Sadly Leucocyte is the last record of the extraordinary Esbjörn Svensson Trio. Pianist Svensson died tragically in a diving accident shortly before this innovative album released. Whether driving by Dan Berglund’s earthy bass tone and Magnus Öström’s hard-swinging drums or exploring electronic fusions, E.S.T. demonstrates the brilliant integration between the players and the fearless experiment as a group. The four-piece suite of “Leucoyte” sounds like an extension and expansion of the futuristic, spacious, atmospheric foundation Miles Davis had lain down on Bitches Brew.

When Tom Brokaw points out McCain’s flip-flop tax plan, his response was, “these are different times, my friends.” Is that the best excuse you can come up with, McCain?

No, not McCain. I lost respect for him the day he lost his self-respect. The maverick who fought against his own party for the last twenty five years didn’t show up to campaign. Instead, he allowed his gang to run the circus. He just stands as a sidekick just because he wants to be the president so bad. He knows damn well that his time is running out and he can’t make comeback in four more years. The consequence of the negative campaign to the irresponsible pick of Palin, McCain has lost most of the American’s respect.

I respect Obama enough to vote for him and “in Obama we trust” to restore what “in Bush we fucked” for the past eight years. I don’t know about your ass, but my ass is getting torn and I can’t take another four years of McCain/Bush tortures. So yes, I am ready for a change.

The man I truly respect, though, is my father in-law. He was a Viet Nam War veteran. He did his share in the reeducation camp. He experienced the hardship in Viet Nam after 1975 trying every job possible to raise his family. He was a teacher, but no longer capable of practicing it under the communist government. You could feel the pain he had gone through every time he talks about his past. Despite all that, he uses his intelligent and knowledge to vote for the candidate that qualify for the job.

In a political conversation between my father in-law and his brother in-law yesterday, I could tell that he made the decision based on his own research, observation and judgment. I didn’t say much in the conversation. I just sat back and listen although I did raised the question to his brother in-law who is his choice of president. His brother in-law disdains the communist to the bone and his answer was McCain because he was the “war hero.”

His brother in-law spends most of his time reading Vietnamese newspaper, but my father in-law gets his sources everywhere including the Internet. I was amazed at my father in-law’s articulate explanations of the candidates. He pointed out the history of McCain’s temper problem to his lack of economic knowledge to his pick of Palin. As a teacher himself, he compared the educational and intelligent level between the two candidates. The whole time I watched him, he mentioned nothing about race and his focus was on the issues not his tie to Viet Nam War. He doesn’t allow the past to overshadow his decision like many of his peers. He keeps his priority straight and that is what I truly respect and admired of the man.

Alaska’s biggest newspaper backs Obama:

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand. The same cannot be said of Sen. McCain…

Sen. McCain describes himself as a maverick, by which he seems to mean that he spent 25 years trying unsuccessfully to persuade his own party to follow his bipartisan, centrist lead. Sadly, maverick John McCain didn’t show up for the campaign. Instead we have candidate McCain, who embraces the extreme Republican orthodoxy he once resisted and cynically asks Americans to buy for another four years.

Charlotte Observer

In his pandering to the political right on some issues and his impulsive selection of a woefully unprepared governor as his vice presidential candidate, McCain has created doubts about his judgment that did not previously exist, and exposed how his reputation as a maverick can seem more recklessness than courage. In doing so he has frittered away confidence in his ability to deal with a discouraging array of problems that will confront the next president.

By contrast, Sen. Barack Obama’s inexperience in executive matters constitutes less of a concern than ordinarily it might. His intellect, his calm, rational approach to difficult issues, his coolness during the heat of debate and his sense of humor and humility offer something millions of Americans have yearned for in national politics – the ability to examine issues thoughtfully, to listen to competing interests and to develop solutions that more closely meet the needs of all.

McCain has been accusing of Obama tax plan as “spreading the wealth,” but in a townhall meeting back in 2000, he defended it as “When you reach a certain level of comfort, there’s nothing wrong with paying somewhat more.” It was only eight years ago, have you forgotten it already, McFlipFlopper?

Prominent republicans endorse Obama including Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson, a Bush’s former spokesman Scott McClellan, a prominent conservative on foreign policy matters Ken Adelman and even McCain’s own advisor Charles Fried.

Jay Smooth drops a poem for the youth voter. Make sure you vote.

McCain source tells CNN:

“She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone,” said this McCain adviser. “She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else.

“Also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: Divas trust only unto themselves, as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom.”

Sarah Palin also mocks fruit fly research that cures autism.

The Vet Who Did Not Vet (fucking awesome)