POWELL ENDORSES OBAMA!!!!

Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama for president

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president Sunday, describing the Illinois senator as a "transformational figure."

Powell said both Obama and Republican John McCain are qualified to be commander in chief. But he said Obama is better suited to handle the nation's economic problems as well as help improve its standing in the world.

"It isn't easy for me to disappoint Sen. McCain in the way that I have this morning, and I regret that," Powell said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"But I firmly believe that at this point in America's history, we need a president that will not just continue, even with a new face and with the changes and with some maverick aspects, who will not just continue basically the policies that we have been following in recent years," Powell said.

"I think we need a transformational figure. I think we need a president who is a generational change and that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for Sen. John McCain."

Powell's endorsement has been much anticipated because he is a Republican with impressive foreign policy credentials. At the same time, he is a black man and Obama would be the nation's first black president.

Powell said he was cognizant of the racial aspect of his endorsement, but said that was not the dominant factor in his decision. If it was, he said, he would have made the endorsement months ago.

Powell served as secretary of state in President Bush's first term, and helped make the case before the United Nations for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. A retired general, Powell also was the nation's top military commander, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during the first Gulf war under President George H.W. Bush.

A life-long Republican, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former Secretary of State, and a man so popular that both parties considered trying to get him to run in 2008... this may well be the Mortal Kombat "Finish Him" moment of the campaign. Having a four-star general say Obama is qualified to be C-in-C destroys that argument. Having a former SecState endorse Obama ends the foreign policy experience debate. And a moderate Republican of his stature is going to bring a lot of voters across party lines.

This is the 10-run homerun that John McCain was looking for. Sadly, he's on the mound watching it fly into the stands.

Heavy Metal Sunday is happy to get the Czech.

A few weeks ago I seemed to interest lysana with a mention of Celtic Metal. Sadly, a lot of this subgenre appears to cross with Nordic metal, a lot of which is pretty racist. I'm not going to give those bands the time of day, let alone the tiny amount of publicity appearing here would get them.

But I have found a few interesting acts. Beltaine is a Pagan/Celtic Metal band from the Czech Republic. Interesting sound, although the singer is a bit more growly than I normally like. But enjoy today's selection.. Lone

Somebody at election central was thinking.

Sat down to do my absentee vote-by-mail ballot, and what do I see on the instruction sheet? An "I voted" sticker!

This restores some of my faith in the Republic.