Some Days

This is just downright scary, but not really surprising to me. A friend received a warning from their company travel agent. I was curious, so I googled it, and it appears that it is a widespread alert (not just some travel agency covering their ass) issued by WorldCue.

"Worldcue® Alert
Severity: Warning Alert


Security:: Civil unrest possible late Nov. 4-early Nov. 5 after U.S. election
results are announced. Avoid demonstrations.


This alert affects United States.


This alert began 28 Oct 2008 16:51 GMT and is scheduled to expire 06 Nov 2008
23:59 GMT.
Event:Presidential election
Date: Nov. 4
Location: Nationwide
Impact: Heightened security; possible civil unrest


Summary
Security forces are preparing for outbreaks of civil unrest after the results of
the Nov. 4 presidential election are announced. Thousands of police officers
will be deployed during and after polling for the election between Republican
John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, which will see either the nation's first
black president or first female vice president take office. Mass protests are
likely should Obama, who is leading in the run-up to the election, lose the
final vote in a controversial manner. However, postings on dozens of Internet
Web sites have also warned of violence should Obama win.

Small-scale political unrest is likely before, during and after the polls.
Clashes at party rallies and small-scale attacks on party offices are possible.
Record voter turnout could overload polling places on election day, further
raising tensions. Violent unrest is most likely in Chicago, Detroit, Oakland,
Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. but could occur anywhere in the country.

Advice
Expect increased security leading up to and during the election. Avoid political
gatherings."

Some days i feel hopeful, some days I feel scared. Some days I just think everyone else has lost their mind.

Completely Over It

So, an agreement couldn't be made: Pelosi got pissy and started bitching about the President before the vote was taken, and then Republicans got pissy and decided not to vote for the damn thing because Pelosi pissed them off, and the whole fucking lot of them are scared to make a decision that might cost them their seats. No, this is not Days of Our Lives. It's our own American Government. And it is completely ineffective.

Part of me hates the idea that taxpayers should be expected to bail out the greedy fuckers and the stupid people they preyed on; The other part of me just wants to see our elected officials drop the partisan bullshit and work together to accomplish something, just one thing, while in office.

Either way, i hope that when it comes time, we vote every last one of these useless, overpaid, self-serving pieces of crap out of their seats. On both sides of the aisle.

Wow

This election just got really interesting. I can't believe that they knocked Obama's speech off the front page that quickly. Pretty brilliant move, in my opinion. Can't wait to see what happens next!

I Pledge Allegiance

I attended my first PTA meeting last night. (Okay, not my first, because Todd and i have attended a few for other schools we considered sending our kids to, but the first for a school my child will definitely attend.) The Lakeside High school Jazz band played at the beginning. They had very fancy, meticulously-styled bedhead hair. They all looked about 12 to me. After that, the student council president (a 5th grader, I guess?) led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Everyone stood and put the hands over their heart and it was at once strange, and yet a little comforting. It reminded me of being a kid, and having a sense that the place I lived was the best in the world, an assurance that nothing was wrong with the place i was from. Except at 36 and kind of conflicted about the state of my country, I just felt self-conscious, and a little dirty, and a lot proud at the same time.

But then, while i tuned out the droning Peanuts voice of the PTA president (who really likes to hear herself go on and on), I said the words of the Pledge over again in my head, and i thought, "okay, that isn't so bad." I pretty much agree with all of that. But I still see where people who didn't believe in a Christian God would have a problem with it, or worry that they were having a particular God, or any God, forced on them at all.

Sigh. Things were a lot easier last time I was at a PTA meeting.