I was teaching class and had a few student lingering in the lab working on their homework and other things. I was listening on the radio in my cell phone. I put my head in my hands like I was nursing a headache, so they wouldn’t notice the glaze in my eyes.

Somehow there’s confusion amongst the people
seems to easy to steal

Somehow there’s to much eviction
actions that made men rich

Somehow there is still a decision
lingering in the heir

How can you stand there and pretend
You can’t rely on all those who don’t understand
They made a choice you robbed their voice and lead the end
We’ll stop and say, It’s all ok and raise our hand

Somehow they believe in the makeup
a perfect way to hide

Somehow there still an active recession
this one’s not a lie

Somehow there’s a question of ethics
de Tocqueville does not apply.

If nothing else, I wanted to record where I was and how I felt when Barack Obama accepted the nomination for president. Sitting on my sofa watching the convention coverage on PBS with my wife. This spectaccular event was what the country needed to really be introduced to Obama. I really wish November 4th was tomorrow. It was interesting to see all the twitter messages of people crying across the country.

There is a true art to saying nothing and having people think it’s profound. Some are excellent at it and some fall short and let their cohorts do most of the talking. Nevertheless, I’m astounded at the amount of wealth and power can come from saying absolutely nothing. I should probably start rehearsing my versions of elaborate nothing.

It’s been 17 years since the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the images of the Tank Man have become a ubiquitous symbol of protest and humanity. It’s uncertain as to whether the man is alive or dead but below is a documentary that tries to find out who he was and discovers why he was so important.

Here is a compelling analysis of third world countries by Professor Hans Rosling. It is an interesting presentation about international health that Professor Rosling presents in a brilliant manner. Take a few minutes and watch.

Recently the Defense of Marriage Alliance got Initiative 957 passed the Secretary of State in Washington State. Aside from another ridiculous attempt to ban Gay marriage this initiative takes it a step further. So all you DINKs out there beware they are coming for us next. The initiative not only defines marriage as between a man and a woman but requires for papers to be filed to prove procreation within three years of marriage or the marriage is annulled.

If this initiative were to somehow find its way to the floor for a vote and somehow pass, my marriage would be annulled. There are so many rights attached to marriage that denying it to two people is just ridiculous. If so much effort is being made to make it a matter of law then it should be just that a matter of law not religion as, unless I’m mistaken, this country is not a Theocracy. Or is it? We can leave that debate for a different time.

The Bush administration is not so quietly asking U.S. Attorneys to resign. Most of these attorneys are pursuing public corruption cases. Even better than that, an addendum to the patriot act enables the Attorney General to nominate an interim attorney for an indefinite period without a senate hearing. Below is Senator Feinstein’s (D-CA) summation on this and information on a bill introduced to remove this power.