My thoughts at the end of the decade - in musical form!

Think of this as a compilation describing my thoughts, feelings and inspirations over the course of the last decade. It starts out rather dark (much like the decade itself) but we begin to see a glimmer of hope about halfway through. Or at least, that was the intention with this project. So I say goodbye to all that 2000 - 20009 gave us, the good and the bad - from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina to Barack Obama to Susan Boyle to Glee - it certainly will go down as one of the tumultuous decades since the 60s. I've already done one compilation entitled The Mad Blood Stirring - and the thought has crossed my mind to make this a double disc and just combining the two...but that's a project for another day....

1. The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning - The Smashing Pumpkins
2. Leaving on a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul & Mary
3. 9/11 Presidential Address to the Nation - George W. Bush
4. America - M83
5. Hunting for Witches - Bloc Party
6. Hurt - Johnny Cash
7. American Idiot - Green Day
8. Fragile - Sting
9. When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
10. Umbrella - Rihanna feat. Jay Z.
11. Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World - Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
12. The Long Road - Eddie Vedder feat. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
13. Rehab - Amy Winehouse
14. A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
15. Election Night Victory Speech - Barack Obama
16. I Dreamed a Dream - Susan Boyle
17. Paparazzi - Lady Gaga
18. Leave Me Alone - Michael Jackson
19. Halo - Beyoncé
20. The Money Song - team9
21. Don't Stop Believin' - The Cast of Glee

Pic(k) of the Day

Pic(k) of the Day

Sarah Palin is so hot....

Palin daughter has learned the truth at 17

From Dana Bash
CNN

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) -- John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, dealt with two startling disclosures Monday. She announced that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is pregnant and plans to keep the baby. And Palin has hired a lawyer as Alaska investigates the firing of her public safety commissioner.

Palin hired a lawyer three weeks ago to act on her behalf as state legislators investigate whether she may have abused her power in firing the state public safety commisioner for refusing to fire her ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper, CNN confirmed.

A report of findings of a legislative inquiry that began several weeks ago is expected to be released just days before Election Day.

Palin also revealed that her daughter Bristol is pregnant and will marry the baby's father.

John McCain was aware of Bristol Palin's pregnancy before he chose her mother for his running mate, a top adviser to the Republican presidential candidate said.

The adviser, Doug Holtz-Eakin, said Monday that Palin "was completely vetted by the campaign" before she was chosen.

"Sen. McCain knew this and felt in no way did it disqualify her from being vice president," said an aide who asked not to be named. "Families have difficulties sometimes and lucky for her she has a supportive family."

Read more here.

McCain picks running mate

By Andrew Ward in Denver

John McCain sprung a surprise on Friday by picking Sarah Palin, the 44 year-old reform-minded governor of Alaska, as his vice-presidential running mate.

Ms Palin is a rising star among Republicans because of her solid conservative record but she could also help Mr McCain reach out to women and restore his maverick reputation.

She appeared alongside Mr McCain at a rally in the swing state of Ohio at noon on Friday before launching a tour of swing states ahead of next week’s Republican convention in Minnesota.

She was chosen ahead of several better-known contenders, including Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota, and Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts.

The choice was bold and high-risk because of Ms Palin’s relative obscurity and inexperience, threatening to undermine Mr McCain’s strength on national security.

A spokesman for Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, said Mr McCain’s decision meant the issue of experience was now ”off the table”.

Barack Obama at the 2008 DNC

Obama Sued in Philadelphia Federal Court on Grounds he is Constitutionally Ineligible for the Presidency

by Jeff Schreiber

A prominent Philadelphia attorney and Hillary Clinton supporter filed suit this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic National Committee and the Federal Election Commission. The action seeks an injunction preventing the senator from continuing his candidacy and a court order enjoining the DNC from nominating him next week, all on grounds that Sen. Obama is constitutionally ineligible to run for and hold the office of President of the United States.

Philip Berg, the filing attorney, is a former gubernatorial and senatorial candidate, former chair of the Democratic Party in Montgomery (PA) County, former member of the Democratic State Committee, and former Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania. According to Berg, he filed the suit--just days before the DNC is to hold its nominating convention in Denver--for the health of the Democratic Party.

"I filed this action at this time," Berg stated, "to avoid the obvious problems that will occur when the Republican Party raises these issues after Obama is nominated.".

Berg cited a number of unanswered questions regarding the Illinois senator's background, and in today's lawsuit maintained that Sen. Obama is not a natural born U.S. citizen or that, if he ever was, he lost his citizenship when he was adopted in Indonesia. Berg also cites what he calls "dual loyalties" due to his citizenship and ties with Kenya and Indonesia.

Even if Sen. Obama can prove his U.S. citizenship, Berg stated, citing the senator's use of a birth certificate from the state of Hawaii verified as a forgery by three independent document forensic experts, the issue of "multi-citizenship with responsibilities owed to and allegiance to other countries" remains on the table.

In the lawsuit, Berg states that Sen. Obama was born in Kenya, and not in Hawaii as the senator maintains. Before giving birth, according to the lawsuit, Obama's mother traveled to Kenya with his father but was prevented from flying back to Hawaii because of the late stage of her pregnancy, "apparently a normal restriction to avoid births during a flight." As Sen. Obama's own paternal grandmother, half-brother and half-sister have also claimed, Berg maintains that Stanley Ann Dunham--Obama's mother--gave birth to little Barack in Kenya and subsequently flew to Hawaii to register the birth.

Read more here

Official: Obama picks Biden for VP

By LIZ SIDOTI and NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama selected Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware late Friday night to be his vice presidential running mate, according to a Democratic official, balancing his ticket with an older congressional veteran well-versed in foreign policy and defense issues.


Biden, 65, has twice sought the White House, and is a Catholic with blue-collar roots, a generally liberal voting record and a reputation as a long-winded orator.

Across more than 30 years in the Senate, he has served at various times not only as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee but also as head of the Judiciary Committee, with its jurisdiction over anti-crime legislation, Supreme Court nominees and Constitutional issues.

In selecting Biden, Obama passed over several other potential running mates, none more prominent than former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, his tenacious rival in dozens of primaries and caucuses.

Read more here

Speculation on Biden as Obama vp choice

WASHINGTON: With Barack Obama expected to announce his vice presidential pick by Saturday, speculation that Joe Biden — the Senate's top Democratic foreign policy expert — will be his nominee highlights fears that the presidential candidate's inexperience in world affairs compared to Republican John McCain could be costing him in the polls.

Obama, a relative newcomer on the national political scene, made history by becoming the first black candidate to lead a major U.S. political party's presidential ticket. But he has endured a hammering by McCain, a veteran Arizona senator, combat pilot and former Vietnam prisoner of war, over what Republicans contend is his lack of national security experience.

The Illinois senator has remained quiet about his vice presidential pick. But he plans to appear with his running mate Saturday, after the pick is announced via text message to supporters and two days before the start of the party's national convention.

He also is believed to be considering Govs. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana.