Apparently so.
While this isn't really big news, especially in the political world, it is mildly amusing as a thought. All the stars want to come to Virginia. First Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner were supposed to move to Charlottesville (in an attempt to get Affleck to eventually run for Congress, that was the rumor).
Now Michael Jackson is coming to VA? The two schools of thought about "why" he's moving out here. One is because 2 of Jackson's main "people" both live in Virginia (if I understand this right). The other school of thought is because 2 of the most notable hip-hop/R&B producers in history (Timbaland and Teddy Riley) have studios in this state, and Jackson may work with one of them in an upcoming album.
Should at least provide some amusing fodder for those of us in the Old Dominion.
I didn't know Teddy Riley had a studio in Virginia? I grew up on that funky New Jack Swing :)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Ed Koch Blasts Dems on Weak Anti-Terrorism Stances
I know I said I wouldn't post until after the 4th, but I found this interesting.
I was flipping through the channels, and I paused as Neil Cavuto was talking about the terrorist plots/acts in the U.K. about 15 seconds later, former New York mayor Ed Koch came on as Cavuto's guest.
Now, despite Koch being a Democrat, I've always kinda liked the guy on a personal level. He's humorous, open-minded (to an extent), and while I disagree with him on many issues...he's a pretty straight shooter with his opinions on both sides of the aisle.
Koch supports Hillary Clinton, and states that he believes the next President of the United States will not be a Republican (no surprise there). Now, in regards to the situation in the U.K., Cavuto pointed out that Clinton was the only person to speak out against these attacks. Koch passively admitted that this was part of the reason why he supported Clinton, because he believed that Clinton would be tougher on terrorism than any of the other candidates. He then blasted the Democratic candidates (and the party in general) for not being tougher and more vocal about stopping terrorism. He labeled most of the Democratic Party candidates as being "so terrible" about fighting terrorism.
Koch also stated that the Democratic Party has "destroyed" Bush's credibility...and he feels sorry for Bush because, while he didn't agree with Bush on any of his domestic policies, he felt Bush has been "brilliant" at fighting Islamic terrorists. The former NYC mayor then stated that he was, and still is, for the war in Iraq...but believes that we needed (and still need) more support from our allies to finish the war properly, and Bush's inability to get that support is what will ruin the GOP's chances in 2008.
He then stated that because Hillary actually addressed the terrorist actions in the U.K. while the rest of the candidates were "sucking their thumbs" is further proof that Hillary is the best Dem candidate, and that's why he supports her.
Koch really slammed John Edwards, too, for diminishing the important of fighting terrorism. He stated that Edwards "is finished and a fool".
His opinion about why we should worry about terrorists: "They want to kill us. And you have to understand that. These are not just simply thugs bent on stealing your purse. They want to kill infidels. That's Christians, Jews, Buddhists..." Koch believes that most Democrats simply don't get it when it comes to this issue.
Koch's support for Clinton does have it's limits...Koch hinted that if Michael Bloomberg runs, he may switch (or may not).
Anyway, I just found that interesting, because Koch managed to heavily endorse and harshly criticize his own party within a 5-7 minute span.
I was flipping through the channels, and I paused as Neil Cavuto was talking about the terrorist plots/acts in the U.K. about 15 seconds later, former New York mayor Ed Koch came on as Cavuto's guest.
Now, despite Koch being a Democrat, I've always kinda liked the guy on a personal level. He's humorous, open-minded (to an extent), and while I disagree with him on many issues...he's a pretty straight shooter with his opinions on both sides of the aisle.
Koch supports Hillary Clinton, and states that he believes the next President of the United States will not be a Republican (no surprise there). Now, in regards to the situation in the U.K., Cavuto pointed out that Clinton was the only person to speak out against these attacks. Koch passively admitted that this was part of the reason why he supported Clinton, because he believed that Clinton would be tougher on terrorism than any of the other candidates. He then blasted the Democratic candidates (and the party in general) for not being tougher and more vocal about stopping terrorism. He labeled most of the Democratic Party candidates as being "so terrible" about fighting terrorism.
Koch also stated that the Democratic Party has "destroyed" Bush's credibility...and he feels sorry for Bush because, while he didn't agree with Bush on any of his domestic policies, he felt Bush has been "brilliant" at fighting Islamic terrorists. The former NYC mayor then stated that he was, and still is, for the war in Iraq...but believes that we needed (and still need) more support from our allies to finish the war properly, and Bush's inability to get that support is what will ruin the GOP's chances in 2008.
He then stated that because Hillary actually addressed the terrorist actions in the U.K. while the rest of the candidates were "sucking their thumbs" is further proof that Hillary is the best Dem candidate, and that's why he supports her.
Koch really slammed John Edwards, too, for diminishing the important of fighting terrorism. He stated that Edwards "is finished and a fool".
His opinion about why we should worry about terrorists: "They want to kill us. And you have to understand that. These are not just simply thugs bent on stealing your purse. They want to kill infidels. That's Christians, Jews, Buddhists..." Koch believes that most Democrats simply don't get it when it comes to this issue.
Koch's support for Clinton does have it's limits...Koch hinted that if Michael Bloomberg runs, he may switch (or may not).
Anyway, I just found that interesting, because Koch managed to heavily endorse and harshly criticize his own party within a 5-7 minute span.
Enjoy the 4th!
I'll will most likely take the rest of the day and tomorrow off (unless something big happens). I know it seems like I took the previous 2 weeks off, but it was not a vacation (it's due to a promotion at work, and the subsequent training, so kudos to me). I'll be spending the best portion of tomorrow taking in the festivities with my family in New Market. I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday.
Interesting...
I clicked on the link to the Presidential Selector provided by Vivian J. Paige, my results came out unsurprisingly in favor of the candidates I like, for the most part. Out of the 4 I would vote for today...
- Fred Thompson, 67% (top match over all candidates listed)
- Duncan Hunter, 62%
- Mitt Romney, 52%
- Rudy Guiliani, 48%
I'm a little surprised that Rudy is that low of a "issue match", but I think a lot of the differences between myself and Rudy stem from issues that I don't consider a high priority compared to others.
- Fred Thompson, 67% (top match over all candidates listed)
- Duncan Hunter, 62%
- Mitt Romney, 52%
- Rudy Guiliani, 48%
I'm a little surprised that Rudy is that low of a "issue match", but I think a lot of the differences between myself and Rudy stem from issues that I don't consider a high priority compared to others.
Green Scientists Find More to Whine About
In today's Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia), an article by Chee Chee Leung states that we, as humans, use too much solar energy captured by plants for one species. This article is based upon a report by German and Austrian scientists.
Not only that, but "going green" doesn't help, either. To quote Leung...
"They also warned that the increased use of biofuels - such as ethanol and canola - should be viewed cautiously, given the potential for further pressure on ecosystems."
Later on in the article, Leung lays out a few statistics...
"This showed humans used 24 per cent of the energy that was captured by plants. More than half of this was due to the harvesting of crops or other plants.
The human use of the natural resource varied across the globe, ranging from 11 per cent in Oceania and Australia, to 63 per cent in southern Asia."
Leung quotes a University of Melbourne agriculture professor as his closing statement...
"'Here we are, just one species on the earth, and we're grabbing a quarter of the renewable resources … we're probably being a bit greedy.'"
Upon reading this article, I feel that environmentalists and some groups of scientists are putting us in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. If we invest in biofuels, they start telling us we're using too much agricultural land, and using more plant-captured solar energy. If we don't, and continue to use oil, they start into global warming, "break-the-addiction" rants.
Will someone tell these people you can't have it both ways?
Not only that, but "going green" doesn't help, either. To quote Leung...
"They also warned that the increased use of biofuels - such as ethanol and canola - should be viewed cautiously, given the potential for further pressure on ecosystems."
Later on in the article, Leung lays out a few statistics...
"This showed humans used 24 per cent of the energy that was captured by plants. More than half of this was due to the harvesting of crops or other plants.
The human use of the natural resource varied across the globe, ranging from 11 per cent in Oceania and Australia, to 63 per cent in southern Asia."
Leung quotes a University of Melbourne agriculture professor as his closing statement...
"'Here we are, just one species on the earth, and we're grabbing a quarter of the renewable resources … we're probably being a bit greedy.'"
Upon reading this article, I feel that environmentalists and some groups of scientists are putting us in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. If we invest in biofuels, they start telling us we're using too much agricultural land, and using more plant-captured solar energy. If we don't, and continue to use oil, they start into global warming, "break-the-addiction" rants.
Will someone tell these people you can't have it both ways?
Fred Still Ahead
Today's weekly Republican Nomination poll from Rasmussen Reports is out. Guess what...Fred Thompson is still in the lead.
Thompson polled at 27% from a week ago. Rudy Guiliani was up 1 point from last week at 24%. Mitt Romney was in 3rd place with 13%, John McCain polled 12%, and Mike Huckabee rounded things out with 3% of the vote.
There are still 18% of GOP voters who are undecided. However, while the "bottom 6" shared 7% of the vote last week, they only split 4% this week. This shows that second tier support may be migrating towards the front-runners, and explains the 1% increases for Guiliani, Romney, and McCain.
Thompson polled at 27% from a week ago. Rudy Guiliani was up 1 point from last week at 24%. Mitt Romney was in 3rd place with 13%, John McCain polled 12%, and Mike Huckabee rounded things out with 3% of the vote.
There are still 18% of GOP voters who are undecided. However, while the "bottom 6" shared 7% of the vote last week, they only split 4% this week. This shows that second tier support may be migrating towards the front-runners, and explains the 1% increases for Guiliani, Romney, and McCain.
Retracted Statement Regarding 15th HOD District Race
Yesterday, I posted about the entrance of Independent Jack Proctor into the previously uncontested race in the 15th District. This information was courtesy of VPAP, which listed Mr. Proctor as a candidate. I received a comment and an e-mail last night stating that this, as of right now, is incorrect.
Apparently, Mr. Proctor filed the necessary paperwork, but did not receive the number of valid signatures necessary to have his name placed on the ballot. Unless Proctor gets the signatures, or someone else gets them, this means Del. Gilbert is still unopposed.
A big thanks to Craig Orndorff (Vice-Chairman of Activities for the SCRC) and Del. Todd Gilbert himself for giving me the heads up on this.
Apparently, Mr. Proctor filed the necessary paperwork, but did not receive the number of valid signatures necessary to have his name placed on the ballot. Unless Proctor gets the signatures, or someone else gets them, this means Del. Gilbert is still unopposed.
A big thanks to Craig Orndorff (Vice-Chairman of Activities for the SCRC) and Del. Todd Gilbert himself for giving me the heads up on this.
Rasmussen Reports: Fred Thompson - Most Conservative
This was a quiet little tidbit from a June 29th poll conclusion at Rasmussen Reports, but it does speak volumes about how the candidates are viewed. Let me run down the poll results for you...keep in mind, the poll only considered the top 5 candidates at this time. This is why candidates like Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter are not on this list.
- Overall, Fred Thompson was viewed as a conservative by 44% of those polled, 21% considered him a moderate, and 6% think he's a liberal. Among Republicans, 49% see Thompson as a conservative. Thompson's numbers are up from last month's poll of ideological identification (in which 37% of all voters and 42% of GOPers considered Thompson a conservative). Of all voters, 29% say they don't know enough to form an opinion just yet.
- Mike Huckabee was the only other GOP candidate to see an increase in their apparent conservatism amongst the public. 25% of all voters (and 29% of Republicans) see Huckabee as a conservative, 18% consider him a moderate, 8% say he's a liberal. However, the "we don't know enough about him" number was 39%. Recent criticism about the validity of Huckabee's claims to be a fiscal conservative may have a negative effect on how he is viewed, though.
- Mitt Romney was viewed by 41% of voters (40% of Republicans) as a conservative. 27% say he's a moderate, 6% consider him a liberal. What's interesting is that Romney is now to the right of all but one of the other front-runners.
- John McCain saw his conservative image torn apart by the immigration bill, and it showed in this poll. McCain is seen as a conservative by 38% of voters, but only 31% of Republicans polled...which is down a whopping 10 points from last month. 38% of voters consider McCain a moderate, 10% consider him a liberal.
- Finally, Rudy Guiliani is seen by 23% of all voters (and only 20% of Republicans) as a conservative. This is no surprise, as Rudy has never really been a "conservative" candidate and never pretended to be one. 54% of voters (including 64% of GOPers) view Guiliani as a moderate (no surprise there, either). 11% of all those polled consider him a liberal (which is higher than the Republican-only opinion, where only 9% considered Rudy a liberal).
All in all, some interesting poll numbers. However, with the GOP looking for the more conservative candidate...it seems that out of the front-runners, Fred is the man the conservative base of the Republican Party is looking for.
- Overall, Fred Thompson was viewed as a conservative by 44% of those polled, 21% considered him a moderate, and 6% think he's a liberal. Among Republicans, 49% see Thompson as a conservative. Thompson's numbers are up from last month's poll of ideological identification (in which 37% of all voters and 42% of GOPers considered Thompson a conservative). Of all voters, 29% say they don't know enough to form an opinion just yet.
- Mike Huckabee was the only other GOP candidate to see an increase in their apparent conservatism amongst the public. 25% of all voters (and 29% of Republicans) see Huckabee as a conservative, 18% consider him a moderate, 8% say he's a liberal. However, the "we don't know enough about him" number was 39%. Recent criticism about the validity of Huckabee's claims to be a fiscal conservative may have a negative effect on how he is viewed, though.
- Mitt Romney was viewed by 41% of voters (40% of Republicans) as a conservative. 27% say he's a moderate, 6% consider him a liberal. What's interesting is that Romney is now to the right of all but one of the other front-runners.
- John McCain saw his conservative image torn apart by the immigration bill, and it showed in this poll. McCain is seen as a conservative by 38% of voters, but only 31% of Republicans polled...which is down a whopping 10 points from last month. 38% of voters consider McCain a moderate, 10% consider him a liberal.
- Finally, Rudy Guiliani is seen by 23% of all voters (and only 20% of Republicans) as a conservative. This is no surprise, as Rudy has never really been a "conservative" candidate and never pretended to be one. 54% of voters (including 64% of GOPers) view Guiliani as a moderate (no surprise there, either). 11% of all those polled consider him a liberal (which is higher than the Republican-only opinion, where only 9% considered Rudy a liberal).
All in all, some interesting poll numbers. However, with the GOP looking for the more conservative candidate...it seems that out of the front-runners, Fred is the man the conservative base of the Republican Party is looking for.
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