Unfortunately, the Justice may be half right. I've worked with divorced and single fathers for 20 years, and I can say the a marriage between an African/American male and a Caucasian female have a high rate of failure, resulting in the mothers trying to alienate the children from the father. There's a much lower rate with them marrying a Asian woman. For Caucasian males marry an African/American woman, the failure rate of the marriage is much lower than marrying a Caucasian woman. I hate using the term race as we are all a part of the human race.
Now for this couple, if they were both virgins, their chances of a long marriage would be much greater due to their ages. Both were fully mature. Over 85% of divorces involve couples who cohabit or marry prior to age 24. The best age for a male to first develop a relationship, and get married, is when he passes age 30.
Hi FriendThere is a new group that just started on Facebook that I thought Organizing for America members may be interested in joining. Please see United Against Racism -
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/354956/80588439?m=9dc74a6eUnited Against Racism
posted by David Apperson
As President Obama recently related to me regarding local service; "Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history."
It is our responsibility as Americans to vote, and vote we must. And now is the time to prepare for the next election. I invite all citizens of Louisiana to post a message on the Louisiana Election Blog.
Louisiana Election Bloglouisiana-election.blogspot.com
During the first 100 days of the Obama presidency we have seen outstanding leadership in tackling the many issues facing our great nation. And it seems that overwhelming poll numbers indicate that America agrees with President Obama. see THE WHITE HOUSEThe question remains; What can we as fellow Americans do to help our neighbors and countrymen? Included are nine things you can do to help the President celebrate his first 100 Days in office:1. Donate unused suits to the Salvation Army2. Donate time to Americorps3. Donate toys for children at Toys for Tots4. Donate blood at the Red Cross5. Donate a can of food each week to a Local Shelter or Food Pantry6. Donate money to Save the Children7. Donate time at local a Veterans Hospital8. Donate an hour a day to your Child9. Donate to the Make a Wish FoundationParticipation is greatly appreciated. What you do for the least of our brethren, you do for yourself -http://donate.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxWJh
Barack Obama First 100 Days posted by David Apperson
Hi Louisiana.Obama For America is now Organizing For America. The goals have shifted from getting Barack Obama elected to helping make sure his presidency is a success, both politically and policy-wise. You are still needed in this effort.Last week, Congress voted to pass our president's 2010 budget. Only 2 legislators from Louisiana helped to make that happen: Senator Mary Landrieu and Representative Charlie Melancon. We need help showing that Louisianan's care about how our members of congress vote.Could you please take a moment and send a letter to the editor of your local paper thanking Senator Landrieu (and congressman Melancon if you are in his district)? There is a great tool on MyBO to help make this really simple:http://my.barackobama.com/page/speakout/ThankCongressBelow I've attached some ideas for letters, but please write from your own heart. And thank you for continuing to support Barack Obama.Best,Lynda Below are a few ideas to guide your letter writing. Visit our website for more additional tips and information http://my.barackobama.com/page/speakout/ThankCongress LTE #1President Obama is talking to us like adults. He doesn’t sugarcoat his message or claim to have the silver bullet. Since taking office, he's encouraged us to be patient and persistent in charting our course - I think his words were, “more ocean liner than speed boat.”President Obama’s budget is big, but it’s a bold and important down payment on our long-term economic recovery here and across the nation.And that's why I applaud my congressional representative for voting in support of the President's plan to put our country back on the path to prosperity - a vote all of us can be proud of.
LTE #2I’m sick and tired of our bubble-driven economy. From the dot.com craze to the housing bubble, I know so many people who have been affected by the constant boom and bust that has made our economy unstable.President Obama’s budget plan takes on the challenges in our healthcare system, public education and energy policy – and aims to make those things operate better and more efficiently for people just like me here in my town.I agree with President Obama that now is the time to make significant investments to help our economy develop in a sustainable way, and provide real growth and services the people on Main Street need. And that's why I applaud my congressional representative for supporting President Obama's plan.
LTE#3I volunteered for President Obama’s campaign, was thrilled to watch his inauguration, and have been following the early months of his presidency.These days, all the pundits seem to talk about is President Obama’s budget plan. Is it too expensive? Is it too ambitious?I am happy to see that President Obama is engaging his supporters - the regular people who elected him to office – to help build grassroots support for his budget blueprint.Making healthcare more affordable, investing in education, and creating a safer, greener energy policy, are the changes we fought for during the election.And that's why I was so pleased to see my congressional representative vote in support of the President's plan and give him the help he needs to put a down payment on a more sustainable, economic future for all of us.
BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE
How Loyal is the Loyal Opposition?
From this point on I pledge to stop using the terms "conservative" and "Republican" interchangeably. I'm beginning to realize there's a big difference between the two. Conservatives are loyal and well-meaning Americans of good faith who just happen not to share my opinion of what's in the best interest of America. On the other hand, it has become clear that the Republican Party has crossed the line between the loyal opposition, and subversion.
Presidential Inaugural Address Delivered by President Barack Obama on 20 Jan 2009
My fellow citizens -I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.President Barack Obama
My fellow citizens -
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
President Barack Obama
Presidential Inaugural Speech - A message for all peoplehttp://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxHqT
source: David Apperson, webmaster
Katrinas struggle is being realized today. The shame and fear brought by old leaders transformed today, into realized hope for a new and better way. It is here people, finally it January 20, 2009 we are here.
Today is here finally my kids are here watching the innauguration of our great new leader, they helped with millions of others become our President.
The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when
Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.
Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
Obama-Biden PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is giving all people a voice in the administration -
The PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is doing a great job. Thank the Almighty Creator that this is a new day in the history of this great nation.
Internet Webmasters, Designers and Developers
If you are an independent webmaster, designer or developer and have linked a business, personal, or political website or blog to your barack obama posts or other barackobama.com web pages and would like to be recognized for your efforts let me know. Mail your contact and other pertinent information to: David Apperson, Webmaster 10336 Loch Lomond Rd PMB 105Middletown CA 95461or email contact information to yofast@gmail.com
I am really dsmayed at the use of the Rev Wright controversy in New Orleans. They ads are even running on CNN! I have seen very few Obama ads on local CNN, and hope there will be more.
The Republicans even withough McCain's blessing are still trying to make people in LA, afraid.
But after Katrina, I don't see how anyone would want another Republican in the White House.
Al Gore was here in a helicopter resucing people- yes he even rescued my Preist- before Bush was anywhere to be found. All the southern states seem to go Republican, and I don't see how that has worked for us.
I noticed the parts of the country with the best jobs and opportunites are all Democratic.
I hope Louisiana surprises the nation and votes OBAMA!
My fellow Obama supporters, the state of Louisiana need you right this minute, and you can help from where you are via the internet.
The Shreveport Times, a paper in North Louisiana endorsed Sen. Obama today. This is a major thing as Obama will surely lose Louisiana as it is a solid red state.
The comments readers are posting as a result of the endorsement are absolutely outrageous! I warn you it will make your blood boil. But please don't return with more incendiary posts. Instead read the endorsement and reply with calm thought provoking facts about why you are supporting Sen. Obama. Respond in the fashion that you know he would do.
Please do so immediately as others may read your responses and something in their hate filled hearts may change as they go to vote. You have done so much to get Sen. Obama this far, please do this one additional thing. (Continue reading to find out how to help)
I've only voted early once in the past, so I don't know how busy it's been in recent years. But this year we have 7 full days to vote early at 3 locations with hours between 8:30 am to 6 pm including Saturday and Sunday.
We usually have 2 locations, the Clerk of Court offices downtown and on Coursey Blvd. This election they added the State Archives building on Essen Lane.
I went to the Clerk of Court office on Coursey first and found the wait would be about 1.5 hours. The workers had just called the Archives building and told those of us just coming in that there was only a 20 minute wait at the Archives building. I drove over there. It was only a 10 min. drive. I got in line and read the sample ballot while I waited. There was a lot to read because we had one parish (county) tax proposition and 7 state constitutional amendments. I barely finished reading before it was my turn to sign in and vote.
The process was very new and high-tech. They looked us up on computers when we presented ID and then they printed a label and pasted it in a signature book. You sign next to your name and they give you a card with a coded chip on it. It's set for your ward and precinct so you vote in the correct parts of the election. You insert the card into the portable voting machine card reader and you touch the screen to mark your vote. At the end it gives you a summary of the votes you cast and allows you to go back to any page to make changes in case you made a mistake. Then you press "next" and it takes you to the "cast vote" screen. Once you touch the screen on that button, your vote is recorded. Until you hit that button you can go back and make changes. After you vote they collect your card with all your votes recorded on it. I played with the machine a little just to see how it works and it was really nice, especially since Louisiana tends to be behind rather than up with other states.
But, I didn't get finished in time to make calls from the phone bank down town. I'm planning on going to volunteer on the phone bank tomorrow.
The thing that struck me the most were the number of Obama '08 bumper stickers in the parking lot, and a lot of them belonged to elderly people. I saw some McCain stickers too, but I was pleasantly surprised to see so many Obama stickers in the elderly white demographic down here.
Our polls consistently show we are a solid red state, but most of those polls are Rasmussen polls which tend to poll right wing conservative Christian fundamentalists, and it's becoming very clear to me that a lot of people are not going to vote Republican even though the sample is strongly for McCain/Palin. I think the polls are skewed significantly and not representative of the general Louisiana population. There were a fair number of African American voters voting early at the Archives building, too, so I'm heartened that getting out the vote will mean Obama actually has a shot to win Louisiana.
We are not always a red state. We were a blue state in 1992 and 1996. We were red in 2000 and 2004, but not by a huge margin. We have a large Democrat population that tends to be conservative, so they would be the "Reagan Democrats". But we also have a lot of people who are still hurting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and this year, Gustav and Ike. We will vote for our economic issues before other issues, and right now our economy needs a real shot in the arm. This is not a wealthy state, so John McCain's elitest policies aren't popular.
Sarah Palin isn't popular with mainstream citizens here either because of her noticeable lack of science knowledge. We have a large petrochemical industry and lots of scientists and engineers that are tired of our funding being diverted away and jobs moving overseas. Funding is crucial to basic research which fills the pipeline for 10, 20 or 30 years into the future when those fundamentals will become widespread innovations and technologies. The last 8 years has seen the beginning of the pipeline go from a flow to a trickle to barely a drip, and we can't afford 4 more years or the pipeline will dry up completely and there will be a significant gap coming down the pipe for our children's future.
Enough of my rant. I want to get some sleep before I go and volunteer tomorrow. I have to work Sunday, but hope to make phone calls from home in the evening.
Sherri
<Original Story at Wordpress.com>
I know this question seems absurd considering Louisiana’s recent voting record. Bush won the state 56 to 42 percent in 2004 and 52 to 44 percent in 2000. What’s more daunting is Bush’s margin of 75 to 25 percent among white voters. However, since 2004, the electorate has changed slightly and the political landscape is very different.
Here’s my formula for an Obama victory in the Pelican State:
The White Vote
There are 40,000 fewer white voters in 2008 than in 2004. That would seem like good news for Obama considering the success that Kerry had with white voters. But there are over 100,000 fewer white Democrats in 2008 than in 2004. Also, there are 34,000 more white Republicans this year than in ‘04. The number of white Democrats and Republicans is about even.
The white vote looks challenging so far for Obama, but there is good news. Independent white voters grew by 40,000 votes. This group tends to be swing voters and in Louisiana they tend to have low turnout (57 percent in 2004). This would suggest that if the independent white voters choose to turnout they are likely to go for Obama. What is even more encouraging is the distribution of independents in the state.
White independent voters mostly live in urban and suburban areas.
As you can see, white independent voters live in the more urban and suburban areas of Louisiana. These voters are typical swing voters nationwide. White women are especially prone to swinging from one election to another. Many suburban white women will swing to the Democratic ticket in November.
A modest 5 percent gain in the white vote for Obama is certainly within the realm of possibility. Bush did not receive a 75 to 25 advantage among white voters over Kerry because of racial bias. The demographic in Louisiana played into Bush’s hand. Bobby Jindal won the gubernatorial race last year– a sign that Louisiana has changed a bit.
The Black Vote
There has been a 10,000 vote increase in registered black voters since 2004. This is surprising considering the effects that Katrina had on the population in New Orleans.
Historically, black voter turnout has lagged behind white turnout. In 2004 black voter turnout was merely 61 percent compared to 70 percent for white voters. Black voters registered as Democrat performed slightly better at 64 percent but black independent voters lagged far behind at 45 percent turnout.
Nationwide the black electorate is guaranteed to be energized because– well if I have to tell you then you’re from Mars. The black voter turnout (32 percent) in the primary was over three times the turnout in previous presidential primaries. Of course, usually the primaries don’t matter for states that vote after Super Tuesday. That would account for some of the turnout but the black democratic turnout was 11 percent higher than the white democratic turnout, which was also high at 21 percent. This is clearly an indicator of what we can expect in November. My prediction of an 8 percent (69 percent total) increase in turnout for black voters may be vastly under estimated.
Lower Republican Turnout
In 2004, the Republican turnout was 74 percent –6 percent higher than the Democratic turnout. Without a wedge issue (gay marriage, abortion, immigration) on the ballot, and with McCain short on funds, I don’t see how the GOP can sport a high turnout. I think the turnout will dip 2-3 points. This makes Obama’s chances much higher but we’ll leave this factor out of the final tally to show that he can still win with a high GOP turnout.
The Ron Paul Factor
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is on the ballot and he threatens to take votes away from John McCain. Mike Huckabee won Louisiana over McCain because the base in Louisiana is very much conservative and Mike Huckabee was the governor of a neighboring state, Arkansas. Ron Paul is considered more conservative than McCain and he comes from another neighboring state, Texas. Ron Paul has enough of a following to take votes away from McCain, especially in the northern parishes where Huckabee swept.
The Final Count
Taking into account the turnout percentage in 2004, an 8 percent higher turnout among black voters and a modest 5 percent swing in white voters, here’s the final tally:
Barack Obama 1,027,517 51.3%
John McCain 973,525 48.7%
This does not factor in Ron Paul or a lower Republican turnout. Voters of other races were split. There are more voters of other races who are Democrats but Republicans typically have better turnout percentage. McCain received 2 percent of the black vote. This number may be slightly higher in November, but it will be offset by any Ron Paul votes.
I caught this guy stealing my Obama sign on tape. Second day in a row it was stolen. Going to get a better camera. Any ideas fellow diggers? Trespassing and petty theft are two charges I can figure. I want to get the thieves' plate and a good clear shot of the thief's face. They've stolen signs all over town.
Clearly, I need a better camera, but check this out.
YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRF4K8tV9yE
Flickr photo set:
http://flickr.com/photos/bigsean/sets/72157608192239786/
Any suggestions on what charges to press when the cops catch these guys?
I'm an expatriate New Orleanian working for a New Orleans company operating in North Carolina. You could say I'm a latecomer to the Obama campaign; my (former) favorite candidates either didn't run or dropped out. But I feel good about Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Don't feel so good about Bush-McCain-Palin. I have a twenty-something son, and I'd like to do whatever little things I can to try to leave him a world that's not so screwed up.
So, I originally volunteered to work for the campaign in Pennsylvania, and was looking forward to that (never been there). But lo and behold, it started looking like a close race right here in North Carolina, so I decided to do my part and try to make a difference here. I'll be taking an extra week off work (the week leading up to election day) and make myself available to the campaign office in Raleigh. I'll try to keep you up to date here about what I'm up to!
After the FISA vote, I stopped donating and suspended blogging here. Mostly I was bitching about FISA anyway. While I'm not happy about that vote, I firmly believe that Barack Obama will make a great President and have renewed my financial support for his campaign. I hope that you will do the same.
http://my.barackobama.com/townhalldebate
Louisiana is now a tossup state based on current polling data, one that has been deep red for a long time. As an independent voter, one who does not belong to any political party, I remain encouraged about this as I think that a change in the political landscape presents an opportunity for those who are all over the political spectrum.
There are a few points of disagreement I have with Barack Obama and while he will not always make decisions I agree with, I believe that those decisions will be made with due consideration and in consultation with people who view different angles of an issue. This stands in stark contrast to the leadership we've had for the last few decades.
Louisiana can deliver her electoral votes for Obama. Vote, encourage your friends, families, and colleagues to vote. Make your voice heard.
If you have the means, chip in a few bucks here: http://my.barackobama.com/townhalldebate
The finish line is within sight. Let's get there and get ready to run the marathon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFSVG7jRp_g
The Hip-Hop Generation Needs A Leader Like Barack Obama...
The "Hip-Hop Generation" as we have been dubbed, spans from the suburbs to the inner-cities of the United States and around the world. Despite the differences in backgrounds, races, religious preferences and experiences- we all share many common struggles.
Poverty- I live in Louisiana where poverty extends across the state, creating wide-spread problems and feeding into other issues such as education and healthcare. Poverty leads to higher rates of violence, drug abuse, and illiteracy, while also continuing to divide the greater community (often based on racial lines resulting from over a century of inadequate government responses to the end of slavery and their failure to complete the reconstruction process in a fair and just manner). We have seen the rise and fall of public housing and the "black ghetto"- and the continued segregation of different communities based on income. Hip-Hop arose out of these conditions, first in New York, and later in nearly every major American city.
Trickle down economics, as the Republican candidates continue to argue for, and as we have seen implemented by the Bush administration, simply does not work. McCain falsely portrays Obama's tax policies as wanting to raise the tax burden for the majority of everyday Americans. Perhaps this criticism could be true... but only if McCain considers everyday Americans to be wealthy elites. Perhaps McCain has, like so many Republican candidates before him, forgotten about the "underside" of American (as some call it), the vast majority of low-income and middle class families who struggle day to day just to have a chance at the American Dream.
Obama's policies and values reflect a nation in which no matter what color you are, or what area you live in, you will have equal access to things like education and healthcare. We must elect Obama if we want to remain a united, viable union in years to come.
www.geauxbama.blogspot.com
www.neworleansforobama.blogspot.com
