the stuff of Howardly awards

Howard Dean is first. check out those Dean smiles

Hey I know those guys!!

This is the little stuff that leads to an informed community!  Way to go guys!!

 Best Regards,

 Mr. Briggs

What you callin' little, Mr. Briggs?  ;^)

9:25 AM EDT 

Mike, that you I see in the early voting line ?

http://news14.com/content/local_news/triangle/594974/early-voting-starts-thursday-in-nc/Default.aspx

Early voting starts Thursday in NC

04/17/2008 09:02 AM
By: Kate Gaier

CHARLOTTE -- Early voting began Thursday at 8 a.m. Elections officials are urging voters to get out early if they can because they expect large—if not record—crowds for the May 6 primary.

The Democratic presidential primary is driving most voters to the polls.

...

Fix the blog

9:47am

* rdorgan
Thu, 04/17/08
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LOL..........naw, Im sittin this one out mate............BO did fine in the debate last night......the sabre rattling with Iran is quite disappointing tho, as they all failed to mention the NIE report pretty much ruling out Iran is not constructing a nuclear weapon................Hillary(and Mccain) sound so childish with regards to foreign policy as well, an affliction that has really hurt this country since 1980................when Americans put things like flag lapel pins ahead of jobs, infractructure, education, health insurance, etc etc.........that says something about a portion of the electorate..i applaud BO for sticking with the no flag pin, something the Founders would have actually admired.............Hillary wasnt wearing one either and BO was mature in not exploiting that on TV.............what he should do, tho next time is to wear flag boxers(like mine Austin Powers Union Jack ones)............when some idiot questions him on patriotism, he should just drop his drawers..........that will make the headline news!

Again, the slight majority of yanks olay it safe(and stupid) come November, and go for Mccain.

Did anyone catch the Nashville/Detroit score from last nite?

Phil. Daily News endorses Barack.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4...

Prominent Pennsylvanians to switch their support from Hillary to Barack today based on her negativity.

http://thepage.time.com/2008/04/17/phila...

Hillary had an opportunity to take the high road last night. She did not. She has shown the world what an opportunist she is.

rich wrote "I must be an elitist.  I want candidates to stand for something beyond their own self-interest of getting elected."

You are an elitist.  Feel free to conduct yourself as one, but the drawback is pretty straight forward.  The most upright, virtuous, and politically doctrinaire candidate in an election has a very poor shot at victory, because elections are democratic processes, meaning his or her appeal has to be to the broad range of voters in order to attract a majority of support.  In the government of an imperious dictator, you could promote all the saintly candidates for office you liked.  Absent that, the underlying premise of a democratic system is the constant, urgent  need for compromise or, invoking Chairman Dean, "the perfect is the enemy of the good."

I'm surprised at how frequently this debate comes up in light of the fact that the arguments never vary a jot.  The options, it seems to me, are these:  you can 1) act above the fray, cling to your high ideals, and stay uninvolved on principle, or 2) embrace the imperfect system by working even harder for the candidate or cause that most closely matches your ideal. 

The first option has obvious appeal, because you don't associate with dirty, bad, and inferior candidates.  In fact, you can insult them and condescend to their supporters. However, it's a surrender.  The second, in which we "beat on, boats against the current,"  has all the negative features the first doesn't, but you maintain the chance and hope of improving our lot as citizens through simple perseverance in attempting to improve government by helping to convince voters that an upright, virtuous candidate, or the closest thing we have to one, should be elected. 

If Hillary doesn't win by double digits in PA the game is over, but organizing for the fall isn't so all the way to Oregon and beyond.

If Obama wins Pennsylvania I'm going to buy a new pickup, if Hillary wins big I'll stick with the old one thinking tough times are coming under McCain and I don't need truck payments.

That is how I show candidate support, I believe in their skills to govern, and Obama will sweep in a Democratic Congress.

I'm still disgusted by ABC and their avoidance of a substanitive discussion of the real issues facing ordinary Americans and it isn't worry about keeping the Bush tax cuts on their $250,000 plus income that keeps most Americans up at night.

pretty clear that it was tops on George and Charlie's lists of an actual issue

Mike wrote "Did anyone catch the Nashville/Detroit score from last nite?"

I did.  The Wings have bought themselves a much unwanted goaltender contoversy.

10:03 AM EDT

IMO McCain is untested and has never had to handle another debater with the at least moderate competence level of an Obama or a Clinton (sorry any repub lurkers here but even Paul did a lot better than flip-flopping Romney and chummy Hucklebee in the repub debates)

Come Nov, the Iraq War will be more of a biting issue (than it is now) to ALL Americans and McCain will be on the short end of the stick (trying to hide behind patriotism and his POW days):

Tom isn't saying anything about hockey Mike

~~~

  The options, it seems to me, are these:  you can 1) act above the fray, cling to your high ideals, and stay uninvolved on principle, or 2) embrace the imperfect system by working even harder for the candidate or cause that most closely matches your ideal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

or you can work to change the system

`````````````````````

or vote straight party ticket and trust the party activists to get it right

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

vote so you can bitch with authority, ("don't blame me, I voted for the other guy")

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assume the position

~~~~~~~

there are a lot of options not just two

Phil wrote "there are a lot of options not just two."

Working to change the system, voting a straight party ticket, and voting so you can bitch about the results fall under my second option, embrace the imperfect system.  Assuming the postion falls under my first, stay uninvolved.

Tom~ WHAT

Tom~ WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RED WINGS!?!

mary vb

I save alot of time not surfing kos because you always have such good links. I hope many of you get some value out of my contributions here as I do yours. Obama has every right to expect a win in PA but he is up against a machine, and that is a hard read for me here from the distance. 

To answer my own question, I'll tell you what happened to the Red Wings... same old, same old, get in playoffs and PLOP!

Karen

focus on the Pistons, the Redwings have head problems (not unlike Clinton's)

Karen wrote "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RED WINGS!?!"

The answer seems uncomplicated, given Hasek's comments after the game: "Last 60 minutes, worst hockey I've played in my life. ... I feel very bad about myself.''

They should be rotating Hasek and Osgood, but hey, what do I know, I'm just a fan!

As far as the Pistons, look for the same to happen to them; they have a proven record!

At least the Tigers have won a couple...

'k, rant over! 

Karen wrote "I'll tell you what happened to the Red Wings... same old, same old, get in playoffs and PLOP!"

I just don't agree with your assessment.  If any team gets into the postseason for 17 straight years, they're in the company of some group of fifteen other teams with the same objective each year.  It's not like having a good team every so often, like the Ducks, and occasionally rolling over the competition when you do. 

In 17 consecutive playoff appearances, the Wings have gone to 6 conference championships and four Cup finals, winning three.  They are second all time in Stanley Cup finals appearances and third all time in Cup victories.  If you want the best percentage teams in the Cup finals, you want the Avalanche or the Penguins.  They've appeared in two apiece.

This poll is from ABC... Charlie and George are still getting blasted for their horrific debate questions last night with over 12,000 comments so far.

Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama squared off ahead of next week's crucial Pennsylvania primary.

Who won the Democratic debate?

Sen. Barack Obama - 32,962

Sen. Hillary Clinton - 12,230

It was a tie - 4,057

Total Vote: 49,249

Whenever someone around here tries to hold candidates to any standards, we are told our standards are too high, and any D is better than any R.

If those of us who pay close attention don't hold the candidates to standards, who else will?

I must be an elitist.  I want candidates to stand for something beyond their own self-interest of getting elected.

Nothing is black and white.  Everything is shades of gray.  The closer someone comes to what I think a candidate should be and stand for, the more they gain from me.  That can range from my vote in November, to maxed out contributions and months of my spare time, including taking vacation to travel to do hands on work.

If we give them everything for giving us almost nothing, what's their motivation to give us more?

Tom like the Clintons dynasties grow old. better luck next year

Just a moment to get in my support of the Rangers (who I have followed since the days of Rod Gilbert).

Phil wrote "Tom like the Clintons dynasties grow old. better luck next year."

In the Wings case, the dynasty is growing older, but not necessarily the players.

I think I heard Phil count the Wings out of the playoffs.

There was a diary on KOS yesterday saying that there would be a 30 second ad from Brave New Films sponsored by True Majority and DFA (that's us) following the debate last night. In north Florida we had a 30 second silent blackness. Was the ad supposed to run and was blocked out? Was it only run in Pennsylvania? I think if DFA sponsored or cosponsored the running of this ad they owe us an explanation of why it wasn't shown. Or if it was shown in Philly to let us know that. Here's a link to the 30 second ad. Note the logos including DFA at the bottom of the page.
http://condimustgo.com/
I am especially concerned of the free speech issue ala the blackout of the 60 Minutes segment on Seigelman in Alabama.

Would it be too much to ask that comments people post to entries about local activism, stick to the local activism issue?  

It's kind of pointless to have comments if they themselves become the focus of the discussion rather than the post.

as I used to say "I don't have a dog in that fight" (hockey) but with Vick doing time I have to come up with another way of saying it

I'm really want to know.

Would it be too much to ask that comments people post to entries about local activism, stick to the local activism issue?  

It's kind of pointless to have comments if they themselves become the focus of the discussion rather than the post.

Glad to be of service, Phil.

Would it be too much to ask that comments people post to entries about local activism, stick to the local activism issue?  

That will not happen here, we are a community of many voices.

Would it be too much to ask that comments people post to entries about local activism, stick to the local activism issue?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

way too much, Patrick, but feel free, I'd rather know your take on ABC and the debate

you must be unfamiliar with the way BFA has always worked

there was a time when forums were started for that purpose and for all I know are still going

Patrick,

In the history of this blog, back to the Dean for America days, we have never closely followed the topic.  If someone wants to comment on it, we do, but it is not required.

In that way, this blog can be considered one conversation going on, now, for five years. 

Patrick Briggs it's traditional on this blog to post about everything BUT the main post - are you new here?

This poll is from ABC... Charlie and George are still getting blasted for their horrific debate questions last night with over 12,000 comments so far.

Thanks for that link and info Karen.

The ABC website has "watch the debate" links all over the front page.

We didn't watch it. One reason is because Obama has already won the primary so why another debate? It was obviously for ABC's benefit and had nothing to do with the Democratic primary. We also know George's nasty habits of attacking rather than asking.

We can see that what we missed was worth missing. Keith's regular program was very good. However, his second 10:00 EDT program based on the debate results was a waste of time.

The front blog photos are excellent. Well done and keep up the good work in California.

Apparently there will be a peaceful student protest at the comm college where I work next week - students are protesting b/c they can't bring their concealed guns to school. Apparently schools are exempt from the new law which allows people to keep weapons in their cars at work. Absolutely no comment.
http://www.miamiherald.com/775/story/496...

 information on a number of current issues that affect the residents of the San Gabriel Valley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

nice to know people are taking that step, pretty hard to find a national audience on the particulars though

tabling is more climate specific, it isn't really done much in Iowa because of the weather

Oklahoma Superdelegate Reggie Whitten endorses Barack Obama,

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGC5sC

10:54 AM EDT

Which sector to invest in ?  Well, beware of what's out there in the market (the right choice might serve as a better nest egg for ya in the future):

http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=8180760

Vermont Teddy Bear sells Clinton, Obama and McCain bears

Associated Press - April 17, 2008 9:55 AM ET

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -

...

The Clinton bear is decked out in a yellow jacket, black pants and string of pearls; the Obama bear has rolled up sleeves and black pants; and the McCain bear is most formal, in a business suit and tie.

...

Vermont Teddy Bear also has asked people to vote for their favorite on its Web site, and so far the Obama bear is winning.

+++

http://shop.vermontteddybear.com/index.html?utm_source=Yahoo&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=TRADEMARKS%20-%20VTB&ne_ppc_id=551&ne_key_id=740608

this blog can be considered one conversation going on, now, for five years. 

Well said, my friend. :~)

Anyone know how many SD's have endorsed to date or where we can find the info? Obama's website doesn't seem to keep track of them, probably because they are reversible.

11:02 AM EDT

most detailed and accurate source for SD's that I could find:

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

11:14 AM EDT

It's time to roll up the sleeves and get some work done ?:

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/vtbear_1998_18299180

Phil,

Frequency medicine is very interesting. Everything is frequency. What folks need to remember is that if frequency can be use to heal it can also be use to harm. Just like chemicals.

http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/ind...

I don't think it's too much to ask that a blog post get comments relevant to it.  I'm not new "here".  I've been with DFA from the beginning. 

I'm making a valid point that Blog for America would become a lot more useful if more people posted about the activism they do OFFLINE than the way it seems to work now with people commenting within a seemingly closed online community about political news.  You only hear yourselves.  Where is the community building in that?  Where is the offline community building in that?

Regards,

Patrick

8.

Tom Bearse
Thu, 04/17/08


….The most upright, virtuous, and politically doctrinaire candidate in an election has a very poor shot at victory, because elections are democratic processes, meaning his or her appeal has to be to the broad range of voters in order to attract a majority of support. In the government of an imperious dictator, you could promote all the saintly candidates for office you liked. Absent that, the underlying premise of a democratic system is the constant, urgent need for compromise or, invoking Chairman Dean, "the perfect is the enemy of the good."
-----------------

There are differences however between “saintly” candidates too. For example, I do think 4 years ago Kerry was “saint” candidate (in comparison to Bush), however Obama comparing to Kerry IS clearly the “upright, virtuous, and politically doctrinaire” candidate.

On the other hand, of course, Ron Paul has never been a viable candidate. But behind backs of those like him (and like Dean) Obama has a chance to become viable.

What I’m trying to say is that the depth, the quality, the range of appeal to the voters DOES NOT always derived from the “urgent need for compromise”. Obama demonstrates exactly the opposite, the urgent need for NOT COMPROMISING might be true as well.

 don't think it's too much to ask that a blog post get comments relevant to it. 

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Patrick,

If I may...........youre gonna miss out on some great cookie recipes, sports scores, arguments and my infamous predicting ability.....plus Phils farm report on the heffers..................

use s/b used

linda b

where are the delegates you were finding going to be delegates for, what level?

these delegates go to the congressional distict conventions and the state convention.

Patrick~ Great photos and activism on your part. We all do our parts, as well, with a little extra conversations thrown in. Good to have your voice.

Hi Patrick,

We talk shop here too. All bfa activists have bloggin' braggin' rights and are always welcome. But I do enjoy the friendship chat and sharing on other topics that we also like to do. Doing so gives to the bfa community that down home kind of feelin'.


btw, Love this post! We've been out there too. May is going to be a very busy month in Madera County. Are you or are any of your Pasadena folks going to attend to CDC Convention this year in Fresno?

Obama Bear needs a new "blue" collared shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

http://cdn.overstock.com/images/products...

fred said (with typical loutish ignorance):

"Really?  You speak with such frivolous authority  - just to devalue my point.

Every item  at BO's website store says "UNION MADE IN USA"

Hillary's web site store does not say where her stuff is made."<<<<<<<<<<

standard Dem policy for 50+ years, fred.  Obama is a good Democrat.  Most folks here know that, of course

============================

cC, You are the one making ignorant assumptions without proof - I don't know if Hillary is or is not using union products and/or products Made in USA, but if she is, she would be a better Democrat (like Obama) to advertise the fact - telling millions of people we strongly favor domestic production, especially made by Union people.

The general assumption in the consumer market is that if it doesn't say "Made in USA," it probably isn't - a safer assumption than your assumption, that she is using American-made Union-made products but is simply not telling us.

It either case, Obama is doing the better thing - by using them and/or advertising the fact.

Anybody on this blog with Clinton paraphanalia or clothing, can tell us where it is made?  What it says on the label?

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/24968#comment-1188660

new thread

The result was arguably one of Mr. Obama’s weakest debate performances....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/us/politics/17debate.html?th&emc=th

==============================

What planet do these people live on??????

Glad to see that you're remaining active!

Hey Bridget.

How's that new significant other?  (snicker)  ;^)