I've always lived in rural areas in prior elections, the only option available was paper ballots. Here in the city this year, we could choose between paper or electronic voting. There was ONE electronic voting machine, and probably a dozen voting stations for paper. There was absolutely no lines where I voted at all. There was one other person voting the same time I was. I ran in and out in less then 5 minutes probably. That was about 9:30 am. There were long lines last night for early voters. They should've just waited 12 hours and voted today.

Halloween hardly qualifies as a religious ritual that is particularly disturbing to the general population. Most ppl love it. So not really a parallel situation there. Meanie had the best solution, IMO. Everybody happy. You know Nest, I'm sure Jedi doesn't just leave her kids hanging in the wind. I'm sure she's there to help in situations that warrent help. Whether or not to frost a cookie doesn't seem the kind of life lesson that a parent is necessary for. And actually, despite your comment, what she's doing is exposing them to all sorts of different religions/paths by NOT interfering when they come across them in real life. This seems pretty tolerant to me.

The only thing I can think of is the keyboard thing like you mentioned. But you can get a really really nice one in the price range you mentioned. And they do record what has been played, but I don't know if they get the voice in there with it. I'm pretty sure though, that you could record multiple songs with a gadget in that price range. I'd go to a music store and ask. Or google it. Google is our friend.:D Good luck!!

Oh I saw those!! They only made one of each and they're auctioning them off for the charity. Such a great idea. I wonder how much they'll go for. I bet its big bucks.

The Ring, its one of my favorite movies of any genre. I haven't seen the Other, but I read the book. I think I'll put it on Netflix. I've never thought of Sixth Sense as a scary movie, but it was really really good. M Night Shyamalan is one of my favorite movie makers. Rob Zombie did a couple movies, one was called House of A Thousand Corpses, and it was exactly what a scary movie should be. The sequel was just plain stupid tho. Blair Witch Project was one of the few movies that actually creeped me out. Jaws scared the living daylights out of me when I was a kid. The Exorcist, The Omen, and Rosemary's Baby are some of my favorites too. Also Evil Dead (the second Evil Dead was funny, intentionally even) and Night of the Living Dead. Lost Highway is not your typical scary movie, I don't even know if it would be called such, but its seriously creepy. Pumpkinhead is good, so is the original Wicker Man. And Hellraiser - Pinhead was cool!

Exactly how I feel. I probably won't watch the movie. I'll fight ya for him. :D Yes I can't picture Jane Seymour as Claire by any stretch of the imagination. She's too glamourous. Claire is more down to earth. I can't for the life of me think of anyone she looks like tho. Umm...looks like in my head that is.

Not really about the PC bandwagon at all. I don't see as how Pluto is qualified has anything to do with being PC, whatever qualification it is given. The International Astronomical Union decided to demote Pluto, they have guidelines for what qualifies as a planet, and a line needs to be drawn somewhere. Just because its always been a planet doesn't mean it should be. Actually it was only added in 1930, compared to the rest that have been known mostly since ancient times. I wonder if there was such an unwillingness to accept Pluto as a planet as there is to unaccept it as a planet. Here is a chart of the moons and planets and dwarf planets currently known in our solar system. As you can see, some of the stellar bodies that get listed as planets are moons of other planets. So what are they, moons or planets or dwarf planets? Its hard to think of them as planets when they are satellites of larger planets. And there are other dwarf planets that rarely get mentioned. A line has been drawn as to what is a planet and what isn't, which is a needed line, because there are a lot of bodies in the solar system.

I can't imagine anyone who can duplicate Jamie. :( I don't know if I will watch the movie, as much as I love Jamie.... I mean the books. :D

Since way back when I've said that Pluto shouldn't be a planet. Ask DH, it was a minor rant around here from time to time. I was pleasantly surprised when it was decided to no longer classify it as a planet. Its one fo the few things I've actually gotten right. I've seen it called a dwarf planet and a planetoid. No doubt its part of the solar system, as are billions of other objects. But to me, its just a big ball of ice out there with other big balls of ice. So what was to differentiate it from other big objects that weren't considered planets. It makes sense to me that its not one of the big planets. They have found other similar sized objects, besides just Ceres and Eris. Sedna is one. We can't include them all in our planetary system, or it would be hard to memorize. :D

There are 8. Since Pluto's demotion, they have found a couple other bodies of similar size to Pluto, they are now calling them planetoids.

Yes it was quite bizarre...wasn't it? Hmmm, makes a girl wonder.

I've gotten past it. He picked the wrong time to push hard and thus pull away potential non-Bush voters. If he were running stronger this year it'd be the same thing. I match up 90% with him but I'd vote Obama anyway cuz the stakes are just too **** high. In a less contentious year, I'd vote for him again.

Liberal leanings, huh? Thats the only POSSIBLE reason a newspaper, or any other instituion may endorse a "liberal" candidate. Does that include the conservatively inclined papers/mags/etc. that have also come out for Obama? How about the conservaties who jumped ship this election because they have serious problems with where their party is going or with this candidate and/or his vp? Does their endorsement of Obama get to be discounted to? Are we only counting people, places, things that endorse McCain? Is that how we're counting?

Are we *sure* that wasn't a real press conference?? Because I swear I heard all that just last week. ;)

I have a 3 yo, almost 4 yo with a frontal lisp. Its not terribly bad, but it has gotten a little bit worse recently. I've read about it, and some therapists say to begin treatment at age 4 to 4 1/2, others say wait until 6. Either way, this is something I'd like to treat at home if I possibly can. I was wondering if anyone has successfully done that? Are there good sources to use, to help? Good books? Good ideas? I know what he needs to be doing with his tongue versus what he is doing with his tongue, and I could probably go from there if I have to. I wouldn't mind a little help though. Thanks.

Why is this thread being dredged up again? Is there no new mud to drag Obama through?

Are we *really* still talking about this??? Really??? Are we really still thinking that Obama is not actually a citizen? Because if we are, we better be prepared to present our findings to the republican party because apparently they are unaware of this. Well at least they must because if they were, Obama would already be out of the race. Give it up people.

Can't really say I was in ever in the closet, but I'm here loud and proud now, and happy to see others in this little community now. :)

Thanks BookCrazy, myself and my DS both will enjoy reading about this. :)

I, personally, love you Api. And I hope you feel better after posting that. :grouphug: Oh, and your peeves are spot on!

I know, I'm with you on that one. You're exactly right, and its an argument I've used when flamed for the times I've voted 3rd party. Its gotta start somewhere, or it will never come to be on its own.

I don't feel that way about this particular election, but I know what you mean. In the last election, my vote was not so much *for* a political candidate as it was a vote *against* who he was running against. Sometimes its just like that, unfortunately. If there were more parties that truly had a chance, we're stronger and bigger, then it might be different.