While I should be grading papers, I just cannot seem to put all the earthquake headlines out of my mind. So I decided to toss this up to hopefully get some more information out about the earthquake and where everything stands at the moment in Chengdu.

First off, I'm not in China, but I've taken a few trips there and my partner lived there on and off for five years. She taught in Chengdu and we spent a lovely couple days at Qingcheng Shan (Mount Qingcheng). She is supposed to be going back to that area in a month, so you can probably guess that I'm a little frantic finding out how things are on the ground there. I've been relatively depressed since I can still see my partner's students yelling out answers in English when we team-taught some courses in Chengdu. I only knew the kids for an entire day, I cannot imagine how she feels.

Anyway, time for me to do some grading, but here are some informational links:

Today is the day for folks in IN and NC. We're standing on the edge of an incredibly important election and the primaries show that from the amount of people invested in the two candidates. While I hope that you vote for Obama, I just hope if you live in either of these states you vote. Remember it's your voice that should carry weight in Washington, not some lobbyist.

Regardless of who you are voting for, I hope if you live in NC or IN you do vote.

I've been relating this story to my friends and some folks getting out the vote for Obama in Asheville, NC and decided to relate it to ya'll. While it was funny in some ways, it certainly has a moral at the end.

On this past Monday I was leaving my apartment to get to the class I teach when a lady wearing a Hillary for President shirt stopped me. It was strange to me since I've not even heard of any Hillary folks going door to door. I still think she was not working for the campaign, just a concerned supporter.

Thus the conversation ensues:

Last night Chuck Todd (iirc) mentioned an ad that was going to start being played in North Carolina. Well the GOP has uploaded it to youtube and well, it's more Rev. Wright.

While the NC GOP might claim it is an ad opposing the Dem. Governor candidates, it's just a smear against Obama. Why else would a state GOP group put out an ad against both Dems in a primary. Basically it seems that the NC GOP is nothing now but a 527 group for Hillary Clinton.

Basically I'm mad as hell that something like this is happening in my state.  

My recourse at this point is emailing the NC GOP and letting them know of my displeasure.

My recourse at this point is working harder for the Obama campaign.

My recourse at this point is donating more to the Obama campaign.

My recourse at this point is making sure that no republican candidates get elected in NC ( no crossing the aisle in local campaigns, nothing ) , because if this is what the NC GOP stands for, they are not the NC Republican party, they are the NC Racist party.

Just heard this on Good Morning America (yeah watching it since Hillary seems to be hanging herself on her words in her attempt to be tough).

Anyway, Bill Clinton was talking about the Jesse Jackson comment he made during the SC race. He goes so far to say, "I think that they played the race card on me. We now know, from memos from the campaign that they planned to do it along." I guess Obama's campaign just put those words right in his mouth.

The interesting part is that Bill didn't know he was still on the phone and said, "I don’t think I should take any shit from anybody on that, do you?"

Interesting stuff, and the interviews on Good Morning America at least had equal time for Obama and he dismissed Hillary's comments as 'saber rattling".

Just in case you don't want to watch, I'm noting the questions for you ;)

First Question: About the Washington Post article about his temper. (eh BS wandering around it)

Second Question: Economy question about DNC ad that points out McCain's flip-flopping on the economy. (McCain focuses on potential tax increases)

Follow-up that some of McCain's economy plan is a disguised tax increase. (McCain stumbles a bit)

Third Question: Can McCain still balance the budget? (he waffles a bit on this)

Fourth Question: Healthcare differences

Recently the drum beat for a potential war with Iran is getting kindled by Bush and McCain (and Pat Buchanan does not help the situation). I've been wondering about this because no one in the MSM seems to want to ask this question:

"How exactly is the Army supposed to proceed in a potential McCain presidency given that the Army's numbers are stressed to a breaking point?"

There is only really one answer and Army Vice Chief of Staff General Richard Cody gave that question an answer at the beginning of April 2008:

As a native resident of North Carolina and still living in Western North Carolina, I feel physically ill each time I see Clinton's ad. While the ad makes me cringe with how stilted her delivery is, but my primary concern is her lack of knowing anything about the culture of North Carolina. I've always thought it was important for a candidate to attempt to melt into the culture of where they are campaigning (hence Obama in a cowboy hat in Texas etc...). Now while this does occasionally backfire, Clinton's staff definitely did not do their homework for this ad.

Needless to say I was surprised that Hillary Clinton was doing an interview with the local Asheville ABC affiliate this evening. It was surprisingly civil compared to some of the things we've heard lately. Particularly this quote about the recent nastiness on the campaign trail:

"You know this has been a remarkable civil and positive campaign compared to many campaigns that I'm certainly aware of ... but once we have a nominee we're going to join forces, we'll be united and we'll go into the fall determined to win."

I think this is the first time I've heard Clinton mention uniting once there is a nominee.

Here's the linkto the interview.

I've been wondering what would happen if there is a re-vote in Florida.

One of the things that I've not seen anyone talk about is that the field has narrowed. There were eight contenders in the Florida primary. While there were people like Gravel pulling 0.3% of the vote, there was also Edwards pulling 14.4%. I think that if Florida went to a re-vote it would be similar to what just happened in the caucus in Iowa (Obama gaining 7-9 delegates according to different sources), Obama would potentially come close to tying Clinton in Florida if there was a re-vote. Here is the link to where I'm pulling these numbers: nytimes

A few folks have mentioned that Barack Obama does not have a magic wand to wave and rid the country of its ills. But I disagree, Barack Obama does have a magic wand. Hillary Clinton has a magic wand. John McCain has a magic wand. George Bush has a magic wand. I have a magic wand and yes, you have a magic wand.

This magic wand is the power we have over our own life. Using it, we can rid ourselves of racism, sexism, lack of education, xenophobia, "and other constipations that our fool flesh is heir to" (hat tip Lawrence Ferlinghetti).

More below the fold.