Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everybody and Happy New Year!

The "Family Gathering"

What a nice day it was. The most beautiful Olivia went with us to the farm and pining for her mommy didn't want to get out of the car but I coaxed her out. She clung to me while I tried to start the cooking tasks assigned and sat on the kitchen counter for the longest time while others in the family tried to engage her. She warmed up to her Great Grandpa in-law and as others in the family entered and marveled at her cuteness she took off to parts unknown.  Alana (my gracious sister-in-law gave her a cute Barbie like doll.  Olivia sure liked that.  When Sylvia and AnnClaire, the super Aunts showed up she was OK with everything.

What a great dinner and all the latest generation were so grown up. Us middle generation folks did our level best and Ann and Horace tried to keep up and worked way too hard.

It was a great experience to be so close to so much family.  When one is so far away the warmth of family seems to dim.  Nothing like a trip back home to rekindle the home fires.

Got to go now, Melissa Sr. just woke up and wants to go to church. Another eventful day.

Living in Kentucky

I am sitting in my Brother-in-Law Richard's house early on the Saturday morning after the Thanksgiving holiday. We are all going to the farm for a "family gathering" (Mother-in Law is a JW and no holidays). I have to tell ya, I really miss the atmosphere out of the Metro area. Richard and Alana are the most gracious hosts. They both are loving, generous and unbelievably accommodating.

They live on 3 acres in Fayette Co., KY which were previously owned by Danial Boone and then his brother (forgot his name) and then given to some of the first free slaves in America. In the front yard is the oldest living tree in Lexington, some 350 yrs old. You don't get this kind of Hx in Fort Lee, NJ. Well there is Fort Lee of course (the fort I mean) and another ton of Hx but the atmosphere of "not urban" intensifies the experience so much one can almost imagine old Daniel walking past the sapling and saying "hope you'll be here long after I'm gone". In Fort Lee you drive past the Historic Park on the way to the GWB into the Big Apple. It's just not the same in Fort Lee. I don't imagine George Washington on his famous march going past the deli on Main Street and saying much at all.

I have the good fortune to be babysitting my granddaughter Olivia (age 2.5) for 2 whole days during this trip. She is so cute. She calls me Grand Daddy and clings to me like I have always been with her. She is sleeping now and woke during the nite once calling for "Mommy" and I lay down with her and said "granddaddy". She looked at me and lay back down and shut her little eyes. I tucked her in like I used to her mother and kissed her on the forehead. She was instantly snoozing again. I have repeatedly been checking on her and pulling up the blankets and tucking some more. I can't wait for her to wake up an play with me. I wish for a loud barking dog to speed this process to no avail. I let her sleep with Grandma. The eventual parting will not be Shakespeare's "sweet" but my not so sweet. I will miss her.

Our trip out to the farm was great! There was a work day a few months ago and everything around the house is all cleaned up. It looks fantastic. I wish I could have been here. Olivia loved going for a walk an enjoyed picking up rocks. My wife and her family set up a room for "the family gathering" and we all did our part. Horace and Ann (my parents in law both well into their 80's) worked along side as usual. As in all families there are challenges. There seems to be an electric problem not diagnosed but everyone is working around it. Everyone pulling together to make the dinner work. Horace and Ann love the farm so. I realize for them to continue on the farm a team approach will be needed. I'm up for the game. I love to help. I sure love my and my wife's family.

My Olivia just woke up and I have to go play. Talk to y'all soon.

I've Been Missing in Action

I haven't posted in a while. I have a really good reason. My sister Kidnapped my Mother from her assisted living facility in Edgewater, NJ and took her to Chicago. It's a really great story and I will write more later. Mom is now safe back in Edgewater and I am getting ready to go to KY to see my In-laws. Details later.

Fear Not! For Obama I mean.

Here I go again.  

Fear is an illusion.  An illusion is not real.  An illusion is merely an idea in my mind telling me I have something to loose which I hold dear.  

There is nothing to lose here.  Obama is doing pretty well by what I have seen recently.  I have only to vote now.  

My fear of another 4 to 8 years of Republican rule is nonsense.  The polls (published and non published) are no doubt encouraging for Obama and frightening for McCain, still I seem at times to tremble at the thought of a Republican challenge to the presidential election.  Another Supreme Court decision challenging the vote in Ohio, Florida, Colorado etc. may tip the scale in favor of McCain/Palin. 

I however have faith in patriotic American people who will not let a repeat of the Bush '00 election decision.  Let's get out the vote and nullify any fear!

We all are much wiser now.  Democrats have registered in unprecedented numbers.  Let's use that advantage.

I bet Republican lawyers are working hard to figure out a way to challenge the voting results and reduce the number of votes cast, however, I hope we resist opposition to the will of the American people.  The best way to nullify a challenge is to get out and vote Nov. 4 or participate in early voting if your State allows it.  Let's flood the polls with votes.  Don't give anyone an excuse to challenge your decision. Vote.  Even if the Republican lawyers suppress some votes, if we all do our part they will not be able to turn the tide of patriotism.  

Nice time to get an early breakfast and maybe a hearty one.   Nothing like a bacon egg and cheese to make a change for the better.  It may be a long day.  

Vote early November 4th and take a long nap in the afternoon in order to celebrate change in the evening.

See you at the polls.

Dem's? What do we do now?

I keep hearing how McCain is tanking.  Hoop Dee Do!  By the way, every time I spell his name the spell check tells me I'm wrong and suggests "moccasin".  I wonder what that means?  Most likely nothing. Or walk softly and talk softly and beat the crap out of the opposition with a big stick.  I guess I'm not happy with the negative ads.  Anyway, let's be realistic here.  

I just want to encourage voters not to take the Obama lead as a slam dunk.  Obama comes up in the spell check as "ABeam".  Let's correct the spell check to the new Presidents name.

This is not over by a long shot.   Voter apathy is a national disgrace.  

Don't get complacent.  Just get out and vote.  

I remember getting encouragement in '04 to call folks in Ohio to vote for Kerry.  I remember getting calls in '00 to rally for Gore.  While I do support the Dem's and write my Congressmen on a variety of issues I didn't do anything during the campaigns.  I was sure they would win.  I still regret my decision to do neither.   My wife wanted to move to Canada or Europe for God's sake.  I do have relatives in Canada and citizenship would be easy, but I don't want to give up my home to fear or vague ideas for to future.  I want my wife and children to live with hope and to be able to live their dreams.  

Let's not let our Nation down.  Let's get out the vote and get back on track.  Let's make a statement to the world we are not afraid and ready to make a change.  

When a call comes to reach out to the electorate, take it.  Tell your friends, 

VOTE NOVEMBER 4!

Why Sarah Palin Works

Explaining this is stunningly complicated given all of the variables of the highly intelligent group of Christian Conservatives, but my friends seem to want to know how the pick subverts the "experience" test.  Here goes a grossly overly simplistic view that makes some kind of sense to me.

The "Base" believes that:

1) God will raise up whom He chooses to lead (He has a plan for the future and Sarah may be in it).

2) In God all things are possible (even to be President, regardless of what the candidate knows or doesn't know, God will speak to her on the way).

3) Ask and it shall be given to you (the ability to be President).

Here is a true story to illustrate this point.  

God was disappointed with a political administration and asked an advisor Samuel to find a new king for Israel.  Samuel goes to Jesse's house and asks to meet his sons (the kids with the most experience in domestic and foreign policy).  After meeting with the boys, Samuel asks Jesse "Is this all you got?".  Jesse replies, "I have the least experienced son out watching the sheep (moose).   And Samuel says I'd like to meet him (Sarah).  

When Samuel meets him/her God says "this is the one" and Samuel anoints him with oil, sealing the deal, "and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him," (NRSV).  A kind of magic from God happens to David to give him what he needs to be King.

The kid (David) goes on to work in the palace under the much older King Saul and eventually becomes the greatest King of Israel.  Sarah is however not David and needs a few more Lyre lessons but seems to be an eager student.  Saul here is sounding like McCain.

There may be a sense in some of the "Base" minds that Sarah is part of God's plan here, like the story, and that works for McCain.  McCain's advisors are betting on their gullibility.  How did this unknown get picked?  It must be God's plan. There must be a miracle in the works.  Roe will be overturned, Islam will be converted, and the USA will be returned to a Christian Nation. 

This may be the dream of some of the base but this is not God's way and McCain's advisors will be bitterly disappointed in the end.  I believe this is what they were looking for when Sarah was picked.  Magic is not really God's plan and most of the base knows this.

The idea that there is magic (I think a kind of idolatry) that will turn the election or is manifesting in Sarah is dangerous to the Base and McCain.  I think the advisors are hoping there are a number of people who believe in magic which will turn into votes.   Compassion and service are God's path and miracles are made through inspiration not desire. The base understands this.

Don't trust the advisors.  Times have changed in the last 8 to 30 years.  Hopefully the allure of magic has worn off.   The Christian Right are smart and have learned a lot.  What if they want a peacemaker (Obama) rather than a warrior (McCain)?  While the Base may like some of the positions of Sarah they may still be put off by the divisive aggressive approach of the top of the ticket.  Oh and there is also her inexperience in all things National.

The story may illustrate the logic of the political advisers however it may not stick with the contemporary Base.  

A few may believe in magic but I hope most believe in the Lord.

Why John McCain Picked Sarah Palin

My Like minded friends and family have frequently asked in utter amazement "Why on earth did a seemingly smart guy like John McCain pick such an inexperienced and unknown person to be the Veep?".   As a former evangelical christian, I think I understand.  This is of course, is going to be merely my opinion.  I would never presume to second guess seasoned Republican political advisers, however I bet this is really close.

The choice boiled down to simple political economics.  For a candidate to win a sufficient number of electoral college votes, he/she needs to sometimes capture certain Districts to turn a State in his/her favor.  I can imagine a math whiz inputing Lieberman vs. Conservative Christian into a computer model and saying " Conservative Christian wins Senator".  

Sarah Palin seems to be the right pick because she is unknown, so, very few can challenge her Conservative Republican Base credentials.  When the McCain Campaign lists her conservative views the Conservatives instantly like her.  I bet certain districts are now in the bag and in this tight a race every Electoral College vote counts.  

Next installment answers why she is the right pick for the Republican Base.

Garden State Parkway Moment

Not a Sarah Palin Moment.

I was driving south down the GSP and just after Exit 143  I was driving in the next to the left lane.  There are a lot of lanes there by the way.

I saw a rather large, old piece of plastic bag (it had browned nicely I think from the traffic and stuff) blowing along the concrete lane barrier.  It floated and traversed the passing cars till it caught on the fender of a cute white car.  I watched this car for several miles as it dragged the plastic and later ejected it.  

The plastic floated past me and I thought I would miss the spectacle forever.  Just another GSP moment.

I take Exit 136 to get to work and what do I see?  Another car passing me taking the same exit (black and not as nice) with the same piece of plastic under the driver side wheel!  

"So cool" I think!  I wondered where this icon of industrial waste is heading and down my path it goes.  The car turned right as I go strait as I choose to be at work on time.  I let my curiosity wane to avoid a possible frown from my boss but I wonder where the plastic ended up?  Did it stay undetected by the driver to return to the their home perhaps in a bucolic part of NJ after the work day? Did the driver annoyed, remove the plastic and toss it in a dumpster headed for the midwest?  

I wondered if I could turn this image into an inspiring blog regarding the political campaign and thought not.  This was just weird enough on it's own and not worth making an analogy to politics.  Just another NJ GSP moment.  

I am really new at this

My wife is helping me set up my Blog.  She is giving me advice on how to "network".  I apparently have to link to other people of like minded sensibilities to get any comments which seem important in the Sphere.  

I like positive comments.  I'm selfish like that.

I happen to be a raving Liberal or some such thing and She has entered her favorites she thinks I will enjoy.  I guess I will browse and comment on their pages.

I hope my views are witty enough to draw them into my web of deception and have them leave comments on mine too.  This is all a ruse you know to get some strokes for myself.

I think I am entering into "a new dimension of thought and mind" like the old Twilight Zone show.

If I write anything interesting I'm sure it will be an accident.  I rarely remember to attribute who gave me the idea cause I can't remember who said it.  I am a lousy academician.   I usually don't have anything new to say.  I usually hear it all on NPR the next day when I drive to work. Not a new idea anymore.  They are so smart.

The good news is that after I have posted a few of these entries, the stupid ones will disappear onto the next page and never be seen again.  I bet most folks don't look at the archives.

This must be the cool part of blogging.  Say something dumb and no one ever sees it for long.

I think I might like this pastime and will write another in a minute.  Just have to fix dinner first.

Looking forward to your positive comments soon.

Sarah Palin's Job Description

So Sarah Palin was in Golden Co. yesterday and stated the priorities she envisions as VP of the United States of America.  I guess she is finished drilling with the campaign advisors on the job description part on how national government is supposed to work. She stated she wants to focus on energy, reform and special needs children.

I think she needs to go back to class with some informed teachers and find other priorities better suited to her history.

How is she going to be an energy leader if she doesn’t believe in Global Warming?

How is she going to be a credible reformer when she refused to participate in an interview with TrooperGate investigators?

How is she (in good conscience) going to be a supporter of special needs when as Governor she cut in half the budget of the Special Olympics and is against stem cell research?  

I figured her nomination was a political grab by McCain to woo the religious right but I think she is going to end up embarrassing them.  No wonder the campaign staff keep her away form the press.  "They" (I used to be a christian fundamentalist) will line up for Obama.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

About Stuff I ponder I Guess

Well, I guess (as the title implies) I have some thoughts about life, the universe and everything.  I don’t expect anyone to read nor respond to my musings, however my wife Melissa Kelley has recently become a political cartoonist.  She inspires me to share my thoughts and thinks I am a reasonable writer.  Don’t judge me too harshly till I get some good feedback from other like minded folks.  I couldn’t take the rejection.   I may stop entirely.  I will try to be “Fair and Balanced”.  Just my take on what is "right" or "left" as the case may be.