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Oct. 25th, 2011 03:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydion* Perry is out courting the racist vote by openly doubting the President's birth certificate. Romney is out cheering for foreclosures, and pushing a regressive flat tax designed to raise taxes on the poor and middle class and further lower taxes on the wealthy. May I add on both accounts, Eeew. While Romney's plan is marginally less disastrous than Herman Cain's 999 plan, it is like saying the tsunami is better than the tsunami plus earthquake plus meltdown. Could we please stop inflicting deliberate economic damage now please? He's also advocating an opt out system for Social Security as a step towards undermining it's financial basis and eventually abolishing it, along with doing a permanent reward system for multinationals to do investment in job creation overseas instead of here. (That's what those corporate asset repatriation acts the republicans are so fond of do in the real world.) It's looking like the Koch brother's Americans for Prosperity group is running the Herman Cain campaign, which explains a lot. After all, they are the corporate sponsors of the Tea Party, are against millionaires being taxed at all, and want to abolish the EPA and all government regulations that protect humans from corporate "people." They are also behind the flood of money that got anti-union folks like governor Scott of Wisconsin elected. I feel better now that I know why he is against any sort of sane economic policy. I'm from Philadelphia originally, and grew up at a time the mob openly ran city government, and while I don't like corrupt politicians, I'd much rather deal with corrupt than entirely divorced from reality. *cough* Bachmann *cough* Speaking of Bachmann, despite national campaign denials, her crucial New Hampshire staff has quit en masse.
For readers abroad: The first two states in American primaries are the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire ordinary primary. (A caucus requires you to go to a boring meeting and vote there. A normal primary is either at a normal polling location or by mail, or both depending on where you live. Caucuses are significantly more a pain in the ass, so it tends to be party loyalists or folks who are particularly angry who go. Can you tell I live in a presidential caucus area? Luckily we have ordinary primaries for more local stuff or no one would vote but the wonks. Yes, I am a wonk, and I have gimped long distances in the heat to go despite the shortage of handicapped parking because I am generally that pissed off). Anyway, as a result, these two conservative states have a disproportionate effect on primary elections despite not being particularly representative of the country as a whole. Weaker candidates tend to get weeded out if they don't do well in the early states. Folks like Bachmann need to win to stay in. Folks like Perry need to do well, though winning is better. Bachmann's been focusing on the Iowa caucus as it is particularly rabid in it's reactionary tendencies, so is her best shot. Still, not having a New Hampshire staff is a serious problem.
* It is always a surprise to me to see poor John Huntsman out being sane and reasonable in public. I'm just not used to that from republican presidential candidates anymore. Me: Oh right, he's the one who believes in evolution and thermodynamics! I keep forgetting he's in there!
* Senator Reed is planning to keep rescheduling the jobs bill so as to force the Republicans to go repeatedly on record as being absolutely against creating jobs and against even tiny increases of taxes on the wealthy.
* I see there's been another round of police crack downs on the Wall street protests in various cities here and abroad. I simply haven't the energy to track down a complete list. I find the arresting of nurses running a first aid station at Grant Park in Chicago particularly obnoxious.
* There are already right wing claims that the wall street protests are by the Muslim Brotherhood in a bid to impose sharia law. O.o Seriously, it's about economics, not religious fundamentalism. May i repeat, the only people i see trying to impose theocracy in this country are christian fundamentalist. trust me, the last thing progressives want is an imposition of religious law. Can we stop pretending the opposite is the case and get on to real debate, please?
* "Bad News Round up:" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2011/10/bad-news-round-up.html
The thing with the "think of the children" crap that some people pedal is that they are never thinking of the LGBTQIA kids sitting in the room. somehow, harming them is a okay with these folks. I say you aren't protecting kids if you aren't protecting all kids and that keeping them ignorant isn't any sort of protection from the things that matter. They always seem to be campaigning to protect bullies from consequences rather than campaigning for kids to grow up knowing they aren't alone.
The international stuff in there is so depressing I simply can't find the words.
* "Fetishising is support now?:" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2011/10/fetishising-is-support-now.html
* Chant it with me now: A Republican anti-gay mayor was caught in a gay prostitution scandal.
* Apparently the housing hold up was them needing another piece of paper and answers to a few questions. This meant me dragging my barely functional legs all around town to sort a few housing things out and do some key errands. I got home, wanting nothing more than to lie down for a bit, but Squirrel was up, so I reminded him of some things he needed to do, and rather than let him wander about searching for various government offices, I went back out with him as a guide. At least I mostly got to sit in the car. He was kind enough to help me hang some Halloween decorations. The lights are broken, and I haven't energy to see if it's something i can fix, so we will likely be doing without. I may be going to Greenwick's for Halloween if I can sort out transportation, but I do want to leave out candy and do my Samhain ritual before i go either way. Normally, i have the decorations out as early as possible, but the uncertainty with the living situation led me to hold back. To give you an idea of how bad my legs are today, I nearly got taken out by a folding chair I was trying to set up for the cats. I very nearly took a header into the office community tank. I am still fascinated to see how we finance this move, if indeed we get everything cleared. If it doesn't clear, I'm fucked, as there are no other even vaguely decent prospects. Greenwick has lined up some help, but it's still a huge amount of money and work. Everything would be so much more manageable if I had more spoons or if my lower half were even slightly more functional.
On the upside, I've filled out an astonishingly complex ballot for the upcoming election, which I will mail tomorrow on the way to the doctor's. It's a particularly intense election, what with an Eyeman sponsored kill the government measure (Oregonians: He's Washington's Sizemore), a liquor store ballot measure designed to get rid of more jobs and suck money out of the tax base, a vicious mayoral election, an even more vicious sheriff's election (seriously, when is the last time you saw a large number of lawn signs up for a sheriff's election?), and several other heavily disputed local elections pitting pro-conservation/clean/water/sustainable growth folks against the usual business first/kill the environment/kill the unions/fire people folks. I missed out a couple errands I should have done, but at least I have bread that isn't covered with mold so I could make sandwiches after a few hours rest.
* What tastes worse than medicinal tea? Barely reheated medicinal tea you left to steep eight hours previous and forgot.
* There's some more Walking Dead stuff in the comments with references to the comics and mention of comic characters in reference to them taking the awesome out of the women and the POC to make the white men look better and why that pisses me the hell off: http://gwyd.livejournal.com/1180493.html?view=2309453#t2309453
* Having watched part of it just now as an adult for the first time, it is clear to me that John Carpenter must have known the main, nay quite possibly the only, selling point for his Village of the Damned remake was mostly naked Christopher Reeve in his prime, and so front loaded it in the hopes people would stick around for the rest..
* Note to self: Anthony Rapp and Adam Rapp are entirely different people. *facepalm* I was looking for the Ball Peen Hammer guy.
* Ancient Roman trading links with India: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-19/india/30297370_1_india-links-tamil-nadu-p-d-balaji
* An interesting thing on contaminated water at Jamestown contributing to mortality in the starving Times: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-bad-contribute-starving.html
* Great Pestilence DNA: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8823748/Black-death-DNA-unravelled.html
(Calling it Black Death is ahistorical for a 14th century specialist and was a good way to earn a verbal knuckle wrap in Medieval history Grad school, almost as bad as pronouncing Southwalk the way it's spelled, so I still hesitate to call it anything else, even though none of you likely care).
* Origin of Christmas colours: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-color-coded-christmas.html
* "How to Have a Slatebreaking Halloween:" http://slatebreakers.com/2011/10/24/how-to-have-a-slatebreaking-halloween/
I admit, I just love the Amelia Earhart idea.
* Have a Sexy Little Halloween: http://thehairpin.com/2011/10/have-a-sexy-little-halloween
For readers abroad: The first two states in American primaries are the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire ordinary primary. (A caucus requires you to go to a boring meeting and vote there. A normal primary is either at a normal polling location or by mail, or both depending on where you live. Caucuses are significantly more a pain in the ass, so it tends to be party loyalists or folks who are particularly angry who go. Can you tell I live in a presidential caucus area? Luckily we have ordinary primaries for more local stuff or no one would vote but the wonks. Yes, I am a wonk, and I have gimped long distances in the heat to go despite the shortage of handicapped parking because I am generally that pissed off). Anyway, as a result, these two conservative states have a disproportionate effect on primary elections despite not being particularly representative of the country as a whole. Weaker candidates tend to get weeded out if they don't do well in the early states. Folks like Bachmann need to win to stay in. Folks like Perry need to do well, though winning is better. Bachmann's been focusing on the Iowa caucus as it is particularly rabid in it's reactionary tendencies, so is her best shot. Still, not having a New Hampshire staff is a serious problem.
* It is always a surprise to me to see poor John Huntsman out being sane and reasonable in public. I'm just not used to that from republican presidential candidates anymore. Me: Oh right, he's the one who believes in evolution and thermodynamics! I keep forgetting he's in there!
* Senator Reed is planning to keep rescheduling the jobs bill so as to force the Republicans to go repeatedly on record as being absolutely against creating jobs and against even tiny increases of taxes on the wealthy.
* I see there's been another round of police crack downs on the Wall street protests in various cities here and abroad. I simply haven't the energy to track down a complete list. I find the arresting of nurses running a first aid station at Grant Park in Chicago particularly obnoxious.
* There are already right wing claims that the wall street protests are by the Muslim Brotherhood in a bid to impose sharia law. O.o Seriously, it's about economics, not religious fundamentalism. May i repeat, the only people i see trying to impose theocracy in this country are christian fundamentalist. trust me, the last thing progressives want is an imposition of religious law. Can we stop pretending the opposite is the case and get on to real debate, please?
* "Bad News Round up:" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2011/10/bad-news-round-up.html
The thing with the "think of the children" crap that some people pedal is that they are never thinking of the LGBTQIA kids sitting in the room. somehow, harming them is a okay with these folks. I say you aren't protecting kids if you aren't protecting all kids and that keeping them ignorant isn't any sort of protection from the things that matter. They always seem to be campaigning to protect bullies from consequences rather than campaigning for kids to grow up knowing they aren't alone.
The international stuff in there is so depressing I simply can't find the words.
* "Fetishising is support now?:" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2011/10/fetishising-is-support-now.html
* Chant it with me now: A Republican anti-gay mayor was caught in a gay prostitution scandal.
* Apparently the housing hold up was them needing another piece of paper and answers to a few questions. This meant me dragging my barely functional legs all around town to sort a few housing things out and do some key errands. I got home, wanting nothing more than to lie down for a bit, but Squirrel was up, so I reminded him of some things he needed to do, and rather than let him wander about searching for various government offices, I went back out with him as a guide. At least I mostly got to sit in the car. He was kind enough to help me hang some Halloween decorations. The lights are broken, and I haven't energy to see if it's something i can fix, so we will likely be doing without. I may be going to Greenwick's for Halloween if I can sort out transportation, but I do want to leave out candy and do my Samhain ritual before i go either way. Normally, i have the decorations out as early as possible, but the uncertainty with the living situation led me to hold back. To give you an idea of how bad my legs are today, I nearly got taken out by a folding chair I was trying to set up for the cats. I very nearly took a header into the office community tank. I am still fascinated to see how we finance this move, if indeed we get everything cleared. If it doesn't clear, I'm fucked, as there are no other even vaguely decent prospects. Greenwick has lined up some help, but it's still a huge amount of money and work. Everything would be so much more manageable if I had more spoons or if my lower half were even slightly more functional.
On the upside, I've filled out an astonishingly complex ballot for the upcoming election, which I will mail tomorrow on the way to the doctor's. It's a particularly intense election, what with an Eyeman sponsored kill the government measure (Oregonians: He's Washington's Sizemore), a liquor store ballot measure designed to get rid of more jobs and suck money out of the tax base, a vicious mayoral election, an even more vicious sheriff's election (seriously, when is the last time you saw a large number of lawn signs up for a sheriff's election?), and several other heavily disputed local elections pitting pro-conservation/clean/water/sustainable growth folks against the usual business first/kill the environment/kill the unions/fire people folks. I missed out a couple errands I should have done, but at least I have bread that isn't covered with mold so I could make sandwiches after a few hours rest.
* What tastes worse than medicinal tea? Barely reheated medicinal tea you left to steep eight hours previous and forgot.
* There's some more Walking Dead stuff in the comments with references to the comics and mention of comic characters in reference to them taking the awesome out of the women and the POC to make the white men look better and why that pisses me the hell off: http://gwyd.livejournal.com/1180493.html?view=2309453#t2309453
* Having watched part of it just now as an adult for the first time, it is clear to me that John Carpenter must have known the main, nay quite possibly the only, selling point for his Village of the Damned remake was mostly naked Christopher Reeve in his prime, and so front loaded it in the hopes people would stick around for the rest..
* Note to self: Anthony Rapp and Adam Rapp are entirely different people. *facepalm* I was looking for the Ball Peen Hammer guy.
* Ancient Roman trading links with India: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-19/india/30297370_1_india-links-tamil-nadu-p-d-balaji
* An interesting thing on contaminated water at Jamestown contributing to mortality in the starving Times: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-bad-contribute-starving.html
* Great Pestilence DNA: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8823748/Black-death-DNA-unravelled.html
(Calling it Black Death is ahistorical for a 14th century specialist and was a good way to earn a verbal knuckle wrap in Medieval history Grad school, almost as bad as pronouncing Southwalk the way it's spelled, so I still hesitate to call it anything else, even though none of you likely care).
* Origin of Christmas colours: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-color-coded-christmas.html
* "How to Have a Slatebreaking Halloween:" http://slatebreakers.com/2011/10/24/how-to-have-a-slatebreaking-halloween/
I admit, I just love the Amelia Earhart idea.
* Have a Sexy Little Halloween: http://thehairpin.com/2011/10/have-a-sexy-little-halloween