No, I was not making an argument: I was making a judgment, and that is that anyone who voted for McCain is too stupid or treasonous to be trusted in anything.

I read blogs from all kinds of people, on all kinds of topics. Many have posted this year about their electoral choices, and while I might disagree with them, if they know their main subject, that’s enough for me to keep reading them. One of my favorite techology writers was voting McCain, and posted it about it. Luckily, is politics didn’t decrease his tech knowledge, so I still read him.

Even if you had voted McCain, I’d still read your blog. I’m just happy that you supported Obama, considering the positions in other issues, food related, that you’ve expressed in the past. It’s consistent.

I suggest you think of the commentary here as a way of separating the wheat from the chaff *grin*.

is it too much to ask the law, the govt, the church and the odd neighbour to mind their own business and get out of my uterus?

I would, and do, promote abstinence. I volunteer a lot of my time to be with Jr. High students and this is exactly what I tell them. I myself, believe it or not, was a virgin until I was married at the age of 28 (and yes, it was by choice ). I believe that all levels of a couples relationship should be aligned. I believe that their physical relationship should be on the same level as their emotional relationship, as their commitment to eachother. Hence, I believe the highest act of intimacy a couple can share physically (sex) should be paired by the highest commitment (marriage). I really don’t think that it’s that far fetched of an idea, though I’m not naive enough to think that it would be a feasible concept to adapt for all Americans in the near future, given our current socially accepted philosophies. Honestly, it really wasn’t that long ago that abstinence and other such behaviors were preached and practiced, and I don’t think it’s coincidence that the issues we have that stem from rampant sexual activity barely existed back then. We’ve seen a staggering, exponential growth of sexual behavior. Okay, so I’m a prude. I know, I know, whatever. I’m not saying that everyone should refrain from sex before marriage (although I wish I could say that), I’m just saying that if people took it more seriously then we would all be a lot better off. Instead, we make it easier to avoid responsibility and consequence. We tell everyone that they can do whatever they want. Don’t tell me how to live my life, it’s my life… right?

Now, as far as passing a law that requires a contract, etc, etc… Well, if you really want to, we can start a debate on the separation of church and state. I don’t believe government is the answer. Government cannot provide values, only uphold them. I believe that the change has to come from within us as a people. I’m talking about families. I’m talking about dinner table discussions, about real relationships that pass on real values snd respect, respect for ourselves and for eachother.

If you want to, look at it the other way. Are you totally against law, or what do you see it’s purpose as being? Is it just to keep bad people from hurting good people? Is it meant to keep people from hurting themselves?

There’s more I’d like to say, I always want to keep typing, but these posts get way longer than I intend them to be… fire back.

Ponder the following:

What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage, including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?

What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain killers but also stole them through her charitable organization that was to help poor African hospitals with medication?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five? (The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

What if Obama couldn’t read from a teleprompter?

What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?

What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?

What if Michelle Obama’s family had made their money from beer distribution?

What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?

What if Michelle wanted to NOT be part of the United States of America, because – Alaska is just too far from the US Mainland?

You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

Consider the candidates’ educational backgrounds:

Barack Obama:

Columbia University – B.A. Political Science and International Relations.
Harvard – Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joseph Biden:

University of Delaware – B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law – Juris Doctor (J.D.)

John McCain:

United States Naval Academy – Class rank: 894 of 899

Sarah Palin:

Hawaii Pacific University – 1 semester
North Idaho College – 2 semesters – general study
University of Idaho – 2 semesters – journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College – 1 semester
University of Idaho – 3 semesters – B.A. in Journalism

Education isn’t everything, but this is about the two highest offices in the land as well as our standing in the world.

So we are on this blog about food and we all have a love for it whover is in the White House.

And that’s exactly where the difference is. As long as people don’t agree on that, there’s not much else to discuss.

It all comes down to where you believe human life begins – some religions even believe the egg and sperm are already potential babies and forbid birth control for the same reason as abortion. Generally it seems like just about everyone agrees that life begins at some point before birth (hence the general agreement that late term abortions are to be avoided except when medically necessary), it’s just quibbling over where to draw the line.

its like this problem i have…i cant make killing animals and eating meat illegal in this country. what you can do is tell people to temper their appetites and eat only humanely raised meat. i can possibly..possibly being the key word here…make cruel animal husbandry illegal and those who practice it can be subjected to a fine. but i cannot track down everyone who ate a piece of tortured meat and insist that we pump their stomachs until we get that tortured meat out.

so if you think pregnancies of women is a state issue, try passing a law that says that every man and woman should sign a legal contract that they’ll not attempt to terminate a pregnancy if it happens and this contract has to be signed before they have sex. in the absence of said contract, the sexual union will be considered illegal. this way, we can police the private lives of american citizens more effectively. we can also have patrols walking on the streets and schools to ensure that abstinence is practiced by young boys and girls. how about punishing the parents if their sons and daughters want to do the old in-and-out routine? the possibilities to straighten this crooked, immoral country are mind boggling! who knows..perhaps, america can export its morals to other countries too…its not just mcD and starbucks and GM crops…we can make A DIFFERENCE in this world by crushing the reproductive rights of every woman in this planet. what a capital idea!

I do have a right to speak against abortion and here’s why: I believe that a “parasitic fetus” IS human and has rights. These rights are not taken into account and nobody defends these “sentient living” beings who cannot defend themselves. I an not debating it for the sake of oppressing a womans rights, but for the sake of upholding a childs. This is why the destinctions between baby and fetus are important. This is why clarification of our definitions are important. And that’s why I’m discussing them. You feel sad about me expressing my view because I suppose it is oppressive, but I’m am deeply, deeply saddened by death rates of humans that far exceed the Halocaust. So we’re both sad but on very different ends of the spectrum. This is why I believe it is important to debate and strive to understand eachother and, perhaps more importantly, ourselves.

And as far as the death penalty goes… You are talking about those who have lived and CHOSE to commit horrendous acts against others. What did these parasitical fetuses ever even have a chance to make a choice about?

“Getting pregnant has lifelong effects on a woman’s body and her future medical needs not even taking the child that is the end product into account.” – I agree, so how about not getting pregnant than? If a person thinks this may be an issue, wouldn’t it make sense to avoid pregnancy? (and I’m not talking about rape, incest, or the slim minority of women who get pregnant while on birth control). Again, I vote for a mode of abstinence. This doesn’t just throw back to religion, it makes sense to me. I see how it would solve/avoid so many issues. We’re so concerned with giving up our “freedoms” that we’re willing (as a society/people) to pay the penalties of doing whatever we want. And again, I think we’re a society that largely teaches that people don’t have to be responsible for their actions or decisions. I disagree.

“Faustianbargain actually explained my view very well. But it’s an argument that can’t be won. I can only persuade those that agree with me as you can only persuade those that agree with you.” – Like I said to faustianbargain before, I’m not trying to “win” an argument. I enjoy debating things like this because it increases knowledge and perspective. It helps me to really know what I believe and why I believe it. I wasn’t try to persuade anyone. I’m just debating for the sake of debate and if you don’t want to join then you don’t have to respond. I’m not out to anger anyone by speaking my view, just as Ruhlman was not out to anger anyone by endorsing Obama. It seems like the more important a subject is then the more it is considered taboo. Or maybe its just not important to people. Eitehr way, I wish we could talk openly about these types of things without bitterness, disrespect, or dissention.

Yes we did!

here are some websites addressing farm/food issues

http://www.factoryfarm.org/

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
http://www.iatp.org/

http://www.thefoodtrust.org/

Agribusiness Accountability Initiative
http://www.agribusinessaccountability.org

http://www.foodfirst.org/

http://www.sourcewatch.org/

Marion Nestle
http://www.whattoeatbook.com/

I still say that in the spirit of “wealth redistribution” I am “entitled” to some or all of it (if you’re consistent you have to agree).

So to get a tax increase, someone needs to make over 250k AFTER all deductions are made. Actually, buying things for your job is a common way to lower your tax burden.

So anyone know a good website/blog on farm/food legislation issues?

GO OBAMA!!!!!!!

I think that say’s it all, lol. I love my country much more today than I have in a long, long, long time.

GO BARACK!!!!!!!

Sorry for yelling.

From the IRS:

What Can I Deduct?
To be deductible, a business expense must be both ordinary and necessary. An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your industry. A necessary expense is one that is helpful and appropriate for your trade or business. An expense does not have to be indispensable to be considered necessary.

Is there any doubt that a range and other kitchen gear is both ordinary and necessary for a chef and food writer?