New look, for the car..

We exchanged our California plate for Oregon ones recently and opted for the "Share the Road" version. DPEP, does not stand for anything, it is just the random letters we were given. It does remind us of DR Pepper, or some sometimes we say our car has pep, de pep.(which should be noted that our TDI only has 90 horsepower so we are being sarcastic.) Any other ideas? I'm headed back to the DMV next week for my exchange because the third time is a charm, right?

If you haven't noticed...

We have an opinion, a very strong political one...And I think our dog does too.

Fall

Three deer stood staring in the window at Lulu, who was of course staring right back!









A spider web on a frosty morning.

Colin Powell Rocks

I'll get off the political wagon soon and go back to posting pictures and writing non-controversial things, but for now...After knocking on doors again last night and finding more people that still have not decided how they are voting; I bring you quotes on Socialism from Colin Powell three days ago when endorsing Obama. Embrace it, do not fear it.
"And now I guess the message this week is we're gonna call him a socialist. Mr. Obama is now a Socialist, because he dares to suggest that maybe we oughtta look at the tax structure that we have. ....
"Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to the ones who pay it. In roads, in airports, in hospitals, in schools, and taxes are necessary for the common good....
"...There is nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is, who should be paying more, who should be paying less. For us to say that makes you a socialist, I think is an unfortunate characterization that isn't accurate, and I don't want my taxes raised, I don't want anyones taxes raised.

"The U.S. already has a progressive federal income tax structure. Those with higher incomes already pay more. The nation has Medicare--nationalized, subsidized health insurance for seniors as well as some others. Congress just approved a bail-out that partly nationalized banks--a deal Republicans and Democrats supported." Lynn Sweets, Washington Post

I've never understood why if one party does something it is okay and if the other party supports the same thing it is wrong and is given a name with a negative connotation. Everyone is guilty, please stop! And for those of you that have your ballots already - VOTE! That way this is all over sooner.

Amusing

One from Home and one from Work:
Last night -
As I lay falling asleep last night, something woke Bob and he jumped in his sleep. When I asked what he dreamed about the response was, "A book attacked me." I of course started laughing and he said, "A bug, a bug attacked me." I then told him that I hear a book, not a bug and that if books are attacking him in his dreams, we need to talk.
This morning-
When microwaving my tea I had to move an empty box of ibuprofen. I then took it to the office manager to make sure she knew it needed to be restocked. Work is not home, you don't just leave empty boxes! When I mentioned my opinion to the OM, she said, "Thank you."

The Obama Office

Today, Bob and I rode our bikes down to Obama's Salem Office. I was really surprised and encouraged by the number and diversity of volunteers. We were told about the different tasks we could volunteer for, how to register voters, how to ignore the polls and for the first time in history, Marion county has more registered Democrats then Republicans! I must add that this was not Bob's idea, it was mine. This time we were not going to sit back and watch the show. This time we were not going to say, on election day, "What could we have done?"
So over this next week, we have a packet with various names of people whose doors we will be knocking on. And we took a big step. We aren't staying in our neighborhood where we know how people are voting, we are headed to Turner. (For those of you not related to us and didn't grow up with us, this is where our parents live and where we went to high school. It is a rural town that used to be mainly farmers 10 miles from Salem.)
It is time for Change!! (10% is not enough)

Fear Mongering

I am so tired of these scare tactics! Obama is not a terrorist, he is not a uni-bomber, he is not a communist. If we want to talk about who has connections let's not forget McCain is tied to Liddy (Watergate) Keating 5 (Savings and Loan crisis in the 80s) Palin is connected to Troopergate (current investigation in Alaska) and participated in an Alaska Separatist Group.
Definition of liberal:favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs
Does that really sound bad to anyone? I think to be liberal, is a good thing. We need change in health care, change in taxes, change in environmental policies and to GET OUT OF IRAQ. I don't want someone who will run right in to war or has a 1 in 3 chances of dying in the first term, or thinks owning 7 homes is normal and you have to make over $1 mil to be wealthy/upper class. (what about over $250,000 which is less than 1% of the population in the U.S.)
So where will you find me on Saturday between 2 and 4pm? At the Obama Headquarters, possibly calling you or knocking on your door.
And what would be so bad about federal health care? If everyone was covered, all prescriptions, surgeries, births, cancer treatments etc., what is wrong? Talk to someone who has a pre-existing condition or can't afford coverage or someone who has had coverage in Sweden, Germany, Japan, Canada, England (oh yeah, just about every other developed country besides the U.S.)
Also, it is NUCLEAR, not Nucular.

Rant and Rave at the DMV

My fellow blog readers, you know how I lived and drove a car in Oregon for over 10 years before I moved to California for less than two. Two weeks ago I went to the DMV to get Oregon plates and a new license. I could only complete 1/2 of the task because I only had a passport and a CA driver license, but I was told to bring in my W-2 and it would be a breeze. I didn't need to fill out a form or retake a test because my Oregon License doesn't expire until 2010. So today I went back only to find out that starting today there is a new law, here is the form, the fee has doubled, and I have to take the test. Not only that, but I also have to take it before 4:30pm, and who knows how early I have to get there to do that! I asked why I was not informed of this 'new law' and was told that they didn't know about it when I was in last. I then asked how a law could be changed with less than 2 weeks notice and was told that they weren't notified of it and didn't know when it was changed. Do they know anything?? One lady said I had to retake the driving test even! Ridiculous!! I filled out a comment card, but I'm trying to find out who to call. Maybe if I wait a week they'll figure things out.