Getting to work was easy - people weren't on the road - they were waiting in line to vote! This is the parking lot at my place of work at 7:15 a.m. - luckily someone left as I got there so I found a place to park - but it was exciting to see everyone so energized by this election.
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
7 Days and Counting
It's almost THE DAY - just one week and we'll know who the next President will be. I, personally, don't think there's much doubt but I'm trying very hard not to be over confident.
Tonight Barack Obama is in Norfolk - or will be soon - but there wasn't any way I was going - much as I would like to see and hear him in person. It's just SO crowded and traffic would be horrendous - I'll just have to hear whatever parts of his speech are televised. It's pretty amazing to me that Virginia is "in play" this year - it's been a long time! I do remember when Virginia always went Democratic but it hasn't happened since LBJ!
I've made my plans to go to Florida - I know, I should have gone already, but at least it's planned. I'll be there for 5 and 1/2 days - longer than usual (maybe that will make up for being lax in actually going - Nah!). SIGH
Tonight Barack Obama is in Norfolk - or will be soon - but there wasn't any way I was going - much as I would like to see and hear him in person. It's just SO crowded and traffic would be horrendous - I'll just have to hear whatever parts of his speech are televised. It's pretty amazing to me that Virginia is "in play" this year - it's been a long time! I do remember when Virginia always went Democratic but it hasn't happened since LBJ!
I've made my plans to go to Florida - I know, I should have gone already, but at least it's planned. I'll be there for 5 and 1/2 days - longer than usual (maybe that will make up for being lax in actually going - Nah!). SIGH
PS -
in early voting.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Political Musings . . . and Clothes
How bizarre that one of the biggest stories in this contencious political season is the $150,000 of Republican Party funds spent on Sarah Palin's wardrobe.
I haven't given either party any donation - I just haven't - and I certainly don't begrudge anyone new clothes - I need some myself - but, if I had given a donation to a political party to further their cause, to help "my" candidate get elected, I WOULD be upset to discover that my money hadn't gone to advertising or placards or even bumper stickers or anything else that would further my candidate's cause, but had gone to buy clothing for one of the candidates. I would have been even more upset to find out how much and where the money was spent.
Surely there was some middle ground - someplace to get Sarah Palin's clothes - that fell between the thrift store (where she said she shopped), Walmart, Kmart and Barney's and Saks Fifth Avenue!! I mean really - there are mid-level department stores that have nice looking clothes - stores like Kohls or Macy's, Bloomingdales or even Nordstroms. Places where the bill might well have been under $100,000!! From what I've seen her clothes are nice but not that much different (at least from the distance of the TV set) from those mass-market versions available for much less.
To me this is just another indication that the Republican Party, John McCain and Sarah Palin are out of touch with reality and the American public - we're facing massive economic crises and they're spending $150,000 for clothes that, according to the campaign, will only be worn for a few weeks and given to charity. That's what the disadvantaged need - used designer clothes!
And as a governor - couldn't Mrs. Palin afford her own clothes???
I haven't given either party any donation - I just haven't - and I certainly don't begrudge anyone new clothes - I need some myself - but, if I had given a donation to a political party to further their cause, to help "my" candidate get elected, I WOULD be upset to discover that my money hadn't gone to advertising or placards or even bumper stickers or anything else that would further my candidate's cause, but had gone to buy clothing for one of the candidates. I would have been even more upset to find out how much and where the money was spent.
Surely there was some middle ground - someplace to get Sarah Palin's clothes - that fell between the thrift store (where she said she shopped), Walmart, Kmart and Barney's and Saks Fifth Avenue!! I mean really - there are mid-level department stores that have nice looking clothes - stores like Kohls or Macy's, Bloomingdales or even Nordstroms. Places where the bill might well have been under $100,000!! From what I've seen her clothes are nice but not that much different (at least from the distance of the TV set) from those mass-market versions available for much less.
To me this is just another indication that the Republican Party, John McCain and Sarah Palin are out of touch with reality and the American public - we're facing massive economic crises and they're spending $150,000 for clothes that, according to the campaign, will only be worn for a few weeks and given to charity. That's what the disadvantaged need - used designer clothes!
And as a governor - couldn't Mrs. Palin afford her own clothes???
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Paris & Cindy & Sarah Oh My
It's pretty sad when Paris Hilton's Fake Presidency is beginning to make more sense than the actual commercials/public announcements of the "conventional" political parties!
I know I'll certainly be happy when the election is over - and my fingers are crossed that the results are ones I'm hoping for - something needs to change because the current situation is in the toilet and we're circling the basin!
I know I'll certainly be happy when the election is over - and my fingers are crossed that the results are ones I'm hoping for - something needs to change because the current situation is in the toilet and we're circling the basin!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
A New Computer
Definitely wasn't on my list of things I needed or wanted right now but I've really gotten used to having a laptop! Last night I shut down the computer (old laptop - 2 whole years old!) and all seemed fine. Off I went to work today and, still, all seemed well. When I got home I opened the laptop, pushed the power button - lights came on and immediately winked out! Hummm - not good - try again - same result - BLAST! No monitor at all - not even a flash :-( A quick check online and off we went to the new Best Buy down the street. Now I have a nice new Toshiba - smaller, lighter and easier to haul around! Spent the rest of the evening taking off all the "stuff" I didn't want and adding the stuff I did want - and configuring Outlook to get my mail for me!
BTW - check out this Flow Chart from The Huffington Post - too funny!!
BTW - check out this Flow Chart from The Huffington Post - too funny!!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Debates and more Debates
The Vice Presidential debate wasn't all I hoped it would be but it was good - Joe Biden didn't offend (is it REALLY possible to offend a professional politician?? After all Sarah Palin isn't new to politics - just politics on this level!!) and Sarah didn't fall on her sword (or her shotgun). But give me a break with the folksy talk - I've had all the folksy I can tolerate (admitedly not much) in the past 8 years - NO MORE! And I never realized that Alaskans talked as if they were from the upper mid-West! I've known others from Alaska - a neighbor in Florida had just moved from Anchorage- and she didn't talk like she was from Minnesota.
SIGH
Two more debates (this Tuesday and the 15th (I think)) and we're done for this election cycle. I promise to vote, on the local level, for anyone not currently in office and for anyone who doesn't imply or state that his/her opponent is evil, dumb, or wicked! My list gets shorter every minute!
It's very interesting having Virginia actually "in the game" - we've actually had THE candidates here - and that rarely happens! Hopefully we'll do the RIGHT thing and go BLUE!
SIGH
Two more debates (this Tuesday and the 15th (I think)) and we're done for this election cycle. I promise to vote, on the local level, for anyone not currently in office and for anyone who doesn't imply or state that his/her opponent is evil, dumb, or wicked! My list gets shorter every minute!
It's very interesting having Virginia actually "in the game" - we've actually had THE candidates here - and that rarely happens! Hopefully we'll do the RIGHT thing and go BLUE!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
ANTICIPATION . . . .
is making me crazy!!
I'm ready for the Vice-Presidential debates - eagerly awaiting some Palin"isms" and hoping VERY much that she closes the deal - and McCain/Palin loses - BIG TIME! Come on Saturday Night Live moment!!
Love the email a good friend sent that said McCain replaced Sarah Palin with a wide-eyed Deer!! (this isn't the exact email I got but it's the same article!!)
Joe - stay steady, stay calm and bury her!
I'm ready for the Vice-Presidential debates - eagerly awaiting some Palin"isms" and hoping VERY much that she closes the deal - and McCain/Palin loses - BIG TIME! Come on Saturday Night Live moment!!
Love the email a good friend sent that said McCain replaced Sarah Palin with a wide-eyed Deer!! (this isn't the exact email I got but it's the same article!!)
Joe - stay steady, stay calm and bury her!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
And the politics continue . . .
I must admit I've not been watching the Republican convention as much as I watched the Democrats convention - but there haven't been any speeches I've really wanted to see - yet. I'm hoping to be able to see John McCain's acceptance speech - but it depends on when it happens - if it's before 9 EDT then I probably won't see much of it because I'll be at work.
I have been watching the Daily Show - great place for news! It was very interesting Wednesday night - particularly when the show compared several "pundits" opinions on various things. (Strangely most of the pundits were from Fox News - go figure!)
For instance, when talking about a possible Gov. Kaine vice-presidential candidancy, Karl Rove said that he (Kaine) had been Mayor of the 105th largest city in the US and "apologies to Richmond" but it's just not that big a city and, by inference, doesn't give much experience to the possible candidate. A few weeks later: Sarah Palin was the Mayor of the 2nd largest city in Alaska and that gave her lots of experience - guess Alaska doesn't have very many large cities because the city she was the Mayor of has a population of 9,000 to Richmond's 100,000+.
You'd think these people would remember what they had said - after all it was written down and taped!
Oh well, I guess that's what makes ratings on news programs - but I find it annoying and misleading. I just fear that too many people simply believe what is said on the various news programs and don't bother to do any of the research to see the facts behind the headlines.
I would like to see a woman in a vice-presidential or presidential role during my lifetime and I think that will happen but I REALLY don't want this particular woman. I don't like much of what I've read and heard about her positions -
"Stein says that as mayor, Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times. "She asked the library how she could go about banning books," he says, because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them. "The librarian was aghast." That woman, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn't be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor. " TIME magazine September 2, 2008
Not exactly what I want a heartbeat away from the Oval Office - and I wouldn't have wanted her to be MY mayor either.
61 days to go . . . I'm still Diane and I wrote this message . . .
I have been watching the Daily Show - great place for news! It was very interesting Wednesday night - particularly when the show compared several "pundits" opinions on various things. (Strangely most of the pundits were from Fox News - go figure!)
For instance, when talking about a possible Gov. Kaine vice-presidential candidancy, Karl Rove said that he (Kaine) had been Mayor of the 105th largest city in the US and "apologies to Richmond" but it's just not that big a city and, by inference, doesn't give much experience to the possible candidate. A few weeks later: Sarah Palin was the Mayor of the 2nd largest city in Alaska and that gave her lots of experience - guess Alaska doesn't have very many large cities because the city she was the Mayor of has a population of 9,000 to Richmond's 100,000+.
You'd think these people would remember what they had said - after all it was written down and taped!
Oh well, I guess that's what makes ratings on news programs - but I find it annoying and misleading. I just fear that too many people simply believe what is said on the various news programs and don't bother to do any of the research to see the facts behind the headlines.
I would like to see a woman in a vice-presidential or presidential role during my lifetime and I think that will happen but I REALLY don't want this particular woman. I don't like much of what I've read and heard about her positions -
"Stein says that as mayor, Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times. "She asked the library how she could go about banning books," he says, because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them. "The librarian was aghast." That woman, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn't be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor. " TIME magazine September 2, 2008
Not exactly what I want a heartbeat away from the Oval Office - and I wouldn't have wanted her to be MY mayor either.
61 days to go . . . I'm still Diane and I wrote this message . . .
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
I'll Admit It . . .
I'm not an Olympics junkie (used to be but not so much anymore) but I AM a political junkie and I'm truly enjoying this time - conventions! I've been working each evening during this convention but have been able to see the "big" speeches (at least so far) and I must admit I've enjoyed them! And I'll watch the next convention too - for how better to understand your opponent!!
It was an interesting (to say the least) primary season (although I totally refused to watch ANY of the seemingly thousands of debates!) and I'm convinced this one of the most interesting election years I've seen in a long time - and I was around (in elementary school!) when JFK won the squeaker against Dick Nixon.
I do miss the time when the conventions were simply broadcast without a lot of commentary - I can understand the spoken word and really don't need all that "extra" help understanding what's said - SIGH. (Actually there was commentary but Walter Cronkite was younger then!! And the coverage was gavel to gavel - much of it boring but it was the only thing on TV so watch it I did and I learned!)
I'm Diane and I approved this message!
It was an interesting (to say the least) primary season (although I totally refused to watch ANY of the seemingly thousands of debates!) and I'm convinced this one of the most interesting election years I've seen in a long time - and I was around (in elementary school!) when JFK won the squeaker against Dick Nixon.
I do miss the time when the conventions were simply broadcast without a lot of commentary - I can understand the spoken word and really don't need all that "extra" help understanding what's said - SIGH. (Actually there was commentary but Walter Cronkite was younger then!! And the coverage was gavel to gavel - much of it boring but it was the only thing on TV so watch it I did and I learned!)
I'm Diane and I approved this message!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Finally - Civics 101 "in plain English"
Well - I had the video but apparently that's not a good thing - SO . . . here's the link to Electing a US President in Plain English - try this!!
Update: the video was changed - hopefully this will work!
Update: the video was changed - hopefully this will work!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Interesting Times . . .
The supposed Chinese "curse" is May You Live In Interesting Times. I've never been sure why living in such times would be a curse but I'm pretty sure we're there!
The first First Lady I remember is Maime Eisenhower - with bell skirt and peter-pan collar - she seemed like a nice grandma lady to a kid!
But I've now seen a woman make a very good run for the Presidency - good for her! And an African-American is now the nominee of the Democratic party - WOW talk about interesting times! So dispite the curse, I'm thrilled to live in these times!
My grandmother saw automobiles, airplanes and space shuttles. I've seen men walk on the moon, clear, closeup pictures of Jupiter and Mars, and women serving on Navy ships. I was in high school before I had a classmate who black and now I've voted in a primary election (and soon the general election) for a black man for President of the United States. Interesting times indeed!
So I can only hope we continue to live in interesting times - daily life can seem mundane and routine - but these special events certainly do add spice!
And people wonder why I find history so interesting and fun!
The first First Lady I remember is Maime Eisenhower - with bell skirt and peter-pan collar - she seemed like a nice grandma lady to a kid!
But I've now seen a woman make a very good run for the Presidency - good for her! And an African-American is now the nominee of the Democratic party - WOW talk about interesting times! So dispite the curse, I'm thrilled to live in these times!
My grandmother saw automobiles, airplanes and space shuttles. I've seen men walk on the moon, clear, closeup pictures of Jupiter and Mars, and women serving on Navy ships. I was in high school before I had a classmate who black and now I've voted in a primary election (and soon the general election) for a black man for President of the United States. Interesting times indeed!
So I can only hope we continue to live in interesting times - daily life can seem mundane and routine - but these special events certainly do add spice!
And people wonder why I find history so interesting and fun!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
A Day to Celebrate
On February 27, 1951 the 22nd amendment to the US Constitution was ratified. After electing and re-electing FDR 4 times, the citizens of the US decided to have Presidential term limits.
It took from 1947 until 1951 to follow the entire amendment process - but the 22nd amendment passed all the hurdles and was ratified today!!
Because of this amendment, Presidents are limited to 2 terms - and that's a good thing!
It took from 1947 until 1951 to follow the entire amendment process - but the 22nd amendment passed all the hurdles and was ratified today!!
Because of this amendment, Presidents are limited to 2 terms - and that's a good thing!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Potomac . . . Chesapeake . . . What's in a Name?
Well, the voting is over - the results are coming in - and it looks like Obama is a Virginia winner. I went to the polls early because of an early meeting and, for the first time in a long time, there was a line at the polls!
I did have to say which primary I was voting in - that's something new - in previous times the Republicans and Democrats had their events on different days and you could, potentially, vote in both! In fact, last time I think the Republicans had a primary and the Democrats has caucuses!
Oh well - it was good to see the people out voting - whichever way they voted! I'll be interested in seeing the details of the results for my precinct!
It is kind of fun having such attention paid to the Virginia primaries - we're usually after everything's been decided! Maybe next time the pundits will choose ONE name for the region's primaries tho - either Potomac (rather focused on Northern Virginia, Maryland & DC) or Chesapeake (the Bay!!) which is a little broader for Maryland & Virginina - not so much for DC!
Oh well - it was nice having the annoyance of campaign calls - I mean when's the last time Huckabee called me - or President Clinton either??!! - but I'll be REALLY glad when the whole election is over and we have a new President!!
PS I did predict that Huckabee would win in Virginia - and it's too close to call right now (7:37 p.m.)
update: It's now 8:33 and, at least, NBC has declared that McCain has won Virginia - but it was a VERY close race!
I did have to say which primary I was voting in - that's something new - in previous times the Republicans and Democrats had their events on different days and you could, potentially, vote in both! In fact, last time I think the Republicans had a primary and the Democrats has caucuses!
Oh well - it was good to see the people out voting - whichever way they voted! I'll be interested in seeing the details of the results for my precinct!
It is kind of fun having such attention paid to the Virginia primaries - we're usually after everything's been decided! Maybe next time the pundits will choose ONE name for the region's primaries tho - either Potomac (rather focused on Northern Virginia, Maryland & DC) or Chesapeake (the Bay!!) which is a little broader for Maryland & Virginina - not so much for DC!
Oh well - it was nice having the annoyance of campaign calls - I mean when's the last time Huckabee called me - or President Clinton either??!! - but I'll be REALLY glad when the whole election is over and we have a new President!!
PS I did predict that Huckabee would win in Virginia - and it's too close to call right now (7:37 p.m.)
update: It's now 8:33 and, at least, NBC has declared that McCain has won Virginia - but it was a VERY close race!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Va. Is Next Battleground In Democrats' Long Fight
There's a headline we don't see very often!
Washington Post
There's a headline we don't see very often!
Washington Post
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Super Tuesday
OK - today's Super Tuesday but that doesn't mean a whole lot in Virginia! We don't get to vote until NEXT Tuesday!
Virginia has open primaries which means you can vote in either the Republican OR Democrat primary (but not both!).
I'm torn - in past primaries it's been fairly easy - I've voted AGAINST someone in hopes of making his bid for the Presidency more difficult (unfortunately it didn't appear to work!) - but this time I'm thinking I want to vote FOR someone instead.
Now to decide who - I like the retoric of Senator Obama (and yes, I'm old enough to remember the speeches of John Kennedy first hand!) but I like many things about Senator Clinton too - such decisions!
Well - I have another week to ponder and decide!
See you at the polls!!
See you at the polls!!
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