My Travel Plans

I had been thinking of going away for Christmas this year, but I hadn't how exactly to go about planning my trip. I’m still not quite sure yet if I want to do a weekend thing or go on a vacation for a few days. A friend of mine had a useful suggestion, Consolidated Resorts, a website that helps vacation planners like me to find a decent, though inexpensive, accommodations. If you are interested, then all you have to do to contact Consolidated Resorts is to fill out a brief form, and a customer service representative will contact you answer any questions or concerns that you may have.


What I like about the site is that the travel packages are reasonably priced. For example, the company is offering vacation packages under $599, which is a pretty good deal considering that I have to balance my budget for Christmas presents, food, utilities, and the like. At first, I had felt kind of guilty about planning a vacation considering how tough the economy has been for me so far this year, but I had figured that I had a little bit of money left over, so I am going to take the opportunity and go away for a bit. Not only are the Consolidated Resorts travel packages relatively cheaper than from other places, the packages also include a rental car, which is great because it lessens the headaches of finding lodging and a means of transportation.


Anyway, I wish that everyone has a happy and healthy holiday season. I also hope that everyone who plans on travelling does it safely. Seasons Greetings!

In Memoriam: A Dedication to Tim Russert

Whew, this presidential election has been a whirlwind of twists and turns. From Hillary losing to Obama, to McCain picking Sarah Palin as his running mate, and all of the other events in between. One event, though, especially sticks out in my mind, and that is the death of Tim Russert. A lot had already happened with the presidential election when Russert's sudden passing in June at the age of 58. Sometimes I wonder what he would have thought of all of this. While it appears that Russert supported Obama, it is a shame he did not live to see this historic election come to pass. I'd like to think, though, that Russert is smiling down at all of this chaos and relishing every minute of it.

Undecided Voters: Why can't they make up their damned minds already?

Ugh, if there is anything that annoys me, it's folks who can't make up their minds. Check out this hilarious Late Show with David Letterman piece featuring comedian Andy Kindler. In it, Kindler asks a group of undecided voters questions about why they are, basically, unsure of which candidate to vote for.





As Letterman says in the beginning in this piece, the Undecided (as I like to call them) had TWO YEARS to decide. What's the friggin holdup?! But in thinking about it a little more deeply, it's kind of not fair to be so pushy towards the Undecided because it's not like they knew for sure who was going to be running. I mean, if you told me two years ago that Barack and McCain would be the two candidates, I wouldn't believe you, so I guess I can kind of see where the Undecided are coming from. But they had better get over their indecision and wishy-washiness and pick a side. At least that is better than not voting at all, Dontcha think? ;)

It's the Last Stretch!: Election Night Reflections

Hello World,
I feel like the kid who has decided to study for the big exam at the last minute because I've decided to do the rest of my blogging on this election ON Election Night. Oh well, better late than never, I guess. It's the final stretch, the last Hoo-Rah! Are we looking for Change with Barack Obama, or a Maverick in John McCain? It's face off time! The Main Event is here!!! What are your predictions?

Does It Matter How Much Obama Smoked?

Hey World,
I have just read an article from Politico by Jeff Stier. In it, Stier says that he thinks just because Obama has stopped smoking, it does not mean that the Democratic presidential candidate has a clean bill of health. It is interesting how Stier stresses to his readers that he is not making "...an appeal to puritanical values — nor an endorsement of a candidate." Basically, Stier is using Obama as an example of the harmful effects of smoking, even if it has been years since a person has smoked.

I, for one, personally liked the article because I think that smoking is a disgusting habit, and I also liked how Stier used it to critique, rather than criticize Obama. Some may still ask Stier why it matters when Obama stopped smoking and what Obama's smoking habit has to do with anything, but this is a presidential race where everyone seems to be concerned about the physical health of the candidates. Lately, there seems to be some controversy as to whether or not John McCain is too old to run for office. I see the Obama thing in a similar way. Sure, he's not as old as McCain, and sure, Obama says that he does his best not to overeat and to stay active, but as a former smoker, Obama is still at risk of being prone to smoking-related diseases.

To be fair to Obama, he is trying to be healthy, and that is great, but it doesn't mean that he is out of the woods disease-wise. Let this be a lesson to smokers everywhere. I don't want to sound preachy, but it is your own lives to lead. Just be mindful of the consequences whenever you pick up that cigarette. That's all.

Clinton Gets Campaign Dollars from Herself to Herself!

Hey World,

While I was looking at the article regarding the North Carolina and Indiana primaries, I observed another article from MSNBC that says that, according to Hillary Clinton's campaign, Clinton has given her campaign over 6 million dollars within the last month. The article says that she has already given her campaign 5 million dollars. Is it tacky or weird that she is giving money to her own campaign? Shouldn't Hillary's people feel kind of ashamed that Hillary is loaning her campaign so much money. To me, it suggests that she isn't earning enough money through fundraisers and the like. Basically, it looks like not enough people are supporting Hillary financially, so she has to get dough from her own pocket. What do you guys think about this? The article points out that Hills is over 10 million dollars in debt. Thoughts?

Is the Primary Race Divided By Race?

Hey World,
Obama won the North Carolina primaries, and Hillary Clinton has Indiana. MSNBC says that the race is already divided by racial lines. According to NBC News, an estimated one-third of all ballots were cast by black voters in North Carolina, and Obama claimed support from roughly 90 percent of of these black voters. As for Hillary, the report says, her victory among white voters was just as wide. Do you guys think that the primaries have become divided by race? Is it inevitable that the race is divided by race, so to speak? Or are there other issues involved?