Saturday, September 27, 2008

My Favorite Part of the Debate



0:40: Obama quotes Kissinger as saying that we should meet with Iran without preconditions. He did not quote Kissinger as saying "meet at a presidential level."

0:53: McCain begins to steam.

0:58: McCain: "Kissinger didn't say that he would approve a meeting face to face between the president of the United States and Ahmadinejad." Obama: "Of course not." McCain: "He said that they should be at the lower level. I always incouraged them."

Actually, Kissinger wanted a higher level meeting. So, McCain lies again.

1:40: McCain totally looses it.

This is a transcript of what Kissinger said:

KISSINGER: Well, I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiation is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East, and our notion on nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it. And, therefore, I actually have preferred doing it at the secretary of state level so that we -- we know we're dealing with authentic...

(CROSSTALK)

SESNO: Put at a very high level right out of the box?

KISSINGER: Initially, yes. And I always believed that the best way to begin a negotiation is to tell the other side exactly what you have in mind and what you are -- what the outcome is that you're trying to achieve so that they have something that they can react to.

(Read the whole transcript here)

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I'm an American Citizen! Now I Can Get Welfare!!!

.

It was very exciting, and I'm thrilled to death. I've been waiting for this for years, and I can't believe that I won't need to go to that wretched building to renew my green card and to shovel more money ever again! I mean, the Russian guard was nice, but some of those old ladies at the windows were very grumpy.

The oath ceremony was yesterday at 12:30, and, to be honest, it was way lame. I had so many expectations. I mean, I've seen in movies when people give their oath in front of the Statue of Liberty, and there are thousands of people, and the whole thing is very emotional and impressive, and what not.


(Look! They even have the guys with the funny hats. I didn't have that!!)

Well, this is how my ceremony went:

We had to sit at the waiting room of the Immigration and Naturalization building in Salt Lake City. There were approximately 40 of us. Some little guy stood in front of us and started talking while the people who accompanied those who were giving the oath were passing the metal detector. I could barely hear the little guy, even though I was siting right next to him. He told us how we should get our passport as soon as we went home, because we were expected to travel as American citizens from now on. Then someone asked "what if I need to travel sooner than when my passport comes?"

"Well," said the little guy, "that will be a problem."

(That Russian lady didn't seem too happy to be there)

He then explained that we needed to stand and raise our right arm. He then said:

"You swear that everything you wrote on this... on this paper... on this form is true, that to the best of your knowledge is true... say yes."

We said yes.

"Ok, now I'm going to read the oath. When I get to 'So help me God' say 'I do.'"

He read the oath, and we said "I do."

(They made us swear!)

(The little guy giving us some funky moves)

"Ok, now get your certificate and leave through the back door. Thank you."

I got my certificate and left through the back door.

(I am happy in this picture. It's just that someone was trying to walk by, and that the certificate says "It is punishable by law to copy, print, or photograph this certificate." So I was worried about breaking the law in a federal building... in front of the little guy.)

Geoff, Chad, Heather, and Maura then joined us and we went for pizza and calzones, which in Spanish means "panties."

It was an awesome day!