Meet Joe the Plumber
Oct 17, 2008 People
I missed the earlier session of the final US Presidential Elections debate yesterday between Barack Obama and John McCain but picked up on this guy - Joe the Plumber. I wasn’t sure if he was a rhetorical character or a real person, but today, I found out. His real name is Joe Wurzelbacher.
Then I came across this video - an ABC interview with the man himself. Apparently, he had met Obama while the latter was on the campaign trail, and asked him about his pledge to raise taxes for those earning US$250,000 or more a year from 36% to 39%.
I’m not sure I agree with Joe when he says that the rich shouldn’t be taxed more, though. Does that make me a socialist?
It’s good to put a face to a name though. And I wonder if he’s going to make the US$250,000 sooner than he thinks, with the kind of publicity he’s getting (23 times he was mentioned during the debate!!!).
8.41pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: Barack Obama, joe the plumber, joe Wurzelbacher, John McCain, politics, US elections
Respect to the Queen
Oct 17, 2008 People
She may be 82 years old, but she isn’t too old to learn apparently.
Yes, Queen Elizabeth has embraced the Internet, according to a report - she is said to occasionally email and send text messages.
Okay, so it’s not much but for someone from that generation, and someone like the Queen who probably didn’t have to do anything if she didn’t want to (she might get bored but that is a different story), it’s brilliant.
Sure, there may be a Royal Channel on YouTube and her Christmas message is available in Podcast format but of course, some people set it up. So really, she doesn’t need to learn anything.
But it seems like she’s trying to keep up with the times, much like her mother, the late Queen Mother. BBC News reports yesterday that the Queen and Prince Philip made a visit to the Google office in London (quite nearby the Buck House, apparently). The article has great anecdotes of their trip to the office. And watch the video below - the staff we so excited to meet her! I want to meet her too!
This story reminded me of another article I read after the Queen Mother passed away. Princes William and Harry were interviewed and they shared this anecdote:
“It was two or three Christmases ago [at Sandringham], and we were sitting down watching Ali G on TV,” said William, 19. “We were laughing when she came in. She couldn’t understand what was going on, so we explained to her what he was doing.
“She saw Ali G click his fingers and say ‘Respec”, and Harry and I showed her what to do. She loved it, and after three goes she had it. Later that day, we were all in the dining room, having Christmas lunch, when she tried it out.”
Prince Harry, 17, said: “It was at the end of the meal, and she stood up and said: ‘Darling, lunch was marvellous – respec”, and clicked her fingers.” The family burst out laughing. The Queen was amused.
I have shared the story above with friends over the years because I found it fascinating and heartwarming. Now, I wonder if anyone from the Royal family is going to share any funny anecdotes about the Queen’s experience with technology. Would be fun to read about, methinks.
10.21am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: Ali G, Google, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mother, The Queen
Vote 1 Niki for US Congress
Oct 14, 2008 People
My friend Arion was Twittering this morning about who to vote for in the upcoming US elections (I’m assuming he got his postal vote documents, as he is currently living in Australia). So I suggested that he vote for me.
Well, he tells me that I got my wish. He’s put me up for Congress (over Steve Berren who’s aligned to the Republicans because anyone is better than the Republicans as well as over Jim McDermott - aligned to the Democrats - who Arion claims have done nothing for his district since he was first elected in 1979). Incidentally, I was born in 1979.
It’s not the Presidency but I’ll take Congress. Although, I don’t think I’m going to win, but thanks Arion, for the vote of confidence. :D
The picture was taken from his Flickr account, with permission.
4.24pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: Elections, Jim McDermott, Steve Berren, US Congress
In the next five months, I will…
Oct 14, 2008 People
I’m turning this into a game of sorts. I was just reading Marina’s blog this morning and she had this post (from which I curi-ed that title). It was in reaction to a report which states that our Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, or Pak Lah, had set his agenda for the next five months (he will not re-contest in the Umno elections) which includes revamping the judiciary and police force, and step up on the fight against graft.
I can only assume Marina was being cynical (or realistic) - as I am, considering the story I just heard from a friend who had to deal with the higher authorities yesterday. How do you change a lifetime of havbit and ego, in five months?
So, Marina listed five things she wanted to do in the next five months. Of course, she also says:
Of course I’ve been saying this for the last five years or so. But guess I’m not the only one who’s berangan-angan…
So here goes:
In the next five months, I will…
1. Pay off my credit card debt.
2. Clean my mess in all the different parts of the house.
3. Run in a half marathon.
4. Start eating healthy.
5. Read all the books laying by the side of my bed.
I’m not tagging anyone, cos it makes people obliged to respond. But feel happy and free to continue this “game” on your blog.
9.59am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Pak Lah
Remembering Matthew Shepard
Oct 12, 2008 People
Ten years ago, today, a young 21-year-old University student in Wyoming - a small town in rural United states - was lured from a bar, tied to a fence, beaten up and then left to die.
His name was Matthew Shepard, and he was gay.
The incident caused a national and international uproar and people started calling for lawmakers to introduce laws to deal with Hate Crimes.
About 7 years ago, while I was studying in Australia, I wrote an article about Matthew Shepard’s death. I posted it online somewhere, but I am unable to find it now. What I did find was this icon I created (this was the days before I was familiar with image editing software and relied on online button and icon creators).
Even back then, I was very specific about how I wanted the icon to look. My reason for creating the icon, to go with my article, wasn’t to promote gay rights - it was to embrace diversity. Hence, I remember being concious of avoiding using the colour pink (which is often associated with the gay rights struggle, perhaps becuase of the pink triangle from the days of Hitler), and conscious of not using the word “gay” in the icon.
Because for me, hate is hate - whatever its motivation is. Most of the time, when it comes to hate crimes, this stems from prejudice , presumtions and most dangerous of all, ignorance. There is of course, the question of psychology as well - how can you hate something or someone so much to want to cause hurt to another human being?
Matthew Shepard was hardly the first, nor was he the last, to be a victim of hate. People hurt other people around the world each day - from the common layman to people of standing.
So, today, on the 10th year after Matthew Shepard was killed, I hope that people will realise that while they are entitled to how they feel - and disliking and dissaproving of something or someone else - one shouldn’t judge others by their own set of values. Whether we are talking about sexuality, race, culture, to name a few, each person should be allowed to live his or her own life (within the laws, of course).
We can choose to disassociate ourselves, with this person, but no one has the right to hurt anyone else - physically, verbally or mentally.
This is a call for tolerance, and love. Celebrate diversity.
Note: To read more about Matthew Shepard, visit this Wikipedia page. Following his death, Matthew’s family set up the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and his mother Judy has been traveling around the country to speak about her experiences and the battle for hate crime laws. She writes on the Foundation’s website about how things have changed (or rather not) in one decade.
There was also a play by Moses Kaufman, later made into a movie, titled The Laramie Project. It is an interesting read/watch because it doesn’t deal so much with the actual incident but is a compilation of interviews done with the residents of Laramie, Wyoming, in the couple of years following Matthew’s brutal murder. Time magazine has an interesting repository on The Laramie Project. The Associate Press too writes about Wyoming, 10 years later.
9.29am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: diversity, gay, hate crime, Judy Shepard, Laramie, Matthew Shepard, Moses Kaufman, The Laramie Project, Wyoming
