//beconfused

Because of John Howard? And he is just staying for a day there. Blair House has 119 rooms with 35 bathrooms and just because Howard is there for one night, Obama and his family cannot move in there. This is just horrible arrangement at the Bush administration’s part. It goes to show how childish politicians can get. Obama requests to move in a week earlier into White House’s guest house so his daughters could start school. Obama is not the first president to request that and I think this could have been in consideration before the request was made.

In December, President-elect Obama asked the White House if he and his family could move into Blair House — the White House’s guest house — a week early, so that his daughters Malia and Sasha could start school. The White House rebuffed them, saying the house was already booked for another guest. A White House source added that “Blair House was appalled” by the request.

After weeks of speculation, the mystery guest that trumps the President-elect and his family has finally been revealed. The White House offered the house to John Howard, the former Prime Minister of Australia who is set to receive a Medal of Freedom. Instead of arranging other accommodations for Howard’s one-night stay, the Bush administration told the Obama family to stay in a hotel for two weeks. (Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, who are also receiving the Medal of Freedom, opted to find other accommodations.)

Last night on MSNBC’s “Countdown,” Bloomberg journalist Margaret Carlson revealed that when the White House turned down Obama’s request in early December, it had not yet even invited Howard to stay at the Blair House:

I reported…on December 11 and 12 that there were no foreign dignitaries booked into Blair House during that period of time. … I have the feeling they asked him [Howard] to come and stay so that there might be some plausible reason for not letting the Obamas stay there.

She also pointed out that Blair House has “119 rooms with 35 bathrooms. Howard wouldn’t even have to share a sink with the Obamas.” (Source: ThinkProgress)

White House Chooses Disgraced Australian PM Over Obama For Guest House

TMZ has learned that 2006 Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger has died in NY.

He was found dead in his bed in one of his residences in Soho by his housekeeper at 3:35 PM ET today. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ they believe it was not a crime, adding that prescription pills were found near his body.

According to NYPD a masseuse arrived at Ledger’s apartment and was let in by a housekeeper. When Ledger didn’t answer his bedroom door, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened it and found him unconscious. They attempted to wake him; when they couldn’t, they called 911.

We’re told when paramedics responded, the actor was in full cardiac arrest. They attempted to perform CPR on him, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Read more at TMZ.

(Poster of Brokeback Mountain.)

read more | digg story

Very inspiring video, Raymond Crowe, Australia’s only unusualist, Raymond Crowe offers a captivating combination of visual comedy, ventriloquism, shadow puppetry and magic.

Raymond Crowe – A Wonderful World

[via Digg]

Best video I seen all week. Simple, subtle, perfect.

It’s been, like, twelve years since the 9/11 attack happened in New York City and New Jersey on a fateful November. Chaser goes around quizing Americans how much they know about the 9/11 attacks.

Chaser – 9/11 Quiz

Let’s take a moment to mourn for the millions who died during the 9/11 attack.

Check out more Chaser videos at //beconfused.

In the recent newspaper reports that Singapore Minister Mentor (a rather strange position – yes), Lee Kuan Yew, received an honorary degree in law from the prestigious Australian National University. Some Australians aren’t too pleased with that.

Kuan Yew unfazed by protest in Australia

LEE Kuan Yew sparked angry protest in Canberra yesterday when he received an honorary degree which critics said ignored his opposition to democracy.

Lee, Singapore’s founding father and prime minister from independence until 1990, was awarded an honorary doctorate in laws amid high security at the prestigious Australian National University.

More than 50 protesters, including law academics and students, demonstrated at the campus but 83-year-old Lee said he was unfazed.

“If they didn’t protest nobody would know that I was given an honorary degree at ANU,” he said. “Despite their protest, ANU proceeded and I was not deterred from coming.”

Lee is someone “who’s a traitor to democratic ideals and who has eliminated opposition effectively, including having people jailed and held in jail without sentence,” Brown said.

“He eliminated opposition as effectively as he eliminated chewing gum.”

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Monday said despite concerns about Singapore’s human rights record, Lee was “a great regional leader.”

Source: The Star

I guess he is not that popular in Australia.

Aussies Will Make S’pore Fail, Says Lee Kuan Yew

MELBOURNE, March 28 (Bernama) — Singapore would hit rock bottom if it was run by Australians, former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said on Wednesday.

“We’re going to prosper, you’re going to prosper, if I allow you to run my country, it will spiral downwards and hit rock bottom,” he told reporters.

Lee also defended the comments he made years ago in which he described Australians as “the poor white trash of Asia.”

He said he made the comments in the heat of an argument but said at that time they were probably warranted.

“Perhaps, at that time it was warranted,” he added.

Source: Bernama.com

Uh oh.

I just did a reinstallation of my whole computer as it has been giving me troubles. It’s a lot cleaner now and I hope it’d stay that way till April or May. Here’s a video I saw at Digg on late night Christian shows.

Chasers war on everything: Evangelicals

Sometimes Christians may appear to be a little terrifying. Have you guys watch Borat, remember all the Christians try to bless Borat? That too is quite scary.

In this video, Julian Morrow goes to American to check out how their people respond to some simple questions. I think that video might be editing a little, the producers might have excluded the smarter answer. I mean, at least someone has to know how many sides a triangle ought to have! Well, check out the video:

Chasers War On Everything – Americans

I don’t remember how the Prime Minister of Australia looks like. John Howard seem to ring a bell though. If he comes to me with a camera man and start telling everyone he’s the Prime Minister, I think I’ll happily (and stupidly) believe him.