Sunday, November 23, 2008

Monday music


White Bird ~ It's a beautiful day

I worked this weekend, but am off the rest of the week till Friday. That alone makes it a *beautiful day*.
Looking forward to a small family get together here for Thanksgiving.


I know a few more banks went under last week, and now Citibank is getting a huge piece of the bailout pie.
A part of the bailout allows the government to get shares of their stock. Did George think that one up himself?
Lots of useless stock of companies going down..... right out of the Enron School of Cooked Books & the fast track to total collapse?

Agh! I have to pace myself. Maybe even drive me to step away from the computer and get the house cleaned for Thanksgiving? Drastic times call for drastic measures.....

Friday, November 21, 2008

Whoah!!!

It's pretty astonishing to see the way things are changing quickly & dramatically, with the economic downturn.
• Locally, there have been 21 bank robberies since September 1. 

• The county is lacking funds, so they had to shut down a few hundred jail beds, which means many criminals brought to prison, some for serious crimes, are being released the same day, because they don't have jail space. 

• Mr. Ramblings workplace handed out paychecks and pink slips. Don't even know how many more got the axe, but they were already running 2x the work with 1/2 the people. We survived the cut, but it is getting grim & bleak. I can't remember if this is the 4th or 5th wave of lay offs.
They did this one as a sort of "Friday surprise", thereby dodged having to do a press release, or state how many more lost jobs. 

• My workplace has geared up to do a hiring twice, and then reversed course and decided to not hire, because business is slow, and lots of folks are cancelling travel plans. Employees could volunteer to work a 4 day workweek, and sign up daily to be able to leave if things are slow. 

• The State of Oregon has lost 14,100 jobs in September, and the jobless rate is up to 7.3%.
They are officially calling it a recession.

• Oregon's hunger rate is among the highest in the country. 

• Nationwide, unemployment is projected to hit 8%. 

• Foreclosures up 25% in October, nationwide. 

• Unemployment claims hit a 16 year high as 1.2 million U.S. jobs vanish in 2008. 

• If the US auto industry tanks, thousands, perhaps millions of jobs lost. 

• Stores are offering 60% markdowns in November, in a slumped market. Those consumers are just not consuming as the economy gets more frightening & unstable by the day.  Likely lots of stores will go under with a flatlined Xmas sales margin. 

In "happier news"~

• Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac suspend holiday foreclosures.  No Grinch arriving at Tiny Tim's house between Nov 26 and Jan 9.  About 10,000 households will be affected under Fannie, and Freddie about 6,000 borrowers facing foreclosure.  they will then evaluate if they qualify under a foreclosure bailout. 

• Crude oil $48.50 a barrel. I don't know about you, but when gas prices soared, we cut back on driving. Gas has dropped to under $2 bucks a gallon in some place. Not so long ago it was $4.69 a gallon. 

• Heinz ketchup and product sales are up- because more people are eating at home. Smuckers jams & jellies are selling more too.  People are eating more peanut butter & jelly these days. 
Remember- Ronald Reagan declared ketchup a vegetable!

• In densely populated areas, UPS will set up PODS to store bulk packages,  & have carriers ride bikes with trailers to make deliveries. They expect to save $38,000 by using bikes. 






In closing, I know pointing blame does no good, but it is important to recognize who is responsible for this mess. I've already heard pundits blaming Obama for the financial recession, crisis, call it what you will. George W. Bush was driving this bus, he was the decider, and had on his resume 2 previous bankruptcies as a result of his "leadership". For the record, it is Bush, through his ineptitude, who drove this country to it's knees, and into bankruptcy, on so many levels.

Friday Music & An Invitation


Tracy Chapman~ New Beginning


Just hang in there, our regime change is coming.

Here's a thought~

It's so easy to say what we don't like, it's harder to come up with viable solutions.

BRAINSTORM!!!

So can you think of several great ideas, changes you want, solutions or directions we can take to shape our future?

Please send them to soon-to-be-President Obama~ click here to get there.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page~ 
OPEN GOVERNMENT ~ SHARE YOUR IDEAS

Share some of your solutions here too!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Good Times!


For all these years, we've been pulling out our hair & dreading what next with the Bush administration.
But of late I find myself shouting Yay! I swear-- it's like Christmas came early this year!

An "internets" scan of the latest news includes:

• Texas Grand Jury Indicts Dick Cheney & Alberto Gonzales on charges related to prisoner abuse in federal detention centers.
Yay!

• Alaskan Republican Senator Ted Stevens loses his seat to Democrat Begich. Yay!
Come on MSM, turn the electoral map of Alaska BLUE & add 3 more electoral votes to Obama's tally & 1 more DEM in the Senate.

• Al Franken votes for the MN Senate Seat are 206 off, a recount begins tomorrow~ Preemptive/ Hopeful Yay!

• Don't ask Don't tell will likely go away in the Obama administration. Double Yay!

• Obama will shut down Gitmo. Yay x 10

• Obama says no more torture. Yay to the International degree!!!!!

Jeez all this good news, and Obama is not even in office yet.

Monday, November 17, 2008

BAILOUT BINGO



I have mixed feelings about the bailout in general, but the so called "big three" auto makers in the U.S.~ GM, Ford & Chrysler.
My gut level feeling is- they are privately owned corporations, if they can't run a successful business, then they would have to fold just like any other unsuccessful business.

But this is a complex issue. We only have three US major car manufacturers in our country, and perhaps it is in our best interest to help save them. I am not so much interested in saving them to support the corporate model, as in corporations over people, but the two are tied together. If a company goes out of business, they take with them the pensions and health insurance of all the worker bees, who may have given a lifetime of hard work to the corporation, with the promise and understanding, they would have a pension, and health care after retirement. It is for those people, and all the family wage jobs, and the concept that we should have American made cars in this country- besides Toyota & Honda. We as a country need to pull it together to have our own thriving vehicle manufacturing going on right here in the US.

But the waters get murky, and this is the part of the bailout that bothers me. GM has a lucrative "war profit" account, supplying the military with Humvees. They all are top heavy, the upper execs get paid ridiculous sums of money and get hefty bonus money and perks. In other words, they squander their profits.

Over the years, they seem to have adopted the philosophy that the main goal is to bow down to the almighty shareholder, pulling in a big profit is king, and cutting corners is the way to get there. US autos have become an inferior product, with low consumer ratings, and a shorter lifespan than foreign made cars. They really missed the boat on Hybrids, and energy efficient vehicles that are sippers rather than gas guzzlers.

Meanwhile American Express credit card company asked the government if they can declare themselves a "bank", in order to get a piece of the bailout pie. Somehow, I think credit card companies have devised every method possible in which to make profits. 24% interest rates, steep fines, and fees. Do we really need to give them a $3 billion dollar bailout? The more money that goes to these bailouts ,means the less money available to help deal with the foreclosure situation.


If the big three are to be bailed out, it has to come with a no more business as usual mandate.
Where do you stand on this issue?

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Finding your bearings



I have always been fascinated with Compass Rose designs. Some are quite beautiful and elaborate~ but they are patterns to help find our bearings. Our direction. The only thing that is guaranteed in life is change. Right now I am bridging between my "child" turning into an adult, and elderly parents dealing with some heavy medical realities.
A part of me wants to quit my job and go be of help to family in distant states. Another part is grounded with where we grew our our roots, and many commitments and obligations. I am torn between the two, and doing some soul searching about it all.


Embryonic Journey - Jorma Kaukonen

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Support Equal Rights

NATIONWIDE PROTESTS IN SUPPORT OF GAY MARRIAGE
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2008
10:30 AM PACIFIC  ~ WEST COAST
11:30 AM MOUNTAIN
12:30 PM CENTRAL
                         1:30 PM EASTERN ~ EAST COAST
CITIES IN EVERY STATE IN AMERICA ~ Click to find local information. 



Our country has had enough oppression and division. It's time to pull together to demand Equal rights. Our neighbors to the north, Canada have same sex marriages, protected in their constitution.
We don't need segregation and discrimination in the 21st century.

Fight the H8 in Your State


Monday, November 10, 2008

Veteran's Day


Where does Peace Start

by Judy Puckett

He looked me in the eye
And then he told me his heart
He said I cry like you cry
And I'm afraid of the dark
He said I'd like to put this gun down
And go home today
But it seems
That war won't go away.
He said, I bleed like you bleed
And it tears me apart
I need to know,
Where does peace start?
He said I cry like you cry
As I watch your flag fly
He looked me in the eye
and he told me his heart
And then he said,
Where does peace start?

©2003, Judy Puckett


UNTITLED

This is the field where the battle did not happen,
where the unknown soldier did not die.
This is the field where grass joined hands,
where no monument stands,
and the only heroic thing is the sky.

Birds fly here without any sound,
unfolding their wings across the open.
No people killed – or were killed – on this ground
hollowed by the neglect of an air so tame
that people celebrate it by forgetting its name.

by William Stafford
USA (1914-1993)


Peaceful Prayers

Let there be peace in the world.
Let us all see peace and not war.
Let us all have peace in the world.
Let all our statesmen know no violence,
Let all love peace with warm vehemence,
Let all be clothed with passionate patience,
Let all respect peace with real reverence.
Let peace pervade every political terrain,
Let peace calm the spirits of every domain,
Let peace be at peace with every reign,
Let each achieve peace with poor pain.
Peace, to you we plead: come to us.
Peace, we entreat you: deign on us.
Peace, we want you: envelope us.
Let our homes be adorned with peace,
Let our streets be paved with peace,
Let our cities be set on a hilltop of peace.
Let peace taint our every thought.
Let there be peace, let peace never cease
Let there be peace, let war forever cease.

Jude Ogunade


Just some poems today, to honor Veterans, and embrace peace.

Hair Dont's and a Scathing Expose about the First Lady elect



JIM FESTANTE/ The Root

I'd never pictured Barack Obama in a James Brown hairdo..... too funny!

Now for a scathing expose about Michelle Obama......

Michelle graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. After completing her formal education, she returned to Chicago and accepted a position with the law firm Sidley Austin, and subsequently worked as part of the staff of Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Hospitals.

Michelle Obama and her brother Craig skipped the second grade. Michelle squandered her high school years, on the honor roll for four years, took advanced placement classes, was a member of the National Honor Society and served as student council treasurer.

In 1993, she became Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies, a non-profit organization encouraging young people to work on social issues in nonprofit groups and government agencies. She worked there nearly four years and set fundraising records for the organization that still stood a dozen years after she left.
In 1996, Obama served as the Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago, where she developed the University's Community Service Center. In 2002, she began working for the University of Chicago Hospitals, first as executive director for community affairs and, beginning May, 2005, as Vice President for Community and External Affairs. She still holds the position, though she is working part time in order to devote more time to being a mother.

Michelle contributes more to the family finances, making much more than Barack's Senate salary of $157,082.

Michelle's Dirty Little Secret....

Here it is folks. What's behind all this hype about Michelle being a well educated, bright woman, mother of two children in wedlock?

Michelle Obama as well as her daughters are said to be avid hula hoopers. Barack Obama told People Magazine that one of his wife's secret talents is that she can really hoop. "She is the best Hula-Hooper I know. Once she gets the rhythm going, she can drop to her knees!"

That's right! Michelle Obama had been a closet Hula Hooper all these years.

This is the first I've heard about it, and AFTER the election!!!

Hrumph! Maybe that's why she can pull off wearing a dress like this & look great in it? The truth comes out... it always does....

So for all those talking heads who want to obsess over Michelle Obama with a focus on fashion..... give it up. The lady has a brain, and fully intends to use it!


* Thank you Wickipedia for these factoids.



Sunday, November 9, 2008

Good Riddance Gitmo


The remote prison in Cuba's Guantanamo Bay is one the items that most bothered me about the Bush regime. What need for a remote prison but to conduct illegal activities? Because Bush did not officially declare war in Iraq, these people are officially "detainees". These not-war, non-prisoners have endured some of the worst conditions imaginable.
In his campaign, Barack Obama promised to shut down Gitmo. I am relieved to say he is working on keeping that promise.

AP Reports:

"President-elect Barack Obama's advisers are quietly crafting a proposal to ship dozens, if not hundreds, of imprisoned terrorism suspects to the United States to face criminal trials, a plan that would make good on his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison but could require creation of a controversial new system of justice.

During his campaign, Obama described Guantanamo as a "sad chapter in American history" and has said generally that the U.S. legal system is equipped to handle the detainees. But he has offered few details on what he planned to do once the facility is closed.

Under plans being put together in Obama's camp, some detainees would be released and many others would be prosecuted in U.S. criminal courts.

A third group of detainees -- the ones whose cases are most entangled in highly classified information -- might have to go before a new court designed especially to handle sensitive national security cases, according to advisers and Democrats involved in the talks. Advisers participating directly in the planning spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans are not final.

The move would be a sharp deviation from the Bush administration, which established military tribunals to prosecute detainees at the Navy base in Cuba and strongly opposes bringing prisoners to the United States. Obama's Republican challenger, John McCain, had also pledged to close Guantanamo. But McCain opposed criminal trials, saying the Bush administration's tribunals should continue on U.S. soil.

The plan being developed by Obama's team has been championed by legal scholars from both political parties. But it is almost certain to face opposition from Republicans who oppose bringing terrorism suspects to the U.S. and from Democrats who oppose creating a new court system with fewer rights for detainees.

Laurence Tribe, a Harvard law professor and Obama legal adviser, said discussions about plans for Guantanamo had been "theoretical" before the election but would quickly become very focused because closing the prison is a top priority. Bringing the detainees to the United States will be controversial, he said, but could be accomplished.

"I think the answer is going to be, they can be as securely guarded on U.S. soil as anywhere else," Tribe said. "We can't put people in a dungeon forever without processing whether they deserve to be there."

Obama has said the civilian and military court-martial systems provide "a framework for dealing with the terrorists," and Tribe said the administration would look to those venues before creating a new legal system. But discussions of what a new system would look like have already started.

"It would have to be some sort of hybrid that involves military commissions that actually administer justice rather than just serve as kangaroo courts," Tribe said. "It will have to both be and appear to be fundamentally fair in light of the circumstances. I think people are going to give an Obama administration the benefit of the doubt in that regard."

Prosecuting all detainees in federal courts raises a host of problems. Evidence gathered through military interrogation or from intelligence sources might be thrown out. Defendants would have the right to confront witnesses, meaning undercover CIA officers or terrorist turncoats might have to take the stand, jeopardizing their cover and revealing classified intelligence tactics. (Personally, I am OK with the revealing of classified intelligence tactics, that's sanitized code for torture).

In theory, Obama could try to transplant the Bush administration's military commission system from Guantanamo Bay to a U.S. prison. But Tribe said, and other advisers agreed, that was "a nonstarter." With lax evidence rules and intense secrecy, the military commissions have been criticized by human rights groups, defense attorneys and even some military prosecutors who quit the process in protest.

"I don't think we need to completely reinvent the wheel, but we need a better tribunal process that is more transparent," Schiff said.

Whatever form it takes, Tribe said he expects Obama to move quickly.

"In reality and symbolically, the idea that we have people in legal black holes is an extremely serious black mark," Tribe said. "It has to be dealt with." End quote.

Yes it is time for America's gulog to be shut down.

Since 2002, more than 500 detainees have departed Guantanamo for other countries including Albania, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Yemen.

I'd like to know what the hell that means- "500 detainees have departed Guantanamo for other countries". Are they released, set free, determined to have been wrongfully imprisoned, or have they been shipped to the "secret prisons" worldwide we have heard about. I'd seriously like to know the details. Are we talking Blackwater? Is the US military involved in further prisoner/detainee activity?

According to the Global Security Website

As of November 4, 2008, approximately 255 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But as I review the entry logs, it seems reminiscent of Apartheid:

In late May 2007, a detainee at Guantanamo Bay was found dead in his cell from an apparent suicide.

No name, not even a specific date?

And this entry:

On 12 October 2006, DOD announced that it had that it had transferred 16 detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Afghanistan, and one detainee to Morocco. As a result of the transfer, approximately 110 detainees remained at Guantanamo whom the U.S. government had determined eligible for transfer or release through a comprehensive series of review processes. As a result of the transfer, approximately 335 detainees had departed Guantanamo for other countries.

Hundreds of detained prisoners "departed gitmo for other countries"?

They make it sound like vacation travel plans.

If I sound like I have extreme distrust in the Bush regime, it is because that is true.

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

New meaning to the term "Holy Roller"

This is a sample of the new license plate offered in South Carolina, a Christian themed license plate.
Shown here, the stained-glass window and crucifix, with the words "I believe" on the license plate.
The DMV said they needed a minimum of 400 of the plates ordered with a prepaid application, to begin making the plates.
They reached the minumum 400 orders in just three days, so now it's a matter of that lawsuit.

Washington based Americans United for Separation of Church and State sued state officials on behalf of two Christian pastors, a humanist pastor, and a rabbi in South Carolina, along with the Hindu American Foundation. In the lawsuit, they are arguing it is state sponsorship of a particular faith.

The litmus test for this kind of thing is does it apply across the board? For example will they be offering Satanic and Witchcraft plates? Are they comfortable rolling out Muslim, Buddhist, and Unitarian plates as well? Who will design the athiest plate?

Joe LIEberman















FLIP FLOP JOE LIEBERMAN


Did Joe LIEberman really think he could campaign for McCain, ride the Straight Talk Express bus, be a key speaker at the Republican Ntl. Convention, then return to the Senate and Caucus with the Democrats?

You tell me ~ Scott Nance wrote this piece:

Moreover, the Democrats may come to rue the day they turned their backs on their colleague. Democrats, self-servingly, waited to hang Lieberman until after the election only to wait until their Senate majority was sufficiently padded so as not to have to rely on Lieberman to maintain that majority.

While it is certainly true Democrats no longer need Lieberman to keep Reid in the majority leader's post, analysts repeatedly are pointing out that Democrats did not reach the magic 60-seat level needed to end filibusters. These analysts say Democrats will need to reach across to a handful of Republicans to move legislation.

That's true, but why make that task harder than it has to be? Why alienate Lieberman further? Instead, since he's been fairly reliable for Democrats other than on Iraq, Lieberman could be kept as a useful vote against filibusters -- unless he is antagonized. It would be more than a shame if one of President Obama's key programs goes down to defeat because of bad blood over this Lieberman thing.

Further, Lieberman has been a leader on two bills to control global climate change. Given the importance carbon regulation will be during Obama's term, again, doesn't it just make sense to keep Lieberman in a position where he can continue to work effectively on that issue?

And the bottom line is: Lieberman is a politicallly broken man.

Markos Moulitsas, of Daily Kos fame, has written of polls that show Lieberman's support in Connecticut has continued to tumble -- so much so, that he would not be re-elected today, even as an independent.

That means Lieberman's years are numbered. This is likely to be his final term.

That takes me back to the president-elect's calls for national unity and national purpose.

You're either part of the solution, or part of the problem. Shouldn't we give Lieberman the chance, in the relatively short time he has left, to be part of the solution?

At least give Lieberman the chance to see if he can live up to that loyalty oath he set out for himself.


Still not buying it? How about this, the old adage that goes: "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer"?

Lieberman's loyalty changes in whatever direction the wind blows. Therefore Lieberman blows. How's that for a philosophical
assessment?

Hmmm, let's review ~

• Democrats turned their backs on their colleague?
Wait a minute! If we are discussing back turning, then we pretty much have to acknowledge who jumped on the elephant, so to speak. Turncoat Lieberman was the guy who chose to stand at the podium of the RNC encouraging us all to vote for the Republican candidate & rode the bus campaigning for McCain. McCain!
Lieberman did not just decline to promote the democratic candidate, who is clearly the better choice- but actively promoted McCain. Not only did Lieberman exhibit bad taste in candidates, but he showcased himself as being out of touch with the country.

• Analysts say Democrats will need to reach across to a handful of Republicans to move legislation.
Who are we kidding-- Lieberman is already across the aisle. Furthermore, if he fully plays partisan politics, he is only shooting himself in the foot.

• Why alienate Lieberman further?
That ship has already sailed! Come on- he urged voters to pick McCain @ the RNC, how much more alienated can a politician be?

• Doesn't it just make sense to keep Lieberman in a position where he can continue to work effectively on that (global warming) issue?
Again, if Lieberman wants to be effective on any issue, he can do it from either side of the aisle. He chose what side of the aisle he's on in a very public way. Let's not pretend otherwise.

• National unity and national purpose.
Yes indeed, the ball is in Lieberman's court to do make it so.


I just signed this petition to the members of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, who now determine Joe Lieberman's fate as Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Harry Reid has told Lieberman that he has to go, but Joe is now openly threatening the caucus. Please sign this petition and let them know that Lieberman must go, once and for all.


Either that or change Joe to a committee for sewage oversight. (Joe-the-plumber reference). 


Joe has the charisma of a wet dishrag. Joe doing a short tap dance about his "options".
Lieberman now "completely supports Obama". Little bit late Joe Lieberman.
Opt this Joe-- you jumped ship now you live with the consequences.



Thursday, November 6, 2008

Dawgs in the White House


There have been more dogs in the white house than presidents!
Time Life has a history of dogs in the white house collection, that is a fun romp in remembering past presidential pet history. 
Harry Truman said "You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog."  
Barney & Miss Beazley ~ start packing, a new dog is moving in!

BREAKING NEWS: MERKLEY (D) WINS SENATE SEAT

AP Just declared Jeff Merkley has unseated (R) Gordon Smith for the Oregon Senate. 


Onward



Jubilant • Historic

Barrier Broken

Sense of Hope

Powerful Leadership

Shifting of Generations

In this together

These are the words that are resonating.

This shift is profound.




Let me start by expressing my joy and congratu
lations to President Elect Barack Obama.
His win is our win. The country, the global community, decency and goodwill are all winners here. The win is especially triumphant because it really did squelch all the nasty, low down tactics the McCain campaign employed.

Rosa sat

so Martin Luther King jr could walk

so Barack Obama could run

~Anonymous



This progression has been a long time in coming. Let the healing begin.
Other sundry election results……

• San Francisco was not able to pass the bill that named of the sewage plant after George Bush

• Michigan passed a Medical Marijuana bill & Ok’d Stem Cell research (Way to go Michigan!)

• Washington State joined Oregon in being the 2nd state in the Union with Physician Assisted Suicide (for terminal illness).

• Gay Marriage was banned in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida & California.
Really sad about those results. Equal rights should be for everyone- EVERYONE!

• Oregon’s Senate race is too close to call, as of 8:17 pm PST, they are STILL counting (are they using an abacus??) 79% of the vote counted, mid day the vote flipped in favor of the Democratic candidate, Merkley. At this time, Merkley is 6359 votes ahead. They are having computer software issues, and doing some hand counting in major population areas. Elections officials tells us they have till Nov 20..... Better they get it right, than fast. 
The remaining uncounted votes are in the western, liberal population centers of the State…. meaning favorable for Merkley.
Holding out hope (R) Gordon Smith will get his walking papers. He ran a nasty campaign & is a war mongering Bush bootlicker.

• May I say~ You look really good in Blue ~ Ohio, Nevada, Iowa, Colorado, Indiana, Florida, Virginia…. maybe even North Carolina. Thank you for keeping hope alive, and helping take back our country. Also to you Blue voters in Red States…. you know who you are. 
Much gratitude to all.

• A special thanks to Pennsylvania. We heart you!

• Libby Dole got her walking papers– she accused her opponent of being “godless”.
North Carolina said “No Sale” to that tactic. Adios Libby!

• Ted Stevens won in Alaska. Seven indictments, just last week, for accepting illegal gifts, this soon to be 85 year old Senator is the longest serving republican- six decades. Do Alaskans LIKE corrupt politicians?
Jeez– it did not occur to Alaskans it was time for him to retire? Are they putting something in the drinking water in Alaska?

• Sarah Palin~ At least we were spared any speech from her last night. The only silver linings here were (verbatim) grand comedy impersonations from Tina Fey, and now we know to keep a closer watch on Polar Bears, Beluga Whales, and Oil & Natural Gas Drilling deals. Palin was a nightmare. Oh! And you might want to get that Voodoo Witch Doctor to do a ritual to purge you of all that hate.

• John McCain~ Delivered a decent concession speech, in which he said the failure to win, was his failure. Agreed. He also said he did not know what he could have done differently. Here’s a clue John, the hate, lies, and incitement of contempt at your rallies may have come off as both negative, and unacceptable. Plus having solid plans of action (other than to serve dirty slander against your opponent) would make a difference. One more thing, selecting a VP worthy of the task would be a good place to examine as well. At least you did call Obama “your president”, and vowed to work together for this county, and that was honorable.
Although the media keeps calling it a “Peaceful transfer of power”, your campaign crossed the line of what was peaceful or ethical. If such venom cost you the election, than I hope it was a valuable lesson. The last thing our country needs is more division and hate. The voters delivered that message to you in very clear terms.

• The Decider~ W, was AWOL, nowhere to be seen on election day. Large crowds gathered by the White House to dance in the streets. The terrorism fear chart level was raised to “Yellow” & higher security put in place. Be afraid George, the game is over. With any luck at all you might be spending some time behind bars for crimes against humanity, and breaking of international laws ~ that would be a legacy you’ve earned & fully deserve.

Do you have any other election updates to share?

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Yes we won....


"While we breathe, we hope" ~ Barack Obama, President Elect

A wave of hope & sanity restored seemed to be the feeling as Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech. The thing about this win, is that it is a triumph of good over evil, which really makes it all the more powerful. 

The opponent's campaign went to places so low, no other campaigns have crossed that line.
The man who won, was chastised for his middle name Hussein, accused of being a terrorist, a Muslim (which should not have been an issue in the first place), who attended a radical Christian church for 20 years with an "America hating" preacher. 
I even saw a copy of an ad with a flyer showing a baby stroller on a train track, saying Obama would do nothing about this (abortion reference). There were hate filled robo calls. In fact, much of the republican campaign was spent bad mouthing & putting down Obama.

Somewhere along the line, some people cast their ballots on the lies and propaganda, but the vast majority of those who did vote (with record turnouts, still only 1/3rd of the country actually voted!), did not buy into those hateful tactics. The lies and negativity were so far fetched and venomous, and perhaps the republican campaign came to be seen for what it was, a shallow agenda, heavy on hatred and negativity, void of real solutions. 

Which is why a win for the left-wing, liberal candidate, who happens to be a black man, who ran a clean campaign, and more often chose the high road in his campaign, is particularly sweet. Obama declared that family issues should be "off the table", when Palin's unwed daughter became pregnant.  He made an eloquent speech, discussing the black perspective, when they questioned the words of Preacher Reverend Wright. 

Despite all the absurd things dredged up, and far flung against "an unlikely candidate", as Obama acknowledges, he is our next president.  Not only did Obama win, but our nation & the global community won. Truth & decency won as well.

Let the healing begin, with a new sense of common purpose.





Tuesday, November 4, 2008

If she could .....



Lady Liberty would be dancing!

NEW BLUE STATES:

PENNSYLVANIA
VIRGINIA
NEW MEXICO
IOWA
OHIO
COLORADO
NEVADA


President Obama has a nice ring to it.

Sigh of relief

Vote as if lives depend on it

Today is the big day. Please Vote!


CSNY ~ Chicago
This song encapsulates the need for change. Although it shows 1968 DNC footage, the scene of overreacting police played out again at the Republican National Convention, with a new twist, protest organizers were raided and arrested in a preemptive police state. For the record, at the Democratic Ntl Convention, Barack Obama agreed to meet with the Iraq veterans of war group, to hear them out. At the RNC, McCain refused a meeting or to accept a statement letter from the war Veterans.



MLK Speech against war ~ Still rings true 40 years later.


This is it. Our time to start a new beginning. We have endured the most corrupt, inept regime ever in this country for eight long years. So much has transpired, it's hard to remember it all. It began with the stolen election, hanging on a election ballot chad. It quickly progressed to a rapid, downward spiral, where it was not just a simple disagreement of philosophies, but core foundations, domestic and international laws being broken and trampled. the illegal occupations which were supposed to be "easy & quick", this mission, that almost 6 years later, is still not accomplished.

The human rights violations, which not only bankrupts our morality, but puts us at a greater risk. Torture, in the form of the illegal occupation of Iraq, waterboarding, the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses, and the existence of Gitmo. The secret prisoner detainees, tucked away in a remote corner of Cuba. This country stooped to new lows. Color coded terrorism fear charts, Patriot Act violations of the Constitution, and Homeland Security Thugs hauling off card carrying members of the Press, preemptively arresting protest organizers, and beating protestors on the street.

The MIssion is not only Unaccomplished, but a total and complete failure.

While one political party would put their focus on Joe-the-unlicensed-plumber, there are lives hanging in the balance, not only our troops, but the people in the countries we are at war with, and those here in the homeland, living in tent cities, suffering with no healthcare, unable to secure employment in a failed economy.

We must embrace change with all of our passion.

Monday, November 3, 2008

EXODUS


Open your eyes & look within
Are you satisfied with the life you're living?




I'm ready for a movement of jah people to Exodus from the life our government regime has us living. For the last few weeks various people have asked, what will we do if we have another stolen election? My answer has been, I'm not going there. I am going to remain positive, and hope that the people of this country have had enough, and will turn out en mass and deliver a landslide of popular vote to Barack Obama. He has conducted himself in a way that proves he would be an excellent leader. At least he has a clue we are going in the wrong direction. He is intelligent, well educated, even tempered, and understands the struggles of the majority. The fact that Obama is a black man, and that would be a historic first in our country, ices the cake. It ushers in another level of healing. Bring it on!

I remember the 2004 election, when it was confirmed the election was stolen, and we would have to endure another 4 years of a Bush presidency. I was devastated. I asked my mentor friend, how could this have happened, and we discussed how this would ruin our country. She explained to me, that politics goes in waves, and the pendulum swings~ in that case to the far right, but then issues arise, and the pendulum swings back the other way. That it would run it's course, and that it will swing back.

I'm waiting for the Movement of jah pendulum to swing back!