I went to bed last night rather early, before I was 100% certain who would win this thing. It was encouraging enough for me to know that Elizabeth Dole had lost in North Carolina, and that Pennsylvania had been called for Obama as soon as the polls closed.
I awoke this morning at 6:00 and went out to fetch my New York Times, not expecting to learn anything new since our edition of the paper has an early press time. I figured I'd have to get on the internet.
Wrong.
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What a sweet morning! Honestly, I can actually breathe again after weeks (or years) of thinking I'm suffocating. More thoughts later. Must work for a living. Life goes on.
It was in the 2000 election in which I bypassed the presidential vote in order to vote for all the other candidates and my intention was to vote for Al Gore last so I could savor the moment before I cast my ballot. By the time I got to the end, I was so eager to cast it I completely forgot I hadn't voted for president. That will never happen again. This time I didn't even notice who else was running for leader of the free world.
One nice surprise was to see the name Lloyd Doggett on our ballot. I'm quite sure his district did not encompass our neighborhood the last time around, but it's a pleasure knowing that we are represented by him and not a Republican from San Antonio. I had been a bit annoyed knowing that Seventh Sister is represented by him and she only lives a few miles to our east.
Today I stared at the summary screen showing my votes, scrutinizing it to be sure I voted. Then before I cast my ballot I scanned it again and just stared at my vote for president for a few seconds to relish the moment. My hands were clammy and I literally had chills across my body. And then I pressed the red button and walked away.
I voted for a man named Barack Hussein Obama. Imagine that. My mother believes he is immediately going to begin destroying our nation.
Yesterday morning I had a feeling I haven't had since Christmas Eve when I was about 10 or 12, waiting on the big day so I could open presents. Last night Chris Matthews said it felt like the day before Christmas. Maybe that's how we all feel.
Last month when Obama made a rushed trip to Honolulu to visit his grandmother I knew it had to be serious. After a week or so I was hopeful she would be able to hang on long enough to witness something historic. And actually, she already did.
Honestly, I don't know what to expect. I have been feeling pretty good lately and now I'm apprehensive again. Rachel Maddow got me a little wound up last night with her calls for ending the "poll tax" which is now an expenditure of time as opposed to money. And since time is money, it's a poll tax.
There is absolutely no excuse in the United States of America for anyone to stand in line for hours to vote. While I am fairly confident that a majority of Americans want, and plan to vote for Barack Obama, and many already have, there's absolutely no guarantee that tens of thousands of voters tomorrow won't experience a few problems.
Two-thirds of voters will mark their choice with a pencil on a paper ballot that is counted by an optical scanning machine, a method considered far more reliable and verifiable than touch screens. But paper ballots bring their own potential problems, voting experts say.
The scanners can break down, leading to delays and confusion for poll workers and voters. And the paper ballots of about a third of all voters will be counted not at the polling place but later at a central county location. That means that if a voter has made an error — not filling in an oval properly, for example, a mistake often made by the kind of novice voters who will be flocking to the polls — it will not be caught until it is too late. As a result, those ballots will be disqualified.
There are a lot of dynamics in play and any number of scenarios could unfold during the day, up to and including some last-minute decisions by voters who have been straddling the fence, or voters who planned to vote for Obama but have cold feet once in the privacy of the booth.
Aside from all this uncertainty, my greatest fear is that the results could tighten enough in battleground states to make calling the election impossible before the wee hours of the morning, or worse. It all depends on how long it takes to tally up all these paper ballots.
I've waited eight long grueling years for this moment. I would love to have an answer before I go to bed Tuesday night. That may be some extreme wishful thinking.
txrad and I decided to take a swing through Linens & Things today since they were having a "Going Out Of Business" sale complete with a big sign in the front window proclaiming, "Now Hiring." Pity the poor fool who applies for that job!
Anyway, the "up to 40% off" and more signs plastered across the front of the store didn't quite materialize once inside. I immediately started looking at sheet sets which were reduced a dismal 10%. Shit, that barely covers sales tax. Can't they do better than the 20% off discount cards I used to receive in the mail?
As I browsed, it became obvious most of the (China manufactured) shit in the store was reduced only 10% to 20%. We walked away without a purchase. Plenty of people were walking away with huge bags stuffed with goods.
Fools. Go to the outlet mall. You'll get better prices.
It's a damn good thing I'm not a fan of the Texas Longhorns. Aside from their crushing defeat by Texas Tech while being ranked #1 in the US, I might be so distraught as to post a request for sex online.
From craigslist:
I'm not out, don't want to be, date girls.... but have tried stuff with guys before. In a bad mood tonight after watching the football game and still kind of drunk.
Wantng someone cool and discreet to help me out tonight. Pretty picky though so be good looking, in good shape, and able to prove it.
Hopefully he's feeling a little better this morning. Christ, it's just a game! I hope he's not a big McCain/Palin supporter. If so, what would he be in the mood for on Tuesday night?
Let's say the Republican nominee is Susan Collins instead of John McCain. Then I could understand this concept of being undecided.
“I do not like being an ‘undecided,’ ” said a sheepish Doug Finke, a 66-year-old executive at an international relocation service in Louisville, Ky. “Last time at this point, I definitely was decided. Not this time. I find it unnerving.”
Mr. Finke, a Republican, voted twice for George W. Bush. He describes himself as an economic conservative and said he had been “very impressed” with Senator John McCain. It sure sounds as if Mr. Finke is leaning toward Mr. McCain, the Arizona Republican, right?
Not so fast.
“I’m socially more liberal,” Mr. Finke said. “I think Obama is bright and has been very steady in this campaign.” He added that it would be “very exciting for the United States to elect a black president.” Besides, he does not think Mr. McCain’s running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, would be ready to step into the top job if something happened to Mr. McCain (who, Mr. Finke pointed out, “is pretty old”).
Where does this leave Mr. Finke? “I plan on doing a lot of reading this weekend,” he said.
Enjoy your weekend, Mr. Finke. I'm really glad I'm not wrestling with the big question.
Mr. Finke's wife is in the same (swift)boat.
“I’d say I’m leaning towards McCain,” she said. “For as awful as things are with this Republican administration, there’s something about the whole conservative thing that appeals to me.” Put her down as “leaning McCain” then.
“But maybe I’ll vote for Obama,” she said. “How many days are left?”
The "whole conservative thing?" Normally, that article in today's New York Times would have simply infuriated me. For some odd reason I find it humorous today. This allegiance to nebulous labels is actually quite funny.
How do I feel today? Well, I love red, but I'm feeling a little blue streak. I may vote blue, but gosh, I sure would love some more red. I'm not sure if eight years of red was enough. Blue sure looks nice though.
Holy crap. I'm now counting the hours until this is over.
txrad bought this pomegranate concentrate (think molasses without the sweetness) at the hooch emporium today. It's from Lebanon. I tasted just a dab of it on a spoon. As I sucked it from the spoon I just had the slightest essence of pomegranate. Then as I swallowed I suppose it came into contact with taste buds at the back of my mouth which are hard-wired for bitterness.
Wow. I mean, seriously. The hairs on my legs were standing at attention and I had momentary chills across my body. This stuff is T.A.R.T.
From the New York Times...some steps same-sex couples need to take for getting anything closely resembling marriage equality.
On property ownership, for instance:
Same-sex couples, married or not, need to take extra care when titling their property, especially their homes. Heterosexual married couples can transfer real estate and personal property to each other with no gift taxes and no estate taxes until the second spouse dies. Same-sex married couples and those with equivalent rights living in states that recognize them have this benefit only on the state level. But property passing to a same-sex spouse is still subject to federal estate taxes upon the first spouse’s death. In 2008, federal estate taxes apply for assets valued at more than $2 million. Adding a same-sex spouse to the title of your home may also have tax implications because it would be considered a gift.
Sweet Pea was outside looking in; Tater Tot was inside looking out. He was chirping like a bird at one point but I didn't get any of that on video except for one small peep which you might not even be able to hear.
And I wasn't even sure this was Sweet Pea because he fur was standing up a bit and he looked like a larger cat. Tater Tot is always infatuated with him.
This has been one HELL of a workweek. It's the weekend and the last day of October, and Halloween. And November arrives at 12:00 tonight. Thank God!
I don't know where to start... or end. Between politics, the economy and all its permutations, and my current job situation, I've got my panties in a knot. And while the political situation is about to take a breather in five days, that still leaves two out of three which concern me.
But seriously, why does John McCain want to be president? And why does Cindy fancy herself as first lady? It just don't look right. After the election, they can just retire to one of their seveneight whatever number of many houses they have.
So I vacate and allow The Visitors to intrude. In the absence of a vacation, just vacating is good.
I could see this coming a month ago. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security by the current lower oil prices which are about 50% of the July levels.
Michael Stravato for The New York Times
If I were to place a bet, I'd go with this being a temporary phenomenon. And as demand increases again, the price will surely follow.
But with gasoline prices falling drastically in recent weeks, some American drivers are returning to their old ways.
[...]
“Driving habits die hard, and they can reincarnate quickly,” said Christopher R. Knittel, an economist at the University of California, Davis, who studies gasoline demand.
Yeah, the next thing you know we'll be seeing a spike in Hummer sales again. And these are the same people who will be moaning again when a barrel of crude surpasses $100. They are the ones who will be screaming at our leaders to "do something!"
Here's one idea. Stop pumping so much.
My other biggest concern is that if prices remain low through the winter and into the spring, we'll lose all the momentum for shifting to greener energy and improved efficiency. Status quo, baby, status quo. Not good.
Joe the Plummer agreeing with a statement that a vote for Obama means death to Israel?
My Jewish friends who are supporting Obama (and yes, I have SEVERAL, not just one token Jew friend) would find this interesting.
Jesus Fucking H. Christ. (No pun intended.) Can we just fast-forward to next Tuesday and put the Republican Party to a restful slumber for a half-century or so?
If Barack Obama can govern the nation half as well as his infomercial was produced and delivered, we are in for one hell of a refreshing joy ride for the next four eight years.
Perhaps the Barracuda needs to recalibrate and shoot for 2016, as if she even has a chance then.
I'm thinking it might be time for me to pop Annie Hall into the DVD player again.
Annie: You know, you're so ego-centric that if I miss my therapy, you can only think of it in terms of how it affects you!...
Alvy: (sighing and turning to Annie after a digression) What do you mean, our sexual problem? I mean, I'm comparatively normal for a guy raised in Brooklyn.
Annie: OK, I'm very sorry. My sexual problem, OK? My sexual problem. Huh? (A man in front of them in line turns back to look at them, and then turns away.)
Alvy: (embarrassed) I never read that. That was, that was Henry James, right? Novel, huh, the sequel to The Turn of the Screw, 'My Sexual Problem'?
As txrad said tonight while watching this video yet again, it's the perfect demo reel for a job at Fox News. Barbara West of WFTV in Orlando should wear a large elephant lapel pin.
The Marxist bit really cracks my shit up.
Does she remember the bailout? Is she ignoring the upcoming bailout for the auto industry? This criticism of "spreading the wealth" needs to stop. It's a slippery slope.
It's what we do. We are America. Some of us prefer to spread it more equitably than others.
