Hell yeah, I'm a feminist.

Yesterday I finished reading The Handmaid's Tale for the first time. Set in the not too distant future, it forsees a United States where damage to the environment so greatly reduces the birthrate that women are stripped of their rights and reduced to property- they can no longer have money or jobs, and are instead viewed primarily as birthing vessels.

As clichéd as it sounds, I couldn't put this book down. Every page rang true to the direction our society is pointing in, and it terrified me. I cannot recommend it enough.

But we're not here to do a book report.

Despite being passionate about women's rights for years, and marching on Washington, and volunteering at Planned Parenthood, I'd always been hesitant, as a man, to claim myself to be a feminist. Something about my taking on that label always struck me as being patriarchal, although I've never been able to put my finger on why. Over the years though, women I love and respect, women who I definitely do consider to be feminists, have applied the label to me. And that was alright. But in my mind, I still couldn't refer to myself that way.

And then I read this book. Despite having read several "classic" feminist books before, none of them ever clicked with me like this one. It's the complicity that got me. The idea that men who considered themselves "enlightened" would be complicit in the subjugation of a full half of the population absolutely sickened me. And the more I read, the more I realized that this isn't some futuristic, far off thing, it's happening right now.

So many "enlightened" men refuse to take umbrage to the rampant sexism in our society just to get along; just to be one of the guys. And that's how it starts. Every time we gawk at a Hooters waitress, or laugh at a joke about how "ugly" Hillary Clinton is, we lose a little bit more of our outrage. And so, when the governor of Missouri appoints a commission to "study the negative effects of abortion on women", and stocks it full of people from the forced birth crowd, we hardly blink, and we don't consider the ramifications of this on our friends, lovers, sisters, mothers.

So what am I saying? I'm saying that I believe in that "radical notion that women are people too". I'm saying that my mom raised me with the idea that women can indeed to anything that a man can, and deserve equal pay for doing it. And the amazing women I've known in my adult life have taught me that women are not a collection of random, surgically enhanced body parts, they are living breathing people, just as smart (in most cases, smarter) as I am, and just as passionate about the world around them.

In short, if I didn't walk side by side with the women who are every day fighting to be considered equal to men, to be seen as more than incubators and sex objects, I'd be going against everything I've ever learned; I'd be a stone cold hypocrite. Feminism transcends gender- it's about human rights. And I happen to think human rights are worth fighting for.

So hell yeah, I'm a feminist.

Sign the Petition to Repeal the Hyde Amendment!

I've mentioned the National Network of Abortion Funds in this space before. One of their big projects currently is working for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment- I recently received an appeal from them that I wanted to share with you:

Dear Friend,

Abortion is still legal in the U.S., but every year thousands of women are denied this right because they don't have the money to pay for abortion care.

Low-income women are often forced to use money they need for food and rent to cover the cost of an abortion. Many women cannot raise enough money and must continue the pregnancy and stay trapped in poverty. Women face this difficult situation because in 1976 Congress passed the Hyde Amendment, which excludes abortion from government-funded health care programs.

We urge you to join the more than 60 groups in the Hyde – 30 Years is Enough! Campaign demanding an end to this injustice! Sign our petition calling on Congress to repeal the Hyde Amendment and restore coverage of abortion for low-income women.

Women enrolled in Medicaid and similar programs receive coverage for all medically necessary health care services, including prenatal care, labor, and delivery. However, as a result of the Hyde Amendment, a woman enrolled in Medicaid is denied assistance in most circumstances if the care she needs is an abortion.

Sign the petition and make your voice heard! Our goal is to collect 20,000 signatures to deliver to Congress by January 22, 2008. With your help we can meet this goal! Please forward this email to your friends and colleagues and encourage them to sign.

By signing the petition, you join a strong, national effort called the Hyde – 30 Years is Enough! Campaign. The campaign is led by the National Network of Abortion Funds, a network of groups that raise money to help women cover the cost of abortions. A complete list of organizations participating in the campaign can be found here.

Please join us and sign the petition now!

Together, we can create a society in which all women have the power and resources necessary to make healthy decisions about their bodies and families.

Thank you,

The Hyde – 30 Years is Enough! Campaign
www.hyde30years.nnaf.org

Please, take a second to sign the petition. And again, I implore you to use some of your free time or funds to help out the abortion fund in your area. True reproductive justice can't be achieved while abortion is still financially out of reach of anyone in our communities.

Condom Dance Party!

Warning- extremely catchy.



We'll get back to the regular blogging soon, I'm saving myself a bit for NaBloPoMo!

It's NaBloPoMo time again!

Is it November already? Well, almost, and that means it's time for both National Novel Writing Month AND its only slightly less ambitious cousin, National Blog Posting Month. And being the slacker that I am, I'm going to go with NaBloPoMo once again this year. Last year I managed to stick out for half a month before everything else got in the way (why do they always do this in a month with a major holiday???), but this year, with working at home, I really think I can do it.

And you, dear reader, you can too! Just click on the link above or the button on the right, or if you're really lazy, right here. There is so much to blog about in this great big blogosphere, so don't be intimidated! You can do it!

A trip to Fenway

Since no normal person's going to be able to afford a ticket to tonight's game 1, here's a short tour:



Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go take a nap so that I'll be able to stay up and watch the whole game...

Random Red Sox memories...

As the Red Sox face a critical game six tonight, I thought I'd put down on the page some of my memories from a long time of being a Sox fan:

-First game attended at Fenway: if memory serves correctly, it was 1983, and I went with my dad to see the Sox play the A's on a Saturday afternoon. It was Yaz's last season. We sat behind home plate on the first base side, up about halfway. I don't remember much, but I seem to remember Yaz coming in as a pinch hitter in the late innings.

-My first big trip into Boston without my folks was in high school, when two friends and I went to see the Sox on a weekday afternoon, and sat along the left field line. I can't remember who they played, but I remember yelling at Mike Greenwell all afternoon...

-It's not every day you get to witness history, even if it was made by the opposing team. The whole family went up to see the Sox play the Twins on a weeknight (My brother was always a big Kirby Puckett fan), and the Red Sox managed to hit into two triple plays, soomething that had never been done before, and hasn't since. They did manage to win the game at least. :)

-I've proably seen the Sox at Camden Yards more often than anywhere else, which has led to some fun memories, including both games of a doubleheader, teaching an Englishman some of the finer points of the game from the left field nosebleed section, and my favorite:

-Cal Ripken's last game. When Cal decided to retire at the end of the 2001 season, his last game was supposed to happen at Yankee Stadium. I had tickets to the last Orioles-Sox series, which was scheduled for the middle of September. Because of what happened on September 11th that year, many of the games that week were bumped. And the game I had tickets for was bumped to the very last day of the season. It's weird how fate works sometimes.

It was a very odd game- there were lots of speeches beforehand (including Bill Clinton, which brought about the very odd sight of secret service sharpshooters on the roof of a sports stadium), and for the first time in a long time, the seats at an Orioles-Sox game were mostly held by Orioles fans. The Sox won, which made it easier to sit through even more speeches afterwards, and all of the celebrations.

-Then of course, there's the little memories. I remember exactly where I was when the ball went through Buckner's legs, and where I was when the Sox won game four in St. Louis. And the names- Oil Can, El Guapo, Dewey, Nomah, and Papi.

You can't give up on your team when you've got this kind of history, can you? Nope.

Go Sox!

This is not funny.

Nope, not a bit.



Ah, dammit, who am I kidding? It's hilarious. And I feel dirty for saying that.

Ron Paul? Really? Are you sure about that?

Every couple of days, I get emails, letters and telegrams from you, my valued readers, asking something along the following lines:

"Stegan, we know you're a huge Dennis Kucinich fan, but what do you think about the "Ron Paul Revolution"?"

I have to admit, I'm new to the Ron Paul watch, so I decided to check out some of his positions. He's anti-war and would pull us out of Iraq (good), against the Patriot act (very good), against trade deals such as NAFTA (good), wants to take us out of the UN (huh?), abolish the Federal Reserve (um, okay), abolish the IRS (alrighty then), return decisions on abortion and contraception to the states (BAD), repeal all federal gun laws (BAD), return all decision making power over medicine and education to the states (BAD), and make the rights of homeschooling families paramount (WHAT?).

His views appear to have drawn in support from white supremacists and the forced birth crowd, as well as certain numbers of anti-war republicans and people who enjoy saying "Ron Paul" while intaking their favorite illegal or semi-legal substance. To each their own, I say. I mean, as a Dennis Kucinich supporter, who am I to judge who you vote for?

But let me ask the Paulies this- your boy wants to return a large number of powers to the individual states. Have you looked at your state assembly (or legislature, or what have you) lately? Some of them only meet every two years! They think teachers unions shouldn't be allowed to strike! They think they know better than anyone what you, or your partner, or your mother should be allowed to do with your bodies! They are, in short, elected officials. The minor leagues of elected officials, no less. And while I'm honestly not a big fan of Congress, I think they've usually got smarter people telling them what to do than your standard breed local politician.

In the final analysis, it seems like Ron Paul really just wants to pass the buck down to the states (and the UN) and create a system of federal governance where the bigwigs in Washington can sit back and say "Hey, it's not my problem!"

Which, now that I think about it, might be the perfect system of government for the early 21st Century United States- we have after all become the "Hey, if it doesn't affect me, I don't care about it" culture. Hm- maybe I should reconsider this whole Ron Paul thing...

Uniform madness...

(it's an oxymoron, see- uniform implies order, while madness implies chaos? but you probably figured that out already, didn't you?)

Over the past year or so, I've become a regular reader of Uni Watch, which, as the website says, is dedicated to "The obsessive study of athletics aesthetics". I find the minutiae that Paul Lukas and his team dig up to be fascinating, and I've found myself watching sporting events, such as a White Sox game a couple of weeks ago, and trying to understand why they'd wear special unis to commemorate "Halfway to St. Patrick's Day" instead of just enjoying the game (it really was distracting!).

Anyways, my original reason for all this was to make you aware of this week's Uni Watch article on ESPN.com- I found it hilarious and fascinating. And I would imagine that it's articles like this that create jobs like "uniform spellchecker" in sports stadiums across the country.

On a similar (although not uni-related) note, last night I had the pleasure of watching the documentary "Helvetica", which was, as the title promises, a film about a font. A font that is so ubiquitous, so everyday, that you can't go five minutes without seeing it, or a version of it. And this has made it both beloved and reviled over the last 50 years. It's a fantastic documentary that takes you into the hitherto unknown world of typeface design, and I think, gives great insight into the last 50 years of graphic design in general. It's touring the world right now, and I could not recommend it more highly. The website has the dates and locations of screenings.

No, seriously.

Am I the only one who needs to keep reminding themselves that the presidential election is NEXT November? Enough with the campaigning already!

Words to the wise.

From Natalie Dee.


nataliedee.com

Sure he's a right wing Fox News loving nutjob,

But will he blend???

The answer my surprise you. Although it shouldn't:

Quick Hits- Champaign

It's been almost two months since we picked up stakes from Harrisburg, where I'd lived for ten years, and moved out west. I figured it was a good point to share some observations on the city, gathered while sitting outside Pekara with a lovely cup of coffee (Ethiopian dark roast, always a good bet.):

-I really could see myself living here for a while, especially if we stay within biking/ walking distance of downtown. I love that there are still a lot of local businesses, and a good number of vegan or adaptable vegetarian options (although it's far from perfect in that respect) foodwise.

-There is a disturbing lack of bagels. From a quick non-scientific tour of the coffeeshops, Dunkin Donuts appears to be the only reliable source for bagels. This is no good. The server I talked to at Pekara confirmed my fears, so it's not just me. Someone needs to fix this situation.

-I've started to notice some of that famous midwestern reticence. The students I've met have been lovely and friendly, but there is definitely a difference when it comes to "townies"- people are not really interested in making eye contact, and it's rare that a smile is returned. I'm not sure if it's because I dress fairly casually around town, so it could be guessed that I'm a student, or if it's just the way people are around here...

-Working from home has definitely made it harder for me to meet people. I've definitely got to go make an effort to do things like go downtown to watch a game at the bar and whatnot (dare I become a Cubs fan in addition to a Red Sox fan?)- this will be a LOT easier when the bars in Champaign go smoke free at the end of the year...

-Steak n' Shake scares me.

90 seconds on the Global Gag Rule

via Feministing:



to take action, visit: NARAL Pro-Choice America

So you like abstinence only education, do ya?

Your tax dollars pay for this man to speak at schools:



My personal favorite comes at about the 4:00 mark, where he goes on about how all the aborted fetuses are thrown in a blender and put into makeup. Not to mention the shame he's heaping on anyone in the audience who may have already had sex, or an abortion, or, god forbid, kissed someone...

Gah! I will say that I think it's great that one of the students was annoyed enough that he got out his camera and filmed this- this is the stuff that these righties won't show when they tape a presentation for teevee or anything like that. This is the stuff that Henry Waxman rightly went after this multi-million dollar industry for spewing (if you do click on that link, spend some time on the Guttmacher Institute website- you'll learn something).

The worst part is, even when you scream at the top of your lungs about this, you get the feeling no one's listening.

Yarn!

Yarn!
Originally uploaded by VeganSteve

I'm finally moving out of the world of washcloths and scarves, and ready to try my first knitting in the round project. is the one- and of course, it's no simple hat. I hate wearing hats in the winter, so it seems to make sense to do something that I can move around, and has an opening to let my head vent. Very exciting stuff!

Boehner makes a boner?

First, watch the video:



Now let's see that in slow motion (emphasis added):

BLITZER: How much longer will U.S. taxpayers have to shell out $2 billion a week or $3 billion a week as some now are suggesting the cost is going to endure? The loss in blood, the Americans who are killed every month, how much longer do you think this commitment, this military commitment is going to require?

BOEHNER: I think General Petraeus outlined it pretty clearly. We’re making success. We need to firm up those successes. We need to continue our effort here because, Wolf, long term, the investment that we’re making today will be a small price if we’re able to stop al Qaeda here, if we’re able to stabilize the Middle East, it’s not only going to be a small price for the near future, but think about the future for our kids and their kids.

It could be argued that Rep. Boehner was just ignoring the part of the question about Americans dying, but one would think that, in this media savvy world of ours, a politician would be REALLY clear on how he feels about the Americans who die every day fighting an invisible enemy...

What a maroon.

Six years later.

I consider myself clever, after a fashion, and capable of spouting forth nonsense on so many subjects as to make the mind whirl and get myself ten seconds of attention. But there are times, like today, when words fail me.

I was at work that day, like any other Tuesday, bemoaning some project or other, thinking of places I'd rather be. And then the internet went nuts, and everyone was whispering, and "I heard" became the beginning of every sentence for the rest of the day.

"I heard they're telling everyone to go home"

"I heard there was another explosion in San Francisco"

"I heard they blew up a school bus"

The first visual evidence I had was going down to the hotel lobby and standing in the bar. At that moment, the first tower fell. I was dumbstruck. How is it possible?

A month later, I went to see Ani DiFranco just outside of Philadelphia. I'd been to several of her shows, but had never seen a crowd so quiet. There was a yearning there, that we all needed to be entertained, needed to think of something else, needed, maybe, someone to put how we felt into words. That night, she performed a very early version of "Self Evident", and there was one line that stuck out to me then, and still gets me to this day:

"and every borough looked up when it heard the first blast
and then every dumb action movie was summarily surpassed"

Because that was it. We never think of the impermanence of things like buildings, especially not once they become symbols. These buildings are forever. They only disappear in movies.

It didn't take long for arrogant patriotism to take over the country, and an almost nauseating quest for retribution began. And I could go back to fearing for the future our leaders were dragging us towards again. Le sigh.

Mo Rocca gets to the heart of the matter.

And people wonder why I sometimes get offended when I'm referred to as a "guy"???

Small Fish, Big Pond

I finally made it down to the local Planned Parenthood today- it feels weird to go from someone who was a board member and spent a few nights a week volunteering or in meetings back down to an entry level volunteer. Just another effect of big change, I guess.

Best. Commercial. Ever.

It may be fake commercial, yes, but how many people would actually realize that???

Sure it's pretty, but...

A lot of the streets in our part of Champaign look something like this:

It's lovely, really. You don't imagine this part of the midwest being quite this tree lined. And paved with bricks no less!

Another quite popular thing in the city is bicycling- you see a lot of students and townies biking from one place to the other (which makes perfect sense- from one end of Champaign to the other end of Urbana is only a couple of miles). And after finally getting my front tube replaced on my bike and taking it out for its first ride today, I can say one thing for sure:

I'm glad I'm not trying to ride a road bike around here!

The bricks, while lovely, are uneven, to be kind. There aren't many that stick up, but there are quite a few small gaps, and some areas where the bricks have started to sink, and even more areas on the side of the road where grass is poking through. You definitely don't want a skinny tire and no suspension in the brick parts of town, this is for sure.

On a similar biking note, I've been looking at the idea of converting my 24 speed down to a single speed . There are some good tutorials on the subject, and it seems to make pretty good sense for an urban area like this- no hills to climb, more nimble for avoiding 18 year old idiot drivers, that sort of thing... And weirdly, single speed bikes are just as expensive if not more so than their billion geared cousins. Definitely calls for some DIY investigation...

There is no humane meat.

I often stumble during arguments, not always sure of what I'm saying. And arguments about animal rights are no different. So I tend to refer people to books and articles that do a far better job of making a case.

The argument against "humane meat" is no exception. The term itself I find fairly stunning and contradictory- how can one have humane slaughter? Because inevitably, those happy little animals you see running around the "humane farm" are going to be sent to a slaughterhouse and be murdered.

Josh from Herbivore deals with this issue in his latest editor's note (thanks to vegan chai for pointing it out). At a recent conference sponsored by HSUS (Humane Society of the United States), the "Animal Welfare Institute", an organization that advocates, among other things, "humane meat" and "humane animal research", paid their money and was able to sponsor a "panel discussion" (where they hand picked their supporters for the panel).

Take a look at the article- I'm curious to know where you stand?

Defend Dr. George Tiller

Dr. George Tiller is one of my heroes, and just an amazing human being. I'll have more to say about this later, but I wanted to get this up- excellently worded:

Defend Dr. Tiller

Blog post by Peter Rothberg in The Nation, Tue Aug 7, 6:50 PM ET http://www.thenation.com/blogs/actnow?pid=220941

Dr. George Tiller, one of the few late-term abortion providers in the US, pleaded not guilty last Friday to 19 misdemeanor charges brought against him by the state of Kansas. The charges revolve around a state law which requires that two legally and financially uninvolved physicians sign off on any late-term abortion procedure--a law that seems to have no other purpose than to make life difficult for abortion providers.

The charges against Tiller brought by Attorney General Paul Morrison allege that in 19 procedures from July to November 2003, the Wichita doctor consulted with Dr. Ann Kristin Neuhaus. The attorney general has said they had a financial relationship, although he hasn't been more specific. As a result, he faces up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for each of the nineteen charges.

As a comprehensive cross-post by Cara at Feministing.com and thecurvature.com details, Tiller has a long history of being harassed for his work and these allegations are just the latest chapter. He has faced regular protests at his clinic, other trumped-up criminal charges, physical threats, severe vandalism and constant intimidation. He has also been shot.

This new law under which he's been charged is harassment, pure and simple. That's why Tiller's attorneys are challenging the constitutionality of the statute. (A hearing was set for Aug. 10.) Moreover, as Cara rightly insists, "Requiring written approval of any late-term abortion procedure from two independent physicians is not only requiring the abortion provider to seek permission to practice medicine, it's also essentially requiring that the woman get permission to successfully request medical care. Her choice, along with the medical advice of her doctor, is not enough. Late-term abortions, contrary to what anti-abortion activists constantly profess, are not undertaken lightly. The women who receive medical care at Dr. Tiller's facility come from all over the country; Dr. Tiller is hardly going to be their first medical consultation. They seek their abortions either due to health risks to themselves or severe fetal deformity. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who likes late-term abortion, and that includes the women who need them."

Tiller has been operating bravely for years doing thankless work in the face of constant efforts to drive him away from his practice. The latest charges against him are meant to distract as much as punish and make it financially prohibitive for him to continue his services. So now he needs our help. Please send donations and words of support by mail to the address below:

Women's Health Care Services
5107 East Kellogg
Wichita, Kansas USA 67218

Sharing a Birthday.

Ever since I was a kid, I've always been curious as to what's happened historically on this, my birthday, who was born then, what holidays there are, that sort of thing. Well, I've had 33 years to compile a list, and here it is:

-Birthdays:
-Fidel Castro
-Alan Shearer
-Don Ho
-Alfred Hitchcock
-Jocelyn Elders

-Happenings:
-1961- the GDR closes the border between East and West Berlin, prompting the construction of the Berlin Wall
-1987- Ronald Reagan owns up to his role in Iran-Contra

-Holidays:
- International Lefthander's Day! (a holiday that is, of course, near and dear to my heart!)

So, once I get done with this pesky work thing, I plan on sitting back and honoring the day with a rum in one hand, champagne in the other, kicking a soccer ball, watching a horror movie and doing that which Jocelyn Elders always so heartily endorsed. Should be quite a scene!

A question for the masses:

Help me figure this out. Are lolcats a sign of societal progression or regression? I know I've got at least one armchair philosopher reading this who must have an opinion:


Anyone?

Almost ready...

I'm beat. I have no energy to entertain you people. Go look at some lolcats.

The Vick Thing.

Okay, so I'm a football fan. And vegan. And a "dog person" (as well as a cat person, but that's a different story). So there's a few angles on which this whole Michael Vick dogfighting case appalling.

Football Fan: I might be one of the few people who sides with Charles Barkley on the whole "athletes as role models" argument- as much as we might like our major athletes to be role models for our kids, it's just not going to happen. As the philospher once said, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Give someone enough cash and attention, and they're going to think they're above the law. And for that reason, Vick needs to be dealt with harshly. I'm sure the NFL has done their own investigation into the matter, and has a good bit of the same evidence that the feds used to get their indictment. This alone should be reason enough to suspend him pending the outcome of the trial. And if convicted, he's done. For good. This isn't gambling or steroids- it's not as though he cheated at the game and can be monitored to make sure he doesn't do it again. No. If the indictment is correct, he participated in straight up sociopathic behavior. It's only a matter of time, the specialists tell us, before a human becomes a target instead of a dog.

Vegan: It's been interesting to read the comments on the Vick stories on espn.com and see how people have reacted- I would say nine out of ten responders have talked about how despicable this crime is, but they're "no PETA supporter". Oddly enough, neither am I. But it's events like this that always make me cringe that PETA has become the commonly accepted face of animal rights. They're what some would call welfarists- they declare victory every time conditions become just a little bit worse for an animal before they're killed for food. And I really can't abide that- how about we just don't kill them??? And don't get me started on their use of nudity as an attention getting tool.

Dog Lover: Yeah- I can't even go there. I'm just disgusted. Literally, it makes me nauseous...

On Futbol!

On the day when "Becks" will become more than the name of an imported beer to Americans (or so Alexi Lalas hopes), I thought I'd pay at least some homage to some local boys, the Harrisburg City Islanders, who knocked off MLS powerhouse D.C. United on Wednesday night to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup, which is a nationwide competition open to all amateur and pro soccer teams. This is huge! Now the Islanders move on to play the New England Revolution in Foxboro- my love of the underdog will have to trump my New England roots on this one, and I'll definitely be pulling for Harrisburg! Hopefully I can find a TV with Fox Soccer Channel somewhere in the midwest. :)

Hey, Cancellara!

MEtC asked me last night, after seeing me completely entranced by watching the Tour, how anyone could sit there and watch people ride bikes. It's because of finishes like this!



Just amazing stuff. If they can just avoid any foolish doping scandals this year, I'm going to enjoy the next few weeks in front of the Tour. :)

The end of the beginning...

Or something. This is the last Monday that I will sit at a computer in Harrisburg and fret over the micro-details of hotel buyings and sellings, as I have for the last seven years. It's the longest stretch I've spent at one job, and it very much feels weird to leave. For all the ups and downs this particular job has had, it's become a second home, and my co-workers a second family- it's hard not to have some sort of emotional feelings that cloud the relief at removing the weight of the job itself from my shoulders. I'm sure I'll have many more nonsensical musings over the coming days so I ask the gentle reader to stick with me- I'll be back to my old rip-roaring self in no time.

In the meantime, check out this nifty article on the next wave of librarians, from the NYT style section, no less!

Joke of the Day

Q. Did you hear the president's plan for easing prison overcrowding?

A. If you're convicted of a felony, you don't have to go to jail!

(copyright 2007 stegan t. guppybork)

I'd cry for the death of a judiciary divorced from the executive branch if it wasn't abundantly clear that it happened a long time ago. The fact that the president thought that Libby was too fragile to serve less jail time than either Judith Miller OR Paris Hilton is ridiculous. Every day, people go to jail for obstruction of justice whose lives are more ruined than Libby's- what makes him so damned special? Maybe they did a feasibility study and determined his speaking fees can be higher without jail time. Maybe that's it.

Le sigh.

Funding Choice...

Abortion funding is important to me. There, I said it. It's not something that most people think about on a daily basis, and not without good reason, I suppose. It's bad enough to have to listen to all the shrieking moral and ethical arguments around abortion issues- after all that, who wants to talk about paying for it?

Well, I do. A few years ago, I got involved with a fund that is a part of the National Network of Abortion Funds. For the uninitiated, women who have decided to have an abortion can contact an abortion fund to receive financial assistance in order to pay for the procedure.

"But the media tells me abortions are cheap and easy to come by!" I hear you say. Au contraire! There is no federal medical assistance available to pay for abortion thanks to the Hyde Amendment, and state assistance is difficult to come by unless you're lucky enough to live in one of the 17 light green states on this map:

And good luck getting connected with a private insurer that will cover a procedure. Thus, the advent of the volunteer-run, privately funded, abortion fund.

It's not an easy slog. The fund I am involved with raised over $25,000 this past fiscal year, yet provided over $40,000 in grants to women in need. Were it not for a substantial balance left over from past years, we'd have been broke by December. Many funds are not so lucky, and end up having to resort to personal phone calls and emails to try and raise funds. Nation writer Katha Pollitt wrote a great article about just such an appeal recently. Unfortunately, the need was not new, and the story not unique:

"We need $400 more in order to pay the fee $850 fee of a 2nd trimester patient who HAS to be seen tomorrow, or she'll be too far along to be seen in the state of Tennessee. In that case, her fee will increase even more and have to pay the traveling expenses, as well.

"She's raised $250 and we have given the clinic $200 on her behalf thus far.

"She's a single mom with a 19 month old; co-conceiver skipped town; no child support because that dude skipped town; she is clinically very depressed and extremely desperate. She makes less than $800 a month working fulltime. She makes too much to get any state aid and definitely not covered by TNCare. She becamse pregnant after her birth control failed to prevent her pregnancy. Can you help by sending a paypal donation to equalaccessfund@gmail.com asap?

" "She has an appointment at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow morning. "

As much as we want to think that because Roe v. Wade is still (barely) the law of the land, the sad fact is that access to abortion is out of reach for most of the women who need it most, because of simple dollars and cents. This has nothing to do with "choice"- the choice has been made- and if a woman has decided that she can't have a child at this point in her life, we as a society should support that decision, and help her in any way we can.

Let's put it more simply- if a woman can't afford the cost of an abortion, do you think she'll have the financial means to raise a child??? The government sure isn't going to help.

So, dear friends, I beg of you- go to the NNAF website, check out the map of fund locations, find the one nearest to you, and give what you can- whether it's your time or your money, you can bet that the fund, and the women they serve, will be grateful for it. To me, this is the clearest expression of being "pro-choice"- you've got to walk the walk to feel right about talking the talk.

Thanks for reading my little diatribe. Go back about your business now. :)

No 'Poo!!!

Oh, get your minds out of the gutter. Over the past year or so, the condition of my scalp has seemed to get worse and worse. Itching, flaking, red spots... Given the apparent shortage of dermatologists, which prevents one from getting an appointment for six months, if you're lucky, I've decided to take matters into my own hands.

A while back, I remember reading an article called Why You Should Go No ‘Poo - the thing that struck me about it was this:

Following are just a small sample of the toxins found in most shampoos and their detrimental side effects.

• Alcohol, isopropyl (SD-40) is a very drying and irritating solvent and dehydrator that strips your skin’s moisture and natural immune barrier, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, molds and viruses. It is made from propylene, a petroleum derivative, and is found in many skin and hair products, fragrances, antibacterial hand washes as well as shellac and antifreeze. It can act as a “carrier,” accelerating the penetration of other harmful chemicals into your skin.

It may promote brown spots and premature aging of skin. A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients says isopropyl alcohol may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis, anesthesia and coma. A fatal ingested dose is one ounce or less.

• FD&C color pigments are synthetic colors made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic.

• Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. It interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders.

• Propylene glycol (PG) and butylene glycol are petroleum plastics which act as surfactants (wetting agents and solvents). They easily penetrate the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure. Commonly used to make extracts from herbs, PG is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats!

• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are detergents and surfactants that may pose serious health threats. They are used in car washes, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers — and in 90 percent of personal care products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and even death.

Terrifying stuff. So, as the article's name suggests, I've decided to go sans shampoo. Today is day three- this morning I did the baking soda treatment to stimulate the scalp. The girl, whose nose would most certainly know, indicates that my hair smells "like nothing"- a good start!

So we'll see what happens over the next days and weeks. I'm on the fence about the apple cider vinegar rinse, since I've got really short hair right now, and I don't want to undo the work, but I'll probably break down and try it soon.

More updates to follow!

Thou shalt always...

Enjoy:

The Eggplant is dead, long live the Eggplant.

Just an update- the damage estimate came in around $6,800- the car is a total loss. It's sad in a way, but I'm also glad. I'd rather have had that than have them try to fix the poor thing. I will miss it.

So the question is, what next? Will it be worth it to buy another car? With the move, we'll be in a city with a stellar public transit system, that's also flat enough and safe enough to bike on a regular basis. There's also the possibility of living out my dream and getting a scooter. The main reason, of course, would be to drive around the city going "Ciao!" :)

On a major upside note, with the money from the insurance company, I will be able to pay off my car loan, making me, for the first time since I was 18, debt free. What are the odds??? Can I get a woot?

My poor eggplant...

It was a delightful Sunday morning and I was heading home after a nice hour spent at my favorite pitch n' putt. I made the last turn onto my street, and the exact thought running through my head was "I should check the mail."

And all of a sudden, chaos. Some holy roller on her way home from the church down the street came barreling down the alley that intersects the street and didn't slow down or look. And she smacked right into me, turning me sideways, after which I ran into a beautiful '67 Mercedes that was parked on the street.

It happened so fast, yet right now, just a few hour later, all I can see when I close my eyes is that instant when I realized what was going on and I was instinctively trying to get the car under control. It's a wee bit harrowing.

I'm okay- my shoulder and neck hurt, which probably had more to do with the seatbelt than anything. Thankfully, nobody was in my passenger seat at the time. The car is likely a loss- the pillar between the two doors was pushed in a good three or four inches. Unfortunately, I won't get an estimate until tomorrow at the earliest.

Oh, for the uninitiated, "the eggplant" refers to the car being deep purple on the outside and sort of a tannish gey on the inside.

I'll miss it. :(

Patriot's Day shenanigans

You know, given the serious nature of my last post this morning, I should resist posting this, but I can't help it. Behold what happens when you mix early morning drinking, a baseball game with a noon start on a Monday, and a slice of pizza (you may want to watch it twice).

Taxes as a feminist issue

In honor of this being the day we're all supposed to settle up with our federal, state and local governments, I wanted to share this:

How the Income Tax System Shortchanges Women

By Martha Burk, Ms. Magazine
Posted on April 16, 2007, Printed on April 17, 2007
http://www.alternet.org/story/50522/

A longer version of this piece appears in the Spring issue of Ms. Magazine.

What comes to mind when we think of income taxes? Probably dread. Do we ever think women's issue? Not likely -- but we should. Taxes are something women and men face with unequal pain, let alone gain.

For example, a married couple faces a "marriage penalty" if their two incomes are similar and they file a joint return, since the second income (usually the wife's) is taxed at a significantly higher marginal rate than if she filed as an individual. But if a couple forgoes the wife's second income (or if one person's income is appreciably lower), they may pay less as joint filers than they would have as singles (the marriage "bonus"). Both situations can reduce the incentive for a married woman to work outside the home.

While business interests and churches have long had armies of lobbyists to influence tax policy, feminist influence has been minimal. That needs to change, and here are some recommendations:

• Get marital status out of the tax code. The basic tax-paying unit in the U.S. system is the "household" -- defined as married heterosexual couples or single individuals. We should redefine the tax unit to follow the model used in almost all other industrialized nations: Each taxpayer is treated as an individual regardless of household type. This would eliminate both the marriage penalty and the marriage bonus, and at the same time would no longer exclude gay or cohabiting couples.
• Increase the Child Tax Credit and apply it to all families with a payroll tax liability. Working poor women get very little help from the Child Tax Credit because it is tied to the amount they pay in income tax, which is low because their incomes are low. Yet many still have significant payroll tax bills for such things as Social Security and Medicare, so applying the tax credit to payroll taxes as well as income taxes would benefit them.
• Institute paid family leave, funded by unemployment taxes, with incentives for men to take leaves as well. We should not only have a national system of paid leave, but go a step further and emulate Sweden's system. There, in order to get the full benefit, each parent must take a turn at caregiving; the benefit doubles if the father takes his turn. This wouldn't help single mothers, but for married couples it would go a long way toward getting men to do their fair share.
• Remove the caps on Social Security taxes and give a Social Security credit for caregiving. While income-tax policies encourage women to stay home and take care of kids, Social Security then punishes them by entering zero for each year spent at home outside the paid workforce. That means a more meager retirement.
• Revoke favorable tax treatments for institutions that discriminate against women. Churches that openly discriminate against women enjoy billions of dollars in tax savings through exemptions from income and property taxes, not to mention benefiting from the largesse of contributors who deduct their contributions. In turn, these funds are used to undermine women's rights. Case in point: Catholic and Protestant churches were among the biggest contributors to anti-abortion referenda in the 2006 election.

If some of the changes we need seem far-fetched or impossible, remember this: There was a time when the income tax was highly controversial, and now it is universally accepted. We're a long way from a feminist tax policy, but we have to take the first steps before we can get there.

Martha Burk is the Money editor of Ms. magazine.

As Sufjan Stevens once said:

"I wanted a BUD light!" Oh, and there was something in there about Illinois, too. Anyways, the girl and I are set to become flatlanders, as they say. She loves the program, and the people in the program there are quirky in a good way. And I like the fact that even though it's a university town, it has a very mellow, laid back vibe. As cool as Austin is, the traffic and hustle of it wasn't something I was looking forward to.

Also, the week was full of signs. From the store downtown that stocks the deluxe Nancy Pearl action figure (with shooshing action!), to the Yuengling poster hanging at the bar we were at, to George Takei being on campus at the very same time. It is meant to be. She's going to be a midwestern librarian. :)

Plus, I'll get a heck of a lot more cycling done. Very little mountain biking, though. :)

Where would YOU live?

I'm going to throw this out to all y'all on the interwebs- given the choice between moving to lovely Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and Austin, Texas, where would you move, and why??? Do tell...

Haven't we had enough?

As we enter the fifth year of an interminable war, I'd like to have a quick reminder of why we're there. That's right it's two men with the smallest winkies known to man, you know em, you love em:




As of this morning, 3,197 American citizens have died as a direct result of the actions (or lack thereof) of these two men. Add to that countless Iraqis and soldiers from other countries, and you seriously have to wonder how they sleep at night.

Because the rest of us certainly aren't. We're occupied by thoughts of loved ones, friends, people we've known who have been sent off to fight to try and bring about the endtimes that these two geniuses dream of so breathlessly. We, as Americans, want our country to be safe. But we also want all of its citizens to be safe. Which means we don't want them being sent into harm's way ANY MORE.

Dubya. Turd Blossom. Listen to me. Enough is enough. We don't want your stinking war anymore. You can end it. Bring our citizens home.

Seriously.

Elstonville Update:

Here's a really good article, with an update on the situation. I'm glad the DA at least tried for the full amount of the fine, and really, really disappointed in the judge...

The fowl met a fate most unfair
By Jeff Hawkes, Staff
Intelligencer Journal

Published: Mar 13, 2007 12:55 AM EST

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - The fearless hunters of Elstonville got caught in September launching arrows at tied-down turkeys.

The sportsmen's club called it a benefit. Three arrows for $12. Hit a bird and take it home to eat.

Sportsmen, I guess, don't do bake sales.

While I don't hunt, I appreciate hunting's appeal. Employing stealth, patience and knowledge of wildlife to bag game has got to be a thrill. But shooting at domestic turkeys that can't flee?

Even kids took aim at the confined gobblers. I can just hear parents: "Don't miss, Billy. Daddy wants a drumstick."

Makes you wonder what video games they let their kids play.

"Wait a minute, guys," you'd think someone at Elstonville Sportsman's Association would have said. "Should we be using trapped turkeys for target practice? Is that the image we want to project?"

At least after they were caught, you'd expect the sportsmen to be embarrassed. That wasn't the case.

Sour regret

Participants became upset when state troopers shut down the contest at the club's grounds in Rapho Township, and the club hired a lawyer to fight the animal-cruelty charges, characterized by one Elstonville board member as "propaganda." He told the press a couple months ago, "We have every confidence we're going to win this."

Well, they had confidence.

Club president Jesse Miller last Friday went before a district judge not to fight the charges but to start paying fines totaling $400.

Miller declined to answer questions afterward, but his lawyer handed me a 325-word statement that twice uses the word "regret."

Specifically, the club regrets the contest "reflected poorly" upon sportsmen and "tarnished our reputation as responsible citizens and sportsmen."

Expressions of regret are fine. Every little boy experiences regret when caught with a hand in the cookie jar. But expressing regret over losing face isn't the same as expressing contrition.

I searched for a crumb of remorse in the club's statement and came up empty. The tone is not apologetic, but self-righteous, practically defiant.

"We did not set out to cruelly mistreat the animals," the statement declares.

No, they set out to make money at the expense of helpless turkeys.

The club further says news accounts about the contest contained inaccuracies. Specifically, the club says, contest participants weren't drinking.

It helps their case to say they shot defenseless turkeys and were sober?

Shirking blame

The club says it now has a new rule forbidding contests with live targets, even though, the sportsmen can't help but point out, such contests "might be authorized by law."

The club in essence is saying it believes it did nothing wrong. That's clear in Elstonville's decision to plead no contest instead of guilty. Courts treat no contest the same as a guilty plea, the distinction being a no-contest plea admits to the facts but not to wrongdoing.

"They're not ... admitting to the allegations," confirmed attorney Michael Winters, who represented the club before the magistrate Friday.

When I pointed out the club's statement also offers no apology, Winters said, "The fact that they're not contesting these violations and have elected to enter pleas of (no contest) speaks for itself."

Indeed.

The club won't admit to wrongdoing but pats itself on the back for donating $12,000 a year to good causes and being "positive ambassadors for the sports we love."

"We look forward to ... restoring the community's confidence in our organization," the statement concludes.

Deciding not to execute more turkeys is a start. It's just too bad club members see themselves, and not the turkeys, as the victims.

Stop animal abuse in Lancaster County!

Recently, the media has reported on a live turkey shoot that took place at the Elstonville Sportsmen's Association (Manheim, PA) in September of 2006. This event was the definition of animal cruelty- the turkeys were bound to bales of hay and participants shot arrows at them. As a result of this event, the club has been charged with eight counts of animal cruelty, which could result in a whopping $4,000 in fines.

The Association is very proud of its community participation. The organizations the Association supports need to be made aware of their cruelty. If you'd like to help, below is a list of emails and a sample letter. Feel free to edit the sample letter to reflect your own thoughts. Please use "Elstonville Sportsmen's Association" as your subject line and BCC all of the email addresses at once.

Thanks for your help!


Sample Letter:

The Elstonville Sportsmen's Association website has identified your organization as a beneficiary of their charitable contributions.

The national media has reported that the Association was recently charged with eight counts of animal cruelty, which could result in up to $4,000 in fines, as a result of their September 2006 "turkey shoot" in Manheim, Pennsylvania. In the shoot, actual wild turkeys were staked to bales of hay and participants were given the opportunity to hit the animals with a bow and arrow. If the contestant drew blood, the bird was butchered and given as a prize. These turkeys were certainly not given a sporting chance.

I hope your organization will agree that this event was both cruel and inhumane. As a reputable organization in the community, please inform the Sportsmen's Association that their actions were unacceptable and consider declining future donations.

Thank you for your time.

(name)
(city, state)


Emails:
sallie.gregory@pa.nacdnet.net
clinn@schreiberpediatric.org
jgroff1@psu.edu
info@hospiceoflancaster.org
oberholb@police.co.lancaster.pa.us
conserve@lancasterconservancy.org
baronfootball@baronsfootball.com
cbpdchief@comcast.net

jlees@manheimtownshipems.org
police@manheimtownship.com
paridom@manheimcentral.org
president@mceabarontracks.org
zimmeys@ptd.net
jessica.pouchan@lls.org
sta212@dejazzd.com
bober@manheimfire.com
penntwpadmin@police.co.lancaster.pa.us
jahipple23@paonline.com
mandievans@comcast.net
erasmuso@bsamail.org
jcesare@specialolympicspa.org
geraldm@udservices.org


Organizations the Association Donates to:
Schreiber Pediatric Center, Children's Miracle Network, Hospice Of Lancaster County, Lancaster County Conservancy, Lancaster City Bureau Of Police, Barons Football Booster Club, Lancaster County Youth Conservation School, Cornwall Borough Police Department, The Manheim Athletic Association, Manheim Ambulance Association , Manheim Borough Police Department, Manheim Central Post Prom, Manheim Central Education Association, Manheim Community Farm Show, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Mastersonville Volunteer Fire Department, Manheim Hope & Hose Volunteer Fire Company, Penn Township Police Department, Lancaster, PA Relay For Life, Pennsylvania Dutch Boy Scouts, Special Olympics Of Pennsylvania, United Disabilities Service

No, I can't explain it.

For some unknown reason, I'm obsessed with Pimp My Ride . I know, I know! It doesn't make any sense. I'm a pretty down to earth guy who generally rejects the trappings of materialistic society, but I just love the complete lack of practicality and completely unnecessary nature of the whole show. I mean, who needs thirty-five tee-vees in their car? Nobody! And that's why it should, nay, it MUST be done.

Don't judge me.

remember, kids...

toothpastefordinner.com

The blood boils, but there is hope.

Each time I watch a Keith Olbermann "Special Comment" segment, I find myself enraged at those in power, wishing I could do more to bring about change. But then I stop and think, wait, this guy's on national tv. And his audience is doubling and tripling as we speak. People are listening. And people are mad. And they're not going to fall for Gingrich's shit ever again:



I still have hope.

Mmmm... Poutine...

No, no, I'll wait- finish giggling.

Done? Good.

Now that you've gotten your minds out of the gutter, I'd like to go on a bit about the wonder that is poutine



I mean, imagine if you will, you cook up some frozen pommes frites, douse them in a healthy amount of brown gravy, and top it off with some delightful mozzarella- Follow Your Heart of Tofutti, it doesn't matter, and melt the cheeze.

Hardens your arteries just thinking about it, doesn't it? And as with all unhealthy vegan dishes, it's freakin delicious. :)

So as I said-

Mmmmm.... Poutine....

Well, lookit that.

It would appear that Mitt Romney, a.k.a. Mitt the Sh*t, 2008 presidential contender, talks out of both sides of his mouth when it comes to illegal immigration. To quote a famous southerner, "surprise, surprise, surprise!"

Nice knowing you, ya mormon nutjob. :)

Motivation!

The girl will be out of town this weekend, which makes me kind of sad. Weirdly, it'll be the first time I've slept alone in our place.

BUT! I've got me three gift swop packages to get out, and this will provide me ample time to do all of the mad scientist stuff that's been swirling around in my head surrounding the swop. Muhahaha!

:)

What Tarot is I?

Would this one were true. :)

You are The Wheel of Fortune

Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success

The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

(thanks to mishka for the timewaster :))

Buy Nothing Day!

There's nothing more sybolic of "America" than Black Friday. For the uninformed, Black Friday is the day after thanksgiving when the media tells us that every woman should be up before the crack of dawn and at her favorite store to be blessed by the retail gods, who see fit to throw some sort of cheap trinket their way.

Well, f*ck that. Adbusters has been organizing Buy Nothing Day for years now, and I think it's high time you participate. There are plenty of ideas on the website, including ways to have a Buy Nothing Christmas (imagine!).

So my request to you is to spend the next month celebrating with your loved ones the fact that you've made it (relatively) unscathed through another calendar year, and the future is boundless. And you don't need all that frickin consumeristic crap!

Banksy

The man, the myth, the legend, rocks Disneyland.

Today's life lesson...

Is that when you're trying to move past your feelings of anger, it's only going to make it more difficult when you're surrounded by people who have no interest in moving past their feelings of anger at the same target. Very difficult.

That is all.

Dread

I find myself dreaming of being on a beach somewhere, selling t-shirts to fat tourists. This business world is not cut out for me, and the dread I feel every Monday morning saps my energy so fast I hardly have time to blink. And this world of drones is no family, just a collection of fools I can usually stand for the 9 or 10 hours I'm here- it chills me to think that they each have lives outside of here, and it makes me wonder what they must think of me, with my utter lack of interest in sharing the details of my private life with them...

Christmas?

Where did 2006 go? It feels like we just started, and now people are asking for christmas lists?!?!?!? Crazy. All I really want is everything McSweeney's sells anyways. Easy peasy.

Anyone?

Anybody want to go to the Ted Leo show with me the Sunday after thanksgiving at the Chameleon in Lancaster? I'll go by myself if I have to, but that's no fun... :(

Are we having fun yet?

I can't tell lately if the crankiness I've been experiencing is seasonal, or if it's just a generalfatigue with the world. It's hard not to get frustrated when dealing with people who don't see eye to eye with you, and that seems to be happening more and more often lately. But then again, I know my depression is cyclical, so maybe it's that which is making me suffer fools less lightly.

I dunno.

I think the key might just be to stop worrying about it so darn much. You can definitely get sucked into the cyclone of thinking and worrying and thinking and before you know it, you've eaten six pints of peanut butter zig zag and it's almost spring.

Wait, is that a good thing? :)

The temperature at which paper burns...

We just finished watching Fahrenheit 451 - I've always been a big Ray Bradbury fan, but this is one that always sticks with me, maybe because of my love of books, or maybe because I fear it.

This is a science fiction book that I've always feared woud become true, and when you take a look around, a lot of it has. People feeling that TV characters are more their family than their actual family. Pills that take away the pain of the "real world", and a feeling that what's going on in the rest of the world has absolutely no bearing on their own lives...

There is a real fear of ideas that we don't like in this world. I'm not sure where it comes from, and it's not always clearly expressed- it's implied. Today it comes in the form of derision, mockery- race baiting, ideological stubborness, general stupidity. We hide behind and cherish the clever words that come out of our mouths, but we still want to quash the words and dreams of others, just because we can- it's not for any real disagreement or real reason, it's just because we can.

It's no wonder there will always be the "anti-social" element who wants to hid behind a book, and nourish their creative souls, instead of engaging the idiocy they encounter around them.

Now if you'll excuse me, I want to go get some reading in before I dive into tonight's social situation.

Erm, yeah.

So I missed another post. It was a rough day and I was tired. I am repentant, and shall endeavour to make up for it later tonight. So there.

Who knew?

I'd kept my skeptical hat on for a long time, hedging the bet that the Dems would win both houses- because, yeah, I figured the Repugs would find a way to steal it away. I guess it's harder than I thought to steal 400 elections at once, eh?

Now that all this politicking is over, I can start to think about the holidays. Well, the food, really. I've no room for the meaning of Thanksgiving- invasions and removing native cultures to me are not the best reasons for expressing thanks to some abstract supernatural leader. And the only thing to take away from Christmas is that we should be nicer to each other on a far more regular basis than when we think some fat man is watching. But the chance for a Tofurkey roast and some delish mashed postatoes, sign me up. :)

Time for another video share- I think this one's a stunner:

And so it's done.

What I voted at 8:00 this morning, I was number #60 already. Spending the day at the polls was wild- turnout was well over 50% for our precinct, this in a precinct that typically turns out at about 25%. The optimist in me remembers that high turnouts are typically good for Democrats. The pessimist in me is, well, pessimistic. Here's hoping.

Oh- and I'm going to change doctors after coming this close to getting a lecture from my current doctor about the evils of premarital sex, all because I went in with a yeast infection. Screw that sh*t. So if you have any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them...

Okay, seriously now.

So tomorrow we vote. I'll be there at the crack of dawn, come cold and rain, talking to people, handing out literature, making sure there are no shenanigans, hijinks or falderal. It'll be a long day, but I see it as part of the eternal vigilence thing that the founders talked about. Someone's got to get excited about democracy, right? Someone has to believe democracy is still possible in a country where I could be thrown in jail simply for saying that the president of this country has betrayed the solemn trust the people invested in him.

As a public service- if you do witness voting irregularities, or are a victim of what you feel are unfair practices, or broken machines, or intimidation- please call the National Voter Hotline- 1-866-MY VOTE 1 (866-698-6831)

GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!

How did they get so corrupt?

You do have to wonder how it happened. I chalk it up to slopiness. I mean obviously, if you're going to do meth and sleep with prostitutes (male or female), don't be the president's spiritual advisor. And if you're going to ask for private medical records and then leak the information to Bill O'Reilly, don't be surprised if Dr. Tiller (my hero) calls you on it.

While I do fear a low turnout, I'm starting to get the sneaking suspicion that if they try to steal the election this time, they're going to screw it up and get caught...

well that didn't take long...

Three days in and I miss a post. That was sort of prediatable, I guess. But I did work all day and then I had to spend the night trying to get a friend to decide whether or not he's going to marry the girl he's dating. He's a touch indecisive, it took a while. And still no decision, go figure. He said he'll figure it out when he gets back from Egypt. Tough life this one has.

But to make up for the missed post, I'll treat you to some maaaaaagic:

(nsfw)

Here's what bothers me about November 7th.

I am thrilled with the idea that many conservative Republicans will be out on their collective ear after the election this coming Tuesday. What scares me though, is that the Democrats that take their place won't get the real message...

People aren't interested in making a change because of party affiliation, or because of the choice of tie colors. Voters are tired of the government intruding into their bedrooms and doctor's offices. They're tired of their kids' favorite school programs being cut because of a budget crisis, or because the school needs to spend more time preparing them for a culturally biased standardized test. They're downright sick and tired of their government, the people their taxes go to pay for, legislating hate and ruling through fear.

So here's what needs to be done. Viewership for all three C-SPAN channels needs to go through the roof. We need to read the newspaper, scour the internet, and talk to our friends, so that every single eligible voter in any given electoral district is aware of what THEIR representative is doing for THEM. And if they're not doing their jobs- there are recall opportunities, there are the next elections to prepare for, there are ways to take action and make them take notice.

The only way the Repubicans can maintain power is with a low voter turnout. It's easy to fix an election when no one's looking. So if you care about anything, you've got to get out there and vote. I don't want to hear any excuses, get out there...

[/rant]

NaBloPoMo!

I've decided to participtae in National Blog Posting Month, since I don't have the patience or time to do National Novel Writing Month. So-

• Thrill to me learning the secrets of HTML, bloggin' style!
• Swoon as I recite the boring details of my day!
• Gasp as I tear politicians a new one!

The basic idea is that I'll post a blog entry every day. The side plan is that I'll play with the html and teach myself a little something. So stay tuned. :)