Latest Poll Results....Readers Disgusted By "Everything" About Palin

In our most unscientific, unreliable, and ridiculous poll yet, 32 readers responded to the question, "What disgusts you the most about Sarah Palin?" and an overwhelming 64% or 22 of the 34 respondents answered "Everything-especially that she might become vice president".

Results are to the top of the right column.

Well, that answers that. Fortunately, the real, the scientific, the random, the repeatable and reliable nationwide polls (as opposed to this useless one we just conducted) are showing a consistently strong trend that appears to have the election locked up for Obama and Biden, so it is likely--highly likely that Palin will be returned to Alaska. At least there, she can understand how people talk. Wink. Wink.

That's why I wrote the above text in blue. Our next poll will likely attempt to be slightly more objective and fair.

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Two Outdoor Community Events...Nice Weather Forecast

The first block of West Street will be CLOSED TO CARS from 12 to 5 this Sunday, October 5th for the monthly First Sunday event and part of West Annapolis will also be CLOSED TO CARS from 10 to 5 for Oktoberfest.

Leave the car behind and enjoy urban life as it should be--with people, activities, music, and ...upon what it is all predicated--the efficient exchange of good and services. Well, that's not exactly poetic or romantic, but enjoy city life for the same reasons we enjoy the Renaissance Festival and Main Street USA in Disney World. NO CARS.... This Sunday....walk, ride your bike or take the Annapolis Transit Gold or Brown Routes. See www.annapolis.gov/transport.

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Cookin' in an "RV" in Annapolis and Brides By the Bay

In another of our occasional series on what other bloggers say about our town, today we find this tidbit from the "RV Cooking Show" in which a pleasantly plump lady named Evanne Schmarder shares her passion for RV 'ing and regional food specialties. That's RV'ing as in driving around in a home on wheels that gets oh, maybe 8 miles to the gallon.

In this episode, Evanne comes to Annapolis and treats us to a real native food specialty--steamed shrimp. Yep. I dunno' bout y'all but I been all over this here Bay and fished and crabbed and I aint nevah, I mean nevah, caught any kind of shrimp you can cook and eat. We would net us up some of them tiny little grass or brine shrimp, but shrimp like you get in the grocery store? Nuthin' doin'!

She even brings on a real live Annapolitan "cause that's what these local folks call themselves--Annapolitans." They show a no surprises tour of the usual of Annapolis--the Academy, State House, City Dock etc.

After enjoying the shrimp we are told "you definitely need to have a bowl or your guests won't know where to put them, and that's a huge faux pas." You need a stack of napkins to which her guest replies "totally" and reminds us that "beer goes really nicely with this". I like these ladies more already, except for using napkins of course. Better to wipe on my Annapolis preppy tee shirt. I wish McCain would have picked Evanne for vice president. She'd know how to cook up the regional specialty at the White House fer sure. For appetizers, Taxpayer on Toast and Hard Boiled BS with stuffed middle class guts. For an entree, she'd serve the "Where's the Beef" with vegetables in place of brains, and for dessert, Economy Upside Down Cake. Oh, and the beverage? Your choice of Republican whine or Democrat Kool Aid with gas bubbles.
See the Annapolis portion here at steamed-shrimp.

I still don't get what shrimp has to do with Maryland, but if you like weddings in Annapolis, you may want to visit the blog of local photographer Donald Thompson who does business as D Bryant Photographers. He's quite talented, and the photos are nice, but CP just does not get the idea of young lovebirds being followed around our city streets for a few hours and stopping to smooch and snuggle so the camera can catch them in all these, well, absolutely natural and un-posed positions. But you'll recognize many of the scenes and if you like men in uniforms kissing women in white who are clasping bouquets, followed by a bunch of smiling women in the same colored dresses (none of which ever seem to fit right) you'll go for this. Speaking of not getting the part about shrimp, I also can't understand why people obsess about dressing perfectly and expensively and getting nice polished matching shoes so they can go running and galumphing on the beach and in the water. But then, I don't really get marriage or fancy weddings anyhow even though I am still married and had a fancy wedding. See: dbryantphoto

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Congressman John Sarbanes on Today's House Vote

From our representative in Congress:

As you may know, the economic stabilization plan passed the House of Representatives earlier today.

I supported the legislation today for the same reasons I cast my earlier vote, which I communicated in my email to you on Monday. For my full statement on my previous vote, please see the September 29, 2008 edition of the Sarbanes Standard, available here.

While this was far from a perfect piece of legislation, I believe it was necessary to restore confidence in the financial markets. The real victims of this crisis are America’s businesses and working families. When large financial institutions fail, it causes credit markets to seize up and the consequences for Main Street are severe. A further tightening of commercial credit makes it more difficult for businesses to meet payroll and ultimately leads to worker lay-offs. A shortage of consumer credit makes it tougher for families to meet many of their most basic needs. Every day, we are seeing more evidence of this in Maryland and across the country. For these reasons, I was convinced that delaying or avoiding action was not a prudent course.

As one next step, we are turning our focus to accountability. Beginning next week, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, a committee on which I am privileged to serve, will be holding a series of hearings to investigate the root causes of the financial turmoil that has embroiled Wall Street and jeopardized the economic security of taxpayers across the country.

I am enormously grateful for all of the letters, emails and phone calls I have received over the last few days. These have helped to shape my perspective in very significant ways.

Thank you again.
Congressman John P. Sarbanes

So--he wants to find the root causes? Hmmm....well, for starters, how about a million super greedy money handlers, financiers, bankers, mortgage brokers who were let loose for six years of almost unbridled, unregulated, free-market banditry in a country fixated on accumulation of wealth, squandering of resources and obsessed with conspicuous consumption. I dunno. Maybe?


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What "Ales" You This Fall?

Celebrate Obama's jump in the polls and invite some friends over for some seasonal fall ales. Better yet, invite some Republicans over and get them drunk and then register them as Democrats and convince them to vote for Obama.

Check out Eastporter Gray Gentil's beer column in today's local newspaper (which once again, I hate to promote for free...)at brews.

CP must divulge the fact that he participated as an "adjunct" taster for some of these fall brews.

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The Spies Among Us

In case you've been asleep for the past week or two, which might not have been a bad idea, you may not know that our own state police have been spying on us--at least those active in the peace movement. And in case you were wondering what CP thinks about it, well let's just say THAT I AM OUTRAGED!!!!!! There now. That's better.

Please stand with us to oppose police spying. The American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU of Maryland calls upon all organizers and activists to attend the public hearing on Tuesday October 7, 2008, 1:30 pm, Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, Second Floor, Miller Senate Office Building here in Annapolis.

Your presence will make a significant difference at this important briefing. This hearing is the first public accounting by the Maryland State Police of the extent of its wrongful spying on political groups discovered by the ACLU of Maryland in July. It is important that there be a strong showing from all organizations and activists at this hearing.

When law enforcement spies on lawful political groups and compiles dossiers on our political beliefs a shadow is cast across the First Amendment that reaches us all. It is important for our lawmakers to know that we expect to live in a free government where we are not criminalized for what we believe or for peacefully organizing to promote those beliefs.

Please RSVP to lee@aclu-md.org to say you will join us at this hearing. To learn more about the state police spying issue, go our website:
http://www.aclu-md.org/Index%20content/NoSpying/NoSpying.html

And The Capital's Eric Hartley weighs in on this as well at: Hartley-spies. I so hate to keep giving The Capital free publicity, but... a blogger's job is rarely easy.

So this is what it has come to. Not only is peace not patriotic, it is dangerous to the state. Well, many of us have known that all along and we might have figured it out even before reading Orwell's 1984.

And if you are not familiar with COINTELPRO, I suggest you look it up. And on a final note, I would think that the folks who were being infiltrated must have already figured out who are the informers. Of course, he or she was spying on pacifists, so he or she's not likely to get........whacked..... as a result. Now, if they had been spying on war groups.....he or she would already be in the witness protection program.

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My Two Cents...She's Still Not One of Us....

..and probably not one of you either. Instantly after the debate, the media started buzzing--no gaffes from Biden and no big screw-ups from Palin. Whew! Of course nobody expected anything that would happen would change most folk's minds--but only those in that small but important minority of voters who remain in that nether world of undecided.

BUT...still I cannot resist commenting on her remarks about Bush Administration blunders--well she got that right. Yet her smiles and winks....yuck! We're talking about vice president--you know--the heartbeat thing and all and she still thinks she is a cheerleader--a beauty queen! See, Bob--that's why it's not a personal attack--she is trying to use that.

She smiles. She speaks in vague platitudes. She talks about how she does not understand Washington-as if we did not know that already. Drill here. Drill now. Pay Less.

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Homer Simpson Goes to the Polls

 

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There Goes The Sun...(and The Post)

When I was employed by our grand and glorious city for eight years, and in other capacities, I worked with many different reporters at The Sun, The Capital and The Washington Post. I consistently found the Sun's reporters to be the most professional and most proficient at their jobs. But today I just shake my head and wonder every time I pick up The Baltimore Sun. What once was two local papers-- the somewhat high-brow Sun and its poorer cousin the Evening Sun, then joined together (was it before or after vanquishing their competitor-The News American???), went through a few different owners--or they went through it to become today's paper. Recently it has become less "newsy" and more "cutesy". It is sliding into irrelevance. However, in Baltimore you'll see a host of lively and unusual newspapers and magazines in boxes all over the city ranging from the Examiner to The Urbanite and The City Paper.

But whither The Sun?

The news hole is shrinking as is the staff. The new design is heavy on photos--lots of them, big ones, but not so much news. Tastes great. Not so filling. Stories are shorter and the whole paper seems lighter in every way. And why do they put those huge photos of the reporters with the articles? Simple. The few reporters that are left get their photo as a consolation prize for having remained. Perhaps readers like the "cutesy" personalization. I think a byline is fine thank you.

Witness today's Arundel section. The entire area above-the-fold consisted of an article about how this weekend's Kunta Kinte Festival suffered from a low turnout. The biggest news--was no news? But it gets worse. The article was short but it came with five photos. Five of them! That's almost unheard of in journalism. Five color photos for one story--and guess what they emphasized? The poor turnout of course--oh, and two of them featured face-painting. Why do newspapers gush about face painting? Is that all they can find to photograph? See it for yourself, including the photos (the best one of the dancer jumping, was not printed) at: kuntakinte

By the way, on today's cover of The Washington Post today, they posted a large photo of a girl to illustrate that today is the end of Ramadan. Yeah. That's real front page news. The entire world is free-falling into a depression, the two vp candidates are debating tonight, and the Washington Post decides that the big cover photo is about the end of Ramadan. Some might call that pandering.....among other things.

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Rep. Gilchrest and State Delegate Weldon Abandon GOP

Wayne Gilchrest has some pretty strong words in today's Washington Post about politics and party...and about us. The lame duck nine-term congressman was wounded while a Marine in Vietnam and came to Washington after a career as a high school teacher and a house painter. He was perhaps the most down-to-earth and seemingly unlikely man in Congress but he was often a moderating and thoughtful voice, and he parted ways with the GOP many times.

In this profile on him by the Washington Post's Marc Fisher you'll find some pretty harsh words:

"We're in this bad place as a country because of the evangelicals, the neocons, the nasty, bitter and mean . . . very clever ideological groups that use money, technology, fear and bigotry to lead people around," he says. "Voting according to your knowledge and experience -- that's out the window. Competence and prudence? Forget it." That sounds like he is referring to the Hyperconservative bloggers! But there is more...See Gilchrest

You can imagine how those same hyperconservative bloggers have latched on this one. You can find them online if you dare. But they also have harsh condemnation for Md Delegate Rick Weldon (R-Frederick) who has just left the MD GOP and become unaffiliated. See this from a respectable and thoughtful blog- PolitickerMaryland at rick-weldon.

Are the words and actions of these two men merely isolated incidents or are they indicative of a larger trend? I think we're in store for a lot of reporting on November 5th about the decline and fall of the Republican Party. We can only hope. It's been written about before concerning Democrats. The pendulum has swung back. History is about to repeat itself. Let's hope the Dems don't blow it, because so far, I'm not terribly impressed.

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Should We Laugh or Cry?

News reports from all over the world describe how a radical Muslim cleric in Pakistan has issued a "fatwa" against the Pakistani President as a result of his recent meeting with Sarah Palin in New York. I'm not going to repeat the news as you can easily find it all over the web, and I'll refrain from making jokes about it..even though it pains me. The multitude of ironies of the whole thing are mind boggling. Pakistan, with all its deep-seated troubles and turmoil, its problems with radical Muslim extremists and terrorists, its potentially nuclear conflict with neighbors, its modern birth in religious strife, somehow manages to even further divide itself over this boorish, former beauty queen who is also an extremist adherent of another yet equally apocalyptic faith. God save us!

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Energy and Andy Harris...and campaigning

Interested in energy issues? You may wish to attend the Energy is Everything 2008 Voters Education and Candidate Forum: A Forum on the Health, Environmental, Economic, and National Security Implications of Federal Energy Policy. October 14, 7 pm, Broadneck High School 1265 Green Holly Dr.. Sponsored by the Chesapeake Sustainable Business Alliance and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the forum will feature First District Congressional Candidates Andy Harris (R) and Frank Kratovil (D). The First District comprises the Eastern Shore and a sliver of Anne Arundel County adjacent to Annapolis and including Broadneck.

CP has never met Mr. Kratovil, a prosecutor, but I have met Harris, a Maryland Senator, once in his office and once while watching him in his Senate committee on a global warming topic. He is a very intelligent medical doctor and he has deeply held religious and profoundly conservative political convictions. He ran a rather unsavory campaign to unseat incumbent Wayne Gilchrest, a man I met many times and admire. Gilchrest, a staunch environmentalist and decorated Marine, originally supported the Bush War on Iraq and then came to oppose the war. I know from a personal conversation with Gilchrest before the war started in 2003 that he was as misled and deceived by Bush as was much of the rest of America.

So, back to Harris. Take a good look at his extremist voting record, his scurrilous primary campaign against Gilchrest and just taste the tone of his rhetoric in this campaign. Here are just a few excerpts from his news releases:

From a release entitled Kratovil Campaigns with his Liberal Friend: Campaigning with "Uncle Steny" shows Kratovil's true liberal colors we read that "Liberal Washington Democrats are funneling thousands of dollars to Frank Kratovil because Frank Kratovil supports their liberal values. Kratovil supports liberal policies of raising taxes, increasing wasteful government spending, giving amnesty to illegal immigrants, and implementing universal socialized medicine. Frank Kratovil will be a lapdog of the liberal Washington Democrats." Yeah he really said "Uncle Steny" in a news release.

And regarding Sarah Palin, "Throughout her career, Governor Palin has put principle above party by exposing corruption at all levels of government. Governor Sarah Palin has a long record of opposing wasteful spending and higher taxes. " That does not appear to be an example of putting principle above party. If they both get elected, they'll probably pray together in the Oval Office. Oy! Of course if Harris gets elected, what chance do you think he'll have to accomplish much as a Hoyer-hating member of the minority party in Congress?

Most of his statements and ads and releases are just attacks on liberals, liberal thinking and politically correct politicians. He has taken negative campaigning to new lows. It's one thing to be profoundly conservative; it's another thing to make "liberal" into a dirty, shameful word. As for his thoughts on energy, he pretty much repeats the worn mantra of drill, drill drill.

More mud slinging at his opponent--"The reason Kratovil is trying to have an extreme makeover in his first ad is because he knows voters in the first district won't embrace his radical liberal Washington agenda."

Radical liberal Washington agenda? Whew, something stinks around here and I think it's Andy Harris. I wonder what Jesus would think of his words and action? I recall seeing a bust of Christ the Lord in his senate office, so he must be watching the senator.

The tone of Kratovil's campaign and rhetoric appear to be much more circumspect and respectful than that of Harris, but check it out for yourself:

Kratovil at kratovil

Harris at http://www.andyharris.com/
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"Let No Debt Remain Outstanding..."

As our entire nation slides precariously further off the cliff of ever mounting debt, I am reminded of the comedy movie "In God We Trust" (the corollary being all others pay cash)which starred the late, great Marty Feldman. However, not even the writers of that film could have thought this one up--but it's true. I just got spam from The Christian Cash Alliance which quotes scripture, "God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble." That was Psalms 46:1 for those sinners of you.

And now, a message from me, your sponsor: Friends, in these gloomy days of economic woe, brought on by the money lenders in the temple, we must all remember that it is still possible to borrow, borrow and borrow more and the Christian Cash Alliance is here to help our brethren!! Amen.

The email/spam/ad has a picture of a white dove (of piece? I mean of peace?) flying through the clouds telling me I can get $1500 in cash wired to my account within 24 hours. If I don't have a checking account, I can click and get an instant credit card application....whereupon many more windows to heavenly cash are opened to the faithful on my computer screen.

They say:
* all types of credit are welcome
* get cash wired to your account quickly
* based on Christian Principles (CP Note: Or principals and interests as well?)

The Christian Cash Alliance further quotes scripture: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love another." Romans 13:8.

UUUmmmm..yeah...I guess that means if I owe them any money, they'll just forgive the debt and accept my love as payment??? Would that be a Christian principle? Does this thing make you feel a little uncomfortable as well?

I'll quote scripture for this, as Jesus said "And in my father's house are many mansions." That's for sure--and they are probably all about to be foreclosed upon as well. And if you're John McCain, you won't even know how many houses--or mansions you own. That was from John 14:2 by the way--not John McCain.


christiancashalliance

CP NOTE: I do not hate Christians. I am an equal opportunity exploiter of all religious faiths--especially when they come a knockin' at my door or a creepin' into my life....

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CP's September Views and Visits Breaks Record

September's site visit stats show that Capital Punishment continues to attract a loyal and growing local readership. This month we set new records, with a nearly fifteen percent increase in visits and a nearly twenty percent increase in views over the previous record set last February. Total monthly visits climbed to 4,459 while total views jumped to 6,652.

The average number of pages viewed per visit are 1.49, the average time on site was 2:41 and 61.29% were new visits for a total of 2,928 unique visitors. The Annapolis area remains by far the largest source for visitors. The average number of page views for Annapolis visitors was 1.93 and average time on site was 3:59, both significantly greater than the overall averages. Baltimore, Millersville and Severna Park were the next leading originating areas.

Thank you for your interest, your loyalty and of course your comments (except for the nasty ones from anonymous trolls). Our goal remains that of creating a public forum to interest and engage people in local politics and building our community...and occasionally commenting on national and global issues as well. We invite responsible comments, inquiries and essays.


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Annapolis Alive Events for October....

Coming up this month....Octoberfest in West Annapolis...and more see: annapolisalive

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Reuters Gets It Right

In a recent article examining Palin as the GOP choice, news service Reuters write, "But political analysts say Palin remains a powerful force in McCain's campaign despite her bad reviews. They cite her proven ability to rally evangelical Christians and connect with other socially conservative Republicans, whose grass-roots muscle could propel McCain in crucial states."

Exactly. Her only purpose is to attract an extremist minority of Americans to cast votes in key states to get McCain elected. And as CP has been saying, that's the strategy for November 4th. As for the 5th and then on, as the Zen Master says, "we shall see." And the GOP accuses liberals and Democrats of hating America???

While interviewed in Canada recently, Zbigniew Brzezinski, the national security advisor to former president Jimmy Carter, said that McCain "chose someone who is literally unequipped to be vice-president, not to mention being president."

C'mon Thursday.....and Joe, please stop sticking your foot in your mouth, just let Palin stick it in her mouth.

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The Plain Kids...snookering the collective American mind

Did I mean to say Plain or Palin kids??? WARNING: This post will make somebody upset with me....Now I turn my sense of disgust to Sarah Palin's daughters who are fair game for how she and her supporters are using her family to gain political support....but first, from the frontlines of Our Kulturkampf comes the The Family Research Council,whose legislative action arm or FRC Action is "dedicated to preserving and advancing the interests of family, faith, and freedom in the political arena and educating the general public and cultural leaders about traditional American values and to promote the philosophy of the Founding Fathers concerning the nature of ordered liberty." Ordered liberty?

Ordered liberty???? Uhh, I'll take a burger, a fries, a Coke and a liberty--to go--with extra napkins. Ordered liberty? Is that like "natural law?"

Well...sort of. It's a complex concept in constitutional law that the literary web-site novelguide.com describes as "A loosely used term, diversely applied in scholarly literature and judicial opinions, 'ordered liberty' suggests that fundamental constitutional rights are not absolute but are determined by a balancing of the public (societal) welfare against individual (personal) rights. In this dialectical perspective, the thesis is 'order,' its antithesis 'liberty': the synthesis, 'ordered liberty,' describes a polity that has reconciled the conflicting demands of public order and personal freedom."

Okay. I'm no expert but the bs alert system in me reads they (FRCAction) take it to mean Christian, fundamentalist,theocracy. Okay, so I'm over-reacting a bit. Maybe. Am I?

Here is one excerpt from the family group's "Kitchen Table blog" that will help explain their "thing." It's called "Piper Palin and the Culture of Life" and shows little Piper caring for even littler Trig at the GOP Convention. Remember now, this is the same family with a pregnant, unmarried teenage daughter--and somehow they turn that into a positive thing!:

"At one point during her mother's speech, Piper was cradling newborn Trig Palin, their baby with Down Syndrome, when she looked at her brother and determined that his hair needed to be straightened. Piper wet her fingers with her tongue and then proceeded to comb Trig's hair. It was something so rarely seen in our world today: a sublime scene of love and tenderness.

I think it melted the collective American heart. Already today, I have heard it mentioned on talk radio. There are numerous postings about it on the internet including many video clips of it. (Watch part of it here.)

Piper's love for her brother beautifully illustrated how precious each human life is. She also revealed how a reverence for life begins with family and the exhibition of self-less love that children learn from their parents. Clearly, the Palins teach their children well. They do more than talk about a Culture of Life - they help build one every day." See: Make Me Sick Here

Awwww....why didn't they just show a video of her other daughter displaying her butt up in the air with her "drill here, drill now, pay less" panties displayed for her S--- kicking boyfriend, soon-to-be-husband? The ooh so obvious sub text is--well you can figure it out...I guess that minimum wage, global warming, health care and sending our children off to war for oil are just family issues for these ordered liberty folks.

If this post bothers you, too bad! Just consider that we are only talking about the future of our country and the world, given that if McCain is elected, Palin could conceivably become president and even she says she's just a pit bull with lipstick.

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Throughout History...

Throughout history, the men who love war and start wars have always said the war will be easy, that it will be over quickly, that we will win, that all will be well, etc., etc. John McCain is no different. See these video clips:



Everyone makes mistakes and says things we regret later. A person running for president has millions of his or her words recorded for future reference, and they can find stuff for Obama too, but we are talking about waging war! And it was and is still based on lies and deception--and McCain was a part of that. Remember--he is the guy who said "I know how to win wars." But history has proven him wrong on that account--twice. If that's the kind of foreign policy experience you seek in a president--vote for McCain. Republicans have always denigrated the military experience of Democratic candidates and presidents including McGovern, Carter and Kerry,(Kennedy too??) to name a few, so why should anyone listen to them when it comes to their claims about Obama? If George Patton had been a Democrat running for office, they would have slammed him for being weak on defense and foreign affairs...and nothing has weakened our military more than this quagmire in Iraq--which Republicans and McCain still support. How the %%&@(**#(+!!! are we ever going to get out of this one?

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Nothing Like Democratic Unity!

Some Democratic activists, including a current and a former City Council member are being implicated in suggesting that the Housing Authority of Annapolis (HACA) is placing restrictions on who can and cannot perform voter registration drives on HACA property. Sorry for the multiple-clauses, but...if such rumors are true, the repercussions could be serious and would raise a litany of concerns. Local activists have brought this to CP's attention, saying that at a recent HACA Board meeting, Exec. Dir. Eric Brown announced that only Dennis Conti & Trudy McFall (an announced Mayoral candidate and her campaign manager) are allowed to do voter registration on HACA property.

At least one activist has suggested that this would be in McFall's interest with the rationale that she will not garner many votes from HACA residents and therefore, keeping registration counts low would guarantee fewer votes for her opponents. McFall and Conti have long affiliations with HACA, as Board Chair and Executive Director respectively.

This rumor appears to have been based upon a person working to register voters in the Glenwood Apartment, a HACA property for seniors, who was supposedly told they could not carry on their activities.

CP immediately contacted Brown, who vehemently denied the charges before I could even fully finish my question. Apparently, someone else had already asked him a similar question. Brown explained that because Glenwood residents are elderly, they become concerned when visitors knock on their doors and therefore HACA prefers that they be contacted in advance so accommodations can be made. Brown said there were no other restrictions and that HACA has not said that McFall and Conti will be the only ones allowed to carry on registration. Sounds reasonable to me.

Conti sent me an immediate reply:

"This rumor is absolutely false. In fact, on Oct. 4 the NAACP is doing voter registration at Robinwood, Newtowne 20, etc. Trudy and I helped the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee to do voter registration this past Thursday at the Eastport Community Center, but that has been our only involvement. I suspect this is a continuation of a campaign to discredit Trudy. I would suggest that you question the motives of whomever you are hearing this from."


I spoke with Debbie Johnson, the woman who was actually doing the registration drive at Glenwood. She is also president of the HACA Resident Advisory Board as well as the College Creek-Obery Court Residents Ass'n and is of course well known to HACA staff. She tells a different story than Brown, pointing out that she was in fact asked to leave by the resident manager. She says that Brown originally told her that Glenwood residents could register at an upcoming NAACP drive a few blocks away. Johnson did not understand why Brown said seniors would have to be inconvenienced to leave their building to register when she was already there.

I was unable to reach Alderwoman Classie Hoyle before press time, but will include her remarks in an update if she contacts me. County Councilman Josh Cohen, who is NOT in any way a party to these rumors, was contacted by some of the parties involved. He chalks this whole thing up to a misunderstanding. I tend to agree. Since I am not on staff of a newspaper or being paid to track this down (although I will gladly take donations)I don't want to do the necessary digging. It just upsets me that there is such acrimony and discord among Democrats and it does not bode well in an election year, where public housing will no doubt be a top issue for mayoral candidates.

If anyone else wants to weigh in on this, add a comment, provide some insight or otherwise help us to attain the truth please write. In the meantime, in the inimitable words of Rodney King (who I admit may not have been the best messenger but...) "Can't we all just get along?"

By the way, for clarification, it is my understanding that when doing voter registration drives, all workers, regardless of affiliation or bias, must register any and all voters, without any consideration of or interest in party choice. Therefore, it would be a serious mistake and misunderstanding to think that only Democrats are being registered in such campaigns.

UPDATE: CP received a reply from Alderwoman Classie Hoyle, who was unable to reply at original posting time due to The HACA matter:

I did not hear Eric Brown say Trudy and Dennis were the only persons to do voter registration on HACA property. I did hear him say in the HACA Board meeting on Wednesday, 24th, that ALL were to get his permission before we entered HACA property to do voter registration. I informed him and the HACA Board that Shelia Finlayson was AAC Democratic Chair for scheduling voter registration. And that she had scheduled voter registration in public housing. He again announced ALL voter registration requests must come through him to get permission. His reasoning was it's common courtesy to get his permission first. He sighted fear from tenants with seeing strange people on the property.

Again, this further confirms CP's original reaction that this was a misunderstanding.



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The Far Right's Take on Politics...OnVideo

If you want to see videos about what far right leaders have to say, check this out:
RightWingWatchdotorg


Or try this one out--As if Alan Keyes was not enough, now it's Maryland's own Michael Steele, the token darling of the Republican Party saying quit hassling Sarah Palin! Eegads! Was he able to count all the 31 other Black delegates to the GOP Convention before him? I mean, if they question HER qualifications, they might question those of the one-time LT Governor as well.

Steele attacks news anchor Charles Gibson for his interview of Sarah Palin calling his "grilling" of her unspeakable....but he spoke about it, Yeah Mike. I guess we should treat a VP candidate with kid gloves. Hey--you can't have it both ways Mike! If she and her supporters make a big deal about her being "one of us", I guess it means that she should be as ignorant of just about EVERYTHING as the rest of us are.

Steele was speaking in front of the Family Research Council's Legislative Action group (see above post).



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Hey Spores Fans- Annapolis Has An Anthrax Connection

And it's a big one--to the tune of tens of millions of dollars and it's right here in the newly opened Park Place on West Street no less! Pharmathene, a firm that describes itself as a "biodefense company developing and commercializing medical products to counter biological and chemical weapons" just received a contract from the federal government worth nearly $90 million. The company also owns a 160 acre facility near Montreal.

According to enews2.0, Pharmathene along with Emergent BioSolutions of Rockville have emerged as the leading rivals to develop defenses against Anthrax.

Learn about Pharmathene at pharmathene and see the enews2.0 article at Anthrax


On a national scale, this news is clearly related to the goal of producing a national stockpile of Anthrax vaccine, while on the local level it is another example of the huge role that federal dollars, bio-tech and the growing national security-military-industrial-police state are combining to prop up our economy. I smell lots of high-paid jobs....but for some odd reason, their email address is not conspicuously posted on their web-site, nor is contact information for a press or corporate relations officer.


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Poll Dancing...Three Blue Dudes, See How They Run...

Eleven of the twelve latest national polls aggregated daily on a leading web-site show Obama projected to win with McCain eking but but a tiny electoral victory in the lone poll in his favor. The previous day's aggregate of 13 polls show Obama winning an electoral victory in all of them.

Of course, even the most well executed polls have a margin of error--and from the two graduate classes CP took in research methods and theory, these tiny margins are not significant...I think...whatever that means...I must have missed that class.

In any event, for the sake of honest disclosure, the web-site is called 3 Blue Dudes. Could it be a Democratically-inclined site? However, their polls appear to be independent. 3bluedudes.com/ I guess if it said 5 Red Rubes I would have figured it was a Republican site. So I went looking for a similar Republican sponsored poll. Can someone help me out here?

Another such aggregate site appears to be independent and shows Obama leading in most polls by popular and electoral votes as well as showing trends in his favor. See polls/



PollingReport.com which calls itself "An independent, nonpartisan resource
on trends in American public opinion" shows similar results with Obama ahead in 12 out of 14 polls done since 9-21. The three latest show Obama ahead with a 5 to 7 point lead.pollingreport/

Now you may be asking yourself, okay CP, what exactly does this all mean? Ahhh! I am glad you asked. I am studying this and will give you my answer on the morning of November 5th because I do not want my prognostications to have any undue effects on the election due to my large national following. However, I think Diebold has already come out with the election results. Sleep tight....zzzzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....zzzzzzzzzzzz

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Roosevelt Did Go On Television!

Well, to be fair, I don't just poke fun at Palin. I did a piece about some silly stuff Biden said. But about these charges that he said President Roosevelt went on tv during the 1929 Stock Market crash. Well, the truth is that Roosevelt was President in 1929 and he did go on television to speak to the anxious nation. I think. I just don't remember if it was Abraham, or George Roosevelt. He said something like "We have nothing to spread but fear itself."

Here is a picture of President Roosevelt Franklin from one of his many television appearances from the popular television show Sesame Wall Street. (After I learned it was not George or Abraham Roosevelt, but Roosevelt Franklin)

At least I did see the video about it on Youtube...somewhere....stay tuned. I'll find it. Just keep paying attention to Palin and I'll get back to you to prove that what Biden said was true...just give me time...and don't believe Jon Stewart's take on the so-called Biden gaffe, he's just a shill for the liberal, elitist media...it's a tough job but somebody has gotta do it.
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October 3--A Big Day for Movie Satires

On October 3, Michael Moore is going to get skewered by David Zucker. Ya gotta love it--no matter what your political perspective may be. I personally find Moore to be offensive in many respects, although his films are important because they stretch our thinking about world events...and maybe stretch our imagination, and Moore's as well. He is pompous and arrogant, but then he is a counterbalance to the even more incessant and pompous and arrogant right wing bullhorns of hate on talk radio.

When Moore questions our love affair with guns and what the Bush Crime Family had to do with 9-11, he asks tough questions that need to be asked. I think he is a bad messenger with an often important message. But he can take the insults and the roasting Zucker is going to give him. In a sense, satirizing him makes him bigger than he already is...and he is big, in more ways than one. It's a form of flattery, like when hyperconservative bloggers make fun of CP.

If you can put up with the slapstick and the face slapping and punching, try to enjoy the trailer at: american carol/

Also up, coincidentally on October 3 is Bill Maher's new satire about faith called "Religulous" ...as in ridiculous. In a previous post, an angry reader compared CP to Bill Maher, unwittingly giving me a great compliment. Maher-Foer

See about the movie at:
Religulous/



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The GOP and A Deus Ex "Palina"

I'm going to put myself out on a limb here...or to use an Alaskan metaphor, thin ice, or sloggy permafrost. CP has been predicting to friends that because the GOP and even the old warhorse himself may be having second thoughts about their choice for the number two spot, they will find a way for her to bow out. But it must be done quickly. She may have helped in the polls at first, but after all, that is all they are concerned about, and their ploy has not been working. On Thursday she is debating one of the most loquacious and experienced political figures. Will they wait and see or act quickly before she inserts her muddy boot in mouth and swallows?

Considering how absolutely cocksure she was about getting the call, supporting the mission and saying "yes" without any time to reflect, bowing out will put egg all over the GOP's face. They can't do this gracefully. Shades of 1972. Maybe they'll pay some doctor in Alaska to come up with a health reason about her--or her baby, that will require her to withdraw. Maybe they'll concoct a story, a rumor about that redneck, shi--kicker boyfriend who will gladly take the bag of unmarked bills and slip out of town with a new identity to some kind of Valhalla where he'll spend the rest of his days pucking around on the ice and drinking. With him leaving town, the outcry and embarrassment will be too great to overcome.

Maybe some secret -------------------------- [censored] will see to it that her plane mysteriously crashes after going off course in some rugged and isolated part of Alaska...maybe after flying into Russian airspace. Now that would be ironic! Remember Senator John Tower or "Seven Days in May"? I can see the headline now, "Palin Plane Hits Russian Plain, Goes Down in Rain, GOP in Pain".

Now, if I am right, nobody will remember that I have made this prediction. If I am wrong, well, at least I have enough gumption (whatever that is) to make the prediction. I will make another prediction, again, putting myself on the line.

Palin stays in, and McCain loses. She will be consigned to the trash heap of history as a mere footnote but her name will live on for years to come in the popular lexicon. Something along the lines of "You've got a real Palin on your hands now." Or "Why not do a Palin?" or perhaps "She got Palined to the number two spot in that department real fast" etc., etc. And parents will hesitate to name their daughters Sarah for generations to come.

Any other Palin predictions are too painful to even consider, so I'll refrain...

NOTE: Shortly after posting this, CP came across, from of all sources, Fox News (Faux News)a piece describing how conservatives are questioning Palin!! The Palinqueball(remember the ancient Mayan ballcourt in Palenque?) is rolling...see:Palinque Ball

And by the way, what DID happen to the once grand Mayan Empire?








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