| Older Belligerent Men
If John McCain wins the nomination, he'll do so on the backs of older belligerent men. What is this new swing voter bloc? It's something I've teased out from exit polls and anecdotal observations. It helps explain why McCain has decent enough conservative appeal to keep racking up pluralities in places like South Carolina and Florida. First, the exit polls. McCain does best with older voters. He does better with men than women. He wins military veterans and those who believe the war in Iraq is the most important issue. None of this should be surprising. All of these qualities apply to McCain personally. But there is something more raw and instinctual at work here too. Older belligerent men are not afraid of confrontation, either personally or politically. I've heard more than one guy mention McCain's volcanic temper as a positive.
Councilman MikeK Recalls Knievel Action Figure
Top: Young MikeK playing with Evel Knievel action figure; bottom: MikeK receives inspiration from his childhood friends before leaving for a Coeur d'Alene City Council meeting. I had a classic Evel Knievel motorcycle riding action figure when I was a kid. The stunts my brothers and I would stage for that motorcycle toy were legendary (riding out a second story window, chasing the dog around the house without getting chewed to ribbons, you name it). RIP Evel. I wonder what happened to Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man who played the role of Evel's arch-nemesis in the boyhood action figure wars?/Councilman MikeK. Question: What was your favorite action figure/doll when you were little? .
Johns’ retrospective visits the Midwest
This grandiose collection boasts over 100 prints that display the culmination of Johns' talent, innovation and experience in a chronological walk through his artistic career. A palpable trademark of Johns' style is the repetition of motifs and symbols throughout his works. “Two Flags" and “Flags II" demonstrate his fascination with re-using subjects. Each print contains the American flag portrayed in a different style or color—a subject that Johns used in more then 50 drawings, 30 paintings and 14 prints. Johns reworked and transformed his subjects and motifs throughout by changing the medium, technique, color or scale to alter the form and meaning. Printmaking is a technique that allows for easy alteration and reworking of a subject matter, a main selling point for Johns when first considering printmaking.
MIDEAST: Bush Faces Major Choice Amid Escalation
This is potentially very dangerous," Bassel Saloukh, a political scientist at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, told IPS in a telephone interview. "If the Americans take this to legitimate a strike against Iran or Syria, then I think it will escalate with devastating consequences."
For the past two weeks, Washington has mostly stood on the sidelines as Israeli forces have carried out military operations in Gaza, including the destruction of a U.S.-financed power plant and several other infrastructure targets, in what has so far been a futile quest to press Hamas to release an IDF corporal seized by militants during a raid on an Israeli border post in late June.
Those operations, which have so far resulted in the deaths of more than 50 Palestinians, as well as one Israeli soldier, have worsened what was already a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza in what Arab governments and some human rights groups have called a disproportionate act of "collective punishment" against the civilian population.
Myanmar Voting Dates Win Few Plaudits
The official announcements late Saturday of the constitutional referendum and the election were the first moves by the junta to set dates for stages of its so-called road map to democracy. "The time has now come to change from military rule to democratic civilian rule," said the announcement for the 2010 polls, broadcast on state TV and radio. But critics claim the long-delayed road map is designed to perpetuate military rule, not promote democracy. And at tea shops in Yangon, where morning news and gossip is traditionally exchanged, many seemed unimpressed with the developments. "I am not interested in their referendum because the results are known already," said 48-year old noodle salad seller Mar Mar Aye, echoing the popular belief that the government is confident its constitution will be approved.
Commissioners approve renovations to Larimer County Justice Center
The county commissioners on Tuesday approved a proposal to renovate the Larimer County Justice Center in downtown Fort Collins to create courtroom and office space for three new judges. Renovation plans include adding more heating and air conditioning units to the building at 201 LaPorte Ave. The renovation is expected to cost up to $2.5 million.
Money for the project will come from a 0.2 percent sales tax that county voters approved in 1997 to build a new courthouse.
County officials hope to have the work completed by July, when the new judges are expected to come on board. .
|
