a third-party vote is the most meaningful vote

Most of my friends are die-hard Democrats and have been duped by the media into these twin notions of a 'wasted vote' and a vote for one person leading to another person winning. So, let's make attempt #487 to debunk these outright falsehoods:

• There is no such thing as a wasted vote. To even call a voted wasted is insulting to the notion of people's opinions actually mattering in an election. If you vote for someone and they lose, that's not a wasted vote. If you vote for someone that gets very few votes, that's not a wasted vote.
• A vote for Person C doesn't help another Person A win unless you would have voted for Person B. The Democrats love to blame Ralph Nader for Bush winning in 2000, but it's probably the most thoroughly debunked theory in the history of politics. The easiest statistic to debunk it is that 25% of ALL registered Democrats in Florida voted for Bush. Nader made no difference and I've yet to meet a Nader voter than would have voted for Gore.
  

Because the system is rigged to favor the two major parties, both of whom are virtually indistinguishable if you actually sit down and think about where they both stand on the issues that really matter, the most meaningful vote if you care about the long-term survival and happiness of our nation is a vote for a 3rd party candidate. The more votes that go to 3rd parties, the more chance they have in the future to overcome the built-in obstacles to being allowed to actually participate in the process.

Despite what most people think, we have a one-party system, not a two-party system. Neither party really cares who wins because they are all scratching each other's backs and they both win no matter what the outcome of any given election. The status quo is perfectly fine for them and as long as they take turns being in power, it really doesn't matter who wins any given election. The moneyed interests that support both of them virtually equally also don't really care who wins, because they'll get their corporate welfare and their handouts eventually.

The most important issue in this election and any Presidential election is who is going to end the massive amount of death and suffering around the world that is caused by our military and economic interference in more than 100 countries. Neither candidate and neither party has been interested in that for almost a century. The second most important issue is who is going to end the unholy alliance between government and corporations that has led to untold suffering and hardship in this country for decades. Virtually everything that is wrong with the country, from health to crime to poverty to economic inequality has been directly caused by this unholy alliance. Neither candidate and neither party will end this.

Vote 3rd party whenever possible. It most likely will make no direct difference in this election or maybe the next few elections, but the more votes that go to 3rd parties, the more chance we have to get our voices heard and have real debate, change, and progress in the country. Think of the long-term, not just the next election. Look at other countries where there is healthy political dialog and courageous change and none of them are two-party systems (or one-party systems).

No matter who gets elected, we're equally fucked. We'll still have troops in over 100 countries, we'll still have huge deficits, we'll still have subsidized agriculture that causes us to be the most unhealthy nation in the world, we'll still have gigantic corporate bailouts, we'll still be passing unconstitutional laws on a daily basis, and so on.

End the madness.

serf to surf balm

I'll state up-front that this is a product that I'm also selling in my online store (a recent hobby of mine), but you'll just have to trust me that I'm touting the product because of my belief in it.

Serf to Surf sells a bewildering array of balms for anything from sun protection to dry skin to wound healing to hair care. I've been using their products for more than 5 years and have yet to find something that uses all natural ingredients with no artificial fragrances or chemicals and is also incredibly effective. In the winter, the backs of my hands would get so dry that they would crack and actually bleed. No lotion or balm I could find ever provided anything but temporary relief. But Serf to Surf Essentials did the trick.

After a shower, I put it on my face every day, and in the winter, also use it on my hands or any other areas of skin that are especially dry. When I have a cut or scrape, I apply it to the wound and put a bandage over it and it really does speed the healing process and prevent infection (in my experience).

All the products are hand-made in British Columbia and come in reusable and recyclable metal tins. The product is typically in a round 'puck' form, so you can pop it out of the container and rub it wherever you need it and then put it back in the container. They come in a variety of natural and very pleasant scents.

You can buy them directly from Serf to Surf or I have the Essentials product line available (including a free sample) in my online store.