Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Wednesday Afternoon

Hello!

It is totally snowing here you guys... Jeff has put his family chili recipe into the crock-pot, and it smells delicious.

Look at this cute picture of Maggie.



Oh let's see... hmm... where to start...I got my new issue of "The New Yorker" for this week finally! I have already read a fascinating article about mashgihim (kosher inspectors) in China. Which led me to this funny photo:


I've been thinking a lot about Vicky Pollard and Jeri Blank. Which led me to this:



and this:



And now my feet are cold and the dog is whining and I will now bid you farewell. And happy new year!

oo - one more!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Monday, December 22, 2008

Saturday, December 20, 2008

We have power, and it snowed.

Two things about this video:

1. everything is flipped. bizarro. alternate universe? my porch is to the right out the door, not the left for starters...

2. I didn't hold the macbook high enough to capture jim, but that's okay. no big deal.

3. I will perhaps (perhaps.) film a reveal later, after all the tidying. stay tuned!


Friday, December 19, 2008

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Wednesday Evening

Well I am certainly more comfortable, more 'at home' here in my sub-let. I am over at my friend Brian's apartment while he is out at a meeting. The kids (Henry and Lily) are watching a movie and Maggie is playing quietly in a nice hot bath. And I'm here with you.

Oh blog, I wish I had better news to report. 6 days later, still no power. It has been a memorable week. It's strange to come home to a totally dark house each night. We've eaten out for dinner (or paid to eat dinner each night), done laundry at Bob's, taken a shower someplace different each time, been kept toasty and warm by the wood stove, learned how to load the wood stove, bought a cord of wood, lugged gallons of water and charged anything that with batteries at any place I could get either, the list goes on and on.

Observations:

Jim. You can tell he's confused. He's in his crate during the day, so the house is dark by the time he comes out for the evening. This is fooling with his habits in many ways, I am sure. Is not fully comprehending.

Maggie. It's funny how kids are. She still reaches for the faucet to rinse her toothbrush, still stands up on tippy toes to try for the light when going in to the bathroom, pines for 'something cold! something not from the pantry!'

cutting it short, more later -

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Pictures from the Ice Storm

Here are some pictures I took from the ice storm... p.s. still no power. And Henry's out of school until January 5!

irksome!



This is the field across the road from us. Notice how the netting our neighbor uses to keep deer out of her garden has ice all over it.


A close up of the grass in our front yard.






My van.






Front yard.



Trike.

Feedback about my cysts

Here is some first hand testimony I just received from a friend:

You will also be excited to know I recently had a cyst drained, after it got infected over the summer. It went from a little bump the circumference of a nickel, or less, to a giant ugly painful red-purple chicken-egg-sized horror in the course of two weeks. It coincided with July 4 weekend, and I had to see two doctors, the second one twice after he cancelled the first appointment, which is why it took so long and got so horrible. Having it drained SUCKED, stinky and painful. I didn't have it removed at the time because you have to drain first, then remove later (that's if it is infected like mine; if no infection, you can just remove); but now the doc says it's too small to
remove (good job draining it!) so we have to wait til it grows again. It has not noticeably grown in the past five months. It's right on my neck, which apparently is a very sensitive place for surgery. I've had that thing since high school, with no problems until YIKES. So yeah, I encourage you to have yours removed before they go haywire.

Further:
They just get infected after a while, could take months, could take decades, like mine took about 20 years. I don't know how much you know about cysts: they form when a hair follicle duct gets blocked, and a little hard wall forms under the skin, keeping things in that should normally be exuded through the duct. But it's okay until it gets infected, which causes a buildup of pus (that's the stinky part) and blood. At least, that's my understanding. So they drain it, and take out as much of the cyst wall as
they can. Sometimes if they get all of the wall, it never comes back. With mine, they got a lot of it but not all of it, so it's still there, but it is teeny tiny now. It was painful when it was infected, especially when trying to sleep, and having it drained hurts even though they numb the local area because they're taking a scalpel to you! Giant sharp rotating knives, man!!! But after enduring two weeks of increasing pain, it was a huge relief once the draining was done. The surgeon offered to preserve the pieces in a jar for me; I said no thank you.

Original post:

In an effort to rid myself of bumps on my head, I am considering having two
removed in early January. They're sebaceous cysts, don't panic. In an attempt to research just what I'm in for in having them removed, I googled it and found some crazy stuff, yo! Check this out. This is a person who had cysts on their head, but let them go a bit longer than I intend to!


If you want to be really freaked out, go here and look at that (NotSafeForWork). Apparently to remove it, the doctor has to rub and massage and squeeze out the interior of the cyst!

Me, Mom and Dad and Andy Gibb


PEACE QUOTE

Listen,

says ambition,

nervously shifting her weight from one boot to another -
why don't you get going?

For there I am, in the mossy shadows, under the trees.

And to tell the truth I don't want to let go of the wrists of idleness,

I don't want to sell my life for money,

I don't even want to come in out of the rain.

- Mary Oliver

Sunday, December 14, 2008

More outages possible in ice-ravaged Northeast



Just read this story online about the storm, thought this was classic Yankee:


Retired auctioneer Ed Stevens, 88, came to the same shelter Saturday after rejecting several suggestions that he do so earlier.

"I told them, 'No way!' I guess I'm too damned independent," he said.

After two days of reading the newspaper in a cold house, he gave in.

"I guess if it's between here and freezing to death in my own house, I'll take here," he said.


More outages possible in ice-ravaged Northeast (AP)

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Freeze!




Oh blog! I write to you from a hotel in Lexington, Mass. We have TV, but we have no working remote for it. We have WiFi, but we have no Jeff with us to enjoy it. I don't know how the pioneers did it with no power in their shanty, having to climb out of bed to change channels, reading newspapers. p'shaw!

We lost power around 10pm on Thurday night. Friday, no work. no school. It was crazy, crazy crazy ice covered gorgeousness. I took pictures, but robbed my camera to put the AA batteries to better use (or so I thought) powering a (useless) little radio I found. I'll post 'em later, you can bet on it.

Driving around today felt apocoloyptic. Like a crazy wonderland gone all wrong. Huge trees snapped in half, leaning against wires. Wires on the ground to drive over. Just crazy. Pictures forthcoming.

We have this room tonight and tomorrow, but Jeff and Jim aren't here. Jeff had been waiting for a call from Matt about keeping pipes from freezing and was going to head down here after us. But it turns out the best way to keep pipes from freezing is not to simply drain them and meet your family at a hotel for a hot shower and dinner. Easier to simply keep the fire going in the woodstove. So he's staying put.

We were already nearly here when we got the call that he and Jim would not be forthcoming. I'm not sure if we'll stay another night or come home tomorrow to be with Jeff. They (you know, those guys) are saying we may not have power in our town until mid week! Anyway, Henry is feeling crappy. I think it's because he's not eaten anything in a long time and had nearly zero water while sitting in front of the wood stove the last two days straight. Dehydration.



I am not sure what this means for my job, as the company is located in the same town. I am irritated with the whole situation.

Silver lining #1. I started reading (aloud) "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. They had a winter that lasted from October all the way to May! We have been enjoying this book and intend to finish it, I'm sure.

Silver lining #2. The Flynns loaned me their shower today. Thanks Flynns!

Silver lining #3. tbd

Okay we are off in search of dinner and evenings entertainment. Bye for now!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Thursday evening


There was no school today, and I stayed home with the children. Not that I have actually stepped foot outside beyond heading to the mailbox, but there is, apparently, a terrible ice storm. The kids could have definitely gone to school, in hindsight.

We are expecting schools to be closed tomorrow as well, because the real meat of the storm is coming overnight I guess. I will make every attempt to make it in to work. I've been having head aches at work lately. Also I'm caught up in one area that had been nagging at me, and about to shift gears towards another project and that can be a challenge. I bet tomorrow will be quiet.

What else is going on. Today I gave the dog Jim a bath. He was dirty, he was smelly. It was time.

In an effort to drive traffic to this blog, I will be updating my Facebook status with the fact that I have updated this blog.

In an effort to rid myself of bumps on my head, I am considering having two removed in early January. They're sebaceous cysts, don't panic. In an attempt to research just what I'm in for in having them removed, I googled it and found some crazy stuff, yo!

Check this out. This is a person who had cysts on their head, but let them go a bit longer than I intend to!

If you want to be really freaked out, go here and look at that (NSFW).

Apparently to remove it, the doctor has to rub and massage and squeeze out the interior of the cyst! Check this out:



Hey now!

Monday, December 08, 2008

Maggie and Jeff





These pictures are from when Jeff took Maggie to see the Nutcracker Ballet a couple weeks back...

Sunday, December 07, 2008

A sweet video from Thanksgiving I wanted to post

Our Christmas Tree, 2008

Little Britain

I have been catching bits of this show, laughing and laughing at it. This is probably my favorite skit:



But this one is classic, too:

Jocelyn asked for a Christmas song

Saturday, December 06, 2008

I am fired up, and ready to go.

President-elect Barack Obama

I find this man so reassuring. I have a subscription to My Weekly Address from the President Elect and have been listening and staring deeply into his eyes and feeling better and getting ideas and wondering about life in America post 1.20.09.

Change is on the way, that is for damn sure.

December 5, 2008
This week President-elect Barack Obama addresses the job loss that our nation continues to endure and offers solutions to the challenges we face. For more information, visit http://change.gov.



The third part of his plan is what brought me to you, blog.
Third, my economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.
The public elementary school in our town is in dire need of repair, and a group of dedicated people are working hard to secure funding for the remodel. This may be just the ticket!

Also what he said about 'use it or lose it'. I'd heard something on NPR about how that policy with the money - - to inject it in the economy pronto to arrest this downward spiral, is an important piece to ponder.

And this bit:
As we renew our schools and highways, we’ll also renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m President – because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world.
It sort of startled me to hear this. Normally you hear about how parents are supposed to be afraid and wary of letting their child go "online". You know? But he's right. I wonder if a line or two about "now now, with parental involvement and safety controls we can keep our children safe from the ills of etc." lays on the cutting room floor of that speech. Very bold to just leave it at 'every child should have the chance to get online'...

also:
In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year.
Ain't that the truth?!!? I'd love to be a fly on the wall at the different meetings he's had with the folks at Google and whatnot. The IT area of the health industry is probably a very interesting piece of the whale to chew on, professionally speaking. All that data, all that work-flow and procedure and humanity.

DOT COM!

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Monday, December 01, 2008

While Henry does Homework...

I will write in my blog.

I am thinking of going to see a movie tonight, "Rachel Getting Married." I have heard good things about this movie, and I believe I will enjoy it. Plus-which, it plays at my local theater.

Yesterday I Skyped with family! What fun, what fun. So cool to look into eyes and participate in the easy flow of conversation between a few people who are able to laugh and slap knees and interject. Very much fun, yes!

Henry is struggling. He just announced that he has 16 more math problems. The next problem he has is 84 - 59. This worksheet focuses on borrowing from the tens column. He is really dragging. Poor guy! "Four more pages to go!" Just gave him the pep talk about eating a whale one bite at a time. He's a good guy, he'll get it done.

Maggie, on the other hand, is probably sick with the strep that Henry had last week! And I wonder if I, too, might not be heading down the sick road. I believe that I will be staying home with Maggie tomorrow, sorry to say.

We all had a fine time in Maine for Thanksgiving, how was your holiday? Can you believe it is Christmas time already? And soon will be 1.20.09! I heard part of a story on NPR this morning about the folks who organize the inauguration in D.C. and how it will probably (certainly) be a record breaking attendance. I mean, who wouldn't want to watch him take the oath? I would go if I could.

Oh, son. I'm going to take a quick video and show you just what I'm seeing here...


And now I must leave. Goodnight Blog!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Thanksgiving Pictures





Nora's Art

Tiger


Self Portrait


Baby Minnie

Maggie and Nora enjoy Photobooth

Friday, November 21, 2008

PEACE QUOTE

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.

- Helen Keller

Monday, November 17, 2008

Friday, November 14, 2008

Friday, November 07, 2008

PEACE QUOTE


Some people said that it couldn't be done
But they with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't" but they would be some
Who wouldn't say "no" till they tried.

So they buckled right in with a trace of a grin
On their face; if they worried, they hid it.

They started to sing as they tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and they did it.

- author unknown

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Pics from this month

These pictures are from this month.

President Barack Obama


whoooooooooooooooooooo!

Did you see the part just after they called the election for him on the tv, where stevie wonder's song 'signed sealed delivered I'm yours' began to blast out and wash over the crowd? that was so fantastic. I've been saying here at work, the last time we saw a crowd of black folks jumping up and down on the tv, they were outside the superdome, shouting 'help! help! help!'. It was so incredible to watch and feel and know and observe everything it means! and to think of those two girls and that quality woman Michelle moving in to the White House -- imagine how fantastic that First Family portrait will look!

OMG blog, it is just fantastic. I look forward to his smile, his example, his choices, his call to action, whatever it is, I am on board. Love it.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Monday, November 03, 2008

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The skinny guy's time has come.


Obama looks more and more steadfast as the moment nears. The country longs for a president who can talk and think at the same time. We've been locked up with the Current Occupant for way too long, and the thought of replacing him with the Angry Old Man of the Desert and Whoopee the Ice Queen is miserable in the extreme.


- Garrison Keillor in the Chicago Tribune

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Photos from Curtis Farm Pumpkin Party






Here are some pictures from this weekend, including pictures of the kids and their Halloween costumes for this year...




Thursday, October 23, 2008

Overheard

What do you think these people were talking about?

"It might save you from going under the knife..."

"Yeah..."

"Which I've had to suffer through two winters now..."

"yeah.."


Economy? Health?

David Sedaris on Undecided Voters




I don’t know that it was always this way, but, for as long as I can remember, just as we move into the final weeks of the Presidential campaign the focus shifts to the undecided voters. “Who are they?” the news anchors ask. “And how might they determine the outcome of this election?”

Then you’ll see this man or woman— someone, I always think, who looks very happy to be on TV. “Well, Charlie,” they say, “I’ve gone back and forth on the issues and whatnot, but I just can’t seem to make up my mind!” Some insist that there’s very little difference between candidate A and candidate B. Others claim that they’re with A on defense and health care but are leaning toward B when it comes to the economy.

I look at these people and can’t quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?”

To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.


Shouts & Murmurs: Undecided: Humor: The New Yorker

Friday, October 10, 2008

Garrison Keillor

Your broker kept saying, "Stay with the portfolio, don't jump ship," and you felt a strong urge to dump the stocks and get into the money market where at least you're not going to lose your shirt, but you didn't do it and didn't do it, and now you're holding a big bag of brown bananas. Me, too. But at least I know enough not to believe desperate people who are talking trash. Anybody who got whacked and still thinks McCain-Palin is going to lead us out of the swamp and not into a war with Iran is beyond persuasion in the English language. They'll need to lose their homes and be out on the street in a cold hard rain before they connect the dots.


read the whole thing: Worst of times

PEACE QUOTE


THE SYMPTOMS OF INNER PEACE

by Saskia Davis

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:


* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than
on fears based on past experiences.

* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

* A loss of interest in judging other people.

* A loss of interest in judging self.

* A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

* A loss of interest in conflict.

* A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)

* Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

* Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.

* Frequent attacks of smiling.

* An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make
them happen.

* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as an uncontrollable urge to extend it.


WARNING:
If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk.



PEACE Quotes are offered by:
Living Compassion
transforming lives, ending suffering


Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Maggie has another song for you!

(I've heard these videos are popular)

Monday, October 06, 2008

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Full Transcript of Obamas Remarks

October 1, 2008
Obama takes the floor:

Thank you very much, Madam President. And thank you to the distinguished Senator from Connecticut, not only for yielding time, but also for the extraordinarily hard work that he's put in over the last several days, and in fact, over a week. And I want to thank his counterparts on the other side,including Senator Gregg, for their hard work.

Now, the fact that we're even here voting on a plan to rescue our economy from the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street, and some in Washington, is an outrage. It's an outrage to every American who works hard, pays their taxes, and is doing their best every day to make a better life for themselves and their families. And understandably, people are frustrated. They're angry that Wall Street's mistakes have put their tax dollars at risk. And they should be. I'm frustrated and angry, too. But while there's plenty of blame to go around, and many in Washington and Wall Street who deserve it, all of us -- all of us -- have a responsibility to solve this crisis because it affects the financial well-being of every single American. There will be time to punish those who set this fire, but now's not the time to argue about how it got set or did the neighbor sleep in his bed or leave the stove on. Right now we want to put out that fire. And now's the time for us to come together and do that.

When the House of Representatives failed to act on Monday, we saw the single largest decline in the stock market in two decades. Over $1 trillion of wealth was lost by the time the markets closed. And it wasn't just the wealth a few CEOs or Wall Street executives. The 401(k)s and retirement accounts of millions became smaller. The state pension funds of teachers and government employees lost billions upon billions of dollars. Hard-working Americans who invested their nest egg to watch it grow saw it diminish and in some cases disappear. And while that decline was devastating, the consequences of the credit crisis that caused it will be even worse if we do not act now.

We're in a very dangerous situation where financial institutions across this country are afraid to lend money. And if all that meant was the failure of a few banks in New York, that would be one thing. But that's not what it means. What it means is, if we don't act, it will be harder for Americans to get a mortgage for their home or loans they need to buy a car or send their children to college. What it means is that businesses won't be able to get the loans they need to open a new factory or make payroll for their workers. And if they can't make payroll on Friday, then workers are laid off on Monday. And if workers are laid off on Monday, then they can't pay their bills or pay back their loans to somebody else. And it will go on and on and on, rippling through the entire economy.

Potentially we could see thousands of businesses close, millions of jobs could
be lost, and a long and painful recession could follow. In other words, this is
not just a Wall Street crisis, it's an American crisis. And it's the American
economy that needs this rescue plan. understand completely why people
would be skeptical when this president asks for a blank check to solve this
problem. I was too, as was Senator Dodd, and a whole bunch of us here. That's
why over a week ago, I demanded that this plan include some specific proposals
to protect taxpayers. Protections that the administration eventually agreed to,
and thanks to the hard work of Senator Dodd and Republican counterparts like Senator Gregg, we here in the Senate have agreed to and now hopefully the House will agree to as well.

Let me just go over those principles. Number one, I said we needed an independent board to provide oversight and accountability for how and where this money is spent at every step of the way.

Number two, I said that we cannot help banks on Wall Street without helping the millions of innocent homeowners who are struggling to stay in their homes. They deserve a plan too.

Number three, I said that I would not allow this plan to become a welfare program for Wall Street executives whose greed and irresponsibility got us into this mess.

And finally, I said that if American taxpayers are financing this solution, then they have to be treated like investors. They should get every penny of their tax dollars back once the economy recovers.

Now, this last part is important because it's been the most misunderstood and poorly communicated part of this plan. This is not a plan to just hand over $700 billion of taxpayer money to a few banks. If this is managed correctly -- and that's an important "if" -- we will hopefully get most or all of our money back and possibly even turn a profit on the government's intervention. Every penny of which will go directly back to the American people.

And if we fall short, we will levee a fee on financial institutions so that they can repay for the losses that they caused. Now, let's acknowledge, even with all these taxpayer protections, this plan is not perfect. Democrats and Republicans in congress have legitimate concerns about it. Some of my closest colleagues, people I have the greatest respect for, still have problems with it and may choose to vote against this bill, and I think that we can respectfully disagree. I understand their
frustrations. I also know that many Americans share their concerns. But it's clear that from my perspective, this is what we need to do right now. To prevent the possibility of a crisis turning into a catastrophe. It is conceivable, it's possible that if we did nothing, everything would turn out okay. It's -- there's a possibility that that's true. And there's no doubt that there may be other plans out there that, had we had two or three or six months to develop, might be even more refined and might serve our purposes better. But we don't have that kind of time. And we can't afford to take a risk that the economy of the United States of America and as a consequence the worldwide economy, could be plunged into a very, very deep hole. So to Democrats and Republicans who've opposed this plan, I say, step up to the plate, let's do what's right for the country at this time, because the time to act is now.

I know many Americans are wondering what happens next in passing this -- what happens next. And passing this bill can't be the end of our work to strengthen the economy, it must be the beginning. Because one thing I think all of us who may end up supporting this bill understand is that even if we get this in place, we could still have enormous problems and probably will have big problems in the economy over the next several months and potentially longer. Because the fact is, is that we have seen some mismanagement of the fundamentals of the economy for a very long time, and we are not going to dig ourselves out of that hole immediately. This this is not the end. This is the beginning. As soon as we pass this rescue plan, we need to move aggressively with the same sense of urgency to help families on Main Street who are struggling to pay their bills and keep their jobs. They've been in crisis a lot longer than Wall Street has. I said it before and I say it again, we need to pass an economic stimulus package that will help ordinary Americans cope with rising food and gas prices, that can save 1 million jobs rebuilding our schools and roads and help infrastructure, and help cities and states avoid budget cuts and tax increases.

A plan that would extend expiring unemployment benefits for those Americans who've lost their jobs and cannot find new ones. That's the right thing to do at a time when consumer confidence is down and we are in great danger of slipping into a big recession.

We also must do more in this rescue package in order to help homeowners stay in their homes. I will continue to advocate bankruptcy reforms. I know my colleague from Illinois, Dick Durbin, has been a strong champion of this, as have many.

It is the right thing to do to change our bankruptcy laws so that people have a better chance of staying in their homes and we're not seeing communities devastated all across the country. We should encourage Treasury to study the option of buying individual mortgages like we did successfully in the 1930's. And finally, while we all hope that this rescue package succeeds, we should be prepared to take more vigorous actions in the months ahead to rebuild capital, if it's necessary. Just as families are planning for their future and tough times, Washington's going to have to do the same. Runaway spending and record deficits are not how families run their budgets. It can't be how Washington handles people's tax dollars. So we're going to have to return to the fiscal responsibility we have we had in the 1990s. And the next White House and the next Congress is going to have to work together to make sure that we go through our budget, we get rid of programs that don't work, that we make the ones that do work better and cost less. With less money flowing into the
Treasury, some useful programs or policies might need to be delayed. Some might
need to be stretched out over a longer period of time, but there are certain
investments in our future that we cannot know precisely because our economy is
in turmoil.

Mr. President, I've exceeded the time a little bit. I would like unanimous consent for a couple more minutes. thank you. There are certain investments in our future that we can't delay precisely because the economy's in turmoil. We can't wait to help Americans keep up with rising costs and shrinking paychecks and we're going to do that by making sure that we are giving our workers a middle-class tax cut. We can't wait to relieve the burden of crushing health care costs. We can't wait to create millions of new jobs by rebuilding our roads and our bridges and investing in broadband lines in rural communities and fixing our electricity grid so we can get renewable energy to population centers that need them. We need to develop an energy policy that prevents us from sending $700 billion a year to tyrants and dictators for their oil. We can't wait to education the next generation of Americans with the skills and knowledge they need to compete with any workers anywhere in the world. These are the priorities we can't -- cannot delay.

Now, let me just close by saying this. I do not think this is going to be easy. It's not going to come without costs. We are all going to need to sacrifice. We're all going to need to pull our weight. Because now, more than ever, we are all in this together. That's part of what this crisis has taught us, that at the end of the day, there's no real separation between Wall Street and Main Street. There's only the road we're traveling on as Americans. And we will rise or fall on that journey as one
nation and as one people. I know that many Americans are feeling anxiety right now about their jobs, about their homes, about their life savings. But I also know this. That we can steer ourselves out of this crisis. We always have. During the great financial crisis of the last century, in his first fireside chat, F.D.R. told his fellow Americans that, "There is an element in the readjustment of our financial system more important than currency, more important than gold and that is the confidence of the people themselves. Confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. Let us unite in banishing fear. Today we cannot fail. We cannot fail -- not now, not tomorrow, not next year.

This is a nation that's faced down war and depression, great challenges and great threats. And at each and every moment, we have risen up to meet these challenges. Not as Democrats, not as Republicans but as Americans with resolve and with confidence. With that fundamental belief that here in America, our destiny is not written for us, it's written by us. That's who we are and that's the country I know we can be right now.

I want to thank again the extraordinary leadership of Chairman Dodd and the Banking Committee as well as Chairman Baucus and Majority Leader Reid. They have worked tirelessly. I want to thank the leadership in the House of Representatives. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation, understanding that this will not solve all our problems. It is a necessary but not sufficient step to make sure that this economy once again works on behalf of all Americans in their pursuit of the American dream. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Senator Obama's Remarks from the Senate Floor

Barack Obama gave a speech today from the Senate Floor about the financial whatevah...

I have been wondering what all this might look like this 'Unspeakable' type of economic nightmare we appear to be on the brink of. Starting a little bit to sort of panic and quietly alarmed.

Then I read the transcript of his remarks, and I feel sort of okay again. Here are some concrete examples
of just how dire the situation is, and how it weaves itself right into the fabric of what it means to be an
American.

October 1, 2008

We’re in a very dangerous situation, where financial institutions across this country are
afraid to lend money. And if all that meant was the failure of a few banks in New York, that would be one
thing, but that’s not what it means.

What it means is, if we don’t act, it will be harder for Americans to get a mortgage for their home or loans they need to buy a car or send their children to college.

What it means is that businesses won’t be able to get the loans they need to open a new factory or make payroll for their workers. And if they can’t make payroll on Friday, then workers are laid off on Monday.
And if workers are laid off on Monday, then they can’t pay their bills or pay back their loans to somebody else. And it will go on and on and on, rippling through the entire economy. And potentially we could see
thousands of businesses close, millions of jobs could be lost, and a long and painful recession could
follow.

In other words, this is not just a Wall Street crisis; it’s an American crisis. And it’s the American economy
that needs this rescue plan.


Still scary as hell, but at least it's spelled out in a calm sort of way. I feel like maybe with some smart
leadership and regular pep talks from President O, maybe we'll be okay long term.

Now, let me just close by saying this. I do not think this is going to be easy. It’s not going
to come without costs. We are all going to need to sacrifice.

We’re all going to need to pull our weight, because now, more than ever, we are all in this together.

Now, that’s part of what this crisis has taught us, that, in the end of the day, there’s no real separation between Wall Street and Main Street. There’s only the road we’re traveling on as Americans.

And we will rise or fall on that journey as one nation and as one people.

I know that many Americans are feeling anxiety right now about their jobs, about their homes, about their life savings. But I also know this, that we can steer ourselves out of this crisis. We always have.

During the great financial crisis of the last century, in his first fireside chat, FDR told his fellow Americans that, “There is an element in the readjustment of our financial system more important than currency, moreimportant than gold, and that is the confidence of the people themselves. Confidence and courage are theessentials of success in carrying out our plan.”

Let us unite in banishing fear. Together we cannot fail. We cannot fail, not now, not tomorrow, not next
year. This is a nation that’s faced down war and depression, great challenges and great threats.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Tell us how you really feel!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8__aXxXPVc/embed>

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

So reassuring.

At work today I got the MSNBC breaking news alert about John McCain "suspending" his campaign and requesting that the debate be postponed. Running scared, freaking out, trying like mad to play every last card he's got. Jeesh. 


I was so pleased to hear what my man Barack had to say in response:

"There are times for politics and then there are times to rise above politics and do what's right for our country," said Obama. "This is one of those times."

He added, however, that he had no plans to re-schedule Friday night's presidential debate in Oxford, Miss., as McCain had proposed in announcing the suspension of his campaign.

"It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who in approximately 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess," said Obama. "Part of the president's job is to deal with more than one thing at once."

Behind McCain's Decision to Suspend His Campaign

Monday, September 22, 2008

Friday, September 19, 2008

Maggies new haircut


Kind of a crummy picture, but you get the jist...