Larison to Palin

He makes a good point for a potential question at the VP debate:

"The question Couric asked was about Court rulings that Palin disagreed with, and we all know that McCain thinks that Boumediene was one of the worst rulings in history and Palin thought it was cute to knock Obama for his opposition to Boumediene by misstating his position in her convention speech. So, here’s a question for the VP debate moderator to ask: 'Gov. Palin, you said in your convention speech that Sen. Obama wanted to read terrorists their rights. Why do you say that, and how do you interpret Boumediene v. Bush to have anything to do with reading suspects their rights?' Or maybe keep it simple: 'Gov. Palin, does habeas corpus apply in cases concerning suspected terrorists, and do you think the Supreme Court was wrong to grant suspected terrorists due process?'"

The Indies Finally Getting It

This, from a Washington Post article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/01/AR2008100103600.html

Latest From Gates

Andrew Sullivan posted a great read on Secretary Gates' position on "modesty" with American military action. I happen to agree quite a bit with it. Link is below:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/a-modest-americ.html#more

Advice To Joe: Beware Of The Trap

Senator Biden, tread carefully in this debate with Governor Palin. I'm sure you are being told this already by folks on the inside, but take this very seriously. You are eloquent, knowledgeable, and a wonderful orator. With that said, the challenge comes not from your opponents skill or rhetoric, it comes from the lack there of. You must not come off as cold, arrogant, and smug. Take note of Senator Obama's presence against Senator McCain. Be earnest, clear, and engaging. Take her seriously, because if it seems as though you aren't, then you are finished. I'm sure you will perform brilliantly, but do so gracefully and carefully.

The Winner?

There seem to be mixed feelings on who won debate #1. I tend to feel it was pretty even, but that Obama had the edge in terms of staying on topic and simply looking/speaking/acting more presidential. Will that be the case? I don't know.

Quote For The Day

A screen legend has passed, and an even better person.
"I have a steak at home. Why would I leave to get a hamburger?" Paul Newman on why he stayed with the same woman for so many years.

The Debate Is On!

McCain says that he will be there to debate Obama. So much for suspending his campaign and not going until a deal was struck. There's a lot of "blinking" going on here. Surprised anyone?

Man Of Faith?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/evangelist_child_porn

Another evangelist has been arrested, this time for child pornography. Do any of these followers ever suspect anything with their "leaders"? I'm not saying all evangel preachers are bad people, but we seem to find quite few. What concerns me is that for all of those who preach modesty and tolerance as a Christian virtue actually listen to these guys in their expensive suits and houses and as they bash other faiths and minorities (i.e. homosexuals).
I have a theory about about this particular case however. In all seriousness, why are children so common among victims in the clergy? My theory is that the religious leaders in any faith that stoops to that repulsive level has been sees an innocence in the children that they preach about, but that they themselves can never attain. The children are, in their minds, physical manifestations of purity, of which they preach. It sounds more like a psychosis, don't you think?

Quote For The Day

"When you run for office, your life is an open book."-unknown

I'm echoing those (Sullivan in particular) who are concerned that some of the candidates--McCain and Palin in particular--have not released their medical or complete financial records yet. This is entirely unacceptable and needs to be dealt with.

Postponing Debates?

I think this whole idea of stopping a debate to act like they are finding a solution to the economic crisis is absurd. McCain's biggest weakness is his economic record anyway. For somebody who claims to not "blink", I see a lot of eye lash batting recently. Is there blood in the water? If so, strike now Barack.

Cliche'

Having been in Seattle for two days, it has drizzled as expected. But there were blips of beauty as well, so all is not lost. The locals here call it "liquid sunshine". The roomies are nice people and all seem to have some direction. Things are looking up.

The Move

Today is going to busy after a nice weekend in Ithaca, New York. Today I'm getting my things together to move to Seattle. Wish me luck!

Soup Clip: Spaghetti Cat

One of the funnier clips from a great show on TV.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/mental-health-5.html

It's Over

A recent poll found on Yahoo! claimed that more people would like to watch a football game with Obama than with McCain. Judging from America's obsession with football, this is nothing to brush off. It's a similar mentality to those who voted for Bush because they felt they could have a beer with him. I don't like the rationale in either case, but it proved successful for the former.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080919/ap_on_el_pr/ap_yahoo_poll_football

The Ohio Blackouts

With the recent power loss across a large section of the state, many people are trying to figure out ways to deal with it. Aside from the financial burden of losing food and spending it on ice and batteries, I think there is a small silver lining to all of it. For the first time in a while, I actually saw a lot of families out doing things together. Kids were actually outside playing games and neighbors were conversing. I had rarely seen that in years past, but with the onset of the electrical problems, it was almost a daily event. I found it particularly refreshing. I hope it continues.

Ooops!

Apparently John McCain is having some trouble in the foreign policy knowledge department too. I guess he and Palin ARE soulmates after all.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/217802.php

Coates Makes A Good Point

Coates makes a good point about how elitism--in the traditional sense--and irony seems to be absent in this election.

"Matt, examining Lady de Rothchilds defection to McCain, notes that irony must be truly dead. 'Lady' de Rothchilds main reason for not endorsing McCain? Obama is an elitist. More accurately elitism is dead. When a gazillionaire who insists on being IDed as 'Lady' can call a black dude from the South Side, whose mother had him as a teenager an elitist, the word has no meaning."

Quote For The Day:Scalisms

I've decided to dedicate at least one quote a week (maybe more) to one of our most conservative Justices on the Supreme Court, and certainly the most outspoken. It usually provides for some good entertainment.
" 'What did I learn at Harvard Law School or at my practice in Ohio or in the federal government that qualifies me to determine whether there ought to be - and therefore is - a right to abortion or to homosexual sodomy or a right to suicide?' Scalia said. 'I don't know any more about that than Joe Six-pack.' "

Here Come The Lawyers

In a recent Huff. Po. article, the author explained that several high ranking GOP lawyers are consulting with Sarah Palin's attorney in Alaska in regard to the "Troopergate" scandal. I can understand how the McCain camp would want to get this issue out of the news, but doesn't that put more focus on the issue? It's the logic that if you have nothing to hide, then why not come out with it. Well that seems to apply here. If Sarah Palin has something to hide (which she does apparently), then don't you think she might be better off to just come out with it then just keep trying to hide from it? That seems like the logical thing to do. If it is too big of a scandal to fully disclose the comlete facts, then why not excuse herself from the ticket with McCain and give them time to vet (hopefully) and have another VP choice join their ticket. Just a thought.

Economic Graphs

An interesting write up from Wolfers and the candidates' economic plans. I recommend checking it out.

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/competing-tax-plans-two-perspectives/

You Know It's Bad When Romney Scolds You

My original post was of Romney on video from Sullivan's blog, but it was changed due to an error in the accuracy. Here is the actual transcript from his blog:

"ROBERTS: An awful lot of back and forth between you and Senator McCain. And I wonder, just a few days before the primary, is that what the voters want to hear? Didn't they want to hear substance on the issues?

ROMNEY: Oh, I think substance. I think Senator McCain was called out for what everyone has said was a false accusation. "The New York Times," "Washington Post," "Time" magazine, Bill Bennett, everybody has said what he said was simply wrong and reprehensible. I think it was a huge mistake on his part.He wants to stick with it. So he got to take the shots for it, as long as he's doing that. I think people are going to really say, what's the heart and soul of the Republican Party going to be going forward?"

Another Earth?

Maybe. An interesting article from what scientists are looking at in space.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080915/sc_space/possiblefirstphotoofplanetaroundsunlikestar

The Bush Doctrine Doesn't Matter?

With the recent stories about how Sarah Palin didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was, I've been reading and hearing that it doesn't matter if she knows it because most Americans don't know what it is. ARE YOU SERIOUS? The problem with that theory is that most Americans are not going to be Vice President or potentially President! Do we want our leaders to be ignorant of this information just because we are? Does that make any sense at all? The qualities we want in our leaders are those of knowledge and extraordinary skill in many areas. Who cares if they are like us? That's what got us in the mess we're in now with George Bush in office. HE IS TOO MUCH LIKE US! If it came down to an elitist who knew what he was doing and could run our country soundly versus a down-to-earth know nothing idiot who would drive our economy and nation into oblivion, give me the elitist.

I Might Try This Reaction

“Please forgive me for not accepting your rejection letter. At this time I cannot accept a rejection of my short story. I accept more than 99 percent of the rejections I receive. Many I don’t agree with, but I realize that accepting a piece of fiction for publication is a very subjective judgment call. My acceptance of your rejection letter is also a subjective process and therefore I am returning your letter to you."

That is funny.

McLies

McCain's getting called on his lies, as well he should.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/128781.html

Personality Maps

Interesting and fun post from the Atlantic.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/good-people.html#more

Here We Go Again

This is the last thing we need. We don't want to piss-off Pakistan who has helped us to a degree in fighting against the Taliban. I pray this is just a warning.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSISL14941720080915?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

A New Depression?

With the recent downturns of Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac, along with the sale of Merryl Lynch and Lehman Bros. bankruptcy, I'm further wondering how much deeper our problem will get. Before, I wasn't sure the depth of the problem. With these recent events, it's no doubt that we are in the direction of economic disaster. Am I surprised? Not in the slightest since our current president has run everything else he has ever done into the ground. Why should the US economy be any different? Wall Street is suffering major problems and the light at the end of the tunnel is looking dimmer by the minute. Alan Greenspan over the weekend said that McCain's economic plans for lower or no new taxes was not viable and that some taxes will need to be raised regardless of who is in charge. Things are about to get worse folks.

Unbelievable

A write up on Sarah Palin, and it basically sums up my own sentiments her as well:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4746999.ece?print=yes&randnum=1221348138515

A Long Day

I won't be posting anything today because I have some much else going on. In any case, have a great weekend and be safe wherever you may be.

Questions

Inspired by a post on Sullivan's Atlantic blog, I've decided to think of some of my own questions for Governor Palin. These will be generally broad questions, but certainly one's that need to be answered. Some of the questions might also be similar or the same to the article on the blog:

1) Why did it take you roughly 6 years and several tranfers to complete your BA? Was there an unusual circumstance behind it?
2) How do you think your experience as a mayor and governor in Alaska has prepared you for being vice president and potentially president?
3) How do you feel about our current position in Iraq? Do you find it stable? What would you do if you were currently in charge?
4) Are you familiar with the "Sunni Awakening"? Can you tell me the difference between Sunni and Shia?
5) What is your position on the Isreali/Palestinian conflict and how would you go about resolving it?
6) How do you feel about China's environmental and human rights record? How would you approach it?
7) Do you have plans for alternative fuel/energy?
8) What is your position on stem cell research? If, one day, we could cure cancer with the help of stem cell research, would you oppose it (assuming you oppose it to begin with)? If you don't oppose stem cell research, then how do you rationalize that with your position on abortion and how do you rationalize it with your faith?
9) If you had to select a Supreme Court Justice in the mold of any one of the current Justices, who would it be and why?
10) What is your stance on how Russia has handled the situation in Georgia? Would you have gone about it differently from the Bush administration?
11) How do you plan to reduce the debt in our country?
12) How devout are you in your faith and how much would it influence your potential policy decisions?
13) Do you have a plan to help reduce the spread of AIDS in Africa?
14) What do you plan to do about the situation in Darfur?
15) What is your position on allowing gay couples to adopt children?
16) How do you plan to approach the issue of illegal immigration from the Mexican border?

The Interview

The much anticipated Sarah Palin interview will be broadcast fairly soon. I'm interested to see what she has to say in a relatively friendly environment for her with Charlie Gibson tossing up softball questions. Will she be able to get through it without saying something problematic? Will the McCain people be standing behind Charlie Gibson feeding her the answers on giant cards? Who knows. If she can't handle a Charlie Gibson, look out for Joe Biden.

In Memorium

Today marks the 7th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. Today, we all should reflect on where we've come and tell those around us how much they mean. But what we must also recognize is the abuse of the vicitims' memory by vile politicians in order to not only maintain a perpetual state of fear, but also for their own political gains. They put pins on their lapels and chant "patriotic" slogans as if that proves they are patriots. They salute the flag and give homage to days gone by, and in the same breath continue the same failed policies that undermine and erode what the real America once stood for. The America that once stood for fairness, justice, equality, and truth, has now become a nation of torture, corruption, lies, and smoke and mirrors. The object of the attackers on 9/11 was not to destroy America in one blow, because that would be impossible. The objective was to destroy what America stood for, and in that sense, we are losing terribly and may have already lost entirely. So, this day is not entirely in memory of the attacks and the victims of them, but it is also in memory of the ultimate casualty of the attacks: America herself.

The Missing Press

David Yglesias sums it up:

"It seems to me that if the practitioners of campaign journalism can’t figure out a way to make it so that lying is punished, rather than amplified and rewarded, by the press then they ought to pack up their bags and go do something else."

Quote For The Day

"Because she thinks like me!"-unknown female McCain/Palin supporter.

This is the answer given by a female McCain/Palin supporter in Virginia this week, when asked why she supported the GOP ticket. You mean, you (the unknown female voter) support larger debt, further religious infringement in politics, lower wages for women, elimination for a woman's right to chose, and no knowledge of foreign policy at all? That's great lady! How in the hell can she know that Governor Palin thinks like her when almost NOBODY knows how Governor Palin thinks? This kind of reasoning among some in the electorate makes me depressed.

A Pontifical Politician

This is a well reasoned and overall good article on how politics does not belong on the pulpit from the Moderate Voice blog.

http://themoderatevoice.com/at-tmv/newsweek-blogitics/22587/politics-has-no-place-in-the-pulpit/

Flying Pigs With Lipstick!

The recent uproar about Senator Obama supposedly referring to Gov. Palin as a pig with lipstick is absurd and it's frustrating to no end. It's this kind of politics that irritates me because it has nothing to do with anything and just stirs up emotions. Anybody that believes this is an idiot to begin with. Here's the quote in it's context, as pointed out by Andrew Sullivan:

“John McCain says he’s about change, too — except for economic policy, health care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy and Karl Rove-style politics. That’s just calling the same thing something different.”

With a laugh, he added: “You can put lipstick on a pig; it’s still a pig. You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change; it’s still going to stink after eight years.”

The 9/11 Bounce?

Tomorrow is the 7th anniversary of the attacks. The day will undoubtedly conjure up images and memories of that day, all of which are not good. With that said, I could foresee a slight bounce for the McCain side simply because they are in the GOP. Not because they did anything on that day or since, but simply because they are in the same party as President Bush. One would think it would cost the GOP votes, but I'm never surprised by the ignorance of some voting blocs in the populace.

Palin the Feminist?

I have to say that I have a hard time believing Governor Palin to be a feminist in the traditional sense. In fact, she seems rather anti-feminist unless her own gains are at stake. Here is the definition of what a feminist according to Wiki (I know, I know, it's not all encompassing): "Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements, theories, and philosophies which are concerned with the issue of gender difference, advocate equality for women, and campaign for women's rights and interests." Has Palin really been for women's rights? Sure she represents a new face for women in politics, but, in my mind, she was placed on the ticket as a token rather than any kind of substantive female leader. Honestly, what else does she bring to the table aside from her appeal to a base crowd and some women. She is staunchly against abortion and is against equal pay for women in the work place just to name a couple. Is that really helping women? In this article below, I would have to disagree with the author's premise of Palin being some breath of fresh air to the feminist cause. If anything, it's being damaged by her. Sadly, some women will vote for her (not McCain) based on anatomy.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/paglia/2008/09/10/palin/index1.html

The Benefits of Panhandling

Maybe I should quite my day job.....maybe not.

http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2008/09/begging_for_sympathy.php

Boy Problems

There's a recent article and study in Newsweek detailing why, today, young boys are having problems in school and, as a result, in life. From an epidemic of ADHD to too much stress being applied, it's tough to say what might be the root of the problem. After reading the article, I found it pretty amazing that young students at the kindergarten and first grade levels are already studying foreign languages and being required to know various topics that might not have been required until second or third grade previously. Why all the pressure suddenly? Is it to compete with other countries? As the articles says, some kids are thriving in such an environment, but many are not. Take the time to read this interesting article.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/157898?gt1=43002

A New Form Of Life?

This is a pretty interesting article about biological research out of Harvard. Maybe this is the first step to something even more profound.

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/09/biologists-on-t.html?npu=1&mbid=yhp

Quote For The Day

Maybe this bit of lyrical poetry will be used as some advice for the Dems. Don't be that story that gets told.
"I'm only nineteen but my mind is old

And when the things get for real, My warm heart turns cold

Another brotha deceased, another story gets told"

-Mobb Deep, Shook Ones (part 2)

An End To Objectivity?

Since 2000, the Democrats have stumbled through the elections as a result of many things, including relentless and ruthless GOP attacks. Nothing much has changed in this current election from the GOP, but is there any difference with the Democrats? Can they afford not to change? The change I speak of is becoming more like the GOP attack dogs. Fight fire with fire, right? For too long we have seen Democratic candidates try to rise above the "swiftboat" rhetoric in hopes that the voting populace would look past it. Time and time again they don't. I had hopes that both parties could actually speak objectively on the issues, and there has been some. But most of it is coming from Obama with any depth. McCain and Palin, to me, speak on issues very superficially and attack Obama and Biden on equally superficial issues (i.e. celebrity). You can't speak objectively on the issues without being called a "flip-flopper" or something of the like. You get branded as an opportunist that goes with the polls. This concerns me because Obama is trailing in several polls and needs to find a strategy to regain that lead. We have seen some attacks from Obama, but they are either in response to a McCain attack or it is original but just not sticking. Therefore, I believe it is time for the Dems to take a page from the GOP playbook and go after them the way they go after the Dems. If not, I fear they may again let another campaign slip away.

Spending Like A Drunken Sailor!

This is a good find by Andrew Sullivan. Here are a few snippets from the read:

"In fiscal 2003 — the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget — the total government debt service was $658,662. In fiscal 1996 — the year before Palin took control of the budget—the debt service was $390,385. The increase was 69 percent. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1]"

"Palin Left Behind Almost $19 Million In Long-Term Debt, Compared to None Before She Was Mayor"

"In fiscal 2003—the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget—the ratio of debt service to general government expenditures was 6.24 percent. There was no long-term debt before she took office. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 11]"

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/a-fiscal-conser.html#more

For more, look at the link above.

"Liberal Media"

Some have said that the biggest myth in politics is the liberal media. Whether that is true or not I do not know. But with the recent demotions of Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann from the debates, I have to wonder how much pull the conservative media has. I'll be the first to admit that both of these guys are clearly leaning in one political direction, and that is left. But it's not like there aren't conservative TV pundits that do the same crap (for lack of a better term). The job of a moderator in a Presidential debate is to ask questions and make sure nobody gets out of line. This isn't an interview, it's just asking prepared questions that neither candidate has seen before. What does it matter whether a person from the liberal or conservative media reads it? Nobody is going to be grilling the candidates except maybe one another. And the whole idea of Charlie Gibson getting the interview with Sarah Palin is pretty sketchy. Gibson, by several accounts, is a right leaning pundit. He may not be overly blatant, but it's sort of a generally accepted fact. Why is he not being asked to move over? So he can lob softball questions to the hockey mom? Give me a break.

Condescending?

Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote up an interesting piece about whether Democrats condescend the working-class during election time. I would have to agree that I have never seen many, if any instances from major political figures. Sure, you may see it among a few pundits or some comedians, but actual political figures? Few and far between. Here is Coates' money quote:

"Still, whenever I hear these charges of liberal condescension they're almost always accompanied by what I would very generously call a sprinkling of examples. Clive only gives us a routine by comedian Bill Maher. For this to stick, I'd need to hear about Walter Mondale's condescension to working class voters, or Jimmy Carter's. It's true I hear a lot of Republicans invoking that charge, but I rarely hear actual examples. Interestingly enough, Clive doesn't believe that Obama fits the bill--and yet that's exactly how Karl Rove chose to paint Obama in his silly "country club" remarks."

OSU-USC

I just wanted to comment mindlessly on this week's big game. As an avid and loyal OSU fan, I've been looking forward to this game for some time. I've heard of the great match-ups from the past against USC and have seen footage of those games. But now the old rivals shall meet again. What does OSU bring? They bring veterans and experience. They played two games already, both of which should have been easy wins. The first was a cake walk, but the second was not. I'll chalk it up to looking ahead and simply being unmovtivated. Further, having realized their lack of passion in that game, I believe they will come out with a fire that we have not seen in some time. Second, OSU's star halfback will return after missing the second game with a toe injury. The evidence was clear that this team's offense does not run as well without Mr. Wells.
What does USC bring? They bring a great defense led by some of the best linebackers in the nation. They are big, strong, and fast. Their coach likes to take it to you with all kinds of blitzes and offensive schemes. His record at home is proof alone, amounting only 1 loss at him in his tenure. But I find that stat to be a little deceptive because they really have played no great teams at home. In any case, their offense, in my mind, is still an unknown. In their first game they destroyed a hapless team in the weakest conference in the country. That really didn't show me anything. So, I can't really say what this team is like on offense other than they have quite a lot of potential. Throw in the fact that they have been practicing for two weeks and lost any momentum from their first win, I don't know how this team will come out. Overall, I think it's going to be a great game. Prediction: Ohio State 27-USC 22.

Quote For The Day

A good quote for the many issues facing us in the upcoming election.
"Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice.”-Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Goodbye Coney Island

A piece of Americana is shutting it's doors for good. I was there once and have no intimate connection to it, but I recognize it's role in pop culture. Maybe they'll build a Starbucks there instead?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/coney_island

Muslim Perspectives

This is a very interesting read about the Muslim perspective of the RNC. Worth the read.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shahed-amanullah/looking-at-the-rnc-throug_b_124313.html

The Polls

I've been trying to keep an eye on the national polls lately just to see which candidate is moving in what direction and so forth. Of course, each person got a nice bounce following their party convention. But when will the real polls begin to show? I knew that Obama's sizable jump would not maintain itself, and I know McCain's slight lead will probably drop with time as well. But this led me to a question which has bothered me since McCain's VP nomination. If he can pick Governor Palin with only meeting her once, without properly vetting her, and still being fully confident in his selection, how can he be taken seriously? More importantly, how can somebody vote for somebody that reckless? Would you want somebody making those "gut" decisions when dealing with Russia or Iran? I sure wouldn't. But the polls reflect something more. I believe they reflect a grand denial from many GOP followers. Had McCain been a Democrat and selected Palin, they would have been lambasted, tared, and feathered. But when the GOP does it, it's perfectly legit. Is there no responsibility or accountability in their ranks? The polls surely reflect mostly base voters for the GOP. If the Palin choice actually swayed large numbers of people from the middle ground, then I have concerns.

Uppity

Ta-Nehisi rails on this congressman, and rightfully so:

"I wouldn't call the elitist charge racist. Certainly it's been used against non-black politicians, and no party has a monopoly on populism. But still:
"Just from what little I've seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.Asked to clarify that he used the word "uppity," Westmoreland said, "Uppity, yeah."
That would be Congressman Lynn Westmoreland. Comparing Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin. Incredible. The worse part is it isn't vague. Uppity is exactly the term white thugs and terrorists used to use for high-achieving blacks--right before they burned down their neighborhoods and ran them out of town. Only this time, they're going for the whole country,

UPDATE: Note that this is not anonymous "conservatives." This is not amorphous "Republican bloggers." This is not a strawman. This an elected member of the Congress who supports John McCain calling a woman from the South Side of Chicago, a mother of three two kids, and Ivy League grad, "uppity." And you guys want to rail about shadowy, uncited liberals "looking down" on Sarah Palin? You gotta be fucking kidding me. Cry me a river--and then go jump in it."

Old Conservatism

McCain's speech gave me some more time to reflect on what the GOP used to represent, since his speech seemed to be reflective of a career gone by instead of the future. It used to be a party for balanced budgets, government checks, strong and intelligent defense, and much more that I happen to agree with. The current neo-conservative wave has drawn me away from the party because it has nothing to do with what the more traditional conservatism stood for. It's a mere shell of itself that has emerged as a party for the theocrats. No longer is it a party based on logic and fair-handedness, but now it is the party of slander, partisan issues/tactics, division, demogaugery, and fear. I think that the pre-Reagan Republican will emerge again someday and I hope that they do. In my mind, that represents what the average American is. The current GOP is so rotted that it is beyond repair and needs to be scrapped and begun again. I truly believe that McCain was trying to appeal to those traditional beliefs last night, but I believe his party is too far gone to embrace them.

McCain's Speech

I must admit that his speech was nice in a sentimental kind of way. I don't mind the guy as a human being, and I think he's done some good things in his life. But didn't he seem pretty tired? I don't think he won over anybody that wasn't going to vote for him to begin with, but I believe he did energize more of the base. I did like the fact that he promoted bipartisan action, but who knows if that would actually work in the end. Overall, the only word that comes to mind is "nice".

Crowbar 1 Head 0

So, as a part of my duties today, I helped take some water samples for my engineering colleagues. Everything had been going great all day with no mishaps. But, of course, my luck (of which there is little) ran out and the crowbar I was using slipped from what I was pulling on and hit me in the head, creating a gash about an inch long. Needless to say, I looked like I had gotten into a fist fight with Freddy Kruger fairly quickly. Thanks crowbar, for making my day.

UPDATE: I don't know how many people carry around crowbars, but I got hit in the head, again, on High Street following the Ohio State football game, in the same spot. To hell with crowbars.

Quote For The Day

An apt quote for the down and out.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you"-Woody Hayes

Meditative Writing

Do you ever try to figure out exactly what is going on in your head by writing down your thoughts? Do you often find some of your thoughts are hard to even figure out when you write them out? I think, in many ways, that writing these ideas and thoughts out is a kind of therarpy for people. Having a narrative meditation on the streamlining thought that runs through our heads every day can often lead to very interesting and productive self exploration and examination. Some of the writings (whether it be in blogs, diaries, or elsewhere) are so deep and reflective of somebody, that somebody else who reads them can gain true insight into that person or even themselves. Because, in the end, we all ultimately share a lot of the same qualities. It is, essentially, a living piece of the writer. A glimpse into the honest mind of somebody, unless they had planned for the diary to be read. Then we will never know if the thoughts were genuine. Those candid moments are what can be so interesting about a person, and I would encourage anybody to consider writing as a healthy exercise in understanding themselves. Susan Smalley wrote up a very interesting article on the idea, and I hope you will take the time to read it. Happy meditating!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-smalley/writing-as-meditation_b_123836.html

Criminal Charges?

Amidst the RNC, Democratic VP nominee Joe Biden stated that he and Senator Obama could pursue criminal charges against this current administration if elected. I personally think the argument is valid since international as well as domestic laws have been blatantly violated for a number of years under this leadership. However, is it what we need as a country? Would this help bring us together again? I doubt it. In fact, I think many of the strong Bush supporters would be up in arms (literally) if this were to actually occur. But if justice were to prevail and be fair, then both Bush and several others deserve some punishment for what they have done. American leadership has never been accountable to anybody once in our history. Maybe it's because there has never been the amount of evidence as we have now to prove it. Either way, I believe it to be a legitimate exercise in the rule of law to puruse charges, I just don't know how good it is for the nation at large. I guess we will see what happens if the Obama/Biden ticket wins.

Pakistan

Recently, US troops entered Pakistani territory from Afganistan for a raid on a small village that was believed to be a hot bed of terrorist activity. Having learned of this, the Pakistani government was not pleased at all. Can you blame them? They just ousted America's best ally in the country in Musharef, and there is a growing sentiment of disdain for the American cause. Further, this US entry into the Northern Pakistani region simply shows no regard or concern for the current leadership in the nation. Pakistan is already in a delicate position and the last thing that is needed is MORE idiocy from our current leadership to destabalize the country further. Stay tuned on this.

Sullivan on Bush's RNC comments

Here is Andrew Sullivan's thoughts on what President Bush said in regard to torture (or lack there of) at the RNC last night. I think he hits the nail on the head and it is worth exploring further.

"I checked the transcript this morning and the biggest bombshell in this campaign so far, in my opinion, is the following section of Bush's speech:
John McCain's life is a story of service above self. Forty years ago, in an enemy prison camp, Lieutenant Commander McCain was offered release ahead of others who had been held longer.
His wounds were so severe that anyone would have understood if he had accepted.
John refused. For that selfless decision, he suffered nearly five more years of beatings and isolation. When he was released, his arms had been broken, but not his honor.
Fellow citizens, if the Hanoi Hilton could not break John McCain's resolve to do what is best for his country, you can be sure the angry left never will.
Now have you ever heard someone recount what was done to John McCain in the Hanoi Hilton and not use the word "torture"? I haven't. "Beatings and isolation" is a bizarre phrase to use to describe the torture that was done to John McCain. I'm sure McCain thinks so.
Am I being persnickety? As with the Trig story, there's a very easy way to find out - if the press will simply do its job. A White House reporter needs to ask the president, quite simply, if he believes that John McCain was tortured in Vietnam. Just ask. Use that specific word. See if he can answer.
The reason he put it this way, I infer, is that if he describes what was done to McCain as torture, he has incriminated himself for war crimes.
I repeat: The reason he put it this way is that if he describes what was done to McCain as torture, he has incriminated himself for war crimes.
Now prove me wrong. Please prove me wrong."

Well done Mr. Sullivan.

Pro v.s. College

I've often been asked what I prefer, and to me this is a very easy question: I prefer college sports. A lot of people agree with me and really don't get into pro sports except for maybe baseball. Is it because I grew up in a college town? Possibly. But to me, the college games--particularly football and basketball--provide so many more thrills and entertainment for me. Pro football means nothing to me because so many of the player act like idiots on and off the field (i.e. the Ocho Cinco name change). Also, the games just aren't interesting because players can frequently switch teams for bigger contracts. In college, you generally know who is going to be on your squad every year, thus making it easier to root for them. The same idea can be applied to college basketball. Who doesn't love filling out the brackets for March Madness and looking to see the next major "Cinderella" story to emerge from the tourney? The NBA sure doesn't do that for me. In fact, no pro sports league does it for me.

The RNC

Having only caught bits and pieces of the convention I can't give a very well thought out and complete opinion on the entire evening. However, I did see the televised Bush speech. It seemed to me like he was a man in political exile. I don't really believe he was managing anything related to Gustav, but it was simply a good excuse to keep him away. Also, there seem to be a lot of images and rhetoric that reflect a sentimental theme throughout the convention. Images of Ronald Reagan, chants for Teddy Roosevelt, and camera zooms on aging white folks really doesn't show me any indication for a true desire to change. All of this seems to harken back to the "good old days" as opposed to looking into the 21st century. Also, if the Dems win more seats in the senate, what will Lieberman do? I almost feel sorry for the guy....almost.

Quote For The Day

A little humor for the day, courtesy of Mr. Colbert.
"There’s a phrase we live by in America: “In God We Trust”. It’s right there where Jesus would want it: on our money." -Steven Colbert

Rogue Blogging?

We've recently had the issue of Governor Palin's daughter's pregnancy come to light by more mainstream media outlets. I, for one, am very much against any media source going against a candidate's family unless there is a just reasoning. I don't believe that the bloggers who went after Palin's daughter really had any reasoning to do so other than, maybe, contempt of some sort. The mainstream media outlets had not touched on the issue at all (although Hurricane Gustav was to thank for some of that) until these bloggers brought it up. I can see how it might raise some character issues about the governor, but I find that to be an out of bounds topic. There are plenty of other issues about her that can be called into question without having to stoop to digging up dirt on somebody's family. I say give it a rest and go after the real concerns.

Poem For Tuesday

WHEN WE TWO PARTED
by: Lord Byron
WHEN we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning
Sunk chill on my brow--
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame:
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.

They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me--
Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well:
Lond, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.

I secret we met--
I silence I grieve,
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?
With silence and tears.

Palin? continued

I think I've read enough about Governor Palin to come to the conclusion that she would not be healthy for the country as a VP if in the White House. Not only is she inexperienced in many ways, she has no intellectual curiosity. When asked what she thought of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, she said (and I paraphrase) "if it was good enough for the Founders, then it's good enough for me." First, the Founders didn't add that line nor did they create the Pledge. It was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, and the words "under God" were added in 1954. If that isn't troublesome enough, the fact that she would not have an opinion of her own on the matter bothers me even more. There's, seemingly, a lack of intellectual curiosity that is very much like the current administration. Do we really want a VP who doesn't take time to think about things like this? While Obama might not have a wealth of experience to draw from, at least he has spent years thinking about such issues and he's also been in a hard fought campaign. What has she been through?

19,000

That is the number of people in the crowd that Senator Obama drew this past Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. At face value that number is not impressive to a lot of people. Having lived in Columbus for my entire life, that number is unheard of on a Saturday in which Buckeye football is king. For those of you who do not know, almost everything stops in Columbus on game day when Ohio State takes the field. Easily 200,000 people come to campus for the game and other events that might be related. Not everybody goes into the game, which leaves a large portion of that crowd left outside to tailgate or find a TV to watch the game. With that said, the fact that he could get that many people to come to a rally on a beautiful day when the Buckeyes were playing, really shows me that this guy is for real.

Gaye's Anthem

What a great rendition of America's Anthem. Probably my favorite and what a great commercial too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbZTmcIfdBQ

Palin?

The rumor around the net today is that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will get the VP nod for Senator McCain. I don't understand this pick to be honest. To be fair, McCain really didn't have an easy choice in the matter. He would have been fighting constantly with Romney, and Pawlenty really didn't bring much to the table. But then again, what does Palin bring? She's a 44 year old governor who was elected in an unusual election for the state. She has no significant credentials to be President should Senator McCain be elected and pass away in office. Biden should shred her apart. The choice effectively eliminates one of McCain's key arguments with inexperience against Obama. She has LESS experience than Obama. Besides a nice looking environmental record, what does she bring? Is McCain's strategy to go after the Hillary vote? I think the Hillary followers are too smart to just vote for a woman for the sake of it. Sure, McCain may get some Clinton defectors, but I just don't see this choice paying huge dividends. I think this is a dangerous pick for McCain.

UPDATE: Upon further reflection, I'm still unsure what to make of Governor Palin. After reading some more information on her, she definitely seems like a nice person. But I'm not sure that is all we want. What does this pick mean, if anything? Will Clinton voters be offended at this not so subtle sign to them? I'm still mulling over what I think about it. But an interesting note is what I've been hearing from some men on the street. A lot of people I've eavesdropped on or spoken with seem to be willing to vote for her because of her sex appeal. Really? Are you that idiotic? Maybe McCain knows what he is doing after all. This initial feeling is that this smells like Harriet Miers all over again.

A Quote/Song For the Day

An apt song from Sam Cooke following an emotional and inspiring DNC. Enjoy.
"I was born by the river in a little tent

And just like that river I've been running ever since

It's been a long time coming But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die

Cos I don't know what's out there beyond the sky

It's been a long, a long time coming

But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

And then I go to see my brother

And I ask him to help me please

And he just winds up knockin' me

Back down on my knees

There were times when I thought I couldn't last for long

But now I think I'm able to carry on

It's been a long, been a long time coming

But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will" -Sam Cooke

Follow That?

With the DNC in the books and, by almost all accounts, a rousing success, the question now is how does the RNC follow that? In one of the best conventions--if not the best--I've seen, the McCain camp will need to have some serious mind-blowing material to counter the new Democratic wave of momentum. Putting Bush and Cheney on the podium will do nothing except for rouse the fringe, having Giulliani speak will leave the more traditional-valued conservatives cold, having Lieberman speak will alienate certain groups in the base, and so forth. This is not going to be an easy task for the Republicans to overcome. Perhaps a smarter strategy would simply not try and compete with overshadowing the DNC, but saving up momentum for the debates, which promise to be great.

The Speech

Last night was a historic night for all Americans. As the first black nominee to lead a major party in a Presidential election, it was truly inspiring to see how far we have come as a nation. We are no where near where we need to be, but it's a big step to where we ought to be. My initial reaction to the crowd was pure shock. I've never seen that many attend a political speech. Hell, I don't know if the Broncos got that many people for their games. The speech itself was very good. It was a little long, but it was inspired. I felt as though Obama did rally the Democratic base and got a number of people to swing in favor of the Dems. However, I also think a lot in the GOP side were rallied in a defensive mode. Will that make a difference and actually help McCain? I don't know. But I could certainly see a larger movement of GOP followers to start rallying around their candidate as a result of the speech. Depending on who McCain selects as his VP, then that will also impact those conservative base voters who might have been on the fence about going out into the streets for McCain. Overall, the speech was a success and now all that is needed is to see the bump in the polls. How much is anybody's guess.

Quote For The Day

One of my favorite quotes from the third day from Ohio's own Governor Strickland.
“You know, it was once said of the first George Bush that he was born on third base and thought he’d hit a triple. Well, with the 22 million new jobs and the budget surplus Bill Clinton left behind, George W. Bush came into office on third base, and then he stole second.” – TED STRICKLAND

Lieberman and Graham: The op-ed (scary stuff)

This is the kind of mentality that would prevail under a McCain foreign policy regime. Do we really want to deepen our problems by not trying to communicate with the rest of the world?

http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB121970826711471167.html

For The Right Reasons

I'm feeling introspective today, so I thought I'd examine my own thoughts on doing things for the right reasons. We all are put in situations where we have to decide to act in one way or another. Whether it be a formal occasion, to deciding to date somebody, we all make choices based on what we tell ourselves feels good and makes sense to us. However, we often confuse the feelings of here and now rather than the feelings of the longer term. For an example, one can be infatuated with a potential dating partner in the here and now based on looks or personality. But, many forget to examine the longer term feelings that could recede. What happens if you grow tired of the qualities you found attractive? Will you move on? Was it likely that you would lose those intense initial feelings as time went on? If so, then why did you not consider that from the beginning? As rational beings, we all want to be happy. Sometimes we find what we think makes us happy in the here and now, and run with it, only to find that that is not what we wanted at all. Maybe that kind of knowledge just comes with life experience. But some people still act in that manner regardless, which confuses me. Does it not make sense to examine the possible failures or shortcomings that could come from whatever feelings arose in the heat of the moment? I would advise any of my friends to be honest, pragamatic, and truly look into themselves and examine if they are really getting involved with something or somebody for the right reasons. Consider whether your sentiments in the here and now are overriding your rational thought for tomorrow.

An Underlying Issue--The Supreme Court

One of the most important, but least talked about, issues in this coming election will be the nomination of Supreme Court Justices. According to some sources, as many as three of the more liberal leaning Justices will be retiring during the term of the next President. This, in my mind, is monumental. Just as an example of what is at stake, let's say the issue of abortion were to come to the Court. Do we really want a Court filled with a mostly conervative bench deciding the issue without any moderate or counter voice? On the issue of wire tapping and even torture, what if those matters come back in front of the Court? I'd be willing to bet they are OK'd under their rationale. If elected, I believe McCain would undoubtedly create a Court that would stahl progress way beyond his tenure in the White House. If Obama is elected, I would hope that he would want to restore a balance to the Court once the retiring Justices step down. Anything less would be terrible for the American legal system in my mind.

Tea Time

I don't know why I decided to post about this subject, but it's something that was just on my mind, so why not, right? I've always been a fan of tea. While my current locale doesn't provide much in the way of a tea selection, Seattle certainly will. Among the many kinds of tea, I tend to like the bolder flavors which dominate the English teas (i.e. Russian Caravan). However, I do enjoy tea that has a nice citrus flavor as well. A lot of them tend to be German flavors, but there are also plenty from Asia too. The health benefits are an added bonus to drinking tea, like slower aging, improved immune systems, and increased motabolism. What's not to like?

Biden's Benefits

This article is one of the reasons why I like Joe Biden. Among other things, he's more able than almost anybody else in the US government (especially this administration) to examine the nuance and detail of a relationship with a country. He doesn't manipulate information for his own policy gains. Judging from this article, how could you not want him to be in the ear of the President on foreign policy decisions?

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/54_22/guest/27604-1.html?type=printer_friendly

"Smears"

Andrew Sullivan echoes my sentiments on a McCain foreign policy, and why we should be afraid of it.

"My main worry with John McCain is foreign policy. What do I worry about? That everything that has been awry with this administration would be made worse by his. Seeing the world as a series of enemies to be attacked rather than as a series of relationships to be managed and a series of foes to be undermined has proven of limited use. Even the successful removal of the Taliban has led, six years later, to a long and grueling counter-insurgency with no end in sight and a reconstituted al Qaeda in a nuclear-armed, unstable state. The invasion of Iraq - in the abstract, a noble cause against an evil enemy - has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands, the displacement of millions, the price of $3 trillion ... all for a less despotic Shiite government in league with Iran, making contracts with China. And that's if it turns out as a success. Along the way, the US has lost a vast amount of its moral standing and its legitimacy as a global power-broker. Insofar as neoconservatives do not understand this, and cannot understand this, they are a clear and present danger to the security of the West. Their unwillingness to understand how the US might be perceived in the world, how a hegemon needs to exhibit more humility and dexterity to maintain its power, makes them - and McCain - extremely dangerous stewards of American foreign policy in an era of global terror. They are diplomatically and strategically autistic.
McCain's response to the calamities of the past eight years has been to compound them all.
It has been to propose a 'surge' in Afghanistan, to aggressively embrace open-ended commitment to Iraq (if the Iraqis can be pressured hard enough), and to launch one new hot war against Iran and another cold one - and hot, by proxies - against Russia. And the way in which the question is debated - around asinine concepts of 'toughness' or 'sissiness' - leads to facile decisions. It also leads to ads like this one: fear-mongering as an argument. It should be noted that Obama's statement that Iran is 'not a serious threat' is so out of context as to be a lie. He said it was 'not a serious threat compared to the Soviet Union.' That is a critical, historical point - a way of actually looking at foreign policy outside a box crafted by morons. "

Quote For The Day

A funny quote for the day. Enjoy!
"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."-Mark Twain

Smell The Roses

Check out some of the art from one of my favorite artists, Justin Bua.
http://www.justinbua.com/newSite/index.php

DNC: Night 2

The DNC is starting to wear on me already. There are few instances of actual coherent thought among the speakers and even fewer that inspire. There is yet to be any significant attack on McCain or anybody else. Governer Warner's speech was luke-warm and was not a wise selection for the keynote speech in my opinion. He didn't stir any spirits nor did he really help Obama's cause. Hillary gave the best speech the second day and really gave Obama, and the rest of the speakers, a platform to launch their identities and plan of attack. She had some effective slogans in her speech and I found myself wanting to hear more from her. Tonight is vital with Joe Biden and Bill Clinton speaking. They both need to solidify the Democratic position, but also take bigger shots at the GOP. I have no doubt Biden will, but will former President Clinton? We shall see.

Russert, Jr.

Count me in as one of the fans of the late Tim Russert. I enjoyed his commentary on political matters and felt that he kept things pretty objective. Watching the MSNBC coverage of the DNC, however, has made me a little nauseated when they put Tim's son Luke on the air. What could he possibly have to say about the political situation beyond the experience of a college-adged kid? What depth or wealth of knowledge does he bring to the table? I'm sure he's a good kid and he may very well end up being much like his father, but this kind of blatant nepotism (and for no apparent reason) is a joke. Is it out of pitty? If I were Luke, I'd feel embarassed and a little humiliated because, in the back of my mind, I would realize the only reason why I was there was not because of my own accomplishments, but rather as a token.

Thoughts on The DNC: Night 1

Having had some time to reflect on what was said last night by prominent Democrats in Denver, I've reached a few conclusions about what could happen. First, Nancy Pelosi was not on her game last night. I don't find her to be the best orator in the Party, but she was particularly poor last night until near the end of her speech. Up until Caroline Kennedy came to the podium, the convention was fairly boring and uninspiring. Was that by design so that it would temper Michelle Obama's speech? I don't know. Caroline Kennedy's speech was very warm and effective at rallying some emotion in the base for her ill uncle. I fully expected Senator Kennedy to speak, but I was expecting a little more from it than what was given. Granted, he's going through intensive cancer treatment, so maybe there wasn't a lot to be expected anyway. I would rate his speech as good, but not great. After a series of other speakers, Mrs. Obama finally took the stage. I didn't really know what to expect from her since there had been so many portrayls of her in the media. What I found was a magnificent speech that really put her in the mold of a classic American story. I really think her speech touched a number of people and her children only added effect when Senator Obama appeared on a large screen to greet the people. Was this a rousing success for the Democrats? I think it was a good evening, but Mrs. Obama clearly stole the show. It was not a blow you out of the water evening, but perhaps that was by design. Tonight, with the Clintons speaking, should be very interesting to see. Tonight is the night to let it all out, as they say, for the Dems and get things REALLY under way.

Seven Questions with Bernard Lewis

For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Lewis, he's one of the dominant figures in Western thought on the issue of Islam. He tends to take a grim view on the matter, but it's worth noting his opinions, given the level of his expertise. I don't always agree with his ideas, but some of them do make sense. Below is a link to the interview.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4455

Pawlenty

Recently I had the opportunity to listen to Governor Pawlenty (Minn.) speak to a group of small business leaders and workers. Since he is one of Senator McCain's top choices for the VP spot, I felt it would be worthwhile to get a feel for him and his ideas. He has a pretty decent record of accomplishments while governer as well, which made me a little more interested to see what he was going to say. My initial impression of the governor, before he began speaking, was that he didn't seem austere or unapproachable. He actually had a kind of sheepish grin stuck on his face. Once he began speaking, he definitely seemed like a down-to-earth kind of person. While some of his message was not impressive to me, I can see how he would appeal to a blue collar kind of citizen. With that said, I think he would be overwhelmed by Biden in a debate, and he probably wouldn't be able to swing Minnesota in favor of McCain anyway. But again, this is just my initial impression of the guy.

A Good Point

Coates makes a good point in one of his Atlantic blog posts:


"...but I'm really still trying to wrap my head around this idea that people actually decide who they're going to vote for based on ads. I don't think I've ever seen an ad and went out and bought something because of it. An ad has made me decide to go investigate an item, but never to just purchase it sight unseen. Polls show I am wrong, but man are we in a civics hole when a significant number of people allow their votes to be decided by a television commercial."

Election Maps

Scholars from the University of Richmond have put out a very interesting collection of data in an animated map that shows American Presidential voting patterns since 1840, and as detailed as what the pattern was for each county. I found it to be very interesting. Enjoy.

http://www.americanpast.org/voting

Quote For The Day

With the start of the Democratic National Convention tonight, I thought a quote from our first President might be appropriate. Not to worry, I'll have one for the GOP too.
"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence." -George Washington

Magic Legs

I thought this story out of Israel was pretty damn cool. It looks pretty futuristic, but you can't argue that it probably helps relieve some of the mental anguish of those who have lost their ability to walk, and to finally be able to seem as though they can again.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080825/sc_nm/technology_paralysis_dc;_ylt=AlLaRrffwh20GkfOMm809ryaK8MA

The POW issue

I've been reflecting more on Senator McCain's POW/veteran status for a while. You'll never hear me argue that he isn't brave for going to war and ultimately being in a prison camp. And while I do have some questions about his experiences that I would like to know, why does he repeatedly refer to his stint as a POW ad nauseum on a daily basis. It made me consider other veterans and how they handle their experiences. From those that I have met and read about, especially coming home from World War II and Korea, they rarely if ever spoke of their time at war. In fact, many often refused to talk about it. These are, as they say, the real heroes because they don't want to take credit for what they did, or make gains from it. Rather, they mostly want to live their lives out without being reminded about their time in combat. I admire and respect that. What seems troublesome, and less than noble in my opinion, is the Senator's blatant use of his experiences for gain. Don't you think he's drawing from the well too many times on this topic? If I were him, I would greatly reduce his use of it.

The Biden Nod

For those of you that try and read my thoughts on the weekends, I failed to mention that I don't post anything during that time; my apologies. However, what I do in that short time span is mull over and meditate on certain issues, ideas, or topics that come up.

Over this weekend, I spent time examining Senator Obama's selection for his VP, Joe Biden. Having had the opportunity to meet and talk with Senator Biden as a DC intern gives me a little insight into the man, although I'm certainly no expert. So, I will start with what I think is favorable, and what I think is not with this selection.

The benefits I see with this choice are multifaceted. First, Biden brings much needed experience and clout. Over his 30+ years in the Senate, Biden has developed a foreign relations acumen second to none. In fact, I would argue his abilities and accomplishments in that field outweigh Senator McCain's. Those in the McCain camp might view Obama's selection as a sign of weakness and it goes against the idea of "change" that has been a central mantra for the Obama campagin. They say that by selecting Biden, the supposed ultimate Washington insider, that there will be no change. I can see their point, but at the same time, one could argue that in order to make any kind of real change, you need to know how to, which Biden certainly does.

Secondly, the selection of Biden shows seriousness to address the issues at-large. Critics might argue that Obama doesn't like people to go against his line of thinking and only wants to surround himself with people that agree with him, or "yes men". Biden is certainly far from a yes man, and has been one of the more vocal critics of Obama in the past (as the McCain camp has noted with recent ads). It's fairly well known that Biden will voice his opinion regardless of whether it's liked or not. Plus, you have to believe that at the age of 66, Biden is on his way out of politics. So, in essence, this is his swan song for the next four to eight years. With that said, I think he will be more comfortable defering final decisions to somebody like Senator Obama and advising, as opposed to being the number one guy on everything.

Third, if Senator Obama is elected and something were to incapacitate him, Biden would be ready to fill-in instantly. There would be no worry about experience or anything of the sort. He would continue whatever policies were in place, I believe, with flying colors. I'm sure there are plenty more positives to add, but I'm going to explore a few negatives as well.

First, Biden's talkative spirit. It is well known that the Senator loves to talk. Often times, this has come back to bite him when he talks too much. Having stuttered in his youth, I can relate to the Senator's desire to be verbose, but there are benefits to the economy of speech as well. Sometimes it is better to leave them guessing at what was mean't. If Obama can keep his VP's mouth on topic and not on tangents, then I think things will be fine. However, it should be noted that some of Biden's inarticulate talk is endearing to the middle-class and blue collar workers because it can relate to them. Having come from that kind of blue collar background, I'm sure Biden knows that lingo all too well.

Second, Biden is from the North. It has been difficult for Democrats to make significant inroads in the South in recent years without a southerner on the ticket. Will Biden change that with his straight talk? It might help some, but I don't know to what degree if any.

Third, how well known is Senator Biden? In a recent poll I saw on T.V., roughly 50% either didn't know him at all or had no opinion on him. That's quite a lot of people. Granted, polls are notoriously bad predictors of anything unless it is absolute, but that's still a tough number to look at.

With all of that said, is Biden a good choice? The more I think about it, I think he is. Certainly there are some draw backs to the selection, but I think he can do more good than harm unless he says something completely off base, which he has been known to do from time to time. He is a great orator, a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from, a good person, and one that relates to the common people from which he came. I will examine the GOP selection in a similar fashion once it is made.

Earning v.s. Inheriting

With the recent political ads about who is more of a rich elitist snob, it got me thinking; who actually earned their money in this (or any campaign)? I can respect somebody who earns their fortune because they put in the blood, sweat, and tears into making their living. In fact, I encourage people to keep trying to do that because it's one of the reasons America is great. What irks me, though, are those among the rich "elites" that never had to do a damn thing to get their money. George W. Bush, John Kerry, Paris Hilton, and more relevant to this moment in time, John McCain. Who is more like Ms. Hilton now, eh Mr. McCain?
There are examples from both political aisles and all throughout the fabric of high society. It's these people who are irritating because they live lavishly, having done nothing to improve society. Senator Obama has a great deal of wealth as well, but he earned it with plenty of hard work and few connections until reaching the higher circles of academia. Does he have a tinge of elitism and snobery? Probably so. But I can live with that since he is self-made. What I can't live with is the audaciousness of some to sling mud at others for being elitist when they have never had to truly work for their money in their lives. For all of you jokers, give it a rest.

Funny

For those of you that have been following the legitimacy of McCain's "Cross in the dirt" story, this is a particularly funny cartoon. (via A. Sullivan's blog).

We Need More Grinches

Today's society seems to be enamored with the idea of constantly being happy. Why? I have no problem with being happy, but in doing so, you take away an important emotion and internal reflective device in sadness. I'm not saying we should all suddenly encourage mass-sadness and being mean to people to enduce it, but rather not try and eliminate it from our lives. Some of the most significant realizations of my life came from reflecting on something while I was melancholy. Those moments inevitably brought me back to where I wanted to be, which was being happy. But if we are constantly happy, then it becomes too normal and it loses whatever it would have mean't had you not been for so long. You almost might forget what it means to be happy because it would be so routine.
Here is my solution: Take time each day to read, watch, or listen to something that makes you reflect on something that isn't pleasing to you. In doing so, you take on the issue front and center and you can find yourself grateful for what you do have again.

Still one of the best clips ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYtTtnfmsgc

This is badass

Quote For The Day

I felt this quote an appropriate reminder with the upcoming elections and the wisdom of a well-respected Representative that is gone too soon. RIP Rep. Tubbs-Jones.

"If they're willing to stand at polls for countless hours in the rain, as many did, then I should surely stand up for them here in the halls of Congress."-Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones commenting about the voting problems from the 2004 Presidential election.

Olympic Fatigue

I've been keep up to date on the events in Beijing much like many others across the globe. I've been thrilled with the accomplishments of so many great athletes and I marvel at their ability to do what they specialize in. With that said, I've really begun to grow tired of the commentary surrounding the accomplishments of these athletes. Sure, it's normal to have some interviews and discussions with the athletes and what they were thinking. I don't have a problem with that. I do have a problem with the over-staturated nature of it all though. There's not just one or two interviews, but closer to twenty. Frankly, I don't need nor do I want to hear about the same thing twenty different times.
My first example would be with the swimmer Michael Phelps. What he has done has been amazing, and there's no denying that. But everytime he won a gold, he was bombarded with pundits asking his thoughts and whether he felt pressure. Personally, I would get exhausted just from that. So much so that I would probably take a chair and beat Bob Costas' head in with it. As a spectator from afar, it has really turned me off from the games. Constant loop of interviews and replays get old after about the first five-hundred that are done. Don't get me started on Phelps' mom. I'm sure she's a great lady in person, but I just don't want to see her anymore. We know she loves her son regardless of his gold medals. We know she sits in the stands and makes the same shocked face every time, as if it is some big surprise that her son won. WE KNOW!
Second is the story of Dara Torres, an American swimmer in her Forties that looks like she should be in her late twenties. I mean, she is ripped, but looks great for her age. Like Phelps, we were saturated with her story about her training regimen and how she fought hard to get to where she is without using performance enhancers. I admire her story quite a bit and I know that I wouldn't be able to do that at her age. But please, please, please sports commentators: SHUT UP!
Last, we are getting inundated with the Jamaican runner Usain Bolt. The guy is a an athletic freak, of that there is no question. Do we really have to hear it every time we see him on screen? We know the guy is fast. Why is there not more press about the allegations that he uses performance enhancers? I'm not saying he does, but there are rumors circulating. I won't even bring the Chinese gymnasts into this about their age because I could write for hours about that. Overall, though, I've enjoyed watching the athletes. What they do is incredible. But my sentiments have been dampered by the hyper-attention given by the media. It just makes me want to start watching a bad sci-fi flick.

Quote For The Day

A wise and humorous quote indeed.

"I am not young enough to know everything." -Oscar Wilde

Baby Mama Drama

I recently read a piece asking the question of why women today seem to "get with" the wrong guy. Is it their desire to fix the "bad boy"? Is it a mass deterioration in the ability for women to recognize a jackass when they see one? Probably not. In fact, it's probably got a much more simple reasoning behind it. One of the major reasons was the introduction and use of birth-control into society. Before the pill was introduced, most, if not all, women had to be careful who they took to bed because they would more than likely end up pregnant. Thus, speaking in terms of economics, it forced women to pick men who could provide for a potential family. Today, with the mass use of the pill, women don't need to select men on this basis and can find other reasons to "get with" somebody. Further, with the mobilization of women in the workforce and the easier it is for them to provide, it has become less of an issue for men to provide for women. This, in my opinion, is why you see a lot of single mothers. The attempt to rangle in the "bad boy" winds up creating problems and the ultimate seperation of the would-be father. Do I advocate getting rid of birth-control? Hell no. I just think men and women need to start being more responsible as to whom they "get with" rather than doing such activity so cavalierly.

Troublesome

With the recent "discussion" (can you call it that?) at Saddleback with Pastor Rick Warren, the two Presidential nominees were given an opportunity to speak about their faith and related issues to a (most likely) pro-Republican crowd. Let me point out the absurdity of the entire scenario and how any pundit can come to a conclusion that Obama is "in trouble" because of this or how McCain is somehow a quality leader now. First, in recent years, the "religious" vote has become a significant one. Approximately 1/5 of those that vote are, in fact, religious and base their vote in some part on faith. The idea of a "faith vote" makes me cringe to begin with. Are we electing a theologian to office?
The recent interviews with Pastor Warren had me particularly frustrated. Senator Obama was already behind from the start. He was going against a crowd that largely either questioned his sincerity as a "Christian" and were looking for clarifying answers or simply didn't like the guy. Senator McCain on the other hand--whether in the silent tube or not--had a distinct advantage coming in. The crowd was, to begin, most likely at least leaning his way simply by party affiliation. Much of the night was related to touchy issues such as abortion and stem cell research. McCain was in campaign mode and shot off talking points like any political robot can and would do. The crowd seemed to eat-up most of it, except for a few points he made that went against their religious doctrines (i.e. stem cells). Obama, on the other hand, gave a more personal and nuanced interview to the crowd. I don't know that it went over well with them, especially on particular issues, but I don't think it hurt Obama overall as many pundits are making it out to be. If anything, it either came out a wash or McCain lost some "cred".
I wasn't expecting Obama to gain much from the experience, but I was expecting McCain to do better than he did. With that said, the fact that politics has started to become inter-meshed with the fringe of religious groups concerns me. Sooner or later, these groups will want the officials they elected to start implementing religious-based legislation into policy (Rick Santorum anybody?). I believe Americans will come to their senses at some point and this odd movement will deteriorate in strength. With that said, all of this leads me to believe that in spite of McCain's best efforts, he is too off-putting to win the general election and will not do so. Even after Obama's poor month, he still leads McCain and they haven't even gone into the meat of the election. Anything can happen before this November, but I'm pretty comfortable with the idea that Obama should STILL win.

A New Narrative?

The article from The American Scholar makes an interesting point about the narrative for black-Americans should Senator Obama be elected. Personally, I think some good points are made and is an overall even-handed piece. If you have a some time, please read this interesting work. http://www.theamericanscholar.org/su08/narrative-johnson.html

Quote For The Day

I can't substantiate her claim, but the idea is one we should all embrace.

"The government I led gave ordinary people peace, security, dignity, and opportunity to progress." -Benazir Bhutto

Old War Buddy

This is an interesting take on Senator McCain from somebody who went to school and served in Vietnam with him. Nobody questions McCain's acts of service as being heroic, but how much credit should he be given and how is this applicable to his potential as President? Philip Butler provides some insight, here: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,164859_1,00.html

A Sojourn: Reflections

I've given a brief and superficial overview of my experience on the road across a large portion of the United States. Most of my commentary was designed to give you, the reader, a quick glimpse into the events that transpired. In this last piece, I'd like to dig a little deeper into what I learned from the experience. First, and probably the most cliche', is if you put your mind to something, you can do it. Going across the country in a cramped car is not easy. Further, doing so with limited funds and entertainment is even more daunting. But that's what made the experience all the more memorable. The more difficult it felt, the more of a bond it created with those who joined you on the trip and along the way. Second, in this case, it is both the journey and the destination. On the journey, I discovered a lot about what this country is about. I always had an image of the different regions of the country being very defined, like once you cross a certain border, then all of the citizens will, generally, be very similar as far as living life. However, in spite of whatever regional differences there may be, we are essentially the same and look for many of the same things in life, namely happiness. I made it a point to talk to a local in every state to get their take on life in their state, their lives in general, and their perspective on the nation. Our opinions varied from state to state, but our underlying desires were fairly similar. Whether in the "Bible Belt" of Oklahoma/Texas, or the liberal bastions of Berkeley and Northern California, we all (for the most part) want to be happy. This may be simplistic, but for a long time I was convinved that a lot of people never wanted to be happy. They were sick of "happy". They looked for other things that replaced "happy". Inevitably finding those things made them happy, so, wouldn't that make my conclusion hold some water? In a lot of ways I found happiness in fulfilling a life goal to travel and see the nation. But I also gained happiness from seeing the people I care about the most at some point along the way. And that is what matters to me.

On Ta-Nehisi Coates

I recently began reading Coates' blog on the Atlantic website. I must say that I find his take on things quite refreshing. Too often I read commentary on issues that can sound stuffy and convoluted. Coates, along with other bloggers at the site like Andrew Sullivan and Marc Ambinder, bring out the topics with a kind of ease and sophisitcation that I enjoy. Frankly, anybody that can talk about McCain and then quote Ghostface is cool in my book. Keep up the good work gents.

Poem (courtesy of A. Sullivan)

Honor to those who in their lives
demarcate and guard a Thermopylae.
Never swerving from duty,
just and upright in all their acts,
but compassionate and sad nevertheless;
generous when they are rich,
when poorgenerous again in small ways,
again rushing to help as much as they can;
always speaking truthbut with no hatred for liars.
And more honor is fitting for them
when they foresee (and many do foresee)
that Efialtis will appear in the end,
and in the end the Medes will break through.
-Thermopylae, C.P Cavafy

A Sojourn: Part 3--Going Home. Continued..

Having survived the night without developing lung cancer from the smoke drenched walls in the room, we gradually made our way to breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised by what they offered because I was expecting more of a continental style. Instead, they had just about anything you could ask for. Was this great breakfast justified by everything else? Probably not, but I was going to eat as much as I damn well pleased to make up for it. We go back on the road and before we entered Wyoming, there was a statute of President Lincoln right at the border. There was no reason for this other than a monument to the martyred leader. It just seemed so out of place and in such a random spot being on the Utah/Wyoming border. I'll leave this one a mystery.
The plan for the day was to stop in Rock Springs, Wyoming to see one of my good friends for a little bit, and then try and make as far as we could from there after leaving. When we finally got to Rock Springs, it was just like any other Wyoming town: shitty. There was a monument to a tumbleweed once blowing through town. Not really, but that's how little went on in this town. According to Steph (my friend we met up with), one of the most popular things to do in town was smoke crystal meth. Apparently Rock Springs is one of the crystal meth meccas in the country. She had never taken part in the activity and neither were we, although the urge was there once we realized how crappy things were. The fact that she spent an entire summer in that bastion of nothingness is still pretty amazing. Since everything fun was closed on Sunday, we wound up spending some time at the local Applebee's. Apparently it was one of the town's finest eating establishments. Judging by the cussing and throwing of objects in the kitchen, I can see why people would want to come here; for entertainment! It certainly wasn't the food because almost everything we ordered they were out of.
We finally parted ways with somber goodbyes and made our way across the awful state. We came across signs for the town of Larramie and asked each other, "isn't that the town where that one Sheppard kid got murdered and lynched for being gay?" Alas it was. How awful is that, that your town is most commonly known for murdering a gay man. Time for a makeover. Having finally entered Nebraska, it was probably even worse than Wyoming. At least in Wyoming there were some mountains to look at. In Nebraska, there was nothing. To paraphrase Dave Attell, the best thing to do upon enterting this place is get the hell out. Referred by the locals as "America's roadblock", Nebraska basically had one road right down the heart of the state. Cruise control was a blessing in this place. We eventually stopped at a local gas station to fill the tank and stretch out our legs. This may have been the greatest (or worst) gas stop in the universe. The cashier at the Taco Bell stand had on a KFC shirt and crustache that made him think he was a "hardass like Dog the Bounty Hunter," (his words). Thankfully there was no confusion on the food like in Reno, but there were an unusual amount of angry fat people in the other side of the store. Much to my dismay, the bathrooms were in that part of the place and so I had to walk by this angry lot of people. Nothing happened on my way to the urinal, but on the way back I got a glare and a quick "what the fuck are you lookin' at fucker" from a woman that could have been the spawn of Mimi from the Drew Carey show and Swamp Thing.
When we finally got back to the car, we noticed the windshield was covered in dead bugs. We had discussed this at one point and wondered how many bugs we had killed on our journey. We were, in essence, mass bug murderers. We probably killed somewhere in the upper hundreds to thousands. If the bugs had a Geneva Convention, our asses would be toast. In any case, while doing that, a car pulled up with the bass blasting full tilt. Out walked three of the skiniest and weirdest looking white guys I have ever seen. They, like the Taco Bell clerk, had those gross crustaches (must be a Nebraska thing). Further, they were clad in Fubu and Roca Wear that was so baggy, they could barely walk without tripping. They bobbed their heads to the beat and gave me a head nod. Did they realize where they were? Did they care? Was there a ghetto around Nebraska that I missed? It reminded me of that one movie "White Boyz" where these white guys from Iowa try and act like they are ghetto and "gangsta", but soon get a harsh (but funny) lesson in Chicago. I cleaned up the last bug and drove away with the bass from their car still wringing in my ear.
We finally made it to Lincoln, Nebraska where it was very humid. We had decided to try and sleep in the car to save some money and pulled in a lot at an "Econolodge". Things didn't start off so well since the car was already miserably hot on the inside and bugs were swarming like locusts on the outside, which made it impossible to roll down the windows. Further, the Taco Bell was kicking and screaming in my stomach and I had to go to the bathroom. I went into the front to ask the manager if I could use the restroom. To give you an image of him, picture the bearded dwarf king from the Lord of the Rings. This was what the guy looked like but with a tight Van Halen shirt on that was about 4 sizes too small. Further, when I walked in he was watching re-runs of old X-Files episodes. Maybe if I had said I was working for agent Mulder, I would have had more success, but he denied me access even though nobody was using it AND it was a public restroom. I promptly raced back to the car in order to find a stop. The Taco Bell was still wreaking havoc on my insides and I needed to find relief quickly. We finally found a place where they let me use their bathroom. The lady that pointed me in the direction of those toilets said "you have the look of somebody that needs to find a bathroom." I don't remember looking like I was in a panic or making weird faces from the pain, so it made me wonder, what does a person's face look like that needs to use the bathroom? Can the same face be classified for hunger? murder? winning the lotto? I was pondering all of this while literally releasing my inner demons. I get some of my best thinking done there. Finally making it back to the car, we finally caved and got a room. It was just too humid to try and sleep in the car. The smell would have lingered for the entire car ride back to Ohio the next day, which would have clearly sucked. Until next time...