Studs

R.I.P. I loved Studs Terkel.

He is Chicago to me. I have two vivid memories of him - the first time I heard him speak was at Bughouse Square during the Newberry Library book sale. Back in the day, people would go to Bughouse Square and debate. Every year during the sale, they get local Chicago people to stand up and speak their mind. Studs got up there with his trademark red socks and railed about whatever was on his mind that day. The last time I saw him was at the anti-war rally in Daley Plaza when Barack Obama was running for the Senate. I went to hear Studs and no one else.

I can't even select my favorite book because they've all meant a lot to me. Race, Hope Dies Last, Hard Times, and Will the Circle Be Unbroken probably rise to the top.

This is a day that I've dreaded for a very long time.

I would rather die

This climber ate centipedes to stay alive

Now I am sure some of you are thinking that I am crazy to choose death over a 'pede, but I'm not kidding.

Going too far

Things are getting really ugly on the political front.  I am relieved that some of the nasty attacks didn't come up in the debate, however, I would have liked McCain to say some of his attacks to Obama's face.

One of the commenters last night talked about the type of climate that Palin and McCain are creating with their personal attacks and how we are slipping into dangerous territory.  I agree. Speaking at recent Palin or McCain/Palin rallies, people have yelled "off with his head", "kill him" and "treason".  It is offensive that Palin or McCain are not doing anything to stop this type of hatred.  What does this mean? I take away that they have no objections to the comments.  I believe they have a responsibility to speak up and denounce audience members who spout off this crap.  I would expect the same thing of Obama and Biden.    

We are entering dangerous territory and it makes me really pissed off at McCain and Palin.  It just proves that they are not the type of leaders we need.  

Signs the country is falling apart

Why our economy is going down the tubes - within minutes of each other, different individuals from AIG and Lehman Brothers found my blog doing a search on spiders.  

Question 1: Shouldn't these employees be saving our economy?

Question 2: Should I wonder if there is some connection between spiders and the downfall of these two companies?  It is possible they were working on some investigative research.

Palin.  I am still amazed that there are people who think she is qualified to serve as vice-president. What has our country settled for when we take someone who is clearly in over her head and potentially elect her for second-in-command?   I know one person who has defended her and thinks she is the greatest thing on earth.  Personally, I have lost all respect for this person because they obviously have the political intelligence of an acorn.  As Tim Robbins said on the Daily Show, I want someone who is an elite and not like me in the Executive Branch.  

I am scared about tomorrow's debate.