Dailing Phones...

I spent a little time in town today at the Obama Campaign's office in Tazewell. I made phone calls for about an hour. Most were to people in the county's Northern District, where I live.

I must admit that my mostive was somewhat selfish. I wanted the experience, wanted to be able to say I contributed (at least a little).

I called 30 or so phone numbers. The list I worked from was supposed to be undecided voters. No one was undecided. I got one or two disconnected numbers, 10 or 12 calls where no one answered and I maybe got to talk to an answering machine, a few strong Obama supporters, and few Democrats who said they were going ot vote for Obama because, well, after all they were Democrats. And I spoke to one nice lady who supports McCain and said she'd pray for my soul... Oh,well

After my 45 or 50 minutes I handed the phone to someone else and went about my business in town, which mostly involved buying groceries...

New Blogging Portfolio

For almost 18 months now I've been blogging for Creative Weblogging. CW has about 150 blogs on professional niche topics in English, Chinese, German, and French. But the economic crisis (can I say "recession") has hit ad revenues pretty hard and CW recently restructured it's arrangements with bloggers. For me the result has be a broader portfolio of blogs that I contribute to...

When I started with CW in May of 2007 I was writing about China, specifically about venture capital and private equity investment in China. The site is China Venture News, and I still blog there - though only once or twice a week now. A little over a year ago I picked up a second blog at CW: the Universities Weblog. I still blog there, as well.

In the last couple of weeks I've picked up a handful of other blogs at CW and I contribute to them about once a week. Three of them are on CW's Ecommerce and internet channel:

• The Search Engine Weblog
• Social Networking
• Web 2.0

Four more are on CW's Travel & Culture channel:

• The Flyaway Weblog (Budget Travel)
• Hidden Travel Gems (Offbeat Destinations)
• Wandalust
• Latina Viva (Latin American travel and culture)

Of course I also still have this blog - my personal blog. I have Twitter (a microblog - kind of a cross between blogging and instant messaging). And I have my education blog, The Green Cup (which I have neglected woefully in the last few weeks in favor of graduate classes and politics. And there's always my Facebook and MySpace pages...

The "S" Word...

It has been snowing off and on all day long. That is to say that periodically throughout the day it has spit snow. Nothing on the ground, mind you. Just a few flakes in the air. Still, October is a little early...

Defining Moment: Obama's New Two Minute Ad

Got My Flu Shot (Another Thing PEIA Won't Pay For)

My wife and I traveled to Bluefield this morning and got our flu shots at a pharmacy there. The pharmacy was in a grocery store, so I wandered back to browse the meat section. Some students from Virginia Tech were giving a survey about pasture-fed beef. It took about 10 minutes and they gave me a $10 gift card for taking the survey. The card was useful considering the shot wasn't covered this year under WV PEIA (Public Employees Insurance association). I can't believe my insurance won't pay for a flu shot for teachers...

Macy Gets a Haircut

Our dog, Macy is about two years old. Part terrier, part shih tzu. Here are some "before and after" pics of today's trip to get a haircut...

SW VA in the Huffington Post

The Huffington Post had an intersting piece today on the Obama campaign in Southwest Virginia. The article os written by VT Prof Joan Kark and features material on Congressman Boucher, as well as on the Obama campaign.

Wrestling with Patriotism

Patriotism - (noun) Love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it; devotion to the welfare of one's country; devotion to a community as opposed to devotion to one's individual interests.

Nationalism - (noun) Having pride in one's country; a collective state of mind or consciousness in which people believe their primary duty and loyalty is to the nation-state.

"The abiding purpose of every nationalist is to secure more power and more prestige, not for himself but for the nation or other unit in which he has chosen to sink his own individuality." - George Orwell.

It's been fascinating to listen to the various concepts of patriotism put forth in this election. It has helped me clarify for myself my own feelings and thoughts on the subject.

I'm a Christian. Philippians 3:20 - "Our citizenship is in heaven." (ASV). As the son of an U.S. Army officer, as someone who spent three years in high school ROTC, I've struggled with what that verse means to me. I balance it with Romans 13:1 - "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities."

I love my country. I'd sacrifice for its welfare. And when I say that I love my country, I have something to compare it to. I've lived in Germany, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore. I've visited a few dozen countries. America, even at its worst, is a pretty nice place. I like it.

Patriotism is often confused with another -ism we don't mention much in America: nationalism. Nationalism is at least partly an ethnic concept. People submerge their identity into some larger community ideal. Patriotism doesn't require that kind of death of self.

It's been a while, but I've read The Light and the Glory. I remember thinking it was a crock. I can't tell you exactly why now. Because it's been a while. But I don't see America as God's newly chosen instrument or people. It's a nice place and I love it. I leave it there.

Not all of my friends have always been Americans. I've had friends who were Singaporeans and South Africans, Filipinos and Australians, New Zealanders and South Koreans, Samoans and Brazilians. I didn't figure it was their fault. I never thought they were somehow inferior to me. That would go beyond even my usual arrogance.

Patriotism is not a military concept. It doesn't go away when there are no wars to fight. Your credentials as a patriot are not somehow damaged by inability (or even refusal) to serve in the military. Patriotism is more basic. It is love of country - plain and simple.

I've lived and worked in places nationalism was common. I recognize it. It makes me uncomfortable. I'm a patriot. But I'm not a nationalist. And you don't have to be one to love America...

The Leaves at Lake Witten

I stopped at Lake Witten on my way to town today and took these photos of the changing leaves. Peak color is past by a day or two, I think. The hard frost this morning will speed autumn along...

Cheese and Crackers in the Real Virginia

I'm sitting here listening to football and eating cheese and crackers in the real Virginia. I have a bumper sticker on my car that says "Obama." there are two signs in my yard: one for Obama and one for Mark Warner's Senate run. Not everyone here is for Obama, but my hope is that he'll carry our county...

The Associated Press carried a story today about McCain's hopes in Virginia.

A top aide to John McCain said Saturday the Republican presidential nominee still has a strong chance of winning the state because of his support in "Real Virginia," the downstate areas far removed in distance and political philosophy from the more liberal northern part of the state.

Daily Kos showed the new US map that the McCain camp is evidently using. (I hope they don't sue me for using it.)



They also had a YouTube video of McCain spokesperson Nancy Pfotenhauer saying stupid things on MSNBC...



We're more "Southern" out here, according to Pfotenhauer. And somehow that's good for McCain? Not sure if that's racist, or what. I don't think she has a particularly profound grasp of the state's geography.

In the meantime, LSU and South Carolina are tide, Texas is putting a whippin' on Missouri, the Hokies are trying to catch up with Boston College, and I need more crackers...