Here’s a shot from Tubb’s Hill–the planned burn of slash did not happen yesterday, so it’s still a good time for a walk. National politics has pretty much grabbed the whole stage lately, but there’s still a lot going on in our city and county. Don’t forget our local elections and other important issues.
What’s on your mind this mild, Fall weekend?
Polling.
Using the ‘traditional’ polling Obama (the Socialist) hasn’t cracked 50%.
Comment by Pariah — October 18, 2008 @ 11:37 am
See http://www.gallup.com/poll/111229/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Maintains-Lead.aspx
Comment by Pariah — October 18, 2008 @ 11:38 am
Interesting methods for the polls, “traditional” and “expanded”. Haven’t the polls been not just wrong but dramatically wrong in the last few elections? Remember the exit poll fiasco in 2004? The pundits were apologizing and admitting their predicitons were totally wrong, yet here we are again, being told the polls are believable.
Comment by mary — October 18, 2008 @ 11:56 am
See http://raglinen.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chi_trib_11_3_1948full.jpg
Comment by Pariah — October 18, 2008 @ 12:28 pm
Wasn’t Ronald Reagan 8 points behind President Carter 10 days before the election?
Comment by Gary Ingram — October 18, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
Yes. And Kerry and Gore won, according to MSNBC/SeeBS/ABC/Et alia.
Comment by Pariah — October 18, 2008 @ 12:49 pm
Don’t get your hopes up. This type of partisan banter shows me that the GOP is desperate. Honestly, the GOP has done nothing to convince the electorate that their ideas are any better than the Democrats. You can’t win an election by saying, “I’m not the other guy,” but that is apparently McCain’s strategy. It’s not working.
This election is Obama’s to lose. The hard left and hard right have made up their minds. Those in the middle will decide this election. If Obama doesn’t screw up, he will be the next President of the United States. You need to accept that, or come up with something brilliant that will drive the middle to vote for McCain — something other than the nonsense that’s out there now.
Comment by Dan — October 18, 2008 @ 2:02 pm
““I’m not the other guy,” but that is apparently McCain’s strategy.”
Nope.
Comment by Pariah — October 18, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
Again, all I see is McCain talking about “Obama the socialist.” I don’t buy things from a salesman who only badmouths the competition.
Comment by Dan — October 18, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
I don’t agree, Dan. I think McCain has been talking about plans and policies that make him a far different choice than Obama, it just doesn’t get through the media.
We have a culture of mind control going on in the media like never before in history. They cover Obama’s whole speech and throw in a quick clip of McCain saying saying something negative about Obama’s lack of a record. Then the pundits all sit around for 15 minutes discussing how negative McCain is…it borders on the absurd.
Last night during Jay Leno’s monologue, almost all the jokes were bashing Bush or McCain/Palin. Not one word joking about Obama…not one, and just a tiny little one about Biden loving Hillary. It was nauseating to see how obvious the slant is.
Comment by mary — October 18, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
Dan, I’ll give you two McCain signs for one Gookin sign. What a deal!
Comment by Gary Ingram — October 18, 2008 @ 6:14 pm
So you’re stealing McCain signs, eh Gary? Typical lefty….
Comment by Dan — October 18, 2008 @ 9:55 pm
jay leno isn’t a pundit he is a comedian.
Comment by reagan — October 18, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
I didn’t say he was, Regan. It was a separate paragraph;new subtopic; supports the overall theme but is different than the previous sentence.
Comment by mary — October 18, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
What I think is hilarious is Obama portrayal of FOX news as a boldly biased news organization. Obviously FOX leans to the right but all of the rest of the news groups lean so far left it is absurd. Obama is so accustomed to being presented in the best possible light that he feels that any other sort of coverage is patently wrong. I really don’t know if it is arrogance or delusion, but it is telling and humorous.
Comment by Wallypog — October 19, 2008 @ 7:35 am
Wallypog,
Most national-level candidates and even local wannabe’s know that their success will be in logarithmic proportion to their ability to manipulate the news media. The proportion is logarithmic rather than direct, because the news media are an exponential force multiplier for the candidate(s) of their choice. The ability of any candidate’s staff to successfully exploit if not completely manipulate the news media is more a function of the gullibility of the news media than the delusional mindset of the candidate. Don’t blame any candidate and his or her staff for doing exactly what the news media are eagerly encouraging and soliciting. To put it another way, don’t blame the john exclusively when the prostitute was a willing participant and solicited the business.
Comment by Bill — October 19, 2008 @ 7:52 am
Obama declares war on US voters. This should tell you all you need to know about what is coming.Obama Camp Asks DoJ For Investigation (Stop investigating ACORN!) .pdf letter, Obama camp to US Attorney GeneralMcCain Camp Responds to Obama’s DOJ Letter
Comment by Pariah — October 19, 2008 @ 7:55 am
Chinese Urban Renewal Kingpin Sentenced to Death for Corruption. Nothing to see here, move along, move along . . .
Comment by Dan — October 19, 2008 @ 8:54 am
Corruption in government, an old story. The Chinese are an old country, they have refined greatly the art of cumshaw.
Comment by Pariah — October 19, 2008 @ 9:08 am
Corruption on govt., a good place for this question. I read a comment in the Press that states there are no classrooms planned in the education corridor. Is this true?
Comment by Diogenes — October 21, 2008 @ 3:32 pm
Read it for yourself, Diogenes:
http://www.nic.edu/board/edCorridor/masterPlan.pdf
The word “classroom” appears about a dozen times in the 115 page report. Most of those are references to existing classroom space or usage.
On page 23 classrooms are mentioned as part of an ideal campus.
On page 36, classrooms are mentioned as part of the retail space designated for River Drive.
That’s it. The images in the document all show retail/commercial development.
I’m disappointed in the purchase price of this property. I’m disappointed that the actions of NIC, Mayor Bloem, and the LCDC have been held in secret with literal contempt for the public. I’m disappointed that the focus is on development, not education.
Comment by Dan — October 21, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
Thanks Dan. In your opinion, or if you know for sure, are these “classrooms” mixed with the other classifications, going to be used for actual students and teachers? Or is it just a sop to the voters so the “interested parties” (kind description for the robber barons in this city) can succeed with this odoriferous plan?
Comment by Diogenes — October 22, 2008 @ 9:43 am
I would have preferred that the entire thing be classroom buildings. There is room for commercial in a campus. My alma matter features leased spaces in the student union for fast food and other renters. But that facility came in only when they stopped teaching us in quonset huts and built real classrooms. That’s the priority. If the EC were covered with classrooms, and the classrooms had views of the river (not like all the offices that have the views in the Meyer Science Building), then I would think it would be awesome – but again, only at a lower price and with adequate studies done on the impact of NW Blvd and downtown. On the surface, an education corridor makes sense. But the process our so-called leaders are taking smells of corruption, secrecy, and insider dealings. I do not feel comfortable with the current EC proposal at all.
Comment by Dan — October 22, 2008 @ 12:48 pm