Don't Stop Me Now

Pennsylvania primary... holy shit. What the hell happened? I'm not totally surprised that Hillary Clinton won with 55% to Obama's 45%. However, I am disappointed that she did [why?]. It means, that she will continue her campaign even though the numbers [don't lie] are against her. Her chances of winning are very slim. The Democratic party may be going to a national convention, which many [a lot] of people including the leadership of the Democratic party [Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi] do not want. Rather, they want Obama to become the official nominee and use the time left before the general election to heal [unite the party against the Republicans] otherwise, the terrorists win [satire].

Here is a New York Times article about the effects of the primary results.

Later,
- Anh

Misspoken

I think that the statements about small towns in the United States by Barack Obama have been farther than they needed. There is both truth and falseness to the remarks. Citizens are bitter that their jobs are outsourced, their health insurances are gone, their gas prices are skyrocketing, and their homes are in a mortage crisis. I would definitely be bitter towards the government and the people in charge for something like that. Hell, I am bitter [and my vote will prove it]. I want health insurance [universal], I want low gas prices [under $3.00], I want job security [not working full-time yet but I still want it], I want to be able to afford a home [don't wanna live with my parents forever], and I want the United States to pull out of Iraq [phased withdrawal].

These are the issues [btw], not flag-wearing patriotism, not spiritual leaders who speak their mind, and definitely not talk about elitism coming from people who make over 10 million a year [I would love to make over 10 mil a year, they make it seem so easy... but I fundamentally can't, I'm not a WASP]. Here is a comic about Obama and the media's reaction with President Bush in the background [who definitely misspoke a lot].

(click here to view)

Adam Zyglis The Buffalo News Apr 19, 2008 EditorialCartoonists.com

Horrible

The election debates this year and last year seem to be numerous and uneventful. The questions seem to be about scandals and sound bites rather than what the debates are really meant for: a forum for the candidates to make clear their platforms on important issues and discussions of questions voters would like answered. The latest debate in Philadelphia on ABC was horrible, with the first 45 minutes covering non-issues that have been getting media coverage such as Obama's pastor, Hillary's snipers, and lapel pins.

Debates should be about the issues, not whatever is getting time in the news. The audience was frustrated about the commercial breaks and the senseless line of questions from George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson, the ABC debate moderators.

Here is a link to the The Daily Show's Jon Stewart's piece about the debate. The debate itself can be found on youtube.com or ABC.com.

Later,
- Anh

Quick Fixes

Sometimes I wished life was a little bit more like video games. I heart video games [shut up]. Video games [especially multi-player online games] whether they be FPS, RTS, MMORPG, PC, or console can be patched. Which have led to some rushed games by overworked [maybe lazy] developers, and overbearing publishers. Anyway, patching provides changes to happen fast in the video game world. What if it was used in RL [real life]?

Apparently Real Life, a web-comic by Greg Dean, addressed the possibility of patching in the real world. There is a touch of politics in it.

The possibilities are endless.

Later,
- Anh

Different Perspective

The Iraq War seems so far away at times. The mainstream media [MSM] doesn't always cover it but rather appropriating time for the biggest story of the week: Britney, Obama's pastor, Hillary's tears, etc. Remember the Vietnam War? I can't because I wasn't born yet but it seems that the coverage of that war [from what I've read / history classes] that the MSM played a major role in helping end that war by keeping the American public aware.

The American public are no longer aware and the MSM is helping to keep it that way. So the war will continue as long as there are other news to distract the masses. What about a different kind of source for the war in Iraq? One that doesn't have an agenda but to make it through the day?

Last-Of-Iraqis is a blog created by an Iraqi dentist living in Baghdad. His posts give a glimpse into the real conflict happening over there. He posts about the fighting by militias, the US military, the political corruptions, agendas, and the struggle of civilians caught in the crossfire.

Later,
- Anh

Acceptance

Embracing the power of the internet can be an epiphany. It has grown powerful within the last decade [maybe too powerful]. The 2008 Presidential campaigns have seen new records, new ideas, and plenty of excitement as well as a plethora of opportunities to make fun. In class [week one] we watched a few clips of viral videos including Obama Girl [hot] and Senator Hillary [not so hot] Clinton's survival skills in war-torn Bosnia. I would like to share with anyone who's reading [no one], two of my favorite viral videos.

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video by Will.I.Am and the parody video John.he.is..





Yes We Can.

Later,
- Anh

Beginnings and Introductions

• Name: Anh [Vu]

• Location: Westminster, California
  

• Occupation: Full-time political science major at UCI [3rd year]. Part-time team member at Target, Westminster Mall [T2304]. United States Army Reservist [PFC].
  

• Hobbies: Girls, Army, Movies, Excitement, Sports... [games].

• Friends: Enough.
  

Welcome to my "blog," I'm going to call it "spacebook" from now on [when referring to this site only] for reasons only to amuse myself and satisfy my slight resentment for having to do work when I'm online, when I can peruse the citations needed knowledge of Wikipedia or the addicting feed of Digg.com. This is an actual assignment for Political Science 129, Spring 2008; I can't really believe it myself. I've always wonder what it would be like to maintain a blog. Never got [still refuse to] into the whole Xanga, Myspace, or Live Journal scenes. I did have a Facebook account for about 2 years but deactivated it, due to Facebook turning crappy. The reason for having it was its clean user interface and selectivity of being open to college students only at the time. Then it became Myspace's slightly better looking yet equally annoying sibling.

So you have a better chance of contacting me online through email or AIM which I'm usually on when I'm at home.

The main themes of this spacebook are suppose to be [straight from the syllabus] focused on the Interwebs [aka Series of Tubes] and Politics. Here is your warning: my writing style can be a little sporatic at times but I do try my best to keep things in order. I really enjoy typing emails to my Navy buddy, stationed on the USS Kitty Hawk and have developed this from years of corresponding so I'm keeping myself happy by adapting such style. I can't guarantee minimal spelling and grammar errors, especially when the majority of my posts will be done past midnight pacific time.

I like [web-] comics so here is a link to one: ncomment. It's culture, politics, and the internet all rolled into one neat little package. I hope to do the same with this spacebook.

Later,
- Anh