Rita Wilhelm’s Blog

Hillary Clinton- Joe Biden Webcast on Women’s issues

Watch Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton talk specifics on women’s issues:

Doing political research? Important info on McCain and Palin for you to know about.

This election year is crucially important.   I just compiled a list of links that you are welcome to pass along to other people who are still undecided voters.  

Here’s the results of a BBC poll on how most countries want Obama in office:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/09/2360240.htm?section=world

Here’s an excellent post about how other countries are feeling:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/10/uselections2008.barackobama

Here’s a video worth watching about McCain and his perspective on war:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdJUCU1UH2w

Here’s a video showing  McCain getting the borders of the middle east mixed up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC0Y7zMcn_4

Here’s how McCain gets the Shiites and Sunni mixed up  http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/03/18/2008-03-18_john_mccain_in_shiitesunni_snafu_during_.html

Here’s how even military officials are very concerned about McCain’s temper
McCain’s temper

Here’s an excellent video about the Real McCain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c

Here’s how McCain will get our country in more debt than Obama:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/11/news/economy/candidates_taxproposals_tpc/?postversion=2008061113

Apparently the Democrats vetted Palin in 2006.  Here is a copy of their vet docs:
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/05/palin-vetting-documents-from-2006-for-hard-core-palin-addicts-only/

Here’s some real concerns about Palin and her lies:
http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12066224

Here’s is a front page article of the New York Times, that details how Palin fires qualified people, and replaces them with unqualified people from her high school and church who are very loyal to her.  Additionally, it talks about the policy she initiated to use private email, so that communications between her loyalists would be confidential and not subject to subpoenas.
Palin’s hiring /firing / email history

Here’s the supposed ‘Truth Squad” of women that McCain is sending to Alaska to keep things hush hush about Palin:
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/behold-the-mccain-palin-truth-squad/

Here’s how people are getting promoted in Alaska when they change their stories for the press:
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/how-to-get-promoted-in-palinworld/

Here’s a letter from someone who has known Palin since 1992 and who has sat through most city council meetings:
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/354444/the_word_from_wasilla

Here’s a list of the different issues, and the voting records of McCain vs. Obama
Voting Records

Here’s a graph, that shows how you will be taxed in your income bracket - McCain vs Obama
http://images.dailykos.com/images/user/426/GR2008061200193.gif

Here’s the real deal on taxes - read what the former Director of the Congressional Budget Office says http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/the_mccain_tax_increasescontin.html#trackbacks

In light of our current ecomomic situation, read about the The Keating Five McCain was involved in related to the S&L crisis in the late 80s:
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1989-11-29/news/mccain-the-most-reprehensible-of-the-keating-five/1

Voters in Michigan ( swing state ) may not be able to vote if they forclosed on their homes:
http://www.michiganmessenger.com/4076/lose-your-house-lose-your-vote

600,000 votes in Ohio ( swing state ) may be purged:
http://www.truthout.org/article/nearly-600000-voters-subject-possible-caging-ohio

As a woman, I’m insulted by the Sarah Palin pick

I’m all for equal rights for women, but this pick by John McCain is an insult!

As a woman entrepreneur, a mom of a 3rd grader, a board member of our school’s PTA, and of someone who loves our country and the opportunities it presents, you would think that I could relate to this pick… but I can’t!  To me, it’s a slap in the face to women!

I thought for sure that John McCain would pick Mitt Romney.  McCain is weak on economic issues, which is something he has stated about himself.  He feels that he is strong on international politics.   The natural fit of course would be to bring in someone who is strong on the economy.

But instead, McCain has chosen a woman… just because it’s a woman.     If this person was a man with the same skill set, the person would be completely looked over.  Sarah Palin is going to have to take a crash course in international politics, and a crash course in economic issues.    Sure, she has taken down some corrupt politics in Alaska by bringing media attention to the offenders.  Although that is admirable, does that qualify her?  ( You really should read this post about the Alaskan perspective!)

Now… I know she is the VP pick and not the presidential pick.  But, McCain is 72 years  old, so we have to look at her as a potential presidential pick as well.  

Sarah Palin says she’s a hockey mom and a PTA mom.  I’m on the PTA board, and there are many bright women.  Do I want any of them to be president?  NO!  

Because Sarah Palin is a mom of 5 kids, and because she didn’t have an abortion for her 5th child, does that qualify her to be president?  NO!  ( In fact, I’m curious where she finds the time to be mom?   It certainly would have to be quality over quantity.  They must have a good nanny).

What insults me as a woman, is that men like McCain must believe that we as women are people of little depth, and that  we just want to see a woman in the Presidential  or VP seat, rather than care about the qualifications of that woman.   Wrong!   I’ve got news for you McCain.  Women want qualified women!

I doubt that Hillary supporters will just come running to Sarah Palin because she is a woman.  Yes… it makes great media and the pundits have a lot more to talk about.  But Hillary was a highly qualified woman. There is no comparison to Hillary’s qualifications, to those of Sarahs.

I’m insulted!

River Rafting - Part of the Colorado Experience

My cousin’s 16 year old daughter is visiting us from Holland.  This is her first trip to the United States.   I thought I would take her, my 8 year old son, and a few other teens from the neighborhood on an afternoon rafting trip, for that ”Colorado Experience”.  Here’s a couple of pictures of our group on the river:

Solving the 3×3x3 Rubik’s cube

My son just got the Lego Mindstorm robotics system for his birthday.  As you know, he has a Lego Show that he does on YouTube which receives over 1000 video views per day.  Soon you will be seeing some of his new Lego robotic creations on his show.

Just to give you an example of what the Lego Mindstorm is capable of doing, check out this video.  This mindstorm can solve the rubik’s cube

The Lego mindstorm has a series of sensors that comes with the kit, such as a light sensor that can detect light and color, a sound sensor, touch sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor that can measure distance and react to movements.

Have Google privacy concerns?

Did you know that anyone from anywhere can type in your telephone number, and get a google map with a satellite image and roadside image of your house.? 

That’s a little creepy if you ask me.

You can however remove your name and phone number from the Google database.

Leprechaun Trap built by my 8 year old son- very clever

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Thought you might enjoy seeing the Leprechaun Trap that my son built.  If he can catch the leprechaun, maybe he can get that pot of gold!