The Wilson Universe

I’d like to take just a minute here to ask everyone a favor.  If you are ever in an emergency room, urgent care office, or anything along those lines and you see the staff eating, talking or (gasp) sitting down, please do not automatically assume that they are neglecting your care and are just hanging out and enjoying themselves.  Instead, ask yourself ‘I wonder how long they’ve already been working today, how many patients they’ve already taken care of?’  Resist your urge to spastically push your call button and demand to know why the people out there aren’t doing anything when you could very well be dying.  Rest assured, in all likelihood, they have done everything they can do up to that point and are only sitting because they are on the verge of collapse and risk winding up in the room next to yours.

Please, do it for me

Thank you

So I was kinda excited about the new Knight Rider that premiered this spring via a made for TV movie (if the movie performed well then a series would follow)…well the movie was “ok” but had some obvious flaws (Kitt wasn’t quite Kitt yet, and there seemed to be a few other story deficiencies) BUT the ground work was there.  Then the series is promoted and I heard that the plan was to re-tool some of the weak spots in the movie (allright, sounds good so far)…then it premiered…..I don’t say this often BUT OMG it was horrible!  Weak story line involving a code and a cypher hidden in a guys DNA…wackiness ensues….also Kitt is a fraking transformer (more on this later).

Knight Industries Three-Thousand

Knight Industries Two-Thousand

Here is my breakdown of what went wrong:

Mike Tracer (AKA the new Micheal Knight) is in fact the son of Micheal Knight (The Hoff) (corny but I can deal).  He’s a former military guy (guess what, special ops and he doesn’t remember much of his service….apparently screen writers are now recycling story ideas to save the planet).  The acting is on par with usual TV quality I think, but the character is just a vacuum.

Sarah Gramin (Grand-daughter of KITT creator Professor Gramin) She is supposed to be Mike’s on again off again love interest as well as co-Knight Rider?  The professional relationship is a bit ambiguous.

The Kitt Cave People - These are the douches that work in the Knight Industries HQ and monitor Kitt 24/7.  I call them this because they spend a lot of time running in every entry shot and they are one-dimensional characters.  The two I want to call out are the “tech” guy and the cunning linguist woman (because Kitt needs a translator?).

Douche #1 (The Tech Guy)  His character is the typical white techno geek with a million degrees and no common sense.  Way to go out on a limb writers.  His character lacks any depth and I dont even want to give him time to develop any.

Douche #2 (The Asian Linguist)…ummm why do they need a linguist?  Ohh right, because she talks with foreign heads of state and diplomats for the FBI working with FLAG (at least I assume FLAG is still the name of the game…Foundation for Law And Government)  anyway she is a secondary character that I see no need for.  She is also a whore.  I say this not to be mean, but she makes several slutty innuendos towards douche #1 just for fun. 

KITT 3000 (Knight Industries Three-Thousand)…still missing that quality that made KITT (Knight Industries Two-Thousand) KITT.  It goes beyond the voice (which I could accept a different voice for a different car).  He lacks ANY personality.  I think what the creators are trying to say is “Hey, its not KITT from the 80’s, its a new and different KITT for the 21st century” which sounds fine, except that means somehow the artificial intelligence program running KITT has become less sophisticated in 20+ years.  The original KITT was written with a personality (a somewhat snobish one, but it worked and made for fun interpersonal development between he and Micheal Knight).  The new KITT is…just an ass with no personality.  Another issue I would like to see explained is what happend to the original KITT, in the movie we see bits of the trans-am in Gramin’s garage but no clues to the programs where-abouts.  The original assumption is that it is IN the new car but we learn quickly thats not the case.

Besides his personality I REALLY have a problem with the car itself.  Some of you may know that I own a trans am from the original KITT era, and I also own a new Mustang (they use a 2005+ Mustang Cobra in the series now…they don’t specify which year but its kinda irrelavent since every year is basically the same sans some option availabilities) so I can judge the car choice fairly.  I like the looks of the new Mustang and so I’m ok with them using it (Plus Pontiac doesn’t make the TA any more and GM wanted nothing to do with the program) .  That being said, they give KITT some new abilities (makes since, it is the 21st century).  In the movie he could make some exterior body changes (grill, fog lights, emblems) and change his own color (again, cool and fits with the idea of the advanced molecular armor plating)….in the series it is revealed that when KITT goes into “Attack Mode” he turns into a rice burner (go here for a definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_burner ) with blue ground effects (nothing says attack like blue ground lights), ugly hood scoop, and 3 foot tail fin to name a few.  It is also worth noting that the transformations occur much like they did in the Transformers movie..unfortunatly they don’t look as good or as real.  The final issue I think I have with the car is its new “program” as Sarah Gramin puts it…he can transform in a Ford F150 pickup…yes, a ford truck from a mustang…why?  Probably because ford wanted to promote more of thier vehicle line.

No Hoff -  Insiders say he was miffed at NBC for not taking the show in the directions that he thought it should be going (via the movie).  Its been reported that Hasselhoff pitched a similar idea for a new Knight Rider a few years ago but NBC didn’t bite.  After the success of Heroes on the small screen and Transformers on the big screen (at least in my opinion) NBC decided to make a go of it…without Hasselhoff.  He was brought in to reprise his role as Micheal Knight in the movie for a few minutes.  Since then Hasselhoff has said he wishes the program nothing but success and that there are no hard feelings…who knows.

These are elements I think needed attention…now for some things I think they should be doing to make it better.

The writers seem to think that we are still in 1985.  Yes they have updated the technology but not bothered to update the story boards.  We have become a more sophisticated TV audience (i know, I can’t believe I said that either…lets ignore reality TV for now), we need a more sophisticated story line.  We need characters that are 3-dimensional and interesting.  What worked then, doesn’t work now.  I’m dissapointed that the writers dont want to create a “modern” Knight Rider.

Alas, I can hope it will get better, but I doubt it will.  I haven’t looked at the ratings yet, but they are about as usefull as national political polls.

Posted by Sarah

The weary travelers have returned from the Land of Mary. We got in last night a little after midnight. The trip was basically unexciting although Corey’s allergies did return shortly after crossing into Ohio and I thought he was going to turn back, but we managed to stay on course. We’ve got a lot of unpacking and then we have to retrieve all of the creatures from their various locations. Hopefully after that, we can return to some form of normalcy, or as close as we can get. After we get settled, I will get the rest of the pictures together and get them put up.

So I got this on Myspace from my nephew…I found it funny even if I have no idea what its about!

Umm, congrats????

Posted by Sarah

I just thought I would post a few pics from our Maryland adventure. Saturday we ventured out to Havre de Grace and stumbled upon a buoy launching, which is apparently a big deal up here. We took a free boat ride out to watch them drop the buoy and check out the bay. Tonight we went out with the rest of my Indiana co-workers to a place called Wet Willy’s Crab Deck where they serve fresh, whole crab dumped onto paper on the table and you get mallets. I’m not a big fan of seafood but I did sample it before enjoying my steak. Tomorrow night we are going to the Inner Harbor for a dinner cruise. If I survive, I will post pictures of that.

So as some of you know we’ve been exiled to the land of Mary for 2 weeks so that Sarah can learn how to infect..err treat infected people (or contaminated…whatever).  Sooo, Maryland is known as the “Free State”.  I have an issue with this, for a free state they sure like to control where you drive.  What I mean by this is that EVERY lane has a specific function (Must turn here, don’t turn here, etc..) while you might be asking “But Corey, all states do that”  Yes, but Maryland also has concrete barricades that force you in many different directions.  Just outside our hotel you have no choice but to go right…not left…the roads are all angled in such as way that makes it impossible (and illegal) to make a left…you have to turn right then find a parking lot (or elementary school) to drive through in order to go back left.  Odd.  On one hand it does cut down on people jumping lanes at the last minute or causing other odd traffic situations.  On the other though it just seems annoying. 

We also got to experience gridlock traveling on the north side of Baltimore two nights ago.  4 lanes of stopped traffic being funneled into 1 lane to merge with I-95 north…the signs said “Alternate lanes”…right…that was a blast.  We survived.

-Corey

This is a response I’ve written from a friends blog.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=74844000&blogID=432317853

Overall I agree with much of what is being said, however, I think I do need to address a few points for clarification purposes.

You write…

“Sarah-Not sure who you are referring to when you speak of people losing respect for you for speaking out but your tone seems to indicate you think the shepherds might be among them.  Nonsense!  And you know it!  They may not agree with you but they respect your right to think it and your ability to defend it.  I most certainly welcome your perspective from the inside of one of the most complicated of the current political issues.”

The line you are referring too was something that took some deep thought and was not directly intended to be an attack on any one person.  This is a blanket statement she made in context of her political “coming out” when she decided to not sit on the sidelines and make a firm statement of where she sits.  The original draft did seem a bit like it was saying “He A-Holes…” but it was re-written for this reason.  Obviously it was still taken somewhat that way, but it is meant to cover more than just the Attica people.

You write…

“Corey-Stop trying to bait Amanda.  Discussion and debate among friends shouldn’t include barbs and direct antagonism.  Some of your comments are downright insulting.  You know her strong feelings on environmental issues  and try to press those buttons.  You frame her as a one issue voter, something you seem to dislike, while your wife also has a primary issue.  You call yourself a centrist and yet take some very extreme positions.  I respect that and the fact that you have thought each through on its own merits.  Others would be more inclined to listen if comments didn’t include personal jabs.”

I do bait Amanda, but it is a valid attempt to get her (and others) to take a different look at the issues that they deem important.  I know that at the end of the day I’m not going to convince her of anything, but if I can call some issues in question then maybe, just maybe, I can expand both views of the world (mine and hers, or whoever).  I don’t believe I’ve ever been directly insulting (yes, I did call Amanda an ignorant slut once in the past, but it was a joke in reference to the old SNL weekend update)  Anyway, I apologize if I have directly insulted her, but I don’t believe I have.   She might not be a one issue voter, but I’ve never heard her say anything about other issues.  Yes, Sarah is focused on healthcare and that is her primary focus but she also has knowledge of the other issues that I think she has (or is going to ) be writing about. 

On my views of being in the center, that doesn’t mean I only split down the middle, I might pull from other ideological spheres.  In reality I don’t think any of my positions are extreme.  I don’t really advocate for the hunting of polar bears.  I just want the market place to determine a lot more stuff than her.  Again, I’d like to see the personal jabs that I’m being accused of. 

          (edit:  Looking back over the last post I can see ideological jabs but nothing personal.  Here are the only examples that I can find.

She is pro-environment but not wacko like some people

Wealth doesn’t equal elitism…a common liberal misconception.

I want flying cars Amanda, flying cars…they have to run on a light weight fuel…duh!)

In closing, I’m glad that you have strong feelings about your candidate, but I hope you truly believe in “the whole package” and not just a couple niche issues.  I look forward to debating the issues sometime outside the personal attack rhetoric that seems to exist in both camps. 

Ok, so there are the “attacks” as I can find them…yes I think Environmentalists are wackos….I just do.  I don’t like the ideological sphere of liberalism as it is being used today…if you are offended by that statement then you need to get in touch with your inner self and really figure out what you feel (I don’t take being called a conservative as a pejorative term)…and I mean seriously…it’s the year 2008…where are my freaking flying cars already!!!

You write…

“Shepherds-Take a deep breath and see things for what they are!  Corey tries to bait Amanda for fun.  He starts these things for entertainment.  He has yet to understand the true depth of Amanda’s passion for the issue and that for her it is on the level of a religious conviction.  (I hope you are still reading Corey!)  He will one day come to realize that telling holocaust jokes to a jew is in bad form.  He sees the world through an entirely different prism than yours of scientific research.  If you set aside the ill-fated attempts at humor the man has some exceptionally well thought out positions on social and economic issues that are worthy of friendly debate.”

I do understand her passionate depth and see the religious conviction…that’s what worries me.  Your comparison of the environment to the holocaust is offensive (and I don’t tell jokes).  Again, I too have done research and I too look at things scientifically…that statement does tend to irritate me.

I don’t try to irritate for humor really, I try to get people to think outside their comfort zones…if I agree with you or not I’m likely to take an opposite stance.  I could write a very scathing blog about McCain and why Obama is the best…I’m not likely but I could.  I will also agree that the Sheps do have a research leg up on me in the Environmental issues (they went to school for stuff like this)  but I get so annoyed when I’m told “science says so, so anyone who disagrees is a heathen”…not those exact words but you get the idea.

 You write…

“Wilsons and Shepherds-You don’t like each others’ candidates.  Each of you thinks yours is what is best for the country and the world because both candidates have the same basic aims, just different ideas on how best to achieve them.  I would be sad to see it happen but if you all decide to put down the political debate then do it because you agree to disagree and not because you are too pissed or tired of arguing to continue.  You all want the same basic things.  Your life experiences are simply different and have given you different perspectives.”

I agree!  After the election one of these two men WILL be President…he will be MY President.  One lesson my father taught me was that no matter your political beliefs the President is your President, for better or worse.  You respect the office and support him when you can.  Sure, you will disagree with him some (or a lot) but he represents the U.S. on a global scale.  I think at times I get painted to be a Neo-Conservative Hardliner…I’m not…really.  I think the recent debate we’ve been having has been more cordial than some in the past (since I don’t live in the same house as you guys I guess it might not end at the blog for you).  I’ve stated this before too…the president is only one piece of the puzzle…if congress doesn’t go along with him then he can do very little.  I think Obama is wrong for the country BUT I know he’s not going to ruin the country..in four years we get the chance to give him the ultimate on the job review.

That is what makes this country great!  (BTW read this for more details on ideologies and such http://www.wilsonverse.com/?p=51 )

You write…

“For all of you-Always remember two things.  I love you all dearly, each in your own unique way. (especially you Crystal my dear) And, these are the people you can always count on, the ones who will always be there, the ones who hurt when you hurt and rejoice in your successes.  I don’t know if you all feel that way to the same degree I do but its the way my little part of this odd little world works so go reread the title of this blog, put a smile on and get on with your lives.  I need some peace…and some sleep for that matter:)”

I’m not hugging you.

Posted by Sarah

For a long time, I have sat back and watched the back and forth volley of political debate flowing around me. I’ve kept my thoughts and opinions to myself because I didn’t want to “rock the boat”. Most of the people around me have VERY definitive ideas about politics and I usually don’t like adding to the chaos. However, I think it’s time to throw my hat in. Agree with me or disagree with me, I pretty much form my opinions all by myself without peer pressure from anybody and I think that’s how everyone should operate. The thing is, I lean far more to the right than most people I know, at times even further than my husband.

I agree John McCain is not an “exciting” candidate. He is pretty much a stodgy white guy. I was planning to vote for him before he announced his VP candidate because he most closely matched the things that are important to me, however, after adding Sarah Palin to the ticket, I got excited. Really excited. I had a brief moment of elevating her to that dangerous messiah position but quickly snatched myself back to earth and set out to see if she was really everything that people said she was, or if it was just too good to be true. I agree, no politician is perfect and I’m sure she has skeletons in her closet. So do I. It’s called being human. The thing is, her personal life should not be the only thing people talk about when they talk about her. The fact that she is a woman should also not be mentioned that much. It is tremendously encouraging to me that there may finally be a positive female role model in politics, but more important is where she stands on the issues. Here is my stance…Small government. The smaller the better. Government should have no more of a hand in healthcare than they do already. Honestly, I think they have done enough damage. Nationalized healthcare (or whatever we’re calling it these days) is a huge mistake. Education is always a concern but I don’t think hurling money at it is the way to fix it.

So, in the name of distributing facts, here is MY research. I find that it’s best to speak to what I know. One thing I do know is healthcare. I’m in it nearly every day of my life. I see what works and what doesn’t, where the gaps are, where things should change. I am by no means an expert but I do have an inside opinion for whatever it’s worth.  The argument that not everyone currently has access to healthcare is not entirely true. Everyone has access to emergency healthcare. If you are in a situation where you are unemployed or disabled, Medicaid is available. Medicare is available to retirees. Veterans have access to the VA services. Is it top notch coverage?  No. And THIS should be the issue everyone is concerned with, rather than the bureaucracy of who should run what and why.  My dealings with people who have Medicaid, Medicare and VA coverage have given me a glimpse into what life with government run healthcare would be like. Right or not, my coworkers often refer to Medicaid as the “gold card”. It is an “entitlement” program that is offered to low income parents, children, seniors and people with disabilities. Please do not misunderstand me. I’m not saying that everyone who has one of the above programs abuse the program. I’m saying that a LOT of people, especially with Medicaid, push the system to its limit. I see people on a daily basis who report to the EMERGENCY department because they stubbed their toe, or they hurt their hand three months ago and it still hurts. Let me be clear. These are NOT emergencies and they are diverting resources that should be given to people with real emergencies. However, we cannot refuse care to anyone; therefore, I have to expend resources on the stubbed toe that are then not available for someone having an MI or a stroke or a baby in respiratory distress. These people also tend to be the ones with the “entitlement” attitude. They check in and expect to be seen quickly, given a nice, large prescription for the pain medicine of their choice and discharged expediently. They seem indifferent to the fact that I come in to see them 10 minutes before my shift starts if we’re busy, or if I take too long writing their discharge because I was helping with a patient involved in an MVA. With government run healthcare, it becomes like the free candy bowl at the bank. You may not actually be in the mood for a butterscotch candy, but since it’s free, you go ahead and pick one up. It’s the same for healthcare. You may not actually go to the doctor for a stubbed toe when you are expected to pay $20 copay, however, if it is gratis, why not? Then you get into an issue of supply and demand. Doctors and nurses are already overtaxed trying to take care of the patients we have now. Think about how hard it is to get into the doctor now. Then think about adding several thousand more people with nothing better to do than go to the doctor and try to make an appointment when you’ve been vomiting for 3 solid days. The system as it stands now is stretched beyond its means. The focus should be on reforming the existing government programs. Prove to me that they can work efficiently and I’ll get behind universal healthcare all day. However, let’s look around the world at other countries with nationalized/socialized/universal healthcare. In New Zealand, a woman in her 80’s was denied a kidney transplant based solely on the fact that the kidney would outlive the woman so the bureaucracy in charge decided it would be a waste of resources. This is a common theme throughout other socialized systems, where people are denied resources solely due to age and other demographics. They distribute healthcare based on serving the largest number of people, in order to be more cost effective and efficient. As a result, many people fall between the cracks. In the US, things may be cost prohibitive, but at least they are still an option. My grandfather was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer. He has to have a long and complicated surgery where they remove his bladder and surrounding tissue and form a new bladder from part of his intestine. He will be 75 in November. If we lived in a country with nationalized healthcare, this would not be an option for him and he would be dead in a matter of months. However, with this procedure, he could potentially be around for several more years. The system works so well that in England, their system is struggling so much that they are allying themselves with private healthcare to meet the needs of their people.

            Alright, I’m getting long winded here. The point of this was that I wanted people to understand WHY I believe WHAT I believe. I’m not going to have time to get into all the issues that I have an interest in but, for me, healthcare is the number one issue. So where do the candidates fall?

Obama/Biden – A national health plan available to all US citizens with guaranteed eligibility, comprehensive benefits, lower premiums, copays and deductibles, simpler paperwork, simple enrollment, portability and required reporting to ensure standards for quality are met. Sounds great, doesn’t it? But lets take a closer look… He proposes a national plan for ALL US citizens while simultaneously lowering premiums and copays. How then will he pay for the increase in numbers? How does he plan to simplify paperwork while turning healthcare into a bureaucratic system? Finally, he wants to require reporting of data to make sure standards are met. There is already a system in place, JCAHO (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) that performs this function. Is he then proposing that the government form ANOTHER bureaucratic system to set and monitor these standards, thus requiring hospitals and doctor offices to expend more time and manpower to meet these standards?

McCain/Palin – Increase the variety and affordability of health insurance to families in America by fostering innovation and competition. He plans to reform tax code and provide tax credits which will increase incentives for health care coverage. He proposes allowing families to purchase healthcare insurance nationwide to maximize choices and heighten competition, thus leading to decreased costs. He plans to require states with Medicaid to develop a financial risk adjustment bonus to supplement tax credits and funds for Medicaid. People would be allowed to purchase insurance through any organization or association, which would also bridge the time between retirement and Medicare eligibility. His plan would put Americans in the position to insist on lower costs for higher quality, just like we do with other products and services.

Here are the high points… I’m in charge, not the government. I choose how much or little insurance I purchase. I choose who I purchase it through. The fear is that this may lead to businesses no longer offering insurance to their employees. He also addresses issues with the existing government run plans, as opposed to ignoring them in favor of creating bigger government.

The bottom line? Neither plan is perfect. Neither plan fixes all of the problems. However, McCain’s plan allows me to make the decisions as opposed to asserting that the government knows what I need better than I do.

Finally, It is the responsibility of every American to be informed and make the decision that is best for them and their family. I have done my research and I believe the right choice is McCain and Palin. I refuse to hide that fact anymore. There are several things that make up a whole person. Their religious beliefs, their family values, their political views… all of these go into the creation of an individual. Judging someone on one aspect of their personality is like buying a car because you like the radio. If someone doesn’t respect me because they don’t respect me as an individual, I can deal with that. If someone loses respect for me because of one aspect of who I am, that makes me very sad.

Posted by Sarah

Alright, so it’s slanted a little to the right, but you know what… so what? I pulled this off the website for Jerry Agar, a WLS-AM talk show host. I think it gives a decent comparison, even if skewed slightly to the right. Enjoy.

palin vs. obama - a side by side comparison

Published Aug. 31, 2008

 abuse

Office being sought - 

Palen-Vice President

Obama-President of the United States and Leader of the Free World

Full name

Sarah Louise Heath Palin

Barack Hussein Obama II

Nickname

Sarah Barracuda

Barry Obama; “The One”

Public opinion

Palin - Smoking hot in a “naughty librarian” sort of way

Obama - May be The Messiah

Age

Palin-44

Obama-48

Children

Palin-5: two sons, three daughters

Obama-2: two daughters

Religion/Church attendance

Palin-Evangelical Christian;attends Juneau Christian Center when in Juneau and grew up attending Wasilla Assembly of God

Obama-Attended Trinity United Church of Christ for 20 years, a “black liberation theology” church formerly led by Rev. Jeremiah Wright and governed according to the Black Value System

Current Job

Palin-Governor of Alaska

Obama-Junior Senator from Illinois

Previous Public Jobs

Palin-Mayor of Wasilla, AK (1996-2002); President of Alaska Conference of Mayors; City Council member (1992-1996)

Obama-State Senator (1997-2004); Community Organizer

Executive Experience

Palin-Governor for 2 years; Mayor for 10 years

Obama-None

Foreign Relations experience

Palin-Governor of state that borders two foreign countries (Canada and Russia)

Obama-Chaired Senate subcommittee on Europe but never called it into session;once gave a speech to 200,000 screaming Germans

Military Affairs experience

Palin-Commander in Chief of Alaska National Guard;Son is enlisted Infantryman in U.S. Army

Obama-None

Private Sector Experience

Palin-Sports reporter;Salmon fisherman

Obama-Associate at civil rights law firm

Speaking ability

Palin-Beautifully executed initial stump speech in Dayton, OH hockey arena without a teleprompter

Obama-An enter…wait–did you say without a teleprompter??

Spouse’s name

Palin-Todd Mitchell Palin

Obama-Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama

Spouse’s occupation

Palin-Salmon fisherman; Former North Slope production supervisor for BP Oil

Obama-Vice President for Community and External Affairs at University of Chicago Hospitals;former Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago;former Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies;former Assistant to the Mayor of Chicago;former associate at Sidley Austin law firm

Reaction to spouse’s political success

Palin-Quit 17-year BP oil job when BP became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with wife’s administration

Obama-Promoted and given 160% pay raise by UofC hospitals within months of husband’s election to U.S. Senate;Employer received $1,000,000.00 federal earmark, requested by husband, after her promotion

Coolest thing about Spouse

Palin-Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmobile race champion (longest snowmobile race in the world);In 2008, while defending his championship, was injured when he was thrown 70 feet from his machine. He was sent to the hospital but still finished in fourth place

Obama-Sister of Oregon State University head basketball coach Craig Robinson

Most Courageous Moment in Public Service

Palin-Resigned in protest from position of Ethics Commissioner of Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders, including the former state Attorney General and the State GOP Chairman (who was also an Oil & Gas Commissioner), who was doing work for the party on public time and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.

Obama-Gave an anti-Iraq war speech to a crowd of anti-Iraq war demonstrators in Hyde Park in 2002

In Current Office Because…

Palin-Upset sitting Governor in GOP primary due to public support for her efforts to clean up corrupt government establishment

Obama-Republican opponent, who was leading in the polls, was forced to leave race after unsealing of divorce records exposed a sex scandal

Theme:

Palin-Change and Clean Government

Obama-Hope and Change; “Bringing Change from Outside Washington”

What they’ve done to live that theme:

Palin-Replaced entire Board of Agriculture and Conservation because of conflict of interest;Resigned from position of Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose corruption among members of own party

Obama-Selected 36-year incumbent Senator as running mate

Family Affairs

Palin-May have removed State Public Safety Commissioner as part of effort to protect sister in messy divorce and child custody battle

Obama-Often says, “I am my brother’s keeper”;Brother lives in a hut in Nairobi on $12 per year

Union affiliation

Palin-Union member, married to Union member

Obama-Endorsed by a union

Iraq and Troop Support

Palin-Formerly (pre-surge) critical of apparent lack of long-term strategy for Iraq;Visited wounded U.S. soldiers in Germany;visited AK National Guard soldiers deployed to Kuwait;Son deploying to Iraq on 9/11/08 as Army infantryman

Obama-Gave an anti-Iraq war speech to a crowd of anti-Iraq war demonstrators;almost visited wounded troops in Germany, but decided to go shopping in Berlin instead

Bipartisan/”maverick” credentials

Palin-Married to a non-Republican;Exposed corruption within own party;Campaigned for Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell against corrupt GOP congressman Don Young;Called out Sen Ted Stevens (R-AK) to “come clean” about financial dealings that are under fed investigation

Obama-Talks about bipartisanship

Legislative Record

Palin-Passed a landmark ethics reform bill;Used veto to cut budgetary spending;Prevented “bridge to nowhere” that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.

Obama-Voted “present” over 100 times as IL state senator

How they dealt with corrupt individuals in home city/state

Palin-Exposed legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders; Campaigned against corrupt GOP Representative;Ran against and defeated corrupt incumbent governor in GOP primary

Obama-Launched political career in home of unrepentant domestic terrorist Bill Ayers (and still refers to him as a part of “mainstream Democratic Chicago”;Purchased home with help of convicted felon Tony Rezko

Guns

Palin-Lifetime member of NRA and avid hunter;video can be found on YouTube of Palin firing an M4 at a military firing range

Obama-Worked to pass legislation in Illinois that would prevent all law-abiding citizens from owning firearms

Earmarks

Palin-Opposed “Bridge to Nowhere” project;Said Alaska should avoid relying on federal money for projects;Campaigned against porker Don Young (R-AK) in 2008 primary

Obama-Secured federal earmarks for wife’s employer and for campaign bundlers

Abortion

Palin-Pro life;gave birth to 5th child knowing that he would have Down’s syndrome

Obama-Pro-choice; only IL state sen. to speak against the Born Alive Infant’s Protection Act, which required medical care to be given to live infants who survived abortions

Energy

Palin-Believes energy independence is a matter of national security;For drilling in ANWR, which is in her state

Obama-Says Americans should “get tune-ups” and “check tire pressure”;Says “we can’t expect the world to be okay with” our use of heating and air conditioning

Environment

Palin-Chair of Alaska Conservation Commission (2003-4);Announced plans to create sub-cabinet group of advisors to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in AK

Obama-Talks about the environment a lot

Athletic prowess

Palin-Runs marathons

Obama-Has reporters tailing him to the gym

So while I was showering today I had a few thoughts.  While I do vote Republican at the national level, I am in fact a Libertarian (I’m also a registered Democrat in my home county).  No, Libertarians have nothing to do with libraries (except for the quest of knowledge I suppose) and yes, I also claim to be a centrist. 

Huh?  I can explain it this way.  As Americans we have always relied upon a dominate two party system.  Third Parties have always been there, but if one does happen to take off in popularity it usually replaces an old one (Whig party anyone?) or its ideas get absorbed by one of the existing dominate parties (more common in 20th century).  As a result, we are divided ideologically into two distinct political parties. 

But wait, it’s not quite that simple.  Many people claim to be independents, centrists, or populists (non of which are parties, just philosophies).  Do these people not vote or care about our elections?  No silly rabbit, they do care and in fact make a huge impact on national elections.  They are the ones who don’t see themselves as idealouges (usually) but instead try and measure all issues that may appear against thier own beliefs.  In fact, this is the same process that members of the Democratic & Republican Parties tend to use to make thier political decisions.  The difference is, a Republican will not weigh all sides of the issue always.  Instead they will look at the issues in regards to Conservatism and where they will fall.  Remember the political philosophies I mentioned above?  Add this one to the list (to the right off the 3).  Democrates will treat an issue in a similiar fashion…looking at it in regards to a Liberal philosophy (add this one to the left of the first 3).  As for the “middle philosophies” they play an important role, but they also make it very difficult to gauge the direction of the national wind.  It is this reason that candidates on both political sides tend to drift to the center during tight elections..they need those extra votes and are willing to “compromise” on some issue to attain the greater goal.  That goal in most circumstances is the advancement of thier philosophies and parties.  It should be noted that this might not nessicarilly always be the goal.  A candidate could attempt to promote the party  while not specifically promoting the party philosophies.  Not a very common scenario but it could happen (John McCain could be an example of this to a small degree, but only history will truly tell). 

Ok, so we now have a very complex way of describing the 2 major parties and thier dominate philosophies.  I promise, I’m bringing it home soon…

I for one look at Europe and I find myself a little jealous of thier national elections.  Take France for example, in the last election there were 12 major candidates running for office!  Granted, we too have at least that many people running for the highest office in the land, but they recieve little or no attention on a national level.  What makes the French election different is that the majority of these candidates did recieve some national attention through out thier electing proccess (a system of “rounds” which I find interesting..might have to elaborate more on that later).  Wow, what an election.  What’s more, they have weekly televised debates leading up to the first and subsequent rounds of elections.  Now, when I say they have debates…it does need some clarification.  Thier debates are set up like this: 1 Stage, 12 Podiums, tons of cameras, and a large studio audience.  Notice no moderator…well, ok there is a guy who tries to moderate, but the debates usually spiral into candidate to candidate arguing.  The point is, you get to see your person fight & defend thier beliefs against all-commers.  I would love to see that happen in the states, minus all the extraneous parties. 

This,however, will have to be just a dream.  No candidate on either major party will agree to an unmoderated debate.  There would be too much at risk for both candidates (at least that’s how they look at it).  Debates in the U.S. do little more than create a few new buzz clips for the evening news within the final few weeks of the election. 

While we might complain about the lack of choice in elections (Dem. vs. Rep.), having only two major parties helps focus us, a nation of infinite backgrounds, into clear and concise side.  Some claim this is partisian and doesn’t help the country.  I tend to agree that flat out fighting does nothing, but nor does constant capitulation of ones ideals.  We are a nation that should not be ashamed to disagree with our neighbors, remember, not all of the colonists wanted to declare independance.  We need to embrace our “percieved” dichotomy (any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts).  Notice, the word percieved, this is important as it relates to the definition of a dichotomy.  We are in fact NOT a dichotomy, but a finely woven poly-cotton blend.  We do at times feel like we are one (a dichotomy)  when election time roles around…because everyone know that perception is reality!

In closing, I hope I have explained my complex political/ideaological mashup.  I am a Libertarian (a party, that bridges both liberal & conservative philosophies focusing on issues that enforce the idea of liberty, freedom and small government).  I consider myself a centrist in my over-arching philosophies (again, under the umbrella of Libertarianism I tend to float down the center, pulling bits of both Liberal & Conservative ideas).

For example, on the issue of gay rights here is my view:  All Americans have rights secured to them by the constitution.  If a man and another man wish to be married, I do not believe the state has any authority to govern these decisions.  I furthermore, don’t believe the state has the authority to govern my decision to marry a woman(By the way, I’m a married guy).  I do not believe that special rights should be granted to people either (hate crimes and other fun legislative things).  Government should provide a framework (in the case of marriages, insure that all parties involved are of a legal age and consenting).

I hope this will also encourage others who haven’t given politics and how it relates to themselves a framework with which to create thier own political identities.

I write this as a response to a blog posted by a friend of mine. I have broken it apart and have responded to each part separatly.  Enjoy!

———————————————————————-

Hmm interesting, I like how you start off claiming not to be an elitist but then by the end of your post you state:

 “If more people would inform themselves, this nation would be so much better off…it all goes back to education, in the end, I suppose.  How much time are you willing to devote to one of the biggest decisions we as a nation must make?  It only takes a little time, but the payoff could be enormous.”

So of course if I do research I will agree with you?  I have done research and I have to say I still do not agree with Obama’s policies. 

I also liked this:

“I know that a lot of people are really excited about Sarah Palin - after all, she is the first female GOP vice presidential candidate, which is exciting. And, I must say, she is a good speaker and can really work a crowd. ”

Sound like some other candidate we know?

I would like to take on the experience issue.  Only a few Presidents have ever come from the Senate successfully.  What is important to note is that McCain has experience that can only come to someone who has been a public servant for 30years plus!  True, neither have executive experience (Which, even in a state like Alaska, Palin has had to make more decisions on a day by day basis than Obama ever has…voting “Present” doesn’t count), but McCain has wisdom from his years of service that Obama just doesn’t have yet. 

Does experience always matter?  Not always, but it doesn’t hurt.

The Bridge issue is soooo a dead issue.  She supported it when the money was being handed over from the Feds and was costing a fraction of the final bill…it was at this point that she pulled support.  Do your research.

She is pro-environment but not wacko like some people (she is a conservationist)

“…and so far my candidate has not relied solely on negative advertising that focuses on lies (can’t really deny the whole “voting with Bush 90% of the time”).”

Umm, forgive me but don’t you watch the Daily Show (which I fear may be the only source of television news for you)…that is a daily Bush/McCain/GOP bash fest.  I can appreciate humor, but Jon Stewart has one joke…and it ends with Bush being stupid or McCain being old.  The reason the negative ads bother you is because on some level they do bring up serious issues about your candidate.  As for voting 90% of time…they are the same party Amanda…Obama has the same record  (% wise) voting with the Dems…not really a big surprise.  Also why do you assume that this is a bad thing?  Are things so bad for you?  Do you have a job?  A Home?  A family?  A future?  I think the answer to all those is yes, you can’t tell me that Bush is the worst president ever (because he isn’t).

  “Maybe now I’m an “elitist” like Obama?  I’m sure that my family would agree with that, as we’re so rich and better than other people (please note the sarcasm).”

Wealth doesn’t equal elitism…a common liberal misconception.

“It all comes down to what you truly believe in.  Does everyone deserve health care, a clean environment, a stable economy, a good education, and many other things?”

I agree, beliefs are important.  Does everyone deserve healthcare?  Well in the sense that there are hospitals and doctors that are available for people to go to then yes.  Should you be expected to pay for said services?  Yes.  Hmm I think the environment is pretty nice right now…I mean haven’t all the past environmental laws helped to improve things?  Education, you can go to a public school or if your parents can afford it you can go private.

“ Do you really believe that drilling offshore will help lower gas prices?  (Look it up - you might be surprised.)  “

I have, while the immediate inventory supply won’t be affected for at least 3 years, the psychological effect on the market would be immediate. If OPEC fears that we will produce more of our own and actually do it, then this will keep their prices in check (basic economics of Supply and Demand)  No one is saying we will be using oil forever, but like most liberals you think the only way to get things to “change” is to not give the American people a choice.  The logic being that people wouldn’t change then…this just isn’t true…I want flying cars Amanda, flying cars…they have to run on a light weight fuel…duh!

“It also comes down to whether you want to vote for a candidate who resorts to lies and propaganda or one who proposes actual plans for their promises.  (I NEVER heard the term “middle-class” uttered in McCain or Palin’s speeches, nor did I hear how they were going to help the economy.) “

Really?  You think any politicians tell the truth all the time?  I hear Obamas plans, and I don’t like them nor will they work in the real world (something Obama would know if he actually spent anytime serving in an office that he was elected to, instead of running for the next position right away)   McCain doesn’t believe in social warfare.  The economy isn’t the job of the president, it is a creature that will do its own thing.  The less government involvement…the better it will be.  The president can only set “tones”.

 “ I heard them talk about Obama’s tax cuts not being as good as McCain’s, when they would actually allow people to bring home more money than McCain’s would.”

On this one, its simple.  Obama will raise taxes on the top 5% earners in the country…why does it make sense to raise taxes on anyone?

  “I also heard them lie and say Obama opposes nuclear energy - which is completely untrue!  Palin has accused Obama of over-using earmarks, but her state received more money in earmarks per capita during her tenure than any other!  (Granted, the population is low, but we’re not supposed to mention that.)”

The nuke issue I cant say much about, I can only speculate that this statement is based on some votes he actually cast while in the Illinois senate maybe?  Can’t really verify that one yet.  Everyone goes to Washington to bring home the bacon, its just when people bring home the whole damn hog that there is a problem.  Obama has sucked up right at billion dollars in pork barrel projects during his time as a sentator (that’s about 1 million for every working day in office)  This year alone he has racked up nearly $97.4 million!  Now, the first number seems high, and indeed it is.  That number includes any and all spending bills that Obama has attached his name too since joining the senate.  Some of the money is for needed things (public transportation upgrades, education grants, etc..)  The point is that these shouldn’t be ear marks if they are this important.  They should be stand alone expenditures that our reps and senators can see and vote on for their own merits.

In closing, I’m glad that you have strong feelings about your candidate, but I hope you truly believe in “the whole package” and not just a couple niche issues.  I look forward to debating the issues sometime outside the personal attack rhetoric that seems to exist in both camps. 

I say good day!

          -Corey

Posted by Sarah

Today was our last day of the chemical portion of the class. That means several things. It means that when I left the hotel room this morning, I left Corey in charge of packing the luggage up and transferring ourselves an hour and a half southwest to Ft Detrick. It also means that we had our Field Training Exercise (FTX). We did this first thing in the morning to try to beat the rain, which failed miserably. Now, I believe I had previously mentioned that I had to carry the heavy bag of gear back to our classroom on Monday and was not looking forward to carrying it back to the FTX site. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to carry the gear back… Oh no, I had to WEAR it. We had to dress out to MOPP II (see picture). We then marched down to the FTX site, which was a blast, let me tell you.

We did manage to beat the rain for the march and the humidity was just delightful. The rain started just a few minutes after we got to the FTX site and about 30 seconds after we stepped up to MOPP IV, which basically consisted of putting on the M40 mask, pulling up my hood and putting on the gloves. The suit was waterproof, so it wasn’t to uncomfortable, just another level of difficulty. They had different stations set up where we practiced decon, triage and treatment while in full MOPP IV gear. Starting an IV and intubating are a whole new experience when you have butyl gloves and an M40 mask on! 3 hours later we finished the exercise and turned our gear in, a fact for which I was tremendously grateful. I can’t tell you the respect I have for the people in uniform who have to do things like what I did today on a regular basis. Weather or not you agree with the war, the men and women in uniform deserve our respect and admiration.

Posted by Sarah

Greetings to me! So this is my first post on our little website here. We will continue to flush things out as we get time but for now I figured I would update on our adventure to Maryland. We have traveled here so that I can attend a couple of classes to prepare me for my new job at the Newport Chemical Depot (or whatever it’s known as now). The first class is Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties (MCBC) and next week I will have Toxic Chemical Training Course (TCTC). Corey came along so I wouldn’t have to sit around all by myself after class for 2 weeks. And I think he thought he might miss me a little bit (:

Today was Day 1 of class. Since this is a course offered by the military and on a military installment, I was fairly certain there would be some military personnel involved, however I didn’t realize I would be the ONLY civilian along. Oh yeah, that’s right… I am the only person out of 60 in that classroom that is not active, retired or reserve military. It sort of makes it difficult to know how I should behave. The information was interesting and I enjoyed the classroom aspect of it. I knew we would be doing a field training exercise at some point, I just wasn’t entirely sure what it would entail. Today we had to get our gear for the exercise. The instructors told us we should make a formation in the parking lot and we would march to the building where the gear was. My only experience with formations was high school marching band, so that was fun! We then marched (and they march fast in the military!) something like a mile into the woods to a building with the stuff. I was given over boots, over garments, gloves, M40 mask, canteen, belt and a duffle bag I could have fit into. After washing the mask and gloves in bleach and trying on the pants that easily weighed 20 pounds, we packed our gear into the duffle bag and began the march BACK to our classroom. I’m fairly certain that I died about halfway back and somehow my body just kept going. I did manage to make it back in time to collapse on the bus back to our hotel. I’m not looking forward to the march BACK to the building where everything came from!

On an unrelated note, check back often. I plan to compile some information and make my virgin entry into the realm of political debate. I have just recently adopted the idea that I should not sit idly by while everyone else airs their political thoughts and theories and imply that those that don’t agree with those thoughts and theories are just un-enlightened. I don’t expect everyone to agree with what I say, but it’s time that I put my feelings out there.