OBAMA OFFICIALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT
The Electoral College voters cast their ballots in state capitals yesterday, fulfilling their ceremonial but very important role as laid out by the Constitution.
But this is actually not the last step in the process. Congress will still have to confirm the results at a joint session scheduled for Jan. 6. Mr. Obama will then be sworn in as the country’s first black president on Jan. 20 at noon.
~~~~
PALESTINIAN SPEAKER IN JAIL FOR AFFILIATION
Aziz Dweik, a member of Islamist group Hamas, has already served more than two years and will be freed in August.
He was arrested with other politicians in August 2006 in Israeli operations following the capture by Hamas of an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.
Mr Dweik, 60, was elected speaker after the Hamas poll victory in January 2006.
Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, is regarded as a terrorist organisation by Israel.
~~~~
Reindeer Number Nine
Robert L. May, a copywriter for the Montgomery Ward department store came up with the idea and created the ninth reindeer, Rudolph.
In 1939, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store.
May told the story of Rudolph, a young reindeer who was teased by the other deer because of his large, glowing, red nose. But, When Christmas Eve turned foggy and Santa worried that he wouldn’t be able to deliver gifts that night, the former outcast saved Christmas by leading the sleigh by the light of his red nose.
Rudolph’s message—that given the opportunity, a liability can be turned into an asset—proved popular. Montgomery Ward sold almost two and a half million copies of the story in 1939.
When it was reissued in 1946, the book sold over three and half million copies. Several years later, one of May’s friends, Johnny Marks, wrote a short song based on Rudolph’s story (1949).
It was recorded by Gene Autry and sold over two million copies. Since then, the story has been translated into 25 languages and been made into a television movie, narrated by Burl Ives, which has charmed audiences every year since 1964.
~~~~
ON THE HOME FRONT
Woke up with my headache still there. We also had snow. It just started as I was leaving the house but by the time I got to work it was sticking to the streets. I had a doctor appointment this afternoon and Omaha didn’t do anything to their streets and it took me a long time to get home.
Shane made an honest attempt to do a good job on the driveway today after school. So I am proud of him for that.
Other than that, not much going on. Just waiting to find out when my spinal tap will be. I am not looking forward to that.
~~~~
“Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.”
— the Treasury Department’s proposed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, September 2008.
~~~~
35 Days Left Of Bush
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring
Freedom casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central
Command: 4818
Its more than just a number
