Go Obama

It is clear president-elect Obama is not going to follow the Bush administration's approach to Climate Change by burying his head in the sand.

Yesterday Obama appointed four scientists to top posts in his future administration. His Science adviser will be Harvard Physicist, John Holdren; Jane Lubchenko, a Marine Biologist, will head NOAA-leading government studies on Climate Change.

Both Holdren and Lubchenko are recognized experts on Climate Change and have advocated a forceful government response.

Fierce storms continue to pound parts of the US. Another 250 million people are out of power in the midwest following record snowfalls. That storm just clipped us here in Maine last night, dropping another 3 inches of powder through single-digit temperatures.

Not so with another storm headed our way tomorrow-that one is lining up to be a real NOr'Easter with significant snowfall. I didn't catch snowfall predictions, but I am assuming that means at least a foot of snow.

That one is sure to hurt retailers, already sufferring from a slack economy. Less folks will be out shopping this last weekend before Christmas when travelling is treacherous.

Speaking of the economy, Obama is reported to have a plan to create jobs by rebuilding infrastructure. Here's an idea: Why not use that infrastructure money to lay underground utility lines for the Northern half of the country? So many people suffer, and will continue to suffer, as these fierce storms tear down power lines. The utility companies just can't keep up-some folks in New Hampshire are still down following last week's ice storm.

Not only that, but then the utility companies pass on those repair costs to the customers in delivery charges, often exceeding the cost of power itself-more than doubling the cost to the consumer.

The government should take over the power infrastructure-we are paying for it anyhow-and do it right. Lay underground pipes and cable. Once those are in place, the upkeep will be minimal, and consumers are guaranteed to have a consistent source of power even during violent weather. Who isn't tired of hearing the power companies claim that installing underground lines isn't cost efficient? It must be more efficient to hire tree crews to annually trim trees and pay emergency crews overtime to leave customers out in the cold for days.

Step it up, Obama, and set them straight.

The Obamas' Interview on 60 Minutes

President-elect Barak Obama and his wife Michelle were on 60 minutes last night.

This was his first interview since winning the presidential election, and it was interesting to see husband and wife together. Their interaction was heartwarming-the playful give and take and familiarity that is often seen in couples that have been together for a long time.

Some of the interview highlights:

Pres-elect Obama admitted that there will be a Republican in his cabinet-more than one? wouldn't say.

He admitted that he had met recently with HIlary Clinton-what for? Wouldn't say. :D

Barak said that he had been reading a lot of Lincoln and some Roosevelt and confided he was willing to try different things to see if they worked.

His reading time has been mostly consumed by reading security briefings, however.

Michelle admitted that things have changed greatly since their last interview with Scott Pelley two years ago, but pointed out that they have changed in increments so that it has been easier to adjust.

There was a discussion about Barak's senatorial apartment in DC. Scott joked that it had been said that he was the only senator who had lesser living quarters than his aides. Michelle admitted that she had visited it but had refused to stay there, and had chosen to stay at a hotel during her visits to DC. She said that it was reminiscent of Barak's apartment when they first started dating. She then went on to describe Barak's car at that time-the floorboards on the passenger side were so rotted out that she could see the road passing beneath her feet.

Barak laughed and said, "Well, you didn't marry me for my money, then..."

So what does this tell us about the president elect?

Perhaps that he is willing to make due with less for a greater good. Most likely the cheap apartment was to ensure more money for his wife and daughters. Or perhaps that he doesn't require luxury to be content. Seems like a good sign of frugality in our president-to-be. Perhaps his promises to go over the budget with a scalpel to cut the fat from some programs to put the money where it is needed is sincere. And his promise to put an end to corporate greed at the expense of the working class.

Michelle, on the other hand, seemed to be looking forward to an increase in their status. She spoke with wonderment at the honor of living in the luxurious accomodations of the White House while sporting a decadent triple-strand necklace of colored pearls. Of course she is not to be faulted for this-most likely the pearls were a gift or loan-and most people would revel in such a leap of status.

Barak just seemed disappointed that he couldn't go out for a walk. Michelle shrugged her shoulders. Barak said he would love to take a stroll with his wife, but admitted that it was cold for a walk. Michelle agreed and laughed and said she wouldn't go for a walk if they could.

Random Stuff

"Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don't do that by sitting around wondering about yourself.” Katherine Hepburn

I grabbed that quote off the bottom of allnaturalsimplelife.blogspot.com . There are a few more good quotes and always great pix and stories. Check it out!

One story I always loved about Katherine Hepburn was that whenever she arrived at her destination she would light a fire in the fireplace to make the place cozy. Many times when I light my woodstove I think of that story, and a picture of elegant Ms. Hepburn balling up the newspaper and lighting the logs in an immense stone fireplace comes to mind.

For those of you who were doubting that Obama meant Change-a breaking news story says that Obama is planning on using Executive Orders to reverse some of the Bush administration policies.

Lastly, I have fired up a new blog. This one I will try and return to its origins of commentary on local , national, and world events, mixed with quotes and poetry. The personal stuff is going on another blog, treestoomuchdetail.blogspot.com .

I wanted to have a place to keep track of some personal things without having to search for the paper or notebook I jotted it down on. More of a personal diary. I think the move will help clean this one up a bit, especially since I noticed I had a few hits from banks and financial companies following my economic comments. LOL. ROFLMAO.

The Democratic National Convention

Usually sitting around the TV with your kids is not a matter of National pride, but that was not the case this week.
We had a great thrill watching first New Mexico yield to Illinois, and then Illinois yield to New York. New York went through all their introductions and finished with Senator Hilary Clinton reequesting the convention to nominate Barak Obama for the Democratic candidate for President of the United States.

My eyes welled up along with many other viewers when a tearful African American woman was interviewed immediately afterward, and when asked why she was crying, she said that she was crying for her father. Her father grew up with segregation-white water fountains, colored only bathrooms...and she wished that her father, suffering advanced Alzheimer's, could be aware enough to celebrate the fact that finally skin color didn't matter-it was the best candidate that received the nomination.

Last night we watched Barak Obama give his acceptance speech, while his beautiful family and vice presidential nominee Joe Biden, along with 34 million television viewers and 84,000 Democrats in attendence cheered him on.

I thought that Mr. Obama spoke very elegantly, and his motto for change is a strong one. I was a bit disappointed that his focus seemed to be on what McCain will or won't do for the country, not specifics of what he himself would do, or rather how he would achieve his goals.

Obama did commit to spending 180 billion dollars over the next 8 years on developing alternative energy, including wind and alternative fuels. That was a bit of a relief for this Green, as he initally stated reducing our dependence on foreign oil would be achieved by focusing on Natural Gas, clean coal, and nuclear power. He also stated that we weren't going to be able to drill our way free...a bit clarification on his supporting offshore drilling.

All the other good things were there as well-better treatment for veterans; better education for our children; affordable health care; reducing taxes for 95% of the taxpayers (middle class); ending the Iraq war. He did some posturing in regards to chasing Osama Bin Laden down in his Afghan cave and some grumbling about Russia.

I look forward to seeing the debates between Barak Obama and John McCain in the near future. There's been an awful lot of mud slinging so far-it will be interesting to see what they say to each other's face.