Under the Bridge

pennsic panic

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:25:51 GMT

Anyone need a travelling companion for the drive to Pennsic?

Having decided last year to finally return to the Pennsic War this year, after 7 years away, I totally flaked on prepping, didn't pre_reg, didn't think about only having one car, been pretty absent from my sca friends, now it's two weeks away, and I'm scrambling to find a friend (or stranger) to hitch a ride with/drive for.

I can get a ride to anywhere within about 2 hours of trenton on fri, sat, or sunday. I only have a large suitcase to bring.

Anyone?

Six Apart Sells LiveJournal to Russian Media Company

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:14:19 GMT

So I wonder if that's why they actually added all these new ridiculous content screening "features"

http://news.livejournal.com/104520.html

Apparently it's a marketing company--so you can now expect all your LJ personal information to be sold, or otherwise used for marketing purposes? Or are they just excited about the advert revenue LJ users will generate for them?

Anita Stake, Vampire Executioner

Thu, 24 May 2007 04:49:16 GMT

Anita Stake: i am a deadly vampire executioner
Jean-Claude: i am the master vampire of the city! vlah!
AS: we are natural enemies! i will kill you!
JC: i know! let's have sex!
AS: OK!
- - -
JC: come to my lair, meet my evil vampire buddies!
AS: no! they will try to kill me!
JC: i love you! i will protect you!
AS: i hate you! OK
AS: and i am wearing my silver cross to protect me, too!
JC: OK!
- - -
AS: here we are!
JC: oh yeah, you should leave your silver cross outside.
AS: its the only thing keeping your evil buddies from trying to kill me.
JC: That's true.
AS: OK.
- - -
JC: well, here we are in my lair.
AS: Lets have sex. (we are enemies, I will kill you later)
JC: OK!
- - -
JC: Well, here are my evil vampire buddies.
Evil vampire buddies: hey.
AS: Hey.
EVB: now, we kill your girl friend!
AS: !
JC: whatever.
AS: !!
EVB: (menance!)
AS: !!!
JC: (files nails)
AS: !!!!
EVB: (menance! shove!)
AS: !!!!!
JC: (whistles tunelessly)
AS: ok, that's IT! now, i am killing you!
EVB: argh! we know! (die)
JC: (checks email)
AS: why did you let them do that?
JC: you're sexy when you are angry.
AS: !!
JC: lets have sex!
AS: OK!
- - -
AS: This will never work!
JC: I know!
AS: I can't live like this!
JC: Me neither!
AS: Lets kill ourselves!
JC: OK!
AS: You first.
JC: OK. (dies)
AS: sucker.
- - -

All of You

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 03:20:10 GMT

I love you (you are my sunshine)
I love ewe (an unnatural attraction)
I love hue (a fondness for color)
I love Hugh (Wolverine!)
Aisle of Ewe (the sheep store)
Aisle of Few (not much selection)
Aisle of You (a row of clones)
Aisle of Juice (have a drink)
all of hue (every color)
all of Hugh (not part of him)
all of you (not some of you)
all, a few (however many)
all, of ewe (every sheep has a sheep for a mother)
Allah Few (the chosen ones)
Allah view (a religious experience)
Isle of Ewe (where sheep go on vacation)
Isle of Few (the toll of cannibalism)
Isle of Hew (where lumberjacks go on vacation)
Isle of Hue (tropical spendor)
Isle of Hugh (where WOLVERINE! goes on vacation)
Isle of View (go for the scenery)
Isle of Juice (Not a desert isle)
Isle of Jews (Manhattan)
olive ewe (a military sheep)
olive ewe two (its clone)
olive hue (a green color)
olive Hugh (Wolverine, in that old army jacket)
olive jew (in the Israeli military)
olive juice (a salty swill)
olive view (a green tinted window)

Irony: Its all in the wrist.

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 17:59:39 GMT

My cat likes -- no, demands -- to sit on my lap while I work on my laptop. This means he is actually sitting on my forearms. Of course, this somewhat limits my range of motion, and puts some extra strain on my arms and wrists--and yet, his body heat is rather soothing.

He's like a giant 12 pound hot compress that cures carpel tunnel pain, even as it causes carpel tunnel pain.

Mooninities--How Sad-How Scary!

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:58:15 GMT

I didn't know when I wrote this that, at the same time as the toys were being discovered, that actual bomb-like fake pipe-bombs were also being reported/discovered, confusing the whole things. Also, I didn't know that the guys who put up the toys learned that folks were freaking out, and choose to obey their corporate bosses and *not* tell the authorities about the media campaign. Of course, now the corporation has bought itself forgiveness with a $2 million check, while leaving its two hired-schmucks (who obviously thought they would be shielded from consequences by the corporation) to the annoyed whims of the annoyed federal, state, and municipal governments. Suckers.

How sad and scary is it that Boston Bomb Squad personnel can't tell the difference between a toy and a bomb?

We're not even talking about something with an enclosure, or a stuffed animal. We're talking about a flat circuit board with a bunch of LED's, some batteries, and some very simple electronics components (ie power-supply stuff).

How could you, in good conscience, *REMOVE* such a device, without first determining if moving it will detonate it? And how could you, unless you are a complete dufus, examine one of these things and still think that it's anything dangerous?

People in other cities found them, took them down, and collected them!

Boston's emergency response teams are going to be the butt of well-deserved jokes for quite a while.

Cops: Man killed by police had ransacked city offices

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:45:02 GMT

I was one block from it when this went down:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/16477544.htm

I left Shampoo (Dracula's Ball) just before 2 AM, and called Raaven to let here know I was on my way home (that way my body only has to lie in a ditch for a short time before someone comes looking for it). I walked down 8th to Market St to catch the "Night-Owl" shuttle bus that takes over for the subway after 11PM. As I approached Market, I saw a few police cars zoom by, lights and sirens full on, one even came down 8th. Then more police cars, one after another, zooming by and stopping one block away, at 9th and Market streets. Even a big SUV sort-of thing.

I stood there at the corner for a moment, wondering what was going on. A couple of of Septa workers and construction workers working downstairs in the El station came up to see what all the sirens were about. The view wasn't good, there was a lot of cop cars, lights flashing, clustered around the end of the street.

So, there we are, standing on the corner of 8th and Market, gawking east toward the multitude of flashing lights at 9th and speculating, when >pop-p-p-p-pop-p-pop!< A long burst of overlapping gunshots! By the time I even thought to duck for cover, it was over. No stray bullets, thankfully! There were at least 5 shots, but could have been as many as 9 or more. After 5 years living in West Philadelphia, hearing all kinds of popping noises, I finally know for sure what a police pistol shot sounds like.

The group reacted! "What was that!" "Shit!" "Damn!" "Somebody just died!" "That was a suicide-by-cop!"

Everyone was a little weirded by it. The general assumption (sight unseen!) seemed to be that there was only one person being shot at, it was a dude, he never fired a shot, was probably unarmed, and the number of shots fired was excessive. A minute later, someone came walking from that direction.

"Dude, what happened?"
"I think they tasered some dude, he didn't go down, so they shot him"
"What'd he do?" "Did he pulla gun?" "Did he have a knife?"
"I couldn't see-I was half a block away"
"That's illegal!" "They never get in trouble"
"It's like 'Rizzo's Rangers[Raiders?]' all over again!"
"I didn't stick around, man... I didn't want to be 'a problem' for them."

Shortly, another fellow arrived from the east.

"Man, they just shot that guy!"
"What happened"
"I saw it all, man, they tasererd him, zap! zap! zap! zap!
"He wouldn't go down
"He threw a bottle or something, they shot him"

Again, the consensus was that this was excessive, that nothing would come of it for the police doing the shooting, and that this was a sign that the Mayor was giving the police a free and rough hand to "clean up" the city.

At that moment, the Night Owl arrived, and I was across the street. I missed it. Crap.

I called Raaven again, first to tell her I was O.K., and second to tell her why I might not have been... what I'd just experienced. It was the closest I'd ever been to violent death. It felt very strange and unnerving.

I'm glad I wasn't the guy that got shot.
I'm glad to know more of the story of what went on that night.

I still think the number of shots was totally excessive. I mean, how dead does a guy need to be? Don't they have "designated shooters" at these things, or is it really just a free-for-all get-your-shots-in-while-you-can gun-fight party?

"Seduction Style" Quiz

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:18:10 GMT

I took it because Raaven took it. I'm a follower.

--A somewhat unexpected result: if you asked me what I thought I am, I'd have said something else. But then, according to this, that answer would have been a deliberately manipulating lie, anyway. So I guess this is correct. Sorry, folks, I only *seem* like a nice guy--I'm really a lying sleazebag *pretending* to be a nice guy!

Warning: Somewhat annoying, but attractive, Flash-based interface.

It says I need the "sinner's guide": (Can't direct link to the sinner's guide.)

Truth

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 15:33:06 GMT

"You wanna know the real reason nature abhors a vacuum? Because nature is filthy." -- Woot.com, selling vacuum cleaners.

Condom Wimps

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 20:52:49 GMT

Some recent buzz about a new kind of condom packaging that makes putting on a condom "faster and easier" got me thinking:

It's amazing to me what huge wimps some guys are about condoms.

"It's too thick" -- I don't know what brand of socks these guys buy, but mine are so thin that I'm actually a little worried they may rip--of course, they never do. Or, maybe they should try spending a little extra on Inspirals(TM) ( http://www.inspiral.tv ) or that other funny-shaped brand. They really do give that extra little bit of internal friction they might be missing. If they miss the hot and wet, a little bit of lube-in-the-tube brings back that Monsoon in June feeling. What is it with these guys with the nearly-numb cocks that seem to lose all feeling inside a rubber? Maybe they need to masturbate more.

"The delay cools things off too much" -- Delay? DELAY? Where the hell do you keep your shower caps, Dude? In the gun rack of your pickup? At your Granny's house? Holy Fucking Shit! If the guys who say this weren't such sex-hostile misogynists, they'd have a bottle of Liquid Silk and a handful of Rabbit's Best Friend within arm's-length of every possible location where they might *possibly* do it, and a few elsewhere, besides, just in case. Couch side, bed side, in the kitchen silverware drawer for Christ's sake (but NOT next to the pin cushion in the sewing box!).

I know I'm exceptional--and weird--but that means I stash extra Sin Foil Hats under the seats on the subway, like a squirrel hiding nuts for the winter. I don't expect that level of optimism from everyone. But a few Kinsey Top Hats in the latptop bag isn't optimistic--its just good sense. In a hotel alone with your laptop, webcam and wireless internet? Why look at internet porn when you can BE internet porn? Go get someone from the hotel bar and safe-sex your
way into internet history!

That problem solved, where's the delay? Again, I know I'm exceptional (aren't we all?) and an old hand, but I can keep my partner "involved" with one hand, while with the other I can open a drawer, locate a condom, tear it open with my teeth, apply it and lube, all while flying high my flagpost of love--in under 10 seconds. If I'm really thinking ahead, way less. Usually, my partner isn't even aware that there's been a costume change. Yes, I'm that good. But how much longer can it take? Fifteen seconds? Thirty? And what about making it a game?

Wimps and amateurs.

Maybe I should open a school.

Raaven's first two articles published on Associated Content!

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 21:49:53 GMT

She is *NOW* officially a "professional writer!"

If you have a moment, please read these articles, and rate them if you wish, and click on some ads, too... The more activity her articles generate, the more she gets paid for subsequent work.

Not besides, they are interesting reading!

More Than 20 Classic Cocktails You Can Make Using Just 5 Kinds of Liquor!
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/43290/more_than_20_classic_cocktails_you.html

Life with Type 2 Diabetes
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/41642/life_with_type_2_diabetes.html

War Camp, Ho!

Thu, 08 Jun 2006 11:24:31 GMT

After a two-year hatius, I am definitely planning on going to the East Kingdom War Camp this July!

Yay!

A really boring picture.

Sat, 13 May 2006 11:46:00 GMT

Here is a picture of the front of 3536 S Lowe.

ETA:
From a friend:

I'm taking part in the craziness that is the U of C scav hunt (http://scavhunt1.uchicago.edu).

Item #284: "Google Images gives no results for 3536 S Lowe. Fix that."

GIS for 3536 S Lowe

I'm such a dork that not only did I know off the top of my head that that's the address of the late Richard J. Daley's family home, but I also already had a picture of it posted.

Thus, we are attempting a googlebombing - we need the term "3536 S Lowe" to link to the URL http://reallyboring.net/chicago/60-bridgeport/l2.jpg in as many places as possible. We have to get that image in the results by Sunday.

Toronto

Mon, 08 May 2006 14:39:00 GMT

I am in Toronto, at the INTA Annual Meeting / Trade show.. my employer is an exhibitor.. Wow, these trademark people have $$$$-- the receptions and after-parties are top-drawer, catered affairs with open bars, and all the trimmings--last night I went to "Loeb & Loeb Annual Desert Soiree" Faaaan-ceee.

I met a pair of Trade Mark Agents, from a firm in Vancouver. Lots of fun, great conversation. Hopefully, they'll come find me again today... or tonight. Dancing would be good. I've got a yen.

I'll be here until tuesday morning.

The "Lose You Benefits" Bill

Wed, 03 May 2006 23:29:28 GMT

The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act: Women in Every State Will Lose Health Care Benefits
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/media/media-060315-himmaa.xml

Take action!
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/benefits1

Please repost!

Awesome Presents!

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 13:31:38 GMT

My sweetheart raaven, just gave me two of the best presents ever!

"Automata and Mechanical Toys" by Rodney Peppe' and "Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements" by Henry T. Brown.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1861265107/104-8191066-8664755?v=glance&n=283155

AaMT shows how to assemble a kit of parts and mechanisms from wood, metal and other materials, a sort of home-made erector-set for prototyping automata, as well as designs and plans for an assortment of specific automata and toys! A material tinkerers dream!

507MM is just that... page after page of detailed, patent-esque drawings of 507 mechanical movements: Gearings, shafts, cams, pistons, etc, just about every possible way of transforming force from one direction to another, converting rotation to reciprocation (and vice versa), and all the rest. OMG! OMG! OMG! <>

The occasion? Nothing! OMG she loves me!

Free Coffee at Starbucks Today...(3/15)

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 10:39:20 GMT

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060314/20060314005287.html?.v=1

Starbucks to Serve More Than a Half-Million Cups of Complimentary Coffee across the U.S. During First-Ever Starbucks Coffee Break

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 14, 2006--More than 70 percent of Americans take at least one coffee break per day(1) and tomorrow, Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq:SBUX - News) wants to treat those Americans to a great cup of coffee. Starbucks will host its first-ever National Coffee Break, inviting customers in for a complimentary cup of freshly brewed coffee, on March 15 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. In more than 7,500 stores, partners (employees) will pour tall (12-ounce) cups of coffee for surprised customers and delighted commuters.

How the Religious Right Tries to Kill us All

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 11:26:41 GMT

See article by Michael Specter in this week's New Yorker, (not online, but see also interview with him here where the article is dicussed in some depth) in which he discovers that the religious right not only opposes the FDA approval of the HPV vaccine, but is planning to oppose the approval of any future HIV vaccine, because curing cervical cancer and AIDS would "encourage promiscuity." -- (Thanks Lionel)

All of you.

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 18:07:30 GMT

Raaven looked me in the eye, and said, "All of you!"

I said, "All of you? Olive Ewe, a green sheep."

She said, "Olive yew, a strange hybrid tree."

She said, "By the way, what I said was, 'I. Love. You.'"

I said, "Oh!"

::smooch!::

SO: Some homophones

Ah, the view!
Olive ewe.
All of you.
Ilya Few.
Isle of Yew.
I love you!

In other News...

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 16:21:28 GMT

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!111OneOneOne!

My New Website: TURTLEZERO.COM

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 15:47:22 GMT

I don't think I've mentioned it here, so here it is: VISIT TURTLEZERO.COM NOW!

This is my website where I offer my paid services as a NetLogo programmer.

NetLogo is a computer language and environment intended for deveopment of Agent Based Models. It's a great research tool, and can also be used to create models to use as teaching aids in the classroom. At TurtleZERO.com you can try out a bunch of NetLogo models I've created. (The models run as Java "applets" in your browser, so you'll need the Java plugin.)

Hot sauce gives me hiccoughs?

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 15:41:26 GMT

I take one bite of my sausage-egg-n-cheese-with-ketchup-and-hotsauce, and the moment the spicey flavors hit my throat... HEEEEKrkG! I hiccup about 5 times, then it stops. Fun!

Not One Dime -- Radical Campaign Finance Reform

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:05:47 GMT

This idea rocks.

Not One Dime

A radical plan to Abramoff-proof politics.

By James Carville and Paul Begala
( source: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0603.carville.html )

Republicans are trying to run away from the growing Abramoff scandal like the devil runs from holy water. And who can blame them? While the GOP tries lamely to pretend that the lobbying scandal is bipartisan, the truth is that the pay-for-play politics that Abramoff exemplifies has become central to the GOP's governing model, in a way it has not been for either party in decades. That's why the officials so far snared are all Republican. The House GOP Leader, Tom DeLay, is indicted and disgraced. The White House's chief procurement officer, an Abramoff ally, has also been indicted. Republican Congressman Duke Cunningham has already pleaded guilty to corruption, and the feds are said to be hot on the heels of several of his colleagues.

This is shaping up to be the biggest political scandal in a decade, and the GOP knows it. And so Republicans have been jumping on the same “lobbying reform” bandwagon that many (though alas not all) Democrats have been driving for months. Each party has its laundry list of worthy procedural changes, from making retiring politicians wait an extra year before becoming lobbyists to ending the free lunches, dinners, and football tickets politicians accept from K Street.

Many of these ideas are fine, as far as they go. But we think they don't go anywhere near far enough. Indeed, they are likely to meet the same fate as the bipartisan McCain-Feingold bill. McCain-Feingold, which was reluctantly signed into law by President Bush in 2002, was an honest effort to limit the influence of big money in politics. But it has not succeeded. Politicians are spending more time than ever scrambling for money, and the influence of lobbyists and corporations has hardly declined.

There's a vast need for bolder reform, and the Abramoff scandals provide the opportunity of a lifetime. Voters aren't going to be fooled by procedural tinkering. What's needed is total root-to-branch reform. As any average person will tell you, the heart of the problem is that elected officials take money from interested parties. Whether it's technically legal or not, accepting money as a public servant is a form of bribery, and it serves to fundamentally corrupt democracy. We don't let cops, customs agents, or federal judges take money from the people they're serving. We should hold elected officials to the same standards. They should be out of the fundraising business altogether.

Cut off the incumbents

The biggest problem with the status quo of campaign fundraising is that it puts good people in a bad system. Nearly every member of the House and Senate, whether sinner or saint, spends a spectacular amount of time raising money. The very process of raising money distorts the politician's perspective. You try spending six hours a day, six days a week in a cramped room calling people and sucking up to them for money. If the only people you ever talk to are people with the wherewithal to contribute thousands of dollars to your campaign, that is bound to affect the way you see the world. You don't hear much about the minimum wage from folks who can write a check for $2,000. Nor do you spend a lot of time calling people who don't have health insurance or who can't afford their prescription drugs.

We propose fundamentally and radically reforming the way that campaigns are financed. Our proposal combines the fondest dream of liberal reformers—public financing of campaigns—with the fondest dream of conservative and libertarian reformers—no restrictions at all on donations from American citizens. The goal is to put a little distance between power and money. Federal office holders have power but need money. Special interests have money but need power. When the two come together, trading money for power, bad things happen.

Here's how our plan would work:

First, we raise congressional pay big time. Pay 'em what we pay the president: $400,000. That's a huge increase from the $162,000 congressmen and senators currently make. Paul, especially, has been a critic of congressional pay increases. But he is willing to more than double politicians' pay in order to get some of the corrupt campaign money out of the system. You see, the pay raise comes with a catch. In return, we get a simple piece of legislation that says members of Congress cannot take anything of value from anyone other than a family member. No lunches, no taxi rides. No charter flights. No golf games. No ski trips. No nothing.

And when it is campaign time, incumbents would be under a complete ban on raising money. You read that right. No president or member of Congress could accept a single red cent from individuals, corporations, or special interests. Period.

Challengers, on the other hand, would be allowed to raise money in any amount from any individual American citizen or political action committee. No limits, just as the free-market conservatives have always wanted. But here is the catch: Within 24 hours of receiving a contribution, the challenger would have to report it electronically to the Federal Election Commission, which would post it for the public to see. That way, if you want to accept a million dollars from, say, Paris Hilton, go for it. But be prepared for voters and reporters to ask what you promised her in exchange.

The day after you disclose Paris's million bucks, the U.S. Treasury would credit the incumbent's campaign account with a comparable sum—say 80 percent of the contribution to the challenger to take into account the cost of all the canapés and Chardonnay the challenger had to buy to raise his funds as well as the incumbent's advantage. So if Paris gave the challenger a mill, the Treasury would wire $800,000 to the incumbent. It couldn't be much simpler. You might even call it the flat tax of campaign laws.

The penalties for violation would be swift. If an incumbent accepts so much as a postage stamp, he loses his seat. If a challenger doesn't report contributions, he loses his shot. If you cheat, you are out on your ass.

What if the incumbent wants to spend her own money? After all, the Supreme Court has made it clear that the Constitution does not allow restrictions on how much money a candidate—challenger or incumbent—can spend. No problem. Uncle Sam would write the challenger a check for an equivalent amount. Unlike today, no one would have the upper hand simply because they were loaded.

What if a sitting congressman wants to run for senator, or a senator wants to run for president? Would he be allowed to raise funds? Sure. He'd just have to do what Bob Dole eventually did—resign his Senate seat and hit the campaign trail like a regular citizen. If you want to run for higher office, you have to get off your current pedestal first.

The idea is to fundamentally change the role and responsibilities of incumbency. Under our plan, incumbents have to live by Thomas Jefferson's maxim: “When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.” (We know, we know, the language is archaically sexist, but we are not going to edit Mr. Jefferson.) Once you assume an elected office, you achieve a new status. You are no longer a campaigner. You are a public servant. As such you should not be in the fundraising business. You should be in the exclusive business of making policy.

Today more than 90 percent of all senators and representatives are re-elected. Under current law, incumbents almost always have a huge money advantage. Our wager is that a majority of incumbents would be willing to give up that advantage in exchange for higher pay and no time spent fundraising. Think about it. Not only would they be bringing in a much larger salary, they'd also never have to kiss up to another rich donor. You should never underestimate how much these folks hate spending half their time—or more—sniveling for money. Nor should you underestimate how damaging and distorting it is to require federal office holders to spend that time raising money. No wonder they vote on so much legislation without ever reading it. And what about the public? We haven't seen the final data for 2004, but in all the federal races in 2000—congressional, senatorial, and presidential—candidates spent a total of $1.6 billion. Half of that, which is what taxpayers would have had to shell out under our plan, would be a lot of money: $800 million. But that is nothing compared to what the current system costs us. Those special interests who pour money into politicians' campaigns get something in return. Actually, they get a lot in return. Special tax breaks, special loopholes, special funding of pork-barrel projects, maybe even a no-bid contract or two. The energy bill passed in 2005 handed $2 billion in subsidies to the ethanol industry—you know, the fine folks at Archer Daniels Midland. It gave the makers of the controversial fuel additive MTBE another $2 billion. And another $8.1 billion in tax breaks for oil, coal, and electric utilities. In all, that one bill cost you $80.8 billion.

All of a sudden $800 million—one percent of the cost of one bill—doesn't seem like very much money, does it?

We know our plan is not perfect. Some will argue over whether the plan favors incumbents or challengers. Some will argue whether it favors Democrats or Republicans. Some will argue whether salary increases for politicians are justified.

We have our doubts as well, but if more money from the taxpayers makes it easier for politicians to agree to no money from special interests, it's a good deal.

At its core, this plan does something no one will argue with: It forever divorces the corrosive—and sometimes corrupting—effect of campaign cash from members of Congress and presidents. When American citizens look at their Congress and White House, they will say what Alexander Hamilton said to a visitor to the newly-constructed U.S. Capitol: “Here, Sir, the people govern.”

This article is adapted from Take It Back: Our Party, Our Country, Our Future by James Carville and Paul Begala. Copyright © 2006 by James Carville and Paul Begala. Printed by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Holy Sabbath Day!

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 15:47:56 GMT

This is why I should not be a Christian: I would be very annoying to other Christians.

exodus 20:8-11

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

There has been a lot of arguing, over time, about what day of the week the "sabbath" falls on. For the Jewish and 7th-day Adventists, Saturday. For Catholics and many other Christians, Sunday.
But, it seems to me, that there is nothing there about *which* day is the "sabbath" day, the names of the days, or any of that. There is no heavenly-provided start-point. It would have been useful is there was something like: The moment when, on the Spring Equinox, the Full moon strikes the zenith and the North star is directly above the moon, all at the same moment, shall be the beginning of Day 1 of Year 1. And from that moment, all time shall be measured.

Well, then a little observation and calculation should let us know exactly what "day" it is.

But, there is no way to know what "day" was day "one." The calendar we use now has changed many times since this was "written," The days that we call "Sunday" may well, if one tried to count backward, have occured on day 3!

I mean, come on, most of our english days of the week are based on Nordic/Germanic/Anglo-saxon pantheon!!

Sunday = Sun's Day
Monday = Moon's day
Tuesday = Tīw's day*
Wednesday = Wodin's day
Thursday = Thor's day
Friday = Fríga's day
Saturday = Saturn's day **

*
1.Tīwesdæg, from the Germanic God Tīw corresponding to the Roman God Mars
2.Wódnesdæg, "Wodin's day" Wodin is the king of the gods.
3.In German: Donnerstag, literally, "Thunder's day" Thor is the son of Woden, by Jord.
4."Frígedæg" Fríga is the queen of the gods.

**
This is the wierd one. All the days in Latin are planets (or rather, Gods), and only this one persists. Many of the Norse beings in this list have Roman counterparts (e.g. Mars = Tiw), and some say that Saturn is similar to Loki. Now, the "last" day of the week is sacred to Loki, but the Norse (perhaps wisely thinking it would not be a good thing to dedicate a whole day to Loki, the Trickster Giant) called this day Laugurdæg, "Wash day"

So, Since we don't really know *what* day is *really* the exact, actual "seventh day", I think it best if everyone just agrees that what is being said in exodus 20:8-11 is this: Work as hard as you like, but take a day of rest (and contemplation, perhaps) at least one day in seven."

Now I'm sure to use the US Post Office

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 01:30:23 GMT

Today (Monday, Sept. 19, 2005) I got in the mail a mailing from the USPS. "Memo to Mailers", a glossy, full-color magazine-lette that's all about how everyone should use the TOTALLY AWESOME US Post Office for everything. Boost Sales. Provide Great Customer Service. Enjoy Fast Deployment.

Let me write that again.

FAST. DEPLOYMENT.

On the back, the side visible when it was folded in stacks awaiting delivery, is all about National Postal Customer Day. (!!!) "'Celebrating Postal Customer Councils -- America's Partnership' Featuring keynote address by [the Postmaster General] Can't make it? You can watch on DISH Network's channel 9601."

O.K., forget about the USPS appearing to believe that a significant number of its customers have access to "DISH Network."

Remember this:
Date of the Event:
Sept, 14, 2005
Advert arrived:
Sept, 19, 2005
Yes. The ad that is all about how great, and efficient, and reliable the Post Office is, the ad that assures you (a potential customer) that the Post Office will make *you* look good to *your* customers, arrived 5 days after the event it was announcing. It should have arrived 3 to 5 days before the event. More if they expected people to actually show up.

So, the advertisement meant to show the reliability of the USPS was delivered 8 days LATE.

Funny old world, isn't it?

Link: http://usps.com/nationalpcc