This is Patriotism

A lot of people give John McCain credit for being a great patriot. I respect his service to our country and his sacrifices for our freedoms. However, in this election, he's shown himself willing to tear apart our country and divide it in efforts to win. He's called certain parts of America "elitist". Places like NYC and Washington D.C. Places that were hit on 9/11 and, together, lost thousands of lives.



He and his running mate have stated that there are certain parts of the country that are Pro-America and certain parts that are Anti-America. Conveniently, the only "Pro-America" parts of the country are states that are polling well for McCain. He's pitting race against race, state against state, "elitist" against "working class", and Christian against non-Christian. It's nothing less than shameful what he's attempting to do to our country in the pursuit of power. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a real patriot.



Don't forget to vote!!!!!

Alaska's Largest Newspaper Endorses Obama

Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark.

The Anchorage Daily News endorses Obama for President.

Some highlights from the article:

It is Sen. Obama who truly promises fundamental change in Washington. You need look no further than the guilt-by-association lies and sound-bite distortions of the degenerating McCain campaign to see how readily he embraces the divisive, fear-mongering tactics of Karl Rove. And while Sen. McCain points to the fragile success of the troop surge in stabilizing conditions in Iraq, it is also plain that he was fundamentally wrong about the more crucial early decisions. Contrary to his assurances, we were not greeted as liberators; it was not a short, easy war; and Americans -- not Iraqi oil -- have had to pay for it. It was Sen. Obama who more clearly saw the danger ahead.

The unqualified endorsement of Sen. Obama by a seasoned, respected soldier and diplomat like Gen. Colin Powell, a Republican icon, should reassure all Americans that the Democratic candidate will pass muster as commander in chief.

That's all! Oh, I did make the trip to Nashville yesterday to make our donation to the homeless shelter I talked about. I'll post soon with pictures and comments about that:)

DANG

One of McCain's supporters has gone all kinds of loco.





So, the story goes like this. First, Ashley Todd, a 20 year old from Texas who is Pennsylvania volunteering for the McCain campaign, reported a crime to the police. Basically, a mugging that somehow turned into a political hate crime.

Woman says attack on her linked to McCain bumper sticker

From the above linked article:

Richard said the 20-year-old told investigators a man approached her Wednesday night at an ATM in the city's East End, put a blade to her neck and demanded money.

She said she gave him $60 and stepped away from him, Richard said.

She further stated the man "punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground, and he continued to punch and kick her while threatening to teach her a lesson for being a McCain supporter," according to a police statement.

The woman also told police her attacker "called her a lot of names and stated that 'You are going to be a Barack supporter,' at which time she states he sat on her chest, pinning both her hands down with his knees, and scratched into her face a backward letter 'B' on the right side of her face using what she believed to be a very dull knife."

The alleged assailant fled on foot, Richard said.

"We, the police, cannot substantiate this yet," she said. "This is what she told police."

The woman, who is from Texas, refused medical attention, Richard said, although she told the investigating officer she would see a doctor Thursday. There was no update on her condition, she said.

Richard said the woman described her alleged attacker as a dark-skinned African-American, 6 feet 4 inches tall with a medium build and short dark hair, wearing dark clothing and shiny shoes.

And then, OOOOOPS. Some inconsistencies started to crop up. Like, for instance, the fact that the "carved" B didn't break the skin? And that it's backwards like maybe someone did it to herself in the mirror? And that it's remarkably neat and symmetrical for someone to have done it in the midst of a frenzied attack at nighttime with a big knife? Moving on.

Police planned to administer a polygraph test to Ashley Todd, 20, because her statements about the attack conflict with evidence from the Citizens Bank ATM where she claims the incident occurred, police said.

via Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


Regarding the whole bumper sticker thing:

When Ms. Todd reported the incident, "nowhere did she say to the officer that [the assailant] made reference to the bumper sticker. I don't know how she came to the conclusion that he noticed the sticker," Cmdr. Ross said.

via The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Also, from that same article:

"Ms. Todd told police during at least five hours of questioning last night that her attacker said to her, "You are going to be a Barack supporter." She told police the man then sat on her chest, pinning both her hands down with his knees and used what she believed was a dull knife with a roughly 5-inch blade to carve the B.

Ms. Todd then went to a friend's house in the 5100 block of Cypress Street, about a mile away, where she reported the incident to police about 45 minutes later. She declined medical treatment at that time.

A friend said Ms. Todd went to an unknown hospital on her own around 1 a.m."

From that same article:

Several employees at nearby businesses last night said they were unaware of the attack.

Then, stuff just started snowballing.

"Richard (police spokeswoman) said Todd later added to her tale, saying she was groped by the robber and lost consciousness during the assault. Neither of those details was in the original report.

Richard said after a second interview, Todd also was not as definitive about the assault or the motives behind it, nor could she say for certain whether the robber took $60 from her as she initially reported but maintains is missing."

Yeah, if it's not sounding bad enough, just toss sexual assault, loss of consciousness, and temporary amnesia in there. That always works, right? Hmm, maybe not. Next up for this news day?

"Police tell KDKA that a campaign volunteer has now confessed to making up a story that a mugger attacked her and cut the letter B in her face after seeing her McCain bumper sticker."

via KDKA

That's right. She freaking MADE IT UP. That crazy bitch. And, well, I'll actually let the VP of FOX News do the talking for me (don't worry, that's a one time event):

"If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting."

All I have left to say is-whoa. That's one big ol' bucket of crazy right there. Oh, wait. There is one more thing. Considering that this nutcase must have seriously "carved" that B in the mirror, I suppose this is more appropriate:





Thanks to WineDivaDesigns on Ravely for the pictures:)

Ron Howard, Andy Griffithy, and Henry Winkler take one for the Obama team.

Word. These guys are awesome!! Check out this hilarious bit of film:

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

and here's another little photo montage I made. It's set to a cover of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. It's very peppy with only happy pictures. Yay!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Lastly, I had another weigh in this morning. I've lost 2 more pounds. That makes 25 pounds down!!! Wooohoooooo!!

Guess who just endorsed Obama?

For all of you out there in Obama-rama land. Or not. But, seriously, most of the times endorsements don't mean much, right? Not so with this one. This gives Obama military/foreign policy cred, not to mention the fact that it's from a prominent Republican. Who is it, you ask? None other than Former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell. See below for a video of his endorsement on Meet the Press today. He gives a really good distillation of why Obama is the man for the moment.



What he says about Obama being a "socialist" and the McCain campaign taking that stance:

"We can't judge our people and hold our elections on that kind of basis. Yes, that kind of negativity troubled me. And the constant shifting of the argument, I was troubled a couple of weeks ago when in the middle of the crisis the campaign said 'we're going to go negative,' and they announced it. 'We're going to go negative and attack his character through Bill Ayers.' Now I guess the message this week is we're going to call him a socialist. Mr. Obama is now a socialist, because he dares to suggest that maybe we ought to look at the tax structure that we have. Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to those who pay them, in roads and airports and hospitals and schools. And taxes are necessary for the common good. And there's nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is or who should be paying more or who should be paying less, and for us to say that makes you a socialist is an unfortunate characterization that I don't think is accurate."

and here's what he has to say about Obama being a "big scary Muslim":

"I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the Party say. And it is permitted to be said. Such things as 'Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim'. Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim. He's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But, the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That's not America. Is there something wrong with some 7-year old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be President? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop this suggestion, 'He's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists'. This is not the way we should be doing it in America. I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery. And she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards, Purple Heart, Bronze Star. It showed that he died in Iraq. Gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross. It didn't have a Star of David. It had a crescent and star of Islamic Faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11. And he waited until he could go serve his country. And he gave his life. Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourselves in this way. And John McCain is as nondiscriminatory as anyone I know. But, I'm troubled about the fact that within the party, we have these kinds of expressions.

That makes me really really heart Colin Powell. Someone's been needing to say that for a long time. This kid gave his life for our country. I think we should all be mindful of that.

Edited original post to add picture of Kareem's mother by his graveside.

Yes, More

Ok, so Justin thinks I'm a tad obsessed. WHO CARES??? I DON'T CARE!!!!!!!! Did that sound too defensive? Heh heh heh heh hmmmm (that's my typewritten version of embarrassed, uneasy laughter). Anyway, so I think we all know by now that I'm a little bit in love with Barack Obama. Not only do I think he'll make a great President, but I think he's an amazing man. He's overcome a lot of adversity in his life to excel in every single one of his chosen fields. He's also an excellent father and a wonderful husband. Those are two of my favorite things about him. Show me a man that very obviously loves his kids and his wife and I'll show you me melted in a little puddle of happy goo.

So, yeah, I made a couple photo montages. (Montage as a plural looks weird.) Alright, this one is called "Don't Let Them Win" and it's set to the song "Don't Dream It's Over" by A Crowded House. It features a lot of excellent photos taken of Obama and his family and supporters along the campaign trail.

The "don't let them win" title references several things. First, it's one of the lines in the song. Second, it's clearly saying not to let John McCain win. Lastly, it's saying "can't nobody take my pride; can't nobody hold me down" or something to that effect. If you notice, in a lot of the pictures, Barack Obama looks dejected, sad, somber. Think of all he's enduring to try to secure this election. He's endured slurs on his race, on his mother, on his father, on his wife, on his principles. He's really and truly risking his life. Consider how many people you may have heard call him a n***er. I can name 3 off the top of my head. And these are not things I heard from a friend who heard from their friend. These are people I know. Also, consider how many people you've heard reference Obama's possible or probable assassination. Whether they were referencing it in fear, despair, or sadly, wishful thinking; again, I can name at least 3. Anyway, if you consider all of these things on top of the huge mess he has waiting for him if he gets in office, the man really does have the weight of the world on his shoulders. Any of us that are voting for him should remember all that he's risking and enduring in order to get in there and fight for each and every one of us.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Now, this next one is a kind of ode to Michelle and Barack Obama together. I love how they always look like they really genuinely love each other. And, like they sincerely enjoy each other. I recently read an article titled The Obama Relationship: A Major Benefit Nobody's Talking About. Here are a few quotes from that article.

One of the greatest benefits of an Obama presidency is hidden in plain sight: the relationship between Michelle and Barack. They provide a great role model of a healthy relationship, at a time when such models are sorely needed.

Imagine having a president who likes his partner and values her as an equal, a president who touches his wife affectionately in public and actually listens to her when she talks!

We have a chance now to make a real difference in the world. If we elect Barack Obama, we can all focus on the critical challenges that must be met now. Speaking personally, we feel a sense of warmth and pride when we think about the support and love the Obamas have for each other. We breathe easier when we see how they live their lives with balance, honesty and clarity. They're the real deal. In November, let's give ourselves this new mirror of our own value.

So, I made this montage because I'm a little bit in love with both Michelle and Barack separately, but I'm also a lot in love with them together.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Ok, so that's all for now. And don't anybody give me any crap about being Obama Obsessed--Kathy, that means you, haha!! Oh, and I know I haven't posted a weight update in a while. I've still been doing really great! No falling off the wagon or any of that! To date, I've lost 23 lbs! Yay! Next weigh in is on Thursday, October 6, so I'll post another update on poundage then. Peace!

My American Prayer

Another insanely inspirational Obama video! Ok, this video is representative of what I feel fairly often about Obama's candidacy. It's not just that I think he's a wonderful man and that I think he will make an excellent President. It's about the massive community of people who have come together to try and get him elected. The grassroots campaign for Obama is like nothing this country has ever seen. Consider how many donors he has to his campaign. Over 2 million individual citizens have donated to him so far. And that was at last count, which was a couple months ago. This whole campaign has been about more than just Barack Obama. He's said a number of times that it's not about him. It's about all of us. And, honestly, this is more than a campaign. It's a movement.

The song was written by musician Dave Stewart along with Bono of U2. About the creation of this video, Dave says:

"When I set out to make a video for the new version of this song, I wanted to honor all of those millions of people, especially young people, who are, for the first time, feeling empowered to voice their beliefs. I wanted to capture how Obama's message of change has echoed across the broad fabric of what is America. To do that, we've cast the film with an eclectic array of personalities, including Forest Whitaker, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper, Barry Manilow, Joan Baez, Macy Gray and Joss Stone. They appear alongside veterans, teachers and everyday citizens -- all of whom have been touched by this simple idea of change.

As an Englishman, I'm not an expert in all the intricate details of American politics. But as an artist, I understand how rare it is to inspire a connection to a bigger idea or purpose. This video isn't so much an endorsement of Barack Obama as much as it is a celebration of all those who have picked up a sign, who have registered to vote and are working to make the world a better place. So as Senator Barack Obama ascends to the mountain top, let us not forget all of the others who for the past 40 years have sung anthems of change to make this moment possible."

The entire video is wonderful, but the bit that shows Martin Luther King, Jr. always gets to me. And the homeless veteran, he gets to me too. It makes me feel so good that I'm just about ready to finish up my end of this charity project I've been helping out with. My Knitters for Obama group has been knitting items for homeless veterans and coordinating different shelters that we can donate them to. Next week, I'll go to Nashville to Matthew 25, a homeless shelter that houses and rehabilitates homeless veterans. I'll bring with me over 100 knitted and crocheted items for the residents there. We have more than 50 hats, as well as more than 50 scarves and a handwritten thank you note will accompany each item. After talking with Alvin at Matthew 25, I was pretty emotional (even though I didn't let him know that). It makes me really sad that these men fought for our country and they've ended up in such terrible circumstances. Some sobering statistics:

In 2006, approximately 195,827 veterans were homeless on a given night—an increase of 0.8 percent from 194,254 in 2005. More veterans experience homelessness over the course of the year. We estimate that 336,627 were homeless in 2006.

We estimate that approximately 89,553 to 467,877 veterans were at risk of homelessness. At risk is defined as being below the poverty level and paying more than 50 percent of household income on rent. It also includes households with a member who has a disability, a person living alone, and those who are not in the labor force.

The VA finds that, overall, 45 percent of participants in the VA's homeless programs have a diagnosable mental illness. We know from previous studies that greater than 30 percent of Iraq veterans coming home have some PTSD. Those studies were done before third deployments and 15 month extensions. And, remember, sometimes PTSD takes years to manifest itself. So bank on the number with PTSD being higher by war's end and in years after.

It's a real shame that these men return home to inadequate psychiatric care and counseling. Just remember that while John McCain likes to claim that he's a friend to the veterans, his record proves otherwise. For example the non-partisan group Disabled American Veterans gives John McCain a 20 percent rating for his voting record on veterans' issues, while Barack Obama has an 80 percent rating. Also, McCain is one of only four members of Congress to have a rating that low or lower. (Republican Representative Chris Cannon of Utah received a rating of 0%, Republican Senator Larry Craig of Idaho received a rating of 20%, and Republican Senator Michael Crapo, also of Idaho, received a rating of 20%). Another example is that the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave McCain a D rating, while Obama received a B+ rating. So, just because John McCain fought with veterans doesn't mean he fights for veterans. There are miles of difference between those two. On the flip side, supporting the troops does not have to mean supporting the war. As a matter of fact, our deployed troops donate to Obama's campaign 6-1 over McCain's. On that note, I hope you guys enjoy the video. Phoebe and Jessica, get somewhere where you can watch it!!! For real!! Till next time, peeps:)

Obama love!!

Best Obama impersonator...EVER!! "To put it plainly, uhh, I'm the business." Hahahaha!!!



And a really beautiful montage of photos set to the strains of "I Know Where I've Been", sung by Queen Latifah in the motion picture, "Hairspray".

Edited to clarify something. This montage wasn't made by me. It was made by one of my ravelry friends. Just wanted to be clear on that!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com