utter nonsense

oooh shiney.. very shiney…

Gmail themes!

a snap shot of my account.. its now all pink and girly! i love my gmail <3 <3

how cool is that?!? wooooooo

ooooooooooh

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/17/hillary-clinton-secretary-of-state

Hillary Clinton to accept Obama’s offer of secretary of state job
President-elect Barack Obama reaching out to former rivals to build a broad coalition administration

Hillary Clinton will be Barack Obama’s secretary of state. Photographs: AFP/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton plans to accept the job of secretary of state offered by Barack Obama, who is reaching out to former rivals to build a broad coalition administration, the Guardian has learned.

Obama’s advisers have begun looking into Bill Clinton’s foundation, which distributes millions of dollars to Africa to help with development, to ensure that there is no conflict of interest. But Democrats do not believe that the vetting is likely to be a problem.

Clinton would be well placed to become the country’s dominant voice in foreign affairs, replacing Condoleezza Rice. Since being elected senator for New York, she has specialised in foreign affairs and defence. Although she supported the war in Iraq, she and Obama basically agree on a withdrawal of American troops.

Clinton, who still harbours hopes of a future presidential run, had to weigh up whether she would be better placed by staying in the Senate, which offers a platform for life, or making the more uncertain career move to the secretary of state job.

As part of the coalition-building, Obama today also reached out to his defeated Republican rival, John McCain, to discuss how they could work together to roll back some of the most controversial policies of the Bush years. Putting aside the bitter words thrown about with abandon by both sides during the election campaign, McCain flew to meet Obama at his headquarters in the Kluczynski Federal Building, in downtown Chicago.

Obama, speaking before the meeting, said: “We’re going to have a good conversation about how we can do some work together to fix up the country.” He said he also wanted to thank McCain for his service to the country.

Asked by a reporter whether he would work with Obama, McCain, who has long favoured a bipartisan approach to politics, replied: “Obviously”.

Sources on both sides said Obama did not offer McCain a cabinet job, but focused on how the senator for Arizona could help to guide through Congress legislation that they both strongly favour.

Given Obama’s status as president-in-waiting, the two met in a formal setting, a room decked out with a US flag, and were accompanied by senior advisers. Obama appeared the more relaxed of the two, sitting with legs crossed, smiling broadly and waving to reporters, while McCain sat stiffly, with a seemingly fixed grin.

Although the two clashed during the election campaign over tax policy and withdrawal from Iraq, they have more in common than they have differences. They both favour the closure of the Guantánamo Bay detention centre, an increase in US troops to Afghanistan, immigration reform, stem cell research and measures to tackle climate change, and oppose torture and the widespread use of wire-tapping.

Although Democrats made gains in the Senate in the November 4 elections, they fell short of the 60 seats that would have allowed them to override Republican blocking tactics and will need Republican allies to get Obama’s plans through. This was highlighted today when the Democratic leadership in Congress announced that a broad economic stimulus package Obama sought was not likely to be passed because of Republican opposition.

Obama confirmed at the weekend that he would offer jobs to some Republicans. One of the names that crops up most often is Chuck Hagel, the former Republican senator who is a specialist in foreign affairs and a critic of the Iraq war.

very interesting….

matter box from 02/08

http://www.matterbox.co.uk/index.php

so apparently just by signing up with the royal mail you get loads of cool promo goodies (i love promo things!) for free! no email spamming and its delivered to you on a saturday morning so you dont miss out.. The next box is due to go out on 29/11 but registration is closed for that delivery, next one is due to go out some time next year…

looks pretty cool, cant wait till i get mine!

99p movie rentals? aHHH… i think i need to inherit mikes old 20gig classic..

it make working lates and waiting 45 minutes for a bus worth it.

i am LIVID. i was browsing around nkotbfans.com and someone posted about a new blog over on nkotb.com from jonathan. apparently the other week after their ft lauderdale gig some girls were following his and jordans bus and they forced them to drive the wrong way. not only that, but the girls themselves knowing they were going the wrong way, continued to follow the band.. i mean wtf is up with that?? her excuse was that she was being 16 again.. stupidstupidstupidstupid…

not only did her selfish action put her own life (and her friends) but jon and possibly jordans life at risk as well since they both share a bus. i mean losing two new kids is bad enough, but if it had been joes bus it would have been just as, if not more, horrible.. he has his little baby boy and wife with him plus their nanny… jesus h christ people.

i have never ever gotten the whole following the bus thing. i mean if i meant to meet someone, ill meet them where i saw them. not following over state lines and into different regions. thats just crazy. crazy ass fans, a few rotten apples ruining it for the bunch. cows. moo.

i will be fair and have my own story, but mine was an accident and we were all going in the same direction. i remember when i went to see dmb in washington, dc and as shannon, barry and i were all leaving the city about 1am we accidentally landed next to LeRois (r.i.p.) bus. he was sitting in the front seat eating some noodles and smiling.. we tried to catch up a little (not going nuts cause those buses are massive) to see if we could get him to wave, but when we realized after 10 minutes or so we wouldnt, we gave up. our small adventure happened on accident and the bus and us were all going the right way down i-95 towards virginia

ugh. stupid people shoud just die.

edit:

joe has posted a blog, kinda to counteract jons… but yeah.. some people DONT get it and you need to be more than blunt with them.

Edit 2:

Thank you to everyone who is responding and agreeing. Its a real shame theres a few select some that cant be adults Im sorry I cant respond to everyone directly – but if you want to talk you can email me at alternageek@gmail.com to continue the discussion further.

Thank you VERY much to the new kids web(blog)master who saw my trackback and allowed my comment to be posted

gaaaaaah i hate long island. shit like this makes me glad im gone.

http://longisland.newsday.com/elections/election_map.php

West Babylon (11704)
Barack Obama (D)
5,883 (49%)
John McCain (R)
5,947 (50%)
Roger Calero (SW)
15 (0%)
Gloria La Riva (PSL)
65 (1%)
Cynthia McKinney (G)
23 (0%)
Bob Barr (L)
22 (0%)
Ralph Nader (I)
50 (0%)

Breakdown by polling area:

http://longisland.newsday.com/elections/results2008.php?id=11704&office=president

So when we went food shopping last week, Mike picked up a 12 pack of these.. We couldnt tell what made this different from normal K1664, but we figured why not, since they were cheap. Well on Thursday Mike decided to reach into his beer fridge and have one. It exploded EVERYWHERE. At first we were upset and though the can had been shaken, but nope. They have these ‘widgets‘ in them, similar to those found in Guinness & John Smiths cans, and if the can is opened too quickly beer goes everywhere. There was no mention of these widgets on the can or the packaging, but it wouldnt have stopped us from buying them. The only thing is unlike Guinness & John Smiths you have to open the cans VERY slowly – kinda like opening a coke bottle thats been dropped from a vending machine – otherwise the beer goes flat and theres more on your floor than in your pint glass.

I just want to know why, if somethings not broke, then why fix it? Regular K1664 cans are fine… Oh wells, we arent buying this type of Kronenburg again.

This is brilliant. Buchanan at the end… total laugh out loud funny. oh boy.

thank you democrats for coming to your senses and going out to vote.

thank you to the hillary supporters who put differences aside and voted with the party lines

thank you to the independents who chose to go blue.

thank you to the republicans who decided to switch sides

thank you to sarah palin for being such a hot mess

thank you to democrats abroad who let me vote in our very own ex-pat primary and let our voices be heard

thank you to the first time voters who decided they were tired of being apathetic and wanted change

thank to people who abstained from voting for years because they didnt feel their voices would be heard and decided that they finally could be

thank you to the obama supporters who put up a great fight against my choice, sen clinton, and encouraged others to make a difference – regardless of party lines

thank you to new hampshire whose state senate now has more women holding seats then men and proving that sex isnt an issue.

thank you to john mccain for being so gracious in his concession – its a shame he let the republicans lead him about and make this campaign ugly.

and finally, thank you america for making me feel proud of you.

Tuesday night was a BIG night, regardless of whose side you were on. I was excited, nervous of 2004 showing (Kerrys won! Oh wait, no he hasnt….) and a repeat of the 2000 (is a pregnant chad a full vote? does it count?) and how would i continue to explain what would happen that night for the next 4 years. its been more than frustrating explaining bush and the over zealous religious right and their 8 year rule. explaining how im not like them and theres more like me out there.

I stayed up watching cnn and their holograms (Mike and I had to rewind the live tv because we werent believing just exactly what we were seeing) until 3.30am GST and seeing their coverage pretty much show unless McCain won California, he was screwed. I went to bed hoping for the best but expecting the worst. I was VERY happy when I found out that the Democrats did it, despite the mess they all made of the race this year. I was proud to hear people waiting out for hours before the polls opened to make their voices heard. I was actually jealous of not being able to stand outside West Babylon Public Schools administration office to make my vote as I had done since May 1995.

Im hoping Mr President Elect can keep most of his promises. I hope hes not some flash in the pan. I hope he makes Teddy Kennedy proud of backing him. I hope he can withdraw us peacefully from this war. I hope he can improve the Economic state without hurting too many people. I hope he can join both parties in both houses to work side by side instead of against one another (you hear me Pelosi??) with not too many problems. I hope he can provide the poor and the working class with medical benefits. I hope he can ease socialism back into the US without it being a dirty word. I hope he learns from the UK, France and Canadas mistakes.  Mostly I hope he doesnt disappoint everyone who believes so strongly in him (I remember the first time Clinton disappointed me, I was heartbroken) and they can easily forgive when he does.

I am very excited about the next 4 years. I am excited about January 20th 2009. I am hoping we will all be still saying ‘Yes We Can’ in 4 years time. Congratulations Mr Barack Obama , you deserve it.

For further reading:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/167582

‘Secret of the 2008 Campaign’ – be warned its over 7 chapters in length

so because i was on holiday i went on a slight binge… i coulda got through more but it was too hot and little a/c in our hotel room.  i read the following over the course of two weeks

elephants on acid and other bizarre experiments by alex boese

funny, witty and silly. great light read for the bus or the beach and will even give you some insight on how social pyschology works.

woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown by lorna martin

based on martins column in grazia magazine – conversations with my therapist – is based on the writers on journey through therapy. funny, honest and open its chick lit at some of its finest. its open and frank discussion of what its like to have your brain picked on a weekly basis and the affects of being medicated is brutal and direct. its as if bridgette jones actually sought therapy instead of falling in love with a solicitor. lol.

(sorry so big)

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

only half way through, but totally enjoyable.  im not big into religion or theology but i am finding it quite enjoyable. hopefully ill be able to finish it while waiting for the bus. lol.

ive also been slowly reading the following:

the island by victoria hislop

former travel writer novel about a small greek island and leprosy and the exclusion of the lepers.. its been a very slowread for me but hopefully ill get into it more as time goes on.