Hillary has ideas, solutions, detailed plans, and Obama has a beautiful speaking voice.
I think Obama has great charisma, but as Jan in Ohio said (interview on NPR), "how does charisma translate into good government?"
I can't remember Jan's last name, but she is in her 50s and teaches social studies. She had a conversation with NPR and a young woman named Allison who goes to Youngstown State University. Allison, a Y Gen kid (I don't call them Millenials), likes Obama.
Allison had nothing concrete to offer the social studies teacher, Jan, on why Obama is a better candidate.
It is because Jan is right. Let's hope the Boomers and the Traditionalists get out in record numbers and vote Hillary.
I hope the excited Obama supporters paid close attention to the debate in Austin.
For example, when asked about being ready to be Commander in Chief, Obama criticizes Bush. Hillary, instead, says that she will be meeting with the military advisors to have a plan to bring our men and women home, starting 60 DAYS from inauguration!
McCain, on the other hand, is prepared for us to stay in the Middle East for 100 years. Hello, McFly, we spend 12 billion dollars a week on these war efforts. Let's bring our men and women home (some on their third tours) and spend that money here in the United States.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues
OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues
Best site for being an informed voter - compare Hillary, Obama, Chupacabras, and McCain on the issues that are important to you.
Best site for being an informed voter - compare Hillary, Obama, Chupacabras, and McCain on the issues that are important to you.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Lunar Eclipse, Mercury Gaining Momentum
Obama may be doing well for the moment, but with a Lunar Eclipse as the Sun enters Pisces and Mercury finally going into forward motion, Hillary's time to propel forward in the race is here.
Go Hillary!
Go Hillary!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Hillary for President!
I am proud to be a Hillary supporter. She is tough, bright, and truly compassionate. If you want to be an informed voter, check out the links below to more detailed information on Hillary.
Friday, February 15, 2008
The American Way
Ron Paul has provided an update to his supporters via YouTube. He is suggesting that everyone get together to march on Washington D.C. It sounds as if he is trying the Hail Mary pass at the end of the football game - the march is supposed to get attention just before the GOP convention although I think we all know McCain is the candidate.
I guess I have to admit Doc has a lot of guts, trying to organize a march on his behalf when he has to know he won't get the nomination.
He said on his broadcast that the Republican party has drifted from its conservative roots, and he hopes to correct that.
He also says we need to bring our troops home to guard our borders.
I suppose he is an isolationist and a nationalist of the most narrow-minded sort. Sure, we should not be "empire-building." I agree with him there. But we can't put our heads in the ground and pretend nothing is happening in our environment.
Doc's voting record indicates he is not in favor of energy independence. He has no real appreciation for management of resources and sustainable development. That is nothing new to the Republican party.
He seems to be hostile to immigrants, but that is not new to the Republican party. I certainly hope no one of Latin descent is voting Republican.
So how does he expect to be a part of some sort of change as the leader of the Republican party?
The Republican party does not offer anything more than continued death, destruction, and debt.
Go Hillary!
I guess I have to admit Doc has a lot of guts, trying to organize a march on his behalf when he has to know he won't get the nomination.
He said on his broadcast that the Republican party has drifted from its conservative roots, and he hopes to correct that.
He also says we need to bring our troops home to guard our borders.
I suppose he is an isolationist and a nationalist of the most narrow-minded sort. Sure, we should not be "empire-building." I agree with him there. But we can't put our heads in the ground and pretend nothing is happening in our environment.
Doc's voting record indicates he is not in favor of energy independence. He has no real appreciation for management of resources and sustainable development. That is nothing new to the Republican party.
He seems to be hostile to immigrants, but that is not new to the Republican party. I certainly hope no one of Latin descent is voting Republican.
So how does he expect to be a part of some sort of change as the leader of the Republican party?
The Republican party does not offer anything more than continued death, destruction, and debt.
Go Hillary!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Real Red, Pink and White Holiday
Valentine's Day has something special - I loved Daryl in 3rd Grade and gave him a Valentine, my mother always gave us red hots in plastic heart containers that we found on the breakfast table, and I love conversation hearts with a passion akin to heroin addiction.
But in reality, V Day is a cultural co-optation of a pagan holiday, a festival of lights celebrating the magic of the first hints of spring and the seeds sprouting underground. It is called by some Lady Day, honoring the Goddess who renews the Earth for spring after the long winter.
The day's colors are red, pink, and white. It is bad luck to have your Christmas decorations up still by February 1, as the winter solstice's greenery is associated with the death and rebirth of the God.
So, yes, Valentine's Day IS a woman's holiday, and we should be celebrated as the givers and renewers of life. Worship us with much chocolate, many heavenly-scented flowers, and a little bubbly along with a well-written love poem, and love will abound through harvest.
But in reality, V Day is a cultural co-optation of a pagan holiday, a festival of lights celebrating the magic of the first hints of spring and the seeds sprouting underground. It is called by some Lady Day, honoring the Goddess who renews the Earth for spring after the long winter.
The day's colors are red, pink, and white. It is bad luck to have your Christmas decorations up still by February 1, as the winter solstice's greenery is associated with the death and rebirth of the God.
So, yes, Valentine's Day IS a woman's holiday, and we should be celebrated as the givers and renewers of life. Worship us with much chocolate, many heavenly-scented flowers, and a little bubbly along with a well-written love poem, and love will abound through harvest.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Ethics
Consistently people will select "honesty" as an attribute in an admired leader.
A very interesting survey indicates that business leaders define honesty creatively - example - business executives who golfed: 99% said they were honest in golf. 82% said they undercount the number of strokes and improve the lie of the ball (for those of you who don't golf, both are cheating). 99% said that people who cheat in golf are likely to cheat in business.
Denial. It doesn't just happen to people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. It is happening to everyone who is addicted to the adrenaline rush of success. We want more and more of it and in the high of the moment we forget our principles.
A partner I once worked for doesn't have this problem. She has represented nationwide businesses and multi-national corporations. She did not get high on the adrenaline rush of having such status.
She took care of her people - she did not blame an underling for a problem when talking to a client. On a case for one of these powerful clients, I made a significant error that led to a cascade of problems - she did not hang me out to dry.
She walked her talk and was courageous enough to fire this powerful client for various reasons I won't get into. But the point is, she was willing to risk loss of money and status because her principles were more important to her than financial success.
She spoke out within her law firm on issues of honesty and fairness even though her position was very unpopular. She stood her ground even when she was criticized.
We need more of this kind of courage and integrity in our country.
A very interesting survey indicates that business leaders define honesty creatively - example - business executives who golfed: 99% said they were honest in golf. 82% said they undercount the number of strokes and improve the lie of the ball (for those of you who don't golf, both are cheating). 99% said that people who cheat in golf are likely to cheat in business.
Denial. It doesn't just happen to people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. It is happening to everyone who is addicted to the adrenaline rush of success. We want more and more of it and in the high of the moment we forget our principles.
A partner I once worked for doesn't have this problem. She has represented nationwide businesses and multi-national corporations. She did not get high on the adrenaline rush of having such status.
She took care of her people - she did not blame an underling for a problem when talking to a client. On a case for one of these powerful clients, I made a significant error that led to a cascade of problems - she did not hang me out to dry.
She walked her talk and was courageous enough to fire this powerful client for various reasons I won't get into. But the point is, she was willing to risk loss of money and status because her principles were more important to her than financial success.
She spoke out within her law firm on issues of honesty and fairness even though her position was very unpopular. She stood her ground even when she was criticized.
We need more of this kind of courage and integrity in our country.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Blogger is Better than the Networks
Wouldn't you rather get your news and commentary from others on the web who are blogging about things that interest you? I am beginning to feel that way now that I am trying this out.
Many tv and radio media people suck. People criticize politicians for taking the races into the sewer with bad behavior, but let's look at David Schuster and Chris Matthews for a moment. MSNBC (and others) love taking pot shots at Hillary et al. For example, Schuster is on suspension right now after Hillary's campaign complained about Schuster saying the Clintons had "pimped out" Chelsea by having her call celebrities and Super Delegates to support her mom. WTF????? If my mom were running for president, I would be doing the same thing out of love and respect. And this is not isolated - hell, when the poor kid was eleven they criticized her physical appearance. How tacky and cruel is that?
As for Matthews, there are many examples, but let's talk about his comment that Hillary's success was due to Bill's philandering. Totally crass and idiotic, but this is similar to the voiced assumption of many people I've heard on tv, radio, and in my community. Isn't it funny that no one will say more than the most condescending things about a wife's "support" of a husband as contributing to his success, but when a woman is doing well, it's all about how her husband made her - something like the My Fair Lady syndrome, I suppose. A woman can't be anything without a man's guidance and molding. What bullshit. Women have to work twice as hard and are continually tested while men skate by with more style than substance over and over again.
Now let's take Obama. The white folks on the media won't criticize him because to do so would be racist. So who else can they poke fun at in the Democratic camp? Even when there were others in the race, it has been all about dragging down Hillary. For example, when they had Edwards to dis, I never heard more than Edwards being criticized for his $400 haircuts and for his allegedly questionable loyalty to his family by running for President while his wife is ill. That was frankly horrible, but it was not the barrage that Hillary continues to endure.
And please don't give me public figure shit. That's sort of like the argument that a 14 year old girl in a mini-skirt asks for it by walking alone in a place where men can see her.
It's not politicians who are disrespectful of each other necessarily, it is the media (respectable papers and a few talking heads excluded) who loves putting the spotlight on people to degrade them for some sadistic reason. And does it seem to be more fun to these media folks to be cruel to women as opposed to men?
Here's another example. After the excellent debate among Clinton, Edwards, and Obama, I was proud to have three such talented Democrats running for President of my country. What did the media talk about? The one time during the two-hour debate that the conversation got a little heated between Clinton and Obama. Did anyone see a clip of Edwards taking up for Clinton during the debate? Oh no, you'd have to have tuned in during the debate. Instead, the post-debate commentary focused on the few minutes of heat to portray Clinton as a mean (racist?) bitch and Obama as unfairly attacked. Without the context, that is what it could look like. Hell, Obama, Clinton, and Edwards are experienced and well-educated lawyers - all of them can create and take heat in a debate. That's what they are trained to do.
And let's not forget the inordinate focus on whether Hillary is going to tear up while campaigning. Who cares? She's a Scorpio and way tougher than Bill. Even for tough-as-nails Scorps tears can happen. Particularly when being given a sincere compliment - Scorps are rarely understood and usually like it that way, but in times of stress that would break Libras, embitter Aries, depress Leos, and chase Cancers into hiding, a Scorpio endures and is sustained when recognized for their sacrifices and good works. She's not going maudlin, after all, like W, who pretends that he cries for all of the men and women he has sent to Iraq to operate his war machine. W does not care - his daughters aren't going. It all began on emotion - W wanted to prove his worthiness by punishing Saddam for trying to kill George Herbert (Don't mess with Texas, you sumbitch!) and continued because W started it out based on emotion, not strategy (failing to listen to Colin Powell was a big mistake, dumbass). I love Texas, by the way, but that is for another post.
Back to the media - it focuses on what a complete idiot W appears to be and other times on what's going wrong in Iraq. Honestly, in a time of war, it would be helpful to have some inspirational stuff on tv and radio.
Now don't get me wrong. I don't mean to suggest a lack of appreciation for the First Amendment. Sure, the media can talk about whatever the big guys pay them to talk about. So I finally get to my point - the irony of it all is that the broadcast media is pimping itself out. It appeals to the base instincts in all of the fearful people watching or listening by focusing not on the issues but on any behavior or comment that, taken out of context, will disparage the candidates and the election system. And we wonder about apathy in our nation. With mean-spirited humor the least offensive thing we are hearing from these pimped out talking heads, viewers naturally feel it is pointless to vote for a bunch of scumbags who lie and won't really solve our problems. Besides, talking heads and viewers (or listeners) deep down think it is fun to drag down those who would be larger-than-life. Then they don't feel so helpless and meaningless. Particularly those who have sold out on their craft.
Does anyone else see where that leads? The handful of powerful people can control results when the populace is hypnotized by this sort of hate-mongering. Instead of focusing on the true basis for how our society has become troubled, the media doles out bullshit about immigration and government assistance programs.
I think Hillary and Chelsea are brave. They are behaving with dignity during a time when the focus is on them in ridiculous ways that do not serve the political process. This is an exciting time in our history because in the so-called land of opportunity, we finally have an African-American man and a white woman with the resources and name-recognition to be serious candidates for President. I wish the media talked about the positives in that for a change. There is still clearly far to go for "respect for diversity" to have real meaning here, but to have someone other than a white male in the race shows that the hard work done in the 60s and 70s took root and may blossom.
Many tv and radio media people suck. People criticize politicians for taking the races into the sewer with bad behavior, but let's look at David Schuster and Chris Matthews for a moment. MSNBC (and others) love taking pot shots at Hillary et al. For example, Schuster is on suspension right now after Hillary's campaign complained about Schuster saying the Clintons had "pimped out" Chelsea by having her call celebrities and Super Delegates to support her mom. WTF????? If my mom were running for president, I would be doing the same thing out of love and respect. And this is not isolated - hell, when the poor kid was eleven they criticized her physical appearance. How tacky and cruel is that?
As for Matthews, there are many examples, but let's talk about his comment that Hillary's success was due to Bill's philandering. Totally crass and idiotic, but this is similar to the voiced assumption of many people I've heard on tv, radio, and in my community. Isn't it funny that no one will say more than the most condescending things about a wife's "support" of a husband as contributing to his success, but when a woman is doing well, it's all about how her husband made her - something like the My Fair Lady syndrome, I suppose. A woman can't be anything without a man's guidance and molding. What bullshit. Women have to work twice as hard and are continually tested while men skate by with more style than substance over and over again.
Now let's take Obama. The white folks on the media won't criticize him because to do so would be racist. So who else can they poke fun at in the Democratic camp? Even when there were others in the race, it has been all about dragging down Hillary. For example, when they had Edwards to dis, I never heard more than Edwards being criticized for his $400 haircuts and for his allegedly questionable loyalty to his family by running for President while his wife is ill. That was frankly horrible, but it was not the barrage that Hillary continues to endure.
And please don't give me public figure shit. That's sort of like the argument that a 14 year old girl in a mini-skirt asks for it by walking alone in a place where men can see her.
It's not politicians who are disrespectful of each other necessarily, it is the media (respectable papers and a few talking heads excluded) who loves putting the spotlight on people to degrade them for some sadistic reason. And does it seem to be more fun to these media folks to be cruel to women as opposed to men?
Here's another example. After the excellent debate among Clinton, Edwards, and Obama, I was proud to have three such talented Democrats running for President of my country. What did the media talk about? The one time during the two-hour debate that the conversation got a little heated between Clinton and Obama. Did anyone see a clip of Edwards taking up for Clinton during the debate? Oh no, you'd have to have tuned in during the debate. Instead, the post-debate commentary focused on the few minutes of heat to portray Clinton as a mean (racist?) bitch and Obama as unfairly attacked. Without the context, that is what it could look like. Hell, Obama, Clinton, and Edwards are experienced and well-educated lawyers - all of them can create and take heat in a debate. That's what they are trained to do.
And let's not forget the inordinate focus on whether Hillary is going to tear up while campaigning. Who cares? She's a Scorpio and way tougher than Bill. Even for tough-as-nails Scorps tears can happen. Particularly when being given a sincere compliment - Scorps are rarely understood and usually like it that way, but in times of stress that would break Libras, embitter Aries, depress Leos, and chase Cancers into hiding, a Scorpio endures and is sustained when recognized for their sacrifices and good works. She's not going maudlin, after all, like W, who pretends that he cries for all of the men and women he has sent to Iraq to operate his war machine. W does not care - his daughters aren't going. It all began on emotion - W wanted to prove his worthiness by punishing Saddam for trying to kill George Herbert (Don't mess with Texas, you sumbitch!) and continued because W started it out based on emotion, not strategy (failing to listen to Colin Powell was a big mistake, dumbass). I love Texas, by the way, but that is for another post.
Back to the media - it focuses on what a complete idiot W appears to be and other times on what's going wrong in Iraq. Honestly, in a time of war, it would be helpful to have some inspirational stuff on tv and radio.
Now don't get me wrong. I don't mean to suggest a lack of appreciation for the First Amendment. Sure, the media can talk about whatever the big guys pay them to talk about. So I finally get to my point - the irony of it all is that the broadcast media is pimping itself out. It appeals to the base instincts in all of the fearful people watching or listening by focusing not on the issues but on any behavior or comment that, taken out of context, will disparage the candidates and the election system. And we wonder about apathy in our nation. With mean-spirited humor the least offensive thing we are hearing from these pimped out talking heads, viewers naturally feel it is pointless to vote for a bunch of scumbags who lie and won't really solve our problems. Besides, talking heads and viewers (or listeners) deep down think it is fun to drag down those who would be larger-than-life. Then they don't feel so helpless and meaningless. Particularly those who have sold out on their craft.
Does anyone else see where that leads? The handful of powerful people can control results when the populace is hypnotized by this sort of hate-mongering. Instead of focusing on the true basis for how our society has become troubled, the media doles out bullshit about immigration and government assistance programs.
I think Hillary and Chelsea are brave. They are behaving with dignity during a time when the focus is on them in ridiculous ways that do not serve the political process. This is an exciting time in our history because in the so-called land of opportunity, we finally have an African-American man and a white woman with the resources and name-recognition to be serious candidates for President. I wish the media talked about the positives in that for a change. There is still clearly far to go for "respect for diversity" to have real meaning here, but to have someone other than a white male in the race shows that the hard work done in the 60s and 70s took root and may blossom.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Why RainbowSurfing? Dragonfly variations that interested me were all taken, and Rainbow Surfing just sort of popped into my mind.
Serendipitously, it works.
I've been thinking about dragonflies for over a year. In an Indian animal medicine book, I found out that dragonflies are messengers for those of us nurturing illusions that do us no good. The dragonfly was once Dragon and was fooled into giving up his power - so became dragonfly. I have a similar story. The lesson is that we have to confront our illusions about ourselves and others and take back our own power where we've been abused or fooled.
So I had this eureka moment when I looked up pics of rainbows and learned about Iris, the messenger for gods, goddesses, humans, and all other forms of life in old Greek mythology. Iris is a rainbow, represented as a winged woman in the picture I found. Of course, the rainbow reaches the earth from the heavens, and the old Greek mythology was that Iris therefore could bring messages back and forth between the gods and the people. Iris is winged like dragonfly, and the iridescent colors of the dragonfly recall the rainbow. Pictures of rainbows can be pretty corny, but I liked the one showing the water and the clouds - Iris's parents in the old stories.
And you Latin students may be saying, well Mercury/Hermes was the messenger, Dragonfly. Yes, that was the patriarchal rewriting of Ovid's old wisdom. Everyone powerful and heroic became male or separate from female origins (example, Minerva/Athena, who used to be born of a woman, suddenly was born from her father's skull as remedy for his headache, remained a virgin goddess rather than a fertility goddess). Mercury/Hermes came to replace Iris, but she is the messenger in stories by Ovid and Virgil, even in the Iliad, but gradually replaced as time passed with new writers rewriting the old stories so women wouldn't get any foolish ideas that they were important.
So what about surfing? Yeah, a little self-indulgent there, you might think. Actually, I don't know how to surf. It is one of my new year's resolutions. I can water-ski, but never had the guts to surf. Surfing is another link up to dragonfly - mediating air and water, a phenomenon seen throughout the life-cycle of the dragonfly (which is prolific in statistically significant measure in my home county versus elsewhere in the country).
What does rainbow surfing mean to you?
Serendipitously, it works.
I've been thinking about dragonflies for over a year. In an Indian animal medicine book, I found out that dragonflies are messengers for those of us nurturing illusions that do us no good. The dragonfly was once Dragon and was fooled into giving up his power - so became dragonfly. I have a similar story. The lesson is that we have to confront our illusions about ourselves and others and take back our own power where we've been abused or fooled.
So I had this eureka moment when I looked up pics of rainbows and learned about Iris, the messenger for gods, goddesses, humans, and all other forms of life in old Greek mythology. Iris is a rainbow, represented as a winged woman in the picture I found. Of course, the rainbow reaches the earth from the heavens, and the old Greek mythology was that Iris therefore could bring messages back and forth between the gods and the people. Iris is winged like dragonfly, and the iridescent colors of the dragonfly recall the rainbow. Pictures of rainbows can be pretty corny, but I liked the one showing the water and the clouds - Iris's parents in the old stories.
And you Latin students may be saying, well Mercury/Hermes was the messenger, Dragonfly. Yes, that was the patriarchal rewriting of Ovid's old wisdom. Everyone powerful and heroic became male or separate from female origins (example, Minerva/Athena, who used to be born of a woman, suddenly was born from her father's skull as remedy for his headache, remained a virgin goddess rather than a fertility goddess). Mercury/Hermes came to replace Iris, but she is the messenger in stories by Ovid and Virgil, even in the Iliad, but gradually replaced as time passed with new writers rewriting the old stories so women wouldn't get any foolish ideas that they were important.
So what about surfing? Yeah, a little self-indulgent there, you might think. Actually, I don't know how to surf. It is one of my new year's resolutions. I can water-ski, but never had the guts to surf. Surfing is another link up to dragonfly - mediating air and water, a phenomenon seen throughout the life-cycle of the dragonfly (which is prolific in statistically significant measure in my home county versus elsewhere in the country).
What does rainbow surfing mean to you?
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