| The Kensington Review |
26 November 2004 |
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Latest Commentary:
Washington State Governor’s Race Still Undecided -- The 2004 general election in the US has been over for three weeks plus, but there is still no official winner in the race for Washington state’s executive mansion. Republican Dino Rossi won the original vote count by 261 votes out of around 2.8 million cast. Under state law, this triggered an automatic recount that he won by less, only 42 ballots. The GOP is demanding that the Democratic candidate, Christine Gregoire, concede defeat. The Democrats want to count the ballots again, by hand rather than machine this time. One wonders why the GOP is in such a rush. Ukraine Election Crisis Revives Cold War Rhetoric -- If it weren’t so very serious, the crisis in Ukraine’s election process would be a cause for nostalgic joy. The western powers are setting themselves up as arbiters of what democracy means while the Soviets, or rather Russians (an accidental slip), have resorted to premature congratulations and name calling. While the army and police in Ukraine have not yet moved against the pro-Yushchenko protesters and the state media decides to back them (according to rumor they will), Washington, London and Moscow are reverting to 1970s language. Critic of Microsoft Got $9.75 Million Payment in Settlement -- The entire case could be entirely above board and proper. Not all of the facts are in the public domain. There are perfectly good explanations why this has happened that do not entail unethical or illegal behavior. However, it just looks bad when Microsoft settles with its long-time adversary, the Computer and Communications Industry Association, for $19.75 million, and the president of the CCIA gets almost half of that money. The uncharitable might think his payment was a bribe to get his group to back off the software giant. Christmas Started Too Early -- This is not an easy position to take. Yet, in defense of decency and a holiday as yet unpolluted by commerce, one must announce like Martin Luther that here one stands, unable to do anything else. Christmas 2004 started too damned early, and those responsible for it should be boiled in their own Christmas pudding and buried with a stake of holly through their hearts. Retailers ruined Thanksgiving. |
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