The Obama For Obama Phenomena

The small fishing village of Obama, Japan has generated its own style of Obamamania supporting the candidate Barack Obama. First to notice the coincidence was the local Buddhist Priest who alerted the Mayor. The Mayor sent Barack Obama a set of the lacquered chopsticks that the town is known for and a good luck charm to help him win the election. In another happy coincidence Barack Obama’s birthday, August 4, is celebrated as "Chopstick Day" in Obama, Japan. The village of Obama was once an important gateway to the city of Kyoto, home of the Emperor during the Edo period. Residents of Obama are hopeful that their connection to Barack Obama will bring good fortune to their town.



For a more in depth look at the Obama for Obama phenomena please check out this series of reports from from Obama, Japan by American Barack Obama supporter the lovely and vivacious Alcillene Wilson.

In Obama for Obama Part 1 of 4
In Obama for Obama Part 2 of 4
In Obama for Obama Part 3 of 4
In Obama for Obama Part 4 of 4

And don't forget, you can get your Buddhists For Obama buttons and bumperstickers at Cafe Press: Link to Cafe Press

Blog World

On San Juan Island Joins VerveEarth

I am please to announce that On San Juan Island has been invited to join VerveEarth mapping the internet's content onto a global map.

photo: NASA

“Your blog On San Juan Island caught our attention. We are searching the internet for the world's best blogs by geography, and we found yours for Washington. I would like to invite you to our site which plots the content of the internet on an interactive map of the world. VerveEarth is an entirely new way to surf the net. It shows spatial and geographic connections that a blog search engine could never reveal.”

link to: VerveEarth

Hollywood Cave Man Discovers Agriculture

Actor Steven Strait as D'Leh the Mammoth Hunter

I love Cave People Movies so of course I had to see 10,000 BC, now playing at the Palace Theatre. I loved it! I only regret that I did not leave my established notions of history and geography outside of the theatre. This movie jumps around in time almost as much as Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Forget trying to figure it out and just enjoy watching the handsome dread-locked hero on his wild romp to rescue his fellow tribals while making friends, facing down a Saber Toothed Tiger, vanquishing false gods, getting the girl and discovering agriculture along the way. I think you can see from the picture above why D'Leh the Mammoth hunter may have happily switched to a more plant based diet.

I did come home and check a few dates. If you leave the theatre a little confused maybe this will help.

Paleolithic (Stone Age) - 2.6 million years ago to 10,000 BC when agriculture begins
Woolly Mammoths Northern Europe, Northern Eurasia and North America – Extinct around 10,000 BC except for an isolated breed in Alaska that lasted until around 6000 BC
Ancient Nubian Culture – 3700 – 2200 BC
Egyptian Old Kingdom – 2649 – 2150 BC

Spring Forward

Waking, Walking, Singing, in the Next Dimension? ~ Morris Graves

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday
for Daylight Savings Time.

Support Your Local Diva

"Lucia's First Love"

March 15th at 2 p.m. at the Gubelman Room
San Juan Community Theater

The talented Corinne Stevens, opera singer and lyric mezzo-soprano, is holding a fundraising concert to raise money for attendance at the Franco American Vocal Academy in Pèrigord, France this summer. Pianist Sarah Willson from Skagit Opera will accompany Stevens. The evening will follow a young woman's first love from introduction and infatuation to conflicts and betrayal. The story will be told through the world's most beautiful music, featuring German lieder from Schumann and Schubert, Italian arias from Puccini and Mozart, English art song from Vaughan Williams and Britten and more. How does the story end? Four endings, ranging from "death by betrayal" to "forgiveness and happiness" will be auctioned off during intermission and the lucky audience member who wins will decide the evening's encore song and the story's ending.

Admission is $20; tickets for sale at the door.

All donations to benefit tuition and travel expenses to the Franco American Vocal Academy (total costs: $14,000) are fully tax-deductible, thanks to fiscal sponsorship from the arts advocacy organization Fractured Atlas, a 501(c)3 corporation. Contributions can be made by credit card online through Fractured Atlas (link to: Corinne Stevens click on "Sponsorship" for details) or by check made payable to Fractured Atlas and mailed to:

Corinne Stevens
PO Box 1915
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Just Say No to War

Hillary Clinton in Columbus, Ohio. Photograph: Mark Duncan/AP

Today is my 56th birthday and while I was hoping to get Barack Obama as a nominee for my birthday, I do have to hand it to Hillary Clinton. She makes being 60 look pretty darn good. All the same, her admirable sparkle and pep does not mean I forgive her for voting for the war. She should have listened, if not to her own conscience, at least to Senator Byrd.

Link to: Arrogance of Power, Today, I Weep for my Country... by Senator Robert Byrd, Speech delivered on the floor of the US Senate March 19, 2003. Senator Byrd voted against the war and eloquently sought to persuade his colleagues to do the same.

As the war drags on and on... Here is our own Senator Patty Murray Monday, February 4, 2008. Senator Murray also voted against the war. She serves on the Senate Budget Committee.

"For seven years America has paid dearly for the investments this President has failed to make. Our economy is lagging, our infrastructure is crumbling and we are paying for a misguided war on the backs of our grandchildren."

Senator Patty Murray

And then, there is John McCain...

First Lady Fashion Statements

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy's

signature pillbox hat, 1961, Bergdorf Goodman

Worn by Jacqueline Kennedy to the Inauguration Ceremony
Washington, D.C., January 20, 1961
Metropolitan Museum of Art

While I'm sure there are issues of more critical concern, wouldn't it be great to have some style in the White House? Not since Jackie Kennedy have we had the opportunity to bring style into the White House that Michelle Obama provides.

About the puffy sleeves in Michelle Obama's wardrobe, “They really make her stand-out from the other First Lady wannabes who don't seem to have a signature look. Michelle owns the puffy sleeve. It's her pill box hat. It's all hers.” says blogger Black Snob. Link to Black Snob for the full: Michelle Obama Fashion Retrospective.


Again from the blog Black Snob, "I already nominated this suit as the hottest red suit in politics. Hillary wore a great red suit to the State of the Union. Cindy McCain's fond of a hot Red State number. But Michelle gets still points for pushing the envelope into chic, puffy sleeve territory. Wearing just a nice, tailored red suit would be too safe for Michelle. She can't look like Hillary or Cindy. She's got to jazz it up. She's got to put her stamp on it. Puffy sleeve trumps all. Could Hillary pull this off? We think not."

But wait, there's more: link to Michelle Obama Dresses Better Than You for yet more brilliant fashion observations from blogger Black Snob.