I've discussed - complained, if you will - my frustrations with the idea that Oregon seems to be irrelevant to national elections. We are not part of Super Tuesday, we are not first primaries, we don't even have a lot of delegates. Add in the fact that MSM tends to call elections before our results are even counted (due to the time difference), and our elections are pretty moot.

To the dismay of many Oregon voters, however, this politically active swing state has been relegated to the sidelines during the national Super Tuesday events.

“It’s just nuts, the way the whole primary system is front-loaded,” [Bradbury] said, using the election term that refers to the biggest states holding their caucuses first.

By the time Oregon’s primary rolls around, “it’s not likely that our votes are going to really matter,” he said. “It’s not likely we’re going to get much attention from anybody.”

That's why I like Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury's idea of a rotating primary season.

The new system would group primaries or caucuses by region on a rotating basis beginning in 2012.

A lottery would be held to determine which region would go first in March, and that region would move to the end of the primary calendar for the following presidential election cycle. Subsequent regions would hold their primaries in April, May and June.

The only exceptions to the system would be Iowa and New Hampshire, which would retain their early time slots based on their traditions as small, easy stomping grounds for underfunded, lesser-known candidates.

Bradbury mentions the typical political benefits of a rotating primary season.

Bradbury said Oregon voters would benefit because candidates would be forced to bone up on issues of local importance and campaign in each region; in the Pacific Northwest, they would be vetting issues like forestry, salmon and renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest.

There's also the economic benefit. Early states get millions of dollars in campaign revenue. Local news organizations and print media can take in additional ad revenue due to increased viewership and circulation. Candidates spend days, with their coterie, spending money in the local economy.

Let's also not forget the current legal battles with Michigan and Florida, with regards to their Democratic Party delegates. Due to the state parties' feelings of disenfranchisement, both states moved their primaries up to be more influential and ended up getting their delegates stripped from the Democratic National Convention. A rotating regional primary schedule would provide these states with the ability to move ahead in the primary season without incurring penalties.

Overall, I view this as a win-win for candidates, states, and the citizenry.

[Cross-posted at PROJECT: Lucidity]

The offensive use of geoengineering could take a variety of forms. Overproductive algae blooms can actually sterilize large stretches of ocean over time, effectively destroying fisheries and local ecosystems. Sulfur dioxide carries health risks when it cycles out of the stratosphere. One proposal would pull cooler water from the deep oceans to the surface in an explicit attempt to shift the trajectories of hurricanes. Some actors might even deploy counter-geoengineering projects to slow or alter the effects of other efforts.

Humans have used the terrain and environment as part of warfare since Ancient Greece. But, those were localized efforts. This would be on a global scale, outside the zone of conflict; and shows the potential for much longer-term impact.

Either that, or a really good plot for an Austin Powers movie.

• Iowa - Bellwether for evangelicals voters (GOP), bellwether for the young voters (Democratic).
• New Hampshire - Bellwether for the Independent voters.
• Nevada - Bellwether for the union workers (Democratic), bellwether for the Mormons (GOP).
• Michigan - Bellwether for economics policy.
• South Carolina - Bellwether for African-American voters.

Now, it appears that Florida will be the bellwether for Latino voters.

Considering Oregon is historically ignored in national elections, it'll be interesting to see what kind of bellwether our votes will portend.

One comment that struck me:

The future status of Kosovo is also an important issue in the Serbian presidential election, which goes to a second round early next month.

The BBC's Oana Lungescu says the EU wants [Kosovo's Prime Minister] Hashim Thaci to delay declaring independence until the election is over.

Waiting seems to be a recurring theme in the talks. Wait until the spring, wait until the UN Security Council convenes, wait until the Serbian economy is stronger, wait until Serbia enters the EU. Now, Kosovo is told to wait until after the Serbian election.

I can certainly see the reasoning behind waiting for after the elections, considering how emotional this issue is. But, won't there always be a reason for waiting? Russia is dragging its feet in the UN Security Council. Serbia flat out doesn't want Kosovo independence. So, why wait? Russia will not move faster - and if they do it will probably be to veto a resolution calling for Kosovar independence. Serbia isn't going to change its tune.

So, why wait?

China Post reports last Friday that the opposition will continue their protests with economic boycotts and strikes:

Their protests weakened by a harsh police crackdown and weary supporters, Kenya's embattled opposition said Friday they would turn to economic boycotts and strikes to keep up pressure against President Mwai Kibaki, whom they accuse of rigging the country's recent election.

Opposition spokesman Salim Lone vowed a third and final day of rowdy rallies, in which at least 10 people have died, would continue nationwide Friday.

Next, he said, the opposition would urge consumers "boycott companies owned by hard-liners who are around Mr. Kibaki" and work with unions "to organize strikes in selected industries." He declined to give details.

This is an important development in sub-Sahara Africa, and not just because of the violence (which is important in, and of, itself). This election was important, because it was expected to help cement democracy in Kenya, and establish a model for the rest of Africa.

Elections are not the end-all, be-all of democracy. I know that U.S. media outlets would have us think that waving purple fingers are the endgame of democracy. Of course, the purple fingers and ballots are mediagenic. But there's more to a stable, mature democracy than voting. The former Soviet Union held elections. Saddam Hussein's Iraq held elections. Iran holds elections. Apartheid-era South Africa held elections. The list goes on.

What's equally important are the transparency of the elections, as well as the peaceful handover of executive power after an election that signals a mature, vibrant democracy.

Mr Kibaki blew the opportunity for developing Kenya's democracy. He blew the opportunity to for Kenya to be a model African country. Instead, he'd rather consolidate power, stuff ballot boxes, and appoint cronies to cabinet / ministry positions.

The Economist has an excellent series on what's going on in Kenya, what it means internationally, and why its important to the United States. If interested, I would suggest reading this article, and this article.

So the apparent triumph of CSR should prompt humility, not hubris. There is money to be made in doing good. But firms are not there to solve the world's political problems. It is the job of governments to govern; don't let them wiggle out of it.

Firms should definitely take all stakeholders into account, including environmental ones. But, remember, it's undemocratic to insist the industries write their own regulations; that's the job of our elected leaders.

Although there were some personality quirks of which I do not approve (his anti-Semitism, celebration of the 9/11 attacks), I greatly admired and respected him as a chess Grandmaster. Anyone who can claim Grandmaster status at age 15, back in the 1950's certainly was a prodigy. He was, and still is, the only American to have become a World Chess Champion.

He exited the professional chess scene way too soon, and will be sorely missed by myself, and the chess community at large.