Tuesday, January 22, 2008

File under no-shit-sherlock. If the media had been doing their job then, we might not be involved in the clusterfuck of Iraq.

Normally they give us stories like this. Do ya' think that getting in shape might reduce your death risk? Certainly not.

At least Grandpa Fred dropped out of the Republican race, and Mitt Romney thinks he's down with the brother-man. Who let the dogs out, indeed.

I hope you don't think there will ever be any real justice in the Enron case. You remember them. The accountants cooked the books in collusion with the banks, they artificially jacked up energy prices and caused energy shortages in CA in the form of rolling blackouts. They folded and $30 BILLION dollars (much in pension investments) was lost. At least one of their top executives committed suicide as I recall (I could be wrong). I guess it was all fake money anyways...

Monday, January 21, 2008

It's a couple of years old, but it bears repeating that, apparently, the Daily Show's "fake" news is just as good as the networks, just a lot more fun. No big surprise, but what does that say about our real news?

Friday, January 18, 2008

I love The Onion!

So, I've done it. I've turned in my application for the PhD program. Another four years... Right now I don't see why they won't accept me, but you never know. I'm switching labs if it does all work out. I'm not unhappy with my current lab, but one of my current committee members has funding for at least 3 years, which will hopefully mean not having to teach. I like teaching, but it will be nice to be able to focus on work which will be part of my dissertation. Now I have to figure out something that is actually worth a PhD...

As far as the MS goes. I've got my proposal in. I'm waiting on data to come back on a couple of analyses, I'm finishing up the last bit of work that I'm doing here, and then it will be on to writing. February will be a month chained to the computer.

I've got to get back on the bike, so that I don't go insane or gain 30lbs...

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

I just lost respect for Gloria Steinem. Read both the truthdig article and her NYT op-ed. I'm too tired to get into details, but her insistence that gender issues come before race or class issues is a bit offensive, and shows a fundamental self absorption that I can't respect. Let me start by saying that it is amazing that we have both a black and a woman who are not just serious candidates, but the two Dem. frontrunners. However, as an upper-middle class, white woman, she can't say HRC is any more discriminated against than a black man. She buy's into HRC's "experience" lie. O.k. fine, if you are going to discount Obama's experience, then you have to discount Bill Clinton's state experience as governor. And Richardson's. And Huckabee's. And Romney's. And Bush's... Well that should be discounted, it didn't work out so well... but you get my point. Steinem even touts her time as first lady as OTJ training. Bull shit. Be consistent.

Again, I will vote for her if she is the Dem nominee, because we need constitutional triage, but she's not experienced and not a real progressive. She's taken way too much money from the lobbyists. Her husband wasn't either, but was tons better than either Bush he was sandwiched between. Grrr. Sorry. I wish I didn't care about politics....

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

So, I'm half watching the New Hampshire primaries, and a few things strike me.
1. Like with Iowa, the Democratic turnout is again shockingly greater than the Republican. Good. It's about time. The reason that the Repugnicants were able to fix the last two elections (Yes, I think there was by far enough chicanery in Ohio and Florida to make that statement) is that those were close elections. If this keeps up through the general election the Repugs. are done. At the national level and state. Good riddance.
2. For the most part the Republicans look like scared old white men. Oh, wait, they are. Now there are some that don't disgust me, and I have to say that unlike our current president, I truly don't believe that the top 3 Republicans (McCain, Romney, Huckabee) are going to purposely drive the country into ruin. Now don't get me wrong. I have serious problems with all of them, and I think that electing another Repug is a huge mistake for the country. BUT, they can all form thoughts and complete sentences, which makes them not total fucking morons. I don't think any of the top three Republicans are truly evil (unlike BushCo).
I respect McCain, but his support for the Iraq war is so entirely out of touch with reality that I am suspect of everything else he says. Romney is just too overtly slick. I'll readily admit that my distrust of Mormons is a personal failing, but I'm universal in my distrust of all overtly religious people. I do have to also admit that the way he balanced the budget in Mass. was good. He closed loopholes, and made corporations actually pay their taxes. I don't trust Huckabee for many of the same reasons. It's true that he's not truly a conservative, and out of all of the Repubs., I think he truly means well. BUT, I'm sorry if you don't believe in evolution, you can't set your religion aside and listen to reason. It's only the second most supported theory in science (behind gravity). I do find some joy in the fact that after years of misrepresenting religion, the Republicans finally have to deal with someone who has actually read the Bible and I think, uses it to make himself a better person, not as a reason to hate and marginalize people. As has been the case for all the "fundamentalists" of the past 30 years. In other words, he's not truly a conservative.
The rest of the Repugs really scare me, but luckily they're not doing well. Grandpa Fred, has gotten a whole 1%. Wasn't he supposed to be the Repug savior? HaHa. Go back to sleep Fred. Guliani? That egotistical fuckface? Hopefully, people are finally seeing through his bullshit. Go away. Ron Paul? Well his supporters have the determination of zombies. They will overlook all his racist and absolutely batshit crazy ideas, just because he talks about the war and fiscal responsibility. Guess what Republicans DO NOT get to talk about fiscal responsibility. When was the last balanced budget delivered by Republicans? Long before I was aware, and that makes it before the 70s. Bush Jr. inherited a balanced budget 8 years ago, and ruined it. Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you.
3. I don't trust Hillary. She's taken way too much money from lobbyists. She's no agent of change. If she's elected, it will be 24 years of a Bush or Clinton. That is not good for the country. I'll vote for her if I have to, but she's just triage. Her claiming "experience" is bullshit. She's been in congress for 3 more years than Obama. Before that it was throwing tea parties at the White House. That is not experience. Piss off. Obama was in state government since 1994. That is far more relevant experience. You don't hear people saying Romney doesn't have experience? Richardson and her husband were only governors. You don't get it both ways.
4. Richardson may be the best candidate, but because he is just like every other democratic nominee since 1980, except for Bill Clinton, he can never win. By just like, I mean smart but BORING. That's what has lost us the last two elections. Gore is smart, but not engaging. Kerry is smart but not engaging. IF the Dems had put some some smart AND likable, then it wouldn't have even been close.

I truly think that Obama or Edwards could do a better job, but that any of the Dems, will wipe up the Repug. field. I hope that remains true. They are ALL better than ANY of the Repugs. I was actually heartened watching the Dem. debate last weekend (and catching bits of the Repug one) I may not like Hillary like I do Obama and Edwards, but they are all smart and capable candidates. I think Obama and Edwards are less tied to the corporate money machine, but none of them are truly progressive. Unfortunately, I don't think a true progressive can get elected right now. We need to move the country away from the scared greedy old men of the 50s, but it won't happen in one election.

All that said, I am really glad that a woman and a black man are both seriously considered as presidential candidates. Hopefully, the Dems can keep having double the turnout of the Repugs.