Another Democrat in the U.S. Senate

The Minnesota Supreme Court has declared Democratic candidate, Al Franken, the winner of the 2008 Senate race against Republican-incumbent Norm Coleman.

Billy Mays here...

Now, Billy Mays, the screaming salesman from television, will not be invading my favorite television shows' intermissions by trying to peddle me crap I don't want or need.

His wife found him dead this morning. So, here's to the man who made words like OxiClean, OrangeGlo, and Orange Clean, cool.

Michael Jackson dead at 50

Reports from Los Angeles indicate that pop star Michael Jackson has died from cardiac arrest this afternoon at UCLA. 

The TSA is not the Gestapo, sorry guys!

I am a big believer in civil rights and liberties, which is why this particular passenger has made my day.

It would seem that Steve Bierfeldt was given some unnecessary flack for having a metal box with a large sum of cash in it. Of course, it is not illegal to travel intra-continental with large sums of cash, but a group of TSA agents made it their business to get to the bottom of why this individual was carrying $4,700 in his luggage.

They used intimidation to coerce this information from the flier, by taking him into a windowless room and using profanity and threats. He simply asked if he was required by law to answer their question. He never said, "No!" Constitutionally, you must not submit yourself to illegal search and seizure. Nor, does the Constitution give law enforcement the right to intimidate and unlawfully detain individuals to get answers to questions, which subsequently had nothing to do with flight safety. (Isn't that the TSA's mission?)

Fortunately, for all fliers, Mr. Bierfeldt, with the help of the ACLU, has brought a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. On a related point, isn't it time that the Department of Homeland Security was dismantled and abolished? After all, it is just another example of George W. Bush's attempts to force unnecessary government oversight into the lives of law-abiding American citizens. It is a tarnishing behemoth of bureaucracy.

Terror in the Streets of Tehran

The Iranian government seems to have made good on a threat to use force to disperse the crowds who are protesting the recent presidential election, which has all of the hallmarks of foul play.

Unfortunately, foreign media outlets are banned from reporting on activities in the streets, but we are seeing amateur reports sneak through social networking websites that are showing chaos and gore on the streets of Tehran. It has been reported that as many as 150 people may have been killed in recent days.

I believe that this incident has the propensity to become something more than simple civil disobedience. The government has much more at stake in this than it may be willing to publicly admit. It is obvious in its willingness to use armed force against its own citizens to save itself. Two things can happen: the people will accept that the government has the upper-hand and relent, or they will continue and their cause will spread like wildfire and take down the 30-year-old theocracy. Personally, I always vote for revolution where a government works feverishly to retain autocratic control.

During this precarious time in Iran, I am reminded of one of America's great revolutionaries, Thomas Jefferson, who said, "An enlightened people, and an energetic public opinion, will control and enchain the aristocratic spirit of the government." Perhaps, the people of Iran can finally envision true democratic reform and concrete their civil liberties and rights, which are inevitably ordained by the people and not the government, as a result.

How long will the silent majority of Iran sit by and watch their friends, family members, and neighbors be maimed and murdered by their own government before they decide to take direct, proactive action?

Hillary Clinton fractures her elbow

I want to wish Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton a speedy recovery after her recent accident resulting in the fracture of her elbow.

Yesterday, she fell at the State Department, while preparing for a visit to the White House. She was taken to George Washington University Hospital where she was treated and released. Clinton is expected to have surgery on her elbow at a later date to repair the damage.

PETA & The Fly

PETA has decried Barack Obama's swatting of a fly while doing an interview. Even I can't behind that. I think that is hardly cruelty. Come on PETA, who among you has not killed a fly? Let him or her cast the first stone.

(Wow! I sound all religious today.)

Can Iran Survive?

Can the Islamic Republic of Iran survive increasing civil unrest over last Friday's abortion of a presidential election?

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the Supreme Leader of Iran, has embraced President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the winner of the election, even though there seems to be many irregularities in the voting process. Since mass protests have taken to the streets of the nation's capital, Tehran, Khamenei has promised that the government will look into the election results more closely. It may be too late for that to appease the masses.

I was reading a discussion on CNN about the future of Iran's theocracy. It may come down to one simple fact: will the Supreme Leader void the election results to save himself? Even though, Ahmadinejad is the president of the country, he is subordinate to Khamenei, who, for all intensive purposes, holds the real power in Iran.

Also, members of the foreign media have been forbidden to attend protests, which includes reporting on them. The government is working, too, to limit access to the Internet throughout the country.

Election in Iran

It would seem that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad received more than a "victory" in the recent presidential election. He now has to deal with civil unrest throughout the country. I think it would be a bit poetic justice if his rigging of Iran's election led to revolution.

These demonstrations stand in stark contrast to the current theocratic government. You have people, in Tehran, taking to the streets calling their government crooks and thieves. Iranians are distraught with their current government. Iranians do not seem that different than those people in western countries. They want a government that is responsive to the people and a country where democratic, secular principles are maintained.

Phil Spector

Poor guy, he lost his hair!

CNN: Hitler was "chilling," because of pictures

Life magazine released a cache of color photographs that portray the daily life of Adolf Hitler.

Incorrectly, CNN describes these color pictures as "chilling." I'm not sure what makes them chilling. Is it Adolf Hitler, or the fact the photos show him in color? I guess it is simply his image that makes him evil, and in no way reflects on his actions or character as a human being.

I do not believe that pictures of him in black and white portray him as some lovable character, who was merely misunderstood by the rest of the world. Let's get a grip. CNN is making something out of nothing.

The actions of Hitler were what made him "chilling," not some photographer's lens. It's that simple. Also, thanks to Life for finally decided to let the rest of the world see its collection, which it has been sitting on for over forty years. It is a shame that these pieces of history were locked away in obscurity while some in the world worried about trivial minutia, such as color.