arredonald

New Beginnings

2009-01-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

My first post is up over at my new place: paida.wordpress.com. It is not totally set up - no blogroll yet. Coming Soon.

Coming Soon to an Internets Near You

2009-01-11T11:12:00.000-08:00

Our victory in November was thrilling, but it made me feel a bit lost when it came to the blog. I finally have come to the conclusion that this blog has run it's course. There will be a link to my new blog very very soon - it is taking me a big longer to set it up due to lost passwords and long gone email addresses.....

I really didn't think anyone would miss me, but thank you Cami - it is nice to be missed ; }

Rick Warren

2008-12-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

Obama's Choice for Invocation:

NyQuil to the Rescue

2008-12-06T08:57:00.000-08:00

A lot of people complain about the evils of Western Medicine, but I gotta tell you one gem it has produced is NyQuil. I have so much pressure in my sinues right now I feel like they are going to blow like Old Faithful any minute. Snorting salt water helps, but not while I am trying to sleep. The night before last I could not sleep. Last night I downed some NyQuil and I was out cold all night long. I am a bit foggy today - but it is Saturday morning so it doesn't really matter. It is not like those dishes really needed to be washed...

You Mean He Doesn't Really Like to Clear Brush?

2008-12-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

From Atrios:

Nobody Could Have Predicted

That the Crawford "ranch" was just a campaign prop.

First Lady Laura Bush and President George W. Bush are moving back to Dallas when the president’s term expires in January, the Associated Press is reporting.

The AP says the first lady’s press secretary confirmed Wednesday that the couple are purchasing a home in Dallas.

Looking Good

2008-12-02T16:00:00.000-08:00

I have been pretty pessimistic about Al Franken's chances of winning the Minnesota Senate seat, however things are starting to look up. It would be so sweet if Franken would pull it off. His opponent Norm Coleman is such an ass.

It is Paul Wellstone's seat and it Franken should have it.

Soccer Tournie

2008-12-01T06:51:00.000-08:00

Aida's team had a rough weekend. It was a very tough tournament - they played literally some of the best teams in the state. It can pretty disheartening to get whipped so badly, on the other hand it was pretty amazing to see how good 10 year old girls can be and hopefully it shows Aida's team something to shoot for {no pun intended...}

2008-12-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

From Jim Morin

Miles!

2008-11-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

How cute is this boy?

The Three Grandkids

2008-11-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

What I am Thankful For

2008-11-27T08:15:00.001-08:00

I thankful for my healthy happy kids, wonderful family and amazing friends. But this year, I am most thankful for 2 males:

Please Please Dear God, Let this NY Post Story be True

2008-11-25T19:45:00.001-08:00

From the New York Post's famous Page Six:

although we didn't think it would be pos sible to silence Ann Coulter, the leggy reaction- ary broke her jaw and the mouth that roared has been wired shut.

h/t Huffington Post

Last Hurrah for the Blue Bananas

2008-11-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

Emmett and Pablo and the rest of the Blue Bananas had their last game of the season yesterday. Emmett said it best when he said the team had a lot of heart. It was a really fun fall.

2008-11-22T08:22:00.000-08:00

Bob Geiger posts the best political cartoons of the week every Saturday. There were a lot of good ones today. This was my favorite and is by Matt Davies. You can see more of his work on his blog.

The Writer's Almanac

2008-11-19T19:54:00.002-08:00

I am always glad when I happen to be listening to NPR at 7:00 PM when The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor comes on. Tonight at the end of the couple of minutes that it takes, Keillor read a poem that was so beautiful and so perfectly described motherhood that it brought tears to my eyes. Here it is:

After Our Daughter's Wedding

by Ellen Bass

While the remnants of cake
and half-empty champagne glasses
lay on the lawn like sunbathers lingering
in the slanting light, we left the house guests
and drove to Antonelli's pond.
On a log by the bank I sat in my flowered dress and cried.
A lone fisherman drifted by, casting his ribbon of light.
"Do you feel like you've given her away?" you asked.
But no, it was that she made it
to here, that she didn't
drown in a well or die
of pneumonia or take the pills.
She wasn't crushed
under the mammoth wheels of a semi
on highway 17, wasn't found
lying in the alley
that night after rehearsal
when I got the time wrong.
It's animal. The egg
not eaten by a weasel. Turtles
crossing the beach, exposed
in the moonlight. And we
have so few to start with.
And that long gestation—
like carrying your soul out in front of you.
All those years of feeding
and watching. The vulnerable hollow
at the back of the neck. Never knowing
what could pick them off—a seagull
swooping down for a clam.
Our most basic imperative:
for them to survive.
And there's never been a moment
we could count on it.

"After Our Daughter's Wedding" by Ellen Bass from Mules of Love. © BOA Editions, 2002. (buy now)

Wanda Rocks the House

2008-11-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

Since the Lieberman news today SUCKED, here is something much better. Wanda Sykes speaking at a Prop Eight rally in Las Vegas. She explains why the vote made her realize she could no longer keep quiet about her sexuality. {she wasn't closeted - she was just "livin her life"}

No Freakin' Huevos

2008-11-17T17:28:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow the Senate Democrats will vote on Lieberman. If this is true I am going to lose it:

According to sources familiar with negotiations, Democrats are expected to vote in favor of letting the Connecticut senator keep his chairmanship and seniority, but give up the gavel on a subcommittee he chairs. The vote happens tomorrow morning by secret ballot.

Wow he has to give up his chair of the SUBcommittee, but gets to keep being chair of the uber important Homeland Security COMMITTEE? They really showed him! Give me a freaking break.

As Atrios says:

Sadly, the Dems' "strength through weakness" plan will likely continue.

h/t Americablog

Message to Self

2008-11-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

Eduardo and I had a great date last night. We went to see an amazing play, Water and Power and and then to a nearby bar with a big group including the playwright and actors. A lot of very interesting conversation and, unfortunately for me today, even more tequila. Message to self: just because someone buys you a tequila and puts it in front of you does not mean you actually have to drink it.

Rachel Maddow on Liebermann

2008-11-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

As always, she hits it out of the ballpark.

h/t Americablog

Tim

2008-11-14T06:29:00.000-08:00

A few days before the election were shocked to find out that out our dear friend Tim in Decorah had died. Tim and his wife Annette were two of our closest friends during the half a year we lived in Iowa. Charlie Langton delivered these beautiful words at Tim's funeral and he gave me permission to post them here:

If to “delight” means to bring out the light inside something, then Tim Langholz delighted in us all. On the one hand, Schultzie could comfort us with the most delicate tenderness, until a little light finally broke through. And on the other hand, with impish glee, he could push us sharply out of our comfort zones when he saw we needed a little shaking up. His delight by turns deflated and expanded us, and his repetroire was contradictory and huge. It included beauty and crassness, logic and whimsy, bluntness and indirection, sweetness and sarcasm, and he used them all to show us the light he saw in us and keep us living in the largest of worlds.

He was ready to do anything for anybody at the drop of a hat, almost as if he had been waiting all along so he could do that one particular favor, and he did it in such a way that you never hesitated to ask again, and again. The happiness of others really was what he lived for. His brother Joel tells how, just moments after his daughter Maria was born, with uncanny prescience Tim seemed to just appear out of nowhere, though no one had told him. There are so many moving stories—like moving Brad to Madison, moving Eduardo to San Diego (with a mandatory stop in Vegas), moving Becky and Scott—more than once—so much moving. With each move, Tim turned one of the most stressful jobs imaginable into a comic adventure.

And Schultzie would pack his van with people for hilarious road trips, whether spontaneous junkets to Harper’s Ferry or Prairie du Chien to hear Joe Price, or long rides to Louisiana for Mardi Gras. It was on one of those long rides south that painfully bashful Tim pushed out of his own comfort zone far enough to begin what became the most deeply significant relationship of his life—with his exceptional Nettie.

Schultzie would take pieces of his remarkable pottery out into nature, finding places where they seemed to belong, and leave them there—for whom? With Tim, all the normal, adult lines blurred—the lines between art and life, work and play. How else could he fill our lives with pink shrink-wrapped saunas and backyard igloos—zany magic that he labored hard to create just to see our eyes light up? He made us children again, and yet spoke with children like they were adults, taking them seriously even as he defended their innocence and fed their imaginations. This trait of course helped make him the most extraordinary of fathers for his beautiful Ruby.

Yet Tim, for all his play, was a serious man. His incisive intelligence was always working. You could tell he was sharing only a fraction of what he was thinking, but you were glad for every scrap. He would speak out against injustices others might ignore, or even fail to see, and occasionally he found it difficult to stand down. He was not the kind of guy who could let go easily.

Frequently, when the fun was just reaching its peak, we would suddenly realize that Tim was no longer anywhere to be found. He had delighted in us and then just left us quietly to shine on our own. Now he has slipped off again without a word, but as long as we cling to each other, as long as we shine like he taught us to, he will continue to delight in us and never let us go.

I talked to Annette earlier this week and she talked about what an incredible dad Tim was. To see what kind of father he was check out this photo from this Halloween. It says it all:

Why We Should KICK OUT Liebermann

2008-11-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

This is not difficult. Get some HUEVOS people.

The full Senate is going to vote on whether or not he should keep his high power committee chairmanships. Call your Senator now.

Alice Quinn Edelen

2008-11-10T20:58:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, November 7th at 9:19 the beautiful and lovely Alice Quinn was born to Dawn Bowlus and Jim Edelen. 8 lbs 7 oz; 21.5 inches. Look how gorgeous she is:

Looks kinda like {and is almost the exact size} of another baby I remember:

Think it Doesn't Make a Difference who is President?

2008-11-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

Think again. Looks like one of the first thing President Obama will do is overturn many a Bush executive order.

From the Washington Post:

A team of four dozen advisers, working for months in virtual solitude, set out to identify regulatory and policy changes Obama could implement soon after his inauguration. The team is now consulting with liberal advocacy groups, Capitol Hill staffers and potential agency chiefs to prioritize those they regard as the most onerous or ideologically offensive, said a top transition official who was not permitted to speak on the record about the inner workings of the transition...

..."The kind of regulations they are looking at" are those imposed by Bush for "overtly political" reasons, in pursuit of what Democrats say was a partisan Republican agenda, said Dan Mendelson, a former associate administrator for health in the Clinton administration's Office of Management and Budget. The list of executive orders targeted by Obama's team could well get longer in the coming days, as Bush's appointees rush to enact a number of last-minute policies in an effort to extend his legacy...

...The new president is also expected to lift a so-called global gag rule barring international family planning groups that receive U.S. aid from counseling women about the availability of abortion, even in countries where the procedure is legal, said Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. When Bill Clinton took office in 1993, he rescinded the Reagan-era regulation, known as the Mexico City policy, but Bush reimposed it.

h/t Booman Tribute

Election Day

2008-11-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

7:10 AM Tuesday, Walking to the polls.

Eduardo's first Presidential vote. Yes he did!

With all the excitement I forgot to post the photos from election morning.

This Will Bring it all Back

2008-11-07T21:58:00.001-08:00

This is just a great video compilation from Jed on DailyKos TV. Nothing better than hearing, "Barack Obama will become the next President of the United States" 7 times in a row from all networks. Incredible.

It is amazing to think that just three nights ago we all witnessed something that will be a major part of American history forever. Amazing.

h/t Americablog

Fact or Fiction?

2008-11-06T16:10:00.000-08:00

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

The revelation that Obama's candidacy was the only thing that gave their lives any meaning has caused many supporters to wander aimlessly.

I know I am not the only one who can relate to that feeling. {It is from The Onion.}

Kos on Prop 8

2008-11-06T06:34:00.000-08:00

But for now, the flashpoint in the culture wars is gay rights, and I have to say, as wonderful as yesterday might've been, losing Prop 8 hit me hard. That California would vote for a black president with a margin of 61-37 and then shit on gays was horrifically disappointing. We have a long way to go. The anti-Prop 8 campaign wasn't helped by a shoddy operation that most observers who interacted with it admit was incompetent and ill-suited to wage a statewide campaign. While the Mormon Church flooded the state with ground troops for the fight, our side had no ground game. Inexcusable, but borne out of a complacency that I myself shared. No longer.

I admit, I was feeling run down yesterday, crawling across the finish line after a long marathon. Losing the Prop 8 battle has re-energized me. I'm ready for a rematch in 2010.

I'm ready too.

Exhausted, Hungover, & Happy

2008-11-05T16:25:00.000-08:00

On the day after the election four years ago I apologized to my boss as I told her I simply had to leave early. I couldn't concentrate and I just kept crying at my desk. Eduardo had to go to Chicago for work and I called Lydia to tell her I just could not go home where I would be alone. I brought some taquitos over to her house and Shawn, Lydia and I watched KPBS together. It was horrible. I couldn't believe we had to deal with Bush for four more years.

Today I am so freaking tired that it is pretty hard to teach, but it doesn't matter. The Bush years are almost over and yesterday very well might be the most exciting election of my lifetime. I can hold my head high and say I am proud to be an American. I know we still have a lot of problems and are still doing a lot of shitty things around the world, but I'm not thinking about that today. Today I am happy.

Not so Fast Ass-Hole

2008-11-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

Lieberman today:

"Now that the election is over, it is time to put partisan considerations aside and come together as a nation to solve the difficult challenges we face and make our blessed land stronger and safer. I pledge to work with President-elect Obama and his incoming administration in their efforts to reinvigorate our economy and keep our nation secure and free."

If Harry Reid doesn't strip him of his important chairmanship there really is no hopes for the Democrats. Get some huevos Harry.

STFU

2008-11-05T07:23:00.000-08:00

Why is Bush talking on TV? Guess he doesn't that we just do not care what he has to say.

Good Morning Mr. President.

2008-11-05T06:48:00.001-08:00

Holy Crap. We Won.

It's fun to win.

Pretty Scary

2008-11-04T06:25:00.001-08:00

Here are our friends Jen and Michael-Lynn on their wedding day last summer. Hopefully their marriage license will still be valid after today.

Vote NO on Prop 8.

Stuffing my Face

2008-11-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

Unlike in the days leading up to the '04 election where I couldn't eat for days, today my nerves are requesting that I constantly stuff my face with all the Halloween candy we have around work. We had a party on Friday and unfortunately for my waistline about 20 students played hooky from school so there are Butterfingers laying all over the place....

Champagne Dreams

2008-11-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

Back in '04 I bought some bottles of champagne for our election night celebration. I made the mistake of opening the bottles right at the beginning of the party. Since I hadn't been able to eat all day, due to nerves, when they declared Ohio for Bush I was pretty light headed and like we all did I felt like someone I loved had just died. It was awful.

I vowed that this year there would be no champagne involved in our election party, but it has suddenly occurred to me how pessimistic that is. After work today while Aida is playing soccer, Pablo and I will buy a few bottles for our gathering tomorrow. I tell you one thing though: they will not be opened until we know we have won.

Photos from Obama Today

2008-11-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

I did some calling for Obama tonight. It actually was really fun. I only got hung up on a couple of times and most people genuinely seemed happy and grateful I was calling.

Reading this piece by Chris Bowers about how much better the polls look now than in 2004 and watching all 5 political "experts" on ABC's This Week predict over 300 electoral college votes for Obama have made me feel pretty darn optimistic. I still often feel totally panicked, but when I think about it rationally, rather than being affected by my post-traumatic stress syndrome from '04, I really feel this year is ours. Yes we can. Yes we will.

Halloween

2008-11-02T11:05:00.001-08:00

Never fear, even with all of the election excitement Halloween was not lost. Aida was a vampire this year and Pablo was... he describes himself as "the scream".

For the 7th year in a row we headed to the lovely San Diego neighborhood where Annie and Caroline live. {On about year 3 we discovered that trick or treating is a lot more fun with a glass of wine in your hands.} As always we had tons of fun.

Annie has more photos here.

Greetings From McCain

2008-11-01T07:05:00.001-07:00

Not really for little ears.....

Happy Halloween from the Obama Campaign

2008-10-31T10:28:00.001-07:00

2008-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

4 days baby. My sister and Ben are going to see Obama TODAY in Des Moines. I am so jealous!

Tightening Polls

2008-10-31T06:33:00.000-07:00

A lot of people are worrying about "tightening" polls. Josh Marshall explains here why every little thing is gonna be all right.

You Can Not Resist...

2008-10-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

...the power of Tora. Here she is just hanging out on my pajama pants while I eat my breakfast and surf the internet a bit. She is just so sweet.

McCain/ Palin: Scared of Rain

2008-10-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday both campaigns were in Pennsylvania. McCain/Palin canceled one of their appearances because of rain. Obama? Bring it on:

{photo from Obama website} h/t: AMERICAblog

ONE. MORE. WEEK.

2008-10-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Huevos.

2008-10-27T20:22:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to be posting so many videos - it is just that there is so much good stuff out there. This guy from the Obama campaign on Fox News is awesome. The Fox woman is just so awful and he is totally confident and doesn't take any of her crap - it makes her CRAZY. He insists that Fox News is biased. No Duh.

h/t Jed L on Daily Kos.

Tora.

2008-10-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

They can thank the mouse I saw crawl out from behind the fridge, cross the kitchen floor and disappear into our broom closet during the weekend.

Last night Eduardo said he heard a mouse under the bed in the night. I thought he was crazy - but I saw mouse poop under there this morning! We never had mice when we had a cat.

This morning I thought I would just "check" Craig's list. A woman was giving away a 10 week old kitten, food, and a litter box. She is 2 days overdue with her first baby so when her hubby brought home the kitten last week she was less than thrilled. When I went to pick her up the guy almost got tears in his eyes saying good-bye.

We named her Tora - which means Tiger in Japanese.

Yeah, Yeah....That's the Ticket

2008-10-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

The McCain campaign on why their crowd sizes are much smaller than Obama's:

Mark Salter, a senior McCain adviser, said 1,400 people went through security to get to the Albuquerque event. And he said it costs a lot of money to build large crowds — money the McCain campaign doesn't have.

On a side note, yesterday on Meet the Press 3 talking heads went on and on about the unfair fact that Obama had more money than McCain; the corrupting power of money, this was the end of public financing, blah, blah blah. What they and moderator Tom Brokow failed to mention is that most of Obama's money came from small donors. Regular people. 3.1 million of them to be exact, giving on average less than $100 dollars. Where is the "corrupting influence" in that?

How do those people get those jobs?

And We Attack Syria - 10 Days Before the Election.

2008-10-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

From the AP:

DAMASCUS, Syria – U.S. military helicopters launched an extremely rare attack Sunday on Syrian territory close to the border with Iraq, killing eight people in a strike the government in Damascus condemned as "serious aggression."

A U.S. military official said the raid by special forces targeted the network of al-Qaida-linked foreign fighters moving through Syria into Iraq. The Americans have been unable to shut the network down in the area struck because Syria was out of the military's reach.

"We are taking matters into our own hands," the official told The Associated Press in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the political sensitivity of cross-border raids.

Earlier this week I read that if elected Obama may want to keep a couple of Bush's cabinet members, including Robert Gates, Secretary of the Defense. This strikes me as an incredibly bad idea. This attack today in Syria just makes me more suspicious than ever that our Defense Department is loyal to the Republicans - not to the country.

Yes We Can!

2008-10-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

100,000 in Denver today.

TBogg Says It Best

2008-10-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

On Lieberman explaining that he has always had respect for Obama and he hopes to help bring "people together" after the election TBogg writes:

Fuck off Joe.

My thoughts exactly.

Wassup 2008

2008-10-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

Remember this ad from 2002?:

Watch it and then watch the new version set eight years later - guess who they are voting for? awesome:

Big Girl

2008-10-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say I put a lot of though into this shot - nope. She was looking for her shoes in the van and she looked up - I got her.

Will Farrell Returns

2008-10-24T13:16:00.001-07:00

Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey.....Good-bye...

2008-10-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

I know my confidence will make some of you nervous - but come one read this:

John McCain's election night watch party might be missing John McCain. Instead of appearing before a throng of supporters at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix on the evening of Nov. 4, the Republican presidential nominee plans to deliver postelection remarks to a small group of reporters and guests on the hotel's lawn.

Aides said Thursday that the arrangement was due to space limitations and that McCain might drop by the election watch party at some other point.

Space limitations? The stage is too crowded?

"Addressing your supporters election night is one of those traditions in politics, like where you choose to launch your campaign," Patterson said. "Why wouldn't you want the energy of the crowd? And if you're going to lose, you almost need it even more."

2008-10-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is what you like to see when you check FiveThirtyEight the best polling site evah:

Today's Polls, 10/23: McCain on Life Support

This is not the time when John McCain can afford a bad polling day. And yet he's had perhaps his worst one of the year.

2008-10-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

Hat Tip TBogg
Click on comic to view larger.

Talking Points Memo is so Cool

2008-10-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

TPM just posted this cool Interactive Map Of GOP Sleaze:

We bring you the state by state on GOP robocalls and mailers. To use our map, click on a highlighted state. From there you can click on an item that pops up, scroll down to see the item or listen to the call. If you would like to select another state, click the "X". To return to map, click another state.

Click here to check it out.

Must Reading for Political Junkies

2008-10-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

State by state poll closing times on election day.

Lydia, you better print it out so we can have it on hand... Looks like we ought to start the party at 4:00 our time.

Ohio polls close at 4:30 our time. If they are able to call Ohio for Obama soon after it closes it will be a very good night for us. If it goes for McCain early please keep all razor blades, barbiturates or small vulnerable pets as far away from me as possible.

UPDATE: Chuck Todd from NBC disagrees with me. He thinks there is a decent chance McCain could win Ohio and lose the election.

Uh Michele?

2008-10-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

It is not a "misreading" of what you said, when you said it very clearly. Bummer for you we have YouTube.

This Blog is Brought to you by the Letter...

2008-10-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

The Number of the Day is...

2008-10-21T06:59:00.001-07:00

TWO week s baby.

Take That You Fascist Bully

2008-10-20T18:38:00.001-07:00

My mom passed this story along:

Even as Rep. Michele Bachmann said she had been misunderstood, strong reaction Sunday to her claim that Barack Obama "may have anti-American views" brought an unexpected shakeup to the race in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District.

News reports, political TV shows and websites buzzed with chatter about Bachmann's comments Friday on MSNBC's "Hardball."

On Friday, Bachmann was asked by host Chris Matthews whether she believes that Obama may have anti-American views. She replied, "Absolutely. I'm very concerned that he may have anti-American views."...
...Tinklenberg's {Bachmann's opponent} campaign said that in the 48 hours after Bachmann's remarks, $640,000 from nearly 13,000 people came in to his campaign. That is more than all donations he received during the entire third quarter.

His campaign now will air more TV ads than it had planned this week. National Democrats say they will help.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out Michele.

And Now for Something Completely Different

2008-10-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

Man Cold from the British sketch comedy show Man Stroke Woman.

I know from past conversations with many of you {especially when your significant other is sick} that this is going to make you LAUGH.

Thanks to S. for showing this to me.

The Green Collar Economy

2008-10-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

My cyber friend and founder of the incredible parenting and political blog Mothertalkers sent me a fascinating book titled The Green Collar Economy by Van Jones. It could not have come out at a more appropriate time. From the book flap:

In The Green Collar Economy, acclaimed activist and political advisor Van Jones delivers a real solution that both rescues our economy and saves the environment. The economy is built on and powered almost exclusively by oil, natural gas, and coal—all fast-diminishing nonrenewable resources. As supplies disappear, the price of energy climbs and nearly everything becomes more expensive. With costs and unemployment soaring, the economy stalls. Not only that, when we burn these fuels, the greenhouse gases they create overheat the atmosphere. As the headlines make clear, total climate chaos looms over us. The bottom line: we cannot continue with business as usual. We cannot drill and burn our way out of these dual dilemmas.

I literally just started it an hour ago. I will let you all know how it goes.

Colin Powell Endorses Obama

2008-10-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Dan Wilson

2008-10-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

When I was in University the hottest band on the college circuit was the Minneapolis band Trip Shakespeare. When my sister and I watched the awesome Dixie Chicks movie Shut up and Sing she recognized a songwriter who was helping the Chicks as Dan Wilson, former member of TS. Turns out my favorite wrote some of theirs were written by him.

Fast forward to my airplane ride last week where Minneapolis artists were featured on the airline's audio program. Dan Wilson's latest album was one of the selections and I instantly loved it. I listed to it 3 times on the airplane and downloaded it from iTunes my first morning in Decorah. I have been listening to it almost nonstop ever since. Click here to see him perform the title track, Free Life. {the best video is from VH1 and they don't seem to let us post their videos directly to a blog}

Wow a good Supreme Court Decision

2008-10-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Good News from Ohio:

Well, isn't that interesting. The biggest Republican "voter fraud" cause, involving ACORN among others, just got thrown out by George Bush's conservative Republican US Supreme Court.

2008-10-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

Matt and his posse.

Making Leslie pose for my 365 shot. What a good sport.

Kim and Heidi boogie down.

I really had so much fun last week in Iowa. It was amazing to reconnect with so many old friends. I think Leslie and I hadn't had so much time together since before she moved to Denver in 1992!

However the one I am going to miss the most is Miles. He is pure love.

Conyors Explains

2008-10-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

In a letter to the Justice Department Rep. John Conyers explains what the ACORN investigation is all about.

Update: Fired U.S. Attorney David Iglesias says he is "astounded" by the investigation and also thinks it stinks to high heaven.

Bad Night for McCain

2008-10-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

And if things were not bad enough for McCain, Lawrence O'Donnell says Colin Powell is about to endorse Obama. That's is a pretty big freaking deal.

Back From Vacation Blogging

2008-10-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

Entered the house at 5:57 - debate started at 6:00. Whew.

I think we are seeing the complete breakdown of John McCain. Crash. And. Burn.

2008-10-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

I am at the airport bar, drinking a pint of Sam Adams.

Back to Iowa, and 1988.

McCain Won't Shake Obama's Hand

2008-10-07T22:34:00.001-07:00

What the hell is wrong with that guy?

UPDATE: They had already shaken hands. My bad.

How Good of a Man is Obama?

2008-10-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

Read this diary by foxsucks81 on Daily Kos to find out.

Palin's Fans

2008-10-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

Dana Milbank in the Washington Post:

Barack Obama, she told 8,000 fans at a rally here Monday afternoon, "launched his political career in the living room of a domestic terrorist!" This followed her earlier accusation that the Democrat pals around with terrorists. "This is not a man who sees America the way you and I see America," she told the Clearwater crowd. "I'm afraid this is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to work with a former domestic terrorist who had targeted his own country." The crowd replied with boos...

...Worse, Palin's routine attacks on the media have begun to spill into ugliness. In Clearwater, arriving reporters were greeted with shouts and taunts by the crowd of about 3,000. Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric's questions for her "less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media." At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."

Wow. Just wow. "Sit down, boy?" Palin is really bringing out the best in her crowds.

How stupid do you have to be to think Palin's abysmal performance in the CBS interview was because of Couric? I really don't understand how the question: "what magazines do you read?" is too tough for the future Vice President:

h/t: Atrios

Monday Morning Cute Boy Blogging

2008-10-06T06:58:00.000-07:00

Bring it on John McCain.

2008-10-06T06:21:00.001-07:00

Obama's got some big guns too - and he is not afraid to use them.

Look Ma, I'm Happy!

2008-10-05T08:29:00.001-07:00

We are taking care of Ry and Indi this weekend. Like any good mama, Lydia was a bit worried about leaving her newly 3 year old boy behind. He is doing great. There have been a few tears - but nothing a few skittles didn't cure.

Yesterday it was just Aida, Indi, Ry and Silas for babysitting. We walked to Bird Park playground and had so much fun.

Obama Knows

2008-10-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

the best defense is a good offense. With news that starting tomorrow 100% of McCain's ads are going to be negative (I think we are about to become reaquanted with Rev. Wright) and with Palin out on the trail talking about Obama's "terrorist friends" Obama goes after McCain first in this new ad:

Happy 11th Anniversary Baby!

2008-10-04T18:37:00.001-07:00

A year ago Eduardo and I were in tropical paradise. This year we are spending our anniversary in reality - that's OK. San Diego is pretty darn good.

I love you E. Te Amo.

Hey Sarah Palin

2008-10-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Do not miss this. This catapulted into my top 10 YouTube videos EVAH.

(a few expletives do fly for those of you with kids - I'll probably still let Aida watch it though.)

Fox News at Work

2008-10-04T07:09:00.001-07:00

Our friend Marty in Madison sent this to me. Short and hilarious.

Who Said?

2008-10-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

Who said this talking about Palin's performance tonight?:

She hit it out of the ballpark. She proved that she is ready to be John McCain's Vice President. She was strong, she was competent, she was informed, she was very genuine. She was humorous.

Answer: Joe Lieberman on Fox News.

The Rock of Hate

2008-10-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

San Diego's largest church, The Rock, is located right next door to the kid's school. It is a modern church founded by a former NFL player. I have been impressed with the diversity of the church members. However last night on the local news I discovered a reason to be far less than impressed.

Last night they held a "rally" last night to "protect" marriage. 3500 people attended and it was simulcast to hundreds of churches across the country. The church is actively involved with getting people to vote against the gay marriage referendum on the November ballot. So much for churches staying out of politics. Why they care so freaking much is beyond me. Here is an excerpt from their website about gay marriage iProtectMarriage.com:

Q: Isn't banning gay marriage just like banning interracial marriage?
A: It's completely unrelated. Blacks who endured prejudice can't wake up in the morning and not be black. None of us can be counseled out of our race or ethnicity. But homosexual behavior is a choice, and countless gays and lesbians have left the homosexual lifestyle.

This has inspired me to get more active on the fight for equal marriage rights. Find out how you can help here.

Deep Thought

2008-10-02T06:51:00.001-07:00

When you have a crappy night's sleep, followed by a night where you sleep great it is amazing how fantastic you feel on that second morning.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

2008-10-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to a great mama! I can't wait to see you next week.
Big birthday hug and kiss XOXOXOX

Maybe President Bush isn't the Dumbest Ever

2008-09-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Gosh darn, that woman is more stupider than I thunk: (the video isn't working right now, I will post when it is.)

:COURIC: And when it comes to establishing your world view, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read, before you were tapped for this, to stay informed and to understand the world?

PALIN: I've read most of them again with a great appreciation for the press for the media, I mean...

COURIC: Like what ones specifically? I'm curious that you...

PALIN: Um, all of 'em, any of 'em that um have been in front of me over all these years, um...

COURIC: Can you name any of them?

PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news too. Alaska isn't a foreign country where it's kind of suggested it seems like, wow how could you keep in touch with what the rest of Washington, DC may be thinking and doing, when you live up there in Alaska. Believe me, Alaska is like a microcosm of America.

Update: Crooks and Liars has the video here.

Calorie-Free Addiction

2008-09-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

FiveThirtyEight: for all your polling obsessions. {and unlike other calorie-free addictions it won't give you lung cancer or make you start having in depth conversations with one of your house plants. Save that stuff for the small chance of a McCain victory.}

Current Electoral College Prediction: Obama 325.5 McCain 212.5

Pretty good considering a week ago McCain was UP.

Tell us how you Really Feel Jack.

2008-09-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

Jack Cafferty from CNN rips into Palin. Good stuff. Good stuff.

Paul Newman R.I.P.

2008-09-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

MsLibrarian, in a diary on Daily Kos, found these great Newman Quote:

"More than the films, more than the awards — finding out that I was on Nixon's Enemies List meant that I was doing something right.

"Nixon didn't like my campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy. But then again, he didn't much care for debate, dissent, or the Constitution either.

"I was proud to stand with Democrats against an imperial president back then. And I am proud now to stand with a new generation of Democrats against a president who poses what I believe to be the biggest internal threat to American democracy in my lifetime.

Bill, Really, Again?

2008-09-25T06:47:00.000-07:00

I don't really like using this blog to tell the former President of the United States to shut up, but once again I feel I must:

ABC News' Nitya Venkataraman Reports: Former President Bill Clinton defended Sen. John McCain's request to delay the first presidential debate, saying McCain did it in "good faith" and pushed organizers to reserve time for economy talk during the debate if the Friday plans move forward.
"We know he didn't do it because he's afraid because Sen. McCain wanted more debates," Clinton said, adding that he was "encouraged" by the joint statement from McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.

"You can put it off a few days the problem is it's hard to reschedule those things," Clinton said, "I presume he did that in good faith since I know he wanted -- I remember he asked for more debates to go all around the country and so I don't think we ought to overly parse that."

WTF?

Advice for McCain

2008-09-24T17:04:00.001-07:00

The day you try to pull of some stupid publicity "time-out" of your campaign should not be the same day you are supposed to appear on Letterman:

In the middle of the taping Dave got word that McCain was, in fact just down the street being interviewed by Katie Couric. Dave even cut over to the live video of the interview, and said, "Hey Senator, can I give you a ride home?"

Earlier in the show, Dave kept saying, "You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves." And he joked: "I think someone's putting something in his metamucil."

"He can't run the campaign because the economy is cratering? Fine, put in your second string quarterback, Sarah Palin. Where is she?"

"What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"

UPDATE: New and improved - now with video:

TGINR

2008-09-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Kos explains why he is very glad McCain didn't choose Romney:

But think, what if McCain had picked Mitt Romney as his veep choice, like so many of us were fervently hoping?

Sure, the rollout wouldn't have give McCain a fraction of the attention and excitement that Palin generated. The GOP ticket's (now evaporated) post-convention bump would've been smaller, and maybe Romney would've been less effective at revving up the fundy base.

But right now? Romney would be kicking ass. The media would treat him with deference as an economic expert, and let's be honest, he does looks straight out of central casting for the role of "serious businessman who we should defer to on the economy". McCain wouldn't have to hide him. Romney could make the media rounds, being taken seriously no matter what GOP gibberish he spouted. Rather than flail and cower, a McCain/Romney ticket would look sure-footed and confident, projecting gravitas in a time of uncertainty.

Knock on Wood

2008-09-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

This new poll looks really good for Obama. Lets ride this thing home.

Everyone Agrees

2008-09-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

The bailout plan sucks.

Bill Maher's New Documentary on Religion

2008-09-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Religulous opens next month. I can not wait.

Bad, It's Really Freakin' Bad

2008-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Glenn Greenwald writes about the bailout bill:

Here is the current draft for the latest plan. It's elegantly simple. The three key provisions: (1) The Treasury Secretary is authorized to buy up to $700 billion of any mortgage-related assets (so he can just transfer that amount to any corporations in exchange for their worthless or severely crippled "assets") [Sec. 6]; (2) The ceiling on the national debt is raised to $11.3 trillion to accommodate this scheme [Sec. 10]; and (3) best of all: "Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency" [Sec. 8].
Put another way, this authorizes Hank Paulson to transfer $700 billion of taxpayer money to private industry in his sole discretion, and nobody has the right or ability to review or challenge any decision he makes.

Some Democratic lawmakers are pissed:

Nancy said she wanted to include the second "stimulus" package that the Bush Administration and congressional Republicans have blocked. I don't want to trade a $700 billion dollar giveaway to the most unsympathetic human beings on the planet for a few fucking bridges. I want reforms of the industry, and I want it to be as punitive as possible...
...I also find myself drawn to provisions that would serve no useful purpose except to insult the industry, like requiring the CEOs, CFOs and the chair of the board of any entity that sells mortgage related securities to the Treasury Department to certify that they have completed an approved course in credit counseling. That is now required of consumers filing bankruptcy to make sure they feel properly humiliated for being head over heels in debt, although most lost control of their finances because of a serious illness in the family. That would just be petty and childish, and completely in character for me.

I'm open to other ideas, and I am looking for volunteers who want to hold the sons of bitches so I can beat the crap out of them.

I see absolutely ZERO discussion about this stuff in the mainstream media. We should be taking to the streets - it is totally outrageous that we are being told we NEED TO bail-out these ass-holes.
CALL your Representative and Senator in the morning and tell them (politely) no way, no how.

Annie, Did You Call Obama Last Night?

2008-09-20T13:41:00.001-07:00

Once again Annie tells me some advice for Obama - the next thing I know he is taking it. Obama is brilliant here.

Another One for the You Can't Make this Shit up File

2008-09-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

Photo from BASETREE

Mayor Sarah Palin made women pay for their own rape kits. Yes, for their own rape kits.

Much can be learned about the Palin Administration’s family values from reviewing their spending priorities. Former Chief of Police Irl Stambaugh included forensic rape kits (up to $1,200 per kit) in his budget requests. He was fired by Palin in 1997. In her termination letter, Palin wrote, “…I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment. . . ” Staumbaugh headed the police department since it was created in 1993. Before that, he served 22 years with the Anchorage Police Department rising to the rank of captain. Sarah Palin hired Charlie Fannon as the new Wasilla Chief of Police and said it was one of her best decisions as mayor. Fannon eliminated the forensic rape kits from the budget. Though the number of rapes weren’t reported, Fannon claimed it would save Wasilla taxpayers $5,000 to $14,000 a year.

I think an ad based on this would be a very good idea.

But why would someone want rape kits to be denied? Hekebolis on Daily Kos makes a very strong argument that it has to do with emergency contraception, something which was provided with the kit. Disgusting.

Good Way to Start My Day

2008-09-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

Obama is up in the polls. Ye Haw.

So Much For Small Government

2008-09-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

Invoking extraordinary powers granted after the 1929 stock market crash, the government seized control of the insurance giant American International Group to preserve a crucial bulwark of the global financial system.
The move to lend the Wall Street giant up to $85 billion in exchange for nearly 80 percent of its stock effectively nationalizes one of the central institutions in the crisis that has swept through markets this month.