AbsolutBlog

84,000 people, not just the delegates.
1 amazing candidate.

Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, I hope you had the opportunity to watch Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. If you missed it, you can find the speech here. Please watch it as he was truly amazing.

Being raised in a family of mostly Republican tendencies, I was taught to vote for the best candidate that shares my views instead of straight down party lines. Typically however, I am forced to vote for the lesser of two evils. This is the first time I’ve been excited about a candidate and this may mark the first time I vote for a Democrat for President.

I will have to analyze his plans for our country. Tonight he laid out many of them. For starters, I am excited about his ideas for scientific advancement. He mentioned expanding education and scientific funding in addition to requiring higher standards and holding teachers accountable instead of blindly rewarding the bad ones equal to the good ones. I agree with his notions of exchanging community service for a college education just as those serving the country in the military are given college assistance. Many of Barack’s goals help to (re)build communities where neighbors feel comfortable and can lean on each other.

Although Barack Obama’s speech tonight was truly historic, I have actually enjoyed watching many of the speeches from the DNC this week. Michelle Obama and Joe Biden were both great. And while I didn’t care much for Clinton personally, his speech was great too! I look forward to watching speeches from the RNC in a week and comparing the motives and tactics of each party. I hope the candidates keep it to substance and focus on their own positions.

And what is most amazing, I had to add “Barack” and “Obama” to my computer’s spell checker just as the country is beginning to welcome a black man running for president into their hearts and minds. I really don’t care if he is black or white or Hispanic or other. As he said tonight, this election isn’t about him, but rather the American People. I honestly hope that Barack makes good on his promises…and believe he just might.

Well…Sort of. When I picked Maddy up from school yesterday she and Mrs. Dowell informed me that Madison had a FABULOUS day. I told Mrs. Dowell that this was wonderful news as I had been slightly apprehensive about the transition from daycare (where the schedule isn’t quite as rigid) into Kindergarten. Mrs. Dowell then put my mind at ease when she told me that “Madison did great – she’ll probably be one of my little roll models.” Which, as you can imagine – made me just proud as could be!!

I got to hear all about her day on the way home. How she had made a couple new friends, one named Samantha, one named Matthew, and how they had learned all sorts of new rules like: Walk inside, run outside; Keep your hands clasped behind your back when in line; Keep your hands to yourself – all the time; and to be respectful of others and wait your turn.

I was also very proud of myself. I was able to keep my emotions in check the entire day!! Well, that is until I got home and checked Madison’s folder and found this poem inside:

The First Day

I gave you a little wink and smile
As you entered my room today.
For I know how hard it is to leave
And know your child must stay.
You’ve been with him for five years now
And have been a loving guide,
But now, alas, the time has come
To leave him at my side.
Just know that as you drive away
And tears down your cheeks may flow
I’ll love him as I would my own
And help him learn and grow.
For as a parent, I too know
How quickly the years do pass
And that one day soon it will be my turn
To take my child to class.
So please put your mind at ease
And cry those tears no more
For I will love him and take him in
When you leave him at my door.

By Jamie Solley

Needless to say – I TOTALLY lost it!!! The worst part was trying to explain to Madison why I was soo sad. To that – she gave me big hugs and kisses and explained to me that “It would all be alright”, and reminded me that I have (unbiased of course) one of the best and most lovable children on the planet!

Until later…

As many of you know, Madison starts Kindergarten this year. Last Thursday was Kindergarten Orientation. We were able to meet her teacher, Mrs. Dowell, as well as some of the other children in her class, and see her classroom. We arrived at 5:30-pm and were ushered into the cafeteria with all the other first years, and at promptly 5:35 Mrs. Seigel, the Principal, stated that we were “Welcoming the class of 2021″. Well, as you can imagine, my heart leapt up in my throat and I nearly lost all composure. The year 2021 seems SOOO far away…clearly I had nothing to worry about…

Until the day I thought would never come slapped me in the face at 6-am this morning.

Madison started her first day of kindergarten today!!!

She woke up early, dressed in the new outfit we had picked out special for this day, and informed us that she was “too grown up for this!!”. I nearly died. Our “little girl” was now “too grown up”!! Not to mention EXTREMELY excited!! We had a great morning though, she was able to eat breakfast in the cafeteria, walk to her class, put her backpack away, put her folder in the correct bin, pick out her name tag and set to playing – all by herself.

While I thought that I wouldn’t be able to handle it, I did manage to keep my emotions in check (for the most part) this morning, and managed not to cry as we were leaving the school. Though, I must admit, I think I’ve been on the verge of tears ever since!!

Well, I think that’s about it for now, I’m sure we’ll have more to write about tonight when Madison gets home and we can blog about what a great day it was. Until then, check out the rest of the pictures in the gallery .

Okay, here is what you can do:

I have written the following letter to my representative, Michael McCaul. Feel free to copy and send it along. Find your US House Representative, then send this message:

I am writing to ask Representative _________ to cosponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R. 2060. Internet radio royalties are much too high; over double the royalties paid by satellite radio. SoundExchange and RIAA have suggested a rate for media broadcasted, but are charging much more to Internet Radio, thus forcing unfair competition. I listen to many forms of music including satellite radio, over-the-air, MP3s and webcasts. Each have their advantages depending on whether I am in the car, walking or in my office. The enjoyment is the same, but the fees being paid are quite different. Unfortunatly, the webcasters do not have quite the lobby or political clout that the RIAA does. However, webcasters have the voice of the people…who vote.

I appreciate your help along with 2,000,000 Internet radio listeners who extended the deadline a year ago. Unfortunately that new deadline is quickly approaching and my favorite internet radio services, Pandora, Last.FM, npr.org and others, will disappear unless Congress passes H.R. 2060. If you do not help support this bill and muster support through your colleagues, you will have lost my vote and many of my friends in the next election cycle.

Thanks for your attention and hard work thus far. For more information on this matter, see the Wired article. You could also call your US House Representative

WTF. Pandora, the best online radio station. Ever. Period. Closing it’s doors because the RIAA and the CRB demand exorbitant fees for introducing over 1 million listeners to new music similar to their tastes.

This is ridiculous. When will the suits realize that the industry changed…15 years ago…and it will never go back to the way it was.

Thats it…I’m going back to pursuing more *creative* ways of discovering new music I like. Because the radio stations sure as hell don’t play new music. They play the same month old crap over and over again. And Best Buy’s doesn’t organize music terribly well. And Amazon won’t tell you what is similar to what else, only what other people purchased…what do I care? iTunes gets close, but then I am locked into their media player and can’t let my friends in on the new music I’ve found.

URL: Pandora Internet Radio Can’t Take Royalty Rates, Will Likely Close the Box [Riaa]