Good or bad, it's still true...

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H/T to Craig

Poly ticks

Just some random observations on our government, the election process, and the like...

• I'd like to suggest that we contrive to get the Kentucky Derby winner elected to the White House. That way, we'll be assured of getting the WHOLE horse, instead of just the horse's ass...
• Congress' ratings are even lower than Dubya's. Here's a thought: how about we vote all the incumbents out (yes, even yours!), regardless of party/affiliation, just to remind the bastages who's supposed to be in charge?
• For the Presidential election, I'd suggest voting in some obvious moonbat. Since no one would take him/her seriously, (s)he couldn't do anything damaging because Congress wouldn't approve it, Congress couldn't screw much up because of the moonbat in the White House, and ALL of us would get a break from the assorted crap we're currently subjected to. It would also be a way of saying "none of the above" to the established political parties...
• If you're polled by some outfit, lie your ass off -- tell them you'd vote for Stalin, if he was running. Let's stop making elections some kind of popularity contest where the candidates use polls to determine what position to take on any particular topic.
• Take the time to look at how the various candidates for whatever office have actually voted on different matters of interest to you. The information is available online (for national offices, anyway). Be an informed voter.
• Actually listen to the candidates for various offices. When asked a question, do they respond with generalities ("I'd create jobs") or offer answers that contain actual facts and data ("I've detailed what I'd do in a document you can get at _____")?
• If you really don't like any of the final candidates for a particular office, go to the voting machines in your area and vote in all the elections except the one(s) where you don't like your choices. Let the powers-that-be KNOW you don't like what's going on!

I think that all of us would acknowledge that we have a political system that is severely dysfunctional; I think it's time we started do whatever is necessary (and what we can) to remind our elected officials (in particular) and our government (in general) that they're supposed to be working for US, the citizens of the United States of America, for the benefit of the country as a whole.

I mean, it's a thought...

Fascinating people

Today, I had another occasion (my last, I expect) to interact with a rather fascinating individual.

He isn't fascinating because of his wit or intellect or knowledge or anything that he has. Rather, he's fascinating for all the things that he lacks.

For example, this person (let me call him "Rainman" for reasons that I think will become obvious) and I share a mutual acquantance (Claudia [not her real name]) - someone who's company I generally enjoy. At Claudia's urging, I was called in to help Rainman learn how to use a computer that was given to him as a present. Rainman is an Artiste - he writes poetry, plays guitar and piano, does the odd bit of Art, and so forth - so I didn't expect that he had a lot of computer knowledge. What I did expect, however, was that Rainman would demonstrate some interest in learning; after all, he was given the computer just so he could use it to write his poetry. However, over the course of the dozen hours (spanning several visits) I spent going over things with him, he never seemed to be able to retain any of the information I presented to him. Even using the graphic metaphors displayed on the computer, he was unable (and still is, judging from what I heard today) to grasp the idea that one of his poems was a document inside a folder on the computer. During my visit today, Rainman (again) asked how he could store his poems in such a way that he could find them again. Fortunately, Claudia jumped in and asked me to show HER so that she could show HIM. When Claudia and I went to where Rainman's computer was, he followed us - and as I started demonstrating how to do different things (giving Claudia plenty of time to take notes, which Rainman NEVER wanted to do despite my suggestions), Rainman began banging around on the upright piano in the same room. I quietly asked Claudia if Rainman was really that indifferent to what he was doing, or if he was actually that socially oblivious; all she could offer in reply was a weak smile...

In another example, the three of us have gotten into discussions (which Rainman professes to enjoy for the 'stimulation') on various subjects; each and every time we've done so, Rainman has demonstrated a stubbornness and obtuseness that is, well, fascinating to witness. He simply refuses to use the same words in the same way as those he is having the discussion with - when we got onto the subject of "Entrapment" (don't ask), Claudia and I were using the legal definition in a legal context for all the examples we used; Rainman was determined - despite my, and Claudia's, explicit explanation of how WE were using it - to use the dictionary definition in a legal context. Needless to say, we went around in circles for quite some time before I realized where the problem lay.

Today's incident (which is what convinces me that I'm better off not visiting Rainman) came about because Rainman stubbornly refused to accept that someone else might have an opinion that differed from his own. The context was that IF the government continued to inject itself into the private lives of citizens AND continued to implement policies that progressively opressed the public AND removed other alternatives (such as legal or civil actions), that some of the American people might consider themselves obliged to implement a forcible change in government (a second Revolution, if you will). Rainman is (apparently) so totally anti-violence that he simply couldn't accept anything like that happening, and refused to concede even the possibility: he didn't LIKE it, and so ignored it - except that he kept trying to argue the subject by insisting that there were other ways - the very ones that were premised to have been eliminated BEFORE violent action would be taken.

Now, I come from an engineering/technical background, and I freely admit that I'm sometimes more literal and fixed in my thinking than is necessarily appropriate. However, I don't think that I'm being unreasonable to expect people to be rational, coherent, at least a little consistent, and willing to consider how new information impacts what they already know/believe. If they're able to demonstrate some measure of courtesy, consideration for others, and the like, so much the better.

Sadly, Rainman doesn't seem able/willing to do any of that; knowing how he is, I choose not to put myself into a position where I have to deal with his "excentricities"...

Counterproductive

Here of late, I've been left a number of voice mails from several different people.

The thing is, not one of them has left a message consisting of anything more than "This is __________. Call me at 800-XXX-XXXX". A couple of them have said 'please' before the 'call me' part, but that's the exception, rather than the rule.

Observe that they have indicated neither what organization they're with (I'm figuring a toll-free number means they're not just ordinary peeps), nor what the hell it is they want to talk to me about.

Being the contrary and obstinate bastage that I am, I have absolutely no interest in finding out who they are or what they want: I simply don't care enough to want to find out. I suppose that sooner or later, one of them is going to manage to catch me at home, and I'll find out what the deal is then; in the mean time, their inconsiderate messages are costing them a fair amount of time and money -- and to no purpose.

SIW

That's short for Self-Inflicted Wound.

That's how Elf, my cat, almost invariably manages get herself into trouble -- even though I sometimes 'facilitate' the process like this:

After my last post, I got home and opted to enjoy some nachos. About halfway through them, Elf turned up and took note of the fact that I was eating something.

Her first considered action was to check it out by sniffing the general direction of the nachos from several different locations. Satisfied that there really, truly was something edible in the area, she proceeded to begin stropping my ankles in an attempt to get me to share. When that didn't work quickly enough, she went on to standing up so she could reach out and pat my arm to get my attention -- clearly, I simply hadn't noticed her.

Having gotten me to recognize her presence, she went on to try and convince me that

• She really did like nacho cheese (despite never having had them before),
• Nacho cheese is good for cats (all those vitamins and nutrients, you know),
• She was all but starved to death, anyway (never mind the kibbles in the kitchen)

Her efforts included silent meows (too starved to make any noise), licking her lips (honest, she likes nachos - a lot), sitting up (yes, like a dog!), and headbutting my leg.

I ignored her for as long as I could (they were, after all, MY nachos; nor did I want to be stuck in my apartment with a gassy cat), then tried telling her that I really didn't think that she'd like them even if I did give her some -- but she was so determined and insistent that I finally gave in. As I figured would happen, she thought the cheese was simply delicious.

Right up to the point that she got ahold of one of the jalapenos -- whereupon she promptly fluffed up and started trying to spit her tongue out while tearing around the apartment.

Dumbshit.

Feh.

I gotta work on this...



h/t to the Wiseass Jooette

Adventures at Wally World

I made one of my infrequent forays into Wal*Mart today, and finished the experience with mixed reactions caused by:

• Somebody's little cookie-cruncher running amok when it's mother captured it, gave it a swat on the backside, and relocated it to a cage (well, the shopping cart, but...).
• A herd of water buffalo having a confab -- not just in the middle of the big main highway that circles the inside of the store, but located so that there wasn't any easy/convenient way around them. Demonstrating the patience, tact, and courtesy that I'm widely renowned for, I tried a couple of (progressively stronger) "Excuse me!"s before resorting to asking them "Would you dumbasses mind taking it somewhere else so the rest of us can get through here?". They didn't seem to appreciate my forbearance...
  
• After departing the store, I was obliged to putter along in my car behind the couple of shitbirds that felt compelled to wander down the middle of the parking lot lane.

And so it begins (again)... (updated)

While catching one of the network shows this morning, I caught their concept of a news segment: following a report on the Iowa caucuses, they did a piece on Britney Spears' latest meltdown. It was while watching the video clip of that non-event that a number of questions came to mind that I'd like to ask:

• How is it that the personal troubles of one particular pseudo-celebrity qualify as a news item worthy of national reporting?
• By broadcasting that segment, wasn't the network -- in effect -- equating Britney's latest 'issues' with the Iowa caususes? That the difference was of degree, but not kind? (Littering and murder are both crimes; I think most of us would agree that they are vastly different in the degree of severity)
• What the hell does it say about our society that the weenie-in-charge would even think that the two items should both be reported in the same segment?
• If they're screwed up enough to include Britney with the caucuses, what other misjudgements are they making? I mean, if Britney is being included for her perceived 'draw' value, what isn't making the cut for the reverse reason?

Personally, I have the national evening 'news' programs on (usually well into the program, in preparation for my local news). The way I figure it, they stopped being NEWS programs about the time Dan Rather got canned for his little Bush v. National Guard whoopsie. When they started putting entertainment program personalities (I've met Walter Cronkite, and Katie Couric is no Walter Cronkite!) as anchors for evening news shows, they pretty much lost any credibility with me. Now my standard of reference is Jim Lehrer on PBS -- anything that turns up there is deserving of my attention; curiously, Britney, Madonna, Paris, and the like haven't made an appearance, as yet...

I think that what I'm going to do is start boycotting the broadcast networks whenever they include crap like a Britney meltdown, or a Paris Hilton fiasco, or anything of that ilk. Each boycott will be just the network I see make the misjudgement, for 24 hours, and accompanied by a nice email to the news division of the offending network, telling them who I am and what I'm doing and -- most importantly -- why.

I know that if I do this by myself, it's going to have pretty much zero impact. I can only hope that enough other people share my desire to see network evening news programs start featuring news again, and do something similar -- and maybe even encourage others to join in, as well. Who knows, maybe it'll have an impact, sooner or later...

I'll be updating this posting in a bit, to include the email addresses for the news divisions at ABC, CBS, and NBC.

UPDATE:
As promised, here are the appropriate links. Note that NONE of them offers anything like a direct email address; all feedback is via online forms...

CBS News
ABC News
NBC News (use the 'select show' option, and proceed)

Harassing the Cat

So I'm here at home, installing OS-X on a Mac Beige G3 All-in-One (any
Mac people out there will know what I'm talking about) in the interest
of playing with it (prior to installing Linux).

I've got the thing sitting on the floor, and while it's booting up, my
cat Elf decides to check it out -- and becomes fascinated by the mouse
cursor moving around on the screen. Fascinated enough, in fact, that
she decides to try and catch it...

Except the damn thing won't STAY caught (much like the dot from the
laser pointer), causing her to get more and more frustrated at it.
Finally, she gets so mad that she tries to beat the crap out of it
before heading into the kitchen to console herself with some kibbles.

By the time she gets back, the installation is ticking away, and she
gets interested in watching the progress bar move along. When she gets
interested enough, she tries to sniff it to see if perhaps it's
edible -- whereupon the static build-up on the screen 'bites' her nose
hard enough that she runs into the bedroom to escape it.

Dumbshit.

Meme-d

Having been tagged by the wise-ass Jooette from the Bronx (or wherever) , here are my answers to the Christmas meme...

A Jooette doing Christmas memes? WTF?

The rulez:
1) Link to person that tagged me (done above).
2) Share Christmas facts about myself.
3) Tag 7 others (okay, that might be a challenge -- I don't read THAT many blogs)
4) Inform tagees of their misfortune via comments in their blogs.

The Kweschuns:
1. Wrapping or gift bags? Fark that. If I'm gonna give someone something, I generally don't wait for a special 'season'.

2. Real or artificial tree? Fark that, too. No tree for me. My turd-with-a-tail, Elf, would just trash it, anyway.

3. When do you put up the tree? Ummm.... Never.

4. When do you take the tree down? The last time I took a Christmas tree down was somewhere in the mid-70's, I believe.

5. Do you like eggnog? In limited amounts, and when it has been suitably 'fortified'.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? The chemistry set I got when I was in 7th grade. Once I started distilling my own alcohol for my burners, it proved to be highly profitable to provide 190+ proof alcohol to a select number of classmates (strictly for THEIR chemistry sets, of course) in high school...

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No. Nor have I seen any scenes depicting the conception, either.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Clothes, every freakin' year...

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? If I send any (seldom more than 1 or 2), it's by snailmail.

10. Favorite Christmas movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas (I root for the Grinch). [I was tempted to name a pr0n movie...]

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I start my Christmas shoplifting early -- around April, or so...

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Lasagne.

13. Clear lights or colored? All my lights are compact flourescents, so neither. Oh, you mean CHRISTMAS lights - I don't do lights, either.

14. Favorite Christmas song? Grandma got run over by a reindeer.

15. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Stay home.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? No. But I've got Rudolph's nose in my crosshairs...

17. Angel or star on the top of your tree? feh.

18. Open your presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? All I ever get is coal, anyway, so it doesn't matter. What I always want is any 3 of the Victoria's Secret models, wrapped in cellophane, but I never get them.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Bloody damn Christmas music everywhere. One of these days, I just know I'm going to go in diabetic shock because of it.

20. What do you leave for Santa? the latest copy of Penthouse.

21. Least favorite holiday song? any of them.

22. Do you decorate your tree with any specific theme or color? The little bit of decoration I do, I use ultraviolet and infrared.

23. Favorite ornament? Nothing, yet, though I'd be interested in a Yule Doos...


It's not so much that I'm a Scrooge/Grinch, but that I'm simply not interested and don't like being hammered with it for two months ahead of time. Some of the local stores replaced the Halloween crap with Christmas crap...

I got nobody to tag -- everyone that I'd foist this off on have already been hit; unless someone wants to have another shot at it?