I am in awe of the commitment of RISE in Los Angeles currently camped out at Olvera St. on the 8th day of a hunger strike. They are fasting until one million people pledge to vote on Nov. 4 in support of immigrant rights.

Budget Gnomes brought to you by Katywhumpus. It just couldn't go without recognition here at KL!

Education didn't get much attention in the presidential debates, but it will get 100% of the attention in tomorrow night's debate between the candidates' educational advisors.

If you are interested in hearing more about each candidate's educational platform, the debate will be webcast by Education Week at 7pm.  You can register here to watch it live.  There will be a video archive available on Wednesday.

Know your candidates and their plans for taking care of our future leaders!

Here's the clip from Meet The Press:

John McCain apparently thinks that a life and health of the mother exception is an "extreme pro-abortion position."

 Here's what our good friends at Feministing have to say about it and the clip from the debate last night.

Know what I think? I think you should go to the website of your favorite woman's reproductive health organization like Western Mass' Tapestry Health, or Planned Parenthood or NARAL and make a donation for John McCain. On Tapestry and PP's site you can even make a donation in John McCain's name and a note acknowledging the donation will be sent to him. What better way to tell him that you "value" your health and life.

Here is the address to put in: 

McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street
1st Floor
Arlington , VA 22202

Take a break from the 24 hour news cycle and have a look at what our fellow liberal knitters are up to. A quick search on Ravelry for key words Obama, Hope and Change found lots and lots of original creations. Here are a few. (The links go to Ravelry - apologies to those of you who aren't members)

My Jewish Grandma is Voting for Obama by LisaAnne

Encouraging Hope Hats by tikkunknitter

Bark Obama Dog Sweater by Mysavannahcottage.etsy.com

Yes We Can! (No he McCaint) by LisaAnne

Yes We Can Coffee Cup Cozy by Galnoir

Yes We Can Socks (in progress) by Himalaya

 I'm so proud of my fellow knitters who have channeled their creativity (and maybe a bit of frustration too) into these amazing creations.

Are you freakin' kidding me? Yesterday, not only did the woman flat out lie about the Troopergate report and claim that McCain would end the abuses of power she was just cited for by a majority Republican committee, but she also had the gall to wear a polar bear pin. A POLAR BEAR!

 She, who is fighting to keep polar bears off the endangered list, and doesn't believe that their habitat is endangered. She wears some ugly-ass bedazzled jewelry, but now I am really offended.

What a horrible individual.

ps - Read what her own Anchorage paper has to say about Palin's "Orwellian spin" on Troopergate.

One of my favorite artists, Nikki McClure, is giving away a poster of her Vote! image through the, also wonderful, buyolympia.com.

Remind everyone of the power of making our voices heard in November.  Click on the picture above to get one for yourself and display it for all to see.

Harriet Christian: Meet Your New Friends.

Now that desperation is hitting, the nutjob racists are coming out of the woodwork. I feel like I have watched this movie before...maybe sometime in the spring.

And McCain and Palin are not just courting them - they are inciting them - in angry mobs.

They need to be called out for condoning hate speech happening right in front of them at their rallies and encouraging hatred. 

Clearly McCain heard the person shouting "Kill Him" because his face reacted in a pursed-lip, slighty disapproving look - a "who ate the last cookie?" look, not a "did you just threaten to murder my opponent?" look. Then he just continued on without commenting, ironically calling Obama "angry." And Palin is, of course, stumping all around insinuating that Obama is a terrorist.

This has been a long campaign season and just when I think I couldn't be more disgusted, I am.

 Bill Scher at OurFuture.org sees an interesting silver-lining to the economic crisis that has to do with the racism. I still feel sick, though.

[Edited] - Check it: Harriet Christian rears her head - like Putin! Bet she's as happy as a perverbial (lipsticked) pig in shit.

If Helen knits we need to recruit her right now.

or, What Is FREAKING ME OUT this week:

My Fellow Prisoners

from the HuffPo

So believable! Check it out!

Maybe the Third Graders at Gladys Wood Elementary School could lend the campaign their globe. McCain thinks that Iraq and Pakistan share a border. Now we have learned (because she told us) that Sarah Palin is under the impression that Afghanistan is "our neighboring country."

Maybe I am overreacting. I mean, how important is this part of the world, really?

Straight talk from a British newspaper about how ridiculous Sarah Palin acted in the debate last night.

Warning: Contains Beautiful, Famous People doing a Good Thing

Banned Books Week is halfway over, but you've still got time! Head to the nearest library, bookstore, or friend's shelf, and pick up some controversial writing today!