Showing posts with label Campaign 08. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Campaign 08. Show all posts
11 November 2008
Good, Quick Read from Slate
Bill spotted this list for Obama from Slate. Many are putting their wishlists out there, and it seems Obama is wasting no time...
07 November 2008
Why I Stay Subscribed to Senior-House
Because occasionally someone comes across with a gem like this:
04 November 2008
30 October 2008
"We can all expire happily in the name of God." - Part 2
So as I was working in my other job today to attempt to pay my rent, I was catching up on old podcasts and happened upon two that really cracked me up.
First is the Nature podcast from October 30, 2008, the link takes you to the download page. The audio is available, but the transcript isn't up yet - you want to start listening at 27:40. I swear I hadn't heard this when I wrote my post 2 days ago (well I couldn't have, now could I?). The hosts basically rip into Palin and I was laughing my ass off. They talk about how her comments, which obviously weren't written by her, undermine her whole (fake bullshit) stance on helping people with disabilities, and how the Republican party in general hates science. The hosts' signoff lines are great.
Second is an old one that I just heard today, this one from Science Friday on the $3 million "Projector". This is another brilliant demonstration of McCain just shooting himself in the foot - they talk about how planetariums inspire kids to study science and math, and how that's exactly what we need right now in this country and how McCain claims to want that but doesn't really know what the hell he is talking about (i.e. the projector comment).
Again - not that any scientist with a brain would vote Republican anyway, but the longer comments like these stay out, the more damage it does to those two fools who CLEARLY do not understand how the world works.
First is the Nature podcast from October 30, 2008, the link takes you to the download page. The audio is available, but the transcript isn't up yet - you want to start listening at 27:40. I swear I hadn't heard this when I wrote my post 2 days ago (well I couldn't have, now could I?). The hosts basically rip into Palin and I was laughing my ass off. They talk about how her comments, which obviously weren't written by her, undermine her whole (fake bullshit) stance on helping people with disabilities, and how the Republican party in general hates science. The hosts' signoff lines are great.
Second is an old one that I just heard today, this one from Science Friday on the $3 million "Projector". This is another brilliant demonstration of McCain just shooting himself in the foot - they talk about how planetariums inspire kids to study science and math, and how that's exactly what we need right now in this country and how McCain claims to want that but doesn't really know what the hell he is talking about (i.e. the projector comment).
Again - not that any scientist with a brain would vote Republican anyway, but the longer comments like these stay out, the more damage it does to those two fools who CLEARLY do not understand how the world works.
28 October 2008
"We can all expire happily in the name of God."
So in case you've been hiding under a rock, the latest idiotic BS out of Palin's mouth is that fruit fly research is crap. Yup, as if the Republicans couldn't alienate the scientific community any more. After creationism, stem-cell research, and abstinence-only sex ed, now they've been reduced to attacking the lowly fruit fly (and blaming the French for good measure). I'll let you read the links (another good one from Science) to explore the lunacy at your own leisure.
There's been many good articles in the semi-layperson science literature (i.e. Nature, Science, SciAm) and of course the one thing they all have in common is: Obama > McCain on science issues.
What this speaks to, if you look very closely, is the underlying theme of elevating ignorance in the Republican party. This has been bemoaned very recently by Republicans leaving the fold to vote for Obama: George Will, Christopher Buckley just to name two.
Why?
Because stupid people are easy to control.
There's a great great quote from the movie "The Neverending Story" where G'mork says "People with no hopes are easy to control." I think it's been something like that. That's the Rovian strategy: keep the people stupid. Don't let them ask questions - if you ask a question, you might learn something from the answer.
And what is the fundamental tenet of scientific inquiry?
Ask questions.
So scientists and scientific evidence has been Target Number 1 by the Republicans over the past several years - people don't have to ask questions to understand God, guns and gays. They believe what they are told. Target the questioners - they're the troublemakers. And, as one of the most striking anti-intellectual moves EVER, No Child Left Behind has basically ensured that our schools will remain crappy and money will be funneled into the pockets of the private agencies responsible for "fixing" them. Why? Kids are trained (not taught) to take tests, not ask questions, which is what you do when you want to learn something.
So, anyone "shocked" by Palin's idiocy simply hasn't been paying attention to the Republican Party of the past decade. We scientists have known it all along - and we're not surprised in the least.
There's been many good articles in the semi-layperson science literature (i.e. Nature, Science, SciAm) and of course the one thing they all have in common is: Obama > McCain on science issues.
What this speaks to, if you look very closely, is the underlying theme of elevating ignorance in the Republican party. This has been bemoaned very recently by Republicans leaving the fold to vote for Obama: George Will, Christopher Buckley just to name two.
Why?
Because stupid people are easy to control.
There's a great great quote from the movie "The Neverending Story" where G'mork says "People with no hopes are easy to control." I think it's been something like that. That's the Rovian strategy: keep the people stupid. Don't let them ask questions - if you ask a question, you might learn something from the answer.
And what is the fundamental tenet of scientific inquiry?
Ask questions.
So scientists and scientific evidence has been Target Number 1 by the Republicans over the past several years - people don't have to ask questions to understand God, guns and gays. They believe what they are told. Target the questioners - they're the troublemakers. And, as one of the most striking anti-intellectual moves EVER, No Child Left Behind has basically ensured that our schools will remain crappy and money will be funneled into the pockets of the private agencies responsible for "fixing" them. Why? Kids are trained (not taught) to take tests, not ask questions, which is what you do when you want to learn something.
So, anyone "shocked" by Palin's idiocy simply hasn't been paying attention to the Republican Party of the past decade. We scientists have known it all along - and we're not surprised in the least.
How To Fix Capitalism
So here's an interesting article from TheStreet.com on how to fix capitalism. While I think this is aimed at the average investor making $250K+, there are some good points in there - namely close loopholes and have sensible market regulation. Not sure I buy the whole "raising taxes discourages earnings" in a clear reference to Obama's position. But overall a pretty good read. Check it out.
27 October 2008
Question 1
Question 1 on the ballot in Massachusetts this election day proposes to roll back the state income tax. So, no one likes taxes. But some people (like me) like the following:
* free transportation to and from school
* being able to GO to school - UMass gets public funds and will already be getting f**ked because the economy sucks - this will NOT help
* having cops around - yeah usually they are arrogant, asshole townie cops, but I've had a few run-ins with decent ones that actually care about my safety (even if I didn't at the time)
* having a fire department - when s**t's on fire, that's usually not cool
* I actually have a number of people I know who receive state aid for various things and I don't want them left out in the cold
I mean, seriously. I'm willing to give these people, the proponents of 1, the benefit of the doubt that they had NO idea of the s**tstorm the economy would become over the past 6 months. But when the ENTIRE STATE ECONOMY (nay, the ENTIRE COUNTRY!) is in the toilet, cut the budget by 40%???
And, I don't know for 100% sure if this is true, but the "survey" that the proponents cite as evidence of wasteful spending? A bit dodgy: it's what people estimate? I haven't been able to find any examples of serious "waste" that this would eliminate on the yes on 1 website , but more than 2 million people would get WAY LESS than the "average" $3700 - you gotta be making serious money in MA to be paying THAT MUCH in income tax. Also, I like most of what my taxes support. Source for the last two statements here (pdf).
I'm a scientist. Show me the numbers.
And finally a bit of a personal observation: I participate in the local community Freecycle, and I keep an eye out for people soliciting donations outside Stop & Shop (i.e. for the food pantry, the animal shelter, etc.) and I usually find $5 from somewhere to get something to pitch in. I save whatever I can that's useful for the food pantry and the survival center.
And it's not enough. It's never enough. When the need grows and resources dwindle, you have a catastrophe on your hands.
Cut funding for the police - hope you Conservatives have your guns ready to defend your property when crime spikes.
Cut funding for schools - see above - what kind of trouble will kids get into when their parents are working 3 jobs just to make ends meet and they have nowhere else to go?
Like I said - no one likes taxes. But I think of taxes the way I think of porn - the only thing worse than a world with them is a world without them.
* free transportation to and from school
* being able to GO to school - UMass gets public funds and will already be getting f**ked because the economy sucks - this will NOT help
* having cops around - yeah usually they are arrogant, asshole townie cops, but I've had a few run-ins with decent ones that actually care about my safety (even if I didn't at the time)
* having a fire department - when s**t's on fire, that's usually not cool
* I actually have a number of people I know who receive state aid for various things and I don't want them left out in the cold
I mean, seriously. I'm willing to give these people, the proponents of 1, the benefit of the doubt that they had NO idea of the s**tstorm the economy would become over the past 6 months. But when the ENTIRE STATE ECONOMY (nay, the ENTIRE COUNTRY!) is in the toilet, cut the budget by 40%???
And, I don't know for 100% sure if this is true, but the "survey" that the proponents cite as evidence of wasteful spending? A bit dodgy: it's what people estimate? I haven't been able to find any examples of serious "waste" that this would eliminate on the yes on 1 website , but more than 2 million people would get WAY LESS than the "average" $3700 - you gotta be making serious money in MA to be paying THAT MUCH in income tax. Also, I like most of what my taxes support. Source for the last two statements here (pdf).
I'm a scientist. Show me the numbers.
And finally a bit of a personal observation: I participate in the local community Freecycle, and I keep an eye out for people soliciting donations outside Stop & Shop (i.e. for the food pantry, the animal shelter, etc.) and I usually find $5 from somewhere to get something to pitch in. I save whatever I can that's useful for the food pantry and the survival center.
And it's not enough. It's never enough. When the need grows and resources dwindle, you have a catastrophe on your hands.
Cut funding for the police - hope you Conservatives have your guns ready to defend your property when crime spikes.
Cut funding for schools - see above - what kind of trouble will kids get into when their parents are working 3 jobs just to make ends meet and they have nowhere else to go?
Like I said - no one likes taxes. But I think of taxes the way I think of porn - the only thing worse than a world with them is a world without them.
I think it's close to over.
Stevens is TOAST and idiots want to kill Obama. If this doesn't spell Democratic landslide, I don't know what else does. That makes me happy :-)
So what else is new in my new quest to blog on a regular basis? Today I became an aunt :-) My best friend's sister had a baby and I am an honorary auntie :-) I'm already planning on where she's going for college.
Work/school was okay. A bunch of stuff wasn't working and it pissed me off. SSDD. I need to graduate and get out of there. I like my friends there and the people I work with. My boss leaves much to be desired though, heh. I think, once I decide what exactly I want to work on, that will motivate me more to leave.
I'm about to make dinner, chicken and kale and rice and salad. Very yummy and healthy. So far knock on wood I have avoided getting sick. Took a few days off last week as a precaution and slept and ate, and I think that worked. Tomorrow I may work from home, or go into the lab and stay home Wednesday. I think it will be a game-time decision.
Speaking of which, it's MONDAY! Titans tonight, I think I had total points at 35. Good luck y'all.
Time to eat, watch Olbermann & football.
PS - No pics in this post, just links. If you're in Facebook and it's not rendering correctly, click "View Original Post".
So what else is new in my new quest to blog on a regular basis? Today I became an aunt :-) My best friend's sister had a baby and I am an honorary auntie :-) I'm already planning on where she's going for college.
Work/school was okay. A bunch of stuff wasn't working and it pissed me off. SSDD. I need to graduate and get out of there. I like my friends there and the people I work with. My boss leaves much to be desired though, heh. I think, once I decide what exactly I want to work on, that will motivate me more to leave.
I'm about to make dinner, chicken and kale and rice and salad. Very yummy and healthy. So far knock on wood I have avoided getting sick. Took a few days off last week as a precaution and slept and ate, and I think that worked. Tomorrow I may work from home, or go into the lab and stay home Wednesday. I think it will be a game-time decision.
Speaking of which, it's MONDAY! Titans tonight, I think I had total points at 35. Good luck y'all.
Time to eat, watch Olbermann & football.
PS - No pics in this post, just links. If you're in Facebook and it's not rendering correctly, click "View Original Post".
05 March 2008
Ghostbusters '08
I just saw this for the first time tonight on Countdown. Maybe it's because I've been hosed and crazy, and I am thus insanely tired and exhausted, that I found this so hilarious I cried laughing.
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