Are we really that stupid?

I am sure all of you are as sick as I am of politics. I seriously can't wait for November 2nd to be over; which is sad when I think of it because I used to love politics. I majored in Political Science and even worked for a Member of the US House of Representatives. However, as I have gotten older I have become more annoyed with the political process and the "politics" of government.

Maybe I am a cynic now; but sometimes I feel like I am choosing the lesser of two evils. I will be honest, in our last Presidential election I casted my vote as a write in. I wouldn't choose either of the two major candidates. However, I do spend my time researching the candidates and issues on my own. I don't just vote for a person because they happen to belong to my party. I don't just vote for a proposition because that is what my party wants me to do. I don't vote based on those annoying TV commercials or any mailer I receive.

Most people I talk to don't even know the issues, they only know what they see on TV commercials. People generally don't watch debates anymore and I feel that the responsibility to actually vote is taken lightly. It's a big deal in our country to have the right to vote. All of this leads me to the title of my post.

As Americans, I feel we do have a responsibility to vote, and most importantly to vote responsibly. A friend of mine was out campaigning for a candidate and began a discussion with one of her neighbors. The neighbor explained that one day she was riding with her son in his "professional touring car" (what ever that is... I am guessing something that makes the car extra expensive) a campaign sign for a candidate for governor flew from the side of the road and scraped the side of her son's car causing some damage. This woman has been trying to get a hold of this candidate and fully expects to be paid for the damage to the car. She also stated that because the sign was blown by the wind and damaged the car, she was voting for the opponent! Seriously???? That is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. Putting a person in office just because the opponent's sign scraped the car? I just don't know what else to say other than to wonder if we might actually be that stupid!

How to Eat An Orange

Our recently turned 4 year old comes up with some of the funniest stuff. He has been named the clown of the family Recently he instructed us that this is the only proper way to eat an orange!

Poor Sports!

Dear Evgeni Plushenko:

You deserve to be a poster boy. Your behavior during past and current Olympic games has demonstrated that you should be a poster boy. Yes, you would be the perfect poster boy. The poster boy for poor sportsmanship!

I saw this article where you felt that you were robbed of the gold medal in these Olympic games. So much so that you gave yourself the "Platinum of Vancouver" and then posted it on your website. I guess enough people complained that you had it removed. But still you were able to make your point. You think you are the Golden Boy of Men's Figure Skating. But in my humble opinion you are not!

I have followed your Olympic career for the past three Olympic games. Let's see you pouted in Salt Lake City because Yagudin "stole" your gold. Even though every single judge ranked him first.

In 2006 in Torino, when you actually won your gold medal, you had earned it. That night you were the best skater. I was happy to see you get your gold that you felt eluded you in Salt Lake. But I could have done with out your attitude of entitlement.

Now we are at the present Olympic games. You made it known to the world you came out of retirement to try at one more Gold medal. You wanted to tie Dick Button's record of consecutive Olympic Gold Medals.

However, times have changed in figure skating, especially the scoring system. I am assuming that your coaches would instruct you on how the new scoring system works. Other athletes have studied and adapted their programs to fit the new scoring system so that they can get the maximum points possible. You however did not. I don't know if it is because you are not that strong of an athlete or your attitude of entitlement stopped you.

You did not do a single jump in the last minute and half of your program even though the scoring system states that you get bonus points for every jump landed sometime after the 2 minute mark. Evan Lysacek used the scoring system to his advantage. He jumped through out his entire program. But not only that he is a beautiful skater to watch. His jumps and landings were solid, the transitions and choreography was beautiful. You landed a quad, which isn't even a required element.

One extra rotation in a jump does not a gold medalist make!