Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
complaint
I dont know how many of you out there still use Blogger's posting software, but I'd just like to say that the new version of it SUCKS. They added absolutely nothing of any use, and they seem to have removed the ability to adjust the size and margins of any photos you may include in the post. They've also removed some of the features available in the HTML mode (my preferred method), but have, oh so generously, given us the ability to use strikeout in addition to bold and italics. Oh, thank you Blogger, strikeout is something I'll use all the time I could have done myself with html.
Friday, September 24, 2010
why all our talk is completely irrelevant
You know, there's a lot of talk talk talk out there about politics. The internet especially has lots of folks making earnest arguments for and against various and sundry things. Everyone is trying to come up with a truly killer line that will swing others into the "right" belief. I include myself in this cacophony, by the way.
Well, guess what? It's a complete waste of time.
Almost nobody changes their minds, not since they sprouted hair around their kiwis. Oh sure, there have been a few, struck down in the roadway like Saul, loudly proclaiming after how they've seen the light one way or another. But they are pretty rare.
You know what the secret is to the Republican success of the last three decades (and probably the next one or two to come)? Here it is: Political discussion is not the presentation of competing arguments in the hope of converting the undecided. It is nothing more than a dominance game. The chest-thumping and roaring of silverbacks, battling for their place in the hierarchy.
Currently, "conservatives" do it best. Consider the terms that people use to describe Democrats: "spineless", "wishy-washy", "pussies"; and that's people on the progressive side. However much of a bastard you may think that this or that member of the GOP may be, they are always powerful bastards, arent they? How many Democrats can you describe that way?
Obama won not because he provided America with a sound set of policies and was trusted to bring them to fruition, he won because he appeared unflappable and dignified, staying admirably focused and on-message. John McCain, on the other hand, had his own campaign usurped by his running mate.
Now we approach the mid-term elections and Republicans, however much they appear to be assholes, however little they appear to be accomplishing aside from derailing the train of State, are undeniably bull-roaring, chest-thumping, liberal-squashing, badass mutherfuckers. Democrats, who apparently cant even be bothered to support their own agenda, cave in at every turn to the bullying of the GOP, and as such appear to be (undeniably) lily-livered, yellow-(dog)-bellied, amoral, honorless, characterless, weak-willed gutless pussies of a degree that would make Ichabod Crane look like Rambo. It's not so much amazing that the Republicans are probably going to win seats, it's more amazing that the Democrats will retain any.
How many feasible projects have miscarried through despondency, and been strangled in their birth by a cowardly imagination.
Jeremy Collier
Well, guess what? It's a complete waste of time.
Almost nobody changes their minds, not since they sprouted hair around their kiwis. Oh sure, there have been a few, struck down in the roadway like Saul, loudly proclaiming after how they've seen the light one way or another. But they are pretty rare.
You know what the secret is to the Republican success of the last three decades (and probably the next one or two to come)? Here it is: Political discussion is not the presentation of competing arguments in the hope of converting the undecided. It is nothing more than a dominance game. The chest-thumping and roaring of silverbacks, battling for their place in the hierarchy.
Currently, "conservatives" do it best. Consider the terms that people use to describe Democrats: "spineless", "wishy-washy", "pussies"; and that's people on the progressive side. However much of a bastard you may think that this or that member of the GOP may be, they are always powerful bastards, arent they? How many Democrats can you describe that way?
Obama won not because he provided America with a sound set of policies and was trusted to bring them to fruition, he won because he appeared unflappable and dignified, staying admirably focused and on-message. John McCain, on the other hand, had his own campaign usurped by his running mate.
Now we approach the mid-term elections and Republicans, however much they appear to be assholes, however little they appear to be accomplishing aside from derailing the train of State, are undeniably bull-roaring, chest-thumping, liberal-squashing, badass mutherfuckers. Democrats, who apparently cant even be bothered to support their own agenda, cave in at every turn to the bullying of the GOP, and as such appear to be (undeniably) lily-livered, yellow-(dog)-bellied, amoral, honorless, characterless, weak-willed gutless pussies of a degree that would make Ichabod Crane look like Rambo. It's not so much amazing that the Republicans are probably going to win seats, it's more amazing that the Democrats will retain any.
How many feasible projects have miscarried through despondency, and been strangled in their birth by a cowardly imagination.
Jeremy Collier
Thursday, September 23, 2010
linkage
- Life amongst the toxic waste - voluntarily.
- sigh (part 2)
- Best Dr Suess parody, EVER. (via) Here's a video version if you cant be bothered to read.
- Guess what? Kids get snark.
- Glenn Greenwald defines the Tea Party movement and discusses the problem with Congress in general (hint: he'll probably be accused of class warfare for his observations). [I'm putting this here as a placeholder, really.] (via)
- sigh (part 2)
- Best Dr Suess parody, EVER. (via) Here's a video version if you cant be bothered to read.
- Guess what? Kids get snark.
- Glenn Greenwald defines the Tea Party movement and discusses the problem with Congress in general (hint: he'll probably be accused of class warfare for his observations). [I'm putting this here as a placeholder, really.] (via)
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
just stop it
"There had been at the time, and still is, a substantial portion of Republican legislators that believe it is more important for the Legislature to make the law instead of the Supreme Court," [Bowen] Greenwood said.
Okay, if there is one narritive of the GOP which I really hate (and of course there is not just one), it's the one where they talk of "activist" judges and "legislating from the bench". It's as if Republicans dont understand the purpose of our third government branch. Do they think its sole purpose is to confirm the acts of the legislature in the face of the uppity citizenry who dont know who the boss is?
And really, Montana GOP? So if the Supreme Court of Lincoln's time had struck down slavery as unconstitutional, would that have been legislating from the bench, also?
Okay, if there is one narritive of the GOP which I really hate (and of course there is not just one), it's the one where they talk of "activist" judges and "legislating from the bench". It's as if Republicans dont understand the purpose of our third government branch. Do they think its sole purpose is to confirm the acts of the legislature in the face of the uppity citizenry who dont know who the boss is?
And really, Montana GOP? So if the Supreme Court of Lincoln's time had struck down slavery as unconstitutional, would that have been legislating from the bench, also?
Friday, September 17, 2010
in which I repost...
the Rude Pundit's latest:
In Fort Myers, Florida, the Salvation Army reports a 60% jump in families seeking its services.
In Tucscon, Arizona, a local soup kitchen has seen the number of people it serves nightly go from an 40 to 150-200.
In the last year, in Livingston County, Michigan, the number of people looking for food and cash assistance has risen by over 30%. In Jackson County, it's up over 24%.
In Texas, more than one out of every four kids under the age of 18 lives in poverty. That's higher than the national average of one out of every five. And over a quarter of the entire state is without health insurance. Charities there report 25-50% more demand for food and assistance since 2008.
In Steuben County, New York, homelessness has risen by 15% since 2009. And Catholic Charities says that it's serving 33% more people than last year.
In Minnesota, "At Families Moving Forward, a Minneapolis network of churches offering shelter to families with children, the number of calls for housing has shot up from 50 for every opening to 150."
According to the census, the poverty rate in the United States has risen from 13.2% in 2008 to 14.3% in 2009. For those of you doing math, that's one out of every seven Americans. Income has fallen. The number of people without health insurance has risen. Extended unemployment benefits are all that kept 3.3 million more people from falling below the cruel poverty line.
Oh, and by the way: "The top fifth of households accounted for 50.3% of all pre-tax income; the bottom two-fifths got 12%." When it comes to tax cuts and discretionary spending cuts, we're arguing about what now?
I repost this for a very simple reason; to ask this question: How exactly are tax cuts for the rich supposed to help make this better?
In Fort Myers, Florida, the Salvation Army reports a 60% jump in families seeking its services.
In Tucscon, Arizona, a local soup kitchen has seen the number of people it serves nightly go from an 40 to 150-200.
In the last year, in Livingston County, Michigan, the number of people looking for food and cash assistance has risen by over 30%. In Jackson County, it's up over 24%.
In Texas, more than one out of every four kids under the age of 18 lives in poverty. That's higher than the national average of one out of every five. And over a quarter of the entire state is without health insurance. Charities there report 25-50% more demand for food and assistance since 2008.
In Steuben County, New York, homelessness has risen by 15% since 2009. And Catholic Charities says that it's serving 33% more people than last year.
In Minnesota, "At Families Moving Forward, a Minneapolis network of churches offering shelter to families with children, the number of calls for housing has shot up from 50 for every opening to 150."
According to the census, the poverty rate in the United States has risen from 13.2% in 2008 to 14.3% in 2009. For those of you doing math, that's one out of every seven Americans. Income has fallen. The number of people without health insurance has risen. Extended unemployment benefits are all that kept 3.3 million more people from falling below the cruel poverty line.
Oh, and by the way: "The top fifth of households accounted for 50.3% of all pre-tax income; the bottom two-fifths got 12%." When it comes to tax cuts and discretionary spending cuts, we're arguing about what now?
I repost this for a very simple reason; to ask this question: How exactly are tax cuts for the rich supposed to help make this better?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
quote for the day
"What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists, is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents."
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Monday, September 13, 2010
wtf
Seriously, what the fuck?
Okay, fine, do it. I didnt plan on voting in November anyway, maybe now I'll vote for a teapartier instead. Seriously, everybody out there who can vote in a teapartier (or a similarly whacked-out member of the GOP) into national office*, do so, please. I want to see the government shut down by these lunatics. Let them slash taxes until they're almost gone. Why disolve the nation slowly with spineless enabling like the Democrats are currently doing, when we could instead just slam the lever into reverse, ripping the whole damned transmission right out of the Vehicle of the State. Some people seem to think that government is unnecessary, perhaps it's time to show everyone just how necessary it is.
* Dont let them into local government. The nation can survive a few years without form, your local infrastructure may not.
Okay, fine, do it. I didnt plan on voting in November anyway, maybe now I'll vote for a teapartier instead. Seriously, everybody out there who can vote in a teapartier (or a similarly whacked-out member of the GOP) into national office*, do so, please. I want to see the government shut down by these lunatics. Let them slash taxes until they're almost gone. Why disolve the nation slowly with spineless enabling like the Democrats are currently doing, when we could instead just slam the lever into reverse, ripping the whole damned transmission right out of the Vehicle of the State. Some people seem to think that government is unnecessary, perhaps it's time to show everyone just how necessary it is.
* Dont let them into local government. The nation can survive a few years without form, your local infrastructure may not.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
blogger trouble
Am I the only one who's been having trouble with Blogger lately? Is this a pre-taste of what things will be like under the new Google/Verizon agreement.
visual difficulty
I've been reading manga online the last few days, and I find I'm having trouble reading regular comics now, as I keep trying to read them backwards.
Most perturbing.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
quote for the day
"By the way, as far as General Petraeus saying that Pastor Yosemite Sam shouldn't exercise his right to free speech because it might endanger our troops in Afghanistan, oh, sweet General, what endangers our troops in Afghanistan is having troops in Afghanistan."
The Rude Pundit says what I wish I'd said. Yeah, there's more.
Today is the anniversary of an act of appalling dickishness. Committing an act of lesser dickishness does not make the past any less painful, and it assures a continuation of that pain in the future.
The Rude Pundit says what I wish I'd said. Yeah, there's more.
Today is the anniversary of an act of appalling dickishness. Committing an act of lesser dickishness does not make the past any less painful, and it assures a continuation of that pain in the future.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
linkage
- What do you get when you cross a windfarm and a blimp? No, it's not a joke.
- So you thought the Cold War had a lot of spies?
- "Of course we can afford a government that actually works: the fact is that your parents have simply chosen not to have it."
- Next time you get into a climate change arguement, ask this question: are you a sceptic or a denialist?
- This is why Smokie and the Bandit isnt real.
- Why do these kind of things not get said in American newspapers?
- Spoonfighter has an answer to the "Ground-Zero" "mosque" problem. Because.
- I've been wanting to go back to school for almost two decades now, but perhaps it's a good thing I didnt. And, yeah, my student loans are paid off. (via)
- sigh.
- new poll! (via)
- Terry Pratchett talks about his latest book. Terry Pratchett, by the way, is a god, and if you dont read him you are losing out. Badly.
- Prophecy? (Note date) (via)
- So you thought the Cold War had a lot of spies?
- "Of course we can afford a government that actually works: the fact is that your parents have simply chosen not to have it."
- Next time you get into a climate change arguement, ask this question: are you a sceptic or a denialist?
- This is why Smokie and the Bandit isnt real.
- Why do these kind of things not get said in American newspapers?
- Spoonfighter has an answer to the "Ground-Zero" "mosque" problem. Because.
- I've been wanting to go back to school for almost two decades now, but perhaps it's a good thing I didnt. And, yeah, my student loans are paid off. (via)
- sigh.
- new poll! (via)
- Terry Pratchett talks about his latest book. Terry Pratchett, by the way, is a god, and if you dont read him you are losing out. Badly.
- Prophecy? (Note date) (via)
Friday, September 03, 2010
Thursday, September 02, 2010
thought for the day
Odds are, when someone says "it's the only thing They understand", the truth is that it is probably the only thing the speaker understands.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Dave's Comix list
So, yeah, I've largely given up reading obsessing about politics and such. Mostly these days I read comics, just like I used to back when I was blissfully unaware of the world.
True Daily Comics:
Bizarro
Blip
Candorville (or here)
Frazz
La Cucaracha
Daily Comics:
Banished!
Bobwhite
Dumbing of Age
Girls With Slingshots
Little Dee
Nerf This
Misfile
Savage Chickens
Quantum Vibe
Questionable Content
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Shortpacked
Supermassive Black Hole A*
Too Much Information
Wapsi Square
Several-Times-a-Week Comics:
Accursed Dragon (m-th)
The Adventures of Superhero Girl (t f)
Alex's Guide To A Well-lived Life (m w f)
All New Issues (t th)
Alone In A Crowd (t f)
Bashert (m w f)
Candi (mttf)
Darwin Carmichael Is Going To Hell (tues and thurs)
Does Not Play Well With Others
Dr McNinja
El Goonish Shive (m w f)
Evil Diva (t th)
The Fancy Adventures of Jack Cannon (m f)
Girl Genius (m w f)
Looking For Group (m th)
The Lounge (m w f)
Out At Home (w f sn)
Penny and Aggie (m w f)
Penny Arcade (m w f)
Pilli Adventure
PVP
Sam And Fuzzy (m w f)
Sandra And Woo (m th)
Scary-Go-Round (m-th)
Scenes From A Multiverse
Selkie (m th)
Something Positive
Treading Ground (m w f)
Twilight Lady (sun-tue-thur)
xkcd (m w f)
Fairly Regular Comics, but not real frequent:
Artifact (tue fri)
Bedhead (w)
Brightest (m)
Co-ed (on hiatus for summer?)
College Roommates From Hell
Curvy (saturdays, nsfw)
Endstone (m th)
Fey Winds (w)
Gastrophobia
GrrlPower (m)
Johnny Wander
Merceneiress
Miamaska (th)
Oglaf (sun, NSFW)
Optipess
Overcompensating
Rusty and Co. (w)
So Damn Bright (m)
Spacetrawler (t s)
Tom the Dancing Bug (weekly)
What's Shakin' (m)
Wondermark
Zap (tues)
Whenever Comics:
Amya (w, maybe sat)
Artiste Gullible
Bucko
Dawn of Time
Dicebox
Dresden Codak
Doublefine
Flat Philosophy
Hark, A Vagrant! (on hiatus until 5/22)
Head Trip
Ice
Kinokofry
Kukubury (on hiatus until... who knows?)
Lackadaisy
Nobody Scores
Octopus Pie
Scandinavia And The World
Scout Crossing
Toilet Genie
Trying Human
3eanuts
The Wotch (on hiatus)
Yep
True Daily Comics:
Bizarro
Blip
Candorville (or here)
Frazz
La Cucaracha
Daily Comics:
Banished!
Bobwhite
Dumbing of Age
Girls With Slingshots
Little Dee
Nerf This
Misfile
Savage Chickens
Quantum Vibe
Questionable Content
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Shortpacked
Supermassive Black Hole A*
Too Much Information
Wapsi Square
Several-Times-a-Week Comics:
Accursed Dragon (m-th)
The Adventures of Superhero Girl (t f)
Alex's Guide To A Well-lived Life (m w f)
All New Issues (t th)
Alone In A Crowd (t f)
Bashert (m w f)
Candi (mttf)
Darwin Carmichael Is Going To Hell (tues and thurs)
Does Not Play Well With Others
Dr McNinja
El Goonish Shive (m w f)
Evil Diva (t th)
The Fancy Adventures of Jack Cannon (m f)
Girl Genius (m w f)
Looking For Group (m th)
The Lounge (m w f)
Out At Home (w f sn)
Penny and Aggie (m w f)
Penny Arcade (m w f)
Pilli Adventure
PVP
Sam And Fuzzy (m w f)
Sandra And Woo (m th)
Scary-Go-Round (m-th)
Scenes From A Multiverse
Selkie (m th)
Something Positive
Treading Ground (m w f)
Twilight Lady (sun-tue-thur)
xkcd (m w f)
Fairly Regular Comics, but not real frequent:
Artifact (tue fri)
Bedhead (w)
Brightest (m)
Co-ed (on hiatus for summer?)
College Roommates From Hell
Curvy (saturdays, nsfw)
Endstone (m th)
Fey Winds (w)
Gastrophobia
GrrlPower (m)
Johnny Wander
Merceneiress
Miamaska (th)
Oglaf (sun, NSFW)
Optipess
Overcompensating
Rusty and Co. (w)
So Damn Bright (m)
Spacetrawler (t s)
Tom the Dancing Bug (weekly)
What's Shakin' (m)
Wondermark
Zap (tues)
Whenever Comics:
Amya (w, maybe sat)
Artiste Gullible
Bucko
Dawn of Time
Dicebox
Dresden Codak
Doublefine
Flat Philosophy
Hark, A Vagrant! (on hiatus until 5/22)
Head Trip
Ice
Kinokofry
Kukubury (on hiatus until... who knows?)
Lackadaisy
Nobody Scores
Octopus Pie
Scandinavia And The World
Scout Crossing
Toilet Genie
Trying Human
3eanuts
The Wotch (on hiatus)
Yep
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