Halloween and The Rise of the Fairies

A little less than a week ago, while volunteering at a street fair and interacting with children, I took an informal and completely unscientific poll of what children planned on being for Halloween. Among the girls "princess" was an expectedly popular answer. But the most popular costume plan was "fairy." One little girl even wanted to be a "dead fairy." Then I heard Barak Obama say his daughter is dressing as an evil fairy for Halloween. Hmmm. Add to that my adult friend who this year attended the Maryland Faerie Festival and devoted the fall to sewing a grown up fairy costume. Something's happening here.

It looks like, yes indeed, in the hearts and minds of little girls enterprising fairies are replacing those pretty princesses. This week a report on NPR's Marketplace discussed a massive marketing plan by Disney to turn fairies into the new must-have dolls, tv shows, books, bags, shirts, etc. Fairies, one of the little girls in the radio report says, have more individuality and hands-on problem solving skills. Okay, the little girl didn't put it exactly like that. But that was her general point. To her fairies were pretty, cool, and full of variety.

So don't be surprised if you see more fairies than princesses at your door tonight. I don't know if its Disney marketing or just a normal shift in preferences, but princesses, the times, they are a changing.

Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

The Soup Diet: Week Two Report

It's not quite Friday yet, but so far it looks like this week's Soup-for-Lunch menu is shaping up this way:

Monday: Creamless Mushroom Soup
Tuesday: Potato and Leek Soup
Wednesday: Adaptable Azteca Soup
Thursday: Spinach and Leek White Bean Soup
Friday: Pumpkin Salsa Soup

The Soup-for-Lunch Diet is going quite well taste-wise. (Waist-wise, I'm not yet seeing any results.) I love mushrooms, so the mushroom soup was a dream. The potato and leek soup was okay. The spinach and leek soup was pretty darn good. This week was my first time working with leeks. They are a slight pain to clean but taste-wise...I think I might have a new favorite vegetable. The Azteca Soup was outstanding as usual. This is a soup I've investigated and worked on ever since a trip to Guanajuato, Mexico where I dined on Suppa Azteca. Upon return to the U.S. I vowed to recreate the soup as closely as possible. Thanks to the canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, I've achieved it. What makes the Azteca Soup "adaptable" is that I brew up a base of pureed onion, tomato, cilantro and chipotle plus chicken broth and then add in tortilla strips, avocado, chicken, beans, fish, etc. depending on what pantry and refrigerator have on hand. This week I adapted it to be a fish soup (avocados are too darn expensive right now). In honor of Halloween I've put Pumpkin Salsa Soup on the menu. It's a new recipe and I'm skeptical, but if the soup turns out scary, it'll still be apropos of the holiday, right?
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Voting in Western PA

During the last presidential election I voted in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, a small town in western Pennsylvania. Western Pennsylvania is under the microscope this election thanks to accusations of racism and a McCain campaign must-win electoral vote strategy.

I thought I'd post on a fond memory of my Pennsylvania voting experience in 2004. At 6pm on a rainy, cold night, I arrived at the small township building that was my assigned polling place and found a parking space among rows of cars and Amish buggies. Inside the polling place I stood amidst a line including a host of Amishmen and women. Indeed, I think the Amish out numbered me and the rest of my "English" kind. Together we stood and waited patiently for the poll workers to find each of our names in the registry. It took a while since the Amish families in the area largely shared the same surnames and were best distinguishable by their addresses. (Also, not every Amish had a driver's license helpfully detailing full name and address information). There were a particularly large amount of Beilers at the polling place. Below is my largely fictionalized re-creation of what happend:

Poll Worker: Name?
Amishman: John Beiler.
Poll Worker: John Amos Beiler? John Ben Beiler? John Daniel Beiler? John Levi Beiler? John Rudy Beiler? John Valentine Beiler?...
Amishman: Just John Beiler. I live on the Bethel Road.
Poll Worker: [running her finger along the list] John Beiler 118 Bethel Road? John Beiler 124 Bethel Road? John Beiler 133 Bethel Road? John Beiler 247 Bethel Road? John Beiler 340 Bethel Road?...
Amishman: No, on the Wilmington side of Bethel.
Poll Worker: Oh, maybe further down here. [running her finger further down the list]. 1370 Bethel Road? 2932 Bethel Road?
Amishman: 4350, down off Joe Lane, first house.
Poll Worker: I have two John Beiler's at that address.
Amishman: That must be my nephew Johnny. He lives at the second house down.

So, yes. The Amish do vote. And I believe they generally vote Republican. I've even seen campaign signs in their yards.

If voting in Pennsylvania intrigues you, I recommend this past weekend's broadcast of This American Life. The radio show took the time over the past two months to travel Pennsylvania and collect stories about the impending election.

Note: there is a real John Beiler. He lives down the road from my parents' house. Don't know why this English is giving a shout-out to an Amish who will never check this blog, but I am!
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

The Soup Diet: Week One Report

This week my roommate and I have endeavored to curb our over-eating by engaging in a self imposed Soup-for-Lunch Diet.

Monday: Red Lentil Soup
Tuesday: Red Lentil Soup
Wednesday: Chocolate Chipotle Chili
Thursday: Carrot & Chickpea Soup
Friday: Frenchless Onion Soup

It is a delicious experiment, which will, (in addition to added gym time) hopefully, yield fruitful awards. If you're wondering about the Frenchless Onion Soup, then, no, it is not a xenophobic political statement. It's French onion soup without the hunk of French bread and gobs of melted cheese...which turns out to be the lowest calorie soup I've ever made. Also, yes, Chocolate Chipotle Chili, tastes as good as it sounds.

So if you have any healthy, broth-based soup suggestions stick them in the comments and I will see if I can add them to next week's Soup-for-Lunch diet.


Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Fly Non-Stop from Alaska to New Zealand!

That's right! Bar-Tailed Godwit Air offers non-stop, free airfare from Alaska to New Zealand! Of course, the flight lasts eight days. There is absolutely no meal service. And checking baggage, while it won't cost you extra, will significantly weigh down your flight time and increase the likelihood of a crash.

Seriously, these birds fly a 7,242 mile migratory path without stopping. You want to learn more about them? Check out this article.
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

A Great State Fair

I have attended county fairs including a particularly large one in Ohio and a decent medium sized one in Maryland. I have attended the Pennsylvania Farm Show. And now I have attended the Texas State Fair and I must admit that in size and scope it trumps them all. (Yes, Mom, even the Farm Show).

County and state fairs are special. They have fried foods, baked goods, craft and baking contests, agricultural exhibits, farm equipment and animals---lots of animals and assorted animal related contests. Fairs also have amusement rides. The Texas State Fair has all these ingredients plus food expos, car expos, and a rivalry football game. And everything they have is bigger than what I’ve seen elsewhere. They even have the biggest attendance. Over 3 million people pour in and out of its gates. To manage the crowd the police sit above the crowds in raised platforms, like lifeguards.

And it’s a lot of fun. Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to have several excellent and experienced fair-going guides shepherd me through the Fair’s many attractions. I thank them deeply. After the jump is a list of my favorite experiences and sights.




Things at the fair:

• Giant Room of Poultry (including several "Silkies").
  
• Chicken Fried Bacon (I didn't eat one, but the concept is fascinating).
• Big Tex (a 52 foot tall talking cowboy whose face is pictured above).
  
• Corn Dogs (I ate one. It was goood).
  
• Elsie the Cow (I saw the actual cow. She was heavily medicated).
  
• Giant Butter Sculpture (of King Tut's tomb).
  
• Pie Baking Contest (must figure out how to become a judge).
  
• Quilts
  
• Longhorn Cattle (real ones, but not Bevo, although he was there that weekend).
  
• Brahman Cows (sorry Hindus, I think the Texans do eat them).
  
• Biscuits and Sausage Gravy (I had this for brunch and it was ya-um-eee!).
  
• The Cotton Bowl (we're #1, we're #1, we're #1).
  
• Giant Sand Sculpture (of ancient Egyptian monuments....the King Tut exhibit has rotated through Dallas. It's obviously gone to their heads).
  
• Burnt Orange (did I mention WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!!!!!!!!)(*)
  

Things not at the fair:

• Potato Donuts: The Pennsylvania Farm Show still has my (and Mom's) favorite fair food.
  
• Giant Vegetables: Amazingly, as far as I could tell, the Texas State Fair lacked a hall of giant vegetables. So, Canfield Fair, you still have my favorite giant squash.
  

When fair season rolls around in your area, go visit a fair. If you've never been, it's more fun than it sounds. If you've been, there's always a new fried food to discover. Thanks again Texas for a great state fair!

(*) I had to make sure and publish this post today since tomorrow night there is an ever so small chance UT will be forced to relinquish their number one ranking. (Hook 'Em Horns! Beat Mizzou!)


Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

What SNL Did Do: Week 4

How did I do?

• Joe the Plumber. They did this. Indeed, they overdid this.
• "Zero, really?"They didn't do this. Instead they joked about tiny unicorns. Tiny unicorns. I'm serious!
• Fiesty, frustrated, fast-blinking McCain. They did the fast-blinking part.
• Teflon Obama phoning it in because he's ahead in the polls. Nope, they didn't even try to make fun of Obama.

The sketch wasn't very good. I think SNL has satire fatigue as well. They should have scrapped the entire debate sketch and just had Amy and Seth do a 20 minute long weekend up date with "Joe the Plumber" or "a plumber" as a guest commentator. The debate sketch was just odd, talking about tiny imaginary people and unicorns. Not funny. Just odd. Meanwhile, the Weekend Update portion was very funny. Hulu clips and a few more thoughts after the jump.

The not so funny debate sketch:

Weekend Update had a funny running gag: Crazy McCain Rally Lady. They based the character off this woman....

...and came up with this humorous rendition.

The best part of the show was a new segment by Seth and Amy called "We Liked It." I liked it too. Watch for Amy's bit about teachers getting paid worse than plumbers. It's my favorite part.


Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

What Will SNL Do: Week 4

One last time of guessing what aspects of the most recent Presidential debate Saturday Night Live will pick on.  SNL is on again tonight at 9:30pm.  My predictions:

• Joe the Plumber.
• "Zero, really?"
• Fiesty, frustrated, fast-blinking McCain.
• Teflon Obama phoning it in because he's ahead in the polls.

And that's all I've got.  I think I have debate satire fatigue.  Thank goodness satire is not my job.  It is this guy's, and if you read the linked article you'll get an idea of how political satire writing at SNL works.  So watch SNL Weekend Update: Thursday tonight.  (Or watch it in the morning on hulu, like I do).  There should be one last, final debate sketch. Watch and see how accurate my meager predictions are.

Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

3rd (and Final) Presidential Debate '08: Enlivening Commentary

The last debate of '08. Join me tonight, 9pm for some pre-debate chatter, some intermittent liveblogging, and some post-debate "analysis." Remember, this is not the end, but just the beginning of intensified mudslinging, pandering, truth-stretching, hoping, changing, reforming, mavericking, etc.

-------------------------------------------------------
Pre Debate Chatter

8:08

Sister T: So it's our last debate night.
SeaBean: It is indeed.
Sister T: Are you sad?
SeaBean: I wonder what else we will have to live blog. Christmas? Ooh, we could do the Macy Day's Parade!!
Sister T: I won't be here.
SeaBean: I won't be here either.
Sister T: I'll be cooking.
SeaBean: So will I.
Sister T:   But because I'll be cooking....
SeaBean:   You won't be able to blog, I know.
Sister T:  I never watch the parade anymore, I'm usually helping mom at the stove.
SeaBean:  My favorite part of the parade is the giant Snoopy balloon.
Sister T:   I like Charlie Browm balloon.
SeaBean:   Heh, he has a huge head.

Sister T: Are we still calling StichtWiggler StitchWiggler?
SeaBean: Sure.
Sister T: But she doesn't have stiches anymore.
SeaBean: But she did, and she still has a very soft shaved bottom from the stitch/surgery incident. Do you wan't to call her fuzz butt?
Sister T: No, that would be cruel.

Sister T: Okay last time I'll ask: what are you expecting or looking forward to tonight?
SeaBean: Scintillating oratory. But we won't get that because, being educated and erudite is looked down on. When did that happen? When did the Republicans switch from being Lincoln-esque educated and eloquent? How did it happen?
Sister T: The Great Depression?
SeaBean: That's just depressing.
Sister T: Well, we might have another one soon.

SeaBean: Why is being smart a bad thing?
Sister T: Why don't you ask Sarah Palin?
SeaBean: I can't. She wouldn't understand the multi-syllable words coming out of my mouth.
Sister T: First of all, she wouldn't even talk to you because you don't work for Fox or conservative talk radio.
SeaBean: It's this school yard crap of mocking the smart people.
Sister T: I think you're projecting.
SeaBean: Probably.


-------------------------------------------------
Live Blogging

9:00 We are on. The last debate starts soon. The candidates will be sitting at a table and the moderator is Bob Schieffer from CBS news. (Hah. ABC news got cut-out of the debate moderating duties)

SeaBean: What part of Alabama is he [Bob Schieffer] from?
Sister T: He's from Austin and Ft. Worth, Texas.
SeaBean: I was close enough.

9:02 First Question: Why is your economic survival plan better than his?

9:04 McCain blames the financial crisis on Fannie and Freddie and home ownership issues. He wants to buy up home mortgages.

SeaBean: You call yourself a Republican, McCain?

9:05 Obama answers and says middle class. Drink!

Sister T: SeaBean, you can't drink tonight.
[SeaBean is recovering from shoulder surgery and is presently easing into the pain-free haze of bliss thanks to the Vicodin pill she just took]
SeaBean: No, but I can snuggle with my puppy StitchWiggler.
StitchWiggler: [grunts in agreement]

9:07 Obama wants to buy up mortgages too but he will renegotiate them first.

9:07 McCain goes on the attack using some dude named Joe Wurzelburger (fact checkers working on that as we speak) and the "higher tax argument" for small business owners like Joe who is a plumber.

9:09 Obama defends and explains his tax plan AGAIN but thankfully for my ears, for the last time.

Sister T: Strange that no matter how many times Obama explains his tax plan, McCain and the American public never seem to "get it."

9:11 Still talking about Joe the Plumber.

Sister T: Joe the Plumber should be our new drinking game.
SeaBean: Umm-hmm
Sister T: Dude, if we were actually drinking to Joe the Plumber, we'd be soooo drunk. Actually, you'd be drunk and high.
SeaBean: Oh, man I'd be catonic. I'd need my stomach pumped.
Sister T: I think you're safe now. They seem to be done talking about Joe the Plumber. I bet Joe the Plumber shows up on SNL.
SeaBean: Heh. He probably will.

9:13 Deficit question from Schieffer: "Aren't you ignoring reality...what will you [specifically] cut back?"

Sister T: Betcha they won't mention anything specific.

9:15 Obama will eliminate programs that "don't work" but doesn't mention which specific programs "don't work." He thinks he's so smart, I'm onto him.

Sister T: Obama just used a three syllable word.
SeaBean: My God, how will the American people understand him?

9:16 McCain attempts to pull a Sarah Palin and not answer the question by returning to his home mortgage talking point. Schieffer calls him on it and won't let him get away with it. AWESOME SHCIEFFER. But then McCain starts talking about energy. Seriously, has he been practicing with Palin?

9:19 McCain talks about an earmark for that "overhead projector" in a Chicago planetarium. Shut up about the overhead projector already. I like planetariums.

9:20 Schieffer: "Can you balance the budget in three years?" McCain: "Sure I can." McCain must have magical powers. And he talks directly to Obama with a great shot: "If you wanted to run against Bush, you should have run four years ago."

9:22 Obama has a pretty good comeback to McCain, parrying the Bush shot, deflecting it to the accusation that on the economy McCain's policies are the same as Bush. He must have practiced that for each debate and been holding it in his back pocket.

9:24 Schieffer asks about the negative tone of their campaigns. He challenges each candidate to repeat the negative attacks to each other's face.

9:25 McCain blames Obama for the negative tone because he refused to do town halls with him........he DOES NOT mention Ayers. Chicken!!! (Smart chicken).

9:27 McCain gets in some good and justifiable digs at Obama for not following through on his Campaign Finance promises.

9:28 Obama's response so far is kind of weak. Though he does shoot down the town hall argument as being ridiculous. Mostly he talks about how they should be talking about the economy (effectively not answering Schieffer's question).

9:30 "Joe the Plumber" rears his head again. Drink!

9:31 Is Obama intentionally not saying Sarah Palin's name? He only refers to her as "your running mate."

9:33 McCain is trapped into defending the people at his rallies. He's speaking to his base, not the independents and soft Obama supporters he needs to reach tonight.

9:35 McCain alludes to Ayers, mentions ACORN and voter fraud in the same sentence (which is MISLEADING. ACORN is charged with voter registration fraud not voter fraud, there is a HUGE difference).

9:37 Obama gives a direct answer about Ayers. I suspect conservative Republicans will still be dissatisfied and claim to "not know who Obama is."

9:38 Obama lists his good associates. It's a decent come-back.

9:39 McCain's still talking about Ayers and ACORN. (stupid! independent voters don't care.)

9:40 Schieffer, thankfully, moves on to a new question: "Why will the country be better off if your running mate becomes vice president?"

9:41 I could tell you what Obama says about Biden, but I know you only want to hear what each of them say about Sarah Palin.

9:44 Schieffer asks Obama if he thinks Palin is qualified to be VP. Obama diplomatically says it's up to the American people. (smooth and safe).

9:46 Schieffer asks about energy. He asks for a specific number of how much the country will reduce foreign oil imports during their first term.

9:47 McCain does not give him a number. He mis-answers the question by saying in 10 years we will be less dependent on foreign oil.

9:49 Obama also mis-answers the question by saying 10 years. Schieffer lets it go.

Sister T: Obama's still doing better with speaking directly to the camera.
SeaBean: [Does not answer, she went to bed, Vicodin fully kicked in].
Sister T: I miss my debate buddy. sniff. sniff.

9:52 McCain accuses Obama of not understanding relations between the U.S. and Columbia because he's never travelled south of the border. Would it help if Obama lived near the border? I hear that works well for Sarah Palin.

9:54 Obama says "actually I do understand Columbia" and then talks about some miniscule Columbia-relations detail. It comes off as effective.

9:56 Schieffer is bored with the trade topic. He switches to Health Care. This is in Obama's wheelhouse, so he is off and running, explaining his health care plan AGAIN. Are you listening America? He's repeating this for like the 10th time.

9:58 This is not in McCain's wheelhouse, he's off to a slow start...building steam...rattling off needed programs...then "Joe the Plumber" comes back. DRINK!

10:00 Heh. Obama speaks into the camera directly to "Joe" telling him he will pay Zero? "Zero, really?" says McCain, sounding like an infomercial. "Yes, really John, Joe pays zero," I imagine Obama retorting "for just three low installments of $9.99, Joe can pay zero."

10:03 Now, McCain talks directly to the camera and "Joe." Boy, I picked the right drinking game tonight.

10:05 Heh. McCain has a nice Freudian slip. He calls Obama "Senator Government." :-)

10:06 Schieffer asks about SCOTUS [SCOTUS = my shorthand for Supreme Court of the United States] appointments and Roe v. Wade. McCain thinks Roe v. Wade is a bad decision, it should be left to the states (a position I just don't understand. legislating abortion affects Constitutional rights and thus challenges to state laws are appealable to SCOTUS, so it will always have a chance of coming to SCOTUS). McCain will not apply a litmus test to judges, but will only appoint strict contructionists...not that that's a litmus test...and then he talks about voting for Ginsberg and Breyer who are definitely NOT strict constructionists.

10:08 Obama also doesn't like litmus tests. He also makes my point about how abortion is simply not an issue that can be confined on a state by state basis. He also pulls out the Ledbetter case (suing for women's equal pay under Title VII). Obama's trying to rope in and solidify his female supporters.

10:11 McCain attacks Obama's Illinois voting record on abortion.

10:12 Obama defends the attacks. Obama segues into the "common ground" language from his convention speech on preventing unintended pregnancies. He said it prettier in his speech, but I still appreciate and applaud the sentiment.

10:15 McCain insults Obama's eloquence again. McCain evidently doesn't like three syllable words.

10:16 Schieffer asks the last question. It's on education.

10:17 Obama talks about spending more money and reforming education. Gee, I'd like to have his optimistic bottomless pockets.

10:18 McCain says education "is the civil rights issue of the this century." This is also language swiped from his convention speech, and I still don't get what he's talking about.

10:19 McCain talks about charter schools and having uncertified military teachers. Seriously, he advocates having uncertified teachers. I'll have to look into this "troops to teachers" program.

10:24 McCain keeps mentioning Sarah Palin and autism. Does baby Trig have autism too?

10:27 McCain gives a closing statement. Will he mention his good friend "Joe the Plumber." I don't think he did. What up? No love for "Joe" in your closing, Senator?

10:29 Obama closing statement: "Our brighter days are still ahead, but..." Yeah, yeah, we've heard this before. Will you say good night to "Joe"? No? No free plumbing for you.

10:31 Schieffer signs off with something his mama always said: "Go vote now, it'll make you feel big and strong." Heh.

10:32 It's over. Done. Stick forks in it. No more debates in '08. Like Schieffer just said. GO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!

--------------------------------------------------
Thank you, thank you, all who have read this far. Debate commentary and live blogging is over for 2008. Hope you enjoyed it. Once again, thanks to SeaBean and StitchWiggler. I wish them the best in their respective surgical recoveries. Each are in a blissful sleep right now, and that's where I'll be headed shortly as well. Thanks again for reading. Comments of any type are always welcome.



Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Political Fashion Analysis

On the Newsweek website I found this fascinating article examining the differences in how McCain and Obama wear their ties. Obama wears a slightly casual four-in-hand knot. McCain wears a classic, more complex Windsor knot. The article goes into entertaining detail about the motivations behind the differences.

Note, I have no idea if the above picture reflects those particular knots. I'm a single girl. I know nothing about men's neckwear. I'm also not a sailor, so visually identifying the differences between knots is beyond me.
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Canada Wins!

The election results are in and the winner is......(find out after the jump)



The Conservatives! They didn't get the majority government they wanted (falling 12 seats short), but considering how hard and heavy the economic crisis came at the end of their strategically early election, I think, that as the incumbent party, they still have to be sighing relief. All they have to do is look south at McCain attempting to find traction amid slipping polls and be happy that they didn't get swept in the tidal wave of economic woes dragging down the U.S. incumbent party. Plus, even though they didn't win a majority of the seats in Parliament, they won more seats than last time.

The Conservative win likely spells bad news for the environmentally minded. The Liberals' touted Green Shift wll have to, well, "shift" as they say in Canada's mother land. Also, the Green Party won zero seats.

Finally, voter turn out was low.....for Canada. They got 60% turnout. Let's see if we in the U.S. can come close to 60% this year.

So one election down, and three weeks to go before the big U.S. election. Are you ready?

Here's one last Canada fun fact to tide you over: An electoral district in Canada is called a riding.  Again, who knew!

Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Canada Votes! Who Knew?

Are you getting a little bored with the U.S. Presidential Election? Debates making you sleepy? Negative ads getting repetitive? The drama gone now that Obama is widening his vote margin in the polls? Or are you just looking for A CHANGE? Fear not, and look to the North! where there is another election ripe for drama and your attention. It's got three more major candidates than we have. It's got Liberals. It's got Conservatives. It's got Greens. It's got Canadian French. It's got newer Democrats.

And it's TODAY!

Canada chooses a Prime Minister today. Who knew! What with following the presidential election for over a year now, I forgot to pay attention to Canada which has been holding a national election campaign for the past month. (Hmmm. A one month long national election campaign. I bet it's cheaper when you do it that way. But probably less fun.) So if you have trouble waiting three more Tuesdays to see some election results, take a break and live vicariously through our northern neighbors. (Especially recommended for Republican/McCain supporters because polling shows the Canadian Conservative party eking out a win over the Liberal party). More fun Canadian Federal Election facts when you click through.....



Thanks to wikipedia, I learned that Canada held two Federal Election debates for this election. One in English and one in French...which blows my narrow little American mind. Bilingual debates! We demand so little of our presidential candidates.

I also learned that the Environment is a HUGE issue in the election, and is a very important issue to Canadians. They are so wacky up there. The issue even has it's own name: The Green Shift. Sounds like a sidekick to the Green Lantern.

By the way, if you never had or have (like me) somewhat forgotten any lesson on comparative politics, Canada has a Parliamentary form of government, which means they don't have a President like we do. They essentially elect party leaders who, if their party gets more votes than any of the other parties, becomes Prime Minister. So that's why their elections are pretty much completely different (and dramatically shorter) than ours.

For Canadian Federal Election Campaign Coverage, check out these Canadian newspapers:

• The Globe and Mail. (Includes polling updates in the bottom right corner.)
• The National Post. (Note that they also provide special coverage of the U.S. Election--We rule the world!!)
• The Star.

Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Sarah, you are not alone.

Sarah, meet Stephane, he feels your pain. A few weeks ago you suffered through a poor interview experience with Katie Couric. For consolation, Sarah, check out Canadian Prime Minister hopeful Stephane Dion. He badly, badly flubbed an interview on Canadian television. The interviewer had to repeat to him three times a question about the economic crisis.

But it looks like one of his opponents, Stephen Harper, and the rest of his Conservative party overdid their glee at Dion's flub. And now there is a backlash of Canadian opinion against Harper for having too much Schadenfreude. This is the problem with shorter elections in Canada. Less practice. When Sarah flubbed, Obama knew to ignore it and let the Pundits and SNL express the Schadenfreude glee.

So, Sarah, take heart, there are a lot of politicians giving inept answers all over this glorious continent!
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

What SNL Did Do: Week 3

So how did I do?

• Tom Brokaw acting pissy because the Senators won't follow the time rules. Oh yeah, they did that, but I thought the Tom Brokaw portrayal could have been pissier.
• Tom Brokaw acting pissy because the Senators won't follow the flashing lights. They didn't add the flashing lights element. I think the set was too small for that to work.
• Tom Brokaw acting pissy because the Senators got in the way of his teleprompter. They did this. And they did it very well.
• McCain pacing haphazardly in the background. And in the foreground. They did it very well.
• McCain laughing at his own jokes but no one else does. They didn't do this. They did the "that one" joke instead. I thought they wouldn't go after the "that one" joke because of the racial undertones but they attacked the joke appropriately and made it about McCain's antipathy towards Obama. Well done SNL.
• McCain mentioning the overhead projector. Nope. They didn't do this.
• Obama straight arming McCain when he tries to interrupt Obama. Didn't do this either.
• Obama telling Brokaw off and following whatever time rules he pleases. Nope.

The best joke, other than a wandering McCain was the "What will you do to ensure the Cubs never lose the pennant series again" question. They still can't find a way to make fun of Obama...just the negative attacks against him, i.e., "I can say Ayers is my best friend because I'm ahead in the polls." But it still wasn't that funny, more amusing than funny. And what was with the "I was abducted by aliens joke?" Anyway. Thats my scorecard for this week. If you want a better idea of what I'm talking about, click through and watch the sketch via hulu.





Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

What Will SNL Do: Week 3

This week Saturday Night Live gets an earlier shot at mocking the most recent Presidential Debate. For the month of October SNL is going "prime time" on Thursdays. Thursday SNL premiers tonight at 9:30 EST. Will they mock Tuesday's Presidential Debate? I hope so. Here are my guesses.

• Tom Brokaw acting pissy because the Senators won't follow the time rules.
  
• Tom Brokaw acting pissy because the Senators won't follow the flashing lights.
  
• Tom Brokaw acting pissy because the Senators got in the way of his teleprompter.
  
• McCain pacing haphazardly in the background.
  
• McCain laughing at his own jokes but no one else does.
• McCain mentioning the overhead projector.
• Obama straight arming McCain when he tries to interrupt Obama. 
• Obama telling Brokaw off and following whatever time rules he pleases.

And that's pretty much it. As you can see from my guesses, I thought the funniest part of the debate was Tom Brokaw's bad mood, and I'm still having a hard time poking fun at Obama's performance.  The dude just plays it too cool and safe.  Maybe SNL could mock that by having Obama come out wearing sun glasses, have him sit glamorously on his stool with his legs akimbo and then rise and swagger when he answers a question.  We'll see what Saturday Night Live does with it, if they do anything. And we'll also see what "prime time" SNL is all about.
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Dukakis Still Looks Like My Dad...

...and it still freaks me out. My Dad's not even Greek. My Dad's not even a Democrat. My Dad voted for HW Bush...emphatically. Yet, Dukakis is my Dad's Doppelgaenger (except my dad's nose is thinner and my dad is better looking).

Seriously, that's a picture of Michael Dukakis, not my father.
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Search and Rewatch the Debate

Here's a nifty online tool from the New York Times. They have cleverly arranged it so that you can search for a word or phrase, a particular moment, a particular question, etc. from both the first and second Presidential Debate scripts and then immediately view that portion of the debate. It's great. Especially if you missed something that everyone is talking about. (For example, a search of "hair transplants" reveals McCain talking at minute 51:20).

Check it out here!

Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

2nd Presidential Debate '08: Enlivening Commentary

It's the second round of McCain vs. Obama. While there will be no live blogging tonight, there will be pre-debate chatter, and possibly, if all parties are still awake and functioning, post-debate analysis(*). Back joining me this evening will be SeaBean accompanied by StitchWiggler. And as a special enticement for you to read, we will have a SPECIAL MYSTERY GUEST joining us. Who? you ask. Click through around 9pm tonight and you'll find out.

(*)Using the term "analysis" in its loosest sense.
-----------------------------------------------------------
This is a "Town Hall" debate so it'll look a little different tonight.
The Rules:

• The questions will be culled from a group of 100 to 150 uncommitted likely voters in the audience and another one-third to come via the Internet. Brokaw selects which questions to ask from written queries submitted prior to the debate.
  
• The Gallup Organization makes sure the questioners reflect the demographic makeup of the nation.
• An audience member isn’t allowed to switch questions and will not be allowed a follow-up either. His or her microphone will be turned off after the question is read and a camera shot will only be shown of the person asking — not reacting.
• The moderator, Tom Brokaw, may not ask followups or make comments.
• McCain and Obama will be provided with director’s chairs, but they’re also allowed to stand. They can’t roam past their “designated area” marked on the stage and are not supposed to ask each other direct questions.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Debate Chatter

8:01pm
Sister T: It's just me and StitchWiggler right now. SeaBean and THE SPECIAL MYSTERY GUEST are delayed on urgent shopping business. The debate won't start for an hour, but I've got PBS on all the same. The show NOVA is on. The theme is Arctic Dinosaurs...in case you are interested.

8:13
Sister T: StitchWigger, what are your expectations for tonight's Town Hall debate?
StitchWiggler: [utter silence]
Sister T: Yep, I'm just no good at holding a conversation with a dog. I'm much more of a cat person.

8:35
Sister T: SeaBean and THE SPECIAL MYSTERY GUEST have arrived.
SeaBean: We have arrived!
Sister T: Would you like the honor of introducing THE SPECIAL MYSTERY GUEST?
SeaBean: Why yes, I'd be honored. Our special guest is MamaBaer, spelled that way because of her ties to Germany, even though she isn't German.
MamaBaer: Auntie Lulu says I'm German, she introduces me as her German Sister.
Sister T: MamaBaer is SeaBean's mama.
SeaBean: Uh-huh.

8:40.
Sister T: What are you looking for in tonight's debate?
SeaBean: I want to see how Obama does without a teleprompter.
Sister T: He didn't use a teleprompter in the last debate.
SeaBean: I didn't see it.
Sister T: This debate is a Town Hall hall so he'll have to move around and not use a teleprompter.
MamaBaer: You didn't watch the fist debate?
SeaBean: No. I am a horrible American.
MamaBear: Did you watch the VP debate?
SeaBean: Yep. But it was on a Thursday when lots of people watch.
Sister T: Did we ever watch it! You should read the blog.

8:43
SeaBean: Ugh! The discussions this week at work have been outrageous. Because I don't care for Sarah Palin, at work they automatically think I'm pro Hillary.
MamaBaer: That's a stupid implication.
Sister T: I think the important question is who StitchWiggler would vote for.
SeaBean: PDS.
MamaBaer: PDS?
SeaBean: StitchWiggler is a socialist, she keeps me honest.

8:45
Sister T: What's the biggest way anybody could screw up tonight?
SeaBean: Someone could trip and fall on a cattle prod and electrocute himself.
MamaBaer: That's very far fetched.
SeaBean: Well, it's the very worst screw up I can think of.

8:46
MamaBaer: I got my Florida absentee ballot and there are 10 people running for president. I like getting the absentee ballot so I can get a good picture of the issues.
SeaBean: Do people ever ask you your opinion while you are working polls?
MamaBaer: They do, but I am not allowed to answer them. I just smile and nod so they think I'm agreeing with them.
SeaBean: Have you ever witnessed a poll worker giving an opinion?
MamaBaer: No.
SeaBean: Would you have to report it?
MamaBaer: Not as far as I know.

8:47
SeaBean: So as a poll worker what do you do?
MamaBaer: I stuff the ballot box.
SeaBean: So you stick it in?
MamaBaer: Oh no, everything is private and secret

[detailed discussion of balloting measures]

SeaBean: So when you stuff the ballot box what do you mean?
MamaBaer: I lied. I just thought it would be cool to say that.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Quasi Live-Blogging
I reinstituted the live blogging because other than a buying-up-home-mortgages plan by John McCain and an expand-the-peace-corps plan by Barak Obama neither candidate said anything new and it turned out I really didn't need to pay that close attention.

9:29 McCain talks about cutting defense spending by getting rid of government contractors. SeaBean is a defense contractor.

SeaBean: Nooooooo. My job!!!!

9:33 Obama talks about expanding the Peace Corps across the country.

SeaBean: He's talking about creating the CCC again.
Sister T: McCain keeps pacing around back there. He's making me nervous. Like a caged tiger.

9:35 Obama does some nuanced talking about scalpels and hatchets, the audience's eyes glaze over.

9:35 McCain accuses Obama of being Herbert Hoover and of encouraging protectionism because he will raise taxes.......I'm not following that logic.

9:37 McCain talks about his tax breaks for middle class families with children.

SeaBean: What about those in the middle class who don't have children?

9:38: Obama: "the straight talk express lost a wheel on that one"

9:39: Obama explains his tax plan in detail.....eyes glaze over.

9:40: McCain thinks fixing social security is easy. He claims it's been done before.

Sister T: If it got fixed before why do we need to fix it again?
MamaBaer: It was a bandaid.

9:42 Moderator, Tom Brokaw, is getting quite pissy about the Senators not sticking to the alloted time rules.

9:43 McCain answers a question about the environment. As bad as the economic/financial crisis is, an environment question is, nonetheless, a breath of fresh air.

MamaBaer: Hah, he forgot her [the question asker's] name.
Sister T: What was it?
MamaBaer: Ingrid.
Sister T: Pretty name. I think McCain is just throwing out eco-friendly words.
MamaBaer: Could be.
Sister T: I think we should change up the drinking game to every time you hear a loose metaphor.
SeaBean: Or simile.
Sister T: Brokaw is sooo upset.

9:47: Brokaw lectures them about following the green, yellow, red time lights.

9:48: McCain talks about funding research and development. SeaBean is still upset he talked about eliminating her job....which is government defense contract funded research and development.

9:50 Discussion turns back to Health Care.

Sister T: What is McCain doing back there? He keeps walking around and smiling at the group of people around them. Maybe he's winking at the crowd like Sarah Palin. The winking worked well for her.

9:51 Obama still droning on about Health Care.

9:52 Red light, Red light. Obama should stop. He's not. Brokaw is probably freaking out.

9:53 The digital signal bleeps in and out on the TV screen.

Sister T: Damn digital TV!

9:53 McCain talks about putting medical records online.

SeaBean: That's a terrible idea. It works horribly for the military.
MamBaer: I agree.

Disclosure: MamaBaer is an Army wife and SeaBean is an Army brat. They know the benefits and the pitfalls of federally funded health care.

9:54 McCain talks about getting hair plugs...as a joke...that no one laughs at. Was that a Joe Biden dig?

9:55 Question from Brokaw: is health care a right, priviledge or responsibility. McCain says responsibility, but I sort of think that when he elaborates on what he means by responsibility he ends up defining health care as a right.

9:56 Obama says it is a right.

9:57 Obama basically throws out the debate rules, tells Brokaw to shove off and just starts talking. (He doesn't do it as rudely as I make it sound).

Sister T: McCain is up and walking around again!
MamaBaer: Probably because Obama's got a red light.

10:00 Debate questions turn to national security.

10:01 McCain: "we don't have time for on the job training"

Sister T: [cough!] Sarah Palin [cough!]

10:02 Obama brings the national security talk back to the economy. Smart move.

10:04 Brokaw asks about the use of troops and force in humanitarian interventions. Obama answers that by talking about a "moral interest" in international conflicts. McCain doesn't answer the question.

10:06 Obama sits patiently while McCain talks. He looks more calm and relaxed in contrast to McCain's pacing. This could be a problem for McCain.

Sister T: So does McCain support human intervention or not?
MamaBaer: He supports thinking about it and not being a hot head.

10:09 Audience member "Katie" asks Obama about cross-border raids into Pakistan.

MamaBaer: A little too late for that question. [Bush is doing that right now]

10:15 McCain says "bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran" was just a joke. I don't think Iran's laughing.

10:16 Brokaw: "if either of you becomes president...as one of you will"

10:19 McCain doesn't think there will be another cold war with Russia, and he really, really, really doesn't like Putin.

MamaBaer: Wasn't this supposed to be a one minute question?
Sister T: The rules have sort of been thrown out the window at this point.

Sister T: Putin's name makes me think of turkey in German. [Disclosure: "puten" is a word used to refer to Turkey meat in Germany]
SeaBean: Me too.
MamaBaer: Hah. All I think of is "rootin' tootin' putin"

10:24 Brokaw asks if Russia will become an evil empire.

SeaBean: very Rage Against the Machine.
Sister T: very Star Wars.

10:25 Finally, an Iran question about what to do if Isreal and Iran got into a war.

10:26 McCain won't wait for that pesky UN Security Council. He'll go all in.

Sister T: what about speaking softly? he's skipping right ahead to the stick.

10:29 Last question from some internet user in New Hampshire: What don't you know and how will you learn it. Obama makes a joke about marriage and talks seriously about unexpected challenges and then talks about "hope" and "change" stuff not related to the question.

10:32 McCain gives an equally lame answer. He doesn't know what all of us don't know. He talks about unprecedented challenges in areas we don't even recognize on the map.

MamaBaer: That's because there's not enough [geography] education in this country.

10:33 It's over. Two down, one more to go. But before he closes, Brokaw gets pissy with the Senators for blocking his sightline to the teleprompter.

---------------------------------------------------------
Post Debate Analysis

Not much analysis here. We're too tired I guess. Thanks for reading. Come back for the next debate where there will be more chatter and some more attempts at live blogging. Special thanks to MamaBaer for her input and insight. And no thanks to StitchWiggler who slept through the whole thing. Humpf!



Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Financial Crisis's European Vacation

As you might have noticed, several U.S. lenders and insurers have fallen recently. Turns out those falls affected some failures in Germany and Belgium, some worries for the entire EU, an end to Ireland's fiancial boom and, oh yeah, Iceland is almost down for the count. What's next in this financial cascade, could we bring down the Euro?

International Economics is a vague, hazy, relatively not unpleasant memory sunk in the "undergraduate file" of my brain. From what I remember, I know I liked the idea of an inter-connected economic world, but I think my professors did a poor job of impressing upon me that: there is a downside. If you can handle a few economic equations, check this out

Paul Krugman: The International Finance Multiplier (a.k.a. Today We Are All Brazilians)

It'll give you an idea of why the world is financially falling apart.  Or you can just watch the National Lampoon's European Vacation above. Same idea, just in amusing pictures.

Click through for more thoughts....


History professors, however, did impress upon me the Peter Pan/Battlestar Gallactica notion of "all of this has happened before and it will happen again." So I'm keeping up with the economic changes to see if they will affect the same political changes of the past...or better yet if we have learned and are able to avoid or mitigate the political consequences of the past.

Readers who actually know something about economics, feel free to chirp in in comments or privately. Directions to good blogs, articles or thoughts are always appreciated.


Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Same Plot Device, Different Show

I watch Doctor Who. This Spring and Summer the BBC aired several episodes. One episode, Silence in The Library, introduced a type of thought communication called ghosting. Another episode, Midnight, introduced an unexplained being who read and repeated your thoughts while and even before you could say them.

I've been watching Fringe. This Fall Fox has aired several episodes. One episode, The Ghost Network, "introduced" a thought communication network called ghosting. Another Episode, The Arrival, "introduced" an unexplained being who read and repeated your thoughts while and even before you could say them.

Get my point? Odd coincidence? Theft? Great minds think alike? These plot devices have been around a while? Any shows you watch seemingly steal plot devices from each other?
Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

What SNL Did Do: Week 2

The accuracy of my predictions:

• "I've only been doing this for five weeks!" Completely wrong. They didn't do this one.
• "Doggone it." Oddly, I was wrong about this too. I think Tina Fey said "Gosh darn it" instead.
• Refusal by Palin to answer the question asked. They did this MULTIPLE times.
• Instead of answering a question Palin talks about energy policy or Alaska. They did this but she talked about being a maverick instead of energy or Alaska
• Palin blatantly winks at and poses for the camera. They did this the entire time.
• Palin's answer on global warming. They did this too.
• Both Palin and Biden's answers on the rights of homosexual couples. And they did this one.

Looks like I did a lot better this week with my predictions. Tina Fey found plenty of material to use in mockery of Sarah Palin. And I was pleasantly surprised at how SNL managed to hilariously mock Joe Biden as well. His "I love John McCain, but he's a raging lunatic" comments and his "Scranton, PA is a cesspool" rant had me laughing. As usual, SNL was hardest on the media: mocking them for grading Sarah Palin on a super-generous curve, mocking moderator Gwen Ifill for asking no substantive follow-up questions, and by poking fun at Palin, mocking the media for daring to suggest it couldn't be done anymore. It was an funny sketch. Click through to watch it.


If you notice at the end, SNL also pokes a little fun at me and the drinking games I play during speeches and debates. I just have to say though, Tina Faux Palin, I gave up on the "maverick" drinking game, it's just too easy. "Reform" was Thursday night's drinking game.

For regular readers, stay tuned on Tuesday night for the next Presidential debate. There will be no live blogging but if they have the time, SeaBean and StitchWiggler will be back for pre-Debate and maybe even post-Debate chatter. And we'll have a SPECIAL MYSTERY GUEST AS WELL. Stay tuned.......


Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

What Will SNL Do: Week 2

Time to play this weekend's guess-what-SNL-will-mock game. The consensus from newspapers and pundits I read and heard after the VP debate was that Sarah Palin came across as competent and did not give late night or Tina Fey much to work with tonight. I, unlike the pundits, do not underestimate the fearsome talent that is Tina Fey!

Watch for:

• "I've only been doing this for five weeks!"
• "Doggone it"
• Refusal by Palin to answer the question asked
• Instead of ansering a question Palin talks about energy policy or Alaska
• Palin blatantly winks at and poses for the camera
• Palin's answer on global warming
• Both Palin and Biden's answers on the rights of homosexual couples

This post isn't meant to be a dig at Palin, more of a defense of Tina Fey. Pundits, you underestimate her and the political comedy writers at Saturday Night Live. You forget that competent and even highly intelligent politicians can be regularly lampooned late at night. Sarah Palin cleared a very low bar Thursday night, which in and of itself can be mocked. What with the media throwing down the gauntlet this week saying "late night jokes could cease,"and "Tina Fey's job just got harder," Tina Fey will come out swinging tonight. Check back to see how accurate I am.

Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

March of the Penguins...to Brazil?

Did you watch the movie March of the Penguins? Did you adore that movie? Did you want a penguin of your own? I looked into it. Owning any single penguin as a pet in the United States is expensive and pretty darn inhumane. Well, it looks like if I were to move to coastal Brazil I could live in temperate paradise AND be visited by Magellanic penguins:

From his lifeguard post on Copacabana beach, Capt. Rodrigo Maia has watched dumbfounded as the little swimming footballs waddle to the sand amid bronzed surfers and bikini-clad women.

That quote is from this article, which reports that the little guys are washing up on Brazilian shores in growing numbers. The cause is unknown. Climate Change is always suspected, but the sudden surge in penguin visitors hints at a more immediate cause like ocean currents and hurricanes. Read the article, you'll see. Meantime, I'm going to go research time share opportunities for beach houses in Brazil.

Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!

Vice Presidential Debate '08: Liveblogging

It's baaaack. Political live blogging. This Thursday night and this Thursday night only the perfect storm of conditions (a wireless connection and clear television broadcast transmission) conspire to allow me to blog for you. I hope to be ably assisted by my roommate and her little dog too, who will each no doubt invent clever monikers for themselves (much cleverer than SisterT). Thursday night 9:00PM EST. See you then.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Expectations Game
Wall Street Journal: Palin Proved to Be Formidable Foe in Alaska Debates
New York Times: Though an Experienced Debater, Biden Is Often Tripped Up by Spontaneity

Best pre-debate Summation of Tonight's Expectations and Implications
The Veep Debate: That's Entertainment!

How They Match Up
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-debate Chatter

8:07
Sister T: Welcome. We're starting early so that I can make proper introductions. Welcome special guests. Will you introduce yourself?
SeaBean: I am SeaBean and this is my little dog the StitchWiggler.
Sister T: Welcome. Does StitchWiggler have a particular politcal affiliation?
SeaBean: Yes. She's a socialist. She believes in equal access to kibble and chew toys.
Sister T: Especially tennis balls, I know. How do you two feel about Sarah Palin?
SeaBean: She needs more prep work. And I have now started investing in Aquanet the hairspray.
Sister T: So you like the bee hive?
SeaBean: Modified French Twist bubble flip! It's very corporate.
Sister T: How long do you think it takes her every night to wash the hairspray out?
SeaBean: It's not so much a question of washing out, as I remember from my mohawk days. I worry about the teasing. I think there is a paper towel holder in there holding it up.
Sister T: What do you think of Joe Biden? "Who?" is an acceptable answer.
SeaBean: Well if Roosevelt and the TV were around in 1929 I might respect him....
Sister T: Do you realize that when FDR did finally address the US on TV in 1939, John McCain was alive?
SeaBean: Wow.
Sister T: He was three.
SeaBean: He is old enough to be our grandpa twice over!
Sister T: Did you know he has a biological daughter who is younger than we are?
SeaBean: Eew. That's gross. Eew. Eew. Eew.


8:23
Sister T: What do you think Sarah Palin will be wearing this evening?
SeaBean: Skirt suit, pantyhose, heels, lipstick (naturally) and her signature Tina Fey glasses.
Sister T: She doesn't wear pantyhose.
SeaBean: Oh, she wears pantyhose.
Sister T: I've never seen her wear pantyhose.
SeaBean: Trust me she's wearing pantyhose.
Sister T: What makes you think so?
SeaBean: She's of that age. All the women who ever read "How a Woman Should Dress for Success" in the 70's (by the way written by a man; if someone can explain that logic, they win fifty points) wear pantyhose. It's as much an unwritten rule as the conservative skirt suit on the Hill. Besides, she's a beauty queen...Is that why you call her "Queen Palin?"
Sister T: No, that was truly a Princess Bride reference. Seriously, Buttercup. Out of nowhere, plucked from the people. But Buttercup wouldn't kill a moose. She'd have Westley do it.
SeaBean: True true.
Sister T: As you wish!

[degenerating into Princess Bride quotes.]

Sister T: Hey do you think they'll talk about how to start a land war in Asia? Biden is a gaffer! And it is one of the classic blunders. Did you know that this is the most Irish both sides have shown ever? I read a post on it.
SeaBean: Hunh. Does this mean we'll get to listen to good music during the debate?
Sister T: No. There is no music. That would make the debate entertaining.
SeaBean: But I like bagpipes. Or, in this case, Uillean pipes. Yes the spelling sucks. Irish was written down by some illiterate men who were not just simply drunk, but mean drunk. Are you humming the German national anthem?
Sister T: No, it was the Minuet in G by Beethoven. Oh, was that elitist of me?
SeaBean: It might be a little elitist. But that's okay by me.
Sister T: What kind of music wouldn't be elitist? Because I think even indie pop and rock would be elitist, since only the overeducated people in Austin and Seattle listen to it extensively. I've got it - country.
SeaBean: Country music can be fun.
Sister T: O Brother Where Are Thou? soundtrack is good.
SeaBean: True but that's bluegrass. Which is really just elitist country.

---------------------------------------------------------
The Great Debate!

9:00pm Jim Lehrer on the TV! Talking to Mark Shields and David Brooks about this wacky Veep Debate.

9:01 SeaBean is making popcorn excellent!

9:02 SeaBean offers me some cheesey puffs. Sadly, I must deny myself, don't want cheesey bits infecting the keyboard

9:03 Gwen Ifill, the moderator asks a question, and Joe Biden addresses this week's bailout/rescue vote in the House.

9:05 First mention of the "middle class" by Joe Biden

9:06 Palin talking about fear and soccer moms. What happened to hockey? She also says "reform." Guess what tonight's drinking games are: "middle class" and "reform."

9:06 She mentions the campaign suspension. Baiting Biden?

9:07 Biden is taking the bait. Clever Sarah.

9:09 Gwen asks Palin to blame someone for the subprime mess. She blames predator lenders.

9:11 Biden goes on the attack blaming McCain for the subprime mess.

9:12 Gwen asks Palin if she wants to respond about the health care hit Biden threw, she wants to respond to the tax issue that Biden didn't even mention.

9:14 Biden calls Palin on not answering the deregulation question.

9:14 Palin basically says she can answer a question any gosh darn way she pleases and goes on to answer the tax question she was NEVER ASKED.

9:15 Gwen asks a tax question.

9:16 "middle class" drinking game is ON! SeaBean is off to get the wine. But she doesn't think it pairs well with cheesey puffs.

9:18 Gwen forces Palin to talk about McCain's health care plan

9:19 She is fully capable of talking about it. Take that Katie Couric!

9:20 SeaBean has chosen a very patriotic Napa Valley wine from California called "Worthy" Full disclosure: the vineyard is called Axios which is sort of Greek.

9:21 Additional disclosure: SeaBean is using her mickey mouse cork stopper. What's more American than that?!?

9:23 Now Palin's talking about the energy plan that she was NEVER ASKED ABOUT. Seriously, she might run out of talking points. She keeps jumping ahead.

9:25 Biden agrees with the Governor! Repubs will replay that moment. Independants will like it. Someone's been paying attention to the last debate's focus groups.

9:26 Gwen asks Palin a question she doesn't know the answer to about bankruptcy, but she transitions to a different talking point a lot better than her faulty non-attempts to transition with Couric.

9:27 Biden answers the actual bankruptcy question. John Q Public probably won't notice.

9:29 Palin has no clue how to respond at all and akwardly transitions to a talking point about energy.

Sister T: My SNL predicition is that Tina Fey will answer every question by just ignoring it and talking about energy.
SeaBean: Less time doing your hair, more time studying.

9:30 Gwen asks about climate change.

9:31 Palin admits there is climate change. She wants to ignore the causes. But she will created a "sub cabinet" to study the impacts.....without of course studying the causes.

9:32 Biden sews up the youth vote by saying "It's man made."

9:34 Hee, Hee it sounded like she said Seantor O'Biden.

SeaBean: Oh nooooo! She said nuclear wrong.
Sister T: She can't do it without the teleprompter spelling out "New Clear" for her.

[Confession: I, Sister T, standardly mispronounce it "nu-cu-ler," so rather than say it, I make a concerted effort to say it as little as possible]

9:38 No one up there supports gay marriage.

9:39 Sarah Palin is so proud, SO PROUD of the Surge.

SeaBean: And she can see Russia from her house!

9:42 Sarah Palin tells Biden that the Obama plan in Iraq is a white flag of surrender.

SeaBean: Talibani?
Sister T: It's right.

9:45 Gwen asks which is the greater threat: Unstable Pakistan or Nuclear Iran.

SeaBean: Pakistan!
Sister T: Pakistan!
Biden: Both.
Palin: Both.

9:47 SeaBean can't take it anymore. Palin keeps pronouncing nuclear wrong.

9:50 Biden points out that Ahmadinajad is NOT in charge of Iran. He does not, however, mention the Council of Guardians or Khamenei. Sigh!

9:52 Biden refers to himself in the 3rd person. Sort of pompous.

9:54 Palin chastizes Biden for looking at past mistakes too much....and then talks about how she will learn by looking at past mistakes.

9:56 SeaBean recoils in PAIN!!!! Sarah Palin mispronounces nuclear.

9:57 Sarah Palin asks if she can talk about Afghanistan. She wants to stick with her assigned talking points.

10:00 They argue about what General McClellan said. That'll be a job for fact checkers to deal with later.

[Update: the fact checkers say there is no such person as McClellan commanding troops in Afghanistan.]

10:02 Biden is talking about himself too much. "I did," "I said," He transitions to talking about Darfur (which Gwen did ask about)

10:03 Sarah Palin ignores the question. And talks about Iraq. Hey wow! She actually answers the question and talks about Darfur and ties it to Alaska!

10:07 Gwen asks how their own administrations would differ from the top of the ticket. Biden doesn't answer. He talks about how much his administration would continue Obama's policies.

10:09 Palin would drill in ANWAR of course. But then she would do whatever McCain was doing.

SeaBean: new drinking game "end the corruption and greed on Wall Street"

10:11 Drink! "middle class"

10:11 Palin in one sentence throws in a "Say it ain't so Joe," "there you go again," and "doggonit."

10:13 Palin throws a shout-out to her brother's 3rd grade class which is getting extra credit for watching the debate.

Sister T: Shouldn't those 3rd graders be in bed right now?
SeaBean They're in Alaska. Time difference.
Sister T: Good point.

10:13 Palin is self-deprecating about a lame joke she made. I don't know what "joke" she is talking about?

SeaBean: Reform of government, Drink! Do you think she put vaseline on her teeth?
Sister T: Probably. Or maybe they grow them that way in Alaska!

10:15 Gwen asks if the Veep job is executive or legislative. Palin says it's a flexible job and highlights her executive experience.

10:17 Biden calls Cheney the most dangerous Veep in the history of the U.S. Careful Joe, he has a gun and has been known to use it.....on people.

10:18 Gwen asks about their biggest weaknesses. Palin starts off not answering the question.

10:19 She didn't answer it. Will Gwen let her get away with it?

10:20 Biden says his weakness is too much passion. Hmmm. Maybe I'll use that in my next job interview.

10:23 Biden attacks the Maverick record on health care, education, the war, i.e., things talked about around the kitchen table.

10:24 Last question from Gwen is: think of a policy issue on which they changed their mind to accommodate change. Biden used to think the ideology of a judge didn't matter, now he believes that it does.

10:25 Plain talks about budgets she didn't veto. She differentiates between "compromise" which is bad and "working together" which is good. I don't really understand the difference other than one means every body changes their opinion to something less desirable; the other you make other people change their mind to yours.

10:29 Closing statements! Palin claims she wants more opportunities to debate and speak without that pesky Main Stream Media in the way. She also takes a shot at Michelle Obama.

10:31 Biden gives a closing statement.

Sister T: how many times do you think he will say "middle class"
SeaBean: he's said it 2x already, so, at least 3 more times
Sister T: he didn't say it again? how are we supposed to get drunk?
SeaBean: we are already drunk. we've been drinking all night to dull the pain.

10:33 It's over. She didn't screw up. Sarah's political future is secure!

Thanks to SeaBean and StitchWiggler for their company and help. That's it for debate blogging. For the Obama-McCain presidential debates I actually care and pay closer attention....which makes live blogging very difficult. Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it.


Click Here To Read Full Post And Comments!