Obama vs. Hillary. In a word: "BURN" (or maybe "pwned")

Barack speaks

It's 3am--and I haven't blogged in ages--but I feel you need to read Barack Obama's latest speech in Iowa:

A little less than one year from today you will go into the voting booth and you will select the next President of the United States. Here’s the good news. The name G.W. Bush will not be on the ballot. The name of my cousin Dick Cheney will not be on the ballot. We’ve been trying to hide that for a long time. Everybody has a black sheep in the family. [laughter]

The era of Scooter Libby justice and Brownie incompetence and Karl Rove politics will finally be over. But the question you’re gonna have to ask yourself when you caucus in January and you vote in November is what’s next for America. We are at a defining moment in our history…The promise that so many generations fought for seems like it’s slipping away…we’ve lost faith that our leaders can or will do anything about it.

It is because of those failures that America is listening…we not only have a moment of great challenge, but a moment of great opportunity. We have a chance to bring the American people together, in a new majority…

That’s why telling the American people what we think they want to hear instead of telling the American people what they need to hear just won’t do. Triangulating and poll-driven positions because we’re worried about what Mitt or Rudy might say about us just won’t do…

If we are really serious about winning this election Democrats, then we can’t be afraid of losing. The party of Jefferson and Jackson and Roosevelt and Kennedy has always made the biggest difference in the lives of the American people…when we summoned the entire nation to a common purpose, a higher purpose.

A party that doesn’t just focus on how to win, but why we should. A party that doesn’t just offer change as a slogan but real, meaningful change, change that America can believe in. That’s why I’m in this race, that’s why I’m running for the Presidency of the United States, to offer change that we can believe in!…I am in this race because I want to stop talking about the outrage of 47 million Americans without healthcare and start actually doing something about it. I expanded healthcare in Illinois by bringing Democrats and Republicans together, by taking on the insurance industry and that is how I will make certain that ever American in this country has healthcare…and I will do by the end of my first term of the President of the United States of America.

…I am running for President because I am sick and tired of Democrats thinking that the only way to look tough on national security is by acting and voting like George Bush Republicans.

…When I am this party’s nominee, my opponent will not be able to say that I voted for the war in Iraq…And he will not be able to say that I waivered on something as fundamental as whether it is okay for America to torture because it is never okay. That’s why I’m in it!

…I will lead the world to combat the common threats of the 21st century…and I will send once more a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores that says you matter to us, your future is our future, and our moment is now. America, our moment is now.

Our moment is now!

I don’t want to spend the next year or the next four years refighting the same fights that we had in the 1990s. I don’t want to pit red America against blue America. I want to be the President of the United States of America.

And if those Republicans come at me with the same fear-mongering and swift-boating that they usually do, then I will take them head-on. Because I believe the American people are tired of fear, and tired of distractions…we can make this election not about fear, but about the future, and that will not be just a Democratic victory, that will be an American victory, a victory that America needs right now!

I am not in this race to fulfill some longheld ambitions or because I believe it’s somehow owed to me. I never expected to be here. I always knew this journey was improbable. I am running in this race because of of what Dr. King called “the fierce urgency of now.” Because I believe that there’s such a thing as being too late, and that hour is almost upon us.

…I’m in this race for the same reason that I found for jobs for jobless and hope for the hopeless on the streets of Chicago, for the same reason that I fought for justice and equality as a civil rights lawyer…I will never forget that the only reason that I’m standing here today is because someone had the courage to stand up!

…That’s why I’m running, Democrats. To keep the American dream alive..in this election, in this moment, let us reach for what we know is possible. A nation healed and world repaired. An America that believes again.

M.C. Escher in LEGO form

You know, some people see LEGOs as just some semi-sophisticated children's toys...slightly-evolved Lincoln Logs, if you will. But for others, a LEGO is an artistic tool--a handy medium for personal expression.

People in this second group may use LEGOs to depict the Bible. Others may make a LEGO version of Michael Jackson's Thriller. And then some people--people with a lot of vision (and spare time)--remake M.C. Escher's Relativity:


Can you say "wow." How about "ow, my head just hurts looking at that."


On their website, the LEGO artist go into great detail about how they constructed their masterpieces. From hidden scaffolds, to sawing LEGOs in half, these guys went through a lot of trouble to pull off the visual-trickery and physics-defying world of M.C. Escher.


You know, with such trails and tribulations being needed to recreate Escher's fantasies in the real world, some may say that it proves that Escher was a visual genius of the highest order. But others may say that the guy was just wacked outta his freakin' skull.

Me? I can't help but think about that scene in The Labyrinth.

Adios, Alberto Gonzales

So, back in March I predicted that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would soon lose his job (yeah, I really went out on a limb there, didn't I?). Well, it took longer than I thought it would, but finally Mr. Gonzales has resigned.

Part of me was smiling...then laughing...when I read the news of Mr. Gonzales' resignation. Alberto Gonzales has never seemed quite up to the job of Attorney General, and he kept making a fool of himself each time he appeared before Congress. From claiming that it was perfectly fine for a medically-sedated John Ashcroft to sign legal documents, to asserting that the American people are NOT granted the writ of habeas corpus, the Attorney General has made a mockery of his position, America's legal system, and himself. I have to say, I was pretty relieved to see him leave office.

But I was saddened by the reasons why Mr. Gonzales had to resign, for they were reasons he brought upon himself. The country has had a feckless and incompetent Attorney General for some time now. The country's Attorney General has lost most (if not all) respect in the eyes of his peers and Congress. The country's Attorney General has dragged the Justice Department through the mud. And with the American people currently questioning the readiness of FEMA, and the military competence of Department of Defense, the last thing the country needs is another part of the federal government to lose faith in. You see, while I may not agree with the political ideology of the current administration, I want those within the administration to be competent and truthful--Alberto Gonzales was neither.

I was further saddened when I realized that, with only 15 months left in the current administration, anyone President Bush nominates for AG will have little time to clean-up the tarnished name of the DOJ. Let me put it another way: President Bush will need to nominate someone to fill Gonzales' chair, that person will have to be approved by Congress, appointed and sworn in as Attorney General, and then spend probably the first month just learning the staffs' names. Only after all of that can the new AG actually start doing their job.

And I'm not sure how many people, who have the talent and experience necessary to be Attorney General, would want to take a job that will only last about a year. My hope is that serving at the pleasure of the President--and the pleasure of the American people--will be enough of a draw for any qualified candidates.

But no matter what happens, in the end I'm glad to see Mr. Gonzales go...the country is better off.

Threadless.com gets my money again

You can never have enough unique t-shirts...

Road-trip Ruminations

This past weekend, I spent 8 hours driving in the car by myself. I'm sure anyone who has done this can testify that a solo driving experience is a double-edged sword: you have the solitude to let your mind wander and think up great conversation starters, but there is no one around to talk to.

So, since none of you were there to enjoy my random thoughts--and see the random sights--I thought I'd share:

• Why is there a "China Grove, North Carolina"? Is it like China Town in NYC, where Chinese immigrants can have a bit of the home country right here in America? Is there a "China Grove Inn;" and if so, is it a motel or Chinese restaurant?

• Heaven better have a never-ending supply of Bojangles sweet tea and Chick-fil-a lemonade.

• Right after crossing the North Carolina-South Carolina border, there's a sudden spike in Clemson paraphernalia. There's also a spike in overweight rednecks wearing overalls. Those two facts are probably related. (In other words: Go Gamecocks!!)

• Due to recent events in Minneapolis, I am now consciously aware of each and every bridge I have to cross. And I have a feeling that I'm not the only one.

• Rihanna's hit "Umbrella" is far less impressive when not thumping out of some club's speakers. And I will pay someone to steal T-Pain's damn voice -modulator. Seriously, without the thing he'll fall off the face of the Earth, and we will all be better off.

• Big Pete brought this up back in the day, and it still holds true: why is there always that one lone shoe on the side of the highway? Where's the other shoe? And why are people going around losing shoes in the first place?

• Why did I never get into watching The Cosby Show? It seems that everyone else can rattle off the names of all the Huxtable kids, who the kids married, and in what episode kid X did insanely stupid stunt Y, resulting in the weekly Cliff Huxtable truism and/or punishment. But not me...nope, I can't even tell you where the heck Raven-Symoné's character came from. Seriously, there were like 28 kids running around in that house--how does anyone keep them straight? (But I do remember the episode where the men were pregnant, and gave birth to footballs and subway sandwiches...that was funny stuff.)

• How many tractor-trailer companies do we need? Seriously, you've got: J.B. Hunt, Old Dominion, Swift, Knight, Roadway, Maersk, Covenant Transport, Schneider and Celadon just to name a few. Don't they all do basically the same thing? Sure, maybe some of them specialize in hauling...I dunno...cold stuff versus not-cold stuff...but they all haul stuff. Do we really need all of them?

Why I just bought my first Harry Potter book

Yes, it is true...two weeks ago I bought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.


No, I didn't stand in line for 8 hours at a Barnes & Noble to snatch up a copy of Deathly Hallows the moment it was released. Nor did I dress up like Dumbledore. And never fear, I did not pre-order book 7 to be FedEx-ed to my door the morning of the release. But the fact remains: I bought the book.


So how did I go from never reading a Harry Potter book (and only watching the movies), to owning and obsessing over Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

reason #1. Without saying too much about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the latest movie left me wanting more. As I said before, I have seen all the previous Harry Potter movies, and each one felt like a chapter from Harry's life. But the latest movie felt more like a snippet...a slice...a mere placeholder for the better movies to come. I left the movie theater entertained, but wholly unfulfilled--I wanted more.

reason #2. I knew book 7 was coming out soon. And with book 7 would come the end of the series.

reason #3. I knew that with the way the internet and news media work these days, the public would know the end of book 7--and thus the conclusion of the Harry Potter series--within weeks.

reason #4. It will be four years until Deathly Hallows will be released as a movie. I predicted that by that time, my interest in the lives of Harry, Ron, and Hermione may have waned.

So, to avoid this anti-climatic end to Harry Potter, I decided to avoid all media stories about book 7, buy a copy of the book, read it cover-to-cover, and enjoy all the plot twists, magical spells, untimely deaths, mystical creatures, and whatever else J.K. Rowling had in store. I wanted to approach the end of the Harry Potter series the way it was supposed to be approached.


Well, almost the way it was supposed to be approached. I must face facts: I have committed a cardinal sin in the world of Harry Potter. I have not read book 1-6. Worse yet, instead of reading book 6, I just went to Half-Blooded Prince's Wikipedia page to get the quick synopsis.

You see, by buying book 7, I jumped to the end of the series and used the movies as a pale and inadequate facsimile of the actual books. But you have to understand something: while I consider Harry Potter to be good storytelling steeped in an intricate world of rich and dynamic characters, the books aren't a part of my life--they're not what I grew up on.

Nevertheless, despite not reading books 1-6 (and thus facing reading book 7 with far less gusto than other Harry Potter fans), two Saturdays ago I went to buy Deathly Hallows. As I said before, I did not stand in a line for 8 hours to get the book. I just went to Best Buy at 10am. Why Best Buy? Well, I wanted to avoid a large Harry Potter crowd, and I figured no one would think to go to the "computer/tv/music store" to buy a book. Not only that, but a relative gave me a $20 gift card to Best Buy. In other words: "Two birds, one stone."

Now, for some reason I assumed that my local Best Buy opened at 9am. Well, when I strolled in at 10:05am, I realized that the store actually opens at 10am on Saturdays. "Great" I thought, "I'm here five minutes after they opened to buy Harry Potter, I look real cool right about now." As I walked through the doors, and exchanged "good morning" pleasantries with the security guard, I turned straight ahead and saw a very prominent Harry Potter display. We're talking a big, yellow display with a cardboard Harry Potter standing next to it.


"What to do," I thought. "If I just waltz up to this advertising monstrosity, grab a copy of book 7, and walk over to the cashier, people may think that I'm about 30 seconds away from breaking down in a hysterical, tears-of-joy, Deathly Hallows conniption." I had to make this shopping trip as nonchalant as possible.

So, what would be "nonchalant"? Oh, randomly meandering throughout the store, that's what.

Yeah, I somehow found myself looking over Best Buy's vacuum cleaner selection, and comparing their washer & dryers. About 30 seconds later I was in the computer section. After that, headphones were staring me in the face.

So, after about 2 minutes of bouncing aimlessly throughout the store, I had to face the truth--I had nothing to do in this store except buy the damn book. Well, at least I avoided the whole "run up to the book, snatch the closest copy, high tail it to the cashier, and scurry off to read the book in one sitting" scenario.

Well, once I decided just go buy the book, I knew the awkwardness would be over. Or so I thought. I got my copy of the book, walked to the cashier, and placed the book on the counter. The cashier, who had probably been on the job for about 7 minutes by this point, said "oh, Harry Potter" with equal parts "oh yeah, this came out today" and "oooohhh, you're one of them." Now, as you can tell, I wanted to avoid all perception that I was a crazy, obsessed, un-balanced fanatic (petty, I know), so I quickly responded "oh, I'm not one of those people." And the cashier's response to my rebuttal? "Uhuhh, sure you're not."

*Grrrr*

I flirted with the idea of explaining my reasoning for buying book 7...thought about stating that this was my first Harry Potter book purchase...thought about saying anything that would disapprove his assumption that I had a life-sized cutout of Albus Dumbledore at home.

But, to avoid a "methinks the lady doth protest too much" situation, I just shut up and let him scan the book. And then, it was time to pay. And it was here when I remembered how I was buying this book--my gift card.

Great! Suddenly, without warning, I became an apparent self-hating Harry Potter fan-in-denial, using a gift card that my grandma probably bought me, buying the latest Harry Potter book as soon as the store opened. You know my mission to buy this book as nonchalantly as possible? Yeah, consider that mission a failure.

But you wanna know something? As I got back in my car, and drove off, I realized that I had the last book of the Harry Potter series in MY CAR. Right there, about two feet from me, was how it all ends. I felt like I had Texas gold; I couldn't wait to start reading.


Two weeks--and 759 pages later--I have finished the book. I won't go into too much detail, but I will say that book 7 was a superb read that delivered everything I expected and more. Yes, it's true that I did not stand in a line for 8 hours, or read each and every Harry Potter book cover-to-cover, but that doesn't really matter. I threw myself head-first into Deathly Hallows: I dedicated myself to the book, and I soaked in every word along the way. So now count me amongst the legion of fans who shoot evil-death-eyes at anyone who has disparaging remarks about the book, the plot, the author, or anything else having to do with Potter.


And if anyone can get me a Cloak of Invisibility, that would be great.