Well, the voters have spoken in Zimbabwe.

The main opposition party and independent observers said today that President Robert Mugabe was suffering a resounding defeat as election results were tallied, but no official returns were released and capital was rife with speculation that they were being rigged.

Tension was high in the capital, Harare, with police deployed on most corners as the delay in announcing results from Saturday’s balloting wore on. Usually, the first official results are released within hours of the polls’ closing.

There were unconfirmed reports that key ministers and Mugabe loyalists lost their seats in parliament.

Now, let’s see if Robert Mugabe will actually step down.

My semester is coming to a close and I’m increasingly busy — so, my posts may be a little more sporadic.

I am working on a couple of new videos in my classes. We shot one on Friday, but we’ve decided we need to re-shoot it. Here’s a storyboard for the final scene — if you’d like to get a sneak peak. My students are quite talented. I’ll post the video this Friday.

Click on the link for the film below. The company that hosted the film took it down due to death threats. Incredible. It’s a sad day for freedom of expression.

Google Video still has it posted.

Fitna

Here’s the film on Muslim radicalism from Dutch filmmaker Geert Wilders. “Fitna” is quite disturbing, so don’t watch it if you’re trying to have an uplifting morning.

My quibbles: It essentializes all Muslims — many followers of Islam do not subscribe to these radical beliefs. The film quotes parts of the Koran with violent passages, but I think you can find portions of the Bible that are just as violent. Like with any religion, you take what you need and you leave this rest.

The film is also clearly anti-Muslim immigration — I don’t think the solution to any problem is the exclusion of a certain type of people.

But, the film also clearly shows that a group of people — including (most sadly) a three and a half year old girl — are being inculcated with hatred of non-Muslims. This is a fact, and it’s a real problem. I wish I had a solution.

(Hattip: Instapundit)

Watching “Flip that House” last year, my wife and I couldn’t believe that a crappy, three-bedroom house near the L.A. airport could possibly sell for $550,000. Here’s the latest on the California real estate market:

Statewide, median sales prices fell by a stunning 26% from year-ago levels in February, with home prices dropping at a rate of nearly $3,000 a week, the California Association of Realtors reports. Further, the CAR says the Fed’s interest rate-cutting campaign ‘will have little near-term direct effect on the housing market.’”

That’s 26 percent in one year! I guess nobody can believe that house is worth $550,000 either.

Funny article in the WSJ about the increasing acceptability of cheek-kissing:

Whatever happened to shaking hands? There is something so American about the firm control of a handshake — it’s about disarming one’s opponent and keeping him two feet at bay. Control is in our DNA. This is why travel guides must spell the social kiss out for us: In France, generally two cheeks, or four, no lips; in parts of Belgium, three cheeks, and so on.

But Americans are now learning to perform the social kiss. The dexterous cover all bases. Jim Murren, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas gambling giant MGM Mirage, routinely cheek-kisses, then mentions his wife, Heather, to make it clear that the kiss was just a kiss. “I think it helps break down barriers of mistrust and apprehension,” Mr. Murren says.

However, he adds: “No frontal hugs!” While some men don’t mind a less intimate shoulder squeeze, Mr. Murren is backed up by corporate etiquette consultant Ann Marie Sabath, who says simply, “Frontal hugs: faux pas.”

Now, if we can just eliminate the stigma on hugs.

Check out the slideshow on the WSJ article. Great pictures of world leaders in awkward affection moments.

Some contributors to the wikiHow site aren’t taking it as seriously as others. Here’s the entry on “How to Tell a Friend to Remove Upper Lip Hair.”

Here’s the most astute observations I’ve yet to read on what’s happening in the housing market. It’s a roundup of Instapundit’s email from readers describing their anecdotal experiences.

Add a paragraph with statistics of February’s increase in existing home sales, and you’ve got as much information as a typical AP story. And Instapundit’s analysis feels more credible.

Yeah, I’m not sure I’ve seen a more damning two-minute news segment than this.

So a bunch of anti-war protesters invaded an Easter Mass in Chicago and squirted fake blood on the congragants. What genius came up with that plan? “Hey, this will really rally the country around our cause!”

They’ve had their bond set at $25,000 to $35,000. Take a peak at the mugshots.