Arachnasexxxxxxxiiii

Get a load of this playah.



h/t DRB. And for more cool spider pics, go here.

This is kind of a big deal

On Oct. 16, 2007, I wrote on my other blog:

On other fronts, I have decided to stop buying toiletries and use up the two shelves of crap I have. Apparently, they don't have a 12-step program for collectors of shampoo, conditioner, and hand lotion. The current aromatherapy shampoo smells like something between sandalwood and lilac. Pretty sure it smelt (for all my English friends) better 2 years ago when I bought it. There could be nuclear holocaust, but my hair and skin would still be clean and soft.

With an update on my progress on June 16, 2008:

Eight months have passed and I want you, my invisible readers to know, that I have been good to my word. The stock of hair cleansers now stands at:

1 unopened bottle of Garnier Fructis shampoo
1 unopened bottle of Garnier Fructis conditioner
2 unopened bottles of Ultra Swim shampoo
1 unopened jar of Garnier Fructis Fortifying Deep Conditioner
1 unopened jar of Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm

In the shower and getting used:
1/2 bottle Garnier Fructis shampoo.
Nearly empty bottle of Garnier Fructis daily conditioner
1/3 jar Neurogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask
Nearly full bottle of Matrix Biolage Shampoo
1/3 bottle Joico K-Pak Reconstruct conditioner
Nearly empty jar of Garnier Fructis Fortifying Deep Conditioner

Yesterday, November 6, 2008, I bought a bottle of shampoo. Not because I'm back oto mainlining shampoo, but because I WAS ALL OUT.

Ok, I haven't used one of the bottles of Ultra Swim Shampoo. That is for getting chlorine out of your hair. I'll save it for swimming. But I had finished all the other shampoos. So what's left? In the shower and getting used: one jar of Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm and now the Matrix Biolage Hydrotherapie shampoo.

In the cabinet waiting to get into rotation? One bottle of Garnier Fructis daily conditioner. ONE. Just ONE! That's it folks. It took 13 months to clear out the shampoo backlog. As for the hand lotions? Well, that may take more like five years. But I'm working on it. Addressing OC behavior is pretty much one day at a time.

Forget that I just bought a second pair of chacos on Steep and Cheap today.

I've Collected a New Continent

Oh sure, the English speaking world is my oyster. I've gotten visitors from Luxembourg, the UK, Canada, Australia. But today, I collected Africa. More specifically Mauritius.

Just in case you don't know where Mauritius is, it's just to the right of Madagascar in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

And just in case you were wondering, that's 10,108 miles from C-dale. Maybe that visitor will let me come visit one day. I imagine I could write a LOT better from Mauritius. Not that I'm being pushy or anything. I'm just saying.

I'd love it if some of these far-away visitors left a note now and again. Just to sate my endless curiosity about them.

I'm a bit miffed about this graph, collected from my site meter, because I've had at least one visitor from Argentina and South America isn't showing up on the graph. Which means, I only have to collect Antarctica to round off my list. I think I may be waiting a while, since I'm pretty sure that there isn't a strong internet signal on the ice shelf. =\


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My Review of Coleman Harbor King Size Sleeping Bag: 20 Deg.

Originally submitted at Dick's Sporting Goods

The Coleman® Harbor™ sleeping bag brings you a huge, king-size design that's filled with 5-lbs of DuPont® Hollofil® 808 insulation. It's crafted with a cotton shell and a soft cotton flannel liner.

Coleman Harbor King Size Sleeping Bag: 20 Deg.

Nice & Rommy But Not Built for Cold

By ES from Carbondale, IL on 11/6/2008

 

3out of 5

Pros: Great Zipper System, Quality Materials, Roomy

Cons: Heavy, Not Warm Enough, Compression Sack Needed, Bulky When Stuffed

Best Uses: 3 Season Camping, Car Camping

Describe Yourself: Casual Adventurer

What Is Your Gear Style: Comfort Driven

I bought this for a 33-day trip in May through the desert southwest. Camp sites ranged from low to high elevation. At higher elevations when nighttime temperatures were 30-40 degrees (F), this bag seriously under performed. I shivered all night despite wearing several layers of clothing. This is supposed to be a 20 degree bag! At lower elevations and higher temperatures (50F+) this was a very comfortable bag. The flannel inside is soft. The zippers are top quality. I loved all the extra room of the king-size bag, but its inability to keep me warm at moderately low temperatures means it won't be getting much use on my serious camping trips. May take it along for the dog to sleep in. Not recommended below 50 degrees.

(legalese)

My Review of REI Camp Bed 3.5 Self-Inflating Pad - Large

Originally submitted at REI

With an ultra-cushy 3.5-inch thickness and soft-touch fabric, this space-saving deluxe camp bed provides plush comfort for base camping.

REI Camp Bed 3.5 Self-Inflating Pad - Large

Saved my Trip

By IL adventurer from Carbondale, IL on 11/6/2008

 

5out of 5

Gift: No

Pros: Easy To Inflate, Lightweight, Durable Design, Comfortable, Non Slip

Cons: Bulky Roll Up, Difficult to roll up

Best Uses: Car Camping, Weekend Trips, Extended Trips

Describe Yourself: Casual Adventurer

What Is Your Gear Style: Comfort Driven

I bought this in the middle of a 33-day camping trip to the deserts of the southwest U.S. It was an emergency replacement for a Coleman queen-size inflatable bed that developed a slow leak. After spending 3 or 4 nights sleeping on hard ground, I'd had enough. I finally found a REI in Henderson, Nevada, and got this pad because of the good reviews I read online and because my traveling companion had a similar type pad. I was not disappointed. The pad material is sturdy. The plastic inflation gaskets (?) are secure. It inflates quickly. Only a few quick puffs and you've got a fully inflated pad. The 3" of lift keeps you off the ground and offers enough barrier that the ground temperature does not affect you. (I used it in nighttime temperatures ranging from about 42-90 degrees.) While the Coleman was about a 5-6" pad, this pad was infinitely more comfortable. I preferred the rectangular (versus mummy) outline but I was worried that the pad was too narrow and I would roll off it in the night. I needn't have worried.

I have also taken this to a family reunion where I slept on a relative's basement floor. It sleeps as well on concrete as outdoors.

I do think it is a hassle to deflate and roll up. I generally had to re-roll it at least once to remove all the air and get it tight enough to fit in its travel bag. I wish that the velcro ties were attached to the pad itself. I was forever misplacing them. Rolling it up can feel like a workout. But, after a good night's sleep, I wasn't going to complain about a minor aggravation. The only real problem I had was keeping the dog off of it. He thought it was fantastic.

(legalese)

Kelty Gunnison 4.1 Tent 4-Person 3-Season Review

Another product review. Thought I'd post some of my reviews from online here as well.


Kelty Gunnison 4.1 Tent 4-Person 3-Season
Rating for this product: 5 June 21, 2008

Got this mid-way through a 33-day trip across the American southwest, mostly dry camping on BLM land. I set it up on sand, grass, rock, and hardpan. The first time I set it up, I had to do it in the dark in high winds amid cactus without having read the directions.(This tent was an emergency replacement for a cheaper one that didn't survive the harsh conditions.) Aside from the fact that it is extremely light (be sure to secure at least one corner before erecting the poles), it was a breeze. On clear nights, this tent is fantastic. The sides prevent water and dirt from blowing in and the mesh panels allow for some spectacular star-gazing. The two sided entry is fantastic. My ONLY complaint about this product is that the rain cover is difficult to align properly. Twice I connected 2 of the cover's snaps only to find out they didn't align with the door. They could have avoided all of the confusion by color-coding the snap-locks or the webbing at each corner. I'm going to put a splash of paint on each one. While probably too heavy for backpacking (and too large a footprint as well), it does pack well. The pole, stake and tent bags are roomy enough to stuff the tent in easily. WARNING, the tent stakes are cheap and bend easily. Get yourself some sturdy ones for a buck at the nearest discount/outdoor store. You're going to need them even the first time. This is a fantastic car camping tent and roomy for two adults. I'm sure this is going to be a long-lasting tent. I recommend using a tarp or footprint to increase the longevity of the tent bottom.

I think I need to know more about this one....

Nancy Pelosi. Third in line to the presidency. Liberal democrat from San Francisco. I've sort of silently applauded the ascendancy of a woman to a high post and ignored her ever since.

Oh, I've heard the rumblings that she's a divisive figure. And I do think that she stepped in it during the bailout with some of her partisan comments. When you need to reach across the aisle, perhaps it's not the best idea to hold out your hand and slap them in the face as they reach out toward you.

But it is a different world today than it was only 3 weeks ago when we were worried about all that. Today, the Democrats have picked up 19 seats in the house with the potential to pick up six more if all contested races go in a sweep for the Democrats. I read with interest her comments in this article.

But Ms. Pelosi said Democrats could open the 111th Congress in January with efforts to adopt measures blocked by President Bush, including ones to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and embryonic stem cell research. She said Democrats had no choice but to chart a centrist course. “The country must be governed from the middle,” she said.But Democrats on both sides of the Capitol were just beginning to digest the new faces in their expanded caucuses.

The party just won resounding victories in the executive and legislative branches. The country said that they wanted liberal visions to be named to the Supreme Court. Why in the world do they get that the way to go is to the middle? The middle is what you play to get the job.

You know, this sort of reminds me of Jesse Jackson who seems (to me) to have floundered once he reached his stated goals. Then he just start grumbling about how the young people don't understand and we have to continue to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, even though the FIGHT has largely been won. He has to FIGHT because FIGHTING worked in the past and let's forget that he DID manage to change the world and the world largely accepts his ideals as being the morally superior ones, he has to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT against the Man or the machine until the rest of us begin to think he's gone off the deep end. He screams about the fight until he begins to look bitter and eventually says something ridiculous like he wants to castrate the new generation of their movement. It's Michael Jordan and Brett Favre thinking they can stage a comeback. It's John McCain who can't fathom a world in which VICTORY, and WINNING means anything other than obliterating your enemy on a battlefield. We will fight another HUNDRED YEARS! A THOUSAND YEARS! WE WILL FIGHT!!! These people who once captured our hearts and imaginations, who seemed so visionary in their time, are just cardboard cutouts in the new reality.

Speaker Pelosi, you got about as big of a mandate as you can imagine. I don't think the people want you to continue to be mousy about this. We want change and not the little stuff.

Damn straight we want stem cell research.
Damn straight we want universal health care.
Damn straight we want out of Iraq.

I also want massive investment in new energy technology. I want Pell Grants and student loans and lots of 'em. Forget no child left behind. I am sick of playing to the lowest common denominator. No more teaching the test. It doesn't work. I want gay marriage. I want gays in the military. I want the military to drop their moral clauses that cost people their jobs for things that don't affect their employers or their employment. I want to stop taking from the sweat and labor of the working poor and middle class to feed the greed of the already rich. I want the Democrats to show, once and for all, that our economic policies make more sense for the prosperity of this nation than the Republican vision of creating a ruling class. I want a world where women and minorities can be certain that they aren't being systematically marginalized with respect to pay and opportunity. I want clean air and clean water and I want my country to commit to the global environment. I want third-world countries to get the tools (like condoms for fuck's sake) they need to make realistic family planning decisions. I want hunger to be obliterated.

I don't think we're going to get any of these things by playing to the middle. We've given these people a clear mandate. On what planet is it advisable to squander this and play to the middle?

I'm thinking maybe Pelosi isn't up for the job. Being a divisive figure isn't always the answer. Maybe this isn't a job for a partisan player. The world has changed and I'm worried that Pelosi is a one-trick pony. Railing against the opposition isn't the future. We need someone with vision in this position. They need to find that person and quick.

My heroes have always been......

When I was in high school, I had a history class taught by Mr. Traebant. Mr. Traebant was known for wearing all black on test days. A real maverick, that one. One of our assignments in his class was to do a report on someone we admired. We were partnered with another student, but we each had to select one person, then present our heroes as a group. I selected Muhammad Ali. My partner selected Elton John. I think you can see the problem in this partnership.

In a speech class in high school, we were asked to give a speech on the person we admired most. I can't remember who I selected, but I do remember that Mike McDowell (who I thought was wicked cute at the time) selected Jesus Christ. I remember suspecting Mike of making that choice to impress girls. Religion was sort of ever present in my public high school. As an Episcopalian, I always felt left out. All the cool kids were Baptist or something. The "Christian Athletes" gave a prayer every morning over the intercom and those prayers were always this sort of rambling Baptist "Oh Lord watch over us and guide us" business that wasn't anything like the way we prayed in my church. It always reminded me of being asked to say the prayer at Thanksgiving Dinner, a job I NEVER wanted to have. I always fell back on the Lord's Prayer. Easy and everyone knew it. Anyway, I asked Mike to go to the drive in with me one night and he did and I was totally psyched, but he never so much as tried to hold my hand. To this day, I don't know if it was his Christian sensibilities that prevented that or if Mike is gay. I had no gaydar back in the day. In any event, since the public prayer in school was a volunteer thing done by students for students, the laws regarding separation of church and state apparently did not exist in my school district. Why I remember this now, I have no idea, but this got me to thinking about people who directly or indirectly had an influence on me coming up.

My childhood heroes included:
Muhammad Ali
Donna DeVarona
Walter Payton
Carol Burnett
Stephen King
Beverly Cleary
Robert Redford
my father
both of my grandmothers
John Weckler

This list includes athletes, coaches, entertainers, writers, and relatives. When I look at this list it occurs to me that I had very few interests as a kid and I pursued them with some measure of single-mindedness. I was athletic and extremely interested in sports. I swam and ran track. I think my parents worried that I might turn out lesbian. I enjoyed entertainment, including comedy and writing and at one time sought a career as a creative writer. I loved animals and for a while, I wanted to be a veterinarian. But in the world that was my household, we didn't have big dreams. We had practical ones. So I was expected (or at least thought I was expected) to downscale and I set out to become a draftsman. Unfortunately, when I finished my technical degree the economy was so bad that I couldn't find a job. Forget that I was a woman in a man's field. Even the men couldn't find work. I decided I needed a career that wasn't so terribly economy driven. I went back to school and pursued a degree in business. I know. Clearly I wasn't as smart back then.

Accounting and marketing. I was bored out of my mind. I remember one day in the middle of an accounting class, I looked around the room at the rest of the students and I thought to myself...I don't want to work with these people. I don't like them. They aren't like me. I can't do this. I had one English course (a required upper level course) that I liked, so I went to talk to the professor. In less than a week, I had a new major and a new lease on life. I switched to English and ended up with a degree with a writing emphasis. I was actually able to find work as a writer so that worked out pretty well. But in the accident that has always been my life, I drifted without any real plan.

I sought work that interested me. It wasn't very profitable but it did introduce me to science. I often joke that the IRS killed my father and the Field Museum ruined my life. Two years out of college, I figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up. And even when I knew it, I didn't think it was a good idea. Outside of the Field I didn't know anyone who was a botanist. Outside of college, I never knew anyone who was a professor. I mean, it was crazy. Those guys at the Field were waaaaaaaaaaay smarter than me. I toyed with the idea of returning to go to law school. I started studying for whatever entrance exam it is that law students take. There was one section on the practice exams that I could not answer a single question correctly. I decided that I lacked some inherent quality that any good lawyer should possess and tossed that idea. With no direction and no one stepping up to lead the cause, in the endless serendipity that is my life, I let someone talk me into marrying them.

Now that I look at this, my life has been a rambling mess. For the past 8 years I've been single-mindedly pursuing this degree. My siblings are beginning to murmur that they are concerned they are going to have to take care of me in my old age. They want me to finish and start saving money for retirement. I don't want to retire. Despite this, I seem to have lost my drive to finish. I can't seem to remember why I thought this was such a great idea in the first place. I'm not any closer to having a plan for the future.

But that doesn't mean my life hasn't been touched in significant ways by the people I have met. Today the people I admire are people I have known. People who taught me about being a better person. I think those people need to be recognized.

Bill Campbell, UK
Dan Evans, Marshall U
Dorothea Vicari, formerly of the Field
Mike Spock, formerly of the Field
Mike Dillon, Field Museum
Melinda Pruett-Jones, Chicago Wilderness

I've changed a lot. I think I've changed for the better because of these people. If your name is on this list, thanks.

THIS is my country

Congratulations to president-elect Obama, our soon-to-be first lady, vice-president-elect Biden and the second lady (?), and all the people who put him there. Like me. Like Curtis. Like you.

Thank you, America.

YES, WE DID.

I'm not the same person I was

This election has changed me and not in some small way. This election has changed the way I look at the world. I can't go back to the way things were. I won't. I don't want to.

I will never be the same. And because I'm not the same, the world will never be the same. This election, this day, I've undergone a paradigm shift in my life. And because I'm part of a team, I wonder how many other lives will experience this same paradigm shift today.

My voice has convinced a friend. My friends have changed communities. Our communities have changed the shade of states. These states are effecting change in this country. Maybe we can once again change the direction the world is headed. Call it the butterfly effect. Call it hubris. I call it freedom.

I am not the same. I am part of something bigger. I am connected to my fellow man. All because of one man's vision. All because of one man's heart. All because I dared to believe. Dared to have hope.

And while I'm not a fan of sports as an analogy for life, I do think there is something to be said about the struggle. h/t to Al Giordano.

Poll Watching and Voting Day Errata

The Google search image of the day.




Voting in Dowell is a brisk business this morning. There are about 40 cars lined up at the fire station. I stuck my head in and there is a line about 4 or 5 people deep. In a town of 450, that's something. Added bonus. The Jackson County Health Services is at the dispensing flu shots, also at the firehouse. Given that most of the people in Dowell are retired, this means that Dowell retirees can kill two birds with one stone. Vote AND get a flu shot. Genius.

This is Penn State University and the time is 7 am. 1000 university students in line to vote. So much for those lazy young people. I don't know which to be more excited about. That young people are voting or that this is in PENNSYLVANIA! Take that pollsters.


Guv said he and his wife were #1 and #2 to vote in his precinct this morning. Way to go GUV!!!!

Alvin in St Louis said that it took him 1 hour 50 minutes to vote. There was a line, but no one was leaving in disgust or because they had to. Sounds like people are giving themselves plenty of time to vote. Great news!

I've spent 2 hours on the phone with my Gram. I'm pretty sure IF she votes for president, she'll vote for Obama. She told me today that she hasn't voted for President since JFK. I pointed out to her that was nearly 50 years ago and maybe it was time. She is a hard one. I'm not sure that I've convinced her. Honestly, I think she's afraid that someone will try to assassinate him and then she'd be responsible. So I'm not sure what she's going to do inside that voting booth. I'm still trying to get in touch with my nephew. He may actually be registered to vote in another district. He may be able to vote by going to his old district.

Any interesting election day stories from you? See anything interesting online today?

Lessons from my Grandmother

Be nicer than you have to be to people. You never know what they are going through.

A funny thing happened after the election

I just realized something. That is to say, that I just admitted something to myself that has been true for a long time.

I haven't watched network news since George W. Bush was elected. For the past 8 years I have gotten 100% of my news from the internet and cable television. Why? I couldn't stand to see or hear our President speak. There is some element in his voice that makes my arm instantly punch buttons on the car radio to get to the next station....any station that isn't giving him airtime. I actually wince when I am forced to look at him. I have never seen nor cared to hear a state of the union address, a press conference, a fireside chat, or an address to the country live. I knew that the next day the New York Times would summarize it for me without my ever having to see or hear that awful little man.

It all started in 2000 when I firmly believe GWB, his brother Jeb and the Supreme Court delivered Florida, a state he didn't actually win. There are some things I find inexcusable. Stealing a national election falls in that category. You never know when I'm going to have this reaction. For example, one of my fellow graduate students (on the first day I met him), walked up to a car in the faculty parking lot and ripped one of those Christian fish decorations off a very nice car and threw it in the weeds. When I asked him what the hell he was doing, he told me that people who believe in God are stupid. He didn't care that it was a very nice car and he may have damaged it. He didn't care that it wasn't his property. He didn't care that other people were entitled to opinions that differed from his. He was and remains in my mind a supreme asshole. I was done with that guy on the first day I met him. Despite having skyscraper respect for Rudy Guiliani following the 9/11 attacks, he threw away all that goodwill with his mocking comments about community organizers at the Republican National Convention. I could care less about anything Guliani has to say in the future. Not a damn thing any of them will ever be able to do to win back my allegiance.

I am convinced that Bush won again (much to my chagrin and utter disbelief) by capitalizing on the fear over terrorism and 9/11. I have no respect for the man. I never will. He has turned out to be exactly the kind of president that I anticipated. He's stupid. He's a bully. He may personally care about individual Americans, but he doesn't care about America. Mark my words, he will go down in history as the worst president we have ever had--a title formerly held by Ronald Reagan.

I know that Tom Brokaw retired, that Dan Rather was embroiled in some professional scandal that ended his career, and that Peter Jennings died. I have no idea who replaced them.

I find myself uninterested, although not reviled, by anything McCain has to say. I wonder if he wins if I will come to avoid him as well. I doubt it. Slimy as his campaign has been, it hasn't been in the same category as say Rudy Guiliani. I'm at least willing to give a President McCain a chance. Sarah Palin is another story. I think her campaign slogan should be "Oh no we won't".

In any event, I hope to be a regular viewer of some or all of the network news channels after the inauguration. One can hope. I gots hope.

This is no ordinary election

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, 35% of Georgia's registered voters cast early ballots. That's early ballots folks. They stood in line on Halloween night, some of them with their kids still in their trick-or-treating costumes until nearly midnight just to cast their votes. And it's not just Georgia. It's Florida. It's Nevada.

From the NYT:

In 2004, 22 percent of voters cast an early presidential ballot, and the number is expected to climb to 30 percent to 35 percent this year.

Enormous lines in Florida led Gov. Charlie Crist to issue an executive order extending early voting hours statewide from eight hours a day to 12, while in Georgia an elderly woman in Cobb County stood in the sun so long to vote that she collapsed.

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

A disproportionate number of Georgia’s 194,138 early voters are African-American, in what could be an encouraging sign for Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

As of Wednesday, about 39 percent of those voters — 74,961 — are African-Americans, Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel’s office said.

Also from the AJC:

“I have not seen anything like this in America,” U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat, said as he viewed the long line at the Fulton County Government Center Friday evening. “To me, this is incredible.”

Mark McShane, the last person in line late Friday night at the George Pierce Community Center in Suwanee, said this election “is a choice of two roads,” between “some serious socialist leanings and some conservative values.”

The 52-year-old Lawrenceville man began his journey in line at 6:45 p.m., with a wait time Gwinnett County elections officials estimated at five hours. About 11 p.m., there were about 100 people in line. The last Gwinnett vote was cast at 11:45 p.m.

No two ways about it. This is an historic election, and for more reasons than are obvious. The sheer number of early votes cast cannot and should not be overlooked. 2008 is a de facto referendum on early voting. Thirty-two states allowed some form of early voting in this election. Those other 18 states should take notice, especially those that are considered swing states. Neither Pennsylvania nor Missouri have early voting. Personally, I'm a big fan of early voting. I've already cast my ballot. I dislike lines of any sort. But for voters to show up in droves to vote early should be speaking to American political leaders. In fact, it says a few things to me, which could be any and all of the following possibilities that I have considered.

1. Voters are enthused about this election and can't wait to be part of process.
2. Early voting is more convenient.
   
3. Voters are concerned about long lines preventing them (for whatever reason) from casting a ballot on Tuesday.
   
4. Tuesdays are a stupid day to hold elections.
5. Voters are concerned about being turned away from the polls or otherwise having their registrations challenged when it is too late to do anything about it or to mount a meaningful protest.
6. Voters want to feel like they are part of a community for change and therefore desire to stand in line--the longer the better.
   
7. Voters just wanted to make the campaigning stop.

If early voting means that the number of people voting increases substantially, what real excuse do state's have for preventing it?

The Best, The Worst, and the Utterly Perplexing from the 2008 Election

My best attempt at non-partisan commentary wrap-up on this election season. I'm sure there are other moments, but just a few I threw together while wasting time on a Sunday morning.

For those having trouble viewing video on my site, I'm going to always try to include url links to embedded video.

Simply The Best category:

Yes we can. Greatest speech by a political leader in the United States in the 21st Century. Certainly the greatest concession speech ever given. January 8, 2008. For the full video of the speech, go here.



From the Alaska Women Reject Palin rally in Anchorage, AK, on September 14, 2008. h/t Mudflats.


























You can't argue with the power of 18 million cracks. Despite what anyone thinks I think, I actually do think that Hillary exited this hard-fought race with dignity and grace.











"Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago."
Video here.

Campbell Brown is my hero. Here she is giving her now famous "Free Sarah Palin" editorial.


Other clear winners in the media portion of this election cycle: Jack Cafferty, Rachael Maddow, and yes, Keith Olbermann. Jury still out on Chris Matthews. I have also been somewhat impressed by Pat Buchanan's ability to gain a broader, occassionally non-partisan view of reality. Jon Stewart's commentary didn't seem as biting this year as the folks on the legitimate news themselves.

Then there's The Worst. Who can forget these memorable moments? I get verklempt just thinking of these.

The hands-down winner? Or should I say the "hands-up" winners??

"Senator McCain....Do you believe in evolution?"

"Yes".

"I'm curious, is there anybody on the stage that does not believe in evolution?"

Question asked during the GOP primary debate.

For those of you scoring at home, from left to right that's Brownback, Huckabee and Tancredo with their stupidity showing hands raised. Video here.

"Our opponent … is someone who sees America it seems as being so imperfect that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." Sarah Palin stump speech, various locations.

The Ashley Todd racism incident that wasn't.

Who can forget the mocking of community organizing that went on at the Republican Convention?
This goes beyond offensive in my book. Rudy Guiliani is a dick.

Head-scratching Moments:

Video here.

KATIE COURIC: "You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?"

SARAH PALIN: "That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land boundary that we have with, uh, Canada. It's funny that a comment like that was kinda made to, char..., I don't know, you know... reporters."

KATIE COURIC: "Mocked."

SARAH PALIN: "Yeah. Mocked. I guess that's the word. Yah."

KATIE COURIC: "Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials."

SARAH PALIN: "Well, it certainly does because our..our next-door neighbors are foreign countries there in the state that I am the executive of."

I'd go on, but honestly, I find it too painful and I was trying to be non-partisan.

Pat Buchannan flip-flops on Sarah Palin selection. My favorite part is where he says "If I was a Republican I would have been disheartened going to my convention if they had chosen an good man, a nice guy, in Gov. Pawlenty, we wouldn't even be talking about this."

IF he was a Republican?

The upside of a recession: a lesson from experience

I used to make a good living. I was an editor and a manager with a stable job and a mid-range salary. Probably could have finished out my career without much challenge. Sure, I was bored. Probably would have left that job for something a bit more challenging eventually. My great plans got sidetracked when my life fell apart. My husband went rogue, became erratic, and--dare I say--dangerous. Enter the lawyer. Got a divorce. Lost my house. Tried to hang onto my life, but harassment by the ex led me to the inescapable conclusion that the only thing to do was disappear.

So disappear I did.

Quit my job. Moved. Moved again. Moved yet again. I'm no gypsy, but I realized it was going to be more difficult to track me down if I kept on the go. Maybe it was overkill. At the time, I didn't think so. Went back to school. In three short months, I went from stable life, stable job, decent mid-class income in a city that I loved to no life, no job, and no income living in a place that I consider to be slightly better than a pig farm. I haven't really seen much improvement in any facet of my life in the past eight years. Granted, I have chosen to pursue this degree thing and so what has happened to me in the past decade is my own doing.

The point is, my life took on a very different economic reality when I went from earning an income, putting away money in a retirement fund (which is virtually non-existent given the events of the last year) with full health benefits, to scared to freakin' death that something terrible might pop up in my health before I finish, scared to death that my car is going to give out, scared to death about the repayment of these student loans. I can work myself into a real panic if I think about it too seriously.

There is an upside. I have learned that more than 50% of my spending in those days was unnecessary. I have learned to do without things I don't need. Oh, I do have my splurges, but they don't come daily. They come monthly. I don't need matching table linens and curtains, knick-knacks, collectibles, dinners out...the list goes on and on. I will never waste money the way I did back then. In reality, I won't ever be able to even if I wanted to. My life is cash-strapped to the end. And yet, I still choose to pursue this schooling. I must be insane. Or I'm just too afraid to allow those student loans kick in.

My point is this. America may actually find itself in my shoes. Americans may find themselves without that disposable income for long enough, spending patterns will change. Attitudes about spending will change. The average Joe will see the need for a healthy savings account. This cavalier attitude about carrying such great debt with an unfailing belief in our ability to meet the minimum payments will not be something that just I sweat, but that most American's sweat.

Errata

What is your vote worth? CLick to enlarge this interesting graphic from the NY Times today. Why don't electoral college votes represent equitable population numbers?














I believe this is what is called "going rogue".








Despite China's assertion that its economy continues to grow at its historical rates, is it any surprise that contraction in the global market is going to adversely affect China's export business? As I have said casually, I think that deflation in the energy market has come as China's export market collapses. Without the need for China's cheap goods, the global demand for energy is going to plummet. Not much to do about that for now. My question is, what is this going to do to China's growing influence in the world? Do they have the infrastructure to bounce back from this after the crises eases?

Has anyone but me noticed that it is a stark contrast between the political shows on Sunday morning and the religious shows that follow them?

Daylight savings time has ended. Put back your clocks. I hate regular time. It is punishment enough that the days get shorter in the winter without exacerbating the problem by making certain that it is dark before I even get out of work.

Watched a wonderful show this morning called Donniebrook, a local St Louis news commentary program on KETC Channel 9 hosted by the self-identified Provocateur Martin Duggan. In a sort of homespun approach, Duggan leads his guests to comment on local and national issues as they pertain to Missouri. I'm reminded of Garrison Keillor, only intelligent and humorous. Its elderly host runs a tight ship, the guests can disagree without being disagreeable. It is exactly the kind of partisan discussions that we wish our politicians could aspire to.
But where did they get that ugly green lampshade?

Money-savings tips that I completely agree with. Depending upon your interests and opportunities, these may or may not be of benefit to you.

Strories from the political field

If you want to see exactly how vibrant, how motivated, and how organized the Obama campaign really is, read this. I've posted my story. Read some others.

Yesterday, on my way back from volunteering, I spoke again with my Gram. Although I thought she had already decided to vote for Obama, turns out she had only decided not to vote for President. When I told her that I had given my Saturday, put 160 miles on my car, paid for the gas out of my own pocket, headed to a small town to talk to total strangers and to get them enthusiastic about the election and to motivate them to vote (and to take everyone they know with them to the polls), she was impressed.

She told me that she guessed she was going to have to vote for the man. I told her that I wouldn't be out beating the streets for Obama if I didn't think he was the best man for the job. She said, "I could tell you I was going to vote for him and then not do it", then she paused and said, "but then I guess I'd have to go to the altar." In any event, my electioneering has, I think, convinced her that her vote would be best spent by pulling the lever for Obama.

Interesting thing is that my relatives all live in more important states than I do. Kentucky. West Virginia. I think I've brought my mother, sister and now my grandmother on board. I'm a little irritated that I was unable to impress upon my nephew how important it is to REGISTER for pete's sake. He is not going to get off scott-free over that one.

Tuesday can't get here fast enough for me.

The hated in America, all with public approval

It occurred to me after reading this article about Elizabeth Dole's unbelievably offensive attacks against her competitor for a senate seat in North Carolina that prejudice is alive and well and still a-ok in the US. Of course, it is no longer socially acceptable to attack people for their gender or the color of their skin (at least not openly), but there is certainly lots of wiggle room for those who thrive on putting other people down to jack themselves up.

Who is it okay to revile?

Atheists
Muslims
Iranians
Iraqis
Palestinians
The French
Fat People
Gays/Lesbians
Communists
Socialists
Mexican immigrants (legal or otherwise)
Smart people
Unmarried black parents
Southerners and others who are unfortunately accented
Politicians
Lawyers

Feel free to add your own.

Today I put my money where my mouth is

That is to say, today I put my feet on the street, knocked on doors and asked people to support my candidate. Sure, I've done harder things. Heck, I've asked people for money. Of course, those were very rich people. Now that I think about it, my life has taken some interesting turns.

But today I traveled to Charleston, Missouri, to canvas for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Missouri, of course, is an important swing state, and I'd sure like to see it go blue. I was partnered with a very pleasant, humorous, and rather cute man named Curtis from St. Louis. Well, St. Louis and Sikeston. He has homes in both places. I laughed and told him if he kept this up, he was going to look more like John McCain than Barack Obama. Curtis is about my age. I didn't ask him how old he was and I have noticed that black men seem to age exceptionally well, but I'm guessing anyway that he was mid- to late-40s. We walked and knocked on doors and as we walked we talked. Turns out Curtis is a first time voter. Never voted in an election before (can you believe that!). So this was also his first time beating the street for a candidate. I asked him what drove him to not only register, but to volunteer. He said, "I figure if I'm going to do something, I should do it all the way." True.

Curtis was funny. We laughed and had a good time. Almost everyone we talked to was excited about voting for Obama/Biden. We just told them how important it was to not get cocky, to make sure they went to the polls on Tuesday, and to take everyone they knew with them. The most common reaction we got was nodding heads. One younger fellow was in his front yard and I noticed he had a truck. I told him not to go to the polls until he had filled that truck bed up with voters. =)

We knocked on doors in public housing, single family homes, and apartment complexes next to industrial areas. The area we canvassed had mostly black voters, but about 1/3 of our list was white. Only two households told us that they weren't going to vote Democrat, one black and one white. The white lady was an issue voter and that issue was abortion. End of discussion. The other lady was married to a hard-core Republican. There wasn't much to talk about there. An older woman told us that she was "probably going to vote for one of them but didn't know which one and it probably didn't matter anyway--they were both the same." I told her, "if it doesn't matter to you which one you vote for, why don't you vote for Barack Obama as a favor to me." ;) She was the only voter I got that racist vibe from. The fact that she went out of her way to try to convince me that it wasn't because he was black probably made me suspect her. You can't win them all, I guess.

I had a very good time. I'd do it again. In fact, I just might. I could go down and work with Curtis again driving voters to the polls on Tuesday. As long as I get back in time to host my own party, it could all work out.

He gave me his phone number. Said he hoped to celebrate the victory with me or commiserate our loss. I can't decide if he was trying to pick me up or not. I'm kinda clueless that way. Although I bought a piece of this campaign, today I feel like I earned a piece of this campaign. When he wins, it will be doubly sweet.