Day: November 30, 2006

On This Date – November 30

Jon Ponder
  • 1992 – Senator Robert Packwood, R-Ore., facing an Ethics Committee investigation of sexual harassment allegations, entered an alcohol-treatment facility. [Xoom.it]
  • 1936 – Birth of Abbie Hoffman, American activist (died 1989) [Wiki]
  • 1931 – G. Gordon Liddy was born on this date. He is a radio talk show host now but served time for his part in the Watergate scandal that brought down Pres. Richard Nixon. [NYT]
  • 1900 – Death of Oscar Wilde, Irish writer (b. 1854), not long after serving prison time for the crime of being gay. [Wiki]

Bush Team Tries Rovian ‘Spin & Smear’ Tactics with Maliki

Jon Ponder

The Bush team tried some of their patented political tricks on the international stage this week, but their run of luck appears to have played out, no matter what stage they are on.

As the president headed to Jordan for a summit meeting with King Abdullah and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, the Bush team leaked a memo written by National Security Adivsor Stephen Hadley in which he was critical of Maliki to the New York Times:

[The] reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions, or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action.

Maliki was already in trouble at home with the head of a Shia faction who threatened to pull his followers out of the Iraqi parliament, which could cause the government to collapse.

While it’s possible that the leak to the New York Times was intended to give Maliki cover back home, his reaction to it seems to indicate that he was offended by it. He canceled an appearance at a state dinner with Bush and the king last night.

Maliki finally met with Bush this morning and at a news conference afterwards, the body language between them was not good.

Heading to Mecca for Hajj? Better Get Your Shots

Buck Banks

Holy vaccinations: If you are of the Muslim persuasion and plan to join a couple million fellow believers for the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, between Dec. 29, 2006, and Jan. 3, 2007, better make sure you have your vaccination records up to date. When it comes to the potential of the annual gathering of Allah’s faithful to serve as a giant petri dish for the world’s most popular diseases, the Saudis don’t mess around. Sounds like a good place to get really sick:

The congregation of so many people from different parts of the world in unavoidably overcrowded conditions within a confined area for a short period of time presents many public health challenges. The combination of physical exertion, overcrowding and any pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic chest conditions, renal and liver disease favour local and possibly international spread of communicable diseases, including meningococcal infections, influenza, tuberculosis and gastrointestinal infections.

This year’s vaccination requirements and advice have been issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj for the most serious communicable disease risks:

Meningococcal meningitis
All Hajj pilgrims are now required to submit proof of vaccination with the quadrivalent vaccine against meningococcal meningitis types A, C and W135Y as part of the Hajj visa application to Saudi Arabia. This should be recorded in a vaccination book showing the traveler’s full name.

Chemoprophylaxis against meningococcal infection will also be given to all people arriving in Saudi Arabia from countries in the African meningitis belt.

Polio
All travelers to Saudi Arabia are advised to ensure their polio vaccination is up to date. Travelers whose last dose of polio was more than ten years ago should receive a booster, using the trivalent tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccine.

The WHO considers the following countries to be polio-affected (as of Oct. 4, 2006): Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Namibia, Nepal, Sudan, Yemen.

Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus is found in body fluids and can be transmitted either through skin breakages or by close sexual contact. Transmission through the skin may occur through the use of contaminated medical, dental, or other instruments; all pilgrims should consider hepatitis B vaccine. One of the rites of Hajj is for men to have their head shaved. Although the Saudi authorities provide licensed barbers who use a new blade for each pilgrim, other barbers may not conform to such standards. Shaving with a previously used blade could carry a risk of hepatitis B and other bloodborne infections, and so communal use of a razor or blade to shave each other should be avoided. Pilgrims should consider taking with them a disposable razor for this purpose. This will also help to protect against hepatitis C virus infection.

Influenza
Recent studies have shown a high incidence of influenza infections during the Hajj, and so it would seem prudent to regard all Hajj pilgrims as at risk. The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia recommends that pilgrims be vaccinated against influenza before arrival, particularly those with pre-existing conditions (e.g., the elderly, people with chronic chest or heart diseases, or those with cardiac, hepatic or renal failure).

Vectorborne diseases
Yellow fever
All travelers arriving from countries endemic for yellow fever must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate in accordance with the International Health Regulations. In the absence of such a certificate, the person will be vaccinated upon arrival and placed under strict surveillance for six days from the day of vaccination or the last date of potential exposure to infection, whichever is earlier.

Saudi authorities also require that aircraft and other means of transportation arriving from areas infected with yellow fever are requested to submit a certificate indicating disinfection in accordance with international health regulations.

Malaria
Malaria is not normally present in Medina or Mecca, but is a risk in other areas of Saudi Arabia including the southwestern region and rural areas of the western region. Pilgrims may also plan further travel before or after Hajj to countries in Asia and Africa, and should seek advice about malaria prevention. Pilgrims are advised to practice insect bite avoidance measures that also protects against other vectorborne diseases.

Helluva way to get to heaven ….

Quote du Jour

Buck Banks

Democracy, I do not conceive that ever God did ordain it as a fit government either for church or commonwealth. If the people be governors, who will be governed? As for monarchy and aristocracy, they are both of them clearly approved and directed in Scripture, yet so as referreth the sovereignty to Himself, and setteth theocracy in both, as the best form of government in the commonwealth as well as in the church.

— John Cotton (1584-1652), Puritan minister, American colonizer

Lou Dobbs Creates a Political Wave

Jon Ponder

The Bush era has changed Lou Dobbs. Early in the administration, the host of “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” CNN’s daily financial news show, once described himself on the air as a conservative and a supporter of the president.

Now he’s using the bully pulpit of his anchor desk to crusade against Bush policies, especially on illegal immigration and the unbridling of corporatism by the government, and has become the de facto spokesman for a rising centrist populist movement.

His fans are generally moderates from both parties, who call themselves “Lou Dobbs Democrats” or “Lou Dobbs Republicans,” respectively. Like Dobbs, they are upset with Republicans’ incompetence and corruption but are less than sanguine about the odds that Democrats will fix the hard problems.

These voters in the agitated middle helped throw the bums out in 2006, and they could play a significant role in the 2008 elections, especially if a third-party candidate emerges who campaigns on their issues.

The shape of the movement so far is secular and libertarian on social issues, which could bode well for liberal causes like choice and gay rights. But Dobbs’ populism sees illegal immigration as a dangerous threat to our security and financial stability. It also puts a low priority on the social welfare of the immigrants, which is a position liberals don’t generally share.

If you want to know more Dobbs and his views, there are three new articles up:

• “Mad As Hell: Lou Dobbs’s populist crusade” –The New Yorker
• “The Lou Dobbs Factor” —New York
• “Lou Dobbs Turns on the CEOs” —Mother Jones
• “The Secret Life of Lou Dobbs” —The American

(Via Jossip)

NC-08: Kissell Concedes

Jon Ponder

Populist Democratic candidate Larry Kissell has conceded his race for the 8th District congressional seat held by textile heir Rep. Robin Hayes:

“The fight for the future of this district is too important to postpone another day. That’s why I’m running for Congress in 2008 starting right now,” Kissell said in a statement. “After today’s recounts, I offer U.S. Rep. Hayes a belated congratulation for his victory now that the votes have been counted.”

Kissell conceded even though only five of the ten counties in the district had completed the hand recount requested by the Democrat. The rest were to conduct the hand recounts on Thursday.

Kissell trailed Hayes by just 329 votes out of 121,523 cast following a machine recount last week. He gained only two votes Wednesday during the first phase of the hand recount, during which election officials manually recount votes in a sample of precincts covering 3 percent of the votes cast in the race.

Rep. Hayes has a record of voting for trade deals that have moved textile jobs from his district overseas — despite the fact that his family built a fortune in the textile industry in the region a century ago.