EXIT POLLS SEALED UNTIL AFTER 5PM

OK, this makes no sense. The folks in charge of the exit polls are not releasing any info on the results until after 5 pm eastern. What the hell's with that? They're scared it will effect voters' decisions about whether to vote or not. What about my right to know? Stupid asses. Plus they don't want to get it wrong like they have in years past. So, they wait until after 5pm (why they don't wait until after all of the polls close is beyond me) to make sure they're getting it right. Of course, what happens if they're not getting it right? Will they fudge the numbers or just tell the truth? Just the fact that I can't be sure shows us how screwed up our world is right now. Hey, Jack Cafferty's on CNN--he's sounding pretty anti-Bush even if he's not a libbie.

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VOTING IRREGULARITIES: BIG SURPRISE (or not!)

OK, so MSNBC.com is [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15590530/|reporting] that:

Programming errors and inexperience dealing with electronic voting machines frustrated poll workers in hundreds of precincts early Tuesday, delaying voters in Indiana, Ohio, Miss. and Florida and leaving some with little choice but to use paper ballots instead.

I love how the article says "paper ballots" like they're a bad thing. It's the electronic machines that are bad. Here's more from the article:

In Cleveland, voters rolled their eyes as election workers fumbled with new touchscreen machines that they couldn’t get to start properly until about 10 minutes after polls opened. “We got five machines — one of them’s got to work,” said Willette Scullank, a troubleshooter from the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, elections board.

That's the spirit! ONE of them's got to work! Well, not really :) Here's more:

In Mississippi's Hancock County, where voters were heading to the polls for the first time since it was clobbered by Hurricane Katrina, MSNBC found Pamela Metzler, circuit clerk for Hancock County, Miss., fuming. “The equipment is just over the top for the average poll worker,” she fumed. “Hell, it’s over the top for me.”

Wow--what's so difficult about pressing buttons on a touch-screen? I suppose that could be very difficult if the software was designed for crap... For from the article:

Metzler said the Diebold touch-screen machines were “shoved down our throats” by Secretary of State Eric Clark as part of a deal that brought 77 of Mississippi’s 82 counties into compliance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Tuesday’s general election was the first big test of the system. Metzler said the equipment problems were keeping some county residents from casting their ballots on their first attempt.

Nice, so now these Diebold machines are serving as a detriment to democracy. WEEEE! And a bit more:

In Indiana’s Marion County, about 175 of 914 precincts turned to paper because poll workers didn’t know how to run the machines, said Marion County Clerk Doris Ann Sadler. She said it could take most of the day to fix all of the machine-related issues. Election officials in Delaware County, Ind., planned to seek a court order to extend voting after an apparent computer error prevented voters from casting ballots in 75 precincts there. County Clerk Karen Wenger said the cards that activate the machines were programmed incorrectly. “We are working with precincts one by one over the telephone to get the problem fixed,” she said.

Sheesh. My polling place has changed for the first time in the eight years I've lived in my apartment. I wonder if they'll switch from the ink-a-vote system (the non-punch-card punch-cards) to electronic machines. I'll have my minicam there just in case I get an electronic machine. Man, talk about Russian roulette! Will it record my vote properly? Will it not? WHO KNOWS!

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WHAT'S WITH THE HEAT??

Anybody know why the hell it's so hot in SoCal right now?? It was in the 90s today--IT'S NOVEMBER! Even in LA November is supposed to NOT BE HOT. I'm sitting here at 12:51am with the windows open and I'm thinking about turning on the fan because it's that warm.

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PLEASE VOTE DEMOCRAT!!

One last time, folks! If the Republicans win this time, in 2008 I'll be encouraging everyone to go 3rd Party! But for now, we need to vote Democrat across the board! We've got to vote as one people, against the things Republicans have done. Iraq and Afghanistan are a mess. Bush has effectively done away with habeas corpus--one of the most basic, original rights humans have been guaranteed for years (that's the right to challenge your detention in court). So, please, vote Democrat, vote against Republican bills, measures and acts. Say no to them to let those hypocritical bastards know that we're paying attention and that we're not happy with what they see. The Republicans in the House and Senate have been rubber-stamping the Bush agenda from day one. This MUST be where the free ride ends. Unless you want to keep paying for their free ride, that is.

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CALIFORNIANS, PLEASE VOTE YES ON PROP 89!

Over the past couple weeks I was reminded as to why I tend to ignore the mainstream news. Sure, I listen to the podcast versions of some mainstream stuff, but none of them went into detail on any of the major propositions various states are voting on this week. The following radio/TV shows/podcasts DID however, delve into California's Proposition 89--the so-called "Clean Money and Fair Elections Act" (which I believe is an accurate name for it): [http://www.californiareport.org/|KQED's the California Report] [http://www.pbs.org/now/|PBS' Now with David Brancaccio] And I thought that [http://www.motherjones.com/radio|Mother Jones Radio] had done something too, but I can't find anything in [http://www.motherjones.com/radio/archive.html|their archives] now. What IS Prop 89? In a nutshell, here's what it does: 1) It puts a universal cap on how much any candidate running for office in California can accept from any single donor. I believe the cap is $5 (but don't quote me--I can't find the exact figure). 2) It allows public money to fund this program and state matching funds to pay for campaigns. 3) It taxes corporations and financial institutions to pay for it all. Now, the above is according to my voter booklet, but based on the above and the reporting I've heard about this prop? IT ROCKS. First, it stops mega-corporations from being able to buy candidates lock-stock-and-barrel. Everyone knows that "campaign contributions" are just legalized bribes. Even if the bribe isn't overt, a mega-corporation has the power to "donate" a shitload of money to a candidate that supports what said mega-corp happens to be into as well. As individuals, most of us can't do that. Say Bob Smith is going to run for state senate. He believes corporations should be allowed to stomp on little puppies. It turns out that the Puppy Soda Company gets the ingredients for it's soda from stomped puppies. The thing is, stomping puppies is illegal in this state. So, they give massive bank to Bob Smith who has already said he plans to legalize puppy-stomping. Because the Puppy Soda Company is so HUGE and they want to move into your state, they "donate" a hundred million dollars to his campaign allowing Bob Smith to blitz the airwaves about how cool he is (conveniently leaving out the bit about legalizing the stomping of puppies). His face is everywhere and the marketing campaign he bought with that "donation" from the Puppy Soda Company has convinced nearly everyone in your state that BOB SMITH ROCKS! He's ushered into office with a landslide victory past a better candidate who tried to get the word out that Smith was going to legalize puppy-stomping, but he didn't have enough money to be heard above Smith's mega-marketing campaign. The first law Smith pushes is the legalization of puppy-stomping and it passes quickly thanks to the Puppy Soda Company "donating" money to other lawmaker's campaigns, too. Now, sure, the puppy-stomping example would never happen in the real world (probably) but you can see the parallel. All MEN are created equal, but corporations have more rights out of the gate just on the principle that they are NOT human. Yet our state and federal governments generally recognize corporations as individuals. The only thing they can't do is vote. However, being able to donate millions is MUCH more than most of us regular folks can do. Proposition 89 is the first bill (that I know of) that takes some power away from the corporations and makes the playing field a lot more level for the rest of us. Now, people against Prop 89 say that it's bad because it forces public money to pay for (I believe it's a dollar-for-dollar matching fund) public campaigns so if some guy who wanted to get in office, so he could, say, pass a law legalizing puppy-stomping, it would be public money that would give him a platform. This is true, but the difference is that any other candidate who wanted to run on the anti-puppy-stomping platform could easily raise the funds he or she would need to challenge the pro-puppy-stomping candidate. Also, it wouldn't be all taxpayer money paying for these campaigns. It would largely be taxes on corporations and financial institutions that do business in California. So, yes, it will "hurt the small business man," but it will do so at the expense of our having a more audible voice and quieter campaigns. There are many other costs that are rising making the plight of the small business man a desperate one, indeed. However, this is a tiny price to pay compared to skyrocketing health care costs, astronomical insurance costs and inflation (to name just a few). Worry about the real problems and let the political landscape level out. The citizens need their voices back. The only negative thing about the bill is that apparently it allow the nurse's union (the folks behind the bill) to have more power. To that I say: SO WHAT? They're NURSES--they deserve more power. No, it doesn't mean they can pass laws willy-nilly. My understanding is that they aren't taxed like corporations and they don't have a donation cap. Yes, it may seem a little hypocritical, but what's the worst thing a nurse's union will do compared to worst thing a corporation will do? There ya go--and the benefits of the law outweigh what some call "a power grab by the nurses." Oh yeah, the REAL POWER in California will be the nurses... ANYway, I hope I've persuaded you if you were going to vote no on Prop 89 or were on the fence about it. Corporations are way too powerful as it is. A few years ago a bunch of public interest lawyers tried to get California to revoke (I think it was) Unocal's corporate charter due to repeated violations of the law and endangering the environment, but the state refused to do it. That's because Unocal represents way too much oil money for the state of California. This prop won't force corporations to be more ethical, but it will remove a good chunk of their power to influence politics. After all, corporations ARE NOT HUMAN and do not deserve the same rights we have. Vote Yes on Proposition 89. Do it for the puppies.

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THEPETE SEZ: US ELECTIONS FIXED, BUT LET'S SEE HOW FIXED!

Wow, I doubt Siskita (TheWife) was thinking about Tuesday's election when she posted about her friend Jessica needing votes to win "Miss Horrorfest". I mean, sure, go vote for her but for God's sake VOTE FOR YOURSELF, by showing up at your local polling place this Tuesday!! Even if you don't have local elections on Tuesday, why not just drop by your polling place and say hi? OK, so you shouldn't do that if you don't have local elections. BUT IF YOU DO, PLEASE BE INVOLVED!! Now, I know back in 2004 I said that the election then would prove whether or not the elections in the US were fixed. Kerry lost and there was a good deal of voting irregularities reported so I concluded, logically, that the elections in the US are fixed. I still believe this. However, they're not fixed dramatically. If you look at the elections in 2000 and 2004, Bush won both times by a pubic-hair's-breadth. If Kerry and Gore had offered America a strong, distinct choice (aka came off as DIFFERENT from Bush), they both would have gotten a lot more votes and the slight shove Bush got both times due to the fix would not have been enough. See, if a HUGE fix was in, then it would be obvious. SO GO VOTE DEMOCRAT!! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE REPUBLICAN! Do you respect life? Then you MUST be against the war in Iraq because WAY more people have died over there in the name of 911. Are you against HUGE government? Then you MUST be against all this big brother, rights-taking-away that the Bush admin has been up to. Are you against BIG SPENDING? Then you MUST be against spending $500 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to kill a whopping (not) 50,000 Al Qaeda terrorists. That's right. The Republican government has spent nearly $500,000,000,000 to go after terrorists--that's like spending $10 million PER TERRORIST! THEY HAVEN'T EVEN CAPTURED OSAMA BIN LADEN YET! Come on folks. I don't like the Democrats any more than I like Republicans, but you HAVE to admit the Democrats have never screwed things up this badly before: The Republicans: 1) Let 911 happen 2) Invaded Afghanistan, didn't capture ObL 3) Invaded Iraq, got Saddam, but no WMD or ObL and there are more terrorists now than before 911. 4) Bungled the Katrina response, probably costing many lives. 5) Made torture legal 6) Effectively banned habeas corpus, the right to challenge your detention in a court of law. If those aren't enough reasons for you to vote Democrat on Tuesday, check out the complete list in my 13 Strikes post. Keep watching this site for more election 2006 coverage and I'll be live-blogging all day Tuesday so be sure to stop by for that!

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Orignal From: THEPETE SEZ: US ELECTIONS FIXED, BUT LET'S SEE HOW FIXED!

DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE (1965)

Positive Experience/Entertaining? Uh, actually, not really. Even for the kind of corny-but-fun caper-comedy that was so common from this time period, Dr. Goldfoot comes off pretty damn weakly.
Technically any good? Everyone is great at camping it up, but the the script is pretty uneven. There's next to no meat to the story or the characters (even the kind of meat you find in films like this), in fact, the plot seems like it needed another month or two in the womb.
How did it leave me feeling? Cheated. I was hoping for something like Catalina Caper but I got something much much less entertaining--and that's saying a lot, I think. It's also pretty offensive. Literally, the ONLY women in this movie are literal robots programmed to swindle away rich men's fortunes. When they make a mistake the robots are tortured with menial labor, an electric chair or a cattle prod--I'M NOT KIDDING! Even in 1965 this kind of woman-hating can't really be overlooked. It's one thing to have a lot of women in bikinis, but even this male chauvinist has his limits.
Final Rating? DNS - Do Not See - I really wouldn't even waste a space on your Netflix queue.

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In episode 8 of TheUsCast, Stennie, from the Hucklebug podcast, returns for part 3 of her adventure with us! In this episode we wander in and out of more stores and shops in the far land known as BURBANK! Listen as ThePete comes face to face with psychotic mannequins! Listen as ThePete tries to convince Stennie that Fight Club is actually a good movie! Listen as ThePete explains that he's not really anti-corporate! Man, ThePete sure does talk a lot! ;) So have a listen to TheUsCast episode 8 by [http://media.odeo.com/files/2/8/6/1022286.mp3|clicking here] (you can also DL the clip to your computer this way) or use the flash player below! YESSS! Remember you can also subscribe to TheUsCast, with either of these URLs: Everything at TP.C: http://feeds.feedburner.com/thepetecom Just TheUsCast : http://odeo.com/channel/99324/rss Once you're done listening to episode 8 of TheUsCast, go check out Stennie's podcast, which she and her co-host Bet call: Hucklebug !!
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First Woman To Die in The Current Iraq Conflict Killed Herself

And you'll never guess why. This is one of the more depressing stories I've come across over the past couple of days. Maybe that's because I haven't had much time to read the news, but there's just something so sad to me about a woman killing herself. Here's how DemocracyNow.org reported the story yesterday in the headlines portion of their podcast:

Army Spc. Took Own Life After Objecting to Interrogations An Arizona public radio station has uncovered new details on the death of one of the first female US soldiers to die in the Iraq war. KNAU Radio reports Army Specialist Alyssa Peterson took her on own life after objecting to interrogation techniques used on Iraqi prisoners. Peterson was assigned to a US air base in Tal-Afar. She died on September 15, 2003 from what the military called a “non-hostile weapons discharge.” But newly uncovered documents say investigators actually concluded Peterson shot and killed herself with her service rifle. The documents also show Peterson’s death came after she refused to take part in further interrogations after just two days. Military officials refused to describe what techniques Peterson had objected to and said all records of them had been destroyed. Specialist Peterson was twenty-seven years old.

Doesn't that just fill your heart with JOY? Jesus--that was WAY BEFORE all this Abu Ghraib shit came out in the open. It's a true shame she felt so pressured. I'd like to personally commend those soldiers around and above her who made her think she had no option but to treat prisoners like shit. I'd like to congratulate them on their supreme ability to make a young woman think her only options were to be cruel to another human or to kill herself. I'd also like to ask Army Specialist Alyssa Peterson why she didn't get more clever. I can only assume that she was just that desperate. That's the real shame because if she had spoken out about the cruel treatment of prisoners in Iraq instead of killing herself she would have revealed the US military's poor treatment of prisoners more than six months before the Abu Ghraib story would break. I'm sure had she done that, she'd have saved at least a couple of lives and maybe even some human dignity. Here's hoping any other people who have witnessed something that should NOT be happening speak out instead of ending their life. Suicide helps no one but yourself.

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TheVlog for 11/1/6!

Want to know why the "Global War on Terror" is a joke? Want to know why there's virtually nothing to be afraid of? Watch this video and one man's opinion just might change your mind on giving up your rights. Tell your friends because no one is talking about this the way I am. [http://video.lisarein.com/thepete/stuff/ThePeteTV/thevlog20061101.mp4|Grab the 6m5s, 14 MB mp4 here] or just watch it below in the YouTube.Com player.

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Orignal From: TheVlog for 11/1/6!