What a great night and how great that Barack once again called for a new level of service from the country in his acceptance speech. Sarita and I talked afterward – we could barely sleep last night – and we’re both looking forward to that opportunity. It’s inspiring to have elected a president who promises to ask sacrifice of all of us. Lately our country has been a little lopsided there – asking our military and military families to sacrifice while the rest of us are told to go shopping with a $1500 tax rebate. That’s truly shameful, but it’s going to change soon.

I’ve heard only a few ignorant comments at work today (regarding tax policy or speculating about riots had the election gone the other way), and I’m hopeful that after some of the pain wears off from such a long election cycle we’re able to unite in the spirit of service we so desparately have lacked. After all, that united sacrifice is how this country was born; what greater way to be a citizen and patriot is there?

Poor syntax gets on my nerves. So does SPAM.

That’s why I was doubly upset when I got an email from Leslie Ghiz’s campaign today. Since I’d already spent the mental energy determining if I’d actually signed up for her email list (I didn’t) I decided to check out her site. I know, I know — that just just validates spammers but I couldn’t resist figuring out to which party she belongs.

I first searched for her party affiliation: Republican. That usually doesn’t play a large role in local politics, as it does in national politics, so I kept reading. That’s when I found her accomplishments page.

The fact that every one of them starts with “GHIZ stood up” could not be more cliche and not to mention annoying. I’ll give her the “GHIZ stood up as…” comments, but when it starts “GHIZ stood up and…” I want to scream “does she do everything on her feet?” I understand the intention; her publicist wants to show how many stands she makes. When the sentence starts “GHIZ stood up and…” though it indicates she merely stood up and then she did something!

GHIZ, take a seat in front of an 8th grade English book and get to reading! Please keep up the good work for Cincinnati, too.

The movie SiCKO by Michael Moore is incredible. The evidence presented that our health care system is broken is just so overwhelming. I choked back tears watching the stories of the 9/11 rescue workers who could not receive medical care in the US as good as that given to prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. When Moore took these men and women to Cuba to receive free health care that rivaled any checkup they’ve ever received in the US I was outraged. No words can sum my reaction up better than those of Blue Cross’s Vice President of Corporate Communications, Barclay Fitzpatrick “You would have to be dead to be unaffected by Moore’s movie…”

Jack McCoy is in my opinion one of the best characters on television. I’m so glad to see that in real life, Sam Waterson has an opinion I agree with: give moderates a place to rally and we can do away with divisive politics!

For just one election, Unity ‘08 aims to create a bi-partisan ticket. There are three simple goals:

1. Goal One is the election of a Unity Ticket for President and Vice-President of the United States in 2008 — headed by a woman and/or man from each major party or by an independent who presents a Unity Team from both parties.
2. Goal Two is for the people themselves to pick that Unity Ticket in the first half of 2008 — via a virtual and secure online convention in which all American voters will be qualified to vote.
3. Goal Three is for the delegates to that convention to select the issues which are crucial to America’s future and the questions on those crucial issues which the candidates should address fully and candidly.

Watch the video, it’s thoroughly enlightening.  Better yet, visit Unity08.com.

4 years ago today, it was 23 years since my mom went into labor and 22 years, 364 days, 23 hours, and 41 minutes since I was born. In the past 4 years, I’ve run 2 half marathons, met and married the girl of my dreams, purchased and sold a house, and remembered the 15th anniversary of my dad’s passing.

» Read more: 4 years ago today

I attended an interesting dinner lecture today through the Cornell Club of Southwest Ohio: Cornell Alumni Federation Speaker Series presents Dr. Barry Strauss. Dr. Strauss spoke on the topic “Is America an Empire”.

A few points I found interesting (enough to type into my phone to blog later):

» Read more: Is America an Empire?

Worked late tonight. On my way home now and listened to a podcast which reminded me it has been 4+ years since our absolutely criminal administration lied to enter our country into war with Iraq.

How dare they!

Seriously, think about it: Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Rice flat out lied to put üs in this war.

How can that not anger?