Hillary for Pres

In an earlier post I was pondering the idea for voting for Mr. Fox for President.

I may have changed my mind. Hmmmmmm..................

http://www.fredoneverything.net/WriteInHillary.shtml

I kind of like it. Sort of a 'None of the above'.

Taglines

Taglines - those funny little one liners people place after their messages.
Saw one today that really hit me

if brains were copper wire you could't fix a short in a firefly's ass

And if you want some more try here
http://www.taglinesgalore.com/index.html

Be forewarned - many of these are very geek.

Origami

Feeling inadequate?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/27/origami_phallus/


And that's all I'll say about that.

Calif Propositions

I'll risk sounding like someone who would be cruel to sick children and people with mental problems. Prop 61, children's hospitals, Prop 63, mental health funding, and Prop71, stem cell research all seem like worthy causes. I'd like to see these too, but not at the taxpayer's expense.

Unfortunately all are costly and mostly contribute to the enrichment of taxeaters. Recent stories concerning Mr.s Steve Schilling and Steve Ladd should be proof enough how this ends up working. Much of the well intentioned funds end up in the pockets of unaccountable administrators overseen by rubber-stamp boards. Mr. Schilling even had the arrogant and flippant explanation, "I'm worth it". All I see is misdirected tax money.

These propositions will just result in more of the same. Until this changes taxpayers should say no.

DRM Anticonsumer

Does anyone want DRM other than the corporate fatcats pushing it.
This article in The Inquirer gives some really good points.

http://theinquirer.net/?article=19246

article ......

The fundamental question is simply this. Why would a consumer want to buy something that has more restrictions and less functionality for more money than current solutions? I have asked this question to junior members of the companies to the very top CxOs, and from people on the street to fellow journalists. No-one can give me an answer.

snip ......

Toy of the Year

There are times my sophomoric humor just can't help it

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/25/robot_breaks_wind/

Then again a lot of men are afflilcted likewise. How else can you explain The Simpsons or Southpark. Two of my favorites.
And I say men because I don't know of any woman over the age of 19 that watches these shows. My wife just rolls her eyes and goes to another room. (an aside - She has on occassion chuckled at one of these shows when she's been in the room while I was watching. She however denies anything more than that single gag being slightly funny. She also was the one who bought her 18 yo nephew a remote control fart machine - I was jealous).

Voting Machines

I'll leave it to each of you to draw your own conclusions on this but in my mind it ain't pretty.


http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/
story/0,10801,96659,00.html?SKC=news96659

article......

News Story by Dan Verton

OCTOBER 18, 2004
(COMPUTERWORLD) - This November, as many as 50 million Americans could vote for president using some form of electronic touch-screen system, the vast majority of which have been designed by McKinney, Texas-based Diebold Election Systems. That has some IT and security researchers holding their breath because of the faulty track record of Diebold's technology and a government-endorsed testing and certification process that they say is deeply flawed.

The Man They Call Bush's Brain

Karl Rove........
Did we know how low he could go. I've heard stories. Read this article from the Atlantic

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200411/green

article......

Rather than soften Bush's appeal to reach moderates, Rove, as he has done throughout his career, is attempting to control the debate by expertly spotlighting issues sure to inspire his core constituency: the drive for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, the pronouncements about love of country, the unremitting attack against anything in an opponent that seems impregnable. All these tactics stand out in Rove's most memorable past victories.

snip......

Don't even pretend the crap like 'Swiftboat Veterns' or Sinclair Broadcasting's showing of anti-Kerry film 'Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal' is not being orchestrated. It all smacks of the auspicious, or maybe suspicious, doings of KR.

Whiskey Tango

Okay, time for a little fun.

http://whiskey-tango.urbanup.com/43617

I don't know how I've lived without this. An invaluable resource if there ever was one.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/

At my age I probably really need this. Now I can decipher some of the crap my 13 yo and her friends are saying behind my back. (course that never works - why do teens even thinks that??? well my parents never had a clue but you're talkin' to an old pothead here, I was always hip - but I digress).

And funny stuff too.....
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
define.php?term=fo%27+shizzle+my+nizzle

Gotta stop. I could waste all day here.

Long name - right idea

Could he have choosen a longer domain name?
Well at least it gets his point across.

http://johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com/

Can't see too much here to disagree with.

A little more on voting

I'm reminded of this by another blog I read.....

Heinlein said it well

If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for ... but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong.

--in "The Notebooks of Lazarus Long," in his masterpiece Time Enough For Love.

What to do on the 2nd

Here's one I like - exactly what I was thinking

article.......

What to do on election day? Good lord, what a pickle.

Do I vote for Kerry as a way of punishing the Republicans for their arrogance and idiocies? What does it take for them to understand that they should be the party of modest government? But a protest vote against Bush would almost certainly be interpreted as a vote for Kerry, and I'd hate to give anyone the impression I'm sanctioning that zero. God only knows what he stands for anyway ...

But maybe a Kerry presidency wouldn't be the worst thing imaginable. The combo of Democratic president and Republican legislature often creates gridlock, and gridlock seems to be the only way that brakes get applied to runaway government these days. Still, that's a risky strategy. What if differences get ironed out and laws get passed? Wouldn't want that ...

snip........
http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/001691.html#001691

The more you can get politicians to do less the better -
Power to the Gridlock!

Undecided Voters

Andy Rooney said the other night he really doesn't believe there are undecided voters - they just aren't telling.

I stumbled accross this guy
http://cutto.blogspot.com/2004/10/contender.html
Has a good sense of humor

And his take on undecided voter

article ..............

The “focus groups” on TV are a fun, yet depressing, thing to see. Featured are “undecided voters” from all walks of life. They are shown clips of the candidates on a monitor and then vomit out their thoughts…

“I don’t know. Kerry’s hair was a bit out of place. He licks his tongue a lot too. I’m concerned how this might come into play during cabinet meetings. Will he have the respect of his Secretaries? On the other hand, Bush...”

“Well… I liked what Kerry said. But… I also liked what Bush said. They both talk so well. I just don’t know.”

I even heard one of them say, “If only we could blend the two of them together…”

Good Lord!

I say… JUST MAKE UP YOUR STUPID MIND YOU IDIOT!!!!!

snip................
http://cutto.blogspot.com/2004/10/dumb-and-dumber.html

Maybe I'll write him in Kerry R. Fox. Yeah I like that.

Some Reading

I used to be a newspaper-news-magazine junkie. I'm not so much anymore. I read the local paper and still take Time but I don't always get it read. I stopped the Sunday LA Times and I miss it, but I get more done on Sundays now. I no longer take any computer mags.
Now its mostly on-line material. And there's a lot of it. Blogs have created a new paradigm. Many were just called journals before the term blog started. One of the great thing about these blogs is the linking. I'm constantly redirected to new sources of wisdom, humor and news. Frankly I'm a bigger junkie than ever. I just don't contribute to killing as many trees (no I'm not much of an enviromentalist either). I'm still an avid TV watcher but I hope I can encourge you to read more. It's so much more diverse. Besides I'm starting to get real tired of watching politics on TV right now.

In that respect I'm going to share a few good ones that just make fun or interesting reads.
Most of these links will be to a page somewhere inside that I liked, however, go back to the home page and read about the author, then read more of what they have to offer.

First http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/openletters/15cubicles.html
The open letters are great. I had time to read about 10. I need to go back when I can and get another fix. And this one had me lmao http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/15MatthewSimmons.html

Second http://blogs.salon.com/0001772/stories/
2003/01/18/fundamentalismHurts.html
Insightful, funny, truthful and even moving. The story about saying goodby to his dog even had my eyes watering (yes me - course I like dogs better than I like a lot of people).
Read his story about his life. Inspiring even for a heathen like me. http://blogs.salon.com/0001772/stories/
2002/12/26/thePreachersStoryIn4Parts.html

Enjoy. I hope you take something away that helps your day.

Help Florida - Vote!

Yep - Jeb needs your help

http://wearabledissent.com/101/floridavote.html

Vote for Change

The final Vote for Change concert was web-cast last night. Unfortunately I didn't get to see it all. Very fortunately I 'tuned in' in time to see the last 2.5 hours.
Saw the last Dixie Chick number (an old Bob Dylan folk song). I'm not a country music fan but I sure respect DC for speaking up against Bush. They've taken a lot of flack from the usual redneck CW fans and that shows some real cajones (for chicks???).

I then managed to get the laptop connected to the TV and sound system (my laptop has a NTSC video out - worked great). I was still on the wireless connection so parts of Dave Mathews would break up. A quick run around at the next break and a long damn cable run from the living room to the office and I was all set. Just in time to See Bruce & the E Street Band. Bruce did an instrumental of the Star Spangled Banner then Born in the USA. Michael Stipe(REM) joined Springsteen for a rendition of Because the Night.
John Fogerty came out and did a couple of songs with them including Fortunate Son (HA - that works for both Bush & Kerry in my book).

If I haven't said it before I am huge Bruce fan (something like 40 live concerts, and I know, there are bigger fans). He did Mary's Place with a long 'Revival Preacher Routine' in the middle of it. If you've ever seen him you probably know it. He talks like a preacher in a tent revival - usually about a lost soul needing love and being saved by Rock and Roll - usually funny and over the top. Last night's was aimed at the need to vote and a plug for Kerry. Still good and funny when he told the people at home to get up, get naked, place your hand on the TV, yell Halliburton three times.

The entire cast closed with a great version of Patti Smith's "People Have the Power."
Just a really great musical show and pretty good political message.

Columbus Day

As an Italian-American I have every reason to celebrate today.
As a taxpayer I'm just pissed! It's a poor excuse to come up with a holiday just so there can be one in October. Another perk for the taxeaters. Fuck 'em!

Election Time Fun

The Presidential election really doesn't matter here in California, being there is no question that Kerry will win here.
Many people don't understand the electorial college, especially those under 40. I'll give a lecture on representative government at a later time. Keep in mind voting is important, there are a slew of initiatives on the ballot in California this year, most of them meant to give your money to special interests, but I'll save that one too.

So most have heard the now famous JibJab 'This Land' parody. They have a new one, 'Good To Be In DC''. It lampoons them all. Go watch it and have fun.

http://www.jibjab.com/



Now I'm ready for a little fun too. FRIDAY BEERS!

Truth & Politics

I've been known to suggest that all politicians lie all the time. Now I find this little nugget. HA!

"Bush says Kerry isn't fit to be President of the US. Kerry says Bush isn't fit to be President of the US. We should listen to both of them, because they're both telling the truth."

VP Debate

I couldn't resist - this is too funny.

http://randomcutie.blogspot.com/2004/10/eeeeeeexcellent.html

Music & Computers - I'm Mixing Geek & Politics

I started out this morning reading an article about Orrin Hatch (Sen. Rep-RIAA) and his Induce Act, which will be coming up for a vote in the judiciary committee later today.

"The recording industry (proposals) would effectively put at risk all consumer electronics, information technology products, and Internet products and services that aren't designed to the industry's liking," read one letter sent Wednesday and signed by lobby groups representing technology companies, including News.com publisher CNET Networks. "We urge you not to move forward now."

D.C. showdown looms over file swapping

These clowns don't have a clue. The RIAA is stuck in it's belief that they can use politicians, lawyers and the courts to stop a fundamental change in their industry. This just won't work.
People love music, but worse they hate devices that try to restrict their rights to listen and use such entertainment. Technology has left them in the dust and rather than adopt to new models they attempt to sue 12 year old kids.

Worse yet is other large and lumberous corporations are trying to help them while trying to wrestle control of all digital rights.
Here's a rather long article in 'The Register' about Big Steve

Last Sunday Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer kicked off this week's European tour by sitting down with a small group* of British journalists and dispensing pearls of wisdom, notably on the future of Apple in home networking (it has none, natch, says Steve). He also did at least one interview, with the Financial Times (published in Tuesday's paper), remarkable largely because it inadvertently revealed the Microsoft High Command's paucity of ideas - if this is all Steve's currently betting the company on, then Microsoft is in big trouble.

But the Apple stuff, particularly the ill-informed 'iPod users are thieves' slur, is worth examining in some detail, because it shows that Steve doesn't Get It, that Microsoft doesn't Get It, and points us to the reasons why they don't Get It. Microsoft, essentially, is pre-programmed to fail in the battle for the home, for consumer electronics, and for consumer digital services.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/07/ballmer_doesnt_get_it/

Also if you have lots of time read Andrew Orlowski's article on what the music industry might consider doing instead

How the music biz can live forever, get even richer, and be loved

DRM as invisioned by MS and all their friends in the RIAA an MPAA is doomed to fail. People will simply not tolerate something as draconian as they have planned.

More Fun

Didn't watch. Ain't gonna comment on it.
I intend to keep it light for a few days.

On that note another fun site. Are you an MC Escher fan?

http://www.cs.technion.ac.il/~gershon/EscherForReal/