Happy Thanksgiving!

Things I'm thankful for:

1. President-elect Barack Obama
2. A healthy fetus-niece
3. New jobs
4. My heater
5. Year-round farmer's markets
6. DVR
7. Family within 100 miles in either direction
8. Birth control
9. The 11:00pm hour on Comedy Central
10. A 2nd pair of glasses
11. A progressive community
12. Friends
13. Great students
14. iTunes
15. My awesome Mac
16. Socks
17. Savings accounts
18. The incoming economic team
19. Sarah Palin lives in Alaska again
20. My front porch
21. Eric
22. Eric's yummy dinners
23. Rationality
24. Lots of brothers and sisters
25. Blogs
26. etc.

Girl power

Just wanted to share one picture of the little one. I've decided she's inheriting the fist in the bottom panel from me ;-) (Click on the image to make it bigger)

Babies!

I told her I was going to wait until she posted something on her own blog, but she said it didn't matter and I can't wait anymore.

Jen and Lance are having a girl!!! I'm really excited, since I love girls and I love being a woman. Now, I'm going to have to be the awesome aunt who teaches her all about feminism and being a strong woman :-)

Funny

I just found a funny blog called Bishop Higgins 3rd Ward. If you know anything about Mormonism (and I mean cultural things, mostly, not "magic underwear" things) or have ever lived in Utah, you'll probably get a kick out of this. Erin, Dad, Jeannette, Annie... I'm mostly talking to you :-)

News

1. Eric got a new job today! Hooray.

2. I was out on Saturday night and my glasses broke. The right part that goes over your ear? Came clean off.

3. I downloaded an AWESOME album from iTunes. It's from the Pickin' On series... a bluegrass tribute to classic rock. I LOVE it.

4. One of my classes was AWFUL today. Three referrals. I haven't written that many referrals all year! When is Thanksgiving break again...?

5. The newest Beaujolais Nouveau is out! Yum.

6. We're having my favorite Moroccan dish for dinner. I love Eric :-)

7. It's cold. I love it!

8. We went to the grocery store today for the first time in... weeks? A really long time. The farmer's market opens back up in April!

9. I got to catch up yesterday with a middle school friend. It was great! She's in surgery, and I HAD to relate everything she was talking about to Grey's Anatomy. I'm retarded. But I couldn't help it! Oh, Dr. McDreamy...

10. Because who wants a list of only nine?

11. Ten is boring, too. I'm listening to my bluegrass version of I Love Rock and Roll at the moment. Did I mention that I love this album?

12. Oh, I just remembered one more! Apparently, many people in this country are DUMB when it comes to, um, this country. On the Civic Literacy Report Civics Quiz, the average American scores a 49% and the average elected official scores a 44%. Great.... I'm happy to report that I had an 84.85%. Phew!

My Sketch

I was playing around on Facebook this morning, and I found an app that does a sketch of your profile picture. Fun!

Tesla

Tesla Motors is working on their electric car. They claim it's 100% electric, goes 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, and gets 244 miles per charge. Plus, it's pretty. I'm intrigued, and I want one. Too bad the base price is $109,000. Maybe if I start saving now.....

Pearls of funny

Wazoo

I'm waiting for Eric to get off the phone so we can leave, and I just found out that my Photo Booth has fun effects!! For your viewing pleasure.

Hi

I've been busy. And sick. This weekend we're going to Maryland. Oh, and next week I only have to work 2 days! Good thing, because the kids are crazy right now.

Utah

This is for you, Erin :-)

Utah, redux

by kos

Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 09:57:03 AM PST

Yesterday I wrote about the great gains in Salt Lake County in Utah, but couldn't do a side-by-side comparison since AP hadn't updated its numbers. Well, they're updated, so I'm posting the comparison maps so we can marvel at what progress looks like:

2004:

2008:

The glowing county is Salt Lake, and notice how neighboring Summit County also turned blue. Mouse over every neighboring county, and they've all become less Republican. Sure, some of the gains are marginal, but it's all progress as long as it's moving in our direction. And the 80,000-vote swing in Salt Lake County will be the foundation upon which the rest of the state is gradually worked.

Crazy

I have been told 3 times in the past 2 days that I look like Sarah Palin. I suppose that's okay, as long as nothing else about me reminds them of her!

November 5, 2008

The American Promise

Can I just say, I am very much looking forward to January 20. This is our new president!

Remember this guy?

It feels really, really, good, doesn't it?

Bushed

The London Times’ Charles Bremner has identified one positive aspect of President Bush’s foreign policy legacy:

With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr. Sarkozy told Mr. Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia’s Government. According to [Sarkozy’s chief diplomatic adviser, Jean-David] Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr. Putin declared.

Mr. Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr. Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”

Mr. Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Mr. Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”

Quote of the day

Sometimes the mind, for reasons we don't necessarily understand, just decides to go to the store for a quart of milk.
- Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider

Time-waster

But, really fun! :-)

Another Pearl

Response to gay marriage

I posted some questions a few days ago regarding people's opposition to gay marriage. Nobody actually responded with their personal opinion regarding the issue. But I did have one commenter ask me to post all of my feelings about this.

I don't know that I can adequately express ALL of my feelings about this in a single post. But, if you want to know where I'm coming from with this, please watch Keith Olbermann's eloquent response before reading on.

What do I think...?


First and foremost, I hold that it is the job of the government to PROTECT our right to believe whatever we want in regard to religion, etc. Not to DICTATE to us what to believe.

If you are a member of a religion that views homosexuality as a sin, that is your prerogative. The government cannot demand that you change your mind about that. You do not have to allow homosexual members into your church, you do not have to perform gay marriage ceremonies, you do not have to provide any kind of service to them.

However, you cannot claim that same privilege to believe how you will, and then turn around and deny that to others. You cannot expect the government to protect your rights yet deny those same rights to people who think differently than you. The government cannot force you to accept homosexuality. AND, the government cannot deny others their own homosexuality.

The government of this country is NOTHING if it does not treat all of its citizens with equality. The government CANNOT dictate to you what is right or wrong in regard to your PERSONAL beliefs. How can you say that the government has a right to allow marriages between people who think one way, but not to people who think another way?

It is not the role of government to decide who is right or wrong in this issue. It is the role of government to allow equal treatment of all of its citizens. That is what the Constitution is for!


Second. I must again wonder, What are you afraid of?

I have had discussions this week with my students about why urban areas tend to vote more liberal than the rest of the country. Without fail, in every single class period, the students were quick to respond with the word, "Exposure." When you have friends who are black, or Muslim, or homosexual, or green, or whatever, you realize that they're really just as normal and boring as you are. You realize there is nothing about them that you need to fear. They're just people.

Are you afraid of losing the "sanctity of marriage and the family?" I would have to say, then, that that is only because you know no families with two parents of the same gender.

Again, back to my school. There are a number of homosexual faculty members in long-term relationships. One in particular has been with his partner for YEARS. They have 2 adopted children. They are one of the most loving families I've ever known. They do birthday parties and parent-teacher conferences and swimming pools and everything else typical, two-parent families do. The children are perfectly well-adjusted. And they don't seem to be "catching" any "gay germs" from their fathers.

You want to protect families? Allow them to exist!! Allow homosexual partners to marry, adopt children, and raise those children in loving, warm homes.

What are you afraid of?


Third. This was pointed out most poignantly by Olbermann. If we did not "redefine marriage" it would still be illegal across this country for black Americans to marry.

I hope that by this day and age, you can look back at the laws against miscegenation and recognize their ridiculousness. But at the time, people were just as scared that the "sanctity of marriage and the family" would be destroyed if a black and white couple were allowed to marry.

Silly fears.


Last. Marriage is defined as a man and a woman in the Bible. That is all. Thankfully, we use the Constitution to govern this country, not the Bible.

If you do not want to marry a person of the same gender, don't.

But why do you have to stick your nose into someone else's life and dictate their decisions? You expect them to stay out of your decisions. Why can't you stay out of theirs?

Bloggie sister

So, apparently my sister started a blog. Four days ago. I found out through her Facebook page... interesting. Well, if you want to know (and haven't already beat me to it), you can read it at: Life According to Me.

Oh, Pig

What do I blog about now??

Confused

I took these questions from the Friendly Atheist, but they're on my mind, as well. Anyone care to respond?

There are so many questions I want to ask those people who voted in favor of Proposition 8 and as a result banned gay marriages in California:

• How is your marriage any more secure now that homosexual marriages in your state are broken?
• What do you say to the children of gay parents who question why their mommies or daddies can’t be married?
• Can I vote on the legality of your marriage?
• How does this vote change your life?
• Are you proud of yourself?
• What did you say to your gay friends (if you have any) when you saw them post-election?
• Will your actions bring gay people closer to Christ?
• When gay marriage is finally legalized (it won’t be long), are you going to lie and tell your children your church led the charge for equal rights or will you tell them the truth and say you were the reason for the delay?
• How do you defend your position to your children?
• Are you in favor of lifelong commitments between two people or against it?
• What effect do you think this gay marriage ban will have on gay people? Young people? Non-Christians? Young Christians?
• Is this what Jesus would do?

Acceptance speech

What are you people out there afraid of?

Equality

Remember the dream?

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

-- President-Elect Barack Obama

WE DID IT!!!!

Anxiety

16 minutes until the polls close in Virginia!! Freak-out time for me. I'm so excited to see the returns tonight!!

Volunteer turnout

I went in to the Obama office to volunteer earlier today, and there was a 20-minute line. For volunteers! That was longer than my line to vote!

I had a fun time and met a lot of people while I was working on visibility to get out the vote.

If you haven't voted yet, you still have time! As long as you're in line by the time the polls close, you can vote!

Barack the Vote

Can you tell I don't have to work today?

Wahoo!

I've never been so excited to vote before! Hooray!!

UPDATE: I forgot to mention... it took me a whole 6 minutes to vote! Thank goodness so many people voted early! Now, go vote!

VOTE!!!!

Oh my, the day is finally here! I slept horribly last night -- multiple dreams in which I forgot to vote! I know, I'm a bit dorky in that regard, but it's true! Make sure you don't forget to vote today. Find someone to watch the kids, bring a book and a cup of coffee, and get excited!! We're making history today!

Election 2008 Voting Information

Today, November 4th, is Election Day! Remember to vote—not just for president, but for Congressional, state, and local candidates as well.

Where and when do I vote?

Find your polling place, voting times, and other important information by checking out these sites and the hotline below. These resources are good, but not perfect. To be doubly sure, you can also contact your local elections office.

• Obama's VoteForChange site: voteforchange.com
• League of Women Voters' site: vote411.org/pollfinder.php
• Obama's voter hotline: 877-US4-OBAMA (877-874-6226)

What should I do before I go?

• After you've entered your address on either Vote For Change or Vote411, read the voting instructions and special rules for your state.
• Voting ID laws vary from state to state, but if you have ID, bring it.
• Check out all the voting myths and misinformation to look out for: http://truth.voteforchange.com/

What if something goes wrong?

• Not on the voter list? Make sure you're at the right polling place, then demand a provisional ballot.
• If you're voting on an electronic machine with a paper record, verify that the record is accurate.
• Need legal help? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
• If you encounter a problem, try to videotape the situation and submit it to VideoTheVote.org

Want to do more?

• Text all of your friends: "Vote today! Pass it on!"
• Volunteer at your local Obama office. Find an office here or here.

Now, everybody go vote!!!

Video: San Diego supports gay marriage

The Republican mayor of San Diego went against his campaign promise in 2006 to oppose gay marriage. He has just signed the resolution allowing same-sex marriage in his city. His explanation is especially poignant and heart-warming.

Happy Halloween!

Okay, are we awesome, or what?