Woo Hoo!!

I'm still shakin'!
I might start crying again.
Sniffle...
It feels like reality just shifted.
I'm happy for my own reasons, but as I watched the crowd...
The little children, just starting out life, and the weeping old couples, that marched for equality...
I was numbed and humbled!

So sad that, after it's all over, McCain finally showed some of the honor that I used to respect.
He became truly known by the company that he started to keep.
When you make a deal with the devil, your sleeve smells of sulfur!
Hopefully Palin will slink back to her hole!
McCain can again become his own person and be respectable!

Take a good look at Obama!
He's never going to look so young ever again.
Things are so bad, it's going to age him hard.
But...
Tomorrow will be a new world!

Scott

"Some men see things as they are and ask, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and ask, 'Why not?"
Bobby Kennedy

Scott, maybe the job description should say "you will age 10 years in four".

You all deserve a medal for putting up with such a long winded road to the final result.

With acknowledgment that Forum folks have different values and beliefs....

White girl here. Until the 50s, when I was 14 or so, there was legal segregation in Little Rock, Arkansas. As an attorney, my Dad fought for integration in the Little Rock Public Schools, working with the superintendent of schools.

During this time, Arkansas Gov. Orville Faubus (we called him "Awful Orville") closed the schools, rather than have all-white schools forced to accept students from all-black schools. My older cousins went to quickly-established private white academies that year.

The next year, schools re-opened and were integrated. Well, no white students went to black schools: No forced integration of white students into academically-inferior black schools - tacit acknowledgment that the legal defense of "(racially) separate but equal" education was a joke.

Underlying the legal framework were the fears of white men in power who couldn't abide the notion of a few white kids being greatly outnumbered by black kids, who lived in all-black communities at the time. Besides, didn't all blacks aspire to have the advantages of whites? Most whites thought blacks had no advantages or should be stripped of any they'd acquired.

Central High - white till then, was the focal point of legal integration. I went to the other white high school, which had its first black students that year with little public notice. By contrast, when we went to football games over at Central, we passed between rows of National Guardsmen standing at attention with their bayoneted rifles.

As I walked what seemed a gauntlet, I felt like a spy because I supported integration and hoped it didn't show. There weren't any Guardsmen in the halls of my high school, though, and the black kids - about 4 among 1000+ white kids, walked their gauntlets all day long, with no white skin or rifles to protect them. How did they do it?

My Dad's 86 now. Until his eyesight went a couple of years ago, he had a subscription to Mother Jones. Tuesday night, he was rooting for Obama.

I'm grateful he's still here and can comprehend events. He and myriads of other brave souls have a part in the momentous changes of election night.

Humbly, Whitecat8

An aside - Whitecat refers to Kerplunk, our white cat, who was the 7th creature in our household of 2-leggeds and 4-leggeds. My original name was Whitecat7. The 8th arrival is a red and brown and black and tan and gray dog. I kept Whitecat so people would recognize the name.

However, I'm affected by racial stereotypes, so who knows what unknowns also may have motivated Whitecat.

Yes, we do have a new President and I'm still getting that moist eye syndrome whenever I see him on TV. If I see his family, I'm a basket-case.

K

Amen, Kev. During Obama's acceptance speech, I sobbed and sobbed, for so many reasons. Still can't quite comprehend the massive shifts. WC8

I have not seen the entire world glued to their TV sets since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I will always know precisely where I was when JFK and RFK were assassinated, I think Nov 4th will leave a similar lasting impression.

Nick

Just wanted to congratulate you all - watching his acceptance speech almost makes me want to be an American. What a wonderful precedent you have set no only for your nation, but for the world. Regardless of which party you supported, I think all Americans have a cause to rejoice. We're all holding our breath to see what happens next, but I feel like good things are coming. An article I read recently described the situation well - us canucks won't have to walk around with Canadian flags sown on our backpacks anymore...well, we still will, but it won't be a matter of insuring our safety when we travel abroad :)

At risk of eliciting a flame war, however, I must say I am disappointed at the events occurring in Florida, Arizona and perhaps most tragic, California. For some, this was truly a bittersweet moment in their lives.
-Cal

C

Yes, I agree about the those events, but at least the issue is back on the table. I was amazed at how silent everyone was about this issue during all the campaigning. It just never got mentioned. Maybe now's the time.

Not meaning to change the subject, but speaking of Canada.....
http://www.kare11.com/news/whatsup/whatsup_article.aspx?storyid=529511&catid=333

K

No flame wars are intended -- what happened in Fla and Ariz? I live waaay out in Md, it's right next door to Wasilla. News reports from the frontiers are sparse.

What happened in Calif? Voters cast valid ballots to express a desire. Was anything illegal done?

It's been 10 years since I was last in Alberta. Should I fear the "Bigfoot" giant slug discovered in Canada? I want to return......someday..................

--Stitz--

Stitz,

I think they are referring to some of the 'rights' bills/ammendament/proposals that were voted down that may have leaned away from the traditional marriage philosophies.

Standing up in the back of the room he announces: Hello, my name is Bob and I'm a republican...

As far as a person of race winning the presidency, great, it was really only a matter of time!!! I just wish it had not been such a liberal/socialistic Democrat. I have a sinking feeling the worse is yet to come financially for us working folks in the US. Not only has my 401K took a MAJOR hit in the last year, but I expect my overall take-home wages to go down and the company I work for to either have to lay-off or raise prices if they get taxed too heavily. So for my family it's a two bladed sword: 1) less take-home pay because of higher taxes and 2) items cost more or people loose jobs because of higher taxes. My wife and I don't make $250K/yr but if history is any judge I believe that $250K was just campaign talk and the break point will end up being much closer to $100K/yr per household than $250K.

The DEMS have controlled congress for the last 2 years, look at what the economy has done in that time. They now get 2 years without having a REP to veto some of thier plans. And whoever believed that every American should be able to own a home regardless of income (DEM-Dodd) and then incentivize(sp?) banks to make those risky loans, was really out of touch with how finances work.

Hopefully in 2 years we can start to even things out.

But hey on the good side, I saw gas for $1.77/gal this morning. Pretty good considering it was over $4.00 in June.

Bob

Don't worry Bob, they are going to rescind the off shore drilling ban and gas will go back up again. Doesn't that excite you?

Brooke

Thank you Whitecat for a great article.

Where to now that a couple of isms have been found wanting.

Communism. Sounds wonderful, but a glance at the number of "workers" at the weekly working bee at the golf course says otherwise. 600 members. 4 workers.

Capitalism. I'm sitting here, poor as church mouse, mainly due to the efforts of the previous US administration. Perhaps the new lot will do better?

Gas at $1.77 a gallon is too cheap. It will just encourage waste.

Taxes. Someone once said that they are the oil of civilization. No oil is not good.

I wish that I could find gasoline at $1.77 per gallon! Today's price was $2.23 here.

Arthur, how do you keep the prices straight? US$1.00 = A$1.54, the American gallon is smaller than the Imperial gallon and I thought that y'all were using metric measures, litres instead of gallons?

"I'm sitting here, poor as church mouse, mainly due to the efforts of the previous US administration." Maybe, NSW should lobby to become a US State??

thud. :-)

--Stitz--

I don't think Arthur knows how our government works. A President doesn't have a magic wand to wave to make things happen.

Our laws come from Congress and if the President doesn't sign the bill into law, the Congress can pass the law again and he cannot veto it a second time.

Please point the financial crisis in the proper direction - our wonderful Congress. You know the ones who receive all the lobbyist money to help them make decisions that rule our life.

Gas has been under $2.00 a gallon for about ten days around here but don't worry Arthur, I am not out wasting it since I still have to pay for it :>)

Brooke

It looks like other folks are going dumb again. I knew this would happen.

K

Here is a link that might be useful: SUV sales

Hmmmm,
"It looks like other folks are going dumb again."

the topic of this thread,
"We have a new President....." ?

Brooke, i said the previous US Administration not the President. If it wasn't the previous US Administration what was it? The rating agencies? AAA rated securities that are not worth tuppence?

Anyway, no use crying over spilt milk. Another boom, another bust.

Stitz. ROFLMAO.
Firstly, Litres . You are paying a hefty US58.8 cents litre for petrol. There has to be a price set that discourages waste. Not SUV's here, huge 4 wheel drive thingos that mom uses to deliver the kids to school.

You cannot use the exchange rate to compare prices. The coke index? the beer index? Believe me, if you could teleport across the big, big puddle with a fist full of dollars you'd be laughing. You wouldn't have to tip every Tom, Dick and Harry 10% either.

Back to politics. I suppose that by American Standards you could describe Australia as a Socialist country.
There was an informal poll on the presidental candidates here.
76% for Barack Obama
13% for John McCain
11% for Don't Know.

Arthur, Since you brought it up.... Back in my beer drinkin' days, I had access to an unlimited supply of Victoria Bitter, thanks to you and your fellow taxpayers, from your Embassy in DC.

What does that stuff really cost Down Under? It was easily the best from the Embassy!

Stitz, there is case of VB stubbies in the laundry but i'm not going to wake the Dragon Woman up to ask her how much it cost.

But at the local golf club it will cost you $A3.40 a schooner. A schooner being 285Ml. Sorry about the metrics.

There you go Stitz, taxes are the oil of civilization.

No bargains at your local golf club pub!

No apologies are needed for using the internationially accepted, metric measurement system. I used it for over 30 yrs on the job. It's a helluva lot easier than English weights & measures!

Dragon Woman? Andy Easton, formerly of NZ then transplanted to Oz before planting himself here, not so lovingly refers to Joyce Stewart as the Dragon Lady.

Arthur,

You said: "You wouldn't have to tip every Tom, Dick and Harry 10% either." Here in the states, if you were to only tip 10%, I'd be very afraid the next time I went to that establishment. Believe it or not, 20% is the normal nowadays ;-(

Another 'ism for you: Socialism - (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.

Us Americans 'generally' believe the harder you work the more money you should earn and the more successful you will become, it is one of the things we as a nation founded on. It seems we are beginning to lean towards a more socialistic (take from the rich and give to the poor to even things out) society. This is great as long as everyone who is able, works and gives also. I'm just concerned that it will incentivize more people to not work and let the govemnment take care of them.

Thank you future comrades,

Bob

Bob, what you say is entirely correct. Some people do rip off fellow taxpayers so that they can get benefits not due to them.

I'm not saying that the American System is better or worse, just making an observation that an entire population is generally shifted to the left when compared to another population.

Tipping, was 10% when i was over there some years ago.

Stitz, Beer must be awfully cheap in the USA, when you could come to the golf club and shell the equivalent of A$2.40 for that VB and complain that it is expensive.

Back to the topic. Brooke, you are correct, i do not understand the role of the president, especially, so since i read in the daily blat that he may appoint a Republication to some post or other.

Arthur, you changed the cost of that VB schooner from A$3.40 in the earlier email to A$2.40 in the more recent one....

Stitz, I would not make much of a currency dealer....i am trying to say that you would be paying the equivalent of $A2.40 for that beer....So you pay $3.40 in Australian dollars but because of the exchange rate it would cost you less in real terms.

20% tips are normal? I still tip 10% IF THE SERVICE IS GOOD. Less if it is not. Have not been made to feel uncomfortable at the eateries I go to. They seem to want the business. I get incredibly dirty looks from 2 of my daughters who waitered while they were in college but not from the servers who seem to be happy.

My son got a deal on some Porchini mushrooms. A friend of his from Oregon brought him 30 lbs. He kept some for himself, gave some to friends and then took the rest to an upscale restaurant which had agreed to give him $200.00 credit on future meals for the shrooms.

Here is the point of all this. When he got to the restaurant they announced that they were scaling back on expenses as business has been slow, and they would pass on the mushies.

They should be glad if they got my business plus 10%, they are not the only reef in the ocean!

Nick