Feathery Neighbors Pt. 2

Pale Male and Lola will be allowed to restore their nest on Fifth Avenue! Read the AP story here. The question now is whether or not the hawks will choose to rebuild at the same site.

Recount in Ohio

A recount is taking place in Ohio. Apparently the ACLU also challenged the punch-card voting system, but a federal judge in Ohio ruled today that “voting rights are not denied to those who use punch-card ballots,” according to the AP. Read the full AP report here.

The Daily Kos looks in-depth into the brouhaha in Ohio.

A Year Later Cont.

On a related note, John McCain expressed yesterday his lack of confidence in Donald Rumsfeld. The AP report on it can be seen here.

A Year Later

A year ago Saddam Hussein was captured. It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by since then. I still remember waking up to the news on the radio, it was either a Saturday or Sunday. When I heard Saddam had been captured, I got out of bed and turned on the TV to CNN. They were showing footage of him with his mouth open, being examined by a doctor. It seemed significant then, and I still think his capture was important. I don’t have a journal entry from that day, but I wish I knew whether or not I thought the war would end soon after.

In other news, an NPR reporter interviewed a soldier who had been court-martialed and then dishonorably discharged for “using abandoned vehicles to accomplish a support mission in Kuwait in 2003.” It’s worth a listen, especially if you heard about Rumsfeld being questioned by a soldier about a lack of proper equipment.

I know those of us who work have probably experienced what it’s like to not get support from a supervisor while trying to do our jobs. It angers me that soldiers are risking their lives in Iraq, and the government cannot even provide them with the tools to lower somewhat the risks they have to take. Let’s not pretend that their lives are completely disposable.

Celebrating Hanukkah on the Road

In the past, I’d seen at least two cars with large menorahs on the roofs. Both times I thought, OK, those people have just bought a large menorah, which won’t fit in their car, so they have it strapped to their roof. Or as one columnist wrote: “Once again, it’s that most wonderful time of the year. Jews all around the world go to their local Menorah groves, pick their favorite fresh menorah, tie it to the roof of the car, and bring it home to decorate for the holidays.”

While waiting for the bus today, I saw a car drive by with a menorah on its roof, and the menorah was lit (though not with real candles, which would have made quite a sight). So I guess this is a trend of some kind.