I just finished upgrading the site! Hope you enjoy - I'm now on the latest version of Drupal which required me to pick out a new theme (my old one wasn't compatible). Hopefully I'll find some time to experiment with new features.

I know, I know, I've not been keeping up - I've just got a lot going on right now. But for the in between time, here's some quick food for thought that I wanted to get off my chest.

I used to subscribe to numerous magazines and at one point had 3 newspaper subscriptions: my local paper, the NY Times, and the WSJ. I cancelled everything when school started because I couldn't keep up and piles of newspapers and magazines have an odd way of stressing me out. Despite my mass cancellations (or rather, lack of renewals) I was left with one magazine for which I had purchased a 3 year subscription - Inc. Magazine.

So today I sat down to eat a small salad after my evening class, and grabbed the October 2007 issue (I told you I was behind) and opened it for a quick read. Keep in mind that it has been since October that I delved into a magazine (at least) and in the meantime I've been enjoying my new Kindle and its "on demand" content. This is not even to mention that I get 98% of my news directly through my RSS subscriptions in Google Reader.

So like I said, I opened the magazine and was shocked and unsettled that I had to flip through 29 pages - yes, 29 pages - of mostly advertisments and some administrative crap (copyright information, contributors, biographies, and a table of contents) before I found myself at the first article.

29 pages! So besides the fact that printed media is more expensive to produce and distribute, harmful to the environment, and a waste of natural resources, I've also got to navigate through all this junk before I get to an article that is halfway worth reading.

Frankly, I'm surprised that anyone would buy a magazine or newspaper if they have experienced any form of electronic media. What's the point of this rant, you ask? Go buy a Kindle and join the new millenium - I'll be posting my review soon.

We can change America. America can be a country that we are proud of again. I believe it, Obama believes it, and so do millions of others.

If you don't continue reading, at least take a moment to click on this video link (will.i.am - Yes We Can).

The common skepticism that I hear among those that care little for politics is how will Obama be any different than all the other Presidents who have made promises on the campaign trail but done little when they got into office. I don't see anything wrong with this point of view and can completely understand it.

With that in mind, isn't it time for a change? Isn't now the time to say that our apathy for politics has contributed to the most depressing state of America in my 25 years of memory? Isn't it time to look at a leader and say "He can bring this change that we so desperately need?" Are we going to be so careless to support the leaders of our past (Clinton, McCain) and like children hope that things will be any different?

I believe that Obama is the leader that we all in our hearts have so desperately longed for day in and day out. Obama is more than just speeches and rhetoric - I have to believe that his inspirational messages come from the most genuine of intentions and the deepest concern for a country that every day moves further away from the dreams of its founding fathers.

Consider this from Barack Obama's New Hampshire speech.

"Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can heal this nation. Yes we can repair this world. Yes we can."

That's all I needed to hear. But below you'll find a link to one of will.i.am's best works yet. He too was inspired by Barack's speech in New Hampshire and put together this 4 minute video that has spread throughout the internet. For all of those that are curious or want to know why I support Barack Obama -- watch this video and let your hope for a better tomorrow be rekindled.

will.i.am - Yes We Can

Here's to a new America! No matter what happens, I will look back proudly on this year of 2008 and know that America had a chance. What I'm not sure of is whether or not America will snatch it up and use this chance to cement our generation's place in history.