Hillary Ad: "Maya"

Obama and his crazy uncle, Reverend Wright

When video showcasing the outlandish church sermons Barack Obama has been listening to for over fifteen years surfaced, Obama said that Reverend Jeremiah Wright was like his crazy old uncle, who he couldn't control, nor would he want to control, either. He supported Reverend Wright's opinions with vigor and pride.

Then the media coverage continued, which caused more and more questions to surface about what kind of church Obama has been attending. Of course, Senator Obama started to put a little distance between himself and his adorable and "bombastic" religious mentor, by saying he disagreed with his methodology.

On Monday, Reverend Wright addressed the National Press Club, during which he amply made another fool of himself with his racial divides pouring forth as if a seeming Mount Vesuvius choking the political aspirations of Senator Obama. With his poll numbers slipping and Hillary's star on the rise again, Obama has now stated he is "outraged [and] saddened by the spectacle" put forth by his now estranged minister.

Can they ever mend the divide that exists between them? Perhaps, Obama will have more time to mend fences after he loses the Democratic presidential primary.

Hillary Ad: "Trouble"

"People are hurting. It's time for a president who's ready to take action now!"

Governor Mike Easley (D-NC) endorses Hillary Clinton for President

Hillary scores

Today, a new national poll shows that Hillary Clinton has a nine point lead (50-41%) over Republican John McCain! The same polls shows Barack Obama leading McCain by only three points (45-42%).

The superdelegates have no choice but to accept the fact Hillary Clinton is the #1 candidate to lead the Democratic Party to victory in November. If anything, she has proved over-and-over that she can come back fighting against her opponent. She has bested Obama at every seeming death blow he has dealt her. She is still on the national stage, and this time she is beating him.

Also, North Carolina's governor, Mike Easley, has endorsed Senator Clinton for the presidency. That is a great endorsement from a state that is so pro-Obama!

Hillary 2008!

Sex Drive

For about 1.75 years, I have been taking finasteride to deal with hair loss. Originally, it came in the form of Propecia, at 1mg per day. I took that form for about a year. I experienced hair regrowth, but I was spending about $80/month on it. Then my dermatologist turned me onto Proscar, which dosed at 5mg per day. Although, it is really meant to treat men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), Proscar, unlike Propecia, is available in the generic form of finasteride, and costs $5/month.

It's funny that I would pay $75 for the brand, and only $5 for the actual chemical I need. I didn't need anymore convincing after I found out this simple fact. I was taking an additional 4mg a day of the chemical than needed to limit the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in my bloodstream from destroying my hair follicles. It has worked marvelously. I have experienced fantastic hair re-growth on the crown of my scalp. The only thing is I never noticed the seeming side-effect, which was decreased libido.

Wednesday, I ran out of finasteride 5mg, and I had a bottle of Propecia 1mg in a drawer, which I had from my previous prescription. I thought that I would just use the remaining bottle of the $80 stuff before refilling my other prescription. It's logical.

Wow! By Thursday morning, let me say, my sex drive had increased 5-times from what it was when I was on the 5mg dose per day. I haven't felt like this in years. It is almost like I am a teenager again dealing with the surges of testosterone in my system. I can literally feel it coursing through my veins! The only thing is I hope it doesn't setback my hair growth. I figure the 1mg pill should be enough to keep it in check, while giving me back my old sexual self. When I refill the 5mg pills, I am going to start cutting them in half, which shouldn't kill all of my testosterone, and allow me to continue my hair growth, at the same time.

Obama runs and hides

Hillary Clinton called on Barack Obama to engage her in a "Lincoln-Douglas" debate before the Indiana primary on May 6. Because Senator Obama has so many good, differing ideas from Senator Clinton, he naturally accepted, right?

Wrong!

His campaign meandered, stalled, and whined before finally releasing a statement saying their candidate had already engaged in too many debates. How can a politician participate in too many debates? Politics itself is a long running discourse of debate. Come on Obama, wake up and admit that you are an amateur when you stand next to Hillary.

The real reason he refuses to debate her is because he is "wishy-washy" on the issues and has no realistic vision for America. His political platform is all about words and not results. I want a candidate who stands on her proven track record of results, and that means I'm voting for Hillary Clinton on May 20.

Clinton & Obama tied in Indiana

Since Hillary's convincing win in Indiana on Tuesday, the polls in one of the next battleground states, Indiana, has closed to a statistical tie.

If I were a political strategist for Hillary's campaign, I would recommend that she focus her time and resources on Indiana, considering North Carolina looks more-and-more as if it is going for Obama. Her victory in Indiana would be followed by almost certain wins in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Montana.

It is a sound strategy for her campaign.

"The Tudors"

The Tudors, which is a drama on Showtime, has become quite exciting.

As King Henry VIII parades his new wife, Anne Boelyn, to his court and the people of England, his first wife, Princess Dowager Catherine, is under house arrest for her refusal to accept the king's divorce and his subsequent marriage to her former lady-in-waiting. Many of his subjects are demoralized by their king's defiance of papal authority.

Not to be undeterred, Pope Paul III (played by the great acting veteran Peter O'Toole) is working to undermine Henry's power throughout his realm and among his royal colleagues throughout Christendom. Paul III reveals a startling plan to demoralize Henry's defiance of papal authority in England further, by declaring Bishop John Fisher, a staunch Papist, who has been imprisoned in the Tower of London for his public unwillingness to accept Henry as the supreme head of the English Church, a cardinal. He declares to Cardinal Campeggio, who is to send Fisher his cardinal's hat, "Let's see if the King is still prepared to prosecute and torture a prince of the Church!"

Obama's fear

What does Barack Obama truly fear?

The answer is quite simple. He fears debating Hillary Clinton. That's why his supporters do not think he should engage in further debates with Senator Clinton. They have been saying it on all of the evening news programs today, as a matter of fact.

Let's get it right. Elections are national conversations. If you are running for the highest office in the land, twenty debates may not be enough, when the electoral process is still alive and running.

Above all else, Senator Obama always looks amateurish when paired with Senator Clinton. I don't blame him at all. I wouldn't want to debate her either, because she has a commanding presence and subtle understanding of the great art of debate. Between his stammering and repetitious, botched answers, there is little for the American voter to digest, when comparing him to Hillary.

Face it, Obama does great when he is on the stump delivering his polished, rehearsed talking points to adoring fans, but when it comes to having an honest, unscripted moment with his opponent--and the American people--he fails miserably.

That's too bad, Senator Obama. I want to have a conversation with my choices for Democratic presidential nominee. I don't want to be talked at, I want to be talked to directly. I want to see you side-by-side with Hillary Clinton. It's the best, move convincing way to see who the candidates really are in this presidential race.

It's fair, it's demanded. No excuses.

Whatcha gonna do...???

I just saw the segment from the wrestling match-up between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. I found it very funny. My favorite line was, "Whatcha gonna do when Hillary Clinton and her superdelegates run wild over you?"

Hillary Clinton wins Pennsylvania in a big way

Pundit after pundit had written Hillary out of this Democratic race. They said that if she won Pennsylvania, it would be by a small margin of maybe five-percent, at most. They were wrong!

Hillary won Pennsylvania by a margin of ten-percent, and received 55% of the primary vote. That is a stark slap to Barack Obama's face from a state where his campaign had outspent Hillary by 2-to-1 (and that is a modest figure).

In addition, Hillary's campaign is benefiting from last night's victory. Her campaign reports she is on track to take in $10 million in the 24-hours following her win in Pennsylvania! That doesn't sound like a candidate who is about to throw in the towel.

Hillary is off to the remaining states. FOX News has already placed Kentucky and West Virginia into her column of wins. I am happy to say that she will win the Bluegrass State handily. I look forward to meeting Hillary, as she campaigns across my state in the coming weeks.

I believe her win in Pennsylvania will stir another win for her in Indiana, where another tight race has emerged. It is just the thing to send panic into the hearts of Obama's deer-eyed supporters, and finally expose Senator Obama for who he really is!

Hillary Wins Pennsylvania

As predicted, Hillary Clinton has won the Pennsylvania primary!

Now we wait and see how much of a margin of victory she receives. I predict she will garner 8-10%. Will political pundits and nay-sayers finally withdraw their calls for her to quit the race, considering she has won ever major state, except Illinois? I certainly hope so.

It's on to other primaries in Indiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, and West Virginia!

Hillary Ad: "David"

Hillary sitting at a picnic table in someone's backyard in North Carolina. That's something don't see Obama doing.

Pennsylvania Primary

It is only a few hours until the Pennsylvania primary begins. It is funny that Obama supporters are already calling for Hillary to withdraw from the race. I think it is a bit precipitous to expect the winner of tomorrow's primary to throw in the towel!

Hillary has already said she is in it for the long haul. She still has some more primaries to win, before the primary season ends in June!

Let's allow the voters of the United States decide who the president should be. The last time a group butted into the process (i.e., the Supreme Court), we ended with George W. Bush. Our country cannot afford such a calamity!

Hillary Ad: "Kitchen"

"If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen!" -Harry S. Truman

Hillary Ad: "Talk"

Leadership you can count on!

Hillary Ad: "Answer"

John McCain laid up in the hospital

The guys from "Red State Update" never cease to amaze me with their political comedy. In response to the Democratic Presidential Debate, Jackie said, "I can see [John McCain] there, tickled to death, laid up in his hospital bed." Dunlap wanted to know if McCain had been in the hospital recently, and Jackie responds, "Well, I'm sorry...every time I picture McCain, I see him laid up in the hospital, nursing home, somewhere, something like that, yeah. He's old."

Truer words have never been uttered!

Hillary on Colbert

Hillary on fixing problem, "Call me anytime!"

Hillary Ad: "Closed"

Hillary Ad: "Pocket"

Hillary & Elton: One Night Only

Raising nearly $2.5 million, Sir Elton John performed for a sold-out crowd at New York City's Radio City Music Hall.

Hillary Ad: "Pennsylvania"

Are rural Americans bitter when things get tough? Does that make them cling to their religion and guns? Barack Obama said so, when he was addressing supporters in San Francisco.

Shame on you, Barack!

Hillary on Gas Prices

Guns & Whiskey

Hillary Clinton said that her dad taught her how to shoot a gun behind her grandfather's cottage in Pennsylvania. Then, she had a shot of whiskey at an Indiana restaurant.

I admire a woman who can shoot and drink whiskey! She can give 'em hell!

Obama, and the "bitter" taste of tragedy

If you believe in God, you are bitter; if you believe in the Second Amendment, you are bitter; if you lose your job, you might become bitter, also. Why all the bitterness in America? You better ask Senator Barack Obama.

Senator Obama successfully lost half the country's Democratic (and Republican) vote with his comments on bitter feelings among Americans. Obama said that unemployed Pennsylvanians are "bitter," and as a result, they "cling to guns or religion."

Uh-oh! Big mistake, Buster.

If you want to be president of the United States, you better not mess with two things, both of which are guns and religion! How will you ever get those "bitter" folks to vote for you in November, huh?

As Hillary Clinton said, I don't think the voters of Pennsylvania, or any state, are bitter over being unemployed. I think they are hoping for better times! Instead of condemning people for having lost their job to corporate America's relentless outsourcing to Mexico, China, and India, why not think of ways to make their lives brighter? Say, by keeping American jobs in America.

That's a good start. Yes, Obama's comments are elitist and demonstrate exactly how out of touch he is about the country's economy, and the direction it needs to go in order to grow and successfully rebound. Americans are tired of misguided ideas. Haven't we suffered enough under the blundering of George W. Bush?

Read my lips: No "noob" for president!

Hillary Clinton on Obama's Elitist Rhetoric

Which political figure am I most like?

In my last blog, I mentioned my protégé/stalker, but he isn't the only person who admires me. I was told today by my colleagues that I am the Barack Obama of my school. I appeal to a broad base of people. I always bring out the best in people and leave them feeling as if they have hope. I didn't know if I should have been honored or horrified by their comparison. I suppose it is a good thing.

Can I use it to launch my own political career? Perhaps, in a few years when these kids are old enough to join the electorate! There' s an idea.

My Protégé

It would seem that I have a protégé/stalker at school.

There is this boy who wants to do everything that I do. Is that a bit odd? I've had students who like to hang out with me, but I've never had a student become so utterly obsessed with me. I had another teacher comment that he might be a stalker. I told her that he was just my protégé.

It's kind of funny, actually.

Hillary Ad: "Scranton"

Hillary Ad: "Spectacular"

Hillary Ad: "Get It Done"

Hillary Ad: "Steel"

Hillary has a spine of steel!

Bush says "до свидания" to Russia

After a relatively unproductive meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, George W. Bush says good-bye to Russia for the last time as president.

The presidents were unable to come to a consensus about the United States implementation of a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe. Russia remains adamantly opposed to the idea. I suppose the meeting was more ceremonial, since they are both leaving their positions of power in the coming months. Thankfully, Bush only has a little over nine months left in his final term. I am hopeful, but not convinced, he can complete that time without getting the United States into anymore trouble!

Olympics

Over the hundred-plus years the modern Olympic Games have been in existence, it has been a symbol of many things, including oppression.

The 2008 Olympic Games, to be held in Beijing, are no exception to this tradition. Already we have seen the Olympic torch bearers accosted on the streets of London, U.K., as they symbolically take the flame of peace and fraternity across the globe, before it arrives at its final destination, Beijing. The protesters, who tried to steal the flame away and extinguish it with a fire extinguisher, are showing support for the cause in Tibet. Tibet has been a shining symbol of oppressive government interference in the past decades, because of China's harsh treatment of its quasi-province, located in the Himalayan Mountains.

I have often wondered what Olympic organizers were thinking when they selected Beijing to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. China has been a hot-bed of human rights violations. How can the Olympic Games, which are the very essence of peace and equal rights, be seen as anything except an affront? Of course, China has spent billions of dollars to prepare for the Olympics Games, by building gigantic, unconventional complexes--I admire the architecture--to host the various sporting events, such as the National Stadium, which has an exoskeleton quality, and the National Aquatics Center, with its uncanny resemblance to water bubbles suspended in mid-air.

The Olympics always seem to bring out the worst in everyone involved. People are always willing to use the international platform to rant about their personal gripes, which is ironic, considering they were/are designed to bring out the best in all of us.

Obama or McCain?

I believe that in some form Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will appear on a presidential ticket for the November general election. It is the only way the Democratic Party can heal the schism that has erupted as a consequence of this primary election season.

Hypothetical.

If Barack Obama were to be cast in the role of the Democratic presidential candidate, would I vote for him? Once upon a time, I said that I would vote for John McCain over Senator Obama in the general election, but I have come to terms with what that would mean for America. I am not thrilled about the consequences.

Even though, Obama may be politically green, he is still a Democrat, with the party's core values as his guiding principles. In such a scenario, I will support Barack Obama for president of the United States.

Furthermore, let me say, Hillary Clinton remains my candidate of choice for president, in November. I have--and will--campaign feverishly for her in Kentucky.

$109,000,000

Now that America knows Hillary Clinton (and Bill Clinton) made $109 million over the course of seven years, what does it all mean? What are we going to do with this knowledge? Does it mean Hillary is less of a candidate? Is Barack Obama trying to show Hillary is not a friend of the poor, because she wrote books, and made money from it? Does it matter that the Clintons gave approximately 10% of their income, or $10 million, to charities?

Personally, I do not think someone's financial affairs are the public's business, if they are political candidates, or not. By knowing how much someone made last year (or over the course of seven years), does not tell me if they will make a good president.

Let's get real, and keep our collective eyes on the real balls, which are the economy and Iraq (just to mention two).

Ketchup & Beer

During the 2004 presidential election, Republicans railed against Senator John Kerry for benefiting from the fortune of his wife, Teresa Heinz, because of her well-heeled corporate connections, to wit: H.J. Heinz Company, which is America's premier manufacturer of that classic condiment ketchup. After all, should he be allowed to exploit his wife's hundreds-of-millions of dollars to win the presidency? According to Republicans, the answer was a big fat, "Hell no!"

Fast-forward to the 2008 presidential election, where the tables have turned. The rich wife is on the other side of the political fence. Cindy Hensley McCain, who is the wife of Republican-nominee, Senator John McCain, hails from a wealthy southwestern family. She is the chairperson of Hensley & Co., which makes its millions peddling Anheuser-Busch products. Hensley & Co. is the third-largest wholesale distributor of Budweiser in the United States.

John McCain, who has been outpaced by Democratic fundraising by 4-to-1, may have to rely heavily on his wife's fortune, during the general election. (He already uses the family's private jet.) What do Republicans think of this situation? Hands-down they think it is great!

It is funny how four years, and a change in situation, can change a political party's outlook on what is acceptable. (It's blatant hypocrisy, actually.)

As for me, I'm more partial to Heinz ketchup, rather than domestic beer. (And, yes, Hunt's ketchup is rather bland for my taste.)

Hillary Ad: "NC Ask Me"

Hillary Ad: "Ringing"

The media seems to have forgotten something

Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean stated that the delegates from Florida would be seated at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Dean said that the candidates would have to work out some sort of system as to how they will be seated, but he is confident it will happen.

Unfortunately, I had to dig through several layers of news to get to this big morsel of information. Why? The media is apologetically biased. It is in love with Barack Obama. The fact that Florida's delegates will be counted is not favorable to Senator Obama. If it had been in his favor, the media would have made this story its lead, rather than putting it in the back of everything else.

Every vote should--and must--count. This is America!

Today, Hillary Clinton sent out the following e-mail:

"It is a bedrock American principle: we are all equal in the voting booth. No matter where you were born or how much money you were born into, no matter the color of your skin or where you worship, your vote deserves to count.

"But millions of people in Florida and Michigan who went to the polls aren't being heard. The delegates they elected won't be seated at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this August -- and that's just not fair to those voters.

"The people of Michigan and Florida must have a voice in selecting our nominee for president. I have repeatedly called for seating their delegates."

Yes, in America everyone has a vote; otherwise, we are no better than the other countries we call "foul" on for their anti-democratic schemes. The Democratic Party had no right to interfere in the primary voting schedules of Michigan and Florida. States, through the Tenth Amendment, are afforded this right. Hillary is right. The delegates of Florida and Michigan deserve to have their voices heard in Denver at the Democratic National Convention.

The new "in" disorder

Parents love to label their children as special! Unfortunately, there are as many doctors who will happily oblige in this quest to ruin a child forever.

When I was growing up, the "in" disorder to have was attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If you weren't labeled as having this disorder then you were not a special kid. Those children have grown-up, and, of course, you can't label your child as having a disorder you had as a youngster. That would just be wrong and uninspiring. So, what's the new disorder to have?

Autism!

If a child bats his/her eyes the wrong way, is slow at learning to walk or talk, or if they seem a bit withdrawn, then he/she must be autistic. There's no doubt about it! Call the pediatrician up on the phone, pay the $150 office fee, and viola, you have an autistic baby or toddler to take care of for the next fifteen years!

Of course, I am being sarcastic. I realize there are cases where a truly unique child has this disorder. But I find it hard to accept that fifty-percent of students, who are enrolling in kindergarten for the upcoming school year, have this disorder. Where was it when I was a kid? The answer is, as I said before, we all had ADHD back in the 1980s and 1990s, except for me, I wasn't special enough. (By the way, thanks Mom for not filling me full of Ritalin, in order to make yourself feel special!)

The bottom line is not every baby has to be autistic to be special. You can be special without being labeled with a disorder. I was perfectly happy being one of the "regular" kids (although, we were few and far between, in retrospect!). So, when a proud parents tell me about their little Suzie, who is autistic, I accept it with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Sorry! In fifteen years, kids will be labeled with another disorder. Just wait and you'll see I'm right. (Grandma had ADHD, mom had autism, and I have ___?____. After all, that's why my portfolio is littered with stocks of drug companies.)

Simplicity of Life

School today was typical. I was stressed out a bit, which was better than most days. Out of the blue my spirits were lifted. A former student brought me a letter that he had written. He told me the assignment was to write a letter to a favorite teacher from your past. It wasn't anything I expected to receive, I admit.

He told me that he realized he probably bugged me to death, but I was never hateful. The most touching part was when he told me that he appreciated the fact that everyone is equal in my classroom. He said, "You treat everyone the same." That has been something I have worked very hard to achieve. I do believe each person is the same. No one is better because of who his/her family is. That's just how I see it.

It is nice to know that sometimes we do make a difference in someone else's life.