Aloha Elaine — Correction: “squelched”.

AT LAST, A PLACE TO VENT ABOUT MY FAVORITE EXAMPLE OF MSM illiteracy / sloppiness!!!!!!! Whoopi, have you noticed how many supposedly educated people confuse the word “unchartered” with uncharted? Uncharted is a wonderful adjective and should be getting even more play than it is. Thank you for helping us learn how to use it correctly. Unfortunately, even PBS’s sponsor of Lehrer’s News Hour has been allowed to misuse the word for months (if not years) in the opening blurb where the golden throated spokesperson waxes on and on about how wonderful (Chevron or Exxon or whomever) is for using “environmentally friendly” methods to search for new sources of energy in “unchartered” waters. The latter word simply means what is says, “lacking a charter”. In everyday conversation we should find far fewer instances where the longer word will be used.

AT LAST, A PLACE TO VENT ABOUT MY FAVORITE EXAMPLE OF MSM illiteracy / sloppiness!!!!!!! Whoopi, have you noticed how many supposedly educated people confuse the word “unchartered” with uncharted? Uncharted is a wonderful adjective and should be getting even more play than it is. Thank you for helping us learn how to use it correctly. Unfortunately, even PBS’s sponsor of Lehrer’s News Hour has been allowed to misuse the word for months (if not years) in the opening blurb where the golden throated spokesperson waxes on and on about how wonderful (Chevron or Exxon or whomever) is for using “environmentally friendly” methods to search for new sources of energy in “unchartered” waters. The latter word simply means what is says, “lacking a charter”. In everyday conversation we should find far fewer instances where the longer word will be used.

Frank, the limits of your biases and bluster truly lie in uncharted territory. Colin Powell and his wife didn’t have the guts for the kind of odyssey that Barak and Michelle launched themselves and their family upon two years ago, having already accomplished things at that point which were truly historic. If Powell had possessed the guts to take on Bush in 2000, he might have forced Cheney to step aside, and he could have been the first Af/Am Vice-President. If he’d been VP rather than Darth Dick, the impeachment of Bush might have picked up steam years ago. Colin Powell could have been the first non-white president, but he lacked the courage. Give young Obama his due. At least give him credit for having the energy and heart that Powell lacked, if you can’t admit that his temperament and intelligence are far superior to McCain’s.

People find fault with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) but rarely acknowledge one of that nation’s most enlightened initiatives: the One Child Policy. The rich who can afford it may decide to have large numbers of children, but what kind of example are they setting for the vast majority at the other end of the economic scale? Likewise, the U.S. needs to set an example for the world by limiting its population and achieving a sustainable economy and growth rate. What right do we have to demand that China and India develop reasonable carbon footprints given our history of heedless oil and coal consumption?

Furman was as responsible as anyone for the acquittal. Clearly the jurors in the criminal case saw him as a racist, and a lying racist at that. My question is, would anyone else have been charged as Simpson was in connection with the Las Vegas incident? What good will it do anyone for Simpson to spend the rest of his life locked up and supported by the state the rest of his life?

Turns out that the statement about cutting Special Education funds was erroneously put out by Soledad O’Brian and CNN. Apparently the misunderstanding arose from a change in Alaska budget headings or something like that. This is according to Bill Moyer’s Journal on PBS last Friday.

Those interested in this subject should know about the PBS / National Geographic presentation, “Illicit: The Dark Trade” : http://www.pbs.org/illicit/

Frannie - The boycott isn’t going to happen. Enlightened leaders might achieve the result by ending the fruitless, wasteful WAR ON DRUGS. Check out the Law Enforcement to End Prohibition website. http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php

The coverage on C-Span and C-Span2 has been unparalleled.

Did you hear what Stewart had to say about McCain’s Gal Friday?

Nice reply, Dana. Frannie is absolutely correct. Most everyone on wowowow has the utmost respect for her views and comments. I just popped over here from the John McCain Happy Birthday topics and the most recent topics about McCain’s selection of Gov. Palin. You might want to check them out. I’m too tired to read all the comments here on Whoopie’s page. I just noticed it, actually. Maybe I’ll come back tomorrow.

To all Obama doubters: Barak Obama came from the most humble of all imaginable contemporary American backgrounds. I’ve spent most of my life in Hawaii, and I know what I’m talking about. I have heard that by the time he was in law school (if not earlier) he was determined to become president. He has made wonderful choices in surrounding himself with great Amercans from all sectors, from the likes of Warren Buffet and David Geffen in the business world, to public servants such as Joseph Biden, Ted Kennedy, and Chuck Hagel, to pop culture icons like Oprah Winfrey, Arianna Huffington, George Clooney, and Bruce Springsteen. Bill and Hillary have unqualifiedly endorsed this man; the phenomenonal race he ran against them provides more than enough evidence of his qualifications as an executive, an administrator, and yes, as an entrepeneur. After the endorsement of the Clintons those supposed Hillary supporting hold-outs are looking for any excuse not to support Obama, it seems. If you can’t bring yourself to like Obama, please consider showing solidarity for the young people of the country, across all regions and from all demographic groups, who are overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the Democratic Party’s ticket. Please help to give them a reason to remain involved in improving the future of their country and the world.

Mahalo, David. My question for McCain is: When you selected her were you aware of the investigation being conducted by the Alaska legislature into alleged misconduct by Palin who fired a public official appointed by her after he declined to take questionable actions against her sister’s former husband? On the Happy Birthday McCain page on this site I found a very complete list of Palin talking points from a brand new wowowow contribautor. I responded to the “Aggie” as follows: They will all be fully debunked and rebutted in due course. Now, for a dose of reality, read a very clear, concise summary of your candidate’s foreign policy agenda. (See link below.) I’m not sure about the Howdy Doody in a knife fight comparison above (referring to a Biden/Palin debate); I think it would be very unwise for anyone to underestimate the abilities of this phenomenal female Svengali from the North country. Likewise, it’s unwise to view this move by the McCain machine as anything other than the most diabolical of Rovian tactics. No doubt many who will refuse to vote in their own economic interest based on conscious or subconscious prejudice (racial or otherwise) will happily rationalize voting for the McCain ticket because of its historic nature. After all, isn’t that how we got Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court? Here’s the link: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/08/27-9 PS - Aggie - were you one of those Hillary supporters who supported her because Limbaugh told you to? Did you contribute? Volunteer?

There is a long list of qualified women who could have been selected in the interest of a historically diverse ticket. Sarah Palin’s choice is a dangerous, cynical, Rovian ploy.