Sight Unseen

Help me earn a free iPod...

2004-11-29T16:59:00.000-05:00

Yeah, so... I'm working on a free 40gb photo iPod, and i guess you could really help me out... I know it seems skepticism-worthy, but I've been informed by trustworthy sources that it will work... So click above and do me a favor... if you do, let me know and maybe i'll do you a favor too...

(will be deleted when this becomes s serious site again... which it may never...)

I'm leaving this scene...

2004-11-22T05:21:00.000-05:00

But I'll be back.
For now, though, I'll be posting primarily at the Skidmore Progressives blog, because that'll be a group effort once the ball gets rolling, and that really excites me. Also, it will be easier than maintaining my own personal site, because sometimes I just can't find the words. I guess that's not a very good start for a career in political journalism, but heck, who needs that anyway.
So, until we meet again, go to the progs blog to see what I've got to say.

(also for now the progressives website is http://www.skidmore.edu/~d_gwilli/progs1/ and I'll update when we've moved to out final resting place)

NPR : U.S. Military Probes Taped Killing of Wounded Iraqi

2004-11-17T14:47:00.000-05:00

How many times will this happen?

An American Marine is shown on videotape shooting an apparently unarmed and wounded Iraqi man in a mosque in the city of Fallujah. The incident was caught on camera by an American TV journalist. The Marine has been withdrawn from the battlefield while the U.S. military conducts an investigation. NPR's Philip Reeves reports.

my president

2004-11-15T12:41:00.000-05:00

my president
Originally uploaded by -<*You love to faiL*>-.

Feel free to put this up as you see fit.

Abbas unhurt in Gaza shooting

2004-11-15T04:36:00.000-05:00

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Palestine Liberation Organization chairman Mahmoud Abbas escaped injury on Sunday after masked gunmen opened fire near him inside a tent where people were mourning Yasser Arafat.

Two Abbas bodyguards were killed, Gaza hospital sources said. Witnesses and medical sources said at least 10 people were injured in the shooting.
...
Abbas also said that the tent was crowded and emotions were high. He said the men were pointing their weapons up and shooting into the air, which isn't unusual. "You can see it in the weddings here," Abbas said.

U.S.: 'Enemy is broken' in Falluja

2004-11-14T18:31:00.000-05:00

Do I believe it? Maybe... Maybe not.

Between 1,000 and 2,000 insurgents have been killed in the week-long assault, Marine Lt. Gen. John Sattler said. The American death toll rose to 31, with six Iraqi forces also reported killed. Nearly 300 Americans have been wounded, Sattler said.
...
Sattler said the military had about 1,000 people in custody and expected as many as 700 would be released after interrogation.
...
Also in Falluja on Sunday, U.S. forces were barring from the city's center an Iraqi Red Crescent convoy carrying food, blankets, water purification tablets and medicine for hundreds of trapped families, a U.S. Marine officer told Reuters.

I'm taking a break

2004-11-14T17:06:00.001-05:00

I've got a few projects in front of me, including a website design for the Skidmore Progressives and a big deal paper or two for my liberal studies class. I'll still be checking up on you all, but I need to take a short break. If anyone is interested in guest blogging, let me know...
d_gwilli [at] skidmore.edu

Also, it's entirely possible that this blog will be relocating to the progs webpage... we'll see what happens.

James Wolcott: On Borrowed Time (II)

2004-11-14T17:06:00.000-05:00

Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Marlboro, and GM were all revealing problems echoing those "already faced by Disney, Wal-Mart and Gap."

Corporate chiefs dismissed the connection between falling sales and rising anti-Americanism.

(via Atrios)

Cheney Visits Hospital After Shortness of Breath

2004-11-13T16:55:00.000-05:00

Damn.

Vice President Dick Cheney, who has a history of heart trouble, went to a hospital Saturday after experiencing shortness of breath. Two tests found no abnormalities, an aide said.

A pacemaker implanted in the 63-year-old Cheney's chest three years ago indicated no irregularities during the past 90 days, Mary Matalin, a spokeswoman for the vice president, said. The device gives doctors a three-month readout. She said an electrocardiogram, which measures the heart's electrical activity, showed no change.

Cheney, who has had four heart attacks, although none as vice president, returned Thursday night from a pheasant hunting trip in South Dakota with a cold that left him short of breath, she said.

Palestinian Leader Arafat Dies at 75

2004-11-11T03:34:00.000-05:00

So he finally succumbed...

But what's this?

Within hours of Arafat's death, Israel sealed the West Bank and Gaza Strip (news - web sites) and increased security at Jewish settlements, fearing widespread Palestinian riots in the coming days.

"The Israeli Defense Forces are deploying to allow a dignified funeral ceremony for chairman Arafat," an army statement said.

The military said it would restrict access to the funeral and burial, set for Friday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, and only allow Palestinians with permits to attend. The military will allow processions in towns and refugee camps, officials said.

A military funeral was scheduled earlier Friday in Cairo, a location that allows Arab leaders to avoid travel to the West Bank, where Israel controls access.

That seems a little suspicious to me. I suppose it makes sense on some level, but I tend to try to avoid the thought that Israel really is engaging in a military occupation of the Palestinians.

President Bush (news - web sites) issued a statement of condolence to the Palestinian people.

"We express our condolences to the Palestinian people. For the Palestinian people, we hope that the future will bring peace and the fulfillment of their aspirations for an independent, democratic Palestine that is at peace with its neighbors," the president said.

Oh my god, is that actually tactful? Call me optimistic, but... well, just call me optimistic for now.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres (news - web sites), who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Arafat and assassinated Israeli leader Yitzak Rabin, said:

"The biggest mistake of Arafat was when he turned to terror. His greatest achievements were when he tried to build peace."
...
Arafat became one of the world's most familiar faces after addressing the U.N. General Assembly in New York in 1974, when he entered the chamber wearing a holster and carrying a sprig. "Today I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun," he said. "Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand."
...
"As long as the world saw Palestinians as no more than refugees standing in line for U.N. rations, it was not likely to respect them. Now that the Palestinians carry rifles the situation has changed," Arafat explained.

One of the world's most notorious and most beloved figureheads has passed on. Who will be the nest speaker for the Palestinians? They desperately need someone strong, who will not sacrifice their interests, but also someone who's willing to compromise in a way the best represents the interests and opinions of the people... Call me optimistic...

Druggists refuse to give out pill

2004-11-10T11:56:00.000-05:00

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the pharmacists religion doesn't mean that I trust God more than my physician...

Some pharmacists, however, disagree and refuse on moral grounds to fill prescriptions for contraceptives. And states from Rhode Island to Washington have proposed laws that would protect such decisions.
...
The American Pharmacists Association, with 50,000 members, has a policy that says druggists can refuse to fill prescriptions if they object on moral grounds, but they must make arrangements so a patient can still get the pills. Yet some pharmacists have refused to hand the prescription to another druggist to fill.

In Madison, Wis., a pharmacist faces possible disciplinary action by the state pharmacy board for refusing to transfer a woman's prescription for birth-control pills to another druggist or to give the slip back to her. He would not refill it because of his religious views.
...
"We have always understood that the battles about abortion were just the tip of a larger ideological iceberg, and that it's really birth control that they're after also," says Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood (news - web sites) Federation of America.

"The explosion in the number of legislative initiatives and the number of individuals who are just saying, 'We're not going to fill that prescription for you because we don't believe in it' is astonishing," she said.

Pharmacists have moved to the front of the debate because of such drugs as the "morning-after" pill, which is emergency contraception that can prevent fertilization if taken within 120 hours of unprotected intercourse.

While some pharmacists cite religious reasons for opposing birth control, others believe life begins with fertilization and see hormonal contraceptives, and the morning-after pill in particular, as capable of causing an abortion.
...
In Wisconsin, a petition drive is underway to revive a proposed law that would protect pharmacists who refuse to prescribe drugs they believe could cause an abortion or be used for assisted suicide.

"It just recognizes that pharmacists should not be forced to choose between their consciences and their livelihoods," says Matt Sande of Pro-Life Wisconsin. "They should not be compelled to become parties to abortion."

Look, it's not like I would ever tell a pharmacist to abort a baby, but really, IT'S NOT THE PHARMACIST'S CHOICE! THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!

Ashcroft, Evans first to resign from Cabinet

2004-11-10T01:36:00.000-05:00

Thank God. Although I dread what's coming next...

Red/Blue Map of the US Weighted by Population

2004-11-08T22:39:00.000-05:00

(via Josh Marshall)

Little Repugs with Signs

2004-11-08T22:12:00.000-05:00

A beautiful (if anecdotal) example of why the right is not allowed to be all "holier than thou"

Reason's Vote Fraud Roundup

2004-11-07T20:41:00.000-05:00

From Tim Cavanaugh at Reason:

"With all due respect, Tim, you're full of shit."

That's what highly regarded media critic Mark Crispin Miller told me this morning, in response to my opinion that President Bush had been reelected in a more or less fair vote, with electoral and popular margins that can't be explained away by the various (often credible) claims of vote fraud.

Well, if a respected NYU professor says it, it must be true. Still, I think folks on the left might be better off figuring out why more people voted for Bush than continuing to pound the Bush-illegitimacy drum that Tuesday's results would appear to have silenced.

However, while I don't think more Diebold conspiracy theories are going to be of much use to the Democrats, I'm happy to see attention focused on the real problem of vote fraud. In that spirit, here is a roundup of anomalies, some apparently real and some pretty dubious, making the rounds since Tuesday...

Iraq Declares Martial Law, U.S. Bombs Falluja

2004-11-07T20:40:00.000-05:00

Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, declaring a 60-day state of martial law on Sunday to rein-in an insurgency that has claimed dozens of lives over the last two days and threatens January elections, said a move to retake Falluja could not be delayed much longer.

An AC-130 gunship struck Falluja with cannon fire and machine guns as American forces were massed on two sides of the city that Iraqi and U.S. authorities say is a base for loyalists of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) and al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

A U.S. Marine tank company and infantry unit moved to a staging area near Falluja early on Monday. U.S. forces say they only await word from Allawi to begin their assault 32 miles west of Baghdad.

"He still hopes that it may be possible to avoid a major military confrontation in Falluja ... He is, however, not optimistic," said Allawi spokesman Thair al-Naqib.

Witnesses said there was heavy fighting on the eastern and western fringes of the city, including around a bridge over the Euphrates. The Iraqi 36th Command Battalion seized the main hospital in Falluja, blindfolding a number of people and kicking down doors but not firing a shot.

The U.S. military says 1,000 to 6,000 fighters are holed up in Falluja. U.S. attacks have killed dozens of guerrillas but have failed to scare them away, a senior Marine commander said.

So our new plan of action is to scare the terrorists? Seems to me that in this post-10/31 world, we might need to try a little harder. Plus, how many of these fighters won't eventually be involved in kamikaze attacks on civillians and soldiers anyway? They're not afraid of death, they're excited about it.

Why, Ohio, Why?

2004-11-07T05:05:00.000-05:00

James Capozzola asked relatives in Ohio about the election, and heard back:

You have to replace Maine with Ohio in the old adage, "As Maine Goes, So Goes the Nation."

I believe it is because Ohio has become a microcosm of America.

It has major industry, agriculture, and retail. It has a bit of high-tech and a lot of education. It has urban blacks in Cleveland and white transplants in Columbus. Cincinnati believes it is part of the south, while Toledo and Akron have had to change as part of the old auto industry and reflect the hard times that fall on cities where the average paycheck has gone from union scale to minimum wage. It has extreme wealth and extreme poverty, but unlike NYC the two don't run into each other on a daily basis. It has small towns that are actually small towns and not exurbs, where people can live comfortably without worrying about urban problems and expenses.

It has become less Catholic and more Christian, listens to more country music than rock, and suburban white men dress like they're gangstas. They may not own a gun but they want to know they CAN. They want the right to an abortion, but expect to go to church and repent about it afterwards.
...

It seems right yet, but feels so wrong. At the very least, you only have to look at MyDD's Partisan Index to see that Ohio, though red this year, was still more blue than the country as a whole. Think long and hard about that.

Alan Keyes is a nutjob

2004-11-07T04:22:00.000-05:00

Republican Alan Keyes blamed the media and ''Republicans in name only'' Thursday for his lopsided loss to Democrat Barack Obama in Illinois' U.S. Senate race.

Keyes also said he didn't congratulate Obama after the race was called, a tradition among politicians, because doing so would have been a ''false gesture'' because he believes Obama's views on issues like abortion are wicked.
...

Keyes noted that 1.3 million people voted for him.

He said he was disappointed in what he called the number of ''Republicans in name only'' in Illinois. An Associated Press exit poll showed that four in 10 Republicans voted for Obama, a liberal state senator from Chicago.

''I had counted on the fact that Republicans would come back home on Election Day rather than vote a socialist into office who stands against everything they profess to believe as Republicans,'' Keyes said.

(via The Gadflyer)

Playlist 11/06/2004

2004-11-06T05:20:00.000-05:00

1. The Libertines - Last Post on the Bugle (2:33)
2. VHS or Beta - The Melting Moon (4:20)
3. The Microphones - track 9 (Golden Braids) (3:56)
4. Lali Puna - Faking the Books (4:00)
5. TV on the Radio - Staring at the Sun (3:27)
6. The Dears - Who Are you, defenders of the universe? (3:42)
7. The Stills - Lola Stars and Stripes (3:50)
8. The Unicorns - Jellybones (2:43)
9. Doves - There Goes the Fear (6:54)
10. VHS or Beta - Alive (5:06)
11. Radio 4 - Start A Fire (3:33)
12. The Killers - Mr Brightside (3:42)
13. The New Pornographers - Testament to Youth in Verse (3:57)
14. Belle and Sebastian - Cover (Version) (4:00)
15. Brian Eno & David Byrne - The Jezebel Spirit (4:53)
16. Boards of Canada - An Eagle in Your Mind (6:22)
17. M83 - On a White Lake, Near a Green Mountain (4:43)
18. Squarepusher - My Sound (6:07)
19. Apparat - Repeat Till Overload (2:15)
20. Cujo - The Light (5:15)
21. Manitoba - Hendrix With Ko (3:57)
22. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Moya (10:51)
23. Flying Saucer Attack - Rainstorm Blues (4:09)
24. The Decemberists - Clementine (4:06)

Glitch gave Bush extra votes in Ohio

2004-11-06T01:53:00.000-05:00

Am I the last person to hear about this?

Franklin County's unofficial results had Bush receiving 4,258 votes to Democrat John Kerry's 260 votes in a precinct in Gahanna. Records show only 638 voters cast ballots in that precinct.

Bush actually received 365 votes in the precinct, Matthew Damschroder, director of the Franklin County Board of Elections, told The Columbus Dispatch.

State and county election officials did not immediately respond to requests by The Associated Press for more details about the voting system and its vendor, and whether the error, if repeated elsewhere in Ohio, could have affected the outcome.

U.S. Inspires World With Attempt At Democratic Election

2004-11-05T02:41:00.000-05:00

With its typical biting sarcasm, The Onion is carrying a perfect story, one that really puts it all in perspective.

"After all of the recriminations, infighting, and general madness before the election, the people of this fractured nation still found the courage to show up at the polls," said Anas Salman, an Afghan U.N. official who was in New York during the American electoral experiment. "More than half of America's citizens—a large portion of them women—made a valiant attempt to choose their own leader, even though there was no guarantee their votes would be counted. It was truly inspirational."
...
"True, voter turnout in many parts of the world tops 90 percent," Salman said. "But it's understandable that the rate is lower in countries such as Afghanistan, where the government has raised fears of possible terrorist attacks at the polls. Our people showed great courage."

The last American presidential election, held in 2000, was also rife with problems. Myriad scandals arose concerning alleged fraud and ballot tampering. Although the Democratic candidate won the popular vote by a margin of half a million votes, the Republican candidate won the presidency with a strenuously disputed 537-vote lead in Florida, a state governed by his brother.

Ann Arbor Legalizes Medical Marijuana

2004-11-05T02:37:00.000-05:00

Ann Arbor residents passed a ballot proposal, to allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, yesterday.

Proposal C will waive fines for medical marijuana patients and their caregivers who receive the recommendation of a physician or other qualified health professional to use marijuana for medical treatment.

The proposal also changes the current law in Ann Arbor to lower the fine for the third and all subsequent marijuana offenses for non medical users to $100. These fines include possession, control, use, giving away or selling of marijuana.

Although medical marijuana users would avoid fines under the law, the police are not required to return any marijuana that they may seize from patients.

(via TalkLeft)

Daily Show on election results

2004-11-05T02:25:00.000-05:00

For those of you who missed the Daily Show on Nov. 3, you can relive the glory and the genius here...

(via BoingBoing)

Edit: It looks like the last site's gone down, so try here.

Fighter Pilot Takes Aim at School

2004-11-05T02:19:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A National Guard F-16 fighter plane mistakenly fired off 25 rounds of ammunition at the Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School in South New Jersey on Wednesday night.

What the fuck? That's unbelievable. Is this serious? Like, come on, it's gotta be a joke. Nov 3, the day the president wins four more years, and already we have a fuck up of monumental proportions. This is unreal...

You are now leaving the reality-based community.

Welcome To Bush's MANDATE

2004-11-04T22:19:00.000-05:00

google bomb!

Rodeohead

2004-11-04T19:13:00.000-05:00

Incredible medley of Radiohead songs in a bluegrass/old timey rollickin' good time.

(via Screenhead)

Atrios' "Tax Fairness Act of 2005"

2004-11-04T18:30:00.000-05:00

According to Atrios and TaxFoundation.Org, these red states are receiving "geographic welfare" (sarcasm?):

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Virginia
West Virginia
Wyoming

Long list, eh?

Juan Cole agrees with me about Hillary...

2004-11-04T16:08:00.000-05:00

...and I agree with him about civil contracts, as much as it hurts me to say that (although that is essentially what I have been personally advocating all along)...

Since Jack Kennedy was shot in 1963, all successful Democratic presidential candidates have been southerners: Johnson, Carter, Clinton.

This is because image and marketing matter more in US presidential elections than substance, and white male southerners just mostly are only going to vote for one of their own.

My family has roots in Virginia and I apologize about this, but Virginia is just not going to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2008, unless Bush has so driven the country into the ground that Americans want anything but a Republican.

The Democrats need to find a southern governor with a southern accent who is a Baptist.

...

For instance, a lot of Democrats would like to see gay marriage or at least civil gay unions passed into law. This is a matter of equity, since gay partners can't even get into a hospital to see an ill partner because hospitals limit visits to close family.

This issue scares the bejesus out of the red states.

But if Democrats were sly, there is a way out. The Baptist southern presidential candidate should start a campaign to get the goddamn Federal government out of the marriage business. It has to be framed that way. Marriage should be a faith-based institution and we should turn it over to the churches. If someone doesn't want to be married in a church, then the Federal government can offer them a legal civil contract (this is a better name for it than civil union). That's not a marriage and the candidate could solemnly observe that they are taking their salvation in their own hands if they go that route, but that is their business. But marriage is sacred and the churches should be in charge of it.

It seem like such a shame to compromise on this issue, but when it comes down to it, I find myself truly believing that marriage is property of the church and that legal documents should be universally refered to as civil unions/contracts. The bottom line is that this strategy allows gay couples the same rights presently offered to straight couples, and shouldn't freak out the ever-more-powerful Religious Right.

My only question is this: what about the states that just passed gay marriage bans, especially MI and OH, where the bans actually restrict rights formerly held by some citizens?

It hasn't got to be all politics all the time...

2004-11-04T15:46:00.000-05:00

The Vatican has realeased a new pamphlet on... Sex! No more repression says Pope... (well, maybe a little bit...).

The controversial book, It's A Sin Not To Do It, written by two theologians, promises the reader answers to "everything you wanted to know about sex but the Church (almost) never dared to tell you".
...
Bullet points on the jacket cover underline the central message: "Sex? God invented it. Original sin? Sex has nothing to do with it. Without sex there is no real marriage."

"When people think of the Church and sex, they think of prohibitions and taboos," said Beretta. "But there is a very different and positive side to Church doctrine which needs to be emphasised."
...
Another chapter likely to raise eyebrows unearths theological justification for post-coital masturbation for women who fail to achieve orgasm during intercourse.

Beretta told The Telegraph: "The Church is not against sex. Something needed to be done about the cliches and stereotypes. The Church is not only about forbidding the use of contraception and warning against the sins of the flesh.
(...)

(via BoingBoing)

The Day the Enlightenment Went Out

2004-11-04T15:44:00.000-05:00

A telling article from a faculty member of Northwestern University, in mah home town. Garry Wills reminds us of the ideals our country was founded on and reprimands those of us who have forgotten. He makes another in a long string of comparisons of our country to our enemies, going even so far as to call the "War on Terror" a jihad, which is a statement I honestly can't disagree with.

He [the Dalai Lama] seemed to envy America its Enlightenment heritage.

Which raises the question: Can a people that believes more fervently in the Virgin Birth than in evolution still be called an Enlightened nation?

America, the first real democracy in history, was a product of Enlightenment values - critical intelligence, tolerance, respect for evidence, a regard for the secular sciences. Though the founders differed on many things, they shared these values of what was then modernity. They addressed "a candid world," as they wrote in the Declaration of Independence, out of "a decent respect for the opinions of mankind." Respect for evidence seems not to pertain any more, when a poll taken just before the elections showed that 75 percent of Mr. Bush's supporters believe Iraq either worked closely with Al Qaeda or was directly involved in the attacks of 9/11.

The secular states of modern Europe do not understand the fundamentalism of the American electorate. It is not what they had experienced from this country in the past. In fact, we now resemble those nations less than we do our putative enemies.

Boing Boing: Purple Haze

2004-11-04T15:17:00.000-05:00

Just in case you're tired of looking at those boring maps which put all the dems on the coasts and all the repubs in "Jesusland," this one from BoingBoing might cure you of your blue-state blues.

Darryl's Attic

2004-11-04T01:27:00.000-05:00

Lauren's Show at Improv Olympic
If you're in Chicago on a Sunday night, check it out!

We Lost.

2004-11-03T18:44:00.000-05:00

Dan: it's not about who wins or loses, it's just democracy
Dan: of an interesting kind
Me: i know, and i wish i felt like there were no losers...
Me: but unfortunately, i can't help but feel lost.

Kerry's Called It Bush

2004-11-03T18:16:00.000-05:00

Four more years, fellows.
Sorry, too depressed to blog. Things will obviously continue on as they have been for quite a while now, so I'm sure there will be plenty to say, very soon.

Zogby's Called It Kerry

2004-11-02T19:10:00.000-05:00

311 EVs
as of 5:00 pm

Media Matters Election Watch

2004-11-02T15:38:00.000-05:00

This is the spot to check. States called, when they're called, and who called them. Just in case something goes wrong. Oy!

(WASHINGTON, DC, November 1, 2004) - Media Matters for America (MMFA) today announced a comprehensive election night monitoring project. Posting in real time, MMFA will note when winners are called, state by state, in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The project will monitor three networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC); three cable outlets (CNN, MSNBC, and FOX); and public television (PBS). The monitoring chart, which can be accessed at www.mediamatters.org/election, will list all 50 states plus D.C. and the corresponding time at which each news outlet calls the results.

We intend to maintain the project throughout the evening, until all outlets have projected a winner.

Nationwide Election Incidents

2004-11-01T21:45:00.000-05:00

This is a color-coded map of election incidents, really telling. Anyway, I'm too tense to blog, and it's not like anyone reads my blog anyway (I'm expecting outraged comments, bitches). I'm literally in physical pain. Wish me luck, and wish us all luck... and, well, pray.

Edit (6:17 EST): This site seems to be down... it's not reporting any incidents, whereas earlier today it was reporting nearly 2000... Weird.

Democracy in Action!

2004-10-29T13:35:00.000-04:00

I just voted! Finally! I don't care if it gets counted or not... I just need to send it on in and I will have voted for Kerry/Edwards and Barack Obama! Holla!

Plus, I'm leaving for NYC in like an hour. Normal activity around here will be resumed shortly before Election Day 2004! Go Kerry!

Addendum: Just sent it in today, today being Monday. Cost me $7, too... Hey, the bumpersticker ribbons say it best, Freedom Ain't Free.

The real reason to get out the vote...

2004-10-28T20:17:00.000-04:00

William Gibson puts it quite succinctly (no wonder I love his books...):

This isn't the election in which to make the quixotic but satisfying point that you'd really rather vote Green, or the quixotic but satisfying point that you'd really rather not have to vote for any more white men in tight blue suits at all.

This is an election in which to vote for *the greater likelihood of there being more elections in the future*.

Time

2004-10-26T22:32:00.000-04:00

Incredible photo-journal. Every year on the same day, Diego Golberg takes a picture of himself and each member of his family. Every year since 1976. Absolutely fascinating.

Death of the Two-Party System? (meme)

2004-10-26T19:13:00.000-04:00

I've posted an article on my diary over at DailyKos... check it out. IF you're a member, feel free to comment/recommend it.

On other topics, sorry I've been so vacant lately, it's been a long, and trying weekend. I've got two finals on Thursday, so wish me luck!

Guardian Unlimited | US elections 2004 | Polling truth

2004-10-26T17:18:00.000-04:00

Markos's new Guardian article. Talks about the realities of polling and why the numbers can't always be right (and why Bush is spinning faster than ever).

Last Week's Playlist

2004-10-23T05:42:00.000-04:00

Because I just posted it...
Come and Get It...

This Week's Playlist (10/23/04)

2004-10-23T05:38:00.000-04:00

1. Architecture in Helsinki - One Heavy February (0:59)
2. Architecture In Helsinki - Souvenirs (2:25)
3. Badly Drawn Boy - Once Around The Block (3:44)
4. Apollo Sunshine - I Was on the Moon (4:15)
5. Mercury Rev - Opus 40 (5:11)
6. Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (6:55)
7. The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now (3:23)
8. Frou Frou - Let Go (4:12)
9. Junior Boys - More Than Real (6:39)
10. William Shatner - I Can't Get Behind That (feat. Henry Rollins) (3:00)
11. The Weakerthans - Confessions of a Futon-Revolutionist (2:13)
12. Radio 4 - No Reaction (6:27)
13. Television - Marquee Moon (10:40)
14. Sigur Rós - Starálfur (6:45)
15. Nick Drake - Which Will (2:59)
16. DNTEL - Anywhere Anyone (4:37)
17. Manitoba - People Eating Fruit (6:09)
18. The Notwist - This Room (4:45)
19. Azure Ray - Displaced (3:41)
20. Spoon - The Way We Get By (2:40)
21. Mirah - Cold Cold Water (5:10)
22. The New Pornographers - From Blown Speakers (2:49)
23. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat (9:09)

100 Facts and 1 Opinion

2004-10-22T21:25:00.000-04:00

The Non-Arguable Case Against Bush

Really good stuff, the PDF is perfect for handing out (on your college campus!)

As they say, GOTV!

(via DailyKos)

IRAQ

1. The Bush Administration has spent more than $140 billion on a war of choice in Iraq.

Source: American Progress

2. The Bush Administration sent troops into battle without adequate body armor or armored Humvees.

Sources: Fox News, The Boston Globe

3. The Bush Administration ignored estimates from Gen. Eric Shinseki that several hundred thousand troops would be required to secure Iraq.

Source: PBS

4. Vice President Cheney said Americans "will, in fact, be greeted as liberators" in Iraq.

Source: The Washington Post

5. During the Bush Administration's war in Iraq, more than 1,000 US troops have lost their lives and more than 7,000 have been injured.

Source: globalsecurity.org

... ... ...

TREASURE BOX

2004-10-21T18:15:00.000-04:00

(via Screenhead)

A brief game of curiosity and mechanical inclination. Nothing is too hard if you do it right!

Hunt for treasure in a world unlike ours: just keep the ball rollin'!

Guardian Unlimited | US elections 2004 | Hollow Victory

2004-10-21T15:20:00.000-04:00

Markos' newest article is up at the Guardian. In this episode, he discusses all the voter fraud (and attempted voter fraud) going on around the country as part of the Republican party "Victory" campaign.

He ends the article with this quote:

Alluding to the fraud committed by his party in his home state of South Dakota, former Republican governor and congressman Bill Janklow told the Associated Press last week that the entire Victory programme is rife with electoral fraud: "These people are cheating. When you tamper with it, you cheat the system. And cheating in elections is the worst form of cancer because it's uncontrollable."

Republicans for Kerry 2004 - dKosopedia

2004-10-21T15:18:00.000-04:00

Recently updated, this is a long list of Republicans planning on voting for Kerry, or at the very least, not voting for Bush...

Join the list at Nation First - Party Second.

The Short Path to Oil Independence

2004-10-21T15:08:00.000-04:00

An article from the Earth Policy Institute expounds on the usefulness and efficiency of hybrid and wind power. These statistics are probably optimistic, but still very convincing. Realistically, if we shift to "alternate" energies under the Kerry administration, we could quickly and (increasingly) inexpensively move away from dependence on foreign oil.

With gas-electric hybrid cars now on the market, the stage is set for the second step to reduce oil dependence, the use of wind-generated electricity to power automobiles. If we add to the gas-electric hybrid a plug-in capacity and a second battery to increase its electricity storage capacity, motorists could then do their commuting, shopping, and other short-distance travel largely with electricity, saving gasoline for the occasional long trip. This could lop another 20 percent off gasoline use in addition to the initial 50 percent cut from shifting to gas-electric hybrids, for a total reduction in gasoline use of 70 percent.

The plug-in capacity gives access to the country's vast, largely untapped, wind resources. In 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy published a National Wind Resource Inventory in which it pointed out that three of our 50 statesKansas, North Dakota and Texashave enough harnessable wind energy to satisfy national electricity needs. Many were astonished by this news since wind power was widely considered a marginal energy source.

Yet in retrospect, we know that this was a gross underestimate simply because it was based on the wind turbine technologies of 1991. Advances in design since then enable turbines to operate at lower wind speeds, to convert wind into electricity more efficiently, and to harness a much larger wind regime.

The average turbine in 1991 was roughly 120 feet tall, whereas new ones are 300 feet tallthe height of a 30-story building. Not only does this more than double the harvestable wind regime, but winds at the higher elevation are stronger and more reliable.

In Europe, which has emerged as the world leader in developing wind energy, wind farms now satisfy the residential electricity needs of 40 million consumers. Last year, the European Wind Energy Association projected that by 2020 this energy source would provide electricity for 195 million peoplehalf the population of Western Europe. A 2004 assessment of Europe's offshore potential by the Garrad Hassan consulting group concluded that if European governments move vigorously to develop this potential, wind could supply all of the region's residential electricity by 2020.
...
The cost of wind-generated electricity has been in free fall over the last two decades. The early wind farms in California, where the modern wind industry was born in the early 1980s, generated electricity at a cost of 38¢ per kilowatt-hour. Now many wind farms are producing power at 4¢ per kilowatt-hour, and some long-term supply contracts have recently been signed at 3¢ per kilowatt-hour. And the price is still falling.

Like I said, the numbers are likely optimistic exaggerations, but the prospects are looking good. Elsewhere in the article Brown discusses the revenues earned from "hosting" a wind turbine, which greatly outweigh the profit made from cattle-ranching or even cash-crop farming. He suspects that before long, the farmers of rural America will be asking for turbines (the PIIMBY syndrome that he talks about).

I say Rock On clean, renewable energy sources.

(via DailyKos)

In the Shadow of No Towers

2004-10-20T15:04:00.000-04:00

From the author of Maus, a two page spread comic anthology about Sept. 11, 2001. I'll be getting my hands on this as soon as possible, because he is a powerful artist, and with comics as the medium, he finds ways to undermine the cultural perception of the comic to make it even more powerful

Enjoy The Draft!

2004-10-20T14:19:00.000-04:00

Dude, you're gettin' a draft!

Yet another rumor on the internets...

Pandagon: Terrorist Who?

2004-10-19T21:34:00.000-04:00

George W. Bush gives another speech...

Assuming this was, as stated, a speech on terrorism, it seems quite clear that George W. Bush believes the main terrorist threat facing our country is John Kerry. It's further clear that Osama bin-Laden has been totally neutralized, as he didn't merit a single mention in a 4,500+ word address on terrorism. As for Al Qaeda, they barely figure, with a pathetic single appearance, and even then only in context of how many of their leaders George Bush has (presumably, personally) killed.

You mean Dubya can talk 4,500 words?

Periodic Table of FUNK

2004-10-19T20:46:00.000-04:00

Just what I needed, a handy guide to everything funky.

Notice my main man James Brown is in the #1 spot. That's cause he's funk, pure and simple.

(via Screenhead)

Neverending GIF animation

2004-10-19T14:37:00.000-04:00

NEWSFLASH: Boy Eats Self, Escapes From Own Mouth!

Sanchez begged for more body armor, etc. in Iraq

2004-10-18T23:08:00.000-04:00

I think this is two things:
1) timely and powerful
2) a really cool look at the progression of a news story from blog diary to front page news.

Markos Could Be Coming To My School!

2004-10-18T19:56:00.000-04:00

I'll consider it, sure. Let me know when you have more details. Thanks! markos

> I know you've got a busy schedule, what with the elections coming up, but I'd like you to consider something. Up until a moment ago, I wasn't sure you were dealing with this kind of thing, but I noticed an ad on the media section page that seemed to indicate you would be giving some kind of talk at Moravian College.
> I go to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. I am a member of the Campus Progressives, which used to be affiliated with the Green Party, but has since determined that we'd rather not be restricted to working within (or outside of) party lines. I've been an avid reader of dailykos for a really long time now, and when we discussed having a seminar course next semester, my mind quickly jumped to you. I don't know the specifics, but I do know that we have a budget, and that if you were to decide to teach a class for the school or even just come and give a talk, there would be some form of reimbursement/payment...
> I'd just like you to think about this. It wouldn't be for a while, and I still don't know the specifics, but it's been laid out to me like this: a professional comes and partners with a professor, and together they teach two full weekends of classes. It involves maybe one paper and a lot of discussion (open threads, if you will). Students receive two credits or so, and I imagine it would be very rewarding for all parties involved. I would think the topic could be Political Journalism or grassroots activism or something like that...
> At any rate, I know you get tons of email, but once you get to this, I would really like a serious reply. If you would digest this idea and get back to me, it would be much appreciated.

Given, it's a very tentative response, but how can I not be excited?

Gay Bashing GOP

2004-10-18T13:16:00.000-04:00

Republicans have been blocking anti-hate crime laws in the Congress for years now. Most recently, House leaders blocked another one last week, when, even though a House resolution instructed them to pass it, DeLay and Hastert stripped the provision from the omnibus bill it was attached to.

So why is everyone and their Republican mother up in arms about Kerry's comment about Mary Cheney?

Inseperable

2004-10-17T23:51:00.000-04:00

inseperable
temperate but alone
emperor with no throne
means with no end
best but no friend
carry my burden
bury me deep
words in my haven
no castle and no keep
cherish no love
peace but no dove
carry my burden
bury me deep
blankets no comfort
darkness no sleep
self no esteem
I and no team
nightmare no dream
crying no scream
carry my burden
bury me deep
suprise no excitement
faith but no leap
cherish no love
peace but no dove
carry my burden
bury me deep

NYT: John Kerry for President

2004-10-17T19:16:00.000-04:00

So the New York Times finally weighs in. This is an extremely well written argument for JFK, and I'd like to think we'll probably see some of this reflected in the polls. My personal regard for the Times may not match that of the average American, but I can certainly say that Kerry's chances of winning are definitely not hurt by this. The whole article is interesting and persuasive, and while I doubt you need to be persuaded of Bush's ineptitude, I know plenty of people who are not yet sure why they should vote for Kerry. Read on.

There is no denying that this race is mainly about Mr. Bush's disastrous tenure. Nearly four years ago, after the Supreme Court awarded him the presidency, Mr. Bush came into office amid popular expectation that he would acknowledge his lack of a mandate by sticking close to the center. Instead, he turned the government over to the radical right.
...
We have specific fears about what would happen in a second Bush term, particularly regarding the Supreme Court. The record so far gives us plenty of cause for worry. Thanks to Mr. Bush, Jay Bybee, the author of an infamous Justice Department memo justifying the use of torture as an interrogation technique, is now a federal appeals court judge. Another Bush selection, J. Leon Holmes, a federal judge in Arkansas, has written that wives must be subordinate to their husbands and compared abortion rights activists to Nazis.
...
The Bush White House has always given us the worst aspects of the American right without any of the advantages.
...
We look back on the past four years with hearts nearly breaking, both for the lives unnecessarily lost and for the opportunities so casually wasted. Time and again, history invited George W. Bush to play a heroic role, and time and again he chose the wrong course. We believe that with John Kerry as president, the nation will do better.

This Week's Playlist (10/16/04)

2004-10-16T05:37:00.000-04:00

1. Air - Highschool Lover (Theme from The Virgin Suicides) (2:43)
2. Ambulance Ltd - Anecdote (3:16)
3. Weezer - el scorcho (4:03)
4. The Shins - New Slang (3:50)
5. The Olivia Tremor Control - Holiday Surprise, 1, 2, 3 (6:11)
6. PS - sense of humor (3:38)
7. The Postal Service - We Will Become Silhouettes (5:00)
8. Sufjan Stevens - Romulus (4:41)
9. The Books - Tokyo (3:43)
10. Wilco - Poor Places (5:15)
11. Explosions in the Sky - First Breath After Coma (9:33)
12. Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime (5:34)
13. David Bowie - Moonage Daydream (4:38)
14. Broken Social Scene - looks just like the sun (4:23)
15. Elefant - Tonight Let's Dance (3:07)
16. Grandaddy - The Go In The Go For It (3:40)
17. Big Star - In the Street (2:55)
18. The Microphones - The Moon (5:17)
19. Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945 (3:12)
20. Junior Boys - When I'm Not Around (5:22)
21. Architecture in Helsinki - Where've You Been Hiding (2:41)
22. John Vanderslice - They Won't Let Me Run (3:52)

21st Century Book-Burning

2004-10-15T11:51:00.000-04:00

So, Lynne Cheney has nothing better to do these days than enforce her own narrow-minded view of American history with such laudable tactics as destruction of free speech materials. Yesterday, my friend Dan suggested that Laura Bush makes a better first lady than Teresa Heinz-Kerry could, which I may or may not disagree with. However, the idea of giving Lynne Cheney any more control, or a popular mandate for her insanity, sends shivers down my spine. And not the good kind, definitely the kind that warn of impending doom.

At her urging, the Education Department destroyed more than 300,000 copies of a booklet designed to help parents and children learn more about America's past.

Cheney objected to the booklet's reference to the National Standards for History, guidelines for teaching history in secondary schools that were developed at UCLA in the 1990s and that suggest that American history should be taught with an eye not only to America's successes but to its struggles and dark moments as well.

...

What was so horrible about the National Standards for History that any reference to them would merit the mass destruction of several hundred thousand volumes of knowledge? According to Cheney, the standards failed to recognize the achievements of America's traditional heroes and focused instead on the accomplishments of women, minorities and radicals such as Harriet Tubman, the former slave who helped found the Underground Railroad. As Cheney wrote in 1994, "We are a better people than the national standards indicate, and our children deserve to know it."

What she's really afraid of, here, is the dissociation of heroism from social status... If I remember correctly, this has been known in the past as social darwinism, i.e. those who come out on top (a la Dick Cheney, George Bush, etc) belong on top and those who don't are in fact not worth learning about for the very reason that if they were so valuable to society, they would have made a lot more money. That theory is not only the foundation for classism (and racism) around the world, it is standard practice for dictators -- and others who control massive amounts of financial and political capital -- to embrace this idea (see the Aryan race, eugenics, etc).

It's simply unimaginable that the wife of the vice president is stooping to such lows as what the article refers to as "21st Century Book-Burning." Not only does this support the Re-Defeat Bush platform, but I think it really (and rightly) lays a lot of social blame on Cheney for her resistance to the multilateral ideal of history that should come along with our movement in to the future and towards a greater acceptance of everyone.

FLY GUY

2004-10-14T17:01:00.000-04:00

Go for an adventure in a pixel world with no gravity and a most unusual atmosphere.

(via Screenhead)

UltraHD: Pusher

2004-10-14T16:34:00.000-04:00

Beautiful, beautiful video. Apparently, an advert for something or other, it really doesn't matter. The graphics are incredible and the subject matter is some kind of neo-futurism, and god is the future gorgeous (at least for rich people).

(via Screenhead)

Edit: Decided it must be for a digital graphics platform. I mean, it would be a really good avertisement for that kind of thing, plus it makes a whole bunch of sense, unless my world view is totally warped.

Mmm, graphic novels

2004-10-14T16:25:00.000-04:00

Ironically Gibson-esque, this is a "short" novel (or long strip) about the future of our pop culture driven world and economy. What happens when you buck the trend? Identify the meme?

You get dumped, that's what.

The Last Debate

2004-10-14T15:48:00.000-04:00

Now I've only read a little bit of what's around to read, but I did watch the debate last night, and let me tell you what.

First of all, Bush did not fucking answer the question about Roe V. Wade. He is such a little bitch, afraid of taking a stance or alienating any supporters that he can't bring his views out in the open. Even as recently as last week he made it very clear which side of the issue he supports idelogically, with that ridiculous Dred Scott reference (as if it's really important that he objects to slavery... i mean, if he didn't, that'd be one thing...). And, he didn't even skirt the question skillfully! He was just like, "Uh, you're actually asking me a different question..." and that was it. No, you stupid pussbag, he wants to know if you would support overturning Roe V. Wade! That's why he asked the question in such clear language that even you should've understood it.

Second of all, now that I've gotten that out of my system, I thought Bush did a lot better last night than in either of the other debates. Except for interrupting the moderator a few times to repeat himself, he didn't commit and huge social gaffes, and he pretty much kept up with Kerry as far as conversation is concerned. This doesn't mean that Kerry didn't kick his ass as far as rhetoric/fact and likeability are concerned. It is clear to me (and from the polls) that the voting public feels the same way as I do.

Third of all, Bush's stance on the massive job loss that has taken place in our country during his "at bat" is this: we will educate the children of this country through underfunded initiatives that take money away from where it is needed the most so that their parents can ... uh... have educated children. And no jobs. I think it's very telling that Kerry fact-checked Bush's higher education claims on the spot, and Bush retaliated, "Nu-uh!" What is true is that more students are getting Pell grants. What is not true is that more money is being spent on Pell grants, and according to several mainstream news sources (which you probably shouldn't trust, says Bushie)

Fact:
The Administration has frozen the maximum Pell Grant available to students at $4,050, despite the President's campaign pledge in 2000 to increase the award to $5,100. The program freeze comes at the same time "state colleges and universities in every region of the country are preparing to impose this fall their steepest tuition and fee increases in a decade." Because of the Administration's budget, "most students won't get any more help than they receive now" – at the same time the White House has proposed a rule change that would cut off 84,000 students from receiving college aid. - Wall Street Journal, 2/3/04; Washington Post, 7/22/03; Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/10/03

You're like -1 for 3 here, buddy.

Bush also, when asked about abortion, brought up my least favorite sex ed. topic ever, abstinence. I literally screamed "Fuck You" in the middle of the debate. The one table of Republicans watching in the Spa definitely hates me. Bush is a big proponent of the ABC method of sexual education, which basically means "Don't have sex. Don't have sex with more than one person. And, if you're having sex with a prostitute or drug user, you should use a condom. Don't even think about other forms of birth control, cause we're not gonna talk about them." That is outright fucking ridiculous. Young people should have the ability to make their own choices. They should also be forced to face the consequences. However, not talking about safe sex at all means that, if Bush has his way, a whole generation of children and teenagers will grow up both sexually repressed and in the dark about what their choices are when the time finally comes.

Once again, I think Bush did a better job than he has in the other debates, but Kerry still kicked his ass. I'm not entirely comfortable with all of Kerry's money spending, but I believe a hell of a lot more in his ability to run a country, period, than I do in Bush's.

The Gadflyer: Mobilizing Iraqi Women to Go Backward?

2004-10-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

The current administration has given $10 million in grants to programs around the country to promote the independence of Iraqi women. One of the groups they granted money to, however, is an organization called the Independent Women's Forum. This group has a history of bias against women and fighting programs (both governmental and private) that would, in most people's opinions, increase equality and "even the playing field." What the hell are they gonna teach Iraqi women about democracy if they don't even support equal education?

The Independent Women's Forum supports weakening Title IX, which protects equal education opportunities, charging that insistence on women's athletic opportunities "wreaks havoc on men's sports teams." They argue against more opportunities for women in the military, and even opposed the integration of Virginia Military Institute.

So just what does the Independent Women's Forum plan to teach Iraqi women? Media training in how to disparage quaint concepts like equal pay, or calling on government to ignore complaints about violence against women? Or, perhaps they'll sponsor a seminar in "How to Raise Money from Anti-Women Sources to Attack Every Current Initiative to Benefit Women."

As of two weeks ago (yeah right, like's it's only been that recently), the Bush administration has clearly gone fucking insane.

My New Job

2004-10-12T19:01:00.000-04:00

So I've started working for Flip (my stats teacher). My job is essentially to scan and "capture" (OCR) documents, which means I am getting paid to stare at a computer screen for hours. And, while capturing, I have ages of downtime.
So...
My blog is gonna start looking a lot more professional. I'm actually gonna read the articles I link to (not that I don't now, but I mean, everybody has seen me link to other blogs' summaries), and I'm gonna take a stance, and I'm gonna write my own shit. There will actually be original content here. This will still probably be the last place on the internet to get up to date news, but it will be one of the best amalgamation blogs around. Hopefully.

Republicans vs. Democrats in Congress

2004-10-12T17:10:00.000-04:00

Kevin Drum summarizes an article comparing corruption and laziness in the Republican-owned Congress to the corruption and laziness in the Congress when it was last owned by Democrats. See for yourself.

Paperwight's Fair Shot: Dred Scott = Roe v. Wade

2004-10-12T16:56:00.000-04:00

WTF?! That's both ridiculous, oblique, and risky all at the same time. The relevance of Dred Scott to abortion really is beyond me right now. If anyone wants to explain it to me, I'm willing and interested, but I'm not going to waste my precious time learning the language of the fucking anti-choice movement.

Guardian Unlimited | US elections 2004 | The madness of George

2004-10-12T16:31:00.000-04:00

Kos (from Daily Kos) writes a weekly article for the Guardian in the UK... This week: "Furious George"

My Radio Show 10/8

2004-10-11T03:09:00.000-04:00

With Amy guest (ghost) hosting...

1. Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything (4:21)
2. Neutral Milk Hotel - The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One (2:00)
3. Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio (6:21)
4. M. Ward - Vincent O'Brien (2:38)
5. Saturday Looks Good To Me - Meet Me By The Water (2:58)
6. Stellastarr* - My Coco (5:05)
7. William Shatner - Common People (4:41)
8. Essex Green - The Playground (3:07)
9. Ratatat - Everest (4:10)
10. Dressy Bessy - I Found Out (2:35)
11. IMA Robot - Black Jettas (3:34)
12. Lambchop - Steve McQueen (4:32)
13. Menomena - The Late Great Libido (4:59)
14. Pedro the Lion - Suspect Fled the Scene (3:56)
15. The Sea and Cake - Afternoon Speaker (4:18)
16. Starlight Mints - Buena Vista (1:32)
17. The Wrens - Every Year You Wasted (5:12)
18. Midwest Product - Still Love in the Midwest (5:18)
19. Lovage - Strangers on a Train (4:36)
20. Manitoba - I've Lived On A Dirt Road All My Life (5:35)
21. Worm Is Green - The Robot Has Got the Blues (3:15)
22. Aphex Twin - Nannou (4:13)
23. The Rapture - Olio (5:20)
24. Junior Boys - Track 4 (6:36)
25. Boards of Canada - Kid for Today (6:20)
26. dudley - fall song (4:12)
27. Mr. Natural - That Green Jesus (4:31)
28. A.C. Newman - Miracle Drug (2:19)
29. Belle and Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby (4:14)
30. Franz Ferdinand - Jacqueline (3:49)
31. Muse - Time is Running Out (3:56)
32. The Walkmen - What's in It for Me (2:54)
33. The Magnetic Fields - You love to fail (2:30)
34. Pavement - Gold Soundz (2:39)
35. Girls Are Short - Perfect Sound Always (3:52)
36. Badly Drawn Boy - Fall In A River (2:17)
37. Carly Simon - You're So Vain (4:19)

i love you.

2004-10-11T01:17:00.000-04:00

Facebook Me!

2004-10-10T15:41:00.001-04:00

So I've joined the infamous college network of cool people.
Word to your mother.
If anyone reads this, and is not a part of the facebook, get on it! Otherwise, you're just wasting your time.

I must Apologize

2004-10-09T20:28:00.000-04:00

Amy's here visiting, so I've been really wrapped up in reality. I will be getting back to my regularly scheduled blog-trolling and website-devouring Sunday afternoon.

In the meanwhile, someone please leave a comment, and even feel free to use this post as a discussion forum about the presidential debate...

Pandagon: 2004's Florida

2004-10-07T21:36:00.000-04:00

...the Secretary of State's office was running a test of their Election Night reporting service today. Unfortunately, while running it, virtually every race that wasn't with an uncontested Democrat was won by Republicans - kind of disturbing that they've run a perfectly valid-seeming scenario where Republicans win every race possible on an official, public, state-run site.

Kevin's Lie Patrol

2004-10-07T01:31:00.000-04:00

Oh, you Animal, you just put it so well.

(clickthrough for a table of "What He Said" as compared to "The Actual Truth" re: Cheney's half of the VP debate)

WILLIAM SHATNER HAS BEEN

2004-10-06T23:20:00.000-04:00

This album is in the WSPN studio, and I can't wait to steal it. Oh my God. William Shatner and Ben Folds. What a potent combination. It's William Shatner doing his spoken word over Ben Folds-style instrumentation. At least, you can see the BF influence. He sings a little bit. Apparently, Aimee Mann and Henry Rollins are also on the album.

Leave It To Bush!

2004-10-06T23:07:00.000-04:00

Flash animation featuring:
George W. Bush
Gary Busey
and two Repub ferrets named Jesus and Slasher.

Nader's Losing It (but getting some good donations in the process)

2004-10-06T22:35:00.000-04:00

[...]According to Federal Election Committee records, five major donors who have given $13,500 to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth to air its attack ads on John Kerry’s military service have also given Nader $7,500.

Specifically, Travis Anderson (NJ), Brian Pilcher (CA) and Donald Burns (FL), are three of Nader’s largest donors and each has given him $2,000 (the maximum allowable contribution), while also contributing to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Charles Eckert (CA) and Oliver Grace (NY) have also given to both Nader’s PAC and the swift boat PAC.

Nader has condemned the ads run by this PAC...

Now, Nader, did you really think that was a good idea?

The Gadflyer: Hard Work

2004-10-06T22:33:00.000-04:00

"While I'm hard at work in the oval office, soldiers are out there... in Iraq... what are they doing again?"
"Oh, they're dying... right, i saw that on FOX news on the teevee screens last night..."
-President Bush (well, maybe not)

maybe not quoted, and maybe not president...

FactCheck this, Cheney!

2004-10-06T14:51:00.000-04:00

MyDD :: Cheney's Senate Attendance Record

Why would you lie about something as easy to debunk as this?

Oh, right, because you're an old, tottering fool with a tenuous grasp on reality and a slightly (i'm being kind here) pathological liar!

Dick.

Minimum Wage

2004-10-06T14:43:00.000-04:00

We were talking about this just a day or two ago... I think it's a bomb idea to increase minimum wage, however I can't really say that I know in any way what it's effects would be...

(via Kevin Drum @ Washington Monthly)

Lacquer

2004-10-06T11:40:00.000-04:00

From LA to New York in about 4 minutes. Definitely not the ENTIRE way, but close enough to be interesting as hell. And with a totally decent soundtrack.

Mesh - Channel4 Animated Films

2004-10-05T17:11:00.000-04:00

Just about the coolest and most useless animated videos I've seen on the web. Especially Watermelon Love. View it.

Today has got to be like the worst day that I've had here.

2004-10-05T14:58:00.000-04:00

Let's go over all the things that make it bad. First of all, the most glaringly obvious, I SLEPT THROUGH BOTH MY CLASSES, and to make it even worse, I woke up just 20 minutes after the second one ended. Fortunately, I turned in my Philosophy paper by e-mail, but I still missed what could have been an important Philosophy class. And, of course, the first (and only) day I miss class, we have our first (and only) quiz in Stat. So I don't think I can take it at all, which puts me at a distinct disadvantage, gradewise. AND, when I called Flip to apologize for not going to class and to turn in my lab, he told me that he started looking for someone new to fill the job I was supposed to be doing for him. That is so frustrating and depressing, because it means I might not be able to make any money by the time I am supposed to go visit Claire, which means I can not go. It also means that I'll probably have to get an off campus job, which wouldn't be so bad, but this was such a sweet deal and I fucked it up.
Hopefully this day will be fucked up enough to make me never try and pull an allnighter again. But honestly, the only reason I went to sleep at 8:30 this morning when I knew I would have to be up by 11 at the latest is because I thought that Lincoln would be waking me up "early," because he offered to. I honestly expected either Josh or Lincoln to wake me up, and I even made them coffee to drink and to get me up with. I don't know what happened, and I'm not gonna jump to any conclusions or to any accusations, however, I'm definitely not going to depend on either one of them for anything for a while.
Although god knows how long a while is here. Could be 10 minutes for all I know.
Alright, well, lunch with Mo. Later.

edit: there was a miscommunication between lincoln and myself, so like i said, no one's to blame except me.

Finally.

2004-10-05T07:07:00.000-04:00

Me: im done. it's light outside.
Me: i'm not sure if i should sleep. oh i still have to do my stats lab. fuck.
Me: this is what i get for not working this weekend :)
Me: and procrastinating mad style.

I think I have Carpal Tunnel

2004-10-05T01:26:00.000-04:00

My left wrist hurts so much, and I pass at least one of the two tests on webmd.

Captured! By Robots

2004-10-05T01:18:00.000-04:00

Captured! By Robots: Tour Dates

Yeah, they're on tour.

How Bush Did

2004-10-05T01:17:00.000-04:00

How Bush Did

Awesome Shockwave experiments

2004-10-05T01:15:00.000-04:00

Warning, you may need to download the newest version of shockwave

www.ertdfgcvb.ch

Don't Spit, Swallow!

2004-10-05T00:46:00.000-04:00

Don't Spit, Swallow is a friendly and helpful guide for those of us (by which i mean you) who aren't sure they want to yet... Also, good tips on how to make cum taste better (as if that's really possible)...

I've moved to a new home

2004-10-05T00:29:00.000-04:00

Because LiveJournal didn't really provide me with enough flexibility to do that things I wanted to do, and because this helps me waste time.