Science Debate responses from Obama and McCain

Both candidates have posted their responses to the top science questions facing the next administration. You can view them at http://sciencedebate2008.com/vote/ ... and even grade each candidate on their responses!

Regardless of your political affiliation, these addressing these topics will be essential toward keeping America economically competitive in science and technology in the coming years. And the recent financial meltdowns show us how important it is to be more economically competitive!

So please read their responses as an aid to voting this year!

Dancin' for the man

RfO... 'bout damn time...

Never, ever had a bumper sticker before. But I have this puppy on my car now:




Get yours at http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Republicans for Obama

Well, the neighborhoods gone to shit. The neighbor has a McCain sign outside now. Oh dear, is it time for retaliation?

OK, while GOP is busily denying that there are Republicans for Obama, I'm ordering a free Obama button from MoveOn as well as a RfO bumper sticker. Is this one time hardcore Republican is turning wussy? (Yeah, I voted for Bush Sr.; unlike his son, he actually served in a war and was [gasp] smart enough to do well at Yale.) Seriously, I like real gun control (both hands, me in control, etc.), the death penalty ("some people just need killin"), and fiscal responsibility in government. (Oh wait, I guess that's been a Democrat thing since Clinton...silly me.) But I also support reproductive freedom and choice, marriage being a union between any two people who love each other, cultural tolerance, and that anyone wanting to have kids has to raise a dog right first. (Oh wait, that's my Republican side again. So confusing!)

The RfO site linked to this YouTube vid; since I don't watch TV and rarely do random web searches, I hadn't seen it before. I listen to both kinds of music (country and western), so while this tune is kinda outta my musical taste, it is a catchy tune, a damn fine video, and a great snippet from MLK at the end woven into the song. Good stuff.



Maybe Gen X finally has a candidate, regardless of party, who actually speaks toward what we believe. We pretty much tuned out in the 90s and into the 2000s as well, except for protest votes along the way. And now, finally, we might have someone worth supporting. Someone to vote for, instead of someone to vote against.

Here's to hope.

Unca Jay and Auntie Deana... swimming through the air

My bro and sis-in-law have taken to the air, to which I have to say, I am really damn impressed. Check 'em out here (Jay is in the middle, Deana on the left).



Kate loved watching it, too. "Unca Jay is a monkey!" she said. Of course, we already knew that.

(Note: the "getting stuck" was fake, the smack upside Deana's head was an accident!)

James' visit and clouds in the Olympics

My youngest brother James was visiting this past week, and as per usual we did the usual redneck pastime of going out in the woods and blowing crap up. Oh yeah, we went hiking, too. Here's a pic from up on Deer Ridge, the eastern shoulder of Blue Mountain on the north side of the Olympics, James going the extra redneck mile with the "Ozzy" hand:

It is usually sunny and blue in the summer around here, but occasionally we get this crazy wet and cloudy weather coming through. So it makes for some cool cloudscapes at times. Got this great shot looking toward the Blue Mt. summit not far from where I took the (above) pic of us:

Also managed to get him to Canada finally (after about 4 visits in the past 4 years); we spent a day eating and drinking our way around Victoria. What a great city--I wish it was on our side of the water!

Senor Fer de Lance, otra vez

Here is a sweet pic of the same fer de lance, taken by Brenda's friend (and way cool person even if she does go to OU) Ryan.

Click on the pic to get the full size image and see the rain on its skin... gorgeous pic, eh?