Early evening spent at a bar and eatery with friends where we watched Davidson beat….someone better than them ….can’t remember sorry, and where we spent much time discussing Obama with a rowdy group of people from Pennsylvania.
These good folks assured me what I read was true, PA was expecting to see more of Obama. These guys were complaining so persistently I considered hoping into my car to head up to PA – a brief hop skip and ride on a most deadly two lane highway – to park myself on the side of the road to start proselytizing in his stead.
Alas, it was almost eleven and I had to get home before I turned into the raggedy hearth cleaning ella-like woman, so I had to let it go.
My future SIL bought me a copy of A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61)
I actually fear that new consciousness others seem so desperate to arrive at. I believe we have the consciousness we are supposed to have, though assuredly some have had their consciousness altered by environment, experience, or mind altering substances. The thought of living on an earth full of people willing to spend their money, but more disturbingly their time, discussing in an online forum a book which is supposed to help them live in the present moment, (what moment do they think they live in), when they could be out there in their community doing something to raise that elusive consciousness disturbs me.
I’ll probably read it on the plane to Mexico despite my nagging fear the plane will be full of new ageists trying to reach their new consciousness, or even worse that some of them might have attained their spiritual goal and will want to share it with the person who happens to be sitting next to them reading the book.
My just past “present moment” involved going to the local home store to get gas for my very small grill for my vegetable kabobs for this evening. An evening spent sitting around watching basketball and discussing the world with those like myself who already live in the present moment and do not need their consciousness jarred to another level of pop culture reality.
Anyway, it was to my surprise to find that a tank of gas is double the price it was last summer. DOUBLE.
Guess I lost that “present moment” for a time.
Peace
( renovations will continue at this website indefinitely, as WP 2.5 is released and it is bound to fuck up everything.)
Heh, well, with New Agers on planes… as long as they don’t ask you to drink the cool-aid, aren’t wearing black Nikes and waiting for the aliens from the mothership behind the comet…
Eh, I don’t mind drinking the Kool-aid actually, no wait it’s the milkshake I drank…scratch that.
But what the hell, it’s all good, I see dead people.
Sister, I feel your pain. You truly are a prodigy, though. A contented soul is like second hand smoke.
Ah, not a prodigious bone in this body. It is not so much that I am content, (my soul I can’t speak for I’m not yet that highly developed), as I find the roads to contentment some will take to be ridiculous.
i was late to the insult. ;)
New Age thinking has been around a lot longer than you think. Though earlier practitioners didn’t get to immerse themselves in Enya on their iPods. We used to call such folk “navel gazers”. Doesn’t take too long to follow this line of thought and wind up with spring flowers named after a Greek fairy tale.
I think you’d agree, narcissism is exactly the opposite of what this nation needs right now. Hope Obama can be the agent for bringing us around. I don’t see Hillary or McCain able to do this.
My girlfriend listens to Marie Brennan, and she bought that book a couple of weeks ago, it’s been sitting around. I’ve flipped through it. Should I be concerned?
She doesn’t see dead people.
A conversation piece so use a book cover on the flight.
re: Oprah bullshit– THANK YOU
I’m contemplating a trip to PA at some point. My cousin took a group down to Rhode Island and may take me along with him when he goes to Philly. The things I would do to end this mess would be best left unprinted.
Try working in a bookstore. My entire work day is filled with people gleefully asking me if “I’ve read it yet,” followed by a look that is some combination of disgust, concern, and confusion when I say “no.”
I think that’s particular to the types of folks that live in Ithaca, though.
Definitely get a book cover.
Some of Obama’s people are starting to remind me of HRC’s people: arrogant to the point of being beyond smarmy. That is NOT the way to run a campaign.
Obama is doing his first real bit of stumping in PA this weekend. But it’s only in 2000+ people forums. The ones scheduled for State College and Harrisburg today cannot handle the people who want to listen to him speak.
Some of his paid organizers are doing next to nothing. There are many of us who spend more time wondering what the heck is going on then we do on campaign work. No guidance, no literature, no yard signs, no nothing.
It’s really starting to piss me off.
Obama can win this state. Many of the people who registered to vote or who changed their registrations voiced their intent to vote for Obama. But I now wonder whether they will cast their ballot for the other candidate due to his absence in this state.
If he loses PA, then he’s got no one to blame but himself and whoever is making campaign decisions on his behalf.
Obama needs to get off his ass and start campaigning in this state. He can win here. If he wins, Hillary will have to drop out. Period.
If he continues not campaigning, he might as well hang it up.
I agree with Sauer…Obama can win PA, despite all the talk and bullshit everyone keeps saying about him not winning…and I live nowhere near PA…but I listened to that Rendell dude on TV yet again talking about white people never voting for Barack because he’s black and I’m convinced that he’s not saying that because he believes it…but more because he is trying to convince people to think that way…bullshit…
I love O, but um…I’m not one of those who believe that every word out of her mouth is gospel. I love her for the person she has become and what she exemplifies, not for some of the bogus ass book club choices she has made (some of them are just downright bad)…
And the upgrade to 2.5? Well, you know how that has worked for me…fucked up indeed…
Oprah didn’t invent reading. She acts as if she was the sole person to make people read
Don’t know if Suze Orman is still on her show but why is that every person I know who reads her and quotes her on money doesn’t have any?
They quote Suze Orman on real estate boards and each time I lose respect for the person not that I had any
In North Carolina it’s very easy to find Hillary clubs and workers and very hard to find Obama–there’s an election there also
The Democratic clubs seem to support Hillary but don’t have enough empirical evidence to write that
Hope there’s a big grass root movement for Obama I’m unaware of
We have known the problems with oil since at least the 70′s. There’s no need to have this problem now and yes my generation is responsible for that
I’m with you on the New Age thing. It’s all the same talk from different mouths of the month.
I think Obama needed the break from campaigning…to take time to work on his bowling game.
And when it comes to WordPress 2.5…has anyone made the upgrade?
I have heard that in PA, on the other hand he has time. I think a regroup and a catching of breath might serve him better before heading up there.
I used your technique for subscription – making a separate page, I like it.
Go Davidson.
Every few months we have some new new age.
Looking at old ageism would help us prevent all this new ageism. It’s like people wandering around with nothing better to do, when something better to do is right in front of them.
Amoeba: I guess there is always a new age view of it.
Casey:I’ve actually listened to Marie Brennan, not often but I at least know of her. yeah , that is about it.
EW: You’re welcome.
Just drag some signs with you and don’t incite local drama. ;)
Kevin: And to think of all the good books people have never read while the come in droves for books such as this one.
sk: you are just getting itchy pants, and it is making you petulant.
Mar: I did my other blog and there are a few little issues I am going to have to iron out before I do it to this one.
Pia: That whole oil thing, is a bit of a sore spot though even ten years ago we may have had a chance to at least make an energy policy.
I’m not sure how the candidates can be everywhere at this point I just wish they’d both stay home and see what happens.
Irish: Marv did and she had some difficulty, I did on my SBF blog and the only problem I had was he auto plug-in upgrade gives me errors and the gregarious plug-in does not work but it won’t with 2.5. There are bound to be m ore plug-in issues than anything. I haven’t played with the back end and just uploaded the fluency administration panel as I don’t, so far, care for the one they have. I’m going to wait awhile before i upgrade this blog.
Yeah, it probably will, but I love this theme, I hope that you get to keep it for a little while.
I was working on taxes when I popped into my blog to check on it and saw your comment. It made me laugh so hard I decided to visit around for a bit, YOUR FAULT!
Lo’ and behold, my husband just gave me the same book which I had vowed not to purchase, for basically each of the reasons that you illicit.
I just do not believe that any one somebody (short of Jesus) is so much more tuned into the cosmos that he is now the pied piper and we are all to fall in line.
I may read it, I don’t know. I never like not being sufficiently informed to be in a conversation. Then again, I always want to kill if I get to the last page of a book and feel like I’ve wasted my time!
I just wish they’d both stay home and see what happens.
In fact, that was the, er, convention (sorry) before the Confederate Revolutionary W … OK, American Civil War. Presidential candidates were supposed to remain silent while their backers campaigned for them.
Imagine Our Presidential Candidates actually doing the Senatorial work they were elected to do for the last two years …
Sheila: My taxes aren’t quite done, and that is sad because the are pretty simple.
Yea I’m liking this theme so I fear the upgrade with this one.
amoeba: I’d love to see that, or maybe allow them out once or twice every three months – I’d settle for that about now.
I think the PA folks are definitely being a bit silly as I’m sure they’ll get their fill of both candidates in the next couple weeks. With over 3 weeks still to go, there’s plenty of time to change minds. My experience is that most folks don’t seriously start making up their minds until the last few days anyway.
I’m off to Gary IN on Saturday to do voter registration ahead of the May primary, so there is definitely grassroots work going on even if it seems overly quiet right now. Also, I just discovered the poetry slam video link — very cool.
As far as the New Ageism … it seems most of these folks get lost in the part about changing their personal outlook and never take it outside to the real world where the change desperately needs to take place.
Oh, there’s time, Cooper. I was referring to the contented new-agers as second-hand smoke.
New Age & Oprah: I am a proponent of actually finding the answers by yourself. Everytime Oprah and her b-club are out with whatever, you gotta find it hard to think, “this will change my life.” Instead, here’s my response, “Dear Oprah, I liked you better in the 1980′s, before Oprah mania hit. Also, send me 100K, that’s all. I’ll promise to give back to the community and read whatever you want, but I need some bills paid off and a new fuel effective car to cut down on energy usage and be cool to my green friends.”
Obama: It is odd to see ‘white people’, and they are white, complaining about a person of color not seeing them enough. The guys been on the road for like 6-8 months, needed a break, and Pennsylvania is a whole lot like Alabama away from the cities. Admit it.
The fact their vote matters so much, meaning Obama will be fighting another Ohio, probably isn’t going over so well.
I’m in Indiana, Hillary just visited 20 miles from my house in Hammond. She got NW Indiana primarily democratic base (9 mayors endorsed her) to be in support. The paper hasn’t step out one way or another. But here’s the thing: Indiana votes Republican everywhere else but NW Indiana. It is at the root of every economic bill – Indy versus NWI – and we lose out every time. We have high unemployment, corrupt polys, and no one can bring back all those steel jobs lost.
Obama will try to break even in Indiana – as I see his message in front of steel mill getting heavy play – but I think he has to go where he can bang out the biggest electoral wins left, like NC where he plays well.
In the end, this is going to go on till August. And it is going to get ugly.
I’m in agreement on all counts. PA does needs to calm down. It’s too bad they can’t look at the issues and make up their own mind without having to be coddled to.
Indiana is a pretty sad state if you don’t mind my saying so.
I vote book cover too, or a nice book on Golf.
Well, I guess that vote is in: PA’ers ought to just shut up and let mother nature take her course.
bullhockey.
Obama can win this state. That IS the point. If he wins this state then Hillary will have no choice but to fold her ironpantsuit and be off. And we all then get a break from the politicians.
But ya can’t win the game iffn ya don’t play. And that is very important.
Otherwise, I will now shut up and go away.
Sauer, it isn’t that they need to “shut up” but that it needs to seem like they aren’t whining about it. Christ, they aren’t the only state in the Union. Not every last dollar and hour and media campaign is going to be about Pennsylvania.
Can he win the state? Well look at these numbers from CNN:
2004 Kerry (D) 51% Bush (R) 48.5%
2000 Gore (D) 50.6% Bush (R) 46.4%
1996 Clinton (D) 49.2% Dole (R) 40%
1992 Clinton (D) 45.1% Bush (R) 36.1%
1988 Bush (R) 50.7% Dukakis (D) 48.4%
1984 Reagan (R) 53.3% Mondale (D) 46%
1980 Reagan (R) 49.6% Carter (D)42.5%
1976 Carter (D) 50.4% Ford (R) 47.7%
You will notice that Bill Clinton has been the only Democrat to pull away convincingly in the last 8 times out, greater than 5 percent. (Aside from the Republican victories…) So is Obama going to outdo a Clinton here? Recent polls shows her up 14 points.
Also, from CNN:
1. Many residents of Pennsylvania are older; in 2006 it boasted the second-largest elderly population in the nation — outdone only by Florida.
2. Recent strides by Pennsylvania lawmakers to increase statewide health care benefits make it an appropriate Democratic debating ground for rival national health plans proposed by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Barack health care plan isn’t going to play that well. And Hillary has been at the forefront of healthcare (if failing on it) for years. But she appeals to seniors – more than Barack.
3. Penn is a closed primary. Plays again to Hillary – since crossover votes are not in play.
Meanwhile, the difference in math:
Penn – (158) -188 delegates
N.C. – 115 delegates
IN – 72 delegates.
Barack is up 12 points in N.C. – after turning the tide there. (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_delegate_count.html)
Barack is polling ahead in Indiana too, as of late February. (http://www.news-tribune.net/local/local_story_056160830.html) However, plenty of undecided could change that…and that might be the strategy.
It isn’t that Pennsylvania isn’t important, but for a primary, he is using his time more efficiently in getting 2 states (NC & IN) with enough delegates to get ahead or hold ground.
He could get say 66 delegates in Pennsylvania losing 92. So a 26 delegate give up to Hill. (58-42 loss)
In N.C. he might get 65 to Hill’s 50. (56-44 win)
In Indiana say 40 to 32. (56-42 win)
So 26 minus 23 equals 3 delegates lost in 3 states!!!
Essentially, he is fighting a holding action. Don’t lose too big, but don’t put all the eggs on one state. And granted, he could lose too big in Pennsylvania and momentum, that evil word, will possibly swing. (But it is even more risk adverse if he plows all his money into 1 state – loses – and can’t rebound in 2 states he is currently doing well in.)
And she’s going broke -http://www.tothepointandback.com/blog/politics/hillary-clinton-campaign-out-of-money-and-broke/ – as she is having a difficult time paying off her bills. (I can relate.)
He’s ahead; and with the negative Wright comments, and Pennsyvlania an Alabama state, older, set in ways and loving of Bill, it is hard to put the huge emphasis on it. (And Barack’s people know it…you should too, now.)
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