Why “Obama best for middle class”:

Obama can be trusted to preserve the safety net that would be dismantled under some of the remedies proposed for America’s deficit problem. That safety net is vital in times of need, as all Nebraskans should acknowledge while federally subsidized crop insurance bails out farmers in the Drought of 2012.

Why “Obama is best choice for president”:

Obama is not always as gregarious as many Americans might like him to be, but he is committed to his country and candid with it — to the point of releasing far more of his tax returns than Romney. While Obama commits the occasional gaffe, we can’t imagine him ever dismissing 47 percent of his fellow Americans — as Romney did, and later apologized for doing.

Why Romney-Ryan ticket is scary:

The scariest part of a Romney victory is the potential that he and Paul Ryan would attempt to shape the U.S. Supreme Court to match their religious and political beliefs, including opposition to abortion. As Ryan made clear in the debate Thursday, “Our faith informs us in everything we do.” That could mean Romney would appoint justices who oppose abortion and gay marriage, even though Republicans normally pledge to “get government out of people’s lives.”

Hendrik Hertzberg on “Biden, Literally Uniliterally“:

I’m sure that plenty of people were put off by the Vice-President’s facial antics—the patronizing grins, the mock exasperation, the silent giggles. I was a little put off myself, at first. But as he went along, he managed to earn a right to be what you might call cheerfully contemptuous.

Bây giờ chữ thường xuyên của Cu Đán là “đi”. Sáng mở mắt ra là đòi đi cho đến lúc đi ngủ. Hôm nay đi chơi cả ngày mệt quá nên đang ngủ sai sưa.

Cuối tuần này đi thăm bà nội. Cả gia đình đi ăn sáng ở diner rồi đi chợ nông dân mua trái cây và râu. Rồi đi thăm người bạn của bà nội mới ở bệnh viện về. Bà bị mổ vì bị ba cái xương cá trông ruộc. Nếu đưa đi nhà thương chậm trể thì chắc là bà đã không kịp thời cứu chửa. Thấy bà ốm đi rất nhiều sau khi mổ. Bà lại cảm xúc khi thấy cả gia đình của má đến thăm. Thật cảm động.

Matt Taibbi on the Vice Presidential Debate:

The proper way to report such a tactic is to bring to your coverage exactly the feeling that Biden brought to the debate last night: contempt and amazement. We in the press should be offended by what Romney and Ryan are doing – we should take professional offense that any politician would try to whisk such a gigantic lie past us to our audiences, and we should take patriotic offense that anyone is trying to seize the White House using such transparently childish and dishonest tactics.

I actually felt bad for Paul Ryan in last night debate as if a little boy was getting his ass whipped by his parents. Joe Biden appeared to be teaching his son some maths. “It’s mathematically impossible,” he responded to Romney-Ryan’s five-trillion-dollar income-tax cut. When Martha Raddatz pressed Ryan for specifics of how he could pay for his tax cuts, Ryan couldn’t give one. Mad props to Ms. Raddatz for an outstanding job of moderating the debate.

Sick, stressed, sleepless and secluded. Those are the four words describing my state of mind. I don’t want to be trapped inside these moods, but I can’t seem to emancipate. Each day I feel the deterioration in my strength. Each day I feel extremely exhausted, lack of motivations and guilty. I no longer have the desire to communicate. Writing down these words is my only therapy.

Vài tuần trước ngồi ăn trưa tán dốc với một đồng nghiệp. Chúc mừng anh ấy sắp lấy vợ mới. Thấy anh cởi mở dể chịu và tôi cũng tò mò nên hỏi, “Sao anh lại ly dị vợ trước?” Ảnh trả lời rằng vì cô quen được nương chìu từ nhỏ còn anh ta thì lại bướng bỉnh. Tôi thấy lý do đó đâu đến nổi đưa đến ly dị. Anh ấy nói thêm, “Những gì tôi nói với cô ta đều trở nên những lời chỉ trích.” Cái vấn đề này nghe quen quen.

Mới tối hôm qua tôi hỏi vợ, “Em đánh răng chưa?” Chỉ một câu đơn giản thế thôi cũng bị cầu nhầu, “Mới tắm ra. Có thời giang đâu mà đánh răng.” Tôi chỉ muốn biết nếu chưa đánh thì xuống nhà ăn bánh Trung Thu và uống trà cho vui chứ tôi đâu có ý chỉ trích vì đâu.

Dỉ nhiên là không chỉ đối phương mà chính tôi cũng có lúc nghe chướng tai. Tôi rút kinh nghiệm rằng muốn giữ hạnh phúc thì nên chỉ mở miệng khi nào cần thiết. Ngày xưa đùa giỡn gì cũng được. Bây giờ câu nói bình thường cũng có thể là chỉ trích.

I can’t believe my baby Dan is turning one next month. It seems like yesterday that we welcomed him into our world. He has been quite a special addition to our little family. He’s playful and cheerful most of the time even when he wasn’t feeling well.

Dan has been exploring the world quite a bit. Not only with his eyes and hands, but also his mouth. Although he could play all by himself if he has toys, we have to keep an eye on him constantly. Anything he could get him hand on, it would also go into his mouth.

He has not been able to stand yet, but he already wanted to walk. The result is bruising cheek and eye brown. Still he has not learned. He keeps on letting go of his hands whenever he’s standing up.

Dan loves food. Today a fed him a bowl of chicken porridge and he ate everything. He would eat pretty much anything we give him. Unfortunately he seems to have pretty bad case of allergy; therefore, we also have to monitor his diet. He also threw up every formula his pediatrician gave him to try. Mother’s milk is the only thing that he could drink.

One of my favorite things about Dan is his positive attitude. He smiles often and interacts with anyone who responses to him. I could play with him all day and he would smile all day. Unfortunately I can’t keep up with his energy. He could never sit still for even just one second. He could crawl everywhere to find things to put in his mouth.

Unlike Dao, Dan has not developed any obsession for anything. He plays with everything for a bit and then moves on. If I remember correctly, Dao developed his obsessions with Curious George, cars and trains very early on. One of the funny things about Dan is that he dances to everything. Even when an “ABC” song comes on, he would move his feet.

Dan is also fearless. Dao still wouldn’t ride the little horsey Bac Tram gave him for his second birthday. Dan already sits on the horse without supervision. Another thing I love about Dan is his consistency. He goes to sleep on quite regular hours. He doesn’t scream when he wakes up and we’re not around. Even til this day, Dao would find his toy and then scream if we’re not sleeping with him.

There are so much things about my baby Dan. Life has been quite hectic for me these days; therefore, I haven’t have much chance to record on his progressions. School takes quite a bit of time away from this part of my life. I am still debating wether this is worth the commitment. School I can always go back as long as I work for a University. The time with my kids can’t turn back. I am really trying hard to balance work, life and school. Will see how this semester goes and then I’ll make a decision. Nevertheless, I am very proud of my baby Dan. He’s my heart and soul.