You don't announce that you're going to attack another country...

You just politely show up at the door to their seat of government, knock on their door and blow them to smithereens when they open it to see who is there.

I know this is slightly late, with the Presidential debate having been last week and the impending vice-presidential debate which has been analyzed thus far as Biden being in debate camp to get on the same page as Obama, and Palin being at debate camp because she is unfamiliar with the issues (That qualifies you to be President in the event your running mate dies, right?). But I was reminded of it by a post a friend of mine made regarding John McCain saying that he would not announce that he would attack another country.

McCAIN: So it’s not just the addition of troops that matters. It’s a strategy that will succeed. And Pakistan is a very important element in this. And I know how to work with him. And I guarantee you I would not publicly state that I’m going to attack them.

OBAMA: Nobody talked about attacking Pakistan. Here’s what I said. And if John wants to disagree with this, he can let me know, that, if the United States has Al Qaida, bin Laden, top-level lieutenants in our sights, and Pakistan is unable or unwilling to act, then we should take them out.

We're talking Bush doctrine here. Pre-emption. Rather than telling Pakistan (in this case), "Hey that Bin Laden guy is hanging out right across the border dancing around going Nyah Nyah and shooting spit-balls at us, we're going to go across and nab him." We'll just show up and get him and while we're at it we'll bomb the crap out of you without telling you why first.

And what happened to formal declarations of war? Don't those matter anymore.

My friend is right, the statement "What senator Obama fails to understand is..." is rather condescending.

Feds okay $700B bailout framework, McCain tanks

According to Gallup's daily poll, Barack Obama is currently at 50% support, and John McCain has fallen to 42%. A few days ago it was 46-44 for Obama.

80% of people rate their current estimate of the economic state of the country as negative or poor, another 14 percent rank it as fair or mixed, and only 4% rank it as positive (or good). I want to know who this 4% is. I know John McCain is one of the members of that 4%.

45% of people rank their standard of living as getting worse, 35% of people say it's getting better.

41% of people say they are thriving, 56% say they are struggling, while only 3% say they are suffering.

Strong support from the middle-class is where Obama is getting ahead. This is a group that has seen their wages stagnate, hours cut, and are among the 45% of people ranking their standard of living as getting worse and the 56% that say they are struggling. All the while, John McCain is telling them that the "Fundamentals of the economy are strong" even though there isn't much of an economy left with banks failing left and right. Most recently Washington-Mutual went under. Good thing they only need to change one letter in their slogan: Woo-hoo becomes Boo-hoo. The FDIC is borrowing money to be able to afford to insure people's deposits.

As for the $700B bailout:

The government could get at $250 billion immediately, $100 billion more if the president deems it necessary (which he will), the last $350 billion is subject to a congressional resolution of disapproval. Meaning about 50% of that $700 billion may never see the light of day.

The rescue would only be open to companies who deny their executives "golden parachutes" and limit their pay packages. Firms that got $300 million or more in aid would face steep taxes on any compensation for their top people over $500,000.

Apparently politicians don't want to piss off their constituents by spending their money on no-strings attached bailout. And frankly, good for them. Why should I be using my tax money to bail out somebody who makes 10 times or more than I do because they screwed up. Nobody's giving me any money if I screw up here.

As for the people who are getting foreclosed on, while I do feel bad for you, you are adults, you should have known better to take adjustable rate mortgages based on a low "teaser" rate which assumes you will be making more money in 3-5 years. You knew in the first place that you couldn't afford your home, I shouldn't be bailing you out either. Be assured though, that the FBI is looking into the whole sub-prime lending thing.

Dissed at Wal-Mart

So I go to Wal-Mart today to get some new passport photos so that I can renew my Canadian passport. While I'm in there, there's this crazy black woman yelling and hollering and just generally making a scene about how she had a problem with the service and that she felt disrespected. Arms waving, head shaking, everything.

"With all these colors up in here, I am feelin terribly disrespected..."

Now, it's almost as if this woman has never EVER been to Wal-Mart before in her life. They don't pay people at Wal-Mart enough to be helpful or to generally care what you have to say. People at Wal-Mart don't care about you whether you're White, Yellow, Brown, Black, Purple, Green, or Blue. (Especially if you're blue because then there's liability assocaiated with helping you). Playing the race card is totally ridiculous and absurd in this case.

"...I want that woman fired!..."

Get a frickin life lady. If you have a problem, you can be discrete about it and ask to speak to the manager in a civilized manner. You just look like an idiot. You aren't entitled to special treatment just because you are black, white, yellow, etc... so don't expect it. Frankly, acting like it's the most horrible thing that's ever happened to you in Wal-Mart actually makes people respect you less.

I got my photos and got outta there.

The Joys of Wal-Mart

The Economy tanks

The two Presidential candidates speak on the economy.

Barack Obama:


John McCain:

Lies About Lies (Originally posted at guardian.co.uk)

How do you fight these people?
McCain-Palin don't just lie, they lie about the lies and then play victim. How do you fight that?

See the original at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2008/sep/17/johnmccain.sarahpalin

John McCain is lying to you

Former Bush chief strategist says McCain's ads have gone too far.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/14/karl-rove-mccains-ads-hav_n_126280.html

Check www.politifact.com and factcheck.org to see who is telling the truth.

Political mishmash for 9/14/08

Enough about Sarah Palin for a while. Any press is good press for McCain and the Republican Party.

Lets start off with a McCain ad.



Yes, Obama is somewhat of a celebrity, McCain is a lurker, hiding in the shadows, using his own celebrity (Flavor of the month Palin) to get him into the White House. Understandable that he is not out in the light having had skin cancer before while a POW in Vietnam. (Does he still call Vietnamese people "Gooks"?)

Paris Hilton does a fairly comical rebuke to this commercial as well. The full version is easily obtainable on YouTube or other video sites.



Obama speech in Manchester, NH in which he responds to some of the issues addressed in the above ad.(Approx. 34 minutes)



Barack Obama, does what Barack Obama needs to do. He does not let Palin get in the way of his campaign. He ignores her for the most part. He focuses on John McCain and McCain's policies. Ever since Palin came onto the scene it has been a race between the Democratic Presidential nominee and the Republican VP nominee. John McCain has remained very low profile, behind the scenes while people froth at the mouth over whether they like Palin or not. As far as McCain is concerned all press about Palin is good press, because it steals from Obama's thunder. To tell the truth, they've had him flustered as well. And really, how would you not be flustered when confronted with flat out lies and deceit all the time.



What the above ad, fails to mention on the sex education part, is that it is intended to be age appropriate. Kindergartners would learn about things like inappropriate touching and abuse so that they would know that it is wrong and that they would have a way of protecting themselves. And what is the "Public School monopoly" the ad mentions? If they had a monopoly I'm pretty sure they'd have a much better system. Parents are forced to go to private and charter schools because the public system is in disarray and has been for some time. No child left behind simply does not work. Comprehensive education reform is necessary for the future success of American children.


Now it looks more as if McCain is a bit flustered with the following recent TV ad. Is this actually supporting Obama? McCain's campaign actually paid for this?



And finally on a lighter note:

Palin Interview

Before I go into the interview, let me say this: It is alarming what people are forming their opinions based on. Most of the eligible electorate probably didn't watch the interview, and are not going to read the transcripts. I certainly missed it last night. But I took the time to read the transcripts. The two major talk radio stations today, KGO and KSFO (Dem and Rep leaning respectively) were both talking about the same thing and both were saying the complete opposite. Each host presenting their own opinion along with excerpts from the interview which supported their point of view. In essence, doing their jobs, moderating, trying to stir up discussion, but also leading in editorial fashion.

In reading the transcripts, Palin appears to have handled herself well, with what appear to be more or less generally prepared responses.

On being ready to be VP:

GIBSON: Governor, let me start by asking you a question that I asked John McCain about you. And it is really the central question. Can you look the country in the eye and say, I have the experience, and I have the ability to be not just vice president, but perhaps president of the United States of America?

PALIN: I do, Charlie, and on January 20th,when John McCain and I are sworn in, if we are so privileged to be elected to serve this country, we’ll be ready. I’m ready.


Palin did not make any argument to describe her experience to qualify her for VP candidate.

When I asked John McCain about your national security credentials, he cited the fact you have command of the Alaskan National Guard and Alaska is close to Russia. Are those sufficient credentials?

PALIN: But it is about reform of government. And it’s about putting government back on the side of the people. And that has much to do with foreign policy and national security issues.

Did the question actually get answered?

On Georgia and Russia:

GIBSON: You favor putting Georgia and Ukraine into NATO?

PALIN: Ukraine definitely yes. Yes. And Georgia. Putin thinks otherwise, obviously he thinks otherwise.

GIBSON: Under the NATO treaty, wouldn’t we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia?

PALIN: Perhaps so. That is the agreement. When you are a NATO ally, is, if another country is attacked, you are going to be expected to be called upon and help.

This is exactly correct. That is what NATO was founded under. Can't fault Palin here.

On Israel and Iran:

GIBSON: What if Israel decided it felt threatened and need to take out the Iranian nuclear facilities?

PALIN: Well, first, we are friends of Israel, and I don’t think that we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves, and for their security.

GIBSON: So if we didn’t second guess it and if they decided they needed to do it, because Iran was an existential threat, we would be cooperative or agree with that?

PALIN: I don’t think we can second guess what Israel has to do to secure its nation.

GIBSON: So if it felt necessary, if it felt the need to defend itself by taking out Iranian nuclear facilities, that would be all right?

PALIN: We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself.

Palin successfully dodges the question.

On Bush Doctrine:

GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?

PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?

GIBSON: The Bush — well, what do you interpret it to be?

PALIN: His world view?

To tell the truth, this was a loaded question. I've heard the term Bush Doctrine before, but under interview situation it can be easy to forget what exactly it was.

PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligent and legitimate evidence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country.

You mean like the legitimate and intelligent evidence the US had on Iraq?

On Making Cross-Border strikes into Pakistan:

GIBSON: Do we have the right to be making cross-border attacks into Pakistan, from Afghanistan, with or without the approval of the Pakistani government?

PALIN: As for our right to invade, we’re going to work with these countries, building new relationships, working with existing allies, but forging new also, in order to, Charlie, get to a point in this world, where war is not going to be a first option. In fact, war has got to be and military strike a last option.

Mixed up cross-border attack with invasion. And the last two sentences are pretty confusing. Is Palin saying war has got to be a first option and military strike a last?

GIBSON: And let me finish with this. I got lost in a blizzard of words there. Is that a yes, that you think we have the right to go across the border, with or without the approval of the Pakistani government? To go after terrorists who are in the Waziristan area?

PALIN: I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hell-bent on destroying America, and our allies. We have got to have all options out there on the table.

Agreed. Obama actually suggested that cross-border attacks would be necessary as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PALIN: Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right, also for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Part II of the interview is on tonight.

Tree-sitters

Berkeley tree-sitters suck. For that matter, all tree-sitters suck, UC Berkeley finally got them out of their tree and cut it down to make way for an athletic training facility near Memorial Stadium.

The tree-sitters held up the project for two years, filing legal protests and appeal after appeal before finally a judge with brains said No more! As it turns out of the four who finally were removed, they were all professional activists. No jobs, no permanent address, only one had a phone number. Dirty, smelly, hippies to the max.

All the while, old hippies on the ground, calling themselves grandmothers, fed the sitters vegan meals three times a day. It's a wonder they didn't just drop dead. Said one of the "grandmothers" of what they think should happen to the activists who are in the process of being arraigned on charges: "I hope the judge sets them free, I hope they see what a wonderful thing they've done and releases them."

At one point when Berkeley police tried to remove the protesters they flung urine and feces at the officers. Now, I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure that there are a ton of fun diseases you can get from being covered in human excrement. Does that classify as an act of bio-terrorism? Likely not but it's at least assault. These guys are one step away from the "eco-terrorist" hippies that put spikes into trees so that when loggers go to cut them they cut off their own limbs when the chainsaw rebounds.

Over what? A damned grove of trees that has been there for 100 years. God forbid they plant new trees as part of the landscaping that will be there 100 years from now.

Said yet another ignorant hippie: "Them cutting down those trees is what's gonna make the Hayward fault go!" Somebody obviously has a very poor understanding of fault movement and earthquake mechanics.

At any rate, I've rambled about hippies long enough. I may lean liberal but I'm no bleeding heart, save the trees, lunatic fringe, moron.

In conclusion, hippies suck. Especially Berkeley hippies.

Cows

Just something I found about politics, explained using cows.

DEMOCRATIC
You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
You feel guilty for being successful.
Barbara Streisand sings for you.

REPUBLICANISM
You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
So?

SOCIALIST
You have two cows.
The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor.
You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.

COMMUNIST
You have two cows.
The government seizes both and provides you with milk.
You wait in line for hours to get it.
It is expensive and sour.

CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE
You have two cows.
You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.

BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE
You have two cows.
Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one, milk the other, and then pours the milk down the drain.

AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the 2nd one.
You force the two cows to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing expenses.
Your stock goes up.

FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike because you want three cows.
You go to lunch and drink wine.
Life is good.

JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains.
Most are at the top of their class at cow school

GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour.
Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year.

ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows but you don't know where they are.
While ambling around, you see a beautiful woman.
You break for lunch.
Life is good.

RUSSIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows
You have some vodka.
You count them and learn you have five cows.
You have some more vodka.
You count them again and learn you have 42 cows.
The Mafia shows up and takes over however many cows you really have.

TALIBAN CORPORATION
You have all the cows in Afghanistan, which are two.
You don't milk them because you cannot touch any creature's private parts.
You get a $40 million grant from the US government to find alternatives to milk production but use the money to buy weapons.

IRAQI CORPORATION
You have two cows.
They go into hiding.
They send radio tapes of their mooing.

POLISH CORPORATION
You have two bulls.
Employees are regularly maimed and killed attempting to milk them.

BELGIAN CORPORATION
You have one cow.
The cow is schizophrenic.
Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish.
The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow.
The French cow wants control of the Flemish cow's milk.
The cow asks permission to be cut in half.
The cow dies happy.

FLORIDA CORPORATION
You have a black cow and a brown cow.
Everyone votes for the best looking one.
Some of the people who actually like the brown one best accidentally vote for the black one
Some people vote for both.
Some people vote for neither.
Some people can't figure out how to vote at all.
Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which one you think is the best-looking cow.

CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
You have millions of cows.
They make real California cheese.
Only five speak English.
Most are illegals.
Arnold likes the ones with the big udders.

Pigs, Lipstick, and Republicans

Since when does any reference to lipstick automatically apply to Sarah Palin?

"If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig"

-Barack Obama on McCain's economic platform.

Being the responsible person I am, I was flipping back and forth between KGO and HotTalk 560. Democratic and Republican leaning radio stations respectively. Both of which were talking about the lipstick comment. Frankly, I could not believe Rush Limbaugh and his republican followers seizing on it like a pit-bull with a pork-chop. (Oops, Now I'm in trouble with the Republican party for insinuating that Palin likes pork-chops).

"Barack Obama is obviously trying to make a personal attack on Sarah Palin in this comment!" They cry.

"Somebody with pig ears should not use pig slurs," adds Rush!

"The worm has turned," adds another caller

At this point I turned the radio off. At WORST, at worst, Barack Obama is calling the Republican party the pig, and Sarah Palin the lipstick. So what?! Changing a pig by adding lipstick does not change the pig. A pig is a pig no matter what. That is all he said. He in no way, shape, or form, called Sarah Palin a pig. Just because of her joke about the difference between a pit-bull and a hockey mom, Barack Obama is now being portrayed by Republicans as sexist.

I call bullshit on that one.

The Democrats are saying that "ooh it was a poor choice of words" Bullshit again! He has every right to make that analogy and not be tarred and feathered for it.

"That's not change. That's just calling the same thing, something different, If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. You can wrap a fish in a newspaper called change, but after 8 years, it's still going to stink"
-Barack Obama on McCain's economic platform.

You be the judge.

McCain, Palin, and the entire Republican party and base are outraged over absolutely nothing! Taking something said, out of context, using it to their benefit and to the detriment of their opponent, painting him as something he is not... Flat out lying.

Now quick, give the pit-bull some lipstick, I want my pork chop back. And yes, my comment, WAS directed at McCain/Palin.

Hijacking Change

Barack Obama's entire campaign has been about change. About changing the way politics is played. About bringing about hope in a desolate time. But recently, John McCain has taken the line that his campaign will also be about Change.

Ahem, excuse me while I gag for a moment. Explain to me exactly how someone who has voted 90% of the time with the current President, Mr. George W. Bush? In choosing Sarah Palin, he has a vice presidential candidate that is essentially equivalent to Mr. Bush. How exactly do those equate to change?

McCain is pro-life, would provide a troop surge to Afghanistan and install a puppet governer who is highly favourable to the United States (Does anyone remember how that worked out with Iran?), would cut corporate taxes, and is opposed to windfall taxing of oil companies, is against the assault-weapon ban, is against universal health care, for the Patriot Act (bye bye freedoms), is for the continuation of troop deployments in Iraq, is for privatizing Social Security.

Does that sound like anyone else?

The Republicans have also taken it upon themselves to paint Barack Obama as an elitist, out of touch with the poor. Meanwhile they have no plans to help out the working and middle classes. McCain is all for cutting corporate taxes and taxes for the wealthy, with the idea of the trickle-down effect stimulating the economy. The trickle-down effect doesn't work.

To quote from a Barack Obama speech, November 7, 2007:

These are dreams that drove my grandparents. After my grandfather served in World War II, the GI Bill gave him a chance to go to college, and the government gave them a chance to buy a home. They moved West, worked hard at different jobs, and were able to provide my mother with a decent education, to help raise me, and to save enough to retire.

These are dreams that drove my father-in-law. A city worker in Chicago, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 30. But every day, even when he had to leave an hour earlier in the morning and rely on a walker to get him there, he went to work while his wife stayed home with the kids. And on that single salary, he provided for his family and sent my wife Michelle and her brother to college. His dream was to see them do better. And they have.

These are dreams that drove my mother. A single mom - even while relying on food stamps as she finished her education, she followed her passion for helping others, and raised my sister and me to believe that in America there are no barriers to success - no matter what color you are, no matter where you're from, no matter how much money you have.

And these are the dreams that led me to Chicago over two decades ago to become a community organizer. The salary - $12,000 a year - wasn't what my friends would make in the corporate world or at law firms. I didn't know a single person in Chicago. But I knew there were folks who needed help. The steel plant had closed. Jobs were disappearing. In a forgotten corner of America, the American dream was slipping away. And I knew dreams are worth fighting for.

So he worked and got an education, and now he's running for president. Tell me again, how many houses does John McCain have? How can he and his buddies claim to be more in touch with the working class than Barack Obama?

So if "change" really is coming, I ceratinly hope it's referring to a Barack Obama victory, and not a McCain/Palin aristocracy.

Socio-democracy is not something to be feared, but rather to be embraced. Top countries in the world for quality of life, places to live, happiest citizenry are all socio-democracies.

2007/2008 Human Development Index rankings

High Human Development

1. Iceland
2. Norway
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Ireland
6. Sweden
7. Switzerland
8. Japan
9. Netherlands
10. France
11. Finland
12. United States

source: The United Nations Human Development Index (2008)

The United States ranked 6th in 2002, 8th in 2006 and now 12th in 2008. Socio-Democracies rank above the US every year for a variety of reasons. Perhaps increased, responsible, government spending on social programs to give it's citizens a hand-up isn't such a bad thing, and should be the Change that is coming.

A worthwhile read on Canadian politics

Check out this facebook note on the decision to exclude the Green Party from political debates in Canada.

http://www.new.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=24559334113

Palin and voting on the issues

People don't vote on the issues. They vote along party lines. At least men seem to. Wymyn see they have a chance to advance their own cause by voting for another womyn. Regardless of the fact that she is actually very much regressive to many womyns causes. But then, men and rational women can have the votes back when they "pry them" from Palin's "cold, dead, hands".

There are so many damn elections going on here, all of the time, municipal, county, state, federal, by-elections, re-call elections, referenda on Props 1-736,328, that people are numb to them and don't care to educate themselves on what everything is or means or who the hell is for what. They just vote for who they like. It's the Cult of Personality down here. I half expect to see a giant poster of George W. looking at me in every office building and on every street because I have to adore and love him since he's the commander in chief. And in fact, having been in enough government offices, being an immigrant, he is there staring down on me.

If the media told them that Obama was actually God, and that Palin eats babies, I'm pretty sure that the idiot feminist vote would still vote for McCain/Palin. Why? Because she is a woman, therefore, they see a common ground and don't bother to look deeper. Republicans are exploiting this prodding that Obama should have picked Hillary as veep.

I totally don't get how you can party jump since Hillary isn't up for President or even VP. She is still part of the Democratic party and if you were going to vote for Hillary there is no way that you could concieveably vote for McCain/Palin. Unless you're an uneducated woman who doesn't care to look past gender if your life depended on it.

Palin is an ultra-conservative, pistol-packing, Christian nut-job, more or less equivalent to George Bush in a dress. She preaches about teaching abstinence, meanwhile the Republican Party is in the middle of setting up the most high profile shotgun wedding in recent history for her daughter Bristol and that redneck fuck-up kid that "don't want kids". Hey we're the Republicans and we're all about family values, so much so that we encourage shotgun weddings to force you to follow our values. I'd imagine there's nothing worse for a child than a parent who doesn't want them. But then we're diverging from the issues.

Where do your values and ideals sit in relation to what the candidates think. If you're pro NRA, pro-life (even in the event of forcible rape), pro-drilling ANWP, pro abstinence, against teaching sex education in schools, pro corporate tax cuts, pro military spending, pro hockey mom (Hockey moms are fucking crazy. I know, I play hockey), and believe that the war in Iraq is indeed part of God's plan, and that it is a Holy War, then by all means, vote for McCain/Palin. If not, then perhaps you should re-evaluate where your vote is going.

Dear Mr. Harper, (and my fellow Canadians)

Mr Harper,

Do you really think that you can upstage the circus that is the US Presidential Election? Until now I was convinced you had the charisma of a doorknob; Now I see that you have a sense of humour.

I just got done reading a note posted by a friend of mine http://www.new.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=38080756054&ref=nf, extolling the virtues of social-democracy and why you should vote NDP. "GASP! NOT THE NDP" You say. "That's a wasted vote". In reality, no vote is a wasted vote. Every vote counts.

Forgive the following statement, but God forbid, that fucking moron, right-wing religious, neo-conservative, racist, homophobic, pompous asshole, and all-round retard, Rob Anders, win in Calgary West Again.. If you don't particularly mind the conservative mindset and actually think we should move more right and in-line with Anders, for example, then I invite you to come and live in the home of the New Crusade, the good ol' U.S. of A.

If I had a nickel for everytime I heard someone tell me that they voted Conservative because they don't like the liberals and voting NDP is a wasted vote, I'd be rich and totally unphased by the fact that the US economy is currently going down faster than fried food at the hands of Rosie O'Donnel. So if all you "wasted vote" people would actually use your damn vote, maybe the NDP may even have a chance. Now, you can't let the NDP hang around for too long, because then they start spending your money in ways that you can't stand. However, a strong NDP opposition or a weak NDP government is very much what people should want.

But what do I know. I voted NDP in the last Federal election. Didn't do me any good since my riding blindly votes for Mr. Anders.

I guess the point I'm trying to get across, is THINK. Don't just vote blindly. Most of all VOTE. "I'm not voting because Rob Anders is going to win" Should translate into Rob Anders will win because I'm not voting.

Maybe I'm frustrated with people from being in the US too long, but voters need to get their heads out of their asses, pay attention, and make informed decisions. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE. If you can't do that then by all means, let's go back to being British and French colonies and having all our decisions made for us without our input.

Excuses breed apathy, apathy breeds contempt. Vote.

Vote Conservative, vote liberal, vote NDP, vote green. Just Vote!

P.S. Is the Bloq Quebequois still allowed to call itself a "Federal" party? If so, why?!

They say the economy is fine

But my household knows better. My roommate has been working 4 day weeks for the last month, if things don't pick up for him in October he's talking about taking the whole month off. Not enough work.

My job for the last few months has been a matter of looking one to two weeks ahead, for everyone in the office. I had one busy week about two weeks ago. I trenched for three days and did some drilling for our Hollister office one day that week. Since then, I've finished writing two reports and now looking two weeks out... Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. I've tried to diversify what I can do around the office. I'm learning to do lab testing, I do the drafting, I do soil testing and inspection, I do soil, geologic, and environmental investigations... and with all that... Nothing. Things are looking bleak. Those work-share forms in my desk drawer are looming large.

An extended period on work-share and I will have to find a new job.

My wife went to FedEx yesterday, it's the same story, nobody there is working full time anymore. The most anyone is allowed to work is a 30 hour week.

The State of California is 69 days late in passing a state budget. Meaning state-funded child-care programs for low-income families are failing, and many other state funded projects have ground to a halt. There is currently a legal battle over whether the governor can pay ALL State workers minimum wage. The state is currently running a deficit of 15.2 Billion dollars.

The City of Vallejo recently was declared legally Bankrupt. Voiding all public contracts for the city of Vallejo.

Almost every day you find another company that has closed it's doors and there's a place for rent

10% of all homes up for sale are foreclosures.


The housing market is crumbling, people are unable to get loans against the value of their homes.

Meanwhile, San Jose was ranked #2 most affluent in the US recently. Obviously the rich are intent on hanging onto their money. (Republicans like to cut taxes for their rich buddies because they think it will stimulate the economy).

Barak Obama's 5% tax cut on everyone making less than 250K annually sounds pretty damn good to me. That's 2,200 after tax back into my pocket annually. Gee that 1500 one time stimulus package issued by the gov't certainly did it's job, rendering the federal coffers even more into the red. Trillions of dollars in the red already.

On a positive note, my company holds the on-call contract for geotechnical services for the city of Fremont. More work should come out of that. Also, autumn/winter is approaching and a couple day of rain ought to get people worried about getting their grading done before the rains.

I'm worried about things. I've recently updated my resume, and I've been keeping track of job listings. Though I haven't pursued anything yet.

My fear, really, is that things are the same no matter where you are.