Why we do what we do: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/tony_robbins_asks_why_we_do_what_we_d… Barack Obama just proved the American Dream is alive and well for those who prepare, plan, are results oriented and consistently work hard toward a goal. A black man is supposedly racist America just became the most powerful person in the world. The difference between he and GWB is Barack is extremely intelligent and classy, and he didn’t have anything handed to him by rich establishment parents.

Smart women are self-made and not determined by outward events. Smart women have not gone backwards. Just one of tons of women’s conferences, programs, websites, initiative groups etc. http://www.timeinc.net/fortune/conferences/women08/women_home.html There’s plenty out there and available for women with imagination and intiative and little for those blinded by their own restricting beliefs/lack of vision and oriented towards being manipulated by diversions like ‘sexism.’ Smart women know that life is challenging for most everyone. There are oceans of males with Ivy League degrees in banking/finance/economics that can’t find jobs today. What ‘ism’ should they employ to explain their circumstance and how would that help them? The ones that will find new means of making money will be investing their time in making their own lives better rather on than wasting energy finding excuses and blaming circumstances on things outside of their control. As the saying goes the Chinese symbol for crisis is the same for opportunity. Smart people want the best and the brightest to lead the nation—and don’t want an unsophisticated, barely educated, backward hick who can’t answer the most elementary questions in a position of power endangering the country and world. If any woman today has any trouble envisioning a life for herself that is other than being “the little woman at home” then her problem isn’t one of sexism but of imagination. When I traveled all over the US for a Fortune 100 company in a field where only 2% are females, women in our offices around the country would say to me something on the order of “I wish I had your glamerous job” and I’d think….well then do all I did to get it. That applies for everyone man, woman. It has never been easier with the Internet to create business out of thin air and imagination.

DeB— Right On! As Lincoln said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and some of the people part of the time. But you can’t fool all of the people all of the time” The people you can fool all of the time with fear-mongering propaganda appears to be racists and the GOP base.

Phyllis, Totally agree. Harpo Marx was a ‘star’ too and Palin is as qualified to be VP as he was. Authentic, prepared, smart, strategic, aware and hard working women with a plan and the savvy to execute it aren’t deterred. I am tired of those who don’t focus on making themselves the most they can be and go full out for their dreams instead of always having excuses of why women can’t do or be this or the other thing. Palin neither helped or hurt women. She is a cynical blip, a farce, a Wasallia Hillybilly as a McCain staffer said who has absolutely nothing to do with me—thank god. The Republicans are meeting this weekend to discuss how to fix their ‘brand.’ How about authenticity instead of pandering? How about raising the intelligence of the discourse and the standards instead of going for the lowest common denominator? How about following the Constitution and keeping religion out of state matters? How about not starting phony wars, torturing people, disobeying International law, and using the treasury as a piggy bank for Halliburton/oil companies and Nazi organizations like Blackwater? How about using Lincoln for the model instead of the blueprint that created every Dark Age?

Right on. There was no sexism. Palin sunk Palin and invited attacks by being a vapid imbecile that even a McCain staffer called a ‘Wasalia Hillybilly.’ Africa is a country? Doesn’t know what the ‘Bush Doctrine” is nor what countries form NAFTA? Can’t name the newspapers she reads or another Supreme Court ruling besides Roe vs Wade? Stated the VP runs the Senate? The ‘Sarkozy’ call? Doesn’t believe in global warming but does believe in creationism. On and on…ad nausem.

Phyllis, Beautiful and true.

PS: JFK won the presidency on Nov 8, 1960 and Obama born 9 months later on Aug 4, 1961. Was Obama conceived on JFK’s election day?

I love all animals, cats included, but a dog is easier to take along on weekends…and more fun for lively girls, plus the right dog offers additional protection.

Since AK Senator Ted Stevens is now a convicted felon he will undoubtedly lose his seat and then Palin could appoint herself US Senator to take his spot. All news programs tonight were ripping her apart as is the Newsweek article. And GOP party honchos are convening in VA this weekend to try to recast their Bush-trashed ‘brand.’

Sarah Palin is NOT me. She is a moron. And tonight on Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow when they were adding juicy extras and interviews on the GOP eating their young there were accompanying photos of her carrying around her baby like a sack of potatoes. She is a completely unconscious incredible hick and idiot as I said at first and repeat. Nothing is going to change that she has zero brains and less class. UGH and good riddance. I hope the GOP buries her forever.

I do have a couple of lucky amulets but think our thoughts determine our luck or lack of it. Have always believed myself to be incredibly lucky and always have been.

AP—Have read that before….wonderful to reread, thanks. No one ever like AH.

Thank you, Susan….nice to be distracted with Obama’s fantastic win. We’re so lucky to be alive to participate in it.

That’s wonderful! I had heard the rumor and hoped it would happen.

I liked all the dogs, probably a Goldenoddle etc would be best but also liked that Giant Schnauzer. We had a Schnauzer growing up…they are outstanding dogs for kids. Jiggy lived over 20 years from my childhood well into my son’s. He was an incredibly smart dog….very gentle with everyone in the family, very playful and full of fun, and also super protective of the family and watchful of children which is typical of the breed. He’d do anything we did, my little sister could dress him up and wheel him around in a buggy, he’d swim with us in the pool, on his b-day we’d even have a party for him, put a b-date hat on him and seat him at the dinning room table with linen tablecloth. He was a clown and would pose, happy to be feted. He was a very heroic dog too. He was thrown from the car that went over a cliff in the mountains and went to the bottom and was destroyed. Jiggy was gone for a week, and then it started raining in that deserted area. We’d put up flyers and a rancher found him when he came out with a shotgun thinking it was a coyote fighting his dogs for their dinner and recognized him fromour passouts. My mother had said he’d absolutely come home even if it took months for him to walk all that distance. And sure enough he’d made his way far down the mountain. It’s great they will get a rescue dog, and a smart thing to make that part of the move package so the girls have their own special friend. They must be so excited….I am just waiting to see what they’ll select.