Celebrate CHANGE

WOO-HOOO! It's a celebration...

Obama is working on building his staff and I feel so excited, it's like watching an All-Star game come together. With every pick, I'm squealing like a nerd, wanting bubblegum cards of each player... Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod! WOO-HOOO!

You know, the reason I wanted Obama in The White House is because I felt certain that he would help streamline our government so that us citizens would be able to better navigate our society and lead the lives we want. Even more, so that for those who volunteer and advocate in our communities, maybe we'd get assistance somehow so we don't have to butt our heads against lack of funds and resources.

And, it's all ready begun with CHANGE.gov. How amazing is it that we can actually stay abreast of issues and participate with our government in such a beautiful manner? The matter of interest to me is The Agenda. Of course, I do not have the ability to follow every one, so I've decided to pick three and go from there: ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT, ETHICS, and URBAN POLICY.

For those who know me well, I am often teased for being a "hippie". For years, I used to keep my ideas mostly to myself and family for fear of of being a "crazy crusader". Seriously, I'd get the oddest looks from folks when I'd say that I'd like my child to not play too much with plastic toys. Yes, I'm a real radical because I'd like my eggs to actually come from a real chicken of a clean, accountable source. Is it disturbing that for years I'd volunteer at Safe Horizon and am now an advocate for The Children's Aid Society?

My voice is now heard clearly, I'm not ashamed of my choices, and much of that comes from the incredible support of my friends. Particularly Jackson Nash, who've I've mentioned many many many times. His SuperForest blog has transformed my attitude into a really positive force. He instilled in me the YES WE CAN spirit long before I ever even bought the button... SO!

There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you!

Happy weekend, all!

xo,

christine

YES WE WILL

We know we have much work to do, much of it will not be easy. But, we will make an effort, as much as possible, particularly for some of the shameful setbacks in a few states. YES WE CAN build American peace and prosperity that I hope we can share with the world and make last. YES WE DID elect a leader that will guide us there. For the next four years? YES WE WILL!

Posting on the incredibly positive efforts I have witnessed in my city and on the internet (merely a portal to other minds and cities) on a daily basis has invigorated my belief in human spirit and accomplishment and grace. The regular emails and notes I received made me ambitious when I was on a roll and kept my head up when I was feeling low. Thank you so much.

Now, I suppose this blog will go back to being about the small things in my own corner of the universe. The art of comics and graphic novels , my love of New York, my passion for film and food, and of course, the SuperForest movement. And, more... I've got some neat surprises that I've been dreaming and storing over the past couple months.

For today:

EVENT!

SHOGUN MACBETH
Performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth by The Pan Asian Repertory Theatre.

6:30 tonight with special comics discussion featuring Larry Hama and Pornask Pichetshote and Christine Norrie.

Comics are all about Kabuki "frozen moments." Capturing the height of a scene and transporting the reader to see the action "between the panels."

For the next four years, let's do it. Need a little motivation? Tony Robbins on his Ted Talk Why we do what we do, and how we can do it better :

Signs of Hope and Change

(Big thanks to my pal Brendan who sent me a text at 9:51pm to ask "You got any buttons that say YES WE DID...?" Yes, I do now, B! xoxo)

VOTED!

As usual, I got goosebumps when I entered through the curtains, was joyfully weepy as I turned the little selection levers, and then I gave the crazy VOTE crank a final pull!

When I walked out, I caught up with one of the volunteers outside who was kind enough to chat with me. I asked how the day was and his response was beautiful. A warm smile spread across his face and he said that it's been an amazing day. He was at Centre Street early in the morning, where it was packed, before heading over to LaGuardia Place where it was not as crowded, but definitely hectic. By four o'clock our location, in Greenwich Village, the voter signature book was nearly filled, meaning everyone who registered not only voted, but they made sure to come in nice and early!

I've got about ten minutes until the babysitter is to be relieved, then it's dinner with the children (at my favorite local spot Jane!) to celebrate voting, humanity, and The Common Good.

"So because Obama gets in or McCain gets in, it's not going to be repaired overnight. The economy is not going to be repaired, the schools -- the disaster in our schools -- will not be repaired overnight. Nor will the social conversation be repaired overnight.

However, I would encourage every voter to say to his or her candidate, go in and do it, and you will not do it alone. I will help. You have to get up off that sofa or off that couch and give something to the country -- even if it's one hour every other week to an old people's home -- I will read, go into the children's ward and read, or give to your church or your synagogue or your mosque. ... Offer something to the country. So you don't just sit there.

... You need to know that you can go somewhere. You're not just like grass growing on the street. You're like trees, you have roots, and they've done wonderful things, and you need to know that, and by knowing that, you see how outfitted you are for these times. And that you really owe it to those who went before so that you can add to them for those who are yet to come. You need to know that you are in a continuum, and if you understand that, you realize that you are worthwhile. This continuum would be broken without me."

-- Maya Angelou on CNN

Chris Abani: Telling stories of our shared humanity
TED Ideas Worth Spreading

interconnectedness

Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.
Hey, all... sorry this post is late in arriving today. Like many of you, I am exhausted and am plain wore out! But, I take solace in that A BRIGHTER DAY WILL COME, A CHANGE WE NEED. I've spent the morning making all my preparations for tomorrow:

- my polling location
- various forms of ID
- a beautiful Nanette Lepore 'HOPE' t-shirt
- YES WE CAN buttons to hand out
- activities for the kiddies

Because I am very excited to be hosting a playdate so that one of my very best friends may board a bus at 7am, head to Pennsylvania as a volunteer for Obama, and help the election along down there. She's such an amazing lady, and I am terrifically proud of her and lucky to have her in my life. (Just watch out for those Phillie Phanatics, girlfriend! They are prone to boo'ing Bud Selig, Destiny's Child, and even Santa!)

Also, thank you so much for all the fantastic emails of support and kind words of comments I have been receiving in the past couple weeks. Please, I will write you back, but definitely it will take at least a week after tomorrow!

Extra thanks to B who posted the above video to me so that I could steal it then come and share it with you. Another extraordinary friend who I am blessed to have. I'm not sure I know anyone so gentle, generous, and ridiculously hip.

Love and peace, everyone.

xo.

Tighten Up!

Yeah, you do the tighten up
Yeah, now
I said, if you can do it now
It sure would be tough
Now look here, come on now
Now make it mellow

Let's tighten it up now
Do the tighten up
Everybody can do it now
So get to it

We're gonna tighten up
Let's do the tighten up
You can do it now
So baby, get to it!

The Issues

KNOW THE ISSUES Know what you are voting for when you stand for Barack Obama. Know that, with the American people supporting our country's future president, we can forge a society that is sustainable. Please look past the fact that sustainability is a trendy word right now, and look at what it really means: bearing the weight of a structure or means of burden.

Everything we do has a cost, in some way, some manner. Whether it's taxes, energy, or education, we as citizens need to balance and moderate what we're TAKING and what we are GIVING. Looking at the philosophy behind Obama's government plans, it will be a boon to all of us to phase out inefficient industries and harmful policies in order to create new business, strengthen communities, and allow for peaceful living.

We need to know the issues and come together for the common good. If you were not one of the 26.3 million that watched the Obama infomercial, here it is...

Dirt off your shoulder

There are often times in my personal and work life, where I start to feel a bit down, a little low, by the actions of other people. A bad review, relationship conflicts, manipulators, someone in my apartment building who not only does not recycle, but then has the nerve to take down the really nice signs (with funny cartoons I drew!) to try and encourage a nicer refuse and sanitation area! I get to feeling blue by these things and I have to remind myself to not be entrenched in playa-hatin' and brush that dirt off my shoulder.

You know, I don't like everything about Jay-Z, and despite my sensitivity to ...uh, er, some of the raw language, I do love "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" and the sentiment behind it. BRUSH IT OFF. MOVE ON. BE SMART. TAKE ACTION. Bad review? I take it in stride that it's not how everyone feels. Relationship conflict? I strive to be diplomatic in finding a resolution. Manipulators? Respectfully ignored. Non-recycling neighbor takin' down my posters? I'll put them right back up.

www.FIGHT THE SMEARS.com

"What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon -- that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize."

– Barack Obama, June 3, 2008

(I snapped this pic, I think on W.11th Street)

It ain't over, until it's over. There is still so much work to be done. The thrill of victory is just 1 week away. We hear it in the streets, we feel it in our hearts and it's burning in our souls. Together we have successfully registered the most young voters in the history of the modern political process. We called a State Of Emergency on October 3rd at 6:00AM and our culture stood up and recognized the importance of registering millions of voters. From 1st time voters who have just come of age to vote, to those who are participating for the 1st time in the voting process. Your commitment to Change will continue to ring across our America, because we all are in the Right State Of Mind

Where it stands today, we are on the verge of making history, the kind of history that will be apart of our cultures legacy. The kind of history that bridges the gap between race, religion and culture, the kind of history that will ignite a light that shines bright from generation to generation, screaming that our voice does matter and our vote does count. The kind of history that will enable the next generation of leaders to encourage vision, not division, to encourage hope, not hopelessness, to encourage the power of the people, not the power politics of the few.

With only 7 days left before we vote for change, let's hold ourselves accountable and responsible. No more excuses, no more mistakes and no more time to waste. If you have the opportunity to vote early in your state then vote today. If you are voting on November 4th, make preparation today. Bring your family and friends and plan for the party at the poles. Make November 4th the day we celebrate change - The day we celebrate freedom of choice. The day we celebrate power of all people. Lets all come together on November 4th, because it's a family reunion. It's our time and we are all in the Right State Of Mind.

We have 7 days to Vote for Change. 7 days to Vote to Make History. We can not slow down. We can not let up. We must push through to history until the final vote is cast and the last ballot is counted. We can, we must, and we will Make It Happen. Vote Obama/Biden on November 4th.

God Bless,
Diddy
Jay-Z
Mary J. Blige
Kevin Liles

--October 28, 2008 / VIBE.com

Seven Days to Win, Seven Days to Lose

"We can go to the moon, split atoms to power submarines, squeeze profits from a 99 cent hamburger and watch football highlights on cell phones. But the most successful democracy in human history has yet to figure out how to conduct a proper election."

1. The Database Dilemma
Back in Mississippi last March, an election official wrongly purged 10,000 people from the voting rolls — including a Republican congressional candidate — while using her home computer.

2. 'Mickey Mouse' Registrations And Polling-Place Challenges
Republican protesters have started crashing political events in squirrel costumes.

3. Bad Forms
Until the palm beach county butterfly ballot had its 15 minutes of fame, few believed that bad design could determine the fate of the world.

4. The Voting-Machine Fiasco
But in a single, Democratic-leaning county, more than 18,000 voters mysteriously failed to record a selection in the congressional race, an undervote as much as six times the rate of other counties.

5. Unequal Distribution of Resources
While suburban precincts had enough machines so voters didn't have to wait, largely Democratic precincts in Columbus had lines with four-hour waits — often in the rain.

6. New Burdens of Proof
But an explosion in voter-identification laws has raised the prospect that thousands will turn up to vote next month and find themselves turned away.

7. Confusing Rules, Bad Information
Anonymous automated phone calls warn people that they will be arrested at the polls or that their polling places have moved.

7 Things That Could Go Wrong on Election Day
by Michael Scherer from TIME.com

Sounds scary, right? All these things are terrifying, but it doesn't have to happen to YOU. It shouldn't be difficult to vote in this election if you're armed with information and put in a little effort of preparation and planning. And, if you're able, you can also volunteer in many ways and many places, such as at the polls.

Hopefully, The Voter Information Project will help streamline the process to allow every single one of us to be heard.

State and local elections officials can now spend less time and money gathering and sharing voting information. In partnership with a group of state elections officials, the Voting Information Project developed a standard format to easily collect and distribute voting information. Using this open and non-proprietary data format, elections officials can share their voting information securely. Follow the links below or visit About the Project to learn more about how you can help voters get easy access to essential voting information.

Wasssssup! 8 years, 8 days...

Eight years ago...



Tuesday, NOVEMBER 4th!
Vote for CHANGE!

Flickr's Artists for Obama

Need a little pick me up, besides Scotch, in order to deal with the last couple days recent run of news insanity? Check out the Flickr's pool of photos for Artists for Obama!

Steal Back Your Vote

My friend, and extremely talented writer and artist, Brian Wood has been sounding out the call for folks to get involved with Steal Back Your Vote.

There are so many crucial jobs in an election, from what I hope have been inspiring posts to register and get to the election office here at spookoo.com to Wood's efforts to dig in even further to make sure every single ballot counts. Here's what he has to say about the extremely important movement to secure your voice at the polls and in our election:

The Election 12:53 pm October 20th, 2008 They call it the election of a generation, or even of our lifetime. That's likely true, considering what's at stake, so voter repression and list-scrubbing should be something that carries an equal amount of weight and significance, well beyond just Florida in '00 and Ohio in '04. Greg Palast and Bobby Kennedy Jr. have been fighting a pre-emptive fight on this front, and you've probably heard of the comic book you can download about it: http://www.stealbackyourvote.org/ Suffice to say, I support their efforts, and signed on as a sponsor of the project. These guys are the real deal, and deserve a couple bucks of donation in exchange for the comic. At the very least, some reading on Palast's previous efforts, especially the book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy is essential for anyone interested or concerned. thanks, b [Also, taken from http://www.brianwood.com/ BLOG:] The book has art by Ted Rall, Lloyd Dangle, and Lukas Ketner, and I am encouraging everyone to go to www.stealbackyourvote.com and donate something (as little as $1, but I hope more than that) and get the book. I just got done writing a 130-page DMZ story about an American election rife with fraud and suppression and violence, but that’s nothing compared to what goes on in real life, seemingly every time I open a newspaper. This is a CRUCIAL issue, one that Palast has been doggedly fighting for nearly a decade, and your donations can do a bit of good. Samples from the book here. History of Greg Palast’s work here. “The most important investigative reporter of our time” [Tribune Magazine] “The top investigative journalist in the United States is persona non grata in his own country’s media.” [Asia Times.] “Doggedly independent, undaunted by power. His stories bite, they’re so relevant they threaten to alter history” -Chicago Tribune Twisted and maniacal” -Katherine Harris “We hate that sonuvabitch.” -The White House

After you download and read Steal Back Your Vote, go pick up Wood's NORTHLANDERS comic book series, beautifully illustrated by Davide Gianfelice, it's fantastic. Action, romance, and vikings!

ABC's of Jackson Nash

Congratulations are in order for Jackson Nash who completed the 26th letter in his art series, The Peace Alphabet, last Friday for SuperForest.

Jackson is a good compadre of mine, so I have had the great fortune to chat with him as he went on this small journey and sometimes get a peak at his sketchbook. When I saw his first letter-doodle in his sketchbook, I knew he was onto something simple, yet big; amusing yet profound! Something more than a language's word-building blocks, more than an art exercise in ideas, something that ultimately takes these two fundamental means of our creative lives and uses it as a grand projection for our civilization: PEACE.

Bravo bravo bravo, Jack.

To view the entire run, go to The Peace Alphabet

The Kids Are Alright

11 Facts About Voting:

1. The Millennial generation already makes up 1/5 of the electorate. By 2015, they will account for 1/3.
   
   
2. Compared to 2000, young voters have more than doubled their turnout in the 2008 primaries and caucuses. For example, in Texas, the number of 18-29 year old voters grew 301%.
   
   
3. In both the 2006 and the 2008 primaries, young voters made the difference in several tight races. Senator Obama owes his caucus win in Iowa to 18-29 year olds, and a winning margin among the youth vote helped Senator McCain win in California.
   
   
4. The current presidential election is the first in decades where candidates are actively and aggressively courting the youth vote. In the primaries, four candidates from both parties had full-time, national youth outreach directors.
   
   
5. Young Latinos are the largest, and fastest-growing ethnic subset of young adults; 50,000 young Latinos turn 18 each month, and Latinos make up 17% of the youth electorate.
   
   
6. In comparison to other people of color, young African-Americans voters are more likely to vote regularly, donate money to candidates, and display a campaign button or sign.
   
   
7. Since 2004, young women have led the turnout increase witnessed among young adults overall. In both 2004 and 2006, young women voted at rates seven and three points higher than young men.
   
   
8. The majority of young voters identify themselves as Democrat (47%), with 55% of young women classified as Democrats, compared to 38% of men.
   
   
9. Overall, 28% of young voters identify as Republicans, with 30% of young men categorizing themselves as Republican, compared to 26% of young women.
   
   
10. Republican identification is also highest among Caucasian youth, with 35% identifying as Republican.
    
    
11. Research shows that young voters with college experience are much more likely to vote than their non-college counterparts. Although ½ of young Americans ages 18-29 have never enrolled in college, 79% of the young voters on Super Tuesday attended college.

From DO SOMETHING:

What we're all about

Do Something believes you have the power to make a difference. It is our aim to inspire, support and celebrate a generation of doers: people who see the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. At DoSomething.org we provide the tools and resources for you to convert your ideas and energy into positive action. Be part of a generation of doers.

Five guidelines we live by:

1. Believe in teenagers. Teenagers can lead today. We don't require adults.
   
   
2. Trust teenagers. We provide reliable, easy to access information and activation strategies, but teens decide for themselves what to do.
   
   
3. Celebrate teenagers. We think all measurable contributions from teens are valuable.
   
   
4. Respect teenagers. We understand that teenagers have diverse abilities and
   constraints.
   
   
5. Value teenagers. Our programs and products are free. We're not after teens'
   money; we want their passion, time and creativity.

Aretha's 'A Change Is Gonna Come'

Aretha Franklin, 'A Change is Gonna Come'
song/lyrics by Sam Cooke

VOTE FOR CHANGE

New York... Idaho... North Carolina... and Oklahoma, I hope you are registered to vote because today is your last day to do so! If not... maybe you are going out to register on your lunch break today, or perhaps before you go out for the evening? It's a beautiful day to register!

And, for the rest of you who reside in states that still have time, have an amazing and wonderful weekend!

Alabama * California * Connecticut * Delaware * Georgia * Iowa * Kansas * Maryland * Massachusetts * Minnesota * Nebraska * New Hampshire * New Jersey * Oregon * South * * Dakota * Utah * Vermont * West Virgina * Wisconsin * Wyoming

Vote for Change

New York! Tomorrow is the very last day to register to vote! Registration must be in the mail, postmarked October 10!

You might think, "Why should I worry? New York's totally going to win for Obama". Well, it is my firm belief that every citizen should be counted, you should vote, no matter the odds! Show the numbers, let it be known, let it be a landslide, do your duty, for your community, for this country, for our world! Go go go!

VOTE FOR CHANGE

The Ecology

Marvin Gaye -- Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

The League of Conservation Voters has given John McCain’s lifetime voting record on the environment a score of 24 out of 100. The average in the Senate is somewhere in the mid 50s.

Barack Obama’s lifetime environmental voting record receives a score of 96 out of 100.

"With less than a month to go in the US Presidential Election, one debate between John McCain and Barack Obama done and another scheduled for tonight, and the only debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin completed, less than 18% of US voters consider themselves undecided.

If you’re one of these people and care about energy policy and the environment I hope comparing side-by-side the rhetoric of both major party candidates has proven useful. In past posts we’ve covered renewable energy, offshore oil drilling, nuclear power, clean coal, and global warming."

--Matthew McDermott,Treehugger.com

Click to read the full article and breakdown comparison: Toeing the Green Line: McCain v. Obama

VOTE FOR CHANGE

Google and The Chocolate Factory VOTE!

NEW YORK! ONLY FOUR DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER!

GOOGLE MAPS / VOTE! You enter your address, hit search, and BOOM! All the info you need is there at your fingertips. Your state, deadlines for registering, and website and phone info for your state's election offices. And according their site, by mid-October Google Maps Vote will also have voting location information.

Seriously, this is so easy! Let me demonstrate HOW easy, by using Google Maps Vote myself. Of course, I need to keep my semi-secret identity secret secret, so I'm going to use the address of my local chocolate factory, Jacque Torres:



Amazing, no? The General Election is delicious! Check out Jacque Torres' Political Lollipops! We stopped by last week and the caramel crunch pop is super yummy (and on the back it's stamped 'Barack the Vote').

American Girls

MY NAME IS SARAH "There are thousands of "Sarahs" across the nation who reflect America's values and share a vision for the future of our country. They're mothers, workers, educators, providers and they're voting in November for Barack Obama.

By telling these women's stories, the "My Name Is Sarah" project aims to raise awareness among women in key swing states about the compelling reasons women like them are supporting Obama for president. Read their stories, post your own Sarah Stories."

Thanks to the lovely Ilona for emailing this! Normally, I try to keep this blog as positive and forward-thinking as possible, but in the case of Sarah Palin and in light of last night's debate, I'd like to voice how much I am against this woman and her negative and backwards-thinking ways.

The America that Obama/Biden want to build is positive and forward-thinking. The nation that Sarah Palin has sought to fashion in Alaska, and wants to ultimately create in our union, is environmentally destructive and socially fear-based. But, don't just take my word for it... much thanks to a reader who sent a ton of pics of Alaskan women protesting Sarah Palin!









PS. I cannot even describe the depths in which I love Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. If you do too, check out this excellent version of An American Girl from The Old Grey Whistle Test. xoxo.

Show your support!

"When did signing on to be an artist or a writer or any kind of entertainer suddenly mean you no longer had a right to your opinion? Sure, no one wants to hear an actor or a singer or a comic book artist get political if they are uninformed about the chosen topic, but at the same time, we seem to have no problem with politicians being uninformed about their jobs. Elected officials from both sides of the aisle consistently get it wrong, backflip on their opinions, and ramble on with nothing mooring their opinions, and everyone not only lets them get away with it, but instead of firing them, we elect them for another term. How is it that Matt Damon is suddenly the voice of reason?"

--Jamie S. Rich
"SHUT UP AND DRAW?" October 1, 2008

This is an excerpt from a fantastic essay posted by my friend and former editor Jamie S. Rich on his excellent blog Confessions 123. It's a detailed and insightful response to a couple negative comments that Comics Industry for Obama had been receiving on a message board. I urge you to click the link above and go read it. It's smart, positive, and ends with a poignant remembrance of Paul Newman's legacy.
On today's theme of showing your support, I also recommend checking out DemocraticStuff.com. They've got a ridiculous amount of amazing buttons, including the smooth Coltrane inspired Jazz for Obama button above! My personal favorite is Breakfast for Obama.

Big thanks go to journalist and writer Douglas Wolk for sending me to their website (congrats on your 2008 Harvey Award!).

KNOW YOUR POLLING LOCATION!

Okay, so you registered to vote yesterday, right? That's sensational, fantastic, you are fabulously awesome, you wonderful human being you! But, now you need to actually know where you are going to vote. This is SO easy, just use VOTE411's:

POLLING PLACE FINDER

THINK you're registered?

Even if you are all ready registered, you should make sure your INFO is UP-TO-DATE. Here's a recent post from the lovely and talented Raina Telgemeier:

Unbelievably, I just realized my voter information was NOT UP TO DATE!

I've been a registered voter in New York State since 2004, so I figured I was all set for November. But I decided to confirm it anyway, because you never know. So I checked, and only THEN did I realize--hey! I've moved apartments since 2004! Would that have affected my ability to place my vote? Who knows? But this is not the kind of election where I want to take chances.

Are YOU registered?

Is YOUR personal info up-to-date?

Are you SURE?

Did you move? Get married? Change your name?

You can go here to check. Or register. Every state is different, and every state has a different deadline for submitting your registration--New York's is October 10. The website will tell you what your state's deadline is, and where to send your form. It took about 2 minutes for me to do this.

This is important, you guys. I may or may not have more to say about the election as it gets closer, but suffice it to say I've been thinking about it since early this year, even if I haven't been talking about it publicly. Just please please do it.

Thanks.

~raina

This is from Raina's LiveJournal! Check it out to keep up to date with her work, and sound perspective on events in the comics' industry. Also! She's used our 'Artists for Obama' as her avatar!

REGISTER TO VOTE! TODAY!

YOU NEED TO REGISTER TO VOTE

THIS WEEK

For many states, your deadline is only 20-30 days out from Election Day-- which is 35 days from now! Not sure what your state's deadline is? Check at DECLARE YOURSELF (http://www.declareyourself.com/voting_faq/state_by_state_info_2.html).

You can easily do it online, by mail, or you can go to your local election office to do so. Here are a few more resources:

ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

PROJECT VOTE SMART

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

DECLARE YOURSELF

ROCK THE VOTE

I am fond of Rock The Vote because when MTV launched it in 1992, I was finally 18 years old and an adult! Of course, Madonna, REM, and Deee-lite appealed to my silly senses and I found myself at a Clinton rally in St. Louis and thought myself very politically minded. Later, I filled out the Voter Registration form in person at the Webster Groves Library and was rejected because the librarian "official" who looked over my U.S. birth certificate saw 'Born Abroad' stamped on it which she found suspicious for some reason...

Had I any intel or guidance, I would have discovered that this was NOT CORRECT. Should anyone try to deter you for obscure or some reason other than what you see on many voting documents FAQs, please question another source or authority!

Twelve years and three elections later, I finally made the effort and got registered! Check out my LiveJournal post (http://spookoo.livejournal.com/11961.html) where I posted my jubliation:

"I registered to VOTE!! This is my first time voting. I did not in the last two elections because the first time I was denied registration due to my international status. The second time I felt deflated and let's be honest, I was too apathetic.

NO MORE! I'm a real citizen and I'm going to really vote. Very exciting. I registered via declareyourself.com and found that a lot easier and more informative than Rock The Vote's interface/form thing.

If you haven't registered, GO!"

--ME!
October 8, 2004

A Nation for Everybody

REGISTER TO VOTE

KNOW YOUR POLLING LOCATION

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

SPREAD THE WORD

36 DAYS LEFT TILL ELECTION DAY

Show your support!

This past Saturday, I was walking through the thronged streets of SoHo when I spotted this sidewalk vendor expressing a fantastic YES WE CAN attitude! I love it that she feels so strongly that she's handmade her sign of support for all to see.

Even if you know your state will win for Obama, I think it is such a positive endeavor to celebrate your candidate every day until Election Day! Perhaps through such public displays, you might inspire and win over a tourist from a swing state, or more likely someone who may just be lackadaisical and needs the little bit of an extra push to get out to vote!

If you want to show some colors and support, AND want to directly contribute to the Obama/Biden campaign, you can purchase support packs on the Barack Obama web-store. Prices range from $25-125!

http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/op00051-2.htm

YES, Gray's Papaya

For his part, Mr. Gray said he has never been overly concerned that his endorsements would offend customers. “Maybe I shouldn’t do it,” he said. “Maybe I shouldn’t mix business and politics. But it’s a high-traffic location, and I feel strongly about certain things.”

--Alexis Mainland
NY Times/City Room, March 3, 2008

I feel strongly about certain things too, Mr. Gray. I feel strongly that I love walking by your window and seeing your sign to Obama. I'll take the Recession Special with Mustard and a papaya, please! Thank you!

Gray's Papaya
402 Sixth Avenue at 8th Street


View Larger Map

YES WE CAN

I think I may have posted or twittered that I am an Obama Mama. Well, I am now making it officially known starting with Barack Obama's incredible "YES WE CAN".

So, it may or may not come as a surprise that I'm dedicating the next fifty days to letting my vote be public. One of the first and easiest things I am going to do is make it known online by making regular posts here and adding some of my persuasion's political flair to my websites. Did you know that there is a whole media area on Obama's site that contains all kinds of logos, images, and information for tricking out? I can't wait to use more of them!

If you want to do the same, check it out at www.barackobama.com/downloads And, if you do create something, can you please comment below and share with a URL or something so I can see it too? Thanks, that'd be amazing!

Love,

Christine

. . . the reason our campaign has always been different is because it's
not just about what I will do as President, it's also about what you,
the people who love this country, can do to change it.

That's why tonight belongs to you. It belongs to the organizers and
the volunteers and the staff who believed in our improbable journey
and rallied so many others to join.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no
matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can withstand the
power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics who will
only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks to come. We've been
asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against
offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been
anything false about hope. For when we have faced down impossible
odds; when we've been told that we're not ready, or that we shouldn't
try, or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a
simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people.

Yes we can.

-- Barack Obama