'Star Wars' political parodies for Star Wars Day in an election year

Happy Star Wars Day and May the Fourth be with you! For today's cosmic cinematic celebration, I am shifting gears because it's an election year to present a post in the spirit of Darth Vader for President and other entertainment leftovers, Chewbacca arrested as Darth Vader campaigns for Mayor of Odessa, Ukraine, Darth Trump, Obi-Wan Kenobi for President and Darth Vader beats Trump but not Clinton, Darth Trump strikes back as The Farce awakens, Silly candidates, real and fictional, for the fifth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News, and 'Star Wars' attack ads — wow, I've posted a lot of Star Wars political content over the years — I'm sharing Star-Wars-themed political parodies for the 2020 election.*

I begin with a story related to the lawn signs I used for the preview image of this entry, Darth Vader Election Sign 'Appears' In Penetanguishene, Ontario from Huffington Post.

There is a great disturbance in the force of the upcoming Canadian election, according to a parody lawn sign in Ontario.

Reddit user massivecoller was quick to post what appears to be a plastic Darth Vader campaign poster, for the "Your Galactic Empire" party. The sign — which a HuffPost reader identified as being in Penetanguishene, Ont. — also includes the electoral promise of "Together, we can rule the galaxy."

Buzzfeed reported another instance of the Darth Vader lawn sign appearing during the 2015 Canadian election.


That's not the only Star Wars lawn sign that appeared that appeared during the campaign. Yoda had his fans, too.


It's not only in Canada that Darth Vader lawn signs have appeared. News Channel 9 WTVC reported Vote Vader sign shows up at Chattanooga polling place as early voting begins.

As voters in Hamilton County cast their ballots in the November midterm election, one sign is drawing eyes and votes to the Dark Side.

A sign for Star Wars' Darth Vader has been spotted alongside serious campaign signs outside the election commission.

NewsChannel 9 general manager Mike Costa snapped a picture of the pro-Sith sign Thursday afternoon.

The sign's slogan reads "Together, we can rule the galaxy" and includes the Imperial logo, along with the words "Your Galactic Empire."

So far, I haven't seen any reports of Star Wars lawn signs showing up this election cycle, but it's early. I'd bet money they will show up by election day in November.

Follow over the jump for more parody campaign materials with Star Wars themes.

A comparison of two measures of media bias shows readers and viewers respond to both ideology and quality

In Alex Jones removed from Facebook, Apple, YouTube, and Spotify, prompting free speech concerns, I mentioned the Media Bias Chart (above), which rates news sources on their bias and quality.  The next day, FiveThirtyEight displayed another chart about media bias from Nieman Labs that showed Democrats see most news outlets as unbiased. Republicans think they’re almost all biased.  After seeing both, I thought it would be interesting to compare the two to see if they agree and if they share any common patterns.  Besides, I've found it's a good idea to listen when the universe is talking.

The first chart from Nieman Labs displays "'net bias' scores for news organizations: 'the percentage who see each as ‘not biased at all’ or ‘not very biased’ minus the percentage who see each as ‘extremely biased’ or ‘very biased.’ On this measure, positive scores indicate that more people consider the news source unbiased than biased, and negative scores mean more people consider it biased than unbiased.'"


The news sources with positive scores in this study all fit in the green top box of the Media Bias Chart as "fact reporting" and "original fact reporting," although the order differs; the Media Bias Charts ranks the Associated Press highest, followed by ABC News and CBS News, then NPR and PBS, followed by USA Today then The Wall Street Journal.  However, three sources that the Media Bias Chart displays in the green box as quality outlets, NBC News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, all have negative scores.  Both The New York Times and The Washington Post fall in the "skews liberal" column, while NBC sits at the left end of the three broadcast networks, although still in the "minimal partisan bias or balance of biases" column, so conservatives may see them as biased despite the quality of their reporting.  To test that, I'm sharing charts of the perceived biases of news sources side-by-side with the results from Democrats on the left and Republicans on the right.


Nieman Labs quoted the original study's findings.

“Democrats, including Democratic-leaning independents, tend to see most news organizations as unbiased, except for Fox News, Breitbart News, Mother Jones, the Huffington Post, and Vox,” the authors write. “Republicans, including Republican-leaning independents, tend to see all news organizations as biased. The two exceptions are Fox News and The Wall Street Journal.”

Sure enough, Republicans think that NBC News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post are all very biased, while Democrats consider them relatively unbiased.  In addition, Republicans appear to be picking up the slight differences in bias among other news sources.  Of the outlets with positive ratings, The Wall Street Journal skews conservative, while PBS, CBS News, and ABC News are all arrayed from right-to-left in the top center box, exactly the same order in which Republicans rate them as being biased.  In addition, the Media Bias Charts shows the Associated Press slightly to the left of PBS, which could be enough to flip their order on the chart from Nieman Labs of net bias.  All this is enough to make me conclude that for fact-reporting sources, slight differences in ideological slant are enough to affect their perceived bias by readers and viewers.

For sources that fall in the analysis, opinion, and propaganda boxes, ideological positions appear to be less important than the quality of reporting.  Both Democrats and Republicans think Vox and Mother Jones are biased, but Republicans think that CNN is more biased than either, while Democrats rank it between USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.  Looking at the Media Bias Chart might explain why.  While CNN is only as far left as The New York Times and Washington Post, it straddles the line between fair and unfair interpretations of the news, so its quality of reporting is rated lower than Vox, Mother Jones, and MSNBC, all of which present fair interpretations of news according to the Media Bias Chart while still in the "skews liberal" and "hyper-partisan liberal" columns.  The Republicans seem to pick up on this, rating CNN as the most biased news source, even more so than MSNBC, which makes no effort to hide its liberal leanings, especially in its evening shows.*  Both liberals and conservatives consider The Huffington Post as biased, an assessment the Media Bias Chart agrees with.  It also considers its reporting to be unfair interpretations of the news, so its lower quality places it below CNN on a survey of all respondents.  Finally, the most biased sources overall are Breitbart News and Fox News, which are both "hyper-partisan conservative" and "nonsense damaging to public discourse."  Democrats drive that rating of Fox News, as they consider it the most biased news source, while Republicans consider it the least.  The power of ideology returns!  At least both sides agree that Breitbart is biased.  That's reassuring.

*I think they are right to consider it biased, but I think it's a personal bias against Trump, not an ideological bias against conservatives.

Beware the Ides of Trump!

Beware The Ides of March!  Today, I'm going to leave Rome behind and discuss politics from modern America, namely The Ides of Trump protest.  Snopes tells the story in ‘Ides of Trump’ Postcard Campaign Takes Aim at President’s Agenda.

Americans who oppose the policies of President Donald Trump plan to make their objections known on 15 March 2017 by flooding the White House with postcards in an event dubbed the “Ides of Trump” by organizers, who say they hope to see delivery of a million or more cards expressing disapproval of Trump and his agenda to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in the days following.

The name is a twist on the expression “Ides of March,” which most people probably know from its use in the Shakespeare play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, in which a soothsayer ominously warns the doomed title character to “beware the Ides of March” (although to the Romans the phrase only meant “the 15th of March”).
...
The Ides of Trump was the brainchild of two Californians, Zack Kushner of Berkeley and Ted Sullivan of Los Angeles, who it was inspired by the Women’s March and has received a [lot?] of interest, not just from Americans but from Netizens all over the world. “To be honest, we have no idea the number of people participating,” Sullivan said via e-mail. “This is a true grassroots movement.”

When asked what message they’re trying to send to Trump, Sullivan boiled it down to a four-word phrase: “The one message we’d hope to get across to him is ‘not on our watch.’

The Huffington Post also has an article on the Ides of Trump protest, along with images of many of the postcards being sent to The White House today.  Here is one of my favorites:


If I were participating, I'd send one saying "Fire Bannon."  I'll explain my reasons for that demand in a future entry.  Stay tuned.

Seth Meyers takes a closer look at Trump and climate change

In the middle of Rick Perry nominated to lead department he wanted to eliminate but couldn't name, I noted that I should have been more upset.

I should be more appalled at what Perry's policies are likely to do to the environment, but I can't help but laugh at the sheer irony of Perry as Energy Secretary.  Given what the rest of Trump's Cabinet of Deplorables looks like, Perry looks relatively reasonable, if in a conventionally awful way.

Last night, Seth Meyers examined more of Trump's Cabinet of Deplorables and their effect on the enviroment in What Trump's Presidency Means for Climate Change: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at the affect [effect] Donald Trump's cabinet picks might have on climate change.

Of course Meyers made fun of Rick Perry, as quoted by The Huffington Post.

Citing a Daily Beast story, Meyers noted that while in college Perry apparently got two C grades, a D and an F in chemistry, a C in physics, and a D in “Meat.”

“How do you get a D in Meat?” Meyers asked. “Are you a Chipotle?”

No, he's an Aggie, one who lives down to the stereotype lampooned in Aggie jokes.*

Salon's story featured more serious quotes.

“Trump confirmed everyone’s fears by scouring the country to find the worst possible choice to head the Environment Protection Energy: Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt,” Meyers said.

As I wrote, a Cabinet of Deplorables.  As for Trump himself...

“Trump’s past statements on climate change have not been promising, like his infamous claim that the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese, as opposed to Trump, who was created by and for the Russians,” Meyers noted.

I might have more on Trump and Putin's Bad Bromance in tomorrow's celebration of Festivus.  It's perfect for an airing of grievances.  Stay tuned.

*I first became acquainted with my ex-wife by telling Aggie jokes.  She went to the University of Texas, so she had lots of them.  The odd thing is that, other than Perry, all of the Texas A&M alums I've met were nice, intelligent people who didn't deserve the jokes told about them.  Perry does, though, so expect me to tell Aggie jokes from now on when I write about him.

Twilight Sparkle disapproves of plagiarism

I'm not done with Melania Trump: Rickrolling and Plagiarism, for when Booman asked "what is the stupidest thing you've seen today?"  I responded with how the effort to spin Melania's speech backfired.

Sean Spicer used Akon, John Legend, and My Little Pony to defend Melania's speech.

“Melania Trump said, ‘You work hard for what you want in life.’ Akon said, ‘Work hard for what you get in life.’ John Legend said, ‘Work hard.’”

“You’re quoting Akon and John Legend?” asked MSNBC’s Craig Melvin.

“Hold on, it’s getting better,” said Spicer. “Melania Trump said, ‘The strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.’ Twilight Sparkle from ‘My Little Pony’ said, ‘This is your dream, anything you can do in your dreams.”

John Legend tweeted "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative."  Tara Strong, who voices Twilight Sparkle, tweeted "This is not Pony Princess approved. I'm Twilight Sparkle & do not approve this message."  She then tweeted "Plagiarism is NOT magic"!  It's only the second day and Twilight Sparkle is reading the Riot Act to the Trump campaign.


I don't know if that's stupid, but it sure is silly.

Even so, it's a better joke than The Rabid Puppies nominating "My Little Pony" for a Hugo.

Trump-Pence: TP for Cornholio's bunghole

When I last mentioned The Penguin The Donald, I wrote that he was worse than George Wallace.  That written, I was hoping his pick for Vice President would provide more entertainment than Wallace's running mate Curtis LeMay.  In particular, I commented and repeated "please, let it be either Gingrich or Palin--the laughs will keep coming all the way to Election Day!"  Newt Gingrich was in the running as was Chris Christie, but as the following clip from Stephen Colbert shows, Mike Pence got the nod instead.

Time to check your Vice-Presidential fantasy league. If you picked Mike Pence, you might be a winner.

Colbert had so much fun with Pence as Trump's VP pick that he opened his monologue the next day with America's Got Mike Pence Fever!

Excitement about Trump's running-mate announcement has spread like a contagion. The main symptom of Pence Fever: Knowing who Mike Pence is.

I knew who he was, but I have never blogged about him before.*  Time for a Mike Pence label.


The hilarity continued when Trump's campaign released its new logo incorporating Pence as its pick.  Legal Insurrection, Huffington Post, and Wonkette all had field days documenting the hilarious reactions to the unfortunate graphic design.  My favorite was one that captured the first thought I had when I saw the logo.


For those of you who don't get the joke, here's a video demonstrating it.


*Snork*  Now I know what to call Mike Pence--Cornholio!


Now I've found the hilarity in Mike Pence as Trump's running mate.  It almost makes up for Gingrich not being on the ticket--almost.  Let's see if Cornholio can provide more comedic inspiration between now and November.

ETA: Raw Story just reported "After a day of ridicule for a poorly designed Trump/Pence campaign logo that launched a thousand memes, the Trump campaign disappeared the design from their official website overnight."  Well, that was quick.

*Nor have I blogged about his most notorious act as Indiana Governor, signing Indiana Senate Bill 101, titled the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  That was actually perfect for me, because it was about social justice, drum corps, and gaming.  Yes, really.  Maybe I should write about it.  Better late than never.

2016 could be a good year for minor party candidates

Monday at Kunstler's blog, I linked to CNN's Gary Johnson: GOP Trump Alternative?

Smerconish talks to Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson, who will probably be on all 50 state ballots and is polling at 11% but is usually left off of polls.

It was in response to another reader touting Jill Stein.  I agreed with him, but thought that Johnson would make a bigger splash.  I concluded my comment by wrting "I can already tell this will be a good year for minor parties."

I'm not alone in thinking this.  Within the past few months, several articles have expressed the same hope.  March saw the Washington Post opine that Americans should make room for third-party candidates.  That article touted Bloomberg, who later declined to run.  He figured that Clinton would win the Democratic nomination and he would have acted as a spoiler.  He didn't want that.  On the other hand, if he thought Sanders was going to win the nomination, he'd probably have run.

The pace picked up in April with three articles, beginning with The Huffington Post declaring Why 2016 Could Be A Record Year For Third-Party Candidates, And What Pollsters Can Do About It.  The answer is include Gary Johnson and Jill Stein in those states where they are on the ballot.  The same month NBC News wondered Third Time's the Charm?: Minor Parties Hope for 2016 Wins.  Also in April, The Atlantic wrote There's Still Time for a Serious Third-Party Presidential Run.  Yes, if it's the Libertarians or Greens, who will have ballot access in a majority of states; the Libertarians might have ballot access in all of them.  No, if it's William Kristol's quixotic crusade to draft someone like Romney as an Establishment alternative to Trump; the deadline to get a true independent on the ballot in Texas has already passed.  Besides, any idea Kristol favors is likely to be a bad one.

The speculation continued this month, as FiveThirtyEight asked Could An Independent Candidate Succeed In 2016?  Of all the answers to the question, I agreed most with Harry Enten, who said "this year pretty much meets all the criteria for at least a moderately successful third-party candidacy."  For me, that means that the Libertarians and possibly the Greens could reach the threshold of five percent of the popular vote to qualify for public financing in 2020.  The Constitution Party does not have ballot access in enough states to meet that criterion.  It's very unlikely that even one of the minor parties will qualify for the debates with the major party candidates.  As Gary Johnson pointed out, that requires fifteen percent in several polls before the debates.   While minor parties have earned Electoral College votes before, that happened when they had concentrated regional strength, such as the Dixiecrats and the American Independent Party, and could win pluralities in three-party contests.  Neither the Libertarians nor the Greens meet that criterion; their support is more diffuse.  Consequently, none of the minor parties will win the presidency, but they'll certainly overperform compared to any election since 2000 and possibly even 1996, but not 1992.  None of these candidates is Ross Perot.  Even he didn't win any Electoral College votes.

Finally, USA Today reported Presidential transition could include third-party candidates under new law.  Don't make too much of it.  That just reflects a change in the language of the law extending transition services to any qualified candidate, not just the Democratic and Republican ones.  Still, it is a sign of the times.

R.I.P. David Bowie, sci-fi superstar

When I told my readers to "stay tuned for...an obituary of a science fiction rock star," I had no idea "The Martian" had a David Bowie song.  Here is "Starman" complete with images and clips from the movie.


I found that to be an appropriate tribute to both Bowie and the movie.

For more on David Bowie, science-fiction rock and movie star, I recommend reading two articles from io9, one listing him as one of the great music acts inspired by science fiction and another as a rock star who changed science fiction, showing that the influence went both ways.  Other articles in the same vein were published by Extreme Tech, Engadget, Tech Times, Huffington Post, and CBS affiliate WXRT.  All of them consider him a giant in both rock music and science fiction, as do I.  Farewell, Ziggy Stardust!

French soccer fans sing their defiance in the face of terror

Jean Jullien's "Peace for Paris" from Banksy via You Might Notice a Trend.
In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shooting rampage, I reacted by posting Musical responses to terror, updated.  In the wake of yesterday's coordinated terror attack in Paris, I'll let the French themselves give their own musical reply to the Sith Jihad* via the New York Times: Soccer Fans Sing ‘La Marseillaise’ .

Soccer fans responded to a series of explosions and shootings in Paris by singing the French national anthem as they were evacuated from the stadium.

Vive la France!

*That's right, as Reuters via The Huffington Post reported today "Islamic State Claims Responsibility For Deadly Paris Attacks."  First the Russians, now the French.  Keep making enemies by the boatloads, assholes.  As Infidel753 quoted Comrade Misfit today: "Other than the Americans, there aren't many nations capable of projecting military force at a considerable distance beyond their own borders. The terrorists have, in the last two weeks, seriously pissed off two of them."

Oops--Rick Perry drops out

Before I could pick a drink in honor of Rick Perry for Paul Wartenberg's GOP Debate Drinking Game for 2016 But For the September 2015 Foofaraw In Particular to join the list in Drinks and drinking games for Donald Trump and the GOP debates, Proof of drinking game concept on Kasich, Drinks for the candidates in tonight's debate, and Debate drinking game rules for Carly Fiorina, Governor Goodhair dropped out of the contest.  Wochit has the report in Rick Perry to End 2016 Bid.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced Friday he is suspending his presidential campaign, making him the first Republican candidate to end his 2016 White House bid.

"I am suspending my campaign for the presidency of the United States," Perry is expected to say, according to prepared remarks announcing the end of his campaign. He said in a statement: "We have a tremendous field - the best in a generation - so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, and as long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservatism will be too."

"I share this news with no regrets. It has been a privilege and an honor to travel this country, to speak with the American people about their hopes and dreams, to see a sense of optimism prevalent despite a season of cynical politics."

That wasn't all.  Follow over the jump for Perry's parting shots at Trump, who stands to benefit from Perry's exit, and the effects on the debate.

Happy Winter Solstice 2014!

The Huffington Post: Winter Solstice 2014: Shortest Day Of The Year Marked By Pagan Celebrations
By HuffPost Religion Editors
December 20, 2014

In 2014, the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will begin on Dec. 21 at 6:03 p.m. EST. To calculate the turning point in your time zone, click here.

Officially the first day of winter, the winter solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. This is the longest night of the year, meaning that despite the cold winter, the days get progressively longer after the winter solstice until the summer solstice in 2015.

That's today.  Happy Solstice!

Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment entry.

Elizabeth Warren at Netroots Nation

At the end of Water protests in Detroit, I wrote "In other news, Elizabeth Warren spoke.  That will be the topic of another update."  I'll begin with this excerpt from the Detroit Free Press.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told a crowd at Cobo Center today that “corporations are not people.”

In a speech that touched on topics ranging from immigration to culpability in the financial crisis, the Democratic senator — who now is being encouraged by some to run for president — offered a list of progressive beliefs, blasting big banks, lobbying and corporate misdeeds along the way.

“Those with power fight to make sure every rule tilts in their favor. That’s what we’re up against,” she told the crowd, which responded with rounds of applause. At times, the crowd broke into chants of “Run, Liz, Run,” a reference to the next presidential race. Warren, however, has said she has no plans to run for president in 2016.

Amanda Turkel of The Huffington Post captured an even more inspiring quote.

Warren focused her message on her familiar theme of economic populism, getting loud applause when she said, "The game is rigged. And the rich and the powerful have lobbyists and lawyers and plenty of friends in Congress. Everybody else, not so much. So the way I see this is we can whine about it, we can whimper about it or we can fight back. I'm fighting back!"

As for the attempt by the Warren supporters to draft her, Turkel had this to say.

Warren's supporters used her speech to progressive activists Friday as their launching pad, handing out hats, signs and stickers to attendees. When Warren appeared on stage, large banners urging her to run were unfurled, and members of the crowd chanted for her to run a few times during her speech.

Warren, however, does not support this effort, as her spokeswoman told The Huffington Post this week. And she didn't acknowledge the calls to run for president Friday either, simply urging people to sit down whenever they jumped up and started applauding.

I really enjoyed the speech and found it a great way to start my day of meeting other activists, participating caucuses, and attending panel discussions.  However, I did not join in the calls for Elizabeth Warren to run.  I can understand why the conference attendees want Warren to contest the Democratic nomination, but she's not going to run so long as Hillary Clinton appears likely to.  At this stage in the game, the nomination is Clinton's to lose and the best that Warren could hope for is to audition to be Vice President.  That might not be a bad idea, but I suspect Warren thinks she can serve her state and her country more effectively in other ways.  If so, I agree.

U.N. declares Detroit's water shutoffs a human rights violation

I haven't written here about Detroit's water system since I posted Detroit Regional Water Authority talks in the news in January.  It turns I should have, as the water system is one of the sticking points in dealing with Detroit's bankruptcy.  One of the actions taken as a result has become big news, as WXYZ reports in City of Detroit shutting off water to thousands for lack of payment.


WXYZ did a fairly good job of summarizing the story, complete with quotes from both activists and the water department, as well as pointing out that the United Nations had become involved.  That written, it doesn't go into many of the details, including the actual finding of the U.N.  Follow over the jump for perspectives on the situation from The Huffington Post and the Detroit Free Press.

Happy Summer Solstice 2014!

Summer Solstice 2014, Longest Day Of The Year, Arrives Saturday

Get set for the 2014 summer solstice! The longest day of the year arrives on Saturday, June 21 at 6:51 a.m. EDT.

The occasion brings celebrations across the Northern Hemisphere, from Swedes who wear wreaths and dance around maypoles to modern-day Druids who flock to Stonehenge to Americans who enjoy their pool parties and cookouts.

That's today.  Happy Solstice!

The climate and environment in 2013

I began 2013 in biodiversity by describing the pressure I felt.

I have only 32 hours until 2013 disappears from the face of the planet at 11:59 PM in UTC-12, which includes Baker and Howland islands.  Consequently, it's time to resume what I started with 2013 in space and What did 2013 say on YouTube? and post the year in biodiversity stories I orginally included in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Science in 2013).

I finished with "Stay tuned for more of science, environment, and health in the year that was."  As it turned out, I decided not to buckle to the pressure I felt to finish my recap of 2013 in 32 hours.  Instead, I responded to an external deadline to retain my positions with Examiner.com by posting Top Washtenaw County election stories of 2013 look ahead to 2014, which I excerpted in Examiner.com article on popular elections articles for 2013.  I decided that keeping myself in the journalism game and getting paid for it was more important.  Ah, priorities.

Enough meta.  Time to go through the articles listing the top environment stories of the past year, beginning with Smithsonian Magazine: Six Things We Learned About Our Changing Climate in 2013.
December 27, 2013

2013 was a great year for science. We discovered hundreds of exoplanets, found yet more evidence of ancient water on Mars and learned all about our species’ own evolution.

But it’s important to remember that, in terms of the long-term survival of both our species and all others on the planet, 2013 is remarkable for a much darker reason. It’s a year in which we’ve pushed the climate further than ever away from its natural state, learned more than ever about the dire the consequences of doing so, and done as little as ever to stop it.

As greenhouse gas emissions soar unabated and the ramifications become rapidly apparent, here’s a rundown of what we learned about climate change in 2013:

Grist's The top 13 green stories of 2013: The good, the bad, and the muddled by John Upton had an even briefer lede.

The environmental news this year was full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and deeply conflicted protagonists.

Follow over the jump for more retrospectives of the year in climate and environment.

Weird science for Halloween: Yetis

In Religion news from campuses on the campaign trail, I promised I'd be posting scary and silly material for Halloween.  Time to follow through with some weird science that is scary whether it were true or not--scary if true because it would mean a legendary monster really exists, but scary because it doesn't and people still believe in it.  That means it's also really silly.

With no further ado, I present two items from Overnight News Digest on Daily Kos about yetis in both Asia and America.

The Daily Telegraph (UK): 'Yeti lives': Abominable Snowman is 'part polar bear and still roams the Himalayas'
Research by an University of Oxford scientist has found a genetic match between an ancient polar bear and samples said to come from the Yeti - suggesting the creature known as the Abominable Snowman is still living in the Himalayas
By Jasper Copping

It is one of the world’s most enduring mysteries, attracting both curiosity and fear.

Now, a British scientist may have finally solved the riddle of the yeti, the fabled apelike creature said to inhabit the upper ranges of the Himalayas.

Research by Professor Bryan Sykes, a geneticist from the University of Oxford, has not only uncovered a genetic match between samples thought to come from the elusive creature and another that lived more than 40,000 years ago, but also suggests the beast is still roaming the mountains.

Yeah, dude, it means your yeti specimen is a bear, not an ape.  It's an unusual bear, but it's still a bear.  Also, I'm surprised that this article isn't from The Daily Fail Mail.

Next, an article that doesn't hyperventilate from unwarranted credulity.

The Huffington Post: TWO Bigfoots? Hiker Shoots Clear Photos Of 'Moving Beasts' In Pennsylvania (PHOTOS)
By Andy Campbell

Bigfoot is making a big stink on the Internet this week.

First, a crack team of veterinarians and scientists regurgitated a press release claiming that they had DNA evidence of Bigfoot's existence. That "evidence" was and likely still is bogus.

But are these photos real?

I'll go to Ambassador Vreenak for his opinion.  Ambassador?


Thank you, that's what I think, too.

Happy Halloween!

Fracking ban on ballot in Bowling Green

Here is another election issue for me to watch this year.

13ABC in Toledo: Fracking debate continues in Bowling Green

13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Hydraulic fracturing or fracking, isn't practiced within city limits, but Mayor Richard Edwards worried it could hurt the drinking water supply if it was ever allowed in Bowling Green.  It was part of the reason city council unanimously passed a fracking ban two weeks ago.
...
Another group in BG wants to take that push a step further.  They're drumming up voter support to get the fracking ban officially worked into the city charter this November.  They worry an ordinance alone could be overturned down the road.

"It hurts property values, it hurts human health and it pollutes the environment," says BG Charter Amendment Committee chair, Lisa Kochheiser.

This could be a dry run for a fracking ban in Michigan.  From The Huffington Post: Michigan Fracking Fight Ramps Up As State Chamber Of Commerce Fights Proposed Ban.

Last week, the chamber launched pro-fracking campaign "Protect Michigan's Energy Future." The group's website touts energy independence, job creation and decades of safe fracking in the state. It also specifically targets fracking opponents.

“The dangerous petition drive to ban hydraulic fracturing is based on fear and emotion, not facts or sound science," said Rich Studley, president and CEO of the Michigan chamber . "It is a direct attack on a key industry that provides good jobs and energy independence for our state."

Some fracking opponents, fueled by environmental and health concerns, are collecting signatures to put a proposal to ban fracking on the 2014 statewide ballot. The group needs more than 250,000 petition signatures.

"Stopping a well here or there, in one community or two or in just the parks will help, but it does not prevent the overall, large-scale invasion of this toxic, polluting industry from destroying our state." the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan says on its website.

As you can see, the battle lines are already drawn, even though the measure is not yet on the ballot and the election is a year away.

NYC general election matchups set

I began Election news from campuses on the campaign trail with a program note.

I'm waiting for the results of two recounts, Detroit's and New York City's, to be announced.  Detroit's recount will not change the candidates on the general election ballot; it's another stunt by Tom Barrow, hopefully his last as a politician.  On the other hand, New York City's will have real consequences.  If Bill DeBlasio gets above 40% in the recount, he goes on to the general election.  If not, he faces a run-off.  The outcome should be announced this week and I promise to get back to you all with it.

I didn't have to wait for the recount for the outcome.  This morning, runner-up Bill Thompson conceded.

HE'S OUT: Nearly a week after de Blasio received more than 40% of the Democratic primary vote, Bill Thompson stepped aside. 'Today I am proud to stand next to a great New Yorker and throw my full support behind him.'

As for why, the New York Daily News explained that Bill Thompson concedes mayoral race for the Democratic good.

Bill Thompson, in his concession to Bill de Blasio, gave the Democratic Party the unity it needed with the hopes of taking back City Hall after 20 years of Republican reign.
...
Unofficial tallies showed de Blasio with 40.3% of the vote, far ahead of Thompson’s 26% and enough to avoid a runoff.

Even if a recount pushed de Blasio below the magic 40%, Thompson’s strategists saw their guy’s chances of winning a runoff a long shot. Only Republican candidate Joe Lhota, they figured, would benefit from several more weeks of Democratic division.

So the NYC Mayor's contest is set.  So is the Comptroller's, as Eliot Spitzer Loses To Scott Stringer In NYC Comptroller Race.

In a stunning rebuke, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer lost his bid to become the Democratic nominee for city comptroller.

Poll results Tuesday night showed Spitzer losing to Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. With 93 percent of precincts reporting, Stringer beat Spitzer by 3.5 percent.

The Democratic nominee is virtually assured of winning the general election in early November and becoming the city's chief financial officer.

So much for Spitzer and Weiner staging comebacks in New York.

I concluded Election news from campuses on the campaign trail by mentioning Sam Wang.

With Nate going to ESPN, Wang and Sabato may be the leaders in forecasting the next election cycle.

It turned out that Wang weighed in on both the Mayor's and Comptroller's contests.

In today’s New York City Democratic primary, front-runner (and progressive) Bill DeBlasio has drawn 41.9+/-1.3% of decided voters (n=5 polls since late August). The threshold for avoiding a runoff is 40%, and if (and that’s an if!) polls are any indication, he will reach this threshold with a 90% probability. Note that primaries are harder than usual to predict since voters can be volatile.
...
In the other high-visibility primary, for comptroller, Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer has largely closed the gap with former governor Eliot Spitzer. However, Spitzer still leads by 2.0 +/- 1.7% (n=3 September polls). That puts Spitzer’s win probability at 80%, in knife-edge territory.

Wang ended up being 1 for 2.

Aftermath:... DeBlasio currently has 40.3%, so a mayoral runoff appears to be avoided, as I predicted. Stringer wins comptroller – I was on the wrong side of that. However, as I’ve said before, with my methods, anything in the 20-80% probability range is a knife-edge situation. The comptroller race was such an example.

Keep up the good work Sam, and always learn from your mistakes.

Fracking as a bad T in I=P*A*T

Over at Kunstler's blog last week, I riffed on the environmental impact equation* by noting that "fracking is a perfect example of technology in the service of population and affluence increasing impact."  That reminded me that I had been sitting on several stories on the subject of fracking besides Discovery News reviews 'Gasland'.  Follow over the jump for more on this hot topic.

Free and Equal Debate tonight

Last night wasn't really the last presidential debate. There will be at least two more, including this one.



While the candidates may be from minor parties, the debate does have a major league media star, as the L.A. Times reports.

Larry King to moderate third-party presidential debate

Larry King will moderate a debate among the third-party presidential candidates on Oct. 23, the Free and Equal Elections Foundation announced on Tuesday.

The debate, which will be held in Chicago, will feature Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, Green Party candidate Jill Stein, Constitution Party candidate Virgil Goode, and Rocky Anderson of the newly formed Justice Party. The event will be broadcast live on Ora TV, the digital programming service where King launched his online talk show, “Larry King Now,” earlier this year. The Free and Equal Elections Foundation and, for unclear reasons, Russia Today will also stream the debate online.

"[F]or unclear reasons, Russia Today"--snork! Russia Today loves to broadcast dissenting American voices, including tinfoil hat wearer Alex Jones. This event is right up their alley. In fact, I found out about this debate from them.

[A] third party candidate debate is getting some much needed attention. Christina Tobin, founder of Free and Equal, joins us to discuss why she organized a debate for third party candidates and how the two party system is hurting America.

Tobin mentioned Al Jazeera, and, yes, they're joining RT America in covering the debate, as the Huffington Post reports.

Third-Party Debate To Be Broadcast By Al Jazeera English, RT America, But Not Major Cable News Networks

Al Jazeera English plans to broadcast the debate live, an editorial decision that Bob Wheelock, executive producer for newsgathering for the Americas, calls a "no-brainer."

"We've covered the presidential debates and vice presidential debate thus far," Wheelock told The Huffington Post. "Our philosophy is to treat this one the same way. It's another voice in this country that we respect and believe should have a forum and an outlet."

Wheelock said that part of Al Jazeera English's mission is "to try to provide the voice and be in places where other people aren't -- to cover areas, countries, states, cultures that aren't routinely covered by the traditional broadcast networks and cable networks."
... Link TV will also carry Al Jazeera English's broadcast in areas where the network still isn't available on the cable dial.

That's where the debate stood yesterday morning. Then, a U.S. outlet finally joined in: C-SPAN will cover Free and Equal Presidential Debate Tomorrow. I checked C-SPAN's website, and sure enough, the debate is on the schedule for 9 PM tonight.

Oct 23 at 9:00 PM - C-SPAN 1 (01:30 HR)
Free and Equal Elections
Third party presidential candidates Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, Virgil Goode, and Rocky Anderson hold a debate.

As for what this debate will accomplish, other than giving the minor parties the attention they deserve, it might just air issues that the major parties and the mainstream media didn't bother to ask, as Tobin herself was quoted as saying in the L.A. Times.

“The previous debates between President Obama and Gov. Romney have failed to address the issues that really concern everyday Americans. From foreign policy, to the economy, to taboo subjects like our diminishing civil liberties and the drug war, Americans deserve a real debate, real solutions, and real electoral options.”

I echoed those sentiments myself over at Kunstler's site yesterday.

Honestly, if you want people who are willing to take on those tough issues, you might have to wait until the Free and Equal debate featuring the four top minor party candidates. That will take place tomorrow night and will be televised by Al Jazeera English. The U.S. networks aren't touching it. Too bad. Maybe a coherent response could be cobbled together the positions from Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and Rocky Anderson. I don't hold out much hope for anything useful coming out of the mouth of Virgil Goode.

Free and Equal will sponsor one last debate featuring minor party candidates.

Second 2012 Presidential Debate October 30 in Washington, DC

Viewers of First Debate to Determine Which Candidate Advances to the October 30 Debate via Instant Runoff Voting
...
Following the initial October 23 debate, viewers can vote for the candidates online, ranking their first and second choices. This form of instant runoff voting (IRV) — a method used in numerous countries, United States jurisdictions, and private organizations — allows voters to submit their top two choices, so they aren’t “throwing away” a vote. Voting ends 24 hours after the end of the debate. The top two candidates with the most votes will be announced Thursday morning and will advance to the final debate on October 30.

“This is an example of how a Presidential debate and election should work,” stated Christina Tobin, founder and chair of Free & Equal. “Instant runoff voting removes the spoiler effect and promotes more positive, issue-focused campaigns. This method brings neutrality and fairness to electing the leader of our country and eliminates the “lesser of two evils” problem.”

I suspect it will be Jill Stein vs. Gary Johnson in the final debate. There are enough Libertarians online to make sure of that.