What’s up people? I'm writing a blog on myspace for the 1st time ever because today is a day that merits me taking time off to do so. We have come so far as a country, and have come closer to embracing the ideals that "all men are created equal" . Today we have uplifted The United States of America  as a democracy where every citizen has a voice and a say about their future. The American people have spoken and Obama has won by a landslide. I A.M not writing to give some superficial explanation of how now, we are  going to live in a perfect country, and all of our lives are going to change as a result of our new government and president. I want to be clear, I did not vote for Obama because he is to be the 1st black president, or because he was the popular choice, or because his slogan was change.

I voted for a Harvard law graduate who was 1st in his class. A man who's dedicated his life towards public service, and a man who will bring about change simply because he's got the God given brains to do so (man it’s about time we have some brains in the white house!). I voted for a man that will make my future, and the future of my family better. I A.M not one who makes $250,000 a yr. I A.M  in the 95% category that would love for the wealth to be spread around a little bit, because sometimes its DAMN HARD. I A.M however, writing to those friends and family that have embraced the idea that Mccain is for God and Obama is not. Those who have the silly misconception that Obama might be a terrorist, communist, or worst , the Anti-Christ. I have the fortune to be surrounded by friends and family that don’t always share the same political and religious views as me. I A.M indebted to these people because they force me daily, to study both sides of any story. I A.M learned and educated because I refuse to come across as ignorant over daily lunch and dinner conversations. So it is my responsibility to deal with this!

Firstly, to those who have said that Barack Hussein Obama is a terrorist I say "prove it"! General Colin Powel, one of the brightest minds in U.S politics endorsed Obama because he's a terrorist, right? The REPUBLICAN General who under Bush was in charge of armed forces in desert storm endorsed Obama;. What was the reason for the endorsement?  Mr. Powell told reporters after the taping of “Meet the Press” that he had been disturbed in recent weeks by the negative tone of Mr. McCain’s campaign, …The McCain campaign has sought to promote the idea that Mr. Obama is “palling around with terrorists,” in the words of Mr. McCain’s running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, because of Mr. Obama’s weak links to Mr. -Ayers.- So the once Republican secretary of state shunned the notion that he was a terrorist despite Palin suggesting he was. How about the comments that I’ve heard about Obama not being Christian. The notion that A Muslim president would be the end of the world even though it couldn’t be farther from the truth. How can we be so quick to defend our Christian faith that teaches humility, patience, tolerance and yet be so far removed from Islam which has the same roots. Why didn’t a single Christian stand up against George W. when he decapitated Hussein on the Muslims high holiday of  Eid al-Adha? Sure Hussein was a dictator and tyrant but couldn’t it have waited another day? Maybe Bush could’ve executed him two days earlier.  That was a huge slap to the face to Muslims everywhere and yet none of it was ever mentioned on American television. If we can agree that the very foundations of this country revolve around religious freedoms we must also agree that the disrespect shown to Muslims was a breakdown of this precious freedom.

Secondly, to those that believe that all socialism is synonymous with communism are entertaining the idea that our closest allies are communist. Most if not all countries in Europe will embrace a certain small degree of socialism. As a result they enjoy tremendous benefits, phenomenal health care, and look forward to a relaxing retirement. If you don’t believe that health care needs socialization you probably haven’t lived with the fear that if your daughter gets sick you might lose everything you have. Families have lost homes and have had to declare bankruptcy due to a healthcare that falls 37th in the world because of greedy private companies. We can look at a social security system that might not have enough funds after the baby boomers retire. 401 k's that have plummeted as a result of a stock market crash. Americans work harder than any other country and also vacation less than any other country. By the way, we are also very unhealthy, more heart attacks than any other country as a result of overwork and stress. At some point the government would need to step in  the same  way  others have so that we too may enjoy these benefits.

Last, and Most certainly not least,  this theory from Christians that believe that every man in power that has a different political agenda is the anti Christ is plain ridiculous and absurd!!! Read your bibles people and stop listening to a man that learned from a man that learned from another man. Sunday after sunday we follow ridiculous theories from pastors that would be dumbfounded if they were to actually read the bible instead of an outline for next Sundays sermon. These "canned sermons" are not geared to get you closer to God but to do, say and pay the way they and their teachers want you too. WAKE UP and become a leader and not a follower! So I will end with this Anti Christ 101. The 1st time the anti Christ comes up in the bible is in Daniel 7. In that Chapter Daniel has a vision. He sees 4 beasts and the fourth being more powerful and stronger than the first 3. It mentions that the fourth beast had 10 horns and that a "little horn" came up from the ten and destroyed 3 horns. The beast very simply are world kingdoms (verse 23)so the horn is simply a king. There have been 4 world empires, Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece and Rome. The Anti- Christ will destroy 3 horns or kings (verse 24) and most importantly will change times and laws. The most prevalent and strongest warning about the antichrist comes in Revelation 13:15-18 “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six”.(666). Ok, so the anti- Christ is A Religious-Political figure that rises from a World Kingdom,  Changed Times and Laws, and makes people worship, and his name adds up to 666. The United States is not a (whole) world empire, Obama did not subdue 3 kings from 3 different countries to gain power. Obama has not changed a single law and has not changed time. Obama does not make people worship and his name does not add up to 666. So therefore he is not and can’t be the anti- Christ. In fact the Anti - Christ is more like a religious zealot that wants to enforce biblical or religious laws, blend Church and State and forces people to worship. If you really want to be a little closer or at least sound like you know what you’re talking about try a man that calls himself “equal to the son of God” and wears the title Vicarious Filii Dei  . Add that name up in roman numerals and see what number you come up with people (now you’re getting hotter).

In conclusion, I don’t agree with abortion, and I’m not far left either, but I would much rather have free will to choose what is wrong and what is right than to have somebody force it upon me. After all isn’t that the way God made us? Now more than ever it is time to accept who our President is and stand up as Americans. For the 1st time in a long time I feel like making a difference. I feel like I can make a change. I feel proud of who I am and of my direction. For the 1st time in a long time I can say I’m proud to be an American.

Hurricane Ike has swept through the Gulf Coast and as expected, many businesses and homes were destroyed. This was foreseen in the days leading up to Ike’s landfall but the true cost in terms of loss of natural resources, wildlife and human life is hard to measure.

As the Atlantic Ocean continues to warm up hurricanes are becoming more frequent and powerful. While the threat of terrorism is resulting in billions of dollars spent towards a variety of wars, it is becoming increasingly evident that American citizens need to wake up to natural disasters on our homeland and step up to help those in need, regardless of what actions the government does or does not take.

Action is crucial in times like these but it’s vital to do things the safest way possible because sometimes people can make a situation worse. Here are some ways to best clean up Texas in the aftermath of hurricane Ike and what dangers to look out for.

• Check your home’s exterior and hose down debris and mud left by floodwater. Beware of interior doors that stick because it could indicate a ceiling ready to fall.
• Use fans, dehumidifiers and products such as calcium chloride pellets and cat litter to get rid of excess moisture.
• Remove wet wallpaper - damp wallpaper paste is a prime location for mold to grow.
• Ask a contractor or building inspector to check for mold damage after a flood.
• Scrub all interior surfaces that were in contact with floodwaters with bleach or a household disinfectant containing bleach
• If a house is destroyed, partially torn down or will need to be torn down, make sure your home is properly inspected for asbestos. Once old asbestos is exposed, it can lead to breathing problems and even a deadly cancer known as mesothelioma.(read more)
  

The method in which America creates energy has been a hot topic during the 2008 presidential election. For most, a primary concern deals with how we can keep prices down at the pump while eliminating our need for foreign oil. This desire has lead to the "drill here, drill now" crowd calling for domestic offshore drilling (among other things). While everyone agrees that energy independent principles are vital to revving up the American economy, there are big differences in how to accomplish this task. Notably, when it comes to the energy resources and environmental protection standards, there are fundamental differences in Barack Obama's and John McCain's interests. Additionally, when it comes to bills in congress addressing consumer protection, manufacturing standards, and other topics not talked about enough, the future will heavily depend upon which candidate prevails. The following include a few you may not have known about, and some you may have, but they are all liable to affect the lives of everyday Americans.

One fact to note when looking for the candidates policies on their respective websites is that Barack Obama has a category named "Energy and Environment" under the "Issues" section. On the other hand, John McCain has "American Energy" and "Climate Change" listed as separate categories under the "Issues" section. This seemingly subtle difference represents some conflicting policies between the two candidates. While McCain believes in global warming, he is resistant to associate the call for more oil with his global warming concerns because supporting the two issues is a sheer contradiction. In sum, Obama wants to rid our dependence on all oil (not just foreign) and McCain wants to use every available resource needed to end our dependence on foreign oil.

McCain calls his energy plan "The Lexington Project," which is an all of the above energy solution according to his website. Included is expansion of domestic oil and natural oil exploration, tax credits for automakers and consumers who buy cars with low carbon emissions, $2 billion annually reserved for clean coal technology, 45 new nuclear power plants and he will "encourage"  the market for alternative fuels such as wind, hydro, and solar power. He has greenhouse gas emissions targets listed in the climate change section that includes dropping it 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 66 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.

Obama calls his plan "comprehensive" and puts added emphasis on new forms of energy. He wants to provide $1,000 to American families through a windfall profits tax, calling it an "Emergency Energy Rebate."  He will invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to build a clean energy future, and in that same allotted time, rid American dependency of foreign oil. He wants to put one million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015 and ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012 and 25 percent by 2025. In addition, Obama wants to implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

Interestingly, by 2050 many of those reading this article still won't be as old as John McCain is now. Moving on, there are other issues that you may not hear about quite as much.

The use of asbestos in products and the manufacturing industry could come to a close in 2009. Senator Patty Murray introduced the "Ban Asbestos in America Act" that has been introduced and passed by the entire U.S. Senate. However, the bill does contain a harmful pro-industry amendment eliminating coverage for workers exposed to products containing one percent or less of asbestos. CWA and the AFL-CIO will work to have this language omitted in the final Senate-House legislation.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum has introduced the "Bruce Vento Asbestos and Prevent Mesothelioma Act of 2008." This legislation is not expected to be passed by the full house during 2008, so this is basically groundwork in order to get the bill passed in 2009. Right now there are now mesothelioma treatments that result in a cure.

Another bill is the "Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008."  These are all supported by the Blue-Green Labor/Environmental Coalition.

With Barack Obama as president and a Congress dominated by democrats, the above legislation should all pass. With John McCain as president, the bills could be vetoed.

In paying for all of these plans, Barack Obama pledges to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans (annual income of $250,000) and raise taxes on oil companies. While John McCain will actually lower taxes for oil companies, he pledges to cut small business taxes and promote fiscal responsibility within the government. He says that with bi-partisan efforts, he can bring the budget to balance by 2013. Until then, expect a dirty fight in efforts toward a cleaner America.

I want Obama to beat McCain badly. Today I emailed my Republican parents about this. Hopefully I just get them to stay at home. I don't think they'll ever vote for a Dem. My dad is known to send horribly stupid NoBama emails. 

Here it is....

Check out this latest The Daily Show Video.

You probably ignore this stuff but I try. 10+ days now and Palin still refuses interviews. She is still being told what to think....McCain is 72 years old...his dad died in his 70...his grandad at 61. McCain won't do interviews on CNN or MSNBC. Obama is going to be on Bill O'Reilly again tonight. Who do you think can handle the full scope of policy issues?

My thoughts on her nomination: insulting to Obama who truly inspired people! Her speech was written by a Bush speechwriter. She was the mayor of a town almost half the size of Wapak. She is kind of hot.

Plus, she is against stem cell research, evolution (wants creation taught it schools) and every social issue imaginable that at this stage in our growth as a society should be common sense.

Obama wants to decriminalize weed. Gotta love it... 

Seriously, mom and dad, you have more in common with the Dem. ticket. The RNC was all white and scary. "Drill Baby Drill"....it's nothing more than a political gimmick. You know why republicans want to drill for oil and it has nothing to do with bringing down prices. It is a very small issue that's been blown up. It's time to bring in politicians without ties to big oil. Not one mention of solar and wind power. No mention of the economy. The republican party needs policy changes badly to fit in with today's common sense beliefs....hopefully enough of us vote for these common sense beliefs!

Here is Joe Biden going off about the RNC:

Here is Baracky II, the funniest shit ever: