Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Now that that big dinner is over with, it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to buy your relatives and friends for Christmas.
Save money on gas, save yourself the hassle of the crowds, get your shopping done all in one day and have Amazon.com do the shipping for you.
I guess last week’s 261 vote victory by Dino Rossi in the WA State governor’s race wasn’t close enough. The recount which was just completed places his lead at just 42 votes out of 2.8 million.
When the final votes in the race for governor in the state were tallied shortly after noon today, Republican Dino Rossi won the election by just 42 votes over Democratic Attorney General Christine Gregoire.
Rossi’s campaign declared victory and urged Attorney General Christine Gregoire to concede. Gregoire refused to concede and said she wants a hand recount.
"As far as we’re concerned, Dino has won. Dino has won twice," said a jubilant Rossi spokeswoman Mary Lane. "It remains to be seen what Christine Gregoire will do after losing two counts, whether she wants to go ahead and drag the state through yet another count."
But Gregoire told reporters and supporters in Seattle, "Every vote should be counted. The race continues. A 42-vote margin, my friends, that is a tied race."
Sadly, my dear Christine, when there is a difference in the final vote tally it is not a tie, just like when two Olympic runners compete and one wins the race by a fraction of a second.
The runner who won by a fraction of a second would be the winner, not the one who lost by a fraction of a second.
Gregoire wants "every vote to count" but apparently that standard doesn’t apply to the 42 votes that put Rossi over the top.
Reading these Fourteen Characteristics of Fascism by Dr. Lawrence Britt is difficult given the current political climate in the U.S. and our relationship with the rest of the world. It all sounds a little too familiar. Here are three characteristics:
5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.
Fascism doesn’t happen overnight. It is a slow, insidious process that happens over years, if not generations.
He addresses the suppression of labor unions:
10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
Communism and socialism are built on the power of labor unions. Those systems are just as destructive to human rights and liberty as fascism. While labor unions may be a threat to a fascist government, it is only because ultimately they want the same thing and are competing in their efforts to assault individual liberty.
Facism, communism, socialism and the power of labor unions are all built on collectivism, the premise that individuals have less value than the collective.
Just in time for the release of Oliver Stone’s film Alexander, Archaeology, the publication of the Archaeological Institute of America, has devoted a section of their site to Alexander the Great.
Here we’ll review the new film, plus take a look at a "classic" portrayal of Alexander by Richard Burton, and check out documentaries that are currently being broadcast or are available in DVD or VHS format. We’ll also provide guides to the best resources on Alexander to be found in your library or bookstore and on the web.