BBC NEWS | Americas | US Elections 2008 | Obama ‘to rebuild crumbling US’.

US President-elect Barack Obama has promised to invest in infrastructure on a scale not seen since the 1950s, when the US highway system was established.

He used his weekly address to outline that the spending would be part of his plan to create at least 2.5m new jobs in the ailing US economy.

He also spoke of the need for expanded access to high-speed internet and the modernisation of school buildings.

Unemployment rose by more than 500,000 during November, figures have shown.

That was the biggest monthly rise in job cuts since 1974, and it drove up the jobless rate to a 15-year high of 6.7%, up from 6.5% in October.

The figures came less than a week after the National Bureau for Economic Research said the US economy had been in recession since late 2007.

Mr Obama, who takes office on 20 January, has previously said that his incoming team will be tasked with generating 2.5m new jobs by 2011.

Broadband drive

On Saturday, speaking in his weekly address, Mr Obama outlined how most of that employment might be created.

We will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s,” he said.

“We’ll invest your precious tax dollars in new and smarter ways, and we’ll set a simple rule – use it or lose it. If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money.”

The president-elect said that broadband internet connections in the US should be available to schoolchildren and hospitals.

“In the country that invented the internet, every child should have the chance to get online and… that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world,” he said.

School buildings, he continued, would be modernised and upgraded to make them energy-efficient.

The new administration, he added, would launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs.

“Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world – we need to change that,” he said.

I don’t mind the spending, and I love his “use it or lose it” although to my knowledge it’s always been that way. If money isn’t spent this year, you get less next year and what you don’t get, get’s diverted to another area. I thought that was why I saw my own city replacing things that didn’t need replacing (to my untrained eyes), so the money would be there next year in case they do need it for something more important. I could be wrong.

I lvoe that he is looking to create 2.5 million jobs. I don’t even know what those jobs are, but frankly, it doesn’t matter. I think I’d take a job as a street sweeper if I was out of work long enough and hungry enough.

I am still very excited about Obama. I truly believe he will bring us back around.

I cried last night, well, teared up at the least, because President Elect Obama’s grandmother wasn’t here to see him be the choice of the people. Because he was overwhelmingly the choice of the people. This wasn’t the “too close to count” race of 2000. This wasn’t the disappointment of 2004. This was an overwhelming outpouring of support.

He gave a speech worthy of ID4, a speech I hope they will be replaying for days, weeks, to come.

I haven’t written much on him. I truly believe he is our every man. We’ve elected someone who is young and has most of America’s interest at heart (most, because obviously, not everyone wants what he wants, I’m OK with that).

I am bowled over with happiness that McCain/Palin did not get this honor. Why? Their politics scare me. Their belief in god (big G, little g, it matters not) scares me. No god should be in charge of America. Look where it’s gotten us.

We may not see positive change this term (I would be shocked), but it is being set into motion. As early as today it is being set into motion.

I woke Dorian up last night because he wanted to stay up, but I knew it would be too late. I told him Mr. Obama won and will be our next president. I feel a little bit safer, better, more secure for my children’s futures today. It’s a little bit brighter outside. My heart is a little bit lighter.

Sure, sure. We as a people helped make history last night, but frankly, that would have happened either way (by way of a not 100% white man being elected, or by way of someone with a uterus being elected). What our country did was put aside most of it’s differences. What our country did was really take a look around and understand that we can’t keep on the path we’re on. So we’re going to veer a little bit now. We’ll head in the right direction yet.

My generation looked past the colour of that man’s skin. I cannot wait to what change the next generation brings, and the one after that.

First of all, I bet Mxxx is hispanic, so WTF and second of all, why are six year olds worried about the colour of our presidents skin? Why are their parents pushing that bullshit on them?

I told Malachai we should vote based on who believes what we believe (and I explained about taxes, the war and same-sex marriage, albeit briefly) and not based on the colour of thei skin. It shouldn’t matter at all, and I pointed out that my skin is all sorts of different colours. He looked confused for half a second, and then told me my skin is lots of colours because I have tattoos. I said that’s right, and just because I have tattoos doesn’t mean I have to vote for a president that has them too.

I am ready to pull my money away from BoA and keep it stuffed in my mattress. Yet again we have been assessed an overdraft because the computer thought we might overdraft, not because we did.

A restaurant put a hold that had to be (again) twice the amount of the bill on the card. Why? Because the charge including tax was 40$ and I had about 40$ left in the account when that charge went through.

BoA claims we “spent” the money because of the huge hold, and they also claim (and have been for months now) that online customers will be able to see said holds the same way they can in India, or wherever my call gets routed to when I call the 800 number.

I say we didn’t spend the money, obviously, because I didn’t *actually* overdraft. Michael is going down to the bank to take care of this… I had him call and I was pissed off from his side of the conversation. I won’t do well in public.

What’s kind of funny is that because of their overdraft fee, I will actually overdraft because I balance down to the dollar and my bills are about to all go to their respective places to be paid.

Can I toll you how much I hate the bank? Any bank.

Original story in Norwegian.

Blog post where it was translated to English.

Mary lacked money to fly home to Norway – he saved her love

ÅSGÅRDSTRAND (VG): Mary was a newlywed and ready to move to Norway, but was stopped at the airport because she didn’t have enough money for the trip. Then a stranger turned up and paid for her.

Mary Menth Andersen was 31 years old at the time and had just married Norwegian Dag Andersen. She was looking forward to starting a new life in Åsgårdstrand in Vestfold with him. But first she had to get all of her belongings across to Norway. The date was November 2nd, 1988.
At the airport in Miami things were hectic as usual, with long lines at the check-in counters. When it was finally Mary’s turn and she had placed her luggage on the baggage line, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.
-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.
Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.
-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.

Although she explained the situation to the man behind the counter, he showed no signs of mercy.
-I started to cry, tears were pouring down my face and I had no idea what to do. Then I heard a gentle and friendly voice behind me saying, That’s OK, I’ll pay for her.
Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.
-He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?
Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.
-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.
She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.

The piece of paper said ‘Barack Obama’ and his address in Kansas, which is the state where his mother comes from. Mary carried the slip of paper around in her wallet for years, before it was thrown out.
-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.
She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.
In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.
In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes**:
‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States senator’.
The parents sent the letter on to Mary.

This week VG met her and her husband in the café that she runs with her friend Lisbeth Tollefsrud in Åsgårdstrand.
-It’s amazing to think that the man who helped me 20 years ago may now become the next US president, says Mary delightedly.
She has already voted for Obama. She recently donated 100 dollars to his campaign.
She often tells the story from Miami airport, both when race issues are raised and when the conversation turns to the presidential elections.
-I sincerely hope the Americans will see reason and understand that Obama means change, says Mary.

*Not at all sure about this part of the translation. The Norwegian word used is ‘miljøarbeider’, I don’t know what the exact English word for that is or even if there is one, and I don’t know enough about Obama to say what job of his they’re talking about.
**This is my translation of the reporter’s translation of the letter. From English to Norwegian and back to English. So obviously it is not correct word for word.

Photo is Mary and her husband with the letter from Senator Obama.

One of the moms from Punky Moms posted this and I wante dto share the love. This is the kind of person (male or female) I want in office. Someone who cares enough to do this sort of thing is going to care enough to do all sorts of other small, but important, things.

Oct. 7, 2008 | “My government is my worst enemy. I’m going to fight them with any means at hand.”

This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right? Imagine what Sarah Palin is going to do with this incendiary quote as she tears into Barack Obama this week.

Only one problem. The quote is from Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American who founded the Alaska Independence Party. Inconveniently for Palin, that’s the very same secessionist party that her husband, Todd, belonged to for seven years and that she sent a shout-out to as Alaska governor earlier this year. (“Keep up the good work,” Palin told AIP members. “And God bless you.”)

The Palins’ un-American activities | Salon.

I’ve been eerily quite these past few weeks on McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden. Why? There was just so much, I couldn’t pick just one! So I give up. I’ll be inundating with links to blogs, stories, you name it, and my prattle about it (even though I am neither foolish nor inconsequential, I know there aren’t that many listing to my go on about it).

Palin jsut scares me. My take? McCain has her saying all sorts of nonesense that he knows he can’t smile and “you betcha” his way out of.

Vogler wasn’t just a blowhard either. He put his secessionist ideas into action, working to build AIP membership to 20,000 — an impressive figure by Alaska standards — and to elect party member Walter Hickel as governor in 1990.

Vogler’s greatest moment of glory was to be his 1993 appearance before the United Nations to denounce United States “tyranny” before the entire world and to demand Alaska’s freedom. The Alaska secessionist had persuaded the government of Iran to sponsor his anti-American harangue.

How could the fact that Palin’s husband was associated with this party go unnoticed by McCain? How did the McCain campaign think it wouldn’t matter if they did know about it?

I obviously do not understand Joe Six-Pack (can you get more offensive? really, can you? From any interpretation, it’s offensive) can want this team in office. I can’t understand why he can’t pick up a paper or read something other than Fox news online. I’m really stumped. I’m not a graduate from Harvard. I went to Art Institute. You know, where they take you as long as you can pay them.

I think the difference is, I read. I want the status quo to change. I want my daughter to have the same rights my mother had, not a throw back to the rights my great-grandmother had.I want my children to grow up not afraid of the climate or going outside or that the energy is going to run out. I want them to know the value of a dollar, not the value of an inflated dollar that you can’t but a pack of gum with. I’m not saying Obama is the answer, but he’s more of the answer than McCain is, who really is just more of the same.

I want to be able to hug another woman without it being more than a hug. I don’t have that relationship in my home with anyone other than my husband and my kids. I don’t hug my gram, or my aunts. If you know me, I’m not generally a touching kind of person so most people probably don’t think this matters at all to me, but… I really miss hugging my mom. I try to hug Sara now and then for this very reason.

When Passover was over last year, I bought something like a hundred yarzeit candles, because I got them for a quarter a piece and I’m never going to not need them.

I don’t know where I am going with this. It just hit me, so this is what poured out.

Does it matter? Are you going to vote McCain just because he chose a woman? I bet he’s hedging his bets on that. I bet over half the Repub party is as well.

Think on this: what exactly does the VP do other than pointedly not be wherever the President is? Yes, the VP is slated to take over if the Pres is incapacitated, but that has happened, I think, six times in our entire history of having a United States president. The last time it happened was Nixon, due to death it was Kennedy, and prior to that it was I think Roosevelt. I’m not positive. There have been many times the VP has gone on to become President in a succeeding election, but is it worth the risk to hope for that outcome? Wait, is it worth the risk if you both want a female president and agree with her politics? I don’t agree with her politics from what I have read *only* today, so I am kind of talking out of my ass there. I am not well-read on her as yet.

I live in Florida. They are using real paper ballots this year (scantron even!) but I am hedging my bets that they find a way to set the storage facility on fire before they are run/tallied or they accidentally fall into a chipper-shredder on the way there or something. I’ll be voting, but it certainly will not based on what is hiding or dangling between someone’s legs.

I tell my husband to get up, we need to go to the bank. He asks me if I can just call. After some banter back and forth, I give up and call. I get a man on the phone who insists that if I kept a registry I wouldn’t overdraft (mind you, I keep track of my bank account via Quicken, multiple times a day. I’m kind of fanatic about it.) and it’s obviously my fault and that I can’t see what they can see, so I can’t see where I *might have* overdrafted.

Wait, back up. Might have? I might have overdrafted, so the bank too seventy of my dollars because I might have overdrafted? I handed the phone to my husband, whilst continuing to rant in the background. I was pissed. He wound up talking to the guy, getting the same story (in addition to being told to find out what anyplace is authorizing the card for… who tells you that information?) and hanging up. We went to the bank.

On the way to the bank out of my mouth comes “well, you might die today, so let me kill you and collect the insurance money.” He looks at me. I look at him. Well, isn’t that what the bank did? We might have overdrafted, so they took the money anyway. He asks me to keep my voice down in the bank. I offer to keep quiet all together.

We get to the bank, and Beverly, who we have worked with before, takes us back and fixes this in a matter of moments. She explains why it took the overdrafts (the computer saw them, probably due to a restaurant running/authorizing the card for more than it should have to account for a tip [many places do this, but the restaurant in question had to run it in excess of 200% of the bill to cause this mess] and while it didn’t clear for that amount, they issued the overdrafts based on the pending amount… which is fucked up in it’s own right.) and refunded them on the spot. Problem solved, until next time I guess.

So lesson learned: be careful using your debit card anyplace that secures a larger amount than the cost.