Amazing what you will find just popping around the net. I was on Ustream and found this great channel that shows a the front view from a train in Japan. That’s it. Simple, beautiful, cool.

Hillary Clinton is bringing daughter Chelsea out on the campaign trail in Iowa but won’t let her speak to the press. Predictably and quickly, this has lead to the absurd as she turned down an interview request from a 9 year old Scholastic News reporter.

Thus is the politics of control. In a hot presidential race, one statement, one moment can change fortunes forever. Just ask Howard Dean. The Clintons have always sought to protect and shield Chelsea from the press and I understand and empathize with that but if you don’t want to get shot, don’t go near the battlefield. If they are going to bring Chelsea along and make her part of the campaign in that way, than she is in the game, like it or not.

I don’t like the overly controlled and manufactured politics we have today. It’s almost impossible to get any kind of real read on a candidate. I’d love to hear from Chelsea and I’m sure other young people would too. She’s a smart girl for goodness sakes, let her speak. People are so afraid of making a mistake and the press is too quick to judge.

I has been said this is the YouTube campaign, but don’t let that fool you into thinking this is a new media campaign. We have had some “YouTube debates” but that’s just window dressing on a campaign that is still controlled by and manufactured for the old dog media. If anything, new media has intensified the control because of the way bad news can spread like wildfire across the Internet. We will not have a new media election until candidates are allowed and are courageous enough to let down their hair and let us see their real selves. Until control is broken down. Not until blogs, audio and video podcasts are treated as equals in the process and not a side show like the YouTube debates were. We’re getting closer every year and I hope someday we are able to break through and have a true new media election.

I haven’t had a cold in awhile, but Virginia got sick a few days ago and gave it to me. She is fine, recovering remarkably fast, but old dad is not taking it so well. Drinking tea, taking cold meds, and going through countless tissues. It’s a virus, so there’s nothing you can actually do but treat the symptoms. We’re going home soon and I have to get back to kung fu. I really need to shake this soon.

All about my adventures getting a Wii for xmas and some baby news

This is episode 66. What happened to episode 65? It’s a “lost” episode and will be posted soon. This a a wild ramble cast full of overly caffeinated talk about a range of topics. Bad language and strange diversions abounds.

Don’t call it a new years resolution, but I need to take better care of myself. My diet isn’t so bad, really, but the amount of physical activity I am doing is very lacking. As a result, I have put on 17lbs from where I would like my weight to be. And I can really feel it. I don’t have as much energy or endurance as I used to have. My back is very week and my cardio capability is nill.

When you feel this week and bad it’s hard to get going because you feel week and tired. Nevertheless, the situation has become as bad as it’s ever been and I’m getting tired of feeling less than myself physically. This is going to take some conscious, focused effort so let’s see what I can do.

Far right Christian conservatives giveth and they taketh away. This group of largely social conservatives propelled Bush to a win in ‘04 over Kerry, and this year they are likely to do in the Republican party in the ‘08 presidential race. Not satisfied with the current presidential crop because non is a strong enough social conservative, they are talking about voting for a third party candidate. The religious conservatives are strong, but they’re not that strong. Certainly not strong enough to get a third party candidate elected president all by themselves. Especially when Christian leader Pat Robertson has officially endorsed Giuliani. They working against each other. What this will do is effectively split up the Christian vote, diluting it enough to ensure a Democratic victory. Say hello to President Clinton, again.

Todays show features talk about my return to the Netflix fold and movies in general. I play a great song from Mike Therieau and I finish up talking about my pathetically bad physical health.

If Geeks were in charge, Ron Paul would be president, hands down. This month, Paul set a record for campaign contributions for a single day, $4.07 million. Geeks are also doing a great job of running up Paul’s numbers on all matter of online polls and opinions. The problem, Paul hasn’t got a chance in hell of actually winning. It’s just not going to happen. Ron Paul has been running for president seemingly forever, often as a Libertarian candidate. Maybe someday geeks will run the world and Ron Paul will have his day. Until then, get used to Rudi Giuliani. He’s most likely your republican candidate for 2008.

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows today. Now my wife and I can finally talk about it. She finished the book in about 12 hours. Good book, I did like it, but the Half Blood Prince is still my favorite. Congrats to JK on what is now the fastest selling book ever.