Alex Svoboda Update

You may recall last year a local Lincoln gal named Alex Svoboda got her knee horribly re-manufactured by a peace officer in Providence, Rhode Island during a labor march. Her support blog has some good news on her recovery. She didn't lose her leg and she has recovered enough to be able to bicycle again.

First an archive of the photos from the protest that include the horrible photos of her severely dislocated knee. I've played a lot of contact sport in my day and I've never seen anything that bad before. It would certainly make the casual observer think that disproportionate force was used in this instance. This crew doesn't exactly look like a super dangerous lot.

The cops said there were 100 people there and that the large number of people required the response. The protesters said it was more like 30-40 people. Take a look at the photos and tell me who you think is correct.

[The photo gallery - Not for folks with weak stomachs]

Support Alex Svoboda - Blogspot

"Three officers arrested her simultaneously, causing the severe dislocation of her knee and sending Alex to the ground. Even though the policemen knew the obvious seriousness of the act they had just committed, one officer aggressively sat on and handcuffed Alex while others pepper sprayed another demonstrator and arrested Jason Friedmutter, also a Providence IWW member.

( The backstory . . .  )

Alex, a long time bicycle enthusiast, went for her first bike ride in nearly ten months recently and has made great progress, unrelentingly working towards full recovery. Alex also continues to organize for the rights of immigrant and marginalized workers alongside fellow Providence IWW and community members, her determination has only grown stronger."

Alex Svoboda Update

You may recall last year a local Lincoln gal named Alex Svoboda got her knee horribly re-manufactured by a peace officer in Providence, Rhode Island during a labor march. Her support blog has some good news on her recovery. She didn't lose her leg and she has recovered enough to be able to bicycle again.

First an archive of the photos from the protest that include the horrible photos of her severely dislocated knee. I've played a lot of contact sport in my day and I've never seen anything that bad before. It would certainly make the casual observer think that disproportionate force was used in this instance. This crew doesn't exactly look like a super dangerous lot.

The cops said there were 100 people there and that the large number of people required the response. The protesters said it was more like 30-40 people. Take a look at the photos and tell me who you think is correct.

[The photo gallery - Not for folks with weak stomachs]

Support Alex Svoboda - Blogspot

"Three officers arrested her simultaneously, causing the severe dislocation of her knee and sending Alex to the ground. Even though the policemen knew the obvious seriousness of the act they had just committed, one officer aggressively sat on and handcuffed Alex while others pepper sprayed another demonstrator and arrested Jason Friedmutter, also a Providence IWW member.

( The backstory . . .  )

Alex, a long time bicycle enthusiast, went for her first bike ride in nearly ten months recently and has made great progress, unrelentingly working towards full recovery. Alex also continues to organize for the rights of immigrant and marginalized workers alongside fellow Providence IWW and community members, her determination has only grown stronger."

Community Organizer Icon

Thanks to haddayr for her reference to the community organizer icon collection provided with attribution by xdawnfirex_art.

Community Organizer Icon

Thanks to haddayr for her reference to the community organizer icon collection provided with attribution by xdawnfirex_art.

Pitbull with Lipstick on Short Leash

This first headline provided my laugh of the day from her Highness of Mooseville. I guess FauxNews and People magazine may be as tough as it gets for the defenseless "pitbull" of Wassila. Even after putting her on a tight leash she still managed to mung things with a clueless financial system comment.

Palin Media Avoidance Watch: Day 9 -- McCain Camp Says She Won't Do Interviews Until It Knows She'll Be Treated with "Deference" - ABC News - 07 Sep 08

"So when will she subject herself to questions? 'When we think it's time and when she feels comfortable doing it,' Davis said, praising a Fox News Channel profile of Palin that ran last night.

Why is she scared of answering questions? Wallace asked. 'She's not scared to answer questions,' Davis said, 'but you know what? We run our campaign not the news media.'

Wallace said inappropriate intrusions into Palin's family and personal life aside, there are legitimate questions about whether she is prepared to be vice president. 'Sarah Palin will have the opportinity to speak to the American people,' Davis said. 'She will do interviews, but she'll do them on the terms and conditions" the campaign decides.'"

In spite of keeping her in the media deep freezer to keep her freshness, she still got off the shelf and provided a howler on the current Freddie Mac and Fannie May story.

Palin Makes Her First Gaffe - Huffington Post - 08 Sep 08

"Speaking before voters in Colorado Springs, the Republican vice presidential nominee claimed that lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had 'gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers.' The companies, as McClatchy reported, 'aren't taxpayer funded but operate as private companies. The takeover may result in a taxpayer bailout during reorganization.'

Economists and analysts pounced on the misstatement, which came before the government had spent funds bailing the two entities out, saying it demonstrated a lack of understanding about one of the key economic issues likely to face the next administration.

'You would like to think that someone who is going to be vice president and conceivable president would know what Fannie and Freddie do,' said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. 'These are huge institutions and they are absolutely central to our country's mortgage debt. To not have a clue what they do doesn't speak well for her, I'd say.'"

"Even conservative analysts acknowledged that the statement simply did not hold true."

Pitbull with Lipstick on Short Leash

This first headline provided my laugh of the day from her Highness of Mooseville. I guess FauxNews and People magazine may be as tough as it gets for the defenseless "pitbull" of Wassila. Even after putting her on a tight leash she still managed to mung things with a clueless financial system comment.

Palin Media Avoidance Watch: Day 9 -- McCain Camp Says She Won't Do Interviews Until It Knows She'll Be Treated with "Deference" - ABC News - 07 Sep 08

"So when will she subject herself to questions? 'When we think it's time and when she feels comfortable doing it,' Davis said, praising a Fox News Channel profile of Palin that ran last night.

Why is she scared of answering questions? Wallace asked. 'She's not scared to answer questions,' Davis said, 'but you know what? We run our campaign not the news media.'

Wallace said inappropriate intrusions into Palin's family and personal life aside, there are legitimate questions about whether she is prepared to be vice president. 'Sarah Palin will have the opportinity to speak to the American people,' Davis said. 'She will do interviews, but she'll do them on the terms and conditions" the campaign decides.'"

In spite of keeping her in the media deep freezer to keep her freshness, she still got off the shelf and provided a howler on the current Freddie Mac and Fannie May story.

Palin Makes Her First Gaffe - Huffington Post - 08 Sep 08

"Speaking before voters in Colorado Springs, the Republican vice presidential nominee claimed that lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had 'gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers.' The companies, as McClatchy reported, 'aren't taxpayer funded but operate as private companies. The takeover may result in a taxpayer bailout during reorganization.'

Economists and analysts pounced on the misstatement, which came before the government had spent funds bailing the two entities out, saying it demonstrated a lack of understanding about one of the key economic issues likely to face the next administration.

'You would like to think that someone who is going to be vice president and conceivable president would know what Fannie and Freddie do,' said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. 'These are huge institutions and they are absolutely central to our country's mortgage debt. To not have a clue what they do doesn't speak well for her, I'd say.'"

"Even conservative analysts acknowledged that the statement simply did not hold true."

The Most Amazing College Football Game Ever Now On-Line

Hulu.com has put the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl of 2007 on-line for your viewing pleasure. This is the ultimate underdog match with the storied multi-national championship Oklahoma Sooners playing the weakly scheduled, but undefeated, Boise State team. It has more trick plays that work, and used at the most amazing times, that I've EVER seen in one game. Hats off to Hulu.com for making this available.

The Most Amazing College Football Game Ever Now On-Line

Hulu.com has put the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl of 2007 on-line for your viewing pleasure. This is the ultimate underdog match with the storied multi-national championship Oklahoma Sooners playing the weakly scheduled, but undefeated, Boise State team. It has more trick plays that work, and used at the most amazing times, that I've EVER seen in one game. Hats off to Hulu.com for making this available.

Who Will Decide the Election?

Bill Hillsman is a genius. He's always worth listening to, imo.

Youth vs. Independents: Who Will Decide the Election? - YouTube.com

Who Will Decide the Election?

Bill Hillsman is a genius. He's always worth listening to, imo.

Youth vs. Independents: Who Will Decide the Election? - YouTube.com

Desperate in Wasilla

Now we know where SP got the hairdo idea. This is beyond good given the baloney she's pushing now about being a proud simple hausfrau with small town values.

Alaskans Line Up For a Whiff of Ivana (April 3, 1996) - Anchorage Daily News - 02 Sep 08

"Sarah Palin, a commercial fisherman from Wasilla, told her husband on Tuesday she was driving to Anchorage to shop at Costco. Instead, she headed straight for Ivana. And there, at J.C. Penney's cosmetic department, was Ivana, the former Mrs. Donald Trump, sitting at a table next to a photograph of herself. She wore a light-colored pantsuit and pink fingernail polish. Her blonde hair was coiffed in a bouffant French twist.

'We want to see Ivana,' said Palin, who admittedly smells like salmon for a large part of the summer, 'because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture.' Ivana Trump, the former Czechoslovakian Olympic skier who found fame and wealth as the wife of the New York tycoon, came to Anchorage Tuesday to push her line of perfume."

Desperate in Wasilla

Now we know where SP got the hairdo idea. This is beyond good given the baloney she's pushing now about being a proud simple hausfrau with small town values.

Alaskans Line Up For a Whiff of Ivana (April 3, 1996) - Anchorage Daily News - 02 Sep 08

"Sarah Palin, a commercial fisherman from Wasilla, told her husband on Tuesday she was driving to Anchorage to shop at Costco. Instead, she headed straight for Ivana. And there, at J.C. Penney's cosmetic department, was Ivana, the former Mrs. Donald Trump, sitting at a table next to a photograph of herself. She wore a light-colored pantsuit and pink fingernail polish. Her blonde hair was coiffed in a bouffant French twist.

'We want to see Ivana,' said Palin, who admittedly smells like salmon for a large part of the summer, 'because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture.' Ivana Trump, the former Czechoslovakian Olympic skier who found fame and wealth as the wife of the New York tycoon, came to Anchorage Tuesday to push her line of perfume."