Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton - My First Video Post

Here's a video summing up my thoughts:




And a few crappy pictures from the weekend.

March Madness, and more

March Madness begins! Selection Sunday was exciting as usual. Glad to see Purdue as a six seed. More glad to see Indiana as an eight (ha)! I'm trying to fix my work schedule so that I can be home to watch some games either Thursday, Friday, or both.

And just a few things of note recently:

• A nerdy, but nostalgically addictive addition to my "regular websites" in VirtualNES.com and Nintendo8.com. Thanks Faulkner. Thanks a lot.
• Obama came to Indiana. I did not get to see him. Maybe next time.
• The Ides of March came and went again.
  
• St. Patty's Day is tomorrow (unless you are Catholic, and then it was yesterday)
• And speaking of Catholic, did anyone else see that the Pope added to the list of Mortal Sins (meaning, you need absolution for them). I want to talk with a practicing Catholic on what they think.
  
• Environmental pollution
• Genetic manipulation
• Accumulating excessive wealth
• Inflicting poverty
• Drug trafficking and consumption
• Morally debatable experiments
• Violation of fundamental rights of human nature
  

A New Approach To Politics

Cards, anyone?

Clinton wins precinct tie with queen of hearts

Posted: 07:47 PM ET

(CNN) – You know you're in Vegas when victory at a caucus precinct comes in the form of a card draw.

On Saturday, Sen. Hillary Clinton won the caucus at Mojave High School in North Las Vegas when one of her supporters pulled out the queen of hearts — besting the 10 of spades for Obama.

Tom Komenda, a Clinton supporter, told CNN there was an even number of supporters for the two candidates — 48 each. But the caucus had five delegates, so they couldn't be split evenly.

How to break the tie? A good old fashioned card draw. Carrie Giddins — a Democratic organizer — confirmed to CNN that indeed, that's how the race at Mojave High was ultimately decided. "That's the rule," she said.

Komenda — who sent CNN the story via I-Report — said a sealed deck was unwrapped. But as the shuffling started, he was concerned that the shuffler might have been shuffling in a way that exposed the faces of the cards to some of the nervous onlookers.

"I said, 'Wait wait wait — if we have to do this idiotic thing with cards, we're going to shuffle them the way they're supposed to be shuffled,'" he told CNN, laughing. "Then they said, 'If you want to shuffle, come down here and shuffle. So I went down and shuffled!"

Komenda says an Obama supporter drew first, and up came the ten of spades. Next, a Clinton supporter drew, and a queen of hearts decided the tie-breaker in favor of Clinton. So the final delegate count was two delegates for Obama, and three for Clinton.

It all ended, he said, in "cheers from one side of the room, groans and boos from the other."

Those cheering ended up rewarding Komenda — he was chosen to be one of the delegates for Clinton.

–CNN's Josh Levs

Bare With Me

At the risk of turning this into a political blog, I thought I'd share some thoughts on tonights ABC/Facebook Debate.

(sorry this post is so stinking long.
I want to vomit at the length)


I'm just really getting into the Presidential race and have stepped out of my comfort zone and made it quasi-public knowledge that I actually have political thoughts. I guess I grew up in the sphere of either don't talk about it, or don't care about it. Another way I'm different from my parents I suppose.

(My thoughts will now wander to-and-fro)

I should start by thanking my wife for letting me watch all four hours. She is gracious.
The Republicans came on first (McCain, Thompson, Paul, Romney, Giuliani). I'll say I haven't paid much attention to them so far. But I think I learned some things. It's true that Giuliani is still trying to ride the wave of "9/11." I'm not sure that's a good (or valid) platform. Romney seemed...seemed...gross. That's not the right word, but he just seemed like he was trying to be a tough guy, but sucked at it. He got hit with some personal jabs, and seemed to sort of whimper and complain (mostly because they were good, clean personal jabs). Fred Thompson slipped into "Law and Order" mode. Maybe, just maybe, that is the best idea he can run with. It seemed plausible. McCain...I'm still not too certain he won't just snap, streak camo-paint on his face and start launching pencil grenades from under a desk. He just seems unstable (and old).

Ron Paul, he is an interesting fellow. He garners a ton of young uns' support. Which is moderately confusing, given that he is 72. But he seemed to have the most genuine responses and maybe the one Republican I agree with (on some things). But he seemed a bit too exasperated about world problems. Sure, get up set and passionate about things. But, don't seem overwhelmed by it. Just go for whelmed. He does seem, at times, like a well spoken Mr. Magoo. (Sidenote: I think he's the most real candidate, which is too bad because the other five just laugh at him and shove him to the side for it - he just won't play their game. Even the moderator pointed out that he is consistent and stands strong on what he believes.)

Overall, it seemed to me that the Republicans are still running on a campaign of fears (the term "Islamic Fascim" was used at least once). As a whole (using stereotypes, which is wrong, but right at some point), Republicans support some things that just don't jive with me - tax cuts for the rich, uninhibited gun control, the notion that big business is the salvation of America and the world (i.e. Wal-Mart, Pharmaceuticals). OH MY GOSH! I just remembered that Mitt Romney said, quote (paraphrase), "Drug companies are not the bad guys. They are doing things to help make our lives better." Stacey retorted, "Like making Viagra and restless-leg-syndrome medicines?"

The Democrats came on and crossed paths with the Republicans. Then they began their debate (Edwards, Obama, Richardson, Clinton). It was pretty funny/entertaining to watch Edwards/Obama tag team against Clinton within the first 10 minutes or so. She got flustered and sort of lashed out, spouting ad nauseum about her "35 years experience" again. Nauseum is right.


Bill Richardson is similar to Ron Paul in that he is the most honest, perhaps well rounded candidate. Too bad he hasn't got a chance. But, he could be a stunt doulbe for Horatio Sanz on SNL.

I'll say this about Hillary Clinton. Actually, Obama said it: "Hillary, you're likable...enough."

What I will say is this: Being a woman is not a valid credential for being elected President (that is not to say I am against a woman President). I pray from the depths of my being that not a sole will actually vote for her solely because she is a woman. That is the most absurd thing I can think of. Same goes for Obama; don't vote for him solely because he is black. Or Huckabee, because he is Evangelical Christian. These are horrible reasons to vote for someone. Horrible.

Screw It or Rock it? - A Creeping Conversion

I predict that half of the two people who read this will tune out by the end of the first paragraph. Tomorrow marks the unofficial official beginning to electing our next President of the United States. The Iowa Caucus will take place tomorrow, increasing hopes and dashing others who want to be the Commander-in-Chief. And I find myself caring to an ever-increasing degree.

(Now, to the one person left reading) I can honestly say there was a time in my life when I actively campaigned for people not to vote, that our system was broken and true representation wasn't possible, that (especially in Indiana) your vote didn't matter (especially Presidentially). And so I never voted. Yet, somewhere, somehow, my thinking began changing. I don't know how or why, but I'm sure it started slowly. A creeping conversion. And today I find myself moving across the spectrum of attitudes. I've voted in the last three possible elections, read up on political news and websites, even read a candidates book this winter.

Most people say that politics are so messed up: corrupt and just a game, detached from real life, boring, a waste of time, and most of all, completely dividing. And I'll agree to a certain degree on most of that. But, for some reason I've come to the point of setting a personal goal for myself this year, politically. My goal is this:

Get/Persuade/Cause/Lead 15 people to vote in the upcoming election who did not vote in the last election.

I think the reason is this: In my growing interest in politics, one thing has changed, not my perspective on the electoral college, or the political system, or the Washington goons - but instead my understanding of our my State, our Nation, our World. In listening to what positions candidates take, in listening to what issues are (and maybe more importantly what issues aren't) at the forefront, I've been able to do my own reading, my own postulating, growing of my own worldview.

I don't think anyone should vote or actively follow politics because it is necessarily fun or exciting or beneficial in a tangible way. I think people should vote (or actively follow politics) because it causes you to examine your own beliefs and understanding of the world. Issues like Fair Trade, Medicare, and Maternity Leave are issues that had only a technical meaning or understanding in my mind, but then I started read and attempting to understand these concepts/theories/themes through the perspective of someone who has to deal with them. The human drama of it makes it clear that something is at stake, even if it won't ever effect me.

And that is what Americans experience every day: an isolated life. At least here in middle-America, where people shop at Wal-Mart in order to "Spend Less. Live Better", meaning, spend less on peanut butter so we can afford to buy a $500 cell phone with games, photos, movies, and Wi-Fi capability (Lord save me if I can't Google or Wikipedia the name of the drummer from Def Leppard [I'm a hypocrite, I know]). I digress.

I'm stepping out and risking what I sense to be the prevalent pop-culture pride, that not caring about politics and never voting is cool. Sort of like being in class and not wanting to answer a question, because you don't want to be "that guy."

We are all in this world. We all play a part. Not all of us realize that. And I think that playing a part begins with understand where we are and where those playing along with us are starting from. For me, that means learning about the issues, the problems, and the people whether they are or aren't represented properly in a government thwarted by special interests, lobbyists, zealous causes, and party lines. My vote may not change the world, but learning about and understanding people and their lives, that just might change me. And I consider that to be well worth all the trouble.

So it begins. And tomorrow, good luck Barack.



(that's Obama hooping it up at the Des Moines YMCA)