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I'm thankful Obama won.

I'm thankful the campaign is over.

I hope to get on with my life now. Your patience and cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Down to the wire

Well, mercifully, it's down to two days until election day, but no telling if we'll have a clear winner election night. For instance, someone just told me they'd heard that early votes in Montgomery County (where I live) would NOT be counted on election day as a BOE worker had told me, but rather after the fact, the way they usually deal with absentee voters. I can't find confirmation online however, so I will reserve hope that this is NOT the case. I can't find anything online with details, but I DO know that given the large lead Obama purportedly has in early voting, and that Montgomery County is one of the bluest in the state, if those votes are NOT tallied on election night, it will be as if they don't exist and could make the state numbers appear to be a lot closer than they really are. And if the newly lawsuit-happy Republicans decide to try to "call" the state for McCain before a substantial number of early votes are counted, we could have the Florida 2000 nightmare repeated in Ohio.

The video features a segment of Paul Simon's old song "American Tune" -- I've heard a cover of it a few times recently, and that part did strike me as worthy of a campaign commercial. I guess someone's on my wavelength.

Something I predicted to a few friends, but failed to post here, has come to pass. Early this summer, when gasoline was around $4.00 a gallon, I predicted that it would be down to $2.50 by election day. My reasoning for this was that the oil companies, hoping for "Bush's third term" would force prices down so that it would be removed as a campaign issue, and/or so Bush/McCain could somehow take credit for bringing the prices back in line. Then, after the election, especially if Obama wins, prices would jump back up. I was right about the first part (I saw it for $1.99 driving home last night), but maybe not for the reason I predicted. Of course, who can tell?

The shot is Missy, expressing my feelings upon hearing the (possible) news about the early vote count...

On Edit: just called the BOE, and the woman who answered the phone said that they "will endeavor" to include the early votes in tomorrow evening's counting, but due to physical limitations of the staff and equipment, they may not be counted until 6am Wednesday, or maybe 6pm Wednesday... but would be included in the certified results. Well, at least I know I didn't leave a dimpled chad...

Hang on folks, this may get real ugly.

Sorry to miss this one... and Free $50?

Dennis and Eddie, certainly an odd pairing, but this is an event I'd love to attend. Sadly, it's up in Cleveland and I'm going to be attempting to drive back from Chicago, so won't be able to make it. This is another one of those weekends where everything seems to be happening everywhere at once. So, if you're in Cleveland, go to this thing and videotape it for me... maybe CSPAN will be there?

Dennis is one of the few actual progressives in Congress, and one of the few members to have the courage to fight for positive change. Even if he's not in your district or even your state, please consider doing the right thing and making a last-minute contribution to Dennis' campaign.

The FREE $50?

Ohio residents can get a $50 tax CREDIT for donating to Dennis (or other political candidates). "The credit is a dollar-for-dollar credit for contributions with a limit of $50 for single filers and $100 for joint filers."

That means that if you live in Ohio and give Dennis $50 today, you can get a credit towards your Ohio state income tax of $50 when you file, so it potentially costs you NOTHING to contribute $50 to Dennis. And while you're at it, why not kick in a little more? Contribute here please!

DISCLAIMER : I'm not an accountant, and this isn't tax advice, but check it out for yourself or check with a tax professional.

The shot is Dreamscapes, one of Eddie Izzard's biggest fans. Someday I'll shoot her covered in bees.

Daylight Savings... DOH!

Made the mistake of trusting my calendar printed last year to tell me when Daylight Savings Time ends, so I counted on "falling back" an hour this morning... guess I got some bonus sleep, but a little less accomplished. Next weekend for sure!

Doing a road trip to Chicago this week, but as usual when traveling, I'm having trouble finding locations, especially "nude friendly" ones. With highs in the 40s, it's a bit much to ask models to do outdoor nudes as I'm sure most women would object to having their nipples freeze off entirely. Any Chicago readers out there able to help a blogger out?

Widespread reports of vote switching on touchscreens, with voters touching the Obama button and McCain's name lighting up. To my knowledge, NO reports of it happening the other way around. Ever. Another reason to vote early, especially in Ohio. Or if you live in Springfield, USA:

I know I'd posted this a while back, but the video was pulled from YouTube, so here it is again.

The photo is Valentine from warmer, sunnier times in the California high desert.

A real "Joe Six-Pack"

Sarah Palin keeps talking about how she and McCain are on the side of "Joe Six-Pack" as some sort of condescending coded shorthand for "working class (white) Americans" but this video of AFL-CIO leader Richard Trumka seems to do a great job of addressing an unspoken issue in this election.



Thanks to Zoe for posting this and bringing it to my attention.

Why is it even close?

Just watch a few minutes of this video of Barack Obama outlining his economic program, and it should be obvious that the man is brilliant, capable, informed, and insightful. Then watch McCain struggling to read a stump speech, and it's clear the man is tired... I don't agree 100% with Obama's policies, but I do fully support electing someone with a sharp mind who won't have to rely on "top advisors" to tell him how to think. There have been numerous times when reporters have asked McCain a policy question, and he doesn't know his own position on certain major issues, and he sheepishly says "well, I'll have to look up what I think about that and get back to you" -- is THAT change you can believe in?

I don't envy whoever inherits the job of running what's left of the USA next year. Financial collapse, domestic natural disasters, international turmoil. I think someone once said "anyone crazy enough to want to be president should be disqualified from getting the job." Then again, I remember my father saying that, in the course of your career, to "go where the problems are" if you want to make a difference and find fulfillment in your work. And I can't think of too many jobs where more problems are waiting to be solved than being the next President.

One interesting tidbit I'd found is that the McCain campaign is mailing FAULTY absentee ballot request forms to registered DEMOCRATS in key states. Why do that? Well, say I get one, and fill it out and send it in -- I think I'll get my absentee ballot in the mail, but in reality, I may be declaring that I'm ineligible to vote, so either the board of elections doesn't fulfill my request, or somehow marks me as ineligible, or the board of elections in my heavily Democratic county gets overwhelmed sorting out the mess. Some of these bogus forms have return addresses in DIFFERENT STATES so it can be said that voters are attempting to register in TWO states, and are thus disqualified. In Michigan, Republican Party officials in Macomb County plan to use home foreclosure lists to challenge voters at the polls in November to stop voters who no longer have valid addresses from casting their ballots. Lose your house, lose your right to vote. The Republicans have a name for these shenanigans: they call it "VOTER fraud." Not election fraud.

So, if you have any interest at all in this country's future, please send any money you can spare to the Obama campaign. Or at least register and vote.