J's Poli Rant

I Love this movie

2009-02-22T14:13:00.001-08:00

The Curious Case of Forrest Gump - watch more funny videos

Kitty

2009-02-06T22:27:00.001-08:00

It's Finally Over

2009-01-18T21:27:00.000-08:00

8 years ago I had hope. I did not vote for Bush, ever, I voted for Nader in 2000 & 2004, but I did have hope. (ironic now)

I figured Bush was a border-state president. He had actually improve conditions along the US/Mexican border in Texas, and was not one of those xenophobic Republicans that see brown and see a stain on America. He was committed to improving relations with Latin American and promised immigration reform. But, alas, it did not happen.

Then 9/11 happened and everything changed, and Bush lost his way, big time. I personally was very skeptical of his blustering shortly after the attacks. I was amazed on how quickly Afghanistan was overrun, but knew that war was far from over. Then talk of regime change in Iraq. That could only mean one thing, as the representative of Naboo said, "this can only mean one thing, invasion!". I did not believe the justification for the war, nor did I support it. This will be the Bush legacy, an ill-advised war that was badly run. Of course, in the midst of all of this, Katrina came, and the famous "your doing a hecka of job" line just was so out of touch of what was on their TV screens. It was over for me them. That was it.

He did help Africa, particularly AIDS help, but all of this has been over-shadowed by his administration's other faliures.

Good bye Mr. Bush, you will not be missed, but you did have an impact, too bad it was a negative one.

Shoe Fast...Bush Faster...wow!

2008-12-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

Shoe misses the President's head...classic.

English Only?

2008-12-07T21:24:00.001-08:00

If only English, at least learn to use it properly.

Bush regrets Iraq...country shakes its head

2008-12-02T23:17:00.000-08:00

What!?!?!

4,207 US dead
43,993 US injuries
89,544 Iraqi Dead
...and counting

What a disaster of a President...I, for one, did not vote for him, and hold my head held high by that fact.

Obama the next Che?

2008-11-18T14:32:00.000-08:00

Anti-Mormon Ad opposing prop. 8

2008-11-07T23:49:00.000-08:00

Very interesting....of course some of their facts are way off.

Now that the intiative to amend the consitution has passed, opponents have taken to the streets. That is their right. They can make all the noise they want, that is what makes this country great. But they screwed up. If they did not want this to pass, they should have made the argument to the state's electorate. I think they took it for granted that the proposition would not pass, as the polls demonstrated and therefore did not make their case clearly, or perhaps they did. Either way, it is clear that the electorate is not prepared to make the leap that opponents of prop 8 believe that state was ready to do. It is interesting that the Black vote was instrumental in prop. 8's passage, as they, as a whole, do not see it as a civil rights issue.

There have been legal challanges to prop. 8. I would be very suprised if the courts overturn the voter's choice, now that this is an amendment to the constitution and it is the second time california has voted the same way.

What this means to me...

2008-11-06T22:18:00.000-08:00

I found this on a blog. I wish people would give Obama a chance before attacking him. But I will tell you one thing, ask anyone who calls Obama a socialist/communist/marxist, why, and see if they give you an intelligent answer.

When 8:00 p.m. came, I knew that they would call the election for Obama. I could not believe it, so much, that I teared up. Lucia asked me why I was smelling (she meant sniffling). I told her that Obama had won. I did not believe it was possible until it actually happened, I really believed that McCain would win.

As a minority, I never thought it would happened, only on "24" or "Deep Impact", Hollywood fantasies. But here, it was happening, in my lifetime. It was incredible, a deeply moving moment for me personally. This is how it must have felt to Blacks in South Africa, when Mandela was elected after years of Apartheid, or in Bolivia, how indigenous people felt when Evo Morales, the first first fully indigenous head of state in the 470 years since the Spanish Conquest was elected as President. Or in Chile, when Michelle Bachelet was elected, after she had been tortured by Pinochet, in the name of the same country she was now leading; how those who have been tortured, pursued, and detained in the name of Chile must have felt. But this was in my country, after all this country has seen, from Dred Scott to Rodney King, here, this country had turned a corner.

I tought about how my bi-racial brown children will grow up with a bi-racial, brown, dark face as the leader of this country. It's a new reality, the new normal. My children will see his face, as they grow up, and not think it weird, unusual, or even historic that he is the President, but just normal, and that, is the most important thing.

There is much to be done, and I reserve my judgment of President-Elect Obama for the future. But for now, his victory is a victory for America, for the promise of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and all the sweat and tears of so many nameless and forgotten.

As the President-Elected stated, "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. "

Fox Disses Palin...We were this close...She Did Not Know Africa was a Continent!!!!!

2008-11-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We dodged a bullet...how dare McCain make such a dumb choice.

For a longer video see: Here

Obama Wins - US, World Celebrates

2008-11-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

Celebrating in Sydney, Australia

The World celebrates this historic day: Here
The Country celebrates : Here
Newspaper Headlines: Here

NBC announces:

CNN Announces:

McCain pals around with Playboy Playmate

2008-11-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

I could have run a better Prop. 8 Campaign

2008-10-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

Too bad the that people that are running the Prop. 8 campaing are dumb. I could have done a better job.

From what I can make out there were three main arguments:
1. That "Activist Judges from San Francisco" are making laws and not respecting the will of the people.
2. That children will be taught that gay marriage is ok in schools.
3. We should only have traditional marriage.

"Activist Judges from San Francisco"
This is just dumb. They are using "San Francisco" to contect the judges to the liberal city. Well, the California Supreme Court (CSC) is based in San Francisco, so any judge that sits on the CSC is based in San Francisco. Of course the author of the In re Marriages, and almost all the members of the court were GOP appointees.

Of course the paradox of this argument is that if Proposition 8 does not pass, then the decision would reflect public opinion, hence, the court would not have been "activist".

see ad:

"Kids in School"
I keep asking myself why, why? This opened the campaing to numerous attacks, and now it as challanged the CA School Superindendent. I found this on youtube:

Depending on the attorney, CA may or may not require teaching gay marriage in school.

See, since the ad above does not mention that that Mass. court decision is based on state law, the opponents seized on this...

"Protects Traditional Marriage"
This was the best argument, but it has been totally lost in the half-truths, conjecture, and controversy of the campaign not the issue. This is really unfortunate.

Here is my view:

A warning from the past....

2008-10-27T22:41:00.000-07:00

Electoral Map 2004 (Red = GOP)

It is me, or is it ironic that Senator McCain is calling Senator Obama a socialist, but is winning "red" states?

There is Hope in the McCain Camp

2008-10-25T15:45:00.001-07:00

McCain supporters confront McCain supporter disparaging Islam.

Palin Unsafe for NHL Players

2008-10-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

Watch goalie get injuried when he steps on the carpet for Sarah Palin. She needs to stay away, but ,on the on the other hand the LA Kings won the game!

What I can do with $150,000.00!

2008-10-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

No wonder she looks so good all the time. I would look good if I spent $150,000.00 in clothes in three months, like Sarah did, see here, and here. If only I could be so lucky.

Don't Believe the Hype

2008-10-17T23:56:00.000-07:00

*Courtesy of Chaffey Community Republican Women of San Bernadino , CA

Recently all the polls are trending to Obama, that he will win the Presidency
My cynical self does not give these polls the benefit of the doubt. I personally do not believe that Obama will win. As I see it, someone will walk into the polling both, and will find some reason, however how minute, and not vote for Obama (racism, or here). Of course that is not to say that all who vote otherwise are racist, I certainly believe that there are many who have fundamental disagreements with Obama's positions; but nonetheless, am I certain that some will chose color over substance. Too bad. American will lose a golden opportunity...Racism is alive an well.

See Obama Waffles:

See More Hate by McCain Supporters:

Obama - Logo, Video games

2008-10-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

If Obama wins (which I do not think he will) he will be the first president with a Logo. That bothers me and makes me uncomfortable. A President as a symbol, a branded symbol?

I wonder if you caught this news, Obama is advertising in video games :

Palin Booed at Flyer's Game

2008-10-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

The owner, a Republican, of the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL Team) decided to have Palin drop the opening puck to begin the season. She was booed! Got to love it!See blog here She thought that by having her daughters with her would stop to booing, I guess it did not work!

Here is the video (see the Obama/Biden sign behind her):

What has happened to the GOP?

2008-10-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Recently there have been many reports regarding the hateful displays of McCain/Palin supporters.

1. Racial epithets at black member of the media at a Palin Rally
2. Someone calling Obama a terrorist at a rally:

3. Supporters believe that Obama is a terrorist:

4. McCain booed when he characterized Obama as a decent man

What ever happen to being Christian-like. Is not the GOP the party that wraps itself in religion?

Palin expresses herself

2008-10-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

Willow Palin shows what she thinks of the "liberal" media to her friend.

Moran?

2008-10-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

If you are going to attack "liberals", at least use a spell checker!

Palin's Experience = Reagan's or Clinton's Experience?

2008-09-30T22:28:00.000-07:00

What? Palin's experience is the same as Ronald Reagan's or Bill Clinton's. Is he crazy? Lets compare:

Palin - Member of Wasilla City Council 1992 - 1996, Mayor 1996 - 2002, Chairperson, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission 2003 - 2004, Governor Alaska 2006 to present

Ronald Reagan - President, Screen Actor's Guild 1947 - 1952, 1959, Governor California 1967 - 1975

Bill Clinton - Attorney General Arkansas 1977 - 1979, Governor Arkansas 1979 - 1981, 1983-1992

I'm sorry, how can McCain claim that Palin has the same experience as Reagan or Clinton, both who were governors for at least 8 years! Sure, she may have been a mayor for 6 years, but how big is Wasilla? (2002 - 5,469, estimate 9,780). Clinton was both the AG and the Governor for almost 15 years when he took office. Reagan had been Governor of the largest state in the nation, California for two full terms, 8 years. So the idea that Palin is somehow in the same league of qualification as either Clinton or Reagan is laughable. I guess, McCain made his pick, and will have to defend it at any cost. Just sad, what happened to the "Straight Talk Express"?

Judge for Yourself.....

2008-09-25T23:30:00.000-07:00

McCain's Health Care Plan

2008-09-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

(Amanda) Here is Obama's Plan for health care: Click Here

I for one have been asking GOP'ers to articulate McCain's plan to fix the pressing health care issue, my most important issue.

As your are aware, we had a little baby girl three weeks ago. We have been insuring the kids through a state program called Healthy Families, which provides low cost premiums ($13 a month for both Lucia and Marco). We had assumed that Nikki's insurance (through my work) would cover Sylvie for at least 30 days, as previous insurance we had. But Kaiser informed us that they only cover 30 days in the month of birth! That is if a child is born on the 1st, she is covered for 30 days, but if she is born on the last day of the month, that child gets only 1 day of coverage. Since Sylvia was born the 29th, she only had 3 days of coverage. Sylvia's return to the hospital on the 1st was not covered at all. That is so unfair. Consequently I had to sign Sylvie up through work, which will cost almost $200 a month!

Here, the NY Times reports on McCain's health care initiative:

OK, a correspondent directs me to John McCain’s article, Better Health Care at Lower Cost for Every American, in the Sept./Oct. issue of Contingencies, the magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries. You might want to be seated before reading this.
Here’s what McCain has to say about the wonders of market-based health reform:
Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.
So McCain, who now poses as the scourge of Wall Street, was praising financial deregulation like 10 seconds ago — and promising that if we marketize health care, it will perform as well as the financial industry!

Pink Floyd Keyboardist Dies - Richard Wright

2008-09-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

"The Great Gig in the Sky" - Pink Floyd, written by Richard Wright

Pink Floyd is my favorite band of all time. On Monday, Richard Wright, instrumental to the Pink Floyd "sound" past away from cancer at the age of 65. This is very sad news. His music, and that of Pink Floyd, has been a constant companion since my early-teens (only about 5 years ago!). He will be sorely missed.

Specific Plans from the Candidates

2008-09-05T23:29:00.000-07:00

Now that the conventions are over, CNN has a rundown of the specific (and not so specific) proposals by both of the candidates, Obama and McCain. (click on the name to see)

What I found interesting is that McCain only mentioned Bush once, and did not mention Cheney at all, nor did he talk about my most important issue: Health Care. I asked a staunch conservative what exactly is the GOP's plan to fix the health care mess, and they were not able to tell me. I still don't know after listening to the GOP convention. Does anybody know? I hope people can see through this Palin hoopla and ask the serious policy questions, such as Health Care. Come to think of it, Palin's speech said absolutely nothing about policy (save for Drill Baby Drill).

Are Americans that in love with personalities that they do not bother to look at the issues? Are we?

The GOP makes great comedy!!!!!

2008-09-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

Community Organizers are bad?!!???

2008-09-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Why did the GOP go after Community Organizers last night? I makes no sense to attack grass-roots efforts at improving the lives of members of the community, then say the government is not the solution. If government is not the solution, and grass-roots efforts are worth deriding, what does the GOP intend to say?

Here is a post I found about GOP convention last night:

"Why would that kind of work be ridiculous?" Obama said. "Who are they fighting for? What are they advocating for? They think that the lives of those folks who are struggling each and every day, that working with them to try to improve their lives is somehow not relevant to the presidency? I think maybe that's the problem -- that's part of why they're out of touch and they don't get it 'cause they haven't spent much time working on behalf of those folks."

My Husband and I have been Registered Republicans for 45 years and fully planned on supporting the ticket this year as well.

My son has been a Community Organizer in Boston for the past 5 years and done tremendous and important work helping the less fortunate. My Husband and I are very proud of him and until last night were proud Republicans as well- but we've NEVER been so insulted in all our lives. Imagine if one of your children's chosen career was fed through the meat grinder the way ours was!!!!!

We were sitting there and the entire convention felt like it was mocking us, our wonderful son and the choices he's made in his life - to try and give back and make a difference. I'm embarrassed to say this morning the whole thing had me in tears.

This concept may be laughable to most in the GOP but it's not to us and we support him 100% and we could never support a Party that so willingly mocks members children.

Furthermore, I found the tone of the whole thing to be rather Sophomoric and had virtually NO substance at all - especially Rudy G and Palin.

We wanted to know more about Sarah Palin and instead got negativity and condescending attacks from WHO exactly? Who are you- we still don't know except that you can insult others- many of them!

This whole thing came off as preachy, very divisive and just plain nasty.

Must admit that I feel terrible and ashamed that I would support a ticket and a Party that so freely tossed people like my son under the bus for Political gain?

Or is that just the way the GOP feels about Citizens that aren't up to their high standards of making a living? Who really are the elitist here????

Either way- the attack on Community Organizers may have initiated it and although if I relied on the speeches we still have NO Idea where Palin stands on the issues but- do know that she can recite snarky remarks that were obviously provided for her.

What are her plans ideas hopes- who knows?

Certainly the very limited info that has been provided on her positions is quite enough for us - this woman is WAY too far Right, even for us lifetime Republicans. This is the direction the GOP wants as a symbol of the future? This is the direction you want to take the Party? Creationism in School, Iraq is a 'task from God', Abstanance, No incest or rape options, Ignore creationism, greenhouse effect is a myth and on and on.

Our youngest son (a Dentist- is that better?)- is a ardent Obama supporter and has been Campaigning here in Richmond Virginia for him for months. Today we are going to join him, not just because our son and thousands of others that work in the Social services, was ridiculed but because in our hearts we've known for a while that THIS time- It's the right thing to do! We will work with the same conviction we did for IKE way back when to get a ticket elected that we feel is representative for ALL (or the vast majority of) the people. We will try and convince close friends relatives and people at our Catholic Church to do the same!

I would have never in my wildest dreams thought this would have happened - that my own Party would make me feel so badly, completely ostracized and like the butt of a cruel and unnecessary joke. In the bigger picture, however- It has become abundantly clear to us and surely to some other Moderate Republicans and Independents-, that the Pat Buchanan and Rovarian Wing has won out!!!! These weren't the values and principals of the Party I supported, not even close. Last night my husband said to me- "President Reagan would be ashamed" and you know what- I bet he's right!

We are done buying into the GOP hate and scare machine and urge any open minded and realistic Republicans to do the same.

Thank you for allowing my thoughts to be heard.

God Bless

NancyClarkRichmondVirginia

Black Man Spotted at the GOP Convention

2008-09-02T20:39:00.000-07:00

As I watched the GOP Convention today I was struck of how monochrome the audience was. The GOP will shrink as my kids grow up, as more like them are born, as the minority becomes the majority. As California goes, so goes the country.

Palin, McCain and Pregant Teen

2008-09-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

I'm with Obama on this, Palin's family should be off-limits. However, it has been reported that McCain knew of Palin's daughter's pregnancy. That means, that McCain knew that Bristol was pregnant when he picked her mother for Veep, and knew that Bristol would be scrutinized by the ever-relentless media. My question is why would McCain do this to a 17-year old that is pregnant, and probably scared out of her wits already, now she has the spotlight of the media and has been made an issue in this campaign. Did anybody ask Bristol her opinion?
Did McCain even weigh Bristol's feeling on this matter. Poor girl. How could McCain do this? Judgment, judgment.

"Judicial Activism", Prop 8 and the LDS Chruch, Part 1

2008-08-26T21:02:00.000-07:00

The California Supreme Court's decision In re Marriage Cases was roundly criticized as "judicial activisim.

But what is "Judicial Activism"? For me this is the key understanding all these issues. The conservative organization Focus on the Family defines "Judicial Activism" as:

Judicial activism is the term used to describe the actions of judges who go beyond their constitutionally prescribed duties of applying law to the facts of individual cases, and "legislate" from the bench. These judges create new constitutional rights, amend existing ones, or create or amend existing legislation to fit their own notions of societal needs. (see here)

of course, nary a conservative organization considered the District of Columbia, et al. v. Dick Anthony Heller
in which the court invalidated and interpreted the 2nd amendment, as an example of "Judicial Activism", never mind that the court overturned a highly popular law in Washington D.C.

Basically "Judicial Activism" is used when "conservatives" don't like a decision, even though it may be based on judicially logical reasoning. The Focus on the Family site has an interesting note on "Judicial Activisim':
\

" Q. But I've heard that liberal, activist courts are the defenders of minority rights. Is that true?

A. Absolutely false! Let's look at the issues of slavery and segregation.

In 1820, Congress passed the Missouri Compromise and outlawed slavery in the new territories created in that legislation. The Supreme Court's 1857 Dred Scott decision overturned the anti-slavery portions of the Missouri Compromise and affirmed that slaves were indeed "property."
In 1865, Congress and the states (not the courts) passed the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. In 1875, Congress banned all racial segregation. Yet the Supreme Court in 1883 held that legislation to be unconstitutional.8 Then, in 1896, the Supreme Court held that "separate but equal" facilities were valid under the 14th Amendment,9 another amendment passed in the wake of the Civil War in response to slavery. It took the Supreme Court almost 60 years to reverse itself on that issue, declaring that "separate but equal" was "inherently unequal." That case, Brown v. Board of Education,10 is almost always used (incorrectly, as history teaches us) to support the notion that the Supreme Court is the protector of civil rights."

This is such an incorrect answer. I can list a large number of cases that have protected the rights of minorities, such as Loving. v Virigina (ending all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States.) or Olmstead v. L.C. (striking down laws discriminating against mental disabilities). This list goes on an on. Also, the examples that are used are old, and the exception!

So was the Court decision in the Marriage cases Judicial Activism? Really it depends on who you ask. However, should we use the ballot box to overturn unpopular decision?

Personally, I believe that overturing court decision that are unpopular can set a dangerous precedent. The role of the courts is the protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. What if the Perez v. Sharp decision had been overturned by the voters? The decision was highly unpopular in California, since it allowed a non-white to marry a white person. If that had been overturned, I could not have legally married my wife! As such, It is important to consider the impact that overturning judicial decision has.

What makes this country different, is the role that the judiciary has played in the development of our democracy. In totalitarian and authoritarian countries, the judiciary is an extension of the government, and is not an independent co-equal branch of the government. While the courts have on occasion reflected public opinion, it has not. Think about it, if the courts always reflected public opinion, we would still have slavery, discrimination, etc.

More to come....(sorry of any mispelling)

McCain + NATO + Georgia = Crazy!!!!

2008-08-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

From Politico:

"NATO’s decision to withhold a Membership Action Plan for Georgia might have been viewed as a green light by Russia for its attacks on Georgia, and I urge the NATO allies to revisit the decision," McCain argues.

The treaty organization's Article 5 states that an attack on any member is an attack against all, and and commits all members all members to defend any member that's attacked; so Georgian membership would, in theory, commit the U.S. to war with Russia in a future conflict. The argument in favor of membership is that Russia wouldn't dare test whether that's a bluff.

Is John McCain crazy? If NATO had admitted Georgia, we would be obliged to fight the Russian in Central Asia. How can McCain honestly says that NATO should reconsider - or is simply posturing, naked posturing? This is the kind of blind diplomacy that got Europe into WWI. Would it be worth it for the US to get into a fight with Russia over an are the size of LA County?

I hope people don't see this as "Presidential", but it is not, it's simply lunacy.

New Ponyo Trailer! - Opens Today in Japan

2008-07-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've been studying of the Bar far too long, here is a welcomed distraction.

New Ponyo Trailer - looks great!

At the end of the clip you see Miyazaki-san, he is wearing dark-rimmed glasses with the beard. I met him once in L.A., I'll never forget that moment.

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea - Reply to Amanda's inquiry

2008-07-09T23:07:00.000-07:00

Miyazaki-san's lastest film. I can't wait to see it!!!!!!!!

Amanda wrote: "really? I've seen some japanese shows but they usually involve pokeman or some kind of giant scary threat to man kind. does it come with subtitles?"

Reply: Amanda, Miyazaki's films are a different breed altogether. Yes, many Japanese animations are about monster as such, however Miyazaki's films are very fanciful and for the most part have intimate stories. Unlike like many American animated films, Miyazaki's films are not about the "good" guy overcoming the "bad" guy, in fact, some of his films do not have "villians" at all!

All of Miyazaki's films have been released by Disney, both subtitled and translated into English. Disney took pains to get it right, and the films reflect that work.

I highly recommend his films. "Spirited Away", "Kiki's Delivery Service", and "My Neighbor Totoro" (click to see trailer) are a great place to start. Interestingly, they all have young girls are protagonist - your girls might relate. "Ponyo" has not been released yet, so that wont be here until next year, but you can find these titles at you local video store. Check them out!

If you are curious, Hayao Miyazaki is the director of Oscar-winning "Spirited Away" and other films like "Princess Mononoke", "My Nieghbor Totoro" (Marco's Favorite), "Nausicaa", "Kiki's Delivery Service", "Castle in the Sky", "Howl's Moving Castle". A master film maker. He is well regarded around the world. See Here for more info.

You must see his films.

Fantastic Song from LA - based band, Airborne Toxic Event

2008-07-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

This is one of those songs that take you back to that moment when you see someone you broke up with and never forgot and you are a total mess...Much how I felt when I saw Nikki some 5-6 months after we first broke up, and was utterly a mess inside unsure of what to say, do, or act, or simply run away and hide.

Well, 2 1/2 kids later, everything turned out fantastic!

Either way, this is one of the best songs I have heard in a long time, totally stopped me when I hear it the other morning on KCRW.com.

Live Version:

Recorded Version:

10 Reasons I will not live in LA or raise my kids there

2008-06-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

1) Real Estate prices
2) Traffic
3) Earthquakes
4) Too many people
5) Not enough open space-too much concrete!
6) Food more expensive
7) Insurance more expensive
8) Overcrowded, poor schools
9) Parking garages-I hate them, they make me sick (literally)
10)Smog and dirtiness

Nikki

Bar Sucks

2008-06-26T00:15:00.001-07:00

I've been studying for the California Bar, life sucks...

Obama on the Family, Fathers

2008-06-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, a politician speaking about the family, not as the a family in a vacuum, but the family as part of society.

I like the line "Any fool can have a child. That doesn't make you a father. It's the courage to raise the child that makes you a father"

B-Ball and Barack

2008-06-07T22:58:00.000-07:00

Hey, I finally get to vote for a president who, like me, likes to play Basketball! He can hit a three pointer, that's cool.

He's got my vote just for that!

LAKERS INT HE FINAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-05-31T11:24:00.001-07:00

Lakers in 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why Fox News should be called Faux News

2008-05-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

I did not know it was Frederick Douglas that Licoln debate?!@?

What was she thinking?

2008-05-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Is she hoping that Obama gets shot???

What the .....?

2008-05-14T00:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not the one be elitist, but where do people get their information? First, people are all up in arms because Obama's relationship with a Christian Minister, and then they turn around as say he is a Muslim!??!

Are Americans just dumb, misinformed, lazy, or what? What is going on?

McCain's Wright?

2008-05-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

McCain has called this lunatic a moral compass:

McCain has sold his soul.

Listen to what he says about hate crime legislation:

His totally wrong!!!

Here are the Rules of Construction in the Bill he is talking about:

"SEC. 8. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution."

Even if he is right and the bill allows you to do this, it would never past constitutional scruitiny if passed. There are only very specific types of speech that can be curtailed, and it's highly unlikely that the Congress would ever consider a bill that would be blatantly unconsitutional.

This is total far-right wing bull!

He talks about how terrorist use fear, but here, in these two videos, he himself is using fear to sell his bull.

The Votes are In, and the Long National Nightmare is Over:

2008-05-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

No not him....This guy:

KOBE MVP MVP MVP MVP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO LAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Years ago this week

2008-05-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

May 1, 2003 - 139 U.S. Soldiers Killed since start of Iraq War.
May 1, 2008 - 4,066 U.S. Soldiers Killed since start of Iraq War.

Was Abinadi Unpatriotic?

2008-04-29T23:13:00.000-07:00

The whole Rev. Wright controversy has got me thinking. What is a Patriot? Seems to me that a lot of the criticism of Rev. Wright was the "unpatriotic nature" of his comments; that he was condemning the country he lives in. As a family member asked, "if they don't like it, why are they here?"

The questions is what is a Patriot? Is the definition implied in the quote above is that unconditional love of country? If so, many of the old prophets were unpatriotic.

Take my favorite personality in the Book of Mormon, Abinadi.

Mosiah 11:20 states, "And it came to pass there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi...." So we know that Abinadi was a citizen of that Nephite kingdom.

What was the nature of Abinadi's message to the people? Mosiah 12:2 states, " Yea, wo be unto this generation! And the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into ^abondage, and shall be smitten on the ^bcheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their ^cflesh."

This is a very serious message. Imagine what would happen to a prominent preacher would say that our cournty will be devoured by wild beast! But, this is what Abinadi was doing.

Sounds unpatriotic to me!? Then, if we go through the Bible and the Book of Mormon, many of the prophets would be considered unpatriotic.

Is that right, or is our concept of patriotism wrong?

The End of the Democrat Party

2008-04-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

So Clinton wins PA and nothing changes. According to NBC she would need to win the states that are left by some 70% to garner enough delegate votes to overcome Obama. Then what? As the NY Times points out, Clinton has become a clone of the GOP. Her attacks on Obama are damaging not only Obama, but Clinton herself.

So, she can not win the pledged delegates, so it's up to the super-delegates.

Here is how I think this can play out.

1. Obama wins the nomination. The GOP will use the same tactics as Clinton, uses her words and her statements against Obama. There is nothing worse that using your own party's words against you. That is what Reagan did against Carter, using Kennedy's attacks against Carter. Who won?

2. Clinton wins the nomination. She does it by convincing the super-delegates that she is more electable, thereby overturning the popular election results. Thats is the same argument that is used to discredit the 2000 election for W. This is the worse scenario. People will be upset and not vote. Feel resentful to the party.

Either way, the Dems have lost the Presidency to McCain. Years from now Historians will point to what should have been a great campaign (a black and a women as front runners) and lament how it all turn to hell. They will place the blame on Clinton for destroying the coalition that was the Democrat Party. Her tactics have a ring of "If I don't win, he can't either". The longer she continues to attack him, the more McCain gains. She does not seem to see that, or frankly care.

Do you really believe that if it was the other way around, and it was Obama that had lost 11 primaries in a row, was behind in delegates and popular vote, that he would not been pressured to give up?

This whole notion that Obama "outspent me", but I won PA, therefore I am the stronger candidate is ludicrous. She was always the favorite. He was polling 20-30 points behind for a long time. It is amazing that with all her friends and name recognition that she only won by some 10 points. Should not have she won by some 30 points with all the advantage she had going into this process.

This is the end for the Democratic Party for a long time. If she wins, she will surely lose. If he wins, all the damage that she has cause will help the GOP. It too bad that she does not see it. History will not absolve her. History will be cruel to her.

From the NY Times - Who Endorsed Clinton - Having second thoughts

2008-04-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

April 23, 2008
Editorial
The Low Road to Victory
The Pennsylvania campaign, which produced yet another inconclusive result on Tuesday, was even meaner, more vacuous, more desperate, and more filled with pandering than the mean, vacuous, desperate, pander-filled contests that preceded it.
Voters are getting tired of it; it is demeaning the political process; and it does not work. It is past time for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to acknowledge that the negativity, for which she is mostly responsible, does nothing but harm to her, her opponent, her party and the 2008 election.
If nothing else, self interest should push her in that direction. Mrs. Clinton did not get the big win in Pennsylvania that she needed to challenge the calculus of the Democratic race. It is true that Senator Barack Obama outspent her 2-to-1. But Mrs. Clinton and her advisers should mainly blame themselves, because, as the political operatives say, they went heavily negative and ended up squandering a good part of what was once a 20-point lead.
On the eve of this crucial primary, Mrs. Clinton became the first Democratic candidate to wave the bloody shirt of 9/11. A Clinton television ad — torn right from Karl Rove’s playbook — evoked the 1929 stock market crash, Pearl Harbor, the Cuban missile crisis, the cold war and the 9/11 attacks, complete with video of Osama bin Laden. “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,” the narrator intoned.
If that was supposed to bolster Mrs. Clinton’s argument that she is the better prepared to be president in a dangerous world, she sent the opposite message on Tuesday morning by declaring in an interview on ABC News that if Iran attacked Israel while she were president: “We would be able to totally obliterate them.”
By staying on the attack and not engaging Mr. Obama on the substance of issues like terrorism, the economy and how to organize an orderly exit from Iraq, Mrs. Clinton does more than just turn off voters who don’t like negative campaigning. She undercuts the rationale for her candidacy that led this page and others to support her: that she is more qualified, right now, to be president than Mr. Obama.
Mr. Obama is not blameless when it comes to the negative and vapid nature of this campaign. He is increasingly rising to Mrs. Clinton’s bait, undercutting his own claims that he is offering a higher more inclusive form of politics. When she criticized his comments about “bitter” voters, Mr. Obama mocked her as an Annie Oakley wannabe. All that does is remind Americans who are on the fence about his relative youth and inexperience.
No matter what the high-priced political operatives (from both camps) may think, it is not a disadvantage that Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton share many of the same essential values and sensible policy prescriptions. It is their strength, and they are doing their best to make voters forget it. And if they think that only Democrats are paying attention to this spectacle, they’re wrong.
After seven years of George W. Bush’s failed with-us-or-against-us presidency, all American voters deserve to hear a nuanced debate — right now and through the general campaign — about how each candidate will combat terrorism, protect civil liberties, address the housing crisis and end the war in Iraq.
It is getting to be time for the superdelegates to do what the Democrats had in mind when they created superdelegates: settle a bloody race that cannot be won at the ballot box. Mrs. Clinton once had a big lead among the party elders, but has been steadily losing it, in large part because of her negative campaign. If she is ever to have a hope of persuading these most loyal of Democrats to come back to her side, let alone win over the larger body of voters, she has to call off the dogs.

Bashing Barack Obama, via email

2008-04-16T00:19:00.000-07:00

Interesting picture, is that my Mormon Brother gleefully standing next to this sign that compares Obama to Osama bin Landen?

This email message was forwarded to me:

"HMMMM! ..LET ME SEE IF I HAVE THIS STRAIGHT:

HIS FATHER WAS A KENYAN, MOSLEM, BLACK- WE
HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF HIS AFRICAN 'FAMILY'
HIS MOTHER IS A KANSAN, ATHEIST, WHITE-
SO WHERE ARE ALL THE PICTURES OF HIS KANSAN,
WHITE MOTHER AND HIS WHITE GRANDPARENTS
WHO RAISED HIM??
HIS FATHER DESERTED HIS MOTHER AND HIM WHEN
HE WAS VERY YOUNG AND WENT BACK TO HIS FAMILY
IN KENYA

HIS MOTHER THEN MARRIED AN INDONESIAN MOSLEM AND TOOK HIM
TO JAKARTA WHERE HE WAS SCHOOLED IN A MOSLEM SCHOOL HIS
MOTHER RETURNED TO HAWAII AND HE WAS RAISED BY HIS WHITE
KANSAN GRANDPARENTS

HE LATER WENT TO THE BEST HIGH DOLLAR SCHOOLS, HOW?

HE LIVES IN A $1.4 MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE THAT HE ACQUIRED THROUGH
A DEAL WITH A WEALTHY FUND RAISER. ....AND HOW DID THAT TRANSPIRE?

HE 'WORKED' AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN CHICAGO- HAS NEVER HELD A
PRODUCTIVE JOB. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE PRESIDENCY IS NOT A
CIVIL RIGHTS POST NOR IS IT SUBJECT TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION 'SET ASIDES'

HE ENTERED POLITICS AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THEN THE NATIONAL LEVEL
WHERE HE HAS MINIMAL EXPERIENCE

HE IS PROUD OF HIS 'AFRICAN HERITAGE' BUT IT SEEMS THAT HIS ONLY
AFRICAN CONNECTION WAS THAT HIS AFRICAN FATHER GOT A WHITE GIRL
PREGNANT AND DESERTED HER. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT SPERM CARRIED A
'CULTURAL' GENE. ....AND WHERE IS THE PRIDE IN HIS WHITE CULTURE?

HE GOES TO A 'AFROCENTRIC' CHURCH THAT HATES WHITES, HATES JEWS,
AND BLAMES AMERICA FOR ALL THE WORLDS PERCEIVED FAULTS AND THEN
REPEATEDLY COVERS UP FOR THE PASTOR AND THE CHURCH

HE CLAIMS THAT HE COULD NOT CONFRONT HIS PASTOR BUT HE WANTS US
TO BELIEVE THAT HE CAN CONFRONT NORTH KOREA AND IRAN, RIGHT!!!

YEAH, I THINK I SEE HOW HE COULD BE A UNITER AND BRING US TOGETHER, I
THINK THE HOPE IS THAT HE HOPES NO ONE WILL PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER"

I will post a response soon. Wow, unbelievable!

Waters of March

2008-04-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite songs of all times. Written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, it has two version, one in English and another in Portuguese. It has been covered by many artist. These are my two favorite. If you type in "Waters of March" in Youtube you'll get a bunch of versions.
Enjoy.

Civics Quiz - Can You Answer these Questions?

2008-04-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

1. What is "Rendition"?

2. Name a country that borders Israel? (there are four)

3. What country is the city of Kabul located?

4. Which of the following countries are democracies: Cuba, India, Japan, China

5. What years was the U.S. Civil War fought?

6. What is the most populous Islamic country?

7. The case Roe v. Wade is about what?

8. How many justices sit on the Supreme Court?

9. What year did the U.S. drop a nuclear weapon on Hiroshima, Japan?

10. Who is the Secretary of Defense?

These are question asked to college students, most could not answer the questions above. See this article: click here What has happen to civics in school? Are we so connected to our machines, that we ignore the world?

Here are the answers:

1. the process of taking terror suspects to foreign countries for interrogation purposes, countries where U.S. law will not apply.

2. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon

3. Afghanistan, it's the capital city

4. Japan and India

5. 1861-1865

6. Indonesia

7. the seminal case on Abortion

8. Nine

9. 1945

10. Robert Gates

Argentina's Dirty War - 30 years on.

2008-04-06T21:59:00.001-07:00

This is Maria Eugenia Sampallo. She was taken from her parents by the Military Government in Argentina in 1978, soon after her mother gave birth to her. Her parents where in the custody at the time of her birth. She is one of as many as 500 infants given to couples who were friendly to the government. Her parents were "disappeared", two of about 30,000 that "disappeared" during the "Dirty War", which lasted between 1976-1982 in Argentina.

The Dirty War was a the Argentine government's war against dissidents and government critics. Click Here for more information. A brutal government policy that destroyed countless lives and families.

Now, Maria Eugenia Sampallo, a victim of that war, has received a measure of justice. In Argentina a individual can bring criminal charges. She brought criminal charges against the couple that raised her. They considered themselves "adoptive parents", she has described them as "kidnappers". They were convicted by a criminal court recently. See article here. There is a film on this subject, "The Official Story".

Justice has prevailed. There are many still who seek it. No Justice No Peace.

Battlestar Galactica and Mormonism - New and Last Season Begins

2008-04-02T23:45:00.001-07:00

This Friday marks the return of the best show on TV period. Battlestar Galactica.

For those uninitiated, Battlestar Galactica was created by a Mormon! In the original kitsch series of the 1970's , as well as the current series, there were and are many references that Mormons would be familiar with. There is a quorum of 12 that run the government, there are Gods and God, the home planet is call Kobol. People get married for "time and all eternity." There are more: see here and here. Very interesting.

This gets me to the current series. It won an Peabody Award and many others. It is what T.V. should be, challenging, provocative, and always makes you think. They have dealt with issues such as terrorism and torture, labor relationships, justice, etc. Not to mention religion and spirituality. Always tough, but very satisfying. While it is Science Fiction, it is the story the runs the show, not the gadgets.

If you can, watch it on SciFi or Rent it, you won't be disappointed.

X-FILES MOVIE - TRAILERS !!!!!!

2008-03-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

I am a Big X-Files fan. I loved the show, one of the best of all time. I sometimes watch it late at night, it's on TNT and SciFi channels. Anyways, the new film is coming this summer. I cant wait!!!
Here are a couple of trailers leaked onto the internet (or were they leaked? hmmm):

Click here for Trailer 1
Click here for Trailer 2

New Obama Mashup and Response to Doug

2008-03-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

The song is "The Tide is Turning" by Roger Waters (of Pink Floyd), using clips from Obama's speech "A More Perfect Union" which Doug and I are discussing, see below:

Doug writes:
"When I use the term "white nationalism" I mean the ideological configuration that often directly links elements such as Christianity, militarism and a patriotism that really isn't patriotism because it hold that American is always already on the right track."

I'm not sure I agree with your definition. This is the kind of crap that governments all over the world have used time after time to justify horrible things, be it Christianity, Hindusim, Islam, etc. Think Chile, India/Pakistan wars, El Salvador - just change out "America". That said, a better term would be American Nationalism, as it's not just White Americans that buy into this crap. For me, this is very disturbing. However, I do believe that American patriotism is a weird concept, for in order to defend the freedom to speak out against the government, you have to defend that same government. Think about the African-Americans who fought in WWII, having to return the instutionalized racism after the war.

Nevertheless in the context of Obama's speech, I agree and disgree with some of your critiques of his speech.

1. I do believe that some of the reason for the speech was to allay some of the furor in some of the reaction in Non-Afrcan-Americans. I say this because it was not just Whites that found Rev. Wright's comments offensive. The coverage in Spanish speaking media was similar, albeit more subdude. I for one was not offended. I'm there where Asians, Jews, etc., who found the comments offensive. It was something he had to do, and I think he made an excellent effort.

2. I don't agree with your analysis of this quote:
"But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country . . ."
- I think you did not take this quote into perpective with the rest of the speech. I think he was trying to convey that people of Rev. Wright's generation still have the mindset in the world they were raised, the suspicion of the Other was incolcated. I think the Obama's view is that there have been many strides in race relations, however, those of that generation still carry in them the ingrained suspcion that cannot be shaken. It is this pardigm in which they still see America. (It's the baby-boomer thing.) That is the root of the "profoundly distorted view of this country" that he was referring to. I don't agree that he was adopting the nationalism you speak of at all, but rather a different view of race relations and the greater America. That while problems persit, American, as a whole, is a profoundly different place than it was, and to portray America as Rev. Wright did is a profoundly distorted view, because it a view of an America that, while it did exist, is not the current America. However, there is still more to go in race relations.

I was in Bosnia getting shot at!! - Hillary's Macaca Moment 2?

2008-03-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have to comment on this Hillary Bosnia Story.

Wow, I can't believe that she padded this event soooo much! You would think that in day where anything on video appears on the Internet that her campaign would have checked to see if indeed she was taking sniper fire and had to run to the cars as she claims.

I don't know how many you have been near gunfire shot in anger, but let me tell you, it's hard to forget. I can distinctly remember 3 incidents of gunfire shot in anger (ok 1 was only a gun pointed in anger) twice in Hollywood, once in Highland Park (where my mom lives).

Has Hillary been around so much gunfire that she mixes the events together in her memory? I'm sorry I cant believe that she "misspoke" on something so memorable. Can they possibly be that dumb? Wow Sinbad was right!

Here is a good story by one of the reporters that was there that day (Click here).

Video here:

Tiptoe?

2008-03-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Doug writes:

"As a point of minor disagreement I don't think that Obama was anywhere near the neighborhood of "brutally honest." he was stepping so carefully around important issues that I think many (white ) folks will forever miss important elements of what he was describing. "

Serena agrees:

"Well said Douglas. I do think though, in our current climate that he had to be somewhat on his tip toes."

I don't agree with the premise of Doug's statement. Race is not something that is tiptoed around. Ever.

However, even if I accept the premise, Obama did not tiptoe around the issues. Here are some quotes from the speech:

"The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery

The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization, not just in terms of white and black, but black and brown as well

The church contains in full the kindness and cruelty, the fierce intelligence and the shocking ignorance, the struggles and successes, the love and yes, the bitterness and bias that make up the black experience in America.

Even for those blacks who did make it, questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways. For the men and women of Reverend Wright's generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table. At times, that anger is exploited by politicians, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician's own failings.

That anger is not always productive; indeed, all too often it distracts attention from solving real problems; it keeps us from squarely facing our own complicity in our condition, and prevents the African-American community from forging the alliances it needs to bring about real change. But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races. In fact, a similar anger exists within segments of the white community. Most working- and middle-class white Americans don't feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race. Their experience is the immigrant experience - as far as they're concerned, no one's handed them anything, they've built it from scratch. They've worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor.

...when [white people] hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they're told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time.

Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren't always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.

And yet, to wish away the resentments of white Americans, to label them as misguided or even racist, without recognizing they are grounded in legitimate concerns - this too widens the racial divide, and blocks the path to understanding. This is where we are right now. It's a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years."

As I stated before, I have never heard any public figure confront the underlying anger that exist in America today. Particularly discussing that anger the exist on all side of this issue, and how these world views create a climate where the racism is latent, whispered at home or with members of your own community. This is not skirting the issues, but laying it bare for all see.

Of Race and Marriage

2008-03-18T22:53:00.000-07:00

Prior to 1948, Nikki and I would not have been able to legally marry in California. The case of Perez v. Sharp established in California the fundemantal right of marriage, and it wasn't until 1967 that the U.S. Supreme court struck down an anti-interracial statute in Loving v. Virginia., establishing that right for all. Just 40 years ago, during the lifetime of our parents!

This brings me to Obama speech on race today. (See below for speech) Powerful. If he were to win the presidency, this speech will go down in history, along side of JFK, FDR and Lincoln. Though, not quite the power of King's I Have a Dream speech, it nonetheless did something that I don't ever remember in my life time. (NY Times reaction)

Obama reached into the depth this country's history, the ugliness, the warts and scars, the triumphs and the need for continued work. His invocation of the OJ trial, and the reaction to the verdict, pulls this topic into the reality of this new century. Nikki tells me that the day the verdict was announced she was at the BYU bookstore. She says that everyone in the bookstore was shocked. She does not remember one person of color there that day. I remember the pictures of African-Americans jumping for joy. Of course, as Latinos in LA we sighed and went along our business.

However, Obama's willingness to tackle this subject in such a brutally honest way takes some courage, not the courage of the battlefield, but courage knowing that this speech could possible ruin his chance at the White House. To have a politician talk openly of these issue is simply amazing. Like I said, I personally do not remember anyone address this issue in such an even handed way.

There will be detrators, there always are. That is there right. Nevertheless, his message of hope, the willingness to understand that it will require time and effort to change the attitudes, and the power of us to make it happen, are profound core beliefs that may yet win the day.

Yes We Can, Si Se Puede

Nikki's Talk on Sunday - A very proud Husband!

2008-03-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Below is Nikki's talk from this past Sunday. I did not get a chance to listen to it, as I had to chase Marco throughout the church building. I did get a lot of comments about how good it was, that they felt a Spirit when listening to it. I hope you have time to read it. I think it is brilliant, she had the guidance of the Spirit when she wrote it. The topic is "being judgmental":

Somehow I’ve been able to escape speaking in this ward for 2 ½ years, although Julio has spoken 3 times already and told you his side of our story. So, I will give my account of how we met. We met in a teacher’s credential program down in LA. I walked in the first night and saw him sitting in the back in a big oversized coat, black hornrimmed glasses and blue hair. I sat down a few seats in front of him and then the instructor walked in. She asked us to fill out some paperwork, which Julio immediately had a problem with and started arguing with her about it. The instructor got so upset, she left the room. I then turned around and very rudely said to Julio, “Just sign it!” Later in the class, the instructor had us do a “getting to know you activity” She had us line up according to our birthdays. The whole time I was thinking, “Please don’t let me be with the blue-haired guy.” But, we both have October birthdays, so he ended up being my partner. I had already decided I didn’t want anything to do with him based on the first impression. Julio tried really hard to be friendly with me, but I refused to reciprocate. Needless to say, over a year and a half, things changed. I misjudged him at first, but fortunately, I overcame that and was able to get to know the kind, generous, intelligent, selfless guy that I married.

This all fits into the topic I was given to speak on: judging others unrighteously. The scripture I was given to base my talk on is in Matthew 7:1-5 and also 3 Nephi 14:2-5 The Lord gave a warning to guide us in our judgment of others: "With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye" (3 Nephi 14:2–5).

In pondering this scripture, it made me reflect on my own imperfections-one of which is being judgemental. However harshly I judge others, I will be judged just as harshly by Heavenly Father. Also, in reading this scripture, it made me think I need to evaluate myself in the area of which I am judging somebody else before I worry about how they are in that area. Heavenly Father know us perfectly and knows our intentions, our feelings and backgrounds and knows why we do the things we do. We however, do not have that same ability and can not know the intentions, feelings, or backgrounds of those we judge. “but the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his staure, because I have refused him, for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart>” (1 Sam 16:7) Only the Lord has the ability to make perfect judgements of others. In a talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, he addresses this when he quoted Joseph Smith: “While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; … He holds the reins of judgment in His hands; He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, … ‘not according to what they have not, but according to what they have,’ those who have lived without law, will be judged without law, and those who have a law, will be judged by that law” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 218).

Elder Oaks went on to say: Thus, we must refrain from making final judgments on people because we lack the knowledge and the wisdom to do so. We would even apply the wrong standards. The world’s way is to judge competitively between winners and losers. The Lord’s way of final judgment will be to apply His perfect knowledge of the law a person has received and to judge on the basis of that person’s circumstances, motives, and actions throughout his or her entire life (see Luke 12:47–48; John 15:22; 2 Ne. 9:25).

Even the Savior, during His mortal ministry, refrained from making final judgments. We see this in the account of the woman taken in adultery. After the crowd who intended to stone her had departed, Jesus asked her about her accusers. “Hath no man condemned thee?” (John 8:10). When she answered no, Jesus declared, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). In this context the word condemn apparently refers to the final judgment (see John 3:17).

The Lord obviously did not justify the woman’s sin. He simply told her that He did not condemn her—that is, He would not pass final judgment on her at that time. This interpretation is confirmed by what He then said to the Pharisees: “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man” (John 8:15). The woman taken in adultery was granted time to repent, time that would have been denied by those who wanted to stone her.

It is much easier for us to point out others flaws or sins before reflecting on and recognizing our own. We might condemn someone for outward appearance of sin, such as breaking the Word of Wisdom. It’s easy to do because we can either see it, or smell it. But, maybe we are commiting the sin of judging someone in our mind. Others can not see that sin, but it is just as serious. We don’t know the hearts of those whose outward appearance might be deceiving. It reminds me of a movie about a guy who was really shallow and only was attracted to perfect women. Then, he ran into an inspirational speaker who changed his way of thinking and viewing women. He then saw people as they were on the inside. If they had a kind, good heart and spirit-he saw them as beautiful even if they were less than beautiful on the outside. He also saw people with ugly, bad personalities as ugly even if they were beautiful on the outside. He started to treat people by how they were on the inside, not their appearance. That movie sends an important message-don’t judge a book by it’s cover but by it’s contents

In a talk given by N. Eldon Tanner in 1972, he quoted;

“Wouldn’t this old world be better
If the folks we meet would say:
‘I know something good about you,’
And then treat us that way?”

Then I thought of the words of one of our hymns:

“Let each man learn to know himself;
To gain that knowledge let him labor,
Improve those failings in himself
Which he condemns so in his neighbor.
How lenient our own faults we view,
And conscience’s voice adeptly smother;
Yet, oh, how harshly we review
The selfsame failings in another! …
So first improve yourself today
And then improve your friends tomorrow.”
—Hymns, no. 91

When I taught 3^rd grade I had some challenging students. One year I had 12 little boys in my class who were almost all labeled as troublemakers. I decided to approach the first week of school in a different way-not assuming that the students knew the appropriate way to behave, I would teach them what they should do-not what they shouldn’t do. They responded in a very positive way and my class was very well behaved-you couldn’t distinguish the troublemakers. I tried to accentuate the positive qualities in these students, instead of treating them as the label they were given. I also gained a lot of compassion for these students-many came from single parent homes and went home to an empty apartment to play video games until late at night. They didn’t have good examples or guidance at home, so the least I could do with the 7 hours a day they were in my classroom, was try to provide that for them. As much as we can, we should judge people's situations rather than judging the people themselves. Whenever possible, we should refrain from making judgments until we have an adequate knowledge of the facts. It’s not to say I’ve acted this way in all situations in my life, I wish I had, but that is one positive example I can give from my own life.

And we should always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who can guide our decisions. Alma's counsel to his son Corianton is a helpful reminder: "See that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually" (Alma 41:14). How do we accomplish this then? Judge righteously and do good? In Moroni 14 it tells us how we can judge righteously, “ For behold my bretheren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.” Now days in a society so clouded by evil disguised as good, it is important to remember to use the spirit in making judgements that would affect our own salvation.

It reminds me of the story of the Prodigal Son.

I am going to quote from a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland because I think he told the story very well. “Among the most memorable parables the Savior ever told is the story of a foolish younger brother who went to his father, asked for his portion of the estate, and left home to squander his inheritance, the scripture says, in “riotous living.” 1 His money and his friends disappeared sooner than he thought possible—they always do—and a day of terrible reckoning came thereafter—it always does. In the downward course of all this he became a keeper of pigs, one so hungry, so stripped of sustenance and dignity that he “would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat.” But even that consolation was not available to him.

Then the scripture says encouragingly, “He came to himself.” He determined to find his way home, hoping to be accepted at least as a servant in his father’s household. The tender image of this boy’s anxious, faithful father running to meet him and showering him with kisses is one of the most moving and compassionate scenes in all of holy writ. It tells every child of God, wayward or otherwise, how much God wants us back in the protection of His arms.

But being caught up in this younger son’s story, we can miss, if we are not careful, the account of an elder son, for the opening line of the Savior’s account reads, “A certain man had two sons”—and He might have added, “both of whom were lost and both of whom needed to come home.”

The younger son has returned, a robe has been placed on his shoulders and a ring on his finger, when the older son comes on the scene. He has been dutifully, loyally working in the field, and now he is returning. The language of parallel journeys home, though from very different locations, is central to this story.

As he approaches the house, he hears the sounds of music and laughter.

“And he called one of the servants [note that he has servants], and asked what these things meant.

“And [the servant] said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

“And [the older brother] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.”

Certainly this younger brother had been a prisoner—a prisoner of sin, stupidity, and a pigsty. But the older brother lives in some confinement, too. He has, as yet, been unable to break out of the prison of himself. He is haunted by the green-eyed monster of jealousy and pride. 2 He feels taken for granted by his father and disenfranchised by his brother, when neither is the case. He is also too prideful to forgive his brother for what he’s done to the family. He has fallen victim to a fictional affront. As such he is like Tantalus of Greek mythology—he is up to his chin in water, but he remains thirsty nevertheless. One who has heretofore presumably been very happy with his life and content with his good fortune suddenly feels very unhappy simply because another has had some good fortune as well. The sins of pride and jealousy that the older son commited are almost always linked to unrighteous judgement and just as serious as the sins the prodigal son committed.

Elder Holland then reminds us that “No one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all.” To understand this principle will help us to be less judgemental-if we can see others as fellow sons or daughters of God, whom He loves just as much as ourselves, it will be more difficult to see them in a negative light.

Ridding ourselves of pride and judgement is something that can be done only through drawing nearer to Christ and being diligent in reading our scriptures and praying.

In the same talk by Elder Oaks he said, “ In the intermediate judgments we must make, we should take care to judge righteously. We should seek the guidance of the Spirit in our decisions. We should limit our judgments to our own stewardships. Whenever possible we should refrain from judging people until we have an adequate knowledge of the facts. So far as possible, we should judge circumstances rather than people. In all our judgments we should apply righteous standards. And, in all of this we must remember the command to forgive.”

This statement wraps up my talk perfectly. This talk was given to me for a reason, so I could self-evaluate and learn the importance of not judging others.It has been a good learning experience for me. It also reminded me that I already know that these principles are true, I experienced it first hand with my husband. I know that if we follow the words of Christ and of our church leaders, we can overcome pride and unrighteous judgement. We can learn to see people in a positive light and see them as fellow children of a God who loves us all equally. In doing this, we can find greater peace and happiness, and maybe even a new friend we never thought we could have.

35 Years Experience?

2008-03-07T22:31:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton claims 35 years experience. She is 60, so she is counting since she was 25 years old, after leaving law school. Doesn't this claim seem a bit disingenuous?

Obama's State Legislative Record

2008-03-03T23:55:00.001-08:00

Here is a neat snapshot into Obama's records in the Illinois Legislature:
Click Here

There is a myth that he is a empty suit.

I'm Old, yes, but I'm Smarter

2008-03-02T00:29:00.000-08:00

On experience v. judgment

It appears that this will be a major part in this year elections. Clinton has made it a huge issue with her new ad and Obama's counter (click here to see.)

This is an old argument.

First, I find it interesting with a bit of Irony, that Clinton, who is hitting hard on this issues, is a baby-boomer. The same generation that fought hard against the establishment during the 1960's. (ok Clinton did campaign for Goldwater, but changed thereafter.)

Second, experience and judgment are not mutually exclusive. There are those who have had lots of experience and good judgment. Both increasing with age. FDR I think is an excellent example. He had been state senator, a assistant secretary of the navy, an governor of New York. He is consider one of the best president this country has ever had, credited for leading this country through two pivotal time in history, e.g. the Great Depression and WWII.

Third, judgment can make up for experience. My favorite example of this is JFK. He had served as a member of the House of Representatives for 7 years and 6 years in the Senate before becoming President. His foreign policy experience was minimal. The Bay of Pigs was disaster, but an operation he had inherited from his predecessor, from which he learned. The Cuba Missile Crisis is the best example of good judgment over simply experience. He had the good judgment to surround himself with smart people who would tell him what he did not want to hear. One particular issue during the crisis was the use of military intervention. Curtis Lamay, who was Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and who had much support, argued for a full military strikes on the missles in Cuba. JKF's response was what would the world look like after the strike. He knew what questions to ask of his advisers. It is now known that if the US had used military force, Castro had already given the Soviets the go-ahead to strike the US with the missiles that where already operational. The US was under the assumption that none where operational! Scary, WWIII would have ensued. But for better judgment, the crisis was defused. (see Robert McManara's book or the film The Fog of War)

Fourth, Experience can lead you astray. I have to say is look at the key personnel that took us into Iraq - Cheney, Rumsfeld, Douglas Fief, Paul Wolfowitz. All these men had had experience in these matter in and out of government. Cheney had been the Secretary of Defense during the first Gulf War. James Baker, Secretary of State at the time has recently said that they do not ask anymore why they did not go into Baghdad in 1991. This means Cheney was aware of the risk in 1991! So much for experience.

Finally, Obama has had 12 years in elected office. Clinton only 7. Is she counting time as First lady? She complains that Obama's opposition to the Iraq War does not count because he did not have to real decision to make - like her, cast a vote in the Senate. Using her own logic, we should not count the years as First-Lady because she did not have to make a decision that mattered. ugh!

New Obama Video by Will.i.am - nice

2008-02-29T23:16:00.001-08:00

Some Marachi Music:

2008-02-27T23:21:00.001-08:00

Viva Obama --

Obama's Senate Record (not just a good speaker)

2008-02-22T19:29:00.000-08:00

I found the following post. The writer did some research regarding Clinton's and Obama's records:

I Refuse to Buy into the Obama Hype (now a supporter)
by Grassroots Mom
Wed Feb 20, 2008 at 05:13:32 PM PST

The next President is going to have some MAJOR challenges.
I refuse to buy into the hype, on either side, but especially on that of Obama. However the "empty rhetoric" v. "history of accomplishments" arguments have prompted me to check it out on my own, not relying on any candidate's website, book, or worst of all supporters' diaries, like this one.

I went to the Library of Congress Website. The FACTS of what each did in the Senate last year sure surprised me. I'm sure they will surprise you, too. Whether you love or hate Hillary, you will be surprised. Whether you think Obama is the second coming of JFK or an inexperienced lightweight, you will surprised. Go check out the Library of Congress Website. After spending some time there, it will be clear that there is really only one candidate would is ready to be the next president, even better than Gore. If you don't want to spend an hour or two doing research, then I'll tell you what I discovered on the jump.

* Grassroots Mom's diary :: ::
*

I looked up Obama and looked up Clinton. I looked at the bills that they both authored and introduced. Anyone who has been around politics, and is honest, realizes that there are a lot of reasons why a Senator votes one way or another on bills or misses votes. However an examination of the bills that each of these Senators cared enough about to author and introduce revealed much to me: what they care about, what their priorities are, how they tackle problems. And the list of co-sponsors showed something about how they lead, inspire and work with others. Finally, looking at which bills actually passed is pretty indicative of how effective each would be at getting things done.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, let's all be honest here. It is damn hard to get anything through Congress these days. And Obama and Clinton care about the same issues and have obviously worked together on a lot of legislation, whatever Sen. Clinton's campaign may imply. She is a frequent co-sponsor on his bills, and he on hers. They are both completely competent senators.

I started with Sen. Clinton.

I'm not a Hillary Hater, but I certainly didn't like her much either. I didn't like her DLC history; her votes on Iraq, Iran or the bankruptcy bill; her characterization of the years she spent as First Lady as "executive experience." Hillary Clinton is no Eleanor Roosevelt. Perhaps more like Lady Bird Johnson. Hillary claims to have brought us SCHIP (with a little help from Ted Kennedy). Lady Bird brought us Head Start as well as cleaner, nicer highways. Anyone 40 or older probably remembers when the nation's highways were basically disgusting garbage dumps lined with billboards. But no one thinks Lady Bird should have been president. Might as well argue for Barbara Bush because of her efforts on family literacy, or Nancy Reagan and the War on Drugs.

Hillary Clinton does have a solid record in the Senate, however.

I came away from my research really knowing a lot more about what is important to Hillary in her heart: kids and their well being. My research changed my feeling about her significantly. About 40% of her bills dealt with health care and/or kids. As a mom with small kids, I like her passion for children's issues. But curiously, her big bill to deliver health care to every child, the one she lauds on her website, S.895 : "A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to ensure that every child in the United States has access to affordable, quality health insurance coverage, and for other purposes" had not a single co-sponsor. Not one, according to the Library of Congress. Why is that? Is it a bad bill? Or is she not able to recruit support for her signature issue? Or did she just submit it simply to put in the hopper, so to speak, so she could claim she was working on it. I honestly don't know the answer, but I find it curious and suspicious that not even Ted Kennedy co-sponsored it. Its sister bill in the house, H.R. 1535, introduced by John Dingell has 42 co-sponsors. It's just weird. I honestly don't know what to make of it.

S.895 was major. But most of her other bills are much smaller in scale and scope — more targeted and more careful.

For example, she introduced one bill that offered tax credits for building owners who clean up lead paint. Which is a very good thing. And Obama is a co-sponsor. "S.1793 : A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for property owners who remove lead-based paint hazards."

Obama's anti-lead bill (S. 1306) directed the Consumer Product Safety Commission to classify certain children's products containing lead as banned hazardous substances. He had another bill prohibitting the interstate transport of children's products containing lead. (S.2132) And Hillary co-sponsored each of these.

In other words, they both care about protecting children from lead.

The difference is in the scope and the approach.

Obama's bill shows how he thinks big: do everything we can to make sure that lead-painted Thomas the Tank Engine toys don't get into the hands and mouths of millions of toddlers in this country.

Or Hillary: encourage people by offering tax credits to clean up lead paint in old buildings. People have been talking about lead paint in old buildings hurting kids in living in inner cities, since, well when I was a kid — for decades. If it is still a big problem, is offering tax credits for clean up, i.e. scrape down the walls and repaint, the best way to protect kids from lead?

How many of you parents have lead paint problems? How many have (or had) toxic Thomas the Tank Engine Toys? They are everywhere. The local bookstore and kid's shoe store and the doctor's office and the preschool and the toystore all have train tables. There is nowhere you can go anymore with toddlers that doesn't have a Thomas the Tank Engine train table covered with toxic toys. But that's just my feeling.

Obama's bills risk pissing off the toy industry and the Chinese. Hillary's risks nothing.

A lot of Clinton's health bills focus on children. Or women. She introduced a billl for research in the causes of gestational diabetes, for more pediatric research (S.895) and a rural agriculture bill to get farm-fresh veggies into schools (S.1031).

Her bill dealing with the crisis in foreclosure is actually S.2114 : "A bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act, to provide for enhanced disclosures to consumers and enhanced regulation of mortgage brokers, and for other purposes." Again, no co-sponsors. Obama also introduced a bill in the face of the mortgage foreclosure crisis: S.1222 : "A bill to stop mortgage transactions which operate to promote fraud, risk, abuse, and under-development, and for other purposes." Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 4/25/2007), co-sponsored by Dick Durbin.

In her ads and speeches, Clinton claims that she's fighting to stop foreclosure while implying that Obama is empty rhetoric. Actually, Clinton is calling for "enhanced disclosures to consumers and enhanced regulation", while Obama's bill will "stop mortgage transactions which operate to promote fraud, risk, abuse, and under-development." After looking at the two bills, Obama's appears to be tougher, more directly addressing the problem.

Speaking of Obama, here's a list of some of his proposed legislation.

Four bills on energy including
• S.1151 : A bill to provide incentives to the auto industry to accelerate efforts to develop more energy-efficient vehicles to lessen dependence on oil;
•S.115 : A bill to suspend royalty relief, to repeal certain provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal certain tax incentives for the oil and gas industry; and •S.133 : A bill to promote the national security and stability of the economy of the United States by reducing the dependence of the United States on oil through the use of alternative fuels and new technology, and for other purposes.

Clinton had only one bill that I could find that addressed the same issue, S.701 : A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a temporary oil profit fee and to use the proceeds of the fee collected to provide a Strategic Energy Fund and expand certain energy tax incentives, and for other purposes.

Obama wants to "repeal certain tax incentives for the oil and gas industry". Clinton sees the answer in a "temporary oil profit fee" and to "expand certain energy tax incentives" for alternative energy. Obama's alternative energy bill (S.133) was co-sponsored by Harkin, Lugar and Salazar. Clinton's bill again had no co-sponsors.

On health care he introduced ten bills/amendments, including one amendment that passed: S.AMDT.1041 to S.1082 To improve the safety and efficacy of genetic tests. Other issues addressed in his proposed health care legislation were AIDS research (S.823 ), hospital report cards (S.692 — the V.A., and S.1824 — Medicare), better emergency care (S.1873), and drug price controls (S.2347).

Clinton's health care bills, for the most part, didn't impress me much, although she introduced many more bills in this area than Obama did:

S.CON.RES.63 : A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the need for additional research into the chronic neurological condition hydrocephalus, and for other purposes.
S.RES.176 : A resolution recognizing April 30, 2007, as "National Healthy Schools Day".
S.RES.222 : A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
S.201 : A bill to establish a grant program for individuals still suffering health effects as a result of the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York City and at the Pentagon.
S.907 : A bill to establish an Advisory Committee on Gestational Diabetes, to provide grants to better understand and reduce gestational diabetes, and for other purposes.
S.993 : A bill to improve pediatric research.
S.982 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for integration of mental health services and mental health treatment outreach teams, and for other purposes.
S.1065 : A bill to improve the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury in members and former members of the Armed Forces, to review and expand telehealth and telemental health programs of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
S.1075 : A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand access to contraceptive services for women and men under the Medicaid program, help low income women and couples prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce abortion, and for other purposes.
S.1343 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to prevention and treatment of diabetes, and for other purposes.
S.1712 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve newborn screening activities, and for other purposes.

and on and on. Plenty of these have plenty of co-sponsors. Obviously, Hillary Clinton really knows her stuff on the issues of health care. None of them passed, however. On Obama's side, one of his health care initiatives passed in the Senate, the aforementioned amendment to Kennedy's S.1082, the FDA Revitalization Act.

Truth be told, it was very depressing doing this research to see all these great ideas and how little actually gets done. Looking at the legislative history of Kennedy's bill is a good example. It finally passed but its sister bill in the House, H.R.2900, was the one that was finally enacted, and with it, Obama's amendment for safe and effective genetic testing. Clinton submitted two amendments to this bill, one of would have eliminated the sunsetting of pediatric data collection; the other would have begin the process to approve generic versions of complex and expensive drugs called biologics or biotech drugs. Neither were adopted.

Now let's look more closely at Obama.

I was blown away as I started going through his record. I've already mentioned his bills on health care and energy. In addition he had introduced bills on Iran, voting, veterans, global warming, campaign finance and lobbyists, Blackwater, global poverty, nuclear proliferation, and education.
On Iran: S.J.RES.23 : A joint resolution clarifying that the use of force against Iran is not authorized by the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq, any resolution previously adopted, or any other provision of law.

On votingPassed out of Committee and now on the Senate Calendar for Feb. 22, 2008
S.453 : A bill to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections Please check this out! This is a great bill. We need this. I can't believe that this time voter intimidation is not already illegal.

On veterans and military personnel: S.1084 : A bill to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans;

On global warmingS.1324 : A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuel sold in the United States;S.1389 : A bill to authorize the National Science Foundation to establish a Climate Change Education Program; S.AMDT.599 to S.CON.RES.21 To add $200 million for Function 270 (Energy) for the demonstration and monitoring of carbon capture and sequestration technology by the Department of Energy. (This last one passed both the House and the Senate as part of the budget bill.)

On campaign finance and lobbyists S.2030 : A bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require reporting relating to bundled contributions made by persons other than registered lobbyists; and S.AMDT.41 to S.1 To require lobbyists to disclose the candidates, leadership PACs, or political parties for whom they collect or arrange contributions, and the aggregate amount of the contributions collected or arranged.

On Blackwater S.2044 : A bill to provide procedures for the proper classification of employees and independent contractors, and for other purposes, and S.2147 : A bill to require accountability for contractors and contract personnel under Federal contracts, and for other purposes.

On global poverty S.2433 : A bill to require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.

On global nuclear proliferation S.1977 : A bill to provide for sustained United States leadership in a cooperative global effort to prevent nuclear terrorism, reduce global nuclear arsenals, stop the spread of nuclear weapons and related material and technology, and support the responsible and peaceful use of nuclear technology.

I counted nine education bills, but it's getting late and I've got to get my kids ready for bed.

As I mentioned earlier, Clinton is a frequent co-sponsor on many of Obama's bills. So is Ted Kennedy. So are a number of Republicans.

Finally, Obama appears to have a better record last year in the Senate on getting his bills and amendments passed than does Clinton. I've listed everything that passed the Senate for each them at the end in boxes. But check out Thomas.loc.gov for yourself. I may have missed something.

In my eyes Obama is the superior choice in every way. He cares about more of the issues that matter to me. Kids and health care are important but so is the issue of global warming, on which Clinton introduced not a single bill last year.

Obama is a leader. With bigger majorities in Congress, much of his agenda should sail through. He can inspire this country to change course on so many things, from health care to global warming, where attitudes have to be changed first. I remember Bill Clinton's endless laundry lists of small, focus group approved initiatives. For those who say Hillary will not govern like Bill did, I respond that the people who were doing the market testing of his proposed policies were Dick Morris, of course, and Mark Penn, who is now running Hillary's campaign.

It's Obama for me! I just sent him $100. My first donation this election.

Yes, We Can!

Obama, Japan

2008-02-19T22:51:00.000-08:00

Check out the ears in the caricature:

Is My Friend Barry the End of History?

2008-02-17T21:06:00.000-08:00

Frank Rich of the New Times has an interesting Op-Ed regarding the Grand Old Party. His analysis of Barack Obama's run argues that the GOP has become Grand Old White Party. He states that the newest generation, the so called millennial generation (dating from 1982) is 40% minority or of mixed-race. Wow! That would include my children too! Click Here for Article

Much has been written of how "Latinos" have move away from the GOP. Any victory night speech of the GOP candidates where awash with only White faces, unlike the tableau of Obama's crowd. The new generation has come of age where the racial gains of the 1960's are inculcated into them.

Of course if Obama becomes president, that is not the end of racism. However, our children will be able to see a president of color with a funny name. I feel the would be the best example of the promise of this country: that you may come from humble beginnings and achieve whatever goals you set for yourself.

What then to a party who does not reflect the new reality of these United States? Frank Rich seems to think that it may be on it's last straw. I don't agree.

What Hillary Can Inspire:

2008-02-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

Try not to laugh too loudly:

Personally I like the awesome dance moves.

Historic Speech in Australia

2008-02-12T23:47:00.000-08:00

This is newly elected Prime Minister Rudd apologizing to the "Stolen Generation." For info on the Stolen Generation click here.
The film Rabbit Proof Fence is a film on this topic. Fantastic film you must see. click here for clip.

Wow. Truly an important moment in Austrialian history.

Anti-Mormonism the New Anti-Semitism? Part 2

2008-02-11T00:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all the comments. This is very disturbing, but I think it is important to see.

Here is video of Lawrence O'Donnell's Anti-Mormon rant that is mentioned the in the article linked below. I usally do not agree with Pat Buchannan, but he is right on this. Mr. O'Donnell has been kick of the McLaughlin Group by the way.

Mr. O'Donnell plays a Mormon on TV, and that some how makes him an expert? Give me a break, so next time I need surgery, will I seek Dr. McDreamy's help.

Very Disturbing nonetheless.

Anti-Mormonism the New Anti-Semitism?

2008-02-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

Here is an very interesting article from the Wall Street Journal discussing the Anti-Mormonism we have experienced since Romney began is run for President and putting the spotlight on the church. Pass it on if you can. Click Here.

Meaningless Words and Phrases

2008-02-08T00:07:00.000-08:00

Here some words & phrases that don't mean a d*&@ thing:

Conservative
Right-Winger
Liberal
Lefty
Socialized Medicine
Reagan Legacy
War on Terror
Immigrant
Latino (yes, this one too, as in "Latino Vote" or "Latino Culture")

*many comments I would like to respond to, but in the middle of finals, after this only one left! and then the BAR!...I will respond after my final on Tuesday*

Why the GOP loves Hillary

2008-02-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Here is why Hillary is unelectable in the general election:

Taken from the Conservative web site Townhall (click on link)

No words necessary...

2008-02-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

Obama Republican in Utah

2008-02-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

If Obama can inspire a Republican in Utah, you have to wonder what he can accomplish if President.

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

Obama Republican

Public Forum Letter

Article Last Updated: 02/01/2008 08:19:07 PM MST

I respectfully disagree with The Tribune's endorsement of Sen. Hillary Clinton ("Hillary Clinton: N.Y. senator is best choice among Democrats," Our View, Jan. 26). I am a Republican who will be supporting Sen. Barack Obama in the upcoming primary.
Obama has just as much legislative experience as Clinton, with over a decade in the Illinois Legislature. He also was involved in "real world" politics while Clinton has been detached from middle-class America for the majority of her life.
Obama inspires me, while Clinton turns me to cynical thoughts. Clinton should have lived up to her pledge not to campaign in Florida. She's hoping to pull a quick one and get the disqualified delegates from Florida to be counted at the last minute. Shame on the Clintons for their dirty politics.
Obama has more national appeal than Clinton, and I believe Obama will be the agent of real change. When a lower-class boy without a father can rise to the heights in our country, that's the American Dream that I still subscribe to.

Jordan Stoneman
Salt Lake City

From the Hood (as my wife says)

2008-01-26T23:53:00.000-08:00

Obama attended Occidental College before Columbia. I wonder if he ever went to Elsa's Bakery or bought some Vans at the Vans Store.

Occidental College is in Eagle Rock, about 2 miles from where I grew up and my mother lives, in Highland Park (yes, the barrio) Weird.

If Only What If....

2008-01-24T23:13:00.000-08:00

Mormon Quits Race!

2008-01-23T00:13:00.000-08:00

No, not this Mormon,
this one:

For those of you not from the Sacramento area, John Doolittle (pictured above) may not ring a bell. I did not know of him until I moved up here. Mr. Doolittle is a U.S. House Representative of a large area that stretches from Roseville (just north-east of Sacramento) up to Lake Tahoe. He has been the US Rep for this district for some 16 years (may be more). Nikki actually worked on one of his campaigns, (and I think i'm right that my brother in law was a page for him too- Brian, if i'm wrong please correct me).

Anyways, he has decided not to run for reelection. He claims it is time for him to do something new and of course, wants to spend the next chapter of his life with his wife. (see http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/005053.php)

What the statement fails to mention is the following:

1. he is under investigation by the Justice Department in connection to the Abramoff scandal
(see http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/SS/20080102/NEWS/69737972)

2. there is some question of why his wife was paid from his campaign funds
(see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/10/AR2006071001164.html)

3. there is some question about the money he received from Indian casino outside of California
(see: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/27/BAGHRGDHV41.DTL)

4. He won his last reelection by only a few percentage points, in a heavily Republican district
(see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_4th_congressional_district_election,_2006)

There is much more.

Now, what Stinks about all of this is that Mr. Doolittle is a Member of the Church. Why? How does a Member of the Church become so corrupted? It really bothers me that non-member will point to politicians as examples of what is the church(think Romney).

One more thing that really bothered me about Mr. Doolittle. He sent a letter to specifically to Members where he railed against the press for "attacking" him. I thought we are not suppose to do things like that (of course he could have use a list compiled from other sources, other than stake directories, still seems unethical to me to target only members) see: http://solongjohn.blogspot.com/2006/04/doolittle-attempts-to-rally-his-base.html

It was thought that Mr. Dootlittle was going to lose the seat to a ex-military Dem Charlie Brown. But by retiring, the seat became a safe seat for the GOP. What timing, I'm sure none of the listed facts went into Mr. Dootlittle's thinking.

Mormon Politicians: Good or Bad?

Dem Debate

2008-01-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

Did anyone watch tonight's debate?

I thought that Obama did a good job of answering Clinton's attacks, though in the end Edwards made an impression.

How I would vote if I could (Tentative):

1. Barak Obama - We need new blood, enough of the baby boomers!
2. Ralph Nader (or Green Party Candidate) - go Green!
3. John Edwards - Could be a good president
4. Ralph Nader - go Green!
5. John McCain - from a border state, understands immigration better than any candidate dem or rep.
6. Ralph Nader - go Green!
7. Ron Paul - a little nutty, but makes some good points.
8. Ralph Nader - go Green!

Michelle's Music Boredom

2008-01-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

Michelle try the following:

LCD Soundsystem (latest: Sounds of Silver)

Radiohead (latest In Rainbows)

or

Underworld (latest: Oblivion for Bells)

or

Moenia (latest: Solar)

or

Suzanne Vega (latest: Beauty and Crime)

I love Music!

False advertisement....

2008-01-18T21:40:00.000-08:00

Warning: it may offend...

You Must See this Movie - "La Vie En Rose"

2008-01-13T23:29:00.000-08:00

Marion Cotillard won a Golden Globe tonight. She totally deserved it. This is a fantastic film. Cotillard's acting is sublime. I hope she wins the Oscar too.

When I rented the film, the video clerk asked me if I knew the film was in French! I was insulted, what, a brown man like me can't watch subtitled movies?

Rent this, fantastic.

Hillary's Macaca Moment?

2008-01-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

What exactly is Hillary trying to say? Is she talking about 1963 civil rights act? That King's dream required LBJ to complete? or That all that was accomplished before that was not enough?

I'm not really sure what she was going for. It's a bit wierd.

Of course this quote assumes that King's dream was completely accomplished...was it? - I doubt it...remember the day before King died he said, "..I have seen the promise land, but I might not get there with you..."

You Must See this Film - Now on DVD

2008-01-09T22:44:00.000-08:00

Before the war in Iraq began, Nikki and I had a conversation regarding the possiblity of war. I distinctly remember telling her that "we can take over the country, but what happens after is what's important." I was skeptical that take over of the country would be as easy as the Bush adminstration was potraying it to be. What did Wolfowitz say, something about the oil money would pay for the war? Or that we would be out of there by the end of the fall of '03?

Below is a trailer for a documentary that examines the aftermath of the fall of Baghdad. It does not question the validity of the war, but rather looks into the planning of a post-war Iraq. It conducts interviews with some of the major players at the time, including Under-Sect. of State Armitage. Very objective.

There is one telling moment when it is revealed that a recent grad (22-23 year old) is placed in charge of planning traffic control in Baghdad, even though she had no experience in urban planning! Crazy.

It will make you think about the conduct of the reconstruction of Iraq.

The film in entitled "No End in Sight".

Hillary?

2008-01-08T22:26:00.000-08:00

(picture from the Guardian)

I believe that Mrs. Clinton is too divisive to be an effective president. Too many people dislike her, as much as those that love her. The problem becomes that if she is elected President she would be ineffective.

Think about it, if you are a Republican member of Congress, would you be willing to work with someone that is so disliked by your core supporters? That is was is going on now in Washington, the Democratic members of Congress do now want to be seen as working with President Bush because of the emotions tied to the President. They do not want to be seen as "traitors".

Look what happened to Lieberman, the last vice-presidential candidate. He lost his own party's primary because he was portrayed as being to close to the President. While he still was reelected, though as an independent, it is indicative of the divisive mood the prevails.

Frankly, I am tired of it.

Here are some links that show the depth of the dislike to Mrs Clinton:

http://www.hillcap.org
http://www.freedomhq.com/antihillary.html

My personal favorite:
http://hillarynutcracker.com/

What's wrong with this analogy?

2008-01-07T20:54:00.000-08:00

Father/Daughter Talk

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and was very much in favor of "the redistribution of wealth."

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the addition of more government welfare programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Audrey doing?"

She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she 's too hung over."

Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA."

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back "That wouldn't be fair! I have worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the Republican party".

Obama Raggaeton

2008-01-06T23:35:00.000-08:00

Check this song out. It is in Spanish. You have to hand it to Mr. Obama, he has a way of insipiring people, in a way that none of the candidates have. It's like he has history behind him.

By the way, President Bush has had the most diverse cabinet in History. The first African-American Sect. of State (Powell & Rice), the first Latino Attorney General, the first Latina Treasurer of the United States (her name is on the US Currency). Is Bush out of step of the GOP? What is the impact/importance of diversity on policy?

LCD Soundsytem Rock!

2008-01-06T22:47:00.000-08:00

LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"

One of the best of 2007

What do the pictures say about the parties?

2008-01-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

From tonight's debate:

6 White Guys

An African-American, a Latino, a Woman and a White Guy

Why the New Blog

2008-01-05T21:31:00.000-08:00

Today is 2 days from the New Hampshire Primary and 2 days after the Iowa vote, as such I am launching my political blog today.

This blog will focus on mostly political issues, though I like films and music too. I will attempt to post interesting discussions and invite comment.

I am an independent voter who dislikes the 2 party system in this country. I have voted for both GOP and Dem candidates as well as Peace and Freedom, Green and Libetarian Candidates. I am registered Green.
Julio