A New Leaf

New Location

2009-06-05T22:35:00.001-07:00

Hi,

My new blog is

http://jubilantlyjordan.wordpress.com

Mid-Blog Crisis

2009-05-20T18:46:00.001-07:00

I haven't blogged regularly in so long, I hardly know what to do. I have all these political opinions buzzing through my mind as I watch MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and others.

I do think the GOP needs to re-brand itself, but on the inside, not as a superficial veneer. They need real values and principles that resonate with the real world, rather than the empty rhetoric that has become increasingly obsolete and skeletal.

Interestingly, and perhaps ironically, given her father's recent political performance, Megan McCain has an interesting voice from the GOP side.

Hmmm...

2009-04-25T20:40:00.001-07:00

As my friend Jenny would say. I attended her beautiful wedding picnic today to celebrate her union with Khalid. It filled me with peace and happiness for her, and encouragement for my summer at the Qasid Institute in Amman. Khalid knows of the school and has wonderful things to say about the owners.

It was nostalgic to be back in the East Bay, driving through my old haunts and thinking how odd it is that college seems so far away, yet I hardly experienced it, it seems. I was in such a fog of re-entry that much of it feels like a halfway space between worlds.

I'm studying Arabic to prepare for the summer, which I know will be intensive and really hard. The more I can get under my belt now, the better off I'll be in June. I took a four-week crash course at Pacific Arabic Resources in SF, which I couldn't recommend more highly.

Cell Phonia

2008-11-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

I think it's kind of obnoxious to have more than one personal electronic device at once, but since my campaign phone is still working, it makes sense to use it, even though my personal cell still works.

Definitely Detoxing

2008-11-12T12:58:00.001-08:00

So I'm at the Good Karma Cafe, detoxing mentally and physically from my Ohio campaign experience with some good, clean, healthy food and a pleasant atmosphere. I like Philly, and have found a place to live on a month-to-month basis next door to an old friend, which makes the transition that much easier.

I have a job lead in mind, which I will pursue tomorrow, and I'm also applying for jobs in DC. That's the plan for now; if I run out of money before I find a job, I suppose I'll head back to California to at least drop my car off and come up with a Plan B.

The East Coast is definitely where the jobs are, though, so I'm leaning in this direction, def.

Other than that, I'm getting my head screwed on again, gaining my bearings, and looking for a good yoga class, as usual.

Hugs and love to everyone--

115 Cedar Street

2008-11-08T12:47:00.001-08:00

Where we lay our scene. It has been more than three months since I've blogged, owing to a prohibitively busy schedule and the campaign's "no blogging" policy.

I'm sitting at a "Caribou Coffee" in Avon, Ohio, enjoying the rather abrupt holiday atmosphere. The last time I luxuriated at a coffee place was mid-summer, without a reindeer or tinsel in sight. I appreciate the fact that it's not a Starbuck's, but at the same time bemoan the telltale signs of a coffee franchise.

Emerging from the campaign feels like being deposited by a time machine into new circumstances and surroundings, like the steam escaping a pressure-cooker and a vise grip being relaxed. I feel like I've hit culture shock in a new county, and am slowly re-gaining my bearings.

I can hardly identify with three-dimensional space, after having spent interminable days and weeks perched at my desk, in front of a computer screen, looking up only to greet visitors or field questions from interns and volunteers. I don't know what to do with unstructured time. I can't contemplate the possibility of getting a haircut, seeing a movie, or even having the decision-making capability to do so. I can hardly identify with having control over my own schedule without conference calls every 12 hours for three months straight.

On Immigration

2008-07-30T00:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Editor,

I support the day workers who congregate along El Camino Real daily, looking for odd jobs from passersby. And I support undocumented workers who risk their lives, take on the possibility of never seeing their families again, and risk exploitation for the possibility of a better life here in California. They are not here to feed off our system--they work their fingers to the bone with two or three jobs and send most of the money back home.

It's not that we need to stem the flow of immigrants, necessarily; we need to find a way to legitimize their presence here. Yes, the cost of their healthcare is an issue, but we need fundamental reform of that system anyway. Unemployment is low, so they're not taking our jobs. Racism has always been a factor toward new immigrant populations.

I'm glad to hear the day worker center is expanding its programs. Let's take this opportunity to welcome new Americans into our fold, as was done for all of our families when they first emigrated to America.

[published in the Mountain View Voice this week]

An End to Aging?

2008-07-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

Madonna's face is looking increasingly the same over the years; rumor has it she has oxygen facials daily and has had other "work done." As these procedures become more affordable, will our faces eventually become frozen in time?

Weather-ology

2008-06-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

With all the descriptions that meterologists use to talk about climate, one would think they'd have a term for "yellow-colored air due to nearby forest fires." At least that's what I thought of today when I looked outside and the first word that came to mind about the day was "yellow," and the fact that there are about 800 forest fires state-wide.

The Inscrutable Clintons

2008-06-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

It's annoying that even after Hilary Clinton conceded the nomination (sort of), the pundits spend half their time talking about the Senator and her husband and who will mend the damage they've caused the party with their millions of dollars of debt.

Someone pointed out that Bill probably wants his legacy to be as the best two-term Democratic president of modern political history, and that he probably feels threatened by Barack Obama, the young, charismatic upstart who is a bit like the similarly-talented Bill when he first ran for president.

I also think that Bill blows up at the media so often because he's venting the frustration he felt at eight years of [perceived] mistreated by the media. Whether he was treated unfairly or not is a different story, but I do think he feels slighted by several events, including the Republican Congressional landslide that made it difficult to get any of his stuff passed.

I think he's a very bitter, complicated, and smart man.

Nader Attacks

2008-06-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Ralph Nader went off the deep end today when addressing the racial dynamics of Barack's presidential bid. His racial discourse sounds about 30 years old, as he used phrases like "white guilt" and reduced Barack's value as a human to the color of his skin.

My new favorite New York Times reporter, Bob Herbert, managed to skewer Nader with language that didn't sound remotely one-sided, the way pundit-ese can sound. Chris Matthews invited Herbert and Joan somebody, managing editor of Salon or Slate, which I keep confusing, to discuss Nader's gaffe.

Maybe that's why they brought it up, since "gaffe" appears to be the buzzword of this news cycle, thanks to John McCain's advisor's remark about how another 9/11-like attack would help McCain's candidacy.

[Change]

2008-06-09T00:39:00.001-07:00

While we're on the subject (I've been volunteering/working with the Obama campaign since March and have heard about little else for some time), I know I've changed a lot in the months I've been away, and it's hard to find a writer's voice again.

Plus a lot of this stuff is personal and still shifting around inside, so this is a bit of forced writing, for now, at the behest of friends and family who remind me that this period of my life is particularly worth recording.

At the moment I'm thinking of Jiles, the African-American guy with the Irish name who said that when he's angry, he's a black man, but the rest of the time he's African-American. A native Indianan, he volunteered in our Indianapolis office.

Writer's Block?

2008-06-09T00:31:00.000-07:00

It's been months since I've posted and I can't think of anything to say. It's a cliché, but I'm out of inspiration. There are too many experiences to digest, I think, and some perspective is needed before I can process much of what has happened.

I am reading about the Dust Bowl, however, which is interesting since it's more of a man-made environmental disaster than I realized. The Great Depression sounds rather nasty, too. No wonder my dad won't eat stewed tomatoes, 70 years later! I'm curious as to the effect Dust Bowl refugees to Southern California may or may not have had on the conservative political climate there.

I've just returned from South Dakota and do miss the silence. The lack of electro-magnetic energy is deafening, almost; at least noticeably absent. Felt a bit like a campground, as our housing was on the edge of town, with nothing but big sky and an even bigger landscape dominating. The weather, too, was always an event. Thunder and lightening storms abounded, which was exciting, and the climate was constantly in flux. A bit like Kauai in that sense.

No [Succumb]tion

2008-06-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

I used to think that succumbing to bitterness was the logical response to certain events, and that furthermore, I was justified in being bitter.

As they say, though, you can be happy or you can be right. I'm not choosing between those options today, but I think it's time to let go of a bit of the "I've been wronged and therefore I'm justified being however angry or bitter I care to be."

While I may be justified, being bitter makes me lose twice, and I can't afford to lose any more.

"C" is for "Cameron"

2008-04-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

My right-hand man (well, literally more than figuratively), Cameron, seated to my right in our office at headquarters, exemplifies the amusing phenomenon of trying to spell over a telephone. People like customer service representatives are used to this and generally have specific words, i.e. "'A' as in apple," etc, to make sure they are understood.

Those of us without such an occupation, however, are often left to improvise. I can identify with Cameron's imaginative way of coming up with words on the spot--many of his words sound like SAT vocabulary words or describe various objects around the office, "'I' as in intern," etc.

Passing Over

2008-04-17T09:05:00.001-07:00

I've encountered a number of apologetic Jewish folks who can't join us for volunteering this weekend b/of Passover. I don't think there's a need to apologize. In fact, we have enough Jewish supporters that we put Passover on our calendar as a reminder.

Campaign-aan-ites

2008-04-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

"We are ONE people, and our time for change has come!"

This is what I wanted to say to the hordes of angry and aggressive Hillary supporters at the rally outside the Constitution Center last night, that we are one people, and there's no need to be so bratty about it.

Although I'm going to say something terribly bratty, and that is that she has certainly cornered the angry, overweight, white, middle-aged woman vote.

Rittenhouse Dogs

2008-04-15T16:57:00.001-07:00

Philadelphians are serious about their dogs. So serious that an afternoon spent in Rittenhouse Square almost feels like an amateur dog show, because of the number and variety of breeds.

I Spy

2008-04-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Campaign paraphernalia is becoming more visible; most Obama buttons but a couple of Hillary signs and stickers as well. I walked past a table today on Walnut Street full of Obama flyers and candy, accompanied by a smiling guy on a guitar and another volunteer.

The United Postal Service Union recently endorsed Obama and Unite Here is sending out many of its members to do canvassing this week.

There's also a "Bikers for Obama" contingent headed our way for some door-knocking. Wonders never cease!

Pretzel Logic

2008-04-15T10:42:00.001-07:00

Seen and Heard

2008-04-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Boilermakers for Obama

Women for Obama

Brian for Obama

Armenians for Obama

An "Obama-que" BBQ event

The "O-Train"

Obama buttons in Hebrew and Arabic

Veterans for Obama

Students for Obama

Got Hope?

Amman, Jordan for Obama

Expats for Obama

French Speakers for Obama

SEIU for Obama

Ore[gone]?

2008-04-14T18:34:00.001-07:00

A possible stipend has opened up in Oregon, which might take me there instead of Indiana...stay tuned...

Weekend Update

2008-04-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

I'm likely heading to neighboring state Kentucky after Indiana, and hopefully South Dakota after that. It depends on how long Hillary remains in the race, which she's vowed to do until the Denver convention. The campaign views Indiana as the next "battleground" state. Oregon is also key and a friend from Mills is working there with the campaign.

I spoke with a guy from the United Auto Workers union who said they're re-considering their endorsement of Hillary and many are now Obama supporters. He said that NAFTA was devastating for them and objects Hillary's support of it. Another union guy from the first union to endorse Barack (remember the casino workers in Nevada?) said that 9/10th of their members also support Barack and a number of them are canvassing for Barack this week. This same guy said they'll be recruiting people coming off the Obama campaign in the fall...

It is expected that Barack will carry Philadelphia, which he'll need in order to balance the support for Hillary in western Pennsylvania, which is partly attributed to racism. I'm working with a very eclectic bunch of staffers: 19-year old Cameron is remarkably mature for his age and barely a high school graduate; Ravi is in his second year of law school at Yale and originally from Staten Island; Beth is an outgoing young woman from Annapolis who went to Duke and does a remarkable job finding volunteer housing, and Rebecca works for the Arab American Institute in DC.

Haile Rivera is running for City Council in New York and runs a jack-of-all-trades type non-profit as well. He had dinner with Barack and said he's the kind of guy he'd like to have as a father. Joan, the staffer who is so competitive that she steals cell phone chargers for her own office is from LA and has been with the campaign since Iowa.

There are two guys from Japan who don't speak English volunteering at headquarters; a Canadian journalist; I met a Liberian supporter there and apparently one person in Antarctica voted for Barack. "The Daily Show" also came, and I may be in the very back of a segment with Samantha Bee on the April 22nd episode. That was fun. Stephen Colbert is broadcasting from Philly all next week and I'm determined to track him down somehow! I assume he'll be coming to headquarters...

I'm told that Caroline Kennedy and her kids come in to phonebank from time to time, and one of them made the beautiful calendar that we use as a countdown tool.

My job is to place volunteers coming from out-of-state with particular field offices within Philly. Barack is the first candidate to refuse to pay political operatives to "get out the vote" since 1982 so we're relying heavily on out of state volunteers.

I take weekends off, generally, but do some work from my laptop in wifi cafes. It's nice to feel useful and I've gotten some positive feedback from my 19-year old "supervisor."

Weldon was supposed to visit this weekend but got food poisoning; I'm hoping to find my dad's childhood home in Germantown and photograph it tomorrow, I haven't gotten in touch with his fraternity brothers yet and kind of have mixed feelings about it; I met with a childhood friend who is in med school at Temple and has terrible stories about the violence and poverty in North Philly.

Tuberculosis and diabetes-related amputations are not uncommon, apparently, and the homicide rate is considerably higher than Oakland's. Inexcusable! The love for Obama is tangible here and it's so gratifying to see the buzz of activity at headquarters. There's a nearly steady stream of people taking out yard signs, buttons, bumper stickers, etc., and such a positive vibe.

We must be the most well-fed campaign in town as the refreshments table is almost always full of donated food from supporters and local restaurants. The soft pretzel store next door keeps us stocked with a minimum of one big box of fresh pretzels each day, much to the chagrin of my waistline!

Samantha [Bee] Good

2008-04-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Samantha Bee and the "Senior Black Correspondant" from "The Daily Show" were at headquarters this week, filming a segment to be shown April 22nd. I wandered into one of the segments and may be in the segment!

Stephen Colbert will be here this week and I would LOVE to meet him!

Strollers, Strollers Everywhere

2008-04-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

The Out-of-Staters

2008-04-08T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've fallen in with a nice group of staffers at HQ who are working to bring as many volunteers into Philadelphia from other states as possible to canvass on the weekends and do phonebanking and other office stuff during the week. My role is to answer emails from volunteers, assign them to particular offices around Philly (some of which are still in the somewhat hairy process of being set up and staffed) on certain dates with specific organizers.

All of us participate in making phone calls to identified willing volunteers. Most of them are from NY and DC, but some are traveling from California, Texas, and other locales. A group of 35 from Palo Alto, CA will be arriving shortly.

There are two Japanese guys in the office who don't speak English and I'm not quite sure why they're here (other than to help Barack get elected as best they can). Some Canadians arrived to help and were sent to the "smoking hotel," which is a Holiday Inn of some sort that still allows smoking in the guest rooms.

CNN was in the office yesterday, and I'm told that Caroline Kennedy and her kids have stopped in to do some phonebanking. One of her kids made the beautiful "countdown-to-primary day" calendar that hangs in our new office that was rapidly procured before most people knew it was vacant.

I'm learning that one really doesn't acquire any material goods in the office honestly--they're either usurped from someone before others can elbow their way in, outright stolen, or bargained for. One staffer has even been accused of stealing phone chargers, which are always in short supply, and even of taking air mattresses from the person in charge of finding housing for volunteers!

I overhead another staffer lamenting about the three hours she spent arbitrating between bickering staffers in field offices around Philly. I'm told that campaigns are like large dysfunctional families who spend too much time together under very intense circumstances.

I was saying to no one in particular this afternoon that the atmosphere is like finals week in school, but all the time. Ravi, the guy next to me, said that finals week for him is more like a vacation, compared to the campaign. He's a second year law student at Yale.

Dog Days of Philadelphia

2008-04-08T16:45:00.001-07:00

There are so many interesting dogs and dog owners here in Philly out at all hours that I may start asking them if I can photograph them for an informal blog album.

Union, Schmunion

2008-04-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

My first experience with unions! This Obama movement is really opening my eyes. I'm meeting people from all walks of life. This is an exciting time to be campaigning. I've been talking with a union member about their involvement in the campaign. They were the first union to endorse Obama; they're casino workers and food service people and stuff.

States, not Dates

2008-04-05T17:39:00.001-07:00

It's funny how campaign folk refer to time in terms of states, not dates. Someone has been with the campaign "since New Hampshire," for example, not "since January." Someone else is heading home "after Indiana" rather than "in mid-May."

My time frame (and geographical plans) have shifted as well; I've cancelled the housing-resistant Puerto Rico and decided to follow the campaign directly to Indianapolis after the PA primary, and from then hopefully on to Kentucky, if Mrs. Clinton continues with her scorched-earth policy.

Onward!

Anonymous, if not Eponymous

2008-04-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

If anyone is interested in more information about this movement, google "Chanology" or look up "anonymous" on youtube. It only gets stranger. There was even a demonstration by "Anonymous" in Mountain View, CA, as well as around the world.

FAIL: For An Irreverent Laugh

2008-04-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

No, not really; the extended title is mine but the [self-explanatory] blog is not. Pay close attention to the title of each post if it's confusing at first:

FAIL blog

Good Karma [Cafe]

2008-04-04T18:23:00.001-07:00

The Good Karma Cafe

I wish I could take this cafe back to California. It's my "post-campaign-headquarters" headquarters for free wifi, great atmosphere, and some unwinding before walking a short block back to my guest home.

Campaign Carbohydrates

2008-04-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

There is a steady stream of carbohydrates coming into the fourth floor of 1500 Sansom Street, donated by well-meaning supporters of the Barack Obama campaign. Unfortunately, this results in a steady stream of visits by me to the refreshments table to observe, select, and consume said carbs. I have never seen so many Philadelphia soft pretzels at once, nor had any that were remotely as delicious.

Yesterday the carb consumption was scrumptiously interrupted by Moroccan chicken and couscous, and today we had vegetarian chili in between the parade of chips, soft pretzels, bagels, donuts, donut holes, cakes, cookies, popcorn, and assorted other treats of which the American Cancer Society would certainly not approve.

I'm not sure whether I feel more like the kid in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" who eats too much or the daughter from "Vacation" who eats herself sick from a scrumptious buffet.

Oh dear. Hopefully lugging my laptop nine blocks across and seven down from where I'm living twice a day will offset the coming calorie catastrophe.

"SEPTA" sounds like "septic"

2008-04-03T09:17:00.001-07:00

I'm referring to the bizarre amalgam of subway/bus/trolley/streetcar that is the Philadelphia public transport system. I have never seen such deserted subway stations. I half expected Patrick Swayze from "Ghost" to show up or Keanu Reeves from "The Matrix" in their respective subway station scenes.

I guess it's a reflection of Philadelphia itself that public transport is relatively underused, or perhaps it's my having become accustomed to the madness of New York and Boston that makes it seem ghost-town-like. The street-level trolleys are kind of cute and do seem relatively popular. I ventured out to "West Philly" the other night for dinner and a drink with friends. It was a surprisingly beautiful neighborhood with grand houses that at one time housed the wealthy but are now divided among paycheck-to-paycheck young adult tenants.

Kamikazi Kabs

2008-04-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

An odd blend of Obama supporters and death-wish driving styles characterizes the Philadelphia taxi population.

First Impressions

2008-03-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

"Two Philadelphias"

2008-03-31T18:55:00.001-07:00

The poor, black and the white, wealthy. Where is John Edwards to further expound on this stark division?

Actually, it's not that simple but there is a world of difference between the ritzy colonial homes in Center City and the sizable African-American population that dominates public transport and neighborhoods farther out in the city.

If it's April, it must be Philadelphia

2008-03-14T20:22:00.001-07:00

Must it? Yes, as I just purchased my bus ticket from Boston to Philly for March 31, staying until the day after the primary, April 23rd.

Adventures aplenty. Must look for yoga studios in William Penn's metropolis!

Spittin' out the Spitz

2008-03-13T19:56:00.001-07:00

Another day, another sex scandal takes down a powerful man. It just goes to show that people who are overly moralistic are almost always hiding something.

Onward, Obama Soldiers!

2008-03-13T19:46:00.001-07:00

I'm firming up my plans to be in Philadelphia from March 30 to April 24 to campaign for Obama. I'm finalizing housing plans with a wonderful woman who has offered a bedroom in her home near Obama HQ, which is ideal since I won't be renting a car.

I've also applied to volunteer at the Denver convention, as well as to housesit in Cambridge, MA during July.

We'll see; perhaps something is taking shape.

Notes From the Field

2008-03-03T18:51:00.001-08:00

When Senator Clinton said that all Barack Obama has to offer is "a speech from 2002," she probably hadn't read this story. It's from a teacher in Appalachia. If we do not elect Obama, this is what we will lose [excerpts]:

I would love to give you a personal view of how Obama has already changed my life and lives around me. I teach high school students in the foothills of Appalachia...the foothills of poverty. I have primarily white poor as well as black and Hispanic and mixed race in my classes. 50% live in poverty. Obama has offered my students inspiration to be something more than they thought they could be. And they are eating it up!!!!

It's the first time many have ever cared about politics and I have had students tell me that their parents have never voted and have always been angry at politicians. But they are voting this time. But to have 2 whole class periods (my class periods are 90 minuets long) where the students are asking questions faster than I could answer...because they do not understand the system....and NOW they want to know.

What does it mean to be a Democrat or a Republican? What is a caucus and a primary? When does North Carolina get to vote? Who was JFK? What happened to John Edwards? (as you know Edwards is from North Carolina but you may not know how much folks here truly love the guy...including myself) The questions went on and on...and on. Do you think a black man can REALLY become President? My Grandma says they will NEVER let him be President...if he makes it some white guy will shoot him for sure. Mrs. Underwood do YOU think someone will shoot him?

I reminded them that they should have learned a lot of this in "Civics" class by now. The answer was..."It was not important then." "I didn't care then" "I never thought a person like me could ever be President." "It had nothing to do with me". One of the smarter kids said, sarcastically, "Kerry or Bush...now THAT was something to get excited about!" The class burst into laughter.

I have just taught the best civics lessons I could. We listed in columns general differences between Democrats and Republicans...and added a few other parties. We looked up the CNN web site and checked out the caucus and primary states. Even though I already knew we vote in May...I had them research when NC votes.

One black girl's grandma keeps telling her someone will shoot Obama... her family believes the white folks will never let a black man be President. The white kids re-acted to that assertion/accusation. I loved the discussion we had about that. It was testy at times and I even felt uncomfortable. But they laid it all out on the table and we talked it through. So many of the kids relate to Obama....it was like he was the common denominator that made the discussion work.

They relate to Obama because he is black and of mixed race...the white kids talked about him because his mother was a teen mom and his dad left him...like their dad left them. They talked about how his grandparents raise him most of his youth. Most all of them wanted to know how he got to this successful point in his life when he was just like them when he was younger. It was if to say...if he can do it ...so can I.

I asked them..."What do you think Obama means by "Change"? What Changes is he going to make? I was surprised by their answers and I started holding back my tears.

"He is Changing us."
"He is asking us to Change".
"He is expecting us...me, to do...be my best."
"Mrs. Underwood, he made us have this talk."
"He made me want to learn more about voting"
"He makes me feel like "I can"...I can do what I really want to"
"He made me understand everyone in this class more"

I am truly supporting Obama...with my meager financial donations, and I hope I have inspired you to vote for Obama on my behalf. For my students, for their families. For the Change yet to come. So someday soon ...we can stop chanting "Yes We Can" ....and you, my students, and I can all look back and say "Yes We DID!"...."We ALL did it togeather!"

Closerer and Closerer

2008-03-02T18:13:00.000-08:00

Today I learned that the entire town of Oxford, Ohio has been canvassed by our efforts as well as presumably most or all of the 14,000 Miami University students here. In Cincinnati, 61,000 households or individuals were canvassed on one day by Obama volunteers. Our goal is one million doors knocked on/voters contacted before Tuesday, a record that has never been set. People are still travelling from out of state to Texas and Ohio. Our three Chicago visitors left today after canvassing efforts in Hamilton, their Prius windows scrawled with "Obama" in soap.

I had a rude awakening to the realities of rural America today. Much of Hamilton is flat, gray, miserable, depressed, poor in ways we do not have in California, and dusty. Food choices are almost entirely limited to fast food. I had my first all-Taco Bell lunch and still feel undernourished and sick. Thank heavens for the yummy club panini sandwich at the non-Starbucks coffee place downtown Oxford.

Our first canvassing assignment was in block-like, brick "apartment" buildings that felt to me more like housing projects but which I'm pretty sure were not. Folks were friendly, though; this feels like the kind of demographic where people live paycheck-to-paycheck and possibly without health insurance. I cannot imagine what young people do for fun here; I saw no bars or bookstores and just one old and lonely movie theater. How depressing. I guess this is the kind of place that has been impacted by the disappearance of manufacturing jobs and the absorption by big agriculture of any community farming.

A Word From Texas

2008-03-01T21:38:00.000-08:00

I'm on some campaign email lists from Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, and Texas, and here are a few excerpts, from March 1:

"I'm a Pittsburgher living in Austin for a couple of months, and I thought you'd all be interested to hear a bit of what is happening with Obama here in Texas with the Texas Primary pending on Tuesday.

Obviously, he's speaking here often now, but it's really hard to get in because the tix go so fast. Tix to his speeches are so precious that Craigs List Austin is actually crammed with scalpers selling tix to his FREE speeches with starting bids between $25 and $50. I've never seen anything like it."

AND [from SF list]:

"I know you've heard it before on this list from those headed out to Texas,
but I wanted to make one final plea: Texas needs our signs! And yes,
there's still time: I am headed out to Clarendon, Texas tomorrow night
(where I am the out-of-state Precinct Captain), and the Obama staffer on
the ground in the Panhandle has asked me to bring as much signage as I can.
As he said:

'Anything that has the word Obama, a picture of Obama, or an Obama logo
on it is absolute gold out here. You could buy manhattan with a few
Obama pins.'"

Ohio: Where "The Weather Channel" is News

2008-03-01T19:11:00.000-08:00

And then there were Five

2008-03-01T16:05:00.001-08:00

Last night, three people arrived to stay at Lisa's house, making our motley crew of Obamans five. Three animals, too. The three Chicagoans went to Hamilton today, while I stayed in Oxford and canvassed for three hours with a very sweet political science professor who said he hadn't campaigned for anyone since RFK.

Halfway There, Part I

2008-02-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a break from what feels like throwing Obama flyers all around town (and what is actually walking to specific homes in specific neighborhoods to talk with people but finding most not at home).

I'm even talking to people at Starbuck's, people on the street, and construction workers about Obama. Pretty exciting. Apparently, a bunch of people will be descending on Oxford this weekend, so the house where I'm staying is probably going to get crowded, with three Chicagoans arriving tonight.

I'm pretty tired, but took my first shower, which is chill-inducing, even indoors. The weather isn't too bad; some [melting] snow on the ground. I confess I ate at Taco Bell today; it was cheap, convenient, and flavorless.

Fired up and ready to go!

On the Docket

2008-02-29T06:40:00.000-08:00

This morning began to the anthem of my cell phone's alarm ring and the barest hint of daylight glowing through the gauzy white curtains in my bedroom. Not sun, mind you, but whatever Ohio skies consider to be the indicator of morning.

We're meeting at 10:30am somewhere here in Oxford, a town so small there's no chance I'll get lost. Another memory from yesterday about the Obama movement is when I finally found an outlet for my laptop at Chicago O'Hare, I managed to drop it, and the guy next to me made small talk. He says he thinks that Obama is so liked by the people that if he's elected president, Congress will not have the power to oppose him. This guy is from Lake Placid, had been skiing in Vail, and talked about how he'd been involved in politics for decades.

The girl who had been sitting in his chair earlier told me that she liked my Obama bumper sticker, and while she is not a Democrat, will be voting for him because she "hates Hillary" and she's tired of the same old stuff in Washington.

Yaye! Now I must decide whether I want to brave a shower in this cold, cold weather, get back into my rental car, with which I hope I'm still friends, back out of the snowy driveway, and make my way over to College Avenue. I think. There is "a" Starbuck's in town so hopefully I'll be able to use my own laptop (this is Lisa's computer, she's been so incredibly generous to open her home to me, but I will still need use of my own bruised laptop at some point).

Long Day's Journey into Ohio

2008-02-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

I sat down for lunch at O'Hare airport with two guys and got one of them into Obama! And one of them informally offered me a job in Boston. But it's in food service :-(.

An interesting day. I was trying to draw a guy from Kentucky into a conversation about Obama (heaven forbid I begin to remind myself of a door-to-door religion salesperson), only to learn he's voting for Huckabee! Shocking. But, he wants to go into business and earn a lot of money, so I supposed Huckabee would be his man. And I hear, too, that Huckabee is charismatic, knows his stuff, and can work a room. Sort of like a cherubic Reagan. Sort of.

I'm here at Miami University (not in Florida) in Oxford (not in England), Ohio, in a beautiful house with a nice young woman who's offered to put me up through Wednesday. I felt very grown-up as I rented a car for the first time by myself, and wandered through the dark night around Cincinatti and through several small towns onto a two-lane highway until I finally reached Oxford.

Who knows what tomorrow brings! I am meeting our campaign organizer at 10:30am and I think we'll be canvassing. I've really been practicing my salesmanship skills throughout the day, casually drawing folks into conversation and bringing the topic around eventually to politics. I like it! It reminds me of the caucusing process at Model United Nations.

The buzz around Obama continues to grow. This truly is a phenomenon, not just about one man. I've heard Republicans and people on the right say they're voting for Obama (some of them), while some have just admitted that they like him and while they're tempted, it's a "no."

On to bed. It was a long day filled with [seemingly] many airports, airplanes, terminals, interminable recorded announcements, sitting in cramped airplane seats, wandering aimlessly around terminals looking for a place to plug my laptop in (dropping it in the process). It's nice to be in one place for a week, even if it's cold and the people and architecture and layout and everything is so different. Haven't decided what I think yet. It's not quite the South, yet it's not quite the Midwest. Hmmm...

This Just In

2008-02-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

Bad news from the financial front: I'm having a hard time making ends meet; students loans coming due soon that are not deferable that I cannot pay for. Disability no longer pays enough to cover the basics, and I am starting to panic. I cannot find a job despite my best efforts.

Suggestions?

On Sabbatical No More

2008-02-19T23:38:00.000-08:00

I wasn't actually on sabbatical; rather, I took my opinionated opinions to facebook, where it's easier to interact with friends and make new acquaintances (and play too much "Scrabulous:). Lots of fun, but this blog is a labor of love, and I have no intention of abandoning it. Stay tuned.

The Wink Heard Round the World

2007-11-13T00:27:00.001-08:00

It has been revealed that the Clinton campaign has been planting (at least one) question-asker in the audience, as footage of one such person "winking" as she sat down has surfaced.

The Clinton campaign admitted to it, at least, but one wonders what an H. Clinton administration would look like if the campaign is rather disingenuously orchestrated?

I'd still take that White House over the current one, any day.

Scruple-less

2007-11-08T00:22:00.000-08:00

U.S. Holds Going-Out-Of-Business Sale

WASHINGTON, DC-President Bush has urged American consumers to get a piece of history, or just stock up on their favorite items.

Interspecies Rivalry

2007-11-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

Wherefore Art Though, Democracy in Pakistan?

2007-11-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

What on earth is Musharraf doing? Does it have anything to do w/Benazir Bhutto's return?

What is going on??!!

However, I strongly disagree with the alarmism that's rampant in the media whenever something approaching a crisis occurs, along with the doomsday predictions, etc. That's temporo-centric; placing more emphasis on what's going on now simply because it's going on now. Granted, the outcome is unknown, but I still don't believe in alarmism.

Less "Truthiness" For American Politics

2007-11-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

Associated Press
11/5/07

Stephen Colbert has dropped his bid for the White House.

His announcement came after the South Carolina Democratic Executive Council voted last week to keep the host of "The Colbert Report" off the state's primary ballot. The vote was 13-3. Colbert poses as a conservative talk-show host on the Comedy Central show.

"Although I lost by the slimmest margin in presidential election history — only 10 votes — I have chosen not to put the country through another agonizing Supreme Court battle," Colbert said Monday in a statement. "It is time for this nation to heal."

Colbert had said he would run only in his native South Carolina, a key primary state. He said he planned to run as a Democrat and a Republican — so he could lose twice. Colbert, 43, later declined to file with the GOP, which has a much higher filing fee ($35,000) than the Democrats ($2,500).

"I want to say to my supporters, this is not over," Colbert said. "While I may accept the decision of the Council, the fight goes on! The dream endures! ... And I am going off the air until I can talk about this without weeping."

In reality, "The Colbert Report" was going off the air because of a strike by Hollywood writers that began Monday. Many talk shows were expected to be shown in repeats during the strike.

Colbert Was Right

2007-11-04T21:12:00.000-08:00

The day after Halloween is the first day of Christmas, especially judging by how quickly the "holiday" themed commercials began.

News Bloopers

2007-11-04T01:52:00.000-07:00

Japan's leader gets silly with the microphone while Clinton is trying to talk seriously, among other laugh-worthy gaffes.

Vasectomies Have Never Been Funnier

2007-11-04T00:59:00.000-07:00

I Miss Ron Burgundy

2007-11-04T00:50:00.000-07:00

An unusual weather forecast.

Feminism Confounds Colbert

2007-11-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

Here is Naomi Wolf on the Report. I don't agree with her argument at all, but I think she's a mesmerizing presence and persuasive speaker. She's a pretty strong challenger to Colbert's tricky verbal acrobatics.

Michael Moore on "Democracy Now"

2007-11-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

Where's the democracy? The racket surrounding the healthcare racket in the US.

Church of Creep-ology

2007-11-02T23:09:00.001-07:00

Anderson Cooper endeavors to interview one of the sketchy head honchos of the Church of Scientology.

A convincing look by a reputable professional at life in Clearwater, Florida, where Scientology maintains its intelligence headquarters.

A Black Eye on Black Friday

2007-11-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

Walmart decided to start Christmas sales early this year...today.

Have they no shame? Actually, I heard that they are struggling with profitability, which is probably a stronger motivation for a sale than Christmas cheer.

Obese Panhandlers

2007-11-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Technically speaking, if one can afford to overeat, why would begging on the street be necessary?

Hmmm...it's kind of like homeless people with dogs--if you give them money, would they spend it on dog food or feed themselves?

"Mental health parity bills gain steam in Congress"

2007-11-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

Nina Petersen-Perlman
Star Tribune
November 01, 2007

The Senate has passed one version; the House is to vote this month on a measure similar to one championed by the late Paul Wellstone. Five years after the death of Sen. Paul Wellstone, a groundbreaking bill he championed requiring health insurers to cover mental health conditions in the same way as physical ailments is gaining political momentum and could finally become law.

The late senator pushed for so-called "mental health parity," in part because his brother had bipolar disorder. Last month, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved its version of the legislation. A more ambitious House bill, which has 270 cosponsors, is scheduled for a vote later this month.

Critics of the more sweeping House version -- mainly in the insurance and health care industries -- warn that it could drive up costs and even cause some people to lose benefits...

Fred Thompson, Coward

2007-10-31T23:15:00.001-07:00

Shows up in San Francisco, openly opposes "civil unions," yet tries to evade responsibility for it by "leaving the matter up to the states."

If you're going to be a bigot, have the guts to stand behind your beliefs and let us know what you think. If your opinion is correct, you should have nothing to fear. Homophobes, come out of the closet so we can see who you are.

The half-assed notion of "civil unions" is akin to the equally fallacious "separate but equal" rule from segregation days in the South. Include me in the back of the bus, please; I don't believe in discrimination.

As Daniel Pearl's dad, on the anniversary of his murder, said so eloquently, and I paraphrase, "we can judge humanity by how the Jews are treated."

GOP Gay Sex Scandal #...Nevermind, I've Lost Count

2007-10-31T23:12:00.000-07:00

Funny how it's the anti-gay party that keeps experiencing gay sex scandals...

OPEN FORUM: "The crisis of homelessness is rooted in mental illness"

2007-10-31T23:07:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Chronicle
Fred J. Martin, Jr
10/31/07

Will the crisis of the 1960s precipitated by the closing of California's state mental hospitals be perpetuated in San Francisco? Will the city continue attempting to sweep homeless from the streets and parks without a strategy for treatment of these mostly chronically mentally ill individuals? The San Francisco Department of Public Health has proposed to eliminate 22 inpatient psychiatric beds at San Francisco General Hospital as of January 2008. Next week, the Board of Supervisors will consider a supplementary appropriation to reverse this action.

If left to stand, however, this city would eliminate 22 out of 87 SFGH locked ward beds and shift the funding to an acute diversion unit and a voluntary urgent care program...[continued]

$300 Later...

2007-10-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

Car towed. Parking citation. Biopsych midterm. Long day. Police lock-down in Castro. The anti-Halloween.

Dr. Phil, Anti-Therapist

2007-10-31T20:04:00.001-07:00

An exploitative, voyeuristic show with pseudo-advice for needy people that does more harm than good. Phil abuses his authority as show host and as underqualified "therapist." Isn't his degree in industrial psych or something like that?

Colbert Popular on "The Facebook"

2007-10-31T01:09:00.000-07:00

Colbert and his newly-minted run for the presidential nod; in South Carolina, at least, where he may run as both a Republican and a Democrat--a "Republicrat"?

Too Much Information

2007-10-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

An hour-long interview with Richard Armitage by Charlie Rose is probably too much information, but he's an interesting guy. Fluent in Vietnamese, apparently, among other languages. First caught my eye in "No End in Sight," and has been implicated in the Valerie Plame leak.

The War [Is] Being Televised

2007-10-30T00:58:00.001-07:00

I haven't watched the whole thing, so I can't vouch for it, but overall I think Al Jazeera does a fine job with their documentaries.

The George Bush School of Government

2007-10-30T00:03:00.000-07:00

Political Scientists Discover New Form Of Government

WASHINGTON, DC—Political scientists at the Cato Institute announced Monday that they have inadvertently synthesized a previously theoretical...

If I Could Do Anything...

2007-10-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

I'd go to the Middle East...Morocco, Cairo, Beirut, to teach English or volunteer...travel, travel, travel; learn languages, meet people...figure it all out.

Behind-the-Scenes at Dunder Mifflin

2007-10-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

A cute, unselfconscious interview with Dwight, Jim, Pam, and "the temp" before "The Office" became a hit.

Un Nouveau Napoleon?

2007-10-29T19:02:00.000-07:00

France's president Nicolas Sarkozy walks out of an interview with CBS news. Pretty funny. I like him--he's a bit of a prima donna.

"No End in Sight"

2007-10-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

The trailer for the Iraq war documentary "No End in Sight," by Magnolia pictures. It's a little self-promotive, of course, but this film, in its entirety, is the best documentary I have yet seen on Iraq.

"The Arsonist Has Oddly Shaped Feet"

2007-10-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

One of Will Ferrell's lines from the film "Anchorman." It comes to mind because of the talk of arson behind the Southern California fires.

La Vie en France

2007-10-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

France struggles to address its underemployment issues, and its 35-hour per week, government-mandated work schedule.

Erik Prince, "For the Hour"

2007-10-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

Here is Blackwater's CEO Erik Prince on "The Charlie Rose Show" to respond to the firestorm of controversy surrounding the murder of Iraqi civilians by Blackwater contractors. He's a really interesting guy; I enjoyed his testimony before Congress as well, but had a hard time choosing a specific segment from C-SPAN's coverage to include here.

Prince did not seem at all pleased to be testifying before Congress; he seemed almost contemptuous and while his body language showed impatience and quasi-condescension, his words were polite and efficient. He's very intelligent and thinks tactically--in terms of details and concrete planning. His SEAL training is evident as well, in his effort to answer each question as completely as possible and posture of respect and pride.

Top Ten[?] Most Wanted Qualities in a Job

2007-10-29T00:33:00.000-07:00

enough time to maintain this blog :-)

the chance to use my writing skills

meet people from all walks of life

travel and see the world

to feel useful and engaged

to be respected in my field

learn several languages

earn good money

be a "professional" of some kind and be well-connected, whatever that means

be involved with/in current events on an international scale

Trying Not to Panic, Version 1.0

2007-10-29T00:30:00.001-07:00

Why is finding a job so difficult? I feel like I'm barking up the wrong tree.

Murky Blackwater Coverage

2007-10-28T21:42:00.001-07:00

This is "bonus footage" from Robert Greenwald's acclaimed documentary, "Iraq For Sale." It's overtly anti-Blackwater, but has some interesting things to say. I'm really intrigued by the whole Blackwater fiasco and will try to provide several sides of the situation here.

This guy is the editor of "The Nation," a very respected publication, and the author of the bestselling book about Blackwater. However, he's never been to Iraq to see Blackwater in action. They have invited him several times. I would feel better about his criticism of Blackwater if he'd actually been there to see exactly what they do.

In the midst of this Blackwater coverage, I really recommend Robert Young Pelton's "Licensed to Kill," a book not just about Blackwater but competing companies and the history behind the whole phenomenon of private contractors. By far the least biased source I've yet encountered on the whole thing.

US Policy in Iraq

2007-10-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

[Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting]

An excellent piece on the effect the new US policy of "peacekeeping" in Anbar province in Iraq is having on Sunni and Shi'a neighbors. I subscribe to the Pulitzer Center's channel on youtube, and really recommend it for top-quality reporting.

Problêmes à Paris

2007-10-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

English language Al Jazeera has great coverage of worldwide events that don't get much mention in the US media. This one is about the ongoing problem of racism and poverty in the slums surrounding Paris.

The Fab Factor

2007-10-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween is in full swing [no pun intended] here in the Castro, well before the 31st. There were so many drag queens that as a biological woman, I felt outnumbered.

If I were dressing up, I'd go as the Grim Reaper, Dick Cheney. Or, I'd go as one of those Brazilian Carnaval girls w/the huge feathery headdress, etc.

I wish I had friends to celebrate Halloween with...

I bet someone will dress up as Larry Craig, or some variation thereof...

Background Info on Daniel Pearl's Murder

2007-10-27T20:17:00.001-07:00

This guy was working security for American diplomats in Pakistan and spoke with Pearl right before Pearl met with his kidnappers-to-be.

ABC, 123, SFPD

2007-10-27T20:03:00.003-07:00

It's pretty simple arithmetic, actually, SFPD. I almost received two parking tickets in the space of four hours (yes, I was in minor violation both times) on Friday.

However, on the average day in SF, I see probably 20-30 different homeless people. In fact, I should start counting (note to self)!

Now, which is more important--issuing parking tickets to people like me, who was literally in the wrong meter section on the street for five minutes before a butch meter maid came along--or helping homeless people?

Perhaps rearranging resources would be a good idea--move some of those ticketing officers over to the "let's help the homeless in a meaningful way" department.

Agreed?

Fee, Fie, Fo, FEMA

2007-10-27T20:03:00.001-07:00

A staged news conference, FEMA? Really? Way to restore the nation's faith in your agency!

New iPod Mini Invisible To Naked Eye

2007-10-25T22:37:00.001-07:00

Apple Unveils New Product-Unveiling Product

SAN FRANCISCO—Apple claims the iLaunch can garner the same amount of press attention as a major scientific discovery, high court ruling, celebrity meltdown, or natural disaster at 200 times the speed of a traditional media-fostered launch.

Ready to Close the Door

2007-10-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

Moving on, getting older, growing up.

A Disappointing Omelet

2007-10-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

It can't have been a bad day if the worst I can say about it is that my dinner omelet turned out disappointingly. A little flat. I wonder if I used too much milk.

Terrorizing Tehran

2007-10-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

Irony intended. More sanctions are not the answer.

Re-Districting "The Colbert Report"

2007-10-25T16:52:00.001-07:00

One of my all-time favorite segments of his show, where he "entraps" various US Representatives into loopholes and semantic mazes so complex there is no escape!

Hanging: A Coup de Cou?

2007-10-25T16:49:00.001-07:00

"The Daily Show's" John Oliver informs the viewer of the typical sentence for crimes against humanity in Iraq--and it involves getting Lou Gehrig's disease.

Ahem, Sovereignty?

2007-10-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

The Iraqi government wants Blackwater to leave Iraq. Since Iraq is a sovereign state, the United States should support this decision. It is hypocritical of the administration to go on about "freedom" in Iraq and then contradict the decisions of its government.

Iraq needs our support, not the imposition of our self-serving will. If they want Blackwater out, we should assist in that effort.

Bring Burma Back

2007-10-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Myanmar's current government is illegitimate because it was not brought to power by its citizens. It engages in widespread oppression and mistreatment of political opposition and suppresses freedom of speech.

Knock it off, Myanmar.

Jim Lehrer, Novelist

2007-10-25T00:30:00.001-07:00

As Borat would say, "Whaaaaaat?"

Find a Silver Lining?

2007-10-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

Scientists Theorize What Would Happen If They Touched A Cloud

CHICAGO—A group of scientists from the University of Chicago raised new questions during an international nephology conference held there...