stokes of Maryland, Hansen Clark of Michigan, and Upendra Chivukula of New Jersey reflected Democratic gains in their respective states, while Senator-Elect Denise Juneau of Montana had narrowly achieved victory by appealing to fiscally-conscious voters via libertarian-leaning talking points that won over Republican-leaning independents and undecided voters…

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



United States House of Representatives results, 2012

Date: November 6, 2012

Seats: All 441

Seats needed for majority: 221

New House majority leader: H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC)

New House minority leader: Barbara B. Kennelly (D-CT)

Last election: 249 (R), 192 (D)

Seats won: 239 (R), 202 (D)

Seat change: R v 10, D ^ 10

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



…In the House of Representatives, Democrats performed better than they had anticipated for tonight, gaining a net total of ten seat. These results go against initial projections suggesting that the party could end up with a net loss of anywhere between 5 and 15 seats...

– CBS Evening News, 11/8/2012 broadcast

[pic: imgur.com/aLppaja.png ]

…non-profit organizer and former Miss Indiana pageant winner Shelli Renee Yoder (D) defeated businessman John H. Schnatter (R)…

– clickopedia.co.usa



United States Governor election results, 2012

Date: November 6, 2012

Number of state gubernatorial elections held: 12

Seats before: 29 (R), 21 (D), 2 (I)

Seats after: 28 (R), 22 (D), 2 (I)

Seat change: R v 1, D ^ 1, I - 0

Full list:

Delaware: incumbent Jack Carney (D) over Jeff Cragg (R)

Indiana: John R. Gregg (D) over incumbent Rupert Boneham (R)

Missouri: incumbent Perry B. Clark (D) over Dave Spence (R)

Montana: Barack “Rocky” McCain (R) over Brian Schweitzer (D), Lloyd Havaw Reese (I) and Ben Garrison (Boulder); incumbent Michael R. Cooney (D) retired

New Hampshire: incumbent Rushern L. Baker III (D) over John Henry Sununu (R) and William Byrk (I)

North Carolina: James V. Taylor over incumbent Fern Shubert (R)

North Dakota: incumbent Heidi Heitkamp (D) over Rick Berg (R)

Puerto Rico: incumbent Hector Luis Acevedo (D/PD) over Dr. Ivan F. Gonzalez Cancel (D/NP)

Utah: Robert Wood Young (R) over Jim Matheson (D); incumbent Karl Christian Rove (R) retired

Vermont: Bernard Peters (R) over Charles Dean (D); incumbent Deborah L. “Deb” Markowitz (D) retired

Washington: incumbent Lisa J. Simpson (D) over Rob McKenna (R)

West Virginia: Charlotte Pritt (D) over incumbent David McKinley (R)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa

[pic: imgur.com/cLGj6Uk.png ]

– clickopedia.co.usa, 2012



PRITT PROMISES PRAGMATIC POLICY AS POPULIST POPULACE PREPS FOR PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL PUSH

…Governor-Elect Charlotte Pritt “is the refreshing change of pace that our state so badly needs,” says one of her supporters…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 11/8/2012

[pic: imgur.com/ChQeShn.png ]

– A promotional image of Governor-Elect Charlotte Pritt (D-WV), c. November 2012



…In the gubernatorial races, both parties essentially broke even. While Democrat John Gregg unseated Republican incumbent and former Presidential candidate Rupert Boneham in an upset, Republican “darling” Rocky McCain cruised to victory in Montana’s open race. …Wealthy businessman and politician Robert Wood Young, a descendant of the LDS Church leader Brigham Young, was elected Governor of Utah with almost 80% of the vote... Bernard Peters’ election to the governorship of Vermont over Democrat Charles Dean was one of the biggest surprises of the night. After nearly a decade of Democrat Governor Deb Markowitz’s rising tax rates and business regulations allegedly driving away small business owners and struggling families, the conservative Republican former state legislator Bernard Peters capitalized on the sense of voter fatigue by running on a moderate platform. His low-cost TV, radio, and technet ads highlighted his non-political life as a hunter and logger to appeal to blue-collar Vermonters. Meanwhile, his general election opponent did more harm to his own campaign than he realized by praising Markowitz and reminding voters that he was the brother of another state lawmaker, the less-popular Howard Dean. Depicting Dean as a corporate elitist who would continue Markowitz’s tax hikes, Peters successfully mobilized middle-class and rural Vermonters to turn out in droves. Peters pledged to lower taxes and promote small business growth to “make sure the next generation of Vermonters won’t have to leave the state to find work and start families,” while Dean seemed to run a very vague campaign filled with generic platitudes. Furthermore, polls showing Charles Dean winning by a margin anywhere between 10% and 5%, plus Dean’s own lackluster campaigning – essentially dismissing the general election due to how easily he won his party’s primary election – supposedly contributed to Democratic turnout being below average on Election Night. The result was Peters edging out Dean, 51% to 48%...

– John Sides and Lynn Vavreck’s A National Gamble: Choice And Chance In The 2012 Presidential Election, Princeton University Press, 2014



…The President has performed better in the Midwest due to him doubling down on his local roots in the final weeks of the campaign over concerns that Grammer and Brown were targeting ‘vulnerable’ states such as Iowa and Wisconsin. However, the President’s campaign team seems to have underestimated libertarian strength out west, and the complete deflation of the Buck/Wise ticket in the final weeks and days of the campaign... With all but two of the states called, but with neither candidate receiving a majority of Electoral College votes, the election now falls onto Pennsylvania and, of all places, New Jersey. While Pennsylvania is typically a swing state, New Jersey voters have usually leaned toward Democratic candidates in recent election cycles, so it is possible that this election could be a realigning moment. Either that, or, as New Jersey’s Governor Clark pointed out on our program yesterday, results are slow to come in due to the Garden State still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy…

– KNN, 11/8/2012 broadcast



ELECTION UPDATE: RECOUNT REQUIRED IN NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA!

…many polling stations had to be relocated after the storm, while voting ontech, a more recent alternative to mail-in ballots, does not have a strong infrastructure in New Jersey…

– The New York Times, 11/11/2012



13 November 2012: On this day in history, a total solar eclipse occurs in parts of Australia and the South Pacific.

– onthisday.co.uk



…In an interesting development, the Presidential recount in New Jersey will continue for longer than initially thought, as several early-voting ballots have been found in a sunken mail truck in Burlington County. The mail truck was most likely hit by Hurricane Sandy. The whereabouts of its driver remain unknown...

– The Overmyer Network, 11/14/2012 news broadcast



“This whole thing with the mail truck being overlooked, it could be a ploy to steal the election for Wellstone. I don’t have any more evidence than the police do, I’m just pointing out that it’s all very fishy, and not because the storm threw fish on everything. I just think that this needs to be investigated further.”

– Harley Brown (R-ID), 11/15/2012 KNN interview



…This just in – in the Presidential election, the state of New Jersey has been called for President Wellstone, narrowing the contest down to Pennsylvania... If Grammar wins the recount in PA, he will become President despite having lost the popular vote, albeit by razor-thin margin…

– KNN Breaking News, 11/17/2012



“What I want to know is, well, where is the driver of that mail truck? Was he paid off, was he bumped off, is he innocent, or is he guilty? Where is the driver?”

– Harley Brown, 11/18/2012 KNN interview



BODY OF MAILMAN FOUND IN PINE BARREN SWAMP IDENTIFIED

…he was last seen driving the mail truck found in a river in Burlington County that was at the center of several controversies concerning the Presidential recount in the Garden State. It is most likely that he and his truck were swept off the road by the destructive wind of Hurricane Sandy, with the driver being blown roughly one mile away from the truck…

– The Star-Ledger, New Jersey newspaper, 11/21/2012



PENN RECOUNT ENDS: GRAMMER WINS ELECTION!

– The New York Times, 11/29/2012

[pic: imgur.com/Z9p9yLv.png ]

Tickets:

Gov. A. Kelsey Grammer (CA) / Gov. Harley Davidson Brown (ID) (Republican) – 68,896,770 (47.7%)

Pres. Paul D. Wellstone (MN) / VP Robert Norman “Bob” Ross (AS) (Democratic) – 70,630,023 (48.9%)

Fmr US Rep. Jason Ogden Buck (UT) / Fmr Gov. Robert E. “Bob” Wise Jr. (WV) (Boulder (Strong on the WV ballot)) – 3,033,191 (2.1%)

Mr. Peter Coors (CO) / Fmr Lt. Gov. Warren Mosler (VI) (Moderate) – 722,288 (0.5%)

Mr. Rich Whitney (IL) / Mr. Harley Mikkelson (MI) (Green) – 587,750 (0.4%)

Pstr. Terry Jones (FL) / Ms. Susan Gail Ducey (OK) (Salvation) – 433,313 (0.3%)

All other votes – 134,238 (0.1%)

Total Votes – 144,437,674 (100.0%)

– clickopedia.co.usa



“Ay Caramba!”

– Katherine Soucie (the voice of Bart Farnsworth, enemy of Dr. Schwarzchild (a retired recurring character voiced by Kelsey Grammar) on the long-running TV series “Futurama”), public comment on the social blogging site FriendLink.co.usa, 11/29/2012



“So, he isn’t going to be in the 2014 Frasier Reunion Special, is he?”

– David Hyde Pierce, FriendLink.co.usa, 11/29/2012



“Now THIS is some bullcrap!”

– Dan Butler, portrayer of Bob “Bulldog” Briscoe on Frasier, PalChat.co.usa, 11/29/2012



“If they had just given him an Oscar for playing Patton in that drama movie, this all wouldn’t have happened.”

– former political analyst James Carville, 11/30/2012



GOVERNOR-ELECT MEETS WITH OUTGOING GOVERNOR

…incumbent Governor Karl Christian Rove (Republican; b. 1950) is leaving office after a single term. Rove had retired last year to run for President, but declined to try for a second term after dropping out of that race early, before the primaries had even begun, due to poor fundraising and low polling...

…Our next governor will be Robert Wood Young (Republican; b. 1947), a conservative with a diverse background. Young is an author and former broadcast journalist who served as the Mayor of Augusta, Georgia from 1999 to 2005, and as the Regional Director of the US HUD Department for the Atlanta Region from 2005 to 2006. President Jackson appointed him to the President’s bipartisan Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in 2007, the year before Young left D.C. and moved to Utah to become the President and CEO of the Southwestern Natural Sciences Academy. Young is a conservative and a direct descendent of Brigham Young…

– The Standard-Examiner, Utah newspaper, 11/30/2012



The Story Behind The Collapse Of The GOP In West Virginia

…With the incumbent Republican Governor failing to address the issues of mining-related health issues, irresponsible and underage recreadrug use, and poor road infrastructure, voters opted for either the Democratic of Boulderite nominee. With former Governor of West Virginia Bob Wise being Jason Buck’s running mate, the Buck/Wise ticket received more attention and appeared more appealing to conservative voters as an alternate to the Republican Party. The subsequent splitting of the non-Democratic vote was a boon to the campaign of Charlotte Pritt… At the Presidential level, West Virginia voters preferred Buck to Grammer and Wellstone, but at the gubernatorial level, the Boulderite/Strong Party candidate, Clark Barnes, was uninspiring and a poor debater. As a result, voters in the state split their tickets, dividing the conservative vote enough for Pritt to be elected Governor, while support for the “squeaky-clean elitist” Grammer, as Governor McKinley call him, plummeted enough for Buck/Wise to win a narrow plurality and win the state’s Electoral College votes…

– thewashingtonpost.co.usa, 11/30/2012



“There is legitimate fear on the American Left that the ‘New Progressive Era’ that we’ve been living in since 2001 – an era of compassionate governance, of civil service reform, and of some trustbusting here or there – has suddenly come to an end.”

– political commentator Janice Fine, 12/1/2012



…There were few incidents of Wellstone supporters reacting to the election results with violence, with the most passionate of Wellstone’s supporters being seen crying into their hands beside discarded stickers, banner and signs showcasing their approval of the now-outgoing President. Nevertheless, THN exaggerated the moments. The network’s most legitimate point, however, was their argument that, since the total number of votes for both the Democratic Party and Green Party did not equal 50%, but the total number of votes for all conservative tickets did, then Grammer is mathematically the people’s choice, and would have won a majority of the popular vote if the election had been held either with ranked-choice voting or in a two-round system.

…Calls for EC abolition went into overdrive on both sides of the political aisle, with Republicans now being joined by Democrats. However, it was still noticeable that many Republicans stopped complaining about the E.C., while others with the G.O.P. supported it over the notion that third-parties would no longer be able play spoiler to their party’s candidates under seemingly any E.C.-free system…

– Roberta Gillespie’s Watershed: An Assessment of The Wellstone White House, Princeton University Press, 2016



REP. JACK BROOKS, DEAN OF THE HOUSE, PASSES AWAY AT 89

...Jack Bascom Brooks (D-TX) had just won re-election to what he swore would be his last term. Brooks had served continuously in the US House of Representatives for almost 60 years, starting on January 3, 1953. The new Dean of the House is Al Quie (R-MN), who has been serving in the House for almost 55 years (since entering office on February 18, 1958), and was planning on retiring from his seat in 2014, at the age of 91...

– The Washington Post, 12/4/2012



4 December 2012: On this day in history, Typhoon Bopha, the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in this year, makes landfall on the island of Mindanao; no casualties are reported, but many are reported injured by flying debris and falling trees, and multiple homes and buildings are destroyed, cutting power and forcing the cancellation of flights and ferry services for several days.

– onthisday.co.uk



HANNON OUT, R&D HEAD MCNAUGHTON IN AT KFC HQ

…While the energetic Mary Lolita Starnes Hannon, age 81, has retired from the position of CEO of Finger Lickin’ Good, Inc., but will remain "actively invested" in the company as a Senior Advisor…

– usarightnow.co.usa/business, 12/5/2012



…and in a curious and interesting development, the Federal Election Commission has revealed that they are working with law enforcement agencies as part of an investigation into former Independent gubernatorial candidate Lloyd Havaw Reese…

– KTVQ Channel 2, local news station for Billings, Montana, 12/8/2012 broadcast



VARVARIS LEADS LIBERALS TO VICTORY!

…At the age of 38, Nick Varvaris has lead the Liberal Party to returning to power. ...The election was set in the midst of rising taxes from the Warren Williams administration in response to rising inflation rates, which Varvaris has claimed is being brought on by an increase in international trade and outsourcing jobs to India... The Liberal Party received a comfortable majority of seats of the Labor Party, meaning they will not have to work with the Christian Democratic Party (led by Alasdair Webster) or with the Outsiders Party (led by Mark Latham) to form a working government…

– The Northern Territory News, Australian newspaper, 12/12/2012



…In political news, Prime Minister Mary Creagh is promising to work with incoming American President Kelsey Grammer to form a, quote, “meaningful partnership,” unquote, in the hope of working with him on concerns relating to trade, commerce and foreign affairs…

– BBC, 14/12/2012 broadcast



SO WHAT’S NEXT FOR BOB ROSS?

At 70, the cancer survivor describes himself as “fit as a new fiddle,” but when asked if he will run for President in 2016, he suggested that it was “premature” to say, and suggested that his political career is effectively over with the comment “This job has tired me out, and I have seen the number Paul [Wellstone]’s job has done on him. It’s not something anyone can do, or do lightly. …I think I’ve have enough of this place.”

…In 2008, Ross handed over his instructional art TV show to his son and other instructors. He may simply appear on that series on occasion as a guest, or begin hosting a new series to continue spreading joy to new generations of aspiring artists…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 12/16/2012 e-article



…A December 2012 report on how the SARS lockdowns affected Indian student learning revealed that early education in India from 2002 to 2005 was impacted far more greatly than initially feared. To sum up the report bluntly, only 10% of Indian families could afford homeschooling, while most school districts had to choose between holding schools at parks and sports fields or cancel the school year entirely. Many parents who sought to continue their children’s education relied textbooks donated to them, but those without charity suffered the most. The report clearly shows a correlation between poor test scores and districts hit worst by the pandemic. Uttar Pradesh was the worst affected region, where school was effectively cancelled for 2.5 years...

– Rajiv Ahir and Kalpaha Rajaram’s A Brief History of Modern India, Borders Books, 2021



UNITED KOREA ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT

…Han Myeong-sook, 68, who previously served as the country’s Prime Minister, will become United Korea’s second female President …Han won over Kim Jung-sook, 64, a lawyer and member of parliament whose candidacy was inhibited by assumptions from uninformed voters that he is related to the former Kim Family Regime despite Kim being a very common surname in Korea...

– The Daily Telegraph, side article, 19/12/2012



>MOTHER-POST: Wait, Wasn’t The World Supposed to End Yesterday?

I remember a lot of people saying in, like, 2009 and 2010, that something called a Mayan Long Count calendar predicted that the world would come to an and yesterday. Did Earth miss the memo or something?

>REPLY 1:

It was just another Y2K-level scare, only with less clout. And like how most people freaked out over Y2K in 1997 and 1998 and less so in 1999, talk of 2012 being the End of Days lost momentum as the date approached. Guess it’s only fun to talk about everyone dying when the date isn’t right around the corner or so.

>REPLY 2:

I remember I kept saying that the Mayans ended their calendar there and just continued with the dates on some other tablet or what-have-you that we just haven’t found yet.

>REPLY 3:

I’m surprised no big-time Hollywood people tried to make it into a movie. The closest we got was the 2009 Alex Proyas film “Knowing.”

>REPLY 4:

There were lots of people praying last night. Several channels covered how hundreds traveled to the Yucatan to pray at the temples there. Personally, I think the power of prayer prevented the world from coming to an end last night. Our fear of losing all the beauty of this world, combined with great strides toward peace and universal brotherhood in recent years, convinced The Powers That Be to spare us from destruction.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:

Or maybe the End of Days is meant to begin yesterday and slowly come about. Maybe the wheels are in motion and things will only worsen in the upcoming days, weeks, months or even years.

>REPLY 5:

I remember there being a lot of Anti-Semitism attached to this prediction after Wellstone won re-election. A lot of now-banned people on this site claimed he would help Israel take over the Middle East somehow and kill all the non-Jewish people there for some reason, somehow leading to a global thermonuclear war. Glad to see that none of the theories were even remotely close to reality!

>REPLY 6:

I completely forgot about this end-of-the-world claim! I remember it being kind of prominent in like 2008. Oh well, it morbidly fun to imagine what it would look like at the time while it lasted. So, when’s the next time the world’s to come to an end?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 6:

I heard some religious fundamentalist somewhere say that 2020’s a good bet.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 6:

Huh.

– conspiracytheoriesforum.co.usa, 12/22/2012 thread



“Friends, as we close this year and this chapter in American history, I am reminded of a quote that has motivated me throughout my life. It is my favorite quote. It is from Wendell Phillips, an abolitionist from the 1840's. At that time both political parties were very weary of the slavery issue and they weren't sure how to confront it. But not Wendell, he just said slavery was a moral outrage, that it was unconscionable, and he wouldn't equivocate. He wasn't afraid to speak out.
After he gave a particularly fiery speech about abolition, a friend came up to him and said, "Wendell, why are you so on fire?"
And Wendell turned to his friend and said, "Brother May, I'm on fire because I have mountains of ice before me to melt."
As long as we still have blood pumping through our veins, we too will always have the ability to melt whatever mountains of ice lie before us.

Thank you all for your energy, for your time, and for your contributions to fulfilling the American promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thank you all for your love for your country, for your love for your fellow Americans, and for your love for your fellow human beings. And thank you for your passion to do what is right. It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve here. Thank you all, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays.”

– US President Paul Wellstone’s private address to staff, White House Office Christmas Party, 12/23/2012 (published 2015) [6]



FUTURAMA DRAMA: I MISS DR. SCHWARZCHILD

His last speaking role, all the way back in early 2006, wasn’t that stellar, and the character’s next appearance after that was in a non-speaking bit in 2007, showing he’d taken over a planet in a clear reference to his voice actor becoming Governor of California. He then appeared in minor line-free cameo appearances, typically as a background character or on a poster. In the most recent episode [of the long-running animated TV series Futurama], the Semi-Mad Doctor’s wordless cameo was even smaller than the 2007 one, showing he had “promoted himself” to controlling a solar system of 52 planets “and an asteroid designated for federal administrative use.” The bit just reminded me of the show’s slow decline in quality over the years. I really think that they should have just done a recast with a Grammer sound-alike, instead effectively retiring the role, because at this point, I think it’s very unlikely that Grammer will come back to give the character the proper send-off that he (and, I dare say, his fans) so definitely deserved. A real shame.

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 12/27/2012 posting



“I was getting briefed on an update on the cleanup stuff happening in the Garden State, and apparently, and I know you’re going to tell me if I’ve got this wrong because the media usually knows more about these things, but according to the data stuff I’ve seen, over seventy people drowned, died by drowning, during Hurricane Sandy. I think that’s just awful, it’s awful that New Jersey’s Governor, uh, a Democrat, uh, basically just let that many people drown during that storm. I’m all about government leaving people alone, but there’s a difference between minding your own business and letting your own people die.”

– Vice President-Elect Harley Davidson Brown (R-ID), KNN interview, 12/28/2012 gaffe



“I would just like to apologize for some comments I made yesterday, not because I said them, but because of how I said them. They may have come off the wrong way. I did not mean to offend, and in light of additional information, um, coming to light, I would like to apologize to Governor Clark for misunderstanding the nature of the situation still ongoing in his state.”

– Vice President-Elect Harley Brown, 12/30/2012 statement



“NO CLEAR END IN SIGHT”: Post-Sandy Cleanup Efforts Expected To Continue For “Several More Months”

…Hurricane Sandy slammed into New Jersey and New York almost three months ago, and the tiresome recovery efforts are still ongoing, as homes and businesses are repaired, rebuilt and reopened. However, many are still struggling in the aftermath of one of the most ferocious storms to hit the region, and due to the extent of the damage, it does not look like the cleanup crews with be celebrating a job well done in the immediate future...

– The Wall Street Journal, 1/3/2013



WELLSTONE SIGNS $48BILLION HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF AID BILL INTO LAW

– The Washington Post, 1/5/2013



…President Wellstone met with President-Elect Grammer and New Jersey Governor Joe Louis Clark in Trenton, New Jersey today to assure locals that help is being delivered, as parts of New Jersey are still reeling from the disastrous Hurricane Sandy. The trip to the Garden State was the fourth time that the outgoing and incoming Presidents have met to discuss foreign and domestic policy in what has been, apart from some comments by Vice President-Elect Harley Brown, an overall smooth and genteel transition of power…

– KNN, 1/7/2013 broadcast



…The president’s brother is dead at 76. Stephen Wellstone of Minneapolis passed away on January 9, the family of President Wellstone announced earlier today. An avid gardener and dog lover, Stephen Wellstone taught elementary school for 24 years in Arlington, Virginia before working at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis for 14 years. He is survived by several nephews and nieces, his brother Paul, and by many close friends. His funeral service will be a private affair on the 12th...

– ABC News, 1/10/2013



FORMER GOVERNOR CANDIDATE LLOYD HAVAW REESE MAY BE INDICTED

…documents and records of his existence only going back to 1992 has raised questions over the former candidate’s background. …While Reese has proclaimed he has a “right to privacy,” the fact that law enforcement have reportedly requested that he not leave the country until the F.E.C. matter is resolved is concerning…

– The Washington Post, 1/14/2013



NET TRAFFIC REPORT: Electoral College Abolition Petition Gaining Thousands Of Signatures

…a petition funded by the Americans For Lawful Electoral Change Committee is calling for the abolishing of the U.S. electoral college is circulating ontech. The action is similar those taken by conservative-leaning netsites four years ago, except now the petition is receiving heavy circulation on both conservative-leaning sites and liberal-leaning sites as well. Furthermore, this petition’s number of signatures has already surpassed the number of signatures that had been gathered for the AFLECC’s 2008 petition by the end of May 2009…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 1/16/2013



MOTHER-POST: My opinion:

The Top Five Best and Worst Aspects of the Wellstone administration

BEST

1 – Major Tax reform – passed legislation that benefitted the poor at the expense of the rich

2 – Electric Power push – launch massive electric power grid projects to back green energy and create jobs

3 – Intervention in Africa – Wellstone being anti-interventionist meant that he send diplomats instead of military ground troops to troubled areas abroad

4 – Strengthened Universal Healthcare and the NITR – worked to ensure anti-UHC members of congress could not easily dismantle the popular institutions

5 – Combated Racist and Anti-Semitism – collaborated with his Attorney General to combat voter suppression and other issues

WORST

1 – Put the Balanced Budget Amendment to the test – paying for social programs was expensive, so Wellstone has relied on a healthy economy and low unemployment to get by (though many credit the work of Treasury Secretary Timothy Johnson for keeping things in check)

2 – GOP Obstruction – Wellstone failed to pass several laws in 2011 and 2012 due to GOP opposition

3 – Race relations did not improve – If anything, his predecessor’s comments led to a rise in racist activities under his term

4 – Controversial Comment – First Lady Sheila’s comments and VP Bob Ross’s actions were also heavily criticized by the likes of THN

5 – Unfinished Business – failed to address “the Doomed State of Sierra Leone,” and its regional refugee crisis – the place is a virtually lawless state overrun with recreadrug lords, warfare, slavery, famine, death, disease, and corruption, leading to millions fleeing to neighboring countries.

Thoughts, anyone?

COMMENTS SECTION:

Comment 1: You can't really blame the obstructionism on Wellstone. Sierra Leone is going to be too big of a Gordian knot for any President to try to untangle. And as for point #4... THN, really? You're sourcing those guys?

Comment 2: I think the BBA was his biggest inhibitor, not a "failure"

Comment 3: I can't tell if this list is biased in favor or against Wellstone

– whitehouserankings.co.usa, thread opened 1/18/2013



“I, Allen Kelsey Grammer, do solemnly swear… People, you don’t spend six years as the governor of one of America’s largest states without learning a few things about politics. …“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not to blame the past but instead accept our own responsibility for assuring the brightness of the future. …The time has come for our national lawmakers to show America and the world was successful bipartisanship looks like. We have to showcase fiscal responsibility with unity and rationality, not obstructionism to the detriment of the American citizen. We have to reign in wasteful spending without depriving people of badly needed programs. We are a moral people, and so our good consciences compel us to help those that cannot help themselves. To use a limited government to support those who are truly without, and to allow the individual freedom of each American citizen to flourish and determine the path of their life. …Humanitarian fiscal conservatism has come at last to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!”

– Kelsey Grammer inaugural address (abridged), 1/21/2013

[pic: imgur.com/HqyH1wj.png ]

Kelsey Grammer, the 44th President of the United States of America​

QUERY:

Why Was The 2013 Inauguration A Day Late? (And does it mean Speaker McMaster was President for 1 Day?)

TOP ANSWER:

The official inaugural ceremony was delayed by one day because January 20, 2013 fell on a Sunday. This sort of delay has happened seven times before, in order to not upset or interfere with Christian services that occur every Sunday. However, while the inaugural ceremony is delayed, the swearing-in of the new President is not. President-Elect Kelsey Grammer and Vice President-Elect Harley Brown were both sworn into their respective offices by Chief Justice Alan Page at noon on January 20, 2013, in a private, official ceremony hosted in the Blue Room of the White House. The public, formal ceremony was held at the US Capitol Building the next day.

– queries.co.usa, 2013 query



26 January 2013: On this day in history, DC goes back to being Washington, DC. In one of his first actions as US President to be done via an Executive Order, US President Kelsey Grammer officially changes the name of the US Federal Capital District, reverting it from “District of Columbia” back to “Washington, District of Columbia.” Grammer cites the name’s historical significance, and that the name is not used by the state of Potomac, the state which surrounds the nation’s capital, and thus should not have been retired after all.

– onthisdayinhistory.co.uk



…Grammer is the first US President to have been married four times. First, to dance instructor Doreen Alderman from 1982 to 1990 (with whom he had two children), then to makeup stylist Barrie Buckner from 1991 to 1995 (producing one child), and next to Tammi Baliszewski from 1997 to 2001 (also producing one child), before finally (after being briefly engaged to French actress Juliette Binoche) marrying actress-turned-First Lady Marissa Joan Hart [M1].

Best known for her role as the titular character in the TV franchise “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” (1996-2003), Hart met Grammer while both of them were working on the Steven Spielberg film “Bandito: The Life of Patton” in 2002, in which Hart played the love interest in a B-plot; she and Grammer, who played General George S. Patton in the film, shared two scenes together. The two soon began dating and were married on January 7, 2004 in Hart’s home town of Sayville, New York. Grammer was 49; Hart was 28. The marriage has produced three children (in 2005, 2007 and 2010, totaling seven for Grammer) as of the publication of this book.

Their time in the White House is not the first time that there was a two-decade age difference between the President and the First Lady. President Grover Cleveland had caused a stir marrying someone roughly 27 years younger than himself, and President John Tyler set the record by marrying someone thirty years younger than himself (and younger than three of his children from his previous marriage). Up until their entrance into the Presidential residence, though, the most recent example of such a wide age gap was the twelve-year age difference between Claudia Sanders and The Colonel.

First Lady Marissa Joan Hart is known for having a very energetic personality, redecorating the Executive Residence to give it a “more modern and lived-in feel,” in contrast to First Lady Sheila Wellstone’s retention of its more traditional aesthetics. A gracious host like the First Ladies before her, Marissa is a passionate supporter of a number of causes, charities and organizations, including March of Dimes, several conservation societies, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, anti-bullying measures, Feeding America, The Art of Elysium, and IFS Virus research. However, her most prominent actions have concerned “child protection” causes such as eliminating child hunger, child homeless, child abuse, child neglect and child poverty...

– Kate Andersen Brower’s FLOTUS: The Grace And Power of America’s Modern First Ladies, Book on the First Ladies, Harper-Collins Publishers, 2013



REESE DISAPPEARS! The Secluded Publisher Vanishes From Cabin Home Near Missoula Amid Investigation Into Background!

“Innocent people don’t flee,” says one anonymous member of the F.E.C.’s investigative task force team…

– The Missoula Independent, Montana newspaper, 1/29/2013



THE KELSEY GRAMMER ADMINISTRATION AT THE START OF 2013

Vice President: Governor Harley Davidson Brown (R-ID)

CABINET

Secretary of State: campaign advisor and former Dean of Stanford University’s Institute for International Studies Richard L. Morningstar (R-NY)

Secretary of the Treasury: US Senator William Floyd “Bill” Weld (R-MA)

Deputy Secretary of the Treasury: former Democratic Party of Maryland Treasurer Osman “Oz” Bengur (D-MD)

Secretary of Defense: USAA Chairman, US Air Force Colonel (ret.), retired NASA astronaut and former US Air Force test pilot Eileen Collins (I-TX)

Deputy Secretary of Defense: Lawyer and general counsel for the US Veterans’ Affairs Department Ivan Kenneth Fong (I-PO)

Attorney General: state Attorney General, former District Attorney and former Assistant District Attorney Susana Martinez (R-NM)

Deputy Attorney General: lawyer and state deputy attorney general Boyd Rutherford (R-MD)

Postmaster General: outgoing US Attorney General, former US Senator, former Administrator of the National Roadways Safety Administration, former US Transportation Secretary, former EPA Administrator and former US Labor Secretary Ralph Nader (I-CT)

Secretary of the Interior: former US Deputy Secretary of Community Development Alphonso R. Jackson (R-TX)

Secretary of Agriculture: businessman and entrepreneur Harold Lee Scott Jr. (R-KS)

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture: US Representative and former West Kendall, Florida councilwoman Martha Bueno (R-FL)

Secretary of Commerce: businessman, banker and former CEO of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. R. Severin Fuld (I-NY)

Secretary of Labor: US Representative Steven Craig Gunderson (R-WI)

Secretary of Education: Dean of Texas A&M and former state Secretary of Education Margo Spellings (R-TX)

Secretary of Health and Humane Services: US Representative Michelle Eunjoo Park Steel (R-CA)

Secretary of Transportation: US Representative and former businessman Frank Alo LoBiondo (R-NJ)

Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs: outgoing US Deputy Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs and former US Representative Rodney Alexander (R-LA)

Secretary of Energy and Technology: businessman Harold Glenn Hamm (R-OK)

Secretary of Community Development: physician and former Marstronaut Patricia Consolatrix Hilliard “Doc” Robertson (I-PA)

CABINET-LEVEL POSITIONS

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): US Marine Corps Commander (ret.) and former state senator Winsome Sears (R-VA)

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): former IRS Commissioner and former state Lieutenant Governor Wilford V. Oveson (R-UT)

US Trade Representative: former US Deputy Secretary of Community Development Catherine Austin Fitts (R-PA)

Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA): biochemist, inventor, businessman and philanthropist Robert L. Barchi (I-NY)

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Administrator of the California Environmental Protection Agency Terry Tamminen (D-CA)

Administrator of the Overwhelming Disaster Emergency Response Coordination Agency (ODERCA): businessman John W. Hickenlooper (I-CO)

THE PRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE OFFICE

White House Chief of Staff: gubernatorial Chief of Staff Susan Kennedy (D-CA)

White House Deputy Chief of Staff: gubernatorial Deputy Chief of Staff Patricia Clarey (R-CA)

Counselors to The President: campaign Chief of Staff Paul Wachter and campaign strategist Steve Schmidt

Chief Domestic Policy Advisor: “conservative healthcare” advocate and former nurse Renee Amoore (R-NY)

Chief Economic Policy Advisor: venture capitalist and Wall Street securities analyst Mary Meeker (I-IN)

Chief Foreign Policy Advisor: Kansas-born Iranian-American energy lecturer Rob Sobhani (R-MD)

Chief National Security Advisor: Seattle Chief of Police, former Los Angeles Chief of Police, and former Boston Police Commissioner William J. Bratton (D-WA)

Director of the Office of Management and Budget: Harvard University economics professor Kenneth Rogoff (I-CT)

Director of the Domestic Policy Council: former US Deputy HHS Secretary and former Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Claude Allen (R-PA)

Other Counselors, Advisors, and Key Personnel: speechwriter Peter Grigsby and John Decker; finance professor Murray Sabrin (R-NJ); former US Representative and attorney for political malpractice and toxicology Nancy Lord (R-SC); economists Larry Summers and Frederic Mishkin; staffers Mona Mohammadi, Daniel Ketchell, Greg Dunn, Karen Baker, Daniel Zingale, and Gary Delsohn

White House Communications Director: author, columnist and campaign communications coordinator Armstrong Williams (R-SC)

White House Assistant Communication Directors: campaign communications directors Adam Mendelsohn and Rob Stutzman

White House Appointments Secretary: campaign appointments secretary and hemophilia awareness advocate Ryan Wayne White (R-IN)

White House Press Secretary: campaign Chief of Protocol Charlotte Schultz (I-CA)

OTHER MEMBERS

Solicitor General (representative of the Federal Government before the Supreme Court): US Representative Tom Campbell (R-CA)

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: US Navy Admiral and Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Derwood Clayiborne “D.C.” Curtis (I-IL)

Secretary of the Army: former Governor and former Major General of the Mississippi Army National Guard Hudson Holliday (R-MS)

Secretary of the Navy: US Navy Admiral James George Stavridis (D-FL)

Federal Reserve Chairman: banker, businessman and former CEO of Goldman Sachs Henry Paulson (R-FL)

NASA Administrator: Deputy NASA Administrator and former Aeronautics Research Mission Director John McAfee (Liberty-CA)

NOTABLE AMBASSADORS

To the United Nations: banker, conservationist, former US Ambassador to Belgium and US Navy Commander (ret.) Theodore Roosevelt IV (R-FL)

To Argentina: former Treasurer of the US Bay Buchanan (R-VA)

To Australia: former US Representative and former Crabb, TX Mayor Brian Christopher Zimmerman (R-TX)

To Bangladesh: former Special Assistant to the US Secretary of State James Francis Moriarty (I-PO)

To Brazil: former RNC Chair Ralph Reed (R-GA)

To Canada: outgoing Chair of the US President’s Auto Industry Task Force Harry J. Wilson (R-NY)

To China: former Federal Reserve Chair, former US Representative, and former Chair of the US International Trade Commission John Kasich (R-OH)

To Egypt: former US Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau and former US Ambassador to Senegambia Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat (D-NJ)

To France: President of the Minaret of Freedom Institute libertarian think tank Imad-ad-Dean “Dean” Ahmad (R-MD)

To Germany: Governor Mary Starrett (R-OR)

To India: former US Ambassador to China and former US Assistant Secretary of State Winston Lord (R-NY)

To Indonesia: businessman and former CEO of Marvell Technology Group Sehat Sutardja (I-CA)

To Iran: former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan and husband of Zeyno Baran Matthew James Bryza (I-PO)

To Italy: former US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)

To Japan: former Governor Kenneth James Fanning (Liberty-AS)

To Korea: historian and Oberlin College professor Sheila Miyoshi Jager (I-OH)

To Mexico: businessman, inventor, entrepreneur and professional survivalist John Ellis “Jeb” Bush (R-FL)

To New Zealand: businessman, political activist, former US House nominee and US Army Brigadier General (ret.) Keith Russell Judd (R-AZ)

To Nigeria: former US Ambassador to Bangladesh and former US Ambassador to The Philippines Harry Keels Thomas Jr. (I-NY)

To Pakistan: former Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Anne Woods Patterson (I-AR)

To The Philippines: former US Representative John Eric Ensign (R-NV)

To Russia: former Los Angeles Chief of Police and libertarian political activist Norma Jean Almodovar (R-CA)

To South Africa: addiction treatment advocate and former Deputy Director for the Office of Nation Recreadrug Policy Andrea Barthwell (R-IL)

To Spain: outgoing Governor Kelley Ashby (R-NH)

To Tanzania: former US Ambassador to Cameroon, former US Ambassador to Peru, former US Ambassador to Colombia, former US Ambassador to Morocco, and former US Ambassador to Kenya Myles Robert Rene Frechette (I-PO)

To Thailand: former state Representative, former City Council member, and former US Representative Charles Kong Djou (R-HI)

To Turkey: scholar, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute think tank, and wife of Matthew James Bryza Zeyno Baran (I-PO)

To the U.K.: investment bank director, lecturer, and former Deputy Director of Central Intelligence George John Tenet (R-NY)

To Vietnam: former state Representative and former US Representative Hubert Vo (D-TX)

To Yugoslavia: outgoing US Ambassador to South Africa Jenean Michelle Hampton (R-MI)

– KelseyGrammerPresidentialLibraryAndPerformingArtsCenter.org.usa/cabinet_composition/2013



NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)

[1] Based on the results of the poll as of 2/10/2012

[2] The full comment can be found in Chapter 92!

[3] The hurricane is less deadly ITTL due to earlier administrations more actively/aggressively/pragmatically addressing Global Climate Disruption (climate change) here.

[4] The italicized line is an OTL quote from the article “Obama says he’d be seen as moderate Republican in 1980s” by Ian Swanson, 12/14/2012 (the hill.com)

[5] The hurricane is slightly less powerful here due to the same explanation given in note/source #3

[6] Italicized parts are from here: http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2013/12/paul-wellstone-is-more-prescient-than.html

[7] IOTL, Melissa Joan Hart was named after the 1972 Allman Brothers song “Melissa,” which was named that due to serendipitous circumstances (according to the sources that were linked on Wikipedia, Gregg Allman was struggling with finding the right name for it, and when he went to a grocery store one day, a woman there was talking to someone named Melissa. What are the odds that those exact events still occur so many years after this TL’s POD?), so here, different events unfold, and either the song is called something similar, or Hart is named after something or someone different...



The next chapter’s E.T.A.: February 26 at the very latest!

Igeo654 said:
I expect and hope for a number of Peanuts related parodies in regards to the current VP.

Good grief!

Tannenberg said:
Wonderful updates as usual. I loved what you did with Doug and James there. My interest in the Technet is how the timeline version of YouTube looks like. Does it have the same problems of monetization? Does it have similar trends? I think it would also be interesting to see how the videogame industry looks like here. Excellent story and I hope it wins the Turtledove.

I'll cover the history of ontech videos and the monetization issue in the next chapter for ya. I admit, I don't know that much about video game histories but since I mentioned some games many chapters ago I'll write up an update. Thanks for the compliments!

Defunct said:
How did the Cold War end in TTL?

The Soviet Union collapsed in 1984, as covered in the 1984 chapters

 

[gap80]

Post 97: Chapter 105


Chapter 105: February 2013 – June 2013

“Gotta have opposites, light and dark and dark and light, in painting. It’s like in life. Gotta have a little sadness once in a while so you know when the good times come. I’m waiting on the good times now.”

– Bob Ross, shortly after the death of his wife, 1992 (OTL/TTL)



SIGNS OF DISMAY LINGER AT SHORE: Rebuilding Forces Some To Put Storm-Ravaged Homes On Market

…As post-Hurricane Sandy cleanup efforts continue in the Garden State, “For Sale” signs have replaced towering piles of debris in the front yards of flood-damaged homes…

– The Star-Ledger, New Jersey newspaper, 2/2/2013



...the US Ambassador to the United Nations has proposed a Security Council Resolution as a means of addressing the ongoing situation in Sudan. The resolution demands an immediate ceasefire occur between the nation of Sudan and the partially recognized breakaway nations of Darfur and South Sudan within 30 days, or the UN will establish a no-fly zone and take swift action to protect civilians in the troubled region…

– CBS Evening News, 2/3/2013 broadcast



US MULLING MILITARY OPTIONS IN LIBYA

– thedailytelegraph.co.uk, 2/4/2013



US-LED COALITION ENFORCING SANCTIONS, EMBARGOES ON SUDAN IS “NOT ENOUGH,” SAYS DARFUR LEADERS

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 5/2/2013



PEARCE DEFEATED IN RECALL ELECTION: Don Goldwater Unseats Controversial Incumbent

…In a multi-candidate race, state senator Donald H. Goldwater (R) has defeated Mayor Neil Giuliano (D), incumbent Russell K. Pearce (R) and several less prominent candidates with a plurality of 46% of the vote. …While Governor Russell K. Pearce (R) avoided being convicted and removed from office in last year’s impeachment trial, anti-Pearce sentiment among voters led to Republican candidates underperforming in the 2012 midterms. Pearce’s controversial and divisive rhetoric and unpopular actions while in office possibly contributed to Kelsey Grammer only barely winning Arizona in last year’s presidential election. Furthermore, in the state legislative elections of that November, state Democrats flipped the state House and Senate, leading to alleged talks behind closed doors that a second impeachment trial would be held by Democratic lawmakers in a few months if the recall election was unsuccessful…

…Before entering politics, Pearce worked in law enforcement for nearly 20 years. In the 1990s, he ran the state Department of Motor Vehicles before serving as a state representative from 2000 to 2006. Pearce was also state senator, from 2006 to 2011, prior to being elected Governor in the pro-Republican 2010 midterms. Running on a heavily conservative campaign of opposing UHC, police precinct reform, and high taxes (and, low-key, all forms of immigration into the US), Governor Pearce’s tenure began with him trying to implement racist policies, and feuding with the state’s department of education over “the teachings of Western civilization,” trying to remove “anti-American ideologies” from schools. He openly supported the idea of the forced deportation of millions of Hispanic immigrants “and their children…as a safety measure” as his tenure continued. By 2012, his approval rating was below 30%; his ties to eugenics organizations and endorsements from white supremacists only lowered these numbers further, inhibiting his efforts to attract businesses favoring the for-profit prison industry to the state.

Efforts to recall him from office began in 2011, with signature petitions being circulated ontech and in-person across Arizona. Last September, the state Secretary of State verified that the number of signatures required to trigger a recall election had been collected, and after copies of the petitions were sent to all Arizona counties for further verification, a recall election was officially called for in December. This recall effort was led by several prominent Arizona Republicans, including Pearce’s own ex-wife, who divorced him amid domestic abuse allegations that were settled out of court back in 1982. …The winner of the recall election is whoever receives a plurality, even if the plurality winner is the candidate whose recall is sought, as they also appear on the ballot...

...Pearce possibly undermined his own efforts to win the recall election two weeks ago when he suggested to a crowd of supporters the poor, unemployed and mentally impaired should receive forced sterilization. After Tom Fink of Alaska, Pearce is only the second Governor in modern American history to be recalled from office. …Don Goldwater will enter office next week...

– The Arizona Republic, 2/6/2013



Our first official cabinet meeting went as expected, with the people picked for the important posts each having a level head, a stick up their asses, an ego the size of a small planet, and a bunch of their own ideas about what to do about certain issues and policies. I didn’t know what Kelsey saw in most of them. Each had differing ideas on what was of high priority and of what could be placed on the back burner.

For example, Agriculture Secretary Scott wanted to curb illegal immigrant protections, but most saw it as a minor issue given that, at the time, over 80% of all immigrants entered the US legally. Instead, trade and regulations were discussed at length at the meeting. I got my two cents in by calling for allowing states to have more say over gun control measures, and to expand the exit options available for Americans wishing to opt out of our communistic UHC healthcare system. I think it was well received because Kelsey brought them up again after talking to all of us about how to address GCD, how to keep Social Security solvent, and – most importantly for the administration from the get-go – how to implement the tax cuts that Kelsey promised on the campaign trail.

Secretary of Energy Harold Hamm then brought up job creation in private industry, versus the US’s FJG program, and also brought up the best way to implement the administration’s energy policy, on which he, Scott and Commerce Secretary Fold disagreed. The strongest endorser of Grammer’s clean energy proposals, apart from myself, naturally, was Postmaster General Ralph Nader, a man who had served in all but two of every last US Presidential Cabinet since The Colonel was in office. This did not surprise me in the slightest, though – Nader had always backed empowering labor, affordable housing, police reform, and ending gerrymandering. And he was the former head of the EPA. Why wouldn’t he back a proposal to convert old factories in the Rust Belt into eco-friendly shopping centers, apartments and office space?…

…We had an interesting cross-section of the American population represented in the cabinet. Secretary of State Rich Morningstar was a bookworm of a man, a thinker who got along well with Treasury Secretary Bill Weld, another scholarly type. They stood for all the bibliophiles of America. At Defense, though, was US Air Force Colonel (ret.) Eileen Collins – my kind of woman! Attorney General Susana Martinez, a Hispanic-American, had a good head on her shoulders, too. The same could be said about our African-American Secretary of the Interior, Alphonso R. Jackson, and about Labor Secretary Steven Craig Gunderson, the very first openly-homosexual member of a US Presidential cabinet…

– Harley Brown’s Riding Through Hell (a.k.a. Congress): The Political Career of Harley Davidson Brown (So Far), Simon & Schuster, 2020



Grammer opposed the “suppressive” structure of the Jackson-Wellstone Era’s tax system, and sought to reverse the high income tax rates and return the once-high police budgets. During the President’s talks with congressional leaders, Speaker McMaster encouraged Grammer to “go bold” on tax cuts for the rich and expanding the US military budget. Vice President Brown was reluctant to back the former proposal, but he was enthusiastic about the latter one.

One financial program that was a passion project of sorts for both Grammer and Brown, though, was one meant to support low-income expected mothers and single expected mothers in an effort to decrease “voluntary abortions,” while still keeping abortion funding at the level it was under President Jackson. ...“I think the fabric of this status quo being disrupted is a good thing,” Grammer reportedly told a gathering of his inner circle during these talks. “I don’t think Washington did us any favors for the last 50, 60 years, I think they’ve all been sort of the same party. And I don’t think they’ve been helping anybody but themselves.” When members of the Grammer White House asked about whether American can come together again amid political strife, Grammer said his countrymen “will be just fine…We’ve been through a lot worse.” [1]

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



SOURCE: Wall Street Insiders Are Becoming More Inclined To Sell Than To Buy, Cause Uncertain

– The Milwaukee Journal Sentient, 2/9/2013



…The Postmaster General is in charge and in control of the US Post Office Department, referred to in the office as just “The Post Office.” Historically, the department had been responsible for overseeing successful collection and delivery of paper mail and packages. But in the modern world, there was a far more profound aspect to the occupation: the department was now responsible for digital mail, not just the paper kind. In order to not violate privacy rights, we immediately sought to work with private delivery companies to regulate, schedule and organize multiple initiatives, such as rules and conditions for using drone technology for private delivery systems. For example, “Drone pathways,” effectively “channels” in the sky where drones tended to travel in their delivery routes, were cross-referenced and compared to bird migration patterns and common airplane routes in order to shift and adjust safety recommendations. However, while more powerful than one may believe it is, the position of US Postmaster General is no longer considered to be the somewhat sinecure-like position than it once was for the latter half of the 20th century…

– Ralph Nader in his autobiography All For The People: A Life’s Journey, 2019



PM VARVARIS TO ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIANS: “WE APOLOGIZE” FOR THE STOLEN GENERATIONS

…Prime Minister Jim Varvaris today gave a formal apology to the Indigenous Peoples of Australia for the forced removals of Aborigine children from their families by the Australian government between 1905 and 1967. Presenting the apology on the floor of Australian parliament, Varvaris announced that the Australian government “ruefully and woefully regrets these atrocious acts, which produces grief, suffering and heartache onto the indigenous people, our fellow Australians,”… Varvaris has notable shifted to the center since becoming Prime Minister; at the start of his time in parliament, he was noticeably much more to the right. For example, when Australia passed the Marriage Equality Act of 2009, which legalized same-sex marriage throughout Australia, Varvaris was part of the Band of Seven, a group of MPs who protested in front of the office of then-PM Ignatieff over their opposition to his support of the Act…

– Reuters, 2/13/2013



The Bashnya Rossiya (or Russia Tower) is the main building of the Russia Tower Office Complex in the Moscow International Business Center in Moscow, Russia. Standing at a height of 1,919 feet and 111 floors, it is the third-tallest building in the world, behind the US’s Chicago Spire (2,000 feet) and the UAE’s Dubai Tower (2,626 feet). After scaling down the initial design for a tower 2,200 feet tall, construction on the mixed use business and residential building began in April 2008 and finished in February 2013…

[pic: imgur.com/tmBvz48.png ]

– clickopedia.co.usa



“The Every Vote Counts National Initiative is ahead of schedule in regards to gathering signatures… The passing of the National Initiative Amendment established this independent agency, the Electoral Trust. I consists of a Board of Trustees and a Director. That’s 54 Board of Trustees members – 1 for each of the 52 states, plus 2 Trustees Board members for the federal district and all the other US territories, with the Director – that’s me – serving as a tiebreaker vote when necessary. All of these positions are for one year and for one year only. And all of us are recallable. Plus, there are other safeguards set up to defend the democratic process and protect it from corruption from the powerful top percentile.”

[snip]

“So, this is how the long process starts. Any citizen can propose and/or sponsor an initiative, and it is the responsibility of this entity, the Electoral Trust, to assist said sponsors in preparing initiatives – for drafting it and qualifying it, and then distributing information on the proposed initiative. Any contributions from corporations, including but not limited to labor unions, political parties, industrial groups, organized religions and associations, and PACs are strictly prohibited. Violation of this rule is a felony.

The proposed initiative then has to qualify in one of three ways: a collection of extensive public opinion polls qualified by the Electoral Trust; a legislative resolution passed by a simple majority in both chambers of the US Congress; or a petition, with the number of signers needed for qualifying being determined by the Electoral Trust. That’s all step one.

And at the moment, there are several such petitions going around.”

– Tom Atlee, Director of the Electoral Trust, the independent agency responsible for overseeing National Initiative procedure, 2/15/2013 press briefing



GEORGE ROGERS ELECTED NEW CANADIAN PRIME MNISTER AS PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVES RETURN TO POWER

…Goerge Arthur Rogers of Alberta has lead the PCs to a parliamentary majority over the incumbent Progressive Liberal Party, led by now-outgoing PM Maureen McTeer of Ontario. The Quebec Party, led by Jacques Duchesneau of Quebec, and the Green Party, led by David Chernushenko, each lost two seats in a dramatic and decisive surge in voter turnout against McTeer and her recent tax hikes… Rogers will become the first-ever Black Canadian Prime Minister…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 19/2/2013



DE BEERS RE-ENTERS U.S. MARKETS

…the controversial diamond company was allowed to re-enter the US market after paying a $50million fine in 2010 for price fixing, and after two high-ranking De Beer officials received prison sentences in 2011, each for conspiracy to fix market prices in the late 1990s and early aughts…

– The Wall Street Journal, 2/21/2013



“…The legal proceedings only temporarily disrupted their projected financial gain. Denying them access to our lands only made the company even more depraved. Hundreds more of us were working people to death to make up for lost revenue. …It was only a matter of time…”

– Davi Kowe, in joint interview with Roy Sesana, 2020



BELGIUM PM CATHY BERX DEMANDS GERMANY INVESTIGATE DEUTSCHE BANK

…the bank allegedly defrauded hundreds of Belgian residents out of millions of euros in a recent international incident…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 23/2/2013



Heidi Suzanne Nelson (b. August 7, 1972) is the current US Deputy Secretary of Commerce

[snip]

Nelson was born in San Luis Obispo, California to Seventh-day Adventists who served was missionaries while working as dental health professionals. As a result, Nelson lived in Kenya, Nigeria, and parts of Asia while growing up. Developing an interest in business and world trade as a child due to these experiences, Nelson graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA in 1995 before studying abroad and receiving a Masters of European Business degree from Oxford in 1997.

In 1997, Nelson began serving as a special deputy to the US Trade Representative, then became an economic policy director on President Dinger’s re-election campaign in 2000. After Jesse Jackson was elected President, Nelson began working in the private sector, and became a managing director for Goldman Sachs in 2009. Nelson was selected to serve in President Grammer’s Commerce Department due to her small-government philosophy and her experience in the field of international trade relations

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. February 2013 [2]



Report: The Wave of Deutsche Bank Indictments Is Sending German Consumer Confidence Plummeting!

– The Financial Times (FT), UK daily newspaper, 23/2/2013



…With the new congress, the Republican Party had a government trifecta, and so were easily able to implement their agenda. Almost immediately, Speaker McMaster placed several Jackson/Wellstone-era welfare programs and regulation policies on the Chopping Block, stripping them of funding or outright cancelling programs deemed either, “frivolous,” “invasive” “oppressive” or “nonessential.” While the House and Senate leaders went about reversing policies concerning various subjects, affecting millions of people, President Grammar sought to decrease the size of the federal government at the cabinet level, especially at the Department of Community Development...

…President Grammer also instructed congress to begin work on a major tax reform bill, which was introduced onto the floor of the House just a few weeks later…

– Kathryn Millstone’s The Grammer Administration, Borders Books, 2021



“Yes, the U.S. annual quarterly income for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2012 was down, marking the first economic drop for the first time in ten years, but it is not anything to worry about. It was most likely mere delayed reaction by liberal, pro-Wellstone corporations to the election victory of President Grammer back in November of that quarter…”

– Henry Paulson, Chair of the Federal Reserve, the central banking system of the US, 2/27/2013



…Soon after entering office, Vice President Harley Brown began promoting in earnest a large-scale architectural engineering proposal. Originally proposed in 2006, this proposal was the conclusion of the NYC Panel on Global Climate Disruption that NYC Mayor Margaret Hamberg convened to study “hypothetical crisis scenarios” at the start of her first term. The panel determine that the city’s vulnerability to climate-induced risks such as severe blizzard, heat wave, and hurricane conditions merited immediate action. The panel’s 2006 report was entitled “The Merits of Storm Barrier Construction and Emergency Service Reform for New York City in the Immediate Future.”

Hurricane Sandy had devastated the region in autumn 2012, and GCD experts believed that another hurricane of such strength would hit the region in the immediate future. However, not all politicians supported the notion that the best solution to construct a series of dam-like barriers built across the bodies of water connecting New York City with the Atlantic Ocean.

“This would be a huge waste of taxpayer money,” argued fiscal watchdog US Sen. Randy Brock (R-OH), “If sea levels are rising and storms are indeed getting worse, building a dam is pointless because the height that the water will reach will someday be over the height of the barrier. It’d be more beneficial to everyone involved if buildings in the affected areas were build better – built to last – built to better withstand the forces of floodwaters.”

Vice President Brown, however, saw the proposal as an opportunity to “eliminate unemployment,” as constructing the required barriers would require “hundreds of thousands of low-skill workers” by some estimates…

[snip]

…Barrier supporters pointed to the historical precedence for this proposed endeavor. The Thames Barrier of the Greater London Authority successfully opened in 1984; the Saint Petersburg Dam of Russia was finally completed under Vladislav Volkov in 1993; and the Maeslant Barrier of the Netherlands, also known as the “Maeslantkering,” was completed in 1997…

[snip]

…Vice President Brown added, “Now, I’m agnostic when it comes to certain aspects of global warming, but this project will produce jobs, no doubt about it, so even if it turns out to be pointless, it won’t be a pointless waste of time if it helps feed American families”...

[pic: imgur.com/O0v9qsx.png ]

Above: a map of the proposed storm surge barrier locations discussed in both the Option A “one big one” proposal, and the Option B “several little ones” proposal; Vice President Brown supported implementing both options “for safe measure”

– Doris Helen Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership In Turbulent Times, Simon & Schuster, 2018



“The rise in virtual work, spurred on by the safezoning measures of the SARS years, means that there’s less real estate being used. The renting of office space is at a historic low. City office space being in a state of “undercapacity” is at an all-time high. And as a result, real estate values are dropping. That trend is hurting small businesses as well as large ones. This and gentrification is why the rent is too damn high in New York City, and it is only getting higher and higher. And what is our Mayor doing? Oh, she’s aware of the empty buildings. But she ain’t fillin’ them up, she’s wiping them down with antibacterial wipes! Gotta keep those vacant lots clean, huh? Because everyone knows how crowded those places are, why, they’re just filled with workers – oh wait!”

– NY politician and NYC Mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan, 3/1/2013



THE DUKE DECLINES RUNNING FOR AN 8TH TERM

Boston, MA – In a game-changing moment, Governor Michael Dukakis has announced his decision to not run for re-election next year, saying in a press briefing “my work here is almost done. The time has come to pass the torch of freedom and equality on to another person.”

Dukakis, also known both affectionately and derisively as “The Duke,” has been a staple of Massachusetts politics for decades, having served in his current office for over 28 non-consecutive years. Dukakis, as Lieutenant Governor, ascended to the governorship in 1977, and was elected to his first a many full terms in 1978. Amid high approval ratings due to his progressive policies, he won re-election in 1982 and 1986, and declined to run for re-election in 1990 to enter academia, after passing up running for President in 1984 and 1988. However, discontent with teaching politics and diplomacy at several colleges, Dukakis won another gubernatorial term in 1998, and won re-election in 2002, 2006, and 2010.

Dukakis’ legacy is a mixed bag, with some praising his education, transportation, and infrastructure redevelopment programs as being effective and forward-thinking, while others criticize his environmental protection policies as being lackluster and overall inefficient. Another controversy of his arose earlier this year, when William Weld resigned from his US Senate seat to become the US Secretary of the Treasury. Dukakis selected a liberal Republican to be appointed to the vacant seat, which was in-line with the state’s laws stating that a US Senate appointee must belong to the same party affiliation of the person who had been elected to that seat. The controversial part was his selection of Lew Evangelidis, a fellow Greek-American; the selection led to widespread allegations of nepotism on both sides of the political aisle, and of both sexism and racism on the left side.

Unsurprisingly, Dukakis’ retirement is bringing relief to voters wanting change. “It’s time for a new generation to take over,” says one member of the MADEM State Committee. “Preferably someone a bit younger,” they add, referring to the fact that Dukakis, who was born in Massachusetts to Greek immigrants in 1933, will leave office at the age of 81. “This announcement means that we can finally start a new chapter in Massachusetts history.”

The governor’s decision to retire next year also means that the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination is wide open, without an incumbent or a clear favorite, for the first time in roughly 15 years. The Chair of the State Democratic Party told reporters earlier today “we’re expecting a large and diverse crowd of candidates this time around.”

– The Boston Globe, 3/3/2013



REVIEW: The Latest Chicken Sandwich War Entries: Jimmy John’s Colby Jack Chicken and Whataburger’s Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich Supreme

– tumbleweed.co.usa/food, 3/4/2013



M.F. GLOBAL INSISTS IT IS IN GOOD HEALTH DESPITE A 60% DROP IN SHARE PRICE

– businesstoday.co.usa, 3/5/2013



President Grammer’s Approval Ratings:

APPROVE: 50%
DISAPPROVE: 35%
UNCERTAIN: 15%

[snip]

Comments Section:

>Comment 1:
I’m surprised by how quickly his “Honeymoon Period” is already drying up. I mean, how can you NOT like a President who looks like this?:

[pic: imgur.com/Cs5Aqi8.png ]

>Reply 1 to Comment 1:
I think I just tossed my cookies, thanks.

>Reply 2 to Comment 1:
Lots of people can’t get over how this guy is the President now because he didn’t win the popular vote. A lot of people are still bitter about that.

– Galluppolling.co.usa/sort_by_date/march_7,_2013



…Earlier today at 1 Observatory Circle, Vice President Brown sat down with several politicians from New York City and New Jersey to discuss the costs and specifics of the proposal to construct a storm surge barrier system across the mouth of the Lower New York Harbor. During the discussions, Brown veered off-topic on a few occasions. It seems he couldn’t help but bring up last year’s Presidential Election recounts in New Jersey when conversing with the political figures from the Garden State…

– NBC News, 3/8/2013 broadcast



INTERVIEW: Gordon Lightfoot Talks Environmentalism, Culture, And The Evolution Of His Music

– The Walrus, Canadian general-interest magazine, March 2013 issue



…Yet another German bank has filed for bankruptcy amid a wave of corruption investigations sweeping through the financial centers of Germany, especially in Berlin and Munich...

– BBC News, 3/15/2013



The 2013 London Mayoral election was held on 17 March 2013 to elect the Mayor of London, coinciding with the 2013 London Assembly elections...

[snip]

Background:

As London began growing into a major international financial center in the 1980s, the Greater London Council was abolished under Prime Minister Goodlad, leaving the metropolitan area without a central administration until the city-wide Greater London Authority was created in 1992, under Prime Minister Lennon. Its formation led to the city’s first Mayoral election in 1993, with Secretary of State for the Environment and former Minister for Overseas Development Chris Patten (Conservative) winning a four-year term in said race. Term-limited, Patten left office in 2001; his successor, the former Minister for Sport Tony Banks (Labour), lost re-election to former MP Steven Norris (Conservative), who served from 2005 to 2013.

The race centered on the range of mayoral responsibilities, especially transportation, housing and planning, and economic development. Given incumbent Mayor Norris’ waning popularity over controversies regarding his handling of city funds, Labour had the advantage heading into the final days of the election.

Results:

With 50.3% of the total vote, Labour candidate Nicky Gavron, the Deputy Mayor of London from 2001 to 2009, won over Conservative candidate Vicky Borwick, the incumbent Deputy Mayor from 2009 to 2012, who received 39.9% of the vote. Green Party nominee Jenny Jones received 5.1%; the three other candidates received the remaining 4.7% of the vote.

– clickopedia.co.usa



…West Virginia Governor Charlotte Pratt is offering petrol and coal companies tax credits for alternative energy innovation in her latest effort to amass funds for her massive urban farming programs. Pratt believes that her state can attract more tourists and businesses with micro farming projects in every single county in West Virginia in order to provide food security for state residents…

– CBS Evening News, 3/19/2013 report



FISCAL WATCHDOG SOUNDS WARNING: Claims Germany’s Bank Scandals Could Have “Monetary Ripple Effects” That “Easily Spread Out”

– tumbleweed.co.usa/news, 3/20/2013



…What it came to network neutrality, the Grammer Presidency took up the libertarian position of treating all netsites like businesses, encouraging them to grow and be prosperous but otherwise leaving them alone to make their own rules, terms, and conditions of use. The problem with self-regulating, though, is that it led to problems with death threats and ID theft in the 1990s, which in turn had led to the courts of California’s controversial attempts to make technet anonymity illegal on the grounds of security trumping privacy.

As a result, Grammer sought to ignore the issue by instead focusing on and promoting other aspects of technet sites, such as expanding coax-band accessibility, making software easier for elderly users and the visually impaired, urging tech businesses to expand technet use in rural parts of the country, and encouraging companies to reach out to the physically isolated as well...

[snip]

…Studies show that more advertising often leads to less views. A March 2013 study, for instance, suggested that sites with ads covering more than 20% of the screen have 50% less view-traffic than sites with minimal ads...

– Joy Lisi Rankin’s Computers: A People’s History of the Information Machine, Westview Press, 2018



STATE SENATOR RESIGNS AMID SEXUAL PESTERING CLAIMS

– The Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska newspaper, 3/20/2013



SUDAN FLYING ARMS TO DARFUR, PANEL REPORTS

…UN peacekeeping forces are being targeted and killed by Sudanese forces in the breakaway republics of Darfur and South Sudan. Additionally, the government of Sudan is flying arms and heavy military equipment to their locations in Darfur in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and are even painting the Sudanese military planes white in order to disguise them as United Nations or African Union aircraft…

– The New York Times, 3/21/2013



U.N. BACKS ACTION AGAINST SUDAN REGIME: UNSC Resolution Adopted 15-0

– The Los Angeles Times, 3/22/2013



“...The US-led UN intervention in Sudan began today with American fighter jets bombing Sudan’s Wadi Sayyidna Air Base, as well as Sudan Air Force facilities at Atbarah and Al Ubayyid. We also have reports that French Air Force fighter jets have begun firing missiles at several other targets throughout Sudan proper in a coordinated effort to try and prevent further Sudanese attacks on Darfur and South Sudan from being launched from said locations…”

– BBC News, 23/3/2013 broadcast



“Technically, the no-fly zones began with attacks on areas held by the Sudanese military and government in order to destroy Sudanese air defenses. This allowed our soldiers of the air to fly above the country without worry of getting shot down. That is how it started and it naturally escalated from there. …French fighter jets were deployed next as our allies began their individual operations to defend Darfur and South Sudan from further onslaughts…”

– former US Secretary of Defense, 2019 congressional hearing



…When Deputy NASA Director and former Aeronautics Research Mission Director John McAfee, a member of NASA since 1968 who had made billions of dollars developing software for the agency, was chosen for NASA director, the selection was controversial in a unique way. While McAfee was considered qualified for the job, his eccentric personality and quirky behavior led to some being considered that he would “embarrass” and agency and damage its reputation for being a serious leader in space exploration.

McAfee’s reputation for making uncouth comments and faux pas over the years was on display on March 24, 2013, at a function held in Washington, D.C., where a discussion comparing outer space to exploring Earth’s deepest oceans led to McAfee making some rather unsavory comments concerning whales…

– clickopedia.co.usa



People are too sensitive nowadays. I make one little joke about wanting to send out a probe to search for f@#kable space whales and suddenly everyone loses their sense of humor!

– John McAfee, in his autobiography Outer Space Deserves More Iguanas: My Life Being Me, numerous on-net publication sites, 2022



NATO ASSUMES COMMAND OF MILITARY INTERVENTION IN SUDAN

…roughly 80,000 military personnel are joining the 90,000 soldiers of Darfur and South Sudan in opposing attacks from the 150,000-strong Sudan military...

– The Chicago Tribune, 3/26/2013



“Yeah, Mayor Hamberg got us the 2016 Summer Olympics, but the city is now suffering unintentional negative consequence from that successful hosting bid. The sudden attention is raising property values across the city, making it harder for people in N.Y.C. to afford to pay the rent, making it harder for families to afford to feed their kids breakfast, lunch and dinner. Report after report all show that for the first time since the 2002 SARS pandemic, there are more people moving out the city than there are people moving in. That shouldn’t be. We have to fix that! And you know how? By lowering the damn rent! Why? Because – say it with me – the rent is too damn high!”

– NY politician and NYC Mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan, 3/27/2013



TWO ELECTORAL COLLEGE REFORM INITIATIVES HAVE NOW QUALIFIED FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS

– The New York Times, 3/28/2013



FORMER CEO OF M.F. GLOBAL INDICTED AMID FRAUD INVESTIGATION

– The Chicago Tribune, 3/29/2013



ANDERSON COOPER: “…President Grammer today announced the tariff proposals for India, saying that, due to that country’s economic expansion, American workers and manufacturers need to be protected from the phenomenon that is outsourcing, which he called ‘a siren song’ in his remarks earlier today. Richard, can you tell us anything more about this? Any insight?”

Former WH Chief Foreign Policy Advisor Richard W. RAHN: “Well, this is clearly the President’s way of threatening other, bigger dogs with bigger tariffs if they don’t valuate our currency higher.”

COOPER: “Yes, and the US Trade Representative is important for this as well...”

– KNN, 3/30/2013 broadcast



“I have grave concerns over the direction of Germany’s markets”

– Dutch President Adriaan Jozef Kea, 4/1/2013



The Sandwich Wars Are Heating Up!

…Whataburger is kicking off Spring Break Season 2013 by introducing a new contender – the new Korean Fried Chicken Melt – to the fast-food sandwich wars…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 4/2/2013



US FISCAL QUARTER ENTERING ECONOMIC “MINI-DIP”: The “Long Overdue” Mid-Quarter Slide Has The Potential To Get Bigger, Says Experts

– The Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2013



US Sen. Mike GRAVEL (D-CA): “After the qualification process is complete, multiple public hearings will be held and conducted with the representatives of the sponsor and other relevant individuals.”

Interviewer Krystal BALL: “So, it will be similar to the Citizen’s Initiative Review in Oregon?”

GRAVEL: “Somewhat similar, but, obviously, at a much larger scale. After the hearings conclude, the Electoral Trust then convenes what is called a ‘Deliberation Committee.’”

BALL: “What’s that?”

GRAVEL: “Basically, it’s a committee consisting of U.S. citizens selected at random from the voter registration rolls of the relevant jurisdiction maintained by the Electoral Trust and balanced as fairly as possible. Committee members are not required to participate (like jurors) and will be compensated for time spent and expenses incurred in performance of their duties should they choose to participate. The Deliberative Committee then reviews the Hearing Record, secure expert advice, deliberate the merits of the initiative, and prepare a written report and recommendations. Together with the hearing record and the committee’s report, the proposed National Initiative is sent to Congress for an advisory vote. Upon completion of the Legislative Advisory Vote, or 90 days after the initiative has been delivered to the legislative body, whichever comes first, the Electoral Trust then publishes a schedule for the election of the initiative.”

BALL: “So, how long do you think it will take for it to get to Congress?”

GRAVEL: “It depends. The registration rolls being certified could take a while, and the pace of the hearings and quality of the committee report could drag it out farther, let alone how Congress responds to it. Could be anywhere from one year to several years.”

BALL: “Is there any way to speed things along faster?”

GRAVEL: “Yes. People can get more involved in the process – sign the petitions, participate in the hearings and committees. Do their homework on the initiatives, because when it comes to the NIA, the voters are the lawmakers.”

BALL: “So you really think people will know what exactly they’re voting on? I mean, do you really think they’ll do the homework on this, and not be swayed by how mainstream media outlets frame them?”

GRAVEL: “I have faith in the American people. Besides, the Electoral Trust will take advantage of modern technologies in developing procedures for voting and validating the votes. Voters may use multiple modern technologies from anywhere in the world using the most sophisticated encryption and security protections available that day. The Electoral Trust has a netsite for each initiative proposal, and for each initiative that gets qualified for a vote, the site contains a summary of its Hearing Record, Deliberative Committee report, and Legislative Advisory Vote result, plus statements prepared by the sponsor, other proponents and opponents, and a balanced analysis of the pros and cons of the initiative, its social, environmental, and economic implications, costs and benefits. Voters can use this information to make informed decisions before they cast their votes.”

BALL: “So just the one vote passes an initiative into a new federal law?”

GRAVEL: “Yes – unless, of course, we are talking about a Constitutional Amendment. Because that is an even more serious and more permanent event, it gets two votes.”

BALL: “Could you please explain that?”

GRAVEL: “Sure. See, an initiative that modifies the Constitution is, under the NIA, enacted by affirmative vote of more than half the registered voters of the relevant jurisdiction in the second of two successive elections. If such initiative is approved in the first election, the second election shall occur no earlier than six months and no later than a year after the first election. Half of the electorate, not merely half the people who care to vote, must vote yes in the second election in order to amend the US Constitution.”

BALL: “So first we hold an election, probably in November 2014 if the committee and hearing finish their business in time, or in November 2015 or November 2016, to coincide with the major elections of that year. Then in a second round of voting, more than half of all registered voters have to approve of it, not just have of all registered voters who vote. That means that we would have to see a large portion of registered voters actually voting. So if, say, 75% of all registered voters vote in the second round, 75% of that 75% would have to vote yes, because 75% of 75 is 56.3%. Right?

GRAVEL: “Right. An initiative that enacts, modifies or repeals statute law assumes the force of law when approved by more than half the voters in the relevant jurisdiction participating in an election. This means that in the case of statutes, the majority of the votes received will be counted as the favorable opinion (as opposed to modifying the Constitution, which will require more than 50% of all registered voters).” [3]

BALL: “This will be a very long and complicated process then?”

GRAVEL: “Rome wasn’t built in a day, Krystal.”

– TumbleweedTV Interview Exclusive, 4/4/2013



“We’re sorry, we’re going to have to interrupt you, because we have a Breaking News Special Bulletin. Under the weight of several bank bankruptcies, a shaky stock market, and a downturn in domestic production, Germany has officially entered a state of economic recession!”

– CBS Evening News, 4/5/2013



“I am more than confident that Germany’s market downturn will leave little impact on the United States.”

– Federal Reserve Chair Henry Paulson, 4/6/2013



PM ROGERS’ PLAN TO REVERSE MCTEER-ERA TAX HIKES

…the new Canadian Prime Minister has announced a “tax stabilization plan” to reduce former PM Maureen McTeer’s tax hikes by shifting the age of eligibility for Old Age Security from 65 to 66 over the next four years, and then from 66 to 67 in another four years. The plan, which is already proving itself to be controversial and polarizing ontech, cited the extension in the average Canadian lifespan, and reiterates that such action is necessary in the wake of the nation’s worsening the tax burden...

– The Calgary Sun, Canadian newspaper, 4/7/2013



…the federal government is encouraging all private energy companies to contribute to the effort to make hydrogen power mainstream and affordable. The US Department of Energy and Technology is backing hydrogen-based research and development endeavors at MIT and other universities and engineering schools, with many Democrats – former US Senator Harry Braun being the most prominent one of them, by far – encouraging such endeavors as well…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 4/8/2013



HSBC, UK’S LARGEST BANK, LAYS OFF 11,000 WORKERS AS GERMANY’S RECESSION HITS BRITISH MARKETS

– Associated Press, 4/9/2013



…Behind closed doors, Wall Street executives were growing concerned that the economic stress in Europe was beginning to impact the American stock market. The stocks of several major U.S. banks began entering decline first, with some of the more higher-up executives publicly encouraging people to buy while they themselves were selling instead…

– Hanspeter Kriesi and Takis S. Pappas’ In The Shadow of The Great European Recession, ECPR Press, 2021



THE NEW TACO IN TOWN

[pic: imgur.com/CYSPayr.png ]

…Taco John’s is starting to give Zantigo and Chi-Chi’s a run for their money... Founded in 1969, Taco John’s is a more Americanized/fast-food-on-the-go take on Mexican cuisine, even more so than its more established competitors…

– Nation’s Restaurant News trade publication, early April 2013 issue



WACHOVIA FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY AMID STATE A.G. PROBE LAUNCHED IN 2011

– The Winston-Salem Journal, North Carolina newspaper, 4/11/2013



BREAKING NEWS: DOW Plummets 400 Points As US GDP Continues To Slide!

– thenewyorktimes.co.usa, 4/12/2013



…China’s Treasury and Commerce Ministers were observed behaving “suspiciously” in the weeks after Germany’s economy practically collapsed. The US Ambassador to China (former Federal Reserve Chair, former US Representative, and former Chair of the US International Trade Commission John Kasich) informed Commerce Secretary Fuld of this, but according to Fuld’s undersecretary, no action “at all” was taken to discover if the Chinese were aware of the recession spreading or if the Chinese were just worried that it would spread due to how globally interconnected national markets and economies had become to one another.

Meanwhile, Li Yuanchao (b. 1951), the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China and a rising star in the PRC, advised Premier Yang Gang (b. 1953) against moving forward on a potential deal with Australia to improve and modernize trade between the two nations, much to the consternation of diplomat Han Zheng (b. 1954), who was reportedly kept “out of the loop.” Concurrently, Chinese billionaire Deng Jiagui (b. 1951) began selling off several U.S. holdings to less-wealthy American investors…

– Paul van den Noord’s A Continent In Crisis: Europe During The 2013-2014 Recession Era, Routledge, 2018



…the UN security council formally referred the situation in Darfur to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, taking into account the report of the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur. On April 14, after reviewing the facts of the matter, the Judges of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Sudan military leaders Ahmed Haroun and Ali Kushayb. The Sudan Government responded with a statement that said that the ICC had no jurisdiction to try Sudanese citizens and that it would not surrender the two men... [4]

– clickopedia.co.usa



RECESSION! U.S. ECONOMY OFFICIALLY ENTERS ECONOMIC CONTRACTION!

…the Commerce Department’s report confirms that the US had been in a state of economic recession since the year’s first fiscal quarter ended on March 31…

– The New York Times, 4/15/2013



News Alert: The price of Gold Has Soared to Over 8%!

– businesstoday.co.usa/4/16/2013



“So, you still think investing in gold is a bad idea?”

– Ron Paul, The New Ron Paul Freedom Report, 4/17/2013 article



…The 2013 recession happened the way all recessions do, when economic activity contracts. However, in 2013, it was also, at least partially, caused by the Deutsche Bank fraud scandal that unfolded in Germany at the beginning of the year, and the close interconnected markets of western Europe. US Secretary of the Treasury Bill Weld immediately responded to the downturn with efforts to stop the bleeding and minimize the vicious spiraling cycle of decline:

weak market -> weak sales -> weak profits -> layoffs -> higher unemployment -> weaker market -> weaker sales.

Weld argued that Grammer needed to improve the US’s economic “safety nets” such as the Negative Income Tax Rebate, as government interference always breaks the cycle, because letting the cycle run its natural course worsens the human suffering involved.

With Walter Mondale having found himself in a situation much like Grammer’s back in 1978, the former President sat down with Grammer soon after the recession was officially declared, and encouraged the new President to take action from the very start of things, actions that were to the left of Grammer’s party…

– Rick Perlstein’s Majestic Melees: The Trials and Crises of the Fritz Mondale Presidency, Simon & Schuster, 2019



...Wachovia was soon followed by Citibank, then UBA, then Washington Mutual. Despite repeatedly voicing opposition to government bailouts, the heads of Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch were soon lobbying for Grammer to approve of interdictions to keep them from faltering like the other major banks. The Board of Merrill Lynch was especially vocal, taking out a full-page ad in the New York Times reading “If we fall, you all will too,” a decision that only worsened their market standing…

– Hanspeter Kriesi and Takis S. Pappas’ In The Shadow of The Great European Recession, ECPR Press, 2021



The libertarian response to recession is to promote private individuals, businesses, religious institutions, and NGOs spending their money to help out their fellow citizens. The primary problem with this idea, of encouraging an unorganized collection of individuals and groups to help people and provide them with decent employment, education, food, housing, and technet access, is that it only occasionally works at the local level and rarely works at even the state level. Those hit hardest by economic slumps require more organized relief efforts that rely more on the responsibilities and obligations of their elected officials than on the whims and moral compulsions of strangers.

During the 2013 recession, referring to by the US Secretary of Commerce R. Severin Fuld as the “Unlucky Recession,” Fuld suggested that government response be delayed for as long as possible, reportedly telling US Secretary of Agriculture Lee Scott “We could drag out responses by saying that more data needs to be collected, and then that we are debating what to do and how to implement solutions. And by that time, the recession will be curing itself.” The notion of letting the economy run its course was allegedly intriguing to the President, but ultimately rejected upon Grammer viewing the statistics concerning how many people were being impacted and were suffering in the short term.

“But government intervention will only make things worse,” allegedly countered the US Secretary of Energy and Technology, wealthy businessman Harold Glenn Hamm of Oklahoma. “For example, if we said we were, say, going to lower interest rates to stimulate the economy, people would just stop borrowing because, well, why borrow now at 5% when you can borrow later at 4%?”

“That is a good point, I’ll admit,” replied Grammer, “But the thing is, Congress is not majority-libertarian. Heck, even the GOP is not majority-libertarian. The people working in the Congressional Building over there – wait, no, over there – they want to take some kind of action. So I think we should – we should work as quickly as possible to reduce regulations that have shown to slow down economic growth.” He ordered, “Everyone check the stats and trends from the 2002 SARS downturn. We can’t just sit back on this, not on something as big and as serious as this.”

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



MCMASTER’S “MASTER PLAN” EYES REGULATION CUTS AMID RECESSION WOES

...The US House’s proposed Emergency Deregulation Bill would reverse the Jackson-Wellstone era regulations that President Grammer claims they are “restricting business growth”…

– The Los Angeles Times, 4/21/2013



“Businesses can pollute, bankers can commit fraud, managers often cheat workers, people can be injured on the job through no fault of their own, and companies can produce unsanitary food and ineffective medicine. Government is meant to minimize all of that damage, not turn a blind eye to all of it.”

– US Rep. and progressive firebrand Alexandra Lugaro (D-PR), 4/24/2013



D.C. DEMOCRATS CALL FOR FEDERAL RESERVE TO INCREASE MONEY SUPPLY

…The Employment Act of 1946 made high employment and stable prices a responsibility of the federal government…

– The Washington Post, 4/25/2013



…a rising number business experts are calling for the federal government to bail out the major banks currently on the verge of financial collapse…

– CBS Evening News, 4/26/2013 broadcast



…Due to Germany’s government and leaders maintaining strongly anti-nationalization policies for decades, their Chancellor had begun privatizing the German banking system at the start of his administration roughly three years earlier. Upon the bank fraud scandal contributing to the start of the recession, Chancellor Schroder worsened the situation by deciding against bailouts across the board. The resulting recession thus turned into a major financial crash for the nation beginning on April 18. All countries connected to Germany scrambled to cut their trading and financial ties as fast as possible in order to avoid being dragged down any further, into a deeper recession, or even a slight depression with this country. In Germany, bonds market stops working, ATMs soon emptied out. A small riot broke out in Munich on April 28. By the end of May, the crisis in Germany peaked with 40% of all German companies within Germany declaring bankruptcy. Mass unemployment, and even talks of revolution, began to dominate daily discussions. For several more weeks, further small outbreaks of rioting engulfed city streets, and countrysides developed a “bunker” mentality not seen since the SARS pandemic…

– Hanspeter Kriesi and Takis S. Pappas’ In The Shadow of The Great European Recession, ECPR Press, 2021



Businessman KEVIN O’LEARY: “We need the government to step in and do its job to protect American investors.”

Journalist ANDERSON COOPER: “But wouldn’t bailing out the big banks undermine the very concept of free enterprise?”

O’LEARY: “No, because free enterprise cannot prosper and flourish without an economy, and if the major companies collapse, there will be no major company of which to speak.”

– CBS roundtable discussion, 4/28/2013 broadcast



…The impact that the “EU Recession” had on a European country depended on how closely said country was to the European Union. …The countries most loyal and compliant to EU guidelines and regulations (70% and up), were Sweden, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Austria, France, the UK and Czechoslovakia. These countries contrasted with those that were the least loyal and compliant to said guidelines and regulations (40% and down): Romania, Portugal, Bulgaria, Latvia, Luxembourg, Greece and Malta… [5]

– clickopedia.co.usa/2013_European_Recession



…Due to Spain already suffering a weak economy in the wake of financial problems of their own in regards their post-SARS economy growing so quickly that inflation was becoming a major worry, when Germany’s economy entered recession, Spain’s was the next one on the continent to “fall.” …Farther overseas, the growing autocratic regime in Tajikistan turned out to be a paper tiger, as the recession raging across Europe caused the Europe-reliant economic system of Tajikistan to collapse!...

– Paul van den Noord’s A Continent In Crisis: Europe During The 2013-2014 Recession Era, Routledge, 2018



GRAMMER, TREASURY SECRETARY, OTHER FINANCIAL LEADERS AND ADVISORS CONVENE AT CAMP DAVID TO WORK ON REDUCING RECESSION IMPACT

[pic: imgur.com/2MUxKym.png ]

– The Boston Globe, 5/1/2013



“…Nobody can know what an incoming cash flow will be because nobody can accurately predict future economic activity. Because of this, the Balanced Budget Amendment works with budget projections more so than on hard figures. And as a result of that, the US Congress is able to tamper and tinker with said projections. However, the B.B.A. does not allow the U.S. Congress to suspend the B.B.A.’s budget requirements in times of national crisis such as war and financial crisis, because one of its biggest proponents, then-Senator Ronald Paul of Texas, a Republican libertarian, believed that such a clause would be used in every single year of every Democratic administration. However, it is possible for congress to pass a law to attach such a clause to the amendment without having to go through the grueling process of passing a whole other amendment…”

– TON, 5/2/2013 news report



With deficit spending being pretty much impossible due to the restrictions of the BBA, an alternative solution was reached.

“A whopping $1trillion in tax relief for working Americans, essentially giving tax money back to the people, to encourage consumer spending so the people can spend, spend, spend their way out of a recession!” Grammer exclaimed, “Good ol’ supply and demand shall win the day!”

“But what about the banks, Mr. President?” asked Commerce Secretary R. Severin Fuld.

“I think we should let them go belly-up,” Grammer nodded to his own idea very matter-of-factly.

Fuld was shocked, “What?!”

Grammer defended his stance. “In the words of Colonel Sanders, ‘There’s no such thing as a bank too big to fail.’ [6] I’m not backing this idea for the sake of libertarianism, mind you – I’m doing this for the people.”

Fuld protested, “But Mr. President, the banks crashing will plummet the economy even further, possibly right into a depression. The number of job losses with skyrocket from 2,000 a month to 50,000 a month at the very least! You have to bail out the big banks because that’s where most of the nation’s money lies!”

Grammer gave him a hypothetical. “Then how about we bail out the big bank and the small banks, too?”

“Bailing out the small banks won’t do anything significant,” answered Fuld.”

Federal Reserve Chair Henry Paulson joined Commerce Secretary Fuld in opposing bailing out small businesses. “If we don’t help out those at the top, we will have breadlines and crimes waves. The NITR just won’t be able to cover everyone!”

Brown offered his two cents, “Bailing out the banks would take a huge chunk out of the US national budget, so we could pin the lack of bailouts on the BBA.”

Fuld asked, “I thought you support the BBA.”

“I do. But that doesn’t mean we can’t hide behind it when we have to,” Brown explained. “I love my dogs, but don’t think I don’t blame the nearest one whenever I rip a fart!”

“Crass analogies aside, the American people deserved a government that has their banks,” Grammer remarked.

“But we would support the people by supporting the banks,” Fuld countered.

Treasury Secretary Bill Weld shook his head, “I disagree. Banks failing would make for short-term pain but long-term gain.”

Paulson, “Hold on. Not bailing out the top banks would be in violation of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913!”

“Martinez, is that true?” Grammer asked the US Attorney General.

“Um,” Susana contemplated for a quick moment, “I don’t think so. That piece of legislation created the twelve Federal Reserve banks, none of which are being discussed here. So, uh, Paul, with all due respect, I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.”

“You mean a politician is doing some bulls#!ttin’? What a shocker!” Brown sarcastically explained with a grin and a gravely chuckle.

Grammer ignored the crack and assessed the situation. “News reports on the crisis are raising the prospect of empty ATMs and checks uncashed. There have even been stories in major media outlets about the bank runs of 1929. But no such scenario is in the cards this time around, is there?”

Weld answered. “Unlike 1929, we have the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The FDIC was created precisely to prevent the sort of bank runs that were common during the Great Depression and earlier financial panics. The FDIC is very good at taking over a failed bank to ensure that checks are honored and ATMs keep working. In fact, the FDIC has already taken over several major banks and many minor ones during this ‘Unlucky Recession,’ as many are calling it. Business can carry on as normal and most customers – unless they follow the news closely – can remain completely unaware that their bank has gone belly-up in all this.”

“And if the big banks do collapse?”

“It will stretch the FDIC staff too thin!” answered Fuld.

“Then we just hire more people. With all the banks falling, a lot of financial people will be looking for work,” answered Brown.

Grammer turned to his VP, “that’s actually a good idea.”

“But it’s socialism!” Paulson exclaimed.

“It is?” asked Brown, “I thought it was helping people out.”

Weld then said to Fuld and Paulson, “If bank collapses become more widespread, it is certainly possible that there would be glitches at the FDIC that could lead to some people being unable to access bank accounts immediately, but that inconvenience will most likely last for a few days, not weeks or months.

The Great Depression ended because of the massive government spending needed to fight World War II. But we don’t need a war to spend money. Granted we could increase spending in the war in Sudan, but that’s beside the point. The point I’m making here, ladies and gentlemen, is that if the private sector is not creating enough demand for workers, the government can fill the gap by spending money on infrastructure, education, healthcare, child care or many other needs. [7]

“Also,” Chief Economic Policy Advisor Mary Meeker sided with Weld, “Until the Great Depression, not bailing out banks was official US policy. Runs on the banks are not major things anymore because FDIC insurance allows it so when a bank is wiped out, the people aren’t wiped out with it.”

“Economic collapse doesn’t prevent government from spending the money needed to restore employment and build the economy back up…right?” Brown asked sincerely.

Fuld brushed away the Vice President’s question to again try and convince Grammer to reconsider his decision. “Lots of congressmen on the hill are gravely certain the bailouts are necessary.”

“Yes, I already know that corporate lobbyists have gotten to a lot of the hill’s congressmen,” he answered.

“Would more tariffs help?” Brown spoke up a bit more.

“Given that they never do in times like this, I’m to have to say no, Harley, they won’t,” Meeker said kindly but certainly and decisively.

“Hey, just a thought,” Brown raised his hands, almost sheepishly.

“Look, this isn’t the end of the world,” Grammer said. “Look at the stats again; this is only slightly worse than the crash of ’78.”

“So as long as we don’t tighten the money supply, raise interest rates or allow banks to fail by the thousands, we should be fine, right?” Brown.

“Right,” answered Weld. “The biggest problem, it seems, would actually be the commercial paper market. With people not being able to borrow for a short while, even small businesses won’t be able to meet payroll or pay suppliers. That is the disaster we have to avoid.”

“How?” Grammer asked Weld.

“By bailing out small businesses. I say, if you want to go the libertarian route, then the bigger the corporation, the smaller the assistance,” Weld answered.

“I like that,” Grammer nodded in approval. “And Paulson, the Federal Reserve can announce a special lending facility to buy commercial paper, ensuring the availability of credit for businesses.” Grammer walked to the front of the room, tired, and running his hand over his balding head. “Okay, so here’s the bottom line – the downturn may become more severe immediately, but it will rebound faster if we bail out the big banks. End of discussion.”

Fuld went “But sir –”

“End of discussion,” Grammer reiterated.

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



EXTRA! GRAMMER SACKS HIS SECRETARY OF COMMERCE!

…US Commerce Secretary and former CEO of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. R. Severin Fuld has been accused of ignoring crucial signs of imminent economic recession in the weeks and even months leading up the market contractions… Fuld also reportedly disagreed with the President on how to proceed with recession relief efforts, with two separate sources claiming that Fuld supported bailing out large banks but not American workers or even small banks… At the press briefing, Fuld simply remarked that he and the President had “agreed to go in separate directions.” Fuld did not take any questions and could not be reached for comment…

– The Chicago Tribune, 5/6/2013



…Upon returning from Camp David, President Grammer announced his $1trillion tax relief plan and his push for the proposed 5%-across-the-board tax cut bill. As for bank bailouts, Grammer announced his support for a majority-Democrat-sponsored Senate bill to bailout small banks but not major banks. Such a bill had already been introduced in the Senate, but now it had received Grammer’s greenlight. The situation led to it being pushed through committee and hearings with emergency sessions. Senate Democrats slipped in caps on executive compensations for small businesses bailed out prior to its advancing to the House, where Speaker McMaster was more critical of its composition.

Republican reaction to his decisions were split. While the GOP held a majority of seats in both chambers, enough Libertarian Republicans broke ranks in each chamber to deny the proposed bailout bill passage, striking it down by narrow margins in both the House and the Senate by the end of the month. Denying corporations a pass at facing the consequences of their actions sent corporate lobbyists reeling; in the media, some financial talking heads even began calling for Grammar to be impeached for “dooming” the US to experiencing a second Great Depression…

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



“Well, that’s one way to break up The Big Banks.”

– media mogul Bern Sanders, 5/9/2013 radio appearance



“A recession is two consecutive quarters of decline in national income. Sales go down, production goes down, and unemployment goes up. Now in a situation like that, you would think that our Mayor would do the sensible thing and impose rent caps. But did that happen? No! So now we have employment too damn low. The economic recovering going too damn slow, and the rent is still – guess what – too damn high!”

– NY politician and NYC Mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan, 5/11/2013



…with Europe seemingly falling apart, President Grammar is reportedly working tirelessly to try and minimize the fallout in American markets, meeting with officials from the Treasury and Commerce Departments almost every day and cancelling exercise sessions to make more room for meetings with congressional leaders. However, it is still unknown just how effective his efforts to curtail the ongoing economic onslaughts will be…

[pic: imgur.com/GeE2rLX.png ]

– The Washington Post, 5/12/2013



DIGITAL DIPLOMACY: Grammer Talks Strategy With European Powers In Several Large Group-VidCalls

– Associated Press, 5/13/2013



…And now for some more good news! In the beautiful city of Omaha, Nebraska, Republican woman-of-the-people and registered nurse Jean Stathert was won the mayor’s seat, unseating the corrupted Democratic incumbent and bringing an end to twelve years of liberal tyranny over this great city on the Great Plains…

– The Herring Network, 5/14/2013 broadcast



Mayors of OMAHA (Nebraska)

1973-1987: 44) Edward Zorinsky (R until 1976, then D; 1928-1987) – city’s first Jewish mayor; former business manager and operator; previously served on the Board of Directors for the city’s Public Power District from 1969 to 1973; hailed for his response to the Omaha tornado season of 1975; failed in his attempts to win higher office in 1976, 1978, and 1980; died in office from a sudden heart attack at the age of 58

1973: James Dworak (D)

1977: Robert G. Cunningham (R)

1981: Albert L. Veys (R, 1919-2002)

1985: Bill Krejci (R) and Betty Abbott (I)

1987-1987: 45) Stephen H. Tomasek, Jr. (R, 1920-2001) – previously served on the city council from 1977 to 1987; ascended to the mayor’s seat due to being next-in-line as head of the city council (since 1985); retired and served on the city council again from 1989 to 1999

1987-1988: 46) Bernard R. “Bernie” Simon (D, 1927-1988) – won a special election to complete Zorinsky’s final term; previously served on the city council; died in office from cancer at the age of 60

1987 (special): P. J. Morgan (R), Isabel Cohen (I) and Mort Sullivan (I)

1988-1989: 47) Fred L. Conley (D, b. 1948) – city’s first African-American mayor; previously served on the city council; ascended to the mayor’s seat due to being next-in-line as head of the city council (since 1987); retired

1989-2001: 48) Richard Takechi (R, 1937-2011) – city’s first Japanese-American mayor; previously worked as a jeweler and business developer; previously served on the city council from 1977 to 1981 and again from 1985 to 1989; retired to unsuccessfully run for Governor in 2002

1989: Walt M. Calinger (D) and Mort Sullivan (I)

1993: Sebastian A. “Subby” Anzaldo (D, 1933-2019) and Mort Sullivan (I)

1997: Marc Kraft (D), Lou Lamberty (I) and Mort Sullivan (I)

2001-2009: 49) Fred L. Conley (D, b. 1948) – served in the state House from 1995 to 2001; retired; has been serving in the state senate since 2011

2001: Harold John “Hal” Daub Jr. (R, b. 1941)

2005: James Vokal JR. (R), Mort Sullivan (I) and Randy William Brown (I)

2009-2013: 50) Brenda Council (D, b. 1955) – city’s first female mayor, second African-American mayor, and first female African-American mayor; previously worked as the chief labor counsel for Union Pacific Railroad; previously handled unfair labor practice charges as an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board of Kansas City; previously served on the Omaha Board of Education from 1983 to 1989, on the city council from 1989 to 1997, in the state House from 1997 to 2003, and in the state senate from 2003 to 2009; lost re-election; was elected to the U.S. House in a special election in 2018, and serving from 2018 until losing re-election to a second full term (and third term overall) in 2020 in an upset; has expressed interest in running for public office again in 2022

2009: Dave Friend (R, b. 1959), Dan Welch (Conservative) and Brad Ashford (Moderate Democratic, b. 1949)

2013-present: 51) Jean Stothert (R, b. 1954) – city’s second female mayor; previously worked as a critical care nurse and nursing manager; previously served on the city council from 2007 to 2013; incumbent; has expressed interest in running for Governor in 2022

2013: Brenda Council (D), Dave Nabity (Conservative) and Maura DeLuca (Workers’)

2017: Heath Mello (D, b. 1979), Christopher N. Geary (Conservative) and Ean Mikale (Workers’)

2021: Kimara Snipe (D), Taylor Royal (Conservative), Mark Gudgel (Liberal) and Jasmine L. Harris (Workers’)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER BLAMES GERMAN BANKS FOR US RECESSION

…“They broke the trust of the German people, and because we all trade with one another, we all are now paying for their corruption and greed,” US Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) said to reporters earlier today…

– The Star-Ledger, 5/15/2013



…Russia, meanwhile, was doing rather well, as their President at the time has been wary of developing close ties to the EU ever since entering office in 2005. With the vigorous work of his economic team, the nation seemingly warded off, or at least delayed, a major recession from crippling its economy by, as it turned out, just a few more years…

– Hanspeter Kriesi and Takis S. Pappas’ In The Shadow of The Great European Recession, ECPR Press, 2021



…times of economic and political turmoil have a way of turning people to gardening. Families begin establishing small crop production areas in front yards or back yards. Communities start to share vegetation spots and growing tips to help each other generate food and keep each other grounded in some sense of certainty during uncertain times. During World War Two, 40% of the United State’s produce came from privately-run-and-maintained Victory Gardens, and similar production trends were recorded during the SARS pandemic.

If you or a loved one is struggling during this time and is expecting the recession to last for a good long while, maybe time is ripe for planting some late-blooming crops. We suggest starting off with the fastest-growing crop, the radish…

– outdoorsman.co.usa, 5/17/2013 article



…the UN International Tribunal Court’s Head Prosecutor has officially filed ten charges of war crimes against Sudan’s incumbent President Omar al-Bashir, including three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder. Al-Bashir is the first incumbent head of state to charged with such crimes since the implementation of the Gaddafi Protocol Rules in 1985…

– BBC News, 5/18/2013 report



STATE ASSEMBLYPERSON STEPS DOWN IN THE WAKE OF A SEXUAL PESTERING LAWSUIT!

– The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio newspaper, 5/19/2013



JAMES HAHN WINS RE-ELECTION

…incumbent Mayor of Los Angeles and former businessperson James Hahn (D) has won a second mayor term over B-list Hollywood actor and city councilman Eric Garcetti (D). With a margin of victory of roughly 3%, the race was much closer it was initially expected to be, arguably due to Garcetti’s recurring claims that Mayor Hahn is not doing enough to address the city’s economic downturn… Hahn and Garcetti had come in first and second place, respectively, in the March 5 blanket primary election, defeating Rick J. Caruso (R), Paul Krekorian (D), Norton Sandler (Natural Mind) and other candidates...

– The Los Angeles Times, 5/21/2013



“Some analysts think that the UNIT-Court’s indictment is counterproductive and harms the quote-unquote ‘peace’ process. In their defense, it’s only been a few days since the indictment, and already conditions in the displaced camps and POW camps in Sudan are deteriorating. But on the other hand, it may just help inhibit other would-be dictators because the UN is attempting to, essentially, criminalize warfare. And criminalizing something as criminal as warfare is not a vice, in my opinion.”

– Former US Secretary of Defense Susan Livingstone, 5/21/2013 interview



POPEYES ADDS 3 NEW SANDWICHES TO MENU TO COMPETE IN RISING CHICKEN WARS

…Popeyes is launching a new line of sandwiches next month in an effort to win over customers in the newest fast food chicken war. The company announced today that the new offerings will be available nationally on June 23: The Dynamo, topped with pickles and served on a potato roll, the Spicero, which adds a spicy pepper sauce, and the Sweetero, which comes with lettuce, tomatoes, and honey mustard. The company likely hopes that these new products will draw in more traffic to its locations. “Lots of fast food joints lose customers to bigger competitors like McDonald’s and KFC, so they are hoping to win customers back,” says former advertising supervisor for Chick-fil-A Samuel Miller. The new sandwiches are currently being tested in several regional markets. “It is most likely that Popeyes’ investors anticipate good turnaround from these new offerings,” says Miller. “The growing category of consumer interest in chicken sandwiches likely presents a significant opportunity for improvement for many chains. For Chick-fil-A, it’s reputation; for Popeyes,’ it’s recognition”…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 5/22/2013



The UK Stock Market Is Collapsing, But Scotland Is Bearing The Brunt Of It

– The Wall Street Journal, side article, 5/24/2013



“…And in Washington, D.C., in another reported ‘reshuffling’ of his administration, President Grammer has fired Federal Reserve Chair Henry Paulson, allegedly for ‘overlooking’ recession warning signs…”

– TON, 5/25/2013 news broadcast



TAX RELIEF BILL NARROWLY PASSES SENATE, 55-49

…the tax cut margin is 5% across the board, with an extra 1% cut for businesses that double their number of full-time employees, supplements the $2trillion in tax relief... The bill was worked on alongside a much larger omnibus package what should be voted on in a month if the Senate and House stick to their respective schedules…as government spending is a more powerful tool to fight recession, the federal government also announced today that it has signed a contract with an office supplies chain in order to keep open several factories in the US that develop items such as cabinets and desks. The Defense Department has similar plans reportedly underway, according to the Press Secretary of the US Department of Defense…

– The Washington Post, 5/26/2013



MOTHER-POST: Actrx/Actrxs – A New Term For Actors And Actresses?

I keep seeing people use this gender-neutral term for thespians/performers. It’s not confined to technet sites. Places like the L.A. Times, the Hollywood Reporter, usarightnow.co.usa, and Tumbleweed have been using them, too. Is this a thing now? And how the heck do you pronounce it?

>REPLY 1:

Who cares about this when there’s a frickin’ recession going on?!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:

People tend to try and take their minds off of things that they alone can’t do anything about. It doesn’t always lead to them putting their minds on something constructive or positive or even good, you know.

>REPLY 2:

I think you pronounce it “ak-trix” and “ak-trix-es,” if you see what I mean. Does this help?

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 5/27/2013 posting



GOVERNOR TOM GOLISANO SWITCHES FROM INDEPENDENT TO REPUBLICAN TO SUPPORT GRAMMER: Says He Support’s The President’s “Inspiring” Efforts to Combat Recession

– The New York Times, 5/29/2013



May 30, 2013: the Federal Reserve lends insurance giant AIC $70billion in exchange for 82% of its stock

– washingtonpost.co.usa/timelines/the_unlucky_recession



…The people of United Vietnam voted in a new President today. Two-term incumbent Nguyen Thien Nhan of the Order and Stability Party lost a bid for a third term to challenger Viet D. Dinh of the Safe Center Party. Both candidates had received pluralities in the nation’s blanket primary held on the 16th, preventing the race’s original frontrunner, the nominee of the Strength Through Peace, from advancing to today’s runoff election…

– BBC World News, 31/5/2013 broadcast



GRAMMER’S GAMBLE: Backs Cuts To UHC, Farm Aid To Pay For Stimulus Package

...the large omnibus package will trigger billions of dollars in reductions to critical social programs in order for it to not violate the Balanced Budget Amendment. “I believe this bill package is in line and in step with the Founding Father’s idea of limited taxation,” says Senator Spencer Bachus (R-AL), who noted to reporters yesterday that, under the limitations of the BBA, Congress must offset the cost of each piece of legislation they pass, which was not a major concern during the previous ten years of economic growth, but now could seriously impact economic recovery.

“I am very concerned about this bill,” counters the Budget Chair of the US House. The situation is complicated because both parties are divided to some degree on approving the proposed bill. “It is possible that some Republicans may split and join the Democrats in calling for stronger bill.”

One senior aide to a longtime Senator, though, claims that provisions to avert the programming cuts could be added to must-pass BBA-related legislation such as annual spending bills. However, this would be at the expense of the taxpayers. “The damn BBA could inhibit alleviation and in doing so damage long-term economic growth to such a degree that it could ironically worsen spending and debt conditions for the federal government!”

– Associated Press, 6/1/2013



FRESNO ELECTION RESULTS: Former Mayor Falls As GOP Stays In Charge

…The mayor-elect will be sworn in on July 1…

– The Sacramento Union, 6/1/2013



Mayors of FRESNO (California)

1989-1997: 21) Karen Humphrey (D, b. 1945) – former local news reporter; previously served on the city council from 1979 to 1987; city’s first female mayor; controversially reform property tax laws, adjusted election dates and method (making Fresno one of the first major cities to adopt Ranked-Choice Voting), adjusted term limits, and passed campaign finance law reform during her second term; term-limited; later served in the US House from 1999 to 2009

1988: Dale Doig (D, b. 1935)

1992: Norwood James Patterson Jr. (R, b. 1948)

1997-2005: 22) Michael Erin Woody (R) – businessman; focused on tax cuts, deregulation, and supporting city police to support the War on Recreadrugs; re-elected in a landslide amid minor, scattered opposition; term-limited; later elected to the state senate

1997: Dale Doig (D), James “Jim” Lanas (I) and Lewis A. Jackson (I)

2001: Chris Mathys (I), Garry Bredefeld (I), Sal Quintero (I) and Daniel Ronquillo (I)

2005-2013: 23) Barbara Ann Hunt (R) – previously served on the city council from 1999 to 2005; was an ally of Mayor Woody; term-limited

2005: Sue Saigal (I), Michael Eagles (I) and Johnny Nelum (I)

2009: Henry T. Perea (D, b. 1977), Jerry Duncan (I), Barbara Ann Hunt (I), Tom Boyajian (I), Ignacio C. Garbibay (I) and Henry M. Montreal (I)

2013-2021: 24) Richard Renteria (R) – former insurance broker; term-limited

2013: Karen Humphrey (D), Joe Garcia Jr. (I), Rick Morse (I)

2017: Henry R. Perea (D), Doug Vagim (R)

2021-present: 25) Andrew Janz (D) – city’s first Asian-American mayor; previously served as a county D.A. prosecutor; incumbent, having entered office just three days ago

2021: Nickolas Wildstar (Liberty), Brian Jefferson (I) and Floyd D. Harris Jr. (I)

– clickopedia.co.usa, 7/4/2021

[pic: imgur.com/rsk2PUs.png ]

– A fleet of Toyota Land Cruisers, used as 'technicals' on both sides of the war, carry Darfur militia members past locals in a small village outside of Nyala, southern Darfur, 6/2/2013 (source: National Geographic)



“…At this point, the stimulus package is the merger of Senator Hillyard’s stimulus proposal, introduced days after the recession was declared, and Grammer’s original Tax Overhaul proposal for multiple tax cuts…”

– Jim Tankersley, political analyst, NBC roundtable discussion, 6/3/2013



President Grammer’s Approval Ratings:

DISAPPROVE: 43%

APPROVE: 42%

UNCERTAIN: 15%

– Gallup polling, 6/4/2013 report



June 5, 2013: the Director of the Congressional Budget Office tells the House Budget Committee on live national television that a Wall Street bailout plan, proposed by several members of congress and backed by many financial analysts, could actually worsen the recession

– washingtonpost.co.usa/timelines/the_unlucky_recession



…In June 2013, MF Global (known as Man Group and Man Financial until 2007) finally relented and filed for bankruptcy after months of investigations at the federal and state levels. …The former CEO of the global financial derivatives broker/commodities brokerage firm continued to deny knowing of the company’s conspiracy to commit capital requirements fraud that led to MF Global’s insolvency despite his signature appearing on recovered documents revealing balance sheet discrepancies that had led to its subsequent liquidity crisis over accounts outstanding. However, the former Board of Director Chairman for MF Global did admit to a $700million transfer from customer accounts to subsidiaries to mask liquidity shortfalls. …When President Grammer expressed reluctance to bail out the company due to its leaders’ “criminal betrayal of their customers’ trust in them,” as he put it, the company fails to switch registration and headquarters to Bermuda, worsening their own legal issues…

[pic: imgur.com/LkmYjbH.png ]

– clickopedia.co.usa



MORGAN STANLEY FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY AS LEADING U.S. BANKS STRUGGLE TO STAY AFLOAT

…the federal government’s subjectively callous and irresponsible decision to not bail out the major banking companies hurt hard by the recession has forced a dramatic reconfiguration of Wall Street policies. Unable to rely on the federal government in their hour of need, banks are loaning each other funds in an effort to ward off their demises, which would be terrible for the economy of the nation and the world…

– The Wall Street Journal, 6/7/2013



…So far, the French Air Force have reported losing only one plane, a Rafale, to Sudanese government forces, and the US and Italian militaries have reportedly not lost a single plane. …French, US and Italian stations in the neighboring states of Chad, Ethiopia and Djibouti are currently being used as key launch points for military operations meant to defend Darfur and South Sudan from further Sudanese aggression…

– CBS Evening News, 6/8/2013 broadcast



JIMI HENDRIX IS DEAD, AGE 70

Adjouan, THE SANWI KINGDOM – Jimi Hendrix, the singer-songwriter of several hits such as “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” “Wayward Slope,” “The Wind Cries Mary” and “Don’t Lose Control (Of Your Life)” who was known for becoming an official Crown Prince of a small African country in the 1990s, has passed away at the age of 70. Hendrix, b. 1942, passed away in his sleep at the Hendrix Royal Palace in Adjouan. According to his family’s spokesperson, Hendrix died from the long-term effects of Hendrix experimenting with hard drugs during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, compounded by a recent bout with an unspecified fever indigenous to the region.

Hendrix officially became Jimi I, the Crown Prince of The Sanwi Kingdom, on June 7, 1995, and served on the partially ceremonial throne for almost exactly eighteen years, during which time the singer-songwriter-turned-monarch, with the support of the Sanwi Governing Council and its head, King Amon N’Douffou IV, pushed for the country to westernize in order to bring in tourism from the US, Canada and other nations. Ahead of this, he oversaw road development and the hiring of African-American tutors to teach the kingdom’s teacher in order to improve school education.

Also serving as the Master of Ceremonies for the spring and harvest festivals year after year, Hendrix reportedly would often play guitar for his citizens. His last album, Tender Hurricane, release in 2004 over twelve years after his last album was released, blended his earlier sound with the traditional music of the Sanwi people.

It is most likely that Hendrix’s oldest son, Hosea Williams Hendrix (b. 1972) will now ascend to the semi-ceremonial position as Crown Prince Hosea I...

– The Los Angeles Times, 6/11/2013



NEW FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR AGREES TO HOLD BANKS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ACCOUNTS FRAUD SCHEME

Washington, D.C. – The new Federal Reserve Chair, former White House OMB Director and former Harvard University economics professor Kenneth Rogoff, today acknowledged the Fed’s decision to hold responsible the Board members of several American banks whose allegedly illegal actions may have worsened the recession in the United States.

Rogoff today announced that the Federal Reserve will freeze the monetary growth capabilities of several billion-dollar banks “until they are proven to be trustworthy,” in a major detraction from the Grammer administration’s overall anti-regulations policies…

– The Washington Post, 6/12/2013



“Should the President be impeached for negligence? More about this after a word from our sponsor…”

– THN, 6/13/2013 broadcast



…In 2012, incumbent Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini (CNA) lost majority control amid economic instability, and was replaced by the much more liberal Bobo Craxi (NSA), whose policies were controversial for their allegedly “overreaching” nature. As the new Prime Minister began his tenure, Italian citizens were highly anxious. The tension and uncertainty of Italy’s future heightened even further when Craxi appointed Alessandra Mussolini, the literal granddaughter of dictator Benito Mussolini, to head the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Fortunately for her, Mussolini’s plan to steadily lead recovery efforts in order to not shock the nation’s markets were supported by most politicians. Her biggest critics, it seemed, were young technetters who joked about her genealogy ontech, primarily via lafpics…

– Paul van den Noord’s A Continent In Crisis: Europe During The 2013-2014 Recession Era, Routledge, 2018



By June 18, the economy was no longer on the verge of economic freefall, but it was not improving quickly as expected. Complicating the issue was the fact that the major banks continued to react to Grammer’s refusal to bail them out in damaging ways. Despite their lobbyist’s best efforts, The Cavalry wasn’t coming, and so the giants left standing began loaning each other nonexistent funds in a matter that was threatening to worsen the situation. Conservative and moderate Republicans in congress again sought to pass a bill to bail out the big banks that month, but were again blocked by their more adamantly-libertarian coworkers.

As a result of these developments, when President Grammar awoke on the morning of June 25, he took several phone calls and vidcalls before joining his wife for breakfast. First Lady Marissa decided to enjoy freshly diced mixed fruit with a half grapefruit and a small bowl of oatmeal, while the President went for a much heartier meal – a western omelet with hot cakes and creamed chipped beef on the side, buttered toast, and a copious amount of coffee.

“Well this is a rarity! When was the last time we managed to sit down together like this? A month ago?” Observed the First Lady. “My schedule has been so busy lately, it’s ridiculously, really.”

The President shifted his posture, then began gyrating his shoulder blades. A small groan of discomfort caught Marissa’s ear.

“You alright, honey?”

“I’ve been better,” her husband said. “I was up all night working on political junk. Now I have this odd pain between my shoulder blades. And my neck’s all in knots. I must have slept in a very weird position last night or something.”

“Maybe you should clear your schedule to take in some stretching and yoga,” Marissa suggested. “Maybe you can get a massage therapist – a legit one, mind you.”

“I’ll be fine, lovely. Besides, I can’t clear my schedule. I still have a lot of work to do. Lots of people to meet, lots of whom could very easily accuse me of favoritism if I met with others but not with them.”

“That’s just ridiculous,” Marissa sighed, shaking her head as she scooped up another small spoonful of citrus.

“No, these people are ridiculous, sweetie!” He exclaimed with frustration. “Did I tell you about all the lobbyists crawling around D.C.? So many of these lawmakers are in the pockets of some of the biggest brands in the world. And yet they keep asking for government handouts. And to make matters worse, some don’t even like the idea of poorer people getting the handouts. Who are these warped people? Where do they come from? It’s ridiculous! I’m trying to protect the working class from losing everything they own, while all with creeping peons roam about looking for weak prey to sacrifice to the out-of-touch evil-Niles-Crane-like CEOs pocketing nearly 300 times their worker’s salaries.”

Marissa smirked, but in a sitcom-like way, not in a mean-spirited manner, “Says the man who was paid nearly a million bucks per episode of Frasier!”

“That was different,” the ranting Head-of-State countered, “I wasn’t paying passing around ill-gotten kickbacks like Deutsche Bank or stealing that money right out of the till like what MF Global got caught doing.” Before he could continue his kvetching, the President suddenly put his right hand to his forehead and let out a sharp exhale.

“Honey?”

“Whoo,” Grammar grabbed a glass of water and took a generous gulp. “Lightheadedness. Huh. I really must have slept poorly last night!”

“Your running yourself ragged, honey bear. Don’t overextend yourself on this!”

“But we’ve got to get that bill passed and – Ooh.” He now suddenly turned, almost flinching, to his left elbow. He grabbed his left again.

“What is it?” There was a serious and worried tone in Marissa’s voice.

With an uncharacteristically shaky tone, Grammer utter, “That, uh, that was odd. It was like a, um, a sharp pain in my left arm.”

“Is it gone?”

“Not…really…Gah!”
The Secret Service rushed over as soon as the President fell out of his chair, rending his breakfast platter airborne and prompting Marissa to leave her own seat to rush to her husband’s side.

“Someone get the President some water,” barked head Serviceperson Chaffetz.

First Lady Marissa called him over “Jason!”

The color was leaving Grammar’s face.

“Medic!” Chaffetz amended his request

As the other agents converged onto the area, Marissa could hear one of the servicepersons speak worriedly into his wrist: “Sojourn is down, Sojourn is down!”

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)

[1] Italicized lines were pulled from here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life...rump-calls-rest-washington-clowns/3691179002/

[2] Rafael Edward Cruz was never born ITTL because, as mentioned all the way back in one of the 1960s chapters, Cruz’s father was killed defending his birth country during The Cuban War of the 1960s

[3] All of the chunks of italicized passages here were pulled from this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_initiative

[4] Italicized lines pulled from the Wikipedia article on the OTL conflict

[5] Composition is similar, but not identical, to OTL

[6] The Colonel said this bit on March 7, 1978 in this timeline

[7] Italicized lines pulled from the Los Angeles Times op-ed article “The bank bailout of 2008 was unnecessary. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke scared Congress into it”

 

[gap80]

Post 98: 106



Chapter 106: June 2013 – December 2013

“Tough times don’t last – tough people do!”

– Trace Adkins, (2020 IOTL, 2013 ITTL)



Press Secretary Charlotte SCHULTZ: “The President has experienced a very mild myocardial infarction.”

Press Member, THN: “So he’s had a heart attack.”

SCHULTZ: “If you want to dumb it down, sure, but do note that the President is in stable condition and is recuperating in a recovery room at George Washington University Hospital.”

Press Member, KNN: “Do we know what caused the attack?”

SCHULTZ: “Yes, it was caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle, probably from a blood clot.”

Press Member, TON: “Has the President ever had a heart attack before?”

SCHULTZ: “He may or may not have experienced a miniature heart attack, also known as a silent heart attack, in October 2004.” [1]

Press Member THN: “Well, which is it?”

SCHULTZ: “His physicians can you give more details when they are available – ”

Press Member THN: “And is it possible his poor health is the long-term result of the President’s cocaine use in the ’80s and ’90s?”

SCHULTZ: “While cocaine use has been linked to cardiovascular issues, rest assured that the President has not touched the stuff in 25 years.”

Press Member, ABC: “When can we expect him to resume Presidential duties?”

SCHULTZ: “Very soon.”

– White House Press briefing, 6/25/2013



Harley Davidson Brown served as Acting President for almost three hours, from 9:15 AM to 11:58 AM, E.S.T., while the President underwent emergency medical treatment. When he was being escorted to the hospital, President Grammer was informed that he may require emergency surgery or sedation if his medical emergency was more serious than expected. Understanding the situation, Grammer voluntarily transferred his authority to his Vice President.

During this three-hour window of exercising the powers and duties of the Presidency, Harley Brown, together with “Acting First Lady” Joni Brown, as Harley called his wife, comforted First Lady Marissa and the President’s children and his sister Karen Grammer-Smith. Harley Brown then made several additional phone calls before balking at “security concerns” and driving his Harley-Davidson motorcycle around Potomac’s Rock Creek Park to clear his head. His Secret Service agents followed close behind him on standard-issue motorcycles of their own.

The APOTUS stopped at the border to Maryland to stretch his legs and take in the scenery near the edge of the park. “I didn’t want to think about Kelsey, about what the hell could be happening to him over in the ER,” he later said in an interview. “It all just came at me very fast. I wasn’t sure what to do. And I said this to my head of security, Dominick. Crazy Dom got off his own bike, walked over to me, I told him what was what, what was going through my mind, and he just said, ‘Do what’s right.’ I decided that if I was going to be Pretend-POTUS, that I’d make the most out of it. I told Crazy Dom, ‘I’m heading back to the capital building. McMaster and I are going to have a little…talk.’”

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



BREAKING: Congress Passes Stimulus Package Just Hours Before Breaking For Summer Recess!

…libertarians on the hill tacitly backed the bill due to its stripping some social program funds to keep the federal budget balanced, much to the consternation of many liberal Democrats…

– knn.co.usa, 6/27/2013



BROWN: Hey.

GRAMMER: Hey.

BROWN: I uh, I’m not catching you at a bad time, am I?

GRAMMER: No, no, uh, Karen just stopped by, and you just missed her. You’ve met my sister, right?

BROWN: More than a few times now.

GRAMMER: Really?

BROWN: She’s at the White House practically all the time, Kels.

GRAMMER: She’s a good aunt to my kids. Spoils them, really.

BROWN: [chuckle] Nothing wrong with spoilin’ your kids. I do that to my own, and most of them have turned out just fine.

GRAMMER: Huh. Well, um, call me The Amazing Criswell, but I get a nearly-clairvoyant feeling that you’re not here entirely on a social call.

BROWN: You’ve got me all wrong, Kelsey. I think. I, uh, I was told you were doing better and I wanted to check in on you.

GRAMMER: Oh. Um, thanks.

BROWN: Don’t mention it. I heard it wasn’t too bad, anyway.

GRAMMER: You heard wrong, Harley. My heart frickin’ stopped at one point!

BROWN: Nah, really? People don’t tell me anything!

GRAMMER: They had to blast me twice and get me started all over again. And in the moment I kept thinking, ‘Oh gosh, I have got to hang on. I’ve got too much junk I’ve got to take care of. I’ve got to take care of my family. I’ve got to take care of, well, everything. And the moments between states of unconsciousness felt like somebody was actually trying to tear my chest apart with, like, the jaws of life. [2]

BROWN: Aw, jeez, man! That sounds like it really sucked.

GRAMMER: Hmm. Well, did you also know that, usually, heart attack victims stay cooped up in places like this for as long as a week? I’m heading out tomorrow! Aren’t I lucky? The President with a weak heart.

BROWN: Ah, don’t feel so sorry for yourself, Kelsey. You got lots of millions of people out there all hoping and wishing you a full recovery.

GRAMMER: Of course they are. They all are counting on me to sign the stimulus package into law.

BROWN: There’s also some people ’round who genuinely care about you and your health and you know it. Mr. President.

GRAMMER: Eh, I guess you’re right.

BROWN: Tell me something I don’t know.

GRAMMER: Like what?

BROWN: Oh. Em, eh, like, uh, what’s going to happen now? You’re going to take it easy for a while or something, right?

GRAMMER: Heh. Well, the doctors want me to rest up for a few weeks. While Europe burns away in a flame of financial fury, I’m supposed to laze about popping pills and sipping diet shakes.

BROWN: And I’m guessin’ you’re not gonna want to do that.

GRAMMER: I can’t, I’m the President. I don’t have the privilege of relaxation.

BROWN: Well, if you don’t take it easy on yourself you’ll get another heart attack and maybe then you won’t have the privilege of life.

GRAMMER: [groan]

BROWN: My offer still stands, you know. Remember what I said yesterday? Over the phone? You can let me take on some more of the little stuff. Let me be the guy who has to meet with the Senators and Congressmen, be your go-between, while you chatter away with those pesky posh Europeans. Just because you can try and take care of everything on your own doesn’t mean that you should.

GRAMMER: [pause] Tell me, is what I’m hearing true? Did you really play a role in getting those senators off their asses to finally pass the stimulus bill yesterday?

BROWN: I may have talked to some folks. Threatened to make their lives a living hell, especially if you didn’t make it. Either way, if they didn’t put it to a vote I may have suggested bringing the wrath of the populists in the party down onto them the next time their name’s on a Republican primary ballot. That twisted a few arms – not literally, mind you, though some of those snobby s#!theads deserve even more than that.

GRAMMER: [chuckle] You’re preaching to the choir, Harley.

BROWN: Yeah, you get it! So how’s ’bout it?

GRAMMER: [pause] I’ll start you off with a big fish. The Governor of American Samoa next month. Give him a tour of the city. Do your homework.

BROWN: No sweat! You can depend on me, Kels!

GRAMMER: Here’s hopin,’ Harley, here’s hopin.’

– George Washington University Hospital, President’s private recovery room, security recording, recorded 6/28/2013 (leaked 2/2/2020)



“…There, you can see the President’s entourage behind us, he’s being wheeled out of the hospital, the First Lady is with him there, and he’s heading to the Presidential limousine. …Reliable sources have told us President Grammer plans on maintaining a very light schedule for the next few days, with only a few VidCall meetings per days, in order to adhere to the orders of his doctors, who have told him to, essentially, just take it easy for a few weeks, and follow his new medication plan, cardio workout schedule and dietary guidelines…”

– KNN, 6/29/2013 broadcast



…The 2010s saw a renewed focus on the effects of one’s Digital Footprint. Technet user actions have consequences, for every action can be tracked, traced and monetized on most “common public” sites, meaning that the dark web is more “secure,” but also more nefarious. Furthermore, sitebuilding in the early half of this decade was increasingly costly as technet connection speeds increased. Netsites also began to become more open with its data-collecting policies in the name of transparency and combating e-threats. However, this led to the term “thoughtsharing” becoming a derisive term for some places. And yet, most users of e-devices agreed to site terms and conditions due to how the technet helps people connect to one another, look things up, buy things online, perform acts of e-commerce, e-banking, and networking, and perform ontech jobs that were never thought to even be possible just twenty years prior...

[pic: imgur.com/7ykPg.png ]

– Joy Lisi Rankin’s Computers: A People’s History of the Information Machine, Westview Press, 2018



…Reports indicated that the President was recovering nicely, but his schedule was kept light, and did not return to its pre-attack level of activity until roughly two weeks after leaving the hospital. During that time, Grammer took the “opportunity” to spend more time with his younger children and grandchildren. He also took the experience to briefly break from the libertarians to actually praise America’s healthcare system, saying “the American version of universal healthcare is the best version of UHC on this planet.”…

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



DISNEY DOES IT AGAIN!: Decorous “Dinosaur Days” Delivers Decent Delights!

…CRI has come such a long way in such a short number of years…

– Variety, film review section, 7/1/2013 article



“Rich or poor, we all have a responsibility to turn the woes that ail us into opportunities for good. Americans are resilient and resourceful. They do not need an oppressive government system to tell them to do what is right. What they need is a government system that uses the money of the American taxpayer to help the American taxpayer when times are tough. Tax money is the money of the American citizenry. And so, my dear fellow Americans, consider this to be a rebate of sorts.”

– US President Kelsey Grammer, upon signing the 2013 Emergency Economic Relief Bill into law, 7/2/2013



YESTERNIGHT: The Second Korean War

Premiered: July 4, 2013

Genre (s): action/thriller/suspense/war

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Written by: Randall Wallace and John Rice

Produced by: Terence Chang, Bruce Davey and Stephen McEveety

Cast:

Michael Shannon as Gary Luck

Adam Beach as Eric Shinseki

Evan C. Kim as Kim Jung-Il

Steven Yeun as Kim Jung-Nam

Catherine Zeta-Jones as Ann Dunwoody

Djimoun Hounsou as Larry R. Ellis

James Hong as NK General O Kuk-ryol

Robin Williams as Anthony Zinni

Randy Quaid as Harley Davidson Brown (cameo)

Ken Armstrong as himself (cameo)

Steve Buschemi as Larry Dinger (cameo)

See Full List Here

Synopsis:

The film covers the final days of the Second Korea War from the perspectives of military personnel on both sides of the conflict, and the glory and horrors of war they experienced.

Reception:

The film received positive reviews from critics and was well-received both at the box office and from audiences… Special praise was also given to the acting of Robin Williams and Steve Buschemi, both of whom were cast against type but nevertheless gave positively-received dramatic perfromances…

– mediarchives.co.usa



…When the effects of Germany’s market crash finally reached the shores of Australia, Prime Minister Varvaris’s government responded by pushing for a large economic stimulus package to shield Australian businesses from the effects of the far-reaching recession. However, more liberal members of his government opposed the package due to it doing little to help working families in Australia, bailing out large companies and failing to provide much for laid-off owrkers. This led to debate that put the stimulus package on hold for several weeks, until a compromise could be reached between Liberal and Labour MPs…

– Barbara A. West’s The Political History of Modern Australia, Infobase Publishing, 2020



“I am concerned that the current administration appears to be overlooking how self-driving trucks are becoming a big thing now, especially since the current president’s libertarian-leaning deregulation policies only promotes such so-called ‘technological innovation’ at the expense of low-skilled workers.”

– former US Secretary of Energy and Technology Chase Peterson, 7/14/2013 interview



“…The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today announced that it is expanding its emergency operations to Germany and Spain and families across Europe beginning to feel the long-term effects of the widespread market downturn…”

– CBS Evening News, 7/19/2013 broadcast

[pic: imgur.com/X4mwCyZ.png ]

– A small SpongeBob’s Undersea Cuisine located in Albemarle, North Carolina, c. July 2013



“…In northern Darfur, the Rezeigat tribe and the Beni Hussein group have signed a peace deal in order for the two groups to better fight their shared enemy, the military of Sudan…”

– BBC News, 23/7/2013 broadcast



…The Minerva Building in London, standing at 712 feet tall, was designed in 2001, in the lull between the recession of the late 1990s and the near-depression of the SARS years of the early 2000s decade. Upon its initial design being revised and its construction put under new management (after the original architects were caught up in financial scandal), the building was almost done being built when the 2013 recession set in. Construction was put on hold, leaving the building half done. Its image, of large, seemingly-hollowed-out edifice, become an iconic symbolic for the UK’s “hard times”…

– clickopedia.co.usa



“…the international community was stunned by the UN’s announcement today that Somalian government agents hired former members of defunct Mexican recreadrug cartel to try and assassinate a Somali opposition leader last month. Ontech, many are calling for major buyers of Somali products to halt all purchases in protest of the Somalian President Muhammad Ali Samatar’s latest illegal and impeachable actions committed since entering office in 1995…”

– BBC News, 25/7/2013 broadcast



UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS DROPPING AS STIMULUS PACKAGE, N.I.T.R. “BOOSTER REBATES” BEGIN TO KICK INTO EFFECT

– knn.co.usa, 7/26/2013 report



President Grammer’s Approval Ratings:

APPROVE: 57%

DISAPPROVE: 32%

UNCERTAIN: 11%

– Gallup polling, 7/27/2013 report



FORMER V.P. WILLIAM SCRANTON IS DEAD AT 96

…According to a spokesperson for the family, the moderate Republican died from a cerebral hemorrhage… A descendent of the family that gave Scranton, Pennsylvania its name, Scranton could trace his lineage back to the Mayflower. His deep ties and connections to the uppermost classes of political society contrasted against the humble origins of The Colonel… A loyal ally of President Colonel Sanders, Scranton followed the example of VP Richard Nixon in being an active member of the administration, leading efforts to improve American health and food choices, combat Big Tobacco, and investigate the merits of the proposed policy referred to as “busing.” …Despite his best efforts, Scranton narrowly lost the 1972 Presidential election to Walter Mondale. He never ran for elected office again, and entered private business soon after, serving as a board member of corporations and service organizations and as a trustee of Yale University, his alma mater. Also in his post-VP life, Scranton served as an unofficial advisor to many state and national politicians, including as an unofficial advisor for the Denton White House during its earlier years. However, he declined serving in major official positions such as GOP National Committee Chair in 1977, and as the US Ambassador to the UN. …Scranton is survived by his wife, former Second Lady of the US Mary Scranton, who served in the Denton and Kemp administrations, and four children, including former Pennsylvania Governor and former Presidential candidate William Scranton III…

– The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/28/2013

[pic: imgur.com/DzjYaTa.png ]

– clickopedia.co.usa



…On July 29, following weeks of fighting, a coalition that included SLA and JEM reported that they had taken Um Rawaba in North Kordofan, outside Darfur, and that they were headed for Khartoum to topple the President of Sudan. The head of an SLA faction, Abdel Wahid Mohammed al-Nur, called it “a significant shift in the war,” which was what many were calling the conflict by then. …An estimated 300,000 were displaced by violence from March 2013 to July 2013… [3]

– clickopedia.co.usa



30 July 2013: on this day in history, the US Department of Defense’s Domestic Security Agency founds its Domestic Dangers Division, meant to combat home-grown extremism, radicalization, and other forms of domestic terrorism; the DDD aims to monitor for potential signs of ideological and political radicalization in an effort to combat cyber-terrorists targeting school netsites, defend verbally harassed technetters, and investigate e-threats whenever reported; the DDD initially received a very small budget when compared to other divisions of the department’s agency, but was nevertheless heavily criticized by populists in the US as being used as a tool to invade people’s privacy…

– onthisdayinhistory.co.uk



Anthony Avella Jr. (Democratic/Conservative) – 44%

Anthony Weiner (Progressive) – 29%

Malcolm Smith (Republican) – 12%

Jimmy McMillan (Working Families/Liberal) – 8%

Undecided/Other – 7%

– Quinnipiac Poll for the 2013 NYC Mayoral election, 8/1/2013



…In August 2013, conservatives and some liberals on the hill finally began supporting the proposed special temporary FAD program, a federal pilot program based on earlier state-level programs, for pregnant women who are financially insecure, in order to promote adoption over abortion. Former President Jesse Jackson came out in support of it, which surprised many, but given his early stances on abortion in the 1970s, researchers, historians and analysts were not at all surprised by his endorsement of the proposed program [4].

Due to the efforts of many people and organizations of the years, adoption was losing its negative stigmas. This was helped along by the likes of adopted people or adoptive parents such as Dave Thomas, Tom Vilsack, Lando Sanders, Barack McCain, Cheri Jo Bates and other prominent Americans.

However, in the wake of economic recession, the so-called “money-for-life” program was put on hold until early 2014, but in the meantime, Vice President Brown proved to be a fierce supporter of the program, saying that it was one of the very few times where government intervention into the American People’s lives was warranted…

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



…When a recession probability index has substantially decreased and the fiscal quarters have ceased their downward trends, the recession has likely ended. For example, when the US entered recession in early 2013, the economic “bleeding” did not officially stop until early August, when the Federal Reserve announced that the Sahm indicator had peaked, leading to the US Stock Market suddenly becoming much healthier over the next several days. However, the impact of a recession typically lasts for much longer, for several months if not over a year, depending on how widespread was its impact. Furthermore, while large corporations tend to escape recessions unscathed, most low-income workers and small businesses bear the brunt of the recession’s effects…

– Investopedia.co.usa



D.C. DECLARES RECESSION OFFICIALLY OVER, BUT ITS EFFECTS STILL LINGER

– The Washington Post, 8/6/2013



…The user-friendly interface of modern video downloading and video sharing sites allows for larger companies such as Canada’s OurVids and the US’s smaller counterpart, Vidhub, to acquire millions of users and visitors. By 2013, OurVids was reporting a revenue off $10billion and roughly 1.2billion users. Also in 2013, roughly 38% of the world’s population had access to the technet, through either dial-up or, more commonly, the faster and more modern coax-band technology...

– Joy Lisi Rankin’s Computers: A People’s History of the Information Machine, Westview Press, 2018



August 8, 2013: the Federal Reserve again elects not to raise interest rates despite continued pleas from Wall Street [5]

– washingtonpost.co.usa/timelines/the_unlucky_recession



“…As the search for missing politician Lloyd Havaw Reese continues, the FBI has now gotten involved in investigating the disappearance due to suspicion of conspiracy or, quite possibly, treason, as state authorities have found no evidence of kidnapping but have discovered evidence suggesting that Mr. Reese has in fact fled the state, if not the country…”

– ABC News, 8/9/2013 broadcast



…I guess I should have taken my pocketcomp with me, instead of deleting its search history. That must have looked suspicion. On the other hand, they probably could have tracked me down with the pocketcomp. Then perhaps I should have taken it with me, and had then destroyed it somehow. Any way, it is possible that the FEC charges were just a front to investigate me for stirring up so much anti-establishment sentiment after that gubernatorial debate. Just look at that populist I debated there, Garrison, a clear and obvious hack. He is not investigated, and I’m not surprised why not – he didn’t do or say anything to inspire a generation of political activists...

– Lee Harvey Oswald’s autobiography Call Me By My Real Name: Confessions From a Fallen Hero, published posthumously



Forward to: Gen. Milley

Hashaba, 100km NW of Al-Fashir, has burned to the ground. Group C currently taking Tabit, reporting back encountering, liberating “dozens upon dozens” of woman, children held hostage, abused.

– US Army Internal Report, 8/11/2013 (leaked 2/10/2021)

[pic: imgur.com/VcMxS1k.png ]

– Former Vice President James Howard “Jim” Meredith and his wife at the University of Mississippi, smiling at the unveiling of a statue of Meredith as a young man attending said university, 8/12/2013



WHY IS THE E.U. STILL IN RECESSION?

– The Financial Times, 8/14/2013 special issue



THE PRC IS TRYING TO CREATE ITS OWN TECHNET

…the People’s Republic of China is attempting to launch the nation’s own, separate, isolated version of the technet in the face of rising calls for freedom of speech and other democratic ideals among the nation’s citizens. “Such an alt-technet will most definitely be heavily censored,” says former US Secretary of Energy and Technology Rod Driver, “and it is not frivolous to postulate that if they are successful, Russia could soon follow.” Indeed, Russia’s controversial President has been highly critical of technet-based criticism about himself and his policies, opening investigations into netsites and orchestrating media blacklisting operations…

– Associated Press, 8/16/2013



“…In order to help get American workers back on their feet, South Dakota Governor Stephanie Herseth has announced her support for a proposal to complete the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Apparently, Mount Rushmore was originally meant to depict the entire bodies of four US Presidents sticking out of the ground, not just their faces sticking out of the mountain. However, while some ontech believe that the completion of the project would allow for the hiring of several hundred workers and increase tourism for the state, the Lakota and Sioux Native Americans who claim to have been cheated out of the Black Hills land on which Mount Rushmore stands are strongly opposed to any more construction on Rushmore. US Senators from South Dakota Terri McGovern, a Democrat, and SuAnne Big Crow, a Republican, have yet to comment on the controversial proposal…”

– ABC News, 8/17/2013 broadcast



PM ROGERS ANNOUNCES NEW BUDGET LAYOUT

…next year’s budget would include cuts to the CBC, and the laying off of over 20,000 “redundant and/or superfluous” federal jobs, at a time when unemployment is already on the rise... However, the budget cuts would not include the discontinuation of the Penny by the Royal Canadian Mint, as part of a deal with moderate factions within the PC party that support retaining its use...

– The Toronto Star, Canadian newspaper, 8/19/2013



MIDDLE EAST REELING FROM ECONOMIC SLIDE LINKED TO E.U. TRADE DEALS

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 21/8/2013



REPORT: Israeli Economy Conditions Are At Their Worst Since SARS

– knn.co.usa/international, 8/25/2013 posting



KFC RELEASES THEIR ANSWER TO CULVER’S BUFFALO CHICKEN TENDERS

…KFC has introduced a new chicken sandwich variety that is their answer to a popular poultry dish found at Culver’s. KFC’s new Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, which is set to become available at all US outlets by the end of the week, is a tasty composition of classically-treated chicken fillets topped with a delightfully tangy blue cheese sauce…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 8/26/2013



…As the nation of Morocco produced a whopping 70% of Western Europe’s imports [6], the 2013 crash lead to less people purchasing items, creating economic slump for Morocco as well. …The tightly interwoven international trade community’s impactful blow contributed to a rise in political instability and dissatisfaction in Morocco, too, with Moroccan King Mohammed VI needing to work tirelessly to get his nation back up onto its feet. First, he dealt with growing civil disobedience by promulgating political reform to combat the post-crash corruption unfolding, and in late 2013 introduced a new national constitution, which was passed by a public referendum in early 2014. These legal changes lowered anti-monarchy sentiment and improved the King’s popularity among a people slowly but surely climbing back from the throes of economic decline and the very real threat of economic ruin…

– Hanspeter Kriesi and Takis S. Pappas’ In The Shadow of The Great European Recession, ECPR Press, 2021



THE SUKKOT WAR: What The New Anti-War War Movie Gets Right And Wrong

[pic: imgur.com/eKlFws9.png ]

Above: Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser (left) is portrayed by Bruce Willis (screenshot from film) (right)

…The film covers the Sukkot War of October 1967 from the perspective of the top leaders involved, and, in a B-story, two families caught in the crossfire, struggling to stay together and survive the conflict. With a large theatrical budget backing the project, the director and producers have managed to create a suspenseful work. Depicting agitators to be the heads of state and the average Egyptian and Israeli citizens as well as well-intentioned people caught up in the furor of government propaganda. The film has picked up some controversy for its portrayal of historical figures, and has not yet been released in theaters in parts of the Middle East...

...But how does the film hold up on its own merits? Well, one can certainly see why it so paradoxically both popular and unpopular. In just 102 total minutes of running time, character development explored and action scenes are expertly filmed, but historians are critical of how it ignores pre-existing hostilities among civilians. In fact, the debate over the film’s treatment of regional conflict is quite similar to the one about the chicken and the egg: did 20th-century people influence policy, or did government policy influence the notions of the people? Most believe the former, and some historians disagree...

…But regardless of the film’s historical accuracy, it cannot be denied that the film keeps you on the edge of your seat!

– film editorial, Variety magazine e-article, 8/29/2013



FLOTUS AND POTUS EXPECTING BABY! …First Lady Marissa Joan Hart-Grammer went onto social media to announce that she and the President are expecting a heavy. The message announcing her pregnancy did not specify due date…

– Associated Press, 8/30/2013



“…A civil crisis is erupting in Spain as part of the domino effect of the European Crisis of the continent’s economy collapsing. Spanish citizens are rioting in the streets of cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, and anti-government sentiment is on the rise in places such as Catalonia and the Basque Country, leading to rising concerns that these trying times could encourage a resurgence in separatist activism in both of the aforementioned regions…”

– BBC News, 1/9/2013 broadcast



TEL-AVIV MAN ARRESTED IN FOILED SUICIDE BOMBING ATTEMPT

– The Miami Herald, 9/2/2013



TEL-AVIV POLICE REVEALS AWFUL TRUTH: Acts of Hatred Numbers In Israel Are “The Highest In 30 years”

– The New York Times, side article, 9/4/2013



…For the first time in my life, I was scared to go to school. A welcoming place of diversity and education had taken on a troubling and foreboding aura of danger, amid fears that some kind of Act of Hatred would occur at the sight of some student gathering. Whether the rumors were the result of paranoia or were merited, Uncle Yosef did not help matters with his insistence that in this case they match the latter theory. Violence was indeed on the rise in the Middle East, like what he had described to us now and again for the past two year, but while he beamed with pride at the thought of vindication, Mother and Father fretted. For the first time ever, when began actually using the deadbolts on the house doors.

But through it all, through the fear that the era of Our Delicate Peace was indeed at an end, our mother continued her friendship with Suhana down the street. She knew that an attempted suicide bombing on the other side of the country was not her friend’s doing. She was smart enough to know that guilty-by-association was the biggest trap that a society can fall into. The societies of the Middle East had been falling into those kind of traps for decades, until a chicken salesman from across the seas helped us out. He didn’t remove the traps, he didn’t teach us how to avoid the traps. But he did set us on the course to realizing the traps were there, that attacking friends and neighbors simply cannot yield a properly functioning civilization.

It’s a shame we couldn’t figure that out until after the 2020 Olympics were selected. That was a real disappointment. If anything, it delayed Middle Eastern morale and productivity from improving by several weeks, maybe months…

– Tamar Kohen’s A Mix of Flavors, 2021 autobiography



IOC Session No. 126

Date: September 7, 2013

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Subject 1 of 1: bidding for hosting the 7/24/2020-8/9/2020 (or XXXII) Summer Olympics

Description:

Due to the members of the IOC electing cities in Europe for hosting duties in 1992 (Barcelona), 2000 (Manchester) and 2008 (Berlin); one in Africa for duties in 1996 (Cairo); two in Asia for duties in 2004 (Beijing) and 2012 (Tehran); and one in North America for duties in 2016 (New York City), there were calls for the members to elect a city in South America for hosting duties, as the continent had never hosted a Summer Olympiad, or Australia, which had not hosted a Summer Olympiad since 1988.

Jakarta, Indonesia; Rome, Italy; Paris, France; Annam, Jordan; Sydney, Australia; Prague, Czechoslovakia; Rio de Janiero, Brazil; and Nairobi, Kenya had all sought to host the Olympic Games in the past, but due to growing economic problems, only Jakarta submitted a bid.

Ahead of the hosting process, much media attention had been on Jerusalem, a city submitted in a joint Israel-Palestinian entry, for hosting duties. The city was considered to be a leading candidate, until rising violence in the Middle East soured efforts to promote the city at the last minute. As a result, Santiago, Chile, a city with warm weather, amply accommodations, the best medical services on the continent, widespread public support, and a thriving economy in a country that had not been significantly impacted by the 2013 EU Recession, became the surprise winner of the hosting duties.

Results Breakdown: 97

Santiago, Chile – 13 (Round 1) – 16 (Round 2) – 24 (Round 3) – 26 (Round 4) – 35 (Round 5) – N/A (Runoff) – 56 (Round 6)

Baku, Azerbaijan – 18 (Round 1) – 21 (Round 2) – 23 (Round 3) – 25 (Round 4) – 31 (Round 5) – 33 (Runoff) – 41 (Round 6)

Jakarta, Indonesia – 19 (Round 1) – 23 (Round 2) – 26 (Round 3) – 28 (Round 4) – 31 (Round 5) – 30 (Runoff)

Tokyo, Japan – 16 (Round 1) – 14 (Round 2) – 13 (Round 3) – 18 (Round 4)

Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine – 8 (Round 1) – 15 (Round 2) – 11 (Round 3)

Toronto, Canada – 11 (Round 1) – 12 (Round 2)

Madrid, Spain – 7 (Round 1, withdrew ahead of Round 2)

Doha, Qatar – 5 (Round 1)

End Result:

Santiago, Chile won hosting duties on the 6th round

– aldaver.co.usa/votes.html



…Then, in September of that same year, a CIA report to President Grammer confirmed AP reports that the PRC was trying to clamp down on free-market-oriented netsites exposing their citizens to the benefits of unionizing and democratization. The CIA explained that China’s ruling class was using the effects of the 2013 recession sweeping the western world as an excuse to shut down various netsites. President Grammer responded by meeting with not his State Department but his Treasury Department. Grammer believed that the sooner the economy recovered, the sooner China would either lessen its grip on their users of the technet, or be forced to confront their actions at the UN…

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



…The “European Crisis” arguably hit Spain the worst in terms of civil violence. Already dealing with a mild recession since early 2012, that nation saw civil order nearly fall apart as unemployment skyrocketed. The nation’s monarch, King Juan Carlos I, began seriously contemplating abdicating over these issues, as public perception of him began to dip. Despite Spanish parliament having more power than he on such matters, he was a central figurehead during all of this disarray…

– Paul van den Noord’s A Continent In Crisis: Europe During The 2013-2014 Recession Era, Routledge, 2018



…The tide of the war continued to go against the Sudanese military as Darfur and South Sudan increased their foothold in Sudan territory. On September 14, it was reported that the President of Sudan had successfully struck down a coup-d’état against him, as the officials of his army began to question if the opposing and approaching coalition of troops were capable of taking the capital…

– clickopedia.co.usa



Anthony Avella Jr. (Democratic/Conservative) – 43%

Anthony Weiner (Progressive) – 31%

Jimmy McMillan (Working Families/Liberal) – 17%

Malcolm Smith (Republican) – 8%

Undecided/Other – 3%

– Quinnipiac Poll for the 2013 NYC Mayoral election, 9/15/2013



Headbuster Hotel

Premiered: September 16, 2013

Genre(s): romantic comedy

Premise:

A movie about finding love in the weirdest places. An undercover FBI agent/informant in the mob (trying to get away from the gangsters he ratted out) and a head gangster (trying to get away from the FBI agents after her) each fake their own deaths. Having rhinoplasty and beginning new lives for themselves, the two coincidently decide to move to the same town. The two soon meet each other, and, falling for each other, agree to spend a weekend at a hotel. Soon after arriving, a storm blows in. Trapped indoors, the two consummate their growing love for each other only to slowly begin to realize the true identity of the other.

Reception:

The film received praise from critics and audiences and was a major box-office success.

– mediarchives.co.usa



...In a significant act that many credited with contributing to the curbing and ultimate decline in violence in the Middle East in the immediate aftermath of the Great European Recession, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, together with several major imams, issued a series of fatwas condemning honor killings and domestic violence. Concurrently, rabbi Yitzhak Yosef and Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem Aryeh Stern ordered all practicing Jews in the city to “throw hope instead of stones” and remember “a cart can’t work if you throw away the wheels to spite the axle.” Stern pleaded for all residents to calm down and stay united in order to improve the economy during “these trying but temporary times.”

Additionally, in an effort to minimize the damage the rise in hostilities could have on the Middle East functioning as a single united economic bloc on the world stage, King Abdullah II of Jordan held a press meeting with the leading rabbis and imams of Amman, Jordan to condemn “violence against strangers and friends,” distinguishing “admirable violence against enemies” by stating “you must know who a person is. You cannot judge someone blindly, you cannot assume the worst of your neighbors, coworkers, friends, schoolmates and fellow patriots. One Jewish saying tells us that a drowning man will grab anything, even a sword. But to grab the sword when a rope is closer makes a drowning man and drowning fool.” The King reiterated that the economic contraction would subside, and called on all residents to “work together” until the economy returned to pre-recession conditions…

– Madawi al-Rasheed’s The History of Modern Saudi Arabia, Sunrise Books, 2019 edition



REGIONAL LEADERS STAND FIRM AGAINST MIDDLE EAST STRIFE

..In what many have dubbed the most important Chicken Dinner Summit in years, community leaders from across the Middle East converged on Jerusalem for annual talks, speeches and breaking bread over a beloved food staple. …Predictably, the Syrian delegation made the most controversial remarks, with the lead delegate making the vague proclamation, “The greatest nation on the map has not right to try and erase any other nations off the map.” …All attendees retained a united front in calls for cooler heads to prevail amid the ongoing economic crisis affecting countries across the western world.

– The New York Times, 9/23/2013

[pic: imgur: PiHE5J3.png ]

– former US President Paul Wellstone expresses his thoughts on developments unfolding in the Middle East, NBC News segment, 9/24/2013 broadcast



…On September 26, the US House voted down a controversial bill that would have made techsite owners, moderators and service providers liable for certain things that their users post. “It is arguable that self-censorship can’t be trusted to function as it should all the time, but moderators are already doing a good job monitoring and cracking down on things,” observed William Sorrell (D-VT). Moreover, the bill was rejected out of fear that the costs of enforcing such legislation would be staggering and severely cut into the federal budget, along with the fear that legal liability would run technet-related companies out of business, especially small sites and companies. Additional concerns of the bill directly or indirectly oppressing freedom of speech and other parts of the First Amendment led to some conservative DC lawmakers expressing concern that if the bill was not nipped in the bud, the issue could go to the courts, possibly all the way up to liberal composition of the US Supreme Court…

– Luis Gutierrez and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s Getting Your Act Together: Our Time In Congress During The 2010s, Simon & Schuster, 2022



…Netsite Monetization was a major ontech issue during the 2010s. Monetization, meaning the process of converting something into money, found its way to the technet at the close of the 1990s and boomed during and after the SARS pandemic, as technetters sought to entertain people during the trying months of safezoning. As netsites can generate revenue through ontech advertising, subscription fees, and merchandise purchases, this trend saw more businesses big and small invest in ontech promotion and customer-connecting. In the ontech music industry, for example, companies such as TuneStore and Omega-Point dominate ontech purchases and downloading options and capabilities. Gone are the peer-to-peer file sharing days of Pepvibes from the mainstream technet, as the post-SARS technet landscape became increasingly commercial, capitalistic and personalized as the 2010s dawned.

…Failing to properly monetize netsites via poor revenue modeling can at times lead to technet-based businesses folding, though this trend of netsites going “permanently off-tech” (i.e., “dead”) occurred most prominently during the “European Crisis” of 2013, only for them to be replaced by other sites, filling in the void they had left behind. …Noosphere and other companies, though, still promote the notion that “globalized thought” can still be a secure and private experience while yielding profits for companies via monetization…

– Joy Lisi Rankin’s Computers: A People’s History of the Information Machine, Westview Press, 2018



PM ROGERS MEETS WITH OPPOSITION LEADERS AMID “MARKET ADJUSTMENT” EFFORTS

…MP Gareth Bacon (ON-PC), formerly in charge of the Treasury of London during his time in the UK’s parliament, has joined Rogers in addressing “frivolous, redundant and wasteful” financial programs allegedly putting a strain on the national economy…

– The Toronto Star, Canadian newspaper, 9/30/2013



JERUSALEM MAYOR SUGGESTS ISRAEL-EU TRADE REFORM

…“Our connections to the continent took us down. We need to make sure that that can’t happen again, but in a way that still promotes international trade.”…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 1/10/2013



President Grammer’s Approval Ratings:

APPROVE: 57%

DISAPPROVE: 33%

UNCERTAIN: 10%

– Gallup polling, 10/2/2013 report



…Due to their special “observer” status in the EU, Yugoslavia was not impacted by the 2013 Recession as severely as the nations of Western Europe. …Greece and Turkey, however, did experience unemployment rates skyrocket in the face of the effects of the recession. With both of those countries suffering, some members of their populations blamed outsiders for the job losses, leading to a rise in xenophobic sentiment. Ahead of the 2013 Turkish parliamentary elections, Turkish activists and populist candidates blamed their connection to Greece and Europe for the nation’s economic woes, with the opposition leader calling for a rejection of westernization for a shift to maintaining closer ties to the “Middle Eastern bloc.”

On 2 October, the party of the Prime Minister of Turkey survived the closer-than-expected challenge at the polls, winning another term in what the media labeled a “clear rejection” of bigotry and negativity in favor of stability and sensible numbers-based economic recovery...

– Frederick B. Chary’s The Modern Balkans: The History of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania and Turkey After The End of the Cold War Era, Greenwood Publishers, 2018 edition



McMILLAN WINS MAJOR VETERANS GROUP ENDORSEMENT

[pic: imgur.com/jrnhoWW.png ]
Above: a young Jimmy McMillan during his military service in the Indochina Wars

– The New York Times, 10/3/2013



“…Months later, it still felt like a recession. Business was slow because people were still having trouble finding work. Families were still struggling – not nearly as badly as before the stimulus package, NITR boosters and tax cuts went out – but still, people were struggling. So I did what I could. I hired as many people as we could. We slashed our prices, some as low as 50%, from October 2013 to March 2014. I personally donated to several charities. Why? Because it was the right thing to do. When you have the ability to help, you have the responsibility to help. That goes for strangers and for customers. Yeah, the Board of Directors didn’t like it at first, but that was because we were losing money at first. But because of the positive media coverage, our sales practically skyrocketed once the economy got back into shape…”

– Stephen Hillenburg, 2017 interview



…As NASA Director, McAfee pushed forward several ambitious plans to expand America’s presence in space exploration. In October 2013, he launched a campaign to accrue private donations from individuals, groups and businesses to help NASA finance the building and launching a lunar station that he called “The Sog,” which was short for “Sustained Orbital Gateway.” The Sog would remain in lunar orbit and serve as a solar-powered communication hub for future colonies on Mars, as well as serve as a short-term habitation module for humans and as a holding area for lunar rovers and other ROLAs (Robotic Lunar Assistants). Calling it “an International Space Station and Bot Garage for The Moon,” the plan, dubbed Project Postman, aimed for The Sog to be completed within the next ten years and cost over $50billion to construct on Earth before being launched and assembled in space. That did not account for trips ROLAs would have to take to get to and from the Sog/the Moon for maintenance and repairs. The cost, however, shifted when factoring in amenities for human “guests” to what some described as a lar phone tower manned by robots.

Given its size and cost, some at NASA proposed that The Sog be made into an international endeavor, which McAfee rejected on a matter of principle, arguing that, at the very least, the US should “indisputably lead” the effort if it was made into an multi-national effort. In a rare moment of agreement, Deputy Director Jeffrey Bezos sided with McAfee’s Sog ideas, taking up an “America First” position on the subject. According to McAfee’s autobiography, McAfee did not trust this “truce” between them, writing “I suspected he was either brown-nosing, up tying a noose around my neck. Either way, I shook his cold and wet hand for the camera but consistently kept him at arm’s length.”

Project Postman had financing issues from the very start, with the Grammer Administration refusing to increase NASA’s budget to instead endorse McAfee’s donation drives. However, as the nation was still recovering from the economic recession of 2013, progress on acquire the necessary funds to build The Sog were slow...

– clickopedia.co.usa/Project_Postman

[pic: imgur.com/dH48cxc.png ]

– A modern KFC outlet in Quito, Ecuador, c. October 2013



IN DEFENSE OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

…the Electoral College should be kept around as a backup in case of future electorate issues. The more obvious example of this would be what would occur if the Popular Vote of a Presidential election was too close to call – debate over discrepancies, allegations of voter fraud, and the potential for massive, extensive and time-consuming recounts that drag out past Inauguration Day. …If the process through which we elect our Presidents is to be reformed, it should be reformed so that the Electoral College still exists, but has less of an influence on the election outcome unless an emergency situation unfolds. If such a situation arises, then the good ol’ tried-and-true Electoral College can be picked up and dusted off to confirm the latest President-Elect and kept electorate chaos and disarray down to a minimum. …The E.C. would be a formality instead of a key part of campaign strategy that nevertheless still upholds our Founding Father’s idea for selecting America’s Commander-in-Chief...

– National Review, op-ed, October 2013 issue



…As the 2000s decade came to a close, though, the 1990s trend of Japanese VG companies dominating the industry began to subside. The US’ Microsoft, Epix, and Glassgames, as well as France’s Ubisoft, grew to become fierce challengers to the likes of Sega, Sony, and Nintendo. The saturated competition contributed to the emergence of eighth-generation consoles, according to an October 2013 report.

The 2010s saw ontech gaming become a much more prominent part of technet culture, as the industry expanded its advertising focus onto pocketcomp games. This action was a successful endeavor to reach out to people either initially uninterested in video games or unable to afford expensive gaming console hardware…

– Steven L. Kent’s The Complete History of Video Games, Random House, 2019 edition



SUDAN PRESIDENT CAPTURED!

…after successfully fleeing from the nation’s conquered capital of Khartoum, Omar al-Bashir was apprehended as his private yacht, the vessel in which he was traveling to Eritrea of sanctuary, accidently traveled into Saudi Arabian waters, allowing UN authorities to converge on his location. …al-Bashir will face trial in the UNITC and will likely be sent to the UN Detention Unit in Helmond, the Netherlands, if found guilty of any war crimes. The fallen leader can be trialed by the UN because Saudi Arabia accepts ICC jurisdiction under special circumstances such as these, while Sudan and Eritrea do not…

– The Washington Post, 10/12/2013



“In light of the new President of Sudan suspending genocidal policies, NATO mission will end tomorrow.”

– NATO Commander, 10/15/2013 announcement



…International contributions under U.S. command allowed the leaders of South Sudan (Khalil Ibrahim, Ahmed Diraige and the martyred Gibril Ibrahim) and Darfur (Minni Minnawi and Abdul Wahid al Nur) to accrue the firepower to compliment our fury…

When the fighting was over, roughly 400,000 were dead, and over 2million were displaced across the rest of Africa, with some others fleeing to parts of Europe and the Middle East. The effort of the US-led coalition had been to stabilize a region of the world rife with human rights violations and extremist arms trading in connection to similar black market activities still ongoing in Tajikistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Myanmar. Many talking heads were critical of their intervention, believing that the warfare had “opened the floodgates” to regional destabilization and had done more harm than good.

But I was there. I know the before-and-after. My people broke away from a nation bent on destroying them. The bombardment worked. If Sudan is to fall as a consequence of its actions, then so be it.

– Ebet Walleen’s Devils Arrive On Horseback, e-publication, 2017



…In October, the Liberal-majority parliament passed an emergency stimulus package in exchange for lowering the prices that Labour had put on carbon pollution and raising emission caps…

– Barbara A. West’s The Political History of Modern Australia, Infobase Publishing, 2020

[pic: imgur.com/3bDddna.png ]

– Colonel Sanders appearing on an episode of the long-running TV series "Futurama" in a character's sepia tone dream sequence, first aired 10/20/2013



MEMBER OF AUSTRIAN PARLIAMENT RESIGNS AMID INSIDER TRADING INVESTIGATION

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 10/21/2013



JIMMY MCMILLAN (WF): “By bringing the Olympics to New York City, Mayor Hamberg has made a host of things worse for millions of city workers and residents. Because we’re expecting fancier visitors soon, the rent is being artificially heightened to an unacceptable degree. Our next mayor has to fix the easily-fixable complex between inflation, gentrification, and income inequality. With construction work on new sports locations, low-income residents are being pushed to their wit’s end trying to make ends meet. And why? Because high-end projects, and the higher rates that come with them, do not benefit construction workers in the long run. In the long run, they benefit the donor class, the Wall Street sneaks, and the neoliberal do-nothings down in City Hall, among others. They benefit anyone who favors keeping the masses down with a biased economic system that keeps too many people too overworked and too underpaid to stop working, that keeps too many people too tired and too desperate and too busy to even question the machinations dictating their very lives.”

[snip]

TONY AVELLA (D): “I would just like to point out that, unlike the other Democrat in this race, I have never been accused of sexual pestering.”

TONY WEINER (P): “No, white-collar crime is more your style.”

[snip]

MALCOLM SMITH (R): “I think felony disenfranchisement is a bad idea because felons who are allowed to vote will vote for whoever gave them the privilege to vote in the first place.”

JIMMY MCMILLAN (WF): “And what’s so wrong with that?!”

– transcript snippets from NYC Mayoral debate, 10/22/2013




[video: youtube /watch?v=rHEitsYJnmw ]

[Note: the opening announcer mistakenly says Bloomberg instead of Hamberg]

– A "McMillan for Mayor" ad, first posted 2/2/2013, went fervid 10/23/2013



THIRD-PARTY MAYORAL CANDIDATE GAINING IN POLLS

– The New York Times, side article, 10/24/2013



“…And in Paris, a member of the French Parliament has been formally indicted for allegedly moving stocks prior to French President Leotard’s announcement proclaiming that the nation of France was poised to enter an economic malaise…”

– BBC News, 25/10/2013 broadcast



“…New York Governor Blase Thomas “Tom” Golisano has officially endorsed Jimmy McMillan for New York City Mayor, in a last-minute announcement that could just prove to be a decisive endorsement for the rising third-party mayoral candidate. Despite McMillan running a rather populist campaign, several of his policies and proposals actually line up with those of Golisano…”

– KNN Breaking News, 10/27/2013 broadcast



“I have pointed out many times before, and, in more detail, in my new book, that the corruption of officials often follows economic decline [7]. So I’m not at all surprised that, now that the economy has collapsed again, this time more so in Europe, we are starting to see more and more news reports from places like the BBC, the Guardian, and the Daily Telegraph all describing corruption charges and allegations being made against political figures across the continent.”

– businessman Andrew Yang, local NYC radio interview, 10/29/2013



Anthony "Tony" Avella Jr. (Democratic/Conservative) – 35%

James "Jimmy" McMillan III (Working Families/Liberal) – 30%

Anthony Weiner (Progressive) – 29%

Malcolm Smith (Republican) – 7%

Undecided/Other – 1%

– Quinnipiac Poll for the 2013 NYC Mayoral election, 10/31/2013



NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR RE-ELECTED

Trenton, NJ – The Garden State’s incumbent Governor Joe Louis Clark (D) won tonight’s gubernatorial election over state senator Joe Kyrillos (R) by a margin of roughly 5.2%. Clark’s administration has dealt with several economic hardships, such as last year’s Hurricane Sandy and this year’s recession, which both led to Clark receiving heavy criticism for failing to address the home ownership crises that immediately followed both disastrous blows… The race’s third-place finisher, at 3.7% of the vote, was Warren Wilhelm (Independent), a left-leaning businessman and real estate developer based in northern New Jersey, who had reached a polling peak of 9.5% in September...

– The Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/5/2013



…In what has been a mixed night for both Democrats and Republicans and a rough and grueling night for incumbent, Republican state senator Jeremiah Heaton was been elected the next Governor of Virginia, over Democratic opponent Dwight Clinton Jones. Incumbent term-limited Democratic Governor Les Steckel had been an early backer of Jones, but that endorsement possibly cost Jones votes from Virginians who disapprove of Steckel’s handling of this year’s economic recession…

– CBS Evening News, 11/5/2013 broadcast



JIMMY MCMILLAN WINS MAYORSHIP IN STUNNING POLITICAL RISE!

[pic: imgur.com/eyQfBHa.png ]

NYC ELECTIONS 2013: Working Families Candidates Secure Big Wins

…former city councilman and political activist Jimmy McMillan, who won the nominations of the Liberal and Working Families parties in upsets earlier with year, has been elected Mayor of New York City in a narrow three-person contest. With 37% of the vote, McMillan, who ran on a platform focusing centrally on implementing a cap on rent for city apartments, has won over state senator Anthony “Tony” Avella Jr. of the Democratic and Conservative parties (who received roughly 32% of the vote), and former US Representative Anthony Weiner of the local Progressive party (who received roughly 24.5% of the vote). Republican nominee Malcolm Smith received roughly 5.5% of the vote…

– The New York Times, 11/5/2013



FORMER WNBA PRESIDENT WINS MAYOR’S SEAT

– The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia newspaper, 11/5/2013



Mayors of ATLANTA

1942-1961: 49) William Berry Hartsfield (D, 1890-1971) – developed city’s aviation center and improve city’s water supply; was credited with promoting Atlanta as “the city too busy to hate” during the Civil Rights Era of the 1950s; resigned for a position in the Johnson administration

1961-1962: 50) Roy LeCraw (D, 1895-1985) – previously served in city government for 29 years; ascended as head of the city Chamber of Commerce; retired

1962-1966: 51) Ivan Earnest Allen Jr. (D, 1911-2003) – businessman; “progressive” anti-segregation; improved city economy by modernizing infrastructure, business, and education; lost re-election in an upset over rising taxes
1961: Lester Garfield Maddox Sr. (D, 1915-2003)

1966-1970: 52) Samuel A. “Sam” Massell Jr. (D, b. 1927) – city’s first Jewish mayor; former realtor, city councilman, city Executive Committee member and city Alderman Board President; lost re-election in a bad year for Democrats
1965: Ivan Allen Jr. (D)

1970-1974: 53) Rodney Mims Cook (R, 1924-2013) – former city alderman; served in the state House from 1966 to 1969 and again from 1976 to 1989; won in an upset contributed to regional support for Republican President Sanders; established term limits, expanded civil rights, reformed zoning laws, and improved urban renewal efforts; lost re-election in an upset
1969: Sam Massell (D)

1974-1982: 54) Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. (D, 1938-2003) – former vice mayor/city council presiding officer/president; previously ran for the US Senate in 1968, raising his profile and prominence; city’s first African-American Mayor; modernized city’s airport and highway system; term-limited; lost later bids for a third term in 1985, 1989 and 1993
1973: Rodney M. Cook (R)
1977: Horace E. Tate (D, 1922-2002)

1982-1983: 55) Sidney Julius Marcus (D, 1928-1983) – served in the state House from 1968 to 1981; focused on health, community, and ecology issues; died in office from cancer at the age of 55
1981: Harold Dye (R)

1983-1986: 56) Leroy Reginald Johnson (D, 1928-2019) – African-American; ascended to office as City Council President; previously served in the state Senate from 1963 to 1975; lost election to a full term

1986-1990: 57) Charles Longstreet Weltner (D, 1927-1992) – city’s most recent white Mayor; notably anti-segregationist during the early 1960s; previously served in the U.S. House from 1963 to 1965 and again from 1969 to 1981; lost re-election; was diagnosed with esophageal cancer 6 weeks after the election
1985: Leroy Johnson (D)

1990-1998: 58) Leroy Reginald Johnson (D, 1928-2019) – combat crime rates by lowering unemployment rates with public works projects and rail transit service expansion; term-limited
1989: Charles L. Weltner (D)
1993: Michael Lucius Lomax (D, b. 1947)

1998-2006: 59) Shirley Clarke Franklin (D, b. 1945) – city’s first female Mayor; African-American; previously served as City Manager under Leroy Johnson from 1990 to 1998; term-limited; later elected Governor
1997: Gloria Bromell-Tinubu (D, b. 1953)
2001: Robb Pitts (D)

2006-2014: 60) Marvin S. Arrington (D, b. 1941) – African-American; previously served as a judge in the Superior Court of Fulton County from 2002 to 2006; previously served on the Board of Aldermen from 1969 to 1994, and on the city council from 1995 to 2001; term-limited
2005: William Craig “Bill” Campbell (D, b. 1953)
2009: Jesse Spikes (I)

2014-present: 61) Lisa Michelle Borders (D, b. 1958) – city’s second African-American female mayor; businessperson; former WNBA President; former President of the City Council from 2004 to 2014; incumbent
2013: Elbert “Al” Bartell (R, b. 1956)
2017: Keisha Lance Bottoms (D, b. 1970)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



CUSHINGBERRY RE-ELECTED MAYOR, 53%-41%-6%

…The incumbent celebrated his victory with a speech at the Kwame Kilpatrick Memorial Civic Center…

– The Detroit Free Press, Michigan newspaper, 11/5/2013



Mayors of DETROIT

1962-1973: 68) Jerome Patrick Cavanagh (D, 1928-2011) – previously served as an administrative assistant at the Michigan State Fair Authority and as a member of the Metropolitan Airport Board of Zoning Appeals; implemented reforms to most city agencies to address race issues such as police brutality; worked to improve the city’s standard of living; resigned for a position in the Mondale administration; later unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate
1961: Louis C. Miriani (R, 1897-1987)
1965: Walter C. Shamie (I)
1969: Richard H. Austin (D, 1913-2001)

1973-1974: 69) William George “Billy” Rogell (D, 1904-2003) – former MLB shortstop for the Detroit Tigers; ascended to office as City Council President, having served on the council continuously since the 1950s; city’s most recent white mayor; retired

1974-1994: 70) Coleman Alexander Young I (D, 1918-1997) – city’s first African-American mayor; previously served in the state senate from 1965 to 1973; tenure focused on retaining the productivity of downtown business sectors marred by “white flight” and rising crime rates related to recreadrug abuse and gang warfare; retired
1973: Mary V. Beck (D, 1908-2005)
1977: John Nichols (I)
1981: Ernest Browne Jr. (I)
1985: Thomas Barrow (D, b. 1949)
1989: John James Conyers Jr. (D, 1929-2019)

1994-2006: 71) George Cushingberry Jr. (D, b. 1953) – African-American; previously served in the state House from 1975 to 1982, in the state Senate from 1983 to 1986, and on the city council from 1989 to 1993; attempted to bridge the widening gap between the city’s suburban and urban, middle-class and lower-class, and white and non-white populations; retired
1993: Clifford Brookins II (I)
1997: Dennis Wayne Archer (D, b. 1942)
2001: Gilbert Roland “Gil” Hill (D, 1931-2016)

2006-2007: 72) Kwame Malik Kilpatrick (D, 1970-2007) – African-American; previously served in the state House from 1997 to 2005; took an aggressive stance against crime and corruption; was considered by some pundits to be a potential candidate for governor in 2010, and possibly even for the Presidency someday; died in office at the age of 37 when he was fatally struck by a stray bullet fired by either police or perps during a bank heist that unfolded across the street from a restaurant from which the Mayor was exiting; subsequent investigations blamed the Mayor’s “dreadfully unprofessional” security personnel and members of the police for failing to follow basic safety and warning procedures; the media circus around the 2007-2009 trials and probes worsened city living conditions, after the lack of a clear shooter sparked riots in 2009 and spawned many conspiracy theories ontech; looked back on fondly
2005: Freman Hendrix (D, b. 1950)

2007-2008: 73) Kenneth Vern Cockrel Jr. (D, b. 1965) – ascended to office as City Council President; African-American; failed to cool tensions in the aftermath of Kilpatrick’s death; lost bid to complete predecessor’s term

2008-2010: 74) Ella M. Bully-Cummings (D, b. 1958) – city’s first female Mayor; African-American; was the city’s Chief of Police from 2003 to 2005, and served on the city council from 2005 to 2008; lost re-election in the aftermath of 2009 riots and amid worsening living conditions
2008 (special): Kenneth Cockrel Jr. (D), Sharon McPhail (D), Sarella S. Johnson (I), Angelo Scott Brown (D) and Clayton C. Johnson (I)

2010-2018: 75) George Cushingberry Jr. (D, b. 1953) – drafted out of retirement by the local Democratic party establishment; lost re-election
2009: Ella M. Bully-Cummings (D)
2013: Phil Cavanagh (D) and Krystal Crittendon (I; unrecognized write-in)

2018-present: 76) Coleman Alexander Young II (D, b. 1982) – is the son of the city’s 70th Mayor; African-American; previously served as a Member of the Michigan Senate from the 1st district from 2011 to 2017 and as a Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 4th district from 2007 to 2010; elected on a progressive reformist platform; incumbent
2017: George Cushingberry Jr. (D)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



EX-NFL PLAYER ELECTED MAYOR OF PITTSBURGH!

– The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania newspaper, 11/5/2013



Mayors of PITTSBURGH

1959-1970: 53) Joseph M. Barr (D) – former salesman, former state senator from 1941 to 1959, and former state party chair from 1954 to 1959; modernized city infrastructure, including street lights, water services, and new stadiums; retired
1959 (special): Paul Reinhold (R)
1961: William Crehan (R)
1965: Vince Rovitto (R)

1970-1977: 54) Peter Francis “Mayor Pete” Flaherty (D) – former city councilman; resigned for a position in the Mondale administration
1969: John K. Tabor (R)
1973: Thomas A. Livingston (R)

1977-1978: 55) Richard S. Caliguiri (D) – former City Council President; retired after initially considering running for a full term

1978-1986: 56) Thomas J. Foerster (D) – moderate; previously served as a Member of the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners from 1968 to 1978 and as a member of the state House from 1959 to 1967; lost re-nomination in an upset
1977: Barney Cook (R)
1981: Fred Goehringer (R)

1986-2009: 57) James E. “Jim” Simms (D) – former city councilman; aggressively combated crime and recreadrugs by founding after-school programs and mental wellness centers; worked with President Bellamy and city’s U.S. Representatives to bring Federally Guaranteed jobs to the city but also worked with businesses to develop private sector jobs in the city as well; improved roads and public transportation; praised for his handling of the SARS pandemic; resigned for a position in the Wellstone administration
1985: Henry Sneath (R) and Thomas J. Foerster (D (write-in))
1989: Kathy Matta (R)
1993: Duane Darkins (I)
1997: Edwin B. Fruit (Workers’)
2001: James Carmine (R)
2005: Joe Weinroth (R)

2009-2010: 58) Doug Shields (D, b. 1953) – former City Council President; retired after initially considering running for a full term

2010-2014: 59) Jake Wheatley Jr. (D) – previously served in the state House from 2003 to 2009; lost re-nomination
2009: Mark F. DeSantis (R)

2014-2018: 60) Franco Harris (D) – former NFL player; previously served as a state senator from 2009 to 2014; criticized for alleged government inexperience; lost re-nomination
2013: Joshua “Josh” Wander (R)

2018-present: 61) Rich Fitzgerald (D) – previously served as the Chief Executive of Allegheny County from 2012 to 2017; incumbent
2017: Darlene M. Harris (I)

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



ANCHOR: “We have breaking news coming out of Barcelona, Spain, where we can confirm that an explosion of some kind has just occurred at the site of the Sagrada Familia basilica there. We take you now to our Spanish correspondent, who has just arrived at the scene.”

CORRESPONDENT: “There is pandemonium here as the people of this city look to the pillar of smoke rising up from the corner of the Sagrada Familia. For those watching who are unaware of this church’s significance, the Sagrada Familia is a large and uniquely designed basilica that, due to construction relying solely on private donations, is still in the process of being built despite its groundbreaking occurring over 130 years ago, in 1882.”

ANCHOR: “Can you give us any idea what the extent of the damage is and what or who could possibly be behind this?”

CORRESPONDENT: “Theories still abound at the moment, but I spoke to a local police officer who had been to the scene who swore the explosion was a planned bombing and not a construction accident of some kind. Right now, the most prominent theory – and I must stress that it is just theoretical at this time – is that the attack may be the result of Catalonian separatists, or, alternatively, an extremist reaction to the city’s promotion of the church at a time when many in the city are suffering from economic malaise. Regardless of the cause behind it, though, according to the officers we have spoken to, the explosion has damaged a large corner of the church, so much that repairing the damage could end up delaying the basilica’s estimated time of completion by no less than three or four more years, but that is an unconfirmed estimate at this time.”

– KNN Breaking News, 11/9/2013 broadcast



>MOTHER-POST: Who Bombed The Sagrada Familia?

[pic: imgur.com/EuN6NXf.png ]

>REPLY 1:

I bet it was a false flag attack orchestrated by the Spanish government to turn public opinion against the Catalonian Independence Movement. Euro-Disneyland, located in Catalonia’s Barcelona, is too big of a cash cow for them to lose and they know it!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:
Well if it wasn’t a domestic terror attack, the government failed to rally the nation against the Catalonians. According to latest poll, sympathy for the separatists has only risen due to Spain’s economy still being in the tank!

>REPLY 2 to REPLY 1:
Or maybe it’s a domestic terror attack meant to look like a government job!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2 to REPLY 1:
Now why would they bomb their own church?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 2 to REPLY 1:
It’s the perfect crime? They still haven’t figured out who did it, you know!

>REPLY 2:

Personally, I have a feeling it was just some nut who thought the city was building the church with city funds, or someone who got laid off from the nearby Disneyland Barcelona and for whatever reason blamed his or her misery on the church. When times are hard, people tend to lose their minds, you know.

– conspiracytheoriesforum.co.usa, 1/1/2014 thread



SO JUST WHO IS MAYOR-ELECT MCMILLAN?

…James McMillan III was born on December 1, 1946 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. After graduating from high school there in 1965, McMillan joined the US Army, and served in Vietnam, where he participated in the fall of Hanoi in 1967. A year later, after being transferred to Laos, his hands were burned while rescuing fellow soldiers from a bombed convoy, an action that gave him a Bronze Star and psychological trauma; he still wears gloves to hide his hands’ scars. After receiving two more stars in the line of duty, McMillan was honorably discharged in 1972 and moved to New York City later that year, where he found work as a letter carrier. He worked for the NYC Postal Service from 1973 until winning public office twenty years later in 1993. During the 1970s, McMillan expanded his interests into numerous careers. He earned a Black Belt in karate, tried to become a professional R&B recording artist, and even worked as a male stripper for a brief period to pay the rent on his East Village apartment.

McMillan developed an interest in politics in the 1980s in response to the tax spending policies of then-Mayor of New York City Carol Bellamy, which he what he saw as “irresponsible overspending of the people’s money.” After years of political activism, he joined the Democratic Party and ran for city council, first in 1989 and again in 1991. He finally won election to the NY City Council for the Second District (the Lower East Side) in 1993, and won re-election in 1997. He lost a bid for a third term in 2001 but won back the seat in 2005 and once more in 2009. As a city councilman, McMillan often feuded with other Democrats over taxation issues, and developed a populist voting record, opposing tax raises but supporting BLUTAG protection laws. McMillan was also known for organizing publicity stunts; for example, in 2001, as he has been an ordained minister since 1992, McMillan married off a woman to her left shoe in a publicity stunt meant to criticize the wording of an anti-BLUTAG marriage bill that at the time was being proposed by a Republican state lawmaker. In 2010, he finally broke from the Democratic Party and became an Independent. In early 2011, he resigned from his seat to unsuccessfully run as a Republican for a vacant US House seat via Special Election. He switched back to being an Independent later that year…

…McMillan plans to reign in wasteful spending and lower taxes in order to promote businesses and increase job numbers. “Cutting taxes and lowering rent will ease this city’s financial stress and help eradicate hunger and poverty from our streets and back alleys. We need to get the homeless out of the dumpsters and unemployment offices and into apartments and work stations.” McMillan aims to have the city legally seize unoccupied apartment buildings and create free college tuition to address homelessness, along with making the city’s anti-addiction programs more efficient without investing further funds into them “It’s not that the city doesn’t have enough money. It’s that the city doesn’t have the ability to use money wisely.” However, despite being fiscally conservative, he opposes cutting funding for children and seniors…

– tumbleweed.co.usa, 11/11/2013 e-article



3RD FISCAL QUARTER REBOUND STUDIED: Supports “Slow But Sure” Market Recovery Notion

– The Wall Street Journal, 11/12/2013



…And in political news, the Jesse Jackson Presidential Library and Museum formally and officially opened today in the former Commander-in-Chief’s home town and birthplace of Greenville, South Carolina…

– The Overmyer Network, 11/19/2013 broadcast



HOST: “Earlier today, yet another Human Rights Watch Group made the formal claim that the De Beers diamond mining-and-trading corporation is up to its old tricks again in Botswana, and with a vengeance. The Saan Bushmen of the country are allegedly experiencing even further persecution in their own land, of either the ethnic cleansing, forced servitude, or outright genocidal variety.”

GUEST 1: “It is obvious that something needs to be done, but nobody seems to want to pay attention to thing amid the economic issues at home.”

HOST: “Well what can be done about this?”

GUEST 2: “I would suggest political reform.”

GUEST 1: “The Saan People tried that, and failed.”

HOST: “Alright, maybe foreign intervention, then?”

GUEST 1: “Yes, but not of the military kind. There’s too much bloodshed over there already.”

GUEST 2: “Oh, I agree, internal opposition can be externally supported. It worked with China and their treatment of the Uyghurs back in the 1980s, before China became such an economic juggernaut.”

GUEST 1: “But De Beers is a multinational corporation. They may just take their nefarious business elsewhere, so it’s not enough to end the suffering in Botswana. The actions of De Beers itself must be stopped, period.”

GUEST 2: “Well that’s much easier said than done, but I agree, something has to happen, and I believe that something will happen.”

HOST: “What do you mean by that?”

GUEST 2: “I mean it is inevitable that that corporation’s immoral and illegal policies will catch up to them someday. Maybe.”

– NBC roundtable discussion, 11/23/2013 broadcast



November 25, 2013: the FBI launches an investigation into whether or not fraud played a role in the collapse of AIG [8]

– washingtonpost.co.usa/timelines/the_unlucky_recession



…Over in the European Union’s headquarters, the organization’s Common Agricultural Policy was failing to alleviate rural farming conditions, prompting widespread criticism of the effectiveness of its subsidies and development programs. EU leaders responding by planning to reform and increase the CAP’s budget to return it to the efficiency it had in the 1980s without resorting to that era’s cost. In 1984, the CAP took up 74% of the EEC annual budget, but in 2012, the policy took up 35% of the EU budget. Outlining a more efficient CAP was instigated by UK PM Mary Creagh as overseas markets began to recover faster than those of the EU countries due to their closely-linked economies. Concurrently, more populist-leaning politicians on the continent supported calls for a new or reformed organization within the EU that would bind all EU nations to a looser free trade policy, one that would in theory be a “bigger, better, and stronger” version of the European Single Market that came into existence in 1993 via the Maastricht Treaty of 1992…

– Paul van den Noord’s A Continent In Crisis: Europe During The 2013-2014 Recession Era, Routledge, 2018



…in entertainment news, comedians Bobcat Goldthwait, Ernie Sabela, Jeff Garlin and Seth Rogen are all going to be in a movie together...

– ABC Morning News, 12/1/2013 broadcast



UNITED TURKESTAN RE-ELECTS ITS PRESIDENT

…the incumbent President in office since January 5, 2011, Roza Otunbayeva of Kyrgystan (of the Social Democratic Party) has won her nation’s Presidential election…

– The Daily Telegraph, 2/12/2013



President Grammer’s Approval Ratings:

APPROVE: 57%

DISAPPROVE: 29%

UNCERTAIN: 14%

– Gallup polling, 12/4/2013 report



STATE ETHICS PANEL CLEARS CAROLYN GOODMAN ON FILED COMPLAINT

…currently serving as both the Mayor of Las Vegas and as the First Lady of Nevada, Carolyn Goodman’s recent clash with the state Ethics Commission is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the state’s dynamic “power couple”…

– The Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12/5/2013



Mayors of LAS VEGAS

1959-1975: 17) Oran Kenneth Gragson (R, 1911-2002) – previously worked as small business owner; first elected on a pro-reform platform; opposed police corruption; his efforts to combat systemic racism but also support small businesses led to him being considered a “compassionate conservative,” also known as a “Colonel Conservative;” played an integral role in the construction of the US-95 freeway; retired
1959: Wendell Bunker (I)
1963: Myron E. Leavitt (D, 1930-2004)
1967: Joseph M. Kadans (D)
1971: William H. Briare (D, 1930-2006)

1975-1991: 18) Harry Mason Reid (D, b. 1939) – previously served as the City Attorney of Henderson from 1964 to 1966 and as a member of the Nevada Assembly from the 4th district from 1969 to 1974; lost bid for US Senate in 1982; retired; unsuccessfully ran for higher office in 1992, 1994, 1996, and 2002
1975: Ronald P. “Ron” Lurie (D, 1941-2020)
1979: John W. Grayson Jr. (R)
1983: Bob Stupak (D, 1942-2009)
1987: Thalia M. Dondero (D, 1920-2016)

1991-1999: 19) Janis Lyle “Jan” Laverty Jones (D, b. 1949) – previously worked as a car dealership owner and businessperson; addressed city issues such as homelessness, special education programs, vocational schools, and BLUTAGO rights protections; lost a bid for governor in 1998; retired and later served on the board of directors for several organizations
1991: John M. Bonaventura (D, b. 1962)
1995: John 3:16 Cook (D)

1999-2010: 20) Oscar Baylin Goodman (D, b. 1939) – previously worked as a high-profile defense attorney; repeatedly accused of corruption by ethics watchdogs; resigned to become Governor
1999: Robert Thomas Bigelow (D, b. 1945)
2003: Tom McGowan (Country)
2007: Beatrice Denise Turner (R)

2010-2011: Acting) James Robert Coffin (D, b. 1942) – selected by city council to serve the remainder of Goodman’s term; retired

2011-present: 21) Carolyn Goldmark Goodman (D, b. 1939) – founded and previously served as the president of The Meadows School; concurrently served as First Lady of Nevada from 2011 to 2015; repeatedly accused of corruption; incumbent; her son Ross Carl Goodman (D, b. 1970), a prominent attorney, is considered to be the leading candidate to succeed her in 2023
2011: Christina Giunchigliani (D, b. 1954)
2015: Stavros Anthony (R)
2019: Philip Andrew Collins (Prohibition, b. 1967)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, c. July 2021



ROBIN WILLIAMS ORDERED TO ATTEND LEWY BODY DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP

…The order reveals publicly for the first time that Williams was diagnosed with the ailment in October after showing signs similar to Parkinson’s Disease earlier in the year. According to a source close to the celebrated comedian, Williams is also set to begin taking medication to combat the effects of Lewy bodies damaging nerve cells in the brain…

– thehollywoodreporter.co.usa, 12/6/2013



…Notably, while the major talking heads of the liberal media were kind and professional to the posh President Grammer, many were scornful and juvenile in their attacks on the Vice President. Their contemptuous attacks, however, lacked substance due to the lack of them having anything meaningful with which they could attack Brown, policy-wise. As a result, much of the anti-Brown publishing was of a dilettantish nature, essentially harassing and mocking the VP whenever he mispronounced a word, misinterpreted legalese, or uttered one of his colorful “Harleyisms.” One running gag during the early years of the Grammer/Brown era was cartoonish depicting Harley Brown as Charlie Brown from the Peanuts comic strip, rolling eyes or being worried after some “gaffe,” with a comment such as “that’s offensive, Harley Brown!” or a tagline like “That’s not how that works, Harley Brown!”

[pic: imgur.com/zEk4O2k ]

Above: one of many Charlie/Harley lafpics circulated ontech during the mid-2010s

– Anne Meagher Northup’s Chicken and Politickin’: the Rise of Colonel Sanders and Rational Conservatism in the Republican Party, 2015



ANCHOR: The FBI have made a shocking announcement concerning the disappearance of Montana politician

FBI PRESS SECRETARY (in footage): We have ample and sufficient evidence suggesting beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Lloyd Havaw Reese is in fact a one Lee Harvey Oswald, an American expatriate presumed to have been killed in the Cuba War after reportedly assassinating Chet Guevara...

– THN News, 12/9/2013 broadcast



Before coming up with Lloyd Havaw Reese, I originally went by Harold Swavey until late 1989 and then by Roy Shale De La Vew until early 1990... Even so many years later, I still was not certain if I would be forgiven by the US government for siding with the Soviets and then the Cuban Communists, and I still was afraid that bitter Cuban Communist veteran extremists would assassinate me to avenge Guevara. At that point, even if anyone believed me when I told them it was a horrid accident, they could still decide to kill me on a matter of principle. It’s hard reasoning with extremists after all.

…Of course, the only people that I truly hurt were my second wife and our children. They deserved better from me. Robert and Irina had to go through college while I was AWOL, again. I remember being in a bar in Lethbridge when I saw my wife on TV, trying to get away from the microphone mutts. To get them to leave her alone (I had always found her shyness around cameras to be quite cute), she told them that she thought I had been abducted, never once considering one reporter’s notion that I had suffered an attack of PTSD and had simply wandered off or something.

I didn’t see her on TV when the FBI discovered my pre-Montana life. When I left, it pained me to just imagine what she would go through, but I just knew that I had to go. Staying around to be arrested and trialed would have hurt her even more that me turning tail and running away like a coward. At least, that’s what I told myself at the time. I told myself I was like a wild tiger, that I could never be kept in a cage labelled a federal pen. I told myself a lot of things...

I left without a specific destination in mind. After skedaddling from Missoula, I headed north through the Flathead National Forest that I had travelled through many times before until I made it to Alberta. I stopped momentarily at Lethbridge before deciding to turn west, to British Columbia. I did not stop running until I came across a small town in Jasper National Park, using cash to rent out a small cabin where an old man could, with a bitter cold slamming the windows like a federal agent trying to break in, could rest beside a warm fire and think. Think about choices, think about fate, think about his history, his life, his present, his future. And think about how thinking is pretty much the only thing this old man has left to do.

– Lee Harvey Oswald’s autobiography Call Me By My Real Name: Confessions From a Fallen Hero, published posthumously



“We have lost, on average, roughly 70,000 jobs a month since April. If President Grammer had bailed out the big banks that number would have been half as much!”

– business analyst Ben Bernanke, 12/12/2013



“You know, I think I may have lost some political capital here. Oh well.”

– Kelsey Grammer, 12/13/2013 (allegedly, possibly anecdotal)



In the last cabinet meeting of the year, Grammer’s department leaders, inner circle members, and trusted advisors touched on a plethora of issues. There was the managing of the federal budget, Brown’s continued calls to improve the nation’s road-and-rail transportation maintenance nationwide to lower unemployment, the recently proposed notion of passing “Livable Income Checks” (a new term for the “Federal Aid Dividend” policies of yesteryear) until the economy returned to pre-recession conditions, the continued rumblings coming from Wall Street and its scandals, and rising calls to improve urban sanitation conditions that had fallen by the wayside in the ten years that had passed since SARS scared the world into washing its 15 million hands. Nearly all in attendance agreed that more tax cuts were to be worked on in the year ahead, but the room was split on giving federal assistance to the EU, with one half claiming their poor situation did not involve the US and the other half stating that theirs in fact did.

One subject that was also discussed at length was wage theft. “Illegal immigration has been on the decline for years and outsourcing is still being discouraged but still practiced,” observed Labor Secretary Gunderson, “Most people hit by management malpractice are born-and-raised red-blooded American workers.” Gunderson then proposed that the White House host a series of meetings with business executives, labor organizers and state government leaders to determine how to protect workers from wage theft without inhibiting the freedoms, rights and privileges of private business. The proposal was noted, and scheduled to be revisited early in the New Year.

Secretary of Energy and Technology Harold Hamm and Secretary of Community Development Patricia Consolatrix Hilliard “Doc” Robertson sparred over how to best respond to the long-term damaging effects of Hurricane Sandy on the Eastern Seaboard of the US. Robertson, in a somewhat contrarian move, called for a “smart” tax hike, prompting Hamm to immediately complain “the feds shouldn’t pay for the repair of low-income homes damaged in an Act of God. It bucks libertarian principle right on its ear!”

Robertson countered by noting what the raised tax money would go to: ODERA, the National Hurricane Center, early warning systems, schools built as shelters, fire and police departments, rescue services, National Guard mobilization, and other government-led disaster relief elements. To all of them, Hamm scoffed, saying that businesses and state governments should instead be encouraged to implement these and/or similar ideas.

The final subject of the cabinet meeting was the proposed stripping of the US’s Autogun Restrictions laws passed in the 1980s and 1990s. Vice President Brown believed that the sharp decline in school shootings after 1995 demonstrated that the US no longer needed such “draconian and backwards” laws, and that gun restrictions were best left as a “home rule” (read: states’ rights) state-by-state decision. However, a majority of those present disagreed with the Vice President’s assessment of the situation. Nevertheless, his comments did lead to some such as Secretary Martinez calling for loopholes in the laws to be closed.

As the people left the Cabinet Room, the President said to “First Mate” Brown, “Now, Harley, I do think the road improvement proposal of yours would work.”

“Thanks!”

“It could even reach bipartisan approval, but as you’re the Senate leader, that could depend on you. I think you should try to win over some Senators on the other side of the aisle.” Smiling slightly, he asked, “You think you can do that?”

“Heh! You know I can, bud!” Brown bellowed as he playfully but strongly patted his boss on the back.

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



“PERSEVERANCE IS KEY”: First Couple Share Uplifting Words In Christmas Message Vid

Washington, D.C. – President Kelsey Grammer and First Lady Marissa Joan Hart today released a heartfelt “video message” onto the First Lady’s homesite and the official White House netsite in an effort to boost up American morale this holiday season. Sitting on a couch with a surprisingly humbly-decorated Christmas Tree behind them, the Frist Couple of the United States wished all American well this winter, at a time when many are still looking for work and are struggling to pay for food and rent… President Grammer concluded, “Rest assured that this is not forever. Better times are right around the corner…”

– usarightnow.co.usa, 12/23/2013



United States Presidential Pets

United States President have often either kept pets while in office, or have had family members living in the White House with them who had their own pets. Only Presidents James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson did not have presidential pets in the White House while serving in office.

[snip]

Dwight D. EISENHOWER – a parakeet named Gabby; a Weimaraner hunting dog named Heidi

Lyndon B. JOHNSON – two beagles named Him and Her; a white Collie named Blanco; two turtledoves named Pa and Ma; and a Mongrel dog named Yuki

Harland D. SANDERS – two bloodhounds named Corbin and Florence, originally puppies a friend gave to him and Claudia as a present while the Colonel was the Governor of Kentucky [9]

Walter F. MONDALE – his daughter Joan had a puppy named Digger [10] and a pony named Maybelline, the latter being a 1973 birthday gift from Robert and Ethel Kennedy that Joan frequently rode [11]

Jeremiah A. DENTON – an old mutt named Koala, adopted from a shelter in 1981 and died in 1984; two cats, with no official names, both belonging to the First Couple’s youngest two children

Jack F. KEMP – a bulldog named Kroywen (New York spelled backwards); First Lady Joanne kept a parrot named Harold for the last five months of his time in office.

Carol BELLAMY – two sheepdogs named Sweeper and Sal, and two cats named Freckles and Tabitha; all four got along well, making Bellamy once comment on wanting to always see the same sort of harmonious cooperation in congress

Lido A. IACOCCA – a one-legged parrot named Skippy and a macaw named Snippy; his late wife’s mix-breed dog; two golden retrievers, a Dalmatian, and three mix-breed hunting dogs; a mustang horse named Roamer that was a gift from the Governor of Turkmenistan, a region of United Turkestan

Larry M. DINGER – none himself, but his children had a plethora of cats, dogs, parrots and, most notably, two hamsters and a teacup pig named Monstrosity

Jesse L. JACKSON – a pug named Graham; his son Jesse Jr. adopted a 1-year-old foster pup named Marbles in 2007

Paul D. WELLSTONE – a bloodhound named DeForest, a Scottish Terrier named Epaphroditus (or “Epap” for short), and a donkey named Tiger that was a July 2009 gift from Republican politician Doug Wead

A. Kelsey GRAMMER – three cats, named Zenobian, Cherubusco, and Moose, and a Jack Russel Terrier named Not-Eddie that was a December 2013 gift from California Governor Cruz Bustamante

– clickopedia.co.usa [12]



KFC-AFRICA SETS TO DOUBLE STAFF, JOBS AS FRANCHISE PREPS FOR EXPANSION PLANS

[pic: imgur.com/S8UuV5z.png ]

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 28/12/2013



REPORT: Jobs Are Already Coming Back, Just Slower Than Expected

…as the year comes to a close, the US government is optimistic, expecting a return to pre-recession employment levels within the next three months…

– The Wall Street Journal, 12/30/2013



NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)
[1] IOTL, Grammer did not have any attack in 2004, and instead had a major heart attack on May 31, 2008
[2] Italicized lines pulled from here: https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-34651320080724?edition-redirect=in
[3] Passage is lifted almost verbatim from the Wikipedia article on the OTL conflict
[4] According to several sources found on his wiki page, OTL Jesse Jackson actually started off being pro-life and shifted to the left during his Presidential campaigns of the 1980s
[5] Line pulled almost verbatim from here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/economy-watch/timeline/
[6] Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_in_Morocco#Trade_with_the_EU !
[7] IOTL, mentions this in his 2018 book “The War on Normal People”
[8] This passage was pulled almost verbatim from here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/economy-watch/timeline/
[9] The 1970 New Yorker article mentioned in several previous chapters ends with him saying that OTL’s KFC gravy “ain’t fit for my dogs,” suggesting he owned at least 2 dogs IOTL if he was being literal there
[10] As mentioned in the June 19, 1983 NYT article “Understanding Mondale”
[11] Joan was a horse rider IOTL according to her obituary
[12] The entries on list from Johnson to Bellamy were from an earlier posting found here: https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...ents-and-pms-ii.407398/page-463#post-20349860

The next chapter’s E.T.A.: March 11, but hopefully sooner!

Also: a thousand thanks for everyone who voted or considered voting for my timeline in the Turtledove Awards thread! What an honor!

Bbone91 said:

Indeed

Sunstone77 said:

Yep!

Kennedy Forever said:

Glad you liked it! Your welcome! Thank you for the compliment!

farmerted555 said:

We'll see what he can and can't do in the next chapter!

Kennedy Forever said:

Sorry for getting you worried there, buddy!

Sunstone77 said:

Kennedy Forever said:

Thank you both! I just wish I could write jokes like the ones Williams could make. I can only imagine the things he'd have to say in this universe!

miner249er said:

I will cover it in 2016!

EvilJam said:

Excellent question! I'll cover it in the next chapter!
Also, I find it kind of funny that a Frasier reboot was just announced: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cn...er-reboot-paramount-plus-scli-intl/index.html

 

[gap80]

Post 99: Chapter 107



Chapter 107: January 2014 – June 2014

“You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard. We reply that the great cities rest upon our broad and fertile prairies. Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic. But destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.”

– William Jennings Bryan, 1896



Grammer began 2014 by calling for a second “wave” of tax cuts in order to give economy “one more additional boost” in the face of an economy that was recovering “too damn slow[ly],” as the new Mayor of New York City kept saying.

The White House communications team spun the situation in order to cast the new legislation as being libertarian in nature, claiming it would “release” millions of “economic hostages.” White House Communications Director Armstrong Williams coined the terms “economic patriotism” and “patriotic spending” to simplify the concept of freeing up tax money to allow more people to invest in the re-growing markets, in order to bring the said markets back to their pre-recession levels.

The Grammer administration also discreetly sought to work with Democrats to address the Big Banks having fooled around loopholes to get past Jackson-era regulations in the years leading up to the recession. MF Global’s actions were especially heinous to the President, who had reportedly told the pro-bailout RNC Chair “As far as I am concerned their chicken have come home to roost!”

– Kathryn Millstone’s The Grammer Administration, Borders Books, 2021



Chaffetz concluded, “I know I said I’ve been working here for too long, but now that it’s all over, I actually think I’m going to miss this place.”

His boss sighed, “Well I’d be lying if I said I won’t miss you. I hate to see you go, but I understand you just have to do this. Farewell, good sir” Standing up, he reached his hand out, “Once again, don’t think I don’t appreciate all that you’ve done for us.” As the two men shook hands, the President added, “And good luck running for Congress.”

“Will I have your vote?” Asked the outgoing Secret Serviceman.

“Given that I don’t live in your district, how about I give you my endorsement?”

“That might actually be more helpful than your vote!”

With a smile and wave, Grammer bid farewell to the serviceman and returned to his office to face even more national issues rearing their ugly heads, starting with the new Mayor of New York’s “crusade” against landlords…

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



McMillan was a man of many adversaries, but in 2014, his biggest opponents were the landlords and the International Olympics Committee, neither of whom appreciated the new Mayors policy goals.

“The expensive infrastructure developments of buildings that immediately fall into disuse is not worth the increase in global stature. Let other countries keep their prestigious global economic organizations. We don’t need to spend millions of dollars on swimming pools when public housing is a growing concern,” McMillan ranted during one of his many mayoral press conferences.

Behind closed doors, McMillan proposed repurposing Olympic event locations into affordable housing centers once the Olympics left town in order to justify their construction costs. “We’ll have all this space, I say rent it out to whoever wants to live in Hamberg’s mistakes.”

Meanwhile, McMillan pressed forward with a proposed rent freeze, eviction limits, and a free school lunch and free school breakfast, paid through a “humanity tax” of 0.1% on the top 5% of NYC residents. When wealthy New Yorkers went on TV to suggest that the Olympics could bring in enough revenue to cover anti-poverty measures, McMillan was quick to point out how unlikely it would be: “We can’t rely on games. They have historically been nothing but money pits. We have to invest in NYC businesses to better look out for NYC families.”

Announcing a “Capital commitment” of $1.5billion for affordable housing in his first month in office, McMillan sought to work with “all community leaders, Black and White, Yellow and Red, Blue and Green and Purple and Brown, because we can’t have it so that every time a Black family moves in to one neighborhood, eventually all the white neighbors move out,” as he explained in the second week of his mayoral tenure. He clarified that “This voluntary segregation is not the fault of the white people moving out, but the fault of the white racists who spread lies and stereotypes to trick them into not loving they neighbor. Don’t be tricked. Think for yourselves. You’re New Yorkers, you should be good at that.”

By his third week in office, weekly press meeting for "professional rants" were practically becoming expected from him. The one for late January began with McMillan explaining how “Developers care about profitability, but two-thirds of this city is renters, so the city’s new affordable housing program will require all land developers to set aside 33% of all housing units for low-income residents in exchange for tax exempt financing. And that rate fluctuates – the more you provide for the poor, the less you have to pay in taxes! Because taxes are supposed to go to helping the people and to helping the poor, so the more you contribute to their plight, the less time we the government have to spend playing the middleman! …We’re also working with city council to ease the process of getting an apartment. We’re starting by removing the housing lottery system. It’s dehumanizing. We’re not cattle. Getting a home shouldn’t feel like an auction. You need a home, you get a good home. You have money you, get a good home, too.” To do this, McMillan bolstered the capabilities of the Tenant Protection Agency.

As a city councilman, McMillan had wanted to update the city’s zoning laws to allow more than half of his own district to be zoned for public housing. Now, he wanted to pass it again in order to get warehouses and factories converted into homes and shops. “Those Olympic buildings won’t be empty until 2017. Poor people can’t wait that long for new homes,” McMillan reportedly told his Chief of Staff Kris Davis and his Communication Director Christialle Felix.

– Maria Stevenson and John Capozzi’s RITDH: The Jimmy McMillan Story, Vagabond Books, 2021



The point I’m trying to make here is that it was easy for me to sneak around. I have a pretty genetic face. I can be anywhere. I can be anyone. You wouldn’t know. You wouldn’t assume I was an international gun smuggler. But I am. And once Sudan’s breakaway states began to stabilize, their respective governments fortunately turned a blind eye to black markets, provided that some of the revenue went to the tax payrolls. Even still, the industry was seeing tighter clampdowns and I felt like my work there was done anyway. The warfare was over and the cops had me listed as a “Person of Interest.” I love that term. It sounds vague but it so isn’t. So, where next? Why, Eritrea of course! The hideaway for soldiers of fortune, the oasis for those like me who make a living off of what isn’t legal. I provide services for those put down by their governments. I’m a tool-provider, a giver of hope to all who wish to someday cause some beautiful horror.

– Tommy Gun Thompson’s With Cold, Dead Eyes: A Gun Runner’s Confessions, Borders Books, 2015 [1]



…The rioting, protests, and down-spiraling approval ratings convinced the German Chancellor to reverse his stance. In order to alleviate the people, and protect his political future, Schroder finally signed off on a proposed deal to guarantee all private bank accounts…

– Paul van den Noord’s A Continent In Crisis: Europe During The 2013-2014 Recession Era, Routledge, 2018



EUROPEAN CRISIS UPDATE: Slow Uptick Bringing Hope To Consumers

…European governments are investing hundreds of billions of euros into their banking systems, and are beginning to express more sincere confidence that aggressive financial moves will restore consumer confidence in international financial markets. Financial leaders on the continent are also confident that the slowly-but-surely improving situation over there will cool tensions in riotous places in Germany and Spain…

– The Toronto Star, Canadian newspaper, 1/24/2014



The moment of change came before the end of his first month into office, when McMillan convinced city council to sign off on the establishing of a one-year (12-month) freeze on rent in order to help the city’s budget office better stabilize financial issues, citing the Unlucky Recession. “It’s not just for elderly residents, the disabled, the poorest of the people, but for everyone. This is for all the people, even the ones who don’t like me.”

McMillan also sought to implement higher tax credits and tax break to combat rising housing costs.

[pic: imgur.com/iyH18UG.png ]

Mayor McMillan was a captivating speaker who butted heads with state and local government officials in his crusade to lower rent in New York City

Almost immediately, lobbyists and TV mouthpieces for the wealthy began to try and hammer in the claims that “rent control appears to help affordability in the short run for tenants, but in the long-run decreases affordability, fuels gentrification, and creates negative externalities on the surrounding neighborhood” [2] and that rent control can make a “bubble of ignorance” (“as inflation still continues, the longer things are frozen and locked into place, the worst it will be when the bubble “pops,” argued libertarian John Stossel on ABC). Of course, McMillan dismissed these concerns, saying that “the people are not going to be okay starving now because some out-of-touch rich person says that if they eat now, they’ll starve later.”

McMillan also pushed for rent caps, which are “caps” on how high landlords can charge for rent, while still allowing landlords to earn the market price for their real estate. A counterpoint made was that rent also covers repairs, to which McMillan replied by encouraging “the people” to learn home upkeep skills, saying, in an informal ontech video posted to the official Mayoral netsite, “teach yourself a skill, get licensed to fix your own home, or hire someone poorer than you to clean your house. We could all hire each other to clean another’s home in a long chain of inter-relying employment.”

However, in an act of politics leveraging, McMillan did agree with city council to back a program raising insurance benefits for landlord.

…In regards to city issues not connected to rent, McMillan ended felony disenfranchisement of certain ex-cons, restoring voting rights for those who have completed their sentences and paroles/probation periods, via a Mayoral order that was upheld by local and then later state-level courts…

– Maria Stevenson and John Capozzi’s RITDH: The Jimmy McMillan Story, Vagabond Books, 2021



SENATE SIGNS OFF ON “MONEY-FOR-LIFE” BILL

Washington, DC – On partisan lines, the US Senate today approved of a controversial bill to promote adoption over abortion, with the vote being 56 “yea” to 48 “nay.” Introduced in the Senate last August at the urging of President Grammer and the enthusiastic urging of Vice President Brown, the bill, if passed by the House, will create a federal program that will pay single and/or “financially distressed” expected mothers, who express wanting to have an abortion due to financial or emotional concerns, roughly $1,000 for every month they keep the pregnancy, with the final payment being double upon child being born and then placed into foster care. The bill aims to encourage women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term instead of aborting them, with the monthly payments being meant to cover financial losses or emotional distress not covered by their employer’s maternity leave program or by the maternal care aspects of American UHC. The bill controversial due to it implying that one can pay people to do what is “the morally correct thing to do,” as put by US Senator Helen Chenoweth (R-ID)...

– The Washington Post, 1/29/2014



…Prime Minister Rogers’ cabinet included a diverse collection of PC rising stars, including Jim Prentice, Jason Kenney, Alanna Koch and André Bachand…

– Richard Johnston’s The Canadian Party System: An Analytic History, UBC Press, 2017



MCAFEE TO TRAVEL TO THE I.S.S.!

Cape Canaveral, FL – NASA Director John McAfee has received a security clearance pass to travel onboard the next shuttleplane heading to the International Space Station. McAfee is heading to the international habitable artificial satellite in order to oversee the implementation of software protection coding that he himself wrote several years ago and personally updated as part of NASA’s Wellstone-era efforts to help the international scientific community upgrade and modernize the ISS’s technology.

When asked if it was wise to take the trip at today’s news conference, McAfee replied “This might be the only chance I get to ever go up there, so you better believe I’m taking it!”

His voyage will mark the first time that a sitting NASA Director has travelled to outer space…

– popularmechanics.co.usa/space/news, 2/1/2014



LARRY WILLIAMS TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION AFTER INITIALLY DECLINING INTEREST

…the moderate Republican has decided to make a late entry into the GOP primary race and pursue for a seventh term, he says, because he disagrees with the direction that both the Democratic and Republican parties are heading. “Limited government does not mean sitting around and doing nothing while other people suffer. Republicans are not doing enough to help people… It is immoral and irresponsible to view people through the lenses of numbers, statistics, and profit potential.” Williams, whose daughter is Democratic activist and award-winning TV/film actress Michelle Williams, has critical comments to make about the Democratic party as well. “Democrats are becoming the opposite extreme of libertarianism by suffocating people with help – to the point that the help can’t honestly be called help anymore.”…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 2/2/2014



…Ironically, Yugoslavia being more economically isolated than its economically interconnected European neighbors made the nation better-off during the 2013 Crisis. In fact, some Italians actually moved the regions of Croatia and Albania to find work in 2013 and 2014, reversing a trend of Croatians and Albanian s moving to Italy to either seek more fruitful employment or to be more “westernized” in a rejection of Yugoslavia’s continued “and somewhat outdated third way” stance...

– Frederick B. Chary’s The Modern Balkans: The History of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania and Turkey After The End of the Cold War Era, Greenwood Publishers, 2018 edition



JIM EDGAR BEGINS TENURE AS FINANCIAL CORRUPTION COMMISSION CHAIR

…former Governor and US Senator Jim Edgar (R-IL) today became the inaugural Chair of a new commission meant to advise the Grammer administration on combating financial misconduct and illegal market activities…

– The Washington Post, 2/5/2014



VP BROWN MEETS WITH NYC MAYOR MCMILLAN: Taxes, Rent, and Sea Barrier Discussed

– usarightnow.co.usa, 2/6/2014



…Brown another supporter was NYC native Valerie Percy. A daughter of Republic politician Charles Percy, who served as the Governor of Illinois from 1965 to 1973, Valerie helped evacuate Manhattan hospitals during Hurricane Sandy and had the connections to bring more media attention to the proposal. During an early 2014 meeting with Brown in D.C., Percy praised the proposal’s potential to encourage research and innovation in industrial design in “the engineering feat of a generation.”

Due to his experience as the Governor of Idaho, Vice President Brown understood very well the importance of balancing a budget. As a result, he also understood the reluctance his fellow Republicans had to proceeding along with what could be an incredibly expensive public works project, costing no less than US$20billion by even the least generous estimates. After meeting with NYC Mayor McMillan in February 2014, Brown told reporters, “I’m a bit disappointed in the slow progress I’m being. This is a great dam-barrier proposal, and I was hoping Jimmy [McMillan] could speed things along.”

In the meeting, McMillan reportedly remarked, “We have to ensure it will provide work for New Yorkers,” before shifting the conversation over to his efforts to ensure children had “breakfast, lunch and dinner” by easing job burdens on city families. “Parents already spend too much time struggling to make ends meet – time they could be spent raising and feeding their children they instead spend slaving away behind grills, cranes, assembly lines, custodial mops and steering wheels. The barrier would make more competition because it will be a project not just for New York but for the surrounding areas, too.” McMillan expressed concern that other cities would benefit more from the immediate construction than from NYC residents.

“He said he’d look into it, but he wasn’t really enthusiastic about it,” said VP Brown. “He seemed like a liberal, but at the end of the meeting, he gave me a very anti-liberal reason for his reluctance – government overreach. He was concerned that government coordination with state and local governments would be chaotic. He said that you’d, for instance, have the New York and New Jersey governors each trying to take credit for success and blame each other for any SNAFUs along the way. There’d be tension between groups, between overlapping government agencies. He was concerned that it could go from being a cautionary plan to protect the city from the next Hurricane Sandy and turn into the greatest money pit the country had ever seen. But you know what? There’s a solution to that – we give it up to the private sector! You streamline the government agencies – get them in order, get them to fall in line – and you keep them out of the way of the businesses and enterprises that can build these barriers.”

Despite the enthusiasm of Brown and other supporters of the barrier proposals, it was acknowledged that the project would still take years to be built once finalized, and as a result of the controversy of such a “long term” project, the Grammer administration shifted its focus towards more immediate and more nationwide concerns. However, Brown was certain to make the barrier project a talking point during the next several election cycles, whether it remained on the administration’s backburner or not…

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



ALL EYES ON (THE MARKETS OF) TURKEY AS WINTER OLYMPICS BEGIN

…with the economic crisis impacting Greek and Turkish markets, the success of the city of Ankara hosting these Winter Olympic Games could make or break them financially. Due to this, financial analysts are taking notes as the games officially begin today…

– The Financial Times, UK newspaper, 2/7/2014



…In 2014, the Yemeni Houthi tribe, allied with the Zaidi tribe, began to wage war with the Wahhabists of Saudi Arabia over territory dispute, as the nations of Saudi Arabia had not established a clearly-defined border with the nations of North Yemen and South Yemen (nor with Oman, Qatar, and the U.A.E. for that matter). This regional warfare lacked air support but did have exceptional infantry power. However, due to its small numbers and remote location, it was ignored by most media outlets. Western sources were still invested in covering the steps taken to improve economies, while Saudi Arabian outlets simply downplayed the deadlines of the “local spat”…

– Madawi al-Rasheed’s The History of Modern Saudi Arabia, Sunrise Books, 2019 edition



FLOTUS GIVES BIRTH TO HEALTHY BABY BOY!

Washington, DC – First Lady of the United States Marissa Joan Hart Grammer announced that today she gave birth to a healthy baby boy at George Washington Hospital, which lies on the border of Foggy Bottom Potomac. The newborn, weighing in at a hefty 7.4 lbs, is Joan’s fourth baby, and her fourth with President Grammer, but is the President’s eighth child overall; the newest member of the Grammar family will grow up with two brothers and five sisters – three are older siblings and four are older half-siblings born between 1983 and 1998. Hart, 37, and Grammer, who turns 59 in 11 days, have also announced, via social media updates posted by their staff members, that the boy has been given the name William Franklin Grammer, after his mother’s father William Hart and his paternal grandfather Frank Grammer.

The birth makes Kelsey Grammer the first President to father a child with the First Lady while serving in office in 121 years. This kind of event last occurred in 1893, when President Cleveland fathered Esther Cleveland with First Lady Frances Folsom Cleveland.

– The Hartford Courant, Connecticut newspaper, 2/10/2014



…after three years of declining health, Monroe passed away on February 15, 2014, the day after Valentine’s Day, at the age of 87. Her husband Harry Belafonte was reportedly at her bedside at her passing. …She was survived by her husband and several stepchildren from her previous marriages…

[pic: imgur.com/euKqKlI.png ]

– clickopedia.co.usa



…With Ted Kennedy dead, the remaining and less famous co-founder of Kennedy-Turner Broadcasting and the Kennedy News Network became more prominent in media, taking complete control of the company from Ted’s wealthy Kennedy family in Massachusetts in the aftermath of Ted’s passing. Turner shook up internal workings of the company to promote more “catchy” material in the face of rival networks.

Outside the board room, Turner increased the visibility of his philanthropic work, giving millions to various organizations and efforts aiming to combat Global Climate Disruption. Turner considers GCD to be “highly dangerous,” and in a PBS interview that aired on February 16, Turner suggested that, if GCD was not properly addressed and rectified, “have of us will die and the remaining half will become cannibals.” Turner also suggested, in another issue, that all American couples should not be allowed to have any more than two kids in order to cut down on overpopulation…

– Michael O’Connor’s A Tale of Two Teds: How Kennedy And Turner Built A Media Empire, Greenwood Press, 2017



“Hi, I’m Kristy Swanson. I used to slay vampires in the ’90s, but nowadays I slay hunger by buying my family Chick-fil-A, the best chicken on the market. Because when it comes to chicken, Chick-fil-A will fill you up.”

– Kristy Swanson, Chick-fil-A commercial, first aired 2/17/2014



PRESIDENT AGREES TO “EXTENDED CAMEO” IN FRASIER REUNION SPECIAL!

...before gaining access to the nuclear launch codes, Kelsey Grammer starred as radio psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the hit TV show “Frasier” from 1993 to 2004… According to the White House Press Secretary, Charlotte Schultz, the President has been in contact with the producers of the reunion special, and has agreed to record a brief exchange, as Dr. Crane, with the other characters of the series for two brief scenes, and appear in several brief VidCall messages.

Neither NBC nor the White House have disclosed the special’s plot details. All that is currently known about the reunion special is that all other members of the original series have agreed to resume their respective roles for the primetime TV one-hour-long spot, and that it is set to be filmed in the summer and then air sometime in mid-November...

– The Los Angeles Times, 2/21/2014



“WATCH: Incredible Celebrations At The Ankara Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony”

Description: Turkey wows the crowd with stunning special effects and fireworks display, ending the games with a bang!

– video uploaded to OurVids.co.can, a video-sharing netsite, on 2/23/2014



The Unlucky Recession of 2013 inhibited consumer confidence, causing a brief halt in foreign purchasing. This impacted China’s trade with other nations, and was complicated further by unfortunate developments along the Yangtze River. Accounting for 70% of China’s rice production, recent floods in the Yangtze River basin had damaged millions of acres of cropland. The country’s National Bureau of Statistics subsequently recorded a 9% increase in average food prices. Pestilence resurges, most notably armyworms invading wheat fields and swine fever infecting hogs, also added to the politburo’s worry that another Great Famine was on the horizon.

In order to avoid this, Beijing was forced to release and use over 40 tons of rice, 30 tons of corn, and 500,000 tons of soybeans from China’s Strategic Reserve. And to ensure their people would be fed (and thus, not revolt), China turned to several nations, hoping to open exclusive trade treaties with one of them in order to speed up the global markets impacted by the recession.

– Carl Krosinsky’s Modern China: A Complex Recent History, Borders Books, 2020 [3]



The fried poultry arms race is getting more intense! With upgraded sandwiches rolling out of the industry across America, Burger Chef is now unveiling its all-new selection of high-quality Big Chef chicken sandwiches. Now available at all Burger Chef locations and ontech, pick up some of this deliciousness today! Burger Chef – Better Than The Rest!

– Burger Chef ad, paid promo space on various techsites, first “air-posted” 3/1/2014



US Senate, Texas

Primary Elections, 3/4/2014:

Democratic Party Primary Results:

Nancy Nathanson – 52.7%
Dr. HyeTae “Harry” Kim – 35.9%
Yvonne Davis – 11.4%

Republican Party Primary Results:

Mac Thornberry (incumbent) – 70.1%
George Strake Jr. – 11.6%
Dwayne Stovall – 9.8%
Linda Vega – 5.9%
Jerome Corsi – 2.6%

– ourcampaigns.co.usa



…UK PM Creagh worked hard with her secretaries to keep their nation’s national debt from growing faster than their GDP. Because the level of debt as a percentage of the total economy is more important than the total level of debt on its own, Creagh approved an amount of deficit spending not seen since the days of PM Dingle Foot...

[pic: imgur.com/WnYlybM.png ]

– Hanspeter Kriesi and Takis S. Pappas’ In The Shadow of The Great European Recession, ECPR Press, 2021



…Wellstone re-entered the main news cycle for a while in early 2014, when he collapsed at a fundraiser for the Mayo Clinic. He was rushed to the hospital and left the next day, looking tired a worn out, but still better than he had looked in his last year in office.

Democrats often overlook just how much Wellstone had major health issues during what would have been his second term. His multiple sclerosis led to him experiencing a stiffening pain in his legs that led to him sometimes relaying on a cane to walk, and occasionally even using a wheelchair on particularly bad days. The former President, though, was optimistic that his freed-up schedule would allow him to spend more time on physical therapies and other treatments…

– Billie Lofi’s The Wellstone Way: The Life of a Passionate Progressive, University of Minnesota Press, first edition, 2017



IRISH COURT RULES AGAINST TECH COMPANY

…the Anglo-French IT services company Sema Group, which has a production facility near Galway, must pay Ireland 7 billion euros in back taxes on “foreign sovereignty” grounds. Sema Group will likely try to appeal the ruling…

– The Daily Telegraph, UK newspaper, 13/3/2014



POPEYES CLOSES MORE LOCATIONS IN SPITE OF ECONOMIC UPTICK

…10% of the chain’s locations, closed to make up for lost revenue during recession, making hundreds of their worker either out of work or furloughed, have failed to re-open. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, usually referred as just “Popeyes,” is a regional fast food chain sprawled out across the Sun Belt of the southern United States and concentrated around the Deep South and Texas. The chain continuing its scale-down is likely linked to its recent leadership shakeups as the company struggles to establish a healthy and stable workplace environment, especially in light of a recent sexual pestering accusation made against one of the former members of the company’s Board of Directors… While some diehard fans of Popeyes claim ontech that Popeyes’ chicken is even better than KFCs, that is debatable to say the least, given KFC outpolling its competitors in most ontech polls…

– The Wall Street Journal, 3/15/2014



…Kelsey explained his idea to Secretary of State Dick Morningstar. “In the 1950s, the United States government would invite the Heads of State of other countries over to the US, treat them to a dinner hosted by the President, and give them a tour of our plants and factories. Even give them a ticker tape parade and a key to some city sometimes. Long gone are those days.” He continued, “Nowadays, most Presidents or Prime Ministers or whatever they’re called will just sit in at the UN General Assembly and, maybe, meet with the leader of State the Department.”

Morningstar chimed in with “Yes, Mr. President. In fact, I just met with King Vong Savang of Laos.”

“Now see, that’s what I’m talking about – we should have invited him to the White House! Colonel Sanders famously hosted a dinner at the White House for that old man’s father. Julia Child was involved, for Pete’s sake! And that dinner completely shifted Laotian foreign policy.”

“So what are you getting at, Kelsey?”
“This: we need to strengthen our ties with other governments beyond mere impersonal lip service. We have to improve our image and reputation abroad, and prove to the rest of the world that Americans are not overweight foul-mouth slobs.”

Harley burped as he finished his burrito with a satisfied grin. “Hey, listen, is this gonna take long? I want to work on my motorcycle this weekend.”

“Please be more patient and less poignant, Harley, especially since you should strongly support this. You always talk about how great thing were in the ’50s.”

“Yeah, because Americans were respected back then,” Brown noted.

“And why?” Grammer quizzed the Vice President.

“We had freedom, we had rock-and-roll, and we nukes.”

Grammer shook his head slightly, “We also had diplomacy that went above and beyond for visiting Heads-of-state.” Turning back to Morningstar, the President continued. “We need to be more generous with other heads of state to encourage them to adopt the democratic values we have in the hopes that it will encourage them to try and replicate our success.”

“Well that’s just it, isn’t it?” sighed Secretary Hamm.

“What?” Morningstar asked.

“Why we stopped pulling out all the stops. We’re running out of things to be proud of. The liberal media keeps on harping about our racist past, highlighting the worst parts of our history instead of celebrating the best parts of today. Manufacturing’s being lost to China and India, two countries that are becoming way too big for their britches if you ask me. Some countries don’t like us intervening overseas all the time, and. apart from the Chicago Spire, we’ve got no big projects worth showcasing anymore. You can only look at wind turbines a certain number of times before you start to get bored by them.”

“Well then we’ve got to put an end to all that,” Grammer proclaimed. “There’s still plenty of thing in this country to be proud of. Police reform, urban renewal, exciting clean energy projects like Harry Braun’s hydrogen thing, conservation and environmental protection efforts led by Harley.”

“Sorry, what?” The Vice President was unwrapping another burrito.

“Harley, are the roads of America not better than they were 30 years ago?” Grammer addressed Brown.

“So yeah, we have some smooth roads all over this country,” Brown answered, reflecting on his experience of driving motorcycle across the nation’s landscape, roughing the patchy, chipped and cracked surfaces of roads in need of repair. Having a tendency to “go for a ride” – across miles upon miles of roads during when Congress was not in session, the VP could proudly report back that things were looking up for America’s vehicular infrastructure, at least overall. “Potholes are still a bitch, though. We need to come up with a new type of gravel that doesn’t collapse like that whenever cold snaps sweep through the northern states like that. Creates nothing but busywork jobs and clogged-up traffic.”

“Harold, have someone look into that,” Grammer directed Energy and Technology Secretary Hamm.

Morningstar continued Grammer’s list of symbols of Modern American Pride. “We’ve also got NASA, Disneyland, Arlington National Cemetery, the TVA, the graves of Ralph Abernathy and Hosea Williams – those all highlight the American struggle for liberty, the benefits of capitalism, and our success at innovation.”

“We could also begin to show foreign leaders the success of our economic, and sports stadiums and cattle ranches and feed lots,” Grammar nodded, rather excited that Morningstar was warming up to the idea. “We need to encourage countries to, well, not necessarily westernized, but, say, to democratize, and maybe improve trade and relations with us along the way.”

“Oh, so that’s how it would benefit us – trade deals,” Hamm nodded in understanding.

Grammer nodded, “Right. At the moment, Africa makes up less than 5% of all of America’s foreign investment. Back in the day, diplomatic trips outside the Beltway promised some pomp and circumstance sorely missed in official Washington itineraries, often with local flair that could deepen a visiting diplomat or leader’s understanding of our politics and forges lasting positive impressions about us.”

“Of course, this renewed focus on diplomatic trips would not just be about trade,” noted the stoic Secretary of Defense Eileen Collins. “It’s also be our way of combatting China and India.”

Morningstar said, “I get what you mean. China’s picking up where we at some point left off, and India’s not too far behind. Just last month, China’s Premier treated the leader of South Africa to a trip to the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and to their latest industrial parks, factories, and universities and research centers.”

Grammer remarked contemplatively, “When the newly-sworn-in President of Uganda visited Lubbock, Texas in 1977, he was the guest of honor at a college football match. The band struck up his country’s national anthem. The student section held up colored pieces of cardboard to represent the country’s flag. The whole thing brought tears to the man’s eyes. And why? Because we cared enough about developing countries to give the red carpet treatment. It contributed to them becoming our allies and forming stable governments of their own. It’s high time we bring back that kind of diplomacy.”

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022 [4]



AMERICA FOR SALE?!: Asian Banks Are Buying Out Ours!

…Chinese and Indian banks are investing in banks struggling to survive while gobbling up the remains of those who have fallen apart in the past year…

– Associated Press, 3/19/2014 exposé



“It’s finger lickin’ good because nobody does chicken like KFC”

– famous A-list actor Rob Lowe, KFC commercial, first aired 3/22/2014



“I don’t want to impeach my President, but the fact that let down the American people, causing millions of people to suffer by letting the big banks falter, possibly in violation of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, leads me to believe that maybe he did commit impeachable offenses back in May of last year. …No, we haven’t opened a committee on it or anything, but given the President’s reckless behavior regarding the banks last year, maybe we should. Maybe.”

– US Senator Allen West (R-FL), TON segment, 3/27/2014 broadcast



CHI-CHI’S REPORTS FIRST FQ SALES DROP IN TEN YEARS

…When the SARS pandemic broke out in 2002, the company was quick to establish many outlets with multiple pickup lanes and closed-off dine-in seating in its wake, and that kind of investing in customer safety finally yielded positive financial results for the company more a year later, in early 2004. Like all industries involving people being less than several feet apart, food services were upended by the SARS pandemic, leading to the need for innovative amendments to how Americans eat fast food. Deliveries and pre-order pickups replaced dine-in accommodations, and many companies have maintained such amenities due to the subsequent financial benefits.

Chi-Chi’s joined these companies in adjusting to the changed ways of customer interactions, trying the drive-thru only business model locally in the Southwest before successfully expanding it nationwide as customers increasingly used their computers, lar phones, pocketcomps or other device to simply place orders and then drive through to pick them up.

However, the Unlucky Recession, combined with the rising prominence of taco chain competitors such as Taco John’s, seems to be cutting into Chi-Chi’s profit margin. A newly released study (found here) found that Americans’ top taco pickup spots are Zantigo’s in first place, Chi-Chi’s in second, and Taco John’s rising into third place, to the detriment of Chi-Chi’s numbers. The study also confirmed that Americans’ taco consumption increased 15% during the pandemic and has only dropped 5% since, with roughly 1 in 5 Americans eating at least 1 taco per day on average…

– businessinsider.co.usa, 4/2/2014 e-article [5]



…Things were finally starting to look up for the continent in April, when the US sent a generous “relief package” to several Western European countries such as Spain, France, Germany and the UK. Before too long, other countries began contributing to donation boxes meant to help raise relief for the people of the countries hit worst. …In an ironic twist, Eastern Europe essentially bailed out Western Europe…

– Hanspeter Kriesi and Takis S. Pappas’ In The Shadow of The Great European Recession, ECPR Press, 2021



…After weeks of the Stimulus Package working its way through the GOP-held House’s committees, the bill only passed after conservatives successfully attached the “adoption-over-abortion” bill to it, essentially merging the two legislative proposals to create another large omnibus spending package. Less prominently featured in this omnibus package were FJG occupations covering transportation and infrastructure improvements, as well as the controversial Employee Non-Discrimination Act, and a deregulation of federal overtime rules…

– Kathryn Millstone’s The Grammer Administration, Borders Books, 2021



…While passing the 2014 Omnibus Stimulus Package improved how conservatives in the party viewed Grammer, with even Pastor Dale Huckabee praising Grammer for passing the bill, the President’s boosted numbers were overshadowed by praise given to Harley Brown. While both men were religious and pro-life, Brown was more open about it, consistently flaunting his faith and beliefs. As a result, Brown received even more praise from the far right than before. On one hand, this praise helped to bring back voters lost to the waning Boulderite party, lowering the chances of that populist third party spoiling narrow congressional elections in November. On the other hand, some of the praise was inaccurate, with many claiming that Brown had pushed Grammer to sign it into effect despite Grammer being both publicly and privately enthusiastic for it, and the two men agreeing on the issue of abortion as well…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



NARRATOR: “While Wiseau was working on securing a better special effects team to accommodate Trump’s requested script changes, The Don took a month off for a marriage and honeymoon.”

MINNILLO: “I just thought he was a fun guy at the time.”

NARRATOR: “Vanessa Minnillo was the former Miss Teen USA of 1998 and was a struggling actress, appearing in several small roles before dating the three-time divorcé. The two married on April 10, 2014. Trump was roughly twice her age.”

MINNILLO: “I remember asking him, Donald, why isn’t Wiseau on the guest list? He said he wasn’t going to be able to make it and wouldn’t say more than that. But right after we came back from the honeymoon, I get a call from Wiseau, and he’s complaining about Donald abandoning their film project. So I ask Donald about it, and he says Tommy’s acting like a baby. Each one was claiming the other is not pulling their own weight. It started to get even uglier from there...”

– Scott Neustadter’s Horrificent: The Trump-Wiseau Film Trilogy, TON Movies documentary, 2021



MCAFEE SENDS NASA HIS REGARDS FROM THE I.S.S.!

…his voyage comes at an exciting time for the agency. McAfee’s ambitious plans for a lunar robot hub to be built ahead of any further missions to Mars and beyond could re-energize American interests in space exploration. …McAfee’s trip comes six months after the Japanese space agency JAXA announced that their unscrewed space probe “Falcon 3,” launched in 2010 from the Tanegashima Space Center on a six-year (round-trip) mission to collect rock samples, had landed on the near-Earth and potentially hazardous asteroid Ryugu…

– popularmechanics.co.usa/space/news, 4/12/2014



…That was a wild wide – the most intense experience that I have ever had! I know it is a cliché to say, but I’ll say it nonetheless – if I had to do that all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing!...

– John McAfee’s autobiography Outer Space Deserves More Iguanas: My Life Being Me, numerous on-net publication sites, 2022



A YEAR LATER: How Are We Doing Now?

…In the one year that has passed since it was officially declared on April 15, 2013, many Americans are still feeling the effects of the Unlucky Recession…

– Time magazine, mid-April 2014 issue



MEXICO ON THE RISE?

…Another report on Mexico’s handling of the 2013 wave of nationwide recessions seems to confirm that, when comparing ratios, percentages and rates, Mexico got through the economic contraction better than did the US. More jobs became available in the immediate aftermath, and more positions were either retained or were kept at typical employment rates in certain sectors of Mexico’s economy. This suggests that the government has learned its lessons from their bankruptcy crisis of the 1980s…

– Business Weekly, mid-April 2014 issue



…Botswana’s Central Province contained the Orapa Mine, and the nearby Damtshaa Mine and Letlhakane Mine; farther to the southeast was the Tswapong Mine, not far from the South African border. It was at these mines that the men of Saan People, abducted and threatened, were forced to toil as diamond mine workers. The Diamond profits allowed for prolonged conflicts and increased human rights abuses in conflict zones such as Sudan and the DRC.

But the spark that ignited the revolution was the fatal beating of a ten-year-old boy named Xan Sanawi. The child of the Saan People had been put to work in the diamond fields, and when he protested to working on a particularly hot day, they promised him food and water if he found any diamonds. The boy worked for seven straight hours and unearthed three small diamonds. Then he asked if he could have some water. The guards laughed at him. Enraged by the welching of the deal, the boy bit into one of the guards’ leg, leading to said guard hitting him with the butt of his rifle. The guards, either five or seven depending on the source, converged onto the boy and proceeded to beat him with their rifles. Xan’s injuries were so severe that he passed away from internal organ damage.

Children had been killed before, but never so shamefully, and never so blatantly in front of so many workers on such a hot day. The image of the beating prompted several workers to raid the manager’s office, killing two “supervisors” and holding “the boss” hostage. And when they failed to get a reply from his superiors, he too was killed.

News of child murder at labor mining camps spread, and with each retelling the atrocities of Xan’s demise only grew more distorted, exaggerated, numerous and grotesque. It was one child, ten two, then ten children being tortured to death. Riots at the camps led to more “managers” being killed as waves of workers stormed the HQ of their “employers.”

With weapons seized the Saan People would tolerate the corruption permeating the diamond companies no more. And neither would they tolerate their corrupt government any more. Botswana had in the past twenty years become one of the most corrupt countries on the continent. After the nation’s founder Seretse Khama died in office in 1980, the nation experienced one disastrous President after another, with each one either proving himself to be corrupt, incompetent, or both, mismanaging budget and responding abysmally to drought crises. Because of these inept leaders, the 2013 recession was particularly hard on the hard-working people of Botswana.

Frustrations finally came to a head with Botswana’s corrupt President Otsweletse Moupo being overthrown on April 22. Interim co-leaders Duma Boko and Mokgweetsi Masisi then asked former South Africa President Steve Biko, aged 68 in 2014, to serve as Acting President until a new government could be established, in order to give the now-nationwide revolution a sense of legitimacy. Biko was highly popular in the country for living there during the late 1970s and early 1980s, using his location as the base of anti-Apartheid operations and then moving back to south Africa once Apartheid collapsed in the early 1980s. After much contemplation, Biko agreed.

– Davi Kowe and Roy Sesana’s Vulture, Trees And Blood: The Botswana Revolution, Borderless Books, 2020



…Grammer purportedly concluded, “We have to uphold this administration to the three Ds of good governing – democracy, diplomacy, and deregulation. We’ll offer to negotiate peace, and if that fails, we’ll send the freedom fighters support. Experts, weapons, medicine, food, whatever supplies and other backup they need, but we will stop short of sending in our own men unless absolutely necessary. And even then, it will be like in Sudan – we won’t go in alone, we’ll bring back up in the form of allies. That way, if intervening militarily turns out to be a stupid idea, we won’t be the only government with egg on its face”…

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



…Under Kelsey Grammer, the IRS’s lax approach to groups seeking tax-free status was increasingly criticized on the left, especially in regards to VP Brown’s “chummy” relationship with certain religious groups, including major organizations such as the Church of LDS, and multiple evangelical and Pentecostal groups…

– Kathryn Millstone’s The Grammer Administration, Borders Books, 2021



“Today, in the nation’s capitol, Congressman Brian Calley was sworn in as the new US Secretary of Commerce, replacing Acting Secretary Heidi Nelson. Now, some are calling the promotion sexist given that only a third of the positions in the White House Cabinet and inner circle are currently held by non-male individuals, but, I dunno, I think that maybe Kelsey Grammer’s just nostalgic for his acting days. I mean, Congressman Calley does look a bit like Niles Crane, doesn’t he?”

[pic: imgur.com/unOasrs.png ]

– Seth Meyers, “Weekend Update” segment, SNL, Saturday 4/26/2014 broadcast



“...And in religious news, the Catholic Church today simultaneously canonized Popes John the 23rd and John Paul the 2nd…”

– CBS Evening News, 4/27/2014 broadcast



“Now available at KFC – it’s the brand-new KFC Chicken Katsu Sandwich, the tried-and-true classic KFC original herbs-and-spices recipe together with a fresh Japanese style. It’s a tasty Kentucky Fried Chicken cutlet coated in a rich soy sauce-filed teriyaki sauce and topped with thin-sliced cabbage, mayo, and a sunny fired side-up egg omelet. All new at KFC – the place where chicken’s done right. It’s finger-lickin’ good!”

– transcript of KFC-US advertisement, first aired 4/28/2014 (the Katsu Sandwich was first introduced in KFC Japan in 2009)



…The general election was held on 5 May 2014 and pitted the majority Labour party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Mary Creagh, again the minority Conservative party, led by Jacob Rees-Mogg (a member of Parliament since the conservative “wave” of 2006). Other prominent parties in the election were the Liberal Democrats (led by Greg Mulholland), the Scottish People’s (led by Blair Jenkins), and the Green Party (led by Caroline Lucas).

…PM Creagh’s response to foreign affairs in Sudan was widely praised leading up to the election. Most prominently, though, was her strong “helping-hand” government policies lifting many Britons out of dire straits and allowing the UK to recover from the Unlucky Recession faster than many other European nations such as Germany, France and Spain. For these reasons, Labour increased the size of their majority by 17 seats, with the Tories losing 18 and the LDs gaining 1. Ergo, Creagh stayed on as Prime Minister…

– clickopedia.co.usa



United States:

[snip]

National GDP per capita: $61,022.35 USD

Unemployment rate: 4.5%

Life expectancy: 79.8 (average)

– statistica.co.uk, c. May 2014



SPAIN SIGNS TRADE DEAL WITH AMERICAN ENGINEERING COMPANY

…Pullmantur Cruises, the largest cruise line company in Spain, plans to construct a fleet of small cruise ships in ports found in both American and Spain in order to encourage travelling and spending, following President Grammer’s model for economic recovery…

– The New York Times, 5/7/2014



“It looks like we’re saving Europe’s ass once again!”

– US Vice President Harley Brown, 5/8/2014 (Brown apologized for the remark on 5/10/2014)



…The US established restrictive immigration polices under Iacocca and Dinger that were then relaxed under the twelve years of Jackson and Wellstone. …The US is still a favored destination for people in other countries due to our reputation as a land of opportunity; one common sentiment among immigrants to the US is wanting to go to a land “where even the poor are overweight,” highlighting the notion that “American poverty” is of comparatively better quality than poverty found in other countries. …The easing of legal immigration has curbed illegal immigration but has seemingly not significantly increased the rate of immigration… [6] …Currently, a plurality of people who come to live in the US are coming from Africa, where the wars in the DRC, Sudan nations, and Sierra Leone America have led to refugee crises. It is important to understand the difference between immigrants and refugees, though. Immigrants move from their nation voluntarily, while refugees flee from their nation in order to not be killed. Currently, a plurality of those immigrating to the US hail from South America due to the effects of the Unlucky Recession, while a plurality of those seeking refuge in the US hail from parts of Africa and parts of Asia…

– migrationpolicy.org.usa/date-hub, c. May 2014



>MOTHER-POST: Just Announced: Alex Hirsh’s “Mystery Shack” Season 2 Will Premier September 12!

The next season will contain 15 episodes, each roughly 22 minutes long. This is really exciting news for me because I just this series. Thoughts?

>REPLY 1:

Eh, I liked Hirsch’s “Imaginary Friend” series better. It only lasted from 2008 to 2010 but it was fun!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:
You mean that one about the idiot kid who can’t make up his mind who or what he wants his imaginary to be/look like so it’s a different thing each episode all while he doesn’t realize his imaginary friends are all the same shapeshifting alien who just wants to have a friend? I thought that show was weird!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 1:
I think it’s where Hirsch got to think out a lot of idea and learn what works comedy-wise and what doesn’t. Mystery Shack is a lot more fine-tuned.

>REPLY 2:

I can’t wait for it to come out!

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 2:
Same! My favorite character is Graunty Lois, she and Grandpa Stan have good comedic chemistry.

>REPLY 3:

Looking forward to watching this! Season 1’s cliffhanger with the abducted pigs was surprisingly good for a kids’ show.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:
It’s not just a kids’ show! Mystery Shack appeals to lots of people – I watched Season 1 with my dad and he’s an old guy and he loved it! He said it reminded him of Futurama and Life In Heck And Other Fun Places, and some Mark Frost show called The North.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 3:
Hirsh actually grew up watching all three of those shows. That last one was made in 1988 after Hill Street Blues was cancelled and Frost wanted to make a dark, supernatural version of the kooky St. Olaf town mentioned in The Golden Girls (1985-1994), BTW.

>REPLY 4:

Which one of his shows was the one that had the Homestar Runner reference as show within a show?

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:
That was the weird show “Laika,” about unsung animal heroes or something like that. Even Hirsch said it’s like his least favorite of the like three or four shows he’s worked on.

>REPLY 1 to REPLY 1 to REPLY 4:
Our wrong. It was Imaginary Friend, the same crossover episode with some other short-lived DisneyToon Channel show. Hirsh wanted to work with Disney from the get-go but got his start/got his foot in the door by working for the people behind Homestead Runner. You can remember by remembering that both I.F. and H.R. were released under Disney’s Touchstone label.

>REPLY 5:

Yes we finally got a release date! I can hardly wait!

– euphoria.co.usa, a public pop-culture news-sharing and chat-forum-hosting netsite, 5/12/2014 posting



PRIMARY RESULTS SET THE STAGE FOR MIDTERM ELECTIONS

…In Nebraska, incumbent Orrin Hatch easily won the Republican nomination in tonight’s GOP primary over challengers Sid Dinsdale, Shane Osborn, Bart McLeay and Clifton Johnson. In the Democratic primary, David Domina defeated Larry Marvin by a decent margin.

…The primary races in West Virginia were more contentious, with the incumbent US Senator Nick Rahall, a liberal Republican known for often siding with Democrats on legislation on occasion, fended off more conservative challengers Matthew Dodrill and Larry Butcher in tonight’s GOP contest. Concurrently, WV Democratic voters selected Paul T. Farrell Jr. to be their nominee over two other candidates, Dennis Melton and David Wamsley…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 5/13/2014



POLAND’S KRYSTYNA BOCHENCK RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT

– The Daily Telegraph, side article, 14/5/2014



ANCHOR 1: “…And in political news, the final primary election of the night can now be called – while Oregon Democrats voted to renominate incumbent Democratic US Jefferson Smith over primary challenger Pavel Goberman, the GOP primary for that state was narrow – very narrow – coming in at a margin of 1%, and requiring a recount in one county. But the state Secretary of State has finally confirmed that controversial political activist Jo Rae Perkins, a former member of the Boulder Party of Oregon and a strong supporter of Vice President Harley Brown, has won the Republican nomination for US Senate over challengers Jason Conger and Time Crawley.”

ANCHOR 2: “Perkins’ nomination is an upset for sure, but it is not as shocking as the results we saw unfold earlier tonight in Idaho.”

ANCHOR 1: “That’s right. For those of you who weren’t watching earlier tonight, incumbent US Senator Helen Chenoweth, a populist conservative Republican from Idaho, has lost re-nomination to her sole primary challenger, the controversial constitutionalist Dr. Rex Floyd Rammell.”

ANALYST 1: “Yes, those results were a stunning upset, and was a bit reminiscent of a very similar upset in the state four years ago, when incumbent US Senator Bo Gritz lost re-nomination to state lawmaker Carlos Bilbao. Here, however, there’s one very noticeable difference. In 2010, the primary victory was of the more moderate, traditionally-conservative lane of Republicanism. But tonight, the victor was someone who was even further into the populist right wing of the GOP than was Chenoweth. Rammell attacked Chenoweth’s mixed voting record, claiming she was not conservative enough for the state of Idaho, and that she had been in Washington D.C. for too long with little to show for it. Rammell also campaigned really heavily, so there are some signs for how he pulled this off, but they’ll be studied in greater detail as time goes on.”

ANCHOR 2: “Also in Idaho, the state Democrats selected Nels Mitchell to be their party’s nominee for US Senate over perennial candidate William Bryk.”

ANCHOR 1: “And earlier in the night, two other states held primary elections as well.”

ANCHOR 2: “Right you are. In Arkansas, incumbent Democratic US Senator Jim Guy Tucker won re-nomination over challenger Bobby Tullis in a landslide, while Republicans nominated US Congressman Tom Cotton (R) over Steve Womack and Nathan LaFrance. Despite that state being heavily pro-Republican, Tucker is still quite popular there, and so is expected to win re-election in the fall.”

ANCHOR 1: “And finally, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, another incumbent Democratic US Senator, former Governor and former US Presidential candidate Martha Layne Osborne, easily won re-nomination over Burrel Farnsley and Tom Recktenwald, while state lawmaker David Patterson won the Republican nomination over initial frontrunner Shawna Sterling. Osborne’s chances of winning re-election in November are less than Tucker’s, but still favor her. So what do all these mean?”

ANALYST 2: “Well the fact that the incumbents on the ballots tonight underperformed overall suggest there is a case of incumbency fatigue settling in over the nation. But given how heavily Democratic-leaning Oregon is and how heavily Republican-leaning Idaho is, it is very likely that Smith and Rammell are going to win in November. The same may be true for Tucker and Osborne, meaning that while the number of Democrats in the Senate next January may not rest on tonight’s states, their winners – especially Rammell – may still impact things – partake in proceedings, raise awareness on certain issues, et cetera…”

– KNN Evening News, 5/20/2014 broadcast



SUDAN MILITARY LEADER FOUND GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES

Human Rights Violator Unrepentant: “I Feel No Guilt In My Conscience!”

– tumbleweed.co.usa/news, 5/22/2014



…When I saw the footage on TV of the people of Botswana joining in on the overthrowing of their own government, with people passing out so many guns and other people happily accepting them, I was horrified. I thought, “Why on Earth am I there to make money off of all those ammo purchases?” So, within two days, I had relocated the focus of my operations from Eritrea to Botswana. The plight of the bushmen of the country, the Saan People suffering from De Beers diamond company operations, merged with anger all the other Botswanese peons had toward their country’s corrupt government. A revolution decades in the making, except nobody outside of southern Africa really cared so long as the rich got their diamonds.

[pic: imgur.com/bj0uBY2.png ]

In fact, the revolution was not as harmful as many announced it was. The diamond industry artificially inflating the price of diamonds was not going to be stopped by a bunch of rebels storming their nation’s political offices; that was the responsibility of the UN and multinational trade organizations. Diamonds can be mined by literal slave labor elsewhere; the top diamond producers in the world are Russia, Canada, Botswana, South Africa, Angola, the DRC, and Namibia, with China, India, Australia, Tanzania, and Guinea also contributing to the diamond production side of the industry.

Global corporations were only concerned that their practice of actively politically destabilizing and corrupting local and regional governments to ensure workers can’t seek better treatment would be inhibited by similar revolutions in other countries as well. That is what made me so valuable to people like them. I could supply guns to their allies, to their enemies, or even to both. The higher bidder determined which of those three options I went with.

With my reputation from the good work I had done in the post-KW2 fallout, I was able to easily fly guns into the region from Eritrea through my regular channels.

“The dictator of Tajikistan will just have to find another gun runner until I am available,” I remember telling Moko Johnson, my then-ally in all this…

– Tommy Gun Thompson’s With Cold, Dead Eyes: A Gun Runner’s Confessions, Borders Books, 2015



SENATE PASSES HOUSE-APPROVED ANTI-LOOPHOLE BILL, 54-50

…the bipartisan bill aims to clamp down on corruption in the banking industry...

– The Washington Post, 5/26/2014



JUST A QUICK DRIVE

Premiered: May 27, 2014
Genres: buddy comedy/road trip comedy

[snip]

Cast:

Ty Burrell as Frank
Eric Garcetti as Ryan
Treat Williams as Arnold
Selena as Maria
Jessyn Farrell as Hildy the angry bar maid
Robin Williams as The Woodsman (minor role)
Chris Farley as Matt Foley (uncredited cameo)

See Full List Here

Synopsis:

When they learn that an old family heirloom could be worth millions, brothers Ryan and Frank must travel from Maine to Seattle to collect the antique from the old family home’s attic before the house is demolished by developers. However, due to a past incident, neither of them can fly, and so must take trains, then buses, then hotwired vehicles to reach Seattle before it is too late.

Reception:

The film was modestly successful at the box office and received positive views from critics and audiences. Reviews for the film noted it having a “good balance of zaniness and heart.”
Trivia Facts:

Trivia Fact No. 1:

The running gag concerning one character – an out-of-touch woodsman who thinks SARS is still in effect and so continues to practice safezoning measures – was almost cut from the script over concerns that audiences would find it offensive. The film’s director, however, told the writers to take the risk due to her belief that the audience would relate to it, and look back on that awful era without being offended by the comedy pulled from it, believing that enough time had passed that “you can at least chuckle about it, especially viewers too young to remember the era,” as she put it in a post-premier interview.

– mediarchives.co.usa



“When I got to travel to the ISS to oversee software upgrades, the feeling of weightlessness, the ability to see the Earth, this seeming peaceful sphere, from God’s perspective, it was, man, it was just amazing. And the drugs only heightened the experience.”

“Drugs?”

“Yeah, I did some drugs while on board. Brought them along with me up to the ISS. That old thig is falling apart, you know. We need to build a bigger one.”

“You did drugs?”

“Yeah. I smoked this cocaine-marijuana mix, I codenamed it ‘stardust.’ It was surprisingly easy to sneak onboard, and then we I excused myself for a bathroom break, I just lit it up. And let me tell you something. Best – high – ever.”

– NASA Director John McAfee and host, WAMR-FM (107.5 MHz), Florida radio interview, 5/28/2014



CALLS FOR SCOTLAND TO SECEDE WIND DOWN AS REGION’S ECONOMY BOUNCES BACK

…Scotland was struck particularly hard by the efforts of the Unlucky Recession. In order to combat a rise in protests and violent incidents, PM Creagh has spent months working with Scottish leaders to lower unemployment rates and improve consumer spending in Scotland, and it seems those efforts are at last yielding results…

– theguardian.co.uk, 5/29/2014 report



“…The President’s leading advisor on financial corruption Jim Edgar has returned to full-time office activities after recovering from heart surgery last month, humorously proclaiming to reporters today, quote, ‘I’m as fit as the fiddle my voice sounds like,’ end quote...”

– ABC Morning News, 6/1/2014 broadcast



ROCKEFELLER TOWER FINALLY OPENS

…the former Senator added, “and I think my father would be very proud of what we have accomplished here, too”…

– The New York Times, 6/2/2014



LIST OF TALLEST BUILDINGS

Key: 1 – Name – City, Country – year of completion – height (feet) – notes

1 – Dubai Tower – Dubai, UAE – 2009 – 2,626

2 – Nakheel Tower – Dubai, UAE – 2018 – 2,460 – located next to Nakheel Harbor

3 – Shanghai Office Building – Shanghai, PRC – 2020 – 2,073 – tallest “twisted” building in the world; tallest building in the PRC

4 – The Chicago Spire – Chicago, IL – 2012 – 2,000 – built at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive; tallest building in the US

5 – Shenzhen Financial Center – Shenzhen, PRC – 2019 – 1,975 – second tallest building in the PRC

6 – Bashnya Rossiya (Russia Tower) – Moscow, Russia – 2013 – 1,919 – part of the Russia Tower Office Complex of Moscow’s International Business Center

7 – Unity Tower – Dan-Ilseong, United Korea – 2021 – 1,875 – located on the former DMZ/North-South border; tallest building in United Korea

8 – Rockefeller Tower – New York City, US – 2014 – 1,776 – designed by Emery Roth & Sons and co-funded by former US Senator Michael Rockefeller

9 – Tianjin CTF Finance Center – Tianjin, PRC – 2017 – 1,739 – third tallest building in the PRC

10 – China Zun – Beijing, PRC – 2016 – 1,732 – fourth tallest building in the PRC

11 – Tapei 101 – Tapei, Taiwan – 2004 – 1,667

12 – International Commerce Center – Hong Kong – 2009 – 1,590

13 – Central Park Tower – NYC, US – 2019 – 1,575 – third tallest building in the US

14 – Saigon Center – Saigon, United Vietnam – 1999 – 1,525

15 – Petronas Tower 1 and Petronas Tower 2 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 1998 – 1,500 – tallest “twin” towers in the world

[snip]

19 – Sears Tower – Chicago, IL – 1974 – 1,450 – fifth tallest building in the US

20 – Guangdong Tower – Guangdong, PRC – 2015 – 1,445 – also known as “Canton Tower”; fifth tallest building in the PRC

[snip]

27 – Princess Farahnaz Memorial Tower – 2011 – 1,400 – also known as “Princess Tower”

[snip]

31 – 1 World Trade Center – New York City, US – 1972 – 1,368 – the “North Tower” half of the WTC building complex’s “Twin Towers”

32 – 2 World Trade Center – New York City, US – 1973 – 1,362 – the “South Tower” half of the WTC building complex’s “Twin Towers”

33 – Al Hamera Tower – Kuwait City, Kuwait – 2001 – 1,354

34 – Marina Tower – Dubai, UAE – 2012 – 1,350 – eighth tallest building in the UAE

[snip]

39 – Trump Sunrise Tower – Santa Monica, US – 1997 – 1,331 – tallest building constructed by The Trump Organization

41 – City Plaza Center – Guangzhou – 1996 – 1,325

42 – Nanning International – Nanning, PRC – 2008 – 1,321

43 – Golden Eagle Tower – Cairo, Egypt – 2019 – 1,300

44 – Tour Sans Fin (Endless Tower) – Paris, France – 2018 – 1,296 – office building

[snip]

56 – Empire State Building – New York City, US – 1931 – 1,250 – 16th tallest building in the US

[snip]

68 – The Stratosphere Tower – Las Vegas, US – 1999 – 1,175 – more commonly known as “The Strat”; hotel/casino; tallest observation tower in the world

[snip]

85 – Signature Tower – Nashville, TN – 2012 – 1,000

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. 7/4/2021



PRIMARY NIGHT 2014: Moderate Dems Prevail As GOP Incumbents Stand Firm

…In Alabama, incumbent US Senator Spencer T. Bachus III (R) won re-nomination unopposed, while in the Democratic primary, African-American state lawmaker Quinton T. Ross Jr. bested two conservative former Republicans, Harris Garner and Suzelle Josey.

…Republican Iowans chose to re-nominate incumbent US Senator Terry Branstad over challengers Sam Clovis and Matthew Whitaker. Concurrently, Democratic Iowans selected Stephen N. Six over initial frontrunner Bob Quast, progressive “rising star” Ako Abdul-Samad, and freshman state lawmaker Leonard Boswell. Meanwhile, the primaries in Mississippi resulted in incumbent US Senator Peter H. “Pete” Johnson (R) besting challengers Thomas Carey and Chris McDaniel in a landslide, while state senator Travis Childers (D) won his party’s nomination over Bill Marcy, William Compton, and Jonathan Rawl with 50.1%, and thus narrowly avoiding a runoff…

…Incumbent US Senator Larry R. Williams (R-MT) won re-nomination tonight over Susan Cundiff and Champ Edwards with a plurality, while Montana Democrats selected Amanda Curtis over John Bohlinger and Dirk Adams…

…The Garden State saw former EPA Director Lisa Perez Jackson win the Democratic nomination for US Senate over Eugene Martin Lavergne in a landslide, after most state politicians opted to not challenge her in order to maintain a united front. The NJ Dems reportedly believe that they can flip this seat for the Democrats after being held for many years by a liberal Republican. This may be the case come November given who the Republicans have nominated – the controversial conservative Steve Lonegan, who bested moderate Richard J. Pezzullo, liberal Brian D. Goldberg, and libertarian Murray Sabrin in tonight’s primary. The US Senator currently holding the seat, Mary V. Mochary, is retiring, make this a race for an “open” seat…

…In South Dakota, Native-American advocate and incumbent US Senator SuAnne Big Crow (R) easily won over challengers Larry Rhodan, Stace Nelson and Dr. Annette Bosworth, while R. J. Volesky (D) won his party’s nomination over Democratic state senator Rick Weiland…

– The Washington Post, 6/3/2014



CIVIL RIGHTS ACT PROTECTS TRANSGENDER WORKERS, SUPREME COURT RULES

…With Chief Justice Alan Cedric Page leading the majority, with Associate Justices Aida M. Delgado-Colon, William Joseph Nealon Jr., Sylvia Bacon, Michael Joseph Sandel, Check Kong “Denny” Chin and Mary Murphy Schroeder agreeing and only Larry Dean Thompson and Emilio Miller Garza dissenting, the US Supreme Court today ruled that the language of the Civil Rights Act of 1962, which prohibits sex discrimination, applies to discrimination that is based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The ruling comes roughly 11 years after the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was legal in all 50 states…

– The Los Angeles Times, 6/4/2014



Total World Population By Half-Decade:

1990: 5,280,911,000 [7]

1995: 5,704,380,000

The Global Population reaches 6 billion in late 1998

2000: 6,134,581,000

2005: 6,592,342,000

The Global Population reaches 7 billion in early 2010

2010: 7,022,794,000

Current Population (June 2014): 7,375,789,000

– clickopedia.co.usa/world_population/history, c. June 2014



Current US Population, including citizens, student visa users, dual citizenship holders, undocumented immigrants and all other applicable residents: 327,928,000 [8]

– census.gov.usa/US_population/by_year, c. June 2014



“…After several days of internal debate, the House Ethics Committee has decided to launch a formal investigation into NASA Director John McAfee’s reported actions on board the I.S.S. this past April. McAfee claimed in a radio interview last month to have smoked a cocaine-marijuana mix onboard the ISS, which, if true, was a violation of international conduct regulations. The equivalent of smuggling contraband onto an airplane, McAfee could face serious charges as a consequence…”

– CBS Evening News, 6/7/2014 broadcast



LOSE IT

Premiered: June 10, 2014
Genres: horror/drama/suspense/thriller
Directed by: J. J. Burrows
Written by: Jurgen Wolff
Produced by: Steven Levitan and Paula Buckley

Cast:

“James Blunt” as Hogan Mayfield
“Andrew Fields” as Marty Isaacson
Treat Williams as Texas Tremaine
Amanda Donohue as Lily Garmen
Jeffrey Hirschfield as Jack LeRoy

See Full List Here

Tagline: There’s a surprise in store for you…and you’re not going to like it!

Synopsis:

A seemingly typical horror movie where the main character is an average man (seemingly played by an actor in his film debut) living in a small town in the Mojave Desert that is attacked by a masked maniac. Trying to survive the slaughter of his coworkers, he loses his medication, which turns out to be antipsychotic medication, causing him to snap and eventually attack the attacker, leaving the audience to wonder how far the average person can be pushed before they “lose it.” The “Starring” part during the end credits reveals – via the actors peeling off makeup – that Pauly Shore and Brock Pierce were playing the two main roles the whole time.

Reception:

Released in the mid-2010s, at the height of late ’80s nostalgia period in popular culture, the audiences who remembered that time period were initially shocked but retrospectively impressed by the range shown by Shore and Pierce in the film. As Shore and Pierce were starred in several films during that time period, the film led to a renewed interest in them, and indirectly helped resurrect Shore’s and Pierce’s respective long-dormant film careers.

– mediarchives.co.usa



INDEX

[snip]

List of Heads of State of ROMANIA (1945-present)

As GENERAL SECRETARY (1945-1982)

10/16/1945-4/19/1954: Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (Communist) – stepped down

4/19/1954-9/30/1955: Gheorghe Apostol (Communist) – stepped down

9/30/1955-3/19/1965: Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (Communist) – died in office from lung cancer

3/19/1965-3/29/1971: Gheorghe Apostol (Communist) – ousted in a coup

3/29/1971-7/21/1971: Ion Gheorghe Maurer (Communist) – assassinated by an unknown sniper

7/21/1971-4/28/1981: Elena Ceausescu (Communist) – fled the capitol during riots but continued to claim office until her capture and execution in July 1982

4/28/1981-7/25/1982: Ilie Verdet (Communist) – stepped down

7/25/1982-12/12/1982: Gheorghe Apostol (Communist)

As PRESIDENT (1982-present)

1) 7/25/1982-12/12/1991: Gheorghe Apostol (Communist, then Independent after June 1983) – resigned after holding Moldovan unification referendums

2) 12/12/1991-1/7/1993: Alexandra Barladeanu (Independent) – led the unofficial “transitional government”

3) 1/7/1993-1/7/1998: Michael I (Independent) – former King of Romania; retired after one term, as promised; officially called “Michael Romanescu”
1992: Mircea Snegur (Independent) and Petre Roman (Democratic (big-tent centrist))

4) 1/7/1998-1/7/2003: Nicolae Manolescu (Liberal Democratic (left-wing centrist)) – retired after one term, as promised
1997: Gyorgy Frunda (Christian Democratic)

5) 1/7/2003-1/7/2013: Theodor Stolojan (Christian Democratic (right-wing centrist)) – term-limited
2002: Neculai Ontanu (Social Democratic (far-left)) and Dumitru Braghis (Liberal Democratic)
2007 (first round): Corneliu Vadim Tudor (National Democratic (far-right)), Eugen Plesca (Social Democratic (far-left)) and Traian Basecu (Liberal Democratic)
2007 (runoff): Corneliu Vadim Tudor (National Democratic)

6) 1/7/2013-present: Dumitru Ciubasenco (Liberal Democratic (endorsed by Social Democratic)) – incumbent; first President from the former Moldova
2012: Sorin Paliga (Christian Democratic) and Emil Strainu (National Democratic)

– Frederick B. Chary’s The Modern Balkans: The History of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania and Turkey After The End of the Cold War Era, Greenwood Publishers, first edition, 2014



Filmography:

Film

Date: Title – Role – Note(s)

1992: Galaxies are Colliding – Peter

1996: Down Periscope – Lt. Commander Thomas “Tom” Dodge

1997: Disney’s The Twelve Dancing Princesses – The King and The Court Jester – voice (two roles)

1998: The Real Howard Spitz – Howard Spitz

1999: Standing on Fishes – Verk

1999: Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas – Narrator – voice; direct-to-MLD

2001: 15 Minutes of Fame – Robert Hawkins

2001: Star Wars: Episode III: Guardians of The Force – General Daygn Vindigadge – minor role

2001: Just Visiting – narrator – voice; uncredited

2001: God Lives Underwater: Fame – Robert Hawkins – short film

2002: Bandito: The Life of Patton – General George S. Patton – nominated for an Academy Award for Best Thespian, 2003 (lost)

2003: The Big Empty – Agent Banks

2003: Barbie of Swan Lake – Rothbart – voice; direct-to-MLD

2004: Stewie: The Dog Boy: The Movie – Dr. Ivan Krank – voice; direct-to-MLD

2005: The Good Humor Man – Mr. Skibness

2006: Even Money – Detective Brunner

Television

Year: Title – Role – Note(s)

1979: Ryan’s Hope – Waiter – 1 episode; uncredited

1982: Another World – Head Paramedic – 1 episode

1982: Macbeth – Lennox – TV film

1983: Mondale – Minister Lester Mondale – TV film; minor role in flashback

1984: Kate & Allie – David Hamill – 1 episode

1984: George Washington – Lt. Stewart – 1 episode

1984-1993: Cheers – Dr. Frasier Crane – 203 episodes; nominated twice for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (1988, 1990)

1986: Crossings – Craig Lawson – 2 episodes

1987: You Are The Jury – Stuart Cooper – 1 episode

1987: J. J. Starbuck – Pierce Morgan – 1 episode

1988: Disney Presents: Mickey’s 60th Birthday – Dr. Frasier Crane – TV Special

1988: Dance ‘til Dawn – Ed Strull – TV film

1989: 227 – Mr. Anderson – 1 episode

1989-1990: Star Trek: Excelsior – Captain Morgan Bateman Sr. – 3 episodes

1990: Disney’s Earth Day Special – Dr. Frasier Crane – TV special

1991: Baby Talk – Russell – 1 episode

1991, 1995, 2003, 2005, 2011: SNL – himself – 5 episodes (host, 3; cameo, 2)

1992: Wings – Dr. Frasier Crane – 1 episode (crossover episode); nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

1993-2005, 2010: Futurama – Dr. Whitemarsh Telesphore Cherubusco Schwarzchild – 29 episodes; won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (2003)

1993: Roc – Detective Rush – 1 episode

1993-2004: Frasier – Dr. Frasier Crane – 263 episodes; nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award nine times, won four times; nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Thespian in a Television Series Comedy six times, won twice; nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award 17 times, won once; won 2 out of 3 nominations for the People’s Choice Award, won 2 out of 3 nominations for the Satellite Award, and nominated twice for the Television Critics Association Award; nominated for the American Comedy Award twice, won twice

1994: The Innocent – Detective Frank Barlow – TV film

1995: Biography – George Washington – documentary; 1 segment

1996: London Suite – Sydney Nichols – TV film

1997: Fired Up – Tom Whitman – 2 episodes

1998: Just Shoot Me! – narrator – voice

1998: The Pentagon Wars – General Partridge – HBO TV film

1999-2000: Star Trek: Deep Space Seven – Captain Morgan Bateman Jr. – 6 episode; recurring role

1999: Animal Farm – Snowball – voice; TV film

2000: Stark Raving Mad – Professor Ted Muttle – 1 episode

2001: The Sports Pages – Howard Greene – TV film; 1 segment

2002: Mr. St. Nick – Nick St. Nicholas – TV film

2003: Becker – Rick Cooper – 1 episode

2003: Gary The Rat – Gary Andrews – voice; 13 episodes

2004: A Christmas Carol: The Musical – Ebenezer Scrooge – TV film

2005: Star Trek: Liftoff – Mordecai Bateman – 1 episode

2005: Sesame Street – himself – 1 episode

2014: Frasier: The Reunion – Dr. Frasier Crane – cameo; TV special (pre-production)

Theater

Year: Title – Role – Venue (note(s))

1981: Macbeth – Lennox – Vivian Beaumont Theatre

1982: Othello – Michael Cassio – Winter Garden Theatre

1982: Plenty – Codename Lazar – The Public Theater

1983: Quartermaine’s Terms – Mark Sackling – Playhouse 91

1983: Sunday in The Park with George – Young Man on the Bank and soldier – Playwrights Horizons (two roles)

2000: Macbeth – Macbeth – Colonial Theater and Music Box Theatre (two venues)

2000: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Sweeney Todd – Ahmanson Theatre

– mediarchives.co.usa/Kelsey_Grammer/filmography, June 2014



“You know, it really says something about our society, like modern society, we’re a lot more accepting of things. I mean, we never would have elected an actor, to like, to the Presidency, you know back in the day, like when I was growing up I mean, you know what I mean?”

– TON Nighttime News co-anchor Sarah Heath, 6/17/2014



…In political news, the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Oklahoma have held primary elections for their respective US Senate seats. In North Carolina, Dan Clodfelter won the Democratic primary over Ernest T. Reeves, while the incumbent US Senator, Margaret A. “Meg” Ryan, who should not to be confused with and is not related to the actress Meg Ryan, who re-nomination over Will Stewart, Greg Brannon, Heather Grant, Ted Alexander, Alex Lee Bradshaw and Edward Kyrn.

In Oklahoma, incumbent Republican US Senator Steve Largent has easily bested primary challengers Erick Wyatt, Randy Brogdon and Eric McCray, while a big name in state politics, US Congressman and “legacy” candidate Dan Boren, has won the Democratic nomination over Matt Silverstein and Patrick Hayes. Boren’s political weight in the state could make this election the first competitive general US Senate election in Oklahoma in several years. No Democrat has been to the US Senate from Oklahoma since the “blue wave” year of 2004, but state senator Boren could change that.

And finally, in the contests held in South Carolina, Republicans held a runoff between J. Gary Simrill and Lee Bright, the top-two finishers of the state’s June 10 primary contest, where Simrill and Bright finished ahead of Republican candidates two candidates Bill Connor, Randall Young, and Benjamin Dunn. Simrill, who was strongly endorsed and supported by House leader Dargan McMaster, edged out a victory over Bright. This means that Simrill will face off in November against incumbent US Senator Mike Thurmond, a Democrat, who won his party’s nomination on June 10 in a landslide over challengers Brad Hutto, Joyce Dickerson, Sidney Moore, Harry Pavilack and Jay Stamper…

– CBS Evening News, 6/22/2014 broadcast



ANNOUNCER: “The American Veterans Committee, together with the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, is pleased to welcome Vice President of the United States Harley Davidson Brown.”

[pic: imgur.com/aQaHfFP.png ]

BROWN: “Thank you, heh, thank you! Yeah! Wow, what a great turnout. Which is good because this is a noble cause we have here, supporting our troops, our brave men and women coming back from Sudan. You guys and gals have sure put together a great veteran charity dinner thing here. …[snip]… My heart goes out to all the veterans who suffer from the sneakiest of scars, the one that can’t be treated with some bandages and gauze – PTSD. …[snip]… It is inherently messed up for those who risk their lives, and kind of sacrifices their sanity, to have their patriotism be criticized by sheltered privileged upper-class college snobs who haven’t worked a real day in their lives. And I am sincere when I say that military veterans get discriminating looks from some people when they go onto certain liberal campuses. And I can relate to that. As a person who has been discriminated against, as a motorcycle guy, I’ve experienced firsthand tremendous discrimination by police forces. It seems like if you’re riding a Harley-Davidson and you’re wearing black leathers, they automatically got you pegged as a bad guy. And I can empathize [sic] with the tremendous, I say again, the tremendous discrimination against gays. Those poor people have been walked on by society”. Trans people, too. So to be gay and to be a combat veteran is to have two kinds of bravery at once. I’m very proud of the BLUTAGOs who served under me in Korea – or should I say the former North Korea? Heh-heh! – and I will always defend their rights and uphold the libertarian and deeply American philosophy of individual freedom and keeping the government out of the bedroom. Unless that’s your kink. Because, hey, to each their own, right?” [9]

– remarks made at a Veterans of Sudan dinner function, Washington D.C., 6/24/2014



…The successful deployment of US military personnel to lead a coalition of “concerned nations” into war-torn Sudan was a badly-needed shot in the arm for the Grammer White House. Claims that President Grammer had worsened the economic recession by breaking from the non-libertarian wing of the GOP and refusing the bail out the big banks was plaguing his approval ratings within the GOP. The Commander-in-Chief’s perceived strength at handling foreign affairs led to a nearly 10% uptick in interparty support for the President, allowed his inner circle to breathe a sigh of relief, albeit small one, as the midterm elections began to take form…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)
[1] Credit must go to @ajm8888 for reminding me about this guy (he was last mentioned in March 2009)
[2] Pulled almost verbatim from an OTL article from brookings.edu: “What does economic evidence tell us about the effects of rent control?”
[3] Concept for this segment pulled from here: https://thehill.com/opinion/interna...ng-china-struggles-to-meet-basic-food-demands
[4] Several passages, not just the ones in italics, were pulled from the 11/18/2020 csis.org article “Rediscovering America: Why African Leader Tours Benefit U.S. Foreign Policy”
[5] Segment based on this article that @ajm8888 brought to my attention: “Brooklyn Park is first to get Taco Bell’s new drive-through prototype,” the startribune.com, 2/25/2021
[6] This is because, without the destabilizing of the Middle East, and Mexico doing much better ITTL due to the destructive but effective activities of the Cartel Wars of the 1990s lowering the destructiveness of drug cartels, those countries are doing better than IOTL, and thus, immigrant to the US from those countries is lower than it is in OTL.
[7] In the late 1990 Chapter, I explained in detail how the world population in TTL’s 1990 has 17,318,000 more people than OTL’s 1990 (roughly 5,263,593,000, depending on what source you use (I used the one listed on the wikipedia article for the year 1990)). Basically, it was because several wars played out differently, and TTL’s version of Roe-v-Wade did not happen until roughly twenty years later than did in OTL. With the continuation of that rate of 17million more people – but also factoring in the higher number of deaths in Korea and the implementation of TTL’s version of Roe v. Wade – I added 30 million more to OTL’s 1995 total and 64 million more to OTL’s 2000 total. The SARS pandemic killed hundreds of thousands of people, so I only added 80 million more to OTL’s 2005 total, and due to the OTL stagnation of the world population growth rate, added only 100 million more to OTL’s 2010 total. For 2014, I add 120 million more than there are in OTL.
[8] The US population is equivalent to 4.25% of the total world population in OTL. ITTL the US has had UHC since 1990, likely saving thousands of lives at the very least. The twenty-year delay in a Roe-v-Wade case lead to 15,000,000 Americans not being aborted. More successful foreign policy spared thousands more as covers in the footnotes of the late 1990 chapter. Gun violence became less prominent due to the gun laws passed in the wake of the Iacocca assassination, sparing roughly 400,000 lives at the very least (IOTL, roughly 1.4 million people died from firearms in the US between 1968 and 2011, many of whom were suicides). All in all, I estimate that this means that the US has roughly 16,000,000 more people in it than in OTL’s 2014 (318,000,000, meaning here that number should be 334,000,000 in TTL’s 2014). To check this, I calculated that 4.25% of TTL’s total world population in 2014 (7,375,789,000, see the above Note for further information) and got 313,471,033. I split the difference and got 323,735,517, roughly 5million more people than in OTL. But I thought this “felt” a little low, so a sort of rounded it up as I felt more people would be immigrating to TTL due to its less archaic immigration policies and many other variables. Plus butterflies, of course.
[H1] Italicized lines here were pulled from the OTL time.com article “Idaho GOP’s Biker Candidate on Life as a Viral Sensation”

 

[gap80]

Post 100: Chapter 108



Chapter 108: July 2014 – January 2015

“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try”

– John F. Kennedy (OTL/TTL)



BIPARTISAN COALITION ALLOWS FELONY VOTING BILL TO NARROWLY PASS HOUSE

…The End to Felony Disenfranchisement Bill, also known as the Ex-Con Voting Rights Bill, has narrowly passed in the U.S. House, 226-215. The victory for disenfranchised former felons arrived after 16 Republicans, led by conservative Congressman Rick Santorum (R-PA), broke ranks and sided with all but three House Democrats voting “yea.” Calls for the bill to pass were spurred by NYC Mayor Jimmy McMillan’s felon voting rights reform. However, this bill, if passed by the Senate, would only restore voting rights to those found guilty of committing “both nonviolent and victimless felonies” who have already completed their sentences and/or parole/probation periods. Nevertheless, Mayor McMillan declared the work being done on the bill’s passing to be “excellent progress.”

However, the bill could die in the majority-Republican Senate, where US Senator George Deukmejian (R-CA), a longtime champion of “law-and-order” policies is calling for the bill to be struck down. He is joined by US Senator Steve Largent (R-OK), who stated today that “issues concerning felonious criminals must remain at the state level”…

– The Washington Post, 7/2/2014



…The interparty backlash to libertarian Republicans crossing party lines was led by wealthy party donors and their lobbyists, especially banks that lost millions when Grammer refused to send them said. Even US House Speaker H. Dorgan McMaster was criticized by conservative talking heads on TV and ontech, accusing him of poor leadership for failing to keep the “hedgehog bloc” in line with national party policy. McMaster was taken aback by the attacks, and after so many years of party loyalty and dedication to hard-c conservative ideology. McMaster countered the remarks by working with the RNC and GOP PACs to target libertarian candidates during the primary season.

However, by having several Libertarian Republicans be attacked on the right in their respective primaries just for occasionally backing Democratic policy, McMaster only widened the rift between the libertarian wing and non-libertarian wings of the party. He and other leading conservatives endorsing more conservative candidates in GOP primaries against libertarian incumbents in turn led to libertarians opposing him being re-nominated for Speaker should the GOP retain the house come January 2015…

– Doris Helen Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership In Turbulent Times, Simon & Schuster, 2018



“When I’m not starring in the next blockbuster I’m spending time with my family. And as a Dad, I want what’s best for kids’ health. That’s why the Ruffalos eat at Culver’s, where they use top-quality ingredients for meals that are healthy and tasty. Culver’s – Welcome to delicious”

– actor Mark Ruffalo, Culver’s commercial, first aired 7/5/2014



CO-ANCHOR: “…In Keystone, South Dakota, Native American activists from across the country have converged onto Mount Rushmore to protest Governor Stephanie Herseth’s plans to complete the famous sculpture. We now take you live to our South Dakota correspondent, who has more for us on this developing story.”

CORRESPONDENT: “Hi, I’m here in the Black Hills’ Mount Rushmore National Memorial with Mr. Richard Oakes, a longtime Native American Rights activist and a Mohawk Native American, who has co-led some of the nearly one thousand Native Americans here. Mr. Oakes, can you tell you a little about yourself and why you and the rest of these people are here?”

OAKES: “Thank you. I got into fighting for the rights of all Native Americans back in the 1960s. I started working as a high steelworker after turning 16, a job that had a lot of traveling in it. In 1963 I was drafted into the Army and fought in the Cuba War, where I was sent behind enemy lines more because of my skin color than my handling of Spanish. I lot of my Native American brothers and sister died in that war. In fact, Native Americans serve in the military at a higher rate than any other US demographic [1]. But still we go unsung. So much so that now Governor Herseth thinks she can easily ignore us and destroy even more of this sacred land. It’s not enough they carved faces into the Six Grandfathers, now they plan to carve out the bodies as is they are sticking out of the ground. It is a disgrace, it is an injustice, and it is something that all Native American groups and cultures can relate to, for it is a history and a tragedy that all of us Native Americans share.”

CORRESPONDENT: “So what exactly do you plan to do with these protests?”

OAKES: “Raise awareness of this injustice, and mobilize activists elsewhere to demand that this project is cancelled. We are reaching out to Americans of all ethnicities to stand with us in solidarity.”

CORRESPONDENT: “Yes, you told me before we began taping that you have been involved in mobilization efforts for decades. Can you tell anything about that and how it relates to this protest?”

OAKES: “Well after the war I was accepted into Minnesota U, where I fought to change the university curricula to include more Native American courses. I also helped to change the US federal government’s ‘Indian Termination Policy’ policies of Native American peoples and culture during the 1970s, and contributed to organizations that have been promoting a sense of unity among all Native American tribes starting in the 1980s. Most recently, I worked with the Navajo Nation to try a get US educational maps be printed with Native American nations more prominently outlined on them. So many Americans do not realize how many reservations still exist because they are not placed on typical maps. Just the states, and sometimes, the territories, but never the reservations. We worked on changing that, and we’re now working to halt the further desecration of these sacred lands…”

– NBC News, 7/7/2014 segment



Management decided to inform the workers the day after Independence Day, purportedly to “soften the blow.” When the laborers of Milliken & Company’s textile fabrics factory, the largest employer in Spartanburg, South Carolina, learned that 25% of them would be laid off due to rising production costs, and the rest would have their pay reduced, they were naturally upset. Meeting with their weak labor representatives led to the discovery of a flagrantly obvious loophole in their CBA contract, which was not scheduled to expire for another five months.

The layoffs led to the remaining workers organizing in protest of the drop in wages, along with ongoing issues with the factory’s work culture. Accusations of wage theft soon found their way to the media. On July 9, the Moment of Truth arrived in the form of a massive worker strike – all ground floor workers exiting the factory to form a picket line in the parking lot, and a second row of protesting families and friends across the street.

“Better conditions means less strikes, means less time lost, means more productivity! We know how powerful this is! We know they can’t afford this!” shouted one fiery laborer through a microphone as the local news began broadcast the footage of several hundred workers taking to the lot.

Soon local politicians began to comment on the Spartanburg Textile Strike as it entered its tenth hour. The “bravery” of the workers, 55% of whom were Black, were strongly backed by US Senator Mike Thurmond (D-SC), an African-American lawmaker, and the white progressive Mayor of the City...

…In Washington, D.C., President Grammer decided to send his Attorney General, Susana Martinez (R-NM), down to the factory to try and negotiate an agreement between management and the workers...

– Andrew Boyd and Diane Osmond’s Beautiful Trouble: A History of The Modern Labor Movement, Oregon Press, 2021



BERTA SOLER ELECTED PRESIDENT OF CUBA

…Berta Soler of the National Coalition, defeated challenger Miguel Faria (officially Independent) in a landslide at a time of political party reorganizing for the island nation of Cuba. With the traditional two-and-a-half party system collapsing in Cuba, the National Coalition and several smaller parties are filling in the void. Soler (b. 1963), a Cuban Senator and human rights advocate, was a member of the Stability Party before she joined the NC. Her opponent, Miguel Faria (b. 1952) was a professor and lecturer with reportedly encyclopedic knowledge on socioeconomics, politics, medicine, and world affairs; he was endorsed by several parties currently at odds with the nation’s new dominant “big tent” party that is the National Coalition…

– The Miami Herald, 7/10/2014



LATIN AMERICAN LEADERS ATTEND INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT

– The Houston Chronicle, side article, 7/11/2014



Presidents of Colombia

1958-1962: 20) Alberto Lleras Camargo (Liberal) – term-limited

1962-1966: 21) Guillermo Leon Valencia Munoz (Conservative) – term-limited

1966-1970: 22) Carlos Lleras Restrepo (Liberal) – term-limited

1970-1974: 23) Misael Pastrana Borrero (Conservative) – term-limited

1974-1978: 24) Alfonso Lopez Michelsen (Liberal) – term-limited

1978-1982: 25) Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala (Liberal) – term-limited

1982-1986: 26) Belisario Betancur (Conservative) – term-limited

1986-1990: 27) Virgillio Barco Vargas (Liberal) – survived 1988 explosion from bomb planted on orders of Pablo Escobar; term-limited

1990-1994: 28) Luis Carlos Galán (Liberal) – nearly assassinated twice; term-limited

1994-1998: 29) Antonio Navarro Wolff (Peace) – adjusted term limits but declined running for re-election

1998-2006: 30) Andres Pastrana Arango (Conservative) – co-led 2001-2003 peace talks that led to the 2003 Peace Accords that finally ended the Colombian Civil War; oversaw US troops leave country in 2003 after being station in Colombia since 1984 (making the US intervention the longest “war” in US history); term-limited

2006-2014: 31) Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa (Patriotic Union) – term-limited

2014-present: 32) Carlos Pizarro Leongómez (Democratic) – incumbent

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, c. 2021



Presidents of COSTA RICA

1962-1966: 34) Francisco Orlich (PLN)

1966-1970: 35) Jose Trejos (UN)

1970-1974: 36) Daniel Oduber Quirós (PLN)

1974-1978: 37) Rodrigo Carazo (Independent)

1978-1982: 38) Manuel Mora (PVP)

1982-1986: 39) Luis Alberto Monge (PLN)

1986-1990: 40) Carlos Manuel Castillo (PLN)

1990-1994: 41) Alejandra Calderon Fournier (PUSC)

1994-1998: 42) José Figueres (PLN)

1998-2002: 43) José Miguel Corrales Bolaños (PLN)

2002-2006: 44) Luis Fishman Zonzinski (PUSC)

2006-2010: 45) Laura Chinchilla (PLN)

2010-2014: 46) Otto Guevara (Libertarian)

2014-2018: 47) Astrid Fischel Volio (Independent)

2018-present: 48) Rolando Araya Monge (PLN)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, c. 2021



Presidents of EL SALVADOR

1967-1972: 32) Fidel Sanchez Hernandez (Military/NC) – pressured into allowing winner of the 1972 election to enter office

1972-1977: 33) Jose Napoleon Duarte (CDP) – gradually introduced democratic reform; retired

1977-1981: 34) Ernesto Antonio Claramount Roseville (CDP) – overthrown in military coup

1981-1987: 35) Jaime Abdul Gutiérrez (Military/NC) – overthrown in civilian-based counter-coup

1987-1988: 36) Adolfo Arnoldo Majano (Military/Independent) – essentially served on an interim basis while free elections were held in November 1987

1988-1993: 37) Álvaro Magaña (Democratic) – term-limited

1993-1998: 38) Rubén Zamora (Democratic) – term-limited

1998-2003: 39) Carlos Quintanilla Schmidt (Republican) – term-limited

2003-2008: 40) Schafik Handal (Democratic) – the son of Palestinian immigrants; barely survived a massive heart attack in 2005 and died from another one in 2010; term-limited

2008-2013: 41) Rodrigo Ávila (Republican) – term-limited

2013-2018: 42) Hugo Roger Martínez Bonilla (Democratic) – term-limited

2018-present: 43) Estevan Montenegro (Republican) – won election in November 2017, entered office in January 2018 at the age of 36; incumbent

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, c. 2021



SOUTH CAROLINA STRIKERS ADAMANT THAT “WAGE THEFT” CLAIMS BE ADDRESSED IN PROPOSED TALKS

– The Washington Post, 7/14/2014



Maryland State Party Gubernatorial Primaries, 7/16/2014:

Democratic Primary Results:

Kumar P. Barve – 26.7%
Jon S. Cardin – 24.5%
Douglas F. Gansler – 21.4%
Heather R. Mizeur – 18.1%
Charles U. Smith – 5.7%
James P. Cusick Sr. – 2.4%
Ralph Jaffe – 1.2%

Republican Primary Results:

Daniel Bongino – 36.7%
Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. – 35.9%
David R. Craig – 11.6%
Charles Lollar – 10.3%
Ron George – 5.5%

– ourcampaigns.co.usa



SOUTH CAROLINA STRIKE SET TO END AFTER AG MARTINEZ LEADS NEGOTIATIONS!

– The Washington Post, 7/22/2014



…Martinez convinced management to renew the workers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement, with the City’s Deputy Mayor joining her in moderating the discussions. A new CBA was announced that guaranteed a “living wage” for the next five years of employment, in a major win for the US Labor Movement. After 14 days of striking, the factory reopened on the 23rd… The strike was a part of a bigger underlying issue. Deregulation meant managers were becoming bolder in either efforts to exploit their workers, while the use of social media to be strikers informed and united demonstrated the mobilization possibilities of modern technology. Politically, the image of the abandoned work stations energized the GOP into blaming the “incident” on the Democratic lawmakers involved, especially US Senator Mike Thurmond (D-SC), while completely ignoring the positive long-term results gained by the workers through their short-term halt in production...

– Andrew Boyd and Diane Osmond’s Beautiful Trouble: A History of The Modern Labor Movement, Oregon Press, 2021



...The rebels fought against the militaries of the ousted government and the mining corporations. Fighting was most intense in the eastern and northern parts of the country, with the eastern towns of Serowe and Selebi-Phikwe seeing vicious battles that resulted in the freedom-loving patriots prevail. The Kalahari Desert in the southwest of the nation also saw intense fighting and bloodshed. Meanwhile, in the Okavango Delta swamplands, retribution from the diamond companies concluded with battles, shoot-outs, and even hand-to-hand combat. I, Davi, had to drown a man, a guard for the local oil company who jumped me from behind, in the Boteti River, on which rests the town of Maun, the site of a terrible massacre instigated by the mining companies...

…The Battle of Kanye centered on the city of the same name, which is in the southern part of the country, near the South African border and near the Botswanan capital of Gaborone. The Battle was over the local government aiding militia groups terrorizing the innocent. Much blood was spilled…

…All the while, Acting President Biko sought to receive military support from South Africa in a conflict most outsider observers declared to be a civil war. How can that be when the mining of the blood diamonds that began this conflict in the first place are sold in markets around the world, including the western world? No, this was an internal reaction to external influencers, thus explaining Biko’s willingness to accept foreign funds, food and medical supplies, and his great reluctance to accept foreign troops and weaponry…

– Davi Kowe and Roy Sesana’s Vulture, Trees And Blood: The Botswana Revolution, Borderless Books, 2020



OLD-FASIONED DIPLOMACY AT HOME: Can Grammer Pull It Off?

…Bangladeshi Prime Minister Mohammad Ali (not to be confused for the famous boxing champion of the same name) was given a “classic tour” of America during his visit to the US this month. President Grammer is trying to bring back old-fashioned promotions of the US to diplomats in the hopes of improving America’s reputation abroad and to strengthen western connections to developing countries. Ali, the new leader of his third world country, was taken beyond the Beltway and the UN Building for a tour of a shipbuilding facility in North Carolina and a textile company in Ohio before finishing off in Boston with a tribute to his country’s culture at the Carol Bellamy World Arts Performance Center at MIT.

As Grammer had hoped, Ali returned to Bengladesh to sing America’s praises…

– Time Magazine, late July 2014 issue



GRAMMER SACKS NASA DIRECTOR JOHN MCAFEE!

…Sources have confirmed that President Grammer has fired NASA Director John McAfee for breaking international regulations in connection to a House Committee Panel’s recent findings. McAfee was at the center of controversy throughout this year, after he admitted in a radio interview to smoking federally-illicit narcotics onboard the International Space Station.

Barely 18 months into office (his term began on February 12, 2013), McAfee, age 69, had trouble with more seasoned veterans of the agency, butted heads with numerous departments, and tried to redirect funding from some departments to others without clearing it with the proper channels. On the other hand, he also engaged and interacted with many young space enthusiasts ontech and at conventions, and used his position to promote private donations to NAA in the hopes of funding a lunar “Robot Hub,” a sort of pit stop for future expeditions to other celestial bodies.

McAfee doing drugs on the I.S.S. in order to “see if getting high in zero gravity is as cool as I dreamed it is” was apparently the final straw. The fatal blow to his tenure, however, has been met with McAfee supporters online defending his actions. “What harm did he do exactly when nothing got blown up,” posts one such defender on euphoria.co.usa; another, a technetter on ourvids, writes “I thought this administration was supposed to be soft on drugs! This is oppression.”

McAfee is expected to hand in a letter of resignation at noon tomorrow, ending what has been a short and tumultuous but memorable era in NASA’s history.

– The Houston Chronicle, 8/4/2014



THE TOP TEN CELEBS OF THE CHICKEN WARS, RANKED

With KFC competing with their “evil twin” Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s facing rising star Culver’s, even the smaller chains like Popeyes’s, Whataburger and Burger Chef are scrambling for celebrity endorsements as the huge ad campaigns of The Chicken Wars escalate. Here are our picks for the best celebrities endorsements to come out of this competition:

1) Nickelback, Whataburger (July 2012) – the band sings an altered version of the first sixty-second of their hit song “What A Good Time” while pretending to ride GRI horses made out of fries to direct a herd of burger-shaped steers in one fun and trippy music Super Bowl music video

2) Michelle Rodriguez and Jeb Bush, Chick-fil-A (October 2013) – the professional survivalist searches the woods for food only for the actress to direct him to a “Chick-fil-A cave”; the funny bit is a surprisingly trippy ad from a famously conservatively-run company

3) Rob Lowe, KFC (June 2014) – the star of several dramas and thrillers of late gave his promo spot a sense of dread – that something terrible (or terribly clichéd) would happen if we didn’t eat “America’s favorite” chicken

4) Shaquille O’Neil, McDonald’s (June 2014) – running in the same week as the Lowe ad, this spot sharply contrasts Lowe’s serious presence, as Shaq appears as an overly enthusiastic KFC manager is a comedic promo that shows off both the products and O’Neil’s acting range

5) Randall Darius Jackson, Popeyes (February 2014) – going all out budget-wise, this musical gig aired during this year’s Superbowl and gave us all catchy tune to sing and, probably, gave Popeyes more customers to serve

6) Jay Scott Greenspan, KFC (September 2013) – the award-winning thespian describes how he “grew up on KFC” while ordering at an outlet in a promo filmed in his home town for that wholesome “family values” feel

7) The Farley Brothers, Culver’s (April 2012) – Chris, Kevin and the rest tour the Culver’s of their hometown of Madison, Wisconsin in a shaky-cam documentary style that gives a sense of raw, home-video honesty to what could have easily been a typical “back to your roots” segment

8) Kristy Swanson, Chick-fil-A (March 2014) – A quick ad calling back to over two decades ago, when she was still relevant; still, she gets the job done with nostalgia for a zanier era in American pop-culture history, and does her best to tie it to chicken fillets

9) Randy Quaid, KFC (April 2013) – the former voice of The Cartoon Colonel returned for his first on-screen advertisement, reflecting on the behind-the-scenes of the gig, all while praising both the Colonel integrity and his food’s high quality and taste

10) Donald Trump, KFC (January 2014) – demanding only “the best” for himself, the former MLB player brings his wildly jingoistic attitude and wooden acting skills to KFC, reminded us all why we’re both dreading and anticipating the third Trump-Wiseau film

– usarightnow.co.usa/culture/food, 8/6/2014



GRAMMER WELCOMES DARFUR PRESIDENT TO WHITE HOUSE

…Suliman Arcua “Minni” Minnawi of the Saharan Zaghawa people co-led the land of Darfur during its war for independence from Sudan, and has served as its President ever since. Minnawi, a former educator born in 1968 in Furawiyya, North Darfur, is highly popular among the Darfur people. Regardless, the State Department is urging Minnawi to hold elections in Darfur in order to ensure political stability in the region.

Grammer believes showing Minnawi the benefits of the democratic process will convince him to pursue such political reform in Darfur. As such, the new head-of-state’s two-day visit to the US is only beginning at the White House. Tomorrow, Grammar will travel with him to a public high school in Philadelphia before flying out to a cattle ranch in Texas. These trips are a part of Grammar’s ongoing efforts to give leaders of developing nations “the red carpet treatment” in order to better promote American ideals abroad…

[pic: imgur.com/lcuT1Q5.png ]

Above: Presidents Grammer and Minnawi in the White House

– The Washington Post, 8/7/2014



“This is all just bread and circuses. Some fanfare here, some spectacle there. The President needs to stop treating the highly revered office of the Presidency like it is another role in some shoddy TV movie. He needs to quit with the fancy distractions and photogenic photo-ops with obscure foreign leaders and get back to working with congress on the important issues at hand!”

– US Representative Alan Grayson (D-FL), 8/8/2014 TV spot



“I think it was irresponsible and wrong for President Grammer to put the lives of our fellow Americans in danger by intervening in the human rights violations in Sudan. We can’t be the leading referee to the world.”

– political activist and perennial candidate Tulsi Tamayo (R-HI), 8/9/2014



Why Is Wellstone So Silent On Grammer’s Success In Sudan?

…the progressive darling must be stewing in sour grapes for failing to do in four years what his successor managed to accomplish in less than two…

– National Review, mid-August 2014 issue



GRAMMER MAY VETO POLICE REFORM BILL!

…The President has suggested that the legislation may be too lenient to criminals and may also violate state-level voting registration laws...

– The Chicago Tribune, 8/12/2014

[pic: imgur / l1QEj2A.png ]

– Former US Vice President James Howard Meredith (R-MS) looking over his speech notes with his wife by his side at the unveiling of the James Meredith Multi-Issue Outreach Center in Jackson, Mississippi, 8/14/2014




DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY BEZOS TAKES OVER AS THE NEW HEAD OF NASA

– The Houston Chronicle, 8/15/2014



“TRADE-OFF DEAL” REACHED: Grammer Will Back Prison Reform Bill In Exchange For Victims’ Rights Bill Receiving Vote

…“It’s important to understand that Kelsey is crime victim and has had serious trauma in his life,” says the White House Press Secretary. “This is very important to him to make sure crime victims rights are a part of our moral fabric and part of our national laws.”

At the national level, “crime victims have no legal recourse when one of these rights is violated,” says US Rep. Jennifer Storm (R-PA). “Should a crime victim not be afforded the right to give their impact statement to the court at sentencing, for example, they have no standing to assert that right in court. The case is simply over. In order to remedy this, crime victims need the opportunity to petition the court, should these rights be violated. We seek to remedy this by elevating these current rights, from the statutory level, to the constitutional level; thus, creating a balance between the rights of the accused and the rights of the crime victim. This bill is a step in that direction.” The bill would also compel authorities to notify crime victims of upcoming court proceedings involving the crime defendant and to notify crime victims when defendants or convicted felons are released from prison. If passed, this legislation will also give victims the ability to file motions to challenge instances in which they believe their rights are being violated…

– The Washington Post, 8/17/2014 [2]



HARLAND MORRISON ADAMS, GRANDSON OF COLONEL SANDERS, IS DEAD AT 81

[pic: imgur.com/KjpumsQ.png ]

Denver, CO - Harland Morrison Adams, born on November 26, 1932, passed away yesterday from natural causes at the age of 81, a spokesperson for his family announced earlier today. Adams was the son of Margaret Josephine Sanders and James Trigg Adams and the older brother of Francis Josephine Adams Wurster and James Trigg Adams III. Adams’ maternal grandfather and namesake was KFC founder Harland David “Colonel” Sanders. Adams was 32 when his famous grandfather was elected President, and Adams often visited the White House so his young children could spend time playing with their great-grandfather. Much like The Colonel, Adams was an entrepreneur, albeit one in the athletics and sports industries; Adams operated a string ski resorts in the Rocky Mountains, rang from New Mexico to Montana. Adams even attempted to open seasonal operations in the coldest regions of Appalachia during the 1990s. Adams passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Denver, Colorado. A “lovable, kind-hearted, energetic and fun-loving” man beloved by his family and friends, as his nephew William S. Adams puts it, the family of Harland has yet to announce the funeral arrangements. Adams is survived by his sister and brother, along with his wife of 60 years, Donna Smith, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Rhett. He will surely be missed.

– The Louisville Times, Kentucky newspaper, 8/18/2014



…Grammer’s personal experience with criminals made him very reluctant to allow even non-violent criminals to regain voting rights after serving their sentences. Seeking out a way to appeal to undecided voters critical of apparent congressional gridlock, Grammer threw his weight behind another House-approved bill that was still in committee in the Senate. “This bill,” he told reporters at the White House, “gives crime victims a voice in the process and the equal rights they deserve.” Grammer, a crime victim, spoke somberly about his experience: His father was gunned down at the age of 38. “When I learned in 2005 that my father’s killer had released from prison, it was through a tabloid newspaper. It seemed like a cruel joke.”

Due to being deeply committed to the victims’ rights cause, Grammar often volunteered his time and energy wherever he felt he could make a difference, by sharing his powerful personal story… …Grammer also sought to walk a middle ground by promoting shorter prison sentences for victimless crimes but longer sentences for crimes in which there was a victim or victims…

– Kathryn Millstone’s The Grammer Administration, Borders Books, 2021 [3]



Next Week’s Meeting, Subject 1 of 1:

We need to implement additional sanitation efforts at all outlets in all US states and territories. After the implementation of new cleanliness initiatives, we would send out sanitation inspectors 50% more frequently. This action would in fact be a reaction to reputation to cleanliness upheld by Culver’s.

When I cut the ribbon at a new outlet that opened in Casper, Wyoming last month, one parent – a mother of two young daughters – came up to me and said that after the SARS global pandemic she partied like the rest of us. But now she has young children, and she does not want them to grow up, live through and experience the horrors of those months, which seem to have been most forgotten by most people, she says.

According to the head of our sanitation division, many of the restaurants that experience minor outbreaks of SARS every autumn belong to the same restaurant chains that have repealed all safezoning practices in their outlets. But at Culver’s, their alleged mentality of “understanding of the need to have a clean establishment” never really went away.

These people, the customers – the mothers spending their money wisely, the young technetters spreading information faster than any grapevine of yesteryear ever could – they take note of these things, from the condiment racks to the pop filling stations to the undersides of the tables.

Thus, we need to discuss how to best enhance our own cleanliness standards. I am convinced that it will be an economically and financially beneficial idea for us to improve our sanitation conditions in all of our locations.

– KFC-US internal email, from CEO Collins to DoB members, 8/25/2014 (leaked 10/10/2020)



SENATE NARROWLY PASSES BOTH CRIME REFORM BILLS IN RARE SHOWING OF D.C. COMPROMISE

– The New York Times, 8/27/2014



“…In political news, US Congressman Piyush ’Harland’ Jindal, a Republican who has represented one of Louisiana’s most conservative House Districts since 2001, is facing backlash after coming out against the Water Resources Penalties Reform Bill. The proposed bill, which is receiving bipartisan support, aims to ‘shift’ fines so that instead of them being ‘flat,’ they will better correspond with the offender’s net worth. In other words, the wealthier you are, the bigger your fine will be for any polluting, littering or any other rule-breaking you make while in federally-controlled parks, nature reserves and water resources...”

– ABC Morning News, 8/30/2014 broadcast



…The annual federal budget once again adhered to the restrictive requirements of the BBA. To compensate for an increase in military funding, cutbacks wee made to other departments such as Interior, Energy and Community Development...

– Doris Helen Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership In Turbulent Times, Simon & Schuster, 2018



“…It’s imperative that the people turn out and vote in these states holding referendums on how we should proceed, uh, going forward with reforming the Electoral College so that ‘runner-up winner’ elections like 2008 and 2012 can never happen again. …I will be voting yes on Proposition 70 in November, which would cause California to shift to allocating their votes in the Electoral College by Congressional District, instead of our current winner-take-all allocation method that suffocates the will of whoever is not in the majority...”

– US Senator Mike Gravel (D-CA), 9/5/2014 interview



SENATE PASSES COMPROMISE BILL EXPANDING RIGHTS FOR BOTH FELONS AND VICTIMS

…President Grammer will reportedly sign the bill into law next week …

– The Washington Post, 9/6/2014



“Oh, this frickin’ job,” Grammer crashed onto the coach. With a long, deep sigh he seemed to deflate like a balloon letting out air, slumping down into the seat. “Political opponents on the left and right. Countries abroad grinning with big smiles as they mount plans for economic superiority. Half the planet likes you for playing referee all the time, and the other half hates you for doing that exact same thing.”

Brown walked over, with the heaving of his body weight, sat into the chair next to him and began to slowly break the seat, one stretched stitch at a time. “Oh come on, Kelsey, it’s not so bad.” Snapping off a cold one from the six-pack he had pulled out from the mini-fridge behind his desk, he offered “Want one?”

“Can’t,” the President politely declined, “Doctor’s orders.”

“What the doctor don’t know won’t hurt him.”

“Yes, it’ll hurt the patient instead.”

“Alright, fair enough.” The Vice President’s West Wing office was small but comfortable, and in the case of this particular Vice President was overwhelmed this paraphernalia showing off Brown’s love of biker culture and the bible. A scale model of his beloved Harley Davidson rested on his desk next to a photograph of Brown with the President of said motorcycle company, all smiles. The walls were covered with Bible quotes, with a giant cross fixed directly behind Brown’s extra-large office chair.

“If people knew just how troublesome with office is, less people would run for it. So that career hacks trying to get something from you, like you’re some mind of genie in an oval bottle.” Grammer confessed, “Speaker McMaster has become a particular bete noire of mine.”

“A what?”

“He’s an ass, Harley.”

“Oh,” Brown said cautiously, “Not to sound too much like Paul Wellstone, but, eh, Kelsey, quit your kvetching already, huh? You’re the President for Christ’s sake. Take charge!”

“Heh. Yes, I should make them rue the day they went onto TON to rant about not caving in to the lobbyists’ demands.” The President ranted, “Those stubbornly insular snobs should have their underhanded tactics circumscribed, but alas, it won’t happen, Harely. Republicans want to deregulate everything, especially things at the top like billionaires oppressing workers, while the idiot Democrats want to bind up everyone and everything with so much red tape you’d think Edith Head went on a designing spree after suffering a stroke!”

“Okay, I only got most of that,” said the VP, “But the way I see it, if you don’t lay down the law around here, they’ll lay down the law out there.”

“Harley, you political parvenu, you. You’ve underscored the main issue. McMaster is unwilling to reach across aisle! I had had to do that last month or nothing good would have gotten passed. Being willing to compromise doesn’t mean comprising your beliefs!”

“No, it means you’re not a d!ck!”

“Exactly!”

– historian Jane Mackaman’s What Principles Endure: An Examination of The Grammer Presidency, Vintage E-Books, 2022



CLAIM: Chik-fil-A Has Been Serving Us Mutated Chicken For Years

Footage posted ontech and widely circulated in the late summer of 2014 claims to show leaked archival documented udio-visual evidence “Chik-fil-A food scientists” studying chickens grown in a science lab do develop without heads, too many bones or even that many feathers, but are still breathing and thus are technically “alive.”

VERDICT: Irrevocably FALSE!

EXPLANATION: The “leaked footage” of mutated chickens is in fact footage from the 1960s Italian horror film La Morte ha fatto l’uovo (“Death Laid An Egg”), in which scientists grow/breed headless chickens with small bones and fewer feathers, obly for his creations to be destroyed at the scene of that very same scene. [4]

[pic: imgur.com/ZqOd8d8.png ]

Pictured: stills from the alleged leaked footage of lab-grown headless-but-alive chickens

EXTRA BIT: The “headless chickens” rumor may have contributed to the pro-healthy eating “fast food scare” of the mid-2010s

– factorfiction.co.uk, a rumor/conspiracy theory debunking website, 11/21/2017 entry



“…On Capitol Hill, President Grammar today signed a bill into law that will allow car buyers to deduct the interest on car loans and sales tax from their income taxes as a way to help the U.S. auto industry. The bill was enthusiastically supported by Michigan Governor Michael Moore and several Democratic and Republican politicians on the hill from The Rust Belt…”

– The Overmyer Network, 9/9/2014 news broadcast



US HOUSE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE STRIKES DOWN MOVE TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT

…The article of impeachment will not receive a vote due to the committee finding “absolutely no evidence” of possible wrongdoing on the President’s part in regards to not bailing out America’s largest banks during last year’s economic contraction…

– The Washington Post, 9/12/2014



COULD NINA HUDSON BE OUR FIRST BLACK FEMALE PRESIDENT?
…currently running for a U.S. House seat, Cleveland Mayor Hudson lost bids for higher office in 2010 and 2012, but is still considered to be a rising star among the most progressive members of the Democratic party…

– The Atlantic, monthly magazine, September 2014 issue



NARRATOR: “While Donald and Tommy feuding over the growing size of Trump’s role on-screen, and his shrinking number of contributions off-screen, was growing more intense, it was the trouble with The Don’s marriage that came to a head first.

MINNILLO: “I just wouldn’t tolerate it. The lying, the rudeness… [pause] …the affair Donald was having… [pause] I wouldn’t stand for it any longer.”

NARRATOR: “After only five months and two days of marriage, Vanessa Minnillo and Donald Trump signed divorce papers.”

MINNILLO: “I know he didn’t put up a fight because he wanted to be free. I know I unleashed him. But I was not willing to take on the burden of trying to hold down such a, well, person. I wouldn’t call him a man. He thought himself to be a man of a man, but he only kid himself – well, himself, and foolish young women like me.”

– Scott Neustadter’s Horrificent: The Trump-Wiseau Film Trilogy, TON Movies documentary, 2021



OHIO DINER WITH “HORRIFYING” CONDITIONS GOES FERVID ONTECH, IMPACTING FOOD TRENDS

…a diner-and-bar establishment in Akron, Ohio has been ordered to shut down after USDA and state officials discovered “horrifying” sanitation conditions in its kitchen. Images leaked to the press showing a blatant disregard for even the most basic aspects of cleanliness and food-handling are circulating widely, and could be having an impact on the fast food industry. “In the week since the story broke out, sales are down 20%,” says an anonymous manager of one of the McDonald’s outlets found in the same county, “This is one of those cases where the irresponsible behavior of one bad apple gives the illusion of spoiling the bunch.”…

– usarightnow.co.usa, 9/17/2014



…As the western world steadily recovered from the economic debacle of 2013, China was poised to try and improve their own markets’ growth after years of relative stagnation by supplying funds to American and European banks in order to boost Europe’s economy and, in doing, so improve China’s own economy by strengthening companies abroad doing business with China’s manufacturing facilities in order to meet the demands of the western consumer markets…

– Carl Krosinsky’s Modern China: A Complex Recent History, Borders Books, 2020



ALL ABOUT ADAM

Premiered: September 24, 2014

Genre(s): comedy

Cast:

MAIN CAST:

Adam Sandler as SNL’s Cajun Man, Conehead’s Carmine Weiner, Airhead’s Pip, Mixed Nuts’ Louie, Billy Madison’s Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore’s Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer’s Robbie Hart, The Waterboy’s Bobby Bouche, Big Daddy’s Sonny Koufax, Punch Drunk Love’s Barry Egan, Punch-Drunk Love’s Barry Egan, Mr. Deeds’ Longfellow Deeds, The Hot Chick’s Mambuza Bongo Guy, Anger Management’s Dave Buznik, 50 First Dates’ Henry Roth, Click’s Michael Newman, Reign Over Me’s Charlie Fineman, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan’s Zohan Dvir, and Grown Ups’ Lenny Feder.

SECONDARY CAST:

Chris Farley as SNL’s Matt Foley, Wayne’s World/Wayne’s World 2/Wayne’s World 3’s Milton Conover, Coneheads’ Ronnie the Mechanic, Airheads’ Officer Wilson, Billy Madison’s Bus Driver, Tommy Boy’s Thomas Callahan III, Black Sheep’s Mike Donnelly, Beverly Hills Ninja’s Haru, Dirty Work’s Jimmy No-Nose, Kneel Before Ed’s Edward Miller, Arbuckle’s Fatty Arbuckle, Kingpin’s Ishmael, and Ghostbusters 3’s David Fasbender

Rob Schneider as Home Alone 2’s Cedric, Down Periscope’s Martin Pascal, Knock Off’s Tommy Hendricks, Susan's Plan’s Steve Stevenson, The Waterboy’s The “You Can Do It” Guy, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo/Due Bigalow 2’s Deuce Bigalow, Big Daddy/Mr. Deeds’s Nazo, The Animal’s Marvin Mange, The Hot Chick’s Clive Maxtone, 50 First Dates’ Ula, The Benchwarmers’ Gus Matthews, You Don't Mess with the Zohan’s Salim, and Grown Ups’ Rob Hilliard

TERTIARY CAST:

David Spade, Kevin Nealon, Eddie Griffin, Chris Rock, Drew Barrymore, John Mostel, Paul Shore, Yasmine Bleeth, Salina, and Jennifer Aniston all play at least two minor roles in the film

Synopsis:

Described as an Adam Sandler “shared universes” movie (poking fun at the “multiverse” trope found in many TV shows and films made by the same networks during the 2000s decade), Sandler reprises a majority of previous film roles for a “sequel” to all of them. A running gag in the film is that none of the characters notice the visual similarities between one another except for a homeless man (played by Paulie Shore) who grows paranoid from it.

Reception:

The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, fairly positive reviews from general audiences, and praise from fans of his prior work. The film was also a modest financial success.

– mediarchives.co.usa



IN THE SPIRIT OF SANDERS AND KROC: The Offerings of The Fast Food Cold War 2.0

…The Chicken Wars – the recent escalation in chicken sandwich advertising – are not just clucking along, they’re heating up with new entrants from America’s most popular fast-food chains. This week one, McDonald’s and KFC kicked off the summer with their own takes on the crispy concoction that is the chicken sandwich. KFC went first with a tasty and affordable, extra-crispy filet on a buttered brioche bun with pickles and classic spicy mayonnaise – a product dubbed “Crunchy Chicken Special.” McDonald’s similarly-named “Crispy Chicken Special” – which tops chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo with pickles and a spicy pepper sauce, all on a potato roll – soon followed...

– knn.co.usa/culture/food, 9/29/2014



…I disagreed with most of Bezos’s plans for NASA. I appreciated his decision to retain the Lunar Robot Hub idea, albeit on a smaller scale, in an overall effort for humanity to “return to outer space and stay there this time.” He called for another Marstronaut expedition, this time one meant to establish a permanent colony on the Red Planet by the year 2030. His plans were colonialist, but understandable – the more people we have on this planet, the less resources we have to share. We need to spread out if we are to survive as a species in the long term. So on that note, Jeffrey and I could see eye-to-creepy-eye.

But I never stopped not trusting the man. I just could not shake off this bad and foreboding vibe that came with the statement “NASA Director Jeffrey Bezos.” Honestly, I would have preferred having Acting Director of NASA, who served before him, taking the post. I liked Jerome Apt – the very physical definition of a nerd, looking even goofier than Eddie Deezan – he had a more sincere and humane head on his shoulders, and should not have been passed over for the job in favor of Bezos. But Bezos was put in charge of NASA nevertheless, and I could do nothing about it. I just took my generous severance package and left to settle legal affairs out of court and then plan my next move…

– John McAfee’s autobiography Outer Space Deserves More Iguanas: My Life Being Me, numerous on-net publication sites, 2022



MCMILLAN DOES IT AGAIN!: Mayor Cuts Property Taxes For Low-Income Homeowners, Convinces City Council To Offer Tax Credits For Certain Commuters

– The Staten Island Advance, NYC newspaper, 10/4/2014



…of course, not all of Ross’ post-VP activities were apolitical. In 2014, he encouraged urban and sunburn residents of neighboring stares to visit West Virginia during the autumn to enjoy the lavish colors of the changing trees during that time of year. The emphasis, however, was part of a much larger effort by West Virginia’s Governor Charlotte Pritt it make her state “the Vermont of Appalachia.” Governor Pritt’s ambitious plans called for improving industrial towns with open-air markets and transforming vacant, decaying, and underutilized properties into thriving business centers and housing complexes. Most prominently, though, was her environmental renewal efforts to reclaim land damaged by mining companies and improve the state’s air quality and state parks and forests in order to bring in both more tourists and more residents.

[pic: imgur.com/WFRuJSC.png ]

Above: Wheeling, WV, the site of several urban revitalization efforts in the state

Another famous artist who supported Pritt’s efforts was the apolitical musician John Denver (b. 1943). The skilled singer-songwriter, who had recorded the single “Easy To Talk, Easy To Listen” with Bob Ross in 1997, co-hosted a charity event in Hurricane, WV, with several West Virginia musicians to raise money for sufferers of Coal Lung, a.k.a. black lung disease, in October 2014. The event helped raise awareness in other parts of the country of the negative aspects of coalmining, and helped contribute to Pritt’s efforts to shift the state’s economy away from coal…

– Kristin G. Congdon, Doug Blandy, and Danny Coeyman’s Happy Clouds, Happy Trees: The Bob Ross Phenomenon, University Press of Mississippi, Second edition, 2021



THERE’S A GOODLAD! Former PM Regains Tory Leadership

…Tonight’s election for Conservative Party leadership saw former PM Alastair Goodlad, Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal since 2005, win the position in a landslide. His selection comes after all but one candidate bowed out upon him declaring himself a candidate; only musician Brian May, a candidate for an MP seat in 2011, remained in the race in protest of Goodlad’s “coronation,” but received only 11.9% of the vote. Goodlad won the remaining 88.1%.

Goodlad succeeding the retiring Rees-Mogg reflects the internal upheavals of the party in recent years. When Rees-Mogg won the last party leadership election, on 9 September 2012, it was on a “for the future” message that he bested fellow candidates Alex Macmillan (an MP since 2005) and Sandra Rivett (MP since 1895). Rees-Mogg’s underperformance earlier this year was enough to convince the Tories to return to the style and policies of Goodlad, who entered the race at the last minute as a “unity” candidate…

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 10/10/2014



ELIZABETH HERRING APOLOGIZES FOR PRIOR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE CLAIMS

…the “Wellstonian” Democratic nominee’s long-shot bid for Governor of Oklahoma has become an even longer shot amid controversy over false Native American heritage claims. Herring, who was born in Oklahoma in 1949 and has lived and worked here for most of her life in academia, identified as “American Indian” on a registration card for the State Bar of Oklahoma back 1979. To quell claims of “leeching off of programs meant to help minorities,” as one of her Democratic primary opponents put it, Herring announced she would have her DNA tested. After the results came back, Herring delayed announcing them for nearly a month, raising suspicions that were confirmed upon her releasing them – it turned out Ms. Herring actually has less Native American DNA than the average Caucasian-American…

– The Lawton Constitution, Oklahoma newspaper, 10/12/2014



“I can understand her mindset during all of this. I can relate to it. My parents lived in Chicago, see? Then Gary, Indiana, then finally moved to Colorado, where grandma had moved to years earlier due to wanderlust and a want for a change of scenery. Grandmother Gertrude, now, she was from Alabama and she claimed to be part Cherokee because many Blacks back then had to claim to have Native American heritage. And why? Because it was considered better than being black.” It’s possible something like this happened earlier in her family history. Should we condemn her stories told before she was born? No. But maybe she should criticize her for not ever getting the story verified.”

– former Governor Wellington Marion Webb (D-CO), KXKL Radio Denver, local talk/news program, 10/14/2014 broadcast [5]



19 October 2014: on this day in history, the Roman Catholic Church beautifies Pope Paul VI

– onthisdayinhistory.co.uk



...As the midterms neared, the role of government in regards to private employment became a leading issue for debates. In the final the debate for a US Senate seat from North Carolina, for example, the two candidates in the race, challenger Dan Clodfelter (D) and incumbent Margaret A. “Meg” Ryan (R) upheld the standard positions of their respective parties.

“The more Americans need to consume, the more they should produce in order to be more self-reliant,” stated Ryan in order to win over libertarians in her party.

Clodfelter countered, “But self-reliance is only possible if workers given freedom to make a decent living, which includes higher take-home pay, better job security, and better job opportunities in the public and private sectors.”…

– Gary C. Jacobson’s The Power and the Politics of Congressional Elections, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015



GRAMMER SIGNS PARKS AND WATER RESOURCES PENALTIES REFORM BILL INTO LAW

– The Washington Post, 10/21/2014



“LLOYD REESE” LIKELY FLED THE US, CIA REPORT FINDS

…The CIA concludes that there is “more than enough” evidence to suggest that the man known as Lloyd Havaw Reese has fled the United States. According to the spokesperson for the CIA, Mr. Reese, whose real name is Lee Harvey Oswald, most likely fled American authorities to either Canada, Mexico or Cuba. All three of those nations are working with the CIA and INTERPOL to try and find him for his connection to alleged misuse of campaign funds connected to his surprising but unsuccessful run for Governor of Montana two years ago…

– The Billings Gazette, Montana newspaper, 10/23/2014



…Of course, there were times when Harley showed his dangerously aggressive side, too. I recall one incident on the eve of the 2014 midterms, when we were discussing the continued rioting in the Catalonia and Basque regions of Spain. Things were only just starting to simmer down, but at the time that did not appear to be the case. As such, Harley pushed for further action in Asia and Europe, even wanting to use Air Force superiority if necessary. A military man for much of his life, Harley basically balked at the libertarian notion of non-military intervention if even greenlighting any intervention at all, and remarked, I quote, “Maybe we should just the bomb Basque region into submission!”

“That might be too far, Harley,” I told him.

“How? They’re causing trouble, let’s show them that when they act like some backwards hellhole like North Korea, we won’t treat them any better than some backwards hellhole like North Korea.”

It took a while to convince him that Spain was a first-world nation with deep economic ties to the rest of Europe. …Personally, I found the notion of American planes bombing a part of Europe to be abhorrent, absurd, and – when considering the fact that, at one point in world history, European nations were invading North America – quite ironic…

– Kelsey Grammer’s second autobiography “So Far, So Good,” Dutton Press, 2021



Political consultant Max A. BOOT: “The stock market is back to being healthy again!”

Former US Secretary of Labor ROBERT REICH: “But the stock market is not truly reflective of the actual economy, but reflective of how well-off the top 5% of the economy is. Even after efforts instigated under Presidents Jackson and Wellstone, efforts that I played a role in, even after those efforts, the number of people in this country who actually own stock is at a historic high, but even still, a wide majority of Americans still do not own any stock at all.”

– CBS roundtable discussion, 10/29/2014



November United States Senate election results, 2014

Date: November 4, 2014

Seats: 35 of 104

Seats needed for majority: 53

New Senate majority leader: Webb Franklin (R-MS)
New Senate minority leader: Gary Locke (D-WA)

Seats before election: 56 (R), 47 (D), 1 (I)
Seats after election: 52 (R), 51 (D), 1 (I)
Seat change: R v 4, D ^ 4, I - 0

Full List:
Alabama: incumbent Spencer T. Bachus III (R) over Quinton T. Ross Jr. (D)
Alaska: incumbent Kevin Meyer (R) over Ray Metcalfe (D) and Susan Lindauer (Country)
Arkansas: incumbent Jim Guy Tucker (D) over Tom Cotton (R) and Susan Benjamin (Green)
Colorado: incumbent Langhorne “Lang” Sias (R) over Tom Strickland (D)
Delaware: incumbent Marjorie “Midge” Osterlund (D) over Kevin Wade (R)
Georgia: incumbent Bob Barr (R) over Edward Jerome Tarver (D)
Idaho: Dr. Rex Floyd Rammell (R) over Nels Mitchell (D); incumbent Helen Chenoweth (R) lost re-nomination
Illinois: incumbent Kwame Raoul (D) over Evelyn Sanguinetti (R)
Iowa: incumbent Terry Branstad (R) over Stephen N. Six (D)
Kansas: incumbent Carla J. Stovall (R) over Chad Taylor (D)
Kentucky: incumbent Martha Layne Osborne (D) over David Patterson (R)
Louisiana: incumbent Clyde Cecil Holloway (R) over Troyce Guice (D)
Maine: incumbent Angus King (I) over Shenna Bellows (D) and Scott D’Amboise (R)
Massachusetts: Demetrius J. Atsalis (D) over incumbent appointee Lewis George “Lew” Evangelidis (R)
Michigan: Terry Lynn Stern Rakolta (R) over Mark Schauer (D); incumbent Jack R. Lousma (R) retired
Minnesota: incumbent Sharon Sayles Belton (D) over Tim Penny (R)
Mississippi: incumbent Peter H. “Pete” Johnson (R) over Travis Childers (D)
Montana: incumbent Larry R. Williams (R) over Amanda Curtis (D) and Roger Roots (Liberty)
Nebraska: incumbent Orrin Hatch (R) over David Domina (D) and Jim Jenkins (Independent)
New Hampshire: Yvonne Katrina Lantos (D) over incumbent Kelley Ashby (R)
New Jersey: Lisa Perez Jackson (D) over Steve Lonegan (R); incumbent Mary V. Mochary (R) retired
New Mexico: incumbent Roberto Mondragon (D) over David Clements (R)
North Carolina: Dan Clodfelter (D) over incumbent Margaret A. “Meg” Ryan (R)
Oklahoma: incumbent Steve Largent (R) over Dan Boren (D)
Oregon: incumbent Jefferson Smith (D) over Jo Rae Perkins (R (and endorsed by the Boulder Party of Oregon))
Potomac: Anthony A. Williams (D) over Bruce Majors (R); incumbent David Schwartzman (D) retired
Puerto Rico: incumbent Norma Burgos (R) over Margarita Nolasco Santiago (D)
Rhode Island: incumbent Elizabeth H. Roberts (D) over Mark Zaccaria (R)
South Carolina: J. Gary Simrill (R) over incumbent Mike Thurmond (D)
South Dakota: incumbent SuAnne Big Crow (R) over R. J. Volesky (D)
Tennessee: incumbent Hillary Rodham-Clinton (R) over Lincoln Davis (D)
Texas: incumbent Mac Thornberry (R) over Nancy Nathanson (D), David Alameel (La Raza Unida) and Steve Stockman (Liberty)
Virginia: Donald McEachin (D) over incumbent George Allen (R)
West Virginia: incumbent Nick Rahall (liberal R) over Paul T. Farrell Jr. (D)
Wyoming: Foster Stephen Friess (R) over Mary Throne (D); incumbent Barbara Cubin (R) retired

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



United States House of Representatives results, 2014

Date: November 4, 2014

Seats: All 441

Seats needed for majority: 221

New House majority leader: H. Dargan McMaster (R-SC)
New House minority leader: Barbara B. Kennelly (D-CT)

Last election: 239 (R), 202 (D)
Seats won: 225 (R), 216 (D)
Seat change: R v 14, D ^ 14

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



LIBERTARIAN ACTIVIST ELECTED TO CONGRESS

…Representative-Elect Milton R. Wolf (b. 1971), a libertarian Republican, is board-certified radiologist who strongly supported President Grammer’s handling of the Unlucky Recession, but had organized a small protest outside the White House over the President’s actions concerning Sudan in early 2013. Wolf, a noninterventionist activist critical of America’s Universal Healthcare system, is the second cousin, once removed of Republican Montana Governor Barry McCain. The more centrist McCain who endorsed Wolf and campaigned for him in the weeks prior to the election despite their differing views on foreign policy…

– The Wichita Eagle, Kansas newspaper, 11/4/2014



FORMER SECRET SERVICEMAN JASON CHAFFETZ WINS U.S. HOUSE SEAT

– The Deseret News, Utah newspaper, 11/4/2014



United States Governor election results, 2014

Date: November 4, 2014

Number of state gubernatorial elections held: 37

Seats before: 27 (R), 23 (D), 2 (I), 0 (G)
Seats after: 25 (R), 25 (D), 1 (I), 1 (G)
Seat change: R v 2, D ^ 2, I v 1, G ^ 1

Full list:
Alabama: Richmond McDavid Flowers Jr. (D) over Adelbert Carl “Del” Marsh (R); David Woods (R) was term-limited
Alaska: Lesil Lynn “Lizzie” McGuire (Liberty-Republican-Alliance) over incumbent Willie Hensley (Democratic-Green-Union) and Jerry Ward (Boulder)
Arizona: Tina Flint Smith (D) over incumbent Don Goldwater (Liberty)
Arkansas: Connor Eldridge (D) over incumbent Mark Darr (R)
California: incumbent Cruz Bustamante (D) over George Radanovich (R), Tom Campbell (Liberty) and Judy May Eng (Green)
Colorado: incumbent William “Bill” Thiebaut Jr. (D) over Patricia Elaine Miller (R)
Connecticut: incumbent Nancy Lee Johnson (R) over Susan Bysiewicz (D) and Nancy S. Wyman (Independent Democratic)
Florida: Alex Sink (D) over incumbent Bob Smith (R) and Pam Iorio (Independent Democratic)
Georgia: incumbent Shirley Franklin (D) over John Barge (R)
Hawaii: Douglas S. “Doug” Chin (D) over Jeff Davis (R); incumbent Muliufi Francis “Frank” Hannemann (D) retired
Idaho: Butch Otter (R) over Brian C. Cronin (D); incumbent Sharon L. Block (R) retired
Illinois: Al Giannoulias (D) over Christine Radogno (R); incumbent Roland Burris (D) retired
Iowa: Kimberly Ann McFadden (R) over Jack Hatch (D) and Christopher Reed (Independent Republican); incumbent Fred Grandy (R) retired
Kansas: Susan Wagle (R) over Carl Brewer (D); incumbent Lynn Jenkins (R) retired
Maine: Patricia LaMarche (Green) over Mike Michaud (D) and Hannah Pingree (R); incumbent Peter E. Cianchette (R) retired
Maryland: Kumar P. Barve (D) over Daniel Bongino (R); incumbent John Peter Sarbanes (D) retired
Massachusetts: Maura Healey (D) over Kerry Healey (R); incumbent Michael Dukakis (D) retired
Michigan: incumbent Michael Moore (D) over Pete Hoekstra (R)
Minnesota: incumbent Alex Kozinski (IRL) over Margaret Anderson Kelliher (D)
Nebraska: David K. Karnes (R) over Kim Robak (D) and incumbent Ernie Chambers (I)
Nevada: Randy Quaid (R) over incumbent Oscar Goodman (D)
New Hampshire: incumbent Rushern L. Baker III (D) over Walt Havenstein (R)
New Mexico: Allen Edward Weh (R) over Gary King (D); incumbent Gary Earl Johnson (R) was term-limited
New York: Michael Gianaris (D) over John M. Kennedy Jr. (R); incumbent Tom Golisano (I) retired
Ohio: James M. “Jim” Petro (R) over Robert “Bob” Fitrakis (D); incumbent Maureen O’Connor (R) retired
Oklahoma: incumbent Rebecca Hamilton (R) over Elizabeth Herring (D) and R. J. Harris (Liberty)
Oregon: incumbent Tina Kotek (D) over Suzanne Bonamici (R) and Frances Lappe (Independent)
Pennsylvania: incumbent Barry Goldberg (D) over Everett A. Stern (R) and Lynne Abraham (Boulder)
Potomac: Linda Washington Cropp (D) over Kris Hammond (R); incumbent Vincent Bernard Orange Sr. (D) retired
Rhode Island: Bob Healey (Independent) over Angel Taveras (D) and Brendan Doherty (R); incumbent Lincoln Davenport Chafee (R) retired
South Carolina: incumbent Andre Bauer (R) over Tony Krajewski Thurmond (D)
South Dakota: incumbent Stephanie Herseth (D) over Lora L. Hubbel (R)
Tennessee: Monica Wehby (R) over Sara Kyle (D); incumbent Dave Ramsey (R) was term-limited
Texas: incumbent Bill Owens (R) over Debra Medina (D/La Raza Unida)
Vermont: Jeffrey “Jeff” Weaver (D) over incumbent Bernard Peters (R), Dan Feliciano (Liberty) and Cris Ericson (Independent)
Wisconsin: incumbent Mark Green (R) over Ed Garvey (D) and David A. Clarke Jr. (Boulder)
Wyoming: Cynthia Jo “Cindy” Hill (R) over Michael Allen Green (D); incumbent W. Richard West (D) retired

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



ALASKA DELEGATION

Senators:

Class 2: Kevin Meyer (R) since 2009

Class 3: J. R. Myers (R) since 2011

> List of Congresspersons (hide - show)

Representative:

District At-large: Ramona Gail McIver Phillips (R) since 2004

> List of Congresspersons (hide - show)

1959-1965: Ralph Julian Rivers (D) – lost re-election

1965-1967: Lowell Thomas Jr. (R) – lost re-election

1967-1970: Mike Gravel (D) – resigned upon election to a US Senate seat

1970-1979: William L. Hensley (D)

1979-1989: Jalmar Kerttula (R) – retired to run for Governor in the 1988 recall election

1989-2003: Ramona Lee Etta Barnes (R) – died in office

2004-present: Ramona Gail McIver Phillips (R) – incumbent
2004 (sp): over Ernie Hall (D)
2004: over Dennis Egan (D) and Alvin A. Anders (Action)
2006: over Sarah J. “Sally” Smith (D)
2008: over Diane E. Benson (D) and Lydia Darby-O’Callahan (Independent)
2010: over Bruce M. Botelho (D)
2012: over Daniel DeNardo (D)
2014: over Dawn Mendias (D)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa/US_Congress/composition/date:11_11_2014



Mayors of CLEVELAND

1/1/1954-12/31/1965: 49) Anthony Joseph Celebrezze Sr. (D, 1910-1998) – previously served in the state senate from 1951 to 1953; improved the city’s infrastructure with urban renewal and rapid-transit system programs; lost re-election in an upset; later served in the U.S. House
1953: William J. McDermott (R)
1955: unopposed
1957: unopposed
1959: Tom Ireland (R)
1961: Albina Cermak (R)
1963: Willard W. Brown (R)

1/1/1966-12/31/1967: 50) Ralph Joseph Perk Sr. (R, 1914-1999) – previously worked in real estate and previously served on the city council from 1954 to 1966; city’s first Republican Mayor since 1941; banned certain musicians from holding concerts at city-owned venues following a riot breaking out at a Rolling Stones performance in 1965; called certain civil rights activists “extremists” and called certain shoutnik leaders “traitors” for criticizing President Sander’s handling of Vietnam prior to the invasion of Hanoi; lost re-election by a narrow margin despite it being a good year for Republicans
1965: Anthony J. Celebrezze (D)

1/1/1968-12/31/1971: 51) Carl Burton Stokes (D, 1927-1996) – city’s first African-American Mayor; sought to revitalize low-income neighborhoods; addressed industrial pollution concerns and root causes after the Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 1972; later served in the US Senate
1967: Ralph Joseph Perk Sr. (R)
1969: Seth Taft (R) and Sydney Stapleton (I)

1/1/1972-12/31/1975: 52) Ralph Joseph Perk Sr. (R, 1914-1999) – won over the Eastern European vote in both elections; cracked down on city crime and expanded cities international ties; accidently set the top of his hair on fire with a welder’s torch in a well-publicized 1972 incident; lost re-election over his handling of deteriorating racial relations despite the improving economy
1971: Anthony Garofoli (D) and Arnold R. Pinkney (I)
1973: Patrick L. Gerity (D)

1/1/1976-12/31/1977: 53) Mercedes Cotner (D, 1905-1998) – city’s first female Mayor and city’s second African-American Mayor; served on the city council for 25 years and was often the bridge between conflicting factions on the council; retired after one term due to declining health
1975: Ralph Joseph Perk Sr. (R)

1/1/1978-12/31/1985: 54) Ralph Joseph Perk Sr. (R, 1914-1999) – early supporter of President Denton, and reportedly sought a position in his cabinet during the Buz Lukens Hush Money Scandal; lost re-election amid rising unemployment and public utility issues; decided against running for an unprecedented eighth term in 1991 after being diagnosed with cancer, and subsequently retired from public life
1977: Ed Feighan (D), Arnold R. Pinkney (I) and Alyson Kennedy (Workers’)
1979: Charles Lewis “Charlie” Butts (D)
1981: Patrick Sweney (D)
1983: Basil Russo (D)

1/1/1986-12/31/1991: 55) Gary Kucinich (D, b. 1951) – previously served on the School Board and on the city council from 1976 to 1985; city’s youngest mayor, entering office at the age of 34; is the younger brother of U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich (D); had the city hire and train unemployed citizens to become utility workers, and reformed the city’s tax system to have wealthier residents cover rising costs for education and utility work; reformed the city’s election process to a blanket primary-runoff system; retired to unsuccessfully run for a U.S. House seat in 1992
1985: Ralph Joseph Perk Sr. (R)
1987: James W. Barrett (I)
1989: Benny Bonanno (D)

1/1/1992-12/31/2001: 56) Michael R. White (D, b. 1951) – African-American; served in the state senate from 1984 to 1991; was pro-business and pro-police; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 2002, and later ran an alpaca farm and Ohio-based winery company
1991: Tim Hagan (D)
1993: David Rock (D)
1995: Helen Knipe Smith (D)
1997: Ralph Joseph Perk Jr. (R)
1999: Raymond C. Pierce (D)

1/1/2002-12/31/2009: 57) Bill Patmon (D, b. 1946) – African-American; city council from 1989 to 2001; close ally of his predecessor, though was noticeably further to the left of him on numerous issues, including education and healthcare, but not taxation and regulations; lost re-election amid allegations of corruption
2001: Mary Rose Oakar (D)
2003: James Draper (D)
2005: Nelson Cintron Jr. (D)
2007: Rick Nagin (Communist)

1/1/2010-12/31/2015: 58) Nina Hudson (D, b. 1967) – African-American female; progressive and strong supporter of women’s rights; first elected in an upset; served on the city council from 2002 to 2009; struggled to work well with the city council; known for criticizing many fellow Ohio Democrats; lost re-election after alienating multiple local officials, who endorsed her runoff opponent, as did several prominent Democratic party leaders from the statewide and national levels; lost bids for higher office in 2010, 2012, and 2014 due to failing to gather support from major party leaders; currently (July 4, 2021) serving as a university professor; has expressed interest in re-entering politics someday, and so it is speculated that she may run for public office again in 2022 or 2023
2009: Bill Patmon (D)
2011: Laverne Jones-Gore (R)
2013: Robert M. Kilo (I)

1/1/2016-present: 59) Shirley A. Smith (D, b. 1950) – African-American female; previously worked as a radio talk-show host; previously served in state house from 1999 to 2007 and in the state senate from 2007 to 2015; incumbent
2015: Nina Hudson (D)
2017: Jeffrey D. Johnson (D)
2019: John E. Barnes Jr. (D)

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, 7/4/2021



…Gabriela Barron Cuevas was born on April 3, 1979 in El Paso, Texas to Mexican immigrants seeking employment in the wake of the 1978 recession. Barron Cuevas graduated from Texas A&M with degrees in law and political science in 2001, and became shortly afterwards became a journalist for The Houston Chronicle. Her coverage of post-KW2 reconciliation efforts won her the prestigious Charles E. Green award in 2008. In 2012, Barron Cuevas was admitted to the bar and soon after was hired by a Houston-based law firm, where she specialized in media-based cases. As writing op-eds for local papers boosted her local presence, she was considered the favorite upon announcing a bid for congress in early 2014...

– clickopedia.co.usa



CALIFORNIA VOTERS REJECT PROPOSITION 70, 55.9%-to-44.1%

– The New York Times, 11/5/2014



THE LATEST SARS VACCINE: Who Should Get It First And Why

…SARS has gone from being a world-stopping plague to an annual seasonal “allergy” of a virus, deadly than the flu but thankfully and relatively less common. However, as the years pass, we have noted (see our reports here) a steady decline in sanitation practices. Because of these trends, we still urge all to get the latest version of the SARS vaccinations, especially in light of other reports (see here) having found that the number of people getting vaccinated nationwide has dropped significantly from last year’s numbers…

– healthline.co.usa, 11/12/2014



STATE REFERENDUMS ON ELECTORAL COLLEGE SEND CLEAR BUT MIXED SIGNALS

...In addition to several non-binding referendums, several liberal states have also signed onto a pact to cast their votes for whoever wins the popular vote. The “NPV Bloc” conflicts with support expressed for other EC-reforming ideas, such as implementing a two-round system, or even adding to the EC a stateless “bloc” of 30 electoral votes that goes to whoever wins the popular vote…

– The Boston Globe, 11/14/2014



KFC’S PETE HARMAN DIES AT AGE 95

…The humble Utah businessman who helped bring "Finger-Lickin' Good" chicken to Utah and the world died at 95 on Wednesday. Utah native Leon W. "Pete" Harman passed away early Wednesday morning, James D. Olson, CEO of Harman Management Corp., confirmed.

"Simply put, neither the Harman system nor the KFC brand would exist as we know them today without Pete's selfless leadership, commitment or passion," Olson said in a statement.

Harman will be remembered as "an innovator" throughout the company, Olson said, from his idea to package complete meals for families on the go to a business model that allowed management teams to own significant interests in the restaurants where they worked in order to share in the profits. He was known for heading back to introduce himself to the cooks as soon as he entered one of the restaurants.

Harman began selling business and future US President Colonel Harland Sanders’ signature chicken by the bucket in 1952, roughly a year after The Colonel began selling his birds in Kentucky, marking the first successful launching of The Colonel's offerings outside of The Bluegrass State.

In an interview with The Deseret News in 2002, 50 years after that KFC outlet opened, Harman credited the positive atmosphere in Utah as part of the restaurant's success.

"What really worked was the delightful labor force in Utah," he said at the time. "People believe in working, and they're friendly — that's the culture that got KFC off the ground and into the whole world."

Harman was born in Granger, which is now part of West Valley City. His mother, Grace, died of pneumonia two days later, leaving his father with nine children. A year later, Pete's father married his brother's widow, Caroline Hemenway Harmon, who already had six children.

Four years later, Pete's father died, and "Aunt Carrie" pulled the family together to make a living on the farm. Years later, Harman donated a building on the BYU campus named in her honor.

Harman met and married his wife, Arline Harman, while working in restaurants in San Francisco. The couple moved to Salt Lake City in 1941 and opened their first restaurant together, the "Do Drop Inn." They met Sanders at a restaurant convention in Chicago in 1951. The rest is history, recounted in the book "Secret Recipe."

Pete and Arline Harman relocated to Los Altos, California, in the 1960s, where they established their business headquarters. Harmon was not involved in the Sanders administration, but remained a close friend of The Colonel until his death in 1990. Arline Harmon died in January 2013 just before her 97th birthday.

– The Deseret News, Utah newspaper, 11/19/2014 [6]



THE FRASIER THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: Little Frasier, Lots of Laughs

…while former US Presidents have certainly lent their faces to a TV show or two in the past – Colonel Sanders being the most prominent – today’s entry into the annals of Reunion Special History marks the first time that a production company could truthfully boast that the incumbent US President agreed to an extended cameo for them, appearing for several scene involving phone calls, VidCalls, and two important scenes near the end of the 70-minute-long “mini movie” special... ...The premise of the special is that the Crane clan head out to Chicago to support Frasier, who has been hosting a regional TV talk show that is set to air its final episode. However, each causes trouble on the plane, causing them to be kicked off of it; with Martin’s RV totaled in a previous incident, and Niles having developed a fear of trains, the group has to hitch a ride to The Windy City, to Martin and Daphne’s enjoyment and Niles’ horror... The writers wisely avoided making too many political jokes, allowing anyone who enjoys witty humor and catching up on old friends to enjoy watching this special and check in one last time on these crazy and lovable tossed salads and scrambled eggs…

– Variety magazine, TV/film review/editorial section, 11/25/2014



UNHCR REPORTS 50K STILL STATELESS FROM SUDAN CONFLICTS

…UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN agency responsible for aiding and assisting refugees, forcibly displaced peoples and the stateless, today revealed that over 50,000 people are still displaced from the Darfurian and South Sudanese Wars of Independence. …Most people who fled from the destruction and carnage of the warfare fled into neighboring countries such as Chad, with a majority of those fleeing being women and children. The UNHCR and many other organizations are working to assist these displaced individuals into finding statehood, while efforts to develop the two new African nation are worked on at the same time…

[pic: imgur.com/W5C1U44.png ]

Above: an aerial view of a part of Darfur

– The New York Times, 12/1/2014



UNITC FINDS ALI KUSHAYB GUILTY OF 51 CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, WAR CRIMES

…the former Sudan military leader was arrested near the end of the war after fleeing to the Central African Republic…

– The Guardian, 5/12/2014



“…Former President of Sudan Omar Al-Bashir has been found guilty of war crimes by the UN International Tribunal Court, and has been sentenced to life in prison at Helmond…”

– NBC, 12/9/2014 news broadcast



“Great! Maybe he and Gaddafi can get to be cellmates!”

– comedian Dave Chappelle, reply-comment posted on buddytalk.co.usa, a popular social media netsite, 12/10/2014 post



…while focused primarily on pragmatic short-term action, McMillan did plan ahead in some respects. For example, he used Turkey’s handling of the 2014 Winter Olympics as a reference point, along with Greece’s plans for the 2018 Winter Olympics, for how to best handle the post-2016 economic fallout of the city having stadiums and other amenities that were no longer in use. While the King of Greece showcased optimism, Jimmy McMillan expressed dread.

“The city will take a hit long-term, but you can help by spending your money in your city. Don’t travel out of NYC to spend your money, don’t give up your money to some other town, and then wonder why your own town has no money,” the Mayor proclaimed at a press conference in December 2, as his one-year rent freeze neared its end. “Think smart – think local.”

As 2015 approached, a rising issue for the Mayor’s office was the future city budget. The budget question was an important nor because the Governor and state legislature are the ones that authorize Empire state cities to take on debt, much to the consternation of McMillan. “We can’t go into debt without the state government’s approval, and it doesn’t look like this new idiot,” McMillan referred to then-Governor-Elect Gianaris during a meeting with his inner circle. “He’s not going to be working with us to solve the city’s budget problems. We’re in this alone.”

Sitting in the Mayor’s office, McMillan was flanked by budget overseer Maria Doulis, head speechwriter Kim Phillips-Fein, and city councilpersons and political allies Liz Krueger and Kris Davis.

“In a single block, diners, dry cleaners, hardware stores, beauty salons and other shops are all within walking distance, sharing spaces and foot traffic and all surviving together. Too many landlords hate that, the sense of community and people helping each other not to get money out of it, but because they’re not d!cks to one another,” McMillan lamented failing to lower the rent cap any more than $2,000 a month, but was hopeful that the past eleven months would be remembered in the 2015 “midterm” elections in the city – the rent freeze had been credited with contributing to the rise in employment rites, and several organizations were crediting it with noticeable drops in reports of depression and domestic disturbances.

Economist James Parrott, another member of McMillan’s inner circle, suggested that the city close its budget gap by raise taxes on the riches residents.

“Ever heard of white flight? Rich flight’s even faster,” was McMillan’s reply. “We’ll do that if absolutely necessary, but I think it’s not absolutely necessary at the moment.”

“Well, at least one thing is working in our favor,” Phillips-Fein observed, “The city’s creditors, the once-major Big Banks, are still in shambles. I mean, yeah, they’re picking themselves back up, but only slowly.”

McMillan contemplated for a moment, then sighed, breathed deeply, and exclaimed, “Berlin generated $3.6billion and spent more than $40billion for the Summer Olympics in 2008. As of 2013, Los Angeles, the host of the 1976 Summer Games, is the only host city that realized a profit from the games, mostly because the required infrastructure already existed, and all the construction work of the past several years tells you that we did not already have the right infrastructure to host the games. [7] But I’ve been told it’s too late to call them off now, so, what can be done? I’ll tell you what can be done, it’s something the Republicans will like – we are going to milk the games for all they’ve got. Charges, taxation, payments, fines, et cetera, for everything, from technet provider services to hotel mini-fridges to walking on our sidewalks. If an Olympian is doing something, we’re charging him for it. Because New Yorkers should not have to foot this bill. They should not have to suffer for the stupidity of the officials they elect. And they should not have to pay for the amenities of visitors. They’re already paying too much because, even with the rent freeze, the rent is still too damn high!”

– Maria Stevenson and John Capozzi’s TRITDH: The Jimmy McMillan Story, Vagabond Books, 2021



“Yes, yes, I remember him. I drove him around about six, seven years ago I think. Very odd little man. He asked to be driven to this certain spot near town, way up on a hill overlooking the valley. Good scenic spot. I remember he walked around, and knelt down to look at this very old tree branch sticking out of ground. He asked in perfect Spanish for how old the tree was, and I told him, ‘older than you, probably.’ And he just nodded and muttered to himself, ‘Yeah, this is what did it. This f@#kin’ tree.’ He was a very odd fella.”

– Cuban tour guide, segment for documentary on Lee Harvey Oswald, 2022



…Ahead of the 2014 Christmas Mass, Pope Patrick I had privately and publicly expressed strong opposition to the proposed removal of certain restrictions on clerical marriage in the Eastern Catholic Churches’ diaspora. However, with his relationship with the growing liberal base of the church, the Pope reluctantly approved of such measures before the start of the New Year in order to better appease to the more liberal, “modernizing” and “westernizing” factions of the Catholic Church…

– Robert Blair Kaiser’s Church In Search of Itself: Pope Patrick And The Battle For The Future, Knopf Books, 2019



“When the economy is good, people fear when it will go back to being bad. This locks people into a perpetual state of worry. That has to change.”

– media mogul Bernard “Bern” Sanders, NYC radio discussion, 12/23/2014



SEASON’S GREETINGS: The First Family’s Christmas Vid Featured Baby Billy Grammer And The Technet Can’t Get Enough of Him!

– usarightnow.co.usa, 12/26/2014

[pic: imgur.com/QUkjhxx.png ]

– KFC Special Offer in KFC Kuwait, 12/30/2014



TEXAS DELEGATION

Senators:
Class 1: Kay Granger (R) in office since 2007
Class 3: Mac Thornberry (R) in office since 2009

Representatives:
District 1: Wayne Christian (R, b. 1950) in office since 2005
District 2: Thad Heartfield (R, b. 1940) in office since 1979
District 3: Gabriela Barron Cuevas (D, b. 1979) in office since 2015
District 4: John Kevin Ellzey Sr. (R, b. 1970) in office since 2015
District 5: Ken Ashby (R) in office since 1997
District 6: Dr. Laura G. Murillo (R) in office since 2013
District 7: Sylvester Turner (D) in office since 2005
District 8: George Brenneman (R) in office since 2007
District 9: Royce Barry West (D, b. 1952) in office since 1999
District 10: Brewster McCracken (R) in office since 2007
District 11: Jeff Drost (R) in office since 2007
District 12: Florence Shapiro (R, b. 1948) in office since 1999
District 13: Kathy Whitmire (D, b. 1946) in office since 2013
District 14: Chris Peden (R) in office since 2009
District 15: James Byrd Jr. (D) in office since 2015
District 16: Carol Alvarado (D, b. 1967) in office since 2013
District 17: Kip Averitt (R) in office since 2011
District 18: Marvin Bush (R, b. 1956) in office since 2015
District 19: Arlene Wohlgemuth (R, b. 1947) in office since 2005
District 20: Laura Lane Welch (R, b. 1946) in office since 1991
District 21: James Arthur Strohm (R) in office since 2007
District 22: Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R, b. 1953) in office since 2006
District 23: David Gordon Wallace (R) in office since 2009
District 24: Steve Stockman (R, b. 1956) in office since 1995
District 25: Raul Torres (R, b. 1955) in office since 2013
District 26: Frederick Edgar Ferguson (R) in office since 1991
District 27: Geanie Williams Morrison (R) in office since 2003
District 28: Enrique Roberto "Henry" Cuellar (D, b. 1955) in office since 1999
District 29: Clifford Messina (R) in office since 2005
District 30: Eddie Bernice Johnson (D, b. 1935) in office since 1993
District 31: Larry Gonzales (R) in office since 2015
District 32: Steve Bartlett (R) in office since 1995
District 33: William Patrick "Will" Wynn (D, b. 1961) in office since 2009
District 34: Laura Miller (D, b. 1958) in office since 2007
District 35: Ahmad Hassan (R) in office since 2011
District 36: Lloyd Alton Doggett II (D, b. 1946) in office since 1995

Composition: 25 Republicans, 11 Democrats

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa, January 2015



Republican House leadership election, 2015:

Date: January 10, 2015

Seats: All 225 Republican-held seats

Seats needed to win: 113

MINORITY LEADER:

Description:

Party infighting was seen as a major cause for the party losing 14 seats in the 2014 midterms, only allowing them to retain the House by a mere 4 seats. The GOP House’s libertarian “Hedgehog Caucus” blamed these election losses on McMaster’s “underhanded” tactics during the 2014 midterm primary elections, and subsequently sought an alternative candidate. After several higher-profile Representatives declined interest, the caucus members rallied behind moderate libertarian Rep. Larry Householder of Ohio in an effort to win moderates away from McMaster. Fearing that he would lose the election, McMaster promised to “reverse court and play ball” in the new legislative session, and swore that he would have “no qualms” with any Representatives that voted against him.

Results:

(Inc.) Dorgan McMaster (SC) – 149

Larry Lee Householder (OH) – 72

Tom Campbell (CA) (not a candidate) – 4

Despite the efforts of the party’s libertarians to oust the incumbent Speaker, McMaster managed to hold on to power thanks to winning over more support from the moderate, the deeply religious, and the “country conservative” factions of the party.

– knowledgepolitics.co.usa



…In the same hopeful vein as the UN Framework Convention on Global Climate Disruption and the 1996 Kiev Protocol, the Global Climate Disruption Intergovernmental Panel of 2015, also known as the GCD Zagreb Agreement, was signed in Zagreb Yugoslavia in January 2015 by the national leaders of all but 2 of the top 25 nations on Earth producing carbon emissions. The international agreement was a plan to cut carbon emissions in half by the year 2024, an ambitious plan led by France and the UK. The two holdouts, Saudi Arabia and the United States, opposed the agreement on the grounds that ten years was simply not enough time for their respective nations to convert to renewable energy. Environmentalists criticized President Grammer for this decision, noting that solar and wind power had in recent years become some of the largest providers of energy in the US, largely thanks to the “go green” efforts of the Jackson and Wellstone administrations…

– clickopedia.co.usa



“Well, actually, I do have to hand it to Michigan’s Governor, Michael Moore. He may be struggling to raise unemployment and bring back jobs from overseas, but he’s making up for it by getting at least some to work cleaning the water systems in his state. I just saw a CBS segment yesterday covering how some water sanitation experts are now calling Michigan’s tap water ‘The Best in the Midwest’ because he had several water disinfecting plants built all over the place. That, I have to admit, has been very impressive.”

– former Governor Paul Soglin (D-WI), CBS News roundtable discussion, 1/17/2015



CARLOS I TO ABDICATE

Madrid, SPAIN – The King of Spain, Carlos I, has announced his decision to abdicate the throne in June of this year, a move that will make his son and heir apparent, Felipe VI, the new King of Spain. King Carlos I reportedly wanted to abdicate last year, but decided to wait until his nation was on the road to recovery before making his announcement...

– The Guardian, UK newspaper, 22/1/2015



…Grammer went fervid ontech upon being spotted sporting a salt-and-pepper beard while attending a political fundraiser in late January 2015:

[pic: https://imgur.com/ikXBvfw.png ]

Technetters across party lines seemed to occur that the "fresh" face-cover suited him, and that he should keep it on.

Behind closeted doors, Grammer’s political analysts were surprised by the positive reception, even more so by Grammer’s decision to grow it out in the first place. Several of his “optics” experts had been concerned that the President wearing facial hair would lead to complaint of alleged Republican hypocrisy, as, suddenly, Republicans would think that bearded Presidents look good, after spending roughly four years criticizing President Wellstone for sporting a beard.

“This isn’t a callback to the dignified days of Lincoln,” Grammar told his optics analysts prior to attending the fundraiser, “I just think it looks good. Gives my jaw an even stronger sense of… well, of strength. And yes, I know Wellstone got nothing but flak for wearing a beard, but none of that flak was from me.”

Privately, Grammer had actually decided to grow out the beard to buck said optics team and prove that their 2008 analysis of beard popularity in the US was wrong. Others have also observed that his decision to grow out a beard arose after Republicans lost seats in both chambers but retained both the US House and US Senate.

“I like it,” reportedly said Vice President Brown about his boss’s new facial presentation. “I think he’s finally starting to embrace my philosophy of ‘to hell with perception, be honest with yourself!’” There was some wholesomeness to the Vice President’s candor, which is probably how he gained such a large following in the first place, from simply speaking his mind unfiltered, but there was also a kernel of truth to his comment as well. The President had survived a serious heart attack. It is very likely that Grammar had decided to have a more fulfilling time in office, and that went beyond policy to include how he presented himself.

…Grammer was right in regards to American attitudes toward beards: just days after the fundraiser, an extensive study was published by Gallup that showed that the number of Americans wearing beards had risen considerably in the past eight years (2006-2014), indicating a return in popularity that preceded Wellstone becoming President…

– Kathryn Millstone’s The Grammer Administration, Borders Books, 2021



RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS OF PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES

1) Washington – Episcopalian and Deist

2) J. Adams – Unitarian

[snip]

31) Hoover – Quaker

32) F. Roosevelt – Episcopalian

33) Truman – Baptist

34) Eisenhower – Presbyterian – note: had no formal church affiliation until he became President, and was baptized, confirmed and became a communicant in the Presbyterian church 12 days after being sworn into office

35) L. Johnson – Disciples of Christ

36) Sanders – Assemblies of God – note: converted from Presbyterian in 1969; raised Advent Christian

37) Mondale – Methodist

38) Denton – Catholic

39) Kemp – Presbyterian

40) Bellamy – Episcopalian

41) Iacocca – Catholic

42) Dinger – Presbyterian

43) J. Jackson – Baptist

44) Wellstone – Jewish

45) Grammer – Presbyterian – note: converted from Christian Science in 2003

– clickopedia.co.usa, c. January 2015



WHICH E.C. REFORM IDEA IS BEST?

We are going nowhere, but we’re getting there fast. The movement to replace our current Presidential Election system with one that is more reflective of the people’s choices and voices is gaining momentum on both sides of the political aisle, but is still essentially directionless, with lots of options going through but no clear consensus at the moment. Organizers need to mobilize, get together, and agree to united and rally behind one idea, or these reformists will not succeed in their efforts to avoid another 2008 or 2012 [8]…

– tumbleweed.co.usa, 1/29/2015 op-ed



NOTE(S)/SOURCE(S)
[1] OTL, according to the OTL militarytimes.com article “A ‘Warrior Tradition’: Why Native Americans continue fighting for the same government that tried to wipe them out,” 11/15/2019
[2] Italicized passages were pulled from here: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/10/kelsey-grammer-pushes-for-marsys-law-what-does-that-cost.html
[3] Ibid.
[4] This movie is available on youtube (youtube /watch?v=kEFGYydIvkE); the scene is from 1:00:01 to 1:03:48
[5] The backstory, and the italicized line, were both pulled from his OTL autobiography: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Wellington_Webb/nYw_NaCgJuMC?hl=en&gbpv=0
[6] The italicized passages were all pulled from here: https://www.deseret.com/2014/11/20/20553178/utah-man-who-founded-first-kfc-dies-at-95
[7] The italicized parts of this passage were lifted from the Investopedia.com article “The Economic Impact of Hosting The Olympics”



[8] Speaking of which, here’s a poll to determine how the EC reform process effort turns out in this timeline – “Which process is best for electing Presidents in the US?”: https://www.strawpoll.me/42718641

And here’s the nine options in the poll:

1) Direct Popular Vote And Runoff Without The Electoral College – Abandon the EC via Constitutional Amendment. Electors, which the Founding Fathers called “enlightened gatekeepers,” are no longer necessary in the modern, nationalized, educated US, and thus reasons for them existing no longer exist. The two-round system would be modeled off that of France, where a runoff is held if no candidate receives a simple majority. On one hand, this would eliminate “second-place Presidents” from ever happened again. On the other hand, it could shut out third-party candidates who would likely fail to ever make it to the second round, and it would cause small states and rural concerns to be ignored as more people live in big states and urban areas, despite rural jobs such as growing food being vital for human existence (everyone knows you need food to live). Plus, if the voices of farmers and rural voters are basically snuffed out at the Presidential level, then the populist movement in the northern Rockies could go into overdrive.

2) Direct Popular Vote And Runoff With The Electoral College – Similar to the above proposal and also done via Constitutional Amendment, except with this one, the EC is retained as a backup, in case the first-round election or runoff is too close to call ahead of Inauguration Day. But it would otherwise serve as ceremonial procedure, as important as is the VP certifying the EC results in January just ahead of the inauguration.

3) Popular Vote “Bloc” Added to The Electoral College – the Electoral College Is amended via NIA to include a hefty “bloc” of several Electoral Votes, with proposals ranging from just 20 to a whopping 60, all of which are rewarded to the winner of the popular vote. This way, the current system remains in place but is nevertheless altered without needing to pass a Constitutional Amendment. Also with this addendum, the winner of the popular vote has a far greater chance of achieving victory, though it is not a guarantee; for example, in 2008, Snowe would have needed a bloc of 77 EVs to win, but in 2012 Wellstone would have needed a bloc of 32 EVs to win.

4) National Popular Vote Compact – In lieu of instigating the long and complex process of removing the EC via Constitutional Amendment, a.k.a. “amending” it through the NIA, a binding agreement is made among several states to allocate their EVs to the Presidential election’s national popular vote winner. Already, efforts are underway in several states on both sides of the political aisle to establish this ahead of their the 2016 election or the 2020 election.

5) Proportional Popular Vote In The Electoral College – Promoted by some members of congress in D.C. on both sides of the political aisle, using an NIA to divide the state EVs by vote share in a manner similar to the methods used by many presidential primary contests would resolve the EC’s winner-take-all nature, and eliminate major solidly left or solidly right states, such as Texas and California, from taking overly large shares of the EV total. However, this would possibly complicate things. For example, in the last Presidential election, no candidate won a majority, arguably due to third-party presence. Under this process, no candidate would have received a majority in the EC, and thus the election winner would have been determined in the House via a Contingency Election. Another issue around this proposal is the Twelfth Amendment, which specifies “a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed,” meaning that “fractional” Electoral Votes cannot ever be used for states with odd numbers that are too close to call ahead of Inauguration Day.

6) Congressional District Allocation In The Electoral College – Change the allocation method for the EC, via NIA, to that currently used by only Nebraska and Maine, which allocates EVs by Congressional District. This would cuts down on the winner-takes-all aspect of the current form of allocating EVs. The new allocation would also be at the state level, which makes this appealing to some, as states determine their own allocation methods. Some state congresses are supportive of this as an alternative to the NPV Compact. The biggest problem with it is gerrymandering, which could impede the fairness of this system.

7) Ranked Choice Voting Without The Electoral College – Implemented via NIA, voters would rank their candidate preferences, then their votes are reallocated to their next choice if their initial preference is eliminated in the first round. This would eliminate a messy “second election” runoff situation while still requiring votes to be counted more than once – in fact, the votes are “added up” again and again until a majority is formed. Some such as political activist Glenn Beck argue that it is too complicated of a process for Americans to follow, which is just kinder way of saying that Americans might be too dumb to use it correctly, and thus will lead to a surge in “unreadable” (and thus uncountable) ballots.

8) Ranked Choice Voting With The Electoral College – Similar to the above proposal, and also implemented via NIA, except, similar second option on this list, the Electoral College is retained in case of emergencies, such as complications with the multiple-voting process and other incidents or situations that may unfold prior to Inauguration Day that would be resolved with the EC. The EC will otherwise serve a ceremonial position and would not impact the RCV.

9) The Electoral College As It Currently Is – Leave the Electoral College alone. It has only failed America 5 times out of a total of 57 times, making for a success rate of 88.6%. Rejecting proposals to change the current process would allow US citizens to focus more of their time on addressing other important matters in the United States. This “do nothing” proposal is supported by some Republicans on the Hill.