The United States Will Not Torture...

And then there was a clear change of course...

No more 'Mission Accomplished' statements when the truth was something else altogether.

No more telling the American public that torture was not something we did - when the truth was evident to anyone who would listen or cared to look.

No more lip service to a Middle East Peace process that is going to be difficult and that may well take generations to take hold. But no more letting the fear of progress hinder the call to action.

I can remember September 11, 2001 like it was minutes ago. I know where I was, I remember the fear, the running away from the Trade Centers, the waiting to see which of my friends were okay, and sadly, which were not.

I can remember crying a few days later. Uncontrollable sobbing for what we had lost. Yes, this country has seen our share of wars before, but in our lifetime, we had never seen this. This breach of safety we had been told existed.

Then I remember waiting. Waiting for anything. Waiting for someone to make sense of it all. Waiting for my call to action. What could I do? What could the people I knew do? How could we help. Some of us joined the military. Others, peace groups. Many of us wanted an answer or a million answers, but we wanted to play a role.

We were told to shop. To go about our business. To do what we were doing on September 1oth. The President had everything under control. Nothing could have been more true.

I waited, as did many in the world. The world wept with us. Maybe it was out of true concern, and maybe a part of it was a shattering of their innocence as well. All I know is that at that moment, we could have chosen any course of action and the world would have rushed to help.

Instead, we decided on a course that changed our nation. Maybe we didn't realize it then, but it became clear within months...the inept response to 9/11, became the inept responses to Katrina and the financial industry and every other area of importance that required leadership.

Today, President Obama confirmed something we already knew, we can not be better than our enemies when we become just like them.

Say what you will: You can try to blame liberals for ruining the country, being weak; not understanding....

And yet, here we are after eight years. Not sure if we are more safe. Only sure that within our own borders, we are less secure. Less secure from a recession; less secure in our ability to deal with crises at home; less secure in our ability to respond to crises around the world - and be taken seriously.

The United States will not torture. Serious statement to make. One that may be a turning point.

These Are Your Neighbors...And I Think They Hate You.

A vote for John McCain is a vote for...

I've been watching clips of a Palin/McCain 2008 (tm pending by Sarah Palin) and as John McCain whips the audience into shape by asking "Who is the real Barack Obama", the audience is clearly heard yelling out all kinds of things.

"Terrorist" is one word that is heard above the rumblings of a group made up of what I assume are moms and dads and college students people living in the same 'probable recession' that everyone else is experiencing.

You can hear lots of other things - McCain heard them too. He heard them loud enough to pause for a second before going on with his vitriol.

You can sit in your home and decide if this is the type of person with whom you agree, but when you hear someone in the audience yell out: "Kill Him" in reference to Sen. Obama, then I question your sanity and McCain's.

I've seen some truly disgusting things in my life - and this new McCain decision to go so negative is frightening. Why? Well, for someone who was done in by similar tactics...well, I guess memory is short-term for some people.

I thought a vote for this ticket would set women back 100 years.

Now I believe it will also set back minorities. Maybe not 100 years, but at least back to the 1950's.I don't really care who people vote for this year. You can't change people's minds. You can't get them to see that just saying it's the Dems running a negative campaign doesn't make it true.Y

ou can't get them to see that the someone is gasping for air when the economy is failing.You can't get them to see that someone who once called his wife a 'cunt'; has a history of anger issues; can't tell when the economy (other than his own) is tanking; can't be called anything other than 'erratic' - well this person needs to be vetted just as much as anyone else.

Playing to people's fears - some people are good at this. What's awful is that I am actually scared. Scared that I live in a country where my neighbors hate someone they don't know. Hate them so much that instead of 'fire' in a crowded theater, it's 'kill him' at a public rally.

Too bad the McCain who ran in 2000 is long-gone. He'd probably be ashamed by this new guy wearing his suits. That McCain would have at least attempted to address the fanatics.

This one courts them.

Rata-Tatas...An Interview With Two Boobs.

Ladies and gentlemen.I bring to you. My breasts.

I've decided to interview them for this post. Why? Well, throughout the years, they have been fondled, kissed, ogled, pinched and stared at so I figured that they could offer some sound advice on what it's like to be a breast in today's breast-eat-breast world.

Bubbles: Ladies, nice to see you today. I know you've been busy getting ready for election day, so thanks for taking some time out to talk to me.

Tatas: You're welcome, Bubbles. It's nice to actually have someone listen to us.

Bubbles: Tell me, what is the biggest misconception that you've had to overcome in your 20 years of life?

Tatas: That we have ears.

Bubbles: Oh, lol. You two are so funny. Remember that time you...Oh, forget it.

Tatas: :(

Bubbles: So, when was the last time you had something important to do?

Tatas: Well, the other day, we were out shopping and we got to cut in front of this nice gentleman at Stop and Shop.

Bubbles: Whoa! That IS important. Do you know how long the lines are at that store? Now, seriously, if you could tell the other bloggers here any one thing, what would it be?

Tatas: Well, we'd say that it's October and it's time for everyone to remember to 'think pink'!

Bubbles: You are right! And, just a reminder to everyone - having your guy or gal feel you up during sex does not count as a breast exam.

Tatas: Yes, thank you for that. We can't tell you how many times we've thought that.

Bubbles: What else would you like to tell us, since you've got the 'floor' as it were?

Tatas: Well, we just want everyone to remember that they shouldn't buy into the myths about breast cancer. For instance: It is not true that breast cancer only affects older women...From birth to age 39, one woman in 231 will get breast cancer.

Also, just because breast cancer doesn't run in your family - you can't assume you won't be affected. The fact is that 80% of women who get breast cancer had no known familial risk of it.

Breast cancer also affects men! Did you know that approximately 450 men die from breast cancer each year?

But most importantly, we'd like everyone to know that a breast cancer diagnosis is NOT an automatic death sentence. With early diagnosis, many women (and men) go on to live many years after their initial diagnosis and treatment.

Bubbles: Wow! You ladies ARE smart! No wonder people always want to hear you say something!

Tatas: Bubbles, we're breasts....but we're no boobs.

And, Then, Also. Blink.

Pop Quiz…Which of these comments belongs to Miss South Carolina and which belongs to the woman who could become our next Vice President:

"I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some, people out there in our nation don't have maps and, uh, I believe that our, uh, education like such as, uh, South Africa and, uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and, I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., uh, or, uh, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future, for our [children]."

“Oil and coal? Of course, it’s a fungible commodity and they don’t flag, you know, the molecules, where it’s going and where it’s not. But in the sense of the Congress today, they know that there are very, very hungry domestic markets that need that oil first,” Palin said. “So, I believe that what Congress is going to do, also, is not to allow the export bans to such a degree that it’s Americans that get stuck to holding the bag without the energy source that is produced here, pumped here. It’s got to flow into our domestic markets first.”

Does it matter? Well, yes – one of these women has not been accused of abusing her authority. The other has.

And one of them was not presented as the savior of their party. The other was.

And one of them seems to want to give SNL some much-needed Tina Fey time.

Does the Vice President matter? Some of you may say yes, some of you may say no. But what does matter is the judgment that went into the selection. I guess that is what defines leadership, from the top down.