Not Surprising

This would be funny if it wasn't so sad (via Babalu). The fact that there are people out there voting for a candidate without any knowledge of his policies is almost scarier than a one party government.

I sincerely hope that if Obama wins, Congress will remain balanced. Not only because of the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely, but because debate - heated or not - results in better legislation than if there is no opposition.

On Liberal Tolerance

That liberals are somehow more tolerant than conservatives is a myth; they just pretend to be while conservatives call things like they see it. It's not intolerance, its just not hypocritical.

I've been meaning to write a post on how the attacks on "Joe the Plumber" were unfair; in particular when coming from the media, the liberal media or the hope and change crowd. That some average person would get so blatantly dismembered by asking a single question was beyond me. In particular when the Dems are supposed to be the champions of the blue collar workers.

But alas, Ruben Navarrete of CNN beat me to the punch. He has a great commentary on how the supposed "tolerant" liberals apples are falling very far from the tree. And it is spot on. Go read.

Best Gift Evah!

Well not ever, no, but at least for now.

Yesterday was my birthday and I got the kickass tattoo that I have been wanting for over a year. It took a while to get the design right and even more time to find an artist I felt comfortable with and one that I felt valued my ink as much as I did.

So yesterday my hubby took me into Boston and I finally got it! And it looks great!

It's inspired in the Celtic Tree of Life which represents earthly and spiritual realm connections, and includes a Triquetra, which has been used to represent the Holy Trinity. In addition it represents the three roles of the Celtic goddess and has been used to symbolize all things three - such as mind, body an soul.

Here is a picture for you to see. It's not officially finished since I have to decide if I will add colors to it or leave it as an outline. It's top, side, bottom of my wrist respectively.

A New Presidential Candidate

Got my vote.

(H/T Marisol)

A Somber Anniversary

It was today two years ago that I arrived in Puerto Rico to find my father had passed away.

Much has happened in these two years that I will not get into. I just did not want this to go unnoticed.

I'm a half orphan and it has been really hard to come to terms with that. It seems like only yesterday he was still with us. Although in a way I know he is always with me.

I love you papi.

Brilliant!

Yup, that bailout sure was a great idea.

The New Bailout Bill

As the bailout bill will more than likely pass today, I must be clear in that I DO NOT support this.

Least of all do I support allowing for the recalculation of principal on mortgage loans.

Folks let's be clear, this is not a fair bill and it is a government intervention that should never happen. I'm draconian in this issue. Let the market fail. Let us look back and learn from our mistakes so that we don't fail again.

This is bad parenting and the precedent it sets is appalling and will likely come back and bite us in the ass.

Panic has been created; and our legislative branches have been urged. No financial bill amounting to $750 billion dollars should be taken lightly, with no investigation with no assurances this will not happen again. Or that this will even work and not add to the deficit.

As I write this, the bill is at the halfway mark of Yea's to pass. God help us.

The VP Debate and the media on Sarah Palin

Debates are no longer about answering the questions but about exposing platforms and about seeing who can best trump the other's argument. In that light, I wasn't expecting to get much information yesterday, but I was apprehensive to see how Sarah managed Joe and vice versa.

I was pleased to see she handled herself well. I was also somewhat pleased to see Joe control himself, although I could see hints of the usual Biden (and my husband says he saw hints of Kerry via Joe's initial refusal to look at the camera).

I don't consider myself and intellectual but I do believe I am intelligent and have a firm grasp and understanding of various issues. My friends would agree. I'm also pursuing a Ph.D. which allows me to handle loads and paragraphs of big words without losing my mind. Why do I say this?

There were two instances in which Joe managed to lose me entirely. No, not as a voter, he never had me there. But as an audience, I lost track of his argument and could not make out what he was trying to say. One was when he was attacking McCain's plan of taxing health benefits as income, and the second on how as a young senator he had to come to terms with changing his beliefs.

My surprise was that I knew what he was talking about and still felt lost. Did this happen to anyone else? Because my feeling is if I couldn't follow how will more average people follow his argument?

I don't think either won the debate, I think it was a perceptual tie. They each did what they had to do. It was a lot more fun to watch than the first presidential debate and it allowed me to better see what has bothered me most of the criticisms hurled against Palin.

The inexperience factor? Nope. That is a legitimate area to attack. Sexism? Nah, that wasn't it. It exists, but it wasn't really bothering me. The attack on her views? A little. Personal views should be attacked with respect and not condescension. Aha! That was it. CLASSISM.

I looked back at some of the press clippings and some of the editorials and there it was staring me back in the face. Sarah Palin has been attacked for being average. For hunting. For dropping G's. For being folksy. For speaking funny. Not directly, although yes sometimes, but always there. One of the things they hate most about her is that she is average, rough around the edges, working middle class American.

But what about Joe Biden? He's from Scranton! Yes, but he went to private Catholic school, Palin went to Wasilla High.

Don't get me wrong, I went to Catholic School too. What I mean is that he had a privileged education even if he wasn't privileged, which he was able to continue through his Bachelor and his Juris Doctor.

I don't hold it against Joe for being polished, but Sarah should not be dismissed for being rough or plain. There are too many Americans like Sarah, so it would behoove the MSM who with the exception of Fox and sometimes CNN, is blatantly openly campaigning for the Obama-Biden ticket to remember not to alienate people.