I LOVE THIS! DOING WHAT COMES NATURALLY

Dream For Real.

We are born with certain gifts and most of the time I dare to say that those gifts go unused and we feel resentful for reasons that we have unmined.

I think this is especially true for females. Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in countries with liberties of speech and laws of human rights ~ really do have the chance to live our lives within our destinies.

I was born after the madness of Hitler. I remember when my dad brought the first black and white television home to the family. I remember that logo of a stereotype of an Indian and a feathered headdress that was on when no shows were being aired. It was a featured scene in the movie Avalon by Barry Levinson.

Then in the late 1980's, I had drawn house plans by taking a blank piece of paper, a pencil and a ruler and was in the process of hiring a building contractor. So I sat at the little Apple computer at school on my breaks for days on end trying to learn how to use the thing while typing out a long and detailed contract for my house to be built. Just when I was about done, I clicked the mouse on "dos" or something and lost the whole thing and had to start over. I learn a lot of things by this method of "the seat of my pants".

I have learned a little. I still am at a loss at so much about the use of this computer and the internet. I get by.

I love to blog, only starting a year ago November. I'm not very knowledgeable about it ~ but I love doing it. It amazes me that I can connect with people all over the world ~ well at least those in parts of the world that have electricity and the capability of having computers.

And I didn't know this story about Steve_Jobs, until I came across it at youtube, which I also enjoy so very much. This is so very wonderful to hear Steve tell of his life. I love youtube for allowing me to see this. How moving.

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Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005
This is FANtastic!

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Steve Jobs demonstrates Apple Macintosh on January 24, 1984

APPALLED AND TIRED OF BUSH LOGIC ~ I VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA

Do you just let the media-selected "sound bites" enter your world by the drip, drip of the bits and pieces, that come accidentally to you and in your hurried and already too full life?

Please, don't do that this time. Get to know the candidates that you think might be of interest to you. And don't let the other candidates define another candidate. They have an agenda that may not be trustworthy for your decision-making process to count on with any reliability. Historically, that has been the case.

I can't bear to have another term of an administration who doesn't care about the American people AND our standing in the world.

They impeached President William Jefferson Clinton for lying and yet Bush hasn't lied? Yes, HE HAS. And about things to do with the country. Not about his "outside" activities. And Bush fired judges who didn't tote his line. Bush doesn't follow the United States Constitution. Bush allows torture. Bush allows the reading of our emails and wiretapping of phone calls. There have been so many violations of our laws, violations of our Constitution ~ that the Bush list is exhausting. And WE have let Bush get away with this illegal activity. Bush and Cheney claim we must give up our liberties to save our liberties. That is "Bush Logic".

MOLLY IVINS wrote: Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone. And this Molly wrote about why she would not support Hillary Clinton for President of the USA. I have had enough of living with the likes of anyone who can't tell me straight and who can't make sense.

VOTE BARACK OBAMA

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GET TO KNOW BARACK

BE WARY OF CAMPAIGN TRICKERY ~ MISLEADING VOTERS IS HISTORICAL and PURCHASING THE PRESIDENCY . . .

Whose Country IS This?
Who Owns Your Government Officials?
Who Do You Want to OWN YOUR Government?
Get to Know Barack ObamaSenator Barack Obama:
"This campaign has to be about reclaiming the meaning of citizenship... and realizing that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change......"

and
"...I think the American people should know whose paying for people's politics....I bring the experience of speaking out, even when it's not comfortable...standing up to special interests, speaking truth to power ~ those are the experiences, I bring to bear to the Presidency of the United States of America"

How do you continue to "play" clean while campaigning and with no outside groups "unofficially" funding your campaigning and not get beat by "the game"?

That is Barack Obama's scenario. If voters don't take the time to see what is going on, they can be swayed by these "tried and workable" tactics.
Molly Ivins wrote January 20, 2006:
I'd like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president.

Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone.

OBAMA '08

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Paid Lobbyists have been successfully influencing our elected officials in Washington, D.C. and it will continue until WE say we won't allow it anymore.


Winning at all costs is business as usual. If it matters "how you play the game" a vote for Obama is a vote for this value.

PJL 's comment spells out what John Edwards and Hillary Clinton are doing to win and in the process mislead voters about Barack Obama.

Obama pitches undecided voters in Iowa

By CHRISTOPHER WILLS
Associated Press Writer

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) -- Barack Obama sealed the deal Saturday with Hal Geren.

Geren entered an Obama campaign event unsure of whom to support in next week's Iowa caucuses. He left as an Obama backer, convinced that the Illinois senator has what it takes to win the election and shake up Washington.

"I think he's a lot tougher than people think," said Geren, a 56-year-old postal service employee. "He's not afraid to stand up." Read more

Online politics with the Chicago Tribune.

Lineups for Sunday December 29, news shows.

What's a 527_group I wondered, since I have been hearing about it in regards to candidates other than Barack Obama.

527: A 527 group is a type of American tax-exempt organization named after a section of the United States tax code, 26 U.S.C. § 527. A 527 group is created primarily to influence the nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates for public office. Although candidate committees and political action committees are also created under Section 527, the term is generally used to refer to political organizations that are not regulated by the Federal Election Commission or by a state elections commission, and are not subject to the same contribution limits as PACs.

Congress is currently considering new limits on 527s (comment on bill, analysis of bill.)

Because 527 organizations do not make expenditures to directly advocate the election or defeat of any candidate for federal elective office they avoid regulation by the Federal Election Commission. The line between issue advocacy and candidate advocacy is the source of heated debate and litigation.

Many 527s are run by interest groups and used to raise money to spend on issue advocacy and voter mobilization outside of the restrictions on PACs.

Examples of 527s include Americans for Dr. Rice, Americans for Honesty on Issues, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, Texans for Truth, The Media Fund, America Coming Together, the Moveon.org Voter Fund, the Progress for America Voter Fund, United American TechnologiesNovember Fund. and the

During April of 2004, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) held hearings to determine whether or not 527s should be regulated under campaign finance rules. The Commission ultimately decided that the law did not cover these independent 527 organizations unless they directly advocated the election or defeat of a candidate.

Top Twenty 527 groups, 2004 election cycle

Some of these listings identify a parent organization that has created a 527 group but that also engages in many nonpolitical activities. Democratic/liberal leaning groups are highlighted in blue, Republican/conservative leaning groups are highlighted in pink.

Rank	Name	2004 Fundraising	2004 Expenditures
1	America Coming Together	$78,652,163	$76,270,931
2	Joint Victory Campaign 2004*	$71,809,666	$72,347,983
3	Media Fund	$59,394,183	$54,429,053
4	Progress For America	$44,929,174	$35,437,204
5	Service Employees International Union	$42,609,668	$43,979,395
6	American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees	$24,998,802	$25,465,222
7	Swift Boat Veterans for Truth	$16,818,390	$22,424,420
8	Club for Growth	$13,383,974	$16,575,435
9	MoveOn.org	$12,517,365	$21,205,288
10	New Democratic Network	$12,221,608	$12,194,451
11	Citizens for a Strong Senate	$12,848,730	$10,143,121
12	Sierra Club	$8,727,127	$6,147,176
13	EMILY's List	$7,684,046	$7,938,328
14	Voices for Working Families	$7,466,056	$6,809,102
15	College Republican National Committee	$6,372,843	$8,207,393
16	AFL-CIO	$6,322,226	$6,380,028
17	League of Conservation Voters	$6,049,500	$4,947,072
18	Club for Growth	$4,115,037	$3,927,530
19	Democratic Victory	$3,824,969	$2,603,654
20	Laborer's Union	$3,294,410	$3,274,785
As of January 11, 2005.

YOUR CHARACTER IS SHOWING ~ Take Back America, CITIZENS

Iowans for Obama

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Straight talk

I have seen that some people think there is no difference in the front runners of the Democratic Presidential candidates. The claim is that on the issues they are the same. I disagree even with that, however I have always had the ability to see past what someone is presenting and see "inside". It works for me. And then I was reading Ralph Waldo Emerson's Essays. I thought how relevant the passage below is ~ to how I see Hillary Clinton versus Barack Obama. I see Hillary as a pretentious person. I don't see her as living her own truth.

Barack Obama's "Our Moment Is Now", full speech:
"Our broken and divided politics ... straight talk, over spin ...We are not as divided as our politics suggest..."

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Barack Obama on The Meaning of Hope and Standing for Change

I see Barack Obama living his truth. His eyes are clear. He looks to me like he is living his life in line with his destiny. Of course, "We the People" don't have to accept his destiny as part of our destiny. I will consider that a mistake if that is what we allow to happen.

When I watch the candidates speak of both parties, I see a lot of ego in the way. I see it in Rudy Guiliani a lot. I see Hillary want to be President for her needs more than ours.
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I believe Senator Obama cares about our people, our Constitution and human rights more than his need to be President. This is a difference that I see.

Emerson:

"...If you act you show character; if you sit still you show it; if you sleep you show it. You think because you have spoken nothing when others spoke, and have given no opinion on the times, on the church, on slavery, on the college, on parties and persons, that your verdict is still expected with curiosity as a reserved wisdom. Far otherwise; your silence answers very loud. You have no oracle to utter, and your fellow-men have learned that you cannot help them; for oracles speak. Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice?

Dreadful limits are set in nature to the powers of dissimulation. Truth tyrannizes over the unwilling members of the body. Faces never lie, it is said. No man need be deceived who will study the changes of expression. When a man speaks the truth in the spirit of truth, his eye is as clear as the heavens. When he has base ends and speaks falsely, the eye is muddy and sometimes asquint.

......That which we do not believe we cannot adequately say, though we may repeat the words never so often...

...Pretension may sit still, but cannot act. Pretension never feigned an act of real greatness. Pretension never wrote an Iliad, nor drove back Xerxes, nor christianized the world, nor abolished slavery.

...The high, the generous, the self-devoted sect will always instruct and command mankind. Never a sincere word was utterly lost. Never a magnanimity fell to the ground. Always the heart of man greets and accepts it unexpectedly. A man passes for that he is worth. What he is engraves itself on his face, on his form, on his fortunes, in letters of light which all men may read but himself. Concealment avails him nothing; boasting nothing. There is confession in the glances of our eyes; in our smiles; in salutations; and the grasp of hands...Men know not why they do not trust him; but they do not trust him."

Emerson's Essays, First and Second Series Complete in One Volume by Ralph Waldo Emerson, America's philosopher. Spiritual Laws, from pages 112 ~ 114

Barack

MOLLY IVINS WASN'T FOR HILLARY BECOMING PRESIDENT EITHER

I discovered Molly Ivins when I read that she died this year. I fell in love with her at that time though, just by reading all about her at the end of what was a rebel life. A woman that I could adore even getting to "know" only through the writings about her.

I found this just now poking around the internet:
Molly Ivins: Not. Backing. Hillary.
From Friday, January 20, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas (Creators Syndicate) ~ I'd like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president.

Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone This is not a Dick Morris election. Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.

The recent death of Gene McCarthy reminded me of a lesson I spent a long, long time unlearning, so now I have to re-learn it. It's about political courage and heroes, and when a country is desperate for leadership. There are times when regular politics will not do, and this is one of those times. There are times a country is so tired of bull that only the truth can provide relief.

If no one in conventional-wisdom politics has the courage to speak up and say what needs to be said, then you go out and find some obscure junior senator from Minnesota with the guts to do it. In 1968, Gene McCarthy was the little boy who said out loud, "Look, the emperor isn't wearing any clothes." Bobby Kennedy -- rough, tough Bobby Kennedy -- didn't do it. Just this quiet man trained by Benedictines who liked to quote poetry.

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60 percent) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) wants to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

The majority (77 percent) thinks we should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment. The majority (87 percent) thinks big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools. WHO ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

I listen to people like Rahm Emanuel superciliously explaining elementary politics to us clueless naifs outside the Beltway ("First, you have to win elections"). Can't you even read the damn polls?

Here's a prize example by someone named Barry Casselman, who writes, "There is an invisible civil war in the Democratic Party, and it is between those who are attempting to satisfy the defeatist and pacifist left base of the party and those who are attempting to prepare the party for successful elections in 2006 and 2008."

This supposedly pits Howard Dean, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, emboldened by "a string of bad news from the Middle East ... into calling for premature retreat from Iraq," versus those pragmatic folk like Steny Hoyer, Rahm Emmanuel, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Joe Lieberman.

Oh come on, people -- get a grip on the concept of leadership. Look at this war -- from the lies that led us into it, to the lies they continue to dump on us daily.

You sit there in Washington so frightened of the big, bad Republican machine you have no idea what people are thinking. I'm telling you right now, Tom DeLay is going to lose in his district. If Democrats in Washington haven't got enough sense to OWN the issue of political reform, I give up on them entirely.

Do it all, go long, go for public campaign financing for Congress. I'm serious as a stroke about this -- that is the only reform that will work, and you know it, as well as everyone else who's ever studied this. Do all the goo-goo stuff everybody has made fun of all these years: embrace redistricting reform, electoral reform, House rules changes, the whole package. Put up, or shut up. Own this issue, or let Jack Abramoff politics continue to run your town.

Bush, Cheney and Co. will continue to play the patriotic bully card just as long as you let them. I've said it before: War brings out the patriotic bullies. In World War I, they went around kicking dachshunds on the grounds that dachshunds were "German dogs." They did not, however, go around kicking German shepherds. The MINUTE someone impugns your patriotism for opposing this war, turn on them like a snarling dog and explain what loving your country really means. That, or you could just piss on them elegantly, as Rep. John Murtha did. Or eviscerate them with wit (look up Mark Twain on the war in the Philippines). Or point out the latest in the endless "string of bad news."

Do not sit there cowering and pretending the only way to win is as Republican-like. If the Washington-based party can't get up and fight, we'll find someone who can.
Source: cnn.com


Claire from Des Moines, Iowa, United States wrote this on her blog when Molly died:
Molly Ivins lost her long battlewith cancer today. I loved reading her column because she had the gift of saying everything I felt about George W. Bush. She made me feel like I wasn't the only person in the world that hates what Bush has done to this country. She was a brave fighter. She stood up for the powerless and voiceless. I will miss reading her provacative and sometimes hilarious musings.

The Texas Observer's tribute to Molly Ivins is a loving gesture to what must have been a great woman.
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Molly compares Bush the father and Bush the son
"...How bright do you have to be to see that?..."

I want to be just like Molly. I have the straight-talking down.

OBAMA TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES ~ MAKING FOREIGN RELATIONS BETTER ALREADY

Fired up. One thing I really like about Obama is that he expects us ~ the American people ~ to reclaim our citizenship. Name another Presidential candidate who is saying that? Not one other.

Barack Obama's natural talent to "speak" to those across national borders would serve the Presidential office in ways that can't be learned. But we have pundits repeating the Clinton propaganda that Obama doesn't have the time spent in politics to be sufficient to step into the shoes of the Presidents of our past. Those of us who support Barack Obama for President see him as filling the shoes of the President of the future.
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OBAMA FOR AMERICA OBAMA in Africa
From: firstrunfeaturesnyc of New York City

The following text was copied from the video poster's page:

ABOUT THE FILM: Barack Obama returns to his family's roots on an emotional journey to Kisumu, Kenya - land of his father - in this new documentary.

Part personal odyssey and part chronicle of diplomacy in action, this timely documentary follows Senator Barack Obama as he travels to the land of his ancestry. From South Africa to Kenya to a Darfur refugee camp in Chad, Obama explores the vast continent that is gaining increasing importance in this age of globalization.

The heart of the film is Obama's emotional homecoming to Kisumu, Kenya - his father's former home - where thousands of people turn out to greet him. In South Africa, we follow Senator Obama on a trip to Robben Island - the infamous prison where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 21 years. At a Darfur refugee camp in Chad, we see, through Obama's eyes, the devastating effects of genocide.

Throughout it all, Senator Obama narrates the film, giving his own perspective on the journey and the significance of Africa to U.S. interests.

Additional perspective is included through interviews with experts on African affairs, as well as with U.S. political commentators.

HEY CHRIS MATTHEWS STOP PLAYING SOFT BALL WITH PAT BUCHANAN

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JOHN F KENNEDY on EXPERIENCE and the Presidency.

As I watched MSNBC's Chris Matthews' Hardball tonight, I heard Pat Buchanan say how Hillary Clinton showed "experience" with her comments regarding the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. And furthermore, that it was so important today on the campaign trail . This was Pat Buchanan's line mostly, but, even Matthews was on the same line.

Pat Buchanan said Wednesday (December 26) on Hardball, that his Republican party was counting on Hillary to bring his party together. I noticed last night how he repeated the same mudslinging done by the Hillary camp of Barack Obama. Buchanan wants Hillary to win the nomination because he believes that his Republican party has a better chance to win against her. He feels Hillary will bring together his splintered party. And tonight, Buchanan kept up his pushing of Hillary ~ like he's part of her team. It is obvious ~ at least to me ~ that he is a Hillary pusher because he sees Hillary as a Republican galvanizing object. He feels Hillary will stimulate his uninspired Republican base. And Chris Matthews lets him get away with it. And I like Chris, but he is not playing Hardball with Buchanan.

It is no secret ~ I am a supporter of
When a Hardball edited version of Barack Obama's comment on Bhutto's assassination was aired on Hardball and Matthews put Obama down about it, I was curious about what I didn't see. So thanks to Tommy, age 40 who lives in Munich, Germany (although from Oslo, Norway), I found the video of what Barack said today and watched his body language.

I love it when I see people outside the USA so interested in our Presidential race that they take the time to obtain these videos and upload them.
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Senator Barack Obama talks about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto while campaigning in Des Moines, Iowa.

And since, Chris Matthews was negative about Barack's words, I listened to the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown express his thoughts over Bhutto's assassination.
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Compare the two. What do you think?

Furthermore, Chris Matthews and Pat Buchanan made it sound like "experience" meant "knowing" Benazir Bhutto gave certain candidates an edge. I don't see that. I think they would maybe have had an edge "knowing" her and meeting her, if she was alive. But "assassination" disgustingly takes life. "Knowing her" now will have nothing to do with working with Pakistan through that "experience" of knowing Mrs. Bhutto. I heard these commentators tell me that now that Benazir Bhutto is dead, that the people who spoke to her were more viable candidates to be President. How does that work? They spoke to her, they knew her, they respected her. But now, sorrowfully, she is dead.

Sometimes, these commentators just get in the way of rational thought. Sometimes, they should stop talking long enough to think.

And Buchanan needs to stop plugging Hillary and putting down Barack. He's only doing it for his "hidden" agenda.

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notaveragejoe made this video in favor of Barack Obama, concerning his EXPERIENCE versus that of Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. OBAMA '08!

I think we are fickle in this country. And I think we have the collective attention span of a two year old way too many times. When Barack Obama speaks, the world is already listening. I have pointed out before that people of other countries are posting positive and Presidential hopeful videos and accompanying comments on Youtube and Dailymotion. I don't know if other candidates are getting this universal support ~ but I would be surprised if they were. No other candidate transcends the same old tired Washington, D.C. "politics as usual" mentality like Senator Obama. Here you have an article: Obama travels to Africa for a 5-nation tour

And the reaction on this 5-nation tour was really, really good. And this is a good thing. "Experience" is fine. But some of our best leaders are natural born leaders ~ and I believe Barack Obama is one of those.

Senator Obama film

Articles:
Obama in Africa TME article on Obama in Africa

And this thing about "rolling the dice" with Barack Obama ~ here's what I have to say about that: There isn't one candidate that we wouldn't be rolling the dice with. None on them have been in the unique position of President of the United States of America. And being the spouse of a President whom you weren't talking to because he was doing the hanky panky in the Oval Office for some of that time doesn't give you a leg up on experience.

TIRED POLITICS MOVE OVER ~ THE WORLD IS WATCHING

“… My parents shared not only an improbable love, they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or Blessed. Believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land even though they weren’t rich…”
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Barack Obama speech highlights from the 2004 Democratic Presidential Convention

There is a claim that Barack Obama is lacking in "experience" to be our President. The claim is by Hillary and Bill Clinton. At the core, it is a fabricated political scam reason. All of the mudslinging subjects chosen by Hillary Clinton started after Barack Obama was gaining on Hillary’s believed predetermined win for the democratic Presidential candidacy.
And apparently, not much was dug up because everything they have thrown out to be negatives for Barack Obama, have been warped attempts to make something out of nothing. Their attempts have all looked like character attacks. They have not been warranted and have had no relevance to the man. As a black man, he has “experience” that only a black person can have in the white system. Hillary can claim “experience” as a strength for herself. But to say that Senator Obama, is lacking in his life experience to become the President is naïve. You could say that Dick Cheney has the experience to be President. But does his experience make him qualified to be the President? I would say not. Experience for Barack Obama includes a different kind than we are accustomed to. In the global aspect, he has much to offer.
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Obama '08 - To The Promised Land
Uploaded by Barack2008

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"Be strong and have courage..."
Speech by Barack Obama

Hillary’s silly argument about being ready to be in charge from day one presumes that Barack won’t be. Silly, because where do you go to “experience” or “leadership” school to get your “most experience” credentials? Seriously, being a “first lady” or even in the U.S. Senate for a few more years doesn’t make the leap to “most qualified”. And Hillary Clinton’s claim to being “vetted” for me works against her and not for her. A lot of that vetting came at the expense of attention to the “real” issues (Samantha Power’s book, “A Problem From Hell ~ America and the Age of Genocide", Chapter 10 “Rwanda” page 366).

The Clintons', both Bill and Hillary, for some warrantless even, admittedly, intense scrutiny put our country’s and international issues’ best interests in the back seat due to all the wrangling and attempts to personally bring Bill down. Of course, Bill did put himself in “vulnerable” positions in a country that requires pretense and puritan images of our politicians over honesty and “owning up”. Ken Starr drilled Bill Clinton to the USA's detriment.

We all have our own natural gifts to lead or not. We all have our own set of experiences to bring to the "table" for whatever job or task that presents itself in our lives.

When it comes to experience, there is a certain understanding in life and the world "stage" that is available to an intelligent, educated and introspective human. Barack Obama brings an international personal experience that no other candidate can come close to. It is built into his familial experience. We have had many presidents who are not qualified in different aspects of being our president. This word "experience" (link is JFK speaking about experience on the road to the presidency) is one of those words that is for "sound bites" and the thrower of it ~ Hillary, in this case ~ hopes that it will "stick" and bring down the opponent. The one comment was made to appear like a genuine compliment to Barack. But let’s consider, that the man who said it, had just come out for Hillary and then made this comment. But who would JUST come out for one of two front runners and then compliment the other front runner? No one. The comment was made intentionally with the hope that people would hear the connotation and think negatively about it. I choose not to say the comment because I won’t perpetuate it.

I think there are racist undertones in what Hillary's camp has been slinging about Senator Obama. If she could get away with it, I think she would be more openly racist. But the hope may be that what has been said will appeal to the bigotry so ingrained in our psyches and we will make the connections under even our own consciousness' radar. The damage therefore being successful without being branded by our covert racist, institutionalized society as bigotry.

I find it interesting that there are positive Youtube Obama uploads from people who aren't United States of America citizens. People who outside the country have already made a positive connection to Senator Obama and feel he is one who can help in the healing of international issues that are languishing. I have seen videos posted at youtube and dailymotion from France, Sweden, speaking on religion and politics with another of Jerry Triplett, 73, in Winterset, Iowa, who broke out in song at a Barack Obama town hall meeting, Denmark, from Africa, as well as Asia. This is something that is very important ~ this already is a real sign of the headstart that Barack Obama has with international influence, illustrating that our global community is already attaching much importance to Mr. Obama. I don't believe any other candidate has this reach. The world is watching.

OF ALL THE SENSES ~ THE ONE THAT WE LET BETRAY US IS THAT OF SIGHT

I know there is racism. I've experienced it although I am white. It's just that when I was "told" that all people were equal when my mother was raising me ~ I actually internalized that value before I learned that those were just "words" and my mother didn't really mean it. I'm glad my mother taught me this value, even though now I see the hypocrisy and that bothers me. A lot.

But because I have had the opportunity to a have black man in my life, I was able to have my understanding grow. My family provided the first life canvas to learn about racism while I was still innocent in my white upbringing-world. But it was also noticeable when we were at "open houses" on the market, at car dealerships, restaurants, walking down the street together... Now that we have a serious Presidential candidate who "looks" black, although he has a white mother and a black father, I am watching the racism issue having "undercover" comments, that are presented as something other than racism. And then there are the overt comments. I am a Barack Obama supporter, although it is not because he is black, but because of what kind of character I believe he has. I especially like that he wants "We the People" to be a very participatory part of our country and government. Not dismissed as we have been, during the Bush reign. And I notice the other candidates present what "they" will do, how "they" will solve "our" problems ~ without making the clarion call to "us" to do "our parts".

Today, I caught *Sidney Poitier in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", writing by William Rose. The scene at the *link includes Mr. Poitier's words that are the same as words that I have written about my mother. Particularly the part that includes that the character playing Sidney's father doesn't know him.... The reaction of the two sets of parents is interesting to me. I don't think it is so much different today for many families. My experience with my significant other's family was not exclusive, but inclusive. It was just my family that handled the situation with bigotry. *Katherine Hepburn in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" shines in *this scene. "It's not that I don't want to know you, although I don't..."

In a very special video Katharine Hepburn reads her letter to Spencer Tracy.

A SOCIETY THAT WILL TRADE A LITTLE LIBERTY FOR A LITTLE ORDER WILL LOSE BOTH AND DESERVE NEITHER ~ THOMAS JEFFERSON

“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Howard Zinn

It is a time when "common sense" is so uncommon, that it is rare. And in the USA, justice for the federal administration is just an obstacle to dodge. Fabrications of stories are a daily routine to hide the truth of what our government is doing, not only behind closed doors, but blatantly in front of our faces. President Bush and Vice President Cheney are banking on the fact that we are too busy with our lives to notice. And our media stopped investigative reporting on 9/11. *Torture is being redefined so that the torture that Bush has already approved of, even though it is illegal, can be legal. Our freedoms have been thrown out because it is claimed that we have to forfeit our liberties, constitutional rights and the backbone of our shared values for the sake of our security.

* “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” Confucius quotes

I believe that when we are told we have to sell our souls to save our souls that something is drastically wrong. We need to get a grip. We need to get our noses into our government and change some things. William Wilberforce to Thomas Clarkson in the movie Amazing Grace: "You must never speak of revolution in my presence ever again." But Clarkson calls Wilberforce on this very issue of revolution. Thomas Jefferson said: “Every generation needs a new revolution.” And I think we have allowed our government to flail without our oversight for far too long and need a revolution within our nation. But first we must be informed. “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.
Thomas Jefferson

More relevant Thomas Jefferson quotes...

“If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.”

“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.”

“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.”

“A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order will lose both, and deserve neither.”



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New York City Comes to Hear Barack Obama

I don't want to hear
"But HOW are we going to pay for it?" when it comes to the ideas to make this nation stronger in any way other than militarily. No one talks about the cost of the war. And the costs are enough to strangle us. If this was Osama_bin_Laden's goal to get us into this state, then George W Bush and Dick Cheney cowboyed us right into the palms of his hands.
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“Indifference is the essence of inhumanity".” George Bernard Shaw

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Albert Einstein

"Constitutional liberties ~ use them or lose them." Sandra Hammel
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"...I think the American people should know whose paying for people's politics....I bring the experience of speaking out, even when it's not comfortable...standing up to special interests, speaking truth to power ~ those are the experiences, I bring to bear to the Presidency of the United States of America"

Obama for America

PASSION IN YOUR LIFE

In real life, husband and wife,
Paul Gross and Martha Burns.
Here they play Geoffrey and Ellen
in Slings and Arrows.

I am an extremely passion-filled person. I am intensely alive. And I discovered the television Canadian series Slings and Arrows on Youtube, while catching Paul Gross in another series that I was already familiar with, Due South. I ended up buying both the series on DVD and fell hard for the episode, “Birnam Wood”, because of the scene below. I have not typed the entire scene, so please watch it and you’ll hopefully fall in love with it as I have. The lines that Romeo and Juliet speak are wonderfully interwoven with the back stage conversation.
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Slings and Arrows from Season 2, Episode 6, Birnam Wood


Some of the highlights of this scene:

The major donor to the theatre, Mr. Henderson, has been presented a gift just before the evening’s play and has decided to speak to the audience:

….on a personal note, just like to say how ‘specially moved I am to be here tonight. Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories ever told and one that has special meaning for my wife Carol and me. You see, we’ve been married for 37 years. And in all that time, I don’t think we’ve ever missed a production of this play…that we could get to. Carol can’t be here tonight. She’s in hospital recovering from heart surgery. She’s going to be all right, the doctors tell me. But you know, when I think of all the times that we nearly gave up on each other, I get kind of shaky. I wasn’t much of a husband there for awhile. I’ll tell you that for free. But an experience like this ~ it teaches you something about the power of love. It certainly does. Well….enjoy (the show).

The production of Romeo and Juliet is going on while this dialogue is interspersed with the play’s dialogue:

Ellen: I hate this play
Geoffrey: Yeah

….Romeo to Juliet: My life were better ended by their hate, than death prolong it, wanting of thy love….

Ellen: You watch and feel miserable, if you don’t have that kind of passion in your life. Nobody does. It’s a fantasy. It’s irresponsible.

Geoffrey: Yeah
You know what I think. It’s painfully accurate. Two
idiots meet. They fall in love. They’re happy. Briefly.
Then, all hell breaks loose. Happens all the time.

…..Juliet to Romeo: ….sea, my love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have for both…are infinite.

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The Water is Wide with images of Ireland to the tenor voice of Michel Londra.