Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Braking the Blog

Gotta take a blogging break! My mind became way too wrapped up in the presidential campaign, threatening to morph me into something unrecognizable........H-E-L-P........I'm falling inward......good-bye, cruel world.......!!
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As always, it was a privilege to vote. I'm especially proud to tell you that one of the "YES" ovals I blackened helps to remove the words "idiot" and "insane" from the Iowa constitution in the article which states that a person deemed to be an "idiot" or "insane" is not allowed to vote. Those two words are to be replaced with the phrase, "mentally incompetent". As I watched the Iowa election results, I noticed that this sensible constitutional revision to modernize the state constitution passed----80% to 20%. However, that 20% amounted to something like 106,000 Iowans voting "NO"!!?? Why would anyone vote "NO" on this? How very......um......idiotic!! Maybe they'd better throw open the doors of those old insane asylums thoughout the state.......
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At our voting site we used paper ballots on which we filled in ovals with a black marker. Kind of like the old Iowa Basic Skills tests in school. Did you vote that way, too? If not, and if you have time, mention in a comment how your voting was done.
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Yes......absolutely......after tomorrow's Blog Blast For PEACE blogpost, I will be putting the brakes on writing blogposts for awhile and will spend time visiting other blogs. I think lightning knocked out my memory card reader this morning, anyhow.........surely, THAT'S a sign from above that I should give the blog a rest for awhile.......!
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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, Jeannelle, sometimes it's a good thing to take a break. We'll be here when you get back.

I voted paper too. In the old punch booths...which were SO the wrong height for filling out scantron pages. They had electronic booths too...but the lines were long for them.

Anonymous said...

I hear that Jeannelle. I've been taking a break, though caused by my back rather than being emotionally exhausted by this election season. I love the pic of the pumpkin. They sometimes look more funny when they start to collapse! I tried to catch up on reading most of your posts from the week, but I surely missed some. Just too many out there to cover and I can't sit for long yet with this back.

Anonymous said...

I just discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago, Jeannelle, and have shared the link with others. And now you're taking a break? Well, that will give me time to go back and read from the beginning. I'm a slow reader, but don't be away too long, okay? And keep taking pictures.

Laura ~Peach~ said...

I voted on a computer with a cool touch screen... thats how we have voted here for the last 2 elections.
You have my email feel free to use it while taking a break... and of course come back soon cause I will MISS YOU!
Hugs Laura

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

I voted by the same method you did.

I love that pumpkin photo. I've felt like that at times.

Do what you need to do re. the blog.

Dr.John said...

But I enjoy reading your blog sp don't take too long a vacation.

rhymeswithplague said...

We have had touch-screen voting since 2006. Very "now" and very high-tech. Unfortunately, no paper copy is produced, so the results are whatever the computer or the person who programmed/controls it says they are. Some are working to have this oversight, if it was an oversight, remedied.

MAYBELLINE said...

Paper ballot with bubbles!
What on earth is wrong with idiot or insane?

Jeannelle said...

kacey,

So was there a concern about "hanging chads" with the paper and punching? And, you mentioned the electronic voting machines, too, which I've never seen. Thanks....its interesting to hear about the various ways to vote.

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Sherry,

Sorry to hear about your back! Take good care and get better soon. Sleep with a pillow under your knees.

Yes, I just love watching the jack-o-lanterns "age"!!

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Hi, Bob Miller,

Thank you for visiting here and for your kind comment! I really do need to go read other blogs for awhile.....I'm addicted to blogging my own stuff and taking photos. Its definitely a disease. Now, everywhere I go I see things that might make a photo scene and a blogpost starts forming in my head. Every one of you bloggers know what I mean.....we all have the bug!

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Laura,

Your comments are so sweet and encouraging!

And, you voted on the touch screen....it must be like ClubWedd screens at Target, maybe?

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Ruth,

You blackened ovals, too.....I wonder if each state uses the same method at all the precincts in the state. We did the ovals in 2004, and it was still the switches and lever voting machine in 2000, I think. It was fun pulling the lever....I kind of miss that.

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dr. john,

Well, thank you for your kind words, too! And, thank you for visiting here!

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rhymsie,

What are you saying.....the voting results are decided by someone else?? I think maybe I like our coloring the ovals better. Although, the ovals get sucked into a padlocked box, and I always hope everything is honest in there!

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Hi, maybelline,

You must mean you darken ovals, too....perhaps.

The words "idiot" and "insane" are from the 1800's, I'm sure, and very outdated now.....I mean as words to describe conditions that are covered under the field of psychiatric medicine now. I'm sure that's the reason for the change to "mentally incompetent"....it's a better understood description for this day and age.

"You can't vote because you're an idiot".....just doesn't sound exactly right anymore. They might start turning ALL of us away!!

And did I hear that California had an amendment question on the ballot.....about defining marriage?

Jeannelle said...

OH, YOU ALL, I HAD A MILESTONE EXPERIENCE TODAY.......WHEN I WAS IN THE CHECKOUT AISLE AT THE GROCERY STORE.....THE TEENAGE CHECKOUT BOY ASKED IF I QUALIFIED FOR THE "SENIOR DISCOUNT". FIRST TIME THAT'S EVER HAPPENED. IT DID NOT MAKE MY DAY!

I TEXTED MY DAUGHTER AND TOLD HER. SHE WORKS RETAIL AND SHE ASSURED ME THAT ONLY THE COOLEST PEOPLE GET ASKED ABOUT SENIOR DISCOUNTS. AND, SHE SAID, "MOM, TODAY'S WEDNESDAY.....THEY ALWAYS ASK THAT ON WEDNESDAYS. SOMEHOW THAT DID NOT MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.

DesertHen said...

Sometimes a little break is a good thing...but don't stay away to long....I'll miss you!!!

I voted on the electronic touch screen voting machines. They are so dang cool to use!!

DesertHen said...

Oh and that pumpkin looks just like I feel right now!!

Jeannelle said...

Hi, deserthen,

Caught your comment right before I turned off the computer for the night.

So, you got to use the high-tech touch-screen, too! I'm curious now to know if Iowa uses those at all. See, I'm wondering if and entire state uses the same type of voting machine. I'll have to look that up.

Yes.....the wrinked pumpkin face.....I don't know if you saw my comment above yours....about the grocery checkout kid offering me a SENIOR DISCOUNT today. First time that's EVER happened to me.....its very depressing.....my face will sink in even faster now!

Pat - Arkansas said...

I'm playing catch up, Miss J. Love the pumpkin! All too many mornings, I feel like that one looks!

I've said here before: Break if you need to do so, but don't stay away too long!