The Presidential election this year seems to have created more interest and participation from the general public than in years past. Both the younger and older generation seem to be prepared to cast their votes in numbers as never before. Sadly this rally is most probably be due to the desperate state of our economy, and the terrible cost both in terms of human lives as well as the billions spent on our involvement in too many wars. I myself have never been particularly politically involved, but this time around I have a very firm opinion as to who should be our next President.
Oddly enough I am also involved to a very small degree in a local political campaign. A friend of mine Janis Akuna is running for a place on the Board of Education, and knowing the dire state of our public education I was happy to volunteer to help her in any way that I could. Janis has a keen social conscience, and the intelligence and experience to back it up (please visit her website Janisakuna.com to learn more about her and her goals), and I know that she would be an incredible asset to BOE. She is truly committed to improving the public educational system here, with no ulterior motives, such as using the position as a steppingstone to other public offices – which is so often the case. For me, it has truly been an eye opener to see the type of commitment in both time and personal money, which it takes to get oneself elected to office. In order to get one’s name out there, and registered in people’s minds especially if one has never run before takes a tremendous amount of effort – emails, banners, flyers, ads, even T-shirts– a stream of constant repetition, to get one’s name familiarized. Whatever help Janis gets is all on a volunteer basis, and to keep the engine fueled when we are all so busy already with work and family is not an easy task. Now with the elections almost at hand she is out sign waving twice a day for 3 hours at a time, both at morning drive and also during the evening rush hour – choosing high traffic areas all over the island. I who participate in either a morning or evening stint cannot imagine doing this twice a day for two weeks!
So, may I ask that you visit her website Janisakuna.com and see what a potential goldmine is available to the BOE. Afterwards if you believe in what you read, please when it comes time to cast your vote for the Board of Education at Large, please vote for Janis Akuna. I can assure you that you will not be sorry.
Tags: Board of Education, Board of Education at Large, BOE, Education, elections, Janis Akuna, janisakuna.com, political campaign, politics, public education
October 27th, 2008
Today women can be anything they want. You only have to look in any field and you can see how many women are leading the pack. Indra Nooyi (CEO of PepsiCo) Meg Whitman (CEO and President Ebay) Ann Moore (Chairman and CEO Times Inc) Judy McGrath (CEO and Chairman MTV, Viacom Groups), Oprah Winfrey (Chairman Harpo Inc), etc. etc. and of course first and foremost in our minds right now, the likes of Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin in politics.
Shouldn’t this all be cause for encouragement? We, as women should be celebrating! However, as is so clearly illustrated by the news of how much money was spent on Sarah Palin’s appearance upon her nomination for the Vice Presidency; the new message is still the old message. Appearances, especially for women count! Sarah Palin the good old soccer Mom who equates with all women, especially those of the middle class was not good enough as she was – though we are supposed to believe it was merely her appearance and not her brain that needed a thorough make-over. In my opinion it should have been the other way around given her antiquated ideas of “the atrocity of abortion,” even in the case of rape victims, along with her ideas of abstinence only education, to name just a few. I feel the money would have been better spent on giving her some higher education; enlightenment of the brain would have been a more worthy campaign expenditure. However, be that as it may, an astounding $150,000 and counting was spent to make her look more Vice Presidential. And true to her nickname the Caribou Barbie, she was the ultimate doll; dressed by a professional stylist, her hairstyle chosen by an equally adept hairdresser, even her eyeglass frames (Kawasaki 704’s that start at $375) – they were all selected for her. Furthermore her face must have been in need of a lot of attention given that her make-up artist Amy Strozzi was paid $22,800 for 2 weeks work, and is now included as part of her entourage.
So with this news, we truly see the hypocrisy of it all. Had the soccer Mom Sarah Palin appeared before us in the Vice Presidential debates, and all the rest of her public appearances, would she have been taken seriously as the potential president in waiting? But now clothed to suit the public image of the position she hopes to attain, should she be considered any the more capable? And what happens once Nov. 4 election is over and her clothes are all donated to charity (as they profess), who will be left the soccer Mom or the Barbie? Let’s hope that the choice never has to be made with regard to the Vice President of the United States, it’s frightening enough to think of it in terms of a private citizen!
Tags: barbie, caribou barbie, mom, palin, politics, sara palin, sarah palin, soccer mom, vice president, women
October 25th, 2008