the bradley effect - who will obama vote for?

pictures too awesome for blogger!

since my new camera is so insanely awesome, i have to post all the pictures he takes to another site.

enjoy!

more red state blues

As a follow up to my last post (from the NYTs):

SEATTLE: Two years ago, a list of the nation’s brainiest cities was put together from Census Bureau reports — that is, cities with the highest percentage of college graduates, which is not the same as smart, of course.

These are vibrant, prosperous places where a knowledge economy and cool things to do after hours attract people from all over the country. Among the top 10, only two of those metro areas — Raleigh, N.C., and Lexington, Ky. — voted Republican in the 2004 presidential election.

This year, all 10 are likely to go Democratic. What’s more, with Colorado, New Hampshire and Virginia now trending blue, Republicans stand to lose the nation’s 10 best-educated states as well.

It would be easy to say these places are not the real America, in the peculiar us-and-them parlance of Sarah Palin. It’s easy to say because Republicans have been insinuating for years now that some of the brightest, most productive communities in the United States are fake American — a tactic that dates to Newt Gingrich’s reign in the capitol.

Brainy cities have low divorce rates, low crime, high job creation, ethnic diversity and creative capitalism. They’re places like Pittsburgh, with its top-notch universities; Albuquerque, with its surging Latino middle class; and Denver, with its outdoor-loving young people. They grow good people in the smart cities.

But in the politically suicidal greenhouse that Republicans have constructed for themselves, these cities are not welcome. They are disparaged as nests of latte-sipping weenies, alt-lifestyle types and “other” Americans, somehow inauthentic.

If that’s what Republicans want, they are doomed to be the party of yesterday.

Not only are we becoming more urban as a nation, but we’re headed for an ethnic muddle that could further shrink the party of small-mindedness. By 2023, more than half of all American children will be minority, the Census Bureau projects.

Ronald Reagan was lashed by liberals for running a “Morning in America” campaign, but he knew this country, at heart, was always tomorrow-looking — and he fared very well in educated cities as well as small towns. “Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone,” said Reagan, “I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears.” Barack Obama, who brings that music to the stage, leads by 30 points on the “hope and optimism” question in polls.

Spurning the Reagan lesson, John McCain made a fatal error in turning his campaign over to the audience of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. In so doing, he chose the unbearable lightness of being Sarah Palin, trotted out Paris Hilton and labeled Obama a socialist who associates with terrorists.

At a recent Palin rally, the crowd started chanting, “We want Fox!” McCain has given them just that. But how isolated and out-of-touch is this audience? At the end of each debate, a sure-fire way to decide who won was to look at the Fox viewers poll — typically showing a landslide for McCain. Within a day, scientific surveys found big wins for Obama.
Whether Americans are real or fake, they can see through Palin, a woman who couldn’t correctly answer a third grader a few days ago when asked to explain the duties of vice president. Somewhere, between the shuffling to costume and accessorize Palin with a $150,000 wardrobe, her handlers never handed her a copy of the Constitution.

Republicans blow off the smart cities with the counterargument that they win the exurbs — the frontier of new homes, young families and the fresh middle class. And it’s true, in 2004, George Bush won 97 of the 100 fastest-growing counties in America.

That will not happen this year. Polls show McCain is losing 20 percent of self-described moderate Republicans. And new registration figures and other polls indicate that Obama will likely win such iconic exurban centers as Washoe County, Nev., Loudoun County, Va., and Wake County, N.C.

But in the kind of pattern that has held true since McCain went over to the stupid side, his brother recently referred to suburban northern Virginia as “communist country” and a top adviser, Nancy Pfotenhauer, said it was not “real Virginia.”

Here in Seattle, it’s become a one-party city, with a congressman for life and nodding-head liberals who seldom challenge a tax-loving city government. It would be nice, just to keep the philosophical debate sharp, if there were a few thoughtful Republicans around.

That won’t happen so long as Republicans continue to be the party of yesterday. They’ve written the cities off. Fake Americans don’t count, but this Election Day, for once, they will not feel left out.

Timothy Egan writes Outposts, a column at nytimes.com.

blue states

I received this forward from a friend today, and while it is funny, parts of it bother me.

I think they whole reason there is such a dichotomy in the country is that we are so quick to judge each other. Red vs blue, conservative vs liberal, "hick" vs "snob", etc. I think emails like this is just the kind of thing Obama wants to eliminate.

Although amusing to liberal blue staters, this email is incredibly condescending. Think of all these people who went to Ole Miss or Clemson; there is nothing wrong with those schools if that is the best fit for you. I mean, Arkansas gave us Clinton and Yale gave us George Bush.

As far as religious beliefs go, there is NO reason to look down upon people who don't believe in evolution, etc. Wasn't this country formed so people could have the choice? I am very much pro-evolution, but I respect people who are not. Also, all the people fighting in Iraq joined the army. Although their reasons vary, they are there by choice. There was no draft. Although I do not agree with the war on any level, this email makes it sound like men and women were plucked from their beds by Bush himself and shipped overseas.

Calling them crazy bastards is not a solution.

Thoughts?

Dear Red States...

We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, a
country of all Blue States.

In case you aren't aware, that includes California, Hawaii , Oregon,
Washington , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , Illinois and all
the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation,
and especially to the people of the new country of Blue America.

To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma, and all the slave states.
We get stem cell research and the best beaches.

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.

We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.

We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.

We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs.

You get Alabama .

We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states
pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the
Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a
bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that Blue America will be pro-choice and anti-war, and
we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you
need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're
apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they
don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets
coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq , and hope that the WMDs
turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's
Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent
of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple
and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of
America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners)
90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most
of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and
condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale,
Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88
percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care
costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the
tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern
Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh,
Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was
actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred
unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 percent say
that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved
in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazy bastards believe you are people
with higher morals then we lefties. Wow...takes your breath
away..........

By the way, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt
weed they grow in Mexico.

Peace out,
Blue States

OMFG

For any GG fans out there... (sound is key)



And the original?


Britney def holds the title for most empowered sex object....

sedarisfangrl#1

so last night, david sedaris was funny and charming and all the things that david sedaris is. it is hard to imagine the shy, controlling drug addict in his stories is the same confident performer who holds the audience in his hands.

i did NOT feel confident when i went to get my book signed, however. last time was so great! banter, laughter, witty, pithy comments from both sides! it was awesome, and i marinated in that experience for a good long while.

this time, SR and i went up like two 13 year olds about to meet jesse mccartney. lots of giggling. no jokes, no back and forth, a quick signature and we were on our way. sigh. can't win them all i guess. although, he DID say he remembered me ("who could forget those eyes?" were his exact words), BUT he opened with "have we met before?" the first time we met, so it may just be something he says to everyone and sometimes it's yes and sometimes it's no.... oh well.

and now i will leave you with a joke from one is his readings:

Q. what did the leper say to the prostitute?

A. keep the tip.

BFF

many people think they have the best friends ever. but they are wrong. and if that person is you, i am sorry you are reading this sad news on the internet. you may have nice friends, or supportive friends or even good-looking friends. but they are not the best friends. the person with the best friends in the world is yours truly. after a very, very hard week for my family and me, i came home to these. B, A, S and M - thank you so much. i love you, too. 

also, it looks like i DID take a picture of the pie before we ate it! oops!

new favorite dish? ok, maybe not favorite, but i'll def be making these again. brussel spouts in butter, salt and pepper made these little suckers taste like vegetable candy.  they are great for snacking, but get cold fast, and do NOT taste good cold, trust me...

pies not to come, i guess

So I made a pie. And then we ate it. So no pictures.

But I made ANOTHER pie that is slated to be baked and eaten this weekend. It is not as pretty as pie #1, so we shall see.... Sorry PiggieB - I failed you.

For this evening/weekend? Apple cake and some sort of gallete? Apple muffics a la Mrs. Ward? A set of turnovers? I am torn. Maybe I can get my hands on YH's tart tatin recipe - mmmmmmm.

apple picking!

The title says it all! Pies to come, of course. 

india

Throughout the trip, I would notice something about India, or me or my family and make a note of it. But now, after being back for a week, I just don't feel like rehashing. So, instead, pictures!

After taking pictures of food for so long, I realized how spoiled I have become. Taking pictures of moving things and people is hard! Whine whine. So a lot of my action shots got trashed, and here are some shots of... umm.. food, among other things. More shots here.

We ate out the first night in Bhopal. It was quite the spread.
My grandfather. 
And grandmother. 
This may be my favorite picture from the trip. Dhai puri is a small puri, with a hole on punched on one side of the shell. It is then filled with spiced dhai and chutney and all sorts of things that are too delicious to mention. You then pop the whole thing in your mouth and try not to let dhai dribble out of your smile. 
The lassi was so thick, the spoon didn't even sink. It was a meal in itself. I miss India. 
A quick shot of the kitchen as I walked by. 
This is where my grandparents and two of my aunts live. My two grandparents, my aunt and uncle, their two sons and another aunt and uncle and their daughter all lived here in three rooms. Then my aunt built another story and then my other aunt built ANOTHER story and now the place is huge. With all my cousins working or in school, the place just feels big and empty. Soon, my aunts will come to the UK or states to be with their kids. I wonder what will happen to the place. It makes me sad to think about it. 
My aunt shopping for papaya. I love the lighting in this shot. 
This shot too, My mom is choosing anaar (pomegranate).
This was just me, bored and tired. But I like the contrast in fabrics and my feet in the distance. 
My dad's sister framed in the doorway. 
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