Ten Things Going On

10. The Road to XVI: Un-victorious Lions? 0-16??
9. Kwame is going to jail today.
8. New Snow Patrol CD is out today!
7. Philadelphia yesterday. Got a picture with the Justice. Very exciting. Dinner at Capital Grille. Had the filet.
6. Seven days to the election. Yeah, we're going down.
5. I still need to buy new shoes. And work stuff. Sigh. Why am I unable to shop?
4. Halloween is Friday. I do not want to go out or get dressed up.
3. I did get a morning workout. Just a three and a half mile run. It was rainy and cold. Ugh.
2. Meeting with mortgage lady tonight....
1. And offer to come tomorrow?

I Love Krauthammer

Every week, Charles Krauthammer scores yet again.

I stand athwart the rush of conservative ship-jumpers of every stripe — neo (Ken Adelman), moderate (Colin Powell), genetic/ironic (Christopher Buckley) and socialist/atheist (Christopher Hitchens) — yelling “Stop!” I shall have no part of this motley crew. I will go down with the McCain ship. I’d rather lose an election than lose my bearings...

There’s just no comparison. Obama’s own running mate warned this week that Obama’s youth and inexperience will invite a crisis — indeed a crisis “generated” precisely to test him. Can you be serious about national security and vote on November 4 to invite that test?

And how will he pass it? Well, how has he fared on the only two significant foreign policy tests he has faced since he’s been in the Senate? The first was the surge. Obama failed spectacularly. He not only opposed it. He tried to denigrate it, stop it, and — finally — deny its success.

The second test was Georgia, to which Obama responded instinctively with evenhanded moral equivalence, urging restraint on both sides. McCain did not have to consult his advisers to instantly identify the aggressor.

I don't get it. 11 days from now, we're going to regret it.

Facebook

So I took the plunge recently and joined Facebook. I think I am up to 57 friends, a collection of current and former colleagues, work associates, DC friends, and old classmates. It is a complete time-waster, though I am proud to say I have not resorted to cute little status updates like "I am baking pumpkin bread" or "I can't believe Stella isn't the Mother!" Though I am tempted to flesh out my profile with a little of favorite music groups and join some other random groups like "1,000,000 against an Obama presidency." Though that last thing is inevitable, right?

Anyway, my curiousity is piqued in finding out what happened to random HS people I haven't heard from in decades now, and finding out that most people from Detroit who are on facebook have something to be proud of, whether it's a beautiful family or education and a successful job. I will say the wedding definitely was a factor in my creating a profile. It is weird to even search various profiles and see what random people look like...for some, that's all I care about. Again, the losers in the group don't appear. Like suspiciously few folks from St. Veronica. Granted, demographics have proved that people in their early to mid 30s are slower on the facebook game than the young 'ens. Though I think the website is a useful tool for uploading photos and a passive way to keep in touch with a lot of people you would not otherwise have time to keep up with. Now if I can just get my brother to have regular Joey updates on a facebook page, I'd be about all set...

Music Update or Lack Thereof

So I've been bad about listening to new music lately. I caught a bit of a Sia concert last night on Direct TV and am loving her stuff. I might have to get the CD. I also bought the new Ra Ra Riot CD for nothing practically on Amazon Music. Ghost Under Rocks is my new favorite tune. I also bought the new Keane, solid stuff as usual. Snow Patrol has a new CD coming out I think next week, so that is another good solid choice. I really started enjoying the new Fratellis after several listens, and still love Val Emmich.

There are a few other random things I've been meaning to get...Adele, the Weepies, Mates of State...at least I have an ipod and computer with lots more room!

Race-baiting

Excellent Krauthammer piece here.

What makes the charges against McCain especially revolting is that he has been scrupulous in eschewing the race card. He has gone far beyond what is right and necessary, refusing even to make an issue of Obama's deep, self-declared connection with the race-baiting Rev. Wright.

In the name of racial rectitude, McCain has denied himself the use of that perfectly legitimate issue. It is simply Orwellian for him to be now so widely vilified as a stoker of racism. What makes it doubly Orwellian is that these charges are being made on behalf of the one presidential candidate who has repeatedly, and indeed quite brilliantly, deployed the race card.

How brilliantly? The reason Bill Clinton is sulking in his tent is because he feels that Obama surrogates succeeded in painting him as a racist. Clinton has many sins, but from his student days to his post-presidency, his commitment and sincerity in advancing the cause of African Americans have been undeniable. If the man Toni Morrison called the first black president can be turned into a closet racist, then anyone can.

And Obama has shown no hesitation in doing so to McCain. Weeks ago, in Springfield, Mo., and elsewhere, he warned darkly that George Bush and John McCain were going to try to frighten you by saying that, among other scary things, Obama has "a funny name" and "doesn't look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills."

McCain has never said that, nor anything like that. When asked at the time to produce one instance of McCain deploying race, the Obama campaign could not. Yet here was Obama firing a preemptive charge of racism against a man who had not indulged in it. An extraordinary rhetorical feat, and a dishonorable one.

I am so sick of the left inferring that anyone who does not support Obama is a racist. Of course, a few Americans might vote like this. But most Republicans and others who do not support Obama are voting because of principle, policies, political philosophies of conservatism or libertarianism or free-market liberalism. Because of Obama's policies, not his race.

WSJ Preview of What's to Come

Scary Scary Scary.

Add judges who attempt to legislate from the bench, troops rushed out of Iraq, the reversal of the reversal of the Mexico City Policy, and lots of other scary, scary things.

Obama on judges

From the Constitutional law professor, in last night's debate:

I will look for those judges who have an outstanding judicial record, who have the intellect, and who hopefully have a sense of what real-world folks are going through....So this is going to be an important issue. I will look for those judges who have an outstanding judicial record, who have the intellect, and who hopefully have a sense of what real-world folks are going through.

I think that it's important for judges to understand that if a woman is out there trying to raise a family, trying to support her family, and is being treated unfairly, then the court has to stand up, if nobody else will. And that's the kind of judge that I want.

Uh, has he not heard of separation of powers? The role of the judge: to interpret the laws, not to make them? Or be like: oh, this is SO unfair, Miss Single Mom. Let me make things "right" for you. Oh, it will be a LONG four years!

Grandma's Birthday

Today Grandma would have turned 96 years old. She's been gone nearly fifteen years, and was ill so long before that. I remember her beautiful skin (can I please have that someday!), how nice she smelled in her Charlie perfume, her purses and her beautiful smile. She was the most resilient person I knew, with such strong faith, and I miss her. I can't believe she's been gone so long. I was a senior in high school, then. Wow.

I hope baby Joey gets to know his grandparents til they're in their 90s!!! Cindy just sent some pictures. He's so cute, kinda pudgy, and always with that funny little grumpy expression on his face, like hey, why are guys bothering me so much? Though mom thinks he's already manipulating everyone into paying attention to him. He's a very smart baby.

Boston and Cincinnati

Two more trips this week and one house we did not buy. Things have been so busy that I haven't had much time to catch up. Cincinnati was great to catch up with Paul & Megan and to see their great new place. With a working dryer!!! Ugh. We had a fantastic run through their neighborhood in Mount Adams, and Sunday we checked out the art show in Hyde Park. We brunched at Daybreak. Paul grilled a fantastic meal on Sunday night. And I saw Angela! She has a little baby bump. So cute.

The event went well, and I am SO glad it is over.