A San Jose family placed a large “Yes on 8” banner on the front of their house, after their “Yes on 8” yard signs were recently stolen.

To counter the sign, supporters of marriage equality parked an SUV in front of the house with the words “Bigots Live Here” emblazoned on the rear window, with an arrow pointing toward the house.

The Sundstroms are Mormon. At the behest of their leaders in Utah, Mormons here and throughout the country are working hard to pass Proposition 8, donating nearly 10 million so far. Many going as far as taking a second mortgage out on their homes or withdrawing their savings to fund their cause.

And the Sundstroms donated $30,000 to Yes on Prop 8. Yesterday.

These are unintended consequences and we are hurting ourselves.

Not good for us.

After watching John McCain in the first presidential debate pander about how much he cared about veterans, I found his statements so disingenuous I decided to put together this video highlighting the hypocrisy of his words.

The references cited in the video are detailed below:

McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650 million. (8/1/2001)

McCain voted against establishing a VA reserve fund to treat veterans. (3/10/2004)

McCain voted against increasing VA medical services funding. (3/14/2006)

McCain was one of 13 Republicans to vote against $430 million for VA outpatient care and facilities. (4/26/2006)

It’s my first campaign-style video, so please be kind. I’ve also got one on Sara Palin in the works I hope to post soon.

You’d have to hiding out in Osama Bin Laden’s cave to miss the truly Shakespearean theatre that played across the political landscape today.

John McCain is suspending his campaign to go to Washington and confront the economic crisis he had no small role in creating. And if a bi-partisan bail out isn’t in the cards before the debate on Friday, said debate is canceled.

What?

Obama responded that now is the time the country needs to hear from our leaders, and in so many words, prove that they can talk and chew gum at the same time.

John… really?

Why suspend the campaign when your second can step in and fill the gap, just like she would if something happened to you in office. Don’t you have confidence in her abilities, John?

McCain’s camp has now suggested postponing the debate to October 2, sidelining the VP debate scheduled for the same evening to some undetermined date in the future.

Yes. Really.

Here’s my advice for Obama. Don’t fall for it. Go to Mississippi. Set up another podium or leave an empty chair for McCain. Scrap the debate format and do a town hall instead. Take questions from the crowd. Both friendly and hostile. Hold the town hall meeting McCain always wanted, but with him MIA.

Then cut back to McCain napping or getting his face made over by a $5000 makeup artist from American Idol. Or if McCain is nowhere to be found, perhaps shots of Palin at a local church leveling charges of witchcraft at those who would question her foreign policy experience.

Shakespeare would be proud.

Well, we are finally back in the states. It’s always nice to get away, but somehow nicer to get home. Having visited Sydney once before, I think it’s safe to say it’s a place where we could easily live, if it weren’t for those pesky immigration laws… Auckland on the other hand, would require another visit to be sure.

Coming back from Sydney via Auckland is a fifteen hour plus journey, and it afforded me plenty of time to reflect on our trip. Below is a list of the more interesting tidbits we learned over the course of our stay…

1. Pedestrians seem to have no rights in Sydney, and Auckland fewer still.
2. There are so many Thai restaurants in Sydney, it’s clear they are running out of names… some of them include: Thainatown, Thainesia, Thaifoon, Spice I Am, Bad Thai Kitchen… I could go on.
3. Aussies and NZ love their football, err I mean rugby, err is there a difference? And after catching a few games on the tele, it’s easy to understand why.
4. Weather men (and women) are just a clueless as they are back home. Maybe more so.
5. And on the odd chance they did get it right, the showers were never scattered, they were simply “odd”.
6. No one has an iPhone. No… really.
7. Choose your lodging carefully – internet access can be a bitch.
8. A decent brekki will run you $20 minimum.
9. The hosts on the NZ morning shows are a surly lot.
10. Unfortunately the Kylie Minogue Museum is in Melbourne, not Sydney

Well, that is all. I hoped you enjoyed the posts and pictures during our trip. Now it’s back to business as usual.

Hillary… why are you still in the race? 🙂