Beautiful

There are many people with more eloquent takes on tonight that frame this election in some very poignant and trancendental parameters.  I'll only make two points.

First, on an international level, I think this has to be viewed as a breath of fresh air by all countries around the world.  Not only are they happy on a policy level, which is a given, but I think that on a human level they are feeling the same assurance that we felt while watching the rallies in Lebanon, and the Ukraine, among others.  The movement in Grant Park to celebrate the election of Barack Obama feels as important to the development and direction of our democracy as the rallies that have created democracies around the world.  I can only hope that the planet looks at our decision with the same amount of hope that I have looked on the other great democratic revolutions of our time and works with us to make the earth a better planet for our collaboration. 

Second, with Joe Biden as the VP, his senate seat is vacated.  The governor of Delaware will now have to appoint a senator.  My question is, what if he picks Beau Biden, the Delaware Attorney General and a Captain in the JAG corps serving in Iraq?  Does he come back from Iraq or is he disqualified from appointment by his active military status?  Something to look in to...

New For Your Eyes and Ears. Your Tongue Will Have to be Patient.

On the right side I've added a link to another blog out there called Minneapolisfuckingrocks (MFR). It's a quality site that keeps tabs on the local scene while putting in two cents on what's going on nationally. Check it out!

Also, Friday found me at the Triple Rock for the first live performance from Man is Doomed, the side project of Glorious Monster's Brian and Danny. It was a great show - funky and funny, drawing on all of the great pop, disco and rock influences without being pretentious or overdone. I would recommend that everyone check out their MySpace page and if you're in the area come to their next show on November 8th.

Finally, I've been enjoying The Current's Song of the Day podcast for a long time. Even though only about 20-25% of the songs fit my tastes it is totally worth it every week or so when I weed through the pile-up that I've neglected and find one or two really great bands. The Song of the Day has introduced me to such great bands as Blitzen Trapper, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Mates of State and The Saturday Knights. It's especially helpful if you're out of town and want to keep up with what's happening around here as so many SOD's are from featured local artists like Jenny Dalton, Mason Jennings and the Doomtree crew.

Persistence...

When I went to vote in the Primary, the lines were HUGE.  Jamie and I stood in line for an hour with our dog in the cold, waiting to vote for Barack Obama.

In the Primary.

There are stories across the country of longer lines and in better weather, and this is why I think Obama will win.  There will be an insane amount of people who have never voted before that will come out and vote in November.  Just like the primary, people in your neighborhood that you would never have expected to be there and maybe have never even seen will be at your polling place.  In the meantime, listen to my sister Maria's Governor Ed Rendell tell his people that you need to get out there and get your lazy ass neighbors to the voting booths and make this country a better place.

"It's on each and every one of you to bring your friends, your relatives, your co-workers, people on the block, everybody has to vote," Rendell said. "I don't care how long the lines are. Nobody leaves."

No matter where you live, bring that philosophy to your neighborhood and get people out to vote.  Drag them.  Voter registration is through the roof this year but that won't matter if people stay at home.

On a side note, that article makes Philly sound like some fucking 3rd world country when it comes to "street money."

East Coast, boyeeee!

Worse...

Holy crap, I feel like I live in Georgia. Or at least Missouri. There have been a few posts regarding the rally in my last post but the Star Tribune has at least an on paper account of her state of mind and what I'm sure is at least a secondary education...

Turns out as I click the links that TPM made the same link I did. On Halloween this woman's house is going to look like an egg farm fell on it and then God decided that this was the ass he needed to wipe. Too bad I'm too lazy to drive to Lakeville...

People are Scared of the Black Man

Here's a particularly scary piece of video that came across my RSS feed from Talking Points Memo.  Two things strike me: One, the real, palpable fear in the voices of these people as they admit to John McCain that they are afraid of a Barack Obama presidency.  I saw another clip on MSNBC earlier today that I'll look for where a man in Wisconsin almost started to cry while talking about his fear of an Obama administration.  Two, I am stunned that these people in the clip are Minnesotans (the rally was in Lakeville) and I'm embarassed, particularly of the woman in who starts talking around :51.

I can't understand how people can be this afraid and I really have a hard time wrestling with what exactly they are afraid of.  The last administration has left everyone worse off than ever but there is still this fringe element who, despite the fact that they are leading harder lives due to the Republican policies, still cling to beliefs like Obama is an "Arab" to keep their worldview intact.  How much worse could it really get at this point?

It must be true that no matter what people say to their friends and family, when we're this close to the first black president that fear-fed rascism just can't be held back or hidden anymore.

Scorpion Sez...

I think that the "Get Over Here!" moment was when Joe almost broke into tears talking about the family that he lost BEFORE it was politically expedient... maybe the make or break moment of a very 50/50 debate where Palin was very prepared with talking points and (uncharacteristically) proper name pronunciation of foreign leaders.

Finishing move?

"Ummm..."

Do the Twins Want This?

John Danks and Fransico Liriano both had rough outings on Friday but one of them will be pitching in the biggest game of their regular seasons.

Well, tonight is the make or break game for the Twins.  If they make the playoffs I like their chances against the Rays but I agree with La Velle and have a hard time picturing them making it that far.  In true Twins fashion I just don't feel like we want it bad enough.

Nick Blackburn should not be pitching this game.  This will be the third game in a row the Sox have trotted out a pitcher on three days rest.  Ozzie wants this pennant and is willing to stake the readiness of his pitching staff on an all in move, and the Twins should be playing to win as well.  John Danks is arguably the Sox' number two pitcher behind Gavin Floyd and bringing him out is absolutely the right move against a Twins team who traditionally has had trouble at US Cellular field.  It's especially a good move considering Blackburn has had a tough time of it against the Sox and a terrible stat line there in Chicago where he's given up 13 runs in 15 innings pitched over 3 starts.

The problem is that starting our (#2?) ace Liriano on three days rest is fairly risky - a gamble with just as many postseason repercussions as Guillen's.  First, there's Liriano's performance on the 26th - 85 pitches over 4.1 innings against a Royals team that smacked him around the park for 6 runs on 11 hits.  So while his arm shouldn't be tired, there's a mental worry there - how well and how quickly can he bounce back?  There is some comfort in that argument, however.  While Liriano was getting pounded by the Royals Danks was getting stomped by the Indians to the tune of 7 runs in 4.0 innings over 80 pitches.  If anything, Liriano's potential shakiness could be rivalled only by Danks.'  I think the real issue is the health of Liriano's arm and a worry on the Twins' side that short rest is going to do some damage to a great second-half recovery story.  I can't think of much else besides that as a reason for why we can't put all our chips in and let Liriano take us to the bank.  It can't be because we're afraid of the Rays.

Tampa has limped in to the postseason dropping 3 of 4 in Detroit.  They are a team that we've split the season series with.  Their ace, Scott Kazmir has struggled with his control and hasn't pitched more than six innings in a game since July 21st.  This is already a team that's tired, inexperienced and frankly, one that either the Twins or Sox could handle considering the veteran talent on both teams (extremely veteran in the case of the White Sox).

I understand that to even be this close to the postseason is far and above any expectation anyone had for this team after we traded Santana but now that we're here, why not take advantage of this thing and run with it?