MG on the web

Pete got me the latest in the Malazan series. I love both Steven Erikson and Pete. Alas, neither of them are in my living room right now or I would hug them.

http://www.amazon.com/Toll-Hounds-Eight-Malazan-Fallen/dp/0765310082/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product

I don't want her to be the VP of the USA. In fact, I know many, many intelligent and capable beings, who I don't think are smart enough to be the VP or big P of the USA. Why then do so many people think that Sarah Palin can be VP "because she's a Mom"?

Read on -- thank you Sam Harris.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080/page/1

I emerged from my NyQuil coma today. And got to see this.....

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml


Watch the first interview to the end for my favourite part....

Couric: You've said, quote, "John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business." Other than supporting stricter regulations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago, can you give us any more example of his leading the charge for more oversight?

Palin: I think that the example that you just cited, with his warnings two years ago about Fannie and Freddie - that, that's paramount. That's more than a heck of a lot of other senators and representatives did for us.

Couric: But he's been in Congress for 26 years. He's been chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more.

Palin: He's also known as the maverick though, taking shots from his own party, and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he's been talking about - the need to reform government.

Couric: But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you've said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his 26 years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?

Palin: I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done, that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism, and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today.

Couric: I'm just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.

Palin: I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to you.


WHAT?!?!?!? You want to be f*#king VP of the USA. Seriously.

Having a vagina does not automatically make you a feminist.

Vagina = primary sexual characteristic of females
Feminist = individual who holds a particular political and social theory (about equality and oppression)

This obscene misogynistic conservative rhetoric is like saying that because you have a dick you are automatically a Republican.

So while, Dick = slang for primary sexual characteristic of males, and Republican = dick, at no point does Possessing of dick = Republican. I apologize, I couldn't resist.

But seriously, sexual parts should not be confused with political stances. I thought we learned that from Freud, I mean Bill, and his cigar.......

As much as I'd like to post another I hate Palin article here, I feel like I should restrain myself. I have no good reason for that. Just... well..... I got my I hate Palin fix in person today with a colleague. And I'm tired. And Mr. Pete's away for an extra week. :o(

However, I've planned a week of fun things -- I'm getting my hair cut. I'm having dinner with my favourites. I'm going to the Opera with my frosh class. I'm having lunch with my soul mate. I'm going to Polish Festival and eating perogies on the weekend. My step mom has the best perogie recipe ever.

And I'm in a room with five snoring animals.

How much better can life get, really?

My name would be..

If you were born to Sarah Palin, your name would be:
Fire Patriot Palin


Not so different from her real kids' names.

Here's the whole article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-campaign18-2008sep18,0,1817927.story

And here are the fun bits:

With the economy in turmoil and the country's second-largest insurer faltering, John McCain was unequivocal Tuesday: "We cannot have the taxpayers bail out AIG or anybody else."

By Wednesday, he had changed his mind.

[I thought it was John Kerry that was called flip-flop]

The rapid about-face followed another quick retreat by the Republican presidential nominee earlier this week when he insisted that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" even as one brokerage house filed for bankruptcy, another nearly went under and the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 504 points.

[Ummmm, I thought those fundamentals were the problem. At least, that's what the ECONOMISTS say.]

And he and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, dropped their promise, as Palin put it, to "get government out of the way of private-sector progress," and are now pledging "stringent oversight" to deal with "a toxic waste there on Wall Street."

[Flippy-floppy]

Six months ago, as signs emerged of a slowdown in the housing market, McCain chided Hillary Rodham Clinton, then still competing for the Democratic nomination, for offering a plan to help homeowners facing foreclosure, noting critically that it looked "very expensive."

[gee and maybe it would have worked!]

Palin, too, invoked Reagan's famous quip that "government is the problem" as she touted her own record of limiting the role of government as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.

"I reminded people that government is not always the answer," Palin said at a rally in Lee's Summit, Mo., last week. "In fact, too often government is often the problem."

[Wow, she limited government in a town of how many? Ten? From what I've read so far, her "limiting of government" was more like intimidation and nepotism.]

An excerpt from The Boston Globe
By Sasha Issenberg
Globe Staff / January 26, 2008

In fact, on numerous occasions over the course of the campaign, McCain has volunteered that he is unsatisfied with his lack of knowledge about aspects of economics.

"I'm going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated," McCain told the Wall Street Journal in late November.

In December he said, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should," as the Globe reported on its "Political Intelligence" blog at the time.

On at least one occasion, McCain has raised the matter himself. On Nov. 10, while traveling through New Hampshire on his Straight Talk Express bus, McCain was asked what he would seek in a vice presidential candidate if nominated.

After mentioning the ability of a potential running mate to replace the president, McCain said, "You also look for people who maybe have talents you don't, or experience or knowledge you don't, as well."

"What are those qualities that you don't - that you wouldn't mind complementing?" asked David Brooks, a columnist for The New York Times.

McCain paused. "Uh, maybe I shouldn't say this, but, somebody who's really well grounded in economics," he said.

"I think I understand the fundamentals, I talk to people all the time on economics - it's obviously a vital part of America's future," McCain continued. "But I know there are some people who have literally immersed themselves on issues of economics, how Congress works on it, the tax code, that sort of thing. I would look for that kind of talent not in a vice president but in close advisers."

"They are complicated," McCain said of economic issues, "and I freely admit I am not an economist."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-troopergate21-2008sep21,0,2158301.story

And a bit old, but still noteworthy.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/republican_race/2008/09/04/2008-09-04_community_groups_hammer_rudy_giuliani__s.html

Wait for it. The fox news lady says, approximately "I feel sorry for Canadians for having a national broadcast service that is so far left". OMG.

http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=177683

http://egan.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/17/moo/index.html?ref=opinion&8ty&emc=ty ;

A few days after the gods of the academe handed over my last three letters, I was asked to write a chapter for a book.  The book is for vets.  It's about exotic animals.  My chapter is about ferrets. 

Clearly there is a strong connection between a chapter on ferrets and the work I do on conceptual development.

Of course, I jumped at the chance.  It was June then. The chapter is due the 1 October.  Tonnes of time. 

So here is it, the middle of September, and there is no chapter.  There is an outline.  It's scanty.  There are some random thoughts.  They're unorganized.  And I have a chapter to write.  And a grant.  And two IRBs.  And a paper.  And I keep wondering why the hell I said I'd do this chapter. 

It's 830 here.  I have to be at a State of the University address at 3.  There will be a chapter before then.  It's only 40 pages.

If I didn't think the editor was fabulous, I'd pretend I was dead. 

 This is the other place I'm spending an obscene amount of time.  Gee... I should have bought Spore....

Anyway..... 

http://rateyourstudents.blogspot.com/


I'm particularly enjoying the thread where the U of Miami (in Ohio) students rioted because the power was out.  Ah... I heart higher education. 

All of this...

http://www.crosscut.com/politics-government/17341