FIRE on fire 2
There is, understandably, a lot of discussion about the economy right now. Eric Janszen’s article in Harpers strikes me as one of the better articles I’ve read on the subject. I find it interesting that he thinks the money is shifting in to alternative energy. It makes sense as a hedge bet, but is so capital intensive I can’t imagine it holds up for long.
UPDATE: Looks like the feds have made their next move. Hold on to your seat belts tax payers! It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.
Enjoy Your Canada Day in Obscurity
Happy Canada Day!
I was listening to Morning Edition on KPCC this morning, hearing an interview with Le Vent Du Nord. The article opens talking about how in the US we’re anticipating the 4th of July, while many of “our neighbors (sic) to the north” are all getting excited about Quebec’s 400th anniversary. It somehow failed to mention that pretty much all of “our neighbours to the north” are celebrating Canada Day today. That’s right, on Canada Day, they did a story about founding celebrations in Canada, and managed to find a way to make the 4th of July relevant, but they didn’t so much as mention Canada Day, the one such celebration occurring that day which is actually celebrated by everyone to the north.
Be careful about dissing Canada. If you really tick them off the Jay’s will win the World Series a few more times as punishment.
UPDATE: Apparently there is another noteworthy celebration going on today. It feels like there is some kind of significance to SOS being adopted on Canada Day, but what that significance is seems rather open to interpretation. ;-)
Was That George and Charlie, or Was That Barbara Wawa?
What can I say that Michael Grunwald hasn’t said? I think the silver lining on all this is that someone may lose their job, or at least their journalistic credibility over this. Sad yes, but perhaps that’ll start to shift where this boat is heading (and let’s face it, the American public has had a huge hand in steering it that way). Maybe, just for once, we’ll take our responsibilities seriously.
Nah... America isn't sexually repressed/obsessed.
You know you have problems when any part of Dick Cheney can be mistaken for a naked woman, even if distorted by a reflection in his sunglasses.
Two Speeches
It’s a black and white difference that you can see with your eyes closed.
Two Links
Upon reflection, I don’t think this was a particularly amazing or eloquent speech. In a lot of ways, it was very calculated and a repetition of campaign speeches going back as much as a year (and in some ways even echoing Obama’s 2004 Convention speech). It still brought a tear to my eye. Why? Because this is the kind of response I’ve been hungering for in reaction to the usual “gotcha journalism”, holier than though punditry, politics of division, reducing lifetimes to one unfortunate sound bite or image, focus on the horse race not the challenges, political ADD, and dammit-we-won’t-stop-this-insanity-until-someone’s-career-is-over, campaign against some talking head rather than your opponent, yellow journalism masquerading as political correctness, idiocy that has plagued us for so long, and has basically owned the 2008 presidential campaign process almost before it started.
Seriously, I’d only have been prouder if he’d just walked up to the podium with a sign behind him saying something along the lines of, “A Message For Those Concerned By Ferraro, Wright, etc.”, waited for silence, and then with both hands, emphatically performed the Trudeau salute, then silently stepped down from the podium. Unfortunately, that path leads to the PMO in Ottawa rather than 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C.
…plus, this was a bit more uplifting.
A Shout Out To The Troops
Oh wait, I guess you can’t hear me.
Don't Vote
I glanced over at Corey’s get out the vote campaign, so I have to throw in a counter sentiment.
Thanks to a) the Primaries not being over by the time they come to California and b) the wonders of proportional representation, this is the first election I’m in where my vote might actually be meaningful on the larger stage. No longer are my votes largely meaningless outside the realm of state propositions, city measures, and the detestable judicial elections. I’m in a position to mess up the entire country, perhaps the entire planet.
Here’s the thing: the more of the rest of you hipsters decide to maintain a Zen-like aloofness and remain above such pedestrian things like politics and democracy, the more influential my vote will be. Past evidence suggests that you are more likely to vote against me than with me, so please, don’t vote.
Think about how difficult it is to vote. First, you’ll have to navigate the treacherous Internet(which, btw, provided a map which leads to a place at least a mile away from where my polling station is… thank Google for Maps!). You have to walk (either that or you contribute to global warming) through the desert for who knows how many feet to your nearest polling station. Not only will you have to brave the elements, but also violent militants trying to undermine the legitimacy of the election. Even if you make it to the polling place, you know it will be manned by partisans either from a union or some religious cult, who will be standing in the voting booth with you and making sure you vote correctly. Even if you manage to deceive them, you know that they or some partisans at the Secretary of State’s office will discard your vote if they don’t agree with it. Even if your vote does get through that gauntlet, what kind of choices do we really have? I mean, at the national level, we’ve got two Democrats with barely any experience on the national stage and who are virtually indistinguishable from the each other (just look at them!). Then, on the other side you have four guys to choose from who only differ on taxes, government spending, use of the military, religion, immigration and environmental policy. That’s practically no choice at all!
Really, when you think about it, you’re better off sitting at home and reading blogs and leaving the voting to me.
Hell Hath No Fury Like the President of the State Chapter of a SIG Whose Endorsement Is Different From That of a High Profile Senator From Another State
In case you’ve had your head in the sand for the last 24 hours, Ted Kennedy announced his support for Barack Obama for President yesterday in what will likely be the biggest endorsement (aside, of course, from when Chuck Norris moved the earth) of this Presidential campaign, unless the Pope decides to endorse Hillary Clinton or Osama bin Laden endorses Rudi Giuliani.
Despite today’s counter-endorsement from another chunk of the Kennedy clan, the ripples from this one will probably continue at least through Super Tuesday. One of the seemingly more curious responses was this tepid statement from NOW’s President Kim Gandy (doesn’t that last paragraph almost read like Sen. Kennedy is a woman? ;-). That only seems curious though if you haven’t read this press release from Marcia Pappas, President of the New York State chapter of NOW, who apparently feels that if you aren’t for Hillary, you are just taking women’s money but ignoring women and children when talking about “…poverty or human needs or America’s future or whatever…”. I’m sure Ms. Gandy called Ms. Pappas to thank her for such a dignified response that in no way plays to negative stereotypes about women.
Now They're *Really* Not Going To Take You Seriously
In what has to be the most ridiculous aspect of 2008 Presidential Nomination campaign to date (and that is really saying something, a group of Ron Paul supporters are planning on a new year’s rally on World of Warcraft, including a march from Ironforge to Stormwind on New Year’s Day.
<sarcasm>
Well, that should PVP-killeliminate the notion that Ron Paul supporters are a bunch of geeks on the Internet with no sense of reality.
</sarcasm>
UPDATE: I didn’t want to leave the Democrats out of the “ridiculous” category, so I thought I’d add some links to balance it all out.