Best Local Film

Re "A Year in the Dark" (Film, Dec. 31): I was happy to see Around the Bay in your list of 10 best of shows for 2008. I saw it last year at Cinequest, and was amazed at how such a low-budget film could accomplish so much. It's a show that haunts you long after you leave the theater. Glad you liked it, too.

Gerald P. Murphy

Yreka

Obama: We've Only Just Begun

Re "Morning in Obamaland" (MetroNews, Nov. 26): Thank you for the post-election Obama Silicon Valley campaign article. Viewing the photo along with the story stirred up my political embers to keep the fire burning.

I participated in the energized caucus for my place of residence in Texas. This was my first involvement in politics beyond casting a vote. I volunteered to be a delegate and began phone banking between fellow delegates after receiving no further directions from coordinating officials nominated at caucus. A handful of delegates showed up at the local Starbucks. We initially started out feeling dejected like inhabitants on the land of misfit toys due to missing guidance, political novice and a narrow window of time to secure the magical majority number. Then, one by one our voicemail invites began materializing through the door and our spirits and momentum began to build.

We the determined underdogs ended up gaining the majority of our district and sending that one precious delegate to Austin. The hard work was well worth our time and energy. This struggle was probably multiplied in a similar fashion across our land and served as indication of and preparation for the hard fight to come.

By the time I traveled to the valley, the die had been cast and I was hooked. I knew in a satisfying way the purpose I had undertaken deserved my further loyalty. I knew that fantastic things were to come from kindred spirits working together through community. And now, here we are. Walking the talk by consciously planning our destiny hand in hand. I plan to be sitting right smack dab at the table of volunteerism with neighbors equally compelled to exchange hope and roll up sleeves revealing helping hands. The conclusion is the beginning for the Obama wave. How sweet it is.

Change doesn't get any better than this.

Nikki Sowell

East Palo Alto

Clean Up on Aisle USA

Has a newly elected president of the United States ever taken over quite the mess that Barack Obama has waiting for him on inauguration day?

To add to Obama's lengthy list of plentiful problems, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been found out in his attempt to turn the office into his own personal cash-minting machine. Sore loser Republicans are doing their best to drag either President-elect Obama or some of his associate Democrats into the Illinois mess. What a coup that would be for the Republicans, to bring down our newly elected president. Just what the country needs.

The farrago of our country's ailments is growing by the hour. It will never happen, but wouldn't it be nice of Democrats and Republicans would shake hands and call a truce for, like for six months or a year? The list of problems we all face, either directly or indirectly, has grown to massive proportions.

The knotty issues facing President-elect Obama on foreign and domestic fronts are greater than those that faced by Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he took office in the midst of the Great Depression. His ability to lead will be tested from his first day in office. He will be saddled with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that he inherited from the current president. He will also face a worsening recession in the U.S. in addition to a lengthening global financial crisis, America's automotive industry close to the brink of collapse, a record national debt, unemployment that is growing worse every month, and more.

Obama has promised to move forward on most if not all of these topics. The question is how quickly he can move forward to accomplish his goals while at the same time facing a growing list of problems. It's almost as though the ship is sinking before he takes over as captain.

Our new president will have to energize the nation. He will have to build our national morale. It would make things a whole lot easier for President-elect Obama and for all of us Americans if the Republicans and Democrats shook hands and called a truce until our country gets back on its feet.

Ron Cruger

San Diego