Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the houseNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.The children were nestled all snug in their beds,While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.Away to the window I flew like a flash,Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snowGave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.With a little old driver, so lively and quick,I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roofThe prancing and pawing of each little hoof.As I drew in my head, and was turning around,Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.He had a broad face and a little round belly,That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.And laying his finger aside of his nose,And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

McKinney's Last Push, Or Tickle That Is

In what was likely her final legislative act in Congress, outgoing Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney announced a bill Friday to impeach President Bush. The legislation has no chance of passing and serves as a symbolic parting shot not only at Bush but also at Democratic leaders. Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has made clear that she will not entertain proposals to sanction Bush and has warned the liberal wing of her party against making political hay of impeachment. McKinney, a Democrat who drew national headlines in March when she struck a Capitol police officer, has long insisted that Bush was never legitimately elected. In introducing her legislation in the final hours of the current Congress, she said Bush had violated his oath of office to defend the Constitution and the nation's laws. McKinney has made no secret of her frustration with Democratic leaders since voters ousted her from office in the Democratic primary this summer. In a speech Monday at George Washington University, she accused party leaders of cowing to Republicans on the war in Iraq and on military mistreatment of prisoners.McKinney, who has not discussed her future plans, has increasingly embraced her image as a controversial figure. She has hosted numerous panels on Sept. 11 conspiracy theories and suggested that Bush had prior knowledge of the terrorist attacks but kept quiet about it to allow friends to profit from the aftermath. She introduced legislation to establish a permanent collection of rapper Tupac Shakur's recordings at the National Archives and calling for a federal investigation into his killing. But it was her scuffle with a Capitol police officer that drew the most attention. McKinney struck the officer when he tried to stop her from entering a congressional office building. The officer did not recognize McKinney, who was not wearing her member lapel pin. A grand jury in Washington declined to indict McKinney over the clash, but she eventually apologized before the House.

Interview With Dave Glover

Recently, I had the opportunity to briefly interview Dave Glover from "The Dave Glover Show" on 97.1 FM Talk for a project in my COM 130 class. The following quote is the portion that I used for my presentation discussing the 'pros' and 'cons' of being in the radio industry: “I can’t even begin to tell ya how much I hated working in radio at first. I mean, I used to be a lawyer out in the real world before giving radio a shot, and it really sucked when I first got started. I had no social life which stunk for a guy that always wanted to hit the bars and play in his band. I had little free time to spend with my friends and family, especially when they stuck me on a graveyard shift. Then there’s always the money, or lack of it in my case. But always remember that there are a lot of good things that can come out of getting into the business. In my case, I have a lot of creative freedoms that allow me express myself on the air. It also gives me a chance to make a difference in people’s lives. Most importantly, I have a hell of a lot of fun doing what I do.”

John Bolton Set To Resign

Unable to win Senate confirmation, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton will step down when his temporary appointment expires within weeks, the White House said Monday. Bolton's nomination has languished in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for more than a year, blocked by Democrats and several Republicans. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, a moderate Republican who lost in the midterm elections Nov. 7 that swept Democrats to power in both houses of Congress, was adamantly opposed to Bolton. Critics have questioned Bolton's brusque style and whether he could be an effective bureaucrat who could force reform at the U.N. President Bush gave Bolton the job temporarily in August 2005, while Congress was in recess. Under that process, the appointment expires when Congress formally adjourns, no later than early January. The White House resubmitted Bolton's nomination last month. But with Democrats capturing control of the next Congress, his chances of winning confirmation appeared slight. The incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, said he saw "no point in considering Mr. Bolton's nomination again."

Midwest Winter Storm

A massive winter storm dumped more than a foot of snow on some parts of the Midwest, shut down major roads in several states and left hundreds of thousands of people without power and air transport. The storm also is blamed for at least two deaths. And more nasty weather was forecasted for Friday. Very gusty winds, as well as some hail, downpours and even tornadoes may be seen along the East Coast from Raleigh, N.C., to Boston. Meanwhile, 12 to 18 inches of snow are expected in parts of Illinois and Missouri. A blizzard warning was posted in parts of Oklahoma, and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius declared a disaster emergency for 27 counties, freeing up resources to help them. A Fed Ex cargo plane arriving Friday morning at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport slipped into the mud off the only open runway, and crews were working to tow it away. There were no injuries, said Wendy Abrams, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Aviation. The first major snowstorm of the season canceled hundreds of flights and hobbled highways in the Plains and Midwest.

No White House Run For Frist

Republican Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee won't run for president in 2008, FOX News confirmed Wednesday. Frist, the outgoing Senate majority leader, leaves a long list of potential contenders considering a campaign for the White House. A formal announcement is expected later on Wednesday. Frist will end a 12-year run in electoral politics where he rose in the Republican ranks to the position of majority leader. Other potential Republican contenders include Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Charles Hagel of Nebraska, Gov. George Pataki of New York and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California.

Iran Writes Letter To US

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written a letter to the American people, which will be released in New York on Wednesday, a state newspaper reported. The newspaper gave no details of the letter, but it would appear to be an attempt by the firebrand president to reach out to Americans over the head of their government. The state-run newspaper Iran reported the letter in bold type on its front page, saying "the five-page letter to the American people will be released by Iran's representative at the United Nations today."Ahmadinejad wrote a rambling, 18-page letter to U.S. President George W. Bush in May, which Washington criticized for not addressing Iran's nuclear program -- where the U.S. is leading the drive to impose U.N. sanctions on Tehran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium.Iranians in the street were disappointed by the cold response to the May letter because, while it did not make clear proposals, it was the first official communication between the two countries' presidents since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Earlier this month, Ahmadinejad said he was planning to write a letter to Americans. "Many American people asked me to talk to them in order to explain the views of the Iranian people," Ahmadinejad told reporters, referring to his visit to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly session in September. Ahmadinejad has alienated many Americans by calling for Israel's destruction and repeatedly dismissing the Nazi Holocaust as a myth. He also strongly supports the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Lebanese faction Hezbollah, which the U.S. State Department lists as terrorist organizations. Twice this year, Iran has proposed talks with the United States over Iraq, but Ahmadinejad has said that for such negotiations to take place, Washington must change its behavior. On Sunday, he said Iran was ready to help the United States get out of the "Iraqi quagmire if the U.S. changes its bullying policy toward Iran."
Iran and the United States have had no diplomatic relations since 1979 when, after the revolution, militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and kept 52 people hostage for 444 days.

So...Who Are You Again???

The Democratic strategy of casting the election as a referendum on Republican conduct and policy has given Democrats majority control of Congress. But many voters have little impression of key leaders expected to now run the show (see survey details and crosstabs). Congressman Steny Hoyer is currently the Minority Whip. Though incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed John Murtha as the next House Majority Leader, many colleagues consider Hoyer the frontrunner. Still, despite his clout on Capitol Hill, 65% of voters don’t know enough to have an opinion of him (15% hold a favorable view, 20% unfavorable). Congressman John D. Dingell, a member of the House since 1955, will likely again chair the Energy and Commerce Commission. He's only slightly better known than Hoyer—39% have an opinion while 60% do not (14% see him favorably, 25% unfavorably). Congressman Henry Waxman, slated to chair the Government Reform Committee, is expected to spearhead Administration-vexing investigations that Democrats have been stopped from pursuing under GOP leadership. He's viewed favorably by 19%, unfavorably by 26%, with 56% "not sure." Gravel-voiced Congressman Charles Rangel, to head the tax-bill-hatching Ways and Means Committee, is known to 50% of respondents. He is viewed favorably by 20% and unfavorably by 31%. An earlier survey found that 24% of Americans have a favorable opinion of incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Howard Dean, the former governor and presidential candidate who currently heads up the Democratic National Committee is much better known than Congressional leaders. He is viewed favorably by 39% and unfavorably by 39%, with more voters seeing him "very favorably" (14%) than "very unfavorably" (12%). Dean's "fifty-state strategy" is credited with helping Democrats win seats in districts not originally regarded as battlegrounds.