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SACRAMENTO – Striving to engage more voters in the run-up to the November 4, 2008, General Election, Secretary of State Debra Bowen today launched California’s first-ever “Why I’m Voting” Video Challenge.

Secretary Bowen posted a one-minute video online of her personal reasons for voting and challenged other Californians to sound off, too.  The videos can be serious or silly, nonpartisan or partisan; they just cannot contain any illegal or derogatory material.

“California is home to some of the most creative and innovative people on the planet,” said Secretary Bowen, California’s chief elections officer.  “I can’t wait to see the ingenuity, intelligence, humor, and persuasiveness people will use to show why they’re voting and to convince other eligible Californians to vote this November.”

Secretary Bowen created the 30-day “Why I’m Voting” Video Challenge with the help of her Social Media Outreach Group, a panel of people in their 20s and 30s representing colleges, nonprofit groups, and other politically engaged young adults.

Earlier this year, the group helped Secretary Bowen launch her official Facebook page (called “California Secretary of State: My Voice. My Choice. My Vote!”), helped shape the MyVote California Student Mock Election, and brainstormed ways to motivate young people to get involved in their democracy.

“There isn’t one perfect way to reach each and every potential voter and get them jazzed about participating in elections,” said Secretary Bowen.  “Voter registration drives and mock elections may excite some of them, while this video challenge may have particular appeal to first-time and younger voters.”    

Videos can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/Cali... <http://www.youtube.com/Cali... . 

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This arrived in my inbox this morning...

Curtesy of SPAM PENAME

Great Excuses for Monday Morning

• If it is all the same to you, I won't be coming in to work. The voices told me to clean all the guns today.
• When I got up this morning, I took two Ex-Lax in addition to my Prozac.  I can't get off the john, but I feel good about it.
• I set half the clocks in my house ahead an hour and the other half back an hour Saturday, and spent 18 hours in some kind of space-time continuum loop, reliving Sunday (right up until the explosion). I was able to exit the loop only by reversing the polarity of the power source exactly e*log(pi) clocks in the house while simultaneously rapping my dog on the snout with a rolled up Times. Accordingly, I will be in late, or early.
• My stigmata's acting up.
• I can't come in to work today because I'll be stalking my previous boss, who fired me for not showing up for work. OK?
• I have a rare case of 48-hour projectile leprosy, but I know we have
  that deadline to meet...
• I am stuck in the blood pressure machine down at the Food Giant.
• Yes, I seem to have contracted some attention-deficit disorder and, hey, how about them Hoyas, huh? So, I won't be able to, yes, could I help you? No, no, I'll be sticking with Sprint, but thank you for calling.
• Constipation has made me a walking time bomb.
• I just found out that I was switched at birth. Legally, I shouldn't come to work knowing my employee records may now contain false information.
• The psychiatrist said it was an excellent session. He even gave me this jaw restraint so I won't bite things when I am startled.
• The dog ate my car keys. We're going to hitchhike to the vet.
• My mother-in-law has come back as one of the Undead and we must track her to her coffin to drive a stake through her heart and give her eternal peace. One day should do it.
• I am converting my calendar from Julian to Gregorian.
• I am extremely sensitive to a rise in the interest rates.
• I can't come to work today because the EPA has determined that my house is completely surrounded by wetlands and I have to arrange for helicopter transportation.
• I prefer to remain an enigma.

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Today in History
Courtesy of API
With Anonymous and Irreverent Commentary    

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 24, the 268th day of 2008. There are 98 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 24, 1789, Congress passed a Judiciary Act which provided for an Attorney General and a Supreme Court.

Here come ‘de judge!

On this date:

In 1869, thousands of businessmen were ruined in a Wall Street panic known as "Black Friday" after financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market.

2008: Although the politically correct term is now African American Friday, American taxpayers — and congress — will be wearing black on Fridays, in honor of  Wall Street’s $700 billion exhumation.

In 1929, Lt. James H. Doolittle guided a Consolidated NY-2 Biplane over Mitchel Field in New York in the first all-instrument flight.

Dolittle sets a standard for all mankind: Never ask for directions, just trust your instrumentation.

In 1955, President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack while on vacation in Denver.

...After having second thoughts on his  "atoms for peace" program— the loan of American uranium to "have not" nations for peaceful purposes. 

In 1958, "The Donna Reed Show" premiered on ABC-TV.

Heels, lipstick and pageant perfect smiles, yes. Hockey mom determination and political ambition, not so much.

In 1960, the USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was launched at Newport News, Va.

To boldly go where no nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has gone before...

In 1963, the U.S. Senate ratified a treaty with Britain and the Soviet Union limiting nuclear testing.

Russia is now reportedly courting Sarah Palin for the position of Russian Secretary of Defense, should their first choice, GWB, decline the position in 2009.  

In 1968, the TV news magazine "60 Minutes" premiered on CBS; the undercover police drama "The Mod Squad" premiered on ABC.

Mike Wallace was 80. Tick, tick...

In 1976, Patricia Hearst was sentenced to seven years in prison for her part in a 1974 bank robbery in San Francisco carried out by the Symbionese Liberation Army. (She was released after 22 months after receiving clemency from President Carter.)

Patty now operates a day care center in Poughkeepsie and has written her 23rd autobiography, titled, “Estate planning and mind control: One heiresses tale.”

In 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson won the men's 100-meter dash at the Seoul Summer Olympics - but he was disqualified three days later for using anabolic steroids.

Johnson now works the the South Atlantic League, following his resignation from the Yankees training staff.

In 1988, members of the eastern Massachusetts Episcopal diocese elected Barbara C. Harris the first female bishop in the church's history.

Priests everywhere renew vows of celibacy.

Ten years ago: Hurricane Georges was charging toward the Florida Keys, after killing hundreds of people in the Caribbean. The government began releasing the new, harder-to-counterfeit $20 bill.

Is it safe to assume the era is the only connection between these events, or did Georges expose a Caribbean counterfeit ring? I'm feeling Irie, mon, let’s roll out some real numbers...

Five years ago: After four turbulent months, three special legislative sessions and two Democratic walkouts, both houses of the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature adopted redistricting plans favoring the GOP. The top candidates vying to replace California Gov. Gray Davis joined in a lively debate.

Sept. 2008: Speaking from personal experience, Davis says “recall is no way to govern,” let Arnie finish his term. "You will not get an effective leader if you have a recall any time someone disagrees with their decision." ....Meanwhile Jay Leno continues to sign off each night with, “Stay tuned for Conan” as rumors fly that the red-headed step-child of late night comedy will jump ship to another network before Leno specifies a date for his final performance as host of the Tonight Show.

One year ago: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad questioned the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks and defended the right to cast doubt on the Holocaust in a tense appearance at Columbia University in New York. United Auto Workers walked off the job at GM plants in the first nationwide strike during auto contract negotiations since 1976; a tentative pact ended the walkout two days later. Two kidnapped Italian intelligence operatives were rescued in a NATO-led combat operation in western Afghanistan, two days after they went missing. As many as 100,000 anti-government protesters led by Buddhist monks marched in Yangon, Myanmar.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is now rumored to take over as the next CEO of GM, which will soon release its much anticipated proto-type, the Chutzpah! an energy efficient two door model, perfect for suicide bombings.

Today's Birthdays: Actor-singer Herb Jeffries is 97. Actress Sheila MacRae is 84. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sonny Turner (The Platters) is 69. Singer Barbara Allbut (The Angels) is 68. Singer Phyllis "Jiggs" Allbut (The Angels) is 66. Singer Gerry Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers) is 66. Actor Gordon Clapp is 60. Former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, D-Mass., is 56. Actor Kevin Sorbo is 50. Rhythm-and-blues singer Cedric Dent (Take 6) is 46. Actress-writer Nia Vardalos is 46. Country musician Marty Mitchell is 39. Actress Megan Ward is 39. Singer-musician Marty Cintron (No Mercy) is 37. Contemporary Christian musician Juan DeVevo (Casting Crowns) is 33. Actor Kyle Sullivan is 20.

Tally your celebrity birthday score: Never heard of any of them: You might want to rethink trying out for  Jeopardy!
Recognition of two or more in the top half of the list: You’re probably a frequent reader of obituaries.
Recognition of two or more in the bottom half of the list: Hercules! Hercules! Hercules!

Thought for Today: "The easiest way to get a reputation is go outside the fold, shout around for a few years as a violent atheist or a dangerous radical, and then crawl back to the shelter." - F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940).

Conclusion: So, there could be another F. Scott Fitzgerald lurking/blogging anywhere...

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• No profanity or personal attacks.
• Please comment on the subject of the post itself.

If you do not follow these rules we will remove your comment. Please keep it civil.

These ground rules are posted in plain view on the "Leave a Comment" box below each blog. 

The top four:

TERMS OF SERVICE 

1. You agree to not knowingly submit any false, defamatory, abusive, obscene, threatening, racially offensive, sexually explicit or illegal material to the Web site.

That includes those kinds of words you wouldn't want to say or hear in front of children, your parents/grandparents or religious leaders.  

2. In posting comments on the contributions of others, you agree not to harass other participants.

Again, no personal attacks.

3. You may not submit information that is libelous or defamatory or that discloses private or personal matters concerning any person.

Private = not public information. Libelous or defamatory = False and/or unsubstantiated claims that could cause personal damages.   

4. You may not post information or links that are obscene or pornographic.  

Go back to number one and include pictures, jokes, etc.

And finally,

DISCUSSION FORUMS

Tehachapinews.com does not endorse and is not responsible for any statement, opinion, advice given or made in discussion forums. Your use of the tehachapinews.com discussion forums is at your own risk.

Tehachapinews.com does not intend to engage in any prior review of notes posted to discussion areas, but it reserves the right in its sole discretion and for any reason to delete or redirect any information or other content posted to tehachapinews.com (including posts to discussion areas), regardless of whether the information or other content violates the rules for content described in above policies. Further, tehachapinews.com reserves the right to limit or terminate service to participants who violate the terms of this Agreement.

In other words, we're not here to babysit our bloggers.  If you are unable to participate within the guidelines of our Terms of Service, don't. If you don't like what you read, report a violation.  There is a button provided for this action on each blog comment. Use it if you must, or simply navigate away from what you consider to be offensive. 

— Editor