Veteran's Day 2008

Today is Veterans Day, and I would like to use this opportunity to thank all of those who serve and have served in the military.

There is one veteran who is indeed close to my heart, and that is my grandfather. My grandfather has been my hero since I was a very young girl. For as long as I remember, he has been a pillar of quiet strength and support in my life, and as a kid growing up with health problems, I admired that greatly.

He served in Korea with the Army, with Battery B of the 99th Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. It is not often that he talks about the war, but when he does, I have always been amazed at the conditions that they served in, and how unprepared they were for the extreme cold. He received 2 Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. He was one of the lucky ones who came home, and for that, I am forever grateful, because my life would be so empty without him.

On this day of honoring our veterans, I hope you will take the time to think about these brave men and women who have fought and are fighting for us today. Let us learn from their actions and their courage. If you know a veteran or a currently serving member, please take the time to tell them "Thank You."

Please feel free to add to the comments a veteran or current military member's story that you think that others should know about. For within them all, there lies courage.

~Dedicated to my Grandfather, and all who have served, and in memory of those missing and those that never made it home.~

~Meredith
purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

ELECTION DAY 2008!!!!

Well, the day has finally arrived. After nearly two years of campaigning, political ads, numerous news articles and blogs, America will now choose it's new president. For those of you in other countries, (and in America), I've added a poll to the blog. Tell me who you'd vote for if you could vote in this election!

I really apologize for the lack of updates. As you may have realized by now, I have some health problems that get in my way once and a while. As of now, they haven't been able to figure out what is going on. I'm going to try to push for a twice monthly update, but I hope you will understand if I am unable to put them up.

Nuclear... Peace?

Well, what can I say. Between vacation, working, summer, and writer's block, I haven't written for a month and a half.

So, some of you may or may not know that the Atomic bomb was voted the second-worst invention of all time. But without it, would we be where we are today? Enter the phrase... Nuclear Peace. Now, I know what you're most likely thinking. "OK, she's crazy if she thinks that nuclear weapons can assist with peacekeeping."

I'll be the first to say that I have a very unique standpoint on the issue of nuclear power and nuclear weapons. I believe that every country has the right to pursue nuclear energy as well as nuclear weapons. Other than Fat Man and Little Boy, nuclear weapons have not been used against any nation, and I don't expect any country to be expected to disarm when the United States is holding onto theirs.

I'm not going to lie and say that nuclear weapons don't have serious consequences and lethal killing power, as well as the power to maim generations due to radiation exposure. But at the same time, after WWII, nuclear weapons have become a "You bomb us, we bomb you." situation. They are certainly still something that we should be aware of, but I think that the threat of a global "nuclear apocalypse" is almost little to none at this point. This may not be the case always... but for now, there does seem to be "Nuclear Peace."

~Mer Questions or Comments? E-mail: purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

Practical Planet: Global Cooling, Global Warming...

So as most of you know, unless you've been living under a rock, the biggest trend right now is "going green." This piece was originally written by me for entry into the Virgin's "Climate Challenge" contest. In the end, I decided not to enter it, but I didn't want this to go to waste. Whether you think the earth is cooling, warming, or, like me, think that we don't really know, I think we can all agree that we need to cut our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels, as well as helping the earth.

Practical Planet- 10 Ways to help the Earth

1. Tax breaks/rebates to inspire people to switch to energy saving technologies. Examples include new hybrid/electric car ownership, and bonuses to Companies that make at least three out of the changes listed next. (switching to at least 75% alt. power, putting good recycling programs in place to recycle everything from paper to Styrofoam cups, water recycling, green lighting, all appliances Energy Star compliant, implementing 5 min. standbys for all computers, and motion sensitive lighting)
2. New Home Guidelines- All appliances must be energy star compliant, fees on non-renewable resources used to build.
3. We MUST try to switch to 50% alternate power, using more Nuclear, Ethanol, Biofuels, Solar, Wind, Water, Wave, and geothermal. Nuclear materials can actually be recycled, reducing the amount of nuclear waste by the plants. The technology is there. Ethanol and Biofuels can both be used to fuel cars. MN State University, Mankato, has one of the earliest and best programs in the country. They are currently working on a converter that allows a regular car to be able to run on gasoline or ethanol, and it takes about 15 min. to install. Solar power can be used in many Southwestern and South Central states, while wind works for the Great Plains. Water and wave power can be used near large bodies of water, and wave power can power coastal communities. Geothermal power can be used where there is volcanic activity. There is an alternative power that fits every part of this country, and even the world.
4. A large part of my plan involves Carbon Dioxide to Oxygen “Air Farms.” Located all over the world, these farms would filter Carbon Dioxide and run it through special chambers filled with growing plants and trees. The plants use photosynthesis to turn the Carbon Dioxide to Oxygen, which is then piped back into the atmosphere. They would strive to be Zero-Emission by using recycled water, compost, and powered by whatever renewable energy source best fits that area. Plants grown can also include edibles, which can be sold as organics to help finance the operations. If we have enough of them all over the world, we can easily remove much of the built up Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere.
5. We also need to explore methane gas as a fuel source. NASA is working on methane- powered rocket engines. We have the technology to filter the methane out of the air, and we could use that as another alternative fuel source.
6. We must impose MPG minimum requirements on cars- at least 30 MPG. We also must strive to switch to more hybrid cars, as well as making non-idling cars, which are a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions. The average American spends 38 hours a year commuting, and also polluting. Also, we must push more public transportation. Buses, Subways, and Metro Trains should be free to workers registered for a “Ride, Don’t Drive” program. The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, offers free bus rides to workers at the clinic.
7. We must step up our recycling efforts, especial with Styrofoam, plastics, and other hard to recycle items. Just because it’s hard to recycle doesn’t mean that we shouldn't recycle them. Citizens of this Earth must make an effort to recycle more, and buy more recyclable products.
8. We should always step up and start compost programs. The heat energy generated by the compost can be captured and used for energy, and the compost can be sold to run the programs.
9. We must phase out harmful chemical cleaners and replace them with environmentally friendly chemicals. Tea Tree Oil sprays can be used to get rid of mildew, while a mixture of baking soda and vinegar can clean your bathroom, as well as kill mold. These natural cleaners also have the added benefit of you’re not breathing in the harmful chemicals, nor are they being introduced to the sewer system.
10. We must have more fuel efficient airplanes, trains, boats, and trucks. Biofuels are a possibility for fueling trains and trucks, both of which ship most everything cross-country. Airplanes, while surprisingly fuel efficient, should step it up one more level. A Boeing 747, filled with 500 passengers, gets about 100 MPG per person. Let’s see if we can make it 200MPG per person. Manufacturers of airplanes, trains, boats, and trucks must step up and make an effort to employ existing technology to build environmentally friendly.


I'm going to aim for two updates a week from now on... life has been a bit topsy-turvy for me lately, but I'm going to do my best.

~Mer

Memorial Day- Honor our Veterans

When people ask me who my hero is, I have many for different reasons. But if I had to pick one, it would be my Grandfather. My grandfather fought in the Korean War, receiving 2 Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star. To this day, he is one of my favorite people in the world. Despite all he's been through, he remains one of the most positive people I have ever met.

So take some time to remember the Veterans of all of our wars. The dead, the missing, the remembered, the forgotten. And remember the soldiers that are fighting and dying for you right now. All of them are heroes.

-Mer

Dirty Jobs 4th Season, All New Time!

Most of you know that I'm quite addicted to Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel. The fourth season kicks off on Monday, April 14th at 9pm ET/PT, and 8pm CT. So check it out, and get ready for even more dirtiness with Mike Rowe.

Also, my apologies for lack of updates. I'm currently dealing with a case of pneumonia. Hopefully I'll have something up mid-week of next week.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from Purple Pineapple Town!

Updates

Quick update...

Up early next week will be a look at Barack Obama's groundbreaking speech.

Also, Purple Pineapple Town now has a Myspace. I'm hoping it can be used to connect more with my amazing readers.

Check it out at www.myspace.com/purplepineappletown

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Mer

5 Years in Iraq- Thanks To All The Soldiers

To all those who've been, or are in Iraq and Afghanistan, thank you.

For those who have lost someone, know that someone cares.

For those who don't support the war, please stand behind the troops.

They didn't choose this war, the politicians did.

So please. Stand behind your soldiers.

They are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends...

They are people like us.

~Mer

Politicians and Sex Scandals

Sorry this is a day late- I forgot about something I had to do.

It seems that men(and women) of power seem to naturally attract scandals. If it's not that serious, or if you happen to be a very charismatic person, it's fairly easy to go on and let people forget about it. But nothing seems to get Americans more riled up than a good ol' fashioned sex scandal involving persons of power. Now if we could only get this excited about serious political issues...

You would think that these people would think about the consequences that will occur if they get discovered.

Take the infamous Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. Not only did he deny that he had "sexual relations" with her, he did so while being President. Don't get me wrong, Bill Clinton did a lot of good things in his terms as President, but the very fact that he had sex with Monica Lewinsky while in the place of highest power in this nation is what made it so wrong. He not only violated his marriage, but he violated the trust of the American people as a whole. People started asking themselves, "Do we really need a President who, quite frankly, can't keep his pants zipped?" which paved the way for George W. Bush to cinch the presidency.

And now we have Elliot Spitzer. A man who built his whole campaign for election on good family values, not to mention being notoriously hard on prostitutes and prostitution in his time as a lawyer. There is a bit of irony that he was caught by a wiretap bill that he signed. The sad thing is that I feel kind of sorry for him. His wife looked like she wanted to kick his ass during the press conference when he tried to do damage control, and I think she will in private.

It goes to show you that some people can turn out to be the opposite of that they appear and try to portray. Bill Clinton, who we thought had strong moral values, violates his marriage and the trust of Americans while in the highest power of this country. Elliot Spitzer, the so-called family man, breaking up his marriage, paying over $80,000 to prostitutes. Of course, you can't forget my favorite, Senator Larry Craig, with a strong anti-gay record, caught soliciting gay sex in an Airport bathroom.

So politicians- if you want to have an affair while in public office, either don't do it, or resign before you do it. Don't violate the trust of the people that voted for you. They'll drag you out and destroy you.

~Mer
purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

Oh the writing and the curiosity!

Posts being worked on right now, one will be up tomorrow, the other next week.

Republicans, Democrats, and Gay Marriage: Is it really just about the Social Security money?

AND

Politicians and Sex Scandals

Not sure which one will be up tomorrow.

On a side note, I'm curious as to who is reading my blog near Kabul, Iraq, as well as in Israel. I had no idea when I started this blog that it would be so widely read overseas. (BIG thanks to all readers) Really, I guess i'm simply curious to know who reads this blog. I can't believe it's so well recieved after just 6 months of writing. As always feel free to send me e-mails, story suggestions/requests, or questions, if you have them. I'll answer all of them.

~Mer
purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

Oh, the wacky world of Politics.

What a wacky news day from the political world. Here's a summary of some of the top events today.



There's a possibility that Hillary Clinton's campaign may have charged over $3,000 on a staffer's credit card without her knowing. The victim, Kathy Callahan, left the Hillary Finance Committee after she discovered the charges. If this is true, I am appalled. Not surprised, but simply appalled. Have we come so far into this mud-slinging fight that they have to try and secretly steal money? Is this how a possible future president's Committee should be run? Stealing from their own supporters? I think that there should be a law on how much money these campaigns can receive, and they have to use that money to get elected president. Top them off at 5 million for the whole deal and let's see if the presidential race doesn't become more civilized.



Barack Obama says he will not run on the ticket as a Vice President, so those who want a Hillary/Barack ticket are in for a disappointment. I know you want to be president, but do you have to be a diva and be like this? "If I can't be president, I won't be vice president." It's like a 2 year-old throwing a tantrum. If we want a better world, politicians need to figure out how to work together with people they dislike! Abraham Lincoln, widely considered one of the greatest presidents of all time, filled his cabinet with people that absolutely hated him, and look how successful his terms turned out to be!



The Senate intelligence committee is preparing to release the 4 year in the making critique of the Bush administration's claims in the buildup to war with Iraq. I can't imagine what took them so long. Hey Senate Intelligence Committee, have you been under a rock for four years? We didn't find anything close to weapons of mass destruction, and it wasn't Al-Qadea in Iraq, it's a was a war between Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds on differences in their religions. Which brings me to my second point on that subject. If Saddam Hussein was really that dangerous, why didn't you just send in some Special Forces troops to take him out? Enough people hated him that no one would have been able to trace who actually killed him! What a novel idea... now why didn't we think of that before we went and started a Civil War?



Oh, and the Iraq War will cost us $12 Billion each month in 2008. There goes your tax money. We have bridges falling down and no money to fix them, but we can somehow find $12 Billion each month to pay for a war that we're not sure will ever end? Does anyone besides me think this is absolutely ridiculous? Surely I can't be the only one that's being driven crazy by this. Let me know if you are too.

~Mer

Questions? It's purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

The Remaning Presidental Canidates and the Issues

Alright, this is a little late, I had a mountain of chores to do today that I had forgotten about.

First the Republican candidates on some issues I haven't covered yet.

John McCain

Energy- Proposes a strategy that will rely on America's technology and industry. Believes that barriers to nuclear energy are political, and not technological.
Same-Sex Marriage- Supports definition of marriage as something between a man and a woman, but opposes a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage. He says the question should be up to the states.
Taxes- Proposes a plan his supporters call the "Fair Tax," which would repeal income and other taxes and abolish the Internal Revenue.

Mike Huckabee

Energy-Says the first thing he will do as president is send Congress a comprehensive plan for energy independence and would achieve energy independence by the end of second term.
Same-Sex Marriage- Strongly opposes same sex marriage.
Taxes- Also supports the "Fair Tax," singed a pledge to never raise taxes.

The Democrats

Barack Obama

Energy- Proposes reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050 by using a market based cap-and-trade, supports next generation biofuels.
Same-Sex Marriage- Opposes same-sex marriage, but also opposes a constitutional ban. Supports civil unions.
Taxes- Opposed extending bush tax cuts through 2010. Supports eliminating marriage penalty, and extending child tax credits. Supports scaling back capital gains and dividends tax cuts and re-examining tax benefits for the top one percent of earners.

Hillary Clinton

Energy-Proposes a cap-and-trade program that auctions 100 percent of permits alongside investments. Would reduce electricity consumption by 20 percent from projected levels by 2020 by changing the way utilities do business.
Same-Sex Marriage- Opposes same-sex marriage, but supports civil unions. Says states should ultimately decide the issue, opposes a constitutional amendment.
Taxes-Opposed 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts. Opposed extending tax cuts through 2010.

So, we'll see what happens. The races are close, so I'm not going to make any predictions.

Mini-Tuesday!

Well, I'm back, and feeling better than I have in over a year. But, it's time to focus on what's really important- The primaries on March 4th, or "Mini-Tuesday", that could decide the Democratic nomination! (Take that, Super delegates!)

The 4 states up for grabs are Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The current front runners according to Real Clear Politics-

Texas Democrats:
Clinton 46.8%, Obama 46.5%

Texas Republicans:
McCain 53.2%, Huckabee 34.4%, and Paul 6%

Ohio Democrats
Clinton 49.3%, Obama 42.9%

Ohio Republicans:
McCain 55.8%, Huckabee 27.8%, Paul 6.2%

Rhode Island Democrats
Clinton 48%, Obama 38.3%

Rhode Island Republicans
A broken link, so no info.

Vermont Democrats
55% Obama, 36% Clinton

Vermont Republicans
68% McCain, 17% Huckabee, 5% Paul

It's anyone's game in the Democratic Primary. Tomorrow I'll do another issue comparison for the frontrunner's of both parties, as well as my predictions of who will win.

~Mer

Update

Hey everyone...

Sorry about the lack of promised updates. Things have gotten crazy with my health again and I need to take a short break to wait for the latest test results, which could either be good, not so good, or very bad. I'm going to be taking a break from blogging until Monday, March 3. Then, depending on what I decide, I'll either continue with the What We Should Have Learned: Wars Edition, or I'll go back to current political coverage. If you have the time, let me know which you want to see, either with a comment on this post, or send me an e-mail @ purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

Thanks for understanding!

~Mer

World War I: What We Should Have Learned

World War I (also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars) was fought between the Entente Powers (initially consisting of France, the UK, and Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and their associated empires. By the conclusion of the war, only the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, and the Scandinavian nations remained officially neutral among the European countries.

The chain of events that set off the war was a case of “one thing led to another,” due to the treaty alliance system. The match to the fuse was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who was heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Ferdinand’s death was at the hands of the Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist secret society, which set into motion a mindlessly mechanical series of events that culminated the world’s first global war.

Austria-Hungary’s reaction to the death of their heir was three weeks in coming. They opted to take the opportunity to stamp its authority upon the Serbians by issuing an ultimatum to Serbia, which, in the extent of its demand that the assassins be brought to justice effectively nullified Serbia’s sovereignty. Austria-Hungary sought the help of their ally, Germany, that she would come to her aid should the unthinkable happen and Russia declared war on Austria Hungary.

A summary of the main countries and the part they played in the sequence of events that led to World War I.

Austria-Hungary- unsatisfied with Serbia’s response to her ultimatum, declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.
Russia- bound by a treaty to Serbia, announced mobilization of its vast army in her defense, a slow process that took about six weeks to complete.
Germany- allied to Austria-Hungary by treaty, viewed the Russian mobilization as an act of war against Austria-Hungary, and after scant warning declared war on Russia on August 1.
France- bound by treaty to Russia, found itself at war against Germany, and by extension on Austria-Hungary, following a German declaration on August 3. Germany was swift in invading neutral country Belgium, so as to reach Paris by the shortest possible route.
Britain- allied to France by a more loosely worded treaty which placed a “moral obligation” upon her to defend France, declared war against Germany on August 4. However, Britain was obligated to defend neutral Belgium by the terms of a 75-year old treaty. Britain committed herself to Belgium’s defense later that day. Like France, she was by extension also at war with Austria-Hungary.
United States- Woodrow Wilson declared a U.S. policy of absolute neutrality, which would last until 1917 when Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare- which threatened America’s commercial shipping- forced the U.S. to enter the war on April 6, 1917.
Japan- Honoring a military agreement with Britain, declared war on Germany August 23, 1914. Two days later Austria-Hungary responded by declaring war on Japan.
Italy- Was allied to both Germany and Austria-Hungary, was able to avoid entering the fray by citing a clause enabling it to evade its obligations to both countries.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, this war, which should have been a disagreement between two countries, was turned into a World War by old treaties and obligations. What did it get us? They estimate that over 40 million people died because of this War.

So what’s the lesson to be learned here? When two countries have a disagreement, sometimes it’s better to leave it to them to figure it out.

~Mer

The American Civil War: What we should remember

Well, the American Civil war kicks off the weeklong series on Wars: What We Need To Know So We Don't Keep Making the Same Friggin Mistakes. I'm fairly sure that most of you know the saying, "History repeats itself." Well, unfortunately for us, most politicians seem to be absent when you should have learned that. (Actually, most seem to have missed history all together, and simply live in their little fantasy worlds where the world revolves around them. So, I decided to put together this series so that hopefully, if any one that reads this blog ever becomes a politician, they won't screw up the world so badly.

The American Civil War- while most people think the war started on the issue of freeing the slaves, it actually started as a dispute about the expansion of slavery into the newly acquired territories.

I have to admit, that this war is the hardest for me to wrap my head around. This war put a straight-line split between pro-slavery Americans, and anti-slavery Americans. This war was fought over a difference of opinion. A difference of opinion was strong enough to rip the country apart down to the family level. Brothers, fathers, and neighbors fought against each other, and even killed each other.

The sad thing is, there are fault lines almost as deep as those during the Civil War which divide this country today. Between the political party lines, the controversial wars, as well as the issues of race and gender that still divide this country; we must remember something in order to prevent the lines from going deeper. We are all Americans.

This country was founded on the belief that all men are created equal. If we focus on the things that we have in common, rather than the differences, we can overcome the final boundaries, to become the country that our founding fathers intended.

We will be truly, the land of the free.



~Mer

Contest Update and Writer's Block+ Anti-Valentines Day *UPDATED*

Well, you know how the DVD contest was supposed to end today? Well, I have two problems- the DVD hasn't arrived yet, and I didn't get any entries. Therefore, I'm turing the contest into a raffle. All you have to do is drop me an e-mail @ purplepineappletown@hotmail.com with your name (or nickname or whatever). When I recieve the DVD, I'll stick pieces of paper with the names on them into a bowl, and randomly choose one. If you win, I'll contact you for your address, and ship the DVD as soon as I recieve it. So please, enter. It'll take 1 minute of your time, and you can win a DVD.

And you know that "big thing" i'm working on? Well, I have writer's block on it. It's about Major Wars in America's history and what we should have learned from them. So hopefully the writer's block will go away soon.

GAH!!! You know those days that never seem to go right? I'm having one of those days. First the laptop conks out on me, my older sister is pissed off at me for something that happened three years ago that I didn't cause, and the world map I added that tracks hits all around the world isn't working AND I was only two continents away from having readers from every continent!!! (I needed South America and Antartica.)

Plus, my least favorite holiday is tomorrow, Valentines Day. It's the one holiday that really makes me angry. It gives those oh-so precious couples a day to make us singles feel bad, and rub our noses in it. You go from getting lots of (albit required) Valentines in elementary school to getting little to NONE as the couples develop in junior high and beyond.

Well, my little rant is done now. Hopefully starting next Monday will be the 7-part series on wars and what you should remember. It'll include: the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Veitnam War, Cold War, and the current War on Terror. If you want to see one covered drop me a line through the e-mail.

~Mer
Questions, Comments, or Angry Rants? E-mail Mer at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

Mitt Romney drops out of the Race and Space Shuttle Atlantis!

Well, Mitt Romney dropped out the Presidental race today- Here's a copy of parts of his announcement for anyone who hasn't seen or heard it.

In this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror. This is not an easy decision. I hate to lose." "If this were only about me, I'd go on. But it's never been only about me. I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, in this time of war I feel I have to now stand aside for our party and for our country."

I had really thought that Mike Huckabee would have dropped out before Romney, but sometimes you just can't predict those politicians. They're sneaky little devils.

Also, in some super exciting news, Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off without a hitch today! If you missed the launch, later today there will be video up at www.nasa.gov

Just a short update for today- I'm working on something big at the moment.

-Mer

SUPER TUESDAY!

For anyone who lives in a Super Tuesday state, and maybe hasn't made up their mind yet, (like me.) I thought I'd give a rundown on the candidates of both parties, along with their positions on popular issues. For those not in a Super Tuesday state, or is lucky enough to live outside of this political mess, I hope that you get a laugh. (Note: all information used came from http://ontheissues.org/ as well as candidate’s official web sites)
First up, the Republican Party-

John McCain-
Abortion: Wishes to reverse Roe vs. Wade, and leave the decision on abortion up to the states.
Stem Cell Research: Supports Stem Cell Research, but opposes the intentional creation of human embryos for research purposes.
National Security: America requires a larger and more capable military to protect or country's vital interests and deter challenges to our security.
Border Control: Borders will be secured, and then illegal immigrants can earn citizenship.
Gun Control: Believes that the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right that we have a sacred duty to protect.
War in Iraq: "Timetable for withdrawal a white flag of surrender" and "Staying for 100 years is ok, as long as US casualties are low.
Health Care: More federal funding for health care coverage, and insurance reforms.

Mitt Romney-
Abortion: Pro-life record, believes Roe vs. Wade should be overturned so that the issue of abortion can be returned to the American people and their elected representatives at the state and federal level.
Stem Cell Research:"It is time to move beyond typical Washington politics, and offer support for stem-cell research techniques that bring science and ethics together to promote life, protect life, and save lives."
National Security: Must strengthen the military and dedicate at least four percent of our gross domestic product to defense.
Border Control: Secure the border, implement an enforceable employer verification system, and punish sanctuary cites and reject amnesty.
Gun Control:
"It is my hope that the Supreme Court will reaffirm the individual right to keep and bear arms as enshrined in the Bill of Rights and protect law abiding gun owners everywhere. To further guard this fundamental liberty, as President, I will take care to appoint judges who will not legislate from the bench but will instead strictly interpret the Constitution."
War In Iraq: Timetable for Troop reduction ok, but not for withdrawal.
Health Care: States should lead the healthcare reform, must expand and de-regulate the private health insurance market.

Mike Huckabee-
Abortion: Pro-Life, we must overturn Roe vs. Wade, supports constitutional amendment to protect the right of life.
Stem Cell Research: Opposed to research on embryonic stem cells.
National Security: Believes we are currently engaged in a world war, top priority of a Commander in Chief is protecting his citizens.
Border Control: Securing borders must be top priority and has reached the level of national emergency. Opposes amnesty.
Gun Control: Second amendment is about freedom, not about hunting, allow conceal and carry.
War in Iraq: Setting a timetable for withdrawal is a mistake. This country has never declared war until "a week from Wednesday," we have always declared war until victory.
Health Care: Believes that the health care system is broken, due to the fact it is not a "health" system. We don't need universal health care mandated by federal edict.

Ron Paul-
Abortion: Prime sponsor of HR 300, which would negate the effect of Roe v Wade by removing the ability of federal courts to interfere with state legislation to protect life. This is a practical, direct approach to ending federal court tyranny which threatens our constitutional republic and has caused the deaths of 45 million of the unborn.
Stem Cell Research: Embryonic stem cell programs are not constitutionally authorized.
National Security: Believes we don't need troops abroad, they don't help our defense.
Border Control: 6 point plan to secure our borders includes: physically securing our borders and coastlines, enforcing visa rules, no amnesty, no welfare for illegal aliens, end birthright citizenship, and pass true immigration reform.
Gun Control: Believes that in a free society each citizen should have the right to keep and bear arms.
War in Iraq: Believes we invaded under false pretenses without a constitutionally-required declaration of war. Wants to devise and execute a plan to immediately withdraw our troops in the safest manner possible.
Health Care: Remove federal regulations and encouraging competition to lower health care costs.


And now, the Democratic candidates.

Barack Obama-
Abortion: Believes in a women's right to choose.
Stem Cell Research: Wants more stem cell research.
National Security: Believes in more protection for our chemical plants, keeping track of spent nuclear fuel, keeping drinking water safe, and protecting our public from radioactive releases.
Border Control: Wants to create secure borders, improve the immigration system, and remove incentives that entice illegal immigrants, bring people out of the shadows, and work with Mexico.
Gun Control: wants to limit gun purchases and enforce stricter possession restrictions
War in Iraq: No permanent bases in Iraq, have our troops home by the end of 2009.
Health Care: Quality, affordable coverage for all and modernization of the healthcare system.

Hillary Clinton:

Abortion: Believes in a women's right to choose.
Stem Cell Research: Wishes to expand embryonic stem cell research.
National Security: Supports more missile defense, believes National Security more important than human rights.
Border Control: Believes in strengthening our borders, working with our neighboring countries, strict but fair enforcement of our laws, and a path to earned legal status for those who are here, working hard, paying taxes, respecting the law, and willing to meet a high bar.
Gun Control: Wants to get assault weapons and guns off the street, stricter gun control laws.
War in Iraq: Wishes to withdraw our troops as soon as possible, and employ a new intensive Diplomatic Initiative in the region.
Health Care: Plans to make healthcare affordable, available, and portable.

Well there you go- the candidates’ positions on some of the top issues in this Presidential election. As for me, I still don't know who to vote for. I don't really like anyone enough to get excited about them.

Oh well- I'll decide eventually.
~Mer

Questions, Comments, or Requests? Send Mer an e-mail at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

St. Paul Winter Carnival

Before we return to the regularly scheduled political programming coverage, I thought I would show you the craziness that is the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Here's the legend of the St. Paul Winter Carnival- really it's just an excuse for people to get drunk and party-

As the "King of the Winds," Boreas assigned to each of his brothers a permanent grant of great force and power. To Titan was assigned the blustery North Wind. To Euros was granted control of the irresponsible East Wind. To Zephyrus was given custody of the bountiful West Wind. To Notos was presented the balmy but unstable South Wind. The brothers cavorted gaily over land and sea. Boreas, while on his extensive travels, came upon a winter paradise known as Minnesota. He paused to behold the enchanting beauty of a magnificent group of seven gently sloping hills in whose embrace nestled a beautiful city. Boreas whistled in sheer ecstasy, "Historic Saint Paul and her seven hills! An ideal place. I will make Saint Paul the capitol of all my domains. It will henceforth be emblazoned to the world as the winter playground of the Realm of Boreas." Meanwhile, Vulcanus Rex, the god of Fire, and the implacable enemy of Boreas, crackled in defiant disdain. "By the great sword of Mars I will temper the blusterings of Boreas with the heat and roar of my forces." He was tireless in his bitter resistance to all the festivities of Boreas. Undaunted, Boreas proclaimed a celebration in the spirit of gay Carnival. "So be it!" shouted Boreas, "There will be a Carnival in old Saint Paul!" Boreas selected a Prime Minister to coordinate preparations in all the Principalities, Provinces and Royal Houses within the realm of Saint Paul. And so, for ten glorious days, there was Carnival and joyous celebration in St. Paul -- feasting, dancing, fun and frolic reigned over by Boreas and the Queen of Snows, the fairest maiden of the realm, along with the four Winds, who were each accompanied by a lovely Princess from the realm of Boreas. Klondike Kate, a lady of song and merriment, added her sassy but enchanting voice to the festivities by singing songs of desire and sentiment. Senior King Winter, Queen of the Northlands, and their court contributed good will and wisdom, while Junior King Frost and Queen of the Snowflakes with their court, add youthful exuberance to the festival.On the 10th day of celebration, Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe stormed the magnificent ice castle and confronted the King's Guard. Upon the good counsel of the Queen, Boreas bade farewell to the people of his winter capitol in the interest of peace and goodwill, and returned to dwell among the gods of Olympus. Boreas and his court looked forward to the time when summer's warmth would once again relinquish its hold on the realm and the frosty atmosphere of winter would prevail.

We happened to be there the weekend of the Vulcan Victory Parade- here's a video mash-up. I apoligize for the quality, it was dark.

And a few still shots of the parade-

Minnesota's "Unnoficial State Bird"

One of the two State Fair Gophers- they were nice enough to stop and let me get a shot.

And the glorious flames.

~Mer

Purple Pineapple Town's FIRST contest

Hey Everyone-
My friends at Crew Creative advertising asked me to help out with their latest project by holding a DVD giveaway contest.

It's a movie called Gangsta Rap: The Glockumentary. Even though I’m not a big fan of rap, this movie looks pretty hilarious.

Description: The hardest group you've never heard of is back! Like a hip-hop version of the mockumentary classic Spinal Tap, Gangsta Rap tells the story of the rap group who ran the west coast underground in the mid to late eighties. With such classics under their belt as "Beat Yo Mama with a Hammer" and "In My House Shoes", gangsta rap fell into obscurity after several run-ins with the law, shady business management, failed comeback attempts and countless child custody cases. But now, they’re back! The DVD hits stores Tuesday, February 5th!

Here's the "In My House Shoes" music video to give you a taste.


THE CONTEST
Rules Are: Write a 25-100 word (or more, this is just a guideline) rap about an object. The object can be anything. Some examples would be one about cheese, a cell phone, a printer... I don't care. (Feel free to use any of those examples listed- I simply listed things near me. Except the cheese. I just really like cheese.) Entries will be judged on creativity and humor. There is no limit to who can enter or how many times you can enter. If you live somewhere outside the US, feel free to enter, just remember I can't guarantee that the DVD will work in some players.

The deadline for entry is Feb. 10th. Please e-mail all entries to purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

The decision will be made by me the next day, and the DVD promptly shipped to you. There is only one winner.

Good Luck!
~Mer

The Crazy Presidential Race!

Well, with John Edwards out of the Democratic Presidential Race, and Rudy Giuliani out of the Republican, I feel like I can guarantee that the craziness that has been this presidential election so far is about to get crazier.

Between the people asking if Obama is black enough, to can Hillary Clinton handle the Presidency, can Mitt Romney be elected because of his Mormon religion, am I the only one standing on a mountain yelling, "Can we PLEASE just focus on the ISSUES people?"

Honestly, we should just stick the candidates in boxes, not tell anyone what their names are, and have them debate on the issues. When the elections are over, they get to come out of the box. We actually would elect a President on the ISSUES! Such a strategy has never been tried before! It's a groundbreaking new concept! GASP!

~Mer

Questions or Comments? Contact Mer at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com

A message from our buildings and bridges...

Alright- so a week ago the 35W bridge collapse was ruled to have been caused by faulty gusset plates. For those of you who don't know what gusset plates are, here's a picture-

The gusset plates essentially hold the bridge together. The 35W bridge's was only HALF as thick as they should have been. This caused 13 people to die, and 145 people were injured.

The thing is, this isn't the first time that builders and architects have cut corners- In 1996, a bridge in Ohio collapsed, because the gusset plates weren't adequate to support the design load. Thankfully, no one was killed in that incident, but it should have been a wake up call to builders and architects, as well as transportation departments, that you can't cut SAFETY to save money.

Another case in point- the Twin Towers. Involved was not only negligent construction of the building, they also violated fire standards dating as far back as 60 years! The planes scraped away the fireproof coating on the steel beams, allowing the intense fire to soften the steel. Also, other than the core of the two towers were built like regular high-rises, with clusters of heavy steel columns and beams linked into a cage-like matrix. Beyond that, the 110 floors in each tower had NO vertical support columns.

Was the money saved by using the cheaper fireproofing substitutes, and no vertical support columns, worth the 2,974 deaths, and the 6,291 injuries, not to mention the rescue workers now dying from inhaling the airborne particles.

How many more people are going to have to die, before builders and architects put safety over money? Or will we continue to have these disasters, with the Government writing them off as "isolated incidents."

A great quote from one of my favorite movies of all time, The Towering Inferno seems to sum this up.

Chief O'Halloran (Steve McQueen) : You know we were pretty lucky tonight, body counts less then 200. You know, one of these days, you're gonna kill ten-thousand in one of these firetraps, and I'm gonna keep eating smoke and carrying out bodies until someone asks us... how to build them.

So for once, lets ask the firefighters, the police officers, and the rescue workers- everyday people who risk their lives for the rest of us.

Dedicated to the victims of the 35W bridge collapse, 9/11 victims, and all who risked their lives to save them.

~Mer

What's that sound in the air...

Well, it's January, and you know what that means!

The whining of the Presidential Candidates!

I don't know about you guys, but as much as I love the craziness that is politics, I can't STAND when the candidates start sniveling and complaining about how they're getting attacked. If I'm old enough to know that as asinine as it is, that's basically what goes on during a Presidential election. You put your good (or bad) name out there, and your opponents try to tear you to bits.

Why is this such a surprise to them, I have no idea. This has gone on since before Abraham Lincoln's time, and will likely continue until the Sun explodes. (Or until we adopt another system of government.)

Don't get me wrong, I think that the attack ads are stupid, but we live in a society where there is (supposedly) free speech. I want a candidate that's going to be able to man (or woman) up and deal with this without crying to the media (or their mommy) about the so-called injustice of it all every time someone says something bad.

Memo to the Presidential Candidates- It's not the Elementary school playground anymore. You're big boys and girls. Deal with it.

~ Mer

Questions or Comments? Send them to: purplepineappletown@hotmail.com