Black Box Report http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a en-US http://backend.userland.com/rss 60 West Point Cadet Comes Out and Drops Out: Is It Time to End "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"? http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2010/08/13/west_point_cadet_comes_out_and_drops_out Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:12:13 +0000 Jacinto Abuse of Power 2076@http://rnnblogs.com/ WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) - A lesbian cadet asked to resign from the U.S. Military Academy because she said she can no longer lie about her sexuality and was troubled by the anti-gay attitudes of some around her. Katherine Miller of Findlay, Ohio, also said she wants to fight for repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" law, a subject she was studying and writing about as a sociology major at West Point. "I intend for my resignation to offer a concrete example of the consequences of a failed law and social policy," she wrote in her resignation letter on Monday, referring to the law against gays serving openly in the military. Miller wrote proudly of her accomplishments as a student, athlete and soldier and said that she had not been pressured by anyone to resign. But she wrote of being "coerced into ignoring derogatory comments towards homosexuals for fear of being alienated for my viewpoint" and that she "endured sexual harassment for fear of being accused as a lesbian." Miller said by e-mail that she wasn't immediately available to speak with The Associated Press on Thursday, but she confirmed the resignation letter. WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) - A lesbian cadet asked to resign from the
U.S. Military Academy because she said she can no longer lie about
her sexuality and was troubled by the anti-gay attitudes of some
around her.
Katherine Miller of Findlay, Ohio, also said she wants to fight
for repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" law, a subject she was
studying and writing about as a sociology major at West Point.
"I intend for my resignation to offer a concrete example of the
consequences of a failed law and social policy," she wrote in her
resignation letter on Monday, referring to the law against gays
serving openly in the military.
Miller wrote proudly of her accomplishments as a student,
athlete and soldier and said that she had not been pressured by
anyone to resign. But she wrote of being "coerced into ignoring
derogatory comments towards homosexuals for fear of being alienated
for my viewpoint" and that she "endured sexual harassment for
fear of being accused as a lesbian."
Miller said by e-mail that she wasn't immediately available to
speak with The Associated Press on Thursday, but she confirmed the
resignation letter.

]]> http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=2076&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments VP Smackdown: Had enough? Or is Cheney vs. Biden good for America? http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2010/02/15/vp_smackdown_had_enough_or_is_cheney_vs_ Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:04:38 +0000 eseener Culture Wars Democrats Republicans Dick Cheney 1948@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1948&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Guts and Butts: Is penalizing people for smoking or obesity discrimination or encouraging good health? http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2010/02/15/guts_and_butts_is_penalizing_people_for_ Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:58:37 +0000 eseener Culture Wars RFL Big Story 1947@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1947&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Give the Federal Government a Grade: A+, B, F? You decide. http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2010/02/12/give_the_federal_government_a_grade_a_b_ Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:54:09 +0000 eseener Abuse of Power Democrats Republicans Congress 1946@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1946&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments New 9/11 aerial photos: important reminder or too upsetting? http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2010/02/11/new_9_11_aerial_photos_important_reminde Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:45:29 +0000 eseener Media Terrorism 1942@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1942&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Is the First Lady's Fight on Childhood Obesity Healthy or Just Bloated Govt? http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2010/02/10/is_the_first_lady_s_fight_on_childhood_o Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:19:00 +0000 eseener Democrats Health Care 1940@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1940&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Is sex addiction real or phony? http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2010/02/09/is_sex_addiction_real_or_phony Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:12:53 +0000 eseener Media Abuse of Power NY Politics 1938@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1938&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments What questions should Sotomayor be asked this week? http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2009/07/13/what_questions_should_sotomayor_be_asked Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:07:28 +0000 Don Abuse of Power 1680@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1680&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments New developments in our exclusive investigation of Rye Playland: ride at your own risk! http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2009/07/10/albany_deal_are_you_ready_to_forgive_and Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:45:57 +0000 Don Abuse of Power 1678@http://rnnblogs.com/ http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1678&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments John McCain's "Housing" Crisis http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a/2008/08/21/john_mccain_s_housing_crisis Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:13:18 +0000 Michael Turner Election 2008 John McCain Barack Obama Economy 1230@http://rnnblogs.com/ I own how many homes??? So, John McCain can’t remember how many houses he owns...I’m sure you can relate. Happens to me all the time. Lots of people I know have that problem. After all, as Matthew Yglesias points out, it’s a tricky question: I was wondering yesterday how it is that you manage to spend almost $4.7 million on a condo in Phoenix, and the answer turns out to be that the McCains bought two luxury condos and combined them. The $4.66 million figure is the combined price of his cribs. ...... This is one reason why it’s a bit unfair to tag McCain as out of touch for being unable to remember how many homes he owns. When one of your homes is really a combination of two different luxury condos the metaphysical status of your property comes into question. And that's just his primary residence(s) in Phoenix. Then there's McCain's Hidden Valley Ranch in Sedona. It's just one piece of 15 acre property, but it has 6 houses. Then there's the condo in Virginia, a few in California; some he lives in, some are just investments and...well, you can see it gets hard to keep of them all. Someone should share this link with the AZ senator so he can keep his answer straight. Maybe one of those staffers who he pays good money to worry about these things so he and Cindy don't have to. After all, people of McCain's class have more important things to worry about. So cut him some slack: We shouldn't judge him too harshly. After all, a man who wears $520 Italian loafers, owns a million dollar parking lot, thinks the baseline for rich is making $5,000,000 a year and whose wife is worth $100M really can't be expected to recall such petty details on the spot. Besides, Obama eats arugula, drinks gourmet tea and vacations in Hawaii! And even if that also describes your average lower middle class California college student, who cares if John McCain can't remember how many homes make up his $13 million+ real estate portfolio? As we all know, only Democrats are elitist: He could bathe in rivers of Evian on a platform composed of platinum and rhino bones, and it wouldn’t particularly matter because he likes to look gruff and he’s white and he wants to cut taxes. The fact that he’s entirely removed from virtually all knowledge of his housing situation in the midst of a nationwide housing crisis, however, isn’t room for any concern of elitism because [noun] [verb] [POW]. And right on cue... "This is a guy who lived in one house for five and a half years -- in prison," spokesman Brian Rogers told the Washington Post. That was Team Maverick's response to the Obama campaign's newest ad, which came out, like, minutes after this story broke. For some reason, Democrats think this could provide an opening to hit McCain on: McCain has opposed increases to the minimum wage, he opposes universal healthcare, and he blamed the housing crisis on homeowners. At the same time, McCain thinks the economy is strong, that Bush has been a good steward of the economy, and what the nation really needs is more tax cuts for millionaires…It's not about wealth and elitism; it's about being out of touch. Because not knowing how many million dollar homes you own shows you're a true Man of the People. Wealthy, out of touch people.
Millionaire
I own how many homes???

So, John McCain can’t remember how many houses he owns...I’m sure you can relate. Happens to me all the time. Lots of people I know have that problem. After all, as Matthew Yglesias points out, it’s a tricky question:

I was wondering yesterday how it is that you manage to spend almost $4.7 million on a condo in Phoenix, and the answer turns out to be that the McCains bought two luxury condos and combined them. The $4.66 million figure is the combined price of his cribs.
......
This is one reason why it’s a bit unfair to tag McCain as out of touch for being unable to remember how many homes he owns. When one of your homes is really a combination of two different luxury condos the metaphysical status of your property comes into question.

And that's just his primary residence(s) in Phoenix. Then there's McCain's Hidden Valley Ranch in Sedona. It's just one piece of 15 acre property, but it has 6 houses. Then there's the condo in Virginia, a few in California; some he lives in, some are just investments and...well, you can see it gets hard to keep of them all. Someone should share this link with the AZ senator so he can keep his answer straight. Maybe one of those staffers who he pays good money to worry about these things so he and Cindy don't have to. After all, people of McCain's class have more important things to worry about. So cut him some slack:

We shouldn't judge him too harshly. After all, a man who wears $520 Italian loafers, owns a million dollar parking lot, thinks the baseline for rich is making $5,000,000 a year and whose wife is worth $100M really can't be expected to recall such petty details on the spot.

Besides, Obama eats arugula, drinks gourmet tea and vacations in Hawaii! And even if that also describes your average lower middle class California college student, who cares if John McCain can't remember how many homes make up his $13 million+ real estate portfolio? As we all know, only Democrats are elitist:

He could bathe in rivers of Evian on a platform composed of platinum and rhino bones, and it wouldn’t particularly matter because he likes to look gruff and he’s white and he wants to cut taxes. The fact that he’s entirely removed from virtually all knowledge of his housing situation in the midst of a nationwide housing crisis, however, isn’t room for any concern of elitism because [noun] [verb] [POW].

And right on cue...

"This is a guy who lived in one house for five and a half years -- in prison," spokesman Brian Rogers told the Washington Post.

That was Team Maverick's response to the Obama campaign's newest ad, which came out, like, minutes after this story broke.

For some reason, Democrats think this could provide an opening to hit McCain on:

McCain has opposed increases to the minimum wage, he opposes universal healthcare, and he blamed the housing crisis on homeowners. At the same time, McCain thinks the economy is strong, that Bush has been a good steward of the economy, and what the nation really needs is more tax cuts for millionaires…It's not about wealth and elitism; it's about being out of touch.

Because not knowing how many million dollar homes you own shows you're a true Man of the People.

Wealthy, out of touch people.

]]> http://rnnblogs.com/index.php/a?p=1230&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments