I've somewhat recovered from Election Day

Both in physical terms (I went to bed about 2 am that night, and got a grand total of four hours' sleep, so I was pretty tired yesterday) and emotionally. I'm not really upset Hillary Clinton lost--I never cared for her candidacy, or how the Democratic National Committee behaved, for that matter, and I was a Bernie Sanders supporter. I, too, am angry about the failure of the two-party system to provide decent candidates. I know a woman will be president, after all, and never got behind Hillary Clinton being that woman. I thought it was silly of people to vote for her simply because of her gender. But I have to admit, I fear a Trump presidency even more, and was terribly upset (although not particularly surprised, actually) that he won. I knew there was a good chance. A very wise friend had pronounced a sooth that Hillary Clinton would never be president. He also taught me a long time ago that our democracy is flawed and that Trump's candidacy and election were totally understandable, especially in an environment where 'reality' TV is considered entertainment, celebrity is valued over hard work and intelligence, money rules, and a good part of the country has been simmering for some time ready to rise up and boil over. People will study how this happened; I'm not sure you can put it simply in terms of white vs. other or rural vs. cosmopolitan. As someone who studied history pretty thoroughly, I know it's never as easy as that. It will certainly be one for historians to write books about, that's for sure. Oddly enough, I was the one, not A (who was always a Hillary supporter (even against President Obama) and was absolutely convinced she would win), who took this the hardest. YKWIA actually hugged me last night, in my funk. He said 'I wish I could tell you it will get better, but we both know it won't. It'll be a long eight years.' 'Eight!' I said, 'Please tell me it'll be four.' He said, 'No, people will be so entertained by Trump that they'll vote for him again.' He refers to the state of America now as 'Trumplandia'. But it's not just the Trump win. Our entire government is now in the hands of one party, a small number of people with a great amount of power, I'm not sure that is a good idea, whether Democrat or Republican, and even the Kentucky state House, which has been Democrat for 90 years and may have been the only one in the South to be Democrat, went Republican, and we have a conservative governor whose first actions included shutting down the most successful state exchange for insurance in the country. YKWIA also said I was reacting, or even overreacting, unexpectedly. I think part of it was that I'm facing the uncertainty of losing my job in just four-and-a-half months, and now I have no safety net at all, in terms of things like health insurance. If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, I will most certainly not qualify for any, as I have diabetes and am on insulin, at least any that I can afford. Of course, the plan was always to get a job before that happens, but at least I had a backup plan. Well, Plan B just went out the window. So I'll have to make sure I waste no opportunity and find another position, one with benefit--soon.

Goodness

Since I left work today I have gone by the bank, done a major grocery run (filling my utility cart, my backpack, an nylon bag, and a regular grocery bag, and paid my rent. It took me almost an hour to schlep the stuff home on the bus, because I narrowly missed one and decided that I should wait for the next (they're 35 minutes apart during the day) despite having some frozen food, because the traffic was so bad I wasn't sure I could make two blocks, the majority of which has no sidewalk, carrying and pulling everything. My back and neck are not happy with me, but at least I didn't bring them the whole way by foot. Now I have put the groceries away (my refrigerator and cupboard are full to bursting, which is unusual; I'm hoping they last a couple of weeks and with winter coming I'm going to try to keep more food in the house). I brought the fan out of the bedroom into the living area and opened the windows. I'm eating some Tuscany bean salad, along with marinated artichoke hearts and mozzarella. Kroger has it on their Mediterranean bar. It's something I treat myself to on occasion.

I fell asleep last night before the so-called debate [I don't think they really follow the rules of true debate], but I printed off a transcript from CNN today. Nothing in it changed my mind in terms of voting, of course. I must admit, though, I will be quite happy when this whole election is over. I'm a staunch Democrat, for example, but I'm getting a slew of e-mails asking for money, even though I tried to opt out of them, at two different e-mail addresses. I haven't been able to give any, and I may not be able to this year, which I regret.

What I am trying to save my money for is the Chicago trip in November. I'm trying to stay an extra day beyond the conference so that I can do some sight-seeing. I think I can swing it (the extra night alone is $200 for the hotel, and that's at the group rate plus taxes, as opposed to the $100 more it normally is), but one of my bosses has to approve the extra day. See, I still don't have a backup person for one part of my job, and the data entry is on a time schedule. I'd been approved for two days, but we're going to have to work something out for me to be away three. Hopefully we'll do that. I have to turn in my travel request form by mid-October. How often do you get airfare and one night at a hotel paid for? Of course, last year I went up to Chicago with $20 in my pocket and neither credit card nor money in the bank, but I was extremely lucky.

I can't see everything I'd like to, of course. I'd have an afternoon and a morning to see things. The four big attractions I'm considering are the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Alder Planetarium, and the Art Institute of Chicago, but I'll probably only be able to do one or two of them. Good thing this gig lasts three more years after this one. :) Of the four, the Field Museum and Art Institute are top of my list. I've been to both an aquarium and a planetarium (although I'm sure these are larger and quite possibly better), but I've never seen a real Picasso or Monet, for example, or a T. Rex skeleton of doom.

Good Lord...

House Democrats report increased threats since health care vote

Hoyer told a news conference that "a significant number, meaning over 10," had reported either threats, vandalism or other incidents. Capitol Police officials have briefed House Democrats on reporting suspicious or threatening activity and taking precautions to avoid "subjecting themselves or their families to physical harm," said Hoyer, D-Maryland.

Earlier Wednesday, the Albemarle County Fire Marshal's Office in Virginia confirmed the FBI was investigating a suspicious incident at the home of Virginia Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello's brother, days after the brother's home address was posted online by a Tea Party activist.

An aide to Perriello told CNN that a line to the propane tank on his brother's gas grill had been severed.

On the other side of the coin, our local Congressman, Ben Chandler (a Democrat, too), has been receiving very ugly messages as well for voting AGAINST for the bill.

It's absurd, the idea that violence could solve anything in this situation. And the lunatic fringe is having a field day. I give you:

Blogger Michael B. Vanderboegh of Pinson, Alabama, said Monday that in a Friday blog, he called for people to break windows at Democratic headquarters at the city and county level. He said he didn't call for the damages to congressional offices because, "I didn't want to be responsible for anybody breaking a federal law."

However, "I can understand how someone can be frustrated enough to throw a brick through a congresswoman's window," Vanderboegh said. He said he feels the health care bill is "unconstitutional and tyrannical."

"My answer is violence, by getting their attention," he said, adding, "If we can get across to the other side that they are within inches of provoking a civil war in this country, then that's a good thing."

I have a friend who is a staunch Democrat who is terribly embarrassed by his father, who is showing up at Tea Party protests in his area with a guitar and harmonica singing songs from the Declaration of Independence's point of view (in his opinion) and styling himself the Party's 'poet'.

I shake my head at these people. I cannot understand their paranoia.

I am being thwarted

Some weeks back, when the car was out of commission, I received a free Obama bumpersticker from MoveOn.org. I cannot for the life of me find it. No doubt it will turn up after the election. So I thought I'd get one from the Fayette Democrats, our local group. I've tried twice now, and they've been out. Yesterday I called and they had them, but it was raining and I wanted to put it right on the car so I wouldn't lose another one, and by today they were out again. They only get them in batches of 500, apparently. They're like gold. The nice lady did give me their phone number and asked me to call next week and have them hold one for me, since I've tried several times. So hopefully next week I'll have one (and maybe by then I can actually make a small donation to at least cover their costs). If all else fails, I may just have to order one from his website. They're just $3 and have a removable adhesive so they won't take paint off your car. My favourite is the one pictured here.

I'm disappointed

that Hillary Clinton took Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island today. That means the fight between Obama and her is still very much engaged and the talk of her dropping out of the race was probably premature.

Big Wins for Clinton in Texas and Ohio; McCain Clinches Race as Foe Concedes

Obama did win Vermont, but his momentum may have just come to a crashing halt. We'll see. I still think that he's the better candidate.

Gee, maybe our late primary will not be as lame as we thought. If things keep up like this, they're going to need every state they can get, and more importantly, perhaps, every superdelegate.

Yay!!!

Kentucky Democrat Beshear Ousts GOP Gov. Fletcher

As I was giving blood Friday

they had an episode of The View on, with Doris Haddock, 97 years old and the subject of a documentary airing this week on HBO called 'Run Granny Run'. She ran for Senate in her native New Hampshire at the age of 94. Known as 'Granny D', she's feisty and what we need in Washington. The View interview was wonderful, but here's the blurb for the documentary. I unfortunately don't have cable, so I can't watch it. She and I seem to have similar liberal Democratic politics, although I prefer Kucinich (her second choice) over Gravel in the 2008 Presidential election. PS I love her accent.



Okay, I'm really going to bed now. Good night.

Cleaning out my to-blog list

Google and Microsoft Look to Change Health Care

How would you feel about being able to easily search all your health information and have it at your fingertips? Sound good? Well, yes and no...what about privacy. Two juggernauts are heading towards changing health care.

Is Parental Age Related to Autism Risk?

Oddly enough, maternal education, when adjusted for age and other factors, correlated with increased autism in children. Paternal education had no significant effect.

Democratic hopefuls grilled on gay rights

Kucinich still has my vote, at least through the primary, because he's for gay marriage. I'm not impressed with the Big Three's take on civil unions being adequate and Richardson really flubbed his chances with me with a slur which he then tried to backpedal out of.

Library Time Line

Did I post this already? It's a cool site, giving important dates in the history of libraries.

Here Come the Cyberchondriacs

More people are looking up medical information before seeing their doctor.

My thoghts are with the Edwards family

Edwards: Wife's cancer returns, campaign goes on

It's a shame that Elizabeth Edwards' cancer has returned. Edwards is my second choice for President (well, really the main choice, as much as I like Dennis Kucinich, whom I voted for in the primary last election and will probably do so again, I can't see him going all the way to the general election in 2008. We'll see. But I do like Edwards, especially since he seems to be reaching out towards those of us who are liberals. I can't say I care for Hillary Clinton, although I do like Barak Obama. It'll be difficult to choose. I prefer those who are opposed to the war, obviously, and who are progressive in their leanings, or at least liberal on social issues. I suppose right now I'd have to rank them Kucinich, Edwards, and Obama. That may change, depending on how the campaigns go and how much more I learn about the candidates' positions.

I know it will be very hard for Edwards to maintin his campaign and balance his family duties, but I'm impressed he's going to try.