I know Bush was bad but...

...most people have no idea how bad it's going to get with Obama. The America we knew is gone and soon enough the America we used to know will wake up. But by then it will be too late.

Already Iran is making belligerent threats to the US, Russia moved missiles next to Poland and a barrage of rockets erupted in Israel at Gaza.

And so it begins!

But Christians, remember God "changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.

22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him." (Daniel 2)

And Obama is NOT that light. Pray for our country and gird your loins America.

My morning out voting

Voting day!

So this morning dawned bright, warm, and sunny. Temperatures are a pleasant upper 60s already and after my morning ablutions and coffee, I left for Danielsville and the County polling station. I was worried about the lines and the waiting, so I brought my book with me and a thermos of coffee, anticipating standing outside in line for quite a while. However, the only other person preceding me into the polls was a young woman carrying a portable car-seat with tiny baby inside. She slowed the works only because all the old ladies who staff the polling station each wanted to coo and cluck over the baby. And they all asked the same questions even though they were sitting next to each other and heard all the answers already. Folks do love a cute little baby!

The polls were all electronic, touch screen machines so I got my card and slid it into the slot . I voted straight GOP, wanting very much for the House and Senate to retain a semblance of a two-party system. I was not enthralled about Sen. McCain until he chose Gov. Palin. Then I was all for the GOP ticket.

Next stop was the Payroll office at the Board of Education to get a question or two answered,, and as I was exiting later I looked up at the Chicken Express sign and saw "Now serving fried pickles." I said it before...

fried apple pie
fried pork skins
fried hot dogs
fried oreos

...and I'll say it again, the good folks down south will fry anything.

At the Post Office to buy a stamp for mailing my utility bill, I ran into a wonderful elderly man I'd interviewed two years ago. He is well into his 90s, but still spry. He did not remember me though, but we exchanged pleasantries at the door as I held it open for him. He turned and said, "I have on my Sarah Palin coat today," gesturing to the embroidered mountains and 'Seward Alaska' on the jacket's chest. "That all right with you?" He said with a twinkle in his eye but a challenge in his voice. "I said "Awesome! I'm all for it, nice coat!" He laughed all the way to the stamp window.

I have a bad cough and sinus cold, part and parcel of what you get when you work day in and day out with children, so after voting, the payroll office and the Post Office I went to the Dollar Store and stocked up on the essentials: Mucinex, Robitussin, and NyQuil, the real stuff, not generic. That'll knock the cold on its heels, ha! However, at the checkout, after uneventful scanning of my canned salmon and kitty litter, the clerk passed the Robitussin through the scanner and turned to me, asking "Birthdate?"

"Excuse me?"
"Your birth date, month-day-year, please," pointing to the blinking computer XX-XX-XXXX waiting to be filled in.
"I'm not sure why you are asking me this."
"The medicine."
"How old do you have to be to buy it?"
"Over eighteen."
"I am over eighteen."
"I have to put in the exact birth date."

I stared at the screen, mentally deciding whether to forgo the meds and buy them somewhere else or to cave and give the info. The meds were over the counter purchase, not sequestered like cigarettes are. If they wanted to protect minors from buying them, then put them behind the counter like cigarettes are. As I was mulling,

The clerk said "Forget it, I'll plug mine in."
I turned to the lady behind me and asked, "Where will it end?"
She said, loudly, "I'm 60. I'm proud to say how old I am!"
"It just that no matter where you go there are increasingly intrusive requests for personal information."
She said, "Those poor kids buying the cough medicines..."

I could see the cause for personal responsibility and privacy of information was lost, to this crowd at least...my next thought was that soon enough her easy compliance will likely land her in an Obamanation concentration camp/ holding cell or shot at by his Civilian Security Force. I had already gotten cash to pay because of the new rule that all credit card purchases are to be tracked by the IRS...and now this new thing. Oh well...such are the times and I do what I can to resist government intrusion into my wallet, home, and life!

Back home and unpacked, another steaming cuppa in my hand and the windows thrown open to enjoy the fresh air, I relaxed into my antique banker's chair and pondered the one unassailable truth: God is in control. "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness. And light dwells with Him." Daniel 2:20-22

Pray, vote, and in every situation, whether turbulent or peaceful, remember it is a situation where we can lead people to Jesus.

Have a good day!

Don't believe the polls

Accuracy Of Polls a Question In Itself

"..there appears to be an undercurrent of worry among some polling professionals and academics. One reason is the wide variation in Obama leads: Just yesterday, an array of polls showed the Democrat leading by as little as two points and as much as 15 points. The latest Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll showed the race holding steady, with Obama enjoying a lead of 52 percent to 45 percent among likely voters" while Rasmussen says
"Obama Lead Down to 3 Points" Gallup shows "Obama up by 2" and Pew up by 15. Who ya gonna believe? I'd say Ghostbusters, over these pollsters.

Everyone around here is tired of the campaigns. The yard signs have been up for months, ever since primary season, and the national signs are just everywhere. My friend in Maine posted the above photo in her online newspaper, which pretty well captures the feeling.

We shall see what we shall see come Tuesday night...or Wednesday...or Thursday... whenever it's settled. What I'll not forget about this campaign is its incivility.

I've been involved with politics, elections, and campaigns since I was around 6 or 8. My father was involved in supporting various state and national legislators, and he ran for local office himself. I remember drafty Grange halls with echoing wood plank floors, the colorful signs everywhere, the bustling activity. Most of all I remember the feeling that you were doing something valuable, important.

In college I went to listen to John Anderson, whose initial 25% surge in the pols incited the imaginations of us college kids. Anderson's finish was still the best showing for a third party candidate since George Wallace 13% in 1968, and the sixth best for any such candidate in the 20th century (trailing Theodore Roosevelt's 27% in 1912, Robert LaFollette's 17% in 1924, Wallace, and Ross Perot's 19% and 9% in 1992 and 1996, respectively). There was a feeling of excitement that something different was happening, and we thought that in merican politics was if not pure, at least every person did make a solid difference.

Since then there have been some exciting moments, the surprise of Reagan, the Clinton MTV generation questioning the all-important boxers or briefs question (oy), the silliness of the Dukakis in the tank...but nowadays "in the tank" means something more ominous and in my opinion portends the death of the media and as a result, the rise of unrestrained government

The excitement of legitimate debate of previous elections cycles, reflected accurately in all media, is gone. In its place is an entire news media in the tank for Obama, without scrutiny, vetting, or probing questions of the man vying to run this country. When Barbara West did ask some pointed questions of VP candidate Sen. Biden, his responses weren't the news, her questions were.

Now we no longer have debate, instead we have fistfights at nursing homes, VA McCain workers attacked with mace, and most horribly, an effigy of Governor Palin hanging by the neck until dead.

The response to each of these and all the other cases of bullying in place of debate I have not mentioned, is either excuses by the press or simple ignoring. So what we have is a useless media who no longer not even investigates properly but fails to demonstrate a model for civil discourse and thoughtful debate even among themselves; pollsters who are not reflecting the voter view but trying to shape it; and an angry, uncivil electorate incapable of exchanging thoughtful opinions but instead descending to the argument of first resort: violence.

Not much about this campaign can be trusted, the polls, the donations, the words, nor even the results, given the massive amount of voter registration fraud occurring nationwide. I'm sad to have watched the innocent optimism of spirited elections from my earlier days descend into media/pollster carefully managed fake events. Such is the world we live in today...

Note: Above Photo by Ted MacDonald, from MaineHomeTownNews

Who won the debate? 2 to 1 it's for... McCain

Over a quarter million people voted at Drudge on who they think won the Presidential debate. It was 2:1 for McCain. I can't say one way or the other, I mostly watched with the sound off. I couldn't stand the lies, platitudes, and more lies. Though I did not like Sen. Obama's interruptions of McCain nor his juvenile . Oh, well, there's always Chuck Balwdwin for President

{{{{DRUDGE POLL}}}} WHO WON THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE?...

MCCAIN

67%

188,837

OBAMA

30%

84,606

NEITHER

2%

6,534

Plastic sea of the North Pacific Gyre

As I glance around the beautiful rolling, rural Northeast Georgia hills, I read that a huge garbage swamp has been discovered in the Pacific ocean. Swirling between the west coast and Japan, and twice the size of Texas, the dump includes toxins, decaying skeletons and tons and tons of plastic. How low can we go? Photo: I snapped this leaving Miami at sunrise, headed to the Bahamas. The ocean is so precious to me...

I voted early! On Friday, I walked in to the small room where four electronic voting booths were set up no lines-no waiting, (after presenting my photo ID and then receiving a card to slide into the electronic both) and cast my ballot for President. There was one local issue, regarding special county taxes for special projects. Four years later, this is still funny . Do you ever get the creepy feeling that it's all a big sham?

I watched The Closer's pilot episode last night. What a great show, one of my favorites. The first season was excellent. The second season was good. Sadly, in my opinion, he third season was only so-so. It was good to go back and revisit Brenda's roots in her first appearance.

It's a nice day here today, supposed to be 70 degrees. I think I'll take my camera to the park and see what's what. And tonight, wait for election returns.