Superdelegate Math

The North Kansas City School District either didn't feel it was important to teach us the system in which we elect our President or ... this is the one I am leaning towards... they simply couldn't figure it out. Whichever the case may be, I must admit to you that every four years I think I have the voting system all figured out and then ... CURVE BALL... what, another crazy twist that takes us even further from the idealistic unrealistic

"EVERY VOTE COUNTS"!

This years curve - Superdelegates!

Superdelegates as in:
Hillary Clinton
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama
and Missouri's very own Mark Bryant.

Just a few people running for president, their spouse, friends and ... Mark Who?

So, in honor of my new SUPER knowledge
here is some SUPERDELEGATE Math:

First PROBLEM:
In Missouri
405,284 people went to the polls and voted for Obama giving him 36 delegates
minus
395,287 people went to the polls and voted for Hillary giving her 36 delegates
=
9,997 people who could have stayed warm in bed; their vote didn't count toward a delegate.

Second PROBLEM:
795 SUPERDELEGATES
divided by
795 votes cast by Superdelgetes
=
1 vote per each SUPERDELEGATE!!!

Third PROBLEM:
800,571 Missourians who voted a Democratic ticket on Feb 5th, 2008
minus the
9,997 Missourians whose vote didn't count toward a delegate
divided by the
72 allotted Democratic delegates for Missouri
=
.0000936 vote per Missouri Democratic Voter.


A Word PROBLEM:
Q. If 857,208 Floridians go to the polls and vote for Hillary, 569,041 vote for Obama, 248,604 vote for Edwards and 9,537 vote for Kucinich how many Floridians voted a Democratic ticket?

A. 1,684,390 Florida Democratic Citizens voted on January 29, 2008


Extra Credit:
1,684,390 Democratic Florida Voters
divided by
0 Delegates *
=
0 vote per Florida Democratic Voter.

Let me repeat that for the students sitting in the back of the class:

One Million, Six hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Three hundred and Ninety United States Citizens living in Florida voted on January 29, 2008 and their vote earned exactly ZERO DELEGATES!

Their vote literally doesn't count!

Recap of todays lesson:

Each Democratic Superdelegate vote counts as 1 vote.
Each Democratic Missourian vote counted as .0000936 of a vote.
Each Democratic Floridian vote counted as ZERO, Zip, Nada.

Summarization:

ALL VOTERS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL!!!!!!

* The DNC gave Florida the toughest punishment in their power due to Florida holding it's primary on January 29th which is a violation of the DNC rules that no primary can be held before February 5th. Michigan was also stripped of it's delegates for the same violation.

Take 10 for Peace

Your invited to a Peace Rally on February 12th at Sundown - 5:20pm!

I believe in nonviolence. I'm for spreading peace from the peaks of the mountains, to the edges of each continent and into the valleys of hate and sorrow.

However, this Peace Rally is for OURSELVES to foster our inner peace and strength!

Peace from all the worrying, hopelessness, fear and constant battling within ourselves....

Joanna:
I thought you were stronger then this.

Joanna's Self:
Me too.

Joanna:
Do something about it.

Joanna's Self:
Okay. Hummm...
(Dramatic Pause)
How about some chocolate?

Joanna:
NO... fool... not chocolate!

Joanna's Self
(snap)
I've got it. You want Krispy Kreme!

So, on the day that I honor my mom and dad for bringing me into this world (the same way I still spend most my days; the same way I will probably go out... kicking and screaming) I invite YOU, my family and friends and any of your family and friends... EVERYONE but naysayers, to rally together for 10 minutes of solidarity to share in our collective strength via meditation, prayer, silence... it's all good and welcome!

We will met at 5:20 at EH Young Riverfront Park, in Riverside along the path closest to the river by the flags.

We can share strength over the miles, so if your in Springfield, Rolla or any other far away land, take 10 at the same time and join us!

Not even 33 cents

I was making important decisions at the grocery store. The kind that will either satifisy your checkbook or your taste buds... Ragu or the Hunts Spagetti sauce for a dollar less.... when my ears dropped in on the conversation on up the isle.

"I think that we have enough to buy one more."

I turned (I can't help it.) to see a young man kneeling on the ground reaching up trying to hand his Miss a box of Save Mac and Cheese which was on sale for

33 cents.

Their cart was perfectly organized with their few groceries: yogart, a carton of eggs, and now a few boxes of mac and cheese.

They were still discussing their last possible expenditure as I passed them.

My empty pockets went out to them. I wished I could scounge together from the bottom of my felted purse...

$.33.

I left Festival Foods that evening with Hunts for $1.07 and No Hope. No Hope that either my finances or this young couples finance will get any better. The No Hope is complimentary of the Red, White and Blue; free of charge - no need for a coupon, no need for a food stamp.

In fact, it won't cost that young couple, or even YOU ... my friend. It won't even cost you

Thirty Three Cents!

"I am Joanna Simmons and I approve this ad."

No apples for King

My cable is off, our KC Star subscriptions has ran out but still politics surfaces, mostly into conversation. How can it not...we are all searching under our car seats for a $1.69 to buy an apple, hoping to catch the KCP&L guy before he hits our power lines, and lets not even talk about the number of answers machines "customer service" representatives from credit card companies speak to a day.

Even those of us who are not sure about the legitimacy of the system spin off hope for these few months while wannabe presidents (or wannabe reelected presidents) do their own spinning and just enough truth telling to give us a taste for something better.

It is in this state of hunger that I myself have have come to believe that a leader offering a wider vision; whose feet appear to be planted firmly beside ours can pull us out of this recession.

And it is in this state of enthusiasm that I have instigated (on purpose) conversations about Mr. Obama only to be shot down numerous times with this kind of reply,
" I am not racist BUT...."

They didn't say, "Well, I don't agree with his foreign policy."
They didn't say, "He doesn't have enough experience for me to know what he will stand for as he leads our nation."
They didn't say, "I can't really tell what he thinks about health care."

They said, "BUT". NOTHING good ever comes after a BUT.

This is how on the eve of the day our nation has set aside to honor Martin Luther King Jr. my eyes were pried open to see that not only is our society still racist but it is prospering right outside my front door.

This promised land that Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about us all arriving to... I hope he meant it in spiritual terms because in FORTY years we the people, for the people, by the people... are still people who spread hate, are still people who spread peace via bombs. As for poverty... well, all I can say is it is blind to race.

...And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as people will get to the promised land. So, I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man.
- Martin Luther King Jr., Speech in Memphis, April 3, 1968, the day before King was assassinated.

To Dragon Pearl Tea and Brownies Audrey Simmons makes her debut at the Westport Coffehouse accompanying her Uncle John Winter to "Johnny's Got A New Guitar".
Lyrics by Lisa Winter/ Music by John Winter

Watch
YOU TUBE
(Please excuse the poor quality of the movie from my digitial camera.)

John Winter on YOU TUBE with the KC Songwriters Circle

and more Johnny

Growth!

Bathroom Concert

I love to stand outside the bathroom listening to the husband sing along to the radio as he is getting ready for work.

" It goes 1 by 1 even 2 by 2 ...."

Here is real; uninhibited...

"Take a look at me now..."

..singing his heart out...

"I'm not talkin bout locking down forever, baby..."

Outside the bathroom door he feels like everyone is watching him; judging. Mostly, this is because he really is that important and secondary, he too is a judge of all others whose lives breeze by him.

After his performance he comes out smelling great and groomed like a modern-blue-collar-metro-sexual, humming the last song of his concert.

"If you want to sing out sing out..."