Voted Early

Well, I did something yesterday, that I said early in the campaign process that I would never do. I voted for McCain. I don't really like or trust McCain, but I like and trust Obama even less. I love Palin. I think she is the next Ronald Reagan, but not McCain.

I just can't vote to place a no experienced, racially charged, character lacking (as evidenced by his relationships), product of the radical left leaning political machine and mainstream media. His policies on economics, foreign relations, health-care, and many other things are going to bankrupt our nation and weaken the U.S. in the global arena. Yes, he represents change, but without exception that change is all going to adversely affect the U.S.

I hope you'll all do your part and participate in this very important and historic vote. Don't let our nation fall to the radical left. If Obama is elected, the government, the house and the senate and the presidency will all be run by the radical left. San Francisco values and Massachusetts economics and policies. It will be very bad for our nation and we will live with it for decades to come.

Biden Angered By Tough Questions

Joe ‘the Stumbler’ Biden’s Big Gift to McCain

By Andrea Tantaros
Republican Political Commentator/Foxnews.com Contributor

Oops, he did it again. Joe Biden’s latest comments display yet another hiccup. This time Biden admits his running mate is untested, acknowledges that the world knows it and that many try to exploit his inexperience: “We’re going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy,” Biden said this week.

As if that weren’t enough, Biden went on to say that it would not be readily apparent that Obama’s response to an international crisis would be the correct one and urged supporters to stand by him even in doubt.

Thanks for that vote of confidence, Joe. You sure know how to give new meaning to the title “number two” with your talking points. (Note: before he was tapped as Obama’s sidekick, Biden argued Obama wasn’t experienced enough to be president).

Truth be told, this is quite possibly the most honest thing Biden has said to date (besides his notion that Hillary would make a better vice president than he would). Obama is arguably the most inexperienced candidate seeking the White House in the last century. But most importantly, his policy positions are flat out fallible. From fiscal issues to foreign affairs, he’s eerily vapid and devoid of the mettle it takes to do the job. I’m glad to see Senator Biden agrees, just wish he would have conceded this point sooner.

There is no question that Biden’s words are a gift. But they also highlight a reality of the McCain camp and why they’re struggling. Without the messages of Joe the Plumber and Joe the Stumbler, the Maverick and his team have no cogent message or original thought of their own.

Until Joe the Plumber the McCain campaign hasn’t been able to articulate the dangers and reality of Obama’s punitive, socialist wealth transfer programs. Until Biden’s bungle they haven’t been able to effectively make hay over Obama’s thin resume. And until last week, their camp had failed to effectively and aggressively distance McCain from George Bush (a colossal mistake, but largely one made mainly thanks to the swarms of former Bush staffers on McCain’s current campaign payroll).

McCain still might not have a succinct campaign theme but one thing is clear: it’s more succinct than Biden’s, but certainly not as telling. If Republicans expect to make any gains in the next fourteen days we must hammer home, by adding a human face to the issues, why Obama will further damage our economic and our national security. Now is no time to experiment with 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The stakes are too high to trust our future with an unsure, unseasoned, ultra-liberal newcomer. Just ask Joe Biden.

McCain-Palin Tradition

Workout for brain just a few clicks away

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Searching the Internet may help middle-aged and older adults keep their memories sharp, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles studied people doing Web searches while their brain activity was recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging scans.

"What we saw was people who had Internet experience used more of their brain during the search," Dr. Gary Small, a UCLA expert on aging, said in a telephone interview.

"This suggests that just searching on the Internet may train the brain -- that it may keep it active and healthy," said Small, whose research appears in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Many studies have found that challenging mental activities such as puzzles can help preserve brain function, but few have looked at what role the Internet might play.

"This is the first time anyone has simulated an Internet search task while scanning the brain," Small said.

Read Article

I knew there were health benefits to spending all this time on the Internet. It's the single greatest exercise that I get.

First Graders Compromised by School Officials.

First-graders in San Francisco took a field trip to City Hall to celebrate the marriage of their lesbian teacher on Friday, but opponents of same-sex marriage in the state say the field trip was an attempt to “indoctrinate” the students, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The field trip was suggested by a parent at the Creative Arts Charter School, and the school said the trip, where students tossed rose petals on their teacher and her wife as they left City Hall, was academically relevant.

"It really is what we call a teachable moment," said Liz Jaroslow, the school’s interim director, according to the newspaper. She said same-sex marriage had historic significance. "I think I'm well within the parameters."

California will vote on Nov. 4 on Proposition 8 which seeks to ban same-sex marriage in the state, and supporters of the measure say the field trip shows that allowing same-sex marriage will mean it’s taught to school children, the newspaper said.

"It's just utterly unreasonable that a public school field trip would be to a same-sex wedding," said Chip White, press secretary for the Yes on 8 campaign, told the Chronicle. "This is overt indoctrination of children who are too young to have an understanding of its purpose."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,436961,00.html

Whether or not you agree with the homosexual movement, this is not a good scenario. First graders are so impressionable and to expose them to something so controversial is dangerous and unconscionable. A first graders teacher should keep her love life, whether straight or gay, out of the classroom all together; especially, if it is deeply controversial. Had this been my first graders school, I would be gunning for someone's job.

The school passed this off as a teachable moment based on the civil rights aspect of this case. I agree that perhaps there is something educational to learn in civil rights, but not for an elementary school or a middle school. This is something that could be, if it could be at all, more appropriate for senior high students who can make decisions on this lifestyle for themselves.

Viva Las Vegas and Sunny Los Angeles

Lezlie and I have just returned from a whirlwind trip to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. We were in Las Vegas from Saturday until Thursday morning. This was my first time to Las Vegas and it was pure shock and awe. You can’t really go anywhere in the Las Vegas Strip area where all of your senses aren't marketed to.

Since this was a business trip for Lezlie, we got off pretty easy on lodging and travel. We stayed at the fabulous Bellagio Hotel and Casino. This is the home of the Fountains of Bellagio. It’s really a spectacular attraction. Bellagio also hosts an amazing Botanical Garden area that is always decorated to the appropriate season.

We must have walked 5,342,245 miles. Just kidding, but we did do an extraordinary amount of trekking. Lezlie’s conference was at the Hilton. We got a great deal on the Internet for the Bellagio; it is very centrally located, which made it even more attractive. We were within walking distance to just about everything. We didn’t even have a car until Tuesday. Then we got a convertible Mustang with only eight thousand miles on it. I’ve never been in a convertible before. It was a really nice car.

Directly across the street from us was Bally’s, where we were marvelously entertained by one of the few remaining Las Vegas showgirl acts. Don Arden's Jubilee! was glamorous and elegant, yet hip and modern. It perfectly blends a little bit of each kind of act in Las Vegas. Musically jazzed, it had beautiful women, handsome men, singers, dancers, jugglers, and acrobats. It was a fantastic professional production and we were able to see it free.

The second show we saw was The Mac King Comedy Show. It was hilariously funny and very entertaining. I had never heard of him before, but if you are in Vegas and you get a chance to see his show, I highly recommend it.

The grand finale for me was Barry Manilow. It was the best thing we did in Las Vegas and something I have wanted to do for years. His show was out of this world. We took lots of pictures, but only a few turned out. Our original seats were good, but there were a few seats open closer to the front so we were moved up for free.

After we left Las Vegas, we did a drive over the Hoover Dam. I didn’t think it was that impressive; at least, not as much so as seen on documentaries. Mind you, we didn’t go inside or do the tour. We were pressed for time for Lezlie to make an appointment with a client in Los Angeles.

So, we made the drive through Death Valley to Los Angeles. It was a beautiful drive. We had to make an agricultural stop. It was much like going through a toll road, only they wanted to look at your fruit if you had any. It was bizarre.

We arrived at my great Aunt Esther and her husband Max’s house in Fullerton where we would remain until our departure on Sunday for home. As always, they were very gracious hosts and we had much fun reminiscing about old times and family members. We played scrabble, went through old photo’s, and even met some family members I didn’t know I had.

Then, Aunt Esther’s great-granddaughter Veronica (whom, we found adorable) came to spend the day with us. She quickly warmed up to me and became my mini-me for the day. She was the most well behaved little girl I’ve ever encountered. She didn’t whine or fuss about anything for the entire day.

While at Aunt Esther’s, her daughter Catherine had a friend who works at Disneyland. He offered to take Lezlie and me there for free (which was unexpected, but wonderful). We only rode three rides, but we had an awesome time. We, of course, loaded up on souvenirs for the boys. We met Captain Jack Sparrow, who had a strange fascination with Lezlie’s wedding ring. He was afraid it might be too heavy for her to tote around and offered to carry it for her.

On Saturday, Aunt Esther, Uncle Max, the baby, Lezlie and I all drove up to Simi Valley where we visited The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. This was a second highlight of the trip for me. I have strong feelings for the 40th President of the United States of America. Certainly, the greatest presidency of my lifetime and one equally as great in all of history, this library in his honor was a true monument to the life, career, and character of President Reagan and his wife Nancy.

That’s pretty much it. It was a much needed and relatively inexpensive trip. Combining work with pleasure is the way to go. Many thanks go to Catherine and Steve, Uncle Max and Aunt Esther, Lezlie’s company and boss and Southwest airlines for keeping air travel affordable and fun.

Click here to view all of our trip photo's.