HOPE

Maybe it's The National song playing in the video. Maybe it's Barack's message. Maybe it's the unabashed hope so many millions of us are feeling. In any case, this video inspires me, tears me up, and moves me to action. VOTE OBAMA!

Top 5 Reasons Obama Supporters Shouldn't Rest Easy

Hi, guys. The Obama campaign folks sent me the following list and I thought I'd take their advice and repost it. If you're not pro-Obama, rest easy--I'm not going to pressure you to change your mind (even though I really think you should!). If you are pro-Obama, reading the following list is very important!! Repost this list if you desire.

TOP 5 REASONS OBAMA SUPPORTERS SHOULDN'T REST EASY

1. The polls may be wrong. This is an unprecedented election. No one knows how racism may affect what voters tell pollsters—or what they do in the voting booth. And the polls are narrowing anyway. In the last few days, John McCain has gained ground in most national polls, as his campaign has gone even more negative.

2. Dirty tricks. Republicans are already illegally purging voters from the rolls in some states. They're whipping up hysteria over ACORN to justify more challenges to new voters. Misleading flyers about the voting process have started appearing in black neighborhoods. And of course, many counties still use unsecure voting machines.

3. October surprise. In politics, 15 days is a long time. The next McCain smear could dominate the news for a week. There could be a crisis with Iran, or Bin Laden could release another tape, or worse.

4. Those who forget history... In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote after trailing by seven points in the final days of the race. In 1980, Reagan was eight points down in the polls in late October and came back to win. Races can shift—fast!

5. Landslide. Even with Barack Obama in the White House, passing universal health care and a new clean-energy policy is going to be hard. Insurance, drug and oil companies will fight us every step of the way. We need the kind of landslide that will give Barack a huge mandate.

If you agree that we shouldn't rest easy, please sign up to volunteer at your local Obama office by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/obama/office.html?source=blog&id=14534-5183653-nFgmwbx&t=1

that time R.E.M. played a private show for me and I didn't show up

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! My dear Brandi posted a couple of Blogotheque videos on her awesome blog, and in my monthly review of her writing, I stumbled across this one of R.E.M. playing in Athens.

Playing behind my house.
Literally behind my house. Maybe fifty feet from my porch. WHY DID I NOT KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING? True the shows aren't publicized. True Michael Stipe doesn't know we're friends (even though we are, of course). Oh I'm sad. But also excited. I mean, R.E.M. played a show next to my house.

See it here. Now if Sweet and Sarah Beth could cry with me for a minute, I'd feel better.

Athens Banner Herald's readers' choice awards 2008

The awards are now posted on the newspaper's website. For the most part, the winners are predictable and boring. No big surprises there.

I was really sad to see this:

Bookstore
1st place - Barnes & Noble
2nd place - Borders

People! This is terrible! In the town we all love so much and believe is cool, independent, and creative, our favorite bookstores are national chains? (Not that there's much of a choice--that is, until I am able to open my store.)

The end.

VOTING!

With the HUGE issues looming out there (money, health--you know), some very important concerns are getting lost in the shuffle. Click on the following link to see how the presidential candidates plan on supporting the arts and art education--if they're supportive at all.

http://www.artsactionfund.org/artsvote/default.asp

Deadline to register to vote is OCTOBER 6! That's tomorrow! Hurry it up, kids!