...last thoughts as you go to the polls...

(I apologize to others who may read this but it is written in first person refering to conversations had years ago with my friend anonymous).

You and I have discussed that there are certain issues that "religous nut jobs" make primary issues in their platforms that will not be part of the legislation impacted by their election (ie. as as example, saying you are pro-life knowing that the elected offical will not sponsor legislation effecting abortion, but budget issues deserve attention and are secondary platform issues).

To me the war in Iraq is just that kind of issue (and morally, even more of a benign issue than abortion with the rise of stem cell research and the potentional upcoming appointments to the supreme court, etc.).

Kerry is going to "accelerate" our troop removal, but not much else is different from his "plan".

Kerry wants to police the war on terror and Bush wants to fight it over seas. This is a real issue and worthy of debate. (Personally, I am not comfortable with the thoughts of police civilians on the roof tops of buildings with assault rifles here in America; which is the european way - and it should be noted that this does not deter terrorist attacks but becomes a way of controlling the population. There is something "un-free" and un-American about policing terrorism.)

But what about social security, health care and the economy. These issues are not secondary, but primary and yet not being discussed.

Perhaps, what really is happening is that Kerry has given people (forgive me for such bland term) a simple excuse/arguement for voting for him. Something they can grasp, no matter what their education level, because arguing for or against a flat tax is not a short discussion.

I've heard people say "We are taking back America". The war in Iraq is a battle cry for people who truly beleive that democrats have the answers.

The irony is, I believe, if the democrats had just stuck to the real issues, they could have won. Hillary realizes this now. The most nervous democrat on November 2nd will not be anticipating taking residence on Pennsylvania Ave in January 2005, but was planning for 2009.

out.

...this is for my friend anonymous...

...did we miss the bus?

Yesterday Trey missed the bus. I hate kindergarten. Since school has started I have stopped playing hoops because it is too difficult to get Trey ready (which is almost impossible) and take care of the baby and hope that Thomas stays asleep (although he has gone with me to the bus stop and, except for the one time he tried to go on the bus, he enjoys going to the bus stop).

It starts the day (and week) off wrong. So, Penny has a terrible day climaxing with the gas pump not turning off while she is in the store buying a $1 diet coke. A kind man turned the pump off after only about ten dollars of gas spilled. (And Penny didn't bother getting her coke).

Well, there is a deeper thought related to the title...perhaps another day.

...I tried to avoid my Analysis of Friday's Debate

...but here it is...

I think it is funny that the Post is actually writing an article asking if Bush had a wire or a flack jacket on. Please report the news.

And did anyone notice that they killed the Brit. Hello, this is not page two information. Let's have him begging for his life every night for two weeks and then when he is killed not talk about it.

NOW the debate...

If I thought the VP debate felt like high school...I thought the rebutals were almost childish "did not" "did too" "did..." skits.

If Kerry could logically argue that the world is more dangerous because we removed Saddam Hussien from power I would vote for him. Anyone care to take up this challenge...

OR...can anyone argue that in Bush's term he had the most diffcult circumstances to deal with: first attack on american soil in over 50 years, major correction in the stock market, corporate accounting scandals, fighting two wars (afganistan and iraq), the end of 9 years of GDP per capita growth and an end to decreasing unemployment (both prior to his inaguration)? Does anyone believe that Al Gore would have done a better job?

Speaking of Al Gore, does anyone think John Kerry is a better canidate than Al Gore?

OK, Bush had several slips...he raised the tax credit to $1000 not by $1000, etc.

But Kerry's refering to Bush's campaign as a WMD was classic. (Causing my jaw to drop and think did he just say that? You must be kidding.)

I could go on...it made for good tv I suppose (did anyone see SNL's take on it. Pure art).

Stolen from who knows who...

Copy, Paste, and Bold the ones you've done.

1. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said "I love you" and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars
21. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly could
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbed
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice
61. Went for a midnight walk on the beach
62. Gone sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Gone scuba diving
75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain.
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who's not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn't have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don't remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Dyed your hair
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. ...more than once?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking.
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone's heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper and it was actually the local gay magazine
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one -important- author who you missed in school, and read their work
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183. ...and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested
201: Had a bird poop on your head
202: Played Halo with more than the customary four person X-Box
203: Been walked in on while doing something 'inappropriate' by a parent or other family member
204: Taken a tap dancing class
205: Skied
206: ...in just your underwear

...its kinda fun...feels very high schoolish though...

Hario Deco 5 (note: we have "upgraded to a glass filter from the clothe filter shown")

Today's coffee

...was roasted last friday at my house. Which means it is stale. I roasted mostly african beans (Harrar and Yirgacheffe and Kenyan and one esspresso, which means I burned it, Costa Rican).

We (my co-workers and me) use a Hario Deco 5 and you can see a pic of it in the next post...

We control the brew time and have enjoyed discovering the art of cupping, although no where close to mastery.

We started because we are on a health kick...(which is a topic for another post). But SUGAR IS KILLING US ALL!

So, my two coworkers (I shall refer to them as T and E) who drink coffee started with sugar substitutes and landed on Stevia for awhile but were not satisfied.

E researched and wanted to buy the Hario and suggested that "real coffee" could be taken black and taste better. I saw the picture of this thing and said i was willing to chip in just to see it. The rest is...

Since then we have bought over $200 of green coffee beans and over $200 of coffee makers, grinders, roasters, etc.

That's today's coffee.

So...WHAT'S WITH YOUR NAME?

So my best friend asks me two questions about blogging...why? and what's with your name?

I haven't figured out why...other than I have read some interesting blogs... and to keep my friends from far away abreast with my life...like coffee...I'm now a coffee fiend (I never drank coffee other than the occassional overpriced, I need a jolt to stay awake/warm fix. And now it's everyday and I can critique the roast and the brew and enjoy "cupping").

(speaking under my breath to my self to revert from digressing anymore...)

(a natural name would have been "in paranthesis" since I love my (paranthesis), but that is probably taken too...)

The name came from a radio talk personality who would stereotype "conservative christians" as religious nut jobs. I am certain some of my neighbors would term me a religous nut. So, it sort of fits, although politically I am more complex than falling in line with the religious right.

As an aside...I hope strangers who may read this realize that no matter whose blog you read you really don't know that person (even though they may be sharing their personal opinions, thoughts and feelings) and so, if you read this and want to "write me off", so be it.

I think I am going through a good journey...and this mine.

Final = Winner of VP Debate

The real zinger that Cheney pointed out was with small business owners (who apparently are sipping adult beverages poolside; I suppose Edwards would know... ). Anyone who belives that small business owners should carry the burden of any tax increase is foolish.

Think about your favorite local restaurant firing two (or more) employees to reduce costs to cover the tax increase. Now multiply that by every small business in your town, your county, your state. I work in a small business and the thought is frightening.

I wish Cheney had put it in terms middle America could understand...but alas Republicans can not connect with the people. Is there not one Republican with charisma?

And as a final (and funny thought)...

A local radio personality in Atlanta (on a sports talk station) said that "if these guys are my second string quarterbacks...I have real problems...they should be starting!"

...out. Bring on the next debate...

More of the VP Winner

I think Edwards didn't need to bring up Cheney's daughter at all (it didn't support his stance, it didn't seem "heart felt" and sincere...so I don’t give him any compassion points)...I believe Cheney had no comment because he'd wanted to avoid it. This issue is again, another example of "more of the same" from BOTH parties.

VP Debate Winner

It appeared to me that Cheney had less air time (potentially because Cheney often had one sentence rebuttals).
The most important thing I learned from the VP debate, is that BOTH parties are very much providing "more of the same". Kerry/Edwards'stance on Iraq (which is apparently the majority of their platform) is the soldiers are there and let's get them home as soon as feasible and try to get the UN on board. Bush and Cheney on Iraq is the same but they have given up on the UN. A duck is a duck is a duck.
The debate felt more like a high school confrontation, with each sparring and throwing jabs...I kept waiting for the crowd to go "ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!" And it even climaxed at a personal jab (about Cheney's lesbian daughter). I was hoping Cheney would go across the table but alas reality tv was not on last night...
Perhaps I have truly become cynical, but I don't believe anyone wins these debates. I got the feeling there were more foreigners watching the debate and laughing at the "stupid americans".
that's my thoughts.