I'm a little broken-hearted today

I miss Roger Ebert already.  He died today after a long battle with cancer.

He's a wonderful writer.  His blog, his twitter feed, his movie reviews.
I used to purchase the annual Roger Ebert movie review book just to read stuff he wrote.
I don't have the words to describe how much I enjoyed Roger Ebert's words.
I liked how he wrote and his interesting perspective and I agreed with him politically.
Darn - this is a huge loss for all of us - especially his wife, family, and close friends.

Thanks Roger - you're an inspiration.

Bull#$%$! from the NRA

Asa Hutchinson (NRA Consultant, former congress person) on CBS Morning News 12/24/2012:


Question:  ...there was an armed guard at Columbine, as you know about, Virginia Tech had it's own police force, Fort Hood, one of the most heavily secured facilities in the country.
If armed guards are not preventing mass shootings at those places why do you think arming every single school in the country will prevent more of these shootings?

Hutchinson:  "Well, that's the uh, really, the purpose and the goal of my security experts, the team that I'm going to pull together, is to look at solutions across the board. It's not just about an armed presence, that's one element of the plan.  We hope to have many other elements of the plan as well, from increased perimeter security, access controls.  And these experts will look at the local schools and what can develop as a model plan, not one size fits all but different solutions for an urban school, a rural school, provide those free of charge to our local school districts that they can tweak to help keep our children more safe.  So, it's not just about one solution but that is one option that we as a society would be very much in error if we took that off the table, which is the armed presence.  We have those armed guards on our airplanes in a very discreent fashion, it's not the wild west but, it's a greater level of security that gives air transportation followers better safety, and we ought to provide the same for our children."


1.  There is no guarantee of safety anywhere, anytime.  So, whether it's armed guards, or a ban on assault weapons, we can't be assured that our children will be 100% safe anywhere. Sad, but true.  Unless we accept that truth, we can't do the right things to minimize the threats to their safety (and our own).

2.  Armed guards, "increased perimeter security, access controls."  Sounds like prison to me.  Is that the world we want to create?  I've seen reports on television showing inner city schools that have these security provisions.  I wonder if it's made a difference?

3.  The NRA strategy is to stress they're looking out for the safety of children first.  Gun control will take a long time to get through congress, but we can keep our children SAFE right NOW with armed guards at their school. The NRA know their argument (more guns is good) doesn't make sense so they're appealing to people's emotions; their fear, to make their case for them.  Very cynical.

4.  The NRA, apparently, will offer free consultations for schools to tweak their security plans...I suspect that means they'll tell you where to post the guard, which entrances to close down, and how high to build the security fence.

***
We live in a world in which the ultimate resolution to grievances is violence.  It takes special people to begin a peaceful revolution...Jesus started one, right?  Gandhi and Martin Luther King.  (Maybe even Martin Luther?)

It's possible.

It begins with not taking the easy way out.  It's easy to give everyone a gun.  It's not so easy to stay peaceful when confronted with the threat of violence to ourselves, and especially our children.
(And we certainly shouldn't be putting our children on the front line of that battle.) 
As adults, we need to be strong and face our fears and encourage peaceful times by being peaceful people.
We create the world we live in.  Let's create a peaceful world.

(As a side note, this very debate is the reason we have to trust that police people and our government are exceptional.  If we limit our individual access to guns, and allow the police and military to confront the violence in our society, we have to trust them.  Maybe the gun debate has come about because we've lost trust?  Another entry for another time.)

(Another side note:  Gun lovers should take responsibility for other gun owners who cause problems.  The NRA likes to say that it's not guns who kill people, people kill people.  Well, of course that makes no sense because people couldn't be so deadly without guns.  But let's assume it's true...the NRA should take responsibility for all gun owners and do what it takes to make guns safer for all - background checks for all gun purchases, including gun shows, for instance.)

(Last side note:  the NRA doesn't care about the second amendment, they care about the gun manufacturers and protecting their money.)

Yee Haw

Another date and time to note....

12:12 am on December 12, 2012

12:12 12/12/12

(I'm a minute early posting this blog - but that gives me time to think about peace and love for the world at 12:12 am on 12/12/12)

Update at 1:16 pm on 12/12/2012:  on a 24 hour clock, last night was 00:12 on 12/12/2012.
That just goes to remind me that linear time isn't real anyway.  It's just something we humans invented to bring order to our day. 
Although at 12:12 pm (according to the clock on my computer) I commemorated the moment because MFT called at just that time and I made note of it.
I guess it's one moment in an otherwise regular day that I'll be able to remember.  Normally, the small details of a regular day are lost.  Now, I've fixed a point in time that I can recall. 
For what purpose, I can't say at this time.

From the species Homo Sapien...

But, how would you know for sure?
I just don't feel good about the burqa.  I want to be culturally sensitive, but hiding women - making them appear as blobs - it is too much.
I can't imagine what it feels like to believe your very existence is an affront to the rest of humanity.
Religion, tradition, piety...I know there are legitimate reasons a woman might choose to wear this.
None of it makes sense to me.
I DO NOT THINK IT IS RIGHT.

Article link...

Interesting conversation about how the really rich might think....

Bitter, angry men.

John McCain and Lindsay Graham

Cuh-razy
I don't know why anybody puts them on their show.
Well, I guess I do - media loves a loon.

They are obsessed with supposed coverups of the Petraeus scandal and the Benghazi attack.

I'm not in a position to know, beyond a reasonable doubt, that there wasn't a "coverup".
It sounds unlikely to me though.  To what end?  I don't think the president would do it.
It makes complete sense to me that in Benghazi there was a lot of confusion and it would have been hard to know what was going on.  It would take several days.  And, what if the administration did know more than they said initially?  It's reasonable to assume they might have had some security reason not to tell everything at that time.  Sheesh - even police departments hold back some information about crimes when the investigation is ongoing.
It seems irresponsible of McCain and Graham to insist that every detail be told in public before all the facts are known.

Graham wants a Watergate style commission to review this.
He is such a hypocrite.  If he's concerned about the government spending too much money then this isn't the way to change it.  

Add the Petraeus scandal, the former head of the CIA for goodness sake!, and this is the Graham/McCain way to stir the pot so nothing can get done in Obama's second term as well.

I do NOT like the way these men do business.

Awww...

After re-election, Barack sees Michelle for the first time.
Scout Tufankjian took the one on the left, and David Burnett took the photo on the right.
Unbeknownst to each other, the photographers took the picture at the same time from opposite sides of the podium.  Note the wisp of Michelle's hair flying in the breeze.

Grover Norquist

Is it wrong of me to say that Grover Norquist should fall off the fiscal cliff?
It feels wrong.
Maybe it would be nicer if I hoped for Grover Norquist to have a change of heart.

He is a scourge in  American politics.
Why?  He is an idealogue without wisdom.

He won't consider 'the middle way'.
He bullies.

Of course it's noble to stand tall for what you believe in.
But, it's important to think beyond yourself once in a while and be part of the flow of life.
Life is not one dimensional
Priorities change.
Grover Norquist doesn't care.

It's fine to be a rabble rouser and I applaud his voice in the conversation.
I think he took it too far when he used emotional scare tactics to get people to follow him and pressure congress members to vote his way...or else.

His attitude is another factor in why Republicans are in such disfavor with the electorate right now.

This is how it started...

President Obama scheduled a press conference today to discuss how we can move forward and deal with the 'fiscal cliff'.

So, what does Boehner do?  He calls a press conference two hours earlier and says let's take back all this fiscal cliff stuff and do a big tax overhaul in 2013 instead.

I am so disgusted by John Boehner and the Republicans.  It's three days after the election.  Ugh.

First of all, the so-called 'fiscal cliff' (a terminology I'm already sick of, along with 'double-down' which was the most overused media buzzword in the election) is there because the Republicans wouldn't agree to raise the debt ceiling.  Obama didn't want them to 'kick the can down the road' (another overused term) again because they keep avoidnig the reality of financial inequity in this country.  That's why there is this cliff in the first place.

As far as I'm concerned Boehner is throwing out an unrealitic solution and next he'll blame Obama for not wanting to go along with it (assuming that's what he'll do).

The economy has stalled while we wait to see what's happening with the election and then how Congress will deal with the current government finance issues.  Why would waiting another year make this any better?  It won't.  Businesses like to plan for the future.  Waiting another year just stalls the economy for one more year.

I hope Obama doesn't go for this.

John Boehner is a bully and way too sinister to be in charge of reasonable people.

The Next Day...Election 2012

So...that's good.  Yay Obama/Biden! :)

And same sex marriage seems to be winning as well.  Very proud of my state.

I watched the CBS coverage all night long.  Hard to keep track of pre election polling numbers, exit polls, early vote percentages, projections, calls, estimates, likely this that and the other.  Aargh...just tell me we won!!!

I couldn't keep my eyes open for the entirety of Obama's speech.  I've seen it since and yes...proud.

McKenna's speech was a very, very, very long winded mix of "I'm not giving up, but I better thank all my peeps now in case this doesn't go my way, which it looks like it isn't, but I'm the same state Attorney General who signed on to a lawsuit to try to make Obamacare unconstitutional so obviously I'm a bit out of step" type of speech.
And yet...I felt bad for him.  I'm sure he wants to win.  But, I hope he doesn't.

And speaking of people who wanted to win.  Ya gotta feel bad for Mitt Romney.  Not enough to change the outcome of course, but - he really wanted to win.  And it's not like he did a horrible job.  He was steady in the face of an overwhelming lack of enthusiasm during the primaries, and he came through in that first debate.    He traveled, he tried, and he just isn't the right person for the job.  In this case, the crowd does know best.

Interesting to hear the analysts talk about big 'groups' of people who voted this way or that.  Women overwhelmingly voted for Obama, but whites overwhelmingly voted for Romney.  Except I'm a white woman who voted for Obama.  From my personal experience I know the generalizations are inaccurate.
Instead of using the physical characteristics of people to estimate how they might vote, I wish they'd consider the policies.  For instance, Middle class married people voted overwhelmingly for X because of his policies to cut the budget.  That seems more meaningful and interesting.
I suspect it's also the kind of detail that the pollsters aren't able to capture.

Speaking of which...think how many people have jobs just because of politics and elections.  Pollsters, stylists, speechwriters, local tv advertising people, event planners, media people, pundits, newspaper columnists, etc.
It seems that so many of them are not adding to the health of our society...it's a crazy codependent dysfunctional apparatus that feeds on itself to remain valid and stay alive.
Ugh.

Those are my thoughts after the election.  And looking ahead...right now I'm thinking....



HILLARY IN 2016

Thoughts on Election Day 2012

I like this commercial...

Some thoughts on the election:

1.  I think the news stations are relying way too heavily on polling to tell them what's going on.  It's tiresome to watch and I think it ends up creating the narrative rather than reporting on the narrative.
2.  This election would not be as close if Obama had done better in the first debate.
3.  The country has been increasingly polarized since the Clinton years.  Remember how many lawsuits the Clintons were subject to in the early years?  The Republicans were vicious.
4.  The viciousness in this year has grown all out of proportion - I think it's because Obama is black.  People can have legitimate reasons to not want to vote for Obama.  But, I've heard too many people over the last four years who can't define what they don't like about him, and yet they heatedly don't want him to be President again.  It's a little out of proportion, I think.
5.  I can imagine that if Romney wins, the stock market will go up.  Money people like Republicans.  They'll feel happy and safe to start investing again because they expect favorable policies from a Romney administration.  The economy may improve, but the lot in life of disadvantaged people will become more precarious.  It will be like the Reagan years.  Some thought those were good days, but others didn't fare so well.
6.  I can imagine that if Obama wins, the stock market will be either flat or go down a bit.  But, over time it will be the same it's been.  I think the money people will have to accept that Obama is president and unless they want to do nothing for four more years they will keep on keeping on.  It won't be with very much enthusiasm.  But, maybe that's best...the money people have gotten us into trouble too much over the last years.
7.  Battleground states.  I don't like that every state, county, town, and region is so predictable that there are only a few states where the campaigns can't predict the outcome.  It implies that we don't have an open mind and we can't be persuaded by a good argument.  I fault the redistricting that goes on so that each party can be assured of victory.  It would be better if each district had a mix of democratic leaning and republican leaning people.  Then we'd really have to figure out how to solve problems.  Another solution would be the rise of a third party.
8.  I will be very proud and happy if gay marriage passes in this state.
9.  I wish there had been more attention paid to the House and Senate races.  My mother made a comment that if Obama is elected he would increase the estate tax (or something...I don't even remember).  We don't talk politics so I didn't respond, but that's a common thing people say.  The President doesn't put new taxes into law...the Congress does.
10.  And speaking of Congress, it wasn't Obama that didn't get things done, it was the Congress.
11.  The way people twist words and speak with a forked tongue has gone through the roof.  It's dispiriting.
12.  I hope we have a definitive answer tonight.  I don't want this to go on and on and on...I'm done with this election.
13.  One reason I didn't vote for Hillary Clinton in 2008 is because I didn't want to hear all the partisan bickering.  The far right went after the Clintons in the 90's and I thought they would rabble rouse again.  It turns out they were rabble rousing anyway.  And, I think Hillary would have been more prepared to fight it than Obama was.  Obama and I both thought he had a mandate and the folks would work together.  I couldn't imagine the depths they would sink.  How can you trust a party in which one of the leaders, Mitch McConnell, says from the beginning that their main job is to make Obama a one term president and block everything he attempts.  After that statement...well, that is downright unAmerican, I think.

That's it for now.

How I voted: Election Day, November 6, 2012

Have you seen this video?  Cute.  We all agree.

I'm about to fill out my ballot.
I don't mind writing how I'm going to vote.
It's easier to vote on issues.
It's hard to know inside a candidate's heart.
I try to vote for who I think will tend to vote the way I would vote. I vote for the kind of world I want to live in. I don't expect miracles or that everything will go my way. I just want to tip the balance with my vote.

***

Initiative 1185 - tax and fee increases imposed by state goverment must be approved by two-thirds legislative majorities or receive voter approval, and new or increased fees require majority legislative approval.
I vote No. The people who support this measure want a small government by ideology, not by reasoned governance. A 2/3 majority means most increases won't pass. Sometimes a tax or fee increase is warranted. Rather than majority rule, the minority wins...1/3 + 1 will dictate the financial fate of the state.
Update:  I think I misunderstood this one...we might already have a 2/3 requirement and the only thing changing is the wording.

Initiative 1240 - authorization of up to forty publicly-funded charter schools.
I vote No. This is the classic solution to a problem: don't fix it, just build something else. If the same energy and effort were put into fixing the public school system as it currently stands, we would have excellent schools. The main thing this initiative would accomplish is to bust the teacher's union. I think a public school system - where all students have access to a good education - is fundamental to the survival of our country. And, if people suggest that the charter schools won't do anything different than that, then I ask...why do it then? We already have a system - fix it.

Referendum Measure 74 - allow same sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony.
I vote Yes. Of course. I'm glad to have the opportunity to vote on this. Arguments against this referendum don't have validity, in my opinion.

Initiative Measure 502 - license and regulate marijuana production, distribution, and possession for persons over twenty-one, remove state-law criminal and civil penalties for activities that it authorizes, tax marijuana sales, and earmark marijuana related revenues.
I vote No. I am somewhat persuaded by the tax revenue argument, and the police resources argument. But, I'm concerned that because this goes against federal law, the state will be forced into a lawsuit from the US government. I'm also concerned about what it means for people who use it; we have so much trouble with people who drink too much, I worry the same will happen with marijuana. I don't think humans handle mind altering drugs very well. With legalization, we give some of the criminal organizations a legal cover for their illegal drug activities. I just don't think this is a good idea. I feel like voting No makes me an old fuddy duddy, and not 'chill', which I think I am otherwise. I suspect many of the people I know would vote yes.

Resolution No 8221 - decrease the debt limit from the current 9% of general state revenue, to 8.5 in 2014, 8.25 in 2016, and 8 in 2034. The percent of general state revenue would be calculated using the last 6 years, instead of 3 years. And state property taxes would be included in the general state revenues starting in 2014.
I vote to Approve. Increasing the number of years included in the general state revenue calculation (from 3 to 6) seems like it would give us a more balanced debt limit; smooth out the curve. The amendment does not affect the statute that says state property taxes are for schools. It only includes the property tax in the calculation of general state revenue. I think the net effect might be minimal because although the rate will go down over time, the amount included in the calculation will increase.

Resolution 8223 - public funds of the UW and WSU can be invested in private stocks and bonds.
I vote to Approve. I don't really think this is a good idea. It doesn't make sense to 'gamble' with public money given to the universites. What if they have bad money managers? What if the stock market crashes? Then we're in the same boat we're in now that they think this will solve: not enough money to run the university. And what about the corporate influence in the university? Couldn't that be compromised? I'm only voting for this because I want universities to have money, Bill Gates is supporting the resolution, other state institutions are doing it, and I trust that the leaders of the university know what they're doing. I hope I don't regret this.

Advisory Votes 1 and 2 - legislature extended the expiration of one tax on possession of petroleum products and eliminated a business and occupation tax deduction.
I vote to Maintain the changes - It sounds like it affects the oil companies who make plenty of profit and can afford it, and financial institutions who also make plenty of profit.

King County Prop 1 - tax levy for automatied fingerprint identification system
I vote Yes - It's worth paying for.

President and Vice President
I vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. I think he should have time to make his policies work. I don't agree with everything he did (or will do), but I trust that he will lean toward my way of thinking. I value the role of government in our society to create a stable and fair and safe economic system. I believe the government should help us make sure everyone has at least a minimum standard of housing, health, education, and food. I also believe that our government should not endorse a religious belief. I think infrastructure, the environment, education, and R&D should be priorities of our country and the government can play a role in supporting those priorities.

And the rest...Maria Cantwell, Adam Smith, Jay Inslee, Brad Owen, Kathleen Drew, Jim McIntire, Troy Kelley, Bob Ferguson, Peter J Goldmark, Randy I Dorn, Mike Kreidler, Maureen Judge, Marcie Maxwell, Judy Clibborn, John Urquhart, Susan Owens Steve Gonzalez, Sheryl Gordon-McCloud, Ronald E Cox, Martin Appelwick, and Christopher A Washington.

Funny Photo

This photo made me chuckle...not in an "I'm not voting for Romney" way.  It's just one of the funny photos that happen sometimes.  It's an AP photo originally captioned as "Mitt Romeny poses for pictures with schoolchildren". 
Of course the picture needs more context. 
As the AP later clarified, the girl was expressing excitement because Romney had decided he'd sit with the children and get a group photo...he was bending down to get on the floor in front of the kids.

Here's a link to the story in Huffington Post 

Hey! Look what day it is...

I'm posting this at 9am on 10/11/12...9 10 11 12.  Yippee!

I'm fed up!

Protestors in the streets of the Middle East.  Protestors is a nice word at this point.  I think if the wind changes direction that seems to be reason enough for them to be violent and ugly.  They can't think beyond this child-like emotional tantrum, lashing out without care or thought.  Unfortunately, they're in adult bodies with great destructive power.  I'm sorry for the extreme negativity they must live with on a day to day basis for them to think the only thing to be done is destroy and kill.  These aren't protests; they're excuses to get out their frustrations.  Maybe it's the culture or their government or their religion...I don't know.  But, I'm fed up with their violent reactions to everything.  I don't know what can be done about it.  Turn the other cheek?  I'm willing to do it, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.  I'm angry at the idiot who wanted to incite such a reaction by creating the film the people are upset about.  There's no reason to puposefully hurt or antagonize people.  I'm an American - he DOES have the right.  But, the makers and supporters of the film are just as hurtful and negative as the people making violence in the street. 
I don't know what peaceful people should be doing????

9/2/2013 Edited to Add:  The original reports were wrong; the movie did not instigate the protests.  There was a terrorist attack at the US Embassy in Benghazi where 4 Americans were killed, including the US Ambassador to Libya.

***

Kate Middleton Topless Photos: Nude Images Of The Duchess Of Cambridge Published In French Magazine Closer

This is a headline on Huffington Post today.  I'm fed up with this as well.  Kate is a lovely young lady and this paparazzi and the people who published it are well beyond the limits of human decency.
We've allowed our society to get this way by not punishing the people who cross the lines.  And by punish, I don't mean put them in jail.  I think we shouldn't participate in their world - don't buy the magazines, don't watch the television shows, etc.  I'm just sickened by this.  No one should have their privacy intruded on in such a way.  Where is the boundary?  Ugh.

The Palace put out a statement:
"Their Royal Highnesses have been hugely saddened to learn that a French publication and a photographer have invaded their privacy in such a grotesque and totally unjustifiable manner. The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to the duke and duchess for being so. Their Royal Highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them."

I think they might sue for invasion of privacy as well.  Good for them.

***

And finally, I want Ian to win Big Brother 14.  That shows you how fed up I am with all the politics and violence and ugliness in the world.  I used to see Big Brother as a real negativity generator.  Compared to the rest of the news - this is tame.  Honestly, though, this season has been kind of refreshing.  Only Frank has seemed overly emotional about the game and taken things personally.  Everyone else mostly sees it as a game, I think. 

Dan's been a good player and made things very interesting and surprising in the last couple weeks, but Ian's also done a good job and since Dan's won before, I'd like Ian to win.  I didn't see Dan's original season.

I really wanted to see more of Britney and Janelle.  Britney is cute as a button and funny, and Janelle is smart and fun to watch. 

Sigh.  From terror and rage in the Middle East to Big Brother 14.  Sigh again.
I feel like I've given in to the riduculousness...I've been hypnotized by the unimportant.

How to make....ICE CUBES

Slate's Browbeat blog led me to this chuckle for the day...a recipe for ice. 
Recipe and comments remind me there are lots of funny, creative people in the world.

Romney - Ryan

"You can fool some of the people all of the time
...and that's our target market! "

lifted from Daily Kos diarist Jon Perr

Thinking Outside the Box

Curiosity on Mars

I want to make note of the safe landing of the Mars Rover, Curiosity.
I wonder if the Vulcans will be coming by to check on us, soon?
Awesome achievement by really smart people.

I watched the live UStream of the landing.  The NASA and JPL employees were ecstatic.
I am very proud of them, and thankful for their abilities to make this happen.

I'm impressed that I have access to my employer's network via my home computer.
Imagine how amazing it is that I am now connected to the Internet looking at computers at JPL and NASA who are looking at photos from MARS, taken by the machine they designed to fly in space and communicate with Earth.

Congratulations.  It gives me goosebumps...:)

GO SCIENCE AND SPACE EXPLORATION!!!

To see more, go to http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html

Fourth of July, 2012

 

 

 

This is my vantage point for 4th of July fireworks.  We're sitting on the northeast side of a canal on Lake Tapps looking south down the lake towards Mount Rainier.  At this point, it's about 15 minutes from fireworks time.  And boy do they know how to do fireworks in Lake Tapps!  At least 10 houses along this waterway were lighting off fireworks.  And not just a few Roman Candles and a sparkler...the BIG kind.  Some of them were
FAN-TAS-TIC!
Behind the point coming from the left side into the middle of the picture, the official Lake Tapps fireworks were happening.  We saw them pretty big, but they were in competition with the house at the point of land jutting out from the left.  They were having a HUGE party and their fireworks - good ones, mind you - went for about an hour.
Many other houses had fireworks going along this canal.  It was hard to keep track.  And the noise.  You could tell people all over were lighting fireworks.
It was a nice night spent with good people.