"A large number of Liberians and Americans agree, at least publicly, that U.S. support for a candidate in the forthcoming elections would undermine the legitimacy of the elections and raise fundamental questions about level playing field, sovereignty, legitimacy, and democracy.

They therefore prefer a U.S. hands-off approach, but history continues to remind them that unless the US approves the outcome of the October polls by its own standards, Liberia stands to face economic stagnation and political isolation as has been the case in the past..

Apparently, Bush likes elections so much that he's got to have his fingers in all of them.

The new Ani CD.... Knuckle Down...

It's like each song is so delightful that I just want to listen to it over and over again, and I have to force myself to go on to the next, and it's just as good, if not better, and again I just want to listen to that one song, and so it's a force of will to listen to the whole cd, but only because it's so very wonderful.

It's such a nice change to be able to pick up a cd and not have to skip every other song because it sucks so much. Ani never lets me down. How she keeps this stuff coming is beyond me, but I'm glad she does.

Well, I'm nervous. But I don't get nervous. But I am. How come??

Because I've committed myself to playing a song that I very recently wrote at the Vineyard Community Cafe this saturday. Am I insane?? Have I completely lost it?

Yes.

And now, though I can hardly play guitar and I can't remember the words and I'm mortified of performing, and I have precious little time left to practice....

I know that getting out of my comfort zone is important right now so I'm gonna go ahead and suck it up.

In the meantime.... practic practice practice. I need to find myself a guitar teacher.

I bought the new Ani Cd but haven't listened to it yet. I'll let you know how that goes.... I'm sure it'll be heavenly.

Here's the news so far from Iraq:

Al-Jazeera
summary of bombings on election day
voter turnout low

CNN
voter turnout high
Iraqis brave bombs to vote

Okay, if you're paying attention, you'll notice that the slants on these news stories contradict one another so strongly that you know someone has to be lying. Who is it? Who has the most to gain by reporting what they're reporting? What are the motivations behind the reporting parties??

This is an opportunity to break free of the lemming mindset. Never just believe what you read..... especially when what you read is controlled by the republi-whoops I mean government.... any government that is, not necessarily a republican one. I guess we'll find out in time what's really going on in Iraq, but one thing I know is a lot of people died today. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in a world where death threatened me and my family every day. I have compassion for those people who are trying to live in such horrific circumstances.

going to church. later