tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142484922024-03-13T23:49:21.811-04:00In PerspectivePerspective, thoughts, and musings. A new, fresh look at all different issues and topics. A global view of world politics; a current and historical look at social theory. Intelligent conversation is welcome.clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.comBlogger727125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-31460677106420004072013-03-19T12:35:00.006-04:002013-03-19T12:35:48.418-04:00New blog!<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's been a while, but I have a new blog. <a href="http://cameronafzal.wordpress.com/">Check out the new In Perspective at cameronafzal.wordpress.com</a>! This site will be focused less on current events and more on philosophy and creative writing — I'll be posting book and movie reviews, links to interesting articles, full-length essays, excerpts from my upcoming novel, travel stories, and more. </span></h2>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-39194109427432704932010-01-09T17:00:00.002-05:002010-01-11T22:57:40.209-05:00My top 50 albums of the 2000sBest albums of the decade (limit one per unique artist within top 20)...<br /><br />It was a tough call; I'll probably change my mind tomorrow.<br /><br />Top 50:<br />! the national - boxer<br />! radiohead - kid a<br />! the strokes - is this it<br />! the xx - xx<br />! the knife - silent shout<br />! arcade fire - funeral<br />! animal collective - sung tongs<br />! andrew bird - the mysterious production of eggs<br />! mos def - black on both sides<br />! elliott smith - new moon<br />! explosions in the sky - the earth is not a cold dead place<br />! grizzly bear - yellow house<br />! portishead - third<br />! tv on the radio - return to cookie mountain<br />! broken social scene - broken social scene<br />! deerhunter - cryptograms<br />! caribou - andorra<br />! four tet - rounds<br />! lcd soundsystem - sound of silver<br />! beirut - gulag orkestar<br /><br />madvillain - madvillainy<br />andrew bird's bowl of fire - the swimming hour<br />the dodos - visiter<br />modest mouse - the moon and antarctica<br />the mountain goats - tallahassee<br />M.I.A. - kala<br />bon iver - for emma, forever ago<br />jay-z - the black album<br />sufjan stevens - illinoise<br />elliott smith - figure 8<br />wilco - yankee hotel foxtrot<br />dan deacon - bromst<br />beck - sea change <br />no age - nouns<br />panda bear - person pitch<br />the roots - game theory<br />grouper - dragging a dead deer up a hill<br />of montreal - hissing fauna, are you the destroyer<br />yeasayer - all hour cymbals<br />broken social scene - you forgot it in people<br />radiohead - in rainbows<br />animal collective - MPP / Fall Be Kind EP<br />the strokes - room on fire<br />sigur ros - takk<br />okkervil river - down the river of golden dreams<br />the national - alligator<br />cat power - you are free<br />bjork - vespertine<br />gang gang dance - st. dympna<br />skream - skream!<br />burial - untrue<br /><br />! = top 20<br /><br />See also <a href="http://stereogum.com/gummys/2009/best-album-of-the-decade.html">Stereogum's list</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-85336085239916061332010-01-08T20:48:00.003-05:002010-01-10T19:12:46.945-05:00Best albums of 2009Top 20:<br />the xx - xx (saw live)<br />animal collective - mpp + fall be kind ep<br />dirty projectors - bitte orca<br />atlas sound - logos<br />yeah yeah yeahs - it's blitz<br />circulatory system - signal morning<br />dan deacon - bromst (saw in concert)<br />grizzly bear - veckatimest (saw last summer)<br />dark was the night (compilation)<br />high places - high places<br />mos def - the ecstatic<br />mf doom as doom - born like this<br />neon indian - psychic chasms<br />fever ray - fever ray<br />wavves - wavves<br />st vincent - actor<br />handsome furs - face control<br />bat for lashes - two suns<br />the antlers - hospice<br />sun O))) - monoliths & dimensions<br /><br />Notable releases:<br />andrew bird - noble beast / useless creatures<br />sparklehorse and danger mouse - dark night of the soul (collab)<br />yacht - see mystery lights<br />nomo - invisible cities (saw live)<br />matt & kim - grand<br />miike snow - miike snow<br />wild beasts - two dancers<br />big pink - brief history of love<br />bonnie 'prince' billy<br />real estate - real estate<br />jj - jj2<br />generationals - con law<br />the pains of being pure at heart - [self-titled] (saw last summer)<br /><br />Let-downs: wilco - wilco (the album), the dodos - time to die<br /><br />I liked <a href="http://www.tinymixtapes.com/2009-Favorite-50-Albums-of-2009-10">Tiny Mix Tapes' list</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-40815457733642758642009-07-29T19:16:00.003-04:002009-07-29T19:21:36.788-04:00Roadblocks to national healthSo America can afford to approve many billions of unnecessary spending and discretionary military excess, but when it comes to <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jlMpJGn28kqCcgU-aGcYE_ZHW-ywD99OD6UG0">providing health care reform</a> — namely for those who lack it — the Senate (i.e. millionaire's club) remains a roadblock? <br /><br />$1 trillion over 10 years, merely a fraction of yearly GDP, will be spent and will save the nation as a whole money on health-care, and hopefully drive down the power insurance companies have in the current system. The key, however, is providing available, affordable health coverage for all. I don't understand how something as essential and urgent as health-care reform can be treated by much of Congress like it's just another box to tick — and they can't even seem to accomplish that! And how do Republican excuses of the need for "conservative" spending stand up in the face of a multi-trillion-dollar, needless war abroad?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-53531549459673989532009-06-20T15:30:00.002-04:002009-06-20T15:45:40.519-04:00The Golden State's empty purseMan am I glad I'm not in charge of dealing with California's current budget deficit. The state's roughly $24 billion in the hole. I tinkered around with the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-statebudget-fl,0,95571.htmlstory">LA Times' budget</a> balancing tool, and while I was able to slash the deficit to a mere fraction of the original, that involved throwing in some tax increases (high income, oil, alcohol, tobacco). <br /><br />I hope the politicians don't dig a deeper economic hole for themselves by cutting funding for education, a proposal other lawmakers have made. At a time in American history when the country is loosing it's advantage in the collective mind-power category, it's hard to think of something stupider than cutting aid for students, school funding, etc. In addition, since the national economy is shifting from mixed-services and manufacturing based more towards a services economy — thus relying on an educated workforce — I'd be appalled, though not altogether surprised, by a lawmaker who favored demolishing public education instead of taxing the wealthy a bit more, or cutting down on senseless bureaucratic spending. <br /><br />Well the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE55E7AB20090615">June 15 deadline</a> has already passed, California has a wonderful social model in some respects — decent government funding for education, medical and welfare, medical marijuana (I wonder why taxing cannabis hasn't come up as a budget-saving option...). It'd be a shame to see the all state's governmental services collapse. Republicans, including the state's body-builder governor, equate raising any taxes with shaking hands with the devil; and yet no truly viable alternative has been proposed. <br /><br />This is all-the-more interesting when you consider that if California were an interdependent country, it would be the sixth largest global economy, which makes the prospect of economic failure and the collapse of the state-wide welfare system have even wider <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1904936,00.html?imw=Y">national implications</a>. Well, the folks in Sacramento have until July 1 to settle all this...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-26317670744690018362009-03-29T16:16:00.004-04:002009-03-29T16:32:36.768-04:00Recession's over!Hah, you wish. That mutual fund tanks more and more every month, doesn't it. At any rate, I'm back!<br /><br />Oh the economy...<br />I wish Paul Krugman would've taken Larry Summers' job. Obama really screwed us over with his stupid Clintonian economic team, with still plenty of bush hold-outs. Oh I'm far from being an expert on these matters, but I do know that feeding the rich, greedy fatcats who got us into this mess — think sub-prime loans, short-selling stocks to undercut active companies, etc. — more money sure as hell isn't gonna solve this. Obama also isn't realizing that it's a systematic problem — time for a re-haul... you know, that CHANGE he had promised a few months ago. <br /><br />Ben Bernanke has to be sacked; I know neither an intelligent conservative or liberal who is happy with his performance leading up to and now into this recession. We must not be afraid to shake things up a bit, especially since we're already so far downhill — and this may only be the start of our descent. Joseph Stiglitz really needs to be brought in to do some damage control. <a href="http://www.harpers.org/archive/2009/01/0082337">This is a must-read</a> from Harper's I've been meaning to post for a while now. Quite important to see how much the Bush administration directly fucked up this country (except for the rich) during their eight years, and how we cannot just shove the knowledge of such greed and mismanagement under the rug. It's time to face our demons.<br /><br />There's also a <a href="http://crisisofcredit.com/">very good video</a> to understand this whole financial mess (and it's easy to connect the dots from where the video leaves off, i.e. international downturn caused my America's own woes). Oh and to top all this off, Europe's making a fool of itself by not doing what it does best: public sector spending! C'mon, learn some lessons from previous recessions!<br /><br />And is anyone else annoyed at how much attention the rich are getting in the media? You'd think the people who will easily weather the storm when many are losing their livelihoods. Oh, one more thing though, <b>where's the bailout money going?</b> I hope to see more stimulus bills though for job creation, education, infrastructure, etc. It worries me how amazingly shortsighted politicians are about cutting spending in such vital areas with long-term effects.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-68324462522611099552009-02-16T15:41:00.003-05:002009-02-16T15:47:17.484-05:00The war on international law<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7892387.stm">BBC News</a>:<br /><blockquote>Anti-terror measures worldwide have seriously undermined international human rights law, a report by legal experts says.<br /><br />After a three-year global study, the International Commission of Jurists said many states used the public's fear of terrorism to introduce measures.<br /><br />These included detention without trial, illegal disappearance and torture.<br /><br />It also said that the UK and the US have "actively undermined" international law by their actions.<br /><br />It concluded that many measures introduced to fight terrorism were illegal and counter-productive. <br />...<br />The panel of eminent lawyers and judges concluded that the framework of international law that existed before the 9/11 attacks on the US was robust and effective. </blockquote><br /><br />It's dangerous for countries to put reactionary anti-terror measures in place without considering their legal and ethical implications; the belief that their national security measures are outside the realm of international law is ignorant. The America's rash actions on this front in the past seven or so years have finally come to a close thanks to the arrival of the Obama administration, leaving us all to breathe a collective sigh of relief. However damage has been done and the United States and the countries that cooperated with such programs as 'extraordinary rendition' must do their best to reverse their actions. Sadly, however, justice will almost certainly evade the victims of the illegal post-9/11 anti-terror programs.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-77811658175288269552009-01-20T17:33:00.003-05:002009-01-20T17:42:12.660-05:00Welcome President ObamaPresident Obama. Gonna have to get used to writing that.<br /><br />A bitter farewell to one of the most destructive presidents in American history, and a warm hello to the new commander-in-chief, Barack Obama. I watched much of the inauguration today; Obama's inaugural address (<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Inauguration/story?id=6689022&page=1">transcript here</a>) was the first presidental speech I have ever witnessed that did not leave me feeling like my president was not only competent, but surrounded by radical ideologues. (Keep in mind I wasn't old enough to analyze Clinton's speeches during his time in office.) <br /><br />That being said, it was a very fine speech, covering everything from climate change issues to the flawed economic system to keeping the nation safe to helping those in need abroad. For once in my politically-active life I feel confident in the executive office, and this brings me a feeling of great satisfaction. At last, a man who works for the people instead of representing the interests of those on top. After eight long years, at last a president who can do some good for this fine country. <br /><br />When the clock struck 12 today, my heart leapt with excitement. Let us see if President Obama can or will bring us the new era he's promised. Even if things fall though, it would be very difficult for Obama to perform worse than his predecessor. I wish the new 'leader of the free world' good luck.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-21117738504101305162009-01-19T14:21:00.001-05:002009-01-19T14:21:11.985-05:00Ready for a new president?Tomorrow Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. CBS News' political blog has all <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/19/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4734588.shtml">the day-before details</a>...<br /><br />Obama has been pushing for the release of the second half of the $700bn bailout, and this time he promises oversight — a new concept, it seems, for today's federal bureaucracy. Not even the feds <a href="http://cafzal.blogspot.com/2009/01/nearly-trillion-dollars-and-where-is-it.html">know where</a> the first (roughly) $350bn truly went. Another reassuring Obama move is the promise to close Guantanamo Bay as soon as possible. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Bush is expected to pardon Republican cronies, corrupt businessmen, etc. (the usual Bush supporters) at the last minute. Politico lists <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17595.html">10 potential pardons here</a>. Political pardons like these are yet another reason the American justice system lacks fairness, especially if a super-corrupt felon like <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/18/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4733722.shtml">Ted Stevens</a> gets off... (Remember what happened with <a href="http://cafzal.blogspot.com/2007/07/pardon-me-mr-president.html">Scooter Libby</a>?)<br /><br />I'm looking very much forward to a new political era, though certainly not one without challenges like the current economic downturn and the state of the environment.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-23553803432807057622009-01-08T22:20:00.002-05:002009-01-08T23:36:30.292-05:00Israel attacks Gaza, hundreds parish, with no end in sight...I have been greatly disturbed by Israel's attacks on Gaza these past couple of weeks. (As always, Hamas' and other terrorist organizations' rocket-fire on Israel is also greatly troubling, though the destruction from those attacks are minuscule compared to the havoc Israel has managed to wreak even in a day.) Elections are coming up in Israel, and many analysts are saying there are political motives behind Israel's offensive streak.<br /><br />This has to stop. Israel has no right to punish all of Gaza for the crimes of a few. In fact by attacking innocent civilians it just provides Hamas and other extremist organizations with a populist rallying cry against Israel. The air raids lead to indiscriminant killing; the ground offensive has only escalated the bloodshed.<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7819188.stm">BBC News</a>:<br /><blockquote>Thirteen days of fighting between Israel and Hamas have left an estimated 765 Palestinians and 14 Israelis dead.<br /><br />Israeli warplanes appeared to be making new air strikes on Gaza after dark.<br /><br />The sound of circling planes and car horns hung in the air over Gaza City and several explosions from apparent airstrikes lit up the night-time sky, an Associated Press reporter says.<br /><br />A UN agency has halted aid operations in Gaza citing danger to its workers.<br /><br />The suspension would continue "until the Israeli authorities can guarantee our safety and security", the UN's relief agency Unrwa said. </blockquote><br /><br />Among the dead are tens of children. Gaza's infrastructure <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/85a73644-ddaf-11dd-87dc-000077b07658.html">has been all but wiped out</a>, meaning its economy will continue to hurt even after the attacks cease (Israel cutting off supplies, etc. even when it's not attacking certainly doesn't help either).<br /><br />On an <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hS2hjMRCCD2EQ3woGfzx2LJCe2MQ">international level</a>, the United States has proven to be an obstacle a UN Security Council call for an immediate ceasefire, and Egypt — cooperating with Israel — refuses to open up the Rafah border in the south of Gaza. <br /><br />Israel has behaved inhumanely these past couple weeks (no departure from its usual policy regarding the Palestinian territories, of course). It has prevented media from reporting the happenings in Gaza despite an Israeli supreme court order ruling such actions are not allowed. Furthermore, the prevention of the UN from sending aid into Gaza just means more suffering for the people of Gaza, most of whom pose no security threat to Israel. Meanwhile the International Red Cross <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090108/ap_on_re_mi_ea/eu_red_cross_gaza">has also been prevented</a> from reaching civilian victims of Israel's air offensive: <blockquote>The international Red Cross accused Israel on Thursday of "unacceptable" delays in letting rescue workers reach three Gaza City homes hit by shelling where they eventually found 15 dead and 18 wounded, including young children too weak to stand.<br /><br />The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross, or ICRC, said the Israeli army refused rescuers permission to reach the site in the Zeitoun neighborhood for four days. Ambulances could not get to the neighborhood because the Israeli army had erected large earthen barriers that blocked access.<br />...<br />The ICRC normally conducts confidential negotiations with warring parties, and its accusation against Israel was a rare public criticism of one party in a conflict over a specific incident.</blockquote> <br /><br />Of course Israel has a right to defend itself, but this is a horrible and impractical way to go about doing so. Hamas is to blame at the core of this, but Israel's response to the terrorist group's rocket attacks is wholly disproportionate. Hamas <i>must</i>, for the sake of the people of the Gaza strip, budge on its stubborn, extremist positions; and Israel must stop going about defending itself the wrong way. Send in special ops to try to raid strategic Hamas strongholds; don't risk bombing schools full of children, children who will remember seeing the dismembered remains of their peers and vow revenge on the perpetrators of the attack, dragging out this conflict for generations (as if it hasn't been going on long enough). We must learn from the past.<br /><br /><b>Update</b>: The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution calling for a ceasefire.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-80340485629730537532009-01-05T21:54:00.003-05:002009-01-05T21:58:47.084-05:00Nearly a trillion dollars, and where is it going?<span style="font-style:italic;">First of all, a happy new year to all my readers. This is <b>In Perspective</b>'s first post of 2009; too bad we aren't starting the year on a better note.</span><br /><br />The $700bn bailout is just one big mess, benefiting the institutions that brought the financial system into this crisis mode in the first place. We need government spending to stimulate the faltering economy, but this is the wrong way to go about it. There is little to no oversight where billions of taxpayer dollars are going. This is a disgrace, plain and simple. Worse yet, while there were articles about the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/12/02/ST2008120202264.html">initial GAO report</a> (albeit pushed to the back of the news section, incredibly enough), the media has once against failed to challenge the Bush administration to make sure these flaws in the bailout are fixed in time; the White House has dodged the spotlight, and thus the pressure. Congress also deserves its great share of blame, handing out the money without figuring out an endgame first. The financial institutions who received this generous (worth somewhere in between the nominal GDPs of Turkey and the Netherlands), practically no-strings-attached handout <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/22/business/main4682540.shtml">remain silent</a> on where the money's even going.<br /><br />I'm legitimately angry because it's my generation that will be paying for the effects of all this insane government spending. The interest on the trillions of dollars of loans taken out from Japan, China, Britain, and other countries adds up year by year, we dig ourselves deeper and deeper into this deficit of trillions. <br /><br />I'm hoping the upcoming Obama administration will bring enhanced oversight of Wall Street and beyond — such a shadowy area of the American economy. While I think this rushed bail-out was the wrong way to go about things, government-sponsored programs helped pull America out of its last major economic funk: the Great Depression of the '30s. However, despite what one might read in the news rags these days, that was an economic crisis many times more severe than the current recession. Amidst all this financial downturn, one hopes people will learn the lesson of reaching for gold that just isn't there; perhaps our system free-wheeling free-marketism that was born in the 1980s will begin to be scaled back, but people can only learn so much...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-56152145980486466702008-12-31T16:52:00.000-05:002008-12-31T16:52:51.213-05:00Best music of 2008 (featuring top 10 albums)Oh, music. When I took a recent five-day excursion into the wilderness of the Aleghenny National Forest in Pennsylvania in late November, with only a large pack on my back filled with food and essentials, I wondered exactly what I would miss, being away from civilization for the better part of a week. Turns out the only thing I truly missed was not my cell phone, computer, Internet, newspaper, books, or anything like that, but music. This, of course, did not come as a surprise to me, but as I was reunited with my iPod for the long drive home, I found myself appreciating my music even more.<br /><br />I was fortunate enough to see three concerts in the second half of 2008: Wolf Parade performing in Pontiac, MI at the beginning of July; The Hold Steady at the same venue later in the month; and Minus the Bear in Columbus in mid-October — three great shows. Wolf Parade gave a particularly impressive performance, and Minus was just sublime, performing some tracks from their new acoustic EP as well as some old favorites.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">My Top 10 Albums of 2008</span></span><br /><br /><li><b>1</b>: TV on the Radio - <i>Dear Science</i><br />Deep, diverse, funky, elaborate, passionate and energetic yet wholly chill. Innovative beats AND lyrics (when evaluating music I put a lot of weight on lyrics). The poetry of <a href="http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858741970/">"Dancing Choose"</a> is striking (my favorite lines: "A palette blown to monochrome" and "In my mind I'm drowning butterflies"). <i>Dear Science</i> is less raw and rough as their 2006 LP Return to Cookie Mountain (also an amazing album), which is, I suppose, both good and bad. The album has found mainstream fans, being named album of the year by <i>Rolling Stone</i> and <i>Spin</i>. To me, TV on the Radio is to the '00s what Television was to the '70s. At least TVOTR is receiving the accolades they deserve, while Television really haven't been fully credited for their contribution to punk rock.<br />Favorite song: "Halfway Home"<br /><br /><li><b>2</b>: MGMT - <i>Oracular Spectacular</i><br />Fun, energetic, electro-poppy, psychedelic.<br />Favorite song: "Time to Pretend". Just so much fun. "Kids" and "Electric Feel" also very representative of MGMT's sound.<br /><br /><li><b>3</b>: Deerhunter - <span style="font-style:italic;">Microcastle</span><br />Read a good article about this album, including an interview with man-behind-the-magic Cox, <a href="http://fishpork.com/2008/11/18/deerhunters-magnum-opus-in-a-weird-era/">here</a>. Anyone who enjoys <i>Microcastle</i> should check out other Deerhunter albums, especially my personal favorite, <i>Cryptograms</i>.<br /><br /><li><b>4</b>: Portishead - <span style="font-style:italic;">Third</span><br />Excellent electronic/trip-hop. Sucks you into the music, where you go from there is up to you...<br /><br /><li><b>5</b>: Fleet Foxes - <i>Fleet Foxes</i><br />Sweeping, earthly "indie" folk.<br />Favorite song: "Your Protector". One of the best songs of the year.<br /><br /><li><b>6</b>: Of Montreal - <i>Skeletal Lamping</i><br />Kevin Barnes' follow-up to <i>Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?</i> may not live up to the 2007 album's glory, but it is an interesting, sometimes abstract work of psychedelic pop. Barnes and the gang often include several short compositions in every one of the album's 15 eclectic songs; each song jumps about. A sexual, playful, personal album (e.g. the chorus "When we get together/It's always hot magic" from "Wicked Wisdom"; "We can do it softcore if you want/But you should know I take it both ways" in "For Our Elegant Caste"; and plenty of others), <i>Skeletal Lamping</i> has its intelligent moments too ("Technology makes such an ugly mother" in "Mingusings"), though it is in no way as clever as <i>Hissing Fauna</i>. Of Montreal is known for churning out quirky neo-psychedelia and while <i>Skeletal Lamping</i> <i>is</i> a fine piece of work, I hope to see another album on par with <i>Hissing Fauna</i> within the next few years.<br />Favorite song: "Women's Studies Victims".<br /><br /><li><b>7</b>: No Age - <span style="font-style:italic;">Nouns</span><br />An intense, experimental-ish rock album.<br /><br /><li><b>8</b>: Wolf Parade - <i>At Mount Zoomer</i><br /><br /><li><b>9</b>: Sigur Rós - <span style="font-style:italic;">Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust</span><br />Beautiful music; I can't think of anything more perfect to listen to as I fall into a dreamy, peaceful state. <br /><br /><li><b>10 (tied)</b>: Beck - <span style="font-style:italic;">Modern Guilt</span><br />Some people weren't pleased with Beck about this album, I, however, view it as a solid entry out of this year's top albums.<br /><br /><li><b>10 (tied)</b>: Girl Talk - <i>Feed the Animals</i><br />High-speed pop. I have to be in the right mood to listen to Girl Talk, the stage name of Gregg Gillis. But when I am in an upbeat mood, ready to be bombarded with little snippets of pop, hip-hop, and whatever else Gillis decides to mix into his mashups, Girl Talk is a thrill to listen to. The music is not serious; its just a blend of some of the more popular beats ridin' the airwaves, except Gillis is able to make them sound good. If the average poppy pop song has 20 seconds of catchy beats, Gillis fishes those 20 seconds out and mixes it with complementary beats. Listen and you'll understand. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Honorable mentions</span>: the albums that just barely made the top 10</span><br /><li>The Dodos - <span style="font-style:italic;">Visiter</span><br />Quirky.<br /><br /><li>Death Cab for Cutie - <span style="font-style:italic;">Narrow Stairs</span><br /><br /><li>Beach House - <span style="font-style:italic;">Devotion</span><br />Dream pop for those quiet afternoons.<br /><br /><li>The Hold Steady - <span style="font-style:italic;">Stay Positive</span><br />Darn good rock & roll. Saw these guys in concert over the summer.<br /><br /><li>Cold War Kids - <span style="font-style:italic;">Loyalty to Loyalty</span><br />I personally don't enjoy this album as much as 2006's Robbers & Cowards, but Loyalty to Loyalty is a decent album. Cold War Kids' sophomore work is an evolution of the band's soulful tunes, but I do have greater expectations for them in the future.<br /><br /><b>To see all major music magazines' top album lists, see the Metacritic <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/2008.shtml">best of 2008</a> page.</b><br /><br />Currently, my two favorite musical artists are Elliott Smith and The National, followed by TV on the Radio (a more recent love) and Radiohead (a long-time favorite). <br />If you're interested in what I've been listening to lately, feel free to check out <a href="http://www.last.fm/user/clearthought">my Last.fm profile</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-27151573151919449542008-12-29T21:41:00.004-05:002008-12-31T17:28:40.024-05:00Best movies of 2008The two best movies I've seen in theaters this year are <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Milk</span></span>, Gus Van Sant's incredible movie covering the life of America's first openly gay major politician, San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk, and <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">In Bruges</span></span>, an under-appreciated dark comedy (just the way I like 'em). If you don't feel something, I mean really <i>feel</i> something after seeing <i>Milk</i>, there must be something wrong with you.<br /><br />Three other movies out or soon-to-be-out in theaters I really want to see are <i>Revolutionary Road</i>, <i>Doubt</i>, and <i>Slumdog Millionaire</i>; and I'll have to rent <i>Man on Wire</i>, among others, on DVD. <br /><br />Within the comfort of my own home I was also treated to some fine cinema. The epic <i>Godfather</i>, <i>The Departed</i>, the deeply disturbing but funny <i>Dr. Strangelove</i> (if you haven't seen it, see it), the haunting Vietnam war tale (based on Joseph Conrad's <i>Heart of Darkness</i>) <i>Apocalypse Now</i>, P.T. Anderson's <span style="font-style:italic;">Magnolia</span>, and Fellini's <i>8 1/2</i> have all made it onto my list of all-time best movies, along with the two mentioned at the beginning of the post.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-43961562951491682852008-12-29T21:40:00.000-05:002008-12-29T21:41:04.737-05:00Best of '082008 has been a momentous year for me personally. I have matured a good amount, learned many new things, cemented new friendships, and discovered a great amount of music. Over the next few days, dear readers, I will be posting my own end-of-the-year lists: The best I have read, watched, listened to, and found this year...<br /><br />Also see the New Yorker's <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/tny/2008-the-year-in-review/">Year in Review</a> and The New York Times' <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/12/14/magazine/2008_IDEAS.html">Year in Ideas</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-17478457725497526942008-12-11T22:50:00.001-05:002008-12-11T23:10:38.736-05:00Bush reverses 35 years of endangered species protection......in order to help his bigwig pals — concerned only with their money — who have gained from the past eight years of environmental injustice. Pulling America backwards, thanks George W!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hXBV9U9SBb_hysHw0UpNdHvcmx4gD950QPHO0">AP</a>:<br /><blockquote>Just six weeks before President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the Bush administration issued revised endangered species regulations Thursday to reduce the input of federal scientists and to block the law from being used to fight global warming.<br /><br />The changes, which will go into effect in about 30 days, were completed in just four months. But they could take Obama much longer to reverse.<br /><br />They will eliminate some of the mandatory, independent reviews that government scientists have performed for 35 years on dams, power plants, timber sales and other projects, a step that developers and other federal agencies have blamed for delays and cost increases.<br /><br />The rules also prohibit federal agencies from evaluating the effect on endangered species and the places they live from a project's contribution to increased global warming.</blockquote><br />Bush is trying to maximize the damage he does to America during his last days in office (mostly to the environment, but also <a href="http://cafzal.blogspot.com/2008/12/bushs-pushes-through-last-minute-anti.html">abortion/employment rights</a>). <br /><br />From <i><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/24991066/bushs_final_fu">a must read</a></i> Rolling Stone article:<br /><blockquote>"It's what we've seen for Bush's whole tenure, only accelerated," says Gary Bass, executive director of the nonpartisan group OMB Watch. "They're using regulation to cement their deregulatory mind-set, which puts corporate interests above public interests."<br /><br />While every modern president has implemented last-minute regulations, Bush is rolling them out at a record pace — nearly twice as many as Clinton, and five times more than Reagan. "The administration is handing out final favors to its friends," says Véronique de Rugy, a scholar at George Mason University who has tracked six decades of midnight regulations. "They couldn't do it earlier — there would have been too many political repercussions. But with the Republicans having lost seats in Congress and the presidency changing parties, Bush has nothing left to lose."</blockquote><br /><br />Easily the worst president in the past 100 years — yes, it's my personal opinion that Bush has had a more destructive reign than recent blunders like Reagan and Nixon. One hopes there will be no worse leaders in <i>this</i> century. <br /><br />Just imagine folks — in less than a month and a half we'll have a new president with a reasonably level head! It's going to feel good. <br /><br />I expect President-elect Obama not only to reverse these horrendous last-minute executive actions by Bush, but also to move America forward in terms of environmental regulation. Hopefully the government will begin to protect what needs protecting (the poor, the environment) instead of powerful business interests who already hold far too much sway. Hopefully the value of what can not be replaced (including human lives) will overtake the value of a dollar. One can only <b>hope</b>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-45706142455529895742008-12-03T22:38:00.002-05:002008-12-03T22:42:20.275-05:00Bush's pushes through last-minute anti-abortion planA friend pointed <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/washington/18abort.html?_r=3&ref=us">this</a> out to me today:<br /><blockquote>A last-minute Bush administration plan to grant sweeping new protections to health care providers who oppose abortion and other procedures on religious or moral grounds has provoked a torrent of objections, including a strenuous protest from the government agency that enforces job discrimination laws.<br /><br />The proposed rule would prohibit recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or to assist in the performance of abortions or sterilization procedures because of their “religious beliefs or moral convictions.”<br /><br />It would also prevent hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices and drugstores from requiring employees with religious or moral objections to “assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity” financed by the Department of Health and Human Services.<br /><br />But three officials from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, including its legal counsel, whom President Bush appointed, said the proposal would overturn 40 years of civil rights law prohibiting job discrimination based on religion.</blockquote><br /><br />There are so many things wrong with this, as is common with orders coming out of the Oval Office in these Bush years. Often things like this go unnoticed; there really isn't much in the media on this abortion ruling. <br /><br />Religion should not get in the way of healthcare, and of the patient's personal choice. In addition, last time I checked the government's role didn't include endorsing job discrimination. In effect the administration is trying to withhold funds from health institutions who don't let their employees' views on abortion get in the way of them doing their jobs. Another step backwards for a woman's right over her body fueled by the Catholic church and an ultra-conservative executive.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-11335237445964969882008-12-01T20:28:00.000-05:002008-12-01T20:28:27.595-05:00The dreaded recession, one year onAt last, the recession is made 'official'; officially the US economy has been in recession for a whole year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/business/2008/12/01/economy-recession-nber-biz-beltway-cx_jz_1201recession.html">Forbes</a> reports:<br /><br /><blockquote>The keeper of the business cycle books, the National Bureau of Economic Research, announced Monday what economists have been saying for a long time--this is a recession. And, NBER says, it's been a recession since December of 2007.</blockquote><br /><br />The economic crisis is putting a stranglehold on the global economy in general and the American economy specifically, but I may just have to verbally assault the next person who compares it to the Great Depression. What we're looking at is NOT the Great Depression, but at the same time it's no temporary (i.e. a few months) downturn either.<br /><br />And while we're all looking after our money and jobs, let's also keep the environment in mind. It's priceless. Even if you're constrained to thinking in terms of money, imagine the long-term economic devastation from lost of usable soil, pollution, lost of forestry, etc. not to mention global warming.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-91512752942337285372008-12-01T20:13:00.002-05:002008-12-01T20:16:02.520-05:00People are stupidWell, we already knew that, but still...<br /><br /><blockquote><a href="http://omg.yahoo.com/news/britney-spears-tops-yahoo-searches/15987;_ylt=Aok8K1Z5LGZBCCoqtaEx7W2s0NUE">YAHOO TOP 10 OVERALL SEARCHES FOR 2008</a><br /><br />• 1. Britney Spears<br />• 2. WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment)<br />• 3. Barack Obama<br />• 4. Miley Cyrus<br />• 5. "RuneScape"<br />• 6. Jessica Alba<br />• 7. "Naruto"<br />• 8. Lindsay Lohan<br />• 9. Angelina Jolie<br />• 10. American Idol</blockquote><br /><br />(I imagine Google's looks about the same.)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-89195190414397623642008-11-30T13:30:00.005-05:002008-11-30T13:36:43.955-05:00A noteAbout a week ago I got back from a five-day backpacking trip in the snowy wilderness of Pennsylvania. It was my first experience being outside for an extended period of time without technology, only with the members of my group, sleeping under a plastic tarp. It was an interesting, if sometimes challenging, ordeal and it opened my eyes even more to the corruption and worthlessness of our modern society. My frustration has increased with the coming of the 'Holiday season' (one month spent focusing on one day?), a time of mass consumption and materialism.<br /><br />On a lighter note, I will be returning to 2006/07 post levels soon. I'm going through a very busy period in my life. <br /><br />Hope all my American readers had an exceptional Thanksgiving.<br /><br />~Cameron<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-74890790441164058692008-11-13T19:30:00.000-05:002008-11-13T19:41:56.436-05:00John Leonard, RIPJohn Leonard, one of my favorite book reviewers and certainly one of the best out there, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110603896.html?sub=AR">passed away Wednesday last week</a>. Although I wasn't alive to enjoy <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2204095?wpisrc=newsletter">his reign as editor</a> at the New York Review of Books, but I do read his monthly column in Harper's.<br /><br />This is a man I'll miss dearly.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-34652938700221203272008-11-13T18:57:00.003-05:002008-11-13T19:12:54.905-05:00Still-President says 'Don't fight the system!'<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7728048.stm">BBC News</a>:<br /><blockquote>US President George W Bush has admitted the financial system needs reforming, but insists the credit crunch was not a failure of the free-market system.<br /><br />Speaking in New York, Mr Bush said that while financial markets did need some new regulation and more transparency, free trade should not be restricted.<br />...<br />Yet he said state action was not a "cure-all", and what was now needed was a reform of the global economy "without trying to re-invent the system".</blockquote><br /><br />As readers know, I'm quite ambivalent about the free-market system that represents the economic status quo, most of all in countries like the US, many of my views tending to be on the negative side of things. I do think that the sham we pass off as 'free trade' between developed countries and less developed ones needs to stop. It's not fair if African nations aren't allowed to have food subsidies yet their American and European trading partners pump massive amounts of government money into local agriculture. <br /><br />As far as the system in general goes, the Reagan era of deregulation has caught up with us (as has the great shift away from train transport that also occurred under his reign).<br /><br />There'll be a meeting consisting of leaders from the major world economies this weekend in Washington, the topic of course being the current global financial instability.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-64126962039897375462008-11-04T23:11:00.001-05:002008-11-04T23:11:45.028-05:00America votes 2008: election update 6<span style="font-style:italic;">The big picture: what we have seen so far</span><br /><br /><li>The GOP has lost its reign over America's suburbs.<br /><br /><li>The youth vote had quite an effect on this election, with wide support of Obama.<br /><br /><li>Everyone seems to have forgotten about the war in Iraq. Newsflash: it's still going on.<br /><br /><li>We'll still have to wait and see about the Democratic balance in the Senate.<br /><br /><li>Not that everyone doesn't already know this, but Americans have now voted in the first non-white president. Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president on 20 January 2009.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-76818100272244646632008-11-04T23:00:00.002-05:002008-11-04T23:17:38.278-05:00OBAMA WINS!<span style="font-weight:bold;">CNN projects Barack Obama has won the 2008 presidential election.</span><br /><br />Now three words I am very proud to say: President-elect Obama. This is an America I can be proud of.<br /><br />I am perfectly ecstatic.<br /><br />Hope is alive, even in a political cynic like me.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-44117281170821981472008-11-04T21:38:00.000-05:002008-11-04T21:38:58.778-05:00America votes 2008: election update 5<li>CNN projects Ohio for Obama. Historically, there has never been a Republican voted into the Oval Office who didn't win Ohio. This is yet another nail in the McCain coffin. McCain is under-performing Bush's 2004 results in most areas around the nation.<br /><br /><li>So far, Obama has been able to deliver votes that went to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries, many of them being blue-collar (e.g. in Pennsylvania).<br /><br /><li>For a nice personal look at the man who should be the next US president, see this <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/04/AR2008110403450.html?hpid=topnews">Washington Post article</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14248492.post-38934174819470091092008-11-04T21:19:00.002-05:002008-11-04T21:21:29.623-05:00For all those poll-hunters out there...If you're looking for the most recent polls of this election, not that it matters too much when actual election results are streaming in, see <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html">RealClearPolitics</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>weblogUpdates.ping</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value>In Perspective</value>
</param>
<param>
<value>http://cafzal.blogspot.com/</value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall></div>clearthoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049857323174487435noreply@blogger.com0