Anybody see that pic in Time magazine of the soldier lighting Hanukkah candles while his tank awaits? Just a bunch of bitter dessert-dwellers clinging to their guns and religion, eh??

Evil still prevails in some locales of this world.

"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action." - W.J. Cameron

I intended to drop in here and say exactly that, but I have to confess I'm a little taken aback that there is no mention of India anywhere on the home page.

Are we so preoccupied with the affairs of our country that we have we lost our compassion? Growing up as I did in the 70s and 80s, that used to an oft-echoed critique of our Republican-led country. Do we truly realize how precious a commodity life is, how precious is our own station in this United States of America?

Today I acknowledge the troubling times in which we live. ..... And how gratitude fills my soul, while in so areas around the globe - India, Zimbabwe, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, others - being thankful means you and your loved ones surviving another day with even a scrap of food in your belly.

It's past time for me - for us all - to get right with our neighbor, ourselves, our God. It is past time for divisive politics or thinking, it is past time to seize the moment and act.

Happy day and happy Season to all. May our eyes, minds and arms be forever open.

Brilliant, insightful, determined: why we have trashed our planet and what we need to do to reverse the trend.

The Story of Stuff

http://storyofstuff.com/



Be Well but never Be Still,

-Mark

Rest in peace, Mama Africa. If only we all could could impact others in a positive way, half as much as you!

Obama's win and short, successful ascension proves one thing: racism is not a strong force in this country. This is the America I always lived in, the way I have always conducted myself. Color of skin shouldn't matter one whit in anything. I didn't vote for Obama - I voted for Baldwin; I thought he had better ideas. But here's my point: Color was not the determining factor for me. Apparently, it wasn't either for the gross majority of Americans. After all, we did come out in record numbers, didn't we? Same goes for Clinton and Palin. Sexism isn't a buggerboo, either. Though these isms were clearly palpable when I was growing up, during That 70s Show, they were already shaking at the knees. It reminds me of when Run-DMC took Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" and issued the first recorded rap-rock fusion. Yes, it was groundbreaking. It was also inevitable.

I have been called naive, blind, cynical. I am none of these. Though I do have famously obvious personality quirks, I have kept the faith and maintained my idealism. If in one breath you argue that race shouldn't matter and in the very next breath you argue it should matter for any person "of color", you're the blind cynic. Martin Luther King, Jr, fought for a colorblind society. Hear that? Colorblind.

Nice to see that the country has finally caught up with his dream. After all, I've been a believer since the start.

A new day has dawned, people. I say this mainly because I recently woke up. But notetheless, history has been made. I'm behind our new president. I'm an American, and this is the way my parents raised me.

Now comes the hard part, dunnit? Are you big enough not to gloat, not to proceed with an air of superiority, not to cry "racist" at every turn? Obama's landslide proves the lie that Republicans are nothing but mean-spirited goons. If the majority of you are on this site were right, the 'Pubs would have at least come close to stealing the election. You just sat there, seeking proof to your own mean-spirited theories, that Republicanism=evil. You are wrong. You are also wrong about America being a racist country. If it were, this historic election would not have happened.  Somehow I think many of you will still refuse to admit that. (Although they are still some pockets of racism, like American Indians, where we most assuredly are. Democrats are probably worse than Republicans in this one. Sadly, it all comes down to political clout.)

So now we ALL have to work together. Accept the fact that there are people who have different opinions and outlooks than yours. Don't dismiss them because they do. And don't just take your ball and go home when you feel that you have they power and they, whomever they may be, don't.

Time will tell. And God blessed America!!!!

So I'm heading to the polling station on my bike. Those of you who know me, know that bicycling is my preferred means of transport. I rode my bike solo across country in 2001. I head to work and play with my bike. I go riding with my son. It saves gas and increases my own "fuel" capacity.

So anyway, there's this doofus coming from the polling station, which is on a one-way street. And he's riding the wrong way, and comes around the intersection where I'm about to turn onto the one-way street - and I'm going the right way! Not only does he almost hit me, he curses me out!

Hey, I'm glad that he voted. But he's definitely one idiot I will be watching out for.

And out of idle curiosity (mind you), I wonder whom he voted for?

"Go out and vote. It will make you feel big and strong."

...just read on facebook a comment from one person who begged another person not to vote for McCain. I mean, begged.

Why should friendship have anything to do with out voting preferences? Why should anyone's character come into question because we have a difference of opinion?? That's inexcusable.

I wrote this last night and it bears repeating: "You should be proud to be able to come to your own opinions and standards of judgment. It shows you're alive."

Happy day, people! No matter what. Happy, happy day!!!!!!!

"Liberal" - Open-minded, willing to entertain others' opinions and suggestions.

"Idealistic" - holding on to a standard of excellence, (THUS: not surrendering it to the conflicting desire of the group.)

"Prejudiced" - having an opinion or feeling not based on reason or logic/
"Racism" - a belief or doctrine in the superiority of one race over another
(THUS: opinions and feelings can be changed, doctrines not. This country is not racist (not toward Blacks, anyway) .

With only a day to go, it's pretty obvious by now that Obama is a shoe-in. The next 4 years will be heralded as a change in an orgasmic fury of bliss. And I use the mixed metaphors deliberately; a change is gonna come, no doubt. But it won't be the party the rank-and-file are expecting. Of course, this society of ours continues to be dominated by obtuse fools who refuse to acknowledge that the change has come, and has been here for awhile. Obama, Clinton, Palin.... They all represent that America is the land of equal opportunity-. But we remain mulish camps of monolithic people.

 

I will not vote for him. I once was his biggest fan, even campaigning for him in the classroom. But not now. He has naively made too many contradictory promises, he threw himself a Vanity Project major network celebration last week, with money garnered from a broken campaign pledge. He has decided to talk tough, even thuggish, on Pakistan, even threatening the war he so strenuously disavows.  He panders to the Israel lobby and pro-lifers and gun-toters, even though his record on these subjects suggests far otherwise. He is elitist - a small-town boy made good, he now hobnobs with the urban intelligentsia. He looks down his nose at small town residents.

 

I will not vote for McCain.  I wish that the SNL version I saw of him a couple of days ago was just normal, everyday McCain - but it's not. A man with a steady flow of that kind of charisma, eloquence and self-deferential wit needs to be in the White House. But there are no comers, are there? Maybe Ron Paul is, but he dropped out because - and Obamamaniacs, take note - he wanted to put his money to better use. McCain more and more seems like a grumpy old man, sniping at a candidate  who's about to give him a whuppin'. And who probably followed some bad advice on the way to that whuppin'.

 

(Heh. Can't you imagine the conversation 'twixt Palin and McCain? "Sarah, really, just drop out. Please. We goofed." "Uh-uh, no way John. I'm going places.""But Sarah, you can't see Russia from Pennsylvania Avenue." "Nope, and I can't see that many stars as I would in Alaska, either. But I will see one in Washington; My own. Rapidly ascending." "Will you at least make fun of yourself on SNL?" "Nope. Ain't gonnadoit.. wouldn't be prudent.")

 

The truth of the matter is, it's the bulk of Obama's frenzied fans that turn my stomach sour, not so much the man himself. Obama just doesn't seem ready yet - but Obamamania? When I started on this blog, the insults and outrageous assumptions about me came flying! Now I'm just ignored - as this piece may surely be as well. Obamamaniacs ignore the gaffs their man makes, as well. They share the Bush mentality: if you're not with us, you're against us. Here is a short list of words I've read and heard to describe people who questioned Obama and his campaign: "racist," "bigoted," "lacking in mental acuity," Republican," "conservative," "backwood," "blind,"  "Bush fans," "fearmongers," "traitorous," "of a certain ilk," "doltish." Never any credit for a person simply thinking independently.

 

Have people on the other side been just as bad? "You betcha," he said with a wink. But I thought this was the Season of Change. To tell you the truth, all I see is a mentality of "It's Payback Time!"  And to go further into the truth, I've been facing and fighting against that sort of inane mindset all of my life.  I've often been ridiculed and ostracized because I elect to go my own way, and can just as easily criticize the teams on both ends of the field. This is why I have taken such exception when so many smug doofi got together to beat up on McCain and Palin not on the issues - but on insubstantial trivia, making full use of the words I listed above and many others.

 

And whereas McCain has quieted the few bigots in his assembly crowds, Obama has never done the same to his supporters. He believes the lies and taunts they come up with. Lord knows McCain should have done the same to his campaign management, that Palin should have done the same herself.

 

But I've been in McCain's position, ostracized and shouted down by bullies. So yeah, he's had my sympathy. I still think he's a decent man - despite every show and magazine in the country talking potshots at him. I still think Obama's a decent person. But neither one deserves the White House now.

 

So whom do I vote for? I must admit I know precious little of Chuck Baldwin. I know Ron Paul says to support him, but I would have had to have known this guy for at least a year before I'd consider anything so drastic. But after much consideration, I decided to vote for him anyway. Why? I know he can't win. My vote will say there's more than one choice between two candidates - that I don't have to settle for the same old distortion the media and the public forcefeed me every 4 years. There are options, other viable candidates. And what Paul and presumably Baldwin have to say makes more sense than the clueless rhetoric coming from the Obama and McCain camps.

 

Hey, Obama is for universal healthcare. I fully support this. McCain wants to walk softly and carry a big stick. I'm for that, too. But after waiting a year for either one of these guys to deliver the knockout punch and fully sway me, I know now it ain't coming.

 

So to all you self-congratulatory, liberal elite out there, enjoy the party. And get ready for what's to come. Obama's going to be breaking far more promises soon, and there's many tough choices that will have to be made. I pray that we in this country can finally unite and emerge victorious. But we love to pick sides - and the way things have been going in this country, I have my doubts.

 

With only a day to go, it's pretty obvious by now that Obama is a shoe-in. The next 4 years will be heralded as a change in an orgasmic fury of bliss. And I use the mixed metaphors deliberately; a change is gonna come, no doubt. But it won't be the party the rank-and-file are expecting. Of course, this society of ours continues to be dominated by obtuse fools who refuse to acknowledge that the change has come, and has been here for awhile. Obama, Clinton, Palin.... They all represent that America is the land of equal opportunity--. But we remain a monolithic people.

 

I will not vote for him. I once was his biggest fan, even campaigning for him in the classroom. But not now. He has naively made too many contradictory promises, he threw himself a Vanity Project major network celebration last week, with money garnered from a broken campaign pledge. He has decided to talk tough, even thuggish, on Pakistan, even threatening the war he so strenuously disavows.  He panders to the Israel lobby and pro-lifers and gun-toters, even though his record on these subjects suggests far otherwise. He is elitist - a small-town boy made good, he now hobnobs with the urban intelligentsia. He looks down his nose at small town residents.

 

I will not vote for McCain.  I wish that the SNL version I saw of him a couple of days ago was just normal, everyday McCain - but it's not. A man with a steady flow of that kind of charisma, eloquence and self-deferential wit needs to be in the White House. But there are no comers, are there? Maybe Ron Paul is, but he dropped out because - and Obamamaniacs, take note - he wanted to put his money to better use. McCain more and more seems like a grumpy old man, sniping at a candidate  who's about to give him a whuppin'. And who probably followed some bad advice on the way to that whuppin'.

 

(Heh. Can't you imagine the conversation 'twixt Palin and McCain? "Sarah, really, just drop out. Please. We goofed." "Uh-uh, no way John. I'm going places.""But Sarah, you can't see Russia from Pennsylvania Avenue." "Nope, and I can't see that many stars as I would in Alaska, either. But I will see one in Washington; My own. Rapidly ascending." "Will you at least make fun of yourself on SNL?" "Nope. Ain't gonnadoit.. wouldn't be prudent.")

 

The truth of the matter is, it's the bulk of Obama's frenzied fans that turn my stomach sour, not so much the man himself. Obama just doesn't seem ready yet - but Obamamania? When I started on this blog, the insults and outrageous assumptions about me came flying! Now I'm just ignored - as this piece may surely be as well. Obama maniacs share the Bush mentality: if you're not with us, you're against us. Here is a short list of words I've read and heard to describe people who questioned Obama and his campaign: "racist," "bigoted," "lacking in mental acuity," Republican," "conservative," "backwood," "blind,"  "Bush fans," "fearmongers," "traitorous," "of a certain ilk," "doltish." Never any credit for a person simply thinking indecently.

 

Have people on the other side been just as bad? "You betcha," he said with a wink. But I thought this was the Season of Change. To tell you the truth, all I see is a mentality of "It's Payback Time!"  And to go further into the truth, I've been facing and fighting against that sort of inane mindset all of my life.  I've often been ridiculed and ostracized because I elect to go my own way, and can just as easily criticize the teams on both ends of the field. This is why I have taken such exception when so many smug doofi got together to beat up on McCain and Palin not on the issues - but on insubstantial trivia, making full use of the words I listed above and many others.

 

And whereas McCain has quieted the few bigots in his assembly crowds, Obama has never done the same to his supporters. He believes the lies and taunts they come up with. Lord knows McCain should have done the same to his campaign management, that Palin should have done the same herself.

 

But I've been in McCain's position, ostracized and shouted down by bullies. So yeah, he's had my sympathy. I still think he's a decent man - despite every show and magazine in the country talking potshots at him. I still think Obama's a decent person. But neither one deserves the White House now.

 

So whom do I vote for? I must admit I k now precious little of Chuck Baldwin. I know Ron Paul says to support him, but I would have had to have known this guy for at least a year before I'd consider anything so drastic. But after much consideration, I decided to vote for him anyway. Why? I know he can't win. My vote will say there's more than one choice between two candidates - that I don't have to settle for the same old distortion the media and the public forcefeed me every 4 years. There are options, other viable candidates. And what Paul and presumably Baldwin have to say makes more sense than the clueless rhetoric coming from the Obama and McCain camps.

 

Hey, Obama is for universal healthcare. I fully support this. McCain wants to walk softly and carry a big stick. I'm for that, too. But after waiting a year for either one of these guys to deliver the knockout punch and fully sway me, I know now it ain't coming.

 

So to all you self-congratulatory, liberal elite out there, enjoy the party. And get ready for what's to come. Obama's going to be breaking far more promises soon, and there's many tough choices that will have to be made. I pray that we in this country can finally unite and emerge victorious. But we love to pick sides - and the way things have been going in this country, I have my doubts.

With only a day to go, it's pretty obvious by now that Obama is a shoe-in. The next 4 years will be heralded as a change in an orgasmic fury of bliss. And I use the mixed metaphors deliberately; a change is gonna come, no doubt. But it won't be the party the rank-and-file are expecting. Of course, this society of ours continues to be dominated by obtuse fools who refuse to acknowledge that the change has come, and has been here for awhile. Obama, Clinton, Palin.... They all represent that America is the land of equal opportunity--. But we remain a monolithic people.

 

I will not vote for him. I once was his biggest fan, even campaigning for him in the classroom. But not now. He has naively made too many contradictory promises, he threw himself a Vanity Project major network celebration last week, with money garnered from a broken campaign pledge. He has decided to talk tough, even thuggish, on Pakistan, even threatening the war he so strenuously disavows.  He panders to the Israel lobby and pro-lifers and gun-toters, even though his record on these subjects suggests far otherwise. He is elitist - a small-town boy made good, he now hobnobs with the urban intelligentsia. He looks down his nose at small town residents.

 

I will not vote for McCain.  I wish that the SNL version I saw of him a couple of days ago was just normal, everyday McCain - but it's not. A man with a steady flow of that kind of charisma, eloquence and self-deferential wit needs to be in the White House. But there are no comers, are there? Maybe Ron Paul is, but he dropped out because - and Obamamaniacs, take note - he wanted to put his money to better use. McCain more and more seems like a grumpy old man, sniping at a candidate  who's about to give him a whuppin'. And who probably followed some bad advice on the way to that whuppin'.

 

(Heh. Can't you imagine the conversation 'twixt Palin and McCain? "Sarah, really, just drop out. Please. We goofed." "Uh-uh, no way John. I'm going places.""But Sarah, you can't see Russia from Pennsylvania Avenue." "Nope, and I can't see that many stars as I would in Alaska, either. But I will see one in Washington; My own. Rapidly ascending." "Will you at least make fun of yourself on SNL?" "Nope. Ain't gonnadoit.. wouldn't be prudent.")

 

The truth of the matter is, it's the bulk of Obama's frenzied fans that turn my stomach sour, not so much the man himself. Obama just doesn't seem ready yet - but Obamamania? When I started on this blog, the insults and outrageous assumptions about me came flying! Now I'm just ignored - as this piece may surely be as well. Obama maniacs share the Bush mentality: if you're not with us, you're against us. Here is a short list of words I've read and heard to describe people who questioned Obama and his campaign: "racist," "bigoted," "lacking in mental acuity," Republican," "conservative," "backwood," "blind,"  "Bush fans," "fearmongers," "traitorous," "of a certain ilk," "doltish." Never any credit for a person simply thinking indecently.

 

Have people on the other side been just as bad? "You betcha," he said with a wink. But I thought this was the Season of Change. To tell you the truth, all I see is a mentality of "It's Payback Time!"  And to go further into the truth, I've been facing and fighting against that sort of inane mindset all of my life.  I've often been ridiculed and ostracized because I elect to go my own way, and can just as easily criticize the teams on both ends of the field. This is why I have taken such exception when so many smug doofi got together to beat up on McCain and Palin not on the issues - but on insubstantial trivia, making full use of the words I listed above and many others.

 

And whereas McCain has quieted the few bigots in his assembly crowds, Obama has never done the same to his supporters. He believes the lies and taunts they come up with. Lord knows McCain should have done the same to his campaign management, that Palin should have done the same herself.

 

But I've been in McCain's position, ostracized and shouted down by bullies. So yeah, he's had my sympathy. I still think he's a decent man - despite every show and magazine in the country talking potshots at him. I still think Obama's a decent person. But neither one deserves the White House now.

 

So whom do I vote for? I must admit I k now precious little of Chuck Baldwin. I know Ron Paul says to support him, but I would have had to have known this guy for at least a year before I'd consider anything so drastic. But after much consideration, I decided to vote for him anyway. Why? I know he can't win. My vote will say there's more than one choice between two candidates - that I don't have to settle for the same old distortion the media and the public forcefeed me every 4 years. There are options, other viable candidates. And what Paul and presumably Baldwin have to say makes more sense than the clueless rhetoric coming from the Obama and McCain camps.

 

Hey, Obama is for universal healthcare. I fully support this. McCain wants to walk softly and carry a big stick. I'm for that, too. But after waiting a year for either one of these guys to deliver the knockout punch and fully sway me, I know now it ain't coming.

 

So to all you self-congratulatory, liberal elite out there, enjoy the party. And get ready for what's to come. Obama's going to be breaking far more promises soon, and there's many tough choices that will have to be made. I pray that we in this country can finally unite and emerge victorious. But we love to pick sides - and the way things have been going in this country, I have my doubts.

With only a day to go, it's pretty obvious by now that Obama is a shoe-in. The next 4 years will be heralded as a change in an orgasmic fury of bliss. And I use the mixed metaphors deliberately; a change is gonna come, no doubt. But it won't be the party the rank-and-file are expecting. Of course, this society of ours continues to be dominated by obtuse fools who refuse to acknowledge that the change has come, and has been here for awhile. Obama, Clinton, Palin.... They all represent that America is the land of equal opportunity--. But we remain a monolithic people.

 

I will not vote for him. I once was his biggest fan, even campaigning for him in the classroom. But not now. He has naively made too many contradictory promises, he threw himself a Vanity Project major network celebration last week, with money garnered from a broken campaign pledge. He has decided to talk tough, even thuggish, on Pakistan, even threatening the war he so strenuously disavows.  He panders to the Israel lobby and pro-lifers and gun-toters, even though his record on these subjects suggests far otherwise. He is elitist - a small-town boy made good, he now hobnobs with the urban intelligentsia. He looks down his nose at small town residents.

 

I will not vote for McCain.  I wish that the SNL version I saw of him a couple of days ago was just normal, everyday McCain - but it's not. A man with a steady flow of that kind of charisma, eloquence and self-deferential wit needs to be in the White House. But there are no comers, are there? Maybe Ron Paul is, but he dropped out because - and Obamamaniacs, take note - he wanted to put his money to better use. McCain more and more seems like a grumpy old man, sniping at a candidate  who's about to give him a whuppin'. And who probably followed some bad advice on the way to that whuppin'.

 

(Heh. Can't you imagine the conversation 'twixt Palin and McCain? "Sarah, really, just drop out. Please. We goofed." "Uh-uh, no way John. I'm going places.""But Sarah, you can't see Russia from Pennsylvania Avenue." "Nope, and I can't see that many stars as I would in Alaska, either. But I will see one in Washington; My own. Rapidly ascending." "Will you at least make fun of yourself on SNL?" "Nope. Ain't gonnadoit.. wouldn't be prudent.")

 

The truth of the matter is, it's the bulk of Obama's frenzied fans that turn my stomach sour, not so much the man himself. Obama just doesn't seem ready yet - but Obamamania? When I started on this blog, the insults and outrageous assumptions about me came flying! Now I'm just ignored - as this piece may surely be as well. Obama maniacs share the Bush mentality: if you're not with us, you're against us. Here is a short list of words I've read and heard to describe people who questioned Obama and his campaign: "racist," "bigoted," "lacking in mental acuity," Republican," "conservative," "backwood," "blind,"  "Bush fans," "fearmongers," "traitorous," "of a certain ilk," "doltish." Never any credit for a person simply thinking indecently.

 

Have people on the other side been just as bad? "You betcha," he said with a wink. But I thought this was the Season of Change. To tell you the truth, all I see is a mentality of "It's Payback Time!"  And to go further into the truth, I've been facing and fighting against that sort of inane mindset all of my life.  I've often been ridiculed and ostracized because I elect to go my own way, and can just as easily criticize the teams on both ends of the field. This is why I have taken such exception when so many smug doofi got together to beat up on McCain and Palin not on the issues - but on insubstantial trivia, making full use of the words I listed above and many others.

 

And whereas McCain has quieted the few bigots in his assembly crowds, Obama has never done the same to his supporters. He believes the lies and taunts they come up with. Lord knows McCain should have done the same to his campaign management, that Palin should have done the same herself.

 

But I've been in McCain's position, ostracized and shouted down by bullies. So yeah, he's had my sympathy. I still think he's a decent man - despite every show and magazine in the country talking potshots at him. I still think Obama's a decent person. But neither one deserves the White House now.

 

So whom do I vote for? I must admit I k now precious little of Chuck Baldwin. I know Ron Paul says to support him, but I would have had to have known this guy for at least a year before I'd consider anything so drastic. But after much consideration, I decided to vote for him anyway. Why? I know he can't win. My vote will say there's more than one choice between two candidates - that I don't have to settle for the same old distortion the media and the public forcefeed me every 4 years. There are options, other viable candidates. And what Paul and presumably Baldwin have to say makes more sense than the clueless rhetoric coming from the Obama and McCain camps.

 

Hey, Obama is for universal healthcare. I fully support this. McCain wants to walk softly and carry a big stick. I'm for that, too. But after waiting a year for either one of these guys to deliver the knockout punch and fully sway me, I know now it ain't coming.

 

So to all you self-congratulatory, liberal elite out there, enjoy the party. And get ready for what's to come. Obama's going to be breaking far more promises soon, and there's many tough choices that will have to be made. I pray that we in this country can finally unite and emerge victorious. But we love to pick sides - and the way things have been going in this country, I have my doubts.

McCain Rocks!!!!!!!! So after Tuesday, there's always stand-up.........

Who gives a FIG about politics?? The Phillies are kings of the world!!!!

I'll go out on a limb here.

The economic zeitgeist is probably impenetrable, but I'll give it a shot. America is the only country I know of where its citizens run up monstrous private debts and triple mortgages, then complain about the state the economy is in. WE must take fiscal responsibility for ourselves. And the government, I think, needs to impose caps on prices and spending. We have allowed our runaway tank to drastically affect the world, and we must put an end to this. Obama's loan relief is a great idea, but we must realize this treats symptomology. The cause is out-of-control prices. Our paper currency is practically valueless. And we must take control of this train wreck.

So: back to the gold standard. Have our currency actually backed by something substantial, so that there are finite limits imposed on inflation and deflation. Find the instances everywhere costs are out of control, and stage a series of regulatory Congressional sessions that will culminate in the reining-in of spending practices across the board.

I don't mean across the board cuts, as McCain proposes. I mean across the board regulations.  I believe government is responsible to the people and must guide us - but not by spending more. By enacting fair controls.

A recent conversation with a colleague (a claims adjuster) underscores my point. I told him the real problem with health care costs is the preposterous salaries of health care providers.  He agreed to a point - but added that providers have to deal with the rising cost of malpractice insurance - which indicts the insurance industry and as always, lawyers. Further, he cited the costs of machinery and technology and real estate.... More indictments. They in turn are sure to blame their own bogeymen.

Another example: when I lived in Alaska (ah, it makes sense now, eh?) I was struck by exorbitantly high everything was. Even paper and lumber and products made from same. But why? Well, the mill owners had to be able to afford the new cars that were being shipped in from Seattle, and the car dealers wanted to afford the vacations out to Ketchikan to see if they really should lobby for the Bridge to Nowhere, and the Ketchikan fisherman wanted to be able to afford the newest video game designed in part by Alaskan geeks but with parts manufactured in San Francisco.... and so on.

Prices rise in this country because we want them to. I know that sounds simplistic, but truly, this is the reason. At least that's why they start to rise - then, when they spiral out of control, we disavow any responsibility and cry out to the Heavens - or Washington - for monetary relief, in the form of more spending programs.

We should even consider monetary deflation. Take a zero or two from the value of our bills. (Hey, it continues to work for Poland.)

I want to remind everyone that FDR provided relief by putting people to work, creating jobs, and not just handing out wads of cash. We must not only create jobs for people, and encourage the creation of jobs (jobs here on American land, and not overseas), we must create a mindset of national fiscal responsibility. To cite FDR again, he rose to the challenge of the times by leading his country into doing something bold, something heroic.

The time for boldness has come again.

Some cringe-worthy quotes:

"Only an unproven and inexperienced politician like Barack Obama would have to rely so heavily on another man's resume in making the case for his own candidacy -- and it shows that he's just not ready," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.

"I'm an American and I choose to fight." - John McCain

"Joe the plumber is my invisible friend" (or something like that) - SNL. (That's not satire. That's lazy writing.)

Just about any reason Sarah Palin cites as justification for her nomination.

"All the News that fits." - Rolling Stone Magazine (emphasis mine)

America is a great country. This upcoming election will not be as historic as the race for the same has been. A black man and a white woman generating unprecedented excitement by running for president. A white man signing on as sidekick to a black man on the presidential ticket, a white woman on the other side of the aisle, also on board as sidekick - and so there's no misunderstanding of my words -  both competing for Most Important Sidekick in America. All this has been, and continues to be, absolutely soul-stirring... life-affirming. In plain words, race and gender have ceased to be detriments. As a nation, we've gotten over racism and sexism.

America is also, in pockets. a deeply prejudicial country. This is not the same as racism; it seems I will never have to stop stating this. A prejudiced person will have his doubts, but will give a fella the benefit of that doubt. A racist person will not. There is a huge difference, and those who ignore or deliberately misrepresent that difference, do this great nation a disservice. This is why so many independents and even Republicans - like the "recovering republicans" who have posted here recently, as well as a dear friend of mine - are willing to vote for Barack Obama.

This cannot be overstated: we as a people have progressed to this idealistic stance toward race and gender because, despite our ingrained prejudices, we give the benefit of the doubt to people we may initially view with hesitation. And that leads to absolute Democracy. That leads to the end of the prejudices. People like Obama and Palin lead us to Democracy. While people who scream racist at every turn... lead us into caves.

Are these horrific racists still abiding in this country? Absolutely! Ignore them, vilify them, marginalize them. But they are the minority.

And those who bring up the sector of race-baiting as the great bogeyman are nothing less then hate-mongering, bullying fools. When the media runs headlines on the subject of race day after day, when they speak of some mysteriously mercurial "Bradley Effect,"  when posters on this very page develop a post-November 4th Democratic loss strategy by blaming it on racism and characterizing all Republicans and Alaskans and mid-Westerners and rural Americans and anyone not zealously pro-Obama as backwards bigots, then politics as usual continues.

When Governor Palin ramps up the rhetoric and character attacks on Senator Obama, and doesn't quiet the mean-spirited people at her rallies, she allows these stupid, foolish people too much face (or voice) time and she is doing this nation a disservice. But even though she is associated with McCain, she is not McCain. McCain has consistently told his more radical constituents where there are wrong.

In this race, we've all heard characterizations of "we" and "they", "us" and "them". We've heard the other side denounced as wrong and wrong-headed. We've had the blogger, the politician with 7 houses, overpaid doctors and union reps, and the actor who makes 15 million dollars a picture all try to stake a claim to solidarity with the working man, trying to influence our vote. We've heard pundits and entertainers state that we need to "redefine America."

This is getting foolish, dangerous, ridiculous. America, which embraces Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and Sarah Palin... Joe Biden, John McCain, etc. - does not need to be redefined. It needs to be refined, reinvigorated, rededicated to the ideals of Democracy and fair play that were implicit in the framing of our Constitution, but got glossed over and rationalized and even trashed over the years.... but step by painful step, America has ultimately got around to embracing and celebrating these ideals.

And we continue to do it. God bless America. In this election, for both the parties and their myriad supporters, there must be dignity in defeat. And perhaps more important, there must be dignity in victory. No gloating should be allowed here - rather, let us celebrate the camaraderie and solidarity forged in a job well done and a race well fought.

And in an America that stands tall. Very, very tall.