Travelers and wanderers in Africa must have knowledge and skill to survive the hostile environment. Often, when they go on a long journey, it is simply impossible to carry along enough provision for the entire journey. So, they will need to find water and food along the way.

I saw, on a National Geographic Special, how some have devised an ingenious method of acquiring both from foraging baboons.

All wild land animals in the world crave salt. So, instead of a huge pack, the travelers carry a pouch with chunks of salt. When they come across a lone baboon, they will toss him a small chunk of salt. That rascal will naturally just crunch it up and devour it.

Now, it doesn't take long before the thirst hits him hard. At that point, he goes to his nearest (secret) source of water, and he is so parched that he doesn't even care if he is being followed. After the ape has dug out his well and quenched his thirst, the traveler can then do the same. The traveler, however, is not to be satisfied with the water only.

Then, do you know how to catch that wild baboon??
1.) Cut a hole in a hollow gourd, just big enough for him to get his hand through.
2.) Anchor the gourd to something that he can't drag away.
3.) Place bait inside the gourd: a larger chunk of salt.
4.) Move back to a non-threatening distance and wait.
When the critter comes along and realizes there is something he wants in the gourd, he will reach right in and grab it. But, now, with the "prize" in hand, his fist is too big to fit back through the hole.
5.) You may now just walk right up to him and capture or kill him with no trouble BECAUSE HE IS JUST TOO GREEDY TO LET GO AND GET AWAY!!

The traveler has satisfied his desire at the expense of the very life of the one who wanted to get what he needed the easy way. The critter never saw it coming.

Jumpin' Jimenie!!
Do you mean that's how the Democratic Party works??
AYEP!! You got it!!
CAROLINA

A long time ago, like last year, John McCain spoke a great deal about the importance of running a civil campaign that focused on the issues important to the American people.   Now sources within the McCain campaign have been saying for several days that McCain would go REALLY NEGATIVE because changing the discussion off the economy is his only way of winning.   McCain's own campaign believes that  when the focus is on issues: OBAMA WINS!  

It also seems that the sources were right.  Shortly after this news was posted, Gov. Palin began quoting a New York Times article discussing Sen. Obama's association with 60's radical William Ayers.    "Palling around with terrorists" is how the Governor characterizes the issue.   The facts are clear.  

• William Ayers was a member of the WEATHERMEN UNDERGROUND in the 60's.  
• He was on the run for years because of the bombings done by the group.  
• He has never been convicted of a crime...his trial was thrown out for "prosecutorial misconduct".   
• He is currently a Professor of Education at the University of Illinois. 
• He has authored or edited over 15 books and is a nationally recognized authority on school reform. 
• He is consulted by the city of Chicago on school reform.   
• He did work with Sen. Obama on projects in Chicago.  
• He did host a fundraiser for Obama early in his career.  They both live in the same neighborhood.   
• Sen. Obama has condemned his past activities publicly on several occasions. 

The same news article that Palin quotes also definitely states that while Sen. Obama has "underplayed" their relationship there is NO "close connection" between the two.  

The reality is simple.   The whole idea of politics is to meet as many people as possible and to convince them to support you.   (It doesn't necessarily mean that you support them back!)  POLITICS MAKES STRANGE BED FELLOWS.   And "guilt by association" is a dangerous tact to take in a political campaign because few politicians have spotless records and all fall victim to S.B.S.

"Strange Bed-Fellows Syndrome (S.B.S.) is all about the people the candidate meets along the way.  It means Sen. McCain goes on G. Gordon Liddy's radio show proclaiming Liddy to be "an old friend".   G. Gordon Liddy has contributed frequently to John McCain's campaigns including his current one.   G. Gordon Liddy is a convicted burglar.   He has also confessed to the following:

• plotting to kill the journalist Jack Anderson
• plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institute
• developed a plan for the Nixon Administration to kidnap "leftist guerillas" (read that protestors) to keep them away from the 1972 Republican National Convention
• acknowledged his willingness to kill anyone who tried to stop him from his second break-in of a psychiatrist's office
• has on numerous occasions instructed his radio audience on how to shoot federal A.T.F. agents

Not exactly the kind of friend your Mom wanted you to hang out with when you grow up!   The difference between Obama/Ayers & McCain/Liddy is that Obama will discuss the issue and the McCain campaign ignores all requests for comment on G. Gordon Liddy and his relationship with the Senator.   Senator Obama condemns the past activities of Ayers while McCain pretends it didn't happen.

STRANGE BED-FELLOWS SYNDROME (S.B.S.) could also require asking about Sen. McCain's connection with his father-in-law whose money helped fund his first Senate campaign and who has been linked to underworld figures out west.

S.B.S. could also re-look into Sen. McCain's associations with Charles Keating and the KEATING 5!   It was a long time ago and he was only reprimanded by the Senate but hey it's still out there.  And as Sen. McCain once said, "if Americans want to talk about a subject...we should"

Governor Palin is also susceptible to S.B.S.  Her current minister is from Africa and got his start there with "witch hunts".    And we're talking real witches.   He drove a woman from his village who was casting spells on people to cause car wrecks!   Became quite famous for that episode in Africa.   Rev. Thomas Muthee has recently had a guest speaker in his church that made questionable statements on Jews from the pulpit with Palin present in the audience.  Rev. Muthee has blessed Palin's bid for Governor.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwkb9_zB2Pg   (Notice the references to witches about 1:45 into the clip)

You could also ask why Gov. Palin was willing to address the annual convention of an Alaskan Indepencence Party  whose goal is succession for Alaska from the United States of America.  (How does this work with "Country First"?)  Maybe she addressed them because her husband was once a member.   And while it's never been PROVED that Palin was a member, several members of the group seemed to think she was!

Do ANY of these associations mean you SHOULDN'T vote for McCain/Palin?   Probably not.   The issues McCain/Palin  represent as a ticket are much more important to me than the people they have met along the way to becoming a ticket.  But it's only fair to look at them if you look at everyone that Obama has had contact with.

The truth of the matter:  The McCain campaign wants to turn your focus from policy comparisons to a referendum on the character of Sen. Obama.   And Sen. Obama is no "dirtier" than the McCain/Palin ticket.  If there was real "dirt" on Sen. Obama the Clinton Campaign would have found it and used it!!!   McCain can't argue that he's more "presidential" than Obama because the world saw how he handled the bailout crisis.   All that's left are personal attacks.   Perhaps McCain/Palin should heed the words of Christ and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone!"

As Americans it is important that we ignore the "silly" in this election cycle and instead look to the future.  When you hear the upcoming attacks & smears, when you read the chain e-mails proclaiming "Obama is a muslim, the anti-christ or even Donald Duck" the question to ask is:   Who's policies will best help our country?   Who will leave a more stable and stronger country for our children and our grandchildren?   But if you are listening to McCain/Palin question the associates of Sen. Obama, it's nothing more than "the pot calling the kettle black".

As Media Matters for America has noted, Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary"; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a "gangland figure" to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 Republican National Convention -- a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain's campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008. In addition, McCain has appeared on Liddy's radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May. An online video labeled "John McCain On The G. Gordon Liddy Show 11/8/07" includes a discussion between Liddy and McCain, whom Liddy described as an "old friend." During the segment, McCain praised Liddy's "adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great," said he was "proud" of Liddy, and said that "it's always a pleasure for me to come on your program."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200810040004?lid=6549
53&rid=15670777

One thing that stands out on these blogs when it comes to politics is how many people believe the president has no power over congress when that congress is of an opposing party, thus the cry is its all congresses fault when things go bad.

Nothing can be further from the truth article I, Section 7 of the Constitution gives the president the power to veto any bill passed by congress, the President of the United States of America has the power of the veto, which means he can stop legislation from becoming law. The president's veto power is just one of the many separations of power, or "checks and balances" of the United States government.  

The veto power has two functions, a) preserving the exe­cutive as a power separate from the legislature, and b) providing the citizens with a defense against pressure groups in the legis­lature. This second function, which has been expanded, effectively sets the President up as the third house of the legislature.

By giving the President Veto power, he is given the means with which to defend himself and his office from being reduced to a pawn of the legislature veto powers provide the citizens with a defense against special interests if used properly.

In fact two types of veto exist. The first is the regular veto in power, through which the president returns the legislation to the Congress unsigned, usually with a message setting out reasons for this action. The second is a quieter, more discreet form of the veto known as the "Pocket Veto," in which the president fails to sign a bill within the ten days allowed by the Constitution before Congress adjourns. This pocket veto generally attracts less publicity, in part because it does not need to be accompanied by a message from the president giving reasons for the veto.

The power of the regular veto results from the considerable difficulty of overriding it. It is not easy to assemble a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate on a contentious issue. Most vetoes are successful, much is made of the fact that Reagan had to deal with a democratic congress yet of the seventy-eight vetoes cast by President Reagan, only nine were overridden. Clinton had to deal with six years of a republican congress of the seventeen vetoes he cast, and only one was overridden.

This is why I’m so critical of G W Bush he had six years of control of both the senate and House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006 yet we are supposed to believe that the minority in congress was able to stop all his plans it just doesn’t work like that!

Ronald Reagan            78 vetoes        9 overridden

Gerald Ford                 66 vetoes      12 overridden

George H. W. Bush     46 vetoes        1 overridden

Jimmy Carter               31 vetoes        2 overridden  

Bill Clinton                  17 vetoes        2 overridden  

Franklin D. Roosevelt   635 vetoes      9 overridden

George W Bush           12 vetoes        4 overridden  

What this shows is that in nearly 8 years in office GW Bush only disagreed with congress 12 times and you want to blame congress for the economic mess we are now in?

 Many comments are of the nature that if only 12 more democrats would have voted with the republicans Bush could have stopped the mortgage loan fiasco but what about the majority of republicans Bush had the numbers to do the right thing he just wasn’t willing!!!!!!!!!!

Data Sources:
• House Partisan Divisions adapted from the Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
• Senate Partisan Divisions adapted from the United States Senate Historical Office.
• 1789 - 1945 vetoes data obtained from "Presidential Vetoes, 1789-1988" (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1992).
• 1945 - present vetoes data compiled by Gerhard Peters, The American Presidency Project.

Question for Mr. Obama,

i purchased my 1st home at 24 years of age.  i ended up losing it after 6years due to refinancing.  i did not know i had an adjustable rate mortgage. 

What are you going to do for the people that have lost their homes?  I tried everything i could to save it, and everywhere i turned, they said i didn't qualify or i made too much money.  Which was not the case.  I'm hoping for some type of BAILOUT for foreclosures.