Edwards

Was here in Atlanta Monday night. With only two days notice, we were able to muster a crowd of 3,600. Red state my ass. (yes, I'm aware that Atlanta is perhaps the most liberal/main stream region of the entire state, and people keep talking about Al Gore's strategy of wooing the major metropolitan areas and still losing the state due to repub support in the more rural areas. But it's like people only have 4-year memories - Clinton carried GA in both '92 and '96. There's NO REASON to assume the state will go red this election.) The rally was awesome, but in a lot of ways was also a creepy reminder of just how much 'in the south' I am here. The thing was opened with a prayer.

Gymnastics

I'm actually a little more excited about the men's team this year than the women's. The men are always such underdogs and get little to no respect here in America, so I was just really happy for them when they won silver. This was the first time an American men's team has won a medal of any kind since 1984 and the first time they've won a medal in a non-boycotted Olympics since 1932!
Side note - I am SO glad I'm not in gymnastics anymore. I know I've said it before, but this latest rewrite of the codebook is crazy! The skills these girls are throwing are amazing and slightly insane.

On to the politcal rants!

The FBI is harassing potential protestors prior to the GOP convention. Surprise surprise.

And in other gross and scary news about intimidating people away from the polls -

State police officers have gone into the homes of elderly black voters in Orlando and interrogated them as part of an odd "investigation" that has frightened many voters, intimidated elderly volunteers and thrown a chill over efforts to get out the black vote in November.
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The long and ugly tradition of suppressing the black vote is alive and thriving in the Sunshine State.

Dahlia Lithwick suggests a new term 'for judges or judicial nominees on the right, who claim to be merely "interpreting" the Constitution, even when they are refusing to impose settled law; law they deem unsettled because it was invented by "liberal activist judges."' So say it loud, say proud - Re-activist judges!

The Bush administration continues to say Fuck You! to my state. (Mountaintop removal is bad kids.)

This is so upsetting and befuddling and...is it true? Is there really such a horrible dark side to the Olympics?

Continuing with the horrible and upsetting, this is heartbreaking. How is it I haven't ever heard about this before?

Shortly after three eight-year-old boys were found mutilated and murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, local newspapers stated the killers had been caught. The police assured the public that the three teenagers in custody were definitely responsible for these horrible crimes. Evidence?
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Although there was no physical evidence, murder weapon, motive, or connection to the victims, the prosecution pathetically resorted to presenting black hair and clothing, heavy metal t-shirts, and Stephen King novels as proof that the boys were sacrificed in a satanic cult ritual. Unfathomably, Echols was sentenced to death, Baldwin received life without parole, and Misskelley got life plus 40.

(found via the fabulous Magaret Cho's blog)