Time Marches On

So I'm still unemployed. Big news of the day, eh? I've e-mailed or snail-mailed about another dozen resumes in the last week, three going out tomorrow to Sarris, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, and to Duquesne University. I really hope something turns up. I don't think we can make it on two part-time incomes and live in the greater Pittsburgh areas.

I officially became a Pennsylvania resident today. I'm trying to contain my excitement. I thought I'd be okay with relinquishing my California residency...but it sucks a little bit. If things had gone like we'd originally planned - if Rob's work had been steady and he'd gotten steady increases in pay - we could have done really well. I know it's all said and done and that it just didn't work out but if you've never had to start over at nearly 30 years old, you don't know just how much it can suck. But the nice lady at the DMV in Meadville punched a hole in my pretty, yellow license and the nice old man (who, oddly enough, worked with Rob six years ago at AutoZone) handed me my temporary license with my god-awful picture on it. Same license number I had six years ago, same address. Meh.

Also, can someone explain to me how our country was so blind as to believe Barack Obama could be good for our country? This man is out of control. Oh, but he's not a socialist. Nope. Not a chance. MEH.

I'm feeling very cynical today. Do I have any readers who live in or near Pittsburgh? Do you know of anyone hiring? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

And a big, belated congratulations to Kate, my college roommate and one of my bestest friends, who gave birth to a baby girl last week, Kelsey Jo. YAY!

"A peacefulness follows any decision, even a bad one." ~ Rita Mae Brown

I've spent all morning going back and forth in my head about how to handle today's post. I can't not address what transpired last night because it's like the big white elephant in our proverbial room. It's sitting there, staring at me, waiting for me to say something. It's also smirking at me. Bastard elephant.

We lost. Not by a grand margin with the popular vote- currently, CNN's reporting it at 7% - but by fairly remarkable electoral vote, which has given Obama 349 and McCain 163. I could go on about where I think the campaign went wrong, where voters definitely went wrong, and how terrified I am of the next four years. I could direct you to a couple sites that offer perspectives I agree with and I could rant for many paragraphs about how I really feel about Barack Obama. But I won't. What good would come of it?

So I'll report on how the propositions I was concerned about turned out.

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Proposition 2. Standards for confining farm animals. Initiative statute.
- The long and the short of this is that farm animals raised for food - cows, chicken, pigs, etc. - be kept in larger, roomier cages allowing them to, "...fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up and turn around..."

Result: Yes. Damn. People just can't seem to think beyond the animals themselves. "Oh, those poor animals who'll be beheaded and butchered in a few months anyway and those awful cages!" Let's see how sympathetic they are when the price of their chicken goes from $2.99/lb. to $5/lb.

Proposition 3. Children's Hospital Bond Act. Grant Program. Initiative Statute.
- It would provide "...$980M in general obligation bonds towards construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, furnishing and equipping of eligible children's hospitals..." It'll cost the state a LOT of money.

Result: Yes. I'm happy but a little nervous. It's a necessary thing, keeping up with current medical technology and accomodating all the needs of all the children, and one I'm happy to shell out for. But...$980M is a lot of money.

District Measure WW
- I'm assuming it's a measure, since it's not a proposition. All it's heading says is, "District." Anyway, it provides up to $500M to continue restoring urban creeks, protecting wildlife, purchasing/saving open space, wetlands/shoreline, acquiring/developing/improving local and regional parks, trails and recreational facilities in the East Bay Regional Park District.

Result: Yes. Yay! Hooray for nature!

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So my feelings after all is said and done? I'm resigned to the fact that my candidate - who I'll maintain to the day I die was far more qualified than Obama to run this country without running it into the ground - lost the election and that come February, I'll have a man I'm terrified of as my president. I'm resigned to the fact that the Democrats still have house majority and damn near senate majority as well (although, thankfully, not the two-thirds necessary to complete the monopoly and really turn Washington and our great nation on its ear as well as eliminate the extremely-necessary system of checks and balances) and that the next four years will be riddled with liberal agendas, government-sponsored healthcare, and small businesses having to close up shop due to an increase in their taxes. In my mind, I see a very long, very depressing four years ahead of me.

I hope I'm wrong and I hope Obama and his administration prove me wrong. That's the great thing about pessimism: you're never disappointed and occasionally, you're pleasantly surprised. So we'll see. And with that said, congratulations to all my Democratic readers. You won, fair and square. Well, a little superstition never hurts either. *wink*

"Man is by nature a political animal." ~ Aristotle

I wasn't going to blog about the Biden/Palin debate. I really wasn't. I was going to sit back and watch all the cards fall on the table, read others' blogs about the debate and who they think won, etc. But after the debate, and so much weighing on my mind about Sarah Palin and all the issues buzzing around this campaign, I just can't help myself.

First off, the debate. We all know Joe Biden is a seasoned professional at this. He knows how to politick, he knows how to sound polished, refined, and to just be a politician. No surprises from him. He took the questions in stride and answered them in a very scripted manner. What he didn't do was cite correct facts, but I'll leave that for more political-saavy bloggers like Rachel and Erin. They kick way more ass than I do in that department.

But Sarah Palin really kinda knocked my socks off. She was much more candid, much more informed than has been shown to us prior to this evening, and was quick to answer. I will admit she dodged a few questions and, although it was clearly because she knew she didn't have the meat and potatoes to answer them, I think it was a smart move on her part. As most people have said on the news reports since the debate ended, her "main street" talk, I think, has really reached people. Listening to her, I'm at ease. I feel like I could have a barbecue with her. Talk turkey. Shoot turkey. Whatever.

I can't, in my wildest imagination, conceive of any time Barack Obama and I would cross paths. He comes across as very high-and-mighty, almost king-like in his demeanor. His voice is very affected, he reminds me of a monarch addressing his subjects. And all those Kennedy-esque pictures of him and his family?! Jesus tapdancing christ. I know it's intended to remind people of the Kennedy era and of a Norman Rockwell existence, but it creeps me out.

I'll be the first to admit it: I was nervous about Sarah Palin being on my party's ticket. She was a virtual unknown until five weeks ago and all we know about her now is that she's outdoorsy, has a son in the National Guard who's now in Iraq, a pregnant unwed daughter, wears boxy jackets and rimless spectacles, and that she's evidently fodder for SNL, political cartoons, and jabs from the media. Granted, every politician who steps into the limelight - especially the giant spotlight the VP spot on the Republican ticket - is going to be subject to criticism and mockery. I don't think she's been given too fair a shake but, as I've said before, there's a bit of a bias out there.

She's had her missteps and she certainly has flaws where her candidacy is concerned. She's a bit green on foreign policy and has a small amount of experience compared to John McCain or Joe Biden. Also, I have to wonder how a woman who claims she's on McCain's side regarding our need for energy independence can make that claim in the face of being the governer of a state who does a large amount of oil drilling. Many of her supposed constituents are roughnecks who rely on the paycheck they receive doing what she hopes to abolish the need for.

But what I'm sure of is that she'll do everything she needs to in order to make this work. I'm very excited at the prospect of a McCain/Palin White House and, provided they win the election, I'm very excited about the next four years. If they don't win...well...you'll find two very pissed off conservatives living in an obscenely liberal state contemplating a migration north of the border. The Canadian border. Is there anyone up there looking to adopt some Americans if shit doesn't go the way we think it should?

Finally, does anyone else think Joe Biden looks an awful lot like Bob Barker?

If We're Going to Point Fingers...

...let's make sure we're pointing them at the right people.

First, read this opinion piece from the so-far-left-it's-laying-on-its side illustrious Huffington Post.

Then, read Rachel's post from last week. I think I have a little Republican girl-crush on her.

Finally, read the original article from the New York Post. It's from September 11, 2003.

It cites a plan being put before congress to, generally speaking, provide a committee to keep a closer eye on the goings-on with mortgage companies (read: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) to ensure they weren't digging themselves a huge hole. It never got passed. Why? Because of esteemed opinions and thus, votes by people like Barney Frank:

"These two entities -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- are not facing any kind of financial crisis," said Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee. "The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing."

And then there was Melvin L. Watt, Democrat of North Carolina, chiming in:

"I don't see much other than a shell game going on here, moving something from one agency to another and in the process weakening the bargaining power of poorer families and their ability to get affordable housing," Mr. Watt said.

Barney Frank has changed his tune. According to The Crypt,, "Frank said the latest bailout was 'confirmation of the irresponsible failure to regulate' on the part of the Bush administration."

Hm. Where do I begin?

First of all, I'm a firm believer that people need to be held responsible for their own actions. If you live in California - let alone a pricier region like the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, et al. - and you're making $35,000 a year, you have no business buying a $500,000 house. Mortgage payments run anywhere from $1,500 to $2,500 per month. You do the math. I'll wait.

Second, to quote that Melvin Watt up there, there shouldn't be any "...bargaining power of poorer families..." because when you're poor, you need to recognize your situation and improve it before diving into a mortgage. Yes, owning a house is great and wonderful but it's a huge responsibility! Upkeep, taxes, the ARM. I don't own a house and can't really begin to wax knowledgable on the specifics but I can operate a calculator and I know that you shouldn't think it a good idea to throw half of your annual income at a house and then throw your hands up in the air at the lenders and government and say, "Now what do I do?"

And as for the lenders...meh. You can't tell me they didn't see this coming.

I do hold the government somewhat responsible. However, that wonderful rag Ariana Huffington co-founded and is editor-in-chief of, needs to start wagging their fingers and "tsk-tsking" at the other side of the aisle.

But, I'm just a mommy blogger, what do I know?