We are off...

for a mini-sanguibin vacation.

Happy Turkey Day for everybody out there... and please, give thanks. Even in the darkest times, there are always tons of reasons to say "gracias".

La noticia del día --UPDATE

UPDATE:

Sean Penn needs a crash course on hidden microphones.
Será socotroco, o sólo se hace?

* * *

Raúl Castro wants to meet with Obama in a neutral place. (Here is in English)

And Sean Penn is the messenger, who is, by the way, a Chávez admirer. (You know the saying... dime con quién andas y te diré quien eres).



It's a news about a no-news, because it has been said before that this could be logic next step to follow...but I need a decoder here... pronto. Dehumanization? Really? (I wonder if Penn is talking about the dehumanization that independent journalists and librarians, human rights activist and the wifes of political prisoners suffer in Cuba...)

Anyway, with this mesage, are we talking about something like Carlos Alberto's Montaner approach, or are we just germinating the seeds for the next bailout?

"I will always be the son of exiles"

When I first read of, saw and heard Marcos Rubio, Florida speaker of the House, during the speech he gave at CANF --the same day president elect Barack Obama addressed that crowd-- I felt moved by his words and more proud than ever of being Cuban American.

While grabbing the Kleenex, I knew a great future have to lies ahead of this young man and within his words, I found the reasons that made me leave my entire life and family behind, in order to pursue my happiness and to secure a better future for my children.

Rubio is near to end his term in the Florida house and today, Babalú posted a video of the speech he gave during his first day at the job.



It is awesomely great to hear him explain that, even when he will always be the son of exiles, we were never raised to be victims, despite the stories of suffering, broken families and shattered dreams that lies beneath the past of most Cuban families.

He mentions countless examples of success in business and politics; successes achieved by the sons and daugthers of two generations of unfulfilled dreams.

I hope in a few years, when my dear son can watch these videos, he would be able to better understand the roots of his heritage, the reasons to feel proud of being a US-born cubanito.

His mami and papi will always carry with them some of those unfulfilled dreams (although the opportunities this great country has given us have reduced that list to a minimum), but that sacrifice is worth a zillions dollars, just to given him the chance to success, in freedom, and pursuing his happiness, in the place that will not put a cap on the roof on top of his head.

New yorkers, please, take note

If you are a die-hard Big Apple resident, and you are one of those who haven't forget what happened in the heart of your beloved city on September 11th, 2001; then you better grab a pad and a pen, and jot down these notes about the Che statue at Central Park.

Would you rather... have a bin Laden statue at any given location of New York?

Don't think so... to learn why you should redefine who you honor, read here.

Big H/T to Babalú and Humberto Fontova, for his endless quest to bring light to the masses still living in the dark.

We are celebrating at work!

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and President George Bush announced today who are the recipients of the 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest Presidential honor given to businesses, companies and organizations for their organizational innovation and performance excellence and... we're one of them!

Poudre Valley Health System (PVHS) is the only health care organization in the country to receive that honor this year!

Yay!
I´ve got to tell you, despite being employed at PVHS for a year or so; it feels amazingly great to work for so a good organization. So far, best place that I've worked since I came to this country, seven years ago.

Here is the message from President Bush, and here is more info about the awards.

More news here and here.

Media malpractice

The voters that will be guiding our future and this country's fate in the next four years. Have a it; y que Dios nos coja confesados.



H/T to RedState

Whaaat?!

Central Park, in the heart of New York City, will have a new tenant.

Yes, I know, it is un(f)believable.

I just hope that the cigar, the beret or any other hanging part could have the same luck John Lennon's glasses have had in the Parque de la Fraternidad in Havana.

Go ahead and follow Ziva's advise posted at Babalú: here is the contact info from the Parks and Recreation director, and here is Mayor Michael Bloomberg's email.

Erghhhhh... I would like to go there, only to throw up at those blood-stained feet.

Big time H/T to Babalu & Pat Dollard.

No, la juventud no está perdida, at least in Colorado

The need to revamp the conservative movement to face what is coming toward us might find in Colorado a fertile ground for that much needed harvest.

We could start with young voters. (And we keep getting the best of the better over here, in colorful Colorado; Boulder organic crowd, would you please, move the side?)

Most of the young voters here didn't bought the (undefined) change message after all.

Despite the freebies some were offered... it was AARP the one in the tank for Obama, and some of its members are not blind. Just check the comment left by Linda, of IL. Totally agree with her: " The ethics of journalism died in 2008."

Heavy. Sight.
-Haven't been able to get that ink out of my system.

An ounce of prevention... for your 2nd Amendment rights

At least in the county where I live, people are up for prevention, not by the ounces, but by the tons: after election day, gun sales shoot up significantly. (Just take a peek at the thread of comments)

It's in the scarce records of president-elect: as a U.S. senator, Obama voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to lawsuits; and as an Illinois state legislator, he supported a ban on semiautomatic weapons and tighter restrictions on all firearms.

Not a good idea of the president elect to mess with the Second Amendment, but at least it has a bright side: it's propping up local businesses!

The missing chapter in my economy's class

It's no secret that I'm for freedom in all aspects of human life, including business, economics, market, trade, career choices, toilet paper choices, etc, etc, etc.

Being no expert in economic issues, IMHO, with all its pros and cons, capitalism it's proven to be the best choice.

The simple differences that I've observed in my life for the past seven years and my previous life in a failed society built over a useless chimera and a bunch of corrupted crap, is my hard core evidence.

That's why I was recently reminded of the concepts I was taught in my economy's classes back there, in el terruño. (According to that curriculum, capitalism is evil; it's like the Devil that is watching over our shoulder from 90 miles north... despite the fact that, indeed, we were always being watched, but but those noble saviours that came to bring us our salvation in 1959.)

Today I know better because I have the freedom to choose, to compare and to draw my own conclusions --although I am deeply concerned that I might be very well in the path of losing it...

And, for good or for bad, now I've freely learned that, even within freedom, you have to be always aware of those trying to mess up its core values, devoted to stand for middle (and very prone to corruption) terms such as crony capitalism.

After reading Newt Gringrich's colum at Human Events I have come to terms with the fact that the basis of our freedom as society are being placed in peril because of politicians engaging in "predatory practices".

They are jeopardizing the basis of all the freedoms we have had in this country by trying to mess up the normal dynamic between the free market and the rule of law.

Do not get me wrong on this; (federal) government intervention is always needed and justified in specific situations such as national security, a natural disaster, a public health crisis, wars, etc. But going from there to break the very fine line of that balance is like, jugar con fuego.

Now more than even I'm convinced that freedom comes with a cost, and that every citizen in this country should be vigilant of preserving it, not matter what.

What puzzles me is that I'm not seeing any response from the masses... I wonder if they are being taught in college the same economy class that I received, with a book missing its most important chapter.

Blogger, we have a problem - UPDATE

Problem solved.
Heavy sight.

(Still working out this thing to find out how to publish only a part of the post with a "click here to read more" link.)

Readers, be aware that we're having technical problems with blogger templates and we don't how soon we could be back in our usual shape and look. The good news is that we're working on it.

Would the most important unelected bureaucrat with total control of my taxpayer monies without fiscal oversight, please, bail me out too?

This is a hot potato that I've been following since day one and that has been grilling my brain -and sense of humor- for quite a long time.

Watching the video of Henry Paulson being grilled by lawmakers while testifying before the House Financial Services Committee on the $700 billion financial bailout plan stirred zillions of ideas in this Cubanita’s mind…

First and foremost, how come Paulson was not grilled before giving the congressional green light to this massive expenditure of taxpayer’s money?

This guy either does not have the slightest idea of what he is doing –or not doing, or planning not to do with out taxpayer’s money OR he has manipulated everybody since day one on this whole bailout stuff.

What about the legislators that put in the hands of this unelected bureaucrat this huge amount of money for his to control and dispose they what he deems fit; with absolutely no oversight?

In this morning’s live video at msnbc.com, lawmakers asked Paulson –and I do ask myself the same question, how would the 24 million devoted to the FDIC for the foreclosure prevention program has helped to stabilize the financial system?

24 millions out of 700 billion? Kind of small amount, IMHO, if the housing, mortgage lending and foreclosure stuff was the main concern anyway…

Then it was said the money was going to be used to buy toxic assets –amid the other extras we already know about and ended up being used to buy stocks and re-capitalize the banks. Misguided Congress? Naahh.

The bait was bitten, and now legislators are asking Paulson what’s the criteria to select those troubled assets, so they can know in advance how many companies we are bailing out.

Did someone out over there in Washington ever thought about asking those questions before passing the law and drawing a line?

Senator James Inhofe is so right on it… an unelected bureaucrat controlling taxpayer’s money without oversight (“US taxpayers paging Paulson’s supervisor, paging Paulson’s supervisor”) that does not say in which companies that money will be used, who does not have a line drawn as to define when this will stop, that asked for the money to do one thing and ended up using it for another total different thing, that gave 10 millions of that crap sandwich his old company (Goldman Sachs), who “burdened” the CEO’s of those supposedly failing financial companies the minimum required limits as to bonus and monies for their greedy pockets, that did not defined what institutions will be eligible for the bailout (even though both things are required by TARF) , that is trying to bail out banks that did not ask and do not want to be in that crap, that needs to be reminded in a House hearing committee that Congress is the one that enacts laws, not the bureaucrats… I’m getting out of breath here…

Now, to be fair (and this does not have anything to do with the fairness doctrine) the guy have said he does not know what will come next and he’d rather stop the crap at 350 billions.

Meanwhile, I have credit card debt, two auto loans and a mortgage of a property that have lost value in the past year.

I need to be bailed out, pronto.

“Cubanita paging Paulson, Cubanita paging Paulson.”

I could be second in line after the big three auto manufacturers… but that is a topic for another post.

Why I have never been so afraid for this country (now mine) and for my children as I am now?

This essay will explain you why.

It was written by a commenter, a college professor, in the blog PatDollard.com. And pinpoints why we all should be worry about our kid's future. (Dollard is a writer that left his luxury life in Hollywood to cover the war in Iraq).

As I've said on election night, we are bound to be in deep trouble. Really big trouble.
Does anybody out there needs more evidence?

Please, take into George's advise and send it to everyone you know; and keep praying and hope this country will not follow that path so blindly.

Here is the entire --long but so revealing-- text:

Friends,

Will you please take the time to read this, and if you think it worthwhile, pass it along to your email list, and ask them to read it? Even if they voted, with all good intentions, for Mr. Obama?

I am a student of history. Professionally. I have written 15 books in six languages, and have studied it all my life. I think there is something monumentally large afoot, and I do not believe it is just a banking crisis, or a mortgage crisis, or a credit crisis. Yes these exist, but they are merely single facets on a very large gemstone that is only now coming into a sharper focus.

Something of historic proportions is happening. I can sense it because I know how it feels, smells, what it looks like, and how people react to it. Yes, a perfect storm may be brewing, but there is something happening within our country that has been evolving for about ten - fifteen years. The pace has dramatically quickened in the past two.

We demand and then codify into law the requirement that our banks make massive loans to people we know they can never pay back? Why?

We learn just days ago that the Federal Reserve, which has little or no real oversight by anyone, has “loaned” two trillion dollars (that is $2,000,000,000,000) over the past few months, but will not tell us to whom or why or disclose the terms. That is our money. Yours and mine. And that is three times the 700B we all argued about so strenuously just this past September. Who has this money? Why do they have it? Why are the terms unavailable to us? Who asked for it? Who authorized it? I thought this was a government of “we the people,” who loaned our powers to our elected leaders. Apparently not.

We have spent two or more decades intentionally de-industrializing our economy. Why?

We have intentionally dumbed down our schools, ignored our history, and no longer teach our founding documents, why we are exceptional, and why we are worth preserving. Students by and large cannot write, think critically, read, or articulate. Parents are not revolting, teachers are not picketing, school boards continue to back mediocrity. Why?

We have now established the precedent of protesting every close election (now violently in California over a proposition that is so controversial that it wants marriage to remain between one man and one woman. Did you ever think such a thing possible just a decade ago?). We have corrupted our sacred political process by allowing unelected judges to write laws that radically change our way of life, and then mainstream Marxist groups like ACORN and others to turn our voting system into a banana republic. To what purpose?

Now our mortgage industry is collapsing, housing prices are in free fall, major industries are failing, our banking system is on the verge of collapse, social security is nearly bankrupt, as is medicare and our entire government, our education system is worse than a joke (I teach college and know precisely what I am talking about)–the list is staggering in its length, breadth, and depth. It is potentially 1929 x ten. And we are at war with an enemy we cannot name for fear of offending people of the same religion, who cannot wait to slit the throats of your children if they have the opportunity to do so.

And now we have elected a man no one knows anything about, who has never run so much as a Dairy Queen, let alone a town as big as Wasilla, Alaska. All of his associations and alliances are with real radicals in their chosen fields of employment, and everything we learn about him, drip by drip, is unsettling if not downright scary (Surely you have heard him speak about his idea to create and fund a mandatory civilian defense force stronger than our military for use inside our borders? No? Oh of course. The media would never play that for you over and over and then demand he answer it. Sarah Palin’s pregnant daughter and $150,000 wardrobe is more important.)

Mr. Obama’s winning platform can be boiled down to one word: change.

Why?

I have never been so afraid for my country and for my children as I am now.

This man campaigned on bringing people together, something he has never, ever done in his professional life. In my assessment, Obama will divide us along philosophical lines, push us apart, and then try to realign the pieces into a new and different power structure. Change is indeed coming. And when it comes, you will never see the same nation again.

And that is only the beginning.

And I thought I would never be able to experience what the ordinary, moral German felt in the mid-1930s. In those times, the savior was a former smooth-talking rabble-rouser from the streets, about whom the average German knew next to nothing. What they did know was that he was associated with groups that shouted, shoved, and pushed around people with whom they disagreed; he edged his way onto the political stage through great oratory and promises. Economic times were tough, people were losing jobs, and he was a great speaker.

And he smiled and waved a lot. And people, even newspapers, were afraid to speak out for fear that his “brown shirts” would bully them into submission. And then, he was duly elected to office, a full-throttled economic crisis at hand [the Great Depression]. Slowly but surely he seized the controls of government power, department by department, person by person, bureaucracy by bureaucracy. The kids joined a Youth Movement in his name, where they were taught what to think.

How did he get the people on his side? He did it promising jobs to the jobless, money to the moneyless, and goodies for the military-industrial complex. He did it by indoctrinating the children, advocating gun control, health care for all, better wages, better jobs, and promising to re-instill pride once again in the country, across Europe, and across the world.

He did it with a compliant media–did you know that? And he did this all in the name of justice and . . . change. And the people surely got what they voted for.

(Look it up if you think I am exaggerating.)

Read your history books. Many people objected in 1933 and were shouted down, called names, laughed at, and made fun of. When Winston Churchill pointed out the obvious in the late 1930s while seated in the House of Lords in England (he was not yet Prime Minister), he was booed into his seat and called a crazy troublemaker. He was right, though.

Don’t forget that Germany was the most educated, cultured country in Europe. It was full of music, art, museums, hospitals, laboratories, and universities. And in less than six years–a shorter time span than just two terms of the U. S. presidency–it was rounding up its own citizens, killing others, abrogating its laws, turning children against parents, and neighbors against neighbors. All with the best of intentions, of course. The road to Hell is paved with them.

As a practical thinker, one not overly prone to emotional decisions, I have a choice: I can either believe what the objective pieces of evidence tell me (even if they make me cringe with disgust); I can believe what history is shouting to me from across the chasm of seven decades; or I can hope I am wrong by closing my eyes, having another latte, and ignoring what is transpiring around me.

Some people scoff at me, others laugh, or think I am foolish, naive, or both. Perhaps I am. But I have never been afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what I believe–and why I believe it.

I pray I am wrong. I do not think I am.

Best regards
tps

H/T Babalu Blog

Weld County Elections: insistence in glitches and government intervention

It's not secret that Weld County, in Northern Colorado, has always tended to be a Republican and conservative stronghold in the state.

Despite the fact this election turned out to be a referendum about Bush administration (and that from 104584 counted votes, 53.46% went to the McCain-Palin ticket) as a resident I've witness this is a conservative area.

That being said, since early morning hours on election day, started the reports and complaints about supposed glitches with the election process, lead by Weld County Clerk and Recorder Steve Moreno.

First, it was the complain about not having enough interpreters. (Yes, news people out there, they are interpreters because they were rendering a message written in English, orally, into Spanish. The translator is the one that will have to do the written translations of the ballot after the next Census)

Then there were questions about having the ballot in Spanish in phone calls from national newspapers!.

Then were the complaints about law enforcement officers at the polling place supposedly, asking for ID and, the governor getting involved! (Face the State has the email in .pdf)

Since when a current administration gets involved in election procedures that are being overseen by people specially designated to do so?..

The language issue, IMHO, is a non-issue.

I remember almost four years ago, when I met Moreno while working at the paper, he also explained me process to add ballots in different languages.

And he also said that since federal government relies in the Census data to make those decisions, until the next Census his office wouldn't be able to know if they are required to print ballots in languages other than English.

And I say languages other than English because even though the biggest minority in the country are Hispanics, that does not means that there aren't communities with high numbers of other minorities whose first language is not English, but it is not Spanish either).

I don't think that by following the rules, Moreno --being himself Latino-- and his office was disenfranchising voters.

And, again, there is something fundamentally wrong with being a naturalized citizen and not having some level of fluency in English, at least to identify the differences between the candidate's names.

So, what do we have here?

A Democrat and liberal governor (who, by the way, supports those business people flirting with the unmentionable regime in the Caribbean), surrounded by a majority of Democrat and liberal legislators and state officials, worried about voter's intimidation in Weld County?

"I don't know how I could have suppressed the vote with that kind of turnout," Moreno said to Face The State. And I totally agree.

The fact of the matter is that the county had near a 90% of voters turnout, which an extremely outstanding number; a huge work for everybody working in the election process.

On the other hand, law enforcement officers present in a polling place on election day play the same role that officers located in a Rockie's game or even in the DNC in Denver. It's public safety, for Christ's sake!

Despite the fact that I don't see anything wrong with asking for some type of ID at the polling places (how do they know you are who you're saying you are?).

And the fact that no voter has file any complain about election's procedures at the Weld County Clerk and Recorder's office.

And the fact that I haven't heard of any Philadelphia official emailing the New Black Panthers Party regarding the guards they posted at the 1221 Fairmont Ave. polling place on election day.

Can someone, please, explain me, what on earth was Gov. Ritter's office doing intervening in the election process?

Nebraska Safe Heaven Law: a neighboring example of Government lack of experience?

This morning, I basically woke up listening the news about the controversy of the recently enacted Safe Heaven Law in Nebraska. Almost 30 kids have been left in authorized agencies since mid-July; the take is that there is not a single newborn among them.

(Safe Heaven Laws, that are also instituted in Colorado, allows a mother to leave a newborn --up to 3 days old-- in a hospital, fire station or police department without facing any type of criminal prosecution or investigation for that matter).

Nebraska's government (or recently elected legislators for that matter) forgot or decided not to make themselves clear in one tiny detail: establishing an age cap for the children to be left in those agencies.

"On July 18, 2008, Nebraska became the last state to institute a "safe haven law," decriminalizing the act of abandoning an infant at a state hospital. Only fice lines ling, the law had one glaring ommision --the government never defined an age limit. Since July, 30 children, most of them teens or preteens, have been abandoned at Nebraska hospitals. Four children were even driven from other states and left by their parents. Oddly enough, the law has had no effect on those it attempted to protect: no infants have been abandoned yet."

Nebraska's hospitals have been receiving teens and pre-teens kids even from Georgia, Michigan and Iowa. I wonder what on earth has hapenned with the old-style chancleta...

(Yes, there are Cubans friends living in Nebraska and no, they haven't forgot about the chancleta and no, they are not corn-fed, they eat Cuban food)

Beyond the all sort of traumas these kids and teenagers are enduring, which I do not want to undermine, nor taking a look at God knows what extreme circumstances most parents endure in order to make a decision like that... there is another side to the story.

The side that has to do with taxpayers money and the fact that the Nebraska legislature have called to a special session this Friday Nov. 14th to try to fix the law.

Now, you wanna bet how much money will cost to taxpayers to get all legislators together into a special session?

NYT reported by the end of October that the cost of a special session has been estimated at more than $80,000, and the state’s “citizen-legislators” will have to take time off from their private jobs.

A question rules: Was there at least one legislator experienced enough in the law-writing business to at least realize that an age cap is a must for this type of legislation? Duh?!

To go above and beyond, get yourself an inexperience government at the federal level... and you'd get the picture.

Palin, back home in Alaska, defends

Sarah Palin and Greta in Palin's house, in Alaska. Photo source: FNC

Saw the interview last night in Fox News. Superb --despite all the smears the PDS have prompted out there.

Natural and down to earth. I still wonder why all the fuss when Palin was, nationwide, the governor with the highest approval ratings at the moment of the VP nomination.

Envidia? Nayyy... me, being a Mom, I'm not quite sure I could react in such a civic manner after witnessing so much dirty thrown at my children.

I'd say go for it on 2012; just make sure to choose people with a higher concept of class for the campaign.

Thank someone today

Go ahead and do it.
It doesn’t cost a dime and it’s worth a fortune.

Today is Veteran’s Day and it always feels good when you pay your respect for the men and women that have given everything, including the most precious gift of life, in the battlegrounds.

Stand up for the cause of helping a veteran in need, like Matt Richardson, an Army Airbone Range injured in Afghanistan. For him, High Plains Scuba Center, in Fort Collins, is hosting a Benefit Underwater Hold' em Poker Tournament.

(I heard in the radio this morning that Richardson needs funding to get a special bed that will help him to manage the grueling pain his injuries cause).

Val, at Babalú, has a great collection of posts and articles honoring our veterans.

While in the mood, you should go and check the Veteran's History Project of the Library of Congress, a project that relies on volunteers to collect and preserve stories of wartime service.

To all veterans with us today, and to all those that have lost their lives:
Thank you.

Series: things that we might kiss good bye

After a few days of blogging and news blackout --totally voluntarily, I should add-- I've decided to compile all the scary things that have been scaring me since the presidential campaign started and all the scary stuff that we have yet to come.

That plus other things related to the political environment and the government of the US are to be included in this bulk. Think about as a some sort of creepy diary inside a bigger diary, with the hope that, in a few years, my kiddo and all those that have known me can still read my posts and realized my worries during the first time in my life where I voted in a free and democratic elections.

* * *

Today's news: 401 (k)'s en el pico de la piragua, which means they are dangerously close to be put down

Apparently, my 401 (k) retirement plan, as I've known it and cherished it, it is in grave danger.

No more pre-tax money for it, the economist testifying at the hearings teaches in a left-liberal school that praises, in its own website: “The Department of Economics offers a broad and critical approach to the study of economics, covering a wide range of schools of thought, including Keynesian and post-Keynesian economics; the classical political economy of Smith, Ricardo, and Marx;"

No more pre-tax money for your retirement, confiscation and nationalization of those funds into a centered, government-administered, package.

From this expert witness that testified earlier this month at the House Education & Labor Committee:

"Ghilarducci outlined her plan last year in a paper for the left-liberal Economic Policy Institute, in which she acknowledges that her plan would amount to a tax increase on workers making more than $75,000--considerably less than the $250,000 Barack Obama has said would be his tax-hike cutoff. In addition, workers would be able to pass on only half of their account balances to their heirs; presumably the government would seize the remaining half. (Under current law, 401(k) balances are fully heritable, although they are subject to the income tax.)"

Currently, 401(k) plans allow Americans to invest pretax money and their employers match up to a defined percentage, which not only increases workers' retirement savings but also reduces their annual income tax. The balances are fully inheritable, subject to income tax, meaning workers pass on their wealth to their heirs, unlike Social Security. Even when they leave an employer and go to one that doesn't offer a 401(k) or pension, workers can transfer their balances to a qualified IRA.

So, was I paranoid about Obama's plan to cut taxes during the campaign?

Yeah, sure.

To answer the Wall Street Journal question; no, I don't think my modest-newly created 401 (k) is save from the Democrats in Congress, to the contrary, it is in the brink of extinction. (And be prepared to see this phrase over an over again in the next four years).

I do agree with the writer when he says that: It is by no means a certainty that Congress or a President Obama would embrace such a proposal, but this is a direction in which things may move if the Democrats make big gains next month. But boy, it is certainly very worrying!

But, hey! Do not say you were not warned! This other story in the issue broke to the light on Election Day. The golden nugget?

“The majority of witness testimony during recent hearings before the House Committee on Education and Labor showed that congressional Democrats intend to address income and wealth inequality through redistribution”.

Really? Now, those are really breaking news!

H/T to Babalú

Back to business as usual or, Reflexiones?!

Today the sun rose from east, as usual. (Thanks, Alberto, for the lead). It might a bitter day for some and it was certainly an outstanding one for others.

I, personally, feel a little bit down because I am extremely concerned that all the sacrifices I made to bring my children to a brigther future of freedom and choices might become vain, in a short period of time.

I, definitively, do not want for myself or my family a future marked by changes associated with the redistribution of wealth, the fairness doctrine, armed civilian corps, mandated-voluntary work and the dark prospect of having this country's Constitution changed because it has flaws, MORE spending of taxpayers monies, pastors preaching the hate they loudly say the condemn; and the list could go on...

That being said, and no matter what side of the political spectrum you are, this country demonstrated the founding basis of this nation exist to allow us to succeed and to exercise our free will, whether we like or not.

This is, indeed, a blessed nation; and I really hope that the new elect-president and his administration won't try to change that.

I can predict that there will be many many things to come that I certainly will not agree with, and will exercise my First Amendment right as long as the Constitution exits they way it is now; but we, the voters, chose, and we ought to assume it and live with its consequences. From where I come from, my generation and two more have never had that chance.

It's time to think of this four years as a journey we have to take, one day at a time. Many will be supported in their faith, others --like me-- will embrace the values the founding fathers of this nation put together to garantee our freedom.

I will not change my mind and I will still believe that the extreme liberal left that preaches hate against wealth-producing individuals is a very dangerous position to stand on.

Now starts the real thing: time will prove us if the new administration (and a democrat-dominated government where the lines of separation of powers are getting kind of blurred) can delivered the changes they have been promising, and if those changes will be worthy to maintain this country as a nation that does not put a cap in our dreams.

The time to start asking questions have just started.
Let's see what type of answers we receive, and if we receive any answer at all.

Meanwhile, nobody in this country should look to the other side when things like weaving the hammer and the sickle happens, or this, this or this one (hey, impossible to link all the evidence out there) take place in front of our eyes.

We have a duty to protect our right to life, freedom and the pursue of happiness. If we don't do it, who's gonna come to do it for us? Remember, our newly elected president is a man, a mortal, not a god. The minute we forget that, we'll be in deep trouble.

Now, if you want to go above and beyond with the preventive measures, you might want to start collecting some inner tubes for the home-made raft --just in case. ;)

Now, let's get to the usual stuff, shall we?

Quick look at other issues

I hate to be the bearer of bad news --do we need more?-- but the Democrats are getting close to some sort of autocracy dominance in all powers of this Republic in peril.

It's a fact that Democrats expanded their control of the Senate and outnumbered Republicans by five seats. And apparently, the Udall's clan in kind of liking the life in Washington. Would it be similar to daily life in liberal Boulder?

And, as expected, they also gained more seats in the House.

The Colorado ballot's amendments race is not defined as of 1:20 am MT, but here is an overview.

The measure to consider a fertilized egg as a human being --one of the hottest issues in the ballot-- was defeated. And the proposal to end affirmative action was evenly split. The one to modify TABOR failed (heavy sight of relief) and the right to work and union dues was also failing. Great news that the other proposals that involved, one way or another, raising taxes, are failing.

Let's see what the final count brings us in the morning.

So, who say you can not have it all?

Wait until Mr. President "The One" nominates judges to the Supreme Court and everyone will have a better idea of what "having it all" really means.

Learning from past mistakes

Why McCain lost this election is the question bugging a lot of minds out there. American Thinker has an excellent analysis --long, but very detailed.

We can only hope to dispell the popular saying "El hombre es el único animal que tropieza dos veces con la misma piedra¨ and that we can, indeed, learn from our past mistakes.

I´m re-framing the state of mind I had in the breaking news post

"We lost an election, but we're still right, and they are still wrong".

Yeap! So true... I'm getting rid of my after-the-news stomach problems.

Always helps to vent out. It really feels good --specially when I know I'll have to deal with a lot of salivating obamatics tomorrow, in the office.

WE ARE SCREWED '08

I want to vomit. No, it's not morning (evening) sickess.
It's just the awful news that messes up my stomach.

I agree it's a historical moment (there are all kinds of history in this life) and it was the voters decision anyway. Sorry that I am not able to join the obamatics crowd to congratulate; I'm not that good in the diplomacy department.

People, recojan los matules que esto se acabó como la fiesta del Guatao. I am afraid that we'll need to get the hell out of here, pronto.

Another communist-wanna-be government? Had enough of it already.

There are some things that I still don't get: the guy is not even a true democrat. How come the Democratic party accepted to get this guy shoved down their throats when he is a better fit for a socialist or communist party?

WE ARE SO SCREWED!

Meanwhile, there are great chances that this blog --as long as it is permitted by the cibernetic response brigades to come in the name of The One-- will permanently dedicate a section to unmask this whole crap.

Michelle Malkin notes that the Senated GOP massacre was not as bad as expected and that ballot initiatives are a bellwether. I admire her; she's still optimistic!

My mother is outraged. And I don't blame her. She wants to move to Canarian Islands.
"It seems that I'm living the same thing we lived with (f)idel in Cuba. Everybody hypnotized following him like robots; nobody questioning anything. Blindness by choice. And looked all we have gone through", all her very own words.

The walking-tube in chief should be celebrating with his favorite red wine the coronation of The One.

I want to be like Peggy, so I can stop worrying about filling my gas tank and paying my mortgage. Good thing that I have my Social Services applications ready, so I can get into welfare the minute our taxes raised --with no resentments at all.

Welcome to the raise of socialism in the US=the dumbing down of America.

Why we lost?. Here is one of the first of zillions of theories to come...

Here is your guide to survive The One presidency.

I'm (seriously) considering starting a news & blogging fasting for a few weeks.

Election Day round up

(Scroll down for recent updates)

Noon:

• Billy clubs armed "security guards" in the main entrance of a polling place in Philadelphia. Who are they? Apparently, Black Panthers. A preview of Obama's Civilian Security Force? UPDATE: CNN caller asks why they are not broadcasting this incident; and changes his mind about voting for Obama. New Black Panther Party said they would send his people to protect the "black vote".
• Spanish-speaking voters in Weld County, CO say they're planning to protest at noon because there were not enough translators at the polling places. Last time I checked, you needed to have some level of fluency in English in order to become a citizen. Sole exceptions are elderly that, with a medical certification, are allowed to take the citizenship test in their native language. I wonder how many elderly in that situation we have in Weld County...
• MSNBC is reporting voting obstacles in Virginia and Pennsilvania.
• Glitches: Faulty electronic voting machines in New Jersey and wet ballots in Virginia.
• Fox Live: Intimidation tactics, missing ballots and faulty machinery are plaguing some voters across the country as they go to polling stations to elect either John McCain or Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States.
• Video: Sarah Palin votes in Wasilla.
• Terrorist votes.
• Twin Cities: convicted felons are registering to vote; from prison. Guess who's behind their voter registration drive?
• Track the election today with HotAir & AOL.
• Castro gives Obama another endorsement, fresh from the oven.

1:50 pm:

• Man in Philadelphia told CNN reporter that he voted a couple of times. Reporter does not ask for clarification and camera whisked away. Yet another fraud? Not newsworthy at all.
• New Hampshire: Republican observers illegally kept away from observing the registration tables. Law suit is coming.
• Police confronts NBPP "guards" in Philadelphia polling site.
• Tampa: voters' surveys found littering interstate highway.

3:50 pm:

• Georgia: investigation about people voting twice.
• Puerto Rico (Spanish): PNP is calling its victory. Were you wondering the percentage of votes that got the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño? 1.8% Cuba y Puerto Rico son de un pájaro, las dos alas... yeah, right. That story that Puerto Rico overwhelmingly wants to be "free" from the US works only in Cuba, under the regimen's censorship.
• Modesto, CA: At least two ballots in Spanish were found pre-marked, guess what, for Barack Obama?! Here is some simple logic from one of Michelle Malkin's post's comments:

Someone help me here. How can one be a citizen and not speak English? Seriously. I thought naturalized citizens had to learn English for the test. And those who were born here of immigrant parents have 18 years to learn English before they’re eligible to vote, even if another language is spoken in the home. How can someone be eligible to vote and not know enough English to recognize “John McCain” and “Barack Obama”?

• Early exit polls: WARNING! Take them with a truckload of grains of salt. More about them here.

4:40 pm (Mountains Time): Live BabalúBlogging The Election is on! Hot Air and The Real Cuba are on the tracks too.

--Cubanita momentarily out.

8:30 pm:

The future is dark. Since I still don't understand completely the whole thing with the electoral votes and the predictions news channels are doing even with a low percentage of precincts reporting; I need extra time to catch up...

Jeez, I still don't understand why American voters are so blindly willing to put this country in peril. Does a previous history of bad administrations justify America's willingness to reject the core principles of this society?

I wonder to where could I get, from Colorado, in a home-made raft. ;(

If the trends get confirmed, I'm so out of here... this BS is not what I have dreamed for my son.

Not in a million years.

H/T to HotAir, Ace of Spades, Michelle Malkin and Babalu Blog

Good morning, bright sun

It's sunny and chilly in Northern Colorado today. I woke up early to get ready for work, wearing the patriotic colors we were asked yesterday... can you guess what color am I wearing?

(I'll give you a hint: it matches perfectly with my nail polish and yes, with my lipstick.)

The kiddo delighted me with his usual morning request, eyes still sleepy and half-closed: "Mamá, chafé ton leche, pli?"

And, although I won't be facing lines at the polling places today --I dropped my mail-in ballot last week, personally-- I feel optimistic.

Nothing to do with the way I was feeling yesterday, I must confess.

The greatest morning kick off?

Seeing a lot of McCain/Palin supporters at the stop lights around my neighborhood. Tons of signs for them, some for "Nobama" and several for the Senate and the congressional race.

(We have incumbent Marilyn Musgrave for the 4th Congressional District and Bob Schaffer for the Senate; two Republicans that we might want to keep in office, at least to try to balance out the stuff of you know who.)

The best part of the view? They were all middle and high school kids, the ones holding the signs, weaving as drivers passed by US-34 and cheering along with honks, including mine.

You could only see a couple of hockey-Moms adults in the back, just supervising from near distance, but leaving the spotlight to the younger ones. Too bad I forgot my camera today ;(

Today is our day.

Drop the MSM and the polls; today is up to us to decide the future of this nation and the fate of the values our founding fathers put together to guarantee our freedom. It's up to us if we trash out the Republic and the future or our children.

(Check these amazing videos from the John Birch Society and go back in history to see the roots of what the United States is: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4).

But, in case things goes for the worse, here are some suggestions to survive an Obama presidency, brought to you by Cubanology Biweekly. ;) And don't forget to pray.

Redistributing wealth, by preventing its generation

Mr. Obama had a rally last Saturday in Pueblo, in Southern Colorado and his campaign forced several local businesses to close that day –and literally prevented them to operate on Friday due to stage preparations–.

Narcissism anyone? Nay! It's just your imagination.

Allowed me to introduce you Sheila, “the Shop Owner and I lost my wages today thanks to you Obama”. And Julie Aragon "You shouldn’t just meet Joe the plumber, meet Julie the salon owner, who is mad that you closed me and ten of my girls down for two days,” the owner of Studio 127 hair salon, two examples of business owners affected by The One rally, and its secret service’s requirements.

Now, dare to exercise your First Ammendment rights:

And get this from the Obama's campaing during the event:

(Face The State has more on it)

Colorado –and America, prepárense para lo que viene (brace yourself) should you vote for this individual tomorrow. Silencing dissenters is just the beginning... great CHANGE to star with, isn't it?

H/T to Michelle Malkin and Face The State

Earth to working couples in the US

Hold your noses and your breaths...

The tentative tax-cut Obama has in mind keeps going down: now is for people making 120K/year or more, according to Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico.

What would the bracket for the next speech? Jeez, it´s good that elections are three days, otherwise, if they keep going down, not even the homeless would be able to received their crap sandwich... I mean, their fair portion of the redistributed wealth.

Tax cut? Yeah, sure. And I'm a cosmonaut.

I've told you before, I've got my welfare applications ready to go...
Ain't not working for el inglés, no more!

I voted

Yesterday, I went to drop off my ballot at my local clerk & recorder office. I was not a big deal, apparently. No lines, no big excitement.

I felt a sense of relieve, though. Some sort of interior peace after you have full filled your duty. I understand it might not be such a great deal for a lot of people out there, but it is for me.

I was the first time in my life that I voted in a presidential election, trully exercising my free will.
Literally.

There were no pioneros with yellowish skin and languid faces standing at the sides of the booth -- doing that for the sole sake of the refreshment they would received after standing in there for a few hours.

No members of the CDR needed to pound in my front door, harassing me to go to vote.
No need to invalidate my ballot writing "Abajo" nobody.
No this time.

To the simple human eye, it was just a routine stop on my way to work, to drop a sealed white envelope in the hands of a very nice old man.

But, deep in my heart, I had strings in my body pulling from everywhere, in perfect harmony: it was Lee Greenwood's voice all over the place, although I was the only one listening.

Kriptonyte for others, yes.
But that was the music within my ears.

And no matter the course this election takes, I will have the peace of mind that I did the right thing, that I stood for the values of the Constitution and for everything this nation stands for; it was the original idea when I had to leave my homeland anyway.

(I just hope that I will not need to flee to somewhere else in the near future).