Why National Polls Do Not Matter

Well Rudy is out and McCain is out in front. If you were paying attention a year ago, that would seem so backwards. Then McCain was out of money and Rudy was leading in the polls. They were my top two for the GOP nomination so I guess this works out.

"From the first national surveys in early 2007, the former mayor, or “America’s mayor” as he was known in those days, was ahead of his rivals for the GOP nomination: A USA Today/Gallup poll in February 2007 had the race at Giuliani 44 percent to Sen. John McCain’s 20 percent. Even as late as November 2007, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal national survey indicated that Giuliani was still the leader in the Republican race with 33 percent. The only Republican to come close was McCain, with 16 percent."

So it would seem that ether those who participate in polls do not vote in primaries, or those who vote in primaries are easily swayed based on what happens in earlier primaries. Silly simple minded people!

"Florida voters who cast their ballots on Tuesday said they were influenced by the results of previous contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina, where living and breathing Republican voters made their choices."

Its a shame as I was looking forward to some craziness in the general election in the Fall by which some "hard core" Republicans would refuse to vote for Rudy and many independent and democrats might decide to go to the GOP this time around. This might have led to the split of the GOP that I'm sure will be happening sooner or later anyways.

"Rudy’s the only Republican who puts very specific Democratic states in play, which is very important when you look at the financial advantage that the Democrats have. ... Democrats would have to fight for their own territory, which they would not have to do against any other Republican.”

Read the Article

So What's Next For Rudy???

Video

Giuliani withdraws, supports McCain Jan. 30: Rudy Giuliani announces that he is withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsing Sen. John McCain.

Choose Your Own Adventure!
Rudy gets a recording contract?
Rudy gets a sex change?
Rudy gets compared to a toaster on the Daily Show?

Space Generation Advisory Council Appointment

VIENNA, AUSTRIA, January 29, 2008 – The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), a non-governmental group that works in advancing space policy, representing the world's youth on space policy to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and other international organizations recently appointed Alan Steinberg as a National Point of Contact for the United States.

Alan Steinberg is currently a political consultant and space enthusiast living in Houston, TX, and he serves as a Fellow for the Center for Advanced Defense Studies in Washington, DC. Upon being notified of the Executive Committees decision, Alan said, "I am honored to take on this position and look forward to the exciting road ahead."

SGAC was founded in 1999, and has permanent observer status in the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and aims to represent students and young space professionals to the United Nations, States, and space agencies. In collaboration with the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), SGAC opened its first office in 2005 in their premises, and now boasts a paid staff in addition to volunteer officers and National Points of Contact. The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) is also a global Network of Networks which brings together students, young professionals, space organizations and other NGOs to present a unified vision for the future exploration of space to the United Nations and other bodies.

Social Networking is Almost a Hit

Ok, so it's a horrible pun.

I've seen a lot of weird stuff on Craig's List, including jobs, and this, and this, but sadly I missed out on this opportunity.

"Linscott offered $5,000 for the hit, had the name and work address of the woman she wanted dead, and described successful candidates as "silent assassins." Linscott is accused of asking people who responded to her ad to "eradicate a female living in Oroville, California," and she provided additional information on the intended victim, including her physical description, age and employment address."

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So it seems there is a whole Craigslist Crime Blog if you want to read more about these sorts of stories.

Or just check this out to see my current favorite posting on Craig's List!

Look Ma dem Aliens are Back for Milk!

Ok, so the Roswell/Area 51 thing was way before I was born, but even I have to hope that there is life out there and that the government is involved in a massive cover up, aka project bluebook.

Thanks to recent changes of heart regarding the U.S. military's release of information, we might just have another cover up... or at least something to keep those conspiracy theorists busy with!

"U.S. military officials said Wednesday that fighter jets were training in a rural area the night of Jan. 8 when dozens of people reported seeing a UFO. Although officials at the Naval Air Station Reserve Base in Fort Worth initially said none of their planes were in the area of the UFO reports, they changed their story Wednesday."

"This supports our story that there was UFO activity in that area," said Kenneth Cherry, the Texas director of the Mutual UFO Network, which took more than 50 reports from locals at a meeting last weekend. "I find it curious that it took them two weeks to 'fess up. I think they're feeling the heat from the publicity."

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Some locals have wised up and and embraced the true potential of the event... the ability to sell people overpriced merchandise! Some high-schoolers made T-shirts and I would love to get my hands on one... that read "Stephenville: the new Roswell" on the front and "They're here for the milk!" on the back. A picture features flying saucer beaming up a cow.

"What we want is the government to admit there are UFOs and what they know about them,"
- Don't we all?

For another point of view

"I don't plan to do the job... I won't accept a paycheck."

Best campaign promise ever! Right here in Texas we have a new breed of candidate... one who will spend his time if elected to get rid of the position he is serving in. Finally, a Republican who actually believes in the mission to make government smaller!

"A candidate for Kerr County treasurer is making a single campaign promise: Elect me and I won't serve. He said the job is redundant and costing the county money it doesn't need to spend. Hailton said if elected, he would hand the duties to someone else and petition state officials for a referendum on a constitutional amendment that would allow any county to eliminate the treasurer position if it chooses."

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If only more people would admit that they serve in government positions that are useless then we can actually improve government efficiency.

How to simplify elections, the Cuban way

With so many people running for the 08 presidential nomination, the choices can be confusing for some. Perhaps we should just make it simpler for those people out there who will likely be uninformed come election day and just vote for "Red" or "Blue."

Our cigar and sugar producing island neighbor to the south, has done just that for it's people.

"Only one choice appeared for each post in districts across the country and there was no campaigning. Electoral officials said an estimated 95 percent of registered voters had cast ballots as of an hour before polling stations closed Sunday evening."

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While yes, it is a one party system and no one else can legally run for any of the offices other than the person selected by the party for that slot... is that really so diferent from what we face here in the United States with our big political parties making it difficult, if not impossible for an independent to run for office?

Perhaps Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage has a valid argument when he said, "Looking at the United States, it seems more like a popularity contest then elections. These are elections without politics, without fraud, without money nor propaganda campaigns and elections that are based on merit.”

This land was your land, this land is NOW my land

I am a big supporter of legal immigration, in fact my parents are from Canada, and in the same regard I feel strongly about preventing illegal immigration both for security and economic reasons, not to mention the overall principle. I also understand the calls for the border fence... we need a solution to the illegal immigration problem. The fence will not solve the problem, but perhaps it will help a little. At least until the ladder and tunneling companies in Mexico decide they want to increase their profits.

Along the border the government is flexing its muscle... but not against Mexico for weak border patrol, nor against cities with catch-and-release policies or day labor sites, but rather against the U.S. Citizens who live near the border.

"U.S. District Judge Alia Moses Ludlum ordered the city of Eagle Pass, on the border about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio, to "surrender" 233 acres of city-owned land. The Justice Department sued the city for access to the land. The Justice Department is expected to file 102 lawsuits against landowners for access to property the Border Patrol and Army Corps of Engineers want to survey to decide where to put border fencing or other barriers."

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Yes, I understand eminent domain... but what about the rights of the city, the state... heck, the people! Government needs to be listening to the reasons why this town and many others along the border do not want a fence rather than just suing for the land. We need a comprehensive plan for border control and preventing illegal immigration... up setting U.S. citizens is not the way to make these programs a success.

You've got the power!

People need to be more informed with whats going on in the world around them. This means getting past the Garfield comic in the Chronicle!

What better way to lie to the public than to use a fake picture of yourself?

Recently a candidate for U.S. Congress sent out a mailer using a photo of his head on someone else's body. Well it is cheaper than plastic surgery, but it is despicable and demonstrates a lack of character in addition to a clear wiliness to deceive the public.

"The picture, presented as a true image of the candidate, is actually a computerized composite of his face and someone else's figure, in suit and tie, from neck to knee caps. The give-away is a flawed fit of head and collar."

The excuse... "he has been so busy meeting voters that he had no time for a photo session that would have produced a full-length, genuine photo for the political mailing" says his Campaign Manager.

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Did the campaign offer an apology for lying to the public? NO... Instead the candidate refused to comment and the campaign manger said "He may appreciate that we took a few pounds off him."

Is this really the type of person we want to serve us in Congress?

First hybrid cars, now hybrid people?

Say so long iPod, and hello Centuaur? The next step in hybrid transportation has come closer... though still VERY far away... perhaps one day we can ride a horse that can provide for stimulating political conversation along the trail.

Regulators have given scientists the green light to create human-animal embryos for research. In the distant future this information may lead to scientists to be able to grow new tissues in the laboratory.

Critics say they are repulsed by the idea and there must be no creation of an animal-human hybrid. "The deliberate blurring of the boundaries between humans and other species is wrong and strikes at the heart of what makes us human."

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I think this is a very exciting time for science... what makes us human is the desire to understand what makes us human!

We Need Better People Serving Us In Public Office

Time and again we hear stories of elected officials serving in public office only to serve themselves. We need people who actually care about serving the public and are not just in it to make a quick buck after they put in their time. Many former congressmen become lobbyists, but this one took his self interests a step to far...

"Mark Deli Slijander, a former U.S. Congressman from Michigan, was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly lying about lobbying senators on behalf of an Islamic charity that authorities said was secretly sending funds to terrorists."

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So You Can Buy Happiness

I have always admired the idea of Gross National Happiness fas a metric for the quality of life, and now it appears that it is even more closely linked to GDP then we ever realized. It would appear that people believe that more expensive prices are correlated with higher quality. While this is not something that I ever though we needed an experiment to prove, it has now been done anyways.
"The more we believe an item is worth, the happier we are with our purchase — at least for a short time, says a study released today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." In other words, if you believe something better is happening to you, your brain handles the experience differently, thus making you more happy.

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However, if this is true... can't we just trick ourselves into being happy? Or should I just start charging more for my services so you can be happier when I help you for free?

What I'm doing now...

Now that I'm not running my own campaign I have plenty of time to help others...

The list of campaigns I'm involved with right now:

Pete Olson - 22nd U.S. Congressional District
John Faulk - 18th U.S. Congressional District
Carlos Obando - 134th Texas House District

Do you want me involved in your campaign? I'm always looking to help a good candidate!

Congress and Baseball

Is it really that important people? Come on... so many other problems in the world and we waste our congress members time and news coverage on this... and celebrity gossip?

The campaign is over... for now...

But why not keep this going forever. It's not like it's costing me anything!