Yes We Can

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.

Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America."

The New Header

I finally had the time, and a working computer with Photoshop installed.

Let me know what you think.

Peace

My next steps

Finegas, my horde druid has made his final loop through the Eastern and Western Plaguelands and is now ready to start the Outlands grind to level 70 in earnest. He is Hearthstoned to the Scryers landing in Shattrath (mainly because I've never seen it) and is about 30g away from his epic ground mount.

I did take the time to do a few of the level 58 quests just for the gear reset, then I came back to the Old World to finish up those questlines as recommended by the leveling guide I am using.

Fin will be starting the Outlands with decent gear, and halfway through level 60. So those beginning quests won't be as difficult as they were the first time through I hope.

Now I am taking a pause to consider how I wish to proceed, what my goals with Fin are, and reflect on the trip from 60 to 70 that I made on my hunter Viktel.

That seems so long ago now it's incredible.


Fin's trip thus far
I started Finegas up with the idea that having a hybrid class would help me see the endgame content. With the announcement of the Wrath expansion and it's Deathknights I hatched the plan to have one character for dps, one for healing, and one for tanking. That way I can experience the expansion from all perspectives. Fin for healing, the deathnight for tanking, and my not-so-lowbie-anymore hunter Lassiter for dps.

Then Vik can be my alliance side character so I can see that side of the game as well.

Through all of this I have been using James' Leveling Guides. They are free, and very good for getting through the lower levels quickly. The other thing I like about these guides is that if you are interested in the game content all you have to do is actually read the quest lines. You get the stories that go with the zones as well as lots of good xp.

Moving Forward
While leveling Finegas I have been a pretty regular reader of Big Bear Butt Blogger, I even have the coffee mug now. Its a match to my Big Red Kitty mug, I am such a geek!

Anyhoo! I now have a good source of information about how to play a druid tank until expansion time. And I have located a few good research sites for loots as well. I think it is time to sit down and make some lists up. I'll need armor for all three druid forms: caster, kitty, and bear. Some of that will be purchased, some will be quest reward, and some will be badges.

I'll probably not be pushing the BC endgame too much. I'm more interested in having my group of characters in position to roll into the new content. Once I am set there, and some of my guildies are closer to the endgame themselves I'll think about making some goals in that area.

I am really looking forward to my second trip through the Outlands. Much of which will be new since I am on the Horde side of the fence, and I have not done much of the questing for over 6 months. At least it will seem new, I hope.

Tandani's Owl

I have once again started rotating between my alts. My hope is that this will keep their individual play styles fresh in my mind, as I have totally spaced what I was doing with my mage and my paladin.

Today was Tandani's day to play. He is currently leveling up to 20 in the Ghostlands using this guide:
Snowflake's Guide to the Ghostlands
So far the graphics are better, the loot is definitely better than the Barrens, and the overall zone is smaller with the quests grouped together so you can complete several in one run.

Anyhoo, I logged in today and just didn't wanna quest. I did want to play and when you are on a hunter that means its time to do something interesting with your pets.

I am one of those hunters that loves rare or unique pets. I have characters that have camped in trees for a week, used invisibility potions to get into Razor Fen Krawl, and braved mass snow drifts just for the opportunity to tame a specific pet. Its my own self imposed quest I suppose.

So the question is, what would be fairly unique for a level 13 Troll hunter to have as his best friend. A quick trip over to Petopia tells us that the only Owls in the game prior to being in Felwood are found in Teladrassil, the Night Elf starting zone. The owls can learn Claw, Dive, and Screech. I have claw, Dive is a level 30 skill, but Screech can be learned off a Carrion Bird in Westfall.

Not one, but two trips into enemy territory on a RPPVP server. Hmmmmn, now that sound interesting. The end result should be a fun and somewhat unique pet that has a good group debuff for the level 19 battlegrounds.

I'm in.

So I pack up my bow, stable my scorpid Nerf and head off for the home of the Night Elves. About halfway through Ashenvale I get mobbed by spiders and go down pretty fast. I know a little trick for rezzing in a different zone so I make the rest of the run as a ghost.

The run takes me through Maestra's Post, up through Darkshore, onto the boat to Teladrassil, through Darnassus, and finishes at graveyard just outside Dolanaar. I rez and as quick as I can get down the hill and into a hiding spot.

It was a quiet day in Dolanaar, I only encountered one Elf. She was running South past me and tossed me a friendly wave as she went by. I guess a level 13 troll with rez sickness and no pet isn't much of a concern. I didn't make much of an invasion force.

Once my rez sickness passed, it only lasts 3 min on the PvP servers apparently, it was time to find an owl and clear the area pronto. Fortunately for me there was an owl right on the other side of the tree I was hiding in.

I popped around the corner, there was the owl. No Elves were in site to interrupt my taming spell, so I grabbed me a new bird. I fed the bird and hearthed back to the Ghostlands.

"There ya go Tandani," I thought to myself. "I bet a Troll in the Ghostlands with an Owl will raise an eyebrow or two."

Just then a Tauren hunter ran by with his Level 16 Owl and tossed me a friendly wave.

/d'oh
/cast hand+forehead

I freakin' got him!

Rak'Shiri has been the cat I have wanted for I don't know how long! His skin is a wonderful light teal-ish green and I fell in love with this guy the first time I saw him on Petopia. There are only two cats in the game that look like this, Rak'Shiri himself, and another cat that spawns for a Horde only quest named Shy-Rotam.

Rak'Shiri patrols Frostsaber Rock in the North of Winterspring, reportedly has a 35-40 hour spawn, and has been eluding my efforts to so much as find him for several months now.

I had actually given up on being able to find and tame the actual Rak'Shiri NPC, and had heard that as of the 2.3 patch the Shy-Rotam quest was now available to Alliance players now too.

Disappointed at the idea of "cheating" to get this great looking cat I headed to Everlook to see if the rumor was true. I say cheating because I am enough of a purist to want to tame the actual NPC and not just another cat with his same graphic.

Its a hunter thing, weird I know.

My Orc hunter Lassiter sat in a tree for a week for the opportunity to have Humar the Pridelord running by his side, but man is he beautiful. I can't wait to see Humar (now named Shepard) all big and red tearing the face off of some Burning Legions boss in Outlands.

Anyhow, I found Storm Shadowhoof in Everlook, and yes indeedy, the questline for Shy-Rotam was now available to me. I first had to find and take out Ursius of the Shardtooth, and then Brumeran of the Chillwind, before receiving the quest to summon and kill Shy-Rotam herself.

This took about an hour of hunting the animals down, Ursius was fairly easy being just north of Everlook. Brumeran was another story though, he has a large patrol area in Southern Winterspring and took a while to find. Back I went to Everlook to get the final step of the quest, then another 20 min. of grinding out the Sacred Frostsaber Meat needed to summon Shy.

I proceeded back up to Frostsaber Rock, took a look around for any Mobs that might cause me a problem while casting my tame spell and dropped my freeze trap. My count down timers on traps had just about expired when who should saunter past me? Why non other than Rak'Shiri himself.

HOLY CRAP!!!

I immediately pulled him into the trap for fear of another hunter snagging him. I had to temporarily let River go (she understood), and then let the taming love fly.

Now I have the coolest cat in the game, re-named Malcolm, running next to me. He is level 57 so we have some work to do getting him ready for raiding but I can just tell Mal will be my favorite. He already dinged 58 while grinding out some dps snacks to help him along with those higher level Mobs. Next we'll go get us some Warp Burgers! Yum, Yum!

River, by the way, is back in the stable. I stopped by the Blackwind Saber cave in Skettis, and she was walking her old beat. And Kaylee is getting a re-spec tonight, she'll be off tanking a lot in the near future so we will be getting her set for that.