Mariannes Motifs

Privacy Vs. Security

Dystopian Science Fiction and political allegories such Orwell's 1984 bave often portrayed a future in which the government controls human beings activities and thoughts.  Western literature and film from Fahrenheit 451 to Gattaca have portrayed worlds where the goverment or a corporate entity control people via various methods of propaganda, censorship, and surveilance.

So when we think of the idea of a city putting up security cameras on lightposts to record the activities of the populace, it seems a bit off somehow.  But there is another reality... security cameras can provide important information for the police.  If a crime is committed they can provide clues and evidence.  Computer programs can even scan for suspicious packages, unclaimed items, or people who may be loitering in a suspicious manner.

Companies may have security cameras placed near entrances and exits to discourage or solve thefts.  They may place cameras in employee parking lots to provide better safety for employees going out to their cars at night.  Cameras can act  as a deterrent as a savvy criminal might pass over the lot with cameras and hit one down the street that does not have them.

As always, there is a strange balance that must be maintained between our rights and passion for privacy, and the desire for security and rule of law.  Companies like ITPlanet.com are selling security cameras to all sorts of companies.  So remember the next time you are walking down the hall at work thinking you are alone:  don't scratch your butt - you may be on camera.

If Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver can do it, we can too!

As you may know, in my house this political season has been a bit sticky.  My husband and I have vastly differing ideas about Obama.   Basically I really like him and Jin hates him.

So when I saw this CNN Political Ticker item about Arnold Schwarzenegger saying that now that the election is over he is allowed back in the bedroom it made me chuckle.  I can relate!   I am so glad this election is over.  I'm not running around rubbing it in for Jin though...I am just letting him be.  My sincere hope is that Obama will do a decent job and convince Jin and the others like him that there was nothing to worry about.  We are not starting a slide towards socialism - ok!

Obama's Acceptance Speech

The full text of Obama's acceptance speech can be found on the LA Times blog. 

The American people need to know that this sea change in the house, senate, and Presidency does not mean we are going to lock stock and barrel switch over to socialism.

I particularly liked how Obama reached out to those that did not vote for him.  I think that we need to avoid the polarization seen in this election.   People are bitter about our elected leaders right now, and yes, deservedly so.  But I hope that just because the Democrats have a majority they don't run roughshod over the Republicans or Independents. 

To quote the 44th President of the United States:

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -– I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too.

Conservatives for Change

This video really made an impact on me.   It's from the site Conservatives for Change and features various life long conservatives, and Republicans who are breaking a life long history of voting Republican to vote for Obama this election.

Socially Conservative America - Are they Selfish or Just Fearful

Socially Conservative America - Are they Selfish or Just Fearful

I came across a very interesting discussion where people were wondering why the American Conservative movement comes across as looking selfish.  (Not wanting to pay for social programs, extend rights to gays and lesbians, speak English or go home,  I didn't get a handout, why should anyone else, etc)

The truth is that Americans as a group are an incredibly giving and loyal people.  No, socially and fiscally conservative people cannot be painted as a group as being selfish.

I think a lot of the apparent selfishness of very conservative people  stems from fear. They fear that if someone else gets more rights, their rights will be diminished. An example would be people who say that the concept of gay marriage undermines heterosexual marriages. There is a pervasive fear that if we lift up the poor, then the person who worked hard to get where they are might have less of what there is to go around.

A progressive person thinks more along the lines of increasing the rights and freedoms to more people. Its in fact more of an optimistic viewpoint. If I give a right or opportunity to someone who does not have that right or opportunity, I don’t immediately assume that I lose anything. To go back to the marriage example, I don’t think anyone else s marriage has any impact on mine.

Now, that is not to say that there are not progressive thinking Republican people.   There are also Democrats who are not in fact progressive at all.  ( Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman come to mind)  Unfortunately, the Republican party seems to have become derailed by the religious right. They know very well how to play on people’s fears and work to their socially conservative base. While they are no longer fiscally conservative, they still pretend that they are socially conservative. Thus the emphasis on “small town values,” being against woman’s right to chose, etc.

There is a phrase called FUD - stands for Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. The McCain campaign likes to play upon people’s fears to rally people against Obama. That is what they have chosen as the main strategy in their campaign, and I think it is actually backfiring against them. Because when all they have to say is negative, one begins to wonder what their positives are.

Quote of the Day

When asked if Gov. Sarah Palin has become a drag on his ticket, McCain said:

"She is a direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America."

I cannot agree more.  End of message.

Analysis of Third Presidential Debate

The third and final debate of this election was the best debate of the three.  The moderator, Bob Schieffer, did a great job.  I felt that the first two debates were not moderated as well.  Jim Leher in the first was annoying when he tried to get the candidates to look at each other.  In the second debate moderator Tom Brokow seemed to be chiding the candidates as if they were children when the went over time or strayed from the topic.  Both the first two debates seemed to lob "softball" questions at the candidates. 

This third debate had much better questions.  Bob Schieffer let the candidates and the topics of converstation flow naturally, but did manage to keep the candidates on track if they strayed from the topic.  He did not spend so much energy "managing time" that he stilted the flow of the debate.

Both candidates did a very good job stating their postitions in this debate.  I do not think there was "loser" although I am personally swayed by Obama's arguments over those of McCain.  On the question of reproductive rights in particular I think Obama did a wonderful job of stating his position.  McCain did as well - and I feel that that may have cost him votes among the undecided who do not vote based on this issue.  Abortion is such a divisive issue and the candidates usually step around it or try not to take too strong of a stand.  We did not see that from either man last night.

Another area where McCain did not show himself well was when he complained about the comments of Rep. John Lewis who earlier in the week made some over-sweeping comments about the crowd anger seen in McCain and Palin rallys.  I think McCain asking for Obama to apoligise for something someone else said just came off as a whiney person whose feelings were hurt by a personal attack.  Obama on the other had was cool as a cucumber whenever personally attacked and said "I don't mind being attacked for the next three weeks. What the American people can't afford, though, is four more years of failed economic policies."

A great McCain quote, was when he said emphatically "Senator Obama, I'm not President Bush. If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago."

One place where Obama let an opportunity slide, was when he said nothing critical of Sarah Palin.  I am sure this was a calculated move.  He knows that many Americans have expressed grave concerns about Palin's fitness to be President.  He did not take the risk of attacking her and appearing to be sexist.  He just touted Biden's fine qualities and said it is up to the American people to decide if Sarah Palin is qualified to be president.

McCain looks like a fool to have chosen her as his running mate.  I think if he loses the election it will be attributed 100% to his choice of Palin as a running mate.

I do appreciate from a totally non-political standpoint how she has balanced career and family and accomplished so much in her career. However, in terms of ideas and ideology she is the direct opposite of what I believe in.

Abstinence only education in conjunction with wanting to take away reproductive freedoms is my personal hot button.  It shows her as a religious extremist who is out of touch with reality. Her winking flirtatious manner combined with her obvious lack of knowledge of foreign affairs and in fact almost anthing outside the realm of energy policy make her especially frightening to consider in the role of backup to the President of the United States.

McCain also mentioned in the debate that he does support stem cell research.  However, his position varies radically from that of Palin and in fact of the "offical" Republican Party platform which is against all forms of embryonic stem cell research.  Yes, this is another hot button issue for me personally.  I happen to suffer from a non-curable chronic disease for which stem cell researchers are targeting specically for promising new treatments using various types of stem cells.  

Let's chat about ACORN

One of the smears I've heard against Obama is that he was involved with ACORN and ACORN was involved by association with some fraudulent voter registration applications.

This entry from Obama's Fight the Smears site explains that Obama represented ACORN as a lawyer in Illinois, however he was never on their payroll.  Obama's Project Vote, the successful voter registration drive Barack ran in 1992 was not associated with ACORN, but a separate "get out the vote" initiative.

When Obama worked as a lawyer representing Acorn against the state of Illionis he was working on the same side as the Leauge of Women's Voters and the U.S. Department of Justice.  He was awarded the IVI-IPO Legal Eagle Award in 1995 for this work.

This is an interesting article written by two of the top members of ACORN explaining how the organization works as a non-partisan group to encourage voter registration amongst low income and minority prospective voters.

This New York Times article has some more in depth information about the attempts by the McCain campaign and other right-wingers to associate Obama with Acorn and the question of fraudulent voter registrations.

I've seen a lot of Republican push back against voter registration efforts and I wonder why they seem to think that minority or empoverished voters would be more inclined to vote for Democrats.  It seems to me that if they feel like they have the correct platform and candidates they would be glad to have valid voter registration occur whenever possible.  After all it is our duty as citizens of a democracy to vote and the more people who vote the better.

I am a fim believer in the Leauge of Women's Voters and their non-partisan efforts to get people to register and vote.  I don't think that any get out the vote movement should be reserved for just people who you think are going to vote for the same candidate that you support.  I would gladly drive anyone to the poll, whether they are going to vote for McCain or Obama or even someone else enterly.  In fact my husband and friend have not been Obama supporters and I am very happy that they are going to vote.  I gave my friend some help in how to do an absentee vote since she is going to be out of town on election day as she travels for business.

Here is a quote from the Fight the Smears web site:

In his capacity as an attorney, Barack represented ACORN in a successful lawsuit alongside the U.S. Department of Justice against the state of Illinois to force state compliance with a federal voting access law. For his work helping enforce the law, called “Motor Voter,” Barack received the IVI-IPO Legal Eagle Award in 1995. (For more about Barack’s career, check out our Obama bio.)

Budget Crisis

The financial markets are in crisis and my personal budget is in crisis too this week.  I have about 50 bucks to get through till Tuesday.

We've done our grocery shopping and have gas so now its all about having a weekend of free fun.  We've been playing Wii games with the kids, cooked breakfast, and have dinner all planned.  (Anduille sausage with Cajun rice ad beans)

Time to make some extra money!  I need to list some stuff on Ebay this weekend so I have some discretionary funds next week when the auctions end.  I am thinking.... what can I sell.  I still have some magic the gathering cards.  Maybe some computer parts from the collection? Do I have any used tape drives perhaps?

Sarah Palin Wink

Hubby and I managed to watch the VP debate last night without any serious arguments.  Perhaps we can survive this election season after all.  Early voting is open now in Georgia with "no excuse" absentee ballot voting available at locations in each county.  So we can get it out of the way and done with!

I wish the moderator has asked the VP candidates about their position on supporting stem cell research.  Palin is against it and ALL THREE of the other Presidential candidates are for it.

Here is an interesting article on the subject: How Stem Cell Debate is Energizing the Democratic Ticket from the NY Times.

I am going to write in some more detail on this subject on my Crohn's Disease Relief site. 

My personal comment on the debate:  If SP winked at me one more time I was going to have to stick a knitting needle in my eye.  Please stop.  It makes me nauseous.  NO MORE WINKING.  Act like a professional and stop trying to flirt your way out of a tough question.