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Monday, October 6th, 2008
twistedchick
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10:05a
and it's a hard rain's a gonna fall
Stephen Hawking has something to say to John McCain. Quite a bit, in fact. And he doesn't mince words.
And this time Roe v. Wade is at stake.
Voting articles: How secure is the vote? Error is unacceptable. Why voting procedures matter.
VotersUnite.org. has info on all states' voter registration guidelines, and can find where your polling place is.
If you check your registration and find that you are NOT registered (when you have been registered all these years and have voted and so on) call your local board of elections immediately and tell them. A lot of purges have been going on, trimming the list of voters. It's customary to take people off the list when they move and when they have not voted in several elections, but this year a lot of people are being trimmed for political reasons -- such as being in the wrong party, it appears. Make sure you're not one of them.
While we're talking about voting, there's a problem with some electronic voting machines if you're voting straight ticket. Don't just check the 'straight party' box (which theoretically should also check everyone's box in that party) but take the time to go through and check each individual box. It can make a big difference.
And I hate to say this, I really do, because I believe that the power of the voter resides in the person and not in the appearance, but there's a move to institute a dress code in Pennsylvania for voters. This is a blatant move to keep people from exercising their right to vote, like the Virginia election officials who told students that if they registered it would adversely affect their parents' taxes. Or the Michigan move to kick out anyone who's been foreclosed upon, or the Ohio mess about same-day registration and voting. Check what's going on in your state, and don't get played.
Why aren't we seeing McCain's health records? We are seeing, thanks to the Obama campaign, John McCain's record on education, energy, foreign policy, women, homeland security, Iraq and much more.
The Bush Legacy Bus has been touring the country to show people just what Bush has done for them. In Florida, the police blockaded the bus. (video)
Palin owes taxes on her per-diem payments for several years. That's her expense account. Isn't a governor supposed to obey the law? More on her tax returns here. She's also misquoting Madeleine Albright on a Starbucks cup. One of the real Joe Six-Packs rebuts Palin. Liz Marcs is not amused, either. And some factchecking on Sudan, on Medicare, and more than a dozen other issues, here..
Remember from the 1990s, "The Rules", the antifeminist book hon how to be manipulative in order to catch Mr Right? It looks like Sarah Palin memorized them.
And remember the judge being asked to delay the Troopergate investigation? The judge kicked that request out the door. Expect the Troopergate report within a week or so.
Women who took on the Taliban -- and lost.
Harry S. Truman on the economy, thanks to dglenn.
Illegal immigrants who have been detained in Virginia seem to be stuck in jail hell.
On the rez, where casinos bring wealth they can also bring poverty of soul.
Skype says they didn't know that China was recording Skype calls.
The Jackson inaugural trashed the White House.
Roger Ebert has a lot to say, now that he's writing instead of speaking. Here, he's reviewing the Biden-Palin debate as a performance. This is an appreciation of Paul Newman, with the wonderful title, 'You wild, beautiful thing. You crazy handful of nothin'" and here's an account of campaigning with Newman. This is a review of Free for All!, which is about the mismanagement and skullduggery in the Ohio vote totals that gave Bush the election. You've probably guessed that Roger and his wife, Chaz, are two of my heroes. And for those who, like me, can't read enough Ebert, here's his archives.
Making acorn flour. I can't help thinking there must have been a different process used about 200 years ago, because it was commonly used on the frontier. As I recall, the acorns were soaked in two sets of water (or boiled twice) and then laid in the sun to dry before being ground up in a hand-crank mill, like the older sort of coffee grinder. I've eaten raw acorns, and yeah, they're bitter, but not entirely inedible. Soaked and ground, and roasted a little would be better.
Wonderful paintings.
Biomimicry against climate change.
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prairiecrow
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12:14a
Onward, upward, and Freakazoid!
I can twist at the waist today without experiencing terrific pain. Huzzah!
Also managed to clean the cat box in between naps. It might not sound like much, but it's the most strenuous thing I've done since the hysteroscopy.
Slept most of the day. Managed to get 1000+ words of writing done.
Also ordered the first season of Freakazoid! from Columbia House. Wonderful stuff... here's the intro and their Emergency Broadcast System spot:
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(comment on this) Sunday, October 5th, 2008
hand_of_paper
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5:35p
( Previous books )
37. Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein
Podkayne of Mars is one of Heinlein's books written for younger readers. It is about a teenage girl from Mars, related to a high-ranking senator of the Martian Republic. She and her brother tag along with him on a trip to Venus. It's a fast read, quite entertaining and very light reading. Podkayne (or "Poddy" as she goes by) is a delightful character, while her brother's a bit of a sociopath.
current music: Jill Sobule - Too Cool to Fall in Love
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funkyirishjew
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5:40p
no he's not dead
he's just been busy as all hell.
for instance, today he turned a year older and what do you know...
he had to work.
arrrgh.
of late I never get a day off.
this week I mamanged to get time off of both jobs.
thinking of seriously rearranging my life.
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xavienne
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12:00p
Survived the walk!
Well, PSS and I walked the Run for the Cure, and saw a lot of great outfits, team names, and even dogs in costume. We've talked about co-running a team together next year, either calling it "Bell, boobs, and candle" or "Bats, boobs and broomsticks." We have hopes of making it a national team. To go national we need ten or more people in two or more cities. I think it would be great to get a few dozen people together to go out and make noise and cheer on our friends who are dealing with this disease.
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midnight_air
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9:12a
The main reason I haven't been posting ...
"Speed Racer" came out on DVD a couple weeks ago, and I've been watching it at least once a day, every day since. Insufferably geeky but that's me. I know the moviegoing public hated it but I love Speed, have ALWAYS loved Speed ever since elementary school, and the movie adaptation just thrills the living shit out of me.
Naturally, having watched it daily for 14 days, I have discovered inconsistencies and discrepancies, with which documentation I shall clutter this blog beginning now!
Young Speed is right-handed; adult Speed is left-handed.
Little Speedy uses his right hand to fill out his test form in the classroom scene. Big Speed is never shown writing; HOWEVER, he shoots left-handed in the mountain pass scene (WOOF!), and every time he throws a punch (mountain pass scene AND hotel ninja scene) he leads with a strong left, but his right is short and tentative. And finally, when Chim-chim tosses his the gun during the mountain pass scene, he snatches it out of the air with his left hand and in a single fluid motion, pistol whips the baddie man with it still in his left hand.
As God is my witness, I never thought I'd see the day when Speed Racer, clad in leather, would pistol-whip a bad guy on the big screen with huge martial-arts film snowflakes falling all around.
*weeps with joy*
current mood:  geeky
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(comment on this) Saturday, October 4th, 2008
(comment on this) Sunday, October 5th, 2008
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lilithilien
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12:43a
A whole lot of random
It's been an onion dip night. For some strange reason, that stuff is my comfort food when I'm feeling stressed. I resisted all week, but tonight, once I relaxed, I gorged.
But I had a wonderfully refreshing Saturday. Having a clean house helped immensely -- not just because it was clean, but more because I didn't have that guilty "I should tidy" feeling. Instead I lounged about, napped with my cat, caught up on hd_inspired's Back to School Fest... Which reminds me: I've been meaning to rec Snugs and Slails. It's a completely crackfed idea that turns into something more, and so far it's my favourite of the fest.
I poked at a bit of writing too, made a miniscule amount of headway on one story, and outlined another that has grown from a manageable medium-length fic into an epic. *headdesks* I wonder if it'll ever happen. Seems the only dependable writing I can manage is my weekly drabble for ![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif) draco100 ... oh, and harry100, which is starting up this week! YAY! Go join!!
I've been spending too much time reading the US political news, I'm afraid, and I fear this next month is going to get really ugly. Not looking forward to it. I do wonder why commentators (mostly male ones) keep saying that it's "surprising" that Sarah Palin does better with male voters than female ones. Women have long known that few things work faster than a wink and cloying smile from a pretty girl in getting a man to change a tire or open a stuck pickle jar. To see those same tactics used by someone aspiring to a major office is disgusting.
I am feeling cautiously optimistic, though. I've never in my adult life voted for the winning presidential candidate (I missed the 1992 vote because I was living in Ireland), but I wonder if this could be the year (at least in the US -- Canada looks like a lost cause). Maybe I'm just feeling a little more hopeful because who doesn't when the Boss talks like this?
current mood:  lazy
current music: Andrew Bird - Ethiobirds
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(3 comments | comment on this) Saturday, October 4th, 2008
prairiecrow
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11:45p
One of the best commercials ever
In other news... my back's better today, but I'm now bleeding like the proverbial stuck pig. *sigh*
Ooh, pretty cats.
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earthlingmike
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7:40p
I guess she's adjusting to American high school
My niece from France is going to high school in America for a year as an exchange student. On the second day of school she got a boyfriend. He assked her to the prom, and for her cellphone number, etc. She says he's like the second smartest student in the school. Also she says she's acing all her classes, which I suspect is true.
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xavienne
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6:45p
Relieved, a little...
I took Gizmo to the vet today, and she was given a good check over. Doc says she's in excellent shape for being syringe fed for over a year, and praised me for taking very good care of so many cats. He says she has a little tartar on her teeth, but he was more concerned about the flea dirt. Apparently I have an infestation going on despite Gizmo being the only one to show signs of it. *scowls at Mamacat who probably carried them back inside with her*
He was shocked that the other vets had never given me anything to stop the problems with Gizzy's belly (she has, to be blunt, had diarrhea for over a year, and the other vets never gave medication for her.) He sent me home with Revolution for everyone, and worm pills and tummy meds for Gizmo, and two cans of "Recovery Formula" Medi-cal food. So far Gizzy hasn't shown the least interest in the food. The good news is that Harley cleaned off a half a can of it without any problems -- apparently it is smooth enough that she can swallow it on her own, and tastes good enough that she wants to. If it wasn't for it being $2.25 per 6 oz can, I'd just feed her that and save myself the trouble of blending and straining and force feeding for her.
I'm to call the vet back next Saturday to let him know how Gizmo is doing. Hopefully the medication will work and she will feel much better soon!
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